Friday Spotlight: Sacamato
The weekend is almost here and to celebrate we're giving you the Spotlight thread a little earlier than usual because I'm too excited to get this out. If you've ever spent any amount of time in this subreddit you'll recognize the name instantly. After meeting this person in real life, I've got nothing but nice things to say about him. He's a quirky man with a kind demeanor. A really genuine person and grade A human if I'm being honest. So let me get this started for you all by introducing this week's Spotlight runner. Ladies and gents... u/Sacamato!
Let's do this!
###The Runner:
First Name?
Carey
Age?
40
Where are you from?
I was born in Indiana, and most of my extended family still lives there, but my immediate family moved to Maryland when I was 2 months old, and I've lived in different towns in Maryland ever since. I currently live in the town I grew up in, and I love it. If you had told me in high school that I'd be living here as an adult, I would have been less than pleased with my future self, but this town is a lot cooler than it was 20 years ago.
Occupation?
Spreadsheets and stuff
###The Running Q&A's:
What are your PR’s?
Mile: 6:31 (9/13/14)
5k: 22:52 (3/8/14)
10k: 48:17 (4/13/13)
Half Marathon: 1:53:20 (5/5/13)
Marathon: 4:34:34 (3/30/14)
I think it's interesting that my 5k PR was set 3 weeks before my marathon PR and my 10k PR was set 3 weeks before my half marathon PR (I actually set a half marathon PR twice during those 3 weeks). But I haven't set a new PR in over 2 years. Where has all my *oomph* gone?
What is your distance PR?
46.6 miles (although I say 75k because it's rounder) at the Black Mountain Monster in 2016. But that wasn't really all at once. I did the first 40.4 miles (65k) in pretty much one shot, though.
What’s your highest recorded weekly mileage?
70.8 miles at the Relay for Hope in 2015, during which I was on a team of 5 runners who ran across Newfoundland (part of a larger team of 40ish runners who ran across Canada).
What’s your comfy pace?
About 9:30 per mile. Although, let's be honest, I'm most comfortable at --:--.
How long have you been running?
I was actually on a track and field team when I was 8. But I didn't do any recreational running as an adult until 2002. Then I quit for a while. Then I started up again in 2011.
Tell us why you began running?
It was actually a reddit comment that got me started again... but let's rewind.
In my last year of college, a friend of mine told us about this deal where we could raise money for charity, and we'd be able to run the Dublin Marathon. All I heard was "go to Dublin for free". The deal was, we'd have to raise a certain amount of money for a charity (The Whitman Walker Clinic), they'd have free training runs every weekend for 6 months, and if you raised enough, you'd have your plane ticket, hotel, and race registration paid for. I said, "Sure, how hard could it be?" And along with two friends, I started training. We used the Galloway method, and I was in the group that did 6 minutes of running with 1 minute of walking. I had never run further than a mile at that point. My training went... ok... but I wasn't running nearly enough during the week to support the weekend long runs. I know that now, but I didn't know why my knees were hurting so bad at the time. When we did our 12 mile training run, I had to walk more than usual, and I wasn't able to keep up with the group. On top of that, I think I'd raised about $20 of the $3500 or so needed.
So I quit training, but I kept running a little that summer, and the next. For a few years, I would take up running now and then, and by that I mean one week I'd run 2 miles twice, and then not do it again for a few months. Then I just stopped altogether.
I wish I could find the reddit comment that got me started again (I just spent a whole 5 minutes searching for it and gave up). And I don't even remember what the thread was about. But buried deep in the comments, someone posted a link to imgur saying something like "This is what gets me out the door". It was a series of pictures. The first was someone looking out the window and saying, "Oh, it's raining. I guess I won't run today." I'm pretty sure the next picture was this guy lifting weights along with that caption "No excuses". Then the last frame was someone running out in the rain.
I remembered that during my time running, I had always loved running in the rain. And that series of pictures reminded me of that. So on April 1, 2011, I decided to start running again. And you know I was serious, because I finally replaced the shoes from the marathon training I'd done in 2002.
