I'm actually going to write about Don "Ultra Don" Winkley. I'm very fortunate to be running with the greatest running group in the country and Don being a phenomenon. He is a retired, 72 year-old chemist (I believe....quite accomplished....we don't ask), and an ultra runner. He has run across the United States, Greece, France, and Tennessee to name a few. On his Facebook page he says this about himself: "I am a runner-that's about it. Combine love of travel with racing 5K, marathons, 24 hrs, multidays and races across countries. Comrades in South Africa, Transe Gaule (across France) and Vol State (race across Tenn)..." He is believed to have the most race miles in the world....he's talked to many of the other greats and they don't even come close. When you're running with him, he has more running/racing stories than anyone I know. He stays in Europe weeks or months at a time, just traveling and racing. I hope one day I could do that.
Another amazing fact about Don is that he NEVER drinks water. His response is "water is for bathing." The main thing he drinks is Diet Pepsi.....wine, beer, and coffee. He consumes a liter of Diet Pepsi before his morning runs along with a cup of coffee. (He says that when training he is never far from the restroom.) He drinks on average 10 liters of Diet Pepsi PER DAY! He has done this for YEARS and doesn't really know why except that he likes the taste. He recently found out that it contains 2 of the 5 legal athletic enhancers and maybe that's why he's able to continue to running the ways he does....it contains caffeine and phosphoric acid (I think).
Don is just one just one crazy character in my little running group in Corpus Christi. He's faithful to his training, he's faithful to racing, and he's faithful to Diet Pepsi. Try something new....maybe a little Diet Pepsi and see how far you go???
See you on the road.
