Wade Anderson doesn’t have to run a half-marathon every Saturday. He gets to.
The 54-year-old started running a weekly half-marathon when the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. in March. So far, he’s 25 weeks in and doesn’t plan to stop any time soon.
Most of Anderson’s runs have been on the bike trail near his home in south Lincoln, but he’s run a few on an indoor track and one in Vail, Colorado, while on a family vacation.
“What else am I going to do?†he said. “There’s no sporting events … and you can only do so much yard work.â€
Anderson is part of the Be Our Guest Lizards Facebook group, which includes over 2,300 members from around the world. Group members post about their runs and motivate each other, whether they’re running a mile or 26, he said.
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Anderson has been running regularly for several years and usually travels for a few big races every year.
Mental conditioning is an important part of his runs. He said he feels fortunate to have the ability to run, while some people don’t.
“I look at it as an opportunity,†he said. “I get to do this … Everybody has a 'why?' I run because I can. I run races because I can and I get to.â€
Anderson said he also thinks of his dad, who died from melanoma cancer 18 years ago, as a reason to run.
"There are so many times I think of him, especially when I may be struggling during a run and even a race," he said. "I always say you need a 'why' to do anything with a purpose."
Anderson said he pushes himself a little harder each Saturday and still sees it as an accomplishment every time he finishes his weekly half-marathon.
“I still wake up a little sore on Sundays,†he said.
He likes to think through all the possibilities of what could happen during a run, considering any issue that arises "as another obstacle I can overcome.â€
Anderson is a national sales manager for John Paul Mitchell Systems, the parent company of Paul Mitchell salon products. The job usually requires him to travel frequently, he said, and he normally takes about 80 to 90 flights a year.
But since the pandemic hit, he’s been working from home.
Originally from Hastings, Anderson went to college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has been back in Lincoln for the past 19 years. He has two sons, one of whom works for Duncan Aviation and the other a student at UNL.
Anderson said he and his family also enjoy taking ski trips, hiking and biking. While his family doesn't like to run anything over 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), Anderson said they are often there to cheer him on during his weekly half-marathons.
"They are also my biggest cheerleaders and support team during training and during actual races," he said.
Anderson said he misses live races and hopes he can run in the Good Life Halfsy half-marathon this fall and a multi-race challenge at Disney World in January. He said he especially enjoys the races at Disney World that can bring in tens of thousands of runners.
“The Disney races have a lot of energy and excitement,†he said.Â
But for now, Anderson will continue his runs locally.
“It’s about being healthy, active and positive,†he said. “This is important during this uncertain time, these times we haven’t dealt with in our lifetimes.â€