Thomas Podruchny

Tom Podruchny was a dedicated teacher, photographer, and accomplished long-distance runner. After a long teaching career in Selkirk, he pursued marathon running, completing 355 full marathons while building lasting connections through the sport. His achievements and outlook on life demonstrate a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Living Life with Purpose

An inventory of Tom Podruchny’s achievements, whether as a teacher, photographer or long-distance runner begs the question, “How has he fit it all into one life?”

Tom was born on June 6, 1937, in the rural farming community of Ozerna, MB. His combined education included grades 1-9 in a one room school at Ozerna, grades 10 and 11 at Erickson High School, first year university at Brandon College, followed by a year of Teacher’s College in Winnipeg. He taught at Rivers, MB, from 1956-1959, before returning to the University of Manitoba, where he earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Education degrees. In 1965, he married Sonia Bilowus from Ethelbert, MB. They started their new life together as teachers in Selkirk where Tom taught Grade 10 Science, Grade 11 Biology, Grade 11 Chemistry and Grade 12 Chemistry at Selkirk Collegiate Institute and Sonia was an elementary teacher in Cloverdale and then at Daerwood School. In 1971, Tom began teaching grades 10-12 Photography at Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School. Selkirk’s new high school offered a variety of vocational credit options and photography was one area of study. He taught photography until his retirement in 1992 at the age of 55.

Tom reflected on his teaching career with this comment, “It has truly been a delight to support students in their educational journeys. Their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn brings a profound sense of fulfillment. Alongside this, I built bonds of trust and friendship with many students, lasting for years to come. In essence, I loved my job.”

A former student and professional photographer, Philip McGinnis said of his photography teacher, “He was passionate about teaching his students to see and always challenged us to see the small details within the whole picture.”

Tom’s day didn’t end in the classroom. He was also a professional photographer who could be seen behind the lens at many weddings, individual and family portrait sittings, church communion and confirmation masses, school graduations, and newborn photographs at the Selkirk General hospital. He felt a great fulfillment at being present and capturing so many significant moments in people’s lives. It helped him develop a deep connection to Selkirk. Between the responsibilities of teaching, fulfilling the obligations of a busy photography schedule, and raising two daughters, Heather and Carolyn, with his wife Sonia, one might assume that his days were complete. But not so.

Running Towards a New Passion

Tom, like many young boys raised in rural Manitoba, played various sports, including baseball, basketball, football and hockey. In Selkirk he played “old timers” hockey. At the end of the hockey season in 1979, at the age of 42, he decided to give long distance running a try. He had only a few weeks to prepare to run the Manitoba Marathon. He was determined to participate despite his family trying to convince him not to. They feared he would certainly die during the race. Undeterred, Tom joined almost 5K runners for the inaugural Manitoba Marathon in Winnipeg, a grueling 26.2-mile road race. Not knowing much about marathons, Tom didn’t realize that to be considered a finisher a runner needs only to cross the finish line by running or walking. At the 18-mile mark he couldn’t maintain the pace and stepped off the course making him a non-finisher in his first marathon attempt. Regardless, he was still “hooked” on the sport and would devote the next 43 years of his life to mastering a running career that few in the world could equal.

Eventually Tom completed a remarkable 355 full marathons and numerous shorter races that included half marathons, the ‘Islendingadagurinn’ Gimli 10-milers, the Bird’s Hill 20K, Athletes Wear 10K, and Around the Bay Hamilton 30K. Among the full marathons, 40 were held in Manitoba, but his “passion for running” took him to cities across North America that included; Boston, New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Miami, San Francisco, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary, Hamilton, Buffalo, Dallas, New Orleans, Twin Cities, Seattle, Phoenix, Jackson, Mississippi, Little Rock, Arkansas and many more. Seeking more 26.2-mile (46km) adventures in Europe, he ran in Paris, Rotterdam, Athens, Essen, Rome, Barcelona, Belfast and Wroclaw, Poland. The farthest marathon adventure took him to Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

His most favourite marathon was New York in 1987. It was a large field of 26K runners, so it was crowded and difficult to pass anyone. Today, due to the growing popularity of running, the NYC marathon has a field of over 50K participants. In 1987, before the use of timing chips, he ran NYC in only 3:43. His time in the 1992 Manitoba Marathon was 3:34 a full minute more than what he needed to qualify for the famous Boston Marathon. Tom admitted that after completing 100 marathons, the finishing time became much less important.

A Profound Sense of Fulfillment

He has received many accolades over the years. In 2008, he became the first Manitoban to complete 100 marathons, a significant milestone celebrated at the Manitoba Marathon. In the same year, he and Sonia moved to Oakville, ON to be closer to family. He has run two-thirds of his marathons since the move, an equivalent of 12,658.5 km. He ran his 150^th marathon in San Fransisco in 2011, and his 200^th in Toronto at the Scotia Bank Waterfront in 2014. In 2020, he was honoured to be listed among the top 50 World Masters marathoners in the Male age 80+ category by the Abbott World Marathon Majors Age Group Ranking. At age 83 he completed his 300^th, the original Athens Pheidippides Marathon, virtually, by running a 7 km course 6 times in the familiarity of his neighbourhood. He has since completed 13 virtual marathons.

When asked about the secrets of his success, Tom attributes his longevity to good genes inherited from his grandmother who lived to be 105 years old. His diet was simply good food that Sonia has always made. He practiced a good training regimen; 1 hour of running every afternoon and 1 hour of strength and stretching. While running, rather than listen to music, he opts to banter with spectators and make self-deprecating jokes like begging for a heart, lung or leg transplant. Always looking for a smile or laugh. Over the years and in many places, he made many friends through the running community. It was a very important part of his life in many ways.

Tom Podruchny’s life is best described in his own words. Whether he is discussing teaching, family life, photography or long-distance running, he exudes a passion resulting in a “profound sense of fulfillment.” There could be no better life than one lived guided by such purpose.