Table of contents for September 2017 in Runner's World

STILL A CHANCE Until September 17, you can still qualify for the 2018 Boston Marathon. Find the perfect last-minute BQ races at runnersworld.com/lastchancebq. PAIRS WITH COFFEE Visit our morning newsletter, “The Warmup,” for the day’s top running stories. Stay for the (often groan-worthy) puns and dad jokes. Subscribe at runnersworld.com/newsletters. ALL THE MERCH! To rep your RW fandom, we’ve got a constantly updated online store of swag. Visit shoprunnersworld.com.…

When you need two numerals instead of one to log how far you’ve run in a single outing, you’ve hit a major milestone: Many recreational runners never make it that far. The reason you should bother striving for 10—beyond the bragging rights—is that going long, no matter how slowly you’re moving, is the best way to increase your endurance. More endurance often means faster race finishes. And long, aerobic efforts can help you lose weight and keep it off. Trouble is, if you go too far, too soon, too fast, you could end up injured. Here’s how to join the Mile 10 Club without getting hurt. Jeff Galloway is a 10,000-meter Olympian and well-known coach who promotes the run-walk method. 1. Build wisely. Plan on doing a long run every…

DO Find enough friends. If you’re assembling a group, enlist at least three running buddies, says Kelly Maurer, director of training for Charm City Run in Baltimore— that way, you’ll have at least one person to run with if the snooze button or a sick kid sidelines part of your group. Or you can join an existing run in your area to ensure you’re never flying solo. “Being in the company of fellow runners makes it easier to manage the inevitable mental and physical fatigue that accompanies a long run,” says Matthew Forsman, a coach in San Francisco. Find a group through a local running club or store, or via Meetup, Facebook, or the Road Runners Club of America (rrca.org). DO Rotate leadership. Forsman suggests naming two or three “captains”…

INSTEAD OF: “I just can’t run in the heat.” TRY: “During my next race buildup, I want to do some long treadmill runs in a warm room to practice hydration, fueling, and pacing in less-than-ideal conditions.” WHY? You’ve identified an opportunity for growth (you haven’t practiced running in hot weather), and you’ve identified an action you can take (acclimation) to prevent a previous setback from recurring. INSTEAD OF: “I’m getting slower every year—why can’t I place as high as I used to in races?” TRY: “Getting slower might be inevitable as I age, but I can alter my goals to stay motivated. For my next race, I choose to practice running an even pace instead of trying to beat a bunch of younger runners.” WHY? Extrinsic motivation, like wanting to…

1. Moji MojiHeat 4" Massage Ball The next wave of recovery tools incorporates heat and massage. Zap this ball for just 2:20 in the microwave, and it will retain its warmth for about 20 minutes—long enough for a soothing session to loosen stiff muscle fibers. $40 2. TriggerPoint MB2 Roller Two foam balls on a locking spindle add versatility. Use it with the balls tightly bunched to hit stiff neck muscles, or spread them out a few inches to hit both sides of your spine at the same time. $25 3. Roll Recovery R8 A spring-loaded device with Rollerblade-like wheels clamps around your leg so you don’t have to use as much elbow grease to knead out sore quads. While it’s great for massaging legs, it can’t be used on…

You already know that strong abs, hips, and back muscles help you run more efficiently with less risk of injury. But time can be tight—especially if you’re ramping up mileage— and when it feels like something has to give, strength-training is often the first to go. Instead of scrolling through Facebook or Instagram postrun, wind down with this eight-pose, eight- to 10-minute core routine, which targets all the layers of your abdominal muscles, back extensors, and glutes. Slotted along the way are some stretches to give you a break and improve range of motion in your hips. The moves take only a short time, but they’ll help you log hours of injury-free running. Sage Rountree (sagerountree.com) is a running coach, yoga teacher, and author of The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga…

The age-old question “What should I eat before a long run or race?” plagues every runner. An ideal preworkout meal is high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat—the latter two are harder to digest, and can cause GI issues. Try different meals during training to see what works for you, and give yourself two to four hours to let things settle. 1. Basic 4 low-fat frozen pancakes topped with 1 sliced banana and 1 Tbsp. maple syrup. Serve with 1 cup low-fat milk. The carbs top off your muscles’ glycogen stores, which are essential for endurance athletes, says sports dietitian Angie Asche, M.S., R.D. “Quick-acting carbs may also increase your performance and your time to exhaustion.” 2. Gluten-Free 2 cups rice cereal with 1 cup low-fat milk.…

