Club Running Magazine Spring 2010

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Spring 2010 Club Running WE RUN THE NATION! Rules of the Trails Spring Shoe Review Maintaining Motivation brightroom.com; (Inset) Courtesy of Jeff McMahon/Tug McGraw Foundation Crosby Freeman successfully defended his RRCA Western Region Half Marathon title at the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon in February. RRCA.org Running Brothers & Team McGraw By night, RRCA-certified coach Jeff McMahon tours with country superstar Tim McGraw. By day, he’s the national program director for Team McGraw, raising funds for the Tug McGraw Foundation. In this issue, Jeff and Kevin Leathers, the RRCA-certified coach of Team McGraw, share their stories. NON PROFIT ORG U.S. Postage PAID Permit #351 Bolingbrook, IL

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RRCA's Spring 2010 Club Running Magazine.

Transcript of Club Running Magazine Spring 2010

Page 1: Club Running Magazine Spring 2010

Spring 2010

ClubRunningWE RUN THE NATION!

Rules of the Trails

Spring Shoe Review

Maintaining Motivation

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Crosby Freeman successfully defended his RRCA Western Region

Half Marathon title at the Kaiser Permanente

San Francisco Half Marathon in February.

RRCA.org

Running Brothers & Team McGraw

By night, RRCA-certified coach Jeff McMahon tours with country superstar Tim McGraw. By day, he’s the national program director for Team McGraw, raisingfunds for the Tug McGraw Foundation. In this issue, Jeff and Kevin Leathers, the RRCA-certified coach ofTeam McGraw, share their stories.

NON PROFIT ORGU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit #351

Bolingbrook, IL

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newbalance.com

BUT BULLETS DON’T GO 26.2 MILES.YOU MAY NOT BE FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET,

The New Balance 1064.Because when you’re in the right shoe, you love running more.

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ClubRunningWE RUN THE NATION!

Executive Director’s Letter

CONTENTS

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Members Speak6

Health & Safety Spotlight

8

Running and Heart Health

Training Tips24

RRCA Members’FeatureThe American Trail Running Association,Running Brothers

Potluck Recipes30A Is for Appetizers

Program Spotlight15

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Spring 2010

Maintaining Motivation

Spring Shoe Review27

10 To find a dealernear you, call:

800-253-7463

or go to:newbalance.com

When you’re in the right shoe, you love RUNNING more.

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National RunningAwards Spotlight

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R R C A . o r g

Your Letters and our Web Poll

Join a Club CampaignKids Run the NationRun@Work Day

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Executive Director’s Note

ClubRunningSpring 2010

www.ClubRunning.net

ROAD RUNNERS CLUB OF AMERICA (RRCA)Executive Director

Jean Knaack

RRCA PresidentBrent Ayer

SHOOTING STAR MEDIA, INC. Group & Coordinating Editor

Christine Johnson, [email protected]

DesignerAlex Larsen

PhotographersVictor Sailer PhotoRun.net

Brightroom.com Nancy Hobbs, Matt Mendelsohn, Christine Jegen

Jeff McMahon/Tug McGraw FoundationBigStockPhoto.com

ProofreaderRed Ink Editorial Services, Madison, WI

Pre-Press/PrinterW. D. Hoard & Sons Co., Fort Atkinson, WI

RUNNING NETWORK LLCAdvertisingLarry EderPresident

phone: 608.239.3785; fax: [email protected]

Advertising Production ManagerAlex Larsen

Publisher’s RepPaul Banta

OSE Productions, Inc.phone: 503.969.4147; fax: 503.620.4052

[email protected]

CounselPhilip J. Bradbury

Melli Law, S.C.Madison, WI

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Member of

Club Running is produced by Shooting Star Me dia, Inc. for publisher Running Network LLC, P.O. Box 801, FortAtkinson, WI 53538. All ad materials and insertion orders should be sent to Running Network LLC at the aboveaddress.

Shooting Star Media, Inc. and Running Network LLC assume no liability for matter printed. Publisher assumes noresponsibility or liability for content of paid advertising and reserves the right to reject paid advertising. Publisher ex-pects that all claims by advertisers can be substantiated and that all guarantees will be honored. Opinions expressedherein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher.

Copyright © 2010 by Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) unless otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved.No part of this publication may be repro duced in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher.

We recommend, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician beforeinstituting any changes in your fitness program.

Let Us Hear From You!Club Running welcomes your suggestions, comments, and questions. Direct them to [email protected].

Address Changes/Missing IssuesPlease email us at [email protected] about address changes, duplicate mailings, or missingissues. Please include both old and new addresses.

2010 is off to a great start for the RRCA due to the support and ded-ication of our valued members. Membership renewals are strong andwe continue to see new running clubs develop each month in com-munities that need them. New events continue to be organized aroundthe country, while well-established events continue to see record reg-istration rates. This wouldn’t be possible without the love and dedica-tion of runners around the country just like you. Several members haveinquired about more information relating to managing their club ortheir event. We encourage you to visit RRCA.org, where you’ll find a“resources” tab with subsections for club leaders, race directors,coaches, and runners.

I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the 2009 Na-tional Award Winners featured on page 19 and to thank everyone who took time to nominate adeserving person. Since 1971, the RRCA has honored individuals and clubs for their outstand-ing service to the running community. The winners of the RRCA awards exemplify dedicationto our sport: They give their free time to ensure the success of their local club or event, dedicatetheir lives to the pursuit of athletic excellence, and inspire and motivate us to do more and givemore to ensure the continued success of the running community. We thank them for their efforts.

During the process of working on content for this issue, I was embarking on my own per-sonal journey of training-up for another Ironman race, number 3 to be exact, scheduled for lateJune. I was struggling to get motivated to do the bare minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a cou-ple of days a week. Dr. Barbara Walker’s article on motivation on page 24 could not have beentimelier. I think my own experience underscores an important point: everyone struggles withmotivation from time to time. It’s what we choose to do about those motivation challenges thatseparates the achievers from the couch potatoes. So if you’re struggling to shake off the winter dol-drums or come back after an injury or simply trying to jump-start your training plan, I recom-mend you follow Dr. Walker’s advice, along with the tips from our readers and RRCA certifiedcoaches. Consider working with other members of your running club to keep you on track withyour running goals for the year. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a coach or expert to help you workthrough your challenges. The most important thing to do is keep moving and set small, attain-able goals that build toward your larger goals.

I encourage everyone to continue to inspire and develop a culture of health and fitness inthe United States through your involvement with your local club. In addition, the National Phys-ical Activity Plan, introduced in our last issue of Club Running, will be launched on May 3. Weinvite our members to learn more about this effort at physicalactivityplan.org/launch/ and helpshare the information in your community.

Stay motivated, continue to inspire, and keep moving.

Sincerely,

Jean Knaack

Jean Knaack

Club Running is a complimentary publication made possible by our advertisers and createdthrough a partnership between the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and RunningNetwork LLC. You’re a member of your local running club and your local running club is, inturn, a member of the RRCA.

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RRCA Members Speak

Play It SafeI am a longtime member of the Florida Stridersin Orange Park, FL. I just received my issue ofClub Running (Fall/Winter 2009). This is a verygood and informative magazine, and I look for-ward to the coming issues. I am puzzled as towhy anyone would run with the traffic at theirback. In today’s world of “Me-first mentality,” Idon’t trust anyone operating a vehicle. With cellphone, Twitter, Twetter, Putter and any other sys-tem they can dream up, and the thirst for instantgratification, you had better have your eyes andears open and focused at all times if you don’twant to wind up as road kill! Thank goodness Ilive in a small town south of Jacksonville and runat 5 a.m. There are numerous streetlights andvery low traffic volume at that time. I do notwear headphones but I do wear reflectives andrun facing the traffic! The very best to you andyour magazine and keep the issues coming.

—Jack from Florida

Stop at SixThe Fall/Winter 2009 Club Running had an im-portant article (“Stop at Six” by Sally Young) aboutthe dangers of bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic sportsbottles. At an Environmental Risks for Breast Can-cer seminar at Vassar College, my wife Lynne (a sur-vivor) and I learned that the FDA has allowed foodcompanies since the 1950s to line cans with BPA toprevent the cans from rusting. BPA leaches from thecans into the food. Now we buy food in glass or inBPA-free cans. After the lecture, we replaced all ourplastic containers with glass containers. We also be-came fanatic about reading food labels.

—Bob Kopac

I Need More InformationI was active in the management of running fromthe late ’70s thru the mid ’90s and attended anumber of RRCA conventions. Though I’m stillrunning, admittedly I have not been followingthe ins-and-outs of RRCA for the last 10 years. Inote that page 4 contains almost no informationabout the RRCA as an organization. The mastheaddoes not list the location of the RRCA HQ, con-tact info, a website, members of the board, etc.

—Richard from MD

Executive Director’s Response:In the ever-evolving world of print media, contentspace is at a premium. To maximize content spacein Club Running, detailed information about theRRCA is posted on our website (RRCA.org) as op-posed to in the magazine. We will be sure that inthis and future issues, the RRCA website addresswill be more prominently displayed in the maga-zine. For detailed information about the RRCA,we recommend you visit RRCA.org/about/. Hereyou will find the RRCA Mission, Vision, and Val-ues Statements, information about our governingstructure, an outline of our 50+ years of history,information about the RRCA Board of Directors,governing documents, minutes of board meetings,opportunities to support the RRCA financially,and much more. On our website, you will learnmore about our programs and services that bene-fit our members and the running community suchas our Find a Club, Find an Event, and Find aCoach features.

—Jean Knaack, RRCA Executive Director

We invite our readers to participate in theRRCA website polls at RRCA.org.

Members Respond to Club Running

Votes 50 100 150 200 250 300

I’ll be running my first event in 2010 — 17%

0-5 running events planned — 26%

6-14 running events planned — 34%

15-30 running events planned — 15%

30+ running events planned — 8%

www.RRCA.org website pollHow many running events do you plan to enter in 2010?

