Paul Spangler
Encyclopedia
Dr. Paul E. Spangler was a retired U.S. Navy surgeon, who took up the sport of running
at the age of 67.
, and graduated from the University of Oregon
and the Harvard Medical School
. He joined the Navy for World War I
. He was Chief of Surgery at the naval hospital near Pearl Harbor
on December 7, 1941. He retired from the Navy in 1959, then joined the charitable hospital ship SS Hope
as its chief medical officer. He later moved to San Luis Obispo, California
and took the job as Chief Surgeon at the California Men's Colony
prison nearby.
. As a result of this, he felt that merely being a weekend athlete was not adequate to stave off heart disease.
Spangler currently holds the American record for 90 year olds in every metric distance race between 800 metres
and 10,000 metres, including the 5,000 metre racewalk, with all records set in 1989 He also holds the 85 year old record for 3,000 metres. He completed the New York Marathon later in 1989 and continued to train with the goal of competing at age 100.
In his 28 year running career, Spangler claimed 85 national age group records at various distances. He was a pioneer into the limits of Senior athletics by frequently being the oldest competitor, paving the way for successors into the upper age brackets.
He died shortly after turning 95 while doing one of his regular 7 mile training runs. Hal Higdon
wrote "That's the way to go! Doing what he loved most.".
50 Plus Fitness, now called the Lifelong Fitness Alliance, a Senior Heath organization, hosts an annual 8 kilometre run for Seniors at Stanford University
named in Spangler's honor.
Spangler was elected into the USA Track & Field Masters Hall of Fame
in its second class, 1997
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
at the age of 67.
Early life
Spangler was born on March 18, 1899, in OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, and graduated from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
and the Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
. He joined the Navy for World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was Chief of Surgery at the naval hospital near Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on December 7, 1941. He retired from the Navy in 1959, then joined the charitable hospital ship SS Hope
SS Hope
The SS Hope was a hospital ship operated by Project HOPE .The Hope was originally built as a US Navy hospital ship, USS Consolation . The Consolation was donated to Project Hope in 1958, and served from 1960 until 1974, when she was retired...
as its chief medical officer. He later moved to San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
and took the job as Chief Surgeon at the California Men's Colony
California Men's Colony
California Men's Colony is a male-only state prison located northwest of the city of San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County, California, along the central California coast approximately halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.-Facilities:...
prison nearby.
Running career
Spangler was chairman of his chapter of the American Heart AssociationAmerican Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
. As a result of this, he felt that merely being a weekend athlete was not adequate to stave off heart disease.
Spangler currently holds the American record for 90 year olds in every metric distance race between 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
and 10,000 metres, including the 5,000 metre racewalk, with all records set in 1989 He also holds the 85 year old record for 3,000 metres. He completed the New York Marathon later in 1989 and continued to train with the goal of competing at age 100.
In his 28 year running career, Spangler claimed 85 national age group records at various distances. He was a pioneer into the limits of Senior athletics by frequently being the oldest competitor, paving the way for successors into the upper age brackets.
He died shortly after turning 95 while doing one of his regular 7 mile training runs. Hal Higdon
Hal Higdon
Hal Higdon is an American writer and runner. He has contributed to Runner's World magazine longer than any other writer. He is the author of 34 books, including the best-selling Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide...
wrote "That's the way to go! Doing what he loved most.".
50 Plus Fitness, now called the Lifelong Fitness Alliance, a Senior Heath organization, hosts an annual 8 kilometre run for Seniors at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
named in Spangler's honor.
Spangler was elected into the USA Track & Field Masters Hall of Fame
National Track and Field Hall of Fame
The National Track and Field Hall of Fame located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field...
in its second class, 1997