the

Racing Issue

Race Day
Mistakes

T HE
and How to
Avoid Them

OCR! TRAIL!
ULTRA!
Find your
perfect race
SPRING SHOE
FASTEST
WOMAN
REVIEW
What kicks to Tori Bowie
buy now for TALKS NEVER
road and trail GIVING UP
AND WHAT’S
MARCH 2018 $4.99
NEXT

womensrunning.com
CON T EN T S
March

F EAT UR ES
44
Spring's Fresh Kicks
Women’s Running has
tested the spring 2018
shoe offerings to help
you find the best fit for
your training and racing
needs this season.
By Rebecca Warren

52
Find Your Perfect Race
There’s a race for
everyone. Here’s how
to find the right one
for you.
By Susan Lacke

58
The Fastest Woman
in the World
Three years ago, Tori
Bowie decided to
give sprinting a try.
The success that has
followed—driven by one
especially influential
figure—is nothing short
of shocking.
By Julia Beeson Polloreno

COVER STORIES
58 The World’s Fastest Woman
15 Race Day Mistakes and How
to Avoid Them
52 OCR! Trail! Ultra!
Find your perfect race
44 Spring Shoe Review:
OLIVER BAKER

What kicks to buy now

for road and trail

2 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

CON T EN T S
March

IN EVERY ISSUE EAT TO RUN

7 From the Editor
37 Fuel Your Run
8 WomensRunning.com New sports nutrition prod-
64 Parting Shot ucts to fuel you to the finish

39 Nutrition Notes
WAR M UP Race-day fueling strategies
for every distance
9 We’re Obsessed
Race-day essentials we put in 40 Clean Plate
our gear bags A meat-free, sheet pan recipe
with very little cleanup
12 #trending
Running the numbers of 42 Weeknight Winners
Strava users in 2017; three new Five quick-and-easy recipes

26
runner reads; how WR readers with energy-boosting
like to recover, and more ingredients

14 Your Voice
How one runner learned to
race without fear 40
15 Run Talk RACE SMAR T 32 Running at Every Age
Runners share their biggest How to set a PR every
race-day mistakes—and how 25 Shoe of the Moment decade
to avoid them in the future. Nike’s new foam goes
high tech. 34 Where It Hurts
16 We Tried It The best strategies for fixing
The best non-slip headbands 26 Stride Strong and preventing IT band
for runners Use a rowing machine to syndrome
build whole-body strength
18 Travel and improve your running. 35 Take a Breath
How to “do” a destination Shift your racing mindset
race 28 Calendar with power phrases.
What’s going on in the
22 Run Life Hacks world of running in March
How to find your perfect pair
of run shoes 29 Run Safe
Four products to keep
23 Community you safe on outdoor runs
Run Club Profile: Black Girls
CHRIS ROSA; ROCK 'N' ROLL MARATHON LA; OLIVER BAKER; FAITH MASON

RUN! leaves no woman behind. 30 Meet the Elite

Allie Kieffer PRed at the
New York City Marathon
by 26 minutes and is a World
Half Marathon Champion-
ships hopeful.

31 Ask the Coach

Our expert offers advice for
timing your pre-race warm-up,
Tori Bowie was photographed by
which shoes to wear for which
Heather Fulbright in Atlanta, Ga.

15 distance and how to stay

warm on race morning after
checking your gear bag.
Hair and makeup by Erikka Hart
with The Spin Style Agency.
Wardrobe provided by adidas.

4 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

 Get the
STRONG, SEXY CORE
you want!
IT’S TIME TO STOP THE CRUNCHES,
protein shakes, and boring cardio.
Acclaimed personal trainer and exercise
physiologist Allison Westfahl reveals a
better way to tone and sculpt to get the
strong, sexy core you want. Her Core Envy
program shares a balanced approach—
high-intensity cardio, functional sculpting
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AVAILABLE IN YOUR LOCAL TARGET STORE AND ALSO IN BOOKSTORES AND ONLINE.
 What’s your
race-day
mantra?

Editor in Chief
“The result
REBECCA WARREN is worth the
effort.”
MANAGING EDITOR
Bethany Mavis
ASSOCIATE WEB EDITOR
Meghan Roos
“Just keep
going—this is ART
what you’ve
trained for!” GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Oliver Baker, Lisa Williams
“Smooth
CONTRIBUTORS and steady.”
CONTRIBUTING FEATURE WRITERS
Julia Beeson Polloreno, Susan Lacke
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Lauren Antonucci, Jessica Cerra, Hannah Hartzell, Mackenzie L. Havey,
Hillary Kigar, Marty Munson, Nicole Radziszewski, Sarah Wassner Flynn, Eileen Weber

MEDIA
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Meghan McElravy
MEDIA OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Hannah Sebahar
AD OPERATIONS
Luke Schoenberger
MANAGER, MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHY
Oliver Baker

ADVERTISING
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER
Rob Wood, rwood@pocketoutdoormedia.com
PARTNERSHIP AND MEDIA SALES
Gordon Selkirk, gselkirk@pocketoutdoormedia.com

CHICAGO
“You got this! Mark Baba, mbaba@competitorgroup.com
You’ve put
in the hard Bill Pesta, bpesta@competitorgroup.com
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ACCOUNT SERVICES
Kat Keivens
Nicole Carriker
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Off-road running can bust you out of a running

rut and make you a stronger all-around A PUBLICATION OF
runner. Get a head start with Trailhead, a fun,
illustrated guide that dishes the dirt on all
things trail running.
AVAILABLE NOW! CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FELIX H. MAGOWAN
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER GREG THOMAS
DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT STEVE MAXWELL
See a preview at velopress.com/trail. CONTROLLER GREG ABRAHAMSON

Women’s Running issue MARCH ISSN 1548-2413, a publication of Pocket Outdoor Media, 3002 Sterling Circle, Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301, is published monthly (10x per year
with combined issues in Jan/Feb and Nov/Dec). For subscription inquiries, please call 800-336-5653 in the U.S., 386-246-0108 outside the U.S. or email womensrunningmag@
emailcustomerservice.com. For reprints, permissions and licensing, please contact Wright’s Media at competitor@wrightsmedia.com or (877) 652-5295. Periodical Postage Paid at San
Diego, California and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Women’s Running, PO Box 430235, Palm Coast, FL, 32143-0235. All contents of this publication are ©
Pocket Outdoor Media and Women’s Running magazine, 3002 Sterling Circle, Suite 100, Boulder, CO 80301. U.S.A. All rights reserved. Warning! It is not advised that you participate in
the sports and activities described in Women’s Running unless you are highly knowledgeable about the risks involved, are in proper physical condition and are willing to accept all risks
associated with these sports and activities. Women’s Running disclaims any responsibility for injury or death incurred by any person or persons engaging in these activities. Use the
information in this magazine at your own risk and always consult a doctor before attempting any exercise program. Women’s Running makes no warranties of any kind and expressly
disclaims any warranty regarding the accuracy or reliability of information contained herein. The views contained in this magazine are those of the writers and advertisers and do not
necessarily reflect the view of Women’s Running’s ownership.

6 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

Coming in Like a Lion
THIS MONTH’S ISSUE IS ALL ABOUT PUSHING YOURSELF to your
limits and seeing what lies beyond them. For many of us, one way we
do that is racing. Whether you are training for your first race or you’ve
lost count of the races you’ve entered, we’ve got tips and advice on how
to dial in your body and nutrition to make the most of the next race on
your calendar. And we also go deeper, taking a look at how your mental
preparation plays into your performance in training and on race day. On
page 35, Mackenzie L. Havey dives into the importance of creating—and
more importantly, believing in—power phrases to help train your brain to
go to places of positivity and strength in times of stress or fatigue. March means the arrival of
Our very own Bethany Mavis has spent a considerable amount of spring, the season of beginnings.
time researching and trying out the newest fueling products on the And what better way to kick off
market. Read about what she discovered in the sports nutrition world racing season than with a new pair
(including beet chews!) on page 37. of shoes? We’ve reviewed 15 of this
Susan Lacke tells you how to find the perfect pair of running shoes season’s running shoe offerings to
on page 22 and then—in her uniquely witty way—breaks down all of the help you find your perfect pair for
racing genres on offer in “Find Your Perfect Race” (starting on page whatever you have planned this
52) so you can put those kicks to good use. spring—training, racing or a mix of
We were fortunate to get to spend time with one of the world’s the two. Flip to page 44 to peruse
premier sprinters this month, the talented and delightful Tori Bowie, the best shoes of the season and
who talked about her unlikely path to the world of track and field and make your picks.
the profound impact that her grandmother’s love has had in guiding This is a month that traditionally
her life both on and off the track. Read about her early years and the heralds change—from winter
beginning of her athletic career in rural Mississippi in Julia Beeson to spring, from hibernation to
Polloreno’s insightful profile starting on page 58. reemergence. However you choose
to mark this turning of the seasons,
we hope it involves you taking
some time to set goals, clear your
schedule for self-care and see where
running can take you this year.

Keep on running,

Rebecca Warren
INSTAGRAM: @rebecca_g_warren
TWITTER:@rebeccagwarren

Join in on the fun! Use #TeamWR on Twitter or

Instagram to share questions, pics, tips and brags!

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 7

 Way to go,
#TeamWR!
You all are powerful
women, just like...

@runfargirl, who prioritized

base training with timed track
workouts at the start of the
winter season.

@ashevillemotherrunner
One of the Best Sprinters of Our Time recognizes that not every
We’ve been watching Tori Bowie’s career closely since she earned a medal sweep during her 2016 workout is going to be fantastic
Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro, and her dramatic lean to secure the 100-meter gold during the and can tell when the thing her
2017 IAAF World Championships confirmed what we already knew: Bowie is one of the greatest body needs most is a break.
sprinters of our time. In our cover feature, Bowie walks us through her journey, from the days she
spent growing up in Rankin County, Miss., to securing her first college title in 2011 and the Olympic
and world titles beyond. Read our feature on page 58 and find behind-the-scenes photos from
Bowie’s photo shoot in Atlanta, Ga., by visiting womensrunning.com/toribowie.

All Runners are @bitesandstrides endured

Real Runners negative temps and
MEET THE ELITE Help us celebrate you by snowy paths to log her
At the 2017 TCS New York City submitting your running miles this winter.
Marathon, 30-year-old Allie Kieffer
story to editorial@
was the second American woman
womensrunning.com. We
to finish, placing fifth overall and
would love to feature you
nabbing a 26-minute PR along the way.
A former Olympic dreamer, injuries as one of our #realrunners—
made Kieffer pack her racing shoes like Jessica McBride, who
away for good—or so she thought, found the strength to place
until she tried the marathon distance in a 50-mile race with help
HEATHER FULBRIGHT; FRED GORIS

for the first time in January 2017 from a stranger who turned
out to be her perfect pacing @abusby34 and her dog Zeus
and won. Turn to page 30 for
partner. See all of our showed that the greatest runs
our Q&A with Kieffer, and visit
are those logged with best buds.
womensrunning.com/meet-the-elite incredible reader-submitted
to read our interview in full. tales at womensrunning. Use #TeamWR in your Instagram
com/realrunners. photos for a chance to be
included in our next issue!

Socialize With Us!

Rebecca Warren @rebecca_g_warren
Bethany Mavis @bethanymavis
Women’s Running @WomensRunning @WomensRunningMagazine Women’s Running Magazine
Meghan Roos @mroos_runs

8 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

>Warm Up THE TRENDS, VOICES
AND CULTURE OF
THE RUNNER LIFESTYLE

RACE-DAY
ESSENTIALS
You need run-specific clothes and shoes to
comfortably get to the finish line of a race, but run-
specific accessories can help you take your race to Are you the proud
the next level by freeing your mind from worrying
about any gear malfunctions. Here’s what we put in owner of a sweet
our race-day gear bag. // BY THE EDITORS tooth? We’re giving
you the green light to
satisfy your cravings
before a tough race or
workout with sport-
specific jelly beans.
Jelly Belly Sport
Beans ($7.99 for
six-pack, sportbeans.
com) are like small
energy chews, filled
with electrolytes and
carbohydrates to
fuel your race. Pick
a favorite flavor or
go with the assorted
packs, and on those
extra exertion days,
up the ante with Sport
Beans’ Extreme beans,
which pack a kick of
caffeine. 왘

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 9

PHOTOGRAPH BY OLIVER BAKER
WARM UP > WE’RE OBSESSED

When you’re waking up in the

1
dark for your race, it’s easy to
forget sunscreen, but it’s so

2
important! We love Endurance
Shield SPF 45 Sunscreen ($24
for 4 oz., enduranceshield.com)
not only for its broad-spectrum
sun protection, but also because
it’s a light moisturizer (it
feels just like lotion!), it has
anti-aging properties thanks
to its antioxidants, it’s safe
for sensitive skin and it We all know it’s important to stay properly hydrated while
has a fabulous cucumber running—whether you’re on a training run or during your
scent—you won’t smell big race—but finding the perfect vessel can be a chore.
like sunscreen! Bonus for Meet the pleasantly squishy and ultralight HydraPak
runners: This product was SoftFlask 500ml ($20, hydrapak.com). The TPU container
developed by two pro shrinks as you drink to keep water from sloshing in your
triathletes, so it holds up hand, and the wide 42mm opening makes filling up and
to sweat and even a cup adding nutrition mixes a breeze on the go.
of water poured on you

4
mid-race.

3
Blisters on a training run
can cut it short, but blisters
on race day make for a
miserable experience. Enter
KT Performance+ Blister
This Vermont-based sock
company makes this promise to
consumers: If you wear a hole
through your sock, the company
will replace it—guaranteed! The
Darn Tough Vermont Vertex Tab
No Show Ultra-Light running
socks ($16, darntough.com) have
Prevention Tape ($10, kttape.
no uncomfortable seam along the
com), super-thin woven
toe and are easily washed with
synthetic fabric strips that help
just water, since they’re made
prevent blisters and chafing.
with Merino wool. The family-
Made with a strong adhesive,
owned company also makes
you simply stick them over any
hiking, biking and lifestyle socks,
potential hotspots (like your
so wearers have options on their
heel or big toe), and you can
cross-training and rest days.
race without fear of blisters.
OLIVER BAKER

10 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

5
After your race, treat your feet (and the rest of your

6
body!) to a soft and restorative pair of Oofos OOlala
Sandals ($60, oofos.com) to help your body recover
from all the miles you’ve logged. The proprietary foam
absorbs 37 percent more shock than traditional foam
footwear and helps relieve the sore muscles from
the bottom of your feet up into your lower back. The
design also provides arch support along with room for
your toes and foot to move in a natural motion.

It’s not attractive to talk about, but chafing

really does happen to most athletes. We deal
with chafing on our feet, under our arms,
beneath our sports bra bands…basically, any
uncomfortable area is open season. To beat
the chafe, we call products like Body Glide
($10 for 1.5-oz. stick, bodyglide.com) into

7
action. Slick a little on over whatever patch
of skin is bothering you, and it’ll prevent your
skin from rubbing raw.

Don’t be intimidated by technology on your runs—the

slim Garmin Forerunner 35 GPS run watch ($200,
garmin.com) is super simple to use with its four-button
interface. The built-in GPS, wrist-based heart rate
tracking and easy-to-read display help you stick to your
goal speed on race day. It also features activity tracking
(including step counting and sleep tracking) and
connects to your phone for smart notifications so you
can wear it beyond race day. Also, the battery lasts close
to a week, so you don’t have to charge it every night!

8 This is not the bottled Gatorade you pick up at gas stations!

Designed for longer workouts and races (read: half marathons
and longer), the recently reformulated Gatorade Endurance
Formula Powder ($29 for 38-serving canister, gatorade.com) is
easy on the gut, as it now utilizes a multi-carbohydrate blend, and
won’t overwhelm your palate with sweetness—it has a cleaner
ingredient list with no artificial colors or flavors and a much lighter
taste. To meet the needs of endurance athletes, it also has almost
double the sodium (300 milligrams) and more than triple the
potassium (140 milligrams) of traditional Gatorade.

