Fred Zalokar and I recently connected on social media when he commented on one of my posts that he was about to “Smash Sixty”. Intrigued, I did a bit of research and discovered a man leading an extraordinary life from his base up in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Nevada, USA.
Here is a man who has literally smashed his entire fifties to smithereens through his epic marathons, mountain expeditions and world travels.
I instantly knew that I wanted to find out more about him and share it with the Smashing Fifty family. So I requested an interview, to which he happily agreed.
During our Skype, Fred reveals just how he’s created one of the most exciting and fulfilling lives you can imagine, all whilst working a regular day job. Hold onto your hats, folks!
You can listen to our chat in full on the podcast.
“I love growing old. It’s a lot better than the alternative.”
Fred Zalokar
An overview of the man
Fred Zalokar is the first marathon runner to have won his age group in all six Abbott World Marathon Majors.
He won in Berlin 2010, Boston 2011, Chicago 2012, New York 2015, London 2016 and Tokyo 2017.
Originally an ultra-runner, it wasn’t until he turned 50 that he decided to try road running after being persuaded by his wife. Impressed? Me too, but that’s not all.
Fred has also travelled to 136 countries (scaling to the highest point of 78 of them) and has climbed 145 of the world’s highest mountains.
For the last decade, he’s been running 13 times almost every week, clocking up an average of 105 miles every 7 days.
Not bad for a family man who also works a regular 9-5 job, sometimes pushing 50 hours per week.
What’s even more astonishing, is that he doesn’t really consider himself to be that much of a marathon runner. Ask him and he’ll tell you that he prefers to think of himself as a “passionate traveller who also happens to climb mountains and run marathons.” His thirst for life is immense.
Related: How Joe Wicks changed this 50-year-old man’s life
An inspiration to all middle-aged men
Here’s a man who has been unafraid to live his life on his own terms and has seen just reward.
His work ethic, focus, positive mindset and passion for life prove that anything is possible in life if you put your mind to it.
But let’s not be overwhelmed by the extent of his achievements (this guy’s taking it to the limit).
Instead, let’s be inspired by his determination, passion and focus and use it to inspire the rest of us mere mortals to smash our own challenges no, matter how big or small.
The interview
“I wake up at 3.30 am almost everyday and workout for two and a half hours.”
Fred Zalokar
Fred sits comfortably in front of a bookcase crammed full of Lonely Planet guidebooks. He’s relaxed, friendly and unbelievably positive. His easy-going, super focussed attitude is infectious. I’m feeling inspired already.
To begin with, I wonder if he’s somehow superhuman or has the luxury of extreme wealth which allows him the energy and time required to become a world champion marathon runner, climber and travel so much. He tells me with a shrug that he’s neither. Puzzled I invite him to go on.
“It’s really quite simple,” he tells me… It soon becomes clear how he’s created his most amazing life.
Daily routine
I begin our conversation by asking him about his daily routine and indeed if he has one.
“Well, I wake up at 3.30 am almost every day and workout for two and a half hours. I’m lucky because I work at a fitness club so I have access to the gym 24/7.
“I’ll be there on my own (which I love) and so I’ll get a good running session in on the treadmill.
“Then I’ll come home, shower and I’ll be at my desk by 6.30 am.
“I take one and a half hours for lunch during which I’ll have another running session. But Fridays are my day off, so I only do one session.”
I’m exhausted already… he continues.
“I’ll usually be in bed by 7.30 or 8.00 pm. When I’m at home that’s the routine. That’s how it gets done.”
I tell him how I’ve been reading about Tabata and other shorter exercise plans that suggest you don’t need to do such long workouts
“It depends on your goals,” he tells me with a smile. “If you have the same goal as me…” he pauses and with a chuckle continues “… put it this way. You work out your way and I’ll work out mine. But the only time I’m going to see you is at the starting line.”
I see his point.
I ask if he ever feels like switching off the alarm and rolling over?
“NEVER. I never miss. You have to have that focus.
“If I do get sick and miss a day, I feel like I’ll have to make it up the next day and run three times.”
Is there anything you dislike about your training?
“No. If I didn’t like it I wouldn’t do it, and I’m so used to it now, that it’s like breathing. In fact, it’s harder now that I’m cutting back and just running once a day.”
