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| 2018 Hillside Hustle - Burnheim Forest,KY |
Tell us a little about yourself not necessarily related to running: age, where born, education, area you live in, etc…..
I am 38 years old. Originally from Texas. Dad was in the Army, so we ended up at Ft Knox, KY, via a stint in Germany. Been in KY 28 years now. B.A. in English from the University of Louisville. Currently living in Radcliff, KY.
What is your profession?
I am a Maintenance Manager for J.B. Hunt, currently the largest asset based transportation company in North America.
How did you start running and what prompted you to do so?
I started my journey on Labor Day, 2016. My wife took a job with a company in Elizabethtown, KY, that puts on a fairly large 5K every August. She is also a photographer, and her first year with the company she volunteered to do finish line photos, which meant I volunteered to do finish line photos. I remember being stricken by the smiles of everyone as they crossed that line, from the winners all the way to the walkers…everyone came through that arch feeling pleased, looking accomplished. They had done something, given themselves goals, trained for them, and achieved them. Complete strangers were high fiving each other…there was just so much positivity. I thought, “This feels like something I want to be part of,” and decided that I would run that 5K the next year. So a few weeks later, on Labor Day, I went for my first run…and made it one tenth of a mile.
How long have you been running?
Almost three years total, but seriously for about a year and a half.
Did you participate in any other sports over the years?
I played one year of soccer when I was very young, but none other than that. I had a genetic disorder that required a number of surgeries on each of my hands growing up, so I was in and out of casts.
Did you run in grade school, High School or College?
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| 2018 Bluegrass Cellular 5K - Elizabethtown, KY |
So we get an idea of where you have been with running can you share your PR’s for: 5K, 10K marathon and any other distance you may have run in the past.
- 5K: 29:52
- 10K: 1:00:38
- 10 Mile: 1:39:41
- Half Marathon: 2:34:19
The one I’m most proud of is the 2019 Papa John’s 10 Miler. Last summer I took a hard look at my training and had to accept that I wasn’t making any progress, I hurt all the time, and I needed to do something different. I did some research, spoke with a few of my mentors, and decided on heart rate training. It was dreadful…you go SO slow, and it takes SO long…but eventually you start speeding up, almost effortlessly, and without even meaning to. And you can run better and feel better doing it, because your cardio system is locked in. I trained to heart rate all through the winter, and PJ10 was the race where it all came together…I ran my first sub 10 pace at a race, PR’ed my 5K, 10K, 15K, and 10 mile, and felt like a million bucks afterwards. It was the moment I finally understood what “trust your training” meant.
Do you have a favorite workout you do?
I really like long runs. It takes me as many as 3 miles at times to settle into a pace, so I don’t feel like I’m even running sometimes until I’m coming up on about 5 miles. Also, the longer I go, the more noise I leave behind. Running is the only thing I’ve found that can shut off all the humdrum of daily toils…job, bills, etc…and the longer I go, the further away that stuff seems to get. It’s my “me” time.
What does a regular week of training look like?
A regular week consists of 3-4 runs of 5-7 miles and a long run of 10+ on the weekend. I aim for 30-35 miles a week, but I’m about to ramp up preparing for my first 50K in August. I go to a weekly yoga class every Wednesday…I thought it would be great for flexibility and hip/ankle/joint strength, and it is, but it’s done the most benefit for my posture. I also just started working with resistance bands…it’s remarkable what a butt kicking a big rubber band can put on you!
I know you run with the Running Soles group, what would you say is the greatest benefit of running with a group?
I think the greatest benefit has been the knowledge base of the community. No matter what I get into, someone in the group has already dealt with that and can share their experience and solutions with you. Also, the better I get at this, I can be more of an asset to them as well.
How has the group helped you?
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| 2018 Waverly Hills 10K - Louisville, KY |
How about a favorite route you like to run?
I think my favorite routes are the trails out at Otter Creek Park in Brandenburg, KY. I’ve run several races out there and had a great time.
What is your favorite distance to run and race?
Right now I think it’s 10 miles. I can see half marathon edging it out once I get trained better and have more experience with that distance, though.
What shoes do you run in and what do you like about them?
I’m an Altra man…Torins on the road and Lone Peaks on the trails. I feel like I feel the ground better in a zero drop, and I love the bigger toe box.
How about diet, do you eat any certain way and do things change on race week and race day?
I do not control my diet nearly as well as I should. The only things I change on race week / day is I try to eat kind of bland, and the night before a race a I eat as early as I can and typically do not eat on race morning. My GI acts up from time to time and I try not to give it a reason…
Do you have any long-range plans?
I am training for what I hope will be my first 50K in August. Depending on how that goes I’m looking at potentially trying a 50 miler in November.
What do you like best about living and running in KY?
I love that I never have to go very far to hit a trail. It seems like no matter where you are in KY, make a left turn and drive 10 minutes and you’re in the country.
Anywhere else you would like to visit to run?
Nowhere in particular, but last summer I took a business trip to Washington, D.C., and while there I went running every morning. I saw all the sights, but the coolest moment for me was doing laps around the Reflecting Pool, like Captain America in the intro to Winter Soldier where he keeps passing Falcon and saying, “On your left.” I even wore a Cap shirt…super nerdy. But it gave me an idea for running routes from movies…so I might have to get back to you on this one.
Do you have any bucket list races?
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| 2018 Founders Day 5K - Elizabethtown,KY |
My only bucket list run right now isn’t a race, but it is one you’re actually about to do…R2R2R at the Grand Canyon.
What do you struggle with most with regards to running?
My mind is perpetually ready to be going further and faster than my body is. So, even though I have seen proven results of “trusting your training,” keeping that in mind when I go through a spell where I don’t feel like I’m making any ground, or the work seems harder than it should be, is a struggle at times.
What do you see as a trend in running?
Ultras. As more folks like me gain interest in and have more access to these races, the elites are just going further and further down the rabbit hole. It’s insane some of the distances, terrain, and times folks are covering.
If you had one, well maybe two or three, things to say those that are running to encourage them what would it be?
Do you. If you run slow, run slow. If you run fast, run fast. If you like trails, run trails. But do whatever interests you and keeps it fun. A mistake I made early on was trying to keep up with everyone, and I hurt after every run and got really down because I didn’t feel like I was getting faster. When I came across heart rate training and got some traction with that, I found out that I’m more interested in distance, not speed, and it was like the universe gave me a gift. So, figure out what you like to do, what makes you feel like a superhero either when you’re doing it or after you’re finished, and do that every chance you get.
Do you have a website or other social media site you would like to share?
I have a friend who has just about talked me into starting a blog, so more to come on that. For now my exploits are all documented on my Facebook page. I’m also on Strava.
Any closing comments?
I have to mention my wife, Heidi Hess-Bynum. Running is a very time-demanding sport/hobby, and a lot of us that do this have someone in our lives that is missing the time with us that we’re spending on it. When I told Heidi I wanted to start running, she was all in. When I told her I wanted to join a run group and be away from home two evenings a week, she said ok. When I started going to Saturday morning runs, she was good. When the distances I ran got longer, meaning more time away and more time waiting for me to finish at races, she never complained. As this has escalated over the last year, and as my plans get grander, all I ever get out of her are “ok” and “yes.” She’s been to every one of my races that she could, and even researches problems I’m having and ways she can help. Despite all the videos we’ve watched of how horrible runners can be when they’re far into it, she’s actually kinda looking forward to crewing me. It’s invaluable to have the person closest to you in your life in your corner with a hobby like this, and I couldn’t do this without her support…in fact, I wouldn’t.
********You can see past interviews here********
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