RunnersConnect Team Spotlight: Bill Rotella

Bill, before the running bug bit him.
Bill, before the running bug bit him.

Where do you live?

New Smyrna Beach, Florida

How old are you?

55, soon to be 56, but only 33 in my heart as that was how old I was when I ran the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) in 3:38

How long have you been running for?

I started to run when I was very young. I never was into any sports as I just loved music and I played in the band, orchestra, and acted and sang in plays and musicals. But I ran, a lot. In high school and college I was running every day. My friends drove their cars to school, and I would run 6 miles to school and home every day. I never ran track, never entered any races, never had a coach, but I just loved running.

My first year of college I added a new dimension, a 10 speed bike and I was cycling, just pushing myself to be the best that I could be. I was also in the Boy Scouts (Eagle Scout) in which during the summers I was the assistant waterfront director at camp, so I would swim a minimum of a mile a day, and yes…I would run, and run some more. What I loved about running was that it was very personal and I was in competition with myself. I built up a great base.

How much running did you do in the Marines?

I just love the Marines Corps as I was probably in the very best physical and mental condition in my whole life. I would run as much as I could, and the only difference now was the added addition of group runs in boots and gear. At that time I weighed in at 220 pounds and I was solid like a rock. I really enjoyed the group runs, and some of the men that led these runs were truly amazing runners. And then I was put in the position of leading the group runs, and I had some men hate me as I pushed them and belittled them, just dogging them as I pushed them as hard as I could.

I remember once we used to run from the enlisted men’s beach to the officer’s beach and we would stop at the obstacle course. This one day as we were approaching, I saw a group of men on the course that looked like they just went to hell and back and I was just ready to dog them. As we got close enough I realized that it was a S.E.A.L. team, and that is when you learned to keep your mouth shut! 😉 So I ran with 3 men who were running New York with all of us wanting to qualify for Boston. I ran MCM in 3:38 missing Boston by 15 minutes, sigh, and I was deployed to the Gulf War as I volunteered from my unit. Ohhhh, the stories that I could tell you, maybe if you join me for my first JFK 50 miler that is in my sites. 🙂

What is your favorite race?

Wow, that is a tough question. Hmmmmmm…could it be the Historic Marine Corps Half Marathon in Fredericksburg? Maybe the Jacksonville Florida Marine Corps Half? I know, there is only one, my very favorite race, the race that I love with all of my heart and soul, my essence, my being, my purpose in life, THE MARINE CORPS MARATHON! OHHHHHHRAAAAAA!

Present day Bill. We should get an action shot of him soon enough, after he PR's at the MCM.
Present day Bill. We should get an action shot of him soon enough, after he PR’s at the MCM.

What do you hope to achieve through RunnersConnect?

Well, When I got back from the Gulf War, I was given my son who was born when I was away and my wife and I went our separate ways. I finished my education, going to school full time and working full time while
taking care of my son (so I feel your pain my friend James). Thank God for Mom and Dad who helped me out. I went to hell physically; I ballooned to weighing well over 340 pounds, was smoking, and three years ago I was diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes.

Reality hit home, so I did P90X for the first six months and started to walk/run and joined track shack’s Marathonfest to get to my new goal, to beat my 1990 MCM time of 3:38 when I was 33 years old. What is really cool, is that you know, you really know deep inside what you can or cannot do, and I have never ever failed to reach any goal that I set for myself. But I’m also smart too, so I knew that I needed help to achieve my goal, and that running 3 days a week was not going to do it. So I made the best decision that I have ever made in my life (well, next to marrying my lovely wife Debra) by signing up with RunnersConnect! (Where were you in 1990 Jeff?)

So now I weigh in at 197 pounds and no more diabetes, and as you all know my new PR since my return to running at the Gate River Run on my journey to beating my 33 year old MCM time of 3:38. It is important to note that while I’m on this journey, I am running for the Semper Fi Fund, raising money for our injured service women and men with their families and I will do this until the day that I die.

[Note: If you’re interested, you can help support Bill and the Semper Fi Fund by clicking here to make a donation.]

So this is the year that I will beat my MCM time, this is the year that I will qualify for Boston, this is the year that the impossible will become the possible, this is the year of new beginnings, this is the year that we can and will be the very best that we can be. So watch out Danny and all of my masters runners, Bill is not stopping until he hits the #1 spot in his age division at MCM.

How much do you think you’re Marine training has helped you deal with the rigors of a distance runner?

In the Marine Corps you become the very best that you can be physically and mentally. For an example, when you are in combat, there is no schedule, you are physically exhausted and there is little time for any sleep if any at all. You are wired up with adrenalin, you know that your life could end at any second, but you don’t think about it, you just do what you trained for, you simply just turn on the “Beast” Switch! God Speed my Brothers and Sisters of RunnersConnect!

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Who We Are

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We love running and want to spread our expertise and passion to inspire, motivate, and help you achieve your running goals.

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3 Responses

  1. Congrats on you journey. My dad started running the Marine Corps Maraton in DC when he was 55 and continued until he was 74. Now that is one of my goals. You are to be congratulated and also for raising money for the charity. Great cause!!!

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