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e-XTRA
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Marathon & Beyond
Click here for May/June issue of Marathon & Beyond
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  Follow us on Twitter@MarathonBeyond Do you know a Marathon & Beyond subscriber who should be featured in e-Xtra? Send us an email. We love to hear what our friends are doing! |
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 13th Annual M&B "Dinner at Grandma's" with Dick Beardsley
Saturday, June 16 - 6:00 pm - 8:00 pmIn conjunction with the 36th running of Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, M&B subscribers and their families are invited to join M&B publisher Jan Seeley and M&B staff for a fun gathering after the marathon. We'll be serving delicious food, soda, and juice. Cash bar. Dick Beardsley will give a talk and sing a song. We will have raffle prizes and great deals on M&B stuff. Bone up and win the M&B trivia contest. Dinner will be in the Lake Superior/Michigan Ballroom, Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, Lower Level, 200 W. First Street, Duluth, Minnesota. RSVP required to Jan Seeley by June 10, 2012. Email: jan@marathonandbeyond.com. |
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 Between the Lines:
Rob Hadgraft
In our 2012 May/June issue, Rob Hadgraft
wrote an article entitled, "Women Wept, Strong Men Lost Their Lunch: The day Jim Peters nearly killed himself." Although the Vancouver "debacle" took place in 1954, people are still captivated by the story of Jim Peters, the man Tim Noakes dubbed "the greatest marathoner of all time." Rob shares with us more insights on this fascinating man.
What makes Jim Peters the "greatest marathoner of all time"? Tim Noakes dubbed Jim Peters the "greatest marathoner of all time" because of Peters's complete dominance of the distance for most of the early 1950s. He became the first man in history to run faster than 2:20, and when he quit in 1954, he held four of the six fastest times ever recorded. He didn't just break world records by a few seconds; he annihilated them. His approach to training was unique in that he ran hard and fast always, never bothering with "steady" runs, even though his weekly totals exceeded 100 miles for much of the period. The newly-emerging army athlete Emil Zatopek was rumored to be taking on big workloads in Czechoslovakia at the time, but still nothing on the scale of Jim Peters. Jim's approach was obviously a high-risk strategy, but his incredible work ethic and ability to avoid injury meant he somehow got away with it. And this was, of course, back in the old amateur days when he had to fit in training around a full day's work - running at lunchtime and again after arriving home in the evening. "Day after day, I bashed it," was his own description.
People are continually intrigued by the story of Jim Peters. Why is Jim Peters still revered by marathon runners all over the world? People are intrigued by the Peters story, and he is still revered by marathon runners all over the world because he was so gutsy and uncomplicated in his approach. He was an ordinary working-class man, a stalwart of his local club who became a winner through sheer hard work. Although he clearly possessed unusual stamina and determination, he was not a gifted "natural" runner and, in fact, chugged along in a rather ugly style. There was no arrogance or pretensions, no frills, and he never forgot his humble roots - meaning ordinary runners all over the world latched on to him as a role model. With hindsight, many will say that his approach was foolhardy and reckless (he never took on fluids during a run, for example), but all this helped Peters become a sort of comic-book hero figure, and without him the marathon scene would have been a far duller place.
 In your research, did you interview anyone who actually witnessed the Vancouver "debacle"?
The reports of women screaming in horror, unable to watch, and of some spectators being physically sick are said to be genuine and not mere exaggeration by excited newspaper reporters. Jackie Mekler of South Africa, who finished second in the race, told me he was sympathetic about the fact that slipshod organization and overly-strict rules meant there were no officials or helpers out on the course to tell Peters he could afford to slow down, take a rest if necessary, and still win the race easily. But, interestingly, Mekler also pointed out that conditions were the same for everybody, and Peters's decision to run hard, regardless of the intense heat and his big lead, was his own undoing. Marathon running is all about good decision-making, and on that awful day, Jim Peters's judgment came into serious question. Jim would admit later in life that he had been foolish not to take on fluids during his marathons, but he had always been scared stiff of upsetting his stomach (he was a nervous runner, who feared diarrhea and other problems), and he would never compromise on this.
How do you feel about the recent deferments (to next year) at the Boston and Flying Pig Marathons because of extreme heat on race day?
