View source for Craig Virgin

{{short description|American distance runner}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Craig Virgin
| image = LA Olympic Profile pic.jpg
| image_size = 125px
| caption = Virgin at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]]
| nationality = [[Americans|American]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|8|2}}
| birth_place = [[Belleville, Illinois]]
| height =
| weight =
| sport = [[Cross country running|Cross country]], [[Track and field#Running|track]]
| event = [[5000 metres|5000 meters]], [[10,000 metres|10,000 meters]]
| collegeteam = [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]]
| pb = '''[[3000 meters]]''': 7:48.2<ref name="All-Athletics">{{cite web |url=http://www.all-athletics.com/node/284435 |author=All-Athletics |title=Profile of Craig Virgin}}</ref> <br> '''[[Two miles|2-mile]]''': 8:22.0<ref name="All-Athletics"/> <br> '''[[5000 meters]]''': 13:19.1<ref name="All-Athletics"/> <br> '''[[10,000 meters]]''': 27:29.16<ref name="All-Athletics"/> <br> '''[[Marathon]]''': 2:10:26<ref name="All-Athletics"/>
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Cross Country Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1980 IAAF World Cross Country Championships|1980 Paris]]| Long Race}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships|1981 Madrid]]| Long Race}}
{{Medal|Silver |[[1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships|1981 Madrid]]| Team Long Race}}
{{Medal|Silver |[[1984 IAAF World Cross Country Championships|1984 East Rutherford]]| Team Long Race}}
{{Medal|Bronze |[[1985 IAAF World Cross Country Championships|1985 Lisbon]]| Team Long Race}}
{{Medal|Bronze |[[1986 IAAF World Cross Country Championships|1986 Colombier]]| Team Long Race}}
}}

'''Craig Steven Virgin''' (born August 2, 1955) is an American distance runner. He was born in [[Belleville, Illinois]], and grew up near [[Lebanon, Illinois]]. While in high school, Virgin won 5 state championships (two in cross country and three in track) as well as setting the national outdoor high school 2-mile record of 8:40.9 (beating [[Steve Prefontaine]]'s mark of 8:41.5, though slightly short of [[Gerry Lindgren]]'s 8:40.0 indoor record from 1964). Additionally, Virgin held the Illinois Boys Cross Country all-time state championship record for 47 years, running a 13:50.6 in 1972, a record that stood until November 9, 2019, when Josh Methner of [[John Hersey High School]] ran a 13:49.86.  Virgin was ''[[Track and Field News]]'' "High School Athlete of the Year" in 1973.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/component/content/article/35-stats/2114-t-fn-boys-hs-aoy |title=Track & Field News - the Bible of the Sport Since 1948 |access-date=2015-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818132720/http://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/component/content/article/35-stats/2114-t-fn-boys-hs-aoy |archive-date=2016-08-18 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Running career==
While attending the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]], he won nine [[Big Ten Conference]] championships, nine All American awards as well as the [[1975 in sports|1975]] [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] [[Cross country running|Cross Country]] championship. He was a three-time [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] qualifier at 10,000 meters, and the only American male to qualify three times in the event until [[Galen Rupp]] (2008, 2012, 2016).<ref>{{cite web |title=Galen Rupp |url=https://nikeoregonproject.com/pages/galen-rupp |website=Nike Oregon Project |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> He was a seven-time American record holder in road and track events, including a 27:39.4 in the [[10,000 meters]] in 1979 (breaking Prefontaine's American record) and a 27:29.16 in 1980 that was the second fastest 10,000 meters in history at the time.

Virgin enjoyed success in cross country, road racing, and track. He was the winner of the 1979 [[Falmouth Road Race]] in a course record 32:20, was the two-time winner (1980 & 1981) of the 12&nbsp;km [[Bay to Breakers]] race in San Francisco, was a three-time winner of the 10K [[Peachtree Road Race]] (1979–1981) in Atlanta, and twice ran the fastest American 10&nbsp;km road efforts (on point to point courses) with a 28:06 2nd place at the 1981 [[Crescent City Classic]] in New Orleans and later a 28:04 win at Peachtree that year. He enjoyed success in the few marathons he ran, his fastest time coming in a 2nd-place finish in the 1981 [[Boston Marathon]] (2:10:26). On the track he was a three-time national champion in the 10,000 meters at the U.S. National Track & Field Championships (1978, 1979, and 1982) and the winner of the 1980 Olympic Trials 10,000 meters. In cross country he was a nine-time member of the U.S. squad at the World Cross Country Championships.  His biggest international accomplishment was being the first (and still the only) American man to win the [[IAAF World Cross Country Championships]]; which he did twice, in 1980 and 1981. He retired from competitive racing in 1992. In 2001, he was inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame, and in 2011 inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. Also in 2011, he was inducted into the [[National Track and Field Hall of Fame|National USA Track & Field Hall of Fame]], after being selected in 2010. Virgin deferred his induction for one year so he could be inducted at the [[USATF]] General Meeting that was held in [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] in 2011. Most recently in 2020, inducted into the [http://nationalhighschooltrackandfieldhof.org/ National High School Track & Field Hall of Fame]. During his professional career he ran for the Saint Louis Track Club.

