Pavement Runner

3 Miles of Shame

2012-01-26T09:30:00.000-08:00

I put my running shoe where my mouth was... over 3 miles. Last week, I was sharing in general twitter chatter with a friend and fellow FitFluential Ambassador, @NYCrunningmama, about the upcoming NFC Championship game — 49ers vs. Giants. My being in the Bay Area and her being in New York, it seemed only fitting that a friendly running wager should take place.

The rules were simple, pick a team to root for and the loser runs the amount their team lost by in miles. Lose by 7, run 7. We capped it at 20 miles incase a blowout took place and invited fellow bloggers and twitter folk to join in on the fun. By the end of the weekend, we had 30+ people choosing a side and ready to risk the run of shame if their team lost.

Sadly, the 49ers fumbled away their chance, literally, at a Super Bowl appearance and lost by 3 points. Honestly, when the Giants had the ball so close to the end zone in overtime, I was rooting for a field goal rather than a touchdown, knowing the loss was inevitable.

So, I strapped on my Asics and logged 3 shameful miles. Typically a 3 mile run is routine, but I felt like everyone was looking at me thinking: "There goes that runner that made a running bet on the 49ers." Although this might not have been the case, with my head held high and rocking a red shirt, I ran my 3 miles and did so at a clip that would make Joe Montana proud.

Update:

@NYCrunningmama is holding a SuperBowl challenge following the same rules. This time she is squaring off against @runcupcake and her Patriots. Feel free to join in on the fun here. I'm rooting for the Giants and will be using the hashtag #MakeBradyCry

Guest Blogger Goes Goofy

2012-01-23T23:23:00.000-08:00

This is on my list of "must-do-races" and I'm hoping to run it in 2013… but for now, let's all live… er, run, vicariously through our guest blogger, @liz_smc.

If you are unfamiliar with the Goofy Challenge, here is a Brief Description:
Are you looking for the ultimate test of endurance? Then compete in Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge where you will run the Disney World Half Marathon on Saturday and then the Disney World Marathon on Sunday. If you finish both races in the time limit, you will be awarded the coveted Goofy medal.

Goofy and a half challenge plus another half Challenge

18 years ago as a very “know it all” teen I remember my mom and her friends running the Disney marathon. I also remember saying to them, hours after they had finished and were sore and beat up , "I am never going to run a marathon! Why would you put yourselves through this?” And here I am almost 20 years later running the Goofy Challenge and 6 days after that The AZ RnR half marathon.

I am not sure what possessed me to try a Goofy challenge. I have run quite a few half marathons but only two successful marathons up until the Goofy. I also managed to convince one friend to join me in this adventure. Two more friends ran the half marathon portion and another two ran the full marathon. Let me make it clear for those that don’t know me, I love Disney. So it seemed like a great idea to run a Goofy and go to all of the parks in the same weekend.

I must admit that getting up at 3 AM two days in a row was not fun. I also made certain I was on the very last shuttle to the starting line (4AM) both days. I learned from my 2010 experience not to get there too early especially if its cold. Although nothing like the sleet and wind of 2010, it was still cold this year. My strategy for the Goofy was to just do an easy run for the half in order to save my legs for the marathon. Since my friends and I all lived around the country, I decided I would start in their coral G versus my Coral C so I could hang with them and not take off too fast. This was a very bad decision on my part. I failed to realize how many non-runners actually participate in the half marathon. From the beginning it was elbow- to- elbow people and a lot of the time 5 people across walking! Needless to say I was very frustrated. The course itself for the half is very narrow. I don’t remember it being that narrow previously. So in order for me to actually jog (no chance of running at this point) I had to try and get to the outside of the pack which meant running on an incline in the dark with risk of twisting an ankle or falling. And it never opened up. I kept thinking, “ok, by mile 6 all these runners and walkers will spread out.” Nope. I still had fun. I still stopped for an occasional photo (not too many since I figured I could get some the next day). And after I finished in a record slow pace I quickly got back to my room and then hit the parks.

The Marathon portion was by far the better of the two races. It was not wall -to -wall people like the previous day. And it covered all 4 parks. I called it my back lot tour with no shuttle service. The only problem was that I got sick the previous night. At first I thought it was nerves. But when I spiked a fever I knew it was not going to be pretty. I didn’t tell my friends how sick I was. I went to the start shivering, nauseated and running a low- grade fever. By mile 9 my friend Diann looks over at me and says, “Are you ok Liz? You look awful.” At that point I fessed up. She replied “ no problem, we will just walk it in if we have to”. I responded, “How about we stop for every photo op and we run /walk?” So that was our plan. I have some great pictures. I had a lot of fun chatting with the other runners on the course and I finished. By mile 18 my fever had broke. I knew because I got my appetite back . I was starving. Thankfully a nice spectator was passing out pretzels right around mile 20. I managed to run the last 4 miles in with strong legs. And I can proudly say I finished a Goofy.

For those considering the half versus full , I would say run the full. Do not waste your money on the half marathon. It is just too crowded. But if you’re going to run the full you might as well go for a “Goofy.” It is well worth the sense of accomplishment you’ll have at the finish line. Oh, and the medals (all 3) are super cool. If you’re feeling overly ambitious then run the 5k on Friday and do an unofficial “Dopey.” Or be like me, and 6 days later, run another half marathon. I was not happy about being sick with the flu (yes that’s what I had) but it made my accomplishment that much sweeter. It also forced me to rest and that’s probably why I was able to run my fastest half marathon the following weekend. (that's right, she PR'd six days later at RnRAZ)

Next year is the 20th anniversary of the Walt Disney Marathon. I am hoping to make it back there to run. Only my goal is to help my mom participate in it. If you have read any of my previous guest blogs you will know she has dense hemiparesis (left sided paralysis) from a debilitating stroke. So if you see a “Goofy” girl running and pushing a wheelchair at the same time in 2013 chances are it’ll be me.

* * * * *

Thanks Liz. Excellent job on a back-to-back fabulous weekends. Feel free to give Liz a shout out in the comments below… she ran a full marathon and 2 halfs in 2 weeks with the final race a PR.

STELLAR!

NFC Championship Challenge

2012-01-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

Time to put your running shoes where your mouth is...

Twitter friend @nycrunningmama and I decided to have some fun with this weekend's NFC Championship game. My being in San Francisco and her being in New York, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make a friendly running wager on the game.

And it's not limited to just us... you can totally play along. Here are the rules:

Rules: If your team loses, you have to run the point differential in miles. Simple. For example, WHEN the 49ers beat the Giants 24-17, @nycrunningmama will have to run 7 miles.

Mile limit: In the occurrence that a the power goes out in Candlestick Park, AGAIN, and it turns into a blowout, we've capped the miles to 20 — meaning the most either of us would run is 20 miles. This works for us because we have a solid base and can log the distance. If this mileage is too high for you based on your current training, feel free to cap it at 10.

But @nycrunningmama and I are running freaks and we don't blink at 20 miles — or we are incredibly confident (read hopeful) in our teams that we think it will be a close game.

To be run by: I think within a week of the game sounds fair, but outstanding circumstances are understood.

Prove it: Tweet out a photo of your garmin in shame... LOL.

Feel free to play along. If you are rooting for an AFC team — Patriots vs. Ravens — same rules apply. You don't need to challenge an individual, just make an agreement with yourself to run the difference after you pick a team. If you could care less about stupid football, but are forced to watch the game, at least you'll have something to root for.

Oh ya, put your running shoes where your mouth is and let us know in the comments which team you are picking...

Time to Vote: 2011 #runchat Blog Awards

2012-01-11T00:05:00.000-08:00

I have officially been nominated for my first blog-social network-twitter award thingy. How exciting is that? It's from Twitter's ever popular #runchat and I've been nominated in the category of FUNNIEST RUNNING BLOG for 2011.

Here is where you can vote.

But before you get all click-happy, let's see who else has been nominated in their respective categories. Below is the entire list along with links to blogs and twitter pages. Enjoy! AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE — voting ends Thursday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. ET

Best New Running Blog
themommymiles.blogspot.com — @TheMommyMiles
poundstomiles.com — @poundstomiles
runstrongereveryday.com — @Abby_NYC

Most Inspirational Running Blog
mile-posts.com — @mileposts
fittestfatgirl.tumblr.com — @fittestfatgirl
lovingtherun.com — @lovingtherun

Funniest Running Blog
shutupandrun.net — @ShutUpRun
seekingbostonmarathon.com — @seeksboston26mi
pavementrunner.blogspot.com — @pavementrunner

Best Running Blog
runtothefinish.com — @runtothefinish
runworkeatsleep.wordpress.com — @Rubia_25
thereshegoes.org — @ThereSheGoes11

Best #runchat Participant
@katierunsthis
@ActiveBeerGeek
@autopilotlegs

And that's the list, links and all. Now you can go an make an informed decision. But of course, don't forget, I did this:

Here is the link to vote again. Please feel free to share on twitter or facebook. Thanks again.

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Nominations for #RunChat Blog Awards

2012-01-09T00:50:00.000-08:00

If you are a runner and on twitter, you may have seen the hashtag: #RunChat

If you've seen it, it's probably because it fills up your twitter feed on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month. It's "a way for runners of all levels to connect with each other, to share tips, to get advice and, quite simply, to have fun."

Exciting news, they have blog awards. Not so exciting news, nominations end Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

All it takes is a single e-mail and you can nominate:

Best overall running blog
Best new running blog (must have began the blog in 2011)
Funniest running blog
Most inspirational running blog
Best #runchat participant on Twitter

To nominate bloggers for the categories, simply send an email to runchat@therunchat.com with “#runchat awards” in the subject line by 8 p.m. ET Jan. 9. Include the nominee’s URL and Twitter handle if you know it. You may leave areas blank, but please fill out at least 3 of the categories.

The above instructions were pulled from here where you can read more in detail.

Oh ya, winners get a badge for their blog and a super cool visor. (AHEM, I look pretty cool in a visor — see below). I appreciate your support and it's not too late to vote for you favorite bloggers. All it takes is one nomination to be considered. (Did I mention, I rock the shit out of a visor?)

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2011, A Year of Halfs… Halves?

2011-12-29T00:17:00.000-08:00

With 2011 coming to close, I wanted to take look back at this year's events. This was the first calendar year (since I began running in 2006) that didn't include a Full Marathon… hence the title: A Year of Halfs. Let's take a look at my journey down the 13.1 mile road. Enjoy.

Oakland Marathon, March

Half Marathon: 2:29

Quick Recap: I ran this purely for fun dressed as the Incredible Hulk. Loved all the photos (see below), but those hands got super heavy after a few miles.

Pavey Posts: Oakland Running Festival: Recap, Incredible Photos

Davis Moo-nlight Half Marathon, July

Half Marathon: 1:51* (12.2 miles due to course error)

Quick Recap: Other than being on pace for a PR and missing a whole mile due to a mistake by the event, it was fun. I was "all in" once I heard it was a night race with a glow-in-the-dark shirt and medal.

Pavey Posts: Racing again… with Cows, My "Shortest" Half Marathon

The Giant Race, August

Half Marathon: 2:06

Quick Recap: After some technical errors with my garmin and bonking around mile 10, my day was pretty much over. Highlights include high-fiving Brian Wilson, finishing inside Giants' stadium, taking a finishers photo with my mom and friends, and of course the Tim Lincecum bobble head.

Pavey Posts: The Giant Race Playlist, The Giant Race Recap

San Jose Rock n Roll Half, October

Half Marathon: 1:59

Quick Recap: Thanks to Alyssa, I was able to run this race for the 5th year in a row. I gave it my all and finished with my first official sub 2-hour time.

Pavey Post: Don't Pass Out, Don't Puke, Do PR

US Half (1), November

Half Marathon: 1:58

Quick Recap: A solid time on a challenging course. Also shaved a minute off my finish time from a month earlier, met some great runners and snagged the first half to my 2-piece medal.

Pavey Posts: US Half 2012 Recap, US Half: a Photo Recap

Walnut Creek Turkey Trot, November

5k: 50:25 (PR)

Quick Recap: A great way to spend Thanksgiving morning. Walked the course with my mom and enjoyed every minute of it. Although I was sore afterwards… walking fast sure does a number on the calves.

Pavey Post: A Turkey Decision, Recap and a PR

Walnut Creek Half Marathon, December

Half Marathon: 1:54 (PR)

Quick Recap: A great end to a busy 3 months. With PRs in October and November at the half distance, it made sense to do it again for December. Shaved 4 minutes off my time on another challenging course and concluded my journey in the Northern California Half Marathon Series.

Pavey Posts: Walnut Creek Half Race Report

As part of the Northern California Half Marathon Series, by racing 4 (pre-selected) races, I was awarded an extra medal. They've expanded the series for 2012, adding in Southern California races and including many that participated in the inaugural 2011 series.

Here are the 4 races I ran: Oakland Half Marathon, Davis Moo-nlight Half, The Giant Race and the Walnut Creek Half Marathon.

Thank you to everyone that gave me the extra motivation, inspiration and support that I needed to make 2011 a successful running year. I'm enjoying the newly found speed at the shorter distances and hope to carry that into 2012. Cheers.

I'd love to hear how your 2011 running year went in the comments.

What was your favorite race of the year?

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Running with an iPod: yay or nay?

2011-12-21T09:44:00.000-08:00

On the radio this morning, they were talking about the iPod and how in 2009 it was named the "Decade's Top Music Moment" and it got me thinking: How has that affected the running community?

When I was training for my first marathon, all of my long distance runs were without music. I was going to be running the event without headphones, so it made sense to prepare for race day. However, on my shorter mid-week runs, the ear buds were busy bumping The White Stripes and 30 Seconds to Mars. Since then, I have trained and ran events with a predetermined play list going through my iPod shuffle.

Time to show your age:
Who remembers running with a Walkman? Was it yellow?

Time to show your age, AGAIN:
Who remembers running with a discman? That "anti skip" button never really worked and you were left trying to hold that thing as still and flat as possible as you bounced up and down the street.

Placing safety aside, and yes, I understand that is a huge factor to take out of the equation. Has the iPod (and sister products) benefited the running community? Has it provided motivation for those less likely to run, to strap on their mp3 player and log some miles to Kid Cudi?

How has the iPod affected your running? For the better? For the worse?

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Happy Birthday Bart Yasso

2011-12-16T10:16:00.000-08:00

This weekend is Bart Yasso's birthday and I wanted to pay homage to the man himself with a post.

In 2008 I was at the San Francisco Marathon expo and doing what most of us do, I was wandering around looking at the booths. I came across a gentlemen sitting at a table selling a book he had written about running. I stopped at the table, said hello, looked at the book and moved along. About five minutes later I thought: "I should go back and get that book." I'm not really sure why I was drawn back to that table, yet alone back to that book. I had never seen the book before, or met the man that wrote or heard anything about him.

So I went back and bought the book: "My Life on the Run." He asked me if I would like him to sign it... i said sure, thanked him and went about my day. Little did I know that I had just interacted with a running icon. A man, that I'm, ashamed to admit, I had no idea about or who he was to the running community.

Later that year I read the book and learned all about the legend that is Bart Yasso. His adventures, how Yasso 800's came to existence and was instantly motivated. I wanted to do those things. I wanted to experience that same excitement on my running adventures. I friended Bart on Facebook assuming (like most celebrities) we would get updates and not much interaction. I posted this photo (above) and tagged Bart, saying that I was enjoying the holiday season with a good book and coffee. Little did I know, that I would get this response from Bart in my comments:

Running, books and coffee that is the trifecta. Bart

Blew my mind. The cool thing about Bart is that he is always accessible and interacts with the running community. You can ask him a question, tag him in a post and (usually) you'll get a response back or a 'thank you.'

In early 2009, my sister was training for her first marathon and raising money for Team in Training. I wanted to host a raffle to help her raise money and since I had enjoyed Bart's book so much, I wrote Bart an email to see if I could buy a couple of his books and asked him to autograph them. He kindly donated the two books to the cause and shipped them my way. Amazing. He made two winners extremely excited.

I then met Bart again later in 2009 at the Big Sur Expo. This time I was ready. I had my camera, wanted to thank the man in person and was prepared for celebrity interaction. Down to earth as usual, we chatted and he wished me luck on the race and snapped a photo with me. He even made a comment about thinking my handle Pavement Runner was "pretty cool" considering most people go by trail runner, road runner... he liked that I used pavement. A comment he has since made to me on other occasions. We always smile about it.

Here is a blurb from my 2009 Big Sur Race Report:

Random moment of the race: being escorted by a motorcycle cop, a Lexus SUV was making it's way past us (slowly). The license plate said RUNHER 1, so I made way to see who was in it. The car wasn't traveling fast and hanging out the back seat window was one Mr. Bart Yasso talking with runners as the car made it's way down the road. The car's speed was slow, so he was holding casual conversations with runners who were willing to chat. Pretty cool moment. I think I stayed within ear shot for maybe a half mile.

That was one of my favorite moments in my race history. It really doesn't get much better than running the beautiful Big Sur course, next to a running icon chatting with runners from his car. A moment that might never repeat itself.

Okay, one more photo. Here is Bart and I in 2010 at the San Francisco Expo. He usually attends that particular expo and of course was willing to snap a photo with me. Bart and I were working on a radio/podcast project earlier that year so we chatted about some ideas we had. Sadly we eventually left the program, but it was great to interact with him on a regular basis on a side project. Who knows, maybe we'll work together again in the future. (Runner's World office in San Francisco? I know a great graphic and web designer willing to make that dream come true... hint hint)

Thank you for all that you do Bart. You continue to motivate and inspire people simply by being who you are and sharing what you love. Happy Birthday and may all your wishes come true. Cheers, to many more birthdays and many more miles.

Share your Bart Yasso experiences below. What was you favorite moment with him?

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Oakland Marathon Giveaway Results

2011-12-15T13:09:00.000-08:00

I'd like to thank everyone for participating in the Oakland Marathon giveaway. I'd also like to thank the race for offering not one, but two entries for the community.

