Even though this is just my third interview with some amazing inspirational runners, I am starting to notice a common theme…
Although each one has a unique story about their journey as a newfound runner, the running mindset these individuals possess and the positive impact it has had on their lives resonates throughout the interview.
Martinus Evans is no different!
Martinus has chronicled his story from collegiate football player to marathon finisher via his blog, 300 Pounds and Running.
Like Carli Fierce…I discovered Martinus on Twitter and instantly took notice as he has nearly 7,000 followers (I am guessing he will be eclipsing that mark soon)! Any time you have thousands of people interested in what you have to say in 140 characters or less you most likely have a voice worth listening to.
When you listen to our conversation you will no doubt be drawn into this inspirational running story and hear how Martinus transitioned from Couch to 5k to finishing a marathon…AND…having to start the process all over again!
Listen below or keep scrolling to read more about Martinus Evans and his 300 Pounds and Running story…
300 Pounds and Running…
It does not seem those two should go together and unfortunately most people in Martinus’s situation would avoid that word ‘running’ like the plague.
I have no doubt that his background as an athlete helped fuel his desire for success as a runner. The fact that Martinus had competed as a collegiate football player for a couple of years at Lane College says something about his athletic prowess.
Even though that did not work out for him, he continued his studies in a field he is passionate about…Health Fitness/Education/Promotion…all the way to receiving a Master’s Degree in Health Promotion from UConn. No small feat in of itself!
He currently works as the Health Education Coordinator for the northeast in Connecticut for the American Lung Association…literally practicing what he preaches.
Although his day job keeps Martinus in the field he is passionate about…what really drives him is the motivation to help the next ‘big guy or girl’ to achieve their goals!
Let’s travel back to 2012…
Most of Martinus’s struggles and effects of his weight gain began just four short years ago as he tipped the scale at 360 pounds (he is 6′ 3″ by the way…).
The fact he was then working 50+ hours per week, on his feet, in a mind-numbing commission sales job, and not eating properly contributed to his weight gain. I am sure many readers out there can relate to this!
Eventually this led to some physical issues, a doctors visit, 20 weeks of physical therapy, then a trip to an orthopedic surgeons office, where this running story takes off…
I do not know too many people that enjoy a visit to a doctor or surgeon. What you are about to read took me by surprise even though I know most doctor’s are fairly blunt. To read it is one thing…to hear Martinus tell it is another…so if you haven’t listened to the interview then make sure to hit that PLAY button above after you finish reading!
“You’re fat!”
This is exactly what the doctor told Martinus after he first led with…“I know why you are in pain…”
As you can imagine there were probably some choice words and thoughts going through Martinus’s head…but he followed up the doctor’s proclamation with a snarky and sarcastic response that eventually led him to where he his today…
“I’m going to run a marathon and blog about it!”
Which the doctor so kindly followed up with…”that’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard…”
This story could now go one of two ways…
Being the hard nosed, determined, former collegiate football player that he is…Martinus started heading home only to pass a shoe store…make a u-turn…and walk into said running shoe store…making the statement…“I need running shoes and I need them now!”
His running mindset kicked in full speed and he knew he NEEDED to prove that doctor wrong…but if only it was as easy as buying a pair of running shoes and going out and running a marathon…yea right!
Martinus got a shock of reality when he arrived home, laced up those new running shoes, set the treadmill to 7.2, and hit START…
He only lasted 15 seconds and felt like his body had betrayed him, but the main point is…
Martinus had the courage to START!
Fast forward to October 2013…
Needless to say I was happy to hear that Martinus did not attempt a full marathon within months of this ‘shot in the gut’. The running coach in me knows it takes months of proper training and preparation to take on a distance such as 26.2 miles. Not that it can’t be done…but if you want to have a positive experience with running any distance…let alone running a marathon…you need to have the foundation for it.
I like to call the 5k running distance the ‘gateway drug’ for new runners. It is a distance that achievable in a short amount of time for almost anyone.
Although looking back, Martinus wishes he would have had a running coach that laid out a training plan for his running progress…he was determined and had the desire to take on this goal of completing a marathon.
That is really the first step and most important in my mind. Having the right mindset is vital to achieving success while having a positive experience doing it….no matter what your goals are.
