Mark Belger

Mark Belger is a former American middle distance runner. In high school he set the American record in the 880 yards. While attending Villanova University, Belger set the record of winning ten Penn Relays golden watches.

Early life

Belger grew up in Bellmore, New York where he attended Wellington C. Mepham High School. He was born to a strict, middle-income family. After being unable to continue playing the sports of Wrestling, Soccer, and Football due to various injuries, he turned his sights to running where he was met with great success.^[1]

High school career

After being told by his father that he was required to participate in an after school activity, Belger joined the Mepham track team under coach Paul Limmer. During a President Kennedy fitness test, Belger won his first trophy in a 600-yard dash.^[1] Following this, Belger typically ran middle distance events, consisting of the 600 yard and 880-yard dashes, though he unwillingly stepped up to longer distance and cross-country events. During this time, Belger won various County and State title. Most notably, Belger received national fame by setting the then high school record in the 880-yard dash.^[1]

Success in college

Belger attended Villanova where he continued to run during his four years. During his career he primarily ran the 800m dash, as well as different legs of relays, racing up to four or five races in a single weekend. While at Villanova, Belger set the world record for the most Penn Relay Golden Watches ever won. Belger was undefeated in his ten competitions.^[2]

Belger continued to run successfully for Villanova, placing fourth in the 1976 US Olympic Trials. Two years later, Belger was the NCAA champion in the 800m dash.

Postgraduate running, and later life

In 1980, Belger was set to run for the United States in the Olympic Games, yet missed the opportunity due to the boycott of the games that took place. Afterwards, Belger began traveling to participate in major races around the country and the world.^[1]

After graduating, Belger worked as an economic analyst in Boston, predicting the price of raw materials for the auto industry and other developers. Belger now lives in Pacific Beach, CA with his wife Mimi. His two daughters, Erin and Sarah, also runners, received college scholarships, following in his footsteps. His son, Thomas, ran cross country and track for University City HS in San Diego.^[1]^[3]

References

1 2 3 4 5 Gina Giacopuzzi (23 May 2009). "Reflections with middle distance great Mark Belger". San Diego Newsroom. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
↑ Ron Reid (8 May 1978). "They're Relay Great". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
↑ John Crumpacker (30 April 2002). "Profile, Erin Belger". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 28 May 2009.

US National Championship winners in the men's 800-meter run

1876-2015	1876: Harold Lambe 1877: Romulus Colgate 1878: Edward Merritt 1879–80: Lon Myers 1881: Walter Smith 1882: William Goodwin 1883: Tom Murphy 1884: Lon Myers 1885: Herbert Mitchell 1886: Charles Smith 1887–88: George Tracey 1888: Wm. Moffatt 1889: R.A. Ward 1890: Harry Dadmun 1891: Walter Dohm 1892–93: Theodore Turner 1894–96: Charles Kilpatrick 1897: John Cregan 1898: Thomas Burke 1899: Herbert Manvel 1900: Alex Grant 1901: Howard Hayes 1902: John Wright 1903–04: Howard Valentine 1905: James Lightbody 1906–08: Mel Sheppard 1909: Clar. Edmundsen 1910: Harry Gissing 1911–12: Mel Sheppard 1913–14: Homer Baker 1915: Leroy Campbell 1916: Don Scott 1917: Mike Devaney 1918: Tom Campbell 1919: Joie Ray 1920: Earl Eby 1921–22: Alan Helffrich 1923: Ray Watson 1924: Edward Kirby 1925: Alan Helffrich 1926: Alva Martin 1927: Ray Watson 1928: Lloyd Hahn 1929: Phil Edwards 1930–32: Eddie Genung 1933: Glenn Cunningham 1934: Ben Eastman 1935: Elroy Robinson 1936: Charles Beetham 1937: John Woodruff 1938: Howard Borck 1939–41: Charles Beetham 1942: John Borican 1943: Bill Hulse 1944–45: Bob Kelley 1946: John Fulton 1947: Reggie Pearman 1948: Herb Barten 1949–51: Mal Whitfield 1952: Reggie Pearman 1953–54: Mal Whitfield 1955–56: Arnie Sowell 1957–58: Tom Courtney 1959: Tom Murphy 1960: Jim Cerveny 1961: Jim Dupree 1962: Jerry Siebert 1963: Bill Crothers (CAN) * Jim Dupree 1964: Jerry Siebert 1965: Morgan Groth 1966: Tom Farrell 1967–68: Wade Bell 1969: Byron Dyce (JAM) * Juris Luzins 1970: Ken Swenson 1971: Juris Luzins 1972: Dave Wottle 1973–74: Rick Wohlhuter 1975: Mark Enyeart 1976: James Robinson 1977: Mark Belger 1978–82: James Robinson 1983: Dave Patrick 1984: James Robinson 1985–87: Johnny Gray 1988: Mark Everett 1989: Johnny Gray 1990–91: Mark Everett 1992: Johnny Gray 1993–94: Mark Everett 1995: Brandon Rock 1996: Johnny Gray 1997–98: Mark Everett 1999: Khadevis Robinson 2000: Mark Everett 2001–03: David Krummenacker 2004: Jonathan Johnson 2005–07: Khadevis Robinson 2008–12: Nick Symmonds 2013–14: Duane Solomon 2015: Nick Symmonds

Notes	Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.

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