GG5K PROFILE: Jack Connor – runner

A Hudson native, John (Jack) Connor is a judge in the Hudson City Court system. A runner since High School, he was the overall winner of Ghostly Gallop in 2009. 

What made you start running?  When I was 13, I ran track in High School. I wasn’t very good.  In fact, I came in last in every race except two my first year.  I got progressively better in subsequent years.  It’s all about practice.

Where do you run now?  I run 3-4 days a week in and around Hudson.  My toughest route is from 9G up to the water tower at Olana.  It’s beautiful, but a mile straight uphill.

Do you still compete?  I compete every year in Sean’s Run, the Turkey Trot and the Fair Street 5K in Kingston. Generally, they are all 5Ks.  I have a bad hip so I’ve taken up kayak triathlons to vary the stress.  I participated in the Catskill Spring Rush this past spring.  It’s a 3-mile run followed by 10 miles of biking and 2 miles of kayaking on the Catskill Creek.  To practice, I kayak in the Hudson all the time.  It takes me 9 minutes to paddle a mile with the current and 14 minutes to paddle against it.

What was your longest competition?  I’ve run a few marathons.  But, my longest race was 31 miles on skis – up at Lake Placid.  It wasn’t easy, but now I’ve done a couple of those.

Can you suggest any books or films that have inspired you?   I read loads of books about competitions.  David Davis wrote about the 1908 Olympic Marathon in Showdown at Shepherd’s Bush.  I also liked The Sports Gene by David Epstein.    I coach the track team at the High School and I remember one of the best books and most inspiring from when I was that age was The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe.

What do you like most about running?  It used to be getting that beating heart going… Now it’s a part of my life.  I’ve run for 43 years.

Why do you like the Ghostly Gallop?  It’s a great community event.  Everyone can join in – whether running or walking.  And it’s great for the kids.  I’ve been participating in the Ghostly Gallop every year since it started in 2000.

To register for the Hudson Area Library’s fundraiser – Ghostly Gallop 5K Walk, or the GG Kids’ 1-mile Fun Run, go to www.GhostlyGallop.info.   For daily tips to prepare, go to www.Facebook.com/GG5K2017.