dailymile community blog

dailymiler of the week – Sara M.

Mike N — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:22:53 +0000

Every week we pick one inspiring dailymiler to be featured on the blog. This gives you a chance to learn the stories of members of the dailymile community. Check out past dailymiler’s of the week. Do you know someone that would be a great dailymiler? Nominate them!

Sara M tipped the scales at 310 pounds the day she visited the doctor and was told she was fat. The shock she felt as she heard that “F” word snapped her out of the state of denial she’d been living in for years. She’d been kidding herself, telling herself and her friends that she was happy, that she was “a healthy heavy”. Her doctor’s bluntness and his suggestion that she start taking medications to control her high cholesterol helped her see the slippery slope she was on. She had to make changes or suffer a long slow death.

Refusing the medication recommended, Sara bought a recumbent-style exercise bike. The back of the model she chose could be laid back to perfectly flat like a weight bench. She set it up in her home, leaned the seat back, grabbed a pillow for her head and got on. For fifteen minutes she suffered. Her legs did not want to pump the pedals. “I will never forget the pain I was in,” she says. “My body was begging me to stop the whole time.” Sore and exhausted, more embarrassed than excited, Sara got off the bike. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get back on. She knew she didn’t want to. She contemplated taking the easy road, popping the pills she’d been offered.

The next day Sara woke. She was completely drained of energy. Doubt flooded her mind. She couldn’t get on that bike again. It hurt too much. She gave up. “I was so ashamed of myself,” she recalls. It was one of her lowest moments.

Throughout the morning that day, every time Sara passed the room where the bike was, she gave it her most intense death glare. Anger grew in her. She hated the stupid thing. She swore at it repeatedly. But things began to change as the hours wore on. By noon she began to wonder if she could ride again, maybe longer. Still she resisted. She did not want to get back on that cursed contraption.

The urge to try again won out in the end. Sara threw on her coziest clothes, tipped the seat back, laid down and began to pedal again. She rode a little longer the second time than she had the first. And the switch was flipped! It was during that second ride that Sara decided she was in it for the long haul. She was going to lose weight.

That second ride was followed by a third and a fourth and a fifth. Over time, the back of the seat came up. The pillow disappeared. Each day’s training was longer than the previous day’s. She began playing with the built-in workouts. She cranked up the resistance. “It was torture and I hated it, but I was starting to love the high I felt after I completed what I set out to do that day,” she reports. “It really sucked at the time, but I am so happy I kept going.”

Slowly, the pounds began to fall away. After months indoors, Sara decided to venture out. She took up mountain biking. After she’d purchased Dirt Donkey, her mountain bike, a friend took her out on her first ride on singletrack. The ride went well.

The following week, another friend invited Sara to join him on a more technical trail. She agreed to give it a try despite warnings from doubtful friends that this was an advanced course with far more climbing and tricky turns than her first foray had been. Once again, the anger kicked in. “The more people doubted me, the more determined I was to go after it,” Sara remembers.

The day of the ride came. Sara was terrified, but she mustered every ounce of courage she had and hit the dirt. Within minutes of starting, she crashed. She took a minute to gather herself, then got back on her bike. She crashed again a short time later. She got up and swung her leg over the bike again even though everything in her was screaming, “Turn around! Go home!”

The trail was a bit out of Sara’s league. She crashed over a dozen times. She flew over the handlebars more than once. She ran into her riding partner. She fell into a giant swampy puddle. Every time she got back up. She didn’t quit.

On the way home from this ride, Sara’s second exercise bike came to mind. She realized she’d come so far from where she’d started. She wasn’t invincible, but she’d passed another test. Though the ride had left its mark and she was bruised and worn out, she hadn’t stopped. Quitting was no longer an option for her. Not on the bike. Not in life.

Her determination is right now being put to the test as Sara faces “Chuck”. That’s the name she’s given to the cancer that’s invaded her body. That old hatred has kicked in. “You can bet your bottom dollar I’m angry about it,” she states as a matter of fact. “I am in the ring, face to face with my biggest rival, but I won’t back down.”

How could she do anything else? She’s got too many “second rides” to take with her son whom she’s setting an example for, too many dreams that she’s got to live. She’s lost 135 pounds, but she wants to lose more. She’s signed up for mountain bike races this spring and cyclocross this fall. At Christmas time she’s got to deck out her bike and trailer in lights and, dressed as Mrs. Claus with crazy knee high socks, ride over to the hospital to deliver gifts. She’s going to ride RAAM on a team someday. She wants to be a MMA fighter and move with grace and precision like Tara LaRosa. “Realistic? Maybe not so much,” she admits, “but still a great dream to work towards. I know I will have a blast trying.”

Life is good for Sara M. Crazy, high-octane, with twists and turns and crashes, but good! Really good!

What to Do When Everything Goes Wrong

Caleb M. — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:33:01 +0000

If you think about any given day, being committed to training really isn’t that much of a commitment. An hour this day, an hour that day, maybe a couple of hours on weekend days. Manageable, and in the grand scheme of things, probably a very good time investment when you consider all the benefits outside of your running life that running provides. But sometimes life just gets in the way of running for whatever reason, and the next thing you know, you’ve taken a whole week off without meaning to. We’re not talking about an injury, just logistical or motivational challenges. So… … … what to do about it?

Step 1: Stop Freaking Out and/or Beating Yourself Up Yes, you missed some time. Maybe some or all of that could have been prevented, but it’s not going to make or break your goal. Go back to something I’ve said before: Have a short memory and a long outlook. “What I do today is for the long-term goal…” Turning into a negative Nancy has a 0% chance of making you a better runner tomorrow. It has a pretty good chance of getting you in a downward spiral of lack-of-confidence. Look forward!

Step 2: The First Rule of Training Still Applies There will be a tendency to want to make up for lost time here. That’s against the rules. Missed workouts are gone…no make-ups! If you are worried that you “lost fitness” during your unexpected time off, that’s simply not an issue. The general agreement among fitness experts is that it takes a few weeks of time off to really see declines. And let’s not forget that you still have a job to do with future workouts, and you need to keep to the pacing and spacing of work that your coach or training plan has prescribed. Don’t sabotage the next week, risk an injury, or put yourself in a bad position by trying to cram those missed miles back in.

Step 3: Run Easy for Time, Not Distance for a Week or 2 This step is to help with your mental state (really reduces pressure to not focus on a certain number of required miles) and to reinforce steps 1 and 2. The most important thing when you can get back to running is to reinforce the good habit of getting back out there. If you had to take time off from running because of a crazy work or travel schedule, use the first week to remind yourself how to schedule time for running and actually use the time. If you were dealing with some lost mojo, this is your chance to focus only on how much you get out of running just to run.

Step 4: Schedule Some Run(s) with Friends The final step to getting back in the groove is making yourself accountable. You can partially do that by interacting with your friends on dailymile, but the best way is to commit to meeting up with your running friends for some workouts.

Step 5: Resume and Move On Once you are feeling back to normal, just forget about the time off and move on with your training as planned. Keep your focus always forward, and don’t sweat the small stuff.

Remember, you’re not abnormal or uncommitted if you lose a week. Everyone needs time off for any number of reasons. Once you can find a way back to running, keep focused on the positives and keep your eye on the long-term prize.

No related posts.

dailymiler of the week – Leeanne F.

Mike N — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:10:05 +0000

Do What You Do Well

Caleb M. — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:00:29 +0000

I’m much better, admittedly, at the number-crunching side of coaching than I am at the inspirational platitudes. So here’s my attempt at a general pep talk. We’re already off to a good start: I’ve used one SAT vocabulary word. Soooo….is this the part where I tell a joke? No? OK, onward.

When I was a young runner, I was convinced that I was a miler. And I had some success by the standards of my immediate environment as such. When I was a junior in high school, I set the school record in the mile with something in the range of 5:15. I figured it would be no time until I was running miles in the 4′s. Fast forward to this week, when I finally ran a mile in under 5:00. Why so long? Because I’m not a “fast” runner…I’m an “endurance” runner.

