Deena Kastor and Jim Ryun answer your questions about their career right here on LRC

LoneStarXC wrote:

1). Do you read LRC regularly?

2). Which is your favorite: llamas or alpacas? ?

I'm sure these questions have something to do with one another! 1) Not regularly, but consider Robert and Weldon long-time friends (and great contributors) in the running world. I more see posts on social media since I follow LR and J Gault on twitter. 2) So maybe if I frequented the message boards I would know the trap of this question. HaHa. I'm intrigued...

Deena- what are your thoughts on hyperandrogenism in track & field today, and what would be your ideal solution for this issue in the future?

xcmets wrote:

For both: in your opinion, what is better to have on a running resume, a world record or olympic gold?

Both would be nice!

They represent two different things. WR would be significant because it would say you achieved excellence, mastered your body and mind to be the best in history at that distance. That's cool. Gold would mean you were the best on that day. Perhaps tactically or by being the most prepared. So, now that I've worked it out by typing, I'd say WR since is over recorded history as opposed to a single race.

Deena - having a successful running career requires talent, a lot of hard work, the right mentality and some luck among other things.

All runners have different strengths and weaknesses. However, if there is one trait above that all runners should aim to improve through hard work in order to succeed what would that trait be? Aerobic fitness? Raw speed? Mental toughness? Something else?

(English is not my native language)

For Deena:

1) What do you think of the "Supershoes?" Have you tried any of the carbon-plated shoes and do you think you could have run even faster (like 2:17-2:18) with the new technology?

2) Why is it that you think your Marathon record has gone relatively unchallenged despite a ton of great women's 10,000 runners moving up to the Marathon in recent years?

For Ryun: Does he regret letting Kip Keino build an insurmountable gap in the 1968 Olympics? Or with the altitude does he think it would have been suicidal to go with Keino on the 2nd and 3rd lap?

dcoffey16 wrote:

Deena- what are your thoughts on hyperandrogenism in track & field today, and what would be your ideal solution for this issue in the future?

Uhg! I knew I'd get some hard questions with this crowd! This conversation might better unfold while getting together for coffee! I'll try to sum up my beliefs here: First, I want everyone in the world to run. I think it would instill peace of mind, and peace in general. As it relates to hyperandrogegism or the growing population of transgender, we need a lot more scientific data. It isn't just an issue of testosterone production, but many of the other endurance/power benefits that occur.

VO2Max.

Body Fat %.

Power output.

Speeding up muscle/tendon repair.

Recovery.

These are just a few benefits of being mostly male. I remember when I was on a World XC Jr team in 1989 and needing a cheek swab to identify my gender. I think it's a lot more complicated now. So, I think we need more scientific parameters in the above areas in order to identify with being Male/Female in sport today. It also only matters because there is money involved. If Track & Field was still an amateur sport, it would matter less. Please follow up if you have additional comments or more questions. I'd love if we could be part of the solution!

Slower_Than_A_Dead_Tortoise wrote:

Deena - having a successful running career requires talent, a lot of hard work, the right mentality and some luck among other things.

All runners have different strengths and weaknesses. However, if there is one trait above that all runners should aim to improve through hard work in order to succeed what would that trait be? Aerobic fitness? Raw speed? Mental toughness? Something else?

(English is not my native language)

Mindset! Undoubtably. Our minds are malleable, not fixed. On average, we have between 75,000-80,000 thoughts a day. And although we can't control all of them, we can control the thoughts that follow, to either support or debunk the initial thought. We can all be our worst critics, but it would better benefit us to be our greatest supporter. We have within us the ability to uplift, support, cheer and guide ourselves to be better, one thought at a time. And when we can do that within ourselves, it is not only performance enhancing, we can more easily enhance those around us. Work on your attitude/mindset and PRs come a lot more easy!

Deena - (1) What do you think runners need to emphasize/add/subtract in training as they move into the Masters side of their careers? Also, what is your favorite city in terms of post-race food?

Here's hoping to see you along the Chicago Lakefront Path again at some point!

Mr. Ryun,

Having seen many training approaches come and go since your retirement, if you could do it all over again with any approach of your choice, what training approach would you be most interested in have trying?

THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:

For Deena:

1) What do you think of the "Supershoes?" Have you tried any of the carbon-plated shoes and do you think you could have run even faster (like 2:17-2:18) with the new technology?

2) Why is it that you think your Marathon record has gone relatively unchallenged despite a ton of great women's 10,000 runners moving up to the Marathon in recent years?

SUPERSHOES! I have run in the ASICS (my sponsor for 20 + years) METARACER since last year and they are amazing. It is the first time in my 37 years of running that a shoe has felt like it is doing work for me. It seems shoes have come to a place in time that it is not about simply finding a shoe that supports they type of runner you are, but one that will help/aid you. The shoe dilemma reminds me of the swimming bodysuits from the 2008 Olympics. Every world record in swimming went down in those OG thanks to the grooved neoprene/polyurethane suits that kept swimmers buoyant and gliding through the water. The suits were eventually banned because they were considered "performance enhancing." Unfortunately, the record books couldn't be reversed.

