Competitor May 2016

MAY 2016 competitor

competitor |

Beers brewed just for runners

MAY 2016

What’s new in running fuel

Page 8

Page 10

CLICK HERE to watch a video about trail running in Cuba.

CUBA // RULE THE 5K // SMALL BRANDS, BIG IDEAS

& MORE EPIC RUNNING ESCAPES

GEAR:

Small brands with big ideas

Michael Wardian running free in Baracoa, Cuba

SPEEDY RACING SHOES MUST-DO SUMMER RACES

Get Fit, Get Faster RULE THE 5K!

DO-ANYWHERE WORKOUTS

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Y

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A good run is good for your perspective, getting you beyond the bad, the worse or even the downright apocalyptic.

Š2

016 BRO OKS SPORTS, INC.

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Contents Features 21 Small Brands, Big Impacts We profile six running-specific startups with one-of-a-kind products and quality, purpose-driven gear that are bringing forth innovative, game-changing ideas into the running industry.

By Emily Polachek

28 Destination Running 2016 Our editors and correspondents explored Cuba on foot, ran a marathon in the glitzy Chinese port of Macau and ventured to Disneyland’s Star Wars Half Marathon weekend for a family running adventure.

By Brian Metzler, Gina DeMillo Wagner and Lisa Jhung

47 Run Your Fastest 5K A fast 5K requires the speed and strength of a miler combined with the endurance of a marathoner. This can be achieved by performing a wide variety of fast-paced workouts through our detailed plan.

By Pete Magill

m ay 2 0 1 6

Departments 8 Starting Lines

Training

community

57 First Lap

61 Run It

We look at new beers brewed specifically for runners, plus top trail-racing destinations this

Speed workouts you

Our picks for a variety of

summer, tips from a pro and the

can do anywhere

upcoming races

58 Coach Culpepper

Back Page

latest all-natural run fuel.

Gear

How to take advantage

64 Last Lap

of summer

Ultrarunner Rickey Gates explains

16 Shoe Talk Three fast new racing flats from Hoka, Salomon and Skechers

the importance of running, its

59 Workout of the Month

similarity to meditation, and why

Speed development

drug cheats should be given a

sprints

second chance.

18 Wearable Tech We review Garmin’s new Forerunner 235 running watch

59 Elite Insights Ultrarunner Dylan Bowman on the

19 Collective Essential travel items for

importance of mental strength

ON THE COV E R : Michael Wardian of Arlington, Va., runs along the seawall in Baracoa, Cuba, in a pair of Hoka One One Clayton shoes. Photo: Steve Godwin

B E LOW: Wardian runs across a rickety plank bridge over Rio Miel in Baracoa, Cuba. Photo: Steve Godwin

destination races

Click here to see more photos from this Cuban running adventure.

Clear hear to watch a video about trail running in Cuba.

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Some watches are made for everything.

Forerunner was made for your thing.

Your thing makes a 4:30 a.m. alarm seem normal.

Your thing turns your insides into a knot as you wait for the gun to go off. We get it. So we make Forerunner watches with smart technology1 designed for runners.

Not watches designed for, well, everybody.

Find yours at Garmin.com/forerunner

FORERUNNER 230 | 235 | 630

ÂŽ

Forerunner. For Runners.

1

When paired with compatible phone; see Garmin.com/ble

Š 2015 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

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COMPETITOR.COM 4

TRA IL RUN N IN G The trails are calling! Get training tips, gear reviews, must-do trails and more at Competitor.com/trailrunning

CONNECT WITH US Join the conversation

Facebook.com/ competitor. running

Follow us

@runcompetitor

See what we share

@runcompetitor

5 PLACES TO RUN Traveling somewhere? We’ve highlighted the top running routes in cities all over the United States.

Find out where to run at Competitor.com/5places

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INJURY PREVENTION

PHOTO GALLERIES

SHOE OF THE WEEK

Plantar fasciitis? IT band prob-

Browse our galleries from

Each week, we highlight a different

lems? We offer advice on aches

spring races all over the

running shoe that fared well with

and pains familiar to runners at Competitor.com/injuryprevention

globe at Competitor.com/racephotos

our testers. Check them out at Competitor.com/shoeoftheweek

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.

Y D REA .

T E S .

X I REM WELCOME TO THE NEW US. We know you only get what you put in. That’s why

remixed our recipes and created all-new products that provide the perfect

NEW

boost, so you can power on and enjoy the ride.

2g SUGAR

we’ve

30g g PROTEIN

GLUTEN FREE

POWERBAR.COM

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Contributors

Writers, Designers & Photographers

Editorial

Brian Metzler senior editor Mario Fraioli managing editor Adam Elder web editor Ryan Wood associate editor Emily Polachek

E m i ly P o l ach e k The associate editor for Competitor magazine, Emily

Alan Culpepper, Meb Keflezighi, Jason Devaney, Allison Pattillo contributing writers

Jeff Banowetz, Erin Beresini, Adam Chase, Jay Dicharry, Jason Fitzgerald, Meghan M. Hicks, Lisa Jhung, Max King, Duncan Larkin, Kelly O’Mara, Bryon Powell, Roy M. Wallack, Sam Winebaum

ART graphic designer

Valerie Brugos

has also written for Triathlete and Women’s Running

contributing photography

magazines. She wrote this month’s feature story

Oliver Baker, Mark Doolittle, Ed Grant, Nick Isabella

“Small Brands, Big Impacts,” on page 21, profiling six

senior contributing editors

editor-in-chief

influential micro-scale running brands. She also sampled and reviewed the alternative all-natural fuel

C i rc u l at i o n , m ar k et i n g & P r o d u ct i o n production manager

products on page 10. When she’s not training for her next half marathon or typing away at her desk, she’s either sitting inverted with a bunch of sweaty yogis

audience development manager

Meghan McElravy

Kristy Buescher

advertising production manager

manager, media marketing

Gia Hawkins Dan Cruz

or clinging to a 20-foot bouldering wall.

Nicole Christenson

director, pr

d i g i ta l s er v i ce s web developers Joseph Hernandez, Miguel A. Estrada, Rachel Blades web director James A. Longhini

director, digital media & strategy

Ste v e G o dwi n The director of multimedia for Competitor Group Inc.’s media division and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, Steve spent a week in Cuba with editor-inchief Brian Metzler to shoot photographs (including the cover) and video for this month’s cover story on page 28. Steve has 20 years of TV, film and video

Aaron Hersh director, web development

Scott Kirkowski Johnny Yeip

finisher, he looks forward to spending more time running trails in 2016.

Thomas Phan junior web designers Sean Marshall,

director, creative services

Matthew McAlexander Bruno Breve

Eddie Villanueva video producer Steve Godwin

system administrator

experience, and his specialty is in creating original running, triathlon and cycling content. An Ironman

associate creative director

director, seo/analytics

A d v ert i s i n g

Doug Kaplan 312-441-1551, dkaplan@competitorgroup.com vp media sales Jason Johnson 858-768-6824, jjohnson@competitorgroup.com vp, media sales Ian Sinclair 860-673-6830, isinclair@competitorgroup.com vp, media sales Todd Wienke 414-517-7457, tawienke@competitorgroup.com director, agency development Brenda Seidner Reilly 646-745-7689, bseidner@competitorgroup.com senior director endemic sales Justin Sands 858-768-6747, jsands@competitorgroup.com vp, media sales Gordon Selkirk 858-768-6767, gselkirk@competitorgroup.com manager, media sales Jeff McDowell 858-768-6794, jmcdowell@competitorgroup.com manager, media sales Jenn Schuette 858-228-3761, jschuette@competitorgroup.com manager, media sales Kelly Trimble 858-768-6749, ktrimble@competitorgroup.com svp, sales

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N i ck Is a be l l a Nick is a freelance fitness and lifestyle photographer in San Diego. Originally from Minnesota, he studied

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graphic design and photography at the University A cc o u n t s er v i ce s

of Wisconsin and has now called California home

director Erin Ream

for the past 12 years. In 2015, Nick completed his first Ironman in under 11 hours and qualified for the Boston Marathon with a 3:04. He’s currently training

Liz Centeno-Vera, Renee Kerouac, Kat Keivens

managers

for his first ultra marathon, a 50-miler in Devil’s Lake, Wis., in July. He photographed the feature “Run Your Fastest 5K,” on page 47.

digital ad operations

Carson McGrath

F i n a n ce vice presient, finance

Fran Malagisi

a publication of

P e te M ag i l l Pete is a 54-year-old masters runner, coach and writer.

He is the lead author of “Build Your Running Body” and the soon-to-be-published “The Born Again Runner” (August, 2016). With more than a decade of coaching experience at the youth, high school, open and masters levels, Pete wrote the “Run Your Fastest 5K” feature on page 47. He’s the fastest-ever American distance runner over age 50 in the 5K (15:02) and

president

Josh Furlow

chief marketing officer

Keith S. Kendrick senior vice president, events

Tracy Sundlun John Smith senior vice president Molly Quinn senior vice president

9477 Waples Street, Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92121 • 858-450-6510 For distribution inquiries: 858-768-6493 Digital Issue support: support@zinio.com Distribution management: TGS Media Inc. • 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.

10K (31:11), and holds multiple American and world age-group records. He lives in South Pasadena, Calif.,

official magazine

and competes for the Cal Coast Track Club.

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Compared to native curcumin extract.

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NEWS 8

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

BEER FOR RUNNERS, BREWED BY RUNNERS At look at how upstart beer brands are targeting thirsty runners.

B Y B R I A N M ETZL ER

If you’re over 21, finishing a run and having a cold beer seem to go hand-in-hand nowadays.

From having a cold post-run beer at a running store fun run to brewery-sponsored races to the rise of beer mile races and even a running store that doubles as a bar (Shoes & Brews in Longmont, Colo.), beer and running seem to be inexorably linked.

Now several brewing companies are making beer especially for runners and other fitness-minded people. San Francisco-based Sufferfest Beer Company was launched recently by trail runners (and ex-Strava employees) Caitlin Looney and Alyssa Berman-Waugh. The upstart brand has two light and tasty runner-themed beers out so

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far—Epic Pilsner and Taper IPA. (Although technically not gluten-free, each of the beers have gone through a chemical process that breaks down gluten from wheat or barley and are referred to as beers “crafted to remove gluten,” according to the FDA.) The beers are available in pint cans and sold at liquor stores and select restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. The brand also ships product to 34 states.

“Sufferfest Beer caters to people who love beer and who care about what they put in their bodies,” says Looney, who suffers from gluten intolerance. “It’s not just for runners or cyclists or triathletes, it’s about us being authentic to who we are.”

Meanwhile, Ninkasi Brewing, from running-crazy Eugene, Ore., is taking advantage of its sponsorship of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials held in its own backyard in early July to craft and refine a rich, fullflavored IPA called Beer Run. Ninkasi, started in 2006 by avid runner Jamie Floyd, brewed a test batch of the new beer in early March and then took it to 25 cities around the U.S.—including many known for great running communities such as Eugene, Boulder, Colo., Bellingham, Wash., Mill Valley, Calif., as well as bigger locales like New York City, Seattle and Las Vegas—to get input from runners. (Two-time U.S. Olympic middle-distance runner Andrew Wheating, a

PHOTO: ED GRANT

Sufferfest’s tongue-incheek name is derived from the concept of how runners refer to a hard workout or a grueling race.

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

Ninkasi-sponsored athlete who went to school in Eugene and continues to train there, kicked off the inaugural event in Eugene.)

They used that feedback—largely gathered at happy hour fun runs—to tweak the beer before starting to brew the final production batches in mid-April. Beer Run debuts on May 1 and will be available in 12- and 22-ounce bottles, as well as on tap at select bars and restaurants, through the summer—and especially during the July 1-10 Olympic Trials in Eugene. Ninkasi will be served in the beer garden at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field

“Who doesn’t like a good beer after a run?” track complex and at its Eugene brewing facility a few miles away.

“This is our first beer that’s totally geared toward runners,” says Emily Halnon, Ninkasi’s marketing director. “It’s probably a little overdue, given that we’ve been around for 10 years in Track Town USA. We found there was a real need for a beer that celebrates running. Runners like a big, flavorful beer after they run, so we said, ‘Let’s brew that for them.’”

Developing beer for runners is not exactly a new theme, though. For example, prior to the 1984 Olympics, Anheuser-Busch developed a “low-alcohol” beer geared toward joggers and various fitness fanatics. Sales peaked at 300,000 barrels in the first year, but declined until 1990 when it was replaced by O’Doul’s non-alcohol beer. And in recent years, brands like Michelob Ultra have produced low-carb, low-calorie beer marketed toward active consumers.

With the recent boom of beer and running, these new runner-oriented beers—and others like them—could be here to stay. On one level it’s all about marketing, but really it just comes down to merging things you love and sharing it with the community of runners, says Gina Lucrezi, who helped organize the Ninkasi Beer Run event at Boulder’s Flatirons Running store.

“Who doesn’t like a good beer after a run?” she says. “You’ve gotta rehydrate, right?”

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Running-Themed Beers Beer Run IPA Ninkasi Brewing, Eugene, Ore. ABV: 7.3 percent IBU: 80 Beer Run is an invigorating, full-flavored IPA with a hint of mulled spices and a mild aroma of citrus.

