RON Snyder, Ed.D. has completed the 365-day run challenge.
The 55-year-old Saipan International School headmaster said he became interested in taking on the challenge back in 2020 after meeting Run Saipan president Edward Dela Cruz Jr., an avid streak runner.
“Ever since I attended the World Athletics Level 3 Middle Long Distance Coaching course in New Zealand, I had been wanting to kick up my coaching game but also to get back into running myself,” said Snyder, an active member of the local running community.
“Then the pandemic hit and SIS decided to co-sponsor the Run the Marianas virtual challenge. My family formed a team and we had a blast. It was also about this time that I got to know Run Saipan president Edward Dela Cruz Jr. I thought about it for a while and then decided I would give it a try myself,” Snyder added.
He planned to take on the challenge on New Year’s Day 2021, but because he was on Rota and found its open roads beautiful and enticing, he started on Dec. 30, 2020.
Snyder said the toughest part of the year-long challenge was “after the initial thrill had worn off, but before it had really become a part of my daily life.”
He said this happened about two months after he took on the challenge.
“Luckily, I had my fellow runners from Saipan International School, Northern Marianas Athletics and Run Saipan to encourage me. I was also running virtual challenges with my family and it was a great way for all of us to keep in touch daily and do something productive.”
He also has family members in North Carolina and Scotland so he had to deal with different time zones as well.
But throughout the daily runs, Snyder noticed improvements in his body. “I noticed that my VO2 max had improved a lot and I felt a lot better about myself and my conditioning.” VO2 max is “the amount (volume) of oxygen your body uses while exercising as hard as you can.”
Snyder was also on a diet at the time and lost a total of 35 pounds in the process.
“But the thing that I like the most is that I get to run in some cool places on Saipan with my dog and that being fit enough to put in some distance provides a venue for positive social interaction with other runners,” he said.
Although Snyder has completed the challenge, he said he hasn’t finished his streak.
He has an active streak registered with the United States Running Streak Association, and his new goal is “to make it to a comma” — or 1,000 days.
Dr. Ron Snyder celebrates as he crosses the finish line with his dog in the Run Saipan Underground 5K race on July 10, 2021.
