- See Less -Californian cross-country athlete Ryan Hall was born to break records. Hall burst onto the Big Bear High School track with a vengence, claiming titles from the California state cross country champion during his junior and senior seasons, to finishing third at the Footlocker Nationals in Orlando; from winning the National Scholastic mile at 4:06.15, to breaking the California state championship meet record in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:02.62.
After forging a high school career full of acclamations, Hall spent his college years at Stanford working toward his BA in Sociology and adding titles to his already extensive collection. He earned NCAA All-American honors; finished eighth at the Pac-10 Championships and ninth in the NCAA West Regional; and set the eighth fastest time in Stanford history, but at the cost of a season-ending injury. He was nursed back to health with the help of his college girlfriend and now wife Sara Bei, also a professional runner.
Further intensive training boosted Hall back onto the field in time to champion the 2007 Men's Marathon Olympic Trials, earn NCAA Cross Country All-American status three-times and hold the U.S. record for the 20 km and half-marathon.
Hall will travel alongside Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell to this summer to run the marathon at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
