An Injury-Free Approach To Cross-Training

Find more: Wheel Benefits Loosen Up The Runner's Six Pack

Runners cross-train to prevent injuries. so it's ironic, if not unjust, to get injured when cross-training. Last year, I was in a Pilates class, struggling to master a hamstring-curl maneuver with my feet up on a stability ball. Although the instructor suggested a less difficult move for beginners, I forced the motion until my right hamstring felt like it was being torn to shreds. It was. My injury sidelined me from running for nearly two months.

Of course, Pilates and alternative forms of exercise can improve your fitness, prevent and rehabilitate injuries, promote recovery, and revive a stale routine. The trick is to approach them as a runner. Runners have their obvious strengths: power, endurance, tenacity. But within those strengths lies the potential for weakness: quads that overpower our hamstrings, neglected upper bodies, and poor flexibility qualities that could lead to problems. "Running makes you a fit runner," says Jason Karp, a running coach in Albuquerque, New Mexico. "But your running fitness may not translate to other activities that use your muscles and joints in different ways. Taking on too much too fast can make you vulnerable to injury." Understanding the three most common problems for runners will help you cross-train safely, so you can benefit without incident.

Runner's Challenge: Weak Hamstrings

Cross-Training Fix: Hamstring Exercises, Cycling

Healthy Approach: Quads are larger and have more muscle mass than hamstrings, so they generate at least one and a half times more power, says 1993 World Marathon Champion Mark Plaatjes, a coach and physical therapist with Boulder Running Company. "Running increases this imbalance because it's such a quad-dominated activity that it makes them even stronger," he says. Because the hamstring is weaker and has to work harder to keep up, it's susceptible to pulls and tears. Runners aiming to reduce this imbalance often head to the gym for hamstring curls. The mistake comes in trying to lift equal amounts of weight with the hamstrings and quads. "You can't expect to get your hamstrings to 100 percent of the strength of your quads," says Plaatjes. "A good goal would be to do 50 percent of what your quads do." Start by curling 20 percent of what you can lift with leg extensions and work up from there.

Cycling and spinning also build leg strength, but unless you wear shoes that clip into the pedals, you'll be building up your quads, enhancing the imbalance. "With toe clips, you're not just pushing down, you're also pulling up that's what hits the hamstrings," says Alysia Mastrangelo, Ph.D., assistant professor of physical therapy at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Also watch your form. Cyclists who move side to side excessively during the downstroke motion put excess pressure on their knees.

Runner's Challenge: Weak Upper Body

Cross-Training Fix: Strength Training, Swimming

Healthy Approach: Setting PRs requires more than leg power. A strong upper body helps you process oxygen more efficiently, which allows you to run faster with less effort, Mastrangelo says. Adding upper-body work to your routine will also help you maintain your form in the late stages of a race when your form deteriorates. Runners who are new to strength training tend to get injured either by lifting too much or lifting with incorrect posture, Mastrangelo says. She recommends first assessing the maximum amount of weight you can lift one time. Warm up with a few lightweight reps, and then see what your max is for one rep. Train at 50 to 75 percent of that. Always do your exercises in front of a mirror. If you lose proper form, lower your weight or reduce the number of repetitions in each set.

Swimming is often praised as an ideal cross-training activity for runners because it provides an excellent cardio workout with zero impact and it strengthens muscles that running neglects. But that can lead runners into a false sense of security. Sue Levin, 45, a runner from northern California, learned the hard way. "I had been doing the butterfly stroke wrong for six months without realizing it," says Levin, whose arm injury required eight months of rehab. Mastrangelo says to start with 20 minutes in the pool. To get a workout roughly equivalent to running, you have to swim only about one quarter of the distance you'd run. Unless you have a swimming background, stick with the freestyle stroke, which is easier to master and is effective at building upper-body strength.

Runner's Challenge: Tight Legs

Cross-Training Fix: Yoga, Pilates

Healthy Approach: Yoga and Pilates build core strength, mental focus, balance and perhaps most important for runners flexibility. But in our attempt to loosen our hamstrings, calves, and hips, we can push ourselves too far and end up with a strained muscle or joint. Start with a beginners class, or find an instructor who offers modified poses. "It's better to practice a beginner's version with good form than an advanced pose with bad form," says Wendy Puckett, a marathoner and owner of Steamboat Pilates in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Tell your instructor that you're a runner and whether you have any chronic injuries. She could show you how to use yoga blocks or straps to help you ease into positions.

Runners are conditioned to run through discomfort, but if you feel pain, back off. Recognize your body's limits and have realistic expectations. "I may not be as good as the person next to me, but I just focus on my own goals," says Carrie Tollefson, 30, a 2004 1500-meter Olympian, who practices yoga. If Tollefson can turn off her competitive instinct while cross-training, the rest of us can, too.

 

Sports Nutrition For Competition

By Stephanie Nunes, RD

Studies have shown that having a fueling and hydration plan for competition can improve performance along with proper training

Day before competition:

Goal: Eat high Carbohydrate meals the day and night before to fuel your muscles. The meal composition should be: 2/3 carbohydrate (bread, bagels, pasta, rice, tortillas, potatoes, cereal, fruits, juices, vegetables, yogurt, and milk) and 1/3 protein (lean red meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, cheese, soy products, beans, nuts/nut butters, and seeds). Fried or fatty foods will not fuel your muscles or enhance performance.

Ideas:
Pasta with red sauce, rice bowls, baked potatoes with lean meat and veggies, Chinese food with rice, bean and cheese burritos, waffles and peanut butter (yes it is ok to have breakfast food at night!), thick crust pizza with veggies/Canadian bacon, fruit or juice with meals or during the day, lean meat sandwich.

Hydration:
Make sure you are drinking water, juices and sports drinks throughout the day to stay hydrated. Your pee should look like lemonade, NOT apple juice!
 

Day of competition Breakfast:

Goal: Refuel your body to replace the energy it used while you slept. Breakfast also helps you think better. Once again, the breakfast should be high carbohydrate, low fat, small amount of protein (depending on tolerance and time of event). If your event is 2 -3 hours or more after breakfast, this should be a substantial breakfast.

Ideas: Frozen waffles with peanut butter and fruit, large bowl of cereal with milk and banana, fruit or yogurt smoothie and a piece of toast, granola bar or energy bar, peanut butter sandwich and juice, oatmeal, bagel/egg/cheese sandwich, yogurt mixed with cereal and fruit, etc. If you find you are unable to eat a large breakfast at one time, eat half and then the rest the next hour or so.

What if I am too nervous to eat?
Studies have shown that getting "something" in can improve performance. Anxiety can affect gastric emptying and cause stomach distress, so choose foods that are liquid or semi-liquid vs. solid food. Examples: Yogurt, Gel or Gu, honey, applesauce, banana, pudding, sports drink, or liquid supplement like ensure or boost (chilled if possible).

What if my event is early in the morning, and I really don't have time to eat breakfast?
Have your breakfast as a late night snack the night before. Example: bowl of cereal at night. The day of your event, wake up and drink 8-16 oz sports drink, try a packet of Gu or gel washed down with water, or drink a glass of juice. Aim for 100 calories if you can.
 

Pre-competition:

Goal: Give your body carbohydrates to maximize blood sugar and glycogen stores, get rid of hunger feelings, and provide a psychological edge to help you think clearly. The challenge is deciding what foods you can tolerate and when. The foods at this time should be high carbohydrate, low-fat, low-fiber, moderate protein.

