Boston Running Center co-founder, exercise physiologist, and running coach Joe McConkey has been a staple in the Boston running community for two decades. The dedicated runner has also coached at Newbury College and the Cambridge Running Club. At the Boston Running Center, he specializes in biomechanics and gait analysis, while also coaching individual runners.

鈥淏oston has so many options in terms of the types of terrain for runners,鈥� says McConkey, noting that most visitors could run along the Charles River every day and never be bored. 鈥淭he river changes personalities,鈥� says McConkey. 鈥淭he further away you go from the city, the more you have nice quiet paths鈥攁lmost trail running. Then, when you come back in towards Boston, you see the skyline, you run by Harvard and MIT, and then on to the picturesque esplanade in downtown Boston.鈥�

And sure, the weather in New England can be unforgiving during the winter months, but runners in the know head to the many swiftly plowed colleges in the city, the Boston Commons, or the six miles along the Charles River Path that get snow cleared with funding from New Balance and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Routes

: 鈥淵ou have to run on the river,鈥� says McConkey. The path runs alongside the Charles River on either side for 22 miles total. Runners take advantage of nine bridges that create loops of various distances. The path extends from the Boston Museum of Science to the east, parallels Beacon Street on the river鈥檚 south side, then runs past Boston University, Harvard, Cambridge, MIT, and back to its origination point.

: Managed by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, seven miles of park system over 1,100 acres weave through the city in a kind of trail. 鈥淭hey start near Fenway Park,鈥� explains McConkey, 鈥渁nd then the path/trails snake through gardens and parks, alongside a creek, all the way to a couple different ponds. There鈥檚 woods and some hills there. You can do a good ten-mile run and only have to cross the street maybe a handful of times.鈥�

: In South Boston, roughly 15 minutes from the city鈥檚 center, runners enjoy a two-mile loop along the waterfront that鈥檚 uninterrupted by stoplights, with the option to extend the run along the beachfront. It鈥檚 no longer an island, and there鈥檚 no castle, but the path around Fort Independence is scenic along the water, with sights and sounds of planes coming in and out of nearby Boston Logan Airport.

Extra Options: Boston鈥檚 2.5-mile Freedom Trail links 16 historic places of interest, like the USS Constitution, Paul Revere鈥檚 house, and Boston Common, established in 1634 as the nation鈥檚 oldest public park. For more adventure, the Blue Hills Reservation, less than 30 minutes from the city, offers peaceful and varied trails. Or try Middlesex Fells for running that鈥檚 a bit more rugged.

Events

: You鈥檝e heard of one big 26.2-miler in Boston, but don鈥檛 forget about the Run to Remember. This half-marathon and five-miler draws 6,000 runners. It takes place every Memorial Day weekend and pays tribute to fallen first responders, while raising money for local youth and community programs supported by first responders. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a memorable course,鈥� says McConkey. 鈥淭here鈥檚 only one hill, and it runs through downtown.鈥�

: This festive West Newton neighborhood three-mile race takes place in October. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of these races where you get your finish medal, a beer, elephant ear [fried dough], and chicken noodle soup,鈥� says McConkey. 鈥淭he Irish pub [Paddy鈥檚 Public House] that sponsors it is right at the finish line, so there鈥檚 always a good vibe and live music going. It鈥檚 a good time.鈥�

: Red Sox fans, rejoice. In late July, runners and walkers have a chance to cover 5K or 9K through the streets of Boston before entering Fenway Park and crossing home base en route to the finish line. All participants raise money for Home Base, a nonprofit organization that provides clinical care and support free of cost to veterans. This charity event has been bringing veterans and supporters together in iconic Fenway for 15 years.

Extra options: The Boston Road Runners put on a Turkey Trot, the AAPI 5K, and a Hispanic and Latino 5K. The BAA, organizer of the Boston Marathon, hosts the BAA 10K each May through the Back Bay neighborhood in the heart of the city. About 90 minutes outside of Boston, the Cape Cod Marathon and iconic Falmouth Road Race come with an ocean view.

Resources

With more than 60 colleges and universities in the metropolitan area, McConkey says there鈥檚 always 鈥渁n interesting combination of new folks in the city and long-term Boston residents.鈥� The mix likely contributes to the 鈥渄ozens, if not hundreds, of running clubs that run the gamut,鈥� he says. 鈥淪ome have been around for 100 years, and some have been around for two years. Some are social, some are serious. It鈥檚 a big running community that鈥檚 very diverse. You have regular, casual social races as well as highly competitive races throughout the year鈥攕o no matter your level or interest, you鈥檒l find a supporting environment in Boston.鈥�

Clubs

: Through a variety of community-based activities, this group works to make running more equitable and accessible to the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) adults residing in the Boston area.

: This nationwide organization aims to involve more African American women in the sport of running. The Boston chapter has roughly 2,000 member followers.

: This group connects students in grades 5鈥�8 with adult mentors who meet once or twice a week throughout the school year to run and get ready for the Run to Remember 5-Miler each Memorial Day.

Stores

: With more than 6,500 square feet of running shoes and other apparel on display, this anchor location is in the Brighton neighborhood, just a few blocks off the Charles River corridor.

: Recently opened in 2023, this store carries a curated collection of New Balance running gear while aiming to act as a community space, with central seating as its focus.

: Since 1975, this retailer has been a Boston-area staple. Today it has 16 stores, including one on Boylston Street, one in Cambridge, and one in Wellesley.

: This specialty run retailer, with stores in Newton, South End, and Cambridge, has a vibrant running club called Heartbreakers, which celebrates diversity 鈥渙f pace and person.鈥�

Independent since 1906,听听empowers people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world.

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Envision a well-known band and the slosh-fest that typically ensues on tour. The traveling circus would include flowing booze, folding tables lined with greasy grub, and a revolving door of trippy characters getting lit backstage all night.

Well, that鈥檚 not how rolls. Formed in Sydney in 2010 and composed of the singer-guitarist Tyrone Lindqvist, keyboardist Jon George, and drummer James Hunt, the alternative electronic music trio has a touring regimen that is about as disciplined and health-centric as it gets. It wasn鈥檛 always that way, but things changed three years ago.

Today the group is at a career peak. In 2021, R眉f眉s du Sol鈥檚 latest album, Surrender, topped charts globally, and in 2022, its anthemic jam 鈥淎live鈥� took home the Grammy Award for best dance recording. As of late April, the guys have again, playing in Colombia and sites including Monterrey and Mexico City, Mexico; then major festivals in Europe; and, starting August 1, seven stops in the United States at locations ranging from Boston to Charlotte, North Carolina.

The heart of the tour, the group鈥檚 curated festival , scheduled to run May 4-7 and 11-14 outside San Jos茅 del Cabo, Mexico, will bring artists like DJ Tennis, Carlita, WhoMadeWho, and Dixon for two weekends of jams and health-minded options like yoga, meditation, and breath work.

R眉f眉s Du Sol has a vibe that can span two worlds. Its indie-electro beats with deep house undertones are a soundtrack for a head-bobbing, feel-good night at a dark club鈥攂ut also, as I recently experienced during a multi-day trek in the Great Smoky Mountains, a cloudless hike in a pine-clad national park. The music is that adaptable and infectious.

In April just before the tour commenced, I sat down with the three band members, who Zoomed in from Austin, Texas, to talk travel and wellness, including their favorite spots, highlights from the road, and Frisbee golf.

国产吃瓜黑料: You鈥檝e been touring for more than a decade. How has your regimen evolved?

James: We’ve made some really good changes, just to make things more healthy, more sustainable, and we want to come out of a tour feeling fitter than when we go into it. It used to be the other way around. We’ve brought in a lot of structure, wellness practices, and breath work. We do ice baths when we can after each show, we take ginger shots before we go onstage, we’re working out, and we have a trainer touring with us. So we have a really good sense of routine built into touring now.

What sparked it?

Tyrone: We’d been touring pretty hard. We鈥檝e been a band for 13 years now, and we made a bit of a switch three or four years ago. Things got busier the more successful we got. We had success in Australia, then the U.S. Things were getting more exciting and the tour schedule more intensive, and we were writing at the same time. The balance of health and wellness with working was definitely not where we wanted it to be.

COVID, in some ways, was kind of a big gift for our mindset. It forced us to stop touring and gave us the opportunity to reconnect. We were actually in Joshua Tree [in Southern California], starting the writing process for Surrender, and we got to process a bunch of stuff that we hadn’t really talked about. We were trying out different things like meditating, exercising as a unit, doing saunas and little cold plunges. And we were building a structured work environment, where we would work for eight hours instead of working till an idea was done. We shifted and gave ourselves a clock-in and clock-out. It brought up a lot of fear and anxiety, like, Are we going to be able to make music like before without working around the clock? But we鈥檝e made it.

Surely there have been some crazy workouts and wellness experiences over the years. Do any stick out in your mind?

