Colorado Springs marathon runner got his start running 5ks when he was training for motocross. Jacob Banta won the first BIGDOGBRAG Mud Run seven years ago, which inspired him to give marathons a try.
Colorado Springs Resident Jacob Banta Races in 2018 Boston Marathon
You might be surprised that a former motocross competitor is now running marathons and the BIGDOGBRAG Mud Run. Back when Jacob Banta was 12 years old, he started racing motorcycles and found that training for 5k runs helped with his endurance. As he got older and moved away from the motorcycle racing circuit he yearned for another sport that would fulfill his competitive side.
When he moved to South Carolina from Colorado Springs, he started to take running more seriously and a couple of years ago upped the miles and was soon running 60-70 miles per week. (That’s more than some of us commute to work every week!) His first marathon was in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and he committed to a training regimen for about eight months in preparation. He hoped to run the 26.2 miles in 3 hours and 15 minutes, and came in at 3:04:15, a few seconds under the qualifying time for one of the most prestigious marathons in the world: the Boston Marathon.
The Boston Marathon requires that participants qualify at another official race before signing up, which Jacob did, but with a rolling registration process that is open to the fastest times first, Jacob decided to improve his chances and run another marathon to get his time down in order to qualify for his division. Being a fierce competitor and determined to improve his qualifying time, he signed up for the Aspen Marathon here in Colorado. His time was 2:59, well under the qualifying time for Boston.
The 2018 Boston Marathon
Jacob ran the 122nd Boston Marathon on April 16, 2018 in 2 hours, 52 minutes and 57 seconds. It was his first big city race, and he said that the spectators and the energy was something he’d never seen. Over 2,500 runners dropped out of the race with hypothermia, which is understandable considering the treacherous weather: 30 degrees with 30 mph headwinds, and freezing rain. Horrible conditions notwithstanding, the training Jacob put in certainly paid off, as he placed 808th overall out of 30,000 total runners. When I asked if he felt his high placement was one of the top for runners from this region, Jacob was humble in stating that Colorado is known for having world class runners, which is why he moved back home to train with the best.
“This was my first big city race, and the thousands of spectators, and the energy, was unlike anything I’d ever seen.” said Jacob Banta. “People come from all around the world to run it, and you have to qualify for it before they allow you to sign up. It was definitely a race I’ll never forget.”
Jacob was also unpretentious when we discussed the first BIGDOGBRAG Mud Run seven years ago, and his response to my comment that I heard he placed first in his age division was “I actually placed first overall, but all the training I did for motocross really trained me well.” He added “that I just did the mud run for fun, since my mom had put it on. I had never done an obstacle race before then, and I was really surprised that I won!”
A short-term goal for Jacob is to run collegiately this next season, for which he’ll cut back his marathon distance training. He’ll change up his mileage but the intensity will increase to compete on the college level.
After college, his ultimate goal is to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials.
Jacob has tips for serious runners and for anyone who up to this point was not planning to participate in the mud run, but instead watch sports on TV this June 9thor June 30th:
“For long distance runners, I recommend BIGDOGBRAG Mud Run as a way to break up the monotony of road running all the time. The same old workouts can get boring, and this fun event works new muscles and also prevents burnout. If you’re a weekend warrior, more likely to grab a beer and watch others compete from the sidelines, you should sign up! Running is a great blue-collar sport, open to everyone. You get out what you put in. Work hard and the results will follow.”
Jacob added that if you think there isn’t enough time to train, put that excuse out of your mind. There are still five weeks to train, and five weeks is plenty of time to start a routine and change your habits. Sign up today and give yourself the carrot to chase and prove to yourself you can complete the 5K mud run. You don’t even have to run the race, you can walk or jog. Sign up with friends and family and make it a team event. Instead of watching other athletes on TV, sign up and BE the athlete!
“Everything on the BIGDOGBRAG Mud Run course is totally doable for all levels. The obstacles are easy enough for everyone to get through, but also challenging with tougher options for the serious mud runners.” Jacob added. “This event also has a 2K so it is perfect for young families. Of all the mud runs in Colorado, this run really caters to little kids and families.”
Don’t wait another day. Sign up NOW for BIGDOGBRAG – THE Colorado Mud Run.
Jacob will be there to encourage you to have fun and finish the race, too.
