This is the twenty-second 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 a recent covert to running (after trying just about every sport growing up, eventually playing baseball for UMD) and has been enjoying every step of the journey!

He graduated from and now lives in Hermantown, while working in the Finance department at ALLETE…today’s guest is Josh Taran!

LEAD PHOTO: Zenith City Photography

Interview

Why is running important to you?

Up until this year, running was not important to me.

If you would have told me I never needed to go for a run again and I could stay in decent shape I probably would have taken you up on it. But after a long winter without too many activities and spending more time at home after our son was born, I found myself craving some sort of competition and sense of adventure.

After too many hours watching Netflix and YouTube documentaries of people doing awe inspiring things like rock climbing and mountaineering, I found myself wishing I could do something similar. Eventually I stumbled upon some running videos and a light bulb went off…I didn’t need to do anything crazy, the adventure I sought was right outside my door.

I decided to sign up for the Gary Bjorklund half marathon and somewhere along the way during the training miles I got hooked. After the race I couldn’t wait to sign up for the next one. Running has become important to me because it offers me a chance to push myself and see what I’m capable of on any given day.

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’ve been doing a few things to try to prevent injuries. I love to foam roll and have made that a nightly routine along with stretching. I’ve also tried to target weak areas that have given me issues in the past, so I regularly do hip strengthening exercises.

Leading up to the first half marathon I was struggling with Achilles tendonitis, so I’ve also been trying to frequently do heel drops to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

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

I definitely have an obsessive personality. I’ve found that signing up for a race has been incredibly motivating. Once I am signed up for something I get fairly obsessed trying to make sure I’m as prepared as possible so I hate skipping a workout. I also look at the progress I’ve made and think about how I want to keep building on that.

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

I’m very fortunate to work with a ton of extremely talented runners. Any given day it’s easy to find someone or a group who is going out for a run on their lunch break. I’m always asking them about different races they have done or gear that they use and have gotten tons of great advice and encouragement.

When/what is your next race?

The next big race will be Grandma’s Marathon. It’s such a fun weekend and the level of excitement throughout the community makes me look forward to participating in some capacity for years to come. I’m a bit nervous about the distance as that is twice as far as I have ever run, but it should be a great challenge and a lot of fun to build up to.

Do you prefer roads or trails and why?

I prefer trails, but both are pretty awesome. I love getting out in the woods or in a park and letting my mind wander. Road running tends to be a little more mundane and I also find myself staring at my watch and obsessing over the pace.

On the trail I love that every run is different. I really enjoy exploring new sections of trail as well as running on different types of terrain. I also love that pace kind of goes out the window and you can focus more on the effort you are trying to put in on that day.

What is your most memorable race or running achievement?

While I haven’t done too many races thus far, I absolutely had a blast doing the Harder ‘N Heck half marathon this year. The race held true to its name and is on an amazing section of trail. It’s a perfect mix, where you get to go up and down some big hills, a few technical sections, and also some smooth runnable portions.

I spent most of the summer running on the course and preparing during my longer runs, so getting to the finish line and having everything go pretty much on plan was awesome.

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

Overall I had an amazing experience with the Garry Bjorklund half marathon, but the last couple miles we’re pretty dreadful in the moment. I learned quite a bit that day of what not to do (didn’t eat enough beforehand with the early morning start and didn’t drink enough water during the race).

I was moving along pretty well with a pace group for the first 7 or so miles but then I decided they we’re going a little quicker than my plan so I was going to slow down slightly. Despite trying to keep them in sight, they quickly disappeared. I regrouped and was able to continue running alright until about mile 10 when I just hit a wall.

I had hoped to pick up the pace and finish strong with all the crowds and excitement around Canal Park, but instead I struggled and strained all the way to the finish line. In the last mile coming around the DECC I remember thinking this is horrible…why did I sign up for this. Fortunately that has just motivated me to try to improve and execute better next time.

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

My wife and I have been experimenting with more of a plant based diet. We started by working a few meatless nights into our routine, then we moved to trying to stick to vegetarian meals during the weekdays, and have continued from there.

It has been a lot of fun to try new things and eat more vegetables…it also helps that my wife is an amazing cook, so all the meals have been delicious! While neither of us is ready to go all in and be 100% plant based, it has been a lot easier and more enjoyable than we expected so far.

Closing

Many thanks to Josh 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!