Tom Lichty, 45
Owner of Tom Lichty’s Landscaping Service

I’ve been running for five years.

When I turned 40 I decided it was time to have my mid-life crisis, but what to do? I
already had a sporty little convertible. I already did the whole 18 year old trophy
wife thing (that was 25 years ago June 18th and she is still my trophy). I decided to
relive my high school greatness and enter a wrestling tournament. I had 3 months
to go from old, overweight and out of shape to a well trained athlete. In high school
I would have just starved and wore a rubber suit, but I was somewhat smarter than
I was back then. I changed my eating habits and started working out and running. I
dropped 35 lbs to make weight for the tournament and managed to take first place
(yes, George Tillet took first in his division too). Afterwards I decided it would be
foolish to go back to my old ways, so I kept on running and lost another 15 lbs. It is
a lot easier to find a local 5k than a wrestling tournament every weekend. Besides,
in running I am considered a “master”, in wrestling my division is called “old timer.”

If I could no longer run, I would try to take my turn working at more of the races so
everyone else could keep on running.

My favorite runs are the fall trail races- the Fall Trail Classic and the Hobo Trail
Race. Fall is my favorite time of year and what better way to spend a fall day than
zipping through the woods. The change in terrain presents its own challenges and
you may not set a PR but it is just nice to get off the road once in awhile.

To push myself on a run I just remember how competitive my age group can be.
There are a lot of fast masters in our area. If I run hard enough I just might finish
before Ron L. has had time to run, go get his camera and come back to take
pictures of the rest of us. Slow down Ron, what do you think this is…a race?

Something most people don’t know about me is that I do most of my training in the
middle of the night. I usually get up between 1:00-2:00 am have breakfast, do the
dishes and laundry, pack my kids’ (daughter Morgan, son Lincoln) lunches,
prepare my food for the day then hit the road or weights. I haven’t missed a day in
over five years. My family thinks I have taken my habits to the extreme, and they are right. So to make sure they know I am nuts, occasionally I make up sayings about my compulsions and post them on the refrigerator. Here is an example: Addiction Exercise and fitness seems a healthy affliction, but taken to extremes it becomes an addiction. My drug of choice may seem quite tame, compared to the guy on the street strung out on cocaine So while the gambler is out stealing to pay off his bookie, I am out running because I ate a cookie!

I like to run with the Hobo training group - good people- and by myself under the moon and stars. It is very peaceful to run at this time and there is very little traffic. I am a little extra cautious though when I do meet a car at 1:00-3:00 in the morning…bar closing time. One of my favorite night runs is an out and back from my house in Monroe Center to my cabin along the Kilbuck Creek. The biggest drawback to being a nocturnal runner in the country…skunks are nocturnal too!

My favorite thing to do after a hard workout is go see Eric at Emergency Muscle Therapy and/or an Epsom salt Jacuzzi session.

When I’m not running I like to hunt, fish and hang out at my cabin in the woods.

I am inspired by anyone who pushes their limits; whatever the speed or distance that may be for them. The elite marathoner can maintain a pace for 26.2 miles that I cannot match in a one mile race. At the other end you have people finishing at 6 hours plus. These runners are also giving their all. I have never ran for 6 hours so I am inspired by their determination. At this year’s Literacy Council half marathon I was on my way to the car as the last runner came in. She was down to a shuffle and crying. You could see the pain and accomplishment in her expression. What she took home from that race was more important than the medal and prize money I had in my hand.

The local runner that I most admire is the Yarger family. They log tremendous mileage, act as race directors, serve in different capacities for the RRR club and they are just plain good people (and Kat bakes very good stuff for the handicap runs).

My greatest running accomplishment is doing marathons. I put completing one on my bucket list after doing shorter races for 2 years. To avoid the big city crowds I chose Mason City, Iowa. The idea of a few hundred people was more appealing than tens of thousands for a country boy like me. I crossed the finish line at about 3:14, 13th overall and first male 40-44. I thought-“great, I never have to do that again!” Then some guy mentioned I had qualified for Boston. I just nodded and smiled. I had no idea what it meant. I had heard of Boston but did not know anything about the qualifying process. I had my wife do some checking and sure enough, I was in by 6 minutes. Well, 2 Boston and 1 Rockford marathon later I am still going long. But my greatest accomplishments might be yet to come. July 4th I talked my sister into running MELD for her first race, and my son Lincoln has started running my favorite training route to prepare for his college football season.

My next goal…ultra? I just might have to put one on my bucket list.

My advice to other runners, especially masters, listen to Ron Leonhardt not me. He is smart enough to cycle his racing for top performance, I just run.

I plan to run until I have that “Forrest Gump” moment. I will just stop in the middle of the road, say “I am tired”, turn around and walk home.