Total Votes: 801

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Health & Safety Spotlight

Can Running Be Dangerous to My Heart Health?

In the last year, there have been several reportedsudden cardiac deaths in marathon races aroundthe country. The Detroit Marathon drew muchattention as there were three deaths during therace. Whenever adverse events occur in sportingsituations, questions arise as to the overall safety ofperforming the activity. In this situation, the ques-tion is “Can running be dangerous to my hearthealth?”

The answer in almost all cases is no. Over the last 2 decades, research has more

clearly defined the causes of sudden cardiac death(SCD) in athletes as well as the incidence of SCDwhile running. The most common cause in ath-letes over age 35 is coronary artery disease. Themost common cause in those under 35 is heredi-tary or congenital cardiac anomalies. The overallincidence of SCD during marathons is 1 personper 50,000 to 75,000 runners. While there werethree deaths in one race in Detroit, this is mostlikely a statistical anomaly as opposed to a sign ofsomething more serious.

It’s well known that cardiovascular disease isone of the leading causes of death in the UnitedStates. Risk factors for the disease are diabetes, highcholesterol, high blood pressure, tobacco abuse,and to a lesser extent, family history of early heartdisease. The more risk factors one has, the higherthe chance of having a heart attack or stroke evenif you’re an avid runner in good shape.

Physicians can treat these problems withmedications, but the right kind of exercise can alsosignificantly help treat these conditions. It is rec-ommended for most people to exercise most daysof the week for at least 45 minutes. Regular exer-cise has been shown to improve blood pressure, re-duce the “bad” cholesterol, improve the “good”cholesterol, and improve blood sugar control fordiabetics. The take-home point is that regular ex-ercise in people 35 and older who have cardiac riskfactors will considerably reduce the risk of heartattack and stroke. Those with these cardiovascularrisk factors simply need to consult their physicianto determine if further heart studies are neededprior to beginning their exercise regimen.

So what does this mean for me?All people have a degree of risk for an ab-

normal cardiac event. For the large majority ofhealthy people with no risk factors, the chance ofSCD is extremely low. The important question ishow one knows if they have elevated risk com-pared to their peers and what should be doneabout it. If you’re a runner who has any of theabove risk factors and are older than age 35, youshould speak with your physician to decidewhether further screening tests may be beneficialin determining your heart health. If you’re a run-ner of any age and have had dizziness, shortness ofbreath, palpitations, chest pain, or passed out whileexercising, you most certainly should visit your

doctor. Lastly, if someone in your immediate fam-ily has suffered from SCD before age 50, youshould speak with your physician. While followingthese guidelines will help minimize your risk ofSCD, it’s important to remember that even withno risk factors, no clinical symptoms, and normalcardiac tests, people can still have SCD. The like-lihood is extremely low in these circumstances, andif we choose to exercise, we simply must acceptthis degree of risk and acknowledge that the ben-efits of exercise far outweigh the risk of SCD.

In conclusion, if you’re a runner with no car-diovascular risk factors and a healthy family his-tory, your chance of having sudden cardiac deathduring running is very low, but not zero. If youhave cardiovascular risk factors, concerning cardiacsymptoms with exercise, or a family history ofSCD, it would be beneficial to speak with yourphysician prior to exercising to further evaluateyour heart health.

Dr. McAteer is a board-certified family medicinephysician and is currently a sports medicine fellow inthe Maine Medical Center Sports Medicine Division.He has worked as a physician at multiple athleticevents including the Lake Placid Ironman, MaineMarathon, and Beach to Beacon 10K. Contact himvia email at [email protected].

By Timothy B. McAteer, MD

R R C A . o r g

By Thomas Kenney, PhD

I thought that Sept. 27, 2006 was going to be amemorable day for me. Luckily, I didn’t know in ad-vance just how memorable it would be. I was onlythinking about the fact that this was to be my “re-covery” run. It would have been my first completemorning workout in over 4 months, the time it tookme to recover from a fall off a roof. That accident hadresulted in multiple broken ribs, a punctured lung,and a four-day stay in the hospital. This had been areal blow to my exercise program, and I had beenhaving trouble trying to work back up to my normal10K run.

It was a beautiful fall day, and I should havefelt good. However, I just couldn’t seem to get intoany kind of rhythm. Worse, there was a mild sharppain behind my lower sternum. I thought about a hi-atal hernia, but dismissed the idea since the fall hadbeen so long ago. I wasn’t bothered by the pain, butdecided to postpone the recovery run for one moreday. So I walked home and sat on a couch. I tried tocatch my breath and that’s when the naggingstarted. In my wife’s defense, I have to admit that Ihave since learned that, besides being out of breath,I was also very pale and sweating. After about 15minutes of her hovering over me, I “allowed” her todrive me to the hospital. Once there, they whisked

me into an emergency bed, hooked me up to all sortsof monitors and slapped a patch on my chest. Thepatch took care of the discomfort I had been havingand I started asking how soon I could: (a) get break-fast or (b) leave to get my own food.

I was much surprised when the nurses told methat, instead of leaving, I was being admitted to thehospital. I was more surprised when I found out thatit was the cardiac unit to which I was being admit-ted. So I spent the rest of the day in a hospital bed,getting more and more antsy to be released and goabout my normal life. Finally around midnight, a newnurse came by with some reading material for me. Itwas a pamphlet with the less-than-encouraging title:Cardiac Catheterization. She also told me that myTroponin levels were still increasing. Troponin is notnormally found in a blood test. Its presence indicatescardiac muscle damage.

Sure enough, next morning a cardiac surgeonarrived to confirm that I had had a real heart attack,and he was about to do one of three things. He wouldlook inside my heart to see if: (a) nothing should bedone, (b) some plaque could be removed, or (c) oneor more blocked arteries needed to be by-passed. Isigned the proper papers and off we went to the CathLab where I was partially sedated. The doctorthreaded a catheter through the artery in my groinup into my heart, and we watched while two block-ages were found. They were quashed out of the wayand drug-eluting stents were implanted to prevent

their return. The next day I was discharged from thehospital and sent to the cardiac rehabilitation clinic.

I can’t praise those rehabilitation nurses andtherapists enough. I walked in as a fresh heart at-tack patient and told them they had to get me readyfor an 8K race in March. They took all this in strideand started working with me. One of the nurses wasa marathoner and was especially sympathetic to mywishes. At any rate, I was competing again less than6 months after the heart attack and catheterization.

I learned three important things from this ex-perience: (1) runners should be more attentive whentheir bodies are trying to tell them something, (2)runners have good circulation, and (3) often do bet-ter in hospitals than other patients, so keep running.I shouldn’t brag. I recently found out that the runnerwho leads my club’s 80+ age group is competingone year after open-heart surgery!

Dr. Thomas Kenney is professor emeritus of chemistryat Montgomery College in Maryland and is a memberof the Fredericksburg Area Running Club (FARC) in Vir-ginia. He started running in the 1960s for his health.Competition became part of running for him in the1990s and he currently leads the 75–79 age group forFARC. Prior to the events described here, his knowl-edge about heart attacks came from 15 years as anEMT for a local rescue squad.

One Memorable Day

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RRCA Members’ Feature

The American Trail Running Association (ATRA)The American Trail Running Association(ATRA) was formed in 1996 with a mission tosupport the trail and mountain running com-munities. The organization has been an RRCAmember since our inception. Our mission is torepresent and promote trail and mountain run-ning. We offer individual, club, race, and corpo-rate memberships. Our primary benefits includeour quarterly newsletter, Trail Times, and ourwebsite at www.trailrunner.com which includesa comprehensive calendar of events. Ournewsletter includes a national events calendar,thoughtful articles, and timely informationabout our sport, and our website provides ’netsurfers an opportunity to see current trends inour sport. Additional benefits for members canbe found on our website.

One of the questions we hear most often atthe ATRA office is, “What is a trail run and how

is it different than a mountain run?” We havecategorized trail and mountain runs using sev-eral elements to include terrain/surface, elevation(gain or loss), and distance. The major compo-nent in mountain running is elevation gain orloss. The sport is further defined by surface, dis-tance, and terrain. A mountain run can be onpaved surfaces as long as significant elevationchange is present. On the international scene,the World Mountain Running Championshipsare held annually with uphill courses in the even-numbered years and uphill/downhill courses inodd-numbered years. The U.S. has fielded teamsin all divisions to include senior men, seniorwomen, junior men, and junior women.

The major component in trail running isthe surface (non-paved). Trail running is furtherdefined by terrain and distance. There arepresently no internationally recognized “trail

running championship events” at the marathonor sub-marathon distance, although the WorldMountain Running Association (WMRA) doesaward a World Long Distance Challenge eventannually. The International Association of Ultrarunning (IAU) oversees an ultra-distancetrail championship annually. The RRCA andUSA Track & Field host annual trail runningchampionships. Trail championships have beenawarded that include a variety of distances.USATF also hosts a USA Mountain RunningChampionship event annually.

ATRA recognizes and promotes all runsheld on trails and in the mountains. For addi-tional information on ATRA, contact us by mailat P.O. Box 9454, Colorado Springs, CO 80932,by phone at (719) 573-4133 or fax (719) 573-4408. Our website is www.trailrunner.com andyou can e-mail Nancy Hobbs, executive directorat [email protected].

Top 6 Tips for Newbies to the Trails(1) Keep your eyes on the trail underfoot, think-ing/planning at least two steps ahead for yourfoot plants to avoid unnecessary falls on the trail.Stop when you want to take in the view.(2) Be prepared for the weather as it is and forwhat it may become and the resulting change intrail conditions due to moisture, etc. (3) Think in terms of “time,” not “distance”when heading out on a trail run. (4) Consider purchasing a good pair of trail-spe-cific running shoes if you plan regular ventureson the trail.(5) Work on strength training to develop yourstability and balance as you will use differentmuscle groups on the trails than on the roads.(6) Always carry a map in unfamiliar locales andbe sure to let someone know your intended routeshould you plan on a long run (i.e., more thanone hour).

