One foot in front of the other.
Hitting “The Wall” (Hat tip: Laminator)
Running: Physiologically Speaking Marathon Deaths – Why Men?
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Protest Over the Lakefront Marathon
2009 Ironman World Championship Results (YAY CROWIE!!)
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If you have ever listened to any of my shows or read several of my posts, you are probably well aware that I draw from more than my fair share of drive from “inspiration”. For the sake of this write-up, I will use the word “heart”.
I find that, for me, once I am able to get basic techniques worked out and find the way that they work in my body (I believe technique is largely subjective, after all), I can place my “head” on cruise control and begin to run with my “heart”. This is when I am the happiest, when I swim/bike/run the easiest and when I perform my best.
This past summer I spent some time feeling out my lactate threshold and cadence on the bike. I also ailed down exactly where, in the swim, my body found it’s groove and could go forever. Running is a bit trickier, but even there I am more and more able to nail down my “cruise” point. Depending on the hilliness of the first part of my runs, it takes me anywhere from 2~4 miles until I hit my sweet spot. When doing a tempo run, I usually use the first two miles as a warm up and then I throw myself immediately into what feels like riding the edge of my sweet spot the whole time. When I do a run with several fartleks thrown in, I get to my sweet spot and then try to see how far I can ride that feeling while pushing the pace.
Admittedly, I am not a fan of getting into the numbers of training during a workout. I am much more apt to go back later and check the number on my computer and see what I can differently. However, I think to improve myself, I need to get into the numbers a bit more so that I can begin to “feel” the numbers more and not have the need to look at my heart rate monitor or pace.
Upon recommendation of Joe Garland, I have gotten myself a copy of Joe Friel’s Total Heart Rate Training: Customize and Maximize Your Workout Using a Heart Rate Monitor. Joe, Garland that is, is an extremely talented runner who has worked very hard and been very diligent in his pursuit of running. His study of running has led me to want to become more “head” centered on my own running for a while. I tend to approach thing much less intuitively and with what I believe to be a much more “heart” driven approach to training and racing. Thus far, it seems to be what works best in getting me out the door. But now that I’m out the door, it’s time to become better, faster and more efficient.
So, this leads me to my question for you, dear reader! How do you train and/or race? Where does your head stop and your heart begin?
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It is my opinion that events such as Ironman Wisconsin serves to teach us more in what we did NOT accomplish rather than what we accomplish. This is true, I think, for most things in life. If we truly strive to better ourselves in any discipline it is important to focus on correcting the missteps we have taken in the past.
I should note that I am not disappointed in myself or my accomplishment of becoming an Ironman. With these things in mind, I thought it important to go through and make some objective notes on what I will do differently in the future, and some things that I thought I got right this time.
Swim
First Transition
Bike
Second Transition
Run
I have referenced the volunteers from Ironman Wisconsin several times and said “more on that later”. Well, now is later. I cannot possibly say enough about the amazing job done by the people staffing the course and the rest of the event. Not only were they incredibly efficient and knowledgeable, but they were so amazingly kind. When I was breaking down and getting into my own head emotionally, I met a woman on the course named Karen. Karen was a volunteer at one of the turns whose job it was to point the way. Karen is in a wheelchair. At a moment when my body was telling me know and my mind was issuing the same proclamation, Karen was there smiling ear to ear. She was telling me that I looked great and that I looked strong. She read my bib and said to me, “Brandon, you better come here and give me a high-five!”. I was overjoyed to oblige. Later when I passed her again with only about four miles left, I did the same.
The next morning, I went by the lost and found to check for my pump which I lost on the bike course (no dice). Karen was there, having been on the course until the last racer passed and probably well after. Her smile was just as bright, and her demeanor just as kind as ever. I told her thank you for being there the night before when I really needed it the most. To Karen, and to all the volunteers of the 2009 Ironman Wisconsin, thank you. You are all amazing.
Once again, I am not disappointed in myself, I am merely a student. I will be back to Wisconsin to defeat that course one day, and I will smile the whole time. Ironman Wisconsin will always be where I became an Ironman.
