Pat Porter
Encyclopedia
Patrick Ralph Porter (born May 31, 1959 in Wadena, Minnesota
) is a former American distance runner. With an unremarkable personal best of 4:29 in the mile while running for Evergreen High School in Evergreen, Colorado, Porter was not heavily recruited to run in college. He enrolled at Adams State College
in Alamosa, Colorado
, and flourished under the training of coach Joe Vigil.
After graduating from Adams State in 1982 with a degree in marketing, Porter became one of the most dominant U.S distance runners of the 1980s. Porter was a two time U.S. Olympian, running the 10000 meters at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. In 1983 he set the World Record for a road 10K at 27:31.8. In 1985 he won the silver medal at the World Cup of Athletics in Canberra, Australia, getting nipped at the tape by Ethiopia's Wodajo Bulti
by six hundredths of a second.
Porter is best known for his cross country running
accomplishments. He won a record eight consecutive USA Cross Country Championships
from 1982 to 1989. Porter also represented the United States at the World Cross Country Championships each of these years. His best finish at the World Championships was 4th in 1984, followed by 6th, 7th, 9th and 10th place finishes throughout his career.
In 1998 Porter played Finnish distance runner Lasse Virén
in Without Limits, a biographical film about American distance legend Steve Prefontaine
. He is married to fellow US Olympic Team member high jumper Trish Porter (née King).
Wadena, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,294 people, 1,871 households, and 1,062 families residing in the city. The population density was 818.4 people per square mile . There were 1,964 housing units at an average density of 374.3 per square mile...
) is a former American distance runner. With an unremarkable personal best of 4:29 in the mile while running for Evergreen High School in Evergreen, Colorado, Porter was not heavily recruited to run in college. He enrolled at Adams State College
Adams State College
Adams State College is a small state-supported liberal arts college in Alamosa, Colorado, U.S., in the San Luis Valley.-History:Adams State was founded in 1921 as a teacher's college but now offers a variety of programs including masters degrees in many fields...
in Alamosa, Colorado
Alamosa, Colorado
The city of Alamosa is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Alamosa County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 8,682 in 2005...
, and flourished under the training of coach Joe Vigil.
After graduating from Adams State in 1982 with a degree in marketing, Porter became one of the most dominant U.S distance runners of the 1980s. Porter was a two time U.S. Olympian, running the 10000 meters at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. In 1983 he set the World Record for a road 10K at 27:31.8. In 1985 he won the silver medal at the World Cup of Athletics in Canberra, Australia, getting nipped at the tape by Ethiopia's Wodajo Bulti
Wodajo Bulti
Wodajo Bulti is a retired Ethiopian long-distance runner who specialized in the 5000 metres, 10000 metres and cross-country running.Wodajo was one of the most significant Ethiopian middle and long-distance runners in 80's...
by six hundredths of a second.
Porter is best known for his cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
accomplishments. He won a record eight consecutive USA Cross Country Championships
USA Cross Country Championships
The USA Cross Country Championships is the annual national championships for cross country running in the United States. The championships is generally held in mid-February and it serves as a way of designating the country's national champion, as well as acting as the selection race for the IAAF...
from 1982 to 1989. Porter also represented the United States at the World Cross Country Championships each of these years. His best finish at the World Championships was 4th in 1984, followed by 6th, 7th, 9th and 10th place finishes throughout his career.
In 1998 Porter played Finnish distance runner Lasse Virén
Lasse Virén
Lasse Artturi Virén is a former Finnish long-distance runner, winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Summer Olympics...
in Without Limits, a biographical film about American distance legend 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...
. He is married to fellow US Olympic Team member high jumper Trish Porter (née King).
Achievements
| Representing the | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Olympic Games Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:... |
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... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
15th | 10,000 m | 28:34.59 |