Christine Bender

Dream Job

Meet Christine Bender
Age: 54
Stomping grounds: Boise, Idaho, and coastal historical wreckage
Job: Historical fiction writer

Sailing on replicas of the Nina and Santa Maria inspired historical novelist Christine Bender to write her first book about Christopher Columbus, and in May she released her third, The Whaler’s Forge (Caxton Press, 2009; $16.95). Chalk it up to her overactive sense of curiosity—or the archeological dig she did last summer—but Christine loves the research as much as the writing. She takes a break from studying up on dead reckoning, poring over 17th century log books, and bringing historical figures to life to tell WAM what she loves about being a writer.

How did you decide to focus on historical fiction?
I fell I love with writing in college, but I went into business and had a family—two sets of twins. In 1997, I got to a point where I could no longer not write. So I started researching my first book about the voyage of Christopher Columbus. I got to sail on replicas of his ships, but it wasn’t until I really experienced that that I got hooked. The research is actually equally compelling and as exciting as the actual writing. The archaeological dig I did last summer, researching Basque whalers in Quebec, is another example.

What was so special about the dig?
My ancestors were Basque and came from a small whaling village on the coast of Spain, so it was really tantalizing that I could be peeking into their lives. Near the St. Lawrence River, we looked at a cooperage and blacksmith shop that had burned to the ground. While I was working one area, I found a musket ball and realized that the building had been fired upon before burning down. It was a moment of possibility that I could integrate into my stories and describe with absolute clarity.

What makes you a good writer?
I’ve been told I’m not afraid to do wild things—such as go on a dig that takes 46 hours of traveling. For one of my stories, I crossed the river with the Bannock Indian tribe when others in my group turned back. There’s a thrill-seeker side of me that wants that firsthand experience to really understand my characters. I tend to be very organized but also flexible; I let my characters develop in my mind, but I let them write their own stories.

What’s a typical day at work?
I spend about 30 percent of my time researching, 50 percent writing and 20 percent promoting. I’m in my office by 8 a.m. I hesitate to say it, but I’ve never had writer’s block. When I sit down to the computer, it’s like someone has to hold me back. I learn so much before I even start.

What else do you love about your job?
Really, the learning. Learning about other people is a reward in and of itself. I’m constantly trying to stretch myself and increase my knowledge and wisdom about the world. In my next story, and in the stories I hope to write, I’m searching for that.

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News

In Case You Blinked and Missed It…White House Establishes Council on Women and Girls

On March 11, President Obama established a special cancer council to analyze the specific issues affecting women and girls in America and ensure that the federal government is responsive to those needs. Obama stressed that when women and girls suffer, the whole country suffers. He cited ongoing inequities for American women, including lower pay than male counterparts; under representation in science, engineering, and technology fields; and lack of health insurance and maternity leave, along with the global prevalence of violence against women and girls and the challenge of ensuring equal educational opportunities. This month the council members will present their recommendations for efforts to further the progress and advancement of women and girls. Obama’s executive order can be found at: www.whitehouse.gov.

What this will do : Give women and girls a stronger voice in government programs, funding, and policy.

Computer- Chip Medicine

Coming soon to a digestive tract near you, research and development teams at Philips (yes, the same company that makes plasma televisions) have produced the first intelligent drug capsule—the Philips iPill. The iPill (moving into clinical trial phase) uses onboard sensors to detect pH levels in the digestive system—information it uses to navigate from the stomach to the colon—where it can dispense medication to specific disease sites. It also allows for metered and monitored dosing on the fly.

Who this will benefit: Patients with Crohn’s disease, colitis, and colon

Plasma of the Cuttlefish

While cuttlefish might not be much to look at, engineers at MIT have replicated the fish’s rare ability to change color to match an environment in a new technology to be used in television screens. The screen works by reflecting light instead of producing it, meaning the screen will be cheap, light, and easy to assemble. The current prototype is only 1 micron thick.

Why we care: The new screen uses one-hundredth of the power of current television screens.

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Lessons from the Field

Trying Teammates

Getting better, one relationship at a time

In the sport of adventure racing, teams combine athletics, navigation, and strategy over 20-, 50-, or even 600-mile distances, yet it’s the team members’ similarities and differences that increase a group’s odds of success. In this team sport, phone calls and cappuccino communication sessions aren’t enough. Talk is cheap, and the real learning curve in endurance races usually comes somewhere after mile 35.

Teammates may know each other—or not. And while it’s likely they’ve identified some common traits and goals (a sense of adventure and competitive spirit), they may differ in a plethora of others (age, gender, skill, fitness). Without a shared consciousness or understanding of individual and team goals, they’re likely to build resentment—or worse—before the finish line.

Many of life’s incredible adventures can be embarked upon solo, offering confidence, a clear perspective, and a sense of control over risks, rewards, and outcomes. But in adventure racing—just as in relationships with family, friends and coworkers—convenience, control, and going it alone can’t sustain true growth and happiness. As a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, coworker, and teammate, it’s individuality that allows you to make a meaningful contribution to a family or community, big or small. As part of a team, it’s possible to redefine limits, venture outside personal comfort zones, and achieve more than is possible alone. Especially when the group invests time to skew the odds of success with everyone’s combined experience.

