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by Fran Breslauer
I heard other runners from Lawrence describing the fun and excitement of the BolderBoulder 10K race in Colorado. I thought I would take the risk of running a "mile high" 10K. I didn't do any special training, just my usual runs and cross training. My husband Dan and I left Lawrence on Friday morning to get to Boulder and, we hoped, get acclimated to the higher altitude. Although we left early we hit traffic in Denver at about 2 pm Mountain time. We arrived at our hotel at about 4 pm after losing our way in Boulder itself. We got settled and looked around a bit, but didn't do very much else.
 On Saturday we walked along the Creek Road Path with bikers, strollers, and rollerbladers. We mingled at the Farmer's Market and an Arts Festival. It was a wonderful experience. I tried running a bit, stopping now and then so Dan could catch up. I decided I needed to do more to get accustomed to the air. I went for a swim and found it more difficult than usual to breathe in rhythm.
Sunday, after more walking and eating in a great restaurant (recommended by Gary Henry of the Mad Dogs), I went swimming again, and finding it easier, I thought I had adjusted well. That night was the "Pasta Pasta" meal where Gary Henry and his wife, Karen, joined us, telling us about previous BolderBoulder races.
Monday was the day of the race itself. There were 47,000 participants, so we had to be grouped in waves on the basis of our previous 10K runs. I was in wave EB. We met a woman who had been in the first wave (A) when she last ran the race, but now, eight years later and with three children, she was only in the second group (AA). Her running time eight years ago was 31 minutes; this year she ran it in 38! The A and AA waves had chips; everyone else did not. The waves were about a minute apart, the A wave left at 7am, my wave began at 7:19. There were 70 waves in all. After this "citizen's race" there was an "international race" of professionals and a "challenge race" for physically challenged racers. Watching those latter racers was truly amazing.
When I started I discovered I was running too fast. I felt a tightness in my breathing. I slowed up (my official time was 1 hour and 22 seconds - slower than my personal best) but still came 8th out of 261 competitors in my age/gender group. The top 15 get medals, and those who beat their "age" get special certificates - I will get both. The runners who came ahead of me all came from high altitude places. They say that's why the Kenyans do so well-training in the mountains. I have since learned that I should use "interval training" to prepare for higher altitude running.
The course is beautiful. The fans line the streets; you can see the Rockies (or at least the "Flatiron foothills" of the Rockies) for most of the route. The finish is in the Colorado University Stadium with about 80,000 spectators in the stands cheering you on.
In December they run a "ColderBoulder," and I want to go back and do that. I certainly plan to go to the BolderBoulder next year. It was the most exciting race in which I have ever participated. I encourage all runLawrence members to think about going.
Celebrities: Two Local Heroines
An Interview with Marla Rhoden:
Nationally known Topeka Runner
Dee Boeck, Interviewer
When and why did you start running?
I started running on April 15, 1979. A co-worker wanted to join the YMCA and start running. I didn't know it at the time, but the reason she wanted to join was that she had her eye on one of our male co-workers, and he went to the Y on M-W-F, so, we joined the Y and ran M-W-F. For quite a period, if she couldn't make it, I didn't go myself, and vice versa. Then, she and our co-worker got married and had a baby. She quit running, and I'm the one who kept it up!
Had you been active in any sports prior to running?
I was not active in any sports prior to running. As a kid and in high school, I was a total student and bookworm, so I was pretty inactive (except for dancing around to records). Also, I lived in a couple of locations where girls weren't really encouraged to do much in the way of sports, and my mother was not active, so I didn't really have much encouragement.
What distances did you start out at? How long did it take you to build up to a half marathon distance?
I actually started out slowly, especially with regard to longer distances. For probably a year and a half, after I had worked up to 2 miles at a clip, we ran 2 miles on M-W-F. Then I started branching out on the weekends.
My folks lived on the east side of Lake Shawnee, so on Sundays I would drop my kids off and run along the lake. I worked up to 4-5 miles in a couple of years, and then ran around the lake (6 miles without all the cut-ins). That was a thrill for me! Lake Shawnee is also hilly, and at that time I didn't know that hills were supposed to be tough - that's just where I ran on the weekends. In late 1982 I got the marathon bug (new challenge) and decided to train for Lincoln in May 1983. I didn't run a half-marathon until 1983, when I ran Topeka to Auburn, in preparation for Lincoln.
Do you remember your first race? How did you get started in racing?
