Like many lifelong runners, Lucas Valley resident Russ Colombo dreamed of running the Boston Marathon, whose 118th edition, and first since the finish line bombings that killed three and injured hundreds, is April 21. After a series of up-and-down twists, it now looks like that dream will happen. In 2012, he turned 60 so Boston’s qualifying time eased a bit, to 3 hours 55 minutes.”Hitting 60, I knew there just aren’t going to be that many more chances to run the Boston Marathon,” Colombo said. “So I made qualifying a goal.”
Colombo’s family knows just what a goal means to him. “If he says he is going to do something, you can bet he will,” said Lynn, Russ’s wife of 37 years. “My dad is not the kind of person who has a lot of unfinished projects,” said daughter Angela, 33. “He is one of the most determined and driven individuals I know, who sets out to do something and does it.”
Colombo hired a personal coach, Luc Morin, who assured him the goal was attainable. Colombo followed Luc’s daily emailed instructions to the letter, down to individual mile splits during races. He worked on his form. He ran on cold, dark winter mornings with a headlamp.
Despite a brutal workload — he is president and CEO of the Bank of Marin, in the office from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day with a host of evening and weekend commitments — Colombo often did second workouts in the pool and, with another coach, in the weight room.
“If my dad finds himself without something to do at any time during the day, there is a problem,” said Kevin, his 30-year-old son. “He is constantly active in what always turns out to be something productive. Getting better, improving, competing, accomplishing … that’s my dad in pretty much everything he does.”
On June 3, Colombo ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego with Kevin. He made his goal, finishing in 3:53:45. But the triumph turned to disappointment. Boston notified him, and thousands of other applicants, that, because of overwhelming demand for entry in the wake of the 2013 bombing there, including reserving 4,000 spots for runners unable to finish after the explosions, standards had to be tightened. Colombo was out, by 23 seconds.
But there was another reversal of fortune. A door was still open by raising money for charity. Beth Israel Deaconess, the teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, was allotted 70 bibs for those raising at least $7,500. Colombo ended up raising more than $16,000 so he asked for two marathon spots. The race agreed, and Kevin also will be running the 118th Boston Marathon on April 21. Lynn and Angela will be on hand as well.
Colombo’s charity fundraising is familiar to Marin County Superintendent of Schools Mary Jane Burke. “Russ Colombo never loses sight of the human touch,” she said. “He has a deep commitment to our community, and, by his example, inspires that commitment in others.”
Colombo attended San Rafael High, where his father Angelo taught for decades. His main sport was basketball (he also played baseball), and ran cross-country primarily to get fit for it. He went on to study business at UC Davis, and kept running. He began entering races, starting with Bay to Breakers, followed by three Dipseas. He finished five marathons, including the final Golden Gate Marathon in 1984, between the ferry buildings in San Francisco and Larkspur.
Meanwhile, he rose steadily in the banking world. After stints at California First Bank, Union Bank and Security Pacific, Colombo joined Bank of Marin. In July 2006, he was named president and CEO of the bank, which has 10 branches in Marin and just bought the Bank of Alameda.
But after a personal best of 3:31 at the Chicago Marathon in 1996, he underwent knee surgery. His orthopedist told him to buy a bicycle. He did and went for long rides into West Marin, and golfed. He did not run for 10 years, finally returning to compete in triathlons. Then the Boston bug surfaced. “When I was so disappointed about not getting into Boston, a colleague told me things happen for a reason,” Colombo said. “I didn’t see it at the time but know now she was right. We’re helping people, and Kevin gets to run too.”
Barry Spitz is the author of “Dipsea: The Greatest Race.” Email him at bzspitz@aol.com.
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