Indice dei contenuti per September 2015 in Runner's World

ASK THE GEAR GUY Curious which inexpensive watch is the best? Wondering what to wear for your first trail run? Whatever your Q, Gear Editor Bryan Boyle has the A. Submit queries at runnersworld.com/gearguy. TRAINING VIDEO Check out the active recovery moves found on page 60, then follow along with the demonstration at runnersworld.com/activerecovery. I’M A RUNNER Watch a behind-thescenes clip of Peter King in Central Park at runners world.com/imarunner.…

KIDS RUN NOLA p20 + DROP 69 POUNDS, PICK UP 26.2-MILERS p26 RUNNER BY THE NUMBERS MICHELLE WALKER 46, EVANSVILLE, INDIANA Walker’s initial marathon goal was challenging: to qualify for Boston, which meant she needed to run under 3:45. It took 38 tries and five years to earn a 2013 Beantown bib. Afterward, she realized she had amassed sub-four-hour finishes in 26 states. So she set out on her next quest: to go sub-four-hours in all 50 states. In May, she became the 14th woman ever to accomplish the feat. And, notably, the first mother of six to do so. What’s next? Her first Ironman triathlon is in October. Then she’ll go for Boston qualifying times in all 50 states. “Goals evolve, and achieving them is so fulfilling,” she says.…

At mile 11 of a half marathon, a woman said to me, “Watch your arms!” Do you think I should watch my arms, or should she watch her mouth? —Thomas W., Turlock, California You thought of the “watch her mouth” comeback the next day, right? When it was way too late to actually use it? That’s always how it works. Anyway, I’ve said it a hundred times: Unsolicited advice is never a good thing. That definitely applies when it comes late in a long race, from a total stranger, when all you’re trying to do is keep it together long enough to finish. (I’d love to see this woman on a passing ship, trying to “help” a drowning man via bullhorn: “Stop flailing around so much!”) When it comes to…

STEVE BELLONE BEFORE 244 LBS (ABOVE) TOD AY 175 LBS (BELOW) Steve Bellone’s first year on the job—as Suffolk County Executive in New York in 2012—was just a bit stressful. He inherited a financial crisis. A summer wildfire wreaked havoc on Long Island. In October, Superstorm Sandy walloped the region. For six weeks, Bellone worked day and night, seven days a week, subsisting on junk food. Then Winterstorm Nemo hit in February 2013. “With each of these natural disasters, the weight just piled on,” says the 45-year-old father of three. His turning point came after watching a movie in which a father dies, leaving behind a devastated daughter. “I got choked up. I told my wife, ‘I have to get healthy. I have to make a change.’” Bellone, who weighed…

Lots of runners take midrun water breaks. Weissauer does, too—but hers involve the Pacific. Twice a week, Weissauer runs six to eight miles on Venice Beach, and on warm days she’ll jump in the ocean for a swim. The triathlete turned ultrarunner says running in the sand strengthens her feet and ankles, which helps her on the trails, where she does most of her racing. She hits the beach after taking her 9-and 6-year-old kids to school and before she starts work at her eco-friendly salon (nontoxic hair color, organic products). “I love having a salon in Venice,” says Weissauer, who plans to run a 50K in August. “I used to work in Beverly Hills, and that was not me. I’m casual—jeans, tank tops, cute sneakers. I’m like Sporty Spice…

…YOU HAVE TO MISS ONE WORKOUT If it’s a once-in-a-while thing, let it go, says coach Harrison. If you’re consistently missing one key workout a week, however, you need to either reevaluate your schedule or reevaluate your goals. …YOU HAVE TO MISS TWO WORKOUTS Reschedule the workout that best aligns with your goal and skip the other. For example, if you’re prepping for a marathon, prioritize your long run. If you’re trying to lose weight, keep the intervals. …YOU WERE UP ALL NIGHT WITH A SICK KID “If it’s a single, flukey night of no sleep, you can probably rally and complete your morning workout,” says Harrison. “If it’s several nights of no sleep, skip it and sleep in.” …YOU JUST CAN’T FIND TIME, REGULARLY Harrison says that when her…

