Charles Smead (born August 4, 1951)[1] is an American long-distance runner, who made his mark on the sport by taking second in the Marathon at the 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City.

[3] He continued to excel in long distance at Humboldt State University,[4] where he won the NCAA Division II 6 mile/10000 metre Championship twice.

[5] In 1972 he began a string of three straight wins in the famous Pikes Peak Marathon, he added a fourth victory in 1976.

[10] In the 1970s he was one of the early luminaries of ultramarathoning,[11][12] yet as a Senior athlete he is not above sprinting 100 metres.

[14] He continues to be active, winning the M60 division of the 2012 USA Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships in October 2012.