From Open Water to Open Road: Jim Crist's Journey from Swimmer to Marathon Pacer

Embark on an enthralling odyssey into the heart of marathon running with Jim Crist, a former swimmer turned marathon maestro. In this episode of 'Time for Brunch,' we peel back the layers of Jim's transformation from aquatic athlete to pacing pioneer, exploring the passion that fuels his dedication to helping others race across their finish lines. His tale of resilience and the camaraderie found in pacing is sure to captivate anyone who's ever dared to dream of the 26.2-mile challenge.

Before we dive deeper, don’t forget about our Galactic Miles Showdown! Join us for a thrilling five-day challenge that immerses you in the Star Wars universe. Whether you align with the Rebel Runners or the Sith Sprinters, sign up today HERE  for a journey of intergalactic competition and camaraderie. May the force propel you to the finish line!

Strap in as we navigate the meticulous world of marathon prep. Jim unveils the strategy behind successful pacing and the crucial role of understanding your body's needs on race day. Get a sneak peek into the art of race logistics, from fluid stations to the Jeff Galloway run-walk method, and learn why engaging with pace team leaders is essential before embarking on your marathon voyage. This episode is your secret weapon for outrunning the dreaded wall and crossing the coveted finish with gusto.

In the symphony of footsteps and breaths, we find a sense of unity and wisdom that transcends the physicality of running. Join us as we explore the zen of running sans headphones, fostering connections that echo well beyond the finish line tape. Jim's insights on life lessons from the track, sprinkled with narratives of shared dreams and the importance of a supportive community, will resonate with rookies and race circuit veterans.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Running is all about health and wellness and inclusion. Time for Brunch. Empower, inspire, connect, ignite your journey.

Speaker 3: 0:13

Hello friends, Welcome to Time for Brunch. I'm Coach Christine and I cannot wait to share our very special guest with you today. But before we get started, I want to let you know that today's episode is brought to you with an extra sprinkle of stardust and maybe the spirit of intergalactic competition. You're going to want to grab your headphones and get ready for an announcement that's truly out of this world, because we are introducing the Galactic Miles Showdown, a thrilling five-day challenge that pits the brave rebel runners against the formidable Sith sprinters. Starting May 1st, you can join fellow listeners, Star Wars enthusiasts and fitness fans in a battle for the galaxy and, of course, some incredible, fantastic prizes as well.

Speaker 3: 1:00

Each day of the showdown features a unique challenge. Encourage you to log miles, engage in creative activities and maybe even dress up once or twice with your best Star Wars gear. Whether you walk, run or sprint, every step you take helps your team advance toward victory. And there's more than just personal glory at stake and bragging rights, of course, because we're teaming up with Girls on the Run of Central Florida to donate $5 from every registration fee to help empower young girls through running. It's your chance to make a difference while having a blast, and if you're not a runner, not a problem. Everyone's welcome to join the fun, whether you're pulling for the light side or tempted by the dark. Plus, all participants will receive a digital certificate of the galaxy to commemorate their journey. And if you're ready to join the ranks, head on over to our website. The link is in episode notes. Rally your friends, family and even your coworkers to see if the Rebels or the Sith will dominate the leaderboard. Don't miss out on this epic adventure.

Speaker 3: 2:02

Let's start this season with energy, enthusiasm and a little friendly competition, Because, who knows, the fate of the galaxy might just depend on it. Now, friends, we are ready to bring in our incredible guests, because today we're joined by a true pioneer in the running world, Jim Crist of Marathon Pacing. Hailing from Pittsburgh, Jim revolutionized the marathon scene in 2000, introducing the concept of pace team services, transforming how runners approach and achieve their marathon goals. With over 100, yes, you heard me correctly 100 marathons under his belt, ranging from a personal best of 314 to a resilient 324 in his later racing years. Ranging from a personal best of 314 to a resilient 324 in his later racing years, Jim's dedication to the sport and the community is nothing short of inspiring. An energy consultant by profession, Jim's life outside of running is filled with swimming, hiking, skiing, a love for chocolate, milk and mystery paperbacks. I am thrilled to have you here, Jim. Hello, Welcome on in.

Speaker 1: 3:02

Well, thanks, christine, it's exciting to be here. It's always fun to talk about running to other runners. Hello, welcome on in. Well, thanks, christine, it's exciting to be here. It's always fun to talk about running to other runners.

