Keith, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions. A few years ago a friend told me a story of 'a guy in a pink tutu' toeing the start line at the Blackhills 100. After what I understand was a difficult day in which my friend DNF'd, he observed the pink tutu guy finish the race in the top 10.  At this point he determined you must to be a real badass to show up to a 100 mile race in a tutu and finish in it.  I have a feeling a lot of people reading this have seen you at races in your pink tutu and have also determined at the end that your are an ultra badass.  But I understand this all started running marathons, can you tell us about your marathon career?


I’m going to spend a bit of time on this one (I’ll hurry up later, honest) because the way I got into distance events has defined my approach to running, and maybe to life itself. And that approach is simply to go with the flow. If I had to sum it up in two words it would be ‘Tag Along’. The seeds were set in 2004, and I blame my running partner Sorita Averill Fitzgerald for that. She suggested that I join her for the first Phoenix Rock & Roll marathon in January 2004. I tagged along. That was also the same fateful event that launched the tutu onto the marathon scene, but that’s a whole other story. Anyway, with Phoenix done in January, I headed for the George Washington Birthday marathon in neighboring Maryland on a brisk February morning. One of the advantages of living in Eastern Pennsylvania is that we are tripping over smaller events that are good value, have excellent volunteer support, and race directors that include runner niceties such as race-day pickup. I won’t bore you with the following ten months, but they got done.


Then how did you make the jump from marathons to ultras?


A marathon a month, and it got me thinking that I should try a longer run sometime. That came in the following March. The HAT 50k. A classic local event. But to be honest, I took so long over it that it should really count as my first hike. So let’s fast forward to July 2005. Another running buddy, Carole Rosen, told me that she had signed up for the marathon in Wakefield Massachusetts, and would I be interested in joining her - and then I could continue running for the remainder of the night/day in the concurrent 24-hour Around the Lake event. I tagged along. I had no idea what I was doing. It was a three mile paved course around a lake (go figure) and I remember a large pharmacy clock that greeted me on every loop. I would say ‘Hi’ to it, politely, and I knew that we would end our punctuated conversation when its smaller hand had gone round a couple of times. Yes, I was that naïve. I simply jog/walked until the time was up. It never occurred to me to stop for a bit (was that allowed?) and so I covered 110 miles. To this day, 24 hour events are still my preference. There is no failure, no DNF. You can play around with them without worry. And in any case, isn’t it cool to see how far you can go in 24 hours? Currently I’m at 138 miles, but my running friends, like Traci Falbo, are way ahead of that, so I just need to work harder!


 Looking through your Ultrasignup results, I'm not sure I can count them all.  How many marathon and ultras have you ran?


Since ticking off the 50 states of my new homeland, I’ve gotten used to counting any run of 26.2 or more as a ‘marathon’. So that would be 271. But yes, there are a few long runs in there. 58 are 100 miles or more.


That's a load of races! I have also heard that you have never DNF'd. This is remarkable! What do attribute that to?


I have to be cautious in answering this one. First, I have to give a big shout out to my God, who has been overwhelmingly generous in giving me the ability to get to the finish. And then I thank my parents who must have passed on some decent genetics. None of this is my doing. I don’t train any differently from other folks. I don’t cross-train, work on my core, or do lunges. I am not a Yoga expert, a Pilates guru or an elegant Pole dancer. I just go out and run with by buddies. Yes, back to that ‘tag along’ theme.


Well you must be doing something right. What mental tactics do you use to get through the tough part of races?


I am not mentally strong. I’m not even mildly driven. But I have a few techniques that help me through the journey. One is to simply thank the ground that I am running on. It supports me at every step, and it greets me unconditionally. Another is to remind myself to ‘let it go’. That applies to the pain, the boredom, the fatigue, even to the success. And I try and remember to thank my God. It would be stupid not to.

 

Mental strategy aside, nutrition problems contribute to a pretty high number of DNF's so you must have this dialed in as well.  What does your diet and race diet look like?


I’d like to give your readers a whiz-bang formula for dietary success. But I give very little thought to nutrition. When I get to an aid station I try and zone out from the helpful recommendations of the volunteers and let my mind go blank. My hand will dive for whatever I need. It might be M&Ms, it might be a salted potato. But whatever I grab is what I need in that moment.


