Occupation: Lead singer, Death Cab for Cutie
Age: 35
Residence: Los Angeles
One of my favorite books is Haruki Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. He says that writing is a bad habit. You sit for hours, dredging up your innards. To balance that, he says, you need healthy habits. Running is that for me.
I started running in 2007, after the elliptical got boring. Becoming a runner coincided with me shedding some unhealthy habits. I used to be a heavy drinker.
My body hated me. It took six months for the first mile not to be the worst feeling in the world.
Now, it's like when you're taking a dog for a walk--I put my shoes on and my body says, "Oh, good, we're going to do this!"
After we finished recording our album Codes and Keys (released last May), I bought a book on marathoning. I followed the training plan rigorously. (Search: Marathon training plan.) I relished getting up at 5 a.m. for my long runs.
The day of the 2011 L.A. Marathon was a monsoon. My shoes and clothes were soaked. But I loved seeing all the people out cheering.
I was hoping to run a 3:30. But I got caught up in the adrenaline. Around mile 19 or 20, I hit the wall. I had to walk a little. I finished in 3:56:34.
My goal was to beat Flea [of the Red Hot Chili Peppers]. He got me by about four minutes.
The band carries a treadmill on tour now. Nick Harmer, our bass guitarist, is also a runner. We realized if we took the money we used to spend on booze on one tour, we could easily buy a treadmill. We used to spend $300, $400 a night on booze.
When I wake up, the first thing I want is coffee. Once I get jacked up on caffeine, I want to go for a run.
I listen to an ESPN Baseball Today podcast or a random playlist. I preview records, too.
How you transcend the wall, as a runner or a musician, defines who you are.
Go to runnersworld.com/imarunner for the full interview, photos, and the full Q&A.
