Scott Birk, a staple of Austin’s running community.

If Scott Birk were alive today, he would most definitely be voted as one of Austin’s 10 Fittest. Standing at the starting line of any local road race, he was definitely easy to spot. Being 6 feet 4 inches tall, almost 200 pounds, broad-shouldered and sporting an imposing athletic physique caused Scott to tower over all other the elite runners.

Birk’s build might have seemed better suited for the NFL or NBA, but to the dismay of many of his fellow competitors, he was not material for football or basketball. Birk was a runner — a very fast and versatile one at that. Birk raced in every distance from the mile to the marathon. He participated in hundreds of races, including more than 40 marathons.

His personal bests times include 4:41 in the mile, 16:50 in the 5K, 35:22 in the 10K, 1:16:13 in half marathon and 2:47:48 in the marathon.

His favorite race distance was the half marathon and his favorite local race was the 3M Half Marathon. He also participated in the Bun Run 5K for 16 consecutive years.

Birk was fast and competitive. Instead of racing in the Clydesdale division, which is reserved for runners weighing over 200 pounds, he chose to race in the open age group division. There he often placed or won.

“Scott was a creature of habit,” says neighbor and training partner, Scott Hanna. “He was incredibly regimented, rarely took a rest day and he kept unbelievable records of his runs.”

Whether it was raining, hailing, freezing or scorching hot, Birk ran the same hilly loop in Northwest Austin’s River Place neighborhood everyday. Being a self-proclaimed geek, Birk used sophisticated training software, which helped him be meticulous with keeping kept track of his (and his friends’) races, workouts and heart. This dates all the way back to 1992.

Birk was a firm believer in high-mileage training, often logging about 100 miles per week. He also incorporated weight training and hill repeats into his running program. According to Jorge Martinez, another close friend and training partner, “Scott mastered the art of running slow to race fast.”

As impressive as his running résumé may have been, what made Birk special is the impact he made on Austin’s running community and everyone around him.

“I always thought Scott was my best friend, but so did everyone else,” says David Mitchel, former president of the Austin Runners Club.

That’s the kind of person Scott was — always cheering for his fellow runners at the finish line.

“Scotty Boy,” as he was often referred, trained and raced with a group known as the “River Place Gang.” This close-knit group of runners developed a tight friendship through countless miles and hours of training.

“Scott was our ring leader,” Jesse Devlyn says. “He planned our training, race schedule and coordinated meeting times. Even though we all have different abilities, Scott always ran with us, sacrificed many of his own races to pace us and believed each of us could be faster. What I admired the most about him was how he balanced multiple family obligations with a rigorous training schedule. He was a great runner, but he was an even greater friend and family man.”

He also inspired fellow runner, Michael Budde, to get back into running after almost 20 years. Budde is now one of Austin’s top running Masters. Birk’s interest in his running made training a lot easier to accomplish — like teaching him to run longer and slower.

“Scott’s disciplined training and dedication got me to the level I am today,” Budde says. “He wanted to know my times, distances and pace for each week of running. Running slower made me a better runner, gave us an opportunity to talk and have fun on some long runs. No matter what weather conditions we faced, Scott was always there and excited to have the company.”

Another member of the “River Place Gang,” Scott Hanna, is an accomplished runner and triathlete. He credits Birk for his fastest road race at the 3M Half Marathon.

“I couldn’t remember my previous time, but Scott, of course, remembered,” Hanna says. “Scotty encouraged me to go for a 6:45 pace and see how long I could hold it. I ran a 6:47 average and got my personal record (PR). Scott continued to tell me that I could easily break that PR. He was always encouraging everyone. That was Scotty Boy.”

A neighbor of Birk, Paul Szostak, recalls his favorite memory of time spent with his friend and running partner.

“I will miss many things about Scott,” Szostak says. “There’s nothing I’ll miss more than sitting on the sidewalk after a long run, taking off our shoes and talking about anything and everything — not just running.”

Everyone in the running community seems to share this sentiment. Birk touched so many lives while inspiring countless people. His absence in the Austin community will be felt at every single race. Scott Birk will always be not only Austin’s fittest, but also Austin’s finest. Rest in Peace, Scotty.