“The Bull”

In 1971 a 5' 4" Caribou High School Sophomore came out for the track team, but after one season of competition in the hurdle event it became obvious to Bruce Freme that hurdles was not to be his event. During the ensuing summer vacation Freme ran daily at Madawaska Lake, a spot he characterizes as "one of the best places on the planet to train" thus began a running career that spans 29 years and is punctuated with a training consistency that is nothing less than extraordinary. During the period 1972 to 1999 he logged monthly mileage ranging from 50 miles to 450 miles without missing a month, and at one point ran 395 consecutive days. A long time friend and fellow competitor Sammy Pelletier says; "I learned many things from Bruce that helped my running career and the most important was the value of a consistent training routine."

After a full summer of training Freme began his racing career as a distance runner for the Caribou High School Vikings. During the next two years he established himself as the premier runner in Aroostook County and State competition in X-country, indoor and outdoor track. In 1973 he placed second in the Eastern Maine X-country regionals and 3rd place in the State meet behind Bruce Bickford. At the State indoor meet he was the second place finisher in the 2-mile and the State outdoor two-mile champion. His high school coach Conrad Walton remembers Freme as a team leader who motivated others by encouraging them to model his consistent year round training. Walton also credits his success "to a competitive spirit that burns brighter and more intense than any athlete I have encountered." After graduating from Caribou High School as an outstanding athlete and scholar Freme attended Bowdoin College where under the tutelage of coach Frank Sebasteanski he was selected all ECAS, all New England, all NESCAC and IC4Arunner. During his tenure at Bowdoin, Freme set school records in the indoor and outdoor 2 mile, the 3-mile record of 14:21, and set the long standing X-country course record. His development as an outstanding college runner is underscored by personal best times of 1:59.3 half mile, 4:14 mile, and a 9:14 two-mile.

In 1978, Freme graduated from Bowdoin and the next year attended the University of Maine where he trained with many outstanding UMO runners. During this period between UMO and completion of dental school, Freme was at his best. In 1978 he was the Maine AAU indoor mile and 2 mile champion and was recognized as the Maine Runner of the Year in 1979.

As roadracing became more popular, Bruce focused his talent on the racing scene. He set course records, lasting eleven years, at the Bar Harbor Half Marathon and the Apple Blossom Festival Five Miler. Freme's most satisfying accomplishment was a second place finish in the Casco Bay marathon (2:27.12) that was followed by a 9th place in the very competitive Philadelphia half marathon (1:07.19). In Aroostook County Freme dominated road racing by winning his favorite race, the Caribou Labor Day Road Race four times and the Potato Blossom 5 miler four times. His personal best times of 14:51-5K, 30:13-10K, 24:17-5 mile, 51:20-10 mile, indicates a quality and range of distances that set him apart as one of the top runners in the state. Freme says, "The highlight of my running career was winning the Sam Ouellette trophy in 1995." This honor came later in his running career and was emblematic of Aroostook's premier runner.

In 1984 Freme graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dentistry and soon after married Gina Buckley. During the next few years he was busy establishing a successful dental practice and raising a family of four children. Drew, Grahm, Timothy, and Maura Freme round out his family and keep him quite busy, but still he says, "with consistent training and fewer injuries I still feel I have the speed to run 27:00 minutes for a five miler."

Bruce not only established himself as one of the State of Maine's best high school, college, and road racing competitors, he has also taken great interest in the development of other runners. In 1979 Freme, along with Bob Duprey, Sam Hamilton, and Conrad Walton, founded the Musterd Racing Team. Serving as "The Bull" for several years Freme says" The Musterds was a way for 'The County' to showcase' quality runners in all age divisions." Also important to Bruce is promoting Road Racing in Aroostook County as he was race director for the Musterd Mile for five years and the Helen P. Knight 5- K for four years.

Freme has been very active in youth running programs. By serving two terms on the Caribou Board of Education he has been a strong voice for athletics and academic excellence. One of his training partners Bob Duprey notes: "Bull Freme is a great ambassador for running in Aroostook County and the State."