Competitor August 2017

competitor

competitor

AUGUST 2017

| AUGUST 2017

Maintain Fitness When Injured

Hit the Beach and Run

Page 43

Page 24

WHY MUSIC MATTERS / / MU SICIA N A ND RU NNER LIZ A NJ OS / / B EACH R UN N ING BA S IC S

PLAYLISTS, PODCASTS or UNPLUGGED… What’s best for you?

Page 30

MUSIC

for MILES LIZ ANJOS

tours with RAC by night and trains for marathons by day!

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2015

Thad Beatty of Sugarland ran the half marathon in Denver, sang the National Anthem and played his pink guitar at every band station on course.

annual costume contest is introduced 2014 The in Los Angeles, with winners through the

years including rock ‘n’ rollers, bacon strips, hot dogs, and dinosaurs running from start to finish.

2013

Deena Kastor clocked 1:09:36 to finish third in Philadelphia and also set three more Masters world records at 15K (49:03), 10 miles (52:41) and 20K (1:05:52).

1998

The inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon took place in San Diego, forever changing the sport of running.

2011

In order to see Las Vegas in its neon glory, the race was moved to the night and the experience of running the Las Vegas #StripatNight was born.

2001

We finished on the oceanfront at the first ever destination half marathon, Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach.

2016

Young and old raced to complete the ‘Sweet Georgia Pie Challenge’ in Savannah by running both the mile and 5K race on Sunday, earning their own personal sized pie.

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CELEBRATE 20 YEARS RUNNING M A R AT H O N | 1 / 2 M A R AT H O N | R E L AY | 1 0 K | 5 K | 1 M I L E

CR E AT E YOU R M OM E N T 2017

201 8

AUG 12-13

DUBLIN, IRELAND

JAN 13-14

ARIZONA

SEP 2-3

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

MAR 3-4

NEW ORLEANS, LA

SEP 16-17

PHILADELPHIA, PA

MAR 10

WASHINGTON DC

SEP 23-24

MONTRÉAL, CANADA

MAR 18

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

OCT 7-8

SAN JOSE, CA

MAR 24-25

DALLAS, TX

OCT 14

BROOKLYN, NY

MAR 24-25

CARLSBAD 5000

OCT 14-15

DENVER, CO

APR 7-8

RALEIGH, NC

OCT 14-15

ST. LOUIS, MO

APR 8

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

OCT 15

LISBON, PORTUGAL

APR 22

MADRID, SPAIN

OCT 28

CHENGDU, CHINA

APR 28

NASHVILLE, TN

OCT 29

LOS ANGELES, CA

MAY 19-20

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND

NOV 4

MÉRIDA, MEXICO

JUN 2-3

SAN DIEGO, CA

NOV 4-5

SAVANNAH, GA

JUN 16-17

SEATTLE, WA

NOV 11-12

LAS VEGAS, NV

JUL 21-22

CHICAGO, IL

DEC 2-3

SAN ANTONIO, TX

REGISTER AT

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Captured 2

#CompetitorGRD June 7 was Global Running Day. We asked you to share your experiences with Competitor through social media and you responded!

From selfies to gear to kiddos (the two- and four-legged kind), here is a sampling of what you had to share. And of course, we had to sneak in one of our office pics (hint: the one with a bunch of people who look super excited to go running). You hit the streets and the beach.

You owned the grass, trails and tracks. Globally, more than 1.2 million participated, logging approximately 8.2 million miles. Reasons why people ran ranged from “trying to get to Boston” to “training for first Ironman” to representing a loved one.

Thanks for sharing your day—and your miles— with us!

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Photos: From Instagram

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Contents Features

aug ust 2 0 1 7

Departments 10 Starting Lines

PRESENTED BY POLAR

A San Diego woman had more than 100 race medals stolen, but the community united to help her. Plus, workout cults (we talk to an expert!), meal prep for runners and more.

24 Summer in the Sand What’s the best way to tackle the beach?

Experts say start slowly because you’ll be working muscles in your feet that typically aren’t needed for stability on harder surfaces.

30 Why Music Matters

Gear

Training

community

18 Shoe Talk

43 First Lap

53 Run It

The best way to pair

How to maintain fitness

Our picks for late-summer

your racing and training

when you’re injured

and fall races.

shoes

46 Workout of

Back Page

There is actually a science to running with

20 Wearable Tech

the Month

music—from psychological motivation to

We break down the best

Running posture can make

beats per minute. Also, we debate running

56 Last Lap

devices to track sleep.

all of the difference.

We chat with ultrarunner

22 Collective

48 Cross-Training

Kilian Jornet, who reached

Surprising storage for

Resistance band workouts

your keys, ID and phone

made simple

with and without tunes, and take a look at some of the latest earbuds.

the summit of Mount Everest—twice in one week!

38 Double Act Meet Liz Anjos, a vocalist and keyboardist about to go on a North American tour with RAC. But that’s her night gig. During the day she’s coaching cross country, starting a running group and marathon training.

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ON THE COV E R AND B E LOW: Musician Liz Anjos, aka Pink Feathers, lives in Portland, Ore., but we caught up with her while she was in Tennessee. Jason Myers photographed her for the cover at the iconic Grimey’s record store in Nashville (page 38) and the two hit some beautiful parks around The Music City.

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competitor.com 6

Connect With Us Join the conversation

Facebook.com/ competitor.running

Follow us

Travel Summer vacation isn’t over yet—our five tips will help you get a run in away from home.

Competitor.com/awayfromhome

@runcompetitor

Shoes & Gear Our summer 2017 trail shoe review will tell you everything you need to know about the latest styles.

Competitor.com/summer2017trailshoes

See what we share

@runcompetitor

Nutrition

Deals

Training

Make the best post-workout snack with this peanut butter oatmeal muffin recipe.

Competitor.com/peanutbutteroatmealmuffins

Did you know that Facebook groups could actually save runners money?

We have all of the discounts details.

Competitor.com/facebookgroupsforrunners

Find out what five things successful runners do every day!

Competitor.com/successfulrunners

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7/11/17 4:19 PM

ADVERTORIAL

Quadriplegic Athlete Takes on His First Half Marathon

Presented by

On June 4, 2017, James Sa took his place at the starting line of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon. He took a deep breath and started to tame the butterflies. James isn’t unfamiliar to a race environment, but this would be his first half marathon. His previous race was in 2011, and resulted in an accident that left him a quadriplegic.

During the 2011 race, an obstacle event in Michigan, James sustained an injury that changed his life forever. James was knocked unconscious as a result of a dive into a mud obstacle towards the end of the race. Face down, several waves of contestants trampled over his limp body before he was finally rescued. James was resuscitated on site before being transported to the hospital, where he endured multiple surgeries over the next few months. When he was finally released from the hospital, the 21-year-old college student was paralyzed from the neck down.

Most people would give up right there, thinking their story was over. James certainly went down that path in the months after his accident, but he eventually found his will to push through and discover new opportunities, including wheelchair rugby and wheelchair racing. A grant from Toyota and Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) supported James as he strove to reach his new potential. With advanced wheelchair technology and the support of other athletes with physical challenges, James discovered a new kind of mobility, and with it, a reclaimed identity as an athlete.

Six years later, it was time to finish the race. Lining up at the starting line of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon was more than just a race for James – it was a statement. He was strong and resilient, no matter what life threw at him. This race would mark his comeback from the challenges he had faced in the last six years.

But race day was a challenge in and of itself – just a mile from the finish line, James crashed.

“You okay?” The course marshal asked as he returned the wheelchair to an upright position. “Yeah, let’s go,” James said with a determined nod. One of the wheels on his wheelchair was misaligned and his shoulders were scraped and bleeding from the crash, but he brushed away the road debris on his skin and pushed his wheelchair toward the finish line.

One hour and 34 minutes after the starting gun and almost six years after the accident, James Sa finally crossed his finish line.

What’s next for the 27-year-old athlete? The sky is the limit. Sa continues to train in a variety of sports, including road racing and wheelchair rugby. He mentors other wheelchair athletes as well, using his story as a reminder to focus on strength and ability, not disability. Because he crossed that finish line, he knows anything is possible – and he’s set out to prove it.

To see the inspiring finish of James Sa’s story, visit Competitor.com/toyotafirsthalf

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Contributors

Writers & Photographers How do you keep your cool as a summer runner?

K EV IN GE MM E LL I’d like to say a healthy green smoothie. But it’s Popsicles.

Kevin is our managing editor.

For this issue, he wrote about workout cults (page 14) and running with music (page 30) and profiled ultrarunner Kilian Jornet (page 56).

E d i t o r i a l + De s i g n

Nicole M. Miller Kevin Gemmell web editor Emily Polachek senior graphic designer Valerie Brugos executive editor

managing editor

senior contributing editors

Adam W. Chase, Alan Culpepper, Mark Eller, Mario Fraioli, Meb Keflezighi, Brian Metzler, Allison Pattillo, Sam Winebaum contributing writers

Jeff Banowetz, Kristan Dietz, Mackenzie L. Havey, Matthew Kadey, Amanda Loudin, Kelly O’Mara, Marty Munson, Don Norcross, Emily Van Buskirk contributing photographers + artists

Jason Myers, Peggy Peattie, Jordi Saragossa CGI M E DIA vice president, media Jessica Sebor

JASO N MYERS Summer running in Nashville is brutal, so when I do run, I make sure it’s in the mornings.

director, media marketing and development Nicole Christenson marketing coordinator Natalie Hanson

media operations coordinator

Hannah Sebahar director, public relations Dan Cruz

d i g i ta l s e r v i c e s director, web development

Jason is a Nashville-based commercial photographer by way of Florida. He photographed musician and runner Liz Anjos for this month’s cover and profile (page 38).

production manager Meghan McElravy

Scott Kirkowski director, creative services

Matthew McAlexander web developers Joseph Hernandez, Miguel A. Estrada, Rachel Blades interactive creative director

James A. Longhini

associate creative director Thomas Phan junior web designers Sean Marshall,

Eddie Villanueva director, multimedia Steve Godwin video production director

Kevin LaClaire multimedia producers

Oliver Baker, Ryan Bethke

Advertising

K ELLY O’M ARA With a cold beer.

chicago

Mark Baba, mbaba@competitorgroup.com Bill Pesta, bpesta@competitorgroup.com los angeles

Kelly is a regular contributor to Competitor and Competitor. com. She wrote this month’s training feature on beach running (page 24).

Mark Cosby, mcosby@competitorgroup.com Xochilt Llamas, xllamas@competitorgroup.com Joy Lona, jlona@competitorgroup.com new york

Kristina Larson, klarson@competitorgroup.com Ac c o u n t s e r v i c e s managers

E MI LY PO L ACHEK Taking a cool shower and then sitting in front of a fan for a solid 10 minutes.

Emily is our web editor. A big fan of RAC, she profiled Liz Anjos this month (page 38). (Emily’s recent broken wrist inspired our training feature on page 43. Glad you’re feeling better, Emily!)