• General Rule of Thumb
  • Meals 3-4 hours before competition- Lean meat sandwiches/pretzels/fruit, tortilla wrap with low-fat cheese and ham/baked chips/ juice, broth based soup with noodles or rice/crackers, cold pasta salad/string cheese/sports drink, peanut butter sandwich/banana/crackers.
  • Snacks 1-2 hours before competition- Bagels, toast, yogurt, graham crackers, dry cereal, pretzels, trail mix, fig newtons, energy bars, animal crackers, rice cakes, canned or fresh fruits, juice, oatmeal cookies, etc. **TIP: If you are a heavy sweater and/or have 2 competitions in one day, I would recommend more salty snacks like pretzels, low fat crackers, or broth based soups to help retain fluids and maintain good hydration status.
  • The closer to competition, rely more on liquids and small snacks- Gel, sport beans, pudding, juice, sports drinks, honey, etc.

 

What is "Nutrition Conditioning"?!?!
Training your gut by eating the same meals and snacks in training that will be used in competition.

Hydration Guidelines:

Are fluids really that important? Yes!
Being only slightly dehydrated can decrease muscle strength, speed, stamina, energy, cognitive process, and increase risk of injury.

Pre-Event Hydration:

1. Drink 16 oz sports drink 2 hours before race (produce a light-colored, but not clear urine)
2. Drink 8-16 oz sports drink 15 minutes before event

After Event Hydration

1. Drink 16-24 oz sports drink

Why are sports drinks better than just plain water for training and competition?
They are formulated to taste better than water which encourages re-hydration, provides carbohydrates for muscle glycogen, and the sodium helps the body retain more fluids.
 

Fueling between events:

• If there is more than 2 hours between competitions, choose both Carbohydrate and Protein. Ideas: Lean meat sandwich, non-fat yogurt with cereal, tortilla wrap or pita sandwich with a piece of fruit, peanut butter sandwich and juice, bagel/low-fat cream cheese with a fruit smoothie, pasta salad, rice bowl, leftover high carbohydrate dinner if tolerated.
   
• If there is less than 2 hours between competitions, choose mostly Carbohydrate
  Ideas: Low-fat crackers, high carbohydrate energy bars, fig newtons, smoothies, juices, bagels, dry cereal, yogurt, animal/graham crackers, toast, pretzels, vanilla wafers, fruit leather or fruit roll-ups, bananas, meal replacement drinks (i.e. boost, ensure, carnation instant breakfast), English muffins, dried fruit trail mix, sports drink, etc.

 

Fueling after event(s):

Goal: Refuel and re-hydrate within 30 minutes after event. The goal is to restore muscle glycogen, repair muscle damage, and replace fluid and electrolytes. This 30 minute window of opportunity helps to maximize recovery and enable you to bounce back for future training and events.

Guidlines:

• Fluids- replace 24 oz for every pound lost during event. Including sodium in the recovery plan is beneficial.
• Carbohydrates- .5 grams per pound of body weight within 30 minutes.
• Protein- Aim for 10-20 grams of protein within 30 minutes.

 

Ideas for quick foods to eat within 30 minutes:
24 oz sports drink + bagel + peanut butter
Sports bar + sports drink
Low-fat chocolate milk
Bowl of cereal with dried fruit and nuts + fluids
Leftover sandwich + juice + water
Yogurt + bagel + water or sports drink
Protein/carbohydrate repletiondrink or meal replacement drink
Fruit + thick crust cheese/veggie pizza + water

What if I don't feel like eating right after my event?
Focus on liquid products. Low-fat chocolate milk is a GREAT replacement drink for the crucial 30 minute time frame!
 

Traveling bag:

Goal: Plan ahead for meals, snacks and fluids. Buy a lunch box or insulated bag that can keep food chilled and pack your familiar foods the night before your meet. Consider freezing a bottle of water or sports drink to put in lunch box to keep foods chilled.
 

Grocery List:

Juice boxes	dried fruit	sports bars	sports drink	fig newtons	bagels
Trail mix	raisin boxes	sandwiches	fruit roll up	pretzels	string cheese
Bananas	oranges	fruit	gel/GU	pita bread	dried cereal
NF milk	pasta salad	noodles/rice	potato	yogurt	fruit cups
Eng muffin	baked chips	nuts	Pita chips	granola bar	inst oatmeal
Pita chips	peanut butter	water bottles

 

Tips for eating out on the road:

• Choose single burgers instead of "monster burgers" with bacon and cheese.
• Sandwiches with turkey, chicken, or roast beef instead of chicken salad or salami. Pile on the veggies!
• Grilled chicken sandwiches or salads instead of fried chicken.
• Grilled meat or grilled fish instead of fried.
• Pasta dishes with lots of pasta and red sauce instead of pasta with cream sauces.
• Stir-fried vegetables and steamed white rice instead of dishes with a lot of meat or fried egg rolls.
• Waffles, pancakes, grits, scrambled eggs, or grilled ham, instead of bacon, sausage, or biscuits.
• Pizza with thick crust (wheat is good too!), vegetables, and Canadian bacon, instead of a pepperoni, sausage, or "meat lover's" pizza.

 

"Fuel The Machine And See The Results!"

Sports Nutrition Secrets Uncovered

 

 

Nutrition and Marathon Training

By Stephanie Nunes, RD

"Every choice you make from sleep patterns, to nutrition, to training, has an effect on the runner you are. Eat a lot of nutrient rich foods and notice how your body will start to give you all the energy you are asking of it."
Deena Kastor-
  American Record Holder for the Marathon

 

Proper nutrition is an essential component for marathon training. Your training may be all for nothing if you don't get to the start line healthy because you haven't fueled your body properly in the weeks and months leading up to the race.

Matathon Training Nutritional Goals

1. Meet your body's health needs
2. Provide fuel for endurance
3. Speed muscle recovery
4. Reduce injuries
5. Keep immune system boosted
6. Improve performance

Typical Daily Marathon Training Meal Plan

Grain/Carbohydrate Group = 8 – 15 servings (½ from whole grains)
Protein = 5 – 7 oz (lean sources)
Fruit = 2 – 3 cups (variety)
Vegetables = 2½ – 3 cups (variety of intense colors)
Dairy = 3 servings (low-fat or non-fat)
Fats/Oils = 6 tsp or servings (heart healthy)
Sugars/Sweets = 200 – 300 calories (usually from sports supplements)

Note: This is a general plan. Individualized needs are based on resting metabolic rate, duration of running, intensity, body weight, and special requirements.

Meeting Nutritional Goals

• To meet your body's health needs incorporate food from every food group every day. This ensures that you'll get the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that your marathon training demands.
• It's well established that consuming carbohydrates before, during, and after exercise, enhances performance, delays fatigue, and improves endurance. By eating carbohydrate-rich snacks in addition to carbohydrate-rich meals throughout the day you fuel your muscles with the glycogen you need to train and recover. This doesn't mean that you should eat only carbohydrate-rich foods. It means that 55-65% of your food intake should be from this source.
• A high energy breakfast sets the stage for a high energy day. If you train early in the morning, consume a small amount of high-carbohydrate food or drink such as a banana, sports drink, gel or applesauce prior to your workout, then fuel up on a large breakfast when you return. Research shows that eating some kind of carbohydrate-rich source before exercise can improve performance.
• If you feel fatigued and tired all the time, review your diet to make sure that your carbohydrate intake is sufficient, and that you're getting enough iron. Studies indicate that if an athlete is consistently low in carbohydrates and/or iron, he/or she will indeed feel needless fatigue and performance will decline. Iron is an important mineral in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen to the exercising muscles.
• Easy ways to increase your carbohydrate intake are by carrying non-perishable snacks in your car or purse, eating larger potions of carbohydrate-rich foods at mealtime and eating cereal at night before going to bed.
• To speed muscle recovery after your workout, refuel within 30-minutes after training. The snack or meal should be mostly carbohydrate and a small amount of protein. If you don't feel like eating solid foods, try a recovery drink or low-fat chocolate milk.
• To boost your immune system eat foods with Omega 3 fatty acids and yogurt every day.

