feb 2016 lo res

IN THIS ISSUE:- Winter Hydration- 2016 Races in Asia- Sports Authority’s Fitness App- My Hip Surgery- Terri Schneider’s “Dirty Inspirations”

CAMILLE HERRONMARATHONER

TURNS TO ULTRA RUNNING

FEBRUARY 2016

http://www.desertmountain.com

3FEBRUARY 2016 ENDURANCE SPORTS & FITNESS MAGAZINE

EDITOR’S LETTER ES&F

Welcome to the first issue of Endur-ance Sports & Fitness Magazine. Over the next year or so, we are going to be working with our amazing community of athletes to grow this publication into the next biggest thing! With the closing of Marathon & Beyond and The Running Times magazines, we hope you will turn to this publication.

It makes me sad when magazines need to close, but publishers such as myself weigh the costs and benefits of publishing and maintaining the business end of our work on a daily basis - and it’s not easy. First of all, advertising and subscription revenue are key. Without those two pieces the magazine falls apart and I am in constant angst about the subscrip-tion base as well as trying to sell our services to advertisers.

Our readership and network is large. We interview the top athletes, network on LinkedIn, Facebook and through our partner affilitates reaching approximately 200,000 - 1M potential readers. Further, in a global survey we conducted last year, readers chose Endurance Sports & Fitness over the other choices, let us know they want their content mostly

online, and want an array of interest-ing and informative stories.

So what is in this issue?

A lot for sure!

For starters we are introducing a new writer, Liz Greenlaw, who specializes in nutrition for athletes. Greenlaw is an avid runner herself who logs a lot of miles and is a prolific competitor in the Washington, D.C., area.

Greenlaw’s article is followed by a feature story on Camille Herron, our signature athlete and cover model who is an absolute superwoman in the world of marathon and endur-ance running. With the goal of winnning marathons in all 50 states, Herron also took to the trails and has just kicked it up a notch in the endur-ance running world.

For the first time ever, I wrote a feature on my recent hip surgery on a request from friends. Through the Moms Run This Town network, I found an orthopedist (and trust me I’d been to a few) who was finally able to discover that I really did have an injury. While it was unfortunate that I ultimately needed surgery, I expect a huge improvement in my running after I am done with the rehab period.

This month we also feature six TOUGH endurance races in Asia followed by a great story on Maria Conceicao, a world record-holder

and social advocate. We also cover a couple of cool products from Sports Authority and Supple, and feature Terri Scheider’s first book, “Dirty Inspirations.”

We wouldn’t be Endurance Sports & Fitness without a signature article from Earl Furfine (Not Yet on the Podium).

Regards,

AlixAlix Shutello, President and CEO [email protected]

Please subscribe at:

ShopEnduranceSportsandFitness.com

THE MARCH/APRIL 2016 WILL BE OUT SOON.

http://www.enduranceracingmagazine.com

mailto:ALIX%40ENDURANCESPORTSANDFITNESS.COM?subject=

http://www.ShopEnduranceSportsandFitness.com

http://www.ShopEnduranceSportsandFitness.com

ENDURANCE RACING MAGAZINE

http://www.EnduranceSportsandFitness.com

www.facebook.com/EnduranceSportsandFitness.com

Twitter: @AlixShutello @EndurRacingMag

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/enduranceracing/boards/

3 EDITOR’S LETTER

By Alix Shutello

I am excited for the new release of this issue of Endurance Sports & Fitness.

NUTRITION

6 Hydration in the WinterBy Liz Greenlaw

Liz Greenlaw, our newest contributor to Endurance Sports & Fitness, discusses proper hydration in the winter.

FEATURE

8 CAMILLE HERRON: MARATHON SUCCESS STORY Interview by Alix Shutello

Camille Herron blasted onto the marathon scene and has won race after race around the world. Recently, she tried ultra run-ning and found that marathoning was a great precursor to a successful career going beyond 26.2.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATIONSubscribe today at www.EnduranceSportsandFitness.com

THANK YOU TO OUR ADVERTISERS:Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, CorioVelo, Badwater®, and The High, a movie by Barry Walton

Hydration in the Winter

IN FIRST PERSON

12 My Hip SurgeryBy Alix Shutello

I had no idea there was a problem with my hip. I’ve been running for four decades and never had an injury that lasted so long and which literally debilitated me. Sure, I could run, but not without issues. Finally, I found the right doctor who discovered a labral tear I never knew I had.

RACE REPORT

20 Six of the World’s Toughest RacesBy Charles Epperson

If you want to challenge yourself this year, check out six INSANE races happening in Asia.

RACING FOR A CAUSE

24 Racing for Charity Submission by the Maria Cristina Foundation

Portuguese-born and Dubai-based humanitarian Maria

XTerra - Philippines

6 20NUTRITION

RACE REPORT

mailto:WWW.ENDURANCESPORTSANDFITNESS.COM?subject=

http://www.facebook.com/WeAreEnduranceRacingMagazine

https://www.facebook.com/EnduranceRacingMagazine

TABLE OF CONTENTS ES&F

ON THE COVER: CAMILLE HERRON: OLYMPIC MARATHONER

CONTRIBUTORSES&F is made possible by the contributions from athletes and seasoned writers who bring their unique ideas, expertise and perspectives to the magazine.

Earl Furfine Ironman

Charles Epperson Race Director

Liz Greenlaw Nutritionist and Runner

Maria Conceicao World Record Holder

Alix Shutello CEO and Executive Editor of Endurance Racing Magazine

Camille Herron, finishing first at the 50K World Champion-ships. Herron’s entre’ into the endurance racing scene has been nothing less than extremely successful.

Conceicao has conquered the 777 Challenge in a world-record finish in her relentless dedication to raise awareness and funds for underprivi-leged children living in the slums.

PRODUCT AND BOOK REVIEWS

28 Sports Authority’s Body Fit System By Alix Shutello

Sports Authority has a product line called BodyFit with apps you can download to keep yourself accountable for your training this year.

29 Dirty Inspirations Terri Schneider’s,“Dirty Inspirations” is a must read for endurance ath-letes who want a first-hand experience of life on the run.

COLUMN: NOT YET ON THE PODIUM 30 CEO, Single Parent and Endurance Athlete: The Art of Being At Peace While Alone By Earl Furfine

As with anything in life, being single and alone has its benefits and dif-ficulties, but I’ve learned to navigate the waters to create balance in my life and want others to do the same.

32

RACE REPORT

24

28

6 ENDURANCE SPORTS & FITNESS MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2016

NUTRITION

When the temperatures outside drop

and we sweat a little bit less, it’s easy to

forget that dehydration happens just as

easily in the winter as it does in the heat

of summer.

Not drinking enough water can nega-

tively affect our bodies in a number

of ways, such as exhaustion, muscle

fatigue, cramps, headaches and loss of

coordination. To make matters worse

during the wintertime, being dehydrat-

ed can also make us more susceptible

to winter colds and the flu, since water

serves the ever-important role of flush-

ing toxins out of our systems.

Even if the air temperature outside

is low, chances are your core body

temperature will still increase, especially

if you’re layered up to stay warm. In this

case, you may sweat just as much as

you would when outside in the hotter

months, and not even realize it! And in

the event that you don’t find yourself as

sweaty as usual while training outdoors

(for whatever reason), remember that

you’re still losing water vapor through

your mouth as you breathe the cold air

in and out.

If you’re an athlete who takes your

workouts indoors during the winter,

you’ll probably find that the room

temperature inside isn’t very cold, so

keep in mind that you’ll be exercising

in conditions similar to those in the

warmer months, not to mention that

most gyms and indoor workout facili-

ties are plagued by very dry air, which

dehydrates our bodies even more than

usual.

We endurance athletes need to be on

top of their hydration game – no matter

what season we’re in – so read on for

my Top 5 favorite tips on how to stay

hydrated this winter and be the best

you can be during this season:

1. Drink half of your body weight

(pounds) in fluid ounces – for example,

a 140-pound woman should aim to

drink 70 ounces of water per day.

2. If the thought of drinking

cold water makes you shiver in the

winter, you can still reap the benefits

of H2O by heating it up! If your body is

craving something

warm, heat some

water up on the

stove and drink it

that way!

