#9: GREG MEYER and KARA GOUCHER

Greatest American Distance Runners of All-Time

#9

Greg Meyer

29 years ago, the last American man won the Boston Marathon. That man was Greg Meyer.

This Michigan native set 10 American records and 2 world records in road racing during his career, was a 2-time Boston Marathon winner, and also a Chicago Marathon champion. On top of all that, he was also a consistent sub-4 minute miler. Meyer in his prime could do it all.

He was also active in pushing better representation for runners. He was instrumental in developing the ARRA, one of the earliest efforts to unionize runners who sought better conditions for travel, pay and scheduling autonomy. Meyer was a pioneer who helped open running up as a career field for dedicated American athletes.

Kara Goucher

I debated where Ms. Perseverance should place on this list. Should she make it at all? Does her career so far justify her here over ladies who ran before her time, but ran slower?

Kara, together with her various Olympic counterparts, is leading the resurgence of American female distance running. Her spirit and work ethic are part of the reason the United States is the next greatest talent in the world behind Ethiopia and Kenya--and our women are closing the gap quickly.

If you need me to recount Kara Goucher's medals, records and victories, you obviously don't know her that well. She is fast--just recently winning the American Half-Marathon Championships in Duluth--but she is also a runner who wears her heart on her sleeve. Whenever I need motivation to train, I go watch Kara's performances or listen to her talk about her own training.

She's a role model and an inspiration to young distance runners. She has overcome perseverance. And she's not done yet. Kara Goucher is simply one of the best American women ever to run long distance.