Footrace

Vol. 1 No.1 // March 2015

FOOT R ACE

How Running Changed Me 12 Race More to Become a Better Runner

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Make Your Oatmeal More Exciting 42 U.S $6.95 Canada $8.25

Vol. 1 No.1 // March 2015

FIND INSIDE

CONTENTS

12 24 30 38 40 48

How Running Changed Me Wesley lost 70 through running and realized he has untapped potential.

How to Run the Chicago Marathon Jenny Hadfield All the how-to’s, when-to’s and run down of this peacfully flat run.

Butter In Your Coffee Amanda MacMillian Runners are now putting butter in their coffee?! What is going on? We asked around and figured out this new trend.

Lotteries for Three Major Road Races Open This Week Megan Hetze Bid lottery calls for the Marine Corps, Peachtree and Chicago marathons. l Wilson Kipsang, Mary Keitany Win Windy New York City Marathon Recap of the 2015 New York City Marathon.

Runner-Friendly Chocolate Recipes Yishane Lee Chocolate should not be the enemy, chocolate is our friend.

Runner’s Stories

How Running Changed Me NAME Wesley Cure AGE 31 OCCUPATION United States Air Force HOMETOWN Bloomington, Indiana FAMILY Married to my lovely wife Andrea

Wesley lost 70 pounds through running and realized he had untapped potential.

What prompted you to start working out?

What was the biggest hurdle to working out and how did you get over it?

I had always lifted weights, but I had become unhappy with the amount of fat I had packed on. Once it got to the point where I had to buy new clothes, I knew I needed a change. I was stationed away from my wife for about six months, so I decided to fill some of that void with exercise.

The biggest hurdle I faced was learning that I shouldn’t go all out on every run (I still struggle with this on occasion). For a long time, I was running 80 percent of my runs at very close to max effort. While I saw some serious gains, it always led to injury or over-training. I have worked very hard to realize that I can stay healthy and still improve by holding back.

How did you start?

At first, I just started with a three-mile morning run a few times a week. I had just purchased a satellite watch, and as I saw my speed increase rapidly, I became hooked. I started doing research, adding speedwork, tempo runs, and long runs. Within six months, I was competitive in local 5Ks, even winning a few. Within nine months, I ran my first marathon.

Describe your regular workout routine.

I run five to six times a week and strength train/cross-train three times a week. I do a pretty good mix of speedwork, tempo runs, steady state runs, and I always try to do a long run of 90 to 120 minutes each week.

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What's the most rewarding part of your running life?

The internal sense of accomplishment.

Some of my best days are when I have a great training run and suddenly find it easy to run at a pace I couldn’t have even fathomed hitting before I started running. My paces are usually meaningless to my non-running friends and coworkers, but the internal pride I gain is priceless.

What’s the secret to your weight-loss success?

It is an old cliché, but I did not diet; I made a lifestyle change. Any adjustments I made, I made knowing they were ones I could realistically sustain. That is why I believe people

should steer away from diets that require unrealistic long-term sacrifices. Ask yourself, “Can I really go without X and Y for a prolonged period?” If the answer is “no,” then that probably isn’t the diet for you.

What kinds of changes did you make to what and how you ate?

The basis of my weight loss success was portion control. I simply ate quality food in the correct serving sizes. Three-quarters of a cup of brown rice, 4 oz of lean meat, steamed veggies, fruit, and some type of healthy fat has been the basic dinner for me. I obviously change it up, but if I don’t know what to make, that is my default.

What advice would you give to a beginner or someone just starting out?

Start slow. Don’t try to start out at full speed by running six times a week and eating 1,200 calories. You see a lot of people burn out or get injured that way. Just start exercising a few times a week and add when you feel ready. It is more realistic to develop a sustainable base that you can add to later than it is to try to sustain 20+ miles a week right away. I would also suggest running with a partner on

occasion or joining a running club. I joined and became the secretary of the River Region Runners while I was living in Montgomery, Alabama, and found that the comradery and enthusiasm of fellow runners is a real motivator.

What are your favorite motivational quotes?

"I always loved running—it was something you could do by yourself and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." - Jesse Owens What's your idea of a Rave Run? I might be biased, but the 2012 Air Force Marathon has been the highlight of my running thus far. It was such a great event that was just full of energy. That is one I will definitely run a few more times.

What’s your favorite piece of gear?

I love my Garmin Forerunner 620. Knowing your pace during a run can help you know when to push it and when to hold back.

Also, being able to see your progress is a huge motivator. There are a lot of comparable products out there, and I highly recommend getting something that can track your running data.

