Name: Timothy Smith

Town: Hanover

Where are you from originally and what brought you to this area?
I was born in Wisconsin but grew up in upstate New York. I like to say I am a resident of the 42-parallel. I came to the Upper Valley because my wife is a professor at Dartmouth.

What do you do professionally? I am a physicist and an Adjunct Professor of Physic at Dartmouth.

How long have you been running? Since the day after I learned how to walk.

How long have you been running competitively? I ran in high school and college and for two more years (1974-1984) and then stopped for graduate school and to raise a family. I came back to running in 2012 after a 28 year hiatus.

Why do you run? When I started running in my youth, it was to get in shape so I could be a better hiker. Then I soon realized that because of running I had no time the hike. That trend also seems to be true in my second career.

Recent memorable moment while running? I was running with some UVRC people, getting ready for Covered Bridges. We were on River Rd near Taftsville, doing about a dozen miles or more. The air was full of truly massive snowflakes, the sort of which look like goose down. It was one of those perfect runs in which you plan on eight miles, but you keep adding more because the legs feel like you shouldn’t stop them; and we negative split the whole way.

Best athletic accomplishment and why? I took 2nd place at the New York State Collegiate Championships (D-III) in the 3000m Steeplechase. I do think my greatest physical race was a relay from Eugene, Oregon to Corvallis. 50 miles, 5 runners each running 5 legs of 2 miles. In the first 3 legs I set 3 PRs for the two mile. The last two legs have stories of their own.

If you like to race, what is your favorite race distance? Why? 5k. It’s fast, so the pain is short lived.

If you like to race, notable race moment or most memorable race? Missing my footing on the first steeplechase barrier my last collegiate race at Penn State and falling into the water jump. Then doing essentially the same thing two years later at Hayward Field. I was also part of a 1,776 mile relay to celebrate the Bi-Centennial.

Training partners? Anyone who shows up on Saturday morning and Tuesday TNT. That means I have probably logged more miles and have had more fun with Geoff Dunbar than anyone.

Cross training activities? In the winter, cross-country skiing. In the summer I hike, bike, canoe and kayak, but that is just entertainment.

Favorite local running route? Starting in Hanover, cross the river to Norwich, north on River Rd, west on Goodrich-Four Corners. Return on Union Village road. There is a bunch of climbing from the river to the top of Union Village road; so after that the second half is really easier.

Favorite post run treat? On really hot days, I have been known to end my run by swimming in the Connecticut River.

Strangest place ever run? When I was living in Oregon once, I got tired of doing intervals in the rain. Near where I lived, was a parking garage, which emptied out in the evenings. It was nearly 400 meters around a lap inside the garage, so I did intervals there. For a recovery I would jog up the ramp, and do the next interval on the next level.

Any notable streaks or other unusual running events? A year out of college, a friend of mine and I talked each other into going to Eugene Oregon to train. We also committed to not missing a day, so for 440 days, until I bicycled out of Eugene, I ran every day.

What made you start running? My father and older brother both ran so I was aware of running, but I considered myself not very athletic. Then in 8th grade (3rd form) I was living in England and we worked on the Duke of Edinburgh Award (like the Presidential Fitness program) in gym class. I won every event from 800m to 3000m. I had found my calling.

I also wanted to be a great hiker.

Who is your running “idol”? Roger Bannister, Sebastian Coe, Henry Rono, Mary Decker. I date myself with the list (especially Banister). But now I run with a different focus than I did in the 1970’s and 80’s. Actually it was Coe’s work in this decade which got him on this list (beating out Steve Ovett).

Are your reasons for running now the same or different than the reason you first started? Some reasons are the same; I am competitive, I want to be in condition to hike and it is my only social activity. Some reasons have changed; I used to need to prove I could keep up with my brother, I now run because being out there brings me happiness.

