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Athlete Spotlight
Do you know someone that has just finished a great race? Someone that has made selfless contributions to our communities? Or someone that has just pure heart and passion for the sports? How about someone that has been through death and back, overcome life difficulties and still participate in the sports give it 150%? Great accomplishments and perseverance deserve to be recognized. E-mail the webmaster and nominate them to be on Athlete Spotlight and let the world get to know them as well. Each month, we will feature a local runner, swimmer, cyclist or triathlete on our Athlete Spotlight. If they are selected, they will be invited by our webmaster for a one-on-one interview. It will be all about them!! Nominations are coming in fast!!!
Athlete Spotlight on:
Pete Pfannerstill, LMT
Pete is a licensed sports massage therapist and an ultrarunner. Learn from Pete what it takes to run an ultra race and how sports massage can help every runner from sprinters to ultrarunners like himself.
GAT: Pete, thank you for sitting down with me. So you are an ultrarunner, huh?
Pete: Yes, I am.
GAT: What is considered an ultra?
Pete: Any distance longer than a standard marathon of 26.2 miles is an ultra.
GAT: How do you train for an ultra race? Can you really train for that?
Pete: To train for the shorter ultra distances, such as 50K’s, you can train as you would for a marathon. You need to train on the surface that the race will be held on. For the longer distances such as 50 Miles and 100K, you need to do double runs on the weekends – maybe 6-7 hours on Saturday and 3-4 hours on Sunday. The Sunday run trains your legs to run when they are tired. For the 100 milers and beyond, it simply requires longer long runs. In addition, you need to learn how to run overnight, so be sure to schedule several 40-50 mile night runs. You also need to train your brain on how to make it to the finish line. For an ultra race, you have to think in terms of segments… kind of tackle one segment at a time and just focus on getting to the next aid station where you know you will have the fluid and food and bathroom that you need. And maybe you need a change of clothes and shoes there as well. You just have to think of it that way and just put one foot in front of the other.
GAT: That sounds easy enough, yet painful. It must take a certain personality to do an ultra.
Pete: It does, runners and triathletes have type A personality and that’s about what it takes.
GAT: And when did you start doing ultra races?
Pete: Well, it goes back to about 1995/1996. I had already done a few marathons and I was involved with the West Florida Y Runners Club and did some long runs with them. A friend mentioned the Croom 50 Mile run and suggested that we should do it. I looked at it and it looked pretty interesting, so I said “Let’s do it”!!
GAT: That is amazing!! I cannot believe that you decided to do Croom not having trained or done one before. Just like that, you were onto your first ultra.
Pete: I figured that it was a challenge that I was ready for. During that race I met Pam Dickens and Elaine Anthony, who are now known as the “Luna Chicks.” They are ultra runners as well and they organize an ultramarathon the last Saturday of the year. They convinced me to go do the 1996 Vermont 100 with them.
GAT: Are we talking about 100k or 100 miles?
Pete: It was 100 miles. It took us just under 28 hours, average of about 17 min a mile. My PR was at Vermont in 2000. That day I ran 23:30 – a good day of running.
GAT: So what is on the horizon now? Another ultra?
Pete: My wife and I are training together for the SunTrust National Marathon in Washington, DC. It’s on Saturday, March 21. It will be her first marathon so I think I’m going to stay with her during the race. We just did our 20 mile run yesterday.
GAT: Tell me about your business. How long have you been a massage therapist?
Pete: I have been doing this for about 12 years now. I used to be a chemist, working for GE. One day I visited this friend of mine who is a massage therapist and started talking to him about massages and thought it was pretty interesting. I later learned more about the profession and how to become licensed. I was checking out a massage school in Pinellas Park and eventually enrolled in the Suncoast School of Massage Therapy. I was working full time and going to school part time. Later, I felt that the moment had come for me to go at massage full speed so I quit my comfortable job as a chemist and became a sports massage therapist. You know sometimes there’s a moment where you are not sure if something was going to work out? I never had that moment. Occasionally I drive by the office of my previous job and I think to myself that I was glad that I made the transition.
GAT: So how is a sports massage different from a regular relaxation massage?
Pete: A relaxation massage really does not work on the muscles or tissues that much. When you go to a relaxation massage, they put you in a room with dim light, soothing music, burning incense and they put fragranced oil on you. All that probably does more to your brain than your body and if you are looking to relax, there’s nothing wrong with getting a relaxation massage.
For most athletes though, they need something that is going to work their tissues, something that is going to open up their muscles and help with recovery. It goes much deeper and is more intense than a relaxation massage.
GAT: What do most of your patients come in for? Do they typically wait to a point when it is difficult for you to help them?
Pete: I see a lot of hip and IT band issues experienced by runners. Usually, runners like to push through pain and discomfort until it bothers them at home or at work. When they feel pain or discomfort at work, they immediately seek treatment or massage. For some people, I can fix them in just one visit. However, for the most part, a chronic issue may take 3-4 hourly sessions to resolve.
GAT: I have to admit that I am one of those people that wait and wait until I absolutely cannot run anymore before I’d go see a doctor or massage therapist.
Pete: We like to see folks on a more frequent schedule than when they are in significant pain. If you are able to manage it, a monthly maintenance massage can help keep those little aches and pains from turning into chronic, over-training injuries. Once you reach that level, your performance may be significantly affected to the point of your not being able to finish your training or being able to compete in your event. A routine massage will help you have a higher quality workout and a faster recovery. A pre event massage a few days before your big race will help to smooth out any little kinks and a post event massage after the race will help reduce muscle and joint soreness and will allow you to return to training sooner.
