Born to Run?

Have you ever had an experience that makes you question everything you thought you knew?  Well, I've been running for more than three decades, and I thought I pretty much knew what I needed to know about the sport.  But after reading the book "Born to Run", I find myself questioning whether all I thought I knew is wrong.  That is the impact this book is having on lots of readers as it gets passed along, mostly by word of mouth, in the running community.

It is the story of the Tarahumara Indian tribe in the remote mountains of Mexico that may be home to the greatest ultra distance runners in the world.  Unlike the Kenyans, however, they almost never race.  They run for the joy of it, and there is much that we can all learn, or remember, from that. 

Author Christopher McDougall takes us along on his first visit to the area, and introduces us to unforgettable characters who happen to be real people.  McDougall's only link to the tribe is a runner who goes by the name Caballo Blanco (pictured on the right).  He is just about the tribe's only link to the outside world.  He is the one who sets up the race that is the central story of the book.  It's a 50 mile ultramarathon in the rugged mountains in Mexico where the Tarahumara live. 

McDougall helps recruit and arrange for the handful of American Ultramarathoners who take part in the race.  Among them are Ultra Champ Scott Jurek, and a character  known as 'Barefoot Ted' (shown on the left).  Ted McDonald is an ultramarathoner who runs really well, but is best known for his choice of footwear, or lack thereof.  As he nickname suggests, Ted usually runs without shoes, which flies in the face of common sense for many of us.  It also seems painful and dangerous!

But Ted, and just about everyone else in the book have just the opposite experience.  They find they run better, and are injury-free because they run without traditional running shoes.  When Ted wears shoes they are basically a thin rubber skin that helps protect his feet from puncture wounds.  The Vibram Five Fingers is one model he pushes.

If you are like me, you are thinking, "Um, no thanks".  About the last time I remember someone running barefoot seriously was South African middle distance runner Zola Budd in the 1984 Olympic race with Mary Decker Slaney.  We all know how that worked out for her.  But McDougall makes quite a compelling argument in favor of running without all the support we get from running shoes.  Along the way he also offers a pretty harsh indictment of Nike, which basically invented modern running shoes.

The basic idea is that the foot has more nerve endings, and bones than just about any other part of the body.  Our feet are an engineering marvel designed to support and adapt to all kinds of activities and terrain.  But when we put our feet in cushioned running shoes, we basically nullify our foot's natural ability.  We also alter our running form, because shoes heavily cushioned in the heel give us the ability to land on our heel, rather than the mid-foot, which McDougall says is the way nature intended.

Running shoes have basically been around only a little more than three decades in this country.  Custom Orthodics and other accessories for those shoes have been around an even shorter amount of time.  Before that, Americans still ran plenty. though the running booms had yet to happen.  But it can be argued that Americans were more competitive on the world stage before running shoes offered the chance to run on something other than a platform.  Certainly running shoes are worn by just about everyone around the world now, but in the case of the Kenyans, they don't generally wear them growing up.  McDougall argues they build up strength in their feet running barefoot for at least a decade before encasing them in shoes as they get out into the world more.

He also points out that injuries like Plantar Faciitis (heel pain) never existed before running shoes hit the market.  I'm not sure how relevant that really is, however, because many of these injuries are not exclusive to runners.  But his point is well taken.  He also cites studies that suggest a relationship between injuries and the price of the running shoes you wear.  Contrary to what you would expect, the more you spend on your shoes (which probably means the more cushioned and supported they are), the more likely you are to get injured!

He also says the older the shoes, and the more the cushioning wears down, the better they are for you.  Wow.  Like I said at the beginning, this is contrary to all we have learned for years.  So what should we make of it?  Well, I am certainly not likely to start running barefoot through the streets of the western suburbs, especially in the winter.  But I certainly may try running some workouts on a grassy area a couple times a month this summer.

I was curious what impact this book and the barefoot running buzz is having on the running shoe industry, so I called Dave Zimmer, who owns Fleet Feet Sports.  Dave pointed out that Nike introduced their 'Free' model as a response to all of this several years ago.  He says most of the other running shoe makers are coming out with their own similar models in the next few months.  All of them are pretty basic, neutral shoes.  And he also (correctly) points out that the introduction of running shoes had a great deal to do with so many new people taking up the sport in the first place. 