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 11

WARM UP > TRENDING
Life’s Too Short to
Go So F*cking Slow
By Susan Lacke
VeloPress, $19, velopress.com
Read it: For a humorous,
touching and inspiring memoir
from an Ironman athlete (and
WR contributor!) about how
sports and friendship can
change lives. Her mentor
helped her turn her life around
before he faced his own
grim diagnosis.
Snapshot: “Suddenly, the
Carlos Nunez sadistic approach
to training made some sense.
I was starting to discern
that being a badass didn’t
mean performing well when
conditions are just right. It
was all about keeping your
cool when everything goes
wrong. And in Ironman—as
in life—a lot of things can go
wrong. You can complain and
quit, or you can make forward
progress. Carlos Nunez made
forward progress, no matter the
conditions, a daily habit. It was
sadistic and smart all at once.”
Runger Recovery
FORTY PERCENT OF OUR
READERS AGREE: THAT POST-
RACE MEAL WITH FRIENDS
AND FAMILY MAKES THE BEST
REWARD AFTER A TOUGH RUN!
12 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
Runner
READS
Mindful Running
By Mackenzie L. Havey
Bloomsbury, $14, bloomsbury.com
Read it: For a mix of scientific
research, expert analysis and
advice from elite athletes on
how meditative running can
improve your performance
as well as provide a boost to
your emotional, mental and
physical health.
Snapshot: “I have found
that I don’t get so easily
pulled into my own neurotic
misadventures, ruminating
about the past or obsessing
about the future. Most runs
I’m simply able to focus on
my breathing and the rhythm
of my stride and accept
the fact that there will be
moments of discomfort and
suffering. This has made me a
happier and healthier runner,
but also a more switched-on
human being in general.”
40% Post-race meal with friends
33% Take a nap
12% Netflix binge
15% Obsessively check results
Running Rewired
By Jay Dicharry
VeloPress, $25, velopress.com
Read it: For 15 simple strength
and mobility workouts—all
based on the cutting-edge
biomechanical research of
a leading endurance sports
physical therapist—that can
reinvent your running form
and make you a faster, more
durable runner.
Snapshot: “Medals adorn
the necks of those who nail
the fundamentals, which
in turn allows them to train
consistently and successfully.
You’ve got to put in the miles
to get fit, but how can you be
sure that your training is setting
you up for success? Put simply,
there are things that all runners
of all abilities should be doing
outside of running to improve
their running. If you want to
run better, you need to move
better.” —BETHANY MAVIS
13.1 TO
WATCH
The 2018 IAAF
World Half Marathon
Championships could
easily become a race
for the history books.
Taking place in Valencia,
Spain, on March 24,
this year’s elite field
welcomes Joyciline
Jepkosgei of Kenya, a
24-year-old athlete who
twice smashed the half-
marathon world record
last year and owns the
current world record
time of 1:04:51. Allie
Kieffer, who scored a
26-minute marathon PR
to place fifth at the TCS
New York City Marathon
last November, plans
to compete against
Jepkosgei for the title
in March. Check out
our Q&A with Kieffer
on page 30, and look
for our interview with
Jepkosgei in our April
issue. —MEGHAN ROOS
PHOTORUN
 WARM UP > TRENDING

Running THE NUMBERS

Strava, the ubiquitous activity tracker app loved by athletes, released its
annual report on its users, and the running numbers tell an interesting story. The data is gathered
from millions of Strava users running in 195 countries around the world.

WOMEN WERE
Morning rules Runners who
% average increase
among
runners, with
43 PERCENT
trained with
others saw a 37 in workout-
related activities.
ON FIRE IN 2017!
THE AVERAGE
FEMALE
RUNNER RAN

of athletes
preferring it to STRAVA Those who commuted to 4.7
other times of day USERS get their training in saw a MILES PER

forty-three percent
for exercise. RUN AT
DOCUMENTED
627,239
A PACE OF

Those who
joined a running
MARATHON
FINISHES
increase in weekend
workout-related activities.
9:29
club saw a MINUTES PER
THROUGHOUT MILE AND
THE WORLD, LOGGED A

46% WITH
134,966
Goal-setting was a strong
motivator for athletes, with
TOTAL OF

average
increase in OF THOSE ninety-t wo percent
of athletes remaining active 10 months
122
workout-related TAKING PLACE MILES
after setting an initial exercise-related goal. THROUGHOUT
activities. IN THE U.S. THE YEAR.

Users logged
approximately 699 million miles worldwide
over the course of 136 million runs, with 30 million the United States alone.
logged of those runs recorded in

In which Winter Olymic

RUNNING FOR THE COLD GOLD event would you compete
if you had a chance?
The Winter Olympic Games begin on Feb. 9, and though competitive running
has no part in these festivities, our favorite sport still plays a role in many
athletes’ training. Visit womensrunning.com/winterolympics18 to read our
interview with Meagan Duhamel, a Canadian pair skater who has earned gold, 24%
Luge
silver and bronze medals with skating partner Eric Radford at the World Figure
Skating Championships and at the Olympics in years past. Alongside nutrition, 20%
Biathlon
Duhamel cites running as a vital part of her training and an important key to
securing past wins. 42%
Speaking of figure skating, the 2018 Winter Olympics inspired a new question
among our editors: If we weren’t runners, which winter sports would we choose 14% Figure skating
Curling
to pursue? When we asked you, our readers, to vote for your favorite of four sports
that included figure skating, curling, biathlon and luge, the overwhelming interest
in the Games’ popular figure-skating program wasn’t surprising! —MEGHAN ROOS

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 13

WARM UP > YOUR VOICE
DON’T LET
FEAR WIN
The pressure to succeed got the best of me—until I learned
to race without fear. // BY HANNAH HARTZELL
W
hen I was a kid, I found every
opportunity I could to run
races. Whether it was against
my mom, my brothers or
the neighbor’s cat, I relished
the thrill of competition.
But somewhere along the line, things
changed. After an extended hiatus and
two collegiate injuries, I found myself
utterly terrified to race.
I would try to get excited, but as
soon as the gun went off, I would panic.
“Crap,” I’d think. “I don’t want to do this
anymore!” The pressure to succeed was
14 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
too much to bear, and I would crumble
before I even found my stride.
Fear, it turns out, isn’t a healthy
motivator in the longterm. I quickly
realized that. As frustrated as I was,
though, I couldn’t seem to change it. In
fact, it wasn’t until this past September
that my mindset finally shifted. At
that point, I had completed some solid
workouts and was in decent physical
shape. Yet I was on the verge of tears
before my first cross-country race of the
season—so much so that my coach pulled
me aside. “What would it be like if you
raced like you couldn’t fail?” he asked.
“What would be different?”
The question both inspired and
annoyed me. I was inspired at the
possibility of enjoying competition
again. I was annoyed because it seemed
impossible. But it did get me thinking:
What is failure, anyway? Was it failure
when I derailed my running career for
two years? How about when I ran three
terrible races in a row? Or when I gave
up halfway through a race?
Ultimately, I decided none of that was
failure. The only true failure, in my view,
is letting fear win, and I was ready to
stop doing that.
So I did. I separated my worth from
the outcome of races and said sayonara
to my precious goals of perfection.
Instead, I began focusing on training
hard and savoring each race—reflecting,
refining and genuinely having fun.
And guess what? It’s working. I’m
racing with more speed and audacity than
I ever have. And as I do, the results take
care of themselves. The anxiety flees.
So how would you race if you knew
you couldn’t fail? Most likely, your
experience would change. If that’s the
case, I encourage you to lay down your
definition of “failure.” Failure is not a
moment of weakness or a fractured
dream. Those are simply bumps in the
road that, although painful, don’t define
you. You’re still here, so as far as I see it:
You haven’t failed.
I have a row of neon-green sticky
notes plastered to my bedroom wall—
five in total. Each one holds a different
message, scrawled in pink pen with
dogged determination the night after
that first September race. “I am a fierce
competitor,” one says. To its left: “The joy
of the Lord is my strength.”
The middle sticky note, the one I see
most often and inked with the most
vigor, is written large, in all caps. “I
am victorious over fear,” it says. And I
believe it.
 WARM UP > RUN TALK
“I ran in a costume

LESSON
for my first half
marathon, and
I had nearly
every element

LEARNED
of my costume
perfected—except
for the leggings. I’d
heard a thousand
times over to run in
your full costume
From gear mishaps to nutrition miscues, we’ve all before the race, but “The aspect of racing that
had something go wrong on race day. The most I procrastinated proved most detrimental
important thing is to learn from it! Here, five runners and bought a during [my years as an
share their biggest race-day mistakes—and how to pair of leggings elite distance runner] was
prevent them in the future. // BY BETHANY MAVIS from Target the comparison. Spending too
night before the much time or energy seeing
race because they who else will be in the race
“It is super important to minutes, so I prefer to be seemed to fit. I brings unnecessary worry
be prepared for any type as light as possible on my discovered the and pulls you away from
of weather, especially if feet and not be bogged waistband was your true power. I learned
you are traveling for your down by a full bladder. At a actually way too to focus on my path, where
race. Tracking the weather recent event on a hot day, big, and I spent I am at, trusting in me and
doesn’t guarantee anything, my pre-race fluids consisted the first four the overall process. Sure,
and I learned that on race only of coffee, which tends you have to be aware of
miles praying my
day. I traveled to Utah to act as a diuretic, and my your surroundings, but
leggings didn’t fall!
for a 50-miler, and it was body felt depleted after the literally staying focused on
I definitely won’t
supposed to be sunny and second mile.” your own lane and power
be using my next
beautiful, but come race —Patricia Fall, owner of are the big keys!”
half marathon (or
day, it was windy, cold Fall Media Group, former —Alyson Charles, TV host,
any race) to break
and it even rained! I was collegiate runner, conscious lifestyle expert,
definitely not prepared for 5K runner and triathlete
in another item of former elite distance runner
that type of weather, and it
clothing.”
impacted my performance
and my result. Now I pack —Shelby Rogers, content
for every type of weather.” marketing strategist,
—Lulu Martinez, freelance writer, runner
communications manager,
ultrarunner and two-time
100-miler finisher

“When I first started

distance running I didn’t
know what I was doing,
and I ran one of my first
half marathons in regular
non-sweat-wicking socks. I
ended up with huge blisters
on my feet during the
humid race and never made
that mistake again. Now
I’m super picky about my
running socks!”
—Heather Montgomery,
fitness and running blogger,
half-marathon and
marathon runner
ANDREW MCCLANAHAN

“My mistake has been not

being hydrated enough.
I run relatively short
races (5K) in less than 20

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 15

WARM UP > WE TRIED IT

BANDS ON
THE RUN
We tamed those unruly flyaways and
managed second-day hair with dozens
2

of headbands to find the five best for

runners. // BY BETHANY MAVIS

1. BEST ADJUSTABLE: Daph

Daph BonBunz Using a pull
bungee cord for easy adjustments
and a rubber lining, these
neoprene headbands stayed in
place on both long and short 3
runs without causing a headache.
The bungee cords weren’t
bothersome during the run, but
they do tend to catch the little
hairs on your neck if not adjusted
carefully. $14 (City Plan pattern
pictured), daphdaph.com

2. BEST WIDE: Bondi Band

Wicking Headband In order to
keep this stretchy headband 4
from slipping, testers had to
wear it lower on their foreheads
than the other headbands, but
that also meant it helped keep
away sweat. Available in three-
inch or four-inch widths, they
can be folded to a thinner width,
5
but that seems to make them
slip off some testers’ heads. $12
(On the Fritz pattern pictured),
bondiband.com

3. BEST REFLECTIVE: Under 4. BEST NON-SLIP: Sweaty

Armour Reflective Headband
The reflective all-around taping
on this polyester headband is
only one of its praiseworthy
features—it also received high
marks from testers for its
adjustability. The adjuster at the
back of the head slides easily,
doesn’t get caught in your hair
Bands How has no one else
thought to line headbands with
velvet till now? The WR editors
were pleasantly surprised—
shocked, even—at how well
these stretchy headbands,
which feature anti-microbial and
moisture-wicking fabric, stayed
in place and kept sweat out of
5. BEST THIN: BUFF USA Senna
Hairbands We like the sleek
look of these narrow, stretchy
headbands, sold in a three-pack
of fun, colorful prints. They
feature a silicone grip, polyester
fabric and snug fit, which keeps
them from slipping. Best for
OLIVER BAKER

and then stays in place, partly our eyes, even on the sweatiest shorter runs if the tension tends
thanks to a silicone interior. $15, runs. $26 (BE fit 2-inch Blue to cause you headaches. $12 for
underarmour.com pictured), sweatybands.com three-pack, buffusa.com

16 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

STRONGER
FASTER
TOUGHER
IN RUNNING REWIRED, America’s leading
endurance sports physical therapist and coach shares
a program that will make you stronger, faster, and more
durable. Jay Dicharry distills cutting-edge biomechanical
research into 15 Rewire Workouts that will transform your
running within one season.

Dicharry’s self-tests and exercises fit seamlessly into your

training to help you shed old injuries, fix mobility problems,
strengthen imbalances, and rewire your movement
patterns—all for better movement and better running.

From 5K to ultramarathon, running places incredible

SEE A PREVIEW AT demands on your body. Dicharry’s Running Rewired will
VELOPRESS.COM/REWIRE upgrade your body for better running.

AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES, RUNNING SHOPS, AND ONLINE.

WARM UP > TRAVEL

HOW TO “DO” A TAKING IT WIT H YOU

Carry on, friends. Yes, that
bag that you clutter up the

DESTINATION RACE
overhead storage bin with
should absolutely include your
race apparel and your race-
day shoes. “Lost” is not a good
place for your dependable race
Travel, race, repeat. (We save you the learning curve.) // BY MARTY MUNSON gear. While you could buy more
clothes, you know the “nothing
new on race day” rule, right?
Mile 5 is a bad time to find out
that cute new top that seemed
so soft chafes like crazy.

