Tell us a little about yourself…
I’m a New England native transplanted to Hawaii for work and play – my wife Briana and I moved to Oahu in 2015.
How long have you been running?
I’m relatively new to running. I ran my first marathon in 2010 and have steadily been setting and chipping away at running goals since then.
Please list your favorite races and PR’s
Favorite Races:
-The next one for what it may bring
-The HURT 100 for the ohana
-The Marine Corps Marathon for getting to run through historic locations
-The JFK 50 for its history in ultra-running
PRs
-Half marathon: 1:25:35 (Mizuno half)
-Marathon: 3:09:36 (Honolulu Marathon)
-50 mile: 9:35 (JFK 50)
-100 mile: 23:35 (Santa Barbara 100)
What are your 2017 Racing plans and running goals?
-Finish HURT 100
-Complete another 100 – TBD
-Peacock 50-miler
-Tantalus Triple Trek
-Maybe break my half marathon PR
-Maybe linking the Ko’olau Range in one effort (Pali to Makapu’u Pt)
-Maybe running the Oahu perimeter again but faster and lighter than my first attemp
Any “bucket list” races?
-Hardrock 100
-Western States 100
-Vermont 100
-Badwater 135
-Run a 5k (never done one)
What is your average weekly mileage?
In 2016 I averaged 9.5 miles per day, so that’s about 66 miles per week.
What is your favorite workout?
Tough question: I love doing sunrise laps around Diamond Head that end with a swim in the ocean, an early morning HURT loop, sprinting at the track, steep hill repeats, or getting up to the Kealia trail at sunrise to see skydivers dropping from planes while I run.
Favorite pre-race/post-race foods
Pre-race for me is pretty bland – usually a cliff bar or gel, coconut oil, and coffee.
Post-race I pretty much raid our refrigerator for whatever looks good. After a 100 I usually can’t eat for a while and wait until the next day or late that night. The morning after HURT this year I made a huge plate of scrambled eggs, vegetarian sausages, toast, an avocado, and coffee.
What is the piece of running gear/food/drink that you cannot go without?
-Gu Roctane powder – Grape flavor
-Hoka Challenger ATRs – I ran all my trail runs on Hoka Challenger ATRs in 2016 and had no blisters or hotspots the whole time.
-Trislide – For all your chaffing needs.
-Injinji socks are also great
What is your favorite running moment or running quote?
My favorite running moment is finding that flow state where your mind is empty and you’re solely focused on moving along the trail. Another one is bouncing back from a low point in a long run or race and suddenly feeling that second, third, or fourth wind.
Running quotes:
Everybody wanna be a body builder, but don’t nobody wanna lift no heavy ass weights. – Ronnie Coleman
I sort of translate it to running as: Everybody wanna be an ultra-runner, but nobody wants to run all these damn miles.
Describe your running before HRL and after
Before running with HRL I was lacking consistency, development, and an overall plan. Mike took a hard look at my running history and tailored a plan that has been able to help me meet and exceed every one of the running goals I’ve set. It’s really hard to remember my running before working with HRL. It’s been a big change at both the short and long distances.
Why does training with Hawaii Running Lab work for you?
Mike’s background is with elite athletes that are shooting for Olympic trials and national championships. Most runners never become good enough to gain access to coaching at that level, but that’s the type of expertise Mike is bringing to runners of any stage in their development. For me, as an average runner with big goals and a decent work ethic, it has really paid off.
Do you have an Instagram/twitter handle that you would like us to include with your profile?
Twitter: @JeffeFrank
Instagram: @JeffeFrank
Anything else that you would like to add?
Running with HRL means running with the HRL ohana as well. When my wife and I moved to Hawaii we didn’t know anyone, but after a couple months running with HRL and meeting people in the running community, we found that every time we stepped out the door for a run we bumped into other runners we knew through HRL. It’s a great community of supportive and positive people.
Photo credit: Kalani Pascual