Running News Daily

Teacher runs for the love of running

You’re never too young, or too old, to get into the sport of running. Kathy Rose of Scottsbluff will turn 69 next month, but she will be among the half-marathon field for her 9th Monument Marathon, coming up Sept. 26.

Rose teaches in the Gering schools and hasn’t missed a year of the Monument Marathon. She’s even won her age division six times.

“Jen Schwartz, one of my co-teachers at the time, was my mentor and coach when I decided to try my first Monument Marathon,” she said. “It was the local marathon that later got me into running longer distances.”

While she didn’t commit to a running schedule until later life, Rose said it’s always been an unofficial part of her life.

“Even as a kid, I couldn’t walk,” she said. “Everywhere I went, I had to run. I got away from that when I started a family and got busy with them. But when the kids were in junior high and high school, I got back into running.”

When Rose got started again, she admitted she was pushing it to cover just a half mile. But she gradually built up her distances over time and last year, at the age of 67, ran her first full marathon — 26.2 miles in Colorado.

Rose grew up on a farm and still lives in the country. Being outside has always been a part of her life, so running is a great outlet to keep her out in the countryside.

“I love to exercise to stay fit, which is important now to keep up with the grandkids,” she said. “Running fits into my lifestyle because it clears my mind and relieves stress.”

She added many of her ideas for teaching come while she’s running.

“I run year round and my goal for the winter months is 50 miles a month so I’ll usually do four-mile runs, which is standard for me,” she said. “But that’s getting harder as I grow older.”

In preparation for the Monument Marathon, Rose has been putting in longer runs on Saturdays for the last two months.

In addition to half-marathon runs in the Monument Marathon and a full-marathon in Colorado, Rose has run in several events in South Dakota, including the Crazy Horse and Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathons.

“I’m at the age where thoughts of improving my time have pretty much gone by the wayside,” Rose said. “I just keep running, even if I have to walk part of it. The fact that I’m still running is enough for me.”

She added the key to running is to have a goal. “Go with whatever you’re comfortable with but also push yourself out of your comfort zone,” she said. “Find a place to run that spurs you on and makes you feel like running.”