This week’s East Nasty of the Week just celebrated his two year anniversary running with East Nasty! So chances are you’ve seen him on a Wednesday night run. Meet Stephen Hagan.

Stephen started running with East Nasty in November of 2011, but he started running at all in December of 2008. What caused him to pick up the sport? He was trying to get into shape for the upcoming baseball season. Wait, let’s rewind so that makes a bit more sense…

Stephen has been an athlete of some sort most of his life. Whether it was baseball, basketball or football – he was on some variety of a sport team since middle school. As an adult, he keeps that interest in sports alive by umpiring college baseball. He works in the SEC, Sun Belt, Atlantic Sun and OVC. All you college sports fans out there will think that’s pretty cool, as did I. He’s on the road every weekend during the Spring getting his ump’ on. (Hmm, that didn’t pan out as well as I’d hoped.)

Umpiring baseball at South Carolina in 2012

As the years went on, he noticed he was having a harder time getting back into shape for umpire season. Stephen thought, why not do something “absolutely ridiculous" to get in shape? And suddenly, we have a marathoner on our hands folks.

Since he first ran a marathon in October 2009 in 4:29:36, he has run 8 more fulls (among many other races and relays). I’d say he’s improved, oh you know, just a smidge. He ran the Chicago Marathon this past October in 3:10:17. Dang! If you had a chance to ask Stephen how this race went, like I did, his enthusiasm over his greatest running accomplishment was infectious. He was just overflowing with excitement as he recounted his experience pounding the streets of Chicago, working towards a 3:15:00, and then blowing that out of the water.

Stephen’s day job is as a Sr. Business Analyst for Emdeon – a company that provides tools and products aimed at simplifying the business of healthcare. He’s a little wrapped up in the Affordable Care Act right now as you can imagine.

When Stephen isn’t running (or umpiring baseball), you can find him relaxing on his boat out on the lake. Well, at least in the summer months - I’m thinking he isn’t planning to be out there this Saturday.

Cheers Stephen – here’s to you and here’s to your killer Chicago marathon time!

2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (3:10:17 BQ)