Inov-8 Athlete Profile Interview: Clark Zealand

We here at Inov-8 conjured up some new and creative ideas to reach out to all of those trail savvy runners out there. One of those ideas was to pick the brains of some the country's finest trail ambassadors. In this first profile installment I interviewed Inov-8 athlete, Dr. Clark Zealand of Forest, Virginia. Clark is a disciple of the "Dr. David Horton school" of trail running and has etched a formidable presence over the years as a talented runner, dominating many of the East's biggest races, as well as directing/creating races, maintaining trail, and helping people discover and embrace the Eco-Xperience. Clark is a man of "many hats" and he was kind enough to take time to answer some of my questions.

INOV-8 Athlete Profile:
Dr. Clark Zealand

Interviewed by: Wynn Davis

1. Can you tell us a little bit about your educational background and how it compliments your lifestyle and ecological philosophy and/or pursuit?

My Ph.D. dissertation is titled, “Decolonizing experiences: An ecophenomenological investigation of the lived-experience of Appalachian Trail Thru-hikers”. It is an attempt to unearth alternatives meanings of the traditional outdoor recreational experience; particularly an extended and immersed experience in the context of long-distance hiking. The reason for this study was to provide a broader understanding of one’s socio-ecological interaction (more accurately, imbrication) with his/her surrounds and resulted in a wide range of experiences that shed a contrasting light on management strategies. These findings also brought into question the notion of a historically definable wilderness experience and provided a base to suggest and discuss our ecological experiences, or eco-xperiences in nature.
Why all this? Well, this study was simply an academic extension of how I view my own lifestyle and running, that is, the world is constantly coming in being (enter Merleau-Ponty) around us as we experience it. This happens through our bodily movement; think of how a flower opens. The dehiscence of that flower is it coming into being as a mature flower. Likewise, we open up to our surrounds through our senses and experience our world – I think that’s pretty cool! You are not just interacting with your surrounds, you are imbricated, merged with it…so go out there and enjoy it running trails!

2. Even with all of your responsibilities as a professor, husband/father, and race director, you still manage to run, do ultras, and race solid times. What motivates you?

In a word; competition. I love to compete but I also love to run for exercise (run trails that is). I compete with myself to see what I can do and with other runners when I toe the line. However, I know I’ll continue to run as long as I can; even if/when competition isn’t such a strong motivator.

3. You ran some incredible times prior to graduate school, and against some stiff competition. You racked up wins at Promise Land 50k, Masochist 50, and runner-up at Vermont 100m (15:03) in 2004. What do you consider your finest accolade or experience?

That’s a tough question. Even though I love competition I rarely think of the outcomes as accolades, even though they are by definition. Each time I win a race I consider it a blessing, just to be able to do it. Some of my best trail experiences are not from racing but from just being in the mountains running with friends. If I had to pick one performance, I’d probably say my course record at Promise Land…for now.

4. Who would you say was and/or is your strongest competitor over the years?

A) Was: Courtney Campbell. For a long time it seemed like Courtney and I were meeting at every race and would constantly jockey for the front. Courtney usually won.
B) Is: After not racing much for the last 3 years, it now seems like everyone is my strongest competitor, including myself! In reality, I know there are several younger runners who are very talented and are, no doubt, strong competition.

5. Do you tend to follow any certain training program? What is your training philosophy?

I have an aversion to standardized ‘training programs’, basically because I hear so many people who follow someone else’s training schedule simply because it worked for that person or they are well-known! I know what I need to do and how to listen to my body. This only comes from experience and trial-and-error. Learning how to listen to (& then manage) your body is one of the most important training variables. Yes, beginners need to ask sport veterans how to train but they need to also be cautioned about “buying into” just one approach. (There’s the caveat) In a nutshell, my training philosophy is a two-fold dialectic; “speed through strength and consistency through variability”. What that means for me is plenty of speed work but incorporated only in the strength work and integrate as much variety as possible to be ready for anything. Hence, I rarely do repeats of any kind (intervals, hill repeats, etc.) and I alternate training days across trails, roads, flat, hilly, mountainous, good trail, nasty trail, etc. For example, in the past I’ve used this workout as an indicator of my fitness: a 20-mile road run with the first 5 miles at 7:30 pace, the middle 10 at sub-6 pace, and the last 5 at whatever I have left; sometimes that’s sub-6 and sometimes it’s not even close. OR, a 10-mile out-n-back run that’s 5 miles out with a 2000 foot gain and back down, pushing hard all the way.

