Sommaire pour July 2014 de Runner's World

LOCATION Positano, Italy PHOTOGRAPH BY Steve Boyle RUNNER Greer Longer THE EXPERIENCE Skirting the sheer cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, the rustic, nearly eight-mile-long Path of the Gods connects the fishing towns of Bomerano and Positano beside the Mediterranean Sea. “The contrast of the blue water against the villages’ peach tones is simply spectacular,” says Longer. “I felt a real sense of history as I ran by centuries-old buildings.” FOR DIRECTIONS, RESOURCE INFORMATION, AND DOWNLOADABLE WALLPAPER IMAGES, VISIT RUNNERSWORLD.COM/RAVERUN.…

CHRISTOPHER SOLOMON “Getting a chunk of my muscle extracted wasn’t high on my list,” says Seattlebased four-time marathoner Solomon about the research done by Dr. Brent Ruby, the exercise physiologist he profiles on page 92. Solomon’s last feature for Runner’s World was “The Last Man Up,” in the March 2013 issue. GRETCHEN VOSS “I love my five-mile loop in the woods, but I stick to the trail,” says Voss, who writes on page 76 about the importance of Lyme disease education for runners. “My husband and brother both had Lyme, so now I do tick checks on my family.” Voss is a health writer for Marie Claire and Women’s Health…

He’s been around the block a few times-and he’s got answers DEAR MILES, My running buddy who is sidelined with an injury asks about my training. But she looks so sad when I fill her in. How should I reply? —SHARI L., Columbus, Ohio As usual, Shari, honesty is the best policy. Next time she asks about your training, tell her, “It’s fine, but I feel like my talking about running makes you sad. And that makes me sad. Which makes the cat sad. And when the cat’s sad, she gets gassy. So…are you sure you want to talk about this?” (Of course, this assumes you have a cat. If not, you’ll have to acquire one.) Meantime, how about you meet up to cross-train together once a week? It could…

In March 2012, Brit runners NICK AND SARAH CHARLESWORTH created a “Chase the Bride” five-mile race in England, where participants had to run down the bride. Sarah was given a 20-minute head start ahead of the field of 107 racers that included her bridesmaids (in pink tutus). Although Nick wasn’t the first person to catch the bride, he still had the honor of marrying her later that day, after a quick shower and change of clothes. The race is now an annual event. “It makes it easy for me to remember my wedding anniversary,” says Nick. Ultrarunners MARGE AND MIKE HICKMAN got married in August 1997 at the top of Colorado’s Mount Hope (at 12,540 feet) during the Leadville Trail 100 Run ultramarathon. “I sent out lots of wedding invites,”…

STAY COOL --> Before you head out for a run, slip some ice under your hat or in your sports bra. “For longer runs, add a sponge along with the ice,” says Mierke. “The sponge absorbs some of the melting ice and prolongs the cooling effect.” STAY SAFE --> Run during the coolest part of the day. “It isn’t just about comfort,” Mierke says. “Runners get a better workout when they avoid extreme heat.” It’s okay to log some hot-weather workouts, but save high-intensity sessions for cooler temperatures. STAY FIT --> When the mercury’s soaring but you still want to get speedwork in, find a partially shaded route. After an easy warmup, run at a comfortably hard pace through the shaded sections, and recover in the sun.…

SO YOU SIGNED UP for your first event. Congratulations! It’s a fun way to stay motivated and meet fellow runners. You’ll enjoy yourself more if you know what the heck the people around you are talking about as you prepare to line up at the race’s start. BIB Your printed race number. Attach it to the front of your top with four safety pins. (Most races provide the pins.) PACKET (OR BIB) PICKUP Where you go to get your race number and, possibly, a T-shirt and/or a goody bag. You may be able to do this on race morning, or you may have to go the day before—check your event’s Web site. Bring a photo ID EXPO In the days before a race, vendors set up booths in a large…

A RUNNER’S RELATIONSHIP with the sun is complicated. You love soaking up its warmth and energy, especially after a winter of too many frigid or treadmillbased miles. But you hate when it leaves its mark—age spots, unflattering tan lines, painful burns—and you dread the long-term damage that may result. It’s a given that there are serious reasons to be wary, especially if you’re logging epic summer miles. But you might be surprised to learn that running in the sun also does your body good. Here’s how to balance the risks and rewards. BAD NEWS FOR SKIN... The sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer, as everyone knows. And runners may be especially vulnerable. An Archives of Dermatology study found that marathoners showed increased numbers of abnormal moles and age…

