THE ROADRUNNER A Publication of the Memphis Runners Track Club www. memphisrunners. com
January-February 2021 • Vol. 41, No. 1
Determined to run
Although 5,000 miles from Memphis, Rebecca Cox was not about to miss her chance to help raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. To find out how she achieved her goal, see page 10.
THE ROADRUNNER
In This Issue From the Editor’s Desk
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A Message from the President (Steve Spakes) Nutrition on the Run (by Ashley Ludlow) A publication of the Memphis Runners Track Club January-February 2021 Vol. 41, No. 1
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Running in Switzerland
for the children of St. Jude (by Rebecca Krynski Cox)
Race calendar
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Running for the laurels (by Rob Rayder)
What Runners Need to Know (by Joel Lyons) Group runs
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Advertisements Fleet Feet
Inside Front Cover
Zaka Bowl
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901PT
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Blair Parker Design
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BioLife Plasma Services
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Grivet Outdoors
On the cover
Rebecca Krynski Cox, who ran a half marathon in Switzerland to help raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She is pictured looking over Lake Lucerne with the Swiss Alps in the background. Her report on that adventure is on page 10.
Sprouts Farmers Market
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Nationwide / Lofton Wells Insurance OrthoSouth
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Visit St. Jude.org/Marathon for results from the St. Jude Memphis Marathon weekend.
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Brent Manley Roadrunner Editor brentmanley@yahoo.com 901-246-6477 The Roadrunner is published monthly except January/February and July/August, which are combined issues. You can join the MRTC or renew your membership online at www.memphisrunners.com.
Article Submission Guidelines
Submissions should be emailed to the editor as Microsoft Word or text attachments. Please include name and telephone number with submissions. Photographs should be labeled with names, dates, locations and any other pertinent information. For more information about guidelines and deadlines for submitting articles to the Roadrunner, contact the editor.
MRTC Board of Directors 2019-2020 OFFICERS President/ Sponsorship Director Steve Spakes stevemrtc@gmail.com Vice President Suzie Hicks-Hurt 901-496-1377 s_hickshurt@bellsouth.net Treasurer Charles Flanigan Jr. mrtc.treasurer@gmail.com DIRECTORS Past President / Special Projects/Results John Payne 901-494-8266 johncharlespayne@gmail.com
Past President/Special Projects/Legal Matters George F. Higgs 901-528-1111 ghiggs@stonehiggsdrexler.com Volunteer Director Nancy Brewton volunteeringwithnancy@ gmail.com 901-237-4758 Finish Line Director/ Equipment Lane Purser 901-483-8929 lpurser350@aol.com Timing/Results Rich Tutko 901-481-0498 rtutko@hotmail.com
Past President/ Roadrunner Editor Brent Manley 901-246-6477 brentmanley@yahoo.com
Women Run/Walk Memphis Director Allison Andrassy 901-409-6620 allison.mrtc@gmail.com
Past President/ Course Measurement Rob Hunter 901-246-1565 robhunter33@comcast.net
Director Kent Smith kent824@bellsouth.net
Past President/ New Race Coordinator Wain Rubenstein 901-278-1792 wrubenstei@aol.com
Director Dennese Black
For information about MRTC or running in the Memphis area, contact any board member or visit www.memphisrunners.com Administrative Secretary/Scheduler April Flanigan 901-574-8908 aflanigan@memphisrunners.com Magazine Services Printing and mailing services provided by Paulsen Printing 901-363-5988
From the Editor’s Desk Brent Manley Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
— Marcus Tullius Cicero
Goodbye, and thanks
The photo of me that always accompanies this column shows me smiling. It was taken from a photo of me and Donna, my wife, at one of the parties we have every year shortly after the annual road race series is concluded. I’m not smiling as I write this because I am very sad. The reason for that occurred nine days ago on Jan. 1, when one of MRTC’s best – Lane Purser – died unexpectedly at the age of 77. News of Lane’s passing hit me hard. I won’t say we were best friends, but I admired him for his dedication to the running community and MRTC and his willingness to do whatever it took to further the goals of the club. Many of you, especially those who run in MRTC races, know Lane as the “Voice of MRTC” for his unique way of getting races started. Shortly before time to start the race, Lane would climb a small ladder and, using a bull horn, would begin, “Gooooooood morning, runners!” He would then follow with information runners need to know – for example, if there might be traffic issues on the course. It didn’t take long for the crowds to begin to express their approval of Lane’s style with enthusiastic applause. The following is from an article I wrote for the Commercial Appeal in the summer of 2012 about Lane and J. Lee Taylor – another “voice” at races in the area, but not in the same style as Lane.
