Ryan Kienzle splits his time between teaching, training and running marathons.
He is in his first year teaching seventh grade math and science as an Individual and Small Group Instructor at Oakwood Middle School.
Outside the classroom, his dedication to the sport of running paid off when he qualified for the 2012 London Olympic Marathon Trials held this past January in Houston.
“They changed the Olympic standards from a few years ago and made them faster, so it is more difficult to qualify. In order to qualify, you now have to run a 28:30 for a 10K, 1:05:00 or better for a half-marathon or a 2:19:00 for a full marathon,” Kienzle said.
Kienzle qualified to the trials at the Philadelphia Half-Marathon Race he ran in November with a time of 63:84. Kienzle was excited that he made it after failing to qualify a year ago. He was one of 150 runners who qualified to the trials, and of those, 130 officially declared to compete in the trials. The top three finishers qualified to the Olympics.
“I’ve been shooting for this goal for a while. In Philly when I got it, it was a relief because I’d set that goal and finallyachieved it. I’ve been working for it and after I qualified and did the trials it was a weight off my shoulders,” Kienzle said.
At the Olympic trials, Kienzle said he was happy to be there and was realistically just looking to get a good PR (personal record) time. He said he was ecstatic to have the opportunity to compete against world-class athletes and was hoping to get a top 30 finish time. While he didn’t make the Olympic team, he said that the fact that he got that far is still a special accomplishment for him.
“They considered those who made it to the trials some of the best marathon runners in the country. Making the Olympic trials has opened up a lot of running opportunities for me. I can now get into bigger-class races and some national championship races. I would be able to compete with some of the best runners in the U.S.,” Kienzle said. “ I could make a national team and represent the U.S. I’ve had some race directors contact me already once they saw my name on the Olympic trials list. The running community is about who you know and how fast you run. Once you accomplish something big, your name is out there.”
Ryan Kienzle splits his time between teaching, training and running marathons.
He is in his first year teaching seventh grade math and science as an Individual and Small Group Instructor at Oakwood Middle School.
Outside the classroom, his dedication to the sport of running paid off when he qualified for the 2012 London Olympic Marathon Trials held this past January in Houston.
“They changed the Olympic standards from a few years ago and made them faster, so it is more difficult to qualify. In order to qualify, you now have to run a 28:30 for a 10K, 1:05:00 or better for a half-marathon or a 2:19:00 for a full marathon,” Kienzle said.
Kienzle qualified to the trials at the Philadelphia Half-Marathon Race he ran in November with a time of 63:84. Kienzle was excited that he made it after failing to qualify a year ago. He was one of 150 runners who qualified to the trials, and of those, 130 officially declared to compete in the trials. The top three finishers qualified to the Olympics.
“I’ve been shooting for this goal for a while. In Philly when I got it, it was a relief because I’d set that goal and finallyachieved it. I’ve been working for it and after I qualified and did the trials it was a weight off my shoulders,” Kienzle said.
At the Olympic trials, Kienzle said he was happy to be there and was realistically just looking to get a good PR (personal record) time. He said he was ecstatic to have the opportunity to compete against world-class athletes and was hoping to get a top 30 finish time. While he didn’t make the Olympic team, he said that the fact that he got that far is still a special accomplishment for him.
“They considered those who made it to the trials some of the best marathon runners in the country. Making the Olympic trials has opened up a lot of running opportunities for me. I can now get into bigger-class races and some national championship races. I would be able to compete with some of the best runners in the U.S.,” Kienzle said. “ I could make a national team and represent the U.S. I’ve had some race directors contact me already once they saw my name on the Olympic trials list. The running community is about who you know and how fast you run. Once you accomplish something big, your name is out there.”
Kienzle is no stranger to running and had been running competitively for years. A 2004 graduate of GlenOak High School, he ran track and cross country in high school and was one of the top competitors in the state. His running career continued at Malone University. In 2008 he graduated and spent some time looking into competitive running and sponsorships. He decided to come back to Canton and look for a teaching job.
While he teaches, he still finds the time to train and run in races. He says it helps that his kids are really interested in what he does and they like to see pictures and hear about his races. The school is aware of his running and the sacrifices that come with it. In order to make his schedule work, Kienzle said that he has to run a lot of races on the weekends and train after school with coaches. Over time, he has learned how to balance teaching and running.
Everyone that wants to do what I do always asks me, ‘Is it hard to work 40 hours a week and train at a high level?’ My answer is it’s all about balance.
He also attributes his ability to balance to his coaches, Jack Hazen from his college years and Matt Reneker from St. Thomas High School. While Reneker is his primary coach, Kienzle said that both men understand his schedule as a teacher and try to work with him.
“Reneker lowers my mileage when he knows I have something after school and ups it when my schedule allows. It helps to work with coaches that understand your schedule, are willing to work with you and recognize your hard work,” Kienzle said.
Kienzle hopes to keep training and try for the Olympic trials again in 2016. However, he notes that school is still his top priority and that is what he will continue to focus on.
“This is new terrain for me; I put off teaching for a little bit. Teaching is my passion and I love it. I’ve had to pick and choose races a little bit more carefully so that way I’m not missing school days and school events. Running is a side thing but definitely a passion for me as well,” Kienzle said.
