STOGUIDE pages 40-61:Layout 1 10/30/07 7:34 PM Page 60
S P O T L I G H T
CALLAHAN
MARK CHURCHILL.
GLENN
Mark Churchill’s passions run deep
BY NANCY CROWE
T
hecross-countryrunnersatPeoplesAcademyinMorrisvilleare studentsandalumnitoshowupforarun.“AlotofpeopleIrunwithnow
windinguptheirafter-schoolsocializingamidpeptalksfrom arepeopleIusedtocoach,”hesayswithasmile.
coachMarkChurchill.Heofferstworunningoptions,bothloops Markandhiswife,MaryFaganChurchill,nowabiologyteacherat
thatbeginandendoutsidethehighschool,andthekidsrouse Peoples,metthroughacollegefriendatasnowshoeracein
themselvesfromtheirshadycircle.Withafinalinspirationfroma MassachusettswhereMarywasagraduatestudentatSmithCollege.
teammember—“OKguys,we’regoingreallypowerittoday,aren’twe?”— Theywereengagedataninternationalsnowshoecompetitiontwoyears
therunnerstakeoffandMarksitsdownatthenearbypicnictabletosumup agowhentheU.S.teamtookasidetriptoVenice.Theirsharedpassion
hisownrunningpassioninthe30minuteshehasuntilhisrunnersreturn. forrunning,especiallyonwoodedtrails,helpedfueltheirfriendship.The
Markstartedhisracingcareerasaneighthgraderin1988righthereat couplemarriedinthesummerof2006.
Peoples,wherehenowteachesmiddleschoolmath.Hecompetedin Theweddingwasarunningcouple’sdreamcometrue.Lookingover
cross-country,trackandcross-countryskiing,butrunningwasalwayshis theguestlist,MarkandMarydiscoveredthat100ofthe140invited
firstlove.Hestillholdsthe15:46Vermonthighschool5krecordfor guestswereeitherrunnersorseriouswalkers,sotheydecidedtohavea
cross-country,whichhesetasaseniorattheNewEngland four-mileroadracearoundLakeElmorethemorningofthewedding.
Championshipsin1993.WhilecompetitiveinNordicskiingatPeoples, Therunnerswouldbedividedintotwoteams,basedonthelengthoftime
hesaysheneverloveditenough,notlikesomeofhisfellowcompetitors eachhadknownMarkorMary.Asanextraincentive,theoutcomeofthe
whowentontoskinationally,andinsomecases,internationally.“For racewoulddecideaquestionMarywasstilldebatingthatmorning:if
me,”hesays,“itwasalwaysrunning.” Mary’steamwonshewouldchangeherlastnametoChurchill.IfMark’s
Mark’slatestinterestissnowshoeracingandsoitfollowsthatheisa won,hewouldchangehismiddlenametoFagan.Theresultswere
memberoftheU.S.NationalSnowshoeTeam.Sixyearsagohetookit remarkablyclose,139-131,andMary’snameisnowChurchill.
upasacomplementtowinterrunning,avigoroussortofcross-training TheChurchillsspendmanyweekendsrunningthenetworksofmoun-
thatrequiresrunningonsnowinsnowshoes.Hebeganracingat10k tainbikingtrailsinStowe,Cady’sFallsandtheNortheastKingdom.
eventsandhasqualifiedforU.S.SnowshoeAssociationfinalsatBolton Markcomparestheirtrailrunningtogoingforahikeinthedeep
ValleyinVermont,AlaskaandColorado.InMinnesotalastyear,hefin- woods—stoppingtoseeanowloradeercrosstheirpath,admiringthe
ishedfourthinthefinalsandmadetheNationalTeam.Asafinalist,Mark vistasthatspringup.Theirvacationsinvariablyleadthemtonewrunning
representstheU.S.teamatvariousEuropeanmeets. routes,whetherinIreland,MarinCounty,Calif.,orAcadiaNationalPark
PeoplesAcademyhasestablishedastatewidereputationforboth inMaine.
cross-countryrunningandtrack,whichMarkalsocoaches,andbothstu- Running,whetheronatrack,inthewoods,oronsnow,isaninfectious
dentsandalumnirankwellincompetitions. passion,hesays,andMark’sgoalasacoachistoinfusehisstudentswith
BeforesummervacationbeginseachyearheremindshisPArunners a“lifelongloveofrunning.Itrytogetthemtothinklessaboutwinning
thathe’llberunningthemountainbiketrailsatnearbyCady’sFallsevery racesandmoreaboutwantingtobelifelongrunners.Iftheydowellit
MondayandWednesday,iftheywanttojoinhim.It’snotunusualforten willbebecausetheyloveit.” a73
Mark’s10ktracktimeisjustover30minutes,apersonalrecordhesetasastudentatIonaCollegeinNewRochelle,N.Y.His
10kroadracetimeis31:30,andhehasrecentlystartedworkingwithacoachtoachievehismarathongoalofbreaking2:30.
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