By Kyle LoJacono
Staff Writer
Many people try jogging to get physically fit, but the Land O’ Lakes Road Runners “pound the pavement” for a different reason.
“We all started to stay in shape and have some fun, but we stayed in the club because of the people,” said Mike Kneapler, member of the Road Runners since 1998. “It’s all about the friendships we’ve made and we’ve all become very close.”
Kneapler, 55, started running when his son Ryan, 28, made the Jesuit High School cross country team.
“We used to have about 30 members who came out and ran each time, but now we are down to about 15,” Kneapler said. “We keep getting smaller and smaller and we could really use some new people. It really is a great group of people and I think anyone would love it if they come out.”
The club meets to run at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday in the parking lot of the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex, 3032 Collier Parkway. They also meet each Sunday at 7:30 a.m. for a “field trip.” The group stays connected via e-mail to confirm if they will be running that week and at what time on Sunday.
“Sunday is when we usually pick a place outside of Land O’ Lakes to train at,” Kneapler said. “Sometimes we run hills in San Antonio or other parks in the area. It’s just to change things up.”
The oldest member is Carlos Valle, 59, who came to Land O’ Lakes 21 years ago.
“Sometimes we get a little competitive and push each other to go farther and run faster, but most of the time we just enjoy each other’s company,” Valle said. “We talk a lot and even plan fun things when we aren’t running.”
Valle started a band with club member Lou Menendez, 55, and two nonmembers. The band is called the Living Room Band. Valle plays bass guitar and Menendez is the singer and guitar player.
“We mostly play when the club gets together and has a party or dinner,” Valle said. “We go out to dinner as a club and do other things all the time.”
The band’s singer had high praise for Valle both as a runner and bass player.
“Carlos is probably our fastest runner out here even though he’s the oldest,” said Menendez, who lives in Land O’ Lakes. “He’s also the best bass player.”
Valle might be the fastest runner, but several of the women in the club are nearly as fast.
“I’ve been running with the club for three and a half years since I moved from Pennsylvania,” said Darlene Maloney of Land O’ Lakes. “I really like running and I just finished my 10th marathon. That was the Gasparilla and it took me four hours and 23 minutes.”
A marathon is 26.2 miles. Maloney’s fastest time in a marathon was three hours and 49 minutes at the Harrisburg Marathon. Maloney is one of the more competitive of the runners.
“When I’m training for a marathon or something else, I get really into the training, but running with the club isn’t about that,” Maloney said. “I try and let everything go here and just have a good time.”
Another of the “alpha women” as the club calls them is Shawn Fessel of Lutz.
“My husband (John) and I have been running with the club since about 1996 and look forward to it,” Fessel said. “Running is a big part of our family. Our son (Kenny) runs for Sunlake and has the school record for the one-mile and two-mile runs.”
Kenny is a sophomore.
The Road Runners club started at least 15 years ago, but none of the current runners knew for sure. One of the founders was current Land O’ Lakes High School boys cross county coach Kris Keppel. Keppel still runs with the club on occasion.
During the week the club runs in different places near Collier. In the summer when it stays bright out later, they run more along Collier. When the sun sets earlier in the winter the club runs in the well-lit neighborhoods along Collier.
The group usually runs three to five miles during the week and eight to 10 miles on Sunday, but the speed and distance depends more on the group.
“We won’t leave someone lagging behind by themselves,” Kneapler said. “It’s not about that. Leaving someone behind means we have one less person to talk with and that’s not what we want.”
For more information on the club, call Kneapler at (813) 417-7788.