But I guess I wasn't that serious, because I only ran 2 or 3 times a week that summer, and it was always 2 miles, but I would only run the first mile, and walk the second. And even then, it was more like 1.75 miles. And I was getting pretty fat.
In August 2011, I finally decided I needed to lose weight, and that meant fewer calories and more exercise: 1500 calories and 2 miles every day. The 2 miles were running if I could, walking if I couldn't. Within a couple weeks, I'd started being able to run 2 miles straight without stopping to walk, so I scaled it back to 2 miles 4 times a week, just running. I lost 30 pounds in 3 months, and ran my first 5k in December 2011. And I was instantly addicted to racing. I signed up for another 5k in January, then a 10 miler in March, a half marathon in May, and a full marathon in October. Somewhere in there, I started hanging out here in r/running, eventually lost a total of 50 pounds, and wrote my first race report, which isn't too bad.
Most memorable running moment?
So many moments. I remember bits and pieces from every race I've run. Taking my hoodie off at mile 2 of my first 5k. Realizing my shorts were falling off at mile 10 of my first half marathon. Fulfilling my promise to the redheaded woman in mile 24 of my fourth marathon. The huge puddle I splashed through at the mile 25 marker of my sixth marathon. Starting my 10 mile leg on day 5 in Newfoundland, having just sprained my ankle. Turning off my headlamp and running by the light of the full moon at Black Mountain. Running a 5k benefiting the NICU where my best friend's son lived his too-short life.
But I often think about the time I was having dinner and drinks with some friends, and suddenly announced I was going to run 5 miles when I got home, just because I could. At the time, 5 miles was a lot for me (I think I'd only run that far once before). It turned out to be a nice run. I enjoy all my races, but I rarely enjoy training runs, so the fact that I enjoyed that one is pretty memorable.
Do you have a running mantra?
"It's supposed to hurt."
"This is what you signed up for. This is what you trained for. This is the end goal. It's going to hurt. It's supposed to hurt. So keep going."
Also, "Fuck me to tears."
What time of day do you prefer to run?
Afternoon, right after I get home from work. I used to run in the morning, and that is a little easier on my schedule, but I definitely run slower in the morning than I do in the afternoon, even in the summer when it's cooler in the morning.
Any big races coming up?
The Richmond Half Marathon in November, a local 10k in December, possibly a 50k in February, possibly a marathon in April, and yet another ultra in May.
What are your short-term running goals?
Continue the running streak (will be 189 days as of this post). Lose weight. Also, I'll have to ramp up quickly after the Richmond Half to hit a 50k in February, so let's hope for no burnout or injury.
What are your long-term running goals?
Continue to run as I grow old, and be like those guys (/u/brwalkernc and u/RedKryptonite) who are old and run and stuff. It would also be nice if I could set a new PR in something at some point.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
"Hey, you'd probably like running. Start off slow, and stay slow while you slowly increase distance. Then run a race, like a 5k or something. See if you like it. I bet you would. Remember how you liked running the mile in gym class? Yeah, you're like the only one who liked running the mile in gym class. So maybe try to capitalize on that. Not that fast, though. Not at first."
What is something you need to work on to become a better runner?
I definitely need to lose weight. I'm about 15 pounds above where I was when I lost all that weight a few years ago. Good news is it's holding steady. So if I manage to get back into hardcore mode, it should come off. I just have to find the discipline.
I also need to stretch more. After every run, no excuses. Or do yoga, which I think is even better.
What is your current shoe choice?
Brooks Adrenaline have been my go-to since I started. I think I'm on my 23rd or 24th pair right now. I did just buy a pair of Ravennas, which are similar. I've only run once in them, but it was pretty nice. I just wanted to have an alternate choice, in case of sales, or interesting color options. If I get a pair of running shoes that are particularly colorful, I continue to wear them for everyday use after I've retired them from running. The Ravennas are bright blue. I already have one pair of orange and one pair of red Adrenalines. I just need yellow, green, and purple to complete my collection.
Trail? Road? Track? Or Treadmill?