James: Well, we just did one about two hours ago here in Austin. Our trainer put us through a pretty brutal leg session. There’s a sense of camaraderie of getting through that intensity together. It breeds a good sort of bonding. You鈥檙e lifting each other up.

Jon: One of those memories for me was the last Sundream Baja festival. We weren鈥檛 staying in a fancy hotel, but on-site [the venue is between the beaches and desert], which was really cool, with all the energy going on. We had a trainer there again, and we were in the back of one of the villas and just all trained really hard together, sweating it out in such a beautiful setting.

How do you recover after a long tour?

James: There’s always an adjustment period after so much overstimulation. You’re going between different environments, traveling, playing shows with tens of thousands of people, and having a pretty strict exercise routine. That adjustment always takes a few days, but it definitely helps to do some of the same wellness activities that we do on the road. And I always find that doing cold therapy, like the ice plunge, is a really good way to regulate.

For this tour, is there a particular place you鈥檙e really looking forward to exploring?

Tyrone: I’m pretty excited to go to Monterrey, in Mexico. We’ve never been there, and my wife’s father’s family is from there.

Jon: Yeah, I鈥檇 say Monterrey and Guadalajara [also in Mexico] are up there, along with Medell铆n [Colombia].

Let鈥檚 touch on tours past. What is your favorite place to play and why?

Tyrone: Recently, we went home to Australia and played a bunch of shows. I definitely have a newfound respect and appreciation for Australian crowds and being in Australia, especially having lived over in the U.S. for many years [with a home base in L.A.]. I missed the food for sure. Red Rocks [amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado] is up there. We’ve played there a lot and it has so much history. It鈥檚 just so stunning.

Jon: Red Rocks is an amazing experience from the stage. You’re looking up at the crowd rather than down, and they seem so close. It has a very special energy.

Is there a particular activity you鈥檝e really enjoyed while on the road?

James: In 2016, just after we put Bloom out, we had tour dates through the summer, and we discovered Frisbee golf鈥攖his game we鈥檇 never heard of. We鈥檇 be playing [where we had] shows in places like Michigan and Colorado in the beautiful summer weather. We became obsessed鈥攊t is a pretty sick way to see different parts of the country.听

Any specific place in the U.S. you enjoy?

Jon: Austin is pretty great. It was one of the first places we played in the U.S. Every time we come here, everyone is so nice. We鈥檝e spent some time rehearsing here at the start of a tour, did South by Southwest, and spent about a week. Everything is just so fresh here.

James: During the pandemic, me and Jon and a bunch of our friends went to Big Sky Country鈥擬ontana鈥攂ecause we couldn’t go back to Australia. We had a sort of Friends鈥� Christmas, and that was sick. The mountain ranges in the U.S. are just unparalleled.

Looking ahead, what is it you want out of a travel experience?

Tyrone: I’m really looking for family-experience travel. I’ve really gotten the experience of seeing new places, having new memories, and eating new cuisines with the guys, and I’ve cherished that. I鈥檓 looking forward to a version of that with my wife and son in the future, too.

James: I definitely love meeting people in different parts of the world, connecting with people who live there or someone who’s been there for a little while, the people who know the places to eat and the local hole-in-the-wall spots.

Jon: We鈥檝e developed a lot of friends all over the world while touring, so it’s really cool to be able to have that inside knowledge and a more local experience in different places. But I also love that there is still so much more to see.

Jesse Scott resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and covers the intersection of travel, food, and music. He鈥檚 interviewed Metallica, The Killers, and Steve Aoki, and written about outdoor adventures ranging from hiking in the Grand Canyon to exploring coffee farms in Colombia.

The post R眉f眉s Du Sol: How the Grammy-Winning Band Stays Healthy On the Road appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The 2023 Boston Marathon is still months away, but excitement is already brewing for the April 17 race. Registration closed on September 16 and the age-group field and charity fields will be announced by about the first week of October. After that, training, fundraising and various planning details will begin in earnest for the 127th annual event.

Here are some key points to know about next spring鈥檚 in downtown Boston.

1) Registration for qualified runners has closed

Registration for the 2023 Boston Marathon, which closed on September 17, was generally the same as it has been for the last few editions of the race. Any male or female runner who surpassed the on a Boston Marathon-certified race course could submit a registration application within the . As of this week, B.A.A,鈥檚 Athlete Services team began the process of reviewing and verifying all applications and qualifying times to determine what, if any, time cut-off will be for each category. (Due to field size limitations, achieving one’s qualifying standard did not guarantee entry into the event, but simply the opportunity to submit a registration application.) Emails to accepted/non-accepted runners are expected to be sent out between September 26-30.

2) There鈥檚 a new non-binary division for 2023

While the B.A.A. doesn鈥檛 yet have Boston Marathon qualifying standards for non-binary athletes, it has created a new non-binary division for the 2023 race. Non-binary athletes who completed a marathon as a non-binary participant between September 1, 2021 and September 16, 2023, were able to submit entries for the non-binary division. As with the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 divisions, entry into the event via the non-binary division will be determined by an athlete鈥檚 submitted time and based on the Boston Marathon鈥檚 overall field size limit. The B.A.A. said it continues to have discussion with non-binary athletes in an effort to further promote inclusion at all B.A.A. events. The race organization said it is also increasing its focus on diversity and inclusion and will announce additional opportunities for BIPOC and Indigenous people to be a part of the 2023 race weekend.

3) Charity registration slots are still open!

If you didn鈥檛 meet the registration standard to register or if you get rejected because your qualifying time wasn鈥檛 fast enough, there is still a way to get a race bib for the 2023 event. In addition to time-qualified runners, there will be approximately 5,000 runners participating on behalf of for the 2023 Boston Marathon. Each non-profit organization directly manages its own application process, athlete selection, and fundraising minimums, requirements and deadlines. (Most charities will continue to take entries through the fall.) Entering the 34th year of the Official Charity Program, the B.A.A. provides select 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with entries into the Boston Marathon, which are used to raise millions of dollars for a variety of causes. The and the have combined to raise more than $460 million since the charity program鈥檚 inception at the 1989 Boston Marathon, including $35.6 million raised via the 2022 race.

4) What does it cost to enter the 2023 Boston Marathon?

The entry fee for runners accepted for the 2023 race is $225 for U.S. residents and $235 for international residents. (For the 2022 race, the cost was $205 for U.S. runners and $255 for international runners.) For the third straight year, participants had the opportunity to purchase offered by RegShield. Those who registered for insurance will be able to have entry fees refunded for multiple reasons including loss of job, pregnancy, illness and injury. Registration through the race鈥檚 official charity organizations is tied to meeting a specific fundraising goal.

5) How many runners will be accepted to the race?

The total field of the 2023 Boston Marathon will be capped at 30,000 runners, just as it was for the 2022 race. That is expected to follow similar field-size breakdowns of last year鈥檚 race, including approximately 24,000 qualified runners (about 80 percent of the field) and about 6,000 invitational participants (which includes charity entries, entries for sponsors, partners, elite runners, etc.) Runners will be separated into a system of wave starts as it has in recent years with separate start times for wheelchair competitors, professional women, professional men and several starting tiers for the qualified runners and charity runners. The B.A.A. says it encourages all runners to be up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, but no proof of vaccination (as of September 16) is required for participants in next year鈥檚 race.

RELATED: Drafting Isn’t Just for Elite Marathoners

6) Which elite athletes will be competing?

Typically the Boston Marathon doesn鈥檛 announce its elite fields until late January or early February, a few months before its mid-April race date. The race will certainly continue to garner deep women鈥檚, men鈥檚 and wheelchair fields, but with the London Marathon returning to its typical spring date a week after Boston on April 23, there will once again be competition to snare the top athletes. Last year 11 previous champions were entered in the field, and was distributed among top finishers.

, runners who are residents of Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to enter the Boston Marathon. Russian and Belarusian citizens who are not current residents of either country may still compete, however will not be able to run under the flag of either country. Russian athletes have also been banned from numerous other running events since the spring of 2022, including the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

7) You can almost bet on Desi Linden being there

American Desi Linden has become a legendary runner at the Boston Marathon, and it鈥檚 very likely that the 2018 champion and 2011 runner-up will be there again in 2023. Aside from her strong performance record at the race, Linden loves everything about the Boston Marathon, and with good reason. She ran Boston as her debut 26.2-mile race in 2007, placing 19th in 2:44:56, and then returned the next year when the B.A.A. hosted the women鈥檚 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon the day before the Boston Marathon, placing 13th in 2:37:50. Aside from her epic 2011 battle with Kenya鈥檚 Caroline Kilel and Sharon Cherop when she placed second in the then-fastest U.S. time ever (2:22:38), she also ran very well in 2014 (10th, 2:23:54), 2015 (4th, 2;25:39), 2017 (4th, 2:25:06), 2018 (1st, 2:39:55), 2019 (5th, 2:27:00) and 2022 (13th, 2:28:47). Also, will be published on April 4, less than two weeks before the race.

