What is your current Board Position? Webmaster
How long have you been running and how long have you been a member of Indy Runners? I’ve been running for 26 years but joined Indy Runners and Walkers in 2002.
Are you originally from the Indianapolis Area? I grew up just north of Indy.
Do you listen to anything while running? If so, what? I almost always run outside and prefer to be able to hear nearby cars, so I don’t listen to music or podcasts while running.
What is your favorite distance/race? I’ve raced way more half marathons than any other distance, so I’d say I prefer that distance. However, my favorite race was probably the Siberian Express trail race in Danville, IL. It’s held the first Saturday in January, meaning that the weather conditions vary greatly from year to year. After the race, participants are invited to an after party where lunch is served.
Do you have any goals for the upcoming year? I’ve been trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon for almost 20 years. However, I’ve yet to qualify. This year, I’ve been training all-out in preparation for making a final(?) qualifying attempt this Fall.
Why did you begin running? I got talked into donating blood during my junior year of college, and I found out that my cholesterol was barely in the normal range. I decided to start running to help ensure it didn’t go up
What advice would you give to beginning runners? Seek out the knowledge of experienced runners around you so that you can avoid making the same mistakes we’ve made
What is your favorite route to run? I used to like a six mile route on the trails at Eagle Creek, but I was born with a medical condition that now makes my legs feel heavy when I run. I therefore avoid trails with roots to lessen the chance of tripping. I instead periodically run the roads in the park.
What is your proudest running moment? I’ll list two of them:
- I set a half marathon PR of 1:24:50 (6:29 mins/mile pace) many years ago.
- As part of a competition at work that was supposedly to promote health, they offered a prize for whoever could do the most steps on a specific Saturday. (We all had been given Fitbits to count steps.) I won the competition with 104,000+ steps. Part of the day was spent participating in our club’s “Run the Monon” 20 mile run. However, I particularly remember walking through the neighborhoods near me after 11:00pm that evening, so tired that I was veering from side-to-side.
What might club members find surprising about you? I’m not very athletic overall. Growing up, I tried three different sports: baseball, soccer, and basketball. If there were multiple levels of leagues, I was always in the lowest league.
