by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 16, 2021 | Article, List, Opinion, Reflection
By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro
After years of running, 100+ races and thousands of miles under my soles, I have all developed my very personal running habits. Just as you have developed yours. Some good, some bad, some questionable. At the same time, we have all established our running pet peeves.
Even though there is nothing written, there are some basic guidelines that every runner must keep to be part of an ever-improving running community. One where friends and strangers can be proud of being a part of. Some are to keep us safe, some to make the running experience more fulfilling and some to have more enjoyable races.
These are my 10 basic guidelines on running etiquette:
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Slow runners are no less of an athlete than fast runner. Each group needs to be aware and respectful of the other (Photo Pexels)
Be mindful of other runners around you: It doesnât matter if you are fast, slow, walker or if you are so tired you are crawling. Most of the time you are not the only person on the road, so you need to be aware of other runners. The last thing you want is to get injured, so make sure you are not the one responsible for someone else getting injured.
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Respect slower runners: Both in training and in races, you will cross paths with slower runners. The fact they canât run as fast as you, doesnât make them less of an athlete. No need to be rude or discourteous. Be aware and respectful of the fact they are also putting their best effort forward.
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Respect faster runners: Just as you expect to be respected as a slow runner, if you are in this category you must respect the presence of runners faster than you. Donât crowd the corners, donât take the inside lane on the track, donât clog the path by running side-by-side with too many people and be aware of your surroundings when stopping to walk.
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Acknowledge other Runners: Nobody expects you to stop what you are doing or change your pace to say hi to a stranger. But as runners, I think we all agree that acknowledging each otherâs presence is the most basic form of good running etiquette. Tip your hat, make eye contact, nod, grunt, lift your arm or say an audible âheyâ.
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Donât interfere while taking selfies: They have become ubiquitous in running. If there is no selfie, it didnât happen. We get it! You can take all the running selfies you want as long as it doesnât interfere with other runners, especially during a race. Go to the side of the road, get out of the way and then knock yourself out with as many selfies your phone can handle. But always remember that your selfie is not another moving runnerâs priority.
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Just because you isolate with your headphones doesnât mean I am not there: it is your prerogative to run with headphones. If it provides you with a better experience, go for it. But it is your responsibility to be aware of your surroundings, not mine. I donât know if you are wearing them or not so donât expect anyone to be on the lookout for you while isolated.
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Do not stop abruptly at water stations: I am not sure where this walk-break at water stops trend began. This is a place where lots of moving people congregate simultaneously, many eyeing the same cup of liquid, and it is usually very slippery. If you need to stop, take your water, move out of the way, check your surroundings, and then stop. It is basic, common sense.
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Carry your own trash: Even when running we usually produce trash. At races, your entry fee includes trash pick up at water stop, but when training, it is not the case. Just as you carried your gel or your water bottle with you, make sure you carry their byproduct trash until you find the proper way to dispose of it. During a race, this is the water stop.
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Act like an adult when it comes to bodily functions: They are inevitable when you are running. Burping, snot rockets, spitting and farting are commonplace and a normal part of a healthy functioning body, especially when running. Donât make anyone feel bad. Be mature and just let it go. Because it is a matter of time before it is your turn.
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Respect your membership in WhatsApp and Facebook groups: Most runners are in more than one social media group, and most groups have way too many people to keep track of multiple conversations. Limit your interactions to group related postings so your group can become relevant. I bet you are member of plenty of other groups where you share your non-running memes, jokes and political commentary.
Anything I missed? What is your running pet peeve?
by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 9, 2021 | Guest Perspective, Reflection
 By Marie Bartoletti
My name is Marie Bartoletti. I am a proud daughter, mother, girlfriend, and athlete. I have done many things in my life, including the completion of 500 marathons.
Marie finished the 2021 A1A Marathon on February 14th, 2021, in 4:38:26, her 500th.
