Runners World Feb 2012
Runners World Feb 2012
Runners World Feb 2012
Fully
Fit
RUNNERSWORLD.COM
WORLDS LEADING
RUNNING MAGAZINE
TOTAL
-
BODY
WORKOUTS TO
BEGINNERS
Recharge Your
RunningAnd
Stick With It!
10
Best Winter
Foods For
Runners
BUILD YOUR BASE
The Benets of More
Miles, Less Intensity
Beer Run!
The Surprising
Truth About
Exercise & Alcohol
POST
-
RUN
PAIN?
Stretches &
Remedies
PAGE 38
30th ANNIVERSARY
Chariots of Fire
How a Hollywood
Rebel and His Inspired
Cast Made History
O
LY
M
P
IC
M
A
R
A
T
H
O
N
T
R
IA
L
S
Ryan Hall, Kara Goucher &
The Fastest Field Ever
PLUS
: AMERICAS
UNEXPECTED
NEW STAR
NIKE
LUNAR
ECLIPSE+
SETTLE IN FOR THE
RIDE OF YOUR LIFE.
TAKE EVERY ADVANTAGE
EVEN THE MOST INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY WONT HELP MUCH IF YOUR SHOE DOESNT FIT. SO FOR THE NIKE LUNARECLIPSE+,
WE COMBINED THE SOFT, SMOOTH LUNARLON CUSHIONING RUNNERS LOVE WITH THE PITCH-PERFECT STABILITY OF DYNAMIC
SUPPORT. THEN WRAPPED IT ALL UP WITH THE NEW DYNAMIC FIT SYSTEM, WHICH TAILORS THE SHOE PERFECTLY TO YOUR FOOT
AND ADAPTS TO EVERY STRIDE. SO THE FITS PERSONAL, AND THE RIDES PERFECT. NIKERUNNING.COM
Z0JJAr|easer-Basc|,Irc.,M|c|e|obU|tra
,I|t Beer, St. ,oUIs, -0 s 95 cA|orIes, Z. cArBs, 0. proteIr Ar4 0.0 fAt, per JZ oz.
WHAT'S YOUR ULTRA LIFE?
TELL US AT FACEBOOK.COM/MICHELOBULTRA
For some the Ultra life is a friendly game of softball, a weekend
bike group or searching for that perfect round of golf. In the
end, it's all about having fun. With 95 calories, 2.6 carbs and one
exceptionally smooth taste, Michelob Ultra is the superior light
beer perfectly balanced for your life.
3 RUNNERSWORLD. COM
C
o
v
e
r
-
S
t
y
l
i
s
t
:
A
l
v
a
r
o
S
a
l
a
z
a
r
/
A
g
e
n
t
O
l
i
v
e
r
;
G
r
o
o
m
e
r
:
S
c
o
t
t
M
c
M
a
h
a
n
;
A
p
p
a
r
e
l
-
S
h
o
r
t
s
:
S
a
u
c
o
n
y
;
W
a
t
c
h
:
N
i
k
e
;
S
h
o
e
s
:
B
r
o
o
k
s
;
T
h
i
s
P
a
g
e
-
P
h
o
t
o
g
r
a
p
h
b
y
D
Y
L
A
N
C
O
U
L
T
E
R
(
R
i
t
z
e
n
h
e
i
n
)
P. 46
P. 28
P. 35
P. 70
P. 60
P. 22
P. 38
P. 26
P. 54
Even though he lives in
Los Angeles, DAVID SIIK
is a year-round treadmill
user. In fact, the running
coach (who will make his
26.2-mile debut this year)
regularly advocates the
benets of the mill and
indoor running in general
to his students. Siik, 31,
spent about ve years
researching his upcoming
book about treadmill
running. I denitely
practice what I preach.
PHOTOGRAPHED exclusively for RUNNERS WORLD by
DYLAN COULTER in New York
4 RAVE RUN
8 EDITORS LETTER
8 CONTRIBUTORS
10 RUNNING COMMENTARY
13 HUMAN RACE Two moms train for
a shot at the U.S. Olympic team.
PLUS: The Intersection (14)
What It Takes To... (16)
Ask Miles (17)
Back Story: Lukas Verzbicas (17)
PERSONAL BEST
19 THE WARMUP Heres how you can
rule the great indoors this season.
20 TRAINING Fun ways to stoke your
winter treadmill workouts.
28 FUEL Unsung fruits and vegetables
can be stars in a runners diet.
35 MIND + BODY Meet your goals with
the help of the right training partner.
COLUMNS
40 THE NEWBIE CHRONICLES Shhh!
I just ran 9 miles (and didnt hate it).
By Marc Parent
44 ROAD SCHOLAR A run with total
strangers can be, well, eerily thrilling.
By Peter Sagal
FEATURES
46 TOTALLY FIT This new, intense
cross-training plan can give you extra
strength and speed for the long haul.
By Selene Yeager
54 BEER RUN! A (somewhat) scientic
look at how a postrun pint (or two)
impacts your favorite activity.
By Christie Aschwanden
2012 OLYMPIC TRIALS
60 SHE CAN DO IT! Desi Davila brings
her Boston-tested, blue-collar work
ethic (and the best QT) to Houston.
By Bruce Barcott
68 THE COMEBACK KID Fit at last,
Dathan Ritzenhein wants to win.
By Christine Fennessy
70 IN CHARIOTS THEY RAN Behind
the scenes of the Oscar-winning lm.
By John McLaughlin
81 GEAR Five wallet-friendly treadmills.
91 RACES + PLACES New Mexicos Mt.
Taylor Quad will test...everything.
104 IM A RUNNER Ben Gibbard, lead
singer of Death Cab for Cutie.
Interview by Amy Reinink
HOME STRETCH
Dathan Ritzenhein in
Oregon. See page 68.
