David Rotstein started running in 1988 when he was in vet school to relieve stress. He had some great friends who inspired him and helped him gain some confidence. He started into triathlons, but once he moved from Florida to colder climates, he has stuck with running. David aims to run 3 events a month, but with COVID has found himself doing a lot of virtual runs for the swag and connectedness he feels to the rest of the US. An embarrassing story that he is willing to share with us is that during David’s first triathlon, he accidentally ran the entire 5k with his bike helmet on. Two of his biggest accomplishments came from finishing the New York City Marathon and for running a small cross country race in the mountain of California (there’s no hills in Florida, so this was quite a challenge). David’s bucket list includes hiking the Appalachian Trail, going to the Galápagos Islands, and competing in the Orcas Island 25K, Morant State Park, Washington State due to its scenic course. He enjoys our events because “they’re low key (easy access and check-in), but challenging . I like the local feel of the races. The locations are plus- you can get parks and city. I like to get to the race early or stay after the race and explore the area.” There is only one choice for David post-race and that is Smoothie King.
One of the benefits of the quarantine period is that it has allowed David to do yoga at different times throughout the day. He has been able to partake in classes taught from all over the country. The time at home has allowed him more time with his wife and kids since they are also at home. Once we are able to get back to a more “normal” routine, David looks forward to traveling to more races, going to the moves, and not having to figure out the directional lanes at the grocery store!