Overall we had almost 146 entries spread out among almost 25 runners. Everyone deserved to win, but unfortunately, there could only be two. I listed all the entries on an excel spreadsheet and labeled each entry, wether it was a follow, a tweet, or a comment. Then through a random number generator, the winners were selected.

Congratulations Paulette, @paulettezf, you won the first entry.

Paulette also can be found through her blog at: SoJustKeepRunning.blogspot.com

Also, congratulations to Beth, @Boston2Berkeley, you won the second entry.

Beth can also be found through her blog at: boston2berkeley.wordpress.com

I'll be reaching out to you both via twitter and give you further instructions on claiming your prize.

As for all the other entrants, thank you again. I'm working with the Oakland Marathon to make sure that you don't go away empty handed. Please keep an eye on your twitter DM inbox, or FB message board for additional information.

I'm hoping to see you all out there on race weekend March 24-25, 2012. I know plenty of people that will also be running the event and there has been discussions of a massive tweetup happening, so stay tuned.

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Project: Birthday Bart

2011-12-14T16:19:00.000-08:00

Fantastic idea... well, I came up with it, so of course I would think it's fantastic. Let's see if you agree with me.

Bart Yasso, Runner's World's Chief Running Officer, is celebrating his (insert number here) birthday this Saturday, Dec. 17. As a birthday present, we should let Bart know how much he means to the running community.

Challenge for Bloggers:

Schedule a post on what Bart means to you. It doesn't have to be long, it can be a quick write up on how Bart has affected your life. Maybe you met him at an expo, maybe he sent you a congratulations after an event, or a good luck message before. Perhaps you read his book and it motivated/inspired you to run a few miles. Or, more than likely, you have screamed his name (in frustration or excitement) while running Yasso 800's during your training. If you have one, include a photo of yourself with the running icon.

Challenge for Readers and non-bloggers:

Leave a comment on my post Friday (or below now) on how Bart has affected your life. Bart has done so much for the running community, let's take a few seconds and let him know how much we care and appreciate him.

SPREAD THE WORD:

Twitter users: So that we can all enjoy your stories, please use the hashtag #BirthdayBart when sharing and also be sure to tag him. @BartYasso

Facebook users: Tag Bart in your post or share it on his wall for all to read. Bart's FB page

I'll have my post up and ready to go Friday morning. Let's help promote this so we can show Bart how much he means to us. Please RT this or share on Facebook.

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Walnut Creek Half Race Report

2011-12-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

With the Walnut Creek Half Marathon as my final race of 2011 and my fifth half for the year, the expectations were different from most events. Recently my legs seem to have developed a little bit of speed and my pace has quickened by almost a minute per mile.

With the course covering a route that I regularly run as part of my training, the mystery of the route was instantly removed. The good: I know what to expect on race day. The bad: I have zero excuses to fall back on if my race is a disaster.

Four other friends that I regularly train with joined me at the start as this race was the final event of the Northern Ca. Half Marathon Series. We had all participated in four (pre-selected) half marathons throughout the year and this was the culmination of our hard work. Oh ya, and we got an extra medal at the end.

We met up before the race and walked about a mile to the start. It was in the low 30s and was a great way to get the blood flowing. The starting line was pretty low key. There was plenty of room for the runners to line up, but there were no corrals and the porta-potty situation was less than desirable (only 6 available). Apparently there was a mix-up with the vendor. Luckily, our group was all fellas and we were able to "water the bushes." Not ideal, but I'm sure the 85 ladies in line appreciated us not taking up a spot in line.

I ran into (figuratively) Katie and Laylaat the start line. We exchanged well wishes, good lucks and high-fives. Layla was pacing the 2:10 runners and Katie told me she would be cheering at the 5/10 with the LuLuLemon crew. Of course she told me this while whacking me with Layla's pacer sign and calling me a baby. She is a ball of energy and it was awesome.

I met back up with my group, snapped a photo together and all of a sudden everyone started running. From where we were, we didn't here a "Go" or a National Anthem or any indication that the race was starting. I was fine without the bells and whistles at the start. I'm sure the neighbors appreciated it as well.

I ended up coming upon Layla and her 2:10 runners. As I ran by, I screamed out some jibberish to cheer on the 2:10ers... crickets. I guess I'm used to larger events where you can shout out to a group and everyone around joins in. Nope. Luckily Layla gave me some shouting back, otherwise I just would have been that weird guy screaming at mile one.

Subconsciously, I think I ran the first 6 miles at an easier pace than I had originally planned for. Knowing the course, means I knew how giant that hill was near the turnaround. Taking it easy on the way out would set me up for flying towards the finish line. Here were my splits for the first half:

Mile 1: 8:13
Mile 2: 8:42
Mile 3: 8:56
Mile 4: 8:43
Mile 5: 8:42
Mile 6: 10:39 (up the hill)
Mile 7: 8:03

There was a decline going down during mile 7, but one that we would soon have to climb again on the way back. At the halfway point, I was on pace with some downhill portions coming.

Mile 8: 9:05
Mile 9: 8:53
Mile 10: 8:01 (down the hill)

At the base of mile 10, I came across the LuLuLemon cheer crew again — the first time around at mile 5, I made sure to slowly maneuver to the right so I could spot Katie. She cheered like a crazy-energetic runner the first time and it totally fueled me to make the climb. I also got to high-five from Courtney as well. On the return trip, they spotted me again and showed lots of support. Thanks ladies, I was really looking forward to feeding off your energy. Aron, Kerry, and Kristin were also there, but they are ninjas, so I didn't recognize them on the course.

For a full spectator report and photos, check out Aron's blog here.

Also a major shout out to Beth, who ran the 5k — read about it here.

Oh ya, I also came across the 2:10 pace group on the return trip. At this point, I had been running for an hour, so my support was much more mellow and I didn't want to frighten the runners... AGAIN. I gave Layla a shout out and she returned it right back. She ended up leading her group to a 2:09 finish, which is amazing on her pacer debut on an unfamiliar, challenging course. Kudos.

For the final three miles, I decided to put the pedal to floor and see how long I could hold it. I knew the route coming back was mostly flat-to-downhill, so I was going to give it my all. There was a small climb at 12, but it was manageable.

Mile 11: 8:13
Mile 12: 9:26
Mile 13: 7:47
Mile 13.1: 6:40/pace

Finish Time: 1:54:18 — a 4 minute PR

Overall, I was really happy with my time. I was aiming for 1:55, but had 1:53 in the back of my mind as a "I will go absolutely nuts if I finish that fast" goal. I gave it my all and if you didn't notice, my final mile was a sub-8... holy moley. I didn't know I had that in me after 12 miles. That gives me incredible hope and confidence that I can keep getting faster.

After the race, I met Brent and a co-worker that dressed up in costume. I'll let you guess which one is my co-worker. Congrats to Brent and Gerry on a great race. Gerry was the star, I saw other runners asking to take a photo with him at the start and cheering him on the course. He ran CIM last weekend and was back for more!

I also took advantage of the podiums they had at the finish line area with my friend Paul. Clearly we are enjoying our TWO medals.

After the race, we all gathered at Katy's Kreek for a post-race brunch. If you know our running group, you know that we can easily take over a restaurant pretty quickly. I'm glad I made reservations a week in advance. We celebrated, ate, drank and enjoyed each other's company. It was the perfect end to a great race and a wonderful 2011 race year.

Thanks again for all the support and congratulations on Facebook and Twitter. You definitely provided some extra motivation to strive towards a fantastic finish.

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Dear 1:55

2011-12-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

Dear 1:55

I honestly didn't think I would be writing this letter so soon. It was just a few months ago in San Jose that I met your older sister 1:59. She was incredible, but sadly, the time to move on came rather quickly and unexpected.

It came out of nowhere and I'm going to be 100% honest with you... I've been flirting with you for some time on my training runs and I keep finding myself drawn towards you.

I have a race this weekend. The Walnut Creek Half Marathon and I'm anxiously waiting for the opportunity to meet you. I'm going to do my best to make your acquaintance this Saturday. My race plan is to maintain 8.5 min miles, which would draw me towards your much younger sister 1:51, but with some pretty significant elevation changes I'm factoring in four 9+ minute miles.

I'm not going to lie to you. If I have the opportunity to trim those 9+ minute miles, or find myself flying at low 8 minute miles, I may have to introduce myself to 1:53. It's the reality of the situation and I wouldn't be true to myself if I didn't say I was intrigued by that challenge.

But 1:55, I am looking forward to looking at my garmin and seeing your beautiful face. If you wait for me at the finish line, I'll do my best to get to you as quickly as possible.

See you soon?

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Becoming FitFluential

2011-12-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

If you are on twitter as much as I am, you've probably noticed hash tags that say #fitfluential or seen the official twitter handle @fitfluential

It's not just a clever way to tag your workout, athletic lifestyle or nutritional recommendations. It's a nationwide network of fitness enthusiasts called FitFluential. It was founded by Kelly Olexa in April of this year to help motivate and inspire others. A lot of us bloggers got started looking to not only reach out to others, but to catalogue our journey and self-inspire from current and past experiences. We put our thoughts or challenges down and embrace the community that welcomes us as we share stories similar to theirs with motivation and inspiration flowing both ways. Better to give than to receive? Yes, but it can be both.

I'm proud to announce that I was asked to join the FitFluential Ambassador team. What does this mean? It means I'm joining a network of highly influential people with various areas of interest. From runners, to bloggers, to nutritionist, to yogis, to people interested in keeping a fit lifestyle. I'm happy to join the team and look forward to additional opportunities (through working with brands) and information (through working with other FitFluential Ambassadors) I'll be able to share with you in the future.

Here is my official page. Yep, that's my name and photo. Weird, right?

So, does this mean my holiday list just increased 10 fold?

Feel free to share in the comments how you maintain a fit lifestyle or ways you wish you could improve upon it..

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Win an entry to the Oakland Running Festival

2011-12-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

What are you doing on March 25, 2012? Wanna experience the Oakland Running Festival?

I came across the Oakland Running Festival in 09, its inaugural year and the return of a full marathon to Oakland in 25 years. Compared to other Bay Area events the distances may be the same, the runners may also be the same, but what makes the Oakland Running Festival unique is the community and fans along the course. With a 97% saying they would recommend the race to a friend (from post-race surveys) there is clearly something going on with this growing event.

When I run other events I always notice people along the course cheering on specific runners: "Go Suzy!" or "Go Team in Training!" Such signs are popular and motivating. But what I noticed the past 2 years in Oakland is that although there are similar signs, there are also members of the community that aren't cheering on "specific" runners. Rather they are cheering on everyone. They are cheering for the city and happy to see thousands of people participating. It's people stepping out of their homes and business and clapping, simply because they were moved to do so.

The race has sold out each year in its existence, but I've squared away two complimentary entries for the 2012 (Full or Half Marathon) and want to share them with you! I'm running the event again and want YOU to join me!

I'll draw two names at random on December 15 at noon (PST). That gives you two weeks to enter. Here are several ways to throw your name in the proverbial hat:

Follow my blog. 1 entry per person

Follow @PavementRunner on twitter and/or "friend request" on FB. 1 entry per person — (let me know you've done this or already do this in the comments)

Follow @OaklandMarathon on twitter and/or "Like" on FB. 1 entry per person — (let me know you've done this or already do this in the comments)

Tweet out this contest (tagging @PavementRunner and @OaklandMarathon) and/or share on FB — tweet/share buttons at end of post. 1 entry per person — (let me know you've done this or already do this in the comments)

Leave a comment below telling me "Why you think you should win the entry." Also, if you've done any of the ABOVE, let me know here as well. This is the easiest way for me to keep a reliable count. 1 entry per person

That's a total of 5 entries per person, but here is the bonus part:

BONUS: Each day you can send out a tweet (tagging @PavementRunner and @OaklandMarathon) about anything. (Running related is encouraged. Negative tweets disqualify you entirely. Sorry, I am judge and jury on this.)

That's up to 15 additional entries. 1 per day, per person will be counted. If you @tag me, I'll see it, so no need to notify me on these daily tweets through the comments. Sorry, this *bonus* is a twitter only opportunity.

That's it! If you do it right, you can enter the contest 20 times. Wowzers. Good luck everyone. Any questions, let me know.

The entry forms will be mailed to the winners to be filled out and returned to the Oakland Marathon. Postage and a return envelope will be provided to each winner. Travel and hotel expenses will not be provided to or from the event. The entries can be transferred PRIOR to filling out the entry form. Once the form has been mailed to the Oakland Running Festival, all information is final. Entries must be filled out and received by the Oakland Marathon prior to 1/15/2012.

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A Turkey Decision, Recap and PR

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

I recently made one of the best decisions of my running career. It may be a simple one, but at the same time one I'm ashamed to admit that took a bit longer than it should have to pull the trigger.

This year I decided to do a local turkey trot in Walnut Creek (Ca). It's a small 5k/10k that benefits local education. Which is great. I've done it once in the past and enjoyed it. I've only run a couple 10ks so it isn't a distance I typically do. That last time I ran a 10k I pushed myself to a 51 min. finish, which at the time was challenging. I'm trained for long distances, not fast paces over smaller distances.

The decision was this:

Register for the 10k and see if my recent increase in pace allows me to push myself even further for a faster time.
Walk the 5k with my mom who has been walking a lot over the past year and is getting excited about improving her health/pace.

Seems like an obvious choice, especially on Thanksgiving. But being competitive with myself and always trying to improve my time over any distance made me think, shamefully, longer than I should have.

I thought about it for a couple days, already knowing which was the right decision to make. But that little devil on my shoulder kept whispering: "Your mom won't mind if you run the 10k." Which is true, Moms rule that way.

Although the devil kept whispering, I didn't let that little red bastard get the better of my judgement and registered my mom and myself to walk the 5k. And I couldn't have been happier.

We made our way to the start line decked out in our running gear, my mom wearing her race day tech shirt, which I think may be her first. We started at the back to avoid becoming jammed in a bottleneck on the course and allowed the speedy folks to start ahead of us. We weaved through other walkers, strollers, dogs and even these guys in turkey capes:

My mom has become pretty fast at the walk. I definitely felt the burn in my calves. Funny, right? But I'm built for running, not speed walking. Different muscles are emphasized.

We walked and talked and grabbed a couple photos together. Laughed at some folks taking short cuts over the sidewalks, easily shaving .1 off the course. Disqualified. We talked about running watches and how my mom could start incorporating some running into her 3 mile walks. I was pretty proud. Yep, son was watching his mom start to get the race bug. This was her third 5k and now that she is seeing the differences in events, starting to discover what she likes and doesn't like.

It was a great way to start Thanksgiving Day and I'm glad that I decided to spend some extra time with my mom. She has done so much for me and I was happy to experience the event with her. I would make that decision 10 out of the next 10 times. Oh ya, and since this was my first 5k, I set a PR!

Thanks mom for a wonderful day and kicking my butt on the 5k. You go girl!

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A photographic run

2011-11-28T10:02:00.000-08:00

With my this weekend's run, I decided to have some fun and photograph my journey. Sure that meant taking a 1-2 minute break mid-run to dig out my phone, snap a photo, tweet it, then resume running, but my I was willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of twitter-dom.

And I haven't run over 13.1 miles since February, so striving for 16 was going to be a journey on it's own.

I used a hash for those that wanted to follow along, #Sunday16, but I also want to share with my non-twitter readers or those that may have missed it. Here we go. Text below the photo's is what I Tweeted out with the photo.

"If I sit by his running shoes, then he has to take me, right?"

Couldn't resist the pup's face, so I took her for 3 miles, dropped her off, heading for remaining 13

I always see this hill, parallel to my normal route. Today I'll go up it.

Mailbox! How long will we still be using these? Timeless? Something to think about over the next few miles.

Where I married my wife a little over 6 years ago. Heather Farms Rose Garden, Walnut Creek.

Still Thanksgiving on my run. 11.38 miles, home stretch. Gobble Gobble.

Up the hill. Pay attention WC Half Marathoners, this is your future. It goes higher after the bend.

Sometimes you have to listen to the signs and your body. 15.5 miles and done.

There is my photo journey. I fell short, which gives a little humor to my #Sunday16 hashtag, but it was too late to change it to #Sunday15.5 — which looks funny, so forget it. Thank you to everyone that responded along the way. I definitely recommend giving this a try on your next run. Most cell phones have cameras, so it's an easy point and shoot. I found myself looking around a lot more as I ran.

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All black everything

2011-11-25T09:42:00.000-08:00

In honor, or perhaps protest, of black Friday, I'm going to write about something that has nothing to do with black Friday. So for poops and giggles, here are all the black running items in my closet:

Adidas 3-stripe pants
These are my favorite running pants in the world, better yet, universe. I have 2 pairs, the one shown and a gray pair with orange stripes. They fit well, are light and keep me warm. They also have zippers on the pockets that come in handy when holding shenanigans. The also have reflective piping towards the bottom and slight ventilation as well.

Adidas 3-stripe 1/4 zip Bruce Lee 'thingy'
This is also one of my favorite running tops (not a jacket, not a t-shirt, a 'thingy') in the fall/winter. It totally gets me in ass-kicking mode, Bruce Lee style. Mid-run, I've been known to confront the Korean underworld gangs, fight my way up the levels of a pagoda and kick a seven-foot basketball player in the face. It happens — like I said, one of my favorite tops. (the colors are inverted, but let me have my childhood moment)

Champion running shorts
Clearly Adidas makes super-duper running clothes, but not everything has to be three-stripe gear. Here are a pair of cost-friendly running shorts by Champion. They have reflective piping, light weight and comfortable. Draw string keeps them comfortable and they are (for me) a proper length since I don't rock the 70s jogging shorts. Not pretty.

Asics running socks
My feet are sponsored by Asics. Well, they are sponsored by my paychecks, but they prefer Asics. I have been wearing Asics Kayano's since 2006 and is the only shoe I run long distances in. But those are typically white, so screw them. However, my socks are ALWAYS black Asics socks. I've bounced across a couple styles, but they are always black, low cut Asics. These are hydro.

Road Runner visor, Nike arm sleeves, Nike gloves

Visor: I purchased the visor after seeing them popular in the ultra community. It made perfect sense. When wearing a hat, at some point in the race my head became too warm. Perfect solution: a convertible hat for my head.

