Max King – Elite Trail Runner

Sponsors: Montrail, Mountain Hardware, Hammer Nutrition, Reco-Fit, Swiftwick, Polar, Rudy Project

Max King is “The King” when it comes to Xterra, the ultimate Off-Road Triathlon and Trail Running Series. He is a 5-time US Xterra National Champion, 4-time Xterra World Champion, London Marathon Pacer (20 miles), and is considered among the best trail runners in the world. Growing up in Colorado, I have always followed the Xterra Games and with great appreciation I had the opportunity to get an insight from Max on how he trains and what to expect in the future.

Q. It seems like a full schedule of work, a new daughter and running, what is a day in the life of a professional runner like?

A. It tends to vary, a lot, but I would say, wake up, have breakfast with the family, go for a run in the morning, go to work at Footzone, either a second run or train in the afternoon/evening, back home. more time with the family. I always can’t seem to get into a regular routine. I always fill my days around my training right now, but there’s always something new.

Q. What is planned for next year regarding Xterra, the 2016 Olympic training and racing in general? Sound like you’re expanding your versatility to include shorter XC races and ultra-endurance races?

A. There are many things to come this year. Lots more trail runs and a few ultras. My main goal this year is to build as many World Championship teams as possible, including XC (Cross Country), 100k ultra, track and trail running. I haven’t started thinking about the next Olympiad yet, but I’m sure it will include a race in at least one Olympic Trials event.

Q. Trail or track? Are you sure everyone has their moments?

A. Safe path. Yes, the track has its moments and I love racing fast, but I’d rather be running on a trail any day.

Q. Any favorite trails you can share?

A. It’s like when someone asks me if I have a favorite race: they are all so different and spectacular in their own right that I really can’t have favorites. Each one has a unique look that makes it special. Apart from that, one of my favorite areas to run is the Alps. Spectacular trails throughout with a hut system that is unmatched anywhere else in the world.

Q. Nutrition? Meat or not? Are you a calorie tracker or just burning them?

R. Meat, absolutely. I give huge props to any vegetarian athlete who can perform well. There may be a diet that is perfect for athletes, raw, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, high carb, high protein, but I enjoy food too much to restrict myself to a particular diet. I could not do it. And I don’t track calories. I try to eat a healthy and balanced diet. My weight doesn’t fluctuate and I don’t have time to keep track of calories.

Q. Aside from racing, how do you prepare mentally and physically for racing? Yoga? Strength conditioning? Cycling? Swimming?

A. Physically, I try to do some light strength training and/or yoga a couple of times a week. During the winters I started doing some ski touring which really helped with my climbing ability. Mentally nothing special other than finding a training regimen that is sustainable. I think that’s the biggest thing for a lot of athletes’ careers, they don’t figure out how to make it sustainable in the long run and they end up burning out. So I do what I have to do. It motivates me and I love running in the mountains, but I also like a good track workout. If I feel like I’m burning out, I take a break or decrease my workload.

Q. Do you use fitness technology, devices or apps to train and compete?

A. I don’t trust them very much, but I think one of the most important things for athletes who are really trying to get faster or fitter is heart rate. It’s THE most important metric you can track, so I wear a Polar HR monitor during training on almost all my runs. I track mileage that way too with a GPS, but it’s really secondary to heart rate and time on my feet.

Q. Any specific device or app that you would recommend to our readers?

A. My favorite has been the Polar RCX-5 GPS. Polar is the best in the business for heart rate measurement and their system with a separate GPS sensor is key for me. I’m a watch user so an all in one unit just doesn’t work for me. The RCX-5 is small enough to use all the time and I can only grab the GPS unit with a 20 hour battery life along with the HR strap on the way out the door.

Q. A couple of songs that come to mind that help you get over the hump when training or competing?

A. I don’t normally listen to music when I run, so it’s usually the last thing I listen to that gets stuck in my skull. Quite annoying actually. I’ll be warming up in Linkin Park most of the time and that can give me a lot of encouragement for a shorter race.

Q. Any basic advice for those looking to improve their running skills?

A train. There is no secret recipe or pill you can take to feel better. It’s hard work, pure and simple. The way to pack the most training into the shortest amount of time is to do the mileage in the hills. Speed ​​and strength work in disguise is what my old coach used to tell me.

Thanks Max!