Athlete Feature: Arthur Oskan

Arthur is a pretty cool dude and we are excited to feature him this week. It’s always fun getting to know our athletes and what they do outside of running. It was pretty awesome to discover that Arthur, who resides in Toronto, is a renowned DJ who has been nominated for a Juno! He is also a badass runner who has been taking huge chunks of his PB’s, bringing his 10k down to 41:28 (from 45:06) at Waterfront 10k in June and most recently his half down to 1:35:38 (from 1:40:46) at STWM. No surprise to us given his dedication and work ethic. Read on to learn more about Arthur and check out the video on him at the link below.

How did you get into running?
I ran track and cross country through middle school. In 2008, my wife began running marathons and I ended up tagging along for her races. I had already been mulling the idea of getting back into running, but not competitively. To my surprise, she signed me up for Harry’s (a yearly charity run 5K run in Toronto). My finishing time after a 30 year layoff? 37 mins. While I was happy to finish, I knew I could do better. It was in that moment that I decided to take it the next level. My current 5k PR is over 17 minutes faster.

Tell us about how your music influences your running and vice versa?
Running has been an incredibly positive influence on my creativity for both a music and design. Whether things are going well or not, I feel a run helps with perspective.

Are you a fan of listening to music while you run? If so, what would be on your playlist?
When I first started training, I’d almost always run with music. My playlists evolved based on where I was in my running phases. I felt certain tunes created a surreal atmosphere, or could help wrap my thoughts around my run.

Here’s a short list:
            •           Tame Impala “Let it Happen” – A blast of energy.
            •           New Order “Ceremony” – I ran with this song in middle school. It brings me back.
            •           Sam Cook “A Change is Gonna Come” – I broke my foot on a training run two weeks before the marathon back in 2014. This song helped me in my comeback in every way imaginable.
            •           Beck “My Heart is a Drum” – For sunrise runs. Pure bliss.
            •           Manfred Man “The Runner” – Guilty pleasure.
            •           Fink “Pilgrim” –  Such a huge song that ends like you’ve just won a race.

But as I took training more seriously, I found that running without music I was better able to focus on my breathing, form, and heart rate – especially for tempo and interval workouts.  Nowadays I’ll run with music on long runs from time to time, but I prefer just being present and listening to the world around me.

What’s the big running goal over the next 12 months?
Getting stronger and faster. Training and competing in middle distance races. As I’ve gotten older I’ve battled injuries, so my main running goal is to find that high volume/high intensity training sweet spot for the marathon, and if I can stay healthy, take a shot at a BQ next fall.

Anything else you want to add?
I can say with all certainty that coming onboard with M2M has been the best decision I’ve made with regards to achieving my running goals. Coach Dylan has been incredible through the whole process, understanding what my current abilities are, and having the foresight to shape me into the runner I know I can be.

Be sure to check out this wicked video too: A Long Run ft. Arthur Oskan