I was born on August 2nd, 1957 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, into a large family with four brothers and two sisters. I grew up playing sports and having fun with my siblings. Iâve always had a passion for running and athletics. In my lifetime, I have extended this passion to many areas. I have been a physical education teacher and coach of all types. I have hiked, biked, and ran all over the world, even been on a Wheaties box!
 I have also faced a great deal of struggles. On November of 2015, I had a massive stroke. This has disrupted my life in so many ways but has only pushed me to be stronger. It has been a long recovery process and I take so much pride in my ability to continue overcoming these struggles every day.
 The side effect of the stroke I was most concerned with, was the loss in my ability to speak. It appeared I could understand everything but not respond with my words. This hit me extremely hard as I am a very social, outgoing person. I began to do rigorous therapy and continue to work on my speech to this day.
 The doctors were shocked to find out that I required no physical therapy after my stroke. I was able to complete all the challenges they tasked me with in the hospital. I was so thankful to find this out.  After having already lost so much of my speech ability, I feared losing my physical talents as well. I continued to persevere through these struggles and remain passionate about everything I do. Â
 I have run in 181 marathons since my stroke.  This is something that gives me great pride because I enjoy competing in marathons very much!
  My first marathon was Pittsburgh, on May 7th of 1995. This race taught me my first real lessons about how to run marathons. I finished in 4:01:48. My biggest mistake was that I neglected to drink water in preparation for the race. Even throughout the race I turned down fluids. I was in terrible pain and completely worn down after this experience. I committed to never running another marathon again. Clearly that did not stick.
Marieâs inspirational story is written in this book. Directions on how to acquire it are at the bottom of this post.
My next marathon was in South Bend, Indiana. This was the town in which my mother was born, and my brother Tom, lived. I started the trend of traveling for marathons early, this was number two. Throughout the next few years, I continued to run marathons while also competing nationally in tennis, another passion of mine. Fast forward to 2005, I had traveled to Hawaii to achieve my goal of running a marathon in each state. This marathon also was my 50th. In the running world this is called my titanium marathon. I was able to check off both boxes with one race.
  I have gone through many injuries including operations on my bunions, broken ankles, and several concussions. Through each of these injuries I have learned perseverance. Remarkable instances in my life were my 300th and 500th marathons. They both took place at the A1A Marathon in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, on 2/15/2015 and 2/14/2021. 200 races and almost exactly six years apart.
 The 500th marathon, earlier this year, was a major accomplishment for me. I have gone through so much and I was so excited to achieve such a remarkable feat. In 2019 I published a book that tells my life story. I explain how I have persevered through so much and continue to be strong every day. This book is titled âPerseverance: How a Determined Athlete Tenaciously Overcame a Strokeâ. I have sold numerous copies due to how inspirational people have found my journey.
 I would have not been able to do any of this without the support of my amazing family and friends. I have two lovely sons who have given me beautiful grandchildren. I am so thrilled to watch them grow up as well. My boyfriend, John, was present when my stroke occurred and has been essential to my recovery throughout the years. I am a devout Catholic and I pray to God and thank him every day for these blessings in my life.
 My 500th marathon was a very prideful moment, but I am most proud of the beautiful life that I am fortunate enough to live every day.
Editorâs Note: This blogpost is just a quick snapshot of Marieâs inspirational story. To find more about it, you can purchase her book by sending $23.75 to:
Marie Bartoletti
5495 Library Rd Apt 20
Bethel Park, PA 15102
2022 UPDATE: During the Miami Half Marathon, I caught up with Marie at about Mile 6. She was pacing the marathon. I have never met her in person. I approached her and as soon as I said hi, she knew who I was. It was a heartwarming experience do exchange a few words during an actual race.
by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Mar 2, 2021 | Article, Exercises, Reflection
 By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro
 Back in December of 2020, something called The Barefoot Mailman 5K Virtual Race popped up in the South Florida racing calendar. We talked about it among my peeps from No-Club Runners and decided we would make an adventure of it. Not only that, but we would also run it barefoot, so we could emulate the 19th Century mail carriers who took the 100-mile mail route down the beach from what today we know as Palm Beach to the little fishermanâs village we now know as Miami.
