Jack Wegmet, a December 2023 graduate student of the University of South Carolina and current civil engineer in the Atlanta, Georgia area, shares the start of his running journey from 10 years ago through the past four and a half years with South Carolina’s Club for Cross Country and Track and Field. Wegmet discusses the merits of running solo compared to running within a group, and how group running provides benefits for a self-proclaimed introvert like himself. Wegmet walks through training for long distance races and how readjustments can be made in the case of physical injuries or mental blocks. Wegmet celebrates the connections he’s made through the club team and the sport as a whole, citing the experience of running most of his recent marathon with a fellow club member and good friend, and the extended camaraderie gained through the organization.
“I don’t know if I would’ve latched onto any other sport like I’ve latched onto running.”
Date: January 27th, 2024
Keywords: Running | Atlanta | University of South Carolina | Marathon | Long-Distance Running | Training | Connections
Transcript
Hannah Clark: This is an oral history interview for the South Carolina Honors College thesis project, More than the Mileage: Finding Community and a Sense of Place through Recreational Distance Running, documenting the perspectives and experiences of recreational distance runners. This is Hannah Clark, the date is January 27th, 2024, and today I’m interviewing Jack Wegmet virtually via Zoom. I am in Columbia, South Carolina and Jack is in Suwanee, Georgia. Would you start by giving me your full name and spelling it for me?
Jack Wegment: Sure. My full name I guess is Jackson Wegmet, Jackson and then W-E-G-M-E-T.
HC: Perfect. We’re going to start with some background. Where were you born, and if different, where do you currently reside?
JW: I was born in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, so I guess it’s still Atlanta area, but (unintelligible at 0:49) a different city. I guess it’d just be Atlanta. So.
HC: And where are you currently?
JW: I’m in Suwanee, Georgia, which again is a suburb of Atlanta, so you might say that’s the same. I don’t know.
HC: Got it. Tell me a little bit about your family.
JW: Sure. Well, I have a mom and a dad, obviously. I grew up with two sisters, both are in college right now, so we’re all sort of relatively close in age. I grew up in and around Suwanee, Georgia, and then since then, me and my siblings have all gone to college and I’ve just moved back ’cause I graduated.
HC: Nice. So what is your current role or occupation?
JW: I am a civil engineer at Keck and Wood. If you want to get more specific, I’m an EIT engineer in training.
HC: Nice. So to kick things off, how long have you been a runner?
JW: I have been running- oh, I was thinking about this the other day. I think 9 years, almost 10. I started summer of 2014, I think. So this summer it’ll be 10 years.
HC: Nice. What or who inspired or spurred your start into running?
JW: Well, my mom ran when I was growing up and she kind of pushed me into it a little bit, but then I think I sort of, through doing the, like, local running club with other kids my age, I sort of found enjoyment in that through that club and the coach who was with that. So my mom kind of pushed me into it, then I figured out I actually liked it.
HC: Got it. So do you have any particular memory from your early experiences with running and could you describe that for me?
JW: Sure. I think I have a couple, but one, one that I think stands out is I think maybe a month or two into running, I was sort of- previous to that, I just sort of [had] been begrudgingly going to these club practices, it was Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I remember, like, a month or two in, I looked down at my feet and I had just been wearing, like, old random Merrell tennis shoes and I looked down and thought to myself, I need to get some actual running shoes, and I think that was the moment I realized I liked it.
HC: Okay, nice. What- How old were you around that age? I mean, around that time?
JW: That was like, I guess I was 13.
HC: Okay.
JW: Maybe 14, I think 13.
HC: Nice. If you have one, tell me about the group that you run with or have run with in the past.
JW: Yeah, well, I ran with a few. I ran with that group growing up, which was Great Strides. Then I ran with my high school club, or not club, my high school running team, so North Gwinnett High School, Cross Country and Track and Field. And then while I was at school in South Carolina for about four and a half years, I ran with South Carolina’s XCTF Club.
HC: Nice.
JW: Yeah, and now I’m not running with anybody, but that’s okay.
HC: (Laughs). How often did you meet with that most recent running group?
JW: That was probably four to five times a week, most often, when I was at school, so you would have to subtract, you know, summer and winter break from that, but generally four to five times a week.
HC: Perfect. Thank you. So you said now you’re just running individually. Can you tell me a little bit about the switch from, you know, group running or being part of a team, versus this point?
JW: Yeah. Well, to be entirely honest, I haven’t been running that much lately. I’ve maybe done two runs since I got back.
HC: Okay.
