An interview with Pete Larson the Runblogger

I would like to do something different from time to time, and so I am going to feature different individuals who are runners and have a story to tell, or are just plain interesting!  

Let me introduce you to Peter Larson, UltraMarathon Runner 

and the brain, heart and soul (sole) behind RUNBLOGGER and RUNRADAR on Facebook . 

Pete, when did you start running and why?

I’ve been a runner off and on throughout my life. I played sports in high school and running was nothing more than a form of conditioning work, and in college and grad school I’d run whenever I felt fat and got sick of feeling unhealthy. I moved to New Hampshire to start a job as a college professor in 2003. My first son was born a few months into my first semester of teaching, and life got incredibly busy. My daughter arrived in 2005, and I had pretty much stopped exercising at that point. By 2007 I was pushing 190 pounds, which was the heaviest I had ever been in my life. I remember looking at a photo of myself from my college’s graduation ceremony that Spring and being ashamed. Something had to change, so my wife and I signed up for a 4-mile race in Maine that summer and I started to run. I’ve been an addicted runner ever since – I dropped over 20 pounds, and am now about to run my ninth marathon!

What inspires your running?

I run mostly for myself. It’s an escape from a hectic daily life, and a chance for me to feel strong and healthy. Running relaxes me and gives me time to think without distraction. I also run for health. As a parent, I want to set an example for my kids, and I want to have the energy and strength to keep up with them.

What type of races have you done so far and what are your plans for the racing season this year?

I’ve run many 5K’s, several half marathons, one 50K, and I’ll be running my ninth marathon this weekend in Burlington, Vermont. I’m currently debating whether or not to try another ultra this Fall – some friends have been trying to get me to do the Vermont 50K in September and I’m really tempted.

What made you get into the running shoe reviewing?  How long have you been with RunBlogger?

I started blogging back in early 2009 on a whim.  I was pretty wary of the on-line world at the time – I hadn’t gotten into Facebook or Twitter, and I wasn’t all that knowledgeable about blogging. I found the very open and public nature of it all a bit scary.  I did a ton of research though, and learned the ins and outs of the business pretty quick. My blog actually wasn’t initially called Runblogger - it was mainly a place for me to write random posts about life. As time went on I found myself writing more and more often about running, and those posts seemed to be popular, so I turned the site into a full-on running blog that summer.

As a biologist, I was really interested in the science and evolution of running. I read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall within weeks after it came out, and got really interested in the science behind running shoes, particularly more minimal footwear. I started experimenting on myself with different shoes and wrote about my experiences. The rest, as they say, is history!

If you had the ability to make the absolute “perfect shoe” for your running, what would it be like?

I don’t believe that a single perfect shoe exists for me. I believe that different running situations call for different tools (e.g., trails, speed, long distance, etc.), and sometimes my preferences change over time. Generally I like shoes that are simple, lightweight, and low drop (0-6mm) with a bit of cushion.

Describe your favorite aspect of running.

There is no better feeling than a run where everything clicks and you feel like you could accomplish anything. They are rare, but incredibly fulfilling.

Describe your "perfect race" scenario:

One where I accomplish my goal without feeling completely miserable in the process. The 2010 Disney Marathon, 2012 Smuttynose Marathon, and 2012 Smuttynose Half Marathon were all races where almost everything went right. Cool weather, adequate preparation, and good pacing make for a good race for me!

 

Recently you have started co-coaching a beginner 5K program. What is it about coaching that is so rewarding?

I absolutely love coaching! My friend Erin Girzone is a personal trainer and we met last summer at a running workshop that I co-taught with my friend Brett. We had talked a bit about co-coaching a 5K program last Fall, but couldn’t get it off the ground in time, so we delayed it until Spring (Erin had done it the previous Spring so she had the program set up). We had 23 people sign up, which is apparently a huge number for an adult program through our town recreation department! (you can view the 5K Yes I Can! program overview here).

I really enjoy working with beginners. It’s been incredibly rewarding to watch people who have never been runners increase time and distance run each week. Every new distance PR is an accomplishment, a source of pride, and a confidence boost. Our target race is in just a few weeks, I can’t wait to watch them cross the finish line! We’re expanding the program in the Fall to include an intermediate 5K group for those who want to continue on, and our hope is to add in a half-marathon and maybe even a marathon group down the road.

I’ve also learned a ton through coaching. It’s really made me recognize how each individual faces slightly different challenges as a runner. I’ve spent a lot of time helping people work through aches and pains without getting discouraged. We’ve held workshops and have talked a lot with them about shoes, form, strengthening work, nutrition, foam-rolling – it’s been pretty comprehensive and I think it’s worked out very well. The group is incredibly positive and eager to learn, and that has been a lot of fun.