The debate will rage on for some time, and I'm sure this is just the first of many entries I will have on the subject.

Anyway, the book wraps up with a thrilling account of the race, which ends up with a close finish between Jurek and the great Tarahumara, runner Arnulfo Quiroz.  It is an epic finish, and the telling of it suffers only a little because the author wrote about it from second-hand accounts.  Most of the rest of the story is a first person account, but because he was running the race, and far from the front, he couldn't be at the finish line himself.  I won't spoil it for you, but I recommend checking it out.  "Born To Run" is a pretty quick read, but it will have you thinking for a long time afterward.

See you on the streets....

 

Step it Up!

When my alarm went off at 6:15 Sunday morning, my wife rolled over and said maybe we should rethink our plan to take all four kids to the Kohls Step Up For Kids stair climb up the AON center.  This is an annual event for me, but this year I wanted to bring the kids along.  I thought they'd enjoy the view from the top.  So as we got up and ready, we rallied to get the kids dressed and into the car.  Oh, the challenges of family life!!

The AON stair climb has always been special to us.  ABC-7 is one of the sponsors, and I have the honor of recording the public service announcements for it every year.  As you probably know, the AON building is the second tallest in Chicago (after the Willis Tower).  Five years ago, I did the climb with our then 6 week old daughter Lorna in a front carrier.  So, I wanted to bring Lorna along this year to show her what it was all about.  She is five years old now, however, so I wasn't about to carry her!  Lorna is on the far right in the silhouette picture of the four kids we took from the top. 

Of course, the family outing meant I was rushing to get to the start on time.  I made it, but without time to pin on my number and timing tag.  They were kind enough to let me go ahead with out them, but I was left to time the effort on my own watch.  And considering how I kind of took it easy on the way up, it's probably good that my time isn't public.  As a matter of fact, it isn't even private, because I forgot to stop my watch when I got to the top.  Regardless, I was happy to finish, as you can tell from the picture my wife took.

The climb itself gets better every year.  There were nearly 2000 finishers this year, and they raised several hundred thousand dollars for Children's Memorial Hospital.  I got to meet a young man this year who owes his life to the work done by doctors at Children's 14 years ago.  He and his family were among the climbers, and he finished with an impressive time.

Of course, this blog is about running, not stair climbing.  But climbing stairs seems to be a great aerobic workout.  I ran a pretty good 12 miler on Saturday, but was breathing much harder after finishing the stair climb Sunday. 

It's probably similar to intervals on the track for getting your heart rate going.  And that leads me to what I saw on my way to meeting friends for that long run Saturday morning.  The York high school track team was doing speed work on the outdoor track which was covered by snow and ice.  Now that's dedication!  If anyone questions how they develop such great distance runners every year, that is part of the answer.

It's probably good inspiration for many of us who are having a hard time getting out the door as the winter drags on.  As for me, motivation is coming in the form of a spring marathon.  More on that in the next few weeks. 

In the meantime, congratulations to all who climbed and raised money Sunday!  You can find the results here: 

 http://results.active.com/pages/displayNonGru.jsp?orgID=234623&rsID=89030

See you on the roads... or stairs!

Hill Work!

It occurred to me as we drove up the mountain to our timeshare hotel last Saturday that this might be a difficult place to run.  Heck, it was a difficult place to drive!  At night, I could barely see the narrow, hairpin turns.  If I missed a turn by a foot, we might find our car tumbling down the side of the mountain.  We were staying in the Smoky mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a place we knew little about, but thought might be a fun adventure for a family vacation.

More on that later. First, as you might imagine, one of my immediate concerns was running.  It seems we always find a place to run no matter where we are staying.  This, however, was going to be a challenge.  We could either drive 20 minutes down the mountain every morning for the chance to run on flat ground.  That, however, would take a lot of time away from our kids.  And my wife and I would have to make separate trips while one of us stayed behind to watch them.  Needless to say that was a bad option.

The other option was to simply put my head down, and run the mountain.  How bad could it be?  

