About Me

I am a 60 year old semi-retired husband and father of two grown children. I live in sunny Southern California where I get to enjoy great weather year round. Although it does get pretty warm sometimes in the summer months. I participate in many sporting activities with running being my premier activity. I also cycle, hike and backpack. One of my favorite hobbies is gold prospecting which I may mention from time to time.

I have been running since July of 1999 when I joined a local club called the Loma Linda Lopers. Prior to that I had become a complete couch potato over the previous 5 years of my life, and could barely run a 13 minute mile giving it all I had. With their invaluable help I trained for and ran my first marathon in March of 2000. It was the LA marathon and most of it was run in pouring rain. After I crossed the finish line I thought to myself I am never doing this again. However, several days later, after the soreness subsided, I realized how much I loved running and just knew I could do better. Eventually I was hooked and about 2.5 years after that first marathon I qualified for Boston, running it the following April of 2003.

I am the speed coach for the Loma Linda Lopers and I am an ISSA certified fitness trainer. I love learning about running and because I have been a runner for a while now and have finished 22 marathons, I have a lot of experience and experiences to share so I have started writing this blog.

I hope I can give encouragement and advice as well as help others in some small way with their running. I have mostly done road running but am starting to gravitate to trail running more and possibly ultra running, if my body can stand the miles.

My background is in electronics engineering and I tend to approach running from somewhat of an analytical and technical approach. However, I can also appreciate the emotional and aesthetic aspects of running as well.

If you enjoy my blog, please take a moment to like my Facebook Fan Page. 

To learn a little more about how I got into running see this post: "My Start into the World of Running"

I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy writing it,

Russ Barber