I love this pace calculator tool on McMillan running, and it’s a good example of what I mean that I’m good at endurance and not good at fast. My marathon PR is 2:35. Go ahead and put that into the tool and it says that “equivalent” performance in the mile is 4:35. I did run in the 4:50′s for a mile, but I’m not going to run anything faster anytime soon…maybe ever. And that’s totally OK. You see, I know now that I’m not really a miler, or a 5k runner, or any short race runner. I’m built to train for and run long races. I’m short and relatively lightweight, I have a relatively efficient and low-impact stride. I’m pretty durable, and can put basically any type of shoe on my foot and be OK. If tested, I’d probably have a big VO2 Max, but I’m sure I have a lower ratio of “fast twitch” muscle fibers and have less explosive muscle capacity (I don’t jump high, throw fast, etc.). So I keep my focus on the marathon, because I know that’s where I have the most genetic and physiological aptitude.

But enough about me…this post is about you. Here’s (finally) the pep talk part. Look back at your training posts and ask yourself, “What do I do well?” Can you bust out short intervals like a champ? Do you get stronger, like me, as the race gets longer? Whatever it is, take advantage of it, and train to improve that discipline. You don’t need to be a marathoner if you never enjoy training for or running a marathon. You can dominate the track instead. Find what you do well, then do it!

No related posts.

dailymission redux: Best running videos

Ilona M. — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:10:41 +0000

It’s hump day. Ready to get your incline on?

Big smile on my face today because I love motivational, funny or thoroughly creative running videos or ads. Esp when I have hill work.

How about you?

A recent dailymission asked, “What is your favorite YouTube video about running?”

Here, my fav and a few of yours, too. Thanks for the amazing shares, DMers! Keep ‘em coming. Keep passing them on. Each so super insightful and delightful.

First up, Kris R. posted “Human Machine,” a nicely-produced piece on ultrarunning:

Angela, Teresa and Andrea shared the same video showing true runner’s grit:

Dcc tossed in a popular Nike Free ad that’s been making the rounds a lot around here lately. (Gerald and Joshua posted it, too.) “I love this video,” Dcc said. “I currently live across the country from my lovely wife as she finishes her degree and I am doing my thing in SF. She also got me sweet Frees for my birthday…just saying.” Lucky dog.

Eric posted a quirky and fun interview done at 2007′s Leadville 100 with the late Caballo Blanco (Micha True). Last line…classic goodness. What a force of nature he was.

Brad introduced his favorite by writing, “This is one of the most inspiring videos (about ANY subject) I’ve ever seen. It give you a new perspective when you think you have some hard struggles.” I couldn’t agree more. I love this athlete’s determination and spirit!

One of my besties right now was sent my way by a running pal (ty Beth). The long-form web ad for handful, a cheekily-named sports bra company, isn’t only about running.

But, I dare you not to fall in love with it, too.

Brian F. posted a clip of a sensational race that reminds us never to give up. Even when the moment looks grim, we can still rally inner resources. [YouTube's muted the audio, but it still remains a powerful piece of footage.]

Olaf invited us to see him and other German dailymilers compete at last summer’s Delmenhorst Down Under race. Great job, guys!

David shared a stoic video with a personal note: “You all know I’ve got a ton of [favorites], but not sure any move me more than this one does. Pure Inspiration. I get a tear in my eye everytime I watch this. Also reminds me alot of my late father who was a great runner. I still can see his footprints on the very roads I run today. He paved the way for me!”

Chad popped some super trail run videography (of 2011′s North Face Endurance Challenge-San Francisco) into the mix:

Mike N. closes us out with a classic Road Runner clip. Beep! Beep!

What’s your favorite running (or exercise) video on YouTube or Vimeo?

Find Your Strong Project: Week 2 Spotlight

raphael — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:00:05 +0000

“What’s the best running advice you ever got?” asked week 2 of the Find Your Strong Project. One of this week’s winners, Paul S., shares the story behind his winning advice in a Q&A with dailymile below:

Paul’s advice: “ SUCK IT UP! ”

Tough love, Paul! Who gave you this advice?

When I began running ultras in 1999, this was the advice that time and again experienced ultra runners would tell me. It’s now even the motto for the group I run with called the “Midwest Ultra Runners” started by my friend Misty.

Paul at the Dances with Dirt 50 Miler

When do you remind yourself to “suck it up”?

Ultra racing and training is a different animal compared to training for a 5k, 10k or marathon. Being a father of two, I need to run at 3-4 am in the morning to get my training in. I need to remind myself of those words some mornings when I’m tired or just don’t want to run.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I wear many hats life. I’m a fitness specialist for SeniorFitness where we provide exercise programs for seniors living in independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory loss centers. I’m also father, husband, running coach, race director and personal trainer!

How long have you been running ultras, and what kind of distances are we talking?

I first started running in 1993, and moved on to ultras in 1999 as I was attending Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. “Ultra” by definition is any distance greater than a marathon (ie 50k), and so far I have completed 50km’ers, 50 milers, 100 milers and even 150 milers.

Do you have any advice for runners thinking about running their first ultra?

Ultras are a whole different world – they’re difficult, but also very rewarding. Training on terrain similar to what you will experience at race helps greatly. Nutrition and hydration are also vital for success in ultra distances, as is proper mental preparation when developing your training program.

Paul and the Midwest Ultra Runners at Clinton Lake

What’s the Crazy Legs Race Series?

The purpose Crazy Legs Race Series (CLRS) is to promote non-pavement races in the Northwest Indiana region through the development and management of new and existing races. At each of my events, participants experience a fun and challenging course designed in a low-key atmosphere. Races are held in parks or areas in the Lake, Porter and Laporte counties. For those interested in learning more, they can head over the race website for more information: www.crazylegsraceseries.info.

What’s the most rewarding moment you’ve experienced as a race director?

Race directing is difficult, but when a runner comes up and tells you what a great experience it has been for them, the time and effort is suddenly all worth it.

How and when did you first hear of dailymile?

About a year ago a friend recommended the site to track workouts. I have been on other on-line sites and have tracked my workout in paper form (I know, I’m old) since 1993. I love Dailymile and feel that if I do not post my workout – it did not actually happen.

What will be your first run in your new Kinvara 3s?

I’m heading to Loveland, Colorado in May to direct my Crazy Legs 10k Trail run, so I’m excited to run in them while there.

Also for those interested in Ultras, here’s our crew’s video from the 2010 Leadville 100 miler:

–

Thanks to Paul for his time, and congratulations to all the second week winners! You can find each week’s submissions at saucony.com/strong.

Post #300: why dailymilers “rock!”

Kathy S — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:02:09 +0000

We’re marking milestones this Monday morning on the dailymile blog. This is our 300th post since we began writing two years ago. That’s 300 stories about running, racing, cycling, swimming, staying motivated, staying healthy, finding new routes and races, encouraging each other, celebrating our victories and getting past our failures. Most importantly, it’s been about you, the dailymile community!

To celebrate our 300th post, we’ve been asking for reasons why your dailymile friends rock. Did you fill out the form?

Today we’re collecting responses from the dailymission, so if you haven’t yet, tell us why your dailymile friends rock. Our goal is to have 300 responses by the end of the day.

Here are some of our favorites so far:

Because they are humble, supportive, and hilarious!
They high five you when you’re up, encourage you when you’re down and motivate you to work harder every day!
The amount of coaching and advice they give out for free is priceless, it would cost you hundreds of dollars to get that type of support from a dedicated coach.
They “get it done” no matter what. They are positive, driven people and I feel as if we are all part of a big extended family.
Because with out their encouragements, examples, and support, i would be sitting around eating brownies rather than starting training for my first ever marathon!
Dailymile friends are always there with words of encouragement to cheer on your accomplishments, support you through the tough times, and keep you motivated to keep working out!
Because they are the best darn people on the planet.
They are always there to boost my spirits when I’m being too hard on myself, they encourage me to believe I can accomplish my goals & they remind me to enjoy, relax and run for the love of running!
I love how encouraging all my fast friends are to an old, slow broad. It’s amazing and inspiring to see their times, but they never talk down to mine. That’s how my friends rock!
No longer am I the psycho brain in the normal crowd, I’m one of many normal brains in the psycho crowd
Because I would be a fat lazy turd without them. For real. Nothing but LOVE for y’alll!!!!
Because they do…. end of story

Check back later tonight for the full list of why dailymiler rock!

dailymiler of the week: Brent P.

Mike N — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:26:55 +0000

What does a normal person do on a cold, wintery night? Grab a book. Build a fire. Make hot chocolate. Relax.

