His globetrotting trip took him to all sorts of exciting and exotic places. He spent time in the Cook Islands of the South Pacific, hiked in New Zealand and explored the island of Bali in Indonesia. Utilizing many modes of transportation such as train, bus, moped, boat and tuk-tuk, he visited places including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. He spent six weeks hiking in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal at altitudes reaching 18,000 feet. In India he marveled at the grandeur of the Taj Mahal and yet, saw the devastating poverty facing millions in the same country. He did a safari trek in the Serengeti plains of Kenya and Tanzania where he came face to face with wild elephants and lions. In Egypt he saw the old city of Cairo and checked out the bazaars filled with Middle Eastern music and smells. He rode on horseback for two days, making stops at the ancient pyramids and tombs of the pharaohs. In Greece he saw the ancient sites of the Acropolis and Parthenon, and spent two weeks on an island in the Aegean Sea.

On a stop on the Great Barrier Reef, Russ met Karen and they hit it off immediately. Russ extended his stay to spend more time getting to know her. They had a great deal in common and he would join her for daily runs, not even slowed down by the fact that he had only his Teva’s to run in (along with his hiking boots - a pair of runners would have been a luxury in his small backpack!) Eventually he knew he had to finish his trip. He continued on and they stayed in contact as best they could. After he returned home, she came to visit where they hit it off as they did when they first met. A few months later, Russ moved to Australia for ten months and later, they moved back to Oswego. Married in Australia three years ago, they have settled in the Oswego area, and live in a country home they share with their two girls, Buttercup, a yellow Lab and Sierra, a Siberian Husky. Both active runners, they can often be found running with their ‘girls’ on the serene country roads that surround them.

For Russ, running is a great way to stay fit. It also satisfies his competitive side through his participation in road races throughout the year. He has no set weekly mileage and does not follow any sort of a training schedule. "I don’t want to turn running into a job. I run when I feel like doing it." Although he may not follow a regular running routine, he has goals like most everyone else. This year one of his goals was to break twenty minutes in a 5K, which he accomplished at the Alzheimer’s run this past September in Oswego, where he completed the course in 19:50.

When it comes to favorite races, Russ has two. He looks forward to the unexpected surprises from year to year at the Jordan Alpine Classic. From crossing a stream to making an incredibly steep decent practically on your bottom, it’s a course that never lacks challenges. This year he even took second in his age group. Additionally, every December Russ participates in the Reindeer Run in Oswego. He and Karen love the chance to run together with their dogs, not concerned with times, just out for some nice family fun.

Russ works as a Database Programmer. When he is not working or running, he enjoys a multitude of other sports and activities. He does strength training, likes biking, hiking (especially in the winter), snowboarding and X-C skiing. He is also a competitive racquetball player. He has participated in several duathlons this past year, including a team duathlon at Southwick Beach with Karen and an individual duathlon in Brockville, Ontario where he picked up an age group award. For Russ, variety makes the most sense. "My philosophy is that I’m in it for the long run, I want to be active until the end of my days. That’s why I try to take a balanced approach and not overdo it in any one activity." All this variety keeps him busy, but he still manages to make time maintaining their home and gardening. Not one to watch much television, if Russ were to pick a favorite it would have to be ‘Survivor’. How fitting for such a well-traveled and adventurous person!

October, 2002