We drive past them on the way to appointments without a second glance. We share space with them on bike paths and walking trails with little more than casual nods. They go largely unnoticed until the inclement weather rolls in. That’s when we take notice. Who are these individuals, leaning into the biting wind and driving rain, putting one battered running shoe in front of the other?
They are the hard-core, built to withstand adversity. In fact, they welcome it. Often, the accomplishments in their sport reflect the accomplishments in their lives.
They are marathon runners.
Richard Stewart started running in 1973 after he completed basic training in the Canadian Army. Today, the 61-year-old has completed 112 marathons. He ran his first in 1988, at age 35. Twenty years later, he had 50 under his shoes. It took only four more years to reach 100.
A glance at this year’s race schedule gives insight into how he attained this impressive tally. Richard has already run two marathons in Red Deer, Alberta and Yakima, Washington. He plans to run the Goodlife Fitness Victoria Marathon on Thanksgiving, and chase it down with another in Seattle the following month.
Richard is a rare breed. Less than one-tenth of one per cent of the world’s population has completed a single marathon. Even fewer have challenged a double (two marathons in two days), a triple (three in three days), or a quadzilla (four in four days). He’s done them all … more than once.
That adds up to a lot of mileage. Richard estimates he’s run in excess of 84,000 kilometres; enough to circle the globe at the equator – twice! Forrest Gump wouldn’t even be in the running.
Richard belongs to Marathon Maniacs #581, a running club with over 10,000 members, and says his accomplishments “pale in comparison to some members.” While not the fleetest of foot, he’s been an inspiration for many others who took up the sport.
“I’ve helped train folks to learn to run and several to train for [marathons],” Richard says. “I run it with them, so they complete their first marathon.” He also volunteers at Learn-to-Run groups at the local YMCA, passing on knowledge and providing encouragement. “I really enjoy helping new runners get started.”
A passion for running can involve considerable travel. For Richard, it’s the most exhausting part of the sport. The benefits, however, far outweigh the fatigue: the camaraderie among runners, the chance to meet new people and overcome new challenges, and the opportunity to support novices. He often helps out first-time marathoners, especially those suffering in the latter miles.
“This is often where you see the most character, courage and perseverance,” Richard says. “One year, a fellow Marathon Maniac and I came upon a 13-year-old lady struggling in the last 10km of the Red Deer Marathon. We provided some food nibbles, as she was bonking badly. We discovered she had dislocated her shoulder in a fall a week before and it was her first marathon. Yet, here she was.”
Richard and his fellow Marathon Maniac, being dads as well as seasoned runners, decided to escort the ailing girl to the finish, just to make sure she got there. “We dropped back in the last 100 metres,” he says, “so she could cross the finish line alone for her photo. We were as pleased as she was at her finish.”
The long-distance runner’s Holy Grail – the Boston Marathon – has remained unattainable for Richard, but the excitement he feels at the start of every event has never grown tedious. Nor has the satisfaction of finishing.
“The finish-time monkey on my back was an issue for a few years, but I found it drained the pleasure I experienced, so I shed the ‘beast.’ After the finish time became irrelevant, it was surprising how much fun running became again. Finishing is winning.”
Finishing, however, isn’t the only item in the win column. What started as an activity to shake off a “pizza-and-beer” lifestyle flourished into a way of life that garnered numerous health benefits, including a resting heart rate of around 40 beats per minute.
“I quickly became addicted to running,” says Richard. “Running ceased to be an activity that I did. Running became what I am.”
His doctor, 15 years his junior, has been apologetic about his own comparative activity level, but fully supports Richard’s efforts.
“I must admit I enjoy the look of surprise, shock or disbelief on people’s faces when they find out what I do at an age when many are becoming sedentary or are somehow expected to become sedentary,” says Richard.
When he’s not practicing personal-injury law as a partner at his firm, Richard trains four to five times per week at a range of 40-60km. Whether he’s running with his dog, his running buddies or on his own, the open road serves to clear his mind and relieve stress.
Despite his unswerving dedication to the sport, he still holds a place for good food, scotch and wine. In addition to his career, his 26-year marriage to Patty and two successfully raised children are further testaments to the achievements of this marathon runner.
Calling Comox’s Roslyn Smith the Canadian record holder for the female 65-69 age group in a marathon is an understatement. Consider this: she shattered the previous record by finishing approximately two hours before the next competitor in her group.
With 25 marathons under her water belt, Roslyn says she’s not running as fast as she did in her early 60s, but she still enjoys the experience.
“It’s important to me to remain physically active and remain in shape as I age,” she says. “The reason I compete is to see how well I can maintain my level of fitness. It’s still challenging to get as close to [faster] times as I can. I enjoy this challenge.”
A recreational runner for 40 years, Roslyn didn’t focus her efforts on competing until 2005 when she retired and had more time to dedicate to the sport. Today, she trains five to six days a week. In addition to running, she and her husband, Bob, cross-country ski in the winter and cycle during the other seasons.
Fitness has governed much of Roslyn’s life. Always an active child, she was considered a “tomboy.” Bats and balls held far more allure than braids and baubles. In public school, she played on most sports teams. In high school, she focused on volleyball and basketball. Naturally, she gravitated toward physical education when she attended Dalhousie University.
When she relocated to the Northwest Territories, Roslyn initially taught physical education at the secondary school in Inuvik. Over the next 30 years, she went on to work in recreation, supporting many communities in the region. Later, while in Yellowknife and still with the NWT government, she worked in a wide range of recreation positions: leadership; facilities; and, finally, volunteer development.
In 2005, Roslyn and Bob moved to Comox, where she immediately joined the Comox Valley Road Runners. There, she benefited from weekly speed workouts led by a qualified coach. The Road Runners benefitted as well; for the past two years, Roslyn has served as its president.
“Vancouver Island is an ideal environment to run in,” Roslyn says. “At the Goodlife Victoria Marathon, for the first time, Bob will cycle around the course to support me.”
Satisfaction comes from knowing the training she has done over several months can result in a good performance.
“I get a sense of accomplishment when I run a race well,” says Roslyn. “A number of factors come into play: the temperature needs to be cool; the course not too hilly; nutrition before, during and after the race has to be on; and the pace throughout the race has to be maintained as the strain to maintain it becomes harder. I get a lot of enjoyment out of the interplay of all these factors that go into training the body to perform at its best. It is fun, of course, chatting with fellow runners on how their race went and learning from others.”
On October 11, Richard and Roslyn will be ready at the start line of the Goodlife Victoria Marathon. And 42.2 km later, they’ll each have one more hard-earned check mark in their impressive running logs.
Come out and cheer them on!
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