Don Freedline graduated from Kiski Area High School (my high school) in 1974 and went to college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).
At IUP, he was an All-American as a member of the 4 x 440 relay in 1977.
After graduation, Don was a consistent winner of road races in the Alle-Kiski Valley. His results were good enough to gain a spot on the Allegheny Nike team based in Pittsburgh.
Now running for adidas, his breakthrough race took place in 1984, with a 10th place finish at the Boston Marathon in 2:17:46. That effort qualified him for the U.S. Olympic marathon trials, which took place less than six weeks later. Don ran a very respectable 2:23:34 in the heat in Buffalo.
In 1985, he finished 4th at the Pittsburgh Marathon in 2:17:17, which provided him a nice payday and a magazine cover. Running Times used Don finishing the marathon on the cover of their monthly publication. He followed ’85 up with another 4th place finish in 1986.
I met Don when I was in high school. He was a substitute gym and health class teacher or occasionally a traditional classroom. It was amazing to have my running hero teaching my class! Since we were runners, he took a liking to us and would tell us stories of his time at Kiski and running for our current coach, Chuck Houser. He did this instead of teaching the class. Later, during my college years, I worked with Don at the Athlete’s Foot in the Monroeville Mall, where we became friends.
He is in a very select group of people to have run a sub 50 second quarter mile and a sub 2:20 marathon.
Don is enjoying life in Peters Township, PA.
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