Arm Sleeves: I like these because they are made of dri-fit material. They breathe really well and keep me warm. Perfect for the beginning of races and if it becomes too warm, they easily roll down or fit nicely into your pocket. Definitely not bulky, but effective. Downside? The upper arm is too tight. If I flex, it is uncomfortably snug. Luckily I don't make bodybuilder poses mid-race.

Gloves: these rock. I have 2 pairs, both Nike. The ones shown are lighter and all dri-fit material with reflective swoosh. My other pair has a bit more warmth to them, which can help. Not too heavy, but more in comparison. It also has a terry cloth thumb and outer, inner-hand section for wiping sweat. Important especially if it's misty and you have a mustache. Sorry ladies, well some ladies, but that was a boy perk.

Finisher shirts
I have two black finisher shirts. One is a RNRSJ shirt which I wear often and the second I just received from yesterday's Walnut Creek Turkey Trot. It has a fat turkey on the front wearing a race bib and running shoes. Silly turkey.

There you are. That's a peek into my running closet, your black Friday is complete.

Any of you have these also in your closet? I was surprised at the lack of black running gear I have, but I guess brighter colors benefit us in the morning or at night.

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Last Chance to Order

2011-11-22T07:15:00.001-08:00

First off, I want to thank all of you for putting up with my tweets and Facebook posts about these shirts. I've had a lot of orders, which is fantastic. To be honest, I'm just real excited about making running shirts. I'm a graphic and web designer, so excuse the inner nerd.

Note: If you would like a cotton version, please let me know. They are not available on the store, but I can order you one for $15 (regular or v-neck).

Online store: http://pavementrunner.bigcartel.com/

Because I'm ordering these in bulk it benefits me to obviously have more orders, hence the frequent promotion. If I can get 20+ orders, then I should be able to keep the cost around $20 each. Not bad.

If you are wondering, they are costing me about $17 each, so I'm not in this for the profit, but for the thrill of making something for me (and us) to run in.

For future shirts, here is my plan:

I'll design a unique running shirt every 2-3 months
I'll take pre-orders during that time frame to (hopefully) get a decent quantity, keeping the price low.
If I can consistently get 20+ orders, then I can afford to do this. If it looks like the demand is low, then the order might be cancelled and refunds issued.
Luckily with these two, we came pretty close to what we needed. I'm also giving some out to friends as Xmas presents (and maybe a couple runner bloggers out there).

This seems to be the easiest way to help help keep the cost down and allow me to make one giant order and distribute after. If we had to print one at a time when ordered, these would be $30 shirts, and that ain't gonna happen.

That also means, this is your last chance to get these two designs. I'll end the sale Wednesday (11/23) morning, so I'll only print what has been ordered. It takes 2 weeks to print, which gives me a week to ship them to you, arriving just in time for the holidays.

Thanks again and I'll definitely plan on posting some photos of you awesome runners rocking the shirts. Thanks again.

Here is the link to go shopping: http://pavementrunner.bigcartel.com/

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Pavement Runner Shirts

2011-11-11T18:19:00.000-08:00

What do runner's need? Running shirts, of course. As if your closet wasn't full enough with finisher shirts and training shirts, here is another one to add.

http://pavementrunner.bigcartel.com/

I've designed a couple shirts that runners, more specifically, twitter users will enjoy. They use hashtags which are common in twitter-verse.

Definition: The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages.

As runners, we use several hashtags daily on twitter, so why not use one on our shirts? "Runner." It says so much about who we are and what we do. We have our own community and speak our own language. How many times are we introduced using that noun. "This is Brian, he's a runner." Which usually results in a conversation about how crazy we are. Guilty as charged.

So here are my two shirt designs and my store. Click here. It currently just has the 2 shirts in men's and women's sizes, and in black, red and navy with white lettering.

The shirts can be ordered and paid for, but will not be shipped until early December, just in time to arrive at your house for the holidays. Since this is a new venture for me, I'm gauging the feedback for the next month. I anticipate taking orders for 30 days at a time initially and shipping all shirts once a month. More designs to come later. The shirts will be printed by Custom Ink which is the same company I used to print our relay shirts the past two times. They make a great product that lasts and their customer service is second to none.

And #running …a long-distance relationship — how cool is that?

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at pavementrunner@gmail.com

Enjoy, feedback greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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US Half - a photo recap

2011-11-10T08:43:00.001-08:00

Here are some photos from the US Half last weekend (11/6). Enjoy!

Me at the finish line! (Sorry, start with the good one, right?)

Ok, now we'll go chronologically… The start line (taken by FB friend Claudia)

The back (of the out and back) on the Golden Gate Bridge, somewhere between mile 8 and 9 …apparently there is a plane above me, what else would I be pointing at?

Coming off of the bridge, around mile 10 …that plane must be following me, I'm pointing at it again! Still have the arm sleeves on.

The look of relief crossing the finish line. Shaved off almost a minute and a half off my half marathon time. Sleeves have been rolled down. Think that happened around mile 12-13.

Me, post race with my earth friendly re-usable water bottle. Think of all the plastic water bottles not being used and not being thrown away. Nice job Project Sport. (photo taken again, by Claudia)

And finally, Claudia and I… finish line behind us.

Blogger reader and FB friend, Niko and I, post race.

Ana, Claudia and I with a group photo. As you can see, we don't have finisher medals due to an error with the company making them. Apparently they shipped April 2012's medals… oops. But it's okay, we all ran strong races and look happy! That's what counts.

* * * * * *

Thanks to everyone that wished congratulations on Twitter and Facebook… it was a tough race, but that makes the PR that much sweeter.

And am I the only one that likes making funny faces, opening their mouth and pointing at planes during photos?

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US Half 2012 Recap

2011-11-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

Going into races it's always tough to handle expectations. Heading into this race a month after a PR at RNRSJ, I was hoping for a repeat performance. With RNRSJ my first official sub 2 hour finish my legs seem to have realized that they can fly at 9 min. miles for an extended period of time. Bonus.

The other leg realization is that they can fly FASTER than 9 min. miles for an extended period for time. Since Oct. 2, I've been running sub 9 min. miles on my training runs. At first I thought it was just a result of being lower mileage (2-5 mile runs). But then I started building mileage back up for race prep. 8 miles at a 8:36 pace. Then an 11 mile run at 8:50 pace. So, of course my brain starts racing (pun totally intended): "How fast can I go at the US Half Marathon?"

Let's find out!

The morning started with the typical rigamarole. Getting up early, packing my race supplies while the pup watches hoping to join me on a run. Sorry Mika, it's just me this time.

Once I found parking near the start of the race (which can be difficult at any race, more specifically a race in SF), I made my way to the start. A few days before the race, I thought it would be a great idea to organize a meet-up at the start line. It was late notice, so I was hoping a few people would be able to wish each other luck pre-race.

I was able to meet Facebook friends Niko, Brian (and his brother Keith), Claudia and Ana. Also, my training buddy Leo and his fellow running-friend Brian. Unfortunately, we weren't able to all organize for a pre-race photo, but it was great to meet everyone in "real life." I came across another training friend Diana, at Mile 3, we ran together for few seconds and met up post-race as well.

As the race started, I planned on going out with a 8:30-9 minute pace. The elevation climb was going to be an issue at staying within that range, but I figured what slowed me down going "up," I could make up going "down."

It was extremely congested most of the course, but I tried not to expel too much energy weaving in and out early on. It typically thins out as the race goes along, so I was anticipating that. First three miles were right on pace: 8:55, 8:46, 8:48.

Mile 4 had an incline heading up to the Golden Gate Bridge, 9:52. Miles 5 and 6 fell victim to runner-congestion on the Bridge. Due to construction we were restricted to one side of the bridge (going up and back). This segment seemed to have slowed most people down and trying to pass people on a walkway that fit 3, maybe 4 across posed a challenge in passing runners. Miles 5 and 6, 9:57, 9:12. At this point I thought my hopes for a PR were shot. The bottlenecks along the bridge slowed most runners down to a walk, plus we were about to make a 400 foot climb on the Marin Headlands (photo from mile 7 below) side of the bridge. Mile 7, 10:19

As I was heading down the climb, I decided to give it more than my all on the way back and hope not to crash and burn at the finish. I knew I could cruise the remainder of the course and come in around 2:05+ comfortably. OR, I could haul ass and try to see if I could PR this bad boy. The downside to the latter was if I burned out before the end, my finish could end up closer to 2:10. Can you guess what option I went with?

Coming down the mountain, I was able to pick up some time that was quickly lost at a major bottleneck on the bridge. I was slowed to a walk, then to a standstill as runners were funneled into two single lanes (those coming across and those heading back). I could tell based on the faces of other runners, that this was a huge issue. Some tried to make the best of it... the race does not have control over construction, keep that in mind. Mile 8, 9:04.

After that, there were some downhill portions that I tried to quickly take advantage of. Mile 9, 8:35, back on pace. Mile 10 and 11, I kicked it into a gear that I haven't seen in some time, 7:27, 8:01.

At this point, having home-field advantage, I knew exactly where I was and how far I had to go. Looking at my watch, I figured if I could keep sub-9 min miles, I had a chance. Doing math while running is always fun. "Okay, If I'm at 1 hour 36 minutes and have 2 miles to run at a pace of 9 minutes, carry the one, subtract the 5, x is equal to… look, a dog!"

Mile 12 was pretty solid, 8:26. Mile 13 had a minor climb (87 feet), quickly followed by a steep decline. The climb took a lot out of me mentally, but I was able to focus and nailed a 8:56. The final .1 miles, I knew I had the PR, it was just a matter of by how much.

I finished at 1:58:38, shaving almost a minute and a half off my RNRSJ time for a PR at the half distance.

Looking back, miles 4-7 is where my pace fell apart with the congestion and the incline. Coming off the mountain and back across the bridge, it was much easier to maneuver. Looking at my times, I was able to PR only because of miles 10 and 11. If my ideal pace was around 8:30, I shaved a minute off mile 10 (7:27) and 30 seconds off mile 11 (8:01) and that's the minute and half I PR'd by. No other mile split was lower than 8:30 (mile 12 was 8:26, but ya).

After the race, I was able to connect with Claudia and Ana who also ran strong races. This time, we were all about the photos (more to come)! I originally met Claudia a few years ago at this exact race.

I also met up with Niko again and snagged a post-race photo.

As more photos become available, I'll be sure to share them. I'm sure there are some great ones since it turned out to be such a beautiful day. Thank you to everyone that wish us luck on facebook and twitter. You all rock and inspire!

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US Half Meet Up

2011-11-04T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, this weekend is the US Half and what better way to start an amazing race than with a bunch of runners wishing each other luck and giving high-fives? Okay, I'm a fan of the high-five and am hoping it makes a come-back. It's way better than the fist bump and that exploding hand thing, I don't get the explode… did my hand blow up when it collided with yours? Why would I want that?. I digress.

There are several people I know across the social networks (FB and Twitter) that are running it, so I was hoping we could organize a start line meet up. I know 2 friends coming from Oregon that are planning on meeting up along with 3 others that I train with in San Francisco… I plan on being at the start line around 6 AM (with a race start time of 7 AM.) But, let's plan on meeting here around 6:30.

The meet up spot is really close to the start line. Here is a better shot so that you can see how close it is. It's about a 30 sec. to 1 min. walk away from the start line. Convenient. I'm hoping that we can grab a group photo… hopefully someone has a camera, if not, we can use my iPhone to grab a snap shot of a bunch of runners about to kick some tail across the Golden Gate Bridge! Yea!

It's an easily identifiable spot near the start line. It's essentially at the entry way to a couple docks. I'll plan on being there before 6:30, so if you see me, come over and say hi. This is what I'll be wearing (and here are some photos of what I look like).

Hope to see you all out there. This is a challenging course, so any extra good running mojo from fellow runners will always help. Have a great race!

Feel free to leave a comment if you will be joining us, that way I can keep an eye out for you. Cheers.

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DIY: Medal & Bib Holder

2011-10-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

First things first: I have been looking for a way to display my running medals. I love training for them, earning them and getting them… unfortunately they sit on a shelf for awhile, then eventually get moved into a bag under the stairs. For all my hard work, this seems a rather unfitting resting place. I did a Google search for medal holders, or racks, or some search along this lines and found this. I thought: "What a wonderful solution for not only medals, but race bibs." I hold onto all of my race bibs and they sit in a shoe box. As you can see, I like holding onto things, but display them poorly.

I thought the idea was fairly simple and being a fan of HGTV (yep, I typed that), I figured I would try and make my own. A little DIY project that I thought I might appreciate on a personal level in the long run (pun totally intended). But to be upfront and honest, doing it myself: 1) Cost more than ordering it and 2) took a lot of trial and error to finish. Again, here is the link for my inspiration if you would like to save yourself some time and money.

But if you want to get all Tim "The Toolman" Taylor and build one yourself, here is how I made my rendition.

I purchased to pre-cut boards from a local craft store that cost me around $14.99/ea.

They have embossed edges, which was a nice touch. I then purchased some gray spray paint for $3.99 and covered both sides.

Once that was done, I purchased some stencils (around $4.99) and planned on using some leftover white paint I already had in the house. I decided to use "RACES" for the bibs, but it could really say anything.

I taped up the stencils where I wanted them and applied the white paint.

As you can see: FAIL. The paint just didn't work. This was some old paint, so it might have been too "watery" and just leaked through. I wiped down what I could while it was still wet, then simply covered the mistake up with another layer of gray spray paint. I essentially hit the "reset" button.

Since I was having success with the gray spray paint, I went back to the hardware store and bought some white spray paint ($3.99) and re-taped my letters.

As you can see, much better. (There was some white between the E and the S that leaked through, but I spray painted a Q-tip with gray and simply covered it up. (Easy-breezy.)

Next step was attaching the hanging hook for the back.

As for the front, I looked at my race bibs and there were 2 sizes. Big (NYCM, Rock n Roll Marathon size) and small (everything else). So I penciled in where the hooks needed to go and twisted the screws in. This was also the solution for the bibs on Etsy.

Once that was done, the bib project was finished.

I then repeated the same steps for the medal holder. I decided to go with RUNNING since my race distances vary, so I couldn't write MARATHONS. There are plenty of options that could be used, but I wanted to keep it simple.

After spray-painting both sides (above). I taped my letters.

As you can see, they only supplied one "N" in the box, so I had to create place holders. Spray it, then add the missing "N" where needed.

Then I measured where I wanted the hooks and screwed them into the board. I decided to go with various positions to have some medals hang at different lengths. Here is a sample of the front and back hooks for both. Packs of 4 cost me under $2. Make sure that the length of the screw isn't longer than the depth of your board.

I placed nine hooks, since I have a decent amount of medals, it needed to be able to hold quite a few at different lengths. I placed them about 3.5" apart from one another.

And that is pretty much it. Since it will hold a lot of medals, I placed 2 brackets on the back for support. I'm sure it would have been fine with one, but better safe than sorry.

Here is the final product. I only placed one medal on each hook for the photo, but I'm planning on each hook holding multiple medals.

As you can see, everything seems to have worked out. After a few missteps and multiple trips to the hardware store, they are up. I'm very happy with them and even though it cost me more in materials then it would have to simply have placed the order off Etsy, I'm glad it is something I was able to accomplish without injuring myself or cutting out the electricity in the neighborhood.

Here they are living happily together on the wall. Let me know what you think….

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Once a Thief, Not a Runner

2011-10-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

My car was broken into at some point over the past couple days. We've been at home with a newborn, so my car hasn't moved much from it's parking spot. When we do go out, it's in our other car and I'm sure my car feels slightly neglected... to make matters worse, it has now been violated.

So why does this post show up on what is mostly a running blog? Because I believe that the person that broke into my car IS NOT a runner. I believe there is a 66% (or 2 out of 3) possibility that the person who violated my car is NOT a fellow member of the running community.

Here is my rationale:

There were 3 items in my car that I consider valuable to any runner. The first was a Trail Running magazine that was released by Runner's World earlier this year.

The second is Dean Karnazes' latest book: RUN!

Lastly, the only item stolen from my car: an iPod Nano.

Those are three things that any runner would love to have. Trail running magazine's aren't that common, or easily found. And if you've ever read a Dean Karnazes book, you know that they are page after page of inspiration, motivation and some pretty out-there tales of life on the road. The iPod is a toss up. This was a given to be stolen out of any car by a runner or not (even if it was tucked away in my glove box). Due to it being a Nano (small in size) I'll place it in the running category since I like to imagine that most of us prefer the smaller iPod's or iPod shuffles when we run.

Since only 1 of the 3 running related items was taken, that means there is a 66% likelihood that the ~~jerk,~~ er culprit was not a runner. And I have many years of watching Law & Order, CSI, Without A Trace, Numbers and other investigative shows to back up my profile of the theif. And that's a big deal — pretty much equivalent to several years at Langley.

Here are some other quick notes about the thief:

Does not frequently travel into San Francisco (I live in the East Bay)

In my ash tray, coin tray, whatever you want to call it, there were tons of quarters. I'm guessing at least $5-$8 worth. That is San Francisco-meter gold. And if you park in the city, those are 100% necessary. To top it off, I also have a FasTrak (allows you to drive through SF tolls without having to stop) that was not taken.

Not a Laker fan

I have a mini-basketball with a Laker logo that hangs from my rear-view mirror that was not stolen

Not an Oakland Athletics fan

I also have a yellow A's blanket that was a special give-away at the Coliseum that was left untouched.

Not afraid of getting wet in the rain

Yep, umbrella in the back that is still there. Maybe this person is some kind of frog-like-amphibian who isn't affected by rain.

Is not aware of Malcolm Gladwell

C'mon — this guy is a fantastic writer. Yes, that also means I had 2 books (both half read) sitting in my car… and a magazine. Sorry ,I like to read, apparently the thief does not. Side note: I just found out he also used to be a runner (read about it here). I didn't include this in the "running items" list because I'm a fan of his and JUST learned about his running history on Tuesday from his blog.

So if you happen to see someone that doesn't look like a runner listening to a grey iPod Nano with amphibian like characteristics not in Laker or A's gear and couldn't give two-cents about Malcolm Gladwell — call the police. Thanks.

