This is the twenty-ninth 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 was born and raised in Pike Like, graduating from Proctor High School where he was a three sport athlete (football, hockey, and baseball).
He went on to graduate from the West Point Military Academy in New York, and then was stationed in Germany for over four years, where he met his wife while in Italy. He has been a teacher in Hermantown since 1999, currently teaching world history to seniors…today’s guest is Craig Peterson!
Interview
Why is running important to you? What keeps you motivated when you don’t feel like heading out the door for a workout?
My amazing wife, Andrea, died of systemic sclerosis (probably triggered by Lyme disease) in April of 2018. I always thought that she was invincible, but suddenly, I was a single parent of six. Physical exercise, especially playing hockey and running, really helped me both escape and grieve. And getting away from the kids a little helps keep me sane.
My daughter, Addie, who runs track and cross country, said that I should run the half marathon for my fiftieth birthday. I thought that that was a good challenge so I signed up and started running a bit during Christmas break of 2018. I read a book called “Younger Next Year” which explained what happens to our bodies if we don’t exercise as we age – that really scared me and motivated me to get going. The authors conclude, among other things, that at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, six times per week is the magic bullet that will eliminate most chronic disease and drastically improve our quality of life as we age. That was enough for me.
I also read Scott Jurek’s “ Eat and Run.” I had bought the book for Addie previously because she was a runner and she had not heard of Scott Jurek. I told her that if she is a runner from this area, she has to know about Scott Jurek. The book inspired me and made me more interested in trail running – especially the mentally tough aspects (“not all pain is significant”) and Jurek’s emphasis on the spirituality of running through the woods.
What are the top two or three things that you do to prevent injury? Have you been susceptible to certain injuries in the past?
At first I was worried that running might be hard on my body but I found the opposite to be true. My aches and pains all went away when I started trail running. My knees, ankles, core, and lower back all felt BETTER! Motion is lotion as they say, and I believe that to be true!
I also think cross training is really important: I’ve played a lot of hockey the past few years, I do a core/running maintenance workout, and I have a rowing machine in my garage. I’m sure that working muscles in different ways really helps. I’ve had a couple of minor injuries that haven’t stopped me from running – I went to Malcolm Macaulay and he fixed me with stretches and exercises.
Who is in your running support group (training partners, people to bounce ideas off of, etc.)?
I have run with a lot of different people and it is fun to learn about different aspects of running from different runners. I sometimes talk with my old Army buddies about running and I’ve learned a lot from working with Kyle and Greg at the Duluth Runner as well. My daughter Addie pushes me to go faster and farther than I should sometimes.
When/what is your next race?
I’m not really sure given the circumstances, but I tentatively plan to run the virtual Grandma’s Half with a friend and hopefully the Harder Than Heck Half again.
What do you think about while you run?
I guess that I think about just about anything: family, friends, teaching, my body, hopes, dreams, and what I’m going to eat/drink when I’m done running! Sometimes I sing Army cadences to myself – I sort of miss running in formation, keeping in step, and singing funny/motivational songs.
Do you prefer roads or trails, and why?
Trail running is easier on the mind and body. I don’t get bored and going up and down and side-to-side utilizes different muscle groups. Also, there is just something primal about running through the woods that makes me able to run harder and longer. I also like the sights and sounds and smell of the forest.
Since moving I have discovered the Fish Lake area trails: they have elevation, gigantic pine forests, rivers, ponds, deer, bald eagles, and I rarely see other people (sometimes I run with my daughter or my neighbor). I’m incredibly fortunate to have this right out my back door! I also ran on the frozen lake alone or with friends during the sunrise and the conditions were often perfect. I never imagined that running on a frozen lake could be such a glorious experience.
What is your most memorable race or running achievement?
Other than running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, I would say the Harder Than Heck Half was my best race. It was about 60 degrees and sunny and I really felt alive and mentally and physically strong on that day. It was fun and I felt a real sense of accomplishment.
Name one racing experience you would like to forget (please describe).
I haven’t raced very much but my non-runner son, George, smoked me in the Pike Lake 10K and I had to pay him 50 bucks, I think… but that was really a fun race, too!
What is something non-running related you would like to share with readers?
I loved all of my years of coaching but it made it much harder to find the time to exercise. I haven’t coached for a few years and I’m in much better shape. Incidentally, when I was coaching middle school football years ago, I tried to recruit a 7th grade Kyle Schmidt to be my running back but he very confidently told me that he would rather go to state in cross country than play eight football games. (Editor’s note: although I can laugh about this now reading it, unfortunately, I actually said this way back when…wow, embarrassing!)
Closing
Many thanks to Craig 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!