RUNNER’S PROFILE
By Joe Howell

The photo of John Nelson speaks volumes about him. First, catch the smile. If you know John, you know that smile, often following a bad joke, a prank, or similar mischief. Next, note that the photo is a “proof”. This appears to be compelling evidence that: (1) John is too cheap to actually buy the proof that race photographers provide to entrants; and (2) John apparently retains on file photographs of himself.

Once you realize John is a college baseball catcher trying to fit in as a runner and triathlete, you start to understand him. In his Profile, John describes his life as a “work in progress”; I prefer to describe John as “a piece of work”. Whether he is finding a way to have himself featured on the cover of a national retirement planning magazine with a surfboard under his arm, taking over as race director of the Law Day 15K Run/Relay (then attempting a “handoff” two months before the race the following year , the year we had no race!), earning father of the year honors for coaching his kids and their teams in every imaginable sport or threatening to go to Hawaii to torment me during the entire Ironman event (which he did with Dave Larson, actually posing as physicians on the Ironman Medical Team - I swear!), John Nelson is, as I said, a piece of work.

As this issue of the Newsletter goes to press, John is in the final weeks of an impressive training program for the California Half-Ironman race in Oceanside, California. With a little luck, he will return from that race with a great performance, earning the right to demand that we no longer remind him of his Oprah Winfrey-like performance at the Honolulu Marathon and just in time for him to start serious training for the one dream race that has always eluded him - the Clydesdale division of the Lompoc Half Marathon!

Basic Information
Name: John R. Nelson
Age: 47

Personal Information - Basic
Employment: JRN Benefits, President. Here’s my advertisement: We provide consulting, investment advisory and plan administration services to employers that offer tax-qualified, non-qualified and stock-based compensation, retirement and 401 (k) savings plans to their employees.
Family: Spouse - Peggy. Peggy is a full-time wife and mother, and a part-time student at UCSB. Children - Jack, a 9th grader at San Marcos, Jeff, a 7th grader at La Colina, and Jane, a 6th grader at Vieja Valley.
Other sports/interests/hobbies: Motorcycle (dirt bike) riding, wakeboarding, and snowboarding.

Personal Information - Additional
My friends describe me as …: “Warm, caring, really in touch with how others are feeling.” (And, if you believe that, I’ve got some waterfront land in Florida I’d like to sell you!)
My trademark expression is …: With apologies to Bob Dylan: “If you’re not busy living, you’re busy dying.”
If money were not a consideration, I would love to be a …: High school baseball coach
Goals - In the next 10 years, I hope to …: My goals are to be a good husband and raise good kids. Everything else will just be icing on the cake.
Accomplishments - I am really proud of the fact that …: This is a hard one. Let me answer at the risk of being melodramatic: My life is a work in progress. I really haven’t yet earned the right to be proud of any personal accomplishment.

Running Highlights
Favorite distance & PR at same: My favorite distance is the Olympic course triathlon (1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run). I turned in a 2:20 at the Vineman Olympic Triathlon a few years back.
Best race and why: My best race was my last race - 2002 Carpinteria Triathlon for two reasons: First, I can’t remember much past then. And, second, I had good times (for me) in all three events: the swim, bike and run.
Worst race and why: Without a doubt, my worst race was the Honolulu Marathon. I went out too fast into a steady head wind. I kept thinking, “Once I make the turn at the half-way point, it will be smooth sailing, ‘wind-at-my-back’ all the way in.” Well, the heels came off and I ended up “running” (I use that term very loosely) a time that only Oprah Winfrey/Al Gore would be proud of.
Average weekly mileage (last 12 months): I run about 20 - 30 miles per week (spread over 3 - 4 days)
Favorite local race: My favorite local race (other than the Lompoc Half-Marathon) is the Semana Nautica 5-mile biathlon. It’s the one time each year that I can run on the beach in my Speedo!
Running goals (realistic) for this year: Pick up some hardware in my age group. I’ve had a 4th place finish and a 5th place finish - but haven’t yet cracked the top 3.
Running goals (wildly optimistic) for this year: Trounce Kristin Battles’ husband in the SB Biathlon.
Running goals - (Lifetime) - Before I die, I hope to: Compete in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championship.

Additional Running Information
Why I Run: When I was a kid, I loved being outdoors swimming, riding my bike and running. I still do.
My local runner hero and why: I am going to take a beating for this down at the East Beach Bathhouse - but my local running hero is that anonymous SBAA member who, among his many other contributions to our community, writes the Runner’s Profile. He’s my hero because (1) he’s still married to the same woman, (2) he’s raised two great kids, and (3) even though he’s 11 years older than me, he’s beat me like a drum in the last couple SB Triathlons.
Personal Training Tips: Train with friends: it’s much harder to skip a work-out when you know others are there waiting for you.
I love runners who …: Compete, and have fun in the process.
I hate runners who …: I really don’t “hate” anyone. But, people who jog in Lane 1 at the track (when I am running intervals for time) do kind of piss me off.
Suggestions for local races: I think it would be great to have swim/runs at the beach during the summer. (Oh wait, we already have that.) I think it would be great to have a local triathlon that features our scenic beachfront and foothills. (Oh, wait, we already have that too.) How about a fun race on New year’s Day? (Oh …) How about a run on July 4th thru Goleta? (I see …) Never mind.
Suggestions for SBAA: No suggestions - just keep up the good work.

Miscellaneous
My views on …: Living and working in Santa Barbara: Never take our community - and the lifestyle it affords us - for granted.
Quote (on running, life, whatever): “Make each day your masterpiece” – John Wooden

Profile Archive

Steve Issaris
Steve Harding
Justin Hatch
Mike Swann
Lauren Udden
Carl Shulhof
Mary Hershey
Dan Cornet
Lynn Goebel
Todd Booth
Hans von Koppen
Linda Cheresh