Chronicles from the Illinois Marathon

Just Another Runner’s Perspective                                                                                           

Chronicles from the Illinois Marathon                                                       

“If you feel bad at ten miles, you’re in trouble.  If you feel bad at twenty miles, you’re normal.  If you don’t feel bad at twenty-six miles, you’re abnormal.”  ---Rob de Castella

May 1, 2010, 7:25 am, Champaign, Illinois

“Five minutes to go until the wheelchair athletes begin, and five minutes after that, the half-marathon and marathon runners will begin.”

 As Hannah, Hunz, and I stood at the starting line, I couldn’t stop shaking while listening to these words spoken over the loudspeakers.  I wasn’t shivering because I was cold. After all, the temperatures were in the mid to upper sixties on this early May morning in Champaign, Illinois.  Shaking has always been a typical reaction for me in response to the nervous anticipation in the last few minutes leading up to a marathon. Moments later, another announcement came over the loudspeaker. The race would be delayed a few minutes due to the 5K race not being complete. My nervous reaction continued as the wait was extended.  Weather conditions made me a bit more nervous for this marathon compared to most of my previous marathon experiences. With temperatures in the mid-sixties, humidity levels approaching 90% for the start of the race, and predictions of temperatures approaching 80 degrees for the day, I wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence at my chances of meeting my goal, not to mention just finishing the race. It wasn’t as if I had never run a marathon in these conditions, but today, I was attempting a PR pace.  I wasn’t sure if my body would hold up to these conditions for twenty-six miles so early in the racing season at a pace that I had never run in a marathon. It is usually late May to early June by the time my body acclimates to high temperatures and humidity.

Just a year earlier, I had run the inaugural Illinois Marathon. The experience was a very memorable one for me. The weekend included appearances from Runner’s World’s Bart Yasso, and one of our county’s top marathon performers of all time, Dick Beardsley. The race course showcased some of Champaign-Urbana’s finest neighborhoods, ending with a spectacular finish inside the University of Illinois Memorial Stadium.  Perhaps what made my 2009 Illinois Marathon experience so memorable was that I was able to set a PR on the course that day. 

As runners from our local running group, the Kalamazoo Area Runners (KAR), began making plans for 2010 spring marathons, a group of us decided to mark the Illinois Marathon on our calendar for May 1. This year’s race would include much of the same course, an expanded field, another finish in Memorial Stadium, and appearances from Kathryn Switzer, who was responsible for the women's marathon movement, and Jean Driscoll, an elite wheelchair athlete born with spina bifida. After the holidays, Bonnie, Hannah, Hunz, and I began planning and training for our weekend in Champaign. Later, Russ and Shane would decide to make the trip to Champaign as well. Hunz would attempt his first sub-three-hour marathon. Hannah, who had been granted elite status for Illinois, had thoughts of the marathon Olympic trials as she decided what her race goal would be.  My goal was to PR, which would require a pace of 6:44 a mile or faster and a finishing time faster than 2:56:52, but if I were to at least break three hours, I would have seven sub-three-hour marathons, moving me closer to my goal of ten marathons under three hours. As our training continued through the winter, Hannah decided she was not quite ready to meet Olympic trials qualification standards. The week before race day, Hannah, Hunz, and I decided we would start together and attempt to go out and finish at a 6:44 pace. In the week leading up the marathon, I would diligently check the race day weather forecast multiple times daily. Although my confidence of reaching my goal began to fade with the threat of warm, muggy weather, I did not waver on my plans for race day. As Hunz, Hannah, and I stood at the starting line, we waited nervously to begin our quest in hopes that our bodies would allow us to reach our goals.

When Kathryn Switzer finally gave the starting command, we made our way through the sea of runners, trying to find an open area for the three of us to fall into our pace. The wind was at our backs, and we had a slight downhill for much of mile one. I had been granted the title of official pacer for the three of us. As we approached the mile one marker, I looked at the Garmin watch on my wrist and announced to Hunz and Hannah, “6:34, now it’s time to settle in.” I had warned both of my running partners that my first mile of most marathons was usually a little quick because of the excitement, but after mile one, it was time to focus on maintaining cruise control for each mile.

The wave of runners seemed to spread out as we approached midway between mile marker number one and mile marker number two.  I glanced at my Garmin periodically to check on the screen that shows an ongoing average pace for the entire workout. As we were approaching mile marker number two, our average pace read 6:39 a mile. When we crossed mile marker number two, I called out, “6:44.” This was a perfectly paced mile.  The nerves had finally settled, and it was time to hit cruise control. I noticed that I was sweating more than usual while running as we locked into our pace between mile markers two and three. I hadn’t sweat this much on a run since last September. This concerned me somewhat, so early in the race. I was hopeful that the heat and humidity would not wear me down. As we crossed mile marker number three, the Garmin read a split of 6:39. This was a bit too fast for our mile split, and our average pace remained 6:39. As we made our way through mile four, we made a turn and began running into the southern breeze. This increased our effort, but the breeze was welcome on this hot, humid day. Our mile marker number four split showed a 6:42 mile. We were back to cruise control pace. It was at this point in the race that I felt like nature was calling. I didn’t really want to take the time for a bathroom stop, so I continued on, hoping the feeling would pass. The split at mile marker number five read 6:46, a little slow, but close enough. Mile marker number six showed a consistent pattern as we came through at 6:43. 

