Mike Long, the longtime elite athletes coordinator at San Diego's Elite Racing died in his sleep on Wednesday night (17). His death was confirmed by one of Elite's principals, Tracy Sundlun. The medical details surrounding his death are unknown at this time.
"He was the heart and soul of Elite," said Sundun, reached on his mobile phone while vacationing in Upstate New York. The Elite Racing office was closed yesterday to mourn Long's death.
Long was held in the highest esteem by both athletes and their managers for his expertise in the sport, his intuitive sense of fair play and a natural ability to make everyone feel special. He recruited the elite fields for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon and Half-Marathon series, the Country Music Marathon, and the Carlsbad 5000 amongst other events.
David Monti for the IAAF
