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Interview Transcript: Linh, New York, USA

26^th of July, 2016

M = Michael (Interviewer)

L = (Linh – Runner)

M: So, tell me how you first got into your sport of running?

 

L: I hadn’t been doing too much sport until two years ago. I started running when I started working on my start-up company as I was so stressed. Initially running was just for reducing stress. A few months in I found that, ok I actually enjoy running. It made me feel much better and I could regulate my sleep. I could wake up in the morning really early and it was really good in giving me a routine. I’d go out every day, go for a run, come back, eat breakfast then go to work. A few months in I really, really loved it and decided to sign up for the half marathon (New York) and signed up for the training plan. I followed the 8 weeks training plan and my first half marathon I did it in 1 hour 50 minutes. That was more than a year ago. So later after this I thought, why don’t I skip the next level and see if I can miss the marathon and go for an ultra marathon. So three months later I did that and finished the 60km in 6 hours 35 minutes, so I acquired the title, ultra marathoner.

 

M: Wow, congratulations! That’s amazing! Where was the ultra marathon?

 

L: It was actually here in New York. It was actually loop running, 7 or 8 loops or something like that around Central Park. When I get bored of road running I go to trail running. So once in a while I run on trails so I can explore different areas. Due to my work I travel a lot, well once every few months and I enjoy exploring different cities by running. Yeah, so road running, trail running and now I can comfortably say that when I’ve got the hydration backpack with me and my running shoes, I can comfortably go on for a few hours without any problems. The most recent I raced the marathon in New Jersey and I finished in 3 hours 45 minutes. So yeah, I’m like, running is good and looking into biking as well. I started biking about eight months ago. I don’t take it too seriously in terms of doing the triathlon – not until three weeks ago when I started thinking about learning swimming.

 

M: So you’re a tri-athlete in the making. You progression sounds great and I get a buzz when I hear who have just gotten into endurance sport. The physical benefits are great but I find the mental benefits too in terms of clearing your head, focusing on what you need to do in other areas of your life and just being a more positive person. I find doing early morning sessions really sets me up nicely for the day ahead and I think, ‘bring it on’.

 

L: I agree. Look at me know, I’m in my office but use a standing desk and it’s much better for the health.

 

M: Yes I’ve heard that. My wife uses one in her workplace and she says gets more done as well as the health benefits. We weren’t designed after all to sit on our arse all day. It’s not good for your back and overall health.

 

M: So tell me, you seem to have been bitten by the running virus, what are some of your goals as an endurance athlete in the coming months? Or do you have any longer term goals?

 

L: Sure, yeah. So I’m signed up for the New York marathon in November and my goal for that is 3 hour 30 minutes. I’m not sure I can do it but I can try at least. So that is the short term. Next summer I want to do the endurance running, which is 100 miles!

 

M: Wow, what kind of a climate and terrain in that in?

 

L: It’s around 20’000ft in elevation.

 

M: Ok, wow that sounds tough, but like with anything in our world, it’s all about getting sensible training in. It nice that you mix up the road and trail running. A lot of endurance runners I know are either pretty much exclusively in the trail runner camp or road running. I’m over generalising perhaps but the point being you have that nice combination.

 

L: That’s actually a very point because the inspiration for me to run is not mainly to get faster. I run because I like it, the mental aspect of it. I know the physical limit and I’m 32 already. I know I can’t run sub 6’ miles for a long time.

M: So what happens if you miss your alarm, or you miss a session for some reason? How do you feel?

 

L: I just had one minor injury last December. I got minor shin splints. I stopped running for two weeks and then it was fully healed.

 

M: Ok, what was the reason for the injury? Old running shoes, poor form, overtraining?

 

L: I didn’t go to the doctors for this injury. I did speak to my running coach and he said it was running the same route over and over. That was probably the main reason.

 

M: So you have a coach?

 

L: Yes, within the running club I’m with. There are three coaches between around fifty regular runners and I speak with my coach about once a week before we do the interval training or break out into the pace groups. One of the reason I joined this club is because they have a coach.

 

M: So coming back to the question on the injury. How did you feel during the time you couldn’t run?

 

L: When I’m injured and I need to respective my body. But I can’t wait to get running.

 

M: So finally coming to athlete identity, how important is that to you as part of who you are?

 

L: Two years ago nothing, but now a lot. I see it as something as a great conversation starter. For example, if we were not into sport and Strava, we wouldn’t be speaking to each other right now. Especially here in New York or the US, since I’ve been running and educating myself with running, there is a similarity and making the conversation easier. So coming back to identity, I was born and raised in Vietnam and came to the US to do my PhD studies. I consider my scientist, and avid runner and family man. These are the three things I consider myself.