3. Do you find the

taste of water to be

just plain boring,

no matter if it’s hot

or cold? Cut up

some citrus fruit

(i.e. lemon, lime, or-

ange, or grapefruit)

and squeeze a slice

into your water

for some flavor. If

you’re not too keen

on the citrus idea, another great trick is

to throw some berries into plain water

to jazz it up. These are easy ways to

improve the taste without adding calo-

ries (note: if you can afford some extra

calories – or need them during heavy

training – add a splash of 100% juice to

the water for even more flavor).

4. Balance out coffee and tea: Caffeine is

a diuretic (which means it causes more

water loss through urine), so when you

reach for a caffeinated beverage, be

sure to have an extra glass of water to

balance out the dehydrating effect. An

even better option is to opt for herbal

teas if you want something warm,

because they are naturally decaffein-

ated, won’t dehydrate you, and come in

a variety of fun flavors!

By Liz Greenlaw

Hydration in the Winter

ES&F

LIZ GREEN

LAW



NUTRITION

REMEMBER TO HYDRATE NO MAT-TER WHAT THE TEMPERATURES ARE OUTSIDE - EVEN IN COLD WEATHER, YOU WILL DEHYDRATE IF YOU ARE SWEATING.

ABOUT LIZ GREENLAW

Liz Greenlaw serves the Northern Virginia

and DC communities as an Integrative

Nutrition Health Coach and wellness con-

sultant. In her senior year of high school,

Liz watched a movie in science class about

the fast food industry and the dangers of

unhealthy eating, and it sparked a curios-

ity that propelled her into the world of

nutrition.

In her free time, Liz still trains for and com-

petes at a high level in major road races

across the country as a member of the

local Potomac River Running race team.

And while she mostly enjoys the half and

full marathon distances, she will look for

anything that challenges her body, mind

and spirit. Over the past few years, Liz has

also learned the importance of cross-train-

ing, and started taking more spin classes,

hot yoga and weight training to keep her

strong and injury-free on the race scene!

drinking enough

water is still a crucial

part of the puzzle for

you, because it helps

you maintain a stable

weight during shorter

days, when we tend

to exercise less and eat more. How does this

work? By keeping up with your water intake,

your body is better able to break down fat

for energy, which helps to keep the extra

pounds off. Furthermore, a well-hydrated

body has better appetite control, because

when we’re dehydrated, we often think

that we’re hungry when we are actually just

thirsty.

So, even when you may not feel like you

need more hydration this winter, think again!

Remember to keep the water flowing this

season – despite the cold temperatures – if

you want to experience your best health and

the best version of yours.

5. Don’t

discount your

intake of water-

based foods.

Whole fruits

and vegetables

are a natural

source of water, so they can count

towards your daily intake. In addition,

broth-based soups are another great

option this time of year, since they

have a warming effect on our bodies

during the winter and provide extra

liquid hydration. Bonus: Fruits, veg-

gies and soups all contain valuable

vitamins and minerals that will keep

your energy up during these dreary

months of training!

If you are currently in a transition

period and have a little bit lighter of

a training load this time of year, this

information can still apply! Even if

you are in the “off-season” for now,

ES&F

EVEN IF YOU ARE IN THE “OFF-SEASON”

FOR NOW, DRINKING ENOUGH WATER IS

STILL A CRUCIAL PART OF THE PUZZLE

FOR YOU, BECAUSE IT HELPS YOU

MAINTAIN A STABLE WEIGHT DURING

SHORTER DAYS, WHEN WE TEND TO

EXERCISE LESS AND EAT MORE.



By Alix Shutello

CAMILLE HERRON

FEATUREES&F

MARATHONER

Camille Herron is a world-renowned olympiC maratHoner wHo’s won maratHons in 20 states. in 2013, Herron, tHen 31, ran Her first enduranCe distanCe raCe, tHe two oCeans 56k. wHile sHe felt sHe ran too Conservatively, sHe ended up plaCing 10tH overall and learned a lot in tHe proCess. sinCe tHen, Herron Has taCkled ultra running like sHe Has Her maratHons: witH a Competitive edge and a drive for Huge suCCess.

ES&F: We’d like to know how old you

were when you made that first step

to go to ultra distances. What drove

you over the edge? A life experience?

Just circumstance?

HERRON: I ran my first ultra in 2013

(age 31) at Two Oceans 56K in Cape

Town, South Africa, competing for

the Nedbank Running Club. I was try-

ing to overcome plantar fasciitis and just

logging a bunch of easy miles. Being be-

tween Olympic cycles, we thought it was

a good time to try to step up in distance. I

actually ran too conservatively not know-

ing what to expect, how I’d feel, or how

hard to push myself. I didn’t know what

place I was in until towards the end, and I

worked my way up from 15-20th to 11th (I

ultimately moved up to 10th because the

first woman tested positive for a steroid).

It was a huge disappointment for me. I’ve

gotten a lot more confident since then!

ES&F: How did you get where you are

today?

HERRON: I’ve always been athletic and

very coordinated. My dad and grandpa



FEATURE ES&F

HERRON

I’VE WON 20 MARATHONS (TRYING TO WIN IN ALL 50 STATES), QUALIFIED FOR 3 OLYMPIC MARATHON TRIALS, AND COMPETED FOR TEAM USA IN THE MARATHON AT THE 2011 OLYM-PIC MARATHON TRIALS. I ALSO RAN A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE FASTEST MARA-THON IN A SUPERHERO COSTUME (DRESSED AS SPIDERWOMAN, 2:48:51).

played basketball at Oklahoma State,

while my Mom was a swimmer/golfer/

bowler; they were my athletic inspirations

and I have good genes. I grew up as a

basketball player, was a dancer, and tried

just about everything. We lived out in the

country in Guthrie, Okla., so I ran around

the wheat fields by our house chasing the

wildlife! Our basket ball team had to run

track for off-season conditioning in the

7th grade. I could go and go and go from

the first day! I went out for cross country

the following fall, and that’s when I really

fell in love with running!

I won multiple track titles in high school

and got athletic and academic scholar-

ships to the University of Tulsa. I only ran

briefly in college because I had a bunch

of stress fractures, got a medical hard-

ship, and became a recreational runner.

In the meantime, I met my husband

(Conor), who was a pro runner trying to

qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials

(which he achieved in 2004). I helped

him with his running career by driving

with him on his long runs and handing

him fluids (while I was studying for my

hardcore science classes!). One day in

2004 we went running, and Conor learned

I was running farther than him. He wanted

to know how much I was running, which

was around 70 miles per week, just for

fun! He was shocked, and that’s when he

started coaching me and giving me harder

workouts! My running career took off from

there!

ES&F: So then how did your training take

off?

HERRON: I’ve averaged over 100 miles per

week since November 2006. I’m not

Continued on next page.


http://www.losttribeexpeditions.com/


FEATUREES&F About Camille Herron:

super fast, but I could literally run all

day! Conor always knew I’d become

an ultra runner, but he wanted me to

focus on the marathon. I got my PR

down to 2:37:14 (2012). I became a

prolific marathoner

(sponsored by

Marathonguide.

com). I’ve won 20

marathons (trying

to win in all 50

states), qualified for

3 Olympic Marathon

Trials, and competed for Team USA

in the marathon at the 2011 Olympic

Marathon Trials. I also ran a Guinness

World Record for the fastest marathon

in a superhero costume (dressed as

Spiderwoman. ES&F: When did you turn to running ultra marathons?

HERRON: I gave the marathon my all for 8

1/2 years. In 2015, we felt it was time to really

commit to the ultra running. I would have

never dreamed it would go as well as it has:

I’ve won two National titles (50 miles, 100K),

two World titles (50K,

100K), and surpassed

longstanding records set

by the legendary Ann

Trason. I’m truly grateful

for what I’ve achieved

so far, and excited about

what the future holds!

Fortunately I have an amazing support system

behind me, between my husband, sponsors,

friends/family, and my agents.

ES&F: Tell us about how your training has

changed, now that you are ultra running?

HERRON: As I mentioned, I’ve averaged over

100 miles per week since November 2006.,

but now I usually keep my mileage between

120-130 miles per week as this is my

sweet spot!

I run twice a day every day, unless

I’m tired, then I’ll do harder workouts

twice a week, which may or may not

be on my long run day. My training

philosophy is easy days easy and hard

days hard. I run 8- to 9-minute miles

on my easy runs. The recovery is very

key for being able to train consistently,

stay healthy, recover, and ultimately

race fast!