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Don't Pass Out, Don't Puke, Do PR

2011-10-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

Originally I wasn't supposed to be running the San Jose Rock n Roll Half Marathon this year. Although it is one of my favorite local races, I have ran it the past 4 years and was not looking to repeat too many events. But when I saw that twitter friend @DiaryAvgRunner was hosting a raffle for a free entry, I entered my name and won. Yay me.

I arrived at the race fairly early, which isn't typical for me. I decided to duck into the Hilton (a block from the start line) to use the restroom. Trade secret: most hotels close to the event start line are typically filled with runners staying there and hanging out in the lobby. You can easily blend in and use their bathroom... it sure beats a porta-potty. Since I was so early, I also decided to get some stretching done there as well. Again, stretching on the carpet vs. a cold sidewalk or grass.

About a half-hour before the start, I made my way to the corral. I was aiming for coming in under 2hrs and felt pretty good about it. Prior to the gun @SarahStanley spotted me and we shared some PRE-race chatter, took a photo and rocked a high-five as we started. She's attempting to run all 2011 Rock n Roll Marathon Series races... yep, all of them. That's a lot of hardware.

I also ran with a buddy of mine, Drew, who I also train with. He's much faster, but similar to the Giants race he decided to pace me and help me reach for a sub-2 finish. We chatted most of the way and kept a 9-minute pace. I knew I could hold it until about 10 miles... after that I knew my legs would begin to tire. I typically train at a 9:30-10 min. pace, so I was "reaching" at a 9:09 pace.

Mile 10 came and legs started to feel fatigued. A friend of mine, Paige from FB, gave me some great PRE-race advice and told me to "run the mile you are in" and it really stuck. I kept that in mind and just thought "run this mile in 9 minutes" and deal with the next mile when I got there. It worked and definitely got me through miles 11 and 12.

When we got to mile 13, I asked Drew what our overall time was. He had us at 1:51 which meant I was exactly on pace and had 1.1 mile to see what I had in me. I threw on my iPod for the first time during the race and gave it all I had. When I crossed the finish line I thought I was either going to puke or pass out. Neither happened, but I did receive a medal. LOL. I much prefer the latter.

I always hope that a race will go as planned and they rarely do, but this one did. I ran at a very consistent pace and I have Drew to thank for that. I wouldn't have been able to hold that pace as long as I did without him.

At the finish line area I was able to meet fellow Twunner (her new word, Twitter + runner) @Janac, she had just finished with a PR herself. Luckily our conversation wasn't limited to 140 characters and it was fun to finally meet someone outside of the twitter universe.

I was happy to end my San Jose experiences on a positive note. I've dealt with injuries at this race before and to be able to run a successful 13.1 healthy, injury-free and set a PR was great. I now have an official sub 2-hr half marathon that I can point to and say "See, I did that."

Thank you to everyone on FB and twitter that gave me inspirational phrases and motivation to run strong. It was definitely needed in the later miles.

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A Runner's Inception

2011-09-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed — fully understood — that sticks; right in there somewhere.

Dom Cobb, Inception

I have a half marathon this weekend that I wasn't planning on running and attempting to come in at 1:58 — a speed I'm not fully trained for. Where did these ideas, inspiration, or motivation come from?

Is Leo in my head planting ideas? The simple answer is that I saw a contest on @DiaryAvgRunner's twitter, then followed it to her blog, which then led me back to twitter to enter. So does that make @DiaryAvgRunner a player in Cobb's Inception machine? Maybe...

But what about the thought that I can run faster miles than I am currently training for? Not just one... 13.1 of them. That's the true Inception. That's the dream WITHIN the dream. Is that kid from 3rd from the sun bouncing off the walls in my brain?

That's why I love racing. The thought that on race day, anything is possible. My average time at this race is 2:13 — having run it the past 4 years. So what makes me think year 5 will produce a 15-minute improvement? I just told you: Inception.

Once an idea creeps into your mind, especially a Runner's mind, it is nurtured, massaged and designed to overcome any rational thought. I have the 13.1 distance in me, that was the part of this venture without question. I just needed to be presented with a way in. Enter @DiaryAvgRunner moving all stealth like. A contest? Sure, I'll throw my name in. Once the opportunity was there, it was the runner's wiring in my brain that came up with the idea to run the fastest half marathon my asics have ever seen. But in order for an idea to take place and stick, the idea has to come from the person. It can't be someone else's idea... or can it? Inception. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaa

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Star Wars Marathon: Episode IV

2011-09-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm a fan of the Trilogy. And I kick it old school, so I am speaking of the original and only trilogy: Star Wars.

Since I'm also a fan of running, and more specifically the marathon, it seems only fair to introduce the two. I've always thought that having a Star Wars themed event would be an instant hit. The mile markers would be parsecs (1 mile = 5.2155242 × 10-14 Parsecs), medals could be tiny lightsabers or characters. A R2D2 medal would be sweet, or take it to a fanboy level, the same medal that was handed out at the end of Episode IV... but that's another post entirely and I'm getting off subject.

This one is dedicated to how the Star Wars characters would do in a marathon. Here is the context:

The characters are running (Han Solo), not the actors (Harrison Ford).
The race is open to all species — droids are allowed to enter, but judged in their own race division.
The runners cannot use powers or aids to give them an advantage over other runners. (Darth Vadar cannot choke grab other runners as he passes them, but his cape is allowed.)
Each runner is gaged based on the episode as a separate race. Meaning Luke Skywalker from Episode VI would have a faster finish time than Luke Skywalker of Episode IV since he towards the end of his Jedi training and stronger physically and mentally (Yep, I just wrote that into the rules).

This post will only discuss some of the characters from Episode IV. Future posts planned.

Episode IV: A New Hope
A long time ago... in a galaxy (race) far, far away

Luke Skywalker
Being raised on a desert planet, we can assume that Luke is comfortable in the heat. That's always a plus. He's in good shape and young, also good factors. But the key to Luke's race day success may be his dreams of achieving something bigger and greater than his current situation. Motivation and determination can do a lot for a runner in the later miles, and this is where Luke will dig deep and finish the race strong.

Bonus Factor: Luke may be over-ambitious and go out too fast in the early miles. If so, look for him to remember Obi Wan's teaching's about the Force. Although Luke can't use the force to run faster, it may be enough of a reminder for him to clear his mind and take one mile at a time.

Han Solo
Han doesn't appear to be a "training" kind-of-guy, so this may be his downfall. He has a little swagger to him, complete with an open-shirt and vest on race day. He'll be at the start line over-confident and is likely to crash and burn mid-race. Although Han has the machismo-confidence to talk a good game, going the full distance may be tough on him. His pride might carry him to the finish line, but it isn't a 100% bet.

Bonus Factor: If Han finds himself on the verge of not being able to go the whole distance, look for him at the post-race beer-garden cantina. He'll have his feet up, a tasty beverage and a snarky comment about running being over-rated. He may come off a bit rough, but he's likely to buy the next round of post-race recovery drinks for his friends.

Princess Leia
As a leader of the Rebel Alliance, we can assume she has some fight in her. She may be the runner that curses at her self to get her legs moving in the later miles. She's a toss up come race day. Her feisty attitude has the strength to get her to the finish line, but she may lose valuable seconds yelling at a water-volunteer for not properly handing her a cup and getting her shoes wet.

Bonus Factor: With her home planet Alderaan being destroyed, she may have that extra edge of motivation to run a strong race. Don't underestimate her, she has the determination to win the whole damn thing.

Obi-Wan Kenobi
Don't let Obi-Wan's age let you think that he won't run a strong race. He's fully capable of rocking the old-man shuffle the full distance. He won't have a really fast pace, but he'll be consistent and unlikely to take any walk breaks. His splits should be right within a few seconds of each other and will pass anyone that bonks out early.

Bonus Factor: His cloak may slow him down a bit adding extra weight to his arm movements. He wont finish first and won't finish last, but his beard will be impeccable. Look for him to offer helpful words of advice and wisdom to struggling runners as he passes by them.

Darth Vader
Darth is a tall dude, so factor in a long stride into his pace. He'll have extra weight come race day with a helmet and cape, but he will be an intimidating factor at the start line. His breathing may be an issue as the race progresses, but he's not one to give up.

Bonus Factor: Getting passed by the Dark Lord of the Sith is going to wreck havoc on the confidence of other racers. Darth Vader is an imposing physical force, but dont look for him to be too quick or to weave in and out of runners. Straight lines and a consistent pace get Darth to the finish line.

To keep this post some-what decent in length, I won't dive into R2D2, C-3PO, and Chewbacca (yet). But would love to hear your thoughts on them (or others listed above) in the comments. A post about side characters (Stormtroopers, Greedo, Jawas) would also be nerdy fun. Enjoy.

Who do you think would finish first in the Star Wars Marathon?

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Rock'in Motivation - My Next Race

2011-09-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

Runners can get motivation or inspiration from a number of places. It could be the random person that runs by as you stand in line for your morning coffee leading you to think "I'd rather be doing that." As of late, I've been getting my motivation from races. It's a common practice among runners, we simply need something to train for. Put a race on that calendar and you have a locked-in goal: "I need to be race-ready by THAT date."

For me, "THAT" date wasn't until Nov. 6 when I'll be running the US Half. But then I saw a tweet from @DiaryAvgRunner holding a give-away for an entry into the Rock n Roll San Jose Half. I flat out love that race. I signed up for my first RNRSJ in 07 and continued to do so for the past 4 years.

Last year, I decided I was going to take a break from repeating races. RNRSJ fell subject to this race revelation, but when I saw the contest, I couldn't resist. I threw my name in the hat knowing I was pretty close to race ready having run a half 2 weeks ago.

Fate. Destiny. This Awesome Blog! Whatever you want to call it, I won and will be running the RNRSJ for the 5th year in a row. Race day is less than 2 weeks away so I'll tune up my legs... get it? Rock n Roll... Tune Up... your welcome.... with a couple 10 milers and attempt to finish what I couldn't in Davis, a sub 2-hour finish.

Over the next few days I'll be diving into the archives and sharing some of my past RNRSJ memories, photos and of course, revamping my playlist in preparation for the 2011 race.

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Do You Rock? Do You Roll? Do Both in San Jose!

2011-09-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

Our twitter friend and fellow blogger "Diary of an Average Runner" — @DiaryAvgRunner — is doing a fantastic give-away on her blog! It's an entry into next month's San Jose Rock n Roll Half Marathon. I love this race. I've done it in the past and have had a blast. I was trying to stay away from it this year, but like destiny or fate or something, it is calling out to me through YOU, my running friends.

Here is the post about the give-away courtesy of Brooks.

http://diaryofanaveragerunner.blogspot.com/2011/09/giveaway-rock-n-roll-san-jose-half.html

Several simple steps to earn multiple entries. Good luck me... and of course, good luck you.

Race day is less than a month away... Oct. 2nd, so Half Marathon-ready runners need apply.

Time for a change

2011-09-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, I got to some serious thinking. 2011 has been a year of many changes:

I'm going to become a father in the next couple of months.
I turned 30 in May, and
The entire year may go by WITHOUT me running a full marathon (on schedule to run 5 half marathons this year).

Seems like the perfect time to make a change before the year is over AND before my daughter arrives. I've flirted in the past with trying to accomplish P90X. Its a 90-day Xtreme workout program that doesn't mess around. That's the point. It's not a typical 20-minute workout three times a week type program, it's a kick your ass everyday for 90 straight days type of program. I've started and stopped in the past, never really diving into it too much.

I wouldn't consider myself skinny. But on the same note, I wouldn't consider myself over-weight. Sure, I could stand to loose 10-20 pounds, but I'm not out of shape, nor am I significantly in-shape. I run. I run a lot. But that doesn't mean I'm fit. I rarely cross train and my weights are great at collecting dust below my computer desk.

Time for a change.
I get inspiration and motivation from friends on Facebook and Twitter and I think: "Man, if I got a little more "fit," I might be able to become a better runner." Duh! Well, it's that time. I'm diving straight into P90X and kicking up my weekly mileage at the same time. It started on Monday.... so 90 days from now (December), I should be a lean-mean-running-fit machine.

I want my daughter to have a healthy, positive role model and who better to do that than her father. I want her to be proud of me. I want her to say "My Daddy is tough, and fast, and in-shape." Take that snot-nosed kid in the play-ground!

We'll see how it goes. I'm going to start training towards the 26.2 distance and keep my eye out for a December full (Not RNRLV, most likely local in the Bay Area). That combined with P90X should point me in the right direction towards becoming more "fit."

Change is good.

The Giant Race Recap

2011-08-29T09:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just don't have it. We're runners, there are good days and bad days. Often you can point to specific reasons why you don't have your "mojo," other times you really aren't sure why. It just happens.

This past weekend I ran The Giant Race and I feel like it was a combination of multiple small things that collectively disrupted my mojo.

The morning started off typical. I was well organized the night before, left the house on time and arrived in San Francisco about 30 minutes before the race. Plenty of time, at least I thought. The organization of trying to get everyone parked was ridiculous. This is usually common on most races, but we were being parked at AT&T park. A new stadium that handles 35,000+ fans without blinking. I assumed handling a few thousand runners would be a breeze. We waited in line for about 20 mins moving almost a block. It was now getting close to the start of the race. Luckily, I know my way around downtown SF, so I left the line and tried to enter through behind the stadium. Still a line, but much faster.

This left me very little time to prep before the start of the race. I was supposed to meet my friends around 7:30, which didn't happen. I also planned to meet up with my co-workers, who I helped train, before the start. Once I reach the start line, the race is about to begin any minute. I'm weaving through the corrals to find my friends. Found them, gave them a quick "hello," promised to be back and continued to weave towards the back to find my co-workers. A couple phone calls later, I find them, wish them luck and head back towards the front to find my friends so I can run a few miles with them. That's a lot of "excuse me" and "sorry" as I try to move through the corrals.

That leaves me zero time to stretch and get my head straight before we start running. Oh, and did I mention that my Garmin wouldn't turn on? Yep, that happened too. At least it didn't die halfway through the race. I charged it the night before, but I must have messed something up or didn't click it all the way on the charger. It wouldn't turn on at all. Oh well, left it in the car so at least I didn't have to carry it. I've become so reliant upon that thing keeping my pace. I knew it was a major factor in my attempting to PR.

Once the race started I ran the first few miles with my friends. I was hoping to run a similar pace as I did in Davis last month (read here), but without my Garmin, I had no idea what my "exact" pace was. I took my normal walk break after each mile (about 30 sec. to a minute) and continued on. A friend of mine decided to run with me the whole way. He is much faster and not being concerned with his finish time, decided to help pace me and keep my time. We were cruising at about 9-9:30 most of the way. He'd give me our total time every few miles and we'd discuss if we could finish sub 2-hours. I wanted to finish the first half around 1 hour that way if I had the energy, I could pick it up on the way back.

Oh ya, around mile 4, Brian Wilson, the closer for the Giants, was on the course high-fiving runners. I gave him a high-five and said "Get em B!" That was pretty cool. Brian Wilson is a huge part of the San Francisco community and very accessible. (I heard that Matt Cain was at the start for the 10k, but haven't confirmed.)

Here were my splits for the first 6.5 miles:

5k: 29:30, 9:30 pace
10k: 58:32, 9:26 pace
Turn Around: 1:03, 9:25 pace

Pretty good. Definitely got faster as the race went on. I wasn't as well trained as I would hope, go figure, right? My pace was fine. I was happy with the first 6.5 miles knowing that if I wanted to come in sub 2-hr., I would have to squeeze in a couple 9 min. miles or faster. I have it in me and given the right song, its possible. But around 10 miles (1:33, 9:22 pace) I felt my legs pretty much quit. I knew I didn't have the last 3 miles at a 9 min pace left in me. I slowed down at just cruised in for the final leg.

I finished at 2:06:59 with an average pace of 9:42. As you can see, those last three miles destroyed my average. But I was happy with the outcome. Here is the finish line inside AT&T park. (I'll have to dedicate another post to the final mile, finish line and post-race expo fiasco that followed.)

Overall, I enjoyed the race itself. The organization (before and after) could have been significantly better. The shirt, medal and Lincecum bobble were fantastic. I can't be disappointed with any of that. I'd be open to participating again next year, but prepared for what to expect, or not expect.

If you participated in the race, I'd love to hear your comments about the race.

The Giant Race Playlist

2011-08-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I'll be running the The Giant Race: Half Marathon. So what do I do the night before? Find music that gets my toosh moving, of course.

Here it is. It's a mix of songs that are certian to quicken my pace. Listed in alphabetical order and it will be on shuffle race day. Its about 2.5 hours, but I'm anticipating a sub-2 hour run. That should give me plenty of wiggle room to skip a song, if it just doesnt feel right. Enjoy. AND yes, it does have some guilty pleasure songs on there.

(Click to enlarge)

Feel free to share in the comments what you think of my super-speedy playlist... if there is something I'm missing that works for you, let me know, I may add it.

Fact: A friend recommended Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA, I thought it was a lame choice, but I added it, gave it a road test, and it has been on there ever since. Who woulda known?!?

The Most Interesting Runner In The World

2011-08-12T09:34:00.000-07:00

Just for fun, i decided to have fun with the DOS EQUIS commercials about "the most interesting man in the world." If you are unfamiliar with them, then this post really wont be that funny, but he is a YouTube Video if you are looking for one:

To put a running theme to it, I changed it to The Most Interesting Runner In The World and started sharing on my twitter feed. Here are some that I came up with and here is the hashtag if you want to join in on the fun. (Click here to read more)

#TheMostInterestingRunnerInTheWorld

Every marathon he runs is ultra, regardless of it's distance.

He's been known to win races, before he starts them.

He wouldn't walk a mile in your shoes, but if he did it would take him half the time.

He has been known to finish marathons in 10 kilometers.

He's allowed to tweet about running in more than 140 characters.

It is true that Runner's World was named after him.

Marathons follow a strict training program to prepare for him.

Runners register to be in his corral, regardless of pace.

If a bib could run a race, it would run with a picture of him attached to it's chest.

