Area runner recognized by track club

Spencerport resident Lois Hotchkiss was inducted into the Greater Rochester Track Club's Hall of Fame at their annual banquet on Sunday, February 8. In the audience to cheer her accomplishment were her husband, Patrick, members of her extended family, neighbors, and close friends including the women who inspired her to race: Mary Brewer, Kellie Root and Meg LeBeau. She also convinced her 91-year-old mother to attend. "I had to shame her into coming but she enjoyed it immensely," Hotchkiss stated.

Her running career started 25 years ago when friend and then neighbor Mary Brewer invited her to join a group of neighbors for a run around their West Avenue neighborhood in Spencerport. She was hooked on the sport from the first lap.

She took off running and didn't stop. She entered races and won them. When she was in her 50s, she consistently ranked nationally and by the time she was 60 she was a perennial winner for her age group at local races. But this past year has been rough on her feet. Arthritis led to surgery and then a broken right foot last August has kept her from running. She's only just now getting back into racing. This time, though, she's focusing not so much on her time but just on enjoying being back out running again.

Valentine's Day weekend she ran an eight mile race in Greece. "It was cold and the wind was working against me the final two miles, but I finished," she said, obviously pleased with her accomplishment.

There aren't too many runners still racing in their 60s but Hotchkiss isn't discouraged: "There's one runner who's 80." Although she doesn't imagine herself running quite that long, for the near future, at least, she plans on doing as much as she can. "We're heading to Florida in a few weeks and I hope to get in some good running in the nicer climate."