Epic Pilsner Sufferfest Beer Co., San Francisco ABV: 5.1 percent IBU: 30 With full-bodied earth tones and a hint of spice, the Epic’s Saaz hops bring a zesty start, followed by a rich grain flavor to finish like a winner.

Taper IPA Sufferfest Beer Co., San Francisco ABV: 7.5 percent IBU: 67.3 This bold-tasting IPA sports soft caramel notes, and balances its bitterness and hop aroma with a bright, clean aftertaste.

Samuel Adams 26.2 Brew Boston Brewing Co., Boston ABV: 4.5 percent IBU: 15 This light-bodied Gose-style ale features Samuel Adams’ two-row pale malt blend and Saaz Noble hops with a finish that has a hint of coriander and crisp citrus notes.

5K IPA Ghost Runner Brewery, Vancouver, Wash.

ABV: 6.4 percent IBU: 95 A bold, bitter Northwest IPA with notes of pine, orange and grapefruit.

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uw e ls nf e 10

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

Natural Choi c es B y emily polac hek

You are what you eat, including when you run. And when it comes to deciding what kind of bars, protein mixes, energy gels and drinks to use for fueling your workouts, organic, wholesome and simple ingredients are key. Here are some natural fuel alternatives, with no chemical preservatives or GMOs, for clean energy and recovery.

Yummari Endurance Snack

Bearded Brothers Energy Bar

Testers preferred to eat one of these bite-sized balls made of organic hemp seeds, chia seed and gluten-free oats right before a longer run because of the bar’s density yet easy digestibility. Packed with omega 3’s, Yummari’s ingredients were inspired by the plant-based diet of the Tarahumara Indians (an indigenous tribe in Mexico known for their long-distance running ability).

Completely organic, this bar contains only five basic raw ingredients: dates, almonds, walnuts, chia seeds and sea salt. Our favorite flavor, Fabulous Ginger Peach, includes dried peaches and fresh pressed ginger, giving it a sweet yet refreshingly spiced taste. The ginger also helps to reduce inflammation.

Before

$26 for pack of 12

$3.49

Huma PLUS Chia Energy Gel

Pickle Juice Sport

The new Huma PLUS formula has added electrolytes comparable to most gels in addition to its original formula containing sea salt, coconut water and chia seeds. It’s also less viscous than most gels due to the combination of evaporated cane juice and brown rice syrup, providing a jam-like consistency that’s easier to consume on the run without having to wash it down with water.

A sour 8-ounce shot of Pickle Juice may sound unappealing, but it’s packed with electrolytes—470mg of sodium and 20mg of potassium—that’ll help prevent muscle cramps. They’re the same ingredients used to pickle cucumbers—water, vinegar, salt and dill—with added potassium, zinc and vitamins C and E for an all-natural, GMO-free endurance supplement.

$2.50

During

Click here to read a story about sports drinks vs. water.

$20 for pack of 12

SimplyProtein Chips

$24 for box of 12 bags

Chips are usually the last item to grab after a run. But not if they contain 15 grams of pea protein with only 140 calories per bag and 20 percent of your daily iron intake. For a nutritious post-workout snack, these will satisfy the need for something salty and crunchy.

Vega Sport Performance Protein

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Photo: Oliver Baker

After

$2.99

With 30 grams of non-GMO plant-based protein derived from pea, alfalfa, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, Vega’s gluten-free protein mix is the best alternative for the whey intolerant. It also has added ingredients of turmeric, tart cherry and probiotics that help to reduce muscle and joint inflammation, starting a process of faster recovery.

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S AV E YO U R A D R E N A L I N E FOR THE RACE

From pre-race meals, to post-race ice bags and VIP area access, the Westin VIP Marathon Package helps you get to the start line stress free.

We also offer late checkout so you can relax after your big day.

Book a VIP Marathon Package at westin.com/runwestin

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Š 2016 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Westin and its logo are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

VIP MARATHON PACK AG E

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LEARN FROM A PRO 12

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

CAROLINE BOLLER 41, Solvang, Calif.

Lawyer/Wife/Mother/Runner

I started running when my kids were pretty young. It was a great stress reliever and a way for me to have something that was just for me.

Running makes me happy and it’s a way to challenge myself on a personal level.

ARE YOU SURPRISED AT YOUR SUCCESS?

I never thought there was an athlete in me. Running has taught me you never know what you may be capable of until you try something that seems entirely outside your comfort zone.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE RACE DISTANCE? Caroline Boller, the in-house counsel for Terravant Wine Company, has made huge strides since she took up running in 2012. Now a member of the Nike Elite Trail team, she won the women’s USA Track & Field 50K national championship title in March with a time of 3:22:50, setting a new American 50K Masters 40–44 record in the process.

In June she’ll compete in the Western States Endurance Run, where she placed eighth last summer in her debut at 100 miles.

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I love the marathon distance for road. For trail, it’s definitely 100K. It’s a sweet spot of having the time to get in a rhythm without the mind-shattering exhaustion you get running a 100-miler.

run. It means I don’t have to crunch as many miles into a six-day week.

WHAT’S YOUR TYPICAL PRE-RACE MEAL?

The night before a race I go pretty light with just a salad and salmon. I do a little carbohydrate-focused eating in the days leading up to a race.

POST-RACE SPLURGE?

I have lots of post-race fantasies but most of the time they don’t come true. After an ultra the idea of anything sweet isn’t appealing. Then I always think about getting a massage, but it’s been a long time since I’ve had one. Life gets busy.

LAST GOOD BOOK?

“Two Hours: The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon” by Ed Caesar. It was really good.

W H AT D O Y O U D O ON YOUR REST DAY?

WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED AS A RUNNER?

Well, I haven’t had a lot of them recently. I used to take one rest day a week, but my body felt very out of sorts.

Now I have one day a week where I have a relatively short—8 miles—and easy

It’s twofold. More is not always more—I tend to push too hard. And I do not yet have the depth of knowledge or perspective to self-coach, so having a coach is really important to me.

PHOTO: MYLES SMYTHE/MICHIGAN BLUFF PHOTOGRAPHY, INTERVIEWED BY ALLISON PATTILLO

WHY DO YOU RUN?

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L

2O Y E A R S SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

RUN THE DRIVE The 20th Annual Chicago Half Marathon & 5K provides an experience unlike any other. With the Chicago skyline as its backdrop, this iconic, flat and fast course is rooted in history. Athletes depart from Jackson Park - site of the the 1893 Columbian Exposition, past the Museum of Science & Industry and onto the expansive Lake Shore Drive before earning a finisher medal worthy of Chicago’s big shoulders. Don’t miss this tradition.

CHICAGOHALFMARATHON.COM

©2016 LIFE TIME FITNESS, INC. All rights reserved. EVCO60715

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ADVENTURE 14

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

SUMMER TRAIL GETAWAYS

BY LIS A JHUNG

Click here to see photos from America’s most scenic trail races.

Ahh, summer. Kids out of school, hot-weather running, and a trip here and there. We’ve pulled together six non-ultra-distance trail races in funto-visit towns to give you ideas for the best summer vacation ever.

1. PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H.

3. SUN VALLEY, IDAHO

5. MUNISING, MICH.

Wildcat Mountain Trail Race, June 26

Elephant’s Perch Backcountry Runs, July 16

Grand Island Trail Marathon, July 23

Two race options—a 5K that cuts across Wildcat Mountain and a 5-miler that climbs to the 4,062-foot summit and back down—take place on the Wildcat ski trail system in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest. A beer garden, barbecue and live music lend a festive atmosphere to the finish, and a nature walk to a nearby waterfall takes place during the race. On the rest of your trip, enjoy the quaint, scenic and outdoorsy Granite State.

Sun Valley in the summertime means bright sun, gorgeous mountains, wildflowers and all the outdoor activity you could ever want. On race day, choose from a 3- or 9.5-mile trail race; the 9 a.m. start means there’s time to actually enjoy your coffee. In addition to great running, hiking and mountain biking trails, Sun Valley is known for golf and tennis. Make this a family friendly, multisport trip with a trail race thrown in.

We know we said “non-ultra distance,” so consider running the half marathon on Grand Island’s trails (or run the marathon or 50K, if you’re up for it). All races take place on Grand Island in Lake Superior, a 10-minute ferry ride from Munising.

Race courses run along the pristine coastline of the island, bluffs, sandstone cliffs and into the woods and the tombolo—the sand bar that ties the island to its thumb.

2. LAKE TAHOE, CALIF./NEV.

4. SILVERTON, COLO.

6. BEND, ORE.

Run to the Beach 5K/10K, July 4

Kendall Mountain Run, July 23

Haulin’ Aspen Trail Marathon, Aug. 6

Spend a long weekend around the Fourth of July at Lake Tahoe, swimming in the crystal clear (but cold!) lake and enjoying trails through dense pine forests and aspen groves, past smaller alpine lakes and along granite-riddled trails. On the morning of Independence Day, run this swooping, fast 5K, or the 10K course with a hearty climb—both races end on the sandy beach at Tahoe Vista with refreshments—including beer. Holiday fireworks light up the lake the night before.

Travel to the historic mining town of Silverton, for some rugged, high-altitude miles, including this lung-searing 12-mile race. The Kendall Mountain Run starts at 9,318 feet, tops out with a scramble to the mountain’s summit at 13,066 feet (that’s roughly 3,700 feet of climbing), then back to town.

As part of the Sky Runner series, with $2,500 in prize money up for grabs, expect some competition. But all levels are welcome, and an 11K version may be more appealing.

Summer in the land of craft beer and sweet singletrack is the trail runner’s ideal vacation. The Haulin’ Aspen combines the two with a trail marathon, half-marathon and 6.5-mile race (dubbed the “Half-As”), with local beer and eats at the finish.

The courses mix singletrack and forest service roads with grand views of the Cascade Mountains. The rest of your trip includes lounging by the Deschutes River, running more trails and sampling Bend’s many brews on the“Bend Ale Trail.”

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PHOTO: MIKE VERHAMME

Runners enjoy the tranquility of Trout Bay 7.5 miles into the Grand Island Trail Marathon. Trout Bay is located on the northeast side of Grand Island and looks out on to Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake.

4/15/16 1:46 PM

Lower carbs. Fewer calories.

Exceptional taste.

Brewed for those who

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY © 2015 Anheuser-Busch, Michelob Ultra® Light Beer, St. Louis, MO 95 calories, 2.6g carbs, 0.6g protein and 0.0g fat, per 12 oz.

go the extra mile.

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4/12/16 11:30 AM Brand: Ritas

Job/Order #: 281684

Closing Date: 4/7/16

Trim: 8" x 10.5"

S H O E TA L K 16

GEAR

FLAT-OUT FAST

BY BRIA N METZ LER

When you head to the starting line of a race, you want to feel light and fast. So instead of wearing the shoes you train in every day, you should lace up a pair of lean, mean, racing machines. Here’s a look at three light, agile new racing flats all but guaranteed to get you to the finish line faster than ever before.

HOKA ONE ONE TRACER, $130 Highlight: Hoka’s fastest, lightest and most responsive shoe yet.

Fit-Feel-Ride: Hoka has seemingly found a way to catch lightning in a bottle with this shoe—its first true racing flat. Part of Hoka’s new speed series of shoes, it’s decidedly not a maximally cushioned shoe on which the brand has built its reputation. Instead, it’s a featherweight, low-tothe-ground and super-speedy shoe that still feels substantial enough underfoot for longer races up to a marathon. It has a moderately soft midsole foam in the heel to cushion impacts that subtly transition to a firmer and more resilient forefoot foam that, combined with a slightly rockered shape from heel-to-toe, is aimed at catapulting the foot forward during the heel-toe transition. It feels light and speedy the moment you lace it up and our wear-test team raved about how quick and responsive it felt on all sorts of runs—long runs, tempo runs, intervals, recovery runs—but especially those at faster paces.

Weights: 7.0 oz. (men’s), 6.3 oz. (women’s) Heel-to-Toe Offset: 4mm; 22mm (heel), 18mm (forefoot)

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Click here to read spring 2016 road shoe reviews.

SKECHERS PERFORMANCE GORUN MEB SPEED 3 2016, $130 Highlight: An updated version of the shoe Meb Keflezighi wore to win Boston in 2014.

SALOMON SONIC PRO, $140 Highlight: A brand known for trail racing lets the rubber hit the road.

Fit-Feel-Ride: A new flat-knit seamless upper offers a smidge of support with a foot-enveloping fit of a sock and helps cinch down the foot to the shoe’s chassis.

This version also retains the TPU shank in the mid-foot to add to the responsive feeling of the shoe while the outsole opens up a bit to provide more compression on impact. It has a slightly rockered outsole, meaning it’s designed to help runners land more in the middle of their foot instead of the heel. It’s a light and agile shoe, but it has enough cushion and structure for a variety of training and racing efforts and isn’t so minimally designed that it can’t handle longer distances. The botom line is that it’s versatile—it can handle speedwork, tempo runs and 5Ks to a marathon.

Fit-Feel-Ride: Salomon, one of the biggest trail shoe companies for years, is making a foray into road running with the Sonic Pro. True to the brand’s recent heritage in trail racing shoes, it’s a light, fast, neutral-oriented shoe with a semi-firm and very responsive feel. It has a low-to-the-ground feeling, a modest amount of cushioning and a moderate heel-toe offset, so it’s definitely meant for strong-legged neutral, efficient runners and faster running. It also features the brand’s one-pull speed laces, which tuck into a “lace garage” at the top of the tongue. With only a little cushioning and a moderate heel-toe offset, it’s definitely built for efficient runners and faster running. Runners who like the agility, fit and tenacity of Salomon trail shoes will appreciate this new road shoe.

