Runner Spotlight - August 2025

Bill Schmidt lives in Fruitport MI with his wife of 39 years Wendy.  Earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech back in the 80’s, helped him to steer his 2 sons also toward this profession.  For the past few decades, Bill has worked in Engineering at Kaydon Corporation – now SKF in Norton Shores.  He has spent time as a mentor for a local First Robotics team, as well as a few years as an Assistant Scout Master in the Boy Scouts.  This has provided Bill with many opportunities for backpacking in the American west as well as numerous adventures here in Michigan.  His love of running, which dates back to youth, has been a trip with no regrets.  “Every run, every race, even when they don’t go as planned, has a story to it, a lesson in it, and is its own adventure.”

1. How long have you been running? 
I first started running in 1979 when I was a freshman in High School.  Running distance, the mile and 2 mile, became a part of my life then.  This expanded to Cross Country, and scores of road races in the summertime.  Once in College, running became a truly permanent part of my life.

2. Do you race? If so, what is your most memorable race experience? 
I race quite a bit now, but before joining Run Muskegon, it was a bit more limited to 3 or 4 per year.  As for the most memorable one, it was during the 1993 Detroit Marathon.  The weather was cold, windy and drizzling rain.  I had not done a marathon for a few years, so was unsure of how this one would go.  At about the 13-mile mark, the route turned onto Bell Isle.  In the windy chaos, I heard volunteers at the aid station holding up large pop sickle sticks yelling “ICE CREAM”.  I figured – hey, a little sugar might help, so grabbed one, and scraped the contents into my mouth with my teeth. It tasted terrible – so I spit it out.  I could see other volunteers kind of looking at me a bit odd as I did this, but as I was in the middle of a race, I shrugged it off and forgot about it.  Miles later, when coming off of the isle, maybe the 18 mile mark or so, the wind had died down, and I could hear better.  The same group of volunteers were there – with their chants, “VASALINE”….

3. Ever run in a costume? If so, what? 
Yes, one time, here for Run Muskegon, we had an event last summer.  I did my best to look like RED GREEN from the Canadian TV show.  It was a brutally hot day, too hot to be running in a flannel shirt, khaki pants and a hat.

4. Only running shoes for me are...
Whatever is on sale at the time, that fits my size 12 feet, with a good heal counter and arch support.  It seems every time I find a shoe that I like, it gets discontinued.  Consequently, I tend to wander from manufacturer to manufacturer.

5. What is your worst running-related injury?
This is a tough one, in the decades that I have spent running, I have had: pulled muscles, several torn Achilles tendons, a stress fracture in a tibia, a hyper contracted knee event, a lacerated left knee, a partial right knee replacement, and now this year, a partial left knee replacement.
 
I guess the worst would have to be the right knee, it had degraded sufficiently that I could not run at all and could barely bike before it was worked on.  The rehab from it was quite lengthy as I was not in the greatest shape before surgery.  I was able to address that issue before the left knee was done, which greatly accelerated that recovery.

6. Hot or cold weather runner?
Living in the UP for 5 years definitely shifted me towards cold weather running.  For now, I prefer cooler temperatures, I think it is a bit safer, and easier to perform faster and longer without worry of heat related injuries or dehydration.

7. What is your motivation for running? 
The freedom of being able to go anywhere anytime with just your legs to get you there.  Another nice benefit is being able to eat anything I want, knowing that I can just burn it off in the next workout.  Finally, the peer pressure from all my friends helps keep me going. 

8. If I didn't run I would probably…
Drive my wife nuts.  The biking mileage would likely increase to help compensate for it.  Running burns so many calories in such a short period of time, that it really can’t be beat for its benefits.

9. I can't run without…
Running shoes. I tried some barefoot running when in school, and my feet just can’t take the pounding.   Shoes, shorts, and a shirt are all I really need.
 I don’t listen to music when running, I rather be fully aware of all the sounds around me.  If I need a distraction, I have enough music memorized where I can just play it in my head, but normally I try to stay focused on the run.

10. What's the farthest you have run at one time? 
This would be 26 miles 385 yards in the marathons that I have done.  I would love to be able to do this distance again, but I am not sure that I can.  I am not giving up though, next year might be the year to try it again.
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11. What brought you to Run Muskegon and why have you stayed?
While enjoying a pint at PH on a Wednesday evening, 2 months after my right knee surgery, my wife and I noticed a group of people stretching, looking like they might be getting ready to go on a run.
​A rather shy woman, Becki Mueller, asked, no encouraged, more like told me to come along and join them on a run.  At that point I was just starting to jog a ¼ mile or so.  I was quite unsure of if I could ever really run again.  Her encouragement got me here.  The support of the entire RUN MUSKEGON group has kept me here.  Through all of this I have made a lot of friends and have what I would call a rather large extended family now in this group.

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