[Special Edition] Monday Spotlight: rennuR_liarT
Before we get started I'd like to apologize about not getting this up on Friday. What was expected to be a regular mundane day at work turned into something straight up ominous and I got slammed with projects and had no internet access all day to top it off. But never fear, we am here now and why not start off the holiday week with a little bit about our beloved rennuR_liarT?! It's like getting to open an early present from Santa!!!
Let's roll!
###Who's rennuR_liarT?
First Name?
Steve
Age?
34
Where are you from?
Born and raised in California, now living in Maryland for the past 8+ years.
Occupation?
Chemistry teacher
###The Running Q&A's:
What are your PR’s?
1 mile: 5:38
5k: 19:53
10k: 43:15
13.1 miles: 1:46 (training run)
26.2 miles: 3:59 (pacing a marathon)
50k: 5:59
50 miles: 10:14
100k: 13:52
How long have you been running?
I started right around New Years of 2011, so almost 5 years now.
Briefly explain why you began running?
I used to be in really good shape in college, where I was on the rowing team for 3 years until knee surgeries forced an early retirement. I played informal sports in grad school (beer league softball, pickup basketball, a little soccer) but was drinking way too much and wasn’t all that healthy overall. When I moved to Maryland I got back into mountain biking for a bit, but when we were expecting our first kid (January 2011) I figured I would soon not have enough time to do any real riding. So right before my daughter was born I signed up for the 2011 Baltimore Marathon and started running. I had never run further than 6 miles in my life at that point.
Most memorable running moment?
Finishing the West Virginia Trilogy (a 3 day race with a 50k, 50 miler and half marathon on consecutive days) and picking up my daughter at the finish line.
Do you have a running mantra?
I like Scott Jurek’s quote, “this is what you came for”, when things are looking particularly grim. Otherwise it’s whatever gets stuck in my head. I once ran probably 10 miles of a 50 miler with this awful nonsense on internal repeat with no off button.
What’s your highest recorded weekly mileage?
97.2 miles. That’s the WV Trilogy plus a 3 mile run earlier in the week. If I’d thought about it I probably would have done two 3 mile runs earlier in the week.
What time of day do you prefer to run?
If I could, I’d start every run just before sunrise. In the summer that works, but sunrise is at a bad time of day this time of year, so I either run in the dark (before everyone gets up) or after the sun is already up (taking my younger kid to daycare in the jogging stroller, when it’s warm enough). I also run at night after the kids are in bed sometimes (after 9 PM, mostly) and during the workday when I have a chance to do it and time to shower afterwards.
Any big races coming up?
I wouldn’t say “big”. I have a 50k in the middle of February that I’ll be doing for my third year in a row. I sent in an application for a fatass 6 hour race at the end of January but haven’t heard anything back yet. Other than that, just little club runs on the calendar until summer.
What are your short-term running goals?
I don’t think I have any. I wouldn’t mind setting a course PR at the 50k in February (6:20 or so), and wouldn’t mind running 50k at the 6 hour if they decide they’ve got room for me.
What are your long-term running goals?
I’d like to run a 50 miler a lot faster than I have so far, and I’d like to finish a 100 miler. In the very long-term I’d like to get to 10 finishes at the Catoctin 50k (I’m sitting on 3 currently), which I think is my favorite race. I'd also like to go back and do the Trilogy again now that I have a better idea of appropriate pacing - I ran the 50k way too slow last time. It's getting harder and harder to find 3 days to go camp and run in the woods guilt-free, though, so who knows about this one.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
To high school me: put down the goddamn shot and discus and start running. To college me: stop rowing when they tell you that you need surgery on both your knees, not after you have the surgeries, row for a while, and have another surgery. Start running instead and stay fit. I know you’re in college and living in San Diego, but foods that aren’t carne asada fries and beer do exist.
What is something you need to work on to become a better runner?
My diet. I’m sure I have 15 pounds that could stand to come off.
What is your current shoe choice?
For trails I really like the Montrail line – I’ve got a pair of Fluidbalance that have 300 miles on them and a pair of Fluidflex ready to go next. I also have a pair of Hoka Challenger ATRs but am not convinced yet.
For roads I have a bunch of shoes, but my standby is a simple pair of New Balance 870s. They’re versatile and comfortable. The other stuff includes Brooks Ghosts, a couple pairs of Hokas, and a couple pairs of Sauconys. They all have their uses.
What’s your comfy pace?
On roads, roughly 9:00 per mile (9:30 if I’m pushing a stroller, 9:45 if it’s the double stroller). On trails, slower than that to various extents depending on how many rocks and hills are present.
Trail? Road? Or Treadmill?
Trails by inclination, but the majority of my runs are on roads because it’s so convenient. I haven’t been on a treadmill in several years and have no plans to change that.
What is your ideal running weather?
50 degrees and sunny. Second place is 32 degrees and lightly snowing.
Do you have any social media accounts you’d like to share? [Facebook, Strava, Twitter]
Nah. People could probably figure it out if they wanted to, if they don’t already know who I am on Strava.
###Just For Fun:
What’s your spirit animal?
Is it cheating if I say it’s my cat Francis? He’s handsome, barely tolerates anyone who’s not me, and absolutely will not put up with your shit.
What hobbies and interests do you have besides running?
I like to read (historical nonfiction, biographies, popular science stuff), but rarely have time. I used to cycle a lot (did a few centuries on the road and got pretty good at mountain biking for a while) but that’s fallen by the wayside. I surfed a ton when I lived in southern California, but now my surfboards are sadly gathering dust in my storage unit, just waiting for me to get ambitious enough to take the 10-footer on the 3 hour drive out to the Atlantic.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I could probably throw down a pretty decent 2000m erg (rowing machine) time right now, although I don’t know how much of a talent that is. I can surf and snowboard, which nobody in Maryland knows because it seems like a waste of time to do either in this state.
Biggest pet peeve?
People who can’t (or won’t) put themselves in somebody else’s shoes. In other words, I have a really hard time with people who aren’t empathetic.
What songs have you been listening to recently?
I’ve been stuck on Less Than Jake and similar bands, after listening to that kind of music all through high school and then not again for a lot of years. On Pandora as I type this is a song by the Cold War Kids, who I've been liking lately.
One Final Question:
What is the origin of your username?
It’s not very creative, is it? I do enjoy the occasional comment from someone who has seen the name a bunch and just now realized that it’s Trail_Runner backwards.
Big thanks to rennuR_liarT for being patient and understanding about getting this posted a little later than usual. As always:
#Please make sure to tag u/rennuR_liarT in your responses and comments to him so that he is notified when you ask him questions.
It is the holidays so be sure to allow him extra time to respond as I'm sure he's jammin' out to some Ludwig Von Drake and pretending to be Francis!
####Thanks for reading everyone!!!!!
Posted Dec 21, 2015, 12:44 PM UTC