 

Stephanie Nunes is a Registered Dietitian and runner residing in San Luis Obispo, California. Her private practice is "Rock Solid Nutrition" and she provides individual counseling, on-line counseling, lectures or presentations for specific groups, and nutrition related articles. If you would like to contact Stephanie for any of these services, her e-mail address is Rocksolidnutrition@sbcglobal.net.

What about Caffeine and Athletes

By Stephanie Nunes, RD

There is much confusion on the health effects of caffeine. I am going to address specific topics that may be of interest to athletes: Dehydration, Bone Health, Sports Performance, Cancer, and Heart Disease.

Extensive research has been conducted on the health effects and safety of caffeine consumption and the general consensus appears to be that moderate caffeine consumption (approximately 300mg/day) is safe. It is estimated that the average daily caffeine consumption among Americans is 280mg/day.

 

A Few Common Sources of Caffeine
Source	Caffeine
8 oz Brewed Coffee	135 mg
1 oz Expresso	30-50 mg
8 oz Green Tea	25-40 mg
8 oz Black Tea	40-70 mg
12 oz Coca-Cola	34.5 mg
12 oz Diet Coke	46.5 mg
12 oz Mountain dew	55.5 mg
SoBe No Fear	158 mg
1.45 oz Sweet chocolate bar	27 mg
Exedrin	65 mg

Dehydration

Researchers used to believe that caffeinated beverages had a diuretic effect and caused dehydration. Recent research now shows that coffee, tea, and other caffeine-containing beverages do not affect hydration status on those who are already accustomed to consuming caffeine. Caffeine only has a diuretic effect if you consume large amounts of it (500-600 mg/day).

My advice: Enjoy your favorite caffeinated beverage while continuing to focus on maintaining proper hydration with fluids such as water, juices, sports drinks, etc.

Bone Health Research has shown that caffeine is not a significant risk factor for poor bone health when adequate calcium is consumed.

My Advice: Include at least 2 servings of calcium rich foods daily and add milk to your coffee or tea (my favorite is a non-fat mocha!)

Sports Performance

Early researchers thought caffeine's benefit on sports performance was linked to its ability to spare muscle glycogen and increase fatty acid metabolism. Now the current thinking is that the positive effects of caffeine have more to do with "mental energy". Studies on sports performance have shown that caffeine had a 24% improvement in endurance performance and 4% improvement in strength performance. The quantity used which showed the biggest improvement was 6 mg/kg body weight. Less than 3 mg/kg showed a smaller improvement or no improvement at all. It is also thought by some that the amount of caffeine needed for sports performance depends partly on "caffeine sensitivity".

Additional Note: Substances in coffee and tea can interfere with iron absorption.

My Advice: If you suffer from anemia, do not drink tea or coffee with your meals or within one hour after. The best advice would be to drink them an hour before eating. If you don't usually use caffeine but want to try it for sports performance, watch for stomach distress.

Cancer

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recently released an article, "The Truth about Caffeine and Cancer". The AICR stated that coffee is no longer associated with increased cancer risk. In fact, "because it contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, coffee may actually boost health and possibly reduce cancer risk." Tea continues to show cancer combating benefits, especially green tea.

Heart Disease

Recent research has shown no relationship between caffeine ingestion and heart disease. However, there can be exceptions to this rule in that some may react differently to caffeine than others.

My Advice: Check with your physician if you are experiencing elevated blood pressure or arrhythmias.

Summary:

Caffeine beverages can be worked into an athletes meal plan as long as you pay attention to overall daily hydration, continue to eat/drink the recommended calcium products, and follow an overall balanced meal plan that meets your sports- specific nutrient needs.
 

 

Stephanie Nunes is a Registered Dietitian and runner residing in San Luis Obispo, California. Her private practice is "Rock Solid Nutrition" and she provides individual counseling, on-line counseling, lectures or presentations for specific groups, and nutrition related articles. If you would like to contact Stephanie for any of these services, her e-mail address is Rocksolidnutrition@sbcglobal.net.

Fueling for the Marathon Event

By Stephanie Nunes, RD

This is not the time to experiment with different foods! There are different ideas on how to fuel for endurance events like marathons. Today, most exercise physiologist agree that the most effective way to prepare for a major endurance event is to change your training before the event, NOT your diet. However, this is assuming that you already eat a healthy sports diet of 55-70% carbohydrates!

The Week Before the Marathon

1. Focus on eating plenty of fruits/vegetables/whole grains to keep your immune system boosted
2. Don't skip meals
3. Keep your meals and snack times regular
4. Try to increase your carbohydrate intake a couple days before the marathon but don't "stuff" yourself

The Day Before the Marathon

1. Stay away from foods you know will cause stomach distress
2. Drink fluids frequently.
3. Eat meals at home if possible.
4. If you are on the road pack familiar non-perishable food items.
5. Go easy on caffeine products
6. Avoid gassy foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beans, etc

Pre-Race Day

Note that specific fueling and hydration guidelines are based on individual sweat rate, body weight, and level of fitness. Do not try anything on race day that you have not practiced in training.

• Ideal is to eat 2-4 hours before
• Choose foods high in CHO, low in fat, low in protein, low in fiber
• Liquid and semi-solid foods get out of the gut more quickly than solid food and some athletes tolerate them better. Experiment on training runs.

Liquid food = ensure, boost, Gel.
Semi-solid foods = oatmeal, banana, applesauce, pudding, yogurt.
Solid food = Sports bar, bagel, toast, etc.

• 16 oz sports drink 2 hours before, then 8-16 oz 15 minutes before.

Fueling and Hydration Guidelines during the Race:

• Eat and drink early and often.
• Be on a regular schedule with eating and drinking (ex. Drink every 15 minutes and take a gel every 35-45 minutes)
• Drink 5-8 oz every 15 minutes
• Take gels with water then resume back to drinking the carbohydrate drinks
• Most need to ingest 1-2 gels per hour (based on body weight)

Getting enough carbohydrates during your race will not only help you physically go the distance, but also gives your brain the fuel it needs to think clearly and keep you on a positive track during the race!

 

Stephanie Nunes is a Registered Dietitian and runner residing in San Luis Obispo, California. Her private practice is "Rock Solid Nutrition" and she provides individual counseling, on-line counseling, lectures or presentations for specific groups, and nutrition related articles. If you would like to contact Stephanie for any of these services, her e-mail address is Rocksolidnutrition@sbcglobal.net.

What Foods Help With Recovery

By Stephanie Nunes, RD

 Are there foods that can help my muscles recover faster and feel less sore?

YES! Eating well-balanced meals daily and a variety of foods from every food group can help.

1. Carbohydrates- Important for glycogen repletion, preventing muscle soreness, and keeping the immune system boosted. Goal is 8-15 servings/day
   • Power sources: Cereal, whole grain breads, oatmeal, beans, lentils, corn, rice cakes, whole grain pasta/rice, pretzels, humus, potatoes (with the skin!), etc.
2. Protein- Important to promote muscle repair. Athlete's needs may vary. Goal is approximately 75- 100 grams daily.
   • Power sources: Eggs, lean meat, nonfat milk, tuna, tofu, yogurt, peanut butter, fish, nonfat cottage cheese, etc.
3. Fats- Important to decrease muscle soreness, decrease inflammation, and spare glycogen stores.
   • Power sources: Olive oil, fish (omega-3 fatty acids) 3-4 times/week, avocado, nuts, almonds, etc.
4. Fruits and Vegetables- Important to reduce damage to your muscle cells, keeps your immune system boosted, decrease soreness after workouts, vitamin C can help repair injuries, etc. Goal is 4-6 servings of vegetables and 3-5 servings of fruit DAILY!
   • Power sources: Broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, oranges, kiwi, carrots, pineapple, peas, red peppers, bananas, blueberries/raspberries, squash, cabbage, spinach, dried apricots, tangerines, vegetable juice, mangoes, raisins, etc.