That’s all fine and good if that’s your thing. But don’t expect Brent Prokop to join you. When it snows, he’s out the door with his mountain bike. He and his buddies love riding and racing in the dark across the powdery white stuff.

“Studded tires up your confidence on snow three times,” he reports. “Otherwise it’s low, low pressure in the knobby tires.” They ride them nearly flat at 15 psi from time to time. Pinch flats are always a risk, but the reward, postcard-pretty trail riding, is great enough that they go for it. “It’s incredibly, super huge fun!” says Prokop. He confesses, though, that he feels like a vampire with all his night riding.

Not every XC outing is an icy, slushy foray into the pitch black of night. Brent organizes informal group rides throughout the year, texting the details every Tuesday and Friday. Two major rules for these rides – start and finish as a group, no bloated egos. Brent often wears his GoPro camera on the trail so he and his friends can relive the fun as they watch the edited video recap.

Brent races XC in the much warmer summer weather. His favorite races are the Salty Dog Enduro, a 6-hour race which starts in Salmon Arm in May, and the Test of Metal, a 68-kilometer, XC, mass start race, at Squamish in mid-June.

Back in 2008, Prokop had one of his not-so-dull moments while racing the Test of Metal. With 12 kilometers to go, his seat rails broke. For most people, that would be a race-ending mechanical. Not this guy. He pulled his seat post, got back on the bike and finished the grueling climb through Crumpit Woods, quads burning all the way.

As enthused as Brent is about XC rides, his favorite rides take place on smooth, dry roads. Prokop puts in big miles on his Caruso Prastaro time trial bike. “There’s something about being in the aero bars cruising at speed that is so energizing,” he gushes, “so empowering.” He finds his 130-260 kilometer Sunday rides on the TT bike therapeutic. In the spring and summer months, he competes in a weekly TT series and crits. Two local Ironman 70.3 races in June and July prepare him for Ironman Canada in late August.
Brent is sponsored by his local bike shop, ChainLine Cycle. Of his backer, Prokop says: “Riding and flying their colors is a privilege as there are many, many more talented riders in Kelowna than me.”

XC. Trail riding. Time trial. Ironman. What more can this guy do? In an attempt to appear a normal cyclist, Prokop takes in the local Sunday road ride on occasion. For these rides, saddled up on his Caruso Veltri, his goal is clear: Try and keep up with all the young pups. “Doesn’t always work,” he admits with a grin.

Brent recommends dailymile to everyone he meets. “DM rocks!” he shouts. “Your dailymile friends will be there for you for questions and support.” For newer dailymile riders looking for pointers, he encourages a check in at a local bike shop to find a good group ride, one that will fit them. “If they’re rude and drop you forever, screw ‘em,” he advises. “Eventually you’ll find a group of mates that ride similarly to you.” He also suggests that they start small and have realistic goals, that they find a road ride or a XC trail that they like and work it. When they gain mastery over their first routes, they can tackle the longer rides and tougher trails. Finally, Prokop challenges his protégés to live by one simple rule: “Always ride the bike from home and back.”

He pays heed to his own wisdom. On any given day – rain, snow, sleet, sunshine – you’ll find Brent leaving his house and returning to it, two wheels rolling beneath him. It’s the only way to live for him.

The Base Phase: Starting a Training Cycle on the Right Path

Caleb M. — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:42:31 +0000

Here’s a visual of how any good training cycle should be composed:

See the bottom there? A nice big base of aerobic fitness. It’s kind of a big deal for a whole host of reasons:

Improving your running economy
Improving your cardiovascular endurance
Building general strength
Preparing your body for speedier workouts closer to race day

There are a number of other good reasons, but I think we can all agree that having a lot of miles logged when it’s time to start focusing on speed is a good thing.

In my mind, another big benefit of have a dedicated “base phase” for any training cycle (for all distances, not just for longer races) is that it builds variety into your plan. There are a couple of reasons why variety helps. First, it will lead to fitness gains simply through the act of planned variability. Our bodies naturally adapt and become more efficient at anything we do with repetition. So, if we always follow the same weekly plan without variability, over time our bodies will complete that weekly plan with increased efficiency…or said differently, with less training stress. Training stress is what leads to training improvement. Second, the variability is a natural preventative for overuse injuries. If we don’t take breaks from the track (or wherever you run your intervals and other speedy workouts), we’re just asking for a repetitive use injury like ITBS, runner’s knee, shin splints, and the like. Elite runners periodize their training for good reason: It gives them an added training benefit while helping prevent a potential training risk.

So, what does a good base phase look like, and when should you go through one? Here are 5 keys to success.

Allow 2 months or more of base training before using the last 8-10 weeks before your goal race for the “race specific” phase. This is the reason why most marathon training plans are 16-20 weeks in length…about half is for base building, then the final 2 months are focused on race pace. For me, the same goes for any race. Working backwards from race day, allow about 2 months for race-specific work (track intervals, tempo runs, race pace runs, and strides), then add a base block on the front of that. That gives you a sense of how long the entire “cycle” should be for that goal race.

Focus on increasing the total “time on your feet” during base training. You can start from any existing weekly mileage (including zero) entering a base phase, but the end goal should be to increase your mileage as much as you can while staying healthy. The biggest mistake I see a lot of people make is trying to consistently add 10% in miles each week. That might be right for you, it might not. I prefer to shoot for adding 20-30 minutes of running each week, and at all levels capping the total running time in a given week at 10-11 hours. This works a lot better in terms of injury prevention than saying: “I want to get to x miles, so I need to add y each week whatever it takes!” The goal is to build economy and endurance, and total time-on-feet is the best method.

Add one thing. During your base phase, you can add a new training wrinkle to make yourself better. This is when I try to refocus on core, strength, flexibility, etc. My rule of thumb is to add one new thing in each new base phase, but not more. If you give your body too many new stressors, you risk injury or burnout, which is what the base phase is intended to be just the opposite of.

Allow 20-30% of your weekly mileage in the long run. This is a Lydiard concept that I have always fully embraced. A good long run is the cornerstone to setting yourself up for successful workouts in the later training phase, so you need to get a big chunk of miles each week in a single run. This range (20-30%) is a good fit for people, regardless of their total mileage each week or the distance they are training for.

Allow 1-2 days a week for harder (but still aerobic) effort. When I am building training plans for people, they will have 1 or 2 of the following “aerobic workouts” during base phase weeks:

Fartleks: Start with cycles of 1 minute moderate effort and 3 minutes recovery, then change the ratio each week until you are running 4 minutes moderate/hard to 1 minute recovery. These should be run by feel, not by target pace.
Hills: Another Lydiard building block. Find a hilly route and run it at an easy pace once a week. The hills build leg and core strength as well as giving you a HR boost without working your fast-twitch muscle fibers too much. I like to have a hills day every week during the base phase.
Progressive Effort: Run a normal easy route, but ratchet up the intensity slightly each mile so that you finish at a moderate clip. These should be run by feel, not target pace, as well, and shouldn’t ever get into the true “sprint” of a finishing kick.
Races: As much as every couple of weeks, short races are a great way to track progress as well as provide some much needed pace sharpening. These shouldn’t be approached as “A” races, simply as a substitute for another effortful day that week. Run these races for fun.

At the end of a base phase, you should feel fit, strong, and ready to hone your pacing skills to meet your race goal. When you are planning your next training cycle, be sure to build in some time for a dedicated phase focused on base miles.

National Park Week: Seize the trail

Ilona M. — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:15:36 +0000

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” ~ Aldo Leopold, father of ecological ethics and true Wisconsin hero

Along Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail

May’s Running Times has a 4-page commentary in which founder Ed Ayres reflects on the state of running since the magazine’s launch 35 years ago. Since then, running has boomed from being a favored endeavor of a few thousand ’70s enthusiasts to becoming an essential part of tens of millions of lives.

Unquestionably, long-distance running — especially road and trail running, at distances from 5K to ultramarathons — has profoundly changed our understanding of physical and mental health, the athletic capabilities of women, and even human nature itself. …

From the time of Alan Sillitoe’s 1959 story, “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner,” [film adaptation] to the scores of festival-like running events that take place every weekend today, the story of distance running has become a more epochal phenomenon than any of us who were on the scene in the ’70s would have dared imagine.