Renee Kerouac, Kat Keivens ad operations Luke Schoenenberger

branded content and media strategy

Nicole Carriker, Emily Nolen

a publication of

chief executive officer Andrew Messick president Josh Furlow

6420 Sequence Dr., 2nd Floor San Diego, CA 92121

chief marketing officer Chris Stadler

For distribution inquiries: 858-768-6493

senior vice president, global events Patrick Byerly

Digital Issue support: support@zinio.com

senior vice president, finance Elizabeth O’Brien

Distribution management: TGS Media Inc.

senior vice president, sales John Smith

• tgsmedia.com, 877-847-4621

No part of this issue may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

Competitor is a registered trademark of Competitor Group Inc. official magazine

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©2017 Marriott International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Westin and its logos are the trademarks of Marriott International, Inc. or its affiliates.

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BUZZ 10

S TA R T I N G L I N E S

MORE THAN MEDALS When one woman’s medals are stolen, her community’s response is amazing!

BY DON NORCROSS

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For the full story click here.

had found them in an alley.

At least 16 of Abel’s medals were earned at Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series events. The former high school cross-country runner has run eight marathons and nearly 40 half mar-

time to dig through a warehouse and find these old medals.”

Day after day, more medals came in.

The University of California San Diego Ph.D. student says, “I am so amazed.”

Cancer killed her father in 2002 and

“TO HAVE THIS POSITIVITY FEST, IT’S BEEN AMAZING.” athons. Hearing about Abel’s loss, series organizers found medals from 14 of her races and presented them to her—along with a free entry to a future Rock ’n’ Roll event.

“We know what those medals mean to runners,” says Dan Cruz, vice president of communications for the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series. Abel’s response? “I’m so overwhelmed and appreciative that the running community would take the

her grandfather in 2010. She vowed to run the 2010 Chicago Marathon in their honor. The date of the race: Oct. 10, 2010—10-10-10.

As Abel dug through a batch of medals that were returned, she spotted her medal from Chicago.

“This medal started my journey,” she says. “It’s dedicated to my dad and grandpa. When I saw it, I broke down and cried.”

PHOTO: RYAN BETHKE/CGI

In that helter-skelter state of moving, Andrea Abel sat down a plastic bin next to her Toyota RAV4, then dashed upstairs to grab the top of the bin and a couple other items. Gone for four minutes max, Abel returned to her car and was stunned. The bin, filled with more than 100 running medals, had been stolen.

Describing the feeling when she discovered the bin had vanished, the 33-year-old says, “It’s disbelief, frustration, disappointment, horror, shock. I mean, it’s every runner’s worst nightmare.”

In this case, her tale highlights the kindness bestowed by strangers who felt a woman’s loss. Within two weeks, nearly 80 of Abel’s medals had been recovered or replaced.

“There’s so much out there right now that’s negative in the world,” says Abel.

“To have this positivity fest, it’s been amazing. It was really heartwarming to see it unfold.”

Besides medals, Abel lost jewelry, pictures and personal mementos. But it was the medals that made her cry.

She spread lost-and-found signs in her San Diego beach neighborhood.

She scoured alley trash cans. “I never thought I would spend so much time dumpster diving, but it’s worth it to me.”

A local TV station heard about the stolen medals and ran a story.

Barely 24 hours after losing the medals, a man who spotted one of Abel’s signs called her, relaying that he had heard the unmistakable sound of medals clanging.

He turned around, spotting a man with about 15 medals draped around his neck.

“I know where those medals are from,” said the man. The bling wearer said he

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BUZZ S TA R T I N G L I N E S

11

LIFELONG RUN LOVE… These four people have a literal interpretation of what that means.

BY KEVIN GEMMELL

If you’ve been feeling like a whippersnapper lately, it’s with good reason.

A couple of runners from the Greatest Generation—and two more Baby Boomers—have been crushing it the last few months with one story after another that has captured the running zeitgeist.

On the cover of last month’s Competitor, we brought you 94-year-old Harriette Thompson Thompson—the oldest woman to complete a half marathon—and marathon two years earlier. But Thompson isn’t the only senior making news.

On July 4, 86-year-old Bill Thorn ran in his 48th Peachtree 10K in Atlanta.

He’s the only person to run in every single Peachtree—the world’s largest race of any distance with more than 60,000 participants.

#3 HALF-MARATHON COUNTDOWN Break out your bucket list! Of the 31 half marathons last year with more than 10,000 runners, these are the top 15, according to Running USA. 15. Rock ’n‘ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon, with 12,248 14. Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon 13. Disneyland Half Marathon 12. Pittsburgh Half Marathon

PHOTOS: TOP RIGHT BY RYAN BETHKE/CGI, THORN BY BILL THRASHER, SPENCE BY PHOTORUN.NET

11. Miami Half Marathon

“My goal is to reach 50,” Thorn told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after completing the 10K in 88 minutes. “I’ll be 87 in September, so you know I’m closing out so to speak. Really in order to run 50 of them, I have to do them one at a time. I got to take care of business with this one first and then we’ll go to the next.”

10. Rock ’n‘ Roll Washington DC (formerly USA) Half Marathon 9. Rock ’n‘ Roll San Diego Half Marathon 8. Disney Princess Half Marathon

Pam Chapman Markle, 61 61, is another head-turner with her second appearance at Badwater 135 this summer. She set a race record last year—capping the brutal 100-mile trek in California from Death Valley to Mount Whitney in 41 hours, 2 minutes and 4 seconds. “You just feel wonderful and proud of yourself for accomplishing something that’s very hard to accomplish,” she says.

Finally, there’s the pup of the group—55-year-old Steve Spence. One of America’s strongest distance runners in the 80s and 90s, Spence beat the 5-minute mark in the mile for the 42nd-consecutive year when he posted a 4:55.7 at North Hagerstown High School in Maryland at the end of June.

Over the hill is simply a place to run for these four.

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7. Rock ’n‘ Roll Nashville (formerly Country Music) Half Marathon 6. Star Wars Half Marathon— The Dark Side 5. New York City Half Marathon 4. Walt Disney World Half Marathon 3. Rock ’n‘ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon 2. 500 Festival Mini-Marathon 1. Brooklyn Half, with 27,428

1.9 million 2,800

runners finished a record half marathons in 2016

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e v e r y day r u n n e r 12

s ta r t i n g l i n e s

Inspiration station When one woman goes race crazy, everyone rallies around her.

By Kristan Dietz

Sarah Greim returned to running in a way that is familiar to many people in their mid-30s. She spent her teens and early 20s active in sports, including hopping into a few races with her mother. However, as she got older, life got in the way of athletic goals. So after the birth of her son, Greim signed up for a couch-to-5K program.

But she wasn’t content to just run one 5K. Along with her mother and her best running friend, Greim set a goal to run 14 5Ks in 2014.

“We actually did 25 5Ks,” she says.

“But then it just kind of snowballed from there.”

Greim, 38, who lives in Davenport, Iowa, has since turned to longer distances, completing 10 half marathons and one full marathon.

She has her sights set on five more 13.1s this year.

Throughout those races, Greim’s positivity and determined attitude has allowed her to connect with fellow runners.

During her first half marathon, Greim met a new friend at mile 1. Over the course of the race, they shared life stories, pushed each other and crossed the finish line with arms overhead.

Before Greim’s first marathon—last year’s Haunted Hustle in Wisconsin— her training partner backed out of the race. That’s when a group of friends she met through the organization Fellow Flowers came together to support her.

Greim dressed as a “Runaway Bride” with a special shirt and white tutu.

Her friends threw a pre-race party, wore matching bridesmaids shirts and jumped in at various parts of the race to give her a boost. The hilly course was tough and Greim was the last person to cross the finish line. However it made

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her realize how many people wanted her succeed.

“It was the worst run experience I’ve ever had because the course and how grueling it was,” recounts Greim.

“But at the same time, it was the best because of the people supporting me through it.”

As much as running has given to Greim, she pays it forward as a chapter leader for a Moms Run This Town group. She is a mentor for new runners at her local Fleet Feet. Recently, she made a deal with her stepsister: Greim would pay the race entry if she joined the couch-to-5K group. They trained and ran a Race for the Cure.

Greim has countless friends who have told her that she has inspired them to become runners.

“I would get messages like ‘Sarah, you really inspired me. Now I’m doing couch-to-5K.’ And for a long time that was really hard for me,” says Greim.

“But in the last few years, I started to own it.”

As she continues to complete her own racing goals while motivating others, she wants to set the example that anybody can be a runner.

“I am a slow runner. I am not an elite runner. I am not fast,” she says. “As much as I try to be fast, I am still a solid 12-to-14-minute-per-mile runner. That shows people you don’t have to be some super-fast elite runner to run a half marathon or run a full marathon.”

Greim has a busy race schedule for the second half of 2017. She is running the Remix Challenge at Rock ’n’ Roll Chicago, the Madison Mini Half, the Quad City half marathon and the Detroit International half marathon.

And she still has her eye on a few more races.

Tip for New Runners Find a training group, says Greim.

“It’s the accountability of other people. They know what your goals are and they are not going to let you back down. If you have enough people in your corner, you can’t use it as an excuse not to do it.”

What Happens When You Finish Last?

Despite being the final finisher in her first marathon, Greim is already thinking about another—mainly because of her amazing support group. “This time we’re going to do it together,” she says.

Why Parents Should Run Her advice for busy parents worried about their schedule is to just do it.

“It doesn’t matter how old your child is. They are always watching you and always learning from you.”

7/12/17 4:54 PM

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7/10/17 10:04 AM

RANT 14

S TA R T I N G L I N E S

CULT OR TRIBE: CAN’T IT BE BOTH? Sometimes going on a rant can be justified. But it can also lead you down a path of narcissistic, self-righteous indignation. This is the latter.

BY KEVIN GEMMELL

During my first week at Competitor in June, there was a lot of gettingto-know-you small talk with new colleagues. As you’d expect at a running magazine, the topic of workouts is a popular subject. I mentioned that I did CrossFit in my 20s, but now that I’m 40 I enjoy Orangetheory Fitness as a supplement to running.

“The cult workouts,” joked a colleague.

Though the comment was said in jest, my gut reaction was still selfdefense. What’s it to you if I enjoy a little camaraderie with my workout?

This is my tribe, not a cult.

I’ll show you, my new smarty-pants co-worker. I’m going to find an authority on cults and debunk your shallow-minded insinuation. With that thought, I was officially speeding headfirst down the narcissistic, self-righteous rabbit hole.

I found Janja Lalich, professor emerita of sociology at California State University, Chico, and an expert on cults, extremism and undue influence.

Two minutes into our conversation, I knew I was guilty of displaying cultlike behavior.

“People might make those comments about a workout program because the person has become obsessed with it,” Lalich explains. “That kind of single-mindedness is a hallmark of a cult.

They aren’t jealous, they just think the person has gone over the top.”

The word “cult” has taken on hyperbolic undertones through the years.