Lane Purser about to start a race. 1
“It doesn’t feel like a race unless you hear Lane getting the runners pumped up,” says Lisa Overall, MRTC president. Adds DJ Watson, who had to fill in for Purser at last year’s Women Run/ Walk Memphis 5K: “What Lane does is a lot harder than you think – getting on the ladder, being heard, then getting out of the way of 800 women runners.” Says Rob Hunter, a
best of 3:38 in 2000. He remembers running for the first time in a pair of Keds tennis shoes with no cushioning. When he later discovered shoes designed for runners – a pair of Nikes – “I thought I had died and gone to heaven.” Purser discovered MRTC when he met Hunter at a 5K. At the time, Hunter was on the MRTC board and a regular with the Germantown running group. One day, while the two were running on a trail in Bartlett, Hunter informed Purser that he had been voted onto the MRTC board. It was during the tenure of MRTC President Rachel Ragan – circa 2005 – that Purser became the “voice” at MRTC races. Having a regular announcer with club affiliation to start each race, Ragan figured, would enhance the visibility of the club. Purser devised his familiar opening with a practical purpose in mind. With a normal announcement, he says, only the first couple of
Who's in charge here? It's Lane Purser. member of the MRTC board, “If he’s not there, people say, ‘Where’s Lane?’” Lane was born in Crystal Springs, Miss., and lived in Tupelo and Jackson before moving to Memphis in the mid-Sixties. He earned a degree in banking and finance from Mississippi State University and worked at Lowenstein’s department store downtown in a variety of jobs before moving to Little Rock, Ark., to open a shop that specialized high-end home accoutrements. He now works for himself installing drapes. Purser took up running about 1970 after returning to Memphis, his goal being to lose weight. It was about 15 years before Purser started competing, but he did well. “I was a halfway decent runner,” he says. “I didn’t have a lot of talent, but I worked hard at it.” Purser completed 10 marathons, with a personal
Almost time to run, folks. 2
rows of runners at the start line can hear anything. “I wanted to get runners’ attention so they would know they were about to start running,” he says. That accounted for the volume. The words were copied from one of Lane’s favorite films, “Good Morning, Vietnam,” starring Robin Williams. In the film, Williams’ character started each radio broadcast with the long, loud salutation Purser has adapted for races. “I want to project my voice,” he says. Purser acknowledges that he was nervous when he first started but is comfortable now and “I enjoy starting the races – I really do.” Purser’s secret to a smooth delivery: “If I don’t think about what I’m going to say, it works out a lot better.”
MRTC’s Loss
Lane is gone but he will not be forgotten. Those who knew Lane, including me, are grateful he spent part of his time on earth among us. He earned what I consider to be one of the highest compliments that can be offered to another person: He cared. Thanks, Lane. ❑
Still talking to the runners.
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A Message from the President By Steve Spakes award from the Youth Villages Red Kite Society. It has some beautiful artwork on the back of the plaque composed by Stephanie P., age 15. Memphis is very fortunate that Youth Villages and St. Jude call Memphis home. As you know, both organizations do awesome work. Yes, we are having the Winter Off Road Series as an in-person or virtual event, your choice. It will be an electronically timed event with the Start / Finish line open from Noon until 4:00 p.m. for each race. Disclaimer: You must finish the event by 4:00 p.m. sharp to get an official time for the event, which means the Start Line will be closing a little earlier that 4:00 p.m. depending on the length of the race. You will pick up your shoe tag on site and keep it for the series. There will be no mass start in order to keep the number of people gathering to a safe minimum. If you arrive and feel that there are too many people at the start (hopefully, that won’t happen), wait until they depart, then make your way to the start line. Once again, it’s an electronically timed event. It doesn’t matter when you start. It will also be a BYOW event (bring your own water) and we will not have ditch assistance at Stanky Creek nor post-race snacks. We hope to see you there, but we understand if you’re not. Just practice Safety Above All. COVID fatigue. Recently, I read an engaging article by Erin Berger about a mental health specialist who goes professionally by her first name, Grizel. In short, Grizel has made a study, initiated by her experiences, on mental health issues of people who love the outdoors.
A big congratulations to all who registered and earned money for the virtual St. Jude Marathon. WMC-TV and Joe Birch aired a special segment with several interesting runner stories on marathon day. On one hand, it’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since I was volunteering at the MRTC cheer station at around mile 22. On the other hand, it seems like so long ago. I certainly can’t wait until the 2021 event and hopefully we all can step up the donations to St. Jude to make up for crazy 2020. Thanks to all the participants and particularly all the Heroes. MRTC is honored to receive an appreciation
The Youth Villages Red Kite Award, given this year to MRTC. 5
One was on a hike of the Appalachian Trail in which she struggled with depression and had a guilt trip about having those feelings while immersed in nature. Experiencing nature and exercise was supposed to be a cure-all but it wasn’t working. Grizel has an Instagram following of almost 30,000. Check it out. Our condolences to friends and family of Swiss professional trail runner Andrea Huser. Andrea unfortunately fell to her death near the resort town of Saas-Fee. Andrea was a champion in Mountain Biking, Snow Ski Competition, Triathlons, and the Ultra Trail World Tour. On a lighter note, congratulations to Maya Gabeira, the surfer who rode the largest wave of the year. Maya rode a 73.5-foot wave, making her the first woman to win the prize outright. Wow! And a personal thanks to Darrell Croft, DPM for helping to heal the foot I trashed at work. I’m sure that Dr. Croft is has a lot of healed runners in the 901 area on his resume. Thanks, and be safe! ❑
Visit St. Jude.org/ Marathon for results from the St. Jude Memphis Marathon weekend.
