Twice a Runner

A Marathoner’s Journey to a Finish Line of Personal Transformation

Outrun the ordinary to end the race strong.

Twice a Runner is the uplifting life of Fred Torneden, who was raised with the wide-open Kansas farmland all around him and worked to become an American record holder and elite marathoner. But this is not just a tale of athletic achievement—it’s an autobiography of personal growth buoyed by grit, grace, divine interventions in near-death experiences, and transformational spiritual experiences.

Fred has had a devoted partner through much of his journey, his wife, Deb (Pihl) Torneden, who is widely considered the best female distance runner ever to come out of the state of Kansas. Together, they have both been victorious as individual USATF Masters national champions and been part of world record age-group relays. Those accolades give them claim to be arguably the most accomplished over-sixty husband-and-wife running duo in the world.

Twice a Runner is a love letter—not just to God, who radically entered Fred’s life, but also to Deb, by his side in both faith and competition. This book joyfully expresses their shared devotion to running, their eternal belief in each other, and their undying devotion to fulfilling a life of destiny. The life they have created together is a testament to love, hope, and perseverance, and how the ordinary can become an extraordinary legacy—on and off the track and roads.