Five Questions With Kim Wood

Kim Wood is the owner of Chatham’s Up & Running, and is an accomplish marathoner and swimmer.

Wood competed in the Boston Marathon last year, and is a former NCAA athlete with the University of Cincinnati. Locally, Wood and Up & Running have developed a burgeoning running scene and culture in Chatham-Kent, that has more people not only participating in running for their person fitness, but also has sparked the creation of many local road races.

Below are Kim Wood’s answers to CKSN’s Five Questions:

1. What is your career sports highlight/top memory?

Swimming in the B Final at the US Open in the 100 metre butterfly in 2000. I was 28 years old, and it was my fastest time, and highest finish at an elite level meet.

2. Who is your favourite professional sports team and athlete?

Uh, is it awful for me to say that I don’t follow sports? Can I go with college? I’ll go with University of Cincinnati Bearcats, my alma mater. Favourite professional athlete would be Meb Keflizhigi, the US marathon runner.

3. If you could achieve one goal in sports, what would it be?

To place in the top 9000 at the Boston Marathon, and to qualify for Boston under the men’s standard. Achievement? I want to help bring as many people as I can to the fit side of life!

4. Who has been your biggest sports influence and why?

My biggest sports influence has been my sister. She is an incredible athlete, and has overcome a lot to be successful in her sporting ventures. She was a Division I All American swimmer; professional Ironman triathlete, and is now an Elite Age Group triathlete…proving to me again and again, that no matter how busy you are, and regardless of age, you can be a competitive athlete!

5. What do you love most about participating in sports and athletics?

I love sports and athletics for so many reasons. The obvious physical fitness benefits are just the beginning. I love to push myself, to strive to improve. I love the camaraderie of running, and also the way it feels to do a long, solitary run in a beautiful setting. I love doing things that most people wouldn’t consider doing in their 20’s, much less in their 40’s. I love that my friends consider a group run to be as great a get-together as an evening out.

Five Questions is a new weekly feature on the Chatham-Kent Sports Network. We’ll ask athletes from across Chatham-Kent Five Questions, and post their answers every week. If you know an athlete or coach we should question, or you’re an athlete or coach who would like to participate in “Five Questions,” please email us at ian@cksn.ca.