2021 Roadrunner deadlines will be announced later this year. If you have questions about advertising or article contributions, write to the editor: brentmanley@yahoo.com
Renew your MRTC membership at www.memphisrunners.com
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Ashley Ludlow
MS, RD, CSG, ACE-CHC, LDN, FAND
Ask the Dietitian:
More often than not, we are taking in more protein than our body needs. Once you consume more protein than your body can use, your body typically excrete the excess protein through your urine, but if these drinks are providing more calories than you need, the excess calories will be stores as excess weight … not usually a plus! However, if you are skipping meals, recovering from illness or surgery, or are not taking in enough protein through your regular diet, protein shakes may be beneficial. If you are concerned that you are not taking in enough protein, be sure to talk to a nutrition expert … a Registered Dietitian.
Q: After a run or bike ride should I drink a protein shake? A: After a great workout, bike ride or run, many people often reach for a protein shake. The type of protein shakes I’m referring to are the ones you can find at the grocery and health food stores and contain either whey, casein, soy, egg albumin, goat or cow milk, wheat, beef, pea, hemp, or brown rice proteins. They come in either a powder form, or already prepared in a bottle.
Q: I feel sluggish and tired, should I try a detox diet? A: Detox diets are touted as a way to flush toxins out of your system. These diets are quite popular, but they are not scientifically proven. The specifics of detox diets can vary — but usually a period of fasting is followed by a strict diet of raw vegetables, fruit and fruit juices, and water. Some detox diets also recommend using herbs and other supplements along with colon cleansing through enemas or colonics to further empty the intestines. You may lose a little bit of weight from a detox diet, but it is usually temporary from a combination of being on a very low-calorie diet, losing water weight, and from having empty intestines. Plus, you’re likely to lose weight and then gain it right back when you go off any extreme diet. There is little evidence that detox diets actually remove toxins from the body. Nor do you need to help your body “detoxify.” Your kidneys and liver are quite effective at filtering and eliminating most ingested toxins. So, there is no need to “detox!” Some say that they feel better on a detox diet, but
If you are a healthy active adult, with a pretty healthy diet, these types of drinks are completely unnecessary. It is not very difficult at all to meet your protein needs without supplementation from protein drinks, shakes, bars, and powders. If you include foods such as eggs, beef, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, nuts, and legumes in your diet, you can easily take in enough protein to meet your needs, even if your needs are increased due to extensive exercise. 8
why they temporarily feel better may actually come from the fact that they are avoiding highly processed foods, extra sugar, and fat. These benefits may come at a cost. Detox diets that severely limit protein or that require fasting can result in fatigue, muscle aches, and irritability. Long-term fasting can result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Colon cleansing, through enemas and colonics, can cause cramping, bloating, nausea and vomiting and even dehydration can be a concern. And if a diet recommends pills, herbs, or supplements, these items are not backed by the FDA and can interact with different medications and can cause issues on their own.
A: When you eat carbohydrate-containing foods such as breads, pasta, rice, fruit, vegetables, and other grains, sugars and starches, your muscles use the sugar inside of these foods for energy. It stores this ready to use energy in your muscles in the form of glycogen (ready to use carbohydrates). But since every ounce of carbohydrates stored in your muscles carries with it three ounces of water, when you eat a high-carbohydrate meal, you will gain weight, but rest assured, this weight gain is only water weight and not actually body fat! And if you run or exercise on a regular basis, often your muscles are low in stored glycogen, so this weight gain actually means that you are fueling yourself properly, not that you are gaining fat. Carbohydrates by themselves are not fattening, but consuming too many calories of ANY kind, whether they are in the form of carbohydrates, protein, or fat, is! ❑
The specifics of detox diets can vary ...
Q: Why do I gain weight when I eat carbohydrates?
Attention: Fellow Runners! Do you have some unusual experiences as a runner, or some thoughts about our sport you would like to share? Don’t keep it to yourself – share with your fellow runners. You can contact the editor at any time to discuss potential contributions: brentmanley@yahoo.com or 901-246-6477. This is your publication. Be an active part of it. — Brent Manley, Editor
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My St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon from 5,000 miles away By Rebecca Krynski Cox organization, or any other, for that matter. I was blown away by the positive response. Within the first 24 hours of posting that I was running, I had nearly doubled my fundraising goal. Everyone who donated did so very enthusiastically and expressed to me how much they love St. Jude. I have not had any personal connection to St. Jude, other than admiring everything that it provides for so many children and their families. I love St. Jude’s mission to end childhood cancer, and I am very happy to contribute, even in a small way. I was previously unaware that the research hospital has already brought the survival rate from 20% to 80%, and I have no doubt that number will one day be 100%. One of the advantages of running a virtual race is that you can choose your own route. I make it a point to run a different route for every long run. One of my goals is to run around the entirety of Lake Lucerne, which is about 100 miles. I decided to use The St. Jude Half Marathon to run a very special section of the lake, called the Wegder Schweiz, or “The Swiss Path.” It is a commemorative trail that was made around the southernmost part of the lake to celebrate the 700th year of the Swiss Confederation. The entire route was new to me, which made it so fun and exciting. Though there was a lot of elevation (over 2,000 feet of gain), the views of the lake and the Alps were spectacular. I came across a huge bell tower that plays songs which you can request from a list. Many of the songs were Swiss folk songs, one of which I had learned to sing on a concert last year, and includes some fun yodeling. So when those bells started ringing, I couldn’t help but join in!