February2012
LOCATION Copper Mountain, Colorado
PHOTOGRAPH BY Ren Pirolt
RUNNER Lisa Harper
THE EXPERIENCE Tenmile Canyon
National Recreation Trail, a no-vehicles-
permitted paved route, is dened by
its towering trees and tranquil streams.
The trail rises to 10,000 feet, but at
some of its lower points, open elds
ofer the best views. Thats where you
can actually see the mountains while
youre in the mountains, Harper says.
FOR DIRECTIONS AND RESOURCE INFORMA-
TION, VISIT RUNNERSWORLD.COM/
RAVERUN. FOR RAVE RUN IMAGES, VISIT
RUNNERSWORLD.COM/WALLPAPER.
5 RUNNERSWORLD. COM
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Geoffrey Mutais record-setting win was an appropriate
nish to an eventful 2011 ING New York City Marathon.
In the days leading up to the race, RUNNERS WORLD hosted
a red carpet party, exclusive giveaways, book signings,
shake-out runs, and the International Shoe Summit.
The star-studded RUNNERS WORLD party on Friday,
November 4 was a highlight of the weekend and
included a special commemoration for RUNNERS WORLDs
own Editor at Large Amby Burfoot, who was awarded
the prestigious George Hirsch Journalism Award by the
New York Road Runners.
Later, a special tribute video was shown to honor the
inspirational life and career of Grete Waitz, a running
icon who won nine ING New York City Marathons and an
Olympic medal before losing her battle to cancer in 2011
at the age of 57.
More than 350 attended the gala event, including
Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes, world champion
hurdler Lolo Jones, Olympian and Steeplechase record
holder Jenny Simpson (Barringer), two-time USA
Outdoor 5000-meter champion Lauren Fleshman, and
president and chief executive ofcer of New York
Road Runners Mary Wittenberg, among others.
The RUNNERS WORLD booth at the Health and Fitness
Expo was a popular stop as runners enjoyed free
samples of Emergen-C and entered for a chance to win
a Suunto training package and a free set of wireless
headphones from Jabra. Attendees also met up with
their favorite editors and authors, including Bart Yasso,
Mark Remy, David Willey, and more.
Earlier in the week, the worlds leading shoe
manufacturers went toe-to-toe at the International
Shoe Summit, unveiling new product lines for the global
editors of RUNNERS WORLD. The annual summit concluded
at the RUNNERS WORLD party with the annual presentation
of awards. Shoe of the Year was awarded to the
Asics GT-2160, which was named International Editors
Choice. Other awards included Best Trail Shoe Salomon
Spikecross 3CS and International Best Minimalist
Shoe New Balance Minimus Road.
For a full recap of New York, visit runnersworld.com.
1] RUNNERS WORLD party
guests enjoy themselves at
Providence Restaurant in NYC
2] RUNNERS WORLDs
November cover athlete
Lauren Fleshman with
Editor-in-Chief David Willey
3] RUNNERS WORLDs Tara
Salcido and Alison Brown,
Annie Adams from ASICS,
and ASICS athlete and track
star Lolo Jones
4] Chief Running Ofcer Bart
Yasso with Dave Larson from
Brooks, Shannon Duffy from
Fleet Feet Sports, and Jesse
Williams from Brooks
5] J Schaffer from Nissan,
Alison Brown and Stephanie
Kline from RUNNERS WORLD,
and Jamie Suk from OMD
1
2
5
4 3
PROMOTION
6] The ASICS Global footwear team accepts the
RUNNERS WORLD International Editors Choice award
7] Salomons Jeff Dill and Jean Yves-Couput accept
the RUNNERS WORLD Best Trail Shoe award from
Editor-in-Chief David Willey, Associate Publisher
Molly OKeefe, and Brand Editor Warren Greene
8] New Balances JF Fullum and Tom Carleo accept
the RUNNERS WORLD Best Minimalist Shoe award from
Editor-in-Chief David Willey, Associate Publisher
Molly OKeefe, and Brand Editor Warren Greene
9] Editor at Large Amby Burfoot addresses the crowd
after being honored for receiving the George Hirsch
Journalism Award from the New York Road Runners
10] Editor at Large Amby Burfoot, Editor-in-Chief David
Willey, Chief Running Ofcer Bart Yasso, Publisher
Emeritus George Hirsch, Associate Publisher Molly
OKeefe, and SVP/Publishing Director Chris Lambiase
1
7
8
9
10
6
JOANNA WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
D
e
n
n
i
s
G
e
p
p
e
r
t
Kids Are All Right
I
This marathon
weekend will
change your life.
d
e
x
p
e
c
t
f
r
o
m
a
s
m
a
l
l
S
U
V
.*
Y
e
t
i
t
s
t
i
l
l
g
e
t
s
t
h
e
f
u
e
l
e
f
c
i
e
n
c
y
o
f
a
P
r
i
u
s
.
T
h
e
a
l
l
-
n
e
w
P
r
i
u
s
v
f
r
o
m
T
o
y
o
t
a
.
M
o
r
e
P
r
i
u
s
.
M
o
r
e
p
o
s
s
i
b
i
l
i
t
i
e
s
.
O
p
t
i
o
n
s
s
h
o
w
n
.
*
C
a
r
g
o
a
n
d
l
o
a
d
c
a
p
a
c
i
t
y
l
i
m
i
t
e
d
b
y
w
e
i
g
h
t
a
n
d
d
i
s
t
r
i
b
u
t
i
o
n
.
2
0
1
1
T
o
y
o
t
a
M
o
t
o
r
S
a
l
e
s
,
U
.
S
.
A
.
,
I
n
c
.
t
o
y
o
t
a
.
c
o
m
/
p
r
i
u
s
v
Train in Iraq for a 100-K
Last May, JASON SCHLARB, 33, a
major-select in the Air Force who lives
in Boulder, Colorado, was deployed to
Tikrit, Iraq, to help train Iraqi cadets.
