Who was the youngest person to win US Marathon Championships

Doug Schmenk won in 1973 - he was 22 or 23. pretty sure 22

no one, you might be right about your old teammate. I looked over the list of past US Champs and it's hard to tell how old they are but since the 50's it looks like Doug might be the youngest. We'd have to ask Marty Post or maybe Ken Young this one.

Wasn't Doug about the same size as Boaz?

He was quite short - 5'2" or 5'4" or thereabouts. He looked very much like Mickey Mantle - true. We called him 'Mickey' ... clever uh? And he was our BIG mileage guy (we had quite a few doing 150-60 or so). He was @ 200+ for quite a few weeks on/around that time.

I can't remember what his average week was over a period of years - never asked. I do remember him running from his home to our apt one Sat or Sun morning - got there about 8:30. Stayed about 10 min then took off for home. 22 miles one way. The allure and 'learning curve' of mileage was even more then than now - I think.

I've been trying to find his BD but no luck so far - he still runs road races in Cal - Sacramento area. I'm quite sure he was not over the 23y in '73. My only question, really, was he 22.

2 things: was Doug good enough to make your cross team? And, looks like Ryan Shay might've possibly tied Doug for youngest Marathon Champ at 23. You're gonna have to work on his BD! (I'm still trying to process Doug running 22 to your place and 22 home...OUCH). You are so right that a lot of guys pushed the mileage envelope back in the day cause we didn't know any better. Good times.

Those w/MI connections filled 5 of the top 10 spots in Birmingham w/3 from Hansons!

Scott

Seems like he did make our ncaa travel squad - we had many to choose from in '71 but i don't think he was top 5. And I think he had numerous other 40mi days.

I set out to run 40 once - got to 36 - my ankles/feet were literally about to break (in hindsight they might have stress fract, as these were my hi mileage times ~120-140). I was feeling great but couldn't go on. I did run 5mi that eve just to get a 40mi day -that's how smart I was.

I'm sure we left some of our best races on the track or roads during workouts - in fact I know we did. We had some monster workouts (as I'm sure EM did) - crazy. We also had about 15 or so guys who were 4:15/9:15 guys and better - some 9:00 - 9:10 who didn't make the team - go figure. Quite a group. I could email you the particulars if you were interested. not message board fodder.

I'll continue my quest for Doug's BD.

Absolutley, no one, e me w/the particulars of your stellar group. Click on my name and fire away. In '71 at EM, we were so marginal that a half-miler like Fred L (he knows I love him) could make our top 5. We were minus Gordon M that year otherwise I'm sure we would've put a scare in you guys. NOT. From '72-'75 the EM teams were much better as a load of talented freshmen and a few JC tranfers meshed w/the remaining vets. I know malmo would want to remind me at this point (tugging my chain) that Gordon was in his 7th year of eligibility.(We also had the '76 Oly 100m champ on our team but I think he secretly envied Stan Vinson and the cross guys).

no one wrote:

I set out to run 40 once - got to 36 - my ankles/feet were literally about to break (in hindsight they might have stress fract, as these were my hi mileage times ~120-140). I was feeling great but couldn't go on. I did run 5mi that eve just to get a 40mi day -that's how smart I was.

The zaniest thing I did back in the day was run at least 10 miles in the morn for 57 consecutive days. Don't know about the smart part but it sure did a lot for my confidence.

'71 we placed 2-3-5-(9 or 10?)-(~40). Our 40th place guy (sub 9:00 HS jr & sr yrs - got big race jitters) was normally our 4th and had a bad day - we thought he should/could have been top ten - what might have been - anyway, we won. Schmenk we thought also was a top 20 guy, based on that year's race performance, training and he was mentally capable - not that day. Maybe thats the deal. While we dominated that day we wanted to DOMINATE.

We were undefeated as a team and thought we were better than Oregon that yr. - who won Univ div. One of those 'on any given day' I would think.

EMU dominated the next while - CSUF got 3rd in 72 - and never did anything after. A story there too.

Re: your 10m every AM - Gordon told me that was his steady diet - on the same course! Just (the day) after his big AAU 6m win so musta been semi-magic or a part of the mix. Also said he tried to keep it pretty much the same (not too fast) pace. Lots of training 'discovery' then. And it did seem like Minty was running NCAA for about a decade.

I'll email - remind me to tell you about my 60 day wonder program.

no one, runnersworld daily says that Ryan Shay is the youngest US Marathon Champ in 56 years. He's 23.

With his win I added Ryan to my list of the top 25 Mich male runners for an upcoming Mich Runner article.

I'm still checkin - although their sources/resource prob right. I did find numerous 6 or seven races in SAC area and all indicated Doug to be 52 this year, but don't have actual BD. The plot thickens - or just ages. Not much of a plot either. As Malmo would say - I've got my best people on it. I emailed them to see if they have exact BDs. Do you know Ryan's BD? He appears to have a promising future. Congrats to him.

no one, my best people beat your best people to the youngest person punch. I asked Marty Post at RW about Doug's birthdate and Ryan Lamppa of RRIC sent word of Ted Vogel, winner in '47 at the same time. Turns out Doug and Ted where both 22 when the won but Vogel is slightly younger.

The correction to announcing Ryan S (A MICHIGAN BOY!) as the youngest appears on RWDaily today. I get credit but all I really did was ask a question.

dang - EMU nudges out CSF, who woulda thunk. I did get back an email from Doug ... Born 12/16/50 ... won on 6/17/73...22y 6m 1d.

I had emailed RW so maybe I greased the wheels thereby trumping your post. Their sharpening their pencils - because of e me? or YOU?! you da man! lets go do some 880 repeats ...

- and you DID get cited/credit!

I think, upon closer examination of this 'process' mmm See the first response to the initial query. setting the domino phenomena, with all subsequent responses in fact, responses to me ... so, I'm da man! ... and therefore should be recognized as such by the RW brass. And I want top billing, no bottom of the column stuff

Friend, I hereby vacate any rights I may have for credit in this matter by virtue of the domino effect. I was just a worker bee tending to a bigger cause. As bigger causes go, you ARE DA MAN!

I fear that the RW brass will be unable to fulfill your desire for credit. That's because sometimes the worker bee gets the HONEY (mention on a website visited by millions!) You'll have to be content w/my adulation and applause and the respect of letsrun readers.

To Ted Vogel, wherever he is!

to the victor ...

Stan Daddy-long-legs Vinson was the man!

malmo, in my estimation, Stanley V was the greatest indoor relay man ever and doubt few would argue. The adrenaline rush watching him gun guys down, time after time for 4 years was the best. My brother and I love recalling Stan THE Man days. Due to his religious feelings, he turned down the chance to be inducted into the EM Hall of Fame.

Dave McKenzie, won in the 50's or 60's, was only 21/22

super, no one & I have done our part. It's your turn to turn up evidence to support your own claims. Good luck!

Dave MacKenzie is from New Zealand and won Boston in 1967.