Well, that was the choice.  I enjoy running hills.  It is a good way to build strength and speed as well as get your heart rate up pretty quickly.  That's why my friends and I go to Barrington for long runs many weekends.  The rolling hills there are great.

But they are nothing like the side of the mountain where we were staying.  The Smoky mountains offer the highest elevation in the United States east of the Mississippi river.  The first day I started out the door, and headed down the road, downhill.  I had gone a mile or so when I realized I'd better find a way to mix it up or I was gonna be struggling up the same roads on the way back for several miles.  There was no way to avoid running either up or down on these roads, but at least I hoped to avoid really long stretches of one or the other.

So I took a chance and turned on a road that seemed to be going in another direction, and fortunately, it wound back on a loop nearby our hotel.  And it included both steep climbs and descents every few hundred yards.  So I got really good workouts in, just not killer, virtually impossible ones.  The pictures show the roads near the hotel.  I'm not sure, however, they illustrate just how steep these hills are.

To give you an idea, we were staying across the mountain from a ski resort.  We could look across and see the base near the parking lot and the bottom of the lifts.  By the time I reached the top of some of my runs, I looked across and say the top of the ski runs, where the lifts drop off the skiers.  So I was basically running the uphill equivalent of the ski runs.

The thought occurred to me as I was running that this was really good training for running, especially when you consider the thin air from running at altitude.  But it was also great preparation for several upcoming stair climbs I am doing.  The AON building climb benefitting Children's Memorial Hospital is coming up on January 31st as a matter of fact. So I have no excuse for not trying to get a fast time in that!

Running like this, of course, is why some of the mountain areas in the west are so popular with elite athletes for training.  Albuquerque, Boulder, and Mammoth Lakes are some of the cities that come to mind where you will find the best runners in the world training these days.

As for the vacation, it went well.  After our morning runs, my wife and I enjoyed taking our daughters on some of Gatlinburg's other adventures.  We tried skiing, swimming, and my two oldest daughters even kept me up on ice skates for a time!  

Perhaps the nicest thing about Gatlinburg was the weather.  It was in the 50's much of time, and a welcome departure from the cold and snow in Chicago.  The only snow we saw in Gatlinburg was the man-made kind they used for the ski runs.

Now, however, it's back to reality.  A couple more months of dressing in layers for cold, snow, and wind. 

See you on the roads....

 

Winter Work

My wife and I were at a post-holiday party the other night with a group of mostly other runners, when one woman we know proudly announced that her husband had declared that this is her year to train for whatever she wants.  I thought, "great", now my wife is gonna want the same thing!  I know, after having four children in the last five years, and working hard to get in shape, it's only fair that she gets a chance to do what she likes.  But our family's schedules have been tailored to accommodate my running the last few years!

What she did the other morning really makes me a little envious.  She joined members of the Elmhurst Running Club for their workout on York High School's indoor track.  The group does track workouts once a week in the early morning hours.  Most of the members are training for spring marathons, or for the spring racing season.

I was envious because, as much as I enjoy running out on the roads or trails, the track has always been where I get that special feeling like I'm at home.  I ran high school and college track (many, many years ago).  And for my wife, this was her first track workout ever!  She is relatively new to running, though she has done a couple marathons.  This summer she dramatically lowered her 5k time.  She set her goal for the new year to bringing that time down a couple minutes lower still. 

I know the track workouts are the way to accomplish that goal.  Long slow distance will only get you so far, before you need to get some speed work to get faster.  I also know that because I work nights, there is really no way I'm ever going to make it to the track at 5am to join the group.  So the reality is that she is welcome to go whenever she wants.  I will stay home with the kids.

As for the workout, she tells me they did 800 meter repeats.  That sounds like a good all-purpose workout designed to get your legs turning over a little faster, and get your heart rate up a little.  She tells me it was a good workout. 

Her experience reminded me that this is the time to start getting serious if you are considering a spring marathon.  I've done a few of them, but I always wrestle with the challenge of training all through a Chicago winter, with the snow and cold making it tough to get consistent runs in, especially speed work.

In the past, I've basically ignored the speed work and run the marathon on distance training alone.  That has meant lowered expectations, but I still enjoyed the marathons.  And I found the training gave me a good head start for the summer season. 