“Drink the Kool-Aid” has become such a common idiom that few recall its mass-suicide roots. Today—especially in sports—it simply means to buy into the hype and mindlessly go along with

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the hot take du jour.

Lalich breaks down the characteristics of a cult into three categories: 1. There is a charismatic leader.

2. There is a transcendent belief system. “You’re required to go through some sort of personal transformation to be on the path to salvation—or weight loss,” she says.

3. There is conforming to the norms of the group.

Hearing this forced me to take a look in the mirrored gym wall and examine how this applies to my fitness life. I follow a charismatic leader (my OTF coach), I underwent a transformation in my thinking (and my weight, thank

you very much) and—especially on social media—I conform to the rules of the group.

If we go by Lalich’s definitions, then there are plenty of elements within these group workouts to classify them as cults. Or at least cult-like.

The difference is these “cults” want to help people live healthier lives. Would you rather listen to a co-worker talk about the 100 wall balls they did in 10 minutes or the spaceship that’s coming in 2028 to destroy the earth?

If working out hard with friends is being in a cult, so be it. Guess I’ll keep drinking the Gatorade.

7/12/17 4:54 PM

WE’D DESCRIBE OUR CITY’S CULTURE, BUT HONESTLY, IT’S EASIER TO EXPERIENCE IT. Stop in for a visit, and around every turn, you’ll discover something uniquely San Antonio.

From brewery walls lined with masterpieces of modern art to Mexican folk dances on the same stage as Broadway performances, we fill everyday moments with unexpected delights that you’ll only find in our vibrant city.

Plan your unforgettable cultural trip at VisitSanAntonio.com.

©2017 Visit San Antonio

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7/12/17 9:22 AM

FUEL More fueling tips and recipes for before, during and after a workout here.

16

S TA R T I N G L I N E S

AHEAD OF THE GAME These 10 meal-prep tips will fight your run hunger in the healthiest fashion.

BY MATTHEW KADEY

People who are obsessed with their mason jars, bento boxes and slow cookers are onto something. As a hungry runner, prepping meals and snacks ahead of time instead of working on a meal-by-meal basis is one of the best things you can do to set yourself up for dietary success. A task that almost guarantees you’ll eat better, stress less come mealtime and save a bunch of cash by eating out less. Here’s how to meal prep like a home-economics wiz.

2. Browse Food Porn Always prepping the same meals and snacks is a recipe for diet burnout. Who wants to eat chicken, brown rice and broccoli everyday? Hint: Nobody! For recipe inspiration, surf visual potluck sites like Tastespotting.com or

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Foodgawker.com, where you’ll find a feast for your eyes and plenty of ideas for nutritious, palate-pleasing dishes.

From this, consider creating a recipe Pinterest board.

3. Write It Down Once you know what you want to rustle up in the kitchen, be sure to arm yourself with a detailed grocery list of the items you need, so you’re not eating into your prepping time by needlessly driving back to the grocery store for a crucial item. Try organizing your grocery list by aisle so that you don’t waste time back-tracking in the store.

The more you walk, the more opportunity there is to fall prey to impulse buys.

4. Tap an App Use apps like Paprika and Pepperplate that help make meal prepping a breeze.

Functions include creating recipe databases, organizing daily menus and developing grocery lists as items you need run out.

5. Divide and Conquer Successful meal preppers swear by having several identical pre-portioned meals doled out among reusable containers to stay well fed throughout the week. California Home Goods 3 Compartment Food Containers ($12.95 for a 10-pack) let you prepare big batches of items like whole grains, meats, dressings and chopped veggies in advance and then divvy them up among different compartments. Once full, the BPA-free microwave safe bento-style containers stack neatly in your fridge or freezer.

PHOTOS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM(3), CALIFORNIA HOME GOODS

1. Make a Date Harried lives make it easy for meal prep to slide through the cracks.

Instead of putting your batch cooking on the back burner for a Netflix binge, make sure to write down your kitchen appointment in advance and treat it like a one-on-one with the boss—not something to brush off. Try to set aside at least one hour each week that will be devoted to prepping meals and snacks to be enjoyed at a later date.

7/27/17 12:29 PM

FUEL S TA R T I N G L I N E S

6. Subzero Heroes Working on a recipe that calls for quinoa or steak? Make your life easier down the road by cooking extras.

Beans, grains and meats (not fish) can be cooked in large amounts at once and then frozen for quick access in the future. Instead of making a giant meat sauce ice-cube that takes forever to defrost, divide your bounty among silicon muffin cups and freeze into more manageable portion sizes. Once frozen, unmold the food hockey puck and transfer to a zip-top bag.

7. Soak Your Oats Who says you have to cook your cherished breakfast oats. Prepping hearty steel-cut oats by soaking the grains ahead of time softens their texture, so they are chewy enough to eat without stove time. For nearly a work week’s worth of morning meals, divide 1 1/3 cups steel-cut oats, 1 cup protein powder, 1/4 cup ground flaxseed and

CM0817_FOB_SL.indd 17

17

1 teaspoon cinnamon among four wide-mouth jars or bowls. Add 1/3 cup boiled water to each jar, stir, top with nut butter and berries, cover and chill.

and aromatics like onions react with water, air and acids to be chemically transformed into new and improved tastes.

8. Get Stacked Mason-jar meals are all over social media—and for good reason. Besides good looks, they are your solution to portable, instant meal satisfaction.

Grab yourself some quart or two-quart jars (we like Ball’s) and get assembling. Dressings go in first, followed by sturdy items like cooked meats, grains, beans and carrots and then more delicate foods such as greens. (Read: no more soggy lunch spinach.)

10. Think Small If you only prep meals and not snacks, you could be setting yourself up for dietary meltdown as you give into break-room cookie temptation when a snack attack strikes. Once a week, divvy up healthy snack options like sliced apple and cheese, Greek yogurt and berries or nuts and dried fruit among single-serving containers to help you keep your distance from the vending machine.

9. One-Pot Wonders Most chilies, curries and soups are ideal for making in big batches on a lazy Sunday afternoon to reap nutrition rewards throughout the week. When these dishes are chilled in the refrigerator, flavor compounds in the meats

SMOOTH MOVE Nothing hits the spot after a spirited workout like a frosty smoothie. But gathering up all the necessary ingredients when your gas tank is empty is no fun.

These make-ahead subzero smoothie packs are your new post-run BFF. • 2 cups blueberries • 2 large banana, peeled and roughly chopped • 4 cups baby spinach • 1/3 cup fresh mint • 1/4 cup hemp seeds (hemp hearts) Divide everything among four zip-top freezer bags, seal shut and freeze until solid. When ready for a smoothie, blend together contents of one bag with milk, Greek yogurt and a couple dashes cinnamon.

7/12/17 4:55 PM

S H O E TA L K 18

GEAR

The Art of Pairing Shoes

By Adam W. Chase

Here are 10 of the best pairings: Adidas

Wine goes with cheese. Beer with race finishes. Compression socks with shorts. The list of quintessential couplings goes on and on. Sometimes the selection process seems very subjective. It’s enough to make you scratch your head and wonder how the pairing was made. Who makes these calls?

Like a sommelier recommends wine pairings, I’ve been known as a shoemmelier. Given my vast collection, affection and geekiness when it comes to footwear for the fleet, I feel particularly qualified to play matchmaker. Road shoes are the white wine of running footwear, while trail shoes are the red. A sommelier wouldn’t discuss both types of wine in the same breath, so likewise this shoemmelier won’t mix road and off-road, purist that he is.

The scope of running-shoe pairings can be very broad, so let’s simply look at which training shoes go with which racing shoes. When you start training for a race, you should be prepared with at least two mainstays. The trainer should give a little more cushion and comfort for logging mileage, and the racer will see you through speed work.

Luckily brands tend to make the selection easy by making a range of shoes, and there’s no reason not to pair racers and trainers with the same logo. If you are allegiant to a particular manufacturer, it is a safe bet that the company’s racing shoe will have a similar fit and ride as its trainer. Brands tend to use the same or very similar lasts (the forms used to make shoes) and materials between their racing and training offerings.

Race: Boston Boost Train: Supernova ST

Altra

Race: One Train: Torin

ASICS

Race: 22 Train: GT 2000

Brooks

Race: Hyperion Train: Adrenaline

Hoka One One Race: Tracer Train: Bondi

Mizuno

Race: Wave Sonic Train: Wave Rider

New Balance Race: 1400 Train: 1080

Nike

Race: Zoom Fly Train: Air Zoom Pegasus

On Running

Race: Cloudflash Train: Cloudflow

Saucony

Race: Fastwich Train: ISO Freedom

For the latest road shoe styles this summer click here.

photo: oliver baker

Train with Adrenaline This high-mileage trainer from Brooks is stable and luxurious, serving up comfortable mile after mile.

Race with Hyperion As the lightest, fastest offering from Brooks, this flat gets you up on your toes with its snappy midfoot transition.

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7/27/17 12:32 PM

MARATHON | HALF MARATHON | 10K | 5K

NOV 11-12

BANDS ON COURSE “KISSED ALIVE”

RUN THROUGH WEDDING

RUN THE L AS VEGAS STRIP AT NIGHT REGISTER AT

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RunRocknRoll.com/las-vegas

7/5/17 9:31 2:25 AM PM 7/12/17

WEARABLE TECH 20

GEAR

heart rate, these wrist devices identify and quantify sleep stages (awake, light sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep), as we cycle through them multiple times per night. Each cycle and stages within are critical to recharging our nervous, immune and musculoskeletal systems as well as our mental faculties. “Sleep Insights” include age and gender benchmarks, 30-day averages and tips to help improve sleep.

Click here for the lowdown on 3 different heart rate training methods.

SLEEP TRACKING

BY SAM WINEBAUM

Sleep is critical for our everyday well-being, but also our running performance and recovery. Busy lives, training and even habits such as eyeballing screens late at night can affect the sleep quantity and quality. By using a dedicated tracking device, or the ever-improving sleep modules of many newer GPS watches and activity bands, you can track overall sleep time, see how your performance adds up for different sleep stages and get coaching on how to improve those z’s. We have found that tracking our shut-eye with these devices and reflecting on what pre-bed factors affect our sleep performance has over time seen us getting better, more consistent sleep (even when we can’t get more sleep).

Change Your Sheets Beddit, recently acquired by Apple, was one of the earliest and is still among the most complete sleepmonitoring and coaching systems.

Unlike the others here, Beddit 3 is 100 percent focused on sleep. It combines a thin under-sheet sensor strip

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While you’re counting sheep, Fitbit will count your sleep stages.

($150, beddit.com) that pairs to your smartphone and its microphone, so there is nothing to wear. It evaluates not only one person’s movement, respiration rate and resting heart rate but also other factors that impact your sleep quality, such as the temperature and humidity of your bedroom and snoring. The app provides a daily sleep score that takes into account your snooze success.

Watching You Sleep Fitbit’s latest heart-rate-sensing bands and watches (Alta HR, Blaze, and Charge 2, $150-plus, fitbit.com) have recently been upgraded to include a sophisticated sleep-quality monitoring and coaching system.