Olympic success eluded Virgin. He was eliminated in the 10,000-metre heats at both the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics and the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics (see, for example, Matti Hannus, ed., "Montreal Olympic Book" / Montreal Olympiakirja, Helsinki:  "Runner" / Juoksija magazine, 1976;  "The Big Olympic Book" / Suuri Olympiateos, volume 4, published in Finland in 1984). In 1980, ten days before the Olympics began, he ran the second fastest 10,000 meter race in history, but due to the U.S. boycott was not allowed to participate in the games. He did receive one of 461 [[List of Congressional Gold Medal recipients|Congressional Gold Medal]]s created especially for the spurned athletes.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Caroccioli |first1=Tom |last2=Caroccioli |first2=Jerry |title=Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games |year=2008 |publisher=New Chapter Press |location=Highland Park, IL |isbn=978-0942257403 |pages=243–253}}</ref>

==Competition record==

===Cross Country===
{| {{AchievementTable}}
|-
!colspan="5"|Representing the {{USA}}
|-
|1978
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[Glasgow|Glasgow, Scotland]]
| 6th
|39:54
|-
|1979
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[Limerick|Limerick, Ireland]]
| 33rd
|38:05
|-
|rowspan=2|1980
|USA Cross Country Trials 
|[[Eugene, Oregon]]
|bgcolor="gold"|1st
|36:43.7
|-
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[Paris|Paris, France]]
|bgcolor="gold"  | 1st
|35:01
|-
|rowspan=2|1981
|USA Cross Country Trials
|[[Louisville, Kentucky]]
|bgcolor="gold"|1st
|36:09.8
|-
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[Madrid|Madrid, Spain]]
|bgcolor="gold"  | 1st
|35:05
|-
|1982
|USA Cross Country Trials
|[[Pocatello, Idaho]]
|bgcolor=cc9900|3rd
|37:09.0
|-
|rowspan=2|1983
|USA Cross Country Trials
|[[Edwardsville, Illinois]]
|bgcolor="silver"|2nd
|36:50
|-
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[Gateshead|Gateshead, UK]]
| 42nd
|38:06
|-
|rowspan=2|1984
|USA Cross Country Trials
|[[East Rutherford, New Jersey]]
|bgcolor=cc9900|3rd
|35:18
|-
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[East Rutherford, New Jersey|East Rutherford NJ, US]]
| 17th
|34:07
|-
|rowspan=2|1985
|USA Cross Country Trials
|[[Waco, Texas]]
|5th
|37:03
|-
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[Lisbon|Lisbon, Portugal]]
| 19th
|34:12
|-
|rowspan=2|1986
|USA Cross Country Trials
|[[Waco, Texas]]
|5th
|35:32.9
|-
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[Colombier, Neuchâtel|Colombier, Neuchâtel, Switzerland]]
| 81st
|37:26
|-
|rowspan=2|1988
|USA Cross Country Trials
|[[Dallas, Texas]]
|6th
|38:47
|-
|[[IAAF World Cross Country Championships|World Cross-Country Championships]] 
|[[Auckland|Auckland, New Zealand]]
| 102nd
|37:40
|}

=== Track and field - US Olympic Trials ===
{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}}
|-
|1976
|[[United States Olympic Trials (track and field)|US Olympic Trials]]
|[[Eugene, Oregon]]
|bgcolor="silver"|2nd
|10,000 m
|27:59.43
|-
|1980
|[[United States Olympic Trials (track and field)|US Olympic Trials]]
|[[Eugene, Oregon]]
|bgcolor="gold"|1st
|10,000 m
|27:45.61
|-
|1984
|[[United States Olympic Trials (track and field)|US Olympic Trials]]
|[[Los Angeles, California]]
|bgcolor="silver"|2nd
|10,000 m
|28:02.07
|}

===Marathon===
{| {{AchievementTable}}
|-
|rowspan=2|1979
|Mission Bay Marathon
|[[San Diego, California]]
|bgcolor="gold"|1st
|2:14:40<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arrs.run/HP_SDgMa.htm|title=Carlsbad Marathon}}</ref>
|-
|[[Fukuoka Marathon]]
|[[Fukuoka]], [[Japan]]
|{{sortdash}}
|2:16:59
|-
|1981
|[[Boston Marathon]] 
|[[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston, United States]]
|bgcolor="silver"  | 2nd
|2:10:26<ref name="Seko">{{cite news |title=Seko Clocks A Boston Record |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bM8nAAAAIBAJ&sjid=120DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2802%2C4107090 |agency=AP |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |date=April 21, 1981 |page=19 |access-date=January 13, 2011}}</ref>
|-
|1982
|[[Chicago Marathon]]
|[[Chicago, Illinois]]
|{{sortdash}}
|2:17:29
|}

