Tyler Andrews

was a competitive Division III runner - but certainly not a multiple All-American or other kind of standout performer.

But that never stopped him from chasing big goals.

After graduating from Tufts University, Tyler kept training and improving. He's since qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials and currently holds the world record for the fastest half marathon ever run on a treadmill (63:38).

Now he has his sights set on another world record: the 50K ultramarathon distance.

And this Friday, he'll be making that WR attempt in California at the Santa Barbara Easter Relays. After 125 laps on the track, we'll know if he was ready to topple the 30-year record of 2:43:38.

In this far-ranging conversation, Tyler and I discuss a host of issues:

• The geeky nitty gritty of his training - most at 9,000+ feet altitude in Quito, Ecuador
• His pacing and fueling approach for a track 50k
• More philosophically, why is he attempting to break this record?
• And a lot more...