Speaker 3: 3:07

Absolutely. It is one of the things where I think we could talk ad nauseum. And, jim, just so that you are aware, part of this is because I've been interviewing other runners and a lot of them are pacers for marathon pacing and they talk about how much they love giving back to the community, how much they enjoy helping runners achieve their goals, and I thought, well, it sounds like it's time to talk to the myth, the man, the legend behind it all himself. So I am excited to dig into a little bit about how you got into running.

Speaker 1: 3:37

Well, I wasn't really a runner, I was a swimmer, and I swam in high school and college. But then I discovered when I graduated from college if you want to be a swimmer you actually have to have a swimming pool, and when you graduate from college you have nothing. So I learned you can always lace up your sneakers and go at the front door and it doesn't cost you a thing. And that's how I started my running career.

Speaker 3: 4:00

Did you enjoy the transition? Did you hate it from the first minute you laced up? Did you enjoy the transition? Did you hate it from the first minute you laced up? Or did it feel like a distant backseat love after swimming, or did you kind of take to it rather naturally?

Speaker 1: 4:12

No, it was an easy transition to make. After swimming miles and miles looking at the little black line on the bottom of the pool, it was actually nice to be outside looking at birds, trees, animals, even cars and houses and so forth. So it was a nice change.

Speaker 3: 4:26

So running since after college to now and I'm sure you've had quite a few of your own running adventures Do you have a specific highlight or two in your own personal marathoning that kind of stands out?

Speaker 1: 4:42

Ooh, there's been so many. But I mean one of the most fun thing I did and it wasn't a marathon, it was a race in France through the vineyards at a winery. It was a short race, it was a 15K I believe, so a nine mile race roughly. And my son, who was about 10 or 11 years old, was with me, so he was waiting at the start finish line. It was three loops through that area. So the second loop, I came in, he was cheering for me. And the third loop I came in, he was and I finished and he was right there and that was so much fun. And then he came up and told me, said Dad, there's a whole bunch of wine there and it's free. So he had already discovered that.

Speaker 3: 5:24

Well, I'm curious. So he had a bit of affinity for the wine, I'm assuming, or at least thought it was pretty cool there was wine there. Did he also have an affinity for running, or is this kind of your solo sport in the family?

Speaker 1: 5:34

Well, my son has paced for me before. He's actually a sports broadcaster over in Dubai. And my daughter has run marathons with me before, although when I say with me, she'll be at the start line with me, and then that's about the last I see of her, until I finish an hour or so later.

Speaker 3: 5:52

So you've passed along the love of running to the next generation. It sounds like.

Speaker 1: 5:57

It sounds like that and we'll see what my grandchildren do. I can tell you right now my toddler grandson, who's about three years old. He can already beat me.

Speaker 3: 6:05

Oh goodness, I love to hear this and it's kind of staying in the family, because I guess for me this is truly the gift that keeps giving is seeing our future generations kind of take after this as well. And, of course, as a fellow runner, we have found there's so many wonderful life lessons that we take from the asphalt or those trails, but that's part of it. So you fell in love with running. You evolved in your own running journey. What made you decide? I kind of think that there would be a value in folks having an organized pacer at races.

Speaker 1: 6:37

Oh well, yeah. So let me give credit to Darius Blackford, who's the race director of the Columbus Marathon. Back in about 2000 or so, darris had learned of the PACE team that Ambie Burfoot and Bart Yasso from Runner's World had started at the Chicago Marathon. They offered it just once a year at Chicago to help people qualify for the Olympic trials. That was successful, and so Daris and Columbus created a PACE team for the Columbus Marathon and I volunteered to PACE on that. And then Cliffshot picked up that concept and funded the Cliffshot National PACE team. So Daris organized that and I was part of that team.

Speaker 1: 7:18

And then I had children, so my schedule got very busy and was unable to do it as many events as they had. But at the same time I thought, well, there's small and medium-sized marathons, not just big ones, that need pace team services. So a couple of the marathon race directors asked me if I would do that for them, and that's how I got started. It was merely a way to kind of fund a hobby a couple times a year, but then it quickly grew because there was a huge demand for that service.