Weights: 7.1 oz. (men’s), 5.4 oz. (women’s) Heel-to-Toe Offset: 4mm; 21mm (heel), 17mm (forefoot)

Weights: 8.3 oz. (men’s), 7.3 oz. (women’s) Heel-to-Toe Offset: 8mm; 30mm (heel), 22mm (forefoot)

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Sketch Feel-R it after if that

That

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WEARABLE TECH 18

GEAR

IN THE SWEET SPOT B Y SA M W I N EB AU M

Garmin’s new Forerunner 235 has all the training features we look for in a serious GPS run watch, along with 24/7 heart rate monitoring as well as sleep and activity tracking. We preferred the 235’s versatility and simplicity to its more sophisticated cousin the 630,

with its chest strap and fussy touch screen.

The 235 also improves on the 225, Garmin’s first wrist-based HRM GPS watch. It is lighter and smaller, with a bigger display and longer battery life. Physiology features also arrive via Garmin’s new Elevate heart rate sensing.

NOT THE ONE?

We appreciated the easy access to heart rate data: instant, constantly updated resting with four-hour and seven-day trends. The thin, soft and slightly sticky strap was comfortable when snug and stayed put—we saw few GPS dropouts or wild HR readings.

G A R MIN FO R ER UNNER 235

I’m looking for…

$330 WRIST HRM AND GPS AT A VALUE

Soleus Running GPS Pulse BLE+HRM $199

WRIST HRM IN A MULTISPORT GPS WATCH

STYLISH 24/7 HR AND ACTIVITY, AND BASIC GPS

Fitbit Surge $250

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Click here to read about wearable tech trends in 2016.

RECOVERY AND PHYSIOLOGY Run some harder workouts and the 235 will start to estimate your VO2 Max and give eerily accurate race time predictions. The Recovery Advisor kept our horses in check, estimating hours until our next hard workout.

CONNECTIVITY Smart phone notifications, music control, and add-on widgets, apps and watch faces from the ConnectIQ store are new features that were not available in the 225.

NOT SITTING STILL We noted a much more reliable workout synching to the Garmin Connect app than our earlier test of the 630.

During our testing, cadence as a watch data field went live.

PHOTO: VALERIE BRUGOS

Garmin fēnix 3 HR $600

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collective Click here to read how New Balance makes shoes in the U.S.

gear

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Gear for On-the-Go

By Allis on Pat t illo

A simple joy of running is the fact that you can lace up and go without giving it much thought. But if a run or race takes you far from home, come prepared.

While the actual running gear you bring depends upon personal preference and destination, the following essentials ensure comfort and safety wherever you choose to roam.

[1] Ultimate Direction Amp, $40 Never be without water again by taking this soft, collapsible bottle with you. It’s equipped with a strap for hands-free carrying and has plenty of mesh pockets for gels and your hotel or rental car key.

[2] ShowerPill Athletic Body Wipe, $10 Even if you are sightseeing on the run, it still feels good to freshen up before stopping in a café for an espresso or snack. These individually wrapped sport wipes come in a pack of 10, are generously sized and leave no sticky residue.

[3] Sea to Summit Pocket Laundry Wash, $4.50 Just say no to hotel soaps that leave clothes crusty and oddly scented. This slim packet contains 50 dissolvable sheets of soap (meaning no liquids to spill or get through security) so you can wash sweaty running togs in the sink.

[4] Adventure Medical Kits Travel Medic, $12 Leave your kids’ bandage strips and half-used tubes of ointment at home, and pack this handy all-in-one kit instead. Small enough to toss in a running pack or purse, the durable and reusable pouch has all the basics you need for simple first aid, and pain and allergy relief.

[5] Road ID Black Edition Elite, $40 This sleek band contains pertinent emergency info like your name, contact and health information. The all-black styling stands up to sweat yet still looks good with street clothes.

Toss a few of these yummy bars in your bag for quick, no-bonk energy. This 180-calorie snack has protein and healthy fats to keep you going until your next meal, and just 5 grams of sugar.

[7] Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler Duffel 60L, $99 Light and durable, this roomy carry-on has separate zip compartments for corralling wet and muddy gear, and a U-shaped opening on the main pocket for easy access. Wear it as a backpack—the straps are removable—or carry it comfortably at your side.

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photo: mark doolittle

[6] CLIF Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chunk Luna Bar, $18.75 (Box of 12)

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PICTURE YOURSELF HERE! MONTEREY COUNTY, CA

Half Marathon on Monterey Bay

Big Sur International Marathon

W W W. B S I M

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BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL MARATHON FAMILY OF EVENTS:

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HALF MARATHON ON MONTEREY BAY NOVEMBER 13, 2016

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Ciele: A Ciele cap typically takes two months to go from concept to physical product and then six months to market.

Janji: Inspired by Guatemala’s vibrant culture, the Laguna Tee and Balam Shorts, are part of Janji’s latest spring line. And every purchase provides one student in the small fishing village of El Paredon a year of clean water, in partnership with nonprofit Ecofiltro.

Small Brands

Oiselle: Sally Bergesen looks through the spring collection at the brand’s Seattle flagship store. She says the bright colors and bold patterns were inspired by the upcoming Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Big Impacts

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A wave of entrepreneurial spirit is flowing through the running world. By Emily Polachek

The running marketplace has been and still is mostly run by industry giants.

Nike, New Balance, adidas, ASICS and similar brands dominate. However, smaller running-specific brands are entering the playing field with oneof-a-kind products, innovative ideas and quality, purpose-driven gear.

They’re setting trends as opposed to following them. They’re expanding the definition of running. In this age of startups, we profile six of the most influential micro-level running brands and the entrepreneurs who founded them, and what they have to offer the sport that's game-changing.

Tracksmith: A British illustrator came up with Tracksmith’s logo. The hare was selected because of its life-or-death dependence on speed.

Picky Bars:

While Jesse Thomas manages the business side of things, Lauren Fleshman acts as Picky Bar’s head chef and creative flavor namer. The brand’s newest flavor, Moroccan Your World, contains cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and ginger that gives it a kick.

Carson Footwear: Most of Carson Footwear’s shoes are made on demand, in batches of six pairs in each of the six different styles. The final steps include stitching the uppers, which is done by hand.

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Independent Ladies Oiselle, founded 2007, Seattle Sally Bergesen founded Oiselle in order to solve a problem. Prior to 2007, women had to tolerate poofy, ill-fitting running shorts that neither looked good nor felt great. Then Oiselle came along and presented to female runners a solution: the Roga shorts—slim, sleek and snug in all the right places.

It revolutionized what women’s running-specific apparel could be: both stylish and performance-oriented without having to sacrifice one for the other.

Almost a decade later and despite the proliferation of women’s workout apparel by big-name

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brands, Oiselle still sets itself apart, providing more than just unique products. “We are the community that we serve,” says Bergesen, a 2:59 marathoner, on how Oiselle differentiates itself from the mass market. “We live the values of being a ‘by women, for women’ company, which is a really unique way to help women develop confidence within the sport and their own lives.”

Last summer, Oiselle opened its flagship store in its hometown of Seattle to give its fans a physical space to experience the brand. There’s also talk of possibly opening another future store in New York City.

But the Oiselle narrative has become so much more than cute running shorts and female empowerment. The more involved the

brand became in the sport by sponsoring its own elite team, Volée—recruiting beloved pros with equally strong presences like Olympians Lauren Fleshman and Kara Goucher—the more it developed a championing voice for the representation of all small running brands. “I have a lot of opinions on why the professional field is extremely unfriendly to newcomers that are not just us,” Bergesen explains in reference to the exclusive licensing agreement between USATF and Nike. “It’s not set up to have other brands engaged in it.”

Oiselle aims to change that by continuing to grow and inform Volée and the Oiselle “flock,” a non-elite membership, so one day its voice becomes loud enough to be heard.

photo: stephen Matera

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Head Trendsetters

photo: Julie Langenegger Lachance

Ciele, founded 2014, Montreal Ciele may be young in the biz—it’s less than two years old—but people are taking notice of the brand’s hip technical caps made for running.

“We’re a very small business in an industry run by giants,” says Jeremy Bresnen (left), co-founder of Ciele along with Mike Giles. “And I think we’ve done a fairly good job of getting the word out. People think we’re a lot bigger than we actually are.”

In reality, it’s just Bresnen and Giles in the main office in Montreal. From there they connect and work with a grass-roots network of photographers, specialty retailers, regional sales reps and brand ambassadors across North America to bring the Ciele brand to life.

“We call ourselves an athletic brand with a focus on running,” says Bresnen, who previously owned a skateboard shop and pursued the Ciele project after picking up running and discovering a lack of hats that he’d want to run in. “But we’re well aware that people are using the hats for a lot of other things.” And that’s the secret behind Ciele’s three simple, stylish designs: the GoCap, FastCap and TRLCap. It’s a hat you’d wear outside of running, to a coffee shop, out with friends, or even at the office (if the dress code allows). Because if it’s one thing the brand is trying to communicate, it’s that running is a lifestyle, not just a sport.

Ciele will continue to create different variations of the color-blocked ’80s and ’90s turned modern, outdoor-inspired caps. But Bresnen and Giles are also looking to expand to other services. Giles hints that along with launching a new website, they’re working on a new Ciele social app that’ll be ready by the end of August.

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Apparel That Gives Back When Janji released its first spring line in 2012, founders Mike Burnstein (left) and Dave Spandorfer were in the midst of finishing their senior year of college at Washington University in St. Louis. “Mike and I were part of a team,” says Spandorfer. “We had a school that we were running for [in track and cross country] and we were running for something bigger than just personal performance. We wanted Janji to be about the idea of running for a much larger community and for something that’s unbelievably important.”

So they built a brand based on a charitable business model: For every piece of running apparel sold, 10 percent of that sale would go toward clean water projects in one of nine countries—India, Haiti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Peru to name a few— where they’ve partnered with nonprofits Water.org, Living Water International and DIGDEEP. It was an exceptional idea, but getting started wasn’t easy.

Having to buy Walmart fabric because the factory overseas couldn’t send samples in time for an important industry trade show in Austin, Texas, dyeing the first samples in a friend’s bathtub, pulling two all-nighters to build a booth, missing a week of classes and Burnstein having to write a senior thesis on the drive to Austin are some of the crazier challenges the two had to overcome in the months before they even got started. Now their products feature top fabrics, advanced manufacturing techniques and distinct patterns.

“We’ve come a long way in terms of product—we’re not using Walmart fabric anymore,” Spandorfer jokes.

Janji has also been making significant connections at home. In April, Bostonians and Boston marathoners alike had a chance to explore Janji’s second pop-up store. “It really comes down to how we make the greatest impact,” Spandorfer says. “And hopefully that’s increasing the connection for people buying Janji in knowing exactly who they’ve helped.”

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photo: Yoon S. Byun Photography

Janji, founded 2012, Boston

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Modernity Meets Legacy

photo: Yoon S. Byun Photography

Tracksmith, founded 2014, Wellesley, Mass.

Call it New England, throwback, or classic Ivy League style—Tracksmith’s apparel is truly a unique offering within the running market. And yet it harks back to running’s roots, borrowing concepts from the past that have become lost in the present sport of running.

“I found that the sport itself was being relegated and more brands were going for a much broader health and wellness method,” says founder Matt Taylor, who was the head of global

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marketing for Puma’s running and training category before launching Tracksmith in 2014. “I wanted to create a brand that kept the history, legacy and traditions alive and act as a steward for the competitive side of the sport.”

Where better to start than the most iconic running city in the nation: Boston. The Tracksmith office is located right at the halfway mark of the Boston Marathon in Wellesley, Mass., and hosts monthly 13.1-mile group runs from the Boston finish line to the front of the office.

However, the brand has also been criticized as coming across as “elitist”—cotton T-shirts cost $55, running shorts are $70 to $80 and a knit hat runs $38. But Taylor says the brand is all about producing quality apparel tied to the origins of the sport.

“The way we look at it, racing in the culture of running plays a pretty significant role in the brand,” he says. “It’s just part of the DNA, and we really believe the richest reward in running comes through racing. Anybody can partake in the type of brand we’re creating.” That’s partially the purpose of Tracksmith’s own quarterly magazine, Meter—to inform and involve the consumer with the culture and history of competitive running.

Along with setting up its pop-up store at the Boston Marathon for the second straight year, the brand is also looking to expand from its purely online sales model and move into local run specialty stores this year. And even bigger than that, Taylor says to watch out for a Tracksmith racing event sometime during the second half of 2016.

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HomeMade, Elite Approved Picky Bars, founded 2010, Bend, Ore. Imagine groups of college students coming in and out of your home kitchen in four-hour shifts, 40 hours a week, producing 15,000 real-food performance bars each month for nine months.

It sounds chaotic. But that’s what it took to grow Picky Bars since it was founded by husband-wife duo Jesse Thomas and Lauren Fleshman.

