David Adams talks about running, family and his career as a firefighter. Adams is running in this weekend's Tunnels to Towers.
How is running going?
Running is going pretty well. I was injured for most of the spring but I have been consistently running since June. I have been logging between 35-45 miles per week usually with two days off. I have run a handful of speed workouts in the last month and hope to continue them along with some races this fall. I ran a 4:45 mile this summer and a 16:29 5K last month.
Photos provided
How's your family doing and balancing running and work, etc.?
My family is doing great. My wife and I are expecting baby number two in February. We are excited about our growing family. My wife and my parents help me get my runs in as much as they can. My wife is a night shift nurse and when she is at work I am home alone with him overnight. Sometimes I am able to drop my son off at my parents to get a run in while she is away. The best purchase we made was buying a nice jogging stroller. It's not the most convenient thing to try to run fast with but it's really great when I have no other way to run that day. I run with the stroller about twice per week.
Working at a fire department, what hours do you work and how often do you get to sleep on average and how do you handle running with that top of job?
We work 24 hour shifts. We get to work at 8 a.m. and leave the following morning a 8 a.m. Most of our stations either have a treadmill or some sort of loop that's accessible while on shift. Obviously if a call goes out I have to stop what I am doing and respond. My fire department has eight stations, most of which are fairly slow during the night hours. Unfortunately for me and my sleep I was recently moved to one of our busier stations and a station that runs many calls between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. I am getting used to it but there are definitely days that it affects my running negatively. For the most part my schedule is great for running. I am able to run while I am at work and we get two days off between our shifts.
What made you decide to run the Tunnels to Towers?
A few guys that I work with told me about the event. They set up our team page and the fundraising part of it and then recruited myself and a few others who run consistently to enter as a team and try to win. I had not heard of the event or the story behind it until a few weeks ago. The story behind the event is really cool and really puts things into perspective. I am honored to be a part of this great event. Donate here
What was 9/11 like for you yesterday?
9/11 definitely has a different feel to me since becoming a firefighter. It gave me a whole new respect for what the rescuers sacrificed that day. Naturally as I have grown older and started a family of my own, listening to stories, like that of Stephen Siller (Tunnels to Towers) really hits home. The ripple effect of that day directly affected so many people. I caught bits and pieces of many of the different 9/11 shows that were on yesterday and it never gets easier to see. It feels like the first time every time I see those planes crash.
How much are you trying to raise with the run?
Our team combined has raised over $7,000. Our original goal was $1,500 so we are extremely happy with that. I would welcome any donations but I did not have any expectations as an individual. Donate here
Have you done this before?
I have not participated in this event before. A few years ago I participated in a "lock-up" that was organized by the Muscular Dystrophy Association. They basically "arrest" you and you have to make phone calls to raise money for your "bail". So many of my friends and family donated money to that cause.
Who is going to the race with you?
There are 20 firefighters from my department running the race and 11 wives/girlfriends. There are five of us running as a competitive team.
What do you think of the high school season so far, and especially with Coaches Classic this weekend? I am excited to see the results after this weekend. That is always a nice race because each of the classifications get to compete against each other. I would imagine that (Zack) Langston and (James) Quattlebaum are amongst the favorites. I am excited about the season Hilton Head's top two can have as well (Colton Hennessey and Cisco Ferre). Colton opened the season with a 15:42 at Providence. Last year Cisco matched my sophomore PR in the mile (4:36) and was only a few seconds off of my two-mile time.
What kind of running goals are you aiming for at this time?
I would like to get under 16 minutes consistently this fall. I was planning on running the open race at Foot Locker South but I am putting that off for now. I will run that next year if I feel I can be competitive.
I am currently making more of an effort to stretch and improve my core strength. If I can raise my mileage and stay healthy over the next year I would like to be in the low 15s, but 15:30 may be more realistic.
Do you have running club you are part of you?
I joined the Palmetto Running Company Race Team in January. They have a store in Beaufort and in Bluffton. The race team is pretty competitive especially for a bunch of older folks! It has been great to have that team feel again and have group of guys to train with. By the end of the year we should have five guys under 16:30. The race team participates in about 10 events during the year.
The Palmetto Running Co. does a great job with many of the local races and hosts club runs weekly. They have really promoted and enhanced running in the Bluffton/Hilton Head area.