When Lloyd and Mary Anderson founded REI in 1935, the last thing they had on their minds, probably, was running. The two climbers started what eventually became the co-op by selling affordable, quality ice axes, and it was there鈥攊n the hardcore climbing space鈥攖hat the retailer largely remained for decades.

It wasn鈥檛 until 40 years later, in 1975, that the business even expanded beyond its home city of Seattle, which was at that time mostly a hub for the buying and selling of climbing gear. As the U.S. outdoor market began to take shape in the last few decades of the twentieth century, however, REI gravitated鈥攁t first gently, and then with increasing speed鈥攖o the middle ground of adventure retail, selling a little bit of everything to just about everyone. Bikes, skis, kayaks, general fitness, and travel gear became part of the expected offerings when shoppers walked through the co-op鈥檚 doors. And in that lucrative, widely customered territory, REI ascended.

Earlier this year, as it has done many times in the past, REI once again fixed its gaze on fresh quarry: the running space. Running goods have intermittently accounted for a meager slice of the retailer鈥檚 stock since the 1980s, but it wasn鈥檛 until April of this year, when the company announced it would expand its offerings of gear, expert resources, and community support in the vertical, that the co-op made it a focal point.

A Canny Category Play

The business motives behind the move are uncomplicated. With the bump in running participation over the last couple of pandemic years, expansion into the vertical is a savvy move, said Matt Powell, senior sports industry advisor at the market research firm听The NDP Group, who expects running-shoe sales to outperform sales of all other types of athletic footwear in 2022.

REI鈥檚 own data line up with the assessment. According to Fan Zhou, REI鈥檚 newly appointed run activity director, the company鈥檚 running business has grown more than 65 percent since 2019. 鈥淭here are three big reasons we see running as important,鈥� Zhou said. 鈥淔irst, we see frequent engagement. The median number of days a runner participates hits between 150 and 200 per year.鈥� Second, said Zhou, running is REI’s most popular category听among Asian, Black, and Latino customers. This is a large and diverse group the co-op hopes to introduce to its wide offerings by using running as an onramp. Third: 鈥淲e see significant overlap between runners and [participants in] other activities,鈥� Zhou said. 鈥淲e found that 50 percent of runners also cycle, and 40 percent of runners also hike or camp. When we think about servicing customers, we believe running is a great entry point.鈥�

Despite the sales potential, REI representatives are quick to use words like 鈥渙rganic鈥� when discussing the move. Chris Speyer, vice president of product at the co-op, said that any time the retailer has expanded into new categories in the past, it has always been the result of a natural evolution of the customer base. Ski equipment, for instance, started cropping up on REI shelves in 1939 mainly because many of the co-op鈥檚 original ice-climbing members also liked to ski. 鈥淏y natural evolution of being on trails and in the mountains, many of our verticals extend into others,鈥� Speyer said.

This year鈥檚 run expansion includes no small measure of that organic crossover, but the move does distinguish itself in some ways鈥攃hief among them its sense of purpose, of orchestration, the whiff of corporate savvy hanging about it. One feels, in the strategy, the desire not just to find new markets but to create them, to gently cajole almost-REI customers into shoppers walking through the door.听鈥淲hen we think about growing our member base, we鈥檙e looking at including a younger, more diverse urban or suburban customer,鈥� said Speyer. 鈥淲e鈥檙e reframing how we can be relevant to someone who wants to get outside.鈥�

Changes to Expect, Large and Small

What we鈥檒l see in-store, now that the strategy is in motion, is first and foremost an explosion of product offerings in the category. REI鈥檚 shelves, from now on, will feature no fewer than 50 different running brands. As recently as last year, the co-op鈥檚 running-shoe line mostly ended with trail models; now, members will be able to find everything they need for road running as well: On Running, Brooks, New Balance, Saucony, and many others in addition to the longstanding offerings of Salomon, Merrell, and Hoka One One.

It鈥檚 a signal of REI鈥檚 strength in the market that brands themselves are taking note of the change and responding in kind. Chris Cohen, vice president of sales at Hoka, said that given REI鈥檚 new strategy, the brand has made the decision to extend its range of products in-store to include more road models. 鈥淲e consistently think about the consumer experience that any given access point provides,鈥� Cohen said. In other words, if the 鈥渆xperience鈥� at REI is widening to welcome more runners into the fold, there鈥檚 no reason Hoka鈥檚 sales strategy should involve sending customers to two different stores鈥擱EI for hiking boots, say, and a local running shop for marathon trainers鈥攖o get what they need.

Anyone who has been into an REI recently has probably noticed the apparel, too. Running-adjacent lifestyle brands seldom seen on the co-op鈥檚 shelves in years past, like Vuori, have started making appearances. REI has even added its own line of running clothes, called Swiftland, into the mix, targeted at urban and trail runners alike. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a perception that REI only serves the backcountry runner,鈥� said Speyer. 鈥淲e need to change that narrative. Our customers can be urban 5K runners, too. We want to serve them as well.鈥�

One customer who might be tough, if not impossible, to reach is the experienced road runner with a deep sense of loyalty to his or her local specialty store. 鈥淲e may not be compelling to the competitive road runner,鈥� said Speyer. 鈥淏ut we think we can coexist with specialty shops.鈥�

For folks like Stephen Sweezey, manager of one such shop鈥擱unning Hub in Santa Fe, New Mexico鈥攕uch coexistence might even be additive for the little guy, if not for REI, in the long run. “REI serves a pretty broad population,” said Sweezey. “If someone starts at REI and really gets into road running, hopefully they’ll eventually find us. When customers get to the point where they’e looking for more specialized equipment and advice, that where we excel as a specialty shop.”