Keep your sports drink powders

in their original containers.
Heather Wurtele, a pro athlete
who’s earned six Ironman titles,
knows a few things about
travel and packing. In addition
to spending plenty of time
on airplanes, she spent years
traveling with her triathlete-
husband around Canada and
the U.S. in a 23-foot RV. For
air travel, she says, “I double-
bag nutrition and electrolyte
powders in zip-top freezer bags.
If I put them in a carry-on, I
save myself the hassle of a bag
search by leaving them in the
labeled canisters because a
Ziploc baggie of white powder
generally elicits questions at
security. I take them out of my
bag and put them in a bin to go
through the X-ray machine.” Gels

P
should be TSA-friendly, but pack
eople who think running is so great because “it only extras in your checked luggage
requires a pair of shoes!” have never packed for an in case they get confiscated.
out-of-town race. You’ll likely need your favorite socks
if it’s hot, favorite socks if it’s cold, race nutrition, expo
clothes, expo-if-it’s-cold clothes, airplane snacks,
favorite cap, favorite-cap-if-it’s-raining option…and then
there’s the whole thing about how to manage getting there
healthfully and what to pack to eat before the race. We
turned to pro and everyday athletes to help you nail what
to take, eat and do to have your best and most hassle-free
“away” race ever. Their tips:
OLIVER BAKER

18 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018


Roll with it. Tuck a foam
roller into your bag,
recommends runner,
nutritionist and personal
trainer Carrie Burrows, Ph.D.
No, not the giant ones—
numerous companies make
travel-sized rollers (like
the Trigger Point GRID Mini
Foam Roller, $25, tptherapy.
com). Or pack a lacrosse or
tennis ball to minimize space
but maximize your ability to
keep muscles loose.
Go beyond snacks. Airplane
snacks are a given—of
course you’re going to
have nuts or fruit with you;
maybe even nut butters and
rice cakes, dried edamame,
string cheese or some kind
of healthy cereal. But if
you’re headed to a place
with a dodgy food or water
supply—or even a location
where stores don’t stay
open past 9 p.m. or you
don’t have a way to get
around town—consider
bringing dinners, too. “I’ll
pack those tear-open
packages of pre-cooked
rice, and some salmon,
instant oatmeal and hemp
hearts,” Wurtele says.
Consider a kettle. Don’t
find out the hard way that
not every hotel room has
a coffeemaker. When you
see an empty space where
that cup of joe should be
in the morning…well, that’s
no way to start any day,
much less a race day. “I’ve
gotten into the habit of
packing a small electric
kettle after having several
hotel rooms without a kettle
or coffee maker. I’d rather
spend time with my feet
up than figuring out a way
to boil water in my room,”
Wurtele says. Consider one
of the many nifty, small,
collapsible silicone kettles
on the market (like the
CXAK Outdoor Portable
Collapsible Silicone Tea
Kettle, $20, amazon.com).
After you boil that water…
numerous athletes say they
won’t travel without their
AeroPress ($30, aeropress.
com) to brew the perfect
coffee. “It’s very compact,
easy to use and quick,” says
runner, personal trainer
and Ironman athlete Rob
Jackson, founder of Minimal
FIT in the UK. “I’ll also take
ground coffee beans I’ve
had before so I know they
agree with me. I put them
into a resealable bag and
have enough to last all the
days before, during and
after my race.”
GE T T ING T HERE
Compress. Several athletes
swear by their compression
gear (socks, tights) for the
airplane ride there and
back. It keeps your blood
from pooling in your ankles
and, at the very least, helps
you avoid swollen ankles
and feet (which means no
blisters when you put your
shoes back on and take
the long walk to baggage
claim).
Go early. “Build extra
days into your itinerary
for acclimation to the
destination and for jetlag
recovery,” says coach and
ultrarunner Sarah Lavender
Smith, author of The Trail
Runner’s Companion: A
Step-by-Step Guide to Trail
Running and Racing, from
5Ks to Ultras. “Ideally, you’ll
want one extra day per time
zone change.”
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 19
WARM UP > TRAVEL

AT T HE HOT EL
Aim high. “It can be worth
paying for a room on a higher
floor to avoid street noise,”
says runner and wellness and
nutrition counselor Sarah
Schlichter, M.P.H., R.D.N.
“You can’t always control the
environment you’re in, but
you can prepare the best you
can to make it as quiet and
relaxing as possible.” Tuck a
sleep mask into your bag, too,
she says, in case the curtains
don’t cut out the light that’s
outside your room.
Befriend the bartender.
“I’ve had bartenders
blend up my protein
shakes,” Burrows says.
“Hotels are usually really
accommodating.”
Make sure you can get back
to the hotel after the race.
Figure out your route and,
more importantly, check
beforehand to be sure you
can go back into the room
and shower after the race,
says Greg Drach, co-founder
and crew chief of Midnight
Runners, Europe’s largest
run crew (based in London).
“There’s nothing worse than
flying back home without
having a shower,” he says.
And that’s not even from the
perspective of the people
who have to sit around you.
Use the ice bucket’s plastic
bag, recommends Burrows.
That plastic bag + that ice
machine down the hall +
the tendon that started
bothering you = aaah.
RACE-MORNING
BONUS
Play it again. “Ask your
friends to leave you a
voicemail with well wishes
for your big day,” says
Christine Diven, who’s run
marathons on numerous
continents for charity
(including races on the
Great Wall of China and in
Antarctica). “If they leave
you a voicemail, you can
turn it into an mp3 and
add it to your playlist. It’s
incredibly uplifting to hear
your bestie’s voice at mile 22
when you’re halfway across
the world and want to quit.”
Stay clean. “It doesn’t make
sense to put a ton of time
and effort into your training
only to have it derailed
by catching a cold during
travels,” Wurtele says. “I’m a
total germaphobe, and I go
to town on the hand-washing
and use a paper towel to
shut off the faucet afterward,
and I use hand sanitizer
obsessively; I avoid touching
my face and generally try
to be aware of germs. I also
wipe down eating surfaces
and re-sanitize my hands
after touching common
utensils at, say, a hotel
breakfast buffet.”
Bring extra outfits. It may
have been gorgeous in your
race location all week, but
that doesn’t mean it can’t
take a sudden dip, like the
windchill during the 2014
New York City Marathon that
made temps in the 40s feel
like it was in the 30s. Put
some just-in-case clothes in
your bag, too, recommends
Erika Lee, a Los Angeles–
based performance coach
and consultant.
Go direct. “Try to book
direct flights to minimize
the chance of your bag
getting delayed by not
making a transition during
a flight change,” Lavender
Smith says.

5 Cool Races Worth Traveling To

With Your Girl Pack
Thelma and Louise Half
Marathon & Relay
Moab, UT
June 2, 2018
Participants have called
this half marathon and
relay (each runner does
6.55 miles of the marathon
course) “all about having
fun.” After all, you get to
choose which name (Thel-
ma or Louise) goes on
your bib, and the original
convertible from the mov-
ie leads the race. Last year,
nearly 400 women turned
out for the half along with
40 relay teams.
More info:
madmooseevents.com
If You Love
National Parks
Grand Teton Half
Marathon
Jackson, WY
June 2, 2018
While you don’t run
through the national park
proper, “it’s about as close
as it gets,” say race orga-
nizers—but total elevation
gain is less than 600 feet.
Bring your camera; the
finish has some stunning
views of the mountains.
The organizers, Vacation
Races, hold other rac-
es near national parks
throughout the summer,
including Yellowstone,
Yosemite and Zion.
More info:
vacationraces.com
Wine, Anyone?
Napa to Sonoma Wine
Country Half Marathon
July 14, 2018
Napa, CA
You’ll experience a whole
different kind of “cheers”
after running through
rolling hills and vineyards.
Cross the finish line, and
you and about 3,000 other
competitors get to salute
yourselves with a glass of
local wine.
More info:
motivrunning.com
Do a Classic
Virgin Money London
Marathon
London, UK
April 22, 2018
Run this marathon majors
race and sightsee at the
same time—you even get to
run across the Tower Bridge
and finish near Buckingham
Palace. It’s so popular that
the only way to still race
it in 2018 is to enter as a
charity runner (all other
slots are full), but it’s a
great one to plan ahead
for in 2019. Be prepared
to have your finger on the
“enter” button in early 2018
for the 2019 race—for this
year’s race, the entry win-
dow was last May.
More info: virginmoneylon-
donmarathon.com
Because…Vegas
Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas
Marathon and Half
Las Vegas, NV
November 10–11, 2018
Run on the famous Vegas
Strip in the marathon and
the half; the weekend also
offers a 10K and 5K that
start and finish on that
famous bit of roadway. The
event happens in the eve-
ning, so you can take in the
full power of the lights that
turn a Vegas night almost
into day.
More info:
runrocknroll.com

20 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

WARM UP > RUN LIFE HACKS
1.
FIND YOUR
High heel size & running shoe size
Feet swell when running, so a
shoe that fits perfectly in the
store will likely be constricting
PERFECT PAIR
at the end of a workout. “Most
people should size up to a half
to a full size—roughly a thumb’s
width—in running shoes. This
allows your feet to expand
for a more natural running
Once you find your sole mate, never experience.”
let it go. // BY SUSAN LACKE
2.
E
nter a specialty running store for the first time,
and the endless shoe options are staggering: If it sounds too good to
Maximal! Neutral! Stability! Energy return! be true, it probably is.
Trainers! Racers! With so many choices, it’s Some shoes make big promises,
like mega-cushy shoes that
enough to send any new runner…well, running. claim to protect your joints from
Shouldn’t we just pick shoes based on what fits and shock. But your body is already
looks good? built to absorb shock, and recent
studies suggest cushioning
Yes…and no. Paul Horan, owner of GEAR Running in doesn't really make an impact
Edina, Minn., says many new runners pick the wrong on injury rates in runners. “Most
shoe their first time, likely because they’re not sure brands have options that run the
gamut from maximal cushioning
what they want, what they need and how to wade
to minimal,” Horan says. “The
through the options to find their perfect pair. Don’t let sweet spot for most people falls
that happen to you! Your shoe-store cheat sheet: somewhere in the middle.”
22 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
3.
You probably don’t need
more than one pair.
Running shoes are expensive,
y’all. Don't buy into the hype
that you need different (pricey!)
pairs for different kinds of runs.
For your first pair, a neutral
shoe that falls in the middle
of the cushioning spectrum
should suffice for daily
training and racing.
4.
Your running shoes are not
your grocery-store shoes.
If you want to have a long and
happy relationship with your
shoes, you’ve got to show
them some TLC. “Generally, it’s
best to use running shoes for
running, as that is what they
are designed for,” Horan says.
“One should avoid excessive
wear outside of running, as
they break down the shoes
prematurely.”
5.
Snag ’em all.
Shoe brands update their
styles annually. Sometimes,
these changes are cosmetic;
other times, major changes to
sizing, width or breathability
render your favorite shoe
completely foreign. To avoid
this fate, Horan says to stock
up when your perfect pair is
on clearance. “Most stores
have sales on previous models
throughout the year, as brands
tend to update their shoes.
The majority of updates occur
at the beginning of the year
and the end of the summer.”
If you’re unsure of when your
faves will be discounted, ask a
store employee—they’re likely to
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
tell you when you can save the
biggest bucks (and may even be
able to offer the discount before
the official sale).

Run Club
PROFILE
ALL TOGETHER NOW
Black Girls RUN! leaves no woman behind.
// BY SARAH WASSNER FLYNN
G
o for a run with Adina
Crawford, and she’ll
promise to stay by your
side, no matter what
pace you’re running.
And she’ll stick to her
word. “It’s hard to get rid
of me,” jokes Crawford, a
Washington, D.C., ambassador
for Black Girls RUN! “If you
want to walk, I’ll walk. Crawl
if you have to. The last thing I
want is for someone to be out
there feeling alone.”
It’s this message of “no
woman left behind” that
defines Black Girls RUN!
(BGR), a community of more
than 225,000 members across
the country. Born out of a
desire to offer a welcoming
environment for all
runners—African-American
women, especially—BGR
has grown from a fledgling
Facebook group to a powerful
movement in just nine years.
And it’s not just about running
together: BGR is also focused
on reducing the rising rates
of chronic obesity among
African-American women,
one mile at a time.
“I do think we’ve
galvanized black women to
think about their health in
ways they haven’t before,” says
BGR co-founder Toni Carey,
explaining that some 80
percent of African-American
women are overweight,
according to the Centers
for Disease Control. “I’m so
proud of all of these women
who are owning our message
and improving their own lives
BLACK GIRLS RUN!
and the lives of others.”
Carey and co-founder
Ashley Hicks-Rocha formed
WARM UP > COMMUNITY
BGR By t he
Numbers
32,900
Number of
@officialblackgirlsrun
followers on Instagram
BGR in 2009 after they explains. “We are hoping to
themselves felt ostracized at make generational changes—
a group run in Charlotte, N.C.
“We weren’t acknowledged;
18 that women will pass on
their healthy lifestyles and
The age of BGR’s
they took off and we were love of running to their kids
youngest member
on our own,” Carey recalls. and beyond that, and we’ll
“It was such a terrible continue to make a difference
experience. I never want any
other runner to ever feel like 40 down the road. That will be
our legacy.”
they don’t belong out there.” Average age of a
Today, with nearly 70 BGR member
chapters across the United
States, BGR offers national
meet-ups at major events like 319
marathons as well as regular Number of virtual
runs among the local crews. finishers of the 2017
There, ambassadors like Sweat With Your
Crawford divvy up the groups Sole 5K/10K, an
to ensure that every member annual BGR event
has someone to keep pace
with. And they extend their
inclusivity beyond the weekly
runs. “If a member is running
35
Number of states,
a race, we’ll be sure to have including Washington,
someone there for her and to D.C., offering BGR
be at the finish line when they meet-ups
cross,” explains Crawford.
“Whatever their goal is, we
will carry it through.”
Crawford says she’s seen
women who had never run
more than a few miles become
marathoners, and those who
once considered themselves
“too fat and too slow” discover
soaring self-confidence
through running. “They’re
starting at zero, and we’re
giving them a foundation
on which to build,” she says.
“To watch that progress is so
rewarding.”
Granted, Carey admits
that BGR still has plenty of
building left to do. “We’ve
had a tremendous impact so
far, but the reality is that the
obesity rates among black
women aren’t declining,” she
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 23
HEAD
START BILL RODGERS Turn “If only I knew then…”
into today’s reality.
DEENA KASTOR

PETE MAGILL

JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON

GET A 20-YEAR HEAD START ON YOUR RUNNING CAREER
with Jonathan Beverly’s brilliant new book, RUN STRONG, STAY
AMBY BURFOOT HUNGRY. Beverly taps more than 50 lifetime runners—from America’s
elite to consistent local competitors—to reveal the 9 secrets they’ve
mastered to run strong and stay fast.
COLLEEN DE REUCK
RUN STRONG, STAY HUNGRY is packed full
BENJI DURDEN of specific, creative ideas that you can try
right now. Get inspired—and power up your
running—with the best ways to train, race,
KATHRINE SWITZER
and stay motivated as discovered over 4
million lifetime miles, 1,000 marathons,
BUDD COATES hundreds of major race wins, 40 Olympics,
and dozens of American and world records.

ROGER ROBINSON Jump-start your running with

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40+ MORE
AVAILABLE IN bookstores, SEE CHAPTERS AT
running shops, and online. velopress.com/strong.
 >Race Smart TRAINING, RACING AND
INJURY-PREVENTION
ADVICE

> SHOE OF THE MOMENT

NEXT-LEVEL Rubber in
high-abrasion
zones is 2.5

KICKS
Nike’s new foam goes high tech. // BY REBECCA WARREN
millimeters
thick.

H
undreds of iterations in the making, Nike introduces
React, a brand new proprietary foam that will
deliver the shoe legend’s liveliest and softest ride
yet. React foam offers 13 percent greater energy
return than the company’s previous best foam,
the EVA used in its Lunar shoe. The first shoe
to feature this next-generation foam is the Nike
Epic React. The silhouette is designed to give a One-piece, full-
nod to the popular Nike running shoes of the length Nike React
1980s, including the Internationalist. foam provides an
ultra-smooth
transition and
enhanced underfoot
Heel pull sensation.
tab for ease
of entry 

The Flyknit upper features a bootie

construction that offers a sock-
like feel with elastic yarns in the
vamp and tongue area to allow for
breathability and better fit. 

The TPU heel

clip provides
more stability. 