GOALS OF ATRA• Compile and publish a comprehensive listingof nationwide trail running events• Educate and provide information about oursport to the rest of the outdoor community, to the media and to nonrunning entities that havesimilar goals and objectives• Organize ATRA-sponsored and -supportedevents• Be a spokesperson and resource for the sport • Be sensitive to the environment • Provide a forum whereby the business of thesport can be discussed and organized• Create and nurture alliances with other associ-ations• Develop recreational participation and provideopportunities for families to enjoy our sportthrough events and clinics

By Nancy Hobbs, Executive Director of ATRA

R R C A . o r g

Nancy Hobbs

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RRCA Members’ Feature

1. STAY ON TRAIL Well-marked trails already exist; they are notmade on the day you head out for a run. Don’tmake your own off-trail path. There is nothingcool about running off trail, bushwhackingover and under trees, or cutting switchbacksup the side of a hill or mountain. Such run-ning creates new trails, encourages others tofollow in your footsteps (creating unmarked“social trails”), and increases the runner’s foot-print on the environment. When multipletrails exist, run on the one that is the mostworn. Stay off closed trails and obey all postedregulations.

2. RUN OVER OBSTACLES Run single file in the middle of a trail, evenwhen laden with a fresh blanket of snow ormuddy. Go through puddles and not aroundthem. Running around mud, rocks, ordowned tree limbs widens trails, impacts veg-etation, and causes further and unnecessaryerosion. Use caution when going over obsta-cles, but challenge yourself by staying in themiddle of the trail. If the terrain is exceed-ingly muddy, refrain from running on thetrails so that you don’t create damaging “pot-holes” in the surface. Moisture is the chieffactor that determines how traffic (from anyuser group) affects a trail. For some soil types,a 100-pound runner can wreak havoc on atrail surface in extremely wet conditions. Indry conditions the same trail might easilywithstand a 1,200-pound horse/rider combi-nation. There are many situational factors toconsider when making your trail running de-cision. Trails that have been constructed withrock work, or those with soils that drainquickly, may hold up to wet conditions—even a downpour. But, in general, if the trailis wet enough to become muddy and holdpuddles all user groups should avoid it untilthe moisture has drained.

3. RUN ONLY ON OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED OPEN TRAILS Respect trail and road closures and avoid tres-passing on private land. Get permission firstto enter and run on private land. Obtain per-mits or authorization that may be required forsome wilderness areas and managed trail sys-tems. Leave gates as you find them. If youopen a gate, be sure to close it behind you.Make sure the trails you run on are officiallydesignated routes, not user-created routes.

When in doubt, ask the land managing agencyor individuals responsible for the area you’reusing.

4. RESPECT ANIMALSDon’t disturb or harass wildlife or livestock.Animals scared by your sudden approach maybe dangerous. Give them plenty of room toadjust to you. Avoid trails that cross knownwildlife havens during sensitive times such asnesting or mating. When passing horses usespecial care and follow directions from thehorseback riders. Running cattle is a seriousoffense. Consider turning around and takinganother direction when faced with disturbinglarge herds of animals, especially in winterwhen animals are highly stressed already.

5. KEEP YOUR DOG ON A LEASH Unless otherwise posted, keep your dog on aleash and under control at all times. Dogs run-ning off-leash may result in adverse impactson terrain and wildlife and degrade the out-door experience of other trail users. If an areais posted “No Dogs” obey signage. This maymean that you leave your dog at home. It’s alsoimperative that you exercise Leave No Tracepractices with respect to removing dog waste,packing out what your dog leaves on the trail.Be prepared with a plastic bag and carry thewaste until you come across a proper disposalreceptacle.

6. DON’T STARTLE OTHER TRAILUSERS A quick moving trail runner, especially onewho seemingly emerges from out of nowhereon an unsuspecting trail user, can be alarming.Give a courteous and audible announcementwell in advance of your presence and intentionto pass hikers on the trail stating somethinglike, “On your left,” or “Trail” as you approachthe trail users. Keep in mind your announce-ment doesn’t work well for those who arewearing headphones and blasting music. Showrespect when passing, by slowing down orstopping if necessary to prevent accidentalcontact. Be ready to yield to all other trail users(bikers, hikers, horses) even if you have theposted right of way. Uphill runners yield todownhill runners in most situations.

7. BE FRIENDLY The next step after not startling someone isletting them know that they have a friend on

the trail. Friendly communication is the keywhen trail users are yielding to one another. A“Thank you” is fitting when others on the trailyield to you. A courteous, “Hello, how areyou?” shows kindness which is particularlywelcome.

8. DON’T LITTER Pack out at least as much as you pack in. Gelwrappers with their little torn-off tops and oldwater bottles have no place on the trail. Con-sider wearing apparel with pockets that zip ora hydration pack that has a place to secure lit-ter you find on the trail. Learn and use mini-mum-impact techniques to dispose of humanwaste.

9. RUN IN SMALL GROUPS Split larger groups into smaller groups. Largergroups can be intimidating to hikers and havea greater environmental impact on trails. Mosttrail systems, parks, and wilderness areas havelimits on group size. Familiarize yourself withthe controlling policy and honor it.

10. SAFETY Know the area you plan to run in and let atleast one other person know where you’replanning to run and when you expect to re-turn. Run with a buddy if possible. Take a mapwith you in unfamiliar areas. Be prepared forthe weather and conditions prevailing whenyou start your run and plan for the worst,given the likely duration of your run. Carryplenty of water, electrolyte replacement drink,or snacks for longer runs. Rescue efforts canbe treacherous in remote areas. ATRA doesnot advise the use of headphones or iPods. Thewearer typically hears nothing around them,including approaching wildlife and other hu-mans. The most important safety aspect is toknow and respect your limits. Report unusu-ally dangerous, unsafe, or damaging condi-tions and activities to the proper authorities.

11. LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND Leave natural or historic objects as you findthem; this includes wildflowers and nativegrasses. Removing or collecting trail markersis serious vandalism that puts others at risk.

12. GIVING BACK Volunteer, support, and encourage others toparticipate in trail maintenance days.

Single Track Trail Tips from ATRA“Rules on the Run” are principles of trail running etiquette that foster environmentally sound and socially responsible trail running. These

principles emulate the well-established principles of Leave No Trace, and Rules of the Trail by the IMBA. The American Trail Running Association believes that by educating trail runners to observe “Rules on the Run,” trail runners will be able to enjoy continued access

to their favorite trails and trail running competitions.

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Over the last two decades there has been significant growth of the multi-use trail system in the United States. These safety tips,coupled with the RRCA General RunningSafety Tips found on our website atwww.rrca.org/education-advocacy/, should helpkeep you and everyone else on the multi-usetrail safe.(1) Follow the rules of the road: Travel on theright and pass on the left.(2) Run to the right side to allow others topass safely. (3) Leave the headphones at home, but if youjust can’t do it, only wear one earpiece.(4) If you’re running an out-and-back routeon a trail, don’t make a sudden U-turn at yourturn-around point. Stop, step to the right toallow oncoming traffic the opportunity topass. Ensure the trail is clear of oncomingtraffic (runners, cyclists, in-line skaters, etc.)then make your U-turn. Making a sudden U-turn without looking over your shoulder is agood way to get hit by an oncoming cyclistor skater.(5) Avoid running on trails at dusk or in theevening if they are poorly lit and don’t haveregular traffic. (6) Never run more than two abreast if you’rerunning in a group. Don’t be a trail hog.While pedestrians have the right-of-way onmost trails, the goal is to share the trails. (7) Alert people when you are passing them–don’t assume they’re aware of their surround-ings. A simple “On your left” warning willsuffice. (8) Be alert on blind curves to avoid collisionswith bicycles, strollers, or skaters cutting thecorner. (9) Stop at stop signs if the trail crosses aroadway. Don’t assume cars on the road willstop for the trail crossing.(10) Be mindful of young children on thetrail as their movements can be unpredictable.Slowing the pace a bit when passing smallchildren on the trail is a wise idea. Use this asan opportunity to slow the pace then pick upthe tempo.(11) Respect private property along the trail. (12) Don’t litter. If you can’t find a trash can,carry your trash home.(13) If you run with a dog on the trail, avoidusing a retracting lead as animals on long leadscan easily get tangled up with other runners,cyclists, skaters, etc. Keep your pooch close toavoid “clothes-lining” others on the trail.(14) Get approval from local authorities be-fore planning a race or training event on yourlocal multi-use trail. (15) Support and get active with your localtrail group to ensure your trails stay safe andwell supported by the local community.

RRCA’s Multi-Use Trail Running TipsBy Jean Knaack

Nancy Hobbs

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S p r i n g 2 0 1 0 ClubRunning • 13

RRCA Members’ Feature

Running Brothers: Making a DifferenceJeff McMahon and Kevin Leathers first met in1983 as college freshmen at Baylor University inWaco, Texas. Both were telecommunications ma-jors, and eventually both would join the same fra-ternity. McMahon was all about music, whiletriathloning was Leathers’ passion of choice. Bothwere runners and they remained friends, but theytook different roads. Twenty years would pass be-fore they would finally lace up their shoes and hitthe street together.

Now, these longtime friends and fraternitybrothers are both RRCA coaches and leaders ofthe Team McGraw Endurance Program in sup-port of the Tug McGraw Foundation. Their ef-forts help to raise much-needed funds to supportresearch that improves the quality of life for braintumor and brain trauma patients. They guideathletes, survivors, supporters, and their loved onesfrom all backgrounds to finish lines, both physicaland emotional, across the country.

Here they share their stories, from music tothe marathon, with the RRCA.

By Kevin Leathers, RRCA Certified CoachIn 1979, I was beginning my first season ofcross country as a high school freshman in Ten-nessee. My brother Joe was playing football atthe University of Memphis, playing his guitarfor fun, and perfecting the art of fraternity life.Jeff McMahon was a high school freshman inTexas practicing piano, playing tennis, andrunning with his dad. Tim McGraw was prob-ably playing junior high baseball in ruralLouisiana.

