An interview with Todd (Lurch) Coulson

Fun fact: When I first started coaching the cross country/track team at Marist early in 1991, I had no coaching experience. None! The only somewhat relevant “experience” I had on my resume was a few weeks as a counselor at my college coach’s running camp – Beginning Trails Running Camp (Hill Busters!) – and the fact that I was a runner. Other than that? I had no clue had to guide a team, manage a team, coach a team. Cynical folks would say after all these years, nothing has changed. Ha! Of all the newness of the job, recruiting was the one area that was totally foreign to me. Recruiting is selling; I was a runner and a journalist. I knew nothing about selling, other than the “product” (Marist College). Talk about flying blind.

Today’s Pandemic Papers interview is with Todd Coulson. Everyone knows Todd as “Lurch.” It was the nickname given to him in college and it remains to this day. Far from derogatory, the nickname is loaded with affection and the admiration of a wonderful human being. Whenever I say his name or think of Lurch, a big smile comes to my face. He says here that after our first meeting, he felt like I was his big brother. That feeling persists to this day, nearly 30 years later. Admittedly, I had no clue what I was doing when I recruited Lurch and the rest of what would become the class of 1996. They were my first full recruiting class, having met them during that first season as coach (1991-1992). As the saying goes, sometimes the blind mouse finds the cheese. Even though I was clueless in the realm of recruiting nearly 30 years ago, somehow quality human beings found their way to our program.

It’s amazing that as the decades have flown by, Lurch has always been in a constant presence in the life of our program and in my life. We ran the inaugural Rock and Roll Marathon in San Diego back in June of 1998, and then hung out for a few days after the race – even taking a side trip to Tijuana together, which was … interesting. For so many years, until a family of his own made life impossibly busy, Lurch would show up unannounced to watch our distance runners – guys he didn’t know and never ran with -- under the lights on the Thursday nights at Penn Relays. I always remember Lurch being underdressed for the usually cold nights. Lurch may be the skinniest person in our program’s history – very tall and very lean. He’s all gangly legs and arms and smiles and a heart of pure gold. Lurch has come back to Poughkeepsie, frequently, to run the Dutchess County Classic, the defunct Walkway and Fox Trot race, usually staying with his former teammate, roommate and good friend Bucket (“David Swift”). In the process, he has made strong connections with several generations of younger alums. No one embodies the sense of family we have tried to build over the past several decades than Lurch. Heck, Lurch IS family. So, for those of you who have never met him, take a ride down memory lane with me and with us, and hopefully some day in the future you’ll meet Lurch at a road race or an alumni reunion. You’ll leave with a smile on your face, guaranteed.  

I know it was a long time ago, but describe the process of how you became interested in Marist and how you chose Marist over other schools? This was very early in my coaching career in terms of "recruiting" ... refresh my memory?

Recruiting for me was trying to gain any attention from schools for running as opposed to schools come to me (and a lingering love of basketball, but I knew that was an even longer shot since I didn't really play competitively for my school).  Sports were an important part of my life, and I wanted to incorporate it in, but Business school was still my highest priority. And my grades were slightly above average at Archmere Academy, a private school in Claymont, DE.  In retrospect, I am still amazed at how over prepared for college I was, but at the time, I was diagnosed with a learning disability, and I was highly interested in the Special Needs system that was in place at Marist College. Before coming to Marist, I had taken the SAT, with extra time to allow me to have less pressure to take the test. I scored a good 150 points higher because of that extra time, and I have always had problems with standardized testing and to this day I still feel like I read slower and sometimes lose concentration to get the overall theme of a story. So, when I heard about the special services program that would be a crutch if needed, it was a big help in my decision to come to Marist, but as I said earlier, I really only used them my freshman year, because my high school was far better at preparing me with proper study skills to handle the college landscape. 

I still remember visiting Marist and meeting you for the first time, it was like meeting my big brother. You were fair and honest, you told me I might not be able to travel with the team initially but that you could find a way to work me onto the team. I still remember feeling very positive that my experience at Marist was off to a good start. My second choice was St. Joseph's University, good Business School, small school feel with outstanding facilities, close to home, and when I went to meet the cross country coach, he wouldn't even take 5 minutes out of his day to meet with me. Pete, you not only took time out of your schedule to meet with me, you met my parents too. It just felt like home, even though it was much farther away. It's those little things in the world, that make the difference. 

