Steve Runner has the runs!

FEATURED RUNNER OF THE MONTH: March 2012

"I just tell myself to shut up, suck it up, and get back home"

Why do you run?
 To think, to exercise, and to stay healthy. I get some of my best thinking done while running. Even amidst a crowded street, my mind just always seems calmer and clearer during a run. Though our sport is most sports’ punishment, I really enjoy running and knowing I am doing right for my body. Running gives me more energy and a better self-image.

How long have you been running? How did you get started? Why did you choose running over other activities?
 I have been running for close to 15 years. Growing up, my dad used to run a 4-mile loop while I rode my bike alongside of him. Looking back, I can’t even imagine how much harder he ran with me there next to him. Sorry, dad! Somewhere along the line he switched to running several miles around our local track everyday. Inspired, I would go with him and try to run a mile of my own. In middle school I didn't feel particularly happy with my weight, so I used running as a way to fight that. Since then, running has always had very deep meaning and brought me great fulfillment. But I never chose running over other activities. You can be a runner and still play basketball. You can be a runner and a chef. You can certainly be a runner and a parent. Running is just another thing, albeit an awesome one, that we do

How do you motivate yourself to run regularly? What about on the days the weather is bad or your are feeling particularly lazy?
The most important thing for me is getting dressed to run. If I put shorts on as soon as I am ready to go for a run, I will almost never back out. Putting clothes on is pretty easy, right? So if I can get passed that part, the rest is fun! For some reason, weather has never been too huge of a factor in my motivation. I trained hard outside all through “Snowmageddon” of 2010 and I do sometimes have fun going out in the rain. My hardest time for self-motivating is always keeping consistent those few weeks right after a big race. But I think if you have a day where you are feeling particularly lazy, maybe that is your mind telling you to take a day off to recharge.

Do you use a running coach, or read any books to aid in your training?
 I have not had a running coach since college. Now that I train on my own for the most part, I often adapt and use the Hal Higdon marathon and half-marathon training plans. His plans are well thought out and malleable to the extent that he encourages you to be loose with your planning and open to change. We all have super busy schedules, so it is important not to think your training will go to waste if you have to switch around workout days. I am also an avid Runner's World reader.

How do you fit running in with your daily schedule?
It is always a challenge, but if I get home from a full day of work and get right out, that usually works best for me. The hardest part is timing snacks properly during the day so that I am not starving by the time I am home and ready to run. During weeks when I feel particularly bold, I will try out the morning run. That will usually last one or two days before I switch back to afternoons.

Do your friends and family support your running or think you are crazy?
Everyone in my life fully supports me because they KNOW that I am crazy. Much of my family runs which is great. My parents crossed the finish line of the New York Marathon holding hands. My brother is sporadically resistant, but even he has posted some very respectable 5k times in his day. My wife is also a great runner; when she is determined in a race training plan there is no stopping her. Plus, the more I have talked to my non-runner friends about running, the more of them I notice want to try it out. My feeling is that you can’t, and shouldn’t, convince people to run. But when they hear you talk about how happy it makes you, I think they tend to wonder if there is something they are missing.

What is your favorite running terrain (road, trail, treadmill)?
 There are miles and miles of paved trails near me now, so I love running on those. But when possible, there is little that can beat the unpredictability, natural beauty, and excitement of a real trail run. I try to avoid the treadmill, but in some weather conditions it is definitely the way to go.

photo by Chris Fields from Coolrunning

What is the hardest race you’ve run to date?
Perhaps cliché, but the 2004 Boston Marathon was definitely the hardest. It was my first marathon and I got my bib through charity fundraising. I trained hard through a Boston winter and a nagging knee injury. Only a few miles into the race, my knee started to really hurt and somehow the temperature climbed to over 80 degrees. I ended up having to walk a good portion of the middle section of the race. Though I was saved by a friend with ibuprofen, the conditions were just miserable. It is also the only time (thus far) that I have “lost my lunch” after crossing a finish line. That being said, the race itself was incredibly fun. Amazing atmosphere and the crowds definitely pushed me through to the end.

