Riding Shot Gun

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

Riding Shotgun

“Coaching is like therapy for me… I get to escape the world I live in for a bit and help better the kids’ world, while they, in turn, make my world better.”

11/6/2014, 8:00 PM:  I turned left out of the parking lot of Wattles Park Elementary and pushed on one block in the direction of one of Battle Creek's main roadway arteries, Michigan Avenue. Normally, at this hour, Michigan Avenue is quiet, but a jack-knifed semi truck on nearby I-94 had shut down the freeway and detoured traffic down Michigan. The loud buzz of semi trucks crawling along in the darkness seemed rather out of place on this snowy evening.  Eight minutes later, the trailhead was within sight.  I made a left turn onto the path, rounded a corner, and almost instantly, the auditory stimulus coming from Michigan Avenue faded into a calm silence.  Although darkness greeted me, my eyes adjusted, and I could make out the edges of the trail ten yards in front of me.  The next two miles would require an ongoing motion of pivoting my head up and down, zooming in on the surface directly beneath my feet while also focusing on what lay ahead a few body lengths ahead. The tranquility of the moonlight in the woods, away from the city, gave little to no auditory input. My ears took in the steady breathing coming from my lungs and the feathery crunch of each footfall on the fresh blanket of snow.  Although the lack of visual stimulus required complete focus, a part of me felt as if I was locked into cruise control, with the only thing required was simply placing my right foot in front of my left foot and following this sequence over and over.  The calming effect was remarkable. 

Over the previous few months, I had come to know this trail like the back of my hand, but the conditions of this evening provided me a much different perspective for this, my home turf. On more than one occasion, I tuned in ahead on the trail to what appeared to be a white ball bobbing up and down mid-air. There seemed to be no explanation for this phenomenon, and I wondered if I was hallucinating.  A few minutes later, the source of the white bobbing ball was revealed. I could faintly make out the silhouette of a deer veering off the trail with its white tail creating the image of a white cotton ball bouncing while suspended in mid air.  

Running can provide the ultimate therapy session with the calmness and serenity from the connection created by the combination of the physical, mental, and emotional realms of human existence and nature’s elements. As peaceful as some runs are, a contrast exists. There are experiences in our sport that create the opposite effect, with thrills and excitement often associated with the runner’s high.

The buzz that running provides comes in multiple forms. Pushing through exhaustion to complete a speed interval workout can provide a jolt of electricity. Edging out a competitor or coming in ahead of the clock to set a PR will generate an undeniable rush. Overcoming muscle discomfort and fatigue to complete a milestone distance can dish out a dose of confidence to energize one’s weary body. Through my running journey, I have enjoyed many of these moments filled with electricity, helping to fuel my passion for running. As is common with many things in life, it can become all too easy to underappreciate these moments of excitement. The aging process has lessened the frequency of the thrills of our sport for me, but these moments still exist for me. 

For more than a decade of running, these periods of euphoria were always internally driven. Other runners inspired me, but it was not until 2014, when I was given the opportunity to help coach my daughter’s track and cross country teams, that I realized the thrill of running could extend well beyond my personal experiences as a runner.

In recent years, coaching has taken me from high school to junior college, but the rewards are similar at both levels. My years as a competitive runner and as a runner in general have helped me to understand and relate to the athletes I have coached, but their background of competing as a team in our sport is something that I have not experienced. I didn’t run as a part of a high school or college team, with my running journey beginning at the age of thirty.

Being a part of the individual and team growth and successes of young athletes as a coach has been as thrilling as many of my personal highs as a runner. It has provided the opportunity to be a part of a team. Enjoying the progress and prosperity of my athletes is always rewarding on an individual level. Enjoying this development and success as a collective group in many ways provides a higher level of reward. 

In essence, coaching is like riding shotgun. Coaches develop a blueprint and create a script.  Adjustments are made when roadblocks and unforeseen obstacles are encountered on the journey of a season. Coaches help to develop the physical elements of their athletes while teaching skills and mechanics. We strive to enhance the mental part of the sport by establishing a game plan and strategy, and steadying the emotional aspects of athletics as cheerleaders and motivators. An abundance of support is given, but ultimately, it is up to the athlete to follow through and perform as we sit in the passenger seat watching the script unfold. Running coaches influence the races but don’t run the miles.

Coaching can dish out the gamut of emotions from frustration to excitement and contentment. Rewards come from the inspiration that athletes provide, as athletes overcome adversity and frustration to find the joy of our sport. All of these experiences provide satisfaction for coaches with victories and a high level of competition frosting the cake. In my third year as an assistant community college coach, I continue to enjoy the intrinsic rewards associated with coaching. 

