Please forgive the non-tech post, but this is something I must share.  Men that American Distance Running fans should know include Jim Ryun, Steve Prefontaine, Marty Liquori, Billy Mills, and Steve Scott.  Among the many more names would include two Cross Country greats, Pat Porter and Craig Virgin.

Whenever I attend a Cross Country meet, these names of the true greats are always with me.  But on Friday at the 30th Annual Liberty Bell Cross Country race, one of the names actually made an appearance... and nobody seemed to notice.  I did.  For it was Craig Virgin, three-time Olympian, member of the American Distance Running Hall of Fame and World Cross Country Champion who materialized in the crowd before me.  I first met Craig when I joined the Junior Men's team when he was on his final journey on the Men's Team representing the United States at the World Cross Country Championships in Auckland, New Zealand 1988.  Craig was kind to me then and seemed to remember our trip together when we re-acquiainted on Friday.  When I asked him what he was doing there, he told me he was consulting with a friend who coached a team that was running at the Liberty Bell.  Criag thought that this meet was one of his best opportunities to see the runners he was assisting.  He expressed his appreciation for Heritage High School for having maintained this great Cross Country event and I was pleased to introduce him to Principal Ken Moritz.

There is so much rich tradition behind the Liberty Bell meet.  Racers from all over the region traveled to LPS to compete here and the races were a showcase of great Cross Country teams.  Congratulations to the staff at Heritage for putting on this fine meet.