Montgomery Half Marathon Q&A with I-92’s Greg Thomas

I-92’s Greg Thomas here, recently the Montgomery Half Marathon and 5K race organizers quizzed me on a few things about the upcoming race. Questions about training, running playlists, and why others should be a part of this major community event. Take a look!

Are you running the half or 5k? The half!

Tell us more about what you are doing to be ready to run this year? Basically, running 3-5 miles per run on the weekdays. Some of those days are light/easy breezy runs and others are more speed work. I tend to like using a treadmill for speed work, as I can easily watch split times. I’ve ramped up long runs on Saturday or Sunday. Going from 5 miles on one week, to recently 9 miles. It will be 10 to 12 miles for the final pair of Saturdays before race day. The final days before race day will consist of easy running pace for 3 miles or less. Taking the Friday before race day off to rest.

How many races have you run before? Lots and lots of 5K races since going couch to 5K back in 2011. It’s crazy to think back then on how I struggled to finish it, and found myself walking some. Now, I’m running half marathons. Proof, take it one day at time and stay committed.

Do you have someone running with you or someone to encourage you? A couple of running buds from Tuscaloosa have this race circled on their calendars.

What music do you listen to when you run?   I’ve tried running with and without music. I lean towards having tunes in my ear when running alone, especially on long runs. Music can really serve as a motivating spark. The key is keeping it fresh, so I’ve created various playlists. The Gun N’ Roses slap you in the face song, “Welcome To The Jungle” may work one month, but be boring for me the next. To help this, I have a series of “Rando Run” playlists ranging from 80s new wave and freestyle to alternative to today’s pop to classic rock. I work for a country music station, so you would think I like country music. Well… yes, I do! Lots of it on my playlists too. Most of all, a must for race day, a playlist with lots of attitude and energy.

Let the music be a part of your running escape. Your mind will really be wondering if you give a listen to the new album “Desperate Man” from Eric Church. The title track is my jam! There’s also this crazy opening song called, “The Snake.” It’s about a conversation between a rattlesnake and a copperhead. So weird, that you’ll forget that you’re getting tired on that run. Keep off the wall content going by listening to Will Ferrell’s podcast as the character Ron Burgandy from the movie Anchorman. 45 minutes later you’ll wonder, what was that about?

Here’s a sample playlist:
Jason Aldean “Gonna Know We Were Here”
Lenny Kravitz “Fly Away”
Panic At The Disco “High Hopes”
Eric Church “Desperate Man”
Flo Rida “Good Feeling”
Beastie Boys “Intergalactic”
Tom Petty “Runnin’ Down A Dream”
Brothers Osborne “Stay A Little Longer”
Kayne West “Stronger”
Motley Crue “Kickstart My Heart”
Chris Stapleton “Parachute”
Justin Timberlake “Can’t Stop The Feeling”
Kenny Chesney “Get Along”
Foo Fighters “Everlong”

Finish up and turn up, Thomas Rhett “Vacation”!

Have fun with your playlist and happy running!

If people see you during the race, what kinds of things could they do to help motivate you? Flash me the bird to get me really mad and motivated. Haha… I’m kidding. I love seeing people along the course embracing this special local community event. To see people clapping and cheering for the runners is a motivating sight. To see cheerleaders and marching bands really adds to the energy to pump up a runner.

Is there anything you can share to motivate someone else to register today? You should register for the “runner’s rush!” It’s real for any runner, regardless of how fast you complete the course. It’s a personal euphoria feeling anyone can experience.  You will be so glad that you did it!

Montgomery Half Marathon and 5K Schedule:
Friday, March 8th
Noon-6pm: Race Expo and Packet Pickup at Riverwalk Stadium
6pm-8pm: Packet Pickup at Riverwalk Stadium

Saturday, March 9th
7am: Montgomery Half Marathon Start
7:15am: Montgomery 5K Start

Note: Registration and packet pickup is only available before race day.

Learn more at TheMontgomeryHalf.com

Playlist

Concert Calendar