The photos for this article were taken by the author on her iPhone XR using the timer feature and her Apple watch as a trigger. I’ve been running a lot since last March, when everything began shutting down. My running and fitness routine have been the only consistent thing in my life since then. I registered for a few virtual races, to keep me working towards a goal. This was my first time participating in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend, and I am SO happy for the opportunity to do so. A little backstory about my fitness journey: I began running in 2012, as a way to lose weight. But what kept me running were the immense mental benefits. Running has been a HUGE part of my life, especially since COVID entered the scene. It has brought me the opportunity for accomplishment and stress relief, not to mention exploring so many spectacular trails that I otherwise might never have seen. I have made donations to St. Jude in the past, but this was my first time fundraising for this amazing
The author looks out over Lake Lucerne in Central Switzerland. (See cover.) She ran a half marathon in December to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on a special part of a trail around the lake. Her course included the Wegder Schweiz (Swiss Path). 10
And no Swiss run is complete without petting some farm animals. Happily, a family of very friendly goats cheered me on around Mile 12 – couldn’t have come at a better time! Overall, I think this was my favorite run, dare I say ... ever! The scenes, yes of course. But it felt so special to be running for such an incredible cause. I’m so honored to be running to end childhood cancer. Originally from Charlotte, NC, opera singer Rebecca Cox has been living in Lucerne, Switzerland, for the past five years, pursuing her dream of a career in music.
Race Calendar Date & Time: Saturday, Jan. 2 Race name: Hill & Dale 8 Miler Location: Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park 910 Riddick Rd., Millington Contact: RaceRoster.com Date & Time: Sunday, Jan. 17 Race name: Winter Off-Road Series 3K Location: Shelby Farms Park Contact: Memphis Runners Track Club aflanigan@memphisrunners.com Date & Time: Sunday, Jan. 31 Race name: Winter Off-Road Series 5K Location: Nesbit Park, Bartlett (aka Stanky Creek) Contact: Memphis Runners Track Club aflanigan@memphisrunners.com Date & Time: Saturday, Feb. 6 Race name: St. Valentine's Virtual 5K/10K Contact: kevin.rooney@cityofbartlett.org 901-385-5593 Date & Time: Sunday, Feb. 14 Race name: Winter Off Road Series 8K Location: Nesbit Park, Bartlett (aka Stanky Creek) Contact: Memphis Runners Track Club aflanigan@memphisrunners.com Date & Time: Sunday, Feb. 28 Race name: Winter Off-Road Series 10K Location: Shelby Farms Park Contact: Memphis Runners Track Club aflanigan@memphisrunners.com
Rebecca Cox two miles into the half marathon she ran in central Switzerland to help raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Running for the laurels By Robert “the Lone Runner” Rayder This article was originally published in the Jan-Feb 2018 issue of the Roadrunner. window of opportunity to train for greatness slipped away, if it was ever there to start with. I’m still not sure exactly when my youth ended. At some mysterious point, people stopped calling me a “young man” and started calling me “sir.” My skin wrinkled, my hair thinned and whitened, my muscles atrophied. So when I did finally start running again, after a half lifetime of neglect, it was part of my midlife crisis. I trained as hard as I could, and my running skills grew. Over time, my efforts were noticed by runners who would tell me that I accomplished a lot “for a guy my age and size.” A part of me rebelled against such sentiments. I just wanted to be fast, without all the qualifiers. As my running skills grew, I managed to actually win a few age-group awards. In one very small race, I won the master’s division and placed ninth overall. I thought that such a lofty finish might be as good as it could ever be in my running career. I had no real hope of running for the laurels. Then, just when you least expect it, life throws you a curveball. I was still very much in a recovery phase of my training because of a persistent knee injury sustained over the summer (while bodysurfing, a sport I used to partake of all summer long without any difficulties. Talk about getting old ...). The goal behind my race frenzy (besides having fun) was to rebuild my speed and endurance because my knee was finally letting me put one foot in front of the other without agonizing pain. I had to get ready for the St. Jude Marathon, which was about a month away. As you probably know, the first half marathon in the MRTC road race series occurs on the first weekend in November. Series races always take place on Sunday mornings, so few sane runners are looking for a race to run the day before. I, of course, following the twisted logic of my crazy recovery plan, was doing just that, and I scoured the local race offerings to find a Saturday race.
It is impossible to win the race unless you venture to run. It is impossible to win the victory unless you dare to battle.
