At Age 51, Ken Rideout Retains Working Higher with Every Mile 

Ken Rideout resides life as the most effective model of himself. After battling an opioid dependancy, the “pastime jogger” from Boston started coaching with a objective in 2010, and he hasn’t appeared again since.  

Working has introduced the 51-year-old a wealth of medals in as far-flung locations as Tokyo, the place he got here first with a time of slightly below 2½ hours within the 50-54 class. In truth, in a 17-month interval, Rideout competed in London, New York, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, and the aforementioned Tokyo with out ever putting lower than second place.  

M&F sat down with Ken Rideout  to search out out what motivates him to cross the marathon end line. 

“I initially obtained into endurance sports activities as a approach to cope with an opioid dependancy,” shares Rideout, who turned to medication as an escape from an nervousness ridden profession in finance.  

For him, the dependancy was extra about escaping his emotions somewhat than partying, and it took his participation in a rehabilitation program to lastly make him perceive that he was making an attempt to fill a void in a really self-sabotaging manner. In distinction, working turned an effective way for Rideout to let off some steam in a extra constructive method and feels that it has change into a more moderen, extra constructive dependancy to embrace.

In coaching for an Ironman competitors as a part of his want to get more healthy, Rideout realized that he had big potential as a runner. Then, proper earlier than he turned 50, that potential began to change into an simple actuality.  

“I gained the Myrtle Seaside Marathon (end time 2:30) the day earlier than I turned 50,” he says. “I used to be blissful to win however thought I might have run quicker. What I’ve come to understand over the previous a number of years is that the victory is nice, however the course of is the final word reward. I didn’t begin working with a purpose of profitable races. I began working with a purpose of being wholesome, each mentally and bodily.” 

Ken Rideout Controls the Variables for Persistently Nice Runs

Nonetheless, there’s a distinction between coaching for a neighborhood marathon, versus travelling internationally for one, just like the London Marathon for instance, the place he got here second however accomplished with a time that was one minute quicker than his first place Boston Marathon effort.  

“I prefer to get to worldwide races at the very least per week previous to the race, to get my circadian rhythm aligned with native time at race,” says Rideout. “I’ll additionally attempt to management as many variables as potential akin to weight-reduction plan, coaching and sleep. On the similar time, I attempt to mimic the routine that I keep when coaching at residence.”  

When it comes to coaching, Rideout isn’t your typical runner. He has a blocky, muscular construct from years of lifting weights, however he feels with some justification that energy coaching has helped him to change into quicker. “I prepare with weights three to 4 days per week, normally within the night” he shares.

He provides: “I run very first thing within the morning. My typical train routine contains pullups, bench press; incline and flat, barbell and dumbbells, at all times various the routine barely. I do situps, plenty of kettlebell workouts, in addition to variations of squat workouts for my legs. I believe the energy work I’ve achieved has helped my physique to remain robust late in marathons the place most individuals begin to break down and it has additionally helped me to soak up and recuperate from the miles that I’ve put in with working.”  

Rideout believes that everybody must be figuring out to be able to obtain longevity. “I assume you need to deal with your bodily and psychological well being like your life is dependent upon it, as a result of it does,” he says. “To me, that everybody must be doing a little type of cardio and resistance coaching. I don’t know that my coaching program is true for everyone, however it works for me.” 

Rideout says that he’s feeling nice. Round 5 years in the past he was concerned in a motorcycle crash that required surgical procedure on his hip, and he’s additionally had shoulder surgical procedure on account of falling within the snow, however he says that other than the standard aches and pains that the majority runners can relate to, he has no intention of slowing down. “There’s one thing rewarding about experiencing some soreness,” he says. “It makes me really feel alive and jogs my memory that I’m competing in life, not simply collaborating. There’s an enormous distinction between competing and collaborating.” And, when Rideout does endure from muscle spasms or tight hamstrings, the gold medalist says that straightforward restoration strategies like stretching, warmth, ice, and the percussion therapeutic massage gun work wonders. 

Ken Rideout Makes use of the Proper Dietary supplements and Footwear to Get to the End Line

Relating to footwear, Rideout wouldn’t be with out his Reebok Floatride Vitality X trainers. “The Floatrides present the proper steadiness of cushioning, help and extra importantly, responsiveness,” he says. “The cushioning and help actually assist to maintain me wholesome once I’m logging 100-mile weeks, and the responsiveness is nice once I’m doing pace or tempo work.”

As for dietary supplements, Rideout takes a protein and carbohydrate shake put up run, daily, for restoration. He additionally drinks Athletic Greens and creatine. “I additionally take a every day multi-vitamin and fish oil,” he says. For help with sleeping, Rideout likes to take a Sleep Pak containing magnesium and theanine. He additionally likes to eat some beef bone broth every day. “Clearly, I believe all people ought to train regularly, however notably recovering addicts,” he shares. “Coaching and bodily exercise can function an important distraction from medication. Bodily exercise may change into a supply of delight. One factor most addict’s expertise is an enormous sense of disgrace and self-loathing and getting match will help restore self-confidence.”  

So, whether or not you’re coping with your individual private points, or simply want an inspiration like Rideout that will help you lace-up these sneakers, the marathon champ has a ultimate phrase for you: “Get busy residing, or get busy dying! You don’t need to run marathons, however you need to completely be doing a little type of cardio and resistance coaching regularly.” Received it? We’ll race you to the health club!