Table of contents for October 2016 in Runner's World

PRE HISTORY In May 1972, Ona Dobratz and Janet Newman interviewed Steve Prefontaine for Runner’s World. He was 21, a new celebrity preparing for his first— and, alas, only—Olympic Games. On May 30, 1975, Pre, just 24 at the time, died in a car crash. Every September since 1979, runners have gathered to race in Coos Bay, Oregon, his hometown. Here, just in time for the 37th Prefontaine Memorial Run, we look back at RW’s coverage—including that early interview. POP QUIZ 1 / 1969 Pre first caught RW’s attention as a senior at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Oregon, when, on April 25, 1969, he beat the American high school two-mile record (8:41.5) at the Corvallis Invitational. He was still unknown enough that he could be the Photo Quiz…

Sometimes on a run I dash into gas stations or drugstores to use the bathroom and don’t buy anything. Is this bad form? —Emily L., Atlanta Emily, the Restroom Spectrum is a complex thing. (It’s also a good name for a band. But I digress.) At one end we have public restrooms, which are wide open. At the other extreme are bathrooms in private homes. Shops and gas stations exist in the hazy middle. I think you could use these facilities if you’re polite and quick. Especially if you’re a regular customer of the place. Obviously it’s different if there’s an explicit “For Customers Only” sign. Even in those cases, though, you can plead your case and ask for mercy. Because soiling yourself on the sidewalk in front of an…

When most people run a marathon, they obsess about their splits or fantasize about their postrace splurge meal. But when Karen Smilowitz ran the 2002 Chicago Marathon, the logistics expert marveled at the meticulous planning involved. How, for example, such a vast course could be mapped so spectators could navigate it by train and city residents could still have access to hospitals. When she later volunteered at an aid station, she learned about “supply allocation of water.” It’s fitting then that Smilowitz now spends race day in a command center, overseeing a data-visualization system she created to ensure smooth race operations. In 2015, Smilowitz and a group of her Northwestern University engineering students developed a race-simulation program that combines realtime intel and historical data to give organizers and police, fire,…

CHUCK ARON Running 73 races at age 70 Aron ran two marathons in 1978 and 1979. But by the time his brother-in-law, Paul Bracken, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease in the 1990s, Aron was 100 pounds overweight and out of shape. Aron watched as Bracken’s health declined until he died in 2001. “It tore me up,” says the Chicago lawyer. “I decided to run in his honor.” Since then, he’s done 13 marathons and raised $145,000 for Alzheimer’s research. This year—one in which he turned 70 and Bracken would’ve been 73— Aron plans to complete 73 events (see 73for70.com). His final one will be the Chicago Marathon on October 9. —CINDY KUZMA JULIA WEBB Smashes a stroller world record Webb set a world record at the Chicago Rock…

You may not be ready to tackle the Chicago Marathon or any other big race, but that doesn’t mean the event has nothing to offer you. If the race attracts enough entrants, it likely hosts an expo—free and open to the public—in the days leading up to the start. There, races, running clubs, speakers, and vendors converge to connect with runners. Here’s what you might find if you visit one. RUNNING CLUBS Talk to the representatives on hand to find out when and where group runs take place and which might be appropriate for your fitness level. You should be able to get a sense for which clubs are most welcoming to beginners. Group runs are usually free to join; when you find a club you like and become a…

TAKE CARE In the 24 hours after a race, do things to speed your recovery. “I do more stretching, massage, and ice baths so that I’m fresh for the next race,” Bawcom says. TAKE IT EASY Don’t get discouraged by a bad performance. “I tell myself I have one really bad race a year and think, Good, I just got that one out of the way,” she says. TAKE A BREAK At the end of a long racing season, Bawcom doesn’t run for two to four weeks. “Your body needs time to let everything rest up,” she says.…

“My family has been in San Francisco for five generations, so I’ve always had a strong sense of home, and it’s the perfect place to be a runner. Within the city, there are trails most people can access just by walking out their door. ¶ I started running in high school for the Sacred Heart Cathedral cross-country and track teams (that’s me on the right). We ran at Kezar Stadium and different routes around the city. I remember my first practice—a five-miler in Golden Gate Park. Ever since, I’ve loved running there. The two main drags—JFK and Martin Luther King—are amazing. But there are little trails, and I swear, after running there for more than 10 years, I’ll still find new, hidden connector routes. Running there makes you feel like…