Halfway into mile number seven, I spotted three porta pots to the side of the course. I told Hunz and Hannah that I was going to make a stop but would catch up with them. Hunz also decided to make a stop. We both got in and out as quickly as possible, losing about twenty seconds. This delay was evident at mile marker number seven, with the Garmin showing a 7:05 split. Our average pace had dropped from 6:40 a mile to 6:45 a mile. This was a little disappointing but could not be helped. I told Hunz that we didn’t need to catch Hanna all in one chunk, but both of us wanted to find her as quickly as possible. Mile number eight was 6:35. We could see Hannah ahead of us now and were able to catch her before we hit mile marker number nine, which was 6:54.  I began to feel the urge to make a bathroom stop again. I decided I wanted to bank some time in anticipation of another pit stop, so I picked up the pace. It was at this point that I started separating from Hunz and Hanna. It seemed as if sweat was rolling from every pore of my skin. The extra weight from the sweat clinging to my shorts and the two gel packs nestled in the back pockets caused another problem as I was now constantly pulling up my shorts, which seemed to be slipping with every stride. I did not want to tie the drawstring any tighter for fear of losing more valuable seconds trying to untie them in anticipation of another bathroom stop. The constant pulling up of my shorts continued until I finished my last gel pack around two hours into the race. 

Mile ten was 6:54, and mile eleven was 6:34. I had dropped my average pace back down to 6:42 a mile. As I continued the faster pace through mile twelve, I spotted another porta pot and decided to take my second stop, this time losing almost thirty seconds. Stepping back onto the racecourse, Hannah and Hunz had caught back up to me, but my average pace had dropped down to 6:46 a mile. The thought of possibly another bathroom stop had definitely changed my race strategy. I was running miles faster than anticipated in hopes of banking time for possible stops. I picked up the pace again. Mile number twelve was 7:07, fast enough considering the bathroom break, and mile number thirteen was 6:31. I was now halfway through and would start my mental game of evaluating my progress every two miles.

I had started feeling a little out of my comfort zone the previous few miles. It wasn’t as if I was approaching the wall, but my perceived effort was more than I was comfortable with less than halfway through the race. The mind games began. Should I continue to pace and try to reach my goal, but chance a disastrous finish? Should I back off and wait for Hannah and Hunz? I felt that if I were to do this, I could still break three hours but risk my chance of setting a PR. With the heat and humidity, should I just slow the pace and come in comfortably? I decided I would push on and go for a PR. If I hit the wall early, I would just have to deal with my decision. Mile number fourteen was 6:37. The weather must have been getting to other runners as I noticed myself passing more and more of them. I desperately wanted to find someone who had a similar race goal as mine so that we could pace ourselves for the rest of the race. I caught up to another runner and asked him what his goal was. He wanted to run a time of 2:51, and he thought that he was a little ahead of the pace. His calculations were obviously not accurate as we were at the same point in the race, and I was on a pace to finish at 2:56 at best. I decided that he was probably not the best runner to pace with. Mile number fifteen was 6:38. I was still feeling the same perceived exertion that I had begun feeling earlier, around mile twelve, but the feeling had not gotten any worse. The next three miles were all a model of consistency as all of them were identical at 6:38. I had dropped my average pace back down to 6:43 a mile. I began to feel a surge of confidence. Again, I passed another runner and asked her what her goal was. She replied that she would be happy just to finish. This was a good answer, but I was still on my own for pacing. Somewhere in the middle of mile nineteen, I spotted another porta pot and made another quick pit stop. Despite the stop, my Garmin still read seven minutes flat at the nineteen-mile mark. Shortly after my pit stop, I passed another runner, asking him, just as I had the others, what his goal time would be. His response was identical to the last, wanting just to be able to finish the race. 

With the twenty-mile mark just on the horizon, my legs and lungs were beginning to show more fatigue, but I still felt I had some miles in me at under a 6:44 pace. Mile twenty was 6:41 and mile twenty-one was 6:43. This is when I began doing the calculations in my head.  Could I reach my PR at this point by averaging a seven-minute pace through the last five miles? Would a worst-case scenario of eight-minute miles still get me under three hours? I was tired, and making these calculations in my head was requiring too much of an effort. “Just keep moving as fast as you can”, I told myself. My enthusiasm was waning slightly, but I was still feeling in the game. For much of the earlier stages of the race, I like to get the crowd involved in the race. I will raise my hands, cup my hand to my ear, or simply shout, “Make some noise!” as I race by pockets of spectators. Any extra energy for this was fading. I still tried to stay involved with the crowd. Part of what gets me to the finish line of a marathon is the encouragement given by spectators, especially as fatigue begins to set in. Although I was not feeding the crowd frenzy at this time, like I had earlier, the crowd was still doing its part to pull me through. I tried my best to acknowledge positive comments from spectators with a thank you or at least a thumbs up. I wanted to let them know that their support was greatly appreciated. 

 Mile twenty-two was just under goal pace at 6:43. I spotted yet another porta pot during mile twenty-three, and yes, I made one last stop, causing me to come in at 7:13 for mile twenty-three. My legs were now beginning to show great signs of fatigue, but I still had not hit the wall and was able to keep running. The Garmin read 6:54 at the mile twenty-four marker. While cresting a hill in the middle of mile twenty-five, I could see a spectator out in the middle of the road ahead, cheering on the runners. As I approached him, he yelled to me, “Hey, I know you!  You ran the race with me last year and beat me!”  I looked at him and instantly recognized him as a runner I had hooked up with last year for the last thirteen miles. I half-heartedly begged him to run the last two miles with me, but he convinced me I could make it on my own. With the uphill and fatigue setting in, mile twenty-five was my slowest mile with a split of 7:30. As I came upon a clearing, I could see Memorial Stadium just around the corner. I knew that a PR was not a possibility anymore, but coming in less than three hours was not out of the question. I had picked the pace up a little for mile twenty-six, clocking a 7:04. I began to feel a bit of relief knowing the end was just moments away and that I would make it in less than three hours. I entered the stadium filled with cheering spectators, crossing the finish line at the fifty-yard line with the Garmin reading 2:59:32, good enough for a top twenty finish. It wasn’t easy, but I had made it. There was no PR today, but I had just finished my seventh sub 3-hour marathon which was a great feeling, but to be honest, to cross the finish line for any marathon, no matter how fast or slow, no matter how badly my body has been beat up, is always an emotional high. Considering the heat, humidity, and the time I made up with the unexpected bathroom stops, I would rank this as one of my top marathon performances. 

