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{10 Questions} for Kara Goucher and her new MADD card and tee

by Monica on July 9, 2010

Kara Goucher is a rock star in the running world.  She is beautiful and sweet and tough and strong.  She has become the paradigm for the modern running woman and fast becoming it for the modern running mother.  I am waiting for her to meet me in the lobby of a hotel in NYC and enjoying the surreal feel of the moment…a journey that began months earlier by a simple gesture.   I have sent many of my Remanents running (and otherwise) inspired cards and tees to people I have genuinely admired over the years, and have received some of the most gracious responses.  The one I received from Kara Goucher was just that–a heart felt note and sincere interest in my running and business.  She makes her own cards to inspire her friends.  So I asked her to design one (just for fun) with me for charity and she was in.  Wow.

We live on opposite coasts, but with e-mails and mailings laced with reassurances like “less is more” and “keep it simple” flying back and forth, we very easily find common ground. We go with a Keith Haring-ish drawing by Kara and a Remanents pun (Kara is often described as a world-class runner “with a heart of gold”…she’s that, and BOLD).  It was an effortless collaboration as she picks a shirt style, envelope color and tells a story to inspire on the back.  She’s a designers dream.  Kara chooses MADD [Mother's Against Drunk Driving] as her choice of charity.  Her father was killed by a drunk driver years ago and this will honor his memory.  As a mother of teenagers and a young adult, this one is a cause close to home. (See article on Kara’s family and MADD)

I am really excited to see Kara coming through the front door of the hotel.  She greets me with a warm smile.  She introduces me to her good friend Paula Radcliffe (yes, I am kind freaking out a little to be among these ladies).  They have come from a luncheon and were just discussing the specifics of working out later in the hotel gym.  It could have been any one of the running women I know scheduling their next workout.  I am struck by their “normalness” and by the fact that they are working out the night before a race.  Paula catches the elevator back to her room and Kara and I head off to get the new “Kara-tee for Charity”.   She runs upstairs and returns shortly looking SO adorable with her baby belly and with husband Adam in tow.  LDFs Jane and Jamie have tagged along to help out and are masters at keeping her engaged in conversation while Andrea takes some shots.  Adam is charming and kind.

I get to jump in with Kara for a few of the photos and we head out onto the street in front of the hotel to take a few more.  We are amazed that this incredible couple is still hanging with this forty something crowd.  They are full of genuine excitement for the arrival of their son, a new house and the next part of life.  It was hard to remember that they are world class runners and not just another really nice couple from Oregon trying to give back.

So Kara and I hope you will consider buying one of these cards or one of these tees so we can donate 100% of the proceeds to MADD to honor her father.   They are only available online at Remanents.

Thanks Kara and Adam, you are a great couple and great sports and we know you will make incredible parents.

10 Questions for Kara:

1. Running skirt, friend or foe?

I have to admit this to everyone. I modeled one for a Nike catalog in 2007 and I really liked the skirt. I wore it a lot, even in the Olympic village! I got a lot of compliments on it. But I could never wear it for a hard serious workout, I just couldn’t.

2. What is your idea of the perfect run (details please…when, where with whom)

The perfect run would be on a beautiful sunny day in San Moritz. I have been lucky enough to enjoy several days of sunshine on the most amazing trails there. But for a perfect run, my dad would be there. That would be absolutely perfect.

3. What training tools/items/gear can you not live without? Will you use a jogging stroller?

I cannot live without my sports watch. I have never been able to just run and not worry about time. I like to document how far and fast I ran. No matter how fast or slow it was. I’m a bit obsessive about it. I love my sports watch! I doubt I’ll use a jogging stroller. When I run it’s my time, and I’m at “work.” I can’t imagine worrying about pushing my son around during that time.

4. What is your present state of running mind? Goals?

I am in my 7th month of pregnancy so running has taken a very different role for me right now. Instead of running as hard as I can and getting as fit as I can be, I have been able to just enjoy my running for what it is. It is time to reflect, time to see beauty, time to dream. I still have the same goals that I always have. Win a medal in the 2012 Olympics and win a Major Marathon here at home in the United States.

