Jim Boyd

Athletes train year-round to strut their stuff at the Annual Arnold Pump & Run

Boyd Family Runs for Fun & Fitness

Jim Boyd has enjoyed every Arnold Pump & Run he has ever run. He competed in his 4th annual competition in 2009 as runner #257 and led his entire family through the streets of Columbus. Boyd’s physicality sets him apart from many of his fellow Pump & Runners. With a background in lifting and bodybuilding, Boyd has an upper body that would rival many of the competitors on the Arnold Amateur stage. As a Phys Ed Teacher in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, he inspires his entire student body to shape up their family and their community.

“I was working at the Arnold EXPO the very first year they did the Pump & Run. I thought…What a great idea! I thought it was a great challenge and the perfect combination of running and lifting. I was in college when I started lifting and later I competed in bodybuilding. Now, I run for fitness and my wife is a marathon runner.”

"In preparation for the 2009 competition, I trained and dieted down. I wanted to win and placed 13th in the Men’s category.”

At age 41, Boyd came in with a 5k time of 18:38, 30 reps, so minus 15 minutes with a final time of 3:38.

“I love coming down to Columbus for the Arnold Pump & Run. We come for the entire weekend. We love the city, the shops. I think I have brought a handful of people with me every year. The Arnold Pump & Run offers great camaraderie.”

“We actually started our own similar event about three year’s ago in Hermitage. We call it the Flying Hornet Pump & Run. It is currently an adult race. In 2010 we are working toward involving kids. We may offer some obstacle courses and a pumping session for the kids, something along the lines of push-ups. We have about 30 competitors every year and it’s held on Labor Day weekend.”

“I prepare myself to drop weight in advance of the event and still stay strong. I am usually a little heavier than some of the other runners. Allot of my friends don’t get into the dieting the same way I do.”

“I train some people at an Hermitage gym called ‘Barbender’s Gym.’ It is owned by a world champion lifter, Paul Vargo. I train there as well.”

“My own children are Kyle (11 years) and Haley (12 years). They enjoy doing the run portion of the Pump & Run with me and they run with my wife Elise who is a Boston Marathon runner. My son Kyle also ran with me last year. He was so gung-ho that he trained in advance on the treadmill.”

“We involve our entire family in fitness. Anytime you involve the entire family, it becomes a lifestyle.”

“My daughter does gymnastics in Hermitage and she got to see some of her friends competing at the Arnold in 2009. As a family we enjoy seeing the different sports and the displays. We really enjoy everything that is going on at the Arnold EXPO.”

“Vanity makes us all want to look good so we want to stay in shape. We walk around the EXPO. My son wants to do the Pull-Up Challenge inside the Marine booth.”

“I attended the very first Arnold Classic more than 20 years ago. People can’t believe that Arnold Schwarzenegger actually starts off the race. He shoots the starting gun to kick-off the race.”

“My wife Elise is a nurse. She is also a competitor. She qualified for Boston at the Columbus Marathon. My daughter would consider also competing in gymnastics at the Arnold.”

“I think what I like most about running is that you can do it anywhere. We do it together as a family. We run every day.”

“Some of our neighbors wonder how we do this. We have presented awareness of health and fitness for our kids since a very early age. The parents are the ones who instill the message that fitness is expected and that fitness is fun.”

“People don’t pay attention to nutrition. They don’t always read labels. To me, kids and fitness can be a social experience. It’s not supposed to be kids watching television. They get bored. Kids need to get outside, smell some fresh air, and cause some excitement.”

“Allot of times, we just satisfy our kids needs. Many parents don’t always involve kids in their own fitness activity.”

“We have started our Flying Hornets Kids Running Club and we’re encouraging parents to get involved. We started with about 8 kids about seven years ago. We now have 70 kids. We ran a race for 1,300 people this past Thanksgiving. None our Flying Hornets kids finished last. The kids really get a kick out of it. I like to tell my kids, “You did something for yourself today.”

“We run for fitness. It’s a part of who we are.”