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Marathon & Beyond
Click here for Sept/Oct issue of Marathon & Beyond |
 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! Scroll to the bottom for a SPECIAL Subscription Offer!  |
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 M&B hosts legendary runners at Chicago Marathon expo
Runners who stopped by the M&B booth at the Chicago Marathon expo were treated to not one, but two legendary runners: Hal Higdon and Jacqueline Hansen. Hal was signing copies of his new release 4:09:43: The Boston Marathon Bombings. Higdon follows 75 runners from Boston Common to Hopkinton then through eight towns into Boston until two shattering explosions at 4:09:43 on the finish-line clock changed the sport forever. This is a tale not of terrorism, but rather a joyous odyssey of the runners and what they experienced in the 2013 Boston Marathon. Jacqueline joined us with her book, A Long Time Coming: Running Through the Women's Marathon Revolution. 1984 marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson writes in the Foreword: "Her book tells the story of a true pioneer, who has lived the history of our sport and has helped make possible all that we runners do today." |
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Between the Lines:
What "makes" or "breaks" a race?
With the proliferation of races, the increased use of running races as fundraisers, and the extension of stretched volunteer resources outside of the running community, what is a race organization to do to offer a high-quality race?
In our Sept/Oct issue, Theresa Daus-Weber details these 10 areas that make or break a race and that should be conscientiously addressed: aid, awards, course marking, registration and packet pickup, results, runner focus, safety, timing, t-shirts, and volunteers
And there are a few more.
 The 10 race essentials are not the only aspects that a race organization must focus on. They are the aspects that directly touch each runner, but there are significant behind-the-scenes aspects that a race organization is responsible for, including:
- advertising and promotion
- communications and emergency services
- course permits
- insurance
- media
- sponsorship
- transportation (for some point-to-point races)
A race cannot accommodate every runner's whim, but these elements are essential to organizations that want to ensure high-quality races and to runners who want to evaluate races they are considering. The better the race is at incorporating the 10 essentials, the more runners will "vote" for it with their entry fees and participation.
We asked our Facebook and Twitter friends to comment on some of their "make-or-break" aspects:
Karen - "Course support and RD's commitment to the enjoyment of all paid participants"
 Mark - "I agree with Theresa's #10 point: volunteers. In my experience, the course support of teams on the street help to reduce anxiety about wrong turns, traffic, next aid station, etc. I always remember the times when a volunteer offered encouragement."
Gabriel - "It has to start prior to the race with good planning. 1. Transportation or parking is vital 2. Good information on course layout 3. Separate corals 4. Start and finish in same location. I have young kids and it's one less thing to think about."
Leigh - "I LOVED that the trail was marked with LED lights! Even though I spent months training on the course, I don't have a lot of experience running with a headlamp, and those 'confidence markers' really did the job of boosting my confidence. It must have really helped folks who didn't have the luxury of training on the course!"
Theresa Daus-Weber runs the trails near her mountain home in Colorado. As a member of four USA 100K teams, she raced World Cup 100K races around the globe and completed 115 ultras, including 11 Leadville Trail 100-mile races, where she is a former champion. An altitude specialist, she climbs peaks in Colorado and around the world. Death Valley Ultras: The Complete Crewing Guide, which she wrote with coauthor Denise Jones, is a timeless must-have for crews supporting runners through Death Valley crossings and Mount Whitney summits.
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Word on the Street
Maui Oceanfront Marathon
January 19, 2014
Maui, Hawaii
If there were a way to escape the winter weather in January and run a marathon along the ocean, you'd probably want to know about it, wouldn't you? If you answered "yes," then the Maui Oceanfront Marathon is what you're looking for.
The point-to-point Maui Marathon starts in Wailea and runs along the oceanfront to Kamehameha Iki Park near the Banyan Tree in Old Lahaina Town. You will experience 26.2 miles of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, where you will see whales, beautiful oceanfront, surfers, and mountain vistas. January is the coolest and best running month in Hawaii as well as prime whale viewing season on Maui.