— Richard M De Vos
It was that same old dream again. You know the one. Nearly every runner dreams something like it at one time or another. There I am, standing at some unfamiliar start line. I strut confidently forward. People step aside and a pathway appears through the masses, inviting me to the very front. I toe the line with a quite confidence, and maybe a little bravado. Then the gun sounds. I immediately run out to the front. I sense the other runners behind me I’m their target, the guy to beat. I run effortlessly across the course. Most of my fellow runners fall back, unable to maintain the furious pace. One by one, they fall away. At long last I run alone. The finish approaches where a crowd has gathered. I cross the finish line, a running champion! Then I wake up. For my entire life, winning a real-world race has been the stuff of fantasy. Time to be totally truthful with myself. I’ve never had enough running talent, even when I was a young man, to actually win a competitive race. I’m not just talking about winning an age group, but to be the first runner overall, the race champion, that guy from the dream. I might have had a chance right before high school. I ran a lot then, and showed some promise. But I chose to be an offensive lineman and inside linebacker for my high school football team. Those were positions that valued strength and size over raw speed. After high school came college and professional school, where academics were the focus over physical training. Then came a job, a family and an impressive waistline. Simply put, life kept me so busy that my
A part of me rebelled against such sentiments.
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A new race in Overton Park caught my eye. The There were a few who seemed to know the drill. Caregivers’ Respite / Laura E Carter 5K was the A tall, lanky fellow in his middle years was stretching perfect fit. It was to be run on a course I had run many near the start. A guy in his late teens or early 20s times before. I would know exactly what to expect pushed forward confidently to the first row. I also found over each mile, and that afforded me an advantage I my way to the front, lining up with a kid who was no couldn’t pass up. more than 10 years old, jumping up and down excitedly to my left. I pulled myself out of my comfy bed on a mild Ahead of us was the biker whose job would be to Saturday morning and made my way past the colorful guide the leader safely across the miles and to make bicycle arch that marks the eastern entrance to the sure everyone stayed on course. familiar stomping grounds of Overton Park. After the pre-race introductions and the singing of As I was signing up, I noticed something a little the National Anthem, a bullhorn alarm was sounded peculiar. In most races I can identify the familiar habits and we were off. of a few of my fellow runners. There is a particular rhythm to things, a sort of natural pre-race flow. There The course veered downhill, so I decided to open is almost always a cadre of talented competitors high up my stride and push my speed. The 10-year-old ran kicking, stretching and otherwise warming up. They are with me stride for stride and the two of us lead the early usually found hanging out somewhere near the start. race. This was nothing new. I often outrun the pack for 100 or 200 yards before the leaders kick into stride and Then there is the mid-pack regulars, of which I am a fly past me. charter member, making the pre-race rounds with words of encouragement and bad jokes, all in a desperate A quarter mile into the race, the 10-year-old fell off. attempt to shake off the early-morning doldrums. No one rose up to pass me. I viewed that as strange. I was running right behind the leading bike and he was Finally, there are the walkers and back-of-thepackers, filled with enthusiasm and vigor, often grouped taking his cues from me. It was disorienting, but I dared not look back and decided to just keep to my strategy together with their running buddies in large packs. They and push the downhill hard. are equipped with water bottles, fanny packs and As I approached the cell phones, ready for Mile 1 marker, the course anything the miles might flattened out and my throw at them. strategy was to slow down and recover some before Before this particular attacking the uphill ahead. A race, however, there were group of volunteers popped none of those groupings. to life as I approached and Most of the participants began calling out, “WATER! wore cotton T-shirts that Need some water?” This advertised things that would be familiar territory had nothing to do with for me except for one thing. running. Many wore I saw no used cups, nothing high-top tennis shoes or spilled on the road. The generic athletic shoes station was pristine, and I more fitted to fashion was still following the lead than function. Most bike. of them meandered aimlessly around the It was almost beyond starting area, obviously belief. The race was onewaiting for instructions. third done and somehow In other words, these I was still the leader. I were people not used to politely waved off the offers the ebbs and flows of a of refreshment and ran on. running event. They were I was too nervous to look there more to support a back, sure my gaze would be worthy charity than to greeted by a group of “real” The author with his first-place trophy. compete in a 5K. runners swiftly closing in 13
on me, bent to end my reign as the runner at the front of the pack. “After all,” I thought to myself, “I couldn’t actually win this thing, could I? That would be crazy! Just enjoy your brief time atop the leader board.” I did use my ears, however, and waited for the volunteers’ calls to resume at the Mile 1 aid station. There were only a few seconds of silence before the familiar cries of “WATER!” started anew. The second-place runner was close. I decided to stick to my plan and recover a little on the flat portion. I knew I’d gone out a little fast, thrust forward by my enthusiasm and the sheer adrenaline rush of leading a race for the first time. If I was to survive the uphill as the leader, I had to have something left in the tank. After a short time, I could finally hear the footsteps
of my pursuer as he or she closed in. I mentally counted the other runner’s cadence Thump-thump-thump. The rhythm was slightly faster than mine, but not too much so. And he or she was striking the pavement hard. It was clearly a challenge to take the lead. I waited. “Stick to the plan,” I told myself. “Recover, then hit the uphill at full strength.” Meanwhile the mysterious steps behind me were getting louder. Finally, the much-anticipated uphill came into view and I shifted gears. The footsteps behind me faltered slightly and, for a time, actually started to fade. It was a sign that I had successfully met my first challenge. I was still the leader! I also was keenly aware that this race was young. Anything could still happen. I tried to block out all the
Thanks to Sprouts for supporting the 2019 Road Race Series and the 2020 Winter Off-Road Series.
