[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 129 (Thursday, July 31, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1634-E1635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO MARK COVERT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 30, 2008

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mark Covert who, 
on July 23rd, harked the 40th anniversary of an unparalleled running 
streak. Covert, a running coach and former elite athlete, has run at 
least one mile every day since July 23rd 1968. Overall, he has run 
140,045 miles--and counting--since the streak began. The United States 
Running Streak Association lists Mark Covert as the current U.S. leader 
for the longest continuous streak.
  Although he currently lives in Lancaster, California, where he 
coaches the Antelope Valley College cross country and track teams, 
Covert's streak is actually a significant part of Oregon history. One 
of the most important ``daily runs'' of the streak came in 1972, when 
Covert ran in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials at the University of 
Oregon, in Eugene. Even though he just missed making the team, he still 
made history by being the first athlete to cross a finish line wearing 
an unusual pair of shoes with rubber soles that were made on a waffle 
iron.
  These so-called ``moon shoes'' were invented in the kitchen of an 
enterprising entrepreneur named Bill Bowerman. Bowerman, along with his 
partner Phil Knight, based an entire company and, indeed, an entire 
fitness movement, on these revolutionary shoes. The company, of course, 
is Nike, and Covert was one of the first employees in the early 1970s. 
He has stayed true to the legacy by running 117,028 miles in Nikes over 
the years.
  The partnership continued at this year's Olympic Track and Field 
Trials--held, once again, at the University of Oregon's historic 
Hayward Field--where Nike sold T-shirts honoring two different 
athletes--legendary Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine and, you guessed 
it, Mark Covert.

[[Page E1635]]

  As an important part of the U.S. running movement in its early years, 
Mark Covert's place in history was already secure. Now, through his 
current unmatched running streak, he continues to inspire and motivate 
thousands of runners around the country and around the world. I'd like 
to thank him for his commitment and urge my colleagues to do the same.

                          ____________________