Table of contents for March 2014 in Runner's World

LOCATION Jackson Hole, Wyoming PHOTOGRAPH BY Jeff Diener RUNNER Noel Rankin (with Steven) THE EXPERIENCE The Grand Tetons tower over Spring Gulch Road, an old ranching route that cuts through wide open farmlands. Save for local tractors and the occasional herd of cattle, the flat path, which is located just outside town, is generally trafficfree. “In the winter, the atmosphere is quiet and very peaceful,” Rankin says. “When I run on this road, I feel at ease.” FOR DIRECTIONS, RESOURCE INFORMATION, AND DOWNLOADABLE WALLPAPER IMAGES, VISIT RUNNERSWORLD.COM/RAVERUN.…

As it turns out, RW’s editors aren’t the only ones with impressive running shoe collections. On Instagram, readers shared images of piles of pairs and some that revealed their inability to part with even the oldest shoes (below). Search #RWShoeHoarder to see more shots. Family: Morgan, you have a problem. Me: Nahh dude, I can quit anytime I want. @morgan_mcadams A girl can never have enough running shoes... 30 pairs and counting! @melissarae208 #RWDOGSONTHERUN If your best running buddy is furry and four-legged, snap a photo of your dog while you’re out on a run and post it on Instagram. Use the hashtag #RWDogsOnTheRun to add your pup to the thread and to check out other readers’ submissions. We’ll publish the top two canine runners in an upcoming issue.…

PRISON MAY HAVE BEEN the best thing that happened to Leane Guerrero. That’s where she started running. Not to escape, but to save herself. One of 10 kids raised by a single mother, Guerrero got pregnant at 14, lost custody of the baby girl when she was 6 months old, and started drinking. Drugs followed, as did three more pregnancies. Soon she was selling methamphetamine, while her mother raised three of her children and her sister adopted one of them. In 2005, Guerrero, then 23, was busted twice in the same week for possession of meth and sentenced to 12 years for intent to distribute. In her first year at the Polk County Jail in Crookston, Minnesota, she had two assault charges. She got high popping smuggled-in pills. After getting…

Ryan Vail, 27, Portland, Oregon The top American in November’s New York City Marathon ran 2:13:23 to place 13th overall 1] Big Apple Bites NYC wasn’t going as I had hoped, but knowing I could be the first American kept me grinding. 2] Travel Rewards After NYC, I did a seven-day hike through Patagonia. 3] Public Forum I blog about my training to connect with other runners. It gives me confidence to hear “That’s great work.” 4] Sleep Aid Nine hours a night is sometimes not enough. I try to get in an hour-long nap. 5] Strumming Along I play guitar as a stress reliever. 6] Second Home My wife is from the Czech Republic. We spend a month there once a year. 7] Foreign Dish My in-laws raise rabbits…

4 OVAL RULES 1. Use it You don’t have to be a seasoned runner to reap the benefits of the track. Running in circles can help you build speed, stamina, and mental toughness. For more details, see “You Need Speed!” page 24. 2. Clear the inside lanes If you’re running slowly or recovering between interval sets, don’t clog lanes one, two, or three. Be courteous and allow faster runners to use those lanes. 3. Go with the flow That means running counterclockwise. But if the track is mostly empty, switch directions every few laps. Running the same way can cause muscle imbalances that may lead to injuries. 4. Pass on the right And give a verbal heads-up (“On your right!”). Ditch the headphones, or turn down the volume, so you…

Advice from the world’s best runners BRIAN PILCHER, 57, of Ross, California, earned 5-K, 8-K, 15-K, and half-marathon U.S. agegroup titles in 2013—and lowered the 8-K record to 26:38—to claim the USA Track & Field Masters Athlete of the Year Award. 1. Finish Fast “Try to do some fast running every other day. If you did speedwork on Tuesday, finish your Thursday run with eight 10-second sprints up a hill and your Saturday run with eight 20-second strides.” 2. Climb Fast “I’ve seen improvements in my speed with fewer injuries by replacing most speedwork with treadmill hills. I do 20 x 30 seconds on a steep grade.” 3. Drink Fast “I drink something in the last 15 minutes before a long race. Gulping down a nutrient-rich sports beverage then delivers…

