Outside: Naming, Shaming and Blaming

Frank Meza’s Death and the Running Internet Mob 
Martin Fritz Huber/Outside Online, Jul 9, 2019

Anyone seeking guidance on how to be a decent person in our chaotic and violent world could do worse than consult John Stuart Mill’s famous essay, On Liberty, from 1859. One of the most influential ideas that Mill unpacks is the notion that—to generalize horribly—an individual’s freedom should only be curtailed when it begins to impinge on the freedom of another. It’s a concept that sounds great in theory but, of course, things get a little murky when we have to figure out where that nebulous boundary lies.

Take, for example, the seemingly benign case of the course-cutting amateur runner. On the one hand, if I’m participating in a race and someone else cheats, it’s really not my problem—unless the cheater somehow directly interferes with my progress. On the other hand, as I’m sure many will be quick to point out, if someone cuts the course and finishes ahead of me, it does impact me in the sense that I will be one spot further down in the results. If the cheating runner deprives me of a podium finish, or even prize money, the offense becomes more acute...

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Runner's World: From Sickness to Grand Slam

Once Drained by Multiple Sclerosis, She Is Now Headed for the Grand Slam of Ultras

Melissa Ossanna’s doctors told her exercise could help. So she started with a marathon—and has never looked back.

Taylor Dutch/Runner's World, Feb 17, 2019

Melissa Ossanna has a nickname among her community in Bar Harbor. To her friends on the island off the coast of Maine, the ultrarunner is affectionately known as “Smiley,” because when she logs miles around the town, she smiles from ear to ear.

Even at the finish line of a grueling 100-mile race, she can always be counted on to smile through the pain.

Ossanna has a lot to smile about...

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NYTimes - Anything You Can Do She Can Do Better

The Woman Who Outruns the Men, 200 Miles at a Time
Rebecca Byerly/NY Times, December 5, 2018

Courtney Dauwalter specializes in extremely long races. But her success in winning them has opened a debate about how men’s innate strength advantages apply to endurance sports...

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Bridge to Bridge - RRCA 5K State Championship

After my previous weekend in Sarasota for the ITU Triathlon World Cup Sarasota-Bradenton, I would be lying if I didn't say I was worried about weather conditions - especially heat - for this event. The relative drop in temperatures on the morning of the run - breeze out of the southeast and strong cloud cover until the last finishers - gave race day participants (462 run and walk finishers) conditions conducive to a good run.

RD Adam Guess decided at the last possible moment to pull me in to hold one end of the finish tape for the overall male and female winners, Dewayne Riley (finish time of 16:25) and Virraliz Trinidad (finish time of 18:53).

RRCA State 5K Champions crowned at Bridge to Bridge included...
Masters' Female ----------------- Helen Cain ---------- 25:11

Master's Male -------------------- Steven Fair --------- 20:57

Grandmasters' Female ---------- Mindi Straw -------- 26:16

Grandmasters' Male ------------- Ron Renfroe ------- 23:35

Senior Grandmasters' Female -- Candace Gibson -- 26:41

Senior Grandmasters' Male ----- Mark Gibson ------ 25:53

Photos of the winners, finishers, pre- and post-race festivities can be found at http://stacybizjak.zenfolio.com/bridgetobridge2017



Runners' World: Thinking Upgrade?

Gear Check: Is The Apple Watch Series 3 Good For Runners?
Betty Wong Ortiz/Runners' World, Sep 20


As soon as I heard about the new Apple Watch Series 3, I couldn’t wait to put it through its paces. Not only did its sleek gold aluminum case and multitude of band choices—from sporty to sophisticated—make it the best-looking sports watch I’ve ever worn, but the built-in cellular connection would let me finally leave the iPhone at home. (No more Facebook tempting me at stoplights!) But with the Chicago Marathon coming up on my race calendar, I had one big question: Would this $399 watch last me through four-plus hours of running with enough battery left to call my loved ones at the finish line?