 I understand you rarely have anyone crew you at races (other than when required). Your Facebook profile indicates you have 786 friends, but none of them will crew for you?


I love to see my friends on the long trail. But I don’t want them crewing for me! I enjoy the mindless motion of me and a few buddies on the road, looking forward to the welcoming cheers of volunteers at the next aid station. The only race where I do want my crew (and I really mean NEED my crew) is at Badwater. One of the true joys of this Death Valley crossing is that it’s a team sport. I’m just one sixth of a team. I’m going nowhere without the other five members.


This year I met you at Leadville where you were in the middle of your 3rd Grand Slam. Congrats on finishing once again! But you do the Slam a little different by adding the Badwater 135 right in the middle.  What lead you to this Super Slam?


That’s an easy one. If you get into Western States, then you have to sign up for the Slam. You never know if you’ll get another chance. And if Chris Kostman extends you the privilege of being a part of the Badwater family, then you don’t say no to that either.


We all hope you keep getting those entry slots! But there is a rumor you don't really like running, hills, or trails.  Now I'm no Grand Slam expert, but there is a fair amount of all those things included within those events.  So I'm confused, what is going on inside your head?


The rumor is true; I don’t like hills or trails. I’ve even been heard to say that I don’t like running. That’s also true. But I love the running community. And the only way I know how to hang out with runners is to be a runner. That’s what got me started in the first place - tagging along with runners. But now there’s an additional component. Running defines me. One day it won’t, but for now I have those 786 Facebook Friends because I share their highs and lows, their elation and pain, because I’m also a runner. And the longer and tougher the journey, the greater sense I have of being a part of their world.


I'd say most runners are part of your world. You currently live in PA, but I detect a slightly different accent in your voice. Where did you grow up and when did you make the move to the US?


I was born and raised in Nottingham England before moving to London. Then my English accent took a beating as I attempted to speak Dutch for the ten years that I lived in Holland. But after realizing that I was missing the punch line of most of the jokes told around me, I wanted to move to a nation that spoke my old language (sort of) and that’s when I came to the US. That was fifteen years ago, the longest time I’ve been in one country since my childhood. And it’s these pesky runners that keep me wanting to stay here.


I think that was a good move! You are 58 years young and still crushing it.  What does a typical running week look like for you?


I’m not a natural athlete, so the only way I know how to be a runner is by keeping up the volume. I have morning running friends, lunch-time running friends and sometimes folks to share an evening run with. I nibble away at the miles. 5 here, 5 there, with a longish run on Saturday, but seldom more than a dozen miles at a time. I save the long runs for when someone is waiting at the finish line to put a shiny trinket around my neck. But then you also have to bear in mind that I’ll race 25 to 30 events of a marathon or more per year. Overall, I’m happy if I can maintain around 70 miles a week for a year’s total in excess of 3,500. I suck as a runner on anything less.

 

You have accomplished so many goals that many ultra runners have.  What is your next goal?


If I could finagle a way to get into Western States each year, then I’d have a blast doing that Slam over and over until I drop. I’ve talked about the fellowship of running, but there’s an extra layer thrown on top when you share 400 miles with fellow athletes. I’m not much of the bonding type, but even I get emotional at the finish line of Wasatch. And then I’m hoping that Chris will still want me back in Badwater. I’ve never raced those 135 miles well, so Mr. Kostman and his selection committee have been overly gracious in letting me come out and play these past five years. It’s billed as the toughest foot race on earth, and I sure make it look like it is. And then I have two other goals, and maybe they will never happen, but I’m going to put them out there anyway: One: I’d love to break a three-hour marathon. There’s no excuse. Ed Whitlock did it at age 70. And two: I need to up the ante on my endurance. I’ve shared runs with Connie Gardner and Traci Falbo, and those girls just aren’t going to have anything to do with me unless I get my 24 hour game back. And I DO like running with girls. Don’t let the tutu fool you!


Thank you so much for your time.  We will save you a spot in the Destin Beach Ultra Runs 24hr race in Feb so you can run with those amazing ladies!