My first race was a 5K (Run Easy/Breathe Easy race at Lake Shawnee) the fall after I started running. I had never run that distance; I typically ran 2 miles a day on M-W-F, and I had just worked up to that. But the friend who got me started running wanted to do this race, so I agreed. I was on the 3rd mile, coming around a bend in the road, and thinking I was going to have to walk when I could see the finish line and crowd gathered there. There was no way I was going to walk within eyesight of those people! So, I finished running. That was quite an accomplishment for me.
Have your family and friends generally been supportive of your commitment to running?
That's a mixed bag. My first husband, who is my ex-husband, was not supportive (hint: you noticed the "ex"?). My mother was always extremely supportive. In fact, she's the one who put the bug in my ear about Boston by telling me (after I had run my first marathon) that if I qualified, she would buy my plane ticket. That's all it took! I think in the early years the rest of my family (father, siblings) couldn't quite figure out why I wanted to run; now, however, although they may still not understand it, they are extremely supportive and proud.
Have you ever had any serious injuries or set-backs that kept you from running? How did you overcome them?
I've had a few serious injuries scattered over the years. The first was after my first marathon (not immediately after, but when I was planning on doing another) when I had an inner thigh strain that sidelined me for months. I didn't know much about injuries then, and running wasn't so important to me at the time that I was really upset about it. I had two young children who kept me busy, so there were other things to do. However, the more running has become a part of my life, the more being sidelined by injuries distresses me. I had a knee tendinitis problem in the late 80s that also took a while, but it wasn't severe.
About 7 years ago I developed hamstring problems, first in my left leg, then the right. That was hard to deal with, because it kept recurring. I have to honestly say, too, that it was probably as hard on my husband, Brad, as it was on me, because I was very difficult to live with! (Probably more so than with earlier injuries, when I didn't have a runner husband who was continuing to run when I couldn't.) And those problems took over three years to resolve.
I finally got hooked up with a physical therapist who diagnosed weak gluteus medius muscles as my problem, and she gave me specific stretching and strengthening exercises to target that muscle. I do them religiously to this day! Ever since then, I've been able to avoid serious hamstring issues, although I still feel twinges occasionally. But I definitely believe in stretching! We stretch after we run, after races (most of the time), and then most evenings.
What are two or thee of your most memorable races and what made them memorable?
The first that comes to mind is the first Boston I ran with husband Brad (1993), just a few weeks after we started dating. Not going to go into detail on that one! My marathon PR race, Boston 1995, was probably the next most memorable. My first granddaughter had been born the Friday before (April 14, 1995, Good Friday that year), and we took off for Boston the next morning. Even though I had barely slept on Thursday night while my daughter was in labor, I think I was still on air thinking about Cassidy Leigh Reynolds. That day during the race we faced a slight headwind, while the year before there had been a slight tailwind, but that was my race - one of those rare instances where you feel like you could just keep running.
The marathon distance, of course, seems to be your favorite distance. You recently won your age division of the prestigious Boston Marathon and also were selected as one of the top 20 women marathoners in the country by Marathon Guide. When did you run your first marathon and what made you decide to attempt a marathon?
My first marathon was Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1983. That was the next challenge. I had run 5K, 10K, 15K, and half-marathons and the marathon distance was next. I have to admit, though, when I first started running and heard about those crazy people who ran marathons, I thought they were nuts! (Maybe we are?????)
What training advice would you give those who are training for their first marathon?
I think the most important thing about marathons is that you have to figure out what works best for you individually, whether it's mileage, nutrition, sleep, whatever. You can listen to all the advice given by others, but you really need to figure out what works best for you through trial and error. And with a first marathon, you're basically wanting to explore the experience and get through it in good shape - setting goals that are too lofty can lead to disappointment.
Do you train alone some or usually have training companions?
I usually train with my husband Brad, and several times a week we meet up with other runners in Topeka for group runs. Of course we may start out as a group, but usually spread out after time. Brad and I generally run the same pace for training runs, although I can no longer keep up with him during races.
Do you use nutritional supplements or gels such as Gu?
I use Gu, PowerGel, or whatever gels might be available during races, particularly marathons. I don't generally take in anything other than sports drink during shorter races. Sports drinks are great, though, especially if you have problems getting enough sodium (which I do). I use the energy bars, too, but more as a pre or post run snack. Fortunately, my stomach seems to tolerate any brand of gel or drink that is available (at least, to this point!).
Some say the psychological aspects of marathoning are just as important as the physical - how do you feel about that?