TRAINING ADVICE FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE In November 1968, Steve Prefontaine was a high school senior with a two-mile best of 9:01, set the previous spring. His audacious goal for his senior year: 8:40, well under the national high school record of 8:48. To get him there, his coach, Walt McClure, devised a training plan based on the principles he’d learned while running for University of Oregon coach Bill Bowerman. The plan involved workouts that mixed running at goal pace (4:20 per mile for Prefontaine) and running at what Bowerman called “date pace”—the pace Prefontaine could sustain in a hypothetical race held right then. Training at these two paces is an effective way of plotting your progress toward an ambitious goal, making it instantly clear where you currently stand, how quickly…

NUTRITION ADVICE FOR HEALTHY, HUMGRY RUNNERS MAINTAIN MUSCLE After a night of sleep, your body is in breakdown mode, especially when it comes to muscle proteins. It’s key to refresh your muscle cells with amino acids—the building blocks of protein. Aim for 20 to 25 grams of high-quality protein along with a dose of 50 to 100 grams of carbs to replenish the fuel your muscles need (see “Best Breakfast Bets,” below). CONTROL WEIGHT Many studies have shown that folks who eat breakfast maintain a healthier body weight and have less body fat than those who skip a morning meal. Research also shows that establishing a routine of eating breakfast can help you make wiser choices and curb calorie intake later in the day. The National Weight Control Registry, which…

NATE APPLEMAN fell in love with chilies long before he joined Chipotle Grill in 2010. “The first time I had something spicy, I thought my head was going to explode,” says the marathoner who grew up with bland food in 1980s Ohio. “I went back for more.” Capsaicin, which gives peppers their spice, boosts calorie burning and blunts appetite (Appleman lost 85 pounds after he started running in 2007). Here are his favorites. ANAHEIM (1) 500—2,500 SHU (see capt ion) “I love its texture. I add slices on top of homemade pizza.” POBLANO (2) 1,000—2,000 SHU “Grill a couple, then slice and add garlic, salt, and lime juice. It’s great for tacos.” JALAPEÑO (3) 2,500—8,000 SHU “Char under the broiler. Remove the skin and puree with honey, salt, and vinegar.…

WEATHER PROOF 1 / OUTDOOR RESEARCH DEVIATOR HOODY Its strength is that tricky range between 30° and 55°F. The insulated, wind-blocking torso warms your core. Should temps rise, excellent breathability won’t leave you drowning in sweat. $185 M 10.8 oz.; W 9.7 oz. (shown) 2 / NEW BALANCE NB HEAT HYBRID JACKET Perhaps inspired by New England’s most recent winter, Boston-based New Balance unveils a jacket meant for freezing temps. The Hybrid fits like a meaningful hug, providing insulated warmth without weight. $180 (avail. Oct.) M 20 oz. (shown); W 16 oz. WATER PROOF 3 / SAUCONY EXO JACKET We tested this waterproof jacket in the foul weather of the Boston Marathon in April. When the rain started thumping, the sealed seams and a scuba-shaped hood countered water and wind.…

SARA HALL JOY RUNS “Run around a grass field,” says the 2012 U.S. national cross country champion. “Loops, straightaways, figure eights, criss-crossing hills. Run for three minutes, rest for two. Repeat until you’ve run a total time that’s equal to your goal for your race.” ROGER ROBINSON GROUP SAUSAGES When you’re with a group of friends of various abilities in an open space: One person leads each interval in a random series of loops. The faster runners go wider and longer around the turns, and the slower runners cut corners so they stay to the front. This way the faster runners run longer distances, but with about the same effort and on the same clock as the slower runners. Harper (Long) Hills Do 1-to 1.5-mile uphill repeats. “Run at about…