Q Should I slow on downhills to reduce the pounding? A No, because slowing doesn’t actually do much to reduce the impact stresses on your joints and muscles. The best way to protect your body is to pay close attention to your form while descending. Don’t lean back to brake, or careen wildly forward. Instead, maintain a tall posture, engage your core muscles, and aim to land lightly on your midfoot. Keep your leg-turnover rate brisk; don’t take long, bounding strides. You can also prepare for downhill running—and the downhill sections of races—by doing exercises that strengthen your core (such as planks and mountain climbers) and that stabilize your joints while improving your balance (such as lunges and squats). —DEBBIE WOODRUFF is a running coach, personal trainer, and 35-time marathon…

Wake up your taste buds after a long winter with these ultraseasonal delights DANDELION GREENS The mildly bitter leaves of the ubiquitous yellow flower are rich in vitamins A, C, and K. Eat it Use small raw leaves in salad or pesto. Sauté large ones and pair with fish. FIDDLEHEADS These young, still-curled fern fronds have a flavor between asparagus and broccoli and supply vitamins A and C. Eat it Sauté and add to pasta dishes, stir-fries, and frittatas. RAMPS Also called wild leeks, ramps have a garlic-onion taste and contain allicin, which has cancer-fighting properties. Eat it Blend into soups and marinades. Add to pizzas. RHUBARB The crisp, tart stalks provide some B vitamins, as well as loads of vitamin K, which may help slash diabetes risk. Eat it…

Contributing chef Pam Anderson puts a healthy twist on a culinary classic for a fast postrun meal Bean Bourguignon “This recipe uses familiar beef bourguignon flavorings—red wine, garlic, onion, mushrooms, and thyme,” says Anderson. “But instead of beef, I sub in white beans and a bit of prosciutto.” The result is a leaner, high-protein, high-fiber stew. 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 package (10 ounces) baby portabella mushrooms, quartered, or cut into sixths if large Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 large onion, chopped 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, minced 3 large cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 bay leaves ¼ cup flour 1 cup dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon, burgundy, or merlot 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth 3 cans (15 ounces each) white beans,…

This simple hip-flexor routine can help you fend off injury and run faster SUFFERING FROM pain in your Achilles, hamstring, knee, or IT band (along the side of your leg)? Your hip flexors may be to blame. Weakness in the hip flexors—a group of muscles in the pelvic region and upper thighs that help drive up the knees and keep the pelvis and thighs aligned when running—can contribute to slower times, improper form, and, according to a recent review presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, a host of lower-leg running injuries. “The body has the capacity to compensate for weak hip flexors, but the strategies to do that can lead to muscle imbalances and injury,” says Gregory Holtzman, P.T., D.P.T., associate professor of physical…

My Own Private Half Why a father would run 13.1 miles on the best worst day of his life ON A COOL, BRIGHT October morning, I ran my first half-marathon to the cheers and horn blasts of hundreds of spectators. There were water stations at every mile, rock bands at every large hill, thousands of runners ahead of and behind me. The towering finishing gate was a wash of camera flashes and ringing bells and food and beer and volunteers slinging medals. I leapt over the line, wrapped myself in a foil blanket, stuffed a bagel into my mouth, hugged friends and family, highfived strangers, and posed for pictures. Ten months later I attempted to do the whole thing over again with one difference. This time I would try to…

