Dick Patterson is the President of the Bucks 5K Series.

In a former life I was VP and General Manager of Ametek Aerospace. At the age of 40, I ruptured my achilles tendon playing tennis. Being in a cast and on crutches for 4 months was a life changing experience. I resolved to dramatically improve my physical conditioning, with running at the heart of the program. After 5 years of hard training, I experienced one of my proudest moments -- a 2:59:52 marathon. This is hard for even me to believe, given my current times.

I have enjoyed the benefits of belonging to the running community: great conditioning, less stress, interesting travel, and a world of wonderful running friends. Like all of you runners, I am delighted when non-running friends call me "crazy" - it's the ultimate compliment.

Like all of my fellow Board members, I am delighted at the response of the running community to the Bucks 5K Series. Our growth has been terrific, a testimony to all who have helped us achieve it.

Dick Patterson 2004