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Meet the Staff: Langley (Walnut Grove)
Paul Williams — President & Owner
Paul Williams was Canada's dominant distance runner from the early 1980's until he retired in 1996. Paul Williams' athletic career had its start back in the early 1970's in Toronto. After he moved West in 1981 and joined Dr. Doug Clement, his career blossomed. Paul attended the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games where he represented Canada in the 5,000 and 10,000 metre events. In 1990 he won the Goodwill Games 5,000 metre Gold Medal as well as the Bronze Medal at New Zealand's Commonwealth Games. He represented Canada internationally many times at the World Cross Country Championships, World Track and Field Championships, Commonwealth Games, as well as on the European track circuit.
After his career ended, he settled down into the South Surrey area to focus on his family as well as to open a very successful running store called Peninsula Runners. Together with his staff, Paul helps to promote running and a healthy lifestyle by being involved with many community events. In particular, he helped host a number of local fun runs called the Peninsula Runners Run Series from 1997 until 2001. Also through Peninsula Runners, he helps to guide hundreds of runners from the beginning stages right through to the experienced marathon runner.
Paul has been a driving force behind trying to get a track built in the South Surrey area from the beginning, through fundraising and more recently, through hosting the Peninsula Runners Trail Series to raise the money needed. Paul Williams will continue to support and encourage local events and try to make his community a better and healthier place to live.
Philip Ellis — Owner & General Manager
Phil has been an avid runner since 1982 when he started running in high school. He went on to compete internationally for Canada on numerous occasions and won the Vancouver Sun Run in 1991. Phil has run 28 minutes for 10 km and 63 minutes for the half marathon but is most proud of his 10 mile best of 47:44 set in England. Phil joined Peninsula Runners in October of 1997 and then helped to open the Walnut Grove store in 2001. Phil is now one of the driving forces behind the popular Peninsula Runners Trail Run series and the challenging Fort Langley half marathon. If you ever go for a run at Campbell Valley Park you may see Phil out there as this is his favorite place to run... especially when it is wet & muddy.
Kathie Schellenberg
...is our manager & much loved clinic leader. Her favorite motto is "It's a great day for a run!" If you have ever come into contact with her you will see her passion for running and ability to help others reach their goals. She started running after having 4 kids: to get healthy, fit and keep sane. Loves doing all events, short, long, trails, marathons, including Boston, and triathlons. Kathie feels she hasn't produced her best times yet. Kathie says, "I like to focus on what I'm going to do, instead of what I have done." She is always grateful to be able to run, as it has led her so many opportunities and memorable experiences.
Lorne Terichow
Lorne began running in the early 60's, well before most of our staff members here were even born! He fondly remembers the trap door long johns that were considered running pants at that time. Although he tried other sports (soccer, rowing, weight lifting, race-walking and cycling), he always came back to running. Lorne is the former owner/operator of Runners West (1980-1996). He is the current masters record holder for the Penticton "Peach City" Marathon, with a time of 2:46:23. He has a personal best for that distance of 2:27. Lorne joined the Peninsula Runners team in February 2004 and enjoys his positions as a coach in the learn-to-run program, and sales associate. In his spare time he can be found adding to his collection of 240,000 comic books.
Dave
Dave is probably older than most, including Lorne, but hasn't been running nearly as long. He holds no records for any distance.
Dave started running to lose weight and like Forrest Gump just kept going. A friend asked him to help train for a marathon, and while swearing
never to do one, they started running longer distances. Somehow they "discovered" Peninsula Runners and Kathie and Bob and started
"training." The great people at Peninsula kept them coming back. People are what make running so enjoyable — that and the feeling of
"righteousness" when you are done.
Dave has run a variety of distances and finds the marathon "challenging," half marathon "fun" and 5 and 10Ks great because they
are over MUCH quicker.
Phil's weekly torture training sessions are always memorable and are
generally fun (don't tell Phil), challenging and beneficial.
The best runs are early morning ones — in Campbell Valley Park, on the Fort to Fort trail or up Armstrong hill — anywhere there is a gorgeous
sunrise! Hopefully there are a few more runs left to do — the most memorable run so far was Victoria and having a BQ " yes, qualifying was
more emotional than actually running Boston — which was FANTASTIC!
Working at Peninsula is also fun — selling shoes — meeting people and getting them in to the "right" (and left) shoes so they can
enjoy their running is what it's about.
Paula
Paula has been running for a long time. She joined the Walnut Grove marathon clinic in January of 2007. That year she ran 3 marathons and numerous half marathons. In May of 2008 she started working at the W.G. store. She is a run leader for the clinic and loves to meet inspiring new runners. She finds it very rewarding when she sees runners finish their first half or full marathon. For her, she runs because she can. "I love the endorphin rush that running gives me. Running keeps me sane and helps me to sort out the stresses of being a wife, and mom to two teenage daughters." Her favourite shoe is the Brooks Glycerin and her favourite time to run is anytime!
Sharaya
Sharaya is a Kinesiology major out at the University of the Fraser Valley. She is applying to UBC physiotherapy program this summer, with the hopes of getting into the program for 2011. She had always run as part of her campion Irish dance training program. Then about five years ago, stopped competitively dancing and began to run on a more regular basis. When she is not injured she loves to run and cycle! She has completed a handful of half marathons, the Great Walk ultra, and many shorter local races. She has hopes of staying not injured long enough to complete her first marathon this coming fall. In addition to fitness, she has a passion for nutrition and loves to cook and bake.
