‘Patriarch of the running community.’ State College legend George Etzweiler turns 100

Contrary to what some might assume, George Etzweiler has not been a runner his whole life.

He started in 1969, when he was 49 years old. Describing his younger self as overweight and unable to stay awake, he was inspired to start a regular exercise regimen after reading Kenneth Cooper’s book, “Aerobics.”

Now, celebrating his 100th birthday on Saturday, the State College running legend doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

In the past decades, Etzweiler has completed in races large and small — from the annual Sue Crowe Memorial Arts Fest race in State College to the New York City Marathon. Then there’s the Mount Washington Road Race, where he holds records in three of the race’s highest age brackets — 85-89, 90-94 and 95-99. It’s a 12K, or 7.6 miles, all uphill.

But Etzweiler doesn’t mind the hills. In fact, he seeks them out.

“(Running uphill) is much safer on the knees, and you get a real good cardiovascular workout,” he said. “How could you beat that?”

An inspiration for the young and old

Born and raised in Lewistown, Etzweiler joined the U.S. Navy in September 1942. He taught in their fire control school, which, Etzweiler said, “has nothing to do with putting out fires,” dealing instead with programming computers where to aim and shoot. He then came to Penn State, where he graduated with a master’s in electrical engineering in 1950.

He taught in Penn State’s electrical engineering department for 37 years.

Etzweiler was married to his wife, Mary, for 68 years before her death in December 2010. In their younger years, she would run two-mile loops with him and walk him home from work along Garner Street. In the last years of her life, she came to see her husband finish the Tussey Mountainback Ultramarathon race — oxygen tank and all.

“I can’t yet think about that without tearing up,” Etzweiler said.

Etzweiler has been a fixture at the Tussey Mountainback, a 50-mile relay event up Tussey Mountain, since 2007. Race organizer Michael Casper said Etzweiler typically does the sixth leg of the race, which is almost entirely uphill.

“(George) has become a source of inspiration for all people, for older people and more serious people,” Casper said. “I’ll remind people grousing about having to run up (the hill on the sixth leg) that there’s a 99-year-old doing that same hill.”

For the Mountainback, Etzweiler said he tries to have a team with the highest average age possible — usually it’s in the 70s, but sometimes they’ll need a 60-something to join. Every year, they call themselves “The Old Men on the Mountain.” The backs of their T-shirts read: “Over 65 and still counting.”

“He’s sort of a patriarch of the running community,” Casper said.

No plans to stop running

Etzweiler was the third president of the Nittany Valley Running Club, where he would attend meetings, plan various races, and, of course, run.

His secrets to longevity? Cardiovascular exercise, a healthy diet and maintaining a social support group are essential, he said.

For the latter, Etzweiler meets up with a couple of friends at the Foxdale Village Retirement Community three times a week, and they run together in Boalsburg or Rothrock State Forest. He also meets with people once a month for dinner at Hoss’s, where he said he’s the oldest attendee.

“Everybody’s younger than I am, it seems,” Etzweiler said.

As vibrant and active as Etzweiler remains, he acknowledges that there are downsides to aging that aren’t easily avoidable.

Last year, Etzweiler did not finish the Mount Washington race, making it within about a mile from the finish line. But he isn’t discouraged, and plans to take part in the race for the 15th time this June.

“I don’t feel frustrated,” Etzweiler said. “It’s part of the game.”