Running has become big business.

According to Running USA, active runners in America today are more likely to be college-educated and affluent, buying an average of 3.2 pairs of running shoes annually ($2.32 billion were spent on just over 37 million pairs of shoes in 2010 alone). Another $1 billion plus was spent on jogging/running apparel. The sport continues to add races (a record 22,800+ last year), and even appears to be recession-proof. In 2010, over 1.3 million runners completed half marathons (the most ever); a record 13 million pinned a racing bib on of one distance or another (well over double the number from two decades ago).

Racing has also become a big donation-driver.

The Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council reports that the top 30 athletic events raised “$1.69 billion in gross revenue for charity last year, up $40.8 million or 2.46% from 2010 levels.” Running USA lists the Relay for Life series as the most successful fundraiser, collecting $416.5 million in 2010 for the American Cancer Society. The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure events, which account for 8 of the top 15 running festivals for 2010, raised $121.9 million for cancer research. Millions more were raised for MS, diabetes, leukemia, lymphoma and heart disease research.

One might think all of this activity would translate to a healthier overall population, but it hasn’t according to Ayres, who points to our current obesity epidemic and the fact that heart disease and diabetes remain mass killers.

Ayres wonders: Have we lost our way?

And yet, I have to wonder, just how much have the changes we’ve helped to foster actually improved the condition of society as a whole? A global consensus of environmental, biological and climate scientists has warned repeatedly — though largely to unhearing ears among politicians and media — that the world has entered a time of escalating ecological crisis.

What we’ve learned as runners, not only about health and fitness but about our relationship with the planet we depend on for every breath, could have critical importance in reshaping the lifestyles and policies of our country.

While we runners/walkers/riders are clearly a charitable bunch when it comes to raising funds for medical research, why aren’t we doing more for our natural spaces?

As an avid trail runner and hiker, being outdoors exploring parks and preserves in my local area and beyond is pretty routine. Most weeks, I volunteer with my local conservation district. And my husband and I donate to several environmentally-focused nonprofits. (Runners being such a giving bunch, I don’t doubt you do similar things.)

But, environmentally-focused races are hard to find.

Green racing events are popping up around the globe (see the San Francisco Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Eye-Q Two Cities Marathon, London Tree-athlon, Run for Central Park, Pfalz Point Trail Challenge). And (this past weekend being Earth Day), the Nature Conservancy’s new Team Nature initiative gave racers in the Northeast a chance to raise funds for the organization.

These developments are a match made in heaven…on earth.

My only wish? More such partnerships! I’m hoping to seek out more of these types of events and add them to my race calendar. In the meantime, the one thing we can all do is appreciate these amazing natural resources. And now that National Park Week is here, there’s really no better time to immerse yourself in such beauty. Presented by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation, admission to all of America’s protected public parks is free now through April 29, 2012.

Last May, my husband and I took a stroll along the National Park Service’s Ice Age National Scenic Trail as it sprang to life. Met by a friendly neighborhood dog (not many national parks come equipped with such guides, but the charming Chippewa Morraine segment did that day), we first checked out the Interpretive Center.

We learned that 600 (of 1,200) footpath miles run the length of moraines marking the furthest advance of Wisconsin’s last glacier. Divided into nine units, our section offered us 23 miles and three trail loops (Dry Lake, Mammoth Nature, and Circle) to explore.

Our new four-legged pal literally showing us the way, we stepped into our outdoor classroom and set out from the trail head situated atop a hill (or hummock) created by glacial lake sediment deposited some 12-15,000 years ago. After making our way past a grassy plain, we enter a forest paradise and see a showy snow trillium bathing in the sun.

We walk by myriad blue lakes and a tree snapped by a recent storm. (Can you spot our furry black guide dog below making his way from the lake to the grassy shoreline?)

While I stood snapping away at the scenery, our furry friend showed that runners and hikers aren’t the only ones who understand what fun blasting down a dirt trail can be! Ooooo, boy!

Of course, he didn’t know much about how the pristine lake he’d just taken a dip in first formed (blocks of glacial ice buried in deposits melted, leaving depressions called kettles); but, that didn’t seem to bother the old guy.

He showed us around an old abandoned logging road, and over a footbridge between two lakes. We stopped for a while at a bench at Horseshoe Lake to see a heron rookery (a colony of large stick nests in the trees) and wildflowers painting the landscape.

Atop an esker, an S-shaped ridge of sediment left along the bottom of a melt water stream (the stream ran through a tunnel beneath the ice), a stunning vista.

Although we were hiking this day, running these lanes requires extra attention and fancy footwork to navigate safely around the many erratics (large boulders) jutting out of the dirt. Dragged and polished by the glaciers so long ago, they remind middle-of-the-pack/slower runners like me how powerful slow and steady really can be.

Other than old blackie, the trail was all ours that day. So, I give a mighty oak a little love back for serving us up such fine air and scenery. Tree-hugging’s not only for hippies!

I’ve been lucky to hike and run this section of the Ice Age Trail a lot. This weekend, I’ll be back on it again (for the first time this year), racing in the Chippewa Moraine 50K/10K Trail Race. One day I may ultra. For now, the 10K will be plenty challenging. And immensely rewarding.

My experience on that special glacial terrain, working my way up and down rocky and rooty paths that whisper their secrets in my ear with every stride, will give my heart and legs a great workout. But, it will give my spirits a terrific boost, too. Running in amazing natural spaces such as this connects me to the land in such a significant way. To take part in the ebb and flow and history is education and appreciation rolled into one.

Wisconsin’s “Gift of the Glaciers” offers residents and visitors the perfect opportunity to reconnect. If you want to give it some loving care, see the Ice Age Trail Alliance for volunteer opportunities (and trail maps and current conditions).

Ed Ayres challenges us:

[W]hat have we runners done to help our troubled society find a more enduring and sustainable course? In some respects, it appears that we runners have simply gone our own way and now live in a parallel universe. We buy our high-tech shoes, Garmins and Gore-Tex gear and fly around the country (or take the Prius) to running events that are celebrations of the good life, but I wonder if we’ve become a little too disconnected from our origins–and our future. …

[W]e runners have a moral obligation to take more initiative to share what we’ve learned — about our interdependence with the natural world and each other, and about the critical importance of keeping our bodies and minds well-exercised.

Where do you connect with nature? What kind of charge do you get out of it? How do you use what you learn outdoors and/or share it with others?

Why exploring a new trail beats a new iPad every time

Find Your Strong Project: Week 1 Spotlight

Kathy S. — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:28:16 +0000

Last week, thousands of dailymilers and others across the globe shared their strong face with Saucony. The photos were full of emotion: joy, exhaust, accomplishment – all raw and palpable. This first week of the Find Your Strong project was a huge success, and we’d like to thank everyone who participated and shared their strong face!

Each week there are 10 winners, and we’ll try to spotlight one or more of them here on the blog. This week, one of those winners – Gerald H. – shares what inspires him in a Q&A with dailymile below:

Gerald's Strong Face

You’re looking strong in this picture! Can you tell us about the race and how you were actually feeling so close to the finish line?

This marathon (Berlin 2011) was actually my first, and so emotions were running high! My thighs started to hurt at around km 25 (mile 15), but the pain luckily did not get worse, so I was able to push my body to a negative split (second half of the marathon faster than the first). The last kilometer was the best and most unforgettable, as the finish line was already in sight and it was just a pleasure after 41 km on the legs! I will never forget the feeling of finishing this first marathon!

When did you first start running?

I started to run longer distances (> 5km) on a regular basis in 2008, but I did other sports before like sailing, cycling and kayaking.

How do you find your strong during races?

Oh, this is very different, depending on my current shape. Sometimes other runners in front of me challenge me to close the gap. Other times, when I’m in very good shape, the distance signs help me push even harder to the finish line – but the opposite can also be true! And last but not least, cheering spectators also help me to gain some extra seconds

Gerald’s weekly running distance (km's) up to Berlin Marathon race day

What is the most difficult part of race day for you?

The first two kilometers are always the hardest. It always takes some time to bring me into the right and fast running mood. But when I have found my “flow”, I am able to keep this pace for a long time.

Do you prefer to train alone or with friends?