The alternatives don't much appeal to me.  You could do speed workouts on a treadmill.  But I really hate treadmill running.  In fact, I really like the name my friend Janeth Ohst used for it the other day, "dreadmill".  And I'm not getting up at 4:30 in the morning to run indoor track workouts!  It would probably not be a great career move to go on a live shot at 10pm the night after getting up to run an early morning track workout.

I really respect those who can do it.  They are the ones I'm watching ahead of me in those spring races!  About the only real cardio workouts I get in the winter are from the two stair climb events I do annually.  The first of those, the AON building climb is coming up soon as a matter of fact.  But I digress.

As I mentioned at the start of this entry, this year should be the year my wife gets to train for whatever she wants.  So far she hasn't asked, but the answer is, yes, it is her year.  I just hope I that means I get to do a few good races!

See you on the roads....

 
 
  

 
 

Marathon. It's a Book.

He is considered one of the foremost experts in the country on marathon training.  Those in the CARA training programs recognize the name Hal Higdon because he designs the training program CARA uses as they prepare runners for the Chicago marathon every year. 

Many runners, however, may not be aware that Higdon is quite an accomplished runner himself.  Higdon ran in the U.S. Olympic trials eight times, and has run well over 100 marathons, and finished as the top American in the 1964 Boston marathon.  He has numerous masters and age group medals to his credit.  He has written for Runner's World magazine since the magazine's first issue in 1966.  He's recieved numerous awards for his writing over the years.  And oh yeah, he is also one of the founders of the Road Runners Club of America.

We in Chicago are blessed to have some of the best running trails, races, and experts in the country.  And foremost among that group of experts is Hal Higdon.  While he lives in northwest Indiana, we are happy to claim Higdon as one of our own here in Chicago. 

So it's little wonder that his latest book has quite a bit of Chicago it it.  Marathon is Hidgon's 34th book, but just his first novel.  After finishing it, I'm wondering what took him so long.  The story is entertaining, and develops characters that are interesting and we grow to care about.

The book covers covers the three day period leading up to the start of the fictional 'Lake City Marathon' then follows the race.  Among the group of fascinating characters is the race director, and a local television reporter who develop a romantic storyline.  There is a huge celebrity 'Celebrity X' who runs his first marathon in the story.  A world famous supermodel also makes her marathon debut at the race.  And there is an intriguing group of elite athletes whose stories are equally compelling. 

The story follows all of their experiences leading up to the starting gun, and through the race experience.  The race itself is one of the most exciting in history on both the men's and women's sides.  And the mid-pack runners have the most amazing marathon experience I have ever heard of. 

Obviously, I don't want to give away any of the story.  But for those who have run the Chicago marathon, the book will seem incredibly familiar.  The 'Lake City Marathon' set-up is incredibly similar to Chicago, from the race expo to the pasta dinner to the headquarters.  And as he describes the Lake City marathon course, you feel like you are on one of those virtual tours of the Chicago course.  The names, in many cases, are also variations on some of the real names of the Chicago streets and landmarks.

I checked with Marianne Caponi, who does public relations for the Bank of America Chicago marathon for her thoughts.  She says, "Hal's unique knowledge of the details behind and activities surrounding big city marathons is what allows him to paint such a colorful backdrop for his novel. It is no surprise given his involvement with the Chicago Marathon over the years that there are apparent references and similarities to the event".

As a fan of the sport of running, I would be inclined to enjoy the book under any circumstances.  But when you throw in the familiar aspects of a local television reporter covering the marathon (which I do every year), the inner workings race (which I'm pretty familiar with), and a mile by mile account of a marathon incredibly similar to the Chicago course (which I've run at least nine times), and I felt like I should have been a character in the story.

I did find the writing somewhat awkward and redundant at times, but that might be expected from such an accomplished writer venturing for the first time into the realm of fiction.  The mark of a good story, to me, is that I don't want to reach the end of the book and I really want to know what happens to the characters afterward.  Marathon passes that test for me.  I would recommend it, especially for those who have run Chicago.