Speaker 3: 7:48

So, as you mentioned, it's kind of grown and it's evolved, and I'd love to talk about that because we have seen that the running world has grown and evolved quite a bit. What are some of the differences that you now see, maybe from the lens of somebody who does support runners through organized pace teams? What are some of the differences that you see currently that maybe we didn't see 10, 15, 20 or so years ago?

Speaker 1: 8:09

Well, I'll give you quite a contrast. I think today running is all about health and wellness and inclusion. And I will contrast that to my first marathon in 1981 in Pittsburgh, pennsylvania. I have the result sheet. It was printed on paper. Then there were 350 runners broken out into age groups, and I was in that age group men, 25 to 29. And the very last age group on this printed page of 350 runners has six runners in the age group. That age group was called women, and so that's it, and that was 1981. Oh my goodness. And now, of course, as you're familiar, in half marathons the majority of participants in a half marathon are female. In marathons, men still edge out the women a little, but not by a whole lot.

Speaker 3: 8:59

Yeah, especially here in North America.

Speaker 1: 9:01

Yeah, and so that gives rise to pace teams. So initially, if you go back 20 years, it was oh well, pacers will help qualify for Boston. Everyone wants to qualify for Boston, and that's true. I mean we have fast pacers that pace three hours and 305 and so forth. But today the growth in pacers is at the mid pack and back of the pack. I have paced six hour marathon groups, I've paced four hour half marathon groups and it's all about people just getting off the couch and being active. So not everyone is some young, speedy person that's 20 years old.

Speaker 3: 9:40

It sounds like again. This is partly why I always am so excited to see this sport continue to grow, and I know that we have a few folks that kind of maybe grumble a little bit, because what we've basically seen is we've seen that this sport has continued to welcome folks and, as you mentioned, has continued to provide the motivation and get people off the couch and moving towards their own health goals. I love to hear that there's more of an inclusion, that you see more of a need and a demand for folks to pace from mid to back of the pack. Do you see it continuing to grow as we continue to evolve? Do you see it even going beyond the current maybe six, six and a half, seven? Do you see in the future where maybe we might see seven plus, eight plus for the marathon pacing times?

Speaker 1: 10:40

That's, I guess, more of an issue that surrounds how much time a marathon race director has to offer the event on any particular day. I mean, if you go into big cities, they're clearly time constrained. They need to give the city back their streets and so forth. Some out-of-the-way venues, however, can stay open quite considerably long long, and I'm thinking of kind of really slow walkers that do walk marathons. They might take seven to eight hours to do their 26 miles. Now, I don't see a huge growth or assistance provided by pacers in those examples, because those are usually just pretty determined individuals. Even though they're not very athletic in their background and so forth. They made the determination decision to get out there and actually do 26.2 miles.

Speaker 3: 11:28

Absolutely. I'm curious, as well, as we continue to talk about this what are some of the misconceptions that you have found that people have about joining a PACE team. So they go to the expo maybe they've been training really strong or they hear that there's a PACE team being offered. Have you heard of any specific misconceptions that people may take into that would have them lean towards not joining a PACE team?

Speaker 1: 11:51

I'm glad you asked that, and the biggest one, which we'll just start right out with, is beginners, first timers and I've heard them say, oh, I'm not good enough to run with a PACE team, or I'm worried that if I run with a pace team I'll drop off, or something like that. And exactly the opposite is true. The pacers would welcome and enjoy having first-timers with them so they can advise them on things that the first-time runner might not know how should you be hydrating? What should your nutrition be? And I'd say that's clearly the most common misconception that we run into. I'll have many conversations at an expo where someone will be kind of sheepishly walking past the pace team booth, kind of looking at the signs and wondering, and I'll call them over. I'll just say you need to come over here and because they're a first timer, oftentimes they will listen and obey, they'll walk over and then we'll be able to have that discussion.

Speaker 3: 12:50

So that's fantastic. What are some of the things that they should keep in mind when they do join a PACE team about? Yes, they're going to be encouraged, there's going to be that dynamic of the group working together towards a common goal. But are there things that they should take into consideration? And by that I mean I would assume that some of the concerns they may have is what happens if they have to stop for a port-a-potty break or if they do lag behind. What are some of the things that you would suggest that people keep in mind so they do feel a bit more comfortable joining a PACE team?

