Transcript
Speaker: All right. Welcome to the runner's podium. So honored and grateful to have Benjamin Sa on the podcast today. Ben is a running coach, ultra runner, real great leader in our running community here in New York City. I know at one point you did 22 marathons in 22 weeks. You know, you've done all kinds of crazy stuff, but really I just, I love your positive and motivational message on IG and and everything that you offer for runners out there. Thank you so much for joining.
Speaker: ah thanks ah Thanks, David, for the invitation. I'm so excited to to get the opportunity to keep spreading some positive um words out there and and more importantly, spread some so message a about running without you know getting ah in a lot of trouble, in a lot of injury situations. So hopefully we can change some minds about strength training and training smart today.
Speaker: Yeah, exactly. I see that's a big message from you is how to properly run and train for a marathon without injuring yourself and taking yourself out of the game. Yes, yes, yes, yes. It's it's it's something that I'm very passionate about because I know a lot of us, um we all run for some reason, right?
Speaker: And it's a very easily accessible sport um that we are fortunate to get into. So again, for me, my my goal is to try to help people do this in a way that it doesn't take them out of the game so they can continue to take advantage of running to fulfill whatever ah desire or whatever it is that got them to running to begin with. So if we if we do it right, we will have the ability to do it for as long as possible.
Speaker: That's what it is. Awesome. So yeah, in the podcast, we run through eight categories. And let's start with the first one, Benjamin. What were your top three most memorable running moments?
Speaker: That's ah it's a very good question. So I would say the first one will probably be my first ah run ever. My first race here in Central Park. So i had worked for New York Road Runners since...
Speaker: 2009 and I never knew what they were doing because I got in there with, um, did the entry background, so I didn't know what they were doing. So when I realized they were into racing business, I signed up for my first race. so that will probably be my first memorable running an experience, signing up for a race, showing up in Central Park. I believe it was a four-miler. I don't remember the exact name. And just being part of something, it it just changed the way I thought about racing or running, I would say, because you would think running is just...
Speaker: showing up and do your own thing. But when you're doing it with the whole lot of other people, um, there's something special about it. So that would be the first one. And the second one will probably be my first ultra marathon, my first 60 K that also happened in central park. Uh, and what made this special was because I hadn't run anything more than 18 miles.
Speaker: Uh, this was 2004, 2014, I'm sorry.
Speaker: twenty fourteen i'm sorry I haven't run a marathon, I haven't run anything more than 18, then I signed up for 60K and we showed up. um We learned the hard way, but we we found we found a way to get through it. And the reason why that that that was a special or memorable run is because of how we ended the race, right? We almost quit on it. We almost gave it up at at some point, but somehow we found a way to continue to run it and finished it. And I would say that was a turning point in my running experience because I i came to this conclusion that if I'm able to get through this run with all the pain that I was feeling and or the mental fight that I went through, I can conquer,
Speaker: ah in the other any other run and also bring it into my daily life. Like whatever I face in life, I'll be able to get through it. That is number two. And then the the last one will be my first New York City marathon. You know I have worked it for the last 10, 11 years and haeck having the opportunity to run it for the first time was such a memorable and an incredible experience. So those are the top three memorable runs for me.
Speaker: I love those, man. What about your top three ah running shoes, your go-to running shoes, race, maybe your daily trainers, whatever? um So i would say first, I wouldn't have a specific model, but I have used ASICS when I first started running. I used ASICS and then I moved on to to New Balance and then I ended up with ONS. Oh, nice. Yeah. So the reason is because um when I work at New York Road Runners,
Speaker: you know, the the sponsors were ACES at the time that I was there. So I get ACES shoes. So I found a way to make it work for me. And then New Balance came along and I got some New Balance. And then i had the opportunity to work with ON in some capacity. And i i had some I had the opportunity to use ON shoes. So ACES, New Balance, ON.
Speaker: um They all have great shoe options. So would say the most important thing is making sure whatever you go, go with comfort first and and and I guess the aesthetics next. So make sure it fit right, you feel comfortable in it and um and then go with the aesthetics. So those are the three.
Speaker: Nice. Yeah, I love New Balance. Yeah, New Balance are good. They have a whole other... a whole lot of different different options that I think anybody with any type of running form can get something that will fit them.