8) Expect hotel sticker shock!

If you think you鈥檙e going to be accepted into the race and plan to stay in a Boston hotel, expect to pay a premium for your hotel reservations. Given the rate of inflation and the current state of the economy, hotel prices won鈥檛 be cheap. A quick search on Hotels.com for the Boston Marathon weekend turned up prices ranging from about $389-$750 per night for hotels within three or four blocks of the finish line adjacent to Copley Square. And yes, you can splurge and book a room at the Hyatt Regency for an average of $1,686 per night. Word to the wise: the further the hotels are from downtown Boston, the more affordable they become (generally $150-$300 per night). There are also affordable properties in Millford ($115-$165), about 5 miles from the starting line in Hopkinton, but you probably won鈥檛 want to spend the entire weekend out there given the distance from the race expo and the excitement that buzzes around the finish line area in the days before the race.

9) Expect a new sponsor to emerge after 2023

Expect the Boston Marathon to announce a new principal sponsor immediately after the 2023 race. Boston-based life insurance company John Hancock, which has served as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon since 1986, announced on September 7 that it has decided not to renew its contract with the Boston Athletic Association as principal sponsor of the Marathon after the next race in April 2023. (Adidas remains the apparel and footwear sponsor of the race for the 32nd year.) Although the Boston Marathon has always been a prestigious race, John Hancock helped put it on a preeminent level and also played a big role in growing the charity component of the race since 1989.

10) What else do you need to know?

• At the 2022 Boston Marathon, 24,834 runners finish the race, roughly 98.5 percent of all starters. All 50 U.S. states and 120 countries were represented in the field. The youngest runner was Tucker Winstanley of Concord, Massachusetts, who turned 18 three days before race day, while the oldest entrant was 83-year-old Joseph Burgasser of St. Petersburg, Florida.
• The Boston Marathon race weekend is made possible by about 9,000 volunteers (including 3,000 first time volunteers. To volunteer at the 2023 race weekend, .
• The 2022 race featured three Maurten Hydrogel depots and 48 Gatorade and Poland Spring hydration stations (every mile from mile 2 to 25, on both sides of the road), as well as 26 medical stations along the course.
• In addition to the Boston Marathon, the race weekend will also include the 10,000-runner and the B.A.A. Invitational Mile races on April 15.
• The qualifying window for the 128th Boston Marathon, scheduled to take place on April 15, 2024, began on September 1, 2022 and will continue through approximately September 15, 2023. Final registration details for that race will be announced following the 2023 Boston Marathon.

RELATED: Sex Differences in Running Are More Complicated Than We Thought

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Alternating bouts of running and walking, 鈥攚idely known as 鈥淭ommy Rivs鈥� or simply 鈥淩ivs鈥濃�攎ade his way along Boylston Street toward the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 18. Flashing a wide smile and waving to the crowd, the Arizona-based runner celebrated his return to the site of his fastest marathon.

Five years ago, Puzey ran the race of his life here, averaging 5:17 per mile as he covered the hilly course in 2:18:20 to place 16th overall. This year, he utilized a run-walk method throughout and averaged just under 15 minutes per mile, reaching the finish line in 6:31:54. Officially, he was 24,799th out of 24,918 finishers.

Few, however, covered the course with as much joy and gratitude or received so much support and goodwill. The 37-year-old is a far different runner now than he was in 2017, after a near-death battle with a rare and aggressive form of lymphoma.

鈥淚 know I am one of the lucky ones, to still be alive,鈥� he says.

This time around, Puzey鈥檚 26.2-mile journey was a celebratory benchmark of progress on his new athletic quest, where the primary goal is to be fit enough to battle cancer if鈥攐r, more likely, when鈥攊t returns. His blood and chest scans have been cancer-free for the past 15 months鈥攁fter he completed six rounds of chemotherapy鈥攂ut doctors have told him the rare form of cancer still has a high probability of relapsing.

鈥淵ou hope that never happens, but I鈥檓 still in the bunker.鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not over for me yet. I鈥檒l always be looking over my shoulder. It鈥檚 all hovering just out of sight or circling above me.鈥�

In June 2020, Puzey returned home to Flagstaff from a routine training run in the Grand Canyon feeling exceptionally fatigued and disoriented. He initially assumed he was suffering from heat stroke or severe dehydration; later, he thought it might be COVID-19. But when he ultimately checked himself into a hospital two weeks later, doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of cancer and discovered his lungs had been almost completely overtaken by invasive nodules. Suddenly fighting for his life, he was airlifted to the Scottsdale hospital in late July and was eventually sedated into a medically induced coma.

Five months and multiple surgeries and treatments later, Puzey was released from the hospital, weighing in at a gaunt 95 pounds and unable to cross a room without the aid of a walker. But he was alive.

Thousands of followers, who had come to know Puzey as much for his soulful posts and coaching wisdom as for his athletic achievements, poured out support as he candidly during the long, slow recovery process.

Today, Puzey has regained much of the muscular physique that made him stand out in a field of lanky elite runners as much as his bushy reddish-brown beard and array of tattoos. But it鈥檚 always been his relentless determination that has defined him as an athlete and helped him earn podium finishes in ultramarathon trail races, triathlons, and marathons.

That determination has been evident as he鈥檚 slowly rebuilt his health. Last November, Puzey had just enough physical and aerobic strength to walk the New York City Marathon in about nine hours. Since then, he鈥檚 been able to start a running routine again. These days, he says, he runs at a 10-to-12-minute per mile pace for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of easy walking. He had been doing a routine of running 60 seconds, then walking 60 seconds, but that proved too ambitious, leaving him excessively fatigued.

On most days, Puzey, who continues to be sponsored as an elite athlete by Craft Sportswear, says he is out the door by 5 A.M. for four to five miles alternating running and walking. He bikes to school with his three daughters before continuing solo for a two-to-four-hour ride, keeping the pace 鈥渟low and methodical.鈥� Later in the day, usually after a nap, he鈥檒l try to get in another hour-long run-walk session before getting back on his bike to pick up the girls at school. Throughout the day, he鈥檒l do dozens of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and planks to build general strength. Occasionally he鈥檒l get in a swim.

鈥淗e鈥檚 still pushing his body more than most people do,鈥� says his wife, Steph Catudal. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the only way he knows how to exist, just forward movement, being outside and being on his feet.鈥�

Still, Puzey鈥檚 adaptability impresses Catudal. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so beautiful to see him embrace that and not be frustrated and not be angry and bitter that he鈥檚 not where he was a couple of years ago,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so inspiring for me to see that he is happy where he is right now and coming to terms with it all, and that he鈥檚 accepting that 30 seconds at a time is what it is, and that鈥檚 OK.鈥�

The hardest adjustment, Puzey says, is how long it now takes to build fitness. 鈥淭he process is exactly the same now鈥攕tress, rest, and replenish鈥攊t鈥檚 just a lot more gradual trajectory, and progress comes much more slowly.鈥�

No matter how hard he works, Puzey鈥檚 oxygen capacity will likely never be remotely close to what it was two years ago. His pulmonary and critical care specialist Dr. Seth Assar says his lungs are like Swiss cheese, replete with holes and scar tissue from where the cancerous nodules had been.

His passion for endurance sports, however, had never been about race results but about the pursuit of excellence within the bounds of his potential. That passion holds true now. 鈥淪atisfaction and happiness in life don鈥檛 come from sitting around and doing nothing,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t comes from working really, really hard at something and actually accomplishing it from time to time. That is where happiness is found, in that struggle.鈥�

And Puzey recognizes the opportunity he鈥檚 been given and the responsibility that comes with it. 鈥淭his has been really rough, but it could have been much worse and much different,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 one of the lucky ones, with the gift of having another chance, and because of that, I feel morally obligated that there is a responsibility to test the limits of this new potential. I owe that to my family. I owe that to myself. I owe that to my physicians and my nurses. And I also owe that to the tens of thousands of people who have supported me and my family. If I don鈥檛 seek out that potential, then it鈥檚 a mockery to the people that supported me, and it鈥檚 also a mockery to the people who don鈥檛 have this opportunity.鈥�

While his rare type of leukemia/lymphoma has a very high recurrence rate, Assar says Puzey has exceeded expectations every month since his release from the hospital, and that gives hope for sustained remission. In the event that it does come back, Puzey鈥檚 renewed strength and fitness will be an asset.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 see Tommy as living with a dark cloud over his head,鈥� Assar says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 gone on with his normal life. He鈥檚 pushing himself every day. He鈥檚 not living under the fear and the burden that this disease is just going to go ahead and sweep him up one day. Tommy is living.鈥�

What better way to affirm that you鈥檙e still living than running Boston? 鈥淩unning a marathon is a time stamp in which we鈥檙e able to declare 鈥業 am here.鈥欌�� Puzey says. 鈥淪o, I am here. This is where I am right now. It鈥檚 not where I want to be, it鈥檚 not where I want to be forever, but it is where I am right now.鈥�

The post Tommy Rivs鈥檚 Cancer-Free Return to the Boston Marathon Was Beautiful appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

As the site of one of the most prestigious marathons, Boston boasts one of the largest and most vibrant running scenes in the United States. Sure, Boston is a bit more urban than professional training havens like Boulder or Flagstaff. But the city鈥檚 and large, active give Bostonian running culture a uniquely warm and rowdy charm. The city鈥檚 deep, unconditional love for the sport is perhaps most evident during brutal winter months when hordes of runners can be seen braving snow, ice, and subzero temperatures. Come spring when racing fever hits, the community鈥檚 tremendous collective pride around its beloved marathon infiltrates the whole city.

