Juan Pina

What made you start running? 
My doorway to the running world, I guess was no different to the way most runners start.  It is a mix of challenging yourself, the desire to stay fit, make friends, and taste your limits.  The big difference came when I started to run marathons.  As Emil Zatopek said once. “If you want to run, run a mile; if you want to experience a different life, run a marathon”.

When and why did you decided to you were going to run a half-marathon or marathon on all seven continents?
I had been reading articles of the very first marathon in Antarctica so being a passionate of wildlife I said to myself that running in Antarctica was a must.  I ran the second edition of the Antarctica Marathon and after that I realized that I was only missing one marathon in South America to complete a marathon in all seven continents so there I went.

How do you stay motivated through all those miles?
The life of a marathoner is a motivation by itself.  It is the time when you get a close encounter with your inner space; it is the time to experience new places, meet new friends and be part of a very select community.  The motivation comes on every mile you run, every mile is a new experiences and at the same time brings remembrances that make you smile and motivates you to go for that extra mile.

How many marathons and/or half-marathons have you run?
As of now I have completed 364 marathons and counting.  There were years when I ran 30 or 32 marathons and now I am down to one marathon per month.  I have also ran couple of 100 milers and countless half marathons.

What is your favorite race and why? 
After having run so many marathons it is difficult to have one favorite marathon.  I can tell you that I very much enjoy running exotic marathons such as Madagascar, North Pole, Antarctica, Great Wall in China, the marathons in Africa.  I like also to challenge myself by running tough marathons like the Pikes Peak Marathon and the Catalina Island Marathon.  The Medoc Marathon can also be placed in the favorite list.  Obvious to say that it is always good to run the six majors.  As you can see, this is a tough question.

What race did you learn the most about yourself?
In every single race I learn something about myself.  Every race gives you the opportunity and time to question yourself many things.  Races such as the International Patagonian Marathon where you are running in the middle of magnificent scenery, makes you realize how small we are compared to what surrounds us.  It is the time to think on our mission to protect our planet.

 
What is your favorite part about running and traveling?
Running and traveling allows me to visit new locations and meet new friends.  That is probably my favorite part together with the opportunity to photograph wildlife in remote places.  It is the perfect combination of three of my favorite passions -running, traveling, and photographing wildlife.

It doesn’t have to be a race, but what is your favorite place/city to run?
In terms of places, my favorite ones are those where you can run for miles and miles in the woods just hearing the wind and the sound of birds.  Talking about cities, those where there is a community of runners that even if you don’t know them you feel yourself as part of that community such as Boston, Eugene, New York and Austin.

What word would your friends use to describe you?
Passionate.

What words of advice would you give to someone who is training for their first marathon or half-marathon?
Go for it and enjoy.  The life of a marathoner passes through three stages.  The first one is when you are about to run your first marathon and prove to yourself that you can do it.  The second one is when you are hunting for your best personal.  The third stage is when you do not care anymore about your time and you go out to enjoy the distance.  The three stages are different but all of them are enjoyable.  Go out there, have fun and enjoy every mile!