“I was about to go, then I saw a snake at my feet. I ran out of the porta-potty screaming while still trying to pull my shorts up.” —ALEX AMEEN, VIA FACEBOOK “I was in line for a porta-potty when the ‘friends’ of a man already using one turned it upside down after jamming the door shut. Suffice to say, the guy that emerged was not one to be near.” —PAUL SPA RKS, VIA FACEBOOK “My running buddy came out of the portapotty and made a comment about how it was nice that they had a place for you to put your hat, gloves, etc., while you peed. I had to inform him that the ‘holder’ was a urinal!” —BILL PRITCHETT, VIA FACEBOOK “At a triathlon last year, the porta-potty…

Interview by Nick Weldon “I run the 6.1-mile Central Park loop once a week. People think it’s flat, but there are hills.” AFTER PLAYING soccer and baseball in high school, I got so consumed with climbing the career ladder as a sports writer that my physical health got pushed way down the list. In 2007, when I got home from covering the Super Bowl, I weighed 288 pounds. I had to do something about my diet and fitness regimen, so I started working with a trainer and running. I RAN MY FIRST half in 2010 in 2:19, but my weight yo-yoed and I cut corners in training. After struggling to complete my second half in 2:31, I decided to get serious. Now I have a resting heart rate of 62.…

Brooklyn–based runner Alexa Lee Riczo, 27, had never been to Los Angeles before her Venice Beach cover shoot, but she enjoyed the eccentric locale. “Near where we shot, there were people playing instruments, singing, doing yoga, running, and working out,” Riczo says. A runner since fourth grade, Riczo played soccer for Cleveland State University. “My position was defensive center mid, which required a lot of running,” she says. “It fueled my desire to be a stronger runner.” She holds a 1:44 half marathon personal best. Cover photo by Ture Lilligraven. THE STAT 35 Percentage of runners who say they strength-train regularly (eight percent don’t bother at all). Learn why you should pick up a dumbbell on page 85. Based on 1,099 responses to an online poll…

PEGGY ABUNDIZ Running 5Ks in 50+ pounds of gear After her firefighter husband survived three different cancers, Abundiz wanted to honor him by doing something he loved but could no longer do: run. In 2014, Abundiz started logging 5Ks and 10Ks wearing more than 50 pounds of firefighter gear, including a helmet and boots. The couple cofounded Code 3 for a Cure Foundation to support firefighters with cancer. Abundiz helps manage the foundation and raises money by racing. “I feel better running in the gear than I do running in regular attire,” says the 47-yearold from Alta Loma, California. “Something happens inside me when I put on the firefighters’ armor.” —MEGAN DITROLIO NATHAN VANDYKEN Earning a memorable victory VanDyken has cerebral palsy and relies on a walker to get around…

Back in May, for reasons that still mystify me, I registered for a fall marathon. I wasn’t drunk. Not exactly, anyhow. It wasn’t boredom, or a burdensome surplus of cash. (A hundred and 40 bucks! For a marathon!) It wasn’t temporary insanity. Well, maybe it was. How would I know, right? ¶ Maybe I’ll never understand why I signed up. What I did understand, immediately, was that I’d need a training plan. And soon. ¶ As a veteran of 25 marathons over 20-odd years, I knew the drill—go online for a plan, or else get one from a trusted personal source. (In my case, that would be Budd Coates, RW’s training director and former elite marathoner, with a 2:13 PR.) Either way, the plan would include the usual familiar stuff—the…

If you’ve ever sprinted to the finish of a 5K, you understand the importance of fast-twitch muscle fibers (even if you wouldn’t use those exact words). They power short bursts of speed, and an excellent way to develop that strength is with plyometric exercises, such as box jumps (pictured), jump squats, and high skips. Runners who tackle longer distances or who never race at all also benefit from these challenging exercises. At the end of a long run or race, when slow-twitch muscles become fatigued, well-trained fast-twitch muscles can take up the slack, allowing you to run longer. To learn how to work plyometrics into your training plan, see page 40.…

YOUR FRIENDS MEET FOR A LONG RUN ON A DIFFERENT DAY THAN YOU’D PLANNED. “I don’t have a problem with my athletes doing a group run, so long as they stick to the structure,” says coach Harrison. Go, but if someone in the group opts to treat long-run day like tempo day, don’t get sucked into the faster pace. THERE’S A FUN 5K YOU WANT TO JUMP INTO AT THE LAST MINUTE. “Do fun things when you can; just know that it might jeopardize the next day of training,” says coach Madison. Also, if you’re just a few weeks away from a goal race, skip the extra starting line. YOU MISSED A HARD WORKOUT, SO YOU DO IT THE DAY BEFORE YOUR LONG RUN. “I like this method because your…