EPIC REACT
9mm offset for $150 (available
a neutral ride  Feb. 22), nike.com
OLIVER BAKER

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 25

RACE SMART > STRIDE STRONG
ROW
THIS WAY
Take advantage of your gym’s rowing machine
to build whole-body strength and improve
your running. // BY EILEEN WEBER
O
utdoor running in late
winter or early spring
can be treacherous once
you add a little snow
and ice. Sure, there’s the
treadmill, but day in
and day out, any other kind of
workout is a welcome retreat
from inclement weather.
That’s where rowing can
come in—it’s an intense
workout, building muscles
that can help you run better
and faster. One of the first
Olympic sports and the old-
est intercollegiate activities,
rowing is a pastime with
26 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
origins dating back to ancient
Egypt. But you don’t have to
hop in a boat to get the bene-
fits of this exercise. A rowing
machine, or ergometer
(often abbreviated to “erg”
or “ergo”), provides the same
whole-body experience.
Michelle Jarc, a high
school teacher in Ohio, in-
curred a stress fracture in her
pelvic area after having twins.
An avid runner, she had to
find an alternate exercise
regimen while in recovery.
That’s when she dusted off
her gym’s rowing machine
and got hooked. “It’s such
a good workout,” Jarc says.
“It’s the best cross-training
you can do—it uses 80 per-
cent of your muscle mass.”
When she returned to
running, Jarc noticed an im-
mediate improvement in her
leg strength, endurance and
speed. Now, she regularly uses
rowing as part of her work-
out—she runs four days a week
and uses the rowing machine
once or twice each week.
Jarc highly suggests hiring
a trainer or watching how-to
videos to make sure you're
using the rowing machine
properly. Too often, people
get back pain because their
stroke is inaccurate.
Esther Lofgren, an Olym-
pic rower who won the wom-
en’s eight in the 2012 London
Games, agrees, adding that
there are plenty of instruc-
tional videos on YouTube.
“Rowing is a strength and
endurance sport,” Lofgren
says. “You can jump in and
start doing it, but it’s helpful
to know what you’re doing.”
Lofgren has been rowing
since high school and comes
from a rowing family (both
parents trained for the U.S.
rowing team). While running
was always part of her work-
outs, rowing is her passion.
She even got her husband to
give it a try. Simply adding
a 10-minute erg workout
before jumping on the tread-
mill took several minutes off
his overall time and gave him
better leg rotation.
“[Rowing] is something
you can improve in really
rapidly,” she says, unsur-
prised by her husband’s
pleasant discovery. “It’s the
machine that will burn the
most calories in the gym.”
Sandra LaFlamme was
a rower in high school and
college. As a mother, running
became an easy way to stay
fit. There's no need for a boat
when all you have to do is
slap on your sneakers and go.
CHRIS ROSA
 Rowing
The Workout You Didn’t
Know You Needed
Shane Farmer, founder
of San Diego, Calif.'s
Dark Horse Rowing and
an avid CrossFit trainer,
says rowing is one of the
greatest workouts you
can do without incurring
much impact. It adds the
element of upper-body
control and midline sta-
bility work that doesn’t
necessarily happen in
running. “I usually start
with a good warm-up
and some ‘pick drills,’”
he says. “That’s where I
pick a stroke apart into
smaller pieces and then
put it all back together in
one big movement.”
He offered a few
staple workouts to try:
ƒ 6x500 meters: Row
500 meters with a
2-minute rest be-
tween each rep.
ƒ 3 minutes on/3
minutes off: Row for
3 minutes, strength
train for 3 minutes
off the machine, and
repeat for 6 rounds.
ƒ 10x250 meters:
Row 250 meters
with a 1-minute rest
between reps.
ƒ Add sandbag work
for posture, which
builds core strength
more than any stiff-
legged plank.
“I’ve been running a lot of
marathons,” LaFlamme says.
“Rowing is a steady workout
and helps you with endurance.”
Even so, LaFlamme points
out that a rowing machine
can only simulate what it’s
like to row on water. Since
the machine doesn’t have
the instability of a boat, the
rocking motion of any fluctu-
Doug Welling, founder ation in the water is missing.
of The Sustainable Ath- There are essentially
lete in Brunswick, Maine, four basic moves in proper
says rowing focuses on rowing technique: the catch,
strength more than run- the drive, the finish and the
ning does. That’s one of recovery. The catch involves
the reasons his compa- sitting with your feet in the
ny offers indoor rowing stirrups, legs bent, arms
classes that run from fully extended, gripping the
early December through handle. The drive means
March. Winters in Maine pushing your legs back while
can be pretty brutal, so the seat slides, maintaining a
there has to be some tight core. The finish comes
way to keep fit during when your arms are pulled
those frigid months. back with the handle at
Welling has a few go- your lower ribs, your core is
to regimens that work still engaged, your back has
best for his clients: moved from a one o’clock
position to an 11 o’clock
ƒ Shorter chunks: A position and your legs are
10-minute row with straight. The recovery—the
a 1- to 2-minute rest. opposite of the drive—in-
Repeat 3–4 times. volves your body pulling
ƒ Rowing “fartleks”: 1 back to the catch position.
minute row as hard Jenn Junk, executive
as you can, then 2 director of ROW, or Recov-
minutes easy. Repeat ery On Water, co-founded
8 times. the program that teaches
ƒ 8x500: Row 500 women surviving from
meters, which takes breast cancer to row. Junk
about 2 minutes. says that exercise has been
Repeat 8 times. shown to clinically reduce
ƒ Bust it out: Set the the recurrence of cancer in
machine for 2,000 survivors. “Most of these
meters and give it all women weren’t around for
you've got. Title IX,” she explains, “so
this is their first experience
being on a team.”
Junk, a rower who recent-
ly ran the Chicago Mara-
thon, says rowing on a ma-
chine is more accessible than
rowing on water because it
typically requires more than
one person. Fitness facilities
often have ergometers, but
if you wish to purchase, the
price range can be anywhere
from a few hundred dollars
to well over a thousand.
“Rowing is really great
because it has minimal joint
impact,” Junk says. “It’s a
great way to cross-train and
a great HIIT tool.”
Like these women, Shane
Farmer, founder of Dark
Horse Rowing in San Diego,
Calif., caught the rowing bug
in college. He'd dabbled in
every other sport imagin-
able, eventually becoming
a CrossFit competitor and
certified rowing coach. But
rowing’s intensity stuck
with him. “I’m seeing more
rowing studios popping up
worldwide,” he says. “It’s
certainly not a sport that’s
exploding, but it’s definitely
got steady growth.”
Doug Welling, a rowing
coach at Bowdoin College,
founder of The Sustain-
able Athlete in Brunswick,
Maine, and an avid triathlete,
acknowledges the steady
increase in popularity.
“I’d say it’s growing,” Well-
ing says. “We’re starting to
see more indoor rowing gyms
popping up everywhere.”
Welling cautions that
those who only run can
lose upper-body and core
strength by not working out
those areas. Rowing address-
es those weaknesses. Like
cycling, the push-off of the
drive in rowing is similar to
running and gives phenome-
nal aerobic stimulation.
The next time you run into
a rowing machine at your
local gym, stop, sit down and
give it a try. You’ll be glad
you did.
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 27
RACE SMART > CALENDAR

march
It’s International Women’s Day!
8 Around the world, we’re celebrating
the achievements of women in all
ways. We’re especially proud of how
far women have come in our sport—
just 40 years ago, women were barred
from distance running, and today we
make up the majority of finishers.

10
Coffin racing—yes, it’s a thing. At Frozen Dead Guy
Days in Nederland, Colo., racers commemorate the
bizarre story of Bredo Morstoel, a cryogenically
frozen sarcophagus stored in a garage. In this quirky
athletic competition, teams race with a coffin and
“corpse” in tow through a course full of obstacles,
mud and snow—all for a cash prize and the world’s
strangest bragging rights. frozendeadguydays.org

15 5 marathons, 5 days, 5 states—could

Want to be a part of the world’s largest 10K? Visit the
Atlanta Track Club website, ASAP! There, you can put
17 you do it? The Dust Bowl Series kicks
off today in Dalhart, Texas. After runners
finish their 26.2 there, they’ll drive
your name in the hat for the Peachtree Road Race
just over an hour to repeat the feat
Lottery to be one of 60,000 runners to tackle the
in Oklahoma the next day, then again
historic race on July 4. atlantatrackclub.org
in Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.
mainlymarathons.com

20 28
It’s officially spring! With COLORADO
the passing of the spring
equinox, we move into
KANSAS
longer days, more sunshine
and warmer weather—all Don your greenest gear
FROZEN DEAD GUY DAYS/WETUBERSCOLORADO/YOUTUBE; PAUL KIM

our favorite ingredients for and test your PR luck

a perfect run. (Did you at a Shamrock Run.
take a hiatus from running St. Patrick’s Day is the
over the winter? Here’s
OK

third most popular

how to spring back into it:
NEW
running holiday (behind
womensrunning.com/spring.) Thanksgiving and July

MEXICO
4), with dozens of races
across the country.
Distances vary, but odds TEXAS
are good you’ll find a
green beer at the finish
line of them all. // BY SUSAN LACKE

28 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

 RACE SMART > RUN SAFE

S SAFETY ON
tories of women like Kelly Herron fending off attackers
while out for a run bring to light an important issue:
personal safety, especially for women runners. It’s not
something that should ever be taken lightly, and more
and more brands are popping up to help women return
home from their runs. Here, we highlight four products
that will give you and your family a little extra peace of mind.
THE GO
Four products to keep you safe on
outdoor runs // BY BETHANY MAVIS

ALARM: Run Angel

This simple-looking wrist-worn device does much more than
you’d expect—press the center button and not only does it emit
a 120-decibel alarm (tuned specifically so it can travel as far
as possible), but it also sends an SMS text and email with the
time, date and location of the activation to loved ones via your
smartphone’s Bluetooth. The made-in-the-UK device requires
you to pair it with the Run Angel app, and within the app you
can designate your “guardians” and enter their information.
The lightweight device is rechargeable via a USB cord, and the
charge can last up to two weeks (but it can be switched on and
off to save battery between runs). $100, runangel.com

PEPPER SPRAY: SABRE Red

APP: RunRaegis
Combine your favorite fit-
ness app with all the safety
features you could dream
up, and you get RunRaegis.
The free version of the app
includes fitness tracking in
addition to a “panic” button
that alerts your loved ones
when you activate it. If you
pay for the premium fea-
tures, your predetermined
safety contacts can watch
your GPS location in real
time, will be automatically
notified if you don’t return
from your run by the time
you should, and connect
with your local 911, even
from the other side of the
globe. While you’re on the
run, too, this app is the
“Waze” of safety, allowing
other runners to report
potential dangers along your
route. $4.99 per month
for premium subscription,
runraegis.com
3-in-1 Runner Pepper Spray
When you think of safety
tools for women, pepper
spray is the first thing that
comes to mind, but this
lightweight device is more
than just pepper spray—it
also features tear gas for
extra burning (!) and UV
marking dye to help identify
the person. Many women
may worry about being able
to protect themselves in the
heat of the moment without
spraying themselves, but
the company provides free CLAWS: Tiger Lady Self-Defense Claw
training videos, and you Drawing inspiration from retractable cat claws, Tiger Lady allows
can also purchase a pepper you to exercise your catlike reflexes in the event of an attack. A
irritant–free practice canister relatively discreet and lightweight handheld device with a wrist
for an extra $5. The spray strap, it’s made of two pieces of high-impact plastic with foam in
has an easy-to-adjust hand between, which are exposed between your knuckles when you
strap and is lightweight and squeeze your fingers together. Handmade in the U.S., it’s a relative-
easy to carry on runs. Note ly simple-to-use product, though you could run the risk of scraping
that pepper spray sales are yourself on the claws if it’s not well-aligned in your hand. Of the
restricted in several states. personal safety tools in this roundup, this is the only one that can
$13, sabrered.com actually collect your assailant’s DNA. $35, tigerlady.com
Visit womensrunning.com/safety for a slew of advice to help you protect yourself on outdoor runs.

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 29

RACE SMART > MEET THE ELITE

I had success in high school,

and dreams were born. You
think, “I need to enter the ALLIE’S
Olympics, that’s the next
step, and then I’ll be All-ACC
PODCAST PICKS
[Atlantic Coast Conference] my FOR EASY
first year, be Freshman of the RUNS
Year…” None of those things

ALLIE
happened. I was angry about
it. It took me leaving the sport
to really find the love again. I
don’t have to go out and run

KIEFFER
She PRed at the New York
every day—I want to, I get to.

How do you work through

those physical or mental
barriers that many athletes THE RICH ROLL
City Marathon by 26 min- PODCAST
utes and is a World Half face while racing?
I’ve been lucky because I Kieffer counts
Marathon Championships herself as one of
hopeful. // BY MEGHAN ROOS didn’t hit a wall in the [NYC]
marathon. I’ve been steady in the thousands of
my pacing, so I don’t think I’ve listeners who tune in
dealt with a really negative to ultrarunner Rich
Roll’s weekly conver-

W
patch. I’ve read a few books
hile many cheered Shalane Flanagan’s historic New on mental training leading up sations about health
York City Marathon victory last November, another pro to New York City. I just keep and wellness. “One of
athlete was busy setting an entirely different kind of saying, “I can, I am,” all the the things I want to
record—a 26-minute PR, to be exact. Allie Kieffer, the positive mantras. I’ve read do is continue to be a
30-year-old woman from Long Island, N.Y., who ran from Deena Kastor that your better person. He’s a
sans coach or sponsor, had Olympic aspirations as a mind takes out the nega- really good influence,
high school and college student athlete until injuries got in her tives; if you’re like, “Don’t get helping people be
way. In the years that followed, Kieffer became a coach to stay dropped,” your mind really more aware of other
involved in the running world but didn’t expect to seriously com- hears “get dropped.” cultures, people and
pete again herself until she won her very first marathon in early things—to not be so
2017. Ten months later, she was racing on one of the largest mar- What advice would entitled and to be
athon stages in the world, finishing in 2:29:39 as the second Amer- you offer new runners? more grateful.”
ican woman and placing fifth overall. A lot of times when I’ve been
injured, I haven’t worked on
the problems. I’ve been like, “I
How did you expect the New What changes did you make have a stress fracture, so I’m
York City Marathon to go? to your training, fueling and just going to take six weeks off.”
I ran with the New York racing mindset? There’s probably a reason why
Athletic Club [before the race], The biggest change I made I got a stress fracture; maybe
and I remember asking one of [last] year is that I started lift- I’m landing on the wrong spot THIS AMERICAN
my teammates, “How long is it ing. I joined a CrossFit gym in or something’s tight or weak, LIFE
going to take to catch the top January [of 2017]. I’ve been do- and so I’ve just waited for Kieffer enjoys listen-
group?” He was like, “The best ing Olympic lifts, which help things to heal. Bones heal with ing to podcasts on
people take the longest time to me. For the marathon, I did a rest, but the cause doesn’t heal. easy training days,
break. Wait until 35K to actually lot of tempo-specific long runs. You need to continue to do all when she typically
catch up.” I thought it would be In the past, I’ve done long of the little things. runs alone. The
really late; I had this idea that runs, but not while shooting ever-popular “This
I could get into Central Park for a specific pace. I like the What races are you looking American Life” is one
two minutes behind. In years in-and-out runs, where you go forward to in 2018? of her two favorite
prior, people had tanked at the at marathon pace, then a 10K I really want to make the podcasts to zone out
end and ran a few slow miles. It or half-marathon pace. world championships team to during workouts.
went completely differently. I for the half marathon. Then “I love all the serials
FRED GORIS

caught people sooner; even in What does it mean to you I’m going to move down in too, but those are
Brooklyn I didn’t feel that far to rejoin the professional distance and focus on 10Ks gone so quickly!”
out of contention. racing circuit? and 5Ks for the track season.

