This is the first in what will hopefully be an endless series of interviews with everyday runners just like you and me.
Why? Because I believe if you are a runner you are an everyday hero – it doesn’t matter whether you are just starting out or have been running for years. I believe every person can go through the same feelings, emotions, experiences as even the most famous runners and you all deserve some shine and limelight, you deserve to feel good. I hope this in turn will make others feel good, and we can all come together, recognise our struggles, share and laugh about the good and bad.
So, it gives me great pleasure to welcome my first guest to the fell run blog, Mike Swanson.
Mike, tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from, who you are, that kind of thing?
I’m Mike Swanson, from northern Minnesota, near Lake Superior, USA. I’m 47, I used to be a full-time web developer at a regional ad agency. It was stressful, people were often jerks. As of a couple years ago, I was lucky enough that my situation allowed me to be able to switch to part-time freelance work. Faced with having a bit more time on my hands, I started doing my YouTube channel, @RunWithMike. It’s still firmly in the embryo stage of building an audience. I’ve learned so much from doing it, and I’ve gotten so much out of the creative part of the experience that, even if it only appeals to a very small number of people, I still want to keep the channel going.
I think a lot of people are feeling the pressures of modern life, running is such a great escape from all that. I love what you are doing with your YouTube channel, and I hope you do really well with it.
How long have you been running and what made you start running?
I didn’t really start running at all until I was in my early 20s – likely just out of boredom at the time. I probably didn’t get “serious” about it until my 30s. Seriousness, of course, being very relative, as I’ve never been anything resembling competitive. But I did enter a road marathon at some point and really enjoyed the challenge of pushing myself. We moved up to northern Minnesota in 2010 and the trail network up here really hooked me on trail running. Most people have no idea how hard-core the trails are here.
I must admit, watching your video I was impressed, the trails there look great fun. I especially liked the rocky parts next to the lake.
What is your favourite thing about running?
What is this word, favourite? Do you mean “favorite?” 😉 If I’m being polite, I’d say seeing the scenery and visiting places on foot. Whenever we travel, I really feel like I don’t really get to know a place until I’ve had a chance to go for a run. To me, there’s something special about running around a city or place that’s entirely different from being in a car, or even walking around. You cover more ground than walking, but see things in a very intimate way.
If I’m *not* being polite, I kind of like the challenge of the long distances and especially the difficulty of conquering [sometimes overwhelming] discomfort. Pooping in the woods. Extreme chaffing. Cramps. Blisters. Entering and exiting the “pain cave.” We have an…interesting…concept of “toughness” in the United States, but, for me, real toughness comes from facing pain and/or adversity, persevering through, and coming out the other side.
OUCH!😖
This bruise was from an entirely unforced river crossing error.
The most “epic” runs, to me, are the ones that really kinda suck — but you hold yourself together, say “f*ck it, I’m doing this” and finish anyway.
Well, there’s a totally unsubtle metaphor for life in general, eh?
Haha, yup, UK based here! There are so many words we spell, and pronounce, differently 😃 I love that you split the answer here, and agree fully with both. In the UK we call those tough runs ‘type II fun’, horrendous at the time, but afterwards you just feel amazing! And yes, I can relate to your philosophy very much.
What is your greatest achievement in your running?
I ran a 50-mile (80k) ultra across some pretty challenging terrain in 2023. It was definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The other runners and everyone involved were just the best humans in the world. For whatever reason, road race people and trail ultra run people are very different. My wife was my “crew” and I think she enjoyed the people and the experience and learned a little bit about why I’d want to do such a crazy thing. I managed to finish 45 minutes before the cutoff; to me, that was pretty much victory.
Wow! That’s seriously impressive!! Good work!!! What a great thing to be part of, there is a strong sense of camaraderie in the running community isn’t there.
What are the greatest challenges you have faced in your running?
I’ve been very lucky that most of the challenges that I’ve faced have been largely self-inflicted; I haven’t had a lot of debilitating injuries (knock on wood). However, in my early 40s, I had a period where I wasn’t managing my nutrition very well and had to get serious about eating better if I wanted to continue being a runner. My knees were hurting and I was huffing and puffing just over level ground.
That’s great! Yes, I hear you, I think perhaps all runners will relate in some way to those periods of huffing and puffing 😆
How have you overcome these challenges?
Ultimately, I had to work hard to lose about 40 pounds. I had to learn the lesson, the hard way, that running can help you maintain weight, but if you want to get and stay healthy as you get older, you still need to be careful about what you’re shovelling into your face hole.
Oh yes, absolutely. I do like my food and struggle a little bit with those few extra pounds too, it’s not much, but it does make a big difference doesn’t it. I should get to it (again).
Do you have a favourite bit of running gear?
There’s that word again.
I have a pair of $20 Batman-themed Goodr sunglasses — that they don’t appear to make anymore. If I lose or break those, I’ll be very sad. My expensive indulgence, though, is my Garmin Fenix 7x watch. It’s enormous and I love how purpose-built it is. The screen is meant to be most usable in the sun, because that’s where you’re supposed to be using it…so get off your ass and get outside and run, loser.
Haha like the rest of the UK it’s not going away, get used to it? 😃 Those sound great. The Fenix looks incredible, but perhaps a bit much for me at the moment, I have a comparatively tiny Coros Pace 2 which suits me, but maybe I will upgrade one day!
If you could run anywhere in the world, where would you run and why?
Norway. It’s always Norway. If I’m staring off into space, it’s because I’m wishing I was in Norway. Until I’d been there, I’d never been somewhere where even the boring stuff is still pretty beautiful and/or cool. Northern Minnesota is a lot like Norway on a smaller scale, really; the woods, water and rocks. We’re even overrun with folks that have Scandinavian roots here. We have no immediate Norge trips being planned, though, so I’ll have to settle for that. For now.
Oh yes, great choice! Norway is stunning isn’t it. Maybe we will see a Norwegian Virtual Run sometimes soon – I hope so anyway. I think we are both very lucky with where we live, quite different of course, but both places are stunningly beautiful in their own way.
If you were to offer one piece of advice to anyone starting out running, what would it be?
Avoid judging your progress based on anyone other than yourself. And, sometimes, “progress” is actually having the fortitude to dig yourself out of a hole — or just maintaining your status quo.
Absolutely!! Spot on!!
What are your current plans, goals, objectives?
I’d like to do another ultra at some point. Not sure the distance I’ll choose just yet. I’d love to work my way up to a 100-mile race, some day, if I can stay healthy here in middle-age. It’s funny you pinged me, actually, because I keep telling my wife that we need to take a vacation to the Lakes District so I can try a fell run. As a fellow semi-suicidal runner, I’d love to meet up with you or any fell runners that find themselves in Minnesota. I think we likely have a lot in common.
Other than that, my goal is to keep coming up with creative ideas for “virtual run” videos.
Oh that’s a great goal, 100 miles seems like such a phenomenal distance, I know people do this though, and from what I can see, I believe you absolutely have this in you – best wishes with that.
The Lake District is incredible, actually where I am from originally, so it will always be my home. I hope you can make a trip there one day, obviously I am biased, but I think it is totally worth it.
Thank you for your time and all your answers. It’s been a pleasure!
And thank you dear reader for joining us today, you can find Mike at any of the links below:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RunWithMike
Web: https://swanson.run/
Mastodon: https://twit.social/@swansonite