Fast-forward 6 years … Jeff and I are fra-ternity brothers at Baylor. Jeff ’s musical talentsare obvious. I am majoring in fraternity andSlacker 101, but still running. Joe is in the earlyyears of a successful investment banking careerand still playing his guitar. Tim is a high schoolathlete and musician in Louisiana.

Jump another 10 years to 1995. Jeff andI reconnect as he tours the country with a ris-

ing country singer, Tim McGraw. Joe is stillbanking, but he’s playing in a local band in hisspare time, and his songwriting begins to flour-ish from a hobby to a passion. He starts mak-ing the trek up I-40 to Nashville to play andpitch songs.

Ten years later, it’s 2006. During one ofJeff ’s regular tour stops through town, we meetfor lunch. He is closely involved with the TugMcGraw Foundation. Tug, Tim’s father andformer baseball star, had died of a brain tumorand the Tug McGraw Foundation was estab-lished in 2003 to enhance the quality of life ofchildren and adults with brain tumors. Jeffshared his thoughts on the possibility of start-ing a charity running team, Team McGraw. Heknew of my running and endurance back-ground and asked if I would help him get itstarted. I jumped at the chance. Early on wefelt that to give further legitimacy to our pro-gram, RRCA coaching certification was vital.The course gave us the fundamentals to help awide spectrum of runners reach their goals.

By this time, my brother’s songwritingwas a “career.”

January 2010. Tim is still a huge countrymusic superstar and Jeff is still recording andtouring with him. Joe has become a prolific,award-winning songwriter. Jeff is the nationalprogram director and I’m the national coachfor Team McGraw. In 2009, the Tug McGrawFoundation expanded its programs to includepost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) andtrauma brain injury (TBI). We collaborate andpartner with other organizations so that we canaccelerate new treatments and cures to improvequality of life in the areas of the physical, social,emotional, cognitive, and spiritual impact ofthose debilitating conditions. Over 300 TeamMcGraw runners have raised nearly $1 millionfor brain tumor research.

The latest hit on Tim’s new CD SouthernVoice (and yes, Jeff played on it) is a song calledStill. I’m proud to say that Still was writtenby—you guessed it—my brother, Joe.

Four paths over so many years that con-verge in the most serendipitous way with fourguys doing what they love. Life is good.

By Jeff McMahon, RRCA Certified CoachIf you look up the term “road dog” on Urban-Dictionary.com, there are seven different defi-nitions. Most include a travel element, oneentry mentions jail, where I’ve never been, andanother references beer, which I hate. The lastentry of seven hits closest to my world:

Yeah, that sounds a lot like me. It’s whatI do, who I am, and how I roll. I’ve never beenone to sit still for very long, and as I sneak upon 20 years makin’ a livin’ in the music busi-ness, I guess I’ve never really had to.

This March, I click over my 17th year askeyboardist and vocalist for country superstarTim McGraw. As a member of his longtimeband, the Dancehall Doctors, we’ve crossed thecountry numerous times. We’ve taken the stageat Madison Square Garden, played a cruiseship in the Bahamas, rocked the house at theHollywood Bowl, and performed overlookingsome of the world’s greatest historical sites inRome, Italy.

I have definitely logged some miles withMcGraw and the boys. One might think thatin the midst of a concert tour, when the planesland or the buses park, I’d blow into the hotel,prop my feet up, and just “chill.” But that isn’tusually the way it works because I’m a runner.

Coaches Jeff McMahon and KevinLeathers (front left and right respectively)are pictured with their dedicated team ofrunners at the ING New York CityMarathon in 2009; every single runnercrossed the finish line.

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Serendipity … Music, Running, and Life

Road Dog Runner

ROAD DOG: A person who is consistently “on the road,” on the go, or someone who

travels to and fro frequently.

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RRCA Members’ Feature

It’s not just the travel thatmakes me feel more at ease, butthe movement. And it’s reallypretty simple: Grab some shortsand my shoes, get off the bus,and start running.

If it looks dangerous, turnaround. If I think I might getlost, stay close to the hotel. If wedon’t have much time, run short.No show that night? Run long.

Bottom line? Just run. Ifthings are good, running makes’em better. If things are crappy,well, at least they get a little lesscrappy if I can just get out thedoor.

And I usually do, no matterhow many miles we’ve alreadycovered since our last con-cert, because I’ve still got a fewmore to do on my own.

Follow Jeff ’s running adventures atroaddogrunner.com and followKevin at cantstopendurance.com.For more on Team McGraw, visitteammcgraw.org.

(From left) Beth Brewer, Steve Cibulka,Joel Kreuziger, Coach Kevin Leathers, Gudrun Gisladottir, and Glen McDevitt relish their success at the 2008 Bank ofAmerica Chicago Marathon.

Brain tumor survivor Jennifer McDevitt,teammate Chris Keller, and Coach JeffMcMahon are all smiles at the 2008 Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon.

Courtesy of Jeff McM

ahon/Tug McGraw

FoundationCourtesy of Jeff M

cMahon/Tug M

cGraw Foundation

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RRCA Program Spotlight

Started in 2009, the Join a Club campaign,funded through the generous McLeod–Tyler gift,is a two-year promotional initiative the RRCA ispursing in an effort to increase awareness aboutrunning clubs and to encourage runners and walk-ers to join and renew their memberships in localRRCA-affiliated running clubs. The campaign in-cludes promotions in print and online, and is de-signed to spread the word about the benefits ofjoining a running club.

“We believe the RRCA plays an importantrole in promoting membership in local running

clubs as a service to our members,” explained JeanKnaack. “The McLeod–Tyler investment in theJoin a Club campaign is a visionary investment inthis role.”

As a result of the Join a Club campaign, 67%of our member running clubs reported that theirclubs grew in 2009 and another 20% reportedthat they retained their membership numbers forthe year. So 87% of our club members either grewor retained their membership numbers in 2009.

Be sure to renew your annual membership inyour local running club.

“Join a Club” Campaign Highlights

2009 Kids Run the Nation Grant Recipients

In 2007, the RRCA developed the Kids Run theNation Fund to assist running clubs, events, andschools interested in implementing or currently havea youth running program. This small grant programis funded by contributions from RRCA members,individuals, foundations, and corporations. Grantsare awarded on an annual basis through an applica-tion and selection process overseen by a volunteerselection committee. To learn more about the KidsRun the Nation Program and Grant Fund visitwww.rrca.org/programs/kids-run-the-nation-program/.

Through the Kids Run the Nation fund, over$5,000 was granted to the following groups in 2009:

Couch to 5K, Children’s Rescue Center Springfield, OHThe Children’s Rescue Center is a nonprofit organ-ization that serves at-risk youth. The Couch to 5Kis an 8-week program, established in 2009, designedto get students away from unproductive activitiesand into a healthy lifestyle through training to suc-cessfully run a 5K road race. The program servesmore than 300 local youth.

Clear Creek Running Club Bloomington, INClear Creek Running Club is a program offeredthrough Clear Creek Elementary School whichserves a rural, low-income population with over40% of their students receiving free or reduced pricelunch.

Fitness University Nashua, NHFitness University is a running and fitness programdeveloped by the Gate City Striders in 1989. It’s afree program for children ages 3 through 14 that’sdedicated to promoting the importance of fitness.Participation in the program has more than tripledover the last 4 years and the program currently servesover 600 children.

Fay Dolphin Runners Club San Diego, CAFay Elementary opened its doors in September2008. To channel the students’ energy and to getthem ready to learn for the day, the Fay DolphinRunners Club was established in 2009. The Clubmeets two mornings a week before school to runlaps. The laps are logged and students earn incen-tive items as they log their collective school milesacross a map of the United States.

Sugarloaf Sharks Running Club Cudjoe Key, FLThe Sugarloaf Sharks Running Club is a programof the Key West Southernmost Runners Club. Thegoal of the program is to introduce 10- to 14-year-old middle school boys and girls to running and tooffer an activity to youth who don’t qualify for othersports teams. The Club meets twice a week for onehour after school from September through May.

Run for Home Youth Training Program Dover, OHThe Run for Home Youth Training Program is partof the Run for Home Road Runners Club. The Runfor Home Youth Training Program grew out of theinterest from the adult training program that bene-fits Habit for Humanity. The Youth Training Pro-gram, launched in 2010, is a series of eight Saturday

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LIGHT SHOES ARE ONLY GOOD IF THEY STAY LIGHT.WET SHOES ARE HEAVY SHOES. THE K-ONA IS DESIGNED WITH A

FLOW COOL™ AIR SYSTEM AND DRAINAGE PORTS, SO COOL AIR GOES

IN AND HEAVY WATER GOES OUT. TECHNOLOGY, FOR THE WIN.

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DESIGNED INCALIFORNIA

KSWISS.COM

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RRCA Program Spotlight

morning workshops designed to introduce chil-dren ages 4 to 12 to the benefits of running,using the Kids Run the Nation program model.Participation in the program is free and partici-pants will be encouraged to run in the Run forHome one-mile fun run/walk.

Clearview Panthers Bethlehem, PAThe Clearview Panthers formed in 2009 aftera successful lesson taught on running andheart health to a kindergarten class atClearview Elementary School. The ClearviewPanthers have modeled their program on theKids Run the Nation materials and meetweekly for 9 weeks to run. The program willculminate in a trip to the Lehigh Valley HalfMarathon kids’ race.

Banner Running Club Peoria, ILThe Banner Running Club is a youth runningclub started by Banner Elementary SchoolParent-Teacher Organization in 2009. Theclub meets after school for a brief clinic ontopics such as goal-setting, nutrition, running,sportsmanship, and more. Students in grades3 through 5 are encouraged to participate, andthe program culminates in running in a local5K race.

