SUBMITTED PHOTO Robert Landauer persevered in the 65.5-mile Austin Distance Challenge. The WHS teacher believes anyone can achieve their goals with daily commitment and hard work.
WHS Math teacher’s numbers
Wimberley ISD teachers put their best foot forward every day to engage and motivate students to reach their full potential. Taking this a step further, Wimberley High School math teacher, Robert Landauer, inspired his students beyond the classroom, running and winning the 65.5-mile Austin Distance Challenge earlier this year.
Since numbers are his specialty, Landauer is excited to have outrun 533 participants with a winning time of 6 hours, 28 minutes, 46 seconds. The Pre-AP Algebra II and AP Calculus teacher won by a margin of 47 minutes and 19 seconds.
“I hope some of the students look at it and see that with perseverance, just about anyone can do just about anything. A lot of us have a notion that the best people will fit certain traits. The best distance runner is probably tall, thin, perfect, and from somewhere big and important like Austin, or at least San Marcos. But it turns out he’s short, anemic, and he’s from Wimberley,” said Landauer.
The Austin Distance Challenge is a series of five races, beginning with a 5K run and working up to a marathon. Landauer’s love of running intersects with his devotion to teaching. The four-year veteran of the classroom shares his story as a teachable moment for his students.
“There are no math people or art people or anything else similar. There are only people that have made learning math, art or any subject a priority. Anyone can become talented in anything if they simply do it a lot. If you want to become a good oboe player, play oboe a lot. If you want to be a good writer, write and read a lot. I wanted to be a good runner, so I ran a lot. For some of us, it may come more naturally, and for others, it may take longer. But anyone can make it happen,” said Landauer.
“Hang in there! Life’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he added.
For Landauer, summer vacation is the perfect time to challenge his passion for endurance and strength. Last summer, he hiked the southern half of the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,653-mile hiking trail from Mexico to Canada. This summer, he plans to ride a mountain bike from Tucson to Seattle, mostly off-road.