Wow, this is so overdue!  This was my second running of the Philadelphia Marathon on the 10 year anniversary of my first time and first marathon.  It was just after 911 so the details of that run are vivid.  I have clear memories of a changed and weary world as we all stood there, pre-race, for the national anthem.  It felt a little like running this race was a tribute that moment and to the last ten years of pretty consistent running.  It still proves to be the factor that keeps me sane and healthy and connected to a great group of people. 

The best part of this marathon was the beautiful fall race day.  Philadelphia was full of colorful foliage and crisp blue skies.  The temperature was perfect.  It’s amazing how much you come to appreciate that on race day.  It’s like a gift.  Philadelphia offers a great marathon course.  There are a few hills but nothing too daunting.  There is much to look at and the crowd was great.  It was a good running day for me –all except miles 20-26 (3:43 finish).  I know that what happens in those miles is the heart of the marathon, but I struggled with them unlike I had before.  I was crawling.  My running LDF Andrea met me at mile 20 and her calm talking and encouragement really helped me to keep going.  I can’t help but think age has something to do with it, but after hearing other older runners talk about this (there was a Masters Runners Panel at the Expo), I am now inclined to think it is my training that needs adjustment.    I plan to work more on this is the coming year and before another race.

Jean (we are pictured above with Bart) and I (minimally) participated in the Runner’s World Challenge which had some great perks.  We loved meeting Bart of course and the other editors from Runner’s World on the shake out run the day before.  Their infectious enthusiasm for running and positive energy is great for both beginners and enthusiasts.  The pre-race bathroom, no line bag check, warm hang-out room in the Four Seasons Hotel near the start was totally worth the money.  Jean did their post-race massage and post race fruit smoothy which sounded like heaven.  I would recommend doing the Runner’s World Challenge for any race if it’s in your budget.  

I spent the post race time with my family.  Having them there to cheer me on was an added treat.  I love our marathon travel adventures away with the girls, but sometimes it is so sweet to have your children there (especially as young adults/teens) to see you do something hard.  Simple as that—there is so much power in that as a parent.  My oldest son surprised me by taking the train up from DC.  It was a great moment to see him standing there with my daughter.  They were shooing me away when I screamed and stopped to give them a hug.  ”Don’t stop mom, keep running” as if I might actually win or something.  My youngest son (16) was waving a “Go Monica-we love you ” sign as I passed him and my husband a little while later.  Precious snapshot moments that I will treasure more than any medal. 

It feels so good to get back out there after the race with a leisurely attitude towards training, a job well done and a confidence that keeps us going.  A few months back I bought a Living Social Hot Yoga (also called “Bikram Yoga“) deal for five classes, and as I promised myself, I have now started going after the marathon.  It’s been so good!  I had my third class today and I am starting to get hooked.  The heat was a little overwhelming at first, but now I can see this as a huge compliment to running.  This full stretch of the body may be the added element needed for my continued running through the years!  Happy Running and Happy Holidays to all!

Joan Benoit Samuelson

It’s already week two of the Runner’s World Challenge for the Philadelphia Marathon.  My e-mail from Bart Yasso came this morning and I started to sweat a little.  My goal for the Challenge is to adjust my running to my aging body. I am staring down the barrel of the big 50 (49 in Oct…50 in 2012!).  “The joys of aging” signs have crept up on me this past year.  I am no longer able to read the fine print of menus and maps without my glasses.  I notice saggy skin that makes me feel for a chicken.  I never thought I would miss having a period.  Then there is the weight gain in new places and my skirt length concerns me.  There are bitter sweet melancholy moments when considering the empty nest–it’s hard to visualize life without children in my immediate orbit.   The goal is to keep running as I age.  I feel it is time to make the necessary adjustments for longevity.  My last round of marathon training for the Shamrock Marathon made me realize that this change was needed.  My usual plan left me tired and energy zapped.  My toughest finish yet.