PTSD IS SHATTERING THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS. BUT SOME EXPERTS BELIEVE RUNNING CAN COUNTER THE DISORDER’S DEBILITATING SYMPTOMS—AND HELP RESTORE THE JOY THAT WAR ERASED NEAR MISS JAMES BUZZELL WAS A COCKY TURRET GUNNER IN IRAQ (LEFT). BUT AT HOME (OPPOSITE), HE SEETHED WITH RAGE UNTIL RUNNING DEFUSED HIM. NORMALLY, JAMES BUZZELL AVOIDS CROWDS. Being surrounded by strangers makes the former turret gunner anxious: Where did they come from? What are they up to? How the hell do I get out of here? He does not like being in situations where he can’t control the variables, because he knows if you don’t pay attention to 100 percent of the variables 100 percent of the time, people die. But there he was, at the starting line of the…

PEOPLE GAVE ME worried looks when I told them I was running a half-marathon in Oakland. “Are you sure it’s safe?” one friend asked. Like my friend, the only thing many people seem to know about Oakland is that it has a high crime rate—the thirdhighest of midsized U.S. cities, behind Flint, Michigan, and St. Louis. I lived in Oakland for two years as a grad student, so I knew there was more to the place than this single damning statistic. I knew that the majority of its citizens were harmless, friendly, and good. I went back to my former town because I wanted to support the efforts of those people. Proud residents launched the Oakland Running Festival, with its marathon, marathon relay, half-marathon, and 5-K, in 2010 to showcase…

Laila Ali 36, former world champion boxer, TV host, Los Angeles BEFORE BOXING, I would go to the gym for a month and stop. But to be a world champ [Ali was an undefeated super middleweight world champion], running was something that I had to start doing. IN A FIGHT, if someone picks up the pace, you can’t let your heart rate go up. So on a track, my trainer would say, “Pick it up!” I’d sprint five seconds and he’d say, “Come down!” I never knew which way it would go. I had to stay calm. I NEVER RAN with my dad [Muhammad Ali]. He was old-school. He had a whole different idea of training. He ran in steel-toed boots! RUNNING strengthens your legs. Punching power comes from your…

The Hurt Blocker MONDAY has a brand problem. The weekend is over, most good restaurants are closed, and the daily grind begins anew. Wednesday, or hump day (the week’s second-worst brand), at least suggests progress, a muddling along. But Monday, often a rest day for those who do long runs on weekends, is square one. It is inert. No other day feels as perennially lousy or has songs dedicated to its existential dread. Around here Senior Editor Jeff Dengate has gone and made things worse. A couple months ago, Jeff, a greyhound who puts in 50 to 80 miles per week, started a Monday strength-training workout at RW’s gym. The winter months are typically when I scale back my running and nurse my nagging injuries (left hamstring, right hip flexor…

CHRISTINE FENNESSY “Before I wrote ‘Running Back from Hell,’ I’d never once personally thanked a veteran for his or her service,” Fennessy, RW’s articles editor, says after writing about running and PTSD on page 66. “I say it a lot now, but it always sounds so inadequate. How do you thank soldiers for the anguish they’ve endured?” LISA MARSHALL After flooding ruined her Estes Park, Colorado, track last year, Marshall nearly nixed her speedwork during marathon training. “I thought, Why exactly do I need to do this?” she says. “So I set out to learn just how important faster workouts are to a routine.” Read her findings in “You Need Speed!” page 24.…

STAGED RUN The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner premieres on stage in New York; the lead actor runs for about half the play. BOX OFFICE GOLD? Disney announces it’s creating a biopic about Olympic icon Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Games. FAST ACT Usain Bolt plays a family of characters—including a grandpa, a kid, and a mom who loves Mo Farah—in a Virgin Media ad campaign. RUNNING RECORD Ryan Craven, a former University of Wisconsin runner, releases an album titled Run Run Run with seven songs about the sport. It’s available for purchase on iTunes. LINE IN THE SAND TMZ catches a runner being nabbed by the Secret Service as he runs too close to the Obamas’ Hawaiian vacation house.…