Is a short ride as good as a short run? It can be, on recovery days, especially if your legs are trashed from a hard run—cycling emphasizes different muscles. Don’t take it too easy, though: Try to maintain a cadence of 90 revolutions per minute. Also, don’t make this swap more than once or twice a week—running-specific muscle adaptations are harder to develop if your running mileage drops too low. —Christopher Baker is a New York City–based runner, triathlete, and coach (beyonddefeat.com). How much slower should I expect to run on hot days? You’ll run your best at around 50 degrees, so expect to go about five seconds slower per mile at 60 degrees, 10 seconds slower at 70, 20 seconds slower at 80, and 30 to 40 seconds slower…

Running in the morning? EAT THIS. PRERUN Toast with banana and honey WHY Infusing your brain and muscles with some much needed carbohydrates (ideally about a half a gram per pound of body weight) will power up your workout. POSTRUN Two-egg veggie scramble with feta cheese, a side of sweet potato, and a berry-kefir smoothie. WHY Your muscles need both carbs and a hefty dose of protein. Centering your meal around eggs or dairy will supply amino acids to support protein building. Running at lunch? EAT THIS. STICK-WITH-YOU BREAKFAST Two slices whole-grain French toast topped with vanilla Greek yogurt, strawberries, and walnuts. WHY Eating a morning meal that can hold you until a noontime run will keep you on track at your desk—and with your training.…

REGARDLESS of what you hope to gain from your running—speed, endurance, better health—the training you do makes up only half the equation. The time you spend not running serves a crucial role in your progress toward any goal. “We can train all we want, but if we don’t pay respect to recovery, it won’t matter,” says Robyn LaLonde, Nike+ Run Club coach and owner of Edge Athlete Lounge, a recovery studio in Chicago. “It’s during the period after a run that your body adapts. Without adequate recovery, your body will break down.” LaLonde is referring to the process by which your body rebuilds itself to return to its starting state—or even stronger. And there are an increasing array of tools and techniques that enhance downtime so runners can train harder…

Ask a coach, nutritionist, or sports-medicine physician for some words of running wisdom and, if they know their stuff, they’ll start by asking you a question: What kind of runner are you? “The advice I give runners varies a lot, depending on how old they are and how serious they are,” says Jordan Metzl, M.D., author of Running Strong: The Sports Doctor’s Complete Guide to Staying Healthy and Injury-Free for Life. Nutritional, training, and even psychological needs evolve as you progress from a newbie trying to get fit to a racer gunning for a PR to a masters athlete determined to stay in the game. With this in mind, Runner’s World tapped a team of experts for their tips on how to run well throughout the years. RULES FOR New…

Runner’s World Art Director Erin Benner wants to get fast. She’s putting in the legwork— churning out 200-, 400-, 800-meter repeats—every week in an effort to run a personal best mile and 5K (she’d like to break 5:45 and 20:00, respectively) this fall. She’s foam rolling her legs, icing her injury-prone feet, and pool-running and spinning. But something critical is missing from her regimen: strengthtraining. “I think a lot of runners feel intimidated or put off by weight lifting because it’s foreign to them or they think it will make them bulky—and slow,” says Jen Ator, C.S.C.S., fitness director of Women’s Health (also published by RW’s parent company, Rodale). “But lifting can be a key component to building speed. The more power you can generate with each stride, the faster…

HISTORY LESSON Kudos to Bill Donahue for writing about Lon Myers (“Rise of a Running Nation,” July). By holding so many records at multiple distances, he truly was the Steve Prefontaine of his day. Thanks to RW, a new generation of runners will keep his memory alive. JAMES WILK, HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO REAR GUARD Thank you, David Willey, for your editor’s letter “Lasting Impressions” (July). I haven’t run in almost 40 years and have just started running again. (I’m 57.) My fear had been that I’d end up dead last, but now I will have no fear! And I will stop and cheer on anyone who finishes behind me. TONY WETMORE, CRESTLINE, CALIFORNIA Regarding “Dead Freakin’ Last…And Proud of It!” (July): At the inaugural Go Girl Run in Oklahoma City…

