Running Buff Pat O’Connor
February 17, 2012 by Lindsay Lambert
Pounding the pavement with North Shore running buff Pat O’Connor
For residents of the Boston Metro area, April means one thing: Boston Marathon madness, which culminates this year on April 16. In honor of the event, Northshore talked with running enthusiast and sometime marathoner Pat O’Connor—head coach/proprietor of LunchTime Runner and the Outreach Marketing and Promotions Coordinator for the Greater Boston Running Co. stores in Newburyport, Lexington, and Hingham—about his beloved sport.
What’s the toughest marathon you’ve ever run? My first marathon in Boston. For an experienced runner, I had a rough last six miles. I did not respect the distance enough and set my goals too high.
Marathon Man: Pat O'Connor
Any marathon mishaps? During my second Boston experience, as I was cruising through Kenmore Square, I noticed some faces in the crowd wincing at me. I had felt that my toes were going numb for a few miles at that point. When I looked down at my feet and turned back to look behind me, I realized that my white shoes were red with blood and I was leaving bloody footprints. I had lost all but two toenails. My shoes, as it turned out, were an entire size too small.
Where is your favorite place to run non-competitively? Middlesex Fells Reservation that encompasses the Medford/Winchester/Stoneham/Melrose area around Route 93. [It has] wooded rolling trails that go on for miles. I can run more than 15 miles without running the same path twice.
What makes ours such an attractive region for runners? …Regionally, with the change of seasons, there is a unique challenge to racing and training, especially in the fall. It is beautiful—especially for cross-country. The North Shore has great country-like roads and peaceful parks for running.
What is LunchTimeRunner? …The philosophy is not only to help busy adults train for their goals in a comprehensive way with high quality and low-to-moderate quantity, but runners of all ages…Working with athletes of all abilities, I focus on individual fitness training levels, efficient technique, and flexibility and strength. The actual running in the program complements all the other aspects of running. Running can be a beneficial means of exercise, stress reduction, and mind and energy enhancement if it is approached the right way with some guidance.