*TIP: Eat a carbohydrate source and protein source within 30 minutes after workouts to promote muscle recovery and glycogen repletion. Ideas: Bagel with non-fat cream cheese, peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread/fruit, left over pizza, cereal with milk/nuts/fruit, tuna sandwich/juice, sports bar, trail mix/yogurt, cottage cheese/fruit, bean burrito/cheese/tomatoes, etc.

Stephanie Nunes is a Registered Dietician, a competitive runner and the mother of two. She resides in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Athletes over 40 hurtle past records, stereotypes

Over the Hill?

Matt Carpenter, 43 Carpenter – owner of a 90.2 VO2 max, a record high for the measurement of efficient oxygen use – leaps a gulley at Garden of the Gods. The runner is often a winner of the Pikes Peak Ascent and the Pikes Peak Marathon. Photo by Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

---

 

Jason Blevins The Denver Post

The familiar doubt arrived, haunting Marshall Ulrich.

"You are too old for this."

It was 114 degrees, and 56-year-old Ulrich was 35 miles into July’s Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile race that climbs from California’s Death Valley to the flanks of Mount Whitney. Ulrich was crossing Death Valley for the 20th time in his running career, and things were looking grim. He’d lost 6 pounds since the start. His legs felt leaden, his breathing was labored. He was cramping. Sweat pouring. He was dead last in a race he’d won four times.

Maybe he’d pushed too hard, racing across the Gobi Desert, taking on an adventure race in Virginia and an ultramarathon through the Swiss Alps during the two months prior. Maybe after two decades of endless running in 117 ultra competitions and a dozen expedition-length adventure races and summiting the highest peaks in each continent, he was nearing his end at the top.

Maybe he was simply too old.

"I definitely thought about that for a little bit," he says, leaning back into a leather chair at his home perched above St. Mary’s Glacier.

"I had to give myself a little talk and say, ‘So what?’ I had to stop feeling sorry for myself. So I’m suffering. Big deal. I expect to suffer, and really, I just don’t care. You have to remember you always come back."

After an hour in the medical tent and a gallon of water, Ulrich found his inner champion and passed more than 40 other racers on his way to the finish the next day.

Turns out age wasn’t a factor. For Ulrich and an impressive roster of other over-40 athletes, a combination of smart training and the wisdom of experience lets them stay competitive.

They aren’t winning despite their age. They are winning because of their age.

Oxygen-burning machines
"What we are seeing is a new phenomenon in that we have athletes who are basically athletes their entire lives," says Chris Carmichael, Colorado Springs training maestro to Lance Armstrong and a former pro bike racer who finished his second Leadville 100 this year at the age of 46, this time in less than nine hours.

"They just keep on going. They just keep on getting more efficient with their use of oxygen. After years and years of aerobic training and competing, they are, in a sense, smarter athletes."

And they compete in an evolving playing field that is turning recreation into sport. What were once multi-day or several-week hikes – like the Colorado Trail or the Kokopelli Trail – are now venues for nonstop endurance races. Marathons, once the pinnacle of athletic achievement, are mere training runs for ultra races that span at least 50, but more often 100, miles.

Front page of the Sunday, 10/21/2007, Denver Post

Adventure racing, which draws teams so fast that the biggest weeklong races sell out in a matter of hours, has evolved into a contest for those who can suffer the most and still keep moving.

Take Bernie Boettcher. On his 45th birthday last month, the Silt legend reset his master-class record and logged his fourth overall win at the Imogene Pass race above Telluride. It was his 267th race in 260 consecutive weeks. In those five years of every-weekend racing in sneakers and snowshoes, he’s tallied 115 wins and 208 master-class wins.

"At the end of suffering, there is a reward, and it’s a really neat feeling to overcome that suffering," says Boettcher, his blue eyes gleaming beneath his trademark wide-brim straw hat. "After a while, that feeling is irresistible. You plow on through because you know it’s so good."

Passion before performance
A common thread found among Colorado’s venerable elite – aside, of course, from natural athletic talent – is a late competitive start. Most didn’t begin their full-tilt racing career until their mid-30s or even later.

"Maybe that’s because we have a different set of expectations and the passion came before the performance, where a lot of guys who started young had the performance first and then lost the passion," says Matt Carpenter, a rarely beaten world-class runner who, at 43, just won both the Pikes Peak Ascent and Pikes Peak Marathon in the same weekend.

"You have to look pretty hard to find young guys with the level of passion some of us old guys bring."

A few months ago, Carpenter teamed up with Ned Overend, a 52-year-old mountain biker from Durango, to win the team contest in the Teva Mountain Games. The two gray-haired athletes giddily beat some of the strongest young competitors in outdoor sports.

"I have a lot more respect now for the old-man strength, and I know now, once the gun goes off, forget the age groups. It’s every man for himself," says 29-year-old Josiah Middaugh, a nationally ranked triathlete from Vail who has lost several times to some of Colorado’s toughest over-40 racers.

The passion of the extraordinary elders is anchored in a steadfast love for training. Sure, for outdoor athletes, training means going for runs and rides in the woods. Who doesn’t like that? But when it comes to competing at an elite level, training involves somewhere around 40 hours a week of heavy work, not a weekend ride or two.

And after a couple of decades of training, the older athletes learn a few tricks – like how to taper and how to make it fun – that keep them in shape while staving off dreaded burnout.

They have trained for so long, their fitness level is staggering and it stays high. They aren’t rolling off the couch to prep for a race. They are building on decades of work.

"Training is a part of our lifestyle," says Overend, who was twice ranked as the world’s top rider and still levels virtually all rivals who pedal against him.

"Racing is important, but training is absolutely important. … You have to build momentum, get the right intensity and volume and find the right recovery time. It’s complicated, and it changes all the time. "

Wisdom of the war horse
The right training regimen fosters the right mental game – and that’s where some over-40 athletes say they have the sharpest edge over their younger rivals. It’s the same for most sports, where the old war horses know the strategies of a contest and carry the confidence and expertise they need to defeat stronger adversaries.

"Physically, I know there are people on the starting line who are probably stronger than me, but that doesn’t mean I cannot beat them," says Vail’s Mike Kloser, a 47-year-old husband, dad of two teenagers, director of activities at Beaver Creek and the world’s most accomplished adventure racer – who still rides a mountain bike like he’s being pursued by wolves.

"It might actually mean I am more able to beat them, because they rely less on their mental game. The mental game is a huge factor."

So long as that mental war is waged before the start of the race. While a younger racer might be strategizing and obsessing during a race, veterans know that in competition they have to remain in the moment.

"For me the mental part isn’t really a part of it. I just get out there, and it’s too overwhelmingly physical to get stressed," says Dave Wiens, a mountain biking champion who beat Floyd Landis and his own record in his fifth win at the grueling Leadville 100 race this summer. "A lot of it is attitude. You are going to be as old as you think you are. I like to think I’m only 43."

Motivation is a varying characteristic among older athletes. For racers such as Carpenter, Kloser and Boettcher, it’s all about winning. Some race to win, but they race for other reasons. Wiens and Overend are so in love with riding, they will race long after they lose that perch on the top podium.

Winning for a cause
As for Sedalia runner Diane Van Deren, she races to win so that her message will be trumpeted.

A dozen years ago, surgeons told Van Deren her career as a pro tennis player was over. The chunk of seizure-scarred tissue they were carving from her brain would take with it her athletic excellence. Today, the 47-year-old mother of three is on track to become the most accomplished female endurance trail runner in the country.

