Garry Bjorklund

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Garry Bjorklund
Personal information
Nationality
10,000m: 27:46.9[1]
Marathon: 2:10:20[1]

Garry Brian Bjorklund (born April 22, 1951) is an American middle- and long-distance runner. He represented the United States in the 1976 Summer Olympics in the 10,000 meters. As a high schooler, he set a Minnesota state record for the mile run which lasted 39 years. At the University of Minnesota, he won the 1971 national championship in the six-mile run, and won numerous conference championships in various disciplines. Following his 1976 Summer Olympics appearance, Bjorklund became a marathon runner, and set a national age group record in 1980.

Early life and college career

Born in Duluth, Minnesota, on April 22, 1951,[2] Bjorklund spent his early years in Twig, where he lived on a farm. In his high school years, he took up running; Bjorklund ran a mile in 4:19 his freshman year at Proctor High School.[3][4] At the 1969 Minnesota State Meets, he broke the state high school mile record with a time of 4:05.1.[4] As of the 2020–21 school year, the Minnesota State High School League continues to consider Bjorklund's time a state record.[5] Also in 1969, he won the Amateur Athletic Union 15,000 m title.[2]

That year, Bjorklund began attending the University of Minnesota, where he began competing in longer races.[3][6] At Minnesota, he participated in track and field (indoor and outdoor) and cross country running. During his time at college, he was named an All-American five times: twice each in outdoor track and field and cross country, and once in indoor track and field. In 1970, he won the mile run at the Big Ten Conference championships.[6] The next year, at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship, he claimed a victory in the six-mile run, setting a meet record with a time of 27:43.1.[7] While at Minnesota, Bjorklund won Big Ten championships in other disciplines; he won numerous other conference titles, including three in two and three-mile runs.[6] From 1969 to 1971, Bjorklund had a streak of three consecutive Big Ten cross country championships. He also won the Big Ten five-mile championship twice and the six-mile title in 1971, the same year as his national championship win in that distance. Bjorklund broke Big Ten records in seven categories, including the indoor and outdoor three-mile and outdoor mile.[8] In 1971, he ran in the Pan American Games.[2]

Although he had been considered a strong contender to qualify for the United States' track and field team at the

U.S. Olympic Trials because of an injured left foot, and therefore missed the Games.[3][9] He was forced to undergo surgery, and according to the University of Minnesota, "doctors told him that he may never run again."[6] Although Bjorklund missed the 1973 college season, he returned to competition for Minnesota in 1974.[10]

Post-college career

Bjorklund competed in his second Pan American Games

Bill Rodgers, and Frank Shorter—stayed grouped together.[12] During lap 14, Bjorklund lost his left shoe when another runner made contact with his foot.[6][12] Despite only wearing one shoe, Bjorklund continued running, but with two laps remaining Rodgers had built a 30 m lead on him. While Shorter and Virgin battled for the win, Bjorklund made up his deficit to Rodgers and overtook him, beating him to the finish line by less than a second.[12] At the Olympics, Bjorklund reached the 10,000 m final, becoming the lone U.S. qualifier for the event.[13] He did not win a medal in the final, ending in 13th place.[14]

By 1977, Bjorklund had started running in

marathons, and the next year announced that he would focus on them. He cited a lack of support from track promoters and governing bodies and said, "I got more notice running in my first two marathons than I did in my total track career."[15] In his third career marathon appearance, Bjorklund had a course-record time of 2:13:46.4 at the Maryland Marathon.[16] Bjorklund posted a fifth-place finish in the 1977 New York City Marathon, and was the early leader in 1978 before fading in the final eight miles.[17] Bjorklund was the winner of 10 "major road races" in 1978, and was considered a main competitor for Rodgers, the winner of those New York City Marathons.[18] At the 1979 Boston Marathon, he again finished in fifth.[19]

Due to the

Minneapolis – Saint Paul region.[22] At the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials in the marathon, Bjorklund pulled out with about eight miles left.[23] He also attempted to make the 10,000 m team, but was passed for the final qualifying spot in the final 300 m.[24] As of 2015, Bjorklund resides in Fort Collins, Colorado.[25]

Honors

Bjorklund was inducted into the Road Runners Club of America's Hall of Fame in 1988.[26] He is also in the Hall of Fame of his high school, and in 1992 the University of Minnesota inducted him into its M Club Hall of Fame.[6] In 2012, the Colorado Running Hall of Fame honored Bjorklund.[27] The Grandma's Marathon in Duluth named a side event after him; the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon has been held since 1991.[28]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Garry Bjorklund – Athlete Profile". International Association of Athletics Federations. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Garry Bjorklund". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e Benyo and Henderson, pp. 37–38.
  4. ^ a b Mahler, Charlie. "Déjà Vu: Garry Bjorklund Looks Back on a 39-Year-Old Record". USA Track & Field Minnesota. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  5. ^ "All-Time State Boys Track and Field Meet Records" (PDF). Minnesota State High School League. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Garry Bjorklund". University of Minnesota. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  7. ^ "3 Meet Records Broken in NCAA". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. June 19, 1971. p. 16. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  8. ^ Christensen, p. 183.
  9. ^ Newnham, Blaine (June 23, 1976). "The crowd picks a favorite". The Register-Guard. p. 1B. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  10. ^ Letwin, Bill (May 14, 1974). "Indiana Strong Threat to Keep Track Title". The Milwaukee Journal. sec. 2, p. 11. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  11. ^ "Slow start for Yanks". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. October 14, 1975. p. 18. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  12. ^ a b c Conrad, John (June 23, 1976). "Bjorklund barefoots it in behind Shorter". The Register-Guard. p. 3B. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  13. ^ "They're Off and Running...Jumping". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 24, 1976. p. 7. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  14. ^ "Track Superiority Over for Americans". The Milwaukee Journal. July 27, 1976. sec. 2, p. 8. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  15. ^ "Track takes a shot". The Register-Guard. April 28, 1978. p. 2D. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  16. ^ "Winner Surprised". The Robesonian. Associated Press. December 5, 1977. p. 10. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  17. ^ Rosenthal, Bert (October 23, 1978). "Rodgers, Waitz Claim Marathon". The Portsmouth Times. Associated Press. p. 16. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  18. ^ Sandrock, p. 114.
  19. ^ "Rodgers King Of The Road". Sarasota Journal. United Press International. April 17, 1979. p. 3-B. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  20. ^ Leavy, Jane (April 21, 1980). "'The Game's Changing', but Not at Today's Boston Marathon". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  21. ^ "Prominent runner entered at Everly". The Daily Reporter. August 7, 1981. p. 8. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  22. ^ Moody, Dick (April 9, 1981). "Shoes 'protect' runners". Spokane Daily Chronicle. p. 21. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  23. ^ Goldstein, Steve (May 28, 1984). "Pfitzinger passes Salazar for No. 1 Olympic spot". The Evening Independent. p. 5-C. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  24. ^ Withers, Bud (June 20, 1984). "Slow 10,000 plays into hands of kickers Cummings, Virgin". The Register-Guard. p. 5C. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  25. ^ Pates, Kevin (June 20, 2015). "Half-marathon goes to the wire for top 3 finishers". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  26. ^ "RRCA Hall of Fame Inductees 1980–1989". Road Runners Club of America. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  27. ^ "Bjorklund into Colorado Running Hall of Fame". Duluth News Tribune. April 24, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
  28. ^ Weegman, Rick (June 16, 2015). "Half-marathon almost had an identity crisis with its namesake, Garry Bjorklund". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved March 26, 2017.

Sources

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