IamA marathon runner that ran 90.5 miles in 22 hours last weekend while pushing special needs children in wheelchairs (and also the swollen foot from the front page). AMA!

Do you have one of those stickers on the back of your car?

haha..no

Did your brother tell you that i said thank you like i asked him to?

Yes! Would he be in trouble otherwise? ;)

What is your daily diet in season?

I try to consume mostly natural foods...lots of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts and beans

Just wanted to say thanks for not only doing this AMA but for also being a part of Team Hoyt. Such an amazing story.

Rest up!

Thank you!

What kind of training did you do for such a massive run?

I ran about 20-25 miles of tempo (fast paced) running, plus lots of roller blading, swimming and strength training. Lots of rowing and power hiking.

20-25 miles a day?

Hell no!! 20-25 miles per week (running miles)

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1) as /u/redliner90 mentioned, he does, what I assumed to be a lot more than typical amount of, other workouts that strengthen running muscles.

2) 20-25 miles of tempo a week is a lot more challenging than it may seem. Tempos are considered hard runs; collegiate teams do 1, maybe 2 weekly. I'd imagine anything more than that would be a serious issue with injuries.

The most I've done is a double marathon in a day (which pales in comparison), but you'd be surprised how little difference there is from being able to run x amount of miles to jogging 2x amounts; there's a point where you can just keep on going, though your pace may be suffer. I'd imagine the tempo seriously helped him do as much as he did in the time frame... freaking ridiculous.

Cheers Dennis

Yes, the tempo runs is what really helped. For many of those runs, I'd be at up to 90% max heart rate, which allows the body to build a very strong anaerobic tolerance. I have always been against the "high mileage, junk mileage" mindset and particularly hate when people just try to rack up a certain weekly total, for the sake of the number. Most forego the quality in place of quantity. However, to supplement the traditional 2-3 hour long runs each week, I would do the same amount of time in the same heart rate zone by roller blading, rowing, biking, etc.

Maybe he wouldn't have thankles if he had trained more.

I assure you there was no lack of training on my end. In fact, I put in more hours than most ultra runners...it just wasn't all from running. Majority of ultra runners just run, which is completely against my training principles and beliefs. I coach a great number of people, besides myself and all of them have great running success, without the high mileage running. Aside from a couple KEY runs each week, I focus more on strength type work to build power and muscle fatigue resistance. An hour long session of incline bear crawling is not uncommon in my training plan. I challenge anyone to go try that and then tell me whether or not you are getting a much better workout than if you just went and slogged through a few junk miles instead.

For someone who has lived with mental and physically challenged people his whole life and is now working with them, shouts out to you! People like you give the rest of us hope!

Thank you!

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Haha..no peas but, plenty of ice packs

How's the ankles now?

Still sore as hell, particularly the left one..but it's common with ultra marathon running

Amazing! When you're running long distances, which part of the run is the toughest? Not just physically but mentally... I can't imagine the willpower it takes to just keep running for so long.

If you are properly trained, it's the mental side that is toughest. Long before my ankle gave out, my mind had tried to get me to quit a few times. You get tired, you get beat down a bit..but you just have to keep telling yourself that you can keep going. Once you push through a dark period, you'll find a bit of "pep in your step" again, often followed by another dark period. You just have to fight those little voices in your head. In my case, I was lucky enough to have the kids in the chair, those who had faced much more adversity than I..they are what kept me going as long as I did.

How confident were you in your ability to run 100 miles in 24 hours straight?

From a fitness standpoint, I was very confident. But, with something like a 100 miler, every one of them has a different brand to leave it's mark. Often, runners will hallucinate, have severe stomach distress, horrible blisters or all of the above. I was fortunate to not experience any of the aforementioned. Aside from the ankle issues, I was completely fine. In fact, not another muscle in my body is sore today, minus my ankles.

Did you intend on finishing the marathon the way you did (setting records and all)?

The original goal was to try and get to 100 or as close as possible, then take a short walk break from the track where I was running, to the start line of the half marathon and then complete the half marathon with my Team Hoyt VB teammates (there were 52 of our rider athletes in all)

So you wanted to run 100 miles, cool down for a bit, then run a half marathon the same day?

Haha..well, when you put it that way, YES!! LOL

What inspiration did you have to complete this?

The rider athletes. I started with Team Hoyt VB 3 years ago on this very same holiday weekend..Since then, they have continued to inspire me everyday.

