I’m usually out the door by 4:45 a.m. and do about 6 miles. Most weekends I’ll do a longer run, 15 miles or more, so that if I have a marathon coming up, I just step up my training a little to get ready. My last race was in January, the Disney Marathon in Orlando.

Do you have a preferred route in your South Boston neighborhood?

It changes based on the weather. In the winter, I basically run in the streets, since there’s not much traffic at that hour. My favorite summer route is around Castle Island.


Why run so early?

In my job, you never know when you could fit it in otherwise. My philosophy is, as long as I get my run in, there’s nothing I can’t tackle that day.

Any serious injury issues?

Not really. About five years ago, I was running with my black Lab when she crashed into my knee. I fractured it and tore my ACL. Still, I’ve been pretty fortunate and have run 47 marathons so far.

Have you always been a runner?

As a kid I played lots of sports: baseball, football, basketball. Running didn’t really kick in until I got on the police force in my mid-20s. Back then, I thought marathoners were crazy. After my first Boston Marathon, I caught the bug and have now run it 18 times.

Ever train indoors?

At headquarters, I go to the gym 4-5 times a week and ride the bicycle, then do some weights and other stuff for around 45 minutes. I hate the treadmill, though. It’s like watching paint dry.

Have you made physical fitness a BPD priority?

I try to encourage it, yes. This is a very stressful job, and I believe that exercise is the best stress-reducer. Hopefully, that mentality has spread throughout the department.


JOSEPH P. KAHN

Interview was condensed and edited. Joseph P. Kahn can be reached at josephpkahn@gmail.com.