I was thinking of Joan Benoit Samuelson on a recent college visit with my daughter to Bowdoin College in Maine.  As noted on their website: Nike donated the track renovation in honor of their corporate relationship with Joan Benoit Samuelson, a 1979 Bowdoin graduate and the 1984 Olympic Marathon champion. I was wondering how often she gets to that track and how graciously she has mastered the age thing.  Joan Benoit at 54 is a huge inspiration.

I seem to find more and more information for the aging female runner and I am excited about that.  It’s not only the young mothers and women hitting the road.  The mid-life or “menopause marathon” seems a great way to transition through this milestone.   I see the changes in my long distance friends.  It’s almost as if at 48 it suddenly becomes hard to ignore.  I am reminded of the elementary school years with my own children when a few years can make a noticeable difference.  Fellow runners that are 42 or 43 show few signs of this pending metamorphosis.  Don’t get me wrong, these older competitive women are taking nothing lying down.  Their spirit is ageless.  They are training as hard as ever with tweaks to accommodate for this aging process.   Here are some areas to for me to consider/work on:

• Figuring out the best rest/run combination: I know I need more rest and cannot run as many days in a row without feeling exhausted.

• Energy from food:  I cannot eat as much as I did before without gaining weight.  My body seems to need less food.

• Pace: learning to run at a gentler pace.  My mind wants to race but my body cannot keep up.  Learning to be OK with a little slower pace so I can be out there longer.

I am excited to get training and figure it out.  Bring it on!  (but maybe not quite as fast !:)

Congratulations to Monique Rubin of Mo Travels who is the winner of the a bold pace give-a-way!  Monique is also a runner/writer and world traveler.  She is an expat from California that now lives in the Netherlands with her family.  Check out her travel/running blog Mo Travels.  You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter. 

 
As runners we all engage in varying amounts of self-talk.  Our inner conversations are amplified in the most defining moments of a race or run and for me sometimes, the only thing that gets me to the finish line.  Cami Ostman’s book Second Wind, One woman’s midlife quest to run seven marathons on seven continents is a wonderful peek at the transcript of her inner dialog including an introduction to both the bitchy and wise parts of herself (yes, we all have these). A depressed Cami takes up running after her divorce and vows to take on seven marathons (actually so many more) on seven continents as her quest to heal.  This cathartic journey is well documented in rich detail through each country.  I enjoyed this book for many reasons.  I share her love for running, travel and the relentless analytical quest for personal growth.  This is a different kind of running book.  There are no tips for better times, training schedules or supplements.  This is about appreciating the journey of training, planning and running a race for the quiet lessons it extends.  As each race presents an opportunity to run down her fears, she becomes more confident and self-aware.  We are introduced to a cast of kind characters who aid her in her travels and offered a feast of cultural insights and natural beauty backdrops.   I was reminded of Eat, Pray, Love and Women Who Run with the Wolves as I was reading.  I am all for the warrior woman and I felt myself cheering her on in each city. 
Running does for many of us, what it did for Cami.  We challenge every ounce of our physical selves and by doing so we are forced to take a long, hard (26.2 mile) look at our inner life.  I am reminded by this book to stand quietly at the start of my next race so I can perhaps hear the voice of my own warrior woman and what she is trying to tell me.  Bravo Cami.

Second Wind was featured in the January issue of Oprah Magazine and noted in the Oprah online book recommendations.

  10 questions for Cami Ostman:

1. Running skirt friend or foe? 
I like the Nuu Muu exercise dress: http://www.nuu-muu.com/home.html – cute, comfy and covers the bum on days when the bum wants covering.

2. What is your idea of the perfect run?  Details please…when, where and with whom?

The sun is shining (rare in my neck of the woods).  It’s 72 degrees and the Dave Matthews Band is playing in my ear. My little Boston Terrier, Fuji, is running beside me on the gravel trail that weaves through our town. We stop at a pond at the three-mile point so Fuji can wade in up to her belly and get a drink and then we continue on to Starbucks so I can get a coffee before we make our way back home.

3. Describe your present state of [running] mind and your goals/races for 2011? Is there a marathon out there that really calls to you now?