It does seem unreasonable to expect athletes to perform at the top of their game in extreme conditions, and nobody wants to see runners become distressed, but I can't help feeling that deferring a race because of weather issues should only ever be an absolute last resort. After all, part of the skill of long-distance running is judging the conditions properly and adjusting your approach accordingly.
About Rob:
ROB HADGRAFT, 56, took up running exactly 30 years ago, when the "citizen running boom" first hit the UK. Around 900 races and the usual range of injuries later, he is still struggling onwards in 2012, representing his small-town club Tiptree Road Runners on the road, country, and trails of Eastern England. Rob has written five acclaimed biographies of champion runners of yesteryear: studies of Alf Shrubb, Walter George, Louis "Deerfoot" Bennett, Arthur Newton and Jim Peters. His reflections on the horrors and joys of being a middle-aged runner can be followed in his light-hearted blog "The Diary of a Clapped-Out Runner" and his website.
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 Word on the Street
Wine Country Marathon
October 14, 2012
Healdsburg, California
Prepare yourself for an epic adventure through California's award winning wine region. Start your journey in historical downtown Healdsburg, California, located only one hour north of San Francisco. Along the race route, you will run along beautifully scenic tree-lined country roads through California's historic wine-making region, past century-old homes as well as many vineyard estates.
Organized by the California-based running, triathlon, and mountain biking events organizer Events With Sole, a nonprofit dedicated to health and fitness. The Wine Country Marathon celebrates it fifth annual running this fall with a course that's made up of all paved surfaces through the race. The race features a mix of flat stretches and gently rolling hills, including views of the area's Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley.
After running along country roads through Sonoma County's wine country valleys, the runners are treated to a downhill finish in the last few miles that will give plenty of runners a chance to notch a personal record race time.
Nestled in the valley among the Sonoma County mountains, the town of Healdsburg enjoys the kind of weather that Northern California wine country is known for - hot, dry summers with virtually no rain and milder fall and winter seasons. So join us in October for a memorable run in Wine Country!
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 Talk on the TrailDoubleDirtyDozen & 24TheHardWay October 27, 2012Oklahoma City, OklahomaUltrarunning Options!
That is what the Double Dirty Dozen and 24 The Hard Way are all about. These races make up one event called the Oklahoma Ultra Running Championships. But in reality, runners have 10 options to consider when entering, as Team Relays are also included.
For the first four options there is a road race,
24TheHardWay, contested on a 1-mile asphalt loop in a natural setting, shaded by trees, and lined with native grasses. This is a timed event race including 1-hour, 6-hour, 12-hour, and 24-hour Endurance Road Races. Each 1-mile lap is recorded electronically and computed for best accumulated total. The divisions are females and males, open division, and grand masters division. Although the course is not completely flat, the few rolling hills make the scenic layout enjoyable and fast. As competitors complete a lap, they are presented with an aid station, massage therapists, medical supervision, and a lively festive atmosphere under a shaded, pavilion tent that also serves as the video results station. The 24-Hour Race is Host to 2013 USA National Championships.
For trail-minded runners, four more options are found in The DoubleDirtyDozen. This event is contested on a 2-mile dirt trail, which is the Bluff Creek Mountain Bike Course. While it shares the same aide, massage, medical, and pavilion tent, the runners in these events compete against one another in trail races of 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours. The event is a favorite of many local trail runners who prefer a softer surface and more challenging footfalls. The elevation gain per loop is approximately 200 feet.
The great thing about this event is that it is all located in a single park - the Bluff Creek Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. There is ample parking, lots of space for individual tents/tables, numerous toilet facilities, and generally mild weather. Finally, the event offers unique Championship awards including a Finisher's RING, personally sized to celebrate the runner's achievement. The rings are manufactured and finished by MTM Recognition and are presented to all 24-Hour Run finishers in both the trail and road divisions. Go to the websites for more information about the DoubleDirtyDozen and 24TheHardWay. |
 Subscriber of the Month:
Richard Magin
In "real life" Richard Magin is a Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He and his wife Karen live in Western Springs, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Most of his running is at Waterfall Glen, a Dupage County park that encircles the Argonne National Laboratory. Richard has written stories for Marathon & Beyond, Michigan Runner, and the Second Wind Running Club magazine. Before moving to Western Springs, Richard lived in Urbana, Illinois. We connected with Richard recently when he returned to Champaign/Urbana to run the Illinois Marathon.
