IT'S ABOUT LIFESTYLE
Brian Lenzmeier
Aug. 24, 2011
Details: Associate Professor of Biology at BVU, husband and father
Goal: Run the 2011 Jump Right In and Run half-marathon in less than 100 minutes
Q. How did you get started running?
BL: I started running in 7th grade. I wanted to do a sport and the choices were cross country and football. I hated playing football so I went with running. I continued running through the end of my college years at St. John’s in Minnesota.
Q. What made you get back into running? When did you start running again?
BL: I wanted to improve my fitness level and lose some weight. I did not do much of any exercise between the ages of 24-39 and I put on a lot of weight because of poor eating habits. I started eating better and walking in June of 2009 and I transitioned to running in January of 2010.
Q. How have you progressed? I see you ran the Jump Right In and Run 5K in 21:31 last year. How long did you train to get that result? How fast are you running a 5K now?
BL: I’ve gone from being exhausted after walking a 5K in 65 minutes to now running a 5K in under 20 minutes. It basically took me 2+ years of walking/running and losing nearly 100 pounds to get to where I am today.
Q. What’s your goal for this year’s race? (Half-marathon, correct?) Are you training for any longer distance races?
BL: I am running my first half marathon in the Jump Right In and Run event. Since I’ve never run a half marathon race before, I just have no idea what I am capable of time-wise. Based on the times I’ve run on 13 mile training days I hope to finish in less than 100 minutes. I really like the 5K and 10K distances so I’m pretty sure the half marathon will be the longest race I choose to run.
Q. Why running? What do you do on “off days?”
BL: Running is a great for relieving stress and for giving me un-interrupted time to think about my research and teaching. On “off days” I try to get in 8-10 miles of bike riding with my two sons. “Off days” in the winter typically are prompted by those wonderful mornings where one has the opportunity to move large amounts of snow around their driveway for exercise.
Q. How has running/exercising changed your relationships/attitude/outlook?
BL: I feel a lot better about my health and well-being. My wife Betsy has been so supportive of my exercising and has always been great about preparing healthy meals for our family. I feel like I am setting a better example for my children who seem much more interested in exercising and eating well. I also feel like I am setting a better example for my students at BVU of the importance of being fit intellectually as well as physically.
Q. Has running affected your work or your daily routine? How?
BL: It has not affected my work routine much other than I get up a little earlier in the morning and go to bed a little earlier at night. It is a great way for me to start the day. I wake up, get in my run, and then I have the whole day for personal and professional pursuits.
Q. How do you overcome the times when you just don’t want to run? Or times when schedules don’t lend time/opportunity?
BL: When I “don’t feel like running” I just force myself to put my shoes on and get out the door and get in at least 4 miles. I listen to what my body is telling me. On those days when I don’t feel like running it is probably because I am physically tired so all I need is a slow short run and to get better sleep that night. When my schedule gets too busy to get in a run I often find myself thinking about the next day and figuring out where my run will fit into my schedule.
Q. What motivation can you share with other runners?
BL: I read a quote in Running Times magazine this past spring that had a big impact on me. “Get out and run--you’ll never feel guilty when you go to bed having run that day.”
UPDATE: Lenzmeier ran the 2011 half-marathon in 1:29:09.82 which completes his goal of running the 13.1 miles in fewer than 100 minutes. Lenzmeier placed second in his age category!