Glenn Cunningham, Track Athlete

Glenn Cunningham, Ph.D. (1909 - 1988) was a track athlete who won a silver Olympic medal and held the world record for the indoor mile at 4:04.5 from 1938 to 1954.   What was lesser known is that because his legs were badly burned in a fire when he was 7 and he suffered from chronic infection from dental abcesses from a ball accident when he was 20, every step he walked or ran, even in races, was very painful.

My Mother and Father had always brought us up to never complain. I was asked to do a lot of speeches through the years, and I often talked about overcoming challenges, but I just always figured that I needed to do my best and never quit. Complaining about something I had no control over would have diminished what I was trying to do. I just wanted to let my running speak for itself. (Source)

Glenn Cunningham in interview

Glenn Cunningham:  US Track & Field Hall of Fame

Glenn Cunningham:  University of Kansas History

Wikipedia:  Glenn Cunningham