Prioritizing relationships—developing them and maintaining them—is what makes navigating through tough times and 50-mile races a worthwhile journey toward a successful finish.

—Charmion Harris

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Got Immunization?

You’re not a child. You’re not traveling abroad. Why immunization still matters.

Each year, thousands of adults are infected with vaccine-preventable diseases. According to the National Coalition for Adult Immunization, more than 40,000 adults die from these diseases (or complications of them) each year. Think your youthful days of doctor’s-office injections are long gone? Think again. During National Immunization Awareness Month, take stock and consider these three vaccines:

Tetanus-Diphtheria Booster

If you’re the extreme-sports or outdoors sort (ahem, that’s you, girlie), you don’t want to overlook the tetanus-diphtheria booster. This 10-year vaccine protects against tetanus (also known as lockjaw), a disease that kills approximately 30 percent of those it infects. Tetanus is caused by bacteria that live in soil, dust, and the intestines of many animals and is usually transmitted to humans via deep, dirty cuts and scratches. Do you remember the last time you had your booster shot?

Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV)

A three-part vaccine, Gardasil prevents the types of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. Approved by the FDA in 2006 for women between the ages of 11 and 26, new research is underway to test Gardasil’s efficacy in older women. If you’re under 30, it’s worth asking your doctor about now, and if you’re older, stay tuned—and stay on top of your cervical health with annual Pap smears. Nearly 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 4,000 women die of the disease annually.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccine (Flu Shot or LAIV)

Each year, as many as one in five of us suffers from the flu, more than 200,000 Americans are hospitalized because of it, and about 36,000 people die from the virus. The vaccine isn’t perfect—the three flu strains it targets are pre-flu-season predictions. But in a good year, a single-shot or a nasal-spray dose of the vaccine will prevent the flu in 70 to 90 percent of healthy folks under age 65. Good year or not, pregnant women, kids between 6 months and 19 years old, adults over 50, and anyone with close contact to people at high risk for flu complications should consider getting the vaccine as soon as it becomes available in September.

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How Did They Do That?

The ins and outs of fabric technology

Ever wondered how your favorite jacket keeps you dry in a torrential downpour? Or how that running shirt magically moves moisture away from your body, allowing your sweat to evaporate? How about this burning question: How can something be both waterproof and breathable?

The simple answer is fabric technology. But what does that mean? If we were to stop here, you’d be left scratching your head as you swipe your credit card, hoping you’re buying the right piece of gear for your needs. Don’t worry: We won’t leave you hanging. A full understanding of fabric technology could require heading back to college for a second degree—but since few of us have that kind of time or interest, we’ve done some work for you to help you better understand what makes apparel “performance” or “technical.”

Remember the yellow rain slicker you had as a kid? Your body would get all sticky with sweat, even though the jacket kept rain at bay. If you’re too young to remember this, just know it wasn’t long ago that these slickers were made merely of plastic and were the only way to stay dry in wet weather.

Many companies have gone to great lengths to improve how plastic performs, so it’s no longer just waterproof (that’s the easy part) but also breathable in order to eliminate uncomfortable clamminess. Each company has a unique, proprietary formula for how it has improved its materials. In other words, different companies apply varying technologies to achieve the same results.

When explaining how the Gore-Tex membrane works, Cynthia Amon, Gore-Tex public relations director, asks us to imagine a chain-link fence. The fence is the membrane. Now picture a basketball as a water molecule. You can throw the basketball at the chain-link fence all day long and it’s not going to get through. Now think of marbles as your body’s sweat molecules. You can easily toss these marbles through the same fence, right? Translation: The water molecules are much larger than the membrane structure, which makes them unable to pass through the fabric. But sweat molecules are tiny enough to escape the same membrane with ease. This is how you get performance outerwear that’s waterproof and breathable.

Ever sat on a tropical beach and sipped a frilly drink from a coconut shell? Well, the industrial world likes these shells, too. They extract activated carbon particles from the shells to use for filtration purposes. Most of you know that carbon can make water taste better, both in your backcountry water pump and out of your kitchen tap. Similarly, when used in air filters, carbon removes nasty odors and unwanted organisms. Now imagine these functions built into your shirt.

Colorado-based Cocona, Inc. takes particles that are too small for industrial uses and would otherwise end up in dumps and turns them into fibers. These fibers are blended with wool, polyester, or cotton into a Cocona fabric. The real magic of the fibers is they do several jobs at once. Ultraviolet Protection Factor is naturally in the fiber, giving the garments sun protection. The activated carbon yarn weaved into the fabric neutralizes odor. Finally, the fabric’s construction allows moisture from your body to move away from your skin and dry quickly. John Erb, CMO of Cocona, Inc., stresses that the performance is inherent in the fabric with this type of technology. Nothing is added topically.