I work full-time as a research assistant

at the Univ. of Oklahoma Health Sci-

ence Center. Basically, I’m the bone

imaging specialist at OUHSC. I have

specialized training (from grad school)

in what’s called bone histomorphome-

try. Anybody who wants to study bone

sends us samples, and I do the imag-

ing/histology work. I LOVE my job and

the people I work with! I stand/walk

“I’m married and have a German Shepherd named Hawi (pronounced like Howie). I’m not a morning person at all and like to sleep, A LOT. I do my shorter runs around lunch time (which is a nice diversion from my sometimes stressful job). Then I do my longer runs in the evening (usually in the dark and kinda late!). I get in about 40-50 miles every weekend, and run twice a day. I love to eat as much as I love to run and sleep! I’m a big time meat eater, eat a lot of fat, and probably consume around 4000-6000 kcals a day. I gener-ally eat whole, natural foods, but I love fast food, steak and potatoes, ice cream, and hamburgers and french fries. We’re homebrewers, and I love whiskey. I’ve never missed my monthly period or had hormonal issues. I’m very in-tune with making sure I’m eating well and generally taking good care of my body. It takes a healthy body to be able to do what I do!”

“I RUN 8- TO 9-MINUTE MILES ON MY

EASY RUNS. THE RECOVERY IS KEY

FOR BEING ABLE TO TRAIN CONSIS-

TENTLY, STAY HEALTHY, RECOVER

AND ULTIMATELY RACE FAST!”

HERRON WINS THE IAU 50K WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS


FEATURE ES&F

I learned to push myself hard

from an early age. I will go to the point of

blacking out and run till you drop.

about 3-5 miles/day, on top of the

120-130 miles per week of running! ES&F: Are you sponsored?

HERRON: I’m currently sponsored by

Marathonguide.com and Allegiance

Credit Union. I have fantastic medical

support from chiropractor Kevin Jones

and Physical Therapist, Seaton Do.

I’m very grateful for some of the

unique product support from Run4

Bionic Runner (a cross training device),

Hyperwear (I have a sweet weight vest

and ice vest) and Roll Recovery (mas-

sage tool). All of my sponsors have

been fantastic to work with! I really

enjoy the relationships I’ve developed with

companies and how they want to help me be

the best I can be! I’m also now represented by

Ethan Veneklasen of Heard Sports Marketing

and Hawi Keflezighi of Hawi Management. I’m

very grateful for their help and guidance.

ES&F: It takes a certain mental fortitude to

do this sport. What drives you and keeps you

sustained during competition?

HERRON: The mental aspect is probably one

of my greatest strengths and why I’ve transi-

tioned quite well to the ultras. It takes greater

mentaI fortitude the longer the distance. I have

a Zen-like focus when I race and I’m very much

in the zone and don’t even smile (despite being

a smiley person!). I’m inspired by the Marathon

Monks of Mount Hiei, how hard they push

themselves (a do-or-die mentality!), how

they run for enlightenment about life, and

the capability of the human will.

I’m an extremely positive person and am

able to keep a fairly level head when I

race-you have peaks and valleys in every

race, and you have to work through them.

I’m intrinsically focused on my effort and

pushing myself as hard as I can. I race by ef-

fort, not the watch! I often think about my

training and previous races, and how I felt/

what was going through my head. Thinking

about what I’ve practiced over and over

again puts me at ease!

Continued on page 19.

IT TAKES GREATER MENTAI FORTITUDE THE LONGER THE DISTANCE. I HAVE A ZEN-LIKE FOCUS WHEN I RACE AND I’M VERY MUCH IN THE ZONE AND DON’T EVEN SMILE (DESPITE BEING A SMILEY PERSON!). I’M INSPIRED BY THE MARA-THON MONKS OF MOUNT HIEI, HOW HARD THEY PUSH THEMSELVES (A DO-OR-DIE MENTALITY!), HOW THEY RUN FOR ENLIGHTENMENT ABOUT LIFE, AND THE CAPABILITY OF THE HUMAN WILL.

I FEEL LIKE I’M BORN TO DO THIS, AND IT’S MY DESTINY TO ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS WITH THE ULTRA RUNNING! I FELT LIKE BILLY ELLIOT DOING BALLET, WHEN I RAN MY FIRST 100K LAST SPRING. IT FELT COMPLETELY NATURAL TO ME. IT’S REMARKABLE, AND I’M TRULY GRATEFUL FOR DISCOVERING MY TALENT! IT PUTS ME AT EASE, KNOWING AND FEELING THAT I’M DOING WHAT I WAS MEANT TO DO.


By Alix Shutello

ES&F IN FIRST PERSON

The Young Hurdler Turned Cross Country Runner

It all started many years ago when I was a

young athlete starting out as a hurdler on

the Watchung Hills Regional High School

track team. I have no idea why or how

I fell into doing hurdles, but I loved it. I

competed in the 100m and 400m hurdles

all through high school. In my senior year

(1986), I took to distance running and

joined the cross country team. I wasn’t the

best on the team at either of these sports,

but I finished in the top two-three on my

team for all of my events, and therefore

held a decent status in both track and field

and cross country.

In college I joined the Syracuse track team.

Let’s just say that was humbling, because

I jumped into one of the country’s top

running programs and found myself

struggling. Between issues juggling a poor

self-body image, bad eating habits, and

that fact that I really couldn’t keep up with

the training, I eventually dropped out of

the program. To get over that failure (at

least I thought it was a failure), I decided

to train for the Boston Marathon as way to

redeem myself. I didn’t think much about

it, I just did it, and was proud to complete

my first marathon at age 18.

After that I ran recreationally and enjoyed

the sport for what it was – my sanctuary

to reduce stress and keep fit. I didn’t feel

the need to run marathons; just shorter

races for recreational purposes. I was also

a veteran equestrian and competed for

the Syracuse equestrian team. I worked

off horseback riding lessons by mucking

out stalls and cleaning barns. To this day

running and riding are two of my favorite

sports.

Fortunately, during all those years of run-

ning competitively for high school track

and even for the Syracuse track team,

I never had bad injuries. When I was a

senior in high school I probably had what

chalked up to tendonitis of my knee, but

aside from that, whenever I went to the

doctor for issues concerning pain, all they

told me was that I didn’t have an injury,

but that my patella was in the wrong

place, or my femur bones were too long

and that I probably shouldn’t be running.

So I just kept running. The only anomaly I

ever noticed about myself was that when

I did leg lifts, my left leg would click as I

lowered it to the floor. It didn’t hurt, it just

clicked and felt weird.

By Alix Shutello

My Hip SurgeryThis is the first time I am writing about myself in a deep and personal way regarding my recent hip surgery to fix a labral tear. Interestingly, after I told the story of my journey of how it was even discovered that I needed hip surgery, many of my friends said I needed to write about it.

I realized that all of us, whether we are athletes or not, may have issues with our bodies at some point in time during our jour-ney through life – and while I am not a trained psychologist or physical therapist, I am a runner with over 30 years of personal experience and a certified running coach who has coached people to successful races. I hope that you find this story helpful if you find yourself in a similar situation.

AREA WHERE I’VE FELT PAIN ALL THESE YEARS



By Alix Shutello

ERM

ES&FIN FIRST PERSON

Running into Motherhood

It wasn’t until I got married that I decided

to run my second marathon, the San Diego

Marathon, some 16 years later. I had no

problem with training for the race and

used a run/walk method to train. I ran that

marathon two months pregnant and had

absolutely no issues except for some tight-

ness in my left hamstring.

I ran my first 5k nine months after having

my first son. Aside from feeling grossly out

of shape, I finished the race in under 30

minutes and started building back my fit-

ness. I had my second son three years later

and started training for longer races, like

the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, and fell in love

with that distance.

Through all of my training, I was never

running crazy distances, even though my

friends and family assumed I was out there

logging 50+ miles a week I wasn’t. Between

work, motherhood and my hamstring pain,

I really had trouble for a number of years

finding the right type of balance in my life.

Through all of my training and competi-

tions through the years, my left hip still

clicked when I did leg raises, and the top of

my left hamstring always seemed to give

me issues. In fact, I started a blog entitled

Tighthams named affectionately after my

left hamstring. Little did I know I didn’t

have a hamstring issue per se….ah what

little we

know about

our own

bodies.

In 2010, I

ramped up

my distance

training. With my boys out of the baby

stage. I felt it was time to start competing

more often. I turned my focus to endurance

running. My goal was to kick out a few

marathons and then try to do a few ultras,

but my efforts were hampered by pain on

my left side when I ran training distances

of 16 miles or more, and worse, I started

to experience a bad tightening in my right

calf. Those issues would lead down a very

long and painful road to discovering I had a

major injury which needed surgery.

