FRED ROBERTS

Melia Coury: I’m Melia Coury here with Aravaipa Running and Fred Roberts and you just finished your 3rd Mogollon Monster, congratulations!
Fred Roberts: Thank you.
M: You actually hold the most finishes.
F: I know it kind of puts some pressure on me to keep running. Which I think I will do.
M: What is it about this race that keeps you coming back each year?
F: You know a lot of races you have a good chance of finishing. And this is one of those races where you can get to mile 50 or 60 and then it really comes down to how bad do you want it. That’s what I like to do digging down and things that are so far removed from anything you could gain in training. And I’m not very fast but you know I get to that threshold and what am I going to do, stop and go home? No. Until something’s broken you know, I’m going to keep going. And the scenery is beautiful, the people are beautiful and you come into an aid station and everyone is really helpful. And now that I know the course really well I don’t get scared at night.
M: Do you have a story of when you thought you were not going to continue and then something happened and you rallied?
F: You know in other races but not this one. I’ve always known it was going to be really, really hard and that I am going to get to the finish. But I did do the last 11 miles with my son 3 years ago and that was huge. That was really special for us. He was a junior in high school and then my two girls met us with like 4 miles to go and we all came in together. So we have some special memories here.
M: It really makes more of a family like close knit and the ultra community at large.
F: And I keep trying to twist their arms but they have other things going on right now. But that one experience was great.
M: Now is there anything training wise that you have found that works really well?
F: You know this time I never really had time to do one 35 or 45 mile run. So I did like 17 in the morning trail and then 15 at night on the road. And the next morning do 20 miles on the trail. And just did a ton of miles in like 3 days. I just couldn’t get that 6 or 7 hours of time so I think that worked really well. I was able to rest but then come back later in the day and even though I was fatigued I would go out and run again. And I would definitely do that next time.
M: And is there a race you are looking to do next?
F: Javelina Jundred.
M: And that will be number 10!
F: And that will be number 10. I am a creature of habit. And living in Tucson it is just so easy to come up here and run these great races. Then head on home no flights, go back to work on Monday, can’t complain.