I prefer to work on speed and interval alone, but I meet every weekend with other dailymilers from Berlin for a long slow distance (LSD) run, which I really enjoy. I’ve also just started to run to work (15 miles) with a colleague at least once a week!

Gerald at the finish line of the 2011 Berlin Marathon (3:39:57) with the famous Brandenburg Gate and Berlin Tower (Fernsehturm) in the background

What are your goals for 2012?

1st Triathlon (Olympic distance), 3:20:00 Marathon, and 1st ultra-marathon (~60 km)

Do you have any advice for other dailymilers out there?

When you start running, you should always record your workouts (time & distance). This helps to find motivation and achieve personal bests. Of course posting of your workouts to dailymile also helps receive motivation from the comments of other runners!

What is going to be your first route in your new pair of Saucony Guide 5s?

I can’t wait to wear them on my standard 18 km route: http://www.dailymile.com/routes/1092927-running-route-in-berlin-de

–

Thanks to Gerald for his time, and congratulations to all the first week winners! You can find all other submissions at saucony.com/strong.

dailymiler of the week: Vern M.

Mike N — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:23:36 +0000

Vern Myers doesn’t race much. He runs for what running gives him – physical fitness, an outlet for stress relief, quiet reflective hours. “It gives me a mindset that anything is possible,” Myers says. Not that he’s opposed to entering a local 5K here, a Turkey Trot 10K there. He just doesn’t care that much for big events. He runs the local marathon, The Gusher, each year and he completed his first ultra, the Rocky Raccoon 50K in Huntsville, Texas, last November. Crossing the line on that one was a very personal moment. His favorite annual outing, the Deer Fly Festival 25K Trail Run, isn’t an “official” race at all. It’s a free event – no registration forms or fees. It’s really just a group run with finisher’s medals. “You just let the race director know you’re coming or show up and sign in at the race.”

Before Vern took up serious running in 2008, he took daily brisk walks and threw in a jogged interval every once in a while. He did a bit of cycling too. He just wanted to keep up some general fitness. But then, as he grew older, he looked around and observed that the most active people maintained a great quality of life as they aged. That’s when he took up running. He says, “I just decided I wanted to step it up a notch fitness-wise.”

About a year after he started running, Myers discovered dailymile. He joined because it looked like a cool way to log and track his workouts. The big surprise came when he started meeting people. He loves sharing thoughts and encouragement with those in his network of friends. “The support here has contributed to my successes in a big way,” he says. “I’ve made some close friendships that I really treasure.”

Outside of running and general fitness, Myers reports a love for reading, camping and kayaking. He spends his spare time on do-it-yourself home improvement projects and “playing the guitar poorly.” He is also passionate about caring for the environment and advocating for animal rights. Both concerns have led him to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle.

Vern gives these tidbits of advice to beginning runners. “Build up slow and gradual. Schedule recovery days into your program. Listen to your body and take extra recovery when you need it.” In addition he suggests cross training saying, “Sometimes runners neglect everything except their legs.”

Myers heeds his own advice. He cross trains on his bike, lifts weights and practices yoga. Yoga is, according to him, the yin to running’s yang. “Running, cycling, and weight training all tighten the muscles,” he states. “Yoga loosens them.” He believes the meditative part of yoga helps him make the mind-body connection which keeps him in tune with what his body is saying to him as he runs. The physical component increases his range of motion making his running more efficient.

Race Cramping: Causes and Prevention

Caleb M. — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:00:02 +0000

I understand going into this post that a few people will probably disagree with what I have to say. But, I feel it’s important, as someone who coaches others to be more successful distance runners, to break with conventional wisdom when there’s evidence to do so. As I am an evidence-based rationalist to my core, this is one very good example of that. I’d love for this post to lead to some constructive debate, so if you have links to other scientific examples like those I’m including, please comment with them. Preamble over…on to the post.

Leg muscle cramping is a big issue for runners, and it particularly gets a lot of play in marathon and ultramarathon circles. When cramps hit, there’s really nothing you can do but walk. The traditional argument for the causes of cramping boils down to one or both of the following factors:

Dehydration
Electrolyte depletion

So the common prevention steps are to drink plenty of fluids and take electrolyte supplements (either in the drink or via tabs, capsules, etc.). And in the case where cramps start to cause problems during a long run or race, the traditional reaction is to try to offset them by replenishing fluids and electrolytes.

I’ve got issues with the cause argument, the prevention approach, and the proposed fix. Let’s take each in turn.

On the causes of cramping during extended bouts of exercise, there is now a more focused body of research to draw upon. There are several good studies that have been carried out under a variety of settings, and here are three that summarize quite well what I currently believe (chosen because they are free downloads so everyone can take a deeper look, should they wish):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15970952 This study measured the incidence and time to onset of calf cramps in a laboratory setting with groups that were either given a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink or not. While there was a difference in time to onset of cramps (longer for the carbohydrate electrolyte drink group), the incidence of cramps was the same across both groups. Conclusion: Dehydration and electrolyte loss are not the only cause of cramping.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15273192 This study may be most relevant or familiar as it was performed in race conditions. Experimenters took weight measurements and blood samples from ultramarathoners before and after a race, then looked for relationships between cramping and their weight and/or electrolyte concentration in the blood. Overall, there was no difference between those with and without cramps in terms of bodyweight (an indirect measure of dehydration) or electrolyte profile. Conclusion: Dehydration and electrolyte loss are not associated with cramping.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17465609 This study summarizes a number of different data sources to try to determine what might be the cause of acute cramping, if not dehydration and electrolyte loss. The presented theory highlights spinal reflex mechanisms which are a result of localized muscle fatigue as a cause of the muscle cramps. In other words, muscle fatigue from endurance exercise leads to a neuroskeletal feedback loop that causes unwanted muscle contractions at the fatigue site. Conclusion: Cramps are brought on by muscle fatigue.

This jives with a couple of common sense arguments that I’ve always had. The first is: “Electrolyte and fluid loss are everywhere in the body, but cramps are very localized.” If these were the causes, you’d expect cramps to hit your whole body. The second is: “Cramps really only hit people in longer races.” You’d expect a decent incidence of cramping in short races from people who showed up dehydrated if this was the leading cause, but that’s not really the case.

OK, on to the typical prevention approach…drink early and often in a race. Aside from the potential issues with hyponatremia, over-hydrating also is a poor energy management strategy during a race. Consuming drinks takes energy to do (i.e. moving across the road, slowing down and speeding up, messing with breathing cadence), and digestion takes energy as well. Plus an over-full stomach is no fun to try to run hard with. So, I’m much more of an advocate of drinking only when thirsty. Same goes for managing cramps when they set in. Not only do I think it’s treating the wrong cause, but it’s going to lead to the potential for other problems (like barfing…).

Let’s flip the whole thing and approach cramps from the perspective of the last article. If cramps are caused by muscle fatigue, the only way to avoid them is to train your muscles to fatigue later and later. So, this is why I prescribe a couple of specific things for people training for marathon (or longer) races:

As many miles as the body can handle without getting injured during training. Time on feet wins all arguments, and muscles that have lots of practice running when tired (the whole idea of mileage) become more efficient and fatigue later.
Long runs with minimal fueling. Not every long run, but some long runs are simply time-on-feet with very little calories so that the athlete can simulate running in a depleted physical state to train their muscles how to deal with it.

When cramps do hit, and I hate to say this, there is nothing you can really do for that race. In this case, it’s all about the proper prevention strategy: Strong and well-trained legs will carry you to the finish.

Also of note: I don’t think that hydration, carbohydrate, and electrolyte consumption don’t have positive effects during training or racing, I’m just speaking of cramping in this case. And at the end of the day, we’re talking about complex and interconnected biological processes that are likely to have a number of causes. If your strategy is working for you during races, stick with it. If you’ve had cramping issues in the past, then give the extra preparation that I’ve mentioned a try.

dailymiler of the week: Renee B.

Mike N — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:27:22 +0000

Three minutes. That’s all Renee B’s doctor will let her run at one time right now. Two months ago she stepped on a stick while running. The result? A high ankle sprain. “Stupid stick!” she growled. She is determined to return to running.

This isn’t the first time Renee has come back from an injury. She ran in high school in the 1980s, following the footsteps of my sister and brother into cross country and then on my own into track. Then in gymnastics she tore her ACL and meniscus. She had surgery to repair the tears and was told never to run again. “I pretty much gave up all exercise,” she confessed.

