PROFILE--Patricia O'Hanlon has been running for 32 years

Cherry Blossom 10, 2018

(8-18) Patricia O’Hanlon of Jersey City (born in Brooklyn and proud of it) was a self-described tomboy growing up with two brothers. She started running in her 40s to put a halt to the rising numbers on the bathroom scale. O’Hanlon was the first female in New Jersey to complete a marathon in all 50 states.

Started Running: In 1986, age 43. (I’m 75).

Why did you start running? I decided to start running to lose weight. Either my bathroom scale was lying or I was carrying a few extra 30 pounds. My first attempt at running was miserable. A few weeks later, after some aerobic classes to build stamina, I tried again and was able to

PROFILE--Steve Deboer has been running for 50 years

Summer racing. See
winter running outfit
farther down in article.

(8-18) Steve DeBoer is 63 (born: December '54) and lives in Rochester, MN. He is a registered dietitian nutritionist at the Mayo Clinic.  He started running in high school (1968) to get in shape for junior varsity basketball but got cut and decided  “running wasn’t so bad.” In April of 1969, DeBoer started his first streak of daily one-mile or longer runs, which lasted nine months until he sprained his ankle.  Since June 7, 1971 he has run a minimum of one mile every day since.  Currently he is third in line for maintaining the longest running streak in the world according to the US Running Streak Association. His brother and dad were also streakers, so it must “run” in the family.

Started running/years running? March 1968 – 50 years.

Why did you start running? To get in shape for JV basketball but got cut from the team. I started running daily April 9, 1969, but a bad ankle sprain February 19, 1970 (at basketball practice, as I did make the team the next year) stopped me for a few days.  Who knows, if there had been a US Running streak association back then, I might have taped the ankle and kept the

ESSAY--Still Reading, Still Eating Ice Cream, And ... Yes, Still Running

"Are you still eating ice cream?" Yes!

(8-18) I began running over 60 years ago as a high school trackster, continued running on my college track and cross-country teams, and have never stopped. It was a bit lonely back then, well before the first running boom. We had the occasional road race, with maybe two dozen entrants, all men. But I persisted.

Now, at 78, when I meet old friends I haven’t seen for some time, I’m always asked the same question: “Are you still running?” I find this strange, because no one ever asks me: “Are you still reading?” Or: “Are you still eating ice cream?”

Reading, eating ice cream, listening to