How did you start running?
I started in April of 2022, after dieting for self improvement at the beginning of that year I realized I had more discipline that I thought. So I wanted to start getting in better shape too. I tried a handful of other things, weight lifting, walking, Wii fit, etc. Running was the one that stuck.
Do you have any favorite races or distances?
I am a big fan of Grandma’s, but mostly due to the large amount of people and how excited people get. It isn’t as much the course. I really like how many spectators there are and the energy it has.
Do you have any dream of bucket list races?
No, not really. Not yet anyway. I am actually kind of experimenting with races right now to see what kinds of stuff I like. I am signing up for a variety of things, because even though I like it all, I don’t even know myself well enough to know what I am actually seeking right now.
Do you have any pre or post-run traditions, or favorite snacks?
I really like a post run bath. Super hot water. Not as much tradition, as much as just something I do because I think it helps, is a dedicated set of activations before runs. I borrowed Stephen Scullion’s activation routine.
Has anything ridiculous or funny running related stories?
I suppose this is where people tell poop stories lol. I haven’t seen anything too crazy. I guess at afters once my contact fell out, and a friend (Riley) that was a nurse offered to take the other one out so it was balanced. She is apparently used to people being non-responsive when it happens so I was flinching way too much to make it doable. Props to her for trying though.
What is your favorite trail or place to run?
The lakewalk. I never get bored of it. It is different every time I go, just slightly. And the lake is always beautiful.
If you were to pick an animal to describe your running, what would it be?
I guess the bee. Hard working, constant effort, community minded.
Some people are fast, others have endurance. What is your running super power?
I think I am great at a couple things. I have made an effort to really learn my body well, learn what it responds to, learn what it can handle and what it can’t. I like to think I am really good at the academic side of running. Like, the mental stuff that isn’t willpower. I have read a ton of books, watches a lot of youtube videos, watched videos of college lectures from prominent running figures, even read a lot of studies (not just articles about studies,) and I am constantly trying to apply it to myself, and also trying to constantly analyze my own running data to figure out how to improve.
What running related hill would you be willing to metaphorically die on?
It bothers me way more than it should when someone says they won’t run because they don’t want it to cause knee problems. If done properly, it doesn’t. And your friend that told you that it did probably had knee issues they were unaware of until they started testing it with running. My favorite analogy for this is that you don’t get cancer from the doctor testing you for cancer, it was already there, the test just revealed it the same way running can.
Do you have a running Mantra?
“BOOM!!! Tough actin’ Tinactin” I like to say it with enthusiasm. It is actually kind of motivating. And the idea of something as ridiculous as that being motivating is really funny to me, and distracts me from discomfort.
Do you have any advice for new runners?
My advice is something I think would help a lot of new runners, but also vet runners, and even carries to almost every aspect of life, not just running. I say to “be a constant student.” If you want to get better at something, anything, then regularly ask yourself what you can improve and what areas do you think you could learn more in. You can only train so much, but if you are listening to running podcasts while driving, listening to running books on tape while cooking/eating, etc. you are able to make a lot of progress without spending more time. And when you can dedicate more time to getting better, but are physically tired or shouldn’t train more, use that time for reading physical books. Every run, try to learn something. Not just practicing, but try to learn. Observe your footstrikes on one run, knee drive on another, arm swing on another. And break down components further once you have spent a run observing them. And try to figure out why you are moving the way you are moving, looking for areas that can be improved.