Pace Setter : February 2024

Christine Bishop: Her Life as a Runner and Editor

Christine Bishop has dedicated almost a decade to serving as the editor of The Pace Setter. Under her guidance, the publication successfully transitioned to a fully online format. Christine has truly excelled in her role, a result that was possible because it aligns so seamlessly with her background, interests, and outgoing personality.

As Christine steps down, leaving behind a significant legacy and huge shoes to fill, we express our gratitude for her tireless efforts over the years. To facilitate the transition, it seemed fitting to highlight Christine and allow her to share a bit about herself with the club. Initially, the plan was to craft a surprise farewell piece about Christine. However, it became evident that Christine herself was the best person to narrate her own story.

In the sections below, you'll gain insights into Christine's journey from childhood to the present day. Her narrative will shed light on her motivations for joining HMRRC and, ultimately, her deep involvement with The Pace Setter as its editor.

With that, on behalf of all of the members of the HMRRC, thank you Christine for all that you have done. May you and Charles enjoy your time together and share health and happiness in the coming years.

For all of the HMRRC members, please enjoy Christine’s story below.

Childhood

My parents were highly intellectual, and they considered reading to be of utmost importance. They discouraged any involvement in athletics from both my brother and me, and because of this, we never joined any teams or pursued any sports. Although we did not participate in athletics, both my brother and I excelled in school. He successfully graduated from Columbia University and later from the University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture. On the other hand, I attended UC Berkeley, where I earned a degree in history. Subsequently, I pursued a library degree and graduated from the Syracuse University School of Library Science.

Running Background

When I lived in Rockland County, NY, and taught history in Ridgewood, New Jersey, our neighbors convinced both my husband and me to take up running shortly after our marriage. We thoroughly enjoyed it and participated in numerous races, including a half marathon that concluded at a hospital! Interestingly, during that time in the NJ-NY area, all the races were 10Ks, as there were no 5Ks available.

This was at the onset of the running craze in the '70s, marking the transformation of racing into a major sport and an exhilarating period for runners. During races, we had the opportunity to meet running superstars such as Bill Rodgers, Grete Waitz, and Frank Shorter, who were consistently friendly and encouraging. Although my husband stopped running due to knee injuries, I continued, maintaining my running routine since the age of 28, covering many miles every week.

One of my most cherished races early in my running journey was the 10K Bicentennial Race in NYC in 1976. It was a glorious experience to run across the George Washington Bridge with no vehicles and a massive American flag stretching across a lane of the bridge.

Library and Photography Background

For many years, I worked at the New York Medical College Library in various roles, including serving as a reference librarian. It was during my tenure there that I gained extensive knowledge about computers and, interestingly, published a newspaper for the library for several years.

When my husband, who was then the head of Comparative Medicine at NY Medical College, retired, we decided to relocate to the Oneida Lake region. I took on a librarian position in Camden, NY. Due to my proficiency in computers, I transferred to the high school and assumed the role of the district's webmaster. During this period, I established a club called the Webmasters, and we took on the responsibility of publishing the school newspaper and managing the website. It was during this time that my passion for photography flourished.

I also taught a digital photography class at Camden High School, where I invited professionals to impart essential skills and Photoshop tips to the students. Under my guidance, the students in my class covered nearly every sports event and all major school functions. Eventually, we ventured into video production, recording proms, graduations, and other events, and selling the resulting disks to students. The profits generated from these endeavors enabled us to fund the creation of a school TV studio.

Coming to the Capital District and Joining The Pace Setter

In my final years at Camden, my husband passed away, and with no remaining ties to the area, I decided to retire from my position as the media specialist at Camden High School. In 2010, I relocated to Delmar to be closer to my son and his family.

Interestingly, I met Charles not through a chance encounter at a race but on Match.com. Despite our different starting points, one of our significant shared interests is running. Aware of my background, Charles invited me to join him at the HMRRC Awards dinner in February 2012 to capture photographs. Subsequently, I continued to photograph other HMRRC events and wrote profile articles about runners for the club’s magazine, The Pace Setter.

When the wonderful running couple, the Gracey’s, retired from the editorship, I volunteered to take on the role, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Future

I will forever be connected to the Albany running scene, and I believe our region is fortunate to have formidable running clubs such as HMRRC, ARE, Mat Nark Running, CREW, Run Club, and Willow Street. My plan is to continue contributing articles to The Pace Setter, and you might even spot me with my camera capturing moments at various events. I am very content knowing that The Pace Setter is in capable hands with Tom and Sara O’Grady leading the way, ensuring the well-being of the Capital District running scene is captured and shared for all.

Enjoy running the region’s great roads and trails and remember to check out The Pace Setter frequently!

                                     Chris and her husband Charles

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