Inov-8 Athlete Profile Interview: Sean Andrish

Recently I had the extreme pleasure of interviewing endurance running afficianado, Sean Andrish. Sean has undoubtedly made his presence over the years by racking up wins from 50km to 100milers, as well as setting some blistering times along the way, which have put him in the ranks of some of the East's elite (i.e. Campbell, Morton, Dunham). Earlier this year, Sean zipped through the Uwharrie 40mile with one of the fastest times in course history. Sean was kind enough to take time to answer some of my questions.


INOV-8 Athlete Profile
Sean Andrish
interviewed by: Wynn Davis


1. You’ve started off the early season with some strong performances. You’ve racked up victories at both Uwharrie 40m and Promise Land 50km, not to mention runner-up at Old Pueblo 50m. Can you describe your race strategy for one of these performances that stands out most?

I spent most of the winter trying to work myself back into shape following my recovery from foot surgery, so I ran fairly conservatively at my first few races figuring I wasn’t in shape to take my normal approach of going out hard and trying to hang on later in the race. Going into the Promise Land 50km, I felt pretty good about my level of fitness and decided to return to my typical race strategy of going out hard, surviving the climbs, and pushing the descents. My plan at Promise Land was to take off from the start to build an early lead that would allow me to walk a significant portion of the early climbs and still remain in contact with the leaders. With a number of fast runners in the field, I knew that if I were to be competitive I would need fresh legs to hammer the downhills and take advantage of my speed, especially on single-track trails. I was fortunate enough to have one of those days when everything went according to plan and, to top if off, I was able to win the race.


2. This was your 3rd straight victory at Uwharrie 40mile, while setting a personal best on the course (6:05). What are some of your thoughts regarding this impressive achievement?

Uwharrie was a pleasant surprise this year! I had only been running for 5 weeks before the race, so I wanted to use it as a test of my fitness and didn’t care about the result. Since I had traveled to North Carolina to race, I figured I might as well treat it as a race. I lead from the start and was surprised that nobody caught me. Having my PR for the course occur on such little training has me thinking that hard training might be overrated!


3. Now that you have run one of the fastest times on the course, do you feel that Mike Morton and Courtney Campbell’s CR time of 5:40 in 1995 is attainable?

I think that Mike and Courtney’s time on that course is one of their most impressive records. That record is likely to stand for many years. I have no illusions of being able to get close to that time, but I am now confident that a sub-6 hour time is within reach.


4. In 2005 you set the speed record on the Tuscarora Trail. What was your inspiration for this attempt? What were some of the memorable highlights?

After listening to Courtney Campbell’s experiences on the Long Trail in Vermont and reading about other people’s multi-day adventures, I thought that a multi-day run would be a new challenge that I would enjoy. I decided on the Tuscarora Trail because I liked the idea of running the entire length of a trail, and the fact that it was an extremely rocky trail that was close enough to home that I could talk friends into joining me for a day or two was a bonus. I loved the idea of spending several days trail running with friends where my only concern was not getting lost. I loved waking up early to be on the trail at 6 am, enjoying a fun run in the woods all day with friends, and stopping for the night whenever I got tired (between 10 pm and midnight). One of my favorite memories of the trip was running along a ridgeline just after sunset and spotting a couple eyes staring at me…as soon as the bobcat and I realized what we were looking at, we each took off running in opposite directions! Another memorable experience was outrunning my crew on the final day and having to go 30 miles with just a couple handheld bottles of Gatorade and a Clif shot or two. Luckily there were some houses near a couple of the road crossings and I was able to refill my bottles with water. When my crew figured out where we were, they brought food and drinks several miles up Massanutten Mountain to meet us. Every time I run that section of trail I remember how relieved I was to see them!


5. You have been on of the premiere runners to reckon with in the East. What do you contribute your success too?

I have been fortunate enough to run with a number of outstanding runners over the years. My friend Ray Pugsley, who placed 4th in the 5000 meters at the 1996 Olympic Trials taught me about speedwork and how to effectively incorporate it into my training. I learned about racing ultras from Courtney Campbell who, among other things, taught me the value of going out hard at the start of a race. It was also after starting to run with Courtney that I transitioned from being a strong climber to becoming fast on downhill, rocky trails.

6.What does a typical week of training look like for you?

I have found that a low-mileage, high quality approach works best for me. For most of the year, I generally run about 55 – 70 miles a week. I run 6 days a week, the key workouts being a tempo run of 6 – 12 miles during the week and a long trail run on the weekend. I fill in the remainder of the week with a hill workout and a couple runs on roads or smooth trails to loosen up and concentrate on a smooth stride and steady pace.


7. Do diet and nutrition play a specific role in your training regime?

Unfortunately I do not pay much attention to my diet. I tend to live on pizza, fast food, and ice cream. I have no doubt that my running would improve if I ate better, but maybe there’s some benefit to a high fat diet?!

8. Some runners like Bruce Fordyce would gauge themselves by their 10km times to know what kind of shape they were in. When in training, what parts indicate to you that you’re in great shape to bust out a solid race?

Two things I look for in my training that let me know I’m ready to run well are when I can get my tempo runs down to 5:40 – 5:50 pace and when I can go all-out on a rocky downhill and feel in control.


9. What, if any, injuries or setbacks have you overcome? How did you stay focused through them?

I’ve been fortunate in that my broken foot last Fall was the first significant injury I’ve had in the past 10 years or so. In order to get some exercise and keep my sanity following foot surgery, I went to the gym about 4 days a week and managed to get a lot of exercise on my crutches. At high school cross-country races last year, I could often be found running around the course on my crutches to yell encouragement to the kids. I also couldn’t stand watching my friends go trail running without me, so I accompanied to the trails a couple times and hiked several miles on crutches while they were out running. I got some funny looks from people as I hiked on the Appalachian Trail on my crutches!


10. What do you consider your strengths / weaknesses?

I like to think that my speed, especially on single-track downhills, and mental approach to races are my two major strengths. While I truly enjoy the social aspect of trail running as well as the opportunity to enjoy running through the mountains, I tend to be very competitive when I enter a race. This can be a strength in that I push myself hard during competition, but it is also a weakness in that if I am having a bad race I often forget to enjoy the scenery. Recovering from surgery has helped me adjust my outlook to racing because I was trying to race myself back into shape, which might result in some poor performances. I realized that even if I am not running fast, a race provides a great opportunity to spend a day playing in the woods and visiting with friends that I don’t get to see too often. I hope to maintain this approach to races regardless of my level of fitness.

11. What are some of your other interests besides running?

I try to spend as much time outside as possible. When I’m not running, I enjoy hiking, biking, and backcountry skiing. I have coached high school track and cross country for a number of years and love to get to know the kids, to see them improve over the course of a year and throughout high school, and to see them continuing to enjoy an active lifestyle during and after college.


12. Is there a particular Inov-8 shoe that is your favorite? For what reasons?

The Roclite 315 is my favorite Inov-8 shoe. The narrow fit, flexibility, and excellent traction make it a versatile shoe that I feel comfortable using on everything from roads and smooth trails to ultramarathons on rocky trails.


13. What are some of the toughest race courses you’ve ever experienced?

Without a doubt, Hardrock is the most difficult course I’ve run because of the long, steep climbs and the high altitude. The JFK 50-miler is a close second because it is basically a road run and those 26 miles on the C&O Canal require a lot of mental focus.

Thanks Sean!