Road, mostly. For training, definitely road. I can't run consistently on trail, although I enjoy it for races. Also, I'm kind of picky about trail. I don't like it when there's a lot of rocks and roots. Can't they just pave it all? Make it more like the road?
Track, nah. Treadmill, definitely no. Although I did once do a 20 mile training run on a treadmill. Not fun.
What is your ideal running weather?
Like it's been lately, I guess. Low 60s, dry. My marathon PR was set in mid 40s and rain though, so I have a special affinity for that. I also love running in fresh snow. I used to absolutely hate anything above 70, but I've mellowed out on that lately. The trick was to spend all of last summer running no more than 3 miles at a time.
Do you have any social media accounts you’d like to share? [Facebook, Strava, Twitter]
I'm in the Facebook r/running group, if you want to hit me up there. I'm not on Strava, sorry. I use Endomondo for tracking workouts, but I only upload my runs off my watch once every few months, so I don't appear to be very active.
(My biggest fear in life is getting mugged while I'm running, and having nothing of value on me except my watch, and having to convince my muggers to let me keep the watch because months of running data are on there that I haven't uploaded. I guess if that's my biggest fear, that means my life is pretty good.)
###Just For Fun:
What’s your spirit animal?
The sloth.
A very dear friend of mine from college (who I visit every year when I run the Richmond full or half marathon) is constantly impressed by how much I run, because when we lived together in college, I was a total couch potato. He thinks it's extraordinary that someone that he knew to be very lazy is running marathons now.
But that's my secret, Cap: I'm always lazy. And I have to fight against my spirit animal *every goddamn day* when I go out to run. I don't like running much at all. I can't begin to understand those of you who feel like you *have* to run, or who look forward to your runs. At best, I tolerate running. My favorite part of training is the taper, because there's less running. But I keep running for two reasons:
- I truly do enjoy racing, and races go a lot better if you train for them.
- If I didn't keep running, I'd probably weigh 300 pounds. I don't like running around my neighborhood every day, but I like being fat even less.
I've also made some really cool friends from running (and r/running). So I'm not about to quit anytime soon. I just grumble about it every day while I put my running clothes on.
What hobbies and interests do you have besides running?
I sing. I make fudge. I play computer games.
I love astronomy. One thing I miss about running in the mornings before work is seeing the stars. I miss knowing the phase of the moon just by making a note of where it was when I started my run. It's completely useless information in this day and age, but it was comforting to just know that instinctively.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I can make a 100% completely authentic cricket chirp. Also, going back to the last question, I actually am a really good singer, and my fudge is amazing. Also, I'm super humble most of the time.
I write sometimes. Not just race reports. I wrote a short story for r/hfy a while back about running. I thought of it while running, of course (look for the call out to r/running if you read it). I've called it "semi-autobiographical", even though it's sci-fi. I've started on a sequel, but it's only a short first chapter so far.
I occasionally post an informed response in r/AskHistorians that doesn't get deleted, and this one time I (very nicely) corrected Andromeda321 on a thing (I wouldn't even presume to link her username here). So I'd say that makes me *pretty talented*.
Biggest pet peeve?
Rational pet peeve: people being assholes to each other
Somewhat petty pet peeve: people who complain about the automated bot comments in r/running
Irrational pet peeve: people who wear long pants or long sleeves to run when it's above 60, and people who listen to music during races
(Funny thing, when I got home from work the day I wrote this, I wore long sleeves to run in 63 degrees, but I was fighting a cold, so it was totally okay.)
Dream job! What would it be?
I think of this as the "winning the lottery" scenario. If I won the lottery, I would use the money to start a charitable foundation and give most of the money (like 99%) away to worthy causes, and just pay myself a salary from the foundation. If it was a big enough jackpot, I'd hire my friends and we'd meet once a month to share ideas of worthy causes. Winning the lottery destroys people's lives because they treat the money as theirs, even though, deep down, they know it isn't. The way I'd do it, I'd immediately treat the money as "not mine". So it would be cool if I won, but that would require playing.