Speaker 1: 13:22

Well, you've mentioned a couple of them. I mean, one of them is fluids. They want to know what do we do at fluid stations, and each PACE group leader instructs the people in their group right at the start. Here's what we're going to be doing in fluid stations. Now, in my case, because I'm pacing slower groups these days, we always go through the fluid station and grab our fluid and then we pull over and walk about 15 seconds while we can drink. But the speedier groups will instruct their groups that they're just going to grab and pinch and go and drink. So that's one question the runners have.

Speaker 1: 13:55

A question I get a lot is are we taking walk breaks? Now, again, I'm pacing slower groups and it's quite common to do walk breaks. Or I do some events where we partner with the Jeff Galloway organization, so we actually have pacers that are adhering to the Galloway run-walk standards and that works quite well with the runners that, even runners that haven't been trained in that. If you can lure them into taking walk breaks, that generally improves their overall race experience. So, for example, at the New York Marathon, which, if you're familiar with that race course, when you go up the Queensborough Bridge over into Manhattan, that's about mile 15 or so, something like that, and that's when I start giving my group walk breaks regularly and we get up the bridge by taking 30-second walk breaks and then, once we're down in Manhattan, usually we'll switch back to running. But when we start heading up the hill into Harlem we'll switch back to walk breaks and oftentimes I'll stay in that mode of moving along through the end of the race.

Speaker 3: 14:55

So what I'm hearing a way to prepare yourself for success with joining a pace team is to get to the race start a little early, or spend some time at the expo having these conversations so that you are prepared if, for example, so that you do know if your pace leader is going to want to just pinch and go for your water, or if they're going to advise you to just slow it down and walk through it Sounds like that's water or if they're going to advise you to just slow it down and walk through. It Sounds like that's a conversation that if you're there a little bit earlier you can be prepared. You can hear it, you can hold it into your mind as you have all those little race day jitters and excitement.

Speaker 1: 15:28

Well, yes, the most valuable conversation we have actually would occur at the expo, when we have a little more time. So when the runners talk to us at the expo and we have five or 10 minutes or something like that, that's when we can ask them about their previous running experience, about their training experience and so forth, and then, using the information we learned from them now, we can advise them about what pace team to be part of. So I can tell you this without a doubt most runners come to us with I'll call them enthusiastic projections and expectations of their abilities, and it's great to be enthusiastic, and what we try to do is be realistic while analyzing their data. And oftentimes I'll say you know, that's probably is about 10 minutes faster than you really ought to be, and so why don't you try this? And I'll explain why. And sometimes they listen.

Speaker 3: 16:22

So it sounds like to me what I'm hearing is go ahead, friends, if you are, whenever you sign up for a race and you do your own investigation on the website if you see that there's going to be a PACE team to make sure that you like.

Speaker 3: 16:36

Carve out a bit of time for the expo to go and chat with the PACE team, knowing that there's usually, I would assume that you guys have a few folks at those booths so you may have to wait a little bit to be able to get your questions answered, but if you can carve some time to do that at the expo, you're gonna set yourself up for success on race day when you join the right PACE team. Jim, I'm a little curious as well when we're talking about this a couple of things that people can do, maybe in training to be more prepared for joining a PACE team Like for me, the thing that sticks out in mind is maybe when, if they do need to have to stop quite a bit frequently for restrooms or they're stopping for fueling, that maybe they might consider not shutting down or pausing their Garmin, because that is something that's impact how, what pace group potentially they would join for race day, or is that not right, or what would you suggest? That would be like some ways to set yourself up for success during training.

Speaker 1: 17:28

Well, the point you make is well made. The fact is, the New York Marathon doesn't stop every course clock if you need to go to the potty.

Speaker 3: 17:35

I wish it did Tokyo too, and that would have been fantastic, but it didn't yeah.

Speaker 1: 17:39

But the things that training runs. So training runs aren't just for running. Training runs are for learning some of the things you mentioned. They're for learning. Do I need to make a stop at the Port-A-John, or what do I need to do to prepare myself? So I don't make a stop at the Port-A-John? And they should treat a training run just like they treat the race. Let's get up early, let's make sure we go to the bathroom at home and so forth, so that when they're on the training run for three hours or whatever they find that they can do that successfully. Gels or goos or food supplements are they taking? Well, the training run's a great place to try different flavors, different vendors, products and so forth and, in fact, perhaps what the race is going to be handing out, so that you're not surprised when you get to mile 18 and someone hands you a packet of something. Well, you've already tried it and you know what it's like.

