By Brad “Dang those shoes are pretty” Anderson

In 7th or 8th grade we had a field day at the high school. I decided to run the mile, which was the final event. I was wearing some Bugle Boys cargo shorts, a Public Enemy t-shirt and my favorite Air Jordan 5’s, which I still consider to be the best Air Jordan’s ever released. It was a sunny spring afternoon when I stepped onto the rapidly deteriorating 440 Yard track, at Morgan High School filled with ruts, and more holes than a wiffle ball. I sized up the competition, and made sure the girl I liked was watching before I set off to remind the rest of the grade that I was a runner and a damn good one too. ;)

When the race started I took off “hell-bent-for-leather” as my Dad would say. Within 200 meters I had a sizable lead. I cruised along, to what I remember in my mind, was the cheering of the entire grade, even though in reality, who knows who even watched. I came across the line in a brisk 5:13 mile. Not bad for running it alone.

I got home and proudly told my Dad about my feat. He was impressed and said: “We should get you in some racing flats and see what you can do.” Up to this point, my Dad had taught me all I knew about running. But, with my expanding Middle School knowledge of how the world worked, I still thought: “He just doesn’t understand how light Air Jordan’s are.” I mean, it’s all in the name right? AIR! What is lighter than air? (Helium…I know. Get off my back, this is my essay.)

It wasn’t until a year or two later, when I got into High School, that I laced up his white and grey Saucony racing flats at a meet at Roy High school. “Holy Crap!” I thought. “Maybe these are lighter than my 23oz AIR Jordan’s.” Ever since that day I have worn racing flats, or spikes when racing.

Now, I know what you are thinking. “Why would a guy as slow as you, Mr. Anderson, need to wear racing flats?” I don’t need to, I want to. The great thing about running is that most people are just running against the clock. I want a PR as much as Haile Gebrselassie does. Let’s look at some of the benefits before we go into some reasons you would not want to wear flats.

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I travel a lot for work. I often get asked how I fit in a run while I am away.

Running when you are traveling for work or vacation can be a problem if you don’t head out with a plan. My first bit of advice to all of you Cub Scouts out there is:”Be Prepared”. If you have ever seen my suitcase when I travel for business, you are either my wife or a creepy stalker. Hoping you are not a stalker, I will let you in on what I pack. If I am going to be gone for 3 days, you can bet I have 4-6 pairs of running shorts, 6 pairs of running socks, my Garmin watch (And Charger), sunglasses, a hat in case it rains, Gloves or foul weather gear depending on the time of year, and 3-4 technical tops (Adidas like the rest of my running gear, of course. :). It may seem like over kill to the average person, but to me, it just shows I am serious about getting my run in. Then if I have any more room, I throw in work clothes. Essentially, I am prepared to run, and look pretty darn good. I always check the weather of the city I will be traveling to in order to make sure I am bringing the correct clothes.

Now that I have no excuse not to, all I need now is a place to run.

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Brad Anderson           Inspirational Runner

Has raced from the front and the back of the pack

Voted “Most Comical Sense of Humor” by UtahRunning.com

Brad Anderson grew up in Morgan, UT.  While growing up, Brad’s father, Gerald Anderson, took Brad to races and helped instill in him a love of running.  In High school, Brad ran track and cross country and played basketball. He liked basketball, but his real love and future was in track and cross country.  At Morgan High, Brad was a six-time Region Champion and a two-time State Champion.  At the end of his junior year, Brad was named the 2A “Track Athlete of the Year”.  Brad’s future in running looked bright.  At the beginning of Brad’s senior year all of that changed.  He was in a serious car accident that nearly cost him his life.  He was told he would never run again.  Through determination and discipline Brad beat the odds and eventually was able to run again.  When asked about his most memorable running experience Brad said:

One I am proud of and will always remember was my first race after my car wreck. I was never supposed to run again, so running another 5K was pretty cool. It was something I always wanted to do again, but there were times even I didn’t know if I would do it again. I think I have a pretty good perspective on running, since I have been on both ends. I have been the fastest kid, and the kid who could be beat by anyone that was partially awake. I’m just proud that I still run nearly everyday.

Today, Brad races in everything up to the marathon, but the 10K, 15K and half marathon are his favorite distances.  Through hardship Brad gained an even deeper appreciation for running.  He teaches each of us to never take our ability to run for granted.

Along with competing, Brad also coaches.  He started coaching track his senior year and has done it in some capacity (head coach or assistant) ever since. He coached at Morgan High until 2005 and he currently coaches cross country and track at Davis High School (Kaysville, UT).  When he is not running or coaching, Brad works as a sales rep for a medical company.  He currently resides in Ogden, Utah with his wife Amber, also an avid runner, and his three boys.

Utah Running Expert Panel