I was glad to hear Martinus took a systematic approach to his training and sought out tools that could assist him along the way. Since the 5k distance was his first obstacle, he downloaded a handful of the popular 5k running apps…Couch to 5k.
In hindsight he says there’s no need to have several…just find one that works and run with it…literally!
After several 5k running events, he moved up to take on the 10k distance before completing a half-marathon (13.1 miles).
Now it was time to prove that doctor wrong!
Martinus is from Detroit, Michigan so he decided to head back home to ‘tackle’ the Detroit Free Press Marathon in October of 2013.
To put it into perspective…his finishing time was almost as long as a regular work day…but instead of sitting at a desk, he was focusing on putting one foot in front of the other the whole time!
Finishing a marathon is a huge accomplishment! Finishing a marathon with only 15 minutes to spare before the cutoff time takes a special someone…
The thoughts that run through your head over the course of 26.2 miles…going from excitement, to pain, to doubt, to excitement, and all over again are tough to deal with. But the fact that Martinus shares the amazing experience he had despite the struggles along the way highlight the importance of mental toughness.
See…he was poised to succeed from the start…even before he bought those running shoes…because he KNEW he could do it!
Martinus Evans300PoundsAndRunning.com
Running…Plays…Tricks…On your mind!
You Might Think That Is Where The Story Ends…
Actually things are just now getting interesting!
Just several months after taking on a monumental task and succeeding at it, Martinus was involved in a bad car accident that saw 7 months go by before he was back in full health. This was after he had already been dealing with ‘post race depression’…yes, that is a REAL thing!
So you are probably thinking…
Poor guy…he reaches his goal…is elated…gets in an accident, but at least now he’s back in the swing of things…
Well, in October 2014…one year after becoming a first time marathon finisher…Martinus was in ANOTHER car accident!
It has taken him from then to the time of our interview (mid-December 2015) to finally be back to a point where he could start running again. Talk about perseverance and never letting anything stand in your way!
The great part about this interview was that I did not know about the car accidents before we spoke. All I knew was there seemed to be this great story to share about a guy that hit a weight and point in his life he was not happy about and took it upon himself to make the changes necessary. Then on top of that, the desire to effect change on others through his experiences (which is what I enjoy most about talking to these inspirational runners).
Mental Toughness & Community
Those are two main areas that Martinus highlighted as keys to his success and the benefits of becoming a runner. It goes without saying that the running community as a whole is large but sometimes you are not aware of the breadth of your own reach as a runner until you put yourself out there to the public.
As I mentioned earlier, Martinus has quite the following on Twitter. When he had the chance to attend a conference in San Francisco he decided to reach out to his ‘virtual running community’ and see who might be able to join him on a run across the Golden Gate Bridge. He was floored by the responses and could not have envisioned a more enjoyable experience than sharing that moment with people he had yet to meet in person.
“Zero To Running”
Martinus no doubt had the mental toughness part down when he faced that first bit of adversity in the doctor’s office…but he has since faced numerous counts of negative experiences that could have easily resulted in him giving up. Through running and being active he has been able to strengthen that mental fortitude, share his journey via social media and his blog, and pay it forward to other ‘newbie’ runners out there that may have doubts about their own abilities.
Speaking of paying it forward…
Martinus has recently put together an e-book to help new runners (or even walkers) face their fears and ‘tackle’ their goals called…Zero To Running. His guide aims to answer the question…
“If I had to give one of my closest friends advice on how to start running within the next 7 days, What would I tell them?” Within that frame work it also includes a 9 week ‘zero to walking’ plan AND a 9 week ‘zero to running’ plan.
Before we signed off I asked Martinus ‘what is one thing or piece of advice you could give to someone looking to start running or that may be hesitant to become a runner?’
His response was one I wish I could claim as my own…
What is your WHY? Why do you want to do this? Whatever that WHY is, hold onto that reason and let that be the fuel to your fire…Use that WHY to sign up and get going!
Martinus Evans 300PoundsAndRunning.com
I want to send a BIG thanks to Martinus Evans of 300 Pounds and Running…This interview turned out even better than I had envisioned and I can not wait to continue following his journey as a runner and motivator!!
So make sure to check out his blog, sign up for his ‘Zero To Running’ e-book and follow him on Twitter…You’ll be glad you did!