ZAP training principles (and a few Newbie notes) Have a Goal Choose a well-organized or unique event, and prepare to focus. “To run a marathon, you have to agree to running lots of solo, no-champagne-and-ribbon 20-milers,” says ZAP Fitness coach Pete Rea. Get a Plan and a Coach At ZAP Fitness, Coach Ryan Warrenburg provides individualized training plans and consultations (zapfitness.com). (Runner’s World offers its own training plans at runnersworld.com/trainingplans.) From the Newbie’s notes: “Umm—training for a marathon isn’t rocket science, but training for a good, injury-free one probably is.” Ramp Up the Mileage How much you build up to depends on where you start. If, for example, you’ve been running 25 to 30 miles per week for six months injury-free, it is reasonable to target 40-plus miles per week.…

Shortly after turning onto Boylston Street for the final stretch of the 2014 Boston Marathon, Meb Keflezighi crossed himself. He did so again just before becoming the first American man to win the race since 1983. The gestures weren’t spontaneous. Unable to start the 2013 race because of injury, Keflezighi had watched from the finish-area stands and left soon before the bombings. That day, he texted fellow U.S. Olympian Ryan Hall to say, “We need to come here next year and win.” Keflezighi had thought about the victims daily; this year, he wrote the names of the four fatalities (three bombing victims and one subsequent police officer) on his bib. Keflezighi had planned on crossing himself near the sites of last year’s explosions as his last act of honoring the…

Tick expert Thomas Mather on how to protect yourself on outdoor runs Wear Repellent If you live in a high-risk area, Mather advises spraying your shoes and running shorts with clothing-specific repellents containing permethrin. A coating of permethrin is effective for a month on your shoes and through 70 washings on your clothes. Mather prefers permethrin over DEET, which loses effectiveness after 30 minutes. Stay Centered If you’re running on trails or a park path, stick to the center and away from the edges, where ticks tend to lurk. Ticks lie low in tall grasses (they’re not hanging out in trees waiting to hop onto you). Do Tick Checks Strip off your running clothes and check your body for ticks as soon as you can after running outdoors. Ticks might…

GEOGRAPHICALLY, Kezar Stadium is pretty darn close to the center of San Francisco. The city is roughly seven miles by seven miles, and the stadium is just a smidge northwest of center, a five-acre tract of land on the edge of Golden Gate Park and adjacent to the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. For the local running community, however, the old stadium is the city’s heart. If you’re a runner in San Francisco, eventually you’ll come through its gates to run on its historic track. In fact, runners have been coming for nearly 90 years. In 1922, Mary Kezar (pronounced Key-zar), a descendant of California pioneers, willed the city $100,000 to build a memorial in Golden Gate Park to honor her relatives. The city built a 22,000-seat stadium as a memorial—a venue on…

Even if you run early in the morning or seek out shady routes, it’s hard to outrun the summer heat when it reaches its stifling peak. But new lightweight fabrics with heavy metals—like silver, titanium, and aluminum—will keep you running cool. Here’s how. Asics Speed Singlet, $65 A large mesh panel down the back of this already lightweight singlet makes it feel about as close to wearing nothing as you can get. Flatlock seams wrap around from the front to the back (instead of straight down the sides) to eliminate chafing—whether in your sixth or 26th mile. asicsamerica.com Brooks Infiniti 3" Split Short, $55 Here’s a new take on the classic split short: a host of smartly hidden pockets. For quick energy access, two open side pockets store gels, while…

Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10-K, 5-K, 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk July 19 Cordova, Alaska THESE RACES are held during the twoday Copper River Wild Salmon Festival, which takes place as the fish migrate from the Gulf of Alaska up the Copper River. The marathon runs point-to-point on the Copper River Highway, a partgravel, part-paved road lined with native flora like Alaska’s state flower, the bluepurple forget-me-not. The highway was built on an almost completely flat defunct railroad route that once led from inland copper mines to the port in Cordova. Marathoners take a shuttle to the start and traverse the Copper River Delta. Though crowd support is almost nonexistent, moose and eagles have been known to appear as participants journey over blue-green tributaries and past snowcapped peaks to the north. Runners enjoy temperatures…

