Innehållsförteckning för November/December 2018 från Runner's World

MELISSA JOHNSON, RUNNER, YOUR RUN SQUAD P.56 Run your race and pace. Avoid zigzagging around other runners throughout a racecourse, since you’ll fatigue faster. ALEXIS BATAUSA, RUNNER, A BETTER PLACE P.74 When running long, plan a looped course with an aid station. Then you don’t have to carry supplies, like Band-Aids, with you. MICHELLE BOUDIN, WRITER, YOUR RUN SQUAD P.56 Listening to music during a long run can help motivate you. Apps like Rock My Run come up with playlists for you based on how long your run is and what you like and will even match the music to your heart rate or steps. SHAWN COOL, RUNNER, A BETTER PLACE P.74 Go easy. Every day is not a race. Pace and enjoy the journey. JEFF DENGATE, RUNNER-IN-CHIEF, THE TAPER…

WHO WILL YOU be cheering for in New York City on Sunday, November 4? For many of us, it will be Desiree Linden, racing her first marathon since winning Boston this past spring, or defending NYC champ Shalane Flanagan. I’ll be on the sidelines in Central Park before Des or any of the other elite runners pass by, rooting on my friend Glenn Hartrick as he attempts to become the first person to complete the NYC Marathon as a runner, a hand cyclist, and, this year, using a push-rim race chair. You may not know Glenn, but if you’re a longtime reader of this magazine, you might recall his nearly naked figure on our December 2012 cover. Glenn, a competitive triathlete, was one of 22 runners featured in our special…

Your best friend is stamina. When training to race a 5K, you should do long runs of 6 to 9 miles. The ability to tolerate the higher-intensity workouts is directly proportional to tissue strength and tolerance, which you can only build with volume. Be sensible about your progression—if you’re building your mileage, do so gradually so you don’t get injured. Don’t overdo speedwork. Generally speaking, speedwork is done at high intensity (97 percent of your VO2 max), so limit the amount you do to no more than 7 percent of total weekly mileage. Don’t try to do all your training at target race pace. Each run should have a specific purpose. Otherwise, you might be missing some really important tissue-strengthening adaptations that take place when you do long runs at…

TEST YOUR GEAR IN ADVANCE Before a marathon, she likes to do at least one, preferably two, hard workouts on the road in the Saucony shoes she’ll wear during the race. She wants her shoes fresh, but not right out of the box. TRAVELS EASY Huddle takes the train to New York. The Amtrak station in her hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, is about a mile and a half from her house, and Penn Station in New York City is a mile and a half from the race hotel. She can keep her wheelie with all her gear with her—no worries about lost luggage, traffic, or ground transportation. Huddle usually arrives at least five days in advance of the race. STICK TO TRIED-AND-TRUE FOODS When she gets to New York,…

Linden writes a race plan before every event. The practice, she says, breaks a marathon down into manageable sections. Here, four more tips from marathon’s most analytical racer. Don’t count down the miles / “Thinking how bad you’re hurting with six miles to go allows you to feel sorry for yourself,” she says. “That gives you a reason to slow down.” Instead, break down the race into segments, however small they have to be—the next sign, the next stoplight. For midpackers, Linden advises asking yourself, Can you pass one person? Can you pass five? Approach the race as a checklist / Ask yourself, What am I supposed to do right now? Her personal race plans always include: Get out in a good spot; settle in; find your race pace; find…

1 / Balega Hidden Comfort socks $13 They provide good toe room and hug my feet really well. —Colette Nichols 2 / CW-X Stabilyx tights $110 Compression helps with circulation, so my legs feel better—like I have more support—when I’m running. —Debbie Smith 3 / Brooks Hideout jacket $150 My Brooks running jacket protected me in the wind and rain but was still breathable. I had the Shelter Technology jacket, but you can’t buy it anymore—this one is most similar and available. —Melissa Johnson 4 / The Marathon Stick $32 I use The Stick all the time. It’s like a roller, it massages your muscles and helps your legs recover faster. —D.S 5 / FuelBelt Hydra Fuel $15 This is super helpful during races so I don’t have to slow…

