Friday Five

Friday Five: Forbidden Runs

Running Shoes News has compiled a list of 10 forbidden runs – that is, “alluring but prohibited places” where it would be pretty cool to run. But “Friday Ten” doesn’t have the same ring and, besides, it would stretch the limits of fair use. So I cherry-picked my five favorites:

1) Korean DMZ (I’ve been there!)

2) Area 51

3) The Holy See Library

4) The White House lawn

5) International Space Station

But since the space station would be a treadmill run, I think a tempo run on the Sea of Tranquility would be better.

Friday Five: Fashion Tips for Galen Rupp

Elite distance runner Galen Rupp has a pollen allergy so severe he has taken to wearing a face mask during races – including his victorious 10,000-meter run at the U.S. Track & Field championships.

“I know it looks silly. I get embarrassed wearing it to be honest with you. . . . But if it’s going to help me out . . . that’s the most important thing,” Rupp said.

Well, you know what they say: If you can’t hide it, decorate it. Here are five stylish face mask ideas for Rupp:

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Friday Five: New Terms for Minimalist Running

In response to the ongoing confusion between people who run with no shoes and people who run with thin shoes, here is a list of alternative ways to describe what you’re doing when you head down the road in your Vibram Five Fingers:

1) “I’m running lite.”

2) “I’m heel-cushion challenged.”

3) “I’m flat-footed.”

4) “I’m going gecko today.”

5) “I’m VC-ing this race in my new Ho Chi Minhs.”

Friday Five: Weaponized Running Shoes

Over at RunningShoes.com, they’ve listed their choices for the Best Running Shoes for Zombie Apocalypse Survival, but their choices all have one serious limitation: They assume you’ll always be able to escape, which, if you’re facing fast zombies instead of slow zombies, could result in having your brain eaten.

Better to sacrifice some speed and running efficiency for lethal force. Here are five excellent shoes for the zombie apocalypse:

1) 

2)

3)

4)

5)

Friday Five: Factoids From RunningUSA’s Marathon Report

RunningUSA published its annual marathon report and while the headlines focused on the record 507,000 people who completed marathons in 2010, there were some other interesting items of note.

1) The age distribution of male and female finishers is remarkably different. The men are just about equally divided into thirds – under 35, 35-44, 45 and older. A third of the women are between 35 and 44, but 46% are under 35 and only 23% are 45 and older.

2) While finishing times were significantly slower than in 1980 or even 1995, finishing times for both men and women in 2009 and 2010 were faster than they were in the previous five years.

3) Those surveyed purchased, on average, four pairs of running shoes in 2010, while running an average of 30 miles per week.

4) Two of the slowest median finishing times occurred in marathons in the state of Hawaii (Honolulu and Maui). The Honolulu Marathon had 8,155 participants who needed more than six hours to finish.

5) Masters runners (40+ years of age) made up 46% of all marathon finishers, but 56% of the finishers at the Boston Marathon.

Friday Five: Most Common Newspaper Stories About Running

1) “Hey, there are some crazy people outside running without shoes!”

2) “Stretching – good or bad?”

3) “So-and-so is running a race to raise disease awareness”

4) “I’m a reporter and I’m running my first marathon!”

5) “These old people can still run!”

Friday Five: Things You Might Not Know About Steve Prefontaine

TrackFocus recently ran an article titled, “Steve Prefontaine: 18 things you might not know.” It revealed that Pre liked bubble gum music, cross country skiing and the javelin. Here are five more things you might not know:

1) He made a mean egg salad sandwich.

2) While at Oregon, he raced to a photo finish with a young Wally Cox.

3) Someone thought the best person to play Pre in a movie was… Allen Iverson.

4) He played bass guitar for the Hudson Brothers.

5) His famous mustache was actually a woolly worm named “Bert” who lived on his upper lip.