Friday Spotlight: Some_Other_Sherman
Hello fellow runners! Friday has arrived and that means it's time for the Friday Spotlight. This week we are featuring a member of the community who's not been as active lately but I'm really glad we caught him for this. He's one of my personal favorites due to his witty responses and how much we have in common. Ladies and gentlemen give it up for .... u/Some_Other_Sherman!
Let's do this
###The Runner:
First Name?
Todd
Age?
46
Where are you from?
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Occupation?
Software Consultant (Java/Ruby, Alfresco/ECM)
###Running Q&A's:
What are your PR’s?
1 mile = 7:14 (first mile of a 5k race, I've never actually tried a mile on a track; probably like 3:50 if I had to guess)
5k = 22:50
10k = 47:55
Half = 1:44:18
Full = 4:02:14
What is your distance PR?
26.2 (though my watch said 27.2)
What’s your highest recorded weekly mileage?
87.8 the week of 8/3/2015 (8 weeks out from Chicago and following a week long family driving vacation; quiet time was welcome)
What’s your comfy pace?
Probably my Daniels E pace, 9:48. Slower and I have to work to stay there, unless I'm super beat down.
How long have you been running?
Since April 2013; but I started learning and redditting about a year later and finished my first HM in September, 2014
Tell us why you began running?
I was 43 years old and fat. 40" waist jeans, 30" inseam. Yikes. Yeah, I wasn't a little heavy, I was obese. 5' 7", 207 pounds. Diet changes and discipline contributed more to the weight loss early on, of course (been tracking every day using LoseIt); but having 1,000 calories wiggle room every day now is nice too.
Most memorable running moment?
I saw a coyote while I was running on vacation in Arizona! But really I think finishing the first race I trained for (the HM I mentioned above), running the whole thing, and not being DFL was an awesome feeling. I had been going through some bad stuff that crescendoed that summer. And I was honestly terrified--well, maybe just really nervous--before that race started. I didn't know what to expect and though I didn't know what DFL meant then, I was envisioning it. I ran it in 2:08:06 so I was basically mid-pack. It was a relief and affirmation that I actually could push myself physically.
Do you have a running mantra?
"Nobody wants to hear you talk about running."
What time of day do you prefer to run?
Sunrise. At my core I am not a morning person; but once I'm out of bed and out the door, I'm golden. I feel like I might perform better in the afternoon or evening, but having 4 kids, ages 8-15, and a wife who's a little older than that, afternoons and evenings are rarely open.
Any big races coming up?
Chicago's F^3 Lake Half in late January; and Wisconsin (Kenosha) Marathon in May. I had to downgrade to the half there last year due to injury.
What are your short-term running goals?
4:00 Marathon (though I know I'm capable of 3:40); 1:40 HM.
What are your long-term running goals?
Keep improving. If I can't get faster than run farther. I started late so my noob gainz are offsetting my age-based deterioration, so I need to eke as much out of the next few years as I can.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Slow down. You'll be less frustrated and less likely to quit.
What is something you need to work on to become a better runner?
Balancing life and running. Running 5-7 days/week makes me feel better all around (minus the usual aches), and more able to deal with stress. But I've been so stressed out lately with my new job that I am too exhausted to run. It's not a good situation. I KNOW I need to say "Nope, I'm going to bed so I can run in the morning," but I just want to get one more module working, etc.
What is your current shoe choice?
If 9:48 is my comfy pace, ASICS GT-2000 3 is my comfy shoe. I ran through 4 pairs before I decided to try a few others, in case I was missing out and didn't know it. I guess ASICS is like marrying my first girlfriend. I like the Nike Lunarglide for distance races; it's lighter but not as minimal as flats. Saucony Guide 8 are my torn sweats; I do most recovery runs in them but they seem clunky. I tried NB 860v5 and hated them. I ran a HM in Saucony Kinvara and will never run more than an hour in them again. Not sure what happened but I thought I had a rock in there Nope, just a foot. I tried a neutral ASICS Cumulus 17 and strained my achilles or peroneal tendon. I seriously doubt it was the shoes' fault, but I just can't bring myself to run in them. They're plain black so they're my goin' to town shoes.
Aaaaaaaaand I just answer a short question with a crazy long answer. Yup, I'm a runner.
Trail? Road? Track? Or Treadmill?
Easy Trail > Road > Hard Trail > Treadmill. Never really run on a track.
What is your ideal running weather?
50 F, no wind, mostly sunny.
Do you have any social media accounts you’d like to share? [Facebook, Strava, Twitter]
Shout out for Smashrun. I'm laying off the hard stuff (Facebook, Twitter) for awhile.
###Just For Fun:
What hobbies and interests do you have besides running?
I'm a pretty vanilla guy in survival mode right now. Not enough hours in the day.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I barely have any visible ones. I can play piano. Does that count?
Biggest pet peeve?
Irregardless of what others say, I could care less about loosing my mind over people effecting my mood.
Dream job! What would it be?
r/running mod
Favorite Quote or Poem?
I've got nothing.
What is your favorite movie?
I can't pick one. I need to keep track better.
What is your biggest character flaw?
My addictive personality.
What songs have you been listening to recently?
Trans Siberian Orchestra's Christmas Eve and Other Stories FTW.
What are some of your favorite non-running subreddits?
###One Last Question:
What is the origin of your username?
I may or not resemble Sherman of Sherman and Peabody renown. I played online Scrabble pre-smartphone days (ISC, anyone remember that?) and used Sherman as my nickname. Well, the world champion at the time was named Joel Sherman and people kept thinking I was him (until they say me play). So I changed it to SomeOtherSherman. When I need a non-identifying name, like if I need to find out how to fake out my very infuential boss's email, I use it. And I think Reddit qualifies for needing one of those.
That's it folks! Have a great weekend and enjoy every mile.
####Thanks for reading everyone!!!
#Please tag u/Some_Other_Sherman when asking a question in this thread!
Previously Featured Spotlight Runners:
Posted Dec 2, 2016, 12:53 PM UTC