“Lots of miles,” says runner, Mike Birkett. That’s how he describes his sport. “More miles than most. A lot of long distance endurance stuff: Marathons to ultra marathons to everything in between. Fifty miles, a couple hundred miles… It just depends on what the next race is or the adventure I’m building toward.”
And that’s no exaggeration. Not on the number of miles or the adventurous spirit ofhis running group. Mike Birkett averages 20 to 25 running miles in the winter and between 40 and 60 miles per week by the time spring rolls around for a total of 1,800 to 2,000 miles per year. “Realistically I’m running three to four days a week during the winter. Then I work with a personal trainer at the gym in between.I mostly run with a group of guys, so a lot is dictated by what the group is doing,” says Mike.
And he leans on P4 Pre Game Sports Supplements and P4 Energy to give him that competitive push that he and his running buddies really crave. That’s why we caught up with Mike to find out about his next “big adventure” and how P4 Pre Game helps dedicated endurance runners.
What’s the P4 regimen of endurance runners like you?
“I use the preworkout supplement, Pre Game Formula, religiously before every run. Usually right before: within 5 to 10 minutes. And pretty much before everything. Then I’ll use P4 Energy Formula during a race. I don’t stretch a lot before or after, so the preworkout just sort of gets you ready to go. There’s something about it. The niacin stimulates the blood flow in a good way and I like the ‘tinglies’ it gives you. If I don’t use the preworkout formula – if I happen to miss it, or I run out – I notice a difference in my energy. The various ingredients give me a good start to my workout.”
Who should try P4?
“You should try P4 if you’re similar to myself: More seasoned endurance junkies who are always looking for the next greatest edge… the next greatest workout product. We’re all very competitive and always talking about who’s fastest in our group. That’s why we’re always willing to try things that’ll give us an edge, or help us feel better in the morning, or help us climb down the flight of stairs without your legs hurting. If we know the ingredients [of a product] are right, we’re willing to try things that are put in front of us.”
So what’s you’re next adventure?
“I’m running what’s called a rim to rim at the Grand Canyon in May. We’ve talked about doing it for the last couple years and just booked our flights to AZ. We’re leaving the south rim and running down to the base and up to the north rim and then we repeat in reverse. It’s 46 miles round-trip and not an organized race. My guess is it’s going to take 10 to 12 hours. I’ve done 50-mile trail runs that have taken 9 to 10 hours, and going down to the bottom and up again is more challenging than that. We’ll finish it; I’m not worried about that. It’s not every day you see people run it, but guys like me who decide they want to do it… It’s sort of a bucket list.”
What motivates you?
“It’s not one specific thing; it’s the whole lifestyle. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t run; I think I would go crazy. These bucket list things keep me going and my friends keep me motivated. I like to stay in shape; I don’t ever want to be middle aged and out of shape, so the satisfaction I get from working out gets me to the next workout. And I’m 46, so this is something I’ve been doing for 20 years now and it’s therapy to me. Some people like a quiet drive home from work. I like a run without headphones. I don’t need the music to keep me going.”
Mike may not run anywhere with music, but we’re happy he doesn’t run anywhere without P4. We look forward to following up with Mike after his Rim to Rim Run in May.