30 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018


+A
NCAA RUNNER
TURNED HIGH
SCHOOL COACH
HILLARY KIGAR HAS
AN ANSWER FOR ALL
THINGS TRAINING!
Which shoes should I be
wearing for which distances?  shed any remaining layers of
Most simply…the shorter the
race, the lighter the shoe.
For longer races, like half
marathons and marathons,
most runners (other than
elite athletes) will be just fine
wearing their normal training
shoe or potentially a slightly
lighter-weight training shoe
that is very similar in design
to their usual running shoe.
For shorter distances, such as
a 5K or a 10K, racing flats are
a good option when looking
to maximize speed. However,
it is important to spend some
time training in your racing
flats before racing in them for
the first time. Try them out in a
few workouts before you bring
them out for a race. When rac-
ing cross-country on the trails,
look for specific trail shoes or
trail racing flats depending
on the distance of race and
surface. Likewise, for races on
the track, consider wearing
road racing flats in workouts or
races. And be sure to pick out
a fun, bright color so you stand
out in the crowd!
How should I time my
pre-race warm-up?  a race starts after I’ve
Depending on the race, you
should give yourself 30–60
minutes of time to proper-
ly warm up. Your warm-up
should start with an easy
jog. For longer races or days
when it is very warm, spend
around 10 minutes jogging
at an easy pace. For shorter
races or on days when the
temperature is cooler, spend
more time getting warm, more
like 15–20 minutes of easy
jogging. Follow your warm-
up jog with 10–15 minutes of
dynamic stretching and drills
such as high knees, A-skips,
B-skips and other active drills.
The idea is to wake your legs
up with various drills that get
your main muscles (glutes,
quads, hamstrings and calves)
firing. In the 5–10 minutes
before the race, be sure to
clothing that you have on and
get in several quick strides.
Remember a stride is just a
tad slower than a sprint. This
will help get your heart rate
up and prepare your legs for
the start of the race. If you
find that you need to go to the
restroom several times before
the start of the race, be sure to
add in 5–10 minutes to factor
in portapotty line time!
RACE SMART > ASK THE COACH
How do I stay warm before TIP OF THE MONTH
checked my gear bag? Develop
Throw-away sweats are the se- Your
cret! Before your next race, stop Racing
by your local thrift store and Toolbox
pick up a cheap pair of sweat- No matter if you
pants and a sweatshirt. After finish toward
you check your gear bag, keep the back or the
the $2 sweats on right up until front of the pack,
the gun goes off. Alternatively, there is always
if you have old sweats at home that moment in
a race when you
that you have been meaning
feel like you have
to donate, bring those for race hit the wall—like
day. Don’t worry about littering you can’t go any
near the start line, as most races faster, and you
have a great clean-up crew and may wonder if you
know that runners need to ditch can even finish at
their last-minute items. Consider all. The answer
is YOU CAN! At
using a garbage bag with holes that moment, you
cut in it over the top if it is a wet need to go into
day so that your cotton sweats your toolbox and
don’t get soaked and keep you start pulling out
cold rather than warm. If it is es- the mental tricks.
pecially cold, bring some cheap Just like the old
gloves as well as hand warmers saying “mind over
matter,” with run-
to hold while you are waiting for ning, it is “mind
the start of the race. The idea is over legs”! The
to stay comfortable and relaxed power of the mind
as long as you can. Racing is is incredible. Some
stressful enough without being people like to get
freezing cold! angry during those
rough moments.
Others find their
Have a question for Coach happy place as
Kigar? Email editorial@ they try to ignore
womensrunning.com or the pain. I suggest
tweet @womensrunning with coming up with a
the hashtag #AsktheCoach. word, a phrase or
an image that fills
you with strength.
Maybe you are
running in mem-
ory of a loved one,
or maybe your fa-
vorite Earth, Wind
and Fire song fires
you up, or maybe
you imagine a lion
roaring with feroc-
ity. Whatever it is,
keep it right in the
forefront of your
mind and let it
carry you through
the toughest
moments! (And
turn to page 35 to
learn more about
creating a race-
day mantra.)
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 31
RACE SMART > RUNNING AT EVERY AGE
HOW TO SET A P.R.
EVERY DECADE
In Run Strong, Stay Hungry, Jonathan
Beverly finds that lifelong runners often
stay committed to the sport by constantly
resetting their expectations and goals. In
this section from the new book, Beverly
shares an unusual tip.
Republished with permission from Run Strong, Stay Hungry by
Jonathan Beverly. See more at velopress.com/strong.
32 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
TRAMPLE ON THE PAST
How do we step away from patterns
that worked? How do we move away
from the emotional attachment to
paces and totals that have told us what
is “good” and motivated us to great-
er accomplishments? One strategy
that emerged as I talked to lifetime
competitors was to work to forget.
It is a strategy echoed in the world’s
great literature. “What makes old age
hard to bear is not the failing of one’s
faculties, mental and physical, but the
burden of one’s memories,” W. Som-
erset Maugham wrote in his memoir,
The Summing Up.
How do we deal with those memo-
ries and move on? “We have to learn
to trample on the past,” V.S. Naipaul
wrote in his novel A Bend in the River.
He was talking about major move-
ments in history, transformations of

and cultures, but his advice applies as
well to the changes in one’s lifetime.
“It isn’t easy to turn your back on the
past,” he warned. “It is something you
have to arm yourself for, or grief will
ambush and destroy you.”
Leonardo Sperandeo, winner of
the mile at the 2001 USATF Masters
Championship, trampled on the past
in dramatic fashion. At age 37, he was
hit by a drunk driver while running
and broke his femur at the knee and
hip. It took him over a year to walk
and longer still to be able to run. So
when he turned 40 and felt ready to
start running competitively again, he
needed to start over.
“First thing I did, [I] took all my
old diaries and threw them away,” he
said. “I didn’t box them up, didn’t pack
them for later. I threw them in the
garbage can.”
The act of throwing out the logs freed
him to create new training patterns and
set new goals. “I started new, and every-
thing I did was a PR,” he said.
Sperandeo did the same thing when
he turned 50. This time, he was recover-
ing from cancer and radiation treat-
ment. Throwing out everything from his
40s, he started over again.
He thinks every runner should throw
out his or her logs at the start of a new
decade. “Your first workout when you
turn 50, you do 400s, that’s your PR,” he
said. “See if you can break that next time.”
Other lifetime competitors
talked about trampling
on the past by no longer “ My interest is
tracking miles or keeping to run what I can surgery, rehab to
logs at all. run and be happy finally get really frus-
“That’s fantastic infor-
mation to have if you’re
training to race,” mountain
with it. ”
—DANIEL GRIMES
runner and three-time
Olympic Trials qualifier Daniel Grimes
said. “But for now, my interest is to run
what I can run and be happy with it—
and not worry about what I was doing
last week and not compare to what I was
doing a year ago.”
It’s intentional self-delusion, but
perhaps easier than keeping the past
close and constantly trying to separate
emotions from the times and totals.
Those can exist in the past and in our
minds while we run today and enjoy the
feeling without having to quantify it.
“Obviously I care—I don’t want to
get slower,” Grimes admitted. “But if I
don’t keep track, then I don’t know how
much slower I’m getting.”
CTRL/ALT/DELETE
Many masters runners described dis-
tinct resets in their running life. Most
are not as drastic as Sperandeo’s, but
these moments often did involve injury
and a time of rebuilding from zero.
Coach Pete Magill, five-time USA
Masters Cross-Country Runner of the
Year and multi-American and world
masters record holder, has had several
reboots. A few were lifestyle driven,
where he got away from the sport and
had to start again. Others were smaller
resets, when he has taken time away
from running and given himself per-
mission to try new patterns.
Several lifetime competitors
experienced a similar reset around
injuries. Following several strong
running years in his 40s, where he
ran nearly the same times every race,
near the top in the world for his age,
seven-time U.S. national masters
champion Kevin Paulk’s feet fell apart
at 48. He tried everything to get rid of
his plantar fasciitis, including surgery,
while still trying to do the same train-
ing he had always done. He finally
had to drop back to
zero and restart. “It
took years of injury,
trated, to say, ‘This is
not just a once-in-a-
while thing; it is going
to keep reoccurring
unless you do something different.
It is not going to go away unless you
change,’” Paulk explained.
Today he’s working on finding a
new pattern of training, the right
volume, the right density and all the
extras needed to keep him healthy
and rebuilding. “Some people don’t
get to the reset. I got to the reset; I’m
in the reset mode,” he said.
Dr. Mark Cucuzzella calls it doing
a “Ctrl/Alt/Delete”—the process of
rebooting and starting at zero. A 2:24
marathoner with recurrent injuries,
he had foot surgery at age 34 to repair
chronic arthritis in his toes and was
told he would not compete again.
He used the occasion to rediscover
how to run again, this time without
shoes. He started with walking, then
slowly running across the driveway,
then down the block, learning how
to move and building new strengths.
Today, at age 51, he’s able to run mar-
athons in the 2:30s.
At some point, many runners re-
quire a reset back to zero. They need to
ditch their current routine—not try to
maintain a certain mileage, not hit cer-
tain splits or perform tried-and-true
workouts—and start over, unburdened
by old expectations and habits.
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 33
RACE SMART > WHERE IT HURTS
IT BAND
SYNDROME
The best strategies for fixing and preventing this
common running injury // BY NICOLE RADZISZEWSKI
W
ith some injuries,
it’s tempting to
push through the
pain when
symptoms flare
up on a run. With
others, you might as well just
stop and call for an Uber.
Iliotibial band syndrome
(ITBS)—characterized by
lateral knee pain that strikes
during a run and worsens if
you continue—definitely falls
into the latter category.
Despite being the second-
most common running
injury, ITBS is in many ways
a mystery. The IT band is
34 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
a dense band of fascia that
runs along the outside of the
thigh, starting just above the
hip and attaching just below
the knee. Scientists are still
exploring its role in the body
and why it is so susceptible
to injury.
ITBS has been deemed a
“friction syndrome,” with
symptoms occurring when
the IT band rubs against and
runs back and forth over the
lateral epicondyle of the fe-
mur (bony protrusion on the
outside of the knee) when
the knee is bent at about 30
degrees.
But this theory has yet to
be proven, says Kevin Maggs,
D.C., a running injury spe-
cialist and chiropractor in
Gainesville, Va., and director
of The Running Clinic, USA.
“We really don’t know what
causes IT band syndrome,
but we know that it’s a rep-
etition injury. It tends to oc-
cur in distance runners and
is more common on longer,
slower runs,” Maggs says.
As with most running
overuse injuries, training
errors (doing too much,
too soon) are a risk factor
for ITBS. For this reason,
Maggs recommends fol-
lowing a training plan that
involves gradual increases
of speed, mileage and ter-
rain. “Everyone is different,
but it is probably safe to
increase your total mile-
age by no more than 10–20
percent per week and keep
your long run less than 50
percent of your total weekly
mileage,” he says.
If you suspect you have
ITBS, first rest and allow
the sensitized tissue to calm
down. Once you can perform
daily activities pain-free,
Maggs recommends starting
with run-walk intervals to
avoid the repetition that
comes with longer dis-
tances. If the pain returns,
take a bit more time off and
then return to the run-walk
protocol, but with even less
time exposure.
ITBS is often misdiag-
nosed, so if your pain doesn’t
go away, consult with a
healthcare provider to rule
out other possible sources
of pain, such as a stress frac-
ture, meniscus tear or other
pathologies.
CAN STRENGTH
EXERCISES
FIX ITBS?
Recommended exercises
for treating ITBS often
involve strengthening of
the muscles around the IT
band, based on the
theory that having weak
hip abductors (muscles
that move the leg lateral-
ly) lead to more strain on
the IT band.
Maggs’ approach is
similar, but for a different
reason. He suggests
performing hip abduction
exercises that involve
loading the IT band and
its surrounding muscu-
lature—not to overcome
a strength deficit, but
to increase tolerance
of the sensitized tissue.
Maggs also cautions
against squats and other
movements that involve
knee flexion beyond 20
degrees, as this is where
symptoms can start to
present.
Whichever approach
you take, the following
exercise will set you in the
right direction.
Sidestepping with
resistance band
1 Secure a flat resistance
band just above your
ankles. Stand with your
feet at about hip width
(there should be slight
tension in the band) and
toes pointing forward.
Keep a soft bend in your
knees and weight in your
midfoot to heel.
2 Step your right foot
to the right, keeping
toes pointed forward.
Maintain the tension in the
band as you step your left
foot slightly to the right.
3 Continue stepping
laterally, switching
directions after about 10
steps. You should feel
this in the side of your
butt. Stop when you are
fatigued or start to feel
OLIVER BAKER
the load somewhere other
than your glutes.

THE VOICE INSIDE YOUR HEAD
Shift your racing mindset with power phrases. // BY MACKENZIE L. HAVEY
M
ake the most of every step.”
“Regret hurts more than the
race.” “Courage and trust.”
These are the mantras,
or power phrases, that run
through professional runner
Heather Kampf’s head during races.
A four-time national champion in the
1-mile road race and a prolific competi-
tor, she knows a thing or two about the
importance of controlling your inner
narrative. In fact, she says that practic-
ing this type of self-talk is just as essen-
tial as other aspects of her training.
“I think once you get deep into a
race of any distance, everyone is just
battling the temptation to slow down
and make it feel better,” she says.
“These mantras help me combat those
thoughts, to stay in ‘the now’ and to
remember that embracing the pain
and the moment will likely lead to
worthwhile results and memories.”
Research published in the journal
Perspectives on Psychological Sci-
ence backs up Kampf’s experience.
In examining 32 sports psychology
studies, researchers discovered that
motivational self-talk can help boost
confidence and readiness to compete,
particularly in endurance events.
How does this work? The key is to
be intentional about the way you’re
directing your thoughts. While this
can take some practice, over time and
OLIVER BAKER
training, these positive mantras will
dominate your brain’s mental script.
“You have to ask yourself: ‘How do I
race my best?’ ‘How do I want to feel?’”
explains Cindra Kamphoff, Ph.D., a
certified mental performance consul-
tant, coach and author of the new book
Beyond Grit. “Sometimes runners will
just let the thoughts and feelings come
to them, but you can be in charge of
how you feel when you intentionally
talk to yourself in a particular way.”
Kampf agrees, saying, “Most of my
mantras are about staying present and
mindful. They help build resolve to
get the most out of yourself and can
almost meditatively get you through
the tougher parts of a race.”
“It can be the difference between
surviving and thriving and really reach-
ing your potential,” adds Kamphoff.
So how do you come up with your
own mantras or power phrases? Here’s
a step-by-step guide.
1. Check in with your thinking. In order
to be more intentional about the direc-
tion of your thoughts, you must first tap
into your current mental chatter. The
next time you’re out running, figure out
where your head is at. Is your thinking
positive, negative, distracted or focused?
2. Acknowledge and accept. Accept the
thoughts you noticed in step 1. Even if they
are less than productive, it’s not worth
wasting energy trying to eliminate them.
It’s better to focus on intentionally steer-
ing your mind in a more positive direction.
RACE SMART > TAKE A BREATH
3. Choose your mantra(s). You
might choose one mantra to get you
through an entire race, but you’ll
more likely benefit from having
several options in your arsenal.
Kamphoff advises that your phrase
be process-oriented, rather than
outcome-oriented. Something like
“smooth and fast” or “light and
strong” will be more effective than
“I’m gonna win today!”
4. Make sure you believe it. “If you
don’t believe the self-talk, it’s not go-
ing to work,” Kamphoff says. As such,
be sure you choose mantras or power
phrases that you truly buy into.
5. Practice, practice, practice. Be
sure to utilize your phrases in training
so they are ready and waiting when
you need them most in a race. It can
be challenging to call up positive
thoughts in the heat of competition,
so training your mind to default to this
line of thought is important.
6. Write it down. Writing something
down helps commit it to memory.
You can write down your mantras in a
training journal, on a notecard you put
in your gym bag or on a Post-it note
you stick on your bathroom mirror.
You can even write them on your hand
the morning of a race—then when the
going gets tough, you’ll have them
right at your fingertips.
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 35
 >Eat to Run
FOR A FASTER
FINISH
New sports nutrition products
to fuel your races // BY BETHANY MAVIS
T
he global sports nutrition
market accounted for $28 billion
in 2016, according to a report
released by Zion Market
Research, and it’s expected to
grow to more than $45 billion by
2022. With so many brands, flavors,
supplements and products out there,
it’s no wonder runners get over-
whelmed by the options. Gel? Chew?
Drink? Tablet? Rather than risk an
upset stomach, sometimes it’s easier to
skip the nutrition altogether, which is
okay for shorter distances (like 5K and
10K), but won’t work once you start
longer runs, such as half and full
marathons.
“The half marathon and marathon
OLIVER BAKER
are the only distances that require
calories, and the half is dependent
on finish time,” says Brooke Schohl,
M.S., R.D., a board-certified sports
dietitian at Fuel to the Finish in
Scottsdale, Ariz. If you’re going to
finish a half marathon in less than 2
hours, you can get away with using
no fuel during the race; if the race
will take you 2–3 hours, you’ll prob-
ably need to fuel just once. And for
a marathon or longer, you’ll always
require fuel, she says—the number of
fueling sessions just depends on your
estimated finish time (see page 39
for a more specific guide to race-day
fueling based on your distance).
As far as what you should be using to
fuel, Schohl says the key is to practice
in pre-race workouts. “There are so
many sports nutrition products out
there, the choice you make really
FUELING STRATEGIES
AND OUR TOP
NUTRITION PICKS FOR
HEALTHY RUNNING
depends on the length of your race and
how your body handles the nutrients,”
she says. “Many of the questions
surrounding race-day fueling—calories
per hour, type of product, electrolytes,
etc.—are highly variable and should
be determined using a trial-and-error
approach during training. I reserve
protein- and fat-containing products
for longer races—the marathon dis-
tance and longer,” she says. But above
all, make sure you follow the golden
rule of sports nutrition: “Nothing new
on race day!”
To find the right products for you,
start with doing some research—read
reviews online, ask your running
buddies what brands, products and
flavors they use, or ask your local
running store for its most popular
products. If you’re having a partic-
ularly tough time finding nutrition
that your body can handle, Schohl
recommends recruiting a sports
dietitian for help. “The choices are
overwhelming, and unfortunately
many of the options out there are
not healthy and lead to a variety of
gastrointestinal issues,” she says.
But once you do find products that
work for your body, “then sports
nutrition will provide energy, boost
performance and lead to a more
successful race!” Schohl says.
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 37
EAT TO RUN > FUEL YOUR RUN
Fuel Finds
Our most recent
editor-approved finds
for race-day nutrition
MUIR ENERGY
These whole-food energy gels are made with no
more than six ingredients—all of which are organ-
ic and vegan. They’re sorted into slow-burning
flavors (made with nut butters) and fast-burning
(made with fruit, coconut palm nectar and black-
strap molasses). The favorite flavor in the taste
test was the fast-burning Red Raspberry, thanks
to its concentrated, sweet yet tart taste. Each gel
packet contains 115–150 calories and 290–350
milligrams of potassium. If you’re looking for an
extra kick, the gels are offered in Mate flavors,
with 90 milligrams of caffeine derived from Yerba
Mate extract. $30 for 12-pack, muirenergy.com
38 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
BEET’UMS
Research has confirmed in recent years that beets can boost endurance perfor-
mance—the deep-red veggie is especially helpful for enhancing the body’s ability to
create nitric oxide, which improves blood flow, leading to things like increased oxy-
gen delivery and higher energy. These beet-infused sports performance chews are
a simple, cost-effective way to reap the benefits of beets without the mess of beet
powders or juice. Each chew is individually wrapped and provides a quick hit of
calories (35 per chew) and carbs (6 grams), and the chocolate pomegranate flavor
is candy-esque, with a Laffy Taffy–like texture and a very subtle beet flavor. We like
them taken with water, and they’re great for a pre-race boost or mid-race pick-me-
up (though the sticky chews are tricky to remove from their wrappers while on the
move). $34 for 30-chew package, core4nutrition.com/beetums
MAURTEN DRINK MIX 160
The simple black-and-white design of this carbo-
hydrate-packed sports drink matches its simple
ingredient list—it uses only five. Each 160-calorie
packet, when mixed with water, provides your
body with high concentrations of maltrodextrin
and fructose, adding up to a whopping 39 grams
of carbs (13 grams of which are sugar), which,
through the brand’s patent-pending technology,
transports water to your intestine by converting
to a “hydrogel” in your stomach. The clear drink
dissolves easily when mixed with the recom-
mended amount of water, and we loved the light
yet sweet taste—it doesn’t have a “flavor” per
se, but rather tastes like sugar water. Available in
both a 160 version and a 320 version (referring
to the number of calories per packet), you can
use either, depending on the intensity of your
OLIVER BAKER
workouts or races. $42 for box of 18 packets,
maurten.com
 EAT TO RUN > NUTRITION NOTES