Using a combination of motion and

Inside Your Head and Heart Similar in technical approach to Fitbit and Beddit, Whoop Strap 2.0 ($500, whoop.com) uses a combination of motion and heart-rate variability (HRV) to identify sleep stages. It is very light, comfortable, screen-less and designed to be worn 24/7 with all data displayed in the app and website. In addition to sleep stages, you can see your night’s HRV, the number of sleep cycles, disturbances and delays in falling asleep.

That information is compared to your recent trends for analysis. In the early evening, Whoop tells you how much sleep is needed to “get by, perform or peak” based on that day’s training and overall heart stress. When you wake up, Whoop not only scores your sleep performance versus the night’s target, but also scores a combination of your HRV and sleep to give you recovery guidance. A questionnaire asks you to reflect on pre-bed screen time, alcohol, caffeine, etc., to influence future behavior.

CAN I JUST USE MY GPS WATCH? New GPS watches and activity bands from Garmin and Polar now include motion-based sleep tracking.

They are not quite as sophisticated in terms of analyzing stages and cycles, since they don’t use heart rate, and may feel bulky in bed. We find they can overestimate actual sleep—sometimes confusing it with time still in bed. Polar’s Sleep Plus gives you a sleep-continuity score as well as graphs of sleep time versus average and preferred. Garmin’s sleep module goes further showing you deep, light and awake time as well as graphs for night movement.

7/27/17 12:33 PM

Voted

“ Greatest Midwest Town” -Midwest Living Magazine

4 seasons of outdoor recreation| shopping microbreweries | wine tasting | dining Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

TraverseCity.com | 800-TRAVERSE

TraverseCity_CM_0817.indd 1

7/12/17 12:14 PM

COLLECTIVE 22

GEAR

POCKET POWER We can’t be the only ones who are psyched to find running gear with unexpected storage for a key, ID, phone or fuel.

This moisture-wicker has two side-seam pockets and a third on the chest.

2. Amphipod Xinglet Pocket Plus, $40 Front storage for your phone to use the flashlight or video tricks out high visibility.

3. Nathan VaporKrar WaistPak, $60 Named for ultrarunner Rob Krar, this versatile belt includes an 18-ounce soft flask.

4. Outdoor Voices Runner’s High Short, $65 These shorts boast eight close-tobody pockets—it’s like a treasure hunt to find them all!

5. Ultimate Direction Fastdraw 600, $29 The little backpack on this water bottle can hold a phone, ID and gel.

CM0817_G_COLLECTIVE.indd 22

6. Oiselle Roga Cap, $34

Click here for running brands that show off your personality.

A zippered side pocket on this cap is the perfect size for an ID or key.

7. New Balance Lite Packable Jacket, $120 The chest pocket is ideal, but you can also stuff the whole jacket into it when you don’t need it.

8. Banjees Armband by Sprigs, $24 The fabric stretches to fit, and the armband can accommodate any size phone.

9. Smartwool PhD Seamless Strappy Bra, $60 This pocket is basically as large as your chest, so you can tuck an ID down in a corner or keep your fuel right between the girls.

10. Altra Performance Skort, $60 A back zippered pocket is ideal for safeguarding essentials, but it’s the easy-access tubular pockets along the waist in the front that sold us.

PHOTO: OLIVER BAKER

1. SCOTTeVEST Performance T-Shirt, $35

7/27/17 12:34 PM

N I A R B R U O Y

Where sen s and stupidible collide

LE TE TH E B RAV E ATH mmon es the 13 most co

solv . es athletes face mental challeng e you?

Which sound lik I have thoughts and feelings I don’t want.

I wish I felt more like an athlete.

I don’t think I can.

You don’t have one brain —you have three...

I don’t achieve my goals.

I don’t like leaving my comfort zone.

your ancient Chimp brain that keeps you alive, your

Other athletes seem tougher, happier, and more badass than me.

modern Professor brain that navigates the modern world, and your Computer brain that runs your habits. They fight

I feel fat.

for control all the f*cking time and bad things happen; you get

I don’t cope well with injury.

crazy nervous before a race, you choke under pressure, you quit

People are worried about how much I exercise.

when the going gets tough, you make dumb mistakes.

When the going gets tough, the tough leave me behind.

I need to harden the f*ck up.

I keep screwing up.

What if you could stop the thoughts and feelings you don’t want? What if you could feel confident, suffer like a hero, and handle any stress? YOU CAN.

I don’t handle pressure well.

The Brave Athlete from Dr. Simon Marshall and Lesley Paterson

With The Brave Athlete, you can make your brain your most powerful asset.

will help you take control of your brain so you can train harder, race faster, and better enjoy your sport.

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7/12/17 12:21 PM

24

IN THE

Why you should run on the beach and how to get started

here’s a reason when you’re running slowly you joke that it’s like running through sand.

Because running through sand is always tough and always slow.

The beach may look soft and inviting, but don’t let that fool you.

According to one study, running on sand requires 1.6 times more energy expenditure than running on a hard surface. Part of it is the extra mechanical work you have to do stabilizing yourself in the sand. But you’re also not getting as much forward

CM0817_FEAT_BEACHRUNNING.indd 24

momentum from your push-off, because your foot sinks and doesn’t propel you forward as easily.

“On the road you can run faster, but it’s harder on the legs,” says John Honerkamp, a coach, consultant for running companies and former professional runner.

Soft sand might be easier on your legs, he says, but you’ll run slower— and your body is under extra stress from the uneven surface. All those little muscles in your feet and calves work overtime on the beach.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

BY KELLY O’MARA

7/12/17 2:33 PM

25

For more tips on summer running and training click here.

CM0817_FEAT_BEACHRUNNING.indd 25

7/27/17 12:36 PM

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FOUR REASONS TO RUN ON THE BEACH There's no reason why you should pass up the sand this vacation and hit up the treadmill instead. And skipping your miles simply isn't an option. “Don’t sideline yourself for your whole vacation,” says Honerkamp.

Here’s why you should hit the sand…

Ryan Adames is a lifeguard in Santa Cruz, Calif., and a physical therapist’s aide.

He runs on the beach multiple times each week. He’ll do some easy running and core work too, but he likes to do short sand sprints for high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The simple act of running through the sand “ups the intensity a lot more,” he says, and lends itself to working on explosiveness.

Brian Clarke, a runner and coach in Hawaii, compares sand running to hill running, where the purpose is often to build power.

“Think of it as the deeper the sand, the steeper the hill,” he says. Soft or deep sand means there’s more resistance, which means you’ll need more power to get through it.

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IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR FOOT MUSCLES There are reasons most runners also crosstrain: to build up their non-running muscles and prevent injury. Running on the beach isn’t exactly cross-training, but it sort of counts. “You’re using your body differently, which is good,” says Honerkamp. Your core has to stabilize itself on the soft, uneven surface.

And more importantly, your feet and lower legs have to stabilize themselves.

“It’s doing work,” says Adames of your foot. “It’s trying to make sense of the soft ground beneath you.” There’s some benefit to your body learning and practicing that—as long as you don’t overdo it (which we’ll get into soon).

IT BEATS NO RUNNING

When Honerkamp coached thousands of runners through the New York Road Runners program, he’d regularly have participants tell him they were going on vacation or to a resort and wouldn’t be able to run. That's not going to cut it with this coach.

“I’d rather you run 20 minutes on the beach than no minutes,” he’d say, though he advises not to do your long run on the beach and to build up slowly.

Like any new form of running or training, easing into it is best.

Maybe you just do strides or 10 minutes on the beach. It still adds something to your training.

BECAUSE IT IS FUN!

“It’s hard to have a bad day running on the beach,” says Dr. Amadeus Mason, a professor of orthopedics at Emory and a team doctor for USA Track & Field.

Part of the reason you run is to experience new things and enjoy yourself.

Just don’t enjoy yourself so much you end up getting injured and being miserable the rest of your vacation. It’s better to underdo it than overdo it and cause a calf or foot strain. This is especially true if you’re not even used to running on trails regularly or if you’re prone to injuries.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

IT’S GREAT FOR INTENSITY TRAINING

7/12/17 2:33 PM

27

HOW TO GET STARTED Mason actually advises people to simply walk on the beach their first day to get used to the sand. When you’re ready to run (a day or two later), start easy with just 20 minutes.

If you do 10 minutes out and 10 minutes back, that also helps ensure you don’t end up running tilted in just one direction since beaches are often cambered with the water lower than the sand berm.

Adames actually cautions against running on the hard-packed sand next to the water. It might be easier to run on, but the sand right next to the water is often on a tilt or incline.

And running in too much deep, soft sand too quickly puts more stress on your calves. It’s a balance.

Slowly work your way up with beach runs two times per week. If you’re going to be at the beach for a month or longer (lucky you!), then you could work up to an hour of running, says Honerkamp. But you have to be cautious because those same things that can be benefits—strength, speed training and developing muscle stability—can also turn to injuries if you ramp it up too quickly.

It’s all about adaptation and adjustment. In the sand, you’ll want a shorter stride, quicker turnover and more arm pumping to stay balanced, says Honerkamp. In order to still be getting a benefit and building ability, you shouldn’t be straining and should feel relaxed. Once you get to your goal workout, don’t keep increasing the length or effort.

“Train, don’t strain,” says Clarke.

CM0817_FEAT_BEACHRUNNING.indd 27

7/12/17 2:33 PM

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Shoes or Barefoot?

SUNSCREEN, A HAT AND SUNGLASSES!

CM0817_FEAT_BEACHRUNNING.indd 28

Don’t overdo it and hurt yourself.

Build up with some shoe running and some barefoot, or transition from heavier to lighter or thinner shoes.

Adames does most of his beach running barefoot, since he’s used to it. One of the biggest risks he sees frequently is stepping on things in the sand, especially if the beach isn’t clean or if there are bees near the water line. “I’ve stepped on quite a few bees,” he says.

MORNING AND LATE EVENING MEAN FEWER CROWDS.

SAND CAN GET BURNING HOT IN THE AFTERNOON SUN.

PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Honerkamp says, “Either is fine.” But Mason suggests going with what you’re used to.

If the sand is compact enough, you could find it more pleasant to run in shoes. But if the sand is deep or soft, then most people find it easier to run barefoot. However—and this is a big caveat—if you haven’t run barefoot before, then that’s another new stress you’re adding.

7/12/17 2:34 PM

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3 Beach Workouts Sometimes, even on vacation, it helps to have a specific workout.

Here are three ideas to make it fun:

HILL SPRINTS Find a sand dune you can run up (note that some dunes are protected, so make sure you’re allowed on it). Start with four 10-second bursts, and gradually build up to 10 of them.

These short bursts uphill can build power and strength, says Honerkamp.

STRIDES Many runners will do light strides barefoot or on the grass for those same foot-muscle benefits. You can get that, plus the speed bonus, with 5–10 strides on the beach after your regular workout. Build your speed and intensity over 40–100 meters and then slowly decelerate. Give yourself time to recover before repeating (either by standing, walking or jogging).

