If you want to stop in and say hello to Ed “Fast Eddie” Rousseau in Emmaville, Minnesota, you’ll first need to thread the needle past Pickerel Lake on the west side of County Road 4 and Lower Bottle Lake to the east. Once you find “The Emmaville Crossing”—a local stop with an inn, café, and general store—you may never want to leave. The inn is charming, the café serves tasty food (no drive-in here), and the general store can cover nearly all your needs. Go ahead—fill up your gas. Fast Eddie lives just a mile or so away.
The Routine
Ed takes care of a large part of the local population—mainly the wildlife. The bears, deer, squirrels, and even chickens seem to know when he’ll have their food ready. It’s an unspoken rule that everyone waits their turn—unless you’re a bear. His home, expanded room by room, reflects the handiwork of a man who knows how to build not just walls but a life rich with purpose.
His daily rhythm centers around both the animals and his own well-being. Each morning, Ed stretches, reads, prays, takes his vitamins, and enjoys coffee with cinnamon toast. On Sundays, there’s church—and maybe a short nap—before he heads out for his daily 20-mile trek. Rain, heat, or blizzard, he’s out there.
“People ask how I keep going at my age. The truth is, I just never stopped.”
When the snow piles high, out come the snowshoes—his favorite training tool and one of the best in any sport.
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The Racer
All that discipline and care translate directly to the racecourse. Fast Eddie is kind, caring, and generous—until the race begins. Then, he’s a force of nature. He’ll take your record, your world record, and your medal too—because he’s called Fast Eddie for a reason.
At the 10 Days in the Dome Distance Race, Ed set four new U.S. records this year in the Men’s Masters 85–89 division. Out of 22 finishers across all classes, he placed 11th overall, covering 396 miles in ten days. Along the way, he:
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Set the 200 km record (124 miles) by five hours
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Likely established a new 500 km mark
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Surpassed the previous Six-Day Record by 31 miles
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Earned the Three-Day Record with 141 miles, topping it by 12 miles
Read More: Running Snowshoes: How to Choose the Best Pair
At the recent Run for the Hills 5K in Bemidji, Minnesota, Ed won his class by default and by design—(a) he crossed the finish line first, and (b) no one else in his age group dared to challenge him.
And his mindset remains as sharp as ever:
“When I line up, I’m not thinking about my age group. I’m thinking about the next mile.”
Next up, he’ll represent his age class at the World Snowshoe Championships this December—a familiar stage for “Fast Eddie,” who continues to prove that determination knows no age limit.
Read More: Before Snowshoeing Alone, Ask These Questions
The Legend
Fast Eddie loves to snowshoe and is a familiar favorite at every event, from the WSSF World Championship to the USSSA Championship in Wisconsin. In his age class, he’s the gold standard—literally.
Decades ago, Ed transformed his life through endurance and faith. He now shares that journey by speaking in prisons, schools, churches, and treatment centers. Recently, he addressed residents at Pine Manor Treatment Center near Nevis, Minnesota, sharing his story of discipline, redemption, and the joy of motion.
Snowshoeing remains one of his deepest connections to the world:
“Snowshoes keep me grounded and grateful. They remind me that winter’s not something to survive—it’s something to enjoy.”
It’s no surprise he’s been recognized among the sport’s greats—inducted into the National Ultramarathon Running Legends, the Minnesota Running Legends, and the Michigan Upper Peninsula Road Runners Hall of Fame.
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Your ability to distill complex concepts into digestible nuggets of wisdom is truly remarkable. I always come away from your blog feeling enlightened and inspired. Keep up the phenomenal work!
Keep up the good work Ed!
Love to hear about this fabulous fellow-forget about the elderly. I wish I could do half as well. I am 81, still running but with worn out knees. On a recent run I ruminated, to myself, that I am running a per mile pace 50% slower than when I was 50% of my age. Got into snow shoe running when I lived in Vermont, none since I left for the west coast but still do some snow shoeing.
The key, as he indicates is the “keep on moving”. Go fast Eddie.
PGS….excellent story about a fabulous and athletic elderly gentleman! I am highly impressed with Fast Eddie’s snowshoeing achievements and equally impressed with how you presented his story. My grandmother was a Rousseau, and her brother lived in Rochester, MN. I’ll have to look into seeing if Ed Rousseau is related. Thanks again,
Jim Joque
Hi, Jim
It is excellent how Fast Eddie has grasped the 80s like never before.
I appreciate your comments.
An addition: Rina Katchur (who bought Snowshoe Magazine) wrote parts of this story and
laid out the contents. (Rina@snowshoemag.com). She is quite active, for sure.
Are you attending the Snowshoe Nationals in Wisconsin next month?
I won’t get to, as we moved to Tampa (we have family and grandchildren here), and there’s still lots to do.
I have always enjoyed your writing . . .
Happy Thanksgiving
Phillip Gary Smith
Great story; love to hear about this fabulous fellow-forget about the elderly. I wish I could do half as well. I am 81, still running but with worn out knees. On a recent run I ruminated, to myself, that I am running a per mile pace 50% slower than when I was 50% of my age. Got into snow shoe running when I lived in Vermont, none since I left for the west coast but still do some snow shoeing.
The key, as he indicates is the “keep on moving”. Go fast Eddie.