Boston is home to the headquarters of several prominent running companies, including Reebok, New Balance, Saucony, Puma, , and the New England apparel brand Tracksmith. The city is also the training ground for a number of prestigious running groups, including the 鈥攐ne of the nation鈥檚 oldest athletic clubs.

Whether you鈥檙e planning to visit Boston in April for the marathon or at a quieter time of year, here鈥檚 our guide to the city鈥檚 running culture, featuring advice from local runners on their favorite trails to explore, races to enter, and spots to grab a post-run beer.

What You Need to Know Before Visiting Boston

It鈥檚 not that big. Compared to other major American cities, Boston is relatively compact. The city is remarkably walkable and runnable, and a variety of unique trails and routes are quite accessible. Because of the city鈥檚 size and public transportation system, you don鈥檛 need to rent a car to get around while visiting. (Plus, Boston is infamous for its confusing roads.) Instead, consider buying .

There is a lot of urban greenspace. According to , all Boston residents . While Boston evokes images of cobblestone streets, historical landmarks, and bustling crowds of college students, it鈥檚 also known for its picturesque city runs throughout the and along the Charles River.

Fall and spring are the best running seasons. The summer months are the peak tourist season, but the best times to visit for running and racing are fall and spring. Ideal running weather arrives in September, when New England turns cooler and crisp, and running through the city鈥檚 parks offers top-notch foliage in October. While Boston can be drizzly in the spring, the showers summon breathtaking floral blooms. And of course, spring means marathon season in Boston: the third Monday in April is Boston Marathon day.

Local Running Scene

Boston is an active city, and the magnetic force of the Boston Marathon makes running a popular activity for people of all ability levels. Though Boston doesn鈥檛 have , local runners say the community around the sport is among the most inclusive and social in the nation.

鈥淭he Boston running community is huge, competitive, and welcoming,鈥� says , a runner for the B.A.A. High Performance Team and two-time USATF national champion. 鈥淚 was amazed when I first moved to Boston and saw so many individuals from all different backgrounds running on any given day.鈥�

In addition to elite teams, Boston is also home听to fun-loving groups like the , who sit happily in the middle of the pack, prioritizing fun and inclusivity. They can be found running around the Charles River Esplanade, blasting music, and grabbing drinks afterward. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not exclusive,鈥� says club member Carolyn Cohen. 鈥淧eople will run with multiple different clubs in one week just because there are so many.鈥�

Races and Running Events

The Marathon and Other B.A.A. Races

The Boston Marathon needs no introduction: as one of the six Marathon Majors and the world鈥檚 oldest marathon, the event attracts each year鈥�making it the region鈥檚 most widely viewed sporting event. 鈥淚鈥檝e already taken that day off of work to go and cheer everyone on,鈥� says Andrew Wilson, a local runner for the Midnight Runners Boston.

The marathon is organized by the Boston Athletic Association and has been held every year since 1897, except for 2020 when the race was replaced by a virtual event during the pandemic. course begins in Hopkinton, southwest of Boston, and ends on Boylston Street in downtown Boston. The Boston Marathon is , but the race organizers also reserve a few thousand slots for runners affiliated with . The 2022 race field will be limited to 20,000 runners due to the pandemic, compared to the usual 30,000 in recent pre-pandemic years.

In addition to the marathon, the Boston Athletic Association also hosts the race series: a 5K on the weekend of the Boston Marathon, a 10K in late June, and a half marathon in October.

鈥淚t is a well-structured and fun series of races that people can build towards all year long,鈥� says Kemp.

The B.A.A. also puts on the in October, in partnership with Adidas. The race takes place in historic Franklin Park and is open to all ages. The women鈥檚 championship distance is 5K while the men race 8K.

Fun Runs

If your visit doesn鈥檛 line up with these marquee events, there are plenty of more casual races in the area . If shorter distances are more your speed, the hosts three 5Ks throughout the year that start and finish in downtown Cambridge.

The is another popular choice, attracting around 5,000 runners to the Harpoon Brewery in Boston鈥檚 Seaport District. The race is usually held in late May and takes runners 2.5 miles out and back on a route that overlooks Boston Harbor. 鈥淗arpoon does a really good job. It鈥檚 a pretty fun after-party,鈥� says Louis Serafini, a runner and community organizer with Tracksmith.听

If you鈥檙e brave enough听for a winter race near Boston, the on Super Bowl Sunday is a road race in Cambridge with a fun after-party and one of the few winter road races in the city.

Flat and Fast

Visiting Boston over Memorial Day Weekend? offers a half marathon and a five-mile race. The five-miler begins at the Seaport Hotel and takes participants on a flat, fast course through downtown Boston, passing several landmarks like the Boston Common, the Public Garden, Faneuil Hall, and the Old State House.

One of the most popular events for competitive runners trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon is the 鈥攂oth distances take place in October on a lightning-fast course in Lowell, Massachusetts, about 40 minutes north of Boston. Also in October, the attracts elite competition and runners of skill levels to its fast course through Boston鈥檚 Back Bay on Indigenous People鈥檚 Day weekend.

Where to Run

The Charles River Esplanade,听Back Bay

The Esplanade is a fan favorite among runners in the area for its听accessibility from downtown and beautiful views of the city. It鈥檚 also safe from traffic and ideal for directionally challenged runners. The main access point is from in downtown Boston, where it extends nine miles on both sides of the river to Watertown, but you can keep going all the way to Waltham and Newton.听Because a number of bridges cross along the way, you can run a loop of almost any length.

鈥淚鈥檝e done loops as short as three miles and as long as almost 20,鈥� says B.A.A. Running Club member Mike Paulin. For example, a run from the Museum of Science to Newton and back would be about 20 miles.

The Emerald Necklace

is a 1,100-acre system of linked green spaces and waterways that runs for seven miles from downtown Boston, past Fenway, and on to several parks. It鈥檚 a great way to see several city sights in one run and offers a number of options.听

Serafini听suggests the Muddy River or River Path through the , an urban wild space and parkland. 鈥淧eople go straight for the Charles River, but Riverway is totally flat and has two sides to it. It鈥檚 great if you are trying to run on a soft surface because you can run on gravel and dirt for most of it,鈥� he says. You can run the trail all the way out to , which has a beautiful 1.4-mile loop around it.

Another popular option is Franklin Park鈥擝oston鈥檚 largest open space at 485 acres. The park sits smack-dab in the center of the city and hosts a number of high school and college cross-country races. It鈥檚 a good place to go if you鈥檙e looking for some well-groomed, grassy trails.

The Emerald Necklace continues out to Harvard University鈥檚 Arnold Arboretum鈥攚hich is a gorgeous run in the spring thanks to its botanical diversity.

Fresh Pond Reservation Loop Trail and the Minuteman Bike Path,听Cambridge

The traffic-free, paved 2.5-mile loop around Fresh Pond in Cambridge is about five miles from downtown Boston. It has bathrooms and water fountains, and it鈥檚 a great place for longer interval repeats. A bike trail also connects to the Minuteman Bike Trail鈥攁 ten-mile paved trail for pedestrians and cyclists that passes through the nearby towns of Lexington and Arlington.

The Battle Road Trail,听Concord

Many of Boston鈥檚 best runners do their long runs on this is soft-surface trail 20 to 30 minutes outside the city. British soldiers marched the route to the opening battle of the American Revolution in April of 1775, so it stops at a handful of historical landmarks. Note: if you鈥檙e visiting in the winter, save this one for your next trip.

The Boston Marathon Course,听Newton

For a classic long run, start in Newton to run the last ten听miles of the Boston Marathon course. You can take the Green Line D train to the Woodland stop, just over the hill from the course between miles 16 and 17. From there you can run up Heartbreak Hill, alongside Boston College and Fenway Park, and finish on Boylston.听听

If you visit Boston in the winter, Commonwealth Avenue (a.k.a. Comm Ave.) on the Boston Marathon course is a popular choice among local marathoners in training. In the Newton hills, there鈥檚 a carriage lane that鈥檚 usually plowed for runners. 鈥淚f you go on a weekend, the carriage lane is filled with runners training for the Boston Marathon,鈥� says Serafini.