Out of school, she had kids and gained wait. Then in 2004 her knee began to act up again. It hurt. It gave out constantly. “I could tell I had more meniscus tears,” she stated. A visit to an orthopedist brought the cold hard facts to the fore. Renee no longer had an ACL. In January 2005, she underwent ACL reconstruction surgery. It was the hardest, but best thing she ever did.

“Part of my rehab was to walk,” she said. She started by walking to the neighbor’s mailbox and back. When that became routine, she walked further. She continued to increase her distance and time until she could walk for 25 minutes. She wondered then if she could jog. “I would jog to one telephone pole, walk to the next and repeat,” she reported. Renee eventually found a couch to 5k program that she that she convinced her husband, Dave, to follow with her. They lost 75 pounds!

“I am so fortunate that Dave and I can workout together,” Renee said. “There are many days when one of us really doesn’t want to go out. One will get the other off the couch and out the door.”

Dave and Renee ran for awhile and then took to cycling together, too. Shortly thereafter, Renee heard about the sport of duathlon. She’d never heard of anything like that before, but figured if she could ever compete in the run-bike-run event, she’d know she was healed.

In 2009, Renee ran her first 5k. “I had a blast! I blew away the goal I had set for the entire year.” Renee did more 5ks that year and then in 2010 she added a few half marathons to the mix. That was the year she finally entered her first duathlon with her running shoes and a borrowed bike. She was hooked!

Last year, Renee and Dave completed a few road races, a trail series and several duathlons. She had a good year, placing in the top four of her age group in everything I did. “I even had a third woman overall at one duathlon!” she effused.

There are no duathlons during the summer months in Minnesota, so in order to keep competing in multi-sport events, Renee took up swimming so she could enter a triathlon or two. This was a big step for her. Because of a few near drowning experiences, she was afraid to put her face in the water. Still, she took beginner swim lessons at the YMCA. “One of my instructors held my hand while stepping in the deep end,” she admitted. She survived that and was diving into the pool by the end of the session. Over the long winter months, Renee continued swimming, running and cycling classes. She was looking forward to a great 2012.

Then came the stick. On February 3, Dave and Renee were out on an easy 8-mile run. It was a beautiful day, but there was a little snow and some ice to watch for so they were running carefully. Three and a half miles into the run, they crested a hill. Renee looked down the slope to see where the icy patches might be and missed seeing the stick that did her in.

“I made enough noise going down,” she reported, “that two people from across the street started over to help me.” Before they arrived, another person stopped their car to see if she needed help. Because Renee couldn’t walk, the woman loaded Dave and Renee up and drove them home. “That’s Minnesota nice at its best!” she stated.

Recovery has been difficult for Renee. “While I’ve put on a brave face,” she reported on dailymile, “the fact is there have been many tears.” Those tears aren’t holding her back though. She’s not a quitter. She keeps swimming and cycling as much as she can and she’s started doing those 3-minute running repeats her doctor allows with power walking between. She has registered for her first triathlon in June. Her goals for that event are simple. Don’t drown on the swim. Bike as hard as she can. Run without reinjuring her ankle. The age group awards can wait till later.

How to Run Boston (also, How Most People Get Broken at Boston)

Caleb M. — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:00:31 +0000

I know that everyone who reads this post that is running the Boston Marathon on Monday has already spent more time than they would care to admit obsessing about the course profile. You’ve probably spent a lot of time focusing on Heartbreak Hill, and in your dreams (if you are running your first Boston), you imagine getting to the base of it and seeing it stretch endlessly beyond the horizon. But Boston requires your focus at a lot of different points in the race, not just for the 3/4 of a mile when you’ll be running up Heartbreak. So many people get sucked into the many different vortices that I thought it might be nice to talk about the best way to run the race course.

So here’s the big secret to running well in Boston, rather than feeling great until the Newton Hills then falling most precipitously off the proverbial pace wagon. I’ll give you a moment to go close the door to your office so this amazing Boston secret doesn’t get out to the riff-raff.

…

OK, perimeter secure? The secret to running Boston is that it’s just like any other marathon course. (Sorry to disappoint if you were expecting magic) So, go out conservatively, run steady in the middle, focus on steady effort over the hills, and then dig deep in the last few miles.

Let me break that down a bit more for you. Let me juxtapose how a lot of people crash and burn at Boston with how you really should run it like any other course. I’ll give you a few unique Boston tid-bits that I’ve picked up (I ran Boston in 2010) and that I’ve seen other experienced Bostoners talk about.

A consistent pacing strategy took Geoffrey Mutai to the win in 2011. Photo: photorun.net

Go Out Conservatively. This is the most important thing to do in any marathon, but Boston has a number of things working against you in this respect. First, it’s Boston. Normal race-day adrenaline is even worse. Second, you’ve been cooped up in the Athlete’s Village for a few hours, and all you want to do is run. Third, it’s seeded. Everyone around you in your corral also ran about the same qualifying time, so you’re all going to feed off one another (and let’s face it, want to compete with one another). Last, and most important, it’s a big downhill at the start. You drop about 300 feet in the first 4 miles, but half of that is in the first two-thirds of a mile. The course is begging for you to go out like a cannonball, and that’s what plenty of people do. And then they get to Newton and their legs are 100% dunzo. Contrast everyone who thinks they can “Bank Time” on the early hills with Geoffrey Mutai in 2011 (he ran the fastest Boston and fastest marathon…ever): Mutai ran the first 5k in 4:41 pace, and finished the race averaging 4:42 pace.

Enjoy the Screamers at Wellesley, but Stay in Control. Photo: photorun.net

Run Steady in the Middle. Boston is a non-stop cheer-fest. It’s unlike other marathons (except for the really big ones like New York) in that there are very few spots where there aren’t a lot of spectators. And there are plenty of places where there are an abundance of spectators. It’s easy to get caught up in the screaming and start pressing the pace too soon. The most well-known example of this is Wellesley just after the halfway point. Those chicks are really screaming. And it’s crazy energetic, and plenty of people want to get up and take off at this point. Again, this will come back to haunt you when the hills hit. I’m not saying you have to run through there like a stone-faced robot. Every year when Ryan Hall runs through this point, he gets right up close to the screamers and gets them even more loud. But he doesn’t pick up the pace at this point. Bank that energy and use it later.

Heartbreak Hill only rises 88 feet. So run it easy like any other hill.

Focus on Steady Effort Over the Hills. When you get to Newton and the hills begin in earnest, you’ve now had the entire training cycle plus 16 miles to think about how you are going to attack the climbs. First instinct: Run them hard! Think this over, though. You’ve just been running downhill for a long time…your quads are going to need to adjust. Don’t make the mistake of taking off like a rocket up the first hill. Like any marathon, run steady effort over the hills. This goes double for Heartbreak. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a huge hill (roughly 100 feet of elevation gain over a little less than a mile), but it looms large in everyone’s brain. As you start up Heartbreak, you’ve still got about 10k left in the race…so while you may think that the end of the effort is at the top, you’ve still got plenty of work left to do.

Dig Deep in the Last Few Miles. Here’s where it’s time to let yourself get totally caught up in the frenzy. Once you have a few miles left, go ahead and throw everything I said about being conservative out the window and just run. You get another stretch of elevation loss to the finish, so use it to your advantage. The crowds are crazy all the way to Boylston Street…let yourself get caught up in the energy and give it all you’ve got. When you make the final left turn, just GO. That straight is longer than everyone expects, but you’ll make it. The fanfare alone gives you twice the normal finishing strength.

Remember that scene in Hoosiers where they went and measured the court in Indianapolis at the state finals? Think of Boston the same way. It might feel bigger, different, more than any other marathon course, but at the end of the day, it’s 26 miles and 385 yards just like any other marathon. Keep your approach the same: Smart, conservative, relaxed…then get after it in the last 5k!

Ready? Set. Boston!

Ilona M. — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:09:12 +0000

Are you a hardcore Boston Marathon junkie, or a newbie like me?

In terms of media coverage, the Boston Marathon is the most popular single-day sporting event in the U.S. behind the Super Bowl. But, as a casual runner who only started racing two years ago, this American institution was somewhat of an enigma to me.

