Imagine the electric track and field moment: a local kid from Philadelphia, pounding the track with heart, grit, and something close to defiance—crossing the finish line under the sacred 4-minute mile barrier. The first Philly native to ever do it. Not just fast—history-making. But that was only the opening chapter!
This wasn’t a one-hit wonder. No, he made it his ritual—running at least one sub-5:00 mile every single year. Not for a few years. Not for a decade. For twenty-nine straight calendar years. Rain, shine, injury, life—it didn’t matter. That mile? It always got done. Then came the early 2010s, and with them, a twist no runner wants. A popped Achilles tendon—snapping like a gunshot through his dreams. The track grew quiet under his feet. No more spikes. No more chasing PRs. The curtain came down on an extraordinary running career. But here’s the thing: once an athlete, always an athlete!
Mark Coogan didn’t walk away from the sport—he dug deeper into it. Trading his racing singlet for a stopwatch, he became a coach, guiding the next generation with the fire of someone who’s been there. His passion didn’t fade; it simply changed lanes. And though his own legs might not eat up the track anymore, his heart still runs every day—with every athlete he trains, every mile split he calls out, every finish line crossed under his watchful eye. And hold on. The track and field coach is all set to reverse his role for one day.
Yes. On April 19, Mark Coogan will run in the New Balance Marathon Relay. The New Balance Boston coach will come out of his retirement for that day only. Exciting, no?
211 laps on @thetrackatnb for this CITIUS MAG squad + a few recruits as we race the first-ever New Balance Marathon Relay on Saturday, April 19th [3:30 pm – 8 pm] against the likes of @Bintherun and The Morning Shakeout.
If you’re in town for the weekend, the place will be a… pic.twitter.com/KjHOhtgvGz
— CITIUS MAG (@CitiusMag) April 11, 2025
The report is developing…
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