In truth, though, the hardcore road runner notching multiple ultramarathons every year is no more the co-op鈥檚 target clientele than the hardcore mountaineer putting up first ascents or setting fastest-known-time records on punishing peaks. Where the run expansion is already resonating at REI, said Speyer鈥攁nd probably right where the company wants it to鈥攊s among 鈥渟ocial,鈥� everyday runners. That’s where the big money is, after all. 鈥淢any of our members are already runners and couldn鈥檛 find their needs here,鈥� Speyer said. 鈥淣ow they will have the convenience of finding everything under one roof.鈥�

Or, maybe, under no roof at all. The co-op鈥檚 full lineup of running shoes and gear is now available online. 鈥淪ome 40 percent of all athletic footwear is sold online, so they鈥檙e making sure to capture this piece of the market as well,鈥� said Powell of The NPD Group. 鈥淩EI is formidable in e-commerce, so expect them to be competitive here, too.鈥�

At the end of the day, few retailers can match REI鈥檚 heft and reach, so it鈥檚 fair to assume the ripple effects of this new category push will be significant. Smaller, more hardcore running shops might have cause to worry if there鈥檚 a co-op location nearby, but then again, those retailers tend to have dedicated, loyal followings鈥攑eople who need gear more specialized and niche than what REI can feasibly offer precisely because of its size.

As for everyone else, the linkage of 鈥渞unning鈥� and 鈥淩EI鈥� in the consumer awareness has yet to coalesce, and there鈥檚 no telling if, and how strongly, it will. Anyone familiar with the co-op’s near-century of constant change and constant success probably wouldn’t bet against it, but in today’s rapidly changing industry landscape, nothing’s a shoo-in鈥攅ven at the retailer some call too big to fail.

Steve Larese contributed reporting.

The post Noticed More Running Gear in REI Lately? You鈥檙e Not Imagining It. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It was day five that almost broke Suzy McCulloch Serpico. The 40-year-old Maryland schoolteacher was 20 miles into the marathon portion of her fifth Ironman in five days, her attempt to finish the , but her mind and body were close to shutting down, and all she wanted to do was go back to her hotel and sleep.

鈥淢y crew knows that when I stop talking, I鈥檓 not doing well,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 was silent and walking, and it was a horrible final six miles. It was my darkest moment in a race and the most hurt I鈥檝e ever experienced.鈥�

But once she crossed the finish line, Serpico was filled with joy, forgetting the agony of her effort and reveling instead in what her body could do. Within a day, she says, she was already thinking of setting her next big, hairy goal.

Serpico鈥檚 experience is a classic example of type-two fun: you may be miserable in the moment, but upon completion, you reflect fondly on the experience.

There鈥檚 no hard science behind it, but have been discussing the 鈥溾�� for years. Type-one fun is enjoyable from start to finish. Type-two fun is only fun in retrospect. And type-three fun consists of activities that seem fun in concept but then devolve into fear and danger鈥攊f you make it home alive, your memories of the experience are nowhere near positive.

I鈥檇 argue that type-two fun,听by adding meaning to our lives, might contribute the most to overall happiness.

Like Serpico, elite ultrarunner Sarah Keyes of Saranac Lake, New York, has experienced dark moments during long endurance events, and yet she keeps signing up for them. 鈥淚 call it 鈥榰ltra amnesia,鈥欌�� the 36-year-old part-time nurse says. 鈥淲ithin days of finishing what might have been an awful race, I鈥檓 ready to pick a new goal.鈥�

In 2017, while running the Western States 100, Keyes experienced extreme maceration鈥攐r skin breakdown鈥攐n her feet due to snow on the course. By mile 62, she was miserable and walking, heavily considering a DNF. After a rough hour at the next aid station, Keyes鈥檚 crew cut her shoes open to allow for relief from the swelling, and she walked the final 25 miles of the race. 鈥淎fter I finished, I realized that I can accomplish amazing things,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 have the ability to suffer and not quit.鈥澨齋he competed in another ultramarathon just a few months later.

Why do athletes like Serpico and Keyes鈥攏ot to mention thousands of others who tackle ultradistance events, rugged climbs, and uncomfortable treks each year鈥攃rave this type of fun?

One听obvious answer: our brains release powerful neurotransmitters, , when we engage in aerobic exercise. Endocannabinoids, which improve mood and calm anxiety, in that post-exercise sense of happiness. Endorphins听cut down on the pain you feel while exercising but do not cross the blood-brain barrier to contribute to a good mood after activity.

Beyond the neurotransmitters, there may be something more existential going on. Keyes says that testing her body鈥檚 limits is part of what she finds satisfying in her pursuits. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what bottom is for me in an event, so maybe I鈥檓 searching for that line,鈥� she hypothesizes. 鈥淚 gain confidence in knowing that I can push through my limits.鈥�

This correlates with the conclusions of a small published in the Journal of Consumer Research that investigated the concept of 鈥渟elling pain鈥� in the form of extreme athletic events like Tough Mudder races. Researchers conducted extensive interviews with 26 people who had paid to participate in Tough Mudders, and found a theme: participants were using the pain of the event to . The researchers wrote that 鈥減ainful experiences help us create the story of a fulfilled life spent exploring the limits of the body.鈥�

When athletes like Serpico and Keyes are in the middle of grueling athletic events, they鈥檙e also experiencing what researchers have defined as : being absorbed in an activity that you chose to do because you love how it makes you feel. People who have harmonious passion in their lives鈥攁s opposed to obsessive passion, which is driven by external rewards and other people鈥檚 perceptions鈥�are happier.

Any kind of hard-won pleasure in the outdoors, whether it鈥檚 completing an Ironman or hiking up a steep mountain trail for a summit view, can fit in this category.

Roseann Capanna-Hodge, a New York鈥揵ased psychologist, says, 鈥淲e all love the feeling of accomplishment when we meet our goals. In the case of big physical challenges, we feel pride, excitement, and love for the thrill of competition.鈥�

Tough physical challenges can also spark increased feelings of gratitude鈥攆or the capabilities of your body, your health, nature, and the people with whom you participate鈥�which is also strongly linked to happiness.

鈥淒oing these activities makes me appreciate just how lucky I am,鈥� Serpico says.