If you have access to a beach and an appetite for a running adventure, gather your running buddies and go for a barefoot run. The smiles of all the people in this photo should give you an idea of what a cool experience this is.
We were not sure what to expect. We ran about 1.5 miles to the beach as a warm-up, left our shoes and started running. It was an overcast day, with choppy waters and the start resembled the opening scene of Chariots of Fire. The rest of the 5K was even better. Running on the packed sand, waves coming in and sometimes splashing water up to your knees⌠Magic!
It was so freaking cool, that we decided to make it a regular occurrence. On February 27th, a larger group met at the same place in Dania Beach to run the 5K to The Pier and back. This time we were in for a surprise. Sand was not as hard-packed as we remembered it, and each step required additional efforts. It didnât take much for most of us to start walking. Once we got back, with burning legs, exhausted and sweaty, we still decided we had to do it again, sometime in the near future.
A couple of months ago I wrote about the wonderful experience of running barefoot on grass. Most of the benefits of grounding yourself are perfectly transferrable to doing it on the sand. But the sand offers a few extra challenges and benefits, that running on the smooth grass doesnât.
The first requirement to enjoy your sand run and do it safely, is to forget about your watch. Your time, cadence, VO2Max, etc., are irrelevant. You must switch off your data-driven brain. This is about fun, not about PRs.
Nicolas Vitale, Coach with Club 10K, stated in a recent article that running on sand could provide benefits in the areas of agility, equilibrium, strength, power, joint strength, adaptivity to effort and endurance. After your first mile on the sand you will agree with all seven of these items. The variability of terrain the sand offers from step to step will force you to make many adaptations, sometimes simultaneously.
To get the most out of your run in the sand, you can always move from the hard-packed sand on the shore to other areas of the beach where the sand is looser. This will help you use other muscles, go through a harder effort, get less return from the ground, and adjust on the fly to adverse conditions. All at the same time.
By the way, the fact that No-Club Runners runs it barefoot doesnât mean it is the only way to do it. If it works better for you in shoes, nothing is stopping you. Personally, I enjoy the multiple advantages that direct contact with the ground provides. We have plenty of opportunities to run in shoes.
My recommendations for running on the sand include:
1 â Regardless of the instability of the terrain, work on maintaining correct running posture.
2 â Start with a shorter distance or time until your body gets used to it. Donât overdo it.
3 â Shorten your stride if the sand is too loose and you feel you are overworking.
4 â Donât forget hydration, especially on hot or humid days.
5 â Focus on having fun and recharging from the direct contact with the ground. Forget you have a watch.
6 â Take advantage of the water and jump in once you are done.
If you have access to a beach and appetite for a different running adventure, grab your running buddies and meet at the shore. You wonât regret it.
by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Feb 23, 2021 | Guest Perspective, Personal, Reflection
By Ethel Belair
 My name is Ethel Belair. I am 51 years old and I am a runner. I enjoy long distances. At one time half marathons were my favorite. I\’ve ran over 25 of them. But I wanted to try something a little more challenging.
Not much explanation needed on how Ethel felt after achieving her goal. Just look at her face.
In 2016 I signed up for the Miami Marathon. It was tough because I had just lost my father, Jean Belair, to cancer. He passed away three months before my running, so I ran in honor of his memory. He always inspired me, reminded me to be strong and keep going. After running that marathon, which was on my bucket list, I was done. Or so I thought.
The very next day I went for a recovery run and friends though I was crazy. But after running three miles and walking one, my legs felt okay. I wasn\’t tired at all, so I said to myself: âI think I\’ll do another oneâ. I\’ve ran 6 full marathons so far.Â
What led me to ultramarathons? A week prior to my 50th birthday, I ran a âBirthday Unofficial 50kâ (31.069 miles) with a few friends. Then, on June 26th of last year, my actual birthday, I met up with friends and had another birthday run, this one was 51 miles.