What is your long-term goal?

For me, it is Boston or bust. I ran my first marathon in 3:10 in 2012 after running for nine months, so I seemed destined to qualify in 2013 or 2014. However, I pushed too hard and wound up injured. I have found a happy medium with my training and I hope to qualify at the Santa Rosa Marathon this August.

Runner Fashion

Summer Running Ess

W GE

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Ro

Nathan Sonic Boom Armband iPhone 5 RoadRunner: $24.99

GU Energy Packs

RoadRunner: Single: $2.95 24-Pack: $35.90 GU® ENERGY GEL :: GU® Energy Gel give you the optimal balance of maltodextrin and fructose delivers a quick blood sugar rise, and then maintains that glucose level for up to 45 minutes. GU® keeps your mind alert and active, and your muscles going strong during your regular workouts.

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Nike AW84 Cap

RoadRunner: $38.95

Stay protected from the sun while ru plenty of lightweight, breathable co with the Nike® AW84 Cap. Keep sweat from spoiling your fun with this cap's moisture-wicking fabric, and get plenty of airy comfort from the enhanced airflow provided by its laser-perforated side panels.

You'll also be psyched on the added stay seen safety provided by this Nik Cap compliments of its reflective de

sentials

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oadRunner: $110.00

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unning in omfort

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You'll experience an even plusher, more luxurious ride thanks to the 16's new top-of-the line FluidRide™ midsole and larger Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL Cushioning units.

With Summer just around the corner, it’s time to trade in the coats and gloves for some shorts and sun hats.

Reasons to love working out in the summer.

1.

2. outdoor work 3. More outs.

4. Less long run fuss.

Tanning weather all the 5. time.

No need for all the 6. layers Well-lit work outs.

Warmer weather is happy dopamine-pumping weather.

Injury Prevention

How Yoga Can Help Your Running

By Jennifer Van Allen Published December 14, 2012 Sure, you're time-crunched and, okay, maybe a little intimidated about being the only person who can't touch his toes in a room full of Gumbys. But winter is the perfect opportunity to put excuses aside, when your mileage is likely to take a dip, making it easier to carve out cross-training time. And if you're starting the New Year with the goal of nabbing an elusive PR or wrestling a nagging injury to the ground, yoga could be a critical piece of your get-faster or get-healthy plan. Yoga has the potential to do so much good–improving strength, flexibility, and mental focus–that it's surprising that so many runners don't know a downward dog from an upward dog. In fact, 73 percent of respondents to a recent runnersworld.com poll said they don't hit the mat.

Why strike a pose? Studies have shown that yoga squashes stress, aids weight loss, eases pain, helps people stick to an exercise routine, and even improves running times. The strength and flexibility you develop on the mat–namely in the core, quads, hamstrings, and hip flexors–can help you run more efficiently and stay injury-free, says Adam St. Pierre, a coach, biomechanist, and exercise physiologist for the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine.

Additionally, holding challenging poses builds tenacity that'll pay off on the road. Lauren Fleshman, a two-time national outdoor 5000-meter champion, started practicing yoga after breaking her foot in 2008. But the poses gave her more than just foot strength: "Yoga helps me control my emotions while I'm in discomfort on the road," she says. "Enduring an intense pose is a lot like enduring a long run or tempo run."

For all the perks yoga offers, it still requires a cautious approach. Get too ambitious, and you could end up hurt and frustrated. This guide will make easing in easy.

AVOID INJURY

BE HUMBLE It can take years to master yoga poses, so don't go to your first class (or your first 20) expecting to be the star pupil–no matter how many races you've run or how fast your PRs are. "Focus on yourself, not what the person on the mat next to you can do," Rountree says. And realize there's plenty to gain from a less-than-perfect practice.

"So many runners are hard on themselves when they have an off day or they don't PR," Fleshman says. "In yoga, you're encouraged to accept the body and mind that you have on that day and push it as far as it will go."

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Runners' high pain thresholds coupled with their competitive natures can make them more prone to injury, warns St. Pierre, who speaks from experience. In 2011, the ultrarunner got too aggressive in pigeon pose, trying to stretch his glutes and piriformis, and missed three months of running as a result. Rountree sees this in her own classes, too. If you have a troublesome or tight spot you'd like to target, talk to your instructor about ways to modify poses so you can get a gentle–and safe–stretch.

Race Training

Race More to Be a Better Runner Defending champion Shalane Flanagan

skipped the national 10,000-meter championships last June because she was preparing for a marathon...in September. Like Flanagan, many top athletes race sparingly, waiting until their fitness is perfect before toeing the line. But it wasn't always that way. In the months leading up to his American best of 2:09:55 at the 1975 Boston Marathon, for example, Bill Rodgers raced everything from two miles on the indoor track to 30K on the roads.

