was a four-minute mile, a goal attempted and unmet by many other runners. Several theorists proclaimed it was impossible physiologically for humans. Some athletes tried running steady and fast-paced the whole time. Others tried to go steady for the first half then give it all they had. Glenn worried about the strength of his legs burned in his youth, so he started slow – running in the pack. He would be fresher in the second half – and would almost be sprinting the last 100 yards to the finish. Cunningham has a park named after him in his hometown of Elkhart, Kansas. The mile run at the Kansas Relays is named in his honor. In 1974 he was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Retirement Cunningham earned a master's degree from the University of Iowa and a PhD from New York University. After retiring from competitions in 1940 he served as director of physical education at Cornell College in Iowa for four years. Later he opened the Glenn Cunningham Youth Ranch in Kansas, where he and his wife helped 10,000 needy and abused children. References External links American Miler, Paul J. Kiell, M.D., p. 105 Cunningham and coach Hargiss at KU 1909 births 1988 deaths American male middle-distance runners Athletes (track and field) at the 1932 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1936 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field World record setters in athletics (track and field) People from Cowley County, Kansas Cornell College faculty James E. Sullivan Award recipients Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics People from Elkhart, Kansas 20th-century American people