Craig Curley facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | July 1, 1988 Kinlichee, Arizona |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track, long-distance running |
| Event(s) | 5000 meters, 10,000 meters, marathon |
| College team | Pima Community College |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 5000 meters: 14:10.61 10,000 meters: 29:03.45 Half marathon: 1:03:24 Marathon: 2:15:16 |
Craig Curley is a Native American distance runner. He was born in Kinlichee, Arizona. Craig grew up on the Navajo reservation in a quiet, rural area.
He became the fastest male high school runner in Arizona in 2005. Craig chose a different path than many athletes. He decided to attend Pima Community College instead of a big university. At Pima, he broke a 5000-meter running record. After college, Craig started running marathon races.
Contents
Craig Curley's Running Journey
High School Achievements
Craig Curley went to St. Michael High School. There, he competed in cross country and track. His coach was Terry Thompson. Craig graduated from high school in 2006.
In 2005, Craig won first place. He was the champion of Arizona's 1A state cross country race.
College Running
Even though Craig was very successful in high school, he turned down offers. Big schools like Arizona State University wanted him to run for them. Instead, he chose Pima Community College. This college was known for having excellent distance runners.
Greg Wenneborg was the distance coach at Pima. After Craig's first practice, Coach Wenneborg offered him a scholarship. Craig joined Pima's two-year program. In 2006, Craig set a new record for Pima. He ran the 5000 meters in 14 minutes and 23.26 seconds. This happened at the UC San Diego Triton Invitational.
Professional Career and Marathon Wins
After finishing college, Craig started running marathons. He qualified for the 2012 US Olympic Trials. These trials were held in Houston, Texas. His first marathon race was 2 hours and 39 minutes.
Even though he was a bit disappointed, Craig kept going. He ran in the 2012 Columbus Marathon in Ohio. He ended up winning this race! He took the lead only in the last six miles. After his big win in Columbus, Craig signed a professional contract. He joined the sports company Mizuno.