Win a Marathon 10 Times On December 1, ULI STEIDL snagged his 10th Seattle Marathon victory. The 41-year-old Seattle University assistant track and cross-country coach won the race from 1999 to 2006, took a few years off, and won again in 2012 and 2013 in fields of 2,700-plus runners. His course PR is 2:24 (2005), and his haul includes desk clocks, grill utensils, and an Amtrak ticket.—GAIL KISLEVITZ “I’m familiar with the course, which is hilly. I do 30-milers through the mountains to stay in shape. A little luck never hurts, either.” Run 13.1 Blindfolded LAURA KING EDWARDS, 31, ran the Thunder Road Half-Marathon in November blindfolded to honor her 15-year-old sister, Taylor, who has Batten Disease, a fatal condition that causes blindness and seizures. King Edwards, a public relations…

THINK YOU CAN SKIP speedwork, that it’s just for seasoned runners with specific time goals? No such luck. Research suggests that 30-second to five-minute bursts of intense exercise interspersed with rest periods will yield unique physiological changes—from faster fat loss and better blood sugar control to improved blood vessel function—that slow runs cannot deliver as efficiently. “When it comes to these benefits, interval training is at least equal to and often superior to your traditional steady run,” says exercise scientist Jonathan Little, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia. “And it doesn’t have to be an elite-athlete-type workout to be effective.” Picking up the pace periodically can also make your everyday runs feel easier, improve your running form, and foster “mental toughness,” says Flagstaff-based coach Greg McMillan.…

Don’t Dread the ’Mill Running inside? How to get fit without getting bored SOME RUNNERS DETEST the “dreadmill,” while others, afraid of falling or flying off the belt, haven’t dared to attempt a run on it. But if it’s icy, stormy, or dark outside, the treadmill can be a safe alternative to running your traditional route. With the right knowledge, you might even enjoy your time spent on the ’mill. Here’s how to get a great workout without counting down the minutes until you’re done. WHAT TO KNOW Because of the motion of the treadmill, your leg muscles engage differently than they do on the roads or trails. And you won’t experience wind resistance inside. To make your indoor experience more similar to your outdoor one, elevate the belt to…

Climb Time WHY Put some pep back in your step with hill reps WHO RECOMMENDS IT Matt Tegenkamp, 32, of Portland, Oregon, a two-time U.S. Olympian on the track, debuted in the marathon last fall, placing 10th in Chicago (2:12:28). Before and after 15-minute jogs to and from a gradual-tomoderate hill, do three sets of climbs: 3 x 35 seconds, 4 x 70 seconds, and 3 x 35 seconds. Jog to the bottom after each climb. Focus on maintaining good form in the first set, on pushing yourself (10-K effort) in the second, and on changing gears in the third (start slow, finish fast). “These climbs put some ‘bounce’ back into your stride,” says Tegenkamp.…

A cup of joe jolts your mood, reduces disease risk, and adds a kick to workouts A MORNING CUP of coffee is a must for many runners. It wakes you up, energizes your workout, and—how can we say this nicely?—gets your systems moving, too. But there’s more reason to indulge in that second or third cup. The latest research shows that drinking coffee is a (mostly) healthy habit that may make you happier and less stressed, and reduce risk for diseases. Caffeine isn’t the only beneficial compound in coffee—it’s also a rich source of antioxidants, which means decaf drinkers benefit, too. POWER PERFORMANCE Researchers from the U.K. gave cyclists and triathletes a drink with 350 mg of caffeine, coffee with an equal amount of caffeine, decaf coffee, or a placebo…

IT’S 6 A.M. You’re just coming to terms with the fact that your alarm went off, and though you’re still groggy, your mind manages to race through all the reasons why you should just roll over and go back to sleep. But, wait! Out of the fog, you remember there is a running buddy waiting for you. And with that, you roll out of bed, lace up your shoes, and head out the door. Training partners are one of the most valuable tools a runner can have, says Andrew Allden, who coaches women’s cross-country at the University of South Carolina. “They make you accountable, so you’re more likely to show up and give 100 percent during your workout because you know that someone else is counting on you.” But in…