Bending over with my hands on my knees and gasping for air as one of the race volunteers placed a medal over my head, I was totally exhausted, and I am sure extremely dehydrated. Despite the sunny skies and warm temperatures, I was experiencing the chills. I had no time to celebrate as I had to make one last dash to find a bathroom in the stadium’s concourse. After taking care of business, I came back down to he football field to find my friends. 

Hannah finished in 3:05, giving her honors as the second-place female runner and a payday of $1000. This was the most exciting part of the weekend. Another friend of mine, Melissa, from Muskegon, Michigan, was the fifth-place female and first masters runner, earning her a $500 paycheck. She set a PR with a 3:16. Hunz finished in 3:19, Bonnie and Russ finished together in 3:42, and Shane completed his first marathon in 4:30.  It was a good day for all of us. As I made my way back to my car, I crossed the race course just as the runners were entering the stadium. I couldn’t help but notice the aroma of meat cooking over hot coals.  Parked alongside the course was a group of spectators with a party tent, a grill, and all the fixings. It smelled so good! Showing no modesty, I walked over and asked the grill master if he was selling what he was cooking. He graciously offered me a burger, no charge. I eagerly accepted his offer. My day in Champaign had ended with the same hospitality that I experienced out on the race course for twenty-six miles.

As we made the trip back to Michigan after the race, fatigue and dehydration made for a long drive back home, but there was no lack of conversation during the hours spent in the car. The weekend in Champaign was a classic.

The next day, I downloaded my race data from my Garmin watch onto my computer. This wonderful piece of technology has many features, probably more useless than useful. As I was looking at the information that it had spit out onto my computer, I noticed a feature I had not noticed before. The screen showed a column that read “Time” and a column that read “Moving Time”. My moving time was 2:56:50, which would calculate to a two-second PR. Translated, this means that my time spent for each bathroom stop did not figure into my moving time. So, the question is, could I have set a PR without the bathroom stops? I guess there is no point in dwelling on this. Regardless, this was truly another memorable marathon experience.

KEEP RUNNING!!

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective. 

Linn Kracht Story

Just Another Runner’s Story April 2025 Written by Gale Fischer

A Body in Motion Stays in Motion

“I don’t run to add days to my life; I run to add life to my days.”

—Ronald Rock

The benefits of exercise are well-documented. A lifestyle that includes physical activity can add years to one’s life. Although living a long life is never guaranteed, staying active can increase one’s odds of extending life into the eighties, nineties, and triple digits. Longevity is something that many wish for, but continual movement can also enhance one’s quality of life into the golden years. It could be the difference between leading a sedentary existence in the later stages of life or remaining independent at home and throughout the community. This month’s featured runner, Linn Kracht, has enjoyed the benefits that years of exercise and running have provided him and continues to reap these benefits today at the age of seventy-seven.

Linn was exposed to being active early on in life. He grew up on a farm in Western Iowa, which gave him a healthy appreciation for interacting with the outdoor world. Although he didn’t realize it at the time, playing and working on the farm as a young child paved the way for his lifelong desire to be outside moving. Running would become a part of his life as a young adult, but before this, he participated in other sports as a school-age boy and teenager. Linn talked about his stint as a high school athlete. “I played basketball in high school and some baseball earlier in my childhood. I tried football but realized I was too small. After getting knocked to the ground by our school’s all-conference linebacker during one of our practices, I decided that football was not for me.” Linn continued to enjoy basketball into his late sixties while participating in pick-up games at Full Blast. 

Linn can’t recall exactly why or how he started running, but when he finally tried it in his late twenties, it became an important part of his life for the next fifty years. “I first tried running in 1975 at the age of twenty-seven. Looking back now, I would say that I kind of integrated it into my exercise routine,” Linn recalled. “My wife Colleen had started graduate school in Denver. We packed our bags and moved from Indiana to Colorado.” After relocating to Denver, Linn became reacquainted with a buddy. “I connected with a friend of mine I had first met a few years earlier while in seminary who was living in Denver. Colleen and I were still a young couple without kids. We had developed an active lifestyle and spent much of our free time playing tennis and racquetball with my friend from seminary and his wife.”

Linn doesn’t remember why, but he decided to start running. Being fit turned into an important facet of his life, and running would become a component of this. Initially, running was something that Linn enjoyed by himself. “When I started running, I ran on my own,”  Linn explained. His running routine at the time was rather informal. He wasn’t following a training schedule, keeping track of his miles, or participating in any races. During the first few months, running wasn’t necessarily an activity he longed for like he does today, but it began to grow on him. “I enjoyed playing tennis and racquetball and being active with Colleen and our friends, but running was different. It was a time for me to work out by myself. I found that I appreciated this alone time along with the other feelings associated with running.”

After Colleen finished graduate school, they moved to Manhattan, Kansas. Linn’s love for running began to rub off on Colleen. He talked about this new chapter in his running journey. “Colleen started running when we moved to Kansas. Even though we were both running, we were both usually running on our own. We weren’t running together, but it was fun to share the same passion. We also began running some races, which was a new experience for me. I found that I enjoyed the atmosphere of the races.” While in Kansas, Linn and Colleen were blessed with the birth of their first child, Kyle.

A few years later, in 1980, Colleen and Linn moved again, taking up roots in East Peoria, Illinois. This move helped to create another change in Linn’s running routine, making it an even more important part of his life. He reflected on this transition in his running journey. “My brother-in-law, Paul, and sister, Chanda, lived in Galesburg, Illinois, near East Peoria. Paul was also a runner. Up until then, I wasn’t running longer distances. Paul introduced me to the marathon distance. I ran my first marathon in Madison, Wisconsin, after moving to Illinois.” Linn’s first marathon was a success. He felt great physically. 

