LEAD PHOTO: Dan LaPlante
This is the fifteenth 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 has had an off-and-on relationship with running for a while, but ever since discovering the multitude of Duluth trails he may just be hooked for good 🙂
When he’s not logging miles around town, you can find him at a rink of some sort in the winter (I won’t ruin the surprise for you in the intro), playing Magic the Gathering year-round, and working as an engineer at Northland Consulting Engineers…today’s guest is Riley Geissler!
Interview
Why is running important to you?
My relationship with running and its importance to me has evolved over time.
Growing up, running on the high school cross country team was simply a way to stay in shape for hockey and baseball and spend time with friends. While I enjoyed running and it was important to me (to a point), I would have never considered myself passionate about running.
In the years that followed high school, I ran a couple of marathons, a few half-marathons, and a number of 5ks. My motives for running varied from trying to get into shape to being peer-pressured by friends to participate. While I took each race seriously and trained accordingly, after the race I’d quit running again. I didn’t get enough out of running for the sake of running to make it a consistent part of my life.
Running didn’t become an important, consistent part of my life that I truly enjoyed until I discovered trail running about a year and a half ago. A friend had asked me if I wanted to run the Wild Duluth 50k trail race, so I started training.
Trail running was completely different for me from the beginning. Winding around sharp turns, going up and down steep inclines, and being out in the fresh air while being surrounded by nature and its wildlife intrigued me when I started. While these were things that sparked my interest initially, and are partially responsible for me sticking with it, running has also provided me with both a way to unwind and de-stress after work, but also a means to fuel my competitive nature by competing against myself and others. The most significant reason running is important to me, however, and ultimately why it has continued to be part of my regular routine, is how much better I feel both mentally and physically. Running allows me to think more clearly, sleep more efficiently, and even makes food taste better.
What are the top two or three things that you do to prevent injury? Have you been susceptible to certain injuries in the past?
I have been fortunate in this area and have not suffered any significant running related injury. I can credit this to a couple of main reasons:
I don’t overdo it. I only push myself beyond a medium effort on about 25% of my runs. I keep perspective on my motives for running. While I find satisfaction in beating personal records, I have long realized that I am not going to be winning races anytime soon. I run to stay healthy and active while enjoying some quality time outdoors.
I take my time when navigating technical and difficult portions on the trail. Slippery surfaces, jagged rocks, streams, stumps, and roots all can be challenging. I constantly remind myself to be thinking ahead and be smart about how I maneuver obstacles. Safety takes precedence over speed.
I also have other hobbies that keep me moving and active and using different muscle groups. I play volleyball and bocce ball in the summer and in the winter I cross country ski and curl. Variation and exercising different muscle groups consistently is paramount in avoiding overuse injuries.
Who is in your running support group (training partners, people to bounce ideas off of, etc.)?
For the most part, I enjoy getting out myself. There are not scheduling issues or coordinating a time to meet up, and I can travel at my own pace.
When I do want to bounce an idea off of someone, I do have a few resources. A friend from college, who ran cross country and track, was a great help in guiding me through training for my first marathon. I have a few knowledgeable, skilled running friends that I ask about nutrition and advice for electrolytes/different ways to get calories when going on longer outings. My father-in-law has also served as a good resource, as he has experience running many mid to long distance road races.
When/what is your next race?
I am definitely planning on running the Grand Traverse; either the 10-mile or the 17-mile race in September. I may run one or two 5k races this late summer or fall as well.
What is your most memorable race or running achievement?
That’s an easy one; completing the Wild Duluth 50k this past fall and finishing in the top quarter of racers. The true achievement was not the race itself, but rather that the race was ultimately the catalyst for me finding a way to enjoy running, which has turned into a great hobby and has made me healthier and more active.
Prior to starting my training for the Wild Duluth, I knew my weight was higher than it ever was before, but I didn’t realize just how out of shape I was. It didn’t take long into my training to realize that I had a lot of work to do. Even though I had run marathons before, the five extra miles (31 miles vs. 26) on the Superior Hiking Trail was going to take much more than 20% (31/26) more effort than on the paved road.
In preparation for the race, my training progressed slowly and steadily. I started by limiting my time on the trail to hiking, while building endurance by running on the road and using an elliptical. By three and a half months before the race, I was predominantly running on trails. As time got closer to the race, my scheduled long Saturday morning runs went longer and longer. I also started to eat healthier, treating food as the energy I needed to train and as the key mechanism I needed to recover and get stronger. I have lost about 60 pounds since starting to train for the Wild Duluth and weigh about the same now as I did in 11th grade, but much more importantly, I feel like a brand-new man. Running regularly has allowed me to get healthier, stay active, and just feel better.
What keeps you motivated when you don’t feel like heading out the door for a run?
Exploring new areas and new sites to see. When time allows, I enjoy making a run (or just a hike sometimes) an opportunity to explore a new trail, site, or overlook that I haven’t seen before. It still amazes me how many cool areas there are in the town I grew up in that I was totally oblivious to prior to trail running.
Spending time in the woods. Time in the woods provides me with an opportunity to enjoy nature and solitude, and gives me a chance to relax after work (not to mention you never know what kind of interesting wildlife you might encounter).
Keeping the habit of regular exercise. Skipping a run makes it easier to skip the next run as well, so when I don’t feel like getting out I remind myself that I don’t want to end up in that rut.
Do you prefer roads or trails and why?
I much prefer trails for the reasons already mentioned, but one additional reason is safety. While I have found most automobile drivers are attentive and cautious of pedestrians when you are out sharing the road, it’s a non-issue when you are in the woods.
Name one racing experience you would like to forget (please describe).
I have been pretty fortunate with races that I have participated in, but one particular training run comes to mind that I would like to forget.
This experience comes with a quick backstory. In the second month of training for the Wild Duluth, a friend agreed to hike the SHT with me from Ely’s Peak to Enger Tower. I had two problems. First, I wasn’t physically ready to hike this far and second, I didn’t bring enough water. Needless to say, after suffering through the second half of the hike where my legs wouldn’t stop cramping, I had to call my wife for a ride home about four miles short of our intended destination.
About 10 or 12 weeks after this occurrence, I felt ready to tackle this route again, but this time I was going to run. I had been running on the trail regularly and my endurance was significantly better than when I had failed to hike the same route just a few months prior. It was the worst run of my life; just a bad day.
I started later in the morning than I had hoped and it got hot earlier than I had expected. Even though I was more prepared than last time, with enough water, gels, bars, etc, I was still no match. I started to get a migraine in about the location where my wife had picked us up previously, but I was determined. I needed to make it to Enger Park, so I continued on. It ended up being a poor decision. I made it, but it was at a cost. I felt terrible and it took me the entire rest of the weekend to recover.
I did at least learn a couple of things from the experience, most notably to listen to your body.
What is something non-running related you would like to share with readers?
In the winter, I am an avid curler. I started playing nearly ten years ago now, and I enjoy just about every aspect of the game. Curling allows me to compete on a team setting in a game that consists of a combination of strategy, skill, and activity.
Closing
Many thanks to Riley 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!