SAVE THE DATE! September 17, 2010 will be the 5th Annual National Run@Work Day®.The goal of National Run@Work Day, thethird Friday of every September, is for RRCAmembers and individuals across the country tohost community-based events that encouragepeople to incorporate at least thirty minutes ofwalking or running into their daily lives. Ifadults can lead by example, if companies canencourage healthy living, then together we cancombat the national inactivity crisis grippingour nation and our children. Learn how to plan your local Run@Work Day event atwww.RRCA.org/programs/run-at-work-day/.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2009RUN@WORK DAY EVENTS:

SauconyOn Sept. 18th, 2009 runners representingeach of the Lexington-based brands, raised$6,000 for the Saucony Run For Good Foun-dation during National Run@Work Day, lo-cally hosted by Saucony.

For seven consecutive hours, 28 runnersran 15-minute increments on a treadmill po-sitioned center-stage in the Lexington atrium

to promote healthy living within the work-place and raise money to help fight childhoodobesity. A competition was set-up with CBI,the brand's parent company in Topeka,Kansas, to see which facility could accumu-late the most mileage during the seven hours.At the end of the day, Lexington proved vic-torious, covering 58 miles to Topeka’s 46. Adonation of $100.00 per mile was madejointly by CBI and The Stride Rite Corpora-tion against the highest total mileage accrued,in this case, Lexington.

J&R Schugel Trucking, Inc.J&R Schugel Trucking, Inc. employees and contractors based in New Ulm, MN,hosted their first 5K Run@Work Day in2009. The free 5K Run/Walk@Work Dayevent was held at all J&R Schugel Termi-nals, allowing for nationwide participation.The goal of both the National RRCA

Run@Work Day and the J&R Schugelevent was to raise awareness about the im-portance and benefits of daily physical ac-tivity.

J&R Schugel’s President Rick Schugelsaid, “Incorporating regular exercise issomething I have encouraged my employeesto do for as long as I can remember, andwhat I love about running is it is the mosteffective level of cardiovascular exercise.”

In addition to awarding top finishers,Schugel recognized and awarded all partici-pants. To help employees prepare, J&RSchugel partnered with fitness coaches toformat a Progressing Running Program forthose that wanted to teach themselves torun, or want to ease back into runningafter a long hiatus. The program in-cluded a walking program in order totrain for the 5K fitness walk, and crosstraining ideas for days notrunning/walking, and motivational tipsand sources.

Minnesota Department of TransportationEmployees interested in substitutingbreak time for exercise participatedin the inaugural Minnesota StateCapitol Run@Work Day 5K andHalf 5K event on Sept. 18. Theopening ceremony began at 11:15a.m. on the State Capitol lawn,with Commissioner Tom Sorel pre-siding over the start of the race at11:30 a.m. Various health andrunning organizations were onhand to speak with employees in-terested in learning more aboutrunning and services offered to

foster a healthy lifestyle. Although partici-pation was free, participants and employeeswere encouraged to bring at least one non-perishable food item to the race which weredonated to Second Harvest Food Bank inSt. Paul, MN. The event was organized bythe Run@Work Day Planning Committeeand sponsored by the Hiway Federal CreditUnion to coincide with NationalRun@Work Day, which was created to en-courage people to devote some of theirbreak time at work each day to running.

This free poster can help publicize your event.

How You Can Make a Positive Impact on National Run@Work Day• Plan an event with your employer, your runningclub, or family and friends. • Hang Run@Work Day posters around the officeor around town to promote your event. To get yourfree copy of the promotional poster, send a self-ad-dressed, postage-paid ($0.65), 9x12 sized envelopeto 1501 Lee Hwy, Ste 140, Arlington, VA, 22209.Order multiple free copies of Run@Work Dayposters at www.rrca.org/publications/. • Visit our Run@Work Day event page on Face-book. Click on our Facebook link at the bottom ofwww.RRCA.org and find our 2010 Run@Work DayEvent on the RRCA Facebook page. Post informa-tion and ideas about your local events.• Download Run@Work ads like the one to the leftfrom www.RRCA.org/services/branding and put themin your local publications.

2009 Kids Run the Nation Grant Recipients

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National Running Awards Highlights

Since 1971, the RRCA has honored dedicatedindividuals for their outstanding service to theRRCA and the sport of distance runningthrough a variety of awards categories. We’re de-lighted to announce the 2009 National Run-ning Award recipients, and we thank theselection panel volunteers for their time. Formore information about the awards presentedby the RRCA and to learn more about all of theaward winners, visit www.rrca.org/services/na-tional-running-awards/.

All award recipients were honored at the52nd Annual RRCA National Banquet andRunning Awards Ceremony held in conjunc-

tion with the RRCA National Convention onApril 24, 2010 in Lakeland, Florida.

2010 RRCA DISTANCE RUNNINGHALL OF FAME INDUCTEESEstablished in 1970, the RRCA Distance Run-ning Hall of Fame consists of American citizenswho have shown long-term excellence in dis-tance running and/or have made outstandingcontributions to the sport. This year, we’repleased to induct Colleen De Reuck and LibbieHickman into the RRCA Hall of Fame. You’llfind information about all RRCA Hall of Famemembers at www.RRCAHistory.org.

Colleen De ReuckColleen De Reuck was born on April 13, 1964in Vryheid, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. Shenow lives in Boulder, Colorado, and became aU.S citizen on Dec. 11, 2000. De Reuck grad-uated from Stanger High School in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa in 1981 and finishedcollege at the University of Port Elizabeth in

Eastern Cape, South Africa in 1985. Before be-coming a U.S. citizen in 2000, she representedSouth Africa in three Olympics, competing inthe marathon in 1992 (9th, 2:39:03), the10,000m in 1996 (13th, 32:14.69), and themarathon in 2000 (31st, 2:36:58).

De Reuck’s first year as a U.S. citizen,2001, saw her win the USA 8K Champi-onship in 26:16, the Arturo Barrios 10K in32:35, and the Tufts Health Plan 10K forWomen in 32:10. She was also 14th (3rdAmerican) at the New York City Marathon in2:35:31. She made her first U.S team in 2002after a 2nd-place finish to Deena Kastor at theUSA 8K cross country trials. Kastor and DeReuck then finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively,at the IAAF World Cross Country 8K as they,along with Jen Rhines, won the team Silvermedal. In 2003, she was 2nd at the USA CrossCountry Champs 8K (29:42), 8th at theWorld XC Championships 8K (26:49), wonthe USA Half-Marathon Championship(1:10:00), and was 2nd at the USA MarathonChampionships (2:37:41).

De Reuck made her fourth Olympic teamin 2004, this time as an American, after winningthe women’s U.S. Olympic Trials Marathonrace in 2:28:25. She finished 39th at theOlympic Games with a time of 2:46:30. Earlierin the year, she won the USA 8K Cross Coun-try race to make her third U.S. cross countryteam and went on to finish 8th at the World XCChampionships. She was also the 2004 USA15K champion in 49:02.

In 2005, at the age of 40, De Reuck againwon the USA XC 8K race, this time in 27:24and was the top U.S. finisher at the World XCChampionships (13th, 27:51). She also set amarathon record for masters’ women at theChicago Marathon, where she finished in2:28:40. In 2006, De Reuck became a memberof the USA’s 8K cross country team for a fifthtime, finishing 33rd at the Worlds. Since turn-ing 40, De Reuck has established U.S. masterrecords at eight distances: 5K (15:48), 10K(32:50), 12K (40:48), 15K (49:51), 20K(1:07:21), half marathon (1:11:30), 25K(1:25:15), and marathon (2:28:40).

Last year, at 45, she became the oldestwoman to win a U.S. championship when shewon the New Haven 20K in 1:07:21, the samerace where she set a world record (1:05:11) in1998. 2009 also saw De Reuck lead the BostonMarathon for much of the race; she finishedeighth overall in 2:37:57. In the fall, she was sec-ond in 2:32:37 at the women’s U.S. Marathonchampionship race hosted by the Twin CitiesMarathon.

Presented by the Road Runners Club of America

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National Running Awards Highlights

Libbie HickmanLibbie Hickman was born on Feb. 17, 1965,in Billings, Montana. She graduated fromhigh school in 1983 in Cairo, Egypt, whereher father was working for an oil company.Hickman began running as a child when shewould chase fly balls at her older brothers’baseball practice and have her dad time herin sprints around the block. She ran track &field in high school and college at ColoradoState University. By her own admission, Lib-bie’s college career was less than stellar.

After graduating from CSU in 1987with a BS in science/physiology and a minorin chemistry, she began a professional run-ning career that lasted 16 years, highlightedby representing the USA in the 10,000m atthe 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Hickman won major races on the roadand track at every distance from 1500m to thehalf marathon. She had a breakthrough year atroad racing in 1991 when she won the ARRAcircuit and was ranked as the top woman roadracer by Runner’s World magazine. She also wonRunner’s World’s top spot in 1998 and 2000,and placed second in 1997 and 1999. (Inter-estingly, the top-rated runner in 1997 and 1999was our other 2010 RRCA Hall of Fame in-ductee, Colleen De Reuck.)

Other career highlights include winningthe 1999 U.S. 10,000m championship; the1997 U.S. 5000m championship; finishingfourth at the 1996 Olympic Trials 5000; win-

ning the 1998 half marathonand 10K road championships,and representing the U.S. atthree World Championships(1995, ’97, and ’99). A per-sonal favorite win came in1997, when she won theBolder Boulder 10K. It wasthe first time in 14 years thatan American woman had wonthis race in her adopted “nativestate.”

RRCA OUTSTANDINGSTATE REPRESENTATIVEOF THE YEAR 2009George Rehmet California (Coastal)George Rehmet held the posi-tion of RRCA State Represen-tative from 1999 to 2004,winning State Rep of the Yearin 2001. After taking a breakto devote time to other activi-ties, he returned to the staterep position in 2008 and

quickly found himself in the role as the di-rector for the 2009 RRCA National Conven-tion. George has been running since 1981and his running accomplishments are too nu-merous to outline in the space available. Inaddition to running, he has completed morethan 100 swims to or from Alcatraz Island,most of them without a wetsuit, in the chillywaters of the San Francisco Bay! George is ateacher and cross country coach at a juveniledetention camp.