I could definitely see myself getting more involved in coaching going forward. For example, I was invited to join the coaching team at the Craftsbury (VT) Marathon Camps this summer – I’m really looking forward to that!

Ever been injured? How do you deal with injuries?

I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve had lots of minor aches and pains since becoming a runner, but nothing serious that has interfered with my ability to run regularly. I think I have a body that tends to build tissue quickly, whether it be fat or muscle. I can put on weight quickly if I’m not careful with my diet, and if I lift I tend to gain muscle mass quickly as well. I think my ability to build tissue fast may help me repair damage quickly as well, which is a benefit as I tend not to be prone to overuse injuries (knock on wood!).  

I personally find that mixing things up seems to help – if something starts to hurt, often switching to a different type of shoe for a bit seems to be enough to resolve the problem. I tend to think when we runners hammer ourselves in exactly the same way every day we run a greater risk of getting hurt. Vary footwear, speed, surfaces, etc.

Hopes/Goals for the future?

My main goal right now is to make a go of working on my own. I recently resigned from my job as a tenured college professor (scary!) to pursue writing, coaching, and working with runners full-time. I love being my own boss, and I love helping people to get active and stay active. Helping people live healthy lives is what motivates me to do what I do, and I hope I can be successful in making a career out of it.

Number one tip you would give new runners?

Practice patience in all things running. With any change, whether it be starting running, increasing speed/distance, or trying out a new style of shoe, runners need to take things gradually or risk getting hurt. Patience is also critical in races – one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to respect the distance, particularly in marathons. If you go out too fast or overestimate your capabilities, you will suffer. If you are patient and hold back at the start, you will pick people off at the end of the race and have a much more enjoyable experience.

How does someone contact you if they have a shoe question?

I have a contact page on my blog where you can find my email, Twitter, and Facebook info. All are good ways to reach me!

Sugarloaf 15K Race Review

Yesterday I ran my very first 15K race. It was here in Maine, in the beautiful Sugarloaf Mountain area of Carrabassett Valley.  The Marathon runs at the same time as the 15K, so it brings a whole bunch of business to an area that see's more in the winter than the summer.

I waited too long to book a hotel in Carrabassett Valley, so we had to stay in Rangeley which is almost an hour away. That wasn't so much of an issue on Saturday when we were going down. But after I picked up my bib and swagbag, and we took off for our hotel, we realized that we were going to be driving through a heavily populated moose area at 5am the next day. :(

The drive Sunday morning was ok, but there were spots where the fog was fairly thick, and we had to keep our eyes peeled for moose. Luckily we didn't see any. Hubby dropped me off at the bus loading area at 6am, and I was taken by bus to the starting line up the road. Lucky for me, Carrie from Maine Mom on the Run spotted me on the bus and we got to meet and chat the whole time. It was great having someone I knew from online to be with and spend some time with. I also finally got to meet someone who lives up where I am from originally, CaratunkGirl, Mandy.  She's so full of spunk and fun, I can see where she has tons of energy to put into the races that she participates in. Was so great to finally meet and talk with her!

It was sooo cold.. about 34*, and most people were in shorts and tanks or running shirts, and were all moving around to keep warm. I had gone to the Goodwill store the day before and got a heavy sweatshirt, and had planned to leave it at the start, as it would just get picked up and donated. I ended up wearing it until almost half a mile, then it was so heavy, that I had to ditch it.

The Sugarloaf 15K is the last portion of the marathon route. The nice part about it, is that the 15K is all downhill. From start to finish, there is a gradual decline, and it wasnt too steep to cause issues for me. I had worried about it a bit, since I hadnt seen it, but I was happy when we drove over it and saw how nice it really was. My strategy for the race was to finish in under 2 hours. I know, for most of you, that's a really slow time.. but I am still working on the run/walk thing and trying to get my self back to all running. I was doing great last summer, but lost some endurance for a couple of different reasons. Now I am fighting my way back, but I am being smart about it, so as not to get injured along the way.

Coach Caleb gave me a choice of how many minutes I wanted to run/walk, and I opted to set my watch for 3/1, because I knew that I would probably run more anyway. I found my groove pretty early on, and spotted another woman who was running the same pace as me. We ended up doing the race together, and I was even able to chat while running! I bet some of you are laughing, but I have never run with anyone else before, and the thought of talking while running didnt really appeal to me. I found that it actually was fun, and it helped to pass the time away. We settled into an easy conversation, and kept each other motivated. Lynn from Concord NH, you are my hero! Thank you so much for sticking with me till the end. I think we did pretty well!

