Marla Runyan
American track and field athlete (born 1969)
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Marla Lee Runyan (married name Lonergan;[1] born January 4, 1969) is an American track and field athlete, road runner, and cyclist who is legally blind. She is a six-time Paralympic medalist in track and field, two-time Olympian in track and field, and Paralympian in para-cycling. She was the first legally blind athlete to compete in the Olympics and is the only American to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics.[2]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Marla Lee Runyan |
| National team | United States |
| Born | January 4, 1969 (age 57) Santa Maria, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | San Diego State University |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
Spouse | Matt Longergan |
| Sport | |
| Coached by | Matt Lonergan |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Olympic finals | 2000 Sydney 1500m |
| World finals | 1999 Seville 1500m |
Runyan's accomplishments include three back-to-back national titles in the 5,000 meters and top American finishes at the Boston, Chicago, and New York marathons. She formerly held the American records in the 800m event of the heptathlon and 20k road race, as well as the highest American woman finish in the 1500 meters at the Olympics. She currently holds numerous para-athletics world and national records in sprint, long distance, and field events.
Early life and education
Runyan was born in Santa Maria, California. After graduating from Camarillo High School in 1987, she went on to study at San Diego State University, where she began competing in several sporting events: the heptathlon, 200-meter dash, high jump, shot put, 100-meter hurdles, long jump, javelin throw and the 800-meter run. In 1994 she received her master's degree in Education of Deafblind Children. In 2025, Runyan earned a Juris Doctor degree from Syracuse University Law School.[3]
Career
1992: Paralympics
Runyan won four gold medals at the 1992 Summer Paralympics in the long jump and the 100, 200, and 400 meter races.[4] She also placed fifth in the mixed road tandem open cycling event.[5]
1996: Olympic Trials and Paralympics
She attempted to qualify for the Olympics at the 1996 U. S. Olympic Trials, finishing 10th in the Heptathlon. While failing to qualify, she ran the 800 meters in 2:04.60, a heptathlon-800m American record.[6]
At the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, she took silver in the shot put and gold in the pentathlon.[4]
1999: Pan American Games and World Championships
Her career as a world-class runner in able-bodied events began at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, where she won Gold in the 1,500-meter race and was ranked second in the United States in that event in 1999 by Track and Field News.
She placed 10th in the 1,500-meter race at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics.
2000: National indoor title and Olympics
She won 3,000-meter race at the 2000 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.[7]
She placed eighth in the 1,500-meter in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, making Runyan the first legally blind athlete to compete in the Olympics and the highest finish by an American woman in that event.
2001-2004: National titles, Olympics, and marathon success
5,000 meters
Runyan won the 5,000-meter race at the 2001 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, 2002 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and 2003 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She competed in the first round of the 5,000-meter run at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. Runyan qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in the 5,000-meter by finishing second in the United States Olympic Trials (track and field).
Road running
Runyan set the American record in the 20K road race in 2003.[8] She also won the national road 10k championship in 2002 and the national road 5k championship in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
Marathon
Runyan finished fifth as the top American at the 2002 New York City Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 10 seconds to post the second-fastest debut time ever by an American woman.
"I just think it's pretty brave, Marla's very tough, really gutsy. She's been fighting all of her life, and it comes out in her running."
— Colleen De Reuck, Marathoner[9]
She also had the top American finishes at the 2003 Boston Marathon and 2004 Chicago Marathon. She did not finish the 2003 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.[7]
2006: Continued national success
Runyan was the 2006 20k road champion and USATF Running Circuit Champion.[10][11]
Awards and recognition
She was the USATF "Runner of the Year" in 2002 and 2006.[12]
Records and personal bests
The following table reflects Runyan's personal bests (PB), national records (NR), and world records (WR) in para and non-para athletics competition. These results may differ in each category due to different certification requirements for para and non-para records.[7][13][14]
| Surface | Event | Result | Year | Type of record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor | High jump | 1.80m | 1995 | Para Athletics T13 NR and WR |
| Long jump | 5.88m | 1995 | Para Athletics T13 NR and WR | |
| Javelin | 35.62m | 1996 | Para Athletics T13 NR | |
| Pentathlon | 3,661 pts | 1996 | Para Athletics T13 NR and WR | |
| Heptathlon - 800m | 2:04.70 | 1996 | Former NR[6] | |
| 100 m hurdles | 13.59* | 1996 | PB, not legal due to wind | |
| 200 m | 24.45 | 1995 | Para Athletics T13 NR | |
| 400 m | 54.46 | 1996 | Para Athletics T13 NR, former Para Athletics T13 WR | |
| 800 m | 2:03.18 | 1999 | Para Athletics T13 NR and WR | |
| 1500 m | 4:05.27 | 1999 | Para Athletics T13 NR and WR | |
| 4:02.97 | 2002 | PB | ||
| Mile | 4:43.90 | 2001 | PB | |
| 3000 m | 8:39.36 | 2002 | PB | |
| 5000 m | 15:07.19 | 1999 | Para Athletics T13 NR and WR | |
| 14:59.20 | 2004 | PB | ||
| 10,000 m | 32:11.92 | 2006 | PB | |
| Road | 5K | 15:24 | 2000 | PB |
| 10K | 31:46 | 2002 | PB | |
| 15K | 48.43 | 2003 | PB | |
| 10-mile | 53:37 | 2002 | PB | |
| 20K | 1:05:52 | 2003 | PB, former NR[8] | |
| Half marathon | 1:11:19 | 2002 | PB | |
| Marathon | 2:27:10* | 2003 | PB - not legal | |
| 2:28:33 | 2004 | PB |