New List

[CrossHare]

It's time for another list. This list will be the top Minnesotans ever- including performances after high school. I know a lot about the recent crop of guys and their achievements but I am going to need some help with the older guys. Here are the people I have so far: (no order)

Hassan Mead
Garrett Heath
Elliott Heath
Luke Watson
Sean Graham
Steve Plascensia
Bob Kempainen
Dick Beardsley
Garry Bjorklund
Scott Jurek
Ben Blankenship
Justin Tyner
Steve Holman
William Leer
Antonio Vega

What I am looking for is any achievements of these guys that I might not know of and any other guys that you think might be deserving of being on the list.

[nikefree21]

Andrew Carlson!!!

[hf.fire]

Andrew Carlson!!!

From Fargo South.

[bill.miles]

Mike Slack - SP Harding - NDSU
Don Timm - Burnsville - Minnesota
Steve Hoag - Anoka - Minnesota
Mark Nenow - Anoka - Kentucky
Ron Daws - Mpls Central - Minnesota
Buddy Edelen - St. Louis Park - Minnesota
Bruce Mortenson - St. Louis Park - Oregon

[mgcc]

Mike Slack - SP Harding - NDSU
Don Timm - Burnsville - Minnesota
Steve Hoag - Anoka - Minnesota
Mark Nenow - Anoka - Kentucky
Ron Daws - Mpls Central - Minnesota
Buddy Edelen - St. Louis Park - Minnesota
Bruce Mortenson - St. Louis Park - Oregon

Buddy Edelen! I was snowed in one morning and picked up the book written about him and didn't set it down until I finished.

[hf.fire]

Doug Hanson, Kenyon-Wanamingo, NDSU - 6 Time Div II National Champ. Not sure how great his times were but 6 titles is good.

[ccguy13]

Rob Finnerty! If I remember correctly, Vega wasn't THAT good in high school was he?

[CrossHare]

I don't think Rob's 3:41 1500 is gonna cut it here. And high school doesn't matter. Plus Vega was a 3 sport star... in the fall!

[MidD4Life]

Not quite as accomplished as some of the other people on this list, but I would maybe throw Chris Rombough in the mix as well. Also, I would maybe throw Adam Steele in there too if you're counting middle distance events. In 2003 he won NCAA's in the 400 and had the fastest time in the world at that point in the season. He was also part of the world champion 4x400 (he ran in the trial rounds.) He was pretty dominant in HS as well I believe.

[CrossHare]

Chris R is a Wisco dude and Steele was a sprinter.

[Sensei]

Chris R is a Wisco dude and Steele was a sprinter.

Donovan Bergstrom of Elgin-Millville won a NCAA title in the steeplechase while at Wisconsin and placed top 5 at USATF. Not sure if that is enough for top 10.

[CrossHare]

I've decided to create profiles for MN distance running legends instead of compiling a list. It is going to be easier for me to research one guy at a time instead of trying to look up stats for 30 different guys over different eras and distances. Stay tuned for the first one, it should be done soon!

[CrossHare]

Here is the first installment: Barney Klecker (http://happyrunnings.blogspot.com/2012/02/barney-klecker-ultra-running-monster.html)

[PRO100]

Plus Vega was a 3 sport star... in the fall!
Explain:confused: ....

[ccdad]

Explain:confused: ....



I am guessing that they are trying to say that he starred in Football, Soccer and XC in the fall. Don't see XC listed in his bio, but that doesn't mean everything...

Bio (http://www.teamusaminnesota.org/index.php/antonio-vega)

ETA -- looks like he was 4th OA in 2001 at State.

4 2 Antonio Vega, 12 15:44.1 Tartan, Oakdale

[CrossHare]

I have made a tab with a list of all the runners I wish to profile. I know I don't have everyone on there that I should so if you want to see someone else profiled leave a comment on here or on the list.

And my comment about Vega's multi-sport exploits was simply to contrast his level of interest in running before he was a gopher against that of Finnerty who was training at a high level early on in his career.

Link to tab (http://happyrunnings.blogspot.com/p/minnesota-running.html)

[14.90]

Link to tab (http://happyrunnings.blogspot.com/p/minnesota-running.html)

Steve Plascensia went to Cooper, not Osseo. My dad was a classmate of his.

[LaCresCCTF]

Van Nelson of Minneapolis and St. Cloud State won the 5K/10K double at the 1967 Pan American Games, one of only two athletes to win that double. In that same year he was double silver medalist in the two distance events at the World University Games. He was AAU 6-mile champion in 1967 and finished third in the AAU 10K in 1968 which earned him the right to represent the US in the Mexico City Olympics. At 3-miles/5K he was fourth in the AAU in 1966 and 1968 and third in 1967.

Personal Bests: Mile – 4:17.9 (1964); 2 miles – 8:39.2i (1967); 5000 – 13:39.4 (1967); 10000 – 28:48.20 (1967); 3000S – 9:22.4 (1966).

[Sensei]

Steve Plascensia went to Cooper, not Osseo. My dad was a classmate of his.

Dick Beardsley competed at Minnesota-Waseca. The school is now a prison.

[Runfaster]

Dick Beardsley competed at Minnesota-Waseca. The school is now a prison.

I believe in Duel in the Sun, it was stated he went to Wayzata, then still a rural town where someone shot a something point buck two miles from the town center.

[doggler]

I believe in Duel in the Sun, it was stated he went to Wayzata, then still a rural town where someone shot a something point buck two miles from the town center.

Correct, Dick was a Trojan.

I know some here view it as a 'fringe sport' but Scott Jurek was one of the world's most dominant ultramarathoners in the early 2000's.

[CrossHare]

Buddy Edelen (http://happyrunnings.blogspot.com/2012/04/little-known-local-running-hero-buddy.html), many of you may not have heard of him but he is pretty legit. A good read in my biased opinion! Thanks for reading everybody!

[MedialMeniscus]

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/MedialMeniscus/Dyestat/CCI11292012_0004.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k235/MedialMeniscus/Dyestat/CCI11292012_0001.jpg

[CrossHare]

Thanks for that, I wish they had some splits in there so we could see how much he dominated that run.

[Hotrod]

David Morrison Lakeville 10k 28:03

[MPLS]

Rob Carney, Burnsville. Definitely up there as one of the top 150 greatest runners of MN.

http://www.ihigh.com/school24777/custompage_13992.html

and this MIAC/Team USA MN coach http://www.tommiesports.com/mcc/news/archives/2008/Barkman%5B1%5D.jpg

[nikefree21]

Rob Carney, Burnsville. Definitely up there as one of the top 150 greatest runners of MN.

http://www.ihigh.com/school24777/custompage_13992.html

and this MIAC/Team USA MN coach http://www.tommiesports.com/mcc/news/archives/2008/Barkman%5B1%5D.jpg

Not quite, he's number 151 on my list.

[DragonHorse]

Correct, Dick was a Trojan.

I know some here view it as a 'fringe sport' but Scott Jurek was one of the world's most dominant ultramarathoners in the early 2000's.

haha of coarse why wouldn't he be :D