Running Man

Tucson runner Jolene Jones overcame life threatening illness to run her personal best and win her age group at the Saguaro National Park Race.

A beautiful run through the pines of Prescott, Arizona and Jolene Jones was sure her shortness of breath was due to running in the much thinner air of this mile high city.  The sharp pain preventing her from sleeping the next day led her to believe it could be more serious. Jolene didn’t know what was wrong, she couldn’t breathe, her doctors prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and she worried that she may have a broken rib or a strained muscle. However, a CAT Scan would point to something much more serious – Pulmonary Embolism – or blood clots in her lungs, not only affecting her breathing, but her body’s ability to transport life giving oxygen.

In just three short days after her Prescott run, she would be on oxygen and blood thinners fighting off blood clots that had invaded her lungs due to prescribed medications.  Jolene would spend the next three weeks almost in a daze, very lethargic, with daily trips to the doctor followed by oxygen and almost constant sleeping.

So begins Jolene’s New Year 2009, a scary episode in the life of this vibrant, active and determined young Tucson woman.  Leaving her to think what no 27-year-old should ever have to consider, “I don’t want to die, it’s not supposed to be like this.”

Surrounded by friends and family, Jolene could see the look of concern on their faces.  She tries to avoid it, but it seems everywhere she turns, there is another story of someone like her, someone that didn’t make it.  But Jolene has a unique outlook on life, much older than her 28 years.  She does not shy away from letting you know she has faced many challenges in her life, but is proud that this does not define her in any way.  “It gives me a good perspective and I wouldn’t change any of it” she says.   

Slowly the oxygen and blood thinners begin to work.  She begins to walk with friends, but is still concerned that a blood clot may find its way to her heart or brain.  Six weeks after Prescott, she returns to work full time.  A clear CAT scan in April gives her hope, but does not erase the fear of running, of taking those first tentative steps.  Encouraged by her running partners in The Workout Group, Jolene does take that first step.  Later that month, she decides to run in her first race.  She runs the whole way and finishes.  Paced by her Workout Group friends, two more races follow in May, each faster and stronger than the last.  As her health improves, Jolene begins to think “what if…?” 

Jolene began running several years ago to stay in shape, running fast was never the plan, “never on the radar” she says.  By June she is feeling as strong as ever.  The thought comes back, “what if…?”  She decides to go for it, tweaking her diet, adding miles to her weekly total.  By July she is running 40 miles a week, slim and feeling stronger than ever. Many of us didn’t see much of Jolene in the summer, but rumors were flying as reports of Jolene getting stronger and faster filtered in.  “Jolene is running 60 miles a week!”, “I ran with Jolene and she wasn’t even breathing hard”, “Jolene ran a 6:20 mile at the track meet”.  Each report always accompanied by a sense of awe and admiration.

Jolene set her sights on the 40^th Annual Saguaro National Park Race this past Labor Day.  She wants to run fast, but is unsure as the weight of her own expectations and those she perceives from her friends and family overwhelm her. “I’ve never been so nervous before,” she says.  To add to her jitters, Jolene has been selected as the recipient of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners’ Rob Bell Award.  Given to a local runner that embodies the spirit and the passion for running, the award memorializes local runner Rob Bell who passed away in 1999.  The jitters come because the recipient is announced at the Saguaro race to the crowd of 800 runners at the starting line.

Jolene’s race day goes by in a daze; she finishes the race in just over 61:00, on the hilly, eight-mile, gut wrenching course, far and away a personal best.  Then she’s on to the official presentation of the Rob Bell award from Rob’s family and past recipients.  Plaques, gifts, crowd recognition, all seem to go by in a blur. She reflects on her journey a few days later, “This has been the best year ever.  As crappy as some things have been, I have a real appreciation for what I’ve accomplished.”

So do we Jolene, so do we.

Oh yeah – Jolene took first in her competitive 25-29 age group…by nearly a minute.  But in reality, she has already accomplished much, much more than that.  She has her dreams back.

The beginning of the 8-mile loop at Saguaro National Monument

The fall racing season begins in a few weeks with the running of the 40th Annual Saguaro National Monument Road Race on September 7th.  Following the paved, 8-mile loop around the historic landscape, the course will take runners through some of the most beautiful parts of the Sonoran desert, lined with majestic saguaros and breathtaking views of the Rincon Mountains.  Oh yeah, runners will also climb and descend more than 1,700 feet of elevation during the race.

