by John Welch

This feature is a continuation of the Front of the Pack article on Bert Richardson in the November 2002 issue of Runner Triathlete News. To get the "rest of the story" on Richardson, please read the Front of the Pack article in that issue.

Besides being a contributing photographer for both Runner Triathlete News and Inside Texas Running, Bert Richardson of San Antonio has had his photos published in a host of fitness publications to include: Runner's World, Track and Field News and Triathlete. If you haven't seen him standing trackside at the Texas Relays or at the finish of a major marathon or road race in the Lone Star State, you probably will at one time or another. But, you probably want to avoid him entirely in his day job as His Honor Bert Richardson, Judge of the 379th District Court, where he presides over all levels of felonies ranging from drug cases up to capital murders.

Richardson's resume includes a host of experiences, which most folks could only dream of. A self-proclaimed "military brat", he attended high school in the Netherlands before graduating from Judson High School in Converse on the outskirts of San Antonio in 1974. He picked up photography with the school newspaper and the yearbook in addition to running cross country and track for the Rockets. Richardson was coached by a volunteer, Jesse Martinez, of San Antonio, and finished in the top 20 in nearly every race after Martinez shared his distance training expertise.

"The amount of time he (Jesse) put in with us was just unbelievable," said Richardson, who just prior to his current judicial stint, was appointed to be a State District Judge in 1999 by another Texas runner of some repute, Gov. George W. Bush. "We put in some really heavy workouts. Most of us were running from 80-110 miles a week."

The training paid off, too, as Richardson and several of the runners under Martinez's charge did quite well in races throughout South Texas.

"Of the 8-10 runners he coached, all of us ran from 4:20 to 4:35 for the mile after just one year of coaching," Richardson said. "And most of us ran under 10 minutes for the two-mile. I was usually in the top 10 and as high as 6th in the city cross- country meets."

Richardson captured second place in the District mile, after finishing last the year before, and fifth place at the UIL Regional Meet in Corpus Christi.

After high school, Richardson matriculated at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he majored in psychology, contributed to the yearbook, and continued to run for fitness. He also took a two-year leave of absence between his sophomore and junior years to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Southern Argentina.

"I lived with Argentine families for a large portion of that time without speaking any English," Richardson said. "I actually stuttered in English the first few weeks I was home. I was fortunate enough to be there when they won the World Cup. It was an unbelievable experience."

Following his graduation from BYU in 1982, Richardson returned to the Alamo City where he began law school at Saint Mary's University. Upon completion of law school, he went to work as an Assistant District Attorney in Bexar County. And he continued to run and train for triathlons.

"My wife's doctor, Beth Engelsgjerd, wanted to do some triathlons, so she and I trained together for some of them," Richardson said. "I did the President's Triathlon in Los Colonias in 1989, and some races at Fort Sam Houston. The last one I did was in New Braunfels in the early 90's. It was just something I wanted to do."

Richardson's family certainly emulates his active lifestyle. His wife, Terri, is an avid walker, and his son Cory, 14, plays football at Reagan High School in San Antonio.

"My son was there in Austin when I was sworn in as a judge by Governor Bush, and he asked my son where he went to school," Richardson said. "My son told him, Barbara Bush Middle School. It was pretty neat."