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Chris is a Runner’s World+ member. Join him and thousands of others chasing their goals with day-by-day training plans, expert advice from editors and coaches, and unlimited digital access. We regularly feature members online and in print!
I’ve always been a shy person, but running has made me more confident and gregarious. I feel more courageous, pushing myself to go farther, faster, and harder. I couldn’t imagine running a mile when I started and now have run 36 miles on a mountain trail, finished marathons fast enough to run the Boston marathon five times, and run in a full Ironman.
When I decided to try running, I started by buying a book by Jim Fixx and the latest issue of Runner’s World. I’ve continued to rely on Runner’s World for advice on how to train, to read reviews of running gear, and to find out what other runners are up to. For me, RW+ is a natural extension to the print magazine both in providing the latest news as well as an online community.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from running because I’d always been the slow kid coming in last place. Once I got over that image of myself, I began to enjoy it. Now I feel incomplete when I can’t lace up. Every run is an adventure.
I started out as a morning runner to make sure I got it done and that’s still true on weekends. During the week I run at lunchtime so I can go with a group. There’s a park about three miles from work with a gravel and dirt path called Coyote Trail. The trail winds through a meadow and into a deep grove of trees. Whether the path is dry, wet, or covered in snow, I always enjoy that brief escape from the pavement and cars.
I love to wear a visor because it keeps me cooler than a hat during the warm months. I’ve worn a white visor so often during races that it’s almost a signature.
I started running in 1984 for the health benefits. For twenty years I was content to run about three miles several times a week. One year my knees were hurt so bad that I had to walk instead of run, then I developed Type 1 diabetes. I refused to give in to the injury or the disease, and got the help I needed to run again. Once I could run without pain and could manage my blood sugar levels, I signed up for my first race, a 15k. A half marathon followed and eventually a marathon. Now I run to push myself, to see how fast I can go and for how long but also to be a part of the running community.