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A year ago, The Final Sprint had the opportunity to interview legendary middle-distance runner and Olympian Marty Liquori.
Liquori was the 3rd American high schooler to run under 4:00 in the mile when he ran a 3:59.8 in 1967 while at Essex Catholic High School in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. By nineteen he was already an Olympian, finishing 12th in the 1968 1500m final in Mexico City.
He was ranked #1 in the world in 1969 through 1971 at the 1500m/Mile distance, in part because of famously defeating then world-record holder Jim Ryun in the “Dream Mile” on May 16th, 1971. In 1977, he ran an American record of 13:15.1 in the 5000m and was ranked 1st in the world at that distance. He retired from competition in 1980.
Since his retirement, he has hosted and executive produced Saucony Running and Racing, an endurance sports event show now in its 13th year on ESPN, has been a track & field broadcaster on network TV, has owned a chain of specialty running stores, performs as a professional jazz guitarist with the Marty Liquori Quintet, and is the national chairman and spokesperson for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. Ironically, he was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia just months after becoming their spokesman. He is now in remission.
Listen and/or download the podcast to hear Marty discuss defeating Jim in the Dream Mile, bouncing back from injury, American running today and much more!