Hot on his heels: a running star is born.

If you live in the Boulder area you might have seen Noah Droddy running around your neighborhood, and you’d be forgiven for mistaking the 61:48 half marathoner for a recreational jogger. However, with a little more insight you’d be quick to discover that he’s using that brisk thirty-minute run to #relaxandrecover from the huge mileage he clocked earlier in the day.

For Noah, a big training day begins with oatmeal at 6am, followed by relaxation and a road trip to the dirt roads North of Boulder. “A typical training session lasts three hours or so, including the warm-up and cool down. After I leave, I’ll drink a Floyd’s Recovery shake on the way to the gym, where I’ll lift for about an hour. I’m usually back home around noon on those days to take our greyhound Sarah outside, get a big breakfast in me, and hopefully a quick nap. I try to be a good house husband in the afternoons while my girlfriend is a work and get some chores done so she can relax and recover some when she gets home.” After his chores, Droddy laces up his shoes again and heads out for a recovery jog to loosen his legs for another big day.

Droddy began running recreationally in high school. “I enjoyed showing up to practice with my friends, but never took it seriously enough to really tap in to my potential until the end of my high school career.” He continued to improve throughout college, and progressed to the point that he could return to Boulder and focus on his running full time. “What gets me up everyday is the belief that there’s more there, I believe the more I continue to push myself in training and racing, the better I’ll get. Self improvement is enough for me, but the wins when they come are a nice bonus.”

When everything falls into place, Droddy can go fast. Really fast. “My best race experience was probably when I set my half marathon personal best of 61:48 in New York City in 2017. From the beginning of the race, I felt in control and like I had tapped into a flow state that’s extremely rare in distance racing. My body responded to whatever my brain threw at it. It was a cool feeling. I knew early on I was running into uncharted territory, but I was up for it, and didn’t want to waste the opportunity.” As every athlete knows, not every race is a masterpiece. Recently Noah suffered his way through the Rotterdam Marathon in the Netherlands. “I had trained well, and had some great races in my buildup to the marathon, but on that particular day, I just didn’t have it. I was proud of myself for finishing, but the result was way below my standards. That failure has been a huge motivator as I begin preparing for the Chicago Marathon this fall.”

It takes time and massive amounts of training and rest to build the speed and endurance that world class runners like Noah possess. And, the process can be lonely. So what does Noah suggest for runners who are just getting into the sport and looking to get fit, fast or just have fun? “My number one tip for beginners is to take things slow. Set reasonable goals, and begin at a comfortable pace so you can find the enjoyment in running. I’d encourage new runners to get involved in their local communities, run the neighborhood 5k, head to your local running store for a group run. In fact, spend as much time as you can at your local running store, they likely have a great events calendar, training partners at the ready, and a wealth of information to draw from.”

After a hard day of training and housework, Droddy turns to CBD to enhance his recovery regimen. “I use Floyd’s products daily. Immediately post workout, I’ll drink a couple scoops of the recovery protein. It helps get some quality calories in my system, and tide me over until I can get home and cook an actual meal. I’ll typically use the CBD SoftGels the same way I would use ibuprofen. I find I can use way less NSAIDs that way, and it’s easier on my system. Before bed I’ll slather some of the warming or cooling balm on my legs, it feels great, and I feel a little more peppy in the morning.”