Do you have any advice for people who are trying to:

1. Stay motivated with running a few times a week (or everyday)
2. Want to improve their endurance.
3. Want to improve their speed/pace.

Thanks! :D And sorry to hear about your ankle :P

I have plenty of advice and would be more than happy to discuss in further detail. Email me at [email protected]

In the meantime, motivation is often kept high when you find a way to enjoy what it is you are doing. If you want to get in shape and live a healthier lifestyle, running is only one of many ways to do so. If running is a burden, you won't stick with it. So, supplement the running with something you do enjoy (swimming, roller blading, hiking, crossfit, etc.). Endurance and speed can be improved in many ways and again, not just by running alone. Please email me and I will lay out some detailed and structured training plans that I use for coaching all my athletes.

I am not a runner - can explain why your ankles swell like that, and what the recovery is like?

Well, there are a few reasons of the scientific nature. I could go on for awhile, but it would be better explained in a medical forum. If I had not been on a track, the swelling would not have been as severe. The constant turning (which caused excessive torque and strain) is what made it so bad.

Did you ever have to take a number two?

Haha...yes, once during the entire time and luckily we had an on site bathroom

You are a huge inspiration dude, we need more people like you on this planet!! Any gaols on the horizon?

Thank you! Not sure when it will happen, but we have discussed a goal of a coast to coast run, pushing the disabled

Do you get to ride the wheelchair while going down hill?

Haha..no! But, I have ran a few races where there were some really steep downhill and it is quite scary trying to keep pace, while being pulled downhill by gravity and increasing momentum.

What'd the special needs kid do for 22 hours? Was he patient? Did he have a gameboy? As someone who has a special needs brother I'm just interested as to how that went down.

It was kids, not one kid. We had 22 riders, changing out on the hour. Some played their gameboys, some played with phones, others sang to me and talked with me..some just relaxed and enjoyed the ride

how much drugs did you take to accomplish this? if you didn't take any what planet are you from, I swear I won't tell anyone

Well, I wish I could say none. I am so dead set against chemicals or any over the counter drugs but, at the point of the worst pain, the on site doctor convinced me to take some Ibuprophen and I conceded. I wasn't happy about it but, I was in such pain, I was hoping it would help.

Why are you against taking medicine when you're in pain and would benefit from it? Not trying to be rude, I just don't understand that mindset.

Because if you know what NSAIDS does to your liver and kidneys, especially while exercising, you'd probably much rather be in pain. This was the first time I had taken any in 4+ years and after my run, I won't be taking them again. Studies have show, they actually do nothing to alleviate pain and that they in fact block the natural healing properties of the body.

How long does it take to train up to ultra marathon distances? I can't imagine how long your long runs must be every week. Actually, how long are your long runs?

My longest run was a marathon race in which I pushed a chair, while pacing a friend for his marathon. My average weekly long run was about 12 miles, the longest (besides the marathon race) was 16 miles. I also had one 12 hour workout where I got in a total of 42 miles and lots of other strength work.

One more question if I may, what type of strength workouts do you do and how do you incorporate them into your running schedule? I find that as I train for a marathon and my weekly mileage goes up, it gets harder to maintain the same level of strength workouts without burning my legs out. Any tips? Thanks.

Typically, I incorporate the strength work into nearly all of my runs..I either do long hill repeats, weight vest running, runs that also include squats and lunges every few minutes, etc. I will also do high incline treadmill running to increase leg strength and power. If you'd like more detail, you can email me at [email protected]

What made you decide to do this instead of a regular marathon? (Serious)

I have done multiple marathons with Team Hoyt VB but, this was something of a grandeur magnitude and it was a way that I could include so many of our riders all at one time. Several kids came from out of state to be a part of it and with it being in such a confined area (a 400m track), so many other people could participate.

What need did they child have/what charity was it for? and what did the child do when you ran, encourage you etc?

There were multiple children (22 to be exact). Their needs range from autism, CP, down syndrome and many other disabilities. The charity is for Team Hoyt VB, Ainsley's Angels of America, My Team Triumph and several other related organizations.

What was your mind doing while you were running?

Well, I had lots of friends out there pacing with me and keeping my mind occupied...but on a couple stretches, I asked to be left alone and to run solo. I needed some time to subdue a few demons that were starting to creep into my head..plus, in a weird way, I enjoy the suffering and solitude sometimes.