He qualifies for Boston, even when he jogs.

If you have some of your own, please share on Twitter and include the hashtag or add them in the comments below. They're fun to come up with. Thanks for reading.

Finished SF, Now run Oakland

2011-08-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

There is something special going on across the Bay Bridge in Oakland and inviting you to come and experience it.

If you just finished running the San Francisco Marathon or Half Marathon, there is a 50% OFF coupon in your digital goodie bag.

THAT'S right, 50%. There is a link that directs you to the Oakland Marathon web site, fill out a short survey and BOOM. You are set to run the March 2012 event for under $40.

If you are looking for more of a reason, let me share this with you. Everyone that I know that has run Oakland in the past couple years, has LOVED it. Here are some other course highlights:

Scenic Course, Lake Merrit, Jack London Square, Temescal, Montclair
Finish Line strecth includes a run past the Historic Fox Theatre
Unique Finisher's Medals (not your typical coaster medal)
Raiderettes at the Finish Line
Greenlight Apparel - environmentally focused finishers shirts
Voted the Best Endurance Challenge in the East Bay
98% approval rating from participants

Oh, and you get to run through a gate of fire.

Here is my (almost PR) 2010 recap and some FUN photos from my Incredible 2011 race.

Offer ends this Friday, so register today!

My "Shortest" Half Marathon

2011-07-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Want to take a journey with me on my shortest Half Marathon? It's quite an experience, I promise.

Here is a some very brief context: last Saturday, July 16, was the Davis Moo-nlight Half Marathon. I was rocking a super-fresh hot pink shirt in honor of wifey being pregnant with our daughter... and GO!

10 mins. after leaving the house: Should I bring my sunglasses? Nah, it's a night race, why would I need sunglasses?

10 mins. after arriving at the race: I should have brought my sunglasses. The race starts at 7 pm and the sun goes down around 8:40. Everyone else is rockin' shades and I can smell sun-screen on some people.

Mile 1 — 9:52: Pretty crowded at the start, lots of congestion and jockeying for position going on. I take it easy knowing more miles to follow. Oh, an incline.

Mile 2 - 9:07: Crowd starts to stretch out a bit along a straightaway. I throw on my headphones and get ready to test out my new "fast" playlist

Mile 3 — 9:32: Another incline, woo-hoo! Who said Davis was flat? Well, these are freeway overpasses, so at least we get a cool view.

Mile 4 - 9:27: Easing into my comfortable pace and hitting my plan of 9:30 miles for the first 10k.

Mile 5 - 9:28: Running through some nice neighborhoods and well shaded areas. Maybe I actually didnt need my sunglasses.

Mile 6 - 8:55: Why did I just pass a sign that says mile 7? I remove my headphones and hear other runner's saying they also have 6 on their watches. I decide to pick up the pace a mile early and move into phase 2 of my PR plan.

Mile 7 - 8:57: Pace feels really good. If I can keep my pace at just under 9 min. miles, I'll be putting myself in position for a sub 2-hour finish.

Mile 8 - 8:41: Took a shorter walk break knowing that if I can bank a few extra seconds, my sprint to the finish wont have to be so "run for your life" pace.

Mile 9 - 9:09: This is a new part of the course (the half consisted of 2 loops), maybe this is where we will pick up the extra distance. Maybe the signs were just places a mile early...

Mile 10 - 8:54: Sun is setting and sky is turning into some very pretty shades of pink... like my shirt. Run faster for your baby girl, ignore the fact that your legs are starting to feel fatigued. Oh, a glow stick. Cool. Thanks water stop volunteers!

Mile 11 - 9:04: It's getting close to crunch time, if I can run these last 3 miles in under 24 mins., I have a shot at a PR. That glow stick sure is bouncing a lot on my back (it was a lanyard that I placed backwards around my neck and is bouncing as I run, I ignore it.)

Mile 12 - 9:19: I am way to close to the finish line... is the course actually short a whole mile? It's getting really dark, glad I'm not having to carry those sunglasses. I can see the finish line with no indication of a hidden out and back mile to make it 13.1... I slow my pace a bit, knowing there is no need for a sprint to the finish.

Mile 12.2: ...and race is over. I debate running the extra mile, but I'm tired, it's dark and the extra mile wouldn't give me an official PR anyway.

So, I rock my super-cool cow medal, drink some water and chat with my running friends. We all seem to have had a fun time and aren't really too concerned about the missing mile. Luckily, we are race veterans and this wasn't our first, nor our last, half-marathon race.

In all honesty, I am probably the most disappointed out of our group because I felt like I had a chance at a PR. Although, at the same point, I had no right to be on pace for a PR. The last time I ran 13 miles was in March in Oakland and I was dressed as the Hulk having a good time fist-bumping fellow runners and fans. My training for this race essentially took place in one month, building each week with a further long run: 5, 7, 10, 12, race.

It would have been the perfect tale: Runner is inspired and energized racing at night in hot-pink future-daughter-inspired shirt. My mantra was: "Run faster for your daughter, you can be tired tomorrow."

I slowed around 11.5 miles, knowing the course was off and I crossed the line at 1:51 and change. If I had kept my pace through mile 11 and into 12, my last mile would have had to have been closer to 8 mins., which is doable when facing the possibility of a PR and a sprint to the finish. I have a 4:29 marathon time to support how fast you can pick up the pace the last 2 miles if a PR is on the line. LOL.

I guess I'm left with a super-cool glow-in-the-dark cow medal, a super-cool glow-in-the-dark cow shirt and a giant "what if?" 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

Thoughts?

Announcement

2011-07-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure how to start this post. Having a blog is a weird thing. It's sort of like an online journal or diary, I guess, but mine is categorized or partial to a specific audience. Sure some personal stuff sneaks in here and there, it's bound to eventually. I've always envisioned this as a platform to bring together the running community where we can share similar stories and motivate each other about what it is that we do: run.

Some of you that have met me in person at a race or an event have most likely had the opportunity to meet my wife. (If your guess was I'm getting married, sorry, I married my college sweetheart 6 years ago). She has been my staple for so many years and has stayed by my side as I entered the crazy world of endurance running 5 years ago. She may feel like there should have been a clause in the marriage that 4am wake up calls and running shoes lining the hallway could be a possibility. But, we've made some great running vacations that we might not have taken otherwise. And having a healthy husband is always a plus.

I wish there was some kind of big reveal like on reality shows. But I won't be handing out roses, or having you call in to vote, I'll just simply show you a photo and explain afterwards. Here's the photo:

Here's the explanation: I'm going to be a father. My wife is 6 months pregnant and we are both extremely excited and happy. She wasn't able to travel to the race to star as my lead cheerleader, so we decided to dedicate the run to my baby girl. (oh ya, IT'S A GIRL, thought the super pink shirt might have hinted as much). I had a custom shirt made online that says "Running for my baby girl" and rocked my fastest race to date.

I guess baby jogger reviews are in my not-too distant future....

Moo Race Expectations

2011-07-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I'll be racing again. I haven't entered an event since the half in Oakland in March... four months later, the distance is the same, but the goal is different.

My training has put me in position to cruise in around 2:05-2:10. That's typically a comfortable pace for me, but in the back of my head is always a sub 2-hour finish. My PR lies just around 1:59 with no timing chip to confirm, only a Garmin. I ran 12 miles last Saturday and came in around 1:55, which would need some significant speed adjustment to add a mile in there. But it could be done with some added "umph" and a splash of "gusto."

Race: Davis Moo-nlight Half Marathon (link)
Start Time: 7 PM, that's right, night race

Here is some information provided by the race that got me pretty excited:

Half Marathoners who anticipate finishing with a time of 1:40 or later are advised to take precautions to make themselves visible in the dark. Sunset is estimated for 8:30 PM with dusk concluding at 8:50 PM. We will be distributing glow sticks on 32" lanyards at the fluid station at mile 10 to Half Marathoners who are on pace to finish 1:40 or later (at approximately 8:15 PM) They are recommended but optional.

I've run a few times in the dark, and I love it. My legs move faster, spirits are higher. It's like driving a stolen car. But this time I get to add glow sticks. LOL. Who doesn't love glow sticks.

I'll post my finish times over the weekend on FB and a race recap Monday morning, topped off with a big announcement. Looks to be a pretty exciting weekend.

Racing Again... with cows

2011-06-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that we are half way through 2011 and have only done one race. At this point last year, I had already ran 3 marathons, 2 50k's and participated in a 199-mile relay... and that was in the first 6 months of 2010.

This year has been very different. I've been running consistently, but not training to reach peak performance for any goal in particular. I have been debating what my next race would be after the Oakland Half Marathon in March. I was eyeing a night race in Davis in Mid-July and hesitated signing up for it. Well, it's done. Consider me an official entrant.

The Change of Pace Moo-nlight Half Marathon starts in Davis, Ca at 7pm and will be a new experience for me and several friends running it as well. We've run at night during the relay... and by at night, I mean at 1 in the morning with a headlamp on the side of a hill. So I'm hoping that this partially lit course at 8:30 pm should be manageable.

It's also part of the Nor Cal Half Series. If you complete 4 races of the series (and the last is Walnut Creek), you earn an extra medal. And I'm all about the medals.

The good thing is that having this race on my radar has helped me focus more on training. I may have waited until 2 weeks before to register, but having a date and distance to focus on has really helped me get the gears rolling again.

Thoughts?

Facebook Challenge: Volunteer

2011-06-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

I'd like to welcome a guest blogger, Elaine Smith. She has started a wonderful challenge that I want to share...

Marathons give me goosebumps... I've helped organize them, I've waited at 2 a.m. for the port a pottie deliveries, I've run one, I've lost a toenail training and I've cheered on friends. What gives me goosebumps is volunteers. They arrive early, they set everything out and then all day from the fastest runner to the slowest they give their heart, enthusiasm and hard work to make the day special. For the Providence Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 marathon I get to organize and recruit the volunteers, it's an honor!

I was on facebook and thought how many people are like me? How many people love giving back, seeing individuals set their mind to a life goal and go for it? How many people drag family and friends out to do the right thing before enjoying a fun night out? How many people would volunteer for the marathon if I asked?

I created the FACEBOOK CHALLENGE to answer those questions and to find those people. I will be in Rhode Island working every shift from Thursday set up until the last water cup is cleaned on Sunday afternoon, August 4-7, 2010 but I want to challenge everyone reading this to friend "Elaine Smith" of Gilbert, AZ on facebook (or click here to view her page) and join the challenge or just go to the link below and sign up for the Saturday afternoon shift at the expo:

Click here or visit http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/providence/volunteer

If you have feedback, want to volunteer as a group or any ideas on contacting larger groups in Providence that may want to be a part of this please email me at

Elaine Smith
eventsandvolunteers@gmail.com

* * * *

Thanks Elaine. I helped volunteer at the SF marathon for a friend (before I started running) and have been running marathons ever since. It's a great way to give back, a great way to participate on race day and is always needed and appreciated by the runners. Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. Have you ever volunteered?

With a Little Help From My Friends

2011-04-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

Fact: I've been in a funk pretty much since the end of 2010. I haven't been running as much as I should be. I've been subjecting myself to long runs on the weekend without the build-up milage to support such distances.

I know that I need to incorporate more 3-8 mile runs during the week, cross train more consistently and simply put, just recommit to the sport.

Over the weekend, I was going through some photos and found a picture of me and 2 very close friends (also running) at the start line of the 2010 SF Marathon. I sent it to each of them with a simple line: "Miss you guys." (Context: I train with a group of friends in San Francisco and haven't been making it out to our Saturday runs consistently).

I received a response from each of them:

"Awhhh — look at us at 6 a.m.

in the morning. No reason to miss us, you know. Just get up and run."

"Thanks for sending that, that's really sweet. You went through a burn out phase. Bring it back in slowly, maybe 3 miles, then 5 miles, set your sights on a half marathon max maybe in the late spring? BREAKS ARE HEALTHY! We'll support you and be standing by when you're ready to come back."

Two completely different responses, from two people I care very much about. But in essence they are saying what I need to hear:

It is as simple as getting up, putting on your shoes and running. 1 mile, 2 miles, doesn't matter. "Just get up and run."
I did burn out last year and it resulted in an injury from overuse. I was racing every month and not allowing proper recovery time. Setting a goal like a half marathon in a couple months will allow me to focus and get back on my feet, literally.

Sometimes reaching out to those you know, especially fellow runners, results in solid advice. I plan on listening to BOTH of my friends and getting back out there. I'm ready. Re-focused and re-energized thanks to two amazing friends and an event photographer.

Incredible Photos

2011-04-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Incredible photo time! Here are the photos from MarathonFoto of the 2011 Oakland Running Festival.

Before the race!

About to cross the finish line.. HULK SMASH COURSE!

Hulk not scared of mud... mud scared of HULK!

By far one of my favorite photos... this is the final mile, final hill. Hulk tired.

Incredible Hulk meets Usain Bolt

Say Cheeeeeese!

And of course once I got home, Mika wanted to play as well.

Incredible Mika!

Thank you Oakland Running Festival for an incredible race and thank you MarathonFoto for the incredible photos. Share your comments below, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Oakland Running Festival: Recap

2011-03-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

Oakland Running Festival, Half Marathon, 3/27/2011

After realizing that my training milage was not high enough for me to attack the full, I decided to run the half... dressed as the Incredible Hulk.

I've been wanting to do it for over a year, run as the hulk I mean. I already had the muscle suit and gloves from a previous Halloween, so it was an easy costume to piece together. Please forgive the absence of face paint, I just wasn't that committed to the costume to sweat green paint for 2 hours.

Expo
The expo this year was much larger than in 2010. A good sign that this race is gaining popularity and support from vendors/sponsors. Organization was great, just as it was last year. Plenty of volunteers to guide you and answer any questions.

Race Start
I met up with four other friends running the half about 45 mins prior to the race. We all started together and eased into our individual paces after a couple miles. I slowed down a bit first, I mean the Hulk is a big dude, so he gets distracted by wanting to smash things.

Crowd Support
The crowd support was phenomenal, like it was last year. I can't say it enough: the community really comes out to support the runners and more specifically, the city. You can see the city pride on each person. You get used to seeing people come out to cheer on individuals in the race that they know... this isn't the case in Oakland — complete strangers are cheering on EVERYONE.

Nice Gloves
Dressing in costume is fun. But those hands are heavy. I thought the muscle suit was going to be restricting, but it was the hands that caused the chaos. Once the weight in the gloves kicked in, my natural running arm swing was rendered useless. So I walked more than usual and interacted with the crowd and fellow runners. I had a couple conversations with others walking or people at a similar pace.

Photo Opp
Yes, I posed for all the cameras. Why not? I wasn't going to win the race, so why not look INCREDIBLE?

Hulk Fist Bump
The cool thing about having giant green hands... FIST BUMPS! With kids, other runners, the crowd, Raider Fans, A's Fan's chanting: "Let's Go Oakland" and the police blocking off streets. There were lots of mom's saying to their kids: "look, the hulk" then I'd strike a pose, Hulk style. Although there was one kid dressed as batman that was mean muggin' me. Funny, right?

Finish
I came in just under 2:30, about 15 mins slower than I expected and nowhere near my sub 2-hour PR, but I had fun! I got to experience the race at my own desired pace, interacted with people that I wouldn't have had the chance to if i was running at race pace with music. It's a different way to experience a race. I had an INCREDIBLE time and looking forward to doing it again in 2012, costume or not.

Oakland Running Festival — 2011

2011-03-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

Last year I ran the Inaugural Oakland Running Festival finishing within 2 minutes of setting a PR (on a hilly course). It was the first marathon in 25 years for the city of Oakland, making it an enormous opportunity for the city and the community. I was lucky enough to participate as a runner/blogger in 2010 and am fortunate to be returning again this year, participating in the Half. I also got another chance to interview Gene Brtalik, the Event Director, but this time with a successful 2010 event in his pocket. Enjoy.

1. With the success of last year's inaugural event and the event looking to sell out this year, what can we expect as a follow up for 2011?
I think we can expect to see more fans along the course this year as well as more buzz. Last year, I think we took quite a few people by surprise even though we promoted the event quite well. Now with a year under our belt, we have definitely had more people talking about it which should equate to more Oakland pride being on display.

2. As part of the training build up, the ORF organized preview runs along the actual course. It's a great idea that doesn't seem to be common among other races, how did the idea form?
The local running store back in Baltimore organizes three of those types of runs to get people ready for the hills of the Baltimore Running Festival (a hillier course than Oakland) and a few years ago we started doing it with our Frederick event. We noticed that people really enjoyed them and when we started Oakland last year I wanted to give the idea a try. Last year, we had roughly 200 and I was a little floored since that was more than we usually had in Baltimore and I did very little publicity for it. We expanded to two runs this year and was more shocked at the last one that 300 people showed up to run in a constant drizzle. Our goal is to be a runner friendly event and this is one way for all the runners to be mentally prepared for what they see on race day, minus cars on the course obviously. So far it's been a huge success.

3. You also did it last year, was there positive feedback from 2010 finishers attributed to having run sections of the actual course? A boost in confidence for 2011 runners?
I think a lot of people last year realized the "dreaded" hills weren't that bad and gave them some extra confidence on race day. A few people hadn't trained enough on hills so they learned that the half may be a better option. We did receive a ton of feedback from people last year that they loved the preview runs. One of the funny things is that people are shocked that a) it's free and b) we don't care if you aren't signed up. We would prefer they were signed up, but maybe the preview gives them that nudge to register for our race.

4. City Hall, Montclair, Jack London Square, Lake Merritt. Is the course mixed with the crowd support from the community a large part of the Running Festival's success?
I would have to say community support is a huge part of the success. As runners, we know how important seeing a smiling face is on race day whether it's a complete stranger or a loved one. I tell a lot of people we could have the seven wonders of the world on the course but if there aren't fans it doesn't make any difference because at mile 23 I would rather someone yell my name than look at the Great Pyramid. Now if a race had the Eighth Wonder of the World Andre the Giant (RIP) cheering me own, it would probably be the best course ever.