2009 Boston Marathon, leading ladies and winner Deriba Merga (inset)

I haven’t Bucket Listed Boston (or any other marathon, for that matter) yet, or plotted it on my race calendar. I have yet to run even a first small local race of this distance. Hopefully, someday I will. Right now, it’s just not on my radar. And so, until very recently, I haven’t paid much mind to the marathon distance.

What could I possibly contribute to dailymile’s 2012 Boston Marathon coverage?

2010 Boston Marathon's Copley Square, winner Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot

Luckily for me (and you, I hope), on Monday I caught Universal Sports Network’s back-to-back-to-back rebroadcast of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 races. The 6-hours of reruns were just the Cliff Notes I needed to figure out what Boston is all about.

If you’re a lifelong racer, chances are you know more about this special race than me. But, if you’re intrigued and not entirely sure what it’s all about, a few random tidbits (not at all comprehensive) on racing in Boston.

The course along Kenmore Square, 2010 Boston Marathon

Spirit of '76 ... first Boston Marathoners?

Every year, Boston makes history. The 26.2-mile race (the oldest continuous marathon in the world) is held each year on Patriots’ Day, a regional civic holiday creating a 3-day weekend for millions in six surrounding states. Every third Monday in April, as the area remembers the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War, events of every type and stripe get underway. And, for 116 years, the Boston Marathon has been one of them.

Some race specifics:

Registering for Boston isn’t as easy as it is for most races. Before you can mail in an application, you’ll have to complete a Boston-certified marathon. In 3:10:59 (3:05:00 in 2013). Oh, and only 25-27,000 racers get the pleasure of lacing up for the popular spring classic, so the competition is super fierce for a racing slot.
The race goes through eight Massachusetts towns, beginning in Hopkinton and ending in downtown Boston.
Unlike most other courses, Boston has hills….lots of them. Like the New York City Marathon, Boston offers a more technically-challenging course than fast and flat surface races. Runners need to be swift; but, they also need a strong tactical skill set and a winning strategy to get them to the podium in New England.
Boston provides no pacers for its racers. This is another similar feature it shares with New York, which sets those competitions apart from other top 5 marathons (such as Berlin or Chicago).

Here’s a quick look at every hill and curve of the course:

A vid of last year’s race shows how the ‘common’ people (who are entirely inspirational and anything but commonplace) experience race day. Boston spectators rule, too!

I came across a few fun old-timer pics (all are in the public domain, accessed via Wikimedia Commons) that take us back a century or more, when Americans and Canadians owned the event. (Love these pics, but wish a wider variety were in the public domain.)

Jack Caffrey, 1900-1901 winner (top). Fred S. Cameron, 1910 Boston Marathon finish (bottom).

1915 winner Édouard Fabre

“John (“Jack”) Peter Caffery was a Canadian track and field athlete who competed in the marathon at the 1908 Summer Olympics where he finished in 11th place.” Caffrey was also a two-time champ at Boston, clocking in at “2:39:44.4 in 1900 and 2:29:23.6 in 1901, both of which were course records for the then 25-mile course.“

“Fred Simpson Cameron of Nova Scotia, on April 19, 1910, was the 4th Canadian to win the 14th Boston Marathon at 23 years of age with the 3rd fastest time of the 14 Boston Marathons with a time of 2:28:52. Fred wore bib #33 and ran the Boston Marathon only one time in his life.”

Meanwhile, “Édouard Fabre was born in Sainte-Geneviève, Quebec, and won the Boston Marathon in 1915 with a time of 2:56:41.8. In 1914, he had come in second in the Boston Marathon to fellow Canadian James Duffy.”

1907 winner Tom Longboat

Tom Longboat was a pretty fascinating athlete (for his day especially). “In 1907 he won the Boston Marathon in a record time of 2:24:24 over the old 24-1/2 mile course, four minutes and 59 seconds faster than any of the previous ten winners of the event. He collapsed, however, in the 1908 Olympic marathon, along with several other leading runners, and a rematch was organized the same year at Madison Square Garden. Longboat won this race, turned professional, and in 1909 at the same venue won the title of Professional Champion of the World in another marathon.”

His coaches didn’t like his alternating hard workouts with ‘active rest’ such as long walks. “When he was a professional, these recovery periods annoyed his promoters and the sports press often labelled him “lazy,” although the practice of incorporating “hard”, “easy”, and “recovery” days into training is normal today.”

1940 Boston Marathon winner, Gerard Cote

One last oldie, but goodie, “Gérard Côté was a Canadian marathon runner and a four-time winner of the Boston Marathon. Born in Saint-Barnabé-Sud, Quebec, Côté was training to be a boxer when he switched to running marathons. He competed in his first Boston Marathon in 1936 and won the race in 1940, 1942, 1943, and 1948.” His 1940 victory set a new course record (2:28:25).

Boston pace progression:

In 1928, Clarence Demar (USA) was the first to finish in sub 6-minute pace territory.
In 1970, Ron Hill (England) broke the sub 5-minute barrier.
In 2011, Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) smashed all previous marathon records when he finished Boston in 2:03:02 (4:42 per mile pace).

Of course, back in the day, women weren’t ‘allowed’ to race Boston. In 1972, that changed when Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb became the first woman to officially run the entire race. Yay!

Astronaut Suni Williams runs 2007 Boston Marathon in space

Jumping a few decades forward and literally off the course and into the record books, one of the more interesting achievements by female runners has been astronaut Suni Williams’ 2007 Boston Marathon in Space. As a member of Expedition 17 on the International Space Station, “she ran the first marathon by an astronaut in orbit. Williams finished the 2007 Boston Marathon in four hours and 24 minutes. The other crew members reportedly cheered her on and gave her oranges during the race. Williams’ sister, Dina Pandya, and fellow astronaut Karen L. Nyberg ran the marathon on Earth, and Williams received updates on their progress from Mission Control. In 2008, Williams participated in the Boston Marathon again, this time on Earth.”

Famous Citgo sign in Boston's Kenmore Square

Watch the Boston Marathon live on Universal Sports Network, next Monday April 16, 2012, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm/Eastern.

Boston Marathon mile marker 25

And, if you’re one of the lucky ones to be running Boston this year, good luck to you. The rest of us will be living vicariously through you. Go make history, baby!

How one runner lost 198 pounds

TheBeerRunner — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:00:20 +0000

Mike Bauler has lost 198 pounds since last January and has completely turned his life around. This May, he will be completing his first ever marathon while running with DetermiNation. In this Q+A, he explains how he did it.

Today

How did you start?

I played football in college so any running distance over 100 Meters was discouraged. I have always been competitive, but nearly 30 there are not many options athletically besides beer league softball (which I play too). I started out with 5k’s, then a 10k, then did my first half last year. Through my first half I wore a pair of old basketball shoes I had laying around, since then I made the investment and got some decent shoes (asics GT 2170)

How much weight have you lost so far?
As of today, 4-2-12 I have lost 198 pounds. When I started my weight loss journey in January 2011 my goal was to lose 200 pounds by my 30th Birthday. I will be 30 May 5th. 2 pounds to go!

Before

You work the night shift. How do you balance your schedule and balance other responsibilities with training?
I am new to my job, I spent nearly 6 years in Adaptive Recreation before I transitioned into Supply Chain/Logistics with Target. I enjoy my new career, but the work hours took time to adjust too. I work Tues-Friday, 4pm-2a, so I always have a 3day weekend. During the week I only get 4-5 hours of sleep as I get up with my 2 boys Eli (3) and Carson (2) while Megan, their Mom is at work. I normally get in my weekly long run on Sunday or Monday, then 1-3 short runs during the week, most often on Tuesday and Thursday before work.

Why did you choose to run? Do you any other types of fitness activities?
Running is cheap! I get bored at the gym by myself, maybe it was all those years playing football and being with teammates in the locker room. On days I can not make it to the gym or cant get out of the house to run I do P90x at home. Normally my boys try to do it to! I play beer league softball, but the running is limited. I would like to try a warrior dash or tough mudder one day.

How did you get involved with DetermiNation?
I was looking at information on the Madison Marathon and it advertised it on there. My parents both had cancer, it was a good fit.

What’s your ultimate goal?
Honestly, I have spent much of my life worrying and scared, now I take it a few days of time (without neglecting responsibilities) and enjoy it as much as possible.

