Former UCF rower swaps oars for shoes
As an engineer, Brandon Kusner is not prone to rash decisions.
His world is defined by precision and logic. Exact calculations are his modus operandi, not guesswork.
At times, though, Kusner can be somewhat impulsive. He proved that when as his rowing career at UCF neared completion, he registered for the 2008 Disney World Marathon despite never running that far — not even close — in his life.
“I know it sounds crazy, but I’m just going to do it,’’ Kusner, 33, said of his thought process at the time. “I would say kind of on a whim, but once I signed up for it, I knew I would get into running more.’’
Although he has run four marathons — his time in his first one was 4 hours, 45 minutes, 52 seconds — Kusner’s preferred distances nowadays range from five kilometers (3.1 miles) to the half marathon (13.1 miles).
“He never complains about the workouts that are given to him,’’ said his coach, Nate Adams. “You can tell with his passion, he’s wanting to get better.’’
A resident of Winter Park, Kusner and his twin sister, Brittney Locker, started rowing at Sarasota High School. Locker was a cheerleader at the time and had girlfriends on the rowing team.
She joined, and just like out of the womb — Brandon was born six minutes after Brittney, his only sibling — her brother followed.
“He was always determined to do the best that he could possibly do,’’ said Locker, who also rowed at UCF. “He’s one of the hardest workers when it comes to pretty much anything that he puts his mind to.’’
Kusner holds an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from UCF and a graduate degree in industrial engineering and an MBA from the University of Florida.
He has done some triathlons with a friend who was in graduate school in Gainesville at the time, but mostly he has concentrated on running. He joined a training program and became more hooked as his times dropped.
Kusner’s personal best is 17 minutes, 33 seconds in the 5K and 1:24:47 for the half marathon.
Ken Corbo rowed with Kusner at UCF and has run with him. They’ve even tailgated together at Knights’ football games.
“He never took any shortcuts,’’ Corbo said. “He went early, [stayed] late, worked hard and came out on top — not really because of natural ability but because of his strength of will.’’
Kusner was on a lightweight crew at UCF. He said his experience in a boat has benefited him as a runner, not that he wants to go back to those days of being challenged by a 2,000-meter test on a rowing machine.
“Those 2Ks were miserable, but when you go through it and you [set a personal record], it’s just like running,’’ Kusner said. “You beat a record that you thought that you never could.
“It’s the same feeling. It’s happy. It’s joy.’’
Today marks Global Running Day and Kusner is one of many who have taken up the sport.
He is having fun, something that was not always the case during his experience with the Disney World Marathon a decade ago.
Stress surrounded him, whether it be from the logistics of just making it to the start line or not knowing whether he actually could finish.
Kusner made it, and he rarely has stopped since.
“I get more enjoyment beating my time and beating a certain goal than I have necessarily beating someone else,’’ he said. “It’s all about beating yourself and the goals you set.’’
“I get more enjoyment beating my time and beating a certain goal than I have necessarily beating someone else.” Long-distance runner Brandon Kusner