Walt Stack was a hod carrier by trade and an icon of the San Francisco, California running community.
11 Facts About Walt Stack
2.
Walt Stack was featured in Nike's first "Just Do It" advertisement that debuted on July 1,1988, when he was still running at 80 years of age.
3.
At the DSE races, which have taken place nearly every weekend in and around San Francisco since the 1970s, Walt Stack was usually the master of ceremonies and presenter of ribbons to the top finishers.
4.
For 27 years, from 1966 until 1993, Walt Stack persisted in covering a set training route.
5.
Walt Stack trained on the course and competed in the venerable and arduous Dipsea race.
6.
Walt Stack had in fact swum the distance many times in his later years, as a participant in sanctioned Alcatraz swims which have become quite popular.
7.
Walt Stack is the cause celebre of many fascinating anecdotes during the course of his life and running career.
8.
Walt Stack was long a card-carrying, dues paying member of the Communist Party.
9.
Walt Stack finished in the record-breaking time of just over 26 hours.
10.
Thalheimer took out an ad in Runner's World featuring his friend Walt Stack, and sold thousands of the watches at $69 apiece, earning $1.5 million using Stack's image.
11.
Walt Stack was an unofficial finisher of the hundred mile long Western States Endurance Run, completing the run in 38 hours and 47 minutes, but not making the cut-off time.