Paul became an influence for Linn as a runner. During his time in East Peoria, Linn participated in many races. Linn talked about one of his favorite races. “Paul and I ran the Syttende Mai a few times, a twenty-mile race that started in Madison, Wisconsin, and finished in Stoughton, Wisconsin. This was one of my favorite races.” During his time in Illinois, Linn taught some fitness classes at the local YMCA in Illinois, which fit well into his active lifestyle. He was also racing often. He has run nine marathons altogether, most of them during the time that he and Colleen lived in Illinois. He has run the Chicago Marathon twice, posting his fastest time for this popular race with a three-hour and seventeen-minute finish. The last marathon that Linn completed was a few years ago. He talked about this marathon. “I ran my last marathon, the 2018 Grand Rapids Marathon, at the age of seventy. I became very dehydrated for this one and had to go to the hospital afterward. This will most likely be my last marathon.”

Linn and Colleen were blessed twice again with the birth of twin girls, Kami and Kari, in 1984 before moving to Battle Creek in 1986, where they would settle down in the Riverside area. Linn experienced something new as a runner in the Cereal City. “Up until our move to Battle Creek, I ran primarily on my own,” Linn recalled. “When we settled into our new home in Battle Creek, I began running with a group of guys. We would meet every Saturday morning, with the remainder of the week dedicated to running on my own.” The Saturday morning group became a nice routine for Linn. “Our group wasn’t all that big. On any given Saturday, we would have between two or three runners to as many as twelve. There were times when my daughters would also come and run with us. Like my runs the rest of the week, we would log our Saturday miles in the neighborhoods surrounding Riverside Elementary School.”

Linn has left an imprint on others in Battle Creek in the last forty years. Many have seen him out running, perhaps inspiring some to start running themselves or to become more active in other ways. Seeing both of their parents run has rubbed off on Linn and Colleen’s children, with the entire family being involved in an active lifestyle. Perhaps Linn’s biggest impact on the community is his desire to bring a long-distance race to Battle Creek. This desire led him to organize the first committee that ultimately led to the culmination of the Battle Creek Half Marathon put on by Cereal City Athletics. 

At the age of seventy-seven, Linn is a great example of how being active can have a positive impact on the quality of life. He is a role model for many. He reflected on how running has fit into his life. “I try to run five days a week between twenty and twenty-five miles. I plan to keep running as long as my body allows me to run. I attribute longevity to running on asphalt rather than concrete and rotating shoes as a runner. Running brings me a great deal of happiness, so even though physical health is part of why I run, it is more the joy that it brings to me.” 

Linn loves seeing others taking an interest in their health. He talked about this. “I believe it is very important to stay active. Over the last few years, I have seen a lot about people setting a goal of 10,000 steps a day. It’s great seeing people take an interest in their health. Unless one has a job that requires a lot of movement, achieving a goal of 10,000 or more steps a day requires an activity such as a daily run or walk. My advice is when you start an activity such as running, to give it time. You may not enjoy it at first, but give it at least six months before you decide to give up on it.” 

Running has remained an important part of Linn’s life. He explained how he has adjusted his routine. “At this stage in our lives, Colleen and I have become a little more picky about running conditions. We won’t run in the rain now or if there is ice or snow on the ground. We are more cautious about our footing and falling. Although Colleen and I don’t always run together, it has been great to share this similar interest with her. We enjoy talking about running and planning our runs. She is my inspiration.”

Trying to take care of physical, mental, and emotional health can be a challenge, but it is always important in enhancing quality of life and extending the length of life. An activity such as running can check off all three. The physical benefits of running are always there. If it becomes an activity that you love, then your emotional and mental health will also be enhanced. Linn’s story is a great example of this. 

Everyone has a story.  Stay tuned next month for another runner’s story.

Jane Rolfe Story

Just Another Runner’s Story November 2013   Written by Gale Fischer

Bouncing Back

“Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.”     ----Jean de la Fontaine                       

Throughout its history, running has been associated largely with being an individual activity.  This image still holds true today in a large capacity with sights of runners pounding out miles individually at any given hour, during any given day on any given stretch of road.  Even with its solitary nature, running today holds an integral group component.  Today’s running community survives to some extent much as our world does through the circle of life.  One runner may provide mentoring, guidance, or inspiration for other individuals and beyond.  Those runners, in turn, do the same for others while this coaching and inspiration lifeline makes its way around the circle, only to pick up steam before looping around again.  As participants in this circle, we are well aware of the part we play on the receiving end, but I am sure that many of us are unaware of the role we play on the giving end of this circle. This month’s featured member, Jane Rolfe, has provided this guidance and inspiration to me personally over the years so often that I have lost count.  As a runner experiencing success over the years, there have been times when it has been all too easy to forget about those who share in the credit for my successes.  Being witness to what  Jane has done over the years has been part of what has helped to keep my ego in check with her example of the positive impact of one’s overwhelming love and passion for a sport.  This passion can drive the individual from within, but its influence can also create a beneficial ripple through the running community as a whole.

Jane’s running story began back in 1988, after twenty-eight years of smoking cigarettes daily.  She gave up smoking and replaced a negative habit with a positive habit, filling the void with aerobics, some swimming, and a little running.  Her running picked up steam ten years later when she was introduced to the Battle Creek Roadrunners at the Arbor Dash 5K race.  She came out to the next group run, which ignited her passion for running.  “I went there and met a lot of nice people who had been runners for a long time.  They helped me with running, and we would do track work once per week and then meet on Sundays to run.”  Jane’s knowledge of track workouts, tempo runs, and long runs grew with the guidance of her new circle of friends, but their expertise in running went well beyond the physical aspects of how to train. “I will never forget Chris Thomas was at our first winter run and she couldn’t believe all the clothes I had on. Chris explained that I would get a lot warmer when I ran, and she was right.  The learning process of how to dress for running began with that initial run with Chris.”

Jane’s new running group encouraged her to run her first marathon. “I couldn’t believe that they were telling me that I could run a marathon. With the group’s encouragement, I ran my first marathon in 1999 in Chicago. There were thirteen of us who ran the Chicago Marathon that day.  After I crossed the finish line, I said I would never do this again.  I have done five marathons since then.” 

