Nancy Conz

Nancy Conz (born May 1, 1957 in Southampton, Massachusetts - February 8, 2017 in Southampton)[1] was an American long distance runner and "pioneer" marathoner.[2] She currently holds four American long distance running records set in the early 1980's. Three of those records, 15,000 meters, 10 miles and the one hour run were set in one track race at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts on June 25, 1981.

She won her first attempt at the marathon in the Five College Marathon in 1980, held in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Her next attempt, the entry a prize of the first, was at the Avon International Marathon for Women in London later that year, where she finished second. Her 2:36:02 was also the #2 time in the world that year. She returned the following year to win Avon, this time in Ottawa, beating her friend and future first ever women's Olympic gold medalist in the marathon, Joan Benoit.[3] She also won Freihofer's Run for Women that same year. In 1982, she won the Chicago Marathon in a personal best of 2:33:22.

"Nancy was a great runner. She came onto the scene rather quickly, and climbed quickly as well. She was a real tenacious runner. She gave it everything she had. She beat me several times when we went head to head. She was tenacious and worked very hard."

— Joan Benoit Samuelson

Conz was self-coached, her only previous coaching coming from her days at Hampshire Regional High School.

Cons died after a near 20 year battle with adenoid cystic carcinoma.[4]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/Nancy-Conz-obituary?pid=184116211&view=guestbook
  2. ↑ "Women's Marathon Pioneer Nancy Conz Dies at 59". Runnersworld.com. 13 February 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  3. ↑ "Nancy Conz First". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  4. ↑ "Nancy Conz, running icon and Pioneer Valley native, dies at Southampton home at age of 59". Masslive.com. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
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