If you have never heard his name to this point then etch that of Greg Trenholm into your memory as it is almost certain you will be hearing it often as he continues to improve his running style by knocking several seconds off his marathon time.
According to his mentor and training partner Chuck Dixon, Trenholm has a great stride and is a natural runner.
"He is tall, has long legs and there is no wasted energy in his running style," says Dixon who last year completed the Boston Marathon in under three hours. "He asked to train with me last year and has shown he is committed by working hard throughout the winter."
Following graduation from Tantramar Regional High School, where he played basketball, Trenholm spent one year at UNB before transferring to the New Brunswick Community College (NCC) in Moncton. He followed up a successful welding program to complete one in engineering technology. Following an 18-month job in Saint John, he will shortly begin a position with the Halifax Shipyards as a welding inspector.
The 23-year old son of Jimi and Marlene Trenholm expects to join his uncle, Daryl Munro who formerly resided in Sackville, as a running partner in the N. S. capital.
Munro is also a marathon runner and Trenholm is looking forward to learning more from the experienced runner.
Asked how he got his start in the sport, Trenholm said his former girlfriend was a very good runner and he decided to try it out and soon found it was an excellent stress reliever. He says he was amazed in the early days at how fast some runners were and set his mind to learning the proper techniques.
An indication of how his approach has worked is the fact that he ran his first marathon in Halifax not too long ago in three hours and 10 minutes, placing in the top 10. And Dixon points out that a runner is less aggressive in his initial meet than he will be later on.
His time in Halifax qualified him to compete in the prestigious Boston Marathon in 2011 and he is eagerly looking forward to the challenge, terming it to be the dream of every marathoner. Trenholm is confident he can trim several minutes off his first attempt, believing he can get down as low as 2:40 – a mark that would place him in the top 25 percent of the thousands of entrants.
Earlier this year he defeated Mitch Peters to win the David MacAulay 5k Folly. His time of 17:41 established a new record for the event as he edged out Peters, who had won the event the previous year, and he did this in spite of a late start. He also notes he reduced his time for the 10 k from 48 to 38 minutes in one year or a 25 per cent improvement, evidence at least to him that he has the ability to cut another significant amount.
When Trenholm first saw Dixon running by his house he was shocked, thinking he could never keep up to him. But he says they now run pretty much step for step and a typical workout would include a run to Dorchester and back via King Street with plenty of hills that results in a 29 km trial.
Trenholm practices six day a week, taking a rest on Saturdays. On Sundays he runs 29-32 km, Tuesday is devoted to hills, Thursday for the track and on the remaining days he runs 10 to 12 km, varying routes each time.
At 6'l" and 168 pounds Trenholm has the ideal build – height for a long stride and weight for greater endurance, and those who have seen him run, including Ross Thomas, John Peters and Dixon, believe he has the tools and commitment to attain a good deal of success. And his parents are totally supportive and find it "cool" that he can run so far without tiring.
He has also worked with Parker Vaughn, the AUS cross country champion, who has forced Trenholm to go even faster with a strong challenge.
Trenholm says a runner must learn to "break the wall" – he terms it a question of mind over matter – as a successful runner must overcome the problem of having the mind saying "stop, that is enough," and going for the second and third wind.
"Running is great for a person both mentally and physically and I would like to set an example for others," he says, "especially when I see so many overweight people. I would encourage young people to try the sport as it is marvelous for one’s health."
Trenholm says he works out very little in the weight room believing it to be better to work out in the outdoors along country roads and byways.
He has been running off and one for the past five years but more seriously since hooking up with Dixon, whom he describes as a "wonderful mentor”. He has met a good many great people in the sport and adds that it is a sport that one can continue well into the senior years.
"When you see so many local physicians running regularly it must be good for your overall wellbeing and it would be great to see many more younger boys and girls joining, not just for the sake of ones physical health but also for a person's mental well being."