6. If you could run with anyone past or present, who would it be?

I would love for my wife, my children, and all my non-running friends and family to be able to see all the incredible places I’ve been able to see while running.

7. Some times runners get caught up in race results and only concern themselves with personal gain in the sport. However, more than likely you have sacrificed training and racing for the betterment of others and the environment through race directing, volunteering, and being involved with complimenting interests. It’s obvious that you see the “big picture”. Do you have any regrets? Is there an ultimate goal (s)?

I’m not here to preach or to sound trite, but I do believe in a larger purpose for my life. I believe I have been given both abilities and opportunities that few have in this life and I hope to constantly be honoring God through everything I do. That’s my ultimate goal.

8. Recently you have established eco-x, inc. (www.eco-xsports.com) and the Beast Series. Can you tell us a little bit about the mission of eco-x and what inspired you to create it?

I see eco-x as a pragmatic development from what I was suggesting in my dissertation research. I want to facilitate opportunities for people to engage more and more with their natural environment and I think a great way to do that is to offer trail races. Many times, people won’t venture into an unknown area just for a casual run or maybe they’re even unaware of a trail’s existence. I think an organized event can make a seemingly formidable natural area much more accommodating, thereby providing the opportunity for an eco-xperience. It is incredibly rewarding to witness a person’s experience and to see a ‘new world’ opening for them.

9. It’s apparent that Dr. David Horton has had an impressionable impact on your life. Are there particular influences or “old saws” he instilled in you?

Perhaps Horton’s favorite, “It never always gets worst”! I’ve known David now for about 15 years and we’ve become very good friends. We’ve worked together, traveled together, and I’ve seen him in good times and not so good times…through it all (even when we were staring down the Bergshrund crevasse after summiting Mt. Hood) I learned another old saw of his, “This too will pass”.

10. 2009 will be your first year as race director of the historic MMTR 50, what are your thoughts on this undertaking? Furthermore, you are also race director of the Terrapin Mtn. races, and the inaugural Grindstone 100mile, which is slated as the “Beast of the East”. What inspired you to create this race and can you describe what kind of course the runners will experience?

Quite honestly, I am honored and humbled to be the RD for MMTR. Horton has done such a great job building the race into a wonderful event, I simply hope to continue the tradition he has started and that the entrants will continue to enjoy their MMTR experience.
The Terrapin races are meant to be a more accessible event for first-timers or those not ready to run an ultra distance yet. Also, I’m the trail maintainer for the Terrapin Mtn Trail so it’s a special place to me. Grindstone is the opposite; it is a post-graduate ultra with a 38-hour cut-off time. Grindstone offers people a different perspective of the Virginia Blue Ridge where bigger mountains with bigger climbs and accompanying descents encompass the remote VA/WV divide. The out-n-back course summits both Elliott Knob (4463ft) and Reddish Knob (4397ft) (with great views) and runners will experience over 23,000 feet of gain over the 100 mile course.


11. Finally, as if you were not busy enough, this summer you will be assisting David Horton on his record attempt of the CDT, which will also complete the major trail trilogy. Can you tell us some of your responsibilities and logistics involved in such a massive undertaking?

My role is very much an ancillary one. I’m blogging (on eco-xsports.com) all summer as David calls in via satellite phone so he can share his CDT adventure (s) along the way. In addition, I’m going to meet David in southern Colorado as he makes his way through the San Juans and the Weminuche Wilderness. While there I’ll be running, carrying lots of gear and mainly helping his main crew, Jonathan Basham. Later on, I’m traveling back out to Montana to help David in his final days on the CDT through Glacier National Park. It’s really just play time for me!

Thanks Clark!