Gerry Lindgren
Encyclopedia
Gerald Paul Lindgren (born March 9, 1946 in Spokane, Washington
) is an American track and field
runner who is widely recognized as having been the best high school long distance runner in the United States
at the time.
In 1964, in his senior year at Rogers High School, Lindgren ran 5000 meters in 13 minutes and 44 seconds, setting a U.S. high school record for the distance that would remain unbroken for 40 years, until Galen Rupp
ran 13:37.91 on July 30, 2004. Among his other records he established that year was his time of 8:40.0 in an indoor 2 miles (3.2 km) race that shattered the previous U.S. national high school mark. Over forty years later this remains the fastest U.S. schoolboy 2 miles (3.2 km) time ever run indoors (and the fourth fastest time indoors or outdoors).
On July 25, 1964, Lindgren outran two seasoned Russia
n runners, Leonid Ivanov and Anatoly Dutov to win the 10,000 meter event in the US-USSR Track Meet in Los Angeles
.
In the 1964 Summer Olympics
in Tokyo
, he finished ninth in the 10,000 meters behind gold medalist Billy Mills
after having sprained an ankle during training. Lindgren had previously beaten Mills in the Olympic Trials that year. Mills later said that a healthy Lindgren would have won gold. Four years later, Lindgren tried to make the 1968 Olympic team but finished 5th in the 10,000 meters and 4th in the 5,000 meters in the Olympic Trials at Echo Summit, just missing the team at both distances.
Lindgren also competed against Mills in the 1965 AAU Nationals meet, where they raced the 6 miles (9.7 km). Mills won with a diving lean, while both were timed in 27:11.6, a new World Record
shared by Mills and Lindgren.
Lindgren was coached by Jack Daniels
. In his training, he averaged 240 miles per week for one year, including running a 380 mile week.
Lindgren attended Washington State University
in Pullman, Washington
, where he majored in political science
and minored in Russian language
. While at Washington State, Lindgren won 11 NCAA Championships. (His only loss at an NCAA championship was to Jim Ryun
in the 1968 indoor 2 miles (3.2 km) race.) He was one of only two people to ever defeat Steve Prefontaine
in an NCAA Championship. (Lindgren won the 1969 NCAA Cross Country Championship in which 1968 NCAA champion Mike Ryan finished second and Prefontaine third.) He competed sporadically after graduating from college but without any notable success. Since 1980, when he curiously left a note in his home kitchen saying 'get a divorce, sell the business' and abandoned his wife and children (with whom he continues to have no contact), Lindgren has lived in Honolulu, Hawaii
. He continues to run regularly, active in the Hawaii running community. He coached the University of Hawaii
's women's track and field team 2005-2007.
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
) is an American track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
runner who is widely recognized as having been the best high school long distance runner in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the time.
In 1964, in his senior year at Rogers High School, Lindgren ran 5000 meters in 13 minutes and 44 seconds, setting a U.S. high school record for the distance that would remain unbroken for 40 years, until Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp
Galen Rupp is an American cross-country and track and field athlete, who competed for the University of Oregon and currently trains under Alberto Salazar as a member of the Oregon Track Club. Rupp competed for his native country in the men's 10000 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,...
ran 13:37.91 on July 30, 2004. Among his other records he established that year was his time of 8:40.0 in an indoor 2 miles (3.2 km) race that shattered the previous U.S. national high school mark. Over forty years later this remains the fastest U.S. schoolboy 2 miles (3.2 km) time ever run indoors (and the fourth fastest time indoors or outdoors).
On July 25, 1964, Lindgren outran two seasoned Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n runners, Leonid Ivanov and Anatoly Dutov to win the 10,000 meter event in the US-USSR Track Meet in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
In the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, he finished ninth in the 10,000 meters behind gold medalist Billy Mills
Billy Mills
William Mervin Mills or "Billy" Mills, also known as Makata Taka Hela , is the second Native American to win an Olympic gold medal....
after having sprained an ankle during training. Lindgren had previously beaten Mills in the Olympic Trials that year. Mills later said that a healthy Lindgren would have won gold. Four years later, Lindgren tried to make the 1968 Olympic team but finished 5th in the 10,000 meters and 4th in the 5,000 meters in the Olympic Trials at Echo Summit, just missing the team at both distances.
Lindgren also competed against Mills in the 1965 AAU Nationals meet, where they raced the 6 miles (9.7 km). Mills won with a diving lean, while both were timed in 27:11.6, a new World Record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
shared by Mills and Lindgren.
Lindgren was coached by Jack Daniels
Jack Daniels (coach)
Jack Tupper Daniels is a former professor of physical education and cross-country running coach at Brevard College, in North Carolina. He received his doctoral degree in exercise physiology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison...
. In his training, he averaged 240 miles per week for one year, including running a 380 mile week.
Lindgren attended Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
in Pullman, Washington
Pullman, Washington
Pullman is the largest city in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 24,675 at the 2000 census and 29,799 according to the 2010 census...
, where he majored in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and minored in Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. While at Washington State, Lindgren won 11 NCAA Championships. (His only loss at an NCAA championship was to Jim Ryun
Jim Ryun
James Ronald Ryun is an American former track athlete and politician, who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1996 to 2007, representing the 2nd District in Kansas. In the 2006 election, Ryun was defeated by Democratic challenger Nancy Boyda...
in the 1968 indoor 2 miles (3.2 km) race.) He was one of only two people to ever defeat Steve Prefontaine
Steve Prefontaine
Steve Roland "Pre" Prefontaine was an American middle and long-distance runner. Prefontaine once held the American record in the seven distance track events from the 2,000 meters to the 10,000 meters...
in an NCAA Championship. (Lindgren won the 1969 NCAA Cross Country Championship in which 1968 NCAA champion Mike Ryan finished second and Prefontaine third.) He competed sporadically after graduating from college but without any notable success. Since 1980, when he curiously left a note in his home kitchen saying 'get a divorce, sell the business' and abandoned his wife and children (with whom he continues to have no contact), Lindgren has lived in Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He continues to run regularly, active in the Hawaii running community. He coached the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
's women's track and field team 2005-2007.
High school personal records
- 1500 meters - 3:44.6 (1964) - 4:01.5 (1964) (2nd fastest in history in 1964; #8 all time among American high schoolers as of 2011)
- 3000 meters - 8:06.3i (1964) High School Record (4th best of all time as of 2011) - 8:40.0i (1964) High School Record (as of 2011 is still the 4th All-time American High School time: and 1st all-time indoors) - 13:17.0 (1964)
- 5000 meters - 13:44.0 (1964) High School Record (2nd All-time American High School time as of 2011)
- 10000 meters - 29:17.6 (1964) High School Record (5th best all time as of 2011)
College personal records
- 12:53.0 (1966) Collegiate Record - 27:11.6 (1965) Collegiate and World Record- 3000 meters - 7:58 (1965) Collegiate Record
- 5000 meters - 13:33.8 (1968) Collegiate Record
- 10000 meters - 28:40.2 (1967) Collegiate Record
NCAA Championships
- Cross Country - 1966 (29:01.4), 1967 (30:45.6), 1969 (28:59.2) outdoor track - 1966 (13:33.7), 1967 (13:47.8)
- 5000 m - 1968 (13:47.2) outdoor track - 1966 (28:07.0), 1967 (28:44.0)
- 10000 m - 1968 (29:41.0) indoor track - 1966 (8:41.3), 1967 (8:34.7)