Speaker: All right. So it sounds like maybe your 60K first one applied to this, but what about your top three running moments that didn't go as planned? No. um Top three?
Speaker: i would say again, the 60K was the first one. um i I went in without proper training, I will be honest about that. um And i I finished it. um I had the strength to to go go into it.
Speaker: um But the amount of pain that I felt, I've never experienced i've never experienced it before. So it definitely didn't go the way I had planned. um The next one will be Berlin. About two years ago, i went there with a very ambitious goal. but In the middle of the training, I got a knee accident playing soccer with my son.
Speaker: I thought not I had got through it, but I showed up on race day. um I did what I wanted to do, nice and easy, the first half have have marathon, and then wanted to pick it up.
Speaker: ah the second half and my knees didn't want to budge. So I had to be be responsible. I had to listen to the body and then we pulled back and just had fun with it. So that was also a little bit disappointing, but I knew i'm I'm in this for a long time. So I pulled back, we respected the body, we came back home, did what what we had to do. And now we are on a positive um positive trend. And then the last one you asked for three, right?
Speaker: Yeah. The last one, let me think. What's the last one? Oh, the last one is a trail mountain racing. It's a trail mountain run. This was in um Switzerland. So ah had, I uh,
Speaker: Asian trail mix, I'm sure you've heard about them here. i was fortunate they invited me to the first trail mountain races in Utah. um And I joined them. I fell in love with the the format of that run.
Speaker: So I signed up for another one in Switzerland. This was when I was with Orn. And it's the most in the most painful shoulder distance I've ever ever run in my life. Because you're going up to the ski mountains,
Speaker: um to the peak of it and then you have to run down. So going up there, you you havet I haven't felt my muscle being pulled in the way that ran challenged my my body. So I would say the third one would be the the Engelberg Trail Mountain Racing with Cirque Series.
Speaker: Wow, it sounds epic though. It was amazing experience, but the deb view from up there was was beautiful. But to get up there, to get that view, you have to pay the price. Exactly.
Speaker: exactly What about your top three pieces of essential gear outside of shoes? Definitely shorts. I hate shaving, so I hate to shave. So, and unfortunately, I'm kind of have a different build. So for me, making sure you have comfortable, whether it's a long tight, it's something that is is comfortable. It's a long, short tight, long tight, something comfortable. So short is always, um
Speaker: an essential for me. um i would say hydration um gadget or water bottle, or something that you can comfortably hold on to.
Speaker: um i I don't like to run with a lot of things on me, so I'm very particular what I have in my hands. If it's too bulky, I find myself grabbing it too hard to a point that my shoulder that start to hurt from it. so Definitely comfortable shorts that will ah make sure you know, shaving, hydration, whether it's comfortable water bottle, or you can you can hold in your hands or you can wear around your waist that it's not It's not bouncing all over the place. and And I would say the most important one would be socks.
Speaker: um At least for me, i would say, because if your socks is not it's not breathable enough or it's not doing what it's supposed to be doing, then you're on a long run or a long race, it's going to be a very comfortable comfortable experience or a long day for you.
Speaker: So those are the top three. Shorts, water bottle, and for your hydration and socks for your feet. Gotcha, man. Okay, what about your top three running pet peeves, whether it's run culture or just about training or social media, anything like that?
Speaker: Top three, you said? I think super shoes are overrated. That is number one. I believe in stronger body and can take on whatever you throw at it. I would say get stronger first. So when I see people like you know going crazy about, oh, have you got these shoes? i know Can you get this this next one?
Speaker: For me, i I try to allow people to get in the moment and enjoy the shoes and everything. But in my in my opinion, I think super shoes overrated, I would say get your body stronger first.
Speaker: That is one. cole Number two, I think people overdo with carb loading. People go crazy with, you know, overdoing with the carb loading. um Like what you don't do during your training, i don't see the point of, you know, it's Friday night, Saturday night leading to race day on Sunday, like going crazy with all the pizza you can eat.
Speaker: you can find if you enjoy pizza enjoy pizza with your training you know for 16 weeks your body will get used to it so on on race weekend when you eat it your body say okay this is uh this is something we've been doing for 16 weeks 15 weeks however long you've been training so we can we can handle it not wait until like race weekend and go crazy with all the pasta and the rice and the pizza like that is another Another one and finally, think.
