2019 DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Hall of Fame Class
The DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon and the Hall of Fame Committee inducted Nick Costes (deceased), Patrice Matamoros, Steve Taylor and Craig Woshner as its 11th class of inductees to the Pittsburgh Marathon Hall of Fame. This class was inducted during the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon weekend of events, May 3-5, 2019.
NICK COSTES
Nicholas “Nick” Costes was born in Farrell, PA, on August 3, 1926, and died in Lexington, Kentucky on March 24, 2003 at age 76. Mr. Costes graduated from Farrell High School. His collegiate career included stints at both Boston College and Slippery Rock University. He graduated from Slippery Rock University in 1950, and earned his Master of Education from Boston University in 1954. He had a distinguished military career, serving in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Mr. Costes also served in the U.S. Army from 1951 through 1953. Following his time in the service, he moved to Troy, Alabama, and become the first head track and cross-country coach at Troy State University. He had a distinguished coaching and teaching career. Mr. Costes also became a professor in Troy State’s Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department. Mr. Costes was an accomplished distance runner, and during his career he developed interval training techniques for marathon runners. Mr. Costes wrote a book on the subject titled ‘Interval Training’. His first marathon was the 1954 Boston Marathon where he placed 9th overall, and was the second American finisher with a time of 2:35.17. A year later, in 1955, using his new training techniques, he finished third overall in 2:19:57. Mr. Costes became the first American runner to break the 2:20 marathon mark. He ran the 1956 Boston Marathon in 2:18:01 while placing fourth overall. His marathon efforts earned him a spot on the 1956 U.S. Olympic marathon team, held in Melbourne, Australia in 1956. Mr. Costes organized Alabama’s first ever road race in 1958. He was a top south regional age group runner for decades. Mr. Costes was inducted into the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Hall of Fame in 1986. Mr. Costes was a distinguished military veteran, educator, coach, family man and pioneer long distance runner.
PATRICE MATAMOROS
Patrice Matamoros, former CEO of P3R, the organization responsible for managing the Pittsburgh Marathon and several other area races. In 2008, Patrice successfully helped relaunch the Pittsburgh Marathon following a five-year hiatus, and, since 2009, the event has grown from an organization with no sponsors, no runners, no staff, and no volunteers, to an event that now supports more than 50 sponsors, 5,000 volunteers, more than 40,000 runners, and 27 staff members. Patrice was named the 2013 Sportswoman of the Year by Dapper Dan Charities of Pittsburgh for her extraordinary efforts of revamping and strengthening security at the 2013 Pittsburgh Marathon, which took place only three weeks after the tragic bombing event at the Boston Marathon. Additionally, Patrice received the 2018 Women’s Leadership Award by Running USA and the 2017 Woman of Excellence by WISE Pittsburgh, and she was also named a 2017 Connect Sports Game Changer. While her accomplishments and contributions to the running industry and Pittsburgh community are many, Patrice insisted it was the P3R team – and everyone else who plays a role in P3R events – who deserve the acknowledgement.
STEVE TAYLOR
Steve Taylor is a 1983 graduate of Saint Mary’s High School, West Virginia. He attended West Virginia University before transferring to Virginia Tech where he earned his degree in 1988. Mr. Taylor, while in high school, was a 1981 and 1982 All-American in Cross Country at the Kinney (now Foot Locker) National Championships, placing seventh as a junior and third as a senior at the Kissimmee, Florida course. He was the first high school athlete in WV history to compete in the Penn Relays, winning the 3,000m his senior year. Mr. Taylor earned All-American honors in 1987, at the Division I level in both track (10K) and cross country, while at Virginia Tech. He led the Hokies to a fourth place finish in the NCAA Championships. He turned to the roads even before graduation, winning the famed Charleston Distance Classic (15 miles) at age 20 in 1:16:25. He won again in 1987, running 1:14:31 and in 1989, in a time of 1:15:27. In 1988, he won the TAC (now USATF) 10,000m National Track Championship title in Tampa, Florida, the RRCA 8K National Championship (Eugene, Oregon), the RRCA 10 Mile National Championship (Raleigh, NC), and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials and ran 27:59 for 10,000 meters. In 1989, Mr. Taylor set the still standing national age record for 10 miles with a 47:01 performance at Cherry Blossom (Washington, D.C.), the following year he ran the half marathon in 1:02:29 in Toronto, Canada. In 1990, he moved up to the marathon running 2:13:56 in the Columbus Marathon as his debut. He represented USA at the 1991 World Marathon Cup in London, England running 2:14:55 to lead the U.S. team and later that year competed in the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan where he was the second U.S. finisher placing 26th. At the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials, he ran to a sixth place finish on the Columbus course to become second alternate (time qualifier) to the Olympic Games for team USA. At the 1995 World Marathon Cup, this time in Athens Greece, he led the U.S. team. In 1996, he ran in the U.S. Olympic Team Trails for the marathon in Charlotte NC. In 1999, he was inducted into both the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame and the Mid-Ohio Valley Sports Hall of Fame. He continues to give back to the sport he loves, and in 2013 he co-founded the Collegiate Running Association. In 2018, Mr. Taylor was honored by USA Track and Field (USATF) with the H. Browning Ross Long Distance Running Merit Award for his contributions and service to the sport of long distance running at the national level. He has been coaching at the NCAA Division I level since 1991. He is currently the Men’s head coach at the University of Richmond, where he and his wife Lori lead the Spiders men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs and reside with their son, Luke.
CRAIG WOSHNER
Craig Woshner is a graduate of Carrick High School and the University of Pittsburgh. He currently resides in Winchester Virginia. His senior year in high school, Mr. Woshner placed eighth at the PIAA AAA state championships. That spring, he was state runner up in the 3200 with a 9:24.5. He was city league champion in cross country and track. His 3200 meter record is still the city record. While at the University of Pittsburgh, he was two time Big East medalist in the 5000, and in the Steeplechase. Upon graduation with honors, he ran a 1:05:36 half marathon in 1997, in Williamsburg, VA. He also turned in a track best 10,000 at the William & Mary Invitational with a 30:07. As a marathoner, he ran to a second place finish at the 1995 Columbus Marathon, with a 2:18:30. The following year he placed 14th at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Charlotte with a personal best of 2:16: 41. He ran in the 2000 Olympic Trials held on the Pittsburgh Marathon course. He has been faithful in returning to his Pittsburgh roots. He has won in the masters division in Brentwood, PA, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018. At the Steelers 5k, he ran a 16:42 this year to once again win the Master's and place eighth overall. Craig is presently living in Winchester Virginia, and working as Athletic Director for James Wood High School.