What RRCA members said aboutGeorge:

“George has worked tirelessly over the past12 months or more to bring about the firstofficial physically challenged category in aSan Francisco Bay Area road race. It is hard todescribe how much it has meant to me, a dis-tance runner who happens to be a leg am-putee, to be able to log onto Active.com toregister for an event, and check the physicallychallenged box. I sincerely hope that you be-stow this honor upon George, as I believe hisinclusive attitude and can-do spirit are ex-actly what the sport of running needs todayand in the future.” – Geoff, Pamakid Runners

“George is an attentive and approachableRep, and has proven this to be so, year-in andyear-out. When George returned to the ranksof state reps, he made a concerted effort toget to know my club (new to RRCA) and mepersonally. He has attended our club’s Satur-day morning and Wednesday evening funruns on multiple occasions, introducing him-self to the membership and participating inour run and post-exercise meal. Further, hehas attended our annual meeting on multi-ple occasions and spoken to our group at that

forum.” – Jeff, EastBay Front Runnersand Walkers

“I recommend GeorgeRehmet for Outstand-ing RRCA State Rep-resentative for 2009. Ibelieve that he exem-plifies the higheststandards of excellencein all that he does forthe RRCA. His lovefor the sport of run-ning is matched by hiseveryday efforts on be-half of the membershe represents. He isthe rare person whogives of his time andeffort without com-plaint and always withjoy.” – Simone, EastBay Front Runnersand Walkers

“Through his leadership, the 2009 conven-tion was an extremely successful experiencefor attendees and host clubs. George traveledto many Bay Area clubs and races to promotethe convention, obtain sponsorships, and tosupport the RRCA. Moreover, he traveledthroughout the country to promote the con-vention. He was tireless in his efforts andspent hundreds of hours on the myriad of de-tails associated with the convention. Hehelped to develop many of the convention

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Libby Hickman

2009 RRCA State Rep of theYear George Rehmet (right)with Frank Shorter

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2010 RRCA NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS

RRCA National 5 K ChampionshipRace the Lakes 5KLakeland, FloridaApril 24, 2010www.RRCAConvention.org/

RRCA National 10 K ChampionshipKalamazoo Klassic 10 KKalamazoo, MichiganJune 19, 2010www.kalamazooklassic.com

RRCA National 10 Mi ChampionshipCredit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile RaceWashington, DCApril 11, 2010www.cherryblossom.org

RRCA National Half MarathonChampionshipParkersburg News & Sentinel Half MarathonParkersburg, West VirginiaAugust 21, 2010www.newsandsentinelhalfmarathon.com

RRCA National Marathon ChampionshipMilwaukee Lakefront MarathonMilwaukee, WisconsinOctober 3, 2010www.badgerlandstriders.org/lfm/

RRCA National Ultra ChampionshipTahoe Rim Trail 100 M Endurance RunSpooner Lake State Park, Carson City, NevadaJuly 17, 2010www.sagebrushstompers.org/trt50

CENTRAL REGION CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS5K – Rotary Ramble 5K – DeMotte, IN10K – Dexter-Ann Arbor Run – Ann Arbor, MIHalf Marathon – Glass City Marathon & Half – Toledo, OH30K – Labor Day 30K Festival of Races – Milford, MIMarathon – Indianapolis Marathon – Indianapolis, INUltra – Kal-Haven Trail Run – Kalamzoo, MI

SOUTHERN REGION CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS5K – Woodstock 5K – Anniston, AL10K – The Old Reliable Run – Raleigh, NC10 Mile – Red Nose Run – Birmingham, AL15K – Fort Worth Runners Club Labor Day 15K – Fort Worth, TXCross Country – Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival – Fayetteville, ARHalf Marathon – Germantown Half Marathon – Germantown, TNMarathon – Tallahassee Marathon – Tallahassee, FL

WESTERN REGION CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS5K – Heart & Sole Run – Billings, MT10K – Mainly Masters 10K – San Diego, CAHalf Marathon – San Francisco Half – San Francisco, CAMarathon – Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon – Napa, CAUltra – Bulldog 50K – Calabasas, CA

EASTERN REGION CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS10 Mile – Capital 10 Mile – Richmond, VAHalf Marathon – Mountain MD Half Marathon – Cumberland, MDMarathon – Maine Marathon – Portland, MEUltra – Mountain Madness 50K – Ringwood, NJ5 K – Open for bid10K – Open for bid

CONGRATULATIONS TO THEFOLLOWING 2010 RRCA

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPEVENTS

There are still a few distances open for bid, and we hope to fill theslate over the remainder of the year. Only RRCA club and eventmembers may bid, and winning races are provided free bib numberscourtesy of Sigvaris, Inc., Gatorade, and awards, includingSports Authority gift cards for overall, masters and grandmasterswinners (some exclusions may apply). For more information, or to bidplease visit www.rrca.org/programs/championships/.

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activities using his past convention experiencesand listening to other runners. George’s abilityto recruit the right people in key volunteer po-sitions was also critical to the success of the con-vention. This demonstrated George’s positiverelationships with the running community.” –Len, Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders

RRCA ROAD RACE OF THE YEARThe Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half MarathonThe Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon and 5Ktakes place in February, typically on Super BowlSunday. The race starts in San Francisco’sGolden Gate Park on John F. Kennedy Driveeast of Stow Lake Drive and finishes on MartinLuther King Drive near the Great Highway.

The race is presented by the Pamakid Run-ners, whose purpose is to promote a healthylifestyle, support the running community andcharitable causes by organizing, volunteering,and participating in running-related and socialevents in the San Francisco Bay Area. PamakidRunners host training runs leading up to therace, and all levels are invited to join the train-ing runs. In addition, the race website has on-line training plans that participants can follow.To ensure that all levels of runners may partici-pate in the event, the race has a four-hour finishtime. Three hours into the race, participants whoare still on the course are moved to the runningpath to finish, and the finish line is open for fourhours after the event’s start.

The Pamakid Runners have donated over$100,000 from race revenues to local charitiessuch as Koret Family House, The Harbor LightCenter for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and Sup-port for Families of Children with Disabilities.

The race has served as the RRCA WesternRegion Half Marathon Championship for sev-eral years and is a certified 13.1-mile coursethat’s ranked as one of the most scenic in thecountry. The race sells out each year with a field10,000 participants. RRCA Western Region di-rector David Epstein was in attendance to honorthe 2009 RRCA Western Region Half MarathonChampions. The race provides a free booth atthe finish line expo for local RRCA members topromote local events, as well as the nationalRRCA organization. Finally, PamaKid Runnersand Kaiser Permanente believe that individualswith a disability deserve the inspiration, support,and opportunity to participate in athletic en-deavors that promote healthier, active lifestyles.In order to support that belief, the 2010 KaiserPermanente San Francisco Half Marathon in-troduced a Physically Challenged Athlete (PC)category for male and female participants. Thiscategory requires pre-registration as a PC Ath-lete and will be excluded from age group cate-gories.

RRCA Award Winners

RRCA ANNOUNCES NATIONAL RUNNING AWARD RECIPIENTS

Since 1971, the RRCA has honored dedicated individuals for their outstanding service to the RRCA and thesport of distance running. We are delighted to announce the 2009 National Running Award recipients, andwe thank the selection panel volunteers for their time. For more information on each award category and tolearn how to nominate a deserving individual from your organization in 2010, visit rrca.org/services/awards.

RRCA LONG DISTANCE RUNNING HALL OF FAMEInductees: Colleen De Reuck and Libby HickmanSelection Panel: Jim Oaks, Chair, Amby Burfoot, Jacqueline Hansen, Joe Henderson, Don Kardong, JohnParker, Lisa Rainsberger, Steve Shostrom, Ken Young, Kim Jones, and Bill Rodgers

RRCA SCOTT HAMILTON OUTSTANDING CLUB PRESIDENT OF THE YEARDavid Purinton, Huntsville Track Club, Huntsville, ALSelection Panel: Brent Ayer, Libby Jones, and Mark Grandonico

BROWNING ROSS SPIRIT OF THE RRCA AWARDDeborah D. “Debbie” Magilke, Yellowstone Rim Runners, Billings, MTSelection Panel: David Epstein, Gary Corbitt, and Dan Edwards

RRCA OUTSTANDING STATE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEARGeorge Rehmet, State Representative for California (Coastal Region)Selection Panel: Brent Ayer, Dan Edwards, and Kelly Richards

ROAD RUNNERS OF THE YEAR• Open Male: Meb Keflezighi, Mammoth Track Club, Mammoth Lakes, CA• Open Female: Amy Yoder Begley, Nike Oregon Project, Beaverton, OR• Male Master: Jon Williams, Gold Coast Runners, Miami, FL• Female Master: Joan Benoit SamuelsonSelection Panel: Mitchell Garner, Jeff Horowitz, Frank Shorter, and Larry Eder

RRCA JERRY LITTLE EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AWARDS• Small Club Newsletter: Runners Hi!, Ed Hardee (Editor), Amelia Island Runners, Fernandina Beach, FL• Large Club Newsletter: The Running Account, Esther Dill (Editor), North Carolina Running Club - Raleigh, NC• E-Newsletter: Sooner Soundings, Marlyss Bird (Editor), Pamakid Runners, San Francisco, CA• Club Writer of the Year: Mark Lucas, Cornbelt Running Club, Bettendorf, IA• Journalism Excellence: Roger Robinson, Running Times MagazineSelection Panel: Marlene Atwood, Lisa Herbert, and Susan Zevin

OUTSTANDING CLUB WEBSITE AWARDSEach year, one award is given to a small club (250 and fewer members) and one to a large club (over 250members) from the nominations received. Then, an overall website winner is chosen from the two finalists.Overall Winner: Chattahoochee Road Runners (small club winner) www.crrclub.com, Chattahoochee, GAHonorable Mention: Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers (large club winner) www.runnersandwalkers.com,Grapevine, TXSelection Panel: Chuck Bartlett, Chris Burch, Michael Bowen, Charles Cline

ROD STEELE OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER OF THE YEARDiane Perriello, Summit Athletic Running Club, Cuyahoga Falls, OHSelection Panel: George Rehmet, Nancy Hobbs, and Bee McLeod

KURT STEINER CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENTAL AWARDRon Beasley, Ann Arbor Track Club (AATC), Ann Arbor, MISelection Panel: Dan Kesterson, Eve Mills, and Lena Hollmann

OUTSTANDING BEGINNING RUNNING PROGRAM AWARDWomen Run/Walk Memphis led by Terri Clarke and DJ Watson, Memphis Runners Track Club, Memphis, TNSelection Panel: Lena Hollmann, Tony Flesch, and Simone Adair

RRCA ROAD RACE OF THE YEARThe Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon hosted by the Pamakid Runners, San Francisco, CASelection Panel: Mark Grandonico, Libby Jones, and John Devitt

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ING Hartford Marathon and Half Marathon magnifi cent fi nish under the Memorial Arch.

