Location: Near Philadelphia, PA
Original Hometown: Caseville, Michigan
Professional Career: College educator
Favorite Running Shoe: Nike Odyssey (sadly discontinued)
Favorite Race Distance: Half Marathon
Favorite Personal Record (PR): 1:15 Half Marathon, Run Through Hell (that was the race)
Favorite Food: White Rice
Favorite Book or Movie: Chariots of Fire
Q: Can you give us a little background on your running history?
I started running around 1973 in 6th grade track. I ran through high school and some of college in Michigan, and ultimately competed in everything from the 100 to the half marathon. I continued to compete through the early 2000s, then ran for fun and turned to coaching youth runners. I am slowly getting back into shape after a longish layoff (about 2 years).
Q: What are your top memories from your competitive career?
My best memories are team memories: going to meets with my high school team; winning the Mid-American Conference Championship with my college team; the rides to races with WRRC; and winning youth cross country and track championships as a coach in the Philadelphia CYO program, one of the largest youth running programs in the country. A number of athletes from that program, including a few from my team, competed in college.
Q: Who has had the most influence on your athletic career?
My high school coach in Michigan established a love for the sport and some lifelong training habits. I had the good fortune of being around some very good runners in high school and college, including several All-Americans, and they helped me see what hard work and perseverance can help you achieve. I also came to running at a time when the sport was hitting its first big boom, and its stars were interviewed on late night talk shows, so the publicity around the sport helped. Frank Shorter, Bill Rogers, and Steve Prefontaine were popular at the time.
Q: What races are you preparing for and what are your goals for those races?
I’m training toward a 5K trail run on St. Patrick’s day. It will be my first race in several years but is getting me out the door and running. After that, we’ll see.
Q: What are one or two of your favorite workouts that you are looking forward to running this training segment?
OI’m working through a Couch to 5K program, so I’m looking forward to the continuous runs toward the end of the program.
Q: How did you get involved with the Wabash River Runners Club?
I came to Lafayette to study at Purdue in 1989, and started to look for running groups. It took me about a year to discover the WRRC, but then it was my running family until I moved to Philly in 1993.
Q: What are your favorite memories from the club?
The Sunday morning long runs, the fellowship after, the club get-togethers, and the Runs in the New Year/Mid Year.
Q: How has the sport of running changed since you first got involved?
In some respects, it hasn’t. I was asked if things were more competitive when I was with the WRRC, and the answer is not really. We always had both competitive runners and social joggers, and that was fine with us. There was a push for awhile to establish more of a “racing team,” but that was developing just as I was leaving.
Q: How has the Wabash River Runners Club helped you towards your running goals?
The WRRC kept me running during a very stressful period of my life, and set me up to continue my running for years.
Q: What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself?
Keep stretching and strengthening even when you’re not running. Keep working toward something constantly, or you’ll lose motivation. Have more fun!