Larrieu, Francie (1952—)

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Larrieu, Francie (1952—)

American runner. Name variations: Francie Larrieu Smith. Born Francie Larrieu on November 23, 1952, in the San Francisco Bay area; sixth in a family of nine children; sister of Ron Larrieu, an Olympian 10,000 meter runner; attended the University of California, Los Angeles; married second husband Jimmy Smith (an exercise physiologist).

Once considered the greatest middle-distance runner in American history, Larrieu broke world records in the mile, 2 miles, 100, 1,500, and 3,000 meters.

Francie Larrieu read about track events on the back of a Wheaties box and set out to compete in the Junior Olympics. She was 13 when she entered her first meet in Santa Clara, California. But she failed to make the start in the 220-yard dash, because she was not certain it was an actual race. Instead, her furious coach entered her in the 660, which she won hands down.

In 1969, Larrieu qualified for her first U.S. track team. She was thought to be an incredible runner, but her stamina seemed to wane, and she was often sick. So she dropped out of competition until 1972, when her coach, Augie Argabright, persuaded her to run a 2½ mile race. Finishing ahead of some of the best long-distance runners in the nation convinced Larrieu she should return to the sport. She began running 100 miles a week and made her first Olympic team in 1972, the youngest member of the track-and-field squad. Awestruck, however, she failed to make the finals.

In 1975, at the Toronto Star-Maple Leafs Indoor Games, she won the 1,500 meter race and broke the world record. Not long after, Larrieu set another world record in the mile at 4:29 and broke her record in the 1,500 meter with a time of 4:09.8. A few weeks later at the U.S.-USSR indoor meet, Larrieu set a time of 4:28.5. She broke records in the mile, 2 mile, 100, 1,500 and 3,000 meters.

But the Olympic medal she had long sought eluded her. In 1976, a case of the flu put her on the Olympic sidelines; the 1980 political boycott did the same. But Francie Larrieu continued to set records throughout Europe, won 22 national championships, and set 17 outdoor American track records. After failing to make the 1984 Olympic team, she added a new coach, Robert Vaughan. Four years later, at age 36, she took part in the 1988 Olympics, finishing 5th in the 10,000 meters. Remarkably, Larrieu later increased her times at the 10,000, setting a new American record of 31:28.9 at the 1991 Texas Relays. Winning an Olympic medal had been the carrot throughout most of Larrieu's career. "But along the road," noted the 40-year-old competitor, "I just fell in love with running."