The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Group makes strides in sharing a love of running
New community race director introducing children to sport
DURHAM — When 23year-old Peter Schulten was first introduced to running at a young age through an athletic program at the schools, he discovered not only did he have a natural penchant for the sport, but a desire to share that love with kids of all ages.
Fifteen years ago, his mother, Jennifer Schulten, founded Go Far Go Fast, a local healthy living and exercise program that served Middlefield and Durham students who attend Regional District 13.
Over the last decade and a half, the program has held 10 major races at the Durham Fairgrounds.
“The whole program was built off of him — the mentoring part of it, and the day-to-day figuring out how to make the program functional and work for a bunch of kids,” she said. “As he’s grown up, we would adjust the program accordingly for the different age groups.”
“Peter’s very first steps into running were at the fun runs when John Hastings handed him his first blue ribbon,” his mother said.
This year, Durham Parks and Recreation Director Sherry Hill asked Peter Schulten, who is studying computer science at Iona College in Rochelle, N.Y., to come aboard as race director of the 30-year fun run race series.
The weekly summer series is held at 6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Coginchaug Regional High School track.
As he grew older, Peter Schulten discovered he loved working with children.
“He gets all these experiences through the fun runs he’s had since he was a little, little boy, and going back to
something he started with. When we moved to town, that was the very first thing we did was we went to the fun runs.”
Her son derives a great deal of satisfaction from seeing the joy in the young runners.
“It’s great to see kids get into running the same way I did, through grassroots programs like the Durham Recreation fun runs and the races/events put on by Go Far,” he said.
The series is held at the school’s track and field complex along with scenic roads, trails and grass, Jennifer Schulten said.
“I have a lot of experience passed down, and I have connections to resources that make directing events like the fun run a lot smoother and more fun,” Peter Schulten said. “Go Far has taught me how to properly introduce new runners to the sport.”
At Xavier High School, Peter Schulten’s track team made the Nike U.S. nationals, “which is a really big deal in cross-country,” his mother said. “He’s stood on some really stressful [and “really scary”] starting lines, which would unravel most people at a young age.”
“He’s been brought up to for the sport itself, and not necessarily because of any great medals that you receive,” she added. “He loves the community that running gives.”
Running has changed Peter Schulten’s life, he said. “It plays a big factor in my everyday life. When in season, the whole day revolves around running. It has introduced me to my best friends and great people all over the world at Iona College.”
“Running should be fun, and Pete has had a lifetime of putting it to practice through our many fun themes and colorful race experiences,” his mother said. “No matter how stressful a starting line can be, he’s learned that we build our own individual strengths when we run as a community.”
Jennifer Schulten is delighted to see her son continue the sporting tradition, she said. “It’s very much a full-circle feeling. It’s almost like we’ve been rearing him to do it, even though he really didn’t think about it. It feels really justified — all the work that we put into helping him become a runner, and love running, and the fact that he wants other people to love running — it means all the hard work over many years has come to fruition.”
As time has gone on, the events have become so popular that participation has boomed, she said.
“Seeing Pete direct the fun runs means that he’s living Go Far’s purpose by taking on life’s goals one run at a time. You do good for yourself by doing good for your community,” Jennifer Schulten said.
The series, which began June 29 and offers a number of different distances and surfaces, continues Tuesdays through Aug. 10. Every week features 200-, 400- and 800-meter distances for children.
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