Fall 2016 Draft 3

PROFILE
“runner’s high” that we are all so familiar with: “It’s such a
euphoric high, right? I really feel good when I’m done, and
I want to feel that, so that’s a motivator.”
Like many of us, Molinaro’s path to a running career was
indirect and perhaps even accidental. “I wouldn’t say I did
a lot of physical exercise before,” he told me. “I started
running in 2012, although I had been biking for about a
year and half or two years before that. I was looking for
something to do that took my mind off things and got me
out of my normal routine, so riding a bike was perfect, and
I was doing three days a week,
anywhere between 10 and 15
miles.” Apparently one long
distance pursuit led to another: “I
tell people I started running
because I got lazy; I didn’t want
to have to wake up in the morning
and check the tires. For whatever
reason, I just put on a pair of
sneakers and said, ‘I’m going to
try this.’ ” He began by running
down his block, and soon set a
goal of one mile. “Once I ran a
mile, the rest was easy,” he said.
STATS
Fast-forward to 2016, and Molinaro has two half marathons
under his belt, both completed on the Walkway Over the
Hudson. “Running the half marathon was probably my
most fulfilling personal accomplishment. I mean, I’ve won
elections, and obviously I’m thrilled to be married to my
wife, and I love my children, but running the half marathon
the first time was by far the best individual, personal
accomplishment of my life,” he told me. “The second half
marathon I ran, I shaved 20 minutes off my time. Now I feel
like I’ve got to break 2 hours, so I guess I have to [run the
Walkway Half] again.” Stay tuned for 2017, because Molinaro
may be shooting for a new PR. Also, you may want to
keep an eye out at your next local road race because he
revealed to me his propensity to race under the radar. “I
sneak into races,” he said. “Many times, without sounding
arrogant because of who I am, I sometimes don’t register, I
just say I’m going to show up—people like to have the
county executive there—and then I run. I have run several
5Ks not registered, and nobody knows I’m there.” Luckily,
his office provided me with some running photos, otherwise
I might have had to scour the county in hopes of
capturing him mid-stride on camera!
Although Molinaro has conquered the half, he still encounters
many of the same challenges and obstacles as the rest
of us non–politicians. For instance, he may be able to run
13.1 miles, but it is not all a walk in the park. “I love the half
marathon until the last four tenths of a mile,” he told me.
“In the Walkway Half, I know exactly the point where it’s
no longer fun for me, and I want it over, and I’m struggling
Years running: 4+
Weekly mileage: 12-16 miles
Favorite race distance: 10K
Favorite time of day to run: 8am
Preferred surface: >40°: roads