Tony Teunissen, 31
GM @ Peak Sports Club

I've been running for 15+ years.

I started running because I love sports and I love to compete. I ran cross
country and track in high school and also in college. One of the reasons I
love running so much is because it is a very individualized sport. There's
no one else to blame when a race goes bad. I probably got somewhat
good at it because I was always running from my oldest brother.

If I could no longer run, I would probably be extremely bored and
overloaded with stress.

I don't know that I've ever found my rave run. I'm not a big fan of running
hills, but I have enjoyed doing some long runs cruising up and down
country roads like Shaw road, Olsen, Spring Creek and even
Riverside…especially on a quiet weekend morning as the sun is rising.
It's very serene.

I like to run with my old college buddies and of course, the PEAK Running
Crew.

Something most people don't know about me is that I grew up in
Wisconsin, which means that yes, I'm a Packer Fan! However, I became
a converted Cubs fan about 7 years ago!

My favorite thing to do after a hard workout is to hop in an ice bath, grab
some junk food and then lie down and relax.

When I'm not running, I like to spend time with my kids, workout, play
and/or watch sports and once in a while, do yard work.

I am inspired by the wisdom of Brian Miller.

An obstacle or challenge I've overcome with my running is realizing that I'll never be able to run as fast as I did in college, but with hard work, I can
probably slow down the 'slowing' down process.

The local runner I most admire…I'm not one to play favorites _ they know who they are.

To push myself on a run, I set my iPod to my favorite playlist and head to the track for a workout.

My greatest running accomplishment was probably winning the 4 x 800m relay at the Drake Relays.

I finished 159th overall at the Chicago Marathon this year.

My next goal will be a spring marathon. Perhaps Boston or maybe I'll run Rockford. We'll see how the winter training goes.

My advice to other runners is to train hard, train smart and set goals. Most importantly however, try to keep it fun.

I plan to run until something forces me to give it up.