Run Local. Support Local

By Faye Meyer

From the beginning, the Hamilton Thanksgiving 5k has been about two things: gathering with the community and giving back to local teen moms through the ministry of Young Lives. Simply put, it’s an opportunity to run local and support local. Through the years, we’ve met some pretty incredible people: city officials, veteran volunteers, race participants both near and far, and business owners.

Joe Sackenheim is one of those people.

Joe grew up in Butler County, attended Miami University and moved to Hamilton shortly after graduation. He swam competitively while in college and spent a lot of his time outside the classroom cross training for his meets. “Swimming, running, weights and cycling were all used to enhance us as athletes,” Joe says. “After college, I just stuck with it.” Not only did Joe stick with it, he started training for triathlons. Most recently, he completed the Madison, Wisconsin Full Ironman in the fall of 2019. That’s a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bicycle ride and completed with a 26.22 marathon!

Joe’s dedication and work ethic carried over into his professional career as well. After working in the HVAC field for several years, he branched out and began his own business in 2006 – Miami Heating and Cooling. As a business owner and triathlete, Joe sees a lot of similarities between the two endeavors.

“With anything I do, I believe that preparation, hard work and consistency will lead to positive results. I have seen this work in my business and in my training and races.”

“I have always used exercise as a way to clear my mind and get a fresh perspective on life. Now, I use the time that I run and train to reflect on my week and try and prepare for the challenges I have ahead of me.”

We’re so thankful for Joe, his hard work and commitment to his community. As a two-year sponsor of the Hamilton Thanksgiving 5k race, Joe and his business are a part of what makes running and supporting local possible. This past year Joe and most of his family were able to run the race together. “I loved watching my sons compete against each other,” Joe recalls. It’s memories like these and local businesses like Miami Heating and Cooling that keep the Hamilton Thanksgiving 5k going strong from year to year.

Keep up the good work, Joe! We’ll be cheering for you in your next race.