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Hibshman brought that passion with him when he moved to the Coulee Region 14 years ago and married another runner, Donna Anderson.
That passion will be on display again Sunday when Hibshman is back running on the streets of La Crosse after winning the 5k championship in the age 40-44 division at last year’s La Crosse Chileda Classic.
“I’ve always run, for the most part,” said Hibshman, who preferred track and field to cross country but competed in both when he was younger. “But it gets harder when you get older.”
Hibshman, 44, still runs six times and swims once each week. He also runs the Maple Leaf Road Races at Oktoberfest in the fall.
“This (the Chileda) and Oktoberfest are the best local races we have,” Hibshman said, “so I run both of them.”
Hibshman singled out the cause of the Chileda Classic as the biggest reason for his participation.
Its proceeds benefit Chileda, which is a home care center in La Crosse for children and young adults who have developmental disabilities due to closed head injuries, seizure disorders, cerebral palsy, autism, behavioral and genetic liabilities and physical handicaps.
Hibshman is happy to be part of it even if he thinks his best running days are behind him. He doesn’t consider himself the ace runner in the family anymore. He gives that distinction to his daughter, Maddie, who will be a sophomore at Onalaska High School in September.
Maddie helped Onalaska’s 3,200 relay team place second in the WIAA Division 1 state track and field meet in May.
She also helped lead her school’s cross country team place sixth in Division 1 at the state meet in October.
“I take the back seat now,” John said. “I already had my day.”