He enjoyed racing, but he also used minor races as stepping-stones toward two or three major goal races each year. This approach has benefits that are hard to replicate in workouts: Intermediate goals maintain motivation, and the race How frequent racing can make you a better competitor. atmosphere pushes you to run hard. For those with prerace jitters, familiarity breeds a more Race Tired Diversify relaxed approach and prepares you for adversiRodgers raced 23 times in Practice makes perfect, but ty, says Camille Herron, a 2:37 marathoner who, 1975, but used most as prep don't just race the same inspired by Rodgers, races 15 to 20 times a year for the Boston and Fukuoka distance over and over. "The (including up to seven marathons). marathons. When he ran a shorter, competitive races are three-mile indoor track race a great for learning tactics, Still, you shouldn't just sign up for a race every few months before Boston, repeated surging, and hurtweekend and hope for the best. Here's how to for example, it was part of a ing in a different way," says ensure that there's a method behind the 20-mile day. You don't have Herron. "The longer races are madness. to go that far (literally), but more drawn out, so you have resist the urge to be well-restto have greater patience and Pace Yourself ed for every race. If you're mentally and physically work When every race is important, it's hard to take racing 10K or less, plan an through the highs and lows." risks. Use low-key races to experiment with extended warmup or pacing, and don't worry if the results aren't cooldown–or both.

Apply It: Find races that always great. You'll develop a better feel for the challenge skills you'll need in differences between "a bit too slow," "a bit too Apply It: At secondary races, your goal race. If you're fast," and "just right"–and you may discover that aim to run at least three miles training for Boston, find a a more conservative (or aggressive) approach before and after the race. race with plenty of down-hills works for you.

Once that's comfortable, to test your quads. Challengextend the cooldown to five es like early or late starts, hot Apply It: Run the first half of a race five percent miles. Give yourself at least or cold weather, and crowded slower than your current race pace, then finish two days to recover afterward first miles can–and should–be as fast as you can, to learn to stay relaxed in the (three days for races of 10 rehearsed at other races. early miles of races. Alternately, run the first half miles or longer) before doing five percent faster than race pace. It will be another hard workout. painful, but you'll be practicing the hardest and

By Alex Hutchinson; most essential skill in running: hanging on.

Image byRami Niemi Published January 27, 2015

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Food Science

The Avocado Guacamole is only the beginning. Avocados are prized for their creamy, hearty, mild deliciousness by omnivores and vegans alike. Do you know enough about them? Here are 5 things to know.

Avocados are seriously good for you. The health benefits of avocados are many. Savvy eaters know that the fat in avocados is good fat (much more digestible than animal fat), and that their rich creaminess can help stave off cravings of dairy and other rich foods. An average avocado also has 4 grams of valuable protein, which is much more than most other fruits.

The best way to tell if an avocado is ripe is to hold it in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze it, or to press it very carefully near the stem tip. If it gives a little, it’s perfectly ripe. If it doesn’t yield to gentle pressure, it will ripen in a few days. It’s best to buy avocados when they are still a little hard so that they ripen at home. If an avocado yields to firm gentle pressure, it’s ripe and ready to eat.

If the avocado is firm and does not yield to pressure, it will ripen in a couple of days. If the avocado feels soft or mushy when you press it, it is likely overripe. Overripe avocados turn brown in the flesh, and the flavor changes (not for the better).

Store unripe avocados at room temperature (approximately 65-75F, out of direct sunlight).To speed up the ripening process, store in a brown paper bag with an apple or a banana.

Store cut ripe avocados in the refrigerator. Sprinkle cut, mashed, or sliced avocado with lemon or lime juice and wrap tightly in clear plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. The avocado will last up to a day.

Hass avocados account for 80% of cultivated avocados worldwide. The Hass avocado, a hybrid of the Mexican and Guatemalan avocados, patented by Rudolph Hass in California in 1935, is the most widely available commercial variety in the world. Hass avocados do not ripen on the tree, but ripen or soften once they have been harvested. Unlike some other varieties of avocados, Hass avocados turn color as they ripen in addition to softening. When Hass avocados are not ripe, they have a bright or dark green color. This color changes from green to a deep purplish color when ripe. Remember that color alone doesn’t tell the whole story (see #2).

