Minute 1: Running 2 marathons simultaneously
In the infamous Seinfeld episode explaining the social faux pas of double dipping a chip into a bowl of dip, George Costanza said: “You dip the way you wanna dip. I’ll dip the way I wanna dip.” For runners looking to double dip at major marathons this October, they could enjoy one of two double dipping flavors. Due to a Covid scheduling anomaly, the Chicago Marathon will be held on Sunday, October 10, and the Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, October 11. That means an ambitious runner could run Chicago on Sunday, Uber to O’Hare, and then run Boston on Monday. Granted your legs wouldn’t feel great getting off the flight in Boston, but we are already hearing about some hard core folks will try it. If you’re not quite that ambitious, there is another quirky option. The BAA announced today that registration is now open for the Virtual 125th Boston Marathon that will be held October 8 - October 10, 2021. Participants may run 26.2 miles at any location during the race window and will then submit their finish times through the BAA Athletes' Village to earn a medal. That means if you run Chicago in person, you could also get credit for running the virtual Boston Marathon since you would have completed a marathon during the required window. Presto -- barroom bragging rights for a lifetime. The BAA has ambitious goals for the virtual race, with a maximum field size of 70,000, so slots should be open for a while there. Chicago still has charity bibs available for their in-person marathon and you can explore options here. If you have your heart set on the real deal double dip, registration for the in-person Boston Marathon will open on Tuesday, April 20 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The registration window will remain open until 5:00 p.m. EDT on April 23. And remember, because the BAA ranks applications by qualifying times, there is no need to make a mad rush to their site as soon as it goes live on April 20. They will collect all of the applications and then sort by qualifying time and age group. Complete info on Boston qualifying times is here. #WWGCD
Minute 2: If you really want to get serious about your workouts
In general, CrossFit scares us. Every single one of our friends past the age of 30 who dive into it get hurt at some point. Yes, we understand that it’s usually pilot error to blame and that runners get hurt just as often, but the stakes seem a little higher when you are cleaning and jerking heavy barbells like an East German weightlifter of the 70s. (See “The Rise and Fall of Gerd Bonk, the World Champion of Doping.”) Having established our wimpiness, we would quickly add that many CrossFit workouts skip the heavy iron and instead serve up a healthy main course of running, with some tasty side dishes of body weight exercises. For example, we have tackled the iconic Murph before which begins and ends with a 1-mile run. There is also a lot for runners to love in this collection of workouts that have no weights or light weights required: “10 Highly Effective Running Workouts for CrossFit Athletes.” If you want a really simple body weight workout that doesn’t include running, check out “The 400-Rep Bodyweight CrossFit Workout That Will Turbo Charge Your Metabolism.” Although not a CrossFit workout, runners preparing for the long declines of the Boston course may want to read: “This ‘Legs of Steel’ Workout Will Make You a Faster Downhill Runner.” #Don’tWeight
GIVE 'EM HELL
Sponsored ContentOn April 24, walk or run 4.2 miles to support the veterans carrying on Pat Tillman’s legacy. Register this week and you’ll be entered to win a Peloton bike and other amazing prizes! Sign up by April 1 to ensure delivery of your race tee by race day.Register Today!
Minute 3: Will we ever go back to the office?