Jane found it difficult to choose just one thing that she liked most about running. “There are so many things that I like about running, including running with a group, running with just one other person, and days when I need to be alone with my own thoughts. So there are many choices when running.”  Jane cherishes the freedom that comes with running. “I love to be outside no matter what time of year.  Each season is beautiful to be one with.  The winter is a bit more challenging, but with a fresh layer of snow, one can feel like they are in a winter wonderland.  I love the feeling of being able to choose where I want to run, the distance, and how I want to run.”  Jane’s words really sum up how running is different than most other sports.  For individuals who choose to run, there are truly no restrictions.

Perhaps what Jane appreciates most about running is the running community.  “For me, running has been a very important part of my social life.  I have done the groups with Kalamazoo Area Runners (KAR).  I’m not sure how many years, but when I started, there were about five of us that would carpool to Kalamazoo.  At that time, there were maybe twenty runners in the group.  I love the fact that I have met so many great people over the years.  To me, this is very important.”  With Jane’s words from her heart about the social aspect of running, it is obvious that she is part of the running community’s circle of life.  Jane lists me as one of her running mentors.  “For three or four years, Gale and I would run once per week at five AM in Battle Creek.  Gale would push me, and at that time, my running was the best it has ever been.”  I may have pushed Jane, but she also pushed me during those five AM runs with her love and passion for the sport of running rubbing off on me through our conversations as we ran the streets of Battle Creek on those early Tuesday mornings.  Jane has found inspiration and mentorship through many other members of KAR, including famed members Francine Bangs and Julie Hoffman.  Through the years, Jane has spoken of Francine and Julie on many occasions as her rivals.  Even though Jane has considered Julie and Francine her competition, they have both earned her deepest respect and admiration. 

Jane retired eight years ago as a probation officer in Allegan.  She commuted from Battle Creek to Allegan each day for work while heading over to the east side of the state on many weekends to spend time with her family.  It seems that her car has put in as many miles as she has.  Although her kids live on the opposite side of the state, it seems that they have made running a family affair.  She has two sons, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.  Both of her boys and one of her daughters-in-law had been recreational runners in the past.  They had given up on the sport temporarily, but witnessing their mom complete her first marathon in Chicago in 1999 brought them back to running.  “My sons and one daughter-in-law have all run the Boston Marathon.  My grandson ran cross-country and track in high school.  When I would visit him, and I was training for something, he would always ride his bike with me.  He was probably around nine or ten years old.  I believe that from this, he learned to love the sport.  My granddaughter started running more last year and ran the WMU 5K with her dad.”  In the conversations that I have had with Jane over the years, it is obvious to me that she is very proud of her family.

Perhaps what impresses me the most about Jane is her determination to come back to the sport despite layoffs from her many injuries.  Jane’s first encounter with injuries came in 2000 when she fell down a flight of stairs. “I remember thinking that I was going to die as I tumbled down the flight of stairs.  I had no broken bones, which I credit to being fit.”  Jane also fell in January of 2004 on one of her five AM runs with me. Her foot clipped a chunk of ice, and I can still visualize the image of her bounding forward, trying to catch her balance.  I reached to try to stop her fall, but there was nothing that either of us could do.  The X-rays in the ER showed a broken bone in her upper arm. The doctor told her to forget about running in the future, but this only fueled her desire to run.  While on a Christmas-themed run in Battle Creek in December of 2008, Jane slipped on the ice and fell again, but this time, her future in running seemed very grim.  Her initial diagnosis was incorrect, and she was told she could resume running.  After three weeks with no relief, an MRI showed that she had broken her hip.  She had partial hip replacement surgery a few weeks later and was again told she would never run again.  She had come to terms with a life without running, but this changed as spring racing season approached.  Her desire to run returned, and she sought a second opinion.  She was reunited with running, and I was able to watch her finish her first half-marathon post-hip replacement surgery in Indy in 2010.  She decided to give the marathon a try one more time and ran the Detroit Marathon with her good friend, Ginny Middleton, in 2011.  I was there with her family and friends in Detroit at mile twenty-six to see her and Ginny approach the finish line.  A wave of emotion hit me as I watched her finish her half in Indy and her full marathon in Detroit on a partial hip replacement.

For the last two years, Jane has dealt with burning in her legs and was diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis.  She had surgery to repair this in August and is still in the recovery phase.  Jane’s commitment to exercise has continued with a desire to get out and walk every day throughout her recovery.  She drove her nurses at Southwest Rehab crazy and, at the same time, impressed them with her unwillingness to sit on her bum during her recovery from back surgery.   I firmly believe that her level of fitness has aided her in her recovery from her recent back surgery.  Like a prize fighter lying on the floor of the ring, seemingly knocked out, she has pulled herself up time after time to continue her life as a runner.

Through the years, Jane has implemented swimming, biking, and yoga into her fitness routine, which has allowed her to keep running at the ripe age of seventy-three.  Most people her age would never consider running after surgery to correct Spinal Stenosis.  Thoughts of running again are part of what has kept Jane going through rehab after her latest surgery.  Although she remains positive, frustration is still a part of the equation, with the all too familiar feeling of starting over after every setback.  Running after such a major surgery is not a guarantee, but if I were a betting man, I would put my money on her running again.  Like all of us, Jane’s running days will end at some point, but her influence and inspiration on the running community will live long after she runs her last step.  Good luck, Jane.  We hope to see you on the roads soon.

 

Everyone has a story.  Stay tuned next month for another runner’s story.

Running and the Seasons

Just Another Runner’s Perspective March 2025 Written By Gale Fischer

Running and the Seasons

"Every season has its own beauty, and every run is a chance to appreciate it. Embrace the change, embrace the challenge, embrace the run." 