5. I was struck by the bond between you and Paula, what qualities do you value most in a (running) friend?

I value someone who is kind and thoughtful. I admire people who dream big and who hold themselves to high standards. I really appreciate people who are successful but don’t feel threatened by others. Paula is the greatest female distance runner of all time, but she doesn’t hesitate one second to help me out. That is a rare and wonderful quality. And you have to be able to be totally honest with a running friend. I love to talk, talk, and talk! I’ve gotten the closest to people on runs. There is an honesty there, you can share anything with each other.

OK, enough about running…

6. Best card you ever received? Given?

Asking me what is the best card I have ever received is like asking a mother which one is her favorite child. I have always loved cards. I have huge plastic tubs of them in my garage because I always save them. My mother is an amazing stamper and she has made me some of the most beautiful and clever cards, they are truly artwork. One of my closest friends always seems to send me a card at just the right time, when I am stressed or under the weather. Getting a piece of art in the mail is so amazing. To know that someone thought of you, that someone took the time to write it out and address it. That is a wonderful feeling. I am like my mom, but not as talented. I prefer to make a card, but I don’t have the skill she does. I am horrible at remembering birthdays or holidays, but I always send a card when I know one of my friends or family needs a smile. I have even given them to competitors who I see struggling! I just think that a card can lift someone’s spirits. It really can.
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{10 questions} for Olympic Trials Qualifier Doreen McCoubrie

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by Monica on June 1, 2010

I first came to know of Doreen years ago on the streets of my home town.   LDF Dora and I were on our way to an early 10 mile race at the shore, when we saw Doreen run by us at a stop light.  Dora, who already knew of Doreen, was thrilled to have so easily fulfilled the good luck omen requirement of seeing a “really good runner” before a race (a very good sign that the race would go well).  And indeed it had…that race still holds as my 10 mile PR.    So it is serendipitous that Doreen be the first competitive runner to answer our “10 questions”.

Meet masters runner Doreen McCoubrie… At 48, her name inevitably would appear as the top runner of our age group in many of the local races…and never by marginal minutes, but by huge gaps of time.  She is now training to secure her spot on the starting line of the Olympic trials in the marathon for the second time (she already qualified in 2008).  She is a local hero to us forty somethings in our running community, so I am thrilled that she agreed to answer some of our questions.

Here is an excerpt from a recent Running Times article about Doreen:

“After competing in cross country at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, NJ, McCoubrie went on to Penn State and recorded times of 4:16.9 for 1500m and 9:30.50 for 3,000m, earning All-American honors. She continued running after college and did her first marathon in 1999, a 3:12 in Maui, then broke 3:00 for the first time the following year with a 2:56:56 in Philadelphia. But the real improvement began around 2005, when she recorded 17:46 in the Freihofer’s 5K and 58:41 at Broad Street. “I didn’t really get serious about it until four or five years ago, when the kids were old enough,” explains McCoubrie, the mother of three teenagers. “I started putting in more mileage then.”

Although she recorded her personal best marathon of 2:46:33 at Chicago in 2006, she considers the 2008 Olympic trials in Boston her most memorable running experience.”  (full Running Times article here)

10 Questions for Doreen:

1. Running skirt, friend or foe?

I personally don’t see myself ever wearing one, but I think they look nice.  I just pull out whatever is on top in my drawer and hope it matches a little.  Don’t usually think about what I’m wearing when I run.

2. What is your idea of the perfect run (details please…when, where with whom)

My favorite time to run is very early in the morning as soon as its light enough to see a little.  No cars and you feel like you have the neighborhood to yourself.  I live about one mile from Valley Forge National Park and I NEVER get tired of running there it is sooooo nice.  I love to be alone in my head thinking about all different things or nothing at all and having a day when you feel like your run is effortless.

