Meet Bill Pollifrone

Originally from the west coast, Bill spent a few years in Plant City before becoming enamoured with Lakeland in 2020.  He joined a local gym, and tried some treadmill classes, where he was encouraged to run the 2021 Red, White & Brew 5k.  “At that moment, I was hooked,” Bill recalls, as running became a vital part of his life.

His transition into the LRC running community was swift, after he noticed an LRC shirt during a coffee shop stop. Bill soon joined in the weekly group runs, “I felt like I was welcome almost immediately,” he shares. 

Bill didn’t limit his running to LRC events, running a half dozen other 5ks before his first LRC race – the 2022 Mayfaire 5k. “I was amazed by how smoothly the race was executed. When the Aching Quad challenge was held later that year, I had a scheduling conflict and couldn’t run all 4 races so I volunteered for it.” That experience led Bill to become a regular volunteer and part of the LRC Race Planning Committee. 

Bill prefers running with others, “I try to train with a group whenever possible and I’ve found the LRC training programs to be very effective.” Running gives Bill a way to de-stress and he has made friends he expects to last a lifetime. ” I volunteer for these training programs too, so that I can spread my joy of running with others and give back to the running community.”

Bill quickly moved from 5ks to half and full marathons. One of his proudest moments was completing his first marathon in Sebring, despite the mental and physical challenges. “When I made the turn to where I could see the finish line just past mile 26, adrenaline flooded my muscles,” Bill says, recalling the exhilaration of finishing with friends cheering him on, and “and I finished in an all out sprint as strong as I possibly could.”  His favorite distance is the half marathon, “it’s challenging, but you can race in the morning and have the afternoon free to do other things.” 

Outside of running, Bill enjoys playing vintage base ball, a barehanded game using 19th-century rules and equipment. This unique sport has allowed him to forge deep connections with others, much like running. Bill advises new runners to “trust the process and the training,” a lesson he wishes he could impart to his beginner self. “it should feel effortless most of the time.”

Continuing his journey from treadmill classes to marathons, Bill is looking forward to his first travel race, the Houston Half Marathon in January.  

In addition to volunteering with LRC training programs and races, Bill also serves on the LRC Board of Directors.