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Marathoner Clint Verran Running to Win at Detroit
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Professional Marathoner Clint Verran
Michigan native Clint Verran is running home.
Expect to see the veteran elite distance runner at the front of the pack at the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon on Sunday, October 19.
Running Detroit will be like coming home for Verran, who ran his first marathon right here in Detroit in 1998. Eighteen marathons (including a second place finish at Boston in 2002 and a personal best of 2:14:12 at Boston in 2006) and several U.S. Olympic trial appearances later, Verran is ready to pound some familiar ground.
And make no mistake – Verran is running to win.
I caught up with him this week to learn more about what he anticipates for Sunday’s event.
What’s your goal for the Detroit Marathon?
My goal is the event record of 2:13:07, which was set my Greg Meyer in 1980. That’s an event record, not a course record. The race is different now, though.
How so?
Back then, they didn’t run over the Ambassador Bridge like we do now. Over 26.2 miles all the little things add up, the terrain, weather and wind. Also the competition. The better the competition, the better the chance you have to run a fast time. But I’m very familiar with the course. I was a graduate student at Wayne State University and have done a lot of running downtown.
Any favorite spots?
One of my favorite places to run is Belle Isle. Also the river walk on the Canadian side – that’s a nice place to run.
What sort of weather are you hoping for?
My perfect running weather is exactly what is being predicted – a low of about 40 and a high of 55. Really the key with the Detroit race along the river is the wind. The best thing for a fast time is low winds, and this race is famous for having high winds along the river.
Are you doing anything special this week to prepare?
I’ve cut my training in half and I’m getting as much sleep as possible. I was in bed by 8:00 last night, so I got about 10 hours of sleep last night. That’s one of the most important things for me. On the last few days, I’ll focus on getting lots of carbs in my diet through pasta, rice and grains to fuel up.
What about during the race? Are you a Gu guy?
I’m more of a Gatorade person. I like to drink my calories during the race. I’ve never really messed around with Gu packets or eating solid foods during a race. I’m pretty good at storing energy, so I’ll make sure my tank is full and I’ll top it off at the start. I’ll probably take in about 64 ounces of Gatorade during the race.
How is running the Detroit Marathon different for you now compared to ten years ago?
My body has changed a bit. Being 33 instead of 23, I need a bit more recovery in my training. I need to be smarter and can’t run every single day like I did when I was 23. But from a cardiovascular standpoint, I’m stronger now than I was when I was 23.
Clint Verran is a certified physical therapist with a sports medicine practice in Lake Orion, Michigan. Visit his website: http://www.runguru.com/
Check out these other interviews with Clint Verran:
For more info:
Check out “A Brief Chat with Clint Verran” by Peter of Runner’s World.
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