Last month, she placed fifth overall at the 50-mile Dances With Dirt ultra in Hell, Mich., dominating the women’s field, setting a masters record and beating all but four of the male racers who lined up at the start.

She found herself grinning at the same panting question from several racers she passed: "Do you mind if I ask how old you are?"

"When I win, I use it as a tool to raise awareness of brain injuries. It’s not about me. It’s about what I can do with that win," says Van Deren, a North Face-sponsored runner who works closely with patients, administrators and doctors at Craig Hospital.

"I want to take a gift I have as an athlete and use it to the best of my ability. My legs are my voice."

Ditto for ultramarathoner Ulrich, who has raised more than $250,000 for the St. Lucy Filippini Health Center in Hamelmalo, Eritrea, through his tireless running and fundraising.

"When I was young, it was an ego thing – pushing myself to see what made me tick," Ulrich says.

"Then I got that figured out and found another motivation. Knowing I’m doing it for someone else keeps me going. If it was just for myself, I wouldn’t do it. I guess I’m kind of getting over myself."

 

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MATT CARPENTER, 43
Carpenter just changed his motto. It used to be:

"Go out hard. When it hurts, speed up."

Now it’s:

"Train like you’re young, and race like you’re young."

"I’m not making any concessions to age. I think the key word is denial," says the father of one, whose particular skill is running up and down mountains.

Carpenter says he is stronger than ever before, but maybe not as fast. Judging by his recent performance on his home hill, Pikes Peak – winning both the ascent and marathon in two days – it’s hard to see any declines in speed. Besides, a decline in Carpenter’s world means that his dominant wins are simply less dominating.

The 122-pound racer chooses his contests carefully and does not lose. Arguably the best mountain runner in the world, Carpenter logged a VO2 max of 90.2 in 1990, the highest ever recorded for a runner. (VO2 max is considered a benchmark of fitness and measures the amount of oxygen a person can extract from circulating blood and distribute to muscles during high exertion.)

Learn more about Carpenter, one of the more opinionated and colorful runners, at www.skyrunner.com.

 

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DAVE WIENS, 43
Wiens owns the Leadville 100 bike race.

The five-time winner of the ridiculously difficult race put a special effort into this summer’s competition, knowing that Floyd Landis, and possibly Lance Armstrong, would be racing.

For training this spring, he rode the Kokopelli Trail Race from Fruita to Moab – scorching the 142-mile desert race in 12 hours, 45 minutes.

It paid off. When push came to shove in the final leg of this year’s Leadville race, it was Landis pushing Wiens – and the Gunnison father of three boys shoved harder.

Born and raised in Denver, Wiens started racing pro after graduating from Western State College in 1988. Wiens officially "retired" from racing in 2004, but that was before the two-time national mountain biking champion won his four Leadville 100s, the inaugural 125-mile Vapor Trail Race and the Crested Butte Classic 100.

Obviously he has his own definition of "retired."

"It’s kind of an obsession. That’s a problem I have. I am going to have a hard time defining ‘the end,"’ he says. "While winning is certainly more fun, I think losing has way more to offer in terms of character building. I’m going to do Leadville until I get beat. And then I’ll probably do it again."

 

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BERNIE BOETTCHER, 45
Boettcher lives to run in the hills. Not just jogging, but racing and beating everyone who lines up against him.

During nearly five years of racing, the part-time artist from Silt has developed an encyclopedic knowledge of his rivals: their style, how they look when they are feeling strong, and more important, what they look like when they are suffering. Things like tilting their head back. Slowing the swing of their arms. And the most tell-tale sign, looking back over their shoulder.

"You know that that means? That means they’ve stopped racing. That’s when I make my move. For years I have worked on recognizing signs of weakness. I’m like a predator," he says, noshing on a buffalo burger after a quick 30-mile training run.

He makes sure to never develop a pattern his rivals could use against him, working feverishly to assure his strategy is never turned on him. His wife, Jeannie Blatter, is an equally gifted runner, and often the pair wake up Monday with pairs of matching medals. They both share an "excessive personality" that drives them to compete.

"Everything I do is designed to win at running," he says.

 

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MIKE KLOSER, 47
Kloser started pedaling his mountain bike competitively in the mid-’80s after living in the Vail Valley for several years.

He dabbled in the pro mogul skiing circuit for a while, winning a few national contests. But he found his calling hammering the knobby-tired ride, winning mountain biking’s pre-sanctioned world championships in 1988. The father of two teenagers who are emerging as top-tier athletes themselves, Kloser credits his longevity to his switch to adventure racing in 1997.

"Now everything I do outdoors is training," he says.

In the past decade, the 26-year Vail Resorts employee has earned the most wins in adventure racing history, captaining his Team Nike to five world titles, three Eco-Challenge wins and four Primal Quest championships.

Last year he won the U.S. Winter Triathlon Championship at Grand County’s Devil’s Thumb Ranch, confirming his reputation as one of the world’s top all-around outdoor athletes. He does it all and he wins, sporting an unnervingly placid "isn’t-this-fun" grin with every step.

His strategy: pray for the worst weather imaginable. "I really hope for adverse conditions. I relish those hard circumstances because I know rivals wither in those conditions," he says.

 

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DIANE VAN DEREN, 47
In April, Van Deren ran 47 hours, logging 150 miles without stopping.

On her final – and 15th – 10-mile lap at the McNaughton Park Trail Run in Illinois, race organizers began taking down ribbons marking the trail. After all, the racers had been there 14 times. Van Deren freaked out.

"Where’s the trail?" she screamed at the checkpoint staff. "I have a brain injury. I can’t remember!"

A flustered organizer joined her, running along the trail, pointing out the turns – and Van Deren set her record. Just like always.

After brain surgery 12 years ago, Van Deren must write notes on her hands and drop-bags on long-

distance runs. "Drink. Flashlight. Rain jacket." That keeps her focused on stuff like surviving while she stomps her way into history.

The mother of three – including a 19-year-old serving in Iraq – kept her surgery and seizure history secret during her first years on the competitive ultra circuit. When she established herself as a force, she came out and became one of the nation’s leading voices for brain-injury awareness.

She takes her role-model status as seriously as her training, which involves waking at 4 a.m. daily for trail runs that stretch past 30 miles.

"There are no shortcuts to what we do," she says. "It all comes from hard work, and we need to convey that message more clearly. It’s our obligation to set good examples."

 

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NED OVEREND, 52
Overend is the living legend of mountain biking. The Durango racer started his career on the highest step of the podium as a runner, logging top finishes at Imogene Pass in 1980 and 1981.

When he mounted a mountain bike in the early ’80s, he began a career that kicked off with wins at the inaugural world championships in Durango in 1990. From there, he went on to earn two world champion titles and six national crowns as well as dual nicknames: The Lung and Deadly Nedly.

He beat his own record at this summer’s Vail Hill Climb – part of the Teva Mountain Games – beating Floyd Landis with a blistering time of 27 minutes, 29 seconds on the 9.7-mile, 1,500-vertical-feet climb up Vail Pass.

"Avoiding injury is my key," he says. "If my knees get sore on a bike ride, I turn around and go home. I stand in freezing water a lot too: the Animas River, right here in town. I think that kind of ice bath is a good way to reduce inflammation and reduce the chance of injury.

"Injury means needing to take more time off, and that can lead to getting out of shape. You can’t be this old and get out of shape, because it takes so long to regain it."

 

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MARSHALL ULRICH, 56
Ulrich started running 26 years ago to handle stress as his first wife was dying of cancer. He ran a few marathons, barely dipping below the three-hour mark.

On a whim, he decided to run a 24-hour race in upstate New York in 1988. He won it, setting a record, and surprised himself by maintaining that three-hour marathon pace for the entire 24 hours. The father of three had discovered a rare ability to run for, well, forever.

