Craig Virgin's 30th Anniversary...

The guy was a beast. Would've medaled in Moscow in 1980 but for the boycott. As an aside, the kidneys are involved in maintaining blood volume via the renin-angiotensin system, for converting vitamin D to its proper hormone form, which oversees about 200 different genes involved with the immune system, and produce EPO, the catalyst for red blood cell production, and, therefore, oxygen carrying capacity. Pretty amazing to be a world champion with kidney issues.

Congrats to Craig. I remember when he won, there was just the smallest mention on one line in my local paper. I remember thinking how unfair it was that the public didn't realize what a huge deal this was.

Oh, what a tragedy for the Bristol boy!

I was a senior in high school when he won and I remember hearing about it, but never saw the race on tape. I am not sure why I didn't just go look it up on youtube. What was I thinking. Anyway, great memories and it is hard to believe tha he is the only U.S. men's winner ever.

Maximus wrote:

I am not sure why I didn't just go look it up on youtube. What was I thinking. .

It wasn't on youtube until this morning.

Actually it was first posted in January 26. It wasn't until this morning that it got any play,

Date Link Views

A

Feb 25, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - world cross country championships1980 3

B

Feb 22, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - j�rgen orthmann 5

C

Feb 13, 2010 Other / Viral 4

D

Feb 13, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - usatf cross country championships 2010 3

E

Feb 09, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - world cross country championships 2010 4

F

Feb 08, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - 1980 world cross country championship 3

G

Feb 06, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - craig virgin 9

H

Feb 06, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - nick rose cross country 3

I

Jan 31, 2010 First referral from -

www.archeologiadellosport.com

8

J

Jan 30, 2010 First referral from YouTube search - world cross country championships 13

malmo wrote:

Maximus wrote:

I am not sure why I didn't just go look it up on youtube. What was I thinking. .

It wasn't on youtube until this morning.

I am pretty sure youtube wasn't around in 1980, which was what I was trying to get at.

thank you to whoever dug up this video. just awesome, totally made my day.

Earlier today I deleted another Virgin thread as I wanted to have one consolidated thread. In that thread, someone referenced the following article on Virgin which we are now using for the QOD:

http://www.illpreptf.com/2010/03/history-repeats-itself-records-are-made-to-be-broken-just-ask-craig-virgin/

There were two worthwhile posts in the other thread. One talked about his amazing HS career and how he won 48 straight xc races, setting 47 course records in the process.

The other talked about how Virgin would have been a medal contender in 1980 for the 10,000. I think his 10k time that year was 2nd in the world and he also beat the an Olympic 10k medallist for the world cross crown in 1981.

I meant to re-post there posts here but can't figure out how to do it.

FYI, we are in the process of rotating three quotes about Virgin as our QOD. They all come from the great article referenced above:

#1 “Whether it’s sports, business or love, timing is everything. I timed that last lap-and-a-half better than what anybody else did. Part of it was instinct and part of it was practice.”

-American Craig Virgin talking about the kick that earned him America's first world cross country title 30 years ago from today.

#2 “I do not think that Craig was the most physically gifted runner in terms of leg speed or strength, but he could push himself through shear willpower to levels that very few people on the world class level could achieve. His mind was a very powerful instrument and he had desire.”

-Two-time Olympican Mike Durkin talking about American Craig Virgin.

#3 “Frank Shorter would shoot me for this, but I think Craig’s two world championships exceed Frank’s (1972 Olympic marathon) gold medal in terms of what it accomplished. Frank happened to win a major media event no different that I did in Boston. But in terms of pure athletic endeavor, the world cross country championship is a tougher accomplishment.”

-Boston marathon champ Greg Meyer talking about Craig Virgin's two world cross country titles -

Actually I think virgin's time of 27:29 was the fastest in the world that year and was the second fastest ever run up to that point. Most high school runners dream of breaking 9:00 in the 2 mile or 3200 meters one time and Craig did it an astounding 15 times. As was mentioned earlier, if he didn't have kdiney problems it is hard telling what he might have accomplished. He was one tough SOB. The university of illinois needs some runners like him right now.

you'd think he died from the main page - i had to do some googling just to check.......

black is usually reserved for death.

It represents the death of the US actually making a mark in world cross, because after Virgin, and maybe Porter in his immediate aftermath, there's been nobody close to the podium. I agree with the Greg Meyer quote too -- much tougher to win a coveted medal in the race with the most depth relative to a diluted Olympic specialty. Of course, nowadays, depth means something altogether different. I still think Virgin's two world cross wins were the most significant American distance running achievements to date.

Here is one of the BEST post about CV on Letsrun....first posted....4/24/2003!

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=85355

ps...is there a 1981 video(world XC) out there somewhere?

Thank you all for this thread and keep it going. As the world continues to flounder I long for the simplicity of the 70's/early 80's. This just brings back some great memories.

rojo wrote:#2 “I do not think that Craig was the most physically gifted runner in terms of leg speed or strength, but he could push himself through shear willpower to levels that very few people on the world class level could achieve. His mind was a very powerful instrument and he had desire.”

-Two-time Olympican Mike Durkin talking about American Craig Virgin.

I find it hard to hear this about a kid that broke a 9:00 two mile as a freshman. Maybe he was an early maturer and trained hard, but even then you need an incredible amount of talent to do what he did at any point of his career.

hsmiler16 wrote:

I find it hard to hear this about a kid that broke a 9:00 two mile as a freshman. Maybe he was an early maturer and trained hard,

Not the case. First of all, he didn't break 9:00 until his sophomore year. He was no Eric Hulst, who could grow a thick beard at 15, Virgin was a skinny rat, like the rest of us in high school.

Virgin simply had the ability to run until he literally collapsed. This is not the same as Dathan Ritzenhein's finishline histrionics, with the flailing and flopping around in front of the cameras. Virgin actually ran himself to the point where he collapsed to the ground cold with less than 400m to go in two races (AAU XC, and NCAA track). .

Craig Virgin - 1973

Lebanon HS in Lebanon, IL

4/07 8:50.4 2 mile & 4:17 relay leg

4/24 8:55.6 & 4:16.6 St Clair County meet

4/28 8:59.0 Granite City Invite

5/02 9:24.2 O'Falon Relays

5/03 4:27.9 & 2:02.1 Conference meet

5/05 8:46.6 & 4:11.8 relay Orphan Relays

5/15 8:54.0 Cahokia Invite

5/18 8:53.6 & 4:10.9 District

5/21 8:48.6 & 4:08.5 Meet of Champions

5/25 4:10.0 State meet heat

5/26 8:42.6 & 4:12.2 State finals

6/01 4:05.5 Top 10 meet

6/09 8:40.9 Intl Prep Invite - HS 2 mile record

6/23 13:36.8 3 mile at Ntl Jr AAU

7/04 4:06.1 Freedom Mile (5th)

7/14 8:10.2 3000 for 3rd vs West German Jrs

7/20 8:16.0 3000 win vs Poland Jrs

7/28 13:58.2 5000 win vs USSR Jrs

Last time you'll see a guy from Belgium and Scotland in the top 5.

It does'nt get any better than that boy's!

Virgin was a magnificent racer in the Salazar mode,he got little enough coverage in USA during his best years,but was well known and greatly respected,by antipodean and European distance afficianados, in those years.

Great to see the video.