By Andrea Scarberry
How many consecutive miles have you logged on your longest run? Three? Ten?
Twenty-six point two? How about one-hundred? You might think it sounds
outrageous, but it can be done! Just ask the JCC's own personal trainer and
ultra-marathoner, Gary Schancer.
Let's step back for a minute and start with the basics: Gary is a health and
fitness lover, with deep roots in his field of expertise. After spending 20
years in the Air Force and retiring, he studied at the University of New Mexico
and earned his Master's in Exercise Physiology. He then spent about 10 years
working as the chief exercise physiologist for the Air Force on Kirtland Air
Force Base. He trained the trainers that worked with the enlisted men and women
on base, and ran classes for those that didn't pass their physical fitness
tests. Eventually, Gary became a personal trainer for the JCC, and he's been
here helping members to achieve their health and wellness goals for the past 7
years. Aside from his position with the J, Gary is also one of 10 coaches for
Albuquerque's largest running group - Albuquerque Fit. They are currently in
their spring training season, with over 200 active participants coming out to
train each week.
I sat down with Gary to dig deep into his experiences as a runner - something
that is about much more than just exercise for him. Running is his hobby and
his passion; something that he truly enjoys. Get Gary talking about running,
and you'll be sure to learn a thing or two. I also have the suspicion that he
just might inspire you to give it a try yourself.
Gary has participated in EIGHTY-NINE races that were marathon length or
longer, and will be running the Boston Marathon this April to complete his 90th
long-distance race. (Side note: Gary also ran the Boston last year, and
finished about 20 minutes before the bombings occurred. We are so grateful that
he was in a safe location during this tragic turn of events.) Another
impressive fact worth mentioning - Gary has run a marathon distance or longer
race in all 50 states. His 50th race was the Atlantic City Marathon in Atlantic
City, NJ, which he completed in October of 2011.
I asked Gary what exactly an ultra-marathon entails. "The simple
definition of an ultra-marathon is any race that has a distance longer than a
traditional marathon. There are three typical distances for ultras - a 50k (a
little over 31 miles), a 50 miler, and a 100 miler. I've participated in all
three, and I like the 50 milers best." Most ultra-marathoners are running
to run - it's not fast-paced or competitive the way that marathon distance and
below can be (although that's not to say that there aren't some amazing
competitive athletes running these races - because there are!) Because you're
not pushing your speed to the limit, these races can often be easier on the
body than a shorter race can be. Trail running is easier on the joints than
road races, and the speed is much lower, so the impact isn't the same. Gary
went on to mention that some of these races have cut-off times of 30 hours.
First of all - can you imagine running for 30 hours straight? Second, imagine
all that running WITHOUT reaching the finish line before the cut-off time. It's
like you never even raced, and your finish time isn't recorded in the official results.
What an emotional journey!
I really enjoyed Gary's description of one race in particular - The
Leadville Trail 100 Run in Leadville, CO. Much of the route can only be traveled to on foot - you can't drive somewhere to see it, and Gary describes
the scenery as "breathtaking." It's also the highest elevation race
of its kind in the country, and one of the most challenging in the entire world.
This race has a 30-hour time limit, and with just eight rest stations along the
way, you run, rest/eat, repeat all day and all night (with flashlights during the dark hours!) until you cross that finish line. "The people that you meet along
the way on a run like this is all part of the experience," Gary says.
"I've run alongside people for miles and miles, shared my life story,
listened to them share theirs - I have made many lifelong friends through my
participation in these events."
With Gary's wealth of knowledge and experience in the running arena, I knew
he would have a word of advice or two for someone who would like to pick up
running. "The first thing I'll say is, running isn't for everyone. If you
hate it, there are so many other things that you can do to stay fit. With that
said, I think running is a great way to stay fit, because it burns a lot of
calories and it's good for your heart. I've seen running get people fitter,
faster, but only when they ease into it. No one can pick up running today and
run a marathon next week. Don't push yourself too much, or you'll end up with
an injury that will take you out of the game. Take care of little aches and
pains before they become big problems, and you can really be successful with,
and enjoy, running." There are several start-up running programs out
there, including the trademarked Couch to 5k, and the Run Walk Run method
created by former Olympic marathoner Jeff Galloway. Gary can't say enough good things
about these programs for beginners, and he is a true believer in their effectiveness.
Lastly, at the JCC, Gary uses a simple test called an "Anaerobic
Threshold Test." The test is performed on many of his runners, and is used
to determine a person's current fitness level and at what level an individual
should train for maximum efficiency. There's a lot of science behind it, but
basically, when you train in an aerobic state, you are burning mostly fat. In
opposition, when you train in an anaerobic state, you burn mostly
carbohydrates. Our bodies have endless stores of fat to burn as fuel, but very
few carbohydrates, as these diminish quickly. We can only train in an anaerobic
state for a short amount of time.
Back to the test - using a treadmill, Gary monitors a person's heart rate,
slowly bumping up speed/intensity by about ten heartbeats at a time, and uses
the "talk test" by having someone speak a few words to him. Once that
person gets to a point where they can no longer comfortably speak a sentence
without huffing and puffing for air, they have reached or exceeded their
anaerobic threshold. For optimum training performance and results, runners (and
other athletes!) can monitor their heart rates and try to stay in the zone just
below their anaerobic threshold. Sounds complicated, but it's really not, and
it's a very effective training tool!
Believe it or not, this post just scratches the surface of Gary and all of
his experience. I highly recommend chatting with him if you would like to hear
some really great stories about running, or if you'd just like some good advice
to get your own feet moving! If you are a member of the JCC and are interested
in setting up an appointment with Gary to test your anaerobic threshold, please
speak to a trainer or see the membership office. Thanks for reading, have a
healthy and happy week ahead!
