Mike Sandrock

photo: dailycamera.com

photo: dailycamera.com

Mike Sandrock is an award-winning sport journalist with a quarter-century of running expertise. He currently covers running for the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, Colorado, and maintains freelance status with numerous publications, including Running Times, Runner’s World, Marathon & Beyond, and Trail Runner. He is also a member of the Colorado Press Association, where he has won numerous accolades for Best Sports Story of the Year. As a runner, Mike has trained with many elite athletes and Olympic champions, with personal bests of 2:24:00 in the marathon and 30:23 in the 10K. Mike currently resides in Boulder, where he runs, writes, and manages the Shoes for Africa project that he founded. This program donates new and used equipment to underprivileged athletes around the world.

Steve Jones (former marathon world record holder), Mike Sandrock, and Ted Kennedy (Ironman North America) pose after the Boulder Dine and Dash #4 in 2005.  photo: coloradorunnermag.com

Steve Jones (former marathon world record holder), Mike Sandrock, and Ted Kennedy (Ironman North America) pose after the Boulder Dine and Dash #4 in 2005. photo: coloradorunnermag.com

Dan Reese

photo: Readytalk.com

photo: Readytalk.com

Dan Reese is the middle of three brothers who ran for the University of Colorado at Boulder. As a Buff, the 1987 graduate was a two-time All-American in cross-country and a longtime record-holder in the 3,000m steeplechase. Afterward, he was a bronze medalist at the 1995 Pan Am Games. Dan comes from a huge family of Colorado runners. Dan’s older brother, Sam Reese, was a cross country All-American, his younger brother, Tom Reese, was a three-time All-American (while coached by Dan), and older brother Dave, is a former Denver Marathon champ, a former Northern Colorado athlete and a former running coach at Mullen High School. Adding to that list is Dan’s son, Michael Reese, who is running for the Buffs now. When not working or running, Dan enjoys spending time with his family and coaching his kids.

photo: coloradanmagazine.org

photo: coloradanmagazine.org

PattiSue Plumer

photo: gostanford.com

PattiSue Plumer is a retired American long-distance runner who ran twice in the Olympics. She ran first in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea where she finished 13th in the 3,000m. In 1992 in Barcelona, Spain she ran in the 1,500m, finishing 10th, and the 3,000m, finishing 5th. On July 3, 1989 she set the American record in the 5,000m at 14:59.99, and was the first woman to beat one of Mary Decker’s sweep of all distance running American records during the 1980s. She won the 1990 Fifth Avenue Mile, setting a course record which remains unbeaten. Patti Sue attended Stanford University, where she won the 1984 NCAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship at 5000m and the NCAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships at two-m,iles in 1983. She won multiple national titles at 3,000m and 5,000m and was a three-time runner-up in the 1,500 meters. She received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Stanford Law School and worked as a lawyer for several years. She now coaches cross-country and track at Stanford University in Northern California.

Leading in the 1988 Olympics

Leading in the 1988 Olympics

Herb Lindsay

photo: Flint Journal

photo: Flint Journal

Herb Lindsay is an American long distance runner. After graduating from Michigan State in 1977, Lindsay taught elementary school physical education in Okemos, Michigan. He kept running, hoping to make the 1980 Olympics, but it seemed unlikely. Eventually, against the advice of family and friends, he moved to Boulder, took a part-time job and began to concentrate on his training. He finished ninth in the Olympic Trials 10000m and did not make the team. In the 1979 Pan American Games, Herb won a silver medal in the 5,000m. In 1980, he won the Cascade Runoff 15K, setting the American record. Herb was also one of the founding members of the Association of Road Racing Athletes‎ and was inducted into the RRCA Hall of Fame in 2002.

 

herb_lindsay_rr

Adam Goucher

photo: usatf.org

photo: usatf.org

Adam Goucher is an American Olympic track and field athlete. While attending the University of Colorado, Adam won two NCAA indoor track titles in the 3,000m and an outdoor NCAA track title in the 5,000m. After three top ten finishes, he finally won the NCAA Division I cross-country title. In 2000, he made his first Olympic team, placing first in the Olympic trials in the 5000m. He was 13th in the 5000m at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, despite serious battles with back troubles. In 2008, he attended the US Olympic Trials in hopes of qualifying in the 5k and 10k. His time of 13:56.25 in the semifinal of the 5k was enough to advance to the finals, but after holding the lead for several laps, he dropped out of the race with two laps remaining. He finished seventh in the 10k final, failing to qualify for the Olympics, but besting his previous 10k personal record. He currently resides in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Kara Goucher, also a professional runner, and their son, Colton Mirko.

photo: trackfocus.com

photo: trackfocus.com

Elva Dryer

photo: usatf.org

photo: usatf.org

Elva Dryer (neè Martinez) is a three-time qualifying track and field Olympian: placing 3rd in the 5,000m at the 2000 Olympic trials; second in the 10,000m at the 2004 Olympic trials, finishing 19th in the event; and 15th in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympic trials. During her college career at Western State, Elva won two NCAA D-II cross country titles, and was national champ in the 3,000m four times, the only person to achieve that feat. Dryer was the top American finisher at the 2007 ING New York City Marathon, placing 6th (2:35:15). She married Russ Dryer, a former All-American cross-country runner and fellow Western State alum, and he has coached her ever since. Elva’s hobbies include crocheting and reading.

Photo: Victah Sailer@Photo Run

Photo: Victah Sailer@Photo Run

Shayne Culpepper

photo: usatf.org

photo: usatf.org

Shayne Culpepper (neè Willie) is a middle distance track and field athlete who has won multiple national titles and qualified twice for the Olympics: in 2000 in the 1,500m and in 2004 in the 5,000m. After winning the 2004 5,000m Olympic trials, she competed again at the 2004 Summer Olympics and placed 13th in the 5k at the first round, not allowing her to go on to the finals. Now retired, Shayne and her husband Alan Culpepper, fellow Olympian and CU alum, spend their time enjoying life with their four children and leading an after-school running program at Boulder’s Douglass Elementary School.

photo: coloradanmagazine.org

photo: coloradanmagazine.org