Meredith
When I explain to other runners what kind of person
David Freeze is, I always say, "You know, David is one of those people
you meet and you just KNOW, inherently, that he is genuinely a GOOD
person." And it is true. Since meeting David in 2006, he has
graciously taken on many roles: mentor, coach, cheerleader, and friend.
His calm and compassionate nature lend a hand to each of these roles; as
a somewhat-competitive runner, I am thankful to have David as an
knowledgeable resource: he coached me through my first 8K (and helped me
trim minutes off that time in the races that followed) as well as
through my first marathon. In fact, when I finished that first race, I
called David minutes after crossing the finish line (second only to my
parents!). More recently, David surprised me and a fellow runner at
mile 11 of a half-marathon and ran us down the homestretch of a race
where both of us set personal records. What a joyful treat to see
David's smiling face step from the sidewalk and onto the course for a
couple of miles! David also helped me through my
all-too-familiar-to-runners battle with plantar fasciitis, sharing
tried-and-true stretching and icing techniques, recommending alternative
therapies, and sharing articles he found while reading the paper. His
wisdom comes from experience and he is willing to share what he has
gathered up along his own personal journey to make each of us a better,
smarter, stronger runner.
David epitomizes the term lifelong runner. And while many people like
to keep good things to themselves, David shares his passion for running
with anyone he can; as President of The Salisbury Rowan Runners, he
encourages, supports, and coaches hundreds of runners in our community
of all sizes, shapes, and levels of experience. Whether it be bringing
together compatible runners to train for a marathon or coaching
first-time runners through a debut 5K, David has the knowledge and
wisdom for any runner at any pace. I am proud to say that Salisbury,
North Carolina has become an avid running community under the leadership
and enthusiasm of David Freeze.