RIGHT ABOUT NOW, all over America, a couple hundred thousand runners are beginning to train for fall-marathon season. To them, the most important marathon is the one that’s ahead, whether it’s in Chicago or New York or Philly or Pensacola. But the most meaningful 26.2-miler of the year—perhaps of the century—was run on April 21. On Patriots’ Day in Boston, I rode in the press truck covering the women’s lead pack, tweeting 100-something times about Shalane Flanagan, who graced our front cover in May and led the race from the gun. She ran a three-minute PR (2:22:02) and an American record for the course but finished seventh, after carrying repeat champ Rita Jeptoo and the rest of the lead pack through a torrid first 20 miles. It was a great,…

AT THE START OF A 5-K in Eagle Mountain, Utah, a group of kids rock excitedly in their strollers. “They’re always eager to get going,” says runner Charles Stoddard. The children won’t take a step in this race—that’s the task of volunteers like Stoddard, who push the kids in jogging strollers at various events near Salt Lake City. Stoddard and 6-year-old Elizabeth Robison are among 14 child-runner teams geared up to get moving this chilly morning in March. The kids all have various disabilities. Many, like Elizabeth, suffer from cerebral palsy. As the mass of runners move down the mountain, Elizabeth grins. She’s unable to speak, but a few of the kids shout what organizers say is the group’s collective mantra: “Faster! Go faster!” Helping kids experience the thrill of…

Kate Grace, 25, Bend, Oregon The rising middle-distance star will run in the Outdoor National Track & Field Championships in June 1] Fast Summer I had plantar fasciitis for last year’s Championships. I want to run faster this year. 2] View Finder When I run in Park City, Utah, where my mom lives, I’m always taking pictures of the mountains. 3] #SexyAnkle I created the hashtag to re-brand the clog look. They look goofy; I embrace that. 4] Drummer Girl I don’t have a good singing voice. So I’m taking drum lessons. 5] Partner Up The Boys and Girls Club does contra dancing. That’s my ideal social thing. 6] What a Mix Before a race, I listen to folk music and Eminem. I also love “Let It Go,” from Frozen.…

3 TIPS FOR A “NEGATIVE SPLIT” RACE 1. Rein It In Running the second half of a race faster than the first is a smart pacing strategy. To pull it off, resist the urge to go guns blazing at the start. Be patient, and run a pace that’s 10 to 20 seconds slower than your goal. 2. Find Your Groove Use the middle miles to settle into a rhythm and gradually work up to goal pace by the halfway mark. If you slow down at a water stop, gradually return to your race pace. 3. Let It Rip Tap into the energy you conserved earlier to unleash a killer kick for the finish. You’ll gain confidence gliding past others doing the “survivor’s shuffle.” New to racing? Go to page 30…

BOBBY CURTIS, 29, of Rochester, Michigan, was the first American at Japan’s prestigious Fukuoka Marathon last December, in 2:13:24. 1. Speed Up “I run the third lap of mile repeats a few seconds faster than the other three. That makes the fourth lap very tough, even though I’m slowing down, which teaches my body to run efficiently while fatigued.” 2. Stride Out “If you hit a busy week with no time for speedwork, do six 25-second ‘strides’ in the middle of a run. Do each one a little faster—the first at 5-K pace and the last at a near-sprint—and jog 45 seconds between them.” 3. Slack Off “Don’t overdo your weekly mileage. Feeling lethargic, getting chronic injuries, and not racing well are all signs that you may be doing too…

If there were a Golden Rule of Racing, it would be this: Don’t try anything new on race day. That means: Don’t put anything on you or in you that you haven’t tested out in training first. Have new shoes? Save them for your next easy run. Considering what to have for your prerace meal? Eat and drink only what’s been proven to give you a boost without leaving you with an upset stomach. Stick with what’s worked for you in training, and you’ll set yourself up for race-day success. Join our online training program developed exclusively for beginners at runnersworld.com/thestartingline. Connect with other beginners in private forums and get access to RW experts on weight loss, working out, injuries, and more!…

C’mon, everyone—let’s show our elites more love I HAVE A FRIEND who’s a freak about golf. Plays it four times a week, minimum, or he starts complaining he’s going through “golf withdrawal.” He loves to enter tournaments; he rarely wins but will often show up wearing the commemorative shirt, and if he does eke out a third-place trophy, you will never hear the end of it. He’s always going on about his latest clubs, shoes, even his pants, as if anyone could possibly care half as much as he does about his own hobby. The other day, I said to him, “Shame that Tiger Woods isn’t playing in the Masters this year.” He said, “Who’s Tiger Woods?” Turns out he had no idea who the leading pro golfers were. I…