Add to that two full-time professional

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athletic careers (Jesse is a triathlete; Lauren is a runner), and having a son, Jude, a few years after launching Picky Bars, it’s hard to believe they had time to start and maintain a successful business. “It’s still a work in progress for sure,” Jesse says with a laugh. “Any entrepreneur you talk to would agree that it can be all-consuming.”

Without Jesse’s and Lauren’s pro statuses, though, Picky Bars may not have taken off as rapidly. From the beginning, Picky Bars had the support and trust of the greater running community, including that of elite marathoner Stephanie Bruce, who helped concoct the first bars. “Any athlete that puts him or herself out there gets lots of questions about what they eat,”

says Fleshman, who has a combined 90,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram. “You can tell people, but how cool is it to give them something and say, ‘This is the thing’?”

The mini home factory full of college students has now expanded to an office space in Bend and manufacturing facilities in Spokane, Wash., and Portland, Ore. And starting this past month, Picky Bars are on sale in Trader Joe’s across the country (along with the launch of a new flavor called Moroccan Your World in June). “This fundamentally changes our business,” Thomas says of Picky Bars’ model, which until now has been mostly subscription-based. “We’re going to be significantly bigger than we ever have been.”

photo: Tyler Roemer Photography

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All-American Minimalism

photo: Pierre Robichaud, Monster vs Robot Photography

Carson Footwear, founded 2015, Milwaukie, Ore. A year and a half ago, entrepreneur Everett Carson ambitiously launched Carson Footwear. It took more than a year of sketching shoe designs, researching materials, importing equipment to build his own manufacturing plant and investing $400,000 of his own money (he also runs a marketing business) to start this micro-scale minimalist running shoe brand, but that’s exactly what Carson hoped his shoes would become.

Other than most of the materials being sourced in the U.S.—according to Carson, about 99 percent—what’s unique about Carson Footwear’s shoes are the polyurethane midsole/outsole and a dye-sublimation printed upper mesh with a zero-drop profile. Unlike most shoe brands that use layers of EVA foam and a durable rubber compound for the outsole, Carson chose a one-piece, single-density polyurethane construction for his shoes.

“If you drill down two midsoles, cut them in half and put a microscope to it, the EVA is a square cell whereas the polyurethane is a round cell,” says Carson. “It distributes the energy differently. So in that virtue, it’s what makes the polyurethane live a lot longer.” He says he’s done 800 miles in a pair he’s been running in for almost a year, which is 500 more than the industry mileage standard.

Despite the shoes’ reputation among barefoot and trail runners for having amazing traction, they haven’t quite caught on in the mainstream market yet, but for now Carson is pleased with that. Slower growth means more time to perfect the product. However, in March the business moved from its old manufacturing facility in Milwaukie, Ore., to its very own retail store where customers can view the final assembly process of their shoes with custom fittngs. “It will be the smallest shoe store in the world,” Carson says. “But everything we’re doing, we’re just so much better at today than we were a year ago.”

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We spent a week exploring Cuba on foot, running some of the country’s historic trails and immersing ourselves with local runners. Amid a socialist system and economic limitations, we discovered beauty, hope, pride and joy in a land that’s destined for change.

B y B rian Metzler P hoto g r ap h y b y St ev e G o d w i n

was about 15 minutes into an easy run on a warm and humid evening in Santiago de Cuba when the peculiarity of what I was doing struck me.

I’m an American running free in Cuba.

It was an odd, and somewhat novel thought, given that the easy run was just meant to be a simple, 45-minute shake-out jaunt aimed at loosening my legs a bit. But since it’s still difficult for U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba— let alone roam entirely free while running the streets of the country’s second-largest city—it turned a very ordinary run into a rather special moment.

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Click here to watch a video about trail running in Cuba.

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Run Away!

D e s t i n at i on Running 2016

Click here to see more photos from this Cuban running adventure.

Reminders of the revolution are everywhere in Cuba, including this mural honoring Che Guevara in the seaside village of Baracoa.

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Click here to read about trail running in Chile.

Santiago de cuba is the country’s second-largest city, one that figures to attract more tourism in the near future. It’s one of cuba’s centers of industry and is rich with historY.

It was the first day of a weeklong running immersion in Cuba for me and fellow runners and friends Michael Sandrock, Steve Godwin and Michael Wardian. We were all weary and a bit out of it after waking up at 4:30 a.m. to check in for our charter flight that morning from Miami, not to mention trying to reacquaint ourselves with speaking español.

As the others napped, got organized in our hotel or relaxed with a fresh glass of guava juice, I decided to head out for a run. As I strode over rolling hills along Calle Santa Lucia on the way to Santiago Bay, I passed through block after block of densely packed row homes, all painted in bright hues of red, blue, green and golden yellow. Kids played futbol in the streets, adults relaxed comfortably on porches and a couple of barking dogs nipped at my heels.

As I built up a sweat while finding my rhythm on the rough concrete streets, it occurred to me that I could have been running through any neighborhood in any city in the world and experienced similar sights and sounds.

But what kept me firmly rooted in the present and excited for the days to come were

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the syncopated beats of Afro-Cuban jazz wafting out of every home, shop and corner pub and, of course, the fact that I had to dodge classic, late 1950s American cars at almost every intersection.

A Cultural Exchange Until recently, visiting Cuba was a tricky endeavor for Americans. What made our legal and fully authorized eight-day running odyssey possible—and really our intent of going in the first place—was that it would be part of a cultural exchange that would help bring dozens of donated running shoes to share with children and young runners via the Boulder, Colo., nonprofit One World Running.

The organization was started in 1986 by Sandrock after his experience running a marathon in Cameroon, where he ran alongside a local runner wearing a broken pair of plastic sandals.

“One of the straps was broken and his foot was getting bloody from the irritation,” Sandrock recalled later that evening in Santiago as we sipped mojitos from the

restaurant deck of the 100-year-old colonial-style Hotel Casa Granda. “I had a nice, modern pair of running shoes and he still outran me to the finish, even with his bad sandals. When I saw him after the race, I was compelled to give him my shoes. I knew I could get another pair, but he wasn’t in a position to ever be able to afford to buy running shoes.”

Sandrock first visited Cuba in the early 1990s to interview Olympic track greats Alberto Juantorena and Ana Fidelia Quirot for his superlative 1996 book, “Running with the Legends.” It was during one of his original trips to Cuba, shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, that he again realized the potential impact of sharing used shoes with fellow runners if he took the time to collect them in the U.S.—namely sharing the ability to experience the freedom and passion of running.

“I gave this young barefoot runner some shoes and I can still remember the look on his face,” Sandrock told us. “He didn’t know whether to hug me or laugh or smile. He put the shoes on and sprinted down the track and started doing cartwheels in the infield. He

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was so happy. That showed me the value of a pair of shoes. We can’t even imagine what that’s like because it’s so easy for us to buy shoes. That pair of shoes changed his life.”

Over the past 30 years, Sandrock has tirelessly helped One World Running collect and distribute more than 250,000 pairs of shoes to children and aspiring young runners in Cuba, Haiti, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Senegal, Tanzania, Mexico and the U.S. The nonprofit is headed up by Ana Weir, a Boulder nurse who brought her medical background and experience living in Latin America to help the organization grow. The shoes are washed and either shipped directly to coaches or hand carried on trips like ours to make sure they reach the intended recipients.

Under that context, we transported about 120 pairs of donated shoes in large duffel bags on our flight from Miami to Santiago de Cuba, an old-world city with considerable history and gritty charm. It was founded in 1515 by Spanish conquistador Diego Velazquez de Cuellar and served as Cuba’s colonial capital for most of the 16th century. Carlos Manuel de Céspedes kickstarted Cuba’s push for independence from Spain here in 1868, and it was also the site of the Battle of San Juan Hill, where Teddy Roosevelt led the U.S. Army’s Rough Riders and Buffalo Soldiers to a key victory during the Spanish-American War in 1898.

In more modern times, it has been known as a key center for shipping, commerce and transportation, the birthplace of Desi Arnaz and the home of many popular jazz musicians, as well as the launching-off point for the Cuban Revolution. Some of the first battles occurred in and around the city in the mid-1950s, including the infamous attack of the Moncada Barracks by a small band of rebels led by Fidel Castro.

It was on the city hall balcony overlooking the vibrant Céspedes Park city square in Santiago that Castro proclaimed victory for his revolution on Jan. 1, 1959. While sitting across the same square inside Hotel Casa Granda’s cafe, we gathered our bearings for the days ahead, sipping cold beverages

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A local car afficianado shows off his 1955 Chevy Bel-Air ajacent to Cespedes Park in Santiago, offering tourists short rides around the city for a few Cuban dollars as a new day dawns.

and studying a map of the Sierra Maestra mountain range, which rises abruptly at the city’s western horizon line.

Over the next three days, we planned to explore Turquino National Park on foot by running and hiking over the summit of Pico Turquino, the highest mountain in Cuba at 6,476 feet above sea level. It’s deep inside the Sierra Maestra mountains—where the Castro brothers and Argentine doctor Che Guevara organized a guerilla rebellion in 1956, known as the 26th of July Movement,

that would eventually lead to the revolution that overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

Historic Trails Early the next morning, the drivers we hired arrived in late-1990s Chinese-made sedans to take us to the north entrance of the national park. As we drove away from the city, the surroundings, local economy and living conditions quickly turned rural

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and rustic. The preponderance of modern buses, small imported cars and vintage American sedans and trucks quickly gave way to horse-drawn carriages, rickety carts pulled by donkeys and human-powered bicycle taxis. While Santiago offered hints of progress in a somewhat modern city setting, life in the remote communities seemed simple and decidedly more primitive.

Billboards proclaiming the success of the revolution were ever-present along the two-lane road through the countryside, often with an inspiring quote from Fidel Castro or a statement reinforcing the benefits of Cuba’s socialist society. As a tourist, the signs were read as blatant propaganda, as if to justify, for better or for worse, all that Cuba had struggled to become and continues to struggle to be. To locals, though, the messages must have long ago faded into the fabric of everyday life.

“Continuaremos a nuestro ritmo el proceso de transformaciones en la sociedad de Cubana,” proclaimed one billboard. (“We continue our pace in the process of transforming Cuban society.”)

“No hay revolucion sin audacia,” proclaimed another. (“There is no revolution without audacity.”)

Another sign, accompanied by a picture of Fidel, simply said, “Gracias por tu ejempla.” (“Thank you for your example.”)

Michael Wardian runs up and down the mountainous singletrack trails on the way up and down 6,476-foot Pico turquino, Cuba’s highest peak.

Click here to read about running around Mt. Blanc in Europe.

Our driver stopped a couple of times on the way to the park, once at a roadside coffee stand for a steaming hot cup of what was perhaps the richest and most potent café negro we’d ever had, and another time at an open-air carniceria for a tasty pulled pork sandwich that a butcher thoughtfully and skillfully carved for us as we waited.

When we finally arrived at the park, we convinced our driver to let us out at the entrance so we could run up the ridiculously steep 5K paved road that led to the trailhead. He shook his head and chuckled in disbelief, telling us that none of the other touristas he’d delivered to the park had ever attempted to tackle the road on foot.

But we were runners and, having spent several hours in the car, we were ready to get out and move our legs.

Still, we found his skepticism to be entirely justified as our moderate initial pace quickly slowed to a grinding shuffle as the incline approached 30

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Click here to read about a trail running race in Iceland.

The trails in Turquino national park are both rugged and lush with vegetation as the author and Sandrock (Above) found on the way to Comandacia de la plata with wardian (left).

percent grade numerous times on the way up the mountain. The temperature and humidity rose with every kilometer we clicked off, but when we finally reached the top at a spot called Alto de Naranjo—where we were met by equally skeptical German hikers who had gotten shuttled up the road and yet another sign proclaiming the success of the revolution—we were stoked to find a small fruit stand, where a local resident had a table of freshly picked coconuts, bananas, oranges and mangos.

After drinking freshly cut coconut water as an energy boost, we ran 6K on the rolling contours of densely forested singletrack trails to the historic Comandancia de la Plata—Fidel Castro’s long-ago rebel camp that served as the birthplace of the revolution. We were awestruck by the site, which included numerous well-preserved rudimentary wooden cabins where, in 1958, Castro and his guerrilla army plotted their quest to free Cuba from the corrupt Batista regime.

The trails leading to the camp, especially to the most remote Casa de Fidel cabin, were scenic and sublime but also arduous and oftentimes barely runnable. No doubt consistent foot travel over those trails could harden rebel soldiers back in the day, just as they might strengthen

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aspiring trail runners or fatigue undertrained tourists in modern times.

That night we stayed at La Platica, a remote community with two modest bunkhouses and a dining area for tourists planning to make the multiday assault on Pico Turquino.

For a fee of about $12 apiece, we had more creature comforts than we expected— cold-water showers with clean towels, basic but comfortable bunks, and a well-rounded dinner of rice, beans, pork, boiled potatoes, fresh bread and even cold cervezas.

The next morning after a breakfast of eggs, toast and fruit, we set off toward the mountaintop, a grueling 3,500-foot climb over 4 miles on an increasingly steep trail that varied between being remarkably runnable and extremely challenging to negotiate at a power hiking pace. We were captivated at the lush vegetation and scenery that only grew more vast the higher we went.

We stopped a few times to take photos and shoot video footage, each time marveling in the notion that we were running remote trails of Cuba’s highest mountain range.