EASE INTO IT REMEMBER LANDMARKS AND WHERE YOU STARTED. ALL THOSE TOWELS CAN LOOK THE SAME.

CM0817_FEAT_BEACHRUNNING.indd 29

If you’re more prone to injury or running in sand is very new to you, the first day, take a walk. The second day, just run 10 minutes, or walk one way and jog back. Then a few days later, run 10 minutes out and 10 minutes back.

Easy running will build up your calf muscles and endurance.

7/12/17 2:34 PM

30

WHY

MATTERS

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Running and music make a powerful duo that many find key to successful training and racing.

TOP 10 SUMMER PLAYLIST

By Chris Lawhorn

CM0817_FEAT_MUSIC.indd 30

Collaborations are increasingly popular in pop music. While some of this stems from a desire to work together, it also reflects an opportunity for artists to reach each other’s fans. As evidence of this trend, these top 10 workout tracks (voted by users of RunHundred.com) are credited to 19 different artists. The advantage of a collaboration to an artist is clear, but it also makes for a more varied listen on your end. Put simply, what these tracks lack in eclecticism, they make up for in personnel—and that kind of musical abundance can make for a fun run.

7/11/17 8:03 PM

31

SCIENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES

By Amanda Loudin

Jodi Snowdon doesn’t run a step without her headphones. Podcasts keep her company some of the time, but more often than not it’s a constant musical beat that sets the tone for her runs. This holds true whether training or racing.

“The first run I did five years ago, I had no music and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the whole experience,” says the 40-year-old from Ontario. “But then my brother gave me an iPod, and we joke that that’s what turned me into a runner.”

Snowdon is in good company.

Multiple studies link the benefits of combining the two. A 2015 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning showed that music can improve performance and accelerate recovery during and after a 5K. Another from Psychology of Sports and Exercise found that runners engaged in high-intensity running may benefit from music as a motivational tool. According to Running USA’s 2017 report, 55 percent of 7,000 runners surveyed listen to music during their miles.

Like Snowdon, 46-year-old Malinda Ann Hill, of Wynnewood, Pa., also likes bringing her tunes along. She has found it particularly useful during goal races. “When I was going for my BQ [Boston Marathon qualifier], I had a specific playlist set up to help when

the going got tough,” she says. “I really tune into the lyrics, and they motivate me to work hard.”

Chris Lawhorn recognized the connection between running and music and launched an entire business around it a decade ago. RunHundred. com allows runners to tap into his vast database of songs and create playlists by tempo, genre, era or even time.

With his site at 50,000 subscribers strong, Lawhorn has seen some trends

OF 55 PERCENT STEN RUNNERS LI TO MUSIC! develop. In terms of beats per minute (BPM), Lawhorn subscribes to the theory that 180 is ideal if you want to match steps per minute, but BPM isn’t the only factor.

“Men and women process music differently,” says the 39-year-old who is based in Fort Wayne, Ind. “Women tend to focus on the melodies, while men are more interested in the lyrics.”

He says hip-hop ranks most popular among men, while women are after a faster tempo and more lighthearted lyrics. His largest subscriber

demographic is women in their 30s.

Like Lawhorn, Adrienne Perez is a club DJ who is also a runner. Known as DJ Kinky Loops, she designs playlists for the popular, nationwide Orangetheory Fitness exercise classes, which contain a heavy dose of treadmill running.

“I tend to customize an intense, high-energy build before a big push in class and before all-out running speed on the treadmills,” says Perez, 30. “I think people work their hardest when they have a good mix of songs they can sing along to in their heads, or zone out to and forget the discomfort.”

While it works for many, music isn’t for every runner. Some might find it a distraction, certain races prohibit headphone use and safety is a consideration as music can shut out nearby noises.

Lawhorn wonders if music will stay at the forefront with runners or if podcasts may win out. “Historically, music has been the only accompaniment available,” he says. “But in 10 years, I wonder if it will still be at the top.”

But Hill, who has been bringing music along since the days of the Walkman, can’t imagine it any other way. “There’s a history to the songs I listen to and lyrics can mean so much to me,” she says. “Music can serve as both a solace and a motivator to me when I run.”

For more science behind how music affects your running click here.

• “Remember I Told

You” by Nick Jonas, Anne-Marie & Mike Posner—113 BPM

• “Most Girls”

by Hailee Steinfeld—103 BPM

CM0817_FEAT_MUSIC.indd 31

• “Swish Swish” by Katy Perry & Nicki Minaj—120 BPM

• “Despacito (Major

Lazer & Moska Remix)”

by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee—101 BPM

• “Issues (Alan

• “That’s What I Like

• “You Don’t

• “Sounds Good to

• “No Promises” by

• “Cut to the Feel-

Walker Remix)” by Julia Michaels —115 BPM Me” by Nelly —101 BPM

(Alan Walker Remix)”

by Bruno Mars —134 BPM Cheat Codes & Demi Lovato—114 BPM

Know Me” by Jax Jones & Raye —125 BPM ing” by Carly Rae Jepsen—115 BPM

7/27/17 12:38 PM

32

20 YEARS OF ROCK ’N’ ROLL Two decades ago, Tim Murphy decided to do something about what he considered the boring factor of running—long, lonely miles with nothing to see or hear. His solution was to create a marathon with bands at every mile of the San Diego Marathon.

It clearly tapped into an industry need, and today there are 30 Rock ’n’ Roll race locales around the world.

John Smith has been there since the beginning. The senior vice president of Competitor Group Inc., the parent company for the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series (which also includes

CM0817_FEAT_MUSIC.indd 32

half marathons, 5Ks and other distances that vary by location), has watched the brand and sport evolve together.

“Back then, maybe about 5 percent of runners carried music,” he says.

“Today that’s probably around 85 percent.”

Each of the Rock ’n’ Roll marathons has the signature 26 bands on the course and is designed to finish with a headline act. Over the years, big names have included Pitbull, Snoop Dogg and Macklemore.

“Back in the early days, we had acts

like Pat Benatar and the Goo Goo Dolls,” says Smith.

In an era when most runners carry their own music, there is still demand for the live entertainment that comes with a Rock ’n’ Roll event. It's common to see an Elvis or two running around.

The attraction, Smith says, is not only great for the runners but the local communities where races are staged.

“In Seattle, for instance, you’re going to get great grunge music,” he says. “In Nashville, it will be fantastic country bands. All of them are out there to put on a great show for the runners.”

PHOTO: PEGGY PEATTIE

By Amanda Loudin

7/11/17 8:03 PM

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INSIDE THE ROCK ’N’ ROLL MARATHON SERIES:

A Q&A WITH THE BAND BOOKER

By Kevin Gemmell

Alex Bennett wants to tell you a story. And if you listen, mile by mile, you’ll hear it. As the vice president of operations, Bennett is charged with booking all of the headline acts for the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series. Do the math … 30 events each year times 26 bands per event (one per mile) equals 780 musical acts each year. As a musician (he's third from left with his band Creature Feature back in the 90s) and a runner, he has combined these loves and has been intimately tied to the industry for more than two decades.

What’s your best band story for Rock ’n’ Roll?

We booked Snoop Dogg for the Vegas event and a few weeks before—it was a daytime show—he realized he had other obligations, so we had to scramble to get a big act to come in. Vegas is our Super Bowl. We were able to get Macklemore to play the show. He came in and played a great show and Snoop came back last year. That’s the hard thing with the music business.

They have other obligations and things change. That’s probably the best G-rated story I can tell.

Q

How challenging is it to balance 780 bands each year?

It’s one thing to close down roads at six in the morning. It’s another thing to put a band outside of somebody’s house. The biggest challenge we have—especially as cities become more and more dense—is putting something appropriate out there.

Some cities say you have to be acoustic until 8:30 in the morning. Ironically, a marching band is acoustic.

There is a balancing act of putting appropriate music on the course and also an act that’s going to inspire the runners. We do a lot of outreach with the community. We want to be able to come back next year and not change too much, so we'll spend a lot of time coordinating with the neighbors and community leaders. We’ll go a quartermile out from the band stage to let them know.

Q

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How do you go about selecting headliners?

I’m very much aware of trying to make sure we’re putting on an act that makes sense for that market and the size of the event. In Las Vegas, we’ll try to find a top-tier act, but we don’t always have the budget to do that on some of the smaller races. But we can still tell a good musical story.

One year in Seattle we had Sir Mix-aLot and The Presidents of the United States of America play as a dual headliner. They are both from Seattle. They both have a great Seattle story. We wanted to be able to entertain people and tell the people traveling in—or even the locals—hey, we’re highlighting some of Seattle’s musical past.

We did the same in Brooklyn last year.

We picked some up-and-coming bands from the Brooklyn scene, which is very strong right now. We wanted to highlight what you might not hear on the radio, but this is very Brooklyn. You try to highlight the region you are in.

Q

How do you go about getting the right band for each city?

I think it’s fun. It gives us some creative flexibility to say how can we really have fun with this and tell a good story. The hard part is the scheduling. You try to put the pieces together and still have a great event that is true to that city. We’ve had a lot of great up-and-coming bands that have gone on to bigger things. We’ve had some great course bands that are a lot bigger now. Macklemore played

Q

on course. Lady Antebellum played on course in Nashville. We’ve been lucky enough to have some bands that were just local bands at the time go on. I think that shows we’re really doing our homework. Part of the fun for us is helping runners discover these bands.

How do you integrate your musical background into what you do now?

The reason why this is such a great fit is I went to Berklee College of Music in Boston and I sat at the marathon finish line for years and was inspired by people throwing up on themselves. Which I did without having to run. Knowing I could be healthy and do the same thing I was doing, I’d put my Chuck Taylors on and run around the Charles River and it stuck. After college I ended up working in the music industry. My first marathon was the L.A. Marathon in 1994. Then I moved to Seattle to open Experience Music Project, an interactive museum there. As I continued to work on the music side of things, I kept running so it makes sense that I ended up working for Rock ’n’ Roll.

Q

Do you listen to music when you run?

I do. I do a lot of analysis of beats per minute, especially when I’m training for something and find something in my cadence as a runner. I sometimes run without music, because I think that’s also healthy. I mix it up. But there is always music in my head.

Q

7/11/17 8:03 PM

34

VERSUS Nature

PARDON ME WHILE I ROCK OUT

THE JOY OF LEAVING TUNES BEHIND

By Kevin Gemmell

By Amanda Loudin

The first thing I do when making a playlist is to find a goopy Debbie Gibson song—something that takes me back to junior high and awkward hands-on-hips slow dancing. “Lost in Your Eyes” is a good one. Why? Motivation, of course. But it’s not what you think. At the end of my standard loop around my neighborhood (about a 5K), there is a 200-yard hill with an approximate 6 percent incline. I put Debbie at the end of my playlist with the hopes that I will never hear her. Because if I’m grinding through that final uphill push and I hear Debbie, I know I haven’t properly paced myself.