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potential disasters that my mind concocted and just focused on my pre-race plan. Something inside me changed after that first failed challenge. I suddenly believed the impossible could happen. I started to think of ways that I could win. The halfway point brought us back to the start line (the course was a double loop) and a few spectators politely clapped and cheered. The footsteps were more distant now, but were still definitely there with their constant thumping. The challenger was matching my pace. Whenever I sped up, my challenger would do the same, and when I slowed down they did as well, were biding their time for a second challenge, which was just fine with me. It put me in charge of everything except the timing of that next surge. I could stick to my plan, at least until they made their move, and I hoped I would hear it coming whenever that happened. Thus I lengthen my stride once again on the second downhill, but didn’t push as much as the first time. I might have gained a little distance there, but the footsteps were still just audible. On the flat section, like the first time around, I again recovered somewhat and my mystery pursuer closed the gap a little, but didn’t really make a move. I could hear the now-familiar foot strikes back there. My pursuer was waiting. Then the last uphill appeared, and there was definitely a change in cadence from behind. It was the move I’d been waiting for. It was time to make a decision. There was less than half a mile to go, and I was tired. I had run a tactical race up to that point, but there was no doubt that I was pushing my endurance to its limits. That had been the plan all along. There was just one problem. I hadn’t counted on being the leader. Usually, if I over-extend at the end of a race, I just slow down and recover. If I lose a few spots in the standings, well … no big deal. Who cares? This race was different. I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill a dream. I had to decide. Was I really going to run for the laurels? From somewhere deep inside I felt a fire flicker into existence and then it burned steady. I wanted to win. I wanted to be a champion, and I was only a half mile away from making that a reality. My legs started to turn over faster despite the
incline. My heart pounded in my chest. I gulped at air as my lungs desperately struggled to supply oxygen to my over-strained body. I faced the pain of my exertion and embraced it. Then the footsteps that had been gaining in intensity, finally started to quiet. I was pulling away. I was winning! My blurry mind had forgotten the course. With every turn I hoped to see the finish line, but was repeatedly disappointed. This was the longest half mile of my life. I could no longer hear any footsteps, but I was unsure if that was because my own exertions were masking them. I dared not look back, but my mind was filled with images of being passed mere feet from the finish line. When the finish banner finally came into view, my legs exploded with a burst of speed I didn’t know I was capable of. Every step was agony, but I couldn’t lose this race now. I had to give all of myself to the pursuit of victory. Nothing could be left at the end. Then it happened. I heard a beep as my chip registered its time. Then silence. No other beeps. I was alone at the finish. I looked around and saw a few folks clapping and someone yelled out, “Led it from wire to wire!” I glanced back and there were no other runners in sight. It was only then I let myself believe. I won! I actually won! I staggered to the end of the chute and felt the world start to go black. A wave of nausea overtook me. I lay sprawled out over the dew-laden grass, fighting nausea and struggling to stay conscious. It wasn’t exactly the finish I had imagined. A spectator situated just past the finish chute noticed my distress and the effort I put forth over the last part of the course. He approached as I was still sprawled on the ground hyperventilating. He asked if I felt it was all worth it. I surprised myself when I shook my head “No.” I was consumed by a world of pain and exhaustion. At that moment, my best run ever meant next to nothing. Victory should be savored. It becomes sweeter with the full passage of time. At the moment victory actually happens, the suffering related to the effort is too fresh to leave any room for joy. Eventually, the nausea faded and the darkness retreated. I pulled myself up and looked around the finish line for the first time with a completely new set of eyes … those of a champion! ❑
It wasn’t ... the finish I had imagined.
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By Joel Lyons, PT, OCS Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome The knee continues to be the most frequently troubled area for runners. Among knee injuries, patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is the most common diagnosis for runners. Just as the name implies with this problem, pain is between the kneecap and the end of the femur. Increased friction between these two bones creates wear and tear at the joint surfaces. But the big question is “Why do we get this increased friction?” The usual answer is the repetitive nature of our sport. Then why doesn’t every runner and for that matter every walker get PFPS? Let’s look into why and I’ll present some new research that can help combat this problem. I’ve written before that abnormal structural alignment is one reason people have this problem. Increased valgus at the knee causes lateral tracking of the kneecap. Valgus knees are sometimes called “knocked-knees” and they present as the legs angle in at the knees where they are almost touching. When the quad is contracted and the person has this structure, the kneecap will be pulled laterally (toward the outside) and rub on a ridge on the femur. Since this is typically congenital we typically can’t do a lot to change this alignment. However, there are ranges in the severity of the valgus from person to person, so that it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker when it comes to running or not running. The person with increased valgus needs to be diligent with doing
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all the activities that will minimize the friction in their knees. Closely associated with this factor is increased hip adduction. This is the alignment of the hip in which the hip is at an increased acute angle instead of being closer to straight. This brings the femur inward and again can create an angle that causes more friction at the kneecap. Now this could be congenital, but it also could be created because of flexibility issues, specifically the adductor muscles of the hips. Those are the ones that we use to pull our legs together. Therefore maintaining some flexibility in this area could help reduce the effects on the knee. The splits stretch in which you simply take your legs out laterally as far as you can is helpful. You can choose to do it dynamically if you wish by standing and swinging your leg to the outside while you are standing. Swing it back in and repeat for 30 sec to a minute and do the other leg. Increased hip internal rotation has also been reported in patients with PFPS. This position has been described as “pigeontoed”, (the feet are turned inward). This might occur from the knees down, but it could happen from the hips. Again, this could be a congenital anomaly that is caused by boney alignment, but it also may be because of muscle tightness. The motion created when one lies on their back, flexes the hip and knee toward their chest, and then pulls the ankle across the midline of the body will help stretch this muscle. The other reported observation in patients with PFPS is contralateral hip drop. In this case the hip musculature is thought to be weak on the same side as the knee pain. Because of the weakness, when the person is standing only on that side, the hip is not strong enough to maintain a level pelvis. The opposite side will lower.