GAT: Aside from your day to day job as a massage therapist, what other interesting things have you done?
Pete: Well, I also teach continuing education seminars for sports massage. I am also a Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner and Instructor. The Kinesio Taping Method® is a technique that originated in Japan. It has really gained popularity since Beach Volleyballer Kerry Walsh used the tape on her shoulder in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Talking about the Olympics, I was also part of the 2004 Athens Olympics massage therapy team.
GAT: Yeah, I have heard of kinesio taping. In fact, I had my knee taped when I had patellar tendonitis. How did you get to go to the Olympics as part of the massage therapy team?
Pete: Well, I basically filled out an application and they reviewed my qualifications and determined that I was qualified to be part of the team. I also had to have letters of recommendation from professional athletes. Sheila Taormina is a professional triathlete and also one of my clients. She wrote a letter of recommendation for me so I’m sure that was helpful. They also looked to see whether you have had experience with a professional sports team. I was working with the Yankees before and also a few professional golfers so I think that was helpful as well.
GAT: So what did you do there at the Olympics?
Pete: Since I was part of the massage therapy team, I had the opportunity to work on athletes from all over the world. I was stationed at the track & field venue so I worked on a few runners and sprinters. I also had a chance to work on a swimmer and a fencer. Some of the athletes that I worked on didn’t speak English at all, so it was difficult to communicate what their needs were. Overall, it was quite an experience.
Since then, I also worked with the U.S. bobsled and skeleton teams in Europe. I also traveled to San Diego to the Olympic Training Center for 2 weeks to work with Olympic athletes there.
GAT: That is quite a resume you have.
Pete: Thanks. They were great experiences and not many people can say that they’ve been to the Olympics.
GAT: Pete, you contacted me about posting the Moffitt 12 hours endurance run on our website’s running calendar. Are you affiliated with the race?
Pete: I am on the Board of Directors of the Florida Bank Miles for Moffitt. Last year when I turned 50, I had the idea of running 50 miles on the day of the race (May 10, 2008) to celebrate. I used the run to raise over $2500 from clients and friends and donated the money to the race, a fundraiser for the Moffitt Cancer Center. I thought it would be neat to make that into a race that serves a great cause so we decided to add the 12 hour endurance run to the event this year.
GAT: When is the race and what is the course for the 50 miles?
Pete: The Ultra Miles for Moffitt 12 Hour Endurance Run will be held on Friday, May 8 at the USF track. It starts at 8 p.m. and will conclude with the running of the Miles for Moffitt 5 Mile/5K on Saturday morning, May 9. You may run solo as many laps as you can or you may run as a team and switch off whenever you like. Folks who are interested can contact me directly or they may go to www.milesformoffitt.com for more information. We have a maximum of 75 runners or teams, so register early if you are interested. The registration fee is $50/person with an additional fund raising goal of $100/per person.
GAT: The Miles for Moffitt race is one of the fastest growing races in the Tampa Bay area and I’m sure it will attract more runners as a result of the endurance run.
Pete: We certainly hope so. Last year we had 3000 competitors for the 5K. This year, we are bringing back the 5 Mile race in addition to the 5K and the 1 mile. We are expecting 3500 runners in all races. We hope to make a big show of having the Ultra Miles runners join the folks for the 5 Mile race.
GAT: Pete, here are the 5 burning questions everyone is dying to know your answers to. What is your favorite music?
Pete: I’m actually more of a talk radiophile. I’m not so much of a music fan. For my clients, I play a variety of music when I’m working. Jazz, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban and that sort of music. I encourage my clients to bring in their favorite music.
GAT: Favorite pre and post run food?
Pete: I try to eat a fairly balanced and healthy diet. I do my best to stay away from corn syrup laden foods and sweets in general. I lost 15 pounds at the beginning of 2008 and have managed to keep it off by watching what I eat. The pre race meal is the proverbial pasta dinner, but early enough to allow for proper digestion, if you know what I mean. The post race meal will likely be a steak and baked potato. I’m a Hammer Nutrition fan, so during my runs I hydrate with a mix of Sustained Energy & Heed and use Hammer Gel for fuel. At the aid stations during races, I will eat whatever looks and tastes good – chips, cookies, M&M’s, fruit, pretzels, Boost. It’s all about eating foods that are easily digested and maintaining the correct balance of fluid and electrolytes in the stomach. Nausea in a race is a killer.
GAT: Kids or pets?
Pete: My wife and I have no children and no pets.
GAT: Favorite indulgence.
Pete: I suppose that sweets would be a good answer here. Mom gave me her sweet tooth and, unfortunately, her lack of will power. She taught me how to bake cookies when I was eight years old. I can easily eat a dozen hot, freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies.
GAT: What are you doing when you are not exercising or working?
Pete: When I’m not running or working, I’m planning our next run or thinking about work. My wife and I like to ride the Harley when the weather permits. Lately, with all this global warming this winter, that hasn’t been too often.
GAT: Well, Pete, it was a pleasure talking to you and good luck at the marathon.
Pete: Thank you, Stella.
Pete Pfannerstill is a licensed massage therapist, a certified kinesio taping instructor and an ultrarunner. He has helped many runners and triathletes in the Tampa Bay area in managing their sports related injuries. You can contact Pete at 813-482-7200 or e-mail him at ppfannerst@aol.com. Also, visit Pete’s website www.ultrasportsmassage.com.