Like any muscle, the heart adapts to exercise by getting bigger and stronger and, therefore, better at delivering blood to working muscles. These illustrations (in black) show some generalized adaptations compared to a “normal” heart (in blue). OVERALL SIZE An endurance athlete’s heart can be up to 50 percent bigger than a nonathlete's heart. WIDER, MORE ABUNDANT CORONARY CAPILLARIES The secondary network of vessels that distribute blood to muscles of the heart may be two to three times bigger than normal. BIGGER ATRIA The atria, the upper two “filling chambers” where blood arrives in the heart, are enlarged, as are the ventricles, the two lower chambers that pump blood to the rest of the body. MORE FLEXIBLE CORONARY ARTERIES The vessels that supply blood to muscles of the heart are…

CUSHIONED SHOES BEST FOR LONG RUNS AND EASY DAYS Mammut MTR 201-II Max Low $149 This Swiss company has roots in Alpine sports—skiing and climbing—so it’s no surprise this shoe is built for mountain runs. A curved sole more than an inch and a half thick in the heel motors you over rocks without your ever feeling them. “They’re light and durable for any terrain, but still comfortable on roads,” says Mitchell Klingler, a cross-country coach from Coldwater, MI. Montrail Rogue F.K.T. $110 Successor to the Rogue Fly, a longtime favorite trail racer, the all-new F.K.T. is burlier, with substantial lugs for greater versatility. A full-length bouncy midsole scored highly at the RW Shoe Lab, and wear-testers reported that it shielded them from trail hazards well but still let them…

IT WAS THE LAST THING I expected to see, driving on a hilly, twisty road toward the beach in a small town on the Oregon coast. Coming around a bend, I saw a small group of people standing around a man lying on the side of the road. I don’t remember stopping or getting out of the car, just running toward them, adrenaline pumping. I had recently been CPR- certified, and when I reached the man, who looked to be in his 60s or 70s, I followed the protocol drilled into my head. Check for pulse (faint) and breathing (he wasn’t), tell someone to call 911 (already done). I began CPR, alternating rescue breaths with chest compressions. After a few rounds, he suddenly gasped and his eyes grew wide, like…

“Winning Kona is my long-term goal,” says Piampiano, who is sponsored by Saucony, Clif, and others. “I will get there. This year, I’m aiming for a top-three finish.” NEWS, TRENDS, and REGULAR RUNNERS doing AMAZING THINGS Sarah Piampiano was at a SoHo bar in 2009 when a longtime friend threw down a challenge: He bet she couldn’t beat him in a triathlon. Maybe it was her competitive drive or her cocktailinfluenced judgment—or both. Regardless, the decision to do the race changed her life. Back then, Piampiano worked in acquisitions and mergers at HSBC Securities in New York City. Her career was so consuming that she routinely sacrificed sleep and food in the name of the job. Piampiano won the bet—beating her friend in the Olympic-distance triathlon—and had an awakening. She…

In hindsight, it may not have been the best day to go long. Then again, perhaps it was perfect. ¶ The run started bright and cheerful enough. On a sunny spring Friday afternoon, dressed in only shorts and a short-sleeve top for the first time this season, I headed out with my dog, Marley, joyfully bounding around me. ¶ Had I been paying attention, all the factors were aligned to create a storm of difficulty. I had eaten nothing since a light breakfast of granola and yogurt. A water bottle strapped to my waist was my only concession to unseasonal heat, a full 20 degrees warmer than it had been the rest of the week. Plus, earlier in the week, I’d taken a two-day business trip, disrupting my usual sleep…

Perhaps you’re familiar with the old insult, “She can’t walk and chew gum at the same time.” Said dummy possesses so little brain capacity, goes the logic, that she’s unable to simultaneously complete two activities. ¶ Perhaps you’re also familiar with the concept of running “form”—the proper posture one is meant to maintain while in motion. Your head is supposed to be up, your gaze directed forward and not on your feet, which, incidentally, are supposed to be flexed (from the ankles), then rolling (onto the balls), then lifting (but not too high), then landing (but not too hard). Your torso: erect. Your hands: not fisty. Your shoulders: down. Your elbows: bent at 90 degrees. Your attention: gone three sentences ago. ¶ Perhaps you’re wondering if proper form is attainable.…

POWER HUNGRY What’s the first thing you should do after a run? (Okay, after you tell your social media followers how awesome you are.) Refuel. Within 30 minutes of finishing a hard workout, your body needs a mix of quality carbohydrates and protein to replenish its depleted glycogen stores and to repair muscles. A slice of bread topped with peanut butter and banana slices is perhaps the perfect postrun snack (prerun, too!)—it’s easy to prep, portable, and packed with the nutrients your body needs. Recovery fueling not only ensures that you’re ready to tackle your next workout. It also plays an important role in preventing chronic inflammation—and that can keep you running strong for years to come. For more, see “Tame the Flame,” page 50.…

