Friday Spotlight: Brwalkernc
The holidays are finally over and it's nice to be back and into the swing of the normal routine. I'd like to thank everyone for their patience over the last few weeks while I held back on posting the Spotlight Thread. Reader numbers fluctuate much around that time so I wanted to make sure our highlighted athlete got the attention they deserve. So let's get started with the first Friday Spotlight post of the new 2016 season!
###Who's Brwalkernc?
First Name?
Brandon
Age?
40
Where are you from?
Originally from NC, but moved to KS in 2007.
Occupation?
Chemist. I work for a small company and handle R&D and oversee the QC/QA lab.
###The Running Q&A's:
What are your PR’s?
1 mile: 6:06
5k: 19:27
10k: 45:37
13.1 miles: 1:42:33
26.2 miles: TBD
How long have you been running?
I ran CC in high school as a freshman and sophomore but didn’t stick with it. Started again as an adult in May of 2013.
Briefly explain why you began running?
My wife started running to help with some medical/health issues by getting some weekly exercise. I decided I probably should do some sort of exercise too. I ran a few times a week (10 mpw) for several months, gradually increasing to about 15 mpw, and ran a couple of 5ks and a 10k. After that, I was hooked. In the fall of 2014, I decided to get more serious and began following a plan for a half marathon in the spring. I started learning how to train and began lurking on r/running. The rest is history.
Most memorable running moment?
Leading the race for part of my last 5k and eventually being the overall winner.
Do you have a running mantra?
Not really, but when workouts get tough, I will tell myself, “You got this” to help get me through.
What’s your highest recorded weekly mileage?
50 miles
What time of day do you prefer to run?
Early morning. I used to run in the evening after the kids were in bed but ended up switching to mornings so my wife could attend some evening meetings. It also worked out well with the morning yoga classes at our gym. I got used to the schedule and really like it now.
Any big races coming up?
I’m planning a 10k in mid-March as a tuneup race for my first marathon in late March. After that, the next big race will be the meetup at the Black Mountain Monster 24 hour race in May.
What are your short-term running goals?
Train smart and hard for my marathon and not get injured. I’d like to shoot for 3:35 for the marathon, but since it’s my first, I’m not sure how that will go. My B goal is 3:45. After that is a 24 hour race in May that I would like to go for 100 miles, but I’ll just have to wait and see how the marathon goes first.
What are your long-term running goals?
One of my long-term goals was to beat my high school CC PR of 20:07. I thought I was a ways from hitting that, but surprised myself with my last 5k. It’s amazing what putting higher mileage weeks with limited speed workouts can do for 5k times. The other big one would be to qualify for Boston. Right now I need a 3:15 which seems impossible. The Daniels’ calculator predicts a 3:06 based off my 5k PR which seems ludicrous right now. I’ll have a better idea after this spring. If nothing else, I plan to build up my fitness and qualify when I hit the next age group which is a 3:25. That seems a little more doable.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
I’d tell my 2013 self to stop running every workout as fast as possible. I’d go out each time and try to run each 5k faster than the last time. It took awhile before I started studying and learning how to train.
What is something you need to work on to become a better runner?
Being patient and not trying to rush the training.
What is your current shoe choice?
Brooks Pureflow. I love them. I put 600 miles on my first pair and just recently got another. It was so nice taking them out on the first run.
What’s your comfy pace?
9:15
Trail? Road? Or Treadmill?
Road
What is your ideal running weather?
High 40s, cloudy, no wind
Do you have any social media accounts you’d like to share? [Facebook, Strava, Twitter]
Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/9220324
Smashrun: http://smashrun.com/brandon.walker
###Just for Fun:
What’s your spirit animal?
A dragon. I love reading fantasy books and dragons have always fascinated me, especially when they are the intelligent, magical type. I’ve got two dragon tattoos that my wife hates.
What hobbies and interests do you have besides running?
Reading, comics, woodworking. I haven’t had much time for them between the increased running, fixing up our old house, and trying to spend time with my wife and four girls.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I have a good knack for remembering where things are. My wife will I ask if I’ve seen a certain thing and I can usually tell where the last place I saw it.
Biggest pet peeve?
People that are oblivious to others around them when in public.
What songs have you been listening to recently?
I mainly listen to podcasts during my daily commute, but the most recent music would probably be the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack.
###One Final Question:
What is the origin of your username?
No creativity there whatsoever. It’s my goto username and easy to remember: First/middle initial and last name plus NC for North Carolina.
There you have it folks! Big thanks to the boy with the dragon tattoos, brwalkernc, for patiently waiting for me to get this posted. Don't forget that while he's doing chemist things and making potions brwalkernc might not be able to respond immediately so give him some time. Also, please tag u/brwalkernc's username when personally asking him a question, all responses come to my inbox and if you've not tagged him personally, he has to search each comment one by one which can be daunting at times when there's a lot of traffic.
Keep up the good work everyone and thanks for taking time to learn a bit more about a fellow runner!
####Thanks for reading!!!!!
Posted Jan 8, 2016, 12:40 PM UTC · edited