Name: Charlie Buttrey

Town: Thetford, VT

Where are you from originally and what brought you to this area?

I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan and moved to the Upper Valley right after I graduated from college in 1981 to be with my girlfriend, who was at Dartmouth. The plan was to spend a year or two here and then go to Michigan Law School, but Michigan didn’t accept me (the bastards), and the only other school I applied to was Vermont Law School. The girlfriend thing crashed and burned, too, but I have been in Thetford my entire adult life.

While I am not technically a native, it should be noted that both my children were born at Hitchcock, as was their mother, as was HER mother.

What do you do professionally? I practice law with a small firm in Lebanon, doing trial work (chiefly personal injury and criminal defense).

How long have you been running? I ran a bit in my teens, but didn’t start taking it seriously until I was in my mid-20’s. Every runner knows that we are born with a finite number of miles in us, and I am fortunate not to have used up a lot of them in my youth.

How long have you been running competitively? I started running competitively almost immediately. As much as I love running, it is very hard for me to get out the door if I am not focused on preparing for a race, as opposed to just running for the joy of running.

Why do you run? Some people meditate, some do yoga. I run. It helps me maintain my psychological and emotional equilibrium.

Recent memorable moment while running? In January, I ran the Masters Mile at the Dartmouth Relays in 5:48, which earned me an age-grading of 80%, which was the first time I’d ever achieved that figure in a race of any kind.

Best athletic accomplishment and why? I hold a college record that will never be broken. I was the placekicker for the Princeton Sprint football team (which is like the real deal, only players have to weigh in prior to the game, and cannot be heavier than 172 pounds). I set the team record for field goals in a game (three, all in the first half, against Rutgers), and a few years ago, Princeton eliminated sprint football. So that record will last forever.

If you like to race, what is your favorite race distance? Why? I liked that the indoor mile allows you to get a sense of your pace at very short, regular intervals, so there’s something to be said for that. On the other hand, it’s indoors. I’m guessing the 5-miler would probably be at the top of the list; long enough to hurt, but not so long that you spend the rest of the day recovering.

If you like to race, notable race moment or most memorable race? I’ve run Mount Washington twice, and seeing the line of humanity stretching out in front of me as far as the eye can see on the switchbacks is a memorable sight. As is seeing the CITGO sign at the tail end of the Boston Marathon. They say that when you see that sign, you’re a mile from the finish line. They lie.

Training partners? David Aman and Tim Smith and I have traditionally trained together for the Masters Mile until one, two or all three us get injured. Other than that, 95% of the time I train by myself. I tend to live a pretty social existence both professionally and personally; in contrast, running is my Me Time.
Cross training activities? My main cross-training is the Expresso Bike, which is an exercise bike with dozens of different courses (many of which can be quite painful) displayed on a fairly space-age video screen. It allows you to track your progress over time and to compare your times with your peer group all across the world. When I am looking for something really painful, I hop onto the Concept 2 rowing machine. In the winter, I like to cross-country ski. I live kitty-corner to Olympian (and trail designer) John Morton, who developed a series of cross-country ski trails around his property, which he grooms, so a terrific cross-country ski workout is literally just out my back door.

Favorite local running route? Thetford has some amazing places to run, some of which I will keep a secret. But you can’t beat the Woods Trail at Thetford Academy, which hosts the Woods Trail Invitational Meet and the Vermont State High School Cross Country Championships every year. I have run on that trail literally thousands of times in the last 40 years. If there is a nicer high school cross-country course anywhere, I haven’t found it.

Favorite post run treat? I am certain that I am the only person who guzzles low-sodium V8 juice after a workout.

Strangest place ever run? Reykjavik isn’t particularly strange, but it was nice to hop into a spring-fed hot tub after a long run, followed by a bracing dip into the North Sea.

Any notable streaks or other unusual running events? I created the Foliage Five Road Race at the Union Village Dam, which I directed for 10 years until Paul Coats took it over. If you’re looking for a five-mile course with an absolutely brutal hill in the final half-mile, have I got a race for you!

What made you start running? In my mid-20’s, I began to experience anxiety, and running was cheaper (and more effective) than therapy.

Who is your running “idol”? It’s awfully hard not to admire Joan Samuelson, who last year threw down a 3:04 at the Boston Marathon at the age of 61. And what’s not to like about Vermont farm girl Elle Purrier, who competed several times at Thetford Academy while running for tiny Richford High, and who recently broke the U.S. women’s indoor mile record?

