This document provides information on running and fitness events happening in the Midwest region. It discusses a running store in Chicago called Universal Sole that does personalized shoe fittings. It also profiles Molly Pritz, a professional runner from Michigan who trains with the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project and shares her favorite places to run and eat in Rochester, Michigan. The document advertises upcoming races in the Midwest like the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon and Ironman 70.3 Branson triathlon.

1. competitor.com 65
midwest
[ ]
INSIDE:
Avoid the Bonk:
Carbo-licious
Tips Page 70
What Michigan’s
Molly Pritz Eats
for Breakfast
Page 72
Find Your Sole
Mate in Chicago
Page 67
Race-ready
Workout: The
Track Brick
Page 68
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2. competitor.com 67
[ MIDWEST ] ON THE RADAR
acresaresetasideforoff-roadinginSt.JoeStatePark,locatedaboutone
hoursouthofSt.Louis.RideATVs,dirtbikesanddunebuggiesoversand
flatsandwoodedtrails.Theparkalsoofferscamping,fishing,swimming,
hikingandbikingtrails.It’stheperfectdestinationforaweekendroadtrip.
This store calls itself
Chicago’s “sole” of
running and walking.
Every customer gets
personalized treat-
ment when searching
for the perfect fit.
It’s the store staff’s
attempt to look deep
into your sole—of
your foot, that is.
Owners call it
the “Universal Sole
fit process,” where
potential buyers strut
their stuff down the
“sole fit” runway so
the staff can carefully
assess the athlete’s
biomechanics. After
measuring the length
and width of your
foot, Sole staff will
ask you to take a
jaunt on their in-store
treadmill for further
assessment, then
pick your perfect
shoe. From Asics
to ZYM Electrolyte
Drink Tabs, Universal
Sole carries several
major shoe brands
and running neces-
sities. It also offers
free training plans to
help newbies safely go
from couch surfing to
a 5K.
Universalsole.com.
z TOP SHOP
OwnerJoelFienberghas
operatedtheLakeview-area
storesince1999.InFebruary
heopenedasecondlocation
inChicagoatTheRunning
Institute,amedicalfacility
dedicatedtoinjuryprevention
andmanagement,locatedat
111NorthWabash,Suite1919.
UniversalSole
3052N.Lincoln,Chicago
773-868-0893
 TRAIL GUIDE
Selling Your Soles
see GUIDE on page 68
TWO THOUSAND
Fromlefttoright:photosbyBrendanShanley;iStockphoto.com/BCWH
Limestone
Trail
LOCATION:
MastodonStateHistoric
SiteandPark
1050CharlesJ.Becker
Drive,Imperial,Mo.
DIFFICULTY:III(rated
fromvariousonline
reviewers)
LENGTH:approximately
threemiles
AlthoughMastodon
Parkhasonlybeenan
officialstateparksince
1976,archaeologistsand
dinosaurenthusiastshave
beenflockingtothe300-
plusacresitesincethe
early1800s.Litteredwith
bonesandartifactsfrom
thePleistoceneIceAge,
14,000to10,000years
ago,MastodonParkisan
historicallysignificant
placetoenjoyatrailrun
andpossiblystumbleupon
67-72.mw.on.the.radar.indd 67 3/16/11 11:22 AM

3. 68 Competitor April 2011
ON THE RADAR [ midwest ]
anancientarrowhead
belongingtooneofour
Neanderthalcousins.
Therearethreemajor
trailsinthepark:Spring
Branch,LimestoneHill
andWildflowerTrail,
withLimestoneHill
beingthemostdifficult.
Truetoitsname,the
ruggedLimestoneHill
Trailismadeofthe
flakycalcitelimestone,
andwindsalongsteep
embankmentsand
denselyforestedbluffs.
Thetrailheadislocated
nearthevisitorcenter
andpicnicareaandis
adjacenttothemuch
easierSpringBranchTrail.
Once you’re done
with your workout,
check out the museum
near Wildflower Trail.
Missouri State Park
officials estimate
that there are at
least three acres of
ice age deposits in
this particular area.
Mostateparks.com/
mastodon.htm
BetterFittnessphotoscourtesyofKenWelsh;iStockphoto.com/TinaFields
GUIDE, from page 67
Ken Welsh of Midwesttriathloncoaching.com in Kansas
City, Mo., is a certified USAT Level I coach who has been
working with Kansas City-area triathletes for seven years.