There is good news for those of us who enjoy the current Zoom fashion standard of business attire above the waist and sweats below it. Working from home means more time with family and pets, and -- with our non-existent commutes -- more time to sneak in workouts throughout the day. But for every yin there is a yang, and the landlords of big office buildings don’t share in the joy of more flexible work arrangements. As the New York Times reports: “Remote work is here to stay, and big cities may never be the same.” In the U.S. there is about 11 billion square feet of total office space that’s worth about $2.5 trillion. In New York City alone right now, there is more than 450,000,000 square feet of office space available. That equates to a 10’ x 10’ office for more than 4,000,000 people. The Washington Post reports that “The hybrid office is here to stay. The shift could be more disruptive than the move to all-remote work.” Our personal preference is for a comfortable hybrid model to emerge where we enjoy the convenience of working from home while still connecting face-to-face with colleagues and clients. #WFH
Minute 4: Which foods to buy and which to leave on the market shelves
An old adage says that you should never go grocery shopping while hungry. On top of that, we would add: never hit the supermarket right after a workout. When your stomach is getting hangry and your subconscious is telling you that you’ve earned the Ben & Jerry’s, you probably won’t make the best nutritional decisions about how to fill your shopping cart. As a helpful reminder, we are sharing a few stories that crossed our desk this week offering practical advice on the topic. While we await a return to the SMM corporate office where we will eat 1 or 2 meals per day, U.S. News offers us: “10 Healthy Staples You Should Always Have in Your House.” If you pair that shopping list with “9 Foods That Make The Mediterranean Diet Easy,” you will find lots of agreement on filling the fridge and pantry with things like quinoa, salmon, tuna, sardines, olive oil and nuts. As for what to avoid while shopping, check out “6 Things Nutrition Experts Say to Always Buy & 4 Things to Leave Off Your List” from the children’s nutrition site RedTri. The no-nos on the list include sugary drinks and meats that are not organic or grass-fed. We also like this new story: “I’m a Gastroenterologist, and This Is What Happens When You Cut Added Sugar.” The short answer is that good things happen to your gut health when you avoid refined sugars that cause inflammation and mess with the healthy bacteria in your gut. While these recommendations don’t necessarily fit into our shopping cart theme, we couldn’t resist sharing this story from Well + Good: “Fuel Up for the Day With These 8 Bean Breakfast Recipes Full of Protein and Fiber.” Thumbs up for the garlicky white bean avocado toast. #MakingItFitInYourCart
Minute 5: Quick Intervals
A couple of older guys got mighty feisty on the trails of Washington state when a 69-year-old hiker was arrested for pulling a switchblade on a 66-year-old mountain biker. Apparently the mountain biker was headed uphill when he asked a group of downhill hikers to yield so that he could pass without unclipping from his pedals. Showing that not everyone mellows with age and that outdoor beauty doesn’t lower everyone’s blood pressure, the request to make room was not well-received. Details are here: “Hiker stabs mountain biker during altercation over 'right-of-way' on trail.”
Shining a ray of hope into the lives of middle-aged weekend warriors everywhere, the winner of the men’s British Olympic Marathon Trials last Friday was 39-year-old Chris Thompson, the father of a newborn and the hard-luck survivor of countless injuries. No one seemed more awestruck by the moment than Thompson himself. “I’m 39. This doesn’t happen! This doesn’t happen!” The emotional video of his 2:10 finish is here and his post-race reaction is here.
Tomorrow’s issue of Six Minute Mile Professional Edition will be our best yet. We have added a new feature called “Cool Down” in which we highlight the most important stories of the past week -- the ones you really need to know to be an industry insider. You will also find important financial news on the endurance and fitness industry along with updates on upcoming gear releases and a new feature story from award-winning author Brian Metzler. As a friend, we recommend that you sign up now so you don’t risk profound professional and personal embarrassment when your work colleagues and training buddies are discussing the latest issue and planning to get their SMM Pro tattoos together. To be clear, you should not feel pressured to get the tattoo, but a Six Minute Mile t-shirt is basically a dress code requirement in some circles. Going without one would be like dudes walking into a Boulder coffee shop without a trucker cap or suburban moms power walking without yoga pants.
Minute 6: Daily Inspiration
We are honored to be working with the Pat Tillman Foundation’s annual running event, Pat’s Run. Most people are familiar with the basics of Tillman's story -- a smart, charismatic NFL star exchanged his football jersey for a U.S. Army Ranger uniform after September 11, 2001. Although Tillman died in combat in Afghanistan in 2004, his family was determined to continue his mission through the Pat Tillman Foundation. The lesser-known part of Tillman’s story is that his organization has been wildly successful in empowering military service members, veterans and spouses as the next generation of leaders committed to serving the greater good. They have raised more than $20,000,000 over the years, much of that money coming from Pat’s Run. The success stories of the scholarship recipients are remarkable, like LaChiana Hamilton who overcame tremendous adversity to thrive as an Army officer. When her son was born with a serious heart condition, she decided to switch gears and used a Tillman scholarship to help pay for a doctorate nursing program so that she could help serve children like her son. We are also moved by the story of Jonny Kim, a former Navy SEAL whose Tillman scholarship helped him through medical school. With his M.D. in hand, Kim returned to military service to apply his medical training to those in harm’s way. An accomplished swimmer in his younger days, Kim was able to overcome unthinkable childhood tragedy to persevere and prosper. His life story as described in the short video below is inspiring to anyone hoping to make the world a better place. Please consider signing up for the 4.2K virtual Pat’s Run to help further their cause.