“Why does it seem like we always stand in the longest line? or there’s never enough potties!” —@kat_chin08 Next month, snap a photo of the person, place, or thing that inspires your running. tag it #RWInspire. THE LATEST Researchers at the university of texas at austin have found that running does, in fact, reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PtsD). the small pilot study was reported on in the april/June issue of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Runner’s World first wrote about the research in “running Back from hell” (March 2014), a story about how soldiers and scientists were using running to counteract PtsD symptoms. “it’s exciting that something so straightforward—running—can have such a large impact on the treatment of PtsD,” wrote lead study author Mark Powers, Ph.D. a larger study…

Having battled Achilles problems for over a year now and with another track season evaporating before my eyes, I’ve had to continually shift my goals. At this point my target race has been pushed out to late September, the USATF 5K Road Championships in Providence, Rhode Island. ¶ The past months have been bleak. Stop, start. I had an injection in my Achilles area, took another big break, and started at ground zero once more in February. I lost my will to intensely cross-train and started riding my mountain bike for fun instead. Let’s just say there were lots of blank spaces in my training log. I enlisted the help of my friend Bob to take over my return-to-running program, since I apparently kept screwing it up when coaching myself.…

When her head Is not in the clouds, Yale Hubble Fellow Michelle Collins stays grounded, logging miles terrestrially (New Haven, Connecticut, to be precise). She started training seriously while pursuing her Ph.D. at Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy in the U.K. Despite the demands of her academics, she started a blog (therunningastrono mer.com) and built up her mileage. The 31-year-old ran her first marathon in 2014 and plans to do another in 2016. Of course, Collins doesn’t think about gravity when hitting the streets. “I use my runs to take my mind off work,” she says. But when we asked her to combine her area of expertise with running, she agreed, though not without some initial concern: “It should be known that these events would be B.Y.O.O2.” MERCURY “The closest planet…

MOMENTOUS Finisher medals for Ironman 70.3 Syracuse mistakenly depict the skyline of Rochester, New York. Marathoner, triathlete—oh, and chef—Gordon Ramsay lands the No. 21 spot on the Forbes list of highest-paid celebs. He earned $60 million in 2014. In his National University commencement speech, Meb Keflezighi draws parallels between running and life. “Injuries heal and challenging circumstances can be overcome.” Pippa Middleton runs the Safaricom Marathon one week after completing a 54-mile charity bike ride. Usain Bolt (with POTUS, above) is No. 94 in Rolling Stone’s ranking of the 100 best Instagram accounts. Katrina Bowden and Tiki Barber run the Brooklyn Half Marathon. STOP! Japan announces a toilet-design contest aimed to help foreign visitors better enjoy their time at the 2020 Olympics. Judging criteria: cleanliness, comfort, creativity, safety (!), and sustainability. Organizers…

BETWEEN WORK, FAMILY, AND SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS, life can feel like a game of scheduling Tetris: so many moving pieces and a limited amount of time to fit them in. If you plan to run whenever you have a free moment, you may rarely get out at all—and when you do, you won’t be reaping the benefits of a more thought-out approach. “A training plan gives you direction and structure,” says Mackenzie Madison, M.S., a professional triathlete and coach based in Oregon. “It brings variety, too, so you’re not doing the same thing every day.” Variation has physical benefits as well. Research shows that picking up the pace for short bits of time provides extra cardiovascular benefits and can aid in weight loss. Adding in weight training can help prevent injuries…