How to avoid getting this common pain in your side WE RUN THROUGH sleet and snow, heat and haze, with blisters and black toenails, headaches and knee aches. But a side stitch? That sharp, stabbing pain that hits below the ribs can stop us in our tracks. Although the exact cause of side stitches has yet to be proven, theories abound. Sports-medicine physician Jordan Metzl, M.D., coauthor of The Athlete’s Book of Home Remedies, says the most likely cause is a diaphragm spasm. The diaphragm, a sheet of muscle that extends across the bottom of the rib cage, plays an important role in breathing. Just like your leg muscles, your diaphragm can fatigue and cramp when put under too much stress. That’s why side stitches tend to strike beginner runners…

Chronically injured and disheartened, a Runner’s World editor sought holistic help from a team of therapists. Her diagnosis (sleeping glutes?) and hardwon lessons (master the clamshell!) can help you, too, stay healthy, happy, and on the road I’m lying facedown on an exam table at a state-of-the-art running clinic in New York City, about to perform a basic exercise for professional analysis. “Okay, Katie, I’d like you to lift your right leg in the air, using your glutes,” says Colleen Brough, P.T., M.S., the physical therapist who’s there to check my strength and form. No problem, I think. She places her hand on my right hamstring—my achy, troublesome one—as I lift and then lower my leg back down to the table with minimal effort and an attitude of That’s all?…

RW Shoe Finder FINDING THE RIGHT PAIR of shoes is a highly subjective exercise, but we’ve simplified the task by reviewing 23 top new models. To find the best pair for you, answer the questions in this flowchart. Your choices will lead to a set of options tailored to meet your needs and preferences. For even more reviews, see runnersworld.com/shoefinder. BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) BMI is calculated from your weight and height, and offers a fairly reliable indication of body fat. Generally, the higher your BMI, the more shoe you need. UNDERWEIGHT 20 OPTIMAL 25 OVERWEIGHT Find your BMI at runnersworld.com/bmi Start! Are you looking for a TRADITIONAL running shoe? What is your weekly mileage? Is your BMI 27 or greater? (see chart above) What is your ARCH TYPE? Are…

SHEILA REID, 24, of Philadelphia, plans to defend her Wanamaker Women’s Mile crown at the Millrose Games in New York City on February 15. Last year’s race electrified the crowd as Reid held off teen prodigy Mary Cain by a few steps in 4:27.02. While at Villanova University in 2011, Reid became the only 1500/5000 double winner in NCAA Championships history. Q How did you feel about winning last year’s Wanamaker Mile only to have the runner-up, Mary Cain, steal the spotlight? A That was my first professional win and a personal best, so it’s still my career high point. With Mary being so young [16 then], her race was relatively more impressive than mine. If anything, her presence drew more attention to the race than it would have had…

SILVER LINING The January Editor’s Letter by David Willey, “Mistakes Were Made,” was spoton for my dad and me. We ran the Marine Corps Marathon this year with the Push America team. My dad pushed me in my modified recumbent trike (I have cerebral palsy). Due to my dad’s cranky Achilles, we were unable to train properly. During the race, my dad’s legs started giving him trouble around mile 21. We expected to finish around four hours, but finished in 5:04. Disappointed? Yes, but that was short-lived as we (like you, David) realized how lucky we were to participate in such a great event. Thank you again for reminding us how fortunate we are to experience the joys of running! —RICH AND KEVIN ENNERS Marietta, Georgia Mr. Willey, I read…

Updates on runners who’ve appeared in our pages On November 10, 14-year-old Winter Vinecki (“The Year in Running,” December) became the youngest person to complete a marathon on all seven continents when she finished the Athens Marathon in 4:03:53 (left). She began the journey in 2012 at the Eugene Marathon as a part of Team Winter, a nonprofit group she created to honor her father, who died from prostate cancer five years ago. Since founding Team Winter, Vinecki has raised nearly a million dollars for cancer research. Along the way, she finished the Maasai Marathon in Kenya and the Inca Trail Marathon in South America, as well as marathons in Antarctica, Mongolia, New Zealand, and Peru. With her goal completed, Vinecki, a member of the Fly Elite aerials ski team,…