GO THE DISTANCE
Race-day fueling strategies for every distance
// BY LAUREN ANTONUCCI, M.S., R.D.N., C.S.S.D.

M
any of us have pre-race rituals that we have followed for
years, and we stick to them no matter the weather, distance
or location. While some rituals are great (hydrating
before a race is always important, and lucky socks can
never be wrong!), some rituals should be adjusted accord-
ing to your race distance. Nutrition and hydration are two
such rituals! Of course it is important to toe every starting line well
hydrated and with glycogen stores and blood glucose topped off,
but how much and what you’ll need on race day will vary. Here are
some easy-to-follow fueling guidelines from 5K to marathon. d

5K 10K HALF MARATHON FULL MARATHON

Race-day breakfast should be
high-carb, low-fiber and very
easy to digest. Aim for about
200 calories of simple carbs
1–2 hours before your race.
Try 1 cup low-fiber cereal
(think Cheerios, Rice Krispies
and the like) plus almond milk
(many runners have trouble
digesting cow’s milk pre-race)
plus half a banana.
Hydrate with 8–12 ounces
water 60–90 minutes before
the race start.
Final fuel for a 5K is not gen-
erally necessary. However, if
you race longer distances and
want a final boost, take ½–1
gel or a few crackers 10 min-
utes before the gun goes off.
During-race fuel is generally
unnecessary. You won’t want
to spend time visiting aid
stations and will barely be
able to sip if you try. When
it’s really hot or humid, grab
one cup of fluid 1–2 miles in
as needed. Your best bet is to
hydrate before you take off!
ROCK 'N' ROLL MARATHON SERIES: SANFORD MEYERS
Race-day breakfast increas-
es to 250–350 calories, eaten
2–3 hours pre-race. Try 1–2
packets of instant oatmeal
(it can be flavored—you
need the carbs for energy to
race) plus a choice of cow,
soy or almond milk and one
banana.
Hydrate with 12–16 ounces
water 2–3 hours before start
time.
Final fuel: Experiment with
4–8 ounces sports drink 10
minutes before the start.
During-race fuel: If racing
for more than 60 minutes,
consume 100 calories (of
sports drink/gel) after 45
minutes. When it’s hot or
humid, drink 4–6 ounces of
fluid every 2 miles.
Race-day breakfast increas-
es to 400–500 calories, and
should now include protein
due to the longer duration
of the race. Try half a bagel
with peanut butter and jelly
plus a banana 2–4 hours
prior to the start.
Hydrate with 12–16 ounces
water or sports drink 3–4
hours pre-race. Note: It’s
okay to omit the banana if
you’re choosing a sports
drink because those carbs/
calories count too.
Final fuel: 6–8 ounces sports
drink, or one gel plus 6 ounces
of water 10 minutes before.
During-race fuel: 30–60
grams of carbohydrate per
hour after the first hour. For
example, 1 gel or 16 ounces
sports drink (4 ounces every
few miles) for a half marathon
less than 2 hours, or 1 gel plus
16 ounces sports drink for a
2:30 half. Total fluids should
match sweat rate, averaging
24–32 ounces per hour.
Race-day breakfast should
now be in two parts, totaling
600–700 calories and includ-
ing carbs and protein or fat.
Four hours prior to the race,
eat a whole bagel with either
PB&J or two eggs. Then 1.5
hours prior, eat oatmeal or a
granola/energy bar.
Hydrate with 12–16 ounces
fluid 3–4 hours prior, then
another 7–12 ounces 1.5
hours prior.
Final fuel: Take one gel with
4–8 ounces water or 8 ounc-
es of sports drink or about
100 calories of any fast-
acting carbs.
During-race fuel: Up to
60–90 grams of carbs per
hour! Experiment during
long runs to find your “sweet
spot” of fueling. Examples
are 4–6 ounces of sports
drink every 2 miles plus gel
with water every 40 minutes
(4–5 miles). Try adding 1–2
energy chews every other
mile as well.

Lauren Antonucci, M.S., R.D.N.,

Whatever your race distance, remember to fuel well is a board-certified sports
to race well! Once finished, don’t forget about your dietitian and the owner/direc-
recovery nutrition. Choose carbs and 15–20 grams of protein. tor of Nutrition Energy in NYC
(nutritionenergy.com). She has
Examples are a half to whole sandwich plus fruit, or two eggs fueled thousands of marathoners
with toast and fruit or pasta with chicken. and fueled herself to more than 12
marathon finishes.

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 39

EAT TO RUN > CLEAN PLATE
SPICED VEGETABLES
SERVES: 4 GENEROUSLY
TAKES: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES, INCLUDING
20 MINUTES DRAINING
AND GARBANZO
6 Tbsp canola oil or other
flavorless oil, plus extra
if needed
BEANS WITH YOGURT
1 medium eggplant, about
10½ oz.
½ tsp sea salt
2 medium onions, coarsely
chopped
T
10½ oz. cauliflower florets, cut
his meat-free recipe, from the new book Sheet Pan Magic, small
makes meal clean-up a snap—the entire meal is cooked Sea salt and freshly ground
within a sheet pan. Curry powder sometimes raises eye- black pepper
4 garlic cloves, crushed
brows among purists, but there’s nothing wrong with a 1 heaping tsp grated
shortcut now and then, as long as you layer other flavors fresh ginger
into the dish. Seek out a good-quality hot curry powder, 2–3 Tbsp good-quality
and you won’t look back. hot curry powder
2 14-oz. cans chopped
tomatoes
14-oz. can garbanzo beans
(not drained)
2 tsp sea salt flakes
40 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
Recipe excerpted with
permission from Sheet
Pan Magic by Sue Quinn,
published by Quadrille
(October 2017, $19.99
hardcover, amazon.com).
TO SERVE:
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 cup Greek yogurt
Large handful chopped mint
Preheat the oven to 425
degrees. Pour the oil into an
8x12x2-inch sheet pan and
place inside the oven to heat.
Meanwhile, chop the
eggplant into ¾-inch cubes,
place in a colander and toss
with the ½ teaspoon of
salt. Set the colander over a
bowl or sink to drain for 20
minutes. Spread the eggplant
out on paper towels, pat dry
and squeeze out any excess
moisture.
Carefully place the onions,
eggplant and cauliflower into
the hot oil in the sheet pan,
season with salt and pepper
and toss to coat. Roast for
20–25 minutes (shaking the
pan occasionally) or until the
vegetables are almost tender
and a little browned at the
edges. Add the garlic, ginger
and curry powder to the pan
and mix in well, adding a
little more oil to moisten the
spices if too dry. Return the
pan to the oven for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped toma-
toes, the garbanzo beans
with the can water and the
sea salt flakes to the pan and
stir. Return to the oven for
30 minutes, stirring once
or twice, or until the sauce
is bubbling and slightly
reduced, and the vegetables
and garbanzo beans are very
tender. Serve with a squeeze
of lemon, a spoonful of
FAITH MASON
yogurt on top and a generous
sprinkling of mint.
 YOU
CAN
HAVE
IT ALL

MARIALUZ ARELLANO
Editor-Director
Revista Vidactiva Magazine

Work, Life, Family, Friends—and Triathlon

FULL
10-12
HRS/WK

HALF IN FAST-TRACK TRIATHLETE, Matt Dixon offers his

plan of attack for high performance in long-course triathlon—
7-10 without sacrificing work or life. Developed for busy professionals
HRS/WK
with demanding schedules, the Fast-Track Triathlete program
makes your PR possible in Ironman®, Ironman 70.3®, Rev3, and Challenge
triathlon in about 10 hours a week. Includes a 14-week comprehensive race-
prep training program and 24 weeks of key workouts.

Available in bookstores, tri shops, and online.

See more at velopress.com/getontrack.
EAT TO RUN > WEEKNIGHT WINNERS
NEED A
BOOST?
Track season brings intense workouts that require
attention to recovery and boosting energy for
effective repeatability. These five quick-and-easy
weeknight recipes keep your busy schedule in
mind while also packing in energy-boosting
ingredients. // BY JESSICA CERRA
42 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
Ginger-Lemongrass
Turkey Lettuce Cups
Ginger is known to decrease
inflammation, muscle pain
and soreness, aid in digestion
and help fight infection, all
integral parts of recovery
between workouts. When
you recover smarter, you will
renew your energy faster and
be more prepared for the next
training session.
Preparation:
Heat a small amount of oil
of choice (coconut oil rocks
in this recipe) in a large
skillet. Add 1 diced shallot
and 2 diced carrots, season
with salt and pepper, and
sauté 5 minutes. Add 1
16-ounce package 93%
lean ground turkey and
cook until browned, about
10 minutes, breaking apart
with a wooden spoon. Stir
in 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
puree, 1 tablespoon fresh
lemongrass puree (found in
squeeze bottles next to the
herbs in your grocer’s pro-
duce section), 1 tablespoon
honey and ½ tablespoon
Sriracha during the last 2
minutes of cooking. Remove
from heat and stir in 1 cup
finely diced jicama, 1 cup
cooked quinoa and ¼ cup
fresh chopped cilantro.
Serve in butter or romaine
lettuce cups.
Mighty Beet Bowl
Beets and chard are two of the
most nutrient-dense foods to
incorporate into your weekly
nutrition plan. Both provide
anti-inflammatory and detox-
ification support, and mighty
doses of vitamins A, C and K.
Red beets contain nitrates,
shown to improve blood flow
to the brain and muscles, and
energize you. Steam beets
before cooking to save time,
or check your specialty grocer
for pre-steamed beets in the
produce section or salad bar.
Preparation:
Over medium heat on a grill
or grill pan cook 4 boneless,
skinless chicken breasts
(5–6 ounces each, seasoned
with salt and pepper), about
5 minutes per side, or until
cooked through. Let rest 5
minutes before slicing. In a
large bowl, toss together 8
heaping cups chopped fresh
chard (any type), 1 cup,
each, red and golden beets
(steamed and diced), 2 cups
cooked farro (or barley or
wild rice), ¼ cup julienned
fresh basil and ¼ cup toast-
ed pumpkin seeds. Divide
these ingredients into four
bowls or storage contain-
ers (for leftovers), and top
each with one sliced chicken
breast and ¼ avocado. Driz-
zle with goddess or tahini
dressing before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
SAM WELLS
Kale Power Salad T
This salad is loaded with
nutrient-rich ingredients such
as marinated kale, toasty al-
monds and sweet pomegran-
ate seeds. Pile your plate high
with this nourishing meal to
power up for all of your train-
ing. You can substitute any of
the veggies in this recipe with
veggies you have on hand
that need to be used, or you
can customize it by adding
more veggies, seeds, nuts or
avocado.
Preparation:
Zest 3 limes and 3 oranges
into a bowl. Combine the
juice with ¼ cup olive oil,
and season with salt and
pepper. Toss 6 packed cups
(6 ounces) chopped kale
into this dressing until well
coated. Let marinate in the
fridge for 30 minutes, or up
to overnight. In another large
bowl, toss 2 cups cooked
quinoa, ⅔ cup shredded car-
rots, ⅔ cup diced cucumber,
½ cup diced bell pepper
(any color), ⅓ cup pome-
granate seeds, ½ cup whole
toasted almonds and ¼ cup
chopped fresh mint. Once
the kale has marinated, add
veggie and quinoa mixture
to the bowl with the kale,
and toss until everything is
evenly combined and well
coated with the dressing.
Almond-Chia Overnight Oats
Having a breakfast with
whole grains and protein will
keep blood-sugar levels stable
in the morning, preventing
an energy crash. Overnight
oats are an easy way to have a
grab-and-go option for your
busy schedule. Almonds are
also loaded with healthy fats,
antioxidants, calcium, magne-
sium, iron, protein and fiber.
Preparation:
In a bowl, whisk together
1½ cups almond milk, ½ cup
plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup
almond butter, ¼ cup ma-
ple syrup, 1 tablespoon chia
seeds, 2 teaspoons vanilla
extract and ¼ teaspoon
salt. Stir in 1 cup rolled oats
until thoroughly combined.
Separate into four mason
jars or cups and let sit in the
fridge overnight. Top with
chopped almonds, bananas
or fruit of choice.
W Blueberry Salmon
Salmon contains essen-
tial omega-3s, which help
decrease inflammation
and strengthen joints, and
blueberries are potent an-
tioxidants that specifically
strengthen the cardiovascu-
lar system. This recipe will
renew you.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Heat a large oven-safe skillet
over high heat. Season 4
salmon filets (5–6 ounces
each, skin on) with salt and
pepper. Place salmon filets,
skin side up, in the skillet and
sear for 1 minute. Flip salmon
over and place in oven for
5–8 minutes, until salmon is
just underdone in the middle
(timing depends on thickness
of filets). Remove from oven
and place salmon on a plate
(the salmon will continue to
cook through; this method
prevents overcooking). While
salmon is cooking, place
another skillet over medi-
um heat. Add 1 pint rinsed
blueberries, ¼ cup red wine
(pinot noir recommended),
juice of 1 large lemon, juice
of 1 large orange and a pinch
of sea salt to the skillet. Let
cook down, stirring occa-
sionally, until the liquid has
absorbed and the mixture is
slightly thick. Spoon an equal
amount of blueberry sauce
over each of the salmon filets
before serving.
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 43
 Spring’s
Women’s Running has
tested the spring 2018
shoe offerings to help
you find the best fit for
your training and racing
needs this season.