What to expect on running getaways MOTIVATION Be inspired by such guest speakers as Bill Rodgers (ZAP Fitness), Dr. Bernd Heinrich (Craftsbury), and Dick Beardsley (ZAP Fitness)— who shares his story of overcoming addiction. NUTRITION Expect to talk about food (and eat good food, too!). The FIRST Adult retreat at Furman provides an individualized dietary analysis based on a three-day diet. PREVENTION Camps offer key sessions that are geared toward keeping you injury-free. Run Wild Retreats focuses on form tweaks, with stride and balance drills, among others, that will make you a more efficient, healthier runner. STRENGTH WORK Runner-specific strength work is an essential component to most of these camps. Exercises may be done in a gym or outside. FORM ANALYSIS Many camps videotape you running at different paces. At…

The pain, like a screwdriver twisting hotly through her knee, was excruciating. And the swelling, well, you could see it ballooning through her pants. Angela Coulombe, 42, had just run the 2007 Beach to Beacon—a 10-K along the picturesque coast of her hometown, Portland, Maine. She thought she had simply reignited an old injury (she had knee surgery back in high school). So she did what any athlete would do: rested, iced, and popped ibuprofen for a week. When that didn’t help, she headed to the physical therapist. An MRI revealed nothing beyond unspecified knee inflammation. She began physical therapy, but a month in, the pain and swelling only worsened. Then came the nausea, migraines, and fatigue. Coulombe’s feet, elbows, shoulders, and back ached so much she couldn’t sleep. She…

Find a tick? Here’s what to do Remove It Use pointy tweezers to grasp the tick as close as possible to your skin’s surface. Pull upward with steady pressure and avoid twisting or jerking it, which could cause some of the parts to break off in the skin. Watch a video demonstration at runnersworld.com/tickremoval. Keep It Tick expert Thomas Mather recommends placing the tick in a Ziploc bag and writing down the date of removal so you can show your doctor if you develop Lyme symptoms. You can also send your tick to a lab to get it tested; tickencounter.org lists options. Sanitize After removal, disinfect the bite area and wash your hands with soap and water. Identify It Different kinds of ticks carry different pathogens, so you’ll want to…

It will sting like a bee at first,” the professor says as he takes a pinch of leg and slides the first needle just below the skin. Now comes the second hypodermic—more lidocaine, to anesthetize the spot. Within a minute my outer thigh is so numb I don’t feel his scalpel when it slides in, cutting down to the muscle. “What happens now?” I ask, not eager for the answer. The final needle that Brent Ruby, Ph.D., holds up looks like something that Wile E. Coyote would buy from Acme. Its business end could be a drinking straw. “Walt’s gonna suck it out,” Ruby says. Walt is Walter Hailes, Ruby’s colleague. “It” is my flesh. Ruby is an exercise physiologist at the University of Montana and director of a research…

HE’S TAKEN FIVE TRIPS to the Super Bowl and won it three times. He’s calm under pressure. And he’s married to a supermodel. Who wouldn’t want to be New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady? On a steamy July evening, inside the Patriots’ stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, I got to pretend I was that guy. I flew past the 10-yard line. Across the 20…over the 30…the crowd was going wild! In my peripheral vision, I saw the Patriots’ cheerleaders gyrating and smiling on the sidelines. I smelled the stadium food that vendors with cartoonish Boston accents were hawking to spectators: “Popcahn! Get ya popcahn heah!” When I passed the 40-yard line, my image leapt onto the Jumbotron, which magnified the action in high-definition. As I crossed the 50-yard line to cheers…

JULY 4 Volksläufe 20-K, 10-K, 5-K Frankenmuth, Michigan 2,600 RUNNERS WHY RUN IT? For the postrace bratwurst Meaning “the people’s race” in German, the Volksläufe course (below) passes the Bavarian architecture of Frankenmuth, Michigan, founded in 1845 by German immigrants. Along the route, accordion players and Bavarian dancers entertain runners. volkslaufe.org 12 Grandfather Mountain Marathon Boone, North Carolina 400 RUNNERS WHY RUN IT? To reach the Highlands Bagpipers herald finishers, but completing this race is not easy. The course rolls through the Blue Ridge Mountains until the mostly uphill second half. Runners climb 900 feet and finish at the Highland Games, one of the largest Scottish festivals outside of Scotland. hopeformarrow.org 19 Wyoming Buffalo Stampede 5-K, 10-K Wyoming, Delaware 500 RUNNERS WHY RUN IT? To feel at home on the…