Boston Common, Downtown Boston

While there aren鈥檛 many open tracks in or around Boston, the path around Boston Common is almost exactly a one-mile loop. It also includes an incline if you鈥檙e trying to work in some hill training.

Where to Stay

For a central and lively area close to historical landmarks, downtown Boston is a classic option. Choose Back Bay for a buzzing neighborhood near the Boston Marathon Expo and finish line. It鈥檚 also the home of , a hangout for runners. Baseball fans should opt for Fenway, another central and historic neighborhood near the Boston Marathon finish line. The Charles River running routes are easy to get to from all three.

For an up-and-coming neighborhood, the Seaport is popping with shops, breweries, and restaurants. From there you can quickly get to scenic running routes along the South Boston waterfront.

Hoping for something a little more quaint when it鈥檚 time to retreat for the night? Consider staying in Boston鈥檚 South End or over the river in Cambridge or Somerville.

Where to Fuel (and Drink) Up

Brunch and Quick Bites

Serafini says the Tracksmith running group鈥檚 favorite place to grab a post-run breakfast is , an indie bookstore with an all-day breakfast menu, located right by the Trackhouse. Another breakfast spot popular with area runners is . 鈥淭hey do an awesome brunch and also have plenty of options for mimosas and other drinks,鈥� says B.A.A. Race Team member Allie Hacket.

For a pre-run cup of coffee, Tracksmith鈥檚 Boston community organizer and co-captain of the Leandrew Belnavis, recommends over on Boston鈥檚 South End: 鈥淥rder the malted cold brew听and thank me later!鈥� If you have a hankering for a post-workout refreshment in Back Bay, hit up 鈥攁n all-natural juice and smoothie bar with a few small bites. Belnavis recommends ordering the Super Linda (pineapple, mango, banana, coconut, and orange). Another quick, healthy meal听in Boston鈥檚 Back Bay neighborhood that Kemp suggests as a good pre-race option is 听in Copley Square, which serves fresh and seasonal food.

Dining

Boston offers an eclectic variety of restaurants. Traditionally the city is known for its seafood (fried clams听and chowdah), authentic Italian food, Irish pubs, and famous baked beans. If you鈥檙e looking for old-school Boston food (and perhaps pre-race carbs), hit the city鈥檚 North End and Beacon Hill neighborhoods, where the cuisine is heavily influenced by the city鈥檚 Italian heritage. For fantastic flatbread pizza and a cozy ambiance, Hacket recommends on Charles Street.

Head over to Boston鈥檚 South End for a melting pot of trendy, international dining experiences. Belnavis suggests for authentic Greek food and for Asian fusion and a great dumpling happy hour. For Boston鈥檚 famous seafood, area runners say to check out in Back Bay鈥檚 Copley Square or 听on the Seaport. Adventurous diners can head over to Fenway to check out 鈥攁 dining hall that brings the best of Boston鈥檚 culinary culture under one roof.

Breweries

Although you won鈥檛 find any happy hours鈥擝oston is infamous for its puritanical drinking regulations that outlaw deals on drinks鈥攖he city鈥檚 craft beer and microbrewery scene is renowned. In addition to famous mainstream breweries like Sam Adams and Harpoon, there are also a number of up-and-coming breweries. A popular one among local runners is 鈥檚 Esplanade location (called Owls Nest), a beer garden by the river that also serves innovative food. In downtown Cambridge, specializes in New England IPAs. is another favorite that offers a rotating beer selection and indoor and outdoor seating. It has three locations in the city: Fenway, Fort Point, and Greenway.

Runners who are into dive bars should check out for a great beer selection and late-night food, or where you can grab a burger, play pool, and have a Sam Adams just yards away from none other than Sam Adams himself. He鈥檚 buried across the street. For a funky hangout over on Boston鈥檚 South End, one of Serafini鈥檚 favorite spots is the 鈥攁 dim underground jazz club with bohemian vibes, a vintage cocktail list, and a slick patio.

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At the start of his freshman year at St. Lawrence University in upstate New York, Mike Chambers was hanging out with his roommate when their dorm-room door flew open without warning and the five-foot-ten, 265-pound captain of the football team burst inside. Chambers鈥檚 roommate was a new recruit, and this stern-faced defensive end was making sure he was behaving. As quickly as he鈥檇 barged in, he was gone again.听

鈥淲丑辞 was that?鈥� asked Chambers, who was sandy haired and lean in contrast. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no way he is a student.鈥�

That was the first time Chambers met Jason Antin.听

Nearly two decades later, Chambers, 35, and Antin, 38, are an adventure power duo inspiring nine-to-fivers to make better use of their leisure time. When the two men aren鈥檛 at their full-time jobs or parenting young children, they鈥檙e traipsing across the globe in the 64-hour window between 5 P.M. Friday and 9 A.M. Monday. They鈥檝e made their epic weekend missions into a TV series called , the second season of which . (国产吃瓜黑料 TV and 国产吃瓜黑料 Online were recently acquired by the same company, now called 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc.) The show is designed to push viewers to reimagine how they can fit adventure into their lives, be it with daily exercise or an ambitious international trip. 鈥淲e want to try and dispel the notion of not having enough time,鈥� Chambers says.

Beat Monday has featured straightforward weekend efforts, like Burro Days, in Leadville, Colorado, a 22-mile run up to 13,186 feet elevation while attached to a donkey, just a two-hour drive from their homes. (Chambers and Antin finished dead last.) It鈥檚 also chronicled extreme objectives, like an attempt of Ecuador鈥檚 Cotopaxi volcano. Guiding companies typically book clients on nine-day trips to tackle the heavily glaciated 19,348-foot peak; Chambers and Antin, meanwhile, had less than three days for their abbreviated expedition鈥攏ot to mention factoring in travel to and from South America. (They didn鈥檛 summit, due to weather, but it鈥檚 鈥渢otally doable in a weekend,鈥� says Antin.) Season two will feature big-wall climbing in Zion National Park, winter bikepacking in the Utah desert, and a foot-to-mountain-bike-to-SUP adventure in Maui.

How did they end up doing huge objectives like this together? During college, as Chambers was working toward a degree in government and Antin was finishing his sociology and pychology major, the pair continued to run into each other at parties, and they kept in touch after Antin graduated in 2006. Their first entr茅e into weekend warrioring was in 2010 in New England; both Antin and Chambers grew up in Boston and were living there once again. Antin had shed his football persona for an outdoorsy one since graduation and invited Chambers on a run. Chambers, done with the party scene and intrigued by the Antin鈥檚 new pursuits, accepted. The route was the 30-mile in New Hampshire, which involves tagging the summits of four 4,000-foot peaks. 鈥淲e read an article鈥攊t was like 鈥楾he Top Five Hardest Day Hikes鈥欌�攁nd we were like, All right, we鈥檙e going to go nail this,鈥� says Antin.

Halfway through the run, during a break at a hut, Chambers found himself sitting on a toilet nearly in tears. They finished the run, but it pushed them to their limits and proved to be an eye-opening experience. 鈥淚t was so hard. I never thought I鈥檇 be capable of doing something like that,鈥� says Chambers. 鈥淎fter that, I was so fired up to explore this world.鈥� It was a springboard for both of them.

Later that year, Antin quit his finance job and moved to Colorado to be closer to the wild spaces he loved. Chambers stayed in Massachusetts, where he was working for an education nonprofit, but the two kept in contact. Since the toilet tears, they鈥檇 each gone all in on the outdoors. They got into ultrarunning鈥攂oth have since completed 200-mile races鈥攁nd were geeking out on gear and training. Chambers became obsessed with high-altitude mountaineering, climbing peaks like Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, and Denali. Antin worked part-time as guide and ticked off his own personal objectives, including, in 2018, , which involves going up and over Washington鈥檚 Mount Rainier twice, then running the full Wonderland Trail.听

But over the next few years, work picked up. By 2016, it鈥檇 been a while since they鈥檇 tackled something ambitious together. 鈥淭hat was kind of eating at me,鈥� says Chambers. He called Antin, and they began to make a list of dream objectives, zeroing in on the first one: climbing and skiing 14,411-foot Mount Rainier, the Northwest鈥檚 crown jewel, in a weekend. At the time, neither of them had climbed it before. It would be a first attempt at the kind of steroid-injected weekend-warrior missions they鈥檙e now known for.

