Bob Larsen To Receive Award In The Wake Of Keflezighi’s Boston Win

The longtime UCLA track & field coach has guided Keflezighi to wins at the 2009 New York City and 2013 Boston Marathons.

Bob Larsen, the coach of Boston Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi, will receive the Pathfinder Award at the Village Runner 4th of July 5K in two weeks.

Larsen began coaching the cross-country team at UCLA in 1979 and quickly guided it to success, as the squad won two Pac-10 men’s titles and earned six berths at the NCAA national championships. In 1984, Larsen began coaching UCLA’s track & field squads—which eventually won two national men’s titles and nine conference titles.

But Larsen’s most notable accomplishment has been guiding Keflezighi to wins at the 2009 New York City Marathon and the 2013 Boston Marathon.

The Pathfinder Award is given annually to an individual in the running community “who has blazed his or her own path in a groundbreaking fashion,” according to a press release. The award will be given out after the July 4 race in Redondo Beach, Calif.

Larsen has earned numerous honors during his career, including induction into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame last year. He also helped Keflezighi to a silver medal in the 2004 Olympic marathon and coached Deena Kastor to the bronze in the women’s marathon at those same Olympics.