| Year | Starter | From | Who |
| 1972 | Bob Briggs | Atwood | Atwood High School AD and Football Coach |
| 1973 | Alex Francis | Hays | Ft. Hays State University Track Coach |
| 1974 | Gary Schultz | Colby | Colby Community College Track Coach |
| 1975 | Allen Frame | Kinsley | 1954 NCAA Cross Country Champion |
| 1976 | Bill Easton | Lawrence | Kansas University Track Coach |
| 1977 | John Mason | Phillipsburg | Sub four minute miler |
| 1978 | Lee Keirns | Atwood | Founder of Lake Atwood Ten Mile |
| 1979 | Terri Stark | Colby | Pioneer woman long distance runner |
| 1980 | John Hunsaker | Boulder | Six time winner of Lake Atwood Ten Mile |
| 1981 | Verle McClellan | Atwood | Principal of Atwood High School |
| 1982 | Waldo McBurney | Quinter | Set National Age Record on Lake Atwood Course |
| 1983 | Sallie Keirns | Atwood | Charter Member of Lake Atwood Ten Mile Staff |
| 1984 | Gerald Martin | Salina | Marymount College Track Coach |
| 1985 | Jim Hershberger | Wichita | World Class Master Long Distance Runner |
| 1986 | Lowell Paul | Lawrence | Member of World Record Two Mile Relay Team |
| 1987 | Dick Corder | Atwood | Atwood Water and Street Superintendent |
| 1988 | Mike Hayden | Topeka | Governor of Kansas |
| 1989 | Rod Beamgard | Atwood | Mayor of Atwood |
| 1990 | Bill Graves | Topeka | Governor of Kansas; Six time Finisher of Lake Atwood Ten Mile |
| 1991 | Barbara Creighton | Atwood | Charter Member of Lake Atwood Ten Mile Staff |
| 1992 | Bob Creighton | Atwood | 20 year director of Lake Atwood Ten Mile |
| 1993 | Myron Leinwetter | Rossville | 20 Year finisher of Lake Atwood Ten Mile |
| 1994 | Dan Lankas | Atwood | Atwood High School Football Coach |
| 1995 | George Beims | Atwood | Long time Atwood Chief of Police |
| 1996 | Dale Burge | McPherson | Completed 25 consecutive Lake Atwood Ten Mile races |
| Kenneth Stephenson | Ulysses | Completed 25 consecutive Lake Atwood Ten Mile races (As of 2000, string is up to 29) | |
| 1997 | John Terry | Atwood | Atwood High School Track Coach |
| 1998 | Patti Hayden | Alexandria, VA | Charter Member of Lake Atwood Ten Mile Staff |
| 1999 | Betty Mickey | Atwood | Mayor of Atwood |
| 2000 | Bob McAnany | Hays | Finished LATM under 60:00 21 times (2000 race makes 22) |
| 2001 | Alyssa Holste | Atwood | 2001 Rawlins Co. Junior Miss |