By Rebecca Warren

PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVER BAKER

44 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

 means racing
season is here, and
training is heating
up for many run-
ners. We have been
testing the latest
shoes from a variety
of running brands
big and small to
bring you the fresh-
est and fastest kicks
of the season.

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 45

Inov-8 Roc Lite 315 Trail
$135, inov-8.com | 10.7 oz.
Minimal cushioning makes
these trail shoes grip the
ground and give feet a solid
feel for the terrain, result-
ing in a confident run. One
reviewer commented that the
solid construction and lack of
squeaky sole made her feel
“graceful” while traversing
the trails, which is what many
of us love about running—the
quiet strength it imbues
us with. The waterproof
construction was great on
rainy runs, but this may limit
breathability in warm running
conditions. While the minimal
construction and light cush-
ioning was a plus for some
reviewers, others found it to
be too sparse for comfort on
really rocky trails.
Trail
The North Face Flight RKT
$150, thenorthface.com | 8 oz.
Designed by ultrarunner Rob
Krar, these trail shoes have
an impressive amount of
grip thanks to the specially
designed outsole. The fabric
is breathable and lightweight,
and aids in the overall light
feel of the shoe. There is min-
imal cushioning throughout
but enough in the midsole to
protect from any discomfort
found running over rough trail
surfaces. The lacing system
lets you adjust adequately
for a secure fit. Some testers
noted that the shoes ran a
bit small, so be sure to check
your size. This is a trail shoe
that is best suited to middle-
to long-distance runs.

HOKA ONE ONE Challenger ATR4

$130, hokaoneone.com | 7.4 oz.
Trail
Our testers were surprised to find that these trail shoes were
actually much lighter than they looked, and also offered more
agility than expected. The outsole provided excellent grip on trails
and made the feet feel nimble and supported at the same time.
One reviewer commented that the midsole provided a pleasant
amount of bounciness at both slow and fast speeds. Be sure to get
fitted for these shoes as testers found that the arch support was
too firm and misaligned for some feet. Otherwise, these shoes got
high marks for hitting the trail in comfort and style.

*All shoe weights are for a women's size 7.

46 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

Merrell Bare Access Flex Kit
$130, merrell.com | 7 oz.
Trail
This is a multipurpose shoe from Merrell,
designed to work on both road and trail.
This results in a shoe that isn’t a standout
in either category. Testers noted that the
arch was high and the midsole was very
firm, resulting in discomfort for some.
The bungee lacing system allowed for a
snug fit, but some testers were unable to
get the shoe secured tightly enough to
prevent heel slippage. The knit socklin-
er has a good feel, but it lacks wicking
properties, resulting in an uncomfortable
and soggy running experience for sockless
runners. The zero-drop design will appeal
to minimalist runners, and the shoe does
offer a fair amount of responsiveness on
the road and trail, resulting in an agile feel
with good traction on both surfaces.
On Cloud X
$140, on-running.com | 6.6 oz.
These sleek and stylish Swiss-designed
shoes were our favorites by far for
speedwork in this season’s offerings. The
minimal materials used make this shoe
feel super light both out of the box and
on your feet. The lacing system offers a
snug and secure fit that encourages you to
push yourself faster, farther. The pods on
the outsole offer a bouncy ride with good
energy return and grip. The breathable
upper material and overall lightness of
this shoe make it a great partner for
cross-training workouts as well.
Asics GT-2000 6
$120, asics.com | 8.2 oz.
This update of the GT-2000 doesn’t
offer any new innovations, but it’s a
solid shoe that fans of the brand will
enjoy running in, especially for longer
distances. Some testers found that this
model ran a bit narrow compared to
the usual Asics fit, and the flexibility of
the upper wasn’t as accommodating as
expected. The cushioning is great for
long runs, but some runners may find
the shoe a bit clunky and less agile than
desired. This shoe is a solid workhorse
for runners who stick to the road for
middle to long distances.
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 47
 Under Armour HOVR Sonic
$100, underarmour.com | 9.6 oz.
Lightweight and flexible, this is a
shoe that is well-suited for track
and road workouts. The lacing
system is well designed for cus-
tomizing the fit to your foot, and
the sole offers enough energy
return to make it easy to pick up
the pace while running. The am-
ple toe box and responsiveness
of the shoe offer an agile feel
and let your feet feel connected
to the ground at varying speeds.
The breathability of the upper
and the traction offered by the
outsole make this a good go-to
shoe for road running.
48 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
Altra Superior 3.5 Trail
$110, altrarunning.com | 8.2 oz.
Altra is one of the few shoe
companies that makes shoes
specifically for the female foot,
with toe boxes designed to
allow toes to easily splay when
running to promote a natural
and comfortable running form.
The Superior 3.5 is a new trail
shoe that offers exceptional
traction control. Getting the fit
right is essential in these shoes
to ensure a comfortable run, so
make sure to be properly fitted.
The short lacing system doesn’t
allow much room for adjustment.
These shoes are light and re-
sponsive, making them good for
tired feet. They also have gaiter
attachments for more intense
trail runs. The lightweight design
paired with superb traction
control and overall agility earned
these shoes our award for best
trail shoe of the season.
Adidas Aerobounce ST
$110, adidas.com | 8.7 oz.
The Aerobounce ST is Adidas’
new offering for those looking
for a comfortable, everyday
trainer for distance running.
With a generous toe box and
a new engineered mesh upper,
this shoe has good breathability
while keeping feet dry in wet
conditions. The arch support is
noticeable without being overly
aggressive. The slim outsole
means that runners will feel in
touch with the ground without
being aware of every nuance
in the terrain, making this shoe
nimble enough to tackle a
variety of surfaces. It provides
average energy return for a
trainer, but its light feel and
adequate cushioning mean that
long runs are where this shoe
finds its stride.

Nike Air Zoom Vomero 13
$140, nike.com | 9 oz.
These shoes delivered on all fronts:
performance, fit, style. All of our
testers found this to be a reliable pair
of shoes for middle to long distances,
and they were used in races ranging
from a 5K to a half marathon. The
lacing system provides a secure fit
with laces that stay tied, the cushion-
ing is sufficient for long runs without
making the shoe feel clunky, and the
upper proved to be breathable and
comfortable in various conditions. The
simple aesthetics of the shoe were
also popular with our testing group.
Ryka Ultimate
$60, ryka.com | 9.6 oz.
This brand designs shoes solely for
a woman’s foot, so expect a good
fit. The memory foam footbed is
the standout offering of this shoe. It
provides a cushy ride great for long
runs, and the flexible toe provides
enough responsiveness to make run-
ning uphill not feel more laborious
than it should. The shoe has a snug
fit that keeps it from slipping around
on your foot, and the laces are long
enough to allow for adjusting the fit
to your needs. The accessible price
point makes this a good shoe for be-
ginners to start training with, thanks
to its stability and cushioning.

Saucony Liberty ISO

$160, saucony.com | 8.7 oz.
This is a brand-new design from Saucony, and it features a full-length EVERUN midsole,
the company’s most advanced cushioning technology. The 4mm drop gives a natural
feel while striding, and the addition of some medial guidance provides enough stability
to take this shoe out on longer runs. The lacing system offers good adjustability, and
the tongue and upper are designed to conform to your foot for a more comfortable fit.
Testers found this shoe to be responsive and great for interval training. The roomy toe
box and flexible sole made picking up the pace fun instead of laborious.

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 49


Mizuno Wave Inspire 14
$130, mizunousa.com | 8.8 oz.
This stalwart of the Mizuno stable
has received an updated upper
and sole for the spring season.
Fans of this shoe will find all of
the familiar design elements
here: snug fit, solid lacing system,
padding that is sufficient for long
runs but not overly cushy and re-
movable soles to allow for custom
inserts. This shoe is ideally suited
to middle- and long-distance run-
ning on roads, although the sole
does allow for decent traction
on wet roads and trails without
intense grades or surfaces.
50 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
Puma Speed 500
$120, us.puma.com | 7.9 oz.
This is an attractive, speed-friend-
ly shoe from Puma that has an
impressive water-repellant fabric,
making running in wet conditions
much more palatable. The mini-
mal design and heel drop aid the
quick and fast feeling of the shoe.
It responded well to upping the
pace on runs and still had enough
cushion to be comfortable for
heel strikers. The shoe made our
runners feel light and nimble on
both the road and trail. The life-
style design aesthetics were also
appreciated by our testers.
Brooks Levitate
$150, brooksrunning.com | 9.7 oz.
Brooks spent a lot of time and energy creating the Levitate, its most
responsive shoe ever—and all of the effort clearly paid off. This is
the snappiest pair of Brooks we’ve ever tested, and it was univer-
sally praised by our testers for its comfortable ride and impressive
amount of energy return. The shoe is incredibly soft without being
squishy, and the fit is snug in a pleasing way. A good choice for runs
of any length and light enough to use for speedwork and tempo
runs, these shoes are a current favorite at the Women’s Running
office. We are also fans of the aesthetics of this shoe, a departure
from the traditional Brooks colorways. The Levitates are one of our
top choices for running shoes this spring.
 Winter run training for Honey

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Preview the book
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 FIND
YOUR
PERFECT
RACE
There’s a race for everyone.
Here’s how to find the right
one for you.
BY SUSAN LACKE

52 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

 One of the coolest things about running is that there really is
no “typical” runner. Our sport attracts everything from super-
competitive Olympians to fun runners who do it for the #selfie.
Likewise, there’s no one kind of race—though races started out
as fairly straightforward events, taking place only on the track
or roads, they’ve evolved into a world that’s as diverse as the
people in it. Today, runners can choose from a variety of events
over a variety of distances and terrain—so many, in fact, that
it can feel kind of overwhelming! So how do you choose your
perfect event? Never fear—we’ve got you covered.
LEVEL UP YOUR
RACING GAME
Try a military-inspired
challenge like the GORUCK
Challenge (goruck.com),
based on U.S. Army Special
Forces training. It doesn’t
have the flaming hoops of oth-
er obstacle course races but
will inspire you to get in the
gym—after all, that 30-pound
pack isn’t going to carry itself
for 20 miles.
YOUR ESSENTIAL READS
Off Course: Inside the
Mad, Muddy World of
Obstacle Course Racing,
Warrior Dash
$15, hmco.com
Obstacle Race Training:
How to Beat Any Course,
OBSTACLE COURSE RACING
Compete Like a Champion,
and Change Your Life,
$17, tuttlepublishing.com
Who it’s for: The brave and quirky
Mud pits! Rope ladders! HOOPS OF FIRE! These blockbuster GET THE GEAR
WARRIOR DASH/RED FROG EVENTS
runs are interspersed with intense challenges to seriously test Reebok All Terrain Super 3.0,
your fitness. Obstacle course racing is a perfect combination of $125, reebok.com
strength, cardio and mental toughness. The reward is simply Mudgear Compression Race
survival—most events aren’t timed and don’t rank finishers. Socks, $30, mudgear.com
This also means most obstacle course races don’t have awards, MadGrip ProPalm Utility
but who needs a medal when you have epic bragging rights? Gloves, $12, madgriptech.com
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING
RACE IT
Warrior Dash
warriordash.com
The beginner-friendly War-
rior Dash proclaims “anyone
can start, and anyone can
finish.” That shouldn’t be
interpreted as “easy,” how-
ever—with obstacles like the
Risky Business log bridge or
the slippery Upslide Climb,
this 3-mile course is no walk
in the park.
Spartan Race
spartan.com
From the 3-mile “Sprint”
race to the 14-mile “Beast”
distance, the Spartan Race
offers a variety of challeng-
es for athletes of all levels.
It also has the reputation
for being one of the tough-
est races on the obstacle-
course-racing circuit, featur-
ing challenges like crawling
under barbed wire and over
steep walls.
Tough Mudder
toughmudder.com
As the name implies, you’re
gonna get dirty. 5K, 5-mile
and 12-mile options await
Tough Mudder competitors,
who conquer obstacles like
Everest 2.0, a slick 15-foot
quarter pipe that simply can’t
be summited alone. Com-
radeship is inevitable during
Tough Mudders—even if you
don’t start the run with a
team, you’ll have one by the
time you cross the finish line.
53
TRAIL RUNNING
Who it’s for:
The mindful runner
If you run for the escape
from the daily grind, why not
really escape? Trail running
gets you out of traffic, out
of town and into a state of
Zen. Because of the varying
terrain, inclines and curves
in the trail, your average pace
per mile will likely be slower
than your pace on paved
road, but you’ll be so happy,
you probably won’t care.
LEVEL UP YOUR
RACING GAME
Apply your adventurous
nature to your race regis-
trations with a race-cation.
Trails are abundant in almost
every state, and many offer
breathtaking views. Why not
see for yourself?
YOUR ESSENTIAL READS
The Trail Runner’s
Companion, $22, falcon.com
Where the Road Ends,
$22, humankinetics.com
Trailhead, $19, velopress.com
GET THE GEAR
Salomon S/Lab XA Amphib,
$180, salomon.com
Ultimate Direction Ultra
Vesta Hydration Vest, $135,
ultimatedirection.com
The Trail Run Project App,
Free, trailrunproject.com
54 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
XTERRA Beaver Creek
Trail Run
RACE IT
XTERRA Race Series
xterraplanet.com
With runs across the country
ranging from 5K to 50K, the
XTERRA trail racing series
has gained a reputation for
well-organized races and
an incredibly welcoming
atmosphere.
The Grand Circle
Trail Race Series
grandcircletrails.com
Featuring races in some of
the most stunning scenery—
the Grand Canyon, Mon-
ument Valley and Zion, to
name a few—this race series
proudly boasts an environ-
mentally friendly, zero-waste
record that benefits you and
Mother Nature.
Rogue Trail Series
roguetrailseries.com
Head to Austin, Texas, for a
series of twisty-turny races
that take you up, over and
through some of the coolest
trails in the Lone Star State.
TRACK & FIELD
Who it’s for: The speedy and
the time-crunched
It’s not just for high schoolers anymore—thanks to
the explosive growth of USA Track and Field masters
clubs, more than 3,000 clubs await your speedy talents.
Training for a sprint event requires less time than a
marathon, and track club workouts and meets are
notoriously family-friendly, making it a perfect outlet
for moms.
LEVEL UP YOUR RACING GAME
Try the “field” of “track and field”! Sprinting is fun, for
sure, but why not learn a new skill from your club? In
addition to working your muscles in new ways (key for
injury prevention), you may surprise yourself with your
mad triple-jump skills.
YOUR ESSENTIAL READS
The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Track
& Field, $17, priceworldpublishing.com
The Art of Sprinting: Techniques for Speed and
Performance, $25, mcfarlandbooks.com
XTERRA/JESSE PETERS
GET THE GEAR
Nike Zoom Rival, $65, nike.com
Garmin vivosport Smart Watch and Heart Rate
Monitor, $200, garmin.com