What strikes more fear into a veteran marathoner than a 20-mile long run with the last five miles at goal race pace? The taper. That phase at the end of your marathon training plan when you cut back on mileage and catch up on sleep is the best—until it’s the worst. With all that newfound time in your day, every self-doubt is afforded the time to ferment. Whenever I’m experiencing taper tantrums, I’m so restless and miserable my family wants to murder me. But it’s entirely necessary. Just like cramming for an exam, attempts at last-minute gains are doomed to fail. You should relax and let your body repair the damage from that heavy training load so you can show up to the start in fighting shape. Personally, I compromise:…

I’M RUNNING MY SECOND New York Marathon. I can’t recommend fall marathons enough. They’re the most inspiring, challenging, and exhilarating opportunity to wreck your entire summer. You will cross the finish line with a sense of accomplishment like you’ve never imagined. You will wear your medal and your weird foil cape thing with pride. You will have memories, stories to last a lifetime, and race pictures where you look like you’re undergoing enhanced interrogation. You will also, about 15 times in a row, drop an atomic bomb on your weekend in the form of the Long Run. Each Saturday or Sunday starting in the late spring—just when things are warming up, just when an outdoor table at your favorite brunch spot calls your name—you wake up earlier than you would…

PRICE: $120 TYPE: Trail WEIGHT: 9.3 oz (m), 7.7 oz (w) DROP: 6.6 mm (m), 6.5 mm (w) THE FOLKS AT Hoka One One worked a little midsole magic in the Torrent—a trail shoe that offers the brand’s hallmark thick sole, but feels surprisingly light and nimble. The mystery unravels in the bouncy Profly foam, which delivers a well-cushioned heel with a firmer forefoot, allowing you to land softly, then blast off quickly. Compared with Hoka’s Speedgoat, the Torrent feels racier and weighs nearly a full ounce less, with a responsive ride you’ll want to take to the starting line. On the outsole, aggressive square lugs at the heel pair with a slanted, angular tread at the forefoot to help you dig into gravel without slipping. All of our wear-testers…

PRICE: $120 TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 12.0 oz (m), 10.1 oz (w) DROP: 13.9 mm (m), 12.0 mm (w) WELCOME TO THE performance-foam a rms race, Puma. The Hybrid Rocket Runner is buoyed by two styles of high energy-returning foam: Ignite (which was introduced in 2015) and the brand new NRGY beads. This combo of materials is designed to be responsive, giving you a feeling of pop and speed whenever your foot strikes the ground. By itself, the duo is fairly hard, so Puma gave the sole a radical structure to make it feel more plush—separating the forefoot, midfoot, and heel with two deep crevasses. Testers loved the extra flexibility that comes with the unconventional design, which also helps the shoe feel fast despite its extra weight. Testers also loved the…

PRICE: $110 TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 8.7 oz (m), 7.1 oz (w) DROP: 9.9 mm (m), 8.3 mm (w) REPLACING BROOKS’ ST RACER, the new Asteria is an impressive racing flat that delivers speed and support for short road races. Our testers praised the shoe’s combination of low weight and support, especially when putting in long miles. If you’re a runner who wants some support, you’ll appreciate how Brooks’ GuideRail system gently guides your foot into its natural path, but even those who don’t need their mechanics corrected can wear the Asteria—the rails are subtle enough that you won’t notice any impact on your run. Plus, the midsole features Brooks’ BioMoGo DNA foam, which offers enough cushioning to keep your feet happy on longer efforts. The shoe’s outsole is made from…

PRICE: $115 TYPE: Trail WEIGHT: 9.9 oz (m), 8.5 oz (w) DROP: 9.5 mm (m), 6.1 mm (w) TAKING ITS NAME from the mythical wolves of the Underworld, the Lycan is a pretty fierce trail shoe that will keep you nimble on your toes as you scale rocky terrain. Designed with mountain running in mind, the shoe has a ventilating mesh upper and a rock guard outsole with a TPU toe cap to protect your feet from jagged rocks and stray roots. Some of our testers reported that the Lycan, despite its trail prowess, doesn’t drain water especially well (La Sportiva does sell a waterproof Gore-Tex option for $140). On dry ground it offers good lateral support, thanks to overlays that help keep you steady over uneven surfaces. Its firm…