Not many student-athletes from Delaware look at Marist. What drew you to our school?

Honestly those were the days of brochures. I remember I had a book of schools that I perused and toured various schools along the East Coast. As I said before the Special Services program and the high rank of the Business School enticed me to take a trip up there to see the school. 

Talk about your background as a high school runner and how that prepared you for your collegiate career?

I only ran track in 5th grade during grade school. My grade school had no such thing as cross country. In those days I was pretty much eating, sleeping basketball from 4th to 8th grade. Basketball was my favorite sport, but I was scrawny with little endurance. Well, I never made up for the scrawny, which caused problems for me making my high school basketball team, but to prepare for the endurance side of basketball I took up cross country. I still remember my coach's speech to 8th graders to recruit them for it. You get to run around parks, and build up endurance for basketball, I was in. My first day of XC was eye opening to say the least. I barely finished 2.5 miles, my legs were screaming and I was in pain for 3 days. I am not sure what kept me going to practices through that time, because I had not run over the summer, like most kids probably did. I was training for 5k's and had never really even run a race longer than an 800m before in my life. But much like you Pete, my coach, John Jordan was close in age to us, he was probably mid 20's and again, felt more like a big brother than a teacher or a coach. He made running fun - far different than my 5th grade track memories. I was not fast my Freshman year, but it didn't matter, I was building friendships, and I was learning the sport. By the end of the year my times were probably around 23 minutes for a 5k. My high school career had many similarities to my collegiate career, ups and downs, but always on a forward track toward improvement in running that lead to improvement in life.  I trained really hard the next year, I ran track my freshman year but finished dead last in most of my races. In XC, I was middle of the pack for 30 boys, but track was more spread out and not all of the XC runners ran track. So I found myself at the bottom looking up. But I had built up a thirst for getting faster. I ran all summer, and built up my endurance. I still remember preseason for XC - once, a sprinter from track was talking about the prospects of our team with one of our better runners - and he mentioned me as one of the bright spots for the upcoming season. My work was paying off. I don't remember all of my times, but much like college, I improved from a 23 minute 5k to about a consistently low 19 minutes a 5k during both my Junior and Senior year. I knew that wasn't getting me any recruiters for colleges, but I felt confident in my abilities. I thought running in college was definitely on the table for me. 

Talk about your heart condition and how that affected your ability to train and race at a high level. How are you managing that currently?

I am not sure if that had any effect on being able to run at a high level or not. I have always had a heart murmur, so I cannot compare not having one to having one. But in my sophomore year of high school I was diagnosed in Delaware (won't name the hospital) of having Mar Phan Syndrome. The proceeded to tell me that I had to work on sports like archery or bowling. This crushed me that year, it happened right after my cross country season. So I skipped track for my sophomore year. My parent thankfully paid for an appointment in Johns Hopkins with a doctor who was one of the foremost experts in the country on Mar Phan Syndrome. He diagnosed me and did verify the murmur, but also said the precaution of the Delaware hospital was probably due to growth spurts that lead to my heart also growing at a fast rate. This is the reason for the alarm sounding in doctors’ offices in Delaware. How did that affect me afterward? I had to take amoxicillin for dental appointments until I was 25. That is really the only treatment I have had for it. And it really hasn't affected me much. I am looking to get an echocardiogram soon though, I just recently asked my doctor for one. Because my Dad has had elective surgeries on his heart to keep him from having arrhythmias, and I expect I will also need something similar down the line. So I think I need to just have my heart checked once corona quarantine is over. 

I know it's a long time ago, but what are some of your fondest memories of your time at Marist?

I am not sure where to start. Those years were special for me, and I am not sure if any other school could have given me as much of a rich experience. I have been lucky to run with such a family-oriented team, many of whom I cherish friendships over Facebook, even if we do not get together in person. When we do meet up, it is like no time has passed. That is when you know you made the right choice of schools.