Traci Falbo Interview Oct 14, 2013 -- Below is my interview with Grand Slam finisher, Gold Medal winning US 24hr Team member, pilot, wife, mom, pediatric physical therapist, and soon to be 50 marathons in 50 states finisher, Traci Falbo. Thank you to Traci for taking time out of your very busy schedule to give us this great interview! You are an inspirational runner for us all. -Zane



You have had a pretty exciting year thus far propelling the US Woman’s 24hr Team to a gold medal with your 4th place finish and then completing the grueling Grand Slam of Ultra Running (Western States 100, Vermont 100, Leadville 100, Wasatch 100). How are you feeling physically?

2 weeks after Wasatch 100, I paced (3:55 group) the Air Force Marathon in Dayton, OH and it was waaayyy harder than it should have been.  I have been running very low mileage and trying to recover, but I still don't feel quite right.  I just did a double marathon this weekend (10/12 & 10/13)[3:23 & 3:27].  I didn't know what to expect and thought my goals were lofty, but somehow I met my goals!  I know that my speed is gone and I need to work on getting it back. 



Sub 3:30 double marathons seems pretty speedy!



You always seem to be one of the most cheerful and positive runners in the field, how are you doing mentally after the GS?

After watching me in the Netherlands and seeing me after Leadville, I am glad you still think that I am cheerful & positive :)  When it gets rough, especially at the end of races, I lose my cheery.  Mentally, I am ready to start training hard again.  Doing the 24 hr World Championship,  the Slam, and running as much as I did in between them was rough.  I had some mental lows from Vermont 100 until about 2 weeks ago.   



Well maybe not 'always' cheery :)



Let's go back to the 24hr World Championships, each time you came to the aid station the last several hours I was sure you could not continue, but you did. Can you talk us through the last few hours of that race?

Geez...I knew I didn't look good, but not like I was going to keel over :)  The last few hours I was done...stick a fork in me.   I had gone out faster than I knew I should have in the beginning.   But, it was only my 2nd 24 hour race and I knew I was in better shape and thought, "hey maybe I can hold it".  Ha ha ha....NOPE...I hit 100 miles in 15:30.  It took me 8.5 hours to squeak out another 42ish miles. Shortly after I was at 100 miles, I wondered if I could even run the 137.98 that I did when I qualified.  The weather in the night was brutal.  I told Jon Olsen that it seemed daunting around 6 hours to go...he just said "try not to think about it"  How do you do that when all you have is time?  The only reason I kept going was for the team.  Mike Spinnler ("bad cop") told me every lap (with slight variations) for the last 4 hours...Japan is within 5K.  You have to keep going.  Then, he would look at me and say something like  "start shuffling."  I wanted to walk, but he wouldn't let me.  Then, Howard Nippert ("good cop") was there saying he was proud of me and he knew I could do it.  I thought back to Howard's inspirational talk the day before about representing our country.  Both coaches motivated me in different ways and I am soooo thankful for them!!!  I just couldn't be the reason we lost the Gold that we were in contention for.  I kept going for the team and for the USA.  It sounds hokey, but I didn't care about a personal PR...I felt pressure and couldn't disappoint. 



You certainly did not disappoint. That was one of the gutsiest performances most of us there had ever seen and you definitely earned that gold medal! You are an auto qualifier for 2014-what are your goals for next year's World Championships?

I am excited to have earned a spot as an auto qualifier.  My goals this year going in were: score for the team (lofty with Connie, Sabrina, and Suzanna), be in the top 10 in the World (I also thought was lofty, given I was ranked in the upper teens), and get a PR.  That is the first time I have ever accomplished all my goals, as I tend to aim high.  For next year, I'd like to run 150 miles and score for the team.  I would like to help defend our Gold Medal!



The US is certainly shaping up to have a great 24hr Team for 2014 and I know many of us are looking forward to see you all run!



So how did you get started in running?

I started running a marathon a year.  Then, I found out about the 50 states club and started rapidly accumulating states, doing more frequent racing and even started doing doubles (Sat/Sun marathons).

 

Then why make the jump to ultras?

