By Don Lowe
It was about five decades ago when a 30-something Charles Nodler decided to give running a try, and now this 75-year-old resident of Neosho, Missouri, simply keeps on going on.
Nodler likely had no idea he’d become such a passionate runner all those years ago, and he says, “I started in the late 1970s. A friend of mine (Jim Snyder) and I ran together several times. Now, I run about six days a week.”
Over the years, Nodler’s focus was on standard 5K runs. “I used to run about four of them every year, one for each season. Now, I run just a couple each year.”
Amongst Nodler’s favorite events are a foursome around the Southwest Missouri area that include the Neosho Dogwood 5K Run, Old Mining Town Days (Granby, Missouri) 5K Run, Missouri Southern State University Run with the Pride (Joplin, Missouri) 5K Run, and Winterfest (Anderson, Missouri) 5K Run.
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“The four seasonal runs are the ones that I’ve done the most,” Nodler notes. “And all of them are fairly close to home for me.”
While Nodler doesn’t necessarily have one race that stands head and shoulders above all the others, the Dogwood 5K Run, especially before the route changed, was special for him, and he says, “I knew that course so well. I knew the last third of it was all downhill, so you could just let gravity do the work for you.
“I always had pretty good times because I’d run it so much. It’s just such an advantage for you when you know the course.”
Although winning isn’t everything for Nodler, he says, “My best time in one of these 3.1-mile runs was probably about 21 minutes.”
Of course, it’s important to be physically fit to run and Nodler knows a lot goes into preparation as well, and he says, “You need to be in good shape. You need to do a lot of distance stuff and work on your speed. A lot of how you prepare depends on the course as well. And the weather is also a factor. Ideally, having the temperature at 40-50 degrees is the best.”
Nodler might not be in it to win it but he remains committed to running. “How far I run every day varies. I run for at least 20 minutes. My standard time is 30 minutes, or as many as 40 minutes if I feel real good.”
It’s not always easy to stay the course, but Nodler says, “I don’t believe you should quit just because something gets hard or difficult.”
Despite demands, Nodler knows the rewards make it all worthwhile. “It’s good for your health. It’s a better lifestyle. Many of the races are also for such good causes. I sleep better at night after running. Better health makes for a better life.”
Charles Nodler Fast Facts
Age: 75 years old
High School Alma Mater, Year Graduated: Neosho High School, 1967
Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in History from Missouri Southern State University/Master of Arts from University of Missouri and University of Texas at Arlington
Professional Career: Served as an archivist at Missouri Southern State University for about 38 years.