Steven Hallstone: “Remember to be thankful for every run you go on”
Tell us about your introduction to running.
My dad introduced me into a lifestyle of running from an early age. I have vivid memories waking up in the mornings to the sound of him running on the treadmill. I ran my first 5K with him at 5 years old and beat him in a 5K for the first time when I was 8 (I think he was sandbagging but he still denies it). I gave up running for a while so I could play team sports with my friends. That worked great until all of us grew up, had kids, and couldn’t coordinate playing sports together every night. After my first son was born, I picked up running again and I’ve been hooked ever since!
What was your first encounter with RCTC?
I was first introduced to Rose City Track Club with the Rose City Mile. I saw a post on Instagram that said, “Come out and try to beat your younger self at the Rose City Mile." My overly competitive nature convinced me to give it a try. Ultimately, I didn’t beat my time from when I was 14 years old but I’m proud to say that I was only 5 seconds slower (and hoping to get it this year). I saw a bunch of people there in the RCTC singlets and they seemed like a fun group.
You have pretty cool job and an interesting lifestyle - for those who haven’t heard, share more about your background!
I live on a berry farm on Sauvie Island called Columbia Farms U-Pick. My wife and her parents run the farm and grow u-pick strawberries, blueberries, marionberries, raspberries, pumpkins, and u-cut peonies. I help out on the farm here and there, but my fulltime job is working at Tillamook Creamery as the category manager for Cheese. I get to spend my time coming up with our long-term strategy and developing new products to launch. You could say that my lifestyle is berry cheesy (terrible joke, I know).
How does living on the farm influence your training?
When it comes to my training, there are a lot of pros and cons to living on a farm on Sauvie Island. The biggest perk is in the summer I can finish my runs with a few handfuls of berries and then jump into a freezing river. I also get beautiful views for my runs, and if it’s too busy on the roads then I can run for miles through our family’s fields.
The biggest cons are that I’m running on a 45MPH highway with no sidewalks and that almost all my runs are flat. I feel pretty safe though as most cars have come to recognize me and give me plenty of space.
What running wisdom would you share with your younger self?
The top three things I would tell my younger self are 1) find friends that run because it makes training so much better, 2) Stretch and strength train regularly, and 3) Remember to be thankful for every run you go on – it’s a privilege to be able to spend time doing something you love.
Any objectives for the year ahead? How has joining the team shaped your goals?
My three running goals for 2023 are to qualify for the Boston Marathon, PR in the 1 Mile, and stay injury-free. Joining the team has helped me in all three areas. Since I joined the team I have consistently attended the 6:15am Wednesday track workouts, and those have been instrumental in making me a better runner. Getting up early and working out on a track used to be my least favorite things, but now Wednesdays have become my favorite day. I love the support I get, I love the challenge, and I love feeling like I’ve accomplished something great before 8am.
What book(s) are you reading or listening to right now?
I am an avid audiobook listener when I run. My go-to is typically fiction but right now I’m
reading Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor and I am really enjoying