OUR IDIOSYNCRATIC BUT EXPERT ENDORSEMENT OF AWESOME STUFF 1 / Stunt Runner Dog Leash $38 My favorite running partner is my 8-year-old shepherd/shar pei rescue mutt, Moses, who thinks the first half mile of every run is a race. This waist-tethered leash makes running with him easy because my arms can swing free while he stays safe and close to me on the road. 2 / Nike Aeroloft Running Vest $130 Fall weather in Pennsylvania can go from an Indian summer to snow overnight. I always have this lightweight, packable vest in my gym bag, so I never have an excuse to not head out for a run. 3 / Workout-Proof Makeup I’ve spent a lot of time and money trying to find makeup I want to wear all day…

THIS MONTH IS the busiest time of year in my office. Like clockwork, the phone starts ringing off the hook: “Dr. Metzl, I’ve got an achy———, and my marathon is in a month. Please help!” Day after day, the same calls come in. Why? As my friend Ramon, a running coach in New York City, says, “Marathon runners typically get hurt because they violate the rule of too’s: too much, too quickly, too intensely.” In other words, these injuries are the result of overtraining. With thousands of runners training for fall marathons, peak running mileage hits between late summer and midfall. After months of pushing ahead, the body, if not trained properly, starts to break down. There’s a fine line in endurance sports between achieving maximum fitness and going overboard.…

THE LINE IS chalk, white, with fading edges that disintegrate into dust, and it floats upward as it approaches the edge of the paved path. Just below it, there’s a large uneven “0.” As I pass over the line and run on, I wonder where the next one will be. When it comes, it announces itself as the line for “400,” confirming that these are markers for workout intervals. Now I’m curious to see how many quarters are marked or if the maker, like me, enjoys reaching a line in the distance and turning around to go back to “0” again and again, not really going anywhere, but covering a distance within a confined space. I imagine a runner, bent at the waist, pouring weight into one hand. Under the…

Let me make this clear: I do not approve of banditing. It’s a moral and safety issue, and I’m sure you’ve heard it all before. When you jump into a race without registering, you take resources—valuable road space, water, fuel, medical personnel—away from registered folks. But the fact remains that every year, thousands of otherwise-respectable runners turn to banditry. Why do they do such a thing? There are plenty of reasons, the first of which is money. Running the New York City Marathon, for instance, costs $295. While this expense goes toward necessities like road closures, security, race-day fuel, and porta-potties, it’s a fee some just can’t afford—and the race’s fame is enticing enough that some runners don’t want to take on a smaller, cheaper event. Aside from the expense,…

1. Plan to stay after the marathon, rather than go early. You’ll have time post-race to relax and enjoy yourself, rather than worrying about how those mimosas will affect your performance. “If you do it the other way, you wear yourself out being a tourist and then struggle in the race.” 2. Arrive three days before. “For a Sunday race, getting in Thursday is my preference. It gives you a chance to acclimate to the time zone before the race.” 3. Dress to stay fresh. “I always wear compression socks on the plane (they increase circulation which promotes recovery), at least for the last three to four hours of the flight.” 4. Keep it low key the day before. Plan an activity that keeps you off your feet, like a…

He did not look well. Standing in the doorway of the post-race party, Keith looked confused. Anguished. His eyes had that wide, distant, I’m-processing-something-terrible-and-can’t-focus-right-now look. Crusty rivers of salt ran down his face. He finally spotted me and walked through the crowd, and I swear, with each step my 6'2" husband hunched a little further. He stopped in front of me, his entire body just one big soggy sag. “How did it go?” I asked. “Awful.” I couldn’t help it. I laughed. And Keith, still holding his empty finish-chute food box and a drained Gatorade, limped away. I’d just started training for the Marine Corps Marathon—my first 26.2—when Keith announced that he wanted to run it too. This was strange, because Keith was a cyclist who didn’t really run—like, would…

BAY OF FUNDY MARATHON LUBEC, ME, & NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA June 23, 2019 Run in two countries on the same day. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, seals, and even whales in the Bay of Fundy. ELY MARATHON ELY, MN September 21, 2019 Take a winding 26.2 through early fall foliage in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The weather is typically cool and the course is a Boston qualifier. GOD’S COUNTRY MARATHON GALETON, PA June 1, 2019 Tour the forested hillsides and riverbanks of Pennsylvania’s Potter County before finishing at the historic county courthouse. ELLERBE MARATHON ELLERBE, NC February 23, 2019 Start and finish in tiny downtown Ellerbe, former home to Andre the Giant, and then get treated to hot vegetarian soup and cheese quesadillas. RUNNING WITH BEARS…