In 2002 he began a quest he dreamed up at age 8: to climb all seven of the highest summits on the seven continents. It took him a mere 3 1/2 years.

Next spring, the lithe Ulrich will join renowned ultra runner Charlie Engle, 44, in an attempt to break the record for running across the United States. Starting in Seattle, the pair plan to run at least 68 miles – probably 15 to 17 hours a day – for 47 days, ending in Washington, D.C.

"There are lots of people out there who think it is extraordinary to go out and run 100 miles. For us it’s much more instinctive to do that instead of sitting on the couch drinking beer and watching a ballgame.

"We have this yearning. I always said I wanted to run into my 90s. Now I’m thinking I can do it into my 100s."

 

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Triathlon: The Early History of the Sport

Four years before the "Ironman", on September 25, 1974, the first triathlon was held on Mission Bay in San Diego (Usa/California). It was directed and conceived by Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan and sponsored by the San Diego Track Club. What follows is the story of the beginnings of this new sport as remembered by one of its founders, Jack Johnstone.

In 1971, at age 35, I joined millions of other Americans in the jogging craze. As was the case with so many others, I’d been growing increasingly disgusted with my ever-expanding waistline and general physical deterioration. One thing led to another, and before I knew it I was competing in road races, which at that time, were relatively small (and inexpensive) affairs. My previous athletic career had been eight years as a high school and college swimmer. Despite being named to the 1957 Collegiate and AAU All-American teams in the 100 yard breast stroke, my overall performances had been rather mediocre. After a year or so of competitive running, I was still struggling to regain my athletic mediocrity. Then, in 1973, I heard about the "Dave Pain Birthday Biathlon", to be staged for the second time on July 28. A 4.5 mile run followed by what was billed as a quarter-mile swim (the actual distance was between 200 and 300 yards). My race! I thought. How many of these runners can swim? I found out. I can’t remember my exact place, and the full results aren’t available, but I think I came in somewhere around fourteenth. Nothing to write home about, but a lot better than I’d been doing in road races.

In much better shape the following year, I broke into the top ten. That rather modest success got me to thinking, There should be more of these races, and the swim should be longer. Someone else wasn’t going to do it. If I wanted it to happen, I had to make it happen. I conceived of a run-swim biathlon with equal emphasis on the two disciplines, and several alternate legs. The initial run could be done in racing shoes, but subsequent running legs would have to be barefoot on a suitable surface (grass or sand). The Fiesta Island area of Mission Bay, where Dave Pain’s race had been staged, was almost perfect. I designed a course, then called Bill Stock, the San Diego Track Club Calendar Chairman, and told him of my plans. He said he would put it on the calendar, and the rest was up to me. As an afterthought, he suggested I call Don Shanahan, who also had some strange event in mind. Maybe we could combine our ideas so there wouldn’t be too many "weird" races on the schedule. I called Don and he told me that he wanted to include a biking leg. I wasn’t too thrilled with the suggestion, having never cycled competitively (I didn’t even own a bike). But what the hell, I thought, let’s go for it. We decided to call the event the "Mission Bay Triathlon".

Neither Don nor I had put on a race before and we had a lot to learn. We leaned on friends and relatives and signed up as many volunteers as we could. The race had to be held late in the summer to allow enough time for publicity. We chose Wednesday, September 25, 1974 as our date, there being no available weekend time slots on the calendar. Our brief notice in the September Issue of the "San Diego Track Club Newsletter" read as follows:

It seems strange to me now that we thought it necessary to include the sentence about bringing bikes. I think someone must have asked me if they’d be provided. I haven’t been able to find any record of the entry fee, but I think it was one dollar. One minor, but memorable experience I had was when I ordered the award trophies. The trophy maker called and asked how to spell "triathlon". He hadn’t found it in any dictionary. I thought, Well, if it’s not in any dictionary, the word must not exist. It’s up to me how to spell it. Given the spellings "pentathlon", "heptathlon", and "decathlon", I guess there wasn’t really much choice, but it seemed like a lot of power at the time.

Our main concern was having enough entrants to make the event credible. I was afraid the inclusion of a bike leg might cut down on the field to the degree that no one would take the race seriously. I drew up a map of the course and took it around to several of the track club events and tried to encourage the athletes to try something new. At one of these I ran into Bill Phillips, a previous winner of the "Dave Pain Biathlon". It took very little encouragement to get a commitment from him. Donna Gookin, who directed a running group at the time, said she’d bring her entire crowd to the race and have as many as were willing enter it. I prevailed on my surfing son Bill Swanson and two of his friends, Joel Rear and Rick Terrazis, to lifeguard along with Jeannie Lenheart, whom I knew from work.

The winner was expected to finish under an hour, but some competitors could take twice that long. Darkness could conceivably be a problem, so we arranged for a few cars to have their headlights directed on the last, short swimming segment (Don remembers this as a last minute, hurry up solution).

On race day 46 eager contenders toed the line. This significantly exceeded our expectations for a never before staged race being held on a weekday evening. An injury kept Don from competing, but I just had to do it. We shared the pre-race responsibilities, but he was the director once the event began. My recollections of the race are fuzzy after so many years years. I don’t recall the first run at all, but remember a little about the second leg. Most of the bikes I saw were beach cruisers and three speeds. Riding a primitive 10 speed Volkscycle, I had one of the quality machines in the field. On the second biking loop, I passed a young lady on a beach cruiser, still on her first time around. I later learned her name was Barbara Stalder. As I went by I remember thinking, Darkness is going to be a problem. I don’t know if Barbara ever competed in another triathlon, but that evening she earned the distinction of coming in last in the first.

As I dismounted my bike and tried to run, my legs felt like they didn’t belong to my body. I let out a moan of anguish and remember someone yelling to me, "Well, it was your idea!". Now, a quarter of a century later, I think, Inspired by Dave and along with Don, it was my idea. In this small way, I changed the world; the course of athletic history. Somehow I did manage to get my legs working again and picked up several places on the swim, though I remember Bill Phillips finishing his second crossing of Leisure Lagoon as I was starting my first. After finishing in sixth place, I started helping Don with the finish line. Sure enough, it was well after dark when the last of the first triathletes made their way across the inlet to the finish.

Most of the competitors went for pizza after the race, and I could tell that everyone, even Barbara, had had a great time. There was no doubt we were on to something. Reflecting now on that first event years ago, I marvel that we were able to draw such an impressive field under the circumstances. These were not triathletes. There was no such thing at the time. None were into cross-training, a term not yet coined. Most didn’t own racing bikes and some were marginal swimmers at best. Yet they had the adventuresome spirit to come out after a hard day’s work and with only two weeks notice to participate in a new athletic event. Few of the names listed in the results will be familiar to today’s triathletes, but if it weren’t for them, the new sport may have died on the cloudy evening on Mission Bay. One name which almost any triathlete will recognize, however, is listed in thirtyfifth place. John Collins, who four years later would found the event which brought international attention to the new sport, had just completed his first triathlon.

We also owe a debt of gratitude to the volunteers, who are necessary for the successful staging of any race. My wife Betty worked in many capacities, but remembers most being chief shoe collector. She headed the team that picked up the shoes from the start of the first swim, stuffed them in plastic bags, and delivered them to the staging area. They were wet, sandy, and smelly. It wasn’t a pleasant job.

Don and I planned three more races for the following summer. Tim Cohalen volunteered to direct the popular two person triathlon relay. During the next few years the events became more popular and saw the emergence of a few athletes who considered the triathlon their specialty. Among these were Tom Warren, winner of the second "Ironman", Wally and Wayne Buckingham, and two time "Ironman" champion Scott Tinley. The Coronado Optimist Club began to sponsor triathlons a short time later. Their races started with biking, followed by an ocean swim and a short run. To my knowledge, these were the only other triathlons to precede the "Ironman".

