Doug Padilla
0
Ht
5'
9"
Class
Senior
Hometown
San Leandro, 
California
Last School
Chabot Junior College
Roster Years
1978-1980


Career Highlights

  • Earned eight All-American citations
  • Won the 1981 NCAA indoor two-mile crown
  • Became the first American since 1972 to win an NCAA indoor distance race
  • Topped the BYU career leader board with a 3:38.37 in the 1,500 meters
  • Ran a 13:33.50 in the 5,000 meters
  • All-American at the NCAA Championships in Wisconsin, placing 34th in 30:22.6., 1978
  • All-American, placing 15th in 29:50.2 in the NCAA Championships at Wichita, Kansas, 1980

Education

  • B.S. in electrical engineering from BYU, 1983

Prior to BYU

  • Professional athlete in track and field
  • Was a 12-time national champion
  • Competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics

Hometown

  • Lives in Orem, Utah.
  • Originally from San Leandro, Calif.

Personal/Family

  • Married to Lynette with four children, two girls and two boys.
  • Served an LDS mission to El Salvador

Before BYU

  • Prepped at Marina High School
  • Earned his Eagle Scout award
  • Served an LDS mission to El Salvador from 1976 to 1978
  • Went to Chabot Junior College before his mission

After BYU

  • Professional distance runner
  • Two-time Olympian, 1984, 1988
  • Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1991

Post-BYU Honors and Societies

  • Has been one of the world’s top indoor distance runners six times, 1982-86, 1990
  • Was the Outdoor Mobil Grand Prix champion in 1985
  • Was a champion twice of the 5,000-meter race, 1985, 1987
  • Was named the Indoor USA/Mobil Grand Prix Champion, 1990
  • Has represented the United States twice in the Olympics, 1984, 1988
  • Placed seventh in the 5,000-meter in 1984
  • Won five consecutive national indoor championships, four national outdoor championships and two U.S. Olympic trials from 1983-1987
  • Broke seven American records in the outdoor 3,000-meters, the indoor two mile, the indoor 5,000-meters, and the road 5,000 meters
1991 BYU Hall of Fame

1991 BYU Hall of Fame

Six times Doug Padilla has been one of the world's top indoor distance runners (1982-86 and 1990). He was Outdoor Mobil Grand Prix champion in 1985 and twice champion of the 5,000-meter race in 1985 and 1987. In 1990 he was the Indoor USA/Mobil Grand Prix Champion, awarded to the most productive racer of the season - an honor that netted him $12,000. In the eight-week, 11-meet Mobil Grand Prix circuit, he was the best overall male performer in any event. It was a fitting rebound for his career, which seemed in jeopardy for four years because of asthma.

Twice Doug has represented the United States in the Olympics: in 1988 at Seoul and in 1984 when he placed seventh in the 5,000 meters at Los Angeles.

From 1983 to 1987 he won five-consecutive national indoor championships, four national outdoor championships and two U.S. Olympic trials.

The San Leandro, California, strider - known for his patented kick - broke seven American records in three distances. Included among those was the outdoor 3,000 meters (7:35.84), the indoor two mile (8:15.02), the indoor 5,000 meters (13:20.55) and the road 5,000 meters (13:30).

Doug transferred to BYU from Chabot Junior College in 1975 and served a Church mission to El Salvador from 1976 to 1978. Upon his return to BYU, he went on to earn eight All-America citations. He won the 1981 NCAA indoor two-mile crown when he out-kicked 1980 Olympic silver medalist Suleiman Nyambui to become the first American since 1972 to win an NCAA indoor distance race.

As a senior in 1981, the electrical engineering major topped the BYU career leaderboard with a 3:38.37 in the 1,500 meters and a 13:33.50 in the 5,000 meters.

Freshman Year

Sophmore Year 1978

  • All-American at the NCAA Championships in Wisconsin, placing 34th in 30:22.6.
  • Strongest events were the 5000-10,000 meters and the mile
  • All-American in the distance medley
  • Had a season-high three-mile run with a time of 13:14
Junior Year 1979

  • Ran a season-high1500-meter time of 3:49.25
  • Ran a 5000-meters best with a time of 13:26.50
  • Had a 2-mile best with a time of 8:28.0
  • BYU All-American in the 5000-meters
Senior Year 1980

  • Ran a 800-meters best with a time of 1:49.4
  • Ran a mile best with a time of 3:56.6
  • Ran a season-high 2-mile time of 8:26.0
  • Ran a 5000-meters best with a time of13:26.8
  • Placed15th in 29:50.2 in the NCAA Championships at Wichita, Kansas
Graduate Year

Redshirt Year

Medical Redshirt Year