What’s your advice to others who are getting started running or getting in shape?
Start Slow, make it fun. Don’t worry about your time! (though I am my own worst enemy when it comes to that.

Anything else you’d like to add
Don’t waste your money on crash diets, planned meals, or surgeries. Being healthy takes a lifestyle shift, to be healthy and stay healthy you need to know how to live it every day.

dailymiler of the week: Ben W.

Mike N — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:01:09 +0000

Three years ago Ben Waldman was training for his first marathon. He was somewhere around mile 17 or 18 on one of his final long training runs when he experienced a moment of great clarity. As he climbed Central Park’s torturous Harlem Hill, his mind and legs arguing over which would give up first, Ben realized that the biggest obstacle to his success was in his head. He saw that distance running is more about mental strength than anything else. Then he realized, too, that this was true of all of life. “The following day I walked into my boss’ office and told him I wanted a promotion and a raise,” Waldman reported. “And I got it!” It was his new found clarity that he credits for the confidence to walk in and make that bold request.

Waldman’s intro to the race scene was the 2004 “Run Hit Wonder” in Central Park, a great 10K with various 80s one hit wonder bands performing along the route. Since that first race, he’s had the chance to run in ten half marathons and three major marathons – Chicago, New Jersey and NYC. His currently planned race schedule includes the Brooklyn Half and a return to the NYC Marathon. The event he’s most excited about, though, is the NYC Triathlon. It’s his first tri.

Speaking of the sport he loves, Waldman said, “Running gives me peace of mind. It gives my brain a moment to shut down and stop thinking. It’s my form of meditation!” He passed along this bit of advice: “Just get your butt out the door and get moving.” He believes that is the toughest part of running. “Don’t worry about mileage or speed,” he suggested. “Take it one mile or even one block at a time.” This approach makes running less daunting, more manageable for Ben.

About the same time as Waldman’s moment of clarity, he made a visit to the eye clinic for a regular check up. He asked his optometrist to take a look at the small white spot he’d first observed the year before and forgotten about. The eye doctor’s opinion was that it was likely nothing, but since Mr. Waldman was already scheduled to see an ophthalmologist to talk about Lasik surgery later in the week, he suggested getting his opinion. The second doctor had great news. Ben was a candidate for Lasik. Then he dropped the bomb. He thought Waldman should go see an ocular oncologist down in Philadelphia. “What?! An oncologist?!” That set Ben back on his heels.

The oncologist’s initial exam was inconclusive. It was a tumor of some sort, but there was no way to tell how serious it was without a biopsy. Waldman opted to have it removed just to be safe. Fortunately, it was benign. Precancerous.
“I was lucky, but I was changed,” Ben stated. “I realized how important health is, and decided to focus more on improving my life in every way.”

Ben decided he wanted to do whatever he could to help others whose results did not come back as positively as his had. This past spring, he joined Team in Training to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. When he began raising money through TNT, he learned of several friends and friend’s family members who are battling various forms of cancer. He also heard many stories of the people and families the LLS helps. Sporting his purple team singlet, he said, “I couldn’t be prouder of what I am doing!”

Track Speed for Short Races: To the Pain Locker!

Caleb M. — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:00:37 +0000

A few weeks back, I posted some key workouts that I like to put in training plans for marathons. The marathon is about control and endurance. Shorter races (5k to 10k) are about running hard and spending some time (or the whole race, if you can stand it) in the pain locker. If you want to be able to race hard, you need to train yourself to run hard and consistently. And if you’re lucky, you might have something left for a kick to the finish.

Springtime is a great time to focus on speed and shorter races. If you’re coming off of a long marathon training cycle through the fall or winter (and as you can get back outside to enjoy some days on the track), it’s a nice change from the repetition and monotony that marathon training can bring. Also, getting some speed into your legs early in the year will make longer intervals “feel” a bit less difficult down the road. And let’s be honest…it’s fun to run fast.

As with any other distance, how you train is how you’ll race. Go out too hard and fizzle in your workouts, and you’ll most likely do the same thing on race day. Teach yourself to start fast but in control, and you’ll be able to do the same thing on race day. Here are my favorite workouts for building that sort of ability.

Pre-workout Warm-up: It is really important to get in a proper warm-up before any hard interval session. Not only is it smart to rehearse the warm-up before race day arrives, but it’s also critical to have your muscles and joints good and warm before working hard. You can check out my post on warm-ups here. Do a full 5k-10k warm-up before these workouts, and jog for 20+ minutes afterwards to cool down.

Pyramid to Cut-down: The concept here is to be smart for the first half, then increase speed for the second half. Another pet name for this workout is “Controlled Explosion.” After your warm-up, run intervals of 200, 400, 600, 800, 1200 @ 10k pace (yes, for all of them), then 1200, 800, 600, 400, 200 progressing from 10k pace down to mile pace. Recover for half the time of the previous interval at a jog.

Classic Cut-down: This workout is a staple of high-school track and XC programs, and for good reason. Its focus is increasing speed while you are getting tired, something that the best short distance racers have an ability to do. After your warm-up, run a set of 1600′s (2-3) @ 10k pace, a set of 800′s (3-4) @ 5k pace, a set of 400′s (4-5) @ mile-3k pace. Recovery time = half of interval time. Then, finish with a set of 100′s (5-6) with a jog recovery back to your starting point.

20 Quarters: When I was living in Athens, GA and training with some racehorse shorter-distance guys, the group would work on building up to running 20 400′s at the peak point of the season. I never got all the way to 20 with those guys…but I definitely got faster in races. After your warm-up, run sets of 4 400′s with 30 seconds standing rest after each interval. At the end of each set, you can take an extra 30-60 seconds rest before starting the next set. Early in the season, run 2 sets, then build up to running 5 sets (or 20 total 400′s). These should be consistently paced, allowing for a little bit faster per interval in the final set. The pace for each 400 should be between 1-mile and 2-mile race pace.

Time Trial and 200s: About 2 weeks before your race, you can both get in a good workout and check your fitness with this one. After your warm-up, run a 2-mile time trial (race it!). Then jog for 10 minutes and change back into trainers (if you change into flats or spikes for track intervals). Then, run 4-8 more laps, alternating between 200 hard and 200 recovery, then cool down. The time trial will give you a good sense of what pace you can manage on race day, and the 200′s after recovering will give you another chance to practice running fast when your legs are getting tired.

Here’s a bonus tip. Shorter distance speed isn’t about putting your head down and pushing. It’s about learning to relax and let your stride and turnover do the work. Smooth = speed.

Fuel + Fire (#4): Stick With It

Ilona M. — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:37:15 +0000

In a dailymission last year on favorite motivational quotes, DMers Chelsie and Molly E. picked Winston Churchill’s rousing “Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up.” (Also repeated as “Never never never give up.”) The full Churchill speech was given October 29, 1941, while visiting Harrow School after the Blitz during World War II. Snip:

But for everyone, surely, what we have gone through in this period, this is the lesson: Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never — in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.

“Never give up the ship,” added Trailultra, “fight her until she sinks.”

In the same vein, Hashi2 channeled former president Calvin Coolidge:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

Alun shared the advice of Olympic marathoner Emil Zatopek: “If one can stick to the training throughout the many long years, then willpower is no longer a problem. It’s raining? That doesn’t matter. I am tired? That’s beside the point. It’s simply that I just have to.”

What’s real-world tenacity? Looking for an example of pure heart and sheer willpower? Find it coursing through every frame:

“The key to self-discipline is remembering what you want,” Chad B. shared, “This is what I kept repeating to myself over and over again when I was trying to lose weight. I still say it when I want to not work out or spend more than we have or any situation when I want to take the easy way out.”

Jessica recalled Bear Bryant’s thoughts: “There’s a lot of blood, sweat, and guts between dreams and success.”

Greg T. quoted Owen Barder: “Running is a very honest sport. You get out what you put in. If you haven’t done the training…you can’t fake it. But if you put in the work, you will reap the rewards. There is nothing flash and nothing glamorous about the sport; just honest hard work. Perhaps this explains the straightforward and open character of the runner.”

Sylvie, Gene and Angela all shared Dean Karnazes’ words: “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” RIGHT ON.

[Fourth in the series. See also: Just Do It. Mind Over Matter. Fear Not.]

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