Welbaum ran in his first marathon more than 40 years ago. He is now 77-years-old. In a recent radio interview he told me he has probably participated in his last full marathon. Which struck me as a reasonable decision, at his age.
Then he went on to say he still plans to run half marathons, it just requires too much training to continue to do the full ones. Wow.
This is quite a story. Welbaum ran in half a dozen full marathons early on. Then he stopped. He was having physical problems that were interfering. He had to deal with those. After a couple of decades of getting his body back up to speed, so to speak, he began running again and has kept on doing it right up to now.
He explained running helps him deal with feelings of depression. He enjoys experiencing what some will describe as a “runner’s high.” He has run in almost 30 full marathons and quite a few half-marathons as well. After retiring from the U.S. Air Force his passion for running took off.
Hearing about all the running Welbaum has done made me feel somewhat exhausted. This book details big races he ran in. He describes adventures he experienced along the way.
He has participated in full marathons all over the planet. He has been in marathons in places like Boston, New York City, Chicago, London, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Tokyo, Athens, Berlin, and even in Antarctica. In his book he recounts what it was like to run a marathon in China that went in the vicinity of the Great Wall. They actually were running up stairs on the wall.
When he was 70 years old he ran in the Thunder Dragon Marathon in the Asian nation of Bhutan. He describes walking through the jungle there and noticing blood on his sock. In Bhutan there are leeches waiting in trees for warm blooded creatures to pass by. When one does they drop down stealthily to attach themselves for a quick lunch. Thus, the blood on his sock. He never felt a thing.
I told him how amazed I am by his running. He humbly stated some runners have done hundreds of marathons. Well, I remain impressed, Mr. Welbaum.
Vick Mickunas of Yellow Springs interviews authors every Saturday at 7 a.m. and on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WYSO-FM (91.3). For more information, visit www.wyso.org/programs/book-nook. Contact him at vick@vickmickunas.com.
HOW TO GO
What: Book signing and talk with Bob Welbaum for his book “No Limits - Traveling the World One Mile at a Time”
When: 7-8 p.m. Oct. 7
Where: The Washington-Centerville Public Library, Woodbourne Community Room, 6060 Far Hills Ave., Centerville.
More info: (937) 435-3700
About the Author