A family-friendly course, the Maui Marathon course has many scenic pullouts and public beaches for family and friends to park, picnic, and support your run. In addition to being a fast Boston-qualifying course, it is also walker-friendly, offering a 75-minute early start for walkers with a 7.5-hour time limit. For those not running the marathon, there are other distance options, including a half marathon, 15K, 10K, and 5K.
The Maui Oceanfront Marathon is a community event benefiting local school teams, clubs, and Maui non-profit groups that help that tend each mile of the race course, providing aid stations, entertainment, course monitors, coning, and more. Click here for more information.
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 Subscriber of the Month:
Markus Baumgartner
Austrian runner Markus Baumgartner is a new subscriber to our Marathon & Beyond digital edition. He recently completed his first 100K. In an effort to get to know our readers, we asked Markus to tell us a little about himself. How I came into running, and sports at all, is maybe a story like that of so many others. Working and studying gave me a perfect excuse for not exercising, and at the age of 26 I went from one record high to another. Since I had heard of a strange experience called "runners high," I decided to experience it myself. The first few weeks of training were a disaster, and I had no clue what I had to do, but I continued. After I few weeks and a lot of humiliation (since in the beginning I was not able to run 5K in a row), I added some hours on the mountain bike to improve my fitness. Some friends of mine forced me in short running competitions and finally into my first marathon - a painful but successful adventure. Since after a marathon everybody feels invincible, I decided to switch to Ironman competitions and stayed there for 9 years. In fact, participation in sports has now become an important and constant part of my life since my work is challenging (including a 2.5-year stay in China where I prepared myself only indoors for Ironman Austria). Sports gave me confidence and the physical and mental power to master everyday challenges. After a few years back in Austria, my family and I decided to accept an offer in China again. Since cycling is more challenging in China than in the Alps - not because of the hills but because of the traffic - I decided to switch completely to running. It was very easy to find a group of similar-minded pals, and I joined "the bus" which is a bunch of runners who go together for training or competitions. I am really happy to have found them and to be able to practice, as we share the same passion. This year I had the fabulous experience of running a trail marathon in Hangzhou and to compete in the Great Wall Marathon in Beijing - what an event! I must say that turning 40 - the midlife crises - also caught me. Getting a Porsche was not really an option. However, The North Face 100K Singapore was. One day before turning 40, I thought this was quite an adequate birthday present I could give to myself. My brother, who is 11 years younger than I and a very good, enthusiastic Austrian runner, decided to join me, and together we stood blank-faced at the starting line on October 4 of our first 100K.  Now I am writing these lines after my first 100K, and I am so much richer for the experience. We went through ups and downs, highs and lows, suffered a lot, enjoyed a thunder storm, worshiped the sun, had wonderful moments, and made new friends. After 15.5 hours on trails around Singapore, we were welcomed at the finished line. As this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we were completely sure we would never do it again. However, after a few well-earned beers and a little recovery, we started making our plans for next year, including the Seoul Marathon, Salomon 4 Trails, and maybe even another 50K or 100K run. We will see what our running life brings. Only one thing is for sure: I will not stop running and will continue to soak up everything this wonderful sport has to offer. Markus works as a corporate finance manager for an international Austrian family-owned company in Suzhou, China (a town 80 km west of Shanghai). He has been married for 13 years and has a 4-year-old son. |
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Upcoming Marathon & Beyond Events
Columbus Marathon Expo: October 18-19, 2013
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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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Our M&B Midcap by Headsweats is perfect when the weather starts to get a little chilly. Comfy, breathable. One size fits all.
Subscribe to Marathon & Beyond print or digital edition and get a *FREE Marathon & Beyond midcap. Call our office at (217) 359-9345 and use the code word e-XTRA Midcap. Or, order online and put the code word e-XTRA Midcap in the comment box.
| | Offer Expires: November 15, 2013 |
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