Tell us about your running history.
I began running about 30 years ago for health and stress relief. After college, it got hard to gather together enough friends for pick up football or baseball - and tennis, golf, and skiing get rather expensive. I tried biking for about 10 years (got up to doing 100K rides) while living in Urbana, but the funny thing about riding in east central Illinois is that while it is flat, most everywhere looks just like where you came from, and the wind always seems to be in your face. Fortunately, I hooked up with the Second Wind Running Club and enjoyed their weekend marathon training runs in and around CU - particularly those out at Allerton Park.
My first 10K in Champaign was on a hot summer day, and I barely finished. My daughter Sara asked me, "Why did you let the lady in the long skirt pass you?" Actually, it was several years before I could catch her! I still don't know her name; I just know what she looks like as she sprints away from me at the end of 5K and 10K races.
I ran Chicago for the first time in 1990, fell in love with Grandma's and, like any abusive relationships, kept coming back for punishment each year. Finally, I qualified for Boston (ran it 4 times) and then peaked (distance-wise) by running Comrades Marathon in South Africa in 1999 (ran most of the way for 9:03). After moving to Chicago in 1998, I began running at Waterfall Glen and at some of the local trail races. This led me further afield - up to the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan - where I have run in most of the Keweenaw Trails Running Festival races. The Keweenaw races include an 8K morning hill climb, 10K evening trail run, and 25K Sunday morning trail run. This is essentially a marathon spread over 24 hours. I am now getting to the age where I like to run "destination" marathons, like Big Sur, the Lithia Loop in Ashland, Oregon, and the International Peace Marathon in Kosice, Slovakia, and to revisit some of my old friends, like Boston or the Illinois Marathon in Champaign-Urbana.
What is your most meaningful race? Definitely, the marathon in Chicago when I first qualified for Boston (ran 3:13). I think for most serious runners qualifying for Boston is meaningful as it validates the time spent training and trying. Perhaps Boston has become a more open race today than in the past, but still, qualifying is something that a runner of any age must work to attain and can be proud of. My most memorable moment in the race was looking at the Field Museum, way, way down Lake Shore Drive, and feeling like it never seemed to draw any closer despite my churning legs and burning lungs. When I finally made the turn into Grant Park and saw the clock, I almost wanted to stop and enjoy the moment. What lesson/s has running taught you? When I ran Comrades in South Africa, I was part of a tour set up by Hal Higdon. As part of the tour, one evening we went on a training run with a running club in Cape Town. During the race, and after, over a beer, the locals shared some of their accumulated wisdom for succeeding in the long, almost 100K race. First, don't follow the yellow brick road - follow the green jersey. The green jerseys were worn by runners who had finished 10 or more Comrades. And second, CFM - short for "constant forward motion." The lessons are to be smart and try to learn from those with more experience, and to keep moving: run, walk, shuffle, slide, but do not sit. What would be your ultimate running experience? Good question. I have had some of my best running experiences not by planning, but by poor planning, usually - getting lost. I have been lost in the woods of Eastern Slovakia, the hills of Majorca, and the forest of Wisconsin - usually at night or near dark. There was always a moment or two in these experiences where I had to think about what to do next. The decision needed to be made to go on or go back with the risks of each carefully weighed. At the time, I was quite worried, but afterwards, I got kind of giddy and excited that I "pulled" that one off. So, I guess, what I would like to do is to continue to be able to get into and out of trouble on the trails. Maybe if I am lucky (or unlucky), when I run in the Whistlestop Marathon this fall up in Ashland, Wisconsin, I will get lost and get "found" by Edgar Sawtelle and his dogs. Running with him, and them, in the woods would be the ultimate for me. |
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Upcoming Marathon & Beyond Events
Grandma's Marathon Expo: June 14-15, 2012
M&B "Dinner at Grandma's": June 16, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Pikes Peak Ascent & Marathon Expo: August 17-18, 2012
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Contact Us - We'd love to hear from you!
Marathon & Beyond
206 N. Randolph St., Suite 400
Champaign, IL 61820
877-972-4230 (toll-free)
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