By the way, I don't often do book reviews in this space, but it seems I've got a few running books lined up to read this winter.  So, there may be a couple more in the future.  Let me know what you think.  Also, you may want to check out Hal Higdon's training site, it includes training advice and plans for just any type of runner training for about any distance.  Here is the link:  http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00index.htm

I'll see you on the roads....

Look Back. Start Fresh.

I can think of no better way to start a new year, or celebrate a birthday, or mark any important event in your life, than by going out for a run.  For me, running offers a chance to clear my head, and reflect on the past, as well as focus my thoughts on the future. 

The Elmhurst Running club hosts an annual New Year's day run, that I was able to join last year.  This year, it was my wife's turn to run while I stayed home with the kids.  So she got a chance to do the group run, and take a few pictures, while I ran solo a little later.  For her, that offered a chance to talk to some of the other runners about her goals for the coming year, which include further improving her 5k time.  Track workouts are the key for that, and she found some people to run with on the track. 

As for me, I'm still considering my goals.  I gave it some thought during my run, but am still undecided.  There might be a spring marathon in my future, or I might just try to run a fast 5k.  Who knows?  I've probably gotta decide soon.  Right now, though, I'm more in the reflection mode.  The last year has been a really enjoyable one in the sport of running, and for me personally.

It was a year of memorable experiences for me.  As has been my tradition since starting this blog a few years ago, I will mention a few of mine, and invite you to comment on some of yours.

As I look back on my year in running, first I am grateful that, despite some aches and pains, I've been relatively healthy and never missed a weekend long run all year.  I managed to maintain a minimum of probably at least 25 miles a week all year.  I don't know whether that is really important for racing success, but it's definitely a plus for my mental health!

Other highlights for me included running with my friend Greg Sanchez for a really enjoyable Boston Marathon.  Our chip time was a bit better than the clock shows in the picture.  I got a chance to go on an easy run with Ryan Hall before the Rock-N-Roll Chicago half marathon, and a couple days later enjoyed the race as well.  Other memorable races included the Soldier Field 10 miler, and the Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10.  There were also at least half a dozen 5k's on the schedule this year, including a spur of the moment addition in Park Ridge that was the subject of a story by the Runners Ultimate Net that aired on Comcast Sportsnet.  I know I work on TV, but it was fun to be on the other side of the story for a change.  And it was also my fastest 5k of the year.

There were lots of other races on the schedule this year, and plenty of really enjoyable saturday group runs with some of my regular running partners as well.  I've been blessed to have running as part of my life for more than three decades now, but this year ranks among the most memorable.

Now, moving on to another topic.  I've lived in the Chicago area most of my life.  I grew up here.  So I know it snows every winter. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.  And after a couple weeks of running in the snow and cold, I've reaffirmed my dislike.  Ok, so it really is beautiful running in a winter wonderland.  And it's good for your stabilizer muscles that get little use when you aren't having to keep from sliding all over the place.  But I still have a few fleeting thoughts of moving to Florida shortly after winter arrives every year. 

Hey, I can dream right?  The reality is, I'm not going anywhere.  And I hope you had a great year in running, and an even better one next year. 

See you on the roads....

 

 

Tough Luck Boston

 Tough luck is all relative I suppose.  There are real tragedies in the world.  That's what I cover most days of the week in my regular job.  So I know this is not a life altering tragedy.  But it is disappointment.  That's what my friend Jodie Cleveland is dealing with right now.  She ran her first marathon just two years ago in Milwaukee.  Jodie is a good athlete, so it was no great surprise that she ran well.  Her husband and I ran track together back in college.  Actually we never ran together.  He was a stud sprinter.  I was a middling distance runner.  But I digress.

Jodie is the the middle of the photo wearing the blue shorts and white hat.  She ran well enough to win her age group, and qualify for Boston.  Since she and I are close to the same age, I can attest that her age group is the "starting to get up there' or the 'no longer a kid' age group.  But it was a great accomplishment, nevertheless, to do so well in her first effort at the marathon distance.

Then came her training for Boston.  She was following a program, and doing well all winter.  I ran a couple times with her as part of my own training for Boston.  The last time we ran together was with a couple of my other running partners in Barrington.  It was a hilly 12 miler about two weeks out from the marathon, and it ended up being Jodie's last run of the season.  She got injured, apparently during that run, and had to cancel her Boston plans.  She was devastated.  I felt horrible, considering I had invited her to join us on that run.

