FROMONLINE | 2013-10-21

  • By Laurie Sidle
  • October 21, 2013
  • 371
                        
Bob Chittenden doesn’t let age slow him down. He just keeps running farther and faster. To mark his 70th birthday, the Wooster man entered 70 running events that involved distances of 4 miles, 5 miles, 3.1 miles (5K), 6.2 miles (10K), and 13.1 miles (half-marathon). Not only did he finish them all, he placed at top of his age group in each, often first or second. By the time he turns 71 in December, he will have upped his number of competitive runs to 75 and logged well more than 1,000 miles. His dedication to the sport has earned him a good share of ribbons, accolades, and occasional prizes, including a $100 gift certificate for running the most events in the Ohio Challenge Race Series, but that’s not why he runs. “It’s a way to relax,” said the retired construction worker, who also likes to build furniture in his woodworking shop. “When you run you’re one on one with God. It’s very, very peaceful.” Chittenden got interested in the sport 37 years ago when he started running alongside his son Jeff who was preparing for high school Cross Country. “A neighbor man asked me to run the Columbus marathon with him,” he said “and I’ve been hooked ever since.” In 1992, Chittenden finished the 26.2-mile Cleveland Marathon in 3 hours, 12 minutes and 13 seconds. He also qualified for the Boston Marathon, but broke his back in a construction accident and couldn’t run for more than two months. It was his second broken back injury in a construction accident. The other one also resulted in a fractured pelvis and elbow. “So I’m happy to be able to be running,” he said, adding he no longer trains for long-distance running. “When you run 20 milers ever week, it’s easy to get injured,” he said. “I’d rather run the rest of my life than get injured training for long distance.” Chittenden trains Monday through Thursday, choosing different routes to increase his endurance and speed. Those routes take him near his Heyl Road home and the Rails-to-Trails near Fredericksburg. During the winter months he trains at the Gault Recreation Center at Wooster High School. “I take Fridays off to rest for competition,” he said. Many times he runs two events per day and three per weekend. An early Sunday morning event allows him to get to Sunday School and worship service at Smithville Brethren Church, where his wife Judy volunteers with a food distribution program. Most of the runs are fund-raisers for good causes, Chittenden said. Entry fees range from $25 to $100 and often come with a T-shirt, though he normally runs bare-chested. That is until the weather turns cold, then he dons warmer gear and continues his quest for the finish line. He competes in runs on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and travels to Florida each January for the St. Beach Classic, an event that features a 5K, 10K, and 3.8-mile fun run on Saturday and a 13.1-mile run on Sunday. “It’s a tougher race,” he said, “because you run three times on Saturday and once on Sunday. It’s fun, but it’s a real challenge.” Until he turned 70, Chittenden had been competing in an average of 50 events a year, most within 50 to 60 miles of his home. This past summer, he was disappointed when his 5K time dropped to 26 minutes. He recently got it back to a more satisfying 24 minutes. He also ran a 10K in 51 minutes, 22 seconds. “I haven’t run that time for about 5 years,” he said. These are times that help him cross the finish line in front of some of his younger competitors. “I enjoy beating the young kids,” he said. “It make me feel young.” His training regimen is simple. No weight lifting or cross training, just running. “Bob is somewhat of a throwback to the early years of running,” Ohio Challenge Race Series Director Terry Lewis said. After Frank Shorter won the OIympic Marathon in 1972, interest in running began to grow. “In the early years, races were small – 100 was a lot for an event - but those that ran were very good runners. “Races today, are very large, average pace is drastically reduced, and runners, in many ways, are participants in an event,” Lewis said, “and not what us old-timers would call ‘real runners’ like Bob. “Bob is an example of someone who has continued to run, has maintained good health, and I am guessing it is as much the friendships and relationships with fellow runners as it is his enjoyment of running that keep him coming back,” Lewis said. “He is always upbeat, positive, and a pleasure to be around.” Chittenden said competitors are quick to encourage each other. He can’t imagine leaving the sport behind. “I’m going to keep running as long as I can,” he said “Just like any habit, I think it would be hard to quit.”


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