San Francisco FrontRunners

How long have you been running with FrontRunners and what attracted you to the club?

I’ve been a member of the club for more than ten years. I wanted to connect with other gay people interested in running. Fellow FrontRunner Peter Nye and I have been meeting for years for a pre-run every Saturday at 8:20 or so. Anyone is welcome to join us. It's a great way to catchup on how the week went and get more exercise at the same time. We usually do the three-mile carousel run. Peter does an additional two miles around Stow Lake before he and I meet up!

Where did you grow up and what brought you to the Bay Area?

I grew up in Long Island NY and moved to Marin county when I was in high school. I’ve been in the Bay Area ever since. This place is great! I love the weather, location, and people. I live in the Montclair district of Oakland hills with my partner Gary. We have been together more than 14 years. We have a friendly, diverse set of neighbors ranging from young couples with kids to folks over 75. It’s just another part of the Bay Area that I appreciate.

What do you do for work during the day?

I work at Chevron—been there over 20 years at both SF and the East Bay offices. I’ve had many different jobs during that time. I currently work in a tax/audit group. It's a fun and somewhat geeky job trying to figure out the best strategy to comply with all the different state and federal tax laws for our industry.

What are your other interests and pursuits?

I enjoy running, hiking, volleyball and light-hearted people. Gary and I have a seven-year-old golden retriever named Sasha who loves people and hiking, too. One of our favorite trails is the Lafayette-Moraga regional trail. The main reason is because it's paved and you don't have to be concerned with all the plants sticking to the dog’s hair!

Are you involved with any other clubs around the Bay Area or elsewhere? 

A few casual volleyball groups for pick-up games.

Before coming to FrontRunners, did you do much running or any other active activity on a regular routine?

I played basketball and volleyball. Joining FR showed me there were all these people that ran for health and fun a few times each week. I run more for the fun of it and fell out of running races a few years ago. 

What is one of your fondest memories of FrontRunners so far?

Coming to our runs in winter when it's raining sticks in my mind. I always know there will be other nut cases who just don't care what the weather is doing Saturday morning. I have a picture in my mind of people standing under the eaves in the concession stand at Stow Lake, dripping wet, talking about the latest post-running stretch. Priceless.

Any advice to newcomers to the club and running/fitness?

For newcomers, the group is large and can seem hard to fit in. Hang for a bagel brunch, get to know a few people, and you will not look back. 

Thanks for talking with us, Michael, and for remaining such a longtime participant in FrontRunners!