Each season begins with hopes and aspirations. Our cupboard is full this year in terms of talent and potential. With just a few weeks remaining, it’s exciting to think about what successes lie ahead for our final two races. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to have a seat on the ride of this special season. I hope our athletes cherish it as much as I do.

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

Kevin Rabineau Story

Just Another Runner’s Story                                                                                                                Kevin Rabineau                                                                                                                        Written by Gale Fischer        

Never Give Up On Running

  "Good things come to those who believe, better things come to those who are patient and the best things come to those who never give up."                                                                                                  

There are many ways in which running can provide for its participants. For some, competing at a high level can serve as a form of self-confidence that can spill into other areas of life. Others gain some of the most positive friendships they have ever had through running. Many latch on to the physical, mental, and emotional health benefits of running. Whatever one's motives for running, it can be easy to take for granted the opportunity to participate for weeks,  months, and years at a time without interruption. One of Battle Creek's most recognized runners, Kevin Rabineau, has been blessed as a runner for more than forty years, reaping the rewards that have come with it. He had been fortunate enough to run without an extended layoff for much of his lifetime. Thoughts of his passion being ripped away from him never entered his psyche. Not only did he identify himself as a runner but family members, friends, acquaintances, and colleagues have also labeled him as such for the last four decades. It's not that Kevin conveyed an attitude that nothing could take running away from him, but there was never a sense of urgency for him to savor every run as though it might be his last run. This would change however a few years ago. A medical diagnosis and an impending surgery quickly placed Kevin in a precarious position, one he had never experienced. In one brief conversation with his doctor, Kevin was knocked from a feeling of being invincible that had been deeply rooted into his soul for years, to a feeling of vulnerability. Not only was Kevin fearful of losing his go-to activity, but he also worried that the network of friendships he had created through running was at risk as well.

Kevin's journey into running began at the age of fifteen while sitting in front of his television watching Frank Shorter win the marathon at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.  "This is what hooked me. The next day I went and ran around our big block in Sault Ste. Marie." This big block was only a half mile and by the time Kevin finished this loop, he was out of breath and red in the face. Kevin would build his endurance with a slow methodical approach. "I kept doing this until it became comfortable and then I would run twice around." Kevin kept building from there,  increasing his endurance and speed as he went.

Although Kevin was inspired by watching Frank Shorter win gold in the Olympic Marathon, he would try a distance of greater length before honing in on twenty-six miles. "In 1976 a friend of mine and I ran from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Newberry, Michigan, a total of sixty-seven miles, as a fundraiser for Mulipel Scerosis. We had a support team in a pick-truck." 

Although racing a distance of 26.2 miles would seem like a no-brainer after completing sixty-plus miles, Kevin would wait another five years before competing at this coveted distance. "In 1981 I ran my first official marathon in Detroit, with a finishing time of two hours and forty-six minutes." Although the marathon distance had become popular at this time, the landscape of running was not what it is today. The number of runners for Kevin's first marathon in Detroit was south of two thousand. Not only were the numbers small but the competition was much more stiff back then. "In 1987 at the age of thirty  I ran a 2:43 at the Columbus marathon,  good enough for only a twelfth place finish in my age group."

 

Kevin ran his first Boston Marathon in 1998 with 6,758 registered runners, a far cry from today's standard with thousands of runners competing for one of 30,000 entries. Part of this growth in field size of the world's most historic marathon is due to the greater number of individuals running marathons today as compared to the 1980s but adding age-graded qualifying standards through the years has played a part as well.

Early on as a runner Kevin self-educated himself on the physiology and training methods of running by reading issues of Runner's World and Running Times from cover to cover. Access to information on running or any subject for that matter was not available on a computer screen or phone as it is today. Even with the time that Kevin devoted to reading about how to improve his craft, much of his growth as a runner came from trial and error. "In the first years of my running, I would run a little faster in every race that I ran because I learned from mistakes in each of these races. From 1983 to 1987 I was consistently running in the 16s for a 5K".  Kevin coached himself, learning from his successes and mistakes alike.

The landscape of running back in the 1970s and 1980s when Kevin was running some of his best times, looked different today not just in terms of the number of races, numbers of runners in these races, social connections of runners, and the availability of information related to the methodology of running. Options for running shoes and gear were limited thirty to forty years ago in comparison to today. "In 1972 when I started I was running in Converse All Stars because there were not many running shoes on the market. These made things very slippery while running in the UP in the dead of winter." Kevin would use a little creativity to try to solve this issue of traction on ice and snow-covered roads. "I found soccer shoes with studs to help with running in slippery conditions. Running shoes were becoming more varied and there were more options in the late 1970s.  At that time, however, you couldn't order shoes online. Buying running shoes and running gear was much different back then. I put in many miles in the UP in the winter with cotton clothing."