2011: A Stellar Year turns to DNF

In 2011, I had a stellar year. I ran some

great races. I had a personal record

(PR) at the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler

(1:27:39), a PR at the Falmouth Road

Race (sub 1-hour), as well as a PR

at the Wilson Bridge Half Marathon

(1:56).

In fact, things were so good I decided

that I should run the Marine Corps

Marathon (MCM)! I trained diligently,

but experienced pain in both of my

calves where they’d tighten up to the

point where I’d have to stop and walk.

It was a hot summer (aren’t all Virginia

summers hot?) and I figured I was de-

hydrated. Again, just like lst year, the

pain would start when I’d run longer

than 16 miles. The fits and starts with

my running hampered my

efforts to get in he distance

training in that I needed to

be successful at the mara-

thon.

Despite the issues I had, I

went into the MCM some-

what confident, meaning I had my strategy

in place but really worried what would hap-

pen after 18 miles or so. What hung heavy

in the back of my mind was wondering

what was going on with my legs.

I trained as best I could for MCM, but

frankly the calf pain on both legs really

sucked the mojo from me; and this was a

big race


ME, BEFORE SYSTEM FAILURE AT MILE 18. DON’T LET THE SMILE FOOL,YOU. I WAS HURTING BAD!

“...THINGS WERE SO GOOD I DECID-

ED I SHOULD RUN THE MARATON. I

TRAINED DILIGENTLY, BUT STARTED

HAVING COMPLICATIONS WITH MY

CALVES WHERE THEY’D TIGHETEN

UP TO THE POINT WHERE I’D HAVE

TO STOP AND WALK.”



IN FIRST PERSON

ERM

Continued from page 13.

I had talked up to everyone. My sister

came in from New Jersey to support

me. My whole family and long-time run-

ning partner, Christine Erbacher, were

waiting for me, at mile 18. Christine was

poised and ready to run miles 18-26

with me and I was amped up despite

the physical issues I was having. I had

my whole race planned out in my head

and planned to hit certain milestones. I

was ready....until I wasn’t.

Unfortunately, as you might guess, the

MCM was a disaster. My body failed me

at 13.5 miles. My goal was to run the

first part of the marathon in 2 hours

or under. After I completed 10 miles, I

started to feel fatigue in my calves.

Christine, who was following my pace

online, noticed a big drop-off after mile

12 when I wasn’t keeping my 9:30 pace,

and knew there was something wrong.

I tried to eat my way through the pain,

worried that I was dehydrated. When

that didn’t work, I didn’t panic, but I had

to start talking to myself about the pain

and how I was going to work through it.

I doubted my decision to run a mara-

thon in shorts when it was 32 degrees

andthought that maybe my calves were

cold. However, I’d run other shorter

races (like the Cherry Blossom 10-miler)

in freezing temperatures in running

shorts and was just fine, so I trusted my

decision - that is, until I started to hurt.

Teaching Moment: When pain sets in

earlier than you expect it to it can wreak

havoc on your mental game. I was pre-

pared to walk during the marathon if I

needed to as part of my race plan, but

only after 20 miles if my pain was really

bad; I certainly didn’t expect that I’d fall

apart earlier than that.

By mile 16, both of my calves seized up

so badly that it felt like my calf muscles

were torn from the bone. Unfortunately,

because it was so cold, I started to shiv-

er violently when I stopped to stretch

my calves. When I passed my family

at mile 18, I was preparing to change

my race plan. I was so embarrassed -

everyone was there waiting for me and

here I came looking like I wanted to

cry. Christine joined me, and about a

half mile later I had to stop. I couldn’t

stand up, but sitting made me cold.

Poor Christine was helpless, because

there was nothing she could do at this

point except stand by and watch me go

through the mental anguish of pulling

out of the race. God love her, she stood

with me while I tried to regain my com-

posure, but in freezing temperatures, a

sweating human body at rest wearing

only a t-shirt and shorts will start to go

hypothermic almost instantly. I pulled

the rip cord and just walked off the

racecourse, disgusted and in tons of

pain. To add insult to injury, Christine

didn’t get her training run in and my

family stood in the cold for nothing.

MY SISTER, AMY, AND I BEFORE THE MARINE CORPS MARATHON

ES&F

I HAD MY WHOLE RACE PLANNED OUT IN MY HEAD AND PLANNED TO HIT CERTAIN MILESTONES. I WAS READY....UNTIL I WASNT.



ERM

2012: Success on the Trails and Tears on the Sand

I took some time off after the MCM to

heal and figure out what to do with my-

self, and over the winter, I started train-

ing again. In June 2014, I completed my

first trail race, The EX2 Off-Road 10k. It

was a hell of a hilly race and all I wanted

to do was break 60 minutes. Not only did

I do that (my time was 58:28), but I came

in the top four women in my age group

and actually made the podium (and then

of course I got mad that I didn’t really

apply myself and thought I could have

done better!)

I attribute the success I had at the EX2

to a speed training program I joined

with the Potomac River Running Store

in Burke Lake, Va. and my coach, Kelly

Kavanaugh.

Unfortunately, we were all so dedicated

to the class, I joined our sprint session at

4 p.m. the day of the EX2 10k. All I can

tell you is that I overdid it. Something

popped along the back of my left side

(obviously not my hamstring or I would

not have been able to run at all) and

after that afternoon, I had to slow things

down for a few weeks just to make sure

I didn’t force my training for my next

Falmouth Road Race in August.

There is no proof that this was the day

I tore my labrum, but let’s just say after

that fateful afternoon, things got pro-

gressively worse. My Falmouth race was

okay but slower (I was trying to run the

race every year) because I could not kick

it in during the finish.

I was signed up for the Gulf Beach Half

Marathon in Milford, Conn. on Septem-

ber 25, 2012. Training for the half proved

difficult like it had for the MCM. While I

could run up to 10 miles with no issues,

it was beyond that where I would have

complications. Pain in my calves would

start and soon I’d

seize up and would

need to stop and

walk, but I went to

Milford motivated

because I was run-

ning with my friend,

Barb Murillo, a very

strong endurance

runner. After 7 or

8 miles, I started

to feel pain and at

my regular 10-mile

threshold, I started

falling apart and

pulled back.

The race was pain-

ful and difficult. I

crossed the finish

line in tears due to

pain in my calves.

My time was a dis-

appointing 2:08:53,

over 12 minutes

slower than my race

at the Wilson Bridge

Half Marathon a

year earlier. I was starting to slow down

and couldn’t figure out why; so I went

back to the drawing board, took some

time off and started training again.

2013: A Pseudo Year Off

In 2013 I ran some decent races as

long as they were less than 10 miles, all

of which ended fine but with a lot of

muscle tightening in my calves and feet.

I even went to the doctor to have my

plantar fascia looked at, since by now


ES&FIN FIRST PERSON

“FRANKLY ALTHOUGH I WAS ABSOLUTE-

LY DYING IN PAIN, I RAN A 2:05 DESPITE

ALL THE ISSUES I WAS HAVING AND THE

FACT THAT I PULLED UP AND STOPPED

AT MILE 9 AND ALLOWED MYSELF ONE

MINUTE TO GIVE MY FEET A BREAK

FROM THE PAIN.”

THE NORTH FACE CHALLENGE 10K




issues with my feet were more chronic

than with my calves. That proved to be

a useless endeavor. The orthopedist

didn’t send me to PT and I decided to

go on my own. The cool thing about

The Jackson Clinics here in Northern

Virginia is that that they were able to

analyze my running form. From there

we learned my form was good, but

they noticed some weakness on my

left side, which wasn’t surprising. We

worked on some basic exercises for my

hips and calves. I did them, felt stron-

ger and went back out there and tried

to be more balanced in my approach

to running and strength training.

2014: Rest, then Training, Doesn’t Work

In 2014 I started off strong in the

spring and ran a PR at The North Face

Endurance Challenge 10k in June.

However, as I trained through the sum-

mer, I (again) was hampered by my calf

AND plantar fascia issues.

My performance at Falmouth in

August was terrible. I shook it off and

concentrated on my next race, the

Rohoboth Half Marathon in December.

Training for half marathons is relatively

easy for me, but on one chilly Novem-

ber evening Christine and I went out

for a long run. We were moving along

so well, until at mile 8, my feet just

cramped up. The pain was unbeliev-

able and I stopped to walk. Christine

ran ahead and finished her 13 miles. I

choked out 10 or so before calling in a

ride to get me home.

