Dave P has the runs

The next installment of "People who have the runs"

"Determined, Tenacious, and Unstoppable!"

Why do you run?
Why I run has evolved over time.  I started running to stay healthy and lose weight.  However, I've continued running because it has become my time.  I also love spending time running with friends.  And, it's fun to be competitive with myself to see how far I can push my own personal limits.

How long have you been running? How did you get started? Why did you choose running over other activities?
I started running on May 26, 2010.  It started out with a two-mile run on our local trail because my favorite pair of jeans was getting too tight.  I had previously gotten most of my exercise with a couple of hours of basketball over lunch each week, but a wrist injury had sidelined me from playing.  I knew I needed to do something.  Running seemed like something I could do on my schedule and so I set out.  I was hit or miss the first two weeks and logged a total of seven miles.  Then, on June 12, 2010, I went out to run two miles and actually pushed it to four.  It went well.  And I went back the next day for three more miles.  From then on, it clicked.  I ran my first race that August and did pretty well in that four-mile event and I was really hooked. Nothing beats the excitement and adrenaline of race day.  And, I had never been more than an average athlete, so to find something that I could have success in really pushed me to continue to improve.

How do you motivate yourself to run regularly? What about on the days the weather is bad or your are feeling particularly lazy?
You have to start out by having your own self-motivation.  It's way too easy to not run.  There are a million excuses.  One thing that motivates me is following the progress of other runners on sites like DailyMile.com. It helps knowing that other people are getting out there and running in the midst of their busy lives and in all kinds of weather conditions.  Honestly, if you dress appropriately, you REALLY can run in pretty much any condition.

Do you use a running coach, or read any books to aid in your training?  
I don't have an official running coach, but I do rely heavily on the advice of my running partner, Cindy Warner.  She is a much more experienced runner than me and does a great job of finding good running plans and exercises and has helped me tailor them to fit the kind of runner that I am.  I also read a lot of articles on the internet and try to soak up as much knowledge about running from as many sources as possible.  You can always learn new things, but you also have to realize that things work differently for each person.

How do you fit running in with your daily schedule?  
For me, the best way to make sure I get my run done is to do it first thing in the morning before I go to work. Yes, it means that I run in the dark and sacrifice some sleep, but it also sets my day up nicely as I start out with a tremendous sense of accomplishment of getting it done.  I do sometimes run after work or during the middle of the day, but I've found that I really enjoy being a predawn runner.

Do your friends and family support your running or think you are crazy?
The people in my life support my running although they do sometimes think I'm crazy for doing as many miles as I do or for running in some of the conditions that I run in.

What is your favorite running terrain (road, trail, treadmill)?
I love the open road.  I haven't done much trail running as I like having good footing and I get bored with the monotony of the treadmill although I did push myself to do 22 miles without taking a break on one this winter in the midst of a blizzard while training for a marathon.

What is the hardest race you’ve run to date?
For me, Hood to Coast was the hardest race I've done because I went into it injured and then was only able to run one leg of it and had to ride around in the van and watch my teammates pick up the slack of running my final two legs.  However, it was also one of my favorite experiences and I plan to go back and do it again completely healthy some day.

What is the most enjoyable race you’ve run to date?
Besides Hood to Coast and Relay Around Columbus (another relay race), my favorite race so far is the Myrtle Beach Marathon, which I just ran in February.  I had the opportunity to pace my running partner, Cindy, and cheer her on to a BQ finish.  Of my six marathons, this is the first one that I was truly able to enjoy because I wasn't trying to push myself to the limit and was focused on helping someone else.  It was a great course (despite 25 mph wind the whole time) and it solidified my personal goal of wanting to be a pacer.  While it is fun to push yourself to be your best, I find that it is most rewarding when you work with others and help them on the journey.  I would do that again any day!!!

Have you ever been injured due to running? 
I've battled shin splints and stress fractures throughout my career as a runner and also one bout of Achilles tendinitis.

What were the ramifications?  
You have to listen to your body.  There are the normal aches and pains that come from exercise.  However, when you start to feel more than that, take a day or two off.  If it persists for more than a week, seek some professional advice.  Overuse injuries and not taking the appropriate number of rest days or not incorporating cross training into your running can really sideline you.  See the big picture which is a lifetime of running and sacrifice a day or two here or there or even a race if necessary in order to stay healthy.  I took three months off after my stress fractures and managed to come back stronger than ever and knocked 28 minutes off my marathon PR thanks to a new workout routine (designed by Cindy) and a new mindset.

Do you use any music or run tracking devices when you run, or are you a naked runner?  
I typically don't listen to music while running except maybe during a marathon.  I do own and highly recommend the Garmin watch that I wear as it allows me to run anywhere and get all the data that I want and need.

How do you get yourself through the difficult parts of your runs?  
Come up with three words that you post on your bathroom mirror that you turn to in order to help meet your goals.  Repeat these in your head when things get tough.  For me since coming back from the stress fractures, it has been "Determined, Tenacious, and Unstoppable!"  It also helps me to think about how hard other people work to meet their goals and I try to fuel off that.

Do you have a personal mantra or do you just give up?
I try to set a goal for each workout whether it is speed, recovery, or whatever.  Once that goal is in place, I figured out what I have to do in order to meet it.  The only time I've not pushed all the way through the workout to try to meet that goal is if an injury crops up.  I've learned to stop immediately if that happens because you don't want to make it worse.

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've learned to give myself about an hour before a run if possible to try to clear out that potential problem. The first thing I do when I wake up most days is to drink a glass of water to get the process started.  On race days, I visit the facilities often before the gun goes off.  However, it goes with the territory and I've learned that the best thing to do is to just figure out a way to take care of business as soon as it hits. Otherwise you are just miserable while running.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about taking up running?  
Do it!  Don't wait any longer.  And, if you can find a running partner to join you, that will help keep you accountable.  Don't set time or distance goals at the beginning.  Just put one foot in front of the other and start the journey.

What is your next big race?  
The next race I'm signed up for is the Cap City Half Marathon in Columbus, Ohio.  I would love to set a new PR at that distance which would be a sub 1:32.

What is your immediate running goal?  
To stay healthy through the rest of 2014 and find a new fall marathon to run.  I'm also hoping to get into Boston when signups roll around next fall.  I missed by 11 seconds for this year.

What is your ultimate running goal?  
My ultimate running goal would be to run for as long as possible throughout the rest of my life and see as many places as possible while doing it.  I would love to run some of the bigger marathons (Boston, New York, Chicago, and LA), but running in places all around our amazing country just for fun is also very appealing to me and a lot more enjoyable.  And honestly for me the best of the journey is the people I spend time with along the way.

Do you have a way we can keep track of your progress (Twitter, Facebook, Blog, etc)  
The best way is on DailyMile.com (http://www.dailymile.com/people/MVNUSID)

I'm also on Twitter (@DPontheGo).
I recently switched blogs from http://mvnusid.blogspot.com (which has some good running adventures on it) to http://dponthego.wordpress.com (which doesn't have much on it yet).