JW: But, I think the main thing is just sort of with a group or a team, it’s fun because you’re running with people and there’s a conversation ongoing, and it is a lot easier to get through runs sometimes because you’re sort of entertained by the other people you’re with, as opposed to running by yourself, where maybe I’m listening to music or a podcast, but- and that sort of helps it go by. But sometimes you kind of look around and if you get out of the vibe of the music or podcast, you look around, and there’s nobody around you, it’s like, ‘man, I wish I was running with people right now.’ But I think it’s also good to have a mix sometimes if you want to do something by yourself. Or, you know, some people need, I think myself included, need some time alone sometimes or just, like, sort of solo running time. But I think it’s good to have a mix of it. So I’m kind of missing some of the group activities right now.
HC: That makes sense. This is kind of branching off of that, can you describe to me how you feel when you run?
JW: Sure. I think it’s a mix depending on what I’m doing.
HC: Yeah.
JW: I think a lot of the time it’s just sort of, I’m thinking, I don’t even know if there’s like a consistent way I feel, but when I’m running with people and a lot of times by myself, I’m just sort of enjoying the moment, enjoying whatever I’m listening to or the people I’m around. Sometimes if I’m doing, like, a harder workout, it’s not so much thinking about that as much as thinking about what’s actually going on and trying to push myself. But generally just I guess for more casual runs, just enjoying in the moment would be maybe a good way to put it.
HC: That makes sense. Does this emotion change when you run in a different place?
JW: Um, locationally? I don’t think so, I mean sometimes it does if you’re not as familiar with a place. For instance, I- last summer I was in Europe and I ran in some cities by myself there that I didn’t know. So I was sort of, I was really excited and I suppose enjoying the moment in that too, but I was also mentally focused a lot more on what was around me and where I was going because I wasn’t familiar with where I was, if that makes sense.
HC: Right. Yeah, definitely. Um, do you feel any connection when you’re running in your hometown, or I know you kind of talked about unfamiliar places, like, does your feelings about running or your surroundings- how does that change, I guess?
JW: Yeah, I think it changes in a couple ways. I think sometimes running in the same place that you’ve been running for most of your life can feel, like, monotonous, which is sometimes worth running with a group or having something to listen to while you run helps a lot. But I mean, it’s also good because I can- I have a mental map of everything that’s around me and I feel very comfortable and knowledgeable about where I am, and it makes me more confident in running, I guess. Whereas somewhere that I haven’t been before or I’m not very familiar with, it’s exciting in a way that running around my hometown sometimes isn’t, but it’s also sort of intimidating, I think.
HC: Yeah. So, (external disturbance at 7:53) sorry, one second.
JW: You’re good.
HC: This is kind of, you mentioned that feeling of intimidation or feeling more comfortable. Do you feel in any way- or how do you feel connected to your surroundings when running? It kind of is an extension of that last one…
JW: Yeah.
HC: …but more specifically the physical environment, I guess?
JW: Ah. I don’t know. Hmm. I got to think about how to answer that I guess. I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it that way. Um, (pauses at 8:25) I think when I’m local, or actually not even local, just like, either in my hometown or around nature especially, I feel sort of connected, I guess more so, or kind of local in some ways that I don’t quite get in places that I don’t know as well, or like, suburban or more urban areas. If I’m running on a trail or like in Harbison [state forest in Columbia, South Carolina], for instance, or just here in my hometown where I know the streets, I feel sort of more in tune with what’s going on around me. Whereas if I’m in like an urban or a more densely populated area, there’s almost so much going on that I’m just sort of a small piece of it and I try to pay attention to what I can, but I know that I’m not really getting the big picture, if that makes sense.
HC: Yeah.
JW: Maybe that’s a lot of different thoughts, but yeah, that’s my rough idea.
HC: No, no, that was great. This is kind of abstract, but how would you describe what running means to you to a non-runner?
JW: I think- (pauses at 9:41). I think for me it’s as much a social outlet as it is a sort of health thing.
HC: Mm-Hmm.
JW: Most of the friends that I’ve made in my life are through running, running with them or meeting them through running. So it seems- I think that’s difficult to grasp as an outsider, especially because running compared to a lot of sort of, other sports is very individualistic or not team focused, but I don’t think a non-runner would grasp that somebody can make the amount of connections that I have I think through running. So that might be something that I describe.
HC: That makes sense. Um, how has your relationship with distance running changed throughout your time, participating, if at all?
JW: Yeah, I mean, like I mentioned, I started pretty significantly disliking it, just sort of getting forced to by my mom…
HC: Yeah.