For me, music is as much a timing mechanism as motivation.

There are those who dig the R&B umph, umph, umph beat.

And that’s great. I’m not one to tell others how to run. But I’m a rock guy, and my playlist reflects that. When I run, I’m “Livin’ on a Prayer.” I literally want “Kickstart My Heart” to do just that, so when I’m done my hat “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

There is a place in my ears for 80s glam rock, 90s grunge and gritty 2K rock (Audioslave’s “Shadow on the Sun” is a great slow burn to start your run … RIP Chris Cornell).

A part of me envies runners who don’t use music, but can still find that head space to embrace their Zen between each step and breath. But then Skillet reminds me to “Feel Invincible,” and I let the music carry my legs as I sing along (sometimes in my mind, sometimes out loud. I’m not always sure which).

Debbie will always have a place in 13-year-old Kevin’s heart. But for 40-year-old Kevin, she’s best kept out of his buds. Some things are better left in your “Electric Youth.”

I love music. It is the background of my daily life with my playlists spinning away while I cook, clean or get ready for the day. I’m a proud card-carrying supporter of my local member-supported radio station. Heck, I even bought Bruce Springsteen tickets while perched on a chairlift last year on a ski trip.

In spite of all that, there’s one place I never bring my music: on my runs. In 20 years of running, I have never positioned an earbud to accompany my miles.

There are a myriad of reasons, chief among them the fact that running for me is a multi-sensory adventure. I hear the songs of waking birds, take in the wildlife along the path or trail and smell the muddy stream as I run alongside it. If I’m running with friends, there are miles of shared conversation to enjoy.

There’s also the fact that my solo efforts serve as time for letting my mind roam. As a writer, I find that many of my article ideas spring to life while I’m in motion. I can’t help but think music would interfere with that process.

If I’m racing, I tend to be an associative runner, taking stock of my energy output, breathing and how my legs are feeling. I think I’d be less in tune with my body’s needs if my focus was on a song. Plus I like hearing the sounds of a race all around me.

Finally, there’s the safety issue. I will admit that I never bring a phone or rarely tell my family my intended course. But one thing I do to increase my safety is allow my hearing to be unencumbered.

I understand that I’m in the minority. That’s fine with me. I’ve always beat to my own drum.

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PHOTOS: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Music

7/11/17 8:04 PM

35 1.

FIVE RUN BUDS Find your best fit with the latest in music technology that passes the sweat test.

By Emily Van Buskirk

5.

2.

4.

3.

1. SoundPeats Q16 True Wireless Headphones, $45 Exercising without wires is now possible with these cord-free headphones, but the best part is you can use each earpiece separately, which will increase your safety! Sharing is caring, so invite a friend for a fun and tuneful tandem workout.

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2. Jaybird X3, $130 The same Jaybird quality and customizability we have come to expect is paired with a reduced size and improved fit. Eight-plus hours on a single charge and enhanced Bluetooth signal strength mean you never miss a beat.

3. Plantronics BackBeat Fit, $130 These are the headphones for the person who hates wearing headphones.

Boasting superior stability with a behind-theear design, the BackBeat Fit is comfortable and secure with solid sound and an eight-hour battery life.

4. V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless, $170 These neckband Bluetooth headphones are designed with the music purist in mind, while the patented micro-driver delivers vibrant sound and crystal-clear calls. And it only requires 15 minutes for a two-hour charge, because time is always of the essence.

5. Decibullz Custom Molded Contour ES In-Ear Headphones, $60 These may not be wireless, but the customizable fit is a must-have for those with picky ears. Simply soak them in hot water and shape to your ears for a five-minute custom fit that never falls out on the run—or otherwise.

7/12/17 10:33 AM

36 has honest conversations with all kinds of people about life and its imperfections. Episodes runners will particularly enjoy are interviews with Joel Runyon, Nick Symmonds and Lauren Fleshman.

PIMSLEUR AUDIOBOOKS If you’re doing an out-of-country race, it might help to learn the language a bit. While training, you can listen to audiobooks from Pimsleur, a linguistic learning method that accelerates language comprehension.

Audiobooks ($32) can be purchased through Audible or downloaded for free through Audible’s monthly membership ($15).

TIME TO LEARN

By Emily Polachek

Sometimes running is a great activity for getting lost in the music—or thought—but it’s also an opportunity to stimulate your brain’s thinking capacity by plugging into a podcast or audiobook. The possibilities are endless: Catch up on the latest mystery novel, get inspired by other people’s innovative ideas, learn a new language or nerd out on the latest running talk!

Whether you’re heading out for a 20-minute shakeout or an hour-long training run, here are a few must-download audio programs for your run-listening pleasure.

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HOW I BUILT THIS Ever wonder how people start successful companies like Clif Bar, Airbnb, Southwest Airlines, Patagonia, Whole Foods, etc.?

This podcast, hosted by NPR’s Guy Raz, interviews the CEOs and founders of today’s booming businesses and tells the story of how they took an idea or passion and built from there. Just listening to one episode will inspire you to run your own startup.

REAL TALK RADIO As the title suggests, this podcast is all about cutting the BS out of your life. Host Nicole Antoinette

REVISIONIST HISTORY Transport your run to another time in history by listening to this podcast by Malcolm Gladwell.

Author of “The Tipping Point,” “Blink” and “Outliers,” Gladwell examines something from the past—an event, a person or an idea—in each episode and questions the “what if” of those happenings. This isn’t your average boring history lesson.

INVISIBILIA This podcast’s narrative storytelling style combined with scientific research will have you hooked from the very first episode. Invisibilia is about how invisible forces, such as ideas, beliefs and emotions control human behavior. Your long run won’t feel long enough when tuning into this one.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

For more podcasts every runner should be listening to right now, click here.

7/27/17 12:39 PM

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7/12/17 10:04 AM

38

DOUBLE

ACT

BEING A SPEEDY RUNNER AND TALENTED MUSICIAN ARE TWO INSEPARABLE ASPECTS OF RAC’S LIZ ANJOS.

BY EMILY POLACHEK | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON MYERS

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7/12/17 2:43 PM

39

here are two sides to Liz Anjos when it comes to her passions and pursuits in life. The recording artist and songwriter from Portland, Ore., performs under the pop moniker Pink Feathers and moonlights as a keyboardist and vocalist with RAC, a popular electronic band fronted by her husband, André Anjos. She’s also a sub-3-hour marathoner who blogs about her running, dabbles in personal run coaching and is starting her own track club.

Although music and running appear to be separate interests, the two actually intersect for Anjos in many ways. She isn’t a musician who just happens to run occasionally, nor is she a runner who can simply play an instrument. She is 100 percent invested in both.

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Finding her beat “When I entered college, that’s when running and music almost collided for me,” recalls the 31-year-old, who had been on her high school track-andfield team. “I was a piano major and I was a little worried on how timeconsuming that would be and about keeping up in school. So I ended up just not running at all.”

It wasn’t until her senior year of college that she missed running so much she asked the school’s coach if she could join the team. That was 2006.

She hasn’t stopped running since and has gotten quite successful and serious about it—and her music.

Anjos ran her fastest marathon (2:59:22) at the 2014 Philadelphia Marathon only a week after being on tour with RAC. It’s hard to imagine when she finds the time to train between shows while being on the road every day, especially for a distance as demanding as the marathon.

But Anjos doesn’t see it that way.

Fine-tuning on tour “I have found that it is possible to train well on tour, and I have done it before,” she says. “Even though we’re traveling all over the country and we’re in a new city every day, our day-to-day is still pretty routine. Most venues operate very similarly—opening at noon to load in equipment with sound check usually around 3 to 5 p.m.—in that

sense it’s predictable.”

While on tour, Anjos says she usually wakes up around 9 a.m. in whatever new city she’s in and goes for a run.

When training for the Philadelphia Marathon, she'd squeeze in 60-mile training weeks and a couple of 20-plus milers. With her late-night shows that means going to bed past midnight, waking up, running, performing and then repeating it all over again each day.

“It’s almost like I’m on this constant adrenaline [rush], not even from just running, but playing shows every night,” Anjos explains. “It’s like I’m getting in a little extra cardio workout every night.

“I know as runners, we try to find that edge in our training, but I feel like in the same way when I’m on tour, I’m finding that edge too.”

Stronger sound Anjos isn’t too worried about her training for the Nov. 5 New York City Marathon while also on tour in the weeks leading up to another major race. The North American tour with RAC is scheduled for shows throughout September and October along both coasts—and a few in Canada—to promote the July release of their new album, “Ego.” However, she is taking more precautions and changing the way she trains ahead of New York City, due

7/12/17 2:43 PM

40 to her not-so-pleasant experience running the Chicago Marathon last year. In Chicago, Anjos’ entire right side started to throb with pain around mile 20. She had to stop at an aid station for some time before she could jog slowly to the finish. But the result left her with a minor knee injury and prevented her from running The North Face Endurance Challenge 50K in San Francisco a month later.

This time Anjos says she wants “to get really strong for New York” and that her “big focus this year is becoming a well-rounded athlete outside of running” to prevent another injury.

So she’s started doing Pilates twice a week and has been incorporating more stability and strength work into her routine, including a core workout her fellow RAC band member Troupe Gammage put together and does a couple hours before every show.

Unlike Chicago, Anjos doesn’t have a time goal of beating her PR for New York. “I just want to get to that final 10K feeling like I have something left in the tank and feeling strong,” she says.

Encore performances Besides the New York City Marathon, the traveling musician has a few more running goals she’d like to accomplish.

“I’m training for New York City right now, but I think it would be fun to focus on some shorter and faster races in the beginning of 2018,” she says.

“One race I’ve always wanted to do is the Carlsbad 5000. That one has been on my radar for a while.” She’s also considering the 5- or 10K next year at Rock ’n’ Roll New Orleans.

Being a musician, Anjos has always appreciated the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series events too. Her initial Rock ’n’ Roll was in 2011 in Las Vegas, where she ran the first nighttime half marathon at that event. She remembers standing right next to the stage at the start line and watching Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready play the national

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anthem “Jimi Hendrix–style.” She says, “That just set the tone for the night and it was a really great and surreal experience.”

She then ran the inaugural Rock ’n’ Roll Portland Half Marathon in 2012.

“Rock ’n’ Roll Portland went through a lot of very iconic Portland neighborhoods, and you really got to see Portland as a whole with that race,” she recalls of the race’s course.

Booking new gigs These days Anjos is excited about her recent appointment as the assistant coach for cross-country at Mountainside High School in Beaverton, Ore., and the track club she started in Portland called Rose City Track Club.

“There are a lot of competitive runners in Portland that aren’t necessarily running at the elite level but just want to get the best out of themselves,” says Anjos on why she started the club. “It’s been a dream project in the making for a little while now.”

Whether it’s releasing a new album, training for a major marathon between shows or starting a new running project, what’s obvious is how running and music motivate Anjos to be her best and most creative self.