The USA 50-mile trail champion also
squeezed in twice-a-day-training for the
January 7 USA 100-K Trail Champion-
ships in Bandera, Texas. G.K.
It takes passion to do this. I sacriced the few spare minutes
in a day I had to run. The training helped keep me going.
16
P
h
o
t
o
g
r
a
p
h
b
y
K
E
N
T
H
W
A
N
G
(
M
u
r
r
a
y
)
;
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
E
d
E
t
t
i
n
g
h
a
u
s
e
n
;
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
G
u
i
n
n
e
s
s
W
o
r
l
d
R
e
c
o
r
d
s
(
M
a
r
c
h
i
n
g
B
a
n
d
)
;
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
M
i
l
w
a
u
k
e
e
L
a
k
e
f
r
o
n
t
M
a
r
a
t
h
o
n
(
J
e
n
n
y
C
r
a
i
n
)
;
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
M
i
c
h
a
l
K
a
p
r
a
l
;
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
M
i
c
h
a
e
l
W
a
r
d
i
a
n
;
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
J
a
s
o
n
S
c
h
l
a
r
b
OF THE 72 MARATHON-RELATED GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS, THE BOSTON MARATHON CLAIMS THE FIRST ONE: THE OLDEST RACE.
Run 135 marathons in 365 days
ED ETTINGHAUSEN, 49, of Murrieta,
California, logged 135 marathons in one
year, with a 4:30 average nishing time.
Completing that many races wasnt
cheap, thoughhe spent about $15,000.
To save money, the CPR trainer drove
to most events, slept in his car, and ran
three races a weekend. GAIL KISLEVITZ
Im not that talented, but I felt the need to send a message to
all runners that anything is possible if you believe you can do it.
Build a track
on a farm
Build it and they will
come? Organic farmer
VONITA MURRAY, 36,
hopes so. In December,
she started construction
of a 400-meter dirt and
gravel running track on
her four-acre Mariposa
Valley Farm in Woodland,
California. The Navy
veteran and former
bodybuilding champion
plans to open the track
to the public this spring.
BOB COOPER
Eating nutritious food
and getting exercise
are both integral to your
health. My aim is to
improve the health of the
people in my community.
There are many ways to win 26.2. Yes, Elvis?
L
ast april, 20 members of the United Kingdoms Uni-
versity of Hudderseld marching band completed the
fastest (and presumably most musical) marathon by
a band (7:55:00) at the 2011 London Marathon. Keeping the
beat for the better part of a day may sound crazy (tired lips
and feet, not to mention ght-song fatigue), but plenty of
people have covered 26.2 miles in strange ways. Here are a
few of the standout Guinness World Records set while run-
ning a marathon. Megan Hetzel
rope to run the Milwaukee
Lakefront Marathon as one
(6:18:31), raising money
for Jenny Crain (above),
an elite runner who,
in 2007, was hit by
a car during a run
and badly injured.
Juggling Act
Canadian Michal
Kapral (a.k.a. The
Joggler) claimed the
fastest marathon
while joggling three
objects (2:50:12) at
the 2007 Toronto
Waterfront Marathon.
Girl Power
Jill Christie became the fast-
est woman to run a marathon
dressed as a superhero
(3:08:55, as Super Girl) at
the 2010 London Marathon.
Super Speed
In 2011, Michael Wardian ran
the fastest marathon in a
superhero costume (2:34:56,
dressed as Spider-
Man) at Piney Point,
Marylands Lower
Potomac River
Marathon. He
won the race
outright, too.
Rock and Roll
Ian Sharman of the
U.K. ran the fastest
marathon dressed as
Elvis (2:42:52) at the
2009 Seattle Marathon.
Chain Reaction
Last October, 62 runners
hooked themselves to a long
KEEPING THE BEAT
The U. of Hudderseld
marching band races on.
17 RUNNERSWORLD. COM
C
r
e
d
i
t
b
y
D
U
M
M
Y
N
A
M
E
17 RUNNERSWORLD. COM 17 RUNNERSWORLD. COM
To ask a question, visit runnersworld.com/askmiles, or
follow Miles on Twitter at twitter.com/askmiles.
DEAR MILES,
Theres a girl in my training
group whos constantly jam-
ming herself into tight spots
between other runners.
How can we give her a hint
to back of?
JEFF J., St. Louis
Oh, theres a whole range of
options. At one end, you have
things like handheld air horns
and pointy sticks; at the other,
a refresher course in courtesy.
While the former may be more
satisfyingand less likely to
be misinterpretedthe latter
is more mature. Heres a tip:
Rather than singling this
woman out, take a moment
before your next run to remind
the whole group to please
give others some space. Feel
free to mention nameless
complaints about near-
collisions. And to brandish a
pointy stick. You know, just
to get everyones attention.
DEAR MILES,
Occasionally, when Im about
to pass another runner dur-
ing a workout, hell suddenly
speed up as if he wants
to race. What gives? And
should I take the bait?
ALEX M., Houston
You know, its easy to stereo-
type in a situation like this.
So lets go! The situation you
describe is common, andin
my experiencenearly always
involves runners of the male
persuasion. (Its not just a
running thing, either. Try to
cruise past a guy driving on
the highway and watch his
speed creep up.) Why? I have
no idea. Maybe its a testoster-
one thing. Or a male-pride
thing. Whatever the cause, its
annoying. Especially when all
you want to do is nish your
workout. Im afraid stranger
racing will always be with us,
so the best we can do is try to
ignore it and focus on our own
pace. Or carry a pointy stick.
DEAR MILES,
Im racing and fear the u.
Is it rude to not shake hands?
Refuse handshakes and folks
will think youre weird, not
rude. To save your rep, wash
ofen and hope for the best.
WHEN PASSING ANOTHER RUNNER, 64% OF RUNNERSWORLD.COM RESPONDENTS WILL HOLD THEIR PACE IF THAT PERSON SURGES.
