Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Marathon Man

Or Make That Half-Marathon ... Still, Steve Knigge Has Transformed Into A Runner

While the New Year is still young, and those resolutions are still fresh in your mind, a little motivation from others is always beneficial. Four of the top 10 most common resolutions include healthy living –such as exercising more, losing weight, living life to the fullest and quitting smoking.

"In 2016, I began losing some weight," Steve Knigge of rural Kimball recalled.

But that was just the beginning of his transformation.

Steve was looking to improve his life, and a passion for running was the outcome. Steve has had lots of help from family members, and his experiences have brought him to share what he has learned. Participating in the Cheyenne Running Club, Steve would like to see a running club here in Kimball. A local running club gives runners someone to pace with and visit with about endurance and the benefits.

According to Steve, the benefits of running keep him motivated, and he enjoys being in decent shape for physically demanding tasks and activities with his kids and grandkids.

"When you start to notice the benefits, then it is easy to stay motivated," he said.

Steve admitted he didn't do much for sports in high school, and he said, "I used to hate running," but now he is running half-marathons and training 5-8 miles a day.

"And now I found that I like it," he said.

Running and exercise wasn't a part of the day for him once, as he explained that he was raised in a household where both parents smoked and he eventually picked up the habit for some time. But all habits can be changed.

In 2017, his first half-marathon was the Deadwood-Michelson Trail Marathon, and it took "three hours or so," but now, he can do a half-marathon in an hour and 41 minutes.

In the winter, Steve starts his day off with a run on his treadmill.

"I don't like the wind," he said. "It is a good way to start the day."

In contrast, in the summer dawn is his favorite time to run.

He said it hasn't always been an easy road because, in the beginning, "I hadn't really gotten into the swing of running regularly when Bryant (Steve's son) and I went out for a run. Bryant kept asking, "Are you OK? More than once, he asked me. If that says anything."

In May, he starts off the summer schedule with the Summit to Summit in Scottsbluff, then June is the Deadwood-Michelson Trail Marathon. Knigge said in between he runs a variety of other events, including K-9 runs in Chugwater and Bayard with his son's dog, 10K runs, the Crazy Horse Run, the 5 Mile Fun Run in Kimball and the Cheyenne Mararthon in September. Knigge has his sights set on trying an Ultra soon, which is 18 miles.

As Steve continued running, he said, "It becomes a little bit of an addiction and gets your heart rate up. It changes your whole day from the beginning."

His advice: "Keep moving."