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At ArmorGames we enjoy seeing Gamers live life to the fullest. We had the privilege to ask Sean Astin; who portrayed the Smart, Fast Hobbit Samewise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings a bunch of questions. He’s been on a mission lately to inspire runners and athletes to run for a cause greater than themselves.

Since Lord of the Rings was a HUGE inspiration for Armor Games, its an honor to get to know one of the staring characters from the Epic Trilogy. Sean is also known from many other iconic roles including Rudy and Mikey from Goonies. Besides being a Husband and Father, Sean has started a movement called #run3rd. Read the questions below to find out more about it and how you can join in.

1.Before ArmorGames was Armor, it was GamesofGondor and we featured Medieval and Lord of the Rings themed games. Do you ever play video games? If so, what are some of your favorite games?
I am a GAMER!!!! My favorite game of all time is the 2nd edition of Age of Empires…We set up computers and a LAN in the dining room and the sun comes up and goes down around us!!!

2.The Armor Games team are big fans of physical fitness and we do several runs and mud runs together a year. How did you get into running?
My best friends step dad invited me to run in a 10k when I was 14…HOOKED…ran cross country in HS…I just took to running, with little effort, it just felt like I belonged on the road…been doing it ever since.

3.Have you done any Mud Runs? (ie. Camp Penalton, Spartan Runs, Tough Mudder)
I did an echo challenge in Bonelli (spelling) park…so much fun, the greased mud wall and make shift kayaks…the swim freaked me out with all the kicking, but bringing it home with the run…sweet…I’d do more… oh, I’ve done mini tri’s just not mudders.

4.Tell me a little bit about #run3rd?
#run3rd is all about making a dedication. In fact, it is an invitation to anybody on twitter to take a moment, literally 20 seconds say something for someone they love, a cause they believe in or any positive comment or even light hearted humorous remark. It’s just a hash tag like the millions of others, but I am infusing it with sustained passion and intention. The longer it goes on, the more I reflect about why it is able to grow. I wonder how many of the people that make dedications have ever done that before. I like to think that in many cases my invitation unlocks a little something…causing the person to consider for a moment…it is that moment of reflecting on what is important enough to make a public statement about that is the beauty of #run3rd..sure the internet might feel like a safe place to throw out a thought, but the truth is that for most of the people who post a #run3rd dedication, they feel incredibly deeply about their loved ones or cause. The stream of these things moves people, in many cases to tears…it’s kind of like cyptonite to cynics…

5.How can the ArmorGames community get involved and support #run3rd?
Well, there are three things that occur to me…
1st: Please make a dedication at #run3rd
2nd: Help me get to my goal of 26,200 Followers to match the 26.2 mile LA Marathon by March 18th, 2012 (Update: Sean has passed 26.2k Followers. Congrats!!)
3rd: If you live in LA make up a #run3rd sign and hold it up along the marathon route

6.Do your fans ever try and stop you during a race to say ‘Hi’ or get a photo?
The cool thing about formal races, people seem to get the nature of the experience…it would be totally inappropriate to do that…but, before the race I’ll take loads of pictures with fellow runners and after the race lots with families etc…of course once in awhile, during the race, a runner will see me and want to take a pic as we go…funny stuff…

7.We hear you are running the LA Marathon. Are you nervous?
I get butterflies, but I’ve trained properly, I’ve run it twice before once with this so called Stadium to the Sea route… So, I’m mostly really really excited…

8.Do you have any races planned after the LA Marathon?
The Hollywood Half Marathon in april just a short two weeks after the LA Marathon. And then in November I’ve declared that I will run in the 50th Anniversary of the JFK 50 Miler in Maryland… Crazy goal, but doable I think…

9.Running is physically taxing on your body. Have you had to work through any injuries while training for the Marathon?
There are always injuries when you train, particularly when the miles edge up over 30 per week… the ball of my left foot got bruised from the thin nike air running shoe that i love so much…I ran for a couple weeks on a much thicker soles…Other little things…never good to tumble while running but on a night run I did once…scrapes then…embarrassing but true…don’t tell anyone

10.Me (Daniel McNeely) and John Cooney (Head of Game development for Armor Games) just finished our first Marathon last month in Orlando. Crossing the finish line was one of the biggest thrills and accomplishments I’ve ever experienced. How do you plan to celebrate after you finish your first Marathon?
Congratulations!!!! It is an elite club. It is an accomplishment that most of the people who have walked the earth have never done. I have dinner with my family and ask them to tell me over and over how amazing it is that I did it..

Thanks Sean for answering these questions and Best of Luck on March 18th! The whole Armor Games community will be cheering you on!

Make sure to Follow Sean on Twitter and Facebook and next time you post something on Twitter use the #run3rd hash tag to inspire those around you.