3/10/2025: A jolt of happiness shot through me as I walked out the door and into the parking lot. The sun hung high in the sky, and temperatures in the mid-sixties provided a beginning-of-the-week gift for all of West Michigan. There couldn’t have been a better scenario to energize my emotions at the end of a workday on a Monday afternoon. I hadn’t been outside since eight AM when the mercury was thirty degrees cooler. What I like best about late winter and early spring are the days that begin with a bright sunrise and temperatures starting in the mid-thirties, climbing to the sixties and seventies throughout the afternoon. Even though I was aware of the weather forecast for the day, I was still pleasantly surprised when I walked outside for the first time since beginning the workday.

As a runner, I have always felt a special connection with my sport when experiencing it in the heart of the spring thaw. Spring in Michigan is a bountiful time of year to run, but ultimately, being able to run in each of the four seasons is a blessing. Mother Nature offers a variety of sensory input, including vibrant colors showing us new life in the spring, days featuring abundant hours of sunshine that come with summer, the nip in the air associated with fall, and the beauty of a fresh, white blanket of snow covering the earth’s surface during the winter months. 

For me, this year’s transition from winter to spring has not been the same as in years past. I was fortunate enough to enjoy the first few weeks of winter while running through the holidays this past December, but injury forced an early, extended intermission to my new running year as the calendar turned to 2025. I navigated the New Year, replacing my running hobby with a swimming routine. The initial realization of an extended running break was a tough pill to swallow, but soon I settled in. I had been able to run while enjoying the elements of early winter through December, and now I would avoid the not-so-pleasant frigid weeks of the season as I moved my workout regime inside. I still would rather be running but rationalized that if there were days to skip as a runner, it would be the ones in January and February with single-digit temperatures, bitter windchils, and surfaces covered with ice and snow. 

There were days when my heart still longed to run, but I managed to get through the bump in the road with swimming, helping to soften the blow of not running. Reality set in, however, as I drove to the gym on this second Monday in March to start my pool workout. I gazed at the sunshine glaring on the horizon to the west with my car window rolled down. I desperately wished I could run instead. I had weathered the storm these last few months, but now with signs of spring in the air, I missed running more than ever. 

A daily run is a blessing wherever it occurs. An appreciation can occur in our sport with the same route every day in a location with a consistent year-round daily climate. Sometimes, an hour out on the sidewalks through the hustle and bustle, meandering through the landscape of a big city can satisfy a runner’s hunger.  Long stretches of running along a lonely country road can also dish out a daily fix. Cicling a quarter-mile oval track for a speed session might seem mundane, but the sensory harmony between the mind, the soul, and the body still exists. A wooded trail, a hilly neighborhood, and a paved bike trail along a winding river all have the potential to soothe the runner’s soul. Running variety can also occur with solo running, group running, night running, and morning running. A treadmill, although not ideal, can also feed the running addiction. It doesn’t matter if one’s running routine is dictated by variety or if it looks the same every day; the benefits of running are there for the taking for all who partake. 

 The beauty and variety of the four seasons is one of many things that Mother Nature provides for runners.  She also shows us her creativity with differing breathtaking landforms spread out throughout the planet. The senses can be aroused in all regions of the world with mountain ranges, deserts, and rain forests offering elegance. One does not necessarily need to go much farther than their backyard to enjoy breathtaking scenery. Our home state is a destination for many, offering majestic sunsets on Lake Michigan and the allure of the jagged shore of Pictured Rocks. Running is always a great way to experience different landforms. As stunning as these geographic works of art are, the four seasons associated with the Midwest are perhaps Mother Nature’s greatest masterpieces.

Taking extended time off from my sport is always an unwanted option. It is sometimes easy to take the ability to run for granted. At the end of the day, any run is better than no run at all, whatever the elements of the run are. As much as I appreciate each and every mile, I feel extra blessed to enjoy running in the four seasons of the Midwest.  The dog days of summer and the frigid ice and snow of winter may become unpleasant with time, but the shift to a new season always seems to soothe the soul. Anytime away from running is difficult, and missing it during the transition from one season to the next adds an extra layer of frustration.

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.

Becky Gardner Story

 Wearing Many Hats

“The duties of a teacher are neither few nor small, but they elevate the mind and give energy to the character.”

—-Dorothea Dix

A career in education comes with outlined job duties. Differing roles among teachers come with specific responsibilities. Regardless of the expectations placed on teachers, there are often tasks taken on that don’t necessarily fall into the job description. Meeting the unique and many needs of the students and at times the families in our school community, involves tasks that don’t always directly align with teaching the core curriculum. Teaching students goes beyond basic academic skills, as we strive for growth in the whole child. In the past twenty-four years, Becky Gardner has demonstrated the concept of wearing multiple hats in her pursuit of supporting students, families, staff, and administration for Harper Creek Community Schools.

Becky was born and raised in Mid Michigan where she was involved in many activities as a child, prepping her for juggling multiple responsibilities simultaneously. She talks about her childhood. “I was born July 12, 1978 in Owosso, Michigan, as the oldest of three siblings.  My brother, Josh, was born in 1981, and my sister, Jenessa, was born in 1985.” Becky and her siblings were raised in Corunna, Michigan, where they lived in the same house their entire childhood. They attended Corunna Schools from Kindergarten all the way through graduation, as second generation students. “My parents, Randy and Darla Luft, also graduated from Corunna. Both are retired now. Dad worked for General Motors and Mom worked for Delta Dental.” 

Being immersed in sports would become an important component of Becky’s school experience with her participation in athletics in middle school and high school. This athletic foundation was established early on for the Luft siblings. “My family has always been very active,” Becky recalls. “Both Mom and Dad played recreational sports as adults. We spent much of our time as children at the softball field during the summers.” Organized activities helped to fuel a mentality of exercise for Becky and her siblings, but staying active went beyond sporting venues. “We enjoyed camping and outdoor activities growing up. Much of our time was spent riding bikes. I remember riding often to my grandparents’ house. The farmhouse we lived in was surrounded by fields. I enjoyed watching the area farmers bail hay during the summers and harvest crops in the fall. When I was little, I followed my dog Kelly into the cornfield behind our house. My parents called my grandparents and aunt to come help them sweep the cornfield. I don’t really remember it exactly, but they talk about it often and how terrifying it was because the corn was above my head and at the back of the field was a creak. I was just a toddler at the time.”