Unfortunately, the splendor and excitement amid the lush vegetation and stunning views led us to a wrong turn, and instead of veering to the south to reach the trail that would take

us to the high camp, we inadvertently veered north and wound up right back where we started at La Platica. As devastating as it was at the moment we figured it out, we found comic relief in our gringo tourist mistake.

With no other alternative but to go back up, we resorted to our trail running discipline to dig deep and tackle another 3,500-foot ascent to a small cabin just below the peak.

We arose before sunrise the next morning and after a very steep and strenuous 5K hike, reached the top of the peak where we were greeted by a statue of revered 19th century Cuban writer and philosopher José Martí, who, amid all of the change and struggle Cuba has faced, is still admired as the country’s preeminent national hero.

After requisite snacks, photos and high-fives, it was all downhill from there—a beautiful but demanding 11K descent down to the Caribbean Sea. The trails had taken their toll on our legs and that led to growing mental fatigue. But seeing the water below was inspiring and it helped us methodically wind our way over the adjacent Pico Cuba (4,941 feet) and down the sometimes slippery trails in time for lunch at the park’s entrance along Cuba’s southernmost shoreline. Before our two-hour trip back to Santiago, our driver took us to a spectacular and vacant beach (aside from a wandering wild

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Wardian and Sandrock join campos and his running group for a workout inside the Circa-1965 baseball stadium (Above), while fruit and vegetable vendors ply their trade on the streets of Baracoa.

pig) for a refreshing post-run dip in the sea.

That night, as we ate dinner at the rooftop restaurant of the Hotel Casa Granda, we raised a toast to the adventures and camaraderie we shared, recognizing the rarity of our opportunity while marveling in the history of the place and, oh, the fact that we had covered more than 48K—much longer than a marathon—on the challenging yet pristine trails over the previous three days.

“The natural, unspoiled beauty was amazing, and the trails were legit,” said Wardian, one of the world’s most prolific marathoners and ultrarunners who has run in more than 30 countries. “That was a very hard—and extremely fun—three days out on the trails that I’ll never forget.”

A Universal Language The next morning, we rose early and, after a shakeout run through Santiago, loaded our gear and large duffel bags of donated

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running shoes into our taxi—a royal blue 1957 Chevy station wagon in near-mint condition—and began a four-hour drive to the small seaside town of Baracoa along Cuba’s remote southeastern coast.

Our driver, 20-year-old Antonio, was agreeable to making a few stops at our request along the way, if only because it gave him more time to make out with his girlfriend, who had come along for the ride. Seeing two young lovers snuggled up in the front seat of a classic 1950s Detroit-made muscle car was a scene straight out of Americana, even if completely out of context in present-day Cuba.

Once we stopped at a fruit stand to drink more fresh coconut water and to pick up 20 bananas for the equivalent of about $1. Later we convinced Antonio to stop at the new overlook platform at the north end of Guantanamo Bay, which gave us gringos a chance to get a unique and rather juxtaposing view of the U.S. military base off in the distance.

Once again, billboards proclaiming the

virtues of the Cuban Revolution were everywhere along the bucolic roads.

“No descuidaremos la obra de la revolucion,” read one sign with the face of Fidel. (“We do not neglect the work of the revolution.”)

“El socialisimo es lo mas noble y lo mas justo,” said another near Baracoa. (“Socialism is the most noble and the most just.”)

It was hard not to notice the unintended irony of the messages in contrast to sometimes primitive and crumbling conditions in many aspects of Cuban life. Yet despite the oppressive situation and lack of most of the accouterments found in the U.S., Europe and many Latin American countries, most of the people we encountered seemed upbeat, happy and full of life. For the most part, the people have nothing and yet they don’t miss what they don’t have. It’s the simple joys of daily life—running, salsa dancing, jazz music, restoring vintage cars, kids, etc.— that make things as good as possible amid the despair.

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“Despite the despair and hard conditions, people were passionate,” Wardian recalled after the trip. “You could sense a sense of ambition, that people were really trying to achieve and be productive and learn and make things as good as possible. There was a sense of hope and pride and joy in everyday life, and that was incredibly touching and very inspiring to me.”

No one we encountered in Cuba was more inspiring than Arnaldo Campos, a 43-yearold former national-class marathoner with a 2:31 PR. He twice competed internationally for Cuba, once in Spain and another time in the Soviet Union, and also won the Havana Half Marathon a couple of times. Now a schoolteacher and competitive masters runner, he continues to share his passion, coaching both a performance-oriented group of local runners and a low-key women’s group.

Baracoa doesn’t have a track to run on, but there are plenty of trails. Most often, the locals run laps around the inside of the town’s once-proud but now-crumbling baseball stadium. Like a lot of situations in Cuba, the people are resourceful and find a way to make do.

When we shared some of the donated shoes with his group, the joy among the runners was palpable and bordered on tear-jerking joy—for all of us.

“Anyone can run and experience the same things I have experienced,” Campos said in Spanish from the bleachers of the stadium after a morning run with his training group.

“You don’t have to be fast. You just have to be willing to go out every day and do it. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind, and that’s good for everyone.”

Sandrock and Campos have shared a bond connected by that universal language of running for more than 20 years, but it goes way beyond One World Running’s many visits to bring shoes and running clothes.

Six years ago, Campos, Sandrock and Weir started the 28K La Farola race on the mountain road that spills into town as a way to help celebrate the 500th anniversary of the village and promote fitness and passion for running among the locals. In recent years, top runners have come from all over Cuba for the race and, thanks to One World Running, every entrant receives a free pair of donated shoes. (This year’s race will be held

on July 10, and many of the shoes we brought down are being stored for that event.)

During our three-day stay in Baracoa, we ran with Campos on some of his favorite routes, helped organize kids track and field competitions in conjunction with several schools, had a few meals and beers together, and shared stories.

We returned to Santiago and flew back to the U.S. the next day. Once stateside, and for weeks to come, we all missed Cuba and the people we met. We were left with the understanding that politics, government, language and money can separate people, but running is one of the things that brings people together.

“It starts by sharing a bond with running and shoes, but many times, especially with Campos and the people in Baracoa, it develops into much deeper, lasting friendships,” Sandrock said. “That’s what running is all about, and that’s why I still enjoy it. We’re all one world and everything is connected.

Everyone is connected to each other and you can really feel that through running and the people you run with, and that’s why it’s so satisfying.”

Click here to see more photos of our trail adventures in Cuba.

Running with new friends and organizing kids races capped off an amazing week in Cuba.

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Click here to see images from the Havana Half Marathon

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How to Plan a Running Trip to Cuba Cuba is a wonderful place to visit as long as your expectations are in line with the realities of the country’s current state of transition. The people are friendly and welcoming, and the country is rich with culture, whether your interest is music, food, history, athletics, or sampling the rum and cigars. Draw your own conclusions about the reign of Fidel and Raul Castro and the oppressive nature of their government, but if you follow local rules and customs, you won’t experience any of the latent Cold War tension that is finally starting to erode at a diplomatic level.

Going to Cuba with an open mind and a patient demeanor is important, as not everything happens with the immediacy or in the same fashion as it does in the U.S. Bus, train and airplane timeliness can vary, wireless service is inconsistent and there are plenty of things in disrepair. The classic American cars are cool to see (and ride in), but the exhaust can be nauseating, as vehicles don’t have catalytic converters to reduce toxic emissions. Other than that, the sights, sounds and spirit of Cuba (and the Cuban people) are something to behold— especially now, before vast changes forever modernize the country.

As of March, American citizens are no longer required to join educational group tours to travel to Cuba. Instead, individuals can travel on their own to experience people-to-people educational trips (including participation in running races and triathlons), provided that they engage in a full-time schedule of

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educational exchange activities and keep records of their itineraries. Although charter flights are already available, dozens of commercial flights from several U.S. cities to Havana, Santa Clara, Camagüey and Cienfuegos, among others, are expected to resume by late spring or early summer.

Perhaps the best way to experience running in Cuba is to sign up for one of the races during the 2016 Havana Marathon weekend on Nov. 20. Known locally as “Marabana” (the combination of “marathon” and the local pronunciation of “Habana”), this year’s event celebrates its 30th anniversary and includes a 10K, half marathon and marathon.

The races start and end in Old Havana in front of El Capitolio and send runners past numerous historic buildings and sites and along the famous Malecón esplanade and seawall just 90 miles from Key West. For more information, go to the race’s official website at Havanamarathon.net.

Often called the Rome of the Caribbean, Havana offers numerous sights to see, ranging from the Morro Castle that dates back to the 1760s, the historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba and El Capitolio, the former national capitol building that is now home to the Cuban Academy of Sciences. A visit to the circa-1920 Museum of the Revolution, housed in the former Presidential Palace, is definitely recommended, as are the numerous old hotels, shops and restaurants in Old Havana—including Ernest Hemingway’s old haunts, La Floridita and La Bodeguita del Medio.

Several U.S.-based organizations organize legal cultural tour packages that include the three races of the Havana Marathon weekend, including One World Running (Oneworldunning.com), Insight Cuba (Insightcuba.com) and Velo Echappe (Veloechappe.com/running). Travel packages range from four to eight days and typically cost $2,500 to $5,000, including race entries. (Make sure you understand exactly what is included in each package.)

Otherwise, you can arrange for your own flight to Havana (when they become available) and stay at one of the popular tourist hotels—such as Meliá Cohiba, National Hotel of Cuba, Hotel Inglaterra, Melia Habana or Hotel Presidente—that range from $150 to $400 per night.

The other good way to experience running in Cuba is to join One World Running for its cultural service trip in conjunction with the sixth annual 28K La Farola Run in the seaside village of Baracoa on July 10. The July 8-15 group trip, which also includes stopovers in Havana and Santiago, involves volunteering and running in the 28K race up and over the paved La Farola road through the Cuchillas de Baracoa mountains. One World Running will distribute donated shoes, T-shirts and race bib numbers to about 200 of the best Cuban runners. The trip price of $2,950 includes round-trip airfare from Miami to Cuba, internal island flights, lodging, transfer s and most meals. For more information, visit Oneworldrunning.com.—Brian Metzler

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Advertorial

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Run Away!

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Destination Running 2016

Click here to see an amazing finish line photo from this race.

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Chasing Leia A family experience on the run at the Happiest Race on Earth

By Lisa Jhung

I don’t dress up for Halloween, and I’ve never worn a costume in a race in my 25 years of running. Yet here I am at 5 a.m. on a cool January morning in Disneyland, nervously fidgeting in the starting chute of the runDisney Star Wars 5K, dressed as Princess Leia in a white cotton sundress, cinnamon-roll buns made out of a wig on the sides of my head.

My equally eager 7-year-old son, Sam, stands next to me in Stormtrooper socks and a Stormtrooper beanie. He’s a runner, and he’s fired up to race. He’s also fired up that the giant screen above the starting line is playing clips from Star Wars, The Force Awakens and the race emcees are quizzing the crowd on character trivia well before the sun begins to

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brighten the Southern California sky. We’re in a sea of 5,000 runners and walkers lined up for the 5K, standing between a Wookiee and a guy wearing a stuffed Yoda on his back.

I’m a Disney fanatic, but not the pin-collecting, mouse-ear-wearing type. I’m more the Disney-movie-loving, sentimental adult who loves reliving it all through my kids.

I worry that my Leia buns will flop too much as we run, and part of me feels absolutely ridiculous. But, you know, anything for the kids.

And since running can be selfish, combining a weekend of racing with a trip to Disneyland seemed like a win-win for my family of four.

--Not that traveling from our home in Boulder, Colo., to spend a few days racing and visiting Disneyland in Anaheim is entirely, or even mostly, for the kids.

Having grown up in San Diego, trips to Disneyland have always signified something special—birthdays, other special occasions.

I signed up for the 5K with my 7-year-old, held Friday morning. My husband, Mark, would run the 10K Saturday morning, and then I’d race the half marathon on Sunday.

My 4-year-old son, Ben, turned down the option to run the kids’ sprint or the 5K. He was mostly excited to see Mickey and Pluto, and who can blame him?

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N.Y., have traveled to all seven of the Disney races in a year. No kids. “This one is my favorite half marathon,” he assures me of the event I’ll be running two days later.

Sam, who’s loving his finisher’s medal, and I find my husband and Ben. We clean up, load snacks in the backpack and head into the parks for a day of walking, standing in lines, enjoying rides, watching parades and seeing 4-year-old Ben light up when giving Pluto a hug. Our day is a far cry from ideal race recovery or a taper, and we’re only getting started.

Something for Dad My husband, Mark, did not grow up on Disney magic. He’s crowd-adverse and theme park-cynical, but when I told him he gets to race a 10K on this trip, it was like tossing Dumbo a bag of peanuts.

Magical Running

(Jedi) Training

Disney first combined running with theme parks in 1994 with the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend. Then in 2010, with the Disney World Marathon Weekend, the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, and the Princess Half Marathon Weekend, the company rebranded the series as “runDisney” to expand on what was proving to be a popular formula.

When the gun sounds, my little Stormtrooper and I dash from the starting area, weaving our way to the front of Wave C. We find ourselves chasing a lone male runner up the first and only hill in the dark and are soon directed into Disneyland through a back gate and into the parks, which are all lit up.

“We realized we were going to go all in,” says Taron Kelley, vice president of Disney Sports. “We’ve turned a lot of Disney fans into runners.”

