18 Apr2018
S. Mark Courtney, Treasurer
About forty years ago (March 22, 1978), while a college senior at Alderson-Broaddus College, S. Mark Courtney took “one small step…” In actuality, that morning he laced up a pair of Chuck Taylor All-Star basketball shoes and ran a mile and a half from his apartment in Morgantown, WV. His intention was to regain some fitness with a goal of someday running the Boston Marathon.In those 40 years, Courtney has logged 103,000 miles (over 4 times around the globe) and burned over 10 million calories on the road. On December 20, 1979, he started a daily running streak of at least one mile a day. That streak is still alive at almost 14,000 days in a row ranking him 26th on the US American Streakers Association record list.
Not only did Courtney achieve his goal of running the Boston Marathon before the age of 40, he has completed the famed event 38 times in a row, placing him 14th on the active Boston Marathon streaking list. Fewer than 25 runners have ever run more Bostons, and his average of 2:44:03 for his best 25 Boston Marathons is an unofficial Boston record. He won the 50-59 age group in 2006 out of almost 3000 division finishers.
His lifetime racing statistics include almost 2000 races, including over 160 marathons and almost 1000 5k’s. He has recorded over 225 career victories, including 5 marathons.
Courtney owns and operates “Runner’s High” the oldest chip timing company in Pennsylvania. The company provides timing services to almost 300 races a year throughout the region.
When the sun comes up tomorrow, it may be sunny, or it may be snowy, but one thing is for sure. Mark Courtney will be running.