ROAD RACING
Who it’s for:
The carrot chasers
If you’re motivated by com-
petition, whether against
others or your own personal
best, road races provide a
consistent environment to
test yourself. Road races
of all distances—from the
26.2-mile marathon to 1-mile
throwdowns—are easy to
find in just about any city, on
just about any weekend.
RACE IT
American Masters Track
and Field Championship
runsignup.com
This track meet for the
25-and-over crowd features
19 events, including track,
field and relay competitions.
Stick around until the end,
when a bonus competition
BOB BETANCOURT (2); ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MARATHON/KEVIN MORRIS
takes place: the tug-of-war.
San Diego
Summer Nights
sandiego.usatf.org
Competitors of all ages
are welcome at this super-
friendly track meet that
doubles as a fundraiser for
the San Diego State Women’s
Track and Field program.
LEVEL UP YOUR
RACING GAME
Add a challenge by going
for a shorter race. It sounds
counterintuitive (after all,
isn’t shorter supposed to be
easier?), but if you’re used to
running half marathons at
a 10-minute-per-mile pace,
racing a flat-out mile in less
than 8 minutes will leave you
breathless—literally.
YOUR ESSENTIAL READS
Believe Training Journal,
$19, velopress.com
Hanson’s Marathon Method,
$19, hansons-running.com
Build Your Running Body,
$23, theexperimentpublish-
ing.com
San Diego Summer Nights
track meet
Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas
GET THE GEAR
Brooks Hyperion,
$130, brooksrunning.com
RaceDots magnetic bib clips,
$5.10 per clip, racedots.com
TomTom Spark 3 Music GPS
watch, $170, tomtom.com
Hal Higdon Training Plan
Apps, $10, halhigdon.com
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING
RACE IT
Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon
& Half Marathon Series
runrocknroll.com
Running is fun—might as
well make it a party! The
sport’s largest race series,
with dozens of events world-
wide, is known for its festive
atmosphere—it features live
bands, cheer teams and tons
of fun at every mile marker.
ParkRun USA
parkrun.us
These free, weekly 5K races
take place in communities
all over the world as a way
to encourage veterans and
newbies alike. Gather your
training buddies for a little
friendly competition—last
one across the finish line has
to buy the post-race beers.
Bring Back the Mile
bringbackthemile.com/
calendar
These short but intense races
are getting a big following
in the United States, thanks
to the running superfans
at Bring Back the Mile.
Its events, usually held in
high-profile urban locations,
bring a hip, fun vibe that
draws big crowds of enthusi-
astic spectators.
55

LEVEL UP YOUR
RACING GAME
Try a 24-hour race. Instead
of following a course of 50
miles or more, runners cover
the same loop (usually 1 or 2
Silver Rush 50 Run miles) continuously for the
duration of the race to see
how far they can go. If you
ULTRARUNNING
Who it’s for: The super-chill
think that’s crazy, consider
this: Some races go for six
days.
“Ultramarathon” is a catchall term for any race YOUR ESSENTIAL READS
longer than 26.2 miles—and boy, are there a lot of Running Your First Ultra:
different races. Ultrarunners can tackle any- Customizable Training
where from 31 miles in a 50K race to 3,100 miles Plans For 50K to 100 Miles,
in New York City’s Self-Transcendence race! To $23, krissymoehl.com
make it for the long haul, ultrarunners need to Hal Koerner’s Field
be like the tortoise, not the hare—most run at a Guide to Ultrarunning,
relaxed jog, not an all-out effort. $19, velopress.com
56 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018
Leadville Trail 100
GET THE GEAR
HOKA ONE ONE Challenger
ATR, $130, hokaoneone.com
Epson ProSense 57 GPS
Watch, $150, epson.com
Dirty Girl Gaiters,
$23, dirtygirlgaiters.com
RACE IT
Leadville Race Series
leadvilleraceseries.com
The Leadville Trail 100 is to
ultrarunners what the Boston
Marathon is to road racers:
super-challenging, super-
coveted and super-difficult
to get into. However, you can
get the Leadville experience
with its series races in Texas
and Colorado, which promise
just as much suffering—and
just as much satisfaction.
Aravaipa
Running Events
aravaiparunning.com
Widely regarded as one of
LEADVILLE RACE SERIES; GLEN DELMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
the best ultrarunning organi-
zations in the sport, Arizona-
based Aravaipa Running
holds a variety of long
(looooong) runs through-
out the year, including the
100-mile Coldwater Rumble,
54-kilometer Insomniac
Night Trail Run and six-day
Across The Years race.
 MULTISPORT
Who it’s for:
The injured reserve
If you find yourself spend-
ing more time rehabbing an
injury than you do actually
racing, multisport events
may be just the fix. The
cross-training involved for
triathlon, duathlon and
aquathlon—specifically,
swimming and cycling—are
great, low-impact activities
that can strengthen your run-
ning while minimizing your
odds of injury. In fact, most
triathletes arrive at the sport
because an injury forced
them to cross-train—but they
stay because they love the
challenge of swim-bike-run.
COURTESY OF IRONMAN
LEVEL UP YOUR
RACING GAME
Try a long-course triath-
lon, which covers a total of
70.3 miles in the half-iron
distance or 140.6 miles (!!!)
for a full iron distance. The
training is intense—some log
as many as 20 hours of train-
ing per week during peak
periods—but if you’re looking
for a challenge, this is it.
YOUR ESSENTIAL READS
Triathlons for Women,
$20, velopress.com
Triathlon Swimming Made
Easy, $15, totalimmersion.net
GET THE GEAR
Saucony Kinvara,
$110, saucony.com
Coeur Sports women’s
triathlon top,
$85, and shorts, $90,
coeursports.com
Giro Trinity Bike Helmet,
$40, giro.com
Iron Girl
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING
RACE IT
Life Time Indoor Tri
lifetimetri.com
Hosted at more than 40 Life
Time Fitness gyms around
the country, this unique
format is perfect for beginner
triathletes: Swim as far as
you’re able for 10 minutes
in the pool, then take a
10-minute break; bike for
30 minutes on a stationary
bike, followed by a 5-minute
break; run for 20 minutes on
a treadmill.
Iron Girl Triathlon Series
irongirl.com
This race series, created by
women for women, is an en-
ergetic and empowering en-
vironment for triathletes of
all levels. The sprint distance
(a half-mile swim, 12-mile
bike and 3.1-mile run) is often
lined with super-supportive
spectators, all cheering you
to the finish.
OTILLO SwimRun
otilloswimrun.com
No bike? No problem! Try
a swimrun, where you and
a partner work as a team to
navigate a course that alter-
nates between land and sea.
Events can be found around
the world, making swimrun
an epic way to sightsee—way
better than a tour bus, right?
57
 THE
FASTEST
WOMAN
IN THE
WORLD
by JULIA BEESON POLLORENO

PHOTOGRAPHS BY
H E AT H E R F U L B R I G H T

58 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

 Three years
ago, Tori Bowie
decided to give
sprinting a try. The
success that has
followed—driven
by one especially
influential figure
—is nothing short
of shocking.

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 59

 I F YOU GOOGLE “SAND HILL, MISSISSIPPI,”
the first thing you’ll see is a Wikipedia link for
the town. Click on that, and in the first paragraph
you’ll learn three facts, in this order: Sand Hill is
an unincorporated community of Rankin County,
it is located off Mississippi Highway 25 and it is
the birthplace of Frentorish “Tori” Bowie.
In becoming a three-time medalist in her
Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro, Bowie not only
transformed into a national treasure, but she also
put her tiny hometown on the map. The sleepy
team and a track team, so that’s how I got into
track and field,” Bowie says.
But when she received the track team uni-
form, she threw a fit. “The coach made us wear
these short shorts, and I was not at all comfort-
able with it,” says Bowie, who loved her long,
baggy basketball shorts. “We had a little alterca-
tion about it, and she kicked me off the team for
two weeks before I finally gave in.”
Bowie knew that walking away was never an
option. “My grandmother’s number-one rule was
rural town, so small that it wasn’t even counted that once you start something, you don’t quit,”
in the U.S. Census, now proudly claims one of the she says. “From a young age, she never let me
best sprinters of our time as its own. give up on anything.”
Although Bowie’s trajectory to world-class Her star rose quickly on the Pisgah High
athlete was fast and furious, the glory of Rio was School track and field team, and she captured
a long, long way from her tumultuous childhood multiple state high school titles in the 100
in Rankin County. When Bowie was 2 years old, meters, 200 meters, long jump and as a member
her mother gave her and her sister, Tamara, who of the 4x100 relay. She also continued playing
is 11 months older, over to the foster-care system. basketball, making the state team. Her athletic
The rationale behind her mother’s actions is no rise continued at the University of Southern
clearer to Bowie today than it was when she was Mississippi, where Bowie received an athletic
a toddler. scholarship to compete as a long jumper and
“I never asked her about it,” says Bowie, now sprinter. Her junior year, in 2011, was a break-
27, “but she was going through her own issues.” through year, when she won her first college title
Bowie only remembers an abiding sense of in the long jump at the NCAA Women’s Indoor
unhappiness in those pre-foster-care days, and Track and Field Championship and was named
that “I never wanted my grandmother to leave conference female athlete of the year.
my side.” When her grandma was awarded legal After graduating in 2012, Bowie began saving
guardianship of the sisters nine months after
they entered foster care, “life changed in a major
way,” she explains. There was stability, security.
And later, accountability.
A tomboy kid, Bowie loved playing outdoors
with her squad of cousins. Growing up in a “re-
ally country” town that didn’t have a single stop-
light, they had to get creative with finding ways
to entertain themselves. “We were always trying
to create some type of competition, whether it
was racing between trees or stacking tires and
hurdling over them,” Bowie says.
Her first organized sport was basketball,
which she started playing in the seventh grade.
She immediately fell in love with it, and, despite her money to buy the $500 one-way plane ticket
a requirement that players be at least in the to San Diego, home of the Olympic Training
ninth grade to play on the varsity team, she was Center. Her goal was to go pro in 2013, and she
moved up right away. Bowie’s high school was so needed a formal training environment. “I got
small—there were only about 40 kids total—her there and had complete culture shock,” she
basketball coach told the team they also needed recalls. “I had nothing and had left my entire
to join the track and field team. “We didn’t have family behind.”
enough people to make up both a basketball In San Diego, she met Al Joyner, the 1984

60 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

 TOTALLY TORI
A few of Bowie’s
favorite things

Training tool
The Bosu ball. “I use
it a ton to work on
stability and balance.”

Music
Young Thug and
William McDowell

Movie
“Get Rich or Die Tryin’”

Comfort food
Hot wings

“
My grandmother’s number-one
rule was that once you start
something, you don’t quit. From a
young age, she never let me give
up on anything.”

”
MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 61
 Olympic gold medalist in the triple jump and an
OTC coach, who helped her develop her confi-
dence and self-belief. “He’s always told me I have
what it takes,” she says. “He believed in me before
I believed in myself.”
That same year, Bowie was a semifinalist in the
100 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field
Championships and just missed making the long
jump team for the world championships.
“I was just as shocked as everyone else by my
results in the beginning,” Bowie says. “But at
the same time, I was hoping for those kinds of
results considering I had made a lot of sacrifices
to get there.”
After a strong start to the 2014 season, a dis-
appointing long jump performance at the IAAF
World Indoor Championships in Poland dramat-
ically altered Bowie’s course. “I went into that
world championship ranked top in the world [in
the long jump] and thought I was so prepared, but
FUEL I didn’t even make the finals,” Bowie says. “I think
LIKE AN I got last place and left the meet feeling so heart-
broken. I called my manager/agent, who had been
OLYMPIAN encouraging me for a year to focus on sprinting,
Bowie considers good and told her I needed to do something different.
nutrition “the most She said, ‘How about we find you a sprint coach?’”
important part of The rest is Olympic history. It, which will offer support and mentorship to
being a pro athlete.” With her first-place finish in the 100 meters at children in the foster-care system. “I want to reach
Here are the two fu- the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Champi- out to these kids to let them know that someone is
eling rules she lives— onships, she earned a spot on Team USA for the thinking about them,” Bowie says.
and trains—by. world championship in Beijing, where she won She’s also designing a line of hair scarves like
bronze. She went on to place third in the 100 me- the ones she wears in competitions, and dreams of
Eat clean. “I don’t ters at the 2016 Olympic Trials to secure her spot one day collaborating with fashion designer Stella
count calories but am for the Rio Games. McCartney (both are affiliated with Adidas). Bowie
very picky about what “Making the 2016 Olympic Team has meant also hopes to do some modeling and acting in the
I eat. Try to keep it the most to me,” says Bowie, who is now based future. “I don’t get to show my other sides, my goof-
simple, eat a balanced at the Olympic Training Center in Clermont, Fla. iness, and it would be fun,” she says. “I’m waiting
diet and stay away “I remember sitting at home watching the 2012 for the right opportunity and the right moment.”
from junk food and Olympics on TV and feeling so hyped about the idea With Bowie, it’s not a matter of if she’ll realize
fried foods.” of one day being there. So to actually make the team all her goals; it’s when. For that tenacity, she
and live it, it feels like my greatest accomplishment.” credits her grandma, whom she lost in January
Hydrate, then hydrate In an Olympic trifecta, Bowie went on to win 2017. Her passing shattered Bowie’s world.
some more. “Water gold in the 4x100 relay, silver in the 100 meters “My grandmother has always been my biggest
is so important, and and bronze in the 200 meters. Most recently, she fan, and she was my whole life,” she says. “The
getting enough fluids took gold in the 100 meters at the 2017 IAAF World only thing that kept me living after her death is
is something I pay Championships this past August, out-leaning my commitment to training. I took my pain out
very close attention second place by 0.01 seconds and earning the title of on the track.”
to. I’m a little over the “The Fastest Woman in the World.” Bowie believes that her laser focus on her run-
top—my friends can When she’s not preparing to dominate on the ning goals is the best way to honor her late grand-
vouch for it! I try to track—her next goal is to make the U.S. team for ma’s sacrifices and continue to make her proud.
PHOTORUN

get in some type of the 2018 IAAF Indoor Championships in March— It’s a fitting and natural tribute by the little girl
electrolytes, too.” Bowie is working on creating her foundation, Live who became the pride of Sand Hill, Mississippi.

62 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

STRESS LESS,
WIN MORE
Racing on the world stage
can be a pressure-cooker
environment. Here’s how
Bowie overcomes self-
defeating nerves.
It’s all about perspective,
and drawing focus inward:
“There have been competitions
where I got on the line and
psyched myself out before
I even let myself compete. I
was thinking about the other
competitors and not giving
myself a fair chance. I had to
shift to thinking, ‘Just focus on
yourself and doing what your
coach has taught you to do.’
I also have a great team—my
family, my manager/agent
Kimberly Holland, my coach
Lance Brauman—behind me,
and every time I start to make
something a big deal, they
always remind me that I’ve
already competed against these
women, and even though it
may be the Olympics, it’s just
another competition.”

MARCH 2018 | WOMEN’S RUNNING 63

PARTING SHOT

Two elite competitors take in the Northern

Lights as they make their way around

T
he inaugural
the course. Inset: Katrin Davidsdottir, the
Spartan Ultra World
CrossFit Games champion in 2015 and
2016, takes part in her first Spartan race, Championship,
in her native country. a 24-hour ultra-
endurance obstacle
race, took place just outside
Reykjavik on Dec. 16–17, 2017.
The race series' first event
in Iceland offered every
possible combination of winter
weather for the hundreds of
competitors brave enough to
tackle this extreme event. The
course consisted of a 6.8-mile
loop with 20 obstacles, ranging
from carrying blocks of ice to
crawling under barbed wire
to scaling cargo nets and the
grip-strength-testing multi-
rig and monkey bar–style
obstacles. The idea was simple:
The person who completes
the most laps in 24 hours
wins. As the race stretched
into the early hours of the
morning, the rain subsided,
and those hearty souls braving
the course in dark, muddy
conditions were rewarded
with a stunning display of the
Northern Lights. The sky lit
up with white, purple and
green hues above the racers
as their headlamps dotted the
mountainside, showing their
steady progress around the
course. This course demanded
a lot from its participants,
including enduring every form
of precipitation and near-
hurricane-force winds, but it
repaid those hearty Spartans
with spectacular natural
beauty and stories of a lifetime.
COURTESY SPARTAN

64 WOMEN’S RUNNING | MARCH 2018

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