Donald Hawkins

Christmas Eve 08 in Iraq, WON!

“Values, everyone has them, some bad, some good!”

City: Pueblo West State: CO

Favorite Shoe: New Balance 1063 Size: 12

Age: 43.3 years old

Marital Status: Very Happily Married

Family members:
Wife Michelle, boys Matthew and Noah, hopefully will have a beautiful little girl from China in the next couple of years, 2 old Silky Terriers and my Siberian Husky running buddy Mika

What I do for work:
Whatever the Army wants me to do for almost 20 years now, almost done with that though!

Places I’ve called home and why I like where I am now:
Indiana born, grew up in South Dakota, and Wyoming, the Army has taken me to: Korea, Bosnia, Iraq, Kentucky and of course here 3 times now. We have always known this would be where we would settle.

When I started running and what got me started:
Originally started just before I came in the Army back in 89 to "get in shape for it", but got more competative with it back in 07 when the realization hit me that I was about to turn 40!

What does running mean to me:
Freedom to let my mind go.

Running accomplishments:
Won a couple races while in Iraq, but the competition wasn't much. Hit my goal of 2000 miles for the last deployment just before I came home in January of 09.
Back in the early 90's I could run 2 miles in the low 10's and under 10 a couple of times. Now, I felt lucky to get just over 11 minutes a couple of times while in Iraq this last time in 08.
But my biggest accomplishment would be just running the Ascent in 08 even though I was one of the many who got turned around at A-Frame and got to start my Marathon training for this year.

What I like about trail/mountain running:
Just being in the outdoors enjoying the beauty, the fresh air and the freedom.

Favorite running trail and why:
Mickelson trail in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I spent some time there in college and have always loved the area.

Favorite trail/mountain race and why:
PPA/PPM, I don't think I have to say why.

Best running experience:
I got third in the Iraq version of the Dallas White Rock Marathon in December of 08. I hit my goal of 3:30 (barely), and if I would have had another 10 feet or 10 seconds, I would have finished 2nd!

Worst running experience:
Probably would be several drinking related experiences when I was much younger. I once remember taking the run portion of a PT test at Ft Knox, KY in about 1990 and throwing up several times during the 2 miles. I was upset that I drank the night before and ran so terribly. I think my time was just under 12 minutes!

Neatest thing found on a run:
Would probably be some of the mortar and artillery rounds seen along my run route in Iraq. They were not live or armed thank goodness!

Running related bathroom stop story:
Would probably in Iraq trying to get to the next porta-potty on my run route. Have you ever been in a porta-potty in 120 plus degree temps?

Running pet peeves:
Lack of etiquitte, not letting others by or taking up the whole trail, not having control of pets on the trail, not sharing the trail with others types of users.

Something non running related that no one would guess about me:
I am an exceptionally emotional person!

Other hobbies and interests:
Off-Roading, Toyota Landcruisers, Sprint Cars, Mountain Biking, hiking, and camping.

Other stuff:
Would like to get faster (how original huh?), my favorite book is one I have never seen. Hopefully the new edition will be out soon and I can use the vast amount of knowledge in it to help in my PPM training.

Page last modified: 4/8/2009