Another “An Easy 10 with… ” where we get to know our fellow runners. Please welcome fellow twitter friend and fellow runner, Alex Bridgefoth:

Name: Alex Bridgeforth
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
Race History:
5k: 7 (PR 22:20)
10k: 2 (PR 46:33)
Half Marathon: 2 (PR 1:46:18)
Full Marathon: 2 (PR 4:10:18)

I started running… back in 2008 when I was recruited to join the Army ROTC program and play lacrosse at Grand Canyon University. However, I didn’t really start to enjoy and run outside the Army or lacrosse until January 2011. For the Army’s physical fitness test we have to run a two-mile time trial and for my age group I have to finish under 16:36 to pass. In January 2011 I finished at 16:30 and said I would never be that slow again. I figured, why not start marathon training, obviously, it’s a polar opposite type training compared to the two-mile event. However, I knew that if I could get the miles in for a marathon I could handle 2 miles without an issue. Since then my two-mile PR is 13:10 and it’s kinda stopped there because I still love the long distance rather than just training to get speed for my two miles.

When I’m not running… I am shopping, generally. I love going to my local co-op and checking out all the healthy stuff to eat. I am really a running shoe, supplement, and health food nut. I also love tracking my training and checking on others training online.

One time when I was on a long run… (which wound up being my first 50K training run) I had a couple of buddies all decide they wanted to go the marathon distance. I mapped out the course and loaded it into my iPhone. I was already planning on doing a 20 mi. long run, but Soldiers love to push themselves, so they challenged me to go the extra 10k with them. We were all supposed to me up at 0600 at the lobby of the hotel where I was staying. Only two of the three who said they were going to be there showed up. We waited 15 minutes and no phone call so we took off. About one and a half miles into the run I get a call from my friend,who had a bit too much to drink the night before, saying that he wanted to meet up with us somewhere. Luckily there was another hotel about a mile down the trail. We got there about five minutes before him. The three of us had a granola bar and just as we were about to sit down to wait he runs in with a Monster Rehab in hand, yelling I’m still drunk, let’s go. He then immediately turns around and heads out of the hotel leaving us behind. It was a pretty fun run, even though the end got very rough for two of the guys. Since the late comer had started a few miles later we left the others when they were finished and I decided to just run with him to his place. After he had completed his 26.2 I decided to go the extra three miles I had left to get to a 50k.

I choose to run without… music. I don’t really have an explanation, besides that I’m not allowed to listen to it when the Army tests us. Also, most of my friends laugh because whenever I invite them for most of my runs. They always ask at what pace will we be running and my response is almost always, at conversational pace. I just find it more relaxing to be able to chat with someone while we run than to have headphones blaring music in my ears. Also, I’ve kinda heard all my 90 bpm or 180 bpm songs a million times.

The question I am asked most about running is… either what kind of running shoes do you have or what do you think of minimal running. Both those questions will have me in a conversation for quite a while.

After an event or tough run… I always got to have pizza. It’s my one crutch and reward food.

Running is… my addiction. Personally I love every part of it. Everyone one of my classmates knew that I loved running and it was even turned into a joke at our final banquet that I was not allowed to talk about running. I love looking at new running shoes. Honestly, I see running as freedom. It costs almost next to nothing to start doing. I mean if your form is ok, then you could buy a pair of huraches for about $20 and some running clothes at the thrift store for about $10 and now you’re ready to run for $30. It’s a sport that anyone can do, all they have to do is put one foot in front of the other.

When I’m on the road… I either pray, sing songs in my head, think about my day, or make sure I’m breathing correctly. I also love being “that guy” that always says hello or how’s it going no matter who the stranger is.

I wish other runners would… run with better form and look to become more fit not just a faster runner. One thing I learned from playing lacrosse and now devoting much of my training to CrossFit endurance is that running a ton of miles only helps so much. I love to be stronger overall as well.  

If I could run 3-miles with someone famous, it would be… Dean Karnazes. The guy is a beast. I’ve actually had the chance to meet him and take a picture with him before. It’s a funny story; 3 of my friends and I were waiting for our marathon relay to start and Dean Karnazes just walks up to the water cooler about ten feet away from us. One of them knew how much I was inspired by Dean and pretty much forced me to get up and say hi. So we walked over and he was real nice. He loved our team name (Victory or Death) and was more than happy to take a picture with me (see photo above).

You can follow Alex on twitter at @alexbridgeforth or read more about his journey over at his blog: http://runningaddiction.tumblr.com/

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Thanks Alex. I also had the opportunity to meet Dean and he is a pretty cool dude. Totally approachable and willing to just talk with fellow runners. Thanks for sharing your story and wow, a 50k as an impromptu training run? Hats off to that one sir. Also, welcome to the FitFluential family. Nice to have another DUDEBASSADOR on board.

If you’d like to be a part of “An Easy 10 with…” please email me at pavementrunner@gmail.com.

What did you think of Alex’s “An Easy 10 with…” ?

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