STATE COLLEGE — They train three times a week on the unrelenting switchback climbs of Rothrock State Forest’s Laurel Run Road. They are the unstoppable Old Men of the Mountains, an all-seniors (though not exclusively male) relay team led by their equally persistent captain, George Etzweiler.
When they toed the starting line on Oct. 22, this was this team’s 17th consecutive outing to traverse the 50-mile loop route of the Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon. Over these many years, Etzweiler is the only team member to have run on every team.
Etzweiler carries two hiking poles when he trains on Laurel Run Road, but he currently doesn’t use them. “My balance is pretty good.” He admits that he is slowing down a bit. But that’s probably understandable. Etzweiler is 103 years old.
“Right now, my training is a half mile up and a half mile down,” said Etzweiler, “so I know I can do two miles.” As for the rest of his 3.5-mile run, Etzweiler relied on his own enthusiasm for being out in the scenic venue of Rothrock. He was accompanied by a small support crew. He also works out with a personal trainer twice a week.
Etzweiler recruits the rest of the team with the goal of achieving the highest possible average age, which last year was 78. He recently had to replace two team members who are currently unable to run.
“You have to have backups,” said Etzweiler, still a keen engineer, despite retiring long ago from Penn State. Runners must be at least 65 to be eligible to run on the team. One of the team’s new additions, Michael Murray, is a mere pup at the age of 66.
A film crew led by producer Kirk Horton is shooting a short movie about the Old Men of the Mountains relay team. Horton was here several years ago to produce a film with a focus on Etzweiler himself. That film, “For the Love of Mary,” describes Etzweiler’s running and the inspiration that came from his wife, Mary, who died in 2010.
Etzweiler’s team recently inspired the formation of another relay team, the Young Chicks of the Mountain, who first ran the relay last year. They are comprised of four female runners, age 9 to 14, plus two parents.
Proceeds from the 2023 Mountainback support Nittany Greyhounds, a greyhound adoption organization based in Centre County. Nittany Greyhounds provides care and finds new homes for retired racing greyhounds. For more information about or to donate to Nittany Greyhounds, visit nittanygreys.org.
Details about the Mountainback race are available at tusseymountainback.com.
The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau is a major sponsor of the Mountainback event. Additional sponsors include Rapid Transit Sports, Roundhouse Power Sports, Stocker Chevrolet, Centre Animal Hospital, Steven Bodner Team of Re/Max Centre Realty, Wegmans, Appalachian Outdoors/The North Face, Halfmoon Valley Animal Hospital, The Bicycle Shop, Backcountry Spine & Sport, Bortz Custom Builders, Centre Elite Gymnastics, East Coast Health & Fitness, Koch Funeral Home, Lionheart Fitness & Tanning, Steve Olson, Webster’s Bookstore Café, Tussey Mountain and The Sign Stop.