After work on a Friday in early June 2016, they flew to Seattle鈥擜ntin from Colorado and Chambers from Massachusetts鈥攁nd got a ride to the trailhead. The next morning, it took an hour to convince the rangers to issue them a permit; they were skeptical of these 鈥淐olorado cowboys鈥� who鈥檇 never been on the mountain.听

At 9 P.M. Saturday, they started up the crevassed slopes of the Emmons Glacier. The creaking sounds of ice calving and shifting in the darkness drove home the seriousness of their endeavor. After a 10,000-foot climb to the summit, they were rewarded with a rare bluebird day and perfect spring corn for the ski down on Sunday. Chambers took the red-eye back to Boston, arriving just in time for a 9:30 A.M. meeting. He hadn鈥檛 had time to shower.听

Squeezing an epic adventure into a single weekend had worked, and Beat Monday was born. Men鈥檚 Journal , and a production company signed on to work with Chambers and Antin to make听it into a show. The first episode aired in September of 2018: it followed Chambers and Antin as they climbed and skied Oregon鈥檚 Mount Hood and then ran the 41-mile Timberline Trail, which circumnavigates the mountain.听

That same year, Chambers, who by then was married and had a kid, moved to Colorado with his family. He and Antin began upping the ante with back-to-back weekends. 鈥淚t was totally unsustainable,鈥� says Chambers. They climbed Denali in Alaska one weekend, skied California鈥檚 Mount Whitney and Mount Shasta the next, then flew to Ecuador the weekend after that. The show started to attract a devoted following. They鈥檝e now filmed 11 episodes in two countries and seven states. Another three episodes will round out season two.听

Each show feels like a mini documentary, detailing just how they pulled off that weekend鈥檚 mission and offering viewers a rough blueprint for doing it themselves. (In fact, many fans have repeated their exact objectives after watching an episode.) There鈥檚 no need to manufacture drama, because the tension is baked in: Will they accomplish what they set out to do in the allotted time?听

The cinematography is easy on the eyes鈥攖hink soaring drone footage over wild landscapes鈥攂ut the show isn鈥檛 overproduced. It oscillates between matter-of-fact narration and shots听of the men鈥檚 playful, brotherly dynamic, like when Antin spills a liter of coffee in Chambers鈥檚 front seat and pretends it鈥檚 water. It鈥檚 clear they鈥檝e forged a strong bond over the years as mountain partners and settled into their roles in the relationship: Antin is the spreadsheet guy, Chambers is the dreamer. 鈥淢ike has stoke and ideas, and I try to harness them and put them into perspective,鈥� says Antin.听

Both men have heard from dozens of folks who鈥檝e been motivated to pursue an objective after watching the show. And while not everyone has the resources to do trips of the scale that Antin and Chambers take on, they point out that most of us could squeeze in a 30-minute walk or hike during the workday or come up with a fun adventure close to home. 鈥淲e get into these routines and habits where we don鈥檛 necessarily take advantage of the time we do have. I鈥檝e been there, and I think Jason has, too,鈥� says Chambers, who is now the CEO of a听tech startup.听

While it might seem like the pair are constantly away from their families (they get comments to that effect), that鈥檚 not really the case. Most weekends they鈥檙e home with their wives and young children. Chambers now has a one-year-old daughter, a three-year-old son, and a baby on the way, while Antin has two daughters, ages four and one. The two families听joined up to go climbing together at Eldorado Canyon near Boulder, Colorado, shortly after finishing their interview with 国产吃瓜黑料.

Antin currently works as a guide for the Colorado Mountain School, and he coaches at the Alpine Training Center in Boulder. The big novel pursuits are exciting, but he says it鈥檚 about more than just the objective for him. 鈥淲hen we did Shasta and Whitney, we had a literal vanload of some of our best friends. And then my family met me at the end,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the partnership of the people I鈥檓 with. That鈥檚 what I remember first.鈥�

Watch new episodes of Beat Monday starting 5/20 and on the free 国产吃瓜黑料 TV app. Also streaming Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST on 国产吃瓜黑料 TV+ (available in the 国产吃瓜黑料 TV App), the Roku Channel, Samsung TVPlus, Vizio, Xumo, and more.

The post 鈥楤eat Monday鈥� Rethinks What You Can Fit into a Weekend appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you haven鈥檛 discovered at least a dozen hidden gems in your backyard and hometown since the start of the pandemic, you鈥檝e been doing it all wrong. But don鈥檛 worry, there鈥檚 still time to build that list. For those of us living in cities, there are plenty of weekend-long detours that will make you feel as if you鈥檝e escaped the grind, without having to had to travel very far at all.

If You鈥檙e in Seattle or Portland听

Go to Sisters, Oregon. The听听(from $125), three hours from Portland or five from Seattle, has everything you want in a quick summer getaway: a lake with kayaks, canoes, and SUPs on loan, a bar serving up lakefront cocktails, mountain bike trails nearby in听, and musicians playing music around the campfire most nights. Stay in one of 11 newly restored lodge rooms or 16 rustic cabins on Suttle Lake.

If You鈥檙e in San Francisco or Los Angeles听

Go to Mammoth Lakes, California.听It鈥檚 a six-hour drive from San Francisco, or听five hours from Los Angeles. 听is staying open for skiing through Memorial Day; then the resort offers lift-accessed mountain biking, hiking trails, and scenic gondola rides. Need a camping rig?听听has rental campervans you can pick up in L.A. or San Francisco. Or check in to the听听(from $169), which has independent chalets.

If You鈥檙e in Boston or New York听

Go to North Adams, Massachusetts. A听three-hour drive west of Boston and a 3.5-hour haul from New York City,听the northern Berkshires in the spring is a good place to be: the summer crowds haven鈥檛 arrived yet and hiking on a stretch of the Appalachian Trail is good to go. For birdwatchers, you鈥檒l find plenty of action at the Audubon Society鈥檚 in Lenox, which has seven miles of hiking trails. Stay at , 1.5 miles from downtown North Adams, which has 100 lakeside and wooded sites for RVs, campers, and tents (from $25). Pick up barbecue and a growler of craft beer at in town.

If You鈥檙e in Atlanta听

Go to Ellijay, Georgia. Less than two hours from Atlanta, this is a mountain biker鈥檚 dream spot, but there鈥檚听plenty to do here鈥攆rom hiking to fly-fishing through听鈥攊f you don鈥檛 ride听bikes. Stay in a cabin or park your van or RV at听听(from $70 per person) and you鈥檒l have miles of singletrack and gravel riding from your door.

If You鈥檙e in Chicago

Go to , Illinois.听Its waterfalls and wildflowers come alive in the springtime, and the park鈥檚 campground and lodge see relatively fewer crowds. Hike into the sandstone canyons or scenic bluffs via 13 miles of marked trails or fish for white bass and walleye in the Illinois River. Less than two hours by car from Chicago, the park has a sprawling (from $25) and a (from $120), built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

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Last week, on Patriots鈥� Day, that she would be taking part in this year鈥檚 Boston Marathon, which is scheduled for Monday, October 11. A few days before that, Linden launched her ultrarunning career by in the 50K in a paced, low key event in Eugene, Oregon; her official time of 2:59:54 made her the first woman to break three hours in the distance. The 50K was Linden鈥檚 first major event since February 2020, when she narrowly missed making her third U.S. Olympic team in the marathon, finishing fourth at the Trials in Atlanta. As it stands right now, Linden is the first alternate if one of the three women currently going to Tokyo can鈥檛 make the trip.

The 2018 Boston Marathon champion is also turning 38 this year鈥攁n age when most elite-level distance runners have either retired, or are at least contemplating the end of the road. (Linden鈥檚 two-time Olympic teammate Shalane Flanagan was 38 when she retired in 2019.) As she proved in last year鈥檚 Trials however, Linden is still very much capable of taking a shot at glory on the day. Her performance in the 50K suggests that another competitive career might be on the horizon.

I spoke to Linden about her ultra debut, the eternal appeal of the Boston Marathon, what it means to be an understudy for the Olympic team, and what keeps her motivated to put in the miles.

OUTSIDE: Congratulations on your 50K. I know you鈥檝e been asked some version of this question many times, but how did it compare to the marathon, especially in the late stages? Was it more painful? Less painful?
LINDEN: To a certain degree it was more painful because it鈥檚 a longer wait until the hard part鈥攋ust more time grinding towards the inevitable. But those last five, six miles were very similar to the fatigue in the marathon when you鈥檙e trying to manage all that glycogen depletion and mental fatigue.

Was there a sense in which it was less mentally taxing because you were mainly competing against the clock and didn鈥檛 have to be as aware of what other runners were doing?听
I think so. That鈥檚 why I like being in the big city races, particularly without pacers, because there鈥檚 an element of strategy. But I do think this was interesting in that there were no crowds and you had one objective that you were very aware of. So it was mentally taxing in the biggest way. There was not a lot of excitement around it, so I had to keep myself engaged and remind myself to keep my foot on the gas and that this is important.