I had some plantar fasciitis in my right foot at the beginning of the year, so I’ve been working hard at healing. I put in a lot of time water running and biking. I’m feeling great now! I just did two terrific half marathons: the Happy Girls Run in Bend, OR and the San Juan Island Half Marathon at Friday Harbor, WA. Both were fairly hilly, but I felt good after each and very encouraged. As for the marathon that’s calling me… My husband and I were in Punta Arenas, Chile last March, getting ready to fly to Antarctica. While we were there, we stayed for a few days at a hostel where we met two other Americans from Park City, Utah who were involved in organizing the Park City Marathon – http://www.pcmarathon.com/home1.htm. We promised we’d get to Utah to run the race, and it looks like this year we’ll get there. The course runs mostly on trails and has a downhill finish (my favorite kind). I’ve never been to Utah and look forward to the race and exploring surrounding areas.

4. What one training tool/item/gear can you not live without?  And if the marathon is the metaphor for life, can you recommend a mantra to race with?

I cannot live without Body Glide. For better or worse I have a hefty bosom and in spite of buying the best sports bras, I still chafe. Body Glide is the only thing that totally prevents this and it’s less messy than Vaseline.

My mantra on a hard run (you know – the kind when you feel like you’re dragging a herd of elephants behind you) is “one step at a time.” I say one word with each step. And this is my mantra for life too. I’m a huge fan of being absolutely in the moment—not worrying about when something (a run or a long day at work) is going to be over or dwelling on the past. On some runs I repeat, “Breathe. Breathe.” It’s pretty basic, but we forget to do it sometimes.

5. Many of the marathoners I know (including myself) are obsessed with their training and diet.  There was not much mention of these in your book.  What did/do you use as your guide?

I’m not overly obsessed with my diet. Maybe if I obsessed a little more I’d drop five pounds and run a little faster. I eat mostly what I want in moderation. I do cut back on cheese and wine before a race, and I do try to make sure I eat in a balanced way with plenty of veggies and whole foods—and I don’t eat mammals. As I mentioned in my book, my family struggles with obesity, and I’ve always been grateful I figured out by the time I was twenty that if I exercised and didn’t overeat, I wouldn’t have to follow suit. Still, the older I get and the more I see my body changing, the more careful I’m becoming with what I put into my body.

As for my training, my husband, Bill, sketched out my first training schedule. He does a lot of reading about training and nutrition. I appreciated his attention to detail on that first round of training. When you’re first getting started, you’re just happy you can run from the end of the street to the telephone pole, so I needed all the help I could get.

Later I tried the Galloway system, but found that I lost my train of thought when I walked and that bothered me. My basic schedule now is that Monday, Wednesday, Friday I run 4, 6, and 4 miles respectively (sometimes 5, 7, 5). Then I do a long run on one of the weekend days. I gradually increase the length of the long run each week according to what I’m training for. Lately, I’ve been doing speed work and working on my form with a coach, too.

6. I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Bill.  I think many runners experience that back/front of the pack dynamic at some point and your willingness to let him shine elsewhere in the race stood out for me (and yet another metaphor on relationships). Was he always supportive of you writing this book and documenting your relationship and do you think you would have gone on this quest had you not re-connected with him?

Reconnecting with Bill definitely influenced my taking this direction in life. I think every relationship is mutually influential, and I’m so grateful Bill challenged me to try long distance running! As for whether or not he was into my writing about our personal struggles and shining moments, all I can say is that Bill is one of the most supportive people I’ve ever met. He was always on the side of my writing what was true and meaningful to me, but there were a few times when he said, “Do you really have to tell everyone THAT?” And most of those things I took out—but not all of them.

On the same subject, if I could brag about Bill a little bit: He qualified for the Boston Marathon four times last year! He’s a terrific runner in his age group and I’m incredibly proud of him. We approach running from very different angles and love it for different reasons, but we’ve learned to appreciate each others’ perspectives.