Speaker: Finally, um
Speaker: I think people are getting too fixated on all these six stars. Every now and then people say, have you run Boston? I said, haven't run Boston. People are just going too crazy with all these six stars. If you don't have the six stars, somehow you're not.
Speaker: you know, that you're not allowed to have any conversation about riding. So that is the third one. You know, you can be, I've been running since 2011 and I don't have a six star. So, so what um I see people come and go, um I'm still here. So you don't have to get too caught up with, you know, with six star. There's so many beautiful riding experiences out there. You can totally.
Speaker: you can take on and still be called a runner. So that's it. The majors are awesome, but there's many, many other incredible other races and marathons out in the world that aren't the majors. I hear you. There is a bit of a fixation. yeah And also I think for you, maybe a pet peeve, an honorable mention just from, I know like listening to you on socials is ah people thinking they have to ramp up their mileage too quick, right? That's something you warn runners a lot about.
Speaker: And it's ah it's all capacity, um but lord kapa load management situation when it comes to running. So always use um use this professional, African um professional runners, you know, they've been they've been, their body is somewhat conditioned for this ladder load.
Speaker: They've been running since they were born, if I may say. So their body is used to that. And then everyday person like me ah who work in the office um know never ran lot of mileage in their lives and then they sign up for marathon.
Speaker: and And so I'm going to start running five times a week or six times a week and and then continue with my normal life, you know, go have the happy hour, do this and do that.
Speaker: And then all of a sudden your body starts to scream at you, said what are you doing to me right now? you know I'm going to shut you down right now. So, yeah, yeah I don't think the the problem is a lot of mileage. I think the problem people have is lack of consistency.
Speaker: to stay consistent with the small rounds that they can do. Because if you can do just even two rounds per week and you keep doing it consistently and progressively over time, think consistency, lack of consistency, lack of patience is what causes a lot of problems because people are not patient enough to do those small rounds long enough to see the benefit of it.
Speaker: Because if you... Do two rounds per week, stay consistent with it, be patient with it long enough, you definitely reap some benefit. You will get stronger, you minimize any unnecessary injuries, and you get you get better at it.
Speaker: But if you overload yourself you know too much too soon, too fast too soon, then you get in trouble. Your body said, I don't like what you're doing to me. we're going to force you to to slow it down, enhance our injuries. And people say, running is not for me. No, running is for everybody. It's just how you're going about it is what's causing the problem.
Speaker: Yeah, you got to build that strong foundation. 100%. If you're not... if you know that If you're not, you know, I say you can do that, you know, go to the gym, you know, condition the body so the body has bigger capacity to take on all this running or so or stay stay patient and work at it long enough, you know, to reap the benefit. I don't, you know, i've I've seen a lot of people come and go. um and they all changed the six stars. They said, I want to get six stars in one year.
Speaker: So, okay, good luck. But if you just want to call it a career after your six stars, you can go for it. And again, I hate to sound negative, but I just want people to understand that the body It's a body, your tendons, your ligament, your bones, your joints, their capacity for everything. And if you go way above the capacity, something is going to break. you know So I hope people will hear us and turned down turn it down a little bit and stay present and keep working at it. And it's beautiful. like like For me, another thing, if I accomplish everything right now,
Speaker: then what is it that left for me to do you know next year and next month? you know So i'm yeah i'm just but I'm just enjoying the process. you know So every year there's something new I can i can tackle and you know that gives me something to work towards. you know The last one will be Boston. and i'm I'm waiting till I get a little bit more older so yeah now we can qualify.
Speaker: I hear you. What about your top three favorite races that you've run? That I've run so far? Definitely ah definitely New York City, the hands down. are berlin Berlin was amazing. and Then I would say the first Cirque Series, the the first trail mountain racing that I did in Utah. um believe it's Arthur, Utah.
Speaker: I've been seeing that beautiful. you know So those will be my top three. New York City just because of the energy. ah Berlin, similar feeling as New York, it's a different country. um And then Cirque Series is like... um The views when you get to this top of the mountain is something you see in in photos. And I didn't know anything like that existed in real life. So those would be my top three. Yeah, Utah is incredible. What about um that kind of dovetails in just your top three favorite places to run?
