Marathon effort

While many people are sleeping in on Sunday, others are running 32 kilometres straight.

They are long-distance runners training for the Woody’s RV World Marathon and Half-Marathon on May 18. Among those is Mike Znak and Gary Moe, the only runners to have competed in the event since it began 10 years ago.

Znak, 56, and Moe, 58, are passionate about Red Deer’s marathon and the sport itself.

Several times a week they train with dozens of other die-hard runners.

And on Sunday, despite losing an hour’s worth of sleep due to the time change, dozens of runners meet at the Collicutt Centre at 8 a.m. for another training clinic.

The runners are eight weeks into a 16-week training program.

Znak gives the group a motivational speech, one that stresses making long-term goals, mental toughness and physical commitment. Some of the participants will run in their first 18 km half-marathon or 42-km marathon.

His talk is upbeat.

As he shares later, he loves the sport. It shows in his smile, which never stops throughout the interview.

Znak always liked soccer and tennis. Then the sport of long-distance running grabbed a hold of him.

In 1997, he moved with his family to Red Deer.

“When I moved here, I noticed there was a beautiful trail system,” said Znak, construction manager for Alberta Transportation's Central Alberta region. “So I joined the running club.”

He now trains year-round. Sometimes it’s been an uphill battle, like when he injured his Achilles tendon.

He still ran the Victoria marathon and then underwent six months of physiotherapy, massage treatments and water running.

Znak later qualified for the Boston Marathon.

So far, his favourite marathon has been the New York City Marathon. He loved every step of the way on Nov. 4, 2004.

“The world comes together there,” he said. “There are 39,000 runners from 140 countries.”

Znak is also a great ambassador for Woody’s RV event of which he is co-chair. He said it’s one of the top races in Canada because it’s “not too big” in scale and still is challenging at the same time.

Znak is so proud of his Woody’s RV placings, he’s placed each of his nine medals on a board for everyone to see.

Moe is looking forward to placing another medal over his head soon.

After Sunday’s training run, he is tired and his face is beet red.

It’s been another personal triumph for the dedicated runner.

Before he leaves to have a shower, Moe talks of why he loves this arduous pastime.

“When you are 60, you are going to feel like 40,” he said. “It’s part of your health wellness.”

Moe likes hanging out with such a wide range of people. They include Bill Nielsen, a 67-year-old who will be running his 100th marathon in Red Deer. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2000, Nielsen is using this race to raise funds for Parkinson’s research.

For more information on the marathon, go online at www.reddeermarathon.org

Contact Laura Tester at ltester@reddeeradvocate.com