History
Every sport has a "home" – a place where legends are honored, where historic displays inspire awe and nostalgia, and where sports' greatest stories can be retold.  On July 11, 1998, a hall of fame was established to honor the athletes who have lent their names and achievements to defining the sport of distance running.  The Hall is dedicated to honoring the sport of distance running and the athletes who have made contributions to the sport, from top runners and the most decorated athletes, to those who pushed the sport's barriers and eventually broke them. The National Distance Running Hall of Fame is located in Utica, New York, along a stretch of the New York State Thruway that could be called "Hall of Fame Corridor."  The Hall is housed in a three-story brownstone building and honors these athletes' talents, initiative and drive through the pictures, memorabilia and awards that decorate the exhibit rooms and pull the visitor into the runner's world, a place often inhabited by the runner alone as she/he challenges the limits of the human spirit. The Hall of Fame offers membership opportunities for road races, clubs, organizations and individuals, at a variety of levels. 

Mission Statement
To commemorate and honor the accomplishments of distance runners, to preserve and promote the sport of distance running, and to educate our many visitors on the rich history of distance running in the United States.

Induction Weekend
The Hall of Fame holds its annual induction ceremony on the second Saturday in July – the evening before the Boilermaker 15K Road Race.  Each year the Hall of Fame inducts a new class of notables in a public ceremony.  Many of the inductees run the Boilermaker the next day.

Voting
Each November, the Hall of Fame welcomes the nomination of runners for induction into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame.  Anyone can nominate a runner.  Qualified candidates must (a) be a distance runner and (b) have had an influence on the sport of distance running in America.  The Voting Committee, comprised of representatives of the running community throughout the nation, plus all previous inductees, reviews the nominees and agrees on a list of finalists.  Inductees are ultimately chosen by secret ballot.

Inductees

Class of 2003:Jim Ryun, Mary Decker Slaney, George Young

Class of 2002: John J. Kelley, Browning Ross, Doris Brown Heritage, Bill Bowerman

Class of 2001: Craig Virgin, Lynn Jennings Bill Dellinger, Fred Lebow

Class of 2000: Clarence DeMar, Steve Prefontaine, Alberto Salazar, Grete Waitz

Class of 1999: John A. Kelley, Nina Kuscsik, Billy Mills, Francie Larrieu Smith

Class of 1998 – Inaugural Class: Ted Corbitt, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Kathrine Switzer

National Distance Running Hall of Fame
114 Genesee Street
Utica, New York 13502

Phone: (315) 724.4525
Facsimile: (315) 734.9281

www.distancerunning.com