Speaker: who favorite places to run here in the city or- Anywhere in the world. Yeah. Whenever I travel, I try to Central Park. I would say I've done it too many times, so probably will not make the list, but um I will bring back the author Utah location again, those those two sections that I've run, one in Utah, one in Engelberg, Switzerland. Switzerland, yeah. ah Those were amazing. And then um the last one probably will go between
Speaker: a Let me think. Everywhere I go, I ran out. So I ran yeah on the street of um ah Prague, which I thought was incredible. Instead of tagging along with tour buses, I just put on my running shoes, put on my running clothes, and just ran to different um dear friend um tourist attraction in ah in Prague. So I would say those two, Cirque Series and then Prague. I also ran in um in Amsterdam when I was there. Berlin, when I was going to the Sheikha run, I didn't take the train. I ran through the city to get to the location. So I would say it's mostly the the
Speaker: The places outside New York City that I have gone to, but the top two will be the Cirque Series, ah Utah, Switzerland, and then Prague. Awesome.
Speaker: Yeah, it's the best way to see a city. I'm the same way. It's the best way to check out a city. Just put on your running shoes and go check it out. That is one of the benefits I was going to say of being being a runner or knowing how to ride, you know.
Speaker: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. What about your top three recovery tools or foods? When it comes to tools, honestly, I keep it on the very minimal. I'm not, um I believe in the simple stuff. um So I definitely do foam rolling. I believe i believe in foam rolling. A lot of people say it it doesn't make a difference, but the i I find it very, very beneficial, especially if you know what you're doing with it.
Speaker: If you're not running away from the pain it's causing you. It's definitely a very good tool for me that I use. ah In terms of um nutrition, um i would say i I use the nutrition. i'm ah i'm a big advocate of, you know, consuming.
Speaker: the right kinds of food, uh, because food is definitely medicine. Um, and, and if you, if you depleting your body, if you pushing your body hard with running or gym, I always, i always think you do yourself disservice a disservice if you are not replenishing with the right kinds of food.
Speaker: So what do what do I mean exactly by that? Just simple stuff, you know, ah fruit, vegetables, roots vegetable vi a other root vegetables. of root vegetables, so sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, um definite those kind of stuff and fruit. I love i love a lot of fruits. So mostly in the summer, if you watch, I eat a lot of watermelon ah for the hydration and also for the carbohydrates.
Speaker: Some days I can eat the whole watermelon, believe it or not. i wouldn't I wouldn't pinpoint one specific food, but I would say if the simple you can keep it, like those single ingredients we've all heard about, the simple you can keep it, I would say the better of ah for you. um My favorite would be... um In the summer, mostly watermelon. I eat a lot of papaya.
Speaker: I eat a lot of pears. And then the vegetables, mostly the the root vegetables, sweet potato, beets. I eat a lot of beets, especially when I'm training for for races.
Speaker: I'm not a big pasta person. So the night before a big long run, I would mostly get some sweet potatoes, um some beets with carrots.
Speaker: with it, that would be my go-to carbohydrate. I'm a big protein person too, so I'm getting my chicken in on a regular regular basis. I think I overdose on protein. um I supplement with some whey protein. I think we all know like after your hard workout, you want to make sure. But I consume a lot of animal protein that I i don't I don't even get need um the whey protein. Supplement, yeah. now We've covered so much. This has been amazing, Benjamin. Thank you. I'm wondering if you could just leave one last thought for runners out there.
Speaker: so running running is Running is a very powerful tool. um It's a very powerful tool for me. i don't want to lose lose the ability of not not being able to run personally because I know what they can do for you.
Speaker: um So I'm doing everything. So anybody listening to me, if running has done something for you mentally, physically, emotionally, i will protect it with everything you got. So that means do whatever you can do to not lose the ability because a lot of people are begging to get that one last run done in their lives. And so if you have the ability to do it, do whatever you can do.
Speaker: So you'll be able to continue to do it for as long as possible. Yes. Longevity. You heard it here. Benjamin Sa. Thank you so much for joining. For the listeners out there, definitely check out Benjamin on Instagram.
Speaker: Check out his socials. Follow him. Lots of great lessons. Thank you so much for joining, man. This has been amazing. thanks Thanks for the invitation and hopefully we can pick up some brand in the park. I know you and you are super fast, but i will try my very best to go off with you. Let's pick up some masks in the park very soon.
Speaker: Absolutely. And also I have to come listen to one of your music very soon. You know you are a very good guitarist. Thank you.