BOSTON STRONGER While almost every issue is a hit with me, the May 2014 edition was remarkable. By now I have read it three times and been deeply touched by all the stories from Boston. A lot of acts that day were heroic, all the more so because almost no one thought they were being heroic. But somehow I missed a little detail on page 76 that fit squarely in the amazing category: Dr. David King finished the marathon in 3:12 and then spent nearly 12 hours in surgery with victims?! I cannot imagine the stamina that must have taken. In a field of true heroes, Dr. King stands tall. —SCOTT MINIUM, Talofofo, Guam I loved all the articles pertaining to the Boston Marathon bombings. But the article “Blown Together,”…

Where running and culture collide 1 PREZ ON LINE @runmeb tweets, “I have received many congratulatory calls, but I just received THE call from President @barackobama.” 2 RADIO STAR Keflezighi tells Ryan Seacrest his fave recovery food (beef jerky) and the muscles that hurt the most postrace (quads). 3 HAR HAR Live with Kelly and Michael hosts say they’d race fast only if chasing a cheeseburger or margarita. Keflezighi says he prefers a nutritional drink. 4 FENWAY FAN The Boston champ throws a pitch wearing his winner’s medal, Red Sox jersey (with 26.2 on the back), and Boston Strong hat. 5 STOCK UP Keflezighi’s sponsor Skechers sees a 1.9% spike on the New York Stock Exchange on Boston Marathon Monday.…

BIB NUMBER. WATCH. RING? These days, it’s not unusual to see a sweaty runner drop to one knee, ring box in hand, to pop the question at a finish line. But an increasing number of couples are taking their love for each other—and the sport—to a whole new commitment level by getting married at a race. When the Las Vegas Marathon launched its Run Thru Wedding Ceremony in 2006, a dozen couples exchanged vows in a three-minute ceremony at mile five of the course. Last year, more than 110 couples got married (or renewed vows) en route to the finish. A recent survey from TheKnot.com reveals that more couples are forgoing formal, traditional weddings in favor of casual, fun gatherings. “Couples are personalizing their weddings, incorporating their hobbies into the…

AFTER THE WINTER many of us suffered through, now you’re complaining about the heat? Yes, it slows your pace—by 1.5 to 3 percent for every 10-degree jump above 55°F, in fact. And it can sap your enthusiasm. But by training through scorching temperatures, runners reap a performance boost come autumn. In hot weather, one way your body tries to cool itself is by sending blood to the skin’s surface, where the blood’s heat dissipates into the air, says Janet Hamilton, a Georgia-based running coach and exercise physiologist. This cooling action diverts blood (and its run-fueling oxygen) away from working muscles. To satisfy the opposing demands of cooling and exercising, your body makes more blood. Once the mercury drops, your muscles enjoy this surplus. “You feel like you can fly, like…

FACT OR FICTION? My first race should be a 5-K. FICTION Your first race can be a 5-K, but it doesn’t have to be. Some runners feel more motivated by choosing a 10-K, a half-marathon, or even a marathon as their first (though that’s not advisable). Whatever you choose, build up mileage slowly and follow an appropriate plan; get one at runnersworld.com/trainingplans. Q+A Q How can I tell whether a race will be beginner-friendly? A Almost every race welcomes new runners, so don’t be intimidated. If you’re not sure where to start looking, ask your running store’s staff or your local running club for recommendations. Runners who are willing to travel can search the Internet for beginner-friendly races.…

IT’S HOT, it’s humid, you’re thirsty. While water is good for runs shorter than 60 minutes, you’ll likely need something more for longer runs, says Beth Kitchin, Ph.D., R.D.N., assistant professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. If you’re training for a distance race, it’s important to get used to whatever drink will be served on the course. But elites can choose whatever they want. (Yes, sometimes they’re sponsored, and we’ve made note of that, below.) Which got us wondering, what do they sip on the run? We checked in with some of the top runners to get their picks. SHALANE FLANAGAN First American woman at the 2014 Boston Marathon DRINKS Gatorade Endurance Formula Elite speak: “The orange flavor goes down smooth,” says Flanagan of her…

When I think about the things in life that are inevitable, I think about Labrador retrievers, Bee Gees songs, and coffee. You may not like these things now, but some time before you die, you will. Also inevitable is this: You’ll sit in a circle of 20 or so strangers with a charismatic leader hovering on the perimeter who will say, “Please take a moment to introduce yourself by telling everyone your name and a little about yourself.” As did our charismatic leader and head coach of ZAP Fitness in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, Pete Rea. “And then also tell us a little something about your running,” said his wife, Zika, a two-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier and ZAP cofounder. If asked about running, I always say the same thing…

