Q&A: Reporter Marathon Runner Mark Boyle

KPRC-TV reporter journalist Mark Boyle

was one of the 15,000 or so runners who was scheduled to run the 13.1miles ING NYC Half Marathon, a month ago. I recently spoke on the phone with him and he discussed his reason to run, upcoming marathon and how he trained for the marathon. 

by University of Houston-Downtown Comm 4302 Public Relation Media Campaign 

                                  courtesy of Mark Boyle

You just recently finished the half marathon. What is your main reason that you run? 

Mark Boyle: The main reason that I run is for health reason, as I work a pretty strenuous schedule with my reporting schedule as so I figure running is a good way to released stress and personal time alone and not with other people, so I can focus. 

Even running just 25 minutes or 30min or so. I’m able to maintain a healthy lifestyle and also training for the longer races like the half marathon or a marathon. 

Has running affected your work in any unexpected ways? 

MB: Yeah, I would say that working out in general or running in my case as I do most of my time. It makes me happier at work because i’m as more physically fit and sleep better at night and turn more energy of going to work. So maintaing a healthy lifestyle is eating healthy, having a workout routine and overall balancing your life that is going to make you have a better career... you are able to balance things better and not just do one things. 

How did you train, in terms of just running, for the half marathon?

MB: For training you start out small and run 2 miles or 3 miles, and increase the milage as you go. Maybe 2 miles on a Monday, 4 miles on a Thursday and on the weekend you can do a long run maybe a 8 or 10 miles even 11 or 12, so you just build up the mileage over time and that comes over practice.

Do you have advice for new runners?

MB: I would just said is very mental as when I say mental I say that when you get out there and run 1 mile and will feel winded and exhaustion, and I think it normal for anyone starting out that doesn’t have built-up of ability to run long distances and if you go out and run 1 mile and say you feel winded, take a break and go home and two days later go out there and do it again. eventually your body will become custom to it and you will get used to it.

As I started I didn’t run 26 miles and now I’m able to run a full marathon just a constant practice and take an IPod with you and have some music for distraction and get out there and your body will recover. 

What was the last race you did, and how’d it go? 

MB: NYC half marathon that is 13.1 miles and I did it a month ago and went really well and the most challenging about that race is the wind as the one I ran to Central park for first 6 miles there is a lot of hills, so that for me was not used to being from Houston and living in Florida before as i’m used to all flat surfaces. So when you go somewhere out of town and there’re hills even like the race in Austin that kind of thing can be a challenge. 

Are you planning to run another marathon?

MB: I’m in the lottery in NYC Marathon, which is in November and will find out this upcoming Wednesday (3/26), if I get in the New York marathon.

I’m also sign up for Honolulu Half Marathon and that’s a month for now and heading to Hawaii, and I think that will make an a pretty amazing experience. Destination races is something that I enjoy as you can make a weekend out of it.

There you have it, I want to thank Mark Boyle for being so willing to do this interview with me and for doing so well at the marathon. Also, congratulations to all the participants that ran the race. You all did amazing! That’s all for the blog today! Remember to eat smart, train hard and enjoy life.