She says, “I always feel better on days that I run than when I don’t.”

Liz Anjos’ Power Mantra Playlist Although Anjos says she doesn’t listen to music while she’s running, because it’s her time to feel unplugged, when she’s getting ready for a race, she’ll zero in on a specific song or lyric to get in her head. She uses the song as a motivator or mantra. Tune into her picks for the best song mantras on the run!

1. “Green Light” by Lorde 2. “Do It Again”

by Röyksopp & Robyn 3. “Destroy Everything You Touch”

by Ladytron 4. “Nobody ft. Chaos Chaos”

by RAC 5. “Closer” by Tegan & Sara 6. “Welcome to New York”

by Taylor Swift 7. “Radio War (Karl Kling Remix)”

by Pink Feathers 8. “Now That You Got It”

by Gwen Stefani 9. “Running Behind” by Holychild 10. “Don’t Panic”

by Ellie Goulding 11. “Heads Will Roll”

by Yeah Yeah Yeahs 12. “A-Yo” by Lady Gaga

7/12/17 2:49 PM

ADVERTISEMENT

CELEBRATE 20 YEARS RUNNING

2015

Sisters Amy, Emily and Annie of Hayward, Wisconsin take a moment to smile for the cameras under the Christ Church Cathedral arch.

The 5th annual Affidea Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin Half Marathon returns on August 12-13. Since the event’s inception in 2013, Americans have flocked to Ireland’s capital city. Visitors are greeted with a warm Irish welcome. Dublin, may be the ideal Rock ‘n’ Roll destination, providing a friendly, walkable city with history and fun around every corner.

The weekend running festival kicks off with a Saturday 5k in Phoenix Park, and offers three distances on Sunday: half marathon, 10K and family fun run. Many runners take the Remix Challenge - running two days and earning a third Remix medal. If bling is your thing, one can earn up to 5 medals race weekend, including the all new World Rocker.

The half marathon and 10k start together in the city center, running along the River Liffey and passing fan favorites such as Christ Church Cathedral, the Guinness Brewery and Ha’Penny Bridge. All events finish in Phoenix Park. The 1.5 mile Family Fun Run begins after the half marathon allowing runners to cool down, run with younger family members and collect another medal.

In true, Rock ‘n’ Roll fashion local bands line the course and a finish festival and concert is held in Phoenix Park. This year’s headliner is local favorite, The Riptide Movement.

If you’re up for a bit of competition, Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin also hosts the Irish National Half Marathon Championships.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series is celebrating 20 Years Running throughout 2017. Starting in 1998, the series produces 29 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon destinations worldwide, including four in Europe. Join the celebration in Dublin, Ireland on August 12-13.

2013

Over 1600 Americans travel to Ireland to take part in the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin Half Marathon.

2016

Stuart Campbell and friends amp up the energy at Rock n Roll Dublin start line. The Kiss crew is now an annual tradition.

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7/12/17 12:22 PM

FIRST LAP TRAINING

43

HOW TO STAY FIT WHEN YOU’RE INJURED Use these smart strategies to keep up your running fitness.

BY MARTY MUNSON

You might not believe it when your IT band is giving you trouble or your plantar fasciitis is flaring up or even if you sprained your ankle, but there’s good news about being injured.

“The number of times I actually advise injured runners to stop running is very, very few,” says Colleen Brough, director of the RunLab at Columbia University in New York. “If you’re dealing with a bony stress injury, then you’re going to need to sit it out.”

But when most of the other common running injures rear their ugly heads and threaten your next race, try using these approaches to fight back and stay on track.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Rest…sort of: When your doctor says “rest,” ask what that looks like. Because it probably doesn’t mean sit on the sofa and binge on Netflix for the next six to eight weeks. It usually means rest the injured body part, but keep up your cardiovascular fitness. “Within two weeks of no running, there’s a significant decline in your VO2 max [or aerobic capacity],” says Jason Karp, exercise physiologist and creator of the Revo2lution Running certification program.

Know what “keep running” means to doctors: That’s not code for “stick to your training program and just hope the pain goes away.” Many injuries crop up due to less-than-ideal running form, which is often amplified when you get tired. Suppose you have a

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Injuryproof your body with this 10-minute strength routine for runners.

biomechanical problem that’s causing plantar fasciitis. Even if you take time off, the problem will come back once you start running again, explains physical therapist Michael Conlon, owner of Finish Line Physical Therapy in New York City. “Unless you’re addressing the biomechanical issues, the idea of rest and nothing else isn’t that effective,” he says. Make an appointment with someone who can help you correct the underlying problem that’s causing the injury. And do it now. It’s much easier to address acute issues than ones that started months ago, says Conlon.

Add and subtract: When you’re forced to subtract some miles from running, add another type of exercise to the mix.

If you had a two-hour run scheduled

and you can only do 60 minutes until you hit the pain wall, then do 50 minutes of physical training and finish up on a different piece of equipment. “I’m not preoccupied with what exercise you choose,” says Jonathan Cane, co-founder of City Coach Multisport, “as long as it’s intense enough to elicit a training effect.” So if swimming isn’t your strong point, then pick something else, as long as what you choose doesn’t aggravate your injury. (It should be a linear sport, Brough points out. Basketball and tennis involve a lot of lateral cutting, which can create new injuries.)

Create new patterns: Even if part of your run trouble is that your glutes are weak, strengthening those muscles with isolated

7/27/17 12:42 PM

FIRST LAP 44

TRAINING

The Injured Runner’s Best Friends Physical therapist Michael Conlon recommends these tools to lend a keep-yourself-fit hand.

AlterG: This “anti-gravity” treadmill lifts you up via air and a pair of neoprene shorts that more or less suspend you to reduce gravity’s impact while running (you hit the belt at a fraction of your actual body weight). Found most commonly at offices that do physical therapy and some gyms.

Elliptical: Runners often prefer this since it mimics the motions of running better than other cardio gym machines do.

CM0817_T_FIRSTLAP.indd 44

Vary your intensity: Mimic the original training plan’s intensity, Cane says. If it should be a hill day, do hill repeats on the bike. Tempo?

Do that. Since heart rates can vary on different pieces of equipment, train by perceived exertion. True, nothing exactly mimics running—“You can’t train for a marathon solely on the bike,” Conlon says. “But even when you’re injured, you can do quality exercise and still maintain your fitness for whatever it is you’re training for.”

Be honest with yourself: Tempted to do your race even though you probably shouldn’t? Karp suggests asking yourself: “What is the purpose of running the race when injured? What do you hope to get out of the race that’s worth the increased risk of making the injury worse?”

Deep-water running belt: “Deep-water running is a more difficult and better workout than most people realize,” Conlon says. The belt holds you vertical in the water so you can work your legs and heart without spending time and energy to stay up.

photo: istockphoto.com

gym exercises might not be enough to get you pain-free again. You need to learn how to use that strength while you run, says Brough. “I often give running homework—cues you can use while you’re running to correct your mechanics,” she says. For instance, if someone’s knee drifts inward and contributes to knee pain, she might tell them to squeeze their butt as the foot hits the ground to better align the knee.

Or maybe for the next 100 feet, they cue up a lower abdominal exercise or experiment with placing their foot flat on the ground rather than striking it with their heel first. It’s called real-time gait training, she says, and it teaches you to create new movement pathways that help you run strong, not just be strong.

You can strengthen a troublesome muscle, but if you don’t learn to engage it while running, it can’t help you out.

Biking: You don’t have to go outdoors to get a great workout. An indoor trainer or indoor cycling bike works fine. In a way, the indoor options are even better, because you can get a quality workout without having to worry about terrain or traffic and may be able to ride with upper body injuries. Try to match your RPMs to what your run cadence should be, and adjust the resistance according to what type of workout you’re going for (tempo, hills, speed work, etc.).

7/12/17 5:49 PM

CELEBRATE 20 YEARS RUNNING

2014 A 1 Mile race entirely on the sand is added to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon weekend, allowing runners to participate in the Remix Challenge.

2001

Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach was the first stand alone Half Marathon in the U.S.

2015

The Military Challenge is introduced and receives the largest turnout across the series with 4,500 participants.

2017

More than 160 Legacy Runners have run Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach all 16 consecutive years.

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7/12/17 9:24 AM

WORKOUT OF THE MONTH 46

TRAINING

Form Check How to think about your body position while running— and exercises to right your posture wrongs!

By Jean-François Harvey

Running is an art that we can perfect through training. What’s more, just a few simple changes can make a huge difference over time.

Although the advances in exercise science can be applied to running, some people still believe that developing their running technique is pointless and could even increase their risk of injury.

They think we all know how to run, that running is a natural activity we all did as children, so we shouldn’t have to do anything to improve our technique.

Others are of the opinion that we are running the wrong way, and that it’s the fault of the so-called modern shoes we wear. In recent years, studies have in fact shown that foot strike can vary dramatically depending on the type of shoes we wear. With advocates calling for a return to a more “natural” way of running, minimalist shoes represent one solution to consider.

Every runner can run better. And do so with greater comfort, speed and control, while having more fun, saving energy and enjoying a more natural movement. This can all be possible mainly by improving one’s running technique. All runners have potential for fixes, whether in their running form, training or biomechanics.

What is the ideal running posture?

To have good posture is to have a body position that is centered spatially and balanced gravitationally. It can be achieved with minimal effort through control of the postural muscles. Having good posture changes your relationship to the environment around you and within your body. It is one of the

CM0817_T_WOTM.indd 46

essential foundations for every runner’s health and performance.

The ideal running posture is the one that promotes the most efficient movement and the most natural, flowing running style while respecting your body as much as possible. Don’t worry if your basic posture looks different from the ideal. You have your own posture, like a body signature.

And there’s no reason to change everything overnight.

You can gradually work your way toward the ideal without needing to achieve perfection. There is more than just one good running posture, for the simple reason that human beings are

not robots. According to the principles of posturology—the scientific study of posture—and the latest advances in biomechanics, we should be aiming to run tall with a slight forward lean.

When you improve your posture, you’re improving your ability to express yourself not only to the outside world but also within your body. The effects of better posture trickle down to everything you do. Postural exercises can promote a better lengthening of the spinal column by stimulating and strengthening the deep spinal muscles and all the muscles (quads, calves, glutes, etc.) that hold the body up against the force of gravity.

7/11/17 2:54 PM

WORKOUT OF THE MONTH training

47

Improve your running form with these short hill sprints.

EXERCISE 1: Single-Leg Bobs

EXERCISE 2: Runner’s Posture

EXERCISE 3: Runner’s Tree Pose

This variation on the basic bob develops balance and stimulates the proprioceptors—a must for runners.

This activates the postural muscles specifically needed for running.

Inspired by a yoga pose, this is adapted specifically for runners.

Starting position: Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart. Hold your arms in a running position.

Starting position: Stand on one leg.

Starting position: Stand on one leg with a long spine.