In 2015, more than 230,000 people participated in one of seven runDisney event weekends. Two new races debut in 2016: the Disneyland Paris Half Marathon Weekend and the Star Wars Half Marathon—The Dark Side (at Walt Disney World in Florida). If the past is any indication—the 2016 Wine & Dine Half Marathon sold out in 34 minutes, and the 2016 Rebel Challenge, which includes the Star Wars 10K and Half Marathon in the same weekend, sold out in 24 minutes—Disney running events will continue on a steep trajectory.

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I spot a long line of runners standing still and realize that they are waiting to have their picture taken with a character. (It might have been R2D2.) Not Sam and I. The 5K isn’t chip timed, and results aren’t posted online, but we are definitely racing. I started my watch to keep tabs on our pace and record our finishing time. Sam and I forgo the photo op—and all the subsequent photo stations that lined the course. When we run

by It’s a Small World, memories flood over me from all the different stages in my life that I’ve been on that ride as we ran farther into Fantasyland and eventually through California Adventure.

I struggle to keep up with Sam’s final kick, and stop my watch at 28:30. A couple we meet in the finishing chute from Buffalo,

His 10K takes place Saturday, a day after the 5K. Since all runDisney races start at 5:30 a.m. in order to get the back of the pack through the parks before opening, it’s the second morning in a row that we get a 4:15 wakeup call. And, since we were staying at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, the wakeup call goes like this: “Good morning!

This is Mickey Mouse! Time to wake up! Have a magical day!”

The first morning it was cute. The second, I quickly hang up on Mickey. Mark slips out of the room without waking the boys.

Mark is back by 6:45 a.m. He tells us about his race as we get ready for another day in the parks, and he changes out of his Stance Star Wars socks—one Darth Vader, one Luke Skywalker—that he wore racing. We’d already discussed that you feel more out of place when you don’t wear anything themed at these events.

We’re standing in line for Peter Pan later that day when Mark tells me: “I went between the Force, the Dark Side, the Force, the Dark Side during the race.” He explains that while running the 10K, his version of using the Force was stopping to rub the back of

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a college kid who was barfing on course.

He switched to the Dark Side when he was saying to himself, “Chase down that guy, chase down that guy.”

I ask which made him run faster.

“The Dark Side, for sure,” he says.

May the Force Be with Me The night before my half marathon, instead of stressing over the race, putting my feet up and eating a healthy dinner, I’m holding Ben awkwardly on my hip so he can see the fireworks show on Main Street. It’s 8:40 p.m., and we just watched an electrical parade. I am caught up in experiencing as much as possible, and keep the kids out for another light show. I’m in bed at 10:30.

“Good Morning, it’s Mickey Mouse!” Ah, #@$%, it’s 4:15 a.m. Again, I awake feeling exhausted. Though, in some ways, I feel like running the half marathon will be the easiest part of the weekend; it’s just me to take care of, with no route decisions to make.

I try not to wake the family as I get dressed.

It turns out I did a great job at figuring out park tickets, kids races, hotel, rides, FastPasses, and parade and show schedules, but forgot a color-coordinated race outfit and all my regular race essentials. I put on my purple running shoes, red socks, peach T-shirt, grey shorts, blue long-sleeved shirt, and a trucker hat. They’re my only options.

Luckily, I remembered my race bib.

I’m in Wave A based on a predicted race time of sub-1:45 among the 14,000 runners. I try to snake my way up in the masses a bit before the start. At this point, I’m getting a little tired of the Star Wars theme song, standing again in the dark in a sea of costumed runners, but I’m still giddy with the nervous energy I feel before every race.

The gun goes off, and I run a quick half-mile to get out of the pack for some breathing room. I enter the park again and past the first mile marker at 7:05, which is too fast for my current state. I slow down, unsure how I’ll hold up for 13 miles. It’s been years

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since I’ve run a road half marathon, despite miles on trails, shorter races and longer, slower epics.

I run by the Big Thunder rollercoaster, and am proud of my two boys for going on it the day before, and in California Adventure, I notice just how impressive the “set” of Cars Land is, especially lit up pre-dawn.

The extra-wide streets of Anaheim would otherwise be drab if not for the hordes of locals cheering (even at this hour), including high school bands clamoring cheerfully away. I’m trying to hold 7:30 miles, and am pacing myself off a Princess Leia ahead of me with buns on her head and a long-sleeved white dress to the ground. (She is more committed than my Leia, two days prior.) This Leia is running well, waving to the crowd.

I’m impressed and start my own mantra: “Don’t lose Leia.”

I hear an onlooker say, “There’s Darth Maul!” behind me and I expect him to pass so I can check him out, but he never does.

I’m a little disappointed.

A runner stops to take a picture with a droid, then catches back up to me. I say something like, “I’m impressed,” and he says, “Yesterday was about performance,” alluding to the 10K. “Today is about magic.”

I had forgotten just how painful a road half marathon can be.

My IT band hurts. My hip hurts.

I adjust my posture to

relieve one or the other. Chugging along mile after mile, I don’t want to let myself down, or the coach I enlisted six weeks prior. I’m out to do my best.

Leia remains the same distance ahead of me. “Hold steady, chase Leia,” I tell myself.

But she starts pulling away around mile 10. I can still see her, but she’s off in the distance, more of a hologram than a real person.

At roughly mile 11, a line of Stormtroopers and bounty hunters, plus Darth Vader, line the course. I know I’m off my goal time of 1:37, so I swing over to the right and high five as many of them as I can. This gives me energy.

I imagine it’s like Boston, but with clones.

I push to the finish line, legs seizing up, about to pass out. I’m OK with my 1:40:44.

Would I have run faster without walking miles in the parks, standing in lines and carrying backpacks and kids for two days and nights prior? Yeah, maybe. But I also wouldn’t have had the full family experience that made the runDisney Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend something all four of us will remember forever—the running, the magic … all of it.

Click here for more wacky, wild and fun races!

Half marathon winner Nick Arciniaga broke the finish tape with a lightsaber, while all finishers earned a cool medal.

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Run Away!

Destination Running 2016

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Eastern Exposure

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Once a year, the bustling Chinese territory of Macau opens its streets to runners.

What awaits is unlike any other race in the world.

By Gina DeMillo Wag ner

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Click here to read about more global running adventures.

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An hour from Hong Kong by high-speed ferry, Macau is an unlikely running destination. It was the last outpost of Portugal until 1999, when the land was handed back to China. Though it’s now Chinese territory, the city has its own government and feels worlds apart from the mainland. It sits on the tip of a peninsula formed by the Pearl River (Zhujiang) estuary on the east and the Xi River, a western tributary of the Pearl River. The city includes the peninsula, plus two islands that are slowly becoming one as the land between them is reclaimed and developed.

Macau is one of the most densely populated spots on earth. With nearly 8,500 people per square mile, it’s more crowded than Hong Kong or Singapore. So, closing down its streets and bridges for a couple thousand runners is a bit of a coup. But once a year, that’s exactly what happens as 2,500 Galaxy

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International Marathon and Half Marathon runners gain access to bridges, tunnels and roadways that are usually closed to pedestrians. A healthy prize purse—winners earn $20,000 plus time bonuses—and a fairly flat course draw runners from all over the world.

Even if you’re not competitive, there’s no better way to see this corner of Asia and understand its blend of cultures than on foot. Runners gain a unique perspective that most tourists—and locals—never see. The course passes by several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, fishing ports, casinos, temples, cobblestone streets and old Portuguese mansions. You’ll see men strolling through parks with caged songbirds, women doing tai chi on street corners. The smell of incense wafts from the various temples.

Imagine the marathon course as a thread stitching the fragmented coastline together.

You’ll start on the island called Taipa and traverse the Sai Van Bridge, which is a 2.2-kilometer bridge connecting Taipa to the peninsula. This bridge is never open to pedestrians, so by running it, you’ll gain a rare view of the bay and the varied architecture (with strong influences from both the Far East and the Mediterranean) that makes Macau so unique. On the other side, you’ll see rustic fishing boats coming into port, and you’ll pass beneath the iconic, 1,100-foot-tall Macau Tower (home of the world’s highest commercial bungee jump, if you’re feeling brave).

The course encircles Sai Van Lake, where canoe-like dragon boats packed with rowers race each other, and it crosses back over the bridge, through Taipa and into an area called Cotai, which is a strip of newly reclaimed land between the two islands (Taipa and Coloane). The Cotai strip contrasts strongly

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travel tips [Register] The race is scheduled for Dec. 4, 2016, and registration typically fills by August. Register at Macaumarathon.com

[Getting There] Macau has its own international airport, but most travelers fly into Hong Kong and then take the high-speed ferry across. The ride is just under an hour, and ferries run all day.

[Weather] December is one of Macau’s best months, with average temperatures in the mid 50s to upper 60s.

[How to pack] Click here for tips on running an international race.

with the historic architecture on the Macau peninsula. Cotai is being quickly developed with casinos and has been dubbed the Las Vegas of the East (it’s the only place where gambling is legal in China).

Finally, after Cotai, the course descends into a tunnel under the Pearl River and comes out in mainland China on the University of Macau campus. Even this is surreal, as any entry into the mainland usually requires immigration checks. Yet the beautifully manicured university campus is a small, self-governed outpost, free from the laws and constraints of the country.

Back through the tunnel and toward the finish line, take note of how clean Macau’s streets are and how much pride the locals take in their city, diverse and crowded as it is. As an outsider, it seems odd: a Roman Catholic cathedral next to a Taoist temple,

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flashy casinos just down the road from centuries-old fishing ports, high-speed jet ferries and ancient dragon boats. But thanks to the World Heritage status, even as the islands continue to merge and the peninsula expands, each cultural icon will be preserved.

After the race, you can embark on a different journey: a culinary one. Imagine: Portugal meets China with a dash of Africa, Burma and Vietnam. The food scene is a blend of all the places that traders visited on their routes between Lisbon and Southeast Asia.

Post-race, get yourself to a café for a hot, silky and sweet Portuguese egg tart or sit down for dim sum. For the remainder of the trip, try salt fish, pork ribs, paella, hot pot and African chicken.

In the end, the goal isn’t really to make sense of Macau’s diverse geography and history, but to savor it.

Running gear in sizes that fit Americans is hard to find in Macau, so bring your race gear in your carry-on.

[Food] Regulating your food in Southeast Asia can be challenging. The organizers host a pasta party the night before the race, and the larger hotels and casinos offer a variety of food that should suit even the most fickle prerace stomachs. Pack your own energy bars and gels, and make special breakfast requests ahead of time at your hotel.

[Race Tips] Running culture is slightly different in Asia.

Most notably, there are no corrals, so don’t expect other runners to queue according to their pace. Everyone wants to be first. The start will be fast and crowded until the first hill, when the field thins out. Keep an eye out for runners carrying selfie sticks and stopping suddenly mid-course to take photos. Faster runners don’t have to worry, however, as they are given a head start before the rest of the field.

Also, remember the course will be marked in kilometers, not miles. And with so many tall buildings (and one long tunnel), your GPS watch signal may be spotty.

4/15/16 2:15 PM

A Tribute to 1st Responders

HALF MARATHON -&- 5 MILE RACE May 29th, 2016 BostonsRunToRemember.org

Come Join Our Newest Race

Presented by:

LOS ANGELES

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RUN YOUR

FASTEST 5K TEXT BY PETE MAGILL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK ISABELLA

Legendary Australian running coach Percy Cerutty once said, “You only grow as a human being if you’re outside your comfort zone.”

That’s 5K training in a nutshell. Because to master the 5K, you can’t just run distance, goal-pace intervals and a tempo run or two.

Instead, you’ll have to schedule workouts that target every aspect of running fitness.

A fast 5K requires the speed and strength of a miler combined with the endurance of a marathoner. You can achieve that by performing a wide variety of fast-paced workouts—some that will certainly take you outside your comfort zone. The result will be an upgrade in your all-around running fitness and, quite possibly, a new personal record (PR). Over the following pages we’ll dissect each piece of the preparation process and explain how it all comes together on the way to your fastest 5K.

Click here to read about how to beat Achilles tendinitis.

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Resistance Training Routine

SPEED AND STRIDE MECHANICS “I’m afraid of the 5K,” confessed Laura, an experienced marathoner who’d asked me to coach her at shorter distances. “In the marathon, I have time to get my rhythm, but the 5K is like getting shot out of a cannon.”

It’s true that the 5K requires quickly accelerating to a pace that is 30–60 seconds per mile faster than the marathon. But it’s also true that improving your acceleration and your ability to run comfortably at 5K pace are easy fixes.

Slow-twitch muscle fibers are associated with endurance, while faster fibers (both intermediate fasttwitch and fast-twitch) give you strength and speed.

On distance runs, you rely almost exclusively upon slow-twitch fibers. Even at marathon or half marathon pace, you use very few faster fibers. But when you accelerate off the starting line of a 5K, you use all your muscle fibers—and keep using most of them throughout the race. To use those fibers effectively, you’ll have to properly train them.

S q uats: Stand straight with feet hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly out, arms at your sides. Bend your knees, keeping your thighs parallel to the floor while bringing your arms up, extended in front of your shoulders.

Then push up with your quads to return to your starting position. Start with five reps, build to 10–15.

S i n g l e- l eg d ea dl i f ts : Hold a 10- to 20-pound dumbbell in both hands.