This summer, Serpico headed to the town of听Lake Placid, New York, to undertake her own personal epic swim in nearby Mirror Lake,听completing 26.2 miles in 13.5 hours. 鈥淚 was swimming to the point where听I hated it,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was physical and mental suffering, and I barely slept that night because my shoulders hurt so much. But two days later, I said to my husband, 鈥楲et鈥檚 do this听again.鈥欌��

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It’s not always possible or convenient to get to a track for a workout if you’re trying to get some speed work in. If your crunched for time or limited in training options, we鈥檝e got you covered with four coach-recommended workouts you can do anywhere.

Not only can you do these alone in whatever setting you find yourself in, getting off-track produces some training benefits. 鈥淚 think the road much better mimics race conditions because you get hills and turns,鈥� says age-group competitor Julie Thienel of Maryland. 鈥淧lus, I feel I am less likely to get injured.鈥� Doing speed work away from the oval also removes the constant reminders of pace and the pressure that brings. Instead, you can concentrate on judging your effort, which will serve you well on race day.

The Workout: VO2 Max Ladder

Joanna Zeiger, a U.S. Olympian in triathlon, 2:43 marathoner and founder, recommends this workout for any distance as a way to boost fitness and endorphins. 鈥淎s we age, speed diminishes, so it鈥檚 important to incorporate some fast-paced sessions into your training, no matter your distance,鈥� she says.

How to do it: The fast intervals should range between your 5K pace and 15 seconds per mile faster than 5K pace. After a 10- to 20-minute warm-up and 4 x 20-second strides, do two to four sets of the following:

• 3 x (30 seconds fast/30 seconds easy)
• 2 x (45 seconds fast/45 seconds easy)
• 1 x (60 seconds fast/2 minutes easy)

Cool down with 10 to 20 minutes of easy jogging.

The Workout: 10K and Half Marathon Pacers

Zeiger says runners should try this one at least two weeks out from race day. 鈥淯se your for the intervals,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his does not mean going faster on the shorter intervals and slowing on the longer intervals.鈥�

How to do it: After a 10- to 20-minute warm-up and 4 x 20-second strides, run the following set two times:

• 2 minutes at race pace/1 minute easy
• 4 minutes at race pace/2 minutes easy
• 6 minutes at race pace/3 minutes easy
• Half marathoners: Add in a second 6-minute interval after the second round

Cool down with 10 to 20 minutes of easy jogging.

The Workout: Road Loop Repeats

Steve Picucci, head cross-country and track coach at Morehead State University in Kentucky, designed this workout as an early-season strength session. 鈥淭his workout is great for breaking up long tempos or transitioning from tempos and long runs to more intense workouts,鈥� he explains.

How to do it: After a 10- to 20-minute warm-up and a few quick strides, find a loop that is relatively flat and 1鈥�2 miles long. Run two to four repeats of each loop progressively faster, adding up to 4鈥�6 miles.

Run the first loop at a moderate intensity鈥攁round your half-marathon to marathon pace鈥攁nd make sure you are not very winded after the first loop. Your goal is to cut down your time on each loop while keeping the rest period constant. Take a 1:30- to 2:30-minute active rest between each loop.

Cool down with 10 to 20 minutes of easy jogging.

The Workout: Speed Ladder

Picucci likes this one in season to help build speed while also focusing on some strength. 鈥淢y athletes have done this one around a parking lot before,鈥� he says.

How to do it: Warm up for 10 to 20 minutes with a few quick strides. Then find a flat area with minimal sharp turns. Don鈥檛 focus on a certain pace but rather aim to hit a desired effort level. Effort level on the way up should be at a four to five out of 10; on the way down, increase effort to a seven or eight.

• Run hard for 30 seconds/jog easy for 60 seconds,
• Run hard for 60 seconds/jog easy for 90 seconds
• Run hard for 2 minutes/jog easy for 2:30
• Run hard for 3 minutes/jog easy for 3:00
• Run hard for 2 minutes/jog easy for 2:30
• Run hard for 60 seconds/jog easy for 90 seconds
• Run hard for 30 seconds/jog easy 60 seconds

Cool down with 10 to 20 minutes of easy jogging.

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One in four Americans sit more than eight hours a day. All that hunching in front of a screen wreaks havoc on your middle and upper back. 鈥淲hen we lack mobility in the thoracic spine, it affects a whole host of things, like shoulder and neck movement and even breathing,鈥� says Meghan Wieser, a Maryland-based physical therapist and certified CrossFit trainer. That means your lungs have less space to expand for deep breaths and you鈥檙e more prone to injury. Wie颅ser recommends these exercises to address forward, backward, and rotational spinal movement. Do them two to three times a week to loosen up.

Child鈥檚 Pose Twist

What It Does: Improves rotational mobility.

Start on your hands and knees, shift your hips onto your heels, and rest your torso on your thighs. Keep one arm extended, with palm and forearm firmly planted. Bring the other hand to the small of your back with your palm up, or to the back of your neck with the palm down. Slowly rotate your upper body toward the bent arm, keeping everything still below your waist. Note how far you can twist, and back off if you feel cramping between the shoulder blades. Take three to five deep breaths on each side, rotating more with each exhale.

Backward Arch

What It Does: Improves thoracic extension (how far you can bend your spine backward).

Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor and your knees at hip height. Wrap your arms around your torso and, leading with your head and shoulders, arch back as far as you can. Stop when you can鈥檛 drop any farther without bending into your lower back. Take a few deep breaths here.

Foam Roll

What It Does: Improves thoracic extension; loosens tight muscles.

Sit on the ground with your feet flat and your knees bent to 45 degrees. Lie down over the roller so that it鈥檚 perpendicular to your spine, under your shoulder blades. Interlace your hands at the back of your head and bring your elbows toward each other while lifting your hips. Slowly roll up to the base of your neck, then back down to below your shoulder blades. Breathe deeply and repeat several times.

