Reposted March 28, 2024
This was initially posted on April 4, 2021. At this time is the forty third anniversary of Craig Virgin’s second World Cross-Nation Victory! This win was one of the crucial underappreciated victories by an American distance runner.
The Thrill and Agony of Victory!
Picture from Mark Shearman – The Runner Journal
Jeff Benjamin despatched us this piece on the fortieth anniversary of the historic victory of Craig Virgin.
March twenty eighth, 1981 – The fortieth Anniversary Of Craig Virgin’s 2nd World Cross-Nation Victory!
By Jeff Benjamin
As Craig Virgin toed the beginning line on the Hypodrama de la Zarzuela in Madrid for the 1981 World Cross Nation Championships, the defending Champion most likely not solely felt like a marked man but in addition that the chips had been stacked towards him.
“It hadn’t rained for months in Madrid, however then it poured for eight hours the day earlier than the race,” recalled the Mid-Western Working Legend 40 years later.
“It was additionally the most important subject ever assembled (39 International locations!), and also you had everybody there from milers to marathoners.”
“You knew you’ll match wits with the most effective runners, bar none.”
The Ethiopians make their transfer! Picture by World Athletics
Even the ambiance that day verified Virgin’s assessments as, for the primary time 7, new groups can be competing, notably Kenya, together with a premier workforce from Ethiopia, replete with stars and medalists from the earlier Moscow Olympic Video games in 1980, notably the Nice Miruts Yifter AKA “Yifter The Shifter.” Like each American Olympian in 1980, Virgin was a sufferer of the U.S.-led boycott.
Compounding these components was that the sector can be competing at an altitude of 666 meters. One might argue that the just about 12K distance run in laps round a horse racetrack with a hilly filth monitor on the main lap together with 2 units of log obstacles 27 inches excessive. One questioned simply how dominant the Africans (who lived and skilled at altitude) would profit.
1981 World Cross Nation Championships, 1. Craig Virgin, USA, 35:05, 2. Mohammed Kedir, ETH, 35:07, 3. Fernando Mamede, POR, 35:09, picture by World Athletics
These questions can be answered as quickly because the gun went off.
The sphere of 250 rivals was led by the primary kilometer in 2:37 by a gaggle of about 20 runners, with the Ethiopians within the combine. Though Individuals Invoice Donikowski and 1977 World Junior Winner Thom Hunt had been main Crew USA in that pack, Virgin appears content material to hover behind New Zealand’s Rod Dixon.
“The whole lot was going completely,” stated Virgin. “With Rod being 6’2″, he was towering above everybody, and I used him as a beacon.”
“I used to be very conscious of Craig Virgin as a university standout, a nine-time NCAA All-American, and second within the USA Olympic trials in 1976,” recalled Dixon.
“I had raced Craig a number of occasions on the European and Scandinavian Observe circuit 1976-1977-1978-1979 and he was powerful however let’s not additionally overlook he was the defending World XC Champ!”
“Being the defending male champion introduced status and stress with it,” stated Virgin. “I received out in good place inside the prime 5 to 10 and I simply stayed there all through the race.”
“I wasn’t certain who can be the wild card.”
“I merely answered each transfer made whereas making an attempt to remain constructive and alert.”
Then, on the 4th of 5 laps, immediately, 6 Ethiopian runners went to the entrance.
“None of us ever noticed this sort of transfer earlier than from a workforce,” stated Virgin. “It was an enormous tactical transfer meant to intimidate.”
It was then that Virgin determined to hitch them! “I used to be the one different runner loopy sufficient to go within the center with them,” stated Virgin, with Portugal’s Fernando Mamede and Britain’s Julian Goater following behind them.
The Champion along with his sister Vicki and the Restaurant host
The Ethiopian surge within the subsequent to the final lap appeared devastating.
“I had no alternative however to go together with them,” stated Virgin. “I sucked proper up behind them however I used to be additionally pondering that these guys have extra guts and larger balls than I do!”
“Coming into the house stretch of the penultimate lap I conceded defeat and allow them to go,” stated Virgin. “I might now not preserve their tempo and nonetheless hope to complete.”
However Virgin additionally sensed one thing was surprisingly awry for the Ethiopians.
“By the best way, the Ethiopians began dashing up within the straight, I noticed they thought it was the end arising,” Virgin informed author Cliff Temple within the 1981 Working Journal.
1981 World Cross Nation Championships, A Who’s-Who of Working Legends!
“In the event that they didn’t, they usually might have maintained that tempo all the best way to the top, about one other 1 1/2 miles, then they might have it!”
The confused Ethiopians then jogged and a few them walked, pondering they’d completed!
“Officers had been waving their arms round,” stated Virgin, noting that the language barrier between the officers and the Ethiopians performed an element as nicely.
“I additionally assume their coaches and workforce managers who had been political appointments had been inexperienced too,” stated Virgin, some extent even made in latest occasions about prime African groups not solely in World Championships however the Olympic Video games as nicely.
“It’s embarrassing to the Sport and to the Nation.”
On the time, nonetheless, Virgin was not dwelling on these information.
“I needed to transfer NOW!”
As Temple wrote in his piece, “Virgin didn’t hesitate…He handed all of them like a knife by butter!”
