What made him such a great runner at San Marcos High School and Westmont College? Why did he run a mile in 4 minutes while we puff going around the block? Genes? Physiological and anatomical factors? Desire to excel? Superior lung and heart functions? What about determination, work ethic, and character? For Dennis Savage, it is all of these. Look at his accomplishments: at SMHS he was All-CIF twice in Cross Country (5th and 2nd); Channel League mile champ every year (3); All-CIF miler (3rd); 1965 OutstandingAthlete and SMHS Hall ofFarne member.
At Westmont College he was NAJA District CC 18 champ for 2 years; finished 8th, 11th, and 5th in CC Nationals; and is in the NAIA National Hall of Fame for CC and Track. He was District III champ in the 880 and mile for 3 years; was NAJA National mile champ for two years; was 4th in the NCAA University Division; 5th in the AAU mile; holds the school records in 880, mile, and two mile; and was an AAU mile finalist in 69-70-7 1.
He has won 10 All-American awards in both NAIA and NCAA CC and Track. He was invited to attend two summer Olympic training camps and was inducted into the Westmont Hall of Fame in 199 5.
Of all these honors, he is proudest of his finish in the 1970 AAU Mile run. As an underdog he led for 3 3/4 laps only to finish fifth by . 7 of a second and only .1 of a second to Marty Liquori.
Hey Dennis, got your Adidas on?
Hop Studios
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