My running partner, Jeff Mires always wanted to do a 100 miler and asked me if I'd train and do one with him.  My mileage wasn't far off from the Ultraladies training plan (maxes out at 75 miles/week).  So, I said why not?  I did my first 50 miler in October of 2011 and a subsequent 100 miler in December of 2011.  We trained together and ran the whole thing together for fun.  I couldn't believe it wasn't horrible.  I ran another 100 miler in March of 2012 and won in a fairly good time. That's when I realized I was good at the distance.  It just sort of snowballed from there.  I didn't even know about the 24 hour team until the end of October 2012, when Connie Gardner told me about it at a race.  I saw that I had until 2/14/13 to qualify.  I was in good 50 mile shape, but not 100 mile shape.  I saw a race in NC on New Year's Eve.  Only 2 months to get my mileage up and try it.  I was sooo excited I managed to qualify on my first go at 24 hours.



Wow, that is a pretty rapid progression! What is your life like outside of running?

I am a pediatric physical therapist for children age birth to 3 years old.  I am part of the Early Intervention program in my state.  I go from home to home and work with children who aren't meeting gross motor milestones for one reason or another.  I have 2 children: Mackenzie 16, and Logan 14.  Mackenzie runs track and cross country.  Logan is going to try out for the golf team this year.  My husband, Mike and I enjoy traveling and flying.  He is a flight instructor and took me from no knowledge about planes to getting my private pilot's license.  Those things keep me pretty busy.  My friendship/socialization time is combined with running.  I run 4/5 days with friends. 



I know you have one of the best crew chiefs around [since all of us pilots are great planners :) ], and also a very dedicated pacer for your grand slam. Can you brag about them a little?

My husband, Mike Falbo is my crew chief.  He has been at both of my 24 hour races (standing in cold, windy and rainy conditions both times).  He crewed all 4 slam races.  He puts up with my crap, which is admirable, because I lose my cheery as the race goes on :)  He knows that crewing is critical in saving me time when it counts and does his best to anticipate my needs when I start deviating from my spreadsheets.  I wouldn't be successful without him.  He has also been supportive of my crazy race schedule, as my running passion pulls time away from us. Troy Shellhamer is a phenomenal runner in his own rite.  Somehow, he was nice enough to pace me for the 3 mountain races which were all horrible in my opinion.  I puked at all 3 mountain races, was bitchy, had to walk due to all the puking and not being able to keep calories down.  He always stayed with me (even when I irrationally asked him to leave me), kept me going when I didn't want to, and for some reason is still my friend :) despite seeing the depths of me!



It sounds like there were some challenging points during your GS. Walk us through the Grand Slam race by race. You had ups and downs, what were the most trying times and the most rewarding?

I did well at Vermont and not so well a the other races.  It humbled me and made me question my abilities as a runner.  I realized that I am not a mountain runner.  I think I am built for constant running.  The running/power hiking component to the mountain races is difficult for me as I don't have the ability to train in that type of terrain.  The most trying time was at Wasatch.  I really didn't want to run Leadville mentally (not a good way to start 100 milers) and absolutely didn't want to run Wasatch.  I stayed positive at Wasatch until we got lost for 2 miles and consumed about 45-50 minutes around mile 65.  From that point on, mentally I lost it and physically the course is a booger from 79-89 (very technical/rocky/difficult to run terrain).  The most rewarding was talking a friend out of DNF'ing at Wasatch at mile 61 aid station.  He had the paper out and was ready to sign it.  He finished strong despite his brief mental low.  I helped someone else that day and that will stay with me forever.  A guy name Jimmy Dean helped me at Leadville with my pack.  I thanked him...he said "pay it forward"...I did at Wasatch.  That's what is great about ultras and the people involved in them.  It's a community that helps each other...down to earth people that genuinely care.



I couldn't agree more about the ultra community.



How did you train for the GS? 

I didn't.  That was my problem.  I trained for 24 hour Worlds in May and tried to get trails in.  I was focused on Worlds and had limited time between the two :)  I had the endurance, but not enough time to get hill work and trail work into my training.



In race nutrition can be an issue for all 100 mile runners, esp at altitude. How do you tackle this challenge?   

I don't think I have it figured out.  I got sick at all the mountain races.  I tried to use the same things I normally do.  I tried to stay hydrated and keep taking in whatever calories that I could get down.



As one of the top female ultra runners, what are your tips for other females just coming into the sport?

I don't see myself that way, but thanks for the accolades.  There are sooo many other better ultra runners in the sport that I look up to.  Tips for female runners: Anything is possible if you set your mind to it.  The McMillan calculators don't work for me.  I can run much better the longer I go.  So, just run, have fun, stay positive and aim high!  Try everything and see what you like.  I am fairly new to ultras and am still trying to figure out what I like best.



