Bernd Heinrich
Bernd Heinrich is an ultrarunner who set a number of open U.S. ultramarathon and masters records in the 1980's. And is the author of Why We Run: A Natural History.
Career
In 1981, he set an absolute American record (i.e., the best of either road or track venues; this one was a road race in Chicago) of 6:38:20 for 100 km (62 mi). Two years later, he set an absolute American record for the 24-hour run of 156 miles, 1388 yards in a track race in Maine. In 1984, he set an absolute American 100 mile record of 12:27:01, again in a track race. One year later, he set the American track record of 7:00:12 for 100 km. In so doing, he became the only American man to hold both the road and track versions of the American record for the same event. His 12:27:01 for 100 miles and 7:00:12 for 100 km still remained, at the end of 2007, the official American track records. At the end of 2007, Heinrich was inducted into the American Ultrarunning Association's Hall of Fame.(1)
