Runner's World March 2013

RUNNER Mike Ray THE EXPERIENCE Elegant, sunbathed antebellum mansions lining the mile-long Battery promenade overlook the historic harbor where Confederate cannon fire aimed at nearby Fort Sumter signaled the start of the Civil War. “You can’t help but feel the history all around you,” Ray says. “When I run, I imagine the roads filled with horses and buggies.” FOR DIRECTIONS, RESOURCE INFORMATION, AND DOWNLOADABLE WALLPAPER IMAGES, VISIT RUNNERSWORLD.COM/RAVERUN.…

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SWIM DAY. January 8, a Tuesday. I had several epic meetings and conference calls on deck, which would keep me chair-bound for six or seven hours. To gird myself, I planned a pool workout on the way to the office, but I hit a traffic jam and had to skip it. I’d also misplaced my wallet and been woken up by our 3-year-old at five-something. Right off the bat, one of those days. ¶ It was also the day I had to write my Editor’s Letter for this issue, which is always more painful than it should be. I think the great sportswriter Red Smith was right when he said, “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and…

CHRISTOPHER SOLOMON Since 1915, a race up Mount Marathon from Main Street in Seward, Alaska, has drawn daring runners, claiming the life of one last year (“The Last Man Up, page 74). “It’s hard to believe a mountain close to town can be so ruthless,” says author Solomon. GUIDO VITTI A five-year RW subscriber, Vitti says shooting this month’s cover “was a great way to put my stamp on a magazine I have used as both a training and inspirational resource.” The Somerville, Massachusetts, resident has a 5-K PR of 24:50.…

AFTER THE FLOOD Your Hurricane Sandy and New York City Marathon coverage wonderfully highlighted the no-win ethical problem that we all wrestled with in early November (“The Storm [And Everything After],” January). But I have to take issue with Mark Remy’s and Scott Douglas’s respective editorials, both of which suggested the existence of elitism in runners’ attitudes and economic statuses. I’m a graduate student who cobbles together a living out of fellowships, part-time lecturing jobs, and tutoring. My take-home income is decidedly less than most “blue collar” workers. But I still ran almost 2,000 miles this year, including two marathons. I think it really can be as simple as getting a discounted pair of Asics, going outside, and putting one foot in front of the other. —JASON CLEMENCE, Boston I…

SEE THE FUTURE If you’re wondering how you might be able to perform in an upcoming race, use our Race Times Predictor. Plug in a recent race time, and the tool will estimate your finish time in other distances, from 1500 meters up to the marathon. This intel can help you set a realistic goal and train at the right pace. Find the tool at runnersworld.com/race-times-predictor. INSIDE PLAN Are yucky winter conditions keeping you indoors? Make the most of it by doing exercises that will ward off injuries and build strength for spring racing. See runnersworld.com/workouts. ONLINE POLL In which season do you prefer to race? Spring 24 % Summer 11 % Fall 43 % Winter 7 % Don’t care. I’ll race in any season! 15 % Based on 723…

ON RACE MORNING last June, Shivani Bhalla wasn’t worried about lions on the course. The sun was about to rise over the African savannah, and the nighttime predators had retired. The race director was more concerned about elephants. “You don’t want to come running around a blind corner and surprise a bull elephant,” she says. “He’ll charge.” Bhalla would know. Born and raised in Nairobi, the 34-year-old Ph.D. student has spent the last 10 years stationed in Samburu, Kenya, with five of those at West Gate Community Conservancy, where she founded Ewaso Lions (a research project dedicated to lion conservation) and created a race, Running for Lions, as a way to bring together the local Samburu people in support of her cause. Lions, or the lack thereof, are a concern…