Our 2023 February Runner Spotlight is on Andy Black. Andy started running in 2018 with a run-walk program on his treadmill to get healthier and lose weight. He did a neighborhood 5k using the same run-walk method and wondered if he could later do an entire race without walking. He did his first Bishop’s Events race at Great Falls, VA, in February 2019, but “definitely had to walk some up those beautiful hills.”
Andy did 45 events last year. “Easily my best, in pursuit of the lightweight running jacket. I am around 70 races lifetime and I want that Ruby jacket! My goal is to earn it later this year. I am stuck in the tractor beam of Travis’s motivational tactics.”
What is something we should know about you? “I grew up in Texas and naturally want to meet people. Married, two kids in college. Love hills when I’m not running them, history, reading, and pro tennis. The water bottles around my waist are my crutch.”
If there was any race you could run, what would it be? “I thought I wanted to do a marathon. I trained for the spring 2021 Salisbury Marathon but my hamstrings and IT band said I was not treating them well enough. After hobbling through the Bishop’s Lake Accotink half-marathon, I stopped that effort and am now content doing lots of 10ks and the occasional hilly 5k. An ideal weekend might be a Saturday morning Columbia Island 10k, a Saturday evening Creek’s Edge 3k/5k, and a Sunday morning race somewhere pretty.”
What keeps you coming back for more of our events? “I get a feeling of accomplishment every time I run an organized race. I like seeing familiar faces and meeting new people at Bishop’s Events races, making it hard to contemplate running anywhere else. It feels great to get up early on a weekend and know I get to do something special. While we work hard in races, it may be my most relaxed part of the week. I like seeing new courses and am grateful we keep trying new ones.”
What is your favorite course? “Columbia Island. If the 5k people can only try one 10k, I recommend they try there. Such a neat back half and such an inspiring run along the Potomac.”
What is your favorite parts of an event or things you look forward to at one of our events? “First thing I liked about a Bishop’s race was that the triangle of car, start-finish, and bathroom was nice and tight. Since then, I love seeing familiar faces, chatting with people I have talked with before or meeting for the first time, and feeling the great supportive community. Thank you to all who have welcomed me. You inspire me each week to come back, keep running, and not stop to walk.”
Come meet Andy at one of our upcoming events!