Minute 1: Getting hyped for Chicago
This year’s Chicago Marathon isn’t just Midwestern flat and fast. Some really good story lines are emerging. Galen Rupp thinks he has a real shot at breaking the U.S. marathon record of 2:05:38. Rupp has PRed in every marathon he’s ever run, most recently posting a 2:06:07 this May. The queen of American wheelchair racing, Tatyana McFadden, may install rear view mirrors on her race chair this year. She is gunning for a record 8th straight Chicago title, but last year she barely nipped Amanda McGrory in a photo finish. McFadden is looking ripped in her new Nike video which we feature below.
As a lead-in to fall marathon season when hundreds of thousands of women will toe the line, USA Today ran a terrific piece this week recalling the dark ages when women were once considered physically incapable of completing a 26.2 mile race. A Syracuse University student named Kathrine Switzer proved otherwise in heroic fashion in the 1967 Boston Marathon. Her new video account below is a must watch for anyone who roots for fair play and strong women.
#titlenine
Minute 2: Eat like an Italian to live longer
We have extolled the virtues of the Mediterranean Diet before: longer lives and trimmed weight paired with a glass of Tuscan red wine. That’s why we started salivating immediately when we discovered this new list of 19 Mediterranean Diet meals that are ready in 30 minutes or less. We will test the sheet pan salmon with veggies (#7) and the Mediterranean stuffed peppers (#15) this weekend.
#moltobene
Minute 3: Tiger’s work-out regime
Tiger Woods has landed on his feet after a long battle with injuries and personal struggles. He is winning tournaments again and qualified for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. (Although that didn’t turn out too well last weekend.) He recentlyrevealed his old work-out regime when he was at his peak fitness. Surprisingly, it included a lot of running. Here’s how he described his typical day:
“Well, I used to get up in the morning, run four miles. Then I’d go to the gym, do my lift. Then I’d hit balls for two to three hours. I’d go play, come back, work on my short game. I’d go run another four more miles, and then if anyone wanted to play basketball or tennis, I would go play basketball or tennis. That was a daily routine. I’m not doing any of that now.”
#GOAT
Minute 4: Why are middle-aged athletes taking on more extreme challenges?
Old clichés told us that 40-somethings searched for their lost youth through sneaky affairs with younger women or buff tennis pros. Or maybe a sports car for the dad living in the ‘burbs. New research is showing that instead, middle-aged folks are flocking to tough physical challenges and audacious fitness goals. (Here’s why.) Folks in their forties often represent the largest age group in triathlons, marathons and ultras. We love this story of a 46-year-old woman who went from not being able to complete a single push-up to winning a Masters title at the CrossFit games. For many reasons, the oldsters are even beating the youngsters. At a recent London Marathon, Strava results showedthat people in their 40s ran a minute faster on average than people in their 20s. A fascinating part of the phenomenon is that people in the last year of an age decade (e.g. 29, 39 or 49-year-olds) are much more likely to take on a “prove-your-youth” challenge than any other age year. Someone who is 49 is 3X more likely to run a first-time marathon than a 50-year-old. (Here’s the theory behind that.)
#poncedeleon
Minute 5: Quick takes
- If leg chafing and bloody nipples rub you the wrong way, here is Outside Magazine’s new list of the top anti-chafing creams on the market. We have been old school Vaseline users for years, but this has changed our minds.
- The gold standard in marathon qualifying times was just cranked up to a platinum standard. The Boston Marathon announced last week that acceptances for the 2019 race are tighter than ever. (Unlike most marathons, Boston gives out 80% of its bibs based on how fast you’ve run in the past.) For 2020, the standard will get even tougher. A 35-year-old man will need a 3:05 to qualify and a 35-year-old woman will need a 3:35. The full chart is here.
- Sadly, our joyful romps in crisp fall weather will soon turn into frigid slogs in early morning darkness. New Balance just released a new apparel technology that aims to make you a little more comfortable in the cold. The Radiant Heat Bonded Jacket uses the same principle as the shiny wrap handed out to runners at marathon finish lines. The new technology scores well in reviews and even comes in an edition styled for next month’s New York City Marathon.
Minute 6: Daily Inspiration
Tatyana McFadden has won the past 7 Chicago Marathons in the wheelchair division. For the first time in history, Nike just released an ad featuring a female wheelchair athlete. Here is McFadden repping Nike and prepping for Chicago.
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