One great memory is when I was given "Lurch" as my nickname. Now I was teased as a kid, mostly in grade school, at an all-boys school, so it can be ruthless and unrelenting. In high school I had nicknames, but mostly initials, like "TC". So, when I was told at a party by Bucket and Chris O'Keefe that I was going to be called Lurch, I was like, really? Not again, a lumbering, weird looking dude on Adams Family, my heart started to sink, when I asked why, they said "stand up" - "That's why!" All of my grade school fears melted away and it was one of the first moments I had known I fit in on this team. 

My sophomore year we also shaved our heads for IC4As. 

What did you major in at Marist, and how did it prepare you for your career path?

Business Administration, and it's funny, it didn't directly prepare me, but it did in many ways tangentially. Since, Marist was such a great communications school, I took an elective of web design my Senior year of college, this was my first computer course that related directly to my full stack web development skills that I have today. I also find myself constantly using my business sense to work with clients, figure out needs of clients, and generally plan for all of the needs of a project.

Describe your career path -- what you did post-collegiately and what you are doing now?

After leaving Marist, I went to the Art Institute of Philadelphia (which has since disbanded) for an Associates Degree in Multimedia, and in 2013 I graduated from Villanova University with a Master's Degree in Software Engineering. Right after the Art Institute I worked at Haley Productions in Media, PA (now called Allied Pixel). This gave me a lot of chances to create my own projects. Back then I primarily coded in Flash and ActionScript and worked mostly with Adobe tools. As the industry has turned more toward JavaScript I have also shifted my career. I currently work at American Reading Company as a Full Stack Web Developer, and have been there for just under three years. 

Talk about your post-collegiate running. You've done a lot of races and a lot of marathons. What are some of your post-collegiate racing highlights, PRs, etc. And what are some of your future goals?

I would say the only times I have really not been running is when both of my kids were born, I took about three months off from running for both kids. I started running marathons right after college. I ran the Mayors Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, AK. I still do not know how that brochure ended up in the mailbox at Marist, but the second I opened it during my senior year, I knew I wanted that for my graduation present to myself. So, I raised $3,000 for Leukemia Society of America and went on a great trip with six total runners from Delaware chapter of the organization. The marathon itself was sort of a bust, I went out fast, felt an injury late in the race and walked part of the course. I finished in 3:27 and somehow held on for third place in my age group. I continued running marathons over the next few years, running Marine Corps Marathon in 2:58, Scranton Steamtown Marathon in 2:56 (current PR) and Philadelphia in about 3:06. I have run nine marathons total, including one in San Diego's Rock and Roll Marathon with you (also for Leukemia Society), but I do not think I ever ran one injury free. After Flying Pig Marathon in 2008, I felt pain so bad in my side I was hurt from mile 3 of that race, this is when I knew aches and pains were not just from dealing with the marathon distance, but it was something else. That ended up being a sports hernia in my upper right leg. I had surgery at Drexel Hannaman Hospital and have not run marathons since. Not simply because of the injury, but also because of time to train and kids, and life. But I do still have the itch every now and then. I have not stopped running though, mostly half marathons and for the past three years I have run the Bucks County Winter Series - https://www.bcrrclub.com/winter-series/winter-series-schedule-2019-20-season/. It is 12 races through a hilly Tyler State Park. Races range from 5k to half marathon. I have done every race in the series my first year and this past year. Lately with coronavirus, I have taken to the streets more, my mileage is up, and I am looking for ways to keep motivated for when I feel I am ready to take on new challenges. 

Your wife is running for Congress. Here you go: a free chance to plug her on this blog ... GO!

Christina Finello is running in the First Congressional District on Pennsylvania (PA-1) https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/PA/1. She is running on the Democratic ticket and has her primary on June 2nd. 

So a long time ago, my Mom told me you should always be involved in your local political races because it is where you can make the most impact. If we all went out and made sure only good people were elected, then we would be putting good people in charge of our country. It all trickles up. At the time, I was all "Yeah Mom". But now being married to my wife, I get it. She is without a doubt the single person in my life, who I thought, could handle helping our communities through government. The only person who comes close is her father, our Magisterial District Judge. She graduated from University of Pennsylvania, has degrees in both Psychology (PhD from Drexel) and Law (JD from Villanova), and most recently was acting as Director for Bucks County's Division of Housing and Human Services enhancing the lives of and well being of the people of our county.