JW: …and then within a month or two, it changed and I started enjoying it. Then I think throughout a lot of high school I was very sort of, competitively-minded toward my high school cross country and track and field stuff. Just doing well in races, and, um, that, that was sort of the main focus. Then when I got to college, it sort of shifted to be two things, so I started focusing a lot more on longer distance races. Like you know I did 50Ks and I- I’ve done a 50 mile and I just did a marathon. So I think sometimes, the focus shift to that has sort of been the way that I prioritize the types of runs I do and the way that I run changes a little bit. Um, but then also I think once I graduated high school, I started to focus a lot more on, you know, the reason I do it being for fun or to enjoy it. I think when I got close to the end of high school, I was starting to feel very tired or worn out of running, but I think sort of shifting my mental mindset from, you know, not having to, or not focusing as much on racing, or being as fast as possible to ‘you’re doing this for fun’ and if I can train and do well at the same time, then that’s great, but the first focus is fun. I think that’s sort of how maybe a rough idea of how things have changed.
HC: Almost as an added bonus of the success on top [of it].
JW: Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
HC: For sure. Speaking of training for different events, would you mind walking me through the process of, you know, starting a training plan for a race and how you go through that journey?
JW: Sure. So I guess when I was in high school and early, I didn’t really- or like, in eighth grade, which I think is, yeah, 2014 when I started, I was mostly just doing what coaches told me. So I wasn’t [I] guess as focused or I didn’t know what I was doing really. I was just sort of following an instruction set by a coach. But, when I got to college and I was sort of figuring out things for myself, I think I started deciding what races I wanted to run, and then, I would obviously need to create the training plan myself. So I guess now I’ll answer the question after giving that background. No, um, so I think when I decide I want to run a race, I look at how much time I have until that race and I just sort of like, sit down and think about, okay, how many- how much mileage or what amount of distance do I want to run on each week leading up to the race. Actually for the- sometimes I’ll buy a training plan, I’ll like consult sort of outside sources, ’cause I’m not a professional coach or anything, but I sort of roughly gauge, like ‘okay, how much mileage do I want to run for this race or what’s the peak mileage week I want to hit?’ And then I figure out, ‘okay, like what are the steps to get there? How much miles do I need to do the week before and the week before that?’ So I sort of start with my ‘max-out’ or my peak and then work back to where I am now and sort of try to path out my progression to that, if that makes sense.
HC: Yeah, definitely. Kind of on the other side of that, have you ever had an experience- or felt distressed when you were unable to follow a running training plan for whatever reason? And if you don’t mind walking me through that (laughs).
JW: Yeah, I went through something pretty much like that because actually for the marathon I did in December, I was originally planning to run and my goal was to run two hours and 40 minutes just sort of like as a maximum fitness goal, I thought that’d probably be the best I could do. So I started my training, um, with that goal in mind, and I guess in mid-October, which would’ve been about two months before the race, maybe early October, so one, two and a half months perhaps, I started having knee pains, and I had to take a few days off from running and then sort coming off that I got- actually, no, I don’t think it was Covid, but I got maybe the flu. I’m not entirely sure exactly what it was, but I got sick basically. So I had to take- I was sort of in bed for a couple of days, so I was not really exercising at all. So sort of, those two things combined threw me off what my original plan was. I think that’s difficult to deal with, it’s just when you are training for a specific goal that’s kind of as demanding as a marathon, especially like a fast time in the marathon, it takes a lot of sort of mental motivation to do that, and sort of a way to push yourself is thinking of, like this is what I’m aiming for. I had this goal time in mind and everything was focused on, ‘okay, I’m working toward this goal time at 2:40’, and then when those things happen and you kind of realize, ‘wait a second, I can keep training, but this goal time that I have is not going to be achievable anymore,’ I think that can be kind of difficult. So I had to- I don’t know if I can talk about- I don’t think I could explain how this happened, but I was able to sort of, I guess, recalibrate my expectations or just sit down and kind of come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t going to be able to run the time that I wanted to run, and then figure out another time that was like, feasible for me based off of how much time I had left, so I was basically like, having this goal in mind, having something throw me off that, and then having to figure out how to change things. So I still had a new goal that would be, what’s the word, that would make me feel happy or like feel good about what I’d done, but wasn’t as lofty as that original goal, I guess.
HC: Got it. So kind of shifting expectations…
JW: Yeah. Yeah, that’s a better way to say it.
HC: ..than thrown a curveball.