What are your tips that make the doctors HATE you?

^{serious question}

Clean eating, plenty of exercise and elimination of stress

Such a cool fund raiser! Have you ever had swollen ankles from running before? Is it painful? And how long does the swelling last?

Great job! Mad props for participating.

I have had swollen ankles, but nowhere near this magnitude. They hurt like hell but I have been doing a lot of icing and compression.

Did you jump on the guy's wheelchair for downhill portions?

Haha, no! It was all done on a track

What's the farthest you had run before in 24 hours?

I had never done a 24 hour run before. My longest run prior to this was while pacing a friend during her 100 mile run..I ran with her for 40 miles.

Do you use any technology to track your runs?

Well, for my training runs, I use a Garmin 305

I also use a 305 but the battery dies at 1 hour 25 minutes.

I rotated through two, they both lasted 8 hours each

To somewhat correct that, I only had done a 40 mile continuous run before this...I also had a 12 hour workout where I got 42 miles in, but that was split up by bear crawls on the beach, burpees, lunges, some swimming, etc.

The future has already sent ultra-fit Terminators to the present. Judgement Day is near. But in all seriousness you are one fantastic, impressive motherfucker.

Haha, thanks!

Dude, I'm a high school runner, and this is flat out amazing. Seven miles on a track make me wish for the sweet embrace of death. Maybe an hours run. You ran an entire day. I can only imagine how much you wanted to quit. What was your pace like? Given the data, I can calculate average, but did you ever speed up to amuse the kids? Or slow down to recuperate? Did you ever just close your eyes as you ran? I can't even imagine.

I would change paces from time to time. Essentially, I was just wanting to get at least 4-5 miles every 50 minutes, then spent the remaining 10 minutes of the hour changing out the rider, changing shoes, socks, etc.

What kind of job do you have? Or is running like a beast machine while helping special needs kids your job? That would be a pretty cool job.

By day, I am an Engineering Technician. I also have my own coaching and consulting business and spend much of my time helping others with their running goals.

Oh man, as a person who has attempted a 50 mile tuck march in 24 hours (and failed miserably). I have to give you mad props. It takes a special kind of person to be able TK do what you do.

It takes an even better person to do it while pushing a special needs child. You are a giant hero to these kids and to me. I hope you keep it up and, if you attempt it again, that you reach your 100-mile mark.

Thank you very much! Rucking is no joke!

Were other runners pushing special needs children as well? If so, how many runners and are they in the same condition as you?

Throughout the day, other runners would join me for a few miles and push some of the other rider athletes for various miles. I was the only one running for the entire time but, there were several others who put in anywhere from 1-8 hours.

Serious question, did you have and chafing on your body. If not how did you stop it?

Not too badly..I used a body glide gel (similar to Vaseline) and continued to apply every 2-3 hours.

What was your interaction with the special needs child like?

Did you talk during the running at all, or just enjoy the silence together? Did you hangout afterwards? Did you know them beforehand?

I know most of the kids through my Team Hoyt VB group and I have personal relationships with them. However, there were a few riders from out of state who came up for the event that I had not met. Based on the severity of the disability, is the extent of my communication. Some are deaf, so we communicate with gestures or sign. Others are blind but can hear and speak. Others can understand and process everything, just can't speak. After the event, there was the yearly Rock n Roll half marathon. This year, we had 52 riders participate. Afterward, we all met and had pizza and time to interact more.

How much weight did you drop in those 22 hours? And what did you eat to load up?

I only lost two pounds. Because I have trained my body to burn fat rather than sugar (glycogen), I don't need to "carbo load" in the traditional sense. My body operates efficiently on fat and therefore I don't need all the typical sugars that most people take when running long distance. My intake throughout the day consisted of lots of watermelon, cantalope, natural lemonade, tart cherry juice and SR bars (www.SRbars.com)...oh and a handful or two of baked potato chips with sea salt.

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There has been discussions of doing a coast-to-coast run and or other various distances, times, etc. Really, it's just all about generating awareness...the next big goal might be a long continous swim of some sort.

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I was a little upset at first. Yes, the ankle stopped me. It got to the point that I literally could not walk any further. My mind and heart were still in it 100% but, the body just wouldn't hold up it's end of the job. I will certainly hit the 100 mile mark one day, but it will likely be in route to a much longer goal distance.

Do you think you could have done it if you weren't pushing the wheelchairs the entire time?

