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On a 2013 Rim to Rim run
in the Grand Canyon |
Jim Sloan grew up surfing and skiing in Southern California. He ran on the cross-country team at Santa Barbara City College and fell in love with the sport. His job in the computer technology industry in the 80s took him around the world where he ran throughout Asia and Europe. “Every wrong turn leads to an adventure,” says Sloan. “I love to see a city waking up as I run through it in the early hours.” Sloan, 61, founder and CEO of a multinational manufacturing business, is now retired and has more flexibility and time to run with his Santa Barbara Running and Racing team buddies.
When did you start running and why? In July, 1975 after I had just finished high school. A friend and I were getting ready to move away to college and he suggested we try out for the cross-country team. We started running in Los Angeles in the hills around Griffith Park.
Did you have an early inspiration or person who motivated you? I grew up in the era of Prefontaine and although he wasn’t a hero per se, I was inspired by the whole bad boy, anti-establishment runner image he embodied. My running club visits Eugene quite often and I get goose bumps every time I run on the U of O track.
How much did you run per week in your peak years? Now? My peak was probably in the mid-80 miles per week range when I was in my 40s and early 50s and training seriously for marathons. Now, I can’t get
