Kara Goucher’s Podium Retreat

2014 was the inaugural year for Kara Goucher’s Podium Retreat, a weekend of running and wellness for women. The retreat included everything from guest speakers on running and nutrition to group runs and fitness as well as plenty of time with Kara herself. Kara spoke with M&B about last year’s experience, and the impact it had on her and other participants.

How did you brainstorm the idea for your first retreat last year?

The idea started a few years earlier when I began to think about what I might want to do when my racing career was over. I knew I wanted to stay involved in the sport in a way that was fulfilling to me. After running in the London Olympics, my friend, Tracey Katona, invited me to be her guest at Canyon Ranch while she taught dance week. I was blown away by what a supportive and safe environment it was for the women. There were first-time dancers and people who had danced their whole lives, but they all supported each other and helped one another grow as individuals. I thought there was a place for that in running – women inspiring and empowering each other and sharing a love of running.

How does connecting with other women runners motivate you, and what can participants gain from this experience?

This was a very moving experience for me last year. The women that attended the retreat filled my soul. It reminded me of why I run – the pure joy of it and the friendships it has given me. I felt refreshed and motivated to see what I could get out of the rest of my career. I would say it was an emotional experience for most of the women who attended. We shared personal stories, and we grew together. We learned a lot and had a ton of fun, but we also looked into our hearts and focused in on ourselves. It was incredible, and I’m really looking forward to it again.

Who have been the biggest influences in your running career?

The biggest influences in my running career have always been my teammates or training partners. They are the ones who have gotten me through the hard times and kept me going. My teammates are my best friends to this day. I have also been very lucky that at different parts of my career I have been mentored or guided by Lynn Jennings, Paula Radcliffe, and Joan Samuelson – three of the all-time greats who all reached out to me at some point in my career and helped me with important choices and decisions.

As a professional runner and mom, what is your best advice for women as they balance their running or fitness goals with a demanding schedule and busy family life?

It is difficult to be perfect at everything. My advice is to be the best you can at what you are doing at that moment. Don’t worry about running when you are working or with your family.  At the same time, don’t stress about family when you are out on your run. Take that time for you. It’s a balancing act, and it’s not always even, but that’s OK. Just do the best you can and remember that no one is perfect.

This year’s event is October 23-25 in Breckenridge, Colorado. Registration is open for this year’s event at http://www.karagoucher.com/kara-gouchers-podium-retreats/

Editor’s Choice: Running for Time

Phil McCarthy

© 2015 42K(+) Press, Inc.

Imagine an ultra with no cutoffs, no sweep vehicle, and no DNFs! This is what you get with fixed-time ultras. According to runningintheusa.com, there are 190 fixed-time races in the United States in 2015, so they are out there, and they are worth a look for those unfamiliar with them. This article might serve as an introduction to this type of race for some of you; others already familiar will, I hope, still find some good information here.

 
I’ve fielded lots of questions in person about this, and of my 90 or so ultras, 44 of them have been fixed-time races from three hours to six days. I managed to set an American record for 48 hours, at the race Three Days at the Fair in Augusta, New Jersey, in 2011, with 257.34 miles, and I nabbed a couple of 24-hour national championships at the NorthCoast 24-Hour Endurance Run in Cleveland in 2009 and 2011. So as a runner who has been said to “specialize in mind-numbing loops”, I suppose I’m something close to an expert. So I’ll start with the basics. You’ll note that I’ll use the word “usually” a lot, to comment on what is most common, while acknowledging that there are always exceptions.

Each issue, we select an “Editor’s Choice”—an entire article we share with you online. Click here to read the entire article…

Editor’s Choice: My Most Unforgettable Pacing

Zeke Zucker

© 2015 42K(+) Press, Inc.

The conditions for the 2006 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run were rather grim. After a particularly snowy winter there was still plenty of the white stuff around, making for challenging movement through the “mashed potatoes” for most of the first 30 miles. Added to this was the soaring temperature, which pushed up perilously close to the record of 80 degrees at the Squaw Valley start and 101 degrees at the 62-mile pacer-pickup point on Main Street in Foresthill.

Jim Campiformio from Connecticut, a good friend and fellow ultramarathoner I had known for many years, had asked me to be his pacer at Western States. Until I could legally begin to pace him at the 62-mile mark, I was assisting his sister Rosemary with crewing support at designated, authorized aid stations. After having met him at several locations throughout the day, we were waiting for Jim to appear at mile 55, Michigan Bluff, in the very warm evening hours. By now he was way behind his intended sub-24-hour pace and barely clinging on to a finish within the 30-hour cutoff. Rosemary and I knew that it wasn’t going well for him.

Each issue, we select an “Editor’s Choice”—an entire article we share with you online. Click here to read the entire article…

Editor’s Choice: Back to the Basics

Cara McLaurin Esau

© 2015 42K(+) Press, Inc.

It’s funny how cell phones used to be big and bulky. Through the years, they got smaller, sleeker, and smaller still. The ones that were the coolest were so tiny that we could barely keep track of them. Then, all of a sudden, bigger was better. The phones got bigger and bigger—so much so that now my kids no longer laugh at the size of my original cell phone, which, yes, I still have. I guess the same could be said of fashion, too. For instance, bell bottoms were hip. Then, in the ’80s, we really couldn’t believe we wore those things. In fact, in that decade our jeans were so snug that we had to do bodily contortions just to put them on. Of course, the bell bottoms made a reappearance, and to date, I have no idea whether they are still “in.”

Just as phones and clothing styles seem to revisit earlier eras, many races have opted for finisher medals that hearken back to the past—and they have won the hearts of many runners in doing so! In 2014, some beautiful medals that were extremely popular among our panel were made from such materials as wood, clay, and glass. Also, the classic medallion styles with skylines and landmarks won favor, getting away from odd shapes, designs, and flashing lights. The finisher medals were, for the most part, truly medals; the gadgets and gimmicks gave way to old-fashioned, traditional pieces.

Each issue, we select an “Editor’s Choice”—an entire article we share with you online. Click here to read the entire article…