Ken Rideout resides life as one of the best model of himself. After combating an opioid habit, the “passion jogger” from Boston started coaching with a function in 2010, and he hasn’t appeared again since.  

Working has introduced the 51-year-old a wealth of medals in as far-flung locations as Tokyo, the place he got here first with a time of just below 2½ hours within the 50-54 class. In actual fact, in a 17-month interval, Rideout competed in London, New York, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, and the aforementioned Tokyo with out ever inserting lower than second place.  

M&F sat down with Ken Rideout  to seek out out what motivates him to cross the marathon end line. 

“I initially acquired into endurance sports activities as a method to cope with an opioid habit,” shares Rideout, who turned to medication as an escape from an nervousness ridden profession in finance.  

For him, the habit was extra about escaping his emotions reasonably than partying, and it took his participation in a rehabilitation program to lastly make him perceive that he was making an attempt to fill a void in a really self-sabotaging means. In distinction, operating turned a good way for Rideout to let off some steam in a extra constructive method and feels that it has change into a more moderen, extra optimistic habit to embrace.

In coaching for an Ironman competitors as a part of his need to get more healthy, Rideout realized that he had large potential as a runner. Then, proper earlier than he turned 50, that potential began to change into an plain actuality.  

“I received the Myrtle Seaside Marathon (end time 2:30) the day earlier than I turned 50,” he says. “I used to be completely happy to win however thought I might have run quicker. What I’ve come to appreciate over the previous a number of years is that the victory is nice, however the course of is the last word reward. I didn’t begin operating with a aim of successful races. I began operating with a aim of being wholesome, each mentally and bodily.” 

Ken Rideout Controls the Variables for Persistently Nice Runs

Nonetheless, there’s a distinction between coaching for an area marathon, versus travelling internationally for one, just like the London Marathon for instance, the place he got here second however accomplished with a time that was one minute quicker than his first place Boston Marathon effort.  

“I prefer to get to worldwide races at the very least per week previous to the race, to get my circadian rhythm aligned with native time at race,” says Rideout. “I’ll additionally attempt to management as many variables as attainable equivalent to weight loss program, coaching and sleep. On the identical time, I attempt to mimic the routine that I keep when coaching at residence.”  

When it comes to coaching, Rideout isn’t your typical runner. He has a blocky, muscular construct from years of lifting weights, however he feels with some justification that energy coaching has helped him to change into quicker. “I practice with weights three to 4 days per week, often within the night” he shares.

He provides: “I run very first thing within the morning. My typical train routine consists of pullups, bench press; incline and flat, barbell and dumbbells, all the time various the routine barely. I do situps, numerous kettlebell workouts, in addition to variations of squat workouts for my legs. I believe the energy work I’ve completed has helped my physique to remain sturdy late in marathons the place most individuals begin to break down and it has additionally helped me to soak up and get better from the miles that I’ve put in with operating.”  

Rideout believes that everybody ought to be figuring out in an effort to obtain longevity. “I assume it’s best to maintain your bodily and psychological well being like your life relies on it, as a result of it does,” he says. “To me, that everybody ought to be performing some type of cardio and resistance coaching. I don’t know that my coaching program is true for everyone, nevertheless it works for me.” 

Rideout says that he’s feeling nice. Round 5 years in the past he was concerned in a motorcycle crash that required surgical procedure on his hip, and he’s additionally had shoulder surgical procedure on account of falling within the snow, however he says that other than the same old aches and pains that almost all runners can relate to, he has no intention of slowing down. “There’s one thing rewarding about experiencing some soreness,” he says. “It makes me really feel alive and jogs my memory that I’m competing in life, not simply collaborating. There’s an enormous distinction between competing and collaborating.” And, when Rideout does undergo from muscle spasms or tight hamstrings, the gold medalist says that easy restoration strategies like stretching, warmth, ice, and the percussion therapeutic massage gun work wonders. 

Ken Rideout Makes use of the Proper Dietary supplements and Footwear to Get to the End Line

Relating to footwear, Rideout wouldn’t be with out his Reebok Floatride Power X trainers. “The Floatrides present the proper stability of cushioning, help and extra importantly, responsiveness,” he says. “The cushioning and help actually assist to maintain me wholesome after I’m logging 100-mile weeks, and the responsiveness is nice after I’m doing pace or tempo work.”

As for dietary supplements, Rideout takes a protein and carbohydrate shake put up run, daily, for restoration. He additionally drinks Athletic Greens and creatine. “I additionally take a each day multi-vitamin and fish oil,” he says. For help with sleeping, Rideout likes to take a Sleep Pak containing magnesium and theanine. He additionally likes to eat some beef bone broth each day. “Clearly, I believe all people ought to train regularly, however significantly recovering addicts,” he shares. “Coaching and bodily exercise can function an important distraction from medication. Bodily exercise can even change into a supply of pleasure. One factor most addict’s expertise is a large sense of disgrace and self-loathing and getting match may also help restore self-confidence.”  

So, whether or not you’re coping with your individual private points, or simply want an inspiration like Rideout that will help you lace-up these sneakers, the marathon champ has a remaining phrase for you: “Get busy residing, or get busy dying! You don’t should run marathons, however it’s best to completely be performing some type of cardio and resistance coaching regularly.” Bought it? We’ll race you to the gymnasium!