David Hartz, a Math Professor at the College of St. Benedict, has been a runner for many years. And since he is a numbers expert, it’s no surprise that he has kept close count of the hundreds of races he has participated in—well over 400 in all. This year’s Jingle Bell 5K hosted at St. Cloud Orthopedics on November 17th marked both his 17th year in that event and also his 200th consecutive month of racing overall, oftentimes participating in multiple races per month.
There are two reasons why Hartz runs everything from 5K races to full marathons. First, he enjoys it. And second, he knows how important it is to keep moving, and running helps him do that.
The Jingle Bell Run is the only race he has done every year.
“I like that it’s local, and that it’s for the kids at Christmas,” said Hartz of the Toys for Tots charity that the Jingle Bell Run supports. “It’s a good race.”
He also joked that St. Cloud Orthopedics was a good place to run in case anyone would happen to have a problem with their knees during running—something Hartz knows about personally.
In the past, Hartz has had surgery through our clinic by Dr. Murphy for his knee and Dr. Hwang for his shoulder.
“St. Cloud Orthopedics has done a great job,” said Hartz. “I’ve been very happy with their care.”
Though not entirely competitive, Hartz doesn’t mind winning a race now and then. One of his favorite running moments was winning the 2013 Swan Lake Marathon in South Dakota (shown below). At this year’s Jingle Bell 5K, he placed first in his age category.
Overall, the important thing for Hartz is to “keep going and keep running” and he’s an advocate for anyone who is interested in running. He is a member of the St. Cloud River Runners—a great way for people to get started or continue with running.
“There are over 100 members of the group and this club is a great way to meet with other runners of all capabilities and run with others,” said Hartz. “We have several group runs each week and everyone is welcome and encouraged to join us.”
