Here are some interesting health topics
- Her Marathon Time Is Astounding—And Not Just for 71
Jeannie Rice turned heads in Chicago with a race well under four hours; her training secret: She just runs a lot
The Workout
Ms. Rice runs seven days a week, averaging 10 miles a day. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are her easy days. Tuesdays she does speedwork, usually a version of a fartlek, a training technique that emphasizes endurance and a faster pace, at a local track. Thursdays she does a tempo run at a faster pace. She gets her long runs in on the weekend. Depending on what she’s training for, she runs anywhere from 13 to 22 miles.
The Diet
Ms. Rice says her eating habits have changed as she’s aged. “I used to wake up and run,” she says. “Now that I’m older, I need fuel.” Pre-run she has a small banana with a half tablespoon of natural peanut butter and coffee. Post-run she eats a bagel with avocado. In her younger years she says she never liked red meat, but now she craves it after long races. Fish—particularly salmon—remains her favorite.
“I eat a lot of carbs,” she says. “Of course, pasta, but I love rice. I know brown rice is supposed to be better for you, but I eat white rice. And my downfall is homemade bakery bread.” Lunch is often a green salad with avocado and dinner might be rice with shrimp and vegetables. She likes to organize pasta dinners for her running group ahead of a race. Blueberries and strawberries are her favorite sweet.
The Gear
Ms. Rice has a three-tier shoe rack in her garage for sneakers. She estimates she has 30 pairs. Some are lightweight for racing, while others have more support for training. Her favorite brands are Nike , Brooks, Saucony and Skechers. “My friends always ask if I have a sponsor,” she says. “I should.” After testing multiple socks, she found Skechers thin socks work best for her. She runs in Nike shorts that have a pocket for her key, salt tabs and gels. She uses a Garmin watch to track her pace.