Forward Arch

What It Does: Gently stretches the spine; improves thoracic flexion (the ability to bend your spine forward).

Start seated in a chair with your knees at 90 degrees, your feet flat on the floor, and your spine upright. Slowly roll your head and neck downward, vertebra by vertebra, until you can鈥檛 drop any farther without moving your lower back or hips. You should feel tension, not pain. Hold this position for a couple of breaths.

Cat-Cow Flow

What It Does: Improves flexion and extension.

Start on your hands and knees. While inhaling, gently drop your belly toward the ground, lift your chest and chin, draw your shoulder blades together, and look upward. Then exhale and actively push the ground away, arching your back like a cat, drawing your belly button toward your spine, and creating space between your shoulder blades. Alternate between the two positions for 10 to 20 repetitions.

Want to incorporate yoga into your workout regimen and become a better athlete? Check out our 听online course on , where 国产吃瓜黑料+ members get full access to our library of more than 50 courses on adventure, sports, health, and nutrition.

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When she lines up for the LK5K in Gettysburg, Pa., on Nov. 9, Ann Zapf will be doing so in remembrance of her sister Linda Kranias, for whom the race is named. As she ticks off the miles, she鈥檒l undoubtedly think back to a time when Linda used to run alongside her. Back then鈥攊n 1967 to be exact鈥攖he sisters were something of an anomaly.

This was pre-Title IX, which passed in 1972, so female running teams were few and far between, especially in rural Fairfield, Pennsylvania. But coach Bil Gilbert was an anomaly himself at the time, a coach with a vision of putting together a new community-based running team that included young women. They had an old pasture to train in, a bag of lime, and some stakes and twine with which to mark a 400-yard circle. He put out a call for participants via the local school teachers and administrators, then waited to see who would show. 鈥淚f it weren鈥檛 for Bil, none of this would have taken place,鈥� says Ann.

Linda and Ann were among the approximately dozen girls who did turn up at the appointed day and time, eager to learn what this whole track and cross-country thing was all about. 鈥淓veryone was welcome,鈥� says Ann. 鈥淣o one knew anything about running.鈥�

But as they began training and learning, something magical happened: Gilbert was able to find the pearls in the shells, Linda and Ann among them.

First Females Get Fast

The official team name was the Fairfield Striders and they were a registered AAU team, but most people referred to them as the 鈥淔airfield Girls.鈥� Within about three weeks, Gilbert took the team to their first meet in nearby Biglerville. There, they set some firsts for the town of Fairfield, taking home hardware in 鈥渄ashes,鈥� jumping, and even a relay. A local coach with strong experience under his belt took notice, and planted the seed with Gilbert that he register a female relay team in the upcoming Chambersburg Relays.

In those pre-Title IX days, the female relay category was squeezed in between the boys鈥� races, an afterthought. Most of the participants were older teens, making the odds of a team full of 11- to 14-year olds being competitive particularly small. But when Gilbert posed the idea to the team, the girls worked hard to be among the select four to make the trip to Chambersburg.

The team showed up in newly tie-dyed shirts, standing apart from the other teams in their official matching shorts and singlets. Not surprisingly, they were also in possession of a large case of nerves, but Ann says Gilbert managed that well. 鈥淗e was a practical coach,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd he had to work hard with us to help with our confidence.鈥�

While no miracle winning performance came out of Chambersburg for the rag-tag group from Fairfield, they weren鈥檛 embarrassed, either. From there they gained some of that much-needed confidence, and Gilbert decided to take things a step further, coordinating fundraising in the community to purchase uniforms and cleats for the girls. They entered more meets along the east coast, and eventually, the Fairfield Girls were ready to take on the big guns at the AAU meet in Van Cortlandt Park, New York City.

Somehow that group of little girls from the middle-of-nowhere brought home the relay trophy from New York City. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 realize how good we were,鈥� says Ann. 鈥淲e were in awe of everyone else and felt like underdogs. Even after winning, we didn鈥檛 get big heads.鈥�

Linda鈥檚 Legacy

Ernie Kranias, Linda鈥檚 widower, will tell you that a big head was the last thing Linda would have ever exhibited, in any aspect of life. 鈥淪he was just so humble,鈥� he says. 鈥淪he never mentioned to me how talented a runner she was鈥擨 only learned it after asking her, not the other way around.鈥�

After the Fairfield girls graduated high school, they scattered and moved on with their lives, but some of them kept running. Ann in particular, developed a love of the sport. 鈥淚 ran pretty much every day from 1980 until 2011, until health issues got in the way,鈥� says the now 65-year-old teacher鈥檚 assistant. 鈥淚t was my mind vacation.鈥�

For her part Linda decided to return to some running in 2012. Not surprisingly, she asked Ann to help her get back into the sport. 鈥淲e went to the store and got her some new running shoes,鈥� says Ann, 鈥渁nd then she started back with some walk/runs.鈥�

A few months later, in January of 2013, Linda received a diagnosis of breast cancer, and fighting her disease took all she had. She passed away in July that year at the age of 59.

Within a few months, the idea of a 5k to honor Linda came from her friend, Stacy Hobbs, a nurse who met Linda during her treatment and was inspired by her. Ernie was on board and in that first year鈥檚 event, they raised $12,000. 鈥淲hen Linda was going through treatment, we kept seeing families who were heavily impacted financially by their diseases,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 knew that she would want all the money going to them, not to some organization.鈥�

In the first five years of the event, the LK5K has donated $85,000 to these families and the race draws a few hundred participants each year. When she thinks about Linda, Ann knows just how her sister would feel about the event. 鈥淪he never focused on herself,鈥� she says. 鈥淪he would be blown away.鈥�

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David Murphy knows that after 11 marathons, and at the age of 42, the window may be closing on his chances to PR. With that in mind, he鈥檚 throwing everything he鈥檚 got at his fall marathon. Front and center in that plan is picking a race that will likely deliver cooler temperatures. For this reason, he is running the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon November 9.