Right, so maybe there was more pressure in a way, since this was sort of the Des Linden show and if you had DNF鈥檈d, or failed to get the record, the whole event could have been regarded as a failure?
One hundred percent. You want it to be a good show. That was part of hyping it up. Making people interested by adding that pressure, so that it wasn鈥檛 easy to step off if it went sideways and knowing you鈥檝e got to finish no matter what. I think there鈥檚 still something to be learned and shared about falling short. Obviously that wasn鈥檛 the goal, but I think if you get to the finish line and then talk about how it all went sideways, you still have a show. That鈥檚 the type of thing that can happen in a race this long, where it鈥檚 just not manageable and you have to step off. So I did feel nerves that aren鈥檛 usually there when it came to that component. I knew everyone put in a huge effort to get that thing ready. The last person needed to make it a successful event was me. You don鈥檛 want to let everyone down.

Another difference between ultras鈥攅specially ultras in a pandemic year鈥攁nd big city marathons is the crowds. You just announced that you will be racing Boston in the fall. How much is the sheer scale of such an event part of the allure?
Being on the Verrazano Bridge in New York City, or heading into Boston in the middle of the road鈥攖here鈥檚 only one day a year you get to do that and it鈥檚 really pretty special when there鈥檚 this sea of humanity behind you, following in your footsteps. You feel connected to the people watching, because it鈥檚 their community, and their road and they are sharing it with you. I just love that feeling on the day, where everyone is involved in this celebratory event and we鈥檙e all adding our own flavor to it, to make the event what it is, from the last person across the line to the winner out front. It鈥檚 been what鈥檚 been missing during this time, that community aspect where we are all sharing something. That is the appeal. It鈥檚 always been the appeal, and I think that it鈥檚 even stronger right now because we鈥檝e gone without it for so long.

You mentioned that you want to keep racing Marathon Majors until, I think the phrase you used, they 鈥済et too far away from you.鈥� How do you decide when to call it with competing at that level? Is it about being able to go into a race with the mindset that you have a shot at winning?
That鈥檚 going to be the toughest thing鈥攆iguring out the when. I want to feel like I鈥檓 competitive. Up front is one thing, but maybe top five, top ten. I鈥檓 pretty close to the Masters age group (40 and up), so maybe that鈥檚 the thing to shoot for. I don’t know what it鈥檚 going to look like yet, but I feel like I鈥檒l be able to feel it. When I feel like I鈥檓 starting to embarrass myself then I鈥檒l hang 鈥榚m up for sure. For now, I can stay competitive and be in that top five or top ten, and occasionally take swings at the front or the podium. When that starts to slip away, I鈥檒l reevaluate and figure out what competitive means and what it looks like when it鈥檚 time to hang it up.

Also, I鈥檇 imagine, there鈥檚 the question of just having the desire to train at that level.
Yeah, that鈥檚 key. The training is so much work. This may be a simple way to look at all of this, but when I started, my high school coach told me to make sure it鈥檚 always fun. And that鈥檚 something I still look at when I鈥檓 committing to these races and the three-month build-up or whatever it is. Am I enjoying this? Is it fun? Because it takes up a ton of time and if it鈥檚 just a hardcore job that always feels like work, well, there鈥檚 a lot of other things that I could be doing. If it鈥檚 fun鈥攁nd that usually ties in to being competitive鈥攖hen I鈥檒l keep going.

Can you expand on what you mean with 鈥渇un鈥� in this context? Obviously you鈥檙e going to have days where workouts don鈥檛 go as planned, or when you just really don鈥檛 feel like doing the work.听
I think it鈥檚 the goal鈥攖he question of whether the goal is worth the chase. I definitely go through ups and downs and slumps along the way, but I love going to Boston. That鈥檚 so much fun for me. When I put it on my schedule, it never feels like it鈥檚 going to be a grind to get to the start, but there鈥檚 always a sense of: How can we maximize it? What can I do differently? How can I get better? What does the competition look like? All of those things are fun and fascinating for me because I love chasing down that race. I think it was kind of an interesting thing when people were wondering if I was going to skip the Trials to do Boston. I was honestly considering it because the Trials didn鈥檛 have enough of that fun aspect for me to take me away from Boston, but doing both was something I thought was interesting. Not every single day is going to be great, but it has to be something I鈥檓 excited about.

It鈥檚 been exactly ten years since you set your marathon PR in where you came within a few seconds of winning the Boston Marathon. When you compare yourself to the runner you were a decade ago, how has your approach changed, if at all? Has speed work gotten harder or is that not something you pay attention to?听
I鈥檓 totally aware of it. I don鈥檛 really feel like I spent enough time on speed stuff where I can see the decline, but I鈥檓 also afraid to really dig into speed stuff because I think recovery takes longer and I might be a little bit more fragile and the intensity would be more likely to injure me. And I think at my age, injury is like career death. So, we鈥檒l touch on speed work, but I wouldn鈥檛 spend a focused segment where I鈥檓 trying to get better at the 5K because, even though I think I could be decent, it might cost me a season in the marathon. I鈥檓 way more likely to apply maturity to situations in training. Like recognizing that a rest day is more valuable here, or saying that I鈥檓 going to push this workout because I want to be more recovered for it, whereas in the past I was more rigid about sticking to a schedule.

You are the first alternate on the Olympic team. How does that impact your training? Are you conscious at all about needing to be reasonably fit around mid-August? Is there enough overlap with your Boston cycle?
I think I鈥檒l be ready and fit. And I鈥檇 hopefully have enough time to get sharp. If I don鈥檛 get called up, I鈥檒l be ready and fit and we鈥檒l be able to build off of it and then get sharp for Boston. So it鈥檚 going to be a planning thing with my coach, but I think we can make sure that if I get the call and I need to go, I鈥檒l be ready to do something pretty good. But I鈥檓 not expecting that at all. My training will be more prioritized for Boston, but in such a way where I can adjust if I have to. I don鈥檛 think that will be too difficult, unless we鈥檙e in a place where I鈥檓 expected to get ready three days out.

Has your successful ultra debut whetted your appetite to do more longer races in the future?听听
One hundred percent. I like taking down new challenges. It鈥檚 easy to compare ourselves against our past performances in the marathon and these other distances, but when it comes to trail and ultra races, I don鈥檛 have any marks, so it鈥檚 just a fun new territory. And the ultra community has just been super inviting and awesome. I think that will definitely be the next step. We鈥檒l see how soon it comes. Maybe it鈥檚 going to be dabbling and mixing it up with these road marathons, or maybe it鈥檚 going to be further on down the line, but it鈥檚 something I鈥檓 definitely going to explore.

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When researchers from Nike were plotting the details of their Breaking2 marathon project in 2017, one of the variables they considered was start time. The usual early-morning starts give you cool air that gradually heats up鈥攂ut an evening start could give you cool air that gradually gets even cooler as the runners heat up. They eventually stuck with the morning start, mostly to avoid practical problems like figuring out what runners should eat all day before an evening marathon. But the discussion made me realize that there鈥檚 more to race temperatures than what the thermometer reads when the starting gun fires.

A pair of recent papers in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise explores the topic of heat stress in the Boston Marathon. Boston is a major outlier among marathons, with a traditional start time of noon that was changed in 2007 to 10 A.M. for the first wave of the mass start鈥攕till much later than most races. , from a team led by sports science consultant Samuel Cheuvront, analyzes weather data from 1995 to 2016 to conclude that runners were 1.4 times more likely to face conditions associated with exertional heat illness鈥攁 spectrum that includes cramping, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke鈥攚ith the old start time compared to the new one.

That seems entirely logical. But , from a team led by sports medicine physician , digs into the actual heatstroke data from Boston Marathon medical records and ends up with a more complicated picture, both in terms of who gets heatstroke and what factors contribute to it. Breslow and her colleagues looked at records between 2015 and 2019 (full records from earlier years apparently aren鈥檛 available) and identified a total 51 cases of heatstroke out of 11,001 runners who were treated in medical tents along the course or at the finish line.

The runners most likely to end up with heatstroke tended to be younger and faster than the rest of the field. This isn鈥檛 as surprising as it might appear. We often think of heatstroke as a consequence of being out in the sun for too long and not drinking enough. But in the context of endurance sports, the biggest factor is the heat you generate yourself鈥攁nd faster runners generate more heat. In fact, some researchers argue that there鈥檚 a greater risk of heatstroke in shorter races like 10Ks than in marathons, because the faster running speeds allow you to generate more heat.

The role of dehydration in heatstroke remains very controversial, and has been since South African scientist Tim Noakes began questioning the links between the two . The most recent , from 2007, list dehydration as a risk factor for heatstroke, but also note that 鈥渉yperthermia [i.e. overheating] may occur in the absence of significant dehydration when a fast pace or high-intensity exercise generates more metabolic heat than the body can remove.鈥�

That鈥檚 what happens to a few high school football players during summer practice every year, no matter how much they drink. And it鈥檚 also what happens to some marathoners. The Boston data doesn鈥檛 tell us anything about how much the heatstroke patients had drunk, but the medical records do tell us how they were treated. About a third of the patients鈥�18 of 51鈥攚ere given intravenous fluids. Another nine were simply given something to drink, and 24 weren鈥檛 given anything at all (at least according to the medical charts). All of them recovered. This doesn鈥檛 prove anything one way or another, but it does contrast with the popular image of heatstroke victims as parched stragglers who collapse because they didn鈥檛 drink enough.