Why did you join UVRC? Nancy Dunbar told me I should join. On the second day of my come-back training (after a 28 year hiatus) Nancy slowed her gazelle-like pace to run with a jogger and told me about the club. She then disappeared into a cloud of mist (it was rain). As she sprinted ahead of me, I too wanted to be a gazelle. So after a few weeks of training I showed up at Omar and Bob’s and have been coming ever since.

The dream of gazelle is still out there some place.

Ever run in a costume? One year (1977?) near halloween my high school team had a costume run. I dressed as the FTD florist man. Which meant dressing as Mercury (winged feet and hard hat!) and carrying a plastic bouquet of flowers.

The only running shoe for me is the ones I am wearing today.

Ever been injured? How did it happen? Too often. Slipped once in college and messed up my knees. Then there are injuries that I have no idea why they happened.

Hot or cold weather runner? I much prefer cold, but will admit that on those coldest of Upper Valley days the first five minutes can be pretty challenging.

Morning or evening runner? Generally an evening runner. There have been some uniquely golden mornings too!

What is your motivation? Many. To be in shape to hike. To beat anyone who tries to challenge me in the last mile of a race. To be outside on those fantastically beautiful days were if you stood still you would be miserable, but if you are running, life is cozy and warm.

I run therefore I am alive.

How did you become interested in running? It was something I was pretty good at in gym classes.

What is your favorite race? The Main Street Mile. Talk about a short a sweet race! As well, an evening in May can be really pleasant! The mile was also my primary event in high school, and the event ran by my “Running Idol” (see above) Roger Bannister.

Favorite running book/film? Chariots of Fire. One of the minor characters runs the steeplechase and ends up caked with mud and cinders. I can relate to that.

What does your daily workout consist of? Daily workouts change a lot, but the weekly cycle in mid-season looks like; Sunday – long & easy (12 miles). Monday rest. Tuesday TNT (intervals). Wednesday – short & recovery. Thursday – Tempo. Friday short or rest. Saturday – long with UVRC -ending at Lucky’s. Usually 35-40+ miles.

How about favorite work out? 12 x 400m. To do it right I must already be in good shape. So sometime 8 to 10 400’s instead. But if I can do 12, and do them well, I am very, very happy, (and exhausted!)

What is your diet like? Yes, I like all food. Generally I eat a low-meat diet, but I am not a vegetarian. I also generally can’t eat anything for a few hours before running.

If you could run with anyone, who would be the person? It would have been Roger Bannister. Now I would pick Sebastian Coe.

Additional input or comments? When I was a year out of college I quit my job and with a friend moved to Eugene Oregon to run (1983-84). The first thing I learned was that there a lot of people who want to be champions, and a large number of those are better then me. I ran very well, but also discovered what my place in the running world really was. I would do it again, and recommend the experience, even if there is little chance of great success. I learned a lot – and also had a great time losing to really fast runners.

People to mention?
What about your coaches? My first coach, John Izzo (high school), somehow inspired a cloud of school-boys and -girls to work incredibly hard. I think we were ignorant about how hard we worked (24 x 440 yrd with a 1 minute recover was a common workout). But we were also incredibly successful. The connection between hard work and success was never so clear.

My second coach (College cross-country) I don’t think really understood running, and so I’ll skip him.

My third coach, Richard Ceronie (College track), showed me that their might be a more intelligent way of training. Weights, stretching, technique and even recovery have a purpose. He also believed in me more then anyone else. Recently I’ve had contact with him, and he now has a career of experience I want to tap into.

My most recent coach was Tony Ruiz from Central Park Track Club. He set goals for my return to running, but also demonstrated the unique challenges of building a club running program. Clubs have a wide range of talent, expectations, and ages. Tony managed to juggle that well.

What else should the club know about you?
Inspired by the hard work I’ve seen from UVRC runners I went and spent a few days at the USATF coaches school. I believe in this club almost as much as Ceronie believed in me.

Aside from running, what are your hobbies?
Hiking, paddling, cross-country skiing, gardening, reading, writing & traveling.