Jeff Wilmarth, 56
President - Silver Arrow Express - 48 state Transportation and Logistics
Company

I have been running for 30 years.

I started running because - the doctor said I had all the signs of the
dreaded Dunloped Disease.(My stomach dun loped over my belt) and I
loved running in high school. With a young family, it was something I could
do with very little start up capital(i.e. shoes, shorts, shirt)

If I could no longer run - I would wear out the stair climbers at the YMCA
and inspire others to run for LIFE.

My favorite run - is everyday that I can run and Rock Cut trails with the
COYOTES.

I like to run with anyone that will run as slow as I am these days.

The strangest place I've ever run - is Rainer, WA - up Mount Rainier, to the
ice fields.

When I'm not running I like to, enjoy family and friends.

My great greatest running accomplishment - is winning the sectional
quarter mile in 1969 at Belvidere H.S. on their new (rubber) track. (There
were no class's back in the day, you competed against everyone.)

I am inspired by all the runners that don't give up and my hero Ray
Treadway (80 something). Ray inspired(shamed) me into running the Arnie
Johnson ten miler one year, early in my running career. Ray was retired and
closing in on 70 and I probably 25 years younger. He could tell a competitor
when he saw one. (If you look back in the annuls of Rockford athletics you
will find an outstanding athlete by the name of Ray Treadway) Every time he
saw me at the Y, he would ask me if I was running ARNIE. I finally decided
that this almost 70 something was not going to ask me one more time if I was running ARNIE. I ran ARNIE - had a PR (never ran a 10 miler) and
learned running those long miles were not that bad after all. He is always encouraging and has a good word for everyone, if you know him or
not. Those of you that don't know Ray Treadway SHOULD - he is one of a kind. Thanks

The local runner I admire most - is the runner who still puts on a pair of shoes and heads out the door - no matter what!

To push myself on a run - I count the miles backwards after the half way point.

Something most people don't know about me...For years I was a paid rabbit for Brian Miller in the STATE STREET MILE.

My next goal is to always have fun running and inspire others to understand there running potential.

I plan on running till I can't.

My most favorite running moment - (ONE OF THE MANY GREAT TIMES) I am running with Bob Sharp, Bob Luna, Jim Bove in Blackhawk as we did
most every weekend. As Bob Sharp was sharing one his many stories of doing headers around various locations in Northern Illinois that he had
run. Bob was telling us about his most famous tumble, at the exact moment he said "and the next thing I know I am on the ground" all you hear is an
expletive(oh darn) he hits the deck again. No one, but Bob Sharp could have pulled off an exact reenactment with such success. (I am pretty sure Bove
pulled a stomach muscle laughing so hard) We picked Bob up, uninjured, dusted him off and finished the run.