Who in the sport today do you look up to?

Connie Gardner who I don't think gets enough credit.  She's won something like 20-100 milers, and I have no idea how many ultras.  Pam Profitt Smith who is a great runner and genuinely nice person.  Sabrina Little whose first race of any kind was basically a 100 miler!  Suzanna Bon, Denise Bourassa,  Joelle Vaught.  On the men's side: Ian Sharman who is a fantastic land speed runner and now has proven himself a phenomenal mountain runner...not many can do both.  Keith Straw-pink tutu man as some know him.  He has done at least 300 marathons and ultras.  He never has crew or pacers except at Badwater and has never DNF'd.



What are your goals for the next year? 

I'd like to finish up running a marathon (sub-4) in all 50 states, run on the 24 hour team with the above goals, and break 3 hours in a marathon.  I want to do some new races, run with friends, and meet new ones!

 

Joe Fejes Interview Jul 11, 2013 -- Zane: Joe, you have done a lot of great interviews lately so let me say up front I'm sorry if I ask any of the same questions. But you are a damn interesting guy, so I see why everyone wants to interview you. Let's start with your childhood. Where you active in sports or where did your interests lie?


Joe: Thanks Zane for the opportunity to talk shop! Actually I find myself to be rather boring and somewhat shy but what the hell let’s get this interview started. Yes I loved all sports (basketball, baseball, football, tennis, golf) as a kid but being scrawny in size and wearing large hearing aids I was usually the last kid "picked" on sport teams. Especially as a six year old yankee kid from Cleveland Ohio moving to rural Norcross Georgia in 1971. Being the last picked kid is a tremendous motivator. I knew the quickest way to gain acceptance with the other kids was to prove them wrong. I made sure that I played every sport full throttle. If I wasn’t skilled at a sport then I practiced until I became good. My primary sport from grade school through my sophomore year in high school was basketball. Both of my neighbors were 6 foot 5 and I learned how to scrap playing against them. I couldn’t shoot worth a damn but I played a mean defense. Coach would put me on the opposing team’s point guard and let me run him ragged chasing the ball and disrupting play. I was also an avid golfer but I quickly learned that I sucked no matter how much I practiced or played. I took up distance running during middle school and ran a 3:05 marathon in my first marathon as a 15 year old. I also ran cross country and track in high school and lowered my 800 time from 2:14 my junior year to 2:00 as a Senior despite having below average 400 speed. My high school times were good enough to allow me to compete in college Emory University’s team under the legendary Coach Steve Keith.


Zane: It seems like you got started in ultra running at a relatively late age. Your first results on Ultrasignup are from 2008 at age 43. What drove you to ultra running?


Joe: After I graduated law school from the University of Georgia I decided in 1995 to try to qualify to run the 100th running of the Boston Marathon. After 8 months of rigorous training I ended up qualifying at the Twin Cities marathon with a 2:47. The day after the Boston Marathon I stopped running cold turkey for approximately twelve years. From 1996-2008 I really didn’t exercise or play much sports other than an occasional round of golf. In 2008 I weighed 192 pounds and knew I had to get back in shape. I started training with Ryan Kyranikis, the owner of a local running store "Runners Fit" and a former standout runner for the University of Alabama. I ended up running the Blue Ridge Relay with Ryan and 4 other guys and had a blast running a total of about 35 miles with several legs at night. I then decide to try an ultra. I signed up for the inaugural Pinhoti 100 mile trail race in Alabama. Prior to Pinhoti I had not run a 50k, 50 mile or any other ultra distance. I had not even run a marathon since the 1996 Boston. I ended up DNF’ing at mile 80 when my right hip flexor seized and I couldn’t walk even though I had ten hours to finish 20 miles. Despite my initial failure I was hooked on ultras.


Zane: Looking through those results, what are some early races that really stand out to you?


Joe: (1) In 2010 I decided to redeem myself at Pinhoti and was running a sub 24 hour pace until I made a wrong turn at mile 90. I ended up running six miles before I realized my mistake. I backtracked and ended up finishing 112 miles in 28 hours! Damn!! The memory still haunts me!


