Athlete Profile: Anny and Wade Stockman

Age: Anny – 72; Wade – 69 Hometown: East Greenbush Family: Anny and Wade have 3 children (Inge, R. Wade and John) and 5 grandchildren Occupation: Wade is a retired mechanical engineer; Anny is an avid gardener Primary Sport: Running

Legends in our Midst

by Melissa Frenyea

Anny and Wade Stockman have run hundreds of races. In a busy year, they’ve run as many as 30. An average year sees them competing in 10-15. They’ve run 5Ks, 10Ks, 15Ks and half-marathons. They’ve run marathons, miles and pentathlons. They’ve finished at the top of their divisions countless times. In fact, in all of the hundreds of races Anny has run, only once has she finished below third place. Runners old and young know the Stockmans. They’ve heard their names in runners’ circles, read their names in race results and seen them fly by on the way to the finish line. Anny and Wade Stockman are notably talented, uniquely independent and truly inspirational. They are the kind of people that legends are made of.

Like all legends, the Stockmans have an air of mystery about them. When and why did they start running? What inspired them to feats of greatness? Why do they keep running even at an age when most would be satisfied resting on their laurels?

To begin to understand the Stockman legend, a good place to start is a conversation with someone who knows them best — their daughter, Inge Aiken. Inge is an accomplished runner, cyclist, and ultra-marathoner, and is training to set the female speed hiking record for the Adirondack High Peaks. As a gifted athlete, Inge is constantly challenging herself. Yet with her parents being who they are, people tend to chalk up her success to having “good genes.”

As a point of clarity, a common myth about Inge should here be debunked: Inge did not start running because she was following in her parents’ footsteps. In fact, prior to Inge’s running career Anny had never run and Wade had not run since high school. As it turns out, Inge was the spark that ignited Anny and Wade on the road to running legends.

In the late 1970s, Inge started running as a sophomore in high school. Anny and Wade attended all of Inge’s meets. They were “very enthusiastic” and encouraged her to dig deeper for better times. Anny recalls that Inge was an “outstanding” runner and according to Wade, “when Inge started running and doing so well it was just natural that we start running too.” And so at the ages of 45 and 42, Anny and Wade took up running.

Unlike Anny, Wade did have prior running interest. He had run for Columbia High School in East Greenbush and had been a decent miler. When he and Anny decided to begin running, he provided the voice of experience. For the first six months, they would run from their East Greenbush home down to a nearby creek and walk back — a round trip of less than a mile. Once they could make it out and back easily, they upped the ante. Their new goal was to “run around the block” — a distance of about 4-1/2 miles. Anny says that in those days it was not really common for a woman to go out running so, to avoid gossip, she would run until she heard a car coming and then start walking until the coast was clear. After about 6 months of running, the neighbors got used to it. So did Anny.

One day, Anny and Inge went out for a rare run together. With about a mile to go, Anny told Inge that she was going to stop. Inge said that she could slow down but she wasn’t going to walk. Anny struggled to keep up but made it the whole way without walking. Not long after that breakthrough run, Anny ran in her first race, won first place and got the first of what would eventually be hundreds of trophies. “The rest” Wade eloquently states “is history.”

Finding inspiration in others is a hallmark of the Stockman’s success. Wade strives to remain competitive with his peers in the competitive 65-69 age division. Without a training partner, he develops his own strategy with a goal of achieving the highest level of fitness possible without sustaining injuries. He runs at a pace about one minute faster per mile than Anny yet still looks to his wife as a source of inspiration. “My current goals are to keep running as long as Anny does,” he says.
Anny too finds inspiration in others. After watching Anny dominate one of her many races, a young man asked if she had ever run a marathon. She said she hadn’t. The youngster encouraged her to give it a try and even predicted that she would finish with a 3:22. Several weeks later, Anny completed her first marathon — the Montreal Marathon — with a 3:25.

In return for the inspiration they glean from others, Anny and Wade provide it in spades. According to Inge, Anny used to have knee pain and problems with her knee about 12 years ago. Somehow, her knee appears to have healed itself because she doesn’t complain about pain anymore. Similar stories hold true for Wade. He had a bout with arthritis several years back yet after “some simple supplement medication” and three years of rest, he continues to compete. The Stockmans have seen running friends come and go. While the people around them change, they remain strong, consistent and reliable.

After years of hard work, what motivates Anny and Wade to continue performing at such a high level? For Wade, perks such as a guilt-free extra serving of butter on his toast are a big benefit of an active lifestyle. For Anny, the biggest motivation is that she “loves to be outside.” Indeed, the Stockmans both enjoy connecting with nature. Wade says that, “we are not the type to sit around.” In fact, if you were to visit the Stockman residence, you will not find a television. What you will find is 10 acres of lawn, a vegetable garden and an impressive flower garden. And while Wade estimates he has spent “half a lifetime” tending to their lawn and gardens, he notes that the time outdoors has prepared him to run in all kinds of nasty conditions.

Anny and Wade Stockman find a way to do what they love to do regardless of extenuating circumstances. Whether those circumstances are bad weather, advanced age or physical ailments, the Stockmans run because they like to run. They find inspiration in family, friends, each other and within themselves. They are great at something they enjoy doing and it shows in the way they live their lives. Legends teach us lessons about life. Anny and Wade Stockman are legends in our midst.

Melissa Frenyea is an avid hiker, runner and sports fanatic. She is a certified personal trainer and a member of the Arizona Squash Racquets Association. She resides in Scottsdale, AZ and in Latham.