PRICE: $150 TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 11.3 oz (m), 8.9 oz (w) DROP: 8.6 mm (m), 7.9 mm (w) THE REFRESHED LEVITATE has an all-new look, but a familiar ride. The most noticeable change is the fresh knit upper and bootie construction, with a ribbed knit collar to prevent blisters. While it’s among the heavier shoes we tested, and a few testers described the Levitate 2 as “clunky,” many found that the added cushioning helped them endure long runs and invigorate tired legs on easy days. At the core of the Levitate is the DNA Amp, a midsole made from an engineered compound of polyurethane (PU)—cushioning that returns energy when force is applied—encased in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which resists the PU foam’s expansion and returns it back to the runner; hence,…

PRICE: $100 TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 9.2 oz (m), 7.2 oz (w) DROP: 12.8 mm (m), 11.4 mm (w) THE SWEET ROAD gets its name from the training ground where the Syracuse cross-country team logs grueling workouts. With its propulsive, snappy ride, it’s a shoe that elite runners could lace up for the fast-paced climb on that route. But the updated Sweet Road is a true, no-frills neutral trainer for all of us, with just enough cushioning for speed workouts and tempo runs. Reebok uses an injection-molded EVA midsole foam, along with a bouncier TPU unit called KooshRide that helps the Sweet Road feel especially responsive underfoot. While it doesn’t bounce quite like Reebok’s lightweight Floatride foam (see page 41), our testers said that this midsole still gets the job done.…

PRICE: $160 TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 9.5 oz (m), 8.1 oz (w) DROP: 5.7 mm (m), 5.1 mm (w) THE FREEDOM ISO 2 is shoe is one of Saucony’s hottest silhouettes right now. It boasts an all-new engineered knit upper for better breathability and comfort, and keeps its glitzy crystal rubber outsole. “The tread was extremely slip-resistant and felt almost gummy,” one tester said. “It offered a nice, soft traction that worked well on road and cinders.” While the midsole and outsole remain unchanged in this update, our tests at the RW Shoe Lab detected a dip in flexibility—both the men’s and women’s versions are considerably stiffer than the original version. However, Saucony’s plush Everun foam still dominates, offering a well-cushioned ride with above-average energy return. The women’s model gets slightly…

OUR IDIOSYNCRATIC BUT EXPERT ENDORSEMENT OF AWESOME STUFF 1 / White Adidas Samba OG $80 In an age of sleek athletic sneakers making it onto the street, this classic soccer-inspired shoe still reigns supreme. (Specifically white, specifically OG style, specifically with blue tongue.) 2 / Nature Valley Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Crunchy Bars $3 a box I have never found a more reliable snack. Substitute it for a meal in a pinch, bring it on a hike to tide you over, eat it before a training run or race to settle an empty stomach. It doesn’t matter—it’s delicious and a tried-and-true stomach BFFL. 3 / Zensah Limited Edition Running Socks $20 I love my growing fun-sock collection, currently featuring corgis, polar bears, and some blinding orange and yellow patterns, among…

ANYTIME I TELL someone I’m a runner, they never fail to ask the same question: Have you run a marathon? In the past, I’ve answered this with some variation of “Not yet, but probably soon.” The truth is that I’m a bald-faced liar. In all of these interactions, it’s what I felt I should say because somewhere in my mind, I really didn’t think I’d be considered a “real” runner if I wasn’t at least planning on racing 26.2 miles. Maybe it was because I was afraid of being judged, but I wanted to do everything I could to make myself seem legitimate and fit in—fit into what, I’m not even sure. In reality, every time I gave my answer, I knew I wasn’t going to go home and find…

Because there’s no quick cure-all to make shin splints vanish fast, prevention is the most important part of the equation, Carter says. To stop them before they start, avoiding large jumps in training volume is key. Alternate among a few pairs of running shoes, and make sure that the kind you choose fits your foot type and biomechanics. If you run on a cambered road, stay on the same side of the road on your way back, and if you run on a track, make it a point to switch directions with each lap. This will vary the stresses on your legs and help prevent repetitive overuse.…

