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Lance Armstrong aims for the mid-2:40s at Boston Marathon

THE MARATHON MYSTIQUE

What draws the world's most famous cyclist to distance running?

By Michelle Hamilton

Photographs by Roberto Parada

PUBLISHED 03/31/2008

If you're not focused on performance, why are you pushing for a 2:30 at this year's NYC race?
I may live to regret that statement. The answer is that it felt good to go from 2:59 to 2:46. You know, I did that by just running more and doing a few more longer runs and so I just figured that if I could, for the 3 or 4 months before New York, if I could perhaps get a little more scientific and a little more plans with the training and then obviously incorporating long runs and factoring in diet and all those things. I think running a 5:40 pace is doable. And I think, you know, I'm kind of interested in it. But if I show up and run a 2:37, I'm not going to really care.

How's your Boston training going so far?
Well, as planned.

What's the hardest part of training for you right now?
Outside of little aches and pains, it's not that hard. I mean I still have little pains, hip-flexor issues and shin splint issues. Lower back stuff. Even talking to Kristen yesterday, she was dealing with shin splints. She was like "What do I do?" and I'm like "I don't know." That stuff for runners just pops up. I mean the sport is essentially an impact sport. You're going to have nagging injuries.

How long has your longest run been so far?
These are the questions I don't like.

Why?
Because I don't have good answers!

You don't clock your mileage?
See the last time we did Runner's World, David [Willey, RW's editor in chief], was asking [the same questions] and I was like, "Buddy, I don't know!" He's over there laughing like, "This guy is going to get his ass kicked so bad!" And he was totally right.

What's the longest run you've done by time then?
I do quite a lot of hour runs. And, without holding me to this, I think I'm running the Austin half-marathon on Sunday [Feb. 17].

So, you don't run with a GPS device?
No. I have one on my bike. I have got one in my car.

But not on your wrist?
No, what does that do for you?

Gives you your pace and miles.
Real time?

Real time.
That'd be cool. That sounds very cool. I should know that. I'm sorry this sounds so ridiculous, but I'm truly, I'm as recreational as you can get. I have my stop watch, I don't know if you've ever been to Austin, but we have a very cool hiking and biking trail downtown, which is where everybody runs. It has markers every quarter mile, so I just check my pace every quarter mile.

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