A fellow runner, Lucien, asked me why not run a hundred miles? âYou\’re a distance runnerâ, he said. I told him that I didnât believe I was ready for that. He then suggested 100k (62.137 miles) to get started. I prayed about it and got the go to do it. Two months later, I ran and finished 100 kilometers. Two weeks later, I signed up and ran an official 50 miler.Â
On December 26 of last year, I ran a 40-miler in Atlanta. This was the toughest race I\’ve ever done. It was held under freezing conditions (23°), with hills galore and hurting inclines. Grateful to God, I completed the race despite injuring some tendons. My Doctor recommended two weeks of rest. I was not a happy camper.
Yep! Thatâs right! First you skydive and then you run 100 Miles.
Despite the harsh experience in Georgia and the injury, I was still considering the Skydive Ultra 100-miler in February. I was registered since October. I had to pray, dig deep in my faith, ask God\’s grace for strength and healing. I was battling feelings of fears and anxiety. Should I still do the race? I prayed to God and found the peace to do it. âYou will finish. You are strong. Be strong and courageousâ. Strong is the word I kept hearing.
On January 16th I ran 5 miles for my very first run of the year. By the end of the month, I ran the #MiamiFamous Virtual Half Marathon and felt great for most of the race. At mile 10, while I was doing a recovery walk, I felt pain in my tendons, so I decided to do intervalsâmore running than walking. I was overly concerned as the Skydive Ultra 100-miler was only a week away. I even considered calling an Uber. But I pushed through to completion, with some additional mileage for or a total of 16.67.
Race day was here. I wanted to skydive when I turned 50 but didn\’t get a chance to do it. I\’m one who fear heights, yet I took a chance by participating in \”The world\’s only running race that starts with a skydiveâ: The Skydive Ultra in Clewiston, Florida.
I got on the plane and my instructor asked me if I wanted to deploy the parachute. I Did. I was the 2nd person to jump. I just looked down and jumped. I felt great free falling 14,000 ft. (4,267 Mts). The endorphins⌠Wow! After landing, it was time to run my hundred-miler.
Somewhere along the 100-mile route sporting her trademark million-dollar smile.
The loops were 7.25 miles. I met people along the way. My amazing crew of Monique and Gerda supported me with anything I needed. I had many fellow friends and runners who called to check on me through my crew and cheered me from afar. I ran strong with God\’s grace and power. I felt the prayers of my friends and family. Every mile I felt happier and stronger.
Mile 86 was a turning point in the race. This is where my entire body started to hurt. I had to summon my will power and remain focus on my faith. I had to dig really deep and from the kindness of friends to push through to the end. Marcus, a runner himself, who was working as the DJ for the event, was kind enough to help me run two loops through a very dark night. Monique walked 2.5 miles with me, and Gerda accompanied me the last two loops. She held my hands as I pushed through the pain. My left pinky toe had a big blister, which it caused me to slow down tremendously. Then, my left knee began to ache. I told Gerda that if I had to crawl to the finish line, I would.
I am grateful to God, for the prayers, persistence, perseverance through pressure and great support from my friends. I finished 101.50 miles, my first hundo in 33:29:38. I am forever grateful. Never, ever give up!
\”The most powerful tool you have to run long distance is your mind, and when you master it, the boundaries of your endurance disintegrate.\” Michael D\’Aulerio
 âLet us run with endurance the race that is set before us.â  Hebrews 12:1
by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Feb 16, 2021 | Coaching, Personal, Reflection
By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro
 The expectations for February 14th were high. It was the first live race for most of us in almost a year. But the South Florida weather was not on our side. The temperature at the start was 77 degrees and the humidity was at 90%. Tough running for conditions any given day, so we adjusted expectations as we walked towards the beach to the starting line of the A1A Publix Half Marathon.
I had three running pupils in the starting corral. They came from different walks of life as well as individual challenges and race goals. Given the trying racing conditions, I am satisfied with the final results, and my runners have expressed the same. This makes for a successful day.
Yolmer G. set up a PR with 1:31:12⌠Now it is time to focus on his next two, 2021 running goals.