5. Oakland native Mark Curry (of televisions Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) was at last year's marathon starting line cheering on runners. Can we expect him to lace up his running shoes for 2011? There has also been some chatter on twitter about another Oakland native and inspirational figure, MC Hammer, being encouraged to participate. Any word on that becoming a reality?
Unfortunately, both Mark and MC Hammer are out for 2011 unless something changes at the last minute. Both have prior work commitments that are outside California which will make it hard for them to get back in time for the race. KNBR's Dan Dibley and CBS' Roberta Gonzalez are on a relay team together and there may be a few other celebrities that haven't come forward yet.

6. If you had one word of advice for someone that is "on the fence" about registering, what would it be?
My own piece of advice is that you've run in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento and maybe even Napa give Oakland a try. If you don't like it, then you don't have to run again. But don't be scared off by the image that the media portrays Oakland to be. There's a reason 90% of our runners left Oakland with a positive view of the city last year and a bigger reason why 98% of runners would recommend it to a friend. We treat our runners like family. If you don't like something, we'll fix it for next year. You are our biggest advertisers.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions Gene. Looking forward to year two. Registration will be available Expo weekened, however there is no registration on race day. Come join us!

GIVEAWAY!

Leave a comment below (and email me at pavementrunner@gmail.com) and I'll send you a FREE iTunes download code for the single, Rumour Has It, off of Adele's latest album '21.' — It could be the next song you add to your playlist. (7 download codes available)

Dear Yoga,

2011-03-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Yoga,

It's me, your old friend... hopefully you didn't forget about me. We used to be so close and over time started to drift. We used to enjoy each other’s company early in the mornings. I’d show up sleepy and tired, but by the end of it, I’d be revitalized and ready to start the day with some much needed pep in my step. On Sunday you’d help me stretch and workout any soreness generated from the previous day’s long run. Those were some good times with me and you.

I’m hoping that not too much time has passed and we can downward dog right into a smooth routine. I may not be the person I was last year, but over time, I’m sure I can get back into my groove and Vinyasa with the best of them. Heck, pretty soon my posture will be better, my center of balance more... ummm... centered and perhaps a new outlook on daily tasks. I’ll be breathing better, which is always a plus in my book and be more flexible. Yep, that will be me: a centered-flexible-breathing-runner that stands up straight.

Namaste.

20 Miles and a Decision is Made

2011-03-09T09:33:00.000-08:00

The glory of a 20 mile run is in how many thoughts can go through your head as you approach such a significant number of miles. If you don't believe me, check out a recent post by a friend (who writes and runs much better than I do).

The past weekend was my venture into the realm of 20 miles. I chose to take part in an organized run put on by the Oakland Running Festival. For those running the full, you could run the first 20 miles of the course. For those running the half, you could run the entire course. By far a great opportunity to gauge your readiness before race day and a fantastic (and out of the box) idea by the event. Take note other races.

Nearly 300+ people came out and we were sent out in waves according to pace. It was a rainy morning, so they also provided laminated routes (bonus points for preparedness). I on the other hand showed up late AND right on time to join the 10-10:30 group.

I wasn't sure if I was ready for the full distance and I was about to find out. The first 10 miles flew by pretty quickly. I was moving smoothly and my recently updated playlist was bringing life to my legs. I started to think that perhaps I was going to do fine. Heck, I was right on pace and this was over a hilly course. Look at me go. I might be ready to PR in three weeks.

Remember when I said different thoughts pop in your head throughout 20... well, four miles later things were about to drastically change. My legs started to feel fatigued and the music wasn't doing it. Slowly block after block, my mind and body just quit. I was still a good 5 miles from the end of the training course and I knew it wasn't in me. A sad realization after a spectacular first 10 miles — which happen to be the more challenging section of the course. One thing was for sure, if it wasn't in me today, it wasn't going to be in me in 3-weeks. Face it: I'm not ready.

To remove any doubt, it wasn't just a single bad run. If that were the case then I might be able to convince myself to give it a go, but this would make it 2 weekends in a row that I didn't have more than 14-15 miles in me. That's a sign. My training isn't there and the last thing I want to do is set myself back by pushing too hard.

The good thing is that I know I have 14 miles in me. I had a great time at last year's ORF, so I've decided to give the Half a go. I want to be a part of this wonderful thing that is happening in Oakland. A couple friends are also running the half and having a stress free event might bring my mojo back, cuz it sure has left the building, Elvis style.

26 Day Countdown

2011-03-02T12:25:00.000-08:00

With 26 days until the Oakland Running Festival, it seemed appropriate to make a list of what I plan to do over the next three weeks to prepare for the race.

Note: As of right now, I am planning to run the Full Marathon. After a tough couple weeks of training (and my lack of running in Dec. and most of Jan.) I may decide to drop down to the Half Marathon. This weekend's 20-mile preview run will be the deciding factor.

The Oakland Running Festival helps organize several course-preview or practice runs throughout the months leading up to race day. It's a great way to have an actual "race day" training experience, complete with water stops.

3/2 - Wednesday

Create this list (done)

3/3 - Thursday

Run an 8 miler before work

3/4 - Friday

Make sure I drink plenty of fluids and get a good night sleep. Sleep 36 hrs before a run can be just as key as the night before.

3/5 - Saturday

Try to stay off my feet most of the day. Go see a movie?

3/6 - Sunday

Run the Oakland Running Festival 20-mile preview. Crucial run. Have dinner with some running friends later that night.

3/7 - Monday

Decide if I am ready for the marathon, or the half marathon.

3/8 - Tuesday

Second guess my decision over an 8 mile run before work. Register for Oakland Running Festival

3/9 - Wednesday

Work the foam roller and get a good stretch before bed.

3/10 - Thursday

Look at a picture of Dean Karnazes (below) and imagine he is giving me a pep talk.

3/11 - Friday

Look at picture of Kara Goucher (below) and imagine she is giving me a pep talk AND ask for a hug and kiss.

3/12 - Saturday

Run with a group of friends in San Francisco (either 20-22 or 13-15, depending on race day distance).

3/13 - Sunday

Watch DVR'd episodes on television and imagine it has something to do with running. This helps avoid me being labeled as a couch potato.

3/14 - Monday

Recovery run, distance depending on Saturday's run.

3/15 - Tuesday

Play Bond GoldenEye on the Wii. Code Name: Stolichnaya (seriously)

3/16 - Wednesday

Wake up early and get a run in with Mika, she is always good for a 5-miler.

3/17 - Thursday

St. Patrick's day. Green beer counts as carboloading, right?

3/18 - Friday

Have a Starbucks for breakfast, most likely my usual: Triple Venti Skinny Hazelnut Latte and 3-pack of Madelines. (Skinny = sugar free syrup and non-fat milk, no whip)

3/19 - Saturday

Run with a group of friends in San Francisco (either 15-18 or 8-12, depending on race day distance).

3/20 - Sunday

First day of Spring! Finalize race day goals, pace strategy and realize that anything can happen on race day making my goals irrelevant.

3/21 - Monday

Make sure I have everything needed for race day (includes comfortable running clothes, GU, Gatorade, glide... essentially a supplies check)

3/22 - Tuesday

Create my final play-list for race day.

3/23 - Wednesday

Get in possibly my last run (3-5 mi.) before the race (if not, schedule for Thursday)

3/24 - Thursday

Celebrate Prince Thursday by rockin' some bad-ass purple.

3/25 - Friday

Carbo Load - pasta always sounds nice

3/26 - Saturday

Expo Day - pick up race day packet and awesome scwhag!

3/27 - Sunday

Race Day - go out and enjoy a lovely event for 26.2 or 13.1 miles. Either way, have fun, enojy the local scene and bring home a shiny medal.

A Snowy Run

2011-02-23T09:39:00.000-08:00

Alarm off. Running pants, long sleeve NYC shirt, a second sleeveless running shirt, hooded sweatshirt, running gloves, ear warmers and a beanie on top of it. And finally, snow shoes. Wait, I don't own snow shoes. Anyone have tennis rackets and some duct tape? No? Ok, my trusty Asics will have to do. Grab my water belt, Garmin and I'm ready to go.

I don't know if that is over-dressed or under prepared and there is only one way to find out. I almost slip on the way out the door and consider that this may be a nightmare waiting to happen. But, I know I just have to get to the road where snow won't be a problem. A hundred or so feet more and I hope I am now in the clear.

I run in the Bay Area (in California) where snow isn't an issue. Im used to 50 degrees being cold, requiring gloves and 5 mins of complaining about how cold it is before our group run. Once I get out to the street it takes me a few steps to get the blood flowing. I wind a few curves and climb some rolling hills, which comes with the territory on a side mountain road and start to breathe heavier than normal. I can see altitude will be an issue today, but it makes me a stronger runner, right? Now I can race with the elites after some training at altitude. (insert sarcasm) After awhwile, I check my watch to see how far I've gone and all of a sudden, .4 miles doesnt seem right. Can the satellites not find me? I decide to run based on time, rather than distance since my Garmin seems to be "on vacation."

I left the iPod at home since I need to be able to hear cars coming down the two lane road. Traffic is really light to begin with and everyone still seems to be asleep on a snowy holiday morning. But to play it safe, no earbuds for me. The dogs are awake and several come and greet me as I run by their yards. I wonder what they are saying: "Hey, how far are you going today?" I wonder if they are mocking my out-of-sync Garmin.

I hit 45 mins and see that I am estimated to have traveled 3 miles. That doesnt seem right, but it was hilly and I did enjoy a couple walk breaks. I decide to turn around and conclude that a 90 min run sounds pretty good. Besides, it's warm inside and the TV probably misses me. As I head back the same way I came, the miles seem to fly by. But that is always the case. I climb up what was downhills on the way in and see the same dogs who greet me with the same demeanor. "Hey, have you figured out how far you've gone yet?" Nope, still not working. Beep. Now my Garmin AND the dogs are mocking me. I snap a few photos on the way back since it isnt very often I get to run near snow.

As I reach the house, my Garmin reads almost 7 miles which makes complete sense on an out and back where I turned around at mile 3. Dogs 1, Me 0. I stayed pretty warm the whole way, legs felt strong. I would have liked to have logged more miles and got in more time on the road, but getting up and out on a snowy morning was half the battle... so half the distance seemed appropriate.

Runner Cards

2011-02-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

I heard on the radio that moms are starting to (or have been for some time) carrying "Mom Cards." Essentially it is a business card that has all vital information pertaining to their child that a mom might want to hand out. For example one might say: Kara Goucher, Colt's Mom. It would have information such as Kara's phone, cell, e-mail address or any contact information she might want to share with another person. It can be useful if you want to arrange a play-date or meet another mom at the park that you would like to see again.

Mom's can also take it a step further by including information about allergies or emergency contacts. The radio hosts were making the case that this can be handy if you happen to run into another mother and are in a rush and don't have time to exchange information on the spot. Boom! Here is my Mom card, let's hang out. Also could be used for sleep-overs, birthday parties, car pool, etc.

Soooo, being the runner that I am, I started to think: "Could this be useful for us, as a running community?" Many times when I'm out running, I see other runners and think, maybe we are running the same distance. Looks like we are running the same pace, in the same location, why not run together? I've chatted with other runners at stop lights or intersections and had pleasant conversations. Boom! Here's my runner card.

Haha. Ok, no one would want to carry a business card for miles. First, it would get all sweaty and often times the pockets are being used for keys, gu, etc. But, it could be pretty fun. It could have extremely important information such as: pace, location preference (trails, parks, roads), iPod, no iPod, desired running times (a.m. vs. p.m.), favorite Gatorade flavor, potty intervals... who knows? We are a picky bunch, we might have to use both sides.

Note: it could come in handy when you run by an attractive runner. I know I'm not the only one that corrects their form and picks up the pace when a cutie runs by. And I run in a group, so I've seen it happen whether it be male or female.

Ode to the Hare

2011-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

With today being the celebration of Chinese New Year and the beginning of the year of the Hare, I thought it might be fun to take a look at some of our famous furry friends.
The Hare
From Aesop's Fables, the hare is critical of a slow-moving tortoise who then challenges him to a race. With the hare being well ahead in the race and confident of his soon-to-be-victory, he decides to take a nap. The tortoise moving slow and steady, takes the lead and wins the race. Possibly the most famous hare in history, we give kudos to his impressive first split... not so much on the second.

Roger Rabbit
My favorite and the one I grew up watching a million times on VHS. Roger, a toon star, exists in a world where toons and humans live side-by-side. P.I. Eddie Valiant is hired to investigate Roger's wife, Jessica, playing patty-cake with gag king Marvin Acme. When Marvin shows up dead, Roger is the lead suspect. Hilarity ensues. I love this movie. From Baby Herman, to Christopher Lloyd as Judge Doom, it is a great film.

Bugs Bunny
Rabbit Season, Duck Season, Rabbit season, Duck Season, Duck Season. An iconic Looney Tunes (and Merrie Melodies) character with his catchphrase "Eh... what's up doc?" has been a part of American culture for over 50 years. And just an FYI, if you are ever lost, you probably "shoulda taken that left turn at Albuqueque."

Energizer Bunny
Keeps going, and going, and going. I don't know why he is always playing that drum, but pink has never looked so fashionable paired with sunglasses. As endurance runners, we are thankful for his oh so catchy mantra.

Thumper
One of the more famous side characters from Disney's animated film Bambi, he is known for thumping his left hind foot. From calling Bambi "kinda wobbly" to his all important lesson "if you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all," Thumper will always put a smile on our faces, even in a very sad film such as Bambi.

Honorable mentions

the Easter Bunny, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland's the White Rabbit and the silver rabbit from Donnie Darko.

Kung hei fat choy.

Beatles Weekend

2011-01-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

Why wouldn't you add a song that can instantly transform you to (perhaps) a happier place? I have been going through my CD collection... yes, CD collection and I've been turning those little 5-inch discs we used to buy from Sam Goody or Tower Records into MP3 files.

One: It's clearing up tons of space from the house as I am selling the CDs to Rasputin (a Bay Area used record store). I'm only getting (on average) $1 a piece, but considering I still have the music electronically, it's free money.

Two: I'm discovering tons of music that has been sitting on my shelves, rarely getting any play. From 90's alternative to 80's hip-hop, it is bringing life to my iPod when it's on shuffle.

I posed a question the other day on Facebook, as an old favorite popped up on the most recent shuffle: "Favorite Beatles song... GO!"

Results from Facebook:
In My Life (four responses)
Blackbird (two responses)
Let It Be (two responses)
Here Comes the Sun
With a Little Help From my Friends
Yellow Submarine
Imagine, by John Lennon
I Saw Her Standing There
A Day in the Life
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
When I'm Sixty-Four

Here are a couple of my Favorites:

Eleanor Rigby
I'm a sucker for violins in a song. Throw in some cellos, the voice of McCartney and its a wrap.

Norwegian Wood
"I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me." I like to consider that the best song lyric to ever start a song. Again, this song has a unique sound, like many Beatles songs, but it features the Sitar played by George Harrison.

The list goes on an on: Dear Prudence, Come Together, Revolution, Penny Lane... it's just endless. So why not add some of your favorites to your running playlist? Most of the songs are short... perhaps no more than 3 mins. If you are worried about the song being to slow for your pace, give it a try. I often find that I run faster to a slower paced song. Think of an action movie with fast driving cars and a slow song... it adds a dramatic effect to what's going on. If not, hit skip. On to the next song. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but you'll never know unless you try.

Make it a Beatles weekend run and add a few to your playlist. Would love to hear some feedback if you do.

Hood to Coast Film Review

2011-01-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

After enjoying my own experience as being part of a 12-person relay that runs almost 200 miles, I was extremely excited to be given the opportunity to review the film Hood to Coast. It was being shown across the U.S. in select theaters on 1-11-11 with the ambitious (and successful) goal of creating one of the largest nation-wide running events. Plus, it's pretty cool to walk into a theatre and use the words "press pass."

Before the film started, we were treated to some red-carpet style interviews by Runner's World's chief running officer Bart Yasso and the film's producer, Anna Campbell. It was a nice addition to the normal movie-viewing experience and added some quick introductions to people associated with the race and the film. Anna also provided a panel interview after the film with cast members, HTC Founder Bob Foote, the film's director Christoph Baaden and Olympian and HTC Women's Course Record Holder Mary Decker Slaney.

For a quick synopsis, the film follows four teams (comprised of 12 runners) as they participate in an annual 197-mile relay race (Hood To Coast Relay) through the Oregon country side from Mt. Hood to the Oregon coastline. The relay race began in 1982 with only 8 teams but has reached a such a level of success and popularity that it is now capped at 1000 teams and uses a lottery system for the majority of the entry spots. Early on in the film, they do a great job of covering the history of the event and breaking down how the event works logistically — this is very important for those who might not know how such an event works — it was a wonderful inclusion and helped introduce the relay-experience in a successful manner.

One of the key elements in the film was to include all types of runners and their unique experience and relationship to the event. The four teams featured were all there for different reasons. Here is a quick (important) break-down of the teams:

Dead Jocks in a Box

12-men (including one of only two 27-year veterans) who aim to rank high in their age-group to guarantee a spot in the following year's race. Their comedic and humorous, yet competitive, approach to the event highlights the range of characters that this race consistently draws.

Heart-n-Sole

A team of women over 50 who love the race for the pure sake of enjoying running together. The focus of their story line is based on a longtime team-member Kathy who collapsed on the race the previous year with a heat attack. Their (and her) goal to finish the race is an important one on testing the limitations of the human mind, spirit and body.

Thunder and Laikaing

The experience from a non-runner's perspective is highlighted here and done so extremely successfully with good-natured and light-hearted levity and humor. Focusing on two runners of the team, who are reviewing the race logistics and going out to run 3-miles for the FIRST time, EVER, days before the event. This team offers a true-experience for first time participants (and first time runners).

R. Bowe

This team's experience will tug at your heart strings and give a glimpse into how running can celebrate both life and death. A year prior, weeks before the race, Ryan Bowe died suddenly at age 30 leaving his family and friends grief stricken. Their journey the following year to run together as a collection of family and friends to celebrate his life is told through the experiences of his mother, father, wife, brother and friends across the 197-mile journey.