Like many competitive runners, the aging process can be hard to deal with. One realizes that the speed of young legs will decrease through the years but accepting this is not always easy. "When I was forty years old I still felt like I had some speed. I could run in the low 17s for a 5K. When I turned fifty I was happy to run in the low 18s, and sometimes I could run under 18. When I turned sixty I realized the 17s were gone."
Although slowing down has been an unavoidable process, the endurance has not faded. "Seeing speed decline has been difficult but I do feel that I can run as far now as I ever have. At a certain point, I realized I had to be satisfied with my ability to compete with others in my age group and to be the best I could be at any given time and not be competitive with younger people. Life is a marathon, not a sprint."

As Kevin began to experience success as a runner, his thirst for knowledge about how to perform at the highest level introduced him to a major transition in his life. He and his family packed up and moved from Michigan's Upper Peninsula to student housing in Mount Pleasant. "In 1984 my interest in running and exercise led me to Central Michigan University to obtain a degree in Exercise Science.  My wife Karen and I had been married for six years. We had two young children. We packed our bags and moved to Mount Pleasant. I finished my BA in 1985. I then got a position at CMU as a graduate assistant  in the health education department and continued  my education to get my Masters in Public Health."  Kevin spent the next thirty-three years working at the collegiate level as an administrator and coach. "I coached men's cross country at Lake Superior State in 1986 and 1987. Later I spent 12 years coaching cross country and five years coaching track at Olivet."

For forty-some years, running had been a huge part of Kevin's life. It had been his go-to activity, giving him a sense of belonging to a community of those who shared his passion. It gave him success and confidence as an athlete. His healthy disposition came because of running. Running even helped to shape his career in the area of exercise physiology. He had dealt with minor issues through the years but had never gone for more than a month without running. Kevin's resolve and identity as a runner would be shaken late in 2016. "I had been feeling some low back pain in late 2016. My medical doctor started doing adjustments and spinal manipulations. After every adjustment, it would feel better."

Kevin's back pain would take on a new level later that autumn. "In the fall of 2016, I took a fall while running, breaking a rib on my right side and landing hard on my hip. I feel that this was the final straw for my back. After this I started having burning in my leg that went down to my foot while running. I was also having some hamstring pain and lower back pain."

The new symptoms that Kevin was experiencing were too much to ignore. "I went back to my doctor. He prescribed an Electromyogram thinking that there was a nerve issue. I started having enough pain that it was hard to walk. My left foot kept dropping when I walked."

Kevin's pain became so intense that he could not walk.  "One night I had serious enough pain that I could not walk. I had to crawl to the car and my wife, Karen, took me to the hospital." An MRI was scheduled immediately and after looking at it his doctor wanted to meet with Kevin as soon as possible. "When I walked in the room he had a look of shock on his face. When he showed me the digital view of my lower back it looked like a log house had fallen".

The MRI showed that Kevin's L5 had collapsed onto his sacrum. The disk between the L5 and sacrum had been destroyed. "My doctor was amazed that I was still able to stand. He told me that I needed surgery and initially, I wanted to deny it. I found a surgeon at Bronson Kalamazoo, recommended by my doctor.  He had trained at the Mayo Clinic. He had worked on athletes. He had performed this procedure hundreds of times. When I met with the surgeon I was told that I needed spinal fusion. Immediately I thought my running days were gone."

The success that Kevin had gained as a runner over the years had always made him feel as though he could handle anything that was thrown his way. This feeling of invincibility would quickly change to vulnerability. "I remember praying, Jesus give me three miles a day three days a week so I don't go insane."

Kevin's future as a runner was not guaranteed, but it was not as bleak as he had initially thought. "The orthopedic doctor interviewed me before the procedure. He said that there was a possibility that I could run again, but it depended on what he saw when we went in and what my recovery was like."

Kevin's surgeon did not want to close the door on running for Kevin but he wanted him to live without pain as well. "He asked me what I wanted out of the surgery. I told him that I just wanted to be healthy. I wanted to run again even if it meant my racing days were over. I told him that I was not going to do what he recommended I not do."

Although the door to running was not shut tight, it was not wide open either. "This was a scary proposition. Over three-quarters of my life had been as a runner. I realized that this might end but could accept it if I had to."