The healthcare consultant, who鈥檚 based out of Evanston, Ill., has run his hometown favorite Chicago Marathon several times in the past. While he loves just about everything about it, he doesn鈥檛 like the fact that it鈥檚 mid-October date has led to some hot temperatures of late. 鈥淭he reality is that increasingly, you can鈥檛 count on the weather that time of year,鈥� says Murphy. 鈥淚 love that race but if I want to go fast, it鈥檚 not where I should go.鈥�

Clear Evidence: Heating Up and Slowing Down

Murphy鈥檚 hunch on the increasing Chicago temperatures isn鈥檛 unfounded. According to a by RunRepeat, the mercury in the windy city is on the rise. The average temperature at the marathon has risen by five degrees in the last 18 years. When you overlay that with marathon finish times during that same period, it鈥檚 easy to see a trend.

Marathon times are getting slower, says RunRepeat data cruncher Paul Ronto, and the correlation to climate change is clear. 鈥淲e focus on data-based content and we had hypothesized that warming temperatures played a role in slowing marathon results,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 expect the evidence to be so overwhelming, however.鈥�

The study鈥檚 analysis revealed that the average runner adds one minute and 25 seconds to his/her marathon finish time for every additional degree Fahrenheit. Given the general trend in increasing temperatures, that has meant an average increase of six seconds a year in marathon times worldwide. These increases are similar to those reported by correlating heat and running pace. 鈥淭his applied across the board, regardless of age,鈥� says Ronto. 鈥淓ven a 25- to 30-year old is slowing down as the temperature rises.鈥�

Climate is a big factor in results, responsible for over 30 percent of the variance in finish times, according to RunRepeat. The report also points out that as more races are added around the world, more of them take place at high temperatures. Nevertheless, the trend for most marathons, tracked individually over time, is an upward-sloping line.

Choosing Late and Early

Given the data, runners looking to go big at a coming marathon are likely best advised to follow Murphy鈥檚 example. 鈥淚 love running in the 40s and 50s, both for race day, and for my long runs,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think later fall or early spring races are where I鈥檒l remain while I care about my time.鈥�

Elite runner and coach Esther Atkins of Greenville, SC, has seen her athletes disappointed due to warm marathon days. 鈥淵es, some people run better in the heat than others,鈥� she says, 鈥渂ut nobody actually runs better in temperatures over 75 than in temperatures closer to 60.鈥�

Knowledge in hand, Atkins steers her athletes toward later fall marathons that offer a safer bet on temperature. 鈥淐oaching in the Southeast and with many of my athletes on the East Coast, I steer them toward marathons in November and December, like the Richmond or Monumental Marathons,鈥� she explains. 鈥淓ven though Chicago may be a flatter course, the risk of it being windy or hot almost negates that positive.鈥�

Ryan Warrenburg, a coach with North Carolina-based ZAP Fitness, has also narrowed down a window of time that he recommends to his PR-aiming clients. 鈥淚 strongly recommend marathons in the mid-November to February time frame,鈥� he says. 鈥淎ny dates before that in the fall seem more and more likely to get warm weather.鈥�

Changing the Calendar?

There鈥檚 another factor that goes hand-in-hand with this, and that鈥檚 the training through increasingly brutal summers for early fall marathons. 鈥淔or many people, these runs can become too taxing to make positive progress and not get run down,鈥� says Warrenburg.

Late spring can also be risky: 鈥淭he kicker in spring is that with each passing day, you are more likely to see the hottest day of the year on your race day,鈥� Warrenburg says. 鈥淯nlike the fall, you haven鈥檛 trained through the summer to acclimate to that, which makes those warm marathons even tougher to manage.鈥�

Ronto suggest there is a case for race directors to consider date changes as the climate warms. 鈥淥ther than elites who train for heat, the average runner isn鈥檛 going to get a fast race day in early fall or late spring these days,鈥� he says.

This is the conclusion Murphy has reached as he looks to PR a few final times: 鈥淭here just aren鈥檛 any guarantees these days, so I鈥檓 doing what I can to improve my odds.鈥�

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Imagine breaking the course record at the Western States 100鈥攔unning a screaming 14:26:46鈥攐nly to finish second. Such was the fate of 24-year old up-and-comer Jared Hazen, crossing the line behind only Jim Walmsley, who broke his own 2018 record with the winning time of 14:09:28.

It would be easy to overlook Hazen in the shadow of Walmsley鈥檚 presence, but doing so would be a mistake. Hazen has accomplished plenty in a few short years, and deserves some of the spotlight as well. One of the Cococino Cowboys who lives and trains with Walmsley in Flagstaff, AZ, Hazen is proving to be a force in the ultra world.

A Record Run

For such a young runner, Hazen has already chalked up substantial credits in the ultra world. Originally opting to skip college in favor of giving professional running a go, the gamble paid off (he鈥檚 now managing both). Hazen had his first major breakthrough at age 19, when he finished third at the Lake Sonoma 50-miler in 2015. He鈥檚 since battled injuries off and on, but once again put himself on the map with a win at last fall鈥檚 JFK 50-miler, again in a time second only to Walmsley.

Heading into Western this year, Hazen knew he was fit and wanted to challenge for the win. 鈥淚 was in good shape, well rested and ready to go,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 wanted to run well from the beginning and not waste time.鈥�

The race unfolded with the top male contenders a bit slower than many expected, which in hindsight, probably worked to Hazen鈥檚 advantage. 鈥淚 had an early pit stop and then a bit later I dropped a bottle and had to chase it down,鈥� he says. 鈥淎s I approached Robinson (mile 30), I threw up.鈥�

A good deal can happen during 100 miles, and Hazen is experienced enough to know that. After vomiting, he says, things began to turn around for him. 鈥淭hings flipped and started to head in the right direction,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 started getting updates that I was only eight to 10 minutes behind Jim.鈥�

For the rest of the race, Hazen pursued his friend and training partner, but in the end, that 10-minute gap remained stubbornly in place. Somewhere around Green Gate, the 80-mile mark, Walmsley put the hammer down and widened the gap. Throughout it all, however, Hazen knew he was on course-record pace. 鈥淚 was aware in the back of my mind that I could break last year鈥檚 record,鈥� he says, 鈥渂ut I was more focused on catching Jim.鈥�

In the end, Hazen points to his early mishaps and feeling bad for his inability to reel in Walmsley.听 鈥淎fter a while, the stopping and playing catch-up cost me,鈥� he says.

