01 SC Mag 02-24

TEXT BY ERIC SANDBULTE | PHOTOS BY ERIC SANDBULTE & SUBMITTED
restaurant’s famous marathon caught his attention. His wife was
skeptical at first since he had not been a runner before. But he had
something to work toward, and soon made running a habit, going
for quick runs around noon between appointments or later in the
afternoon when people are not available.
It turned into a new way of life, with many races to show for his
efforts. For nearly four years, he has run one mile every day, with
few exceptions. He has run the distance of a 5K — 3.1 miles — for
the last two years.
“Going forward, since Jan. 1, 2022, I have run a minimum of a
5K every day. That’s the minimum goal, and the goal is to average
60 miles a week. That equates to 3,000 miles a year,” Brantsen said.
To put that in perspective, that would be enough to cross the
contiguous United States.
Although there certainly is a solitary nature to running, Brantsen
frequently makes time to run with friends he has made, going on
different races all over, including some goofy runs, such as going
around Lake Poinsett in South Dakota or a marathon inside the
Empire Mall in Sioux Falls, SD. Sometimes these excursions take
him quite far.
Most weekends, he and his running buddies try to visit state
parks throughout the region, such as the Oak Grove Park near Hawarden,
Stone Park in Sioux City or Newton Hills State Park near
Canton, SD. He also has enjoyed getting into ultra running, which
can refer to any footrace longer than a marathon, providing runners
with another challenge to work toward.
“This year, I helped pace several people in their 100-mile races.
Usually after 50 miles, they can take a pacer with them to keep them
going. It’s usually through the middle of the night, and I had the
opportunity to do that three times this year,” Brantsen said. “It’s
a lot of fun to be a part of someone’s success to help them achieve
their goals. Everyone thinks, ‘I can’t do 100 miles; there’s no way.’
There are some low times when you get 75 miles in or so and it’s the
middle of the night and 10 degrees outside and the fun has worn
out and everything hurts. But then to have them finish and see that
excitement they have; the sense of accomplishment is really cool to
be around.”
Whether in tranquil parks by himself or putting on miles alongside
friends, running has provided Brantsen with not just a healthier
body but a healthier mind and plenty of memories. It makes
those times when he has to force himself to go out for a run worth
it.
“It’s so easy to not take that first step. I’ve been there. It’s so easy
SPRING 2024 | SC MAGAZINE 13