But she kept a good attitude, and recovered well enough to run an even better time this fall at the Chicago marathon.  Funny, she never did any training runs with me leading up to that race.  But anyway, she ran another p.r. and qualified for Boston again.  She was excited to once again start training for the April race.  She didn't sign up immediately, but that should have been no big deal.  Because of the strict qualifying times, it usually doesn't fill up before the end of the year. 

This year, however, was different.  They closed registration at 25,000 runners on November 13. It was the earliest in history.  Part of the reason might be that the weather was pretty good this year in Chicago, so many runners were able to run qualifying times here and in New York, where it was also nice.  Many of them probably signed up right after their race, and the field was full in record time.

In any case, I think you can guess what happened to Jodie.  She was shut out, and once again is forced to look at other options for her next race.  She says running Boston was not some lifelong goal of hers, but now that she's been unable to run the last couple years, she really wants it much more. 

There are lots of people in the same boat.  Plenty of late season marathons advertise themselves as Boston qualifiers, but it won't be for this year.  I have friends who ran the Philadelphia marathon a few days after the Boston registration had already closed.  They were pretty disappointed to say the least.  It was the same story last weekend with the Dallas White Rock marathon, and all the other races around the country that traditionally serve as qualifiers for Boston.  The time is good for two years, but that does them no good for this coming April.

It's probably a testament to the popularity of not only Boston, but the marathon in general.  The big races just keep getting bigger, and the smaller races keep getting less small.  I've heard talk that Boston may consider lowering the qualifying times as a result.  That may just be gossip, with no basis of truth, but it is logical.  And it would be tough on runners like myself, whose marathon times are right at the border of the current qualifying standards.  So we'll see what happens.  Meantime, here is a link to the Boston marathon site.  http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/114thMarathon.asp

photo by Victah Sailer

Meantime, one guy who may run the marathon eventually is tearing up the cross country world right now.  I had the opportunity to spend some time with Lukas Verzbicas a couple months ago as part of a story on his triathlon team and their hopes for the Olympics some day.  Lukas is 16 year old sophomore at Sandburg high school and happens to be quite a good overall athlete who excels in all three disciplines of the triathlon.  But distance running fans are especially excited about his potential.

He won the state cross country individual title easily.  Last weekend, however, he was up against the best high school runners in the country at the Foot Locker Championships, and he won the race going away.  It's going to be fun to watch him progress over the next couple years.  Here is a link to a story about his race. http://www.southtownstar.com/sports/highschools/1936646,121309sptverzbicas.article

So good luck to Lukas, and Jodie. I'll see you on the roads...

My First CROSS COUNTRY Race!

This may come as a surprise to my old High School and College teammates, but Sunday was my first real cross country race ever.  Sure, I competed in dozens of meets on teams years ago.  But those races were mostly on golf courses!  I had no idea what I was missing! 

The Cross Country Challenge, in Gilberts, is something altogether different.  What amazes me is that people actually pay for the chance to run through the hip deep swampy rivers, and ankle deep mud.  The pictures tell a much better story than I can, but let me just say this.  It was crazy, dirty, messy, and fun!

I have heard about this race for many years.  It's been around since I was in college, and has developed a loyal, almost cult-like following among some area runners.  I was talking to some other runners during the race who have done it every year for the last decade or so.  But I had never run it until Sunday.

The first piece of advice I got was from several people who have run it before, who suggested wearing shoes and clothes you were willing to throw away after the race.  They were likely to get so filthy that you would be better off sending them to the garbage, than the washing machine.  Race organizers also suggest you wrap your shoes in duct tape to keep them from coming off in the mud.

All of this, I thought must be exaggerated.  No one would want to run a race that extreme.  I was wrong.  More than 1200 people wanted to run it.  Well, run might be an inaccurate description for much of the race.  During one part or another of this race most runners also wade, crawl, shuffle, and stumble.

Fast times are not the idea here.  Survival is a more realistic goal.  Let me briefly describe the course as best I remember it.  You start in a field of long grass and mud.  That leads you to the first of several very steep hills littered with fallen tree branches and hidden under leaves.  You then work you way into the woods where the footing is treacherous at best.

