2011 Hall of Fame Inductee
Until the day he died, Clarence Demar never quit running or quit fighting. In 1910, he was advised by doctors to give up running because of a heart murmur. That was one year before Demar won his first of a record seven Boston Marathons, a record that still stands today. He competed in a total of 33 Boston Marathons with his final one coming at the age of 65. His first Boston Marathon victory came in 1911 and his final win was in 1930. An athlete far ahead of his time, Demar was known for weekly running from Keene, N.H., to Boston and back, which was a total of 90 miles. For the past 33 years, Keene has hosted the Clarence Demar Marathon. In addition to his feats in Boston, Demar was the bronze medalist in the marathon at the 1924 Olympic Games. He also qualified for the 1912 Olympic Games. He was inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame in 2000. DeMar died June 11, 1958. Championships 1924 Olympic Games: Marathon (3rd - 2:48:14)