MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT Steve stenzel When did you start running and why?
I started running in high school. In P.E. freshman year, I ran a mile faster than a friend who was on the cross country team, and he told me to go out for track in the spring. I figured it could be something I could be good at. That spring, I went out and “trained” for track season by running down the gravel road where I grew up to “the corner” (and then I walked back home). That was a good workout that prepared me for track practice - “the corner” was a quarter mile away. I was shocked to hear the coach tell me to run TWO MILES on the first day of practice. It turns out that my singular quarter mile run didn’t really help my endurance all that much. Who knew?
Steve Stenzel. Photo by Neil Craigan Photography
Why do you run or what keeps you motivated?
What is your shoe of choice?
What do you consider to be your favorite distance/race?
What is your favorite quote?
Three reasons. First, I run to eat. Second, I love that deep burn in my chest after a long and/or hard run. Third, I get a sick satisfaction from filling up my training log. (I can’t be the only one, right?) I enjoy mixing business and pleasure. What I mean by that is I like races where food is involved. I’ve done two donut miles (four donuts/ mile) and four beer miles (four beers/mile). And, I even drove three plus hours to Iowa with my brother-in-law a few years back to run a Donut Run 5K. I ate 15 Krispy Kremes over the course of the race and actually finished first. (Take THAT, Iowa.) In terms of “normal” races, I like one milers, 5Ks and 10 milers. I don’t have a 10K PR that I’m happy with because that seems to be some sort of weird middle distance that I haven’t fully figured out how to conquer yet.
What is your best memory from a race?
I trained hard leading up to the TC 10 Mile in 2010 with the goal of breaking 60 minutes. Walking back to my family post-race after running a 59:05 is a feeling I’ll never forget. Now that I have two boys, I enjoy any race where I get to push one or both of them in the stroller. Last year, my boys and I were seventh at the MDRA Lake Johanna 4 Miler, and I ran an 18:20 5K Thanksgiving morning with the double stroller (only being beat by high school boys). And really all of 2012 was a fond memory. It was my best year of running, and that’s still the year with my most mileage (and half of my miles were with my son in the jogging stroller). Running so much in 2012 enabled me to win the MDRA Grand Prix series. I approached that year-long series as my “A” race for the year, which made the whole year feel different. I hope to race the Grand Prix again in a few years.
What does a typical week of training look like for you?
I get injured a lot. So, I can’t run more than three to four times each week. I swim and bike a lot, too, and enjoy competing in duathlons and triathlons (which gives my cross training a purpose). An ideal week is probably three runs (with one of them being longer and one of them being harder), two swims and two bike rides. And a decent amount of core/strength work mixed in, too. And lots of eating.
Right now, the Nike Zoom Structure. If I find them on sale or at the Nike outlet in Medford, I buy whatever I can find. I have three pairs at the moment. A ship is safe in a harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. William Shed
What are your interests outside of running?
Photography (I’m a photo professor at Hamline and I taught for six years at the U of M), cooking, eating and running around by the Mississippi River with my two young boys to tire them out.
What are your favorite pre- and post-race meals?
Pre-race: a Chipotle burrito with chicken, black beans, medium salsa, corn, extra cheese and some lettuce. Post-race: two Chipotle burritos with chicken, black beans, medium salsa, corn, extra cheese and some lettuce. But seriously, our family recently got a NutriBullet mini blender, and I really enjoy a smoothie post-workout. Frozen berries (blueberries and strawberries), a banana, a handful of spinach, some almond milk and a scoop of protein powder. (Jeez, that makes me sound like a hippie.)
What’s your bucket list/running goal for 2017?
For 2017, I want to race as injury free as possible and try to put up some points for my team (YWCA of Minneapolis Endurance Sports) at the USATF Minnesota events. Also, I was injured last year during duathlon and triathlon season, and I really want to race a few multisport races this year. I’m already registered for Cannon Falls Duathlon and Trinona Triathlon.
You often wear short or bright shorts when you race. Why? As I started getting better at running and triathlons, I got more “official” gear (like a nice Sugoi tri suit in about 2009). But then it started feeling too serious. So I started wearing “fun” things to lighten the mood and remind myself that this is just a hobby. I have 2 pairs of super short 70s-style running shorts, rainbow shorts with lightning bolts, pink plaid shorts, some green and orange shorts that almost appear nude, and some new full-length tights that are a little loud. My wife actually loves it because if she’s cheering me on at races, she can see me coming from miles away. MARCH/APRIL 2017
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