3. What are your running goals at this moment? 2012?

My most immediate goal is the Chicago Marathon and trying to qualify for the Olympic trials.  The standard is 2:46 which would be a PR, so some luck is definitely needed, but its fun to try.  Ironically, I just hurt my calf yesterday so I’m hoping its not serious.  My next goal after that is to try an ultra if my body feels okay and up to it.

4. What training tools/items/gear can you not live without?

The only thing I really worry about is good shoes.  I’m not a gear person, but I did finally get a Garmin and I like it just to keep track of distance.  I pace myself mostly by feel and don’t even keep much of a log, just distances.

5. What trait do you most value in your training partners? Are they men or women or both?
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{10 questions} for Chris McDougall author of Born to Run

by Jamie on March 24, 2010

courtesy of www.chrismcdougall.com/blog

Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run has ignited a raucous, ongoing debate in the running (and larger) community about the benefits of barefoot running and the integrity of the running shoe industry.  The book’s influence has extended to our feet; both Monica and I have switched to the lighter Newton’s and I am not automatically replacing mine after 300 miles.

But Born to Run is more than a book about barefoot running.  Christopher McDougall is a storyteller extraordinaire.  The book is a page turner, replete with an adroit portrayal of the Tarahumara of Mexico and incisive characterizations of singular people, such as the awesome Ann Trason and Jenn Shelton.  He brings to life the colorful and robust world of ultra runners, the exhilaration of the Leadville Trail 100 race and the history, lore and physiology of endurance running.

I recently re-read Born to Run via CD.  My husband (a non-runner) and 13 year-old daughter (not particularly interested in adult pursuits) were captivated by the stories.  The Tarahumara and ultra races became dinner table fare. High praise!

What’s more, after reading a few chapters and I felt the urge to get out there—and run long…

10 Questions for Chris McDougall:

1. The Jon Stewart appearance, interviews with major newspapers, the NY Times Best Sellers list, that Jeopardy question…..describe a memorable moment on the best selling author circuit.

Jon Stewart telling me the bottom of my foot felt like a dog’s paw was definitely one for the scrapbooks.  but the wildest had to be when I met Caballo’s old girlfriend after a book signing in seattle.  she gave me a picture of him from 25 years ago that showed him holding a scruffy dog and leaning against an old pickup … and he was doing EXACTLY the same thing last time I saw him.

2. At what moment after the publication of Born to Run did you realize that the book had taken on a life of its own?  Do you think that the book’s release date, in the midst of the economic crisis, contributed to runners’ willingness to embrace the debate about barefoot running?

barefoot running is really just a fraction of what the book is all about. the heart of the story is the message that running can be a total blast, and not just a punishment for pizza. and if people are responding
to the less-is-best revelations about running shoes, that’s probably because we’ve hit critical mass when it comes to injuries and frustration. for decades, we’ve been told that fancy shoes will make running better,
and now it’s clear that we’ve been fooled by a bunch of marketing blather.

3. We both wear Newton’s.  What do you think of them? Are your daughters wearing running shoes?  If so, which type?

i’ve never tried newtons. personally, i feel more comfortable wearing nothing (interpret that any way you like). my kids are just yung’uns, so they crash around in whatever cheapos we can find. during their school’s race for education, we were the only one running barefoot — for about 10 minutes. as soon as the other kids realized they didn’t have to wear shoes, they started chucking them. soon, there was a mountain of discarded sneakers and an army of grinning kids whizzing around the soccer field.

4. Born to Run is about so much more than barefoot running.  What other transferable skills should we take away from the Tarahumara?

my apologies if this sounds unhelpful, but i’d like to avoid trying to distill their culture into self-help tips. Caballo has been down there for 15 years and he’s still getting his arms around things.

5. How has the success of Born to Run shaped your approach to your current project?  Any hint on the subject?  Have you learned anything more about a Born to Run movie?

it’s been a wild week. yesterday, i closed a deal for the next book, and today (literally, four hours ago) i signed the movie contract. i have no clue what happens next with the movie, if anything. as for the book,
believe me — if i tried to describe it, you’d yawn. i still haven’t figured out how to pithily summarize born to run without it sounding weird and nerdy.

