The ‘Run’ to a Cross-Country State Championship (with Darryl Landas)

“STATE CHAMPS!”

No doubt about it—winning a high school state championship brings the “thrill of victory” to the teammates, the coach, and the community.

Back in October 1976, Decorah High School’s girls‘ cross-country squad did just that. Not only did they win the state championship, but it was only the second year that this school in Northeast Iowa had offered the sport to their female student athletes.

Podcast host Bob Edholm, who served as sports editor of Decorah Newspapers for three years in the late 1970s, had worked at that newspaper for just over a month when the Decorah girls captured that state cross-country title.

Bob traveled back to Decorah to interview his friend Darryl Landas, who was coach of that 1976 girls’ state championship cross-country squad. Bob and Darryl were in their 20s in the 70s, and now they are in their 70s in the 20s!

In this episode, Darryl shares his thoughts and memories of that special squad in a magical season that happened nearly half a century ago.