Mark T. Jackson
I am an accidental ultrarunner. I don’t even really call myself an ultrarunner, but since I run ultras, the name makes sense. I used to be fast. Then I was fat. Then I started running again. I run because it keeps me fit and healthy and thin. It keeps my mind off of things. It focuses what’s important. When you run an ultra it breaks down life into a few very simple elements: move, eat, drink, repeat.
I live in very flat coastal Florida where the two seasons vary between warm and hot, wet and dry, and the terrain varies between sandy, underwater, and paved. I take running seriously… I think you must if you’re going to have a hobby that includes running 100 miles, some of it in the dark. I also take beer seriously and, oftentimes, wine. Running is useful in justifying those hobbies.
I’ve been running ultras for about five years and I’ve run a lot of big, organized races like Vermont 100, Tahoe 100, Keys 100, the Mountain Masochist 50+, Bel Monte Endurance Run 50, and others. I am a huge fan of the local races, which are mostly what we have in Florida: Wickham Park 50, Croom Zoom 100k, John Holmes 50k, Ancient Oaks 100, and the Croom 50. I don’t win any races, but I’m usually pretty consistent at around 9 hours or so for 50 miles and somewhere south of 24 hours for 100 miles. Not elite by any stretch of the imagination, but solidly towards the front of the middle of the pack. I have a lot of DNF’s, none of which I’m particularly proud, but all of which have taught me much about what I did right, what I did wrong, and provided a solid, heady dose of humility. And screw it, at least I tried.
I’m a Gemini. I like to walk up hills. I like long, slow runs at dusk. My nicknames are “T-Bone” and “Action”.
The podcast is a great idea and I’m flattered to be a part of the team. I’m a normal dude living a normal life. I just so happen to run really far for fun.