Runner's World August 2014

THE EXPERIENCE This burntorange gravel road borders rolling wheat farms in North Dakota between the oil towns of Dickinson and Belfield. “The green grass and blue sky were so beautiful and calming,” says Wylie, who was driving cross-country with his father, Tony, a professional photographer, when he spotted the rural path. “It was completely empty—I felt free here.” FOR DIRECTIONS, RESOURCE INFORMATION, AND DOWNLOADABLE WALLPAPER IMAGES, VISIT RUNNERSWORLD.COM/RAVERUN.…

THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS the half-marathon is the fastest-growing distance in racing (up 307 percent since 2000, with almost 2 million finishers in the United States last year). Going 13.1 is a gratifying challenge for any runner, one that requires training and commitment (see “Friends with Benefits,” page 72, for advice on nailing your next half). But it doesn’t take over your life the way marathon training can, and it certainly doesn’t force you to navigate stairs backward for three days, as going 26.2 often does. Still, it had been eight months since I’d done one, so when I arrived in Boston for our inaugural Heartbreak Hill Half & Festival, June 6–8, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Fifty-one RW staffers were there, and more than 6,000 runners—including Shalane…

SHORT AND SWEET In a sport where many of our peers measure success by distance and completion rather than improvement and outright speed, I was thrilled to read “C’mon, Everybody!” (June). Lauren Fleshman’s words are like a breath of fresh air after continually reading about how you, too, can work up to run/walking longer and longer races. 5-Ks are not a stepping stone; they are the challenge that asks, “How hard are you willing to push it today?” Lauren’s case offers a prime example of how you can be dedicated to the sport, serious about your training, and still have a life. After running my first half-marathon in January, I have nothing but respect for those who run marathons and beyond, but c ’mon, the 5-K is freaking awesome! —CHRIS…

JOHN BRANT Brant, who originally reported for RW on the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games from the Coliseum stands, writes again (page 80) about the event he calls the greatest track meet ever run on U.S. soil. “On the last night back in 1984, we faxed a story to our editors, who turned it around for publication in a week. That was a big deal then.” MICHELLE HAMILTON Within both running groups, Hamilton found a common thread between the Red Power Divas (page 17) and the speed-focused Impalas (page 72): “The camaraderie and the joy of being out there and a part of something,” says Hamilton, who has written and edited for Runner’s World since 2005. LETTER OF THE MONTH As the father of two daughters who run, I have…

“WHO’S NEW HERE TODAY?” On a sunny Saturday morning in Campbell, California, 45 runners gathered in a park around their coach, Sharon Chatman. A middle-aged woman steps up, and Chatman, 66, a California superior court judge in Santa Clara County, folds her in a bear hug. The group claps and hoots, and a moment later, on Chatman’s cue—“Take 60 seconds to meet and hug a Diva!”—the runners greet each other and embrace. “It has long been a Diva tradition to give out hugs because hugs help you to bond,” says Chatman in her characteristic good cheer. “Sometimes the best thing you can do for a friend is to reach out with a hug. You both benefit. Hugs are inflation-proof, nonfattening, no monthly payments, no insurance requirements, theft-proof, nontaxable, nonpolluting, and…

He’s been around the block a few times-and he’s got answers DEAR MILES, On sidewalks, pedestrians sometimes think “On your left” means move to the left, and they step in front of me. Is there a better way to communicate with them? —SUZANNE N., Pittsburgh “On your left,” while commonly used among runners and cyclists, just doesn’t translate to civilians, many of whom hear it and think, My left WHAT? And that’s assuming they hear it at all. Your first option is to try something more generic—“Hello! Excuse me!” works well—and to say it a bit louder and a bit sooner to give the pedestrian time to glance around and react. The second option is simply to avoid running on sidewalks. The third option is my old standby, the handheld…