# Jack Fultz

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American long-distance runner

Jack Fultz Personal information Nationality American Born (1948-08-27) August 27, 1948 (age 77) Venango County, Pennsylvania Sport Sport Track, long-distance running Event(s) Mile, 2-mile, 3000 meters steeplechase, marathon College team Georgetown Club DC Road Runners Club Achievements and titles Personal best Marathon: 2:11:17[1]

**Jon Willis Fultz** (born August 27, 1948) is a retired American [long-distance runner](/source/Long-distance_runner), who came to prominence in the 1970s after winning the 1976 [Boston Marathon](/source/Boston_Marathon), the world's oldest and most established [marathon](/source/Marathon) race.[2][3][4]

## Early years

John Willis Fultz was born on August 27, 1948, in [Franklin, Pennsylvania](/source/Franklin%2C_Pennsylvania), the sixth of seven children. He grew up in Franklin, where he attended Franklin Area High School,[5] where he graduated in 1966.

## Running career

### Collegiate

Fultz first attended the [University of Arizona](/source/University_of_Arizona) in [Tucson](/source/Tucson) from 1967 to 1969. In 1969, he enlisted in the [United States Coast Guard](/source/United_States_Coast_Guard), serving from 1969 to 1973. Following his tour of duty, Fultz enrolled in graduate classes at [Georgetown University](/source/Georgetown_University) until his graduation in 1976. While at Georgetown Fultz competed for the men's track team in various middle-distance events, including the mile run and the 3000 meter steeplechase.[6] He ran a personal best outdoor mile of 4:08.3 while at Georgetown.[7]

### The 1976 Boston Marathon: "The Run for the Hoses"

Fultz won the 1976 Boston Marathon in extreme heat with a time of 2:20:19. The temperature was 100 degrees one hour before the noon start time in [Hopkinton, Massachusetts](/source/Hopkinton%2C_Massachusetts). Over the 26.2-mile (42.2 km) course, runners were cooled by water sprayed by spectators using garden hoses.[8]

## Achievements

- All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise

Year Competition Venue Position Notes Representing the United States 1976 Boston Marathon Boston, United States 1st 2:20:19 1978 Boston Marathon Boston, United States 4th 2:11:17 (PR)

- 1971 Boston Marathon (2:27:12), 12th Place

- 1972 Boston Marathon (2:35:11), 56th Place

- 1976 Boston Marathon (2:20:19), **FIRST PLACE**

- 1977 Boston Marathon (2:20:40), 9th Place

- 1978 Boston Marathon (2:11:17), 4th Place **PERSONAL RECORD/BEST TIME** (2 seconds behind 3rd place)

- 1981 Newport Marathon (2:17:09), 1st Place and **COURSE RECORD**

## Awards, distinctions, and items of interest

Fultz qualified for three consecutive [United States](/source/United_States) [Olympic Trials](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Olympic_Trials&action=edit&redlink=1) marathons in 1972, 1976, and 1980. Because President [Jimmy Carter](/source/Jimmy_Carter) called for a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games, Fultz did not run in the 1980 Olympic Trials. In 1996, Fultz was inducted into the Georgetown University Hall of Fame and on that occasion was invited to the White House to run with then-President [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton). Also in 1996, Fultz was inducted into the DC Road Runners Hall of Fame.

Fultz not only finished the Boston Marathon in *first* place in 1976; in 1995 he added the distinction of finishing in *last* place as well: Each year, BAA race director [Dave McGillivray](/source/Dave_McGillivray) runs the Boston Marathon course after all the other entrants have started, and nearly all have finished.[9] In 1995 Fultz accompanied him on the run, and, as the two companions crossed the finish line, Fultz slowed down a step, thus making him the actual last official finisher of the day.

Fultz was diagnosed with arthritis of the hip in 2000, at which time he retired from competitive running.