I definitely think the psychological aspects of marathoning, or running in general, are as important as the physical. Sometimes that can be detrimental, though, if you rely on running for stress relief, etc. (Running is such a big part of my life that when I'm injured or ill and can't run, I don't react very well. Brad can attest to that; I'm horrible to live with when I can't run!. I'm working on that and hopefully making progress.) But training for and completing marathons takes discipline and mental strength as well as physical conditioning. If you complete a marathon and your performance wasn't what you had hoped for, just knowing that you did it under less than ideal circumstances and didn't give up leaves you with a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. When you know that you put everything out there that day, what more can you ask for?
It seems that more and more women are training for and competing in half marathons and marathons. Why do you think that is the case? Do you think suppliers and designers are starting to cater more to female runners?
I do think they are seeing women as a growing market, but I also think women are looking around and seeing other women accomplish things they maybe never before had the confidence to attempt. I was one of those females who was not encouraged to do anything athletic when I was young (not so much the case with younger females today), and I never thought I might have any type of athletic ability. But I tried it and found it was something I both enjoyed and could do fairly well. Running has given me so much that I am really excited to see women, no matter the age, get started.
What does the future hold for you? How long do you think you will continue running?
My plan is to continue running until my body will no longer allow it. I'm hoping to be one of those little old ladies shuffling along at an advanced age.
 Loves Running - Running In Love
Jackie Dubois featured in the Journal World
You love running if you get up on your wedding day, put on your running gear and a bridal veil, and go for a 45 minute run with girlfriends before the ceremony.
Jackie Dubois is probably known to most Lawrence runners because she ran cross country for Free State and went on to letter four years at University of Oklahoma. She was selected three times for the Big 12 Conference All-Academic cross country and track team.
She may also be known for receiving the Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Award, given by the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletes. The award recognizes a student athlete who overcomes great personal odds against them to “achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics.” The award was presented to her in Pittsburgh on June 25, just a couple of weeks after her wedding. For Dubois, the odds she has overcome are the diagnosis at birth of cystic fibrosis and her daily regimen to keep it under control.
At OU, Jackie met Adam Miller, also an athlete, who is currently a coach and teacher in Norman. While Jackie was running in her veil with her girlfriends, he was shooting some hoops with his friends, who were all wearing red shorts he bought for the occasion.
If you search the Journal World’s archives, you’ll find a number of articles that have covered Jackie since she moved to Lawrence in her high school years. The July 9 article on the wedding has links to great wedding day photos, including the morning run in her veil.
Note: Interviewer Dee Boeck, our own local heroine, was featured in the MARA newsletter recently.
Books We Recommend
Two reviewers describe running books for those who not only run but also like to read about those who do.
 American Miler: Life and Time of Glenn Cunningham
by Dr. Paul J. Kiell -50 time marathoner/ultramarathoner, psychiatrist, and author of Keep Your Heart Running
Gene Wee, Reviewer
The Glenn Cunningham story was a chapter in our reading books in grade school and as much a part of Kansas history as John Brown and the Civil War or Amelia Earhart and aviation pioneering. In the 50s, the reading curriculum, at least in the Wichita school system, included the story of a seven year old getting badly burned in a schoolhouse fire, which took the life of his older brother, and his suffering through recovery from his burns to become the best American miler of his time.
This spring I picked up a copy of American Miler, partly to relearn the Cunningham story, and partly to complete a biographic trilogy of the three world class milers–all from Kansas–all former Jayhawks.
The second book of milers–Neal Bascomb’s The Perfect Mile, was published in 2004 on the 50th anniversary of the first sub-four-minute mile. The drama of the three distinct personalities – Roger Bannister, John Landy and Wes Santee (of KU) – was told in a masterly fashion, story-telling at its best. Local runner Dick Wilson, a teammate of Wes, was interviewed for a special broadcast noting the connection that Lawrence runners have with Bannister’s record breaking 3:59.4.
The third book of the trilogy is The Jim Ryun Story by Cordner Nelson (with Rick Clarkson photos). It was published in 1967 while Jim was still at KU.
Running track in the mid-1960s meant having to share the track with Jim Ryun, the high school mile sensation. But the track at Wichita East was also shared with the Leon High School teams, which included Glenn Cunningham, Jr. and Gene Cunningham, who were often accompanied by Glenn himself. American Miler mentions Cunningham’s furious kicks at the end of a race. At the summer All-Comers Meet at East High, on at least one or two occasions, I saw Glenn Jr. put on a furious kick in his mile run.