Including four different groups, all there for different reasons, but striving to complete a single goal is the basis for the success of the film. It drives the entire story line covering a complete spectrum of emotions across each of the teams' journey to accomplish a race that will test the endurance (and sanity) of any runner.

I took this opportunity to watch the film with a non-runner so that I could gauge the film-viewing experience from someone who doesn't run. We runner's love talking, reading and watching anything associated with running. It's a given. But for a film to be truly successful and effective, it has to reach the masses, including those without a knowledge of the intricacies of what we do. Speaking with her after the film it was clear that we enjoyed the film for the same reasons. It wasn't a single story line that covers every monotonous mile of an epic race. Nor was it an informational documentary who's sole purpose is to give a history and recap. It was a multi tiered view into a journey that brings people together, runners and non- alike. The common goals that bond us as humans, as friends.

Using humor, pain, triumph and raw emotion, we are getting a front row seat to a journey across 197-miles, not just focusing on the race and the running, but focusing on what unifies people in the experience. That is what makes Hood to Coast one of the most sought-after race experiences and also what makes the film so engaging. We are enthralled in the passion of competitive and humorous older male runners. We are inspired by the determination of a single woman to not only over-come a heart attack, but to finish a race that nearly killed her and to rely on the support of her entire team. We are introduced to the magnitude of the course's requirements and captivated by the first-time experiences of two individuals who have no idea what they have gotten themselves into... and we love every minute of it. And we are ultimately given a glimpse into what we as friends and family can accomplish when we are surrounded by those that love us and how our lives can affect those around us.

I absolutely loved this film and would recommend it to everyone. It also received a "stamp of approval" from my non-running friend who enjoyed it on multiple levels. The film is looking to set up additional dates for nation-wide viewing, please check their website for additional information. There are also some great film trailers and video shorts for you to enjoy.

Hood to Coast Movie

2010-12-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you combine 197 miles, 12,000 runners, 3,500 volunteers, 2000 vans and all 50 states? You get an amazing adventure titled Hood to Coast, the largest relay race in North America as it stretches 197 miles from Mt Hood OR to the Pacific Ocean in Seaside OR.

Or as Bart Yasso of Runner’s World describes it, “Hood To Coast is a must-do in a runner’s life.” and Director, Producer (and most importantly, runner) Christoph Baaden has captured it on film for us to experience it.

Here is a quick synopsis of the film:

HOOD TO COAST follows four unlikely teams on their epic journey to conquer the world’s largest relay race. Each year 1000 teams (12,000 runners) in 2000 vans cover 197 grueling miles as a relay team, putting themselves through an arduous physical journey that as an individual would be impossible. Some run to test their personal limits, some to overcome personal obstacles, and others leap in blindly looking for a way to shake up a complacent life. As we follow these four teams, we realize that winning isn’t everything in a documentary that takes a celebratory look at personal motivation and attempting the extraordinary.

Hood to Coast is playing in 350 theatres nation wide, for one day only (check listings here) What is posed to be the biggest running events nationwide. Stay tuned for additional content covering this event. For now, take a look at the trailer:

Running in Sydney (Adventure 1)

2010-12-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

In another country and want to get to know the area? Just bring your running shoes. And that's exactly what I did when I was in Sydney, Australia in late November. It was a last minute trip that left next to zero time to plan on how to get around. So I threw my running shoes in my luggage and less than a week after finishing the ING New York Marathon, it would be great to get in a nice and easy (and scenic) run.

So I when I woke up the first morning, I put on my running gear, loaded a backpack with a map, some water and made my way to the lobby... only to find out that it was pouring rain. I was already dressed and set to go, but wasn't anticipating the rain drops so I decided to see if I could wait it out. I went to the hotel's business room and jumped on the Internet to kill some time. After about 30 minutes and the rain still falling, I decided that I wasn't going to let the rain stop me. Screw it! I was going to go run in the rain. I threw on a hat I bought the day before (the $3 tourist hat with a kangaroo on it) and started plotting away. I considered running while holding an umbrella, but thought that might look dumb (says the guy in the kangaroo hat). I got about a mile in and it started raining harder and I was already drenched. I decided to swoop into a 7-11 (yes, in Australia) and buy a poncho. Now I was thinking! So I threw that on and away I went. This was a much better way to run in the rain... it kept me completely dry, although my clothes were already wet. As you can tell, my running brain doesn't function outside the US.

I really wanted to see the ANZAC bridge, so I made my way in that general direction. I reached the bridge quicker than expected, so I decided to run across it. It was a shorter distance than I anticipated, so I kept going... seemed like that right thing to do. I saw a park on the other side and thought: "who doesn't like to run in a park?" After that, I headed down what looked like a nice neighborhood and ended up in cozy neighborhood/downtown area. I passed a bakery and immediately decided it was a good time to grab a bite to eat. I settled on a white-chocolate blueberry scone with an orange juice and rested for a few minutes while I ate my delicious breakfast and watched the locals go about their daily business.

After I was done I realized that I put my backpack down in what started as a dry spot and was now a puddle. PERFECT. So I put on my wet backpack on my wet clothes and covered it with my water proof poncho and headed back to the hotel. All in all, it was a "interesting" run. I got my 10 miles in, ran across an amazing bridge, had a great breakfast and WAS IN SYDNEY! Can't beat that I guess.

Here is a photo of the experience... so if you happened to be in Sydney and saw this crazy guy running in wet clothes and a wet backpack with a kangaroo hat covered by a poncho, it was probably me. Seems like a safe bet.

200th Post: NYC Marathon Recap

2010-11-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

With so much excitement surrounding the ING NYC marathon, this may be one of the toughest recaps I have had to write due to the fact that there is SO MUCH to write about. I will try to cover as much as possible, while still keeping it a decent, readable length. Of course, things will be missed and left out, but none-the-less, if you ever get a chance to run the event and participate, DO IT!

The race starts off with a very early start time to catch either a ferry or a bus to the start line on Staten Island. My ferry time was 7:00, but due to some well advised information from past participants, I was informed that you can catch the ferry at almost any time. I decided to take the advice, but not risk being too late and caught the 7:30 ferry. That still left me almost 3 hours until my start time of 10:40. (Yes, the race starts late in comparison to most races).

Luckily, I was running with a friend, Larry, so the wait wasn't that bad and it also gave me chance to relax and get ready before the race. I took "throw away" clothes to keep me warm and it definitely came in handy. As I was sitting down chatting with Larry, I mentioned that we should have written our names on our shirts (another tip we were given for the race — people will cheer you by name all along the course). I said sarcastically "Anyone have duct tape and a pen?" And sure enough, the lady next to me did. So I wrote my name and taped it to my chest. It was fate I guess.

At the start line (which was very well organized and managed) we were sent off with the blast of a cannon and the playing of Frank Sinatra's New York, New York... rather fitting. So the first 2 miles are the steepest uphill across the Verrazno-Narrows Bridge (see photo). There were tons of people around us and it would stay consistently packed the entire race. It wasn't crowded to the point of being un-runnable, but if you wanted to maneuver forward, it would take some in-and-out motions.

We then headed into Brooklyn which was full of fan support and vibrant cheer. There is definite momentum going in and through Brooklyn and there is cheering the whole time, except for a very quiet section as you run through a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood. But as you continue out of Brooklyn and into Queens, the energy is constant. Through the first 8 miles as we exited Brooklyn, we were at a comfortable pace, but flying through the course. I was checking my watch, but not keeping as close of an eye as I should have been.

As we hit the 13.1 mile mark, we were well on pace for our estimated finish time, coming through the half-way point at 2:10:38. I was hoping for somewhere around a 4:25-4:30 finish, so we were doing fine with a 5-min. cushion. I could tell that my legs were feeling fatigued (and it was earlier than I would have hoped), but the only thing to do was keep pushing forward. I suppose I should have taken a more serious note of the time and slowed down a bit, but with the crowd energy and the thought of finishing before 4:25 creeping in... I was the stubborn runner and just kept pushing on.

As we started to go across the Queens bridge (mile 15-16) and head into Manhattan, I could tell that I was slowing way down. As excited as I was for running across the QB (even if it was the bottom portion), this by far was the toughest part for me. What's funny, is that this leads into what should have been the most exciting part of the course — a straight 3 mile shot down First Ave. where the streets were as packed and as energetic as I have ever seen. It was like being in the center of a parade and a crowd 3-4 rows deep cheering you on the entire way. If this was the section to pick up some time and fly through to the finish, it was the perfect setting.

Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. Fatigue continued to creep in and with a slight eye on my watch, the time slowly ticked away. I kept clipping off miles and fed off the energy of the crowd... from people screaming our names, to a lady handing out cookies, we were going to finish this race. With one more borough to complete the five, we headed in and out of the Bronx. Entering Manhattan again we came into another high energy section, Harlem. After that we were running parallel to Central Park on the Upper East Side making a right into Central Park just before the Guggenheim Museum.

Once we were in the park, we were covered by lush trees and cheered on by people the entire way... I got the feeling that this incredible journey was almost over. Larry and I continued to keep our legs moving, but Larry could tell I was tired and he stuck with me the whole way. As I saw 4:30 come and go, I saw an opportunity to finish strong. I looked at Larry and said, let's run this last mile in under 10 min. So we put on our fast pants and started passing people. As we got around the 25.5 range, I noticed a camera crew in a golf cart focusing on a single runner. As we passed him, I turned my head to see who it was and sure enough, it was Edison Pena, the Chilean miner. As people chanted "Chile, Chile" Larry and I continued our strong run to finish just over 4:41.

It was quite an event from start to finish. I definitely think that it is a race that must be experienced. If it isn't on your radar, I highly suggest considering it or putting it on your "must race" list. I'm a really glad I decided to run it and got the chance to run with a good friend (MFC). Not to mention that I was able to come back from a heart-breaking ITB injury in July and recover enough to not only finish it, but to put up a finish time I'm happy. It's more than I could ask for.

NY Marathon (Before)

2010-11-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last post and it was 80% on purpose. This is my 199th post and I was saving my 200th post for the NY Marathon recap. Which will be up mid-November.

This was my very first time entering into the NY lottery and luck of the runner, I got in! Then I got hurt. Then I got better. So, it all worked out I guess.

I'm sort of on the fence on how I feel about this. I was super excited to get in and run one of the most exciting events out there. But I always wanted to run this race when I was ready to set a great time. Hence my not entering the last 2 years. I was in line to make this fast NY marathon a reality, but then injured my IT 4 miles from a 4:20 finish in Seattle. With limited time to rehab and build up my miles, it would have to be a recovery time with zero set backs... which it was. I was able to build up to 22 miles 2 weeks before the race which left me enough time for a taper. Had there been any hiccup in my recovery, a 20+ training run wouldn't have been possible.

NY is setting up to be a good/bad combo. I got in (good), I get hurt (bad). I recover enough to race (good), I won't be able to go fast and risk re-injury (bad).

So I have to change things up and make marathon day a good/good. The current plan is to run with a friend of mine and just enjoy it. I'll be running the NY MARATHON for crying out loud. Running next to the likes of Oprah, P. Diddy, Katie Holmes, Edward Norton... Ok, I don't know if any of those people are running it this year, but they have run it in the past and seeing them in running gear next to me as I run through Brooklyn sounds fun. So let me have my moment...

I'm planning on 10 min miles and finishing around 4:30. That's a comfortable pace where I shouldn't run a risk of bothering my IT. (pun totally intended).

I'd love to hear last minute tips from past participants or words of advice from you fellow runners, feel free to throw them in the comments below.

Steamtown Marathon — 10/10/10

2010-10-13T09:55:00.001-07:00

With many races being held on 10.10.10, we needed to find a story to share, and we found a great one. Ladies and Gentlemen, our guest blogger for today is Teena Renfrow.

As a runner of over 30 years, I am relatively new to the running of half marathons and marathons. My second marathon on Oct 10, 2010 in Scranton, PA was such a joy to run, I felt compelled to share it with other runners. Steamtown is a small marathon limited to 2,500 runners. It sold out in mid-July. It is touted as one of the fastest marathon courses in the US due to its net drop of nearly 1000 feet over the length of the course. Some might think that is a good thing although I must admit I was concerned because downhills usually kill my knees. Nevertheless, I signed up for it along with my husband and his son.

Arriving in Scranton on Saturday to pick up race packets, the expo was small. No featured speakers. No elite runners. But the day was a beautiful autumn day in the low 60’s and the fall foliage was in abundance. However, notices warning of the starting temperature to be at 30 degrees were placed throughout the venue.

Race day arrives. After not one, but two, alarms that had been set declined to go off, I happened to check the time as I could hear people bustling around outside the motel room. Sure enough, it was after 5:00 am. Buses were running from downtown Scranton to Forrest City, where the start was, from 5:30 to 6:45 am. We hurried through our pre-race ritual and managed to get to the buses by 6:30. A 45 minute ride through the hilly countryside took us to Forrest City. Luckily one of the schools hosted the runners so that we were able to stay nice and toasty until it was time to start the race. Race time was at 8 am so this was much appreciated.

Everyone was encouraged to hit the starting line about ten minutes before eight. A prayer was given, the national anthem sung and then cover your ears because the cannon was shot to start the race. The race starts out with one of the steepest drops in the entire course. Then there were a few gently rolling hills before settling into the downhill decline for which it is known for the next 13 miles. I had been warned not to try and make up too much time on this as you would need leg strength at the end of the race when some uphills kicked in at the 23rd mile. So I paced myself conservatively and settled in to enjoy the view.

And what a view! The hills were alive with color, the sky was void of clouds and a crystal clear blue. We traveled through many small towns along the way and each community was so welcoming it was hard not to smile the entire way. Besides the regular aid stations set up by the race committee, it was as though each town tried to outdo the other on who could be the most hospitable. Cheerleaders, bands, tables of cookies, bananas, orange slices all were offered along the way. Some homes also set up their own welcoming committee and at times, a single car might be open with its radio blaring to encourage us to keep running.

In between some of the towns, the course wound its way into some very nice trails alongside a rushing river. The softer touch of the ground was extremely appreciated at this time for the toll taken to the knees of continuously going downhill. I wish I could have taken the time to get some beautiful pictures of this scenic area, but I was focused on getting a better time than my first marathon so kept chugging along.

Once we got into Scranton, the crowds thickened dramatically. About three miles from the finish line the crowds were so thick, you wouldn’t have been blamed if you had thought you were at the finish line. Houses competed to see who could blare music the loudest or who had the best Halloween decorations. This also is when the hills started to kick in. I live and train in Bethlehem, PA and we are not without our own hills here. Most people — at least those running my pace — started walking once they reached these hills but I suddenly felt right at home. I cranked up the pace and reveled in the spectators encouraging me to go faster. The last three miles were the most fun — I was in the home stretch and nothing was going to stop me now. One last push about a half mile before the finish line and then it was downhill to cross. As I got to the finishing mat, the announcers called my name — and then felt inclined to add that “Teena has a nice kick!” — which only made me smile bigger than before as I crossed the finish line at 4:29:56. Someone put a medal around my neck and I don’t know if he thought I was going to collapse or what, but he continued to hug me so that I just had to tell him that I just knocked 30 minutes off the time of my last marathon. He was thrilled and said I must have listened to my coach. I replied — I did! He said, it sounds like the coach knew what he was talking about. Again I replied — yes he did! I’m not sure who this man was but he seemed to be as happy for me and my time as I was.

So I’m not a fast runner but I do love to run. Sunday’s race was just about as perfect as you could hope for with the scenery and temperatures. The crowds and hospitality were just an extra bonus. I would encourage anyone to run Steamtown but register early and book a hotel room as soon as you register. There were no rooms to be found on race day.

And now that I have run this enjoyable small town race, I am looking extremely forward to my next marathon — my dream marathon — the ING NYC marathon! Talk about 180 degrees! Having completed Steamtown, my confidence is now high and I can’t wait for the next marathon in less than four weeks.

* * * *

Thanks for the amazing race recap Teena. And WOW! Shaving 30 mins. off your time is a testament to your training. Very impressive... you are more than set for NYC. Maybe I'll "run" into you. :)

If you'd like to share your comments below or on Teena's facebook page, feel free to do so, It's one heck of an accomplishment.

Mix It Up

2010-10-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

Since this weekend is pretty special, it deserves a special (and final) post about our goal to raise some money for Dana's cause as she runs 52 marathons in 52 weeks to raise money/awareness for South African AIDS orphans.

Dana has committed to raising $26,000 on her 52 week journey and is currently around $11,000 with back-to-back marathons this weekend. The ING Hartford Marathon (10/9) and Steamtown Marathon (10/10). So, with a back-to-back weekend and 10.10.10 being this Sunday, I'd like to set up a special giveaway:

If you donate $10, I'll send you an audio file that will coach you through a 30-minute Nike treadmill workout. It includes coached instructions to complete a 30-minute workout on a treadmill. Basically, there is a gentlemen that instructs you how to adjust the settings on the treadmill with music clips in-between to keep you going. It starts with an easy warm-up, a gradual progression in speeds based on your ability and suggested incline percentages (BONUS: It includes a session of speed intervals set to techno music).

If you donate $15, I'll also include a running playlist CD with great music to run to. A full 80 minutes of music to get those feet moving. It's my personal mix, so it has been road tested and approved.

BONUS MILE: If you take it a step further and donate $25, I'll include a $5 iTunes gift card with the two items above. Score!

DONATE HERE: this is a link to Dana's blog where you can donate.

So if you have been looking for a way to mix up your workout, here is your chance to do so and help out a very worthy cause. If you donate, please send me an email here and let me know how much you donated. Thats it. Easy as pie.

Recap: San Jose Rock n Roll Half

2010-10-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Coming off ITB injury and slowly building miles to NY, I had no wiggle room for any kind of set back. Having registered for the Rock n Roll San Jose Half Marathon a year in advance and running it the last 4 years, I was pretty set on doing the race.

Whether it was foretold around the fire by the elders or pure coincidence, the distance worked out perfectly in my training schedule. With NY getting closer every day, my weekend schedule is laid out by running a little further each weekend. After building up to 10 miles, 13, 15, 18, and 21 are chalked for the weekends. And yesterday was week 13 right in time for the RNRSJ. The plan was to take it at full marathon pace (10min. miles). My previous longer distance runs have been at 11 min. pace as I build strength.