## Current activities

As of November 2008, Fultz is an instructor of sport psychology at [Tufts University](/source/Tufts_University), a fitness consultant and personal coach, and a training consultant to the [Dana-Farber](/source/Dana%E2%80%93Farber_Cancer_Institute) Marathon Challenge. He also is an occasional motivational speaker.

## See also

- [List of winners of the Boston Marathon](/source/List_of_winners_of_the_Boston_Marathon)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-All-Athletics_1-0)** All-Athletics. ["Profile of Jack Fultz"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150208060255/http://www.all-athletics.com/node/284961). Archived from [the original](http://www.all-athletics.com/node/284961) on 2015-02-08. Retrieved 2015-02-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Running with Jack Fultz"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120219032856/http://boston.skirt.com/node/3998/). Archived from [the original](http://boston.skirt.com/node/3998/) on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2008-12-01.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Boston Marathon Night Shift](http://www.dmsesports.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=finishline.one&content_id=64&.x=8278467/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Boston Marathon"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130419235053/http://www.bostonmarathon.org/). Archived from [the original](http://www.bostonmarathon.org/) on 2013-04-19. Retrieved 2008-12-01.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [https://web.archive.org/web/20081223181054/http://www.fasd.k12.pa.us/franklinahs/site/default.asp](https://web.archive.org/web/20081223181054/http://www.fasd.k12.pa.us/franklinahs/site/default.asp)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [\[1\]](http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/gu/sports/m-xctrack/auto_pdf/2013-14/misc_non_event/Mens_TF_All_Time_Outdoor_List.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150208072314/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/gu/sports/m-xctrack/auto_pdf/2013-14/misc_non_event/Mens_TF_All_Time_Outdoor_List.pdf) 2015-02-08 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Georgetown Men's Outdoor Track All-Time Performances (as of 2013-14)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fultzint_7-0)** Cohen, Gary. ["Jack Fultz Interview"](http://www.garycohenrunning.com/Interviews/Fultz.aspx).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Nason, Jerry (April 20, 1976). ["US Collegian beats heat, wins 80th BAA Marathon"](http://archive.boston.com/sports/specials/marathon/articles/2006/04/08/us_collegian_beats_heat_wins_80th_baa_marathon/). The Boston Globe. Retrieved 8 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Dave McGillivray: The Boston Marathon Night Shift"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210646/http://www.coolrunning.com/dmse/dave041199.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.coolrunning.com/dmse/dave041199.htm) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-16.

## External links

- [Marathon Men Make Our Hearts Race](https://web.archive.org/web/20120219032856/http://boston.skirt.com/node/3998/)

- [2007 Interview with Jack Fultz](http://firstperson.runnersworld.com/2007/04/jack_fultz_how_.html)

- [Biography of Jack Fultz](https://web.archive.org/web/20080704210304/http://www.runnersworld.com/events/boston06/news_marshall.html)

- [Finishline by Dave McGillivray](http://www.dmsesports.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=finishline.one&content_id=64&.x=8278467)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

Sporting positions Preceded by Bill Rodgers Men's Boston Marathon winner 1976 Succeeded by Jerome Drayton

