Runner Profile

Nicholas Odhiambo

Age:  50

Job:  IT Educator

Hometown:  Nairobi, Kenya

Running mantra:  Remember to run the tangents!

Starting with the obvious, I have shed many pounds over the years, thanks to running! The health benefits of running have been staggering, to say the least. Additionally, running has helped me refocus on the positive view of the world and everyone in it. As human beings, we are inclined towards doing the right things, like taking care of ourselves and those around us and tackling any challenges. Running has reinforced the view that nothing is impossible if I can break down any given challenge into small and manageable tasks. Just like breaking down a long run and tackling each mile and each tangent as they come! Through interactions with other runners and their experiences, running has enriched my life journey in more ways than I would have imagined.

For anyone who wants to take their running to the next level, RRC is a natural choice if you live around Rochester. When I moved here about 4 winters ago, I barely knew the trails. A chance meeting with a senior runner pointed me to the Saturday group runs (he informed me that he was part of the team that came up with the group runs, I forget his name, Roger?), and the rest is history! RRC is one resource that has reliably helped me up my game, and this is a testament to the right decision that I made to be a part of the team! I get to know which trails are accessible all seasons, and which ones may be closed because there is always a runner out there who will alert us if a particular route is closed. I get to know which races are coming up and when. I get to improve on my running skills through the group training sessions and accountability running partners. I get to learn a lot from the talented pool of runners in the club. RRC is one stop for all my running needs!

Team World Vision, through a local church in the Twin Cities, got me interested in running. The nonprofit organization aims to bring clean water to children in need all over the world, and running is one of the ways that the nonprofit uses to raise funds for water projects. Any time that I feel demotivated, thinking about a child out there without clean water is enough motivation for me to lace up my shoes! Part of my upbringing was in such an environment, and so it is personal to me because I did make seemingly endless trips to the rivers and lakes. It makes me feel like I am a part of the solution to the global water problem.

I mix it up a lot right now, depending on other daily tasks, and the trail conditions. I mostly get my first run early in the morning before the rest of the family wakes up, and sometimes I get a second run in the afternoon, the warmest time of the day! I have tripped a few times running in the dark, so I avoid this whenever I can!

Cascade Creek Trail is a cool stretch that is always accessible all year long. There are other trail users most of the time, and there is a good chance that I will see familiar faces. The view along the river is refreshing since it changes with the different seasons. More importantly, it is simply the best way for me to access my favorite loops: Cascade Lake loop and Silver Lake loop!

I always have my smartphone. When all other technologies fail during a run, my smartphone, which is smart, has a backup for all the vital runner stats! It also provides a communications channel with the rest of the world. This is especially important when I venture into new trails like the Golden Gate Bridge, Pacific Palisades, Mt. Baldy, or the Grand Canyon.

The major goal for me is to run a lot in the short term. I get to run, on average, six days a week, so I am at par with the short-term objective. My long-term plan is to Boston Qualify. This will require me to shed a minute off my current marathon pace.