Stand straight with your right knee slightly bent.

Lower the dumbbells to the floor, keeping your arms straight, and be sure that your back is locked as your left leg kicks back. Keep your head up and aim to maintain a straight line between your left shoulder and your left leg. When the dumbbells get close to the floor, pull your arms up away from the floor and return to a standing position. Repeat this sequence 10 times, then switch and do the same on your left leg.

P l a nks : Assume a modified pushup position with your elbows bent 90 degrees and both forearms resting on the floor. Position your

Resistance training Once a week—twice if you have time—perform a short bodyweight or free-weight resistance-training routine. These exercises force your nervous system to recruit all your muscle fibers both simultaneously and explosively, mimicking the demands of the 5K start. This isn’t about building bigger muscles. It’s about teaching your body efficient control of your muscle fibers.

5K.indd 48

elbows directly underneath your shoulders and look straight at the floor. Your body should form a perfectly straight line from the crown of your head to your heels. Your feet are together with only the toes touching the floor. Hold this position for as long as you can, concentrating on keeping your abdominal and low back muscles tightened to prevent bending at the hips.

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49

Lunge s : Standing up straight with a 15- to 20-pound dumbbell in each hand, lunge forward with your right foot, keeping your arms (and weights) down by your side. Land on your heel, and make sure your knee is directly above the front of your foot.

Repeat five times on each leg. Next, from a standing position, lunge to your right, keeping your left leg straight and torso upright as you step down heel first with your right foot. Do five reps leading with your right leg, then five leading with your left. Finally, step backward with your right leg, keeping your left leg firmly planted in front of you, with your left knee directly over the

S i d e l eg l i f ts : Lie on your side, legs stacked, with your head resting on one arm. Lift your top leg to 45 degrees in a smooth motion, then bring it back down. Do 10–20 reps with each leg.

front of your foot. Do five reps leading backward with your right leg, then five leading with your left.

St ep -up s : Balance on one foot, standing on a step or low platform, your free leg bent slightly at the knee. Lower your hips, keeping your weight on your front foot and keeping your knee in line with that same foot.

Bend down just far enough to tap the ground behind you. Then straighten your bent leg while bringing your suspended leg forward, lifting the knee in front of you to waist height. Repeat. Do 5–10 reps with each leg.

5K.indd 49

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50

STRENGTH “I can hold my goal 5K pace for a mile or so,” says Leonard, a masters runner hoping to turn back the clock, “but then I fall apart.” Leonard’s training included distance runs, tempo workouts and 400meter repetitions at his goal race pace. “I’m covering all the bases,” he says. Except that he wasn’t. Leonard wasn’t training his intermediate fast-twitch fibers, the very fibers that are key to maintaining 5K pace during a race.

Intermediate fibers are crucial because they can be trained to provide both the strength and speed of fast-twitch fibers and the endurance of slow-twitch fibers. This allows you to run faster for a longer period of time. But achieving this transformation requires workouts that specifically target intermediate fibers.

5K.indd 50

3K-pace repetitions Once you accelerate to 5K pace, you’ll need a relaxed stride to maintain it. Since no one can relax when a pace feels “fast,” you’ll want to include some faster-than-5K training. Workouts at 3K pace—or about 15 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace—will make “slowing down” to 5K pace a breeze. Examples include 200- and 400-meter repetitions at 3K pace with at least a 1:1 work-rest ratio between repetitions.

5K- or 10K-pace repetitions Running repetitions at 5K and 10K pace forces your intermediate fibers to produce aerobic energy (the energy source that fuels endurance) at near-maximum levels. A sustained effort at these paces triggers these fibers to physically change in order to produce even more aerobic energy in the future, thus improving your endurance. The catch: It takes two minutes to reach the critical level of aerobic energy production. So, you’ll have to build up doing a series of repetitions in training that last two minutes or longer, e.g., 6 x 800m @ 5K pace, 5 x 1000m at 5K pace, or 5 x 1 mile @ 10K pace, with about a 2:1 work-rest ratio between repetitions. These types of repetitions will also help you improve your running economy, the equivalent to a car’s gas mileage. The goal is to run longer and faster than someone else while using the same amount of oxygen. All of the workouts we’re covering in this article build economy, but for 5K-specific economy you’ll want to include some track repetitions at 5K pace, such as those just described.

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Workout Target Paces Table 5K Race Time

Hill repeats The force required to run uphill immediately recruits your intermediate fibers, creating an energy demand in those fibers that far exceeds what aerobic energy can provide (anaerobic energy, which doesn’t require oxygen, picks up the slack). The result is that hill repeats at 3K effort—not pace, as the grade of the hill will slow you down—lasting 30–90 seconds trigger two physical changes in these fibers: better strength and increased aerobic energy production. The recovery interval between hill repeats is important.

It should last two to three times the duration of the repetition, e.g. 60–90-second recovery for 30-second hill repetitions.

3K Pace (per mile)

5K Pace (per mile)

10K Pace (per mile)

Fast Tempo Pace (per mile)

Slow Tempo Pace (per mile)

15:00

4:34-4:42

4:50-4:55

5:01-5:09

5:20-5:25

5:35-5:40

16:00

4:58-5:06

5:10-5:15

5:17-5:25

5:40-5:45

5:55-6:00

17:00

5:14-5:22

5:30-5:36

5:42-5:50

5:55-6:00

6:20-6:25

18:00

5:30-5:38

5:51-5:56

5:58-6:06

6:15-6:20

6:40-6:45

19:00

5:54-6:02

6:11-6:16

6:22-6:30

6:35-6:40

7:00-7:05

20:00

6:10-6:18

6:31-6:37

6:39-6:47

6:55-7:00

7:20-7:25

21:00

6:26-6:34

6:52-6:57

7:03-7:11

7:15-7:20

7:40-7:45

22:00

6:50-6:58

7:07-7:12

7:19-7:27

7:35-7:40

8:00-8:05

23:00

7:06-7:15

7:27-7:32

7:44-7:52

7:55-8:00

8:20-8:25

24:00

7:23-7:31

7:48-7:53

8:00-8:08

8:15-8:20

8:45-8:50

25:00

7:47-7:55

8:08-8:13

8:24-8:32

8:35-8:40

9:05-9:10

26:00

8:03-8:11

8:28-8:33

8:41-8:49

8:50-8:55

9:25-9:30

27:00

8:19-8:27

8:49-8:54

9:05-9:13

9:10-9:15

9:40-9:45

28:00

8:43-8:51

9:09-9:14

9:21-9:29

9:30-9:35

10:00-10:05

29:00

8:59-9:07

9:29-9:34

9:46-9:54

9:50-9:55

10:20-10:25

30:00

9:15-9:23

9:45-9:50

10:02-10:10

***

10:40-10:45

31:00

9:39-9:47

10:05-10:10

10:26-10:34

***

11:00-11:05

32:00

9:55-10:03

10:25-10:30

10:43-10:51

***

11:15-11:20

33:00

10:12-10:20

10:46-10:51

11:07-11:15

***

11:35-11:40

34:00

10:36-10:44

11:06-11:11

11:23-11:31

***

11:55-12:00

35:00

10:52-11:00

11:26-11:31

11:48-11:56

***

12:15-12:20

36:00

11:08-11:16

11:47-11:52

12:04-12:12

***

12:30-12:35

37:00

11:32-11:40

12:02-12:07

12:28-12:36

***

12:50-12:55

38:00

11:48-11:56

12:22-12:27

12:45-12:53

***

13:10-13:15

39:00

12:04-12:12

12:43-12:48

13:09-13:17

***

13:30-13:35

40:00

12:28-12:36

13:03-13:08

13:25-13:33

***

13:50-13:55

Paces are approximate and presented in a range. Times represented as “***” indicate that these runners should substitute 10K pace for fast tempo pace where it’s called for in the training schedule.

5K.indd 51

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ENDURANCE Of course, the training benefits we’ve discussed are meaningless without a strong endurance foundation for your slow-twitch fibers.

You’ll use 100 percent of these fibers continuously during a 5K, so you need them to be both strong and capable of producing oodles of aerobic energy.

Tempo runs and tempo intervals Just as running faster repetitions at 5K and 10K pace builds aerobic endurance for your intermediate fibers, tempo work does the same for your slowtwitch fibers. “Tempo” is run at an effort that is roughly equivalent to your half marathon or marathon pace. Continuous tempo runs last 20–30 minutes.

But I prefer to break them into 10-minute repetitions with three-minute jog recoveries—that way, you can adjust the pace if it’s too hard.

Distance runs Distance runs of 30–60 minutes at an easy pace strengthen your heart, increase fuel supplies within your muscles, and fortify your muscle fibers and connective tissue (bones, tendons, and fascia). A long run every week of 90 minutes or so will also help boost your aerobic energy production.

5K.indd 52

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53

5k training plan

BRAIN TRAINING The final hurdle to clear isn’t found on the road or in your muscles. It’s your brain. Your brain is hardwired to prevent you from damaging your body with a dangerous effort.

Therefore, you have to teach it that 5K races are safe.

The easiest way to do that? Race a 5K! Many runners find that their second 5K is surprisingly easier and faster than their first, and the reason is largely because you know what to expect. Having felt the discomfort and anxiety that comes with running a 5K hard makes it slightly easier to run another one, as that familiarity (and continued training, of course) breeds confidence to continue pushing outside your comfort zone. As your training progresses and after you’ve raced a few 5Ks, you’ll acquire the ability to really attack the race, and that’s when your PR will really start to fall.

5K.indd 53

WEEK

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1

OFF or Distance Run

Fast Tempo-pace repetitions: 8 x 1 minutes, with 2-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Road Intervals: 10 x 30 seconds (3K effort), with 60-second jog between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run (include 1-5 minutes of uphill running)

2

OFF or Distance Run

10K-pace repetitions: 8 x 2 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Hill Reps: 8-10 x 30 seconds, with 60-second jog/walk between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

3

OFF or Distance Run

5K-pace repetitions: 6 x 3 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Hill Reps: 8 x 45 seconds, with 2-minute jog/walk between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

4

OFF or Distance Run

Slow Tempo-pace repetitions: 2 x 10 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Road Intervals: 8-10 x 60 seconds (3K effort), with 60-second jog between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run (include 5-10 minutes of uphill running)

5

OFF or Distance Run

10K-pace repetitions: 4 x 4 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Hill Reps: 6 x 60 seconds, with 3-minute jog/walk between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

6

OFF or Distance Run

5K-pace repetitions: 4 x 4 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Hill Reps: 4 x 90 seconds, with 5-minute jog/walk between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

7

OFF or Distance Run

Fast Tempo-pace repetitions: 2 x 10 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Road Intervals: 8-10 x 90 seconds (3K effort), with 60-90-second jog between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run (include 5-10 minutes of uphill running)

8

OFF or Distance Run

10K-pace repetitions: 4 x 5 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Track Workout: 10-12 x 200 meters (3K pace), with 200m jog between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

9

OFF or Distance Run

Track Workout: 10-12 x 400 meters (5K pace), with 200m jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Hill Reps: 4 x 90 seconds, with 5-minute jog/walk between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

10

OFF or Distance Run

Slow Tempo-pace repetitions: 3 x 10 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Road Intervals: 12-16 x 30 seconds (3K effort), with 60-second jog between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run (include 5-10 minutes of uphill running)

11

OFF or Distance Run

Track Workout: 6-10 x 800 (10K pace), with 400m jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Hill Reps: 4-6 x 90 seconds, with 5-minute jog/walk between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

12

OFF or Distance Run

Track Workout: 12-16 x 400 (5K pace), with 100m jog between reps

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Hill Reps: 4-6 x 90 seconds, with 5-minute jog/walk between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

2-WEEK TRAINING ADJUSTMENT FOR 5K RACE

RACE WEEK

OFF or Distance Run

Track Workout: 6-8 x 400 meters at 5K pace, with 200m jog between reps

Easy Distance Run

OFF or Distance Run

Easy Distance Run (50-75% of normal run); include 4-6 strides (80-100 meters) at expected race pace

OFF or Easy 20 minute jog

5K RACE

POSTRACE WEEK

OFF or Easy Distance Run

Distance Run

Easy Distance Run + Resistance Training

OFF or Distance Run

Tempo-pace repetitions: 2 x 10 minutes, with 3-minute jog between reps

OFF or Distance Run or Cross Training (for equivalent time)

Long Run

Training: Always include a warm-up (at least 15 minutes of jogging plus 4–6 strides of 60–80 meters at expected workout pace) before road, track, hill or tempo repetition workouts.

Racing: At any point in this schedule, you can race by using the “2 Week Training Adjustment for 5K Race” to prepare for your race. Then simply return to the schedule exactly where you left off. It’s recommended that you complete at least six weeks of the schedule before running your first 5K.

4/12/16 5:48 PM

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FIRST LAP TRAINING

57

SPEED WORKOUTS YOU CAN DO ANYWHERE

BY A MA NDA LOUDIN

Age-group runner Julie Thienel of Maryland doesn’t like the track, but she does like speed work. “I think the road much better mimics race conditions because you get hills and turns,” she says. “Plus, I feel I am less likely to get injured.”

Click here to read about how to cure plantar fasciitis.

If you’re like Thienel—or can’t get to the track—we’ve got you covered with four speedy workouts you can do anywhere.

