On Club Awards night, James Kelly won the "Runs like Deer" award for having the best looking running stride. Here's his spotlight feature.

We think you have great running form. And your speed's not bad either. Tell us about your running background.
I was a distance runner at Bayside High School and Fordham University in the Bronx. Van Cortlandt Park is still one of my favorite places to run. I started out as a quarter miler and ran 52.6,not too shabby for a distance runner. In The Yonkers Marathon in 1972 at the age of 19 I placed 9th with a time of 2:41. My most memorable race was a 20 miler in Central Park. I ran 1hr, 52min. That's like 5:40 something per mile and I felt like I was floating! Oh to be 19 again... Running came naturally to me and it was always something I wanted to do. My heroes in high school & college and even to this day are Lasse Viren, Steve Prefontaine, Jim Ryun, Ron Clarke, Peter Snell and Billy Mills. I always identified with this type of effort and when I'm in a race and it gets tough I think of how tough these guys could be and it pulls me through. If you want some inspiration for your next work out read up on any one of these guys.

Do you remember your first triathlon, and why you did it?
My first triathlon was the Greenwich Tri in 1989. I guess I got involved out of a basic sense of adventure and a desire to see fit women in speedos. I survived the swim & went a little crazy on the bike. It felt really cool coming from behind on the run and catching dozens of other competitors. I felt like Billy Mills. I hurled at the finish and I was hooked!

Do you remember the club folks you first started training with?
The first guys I remember meeting were Don Sanford at the Taconic Biathlon & Rich Izzo at the Westchester Road Runner workouts back in 1992. I however moved from the New York area shortly after that and didn't actually start training with the club until 1997.

Tell us something about your experience out West.
I moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and had a part-time job driving for a car service. One of my fares was His Holiness the Dalai Lama. On our way over to Idaho Falls we talked mostly of the 1969 World Championship Mets. He had especially fond memories of Tommy Agee & Ron Swoboda. I'll never forget what he told me right before I dropped him off at Cowboy Carls Exotic Western Dancers. "Little grasshopper, if you do triathlons into your seventies you will achieve total consciousness."

And in your quest for total consciousness, what races do you have for this season?
I'm focusing on the Duathlon and making a run to qualify for the World Championship in Switzerland. The Du is a tough race. I actually enjoy the Tri - most especially the Olympic distance.

Any interest in the longer distance races?
I know that a lot of club members like going long, meaning the Ironman. I would only do the Ironman under the following conditions - I'd get two twenty minute coffee breaks and a 45 minute lunch, and this total of 85 minutes is deducted from my final time. Really 10-12 hours without a break! I don't do that even when I'm getting paid. Don't these guys have a union?

You've been consistently fast through the years. Any advice?
Well, I don't do that much differently each season -- just keep to the basics. Older athletes (I just turned 50) should have a good strength training program throughout the year and pay attention to recovery time. A few years ago I started doing interval work on the bike with Justin Bohan. He's a strong boy and those workouts really simulate race effort for me. I think that type of effort, used correctly, is what makes me not only physically but mentally prepared to put it out there on race day.

What about equipment, any advice or recommendations?
A couple of years ago I got a pair of Sidi T1 shoes. In the shorter races where transition is important they're great for getting in and out of quickly. (I hope Rory doesn't read this). Those and a pair of elastic stretch shoe laces will make a difference.

You're actually in a position that lets you use latest and greatest strength training equipment. Can you take advantage of that?
Yes, I'm also lucky that I have the best strength training facility at work with no waiting. [James is at Omnifitness - Bedford Hills]. And it kinda makes sense that I sell fitness equipment.

So, you can easily find the time to train?
Yes. It's not really that hard for me to find time to workout. My normal work hours are 10-6pm and I live 15 minutes from work. I have some real tough cross country trails behind my apartment and great biking out the door. I work weekends except when racing, though sometimes I'll do a local race then go straight to work. I do miss the long Saturday Club rides. Being I'm not training for Ironman I can still get my rides in. I teach a Spin class for a athletic club and get to use their pool.