6. We are fascinated that women are racing and beating men at the Ultra level.  Are men running these distances slower or are women running them faster?  Does the 100 miler finally level the playing field?  Can you talk about this a little…or write a book about it?
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{10 questions} for Liz Robbins author of “A Race Like No Other”

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by Monica on February 13, 2010

Before you run the New York Marathon, read Liz Robbin’s A Race Like No Other– 26.2 Miles through the streets of New York.  Actually, I think the book should be tucked into every swag bag with the t-shirt and race number.  Runners could fight pre-race jitters in bed the night before engrossed in these captivating stories.  Moreover, they could throw it in with their water and power bars the next morning and pass the dreaded hours of waiting time at the start with Paula Radcliff and Hendrick Ramaala.  Runners would appreciate the many volunteers they were about to pass in a whole new light (who may actually hand them their water).  They would become familiar with the sacrifices of the bold-hearted elite racers like those they will follow through the streets of NY. And how could they not be motivated by reading about the many individuals who overcame heart-wrenching adversity to make it to the starting line?  I would have loved that before I ran in 2008. This book had me at mile one.

We, at a bold pace, have devoured Liz Robbins’ astute and edifying articles about running and other sports in the New York Times and Well Blog. In fact, Liz’s article The Best Marathon Advice You’ll Ever Get (a favorite) will be sent to new marathoner friends in perpetuity. Are you sensing how delighted we are that Liz Robbins’ has agreed to answer our a bold pace questionnaire?

10 Questions for Liz Robbins:

1. Running skirt: friend or foe?

Foe. When I run, I want to wear shorts. When I play tennis, I wear skirts. When I played lacrosse and field hockey, I wore tartan plaid polyester skirts. Enough said.

2. What is your idea of the perfect run (when, where)?

When I covered the N.B.A. for the New York Times, I had my favorite runs on the road.

Venice Beach (not all the way to Santa Monica Pier) – a nice 5-miler watching the ocean

Dallas – Katy Trail (I always seemed to do that run when it was 92 degrees)

Miami – South Beach boardwalk/trail

But, my favorite quick run is in my backyard. A few blocks to Central Park, one loop on the upper bridle path, one loop on the reservoir.

3.  What do you most value in a running friend (or do you prefer music/sweet solitude)?

Encouragement. I run faster with a friend.

4.  What is your present state of running mind? How are those knees…will you ever run the NY Marathon?

My present state of running mind is…incredibly frustrated. I haven’t had a run longer than 30 minutes for months, and I’m spending most of my time on the elliptical right now. My doctor wants me to have arthroscopic surgery. My doctor thinks it’s essential because cartilage is roaming free in my right knee. I knew the pain and the clicking noises were not good signs. Any advice?

5.  Who is your favorite runner to watch (or to cover) and why?

Hendrick Ramaala.

Because he is so genuine and so wise. When I did research for my book, I stayed with him and his family for five days in Johannesburg, and they couldn’t have been more hospitable. Hendrick, the 2004 NYC champion, has time for everyone, young runners, recreational runners, he loves to impart his wisdom. Plus, at age 38, he goes for broke and always thinks he can win. He is an inspiration!

A close second would be Paula Radcliffe. Even though it’s very difficult to watch her as she bobs her head and always looks in pain (since she is), a race is never boring when she is entered.

6.  We think runners are tough (especially women runners!). How do they compare to the basketball players or tennis players you have written about?
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{10 questions} for Rachel Toor author of “A Personal Record: A Love Affair With Running”

November 22, 2009

Six degrees of separation is at play in the running world… Jamie and I run and blog (and read). (1) Maven Jamie (a Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point kind of Maven–always an ear to the ground) lends me a book called Personal Record: A Love Affair with Running and we both are intrigued by the author’s sharp, [...]

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