Sixty-year-old Banker, the author of “The Marine Corps Marathon: A Running Tradition,” has run in that race 26 times.
So I take it you’ll be running on Sunday?
Yes, it’s going to be my 27th time running it. Since I just [ran] the Army 10-Miler, this week training has been almost near zero. I just finished my 78th marathon on Oct. 2. This is a tuneup race for me … for the JFK 50-miler next month.
What have you learned about running over the years?
I was doing all the wrong things right — [I] wasn’t drinking enough water — I … thought I could just go out there and run. Everything I wasn’t supposed to do, I was doing.
Do you have any advice for first-time MCM runners this weekend? One thing I didn’t go by … the “run-walk method.” A lot of people [believed] you had to run the whole thing — you couldn’t walk any of it. I have since learned that you can walk a couple minutes each mile, and that can make a big difference. When they go through their water stop — don’t run through [them]. Grab a cup of water and walk and drink it. I’ve run in 78 marathons, and I just started doing it about five [races] ago.
So even seasoned veterans can learn new things? Of course. I think even the seasoned runners — every runner is so focused on doing the physical aspect of it … and that’s all well and good. But I’ve asked people the question, “Have you been training your mind to handle all of this?”
Any other tips? I think even the seasoned runners will tell you: The marathon starts at mile 20. It’s those last six miles that can break you. For the first-timer, I say, forget about your time, because that’s what will get you into trouble. For the first one, hey, just run it to see what it feels like.
– David Sherfinski
— David Sherfinski
