Gordon Dugan

Gordon Dugan was born in Illinois and grew up in Colville, Washington.  He started running in grad school in California, but really became a serious runner after moving to Hawaii in 1971. 

Gordon’s running forte was the ultra-distance races during a span of 37 years.  At the national level during the 1970s and 1980s, Gordon conquered the Western States 100 Miler seven times.  Three times from that race, he brought home the coveted Silver Belt Buckle, awarded to runners who completed the distance in under 24 hours.  In 1977, Gordon was the masters champion at the AAU 50-Mile Championship, held in Santa Monica, California.

In Hawaii, among many impressive finishes, the following are a sample of races won by Gordon:

• 1975 Hawaii 50 Mile Run at Schofield Barracks
• 1980 100KM Primo Relay Ultra
• 1986 50 Mile Bud Light Ultra
• 1987 50 Mile Bud Light Ultra
• 1990 100KM Honolulu City Lights Ultra

In 2007, Gordon was one of three runners inducted into the Honolulu Marathon Hall of Fame.  Gordon and the other two were the only ones to have finished the Honolulu Marathon 34 consecutive years, including the inaugural race in 1973.  In 1985 and 1986, Gordon and his son, Patrick, won the father-son division in the Honolulu Marathon.  Amazingly, Gordon accomplished one of his last Honolulu Marathons in a walking boot.

Gordon served as president of the Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club two times in the 1980s.  In addition, Gordon helped guide the very first Ironman Triathlon, held in Honolulu in 1978.

Gordon earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in civil engineering at Washington State, and his PhD in Environmental Health Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley.  Gordon is a University of Hawaii Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering.  Gordon and his wife, Barbara, reside in Honolulu and have been married for 68 years.  They have four children, Patrick, Suzanne, Daniel and Samuel.