Joel Schiller – PCVRC Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame induction: 2014

Joel started running casually in 1977. After graduation, he worked for Manufacturers Hanover Bank in Manhattan and joined the “Manny Hanny” team, discovering just how Enjoyable social running can be.

When he moved to Delaware in 1983, Joel began running with the late James Phreaner, an IRS agent, who worked in his office building. That same year, Joel also joined the Pike Creek Valley Running Club and immediately began improving. Like most runners then, he ran in all types of weather and nearly every day.

In 1984, Joel ran his first Caesar Rodney Half-Marathon in a respectable 1:29:03 and his first marathon, Marine Corps, in 3:23:10. Five other marathons followed between 1985 and 1988 with times ranging between 3:25 to 3:40. In November of 1988, he ran the New York City Marathon in a “disgusting 4:04” with a lot of walking. That race ended his first era of marathon running.

In the late ‘80s, Joel joined the executive board of PCVRC as vice president under then club president, Rudy Antonini and became race director for the Pike Creek Classic 15K. Under his direction, the race changed its name to the Delaware Distance Classic and moved to Delaware Park, continuing to grow. In fact, DDC included the largest field for any race in Delaware at the time and brought national names, such as “Boston” Bill Rogers and USATF’s Norm Green, to race — both set individual age-group race records.

Job commitments and living in Germany pulled Joel away from active participation in running for the next decade. He returned to the U.S. in 1999 and joined the Y, where he became a certified SPIN instructor. Spinning brought him back to running, and in 2003, Joel set his sights on the Philadelphia Marathon and ran a PR of 3:21:29, qualifying for his first Boston Marathon at the age of 46. Joel has run Boston three times, each time breaking four hours, with a best time of 3:44:04.

Joel rejoined the executive board of PCVRC in 2007, serving as club treasurer, then vice president, as well as co-race director of the DDC. Additionally, Joel has served as the Operations Director for the Delaware Marathon Running Festival since its inception in 2004.

In his day job, Joel is Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer with Artisans’ Bank. Married to Stacey Haddock Schiller, they will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary this November. He has said that his marriage to Stacey has been the highlight of his life, despite his running accomplishments. [Stacey isn’t sure she can say the same — kidding!]

Joel wants to thank his running friends and acquaintances for their support and love. In light of Joel’s continued involvement with the running community and more specifically, the Pike Creek Valley Running Club, it is with great pride and pleasure to announce his induction into the Hall of Fame