With this excessive drop greater stress is caused all step rate is 180 or higher. If yours is lower than that the way down the leg that has the weight on it. The and you have PFPS it might be worth a try to change key to avoiding this is doing strengthening to these your cadence. The participants in this study averaged hip muscles. I’ve written before that a common way to 165.93 steps per minute at the start of the study and do this is lying on the side opposite of the hurt knee. were able to increase their rate to 181.04 and maintain Perform a straight leg raise with an ankle weight on it 3 months later. On a scale of 0 to 10 they rated their the upper leg. pain on average as 6.2 at the start of the study and A recent study from the American Journal of only a 0.3 three months later. These are significant, Sports Medicine found another way to improve but the sample size is really very small. More studies pain complaints in runners with PFPS. The authors should be done to confirm these findings. found that increasing the step rate or cadence not I hope you realize by now that you don’t have to only improved running kinematics but significantly stop running if you have this type of knee pain. There improved pain and function in runners with PFPS. are plenty of things you can do as I suggested above. They looked at 12 runners with faulty mechanics and It may only take one or two of these changes to reduce complaints of knee pain. They were brought in for your pain, but what if you did all of them? You might one session of training to increase their cadence by have a good chance of running either with less pain or 10%. The participants then were asked to work on maybe even pain free! ❑ this increased cadence for the following four weeks. They used a metronome application on their Auto Home Life Business Motorcycle smart phones. How do you know if this might work for you? First, find out what your step rate is. Step rate is defined as the number of steps per minute that your feet contact the ground. You can easily estimate this by counting only the number of steps you take with one foot for 30 seconds and multiply that by 4. Example: you land with your right foot 40 times within a 30 second span. Multiply that 40 by 4 to come up with 160 steps per minute. It has been often mentioned that a good
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Run with a Group Do you need some help in finding a running group or are you interested in starting your own group? Contact MRTC Coordinator of Running Groups, DJ Watson: djw@virtualmvp.com.
Sunday morning
Monday afternoon
Tuesday morning
Run: Germantown
Run: Fleet Feet Coed Fun Run Time: 6 p.m. Place: Fleet Feet, 4530 Poplar Ave. (Laurelwood Shopping Center) Distance: 3, 5 and 7 miles Contact: Eric Flanders, 901-761-0078
Run: Fitness Plus Lunch Run Time: 11:45 a.m. Place: Fitness Plus, 2598 Corporate Ave. off Nonconnah between Millbranch and Democrat Distance: 7 miles Contact: Rick Ellis, 901-345-1036 Showers and extras available. Access to Fitness Plus facilities free to runners on group run day
Thoroughbreds
Time: 6:30 a.m. - (June thru Sept.); 7 a.m. - (Oct. thru May) Place: Panera Bread 7850 Poplar Avenue, Germantown Distance: 4, 7, 12.5 (or more) miles Contact: Charles Hurst 901-491-2096 or churst9676@gmail.com Water stops provided on the course. Big fun group with all paces. Run: Cool Runnings Time: 7 a.m. Place: Shelby Farms Visitor Center, lower parking lot Distance: 10+ miles Contact: bostonbear13@gmail.com Run: iMARG: Indian Memphis
Association Runners Group
Time: 7 a.m. on weekends (mostly Sunday) Place: Johnson Park, Collierville Distance: 3.1 to 20 miles Contact: Sheshu Belde, 901-413-4456 Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/indianmemphis.runnersgroup
Run: Southaven Striders Time: 6 p.m. Place: Central Park (Tchulahoma entrance, east side of park) Distance: 3-5 mi. (9- to 12-min. miles) Contact: Kyle McCoy, 901-299-8630 or Kalmac220@gmail.com Angie McCoy, 901-233-0168 or anggail09@gmail.com Run: Sea Isle Park Runners Time: 5:30 p.m. Place: McWherter Senior Center 1355 Estate Drive Distance: 1 mile-5K Contact: Sea Isle Park Runners Facebook group Notes: One mile loop around Sea Isle Park and two miles of hills in wooded neighborhood east of the park. Beautiful and safe course!