7. I have known many runners who have made it through tough times (divorce, death, illness and even menopause) by “running through it”.  What do you think is it about running that facilitates healing?

Running takes you from “here” to “there” in a very literal way. It requires a person to breathe during times when there is a lot of breath holding. Running engages the whole person, allows for introspection and makes space for processing difficulties. As I wrote about in the book, it offers rich metaphors that lend themselves to insights about how to move forward or find your pace or move through pain. All of this is not to say there aren’t similar healing qualities embedded in other activities, but running is simple. You just put on your shoes and go. The simplicity and basic-ness of it is reassuring.

8. The people that you encounter in each marathon resemble rich characters in great novels in that they act as the catalyst for the protagonist’s epiphany.  From the Australian threesome, to the man in Yellow Coat (savior!), is there one person who had the greatest impact on you?

Well, Mel of the Marathon Maniacs from the Whidbey Island chapter stands out. I was so powerfully impacted by his story. He was running into his seventies with a cracked hip and this amazing, peaceful attitude. I’ve seen him many times since that first encounter. He just keeps going. Almost every time I show up to a marathon in Washington State, he’s there. And he doesn’t care at all how long a race may take him; he just slogs along perfectly content to be running, even if it takes all day.

Since I wrote about Mel, I’ve had other people contact me and tell me that they know him or they’ve run with him at some point during a race and that they’ve been challenged by his steadfast commitment to the sport, too. Then on New Years Eve this last year I volunteered for a race. I was staffing the sign-in table when Mel walked up to pick up his number. I didn’t know if he knew I’d written about him so I said, “Hey Mel, I wrote about you in my book.” He said, “Oh, I have it in the car. Will you sign it for me?” And I thought, OMG my hero wants me to sign a book for him! How awesome is that?!

9. The dominant thread of facing, and then conquering your personal fears through each race experience is inspiring.  Have you received feedback from your readers on how your book has impacted their own running journey?

 
Yes. And that feedback has been one of the most meaningful things in my life. I’ve had people write and tell me that they bought running shoes for the first time in thirty years. Several women have identified with Julie’s story of losing 130 pounds and have told me their own stories of weight loss. And many readers have written to me about their journeys through divorce or losses and how running has kept them sane.

As a family therapist for the past twelve years, I’ve tried to help people through hard times and encourage them to take care of themselves. It’s been incredibly gratifying to be able to achieve that goal through the publishing of the book and through sharing my own foibles.

10. You mention your writing group at the end of the book.  Can you tell us a little more about them, the writing process and how writing played a part in your journey towards healing and becoming the person you wanted to be?  Will you keep writing? A destination marathon travel guide perhaps?

Oh, good plan. I like the idea of a destination marathon guide! I’ll get on top of that ASAP.

In terms of writing, I’ve been a writer all of my life, but most of it has been academic. I’ve kept my creative writing pretty private over the years, but when I started writing about running, things came together. I took a memoir writing class from novelist, Laura Kalpakian. She likes to say that I was the only memoir writer she’d ever met who was writing about something I hadn’t completed yet. I wrote this book AS I did the marathons. The fascinating thing about doing it that way is that all my self-definitions were being constructed more consciously than usual. I would sit down and think, “What did this race teach me? Who taught me that? What is the message I’m supposed to take from this?” While I do that generally in my life, I don’t usually have to figure out how to articulate those lessons to an audience. It was very profound.

My writing group was a small group of women who stayed together after the memoir class was finished, and they were/are like the backbone of my writing practice. They expected me to produce manuscript on a regular basis, and they served as my first audience. I owe a lot to them. There are different kinds of writing. Journaling is very personal and mostly never meant to be read by others; writing for an audience is a different and challenging experience. I would encourage women who are secret creative writers to find a class or group that will make them stretch to share their work.

Extra credit:  We are all readers and I must ask…What are your favorite books and what should we be reading now?

