Bonkfighters: The Marshall King Interview

I’d like everyone to meet Marshall King.

King started racewalking with Team In Training in 2003, having never previously run or racewalked. He walked the Virginia Beach Half-Marathon for Team in Training and was gung-ho for both walking and athleticism. In 2004, he won the men’s half-marathon racewalk division at the Mardi Gras Marathon, and later in 2004, he started walking ultra-marathons, walked two 50-milers and a 50k and all sorts of other races including the race that made him a centurion, meaning he walked 100 miles in twenty-four hours at an event, making him the 61st American to achieve centurion status. In 2007, not only did he decide to run instead of walk, but he also, “…had the opportunity to join Team in Training again, this time as a walk coach.  I love Team in Training!  My wife almost lost her life to Leukemia in 1999, so the cause is very personal.  And I remember how great I felt completing my first event, setting PRs, pushing myself to go faster or farther.  I get teary-eyed watching my teammates cross the finish line.  It’s just a great experience.  I’ve been coaching for three years and don’t plan to give it up.”

Right now, King has set his sights on running seven ultra-marathons in seven months for a really great cause.

Bonkless: How did you come up with the idea to run seven ultra marathons in seven months?

King: Early in 2008 I registered for the Heartland 100, but in the summer I felt like my training wasn’t going well so I decided to skip it.  Then, in September of this year, my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  It was a total shock (as it usually is) and it stirred up a lot of different emotions – fear, anger, hope.  Most of all, I wanted to do something, but when someone you love has cancer there’s not a lot you can do except love them and support them.  Because of my experience with Team in Training I thought of the idea of raising money through racing.  I want to fight alongside my Dad and show him my support, and I want to help the next father who is diagnosed.  The treatments and cures available today were funded 5, 10, 15 years ago.  I’m raising money for the next breakthrough discovery!

I found out that the Prostate Cancer Foundation has a fundraising program called Athletes for a Cure that gives athletes the opportunity to raise money through completing one of their featured events, or through picking their own event (“Any Event, Any Time, Any Where”).  I wanted to tie my fundraising to my mileage, and I wanted to do something that would last a while so I could raise more money.  Finally, I liked the idea of tying racing “endurance” to cancer “endurance.  There is no way to truly compare an ultra-marathon to cancer treatment, but I wanted to endure my events just like cancer patients and survivors have to endure treatments, tests, relapses, new treatments, new tests, and all of the fear that goes along with that.

There’s a quote that people in TNT often use in their fundraising efforts, and it works just as well here: “I run because I can. When I get tired, I remember those who can’t run, what they’d give to have this simple gift I take for granted, and I run harder for them. I know they would do the same for me.”

The other reason I picked ultras, and started with Heartland, is the realization that none of us is guaranteed the time to do what we want to do.  This would have been the third time I had registered for Heartland and not even started the race, and I realized that I couldn’t keep putting it off.  Who knows what could happen at any time, so I decided to seize the opportunity.

B: That’s so true! So, which races are on tap?

MK: The Heartland 100 Mile (Update: Complete! 28:25:21), the Rockledge Rumble 50k on November 8,  SunMart 50 Mile on December 6, Bandera 100k on January 10, Cross Timbers 50 Mile on February 21, the Three Days of Syllamo (50k/50 Mile/20k) on March 13th, 14th and 15th and The Texas Marathon (x 2) on April 5 – I’m going to run the race in reverse before the official start, then run the official race.

B: In reverse! Cool! How can we best support your efforts?

MK: The best way is to donate to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.  You can make a direct donation through my website. Another fun way to support me is to make a “per mile” pledge (just email me your pledge).  You can make your donation after I finish each race.  That may make it easier for some people to donate since your pledge is spread out over seven months.  I’ll be racing 439.2 miles, so suggested pledges are:

$1.00 per mile = $439.20

$0.50 per mile = $219.60

$0.25 per mile = $109.80

$0.10 per mile = $ 43.92

$0.05 per mile = $ 21.96

But I’ll take anything!  A $5.00 pledge is $5 more to help beat prostate cancer.

B: How are you training for this undertaking and how do you anticipate your running will change by race number seven? Do you suppose your body will begin to adapt and run each race more efficiently?

MK: When I train for ultras I train more and train more slowly.  Typically I run three days during the week, between 6 and 10 miles, and one of the days is hill training (not easy here in Dallas!).  On the weekends I try to train both Saturday and Sunday, between 20 and 35 miles.  For example, I’ll run 20 Sat./25 Sun., then maybe 30 Sat./20 Sun., etc.  Just mix it up.  But I feel like the long back-to-back runs are the best way to simulate the fatigue and aches and pains that occur during ultras.

I definitely hope to see some improvement in my running by the end of this seven month cycle.  I hope to be stronger, more consistent, running more and walking less, and faster overall.  Ultras are really no different than marathons or half marathons in that respect – if you do them consistently, and train well, you should see some improvement.  There’s a great quote about this: “One of the good things about distance running is, if you work hard, if you’re consistent, it’s going to pay off in the long run.  You don’t need to get fancy with things….Distance running is pretty much a no-brainer.  You work hard, you put the miles in, you’re going to get better.” ~Ed Moran, Pan Am 5k Champ

B: Where can people go to get the facts about prostate cancer?

MK: That’s a great question!  I hope that one result of my racing and fundraising is raising awareness.  I’m planning to have some racing shirts made that spread the message.  Prostate cancer has a 90% cure rate, but it has to be found early.  Early screening is so important!  So I hope that someone will hear my message and get himself checked out.  There are a number of websites; here are three that I think are good:

Prostate Cancer Foundation

Prostate Health Guide

American Cancer Society

You heard the man. Please give as genersouly as you are able to Marshall King via his website and show your support for a fellow bonkfighter!