A triathlete since 1992, Welsh provided Competitor with
one of his training group’s favorite exercises, the track
brick, a great in-season workout that works best when
used as pre-race tune-up.
The Track Brick
A Set up your bike on a trainer at a track or site that has a nearby measured out-and-back or
circular course.
B Warm up on the bike for 15 minutes. Elevate your heart rate to Zone 3 or the aerobic zone; max
heart rate should be at roughly 70 to 80 percent.
C Next, complete a 400-meter run at 10K pace.
D Bike for five minutes.
E Take two minutes to recover.
F Bike for three minutes. Elevate heart rate to Zone 4/5, also known as anaerobic threshold;
maximum heart rate should be between 80 to 93 percent.
G Run 800m at 5K race pace or Zone 4/5 heart rate.
H Repeat the entire Track Brick three more times for maximum effect.
I Cool down with 10 minutes of easy spinning.
The number of gently-worn shoes the St. Louis
Share-A-Pair program collected last year to
donate to people in need. GO! St. Louis operates
the program in partnership with MERS-Goodwill.20,010+20,010+
better fitness
Pre-Race Tune-Up
tomakeyouFASTER
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4. 70 Competitor April 2011
ON THE RADAR [ MIDWEST ]
One challenge that runners, mara-
thoners and triathletes all struggle
with, besides besting a personal
record, is pre- and post-workout nutri-
tion. Chicago resident, marathoner
and triathlete Jennifer Vimbor is a
licensed dietitian and nutritionist who
received her master’s degree in nutri-
tion education from Columbia Univer-
sity. She works with athletes daily to
help solve this nutritional dilemma.
“Something that comes up all the
time with my patients is the question
of what they should eat before, dur-
ing and after a race. The whole theory
or myth about the importance of a
low carb/high protein diet is true, but
what a lot of my patients don’t know
is that carbs are necessary for energy
and are so important for refilling gly-
cogen stores,” Vimbor said.
“You’ve heard the term, ‘You’ve
hit the wall,’ which means you’ve
depleted your energy reserves. This
happens to a lot of endurance run-
ners who go for the high protein diet.
But what they really need is a carb.”
HONE YOUR CALORIE INTAKE
Vimbor explains that carbohydrates
break down rapidly, so if you’re look-
ing for a simple, easy-to-remember
formula, try this:
If you’re going for a long run in an
hour, try a low-fiber carbohydrate,
such as a banana, some pretzels
or crackers. The rule to remember,
said Vimbor, is that your caloric
intake before a run should not eat
more than 100 calories. But, if you
have two hours before your workout,
take in 200 calories.
“When you have two hours to
spare, make sure to have a carbo-
hydrate and some protein. A nice
200-calorie meal to test out is yogurt
and fruit, or string cheese and crack-
ers. I recommend simple proteins,
nothing fatty or complex like red meat
or pork,” she said.
VIMBOR’S BOTTOM LINE
“If you’re depleting glycogen and you
don’t have enough going through you
in your day, eventually your blood
sugar drops, which leads to more
sugar cravings. That makes people
get a sweet tooth. It’s physiological.
That’s why getting proper nutrition
during workouts is so important.
Don’t set yourself up for disaster.
Fuel properly before, during and after
every race or workout.”
Chicagonutritionist.com
Pre-Race Fuel:
It’s All about
the Carbs
C ADVICE
Top Fuel Picks
Meat Eaters:Turkey or grilled chicken breast sandwich.
Vegetarians: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a big bowl of cereal with yogurt.
If cookies, cake and pastries don’t
seem like smart picks for breakfast,
think again. BTrue Bakery produces
preservative-free, trans-fat-free baked
goods without enriched, refined flours.
Sold at theAndersonville Farmer’s Mar-
ket and the Nettelhorst French Market;
check website for retail locations.
Btruebakery.com
Meat-freesince’83,theChicago Diner
specializesinvegancomfortfoodand
featuresgluten-freeoptions.The
award-winningdineralsobakesmuffins,
scones,barsandcookiesforsaleatthe
restaurantandareaWholeFoodsmar-
kets.3411N.Halsted;Veggiediner.com
Withfreebikeparking,abeergarden
andabicycleadvocacymission,the
Handlebaroffersabalanceofvegan,
non-vegan,healthyandindulgentdishes
withaneclecticspin.Trythegreen
meaniesandwichorshiitakeandbroccoli
orecchiettetofuelyournextride.2311W.