THE WORKOUT: VO2 MAX LADDER Joanna Zeiger, a U.S. Olympian in triathlon, 2:43 marathoner and Race Ready Coaching founder, recommends this workout for any distance as a way to boost fitness and endorphins. “As we age, speed diminishes, so it’s important to incorporate some fast-paced sessions into your training, no matter your distance,” she says.

THE WORKOUT: ROAD LOOP REPEATS Steve Picucci, head cross-country and track coach at Morehead State University in Kentucky, designed this workout as an early-season strength session. “This workout is great for breaking up long tempos or transitioning from tempos and long runs to more intense workouts,” he explains.

HOW TO DO IT: The fast intervals should range between your 5K pace and 15 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. After a 10- to 20-minute warm-up and 4 x 20-second strides, do two to four rounds of the following:

strides, find a loop that is relatively flat and 1–2 miles long. Run two to four repeats of each loop.

— 3 x (30 seconds fast/30 seconds easy) — 2 x (45 seconds fast/45 seconds easy) — 1 x (60 seconds fast/2 minutes easy) Cool down with 10 to 20 minutes of easy jogging.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

THE WORKOUT: 10K AND HALF MARATHON PACERS Zeiger says runners should try this one at least two weeks out from race day. “Use your goal race pace for the intervals,” she says. “This does not mean going faster on the shorter intervals and slowing on the longer intervals.”

HOW TO DO IT: After a 10- to 20-minute warm-up and a few quick

Run the first loop at a moderate intensity—around your half-marathon to marathon pace—and make sure you are not very winded after the first loop.

Take a 1:30- to 2:30-minute active rest between each loop. Your goal is to cut down your time on each loop while keeping the rest period constant.

Cool down with 10 to 20 minutes of easy jogging.

THE WORKOUT: SPEED LADDER Picucci likes this one in season to help build speed while also focusing on some strength. “My athletes have done this one around a parking lot before,” he says.

HOW TO DO IT: After a 10- to 20-minute warm-up and 4 x 20-second strides, run the following set two times:

HOW TO DO IT: Warm up for 10 to 20 minutes with a few quick strides. Then find a flat area with minimal sharp turns. Don’t focus on a certain pace but rather aim to hit a desired effort level. Effort level on the way up should be at a four to five out of 10; on the way down, increase effort to a seven or eight.

— 2 minutes at race pace/1 minute easy — 4 minutes at race pace/2 minutes easy — 6 minutes at race pace/3 minutes easy —Half marathoners: Add in a second 6-minute interval after the second round.

Run hard for 30 seconds/jog easy for 60 seconds, Run hard for 60 seconds/jog easy for 90 seconds Run hard for 2 minutes/jog easy for 2:30 Run hard for 3 minutes/jog easy for 3:00

Cool down with 10 to 20 minutes of easy jogging.

Cool down with 10 to 20 minutes of easy jogging.

CM0516_T_LEAD.indd 57

Run hard for 2 minutes/jog easy for 2:30 Run hard for 60 seconds/jog easy for 90 seconds Run hard for 30 seconds/jog easy 60 seconds

4/15/16 1:55 PM

COACH CULPEPPER 58

TRAINING

TA K E A D V A N TA G E O F THE SUMMER MONTHS

BY A LA N CU LP EP P ER

Summer is right around the corner and will again present a great opportunity to take advantage of more daylight, fewer weather constraints and a more laid-back attitude in general.

There is no better time of year to shift your focus or rededicate yourself to training. Think about what resonates with you at this point of the year and choose one of three elements listed here to focus on so you can have your best summer of training and racing yet.

G ET FA ST

G E T STRO N G

RACE O FTE N

Many athletes neglect speed as they age

Summer can also be a great time to get strong.

Racing more often can be a great

and move up in distance. There’s a natural

By getting strong I do not mean going to the

way to break up your summer and

tendency to shift toward those aspects of

gym, although it’s not a bad idea. I’m referring

test yourself in different scenar-

running that feel the most comfortable,

to getting strong in the aerobic sense. Since sum-

ios. One week you could line up

such as running slower and/or longer.

mer weather is typically more favorable, take

for a long trail race, the next week

This is often the demise of many run-

advantage and run a few more miles. A summer

a faster 5K or 10K. Many local track

ners. Don’t let moving up in distance and

base-building phase is an excellent way to ele-

clubs offer a summer track race

slowing down your pace be an excuse for

vate your fitness for the fall racing season. The

series, which is a great way to enjoy

doing less speed work. Done properly and

base phase is one of the most neglected aspects

a different type of racing. Travel

carefully, speed work can benefit you in

of training. Many athletes go from race to race

somewhere fun or include a race

many ways. Include shorter, faster sessions

or marathon to marathon and fail to take a

in your vacation plans. Racing does

once a week—such as one of the four listed

significant chunk of time to focus on their overall

not always have to be centered on

at the beginning of this month’s training

aerobic development. Over the summer, gradu-

setting a personal best—you can

section—shift some workouts to a nearby

ally increase your mileage for 10–12 weeks; include

use races for long runs, speed work

track or force yourself to decrease your

some solid long runs and strength-focused work-

or one of your hard workouts for

mileage and intentionally increase the pace

outs such as tempo runs or long intervals. A good

the week. Races allow you to get

of your daily runs. You’ll get faster, improve

base phase can be a game changer, regardless of

in a good effort and simply enjoy

your overall athleticism and have more fun.

what distance you’re training for.

the event atmosphere.

CM0516_T_WOTM/Insights/culpepper.indd 58

Two-time U.S. Olympian Alan Culpepper won national titles from the 5K to the marathon. His first book, “Run Like a Champion,” is available at VeloPress.com.

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Click here for more Coach Culpepper coaching wisdom.

4/15/16 2:01 PM

Workout of the month + elite insights Training

59

Click here to read one runner’s tale about overcoming an eating disorder.

Click here to read about mental aspects of endurance sports.

Dylan Bowman

Click here to read about how to cure IT band syndrome.

Speed Development Sprints

By Ma rio Fra iol i

photo: istockphoto.com, Ian Momsen

WH AT: A set of 4–6 progressive 150-

meter sprints that can be done on a track, a flat stretch of road or even a gentle uphill. This is not traditional speed work— it’s a short, supplementary sprint session designed to make your interval workouts and tempo runs more productive.

WHY: This workout requires maximum

muscle fiber recruitment and will improve top-end speed for long-distance runners, which will help you become more economical and efficient at race pace.

CM0516_T_WOTM/Insights/culpepper.indd 59

WHEN: Distance runners need only do

one speed development session every 10–12 days over the course of a training cycle—two days before one of your regular speed workouts is good timing. h o w: Accelerate to 80 percent of your

maximum speed in the first 50 meters, run the next 50 meters at 90 percent effort and finish the final 50 meters as fast as you can. After sprinting for 150 meters, take another 50 meters to gradually decelerate to a gentle stop. Recover for 3–4 minutes between each sprint.

“After a great race, we ride an emotional high that oftentimes leads us to also feel invincible. The result is that we get back into training before our body has appropriate time to heal, which leaves us susceptible to injury or burnout.

Likewise, after a horrible race, we may feel inadequate as athletes or that we didn’t do enough in preparation. This often leads to a misguided doubling down in our training, which only deepens fatigue and sets us up for more future disappointment. Either way, it’s important to allow ourselves to emotionally heal following our most important races, whether the result is positive or negative.”

—Dylan Bowman, top. U.S. ultrarunner, second overall at 2015 The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship

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RUN IT community

61

Where and When to Race Whether you’re gearing up for a PR or just starting your marathon training, May is when most runners have their plan in place for the year. But even if you haven’t decided which race to focus on yet, you have plenty of options to tempt you. Here are some races, from 5Ks to marathons, to think about in the months ahead.

B y J eff B a n ow etz

For a complete race calendar, go to Competitor.com/calendar

M a r at h o n s / H a l f M a r at h o n s Mayflower Brewing Half Marathon June 12; Plymouth, Mass.

Mayflowerbreweryhalf.com

Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 June 18; Seattle Runrocknroll.com/seattle

Charlevoix Marathon June 25; Charlevoix, Mich.

Charlevoixmarathon.com

This hilly half marathon starts and finishes at the Mayflower Brewery taking the back roads of Plymouth with 3 miles along the coast. All runners receive a branded beer stein, which they can fill straight from the source at the post-race party.

Experience the sights, sounds and fun Rock ‘n’ Roll races offer, no matter if you run the 8K, half marathon or full 26.2-miler! Each starts at the famous Space Needle and serve up an impressive tour of Seattle, including segments along Puget Sound.

Experience plenty of natural beauty in this smalltown race in northern Michigan. Charlevoix sits on an isthmus between Lake Michigan and Round Lake, and runners will enjoy views of both on this flat and fast course.

Photo: Rod Mar, Courtesy of Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series

Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2

CM0516_BOB_RUNIT.indd 61

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RUN IT 62

community

5K to 15K Taste of Louisville 12K and 5K June 4; Louisville, Colo.

Tastehalf.com

LaDainian Tomlinson 5K June 11; Point Loma, Calif.

Lt5k.com

Keep Austin Weird 5K June 25; Austin, Texas Keepaustinweirdfest.com

Dubbed the “top small town 12K and 5K in the West” by race organizers, runners in both races start in Pirates Park for a tour of the beautiful city.

Enjoy pizza and beer after the race and continue the post-race party on Main Street, where the Taste of Louisville Festival will be taking place.

Don’t worry, no tackling is involved in this event organized by the former San Diego Charger running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The family-friendly event takes place at NTC Park in Liberty Station, and race proceeds benefit Tomlinson’s Touching Lives Foundation.

This festival’s aim is pretty obvious: to highlight Austin’s unique character by emphasizing individuality. The 5K run, which dubs itself the “slowest race ever,” encourages participants to dress up in costumes and includes 10 outrageously fun stops along the route.

n o v e lt y Night Nation Run June 3–4; Brooklyn, N.Y. Nightnationrun.com

Tutu 10K Relay June 11; Key West, Fla. Themeruns.com/tutu-relay

Beerfit June 11; Chicago Runbeerfit.com

This national series combines a 5K run with lights, lasers and electronic dance music. Multiple deejays will be on the course for this nighttime event, and the post-race party will feature a main-stage performance from a headlining deejay.

This event is all about running and having fun. If you’re going to go all the way to Key West for a 10K relay, you may as well do it in a tutu. Instead of a baton, runners on each team of two or more people exchange a tutu as they race across the island.

You have two choices when it comes to running this national event—a classic, chip-timed 5K run with plenty of beer at the post-race party, or the beer mile, where runners consume a beer every quarter-mile during the race.

Photo: Courtesy Of Beerfit

Beerfit

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2016 San Diego’s fastest and most scenic, point-to-point half marathon!

Event features: technical fabric race shirt, custom medal, reusable souvenir bag, personalized bib number, finish line party with live band, two-day Expo, support stations approximately every mile, and much more!

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The third and final race of the 2016 series!

Space is limited - register today at www.afchalf.com Questions? Call 760.692.2900 or email info@afchalf.com

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Last Lap 64

Fastest Known Trailblazer Rickey Gates, 34, Madison, Wis. Inte rv i e w by All is on Pat t illo

Colorado native Rickey Gates has chosen his own unique route as a runner, with top finishes at some of the most grueling races in the U.S. including the Dipsea trail race near San Francisco, Mount Washington Road Race in New Hampshire, Empire State Building Run-Up and Mount Marathon in Alaska, as well as some of the fastest known times (FKTs) on notable trails. Gates recently started the FKT Project, developing classic bronze belt buckles that will serve as awards for the most prominent FKT marks.

This year also marks the third summer of his weeklong Hut Run Hut trail running camps in Colorado.

Where do running and meditation intersect?

I believe that running is its own type of meditation. You’re focusing on your breath, your thoughts, your physical sensation, and trying to stay present.

I say the same thing about meditating. You’re trying to get your head into a space where you are both aware and unaware of your body and all the rest of the world melts away. You’re left with this pure, blissful state of energy and flow.

How did you come up with the FKT Project?

The idea came up thinking about these iconic routes that have inspired me as much if not more than any race I’ve done. They are in places where chances are we’re never going to have races on that

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terrain, which is fine. It’s just a little extra something on your attempt. I want to see it grow to other mountains. It’s been fun putting that question out there and asking the general public what they think are the biggest and most coveted FKTs. Should performanceenhancing drug culprits be banned from trail racing?

The rules in our sport say if convicted, you get a two-year ban. If you serve your ban and that’s what we’ve agreed on, then that’s what happens. In looking at the values of our sport, of my sport, it has to do with camaraderie, compassion, forgiveness, and it doesn’t have anything to do with walls. It bugs me quite a bit that people are trying to put up walls in this sport. I think that’s totally wrong. To be honest, if people want to use drugs and compete in the races I’m competing in, so be it. If that’s the way they want to beat me, that’s fine. I see people building walls in our sport as just as greedy as the drug users themselves.

For the complete interview, go to Competitor.com/lastlaprickey

Click here to see a video with Rickey Gates.

Photo: dean leslie

Why do you run?

In my opinion, we all need something we do consistently decade after decade. For me it’s running, but it can be anything—knitting, drawing, cooking. It’s a baseline. It can come back to us and allow us to see ourselves as reinvented.

Click here to read an interview with marathon legend Steve Jones.

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