In anticipation of the big day, we’ve been running the course every Sunday this past month. A few of us to start with, and now larger and larger groups each week as runners cram in their last few miles of hill workouts.  It’s funny the way people prepare for this race, with distinct personalities emerging when it comes to running Saguaro.  Some hit the road fast, intent to get it over, with little or no care how they finish. Others gain strength running with a crowd; as if the pain can be shared collectively across the group.  Then there are the iPod people, gaining inspiration (and distraction) in their music. Last are the loners, preferring to face the challenge alone and with their own thoughts. Regardless of your type, a group of us think we have it figured out.  Look at the course as a whole and then divide the race into fourths.  Have a strategy for each segment and set yourself up for the next.

Runners will climb and descend nearly 1,750 feet of hills

Saguaro starts off with 2 miles of rolling inclines, steep and short, and the tendency for most runners is to go out fast and get ahead of the group.  Our philosophy is to go nice and steady to start the race, let the rabbits get out fast.  We’ll have plenty of opportunity to catch them soon enough.  We’ll glide into segment two, a relatively flat portion of the race.  This is a great time to check your breathing, get into a rhythm, and mentally prepare for “The Hill”.

“The Hill”, a 1.5 mile, seemingly vertical climb, in the middle of the race, is one the main reasons Saguaro was a featured race in Runner’s World in 2002.  This middle portion of the race is a gut wrenching, quad exploding climb that will exhaust both mental and physical reserves if you are not ready.  It is the time most likely where the mind will often overrule the body and say ‘enough’.   But because this is segment three, focus on your strength, overcoming this challenge by getting to the top.

The fourth portion of the race features rolling hills to the finish.  Stride out on the downhill, good form on the uphill, find your center and get control of your breathing all the while getting stronger as your quads recover.  It’s time to steadily pass those that have wasted their reserves on “The Hill”. Your confidence will soar with each person and hill you conquer.  Now is the time to let the spectator’s cheers inspire you and soak in the accolades of your accomplishments.

Thinking about this philosophy, it’s not a bad way to approach any run really.  Most tasks are easier to accomplish if you break them down into easily managed segments.  On your next run, whether it’s a one-hour long run or a 30-minute jog around the neighborhood, give this theory a try and break your run into fourths.  Easily managed segments will make your run easier to finish and allow you to focus on the task at hand.  As you complete each portion, you’ll gain strength and confidence for the next.

Now if I could just convince my group to ’share’ a little more of my pain…

Time is fast.

 Time has been a constant theme in my world the past few weeks, and it has me thinking about the influence Time plays in our running lives.

I recently reconnected with an old high school teammate, and after compressing some 20+ years of life into a few minutes, we got down to the real question – “How is your running these days?”  My friend lamented the fact that we could no longer hit the road and rattle off 5:00 miles. I consoled him that those 8:00 miles will suit his knees just fine.  Plus, it doesn’t hurt to get into the mindset of the ‘used to’ and ‘now’.  As in, I used to run 5:00 miles, now I run 8:00 miles.  Time has that effect.

Running is a physical challenge at any age. Although things we could do without a thought when we were young, now require a 20 minute warm-up, stretching and a large dose of Vitamin I (ibuprofen). We haven’t lost the desire, but as our priorities change – marriage, family, children, mortgages, car payments – we can add Time as a challenge as well.  Finding Time to hit the trails or run with a group can be elusive for even the most organizationally gifted among us.

Don't let Time win.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have the desire to be competitive, but that takes Time.  And while it took me some time to overcome what my friend is going through, I am now comfortable with the ‘used to’ and ‘now’. Time provides the wisdom to savor the glow of completing a run, finishing a workout or competing in a race.  Time has value – time spent with family, loved ones, and time spent running are all important. So is the insight to not worry so much about running times, but more importantly making time to run.

I’m proud of my ‘used to’ but more proud of my ‘now’. I hope you are too.  So if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for some more Vitamin I.

Our group of runners has recently discovered a desert oasis nestled right here in the heart of Tucson.  Well positioned along the Rillito River Path, the Brandi Fenton Memorial Park features chilled drinking fountains, shaded ramadas, bathrooms and get this – a free water park!  Featuring water cannons, tipping water buckets and in-ground geysers, the park is a perfect way to ‘cool down’ after a nice run. At the junction of Dodge, Alvernon and River, the park is a hidden gem for runners, walkers and bikers looking for a respite along the path. 

