Crossing all boundaries, Tim Van Orden has become a staple surrounding both USA Masters Track & Field Championships and USA Trail Championships. At 44 years old, logging over 100 miles per week, Van Orden was voted the 2011 USA Masters Mountain Runner of the Year after winning USA 15 km, Half Marathon and Marathon Trail Championships last season. He also competed in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2012 USA Masters Outdoor Championships in Lisle, Ill.
Among other things, Van Orden also participates in stair climb races and snow show racing. He is a strong advocate of a raw food diet and is passionate about his Running Raw Project. Fast Forward caught up with Van Orden in this Q & A.
TAKE US THROUGH YOUR TYPICAL RACING PLAN
“Racing for the most part serves as a tempo workout. I will race every weekend being sure I get my good tempo in. I find it difficult to do tempo workouts on my own. When I am giving people 25-50 dollars and I am surrounded by others makes it easier to get it done. The races I really go for are the USATF Championships. This year I will be adding the 50 km and 50-
20
mile Championships. I also have my stair climb races I like to go for. Then there is the snow shoe season.”
ARE THERE ANY WEEKENDS WHEN YOU AREN’T RACING?
“I probably take three or four weekends off a year. Since I am racing every weekend, some of those races are very short and some are very long. It depends on what workout I am looking for. This way I can focus on what races I need.”
AS IT’S SOMETHING READERS WON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT, TELL US ABOUT STAIRCLIMBING
“I did my first race in California in 2006. It was the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles, which is the tallest building west of Chicago. At the time I had just been running for nine months. I had retired from running when I was 19 or 20 years old and didn’t start up again until 37. But I ran too much too soon. After seven months I found myself unable to run, but I found I could go upstairs without problem. I ended up getting third. It was the most pain I have ever experienced in my life and I was hooked. I have won that race three times and set the course record at