Meet STAMINAPRO Ambassador Jake Pyles, a dedicated student-athlete at EKU. Jake's unwavering passion for running fuels his relentless drive both on and off the track. Despite facing setbacks and injuries, he remains committed to his growth as a student and athlete, continually building resilience and deepening his love for the sport.
1. What sparked your interest in running?
In middle school we always had a mile time trial for PE and I won in my class. The coach was actually there and he asked me to come to one of the practices, and ever since then I always enjoyed it. I always enjoy being in that race atmosphere, being able to compete is just a rush that I never want to go away.
2. What has your time been like at EKU?
I love EKU, it's such a good atmosphere there —all the guys and girls are phenomenal. We all work as a team together, and it's just a great atmosphere.
My time there has been ups and down with injuries and stuff, but the coaches have been phenomenal working with me and making sure I’ve stayed healthy throughout most of my career. Of course, STAMINAPRO has helped with everything you guys have done for me. I look forward to the next two or three years with them, hopefully one day being able to represent them in a national or regional stage.
3. What has racing taught you?
I would say it comes to dealing with injuries. It's to know when to stop and when to keep going. I know that's something I had to learn both ways, where at some points in my career I should have stopped, but probably made it worse. So learning when to stop and when to keep going has really helped.
4. What's your approach to training? Did EKU change the way you previously trained?
I’m just always about listening to my body —sometimes those little aches and pains could develop into something bigger. So, being cautious is what has helped me throughout my college career.
I remember in high school, I would take every run I could, even the easy runs. I would try to go as fast as possible, even when I should have slowed down. So I think that’s also what college really taught me. Just putting miles under your legs is the same thing as going all out for a 10-mile run, and slowing it down won’t hurt you.
5. What advice would you give the younger runners?
Training your body well, especially with nutrition is really important.
I struggled with that my first two years at EKU and that could’ve lead me to the injuries that I've had. So just make sure you're staying hydrated, getting the right nutrients, and taking care of yourself.
6. You mentioned your future goals for EKU, but what about as a runner in general?
I would love to run until I can't. I want to run for as long as I can. I'd love to compete in marathons or triathlons. I would always love to stick with running.
7. What about running has kept you at it?
I love the competition and how no matter what race you have you can always improve, which I enjoy the process of. But also the friends and the people I make and meet along the way. I get to travel a lot and I get to meet new people that I thought I would never meet. I think that's a really cool part about it.
8. Running is a big part of your life, but what are your passions outside of it?
I play a lot of sports really..I do like to play golf…I don’t know. That’s a tough question.
I just really like to run.
I do love hiking, taking pictures, and pretty much being outside. If I could just be outside most of the day, that's probably where I want to be, it’s running.
9. If you could choose one song, one snack, one trail. What would it be?
- Evergreen by Richy Mitch and The Coalminers.
- Any waffle-type snack.
- Anything in the Appalachian.
10. Finally, how did you first come across STAMINAPRO and why has it continued to be a staple in your routine?
I first discovered STAMINAPRO through my former coach, Jacob Thomson. After talking with him and hearing how much he loved it, I decided to reach out and give it a try. I've been using it ever since! My go-to's are the medium patches. I use them before long runs and workouts to feel nice and sharp.
