LEAD PHOTO: Cole Peyton

This is the thirteenth edition of The Duluth Runner Interview Series, where I get in touch with (mainly) local runners and athletes to share a bit of their story while inspiring others to pursue an active lifestyle.

Intro

Today’s guest is another avid outdoor enthusiast who has been running all around Duluth for years – including 13, going on 14 Grandma’s marathons! He and I were actually on the same cross country team at Hermantown about 20 years ago 🙂

When he’s not running 26.2 miles along Lake Superior’s Northshore, you can find him training on local trails and working as a physical therapist assistant at Kindred Home Healthcare…today’s guest is Dan Lindberg!

Interview

Why is running important to you?

I’ve always been interested in health and fitness and I’ve tried to commit to other sports and activities before but always hit a point where I lost interest or kind of maxed out my own progression. Running has given me the flexibility where twenty years later, I’m still making new goals each year and pushing myself for new distances or faster times. It keeps me mentally balanced and has definitely become part of my identity now.

What are the top two or three things that you do to prevent injury? Have you been susceptible to certain injuries in the past?

The biggest thing that I found helped cut down on my lower body injuries was starting a consistent core and pelvic stability routine. I normally try to complete two workouts each week with my thera-ball that are just core focused. I think good pelvic stability translates to decreased lower body stress and helps with running efficiency also.

I’m a physical therapist assistant and I’ve been kinesiotaping for about ten years as well. I do mostly high-tension taping to help speed up healing when I’m not running, and also to help continue to run through minor injuries, but don’t tell anyone else I said that. If you use kinesiotape, the KT tape brand at Walmart is relatively cheap and works just as well as more expensive brands.

What keeps you motivated when you don’t feel like heading out the door for a run?

The main thing I think about when I’m lacking motivation is what it feels like to be at the starting line of race and know that you could have done more. It’s not a good feeling, and it’s even worse if you end up dropping from a race knowing you could have worked harder. I’ve had a really good training year so far and I’m hoping it translates to my races this year.

Who is in your running support group (training partners, people to bounce ideas off of, etc.)?

I’m notorious for being content running alone but am trying to make a point this year to get more connected within the north shore running community. I have a good support group of non-runners that want to see me succeed, and being able to tell people about your goals is a good motivator whether they run or not.

My kids are a major source of motivation for me. My 8 year-old son has been watching me run since he was born and he thinks it’s completely normal to follow me around all day while I run 50 miles. I can tell he takes some personal pride in me running Grandma’s Marathon too, since that’s the first thing anyone asks you around here if you say you’re a runner.

When/what is your next race?

My next race is Grandma’s Marathon. This will be my 14th year starting and hopefully my 13th finish. I always tell myself I’m going to stop signing up for it but I feel like I have some kind of legacy responsibility now.

Do you prefer roads or trails and why?

I definitely prefer trails. I always think of road running as a workout, where trail running is an adventure. Even when I’m exhausted and sore, it’s still relaxing being out in the middle of the woods.

This weekend, I did a nine mile road run on Saturday followed by eleven miles on the trails at Tettegouche State Park on Sunday and those two runs aren’t even comparable as far as experience goes.

What is your most memorable race or running achievement?

This didn’t seem as big of deal at the time, but in hindsight it really stands out. The first time I ran the Voyageur 50, I was 26 and had very little trail experience. I ran the race in my road shoes, with cotton socks, and I ended up just carrying a Gatorade bottle with me at the end of the race that my dad had with him. And I finished!! When I’m at the start of my races now and I have $15 socks, and two hand held bottles, and my fancy trail shoes, I always wonder how I managed to survive that.

On a side note, one of my favorite running related memories is when I ran into two European tourists when I was out running on the Superior Hiking trail. They had heard that when they were out hiking they may run into a trail runner, and they were so excited that they got to meet a real trail runner! I felt like some kind of exotic native animal they had spotted, but it was great and it made my day. I still look back on that and laugh.

Name one racing experience you would like to forget (please describe).

I had a clothing malfunction during the 2017 Superior 100 and had to drop out due to undercarriage chafing. It’s a terrible feeling being physically trained and ready for a race and needing to drop for something that seems trivial but is also very serious at the same time. Very painful, terrible post-race shower, that is all. For some reason, those races up the shore really have it in for me.

What is something non-running related you would like to share with readers?

Outside of running, I spend a lot of time fishing, kayaking, and enjoying all of the outdoor space this area has to offer. Sometimes you forget how lucky we are until you travel somewhere else and you wonder where are all the runners, and bikers, and trails? I think it’s an exciting place for my kids to grow up and I’m looking forward to sticking around here.

Closing

Many thanks to Dan for agreeing to stop by The Duluth Runner and share some of his knowledge/experiences with everyone. I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Interview Series – stick around for more to come!