Dirk is proof that you can have a "second wind." Dirk first started running for fun in college in the early 80’s and
continued to run up to his first (and he thought his only) marathon in 1988 (4:20 in the Marine Corp marathon). He continued
to run casually off and on for the next twenty years and while raising three kids. In 2008 he ran into some Pike Creek runners
who asked him what his goal was for running. He decided he wanted to run a 5K in less than 21 minutes.
Three years later, he’s shed 30-some pounds gained over the years, run 3 5Ks under 20 minutes, run two more marathons
(3:22 and 3:27) and qualified for the Boston Marathon. He’s a consistent competitor in distances from 5K to half marathon,
always shooting for that elusive 7-minute per mile pace on the long races. He’s met a lot of great people through the
Pike Creek Valley Running Club and decided it was time to “give some back.” He volunteered as membership chair but was
instead designated club Treasurer starting in 2012. Dirk enjoys competing in the USATF road-racing series where his goal
is to score for the club at least once per year. Recently, he began running the off-road series too.
Dirk’s other community volunteer activities have included positions in his civic associations (Drummond Hill treasurer and
president, Pike Creek Valley Civic League treasurer), Center for the Creative Arts (board president), and volunteering in
the ER at Christiana Hospital.
Dirk is also a “wanna-be” cyclist and member of the Y’s Guys “Bike to the Bay” team. He tried to compete in his first
duathlon this summer but was rained out so it’s on his resolutions for next year (along with the Boston marathon, riding
in a hot-air balloon and bicycling a “century”).
2009 DE Marathon Running Festival
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2011 Caesar Rodney Half
2008 Bike to the Bay
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Run, Race, Enjoy!