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Glenn (c.1934) & Glenn, Jr (1966) |
Dr. Kiell’s book is more a documentary report compared to Bascomb’s storytelling style. Details from original sources are as complete as possible on the schoolhouse fire and the recovery from the burns. Reports of the many major races were pulled from newspaper accounts of the day. We learn that Cunningham, like Santee and Ryun, was a mega-sports star. For runners, it’s still a good read, getting the flavor of the New York indoor track races, as well as several races on the KU track.
Like James Naismith and Phog Allen, Glenn Cunningham was a noted speaker and worked for the Lecture Course Bureau at KU. I’m pretty sure it was a track team dinner where I heard him deliver one of his inspirational talks, emphasizing sportsmanship and the positives of the trained athlete’s way of life.
Glenn, who eventually got a PhD from New York University in biology, health and physical education, rarely called himself “doctor”, and at home on the ranch he said the PhD stood for a “post-hole digger”.
We know, though, that our American Miler is another story of a Kansan competing at the international level in a most difficult event. In short, Ad Astra per Aspera.
The Other Schulman
 by Alan Zweibel, writer for Saturday Night Live, the Garry Shandling Show, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and with Billy Crystal on a Broadway show
John Huchingson, Reviewer
The trick for novel reviewers is to give helpful information and opinion, without divulging key plot elements; however, this novel, novel is so “ongoing” that confidentiality about the plot is difficult. This humorous, serious book is not totally about the main character who trains for and then runs the New York City Marathon (there are 26.2 chapters), but that portion of the book is so well done and adequately accurate that I do believe the author, himself, has actually run it. This draws the running reader into the book.
Competing with the main plot for their parts are at least two other sub-plots (you may see more); the first is an alter-ego mystery, thus the title’s Other Schulman, and the second concerns his relationships. Parallel stories gain energy from each other, adding to the open-ended tension of each. A fun part of the story is the self-confidence Schulman gains while training for the marathon, which gives him the inner strength to solve his personal battles, ones common to most of us.
The book is complex and can sometimes be confusing, but isn’t that what good plots do– makes us think? I would certainly give this book a “heads up” classification for runners. If you listened to it on audiotape, it would make the miles slip by as you train.
Oops, do I hear the New York Times Book Review calling me?
 Run in the Midnight Sun
from an article by Kimi Puntillo in Forbes Magazine, July 3, 2006, p 178.
In each issue of Second Wind we feature a special race that might interest those who are looking for something different. How about running a marathon around the North Pole?
This marathon was originated in 2002 by an Irishman who flew to the North Pole, determined his latitude, and ran in a circle around the pole for 26.2 miles, using his GPS.
Now for only $10,000, you can reserve a spot for the April, 2007 event - April because of 24 hour sunlight and 6 to 12 feet of ice - you are running on water, after all. Perhaps due to global warming, the thickness of the ice can’t be guaranteed. According to Puntillo, who was a participant this year, workers preparing the landing strip air-dropped a 4-ton bulldozer, and it crashed through the ice and sank. And speaking of thin ice, runners need to beware of cracks in the ice, called leads, and avoid them. The Arctic Ocean is 12,000 feet deep at the pole. Heated tents are provided.
The web site www.npmarathon.com has great pictures of what you might look like running in snowshoes at -20°. It’s even possible you’d have your age category to yourself - last year there were only 44 other individual participants (there was also a ten person team). The group included an American grandmother who had run the Marathon du Medoc, the race featured in our last issue of Second Wind. On the web page you can read the bios of all the participants, many of whom have run marathons on every continent.
And if you aren’t free in April but can do December instead, there is the Antarctic Ice Marathon / Half Marathon / 100K Ultra. You can check out all the details at www.icemarathon.com.
Newsletter
Contributions
All members contribute to the newsletter. Please email articles to: jhuchingson63@hotmail.com. Read past issues on www.runlawrence.org.
About runLawrence
formed in September of
2004.
Dee Boeck, President, runlawrence@gmail.com
Celeste Leonardi, Vice President, cleonardi@sunflower.com
Molly Wood, Treasurer, mwood@stevensbrand.com
Ed Payne, Technician & Course Master, payne@ku.edu
Janet Huchingson, Newsletter Editor, jhuchingson63@hotmail.com
Gene Wee, Web Page Editor, gmw@ku.edu
Second Wind
16660 21st Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
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