Josh Elkes, 2014 Grassroot Soccer Sweatys Awards nominee, is winner of the 2014 Sweatys Get Active Award, and also the Co-Chair of the Positive Tracks Youth Ambassador Board.

When Josh Elkes was kicked off his high school track team for refusing to run an extra lap, nobody could have guessed that in a few short years he would be running the New York City Marathon for the third time. Nor would anyone have pictured him competing in a 35 mile ultra marathon in South Africa just two weeks before running the Boston Marathon. And most certainly nobody would have envisioned him crossing the finish line of the Vermont 50 Ultra Run. And yet, the accomplished musician (he composes the lyrics and music he performs in and around New York), has done all those things, leveraging each of his efforts into fundraising for Grassroot Soccer.

The person most surprised by these feats is Josh himself.

“The fact that I’m doing all of this is still a mystery. I’m not sure why I like it so much,” he says with a laugh. Josh says everything with an easygoing laugh, and always, always runs with a smile. “That’s something I learned along the way, and it really does make a big difference. These endurance races go on for a long time, and it’s a long time to not be having a good time.” So he smiles and he runs…a lot.

This year’s NYC Marathon will mark the 190th mile and 8th event Josh has run on behalf of GRS. We caught up with Josh to find out what fuels his nonstop efforts.

How did this endurance thing start? I guess it was the year before college, when I started exploring the trails around the Rockefeller Preserve near my home. I gradually built up to 6 or 7 mile runs and then did the NY Half-Marathon and felt like, ‘I could do that again right now.’ At the time I was interning at Downtown Records, and my coworker Nicole Delma was looking for people to join her Grassroot Soccer Team in the 2011 NYC Marathon. It was so much fun, I signed up again. (The 2012 marathon was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy)

http://hiperduct.ac.uk/custom-dissertation-hypothesis-ghostwriter-for-hire-us What got you into the ultra realm?: “One day I was looking online at a Top 10 list of the most beautiful marathons. The Two Oceans (a 35-mile ultra in Cape Town, South Africa) was at the top of the list and it seemed like a perfect fit for GRS. So I said to Nicole, ‘Let’s do this one,’ and put together a team for GRS.” (The team of ten ran the Two Oceans in March 2013)

And just two weeks later you ran the Boston Marathon: Yeah, that was just poor planning. But it was fine.

You recently finished the Vermont 50. How hard was that? I was glad it wasn’t longer, and the hills were insane but there was never any point when I didn’t feel good. Five years ago I did not think I could run 50 miles. Having turned 23 two days before this race, I’m glad to confidently say that I have absolutely no idea what I’m capable of accomplishing in the next five years, and I find that incredibly exciting.

Tell us what fuels you through these efforts: Pre event it’s oatmeal with dried fruit and brown sugar and lots of coffee. During the events I like Kind Bars and pretzels. Post event I look forward to a big iced tea. I am also a huge fan of veggie juices and I put chia seeds on everything.

Besides smiling, what’s some advice to anyone going into one of these big events? Have some type of water bottle that you can have throughout the race and refill at aid stations. Eat pretzels. Drink Gatorade. Carry mint gum and Advil. Have someone you know at the finish line—it makes it feel like you’re not just running to something, but to someone.

And, now that you’re totally a pro at it, how about some fundraising advice?: Keep it tangible (e.g., $500 feeds this entire school for this many months) and have hard deadlines to urge people with giving intentions to actually give.

Tell us what turns your crank about GRS : I love the way they follow and help individual people all the way through, so that each contribution goes as far as possible.

How did you first hear about Positive Tracks? I first heard about Positive Tracks through the NYC Marathon, but got my first “in-depth” view this year while prepping for the VT50. I had the privilege to speak with Nini who gave me invaluable advice on how to run the VT50 (she’s finished the VT50 and the VT100)The support and meaning that Positive Tracks brings to its partners/participants will continue to be an invaluable source of motivation.

In addition to performing at night and working your day job at Getty Images, you are active in organizations that focus on education and the arts: I work closely with the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the James Beard Foundation, the New Museum, Lincoln Center and the New York Public Library, advising them on how to have a greater impact and reach a larger audience by leveraging digital technology.

What’s Next for Josh Elkes? The Comrades 90 km Ultra Marathon in South Africa. Just like with the other races, it’s not something I would have predicted trying, but I now realize that I am not qualified to predict what I can or can’t accomplish.

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All smiles after completing the VT 50