2023 is here in full swing and a lot of GRIT athletes are working hard towards spring goals. One of our runners, Perry, is starting the year off with his first 50 miler on January 21st at the Southern Tour Ultra in Wilmington, NC. Perry got connected with GRIT Endurance through our local running club in New Bern, NC when I overheard him talking about training for his second 50K. A cool fact about Perry is that he jumped straight into the ultra community, without ever doing a road race or marathon (even a half marathon, until recently). He also does some pretty amazing art work making portraits with oil pastels. Here is my interview with Perry:
What are you currently training for?
My first 50 miler coming up in a couple of weeks.
What is your favorite running snack?
I really like tailwind nutrition endurance fuel. I also like untapped Maple syrup waffles
What is your favorite post race meal?
A giant burrito!
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a software engineer that lives in NC with my wife and three kids. My hobbies (other than running) are drawing, painting, and wrestling with my kids.
How did you get started on your running journey?
I ran when I was in the military but stopped when I got out of the military in 2011. January of last year I started running again for general health and fitness reasons.
What keeps you motivated?
Signing up for races. When I started running again, the first thing I did was sign up for a 50k race. That kept me motivated to train because I knew I had a deadline.
Do you have a mantra or quote that keeps you going?
"One step at a time" has got me through some dark places! Also "I get better the further I go" has helped.
If you could give advice to another athlete what would it be?
Hire a coach if you wanna get serious gains! Make sure to rest and go easy from time to time as well!
What is your favorite workout in the program so far?
I was able to get in a 50k training run with coach and another friend. It was laid back and fun, I like running with other folks!