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EASY TO PLAY HERE...Walk to everything, from the expo to the Pasta Supper, from race start to great spectator spots.

EASY TO RUN HERE...Start and fi nish in same location, on a beautiful course lined with over 50 bands and the best postrace food in North America.

www.inghartfordmarathon.com

OCTOBER 9, 2010

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We recommend, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.

Maintaining MotivationBy Barbara J. Walker, Ph.D.

Beep, beep, beep … Beep, beep, beep. 5 a.m. You rub the sleep from your eyes. Make a cup of coffee, and assess the conditions out-side. The soft glow of a sunrise-to-be is growing on the horizon. The air is cool and comfortable. Your legs are beginning to show signsof an eagerness to get moving. There’s a restless anticipation building inside. Check list time: Shorts, shirt, shoes? Check. GPS? Check.Water? Check. It’s GO time!

For most committed runners, the preceding scenario is a pretty normal occurrence during the on-season. It’s a situation where themotivation to train comes compliments of the morning sunlight. But what do you do when the conditions are not so favorable, whenthe air is cold, and it is raining or snowing, and windy? When the sun is on vacation and you’re feeling that you should be, as well, justas you might find during the off-season?

Motivation during a training season is not very difficult for most serious runners. In fact, in my practice as a sport psychologist, Ioften have discussions with my clients about the risks of being overly zealous and “too motivated,” and about helping them carve ineasy/rest days and more sleep. Training, just like the seasons, has to change from time to time to be the most fruitful. The winter off-season is the time to build your strength for your upcoming season, allow other muscle groups to become stronger, and especially allowsome recovery. It’s a great time to do some cross-training, including swimming, indoor cycling, strength work, pilates, and/or yoga, orjust take more time to rest. It’s when we build on the hard work and successes of our recent past, and prepare for even greater successin the future. So, we now have the perfect justification to train in the off-season, but how do we find the motivation to do it? Whattools do we have to keep the fire burning inside and the heart pumping? Two of the most powerful and most utilized tools in the sportspsychologist’s toolbox are goal setting and visualization.

We’ve all heard about the importance of setting goals, but few people know how to set them effectively. The goal-setting process issimple in theory, but takes critical thinking and planning to do it well. Teaching yourself to set realistic, yet challenging personal per-formance-oriented goals will allow you to do the work necessary to achieve those goals, allow you to see improved performance, leadto increased confidence, and ultimately lead to your success as an athlete.

DEFINE WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR.What did you do last year? What excites you and gets you looking forward to getting up in the morning to actually look forward toyour workouts? Do you want to try something completely different or do you want to set a new PR? Think big (but realistically) andimagine where you want to go with running this year. See it and feel it. For goal-setting purposes, we’ll call this your Outcome Goal.Now, with outcome goals, it’s OK to think in terms of placement, but we have no control over placement in a race. We all really wantto be in first place. You never hear someone say that they hope they come in fifth, right? Assume that all your competitors want first,as well; that will be a given. I suggest you set time goals or some performance-oriented goal for yourself, something you have morecontrol over. You could have the best race of your life and still not be in first place. If you set a placement goal, you may tend to bedisappointed in your race, rather than celebrate the fact that you just had a personal best.

The goal-setting process consists of seven steps. Take your time with each step and write your answers for each point down on paper.

KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.

1

2How are you doing right now? Get feedback from your training partners, life partners, and/or coaches. What’s your typical trainingand/or racing pace? How strong are you?

BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DEVELOP.This is a tough, yet critical step. You will need to be objective with yourself to know where the gaps are! Again, get feedback fromothers. Dig deep and put your ego aside; it will help you in the long run. Would it be beneficial for you to work on your core? On hillsor speedwork? Improve your confidence?

3

SET SUB-GOALS.Break down your outcome/season-long goal into specific concentrated areas, like physical, nutrition, and mental skills.

4

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Training Tips

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Training Tips

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:

CREATE PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES FOREACH SUB-GOAL CATEGORY.This is the most challenging and where most persons fall short. This is the area that will help youthe most in making daily gains, and help you maintain motivation as the season progresses. Plan-ning for daily improvement helps maintain motivation and each practice becomes high quality.With performance objectives, you want to be as specific and personally performance oriented aspossible. As an example, if you are currently eating one serving of vegetables per day, but knowthat you would like and need to get in five to seven servings per day, instead of writing “Eat morevegetables,” you would say, “Eat 5–7 servings each day.”

6Make sure the goals you have set are really what you want to accomplish, and that you are ca-pable of accomplishing over a period of time. Committing yourself means writing down your goalsand objectives. Share them with a partner or friend. Post them where you will see them to keepthem at the forefront of your mind. Creating a daily or weekly check-off list will help you stay mo-tivated, as well as allow you to see what areas you’re doing well in and not so well in.

7Be flexible and change the plan when necessary. Sometimes your goals will change based on ill-nesses, injuries, or quicker/slower improvements than expected. My experience is that really com-mitted runners (sometimes bordering on being obsessive and anxious about their training) forgetto listen to their bodies and monitor themselves. Monitoring and being flexible will help you gainthe best shape by avoiding illnesses and injuries.

Dr. Barbara Walker is a performance psychologist who provides consultation to high-level athletes and business profession-als in the area of peak performance. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in exercise and sportpsychology, and is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified consultant. Dr. Walker is a regular presenter at national andlocal professional conferences and workshops, as well as a regular contributor to magazines. She has appeared as a guestexpert on multiple radio and television programs. She serves on the board of directors of the Association of Applied Sport Psy-chology (AASP), as the Professional Services Division head, and the Cincinnati Flying Pig marathon. She is a member of boththe American Psychological Association and AASP, as well as a member of the sport psychology registry with the United StatesOlympic Committee. She demonstrates a passion for peak performance principles applying them in her personal life as acompetitive athlete in the sports of marathon, triathlon, and duathlon, where she is currently nationally ranked. She is currentlythe Ohio State time trialing champion in her age group. Visit her website at www.centerforhumanperformance.com

In addition to goal setting, another exceptional skill you can develop to support motivation is vi-sualization, or imagery. Visualization can be defined as using all the senses to create or recreate in themind a clear and vivid picture of the desired performance and outcome. You may have experiencedvisualization as you read the introduction to this article. As you begin to develop your visualizationskills, your goal will be to see and feel your vision as crisply and clearly, and in real time (rather thanslow motion). To develop the skill, start with just a few minutes at a time. Being in a relaxed, com-fortable, and quiet setting is key so that you can avoid distraction. Practice initially with your eyesclosed. Doing a relaxation or breathing exercise prior to visualizing also helps you create the rightmindset prior to visualizing. Once your goal is defined, each night before you go to bed and/or priorto your training runs, take about 10 minutes to visualize yourself performing the race or run excel-lently, at your desired pace. Think of this skill as needing development over a period of time, just likeyour endurance in running; it’s more effective to practice visualization daily for weeks, rather than onetime just before a big race. Feel and see what you want your body to be doing. Create as much detailas possible. For example, if you’re visualizing a marathon, put yourself at the starting line, feeling re-laxed, yet ready, or you can put yourself visually at mile 18, allowing your hands and shoulders to berelaxed, head up, feeling great mentally and physically.

Having a purpose is important. If you don’t know where you’re going, then any path will do. De-veloping your goals will help you define your path. Motivation and drive come from constant focuson the destination and then seeing yourself moving through a known process for getting there. Set-ting goals and seeing yourself performing that goal is part of a process of identifying why you do whatyou do, and ultimately, defines what kind of athlete you not only want to be, but are going to be.

5

COMMIT YOURSELF COMPLETELY.

CONTINUALLY MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS.

RRCA FACEBOOK FRIENDS SHARE THEIR TIPS ON STAYING MOTIVATED

Stephanie from California: The #1 motivatorfor me is to sign up for races. Having a date seton the calendar only pushes you to keep train-ing and reaching that goal ’til race time. Asidefrom a race, I think it's good to keep running justto be heart healthy and stay in shape. Runningtruly helps keep the pounds off and gives youthe energy you never thought you had before.

Carl Sniffen (former RRCA President) fromOregon: Pick a target: a race, a reunion, amountain running trip and gear your training to-wards that target. When you get out of theshower, look in the mirror. See something youdon’t like, start running (get dressed first). Seesomething you like, same advice to keep it thatway. Use variety: trails, cross country, roads.Take a break periodically—a complete break ofat least 1 to 2 weeks.

Linda from Illinois: For me, it’s pretty simple—when I don’t run, I’m not myself. Running is mymeditation and I miss it when I don’t get outthere. Cross-training is great, but it isn’t thesame for me. So running is a habit with me. Ilove running first thing in the morning when it’sdark. It’s the way I start my day. If I can’t run forsome reason in the morning, I pack my gear,change and run right after work, from work, orchange and drive home. Then there’s no chanceI don’t run; I’m ready to go!

