Rock stars aren't always who we expect them to be. Alice Cooper is an avid golfer, and Metallica's James Hetfield is into beekeeping. Similarly, Ben Gibbard, the frontman of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, defies the typical rock-and-roll stereotype by prioritizing sobriety, running, and a mindful approach to diet and exercise.
From Indulgence to Ultra-Running: A Transformation
In their mid-aughts heyday, Death Cab for Cutie was known for a sweeter, more sensitive brand of guitar gods. However, the temptations of life on the road eventually caught up to Ben Gibbard. He recalls, "Being a musician, it’s one of the only jobs in the world where you’re encouraged to drink at work… It became a slippery slope and eventually I lost control of it. I had to cut it off.”
After getting sober in 2008, Gibbard replaced his drinking habit with a running obsession, starting with regular marathons before discovering his love for ultra-running. He explains, "It’s a callback to the things I loved as a kid, being out in the woods and mountains here in the Northwest… It helps me to achieve this kind of meditative thought that I had not been able to find doing anything else.”
The Early Years: Non-Existent Routines
Reflecting on his younger years, Gibbard admits his exercise routine was "non-existent" and his eating habits were unrestrained. "I think when people are in their twenties for the most part, their metabolisms can handle a lot more," he says. Despite being a swimmer and playing baseball in his youth, he never considered exercise as a professional musician.
He jokes that he was the heaviest he’d ever been around 2006, a function of the tour bus lifestyle. He contrasts this with the earlier days of touring in vans, where the lack of readily available food and alcohol kept things in check. "I've heard it said that at 28 you get your man weight-that’s the age when your food and drink choices start to catch up with you a bit. And that definitely was true in my case.”
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Embracing Sobriety and Physical Exertion
Gibbard's decision to make a change came with sobriety. “When you stop waking up hungover, you have a lot more energy and a lot more desire to be out in the world and be on your feet," he explains. Removing alcohol, a depressant, led to better sleep, improved moods, and a desire for physical exertion.
Discovering Ultra-Running: An Accidental Passion
His journey into ultra-running began accidentally. After signing up for a 30K trail race, thinking it was a road race, he found himself challenged and captivated by the experience. "I showed up and it was at the end of this road in Rodeo Beach, and I was like, 'Where are we going?' And the guy's looking at me like I was a moron: 'We're going up there.' I went, 'What do you mean we're going up there? You can't run up that.'" Despite the pain, he was hooked.
For Gibbard, trail running and ultra-running felt like a return to his childhood spent exploring the woods and mountains of the Northwest. "It felt then, and still does to this day, like pure freedom." As he pushed himself further, he discovered meditative spaces where the world seemed to fall away, leaving him in tune with his body.
He also found a sense of community akin to the punk and indie circles of his youth. "Everybody who's doing this is doing it because they love it… There's a real grassroots, DIY kind of vibe to a lot of the races that I run. It's a very community-oriented sport."
The Impact on Creativity
Gibbard believes that running has positively affected his creativity and songwriting. "I've learned over the years that remaining creatively viable is hard work," he says. Spending time in the mountains provides a counterweight to the time he spends in his head. "I need to walk away. I think one of the most important things that creative people need to do is take time away, to walk away from their work… So for me, coming back into my studio to write after spending the morning in the mountains, I just feel I'm able to focus a lot better and see what's working and what isn't a little more clearly."
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Training and Nutrition for Ultra-Running
Gibbard's training regimen involves running, strength training, and core workouts. When on tour, he tries to cap his running at 35 to 40 miles a week, supplemented with strength and core sessions.
Nutrition-wise, he combines real food with GU brand gels during training and races. "One of the hardest things to do when you're training for ultramarathons is to find something that doesn't give you flavor fatigue," he explains. He aims to consume at least 100 calories every half hour, with his body processing around 250-300 calories an hour. He supplements gels with liquid-based nutrition like Gnarly Nutrition, which provides calories and electrolytes.
He emphasizes the importance of simulating race conditions during training, adhering to the adage "Nothing new on race day."
A Non-Dogmatic Paleo Diet
In the last year or so, Gibbard's diet has shifted to what he describes as a "non-dogmatic paleo diet." After some blood work revealed he was moving into pre-diabetic territory, he made changes to his eating habits. He had previously cut out wheat and dairy, experiencing positive results. Now, he focuses on a diet that is not dogmatic.
Mental Fortitude and the Two Bodies of a Runner
Gibbard emphasizes the importance of mental strength in ultra-running. He recounts a challenging 100-mile race where he faced physical and emotional struggles. "If your mind is not strong, but your body is, you can keep moving."
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He also acknowledges the interplay between the physical and emotional bodies of a runner. He learned that you can't run a hundred miles on sadness. He reflects on finding motivations in strange places, such as joy or anger, but recognizes the difficulty of using painful emotions as fuel.
The Pursuit of Meaning and Self-Discovery
Ultimately, Gibbard sees running and music as intertwined pursuits of meaning and self-discovery. He believes that he runs and writes music because of curiosity, constantly asking questions about the meaning of experiences and relationships, and about who he is and what he is made of.
He chases moments where everything falls away, and he becomes a being in space, focused solely on putting one foot in front of the other. He believes that human beings are capable of amazing things and that we often sell ourselves short.