Avocado has been compared to butter for centuries. Fun Fact: In the 17th and 18th centuries, the avocado was commonly known as the “butter pear,” and is still known as “butter fruit” in parts of India. Hip Vegan Parlance: Mashed or smeared avocado is known among enthusiasts as “avo butter.” Some also use “avo butter” to describe compound butter using avocado.

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Runner Fuel

Make Your Oatmeal Chai-Pumpkin Pumpkin adds natural sweetness and beta-carotene, a key anti-oxidant for immune health. Pure maple syrup–particularly the darker varieties–is a source of additional antioxidant firepower.

CinnamonMocha

It tastes indulgent, but this guilt-free combo provides antioxidants (from dark chocolate), potassium (from banana), and heart-healthy fat, thanks to the crunchy hazelnuts.

STIR INTO THE POT ¼ cup reduced-fat milk 1 banana, mashed 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped ½ tablespoon instant espresso powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract TOP EACH SERVING WITH 1 tablespoon chopped hazelnuts 1 tablespoon dried cherries

STIR INTO THE POT ¼ cup reduced-fat milk ½ cup canned pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves TOP EACH SERVING WITH 1 tablespoon chopped pecans or walnuts 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

Green Eggs and Ham Savory oatmeal makes a great lunch or dinner. Lean ham and eggs pack protein to satisfy your hunger, while spinach contains nitrates that improve muscle functioning during exercise.

STIR INTO THE POT cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth 3 cups baby spinach cup grated Parmesan cheese cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

TOP EACH SERVING WITH Per serving: 328 calories, 51 g 1 ounce Black Forest ham, chopped carbs, 9 g fiber, 9 g protein, 12 1 fried egg 1 teaspoon chopped chives g fat Dash of hot sauce 42 FootRace March 2014

Per serving: 320 calories, 32 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 21 g protein, 14 g fat

More Exciting Tropical Twister A splash of coconut milk adds creamy sweetness, while mango packs plenty of vitamin C, which can help lower blood pressure. Cacao nibs have great chocolaty crunch and good amounts of dietary fiber to keep you feeling full all morning long.

STIR INTO THE POT cup canned coconut milk 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom TOP EACH SERVING WITH ½ cup chopped mango 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios 1 tablespoon cacao nibs Per serving: 343 calories, 54 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 9 g protein, 13 g fat

Blueberries 'n' Cream Blueberries pack more flavonoid antioxidants, which work to fortify heart health, than almost any other fruit. Choose organic berries when you can–studies show they contain higher concentrations of antioxidants than conventionally grown varieties.

STIR INTO THE POT cup reduced-fat milk 1 cup blueberries 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional) TOP EACH SERVING WITH cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon chopped almonds 1 teaspoon honey

Sport Science associated with other sensation-seeking behavior like gambling and drug addiction – the difference is that extreme athletes tend to ave high impulse control in addition to sensation-seeking characteristics. They take risks, but those risks are calculated.

As for running: [...] Could genes linked to endorphins or endocannabinoids – the brain chemicals thought to be

A gene variant linked to dopamine receptors predicts appetite for extreme sports.

By Alex Hutchinson Published March 14, 2014

Before beautiful summer weather takes over (he said hopefully), one last look back at the Winter Olympics. Specifically, what makes some people decide to take up ridiculously crazy sports that involve hurtling down a mountain then twisting and turning in the air several stories above a potentially lethal halfpipe or slopestyle course? I mean, I understand why you do it when you're already one of the best in the world and competing for an Olympic medal – I just have trouble imagining how anyone decides to start those sports in the first place. What drives you to take that first flip?

Of course, I'm fully aware that (a) this says more about me than about extreme sports, and (b) lots of people in the world are just as baffled by the crazy people who go out running every day. So is there something hardwired in us that makes us choose one sport over another?

That's the topic I looked at in this week's column in the Globe and Mail: I wrote about some neat research from Cynthia Thomson and Jim Rupert at the University of British Columbia which found that risk-taking behavior in skiers and snowboarders is associated with the presence of a certain gene variant that helps determine the density of dopamine receptors in the brain. Not surprisingly, this same gene variant has been

responsible for runner’s high – play a role in who finds endurance sports pleasurable?

We don’t yet know enough about the individual variation in these traits to draw a conclusion, says Dr. David Raichlen, a University of Arizona researcher who studies runner’s high. However, he points out that twin studies have demonstrated a genetic component to exercise adherence, which may be due in part to differences in brain chemistry. [...]

For what it's worth, about 15-25% of people have the gene variant associated with high risk-taking behavior, 50% with medium risk-taking behavior, and 25-35% with low risk-taking (what I like to think of as the "smart" group!). For more details, check out the Globe article.