The final key point was the weather. Marathon conditions are often expressed on a scale called , which reads like an ordinary temperature but incorporates other factors that also affect heat stress like , humidity, and wind. to assess medical risks for their events: for marathons, a value above 70 degrees Fahrenheit signals an elevated risk of heatstroke.

For the five races studied, here are the starting WBGT values and the peak values in the four hours following the start:

2015: 43.0 F / 45.1 F

2016: 70.0 F / 70.0 F

2017: 63.0 F / 70.0 F

2018: 41.0 F / 45.0 F

2019: 58.0 F / 69.1 F

It鈥檚 not hard to guess that heatstroke wasn鈥檛 an issue in 2015 and (famously) 2018. But which year do you think had the most cases of heatstroke? There鈥檚 one obvious answer鈥攁nd like many obvious answers, it鈥檚 wrong. There were just four cases in 2016, the year with the highest WGBT values, compared to 21 in 2017 and 26 in 2019.

What explains the difference? It鈥檚 impossible to know for sure. Factors like wind speed and cloud cover were generally similar in the three warm years, and are accounted for in the WBGT values anyway. But there is one thing that jumps out. In 2016, it was hot at the start but didn鈥檛 get any hotter. 鈥淚t cooled off toward the end actually,鈥� one runner afterward. 鈥淵ou could tell a change, but it started off, and it was hot.鈥� In contrast, the starts in 2017 and 2019 were a bit cooler but then warmed up during the race.

I asked Breslow why she thought this made a difference. 鈥淥ne possibility is that runners start more slowly if it鈥檚 already hot,鈥� she said in an email. Beyond the behavioral explanation, it鈥檚 also possible that a rise or fall in temperature during the late stages of a race is what matters most physiologically, because that鈥檚 where runners are pushing hardest鈥攁nd generating the most heat鈥攁s they approach the finish line. Breslow also pointed out from Marine Corps recruits that found heatstroke to be most common between 7 and 9 A.M., when WBGT is increasing most rapidly, rather than later in the day when it鈥檚 steadily high.

Is it possible, then, that Boston鈥檚 midmorning start is actually better, from a heatstroke perspective, than an early morning start would be? Frankly, I doubt it. Given the choice between a rising or falling temperature in otherwise comparable conditions, it seems like falling temperatures might have some underappreciated benefits. But if it鈥檚 cool enough, as in 2015 and 2018, then heatstroke is a nonissue. If you鈥檙e playing the odds year after year as a race director, then your best bet for cool conditions is probably an early start, as Cheuvront鈥檚 study suggested. Still, when you鈥檙e checking that pre-race hourly forecast, it might be worth keeping trajectory in mind. If the mercury is rising, be a bit more cautious than the conditions seem to call for. If it鈥檚 dropping, go nuts.

For more Sweat Science, join me on and , sign up for the , and check out my book .

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In 1975, a 27-year-old Bill Rodgers won the Boston Marathon while wearing a white mesh T-shirt that he found in a trash can. His wife had scrawled the initials of his team, the Greater Boston Track Club, across the front with a black marker, as well as 鈥淏OSTON鈥� in all caps. Despite setting a new American record of 2:09:55, Rodgers did not receive any prize money for his efforts that听day. Such were the trials of the elite distance runner in the amateur era: I won the world鈥檚 most prestigious marathon, and all I have to show for it is this lousy T-shirt.

This sartorial footnote to Rodgers鈥檚 first Boston win is the sort of whimsical detail you might expect to be memorialized by Tracksmith, a company that makes upmarket, classically styled running apparel and presents itself as a cultural ambassador for the sport. It was founded in Massachusetts in 2014, and one would be hard-pressed to think of another sportswear label that has so deftly invented itself as a heritage brand. On Tracksmith鈥檚 website, you can read of Emil Z谩topek, the undisputed king of distance running during the mid-20th century, and then purchase a merino-wool sweater鈥攁ffectionately named the Emil shawl鈥斺�渋nspired鈥� by the Czechoslovakian legend.听Aesthetically and emotionally, Tracksmith often harks听back to a time when the best runners in the world were not professional athletes. One of the more enduring items in the company鈥檚 collection is a cotton T-shirt with the word 鈥�AMATEUR鈥澨齝onfidently emblazoned across the chest鈥攁 salute to runners who are doing it 鈥�.鈥� It is manufactured by a 165-year-old textile company in New England and costs $55.

There鈥檚 a mild irony in putting a price tag on the spirit of amateurism, especially in the context of a sport in which听some of the most vaunted athletes of the amateur era weren鈥檛 particularly happy about not being able to earn a living from their craft. They were doing it for the love, but they would also have liked to be doing it for the cash. Steve Prefontaine famously told that if he decided to represent the United States at the 1976 Olympics, he would be doing so as 鈥渁 poor man.鈥� Two months later, Pre died in a car crash,听tragically denying him听the opportunity to witness the phasing out of the amateur system he so despised. Rodgers was more fortunate. In the mid-seventies, he signed a multiyear deal with Asics, starting at $3,000 annually鈥攏ot a princely sum by any means听but听better than what other companies were proposing; Nike and New Balance, Rodgers told me, offered him the 鈥渟tunning fee鈥� of $500. (Rodgers couldn鈥檛 recall precisely what he was making at the end of his time with Asics,听though he thinks it was around $40,000.)

However, the amateurs Tracksmith has in mind are not so much the impecunious would-be professionals of the past听but today鈥檚 hardcore hobbyists鈥攖he bane of every relaxed camping trip. These are the runners who will never make a living from the sport, but who nonetheless might wake up at 5 A.M. to churn out 20 miles before work,听after dreaming about their marathon splits. On its website, Tracksmith explicitly refers to these zealots as the 鈥淩unning Class,鈥� i.e., the 鈥渘on-professional yet competitive runners dedicated to the pursuit of personal excellence.鈥� The message is aspirational; even if you鈥檙e not the kind of person who feels a stirring in your loins every time you see a high school track, you can still signal some of that Running Class passion if you鈥檝e got the right gear. But the right gear does not come from random trash cans. The implicit assumption of Tracksmith鈥檚 business strategy is that someone who runs 90 miles a week (or wishes they did) is also willing and able to invest in premium running shorts.

The strategy appears to be working. Over the past two years, the company has increased its revenue by more than 250 percent, according to cofounder and CEO Matt Taylor. The brand closed its Series B funding round in late 2019听and received an $8 million investment from Causeway Media Partners, a venture-capital firm whose portfolio includes the virtual-exercise platform Zwift. Anecdotally, I鈥檝e seen the Tracksmith logo鈥擡liot,听a mini golden hare named after the long-shuttered runner鈥檚 bar in Boston鈥攂ecome increasingly ubiquitous in the New York City running scene.

Perhaps my Eliot radar is particularly fine-tuned because I am also a (downwardly mobile) member of the Running Class听and the proud owner of several Tracksmith garments. Personal excellence continues to elude me, but I have voluntarily subjected myself to many torturous workouts over the years, in the irrational belief that getting marginally faster will provide some measure of redemption for my myriad failures. The Tracksmith aesthetic appeals to my bougie taste, even as I feel conflicted about flaunting it on a casual ten-miler鈥攁s though the purity of the pursuit were diminished by my vanity, or the fact that I now read the washing instructions for half my running clothes. (I recently purchased a Tracksmith merino-wool hat and received 鈥淐are & Keeping鈥� advice for the 鈥減iece鈥澨齣n a separate email.)

If Rodgers鈥檚 example is anything to go by, the road warriors of the old school were above such base materialism. Another case in point: Amby Burfoot, who won the 1968 Boston Marathon and was a longtime editor at Runner鈥檚 World, told me that he didn鈥檛 鈥済et鈥� Tracksmith, in the sense that he couldn鈥檛 see the appeal of spending money on running apparel that didn鈥檛 either provide a performance benefit or help prevent injury. To be fair, Burfoot also self-identifies as an 鈥渙ld-time, thrifty New England dude,鈥� the 鈥渨orld鈥檚 worst dresser,鈥� and a very late adapter to all running trends. (Now in his mid-seventies, Burfoot just purchased his first GPS watch. Verdict: the heart-rate monitor is garbage.) Nonetheless, as Burfoot puts it: 鈥淎 T-shirt is a T-shirt is a T-shirt. As long as it鈥檚 made out of some breathable material, it works for me.鈥�

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