There is no doubt in my mind that if you live on the westside of Cincinnati you’ve seen a bunch of scrawny, shirtless guys sporting some short-shorts running down Glenway Avenue. I am of course referring to the illustrious purple pack, or better known as the Elder High School cross country team.

As a member of this group, I find it quite entertaining to tell people that I ran nine, ten, eleven miles that morning when people ask what I did that day. Though that number of miles may sound daunting, those are rookie numbers compared to the mileage that marathon runners put in to ensure that they are in the best shape they can be on race day.

Though only in my third year of the sport, distance running has become a passion of mine, and I’m always looking to learn more about different aspects of the sport. Luckily for me, I got to sit down with Mr. Dickman, and get the scoop on what the life of a marathoner is truly like.