Runner's World March 2014

LOCATION Jackson Hole, Wyoming PHOTOGRAPH BY Jeff Diener RUNNER Noel Rankin (with Steven) THE EXPERIENCE The Grand Tetons tower over Spring Gulch Road, an old ranching route that cuts through wide open farmlands. Save for local tractors and the occasional herd of cattle, the flat path, which is located just outside town, is generally trafficfree. “In the winter, the atmosphere is quiet and very peaceful,” Rankin says. “When I run on this road, I feel at ease.” FOR DIRECTIONS, RESOURCE INFORMATION, AND DOWNLOADABLE WALLPAPER IMAGES, VISIT RUNNERSWORLD.COM/RAVERUN.…

The Hurt Blocker MONDAY has a brand problem. The weekend is over, most good restaurants are closed, and the daily grind begins anew. Wednesday, or hump day (the week’s second-worst brand), at least suggests progress, a muddling along. But Monday, often a rest day for those who do long runs on weekends, is square one. It is inert. No other day feels as perennially lousy or has songs dedicated to its existential dread. Around here Senior Editor Jeff Dengate has gone and made things worse. A couple months ago, Jeff, a greyhound who puts in 50 to 80 miles per week, started a Monday strength-training workout at RW’s gym. The winter months are typically when I scale back my running and nurse my nagging injuries (left hamstring, right hip flexor…

SILVER LINING The January Editor’s Letter by David Willey, “Mistakes Were Made,” was spoton for my dad and me. We ran the Marine Corps Marathon this year with the Push America team. My dad pushed me in my modified recumbent trike (I have cerebral palsy). Due to my dad’s cranky Achilles, we were unable to train properly. During the race, my dad’s legs started giving him trouble around mile 21. We expected to finish around four hours, but finished in 5:04. Disappointed? Yes, but that was short-lived as we (like you, David) realized how lucky we were to participate in such a great event. Thank you again for reminding us how fortunate we are to experience the joys of running! —RICH AND KEVIN ENNERS Marietta, Georgia Mr. Willey, I read…

As it turns out, RW’s editors aren’t the only ones with impressive running shoe collections. On Instagram, readers shared images of piles of pairs and some that revealed their inability to part with even the oldest shoes (below). Search #RWShoeHoarder to see more shots. Family: Morgan, you have a problem. Me: Nahh dude, I can quit anytime I want. @morgan_mcadams A girl can never have enough running shoes... 30 pairs and counting! @melissarae208 #RWDOGSONTHERUN If your best running buddy is furry and four-legged, snap a photo of your dog while you’re out on a run and post it on Instagram. Use the hashtag #RWDogsOnTheRun to add your pup to the thread and to check out other readers’ submissions. We’ll publish the top two canine runners in an upcoming issue.…

CHRISTINE FENNESSY “Before I wrote ‘Running Back from Hell,’ I’d never once personally thanked a veteran for his or her service,” Fennessy, RW’s articles editor, says after writing about running and PTSD on page 66. “I say it a lot now, but it always sounds so inadequate. How do you thank soldiers for the anguish they’ve endured?” LISA MARSHALL After flooding ruined her Estes Park, Colorado, track last year, Marshall nearly nixed her speedwork during marathon training. “I thought, Why exactly do I need to do this?” she says. “So I set out to learn just how important faster workouts are to a routine.” Read her findings in “You Need Speed!” page 24.…

Updates on runners who’ve appeared in our pages On November 10, 14-year-old Winter Vinecki (“The Year in Running,” December) became the youngest person to complete a marathon on all seven continents when she finished the Athens Marathon in 4:03:53 (left). She began the journey in 2012 at the Eugene Marathon as a part of Team Winter, a nonprofit group she created to honor her father, who died from prostate cancer five years ago. Since founding Team Winter, Vinecki has raised nearly a million dollars for cancer research. Along the way, she finished the Maasai Marathon in Kenya and the Inca Trail Marathon in South America, as well as marathons in Antarctica, Mongolia, New Zealand, and Peru. With her goal completed, Vinecki, a member of the Fly Elite aerials ski team,…