Lukas Verzbicas, 19, Colorado Springs
The high school four-minute miler has a new goal: worlds best triathlete
1] The old college try I tried to
put my future in running
but wasn
t comfor table.
So I decided to leave U.
of Oregon in November.
2] First love Training for
three sports has kept
me happy.
3] Euro ties We
left Lithuania
when I was 8.
4] Hoops I can
t play,
but I
m a Bulls fan.
5] Secret weapon Fartleks.
6] Taste of home I love this
Lithuanian salad my mother makes.
7] Wall of fame I have
posters of Michael Phelps
and Steve Prefontaine.
8] Patience My goal is
the 2O16 Olympics.
9] Early start As a baby I
was around elite runners.
10] Big moment Jim Ryun
(right) hugging
me after my
sub-four mile.
He
s a legend.
I
l
l
u
s
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
b
y
J
O
S
H
C
O
C
H
R
A
N
;
P
h
o
t
o
g
r
a
p
h
b
y
Z
A
C
H
H
E
T
R
I
C
K
(
V
e
r
z
b
i
c
a
s
)
;
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
L
u
k
a
s
V
e
r
z
b
i
c
a
s
(
S
a
l
a
d
&
P
r
e
f
o
n
t
a
i
n
e
)
;
V
i
c
t
o
r
S
a
i
l
e
r
/
P
h
o
t
o
R
u
n
(
V
e
r
z
b
i
c
a
s
&
R
y
u
n
)
;
C
o
u
r
t
e
s
y
S
p
a
l
d
i
n
g
(
B
a
s
k
e
t
b
a
l
l
)
Retrace Walt Disneys footsteps during a magical race through Disneyland Resort, and
run inside Angel Stadium of Anaheim as cheers echo through the crowd. This is The
Happiest Race On Earth! Dont be Bashful. Registration begins January 18 and lls quickly.
Sleepy. Happy. Grumpy.
And Thats Just The First Three Miles.
Disneyland
UNBEATABLE.
For more information and delicious recipes visit eggbeaters.com
Look For New Packaging.
Coming Soon.
ConAgra Foods, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
TRAIN WITH US!
Join the RUNNERS WORLD CHALLENGE
today and get a FREE T-shirt and a FREE book!
To take advantage of this exclusive ofer, go to:
www.runnersworld.com/challenge
As part of the Runners World Challenge Team youll receive:
Q 24/7 unlimited access to the Runners World expertsthe advice you
need to run your best race ever!
Q 16 marathon and half marathon training plans
Q Four-month premium membership to Runners World Personal Trainer
Q A full year of unlimited access to the Challenge Communityrunners
just like you all over the country!
Q A FREE technical T-shirt with the Runners World
Challenge team logo.
Q A FREE book: Going Long: The Best Stories from
Runners World, with more than 40 gripping stories of
legends, oddballs, comebacks and adventures.
+
FREE Technical Shirt!
FREE Book!
Join the RUNNERS WORLD team and get
everything you need to achieve your personal best!
2
0
1
8
6
9
7
0
1
35 RUNNERSWORLD. COM
P
h
o
t
o
g
r
a
p
h
s
b
y
T
I
M
O
T
H
Y
A
R
C
H
I
B
A
L
D
;
S
t
y
l
i
s
t
:
M
i
c
a
h
B
i
s
h
o
p
/
A
r
t
i
s
t
U
n
i
t
e
d
Track & Field. The key is to nd some-
one who keeps you focused on your goal.
All runners can benefit from group
training. Less experienced striders may
find that the accountability a partner
provides is what they need to commit to
a 5 a.m. run. More motivated runners
prize buddies for helping them add miles
and shave minutes. To maximize the ad-
vantages of this crucial alliance,
keep a few principles in mind.
Buddy System
Pick the best running partner to help you go faster,
farther, and more ofen BY LOUISE JARVIS
Training partners
can help get you
to the starting line,
but to be ready
for racing solo,
run alone once
a week to practice
pushing yourself.
MEET YOUR MATCH
The perfect running mate
will keep you focused.
A
decade and three children
stood between 37-year-old
Jennifer Lonneman and her
last marathon. Training solo
near her home in a Cincinnati suburb,
she couldnt seem to go faster than 10
minutes per mile and wondered if a little
company might help. So she started run-
ning with a small group. Every little
push, every person who was faster be-
came the invisible rope pulling me
along, says Lonneman. A year later she
ran a marathon in 3:53. My partners keep
me running smart.
Sports psychologists have known that
athletes perform better in groups than
alone since possibly the first study of
social facilitation among cyclists was
published in 1898. Simply put, this study
shows athletes will exceed their expecta-
tions or personal bests when performing
with a group or in front of a group, says
Steve Portenga, Ph.D., the University of
Denvers director of sports psychology.
Youre more focused, and less dis-
tracted by pain when others are watching
or running with you, says Portenga, who
is also the sports psychologist for USA
36
PICK WISELY
Finding others who run isnt hardstrike
up a conversation with a runner you
frequently see at the park, ask a colleague
if you can tag along on his lunchtime
workout, or search the listings at a social
site like dailymile.com. Finding someone
you want to run with again and again is a
little trickier. Be prepared to askand
answerdirect questions about training
schedules, as well as short- and long-term
goals, says Portenga. (See For Better...or
Worse, below.) You want to know up
front if you have common expectations
and a similar workout ethic. Do at least
two trial runs before you commit to
more. Youll know pretty quickly if the
other person is positive and reliable.
MAKE PACE A PRIORITY
The big-picture goal doesnt have to be
the same for each runner as long as an
aspect of the training is shared. For in-
stance, a runner training for a 5-K could
do track work with someone signed up
for a 10-K, while a 10-K racer and a mara-
thoner could pair up for short runs, as
long as they agree about their preferred
pace beforehand. Pace is even more im-
portant than compatibility, says Barbara
Walker, Ph.D., a sports psychologist and
founder of the consulting rm the Center
for Human Performance in Cincinnati.