No one likes getting sick. But the stakes are particularly high for competitive runners, because even minor training disruptions can knock your goals out of reach. Sound like hyperbole? Earlier this year, Norwegian sports scientists published an analysis of nine years of training data from their world-beating cross-country ski team. The Olympic or world championship medalists in the study reported an average of 14 days per year with symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infection; the other athletes, all among the best in the world, reported 22 sick days per year. Dodging an ill-timed bug, in other words, might be the difference between podium and also-ran. There are some obvious steps you can take to lower your risk of infection during the upcoming cold and flu season: Wash your hands frequently,…

FUELING YOUR LONG RUNS and races is just as important as training for them. Anyone who’s bonked (and who hasn’t?) knows you can’t skimp on your midrace carbohydrate fix. But how you get your carbs matters, too. New research from Massey University in New Zealand found that athletes who consumed gels, sports drink, or a combination of an energy bar with gel and drink had less gut discomfort, less fatigue, and a decreased level of exertion compared with those who ate only an energy bar. POWER YOUR RUN During a marathon, 60 to 75 percent of your fuel comes from carbs, and the remainder from fat. For a half marathon, when you’re running faster, you use even more carbs. Carb stores, which are made up of glycogen, give you the…

TIGHT SINGLETRACK 1 / PATAGONIA CENTERED CROPS 20 . (WOMEN) $69 These capri-length tights protect your legs from itchy tall grasses. Testers loved the soft polyester/elastane blend that hugs in all the right places without being too restrictive and the wide waistband that lies flat against the skin—even while wearing a hydration waist pack. 2 / BROOKS CASCADIA SHORTS (MEN) $65 A singletrack trail where you might brush up against bushes and branches is no place for split shorts. The seven-inch inseam of these bottoms keeps more of your legs covered while still remaining lightweight and airy. The ripstop exterior is durable and sheds water, too. An easy-access side pocket and water-resistant, zippered pocket add to the functionality, and the wide, flat waistband stays comfortable mile after mile. MOUNTAINS 3…

There’s no doubt that running—or regular endurance exercise of any description, for that matter—changes your heart. The heart is a muscular organ, after all, and like all muscles, it adapts to the stress of exercise. Whether these adaptations are good or bad has been debated for over a century, but the current view is that the most obvious changes are, at worst, harmless. The athlete’s enlarged heart? That’s just stronger muscle and bigger chambers to pump more blood, not a sign of heart failure. The low resting heart rate? It’s not a sign of an arrhythmia—an irregular or abnormal heart rhythm—as it would be in a nonrunner; it’s just that each contraction sends so much blood shooting through your blood vessels that the heart doesn’t need to beat as often.…

D on’t be a dope, I told myself. Get your heart checked out. ¶ I had just passed my 65th birthday and figured I ought to get a thorough heart checkup. After all, the biggest predictor of heart disease is advancing years. Plus, both of my parents died in their early 50s, though not from heart disease, and my grandfather had his first heart attack in his 50s. Even more worrisome: The first “excessive endurance exercise” articles had begun to appear in medical journals. The authors weren’t just noting the exercise paradox—the fact that risk of sudden death rises during vigorous exercise even as regular exercise lowers your overall mortality risk. These docs were arguing that high-mileage running could permanently damage the heart. (See “The Runner’s Heart,” page 76.) As…

NIAGARA FALLS INTERNATIONAL MARATHON Before you sign up for this point-to-point race, make sure your passport is up to date: The Niagara Falls International Marathon is one of the few races in the world that begin in one country (ours) and end in another (theirs). You’ll clear customs at packet pickup in Canada the day before the race, leave your documents on the secure shuttle bus that runners take to the start, then pick up your passport at the finish. The first four miles of this modest-sized marathon (with fewer than 800 finishers in 2015) weave through residential neighborhoods in Buffalo, New York. Then runners cross the Peace Bridge into Fort Erie, Ontario, and follow pancake-flat Niagara Parkway to end at the brink of the mighty falls. On the next…

I WRITE about race and culture. My job is to be in the know about these conversations, think about them, frame them, and moderate them in different spaces. SUDDENLY there’s this appetite for conversation about race, but it’s not like race is a new issue. It’s as old as the United States. Smartphone videos have democratized it, and now stories like police violence are something we’re all forced to look at. I STARTED RUNNING seven years ago, when a friend invited me out. The next day she bailed on me, so I ran by myself. It was hard, but it was beautiful outside, and I was like, I want to do this all the time. This is fun. Demby is also the founder of the blog PostBourgie. Previously, he was…