Craftsbury Running Camps WHEN: June–September WHERE: Craftsbury Common, Vermont HOW MUCH: $383–$1,309 WHAT: Three-time Olympian Lynn Jennings directs masters running and other camps. FIRST Adult Running and Learning Retreat WHEN: May 2015 WHERE: Greenville, S.C. HOW MUCH: $1,400 WHAT: Operated by the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training, developer of the “3 plus 2” training regimen. Flagstaff Running Getaways WHEN: May–September WHERE: Flagstaff, Arizona HOW MUCH: $399 WHAT: Run at 7,000 feet with Olympian Andrew Lemoncello, who leads some of the camp’s training sessions. Jeff Galloway Retreats WHEN: Throughout the year WHERE: Lake Tahoe; Florida; Carmel-by-the-Sea, California; Athens, Greece; Rome HOW MUCH: $324–$3,285 WHAT: Run-walk-run pioneer Jeff Galloway leads sessions on motivation, goals, and more. Molte Wellness & Adventure Running OM Retreats WHEN: June and September WHERE: Ennis, Montana…

Lyme disease is often misunderstood. Here are the facts MYTH #1 Lyme always presents itself with a bull’s-eye rash. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 30 percent of people infected with Lyme disease don’t get a rash. Whether or not someone develops a rash likely depends on differences within individual immune systems, says Thomas Mather, Ph.D., director of the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Vector-Borne Disease and TickEncounter Resource Center. And if a rash does appear, it doesn’t always take a bull’s-eye shape. Some research has shown that it more commonly appears as a red, raised region. MYTH #2 Trails are the only places where you are vulnerable to tick bites. You could find a tick in your backyard, on suburban park paths, or on…

Bart Yasso, RW’s chief running officer, has logged more than 150 marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlons. He contracted Lyme disease nearly 25 years ago and still lives with its impact In 1990, I finished a 50-mile race in Connecticut in just over six hours—about a 7:20 pace. I ran 50 miles like it was nothing. When I came home two days later, I felt so wiped out. That same week, I discovered a tick bite on the back of my neck. I didn’t think about Lyme. I thought I was still recovering, so I chilled out for two weeks. After that break, my girlfriend and I went for a run. I remember saying to her, “Why are you pushing the pace?” She told me we were running a 10-minute mile. Then…

Skin Temperature In a 2010 study, WPEM looked at recreational female runners at the Missoula Marathon and found that skin temperature and percentage of body fat, taken together, better indicated finish time than the classic fitness markers of VO2 max and percentage of body fat. TAKEAWAY: To maximize performance, keep your skin cool by wearing sunscreen, white clothing, shorts and T-shirt, etc. Overlayering traps heat trying to escape your body and can slow you down. Altitude Training In a yet-unpublished study, test subjects who, after exercising in the lab (3,500 feet), rested at a much higher elevation than they were used to (16,400 feet) didn’t get the same gene expression in their muscles, diminishing the muscles’ potential to adapt and increase their fitness level. TAKEAWAY: Defying conventional wisdom, Ruby says…

Blend your passions at these notable venues BOLT TO THE Q 5-K July 20 San Diego Participants start at Qualcomm Stadium, home of the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, and finish on the field’s 50-yard line. Stick around for a tailgate, complete with beer for of-age runners. chargers5k.com ROYALS CHARITIES 5-K August 2 Kansas City, Missouri This flat, fast race runs around Kauffmann Stadium’s warning track in the final mile. Spectators can cheer on participants from the stands. royals.com/run RUNYON 5-K August 3 Bronx, New York The entirety of Yankee Stadium becomes a racecourse in this 5-K. Don’t expect a fast time—runners climb the stairs, loop concourses, and circle the field (below). runyon5k.org—MICHELE MOSES…

I WAS very gifted at basketball from a young age, and I didn’t handle the pressure well. I PUT MY addiction secrets out there in the ESPN film Unguarded and in my memoir, Basketball Junkie. People appreciated that more than my being a three-time Massachusetts high school Player of the Year, going to Boston College, playing for the Celtics. More people can relate to struggle than to success. I JUST RAN the Boston Marathon, my first marathon, with my nonprofit, The Herren Project. I founded it in 2011 to assist individuals and families struggling with addiction. IT HIT ME later that, wow, I was out there for six hours. But I didn’t do it for time. “Every day that I run, I’ve won over my bad side, the side that…