Speaker 3: 18:36

So, jim, that is actually such a great point, and I'm curious do you have a favorite yourself that's tried and true, or a favorite methodology that you adhere to?

Speaker 1: 18:45

Well, in terms of fueling, I can enjoy a number of different products, so I'm not really finicky like that, but I know that some runners are, and that's why, on their long runs, they should really just I tell them go down to the running store, buy three or four different brands and just give it a try and find something that works for you.

Speaker 3: 19:05

Yeah, absolutely, and also knowing that it may not work. If it works for a friend, it may not be the best one for you. Or, just like Jim said, he can handle a whole different variety. I'm definitely a little bit more sensitive myself, so I have to be a bit more particular. So that's always wonderful. So basically, what I'm hearing you say is again, during those training runs, they don't have to be perfect, but they do have to be where you allow yourself to experiment with a variety of different aspects so that you do iron out your plan and your strategy for race day, and that's the best way to set yourself up for success.

Speaker 1: 19:40

Oh, absolutely. The other item I always tell people to pay attention to on training runs is just what they're wearing. It's the funniest thing. At an expo I'll have questions from runners that say I'm not sure what to wear tomorrow and I'll say well, you know what the temperature is going to be. You've done training runs in that temperature. What's worked for you, what's been comfortable.

Speaker 3: 20:00

Yes, absolutely, and I do know there's folks that travel more than ever for racing, so I think that is something to take into consideration too. If you're not 100% positive, if the weather is going to translate during your training, it's still good to kind of have in consideration a few different strategies of those race day outfits that are tried and true, depending on what, and layers are always great, like stick with your base layer is always what I would definitely suggest. Okay, we talked about what the runner should do to set themselves up for success. Let's talk about the pacers, because we have had some phenomenal pacers that have joined us here at brunch and they've talked about how much they love it, how much they love giving back to the sport. That is such an incredible experience for them, and I know that you have a very stringent vetting process for your pacers. What are things that you would suggest for people who are curious and want to now dip their toe into pacing to set themselves up for being the best that they can be?

Speaker 1: 20:56

Well, when I get inquiries from people that want to be pacers. I always ask them. I ask them why they want to be a pacer, and the ones that I'm particularly interested in are the ones that do want to be coaching, counseling, giving back, helping other runners and so forth. And then I ask them the kind of the technical question, which is, simply, do you run evenly? And some people are baffled by that and others are not, and so if someone's interested in being a pacer, first thing I'd say to them is well, go out on a run and see how evenly you run. That is, say, you're on a 10 mile training run. Is your first mile the same pace as your last mile? Or are you on your own run, starting too fast and running out of steam and slowing down, in which case you may not have the skill to be a pacer?

Speaker 3: 21:48

Absolutely so, friends. That is something that should be kept in mind on both sides of it. Generally, if you join a pace team, their job is to stick with an even split strategy from start to finish. So there's not going to be. There's going to be probably a small, I would assume, jim, and feel free to correct me if I'm incorrect, but it seems that there's usually a small window and you guys try to stick to that, mile after mile after mile, with that even split strategy, generally showing to be the most consistent way of getting to your goal finish time.

Speaker 1: 22:22

Now, there's a few that maybe have a little bit of a pickup at the end, but for the most, part it sounds like an even split strategy is what folks should take into account when they join a pacing team. Yes, absolutely, and in fact for any runners that are still with the pace leader at the end and we always hope there's a few usually when we get to the last couple miles we'll take a look at who's with us, and I was told some runners get going. Get out of here. You have some energy left in you that you don't need, so you might as well spend it right now.

Speaker 3: 22:48

Absolutely Sounds like the experience that I had when I ran with one of your pace teams as well, because, again, they were seasoned, they're a pro. They could tell that I was still feeling pretty good. They told me it's time to cut loose and kind of set me free from the nest. So it was always a great experience and it was also a really good mental boost as you're running through, to hear that this individual feels that you're ready to kind of pick it up a notch. So with individuals that are kind of, I think what I hear too, it's a really big question when people want to get into pacing is do I have to have a lot of racing experience? And I'm going to turn that over to you.