We stopped sponsoring the event in the early eighties, but by that time the "Ironman" had caught the attention of the media and the sport of triathlon was well on its way. On October 23, 1998, the "Founders Day Triathlon" was held on Mission Bay to commemorate the first triathlon almost a quarter century before. The next day Dave, Don, Bill, and I, along with Tom Warren, became the original inductees into Triathlon Hall of Fame.

Mission Bay Triathlon, September 25, 1974 – 1st Bill Phillips 55:44, 2nd Greg Gillaspie 56:49, 3rd Dave Mitchell 56:57, 4th Jim Young 57:05, 5th Gordon Lutes 59:40, 6th Jack Johnstone 62:18, 7th Richard Fleming 64.01, 8th Bob Letson 64:14, 9th Tom Rothhaar 64:26, 10th John Garty 65:31, 11th Dale Larabee 65:44, 12th Bill Lee 66:04, 13th Pain and Gervais 66:04, 14th Ed Gookin 66:04, 15th Joe Bruce 66:41, 16th Pete Negaard 67:29, 17th Mike Welch 67:38, 18th Armen Johnson 67:40, 19th Rubin Collins 68:18, 20th Rick Sacory 68:25, 21st Ed Stalder 68:49, 22nd Ron Sandvick 71:23, 23rd Eileen Water 71:43, 24th Steve Parson 72:44, 25th Dan Abbott 74:05, 26th Greg Holmes 74:39, 27th Bob Holmes 74:40, 28th Flo Squires 74:45, 29th Herman Platzke 75:29, 30th Judy Collins 77:21, 31st Richard Fromen 78:02, 32nd Gail Hanna 78:12, 33rd Kristin Collins 78:56, 34th Michael Collins 79:10, 35th John Collins 79:19, 36th George Moore 79:27, 37th Bob Potthof 81:16, 38th Arne Dixner 81:47, 39th Jim Waters 84:03, 40th Jerry Mailhot 86:15, 41st Donna Gookin 86:52, 42nd Mayanne Garty 89:14, 43rd Joanne Bartlet 89:25, 44th Karen Gookin 90:20, 45th Sharon Buntrock 90:30, 46th Barbara Stalder 94:51.

 

A Guide to Some of the Best Marathons in North America

Picking a "best" marathon can be like finding a good piece of chocolate in a sampler box of candies: You either take the plunge–and possibly pay the price for it–or you rely on the advice of someone else who has eaten a piece before (or in this case, has done a particular marathon before). Here’s our advice on some of the best races in the country–all so you can match your tastes with a race. Now all you have to do is start training.

 

Best Rural Race: Napa Valley Marathon

You don’t need to be a pretentious snob with a lifetime subscription to Wine Spectator to understand the appeal of Napa. The race is miles of pristine rolling countryside (mustard fields that will later be replaced with grapevines), with only the last mile in town. The fast course requires a Herculean effort between several municipalities, and has 1,300 volunteers for a 2,300-person race. Runners get a plethora of perks in return for their entry fees.

"I think the most important thing is we treat every runner like they’re the only one in the race," says race co-director David Hill. www.napa-marathon.com.

Best Small-Town Race: Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is a smaller city that thinks big. Its marathon offers prize money and has many of the same features of Chicago or New York, but without the crowds. Instead, you’ll run by stately neighborhoods on tree-lined streets, albeit with a smaller audience.

"You get a lot more of the funky urban multicultural experience in Chicago," says Meg Daniel of Kennesaw, Georgia, who has run both. "In Richmond you get a little bit of everything else: the stately old neighborhoods, the quiet Zen-like tranquility of the river, and the historical in-town setting."

Plus, race directors entice marathoners with two dedicated "Junk Food" stops (miles 16 and 22), stocked with cookies, pretzels, Gummi Bears, soda and other sweets to keep runners on a high www.richmondmarathon.com.

Best Big-City Race: New York City

The New York City Marathon is doing what the city has always done–embracing those from abroad. New York’s field is comprised of a stunning 12,000 international runners, and the town welcomes them with some of the largest marathon crowds going (two million or so). The runners tours all five boroughs of the largest city in the U.S., and is one of only two marathons to garner national television coverage, which is why "big" doesn’t really do it justice. Now that ING is ponying up one of the largest prize purses in marathoning, look out: New York’s only going to get bigger. www.ingnycmarathon.org.

Best Destination: Honolulu

Here’s some running therapy for you: Think December. Think white sand, warm temperatures, the sound of waves lapping against the shore. Good. Next, visualize running in shorts while your friends back home are trying to find ways to keep their extremities warm. Now think fireworks over a pre-dawn sky, torch-lit roadways, Japanese banners, costumes and drums. Picture a long, dramatic uphill that will suck the wind out of your lungs, followed by a view that has a similar effect. The Honolulu Marathon is one of the world’s greatest spectacles of running. If you’re up for scenery and a wild time, this is the place. www.honolulumarathon.org.

Best Chance for a PR: Chicago

There are some obvious reasons why those seeking to catch lightning in a water bottle invade Chicago. The crowds are enormous, and no matter how fast you are, there’s someone to run with. The course is flat, which means even pacing–the best route to a PR. But there are other explanations why people speed here. An underrated one is that runners can walk out of their hotels, across the block and up to the starting line in Chicago. In many other "fast" marathons, you sit on a bus for an hour or more, then anxiously kill time (outdoors) in a temporary village that is often as welcoming as Amityville. Chicago removes a great deal of the stress before a marathon by nature of its loop course, which means you run relaxed. And when you run relaxed, you run very, very fast. www.chicagomarathon.com.

Toughest Marathon: Pikes Peak (Colorado Springs)

A race that began as a challenge between smokers and non-smokers, Pikes Peak has enough standing between you and the finish line without chronic emphysema.

"The joy of running the event is really overwhelmed by the agony of it," says Ron Ilgen, race director. "I was one of many who say while they’re running, I’ll never do this again.’"

But they just can’t stay away. Keith "Curly" McKenney of Georgia finished just four minutes before the cutoff. "Standing thereI could only think of how well we had all done, and how I never wanted to do that again." This year, he’ll attempt "The Double": the Pikes Peaks Ascent, Saturday, followed by the marathon (up AND down) on Sunday. If you think that’s brutal, try volunteering. Twenty-two garden hoses are hooked together to transport water to the last aid station. Then there’s the occasional snowstorm. It’s a world-class mountain race, but it’s still a mountain race. The point? Yes, you’re a badass if you run it, but know what you’re getting into before you decide to conquer Pikes Peak. www.pikespeakmarathon.org.

Most Charitable: Marine Corps (Washington, D.C.)

People can, and in fact are, raising money for charity at almost any marathon these days. Some have become destinations for charity groups; others are linked directly to organizations. Along those lines, Marine Corps staff have turned what used to be a sore spot for them (the difficulty of gaining entry) into a chance to do good: Raise money through one of their chosen charities and you receive a coveted race bib. So you can feel good about your race, even before the gun goes off. www.marinemarathon.com.

Most Legendary: Boston

The Boston Marathon has taken quite a beating recently–by the weather, by the press, by the inability of anyone not born in the Rift Valley to win the thing. Sure, it’s got some issues. Like the fact that the trip out to Hopkinton feels like a cross-country tour in your parents’ old station wagon, the one with vinyl seats and without air conditioning ("We’re on a pilgrimage to see a Moose!"). But this is still the granddaddy of them all–the one on every runner’s wish list, either to run in or to win. It’s a fabled course, steeped in history, and you feel its magnitude at the starting line. There’s just nothing like Boston. And until you’ve suffered through the journey like the rest of us, there’s a little piece of your running puzzle that’s missing. www.bostonmarathon.org.

