Death Cab for Cutie singer Ben Gibbard opened up about his obsessive running habits in the magazine Runners World today.
The February issue of the running enthusiast magazine features a 2,500 word interview with the 35-year-old emo-pop singer, who describes running as a way to escape “the unhealthy lifestyle I led through my 20s.”
“I used to be a heavy drinker, and I quit at the same time I picked up running. I felt it was best to trade an unhealthy habit for a healthy one,” Gibbard said in the interview. Gibbard said he’s now traded in chasing a buzz for chasing a “runner’s high.”
Gibbard also discussed a lighthearted competition he had between fellow runner/musician Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers during the 26.2-mile L.A. Marathon back in March 2011. Gibbard, who clocked in at 3 hours and 56 minutes, admitted that Flea, 3 hours and 52 minutes, though ten years his senior is in “clearly better shape than I am.”
The past year has been full of ups and downs for Gibbard as he recently separated from his two-year marriage with She & Him bandmate Zooey Deschanel. However, Death Cab was nominated for a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. The Grammys will be shown on CBS on Feb. 12.
Also, today Death Cab added three dates to its Winter/Spring tour in Singapore, Taiwan and Manila. Check the band’s site here for details.
Death Cab for Cutie’s latest album Codes and Keys was released on May, 31.
And be sure to check Pop ‘stache for more Gibbard and Grammys news.