NorthAve.;Handlebarchicago.com
Get Your Healthy
Carb Fix in Chi-town
JenniferVimborphotobyBrendanShanley;berriesiStockphoto.com/JoeBiafore;chickensandwichiStockphoto.com/IgorDutina
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5. 72 Competitor April 2011
ON THE RADAR [ MIDWEST ]
Molly Pritz
Wanttoqualifyforthe
2012IronmanWorld
Championship70.3in
LakeLasVegas,Nev.?Then
looknofurtherbecause
IRONMAN70.3BRANSONonSept.18isa
championshipqualifier.Asafrequented
touristdestination,Branson,Mo.,also
knownasthe“LiveMusicShowCapitalofthe
World,”offersrace-goersafirst-handlookat
thestunning,emeraldfoliageoftheOzark
Mountainsandanopportunitytotakeadipin
TableRockLake.Ironmanbranson.com
Enjoy the great outdoors and connect with
the local running community this summer
at the 2011CHICAGOTRAILSERIES. From
April through October, five CTS events
will lead trail-loving runners throughout
Illinois’ forest preserves and state parks.
The series starts with the Old School 4
Mile run in Libertyville on April 23, then the
Renegade Trail Run 10K through the Deer
Grove West Forest Preserve in Palatine
on June 4, the Sag Valley 5 Mile in Palos
Hills on July 9, the DuPage Trail Run 12K
on Aug. 6 in Wheaton and closes with the
Trail Challenge 8K in Palatine on Oct. 29.
Chicagotrailseries.com
To submit an item for [ On The Radar ] contact Sgrotewold@competitorgroup.com.
ALL STORIES BY LAUREN VENTURA
MollyPritzphotocourtesyVictahSailer/photorun.net;BrooksDefyancebyNilsNilsen;Rock‘n’RollMardiGrasphotobyPaulNestor;BransoniStockphoto.com/EventureMan
A 2010 graduate of Pennsylvania’s Bucknell Uni-
versity, Molly Pritz planned on becoming a geologist,
but life took her down a different path—as a professional runner. Now
a member of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, Pritz, 23, says her love for
running did not come until after college.
“My passion for running grew when I began training with the local runners in
the Lewisburg, Pa., area,” she said.
Last August Pritz joined the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in the De-
troit Metro area of Michigan and appears to have found her stride in the Great
Lakes State—she set new PRs for 5K at 15:56, 10K at 32:59 and half-marathon
at 1:11:05 after joining the team. She just won the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio
Half-Marathon in November with a time of 1:12:14, qualifying her for the 2012
Olympic Marathon Trials.
Check out some of her favorite things, in Rochester, Mich., where she lives
and trains.
 MY FAVORITE THINGS
Race Ready
pOurpicksforgreatMidwestern
racestomarkonyourcalendar:
is the ROCK‘N’
ROLLCHICAGO
HALF-MARATHON
and the race
is expected to
draw thousands of runners to Grant Park,
home to theArt Institute of Chicago and the
historic Buckingham Fountain. Proceeds from
the race will benefitTheAmerican Cancer
Society. Chicago.competitor.com/register
AUG.14
FAVORITE RESTAURANT
• The Downtown
Café; Downtownca
ferochester.com
“When my
teammates and I
go out to breakfast
I simply can’t resist
the Downtown Café’s
Michigan pancakes.
With dried cherries,
apples and walnuts
baked right into the
pancake you can’t
go wrong. I round off
my meal by splitting
a spinach and feta
omelet with my
teammate.”
FAVORITEPLACETORUN
• The Paint Creek
Trail, Paintcreek
trail.org, and the
Stony Creek Metro
Park, Metroparks
.com.
“I feel like I can
sometimes run faster
when put on an open,
rolling road than I
can on a track. Road
running is really
where I feel at home.”
FAVORITE LOCAL
SPORTS STORE
• Hansons
Running Shop;
Hansons-running.
com
FAVORITE SHOES
• Brooks Defy-
ance; Brooks
running.com
“Theyarecushioned,yet
veryresponsive.Notto
mentiontheyhelpkeep
meinjury-free.”
FAVORITE RACE
• “Any Rock ‘n’ Roll
half-marathon. I am
a big proponent of
incorporating music
for motivation and
for proper pacing
into my training,
so any race that
involves music is a
race I enjoy.”
Runrocknroll.
competitor.com
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