So what about when you throw on a cozy soft shell in windy or drizzly weather and you’re miraculously warm and protected from wetness? Then when dirt doesn’t stick to your jacket or pants, you wonder how this is possible, and whether you can buy an entire wardrobe in the same material for your 3-year-old. Leave it to a Swiss company to develop a way to make this level of protection happen. Schoeller mimics what occurs naturally in nature with its NanoSphere technology. (Ever wonder how dirt and water are impenetrable to certain leaves?) At a microscopic level, the surface of this fabric has millions of “mountains.” When a water or dirt particle touches it, there is very little surface area for that molecule to attach to. These mountains make it easy to slough off dirt and water and also make the fabric abrasion resistant. The technology is even used on natural fibers such as wools and cottons, which are typically soft and less than desirable in inclement weather.

—Karina Evertsen

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The Edge

Women’s Running
Hit the road for marathon training

Summer leads into fall and winter, so it’s prime time to ramp up your training for upcoming marathon season. Whether it’s your first time taking on the 26.2 defining miles, or your first time tackling it in a while, Dagny Scott Barrios’ tips and training schedule will lead you down the right path to the big day.

“I’m going to do a marathon.” More recreational women runners are uttering those words every year, surprising family, friends, coworkers, and even themselves. Heather, 27, is typical. After years of inactivity, she joined a running group, completing one mile in her first workout. Two months later, she’d worked up to 13 miles and was well on her way to her first marathon.

Focus on your long runs.

The most important part of any marathon training program is the long run. The purpose of long runs is to develop endurance—particularly in the leg muscles and the connective tissue—and to develop the fitness of your cardiovascular system so that your body can withstand the rigors of the marathon distance.

It’s imperative that you do the majority of these long runs; they’re the bread and butter of your training program. If you have to skip a day of running, then forgo one of the shorter runs during the week or switch training days around so that you can do your long run on a different day.

Pay attention to time, not miles.

The training program below will have you running by length of time as opposed to distance. Running by the clock is simple and more convenient for most women because they don’t necessarily have measured routes nearby. It’s also less intimidating for first-time marathoners, who may find that a 20-mile training run sounds rather impossible. Obviously, different women will run these workouts at different places, which means that some will cover more miles than others. Don’t worry about your mileage in this program.

Don’t worry about going the distance ahead of time.

There’s a tendency in first-time marathoners to feel that they must cover a full 26.2 miles on a training day before the race so that they know they can go the distance. Trust me, this can do more harm than good. The longest run in this program is 3.5 hours, enough for a woman running 10-minute miles to cover 21 miles. That’s the most any runner need cover before tackling a marathon. But most important, even if you are going slower than 10 minutes per mile, you needn’t run any farther. Three-anda- half hours should be considered the upper limit for any training run, no matter what mileage you cover. Anything longer and you risk getting injured or sick before the race. You don’t want to use up the incredible amount of energy it takes to complete 26.2 miles before that.

Be flexible.

Rigidity is a good way to get injured or sick. Adapt the schedule to your own needs and commitments. If the weather’s bad or if you have to work late on a Wednesday, run on Thursday. If you need to switch days, space your runs so that you’re not working out three or four days in a row, then skipping three. The schedule puts long runs on the weekends because that’s when most people have the time. Note that off days surround the long run; try to maintain that pattern if you flip days around. If you must miss a day, try to skip one of the shorter runs during the week instead of a long run.

Build in some rest.

Note that Weeks 8, 11, and 14 in the schedule are rest weeks. You won’t stop running, but you will decrease your training time considerably by reducing your long runs. This gives your body a chance to recover from your training, and it builds in a “safety valve” to avoid injury and exhaustion. Again, feel free to adapt this to your own schedule. If you know that you have an exceptionally hard week coming up at work or that you’ll be away on vacation, it might be a good time for your rest week.

Give yourself plenty of time to train.

Depending on your starting point, five to six months is a reasonable amount of time to prepare for a marathon. The program offered here assumes that you can run comfortably for 30 minutes four times a week. Work up to that point first, if necessary, and then choose a race no sooner than five months out.

By leaving a few extra weeks in the plan, you’ll allow for setbacks. An old saying goes, “The one guarantee in marathons is that nothing is guaranteed.”

Choose your race carefully.

Completing a marathon can make an ordinary runner feel like a hero. Courses are lined with bands and entertainment. Cities turn out to cheer participants for miles on end. Food, drink, music, and coveted finisher’s medals await runners at the finish, along with a supreme feeling of accomplishment. But frankly, all races are not created equal. When choosing a first-time marathon when the emphasis is on fun, research your choices. Sometimes the best race will not be the one in your backyard. Consider the following:

* Size. In general, the larger the event, the more race-related activities and entertainment it will include. You’ll also have some company over hours and miles.

* The course. City courses tend to have more crowd support. Rural courses are often very beautiful. Think about which of the two better fits your personality.

* Hills and altitude. Both can make the race much tougher to complete.

* Average race temperature. The hotter and more humid the race conditions, the harder the marathon will feel.

Excerpted from Runner’s World Complete Book of Women’s Running by Dagny Scott Barrios. Copyright 2007 by Dagny Scott Barrios. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc.

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