Monday morning
Run: Salty Dogs of
Run: FIT4MOM Run Club Time: 9:30 a.m. Location: Visitor Center at Shelby Farms Park (6903 Great View Drive North) Distance: 5K training Contact: Amy Earnest amykearnest@gmail.com or visit www.memphis.fit4mom.com 8-wk session March 19th - May 12th
Time: 7 p.m. Place: Bardog Tavern, 73 Monroe Ave., downtown Distance: 3-5 miles run through historic downtown Memphis and afterward enjoy food, drink and camaraderie. Contact: Miles Durfey 901-387-7475
Bardog Tavern
Tuesday afternoon Run: Track House Workout Time: 6 p.m. Place: U of M Old Field House Track Distance: Various workouts Contact: Paul Sax, 901-276-5758 Run: Black Men Run Memphis Time: 6 p.m. Place: Varies. Check https:// www.facebook.com/ groups/425282507588975/ for location Distance: Usually five miles Contact: Shannon Chisenga, 215-834-4687 or shannon.chisenga@blkmenrun.com
LifeGreen Checking 1.800.regions | regions.com/green © 2009 Regions Bank.
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6/9/09 2:06:05 PM
Wednesday morning Run: Southaven Striders Time: 6 a.m. Place: Central Park in Southaven (Tchulahoma ent., east side of park) Distance: 3-5 miles (9- 12-minute miles) Contact: Kyle McCoy, 901-299-8630 or kalmac220@gmail.com
Wednesday afternoon Run: Breakaway Running Time: 6 p.m. Place: Wolf River Store 1223 Germantown Pkwy. Contact: Barry, 901-722-8797 or 901-754-8254 Run: Midtown Run Time: 6 p.m. Place: Corner of Madison and Tucker, across from Huey’s Distance: 6 miles
Thursday afternoon
Run: Fleet Feet Time: 6 p.m. Fleet Feet hosts individualized speedwork sessions including track and tempo workouts for runners who want to get a little quicker. No fees. Contact: Feb at 901-761-0078 or lovetorun@fleetfeetmemphis.com Run: Sea Isle Park Runners Time: 6 p.m. Place: McWherter Senior Center 1355 Estate Drive Distance: 1 mile-5K Contact: Sea Isle Park Runners Facebook group Notes: One mile loop around Sea Isle Park and two miles of hills in wooded neighborhood east of the park. Beautiful and safe course!
Saturday morning
Run: Bartlett UMC Run: Breakaway Running Time: 6 p.m. Breakaway’s Marathon and Place: Bartlett United Methodist Church, Half Marathon Training Group 5676 Stage Road; group meets in meets each Saturday morning the gym lobby through December to help Distance: Varies prepare our friends for the Contact: Sam Thompson, St. Jude Memphis Marathon. 901-386-2724 or Check website or Facebook page sthompson@bartlettumc.org for location and time. Join us! 901-722-8797 for more info. Run: Bartlett Run Time: 6:30 p.m. Run: Black Men Run Memphis Place: W.J. Freeman Park, Time: 6 a.m. 2629 Bartlett Blvd. Place: Code Enforcement, Distance: 4-6 miles Farm Road at Mullins Station Contact: Paul “Spunky” Ireland Distance: Varies h. 901-388-5009 c. 901-826-7496 Contact: Shannon Chisenga, or paulireland@att.net 215-834-4687 or shannon.chisenga@blkmenrun.com
Thursday afternoon Run: Breakaway Running Time: 6 p.m. Beginners group Place: Breakaway Midtown 2109 Madison Contact: Barry, 901-722-8797 or 901-754-8254
Run: FIT4MOM Run Club Time and day of week: 8-week sessions. Location: Shelby Farms Park Distance: All distances Contact: Amy Earnest memphis@fit4mom.com or visit www.memphis.fit4mom.com 19
Note: This information is provided as a courtesy in an effort to help MRTC members enhance their running experiences. MRTC encourages members to run with groups of their choice, but the listed running groups/group runs are independent and not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the MRTC. The club makes no representation that the information provided is accurate. Persons who wish to participate in activities with these groups should contact the individuals listed for further information and participate at their own risk.
Run: Run & Play Time and Place: meet the first Saturday of the month at 9 a.m. at various locations in town (see website for each month’s location) This group is geared for moms with strollers and/or toddlers. Info: www.seemommyrun.com/tn/ Run: Mommies on the Move Time: 9 a.m. Place: Shelby Farms Visitors Center Details: For mothers with strollers and toddlers Contact: www.seemommyrun.com/tn Run: DAC Fitness Collierville Time: 9:30 a.m. Distance: from 5K beginner to half marathon training at various paces Contact: Heather Nichols 651-1065 or Brandy Heckmann 443-653-0385
Various Days Run: Tipton County Road Dawgs Time: Friend us on Facebook under Road Dawgs and check posting of upcoming runs, usually on Sat. a.m. Place: Check Facebook Distance: All distances, all ages, all paces. Runs are in Tipton County and north Shelby County Contact: djroaddawg@yahoo.com
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