Pace Setter : November 2022

Pete Rowell Hall of Fame Winner

by Emily Taft

It’s not often that you hear about an athlete who is able to compete at a high level for an extended period of time, especially in the sport of running. Many high school and college runners end up being sidelined by injuries or burnout down the road. For local runner Pete Rowell, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

If you are involved in local races, chances are by now you’ve seen Pete’s name at the top of race results in anything from a road mile to a marathon for at least 10 years now. His running success goes back even farther than that. Pete was recently inducted into the Scotia-Glenville Athletic Hall of Fame for his incredible achievements on the cross-country team and indoor and outdoor track team throughout his high school career.

                                 Pete with wife Emily

Pete was a member of the varsity cross-country, indoor and outdoor track teams throughout all 4 years of high school. In cross-country, Pete helped his team earn a 25-4 league record for all 4 years of his time on varsity, and he was part of the winning sophomore team at the Manhattan Invitational, the largest XC invitational on the east coast. As if that isn’t impressive enough, Pete found even more success on the track. For indoor track, Pete was a 2-time sectional event champion in the 600 and the 4x400 relay, and he also competed in the state championship meet for the 600 meters. He still holds the school record in the indoor 4x200 and 4x400 meter relays. For outdoor track, Pete was dominant in the 400 meter hurdles, the 400, and the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. He was a 4-time sectional event champion, he was the Eddy Meet champion in the 400 hurdles, and he competed two years in a row at the New York State Championship Meet. Pete once held the 400 meter school record, and he still holds the 400 meter hurdles record along with the 4x200 and 4x400 relay school records.

Pete and Emily taking time out to jog at their wedding

It is clear to see that Pete has been a successful runner for many years, showcasing fast times across the board in many events. He has continued this success with longer distances more recently, setting PRs in the half marathon and full marathon just this past year. His determination and work ethic have played a huge role in his achievements. Even as a teenager, Pete would be willing to put in the extra time and effort into even the smallest of details, like working on his form for his starts, often staying late at practice to put in the extra work. Beyond his consistent hard work, he’s been a leader on every team he’s been on, from high school, to his D1 college team, to his local ARE racing team now, he inspires and motivates everyone around him to be a better runner. No matter what pace or distance you are running, Pete will be one of the first to provide you with encouragement. He has left, and continues to leave, a positive impact in our running community, and is so incredibly deserving of his induction into the Scotia-Glenville Hall of Fame.

In addition to being a great runner, Pete has a furniture business: CFE Studios and he created this sculpture for ARE events:

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