I always have more books going than I can name, but right now I’m reading two in particular. One is by Marshall Ulrich called Running on Empty. I met him at the Boston Marathon Expo when I was there with Bill a couple of months ago. This book is his very personal story of what running has meant to him. He’s an ultra runner and in a totally different league than most of us, but he’s also a very down-to-earth man.

The other book I’m reading is put out by my publisher, Seal Press (books “by women for women”) called My So Called Freelance Life by Michelle Goodman. Michelle is funny and easy to read, but extremely practical in her advice about how to strike out on your own as a creative professional.

This year so far, I’ve also really appreciated Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls and (for the millionth time) The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

Thank you Cami!

Special thank you to my sister Rachel Allen who contributed questions to this interview.

 Purchase a {perfect Pairings} runner gift set which includes this book and a set of Off and Running notecards from www.remanents.com.  

a bold pace on Facebook

Wow, this running weather is motivating!  This morning was cool and crisp and made for a great 8 mile run.  It motivated me to pull out my training log and start plotting my course (goal).  It’s time to get back to work.  I need to get my base mileage up again before the heat sets in…starting in mid-summer can be brutal.  I signed up for the Runner’s World Challenge at the Philadelphia Marathon 2011.  It will be my second official (jumped in with a friend once) time running this race. Philly was my first marathon ever so I was excited to learn that Runner’s World had chosen it for the fall.  I missed the San Francisco RW Challenge last summer due to my husband donating his kidney that same weekend (the nerve:).  I later met some of the runners on a Philly reunion run and then decided that I wanted to be a part of it for another race.  Although it lacks the intrigue of a new destination, it provides close proximity and the added bonus of sleeping in my own bed.  This has become for me, no small amenity.  I have struggled at mastering the travel/sleep/race art.  I look forward to meeting new runners (from both this area and otherwise) and gaining added insights/support on training/racing offered by Runner’s World.   I am also hoping familiarity of the course and weather will serve me here.  I promise to report on the whole Runner’s World Challenge experience for those entertaining the added expense for your next marathon.

Suffering a small case of PTSD after my Chicago Marathon experience, I was so happy to cross the finish line at the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach.   The goal was simply to finish, and that was accomplished.  Time/pace didn’t discount in any way (my slowest marathon time yet–3:41) the euphoric moment of a passing over that line.  It just doesn’t get old, even as we age.  We carry all our life’s challenges with us when we race and we leave it there on the pavement when we finish.  A renewed spirit emerges from an exhausted body.  Finishing a marathon is so sweet.

It was so great to share the weekend with long distance friends.  A pre-race word of encouragement, a shared obsession about the location of the bathroom, and a familiar voice to tow you in at the final stretch, reminds me that this may be an individual effort but is still a team sport.

Some observations about the Shamrock Marathon:

Good:

• Loved the hometown feeling omitted by not only the staff, but the fellow runners along the course.  It is the most supportive running crowd I have ever encountered in a big race like this.  Maybe it was all the green that united this group, but when I was struggling on mile 22, I was hearing all kinds of encouraging words as runner passed me.  So awesome.  This race was not too crowded and I discovered I really like that better than the huge crowds of the bigger races.
• Nice Swag: Awesome race tech shirt from the expo.  No bag full of crap brochures as they went with a virtual goody bag.  AND then as you cross the finish line, they hand you yet another finisher shirt and running cap.  It made up for the truly ugly (sorry…it just was) medal.

Not so good:

• This race may be flat (although the 3-4 mile subtle incline after the half may qualify as an actual hill), but the wind was downright brutal.  A major factor in both physical and mental fatigue.
• I never made it to the track this winter because of the weather.  I paid for that on the course this time and won’t do that again.

We did love the Westin Virginia Beach and all the restaurants nearby…thanks Virginia Beach–had a great time!