Here are the ways you can help support and keep up with her campaign:

Website: https://www.finelloforcongress.com/
Donation Link (thru ActBlue): https://secure.actblue.com/donate/christina-finello
Twitter: @FinelloForPA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FinelloForCongress/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finelloforcongress/

How are you and your family managing and coping with the Coronavirus situation? What are your thoughts on how we are managing it and the future of it?

Families of all types are dealing with this crisis in different ways. Our kids are having a hard time dealing with not being with their friends on a consistent basis. It has also opened up a whole new world on Facebook kids messenger, where they can interact with their favorite BFFs. But the thing is - everyone has a different story but the common thread is that we are all trying to navigate this uncertainty.  As for the future, I am focusing in living in the moment, helping my family get through our day and make sure my kids feel secure. To safeguard the health of the community, I think it is most important to practice social distancing and keeping washing our hands. Exercise is also extremely important for the health of our mind. I am sure most of the readers of this blog are exercising in some way, but it is a missing ingredient from lives of many people right now. That is one message I don't think can be out enough, with all of the gyms closed, it is super important to use extra commuting time for exercise and make sure to continue engaging in self-care. 

You've been back to Poughkeepsie many times, to run the Dutchess County Classic and other road races. Describe for our younger readers the difference in the Marist College you attended vs. the Marist College circa 2020.

First of all, tisk tisk to the Walkway Marathon people. They had a nice little race going, I was super excited that void got replaced by Dutchess. I really like having that purpose and reason to keep coming back. It is important to me to see Marist, our athletes who just graduated and are jumping in those races, and older alumni who were part of my teams. It is cool to go to those events and feel part of the community again. When I graduated, we were the first class to graduate in front of the Rotunda on the grass. I am not even sure if that is where graduation happens now, but it was special; 1996 was also the year before the weight room was finished (the first time, I heard it has even been renovated since then). Our weight room was first on the second floor of McCann Center, which was the big joke when a hole developed from weights being dropped on the ground. Then it was moved into a racquetball court, until I graduated. Funny part is, those crappy weight rooms were a big part of my success in college running development. Currently the school is completely changed, except for that Rotunda and dorms like Sheahan and Leo, etc. We didn't even get the new library, the current students would be shocked with the library at our school in the 1990s. But we were one of the first colleges with Internet access across campus. That was huge in 1994 trying to finish papers didn't mean relying on that library that lacked resources anymore. 

What message can you relay to our seniors who lost their final outdoor track seasons and their final few months of their senior year?

So being a big basketball fan, when the news first hit - my wife's school Penn was going to be the 4 seed in the Ivy league tournament - and I remember one of the commentators saying, they should have played with no fans, those kids played all year and they just gave the title to Yale. How little we knew at the time, that it was just the first domino to fall in a series of events that rocked the whole world. Every single one of us in this world is going through so many trials and difficulties. Most notably the health care workers, anyone exposing themselves to the virus through work on a daily basis. And then probably you, the seniors and the athletes that have to think of a year lost. A time when you need to prepare to enter the workforce, and you are thrust into the middle of a pandemic. It is a confusing time for us all, but yours is especially unique. We can all throw clichés out there, and they have all been said. But the one I keep coming back around to: "this too shall pass." We get through hard times together. Rely on your family, rely on those who got you to this point in your career and your life, and use the experiences of the past 3 1/2 years to propel you forward. One great thing about the XC program at Marist is it is life. I talked to other alums of other programs, and they are proud of their programs too, but I don't feel the energy I feel when I talk about Marist. Facing a hard day, Pete is there. Need a friend, there are former teammates. This program is truly a family, and I am proud to be a part of it. Oh, also one last piece of advice I heard on job searching. Do whatever you can to minimize the gaps in your resume - Coronavirus is only going to make finding a job that much harder. Volunteer jobs or internships may seem like a step backward, but they can lead to interesting opportunities. Do whatever you can to find sources of income and experience so long as it is moving you down the path to your ultimate career goal. 

What message would you like to relay to current returning team members and prospective team members?

College is a great experiment. XC is a great experiment. Track is a great experiment. Let it continue to be a blueprint for how you can experiment with life in the years after college and beyond. The only person who can keep your down is you.