Tim Shea: email

I have been running competitively and for pleasure for nearly 30 years. My Mom was an early “fun run” participant in the early 80’s and would bring me along. I would run with her and her friends and found I liked it and was able to complete 5k’s. I ran in Junior High and High School and tended to run the longer track events. I ran competitively in college in Iowa. I did not start running longer races until much later in my running career. My first marathon was a disaster. I went out too fast and suffered miserably the last six miles. One week later, I ran the Vermont 50 miler and felt much better. I have done many ultra marathons and marathons since then. I like the longer training runs and camaraderie that comes with long slow trail runs.

I paced the Vermont City Marathon in 2013 at a 3:15. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this and look forward to doing the same pace again this year. I plan to run fairly steady with little variances depending on hills and wind. I think the most important thing to preparing for a marathon is the long slow runs. I call it “time on the legs”. I don’t worry about pace, but only to be out for more than 3 hours. Another key is finding a good balance of nutrition and liquid intake during an endurance event. This requires practice of finding out what works for you prior to the race. Use the long run to fine tune your nutrition and prepare your body for the event.

Ludo Bruyere: email

Where are you from? US citizen born in Paris, France and currently living in Montreal, Canada.

Occupation: IT Project Manager

Marathon PR: 2:48 in 1995 (2:54 in 2014) Number of marathons and ultra-marathons completed: 25 in 25 years Training regimen: Running, biking, hiking, and xc-skiing in the winter. Training food: Oatmeal with maple syrup, walnuts and banana or breakfast pita with almond butter and homemade jam before going out in the morning. How old you were when you started running? 14 Who do you train with? My wife, my friends and my dog Why do you run? It’s a life-long commitment to health and fitness. Along with healthy habits, running is keeping us in great shape allowing us to enjoy life stress-free to its fullest. Why do you pace? Pacing is an opportunity to share experiences. We are lifelong learners, learning from each other’s successes and failures. Why should someone run in your pace group?: Whether you want to qualify for the Boston marathon, set a personal best, or simply want to have a good time, let’s run the marathon together. Pacing is a proven approach to maximize your chances to achieving your marathon goal. I am committed to cross the finish line no less than one minute before and no more than the exact pace time. I paced the VCM in 2012, 2013, and 2014 and finished each year less than a minute ahead of target time. I adapt our pace to the course, slowing down going up hills and loosening up going down hills. I am committed to run as close to an even pace from the first mile to the last one, making sure all our splits are called out to the pace group. Any tips for runners about to join your group? I run marathons for the journey, not just for the finish time on D-day. I like the benefits of training with my family and friends, I enjoy each of the 26 miles on the D-day, as well as all the post-marathon celebrations. I recommend you listen to your body during training, during the event, and after your marathon. Start visualizing your perfect race: are you well rested at the start, running tall, feeling strong and focused on your objective? Then decide which pace group might help you achieve your dream.  Adjust your final race plan to your mind and body fitness level the days before the race.  Be realistic. My plan to complete a 50 mile ultra-trail race: I completed my first trail marathon in Chamonix, France in July 2012, and loved the experience. Pacing on the trails was very important, allowing me to reach the finish line strong and ready for the next challenge.  In 2013, I ran my first 50K trail race in the Mauricie National Park. In 2014, I ran the Saint-Donat 60K in June to prepare for the Tour de la Grande Casse, a 39 mile trail race in August.  In 2015, I will be running the Whiteface, NY sky marathon in June, the Mont Sainte Anne Mega trail in July and the Jay Peak, VT 50K in September to prepare for my first 50 mile ultra this autumn. A quotation you like…Jean de la Fontaine: “Rien ne sert de courir, il faut partir à point”. Slow and steady wins the race.