held American records for the 3000 m (7:30.84 min in 1998) and 5,000-meter races (12:58.21 min in 1996). He participated in workouts with Kenyan athletes also coached by Kim McDonald at the group's training bases in the U.S., Australia and England. McDonald rarely gave his athletes goal times for workouts, and they regularly ran sub-4 minute miles in practice Kennedy suffered a back injury in an auto accident before the 2000 Olympic Trials and missed seven weeks of training so that he was not able to make the Olympic team that year. In 2001, he was hindered by thyroid problems. He returned to win the USA Track & Field (USATF) Championships 5000 meter race against Colorado grad Adam Goucher, who by then was largely seen to be Kennedy's successor. He was able to beat the younger and faster Goucher by alternating the pace between each lap, surging then slowing, forcing Goucher to come to him after each surge and blunting Goucher's finishing kick. In all, Kennedy was four time USATF National Champion in the 5,000 – 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2001. After running a personal best of 27:37 in the spring of 2004, Kennedy competed in the 2004 US Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meter race, but had to drop out of the race due to aggravation of an Achilles tendon injury he had suffered in the weeks leading up to the Olympic trials. After recovering from the injury he briefly tried his hand at the marathon, dropping out of the New York City marathon that autumn and since then has retired from competitive distance running. Nike branding Nike has created two racing spikes in honor of him, the Nike Kennedy XC and Nike Zoom Kennedy. Both are popular and sought-after racing spikes; however the Nike Zoom Kennedy has been discontinued and the Kennedy XC has been renamed the GHAC XC, due to the expiration of Bob Kennedy's endorsement contract with Nike. In May 2006 Kennedy signed a three-year contract with Puma. Personal Best Times 1500 meters 3:38.2 Mile 3:56.21 2000 meters 4:59.9 3000 meters 7:30.84 (Former American Record) 2 miles 8:11.59 (Former American Record) 5000 meters 12:58.21 (Former American Record) 10,000 meters 27:37.45 References External links USATF Profile Profile 1970 births Living people People from Westerville, Ohio Track and field athletes from Indiana American male middle-distance runners American male long-distance runners Olympic track and field athletes of the United