TSR Runner of the Week-Dave Traube
By: Kayla Dodd
Congratulations to TSR Runner of the Week Dave Traube! He has been on his running journey for 8 years now and is loving it. His first race was the Joker 4 Miler on April 1, 2012 in Charleston, WV. His current 5k PR is 18:57, his Half Marathon PR is 1:37 and his Marathon PR is 4:01. Right now, his current running goal is to run a marathon in under four hours…he will tackle this challenge this October!
When asked what motivates him to run Dave said, “Running has meant a lot to me. I run for my physical health, my mental health and to spend time with friends. I’m a social runner so there’s nothing more rewarding to me than a nice 5 mile run with a friend or two. I started running consistently when I graduated from college and it has helped me balance out my life and find direction in the hard times. No matter the transitions I go through in life, I’ve always had running to fall back on. I hope God grants me the opportunity and the health to continue running my entire life.”
Dave said he has had many great experiences and he has also had some weird things happen while running, but the cool thing that happens to him is at the end of every sanctioned run he has ever done – is the sense of community he experiences when crossing the finish line. He said, “In no other sport are you predominantly competing against yourself as opposed to someone else like you are in a race. I love cheering for people I’ll never know and sharing experiences with people I’ll never know. It’s a special community of people. It feels like one big extended family. ‘Oh you run!?’ is an instant friend starter with me.”
Dave has a few upcoming races on his running calendar that he is working towards. He will be running on a relay team for the Charleston Distance Run 15-miler in September, running the Bridge Day 5k in Fayetteville, WV in October and also doing the Peak to Creek Marathon in NC. His dream race is the Boston or NYC Marathon as well as the “A Christmas Story” 5k in Ohio. His favorite running/motivational quote is “Don’t be enticed by success or scared by failure, be captivated with purpose.” – Bob Goff
When asked what his best experience from running has been he said, “Finishing my first Half Marathon was an emotional experience for me. My friend and I really had no idea what we were doing with our training, but we both were at a point in our lives where we needed the distraction of running. Crossing that finish line together was an incredible feeling. I also really enjoyed watching my wife finish her first Half Marathon this past winter. She trained hard and earned a great finish!”
He has a few different preferences and favorites for running shoes. “I’m currently running in Saucony’s right now but I prefer HOKA ONE ONE or Brooks.” His favorite piece of running gear is his Bandana! He said that the bandana is a must, it helps keep the sweat out of his eyes much better than any hat or headband.
When asked what advice he would give to a beginner runner he said to take it slow at first. Make your goal to run a mile without stopping and then go from there. “One of the great things about running is that no two people do it for the same reason. Run for a while and discover what it is that motivates you to run. Cherish that. And then never ever stop doing it.” Running has not only changed Dave’s physical appearance (he had lost 20 pounds almost immediately after he started running) it has also changed his brain and mental health. “I truly believe that. I’m a running advocate and believe that anyone can improve their life exponentially by simply adding some running into the mix.” Congrats to Dave on all of his running achievements and accomplishments, Team TSR will see you at the finish line!