SAXONBURG — For years, Les Shoop ran practice and ran the show as varsity boys basketball coach at Punxsutawney and Knoch.

Now, for years, he just runs.

And runs. And runs. And runs.

Monday, the retired Shoop, now 66 and owner of 511 career boys basketball wins, left his house and ran for at least a mile. It marked the 34th anniversary of him doing such a run — every day.

That’s as in 12,419 consecutive days, covering well over 100,000 miles.

“The streak became important to me the day I started it,” Shoop said. “I ran for a couple of years before this streak, but it was sporadic. If it was cold, I wouldn’t run. If it was raining, I wouldn’t run.

“One day I woke up and said, no more excuses. I’m running every day.”

He’s kept his word.

Shoop has run in bitter cold. He’s run behind snow plows. He’s run on vacations. He ran the day his first wife died at age 37.

“I ran for her that day,” he said. “I run for my father and mother now, too. I run for all the people I’ve known in my life who can’t run anymore.”

Shoop is a member of the United States Running Streak Association and ranks 38th on the United States’ list of longest running streaks. The longest active streak belongs to Jon Sutherland, a writer in California, who has run for 16,409 consecutive days, just short of 45 years.

Only five people in front of Shoop on the list are older than him. Shoop knows two of the people who rank just in front of him.

Mark Courtney of Grove City ranks 35th at 12,550 days. Ben Freed of Clarion ranks 34th at 12,558.

“I used to run the Saxonburg 5K and Mark would come down and time it for us,” Shoop said. “Ben’s brother played basketball for me at Punxsy.”

One of Shoop’s sons, Pine-Richland athletic director Josh Shoop, said he’s proud of his father’s streak, but worried at the same time.

“The only way you move up on that list is someone breaks a hip, dies, or some other terrible thing happens,” Josh said. “I was 7 when Dad started this thing.

“I remember him going out in sleet, snow, rain, whatever. Sub-zero temperatures, wearing a ski mask, using socks as gloves ... I think he’s a little crazy.”

Shoop said he began running during his coaching days at Punxsutawney. The school’s seventh-grade coach, Ken Mack, was an avid runner and introduced him to it.

“The coldest day I ever ran in was a 61 below-zero wind-chill up in Punxsy,” he said. “If you bundle up, get covered up, it’s really not that cold.

“I’m always told of the running euphoria, a runner’s high. I’m still looking for that,” Shoop laughed.

He recalled having beer bottles thrown at him and a running partner. While Shoop was running during a vacation in North Carolina, someone threw a bottle at him while driving by.

“Dad’s turned running into a contact sport,” Josh joked.

Come Sunday, Shoop will join his daughter, Lindsay Shoop-Defelice, a daughter-in-law and two friends, Mike and Marie Pelloni, in running the relay division at the Pittsburgh Marathon.

“Dad will probably go three miles or so,” Lindsay said. “I’m proud of him that he’s been able to keep it going this long.

“The other day, I ran into a girl who had him as a teacher, I’ll see one of his former basketball players, they all ask, ‘Is he still running? Is he still going?’ It’s pretty amazing.”

Shoop has run despite calf injuries, achilles problems and arthritis over the years.

“I always run facing traffic,” he said. “I’ve been cursed at, almost hit by cars ... sometimes I wonder how I’m not dead by now,” Shoop said. “I’ll see someone I haven’t seen in 10 years and first thing they ask is if the streak’s still alive.

“I don’t want to tell them the streak’s over. I’ve always told my players not to give up, to never quit, so I can’t do it.”

Shoop used to run seven miles a day — often times going out at 5 a.m. — but now does one to three miles a day.

“Now it’s just about keeping fit and extending the streak,” he said. “I’ll do it as long as I’m able. I’ve been pretty lucky health-wise to this point.

“When it ends, I’ll probably never run again. Hopefully, that day won’t come for a while. I’d rather wear out than rust out.”