DEAR MILES, started running the three miles to and from work. Here’s the problem: There’s no shower there. I get self-conscious about how I smell, though nobody has said anything. How can I keep up my runs without disgusting my colleagues?—TIM S., San Diego Good for you. Commuting on foot is a terrific way to stay fit and save energy. (Well, one kind of energy, anyway.) Assuming there isn’t a facility with showers nearby—a YMCA, for example—you can clean up surprisingly well in a regular bathroom. Wash your hands and face with soap and warm water, then duck into a stall to “shower” with baby wipes, put on deodorant, and change into clean undies and work clothes. And if you do use cologne or perfume, go easy: A little Eau…

Need incentive to hit the road? These apps and Web sites allow you to turn your miles into money for charitable causes CharityBets.com On CharityBets.com, runners can choose any nonprofit organization they want to compete for and a goal they want to reach in a race—be it breaking four hours in a marathon or 20 minutes in a 5-K. Once you set a goal, you advertise it via social media and invite others to wager on whether you’ll achieve it. If you’re successful, the money bet in your favor will go to your charity. In 2012, Meb Keflezighi raised $1,000 when he placed a bet that he’d be in the top three at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (he won). Run4Good This Saucony-sponsored free iPhone and Android app sets a…

Get faster—no track or GPS watch required SPEED PLAY At the end of a run, speed up for five minutes; jog for two; run fast for four minutes; jog for two; run fast for three minutes; jog for two; run fast for one. HILL REPEATS Do a 10-minute warmup jog to a hill that will take you 45 seconds to climb. Run up at a comfortably hard pace. Walk down. Do eight to 10 reps. BLOCK PARTY After a 10-minute warmup, run hard for one block; jog for one block; run hard for two; jog for two; run hard for three; jog for three. Work back down. Repeat.…

When to walk, jog, or push the pace between intervals SPEEDY INTERVAL SESSIONS require rest between repetitions—and especially when you’re pushing your limits, the natural instinct may be to stop and put your hands on your knees while you catch your breath. But experience teaches us a counterintuitive lesson: Gentle jogging during those precious snippets of recovery sometimes makes it easier to run fast on the next rep. That’s because jogging keeps more blood flowing through your legs, clearing away the metabolic waste products that build up during hard running and contribute to muscle fatigue. This doesn’t mean jogging is always best. Standing or walking allows your muscles’ supply of phosphocreatine—the energy that fuels short bursts of intense effort—to recharge most effectively. Make your choice depending on what you hope…

A Fresh Start DURING THE long winter it’s easy to fall into poor eating habits, when fresh, local produce is a distant memory and comfort foods become the norm. Making matters worse, your training likely tapered off during the colder months. If you’ve emerged from hibernation feeling lethargic and heavy, now is the time to springclean your diet. But “spring-cleaning” doesn’t mean restricting yourself to juice cleanses and detox fasts. “It’s about going back to basics with whole, minimally processed foods that will prepare your body for the boost in spring training,” says Marni Sumbal, M.S., R.D., owner of Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition in Jacksonville, Florida. Freshen up your diet with easy changes that will kick-start your training and improve your health. CUT OUT SUGAR Cleaning up your diet starts…

Coconut Oil Ingredients for everyday cooking Get the Facts Coconut oil has taken the food world by storm. According to obesity researcher Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., more than half the saturated fat in coconut oil consists of mediumchain triglycerides (MCTs), “which are immediately burned as fuel,” she says, but can raise cholesterol levels. Studies show that unrefined coconut oil contains antioxidants that may boost muscle recovery and immunity. Get the Best Coconut oil used to be available mainly as a partially hydrogenated oil containing trans fats. Now you can find virgin coconut oil at many grocery stores. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 16 grams of saturated fat per day (one tablespoon of coconut oil contains 12 grams). Because of its high saturated fat content, coconut oil is…

