SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Former Slippery Rock University distance running standout Patrick Reagan recently placed third in the 100-kilometer world championships while representing the United States in Los Alcázares, Spain.
 
"Pat took some time off from running after he graduated from The Rock," said head coach John Papa. "He rediscovered his passion for running a few years ago and has taken that passion to ultrarunning, where he is really doing some incredible things. He continues to be a great representative of our program and we're very proud of him."
 
Reagan, who placed 33rd at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials back in February, has upped the distance and become one of the best long distance runners in the world.
 
He was selected to represent the United States at the 100K World Championships after he placed second at the USA Championships in April, posting a time of 6:35:56, which ranks as the eighth fastest time in North American history and is currently the sixth best time in the world this year.
 
Reagan used that experience as fuel to be even better at the World Championships Nov. 27 in Spain. He gradually moved up from 20th place with 40-kilometers to go all the way to the podium with a third place finish in 6:35:42, an average of 6:25 per mile for 62.1 miles. Reagan was the top American finisher in the field and became the first American to reach the overall podium since 2014. His time is the seventh fastest ever run by a North American at 100K and currently ranks as the fifth-best in the world in 2016.
 
His performance also helped the trio of Reagan, Geoff Burns and Chikara Omine to a new American record for accrued team time at the 100K World Championships with a total time of 20:03:03.
 
The breakthrough success for Reagan in 2016 is just the beginning of major plans for the 2010 Rock graduate. His next major target will be the Black Canyon 100K Trail race in Mayer, Arizona Feb. 18 before he shifts his focus to the Comrades Marathon (89K) in South Africa June 4.

Reagan is in his fifth year as the head cross country and track and field coach at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. He has led his programs to one men's and four straight women's conference championships in cross country in his short tenure with the program.
 
At Slippery Rock, Reagan was an All-American in cross country and helped the men's team to a ninth place finish at the National Championships in 2007, The Rock's last team appearance in the meet. He was a two-time All-Conference finisher with top 10 finishes in both 2007 and 2008 and he still owns the second fastest 8,000-meter time ever recorded on Slippery Rock's home cross country course at Cooper's Lake Campground (24:51). Reagan also still owns the indoor track 5,000-meter record at Slippery Rock with his time of 14:35.3 set in 2008.
 
Reagan is currently sponsored by Compressport, Drymax Socks, Victory Sportsdesign, Fastbreak Athletics and Perc Coffee Roasters. You can follow his race schedule via his official Facebook page or his online blog.