(2) The Big Dog Backyard Ultra hosted by Laz is another great memory. The Big Dog format is unique in that you have 60 minutes to run a 4 mile loop on the hour every hour. The last man or woman standing wins. I finally beat out Marcy Beard for the win after 28 hours of running. I didn’t think the race would ever end!


(3) Superior Sawtooth 100 mile. 32 hours of hell after being dehydrated beginning mile 15. Tough terrain with brutal elevation changes. I am going back this year to improve.


Zane: When we look at your results about mid-2011 on up until today, you can really see a shift toward some very high place finishes. What changed around this time for you, if anything?


Joe: I believe the primary drivers of my improved performances were related to five factors: (1) increasing the frequency of my workouts and building a decent mileage base (instituted regular weekly am training runs with Beth McCurdy, Ami Roach, Sean Oh, Phil Canning, et al); (2) overcoming the hump of nagging injuries (Sesamoiditis, Plantar Fascitis, and Metatarsalgia) by wearing Hokas and Lynco 405 Insole; (3) smarter race management (i.e. stay on the course) (4) dropping 30 pounds from 172 to 145 (crash diet) and (5) gaining confidence from Rich Schick and Mike Morton.


Zane: It looks like the 2011 Hinson Lake 24 was your first 24hr race and you put down 132 miles. That's pretty impressive. Did you know then you were going to be a great 24hr runner?


Joe: No, I didn’t consider myself a great 24 hour runner at Hinson nor do I today although I consider my 156 miles at Desert Solstice to be excellent. My perception of the 24 hour mileage performance rating is as follows:


130+ miles = decent,


140+ miles = good,


150+ mile = legitimate (Michael Henze, Serge Arbona, Phil McCarthy, Joe Fejes,et al)


160+ miles =excellent (Jon Olsen, Scott Jurek, John Dennis, Mark Godale, et al )


170+ miles = phenomenal (Mike Morton)


180+ miles= mileage worthy of a higher power


188 miles= YK


Actually Hinson Lake was my second 24 hour race. I had previously run 116 miles at the Black Mountain Monster 24 hour a few months prior which was the course record but I was somewhat disappointed with my mileage. I knew I could run further. My 132 mile at Hinson was much better but I got shellacked by Mike Morton who ran 164 miles and beat me by more than 50k. Mike told me after the race that I could run 150+ miles under decent weather conditions. I thought he was just being nice but then I realized he meant it. His confidence gave me confidence.


　


Zane: 2012 was your first trip to the 24hr World Championships in Poland. You finished in a respectable 27th place, but I understand you had some unfinished business?


Joe: Absolutely. I knew I could run further than 147 and our team could win gold.


Zane: How did your experience in 2012 shape your preparation for the 2013 24hr World Championships?


Joe: I knew I really had to run 150+ to contribute to the US team if we wanted to have a shot at the podium and the gold medal. I revamped my training by focusing on shorter high intensity two a day workouts to develop leg speed and ensure that I could comfortably reach 100 miles in 15:00 or less and have a chance at 150 plus miles.


Zane: In Dec of 2012 you go out and crush the Desert Solstice 24hr with 156 miles and a few weeks later set a 72hr race record with 329 miles (becoming one of the few people to break a Yiannis Kouros record)! That's a pretty impressive month for anyone.


Joe: Hell yeah—actually two weeks prior to Desert Solstice on Dec. 1 I also ran 139 miles at the Shazaam 24 hour. That is a total of 624 miles of racing during the month of December! Desert Solstice turned out to be a fantastic 47th birthday run for me. I set American Records (age group 45-49) with my splits in the following categories: 


12 hour = 132k


100 miles = 14:41


200k=18:40, 100 miles, and


24 hours = 252k


Zane: Of course I have to mention your World Record 24hr Sand Run at the 2013 Destin 50, where you broke the old record by 50 miles! You seemed to come into that event very prepared and ready to put down some serious miles. Tell us a little about that experience.