Speaker 1: 23:21

The short answer is no, you don't, but you have to know a lot about running. So, for example, the first marathon I paced was the second marathon I ever ran and I was pacing the 415 group in Columbus Ohio and I finished that at exactly 415.00. So I knew that I had an ability to run evenly and even though I hadn't run a lot of marathons I'd only run one previously I certainly had the confidence that, yes, I can do this and I can run evenly because that's how I am in all my training. So I get emails from people that have only run a couple marathons and that's perfectly fine. When I talk to them I find out more about kind of their running experience and what they know about running to make a determination as to if they would be a good pacer and be able to run evenly for 26 miles.

Speaker 3: 24:14

Yes, absolutely. So I love what I'm hearing you say is that one of the most important things clearly is besides the technical aspect of being able to run evenly is that they have a knowledge and passion about running. Maybe, and probably, you can train them on the specifics around racing, but it sounds like as long as they have that knowledge and passion and they really want to give back, those are really the foundational skill sets or qualities that you would want, want to give back.

Speaker 1: 24:39

Those are really the foundational skill sets or qualities that you would want Absolutely. It's all about making sure that the runners that are with you have the absolute best experience they possibly can have that day.

Speaker 3: 24:48

Absolutely yes, and that's such an extraordinary insight for that, for both sides of it.

Speaker 3: 24:55

So I think that's why we train is so that we can go into having the best possible race day, not necessarily the fastest, maybe not our strongest, might not even PR, but so that we feel as good from start to finish as possible and, obviously, why the pacers feel so passionate about it as well.

Speaker 3: 25:13

Now, bringing the conversation back a little bit up to you, jim, there's some interesting things in your pacing bio that I kind of want to bring to light. And, friends, that's a lovely thing that I actually really enjoy about Marathon Pacing Team is that when you see a race that they're going to be pacing at, they usually have a hyperlink with the pacer's name and you can kind of click on that individual to learn a little bit about them. So you have an idea of who you're going to be spending 26 miles with if you're tackling a marathon, and I think you have some pacing for some half marathons, depending on the races, as well. So you love running without music, and I'm curious in this day and age where so many folks run with music or audio companions of some sort. What are some of the benefits that you have found of running without music that you wish that people would consider, at least for a run, to maybe leave the headphones or AirPods at home.

Speaker 1: 26:12

Well, keep in mind, if you were somehow chained to a treadmill and had to run 26 miles, then perhaps having something plugged into your ears or even having a TV screen to watch might be good. The fact of the matter is, everyone that came to the marathon decided that they were leaving their own self-contained bubble and they're going to come to an event where there's thousands of other runners. So we're social people. This is an interactive experience. If you and I went to dinner together, you wouldn't sit there with earphones in. So this is where you have an opportunity to meet other runners, talk to other runners and even if you're not much of a conversationalist, then listen to other runners and you're out running along in nature, listen to the birds, listen to the sounds of where you're running. There's just so much to observe when you're out there that I think getting kind of plugged into music really takes away a big part of the benefit of the experience the benefit of the experience.

Speaker 3: 27:15

I also love the fact that when we are able to kind of just tune into our own mindfulness, we connect more with what our bodies need and feel throughout the run and we're able to kind of adjust accordingly, instead of kind of listening to the cadence of the BPM of the music, so we're able to kind of tune in that way.

Speaker 3: 27:28

I love that and I hope that Jim has inspired you guys to maybe, if you're running along to this podcast, even that you consider that for a little bit you just shut everything off and kind of tune into the world around you, because there's so many great benefits about that. I want to touch on the fact that you talked about that communal experience of running, that social interaction with others, and Born to Run recently a couple of years ago I think released Born to Run 2, and it's more of a training guide than it was a story as the first one, and they talk about the experiments that have been made and the science that shows that running with others can help us from a health metric point of view in so many different ways. So tell me more about your own experience of running with others, both on training partners and on the run when you're at races.