The perfect way to cool down on the Rillito River Path

This fits nicely into our recent thoughts about running during the hot summer months in southern Arizona.  Many of you have asked about training tips during the summer and I think that I have found an option for those aching to get outside and off the treadmill.  The Rillito River Path provides more than 10 miles of paved and dirt paths along the Rillito River wash and, as I ran on the Rillito recently, an abundant amount of shade along the mesquite lined path early in the day.  Along with the Brandi Fenton Park, strategically placed drinking fountains along the path mean you’ll never have to go more than 10 – 15 minutes without a drink. Hit the trail at 6 a.m. and you are bound to have temperatures in the mid 70s.

It’s important to realize that many others have found the path as well, so there is a certain etiquette for being a ‘cool’ runner on the Rillito.  A sort of ‘Rules of the Path’, if you will: 

• The path is like the road – running/walking/riding is done on the right side of the path.
• Runners, yield to walkers; bikers & rollerbladers yield to both runners and walkers. 
• Pass on the left.  If you are passing someone from behind (especially you bikers), a simple “on your left” as you approach is helpful.  Yield where appropriate.
• If you are getting passed from behind, hold your line, let the person passing you determine the best way around you.  A quick movement may lead to an accident.
• ipods/mp3s are OK, but YOU are now required to be fully aware of your surroundings and others on the path.
• Dogs OK, but on a leash (and please, please take advantage of the well positioned dog scoopers and clean up after your dog).
• There are plenty of designated parking lots along the path.  Trader Joe’s opens at 9a, so the lot tends to be empty early in the day.  Brandi Fenton Park also has plenty of parking.

Mileage along the Rillito tends to be haphazardly marked.  Many well meaning bicyclists, runners and walkers have at various times marked mileage that doesn’t seem to make sense.  The best bet is to use the accompanying mileage chart from Pima County Parks & Recreation. The county has marked parts of the path in 1/10 mile increments and tried to mark mileage, using the Campbell bridge as

Mileage along the Rillito River Path using Cambell as the starting point

Alyson defends herself with the blue water cannon

 the ‘Zero Point’.  East or West bound, you are sure to be pleasantly surprised about what you’ll find.  From ‘Stonehenge’, a solar viewing circle at the end of the mesquite grove, about four miles west of Campbell, to the newly renovated rest area at Craycroft trail head about five miles east of Campbell. 

So get out early, follow the rules and you’ll get your miles in while avoiding the heat. Oh, and one last piece of etiquette to remember: it is perfectly acceptable to return fire with the blue water cannon at Brandi Fenton Park.

Running Man's course for the recent Street O hosted by the Tucson Orienteering Club

I recently ran a race that had no set distance, no set course and no set starting time, but still was instructed to complete the race as fast as I possibly could.  Oh and along the way I had to find and identify 8 – 12 markers along the course.  Welcome to competitive orienteering.

My friends in the Tucson Orienteering Club recently hosted a “Street O’, an orienteering race designed to introduce the sport to us non-orienteers.  Combining map reading, racing, logistics and planning, Orienteering can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace or as a competitive, fast race.  My friends and I were just about to find out fast.

The object of the race is to travel to 8 (short course) or 12 (long course) of the 15 pre-determined markers laid out on a map.  Starting from the Palo Verde Park just south of Broadway, we were handed a map at our designated starting time.  The map showed streets, alleys, washes but no street names or other identifications.  Laid out on the map were the 15 markers, with 15 corresponding questions for each. The idea is to get to a marker as quickly as possible, answer the question and move on to the next marker (hopefully in a logical, well-thought out manner. Yeah, right). 

The first thing I learned is that running and a reading a map is one of the hardest things to do.  Thank goodness I wasn’t chewing gum.  I quickly identified the first few items and was confident things were going my way until I got stuck.  Marker # 2: “Utility pole # at wash junction?” threw us for a loop (my friend and fellow Soggy Wogger, Steve Outridge was at this marker too).  There were four poles at this junction, but none matched.  Here is where I realized that orienteers are good – they are required to find pinpoint markers with just a map and old fashioned compass.  We literally had to get in the wash to see the pole.  Steve attempted to follow me to the next few markers, but I ditched him through the wash and on to the next marker.

I’ve selected the short course, 8 markers, and quickly get through the next 5 – 6 markers.  I’m on a roll.  Cactus on the wrought iron door?  Saguaro – Check.  Yellow sign on street corner? Speed Humps – check. Each marker, although sometimes small or intricate was easy to locate once you learned to read the map.  I finally come to my last marker – “What are the blue things”? I’m racking my brain looking for something small in the junction of two back alleys.  I run up and down the alleys, fearing that time is ticking away, frantically looking for something blue.  Finally it dawns on me that I’m surrounded by ‘blue things’ – about 150 blue recycling bins. Duh.