  Along the way you have to hurdle fallen trees, and try to avoid twisted ankles.  Then you come to the first of at least four creeks you have to get accross.  There is no way but to get wet.  And muddy.  And then you have to keep going while carrying an extra few pounds worth of clothing drenched in swamp water and muck.

  

The funny thing is though, I heard no complaints.  In fact, people were loving it.  That's what they came for, and that's what they got.  There was a lot of talk and encouragement for other runners along the course from all the runners.  There were no spectators.  There would have been no way for them to get out to the course other than to get wet and muddy themselves.  So it was just the runners.  And they were having a ball.

There were lots of the more veteran runners who planned ahead and wore appropriate clothes to the race.  Several women wore wedding dresses that started out white, but ended up dark brown.  At the end, however, I spotted an entire wedding party dressed up for the occasion.  They took a group photo at the finish.

My wife did this race once several years ago, but it was really cold, and the water was frozen solid.  So she was deprived of the full experience.  This time, she not only got good and muddy, but she even volunteered to carry the camera and take the pictures I have used here.  Good thing.  There would be no way to chronicle an experience like this without proof!  

The timing of this race was also especially good this year.  It came just a day before our first snow fall of the year, and the start of the "maybe I'll stay inside and hit the treadmill" season.  Well after running the cross country challenge, a little snow and slush is nothing!

This reminded me of how enjoyable it can be to run trail races.  There are several other good ones in the Chicago area during the year, including one this weekend in Schiller Woods.  You won't have to throw away your clothes at the end of that race, but you'll still get off the same old roads and trails for a change.  It is a great way to try something different, and remind yourself how much fun running can be!

See you on the path....

 


 
 
 

A Family Affair

We were at the starting line with several thousand others, watching the Lima Lima flight team fly overhead, waiting for the starting horn.  We'd just listened to the mayor welcome everyone, and now we were getting our final stretches in, trying to stay loose, at the starting line. This was all a familiar routine by now.  It was the third straight year I lined up for the Dan Gibbons Turkey Trot, and the overcast skies and threat of snow did little to discourage what seemed like everyone who lives in Elmhurst from showing up.  It is a huge community tradition, dating back more than a quarter century.

In the last few weeks I'd mentioned the race to several of my running friends, encouraging them to come out for it.  A few did, while a few others opted for sleeping in to prepare for the feast later in the day.  Most everyone asked about the race.  I told them it is big.  Certainly one of the biggest Turkey Trots in the Chicago area.  I told them it is fun, and that it is a great community event.  I did not tell them it is a great race.  

But a great race on Thanksgiving is not really the point.  We have the rest of the year for that.  This was about running, family, and giving thanks.  They raise a great deal of money for the Food Pantry every year at this run.  That, of course is the most important part of the whole morning.

There are lots of races on Thanksgiving morning throughout the area.  I've done several of them in the past, most notably, the Lincoln Park 8k.  But it's nice to stay close to home on Thanksgiving, and now we are blessed with a chance to run just a couple miles away every Thanksgiving. 

The part of the race I enjoyed the most this year was the family part.  One of the reasons I do not consider this a great race is because there are lots of walkers, parents with young children, and even people with strollers usually lined up near the front.  The first mile is normally a pretty difficult obstacle course with runners having to come to sudden stops and veering around some of the people in front of them.

All that would be pretty irritating if this was a normal race.  But it's not.  This is Thanksgiving, and it's really pretty heartwarming to see all the families running and walking together, starting the holiday together and getting a little exercise at the same time.

Our friends Tom and Rebecca brought their kids out from our old neighborhood in the city, so Tom could cruise through the course.  He and the kids are pictured with another friend, John, who I ran with.  We all had a nice, well-deserved, breakfast afterward.  As for the race, John had no expectations, but came out for fun, hoping he might run a good time.  I told him I'd try to help pace him to be under 22 minutes.  We managed that, though I doubt he needed my help.