Surgery had gone well and Kevin realized that the waiting game had now begun. He had to remain patient. "At three months post-surgery, I had to have an image of my back done and again at six months. At three months my surgeon said that I was at least a month ahead of schedule."

Like a child asking for the coveted birthday gift, Kevin desperately wanted to ask the question that he had longed for an answer to, but he would wait, afraid of what the answer might be.  "At this time I wanted to ask if I would be able to run but I was scared to ask."

Kevin had been keeping in shape while following the doctor's orders and for now, this worked for him. ''In talking to my physician before surgery I realized I needed to follow his orders during recovery in order to get back to the sport I loved. My sports medicine background helped me with this."

Kevin had never imagined being in this situation but here he was. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would have to take six months off from running. My recovery was focused one day at a time and what I needed to do to get back to running.  I had dealt with fractured ribs, broken toes, hernia surgery, and heart arrhythmia but had not been off running for more than a month."

Kevin steadily fell into his new routine, making the best of his situation. "I had been keeping fit by walking and using the elliptical and felt this was good enough for now. When I was first cleared to start walking and using the elliptical,  I went twelve minutes on the elliptical. I was exhausted but would add three minutes each day. Once I was up to an hour I began increasing the resistance."

 Kevin's new routine was not as satisfying as running, but it was filling the void. "It wasn't the same as running but I was motivated because I was making progress.  A turning point for me occurred two months into recovery. I volunteered at the Battle Creek Half Marathon. I initially thought this would be difficult. All my running acquaintances were asking how I was doing without asking if I would run again. It was very gratifying.  It was so inspiring to watch everyone out there running. It was very spiritual and empowering to be around all of these positive people."

Kevin was happy to be back in the running community and he knew his time to be an active member would soon come. "At my six-month appointment, my surgeon and I were looking at the pictures of my spine on the screen. He said that this looks great. I had to ask him if he thought I would be able to run again at all. He looked at me with a puzzled look and said sure you can go out and do what you did before. Do what you're comfortable with. Your body will tell you when you are doing what you shouldn't do."

It was as if Kevin had been reunited with a long-lost friend. "I came home and was as nervous as I had been for any race. I started running from my house with little choppy old man strides probably going slower than I could speed walk but it felt great. My muscles were obviously sore because I had not run in over six months. After a few weeks of running, I was finally able to open my stride a little bit. I have gradually built up and have continued to increase distance and pace."

Kevin has learned to adjust his approach to running after going through back surgery and recovery.  "I must admit that before my surgery I was fearless as a runner but now I am more sensible about my approach to many things. Now I am thinking more about longevity as a runner and in being active."

Initially, Kevin just enjoyed running for what it was, but as his body adjusted to the pounding again he began to think about new goals. He recently achieved one of those goals, running the 2018 Battle Creek Half Marathon with a finishing time of 1:42, crossing the finish line as the thirteenth overall runner. He accomplished this on a record hot day with the heat index approaching one hundred degrees by the end of the race. Not bad for a sixty-one-year-old coming off a back fusion surgery.

Kevin's story is one of celebration and gratitude after being stuck in a period of uncertainty. Kevin, I'm sure, feels grateful that through patience and persistence on his part along with the grace of God and the healing hands of a gifted surgeon, he is able to enjoy his passion of running again. The local running community is lucky as well to once again be blessed with Kevin's expertise and infectious positive spirit. Kevin's story can show us that in a sense we are all vulnerable but at the same time we should not give up on what we are passionate about without a fight. When faced with a looming injury that looks as if it might end your running, educate yourself, work with a surgeon who has the same goals for you that you have for yourself and most importantly never give up on running until you explore every possible option to keep you in the game.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica Tuomela Story

Just Another Runner’s Story                                                                                                                June 2015                                                                                                                                                Jessica Tuomela                                                                                                                                    Written by Gale Fischer

 

Not Taking Anything For Granted

 

“Remember that guy who gave up? Neither does anyone else.”

---Unknown

 

As independent adults, we go about our day to day routines without really any  thought of how fortunate we are.  There are those nuances of our day that are dependent on others.  Our morning coffee is ready for us because of the person who serves it to us each morning as we go through the McDonald's drive through.  Our commute to work goes without a hitch most mornings because of those workers who maintain our roads.  Still there are many tasks that we can perform each day without the assistance of others.  As runners we perform our daily workout as our schedule dictates without relying on others to assist us.  We do this every day without a sense of gratitude for the independence that we possess. This month's featured runner, Jessica Tuomela, is able to enjoy running much the same we the rest of us, but her ability to do this depends on others.  Jessica is blind and to be able to enjoy our sport away from a treadmill, she must match her schedule with her running guide.