As I was running up the Ben Franklin Bridge this morning during the Copper Norcross 10k Bridge Run (on a steller fall day-Monica and LDF Heidi pictured with bridge), all I could think about were those running the NYC Marathon today.  That bridge during the marathon at mile 15 stands out in my mind.  I kept thinking…I only had to run 6.2 miles to complete this race, not 26.2.  This local race was sold out this morning with a field of 4000 runners and 1000 walkers. It starts with an up and back over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge (not too steep, offering a grand view from the peak) and continues on through the streets of Camden with a finish in Campbell Field (home of the minor league baseball team the Camden Riversharks). I loved the last stretch on the grass into the stadium. This is a fun one if you are in the area. It makes a nice homage to the NYC Marathon runners.

Today is lottery sign up day for the 2011 NYC Marathon for those who would like to try their luck.  I heard during yesterdays broadcast of the race that 102,000 people entered the lottery last year. I want to remind runners (especially the 40+ set: Women: 3:38:00 Marathon 1:44:00 Half Marathon) that you can qualify to enter the marathon with either a full or a half-marathon time.

This is from the ING NYC Marathon website:

You must have met the appropriate qualifying time between January 1, 2010 and January 31, 2011 (2011 NYC Half-Marathon and Boston Marathon 2011 times will also be accepted, provided you applied by the April 30, 2011 deadline). Include the race name and date with your application. Please contact us via email at marathonmailer@nyrr.org if you qualify.

Congratulations to all NYC Marathon Finishers…It was a great day for a run!

The Philadelphia Distance Run gave way to the Competitor franchise’s more flashy ING “Rock ‘n’ Roll” version on Sunday.   It was a sold out race complete with what seemed to be every type of runner.  An impressive elite field was on hand to round out the specticle promised by the steep $90 entrance fee.  I love the organized potty and bag check efficiency–never waited more than a few minutes.   The course change was a welcome surprise for those of us who frequent that route for our long runs.  There were no hills until you got to the end and there were plently of spectators to distract you from the grade to the finish.   It never felt too crowded where I was and water was readily available along with Cytomax.  But it still didn’t feel like the Philly Distance Run I have come to love every year I’ve run a marathon.  Perhaps it was the finisher’s medal with the glittered (I am usually all for glitter) Liberty Bell with the guitar in the middle (…and it was so friging heavy).  I could have done without the Sylvester Stallone impersonator and the mediore bands along the way, but that wasn’t it.  We were discussing this on the track this week as we cooled down our legs with a few easy miles.  It felt a little like marathoning at it’s commercial best.  It had the great benefits of organization and an increased draw for elite runner’s over its predecessor, but lacked the heart and gracious tradition of a much respected race.   Perhaps it was purely a financial maneuver for the city of Philadelphia, but I hate to see a race sell it’s soul.

It was fitting that this race had me off my game.  I committed the ultimate rookie mistake when I grabbed an old Accelerade gu out of my running cubby and took a bite at mile 9.  I had an instant stomach reaction (this has never happened to me!) and was casing the porta potty scene when it subsided.  I decided to chance it and made it to the finish (and to the potty shortly thereafter).  I have not trained nearly as much as I have in the past for races so I am not sure what exactly caused my GI issue.   Chicago is in a few weeks and I know I will have to back off a little and go for a slower mile if I want to finish with a smile on my face.  The most amazing thing is that I am content with that and only hope to get over that finish line with a time that will get me to Boston in April so I can join my long distance friends.

Happy Fall Marathoning to all!

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.

7. Why did you want to do a card to benefit MADD?

A few days before my 4th birthday my dad was killed by a drunk driver. It has forever changed the course of my life. MADD is a wonderful organization that helps families deal with the grief of such an event. I am proud to support it.

8. You look so cute in your “Run with a heart of [BOLD]” tee! Describe your personal style:

Why thank you! Because of my job, I spend a lot of time in workout clothes. I would say that I am a bit sporty but with a girlie edge. I love pink, I love hearts, I love all that stuff. I like to feel “cute” even when I workout, so that carries over to my personal style off the track as well.

9. Here is a pop culture quiz:

Favorite magazine to pass the time in an airport? I love Self. All the little tidbits of information, I can’t get enough!