RRCA Certified Coach Jeff McMahon: Whatmotivates me? I wish I could say I’ve alwaysstood as a shining star of self-discipline when itcame to my running. Uncompromising, stalwart,never relying on others to get me out the dooron those days that motivation tends to be a bitlacking. The best athletes possess that quality,and I do okay, but I could do better.

In truth, my training sword became muchsharper with the establishment of the Team Mc-Graw Endurance Program. Through this pro-gram, athletes are guided and trained for eventsof their choosing while they offer their supportfor the Tug McGraw Foundation and quality oflife brain tumor research. I carry the keys as di-rector of the program.

Kevin [Leathers, also an RRCA-certifiedcoach] is an accomplished ultramarathoner,triathlete, and Ironman finisher; I’m one of those“get to the finish line” guys. But early on, Kevinand I sought out RRCA for their coaching courseas a way to better help all our folks meet everygoal they seek.

I am inspired by the survivor of a braintumor that didn’t complete her first marathonuntil after her original diagnosis; a father thattrained for his first marathon in honor of thefight currently underway with his own son; awife who ran a half-marathon to inspire her sur-vivor husband, who later completes the samedistance at her side.

Remembering that I’m saddled up withfolks like these, on those “I don’t feel like run-nin’ today” days, that gets me out the doorquicker than anything. I’m proud to stand with’em, I wanna train for ’em …

And when the gun fires … I’m gonna beone of ’em.

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Running Network 2010 Spring Shoe Review

American Track & Fieldwww.american-trackandfield.comAthletes Only www.atf-athlete.comAthletics (Canada) www.otfa.caAustin Fit www.austinfitmagazine.comCalifornia Track & Running News www.caltrack.comClub Running www.rrca.org/clubrunningCoaching Athletics Quarterly www.coachingathleticsq.comColorado Runner www.coloradorunnermag.comGet Active! www.getactivemagazine.comGreater Long Island Running Club’s Footnoteswww.glirc.orgLatinos Corriendo www.latinoscorriendo.comMichigan Runner www.michiganrunner.netMissouri Runner & Triathlete www.morunandtri.comRunning Journal & Racing South www.running.netRunMinnesota www.runmdra.orgRunOhio www.runohio.comTrack & Field News www.trackandfieldnews.comUSATF’s Fast Forward www.usatf.orgUSATF–New England’s Exchange Zone www.usatfne.orgThe Winged Foot www.nyac.orgThe Winged M www.themac.comYouth Runner www.youthrunner.com

Reviewer: Cregg Weinmann ProjectCoordinator/Editor: Christine JohnsonDesigner: Kristen Cerer Proofreader:Marg Sumner, Red Ink Editorial ServicesShoe Photography: Daniel Saldaña,Cregg Weinmann Advertising Sales:Running Network LLC, Larry Eder, President,920.563.5551, ext. 112, [email protected]: Larry Eder, 608.239.3785 Website: www.runningnetwork.com For a Media Kit, please visit our website.

This 2010 Spring Shoe Review is produced inde-pendently by Running Network LLC for its partnerpublications. All shoes reviewed were tested byexperienced, competitive runners who werematched to the biomechanical purpose of eachshoe model.

Copyright © 2010 by Running Network LLC. AllRights Reserved. No part of this publication maybe stored, copied, or reprinted without prior writtenpermission of Running Network LLC.

Running Network LLC and its partner publicationssuggest that, as with all fitness activities, you meetwith a healthcare professional before beginning orchanging your fitness regimen.

Runn

ing

Netw

ork

LLC

Part

ners

K-Swiss Keahou IISaucony ProGrid Triumph 7Best Shoe—Neutral

Scott Makani IIBest Shoe—Performance

Nike Zoom Structure Triax+ 13 Best Shoe—Motion Stabilizing

adidas adiStar SolutionBest New Shoe

Brooks Glycerin 8Best Renovation

AWARD WINNERS

BEST SHOENeutral

S P R I N G 2 0 10

BEST SHOE

S P R I N G 2 0 10

Performance

BEST SHOEMotion

StabilizingS P R I N G 2 0 10

BEST RENOVATIONSPRING 2010

BEST NEW SHOESPRING 2010

2010 SPRING SHOE REVIEW Each new season brings with it the anticipation of improved design and new materials. The shoes that endured our weartesting

process represent the best shoes for a variety of feet and runners. The influence of “Natural Motion” and a reexamination ofdesign and available materials can be seen in the changes that have been made in a number of the shoes. Many shoes in all categories have been lightened up and have lower profiles, though there are still a number of heavyweight shoes with heavy-dutymotion stabilizing technologies, or multiple layers of plush cushioning.

Such changes have further established some best practices that improve overall comfort. All brands have their own lasts and formulations of basic materials that allow them to address the majority of runners’ requirements for fit and feel. The number ofofferings in the Neutral and Performance shoe categories continues to grow, while those in the Motion Stabilizing category, thoughsmaller in number, are becoming more precisely tuned to give better support and a more efficient transition from heel to toe-off.While there are some new patents in both design and use of materials, a number of innovations have spread throughout the indus-try so rapidly that they have already become best practices, and the consumer is the ultimate beneficiary.

Shoe companies use slightly different lasts (the foot-shaped forms on which shoes are made) and proprietary midsole formulas,and those result in a wide range of offerings on the market and improved chances that runners can find a shoe to match their fitness and biomechanics. It may take a bit of time to check out all the options, but you’ll know the right shoe for you when you tryit. We offer this Review as a starting point.

Welcome to the Running Network’s 2010 Spring Shoe Review!

Barefoot running has been a hot topic of late: Should you run in shoesor do they hinder your natural movement? This discussion surfaces

every decade or so, and in my 30+ years in the sport, I’ve developed myown take on this, which was corroborated by Cregg Weinmann at lastyear’s Running Network meetings. All things being equal, a runner shouldrun in the least amount of shoe they can, depending on their biomechan-ical needs. It’s true that some people can run barefoot or in minimalistshoes on long runs, etc., but others risk injury that way. I suggest whatmy college coach, Dan Durante, had me do: Take a varied approach. I ranon grass, dirt trails, roads and tracks. I ran on beaches barefoot or grasstracks once in a while. I ran in light shoes during fast sessions and hadmy favorite (heavier) training shoes for long runs and easy days. I alsonoted that the better shape I got in, the lighter the shoes I could success-fully train in. Just remember that this is a personal decision about what

works for you in your own set of circumstances. Find the right shoe orshoes for you, and add some variety to your training surfaces—you’llhave healthier feet for it!

As always, thanks to Cregg Weinmann, our RN footwear reviewer,Kristen Cerer, our designer, Marg Sumner, our proofreader, and ChristineJohnson, our RN project manager. We ask you to use the RunningNetwork’s Shoe Review as the starting point in your journey to find yourperfect running shoe. Go to your local running store (we track 683 ofthem at runningnetwork.com’s Store Locator) to finish the journey!

Larry EderPresident, Running Network LLC

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Running Network 2010 Spring Shoe Review

BEST SHOEMotion

StabilizingS P R I N G 2 0 10

BEST NEW SHOESPRING 2010

SEE FULL REVIEW AT WWW.THEWINGEDM.COM

ASICS GT-2150—$100 Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10—$105 Nike Zoom Structure Triax+ 13—!$100 Pearl Izumi Fuel—$100

adidas adiStar Solution—$120 adidas Supernova Glide 2— $100 Brooks Glycerin 8—$130 K-Swiss Keahou II—$100

Puma Complete Ventis—$100 Saucony ProGrid Triumph 7—$130 Under Armour Apparition II—$95 Karhu Forward Fulcrum—$130

Mizuno Waverider 13—$100 Zoot Ultra TT 3.0—$130 ASICS Gel DS Trainer 15—$110 Mizuno Wave Elixer 5—$105

New Balance 740—$85 Nike LunarElite+ 5—$100 Reebok Premier SF Attack—$90 Scott Makani II—$110

BEST RENOVATIONSPRING 2010

BEST SHOENeutral

S P R I N G 2 0 10

BEST SHOENeutral

S P R I N G 2 0 10

BEST SHOE

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CLUBRUNNING.NETRead our complete reviews at

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Potluck Recipe

If your name falls in the alphabetical group that’s asked tobring appetizers to a potluck event, consider these great,easy ideas for your next get-together.

Hummus and Pita BreadYou can find pre-made hummus in most grocerystores, but consider impressing your running friendsby bringing your own homemade hummus to yournext event. You will need:

1 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans! cup liquid from can of chickpeas or garbanzobeans3–5 tablespoons lemon juice 1" tablespoons tahini2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic" teaspoon (or less) salt2 tablespoons olive oil

Drain the chickpeas and set aside the ! cup of liq-uid from the can. Combine all ingredients inblender or food processor. Add the ! cup of liquidfrom the chickpeas and blend/process until thor-oughly mixed and smooth (approximately 2 min. ina blender, 1–1" min. in a food processor). Spoonhummus into a serving dish and serve with cutstrips of pita bread or pita chips.

7-Layer Dip and Chips1 16 oz. can vegetarian refried beans1 package (1 oz.) taco or guacamole seasoning mix1 16 oz. container low-fat sour cream1 16 oz. jar of salsa (we recommend medium spice)1 large tomato, chopped" cup chopped onion1 6 oz. can black olives (drained, then chopped)2 cups shredded taco-style cheeseOptional: 1 small head of iceberg lettuce, shreddedBaked tortilla chips

Mix the refried beans and seasoning mix together until smooth. Spoon the beans into a 9x9 glass baking dish, cover-ing the bottom of the dish. Next, smooth on a layer of sour cream, followed by a layer of salsa. Top with the cheese,tomatoes, onions, black olives, and lettuce (if using). Serve with baked tortilla chips.

CLUB RUNNING RACE ADSTo advertise in this publication, please contact Paul Banta at OSE Productions, Inc.

phone: 503.969.4147 • fax: 503.620.4052 • email: [email protected]

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A Is for Appetizers

BigStockPhoto.com

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