MURPHY’S LAW DICTATES that things will go wrong on marathon day—especially if you’re traveling. So you have to be prepared for anything to happen. After all, you’ve put in the work, and you don’t want the universe to ruin it. Runner-in-Chief (and 28-time marathoner) Jeff Dengate has curated the essential items you’ll need to get through the expected (hunger pangs on the plane) and unexpected (the construction site next to your hotel). Stuff these in your carry-on to make sure you get to the start feeling ready. The rest is up to you. HEADPHONES FOR SOME IN-FLIGHT PEACE Beats Solo3 Wireless4 / $300 Block crying babies and other airplane noises so you arrive at your destination feeling energized. The Solo3 has a crazy 40-hour battery and pairs with Apple devices…

YOU WON’T accept a friend’s bib. It will mess with the results and cause confusion. If you’re going to bandit, don’t wear a bib. YOU WON’T print out a race bib you saw on Instagram, Facebook, etc. Identity theft is not cool. YOU WON’T buy a bib off of Craigslist. C’mon, if a 20-year-old male with a sub-three-hour PR purchases Aunt Betty’s number, guess who is going to win Aunt Betty’s age group? YOU WILL schedule a doctor’s appointment before racing. If you think you can do this, good for you—but what does your body think? YOU WILL have some form of identification on you, along with an emergency contact, so medics don’t have to waste time in case you have an issue. YOU WON’T hog the porta-potties nor will…

THE CITGO SIGN JUMPED OUT TO MELISSA JOHNSON. It shouldn’t have surprised her. After all, it was her sixth Boston Marathon, and the 60-foot-tall sign at mile 25 is an iconic beacon to runners that the end is mercifully near. “I was always so focused,” says the 54-year-old. “I never looked around.” Boston 2018 was different. This time around, Johnson soaked everything in. “This was my worst marathon and my best,” she says, wiping away tears. Worst for the unrelenting rain and 40-degree temperatures, best because this year, Johnson, a network development and physicians service liaison, ran Boston with three of her closest friends—all members of the running group she cofounded 14 years ago, the Ebony Eagles. The idea for this run family was born in October 2003 in Charlotte,…

1 // Anxiety is key. I like to use the month before the race to channel all of my energy toward what could go wrong. I could get hit by a bus, for example. 2 // Put more effort into making a playlist than making a race plan. On long runs, when a song you don’t like plays, become furious with your past self. 3 // Download the marathon map and take a Google Maps tour of the course. Visualize twisting your ankle at every turn. Visualize sitting on the curb and crying. 4 // You’re going to need at least three full weeks to fantasize and tell everyone about what you’re going to eat after the race is over. Tell your partner, your best friend, the cashier at the…

2:01:39 Current world record time, set by Kipchoge at the 2018 Berlin Marathon 10 wins out of 11 marathon starts 2:00:25 Fastest recorded 26.2 time in history, run by Kipchoge for Nike’s Breaking2 project in May 2017, with rotating pacesetters and a pace car 115 MILES Kipchoge’s average weekly training volume when he’s preparing for a race 1:18 Time taken off the previous world record by his Berlin 2018 win, set by Dennis Kimetto in Berlin 2014 $1,250,000 Prize money he collected winning the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series (which includes Boston, London, New York, and Chicago) three times 20 Approximately how far in miles Kipchoge ran during the 2015 Berlin Marathon with both insoles hanging out of his shoes after the glue came undone, causing blisters and bleeding. He still won in 2:04:00, 1:21 faster…

Crashing a marathon is a bad idea. But if you struggle to get miles in because of a packed calendar, or you don’t want to run that much, cover these training essentials to line up—and finish—feeling good. Run Three Days a Week / Do a short, easy run of 30 minutes, a comfortably hard run of at least an hour, and a long run. If you have time on the other days, crosstrain. Take at least one full day off. Build Slowly / Every week, add no more than one to two miles to your long run. Build up for three weeks, then go back down three to six miles for a week to recover. Practice Your Plan / Train in the shoes and clothing you plan to wear on…

IT MAY SEEM PETTY—arrogant, even—to point out to the ill-informed that a marathon is not just 26 miles. There’s that pesky point-freaking-two—385 yards with inestimable importance. In those final moments, races are won and lost, Boston-qualifying dreams come true (or die). The realization that you did it happens, but you still have .2 to go. “It hurts everywhere if you’ve done it right,” says Des Linden. “And if you’ve done it wrong, you’re suffering. Either way, it hurts.” Go back to Boston 2011, before Linden was our Boston Marathon champion. She turns onto Boylston Street with two other women. The finish is so close, and she surges, taking the lead. Kenya’s Caroline Kilel responds, matching her stride for stride. With a little less than 385 yards to go, Linden is…