Speaker 1: 28:19

Well, I can certainly say that if you have training partners or you're running with a group that gets you out of bed on some days when you would not get out on your I mean, I know, for example, right now I'm in Naples, florida. We have a wonderful running group that runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays and Sundays, and I know tomorrow that I actually have to be out at the street corner at 5.15 am to meet my two running partners that live within a couple hundred meters of where I am so that we can run to the start of our training run together. So just having friends helps you in your own conviction to get up and get out there, and then, obviously, just running with people that you enjoy talking to, that makes the long runs go by a lot quicker than if you're simply running solo.

Speaker 3: 29:07

Absolutely, and I love that you're saying that, jim, because I mean, clearly you've run around a block or two in your time frame and in your journey, so I'd love to hear that you still need that little point of accountability or that point of just having the little extra motivator, which is what I feel like social running really does do for us all. So, friends, I've mentioned it before and I'll mention it again If you haven't yet looked up a training group near you, definitely take the time to do so and see if maybe you can even join in just one long run and see how it works out for you. Now you have personal goals to stay uninjured, to continue running. What strategies do you personally utilize or practices that you found help you to achieve that goal?

Speaker 1: 29:52

The best strategy, which only comes with age and wisdom, is to stop running when you're injured. So runners when they're in their 20s and 30s somehow haven't caught on to this. But the fact is, the more you get up there you'll realize if I find the slightest bit of muscle pain or something like that, I will just stop and I'll walk it in and I'll take a day or something like that. I will just stop and I'll walk it in and I'll take a day or two to rest and I'll go out again. So never try running through anything. Instead, stop and relax and massage stuff and stretch stuff and relax the muscles and you live to run another day.

Speaker 3: 30:31

I love that. I'm going to expand on that just a little bit, jim, and even say that that's the case for when you're at your race day and that I think is really hard and I understand. So many of us have put in blood, sweat and tears leading up to our race day and hopefully there's nobody's bleeding, but it's hard to maybe take that consideration. But if you are teetering on an injury, it may be best to be able to run and live another day and maybe pull out if need be. So that's something to take into consideration, because I think what I hear a lot of folks doing is that's when they would join a pace team that maybe is a little bit slower than their usual running pace, thinking that that will be a good enough way to get through 26 miles, but it really may not do you any justice at the end of the day.

Speaker 1: 31:17

Yeah, and what you'll find is runners can be a stubborn lot because, good heavens, if you're going to run a marathon you have to have a certain amount of stubbornness. But they'll set these goals at the beginning of a training cycle so four months ahead of their marathon, here's my goal, and so forth and then somehow fail to make a proper adjustments for life. That happens during that four month period. So I will have conversations with runners and they'll say, well, I don't want to take too many days off because then won't meet my goal. And I say, well, yeah, baby, you've got a new goal now. Your goal is to be 100% healthy. That's the only goal you have. Once you achieve that goal, then you can determine what your speed goal might be for running a marathon. But until you achieve your 100% healthy goal, any running you do is going to really sabotage your goal for finishing the marathon at whatever time you want it.

Speaker 3: 32:11

I love that. I love that and I mean I think that it's probably I don't know if it's fair to say on your side, but on my side I can honestly say that I've been there, done that. I understand that it's hard to do so, again, my experience was that I was beautifully trained for a half marathon, but I was actually running New York City Marathon. So, from personal experience, pushing through isn't always the way to tackle things, even though I do agree that us runners tend to be a bit stubborn and determined. They're kind of interchangeable words. You have a really fun quote that you live by. That's pretty powerful and it's on your bio. As I don't have the slightest interest in hearing why something can't be done. How has this philosophy influenced your approach to running, life, pacing, coaching yourself? How do you kind of apply that day to day?

Speaker 1: 32:59

That came from also, when I was working and people would come to me with their issues of some assignment and I just say I don't have the slightest interest in hearing why that can't be done. And it's the same thing with running oh great, something hurts. Well then take time off and get it fixed. You know, and oh great, I can't get up. Well then join some friends so that they'll get you up. And oh great, the weather's crappy. We don't want to do this. Well then go somewhere where it's not crappy or buy the right cool looking clothes and put them on and go out and run in the crap.