I really considered dropping from

the race, but Rohoboth is extremely

expensive; so I took a couple of weeks

off before the race and decided to

power through. Frankly, although I was

absolutely dying in pain, I ran pretty

well. My time was 2:05, but I pulled up

at mile 9 allowed myself one minute to

give my feet a break from the pain. I

knew my middle miles were slow, but

after I took my break, I averaged an

8:46 pace for the last five miles. After

the race I had a masseuse work on my

feet. She said she honestly didn’t know

how I ran, considering how tight my

plantar fascia were.

2015: Devices of Torture, Salt Pills and More Pain

In the winter of 2015 I took another 6

weeks off to build core strength and

endurance through cross training. In

the spring of 2015, I prepped like hell

for the summer training season. I did a

lot of yoga and added spin classes to

my cross training routine. My running

was strong, but when I really started to

kick up the miles the pain came back

again. I ran a local 10-mile trail race

and had difficulties at mile 8 with calf

pain and tightness in my feet. Same

old thing! I was disappointed about

the pain but decided I was fit enough

IN FIRST PERSONES&F

DR. DAVIS TOLD ME ATHLETES TEAR THEIR LABRAL CARTILAGE ALL THE TIME. IN FACT, WHILE SOMETIMES OUR SPORTS IS A LARGE FACTOR IN CAUSING THE TEAR, THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE FOR ME. I PROBABLY TORE IT MANY YEARS AGO, JUST FROM DAILY USE. EXERCISE MADE IT WORSE THROUGH TIME, BUT THE BODY IS AN AMAZING THING. IT ADJUSTS ITSELF, AND IN THE PROCESS OF THAT ADJUSTMENT OUR FORM CHANGES.

TRAIN

ING

RUN

WH

ILE COVERIN

G TH

E CA

PE FEAR 50K A

ND

50-MILER



IN FIRST PERSON ES&F

to train for a marathon again. I joined

the Potomac River Running Distance

Training program to prepare myself.

I started off the training program well.

I didn’t have any calf pain until my first

14-mile training run. I appoached my

coach, Taneen Carvell, and she thought

that dehydration might be contributing

to the calf issues - especially since my

pain subsided after I ran.

I incorporated salt pills into my training

and I also started rolling out on what I

call my devices of torture (foam rollers).

Nothing hurts more than rolling out on

a studded roller. I had rollers for my feet

and my legs and used them to make

sure I was improving circulation and

loosening my tight calf muscles. l

Nothing seemed to work and it seemed

my dreams of completing a marathon

were fading. One week, my 16-mile

training run hurt like living hell. The

next week, I’d run 15 miles with no pain

at all. The week after that, 16 miles hurt

again, and so on and so forth. It didn’t

matter if I ran fast or slow or what doses

of water/salt/calories I fed myself. The

results were the same, and the more I

ramped up, the quicker my issues went

from acute to chronic. My left upper

hamstring was hurting more, but at

least my other issues seemed to be at

bay - unless, of course, I ran more than

13 or 14 miles.

I designed my training program so that

I would run the Yellowstone Half Mara-

thon in September 2015 as a fast train-

ing run for the Baltimore Marathon a

month later. Then, if I ran the marathon

well, I was going to train for the JFK 50k

and see if I could move myself beyond

the marathon.

Things would not work out that way.

I went to Yellowstone very nervous

about being in pain, but I was super

mentallly prepared. Despite the 6,200-

foot elevation, I ran a very solid race

and was thrilled at my performance

at elevation in excrutiating pain. I ran

despite my pain and picked people

off one by one until I was about as far

ahead of the pack as I could go. I will

admit, the end of the race was difficult

for two reasons: First ,my time was a lot

slower than predicted, but the race was

literally 13.1 miles uphill at elevation, so

I tried to cut myself some slack.

However, within minutes, after I fin-

ished the race I couldn’t even stand up.

My calves were screaming in pain to

the point where I had to sit down. The

masseuse at that race said my calves

were pulsating and she wasn’t sure

what to do.

Being the stubborn oaf that I am, I was

still training for the Baltimore Marathon

and needed to run another 5 miles to

complete an 18-mile training run, but

there was no way I could run anymore.

Instead, after my pain subsided, I hiked

5 miles later that day in Grand Teton

National Park.

I reported my race experience to Coach

Taneen and decided not to run the


FALM

OU

TH RO

AD

RACE 2013

.

...I NEEDED TO RUN ANOTHER 5 MILES TO COMPETE

AN 18-MILE TRAINING RUN....AFTER MY PAIN SUB-

SIDED, I HIKED 5 MILES LATER THAT DAY IN GRAND

TETON NATIONAL PARK.



ES&F IN FIRST PERSON


Baltimore Marathon. I changed my race

entry and ran the Baltimore Half Mara-

thon a month later.

By the time I toed the line for the

Baltimore Half , I decided to see an

orthopedist. I couldn’t run like this any

longer. Like every other race, I ran strong

until mile 8 or 9 before pain set in. The

last 5miles of the Baltimore Half were

depressing. I wanted to get the race over

with instead of savor the experience. I fin-

ished, went home and found some help.

Finally, Some Answers to Long-Term Problems

I ran the Yellowstone Half Marathon

extremely nervous I’d fail there. Lisa

Smith-Batchen, the famous endurance

athlete who is the race director for the

Yellowstone races, wondered if I had

compartment syndrome, since my pain

would subside within an hour or two after

I stopped running.

I read up on compartment syndrome

and wasn’t pleased. If I had compartment

syndrome, there were surgical procedures

I could do, but there was no way I’d ever

get surgery to fix this type of problem; I’d

just need to accept it and relegate myself

to 10ks. Endurance running would be out

of the picture forever, for running with

compartment syndrome and pushing it

is dangerous and could create long-term

health issues.

So when I started the Baltimore Half, I

knew this would be my last race for a

while and that I owed it to myself to find

help.

I was referred to Dr. Lonnie Davis. Dr.

Davis, who’s run a marathon or two, has

seen many of the runners in our area. I

went to him and explained what hap-

pened during the Yellowstone Half. He

agreed I might have

compartment syn-

drome but asked

me to go to PT to

do some strength

training on my hips.

When I told him

about the upper

hamstring issue he

wanted me to take a couple of weeks off,

do some strength training and come back

in a month.

I did just that. I shortened my runs to just

3 miles and did the PT dutifully. In late

November, Dr. Davis felt that I didn’t have

compartment syndrome. He asked to me

to a couple of simple tests and concluded

that there was something wrong with my

hip. I was shocked. My hip?

Dr. Davis told me athletes tear their

labral cartilage all the time. In fact, while

sometimes our sports is a large factor

in causing the tear, that may not have

been the case for me. I probably tore it

many years ago, just from daily

use. Exercise made it worse

through time but the body is

an amazing thing. It adjusts it-

self, and in the process of that

adjustment, our running form

changes. Dr. Davis suspected

that my running form changed

to take the pressure off my hip,

so I relied more on my calves

to do more of the work when I ran. My

calves (and feet) could take the pounding

for only so long, which explains why they

fatigued after a point, causing me great

pain and tightness. To prove this theory, I

needed an MRI.

The Surgery:

Labral hip surgery is an outpatient procedure where, through orthoscopic surgery, labral tears are fixed. In my case, they needed to repair a tear near the bottom of the hip cradle. The tear there made me compensate, roll forward, and put pressure on my calves to save my hip from pain.

THE DOWNTIME, THE DOC-TOR SAID, WOULD BE THREE MONTHS – MANDATORY 12

WEEKS OF REHAB ONLY – NO TRAINING, NO RUNNING,

NO HARD IMPACT PERIOD.

ME, TWO DAYS POST OP

LABRA

L TEAR EXM

PLE



Camille Herron: Continued from page 11.

I recall as a kid being told by Dad how they

practiced in college for 6-plus hours without

water. Thinking this is what I had to do to

get better, as a 7-year-old I was out there in

the middle of July, practicing all day in the

heat, to the point of extreme exhaustion and

blacking out. Then I’d run inside for some

apples with peanut butter, drink a Coke, and

then run back out and keep practicing. I was

a different sort of kid for sure, and these sort

of experiences have definitely shaped how

hard I’m willing to push myself now as an

ultrarunner.

