Running History

I began running competitively during track season my freshman year of high school at Toledo Central Catholic. I really just ran to meet people because I was at a new school and didn't know a single person. Track didn't go so well but my coach really wanted me to run cross country. I thought he was crazy so I didn't run at all over the summer. The first week of school he came and found me after class and told me to come out to practice. That first practice I couldn't even run 3 miles, I was pathetic. I stuck with it though and quickly improved. That first year (sophomore cross country) I ran a 17:36 at our league meet to earn second team honors. After that I was hooked and continued to run throughout high school and college.

I attended Heidelberg College solely for the purpose of running. I didn't go to school where all my friends went and it was hard to leave them and start again not knowing anyone. I left Heidelberg extremely thankful I went there, not because of running but because of the great friends I made there (I met my soon to be wife there) and the valuable education. Running at Heidelberg like anywhere else had its ups and downs but its definitely the ups I remember a lot more than the downs. I'll never forget automatically qualifying to nationals as a team my senior year of cross country, winning the all-ohio indoor 5k, or nearly breaking my nose on the steeple barrier my sophomore year.

Since graduating from Heidelberg I have taken a swing at the marathon and getting knocked out in the process (2008 Detroit Marathon - 3:25:55). Running is a huge passion for me now, something that can just take you away from the world for a few miles and give yourself time to think, it's something that I hope to continue for a very long time solely for the enjoyment of the sport not the competitiveness.

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