THE INBOX HELPING HANDS Reading “Running the World: Djibouti City” (August), I was reduced to tears. Having spent time in Djibouti while in the Royal Navy, I’ve seen firsthand how women were treated there. I’m part of an amazing women’s running club, and we were wondering if there is a way we could send unused shoes and gear to these brave and inspirational ladies. NINA TAYLOR, VIA EMAIL CORRECTIONS In “Mystery Man” (August), an excerpt of Frank Shorter’s new autobiography, we reprinted several errors from it, including a mention of Paavo Nurmi as a triple gold winner at the 1948 Olympics. In fact, Shorter meant to cite Emil Zátopek’s triple in the 1952 Games. A correct version of the excerpt is at runners world.com/mysteryman. In “The Gallery” ( The Loop,…

Instep and Schwinn jogging strollers are recalled after causing 215 injuries. The front wheel can become loose or detach itself from the strollers. After a runner is hit by a car and transported to the hospital, she’s charged by Virginia police for making a careless crossing. Blister watch: ring. Claire Danes runs in Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. To get ripped for The Legend of Tarzan, avid runner Alexander Skarsgård ate 7,000 calories a day—and stopped running. “His cardio was great coming into the project,” his trainer says. “But he had to stop that and expend all his energy in lifting weights.” We Got Him tells the fictional story of a couple about to have a baby the same night police are pursuing Boston bombers through Watertown. NYTimes.com features a series of…

JANET BAWCOM is used to taking the unconventional path. She’s a 2012 track Olympian best known as a road racer. She grew up in Kenya but didn’t become an elite runner until after college. And while her peers like to peak for a few key races per year, she races often, sometimes even twice in a weekend. After graduating from a Kenyan boarding school, Bawcom (then Cherobon) was waiting for a bus when Peter Rono, the 1988 Olympic 1500-meter champion, offered her a ride—a friendly gesture not uncommon in Kenya. He told her running could be her ticket to a U.S. college education, even though she’d never been a runner. So Bawcom joined Rono’s training group; two years later, she got into Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. She barely broke…

How can I get rid of a side stitch? Slow down or stop and breathe slowly and deeply. Pressing the stitch or stretching your arms overhead may help. So can “running tall”— slumping restricts the diaphragm, the muscle beneath your lungs that helps you breathe. —Angela Bekkala is a New Hampshire–based exercise physiologist and coach (happyfitmama.com). Is it best to always run at the same time of day? It’s fine if you have trouble running consistently— you’re less likely to forget or find an excuse when it’s an unchanging part of your routine. Over time, though, a string of morning-only or evening-only runs might become boring. Just like route, distance, and pace, you can play with time of day to spice up your routine. That said, if you’re training for…

AFTER YOU FINISH A RUN, white blood cells rush biochemicals to your legs, where they rebuild your hardworking, worn-out muscles. This process can last a few hours to a few days, depending on the damage incurred. During this time, it’s possible to feel fatigued, sore, and achy: That’s your nerves sending pain signals to your brain so you know your quads need a break. You may also notice slight swelling because fluids carrying healing nutrients can expand tissue. All of this is a healthy physical response known as inflammation. Or, more precisely, acute inflammation, which is what doctors call the immediate and short-lived reaction to a distinct event. If you take it easy and fuel properly during this period of repair, your body will return to normal. Better than normal,…

1SAN FRANCISCO If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to pack your favorite running shoes, because the city by the bay landed at the top of our chart. Of course, if you left your home with only the flower in your hair and need a fresh pair of kicks, you’ll likely find what you’re looking for at one of the nine running stores within city limits. It’s true: San Francisco outranked its rivals in nearly all the running-friendly categories we measured, boasting 16 running clubs and 246 races in 2016. The city’s runners are putting in the work; per data from Strava alone, San Franciscans logged 12,554 runs per week for a total of 64,037 miles in 2015. With its signature fog, cool summers, and rolling terrain, getting out…

HEART ATTACK Occurs when bloodflow to a section of the heart is restricted. The primary culprit is typically coronary heart disease, which causes plaque to build up inside arteries; if the plaque ruptures, it creates a blood clot that can block bloodflow to a portion of the heart muscle. Without sufficient oxygen, the muscle begins to die. The longer treatment is delayed, the greater the damage. Symptoms include: • Pain or discomfort in upper abdomen, chest, arms, or jaw, or between shoulder blades • Tightness in chest, neck, arm • Abnormal heartbeat • Lightheadedness or dizziness • Unusual level of fatigue • Cold sweat • Indigestion, nausea, vomiting • Shortness of breath WHAT TO DO Dial 911 or have someone drive you to the emergency room. SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST Occurs…