JW: Yeah.
HC: You mentioned Covid briefly, but just for some historical context of these interviews, how, if at all, did the pandemic affect your running journey?
JW: It did pretty significantly, I think. The main thing that comes to mind originally, is that I was really getting into super long distance running my freshman year of college and Covid hit in March of my freshman year, and when Covid hit, I had already paid for two races in May that I was going to run. One was like a 50 mile, one was a 50K. So that really kind of changed my training because both of those races got canceled, and I was working toward those. So, um, I- I kind of go back and wonder, okay, if this hadn’t happened and I had run a 50K and a 50 mile in one month in May my freshman year, instead of, like, running my first 50 mile in December of my third year of college, how would that have affected the rest of my running trajectory? Because I think just sort of circumstances changed, and so I didn’t end up running either of those for a little bit longer. I still haven’t run those specific races that I was going to run, but, I- it did affect, I guess my running, because I had one, probably, a very different trajectory in mind, or just I think things might’ve gone differently if I had run both those races in May instead of having them canceled and then like sort of figuring out what I was going to do that summer with Covid in mind, I guess.
HC: Yeah, totally. Going off of that, is there- well, I guess, going back to like, different kinds of races, is there- or can you tell me about a specific race or running event, big or small, that was particularly memorable for you?
JW: Sure. I guess, I’ll- I dunno if I want- I’ll talk about my marathon that I ran in December, I think this is the most recent thing I think I did running wise, but. So, I had been training and I mentioned earlier that I had gone through this sort of, um, changing my expectations once I found out that like, once I- my training got thrown off. But I think that was special to me because that was the first time I’d done something, like a long distance race like this, with somebody I already knew. So I ran most of the race, I don’t know, I say most, the first three quarters of it, I suppose with Landon, who I guess just for the sake of the interview is one of my friends who was on the running club too. Are you interviewing him too?
HC: No, I don’t think so. He didn’t [express interest] (laughs).
JW: Yeah, but, so I ran with- I had been running with him on some of my training runs and he was also running the marathon and training for a time, which was around the time that I wanted to hit. So I think it was a really special experience for me to get to run with him and do something that was kind of like, that significant with somebody else who was already my friend. And it was just also really enjoyable to have somebody I knew and could kind of banter with during the race. I think we both sort of, helped each other push and probably do better than we would’ve either done separately. I think it was just fun to run with a friend and have that, like, share that experience and then also I think improve both of ourselves through running with each other.
HC: For sure. So that’s like, obviously a rewarding running experience, but on the flip side, can you talk to me about a time, if you’ve experienced this, that you didn’t feel any purpose or benefit from running?
JW: Yeah, I guess- (pauses at 20:45). I think, one thing that comes to mind is I attempted a 100K race, which is 62 miles.
HC: Okay.
JW: I think- when was this? Summer of 2021? Yeah. So I attempted a 100K in summer 2021, so this was, I guess, two and a half years ago, and I had to drop out at mile 39 of 62. So, I had been training for it, but I wasn’t really confident in my training, like I just sort of, ended up not having as much time to hit the mileage that I wanted to hit. And I was also- I sort of had a couple other things going on that summer that sort of affected my performance too, I think. But I guess around halfway through that race, I was feeling just like kind of very unmotivated and drained already, and I realized I still have a whole half to go. So I kept going, and like a couple miles later I remember just realizing ‘I don’t really want to do this.’ Like, even if I did finish this, I wouldn’t feel comfortable. I was going to go- I was actually going on a vacation with family after that and I was like, ‘even if I finish this, I’m going to be so miserable and just, like, in pain throughout this entire thing.’ So I had to walk like, I think five more miles, just to get to a point where I could drop out, which wasn’t fun, but I remember that specifically. It was just, I think- I felt drained and it just sort of like, was very unmotivating to have to walk that whole way knowing that I was going to stop. And then I remember, you know, specifically thinking about this not really feeling like it was worth it to keep going. This wasn’t mentally- this wasn’t worth the amount of mental fortitude (laughs) it would take to get through that entire thing, if that makes sense.
HC: Yeah, for sure. And just coming to that realization and just knowing that- that’s what, you know, your body and your mind needed at that point.
JW: Yeah, yeah. Sometimes it happens.
HC: Yeah, for sure. Speaking of, kind of, mental fortitude, if you feel comfortable explaining, how has distance running impacted your mental health, if at all?