Perfect Prep

Dropped bottles and illness aside, Hazen鈥檚 run was incredible and he credits flawless prep this year for that result. 鈥淚 had just raced well at Lake Sonoma in April [where he won] and I鈥檓 a better 100 runner, so I felt confident coming in,鈥� he says.

In preparation, Hazen put in both big miles and big elevation. 鈥淔lagstaff is much like the Western course in that it鈥檚 very runnable,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd I put in lots of volume on the trails.鈥�

Hazen says that his formula included a share of 130- to 140-mile weeks and 20k to 25k feet of climbing in a given week. He also tackled the Grand Canyon several times. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hot at the bottom, which mimics the conditions at Western,鈥� he says.

In addition, Hazen spent plenty of miles at his predicted Western pace, between eight- and nine-minute miles. 鈥淚 got super comfortable at that pace,鈥� he says, 鈥渨hich allowed me to hold it more easily in the race.鈥�

When training for a 100, Hazen recommends doing a couple of runs before the race that seem 鈥渃razy.鈥� 鈥淲hether its distance, vertical, or extreme conditions, it鈥檚 good to learn to be in a vulnerable position,鈥� he says. 鈥淎lways doing runs you know you鈥檙e good at or know you can complete isn鈥檛 going to prepare you mentally for what a 100 throws at you.鈥�

While Hazen has the advantage of his strong Cococino running mates to train with, he spends a good deal of time running solo. 鈥淚 prefer to do my harder efforts alone,鈥� he admits. 鈥淲hen the going gets tough, I go inwards and draw strength there.鈥�

In fact, Hazen prefers to run without a pacer and did so at Western, a formula that clearly works for him. From here, Hazen is unsure of his next race, but fully intends to take another crack at Western in 2020.

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure what the fall will hold for me, but possibly a return to JFK or the North Face 50,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut for now, it鈥檚 back to Flagstaff to rest and recover.鈥�

—

For more photos of ultra running, check out photographer Michael Lebowitz’s . Lebowitz is also author of a unique, soulful photography book with haiku reflections on running, nature and life:听.

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If the Boston Marathon has a trail equivalent, it鈥檚 probably the Western States Endurance Run. At 45 years old, it stands as the world鈥檚 oldest 100-mile trail race. Qualifying for, and completing, the challenging California course is a major badge of honor and each year, only 369 runners get to try.

Jason Bahamundi knows he will never run Western at Jim Walmsley鈥檚 record-setting 14:30-pace, but that doesn鈥檛 dampen his anticipation for lining up in Squaw Valley June 29. It鈥檚 a goal that has grown in importance to the 45-year old vice president of sales and marketing since he first got started with ultras in 2014. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 mean anything to me when I first started,鈥� he admits. 鈥淏ut then I read up on the history, the location and the course, and the prospect became exciting to me.鈥�

Before he knew it, Bahamundi was fixated on getting in and began selecting his races accordingly. To qualify for Western as an amateur, runners must complete one of a designated list of 100-milers or 100-kilometer races during a specific time period in order to earn a lottery ticket. 听Athletes submit their ticket and the race organizers then draw from the pool each December, determining who will get in that coming June.

Finding Elevation

Bahamundi鈥檚 ticket got the lucky draw this past December, and his training officially began. Living in the Dallas area, that meant figuring out how to train for elevation. Runners climb more than 18,000 feet during Western, and descend 23,000. 鈥淚 got my ticket for Western at the Rocky Raccoon 100 here in Texas, where the gain is probably only 6,000 to 7,000 feet,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou really only need to hike portions if your legs are tired and you don鈥檛 need hill repeats to get ready.鈥�

Western presented a different challenge, and Bahamundi has made sure he鈥檚 prepping his legs as necessary. 鈥淩ob Krar designed a workout called the that I used on the treadmill,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t adds up to a ton of work at an 8 percent incline, where I alternated run and power hiking segments.鈥�

Additionally, Bahamundi took part in an Oklahoma training camp with good elevation gain, and paced a friend 58 miles through the Cruel Jewel 100 in the mountains of northern Georgia. He鈥檚 also an experienced pacer on the Leadville course, so handling the elevation should be within his wheelhouse. 鈥淲estern is fairly runnable, and I know I can do this,鈥� he says.

One thing Bahamundi has been unable to prep for is snow, something Western promises to have plenty of this year鈥攂y some estimates, upwards of 20 to 30 miles鈥� worth. The race doesn鈥檛 allow traction devices or poles, so it should provide some challenge, but Bahamundi knows everyone will be in the same boat.

Tuning Efficiency

Like Bahamundi, 39-year old Rachel Kelley is headed west from her Chapel Hill, NC, home to take on the storied race, and is equally elevation-challenged where she lives. Unlike Bahamundi, however, this will be Kelley鈥檚 second go at the race and she鈥檚 had the advantage of tweaking her plan as a result. 鈥淚 had a lot of time wastes last year that I鈥檝e changed going in this time,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 will have three packs ready to go that my crew will hand off to me, for instance, so I can just grab them and continue on.鈥�

Kelley has also made some nutrition adjustments, learning that in the later, hotter miles of Western she manages better with gels and chews than solid food. She will also use two pacers instead of one as she did last year. 鈥淚 went out to the Western Memorial Day camp and met an amazing woman who lives right on the course, and she鈥檚 going to run me in,鈥� Kelley says.

