Share this story.

Catch Him if you can:

ORU Professor Runs Circles around the Competition

By Rebecca Gehle

---

Click Photo to Enlarge

Click Photo to Enlarge

For most of us, it's a struggle to get out of bed during the week for classes and work. But to wake up before the sun on a Saturday, and to get out of a warm, cozy bed to run 9.3 miles? Who does that?!?!

Dr. Dominic Halsmer, Chair of the Engineering and Physics Department at ORU, not only ran all of the 9.3 miles at the Tulsa Run last weekend, he awed the crowd. Placing 7th in his age bracket and 48th out of 3,503 participants, Dr. Halsmer finished the race in an incredible 58:09 minutes! That's just over six minute miles...for 9.3 miles!!!

Training an average of five miles each day, Dr. Halsmer has participated in the Tulsa Run eight years in a row. This Saturday, he came just seconds away from a new personal record.

"I push myself to the limit and strive for excellence," said Dr. Halsmer. "I want to see what this body God gave me can do!"

Because he most enjoys training with others, Dr. Halsmer has begun meeting ORU students, faculty and staff each day during lunch time to run a few miles around campus. Dr. Halsmer invites any other runners to join their unofficial fitness and running club, and he assures that the courses they enjoy are ideal for all fitness levels.

"We go on runs where short and long cuts are available. That's just in case someone wants to do a shorter run one day but push hard the next day."

Congratulations to Dr. Halsmer on his outstanding race last weekend!