You arent going to be happy if you dont
run your pace, if you feel too fast or too
slow for the group.
AVOID FRIENDLY
COMPETITIONS
When you get too competitive, you lose
sight of your training program and you
deviate from whats ideal for you, says
Portenga. In the end, it can sabotage your
performance. If youre going to make a
competition out of practice, then you
should compete with only yourself. A
better use of that time together, he says,
may be to help each other through pla-
teaus and work on checking off incre-
mental goals. This is one area where
veterans pair well with newbies: Running
with a beginner can counter the culture
of toughness that can take over between
73% OF RUNNERS WORLD READERS USUALLY RUN ALONE, JUST 7% RUN WITH A FRIEND, AND 5% RUN WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS.
two experienced runners of equal ability.
And practiced runners can help newbies
stick with it.
COMPARTMENTALIZE
The bond between running partners is
unique: It lacks the shifing dynamics of
a typical friendship, the baggage of fam-
ily, and the professional distance of co-
workers. Its like being in therapy, says
Lonneman. The act of running somehow
allows the words to ow easily. We share
things on our runs that I might not even
tell my closest girlfriend. What else are
you going to talk about over 20 miles?
Walker says that maintaining clear
boundaries in her running relationships
has been essential to her success as a
marathon runner and triathlete. My run-
ning partners and I have an agreement
that whats said on the trail stays on the
trail, she says. If were out to dinner, I
dont want conversation crossover.
Biochemistry may be what makes
these highly compartmentalized relation-
ships so fullling. Your endorphins are
owing, so your guard is down, Walker
says. Cortisol is low, so stress is low. Its
this parallel relationship where you
arent even facing each other. Theres a
rhythm; its a meditative state.
For Betteror Worse
To avoid a Felix and Oscar situation, communication is key
ESTABLISH
EXPECTATIONS
Before your rst run,
discuss your schedules
(including duration of
workouts and ideal pace)
as well as training goals
(targeting a race, building
endurance). Your answers
dont have to match
perfectly, but this infor-
mation will help you
plan joint workouts to
benet you both.
DETERMINE
COMPATIBILITY
Similarly competitive
runners tend to partner
well, even if their training
goals difer, says Steve
Portenga. Ask potential
partners (and yourself):
On a scale of 1 to 5, how
competitive are you? Its
also wise to discuss how
each of you will react if
the other has to cancel a
workout or arrives late.
HAVE AN EXIT
STRATEGY
Scheduling conicts,
injuries, or difering rates
of improvement can
undermine the goals of
both runners. If thats
the case, be honest and
move on. More awkward
are the personality issues
that can take you out
of your zone. These are
best dispatched with a
polite, but denitive exit.
GOOD CHOICE
Runners who share a
workout ethic pair well.
38
P
h
o
t
o
g
r
a
p
h
s
b
y
M
i
t
c
h
M
a
n
d
e
l
;
S
t
y
l
i
s
t
:
N
i
n
a
M
a
u
r
i
o
;
A
p
p
a
r
e
l
-
T
o
p
:
N
i
k
e
;
S
h
o
e
s
:
A
s
i
c
s
P
iriformis syndrome is a frustrat-
ing condition thats literally a pain
in the butt for runners. This throb-
bing ache originates in the buttocks
and ofen radiates down the legs and/or to the
spine. The culprit is an overtaxed piriformis
muscle (from running on uneven ground or
having tight hamstrings, for example) that
spasms and aggravates the sciatic nerve. This
routine will help keep your piriformis strong
and exible. Do the exercises three times each
week, afer a run. Sage Rountree
The End
Game
SAGE ROUNTREE is a USA Triathlon- and
RRCA-certied coach and yoga instructor.
See a video of this
routine at runners
world.com/piriformis.
STANDING FIGURE 4
Stand on your lef leg. Rest
your right foot on your lef
knee and do a single-leg squat.
With your hands on your hips,
hold this position for a few
seconds. Return to start and
repeat 10 times on each leg.
PIGEON FORWARD FOLD
Begin on your hands and knees. Bring the heel of your right foot
in front of your lef hip. Relax into this position and hold while
taking 10 to 20 deep breaths. Repeat on the opposite side.
CLAM SHELL
Lie on your right side with your knees bent. Rest your head on
your hand or on your arm. Contract your abs and slowly open
and close the top leg 20 times. Rest and repeat; switch sides.
SIDE PLANK WITH LEG LIFT
Start in a plank position. Rotate your
body so that youre balancing on
your right hand. Slowly, with control,
lif and lower your top leg ve to
10 times. Rest and switch sides.
Prevent postrun butt pain
AFTERALONG RUN or
intense workout, end your
stretching session by plac-
ing a tennis ball under your
right sit bone. Put all of
your weight on the ball and
slowly rotate your hips to
release the piriformis. Do
this for several seconds,
and then switch sides.
Postrun
Relief
Y
O
U
A
R
E
E
L
40 MONTH TK
My Sweaty Little Secret
Dont tell anyone, but I just ran nine miles. And I didnt hate it
f you live a clean life, you dont have any secrets. That sounds
good, but it isnt true. I live a clean life, and I have a huge secret: I
just ran nine miles. If youre thinking, Hey, how does a newbie run
nine miles?, the answer is, Hey, I just told you a secret, dont use it against
me. I understand what this sort of announcement does. You cant
tell people you ran nine miles and expect to ever be treated normally
again. In the minds of most everyone (not runners, that is), instantly
you are done for, a goner. You are an
other, a them. Youll never be one of
the old gang again, so you might as well
just give that up and move to damage
control. To avoid outright disdain, you
have to qualify your distance in a way
that diminishes it somehowyou ran
really slowly, you walked half of it, you
hated it, hated it, you were out with rav-
ing idiots who made you do it. Or you
have to justify the milesyoure training
for an important race to elevate aware-
ness of such-and-such, in order to raise
gobs of money for so-and-so. Or the wed-
ding is in three months. Or the class re-
union. You can justify almost any ex-
treme personal improvement with
weddings and class reunions. Or you
keep it simple and just say you went for
a three-miler and got super lost. Or if you
still want to be thought of as the reason-
able and balanced person that you are,
you keep the distance a secret.
