Runner's World July 2014

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.…

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,…

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,”…

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…

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…

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.…