26.2 Miles and Counting
Many Dallastown staff members have done what most people would dread to do, which is running a marathon. Some have even accomplished more than what you would believe.
TV and Video Production teacher, Joseph Klinedinst running the Ironman Maryland in 2018. He is one of the many teachers that has accomplished running over 20 marathons.
When most people hear the words run or marathon, their immediate thought is “pain.”
But at Dallastown, it’s a different story.
Many staff members have done what may be unthinkable for others, and some have done it multiple times – the marathon.
26.2 miles.
Perhaps the most accomplished Dallastown staff member is high school TV and Video Production teacher Mr. Joseph Klinedinst.
He has run at least 20 marathons, starting in 2008 and hasn’t stopped since. He even plans to run two more this year.
“I was following in my dad’s footsteps, and I actually ran my first one with my dad,” Klinedinst said.
Klinedinst has run marathons all over the USA including Hawaii.
He has run eight Ironman Triathlons (which include running, biking, and swimming), a NYC Marathon, three Boston Marathons, a Rehoboth Beach Marathon, two Harrisburg Marathons, two York Marathons, and one marathon each in Richmond, Philadelphia, and Hartford.
“My best time was a 2:47 at the Rehoboth Beach Marathon where I was 3rd overall and the first finisher over 40,” Klinedinst said.
Training is a key component of running a marathon, and if you have done as many as Klinedinst, you know what is right for you.
He averages about 20 hours per week of training, which is broken down into two sessions a day, one before school and one after school.
In one week, he gets in about eight miles of swimming, 250 miles of cycling, and 40 miles of running.
“A marathon at the end of an Ironman is always tough, but the one in Hawaii was the hardest. This is mostly due to the extreme heat and humidity.” Klinedinst said.
His advice for anyone wanting to run a marathon is to enjoy the journey of preparing for the race and just to have fun on the race day.
Other Dallastown staff members that have run a few marathons are Intermediate School teachers Nathan Keys (6th grade Blue Wing), Jamie Gorsegner (5th grade Blue Wing), and Heidi Tutt, (high school paraprofessional).
Both Keys and Tutt have each run seven marathons.
Two of the marathons that Keys has run have been the Baltimore Marathon in 2014 and the YMCA Rail Trail Marathon in 2019.
His training consists of 3-5 mile runs from Monday to Thursday, with Friday being a rest day. On Saturdays and Sundays his runs are longer to increase his weekly mileage.
“The cliche about mile 20 being the most challenging is absolutely true. Marathons are brutal on the body and the mind,” Keys said.
Some of the marathons that Tutt has run are the Portland Marathon, the Seattle Marathon, the Los Angeles Marathon, and the Chicago Marathon.
To train, Tutt runs about 70 miles a week, consisting of one distance run, one interval run, and then she alternates between easy and hard runs.
Tutt’s passion for running started back in high school. “I love running and ran cross country/track in high school and college.”
Gorsegner is next in line with six marathons under her belt.
She has run the York Marathon, the Gettysburg Blue-Gray Marathon, the New Jersey Marathon and three Bob Potts Marathons.
These marathons have been over a span of over six years, from 2014 to 2019.
Gorsegner hopes to run another marathon, but in 2020 she received two brain surgeries resulting in poor balance and the inability to run.
“I work towards accomplishing that every single day.” Gorsegner said.
The list of Dallastown staff who have run marathons doesn’t stop there.
David Gable, Jessica Scott, Gayle Hopkins, Mark Koons, Kristie Putt, Jessie Blank, Kimberly Walsh, Amie Jacobs, and Kelly Pepper have all trained hard and successfully completed marathons.
Each of these races have been quite the accomplishment and will be something that they will remember forever.
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