Willow Glen Resident

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Photograph by Vicki Thompson

Keep the Pace: John Turner 'JT' Service, who graduated from University of California-Santa Barbara, is running in the Willow Glen Founders Day marathon. He hopes to qualify for the 2008 Olympics.

Olympic hopeful plans to put best foot forward during race

By Laura Rheinheimer

The Founders Day race is back after a three-year hiatus, and one Willow Glen native is ready for the competition.

John Thomas "JT" Service, a 25-year-old law student at Santa Clara University, has already tested his legs at the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll marathon in June 2006, where he placed 13th.

Although he did not crack the top 10, he was the first American to cross the finish line. He finished the 26.2-mile race in two hours, 24 minutes and 42 seconds, just three minutes short of qualifying for the Olympics.

Now he's returning to his hometown to run 6.2 miles in the revived Founders Day 10K race.

"If he wanted to, he could win it for sure," says Lance Maurer, owner of Willow Glen Runners Supply, who came up with the idea for the race.

Service knows the course well. He runs the same streets with his family, friends and neighbors.

"I'm really excited to come back and run these Willow Glen courses," Service says. "I definitely have the home- course advantage."

But Service isn't in it for the glory. He also emphasizes the importance of the race as a community event, which he says plays a vital role in the neighborhood.

Service recalls how past races have brought families and the community together. When he was 10 years old, the race started and his family took off well ahead of him. With a mile to go, Service says, he passed his mother, who cheered him on. Then, 100 meters from the finish line, he caught sight of his older brother and tried to catch up but ended up on his heels.

"I'll always remember it as the day I almost beat my brother," Service says.

Since that day, Service has vastly improved. His passion for running began during his high school days at Archbishop Mitty High School, where he competed in cross-country and track and field. Throughout college and afterward, he trained with top runners, including his father, Tom, who is the men and women's cross-country head coach at Santa Clara University. The young Service spent some time as an assistant coach at SCU and still trains with the team and serves as a role model, Tom Service says.

In addition to forging relationships through running, Service says it can be a great way to raise money for good causes. He is working on a website, fullcirclesports.net, as a place to recognize runners who may not place first but are dedicated to the sport. Eventually, he wants to turn it into a fundraising site that will offer financial assistance to runners in training.

As for his own goals, Service has his sights on qualifying for the 2008 Olympics. The San Diego marathon was his first, but he plans to run more marathons and half-marathons in the future.

Service also sees the sport as a stress buster.

Although he has eased up on his training recently thanks to the rigors of law school, he continues to improve. Last year he attained personal bests in the 5K course, which he ran in 14 minutes and 23 seconds, and the half-marathon, which he ran in one hour, eight minutes and 10 seconds.

While earning his undergraduate degree in political science at University of California-Santa Barbara, he was a member of the track team, where he didn't start as a strong runner. "I barely made the team," he says. "Four years later, I was probably one of the better runners."

His hard work has paid off. In 2002, he placed fourth at the Big West Championships and 18th at the NCAA West Regional race. These days, he trains with the Asics Aggies running club, where he focuses on an Olympic time for his next marathon in February at the AT&T Austin Marathon.