Runner or walker?
Runner

When did you join the club?
I was one of the founders of the club. I moved to Austin in 1995, and ran a few times with the Austin Frontrunners, but they only ran at 8:00 am on Sunday mornings, which was an inconvenient time for me. They did not run at any other time. During that time, I ran by myself after work during the week.

As an organizer for the Gay Games of 1998, which were held in Amsterdam, I met quite a few other runners. One of the Austin runners I met was Jon Hove. He and I decided to start our own running club, so in 1998 we founded Fast Track Running Club. We agreed to have a club that was a serious athletic club that would participate in local running events. Rich MacKinnon was also involved in setting up the club. Bill Sheldon, Chris Whitman, and Roger Myers were early members. Jon Hove moved away, and I became the sole organizer for Fast Track Running Club. The club did not have paid memberships, but our email list peaked at about 120 members around 2002. The club had substantial participation in local races, as well as social events. Picnics and party barge events became established as yearly events at this time. Fast Track held the first all-sports picnic, which was an attempt to bring together a variety of GLBT sports leagues in a social setting. Fast Track organized this event at Zilker Park for several years in a row. 

Membership began declining in 2003, as some key members moved away, and the lack of a training program resulted in some runners leaving Fast Track to train with other clubs. At the same time, I began to plan to make a major change in my career, and I had less time to focus on the club. In order to create more visibility, and to take advantage of greater name recognition, we changed our name to Capital City Front Runners.
 When Glenn Brown arrived, I passed the leadership position to him, and have served as treasurer since then.

Favorite race?
I have found that I really like relays, they develop a real sense of team spirit. I plan to participate in more relays in the future.

Favorite race distance?
10k

College alma mater?
University of Texas

Favorite club visited restaurant?
Whole Foods! I'm a Whole Foods kind of guy.

Favorite food?
I've gotten very partial to Thai Food. The restaurant Titaya on Burnet is a favorite.

Favorite non-running/walking activity?
I like spending time with my partner, Clay Little. He is a true gem. We both enjoy the outdoors, camping, hiking, talking walks together. I also like working out at Gold's Gym.

Reason you started running/walking?
Aerobic exercise is necessary for true physical health. As a child, I ran with my father now and then. He was one of the first runners I knew of, he began running around 1963. But I did not run regularly until I was in my mid thirties, when I realized that I needed to incorporate some type of aerobic exercise into my fitness routine to maintain cardiovascular health. I began running with the San Diego Frontrunners in 1988.

Why do you run/walk?
It makes my body feel vibrant. Running definitely improves my mood, and it has cardiovascular benefits. A complete fitness regime consists of aerobic training, weight training, stretching, and balancing. All of these are important.

Past positions within the club
Past President, current Treasurer

Hints for running or walking all year?
If you run consistently all year, you will become acclimated to the changes of seasons as they occur. Heat and cold bother you less if you run consistently in hot and cold weather. And as with any workout, consistency is key. Showing up is half the workout. Some people say they don't have enough time to work out, but in reality everyone has the same amount of time, 24 hours in each day. To work out regularly, your workout has to be a main priority, more important than watching TV or going to bars with friends.

Suggestions for staying injury-free?
Listen to your body. Be attuned to any discomfort or pain. Learn about anatomy, and how muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones attach and work together. Eat healthful, nutritious food, and drink plenty of water.

Favorite running/walking shoe?
I have started buying Mizunos, they feel perfect for me.