+ JOIN OUR ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR BEGINNERS AT RUNNERSWORLD.COM/THESTARTINGLINE. TIPS FOR BEGINNERS FROM AN EASYGOING COACH As lovely as it is to experience a run you wish would never end, sometimes you have the kind of day where even lacing up seems a Herculean task. While everyone has inexplicable off days, there may be a good reason for your lethargy. Here’s when you should run and when you should rest, depending on why you’re feeling fatigued. YOU DIDN’T SLEEP WELL RUN Sleep-deprived runners often tell me how much better they feel after a short run. Give it a try, taking more frequent walk breaks than usual. Even if you’re a person who is chronically sleep-deprived—like a new parent or a night-shift worker—you’ll likely find that exercise improves your mood…

FRIED EGG versus SCRAMBLED EGG Both provide the same six grams of protein. It’s what goes in the pan to cook the eggs that matters. A nonstick spray works great and keeps calories in check. ORANGE JUICE versus APPLE JUICE OJ has a leg up. It has more vitamin C, and fortified brands can provide vitamin D and calcium. A whole orange or apple is better than either juice, with fewer calories and more fiber. PANCAKE versus WAFFLE Opt for the pancake. It has slightly more protein than an equal size waffle. Making your own? Toss in a half scoop of whey protein powder for recovery flapjacks. BACON versus SAUSAGE LINKS Bacon wins out with 86 calories and six grams of protein in two slices. Two small sausage links have…

…IT’S TIME TO LOVE OFF-ROAD RACING AGAIN. I am about to run my first cross-country race in 35 years. Faintly nervous. Slightly chilly. SUSPECT I’M out of my league. All those feelings swirl around in my head as I enter the spray-painted square reserved for my team. I’m braving a chilly fall day with 1,764 runners in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships. A starter’s gun fires, and a strange mix of panic and boundless freedom rises as the fastest old guys I’ve ever run with begin the mad dash that is the signature moment of a cross-country race. I expect the bloody mayhem of Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg, with spikes in place of the bayonets. Yet there is no rebel yell from the singlet army,…

VACANT We runners have a complicated relationship with portable toilets. We’re happy to see them before (and sometimes during and often after) a race, especially when we’ve been shotgunning liquids and glucose. But that minute-plus (on average) we spend in their odiferous confines tends to yield some memorable-andnot-in-a-goodway moments. However, instead of shaking your fist at them, we suggest cutting the portable toilet some slack. Everything from the mysterious blue liquid to the height of the drop to the placement of the urinal has been studied and calibrated to make the best of a crappy situation. Which intrigued us—there’s a lot more to these things than we thought. So here’s everything you ever wanted to know (and a lot you probably didn’t) about the humble box that gets so much…

THE SHOE FINDER HELPS YOU PINPOINT SUITABLE MODELS BASED ON YOUR RUNNING HISTORY AND OTHER SHOES YOU LIKE. FOR MORE DETAILS ON FIT AND PERFORMANCE, SEE OUR REVIEWS ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES. START HERE Do you know the type of shoe that works well for your size, stride, and preferred ride? YES Proceed directly to the grid below. Shoes are arranged in terms of cushioning, weight, sole height, flexibility, and stability features as measured in the RW Shoe Lab. You’ll find lighter, less-supportive shoes in the bottom left and highly cushioned, more stable shoes in the top right. Shoes in the middle provide a balance of performance and protection features and can work well for many runners. NO Put yourself into a runner group using the table at right. When…

APPLE HARVEST RA MBLE 10-AND FIVE-MILER Runners pass orchards and woods—and climb several lengthy hills—to earn their postrace eats: Chef Paul, the local school district’s well-known cook, treats finishers to his harvest soup and fresh bread. September 26, Harvard, MA harvardraces.org TH E ADAMS APPLE ORCHA RD TWO-MILE OR 5K RUN Choose either flat loop through Adams Apple Orchard, 10 miles outside Burlington. Every runner gets a bag to load up with freshpicked apples postrace. September 27, Williston, VT racevermont.com SCRUMPY SK EDADDLE 5K AND 10K Of-age finishers earn a postrace cup of J.K.’s Scrumpy Hard Cider, made from organic apples grown along these flat, point-topoint courses. Race swag includes a mason jar and a medal that doubles as a bottle opener. October 4, Flushing, MI runscrumpy.com RUN FOR THE…