Action: Bend your standing knee and lower your tailbone slightly before straightening your leg again. Do this as quickly as feels natural. Keep a long spine, and make sure your foot feels firmly rooted into the ground.

Action: Keeping a long spine, let your whole body tip forward until you feel your weight shift to your toe mounds. Once you’re in this position, move your arms rhythmically, the way you would if you were running.

Duration: 15 seconds on each side

Duration: 30 seconds

What to avoid: Letting your knee drift to the inside or outside

What to avoid: Losing the length you have created in your spine

Action: Raise your hands above your head, and bring your palms together with your index fingers pointing straight up. Open your elbows back to bring them in line with your hands, shoulders and ears. Push your hands upward as you extend your spine.

Duration: 30 seconds on each side What to avoid: Letting your head fall backward, rounding your back or losing the alignment in your spine

Excerpted from Run Better: How to Improve Your Running Technique and Prevent Injury by Jean-François Harvey, published by Greystone Books (March 2017). Condensed and reproduced with permission of the publisher.

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7/27/17 12:43 PM

C R O S S -T R A I N I N G 48

TRAINING

Resistance Bands for Runners

By Mackenzie L. Havey

Resistance bands are among the easiest and cheapest ways to get in a strength workout. Not only is the elastic tubing inexpensive, it’s easy to throw in your car or pack when you travel and can be used just about anywhere.

What’s more, research has shown that resistance-band workouts are comparable to traditional weight training in terms of both boosting muscle strength and zapping body fat. In fact, they can allow you to better target certain muscle groups above and beyond what you could do with free weights.

This comes in handy for not only improving strength, but also addressing injury rehab and prevention.

This workout is tailormade for runners who are looking to improve muscle- and connective-tissue strength and combat injury.

Use a flat and thin band: Perform this circuit 2–3 times twice a week.

Hip Adduction

Ankle Dorsiflexion Loop the band around something stable. Sit on the floor with your right leg extended in front of your body and your left leg bent with that foot flat on the ground. Place the band around your right foot and pull your toes back toward your body and then return to the original position in a pumping motion.

Repeat 15 times on each side.

Loop the band around something stable and low to the ground. Stand to the right of the post and put the band around your left ankle. Slowly sweep your left foot across your body until the band provides a good amount of resistance.

Bring your leg back across your body and repeat 10 times before switching sides.

Place the looped band around your ankles, and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. With your left foot planted, step your right foot to the right until the band is fairly tight. Be sure to keep your feet parallel to one another when you plant the right foot. Then move the left foot toward the right to return to the original position. Repeat 10 steps in one direction and 10 in the opposite direction.

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photos: oliver baker

Lateral Band Walk

7/12/17 5:34 PM

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C R O S S -T R A I N I N G 50

TRAINING

With the prior moves, do these 2–3 times twice a week.

Use a tube band with handles: Standing Chest Press Find a stable, vertical post and secure the band at chest height. Face the opposite direction and hold one side of the band with each hand.

Place one foot in front of the other and bend your knees slightly to stabilize your body.

With your hands at chest height, push them out in front of your body until your arms are straight. Do 15 reps.

Seated Row

Click here for an effective athome boxing routine.

Sit on the floor with legs extended.

Secure the band on a stable, vertical post (or wrap the end around your feet) and hold each end with your hands. Be sure your back is straight and your core is engaged. Bend your elbows and squeeze your shoulder blades together to row toward your body. Do 15 reps.

Put the band around a pullup bar or overhead beam that is sturdy. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Pull the band down with both hands, bringing each end toward your thighs.

Do 15 reps.

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photos: oliver baker

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7/27/17 12:44 PM

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RUN IT COMMUNITY

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WHERE AND WHEN TO RACE The dog days of summer are here, which means the fall marathon season is quickly approaching. If you’re behind on those long runs, it’s time to get moving. You still have time to take advantage of those shorter, warm-weather races that crowd August weekends. Whether you want to hit a PR before the fall or take advantage of a water-filled obstacle course while it’s still summer, check out some of our upcoming favorites.

BY JEFF BANOWETZ

M A R AT H O N S / H A L F M A R AT H O N S ROCK ’N’ ROLL OASIS MONTREAL Sept. 23–24, Montreal

NEW HAMPSHIRE MARATHON Sept. 30, Bristol, N.H.

TWIN CITIES MARATHON Oct. 1, Minneapolis

runrocknroll.com/montreal

nhmarathon.com

tcmevents.org

Enjoy a European feel without leaving North America at this event weekend with a marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K in Montreal. As with all Rock ’n’ Roll races, you’ll enjoy live music along the entire course, with Canada’s Moist as the headliner. The scenic, relatively flat course starts at the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and offers a fabulous tour of this French-inspired city.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of this small, community-oriented race that’s been dubbed “the most beautiful marathon in New England.” During the peak foliage season, runners will enjoy taking in the sights as the loop course circles Newfound Lake. Expect ups and downs on the hilly course as well as good support with 14 water stations along the way.

This point-to-point race takes runners from the center of Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul with lots of parks and green spaces along the way. It’s a nice combination of big-city running on a manageable scale. It doesn’t hurt that the fall colors are peaking, and the downhill finish past the Cathedral of St. Paul and in front of the state capitol is one of the best in the country.

PHOTO: CGI

Rock ’n’ Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon and Half Marathon

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community

5K to 15K Giant Race San Francisco Aug. 27, San Francisco

Wicked Wine Run Sept. 9, Burleson, Texas

Tunnel to Towers 5K Sept. 24, New York City

race-sfgiants.com

wickedwinerun.com

tunnel2towers.org

You don’t have to be a Giants fan to enjoy this San Francisco race—but it helps. Runners at this eighth annual 5K, 10K and half marathon tour the landmark city’s waterfront with a finish inside of AT&T Park. The course runs along the bay and avoids those infamous San Francisco hills, and all runners receive a T-shirt, finisher’s medal and a bobblehead of a Giants player.

What vintage pairs well with energy bars?

This 5K run takes place at the Lost Oak Winery in Burleson, just south of Fort Worth, and features a scenic course on the grounds followed by a wine tasting at the finish. After the run, a 1K walk includes four more tasting stations to enjoy. There’s a costume contest and other prizes for finishers, while food trucks and live music add to the post-race celebration.

This event celebrates the memory of Stephen Siller, the New York firefighter who was off-duty when the planes hit on 9/11. He drove to the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel, strapped on 60 pounds of gear and made his way to the Twin Towers, where he died rescuing others. Runners follow this route, about 3.5 miles, beginning at the tunnel and finishing in Manhattan at West and Murray streets.

trail River Valley Run Trail Festival Aug. 19, Manchester, Md.

Balboa 4-Miler Sept. 2, San Diego

Wild Wild Wilderness Trail Run Sept. 23, Danville, Ill.

rivervalleyranch.com

sandiegotrackclub.org

kennekuk.com

Maryland’s top trail-running event includes a 5K, 10K and 15K trail run, a 5K road race and a free kids’ festival area. The River Valley Ranch, located northwest of Baltimore, is a summer camp and outdoor education center that offers plenty of room to explore, and the courses offer a nice mix of grass, creek crossings and singletrack trails.

This cross-country race in San Diego’s Balboa Park celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Organized by the San Diego Track Club, the event is run on a mix of trails, grass and sidewalks. It attracts area cross-country teams as well as individuals to compete in the master’s division (40-plus years old), youth division (18 and younger) and open races.

This 7.45-mile trail race, about three hours south of Chicago, is a rugged challenge in a state known for being flat. The 37th annual event is held in the Kickapoo State Park, with 95 percent of the course on singletrack trails that feature some serious climbs and descents.

Camping is available in the park for travelers and awards are given to the top three finishers in each age group.

Photo: courtesy Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation

Tunnel to Towers 5K

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7/12/17 5:34 PM

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7/12/17 11:57 AM

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PEAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME

Click here for how Kilian Jornet won Hardrock 100 with a dislocated shoulder.

Kilian Jornet, 29, Andalsnes, Norway AS TOLD TO KEVIN GEMMELL

After reaching the summit of Mount Everest, what’s the first thing you do?

How do you savor the moment?

You are not fully aware of what it means. I just stayed there for a short while trying to recover a bit from the climb and being focused as I knew I had to go down. Besides, it was very dark, so I couldn’t really see anything. I took a few pictures and videos but that’s it. I think it’s not until you’re down in camp that you realize what you did.

The second ascent wasn’t planned. How quick was the turnaround and what sort of mental preparation was needed to make the second climb?

When I was climbing the first time, I had a stomachache. I had to go very slowly. It was there when I decided I wanted to try again if I had good weather, just to test myself and see how I would do it without being sick, as I felt good in altitude.

From Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn to Denali, each mountain surely presents its own challenges. Is there one that stands out to you in terms of difficulty?

Every mountain has its own thing. It might be the altitude, the technical sections or even the weather. And sometimes all at once, so it’s difficult to choose.

good. This was my main goal for the expedition and I’m very pleased with the result. When I was in the base camp of Everest, my daily routine was one day of activity, one day resting, and I think this is how I got ready. Try to rest a lot and eat well the days before the challenge, even though it gave me a stomachache at the end.

Obviously there is a high degree of physical stress that goes with these types of ascents. But what about the mental stress?

I’ve trained a lot in this aspect for a while now. I’ve been competing for 15 years and have been going to the mountains since I was a kid, so the mental part has been key in my preparation. These past few years, what I’m trying to do is train for stressful moments where you need to make decisions quickly. By pushing myself to the limit—but in a controlled environment—it has allowed me to learn to master my mind, so when in complicated situations I can take the good decisions.

What was your preparation like in the days leading up to Everest?

With FKTs becoming more of a trend, do you feel like they enhance the sport? Or does it put more emphasis on the competition and less on the experience?

For me what was more challenging was the acclimatizing to altitude. I trained with a hyperbaric chamber a few weeks before departing to the Himalayas, and then I headed to the Alps to spend some time in altitude. I was in another 8,000 meters, Cho Oyu, with my girlfriend, Emelie, so when I arrived to Everest I felt very

For me speed records are to be broken, and it’s exciting to see how people are trying to improve and try to beat these records. I also think though that you need to do this for fun, to get better and to overcome your limits. When it stops being fun or challenging, I think it’s not worth it.

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“By pushing myself to the limit…it has allowed me to learn to master my mind.”

—Kilian Jornet, who summited Mount Everest twice in one week

photo: Jordi Saragossa

It’s been a busy couple of months for one of the world’s premier ultrarunners. In May, Kilian Jornet reached the summit of Mount Everest without additional oxygen or fixed ropes. Unsatisfied with his performance the first time around because of a stomach bug, he did it again within a week. Two weeks later, it was the Spaniard’s first half marathon in his adopted home of Norway, followed by a victory at the end of June at the Mont Blanc Marathon in Chamonix, France. He recently took some time to swap emails about his double Everest ascent, how he prepares for a race and his thoughts on the growing trail running trend of Fastest Known Times (FKTs).

7/27/17 12:45 PM

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