As I mentioned above, I finished in less than 2 hours, which is what I wanted to do. This gives me a baseline to start improving from. Since I hired Coach Caleb to plan my workouts, I have noticed a big increase in my ability to run faster and more upright with very little slouching, and my breathing has become much more manageable. I do have my "mantra's" that I repeat over and over again, and those help me to stay focused. I switch back and forth between "Mez-a-ma-shii" and  "I am bonk proof".

All in all, I would have to say that Sugarloaf is my favorite race so far. I am now going to start working towards a half marathon, and I really want to be running all of it, with very little walking. I know I can do it, with Caleb's direction. I have lots of work to do this summer and I'm looking forward to it!

Be a kindrunner!

Are YOU a Kindrunner?  Want to know HOW you can be one? 

Your old shoes may not last another long run, but they would go the distance

 in changing someone else's life for the better!

Starting June 1^st a new website will be launched that will offer online expertise in running shoes. You’ll be able to call and talk to someone who can help steer you towards the shoes that should perform the best for you.  It’ll be like having your local running shop online. I don’t know how many times I wished that there had been someone I could call locally to ask about all the different shoes when I first started running.  Now that expertise will be right there at your fingertips! 

So how does the KIND part come into the picture?  Kindrunner is going to give runners the opportunity to send in used running shoes and they will in turn donate the used shoes to Soles 4 Souls and the More Foundation. We all have seen images like these on TV, or in magazines, and the reality is that it is all too real. My husband has been to Ecuador and Africa, and can speak of the poverty there. Basic needs are not always existent, so we really need to step up and lend a hand. 

Right now to help get you motivated,  kindrunner.com  is offering a chance to win free running shoes for you and a friend, for a year! (yay!) Go to their website to sign up! AND… you can also LIKE them on Facebook, and for every 500th like, until their launch in early June, one friend and their favorite running partner will win a free pair of shoes!  You can’t beat that!  What runner doesn’t need/want new shoes??!!

  Find kindrunner on Facebook: http://facebook.com/kindrunner
  Find kindrunner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/beAkindrunner
  Find kindrunner on Instagram: http://instagram.com/beakindrunner 

  Find kindrunner on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Kindrunner

Disclaimer:  I am an ambassador for kindrunner.com.  I will be doing campaigns involving product reviews and giveaways by KindRunner.  As always, all opinions expressed on my blog are 100% my own. 

Sugarloaf 15K Coming right up

Next weekend I will be running my first ever 15K race. Last weekend I ran my first 10K, so I am definitely movin’ on up! The 15K will be at Sugarloaf, which is Maine’s premier ski mountain, and my personal favorite place to ski.

Looking ahead to this race, I have to say that I am very nervous. It’s not that I can’t run the mileage, it’s that I’ve never been in a big organized race before. The ones I have run are just little ones around home here in Maine. This one will be my first time mixing with the runners who are way faster than I am. I will be in awe of most of them I’m sure!

Right now I wish I could say that I had a “set” finish time that I am hoping for. Presently, I am still doing the Jeff Galloway method of running with walking segments built in. That has helped tremendously to cut down on my neck pain which seems to be resurfacing a whole lot. I am way stronger in my running and my core strength is coming along too. No more lower back pain when running!  I have to give credit to my Coach, Caleb Masland for getting me where I am now. His weekly training plans are such a big help and are keeping me accountable. Gives me something to focus on daily, and I find myself looking forward to each night’s activity.

As of right now, the plan is that I will run 3mins/walk 1 min. Of course, I may not use these at all, but I find that when I do, I run much faster and my breathing is much more even.  Lately I have been running my segments in the 10-11 min range, which is way faster than I was a year ago. I even find myself running at a 9min mile every now and then, and I force myself to slow down a bit, as I struggle with endurance on long runs. The nice thing about this course is that there aren't any hills and it's a downhill slope. That will help for sure!

I have to be honest about something though...the one thing that I have yet to really do is to change my diet. I have always been a junk food, lets eat out person, and I have to think that it is hindering my training. I am trying desperately to eat more fruit and less junk, as I really don’t care for vegetables.  Most of my runs are around 5pm, before dinner or 6:30pm, just after eating, which I know is not ideal. Because of my work schedule, running in the morning is not an option except for weekends, but I like to sleep in, so …. ;)

This Sunday I will do my weekly long run of 9 miles, then will slow down for the week before the race. The weather is supposed to be crappy this weekend, but I’m hoping for anything less than a downpour to run in.  I’m already a bit giddy just thinking about how exciting this race is going to be! I have a handful of friends that are going to be there, between the 15K and the marathon. I hope I will get to see all of them at some point!

