61; 4th grade Math Teacher at Campus School
I LOVE RUNNING: Running builds tenacity and mental toughness that translates into every area of your life. It has also helped me manage my weight, reduce stress, and relax. I enjoy being outdoors, and every run is different, so it doesn’t have to be boring, and you can mix it up in so many ways. The Memphis Running Community also has a wonderful network of incredibly supportive people.
BUCKET LIST: I’d want to run Disney with my family next year. Yes, it’s magical!
UP NEXT: Germantown Half Marathon
FAVE FITNESS ACCOMPLISHMENT: Losing over 40 pounds!
HOMETOWN: Cordova, TN
SPEED BUMPS: I’ve had a few stress fractures and have also suffered from patellofemoral pain syndrome, or “runner’s knee.”
MY GROUP: Pilgrimage Track Club. We enjoy many laughs, races, and weekend trail running along the Wolf River.
FAVORITE JAMS: “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC for pre-race energizing
RECENT RACES: Momba 100 (25K) and Big Buffalo 50 — our team placed 3rd in the relay.
MOST MEMORABLE FITNESS EVENT: Running the Chicago Marathon, having my wife cheer me on, and finishing the NAVY 10NM with both of my kids when they were in high school, where we all placed 1st in our age groups — it’s a tie!
BEST EATS: I enjoy seafood from the Coastal Fish Company at Shelby Farms.
DREAM DINNER COMPANY: I’d have loved to have had the opportunity to have dinner with Grete Waitz, who won nine New York City Marathons, women’s division, between 1978 and 1988.
BINGE WATCHING: Boardwalk Empire
GO-TO GEAR: Garmin 245, Brooks GTS for roads, and HOKA Speedgoat for trails
INSPIRATION TO BE FIT: During my 40s, I put on a lot of weight from overeating and not staying active. My blood pressure and cholesterol increased, and I became winded quickly. My primary care physician urged me to turn things around before more serious health issues occurred, which was all I needed to hear. I went from being unable to run a quarter of a mile to completing my first marathon in two years. I no longer take my body for granted, and maintaining my health and fitness is now a habit.
ON MY NIGHTSTAND: Lucky Man: A Memoir by Michael J. Fox
PET PEEVE: Late start times at races!
QUOTE: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” – Hebrews 12:1
Photo by Tindall Stephens
