Quad Cities Marathon: Phil Young to run new role
Phil Young has been a marathon runner since taking part in the famed Chicago Marathon back during his college days in 2006. He is also the co-owner of Fleet Feet, a store chain with over 260 locations nationwide, specializing in gear for runners, since March 2016.
Despite his love for running, he's never competed in the Quad Cities Marathon. That will change on Sunday when the starting gun sounds at 7 a.m.
"I have never raced the full Quad Cities Marathon," Young said. "I have been a pace leader for the past seven years, but this will be my first time running as hard as I can in the Quad Cities Marathon."
What exactly entails being a pace leader, and how does that role differ from an actual marathon runner?
"The marathon appoints volunteers to run the race at a very specific pace and hold a sign," Young said. "I have been a part of the three-hour group. I am going to run exactly three hours, I have done that as a low-pressure way to participate in the event. I can wake up and go for a nice, long run and just help people towards their goal."
Young will miss the camaraderie that comes with serving as a pace leader.
"I am a little sad about not being a pacer – I want to do everything, and it is just a fun way to do this event," Young said. "I love navigating the course, through the neighborhoods. I would be breathing really well, because I was not running my hardest, and I would get to know the seven or eight who are running with me, discussing what their goals are. But I am a little anxious, since this is a challenging course for me."
Young is more accustomed to steadier, smoother courses, opposed to the challenging QC outline.
"I am well suited for flat courses with very little change," Young said. "I prefer more rhythmic running. There are a couple of hills (on the course), especially in the first half of the race, that could maybe give me some trouble."
Young has run over 40 marathons, the Chicago Marathon and the Boston Marathon, to go along with the various 50K races, five to six 50-mile races, four to five 100K races, and he has also run 100-mile competitions three times.
Of those races, his return to Chicago to run the 2018 marathon is the one that stood out the most.
"I did the Chicago Marathon for fun back in 2018, and I had a friend (Sarah) who was trying to run a specific time, while I was not," he said. "I was not fit to go for a personal best, but I told her I would help her along. We actually lost each other at the start, because there were so many people. I did not find her until the 18-mile mark. We spotted each other and we finished the last seven to eight miles just flying – she hit her goal, and it was a fast course. It was a nice day that year, and a fun experience, since it was so dramatic."
Young also enjoyed his first Chicago Marathon 18 years ago.
"That Chicago Marathon was incredible," Young said. "Not only was the marathon 26.2 miles, which is a big, daunting thing, but Chicago is a world's major marathon, with over 40,000 runners. There were also two million spectators. The city really comes out, and it feels overwhelming at first. But the energy ... I was super excited. I was so used to running 5K's in high school and running as hard as I could the whole time. I really had a rough go – I ran really fast for about 20 miles, then had a very difficult final six miles, where I was basically walking, pouting and upset. It was a rude awakening, but I was hooked from then-on."
Because this is the first time Young is competing in the QC Marathon, he has had to put less strain on his toes this week working at Fleet Feet, who he co-owns with his wife, Jackie Young.
"Normally, I have long hours on my feet (working at Fleet Feet), but this week, I have been resting a little bit more," Young said. "I have moved my daily running to the afternoon, so that I can sleep a little long in the morning – sleeping until 6 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. I also focused on hydration and cleaning up my diet. Us runners are always thinking about what the extra one percent I can get. I drink a little more water, a little less beer and maybe not as much pizza, and maybe the race will go better."
Young has enjoyed his time as co-owner of Fleet Feet – from a fledgling three or four part-time employees working for him and Jackie eight years ago to now a team of 15 to 20 full-time employees.
"We feel more like a team, but we are doing the same stuff we did eight years ago, helping people at the fit stool, finding the right kind of footwear to set them up for their lifestyle or fitness needs," Young said.
Young's best situations while working at Fleet Feet have been the times where he and his team have been able to aid the less fortunate.
"On occasion, we will get the opportunity to work with a customer who hobbles into the store or who has to be assisted into the store," Young said. "Oftentimes, that person is somebody who is a little more elderly, with some real significant pain ailments. Being able to just sit and have a conversation with someone and giving them some hope because of our education and our product selection is a huge deal. Those are the moments that we keep going for."