 

Jessica's initiation to running is different than what many of us have experienced.  " I took up running in 2012, but my training was very inconsistent. Finding guide runners (people to run outside with me and act as my eyes) proved very difficult. I gave up after a year of struggling to find guides and running on the treadmill. It got to be really boring. Then, in January of this year (2015) I purchased my own, very basic treadmill, and started running again. I told myself that if I started training I would find the guides I needed to complete the Kalamazoo half marathon in May. You know that whole adage, “if you build it, they will come?”

 

Although Jessica's experiences as a runner may differ in some ways than those of runners who are not visually impaired, she enjoys many of the same aspects of our sport as the rest of us. " There are a few things that I like about running. I love to physically challenge myself and to set goals. In running you can do both. I used to be a swimmer and absolutely hated running. I thought that setting a goal of running a half marathon would be one of the greatest challenges I had tried. Now, I really enjoy it. I also like running with other people. Running can certainly be an individual sport, but you can also choose to make it more interactive. Swimming is definitely individual: you stick your head in the water and you may get some companionship when you start another lap. In running, you can be social the whole run if you choose to be. It was that social support that got me through the last mile of the half marathon."

 

Jessica's reliance on her guide runner is what she likes the least about running.  It's not that she doesn't appreciate the support of her guide but she is not afforded the same opportunity to run outside whenever she wishes to . " I hate that as a totally blind person I have to train on a treadmill if I don’t have others to guide me. It gets boring and when it’s gorgeous outside, I want to be out in the fresh air; not running on the treadmill."

 

Jessica's biggest running mentor comes from the community of Paralympic athletes. " There is a Canadian Paralympic long distance runner named Jason Dunkerley. He is a dear friend of mine and my mentor. He patiently answers all of my silly beginner questions and tries to help me from afar with workouts. He has medaled in every Paralympic Games since 2000 and he is going to be trying to qualify for the 2016 Paralympics Games. At one competition, another runner stepped on his achilles, pulling his shoe off. He ran the rest of the race with only one shoe and won. He’s truly an amazing athlete."

 

Jessica finds inspiration from all runners.  " I find inspiration in every athlete, regardless of skill level, that I come into contact with. The people who run two marathons back to back; the 74 year old man who ran his first half marathon; the stay at home mom who ran the 5 K just to try to get back into good health. Everyone has a story and they are all inspirational."

 

Jessica's most memorable event as a runner occurred just recently.  " Since I just started, my first half marathon certainly  is my memorable moment.  There were so many little moments throughout that whole race that I could probably write a book. One moment I remember that still makes me double over in laughter was when we stopped at our first water station. I finished drinking and asked what to do with the cup. My guides told me to throw it on the ground. I said I couldn’t because that would be littering. They told me that it gets cleaned up and that I’d get used to it. Reluctantly, I threw the cup and one of my guides exclaimed just as it left my fingers, "You hit a little kid in the face!” I didn’t of course. He was teasing me because I’m completely blind. I nearly stopped running because I was laughing so hard. I knew from that moment on that the half marathon was going to be incredible; and it was."

 

Jessica's goals as a runner are similar to the goals of many individuals new to the sport as they involve increasing both pace and distance.  This is a bit more challenging for her than most with her quest in finding guides to run her pace and distance.  " Short-term goals include me continuing to  train. I’d like to find more guides so that I can run outside more than inside. Even if I find 10 people willing to guide me once a month, that is 10 more times I don’t have to run on the treadmill. I’d also like to get faster and that won’t happen unless I can get outside to train. I’d also like to run another half marathon before the snow flies. As for a long-term goal: I’d like to go out to California in December of 2016 and run in the blind and visually impaired marathon nationals. I technically qualified this year, but I don’t think I’m ready for a whole marathon just yet."  

 

For an individual with a visual impairment the desire to go for a run must be a little more intense than it would be for the average runner.  Unless you want to spend hours alone with the treadmill, you must be proactive, making connections with others to serve as your guide.  Until recent years, word of mouth has been the most common way of guide runners hooking up with visually impaired runners, but social media has made things a bit easier.  "Finding guide runners is a bit tricky. Social media has really helped
with that. otherwise it's mostly word of mouth or just being out there and running into people who ask questions and get interested. Some of the things that have been most helpful are websites like United in Stride, Running Eyes (a Facebook group), and a program called Team Red, White and Blue that is designed to help retired military members acclimatize to civilian life. Dare2Tri is another organization that tries to match athletes with guides, along with a number of other things.  It hasn't been, and still isn't, easy to find guides. Currently, I have one guide that I have just started running with once a week and another that I run with once every two weeks or so. The idea is to have a pool of guide runners so that the commitment does not fall on to one person and I will be able to get outside more often. Training for the half marathon on my treadmill got pretty boring after a while."

