Marla Runyan

Marla Runyan: Biography in Details

Who is Marla Runyan?

Marla Runyan is an American track and field athlete, track runner plus marathon runner. She is the three-time National Champion in the women’s 5000 meters.

Marla Runyan: Birth Facts, Childhood, and Family

This athlete was born on January 4, 1969, in California, the US with birth name Marla Lee Runyan. There is no information about her parents as she loves to keep her personal life private. She has an elder brother  Grady. She is of Irish Descent.

Runyan is legally blind so she is the most outstanding runner of our time. Marla was not diagnosed to be blind until 1978. Her doctor had very low expectations for her future predicting she may never go to school, learn to drive or go to college.

When her vision made it hard for her to see the soccer ball, she had to drop soccer and gymnastics. Despite all difficulties, she became very dedicated and continued running and competing in the Heptathlon.

Marla graduated from Camarillo High School in 1987 and went to study at San Diego State University, where she began competing in several sports events. Runyan received a Master’s degree in Education of Deafblind Children in 1994.

Marla Runyan: Early Career and Professional Life

In 1992 summer Paralympics, Marla Runyan participated and became the winner of four gold medals in the long jump and the 100, 200, and 400-meter races. At 1996 US Olympic Trails she attempted to qualify for the Able-Bodied Olympics finishing 10th in the Heptathlon. Runyan ran the 800 meters in 2:04.60, a heptathlon-800 m American record. This athlete took silver in the shot put and gold in the Pentathlon at 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta.

She won Gold in the 1,500-meter race and was ranked second in the United States at 1999 Pan American Games. Later in the 2000 Sydney Olympics,  she placed eighth in the 1,500-meter making Runyan the first legally blind athlete to compete in the Olympics and the highest finish by an American woman in that event.

Runyan won her first of three consecutive 5000 meter National Championships in 2001. Runyan has served as the first ambassador for Perkins School for the Blind since 2001 and has given many speeches about being blind.

Afterward, in 2002, this athlete released her autobiography No Finish Line: My Life As I See It. The same year, She finished as the top American at New York Marathon to post the second-fastest debut time ever by an American woman.

In 2003, she won the road 5 K and qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games by finishing second in the United States Olympics Trial. In 2006, Marla won her second National Championship at 20 km. By 2002 and 2006, she was the USATF Runner of the Year. 

Her great success came at the Paralympic Games where she has been five times a gold medalist.  Runyan holds IPC World Records in the T 13 Classification for the 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m, 5000 m, High Jump, Long Jump, and Pentathlon in April 2014.

Rumor and Controversy

There are no rumors or controversy about Marla. Meanwhile, she has managed to keep herself out of any rumor and controversy. She is doing well in her career.

How tall is Marla Runyan?

Marla Runyan is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 60 kg. Likely, she has dark brown hair and grey eyes.

Social Media Profiles

Marla has over 323 followers on Twitter. Although, she is not active on Facebook and Instagram her fan pages are made by her fans. Runyan has her own website.

You may also read age, childhood, family, education, rumor, body measurements, a relationship of Scott Rolen, Rick Pitino and Larry English.

Marla Runyan's Birthday Dates