Hey, what's up.  My name is Nick Schuetze.  I have been running seriously for about 12 years now.  I have the amazing privilage of getting to toe the line with many of our nation's best distance runners this past fall in New York City for the US Olympic Trials Marathon.  I was able to race there thanks to a fast time at my first marathon just a month prior at St. George.  I know that I have been given a great talent to get to run, enjoy it, get to train, and desire greater things. I want to give God the glory for that.  To each person are given certain talents and what we do with those talents matter.  It is my desire to use mine for good.

    My hopes for this up and coming year include attempting to make the US Mountain Running Team, racing in a fall marathon, and the ever-present goal of lowering my current PR's.  Here's an idea of what I am capable of currently:

Top Performances (running)

____Road Racing____
Marathon

2:16:42 (St. George Marathon, S. George, UT, Oct 6th, 2007: 1st  place, PR)

2:21:36  (US Olympic Trials, NYC, Nov. 3^rd, 2007: 48^th place)

½ Marathon 68:49 (Super JockNJill Half,

Woodinville, WA, Sept. 3^rd, 2007: 5^th place, PR)

        72:53 (Ibigawa International Marathon,

Ibigawa, Japan, Nov. 10^th, 2007 : 8^th place)

10k 29:52 (Pints2Pasta 10k, Portland Sept. 2006 – Course Record)
8k 24:23.65 (Willamette Invite, Oct 2006 3rd or 4th place)

____Mountain Running____
12k (Up and Down) 49:09 (Canmore Challenge, Sept 2007: 1st place, NACAC Championships)

____Track____
400m: 54.0 (Westview HS, Beaverton OR, 2000)
800m: 2:00.0 (Prague 2002)
1500m: 4:00 (George Fox 2002)
mile: 4:12(i) (UW indoor 2002& 2007)
3k 8:18.79 (i) (UW indoor 2007)
5k 14:12 (U of O,  2007)
10k 30:48 (U of O 2004)

____Cross Country____
5k 15:25 (Bend Invitational 1999)
8k 24:38 (Iowa Pre-National 2003)
10k 30:51 (West Regional 2003 in Portland)
12k 41:46.76 (Boulder 12k XC Nat's, Feb 2007: 53rd place, bad race, mud fest)

    When I run, I feel alive and unbound.  I leave the trapping of my life and escape to a path where anything can happen.  I wonder sometimes if anyone has ever run as fast I am in this same place.  I wonder if I have ever worked as hard before.  I wonder waht I am capable of.  I wonder what I could do if running was all I did.  Maybe you've felt the same way.