JW: I think quite positively, as much as I talk about enjoying social time with other folks when I’m running, and maybe this applies to that too, but especially solo running, is sort of a way to, I guess, get out of your own head in some ways. Or if you’re- if I’m stressed about something or, I am just sort of socially drained because I’m introverted, I think running is a lot of the ways, a lot of the times, some way I can get away from, or take a step back from what’s going on in my life and if I’m running alone, be alone with my thoughts, and sometimes just having that alone time where I am kind of entertaining myself with my thoughts is productive for me, it sort of helps me work through things, or see things a way or think about things a way I hadn’t before. And then even when I’m running with people, it’s like you’re sort of just stuck with the folks you’re running with for a little bit, and there’s no real other, like, distractions. You can’t, like, sort of sit down on your phone and do something while you’re running with these people. So it’s- it’s sort of I think healthy to me in that it helps me keep- in some ways, it helps me recover as an introvert I think when I need to, and sort of go through my thoughts, but then it also I think keeps me, kind of accountable or good about actually talking to people at the same time if I’m running with people. So it kind of, kind of does both those things, I think.
HC: That duality, depending on what you’re needing.
JW: Pretty much.
HC: You’ve talked about a moment of running with a friend, that it was very rewarding to get to that point together. Can you tell me about a time you felt proud to participate in a running group or organization?
JW: Yeah, I think the running club at South Carolina is probably my main one. Obviously, ’cause I was the president of that for two years, and the vice president for another year before that. And I think just- I actually mentioned this to the officers in my last meeting, but, for me, running in college, I think that club was really, I think how I sort of, like [met] my group of people that I related to and identified with. And that’s not true of everybody who comes to the running club, but I think it is true for some, because I know it’s true for me. And I think being able to, or just having that, and finding these friends through that, then I guess being able to step up as an officer and then do my best to have that be an option for other people to give back, and I guess, like, return that and grow the club as best I can so that if people need that outlet, it can be an outlet for them, really matters to me, or it did matter to me. So I’m very- I think that club meant a lot for me ’cause I grew and made friends a lot through it personally, and it was really important to me to, I guess, be able to turn around and give that back to people who were younger than me.
HC: Definitely, bringing it forward.
JW: Yeah. Yeah, for sure.
HC: This is the last main question I have, but um, overall, how has running impacted your life? I know we’ve touched on a few different facets of it…
JW: Yeah.
HC: …but just, um, yeah, in general.
JW: I think overall, the first thing I guess is just socially, like I mentioned earlier, I’ve made probably most of my friends and close friends through or adjacent- things adjacent to running. So it’s really sort of affected who I hang out with, and I guess how I developed socially, just from being a middle school quiet kid to, I’m still quiet, I guess, but being able to talk to people to some degree…
HC: Yeah.
JW: …I guess, I think it sort of helped me with that. Also, I think just in terms of general fitness, I think it’s helped me a lot. I don’t know if I would’ve latched onto any other sport like I’ve latched onto running. So I think it’s kept me healthy, which is good, and it lets me eat unhealthy things, which I like. So that’s two things, and I guess just also mentally, having the outlet where I can go, and I guess be alone with my thoughts or think through things, and just have time to myself or have time to just focus on a run, even if it’s with people, to be focused on that one thing for that amount of time, sort of helps, kind of, helps me recharge in a way that I think other things don’t as well.
HC: For sure.
JW: So yeah, I guess the ability to recharge, the social aspect, and then just general fitness.
HC: [Makes] sense, having that balance.
JW: Yeah.
HC: And then I guess, finally, looking forward, how do you foresee your running journey or career, so-to-speak, how do you see that progressing, moving into the future?
JW: (Laughs). I don’t know. I think I will always do it. I don’t plan to ever really stop. I think the intensity with which I do it, will sort of, rise and fall with times. Like, I just ran a marathon and I’d love to run the Boston Marathon, and maybe I’ll train for that soon, I guess in the next year or two, but even after that, I think about having a family someday, and I don’t want running to become a priority over what my responsibilities to my own family are, or I guess just other parts of my life that I need to be responsible for as I get older. So, I think it’s always going to be a thing for me. I’ll always enjoy it as long as my body physically lets me do it. But I think the intensity with which I do it might change, but I think that’s okay, it’s probably healthy that I don’t get addicted to it, or I’m not, I’m not focused entirely on that, I guess.
HC: For sure, for sure. Well, that’s all I have unless you have any closing ideas…
JW: (Laughs). Yeah.
HC: But thank you so much for your time and taking time out of your day to help me with this project, I really appreciate it.
JW: Yeah, sure. Well, happy to do it.