Q: When did you start running?
A: As soon as my problems began to feel insurmountable. Ditto with the onset of my drinking. Nah, just kidding. I grew up attending, and then ultimately participating in, local races with my dad as a kid in Westchester, NY, so running has always been something I associate with fun times outdoors and the weekend. I ran indoor track in high school, but my events were the 400 and the 55m hurdles, so that hardly counts. When I wasn't drinking, skiing, or in the library (ha!), I ran for fitness during college. But I didn't start training with purpose until I ran my first half marathon in 2006. I ran my first full marathon in 2007, and the rest is history. Er, I guess the rest is present, as I'm still running. Whatever.
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| A beer with friends at the finish of my first marathon (National Marathon, 2007) |
A: This is my least favorite question, and among the first I'm asked. There are so many caveats!
Favorite shitty light beer: Bud Light.
Favorite readily available beer that isn't a shitty light beer: Guinness.
Favorite beer that is readily available in other places that I wish were more readily available in NYC: Fat Tire
Favorite beer snob beer: Deschutes' Hop Henge Experimental IPA.
Favorite style of beer: IPA.
Favorite beer with a dog on the label: Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale.
Favorite beer to drink before a race: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.
Favorite beer to drink after a race: All of them.
I guess if I had to name the best beer I've ever had, it's the Peeper Ale by the Maine Beer Company. Unless I had something else really awesome but then got drunk and forgot.
Q: What's on your running playlist?
A: I don't listen to music when I run. I run because I like running. I listen to music when I want to take my mind off something awful that I must endure, like driving in the car for 6 hours, or commuting with my face in someone else's armpit on the subway. My dentist plays music when I'm having my teeth cleaned. I don't want to associate running with the dentist; I want to enjoy it. Sorry if that's sanctimonious, but it's true.
Q: So what do you think about when you're running?
A: When I'm racing or running a hard workout, I think about running: How is my form? Does anything hurt? Have I had enough calories? Do I have to go to the bathroom? When I'm just logging easy miles, I think about what I have to do at work that day, what I'm going to eat for breakfast, and what I'd do if a rapist-murderer jumped out of the bushes and attacked me.
Q: How much do you run every day?
A: That depends on lots of different factors: am I training for something? What is it? When is it? How much have I already run this week? How much did I have to drink last night? When I'm in the throes of marathon training, my longest run will be about 22 miles. My shortest will be about 4. I run 5 days a week, so for 2 whole days every week, I'll run zero miles. Those are the best days.
Q: What's your favorite race distance? Least favorite?
A: Favorite is easy - the marathon. Least favorite is probably the 10k, which hurts just as bad as the 5k but is twice as long.
Q: How many marathons have you done? What's your favorite?
A: 18 marathons, 3 ultras. My favorite marathon was probably New York City, which I ran in 2010. I had just qualified for Boston for the first time a month before, and all my friends and family came out to cheer. It felt like a 26.2 mile parade.
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| With my dad on First Avenue during NYCM. That's a sponge, FYI. |
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| Hugging my friend Abbe at mile 24 during the 2012 Boston Marathon. I think I'm saying "Please don't make me go back out there." |
A: Saucony Kinvaras (Men's, size 9.5, which doesn't translate to my actual shoe size, which is a women's 10, but if it ain't broke...), C9 by Champion sports bras, my Garmin 405, Vanilla Bean or Mint Chocolate Gu, my Nathan Quickdraw handheld water bottle, my Road ID, Orange Gatorade, Coppertone Sport sunscreen, and those ponytail holders that have the rubberized strips embedded in them.
Q: What marathon training plan do you use?
A: I've been using Training Peaks/Runner's World Marathon Plan for Intermediate Runners for the last couple of years. Since I started using it, I've taken 24 minutes of my marathon time and qualified for Boston three times. I can't say enough good things about it.
Q: I have a question about a race you ran/a place you've been/a beer you've had. Can you answer it?
A: Of course (unless it requires math). Email me at willrunforbeerblog@gmail.com and I'm happy to answer any and all questions.
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