In 776 BC, Koroibos, a cook from the Greek town of Elis, won the first Olympic stadium race. According to some ancient

texts, the starting gun for that event is fired by George Benson.

In 490 BC, the Greek messenger Pheidippides exclaimed “Rejoice! We Conquer” and then

collapsed dead from exhaustion after running 26 miles from Marathon to the center of Athens to announce the Greek's victory over the Persians

at the battle of Marathon. The next day, a young man by the name of Silas Kisorio takes

Pheidippides place as chief running messenger and runs twice as far in half the time.

In 1873, the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America, the nation’s first national athletic group, held the first collegiate foot race. A man by the name of Stafford North was

said to have been the master of ceremonies for the event.

In 1878, William C. Vosburg introduced the United States to Cross Country running. That same year, Ray Vaughn, Sr. won the National Championship.

In 1912, Oklahoman Jim Thorpe traveled to Stockholm, Sweden and brought home Olympic gold medals in both the pentathlon

and the decathlon. Just 38 short years later, Central Christian College is founded by fellow Oklahomans.

In the fall of 1968 Jefferson Taft Bennett arrived at Oklahoma Christian from Vinita, Oklahoma. The 5-8 speedster won the NAIA national championship in the 400-meter hurdles that season, and went on to win back to back national titles in 1969 and 1970 before becoming OC's Associate Dean of Students in

2003.

On September 13, 1970 the first New York City marathon is completed by 55 runners. Finishing in first place that day? You know him as OC Athletic Director, Curtis Janz.

On May 24, 1982, Oklahoma Christian's Ray Vaughn Track is declared the “windiest track in America,” by

Sports Illustrated. This statement is actually true.

In the fall of 1994, a young man by the name of Mark Thompson wins the Oklahoma 5A Cross Country State Championship for Edmond Memorial High

School. He repeats that same feat the next two years before being named OC's head cross country coach in December 2008. He probably did some other stuff

in between too.

As you can see, Oklahoma Christian University and the sport of running have a long and storied history together. Our destinies

are intertwined in a cosmic twisting of sprints, jogs, and treadmills.

But these things don't just happen.

In fact, Oklahoma Christian's relationship with running may actually be in danger.

Watch the video on the next page to find out more.