v t e Boston Marathon – men's winners 1897: John McDermott (USA) 1898: Ronald MacDonald (CAN) 1899: Lawrence Brignolia (USA) 1900–01: Jack Caffery (CAN) 1902: Sammy Mellor (USA) 1903: John Lordan (USA) 1904: Michael Spring (USA) 1905: Frederick Lorz (USA) 1906: Timothy Ford (USA) 1907: Thomas Longboat (CAN) 1908: Thomas Morrissey (USA) 1909: Henri Renaud (USA) 1910: Fred Cameron (CAN) 1911: Clarence DeMar (USA) 1912: Michael Ryan (USA) 1913: Fritz Carlson (USA) 1914: James Duffy (CAN) 1915: Édouard Fabre (CAN) 1916: Arthur Roth (USA) 1917: Bill Kennedy (USA) 1918: (Military Relay) 1919: Carl Linder (USA) 1920: Peter Trivoulides (GRE) 1921: Frank Zuna (USA) 1922–24: Clarence DeMar (USA) 1925: Charles Mellor (USA) 1926: John C. Miles (CAN) 1927–28: Clarence DeMar (USA) 1929: John C. Miles (CAN) 1930: Clarence DeMar (USA) 1931: James Henigan (USA) 1932: Paul de Bruyn (GER) 1933: Leslie S. Pawson (USA) 1934: Dave Komonen (CAN) 1935: John A. Kelley (USA) 1936: Ellison Brown (USA) 1937: Walter Young (CAN) 1938: Leslie S. Pawson (USA) 1939: Ellison Brown (USA) 1940: Gérard Côté (CAN) 1941: Leslie S. Pawson (USA) 1942: Joe Smith (USA) 1943–44: Gérard Côté (CAN) 1945: John A. Kelley (USA) 1946: Stylianos Kyriakides (GRE) 1947: Suh Yun-bok (KOR) 1948: Gérard Côté (CAN) 1949: Gösta Leandersson (SWE) 1950: Ham Kee-yong (KOR) 1951: Shigeki Tanaka (JPN) 1952: Mateo Flores (GTM) 1953: Keizo Yamada (JPN) 1954: Veikko Karvonen (FIN) 1955: Hideo Hamamura (JPN) 1956: Antti Viskari (FIN) 1957: John J. Kelley (USA) 1958: Franjo Mihalić (YUG) 1959: Eino Oksanen (FIN) 1960: Paavo Kotila (FIN) 1961–62: Eino Oksanen (FIN) 1963–64: Aurèle Vandendriessche (BEL) 1965: Morio Shigematsu (JPN) 1966: Kenji Kimihara (JPN) 1967: Dave McKenzie (NZL) 1968: Amby Burfoot (USA) 1969: Yoshiaki Unetani (JPN) 1970: Ron Hill (GBR) 1971: Álvaro Mejía (COL) 1972: Olavi Suomalainen (FIN) 1973: Jon Anderson (USA) 1974: Neil Cusack (IRE) 1975: Bill Rodgers (USA) 1976: Jack Fultz (USA) 1977: Jerome Drayton (CAN) 1978–80: Bill Rodgers (USA) 1981: Toshihiko Seko (JPN) 1982: Alberto Salazar (USA) 1983: Greg Meyer (USA) 1984–85: Geoff Smith (GBR) 1986: Robert de Castella (AUS) 1987: Toshihiko Seko (JPN) 1988: Ibrahim Hussein (KEN) 1989: Abebe Mekonnen (ETH) 1990: Gelindo Bordin (ITA) 1991–92: Ibrahim Hussein (KEN) 1993–95: Cosmas Ndeti (KEN) 1996: Moses Tanui (KEN) 1997: Lameck Aguta (KEN) 1998: Moses Tanui (KEN) 1999: Joseph Chebet (KEN) 2000: Elijah Lagat (KEN) 2001: Lee Bong-ju (KOR) 2002: Rodgers Rop (KEN) 2003: Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (KEN) 2004: Timothy Cherigat (KEN) 2005: Hailu Negussie (ETH) 2006–08: Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (KEN) 2009: Deriba Merga (ETH) 2010: Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (KEN) 2011: Geoffrey Mutai (KEN) 2012: Wesley Korir (KEN) 2013: Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 2014: Meb Keflezighi (USA) 2015: Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 2016: Lemi Berhanu Hayle (ETH) 2017: Geoffrey Kipkorir Kirui (KEN) 2018: Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2019: Lawrence Cherono (KEN) 2020: cancelled 2021: Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2022–23: Evans Chebet (KEN) 2024: Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2025: John Korir (KEN) World Marathon Majors Berlin Marathon – List (M/W) Boston Marathon – List (M/W) Chicago Marathon – List (M/W) London Marathon – List (M/W) New York City Marathon – List (M/W) Sydney Marathon – as of 2025 Tokyo Marathon – List (M/W)

Authority control databases: People World Athletics

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jack Fultz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Fultz) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Fultz?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.