At 71, Mark “Abe” Abraham gets set to lead La Crescent cross country, his 49th year coaching

Mark Abraham, better known as “Abe,” in the WIZM studio Wednesday for La Crosse Talk PM. The La Crescent High School cross country coach talked about multiple aspects of doing the job for the past 49 years — 41 as La Crescent High School’s coach. 

La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.

Last spring, Abraham, now 71, retired as the Lancers track and field coach but says he’ll stay on as cross country coach as long as he feels good doing it. 

Abraham, who said he runs about 10-12 miles a week with the team, talks about how the sport has changed, some philosophies when it comes to coaching and what it’s like having the kids of past athletes now running through the program.

Abraham is a member of the Minnesota Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame, the Houston High School Hall of Fame and the La Crescent Wall of Excellence.