In the 1970s running was beginning to gain serious momentum, and North Dakota was no exception. In 1971, for example, the 2 mile run was added to the list of events run at high school track meets in the state, with the mile and the 880-yard run already being there. Running participation increased, and records started falling left and right. This was the environment for a runner from Minot, ND to come forward and become one of the faster mid-distance runners we've seen around here.
The first signs of success that I come across are in 1974 and 1975 when Bacon was running for Minot Ryan (a private catholic school in Minot). In 1974 he won the WDA mile and then the state mile, in 4:25.4 and 4:26.5 respectively. Also that year he placed 3rd at state in the 880-yd run with a time of 1:59.5. In 1975 he won the State mile in 4:18.6 and placed second in the two mile with a time of 9:35.7. From the ND Runner website listed below, it seems as if the mile time in 1975 was tied for the state record then. So a pretty successful high school career.
Then he went to NDSU and continued to improve. As of right now, he is still in NDSU's top ten in a bunch of events:
3rd in the outdoor 1500 with a time of 3:47.81
2nd in the outdoor 3k Steeple with a time of 8:48.84
1st in the outdoor 4x1600 relay (time of 16:48)
2nd and 3rd in the outdoor DMR (distance medley relay) with times of 9:43.65 and 9:45.96.
1st in the indoor 1500 with a time of 3:49.02
He also held (may still hold?) the meet record in the mile at the NW Open at the University of Minnesota with a time of 4:04.00.
That's pretty impressive. Naturally this garnered him significant accolades. This is from the NDSU website describing their Hall-of-Fame inductee:
"Bacon was a two-time NCAA national steeplechase champion and four-time North Central Conference champion in the late 1970s and 1980 for the Bison.
The first NCAA Division II national track and field champion for the Bison, he won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 1979 and 1980. [Emphasis Mine] His four NCC championships came in the steeplechase in 1979 and 1980, the indoor 2-mile in 1977, and the indoor 1,500-meter run in 1979. His 8:56.8 time in the NCC steeplechase in 1980 remains the league record. He still holds NDSU school records in the indoor 1,500 meters and the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
A 1979 graduate in business and economics from NDSU, he earned a master's degree in business administration at NDSU in 1981, a master's degree in finance from the University of Oregon in 1987, and completed his doctorate in finance at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1996."
From the ND Runner website, he also has PR's of 14:41 5k, 25:25 8k, 30:30 10k, 1:11.30 Half Marathon, and 2:35 Full Marathon. Now he is working as the School of Business Study Abroad Coordinator for Southern Oregon University. While he's no loner tearing it up on the track, it's still really cool to look back and see how successful some of these runners from ND were. Any of you ND kids out there wondering if you can be fast AND be in North Dakota at the same time, look no further than here. Remember, the cold and wind can only make you stronger!
An aside, Bacon has apparently gotten really into cycling in the post-running years; check this out!
http://app.strava.com/athletes/1709524
As usual, if there's any mistakes let me know!
Links I used to assist me:
http://www.wdasports.org/track-year-by-year-results--boys-.html
http://www.bhs.bismarckschools.org/uploads/resources/21810/1974-class-a-boys.pdf
http://www.bhs.bismarckschools.org/uploads/resources/21809/1975-class-a-boys.pdf
http://www.sou.edu/business/faculty/bacon.html
http://www2.bhs.bismarck.k12.nd.us/athletics/bhsboystrack/alltimelist/distancechamps.htm
http://www.gobison.com/sports/2013/5/6/944861710.aspx?path=mtrack
http://www.gobison.com/hof.aspx?hof=102&path=&kiosk=
http://ndrunner.tripod.com/id107.htm
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