Working with coach Megan Laws, Kelley has intensified her workouts to get ready for Western. 鈥淚t鈥檚 three hours to the nearest mountain for me, so Megan has helped me focus on my general fitness and strength, which seems to translate well for Western,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚鈥檝e also traveled to Asheville or Virginia a few times to put in miles in those mountains.鈥�

Both Bahamundi and Kelley feel confident they can knock out their goals at Western. For Kelley, that means beating last year鈥檚 time of 22:58. 鈥淚f everything is even, I could take some time off,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 am feeling in better shape this year and training has gone well. I鈥檓 excited.鈥�

In Bahamundi鈥檚 case, he has 鈥淎鈥� and 鈥淏鈥� goals: 鈥淏ased on past results, I think 22 hours is within reach,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be upset at 24, but all of my hundreds have been under that mark, so that should be realistic.鈥�

Notching a finish at Western鈥攚ith or without the 24-hour buckle鈥攊s an accomplishment in which both amateurs should take deserved pride. 鈥淓very time I envision it,鈥� says Bahamundi, 鈥淚 am shouting like a kid: 鈥業鈥檓 racing Western States!鈥欌��

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The successes just keep coming: Scott Fauble placing seventh at the Boston Marathon. Aliphine Tuliamuk taking third at the Rotterdam Marathon. Stephanie Bruce winning the USATF Half Marathon crown the same weekend that Kellyn Taylor nabbed fourth at the Prague Marathon. All are results laid down by members of the HOKA Northern Arizona Elite, or , as they鈥檙e known.

Perhaps it鈥檚 something in the water. Or the elevation in Flagstaff where they train. Certainly the incredible assemblage of talent the 13 athletes bring to the table plays a role.

More than likely, however, it鈥檚 the team culture coach Ben Rosario has established鈥攁 culture that is clearly working.

Playing Out on the Biggest Stages

Tuliamuk joined the NAZ team in early 2018 after her contract with New Balance expired. 鈥淚 enjoy running with a team and I wanted to explore my options, so I went to Flagstaff to check things out,鈥� she says.

A native of Kenya, Tuliamuk was originally drawn in by Flagstaff鈥檚 physical similarities to her homeland. But it was the experience with the NAZ athletes and Rosario that propelled her to sign on the dotted line. 鈥淚 really loved my time there during my visit and decided it was the right move for me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great decision.鈥�

Since joining NAZ, Tuliamuk has consistently claimed top-level results at competitive races. Tuliamuk took the in 2018 (like her teammate Bruce did this year). In addition, she won last year鈥檚 USATF 25k championships, was second at the BolderBoulder 10k and the Peachtree Road Race. So far this year, she was fourth at the USATF Cross Country Championships and won the Gasparilla Half Marathon鈥攊n addition to her 2:26 at Rotterdam, a six-minute PR.

Tuliamuk鈥檚 stellar results are emblematic of the entire team鈥檚 successes of late. Taylor used 2018 to set a marathon PR of 2:24 at Grandma鈥檚 Marathon in the fall and a half marathon PR of 1:10 along the way to winning the Las Vegas Half Marathon.

Likewise, steadily worked his way through PRs and top 10 finishes throughout 2018, concluding the year with a seventh-place finish at the New York City Marathon in a personal best 2:12:28.

Then came this year鈥檚 Boston and his breakthrough 2:09, good enough for seventh place and the top American.

I don鈥檛 have the words to explain yesterday yet. Until those words come, I want to say thank you to so many people, but mostly to Boston. You guys were perfect out there. Thank you!
2:09:10
7th place at the Boston Marathon
1st American

— Scott Fauble (@scottfaubs)

If people didn鈥檛 know about the team before April, they do now.

鈥淲e had an amazing year in 2018 and the momentum has just continued into 2019,鈥� says Rosario. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a natural progression of where we are as a team. Our rookies are doing well, too.鈥�

What Rosario and company have built is a team of runners that feed off each other. 鈥淲e motivate each other,鈥� says Tuliamuk. 鈥淲e see our teammates doing so well at races and it gives us confidence that we can do well, too.鈥�

In the Beginning

The NAZ team can trace its origins to 2014 when it launched from the dissolution of the Adidas McMillan team. Rosario did marketing for the team and coach Greg McMillan. 鈥淲e had about 10 strong athletes left who wanted to continue as a team,鈥� Rosario explains. 鈥淪o we formed the team and then began looking for a sponsor.鈥�

They hit pay dirt with HOKA One One in 2015, which has made the team viable and attractive to top athletes, says Rosario. 鈥淗OKA鈥檚 support has been critical to us,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou can be the best coach in the world but you can鈥檛 bring in talent if you don鈥檛 have the finances to do it, and HOKA has provided that.鈥�

Rosario sees the team and brand as kindred spirits. 鈥淲e鈥檙e both fairly new and we have a similar cultural feel,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very lucky to have their support.鈥�

Synergy, Specificity and Strength

With financing secured, Rosario dialed in the right mix of runners and began establishing the winning culture they each embrace today. 鈥淥ur runners are 鈥榳e鈥� people,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey are positive and support each other. They believe in the training and give themselves over to it.鈥�

Rosario says that a key tenet of the team is that they can push each other harder than they would on their own. 鈥淥n tough workout days, inevitably someone is going to be feeling a little better than someone else,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat person might need to carry a bit more of the load on that day. But they do so knowing that next time around, they might be the one who is not feeling as good, and their teammates will return the favor.鈥�

They also follow Rosario鈥檚 coaching philosophies. With the marathoners, for instance, Rosario focuses the runners on marathon pace, over and over again. 鈥淭he idea is that if you constantly practice running faster than marathon pace, then that鈥檚 what the body is going to want to do on race day,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nd you can鈥檛 run 26 miles straight at 10k pace. You want marathon pace to become second nature.鈥�

The team also makes and conditioning a big priority. 鈥淥ur strength and conditioning coaches, AJ and Wes Gregg, stay up-to-date on the latest advances in their field,鈥� says Rosario. 鈥淲e meet twice a week as a group for supervised sessions, but each athlete has an individualized program based on their bio-mechanical strengths and weaknesses, as well as the demand of the race they are preparing for.鈥�

Rosario looks at the strength component as going beyond injury prevention and into the realm of performance enhancement. 鈥淪o much of our and closing speed comes straight from the weight room,鈥� he says.