Spending time with extended family was an important part of Becky’s childhood. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins would gather together for not only the holidays but all year around. Becky reflects on a tradition that was established that carries on today. “My entire family on the Luft side worked on a Christmas tree farm and ran different tree lots throughout my childhood. This was a year-round job when I was little, shearing and painting the trees during the off season. My family owned land near Cadillac where we planted, grew, and harvested trees for many years. We would drive to Cadillac and cut trees in November, and haul them back to Corunna the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. The tradition continues today, though it’s a little different. My brother and parents both still run Christmas tree lots back home.”  Each year before the holiday madness begins, the Luft family enjoys a cherished family tradition.  “We all gather on Thanksgiving Day, eat dinner, and then the women make wreaths in the barn to take home for the holidays while the men shoot at clay targets out back. Then we spend Black Friday setting up the Christmas tree lots and selling wreaths and trees.” Even after moving away from Corunna, Becky has stayed involved with this holiday ritual. “Since graduating from high school, I have gone back to help every year during the holiday season. My husband Doug and my boys Carson and Cooper also help out each year. Thanksgiving weekend is always a busy weekend for us.” 

Becky was exposed to many things growing up in the Luft family. She thrived with this model and helped to shape how she approached life. Her upbringing paved her path for being a well-rounded student. She reflects on memories from school. “I rode the bus from our house in the country to school every day. The elementary building I attended, Louise Peacock, was a Kindergarten through fifth grade building. We also had two other neighboring elementary schools that fed into our school system. Corunna Middle School was a sixth through eighth grade building.” Corunna Public Schools had a small town feel to it with multiple generations of children making their way through from Kindergarten to twelfth grade. Some of Becky’s teachers had also taught her parents when they were youngsters. Becky was a well-behaved student and was not disciplined often, but she remembers well one occasion of being held in for recess for spelling her name wrong, an infraction which would not require staying in for in today’s schools. 

Being assigned jobs is common practice for students. Becky explains this process in her elementary school. “We were assigned different jobs in our cafeteria including serving food or washing dishes. We considered this a privilege and enjoyed it. My great aunt worked in the cafeteria so I was always excited to help out and spend time with her.” Other memories from elementary school for Becky include having three daily recesses and pairing up with book buddies with a first grade classroom when she was in fifth grade.

The transition from elementary school to middle school brought with it extra-curricular activities. Immersing herself in much of what her school had to offer sort of defined Becky’s secondary education experience. She talks about how she enjoyed participating in a variety of activities. “I was a cheerleader in middle school and participated in other sports, including volleyball and intramural softball. My interest in media started in middle school as a member of the yearbook committee.”

Becky hit her stride with extracurriculars as she transitioned from the middle school to the high school, where many more activities and opportunities were offered. “I played softball and volleyball my freshman year, but eventually I was participating in athletics year around. Corunna’s softball coach was also our school’s cross country coach, Becky explains. “He made a deal with me that if I went out for cross country, he would work with me on getting in extra batting practice.” Although running wasn’t her first love as an athlete, cross country would become the sport that she appreciated the most. Cross-country filled her schedule in the fall and softball in the spring, but she also was active in the winter. “I played volleyball for four years, three years on varsity.” Becky paints a picture of the importance of athletics in her high school career with some of he highlights and setbacks she was able to overcome. “I was selected as the Corunna Female athlete of the year my senior year, an honor that came with a scholarship and the opportunity to speak at the end of the year athletic banquet. I played softball for four years, three years on varsity, and my senior year was named Miss Softball for our team, an award voted on by the team. For my senior softball season, I was able to play every position with the exception of catcher and shortstop.” Injury was a part of the process for Becky as an athlete. “I broke my ankle during volleyball season my sophomore year, which put me out for the rest of the season. I broke the same ankle again the beginning of my senior volleyball season, but was able to come back near the end of the season. Becky took on the role of utility player for her softball team her senior year,  a baseball/softball term designated for a versatile player who is able to fill in wherever needed. The title of utility player fits her well now with all the roles she has filled in her tenure at Harper Creek. 

Sports played a major role in Becky’s development as a student and as a person. She explains. “Being involved in athletics was huge for part of my high school experience. Our volleyball team was a tight-knit bunch. We were able to break many records over the course of my four years. We qualified for regionals two years in a row, making it all the way to the regional finals one of those years.” Perhaps cross country was the sport she learned the most from. “I feel that the important part of cross country is that it is an environment in which everyone supports everyone else, including teammates and athletes from other schools. Cross country helped me form positive relationships and positive bonds, while  teaching me many lessons.” 

Sports made a huge impact on Becky’s life, but all extracurricular activities played a major role in the values she has folded into her life as a teacher, wife and mother. Becky talks about other activities she was involved in. “I was a part of the student council in high school and Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), an organization aimed at teaching children skills to help them learn how to resist peer pressure and lead productive drug and violence-free lives.” Becky also worked with Corunna High School News (CHS), which helped to foster her interest in the media. “CHS News was a school-based news platform that was broadcast live to the entire school each day. We would make announcements and share news stories. Another opportunity I was granted my senior year was being chosen to represent Corunna High School at Girls’ State, a leadership conference that focuses on government functions. This is a week-long conference that takes place each summer on the campus of Central Michigan University.” Becky also continued her work with the yearbook that she had started in middle school, joining the yearbook club in high school. Even with all the extended amount of time devoted to school activities, Becky was able to babysit her siblings, work part time at a local ice cream shop, and umpire little league baseball games.