Recycling Bins are blue. It took Running Man, Tim Bentley a few minutes to figure this out.

My map is a crumpled sweaty mess as I’m blazing down a back alley towards the finish. I have no idea where my fellow competitors are, as I’ve only seen two out on the ‘course’.  I cross the line in 29:00 and later map it out to be a little over three miles – 9:40 per mile, with stops, turns, backtracks and a few zigzags.  The top orienteer that day is Mark Everett, he was an overachiever and went to all 15 (of the 12 required for the long course) markers in 33:54, and I figure that to be just under 6:00 per mile pace.  Times like that would place Mark in the upper tier of many of the local road races.  That is fast, people, and not only was he reading a map and answering questions at that pace, he was probably chewing gum too…

Our friend Cristina Luis organized the event.  She recently qualified for the United States National Orienteering team and travels to Hungary in August to take on the best teams in the world.  Read a great article about her here, and support the Orienteering Club here.

Running through the water on Sabino’s bridges not only cools you down, but it’ll take you back to your childhood when puddle splashing was pure joy.  In high school we used to run the Canyon, literally racing from bridge to bridge, vying to be the 1st in line to splash those behind us. Looking back it was a great fartlek workout, literally ‘speed play’ in Swedish.  Who knew that playing in the water would work wonders come race day?

 There are many things you can do to ‘play’ and cover a lot of miles while you are running.  When running in a group, run single file with the last person in line moving up to first and taking the lead at their desired pace. Each subsequent runner does the same in 2 – 4 minute intervals. Running by yourself, or with a friend? Count the number of red convertibles that you see, or on a trail run, see if you can spot our desert neighbors such as rabbits, lizards or the elusive roadrunner.  Keep score in a journal or log and before you know it, you’ve run the miles and had a great time along the way. Hopefully a mountain lion doesn’t make your scorecard…

Running Man doesn't know whether to be scared or feed the 'high' mountain lions in Sabino Canyon.

Unfortunately, the water wasn’t flowing this past Saturday, so I couldn’t surprise my fellow runners with a splash off.  Although, water must’ve been on the mind of fellow Soggy Wogger, Pete McNellis.  About a mile from the Visitor Center he broke into ‘Beach Baby” by The First Class.  While not quite the speed variation Gösta Holmér intended when he invented Fartlek, Pete’s singing (or lack thereof) provided us with plenty of reasons to pick up the pace and vie to be 1st to the finish.

 Another way to make the miles go by…

Looking for different ways to make your running go by easier and mean something at the same time?  How about this group I see in the Canyon almost every time I’m there – Team In Training.  A dedicated group of 25 runners are training to raise money and awareness for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Preparing for the October Nike Marathon in San Francisco and the January PF Chang’s Marathon in Phoenix, they were doing 8-10 miles in the canyon, meaning that some were running parts of the hilly road twice. Coaches Ashley Fitzharris and Rick Karl have successfully guided many groups to a successful first marathon, oh and they’ll raise about $100,000 along the way. Check them out at their website.

The Broadway trailhead leading into the Saguaro National Monument is the gateway to a multitude of beautiful runs. Well-marked horse trails zigzag their way through the desert leading to various destinations around and within the park. Typically we run single file to the paved loop road in the park and then run the back half of the road (with the big hill). We’ll then cut back on the Cactus Forest for a nice 10 miler.
One of my running partners, and fellow Soggy Wogger, Steve “Blackett’s” Hughes (because he runs Blackett’s Ridge in Sabino, sometimes twice a day. For fun.) suggested an out and back on the Cactus Forest. In my mind it was great because we’d get rid of the hill, but still get the benefits of the miles. Boy was I wrong. “The Hill” was still evident, just dispersed throughout the run as smaller, steep inclines. If that wasn’t enough, it was going to be 110° by mid-day, meaning about 80° at the start of our run.
I’m not complaining. We all know it’s hot in Tucson in the summer and we put up with it because it will be 75° during the winter. So to make summer running enjoyable in the desert, keep in mind a few guidelines:

• Staying hydrated is important. You want to hydrate prior to your run, but it’s important that your body is USED to hydrating. We all know the adage of 8 full glasses (8 oz.) of water a day, but it can approach 12-14 glasses depending on your weight and exercise levels. Therefore for runners, be diligent about consistent hydrating throughout the day, every day, and you won’t have that ‘sloshing’ feeling prior to your run
• Take water with you on your run. I carried 20 oz. of water for the run through the Cactus Forest. It wasn’t enough and I had to bum some off Blacketts. My fellow runners carried 40+ oz. There are many options for carrying water including fuel belts (an elastic waist band with multiple, small, clip-on containers that can hold water or other drinks), water backpacks with a hose mouthpiece and the traditional fanny pack designed for water bottles.
• In addition to water, be sure to hydrate with an electrolyte replacement drink at the end of your run.
• A visor or hat made of a moisture wicking material and can help keep the sun (and sweat) out of your eyes. Most hats and visors are machine washable.
• Many runners like to wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun. An active-wear sunscreen is also recommended – apply before your run and at stops for water during your run.
• Run with a group or partner
• Frequent stops for hydrating are not only recommended, they are essential to evaluate for fatigue, and keeping the group together.

Our run turned out to be a good one, although my knees were actively recruiting my quadriceps to revolt.  We had a good mix of runners, conversation and even some random singing of Glen Campbell and Linda Ronstadt songs.  Hmmm, maybe we need to be checked for sunstroke?

What are your secrets to training in the summer? Midnight runs? Mt. Lemmon? Let us know.

I recently played golf with my friend Mike, which is ironic, because Mike is the reason I run today and the irony is that golf played a major role.

Mike and I tried out as freshman for the Sabino High School golf team, (ahem), many years ago.  We hacked it around all summer and gave it our best shot on a hot, monsoony August afternoon.  We weren’t really that good, but thought we maybe had a chance. But in our young naiveté, we missed one thing: the Sabino team was perennially tops in the state and had future pro Willie Wood leading the charge.  Needless to say, we did not make the team.  Back then, after school sports substituted for Phys Ed and we were petrified that we would have to take P.E. during 3^rd period.  So we did what any scared 14 year old kids would do – signed up for Cross Country, a no cut sport! 

Twenty-eight years later I am reminded of this story as I ran at the Tucson City Parks Track & Field Meet at the UA.  Alongside me for the mile race were two recently graduated kids from Sabino, one the state high school champ in the mile and half-mile, and the other a close runner up.  After the race they were full of questions. They wanted to know times, records and how fast we were back in the day. My memory was fuzzy and I couldn’t remember much except some ugly uniforms and the golf story.

Mike and I remain friends to this day because of our love of running, respect for our cross country coach Mr. Brooks and the ability to look the other way after the other suffers a bad golf shot.  We had some great teams back then, but oddly all Mike and I could remember that day were the great times we had along with our teammates. No times, no course records.  Just laughing and running. I hope that’s what running is for you, laughing, running and pursuing your dreams.  Luckily we were able to realize ours.

I finished a distant third to my much younger Sabino brethren that night (the state champ even lapped me). But, needless to say, I had made the team.

I want to know why you run.  What is your story?

 No need to be on any team to compete in these City Track Meets.  We’ll see you there!

The racers were giddy as they handed out the ribbons at the end of a recent Tucson City Parks Road Race. Blue for 1^st, red for second and so on…  Fellow racers cheered and clapped during the ceremony; and when my name was called for 1^st (in my age group), I was through the roof.  It seemed everyone shared similar sentiments when called to the front – from the 10 year-old boy who out-kicked me (oh, I’ll get him next time), to the couple married longer than I have been around. All of them winners.

If you ever participated in an activity as a kid, you probably received a ribbon – swim meets, 4-H projects, science fairs or art contests. There are many.  Those ribbons were proudly displayed on your bedroom wall – or better yet on the fridge for all to see. Proof to the world that you had participated and accomplished great things. 

Now you can travel back to your childhood every week courtesy of Tucson City Parks. For just $3.00, these low key, family fun races are a blast.  Staged at various parks throughout town, between 60 – 80 racers compete in a one-mile predict, 2K and 5K cross country style race. No need to be the fastest runner in the park, ribbons are awarded in five-year age group categories, meaning everyone can compete. Run enough of the races and you might be in the running to be the Tucson City Parks Grand Prix Champion. 

The staff is great and really makes it fun for everyone.  The best part – when they announce your name for your fabulous prize.  Mine is on the fridge…

Tucson City Parks Road Races (and track meets)…