 

What many of us enjoy most about running is the sensory stimulation of being outdoors.  Jessica enjoys this as well but obviously in a different way. "Most of the sensory stuff I experience has to do with hearing, but that isn't the case for every runner with a visual disability. Often, I listen to my guide's feet to keep in rhythm with them. I can hear terrain changes, such as running over gravel or crunchy leafs. Sometimes if we pass by something that is stationary and makes noise, the crowd for example at the half marathon, I can gauge how fast we're moving. I feel when we move from shade to sun, or closed in spots to more open, by how windy it gets, but that stuff relies on whether or not it's sunny or windy that day. I prefer to run where it's quiet for a number of reasons. It makes it easier to hear my guide's feet. I also find running outside in more tranquil  places, like trails, to be relaxing. I think most runners like peaceful settings though. However, there is value in running in high traffic areas because it's important
to practice in race conditions."

 

Jessica's example goes to show that for many things that any of us have a desire to do in life, we sometimes must rely on others.  Although this dependence makes many things possible nothing is just given to us without some effort.  We must be diligent to go after even the simple things in life.  Jessica could not enjoy running outdoors without someone there to guide her, but she must show an attitude of resilience in her attempt to find guide runners.  If she gave up with every closed door she would still be running in place on the treadmill every day.

 

If you are interested in being a guide runner contact Jessica at tuomela.j@gmail.com or go to the United in Stride website.

 

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

High Maintenence

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

High Maintenence

“If you see me collapse, pause my Garmin.”

Running at its roots is a simple sport. It doesn’t require a great deal of athletic ability, and almost anyone can enjoy its benefits. There are professional runners among us, fast runners, slow runners, runners who run double-digit runs, logging more than fifty miles a week, and runners who run two or three miles at a time a few times a week. Whatever type of runner you are, we all share its most basic element of moving forward one stride at a time. At its most primitive level, all one needs to run is a pair of shorts, a shirt, socks, and shoes. You don’t need a gym membership. You can run almost anywhere at any time of the day. 

When I began my running journey twenty-seven years ago, I went out for a slow four-mile run on a brisk October afternoon, wearing a cotton sweatshirt, cotton sweatpants, a pair of flat-bottom sneakers, and no watch on my wrist. Like my pace, my choice of clothing was not flashy. I had decided not to invest any money in my new hobby until I was certain I would stick with it. I continued my simple approach to running for the next four weeks, then decided it was time to make my first purchase for my new routine. I went to Duhnam’s and bought a pair of shoes. Although this first pair was not top of the line, they were designed for running, unlike the shoes I had been logging my miles in the previous month.

Running was beginning to rub off on me, and I continued with my simple approach to the sport, training for a half-marathon, which I completed six months later.

During this initial winter of running, I mapped out a four-mile loop around my house, marking each mile using the odometer on my pickup truck, and logging the bulk of my mileage on this route. Upon completion of this half-marathon, I decided I was ready to commit to the training required for a marathon. Although I remained simple with my approach, I decided it was time to up the level of complexity slightly by purchasing a basic sports wrist watch, allowing me to monitor my pacing for each mile of my training runs. 

Completing my first marathon brought with it a high that I could have never predicted. I was hooked, and my curiosity for running turned into a passion. Through the years, the level of simplicity in my approach to running began to increase. Basic cotton running attire was no longer acceptable. Technical clothing was gaining in popularity and becoming a fashion trend in not only running, but also in most athletic activities, and more importantly, it made running physically more comfortable. My running wardrobe was becoming more complex with socks, underwear, shorts, shirts, pants, and hats made with moisture-wicking material taking up space in my dresser drawers and bedroom closet.

Electronic technology also began to increase the complexity of our sport, as races moved to chip timing. Some runners began running with smart watches with GPS technology to track mileage on the go. Now the majority of runners utilize GPS technology to track mileage, record pace, monitor heart rate, and analyze a variety of statistics for each workout. When a workout is saved on a watch, all of the statistics can instantly be downloaded to a multitude of running apps on one’s smartphone. 

