Brad Taylor ran his first marathon of his life Sunday morning at the Eugene Marathon, finishing 11th with a time of 2 hours, 26 minutes, 12 seconds.
Taylor, who won three 2A/1A OSAA state titles for Oakridge High School from 2003-2005, was visiting Eugene for the first time since 2014. He now lives in Colorado. “The last time I saw Hayward, it was the old building,” he said. “It’s breathtaking, really. You can’t comprehend how much it’s changed until you see it.”
Taylor runs marathons because it’s his passion. The last six miles his cardio was fine, but his lower body was the main area of concern — with each step he could feel every part of his legs. “About Mile 21, the miles started to take a lot longer,” he said. “The miles went from, ‘wow, this is going quick’ to ‘this is taking forever.’”
Taylor runs an Instagram account called Back Country Cardio, dedicated to his training and running in which he helps people improve upon their times. “ I love sharing what I love,” he said. “Just get running out there.”
Taylor knew he was in for a challenge in returning to Eugene for this marathon. “In Colorado, where I live now, that competitive feeling doesn’t feel as strong as it does in Oregon.”
He hopes to improve upon his time by honing in on his training. “I train more than the average person, but I haven’t really dove into it in terms of an elite standpoint,” he said. “Hundred mile training weeks are pretty common, so that’s where I want to be.”
At this point, running is what makes Taylor, Taylor. It is more than a way for him to stay in shape, it’s a way of life. ”Running is something where you get what you give, like life,” he said. “It may not always be good, you may have some bad times. But if you keep trying, you’ll have some good times. It’s all you can do.”
