by Jeff Benjamin
L-R
-Running Network Senior Writer Jeff Benjamin
-Ken Popejoy
-Jim Spivey
-Mike Durkin
-Craig Virgin
Jeff Benjamin wrote this piece on Craig Virgin and his place in the NSAF Hall of Fame!
With the news next week that Running Legend Craig Virgin will, alongside Francie Larrieu Smith and others, be inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame, many sincere congratulations have followed along with many others who will be joining Virgin next Thursday evening, March 12th, at the ceremony which will be held at the New York Athletic Club.
Here are some Kudos from fellow Illinois Running Legends-
Jim Spivey –
“I had little interaction with him as he was 8 years older.
Of course, I was pulling for him when I was age 19 watching the 1979 World Cup and”Yifter the Shifter” put in multiple surges and ran away with the 10,000m.
Like Don Pagie, 1980 would have been his year, having set the AR in the 10k, with Moscow coming in the Summer.
As a high school runner, starting as a sophomore and improving from 19:20 in my first 3 mile XC race, then 15:41 Two months later and 9:15 3200 in the Spring and then onto Jr Year XC. Craig’s time at the State course/Detweiler Park, Peoria Illinois was never a goal, but everyone knew about his high school time of 13:50.6 for 3 miles.
Some will say the Illinois course is short (not so, has be GPS measured); some say too flat (not so, it has a slight incline for 300 meters, you have to run 3 times); and others say the times are not relevant, almost to the point of “no one can run that fast.”
I would challenge that and say since 1972, an Illinois high school runner has been on every Olympic team, 12 teams in a row. Compare these names:
Craig Virgin
Lukas Verzbicas, sub 4 min HS miler
Jim Spivey
Jorge Torres, Olympian
Evan Jager
Mike Durkin
And now, Josh Methner broke Craig’s 47 year old record this past November, 13:49.86 – What will he do in the future?
Craig was a legend, and we all knew his time and commitment to training. We followed him at the U of Illinois, and then his 1976 Olympic team.
My one time (?) racing Craig, was at the 1982 Sports Festival in Indianapolis. He led almost the entire race, as my PR was 13:38 in 1980 and Chris Fox must have had a similar 5k time.
With 3 laps to go, Craig was fed up with leading, and moved out to lane 2 and slowed down. Chris and I passed him with I’m sure a slower pace than he had been running. He was frustrated as neither of us wanted to lead and help the pace. I was 22 and Chris 23? We were happy just to be there!
Craig passed us back and pushed the pace with 2 laps to go, and tried to go again with a lap to go under the lights. I sprinted by, having run A 3:55 mile at the Los Angeles Pepsi meet in May and 1:46.5 800 PR at Berkley later that month, and I won in 13:33 running for Indiana University and if I remember correctly, just off of Craig’s 13:32 Big Ten 5k record. Chris was 2nd.
Craig helped both of us run PR’s, and we both ran under 13:20 a year later in the Oslo 5k July 1983, Chris’ PR to this day.”
Mike Durkin –
“I said that I would write about the origin of Craig’s Illini nickname, “Burgie.” Craig was two years my junior at Illinois. As usual, we had a close knit group of distance runners. One day, a group of us were out on a training run with Craig.It must have been at a somewhat leisurely pace than the usual burn, because we were able to converse. Running in the pack behind Craig were Rich Brooks, Mark Rodgers and me, when we began to comment on how small were Craig’s buttocks, which protruded with a prominent upward tilt. Following several minutes of good natured ribbing, from his vantage point trailing behind Craig, Rich said “Look at those cheeks!”, pointing at Craig’s small behind. Mark cupped his hands together and announced , “Those Burgs could fit in your hands, like such!” The pack cracked up, and a moniker was conceived!
From that point, it was forever Burgie, never Craig! Within that elite corps of friends, it remains – nearly 50 years later.
I had a unique vantage point when pre-Burgie Craig broke Pre’s National Record in the 2 mile. Since I was recruiting Craig to attend the University of Illinois, and since the Illinois High School State Championships were being contested at the U of I, I was in the infield encouraging Craig when he fell so tantalizingly close on a blistering and humid 95 degrees day. Then ,when he actually broke the mark 2 weeks later, I was again on the infield , calling out splits.
People should know that Burgie had more guts than any runner that I have known.”
Ken Popejoy –
“FORTUNATELY for my high school career, I graduated from Glenbard West in June of 1969, before Craig start his freshman year at Lebanon in Sept of 1969!!!!…so stories from his high school years are “pure hearsay on my part” says Judge Popejoy! BUT his performances and the legend that he became are pure fact and beyond reproach!!!!!
He definitely rewrote the Illinois cross country and track record books with his performances and times…..
State XC….6th as a soph, 1st as a junior (the VERY first year cross went from 2.75 up to 3 miles!…..also the first year at Detweiller Park, Peoria, AND he broke 14:00…13:59.3!) 1st as a senior with the all time fastest time of 13:50.6…which stood until this past fall!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since his two victories at Detweiller, BOTH under 14:00., that barrier has only been broken 4 other time INCLUDING this past fall’s new record.
In fact, since Craig’s performances only another 8 athletes have broken the 14:10 time AND if you were to take an average of the 47 state meet champion’s winning times that would come to 14:17!!!!!!!!!!!!!
State Track…2 mile; 2nd, 1st, 1st (soph, junior , senior)
…1 mile; 1st, 2nd (junior, senior)
EIGHT state championship medals…. 5-1st, 2-2nd, 1-6th ……. Unparalleled in Illinois state meet history!!!!!!
For further information on the Hall of Fame Event please check out
http://nationalhighschooltrackandfieldhof.org/
