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"[Running] was something I never thought was going to turn into what it has. I never thought I would run more than three miles," Timochko said.
Four years ago and 70 pounds heavier, Timochko was looking for a way to lose weight. His neighbor turned him onto running and he got attached to tracking his progress.
"For the first time in my life I did something consistently for a year and I was able to track my progress. That progress itself is pretty addictive."
When he turned to competitive racing, his fast times inspired him to get more involved.
Next year he'll be participating in the Boston Marathon along with three other Haworth residents: Kimblery Aspholma, Joshua Bucnker and Lawrence Topor. According to Timochko, Haworth has more qualified runners participating in the Boston Marathon than any other town.
Other residents of Bergen County will be running in the Boston Marathon as well, including John Owens, an orthopedic surgeon in Tenafly who Timochko met through his running group.
Timochko says his running friends have opened a new avenue to meet people.
"It’s a welcoming community. You can meet somebody you don't know and if you run and they run you have something in common. They’re willing to help you," Timochko said.
"It’s almost like an underground community,"
His commitment to the sport of track and field has inspired his family to join in. Timochko's son and daughter have started track and field after watching their father compete over the years.
"If [kids] see you’re active they’re more willing to be active. Rather than being a parent forcing kids to do sports but I don’t play them because 'I’m old,'" Timochko said.
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