As the first few years of my running journey began to unfold, I continued to appreciate the basic elements of my sport, but also started to embrace the complex components that were becoming part of the running community. Eventually, my routine evolved into fifty to sixty miles a week, consisting of six days of running. Running satisfied my physical need to exercise and offered mental and emotional harmony. I had never considered the need for any other form of exercise, including stretching, strength training, or any form of cross-training. 

Running gave me happiness, confidence, and balance. I experienced my first major injury in 2012, fourteen years into my running journey. In the years since, I have adapted my approach to the sport. A conversation I had with local runner, Dave Proulx, a few weeks ago summed it up best. Injury had forced Dave to take some time off from the sport. For his return, he has incorporated a variety of other activities. He commented, “Running involves much more than running.” This statement rings true for me. I imagine that anyone who wants to run longer distances for many years, cross-training is advised. 

Injury for the last thirteen years for me has turned running into much more than moving forward one stride at a time. Maintaining my running routine has involved surgeries, physical therapy, chiropractic care, and massage therapy. A gym membership has become a requirement with the addition of spin bike sessions, laps in the pool, and strength training becoming part of my weekly routine. I have also implemented activities at home each week, including stretching, muscle balance exercises, and ice baths. All of these alternative activities help to keep me running healthy, while providing exercise options when time away from the sport is required. Through the years, I have always taken running with me when we travel. Packing for running when traveling has become a bit more complex over the years. A yoga ball, foam roller, dumbbells, and massage gun are examples of items that might accompany my wife and me when traveling. My wife has told me that I am high maintenance.

After almost three decades of running, staying in the game has become much more complex than when I set out for my first run back in October of 1998. What I do to enjoy my sport today may make me high maintenance, but whatever the level of complexity that my running routine has risen to, I still enjoy the simplistic components of my sport. 

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

Nathan Klein Story

 A Different Kind of Fast Food

Battle Creek resident Nathan Klein has made a name for himself in an obscure type of contest, finding success in the last seven years competing in food-eating competitions and challenges. Nathan, a Project Manager for Michigan CAT, lives in Emmett Township with his wife, Melissa, and their two children, Patrick and Grace. 

Nathan’s interest in joining the ranks as a food-eating competitor began more than twenty years ago. “I regularly watched the TV show Man versus Food back in the late 2000s,” Nathan explains. “The host of this show, Adam Richman, would travel the country searching for restaurants with some of America’s best-tasting foods and ultimate eating challenges.” This sparked Nathan’s curiosity. 

 A food competition consists of multiple participants competing to see who can consume the most of a specific food in a designated amount of time. A food challenge is put on by a restaurant or food vendor to challenge either individuals or a team to consume a specified amount of a food item in a specified amount of time. Nathan has competed in three hundred fifty food challenges and twenty food contests.

Nathan competed in his first food contest in 2018, hosted by Battle Creek’s Fox’s Pizza Den. The challenge, which Fox’s Pizza still offers today, consists of a two-person team eating a thirty-inch, four-topping pizza. To win the challenge, a team must devour the pizza in fifty-two minutes or less. Winners of this challenge are awarded one large pizza monthly for a year for each team member. “My brother-in-law, Tyler Lewis, and I teamed up for my first challenge at Fox’s Pizza, Nathan recalled. “We missed the fifty-two-minute cutoff with four pieces remaining.” With this being Nathan’s first attempt consuming a large amount of food in a short period of time, his body had not yet adjusted. “I felt awful physically after the first challenge and couldn’t eat anything for twenty-four hours,” Nathan said. In a last-ditch effort to prepare for this initial contest, Nathan went online to research what to do. He prepped his body, eating grapes and watermelon the day before. 

Eventually, Nathan would pick up steam and enter beast mode as a food-eating contestant, but it would not happen immediately. He talked about the timetable for his next contest. “After the first challenge, I kind of forgot about it for a while. About seven months later, my wife Melissa saw a post on Facebook for an eating contest hosted by Sweetwaters Donut Mill out of Kalamazoo.”  Melissa did a little nudging and convinced Nathan to enter Sweetwater’s competition, which consisted of ten participants. The participant who consumed a dozen donuts first or ate the most in twelve minutes would be the winner. Nathan prepared for this contest by simulating it as closely as possible. A few days prior, he brought home a dozen donuts from Sweetwaters to see how many he could eat in ten minutes, finishing off eight donuts. Nathan finished as runner-up, missing out on first place by just a few bites. 

