Avid marathon runner, Robert Butterworth, placed first in his age category in the TC 10K run in Victoria on April 30.
Butterworth joined 51 other runners in his age category (70-74) and finished first with an official time of 49:04.
“It was a beautiful day,” he said, adding he participates every year for the social aspect, not for competitive purposes.
The main competitor for Butterworth is himself. For every run, Butterworth aims to beat times from previous years, attempting to increase his own physical acuity.
To date, Butterworth has competed in eight marathons and other countless runs of various distances.
On average, Butterworth laces up his runners four days a week, running approximately 40 to 60 kilometres. During the week of a marathon, Butterworth ups the ante and treads up to 50 to 70 kilometres a week.
“It seems like a lot, but once your body gets attuned to it, it’s not as dramatic as it appears.”
Despite earning the best time in his division, Butterworth’s personal best was attained two years ago in the Front Runners Island Race Series Sooke River 10K, with a time of 47:25.
The seasoned runner began his fitness excursion five or six years ago at the urging of his wife, and entered his first official race as a runner in 2007.
“I wasn’t interested in doing any of that nonsense,” laughed Butterworth.
Running is now a lifestyle for Butterworth, becoming a deciding factor in how well he eats, sleeps and the sorts of activities he does.
“It’s commitment and work,” he said. “If you immerse [in] it and believe in it, it becomes a work of joy -- a pleasure.”
Although Butterworth is a Sooke resident, he currently runs with the Juan de Fuca Fun Runners, a spin off club from a running clinic he attended.
But he stated that if anyone in Sooke is curious about running, they should approach local running group the Sooke Trail and Road Runners.
“If you’re interested in starting out running, and to do it in a proper way, go into a clinic and go into the STARRs group,” he said. “The group out here are fantastic people.”