PowerBar_Fitness_Community

• NAME:Richard Burgunder
• 
  COUNTRY:United States
• CITY, STATE:Pennsylvania
• 
  NETWORK:Athletes/Active Lifestyle
• CATEGORY:Running (Team Elite)

About Me

I’m a professional extreme athlete focusing on the 2010 XTERRA Trail Running Series World Tour and am the 2009 XTERRA New England Trail Run Series Regional Champion. I’m a proud member of PowerBar Team Elite and the nationally ranked Central Park Track Club. In 2008, I won the 20-29 Age Group in the USA 50 Mile and Marathon Trail National Championships and also a 4x Elite finisher at the Empire State Building Run-Up. I'm a Penn State Graduate hailing from Pittsburgh.

Inspirations

My family, friends, teammates, coaches, training partners, the men and women serving in the Armed Forces, and anyone else who works hard to beat the odds. I'm also very inspired by Muhammad Ali and Teddy Roosevelt.

Biggest obstacle/challenge

One of the greatest challenges that I had to overcome was after I incurred a severe bone contusion in my right foot only seven weeks before the 2008 XTERRA Trail Running World Championship. The injury happened at the 2008 USA 50 Mile Championships due to over exertion while descending one of the mountains. I was out for almost a month due to this injury, but then got the flu for another week with less than three weeks to the XTERRA race in Hawaii. I started to consider scratching from World Championships after being out for over a month. However, I decided to still race and began an extremely intense training schedule for only a couple of weeks to get back into shape. Despite the injury and lack of training throughout the fall, I was able to finish 33rd out of 358 (top 10%) at Worlds. It was an exhilarating feeling after beating the odds and still being able to experience XTERRA Trail Run Worlds.

Superstitions

I will kiss the silver cross on my necklace and say a prayer in honor of my grandma, who died a couple of years ago. She was an extremely important person in my life.

Nobody knows...

That I was selected as the first member of TEAM XTERRA Trail Run (XTR) Ambassador program.

Biggest athletic accomplishment

2009 XTERRA New England Trail Run Series Regional Champion
2x Top 10 medalist at USA Ultra/Trail Running National Championships
2008 USA 50 Mile and Marathon Trail 20-29 Age Group National Champion
4x Elite invitee and finisher at the internationally prestigious Empire State Building Run-Up
2x Top 20% finisher at XTERRA Trail Running World and National Championships
3x Qualifier/selected member of USA World Championship Teams (2x Long Course Duathlon, 1x The Greatest Race on Earth)
14x Boston Marathon Qualifier

Favorite thing about training

The social aspect of it and also being outside. I love the outdoors, adventure, being active, and pushing my body and mind to new limits.

Least favorite thing about training

It can be very time consuming and forces you to make a lot of sacrifices in life.

I work out to...

R&B, Jazz, Indie Rap, and Hip Hop - Especially anything by T.I., Ghostface Killah, Clipse or J Holiday.

Unusual training regimens

I have many, but my most unusual and extreme training method is running repeats on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. In the winter of 2008, I ran above the tree line 3x in sub zero temperatures with sustained winds near 50 mph for a total of almost 40 miles in less than 24 hours. I also like to run hill repeats on the first leg of the Tussey Mountainback 50 Mile course in Boalsburg, PA. This is a 3.2 mile switchback that climbs over 800 feet. If not doing one of the two, you might find me doing bridge repeats on the Tri Boro Bridge in Queens. I also love doing push-ups and will frequently do a couple hundred at a time.

Elsewhere on the web

http://richardburgunder.com/
http://www.facebook.com/richardburgunder/
http://www.xterraplanet.com/community/ambassador_detail.cfm?id=2755