Cindy Dalrymple

hirunning on December 26, 2022

Cindy Dalrymple

(1942-2022)

Cindy Dalrymple was a pioneer in women’s running in Hawaii. Her performances on the track at the University of Hawaii in the 1960s and on the roads in the 1970s and 1980s were outstanding. At UH, then Cindy Hegarty, was a half-miler, the longest distance for women at that time. Her national and international results included:

  • 1963 NCAA Championship (880 yards – fourth place)
  • 1964 NCAA Championship (880 yards – fifth place)
  • 1963 Pan American Games (880 yards – fourth place)

After marrying and having two sons, Cindy returned to running in 1974 and dominated women’s running in Hawaii until moving to the Mainland in 1980. Highlights included:

  • 1974 Honolulu Marathon (first, 3:01:59)
  • 1975 Honolulu Marathon (second, 2:54:15)
  • 1975 Big Island Marathon (first, 3:18:17)
  • 1976 Honolulu Marathon (second, 2:48:01)
  • 1976 Big Island Marathon (first, 3:07:47)
  • 1977 Honolulu Marathon (first, 2:48:07)
  • 1977 Maui Marathon (first, 3:02:41)
  • 1977 USA Women’s Marathon Championship (second, 2:49:11)
  • 1978 USA vs. Canada 10k Cross Country (first, 37:42)
  • 1978 Hawaii Diet Pepsi 10k (first, 37:14)
  • 1978-1980 All-Women’s 10K (first, 35:56, 36:19, 34:47)

After moving to the Mainland in 1980, Cindy set a marathon PR of 2:39:32 at the age of 39, when she placed first at the 1981 Jordache Pro-Am Marathon.

When she turned 40 she continued to set records and won 79 consecutive races in her age group as a master runner. During her career of almost two decades, Cindy competed in 46 marathons, 10 of which she placed first among women.  She also ran hundreds of other races and set records in 5 kilometer, 10 kilometer, and half-marathon races. She was featured in magazines such as Runners World, Sports Illustrated and Running Times.

During this time she also helped teach running clinics, developed and published a runners training diet and training regime, and helped start a magazine called Master Runner.  She was ranked number one among master runners worldwide by Running Times and Runner Magazine for three consecutive years.  She inspired many people to reach their goals in fitness and competition. Running was her sport, she loved to compete and she loved to win. But winning wasn’t everything.

After retiring from professional running, she continued to maintain friendships with other runners and keep up with the sport and its new runners. She renewed her teaching certification and began teaching high school. She taught math, chemistry, PE, and of course organized running teams.

In 1995 she moved to Arkansas to be close to her grandkids, she continued teaching and coaching until she retired from teaching. She even completed a 5k in her 70s after a hip replacement. She has two sons, Jonathan Dalrymple and Steve Dalrymple, and two grandsons, Tommy Dalrymple and Tyler Dalrymple.  Cindy passed away in 2022.