A TV show you watch on a regular basis? How I Met Your Mother and Modern Family. Give them a chance, they are hilarious! I also love So You Think You Can Dance.

Movie you could watch over and over? Notting Hill. I have watched it a hundred times on my treadmill.

Last book you read that you loved? I read a lot and I’ve read a lot of great books. But the two I have loved the most I reread once a year. To Kill a Mockingbird and The Great Gatsby.

What music would we hear in your house on a relaxing evening? I am a total top 40s girl. I like music that makes me feel happy. I listen to a lot of 80s, pop and rock, and a lot of what is current now. My husband is so ashamed! I am a sucker for the radio. I hear it, download it, and listen to it till I can’t stand it anymore.

10. What other things have you been up to (besides designing cards and tees) since you have not been running as much? I hear you are writing a book…what is it about, and more importantly, when is it coming out?

I have been writing a book. It is a book of advice and motivation for women based on my experiences though running. I am not an expert, and I am not a coach. But I have learned a lot along the way that I think can help other women, from beginners to elite, improve and discover the joy of running. It has been such an amazing project. It will be released in April 2011. I have also been going to a lot of of races and expos, just exploring a whole different side to the sport. Being around people who run for so many different reasons, but not because it is their job. It has been such an inspiring time for me. I have loved it.

Extra credit: If I wasn’t a runner I would be …?

Honestly I think that I would have gone on in school to get my PhD to be a Psychologist. I absolutely loved being a Psychology major. I still reach for Psychology Today first when I need something to read at the airport. I am fascinated by how people’s minds work. I would definitely be doing something in the Psychology field.

Kara and Monica

Photos by runner/marathoner Andrea Mihalik

It’s good to be back after a much needed blog-hiatus.  Running a business, a family and well, just running…for our lives…is exhausting.  Getting off the merry-go-round occasionally brings perspective and vision back into alignment.

I decided to christen myself back into the racing world with two old favorites and ended up with what I call “extreme racing”.  Fluke-like conditions on both accounts made for crazy adventures and incredible fun.  Harsh weather conditions require us to dig deep, and although we were not rewarded with our best times, it did not diminish the sweetness of overcoming the elements.  However absurd it all was, we could not help but laugh at the idea that a group of thirty, forty, or fifty-something women could be so crazy as to even take these on!  And I know we are not alone on this.  There are so many groups of running women out there that do the same.  I saw and met many of them in New York and in Philly these past few weeks. You ladies rock!

running More

Back for MORE (Half Marathon):

A 4:15am wake up call for a 5am meeting time at the nearby grocery store.  Three of us decide to make the trek that day from Philly to NYC because we have other commitments that prevent us from a night’s stay.  We meet LDF’s Jamie and Jen at the Starbucks near the start in Central Park with our numbers in tow.  It’s pouring outside and the temperature is about 40 degrees–so not fun.  I have never had to race in the rain before, so I was clueless as to how to adjust.  I am shocked that so many of the 10,000 registered actually show (about 6400 will finish).  We sit in our corral as rain pellets us, listening to the beautiful Kristin Davis (of Sex and the City) say a few words of encouragement (in her nice, dry tent, warm rain coat and fabulous Burberry rain boots I might add!).  It was cold, rainy and hilly, but my foot felt good and all that girl power is just good for the running soul (sole:).  After the race, LDF Helene managed to convince a couple of NYRR volunteers that we needed their rain ponchos much more than they did.  Soon they are ours to sport as we make our way across the park and to our car in clothes so drenched that I can only compare them to a wet diaper.  Only after a pit stop on the Turnpike and a double tall soy latte do we finally feel human again.  Dig deep moment: second time around the loop coming into the long hill knowing how much it will hurt. Sweetest moments:  the belly laugh we had over the wait in the line at the parking garage for the crappy bathroom, and sweet moment #2:  coming in at #47 overall and winning a pair of fabulous Crislu earings as one of the first 100 finishers (just got them in the mail it–turns out they are diamond cut CZ’s set in platinum:(

On to Broad Street:

I know it’s not a good idea to run races back-to-back.  These two just happen to fall that way this year, so we decided we could race them or not…we would totally go on how we felt.  We had to run long anyway (is that an excuse?).   But who knew that we would encounter the complete opposite in conditions.  And to add fuel to the fire, a bat mitzvah the night before (for one running friend’s daughter) had some of us on the starting line with very little sleep wondering if that second glass of wine and choosing the salmon was a regrettable miscalculation (especially after the third bathroom visit).  But we can not always plan our life around races or races around our lives.  I was dealing.  The wave of nausea that came over me in the start corral as the warm bodies gathered tightly did have me worried.  It was hot, but as soon as the race started I was in and determined to finish.  I saw LDF Helene on mile 9 and her yell gave me a jolt.  The water spraying the crowd bothered me at first, but after accidentally running right through one, I was hooked.  It felt good and I could tell it was cooling me off.  I drank every other mile, something I would normally not do for 10 but I was trying to stay hydrated.  Dig deep moment:  mile 7…feeling pretty badly…thinking about the salmon again Sweetest moment: finish line and making it back to my house in time to shower and take my youngest son to his soccer game because my husband is out of town. It wasn’t my fastest run, but managed to squeeze out a 1:13:32.

We get by with a little help from our [long distance] friends:

By far the most enjoyable part about being back racing is the company of LDF’s.  I had to add this photo from the bat mitzvah the night before Broad Street (some of us have been running together for 9-10 years).  Gathering to celebrate the milestone of one of our children reminds me that this is a different kind of bond (and that I never see them in make-up, and that knowing way too much about their husbands, children, and non-running friends can make for interesting social encounters:).

These are bold, strong women who take on races like their lives: head-on, no complaining, no excuses, even in the most extreme conditions.

LDF’s Helene, Krista, Jane, Cynthia, Heidi, Lisa, Dora, Monica

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?

wait, i thought i just did! what i was getting at with the anthropological evidence about ultrarunning is the idea that if humans truly did evolve as persistence hunters (that is, as hunters who ran their quarry to death through heat exhaustion), then it would only make sense that the hunting pack would have to remain a pack — men and women, old and young alike. so it’s not that women get stronger as distances get longer — it’s more that the differences between men and women diminish.

7. What do you think the next big debate in running will be about?

there’s still a lot of life left in this one… Dr. Lieberman, the harvard professor who’s spearheading the best research into barefoot running, is making it clear that we still have a lot to learn about running technique. style had been ignored for too long in favor of sales and marketing, and it’s going to take a while to turn that ship around.

8. It’s been a snowy winter in Pennsylvania…what is the state of your  running?  Are you planning any ultras?  Do you think about writing on the run or is it more of a quieting experience?

i’ve had some great runs. luckily, i live in dairy country, so the roads get plowed pretty snappily so the milk truck can get thru. the second i’ve got a clear path, i’m gone. the best runs of your life are always on a snowy morning when everyone is too afraid to drive. no plans for any races it’s been much more fun being a pacer for friends rather than entering them myself. if you ever want to see a look of pure love on someone’s face, be waiting for them at mile 60 with a bag of M&Ms. you’ll never feel so adored in your life. sure, i think about writing while i run, but i think about everything.

9. What is Jenn Shelton up to these days?  Are runner tourists attempting to visit the Tarahumara?  How do they fare?

Jenn is living in Oregon and tearing up the trails. here’s an update:
http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200907/jenn-shelton-ultramarathon-1.html
Caballo managed to stage his race again this year, and he had a whopping turnout — over 200 Tarahumara runners, and 60-some Americans and other visitors. Caballo said it was a total party.

10. Who are some of your favorite authors and runners?

i’m old school. Emil Zatopek, Nelson Algren, Patricia Highsmith, Marshall Ulrich.

Extra credit: Did you persuade your family to eat chia?  Do you have a favorite recipe?

just soak it and slip it into pancake batter. my kids don’t mind the chia, but the wheat germ and flax seeds really piss them off.