Frequently Asked Questions

Over the years, I have been asked a lot of questions about my running. For example, people want to know how far is halfway to the moon? Well, the moon is 238,855 miles from the Earth – that’s 384,400 kilometers – and I’ve run at least 131,000 miles. Here are some of the most common questions, but feel free to contact me if you think of more.

How did you figure out that your mileage was halfway to the moon?

43,800 miles – 6 miles a day in Druid Hill Park and Forest Park Golf Course from 1970-1990
15,330 miles – 6 miles a day at Lake Montebello from 1991-1997
47,390 miles – 18 miles a day training for transcontinental run from 1998-2005
21,900 miles – 4 miles a day from 2006-2020
2,737 miles and counting – 3 miles a day from 2021-present
= 131,157 miles – over halfway to the moon!

What are your fastest 100-meter times?

17 years old – 11.1 seconds
25 years old – 10.9 seconds
65 years old – 12.9 seconds

What’s your fastest time for a mile?

17 years old – 4:57 minutes
25 years old – 4:17 minutes
65 years old – 6:50 minutes

What weather conditions have you run in?

I run every day – even in rain, snow, hail, ice, heat, and wind. I’ve even been running in the wildfire smoke. The coldest temperature was -2 degrees Fahrenheit, and the hottest temperature was 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

How many miles can you run a day?

My doctor recommended 10-12 miles (half marathon) but, to get comfortable with distances for the transcontinental run, I ran 1.5 times that (18 miles) to prepare myself. If you’re thinking about distance running, consult your doctor to see what’s right for you.

What else do you do every day besides run three miles?

I always warm up, cool down, and do 10 push-ups a day every day. You should determine a routine that works best for your body and ability.

What’s the longest distance you’ve run at one time?

My longest non-stop run was 42 miles, from Baltimore to College Park via Route 1. Years of conditioning and distance running allowed me to do that.

A regular long distance run I added to my regimen was 15 laps around the Druid Hill Park Reservoir. That’s 2.5 miles x 15 laps = 31 miles.