Elite runners share the advantages of a strong partnership THE ACCOUNTABILITY “I have had many days where I woke up to a foot of fresh snow and wanted nothing more than to skip my run. But I already had committed to Luke, so I had to go, and ended up having a great run.” —Mike Morgan, 2:14 marathoner who trains with Luke Humphrey THE LONGEVITY “I don’t think either one of us would be running at this high of a level for this long if the other weren’t there, too. Mike and I keep each other honest. We’re getting older, and it starts getting easier to make excuses.” —Luke Humphrey, a 2:14 marathoner THE MOTIVATION “When your partner has a breakthrough, you can build confidence from it. You log mile…

Screw Up—Like a Pro! THERE. I did it. I raced. After 18 months away from competition, I took my shiny new race kit out of the plastic wrap and pinned a crooked race number to it. I borrowed a pair of spikes and weaved the dirty laces through the timing chips. I did my first ever prerace breast pump. I donned enough layers for an Antarctic ice journey for my warmup jog, and then awkwardly stripped down to shiver alongside the best club teams in the United States for the Club Cross-Country Championships in December. The performance itself was semi-solid, like Jell-O, and equally satisfying. Much of it was spent lost in a crowd of hundreds, slithering between sets of pointy elbows, with no concept of place or time. I…

THE HOLLYWOOD LEGEND REFLECTS ON A LIFETIME OF RUNNING AND HIS CAREER-DEFINING ROLE IN THE AWARD-WINNING FILM NEBRASKA Bruce Dern was Dean Karnazes before Dean Karnazes could walk. An unabashed running junkie, from the ages of 28 to 70, the actor clocked between 2,500 and 4,000 miles a year. Between auditions and bit roles, he’d run the California missions, which are spaced about 30 miles apart, or tackle Lake Tahoe’s 72-mile perimeter. This was the 1960s, well before the marathon boom. There were no spectators, no finisher’s medals, no Gatorade. Then again, the inimitable 77-yearold has always been a pioneer, on screen and on the road. ¶ In grade school, Dern found a gift for speed and became a standout short-distance runner at New Trier High School outside Chicago, clocking…

FROM CUSTOM-SEWN SINGLETS and chafe-free shorts to the smartest watches and apps we’ve ever seen, this spring’s new crop of running gear has something to surprise and delight just about everyone. Here’s a handpicked selection of our favorites. HARDWARE 1/ADIDAS MICOACH SMART RUN WATCH adidasrunning.com The Smart Run Watch ($400) is like a mash-up of the Motorola Motoactv and Mio Alpha—it’s an Android-powered device that measures your pulse through your wrist. It also features a built-in music player that can be paired with Bluetooth wireless headphones. Adding songs is as easy as dragging and dropping to a folder on your desktop. Our only complaint: Battery power is drained far too quickly. 2/PEAR MOBILE pearsports.com With the explosion of smartphone apps, Pear moved from a dedicated device to a software-based solution.…

MARCH 1 Phoenix Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10-K Phoenix, Arizona 10,000 RUNNERS WHY RUN IT? To finish fast This point-to-point course (below) loses 850 feet of elevation from start to finish, including a 350-foot drop from the start to mile 4.5. The only uphill on the course rises a mere 50 feet over 1.5 miles. thephoenixmarathon.com 9 The Ocean’s Run Half-Marathon and 5-K South Kingstown, Rhode Island 700 RUNNERS WHY RUN IT? To watch the waves The first three miles of this flat course travel along the Atlantic Ocean, with the rest winding through quiet beach communities along the Rhode Island coast. Bundle up—average race-day temps in the mid-30s are made even colder by coastal winds. trimomprod.com 15 St. Paddy’s Day Run (Half-Marathon, 10-K, 5-K) Tacoma, Washington 4,000 RUNNERS WHY RUN IT?…