In 2014, a therapist told Jim Walmsley to run more. The former U.S. Air Force Academy trackand- field team captain suffered severe depression brought on by a DUI charge, then, when his unit became embroiled in a cheating scandal, a discharge from the military. He recovered by finding what makes him happiest—logging a lot of miles. Which is how the 27-year-old based in Flagstaff, Arizona, burst onto the ultramarathon scene. Last October, he completed the 42-mile out-and-back crossing of the Grand Canyon in 5:55:20, a new record. And the past two years, he’s fallen just short of breaking the prestigious 100-mile Western States Endurance Run course record of 14:46:44. But whether he achieves his audacious goals or not, Walmsley credits his therapist’s advice with saving his life. HELP NEEDED “As…

Shoes are arranged here by their cushioning, weight, sole height, flexibility, and stability features as measured in the RW Shoe Lab. You’ll find highly cushioned, more-stable shoes toward the beginning of this guide, and shoes toward the end. Shoes in the middle provide a balance of performance and protection features that can work well for many runners. If you’re not sure what type of shoe you should be wearing, find out by visiting our Shoe Finder tool at runnersworld.com/shoefinder. Hoka One One Clifton 4 $130 Hoka has a new look, as seen here on the updated Clifton. While the shoe appears more like mainstream models, all of its max-cushioning power is intact. The sleek aesthetic comes from more paint along the top half of the foam, making the shoe look…

IT USED TO BE rare to see people running in Spain. Even after [Francisco] Franco’s dictatorship ended in 1975 and Barcelona began transitioning to democracy, the only people you saw running were professionals, and they only ran on the track. Perhaps it was because during the last phase of the dictatorship it was bad for people—women especially—to be seen outside in shorts. Once, the police arrested a coach while he was running in shorts. I started running in 1979, after the dictatorship. I was 40, needed to lose weight, and had smoked for about 10 years. I thought I might die by age 50. But now I’m 78. Ramón Oliu, the creator of the Barcelona Marathon [which began as the Marató de Catalunya in 1978 and was renamed two years…

LOCAL DEVOTION I was stoked to see that y’all featured Fayetteville, Arkansas, as one of your summer escapes (“Run Away,” August 2017). I live in this quirky little college town, and I can attest to the fact that it’s the perfect place for a runner’s getaway. We have miles and miles of trail—both paved and off-road—as well as some of the best local eateries and shopping in the Ozarks. KATY MC LAIN, FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS Thanks for featuring Wilmington, North Carolina. Every time I visit, a good, long run is on the agenda, whether it’s a jaunt to historic downtown, or the 15-mile route to Wrightsville Beach. Wilmington is indeed a beautiful place. JOHN GOLDEN, VIA EMAIL FEELING SUPPORT I am a bigger female runner, so good-fitting gear is hard to…

Fit for a Fashion Pro A New York City stylist turns running clothes into all-day chic. Christine Bibbo Herr would look good on a run even if her day job didn’t require it. The fashion blogger and style influencer has taken her lifelong knack for anticipating trends and turned it into a career. After graduating from New York City’s internationally renowned Fashion Institute of Technology, Herr spent a decade working as a fashion editor at various women’s magazines. She now runs her own blog, nycpretty.com, which she launched in 2011, and is a style contributor for several TV morning shows. While her roots as a fashionista were well established, she needed to be schooled on proper running attire. “When my now-husband introduced me to running 15 years ago, I showed…

Yasir Salem has crammed 33 franks down his maw in 10 minutes (at this year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest) and shoveled 55 donuts down his gullet (during the 2015 30-mile bike race/gorge-fest, Tour de Donut). So it’s not surprising that the world’s 12th best competitive eater swears he’s never suffered a digestive calamity during one of the 20 marathons or four Ironman triathlons he’s finished. In fact, he claims caloric greatness and endurance go hand-in-hand. “The best competitive eaters are in the best shape,” he says. Which is why the 40-year-old from New York City is attempting to run one marathon a month this year. With four to go, Salem explains the finer points of being a running, eating machine. SUCKING AIR “Seven minutes into a 10-minute competition, you…

MOMENTOUS At press time, President Trump had yet to appoint members to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, & Nutrition. Netflix announces it will produce a true-crime series based on the 1989 “Central Park Jogger” case, in which five Hispanic and African- American teens were wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for the brutal attack of a female runner. GO! Meb Keflezighi throws out the first pitch at a Yankees– Red Sox game in New York City. The Barr Trail Mountain Race in Colorado awards the top three female finishers 20 percent more prize money than the males to highlight the country’s gender wage gap. As part of its bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, Paris hosts a sprint on a temporary floating track over the River Seine. Canadian Prime Minister…

The first time I went on a serious run was when I was 21 years old at Stanford University. I woke up on my birthday and said, “I want to run 10 miles.” I just wanted to see if I could run double-digit mileage. From 21 to 30 I continued the tradition and ran 10 miles every year on my birthday. Nowadays, four miles is my sweet spot because I maximize my burn, but I don’t take myself away from my wife and two kids for such a huge time that she complains about my absence. If I get in four miles four to five times a week, I’m happy. I ran track when I was in high school, but I was a terrible sprinter. I did the 200 and…