With Virgin, Portugal’s Fernando Mamede, and Brit Julian Goater surging, solely Ethiopian Mohamed Kedir reacted, because the Moscow 10K Bronze Medalist stumbled on the trio and took the lead!
In 2020, Craig Virgin was inducted into the Nationwide Excessive Faculty Observe & Subject Corridor of Fame!
Becoming a member of Virgin (Middle) are
L-R, Walt Murphy, Jeff Benjamin, Niece Rachel Glodo, Daughter Annie Virgin-Meek (pupil Sister Vicki Virgin Glodo (who was at Madrid in 1980 cheering Craig on!)
Virgin bided his time, ready to make his transfer.
“I heard Kedir huffing and puffing, and I knew he burned a variety of vitality to catch me,” stated Virgin. He caught me earlier than the backstretch, and we ran collectively. We had been shoulder to shoulder with 800 meters to go, and he made his transfer. I made a decision to let him go a bit and let him make the primary transfer.
“I needed the “rubber band” to stretch however not break.”
“It was just like the 1980 race the place you gotta know when and the place to play your playing cards.”
With 400 meters to go, Virgin started to play these playing cards, choosing them up. “Kedir’s massive transfer was taking a toll.”
Then with 200 to go, “I discovered my final gear and simply blasted by him…I needed to destroy him mentally.”
However it wasn’t over. Like many nice runners who throw in a ultimate surge, Virgin was stricken by simply how a lot vitality he had used.
“I nonetheless had a option to go,” stated Virgin. “There was the hazard of tying up, and I needed to hold driving all the best way.”
“I used to be a hurting buckaroo on the end!”
That ache was certainly rewarded as Virgin retained his title, the one American Male to win a World XC title and TWO BACK TO BACK!
“I used to be completely wasted on the finish however the searing bodily ache was solely short-term and most positively value it.”
“It took me about 10 seconds after the end to comprehend I had received, after which I circled to see the opposite finishers,” stated a victorious Virgin, because the valiant Kedir completed 2nd with Mamede ending in third. The highest 10 finishers had been all inside 21 seconds of Virgin.
“Craig’s second World XC championship in 1981 was masterful—he was all the time up with the main group, and I imagine his 10k pace and endurance had been the deciding components. That was confirmed along with his second place on the Boston Marathon a few month after—unimaginable!” stated Rod Dixon, who completed eleventh.
Now, 4 a long time later, the passionate American Working Legend can also be most happy with the outcomes by himself and his USA workforce total.
“Our workforce had 5 runners within the prime 20,” stated Virgin, praising teammates Hunt (eighth), Marc Nenow (seventeenth), Donakowski (18th), and Bruce Bickford (nineteenth). Crew USA completed second to the Ethiopians, with Kenya third, in a prelude to issues to come back for the African nation.
“Some other yr, we might have received the workforce championship,” stated Virgin, additionally noting Keith Brantley’s Junior third-place end, which led his American squad to the championship trophy over the Soviet Union.
The U.S. girls’s workforce, led by Jan Merrill (2nd) and Betty Springs (fifth), Julie and sister Mary Shea (thirteenth & fifteenth) led the workforce to a really robust efficiency, ending 2nd to the Soviet girls. The general title was received by the legendary Grete Waitz of Norway.
“I’ve all the time taken nice pleasure in qualifying for 10 USA Cross-Nation groups,” stated Virgin. “However that 1981 workforce was one thing particular – it had expertise, camaraderie, and chemistry!”
“From the warmups and warmdowns, we had been well-prepared,” stated Virgin, who additionally famous how veterans would assist information and nurture the youthful junior runners, one thing Virgin and others felt obliged to do and greater than keen to do.
Virgin’s different American groups completed in 2nd place 5 occasions and third place twice.
“However,” stated Virgin, “That 1981 workforce was one thing particular that yr!”
“We had each cause to have a good time!”
They celebrated because the Individuals went to a Madrid restaurant, the place they had been saluted as Victors.
“The restaurant proprietor was happy to have the entire US workforce contingent there together with one of many particular person world champions,” recalled Virgin.
“He gave us all free champagne and strawberries for dessert!”
Virgin’s visitor added the blissful vibes!
“The race was much more particular that day as a result of my sister Vicki who had been doing faculty pupil instructing in Tub, England that semester, had taken a ferry throughout the channel and backpacked to Madrid together with a few of her pupil buddies to cheer me on…I really had my very own cheerleading squad within the stadium!”
“The US workforce supervisor allowed her to attend a number of workforce meals since she went to all that expense & hassle.”
“She was with me and the US workforce at our post-race victory dinner…It was so particular to have my sister there that yr.”
“Having my youngest sister in attendance overseas made the entire occasion and the ultimate profitable end result much more memorable!”
“I’ll without end be thankful for the entire expertise!”
Right here’s hoping one other American can have the identical experiences shortly!
Bell Lap – To study extra concerning the stellar profession of one in all America’s best distance runners, try Craig’s biography “Virgin Territory.”
The books may be bought on the web site www.CraigVirgin.com. There may be additionally an choice for hardcover or softcover, together with a customized autograph.