It's not exactly a 40 hour a week job, though. Another thing I'd like to do for a living is be Bilbo Baggins. I'd have to learn to smoke and blow smoke rings, but I'd have plenty of time to learn. I've got the 5 meals a day thing down pat.
Favorite Quote or Poem?
To a Mouse by Robert Burns
Poor little bastard mouse.
What is your favorite movie?
Hard to say. I like a lot of movies. But Waking Ned Devine never fails to make me smile.
What is your biggest character flaw?
Laziness, definitely. I'm not even going to try and spin that as a strength, as if this were a job interview. I am generally a huge fan of me, but that is probably the one thing I'd change about myself.
What songs have you been listening to recently?
I love Vampire Weekend. Every song of theirs is like unwrapping a little treasure.
Dan Reeder, John Prine, and old blues are my jam at home. Anything I can sing along with is great while I'm driving. James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Lenny Kravitz, but only their old stuff.
I've been listening to the a cappella group I was in when I was in college. We were really good, back in the day. They are much better now.
This song is special, because I save it for when I want to run fast. If I listen to music on a run, and this comes up on the playlist, I am obligated to go faster. It's like a performance enhancing drug, so I don't use it often. I probably haven't listened to it in a year.
What are some of your favorite non-running subreddits?
/r/RealLifeDoodles
r/HFY
r/AskHistorians
r/PatientGamers
r/Space
Gaming subreddits like r/civ and r/factorio
###One Last Question:
What is the origin of your username?
Kramer from Seinfeld has a friend named Bob Sacamano who never appears in the show. Back in the day, when I first started using this name (I used it a few places before reddit), I thought of him as someone who is real but anonymous, in opposition to George Costanza's made up friend, Art Vandalay, who "appears" in the show, but isn't real. I also thought it was spelled with a T.
I've been waiting for a long time to Spotlight u/Sacamato. As I mentioned above, he seems like a genuinely nice guy all around and the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back. His taste for r/reallifedoodles and his pet peeve about people being assholes to each other are proof that he's focused on trying to make the world a better place. I'm really excited to get to meet up again with him soon and if you're reading this, and ever have a chance of meeting him or running with him I suggest you take the opportunity because it's worth the time. Pay attention to his words closely, he's a witty little bugger!
####Thanks for reading everyone!!!
#As usual please tag u/Sacamato's username when asking him a question in this thread!
If you don't the running Gods will give you incurable shin splints for the rest of your life and you'll die a sad lonely wanna-be hobbyjogger.
If I see that you've failed to tag him after asking him a question, I'll try my best to respond to your question by tagging him myself. So be aware. Tagging his username alerts him that his attention is needed. This way, he doesn't have to sift through all of the comments one by one, which can be a rather daunting task when there is a lot of traffic to the thread. Please don't forget that all of our Friday Spotlight athletes may need time to respond to your comments and questions so give them some time to reply.
Previously Featured Spotlight Runners:
| Palindrome27 | A-german-muffin | xfkirsten | PepperoniFire | rennuR_liarT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Claus | Brwalkernc | Pinkpiggie | Fobo911 | Kinsibit |
| Jaime_manger | Craigster38 | Despoena | Philpips | Brunchweasel |
| Chickensedan | Skragen | Incster | Freedomweasel | Jennifer1911 |
| RedKryptonite | Zebano | Kevin402can | Punkrock_runner | ProudPatriot07 |
| Once_a_hobby_jogger | Loratliff | 57001 | Borichu | Denovosibi |
| Causticwonder | Dirtybritch | TheRedInTheSky | Aewillia | Judyblumereference |
| Flocculus | El_day2 | YourShoesUntied | Jeade-en | Kyle-Kranz |
| ItsReallyReallyTrue | Jangle_Bo_Jingles | RichieClare | sloworfast | RobotPettingZoo |
| Runwichi | Smruttkay | Sacamato | ???????????? | ???????????? |
| ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? |
| ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? |
| ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? | ???????????? |
Posted Oct 21, 2016, 11:47 AM UTC · edited