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Mark Conover, the Cal Poly Mustangs coach for the previous 25 years, and Director for the final 13, died on April 6 at 11:23 PM, per a be aware on CaringBridge from his spouse Kelly Conover. Mark and Kelly have three youngsters, two ladies, Audrey and Marley, and a boy, Cordell. Please preserve the household in your prayers. We use David Monti’s piece with permission.
1988 USA OLYMPIC TRAILS MARATHON CHAMPION MARK CONOVER HAS DIED
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2022 Race Outcomes Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission.
(07-Apr) — Mark Conover, the shock winner of the 1988 USA Olympic Staff Trials Males’s Marathon, died final night time in hospice after an extended battle with most cancers. He was 61.
“Mark crossed the end line final night time at 11:23 p.m.,” his spouse Kelly wrote on Conover’s CaringBridge web page. “A champion by way of all of it. His journey ended, however his legacy will proceed by way of us all. Have fun his life, share your reminiscences of him and honor a life nicely lived.”
On April 24, 1988, Conover lined up for the USA Olympic Staff Trials Males’s Marathon in Jersey Metropolis, N.J. A nine-time All-American at Humboldt State in monitor and cross nation, Conover entered the trials with a private better of simply 2:18:03, but he received in 2:12:26 after getting away from his final challenger, pre-race favourite Ed Eyestone, with a few mile remaining. He went on to the Seoul Olympic Marathon later that 12 months, however was unable to complete. That will be his solely Olympic look.
“I imagine timing is every part whenever you’re working an vital race,” Conover instructed Amby Burfoot at Runner’s World in an interview in 2007 the place he mentioned the 1988 Trials. “I ran too many different races once I was over educated. However on the 1988 Trials, I used to be contemporary and feeling good. Generally much less is extra.”
Conover additionally competed within the 1992 Trials, ending tenth in 2:18:17, however his working profession was interrupted in 1993 when he was recognized with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He was handled with chemotherapy, went into remission, and resumed coaching. In 1995, on the age of 35, he received the USATF Pacific Affiliation 15-Ok title on June 4, and 13 days later completed 14th at Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth in 2:20:35 to qualify for the 1996 Trials. He completed these Trials in 71st place, clocking 2:31:01, and retired from elite working.
Conover went on to turn out to be a profitable coach at California Polytechnic State College in San Luis Obispo. He was named Massive West Convention Coach of the Yr 21 instances, and led his Cal Poly group to seven appearances on the NCAA Championships as a full group. In 2020 he was inducted into USATF Pacific Affiliation Corridor of Fame.
Most cancers would strike Conover once more. In response to his CaringBridge web page, he was recognized with Mantle Cell Lymphoma on Christmas Eve in 2018 and shortly started therapy.
“The oncologist stated the lymphoma is curable and responds to therapy,” his spouse Kelly wrote in January, 2019. She continued: “We’re doing nicely and residing our lives usually at this level.”
As soon as once more, Conover underwent chemotherapy and completed his first spherical on January 23, 2019. He was handled extensively all through 2019 (he acquired a stem cell/bone marrow transplant), and in September of that 12 months he was capable of jog as much as two miles at a time. In December he had his chemo port eliminated, an vital step in getting again to a standard life.
“By means of this port flowed poisonous medicine, blood and platelet transfusions, antibiotics, and blood attracts,” Conover wrote in his journal. “Cherish life. Honor these preventing or who’ve fought this insidious illness.”
Conover’s most cancers got here again as squamous cell carcinoma in 2021, and after a 12 months of preventing it he determined to discontinue therapy and enter hospice.
“Mark has been a warrior and fought like nobody else may, however at this level it is time for him to cease therapy and he entered hospice,” Kelly wrote three days in the past.
The Conover’s had three youngsters collectively, triplets: Audrey and Marley (each daughters), and son Cordell. Cordell was spouse Kelly’s final identify earlier than the couple married.
Feedback poured in from Conover’s many working pals through his CaringBridge web page, together with athletes he competed towards and coached.
“You will have been an incredible inspiration to me and numerous others,” wrote 1996 5000m Olympian Matt Giusto. “Your resilience and dedication through the years have been unwavering and really exceptional. You’ve got set a brand new commonplace for all of us to reside by. I will see you on the prime, my brother!”
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