About a year and a half ago, I com-
pleted my longest run ever, 7.53 miles
according to my watch, a distance that
would seem strange only to a nonrunner.
The limits of stamina and determination
do not fall neatly into whole-mile blocks.
You drive the car until it runs out of gas
and clock where it dies. I tried to build
quickly on that distance but fell short on
every attempt, eventually injuring my
knee and falling back down to difcult
one- and two-mile runs. Because I was
naive to the politics of distance, when
anyone asked how far I went, Id round up
and say, One time I did eight! That was
usually met with a wrinkled nose and the
immediate question: Arent you worried
youll hurt your knees/alienate your fam-
ily/turn into some kind of punk?
You tell a room full of people you ran
one mile, and they will erupt into ap-
plause. Waltz into the same room with
the same people and announce
anything over six, and there will be
I
I
l
l
u
s
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
s
b
y
M
A
R
C
O
S
C
H
I
N
Across the nation, thousands of teams are joining together to battle the ill efects of
exhaustion, erase the grips of physical limitations and redene the rules of running.
Together we can conquer 200 miles in the overnight running relay series known as Ragnar.
FIND YOUR RAGNAR AT RUNRAGNAR.COM
2012 Ragnar Relay
42
I kept glancing at my watch to make sure
my pace was slow enough to go long.
wide-eyed silence and even a few cold
shoulders. But if a single mile is good,
why arent additional miles better? One
pie good, nine pies better. Any monkey
knows. Same with well wishes. Same
with dollars. If one mile inspires, at what
point do more miles inspire suspicion?
You can easily imagine a whole room full
of pies and not an ounce of suspicion.
In my nonrunning days, I gave the cold
shoulder to anyone who ran almost any
distance. My long-standing belief was
that runners were essentially compensat-
ing for inner demons or bad behavior. Id
look at the guy on the road and think, Of
course hes running: Hes getting old, his hair
is falling out, and his wifes coworkers are
extremely attractive. He runs because his
children dont admire him, his own
mother has stopped calling, he doesnt
like what hes become, and hes trying to
run his way out of itactually not bad
reasons to start running, come to think
of it. But if compensation was the only
reason people ran, everyone over 21
would do it. The person who doesnt have
at least one thing in life they could com-
pensate for with running isnt looking
hard enough.
The one- to two-mile runner rounds up,
the eight- to 10-miler rounds down,
which means as far as perceptions are
concerned, there seems to be an ideal
distance to runbelow which makes you
a pansy, above which makes you an obses-
sive. What is that magic number? Is there
a magic number? I believe there is. I be-
lieve the magic number is three. You can
run the magic number three every day of
For more of Marc Parents stories, go to
runnersworld.com/newbie. And follow
him on Twitter at @NewbieChronicle.
dropped the robe, threw on my running
gear, and dashed onto the road. It was 36
degrees, still dark out, still silent. I went
two miles before the rst car rumbled by
with its headlights on. I glanced at my
running watch every several hundred feet
to make sure my pace remained slow
enough to go long. My legs felt heavy, and
I hadnt committed to the new distance
but wanted to keep the option open if the
run began to brighten up down the road.
My route is always an out-and-back. By
the four-mile mark, I was holding steady
and couldnt believe I was still going away
from the house. Half a mile later, I slapped
a lone road sign, did a slow loop, and
nor swimming in a river nor holding a
newborn. Not like music nor mathemat-
ics, not love nor hate nor indifference.
The moment a run becomes indescrib-
able is the moment it becomes private
not secret, just impossible to share.
I suddenly understood the look I got
from people who went long when I asked
them what it was likethe small smile
and sideways glance that I always
thought was hiding something. Now I
knew those people couldnt describe it if
they wanted to. The only thing they
could have said is that Id have to see for
myself. It takes a long time to get there
it took years, in my case. Years of hating
hating the run. But the view from nine
miles is worth the efort.
The rst secret was that I couldnt run
over ve miles; now the secret is that I
can. Either way, you have to keep secrets,
so you might as well run as far as you
want to. Or just get super lost on your
next three-miler and go with it. Distance
is one of the only things in life you truly
earn. Anyone can give you nine pies, but
no one can give you nine miles. Nine
miles you have to take.
the week, tell anyone you like, and theyll
call you a rock star. Go any farther, and as
I discovered on my rst long run, youll
probably have to keep it to yourself.
I began the morning of my nine-mile
attempt slouching listlessly in a chair,
sipping cofee, and pretending I was too
tired to move. When Susan and the kids
gathered to leave for school, I dragged
my slippers across the oor and waved
weakly from the front door as they pulled
away. As soon as they were out of sight, I
headed for home. By six miles, a rare and
unusually long distance in my routine, I
was just beginning to return to familiar
territory. The run itself, though, had sud-
denly become indescribable. It wasnt
easy, but it was not hard, either. I didnt
know until that moment that there was
a hidden gear between hard and easy. I
tried to gure out what it felt like, but it
was unlike anything else in life I could
think ofnot like a sunset, not like an
explosion, not like jumping from a plane
On sale now
wherever books are sold and as an e-book RodaleBooks.com
Do those diet foods really
help you lose weight?
Christine Avanti, the author of Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads, returns with a groundbreaking guide to weight
loss that shows how managing micronutrients and eating fresh, hormone- and chemical-free foods will help
you control cravings and lose unwanted pounds better than so-called 'diet foods. No more meal replacement
bars or favorless frozen dinners-just the fabulous body and stellar health you truly crave!
201914501
44
I
l
l
u
s
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
s
b
y
J
O
H
N
H
E
N
D
R
I
X
New in Town?