Joe: I was mentally focused to run hard at Destin. I fully expected Mike and Connie to hammer it and I didn’t want to be left behind. I was nailing my workouts the weeks leading up to Destin and was ecstatic to learn that the weather would be nice and cool during the event. I was also pumped that the race would start at 7 pm instead of the normal am starting time. I looked forward to being fresh and running hard during the night portion of the race which is usually the toughest part. I swear the pm start time adds significant miles to your distance and I really wish other 24 hour races would try pm starts. I thought my 134 miles at Destin on the sand was the equivalent if not better than my 156 mile Desert Solstice performance. Destin is a must do race for ultra runners. A festive atmosphere and fantastic rewarding event that the local restaurants and businesses have really embraced. It is also great to see the support that people have for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. A lot of money was raised for a great cause. 


Zane: So coming off of that performance you had to feel pretty good going into the 2013 24hr World Championships?


Joe: Absolutely although about a month prior to the race I tweaked my left hamstring that began acting up a few days prior to the race. I was really worried whether I would perform up to expectations.


Zane: Now let's get to the 2013 24hr World Championships. I had the great honor of crewing you for this event and I have to say, it was one of the greatest team performances I have ever witnessed by any US sports team in person or on TV. And you were a big part of that. What was it like to represent the United States on the world stage for the second time?


Joe: Zane, I want you to know that I had the great honor of having you as my crew chief. Your involvement was a main reason for my success personally as well as contributing to Team USA bringing home the gold. I won’t ever forget your assistance and friendship. Representing the USA in the World Championship is a numbing experience. I really don’t think any other ultra event (including Badwater, Western States, IROC, etc.) can compare to putting on a USA jersey and competing with 35 other countries in a 24 hour World Championship. No disrespect to the 100k US team but racing for 24 hours instead of only 6 hours probably has more emotion and drama.


Zane: There has been a lot of talk about how terrible the weather was, but you knew coming into the race that you generally ran well in the cold. Did this give you a mental advantage when the wind, rain, and sleet started?


Joe: Absolutely! I kept telling myself the cold rainy weather is my playground and would work to my advantage. I kept thinking about the childhood story of Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Fox. "Please don’t throw me into the briar patch". The cold rain was my briar patch—at least until it turned into freezing cold sleet. I instantly went from a comfortable chill to a nasty borderline hypothermia. Worst of all I had to stop and put that friggin bulky rain jacket on with the hood that acted as a ice water bucket!


Zane: We had come up with a pretty detailed game plan before the race to get you over 150 miles. I just happen to have some of your actual splits here (26m-3:25, 50m-6:48, 100m-14:48). A lot of people would be happy to have those splits in any race. How did this fit (or not fit) into your game plan?


Joe: As might be expected I went out way too fast. "Joe" had no business being in front of the other two Go Jo’s (Jon Olsen and John Dennis) for the first 26 miles. John Olsen (12:29 100 mile PR) and John Dennis (14:07 100 mile PR) are both much much faster, stronger runners that I am (14:41 100 mile PR). I believe my early fast pace zapped my legs the last 9 hours. As you know I sat down for quick rest breaks WAY too much the second half of the race! The good news is that I was able to hold it together enough to run a solid effort to contribute to the team scoring.


Zane: So you went out a little fast. How did this affect you later in the race? What was the low point of the race for you?


Joe: Looking back my lowest point was the first couple hours after the sleet started and I had to put that rain jacket on.


　


Zane: At 20hrs you were 11th overall, the 10th male. Around this time it was also clear that the men's team had pulled into first place overall. Tell us about your mindset the last 4hrs of the race.


Joe: At 20 hours I was in "panic mode" worried that I was flirting with the redline and I didn’t want to end up death marching the last couple of hours. I knew I had to continue to run steady since I was the #3 man on the team and we needed three runners to score.


Zane: You finished up 10th overall (9th male) with 154+ miles and won your age group. That met your goal of over 150 miles and also secured you a spot on next year's team. Did you take some time to think about what an amazing accomplishment that was? You are in the top 10 best 24hr runners on the entire planet.


Joe: Yes I was super pleased that I exceeded my 150+ goal and contributed to the team scoring. Finishing in the top 10 among the World best 24 hour runners is still a dream. My only disappointment is that I think I had a PR in me if I had run a tad slower the first few hours and if the weather hadn’t deteriorated.


Zane: You travel a lot for work and for running. How does your family handle you being on the road a lot?