Are your reasons for running now the same or different than the reason you first started? I still need to run regularly to maintain my sanity.

Why did you join UVRC? I think Paul Coats convinced me that it was so cheap that it was almost free.

Ever run in a costume? Every runner in the Santa Run 5k, which is run in Burlington in December (and which benefits Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, a summer camp for kids who have or who have had cancer) is required to dress as Santa. It’s a pretty hilarious scene.

The only running shoe for me is Hoka, though I race in Nike Vapor Fly shoes. And, yes, they make a difference.

Ever been injured? How did it happen? I used to run a lot, and occasionally I would get injured. Now I’m injured a lot, and occasionally I run. I tore the meniscus in both knees on separate occasions some years back, but the surgery on both was successful. The most frustrating injury I get is a calf strain, which comes on quite suddenly and completely at random, and typically curtails all running for three to four weeks. I now engage in an extensive series of post-workout lower leg stretches to try to keep the calf strains at bay.

Hot or cold weather runner? I don’t run if it’s under about 15 degrees or if it’s over 90. Otherwise, I’m not really concerned with the weather.

Morning or evening runner? The evening run is ideal for dialing back the stress that has accumulated over the course of the day. The only time you’ll catch me running in the morning is race day.

What is your motivation? I am trying to decelerate less rapidly than my peers.

I run therefore I am less annoying than I am otherwise.

How did you become interested in running? I remember being in kindergarten and seeing runners go by my house. I wasn’t exactly sure what they were doing, but I thought it was pretty neat.

What is your favorite race? The Vegas Marathon was a hoot. The year I ran, the race started with fireworks on the Strip, the Blue Man Group was performing along the course, there was a run-through wedding chapel around Mile Five, and a world record was set for the most people dressed as Elvis running in a road race.

Favorite running book/film? I enjoyed Karuki Murakami’s book “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running,” but the gold standard has to be Christopher McDougall’s classic book “Born to Run,” which I foist on the kids whom I coach.

What does your daily workout consist of? It varies depending on what race I’m training for and how close (or far) I am to race day, but a typical week will include a weekend long slow run, a hill workout, a speed workout, tempo work and some cross-training. It’s also important to rest, but not to let rest turn into an excuse not to run. It is not uncommon that I find myself completely unmotivated to get out the door. It’s then that I have to remind myself that never never ever have I ever regretted having gone out for a run.

How about favorite work out? I’m not sure it’s my favorite, but easily the most painful is a speed interval workout that I created in which the intervals get longer and longer. As I remind my athletes when I have them do this workout, it’s not designed to fun; it’s designed to be effective.

What is your diet like? Oat cereal of one kind or another for breakfast, with low sodium V-8. Sandwich, carrot, apple and yogurt for lunch, with low sodium V-8. For dinner, I have become fond of Blue Apron, but I also make a pretty decent pesto and can always whip up an acceptable veggie lasagna. I’m not Catholic but, as a spiritual exercise, I eschew all junk food during Lent, including chocolate, which I happen to love. Coffee and beer do not, by the way, qualify as junk food.

If you could run with anyone, who would be the person? I beat then-Vice President Gore in the Marine Corps Marathon, though he was not aware that we were racing against each other, and I’m guessing that I got more training miles in than he did.

Additional input or comments? I have co-coached the Thetford Academy middle school cross-country team and the varsity indoor track team for a number of years, and this past season the TA boys indoor track team won its first state championship, while the girls finished 2nd. While I’d like to get some credit for it, let’s be honest: track coaches play less of a role in a team’s success than in any other sport, with the possible exceptions of bowling and bass fishing.

I have also served on the Thetford Board of School Directors for something like 25 years.

My wife Karen likes it that I find activities that get me out of the house.

People to mention?
Karen has always tolerated my running, and we will sometimes plan a vacation around a race (Vegas, Edinburgh, Washington, D.C.). Paul Coats infects everything he does with joy and enthusiasm. Where would the UVRC be without him?

What else should the club know about you?
I once jumped out of an airplane at 10,000 feet. Thankfully, I was attached to a trained professional who had a parachute.
Aside from running, what are your hobbies? I play the piano and sing in my church choir, and conduct regular “Sing-Along With Charlie” gatherings at a couple of senior living facilities in the Upper Valley. I am also the Music Director at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta.