How a Previous Marathoner and Running Dad Keeps Himself Motivated as He Approaches Age 50 and Beyond
Vince Santucci is a 43-time marathoner, ‘running dad’, working professional, and an individual full of contagious energy. He joined us on The Running After Age 40 Podcast to share his wisdom. If you are a running dad or runner trying to balance all the things, you will want to listen to the entire episode for all the details.
Currently, Vince puts 100% into his family, including his high school age daughter. The previously competitive runner admits that it has gotten tougher to keep up with running motivation as he gets older and busier. However, he commits to daily exercise and wellness as he knows their importance in his life.
Vince believes that running can provide you with ‘clarity of thought’.
Vince Got Started Running and Eventually Became an Experienced Marathoner.
Starting out, Vince ran for for just general health in pharmacy school. After getting married in 1999, he took up running just to keep his weight at a healthy level- nothing competitive. In fact, he remembers going jogging in sweats an high tops with no knowledge of appropriate training or nutrition.
He notes that he met a group of pharmacists that were marathon runners. He laughs as he recalls being the one asking, “How long is a marathon”?
When he found out it was 26.2 miles, he took on the challenge and his friends helped him out. Long story short, his running career included 43 marathons and over 250 different road races in total. Like many runners, he remembers getting a little OCD and always looking for a race or a marathon for about 20 years. He also had the pleasure and the privilege to coach grammar school kids in cross country for about 12 years (his daughter was part of that).
"How long is a marathon?"
Vince's proudest running moments were the races with the toughest conditions.
Vince noted several proud moments from running. Referring to himself as a sub-elite marathon runner, he notes how qualifying for the Boston Marathon 11 times means the most to him. He remembers the Nor’easter back in 2007 and the challenge of the super strong headwinds.
He explains how marathon training is truly a journey and how breaking the 3 hour marathon barrier was another huge personal accomplishment.
Running is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears- just like life.
Vince started to struggle with slower times and frequent running injuries as he got older.
Initially, Vince got extremely frustrated with his slower times and felt like he couldn’t believe the slow down was happening. He tried to fight, fight, fight through it and work even harder. Just like hitting the marathon wall, Vince realized he was going against a wall of aging.
He describes how he learned to set new goals and find different ways to keep moving.
Currently, Vince still runs approximately 40 miles per week. Basically, he finds real benefit in getting out and running 5 miles a day or more. He knows he needs to increase his weight training for the future. He’s slowed his running pace and is okay with that – for him, it’s about starting the day with a run and feeling the mental clarity that running provides.
Vince now runs more for general health and the mental benefits he gains from training.
Vince now runs to keep his blood pressure down and for overall health reasons. As a running dad, he even has done a few races with his daughter. For you new to running, he recommends:
- Laying your workout clothes the night before
- Finding a simple program to follow
- Getting an accountability partner or group
- Visiting a running store and get fitted for proper shoes
A Few of Vince's Recommended Running Resources:
Vince recommends Runners World as the best runner magazine and a great place to gather up to date information. He also believes in using a running journal or runners training journal to track mileage and progress.