===US National Championships===
{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}}
|-
|1975
|[[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|AAU Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Eugene, Oregon]]
|4th
|5000 m
|13:35.2
|-
|1978
|[[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|AAU Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Westwood, Los Angeles|Westwood, California]] 
|bgcolor="gold"|1st
|10,000 m
|28:15.0
|-
|1979
|[[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|AAU Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Walnut, California]]
|bgcolor="gold"|1st
|10,000 m
|27:39.4
|-
|1980
|[[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|AAU Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Walnut, California]]
|bgcolor="cc9900"|3rd
|5000 m
|13:35.65
|-
|1981
|[[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|AAU Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Sacramento, California]]
|bgcolor="silver"|2nd
|5000 m
|13:31.64
|-
|1982
|[[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|AAU Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Knoxville, Tennessee]]
|bgcolor="gold"|1st
|10,000 m
|28:33.02
|-
|1983
||[[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships|AAU Track and Field Championships]]
|[[Indianapolis|Indianapolis, Indiana]]
|bgcolor="silver"|2nd
|10,000 m
|28:13.06
|}

===NCAA cross country===
{|{{AchievementTable}}
!colspan=5| Representing [[Illinois Fighting Illini|University of Illinois]]
|-
|1973
|[[NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship|NCAA Cross Country Championships]]
|[[Pullman, Washington]]
|10th
|28:47.8
|-
|1974
|[[NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship|NCAA Cross Country Championships]]
|[[Bloomington, Indiana]]
|12th
|30:15.84
|-
|1975
|[[NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship|NCAA Cross Country Championships]]
|[[State College, Pennsylvania|State College]], [[Pennsylvania]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|28:23.3
|-
|1976
||[[NCAA Men's Division I Cross Country Championship|NCAA Cross Country Championships]]
|[[Denton, Texas|Denton]], [[Texas]]
|bgcolor=cc9900|3rd
|28:26.53
|}

==Personal bests==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Event
!Time
|-
|[[5000 meters|5000 m]]
|13:19.1
|-
|[[10,000 metres|10,000 m]]
|27:29
|-
|[[Marathon]]
|2:10:26
|}

==Post-athletic career==
In 1992, Virgin was the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] candidate for a seat in the [[Illinois Senate]] against incumbent [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Senator [[Frank Watson (American politician)|Frank Watson]]. Watson was victorious.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Steinbacher-Kemp |first=Bill |title=Republicans push for majority in Senate, House |journal=Illinois Issues |publisher=[[Sangamon State University]] |volume=18 |issue=10 |pages=27–31 |access-date=February 17, 2020 |url=https://www.lib.niu.edu/1992/ii921027.html}}</ref>

After the [[2019 Chicago Public Schools Strike]], Virgin came out against the [[Illinois High School Association|Illinois High School Association's]] decision to bar runners from [[Chicago Public Schools]] from competing at the 2019 state championship.<ref>{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Rich |title=IHSA trying to keep CPS runners out of state championship |date=November 7, 2019 |newspaper=[[Capitol Fax]] |access-date=November 7, 2019 |url=https://capitolfax.com/2019/11/07/ihsa-trying-to-keep-cps-runners-out-of-state-championship/}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[World Fit]]

==References==
;Hall of Fame
*[http://wikirun.com/RRCA_Hall_of_Fame RRCA American Long Distance Running Hall of Fame] 1984
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101104095651/http://www.distancerunning.com/inductees/2001/virgin.html National Distance Running Hall of Fame] 2001
*[http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=247 National USA Track & Field Hall of Fame] 2011
*[http://www.stlouissportshalloffame.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=91&Itemid=320 St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame] 2011
*[http://fightingillini.com/news/2017/2/22/general-university-of-illinois-names-inaugural-athletics-hall-of-fame-class.aspx?path=general University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame] 2017
*[http://nationalhighschooltrackandfieldhof.org/ National High School Track & Field Hall of Fame] 2020
;General
*[http://www.craigvirgin.com/ Official website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070112034434/http://www.activeness.net/2006/03/going-distance-catching-up-with-craig.html http://www.activeness.WOAGnet/2006/03/going-distance-catching-up-with-craig.html]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100312094949/http://www.illpreptf.com/2010/03/history-repeats-itself-records-are-made-to-be-broken-just-ask-craig-virgin/ History Repeats Itself...Records are made to be broken, just ask Craig Virgin]
*http://www.garycohenrunning.com/Interviews/Virgin.aspx
;Specific
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://craigvirgin.com Official site]
* {{USATF Hall of Fame}}
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{Olympics.com profile}}
* {{Olympedia}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Craig Brigham]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=''[[Track & Field News]]'' High School Boys Athlete of the Year |years= 1973 }}
{{s-aft|after=[[Willie Smith (sprinter)|Willie Smith]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{2001 National Distance Running Hall of Fame inductees}}
{{Footer IAAF World Cross Champions Men}}
{{Footer US NC 10000m Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1976 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1984 Summer Olympics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Virgin, Craig}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Belleville, Illinois]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Illinois]]
[[Category:American male marathon runners]]
[[Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Congressional Gold Medal recipients]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Athletics Cross Country Championships winners]]
[[Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:People from Lebanon, Illinois]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from St. Clair County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's cross country runners]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]