What role does running play in your life?
Running provides a method of exploration, both mentally and physically. The most enjoyable part of running is exploring new terrain, not only are the sights fascinating, but combined with the physical task of running it helps me find a state of euphoria that I don’t find doing things like golfing. Which usually just pisses me off. Every once in a while when you really need a break it allows time for everything going on around you to disappear, concentrating only on your breathing and next few steps. The combination of these two things are why running is very important in my life. It just allows me to think when I want to, but I always just feel free.
When did you start running and why?
Every time my running gets brought up around my father it all goes back to one story, I’ve heard him tell it nearly 100 times, no exaggeration. Back in the late summer going into 7th grade I was asked to try out for the junior varsity soccer team. After a week of training with the team it was decided I was going to play pending me passing an age maturity test. It consisted of 5 or 6 tasks that you needed to reach age standards to show you were physically capable of playing a high school sport. After completing the push-ups, sit ups, 40 yard dash, broad jump and shuttle run I had one last thing to take care of, the mile and a half run. I needed to throw down a time sub 11:30 to be allowed to play. That’s 7:40 pace for a mile and a half. Sounds real easy right? Not for this kid, as a through and through soccer player at that time the last thing I wanted to do was run that far. Let’s just saw it was a good thing the test supervisor was generous enough to drop 30 seconds off my time or I wouldn’t have made it. From there the running seed was planted, I needed to get faster and increase my endurance, I only beat the girl I was running with by about 5 seconds that day. No offensive ladies, but as a 7th grade guy this was a huge disappointment. Flash forward to senior year in high school I was ~4:30 miler with many school records. But my father never let my ego grow as he would constantly remind me of the day I couldn’t run 7:40 pace for a mile and a half. Since then running has become something my father and I both enjoy and nothing beats the annual Army Ten Miler we’ve run together* almost every year since 10th grade.
*Run together- go to the race together, I run much faster and wait around the finish line hoping he hobbles through before cutoff.
If you could only run one last run, where and with whom would it be and why?
With the way my hip has been acting lately, if feels as though I might have hit that one last run. But I’m going to cheat on this one and probably pick two. The tradition of running the Army Ten Miler with my father and now sisters is too great to say I wouldn’t be content if it was the last thing I ever ran. The second would probably have to be running the Flatirons outside of Boulder, CO preferably with the ultra-guys. Only getting to hobble around the base of the Flatirons alone (because of time and injury) when I was out there left me feeling sort of empty. The great sights left me wanted to go back to get up into the mountains a little more and I would love the company of Danny, Darren, Jonathan, and Rudy along with a few others.
Which is better, trail running or road running? Why?
The absolute worst is running around a track, then road running is a near second. Trail running in my opinion is the second best thing one can do, only behind skiing bowls in CO. Trail running gives you the opportunity to explore and push your limits to attain a very tangible goal, that of reaching the peak of a mountain. Roads just don’t offer the same type of freedom, and the pounding is so much harder on the legs. The exhaust fumes from cars don’t really do it for me either.
Groups or solo? Pick a side (for both) and defend it, or rather, advocate for it!
The group vs. solo run debate is still very real for me. I’m not nearly as passionate one way vs. the other in this one. It’s all a matter of what I’m trying to accomplish for my run for that day. Yes, I really enjoy group running, it’s always an opportunity to learn. Learn about new trails, upcoming races, your friends fitness levels, what happened at a party the night before, ect. But running alone allows you to do a little more solitary thinking or just run based on how you’re feeling. You don’t need to worry about how someone else’s legs are feeling and if you should run easy for them. You aren’t encouraged to pick up the pace against your will, its just all about you, and that you time is very important for both physical and mental well-being. A fair mix of both is essential in my opinion since they both attend to different needs of being a running.
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