For her part, Tuliamuk has changed her training approaches under Rosario to good end. 鈥淚 used to do a lot of shorter, faster stuff,鈥� she says, 鈥榖ut Ben had me build up to Rotterdam with longer runs at . I had no bad workouts going into Rotterdam and went in feeling confident.鈥�

Shattering her old marathon PR, Tuliamuk now thinks she can knock off even more time and may set her sights on a fall marathon to help prep for the Olympic trials. 鈥淚 still think I have another three minutes in me,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I would never have believed before joining NAZ.鈥�

Rosario admits that with the team鈥檚 winning ways, more athletes are knocking on his door, interested in a spot. But now he can afford to be choosy. 鈥淚t does help with recruiting,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e so dialed in right now that I know who is a good fit and who isn鈥檛. We鈥檙e not for everyone and vice versa, and that鈥檚 ok.鈥�

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How long do your longest training runs need to be in order to be ready to run a marathon? That’s a good question, without a simple answer.

35-year-old nurse practitioner Caroline Bauer toes the line after logging up to nine runs of at least 20 miles during the latter stages of her training plan. That鈥檚 six more than the standard three 20-milers many marathoners put in, but then again, Bauer isn鈥檛 your standard marathoner. She’s knocking on the door of an Olympic Trials qualifier, having run 听2:47:03.

Bauer is something of an outlier, yet emblematic of the fact that marathoners come in all sizes, shapes and abilities, with a wide range of goals. What works for a beginner won鈥檛 work for someone as experienced and fleet-footed as Bauer. For years, most marathon programs geared toward recreational runners suggested two to four 20-mile runs were necessary, but now many coaches are backing away from that. The $64,000 question, though, is how do you figure out the right long-run formula for your particular needs?

鈥淭he mistake I see most often is that people put in too much mileage,鈥� says Dennis Barker, the former head coach of Team USA Minnesota who has guided numerous runners to U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying times. 鈥淭hen they end up in a downswing on race day, rather than an upswing.鈥�

Philadelphia-based coach Kristy Campbell of Run the Long Road Coaching, sees this phenomenon, too. 鈥淚鈥檒l sometimes get those clients who want to add on miles three weeks out from race day, mostly for the mental boost,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f everything has gone well and they are feeling good, I鈥檒l probably let them.鈥�

Both coaches, however, have the philosophy that quality work in the form of goal paced miles should . 鈥淔or more experienced runners with big time goals, I like to see faster听runs in the 16- to 18-mile range, rather than more 20s,鈥� says Barker.

Campbell, a Boston qualifier, has made these changes to her own training over time. 鈥淚 used to do five or six 20s but now I don鈥檛 do more than four,鈥� she says. 鈥淚nstead I focus on goal pace runs around 16 miles or so.鈥�

This seems to be a trend among coaches. Popular programs like the and , while very different, both incorporate some faster-paced long runs. McMillan alternates fast-finish runs in the two-hour range with easy long runs that max out 30 minutes longer than a runner鈥檚 goal marathon time. Hanson鈥檚, on the other hand, keeps long runs to 16 miles max, emphasizing quality miles with each one.

Many coaches like to consider time on feet when determining long run distances, as well. Jason Fitzgerald, a 2:39 marathoner and owner of Strength Running, keeps this front and center when he writes marathon programs for clients. 鈥淚鈥檓 a big believer that if running 18 miles is going to require you to be on your feet for three-and-a-half hours, then it鈥檚 not doing you any good,鈥� he says. 鈥淎t that point, the injury risk is outweighing the benefit.鈥�

Fitzgerald says that for runners at the slower end of the spectrum, there are plenty of ways to structure long runs to make it through 26.2. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have newer, slower runners do more than a couple of 20s,鈥� he says. 鈥淚nstead, we get creative with picking up the pace a bit in some of the mid-range runs.鈥�

Building on a Base

Before moving any of his clients into specific marathon work, Barker likes to see them establish a good base. 鈥淚 look at marathon training in two phases,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he first is general conditioning and base building so that when they go into the marathon phase, it won鈥檛 wear them down.鈥�

Fitzgerald agrees with this approach. 鈥淚 like to see runners go into marathon training with long runs that are already pretty high, like 15 or 16 miles,鈥� he says.

With base established, runners and coaches can then drill down into more specifics with their training. Campbell considers a whole host of factors when determining how many and how far long runs should be. 鈥淚 like to know how quickly someone recovers from long runs,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or instance, can they still do speed work the following week or are they feeling flat?鈥�

Injury history is another factor she weighs. 鈥淚f I鈥檝e got an advanced marathoner who has a high number of past injuries, I鈥檓 not going to throw them a bunch of 20s because I know it will put them at risk,鈥� Campbell says.

This is one of the lucky cards Bauer seems to have drawn, and likely one of several reasons she can handle the high number of 20s in her build up. 鈥淚 naturally have good running economy, falling right into a 180 cadence,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut I do many things to balance out my high mileage.鈥�

These include core and strength work sessions three times a week, and making sure rest is a priority. Her training plan, while rigorous, also incorporates cutback weeks. 鈥淚 use Pfitzinger鈥檚 Advanced Marathon plan which means I do three, four- to five-week meso-cycles,鈥� she explains. 鈥淭he first three to four weeks of each cycle is high mileage, around 75 to 80 miles per week, and then the final week is much lower.鈥�

Coaches agree that whether you can handle multiple 20+ mile runs or top out at 16 or 18 with more quality in the mix depends on your history, strengths and preferences, and is less important than toeing the line healthy and confident.

Originally published October 2016

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