Welcome to another installment of the Oregon Brewery Running Series Podcast; Inspiring Oregonians to Get Active, Have Fun, and Give Back. We host family-friendly, 5K fun runs that start and end at some of Oregon’s best breweries.
In today’s show, I have the privilege of talking with Steve Wright, the President of The Oregon Road Runners Club. You’ll get to learn about what they are doing for running and the broader community, but also a bit about Steve; how this 73-year-old marathoner keeps fit and leans on running to endure whatever life throws at him.
We also have two unique promo codes. Use ORRC5 when you register and save $5 off any run this year. If you’d like to run for free – you have to listen to the whole episode!
About Steve
When we recorded this, at the end of 2017, Steve was 73 years old. I would have maybe guessed 60 because, for an older gentleman, he’s super fit! Of course, he credits that to running. He told me that,
“running has kept me on the straight and narrow. It has taught me that. I need to get enough sleep. I need to eat the right foods. I can’t abuse myself in any way shape or form by doing something that’s really kind of stupid.”
But that wasn’t always the case. Steve started running when he was 39 years old (which happens to be precisely how old I am now) and took up running because, well, he was putting on a little weight.
“took a look at myself in the mirror one day and I thought to myself my waistline is expanding…”
As a nearly 40-year-old, he started running. At first, it was difficult. He could barely make it around the Grant High School track once without walking. But it got more natural, and soon he ran a marathon and hasn’t stopped since. At his peak, Steve’s goal was always to be fit enough to run a marathon whenever he pleased. It takes A LOT of work to do that – every week his long run included a 20 miler, and who knows how many other miles. However, it’s the people in the community, his running buddies, that have sustained him through life.
In this episode, you’ll also get to hear about the profound ways running has carried Steve through some pretty stressful life situations.
About The Oregon Road Runners Club
The Oregon Road Runners Club, or ORRC, was founded in Seaside, Oregon in 1970. Their mission is to promote running, walking, and competitive events for fitness, fun, safety, health, and quality of life. With approximately 1,000 members, of which I am proudly one, they are the largest running club on the West coast and among the top ten largest running clubs that are members of the national Road Runners Club of America.
ORRC hosts about 15 races every year, but on Tuesday nights they host a training group at a local track on the west side of Portland. It’s open to anyone, and you don’t have to be a member of ORRC to join. There’s a link in the show notes if you’d like to check it out. They do a group workout with about 40 to 50 people of all ability levels, and then hang out together.
They also donate about $30k a year in grants and other monies through their community outreach program. These funds go to groups who promote running and healthy lifestyles in elementary schools, high schools, or non-profit organizations.
ABOUT US
The Oregon Brewery Running Series is about inspiring Oregonians to Get Active, Have Fun, and Give Back. We host family-friendly, 5K fun runs that start and end at some of Oregon’s best breweries. Register for our next run here! Our theme music, the Oregon Song, is written and performed by James Hoffman.
