A course never quite looks the same way twice. The combinations of weather, season, light, feelings and thoughts that you find there are ever-changing. Joe Henderson changecombinationfeeling Change image and share on social
They trained mostly by time periods, checking their pace for known distance only on special occasions. Joe Henderson checkdistanceoccasion Change image and share on social
I feared the verdict of the watch, where I either lost the race against time that day or would lose it soon by making the record even harder to break. The time trap had snapped shut. Joe Henderson breakdayfear Change image and share on social
Speed eventually neared its peak. The records forced me to work ever harder to drop a less and less time. These time trials came to feel like races, which are fun to run sporadically but not daily. Joe Henderson dailydropeventually Change image and share on social
The records fell easily at first. Dozens of seconds peeled away with every running of a course, and I could hardly wait for the next chance to improve. Joe Henderson chancedozeneasily Change image and share on social
The results would have stayed on the watch face until the batteries died. But trying to make time stand still this way would have been a mistake. It is just as important to erase times eventually as to save them at first. Joe Henderson batterydieerase share on social
In fact, the bandits steal the drinks and assistance provided along the course. Worse, they cross the finish line and mess up the scoring of legitimate runners. Joe Henderson assistancebadlybandit Change image and share on social
The Chip also reduces the damage done by bandits. They still steal drinks and cheers along the course, but no longer scramble the paying runners' results. No entry fee, no Chip, no time or place. Joe Henderson banditcheerchip Change image and share on social
Our favorite: a former garbage dump converted into a riverside park. I first ran there more than 30 years ago when a marathon passed through this park that later became home to Pre's Trail. Joe Henderson agoconvertdump Change image and share on social
A lesser but still fundamental rule of racing is that you properly enter the event. Anyone who doesn't but still insists on running interferes with the paying customers. Joe Henderson customerenterevent Change image and share on social