A run with total strangers in an unfamiliar place can be, well, eerily thrilling
t was dark, darker than i expected, and Billy was lost, or said
he was. We were in his car, somewhere near the entrance to Forest
Park, a tract of near-wilderness in Portland, Oregon, perfect for run-
ning or criminal activity. The locals say a man lived there for seven
years, in a tent, before he was discovered. If a living person could go
undetected, it could be pretty easy to hide a body. So, Billy said, youre
not nervous, going out to run before dawn with a complete stranger?
about what group ran where and when
and said, Hey, Ill just run with you my-
self, and proceeded to give me a free tour
of the city the next day.
Sometimes I get invitations from the
local running club before I arrive in town
to do my radio show, which is why I have
a T-shirt from the Landrunners of Okla-
homa City and a bag from the Running
Club North of Fairbanks, Alaska, plus
memories of ne runs through sculpted
suburbs and arboreal forests.
In Lincoln, Nebraska, I accepted an
out-of-the-blue e-mail invitation from
Brian Wandzilak, a Lincoln native who
had come back to town to coach track at
a high school. We talked about motivat-
ing kids to move. In Austin, I ran with the
station director of the local public radio
station, Stewart Vanderwilt, whose sin-
glet allowed me to see his fresh tattoo on
his upper arm: the insignia of his sons
combat company in Iraq.
So when I went to Portland, I shot of
an e-mail to the Oregon Road Runners
Club without a thought. It read:
Hello, my name is Peter Sagal, and I host
a show for NPR and also do a column for
Runners World. I was wondering if any-
body in your club might want to accompany
me on a run through Forest Park tomorrow
morning, Saturday, early...Id love to do 15
to 20 miles, running from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Many thanks.
I got an e-mail right back from the club
president, and she promised to ask
around. I felt pleased.
But it really wasnt until I hopped into
Billy Stricks car in the Portland dark, and
he asked me that question, that I won-
dered...how long would my luck last?
At the trailhead, Billy and I met two
vague shadows, one tall and one short,
that Billy introduced to me as Kevin
Grifth, his college roommate, and Jen-
nifer Mac McDonald, who had caught
one of the e-mails bounding around the
I
Not at all, I said, condently. Besides,
how ofen do you read about a mass mur-
derer getting arrested and the newspaper
says his hobby was distance running?
Heh, heh, said Billy.
So...um, while were on the topic,
youre not going to kill me, are you?
As a matter of fact, Billy said. Ive got
Garrison Keillor in the trunk.
I laughed. Thank God, so did he.
I run with strangers all the time. If Im
traveling to a city where I dont know
anyone to run with, I contact the local
running club and see if theres a group
training run that will t my schedule. If
not, Ill try contacting the running
storesonce, when I was in Seattle, the
clerk got tired of answering my questions
Peter Sagal is a 3:09 marathoner and the
host of NPRs Wait, Wait...Dont Tell Me! For
more, go to runnersworld.com/scholar.
ners, while running, are good company.
When everybodys wearing silly shorts
and sweating and farting and smelling
like mobile sachets of locker-room sweat,
theres no room for pretense. People brag,
but if theyre bragging about running,
they need to back it up, and if theyre brag-
ging about something other than run-
ningwell, who cares? No matter how
much money they make or the awards
theyve won or the names they care to
drop on the trail, its still eight miles out
and eight miles back, and by the end
thats all the achievement that matters.
Mac and I talked about the program
she works with, which trains homeless
people to become runners. Eventually,
she and Kevin announced theyd run
far enough and were heading back to
their cars. As the rising sun finally
pierced through the thick foliage, I
realized that Mac was actually very
attractive, and I almost apologized to
her for not having been self-conscious
and awkward around her, as was her due.
Instead, I waved goodbye, and my new
friend Billy and I, vastly different but
dressed alike and headed the same way
for the same purpose, continued on into
the brightening woods.
running club servers. Both seemed pleas-
ant enough, for vague shadows.
We set of into the dark, with Kev-
ins headlamp lighting the way up
the Leif Eriksson trail as if he were
a tall, lanky Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Runner. We talked mostly about running,
as one does when running, and Billy, as it
turns out, had been a prodigy; he was
once the youngest runner to complete
Hood to Coast, which he ran in at age 7.
He had given up running for a while, then
gotten back into it with a vengeancehe
had just run a 2:29 marathon, and was
hoping to better it next time. I realized, as
we pufed along at eight minutes a mile,
that not only was he being a gracious
host, he was being indulgent.
Truth to tell, had I been murdered by
Billy and his friends, I would have been
really surprised. I will not say that all run-
ners are entirely moralformer Illinois
Governor Rod Blagojevich is an enthusi-
astic runnerbut I will say that all run-
Join Prevention and the hermaid Series at our 3rd Prevention
5Kl10KlHaIf-harathon race event in beautifuI hission ay! ring out
your mini-mermaid for our 1.5-miIe girIs' fun run and enjoy a post-race
expo with music, games, heaIthy snacks, giveaways and more!
Saturday | February 11, 2012 | hISSIDN AY
DGYHUWLVHPHQW
PECISTEP
TD0AY!
Visit prevention.comlrun for more detaiIs to sign-up today.
Featuring AIison Sweeney,
host of 7KH%LJJHVW/RVHU!
C
r
e
d
i
t
b
y
D
U
M
M
Y
N
A
M
E
BY SELENE YEAGER PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN STEELE
FIT
he long run is the cornerstone of marathon training,
yet it trips up many runners. You may be one of them: Once you start
amping up the volume, your body starts shutting down. Another 26.2
dream dashed. Or is it? According to Brian MacKenzie, a power lifer turned ul-
traendurance athlete based in southern California, to go long, you have to be strong.
