Lenny Coequyt:
Minnesota's Master Marathoner By Bill Baldus Bill Holm, the famous Minnesota author, did not run cross country or track at Minneota high
school. Neither did his classmate, Lenny Coequyt. Coequyt (pronounce the Flemish surname "cook–it") grew 
| Bill Baldus |
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up on a farm near the tiny town of Ghent, in southwestern Minnesota. If he had known about running at an earlier age, Coequyt would have gotten involved and probably dominated the sport in the Midwest. Although he didn't start running until age 47, Coequyt has made a name for himself in our region with some terrifically fast races. He discovered running through his son, John, who was a successful
high school and college runner. In 1988, Coequyt's inaugural season, he ran his first 10K and marathon in the same summer. He has just a single 5K race on his running resume – the  Box Elder Bug in Minneota. Although he has run a 36–minute 10K, Coequyt considers himself a specialist at
the longer stuff, particularly the marathon. That first marathon was the Twin Cities and he ran it in only 3:05. He describes that race as "pretty special," since it was in his hometown and the first time he completed the distance. It wasn't a fluke. Coequyt has turned in a raft of unbelievable times. Other marathon career highlights include a 3:10 at Boston, where Coequyt remembers an enormous crowd most of the way, which made for fun running. Back in 1990, Coequyt set a personal record with a 2:53 at the Twin Cities Marathon. Although he just recently turned 58, he shows no signs of slowing down whatsoever – with a 3:02 he took second in his age group at Twin Cities last year and won "a couple hundred bucks," and a free entry to this year's race. Earlier in the year he ran a 2:58 at Grandma's.
That kind of time in his late–fifties makes one wonder what Coequyt might
have been capable of in his twenties and thirties. I think Minnesota might have had a nationally ranked marathoner and maybe a representative at the Mexico City Olympics. He would have been chasing Bill Rogers and Frank Shorter. Why not? If he has done all this without any formal coaching, who knows what he might have done with sound high school and college track and cross country programs in his background? If you're not in his age group, consider yourself lucky.
Coequyt credits much of his success to the fact that he trains consistently and that he trains a lot. He's a retired teacher; his teaching positions were first history at Franklin, and later remedial reading at Anwatin Middle School, both in North Minneapolis. He got out of school and into his daily run by 3:30 in the afternoon, early enough to be home in plenty of time for dinner with the family. He loved the ritual of clearing his head from work before going home.
"I feel better when I run and running everyday after school was a great transition from work to family life," he says. His wife, Jeri, is a home economics teacher.
Despite the fact that Coequyt once ran five marathons in a single year, he said he's careful not to overtrain (his daughter Ann disagrees). Lenny is not one of the mega–distance maniacs; he never logs more than 50 mile per week and swears by cross training. His longest run in preparation for
Grandma's last year was only 15 miles, and he did an 18–miler preparing for Twin Cities. But it is clear from talking to him about his running regimen that Lenny is dedicated to his sport; he puts the time in.
A typical week might include biking 40 miles twice a week and running four times, picking that up to five per week as the TCM gets closer. Over the phone, Lenny rattled off a week he logged last summer from his training
journal: Sunday, 5–mile run; Monday, 9–mile run; Tuesday, 38 on the bike; Wednesday, 14–mile run with 1 hour of water–skiing; Thursday, rest; Friday, 4–mile run; Saturday, 38 miles biking; a full week for anyone really – and the following Monday featured a 15–mile run!
Coequyt shakes up his running program with plenty of other physical activity. He's into cross country skiing in a big way. Lenny up and won the National Masters in the 55–59 age group in '99 at West Yellowstone.
Coequyt claims his passion for skiing and running are about equal. Recently, Lenny traveled to Peru for a few months of high adventure rafting and canoeing. Of course he hiked the Inca trail while he was in the area. Now he's taken to sea kayaking, too. Biking is another cornerstone of his fitness program.
The family cabin near Alexandria serves as a sort of aerobic training camp for Coequyt, his kids, and anyone who happens to be visiting. Biking
everyday is a given. This will either be followed or preceded by a run and/or roller ski with plenty of water skiing thrown into the mix.
Coequyt's a good friend of Hopkins High School coach Pat Lanin. The legendary coach used to coach Lenny's son, John, in skiing and running and Lenny has returned the favor by helping with the Hopkins High ski team in recent years. Over 10 years ago, Lanin got Coequyt started on a
training program that he's has woven into his running ever since. Some of the highlights are a series of 10 "progressives," where he will run hard for two minutes and mark how far he got for comparisons to past and future workouts; fartlek miles; and a steady routine of runs lasting from 60 to 75 minutes. Another favorite workout includes running barefoot on a golf course for eight 200s or a string of 60–second pick–ups.
Most mornings, Coequyt trains with a neighbor friend in his hometown of Hopkins. Another one of his loyal training partners is skier Jey Carlson. Some of Coequyt's favorite running spots include two abandoned railroad lines, one in Hopkins and the other in the Victoria–Chaska area. He also appreciates the bucolic county roads between Glenwood and Alexandria near his cabin.
I asked Coequyt what advice he would offer those of us who want to be
running and racing strong (like him) into our late fifties. Without hesitating, he replied that whatever you do, it has to be fun.
"Don't let it become drudgery or you won't want to do it." He added that he thinks the fact that he did not run when he was younger might have helped, because he's free of the injuries that can weather a veteran runner and even force a person from the sport. Coequyt mentioned that he has been blessed with an incredibly understanding and supportive wife who
also happens to be an incredible cook. He also recognizes the role his flexible work schedule has played in helping him train consistently over the years.
"I've been fortunate to have plenty of time to run, which has allowed me to put together some pretty good races. And the races are fun because they are like homecomings – I've met tons of people through running."
If you have yet to meet Lenny Coequyt, look for him on the course at Twin
Cities or Grandma's: He looks like he might be in his forties, usually tan, smiling, and running fast.
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