I have been working with Yolmer G (44) for a couple of years now. His goal was to run a sub-1:30 half. He just overcame a broken big toe earlier last year and was back in top shape. The 13.1 miles were not an issue for him. Despite a physically demanding job, he committed to the battery of hard speed workouts prescribed to work towards maintaining the 6:50 pace throughout the race. He came to the race with a PR of 1:32. Unfortunately, he spent the last week keeping a bout of plantar fasciitis at bay. Even though it was a tapering week, it messed up the final tune up process. By Friday he wasnât sure if he would be able to run.
I crossed paths with Yolmer twice during the race and he looked strong, focused and with good form, which suggested the PF was under control. He passed the 10K mark within range of the goal, but the weather conditions took their toll, and a negative split was not in the books. His final time was a PR of 1:31:12. A success nevertheless, and with plenty of time to make up for those 73 seconds. After a rest period we are focusing on two other goals for 2021.
Sally K (33) is one of the most strong-minded people Iâve ever met. She excels in a high-stress job that demands a lot of her time. Originally, we started working towards a 4:20 for her first marathon. The goal was within range but a trip half around the world, two 2-week work trips, and a sick week, took their toll on her training. I have no doubt she could have ran a 5-hour marathon but at the expense of tremendous suffering through the experience. We talked about it and 10 days before race day she switched to the half.
Sam and Sally battled the heat and humidity to reach new heights on their running journeys. This is just the start.
Because of the constant interruptions on her training we could not work much on speed, so she ran on endurance alone. We planned for a 2:12-2:15 finish. The weather took its toll and yet she pushed through. She had a huge smile the two times I crossed paths with her. Finishing time was 2:14:38, ahead of 1099 participants and over half the ladies in her age group. Her 4:20 marathon is one solid training cycle away.
Samantha C. (27) approached me requesting assistance to complete her first half marathon in 20 weeks. She had run a bit here and there but nothing organized or recent. In her first week she struggled to complete 5K. She struggled with side stitches through the first half of the training. But she trusted the plan and followed it as close as possible to overcame self-doubt and realize she is indeed a distance runner. Our original plan was for a 2:30 finish. Two weeks before the A1A, we had a trial run at the Miami Virtual Half, where she surprised everyone with a 2:09:03 finishing time.
Even though an improvement of the previous mark was the A-goal, we knew in advance that weather conditions were playing against it. So the new race plan called for a 2:12ish finish unless there was anything left for a final kick. There wasnât. At the finish line she told me she had nothing left. She gave her all to finish in 2:12:59. This young lady has such a bright future in running. All she needs is experience, the commitment is already there.
Personally, I couldnât be prouder with the results of my trainees, especially under such trying weather conditions. So I take the day as a win. As an amazing day for the adventure that is Foultips.run. Thank you Yolmer, Sally and Sam for trusting my experience and guidance. I look forward to taking you all to your next running goals.
by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro | Jan 26, 2021 | Guest Perspective, Opinion, Reflection
By Michael DâAulerio*
You may not understand whatâs about to take place. Thereâs a great deal of wear and tear coming your way.
Ups and downs, countless miles, and a whole lot of struggle.
However, I can promise you that if you stick with me . . . in the end . . . when you are completely broken, worn down, and beaten . . . when layer upon layer comes off . . . a funny thing happens.
With less, you will feel more.
…and you will experience a profound wholeness that you never knew existed, safe and enclosed, back in your original little box.
Itâs going to be a beautiful struggle of a journey, but a journey worth taking.
Will it be easy? No, every step can be a painful step to the finish.
But will it be worth it?
YES, every step of the way . . .
With much love and gratitude,
~The One from Above You, Running with You, Every Step of the Way
Published in this blog with permission from the author.
A passage from his new book âMindful Ultramarathon Runningâ.
* Michael DâAulerio is an accomplished ultrarunner and author. A dad, husband, sales professional, a brand ambassador athlete, and has completed over 50 ultras. You can follow him in Instagram at @longrunliving.
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