In Philadelphia on the weekend July 17-18 will be the The Third Annual Stroehmann Back on My Feet 20in24 Relay Challenge, Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon, Midnight Madness Run & Pajama Loop, benefiting our mission. Register for one of the races here or read more about them here.
Ahead of the race, we’ll be sharing here some of the faces of those who will be there. Below, Mike DePaul, a Philadelphia marathoner, gives us his training tips and why he won’t be eating any jalapenos on a delicious sandwich on Stroehmann bread.
Runner Name: Mike DePaul
Hometown: Berywn, PA
Current City: East Falls, Philadelphia
Age: 34
20in24 Race: Lone Ranger
Race of Choice: Marathon or a half marathon trail run
Race resume: Nothing glorious, really. I have done three 
marathons. The Philadelphia in 2008 (4:59:37) and 2009 (4:19:14). I also did the very hilly (and warm) 2010 Charlottesville Marathon in 4:49:38. I did the 2008 Philadelphia Distance Run (half marathon) in 2:27:41 and I did 2009 in 2:01:13. I got into the New York marathon this year, so I’m looking forward to November 7th!
Share some of your training tips: I definitely consider myself a novice, so I rely on the wisdom of others. For my marathon training, I used Hal Higdon‘s beginner and intermediate training guides. For the Lone Ranger, I am using an adaptation of his ultra marathon training guide.
Basically, I want to do back-to-back long runs on some weekends, and a single even longer run on other weekends, with a step-back recovery weekend in there too. So it’s a three-weekend cycle. I also run with my dog, Marty, in Wissahickon park Tuesdays and Thursdays and do solo runs in the park Wednesdays.
In terms of equipment, my preparation consists of a few pairs of socks, some compression shorts for chaffing, tape, a few technical shirts, a white flap hat I got off Amazon and two new pairs of Mizuno Wave Creation shoes (I think I’ll change shoes each lap or every other lap). I think I’ll also employ some duct tape for the bottoms of my feet. I’ve never had blisters before, but I’ve never run this far either. Sunscreen, raisins, GU energy gels and my own bottle of liquid are also on the list. I’ll also be soaking my feet in ice water after each lap, probably. I tend to have ankle problems and ice and elevation helps a lot. I plan on running on the grass and gravel as much as possible to reduce the impact.
How is the training going to date?: The training is going pretty well…I think. This will be my first attempt at anything beyond 26.2 miles so it’s a little hard for me to judge. Over this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday I did 40 miles. By far the most I have ever done in a three-day stretch. My main plan is to just get used to doing a lot of slower miles.
For me, that means doing splits of running for 9 minutes and walking for 1 (or maybe 8+2, or 5+5 as the miles drag on) and trying to do back-to-back long runs on the weekends. My plan is to get up to 18 miles Saturday and Sunday. I’m also going to set aside two weekends where I do a single long run. I want to do 25 and 30 miles on those days (yikes). My hope is to do three marathon distances during the 24 hour Lone Ranger, 78.6 miles. That’s a little over 9 loops. I live right off the 20in24 course (Kelly Drive) so I’m familiar with the course. I do training runs around the 20in24 loop, on the Schuylkill River Trail and in Wissahickon Park, depending on how I feel that day.
The 20in24 race event is a major source of funding for Back on My Feet. Is that a reason you get involved? Tell us about your experience or interest in that organization.
I think we have a real problem with large portions of our population going into the world behind the eight ball due to lack of education, addictions, and other factors. Probably the worst case scenario is when someone ends up homeless. This is a problem that needs to be attacked in a variety of ways. Getting people active and moving, releasing endorphins and achieving small running successes is one cog in that process. So I’m happy that my entry fees may help some people get off the streets into a better, more productive situation for themselves and society.
Have you run any 20in24 races before? If so, any particularly strong memories worth sharing?
This will be my first time and I can’t wait! I do remember three years ago around midnight driving down Kelly Drive and seeing a lot of people wearing glow necklaces and carrying glowsticks. That looked really interesting and I want to know what that event was. Somewhow I found out it was a Back On My Feet event. I saw the Lone Ranger option on the website and this is the first year I felt I would be prepared to attempt it. Here goes nothing.
Stroehmann Bakeries is our generous title sponsor, helping to support the race and, therefore, our mission. Is there a recipe, youd most like to have after finishing your 20in24 race, using Stroehmann baked goods?
I can really start to day dream about food as the miles pile up. I’ll be craving all kinds of things. Cold hoagies are a favorite of mine. It’s probably best that I forgo the onions and jalapeos and stick to just turkey and lettuce.
What makes the 20in24 special?
I’m really looking forward to the cozy feeling of a smaller group of runners and having it right on the Kelly Drive loop with all the other people out enjoying the sun.
Anything else youd care to share about Back on My Feet, 20in24, Stroehmann or anything else relevant?
I’m definitely going to write about my 20in24 experience on my site. It’s not as up-to-date as I would like, but I’ll be adding some more experiences as I find time. All the running eats into your free time 
This is an article about my first experiences with distance running here.
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