I would like to see more data and research on whether carbon plates actually take a runner beyond their fitness measures. We've certainly seen it work as a performance booster, but is it the shoes or is our sport enhancing at a natural rate. We will certainly have to re-think time standards and qualifications. My sarcastic side says, "Watch, next we'll be justifying little motors in our shoes as means to keep our feet cool. Jet propulsion? Oh, that benefit is minimal."

2) That state of our sport is great, in depth and in speed. We have so many marathon runners (on both men's and women's side) that are running well. Women are knocking on the door of breaking 2:20. I wish I was at my peak now so we could work together to break more barriers. And, if I had METARACERS, I would certainly have run faster than 2:19!

OK, my daughter woke up. Time to make her breakfast. She wakes up HANGRY every morning. LOL.

Deena, If you could go head to head in a dual race with any marathoner, past or present, who would you choose?

Knowing what you know today, I doubt you would train the same until you reached your peak performances growing up. If that is the case, what would you do differently if you could go back in time, training wise for you, because everyone is different?

KRM8993 wrote:

Deena - (1) What do you think runners need to emphasize/add/subtract in training as they move into the Masters side of their careers? Also, what is your favorite city in terms of post-race food?

Here's hoping to see you along the Chicago Lakefront Path again at some point!

I knew you were from Chicago when you asked my favorite city to eat! I LOVE running and eating in Chicago (even if I'm not racing). Quartino's Italian. Lou Malnati's for deep-dish pizza. Au Cheval for the world's best burger. Tzuco for upscale Mexican. I just ate breakfast and I'm hungry again.

For any runner, I suggest adding more sleep. Your body works all kind of magic when you are sleeping! When you become an "older" runner, I'd suggest lowering mileage and focusing on quality work. Add some self-care too. If you only have time for a one hour run, use 10 min to stretch and 50 to run.

Rick Sanchez wrote:

Deena, If you could go head to head in a dual race with any marathoner, past or present, who would you choose?

Abebe Bikila. I love the history of our sport.

Grassrunner wrote:

Deena wrote:

YES! I am a fan of Shalane, especially when her team comes to train in Mammoth Lakes! I think I am a fan of all runners, but particularly like Shalane's work ethic, her discipline. She is a great role model to her teammates, which she now coaches and I know they will replicate all the attributes that made her successful. I'm gaga over her and Steve adopting newborn, Jack. I was adopted too, so when others help the system by sharing their love to children who may not have been provided for, it makes me very sentimental. I'm so happy for them.

Deena,

Do you know anything about your biologic parents or have you done any investigating of your ancestry?

I don't know anything except that my biological mother was 15 years old when she had me. Fortunately, my mom and dad always made me feel chosen (although being given away was also a truth). There are always different ways to look at our own story, and "being chosen" was so reinforced that I never felt I was missing anything. I was thrilled that my parents were finally able to have kids four years after adopting me, so they gave me a sister.

When I was writing my memoir a few years ago, I revisited my internal relationship with being adopted. I meditated, got hypnotized, pondered long and deep to re-understand. The only added thought was finally thinking of my birth mother, and I came to this: How incredibly brave to follow through and give birth to me. And braver still to acknowledge there was a great couple in California better capable of raising me.

markboen wrote:

Knowing what you know today, I doubt you would train the same until you reached your peak performances growing up. If that is the case, what would you do differently if you could go back in time, training wise for you, because everyone is different?

If I could go back, I'd change my college self. I loved Arkansas (GO HOGS!), Coach Harter is amazing, and my "team" was everything I cherish in the word. I needed to change ME, or my attitude more specifically. It all came down to struggling with "talent." I have a complicated relationship with that word because from the age of 11 I'd been called talented in running. I'd show up to races hoping my talent was good enough, big enough, to beat the competition, not understanding that talent has SO little to do with success. Despite great coaches directing workouts and being motivating, I only heard people address victories and records by commending my "talent." They never said (or I never heard), that success was due to a hard and disciplined work-ethic or some other action I steered. It was something I was born with, and had nothing to do with how I nurtured or created it. So, after college, and in the hands of my greatest mentor, Coach Vigil, I learned to be the driver of goals as I pursued, not success, but excellence...

I was hoping you could tell me what "training" you would change if you could go back in time.

One of the greatest thrills of my marathoning days was in the 2009 NYC Marathon. Deena was an on-course correspondent for NBC that day, and she was rolling through the field of runners on the back of a motorcycle with her microphone. The motorcycle cruised up alongside me...and as soon as I realized who was onboard...I extended my arm for a fist bump. Deena was happy to respond...and it gave me such a huge lift! Went on to exceed my expectations that day...so THANKS for the motivation, Deena!