(His new goal for 2019 is to smash the American record at the mile or 5k for a sixty-year-old, so he’s changed his routine to accommodate, running just once a day and increasing his strength training and diet accordingly).
He goes on to describe the workout that he did that morning (on a Saturday at 3.30 am!):
Strength workout
- 5 upper back exercises (3 sets of 25 per exercise)
- 3 chest exercises (3 sets of 25 per exercise)
- 2 shoulder exercises (3 sets of 25 per exercise)
- Bicep / Tricep (3 sets of 25 per exercise)
- Obliques (4 sets of 25 per exercise)
- Stomach (4 sets of 25 per exercise)
(The weights are increased for each set).
Personally, If I’m up at 7 am on a Saturday and do fifty push-ups I consider that a win. I’m beginning to see what real commitment, desire, focus and hard work looks like.
Mental toughness
“Everything is a mental attitude. You have to believe. If you don’t, it’s just not going to happen.”
Fred Zalokar
I asked Fred about his mentality and how he can take on this kind of commitment. Surely it takes a certain kind of character?
“Everything is a mental attitude. You have to believe. If you don’t, it’s just not going to happen. You have to set yourself, big (but) realistic goals and you have to work hard toward them, it’s as simple as that.”
I ask him if he thinks anyone can do what he does. I consider my own ‘routine’ and cringe at the thought of being on his plan.
“My attitude has always been, anyone can do it. Anyone can improve. It just depends on what you’re willing to do to get there.”
I’m beginning to see a pattern.
Marathon training
“I changed my diet, redesigned my schedule and started working really hard.”
Fred Zalokar
He tells me more about his former life as an endurance athlete, spending most of his time running trails in the mountains.
That was before his wife enticed him out to Berlin in 2010 for the marathon – initially, he was more tempted by a vacation to a city he’d always wanted to visit, but he soon had a goal in mind. To win his age group.
It’s fair to say, that when Fred Zalokar has a clear goal in mind there’s very little that gets in his way.
“I started planning about ten months out. To begin with, I started modelling what the experts were doing.
“I looked at the Kenyans and the Ethiopians – who were winning everything – and just did what they did. They were running two or three times a day and weighed 30 lbs less than I did.
“So I changed my diet, redesigned my schedule and started working really hard.”
All his planning and hard work paid off. He turned up in Berlin and won the 50-55 age category.
I ask him more about his marathon training routine.
“Six weeks out I’ll start running about 150 miles per week rising to about 165 miles. Four weeks out that goes up to 180 miles (per week).
“Three weeks out I’m running 140 miles, two weeks out 110 miles. Then in the last week, I’ll run 50 miles and take three days off before the race.”
His weekly workouts vary in intensity too (13 sessions) and will usually contain:
- 2 x speed workouts
- 2 x tapers
- 1 x long run
- 8 x cruising and just enjoying it.
What about when you’re running? What do you think about, and do you ever train with other people or listen to music?
“When I run alone I try to relax and go to a place I call ‘deep inside’ then I’m cruising. It’s a bit like a meditation for me.
“I never listen to music outside, but on the treadmill, I will.
“I like running with my buddies and I do it about 25% of the time, but we don’t talk much. We’re pushing one another, it’s competitive but fun.
“I never change my schedule or intensity though. I do what needs to get done that day, if you keep up, you keep up.”
Goals
“My biggest strength is simply my ability to focus and work hard. Nothing happens by accident.”
Fred Zalokar
Are you very goal-orientated?
“You have to have goals and aim towards them. You have to have a challenge. Without an aim, nothing happens. You’ve got to make it happen in your life.
“I’ve been prepared to make big (achievable) goals, change my diet and my lifestyle and work hard to achieve them.
“It inspires me, and I get inspired by anyone who is working hard toward their goals.”
I intervene and ask if he’s really planned all of his achievements or if any of it happened ‘by accident’?
“My biggest strength is simply my ability to focus and work hard. Nothing happens by accident.”
Enough said.
A new challenge
This year he has set himself a new challenge focusing on shorter distances. I ask him to tell me more.
“Well I’ve been running marathons for the last ten years, and I’m not getting any younger, so I figured I’d go for the American (age) record (over 60) at the mile or 5k.”
So have you changed your training?
“Since the beginning of 2019 I’m only running 45 or 50 miles per week (only!) but I’ve doubled up on my weights, tweaked my diet and focussing on building strength. (See above for a sample of his workout).