To that end, MacKenzie, along with partner and two-time California state cycling
champion Doug Katona, created CrossFit Endurance (CFE), a high-intensity, low-
volume training plan that blends CrossFit conditioning (i.e., heavy, explosive strength
training) with sprints, time trials, and tempo workouts. Goodbye, long runs. CFE
reduces mileage to as much as one-quarter the average of a typical marathon program.
Devotees of an intense new training regimen say you
dont need long runs to train for distance running
TOTALLY
BY SELENE YEAGER PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN STEELE
46 FEBRUARY 2012
C
r
e
d
i
t
b
y
D
U
M
M
Y
N
A
M
E
POWER UP
Kettlebell swings
target nearly every
major muscle group.
48 MONTH TK
C
r
e
d
i
t
b
y
D
U
M
M
Y
N
A
M
E
of kinesiology at Brock University in Ontario. It also makes you
more balanced and likely less prone to injury, he says.
It may also make you faster. In one study, highly trained run-
ners who substituted almost a third of their running workouts
with explosive, sport-specic strength training shaved 30 to 40
seconds of their 5-K times afer nine weeks compared with
those who ran and did minimal strength training.
Put it together
F
or runners, a typical CFE workout week might look like
this: three double daysa strength-building session fol-
lowed several hours later (to allow for recovery) by a
short, high-intensity run; one or two days of longer endurance
workouts like a tempo run or time trial; and one day of rest.
There are no easy days or recovery runs in CFE. Youre either
on or youre of. The act of taking real rest might be enough to
help many runners improve performance, says Gibala. You
have runners going out for these recovery runs, but theyre just
making themselves tired. Youre better of reducing the total
training load, getting rid of the junk, and getting real rest.
Is it for you?
I
f you
|||| |/I/|||
Plantar Fasciitis
Achilles Tendonitis
Visit www.TheSock.com for a list of stores. 800.452.0631
Dave Strassburg
Now Available at Your Local
Running Specialty Store.
InspiredEndurance.com
RUNNER JEWELRY
Race Beads for your Pandora
are lady's mantle extract, wild olive extract, komijn extract and wild mint extract. Read the entire label before use. 2011
Jessica used Hydroxycut
I Lost
Look! It really does work!
This powerful formula has a key ingredient
combination
1
clinically proven to help subjects lose
more weight than dieting alone. In fact, where all
groups followed a calorie-reduced diet, the average
weight loss with the key ingredients was 20.94 lbs.
vs. 1.70 lbs. with placebo in a 12-week study, and
16.50 lbs. vs. 1.73 lbs. in an 8-week study.
Key Ingredients
Clinically Proven
Pro Clinical Hydroxycut is the latest weight loss
innovation from the Hydroxycut brand, an established
industry leader with a commitment to excellence
that has stood for over 16 years.
I highly recommend Pro Clinical Hydroxycut.
STUDY 2
8 WEEKS
1.7
POUNDS
16.5
POUNDS
Placebo
1.7
POUNDS
STUDY 1
12 WEEKS
20.9
POUNDS
Placebo
104
Ben
Gibbard
Lead singer, Death
Cab for Cutie
35, Los Angeles
Interview by
AMY REININK
Photograph by
AMANDA FRIEDMAN
One of my favorite books
is Haruki Murakamis What I
Talk About When I Talk About
Running. He says that writ-
ing is a bad habit. You sit
for hours, dredging up your
innards. To balance that, he
says, you need healthy habits.
Running is that for me.
I started running in
2007, afer the elliptical got
boring. Becoming a runner
coincided with me shedding
some unhealthy habits. I
used to be a heavy drinker.
My body hated me. It
took six months for the rst
mile not to be the worst
feeling in the world.
Now, its like when youre
taking a dog for a walkI
put my shoes on and my
body says, Oh, good, were
going to do this!
Afer we nished
recording our album Codes
and Keys (released last May),
I bought a book on marathon-
ing. I followed the training plan
rigorously. I relished getting
up at 5 a.m. for my long runs.
The day of the 2011 L.A.
Marathon was a monsoon.
My shoes and clothes were
soaked. But I loved seeing all
the people out cheering.
I was hoping to run a 3:30.
But I got caught up in the
adrenaline. Around mile 19 or
20, I hit the wall. I had to walk
a little. I nished in 3:56:34.
My goal was to beat Flea [of
the Red Hot Chili Peppers]. He
got me by about four minutes.
The band carries a treadmill
on tour now. Nick Harmer, our
bass guitarist, is also a runner.
We realized if we took the
money we used to spend on
booze on one tour, we could
easily buy a treadmill. We
used to spend $300, $400
a night on booze.
When I wake up, the rst
thing I want is cofee. Once
I get jacked up on cafeine,
I want to go for a run.
I listen to an ESPN Baseball
Today podcast or a random
playlist. I preview records, too.
How you transcend the wall,
as a runner or a musician,
denes who you are.
Running and songwriting share similar principles.
When it doesnt feel good, you just work through it.
Go to runnersworld.
com/imarunner for a
video interview, photos,
and the full Q&A.
GRAMMY-NOMINATED DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE IS ON A YEARLONG, WORLDWIDE TOUR TO PROMOTE THEIR ALBUM CODES AND KEYS.
Prototype shown with optional equipment. Production model may vary. 1. Do not rely exclusively on the Blind Spot
Monitor to determine if a lane change is safe. Always look over your shoulder and use your turn signal before changing
lanes. There are several limitations to the function, detection, range and clarity of the monitor. For a complete list of
limitations and directions regarding use of the monitor, please see the Owners Manual. 2. Blind Spot Monitor available
on XLE and Hybrid XLE models only. 2011 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
toyota.com/camry
You cant always see whats coming. But the reinvented, technologically advanced 2012 Toyota Camry has got
eyes where you dont. With the available Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), youll be alerted to vehicles that are
hiding there on your left and right. And when combined with a cabin thats redesigned for better visibility,
youll be able to see like never before. Because one of the best ways to avoid an accident is to see it coming.