A remarkable story, Runyan has gone from heptathlete in 1996 to 1,500m Olympian in 2000 to being #1 U.S. ranked in the 5 km and marathon in 2002…Runyan became an international star in 2000 as the first-ever  legally blind track athlete  to compete in the Olympic Games…one of the great success stories in U.S. track and field, Runyan not only has overcome a visual impairment but has impressively moved from the heptathlon to the middle distances…in July 2000, she overcame weeks of being hobbled by IT band problems in her knee to make her first Olympic Team, in the 1,500 meters...Runyan finished as the top American at the 2002 New York City Marathon in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 10 seconds to post the second-fastest debut time ever by an American woman. Runyan’s performance in New York equals the best finish by an American woman in the five-borough race since Kim Jones in 1996…a three-time U.S. 5,000m champion on the track, Runyan in 2002 won U.S. road titles at 5 km and 10 km. 

At the age of 9, Runyan was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a juvenile form of macular degeneration, the leading cause of legal blindness in the U.S. Her vision has deteriorated to 20/400 in both eyes classifying her as legally blind...As a child, Runyan competed in gymnastics and soccer until she just couldn’t see the ball anymore…she then started participating in track and field, where she excelled in high jump in high school and picked up the heptathlon in college at San Diego State...twice nationally ranked in the top 10 in the heptathlon, she placed 10th at the 1996 Olympic Trials…at the trials Runyan broke the heptathlon 800m record with a 2:04.70, convincing her to drop the heptathlon and train for mid-distance. She disappeared from the track scene for two years after the Trials, having knee and foot surgery, and reappeared in 1999 in dramatic fashion by winning the Pan American Games 1,500…she competed in the 1999 World Outdoor Championships, where she placed 10th in the final...in 2000, she won her first national title indoors at 3,000 meters......

While Runyan no longer competes In Paralympic competitions, her performances have earned her 10 World Records In track and field events and the marathon In the B3 classification.

Marla has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education of the Deaf and a Masters in Education of Deaf-Blind Children...in 2001, Runyan co-wrote and released her autobiography No Finish Line: My Life As I See It…. Married Matt Lonergan on August 4, 2002 and gave birth to their daughter, Anna Lee on September 1, 2005.

2006: 1st at Twin Cities US Marathon Championships...1st at Oregon Invitational 10,000m (32:11.92 PR)....1st at Oregon Twilight 5000m 15:15.00.

2005: No Competition due to pregnancy

2004: 2nd at Olympic Trials 5000m (15:07.41)…4th in 1500m at Nike Prefontaine Classic (4:06.37)… 1st in 5,000m in Boston May 29 (14:59.20).

2003: USA Outdoor 5,000m champion (15:16.18, U.S. Leader)…5th at Boston Marathon (2:30:28)…U.S. 5 km road champion (15:24.4)…USA 15 km championships runner-up (48:43)…ranked #2 in U.S. at 5,000m by T&FN… bests of 15:16.18 & 2:30:28.

2002: USA Outdoor 5,000m champ (15:07.19AL)…ran 2:27:10 in placing fourth at the New York City Marathon…U.S. 5 km road champ (15:27)…U.S. 10 km road champ (31:46)…1st at Gresham (15:13.96)...4th at Heusden (15:18.36)…1st at Nike Prefontaine (8:39.36AL,PR)…2nd at adidas Oregon Track Classic (15:13.96)…ranked #1 in U.S. at 5 km and marathon by T&FN…bests of 8:39.36AL,PR, 15:07.19AL, 4:02.95PR& 2:27:10.

2001: USA Outdoor 5,000m champ (15:08.03)…1st in 3,000m at Prefontaine Classic (8:44.69PR)… 2nd in 1,500m at Peregrine Systems U.S. Open (4:06.31)…3rd at Millrose Games Mile (4:43.90)…11th at World Champs (15:24.30)… broke American indoor 5,000m record at New York City’s Armory, running 15:07.33 on Feb. 18… ranked #1 at 3000m and 5000m and #5 at 1500m in U.S. by T&FN… bests of 4:05.31, 8:44.69 and 15:05.48.

2000: 8th in Olympic 1500m (4:08.30)...3rd at Olympic Trials 1500 (4:06.44)...won USA Indoors 3000 (9:01.29)...4th at the Carlsbad 5000 road race in her first try at the distance, with a time of 15:24...ranked #3 in 1500m and #4 in 5000m in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 4:06.14, 8:56.27 and 15:07.66.

1999: 10th, World Outdoor Champs...4th, USA Outdoor Champs...1st, Pan American Games... ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 2:03.18 (800) and 4:05.27 (1500).

1998: No competitive record.

1997: No competitive record.

1996: 10th in heptathlon at Olympic Trials...ranked #10 in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 5761 in heptathlon, 2:04.70 in 800.

1995: Ranked #9 in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 5741 in heptathlon, 5-10.75 in high jump.

 

 

 

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Olympic Experience

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WATCH: Marla Runyan Profile