Luke Watson (born August 20, 1980) is a retired

long-distance runner Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least . Physiologically, it is largely Aerobic exercise, aerobic in nature and requires endurance, stamina as well as mental strength. Within e ...

who specialized in various track and road running disciplines. He represented the

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at the

IAAF World Cross Country Championships World Athletics Cross Country Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Formerly held annually and organised by World Athletics (formerly the IAAF), it was inaugurated in 1973, when it replaced the Int ...

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

and

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. He was a member of one of the greatest generations of high school long distance runners in the US, many of whom happened to be from Stillwater High in the late 1990s. At Notre Dame he studied and also became a very competitive middle and long distance runner, before which he ran at three US Olympic Trials in 2004, 2008, and 2012. Watson retired from competitive running in 2012. He is the older brother of Jake Watson. Following his running career, Watson earned a PhD in accounting from

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...

, and is an assistant accounting professor at

Villanova University Villanova University is a Private university, private Catholic church, Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinians in 1842 and named after Thomas of Villanova, Sa ...

. Watson specializes in corporate tax accounting research.

Running career

High school

He attended Stillwater Area High School, whose coach Scott Christensen contributed to a handful of elite distance runners' careers. Watson competed for the school's cross country and track teams among an exceptional generation of distance runners, which included

Sean Graham Sean Graham (born March 6, 1980) is a retired track runner who specialized in middle-distance and long-distance disciplines. Graham was a product of Stillwater High, whose coach Scott Christensen helped make a nationally recognized track history ...

who was born in the same year as Watson was. Many years later, Watson and

Graham Graham and Graeme may refer to: People * Graham (given name), an English-language given name * Graham (surname), an English-language surname * Graeme (surname), an English-language surname * Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer * Clan ...

would compete against each other in the 5000-meter race at the 2004 Olympic Trials. In 1997 the Stillwater cross country team was ranked number one in the

. Stillwater would become the only high school track team whose alumni produced more than three sub- four minute mile runners, who all happened to have been coached in high school by cross country and track coach Christensen before he became a science teacher at the same school. In addition to cross country and track, Watson participated in

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during high school.

Collegiate

Watson attended Notre Dame and also ran for their cross country and track teams. Among his teammates at Notre Dame was

Ryan Shay Ryan Shay (May 4, 1979 – November 3, 2007) was an American professional long-distance runner who won several USA championships titles. He was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and attended the University of Notre Dame. He was married to Alic ...

, who Watson posthumously thanked in a retirement message for his contribution to Watson's development. By his senior year, Watson and Shay were called "one of the best cross-country lead runner combinations in the nation".

Post-collegiate

Watson ran the men's short race at the 2004 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, placing 36th out of 139 finishers. Just months later, he ran the

5000 meters The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to or . It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over laps of a stand ...

at the 2004 US Olympic Trials, running a time of 13:45.53 (min:sec) in the preliminary round, and then running a time of 13:53.49 in the final round, placing 14th out of 16 competitors, a few seconds behind high school teammate

who also did not qualify for the Olympics. He then ran the men's short race at the 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, this time placing 57th of 126 finishers. At the 2008 Olympic Trials, he ran the 3000-m steeplechase, but did not make it past the preliminary round. Finally, Watson ran the

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

at the 2012 Olympic Trials, running a time of 2:15:29.
USATF - Events - 2012 US Olympic Trials - Marathon Results

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Luke 1980 births Living people American male long-distance runners American male steeplechase runners Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's track and field athletes Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's cross country runners