PattiSue Plumer

Who is PattiSue Plumer?

Patricia Susan "PattiSue" Plumer is a retired American long-distance runner who ran twice in the Summer Olympics. She ran first in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea where she finished 13th in the now defunct 3000 metres. In 1992 in Barcelona, Spain she ran in two events, the 1500 metres, finishing 10th and the 3000 metres finishing 5th.

On July 3, 1989 she set the American record in the 5,000 metres at 14:59.99 at DN Galan in Stockholm, Sweden, the first woman to beat one of Mary Decker's sweep of all distance running American records during the 1980s. She won the 1990 Fifth Avenue Mile, setting a course record which remains unbeaten.

After spending her youth in Newport Beach, California she moved with her father to Ridgway, Colorado during junior high school. Her senior year, she took third place in both the mile and the 2 mile at the Colorado State Meet while running for Montrose High School. Next she went to Stanford University, where she won the 1984 NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship at 5000 meters and the NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships at two-miles in 1983. She is a nine-time NCAA All-American at Stanford University. She has won multiple USATF national titles at 3000 meters and 5000 meters, and was a three-time runner-up in the 1500 meters. She won a gold medal in the 3000 metres and a bronze medal in the 1500 metres at the 1990 Goodwill Games. Her successes were interspersed with injuries and setbacks, including a broken leg after being hit by a taxi in Yokohama, Japan, several bouts with pneumonia, food poisoning at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, pregnancy and a dog bite at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics. She won the inaugural edition of the Carlsbad 5000 in 1986.