I’ve also had people doubt me throughout

my life, along with people who have always

believed in me. I’m fueled by both the nega-

tive and the positive – I want to win over and

over and over again to prove any doubters

wrong and do it for the people who have

always believed in me!

I feel like I’m born to do this, and it’s my

destiny to achieve great things with the ultra

running! I felt like Billy Elliot doing ballet,

when I ran my first 100K last spring. It felt

completely natural to me. It’s remarkable, and

I’m truly grateful for discovering my talent! It

puts me at ease, knowing and feeling that I’m

doing what I was meant to do.

I learned to hurt and push myself HARD from

an early age. I will go to the point of black-

ing out and “run til you drop”. I’m wired this

way! I’m fueled by the doubters and also the

people who believe in me.

An MRI and a Decision

Dr. Davis reported in the follow-up exam

to my MRI that I had a very severe labral

tear, as well other small tears in my left

hip. I was so relieved to hear this. Finally,

somebody found an injury which was

contribuing to my other acute running

issues. All the calf-tightening and pain

I experienced when running long dis-

tances came from adjustments my body

made to take pressure off the tear. As a

result, I was unaware that I was asking

my calves to do all the work.

I asked him, “Can you fix this?” He said

surgery was the best option to fix the

tear, but that there were no guarantees

that the tear would heal properly or,

if the tear was really bad, that there

wouldn’t be long-term complications if

I started to ramp up again; but for most

athletes, fixing a labral tear is a routine

thing which enables us to resume com-

petition. The downtime, the doctor said,

would be three months – mandatory 12

weeks of rehab only – no training, no

running, no hard impact period.

I asked what would happen if I didn’t

choose the surgery. He advised that

there was a possibility of having com-

plications with arthritis and, of course,

continued pain in the years to come.

I decided on the surgery at the appoint-

ment. Two weeks later, I had the proce-

dure done and have been in recovery for

six weeks now.

It’s been challenging for me to not exer-

cise because I am so active – and it will

be difficult for me to start training again

literally one mile at a time; but three

months is a small price to

pay for building myself

back up again, and hope-

fully, making a comeback

stronger than ever before,

and more importantly,

willing to go any distance

that I choose.

Alix Shutello is the CEO and Publisher of Endur-ance Sports & Fitness.

IN FIRST PERSON ES&F

ME, TWO DAYS POST OP

LABRA

L TEAR EXM

PLE

SUBSCRIBE TO

ES&F


http://www.shopendurancesportsandfitness.com


#1 GENGHIS KHAN ADVENTURE FESTIVAL (MOUNTAIN BIKE STAGE RACE & GRASSLAND EXTREME MARATHON) July 1-3, 2016, CHina’s inner mongolia autonomous region (XilinHot)

Celebrating the 10th anniversary this

year, the Genghis Khan Mountain Bik-

ing Adventure consists of a three-day

stage race that covers more than 200

km on the rolling grasslands of Inner

Mongolia. The course includes hard-

packed single track, jeep trails, and lush

vibrant green grasslands that go for

as far as the eye can see. Be prepared

though, the last few years has seen an

emergence of Chinese and Mongolian

National Team road cyclists converge

on the grasslands to mix it up in the

multi-day event .

If you prefer running, the race includes

a marathon, half marathon, and 11 km

contests that travel along the same

well-groomed grassland trails. How-

ever, the pinnacle of this adventure is

the crown jewel known as the King of

the Grassland (KOG) competition which

encompasses the trail marathon and all

three of the MTB stage races over the

course of three days. In recent years,

less than 50 percent of all competitors

have been able to finish the KOG clas-

sification (a testament to how tough

the event is).

#2 IRONMAN 70.3 ASIA-PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS august 7, 2016, Cebu, pHilippines

Be part of a world-class event as Iron-

man Philippines hosts the 2016 Iron-

2016 RACESES&F

Six of the Toughest

Endurance Races in Asia

If you are anything like me, racing is really just an excuse to see the world. Whether you are a runner, triathlete, or endurance race enthusiast, this is a list for those who seek to test their limits in the most exotic race destinations scattered throughout Asia. Set your sights high and race one or more of these events in 2016. I guarantee the memories will last well beyond the initial suffering.

By Charles Epperson

GHENGIS KHAN - RUNNING OPTION



2016 RACES ES&F

man 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championships.

“It is very Kona-esk. If you want to race

Kona, do this race – the heat, the wind, the

atmosphere of the crowd. This race is the

crown jewel of Asia,” according to Geoff

Meyer, CEO, World Triathlon Corporation.

As one of the most professional event

management teams in the industry,

Sunrise Events continues to branch out

and deliver phenomenal race experiences

throughout southeast Asia. The popularity

of the sport and this venue in particular

has led to the race reaching capacity (2,500

slots) within an hour of opening registra-

tion the last two years.

With a vibrant triathlon scene emerging in

the Philippines, Cebu is a perfect fit to host

the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Champion-

ship. “We intend to stage our best event

yet which will coincide with our five-year

anniversary in Cebu and our eighth year

in partnership with Ironman,” said Wilfred

“Fred” Steven Uytengsu, Jr., president and

chairman of Sunrise Events.

However, arrive prepared to do battle with

more than just the distance and competi-

tion. August in the Philippines is hot by

anyone’s standard, and this race has a repu-

tation to deliver a knockout punch midway

into the run. You were warned!

If you miss the opportunity to secure

a slot in Cebu, then seriously consider

racing Ironman Vietnam held in Danang.

Home to an array of cultural attractions

and within a short drive to three UNESCO

World Heritage sites, it might be a little less

competitive, but it will be an equally amaz-

ing adventure in its own right.

Alternate races: Ironman 70.3 Vietnam,

(May 10) or Century Tuna 70.3 Subic, PI

(March 6)

#3 XTERRA MALAYASIA may 7-8, 2016, langkawi, malaysia

The XTERRA brand carries a mystique and

reputation of delivering a tough and chal-

lenging course across the triathlon and trail

running communities. XTERRA Malaysia

rises to the top as one of the most brutal

yet exotic race venues in the Asia Pacific

circuit. After a number of years of hosting

this event on the mainland of Malaysia,

race director Sean Chee relocated the race

to Langkawi in 2015. Chee secured the

rights to host the prestigious XTERRA Asian

Tour Series Championships that draws

some of the world’s best off-road triath-

letes to Langkawi each May.

With back-to-back races on Saturday and

Sunday, day one is reserved for the hard-

core off-road triathletes with Sprint and

Championship caliber distances offered.

Taking full advantage of Langkawi’s dense

and tropical landscape, both the run and

triathlon are highlighted by steep climbs

and uneven descents that can break even

the most seasoned athletes. If the 400m

of climbing on the first 8 km were not

enough, course architect Dave Spence

insisted on tacking on an off-canter 4 km

beach run before finishing the event on

the white sands at the Berajay Resort.

XTERRA Philippines is a race that gets

better each year. The race organization

and venue rival none, so it remains a staple

event for many professional off-road

triathletes looking to start their annual

campaigns.

Alternate races: XTERRA Philippines, Albay,

Philippines (Feb. 7)

#4 BORNEO TMBT ULTRA TRAIL RUN (TMBT) oCtober 29, 2016, sabaH, borneo

The TMBT is advertised as “an extreme,

outdoor ultra trail marathon catering to


TAIW

AN

KOM



2016 RACESES&F


the experienced, seasoned trail runners

wishing to participate in the 50 km or 100

km (distances).” In 2015, the TMBT com-

bined with the Borneo Ultra Trail Marathon

to maximize resources to provide athletes

an unparalleled experience.

Hui Mathews, a Kuala Lumpur-based ultra

runner and founder of the athletic apparel

brand ash be nimble, offered this assess-

ment,“ The TMBT is a rite of passage for

most Malaysian ultra runners. The course

is a good mix of technical, single trail

jungle, river crossings, and crazy climbs

mixed among some village roads.”

The majority of the race takes place on

the base and Mount Kinabalu towards the

southern side of Mount Kinabalu and then

leads runners to the southeastern side to

the Bundu Tuhan Valley to finish in the vil-

lage of Kundasang. With more than 6,000

meters of elevation gain,

the race had an attrition

rate nearing 30 percent

for the 100 km event. This

past June, Mount Kinabalu

was the site of a devastat-

ing earthquake but race di-

rectors remained vigilant and worked hard

to ensure the 2015 race was contested on

schedule.