Best New(er) Race: Baltimore

Baltimore, seemingly rife with orange cones and potholes, was not in the running for "Most Scenic Marathon" on our list. But it’s here because those in charge are determined to keep improving their race. Michael Shilling of New Jersey has run every Baltimore Marathon since it began in 2001.

"The beauty of this marathon lies in the fact that the race director and race management company listen to the runners," he says. "They have changed the marathon every year based on runner feedback."

That includes the course, which has been smoothed out since its inaugural year and starts and finishes at Baltimore’s coolest feature, the stadium area that houses both the Ravens and the Orioles. Note the plentiful pre-race restrooms, top-notch expo, swank race shirt (Under Armour is the main sponsor) and lots of spectators. www.thebaltimoremarathon.com.

Best Race at Altitude: Salt Lake City

Yes, the air is thin. Salt Lake City rests at around 4,500 feet. But the vociferous encouragement may make you forget that it feels like you’re breathing through a straw. "This town took ownership of the race from the time it was announced," says Jeff Wilson of Columbus, Ohio. "They took the race as their own and made it special."

"Special" included a finish through the Olympic Plaza and boisterous crowds, in addition to a race management company that sweated the details.

"Great races combine a tireless service to the athlete with an attitude of fun," says Wilson, a veteran of 31 marathons. "We’re all out there to celebrate the day, the sport and each other. The best (races) build on that." www.saltlakecitymarathon.com.

Most Scenic: Big Sur

So you know that car commercial, where a sedan is knifing down a two-lane road high above the ocean with some overdone Led Zeppelin song cranking in the background? You know how your eyes drift from the car you can’t afford, over to the dazzling view? That’s Big Sur, a breathtaking stretch of Northern California coastline. And you, my friend, are going to see it at a much more reasonable speed. Because as beautiful as it is, the Big Sur Marathon is also hilly, and no place to shoot for a PR. Looking west, that won’t matter much.

"Spending the better part of four hours watching the California coast is a pleasant way to spend a morning, even as the pain in my legs constantly increases," says Rick Swayne of Los Gatos, California, a regular here. Be sure to bring along a portable camera; you’ll want to document your slow, painful, gorgeous journey. www.bsim.org.

Best Place to Feel Like a Movie Star: Los Angeles

Drawn to the bright lights of show biz like a moth to a porch light? You’ll dig the 8:30 a.m. start (though some have complained of the heat). Love hearing people call out to you? The personalized bibs (with your first name in big letters) will be right up your alley. Dream of competing in a reality television show? Try crying at the end of a marathon in front of a grandstand full of beautiful people. Los Angeles makes you feel like a somebody.

"The city made such a big deal about it," says Kelli Picon of Greeley, Colorado, who ran the race in 2004. "There were posters all over L.A., Hollywood and everywhere else we went. We saw coverage of it on TV–it made us all feel very important." www.lamarathon.com.

Best Marathon/Vacation Combo: Vancouver, B.C.

It’s about time somebody recognized our neighbors to the north. Vancouver, whose marathon is typically at the end of April, is a beautiful historic city with a British feel and plenty of entertainment for everyone. The race itself is a well-organized, athlete- and spectator-friendly race that gives you a jumpstart on sightseeing. Plus, the hills aren’t so bad that you’ll have to spend the rest of your vacation holed up in the hotel. www.adidasvanmarathon.ca.

Best Race to Leave the Kids Behind: Las Vegas

Running is to Vegas as gambling is to the Vatican. Running means early mornings, carb-fests and sweat-drenched shirts. Vegas means sleepless nights, all-you-can-eat shrimp and sweat that smells like rum and Coke. Maybe that’s the allure: If you’re going to sacrifice your social life in the pursuit of endurance, you might as well celebrate the end of it all in Party Central. Tom Stieg of Washington state knows. He came up short of a Boston qualifier in a windy Vegas last year.

"I was so disappointed I didn’t get to Boston, I headed right for Monte Carlo Brewery and just went crazy," he says. "I was there for the rest of the day, still in my running stuff." Some runners say they come for the fast course. We say they’re bluffing. www.lvmarathon.com.

Best Race with a Half Marathon: Flying Pig (Cincinnati)

Many people don’t know that Cincinnati was once known as "Porkopolis," or that it houses one of the best rib joints in the country (a favorite of the late Bob Hope). In fact, pigs are ubiquitous in the ‘Nati; even the statue commemorating the city’s bicentennial has four winged swine on top of a riverboat’s smokestacks.

Now, for the first time, the Flying Pig Marathon (purveyor of one of the best medals on the circuit) serves up a half-slab of marathon in addition to the full slab. It’s a great addition for those who don’t quite have the appetite for all those hills. www.flyingpigmarathon.com.

Best Race Off the Radar: Cal International

This marathon is actually pretty well known, if you live west of Boise. But Cal International is held in December, after all of the major fall marathons have come and gone. To many runners east of the Rockies, it never crosses their minds. Their loss.

Cal International is one of the best point-to-point marathons going. It runs downhill from Folsom Dam to the center of Sacramento, and is impeccably organized. Typically good weather greets runners, as does a varied course, a fantastic finish line and good crowds — which makes Cal International a good change of scenery, or a great place to rebound from a fall marathon disaster. www.runcim.org.

Best Race That Lives Up to the Hype: Twin Cities

The Twin Cities Marathon lays claim to being the "Most Scenic Urban Marathon." Apparently, it’s all true. Talk to anyone who has run it, and it’s as though they’ve been hypnotized by the fall foliage and the pristine neighborhoods.

"I would say if you’re going to run a marathon in a city, you’d be hard-pressed to beat Twin Cities," says Jesse Pagels of Chicago, who has run all the big ones. Twin’s course traipses through stately neighborhoods, along the shoreline of the lake and on the banks of the Mississippi. But it’s not just scenery that draws people: Twin’s point-to-point course begins just outside the Metrodome, which means a cozy warm-up and plenty of restrooms. At the other end in St. Paul, the finish up Summit Avenue then down past the capitol is one of the most memorable in the country. www.twincitiesmarathon.org.

Biggest Bang for the Buck: Houston

Way back in the ’90s, the HP Houston Marathon was having an identity crisis. They were losing elite runners to other races, and registration was stagnant even as marathoning was experiencing a second boom. Enter new race director Steven Karpas, a runner with a marketing and finance background. Exit prize money for elites. Karpas and the marathon staff plugged that money back into runner benefits and race technology. For $65, each entrant gets a training T-shirt, official race T-shirt, finisher’s sweatshirt, finisher’s beer mug, finisher’s medal, finisher’s certificate and a hot breakfast at the finish line. Houston also helped pioneer the art of tracking runners online.

"We wanted to grow our race, and thought the one way to do that was if runners were direct beneficiaries of the aspects of the race," Karpas says.

It’s worked. Since 2001, the HP Houston Marathon has added a half marathon and 5K and has grown its participation to 18,000 total runners. The half marathon is the men’s national championship race, but every runner feels elite in Houston.

"Lots of races claim they do everything for the runners," says Randy Moore of Minneapolis, who ran Houston last year. "Houston lives up to everything it claims." www.hphoustonmarathon.com.

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The Running Shoe Debate: How Barefoot Runners are Shaping the Shoe Industry

A group of running rebels are shedding their shoes and reporting years of injury-free miles. Some ultramarathoners, biomechanics experts and doctors think that’s probably a good thing. Others go so far as to say running shoes are in fact causing injuries. Meanwhile, running shoe companies continue to precisely measure runners, and pound and flex shoes in their high-tech labs. Could shoes—and shoe companies—be covering hundreds of thousands of perfectly able bare feet? If shoes are doing damage, just what are the companies measuring?

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