Chuck Loves To Run

"Out on the roads there is fitness and self-discovery and the persons we were destined to be." --George Sheehan

Running Links

I am a runner. When I was a teenager, I was fat and out of shape. I weighed too much and I couldn't do anything athletic. At my heaviest, I weighed about 225 pounds. But now I am a runner.

I am a runner. In the fall of 1975 when I was 21, I finally decided to get into shape. I discovered weightlifting as a means of shaping and strengthening my body, but more imporantly I discovered long, slow distance running as a means of losing weight and keeping it off and of achieving and maintaining cardiovascular fitness. On the first day I tried to run, I could not run even a quarter of a mile. But now I am a runner.

I am a runner. After a few weeks of running, I found that I was becoming a different person. I felt better, I had more energy, I thought more clearly, I slept sounder, I had more self-confidence, and I loved life more. I even found that I looked forward to running, which felt funny to me because I had always hated gym class, avoided sports (except for trying out for basketball twice, and I didn't get very far, but, Hey! At least I tried!), avoided being in any situation where I had to engage in any physical activity with other people where my lack of fitness and athletic ability would be embarrassingly obvious by comparison. But that was then; this is now. I do not avoid physical activities, I am not afraid of sports, I do not worry about whether I am "good enough." Because now I am a runner.

I am a runner. After a few years of running by myself just for fitness and for fun, I who had never dared think of running even a mile when I was growing up, I who had never done anything athletic of any significance, began dreaming of running a marathon. Marathoning and distance running in general had been given a huge boost in the United States after Frank Shorter's 1972 Olympic Marathon win. The jogging phenomenon took off in the middle 70s, and I was part of it. But I wasn't just a jogger; I was a runner, and running demanded a trial by fire.

Most runners start with a 5K or 10K race, but I was a little cocky, I had been running for about six years, and I was running 40-50 miles per week with my long run of the week in the 10-15 mile range, so I (very unwisely) had no fear of skipping right over shorter races. Thus, my first race ever was the Freedom Marathon at Allerton Park near Monticello, Illinois, October 11, 1981. I was 27 years, 4 months, 19 days old. My time for the 26 miles 385 yards was 4:04:19. That's about 9:19 per mile, which is not world class, not by a long shot, but it's not too shabby for an ordinary guy, especially an ordinary guy who used to be fat and out of shape, especially an ordinary ex-fat guy running his first race, especially an ordinary ex-fat guy running his first marathon. Now I have run over 20 marathons, but the last time was in 2004. I want to run more. I am trying to get in marathon-running shape again. And I will. Because now I am a runner.

I am a runner. I try to run every day. I have had to give up running from time to time because of illness, injury, the demands of family, the demands of work work, or the demands of school work. But I always start to run again. Because I am a runner.

I am a runner. I am not fast. I have no natural ability. I will never run as fast as famous runners can run, but that's okay with me because my heroines and heros are not famous runners. Although I admire Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar, Craig Virgin and other famous runners, my heroines and heros are ordinary runners. Why? Because it takes far more courage for them to line up at the starting line than it takes elite runners. Most elite runners know that they are very good at their event, that they are the best or among the best in their school, their conference, their state, their country, or maybe even among the best in the world. They know that they have at least a chance to win the races they run. But ordinary runners know that they will probably not win. They know that they will be passed by a lot of people who run faster than they do, that they may look a little funny and awkward compared to elite runners, that they may come in dead last, but they run anyway.

Ordinary runners run for the love of it, for the joy it brings, for the satisfaction it gives, for the camaraderie it offers, and I love them for that, and I am happy and proud to count myself among them. So, I am lucky because I run just like my heroines and heros run. No matter how slow or fast I run, I am a runner. Because I run because I like to run, I am a runner. I never have to prove anything to anyone but myself. I never have to beat anyone but myself to feel that I have won. And I am a winner every day because I am a runner.

I also lift weights and I play basketball once or twice a week, not very well, but I still play it. I also swim 100 yards or so once a week. I took scuba lessons in 1999, and on the first day of the class, I was instantly reminded of how poor a swimmer I had become. So, I took adult swimming lessons in the fall of 2000. Now I'm trying to maintain swimming skills so that I can dive safely. Breathing underwater is WAY FAR COOL!! Swimming for long periods underwater is even WAY FAR COOLER!! You really oughta check it out!

My current weekly workout schedule includes 20-25 miles per week with a long run of about 5 to 8 miles and three 1-and-a-half-hour weightlifting sessions. I can add speedwork but not much more mileage because I currently live in St. Lucia, British West Indies, and it is far too hot, humid, and hilly to do much more and still maintain enough energy to devote to my primary activity, studying medicine.

I currently fluctuate between 170 and 180 pounds and I am 5'11'' tall. Not bad for a middle-aged guy! But my ideal weight is about 165-170 and I'm always a little uncomfortable whenever I get out of that range. Gotta run more! :-)

Let me share with you some running links or you can go back to the top of the page

Running Clubs

The Dead Runners Society The most fun running club in the world. DRS folks are some of the best folks you could ever hope to meet. I belong to this club, and sometimes they want to beat me over the head with it, especially when I talk about the inevitable, world-wide ... well, you know, and because I'm a ... well, you know.

Second Wind Running Club The premiere running club in Lovely Champaign-Urbana. Lists some local and near-by race info, too. I belong to this club, too.

St. Louis Area Dead Runners Society The St. Louis Deads are great hosts, runners, and friends.

Road Runners Club of America The most pervasive national runners' club.

Chicago Area Runners Association Lists club info of all kinds as well as info for Chicago Area races.

Illinois Valley Striders Running Club Lists club info and info for races in the Illinois River Valley area, too.

Kennekuk Road Runners Lists club and race info for the Kennekuk Road Runners Club in and around Danville, Illinois. I belong to this club, too.

Running, Racing, and Fitness Information

One of my favorite songs that gets me in the mood to run.

Get the idea, cross around the track
Underneath the flank of thoroughbred racing chasers
Getting the feel as a river flows
Would you like to go and shoot the mountain masses?
And here you stand no taller than the grass sees
And should you really chase so hard
The truth of sport plays rings around you
Going for the one!
Get in the way as the tons of water
Racing with you crashing through the rudder
Once at the start you can gamble
That you really surely really mean to finish
After seeing all your sense of fear diminish
As you treat danger a pure collection
As you throw away misconceptions
Going for the one!

"Going For The One" from the album Going For The One by Yes

And the refrain of one more ...

Don't stop believing
Hold on to that feeling!

"Don't Stop Believing" from the album Escape by Journey

And the refrain of yet one more ...

You can go your own way!

"Go Your Own Way" from the album Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

There is no way I CAN'T feel like running after listening to that!

And I agree with the advice of one of my VRPs ...

"I just felt like running!"--Forrest Gump