#5 TAIWAN KOM CHALLENGE end of oCtober or early november 2016, QiXingtan, taiwan

The Taiwan KOM Challenge has emerged

as the headline event of the Taiwan Cycling

Festival held each November. With over 70

percent of Taiwan defined as mountainous,

it is no wonder that race organizers sought

out the tallest mountain accessible by road

to host this legendary climb. Although

the race is young (5th year) in comparison

to some of the great European cycling

races, it has drawn international attention

from professional and recreational cycling

enthusiasts alike.

The KOM Challenge starts at sea level in

the coastal town of Qixingtan. As riders

are required to ride the first 18 km neutral,

the “real” race begins as the road snakes

through the beautiful Taroko Gorge to the

peak of HeHuan, taking the cyclist from

sea level up to 3,275 meters or nearly

11,000 feet at the finish.

The race is famous for being so long, a con-

tinual ascent that lasts for 87 kilometers

(total race distance is 105 km). It is argu-

ably one of the hardest single-day cycling

IRONMAN 70.3 VIETNAM XTERRA PHILIPPINES



races in Asia, if not the entire world. The

climb culminates with a final torturous 8 km

ascent with an average 17 percent gradient

magnified by the thin air; it has a reputation

to leave even the most conditioned rider a

bit disoriented.

The 2015 edition started over 400 riders

from 32 countries that offered the best

climbers a shot at the $75,000 prize purse.

An equally tough race is contested each De-

cember in Saipan. The Hell of the Marianas

(HOM) covers just over 100 km with ascents

totaling over 5,000 feet. While riders of the

Taiwan KOM Challenge must be prepared

for the altitude, it is the heat and humid-

ity that pose the biggest threats to HOM

competitors.

Alternate race: The 10th Annual Hell of the

Marianas (HOM), Saipan, Commonwealth of

Northern Mariana Islands (Dec.)

#6 FUJI MOUNTAIN RACE

neXt raCe: tbd, fuJiyosHida, Japan

As the Japanese say, “A wise man climbs Fuji

once, and a fool twice.” It has yet to be deter-

mined where running to the summit falls in

terms of measuring one’s sanity.

It is hard to find a more iconic destination

than Mount Fuji. The Fuji Mountain Race

is widely considered to be one of Asia’s

toughest running events in a country that is

infatuated with running. The city of Fujiyo-

shida serves as the epicenter of this event

and plays host to over 3,000 competitors

annually. The 69th Annual Fuji Mountain

Race offers runners two distances – a 21 km

summit course and the shorter 15 km ver-

sion that concludes at the 5th Station.

Not so different from Japan’s train sched-

ule, the Fuji Mountain Race follows a strict

adherence to time limits and checkpoints;

runners are forced to abandon and return

down the mountain if any are missed. But,

for those who make it to the peak, they’ll

be rewarded with majestic views who rival

none. This is a test for those that appreci-

ate climbing, as the race gains over 3,000

meters en route to Mount Fuji’s summit.

The race is capped and typically accepts ap-

plications during a three-day window each

March.

If you are unable to secure a slot in the Fuji

Mountain Race, the Fujiyoshida Fire Festival

Road Race is the ideal alternative. The

competition is fierce and the course even

more so. The Fire Festival that marks an end

to the climbing season on Mount Fuji is an

amazing cultural celebration that should not

be missed.

Alternate race: Fujiyoshida Fire Festival 5,

10, & 21 km races (end of August)

ES&F2016 RACES

XTERRA PHILIPPINES

VIETNAM

VIETNAM



RACING FOR A CAUSEES&F

MARIA CONCEICAO

Portuguese Charity Founder Makes History With Three New World Records

777 Challenge Conquered In December 2015, Portuguese-born

and Dubai-based humanitarian Maria

Conceicao conquered the 777 Chal-

lenge in a world-record finish in her re-

lentless dedication to raise awareness

and funds for underprivileged children

living in the slums.

The 777 Challenge was the first

endurance adventure of its kind that

required running seven official mara-

thons over seven continents in seven

consecutive days. The event kicked off

on February 8 in

Australia, followed

by consecutive

legs that took

place in the UAE,

France, Tunisia, the

USA and Chile. The

race hit a snag on

its last stage, as

several attempts

to fly to Antarctica were aborted due

to bad weather and low visibility. After

being stranded in Chile for four days,

the team finally got the clearance to

fly to Antarctica on February 18 to

complete the race.

It was an epic finish nonetheless for

Maria, who created history by officially

becoming the fastest woman to com-

plete an official marathon in each con-

tinent. The previous Guinness World

Record was 48 days as opposed to the

mere 11 days

it took Maria.

The previous

record for the

fastest woman

to complete a

marathon and

an ultra mara-

thon on each

continent was

1 year and 180 days. Maria completed

her marathons and ultra marathons

within a year.

These latest achievements take Maria’s

record-breaking tally to a total of 6, all

achieved within 11 months.

Founder of the Maria Cristina Founda-

tion, the iron-willed Maria pushes her

own physical limits to raise awareness

and funds for underprivileged children

living in the slums of Dhaka, Bangla-

desh. Exhaustion, body pain, and jet

lag aside, Maria said, “I am still finding

it hard to believe that I have completed

the challenge in 11 days. I am not a

fast runner, but I was so determined

that nothing would have stopped me

from finishing this challenge. Although

I trained hard for months to complete

the challenge, I do feel very lucky

even to just get through. Maybe it is

destiny? All I know is that my commit-

THE 777 CHALLENGE WAS THE FIRST ENDURANCE ADVENTURE OF ITS KIND THAT REQUIRED RUNNING 7 OF-FICIAL MARATHONS OVER 7 CONTI-NENTS IN 7 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. THE EVENT KICKED OFF ON FEBRUARY 8 IN AUSTRALIA, FOLLOWED BY CONSECU-TIVE LEGS THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE UAE, FRANCE,



RACE REPORT

ERM

ment to help others gives me power to see

the challenges through. I ran to secure the

future of my 200 children. Our foundation

is consistently strong with purpose and

vision, but we struggle financially. This will

always be the toughest challenge. I hope

that my adoptive mother Maria Cristina

Matos da Cunha would be proud.”

Maria was joined by two other Dubai-based

expats – Rosa Areosa and Saul Keens, and

Lorena Puica from the UK – all supporters

of the foundation. Alltogether, the group

endeavoured to promote the foundation’s

cause: to help children in the slums of

Dhaka, Bangladesh get a quality education

that would lay the foundation for a reward-

ing career path and help them and their

families break the cycle of poverty.

“I have to be honest, there were many tears

and difficulties during the challenge. My

feet were swollen from all the running and

flying and my heart is still aching for the

168 children we haven’t been able to re-

register in the new academic year of 2016.

I was hoping to create a media buzz with

a success story of fundraising by complet-

ing the 777 Challenge. Me alone finishing

this challenge will not make it success-

ful; it is only when people come forward

and donate that will ultimately make this

gruelling challenge worthwhile. I am so

thankful to Nabil Dalle for sponsoring me

to take part in this event, Imran Ahmed,

and Full Potential UK for sponsoring parts

of my training. Thank you to Sports in Life

Dubai, who provided all my running kit and

sports nutrition during the training and the

challenge, and thank you to Right Bite for

supplying my meals during 777 training.”

Conceicao, a woman with an incredible

life-story herself, has recently published her

autobiography, which also tells the story

of Maria Cristina Foundation. All proceeds

from the book go towards the education of

the children living in the slums of Dhaka,

Bangladesh. Copies can be purchased by

making a donation on the charity’s website

and informing the administration of your

address to send the book to.

For donations, updates and more about

the Maria Cristina Foundation ,please visit

www.mariacristinafoundation.org or www.

facebook.com/MariaCristinaFoundation.

ES&F


www.facebook.com/MariaCristinaFoundation

www.facebook.com/MariaCristinaFoundation

26

ES&F

About Maria Conceicao

Maria is a Portuguese national, raised from an early age by her

Angolan adoptive mother Maria Cristina, who welcomed her as

a member of her own family. Maria was educated in Portugal

before joining a UAE-based airline as a flight attendant – a job

which took her to the slums of Dhaka and changed her life.

About Maria Cristina Foundation

MCF was established by Maria in 2005 to give the slum children

of Dhaka the same opportunities to escape poverty through

education that she herself had had. The Foundation provides

financial support, school fees, books, uniforms, school transport,

medical, dental and housing expenses to over 200 impoverished

children and their families in Dhaka, before helping them find fur-

ther education and full-time gainful employment internationally.