I know it's been awhile since I've raced but sheesh, I brought my water belt, but left the water bottle at home. I brought my Garmin watch with me, but left it at my friends house while getting ready. Apparently treating this like a training run and not a race, was not going to be an issue.

The race weather was ideal for the faster packs. Although there was a brief sprinkle in the first mile, the sun stayed behind the clouds for most of the morning. It was a comfortable over-cast day with the sun not creeping out until 1:40 after the start time. If you were on the course past the 2+ hour mark, the sun could prove to be challenging. But typically the latter miles of the RNRSJ are typically sunny and warm.

Running this race the last 3 years, I knew what to expect: a relatively flat course, with lots of cheering support along the way. It's funny when you remember the bands from previous years. Throughout the race I was clocking high 9 min miles and fairly close to 10s, which was a comfortable pace. I stopped at mile 7 to stretch out the IT just as a precaution and to remind myself that this was a training run and I was only at a 13 mile race. I'm definitely not strong enough to risk any setbacks and time is a 100% factor in that equation. I ended up cruising in at 2:08:30, right on pace and pain free. I couldn't have asked for a better race and it gives me a little confidence boost for the future knowing I have at least half the NY distance at race pace. The next three weeks will be difficult as I build towards the FULL-monty, but with 13.1 in my back pocket it shows that I'm half way there... and that I know how to Rock N Roll.

You might be a runner if...

2010-09-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

You might be a runner if...

you've ever seen someone running and try to guess how many miles they are running that day.

You might be a runner if...

on a super-hot day, you wear a running shirt when you are not running because of it's moisture-wicking ability.

You might be a runner if...

you've ever purchased two pairs of running shoes at once because they are on sale.

You might be a runner if...

you pick up your pace a little bit and correct your form when you see an attractive runner coming your way.

You might be a runner if...

you cheer for people running up a hill from your car.

You might be a runner if...

when you hear a good song you think: "I'm adding that to my running playlist."

You might be a runner if...

you are planning a vacation and check to see if there will be a race the same time you are there.

You might be a runner if...

you have ever said the words: "It's okay, I'm carbo-loading" while eating something you shouldn't be.

You might be a runner if...

you drink excessive amounts of water or Gatorade on a Friday preparing for a Sunday race.

You might be a runner if...

you smile a little when someone asks you: "How many miles is THIS marathon?"

Some of these may apply, or maybe none do. But I listed these because I have done EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE. Yep, I root for people from my car. I'm that guy. Feel free to share your favorites or some additional ones in the comments below.

Disney and the Coast to Coast Challenge

2010-09-17T07:53:00.000-07:00

We have a guest blogger today... it's Liz Weed, who we previously interviewed here. She is coming back from injury and recently tackled the Disneyland Half Marathon, completeing the Disney Coast-to-Coast Challenge (run Disney World and Disneyland Half Marathons). Here is her race recap:

I began 2010 with the Disney World Half Marathon. It was my first attempt running after 6 months of physical therapy (a marathon related injury). January in Florida was supposed be good running weather, but at 29 degrees and sleeting rain, I disagree. While attending that event one of my running friends suggested we do the Coast-to-Coast Challenge. If we run Disneyland and Disney World in the same year, we will get a really cool medal. I myself was thinking: "a great reason to travel to California and hit the beach!"

September arrived early in my mind. After a whirlwind summer and a move, I was ready for this break. Disneyland proved to be a much nicer venue for a race. The weather was perfect at 65 degrees, and the days leading up to it were beach filled. Two other women joined me, one of whom met me in Florida for the first race. She too had just moved and couldn't find her race shoes! I was the only uninjured runner in my trio, so the others just wanted to finish. I wanted to run a good race at marathon pace knowing that I have one in 4 weeks (Chicago).

We all had some glitches. First I was placed in the wrong corral. As a matter of fact, I was placed in the very last one! But it is Disney and they agreed to move me up to C. I should have been in B, but I was thankful to have been moved at all. I forgot my running socks, but isn't that what running expos are for? One of my friends forgot her ear buds for the much needed iPod. We had great fun in Downtown Disney trying to convince her to buy the animal shaped ear buds (Monkey or elephant!). She went with basic black. My other friend eventually found her running shoes, but needed me to get her bib since she was late. I am so thankful for camera phones since I have had to do this twice now for friends.

I will say that Disney World puts on a bigger show, complete with fireworks and a live camera to see the front runners begin. Disneyland does not do any of that and the announcer was awkward at best. But Disneyland made up for it with better weather, a more scenic course and great audience participation. My favorite aspect of the race was running the bases at Angel Stadium. That was just FUN! Your name is called out as you are running and you are filmed on their live cam. The stands were filled with a multitude of groups and people cheering. I enjoyed running through the theme parks and I did stop for a picture with the characters from Toy Story, but I was focused on time. I had a rough start when my iPod fell and I had to face a swarm of runners to retrieve it (that was scary), but I managed to break from the groups and finished within my goal time of 2 hours and 5 minutes. Since my friends were run-walking and pretty far behind me I decided to help bring them into the finish. So after a snack and some coffee, I ran back to my first friend and helped her with the last mile. Then I turned around and ran back to my other friend and helped her in. So I managed to get my extra miles in and helped my friends at the same time. Of course, when you run a Disney event it is a requirement to act like a kid. And we did it with style. After the race, we put on our pink tiara's, our Coast-to-Coast medals and our Disneyland medals and we went to the theme parks. As soon as we entered Disneyland we ran into Cinderella herself. She gladly posed with us "the running princesses."

A great race. A great venue. And a much needed getaway.

* * *

Thanks Liz. I had the opportunity to run the Disneyland half in 07 and I enjoyed it as well. I'm glad you had a great time at both events and also that you were able to help your fellow runners finish. Now it is our turn to help you out: Liz is fund raising for her upcoming race in Chicago, so let's see if we can help her out. Here is a link to make a donation to Liz: http://www.active.com/donate/RMHC2010/lizweed

Liz participated in our "A Cause to Run For" donation program and was awarded a $5 Starbucks gift card. She declined to accept it, saying it was "her pleasure to donate," so I decided to "pay it forward." Everyone dollar that you donate to Liz will count as a raffle entry to win her $5 gift card (and for fun, I'll throw in another $5.) So if you donate $5, that's 5 entries. If you donate $10, that's 10 entries, etc. All you have to do is donate to the link above, then comment below how much you donated and tell us your favorite Disney Character. Sounds like fun!

Starbucks Giftcards

2010-09-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm mailing out the first pair of Starbucks gift cards as a thank you to those that made a donation to 25:40 — Saving South Africa's AIDS orphans on behalf of Dana Casanave.

If you're not sure what I'm talking about here is the quick rundown:
I squared away some money to donate to Dana's cause... rather than donating it directly, I'm using it to see if I can raise more money through give-aways and thank you gifts to others for donating. If by the end, I have exhausted my give-aways, I will donate the remaining funds. (original story here)

Here is the first give-away:
The first 5 people that donate (at least) $10, will receive a $5 Starbucks card as a thank you. AND OF COURSE, everyone that donates will receive something from me. Starting with "A Runner's Playlist" — a personal collection of my favorite songs to run to.

So far we have had 2 donations, hence the two gift cards being mailed out above. Already, 10 of my dollars has turned into $20 for the cause. Let's see what else we can do.

Here is a link to donate and to Dana's page where you can read about her journey to run 52 marathons in 52 weeks. All you have to do is e-mail me after you donate with the amount and your address so that I can send you your "thank you." Here is my email: pavementrunner@gmail.com

Again, if you are a San Francisco Giants or 49ers fan, let me know and I can score you some swag.

Me vs. The Alarm

2010-09-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Each morning as the sun slowly rises and the grass begins to collect the morning dew, we enter the battlefield. Armed with our weapons of choice, separately we prepare for this encounter in our own ways. As I choose to rest and store up energy throughout the night, he decides to countdown the minutes until our predetermined skirmish. As I rest my eyes, he stares me down with an intense look of intimidation and readiness.

I enter the battlefield armed with the potential to become stronger and faster. Although he holds the key to kick-start the ignition and turn that potential into a reality, we must face-off each morning, trying to accomplish different tasks. As the time approaches, with his tenacity and determination, he strikes the first blow by blaring a noise so startling that it threatens to awaken me from my dark slumber. Often times it proves ineffective as I strike back with one of two strategic moves:

Defensive Jab: with a quick strike through the darkness, I manage to quiet his relentless noise. Although this is a strategic move that will grant me 10 more minutes of sleep, it is not a game changer. He will strike back when the time is right.

Knockout Uppercut: with a calculated and decisive maneuver, I'm able to end his bothersome noise for good. As he lays there silenced and defeated, I am able to return to sleep as he continues to count the minutes, but unable to make a sound.

If a defensive jab is delivered, he will counter attack 10 minutes later. At this point, he is delivering an ultimatum: "You may have silenced me, but I absorbed your attack and am here, standing strong." At this point, I can respond with a second defensive jab or face defeat and arise from my state of sleep. If I choose to deliver a follow-up defensive jab, this "dance" may be repeated as many times as necessary at 10-minute intervals until I face defeat or deliver a knockout uppercut.

Although a knockout uppercut may be thrown and I appear to have won the battle, as they say, I may still be in jeopardy of losing the war. Additional sleep may have been won, but an opportunity to become faster and stronger has been lost. A glimmer of hope lingers that tasks scheduled for that morning can be completed later in the day, but based on past history, it does not appear likely. Neither of us will walk out of the ring victorious with our head held high. He has failed to remove me from my sleep coma and I have failed to allow him to give me the opportunity to become a better runner.

A Cause to Run For

2010-09-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks I've been thinking about how I can help a fellow runner. What started this thought process was reading this runners blog about how she slept in a rental car the night before a marathon due to budget concerns (read here). It got me thinking how committed I am to this running thing... would I do the same? In a certain situation I guess I could see it happening... but for this runner, making that decision was the easy part. The following morning, not only did she have to run a marathon, but she had to run #30 of her 52 marathons in 52 week quest.

You may remember Dana Casanave, we interviewed her awhile back and she also appeared on Pure Fit Radio. Recently during the San Francisco Marathon, I got the chance to "officially" meet and her. As she is running a marathon every weekend, she is also raising money and awareness for 25:40 — Saving South Africa's AIDS orphans. The easy thing for me would be to donate money and consider my "helpful-task" complete. But nothing is easy about what Dana is doing. So I've been thinking of a better way to use the money I planned to donate... so here is what I've come up with:

I've committed to donating a certain amount to 25:40 on behalf of Dana. (and no, I'm not going to tell you the amount, it would ruin the fun.) But rather than donate it directly, I plan to use that money to raise EVEN MORE money. I did this a couple years ago when my sister ran her first marathon for Team In Training. I took the money I committed to donate and held a Wine Tasting party and raised 4x as much. Same idea.

So here is the plan. Anyone that donates to 25:40 on behalf of Dana will receive something from me as a thank you. I'm not asking you to donate $30 or $50 (although it wouldn't be frowned upon). I'm hopeful that most people can donate $5. That's a cup of Starbucks and a pastry. If you can afford $7.50, that's great. More? Better. But I know times are tough and budgets are tight. After all, a tight budget is what started this process. But if you can donate $1, then my mission is on it's way to being complete because If I can get 878 people (the number of my facebook friends) to donate $1, then I have done more than my original donation could have done.

So with my donation money, I plan to purchase books, Starbucks gift cards, LIN socks, Runner's World subscriptions, running shirts, CDs, anything that will serve as a way to thank you for taking the time to donate. Over the next month or so, I'll be posting links on Facebook about special giveaways if you donate. Here is our first one:

Everyone that donates at least $1 this week, will receive a "runner's playlist." A CD comprised of great songs that will get your feet moving on your next run.

On top of that, the first 5 people that donate (at least) $10, will also receive a $5 Starbucks gift card.

In order to be counted as the first 5, you need to e-mail me your name, address and amount that way I can confirm with Dana. And it is limited to the first five... as you can see 25 of my dollars will turn into $50 for the cause. It's working already.

Again, everyone that donates will receive something from me. Whether it's $1 or $25, you are going to get something. Just e-mail me your name, address and donation amount that way I can confirm. I don't need any additional information than that — not your first born, shoe size or favorite color. If you are a San Francisco Giants or 49ers fan, please let me know since I already have some special give-aways planned specific to those teams.

Here is a link to donate — It is her blog page, there is a link on the upper right hand side that says "Click to Donate"

and here is my email: pavementrunner@gmail.com

Thanks again. And please note: if my mission falls short, the money I squared away for Dana will be donated. I committed to donating a certain amount and if it goes unspent on swag, it will be donated to her cause.

Wedding or Marathon?

2010-08-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

55% of runnersworld.com readers say you can pick a marathon over a relative's wedding — if you signed up first.

Wow. We love what we do, don't we? There has to be a joke somewhere using the term "Runaway Bride," I'm just not clever enough to come up with one. So, the question is: Would you choose a marathon over a relative's wedding? Well, a couple things go into the thought process here:

Are we talking about a cousin, uncle, sister or grandpa marrying a 30-year old blonde bombshell. Because some of those you just have to attend the wedding, no matter what.

Secondly, what marathon is it? ING New York, Nike Women's in San Francisco... because both of those are lottery drawn and difficult to get into. Is it a Rock n Roll Marathon that happens every year like clock work? Is it Boston?

Many things go into the thought process in making this decision. Unfortunately we don't know how in depth the 55% (or the 45%) put into their decision. Is there any situation that you would pick the race over the wedding? Is there any situation that you would choose wedding cake over cliff bars? My guess is that there are instances where both cases could be made.

Fortunately I've never had to make that decision. Perhaps if you attend the wedding and skip the race, the relative has to agree that if they ever get divorced, he/she has to run a marathon. Thoughts?

Destination Races

2010-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

You can call them destination races, vacation runs, holiday with a marathon on the side... it doesn't matter, we all do them. How many times have you seen a race in a city that you've always wanted to visit? Next thing you know you are registered and looking for hotels and a flight to Margaritaville.

Traveling to another city to participate in an event can be quite an experience. It allows you to see the city in a way that most people don't get to experience. At least not the same way YOU are experiencing it. Last year, I ran Big Sur... long story (race recap) short, they close Highway 1 and you are running on the California Coast (or as the slogan says: running on the edge of the western world). Sure, everyone could just drive down Hwy. 1, but to truly appreciate the view, imagine it by foot while running up a 520 foot climb over 2 miles called Hurricane Point. The journey is a reward in itself, with the view as the cherry on top.

If you schedule the race early in the trip, you get a "quick" tour of 26.2 miles of the city, leaving you the remaining time to relax and enjoy your vacation. If you schedule it late in the trip it can serve as the final hoorah before you return home. Both options contain pros/cons, but just remember you are doing two things in one swing: visiting a place you always wanted to and second: running in a place you've always wanted to visit.

And you can't be embarrassed by wearing your finisher's medal the rest of the day in public. After all, they're strangers and you won't see them again... or will you?

Note: My first marathon was in 2006 in the lovely city of Florence, Italy. Training for 6-months was just a little bit easier imagining how beautiful it was going to be... give it a try! It's worth it. I just booked my airfare and hotel for New York in November... although I have been to NY before, it totally counts as a destination race since I live on the other side of the country. Cheers.

99 Days to Glory

2010-08-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

It being Monday, it seemed like the perfect day to change things up a bit. Before I get to my announcement, I'd like to lay some ground work to serve as context for my decision.

I've been running for almost 4 years and have gone through some peaks and valleys in terms of my training. There have been injuries and back-to-back weekends running 20+ miles. This year has been filled with monthly races, but my training has taken a dip. Although that can be fun, I feel like I am missing out on several opportunities to get faster (through my own lack of training).

Part of this may have led to my current ITB injury... so how do I make a switch? Duh, by putting it out there on Facebook and allowing all of you to hold me accountable.

So here it is: I will be spending the next 99 days (kicking my own ass) in training towards a 4-hour marathon (4:00-4:09). That's right. I have 99 days (starting yesterday, Aug.1) until the New York Marathon and I want to shave 20+ minutes off of my marathon PR in NY.

Here is the plan of attack:

P90X
Yes, sir! For the next 90 days, I will be working out every day with P90X. (for those unfamiliar, P90X is a 90-day extensive workout program coached via DVD). I have slacked the past year on my cross training and weight lifting, so this should get me re-focused on strength training and improve my core. Both will help the process of improving my running form and stride making me more efficient on the road.

Continue rehab on ITB
Over the weekend, I had my ITB worked on through some massage (similar to A.R.T. - active release techniques). I'm assuming I need one more session next weekend and should be all set to ease back into it. I'll also be receiving some acupuncture (more to follow on this).

Increased focus on quality running
This is largely predicated on my ITB recovery. It has been a month since I hurt it and I feel like I'm on the back end of the road to recovery. I'll run a mile this week, then ease back into increased weekly mileage culminating at the NY Marathon. Quality is the key word here. With 3-months to go and coming back from injury, every mile is going to have to count. No more "garbage miles."

Weight loss
Natural physics: a lighter object requires less force to move forward. I would not classify myself as over-weight, but could stand to shed a few pounds and "tighten" things up. I'll look to improve my diet and with the increased strength training and running, things should start to "disappear."

My current PR is 4:29. I'm looking to finish NY in the 4:00 to 4:09 bracket. It is doable, but will require a focused 3-month plan. The P90X program will be a large part of it, but working out doesn't equate to running faster. Over the next 99 days there will be many two-a-days and multiple showers to make sure I smell lemon fresh.

Since I began running 4-years ago, I have not been through a "rigorous" training program. Believe it or not, I've been getting faster by simply doing a couple mid-week runs and long runs on the weekend. So, I'm putting it on front street and leaning on all of you to help motivate me towards a life-long goal: a 4-hour marathon. In the (altered) words of Jay-Z: "I got 99 problems, but a marathon ain't one."