Nathan was bummed in losing his first two contests. He sought redemption. A week after the Sweetwater competition, he attempted the hamburger eating challenge put on by McGonigles in Battle Creek, tasting success for the first time. This challenge consisted of eating a three-pound hamburger, including a bun, all the fixings, and an order of fries, in under an hour. He shattered the time limit, consuming everything in twenty-eight minutes. 

Completing McGonigle’s challenge lit a fire in Nathan. “Melissa and I started researching food challenges in the immediate area,” Nathan explained. “ I started going to restaurants to compete weekly.” Melissa and the kids joined Nathan on these excursions, serving as his cheering squad. Melissa would live stream many of the challenges. Nathan started getting a following. This led to him making YouTube videos. In 2019, he started his own YouTube channel and began traveling further to compete in challenges and competitions.

Nathan was racking up victory after victory and becoming more than a casual competitor. “I made a goal to win a challenge in every state in 2021, which I achieved three years later in February of 2024,” Nathan stated. “I have also won a challenge in Ontario.”

Pursuing his fifty-state goal required support at home. For many of these challenges, he traveled alone, and Melissa stayed at home to hold down the fort. Nathan would do an online search for challenges in each state and go to these destinations for a quick weekend. He also doubled up for many as he checked off cities for another goal. “I am a die-hard Detroit Lions fan and have been a season ticket holder since 2017,”  Nathan explained. “I have another goal of seeing the Lions play in every NFL stadium, so I have done a few food challenges for Lion’s travel weekends. So far, I have checked off ten stadiums.”

To date, Nathan has won three hundred and forty-six challenges, losing in only seven. One hundred and seventy-five of those wins have come in his home state, claiming the most victories in Michigan as well as the most victories for any individual in one state. Competitive eating is not a high-stakes money-making sport. Nathan gave details about his prize winnings. “The biggest cash prize I have won is  $685. I have won roughly $5000 altogether from challenges and contests. Other winnings include shirts, hats, gift cards,  free food, and knick-knacks.” Nathan has also earned some money from his YouTube following. The bulk of Nathan’s wins came between 2019 and 2023, in which he was commonly participating in a challenge each week. He still competes now, but not nearly as often.

Klein competed in the world’s most famous food challenge, the Seventy-Two Ounce Big Texan Steak Challenge in Amarillo, Texas, inhaling the steak in just under thirty minutes, well within the hour cut-off time. Klein offered details about some of his most cherished challenges. “My most delicious challenge was a chicken fried steak challenge at Kendall’s Restaurant in Noble, Oklahoma, which included chicken fried steak, gravy, mashed potatoes, salad, green beans, and a cinnamon roll.”  Klein finished this challenge in 15 minutes, well within the hour cut-off time. ”I have done about 25 ice cream eating challenges, including one in which I teamed up with my daughter Grace. Fortunately, I don’t get brain freeze.”  His most memorable challenge was one of the ice cream challenges. He offered details about this challenge. “Several years ago, I traveled to Channing, Michigan, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to compete in an ice cream challenge hosted by Midtown Bait and Tackle. I had contacted the owners ahead of time to let them know that I was coming. Little did I know they had announced to the entire town about when I would be there. This little town in the middle of nowhere had a ton of residents come out to watch me. It was a nice surprise.”  Other notable challenges that Klein mentioned are those in his hometown, including Fox’s Pizza, McGonigles, and Arlene’s Truckstop.

Although each challenge is unique, there are common characteristics and strategies. “For competitions, I typically focus on myself and ignore the other participants. For challenges, I focus on my timer to let me know how I stand. Beverages are allowed to wash down food at challenges, with soda or water being my go-to. I have choked on food for a few of the contests, which is always unpleasant, but fortunately, there was never a life-threatening situation.”

At this point in his journey as a competitive food eater, Nathan has scaled back. His current goal is to complete the remaining twenty challenges in Michigan that he has not checked off yet for 2025.

 

Physically, Nathon does not look like someone who consumes large calories in one sitting. He has implemented a workout routine since he started competing. He stands five foot nine inches and weighs one hundred eighty pounds. 

Nathan’s wife and kids make up his favorite fan club. His daughter Grace shared the following. “I like it because sometimes it makes me hungry after watching.” 

Patrick stated, “It’s interesting how Dad can win so much cool stuff.”

Melissa shared how she feels about Nathan’s achievements. “I get a sense of pride that I can say I am married to someone that set his mind on a goal and accomplished it.” Melissa’s words are a great synopsis of Nathan’s accomplishments. As unique as his goals are, focus and drive have been a been a key to his success, as is common in reaching any goal, with many memories made along the way.