“Last June I ran a mile in 5.02 and the American record for a 60-year-old is 5.03 so as long as I can keep that up for a few more months, I should be able to take it.”
Living for challenges
I’m beginning to feel quite useless at this point and go on to explain my recent (rather poor) attempts to start running and get fit after years without exercising.
“It’s not bad if it gives you joy” he exclaims. “It’s something positive and it will have a positive impact on your life.
“Listen, when I was younger I wanted to win everything, but that was just me. You don’t have to win marathons to make a difference in your life. These days, I’m just so happy that I can get out there and compete.
“I love having challenges in my life, and it’s working towards achieving these goals that give me real joy. I try to win and do my best, but it’s not important.
“Not everyone needs to climb the highest mountain or run the fastest marathon.
“Just get out there and do your best. You’ll get a positive benefit, and for sure you’ll feel better.”
His positivity and spirit are captivating and I’m immediately feeling better. I quiz him further about challenges.
“I live for challenges – that’s what makes life interesting. The biggest challenge we all face is deciding what you want to do with your life. Then you have to focus that energy towards what you want to do.”
Ageing
I change focus and ask how he feels about getting older and the approach of his sixtieth birthday.
“I love growing old,” he roars “because it’s a lot better than the alternative.
“It’s all in your head though. I’m smarter now and I’m taking more recovery time, doing more stretches and balance exercises, but overall I feel great. No pain, no stiffness, and believe me, there are kids a lot younger than me a long way behind when we’re racing.”
I ask how long he thinks he’ll continue.
“I’ll see guys in their seventies and I’ll go up to them and say It’s because of guys like you that I can’t quit”
I get the feeling Fred won’t be quitting anything for a long time to come.
Diet
Do you follow any kind of diet, are you vegan, keto, do you drink alcohol?
“I love Gin,” he says with a mischievous grin “but only neat, I can’t have any of that sugary stuff in it.
“I’ll eat anything at any table in the world. Sometimes it might be not so great but the experience is well worth it.
“When I’m at home though, I’m very strict and regimented. I make sure I get enough protein, not too many carbs, lots of vegetables, and I eat nothing with white sugar in it.”
Expeditions
“Life is all about getting out there, meeting people, having experiences and having challenges.”
Fred Zalokar
We go off on a tangent to talk about our mutual love of travel.
“What I really love are the expeditions,” he exclaims, his voice noticeably excited by the words.
He regularly receives all kinds of offers to go on expeditions around the world such as climbing Mount Everest in 1995 (although he didn’t summit on that occasion) and running marathons in Antarctica.
“I make a point to be out of the country for 6 weeks of the year, every year doing something fun.
“We always have a plan of somewhere we want to go, and something we want to do with our vacations, my son owes me about 75 countries.”
“Life is all about getting out there, meeting people, having experiences and having challenges.”
His love of the great outdoors, for adventure, challenges and world experiences are obvious for all to see.
I pause to note that sitting in front of me is a man clearly in control of his life.
It’s indisputable that his incredible efforts, achievements and desire for an exciting life have helped sculpt this glowing character who is living life on his own terms with health and happiness in abundance.
Regrets
I ask if he has any regrets.
“Nope. No regrets. I always go forward positively. I don’t know what regret is.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but that’s how I’ve learned.
“Before all of this, I was working as an auditor for an accountancy firm in San Fransisco, straight out of college, 22 years old.
“It was a good job, but there was a lot of pressure and a lot of commuting. One morning during my commute, I was sitting there with the suit, the watch and the briefcase.
“I look up and there’s a guy opposite me. He looks identical to me, except he’s sixty years old! I knew right then I had to change something. I just didn’t want to live that kind of life.”
“Right after that I quit my job and headed to the mountains with nothing.”
“Make your life a challenge”
I’ve learned a lot in the hour that we’ve spent together. It’s hard not to after listening to such an inspirational character.
More than anything though, I’m taking onboard Fred’s mantra to make your life a challenge if you want to live with passion and zest.
You have to set goals and go for them with such single-mindedness and belief that you can smash them.
It seems satisfying, to say the least, that Fred Zalokar made the right choice that day when he quit his job and headed for the mountains. He knew what he wanted (or didn’t want) in life and had the courage to change it.
I’m just so happy that he did.