PROFILE--Mike Wien won the 70-74 division at both Boston and New York City last fall

(Jan 2022) How many runners do you know who are fabled in the marathon-triathlon world and also in corporate marketing circles? Not too many. But Mike Wien, a 70 yr old from Boulder, CO, is one, thanks to his involvement years ago in the launch of Tostitos, the crunchy, salty tortilla chips. More recently, he ran 3:29:34 at Boston and 3:34:54 in New York City to win the 70-74 division in both marathons last fall. Wien has achieved lots of triathlon podium finishes as well, and believes his success in running and life can be attributed to good balance. That is, a meshing of the Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Spiritual. Oh, and then there's his wife, Nannette. She has long supported all his endeavors, and excels particularly in providing healthy, high-calorie meals and expert on-course "competitive intelligence."

Career profession: I spent the first 28 years of my career in senior marketing roles with Frito-Lay, Pepsi, Omni Hotels, CitiBank, and Deloitte. While at Frito-Lay, I launched FANTASTIX (a huge failure) followed by TOSTITOS (a very big winner.) The next 15 years were in the

PROFILE: Andy Ferrara has been running for 58 years

(Dec. 2021) After growing up in Brooklyn and starting a teaching-coaching job there, Andy Ferrara had to move to a Houston suburb for a new position during New York City's financial difficulties. The move took root, and he continued running and teaching. Now 73, he has covered more than 100,000 miles and has a daily running streak that goes back more than 44 years. His secret? Maybe that when his body starts hurting, "Those times don't consume me."

Career/profession? I was a high school teacher and track & field/cross-country coach for 52 years. Retired in June 2021. 

When did you start running, and why? I started running as a sophomore (1963) in high school (Erasmus Hall in Brooklyn). I just wanted to make the track team. Once

PROFILE: Mark LeDuc has been running for 43 years

(Oct. 2021)Mark LeDuc completed his first run on April 1, 1978, but there's nothing foolish about his career running record. In particular, he shines at compiling his running data. How many of us can say, "I have run in 1224 races lifetime, winning 46 races outright and placing first in my age division 247 times." Now 67 and living in a Minneapolis suburb, LeDuc is still logging 30 to 50 miles a week. He follows the Cabbage Soup Diet when he needs to lose a few pounds, and is still chasing

PROFILE--Ray Charbonneau has been running for 30 years

(Aug. 2021) Ray Charbonneau started running as a quarter miler in high school, then took some time off for Doritos and beer. Since coming back, he has found himself drawn to marathons and beyond. Now, 60 and living in Arlington, MA, Charbonneau still feels the force, but also deals with a "brittle" body. He says that getting slower doesn't bother him as much as knowing "I'm going to keep getting slower." He advises other runners: "On race day, you can run faster than you’ve trained or farther, but not both." When not running (or cycling, or kayaking), he operates an independent IT company, writes books and articles, and helps freelance authors to publish their books on Amazon and other digital platforms.

Career-profession? After many years of corporate IT, I am now sole proprietor of ReallyFixIt.com, an IT service business, and y42K Publishing Services, where I help

PROFILE: Nancy Ditz has been running for 42 years, including one Olympic team

(July 2021) Nancy Ditz is one of those rare runners who can say that she won her first marathon. In her case, it was the 1982 San Francisco Marathon, where she clocked a strong 2:44:34. Three years later, she ran 2:31:36 at Cal International, and in 1988 she qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team in the marathon, finishing 17th in Seoul, South Korea. After 22 years away from running, Ditz started up again in 2014 to enjoy running with her daughter, Emily. Since then, she has tried

PROFILE--Jeannie Rice has been running for 37 (very fast) years

(June 2021) Jeannie Rice, now 73, holds the single-age world record for a marathon by a 71-year-old woman. She set that mark, 3:24:48, at Berlin in 2019, improving by 3 minutes on her 70-year-old time (3:27:50) the previous fall in Chicago. “I’m more competitive than ever,” says Rice, who laughs that she gets faster as she gets older. She also knows there are no short cuts to training and works hard, putting in the weekly miles and the speed workouts to meet her goals. This October's Tokyo Marathon (her 124th overall) is next on her list. It will give her all six of the Abbot World Marathon Majors. Rice, who was born in Korea and came to the states as a 19-year-old, splits her time between Ohio and Florida.

Career-Occupation? I am a semi-retired real estate agent. I like to keep busy and also keep my own schedule so I can get in my training.

When did you start running and why? I started running in the summer of 1983 when I was 35. I had been visiting family in Seoul, Korea, for 3

PROFILE--Don Chaffee has been running for 61 years

Winning Dipsea, 1979

(June, 2021) Don Chaffee has run, biked, and swum in California, Kenya, Uganda, and Michigan. He may be the only person on earth who can claim the following: He has won the Dipsea Race and been congratulated after a Kenyan marathon by the legendary Kip Keino. He has also served as a guide runner for Harry Cordellos, run a 2:43 at Boston, and been competing in triathlons for 30+ years. Chafee, now 81, appreciates Walt Stack’s credo: “Start slow and taper off.” On his current runs and bike rides, he makes sure to “loudly thank whatever deities have blessed me.” That’s never a bad idea.

Career-profession? I spent 50 years trying to inspire college students to think like economists starting with graduate school at the University of California, Davis. Besides Davis, I taught at Middlebury College (undergraduate alma mater); University of South Carolina; Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; San Francisco State University; Golden Gate University; and for the last 24 years of my career, Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

When and why did you start running? In spring 1959, my junior year in college, I began jogging