Jared Ward- We Are All Just Trying to Be the Best We Can Be

My guest today is statistics professor and humble Olympian Jared Ward. He's one of the best pacers in the world, and on today's podcast we're going to find out how we can start training to pace our races as perfectly as he does. Jared wrote his Master's thesis on pacing, and he's sharing some of his insider information, tips, and tricks for how we can start managing our perfect pace. One of his biggest pieces of advice is how he uses each running season to improve and learn new techniques. As runners, we know that with every race we are testing our limits and learning something new about ourselves, and Jared's got this learning down to a science. So get excited! Here are some of the topics we'll discuss today: The rewards of marathon training Jared's trick for getting into the zone Jared's thesis on how to have successful pacing What it's like to qualify for an Olympic team How to run well in hotter temperatures Questions Jared is asked: 3:15 What excites you about marathons? 4:10 Tell us about your success and your background as a runner 5:14 What's your experience with running marathons? 8:23 What made you to decide to keep teaching instead of running full-time? 9:46 Can you handle the idea of just being a runner? 11:52 How has life changed for you as a running celebrity? 15:20 What inspired you to write your Master's thesis on pacing? 18:08 What did you find out about successful pacing? 23:40 Do you have any pacing tips for runners? 27:35 Do you use a watch when running? 29:22 Do you ever have moments of doubt while running? 33:20 What do you tell yourself when you're hurting while running? 36:35 How epic it did feel to cross the finish line at the Olympic qualifiers? 37:31 What was the Rio Marathon like? 40:09 Does your Olympic experience influence how you feel about your race abilities? 41:00 How did you train for your Olympic qualifier? 43:10 How can you run so well in the heat? 46:06 What's your advice for high temperature runners? 48:30 What shoes do you train and race in? 51:00 Are you more or less sore after your races? 52:05 How do you manage to keep your family a priority? 55:05 What it's like having a massage therapist for a wife? 55:42 What do you have planned for the future? 58:27 The Final Kick Round! Quotes by Jared: "I've mostly been blessed to never have a season in running that hasn't been better than the season before." "I fell in love with the marathon before I raced it. I loved the training." "Trying to harness the trick of getting into the zone and racing so something magical can happen." "A marathon is more a race of me vs. me more than me vs. the people around me." "It's more about maintaining a consistent metabolic rate than it is about maintaining a consistent pace." "Your body is always going to be your best gauge." "It's just so critical to get in as much hydration as possible." "Never cash out long-term success for short-term success." Take a Listen on Your Next Run Want more awesome interviews and advice? Subscribe to our iTunes channel Links: Jared Ward Running Co Runners Connect Temperature and Pace Calculator Saucony Type A (Jared's racing shoe) women's version (Use coupon code TINA for 10% off at Saucony.com) Saucony Kinvara (Jared's training shoe) women's version Saucony Zealot (Jared's training shoe) women's version Saucony Triumph (Jared's shoe for tired/sore days) women's version Saucony Life on the Run Men's clothing and Women's clothing Jared on Twitter Running with the Buffaloes by Chris Lear We really hope you've enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top. The best way you can show your support of the show is to share this podcast with your family and friends and share it on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media channel you use. If more people who know about the podcast and download the episodes, it means I can reach out to and get through to the top running influencers, to bring them on and share their advice, which hopefully makes the show even more enjoyable for you! -- Thank you to our sponsors for supporting Run to the Top Enter to win a FREE 6-Pack of Perfect Amino from BodyHealth Use coupon code TINA for 10% off at Saucony.com