What is the most enjoyable race you’ve run to date?
 I look back with a lot of pride to a rather nondescript, outdoor track 10k race in college. I was the first athlete to compete at that distance from our school on a brand new track they had recently installed. In addition to that dubious distinction, since the race was at the beginning of the season the field was pretty small. Being at the bottom of an incredible distance team, we figured why not see what I could do in an early season 10k. I ended up finishing 7th and netted two points for our school. We didn’t win the meet or anything, but I cleared a goal that I had set out for myself months before at the start of the season to score a point. Come to think of it, every race I ran for my school that year was an incredible honor and one that has had a great positive impact on my running and on my life in general.

Have you ever been injured due to running? What were the ramifications?
I have run through plenty of injuries and had to stop training for others. My knees have been problematic in the past, but through rigorous stretching and attention to my hamstrings and IT bands in particular, I have largely been able to avoid those issues for the past few years. Stomach tightness and general discomfort have plagued me on many occasions as well. A lot of running is about guts and mental toughness. Go hard or go home. The rest of it is about being smart with your training and knowing the difference between fatigue, soreness, and injury.

Do you use any music or run tracking devices when you run, or are you a naked runner?
Music is one of my other major hobbies. Though I frequently sing during runs to myself and out loud, I have not run with headphones since the very first few times I ran around the track. The feeling of no wires or electronics is freeing in a way during a run. I have also never run with a GPS watch. For my first marathon, I bought one of the simplest Timex Ironman watches so I could record mile splits on long runs. That has been my watch ever since.

How do you get yourself through the difficult parts of your runs? Do you have a personal mantra or do you just give up?
First of all, don’t give up. How much more inspiring can you get than Jimmy V? I get choked up every time ESPN plays that speech. Second, I usually like to plan out a distance or time before each run and only allow myself to add-on, never back off. Unless I feel a serious injury or other dangerous condition, I try not to let anything else break my plans. When the running gets tough, I have a library of motivational song lyrics in my head to think about, or sing aloud if the occasion warrants. If that doesn’t work, I hit the mute button in my head and try to listen only to my breathing. And if that fails, I just tell myself to shut up, suck it up, and get back home.

A lot of runners know that “Who has the runs” has a double meaning. How do you deal with the occasional “problem” that plagues every runner at one time or another?
 I actually wrote a blog post on how that issue brought me to one of the more spiritual moments I have had as a runner. Though I think a lot of people were chuckling to themselves when reading the story, if you have ever had these issues, then you know the range of pain and emotion it can bring. To date, I have never stopped during a race to use a bathroom, though I have had to on long training runs. Planning out your food intake and knowing what your stomach can handle during a run is a big factor for a successful race. You just have to be mindful of your body.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about taking up running?
Anyone can be a runner. You will learn a lot about yourself, both mentally and physically. Try it, you might like it. I truly believe anyone can run a marathon. It is no easy task, which is what makes it such an incredible accomplishment. However, I would challenge you to go out and watch a marathon in person, or just tune into the Biggest Loser marathon episode each season. You will understand that finishers come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, and backgrounds.

What is your next big race?
Running the Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon in D.C. in March, my first full marathon since 2005. Hoping to be healthy enough to run a strong race. As my favorite t-shirt says: “pain is temporary, pride is forever.”

What is your immediate running goal?
I want to qualify for, and run in, Boston. Simple goal, challenging task.

What is your ultimate running goal?
To be happy and healthy running for as long as I can. Anytime I see people over 80 years old finishing races and really looking like they are having a great time I am inspired to keep at it. Additionally, my wife and I are trying to run a race (of any distance) in all 50 states. The only stipulation is that we have to run in the same place on the same day.

Do you have a way we can keep track of your progress (Twitter, Facebook, Blog, etc)
I just recently started a running blog, Runner: On the Right, which is intended to explore all sorts of running issues. It is not as much of a log of my running as it is a log of my thoughts about running. I love having conversations about running, so my hope is that the articles spark lots of comments and debate. I learned very quickly (as I could have expected) that the run-blog community is really welcoming, friendly, and helpful. You can follow me on Twitter @steverunner21 and please also Like the "Runner: On the Right" Facebook page!