The Sugarloaf Marathon and 15K 

Inside the heart of a runner, a reflection of passion

Have you ever had an experience that caused you to take a step back and review your life, your thoughts, your passions and dreams?  Or, have you ever met someone that made you stop dead in your tracks and do a total self evaluation?

Last week while I was working on the Mezamashii Run Project in Atlanta, I had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people while I was there. Every time I turned around, there was something new to see and something new to learn. I have to say that the experience of filming with a professional production crew is totally amazing. It is kind of just like you see on TV or the movies… all the equipment, and all the hubbub that goes along with it. Very busy, and crazy at times, but in a controlled sort of way.

While I was doing my part of the filming process, I became acutely aware of someone that I was working with.  His persona and the grace at which he did his job stood out to me greatly. I could see the passionate devotion in his work, and could tell that there was something totally different about this man. The more I studied him while trying to figure him out, the more I realized that passion not only comes from deep within, but also from a higher source of power around us. Being a Christian, I have a very strong faith in God, and I could see this resonating from this person in every task, conversation, and thought process. 

I've spent a fair amount of time, thinking about how someone could find that fervor within themselves, if they didn’t already have it, or if they had it and it had left. Many times in my life I had set goals and been very focused about things that I wanted to do. Some of these I followed through on, and others I let go by the wayside. Studying someone who had it “all together” caused me to take a look inside myself, to find out what I really want in life now that I have turned age 50+.  When I was younger, my focused passions in life were sports, and music. Growing up, that was all I did. I never felt like I fit in with the rest of the people I was with, so I fully immersed myself into both of those, hoping I would find some gratification with what I was doing. I was lucky enough to have had wonderful loving parents who supported me with everything I did, and that certainly helped, but it never really filled the void.

I stop and think about where I was a couple of years ago. I hated how I looked, I hated how I felt, and I felt like my job was going nowhere. I was sick of how people were looking at me; I could just read “Fatty” on their faces, with every glance in my direction. Luckily for me, I had my “ahah” moment and changed my life around. I once again became very focused, and that was on losing the weight, no matter what cost. I joined Weight Watchers at my work, and found a very supportive group of people there. Within a couple of months the weight was coming off and staying off.  Obesity is a very scary thing. It brainwashes you into thinking that you can’t do anything because you are “too heavy”. Lots of things in life have weight limits, and unless you are a big person, you probably have never given it a thought. Rides at the fair or theme parks, ziplines, medical equipment at the hospital, bathroom scales, regular sized chairs, airplane seats and seatbelts… the list goes on and on.  Many obese people avoid these things altogether as a safety net against the internal hurt these items can cause.

Reflection this past week has brought me a renewed sense of self. That strong emotion  and zeal  for life in general is blooming once again, and I have to believe that God used this person as an avenue to open my eyes once again to all of the beauty that there is around me. I feel like I kind of shut down after my father died last summer, and my senses had truly become dull and blurred. Once in a while, on a run I could feel my passion for running come through in those Mezamashii, out of mind/body experiences, but I was having a hard time to carry it through to everyday life.

The hardest step to take is the first one, the one that will ultimately lead back to being healthy, happy and passionate about life. When I started back on the road to running, I couldn’t walk a quarter of a mile. My knees would hurt. My back would hurt. My feet hurt. I kept telling myself that I was fooling myself into thinking I could do this. But… the runner in me from years before, kept saying. DON’T GIVE UP. DON’T GIVE UP.  And so.. baby steps were taken  which ultimately led me to where I am now.  Was it hard? Yes. Slow? Yes. Is it worth it? YES! 

I have to say a great big thank you to the people at Mizuno and McKinney who took a chance on me and invited me to Atlanta last week. As much as I was there doing something for them, they were all ministering to me in their own separate ways. I could name every single one of them here, and how each person touched my life, but the list would go on and on. I am so grateful for a renewed sense of purpose. 

Running has truly been the avenue to which I have responded with earnest. I will certainly try to carry that passion forward and give it freely to others, hoping to inspire them to find those deep emotions within themselves. If this post has touched you in some way, feel free to let me know. If you are wanting to start your journey back to running and need help, please contact me. I will do my best to help get you started.