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SPORTS
Brown enjoys change of pace with family
Former Marshall University and NFL player Troy Brown runs in the West Virginia 5K Run/Walk Championship Saturday, June 6, 2009. The race, which had over 500 participants, began and finished on Veteran's Memorial Boulevard between 8th and 9th streets.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON -- For those that don't think running is a sport, chew on this.
In his 15-year NFL career, former Marshall University receiver Troy Brown amassed 6,366 yards receiving for the New England Patriots.
When converted from yards to miles, his 557 career receptions equate to 3.61 miles.
On Saturday morning, Brown nearly equaled that length when he and his family embarked on the 3.1-mile course during the West Virginia 5K Championship.
Need further convincing? Brown doesn't.
"My hats off to them. It's quite a feat for everyone to (finish)," Brown said after the race's completion. "It got my heart racing a little bit. I didn't have a lot of training, but I got out and did it. Maybe it'll spark me and I'll get back out on Monday and start doing a little conditioning for myself."
While Brown is accustomed to the running patterns of football -- a fly pattern here, a 40-yard dash there -- he appreciated the change of pace.
"It's a huge difference for me. I've got bulky muscles, and then being out of shape on top of that makes it tough," Brown said. "When you are carrying muscle, you aren't as flexible as someone a little thinner and used to having their stride down and breathing down. Mine is all just bursts. It's a big difference."
Brown enjoyed the early morning run with his family and nearly 550 other running enthusiasts who took the race course.
While Brown said his expertise is not in distance running, he is trying to teach his sons Sir'mon and SaanJay the fundamentals of fitness.
SaanJay finished third in the male 1-10 age group with a time of 28:09.
"My little one especially likes to get out and run, so I'm trying to teach him more about the nutrition side and the training side of it," Brown said. "They'll be okay as long as they like to run and stay active -- keep them off the joysticks and help take that label off of our city."
Brown was referring to a story by The Associated Press that labeled Huntington as the "nation's fattest city." He said the race not only helps Huntingtonians take strides in the right direction for physical health, it also helps promote the city to outsiders, thus helping the city financially.
"They have 550 people here for the first time. That's pretty impressive," Brown said. "The more people that hear about it and advertise it a little more, they can definitely double that in a year or two. That's my optimistic thinking.
"Huntington definitely deserves to have more events like this to bring people out and enjoy this city. It's a pretty good place to be."