For more information, please contact:

Hiba Al Hafidh / Lorena Fajardo

Tarabut PR

Mob: +971 56 1151755 / +971 55 5276519

Email: [email protected]/[email protected]

RACE REPORT

http://www.badwater.com


RACE REPORT

ERM


http://www.badwater.com


ES&F

Cool ProductsBecoming an Ultra BodyFit by Sports Authority

PRODUCT REVIEW

Sports Authority has done something kinda cool. They’ve

developed a bunch of products for folks who are inter-

ested in doing their own personal training.

Each exercise is a video showing you exactly what to do.

Go to the app store and download the BodyFIT App.

What’s cool about it is that there are three categories for:

1. Muscle Activation: Exercises to get your muscles ready

for exercise

2. Train: Kick-butt exercises to get your blood flowing

– perfect to do pre or post workout. Also, if you are in

an “off” day, this is a great compliment to your running,

swimming, biking or rowing.

3. Recover: Those perfect exercises to help stretch after

your workout.

By Alix Shutello

Looking for a new supplement to help with joint lubrication? Try Supple. Supple is a joint relief supplement that improves mobility, flexibility and comfort for damaged and painful joints. It is an alternative to joint pain capsules or topical prod-ucts and comes in a pleasant-tasting Peach Mango flavoured drink.

My friend Bill used this product when his knees were acting up. Like many of us, the meniscus in our knees wears down over time, causing pain and soreness. Bill started taking this product daily and after two weeks, he reported no pain. Others reported similar results. You can read more about the product at Consumer Health Digest.com.

POSITIVE ASPECTS ABOUT SUPPLE- Supple uses the optimal amounts of Glucosamine and Chondroitin- The Supple formula ingredients are listed - The formula is all natural- There are several customer testimonials- It is safe and has no harmful side effects- The Glucosamine is not derived from shellfish- The formula contains 10 essential vitamins and minerals

Supple


http://www.thehighdoc.com

https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/joint-pain-product-reviews/supple.html?utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=Supple&utm_campaign=Joint_Pain


BOOK REVIEW ES&F

Book ReviewUltra Runner

“Dirty Inspirations: Lessons From

the Trenches of Extreme Endurance

Sports,” was published January 26,

2016.

The book is described as “part philo-

sophical journey, part spiritual awak-

ening, and part riveting drama.”

This book is big adventure combined

with big travel—all with an introspec-

tive twist—connecting this book to

your audience would be a perfect fit.

Visit www.terrischneider.net

“I’M OVER-THE-MOON EX-CITED TO SHARE THIS COL-LECTION OF ADVENTURE/TRAVEL STORIES BIRTHED FROM MY LIFE OF RAC-ING AND ADVENTURING AROUND THE WORLD.”


http://www.thehighdoc.com

http://www.terrischneider.net


ES&F COMMENTARY

CEO, SINGLE PARENT AND ENDURANCE ATHLETE:

THE ART OF BEING AT PEACE WHEN ALONE

By Earl Furfine

There consistently are clear parallels in

my work, social and racing life. None

was more clear to me than this past

month when, after driving 20-hours

roundtrip for a 20 hour visit in Michigan,

I came down with a nagging cold and

then the killer of all coughs. Nothing

makes you feel more alone than being

sick as a dog and not having anyone to

take care of you.

Of course, if I called any number of

friends I am sure they would have

dropped what they were doing to give a

hand, assuming I even had the strength

to find and dial the phone (last check

was downstairs on the couch, and I am

not). The point is that being alone and

having challenges are a way of life for

me, not isolated incidents. Nothing, I

think, prepares me more for this than

my Ironman training.

Being single definitely has its advan-

tages. I train pretty much when I want,

I travel when I want, I eat/sleep/drink/

socialize when I want. I have seen at

every Ironman I have participated in or

attended a sign that says “If you are still

married you did not train hard enough”.

I love that sign. Not for what it implies,

but for what it stands. The commit-

ment of an individual to something

that is important and the need for

the commitment of everyone around

them to that cause. That all being said,

it is impossible to segregate the long

periods alone on the race (and in the

training for that matter).

Ironman racing is about preparation

and self-sufficiency. Sure the race

organizers are the best in the world at

race support with food, drink, direc-

tions, etc. I, however, rely on my own

food, drink and preparation. I don’t

normally use the same sustenance

provided (I am a fan of Infinite,

although have no issue with the Iron-

man Perform) and like non-Gooey food

on the bike. I try to pack as much of

that on me on the bike as I can without

adding too much weight and of course

pack a couple of great special needs

bags. For the long periods on the bike

and run, when I am alone, I draw on

the complete isolation of my training. I

swim alone, I primarily bike alone, and

I run alone. Truth be told, I do have a

good buddy that joins me on some the

shorter runs and will pound the last 5

miles of my longer runs, but as a rule I

am alone 90 percent of the time. Even

when I am biking with a group, my level

of fitness is rarely of those I am with

and I end up at the back bringing up

the rear, grinding up the hills, normally

singing a song to myself. At the risk of

being ridiculed for the remainder of

my racing life, I found that “Shake it off”

by Taylor Swift has a good cadence for

climbing and a peppy tune. Ok, bring

your best abuse to a 53-year-old man

humming Swiftie whil he climbs, I can

take it.

Needless to say, while I am used to

being alone. As the CEO of a software

company, I can frequently feel the same

way. I have a great team that I trust,

but ultimately the hard decisions come

from me. More than once I have dif-

fered from the team and have made the

“tough” lonely call. That “being alone”

feeling can be as unnerving as knowing

you are at mile 80 with 32 miles to go.

All you can do is push through and


BEING SINGLE DEFINITELY HAS ITS ADVANTAGES. I TRAIN PRETTY MUCH WHEN I WANT, I TRAVEL WHEN I WANT, I EAT/SLEEP/DRINK/SOCIAL-IZE WHEN I WANT. I HAVE SEEN AT EVERY IRONMAN I HAVE PARTICI-PATED IN OR ATTENDED A SIGN THAT SAYS, “IF YOU ARE STILL MARRIED YOU DID NOT TRAIN HARD ENOUGH”. I LOVE THAT SIGN. NOT FOR WHAT IT IMPLIES, BUT FOR WHAT IT STANDS.



COMMENTARY ES&F

CEO, SINGLE PARENT AND ENDURANCE ATHLETE:

THE ART OF BEING AT PEACE WHEN ALONE

By Earl Furfine


hope the faith in your training (education and fitness,

respectively) can get you to where you want to be, as well

as having a contingency plan if you see you’ve made a

tactical error.

Being an executive, an endurance athlete, and in my case a

single fellow all involve some fairly long stretches of being

alone. I embrace my alone time and find that I get more

time to think out problems or challenges most. Humming

Taylor Swift did not at all help get through a blizzard and 3

days locked up at home sick, but when a friend brought by

some chicken soup on the last day, a friendly face was all

I needed. Place them strategically on your race, the mile-

age (all puns intended) you will get will be immeasurable.

I am, Not yet on the Podium.

© 2

015

Wol

verin

e O

utdo

ors,

Inc.

Run ThroughEverything like

It’s Nothing.

Leading international outdoor brand Merrell has signed on as the exclusive apparel and footwear sponsor for New Zealand’s premier adventure race, GODZone.

The innovative outdoor lifestyle footwear and clothing brand is synonymous with inspiring people to enjoy being outside every-day. GODZone Race Director Warren Bates says the sponsorship deal aligns perfectly with the principles of the event.

The 2016 GODZone has attracted 280 competitors from around the globe to the event in Tasman running from the April 2-9, 2016. Merrell will provide apparel for each competitor and over 70 vol-unteers and GODZone management team members.

To see the latest Merrell collections go online to http://merrell.co.nz/collections/merrell-in-new-zealand

GODZONE ANNOUNCEs MERRELL APPAREL SPONSORSHIP FOR 2016


http://merrell.co.nz/collections/merrell-in-new-zealand

http://merrell.co.nz/collections/merrell-in-new-zealand

“Every athlete has his or her specific goals and reasons for racing in whatever event he or she chooses; but over-all most would agree that the journey to the finish line is what resonates in most athletes’ minds.”

SPIRIT MOTIVATION DRIVETo push one’s body and soul to the outer limits of our capabilities

PHO

TO C

RED

IT: R

ON

JO

NES


feb 2016 lo res

Documents