I spent a week in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and did some trail running. But I did not try to pass this big old bison, which was trotting along the camp area. Hey, there’s no shame in losing a footrace to a bison; they can run up to 30 miles per hour!
* Ever wonder how you compare to the “average” American runner? Runner’s World has the stats: for 5Ks, the average time for men is 28:46 and for women is 34:53; for 10Ks, it’s 56:00 for men and 1:04:47 for women. (More race averages at the link.)
* “The 7 Most Common Roadblocks to Running (and How to Overcome Them)“: good stuff.
* Yet another article on the “too much running is bad for you” research being pushed by Dr. James O’Keefe. This one, by a cardiologist, opines:
After reviewing the data and interviewing experts in the field, my own impression is that among people without known cardiovascular disease there is no compelling data to suggest that mortality significantly differs between moderate and extreme exercisers. There is thus no way to precisely define an upper limit of exercise for an average healthy individual. I suspect, though, that part of what sustains the “too much exercise can kill you” myth is the widespread recognition of the so-called exercise paradox. That is, while consistent exercise decreases the likelihood that you will have a heart attack, if you are destined to have one it is more likely to happen while you are exercising. That’s why no one can issue a blanket statement that extreme exercise is safe. It’s also why so many researchers have attempted to figure out how to make extreme exercise as safe as possible.
* The marathon is 26.2 miles. Ultramarathons are longer than marathons. The Badwater 135 is, surprise, 135 miles long, run in the blazing July heat through the California desert. It’s basically 5 marathons in a row. Now imagine running it back-to-back. Now imagine doing that again. That’s what Lisa Smith-Batchen accomplished earlier this month!
* Admin Maryalicia Verdecchi said she doesn’t watch “American Ninja Warrior.” Here’s a reason to start – 5’0″, 100 lb Kacy Catanzaro crushes the regional final course in Dallas, becoming the first woman ever to advance to the Las Vegas finals:
* I review David Epstein’s The Sports Gene here. I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the question of whether it’s nature or nuture that produces elite athletes.