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Trail Runner: 126-Mile Record Weekend For Wardian

Michael Wardian Sets New Record for Leadville-Pikes Peak Combo
The jack-of-all-distances finished 10th in the Leadville 100, and then seven hours later ran the Pikes Peak Marathon.
Ariella Gintzler/Trail Runner, August 22nd, 2017


Completing the Leadville 100-Mile in 20 hours 18 minutes is impressive, with its 17,000 feet of climbing and average elevation over 10,000 feet. But, when Michael Wardian crossed the finish line of the iconic Colorado race, at around midnight on Saturday, sleep and recovery were far from his mind...


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Outside: Ten From Alberto

Alberto Salazar's Ten Golden Running Rules
Justin Nyberg/Outside, October 15 2013


Alberto Salazar knows a thing or two about his sport. A former world-record holder in the marathon, and three-time winner of the New York City event, Salazar was the face of American distance running's last golden age, which peaked during the Reagan administration. Salazar also learned his lessons the hard way: The famously competitive runner's body broke down at age 27, as a result of years of superhuman,150-mile training weeks. Now fully recovered, the 55-year-old coach of Nike's Oregon Project, which includes 2012 gold medalist Mo Farah and silver medalist Galen Rupp, has paired cutting-edge technology with meticulous workouts to shape some of the most successful American runners in a generation. This is a man who has almost given his life to the sport on multiple occasions—he was once read his last rites after crossing a finish line with a 108-degree fever—and he's lived to share a few pieces of essential wisdom...


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What's Good For A Hundred Might Not Hurt For Less

Seven Steps to Recovery After Running 100 Miles
Jason Koop, CTS/June 27


I just returned home from supporting athletes at the 2017 Western States Endurance Run, and I’m tired. I need a recovery week and I didn’t even run the race! Congratulations to everyone who toed the start line, fought through their individual rough patches, and persevered to the finish. It was an exciting race, full of inspirational stories and great displays of sportsmanship. Now that it’s over, or when you reach the end of your 100-mile ultramarathon, it’s time to recover.


The biggest misconception about recovery after a 100-miler is that it happens quickly, and the biggest mistake athletes make is getting back into structured training too soon. To be a healthy ultrarunner and continue racing or participating for a long time, it’s essential to give your body and mind a significant break between events. For many athletes, running is an integral part of your lifestyle, which means the recovery period following a 100-miler requires patience and an unfamiliar change to your routine. It’s worth it, and here are some tips for optimizing recovery so you can continue to run strong...


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Training Peaks: More Than "Run, Run, and Run..."

The 5 Training Habits For a Successful Marathon 
APRIL 4, 2017//SUSAN LEGACKI - Training Peaks

Qualifying for the Boston Marathon is considered by many to be the Holy Grail of running performance. Runners who make it to the starting line in Hopkinton are among the fastest, most determined and most dedicated marathoners in the world. After the 2016 Boston Marathon, TrainingPeaks looked at more than 1,300 Boston finishers’ data starting four months out from race day to determine what training habits led to a successful marathon. We discovered that these five marathon training habits were present in all runners who finished in the top 25 percent of our testing sample. Whether you’re looking to qualify for Boston yourself or attempting 26.2 for the first time, by using these five tips (along with a solid recovery, strength and marathon nutrition plan) you have the greatest chance of showing up on race day at your peak performance level...

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Outside Online: It's Not "Orthopedic, Marriage Counselor, Suicide Hotline..."

Your Step-by-Step Post-Marathon Recovery Plan 

Remember to take care of yourself after your big day 
Adam Elder/Outside Online/Apr 6, 2017 

Reaching the finish line of a marathon takes planning, discipline, and a whole lot of sacrifice. For most runners, the race has been on their minds for months. But what about a plan for the moment after you cross the finish line? Besides a splurge meal and a cold adult beverage, most people don’t give much thought to what they should (and shouldn’t) do in the hours, days, and weeks after a big race. What’s the best route to healing yourself and bouncing back as quickly and completely as possible?

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