Honestly, I probably would have stopped at mile 70 if I weren't pushing the chair.

Have you ever met Dick or Rick Hoyt? I have always found their story to be very inspirational and am wondering why you would have chose to get into something like this. What you did today was a ridiculously intense commitment. How did Dick or Rick inspire you, if at all? Or do you have a wheelchair bound family member or friend that helps push you to run?

Dick and Rick are close personal friends of mine and are the original inspiration that started this journey. In fact, I raced with Dick and Rick at the Boston Marathon in April this year and last year, as well as a 5k in their hometown back in May. They are exceptional men and have inspired many.

do you have any running-themed tattoos?

I have a really awesome one designed that I am waiting to get done. It will incorporate many running related milestones and acheivements all in one place.

Two questions: Do have any plans to tackle future ultramarathons (if yes, which ones) and what is your race distance of preference?

I do plan to tackle some future ultras but, I plan for all of them in the immediate future to be with Team Hoyt VB or Ainsley's Angels of America. One day, I would like to run Leadville, Western States, Badwater, etc. True to my beginnings as a runner, my favorite distance will always be the mile. Though I now train for the longer distances, the mile will always hold the biggest place in my heart.

How did you keep up energy? how hungry were you when you were done?

Please see above post in regards to nutrition. When I was done, I wasn't all that hungry or tired...I went home and slept for two hours, woke up had a couple slices of pizza and then relaxed the rest of the day.

Is this your first ultramarathon? I have heard from other ultramarathoners that towards the end, they start hallucinating - did this happen to you?

If was my first one of this duration. Actually, i was completely focused and aware of everything going on. I had no hallucinations at all..However, at one point, a few friends showed up and were running around the track..one had a horse head, a chicken head, a goat head and a camel head...For a minute, I thought I was hallucinating..lol

Looks like you did it with no ulterior motive. Why do people who do great things automatically feel obligated to talk about it.

Good question. The only reason I am even here talking about it now, is because my brother created the thread and set it up..I never even knew what reddit was before today.

How disheartening was it having Tommy running with you for part of the 90+ miles?

Haha!! It was horrible! LOL!

At what point did you realize your ankle was jacked?

Well, it started around mile 65ish but I kept pushing on..then around 85 it got real bad. At mile 90, I stopped to ice it and tape it, hoping to fix it enough to finish up...but, it wasn't meant to be..when I tried to stand, it wasn't happening.

What advice can you give to a 3 to 5 mile runner who wants to run marathons and iron mans? How would one train for this?

This is a question that I can give lots of insight and advice to. If you would like to email me at [email protected] I would be more than happy to answer any and all of your questions in detail.

Could you feel your ankles swelling up as you ran?

Yes, but in a sense of a tightening and throbbing feeling. For that last 20-30 miles, they felt like an ice pick that gradually was getting driven deeper into my ankle joints

You sir are the kind of person the world needs more of. What's your favorite brand of running shoes? Have you been a runner all your life?

Thank you! i don't have a certain brand..I actually have about 20 pairs, 16 of them different brands. I just go with what feels good for my feet. For this run, I alternated between Brooks Pure Flow and the Hoka One One. I ran from 6th grade all through high school, briefly in college and then in the Navy. After getting out of the Navy, I took a job that had me traveling a lot, so I stopped running for about 8 years and put on a lot of weight (went from 150-220). Finally, in June of 2010, I decided to make a change and started running again. So, it's been a bit over three years, I am back down to 155 lbs and am running similar times as what I did back when I was 19-20.

Around what mile did they start swelling?

I first started noticing it around 65 miles and they would get progressively worse as I went

Are there any past experiences that motivated you to do this?

Several actually. I had a sister that was born a year before me. She had some difficulties and was born with her navel around her neck. She ended up only living several days but, had she lived, my parents were told she would be a "vegetable". In high school, I had a friend, Jacob Berry who had CP and he would come cheer me on at my basket ball games. When he would speak, only his parents could understand him, so they would translate for him but, for some reason, I understood him fine and never needed translation..we just had a bond. I also know Dick and Rick personally and their story is what started our local Team Hoyt VB chapter. I saw Team Hoyt VB at a local 5k, three years ago, was super inspired by them, joined the team a month later and the rest is history.

Whats your favorite meal after running that long?

Usually anything salty...from burgers to pizza or just chips and salsa..depends on the day