The time that Becky spent working on the yearbook and broadcasting news daily with CHS piqued her interest in pursuing a career in the media industry. She gives details about post high school education. “I graduated from high school in 1996. As a high school student, I never went on a college visit. I applied to Michigan State University (MSU) because it was close to home and my uncle had played football there. I also applied to Central Michigan University, and Grand Valley State University. The time that I had spent in my broadcasting class made me begin to realize that I might want a career in journalism and perhaps be a news anchor.” Becky decided to enroll at MSU to pursue journalism. As a journalism student, English classes made up part of her schedule as a freshman. “I gained some experience working at a local news station my first year at MSU. I would go on assignment to interview people.  I soon realized that I didn’t like sticking a microphone in people’s faces. I wasn’t convinced that I still wanted a career in the media. I continued to pursue journalism but also began formulating a backup plan to also earn a teaching degree. With the English classes that I had taken, I thought that if journalism didn’t work out, I could teach English.” Becky graduated from MSU in 2000, earning a BS degree in journalism. She continued at MSU another year taking graduate level classes to add a teaching certificate and completing her student internship, teaching English and Newspaper at Williamston High School. 

Becky was ready to take on the world with her journalism degree and teaching certificate, and ultimately decided to pursue teaching as a career. “The climate of teaching was much different in 2000 than it is now,” Becky explains. “There were many more teachers than there were jobs available. I interviewed with Mike Ott, Harper Creek Middle School’s principal, in the summer of 2001, was hired, and started at Harper Creek in the fall of 2001. I was at the middle school for three years. I also coached track and volleyball while at the middle school and helped with Student Council.” 

A few years after joining Harper Creek, Becky would make the shift to the high school. “When the new high school opened, I was moved there to teach English and Year Book,” Becky recalls. “This was a difficult transition at first. I continued coaching sports at the middle school for a few years, and then in 2006 I started coaching volleyball and the pom team at the high school. I also taught a Newspaper class for a few years.” Becky continued as an English teacher for Harper Creek High School for nearly fifteen years before making another major change. “In 2015 I moved into a job as a Graduate Coach.” This entailed working with at-risk students who were struggling to stay on track to graduate. “As Grad Coach I worked closely with students on academics and social behaviors. I was an adult in the building they could go to for support in any area. I would describe it as the combination of a school counselor and special ed teacher, but not necessarily either one of those. There was a lot of overlap. Keeping in contact with parents and teachers regularly was a big part of my job as Grad Coach as well. My primary goal was for kids to earn their diploma, even if it was a non-traditional track or outside of Harper Creek.” With her interest in media, being an English teacher was a good fit for Becky. She talks about what ultimately led her to leave the English department, making the change to Graduate Coach. “Supporting kids and helping them to find success has always given me joy. This is one of the things that interested me in the Grad Coach job. I feel that a strength for me is helping kids at different places in their learning.”

Becky continued as a Graduate Coach for nine years, but with changing roles in this position, she decided to apply for something new, moving into a different position in 2024. “This year I transitioned to one of the high school’s MTSS Instructional Coaches, also known as (MTSS) Multiple Tiered Systems of Support Coordinator. My job duties are broad as MTSS Coordinator, helping out when and where needed to support students, staff, and administration. Some of what I do includes working closely with the administrators, helping with curriculum alignment, mentoring new teachers, and providing student and staff support where needed. I also am part of implementing building initiatives (like the new schedule), building testing, and being a part of our building's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) team, child study team, while also serving as the high school Homeless Liaison. Becky has also taken on other jobs while working for Harper Creek including coaching middle school cross country, working the table for home volleyball games, and being the PA announcer for middle school track, varsity track, and Girls On the Run.

Through all of the job changes that Becky has gone through at the high school, she has continued her role as Yearbook teacher, giving up that role this school year. I loved doing yearbook,”  Becky admits. “It’s rewarding to help students create something that will be looked at by many Harper Creekers for years to come. I worked very closely with our publishing company, and I enjoyed the yearbook family atmosphere, but in my new role as MTSS Instructional Coach, teaching yearbook would have taken too much time away from being able to support staff in other ways.”

Becky has filled her plate through the years as an educator, coach, and serving various extra-curricular leadership roles. Having a hand in so many aspects of our school district feeds into her goals. She explains. “As an educator, I enjoy new learning opportunities. In my current job I have a lot of learning to do. We are navigating this as we go. It’s kind of a fluid role. I am willing to help wherever needed.”

Becky’s parents and all of her siblings still live in Corunna. Sprouting out on her own a few hours down the road may have presented a bit of an adjustment, but she has laid down roots of her own in the Cereal City. She goes into more detail about this. “I met my husband Doug in 2003 through a mutual friend. We were engaged about a year later. and were married July of 2005. Cooper was born in July  2007, and Carson was born in May 2009. We are all pretty active as a family.” The Gardner family spends much of their free time outdoors. “The boys like outdoor activities. Doug and the boys like to hunt, ride mountain bikes, and ski. We used to go camping a lot when the boys were younger. Doug grew up on St. Mary’s Lake so we spend a lot of time at his mom’s house in the summer on the Lake. Doug owns a landscaping business and the boys work for him during the summer months.”  Now that Carson and Cooper are in high school, the focus of Rebecca and Doug’s extra time has shifted a bit. “Cooper has a passion for running. He runs nearly every day and has for several years. He runs both cross country and track, and hopes to continue running after high school. He has run the Cereal City Half Marathon the last two summers and competed at the State Cross Country Meet as a junior. Carson plays tennis and he will pole vault this spring in track. He also competes on the clay target team. Doug and I enjoy watching them compete as athletes.”

The history of public education tells us that schools are responsible for teaching our youth academic skills to prepare them for becoming independent, productive adults. To be effective in doing this, we must go beyond academics and nurture the development of our students in a whole child approach. Teachers learn to adapt. As changes occur in society, changes occur in what children are taught and how they learn. Education is a fluid process. The roles that we play as educators are continually being adjusted. Becky’s story is a reminder that educators must wear many hats to help our students succeed.