Books

BOOKS ‘Inside a Marathon’

BY CHAD AUSTIN

Two of my favorite activities are reading and running. Imagine what happens when I read about running. [Insert mind blown emoji here.] I’ve definitely read more than my fair share of running books over the years. There have been training manuals, biographies and fictional stories, as well as books on nutrition, meditation and mental toughness. I’ve read books about running history, philosophy, and anatomy and physiology. At a minimum I think I’ve earned a Bachelor’s degree in running.

Just when I think I’ve seen every type of book imaginable about running, a new approach on the topic appears. Enter Inside a Marathon: An All-Access Pass to a Top-10 Finish at NYC by Scott Fauble and Ben Rosario. The book is part biographical, part storytelling, part training manual and journal and part coach-athlete interaction. As the title states, it’s an inside look at a marathon, not the marathon. It’s not a how to account for running your best marathon. It’s a look back at Fauble’s 18 week build-up to the 2018 NYC Marathon including insights from Coach Rosario.

Fauble and Rosario are part of Northern Arizona Elite (NAZ Elite), arguably the most successful elite training group in the U.S. at this time. Not only has the group been busy winning national titles, but they’re also setting the bar when it comes to social media and promoting not only themselves, but also their entire training group. They obviously have a firm grasp that in this social media era, companies are looking for athletes with a platform that are willing to create and engage with an audience – rather than just run fast while wearing their shoes and apparel. This book is just another example of creating a platform to engage with their audience.

Prior to writing this book, Fauble had completed just one marathon running 2:12:35 at the 2017 Frankfurt Marathon. That’s a respectable time for sure; however, I think it’s safe to say that Scott Fauble wasn’t a household name after that race. Yet he had enough confidence in his abilities, both running and writing, to approach Rosario with his idea for this book. He states that he wrote the book because he “would have absolutely devoured something

The new book “inside a marathon” includes a foreword by des linden.

like this if someone else had done it… there’s never been a non-fiction, first person account of the training segment leading up to a major race like the New York City Marathon.”

What makes this book so interesting for me is that each week of this 18 week training cycle is written as its own chapter, complete with Fauble’s training log, along with Rosario’s and Fauble’s recap of the week where they write about the highs and lows, aches and pains, what they’re trying to accomplish with specific workouts, lead up races, etc. One of the cool things about this approach is that neither Ben nor Scott knew what the other was writing. They completed their weekly recaps separately and submitted them to Rosario’s wife, Jen, who compiled them throughout the process. She also took nearly 200 beautiful photos that really enhance the book.

While it’s really cool to see the specifics of an elite runner’s training log, the truth is that the vast majority of us will never be able to replicate it. However, no matter how fast we are, we all go through similar physical and mental challenges. This insight from Coach Rosario reminds me that we may be doing things right, even when it doesn’t feel right; “He just needed to get used to feeling sort of semi-tired all the time again. In other words, he needed to embrace marathon training… he’s used to having some pop in his legs at the start of a workout. It’s not going to be like that during

marathon training. In fact, he may often feel better toward the end of a workout then at the beginning. And that’s what we want.”

As runners, especially marathoners, it’s easy for us to get transfixed solely on the goal – whether that’s to finish the race, run a personal record or qualify for Boston. While it’s great to have goals like these, the best athletes are successful because they learn to love the process, as Fauble explains, “I’ve had to work harder to balance my desire for the final product, with the knowledge that all I can control is what I do now. On one hand, the long-term goal is a powerful motivator. It gets me to do things that I otherwise wouldn’t want to, like foam rolling, and hip mobility, and core work, all the things that I need to do in order to be at my very best on race day. On the other hand, I know that I can’t force it. The final product will only come from doing as well as I can in the current moment, which leaves me in a state of cognitive dissonance. I simultaneously wildly crave the ability to cross the finish line… and am deeply committed to being present and engaged in the process.”

As you might imagine from the athlete’s point of view, writing a recap of each week of your training – and making it interesting to readers – can be a difficult task. However, Fauble was continuously able to provide just the right mix of explaining each week’s key workouts, giving a glimpse into the mental state of an elite runner, while also allowing us to get to know him better on a personal level. Here he describes his thoughts on pain management, “The pain came almost immediately and I let it in. I don’t try to block out the pain in hard workouts or races anymore, if you want to be in charge of the hurt, you have to let it in. That’s the key to being able to endure a lot of pain, it’s to know it intimately. The discomfort is coming along for the ride, but it doesn’t get to drive and it sure as shit can’t pick the music.”