PRICE: $160 TYPE: Trail WEIGHT: 10.7 oz (m), 9.1 oz (w) DROP: 7.7 mm (m), 6.8 mm (w) FORGET TURNING BACK the next time your favorite trail floods, or detouring when your usual route is mostly puddles. In its newest version, Salomon bonds a fully protective Gore-Tex waterproof membrane to the upper mesh for more puddle-splashing and mud-splattering, with weatherized quick-pull lacing to match. The durable cord-like laces loosen and tighten on an adjustable cinch that locks in a secure fit, and then easily stores inside a pocket on the shoe’s tongue. With light cushioning and good flexibility, the Sense Ride offers excellent ground-feel, but still delivers protection when you need it. A rugged outsole shields against rocks and trail debris, while diamond-shaped lugs dig in when you land and…

PRICE: $90 TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 8.6 oz (m), 6.9 oz (w) DROP: 11.6 mm (m), 8.8 mm (w) THE WINFLO MIGHT not turn a lot of heads—it doesn’t have a fancy carbon-fiber plate or paper-thin upper like pricier models—but you’ll find Flywire lacing that locks your foot in place and Nike’s tried-and-true cushioning. Despite its Spartan design, the shoe is ready to take on any speed, terrain, or condition you can throw at it. Much like standard versions of the Pegasus, the Winflo has a midsole made up of Cushlon foam and Zoom Air units, a winning combo says our test team. A rubber rail along the outside of the foot provides a smooth landing for neutral runners, though runners who want a more traditional stability shoe may have to…

PRICE: $200 TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 11.6 oz (m), 9.6 oz (w) DROP: 15.6 mm (m), 15.6 mm (w) THE KEY TO the Cloudace is its system of independent pods on the sole. Each pod compresses independently as you land and then becomes a firm platform against which you can push off. The pods in the rear are made of exceptionally thick foam surrounded by rubber for a smooth, supportive landing, while thinner, all-rubber pods in the forefoot are more responsive. To boost stability, On uses a wider platform, especially under the heel and through the midfoot, with a “speedboard”—a rigid plastic layer. Our test crew was wowed by the fine detail and excellent fit the Cloudace delivers. At first lacing, it feels a bit tight, especially through the midfoot, but…

INTERNATIONAL BMO Vancouver Marathon MAY 5, 2019 / VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA Marathon, Half Marathon & More Contact: RUNVAN®, (604) 872-2928 1288 Vernon Drive, Vancouver, BC, V6A 4C9 Award-winning. Stunning Running. Runners from 65+ countries. info@runvan.org www.bmovanmarathon.ca Canada’s Biggest Running Weekend Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 2K, Kids MAY 26, 2019 OTTAWA, CANADA Contact: Susan Marsh 5450 Canotek Rd., Unit 45 Ottawa, ON CANADA K1S 9G2 1-866-RunOtta susan@runottawa.ca www.runottawa.ca Athens Marathon 10K & 5K Original Historical Course NOV 10, 2019 / ATHENS, GREECE Contact: Apostolos Greek Tours Inc., (303) 755-2888 2685 S. Dayton Way #14, Denver, CO 80231 Various Support Packages www.athensmarathon.com MOUNTAIN PACIFIC Maui Oceanfront Marathon JAN 20, 2019 / LAHAINA, HI Marathon, Half Marathon, 15K, 10K, 5K Contact: Les Wright, (530) 559-2261 2480 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei,…

LET ME EXPLAIN (1) The marathon is the holy grail. It requires so much of you, and each year you have very few chances—maybe only one—to get it right. When you get it right, there’s no better feeling. (2) In races, I’ve had some of my best performances shying away from heartbeat or time. When you really need to perform, you need to be able to trust yourself, your body, and not rely on numbers. (3) Roads every day. I prefer running fast. Being technical just doesn’t get my blood flowing the same way. (4) Unfortunately I have zero patience, which has worked against me on several occasions when coming back from injury. It’s so damn hard. (5) I don’t collect T-shirts. (6) No music, no podcasts, no headphones in…