Joe: My wife and my ten year old daughter are super supportive of my running hobby and enjoy tracking the races online. The good news is that for the past year my office is only a few miles from our house and my daughters school. Several times a week I either have lunch with her at her school or she does her homework after school at my office. She calls it her "quality" time with daddy. Works out great for me too--can’t beat the yummy school cafeteria lunch for $3.95 especially since I am a cheap bastard.


Zane: During the World Championships someone asked why I was always yelling at you. Obviously they did not know that you normally wear hearing aids and you take them out during most of the race. Can you tell us when you started wearing them and if there have been challenges with that?


Joe: I was born with nerve damage and have been wearing hearing aids virtually my entire life. Yes some challenges especially in my basketball days when many times the ref had to stop the grade and high school basketball games because I would get head slapped during the game and my hearing aid would fly across the court. Additionally even with the hearing aids it is often difficult for me to hear in noisy environments or if someone is speaking in low volume. If I am running on a trail and you are either in front of me or behind me chances are I can’t hear you. If I agree with you and say yep most of the time—that is a pretty good sign that I can’t hear a damn thing you are saying. On the positive side I usually sleep great without them except if I room with Coach Nippert and have to put up with his god awful snoring! My hearing loss also helps when I run with my good buddies Wayne "Weezy" Downey and Kelley Wells since they chit-chat non-stop during ultras! lol


Zane: You seem to be a guy who can overcome almost any challenge, but at the end of this year you have a very big challenge that you want to conquer. Please fill us in on your plans for the 6 day race.


Joe: I am cautiously optimistic about my chances in the 6 day event at Across the Years in Phoenix Arizona. I believe my strengths as a runner are better suited for multiday events compared to the 24 hour. If the weather conditions are favorable and I avoid any major issues during the six days I believe 500+ miles is feasible. I am however plenty concerned about how I feel days 4-6. The 3 day event beat t hell out of me and I don’t know what to expect after 72 hours. It should be a fantastic event. Several tough competitors have already signed up including the world class 6 day runner William Sichel from Great Britain; Ian Mcllvenna from British Columbia; and the hometown favorite James Bonnett. There is also a possibility that YK may join. Connie Gardner and Sabrina Little have also expressed an interest. It has the makings of a daunting but epic adventure.


Zane: You are a very humble guy, like nearly all best ultra runners I meet, but there has got to be a pretty strong competitive fire in your belly to want to take on these immense challenges.


Joe: Hell yeah I’m competitive--it is really the primary driver for my running. As I have mentioned before—Joe don’t do fun runs. Having said that I almost always "compete" against myself rather than others although I won’t shy away from competition during the latter stages of a race. Probably my favorite ultra race ever was the Black Warrior 50k in Alabama a few years ago when me, and my ultra buddies Lance Steele and Michael Green battled it out the last two miles of the race which ended in a dead sprint to the finish the last 800 meters. There is nothing finer than dry heaving at the finish line knowing you left it all out on the course. Although I am highly competitive I am a huge believer in good sportsmanship and also do not take my "hobby" too seriously.


Zane: You are already among the top runners in the world in distances 24hrs and over, but like so many others in our sport it is tough for you to get any kind of a sponsorship. What can we do as a sport to get more companies excited about, and investing in, the real ultra runners who are putting up tangible results?


Joe: Monetizing ultras is admittedly a tough sell. Despite tremendous growth Ultrarnning is still a relatively small participant sport and has limited spectator interest. The 24 hour World Championship though may actually offer greater appeal to mainstream audiences compared that many trail ultras since people off the street are probably more intrigued by running for a full 24 hours compared to only a 50 or 100k. They want to see the crash and burn effects of running all day and night! Sexy Xtreme appeal like the XGames! It seems to me that the only real money that has been made by a few ultra runners has been in the form of books offered to the mainstream population (i.e. Scott Jurek, Dean Karnazes and Born to Run). The other possibility for monetization might occur if a few of the ultra events could be sanctioned for sports betting with the oddsmakers. Mainstream gamblers might get hooked on taking "long shots" since anything can happen in an ultra event.


　


Zane: Well that is probably enough for one interview. I look forward to doing it again after you finish the 6 day race at Across The Years. Can we look for you at the 2014 Destin Beach Ultra Runs beating that sand into submission for 24hrs?


Joe: Absolutely! although I am in heavy negotiation with my Daughter as this year’s race falls on her birthday. I’m selling her on the race as a "beach" vacation for her!