Today we introduce you to a former collegiate runner who now focuses on friendship and camaraderie.
Hi, my name is Danny Showalter and I live in Worthington with my husband Allan, two kiddos, and thirteen-year-old puppy, Toby.
Why did you start running? I originally started running because an elementary teacher encouraged me to stick with it after running a couple of miles in gym class. I took his advice and stuck with running from elementary school through college at Otterbein, took a short break, and now I mostly run for fun but do have some competitive flare-ups.
Favorite thing about running? My favorite part of running is the balance it provides for my everyday life. I find running to be very rewarding and I have made some pretty cool friends that I otherwise would have never made without running, especially with the OutRunners Columbus.
Favorite race(s) in Central Ohio? While I love a good road race like the Columbus Marathon, I had a great time running the Hoot Half and 10k trail race at Alum Creek this past summer and want to pursue more trail races in the future.
What advice would you give to someone just getting started? My advice for new runners is to take it slow while building a base, seek out runner friends, and then just have a blast with running, whether it’s competitive or for fun.