Speaker 3: 33:30

So yeah, no, I love that. There's a really great saying too there's not bad weather, it's just bad gear. So, in terms of finding the right gear, or we all tend to us runners that love to be outside, we'll always talk about the treadmill or how horrible the treadmill is, but you know what, sometimes that's the tool that you have available to you, so you have to kind of make it happen. I love how that came from work, but you apply it to running because, again, so much wisdom I think that we learned from running that we can apply to our life and every day, from work, family, all of that. So now I'm curious if you would share maybe some of the wisdom that you have found from all of the miles that you have covered that you do apply to the other areas of your life.

Speaker 1: 34:11

Just, simply that loyalty to your running partners and your friends, the fact that you're going to show up and do what you said you're going to do. I recall well, let's see, last year in the New York Marathon, I was about mile 16 or 17. I came across a girl that was a first timer because she had a first time bib on and she had her name on the front of her shirt Kristen was her name and so I went up and said how are you doing? And she said oh, I'm not doing well and it hurts. I laughed and I said you're running a marathon. It's not supposed to feel comfortable. Yeah, I really don't have the slightest interest in hearing how you hurt. I said my only interest is in seeing that you keep running each mile and just keep going ahead. That's all I care about today. So she did that and actually she finished ahead of me, so that's good.

Speaker 3: 35:08

Well, you probably lit a fire under her a little bit just a wee bit, I would say, with that motivational speech. What I'm hearing you say is I love that you use the word loyalty I'm also hearing integrity. Integrity to ourselves and to the commitment that we have, both for our running and maybe, as the example that we show for those that we choose to run with are kind of watching, like in your case with your children and now your grandchild. So that's always such an important facet of any commitment that we choose to follow through with. Now I do want to touch on brunch, because again there is that aspect of here. We love communicating and connecting over long runs and, of course, those post-long run brunches with friends. And I'm curious if you could have anyone join you for a long run and then a post long run brunch, who would that be and what would you order?

Speaker 1: 36:01

Oh boy oh.

Speaker 3: 36:04

I could have anyone, anyone, absolutely Living or dead. Yeah, like say no to that. So absolutely anybody you want.

Speaker 1: 36:12

I'd run with my dad. I remember when he turned 50, I ran with him and he wanted to run five miles when he turned 50 and he did and I ran with him and it was a nice day, and so he ran a number of years beyond 50. My dad passed away when he was 94.

Speaker 1: 36:31

So the final years he wasn't running but he could still hit a golf ball, but, yeah, that would be the person that I would want to go on another run with, and then afterwards, I'm sure what we would have at brunch would be oatmeal with bananas. That's it.

Speaker 3: 36:45

I'm surprised to hear that you may be the first individual who's chosen oatmeal post long run brunch. But sounds delicious Just bananas. You're not throwing in nuts or honey or anything else, Just oatmeal and bananas.

Speaker 1: 36:56

There you go. It's pretty simple and basic.

Speaker 3: 36:58

Sounds perfect. Jim, I want to thank you so very much and I want to ask you one last parting question what word of wisdom would you want to leave folks with that are maybe looking to endeavor their very first 26.2?

Speaker 1: 37:16

Don't do it alone. Don't walk out your front door and run 26 miles. Go find a group, find some running friends they're in every city, wherever you're at, they're in any country, wherever you're at and then ask them to run with you. Enjoy all sorts of benefits from that.

Speaker 3: 37:34

That is perfect. Thank you so much, jim. It's been a pleasure. That wraps up our incredible conversation with Jim Crist. It was a pleasure having him on the show and diving into all of his innovative approaches and, of course, his lifelong passion for the world of running. Jim's stories and insights were truly a beacon for anyone looking to push their limits and redefine their goals. And speaking of pushing limits, don't forget about our Galactic Miles Showdown.

Speaker 3: 38:05

It's not just a race. It's an adventure that brings the Star Wars universe right into your daily routine. Whether you're a team rebel runner or a team Sith sprinter, now is the time to show your spirit and engage in some maybe not so friendly always competition. Head over to the website, sign up today to join the excitement and help make a difference. Again, it's just five days, starting on May 1st and ending on May 5th. It is definitely going to be an experience that's out of this world. Thank you for tuning in to Time for Brunch. I'm Coach Christine and I want to remind you to keep your spirits high. Stay sparkly, no matter where your adventures take you. Until next time, keep running, keep listening and keep shining.

Speaker 2: 38:53

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Speaker 4: 39:01

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