I also offered to help pace my wife, but she, as usual, declined.  Good thing.  I wouldn't have even know what pace to help her with.  She is charting new ground every race she runs.  Her last, the Hot Chocolate 5k a couple weeks ago, resulted in a P.R. by about a minute.  On this day, she broke that P.R. by another minute a half!  At most race we run, I usually have time to finish, get my bag from gear check, and then take a few pictures before welcoming to the finish line.  Not anymore.  Pretty soon she's gonna be the one waiting for me!

In any case, it was good to share that experience with her, and to see all the other family and friends sharing the day with each other.  Our Turkey tasted even better later in the day from having run earlier.  Hope yours was a happy Thanksgiving.

See you on the roads....

 
 
 
 

Gobble, Gobble!

I am not the kind of guy who worries about what I eat.  I rarely step on a scale, and I really don't know what I weigh right now.  That is part good fortune, being blessed with good genes and a high metabolism, and part philosophy.  I don't believe weight has much to do with fitness.  There are good athletes of all shapes and sizes. 

But I realize that weight is a bit of a national obsession.  Look no further than the popularity of shows like 'The Biggest Loser'.  So with the 'overindulge' season upon us, I can't help but notice a weight loss/fitness story that has been unfolding literally right under my own roof for the last several months.

This is a story about the transformation I've witnessed in my wife.  I write this as an observer, not as a participant, because she has been following her own programs without so much as a word of advice from me.  But if she asked my advice, I would probably have suggested she do just about exactly what she has been doing.

First, a little background.  My wife is 34 years old, and has a couple marathons under her belt.  She also has given birth to our 4 children, the youngest being about seven months old.  She has never really had trouble with her weight, but after having kids, she was a long way from her 'pre-baby' days, and she was on the verge of giving away the old clothes in her closet she figured she'd never fit into again.

I'm not going to offer one of those weight loss advertising 'before' and 'after' testimonials, but suffice to say she has transformed her body into a lean, athletic build that not only allows her to fit into her old clothes, but find that some are too loose!

How did she do this?  I would call it common sense, but then I'm not profiting from the multi-billion dollar weight loss industry.  Whenever I'm asked about the subject, however, I say you need to watch what you eat, and work-out more.  Basically, that is what she has done.

First the work-outs.  Christine has been a work-out fiend.  Because she is busy with the kids and her company all day, she has been getting up early, and working out before the kids get up. Three days a week that involves going to a gym where she has been doing a combination of strength and cardio workouts.  The other days she does some running, cycling, and yoga/pilates from home.  All of them are high-energy workouts that consume a lot of calories.

That's a great start, but it's only half of the equation.  I can give you an example.  When she trained for the two marathons she ran a few years ago, Christine complained that she didn't feel like she was losing weight, and her figure wasn't getting slimmer from the increasing mileage she was putting in.  In retrospect, however, she now realizes that she never watched her diet during that training.  In fact, many casual runners tend to treat themselves to big meals as a reward for their hard marathon training.  The result is they get in better shape, but never really lose much weight.

So this time, Christine also signed up with the Weight Watchers program.  I was 
skeptical, but then, my opinion was pretty much irrelevant to her.  Nevertheless, when she explained that they really don't tell you what to eat, just how much you can have, I warmed to the idea.

Many of you probably are more familiar with the concept than I, but as I understand it, they give you a certain number of points a day.  Every food and drink is worth points, the high calorie, high fat foods tend to be worth many more points than the healthier options.  So if you want to indulge, you can, but you will have to watch it the rest of the day.  The bottom line for her, is that it makes her think about everything she puts into her mouth, and whether she really wants or needs it.

The real challenge comes when we go out to dinner with friends, and when we want to enjoy a few drinks afterward.  But she has been able to find menu items that work for her, and save up enough points to enjoy herself while staying on her point target.

The result has been nothing short of amazing.  I know how that sounds, and I never would have imagined that I would be writing those words about anything having to do with diets or weight loss, but I've got to give credit where it's due.

The holidays offer another big challenge, with lots of snack food everywhere, and her husband going around eating whatever he wants, but Christine seems pretty confident she can stick with her program.  She's come a long way in a few months.  There's no turning back now!

So we'll start Thanksgiving day with a Turkey Trot!  Hope to see you out there...