The UAB Department of Surgery is highlighting faculty, residents and staff who have an intriguing out-of-the-office hobby. The goal of the series is to connect individuals across the department by helping illuminate out-of-the-office moments and achievements.

John Porterfield, M.D., is the director of the general surgery residency program as well as a professor in the UAB Department of Surgery. Porterfield completed his undergraduate program at the University of Alabama and his graduate programs at UAB and the Mayo Clinic. Before joining the UAB Department of Surgery in 2008, he completed his residency and endocrine surgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic.

Porterfield is an active member of numerous professional organizations including the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons, Society of University Surgeons, Southern Surgical, Southeastern Surgical Congress, the Association of Program Directors in Surgery where he is currently serving as a board member, and he also serves on the American College of Surgeons Committee on Resident Education.

Porterfield speaks nationally and internationally regarding his expertise in surgical education, endocrine and robotic surgery. He has authored five book chapters and contributed to numerous journal articles.

Porterfield is also a competitive ultra-runner.

What inspired you to start this hobby?

I got into ultra-running because of a community of people who said, “Wouldn’t it be fun if we ran for three-four hours on a Saturday?” Honestly, I thought they had lost their minds. Personally, I had only run two to three miles at a time about once a week. I had grown up active but only would run one to two miles every now and again as a kid with my Dad.

I never loved running, and it certainly wasn’t “fun.” But, nevertheless, I joined this group of runners from my church, and then eventually the Birmingham Ultra Trail society, BUTS.

My first race was Nov. 21, 2015. I had never run a marathon, which is 26.2. miles, but I ran a 50K which is 31 miles through the woods. I came in seventh place overall and I was hooked after the first race. Ultra-running has a great community of people, and it was fun to think about doing something more than a marathon– all on single track, wooded trails through the hills and swamps of the south.

Ever since the first race in 2015, I run 30-40 miles a week, primarily in Oak Mountain State Park. I have largely been uninjured because running through the woods is not always the same foot strike, and trails, while unpredictable, are much more forgiving than the roads. Trail running is always something different, whether it's snakes, wildlife or weather. Reaching highpoints after an exhausting fast climb is always worth it!

What does participating in this hobby mean to you?

The mental emotional part of it has been a good mood stabilizer. If I’m anxious or frustrated, I use running as a time to disconnect and as a form of meditation. It’s a quiet place for me because I rarely listen to any music. Most of the time though, I do my best to run with people. It is good to have a community to struggle together.

Also, there are incredible health benefits in ultra-running. I lost almost forty pounds of excess weight. I have not been ill or sick during the last five years. I make better choices now as far as health overall. I’m more conscientious about my sleep routine and what I eat. Every day, I fast about 12-14 hours. And, it’s led me to study how we can physically, mentally and spiritually be at our best.

During different seasons of life and work, I have needed to work more and train less– and there have been other times when I have been traveling or on vacation where I’m able to train more, and it’s been very freeing. It’s important to me to find a balance between work, family and training. If that gets out of balance, something will suffer.

Ultra-running is really a life-balancer for me. My wife, son and two daughters all run. While I run with all of them, I run the most with my wife, and that has allowed us to have great quality time together, whether it’s having fun or thinking about priorities as we navigate our family through this crazy world.

I’ve tried to combine some of my areas as well– like family and running and work and running. Almost every work trip, I plan ahead to run with a surgical colleague along some interesting route.

What are the competitions or awards that you are most proud of?

My next steps and goals, now that I have done a triathlon, is to complete a full Iron Man before I turn 50. I will definitely need to balance my aspirational goals of swimming and cycling to be able to do the full Iron Man. Unfortunately- but understandably- the half Iron Man on the gulf on May 9 that I registered for was canceled.

I am proud of my most recent race on Feb. 29, Mount Cheaha. Over the last four months, I logged one competitive race every month– with three of the four being 50ks. Mount Cheaha really is a pinnacle race to see where you stand on your personal training and goals. It is a 31-mile race with a large pool of strong runners on the famous Pinhoti trail that makes its way to the top of the highest mountain in Alabama.

In 2019, I was fortunate to run 1280 miles with 130,797ft of elevation gain, 4.5 times the height of Mt. Everest.  This year I am on track and have been able log 412 miles thus far.  I look forward to training with more of my peers and colleagues this year– text me or call me anytime to join.