If you’ve been running long enough, you know that each training cycle is different. Sometimes they don’t go very well, but other times everything seems to click. Towards the end of this particular training cycle Fauble shares the following thoughts and it becomes clear that he’s about to have a great race at the NYC Marathon. “When you’re checking all the boxes and surprising even yourself in workouts, excellence starts to feel like the only acceptable option. And excellence is hard… It’s scary to redefine what excellence means to you, to push your expectations toward better and better performances. But, after the week like I just had, and the way I felt during it, it would be disingenuous to say that I am capable of anything less. It’s not time to hedge our bets or settle, we’re all in now.” As the subtitle, An All-Access Pass to a Top-10 Finish at NYC, tells us, Fauble did have a great race finishing in seventh place with a time of 2:12:28. Then he had another top 10 finish at the Boston Marathon in April, running a breakthrough time of 2:09:09. While he still may not be a household name, these two performances have made him a leading contender for the 2020 Olympic marathon team.

Again, I’ve read a lot of running books over the years and this one has quickly moved into my top five. While the look into an elite training log was interesting, I found the side by side insights into marathon training provided by both coach and athlete much more compelling. I think there are plenty of pearls of wisdom throughout the book to make it worth your time.

RACES

LOCAL RACE SPOTLIGHT Get to know the Superior Fall Trail Race

Runners at the superior trail race get a view of lake superior at this point of the run. the event began in 1991. Photo by Superior Trail Race/Ian Corless

BY SHEILA MULROONEY ELDRED

Editor’s note: The demise of some of our favorite hometown races combined with the proliferation of national corporate races inspired us to highlight some of the best, most local races in the state. This issue, we’re kicking off the series with a prime example. Let us know if you have a favorite hometown race to nominate by emailing runminnesota@gmail.com.

In 1991, in the early years of the Superior Hiking Trail, 48 runners set off on the inaugural 100 mile Superior Fall Trail Race to showcase the new trail. Only 27 completed the grueling race but the ultrarunning community appeared to be hooked. Superior Fall is now considered a “legacy” 100 miler, known for being “rugged, relentless and remote” (qualities that appear to attract, not deter, ultrarunners). If you’ve ever hiked a portion of the 310 mile hilly single track, you’ll understand why.

“It’s more than a race; it is an immersive experience, a community, a culture and a lifestyle,” says race director John Storkamp. The races also benefit the trail financially, donating about $3,000 to the trail association each year, in addition to driving volunteer hours and more calls for individual donations.

Bonus: You no longer need to be an ultrarunner to participate: a 50 mile and marathon have been added.

THE COURSE: All three distances are point to point races, finishing at Caribou Highlands Lodge. From the finish, you’ll be bused to your start: Gooseberry Falls State Park for the 100 mile, Finland, Minn. for the 50 mile and Schroeder, Minn., for the marathon.

a lottery is held in january for the fall superior trail race. the 100-mile event is limited to just 285 participants. Photo by Superior Trail Race/Ian Corless

THE PARTICIPANTS: A lottery held in January attracts ultrarunners from around the world. The 100 mile is limited to 285 participants (about 200 usually finish), the 50 mile has room for 200 and the marathon hosts 425 runners.

COURSE RECORDS: Three course records were set in 2018. 100 MILE Neal Collick – 18:56:02, 2018 Mallory Richard – 22:36:39, 2018

50 MILE: Michael Borst – 8:38:01, 2016 Christi Nowak – 10:03:54, 2011

26.2 MILE: Wynn Davis – 3:31:26, 2009 Emma Spoon – 4:07:40, 2018

THE ORGANIZERS: John and Cheri Storkamp of Rocksteady Running, a collective of longtime trail and ultrarunners who organize a handful of trail races in Minnesota. John’s favorite part of the job? “Getting to facilitate a meaningful, often times transcendental experiences for our runners,” he says.

VOLUNTEERS: From the early days of the race, the organizers understood that volunteers would be as important as competitors. Most of the over 300 volunteers are experienced local trail runners; they’re joined by a few dozen volunteers who come in from farther away than Minnesota and Wisconsin.

BEYOND THE RACE: The Lake County 4H hosts a pasta dinner during packet pickup at the Lake County Fairgrounds, Two Harbors, the night before the 100 mile race.

SWAG: The most coveted item is probably the sweatshirt, given to first time 100 mile finishers. One hundred mile finishers also get a belt buckle. Repeat finishers earn an orange star patch. Everyone gets a tshirt (trust us, it’s unlike any other race shirt in your collection) and a handmade wooden medallion. there are almost 200 trail 100 milers. In the early years, there were two mandatory weighins, hoping to ensure runners weren’t becoming dehydrated (though some ultras maintain the practice, evidence doesn’t support that weigh-ins work).

WANT TO GO? READ THIS: *You must qualify for the 100 and 50 mile races. You’ll need to complete a race of at least 50 miles to qualify for the 100, and a 50K to qualify for the 50 mile. *You must be lucky. Lottery registration typically opens on January 1 for 15 days. The list of registered runners is posted within 10 days of the drawing. *Lodging options include Lutsen’s Caribou Highlands Lodge, other Lutsen properties or camping in nearby parks and campgrounds. *Entry fees are $265 for the 100 mile, $150 for the 50 mile and $110 for the 26.2 mile. You can register at https://www.superiorfalltrailrace.com/registration-info/.