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 Donna F. Botkin, vice president and trust relationship manager with U.S. Bank (runner #3412 in blue) completes a Disney Marathon. |
CROSSING THE FINISH LINE
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TOP EXECS SAY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS KEEP THEM RUNNING
By Laurie Burstein
At 4:45 a.m. on most mornings, Brenda Newberry, president and CEO of The Newberry Group, can be found running five-to-seven miles in her St. Charles neighborhood. She and her husband, Maurice, the chief operating officer of the company, run in the rain, winter snow and summer heat.
“Our running routine helps us get through the day and sleep better at night. It really helps with mood and stress in a big way. The health and wellness benefits are so great. I can really feel it if we miss a run,” she explains. Newberry began running in the late 1970s while in the U.S. Air Force. Now 58, she says that running helps her stay focused and disciplined both in and out of the office.
Newberry and her husband built The Newberry Group eight years ago and today the company has three offices and 120 employees. The information technology firm specializes in cyber security, applications development and support services. On a typical day, Newberry gets into the office about 8 a.m. and doesn’t leave until after 7 p.m. Consistently running each morning gives her the clarity and stamina she needs to operate her company she says.
She adds that the great thing about running is that it can be done anywhere. “When we travel for business or pleasure, our tradition is to go running. In recent years we have run in Australia, San Diego and Cabo San Lucas. You see so much more when you are running than by car.”
Vic Richey, chairman and CEO of ESCO Technologies, agrees that running is a great way to see the world. Richey, who has completed 13 marathons, says his favorite race is in Big Sur, Calif. Now he is training for his next marathon in Vancouver.
In St. Louis, Forest Park is his favorite place to train says the 47-year-old Richey who started jogging in college and never stopped. He runs every day but Fridays—about 45-50 miles a week.
“If you get out early, it’s never too hot and it’s never too cold if you are dressed right. All you need is a good pair of running shoes and you are good to go,” he says. Richey oversees ESCO Technologies, a St. Louis-based manufacturing company with 2,500 employees worldwide.
So why does Richey put himself through the intense training and often difficult conditions in running a 26.2 mile marathon?
“Running is my mental health plan. It gives me a huge sense of accomplishment and never gets boring” he says.
Like many runners, Richey likes the camaraderie of running with others and is part of a group. He describes the group as a mix of individuals ranging from 20-70 with varied backgrounds. “Your talking the whole time and you get to know a diverse group of people. It’s really fun.”
Rick Sullivan, CEO of McBride & Son, the largest homebuilder in St. Louis, also likes the long-lasting friendships that develop from running along with the health benefits. Sullivan began running in the 1980s and today runs about 35-40 miles a week. His favorite run starts at Wydown Blvd. in Clayton and goes to Downtown and back.
Sullivan has been running with the same circle each Saturday for about 15 years. He describes them as a unique and ever-expanding group of friends. “Our lives usually don’t cross except in running circles, yet we are very close and talk about almost everything, “ he says.
Sullivan adds, “You may not even know the person’s last name, but after running with them, you know their life story. It’s not about who you are or what you do for a living, but more about the friendships and shared sense of accomplishment that come from running with the same people,” he says.
The 53-year-old Sullivan says, “Running keeps me younger. I weigh 20-25 pounds less and am in better shape today. What good am I to my family, my company, and my self if I don’t keep in shape?”
Donna F. Botkin, a vice president and trust relationship manager with U.S. Bank, says that while her other friends were dealing with their mid-life crisis’ by taking guitar lessons and buying sports cars, she started training for a marathon for her 40th birthday.
“My goal was to finish the St. Louis Marathon. I did and I felt great. Since then I have run marathons all over including Chicago, Disney World, Austin, and Long Beach,” Botkin says.
| Donna F. Botkin (#539) with her running friends who provide emotional and training support. |
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To date Botkin has completed 24 marathons and most recently qualified to run in the Boston Marathon for the third time this April.
“At Disney in 2003, after many marathons, I finally qualified for the Boston Marathon. I finished Boston in 2003 in three hours and 48 minutes, which put me in 48th place out of 252 in my division. This year at Disney, I placed second in my age division.”
Botkin says there are many reasons she keeps running. “Running makes me feel great both mentally and physically. I have some wonderful running friends. Not only do we share a lot of camaraderie, the emotional and training support that we give each other is priceless.”
Randy Schilling, president and CEO of Quilogy in St. Charles, says that some of his best ideas for business come to him during his daily run on the Katy Trail. Schilling founded Quilogy, an information technology services company, thirteen years ago.
“I do much of my thinking for business when I am running along the river and there are no distractions. This is my creative time,” says the 42-year-old Schilling who runs 20-25 miles per week.
Schilling got serious about running four years ago when he trained for his first marathon, the Lewis & Clark Marathon in St. Charles. His goal was to complete the race in four hours and he says he just made it at three hours and 59 minutes.
He describes an idea that came to him during a run to encourage fitness among Quilogy’s 300 employees. As part of the company’s wellness program, Schilling decided to provide individuals with a pedometer to keep track of how many miles they walked or ran. Using the company’s intranet, employees from all 14 locations entered their miles and then received recognition.
Many CEOs agree that running for sport has a lot in common with running a company.
Richey, of ESCO Technologies, says that in both you must have a goal. “There are many similarities. You must be determined, you have to train properly, you need a plan, and you must be committed to your goal.”
“Sometimes the best part about running is when you finish!” jokes Newberry. On a more serious note she adds, “I can really see and feel the health benefits of running. When we finish a run, it feels good to know we did it,” she says.
For many CEOs and high-level executives it’s about going the distance—both in the office and out on the track. |
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