The water in Lake Monona was the same temperature that it had been the day before during the practice swim, pleasantly cool/warm. This made getting in the water not terribly unpleasant. This is a good thing because, if you were trying to get close to the first buoy as I was, thus giving yourself the best line, that meant that you would be treading water for about the next twenty to twenty-five minutes. There was quite a bit of bumping and errant legs and arms while we waited, to be sure, but it was soon ten minutes to start, which was the time for the professional start.
The pro’s were wearing pink caps for the women and silver caps for the men. This was a good thing to notice for me because it gave me bait. At exactly 6:50 AM, the pro’s started. It was all I could do not to go with them since my heart was about to beat out of my chest with excitement.
Then, promptly at 7:00 AM the cannon sounded and we were off!
Now, as I explained earlier, the position where I lined up is THE place to be if you’re a fast swimmer. That being said, the intensity in the scrum that follows a starting gun in that position is incredible. There are arms, hands, legs and feet all moving in different directions and all moving very fast and powerfully. One of the tricks to being successful in that environment is to not take anything personally. If you get a black eye, it’s just part of the game, and to be honest, not that uncommon.
So, when the cannon fired, all hell broke loose around me and I was a willing participant, throwing
more than my fair share of arms and legs. My strategy was to take it easy and let the pack work itself out around me while staying up with the faster swimmers. This worked well, and I was soon in more or less open water. I was told by an Ironman Wisconsin veteran that the buoys were spaced 100 meters apart (in case I wanted to watch my splits). This was a huge help when it came to sighting, which is the practice of quickly lifting your head up to see that you are on the right course to the next buoy. Swimmers that had fast starts began to fall off of the leading group, and eventually I was able to stop worrying so much about being run into.
During training, I calculated my warm-up distance to be about 1,800 meters. This was the point at which my shoulders had flushed all the built up lactate and would let go. It was at that point where I could really go on autopilot. This point came right about where it should have, at about 1,500 meters. I should also note the added challenge of the sun. The sun rose in such a way that when we got to the first turn buoy, it was in our eyes. It continued to be in our eyes through the second turn and did not subside until we made the third turn, which was either the home turn or the prelude to the second loop, depending on which lap you were on.
About half way through the second loop, I began to pass slower swimmers. They really didn’t present much of an issue and I got through them easily. A really awesome point came when, just after the second turn in the second loop, I saw a couple of pink caps and a couple of silver caps. These were the professionals that had started ten minutes ahead of the rest of us. It was a small victory, but a morale boosting victory nonetheless.
The swim was fairly uneventful and felt good, though I was being a bit conservative. I came out of the water in a time of 54:46. This breaks down to 1:27/100 m (7 seconds slower than my workout pace, annoying) and put me at fourth place in my division and thirtieth overall.
Swim Exit Helix
Upon exiting the lake, racers were directed to run up one of the helices (plural for helix, I had to look it up too) to get to the transition area. It was pretty amazing running up the helix through the throngs of people that lined the entire thing. This included Danielle and Kevin, whom I almost missed because my brain was a little scrambled and there were so many cheering people! I also had one of the professional women running in front of me, so that gave me a focal point. I was a little dizzy from running up the helix too, so I needed to focus on something.
When I got to the wetsuit strippers, I must admit, it was kind of fun to flop and get de-frocked! I ran into the transition bag room and my bag was already in the hand of a volunteer waiting for me. I grabbed it and headed into the men’s transition room (separate rooms because there tends to be nudity) where I was greeted by another volunteer who dumped out my bag and handed me everything I needed as I asked for it. Simply amazing. I got a little scattered during transition and I believe that next time, I will take more time and sacrifice the few seconds so that I can think things through a bit more.
Bike Transition Area
As racers ran out of transition, there was a row of volunteers, about twenty-five strong, bedecked with latex gloves covered with sunscreen. I ran over to them and suddenly, there were about eight hands coating every exposed part of my body. Kind of surreal, but helpful! I then began the run to my bike along the top of the parking attached to Monona Terrace. Another mistake I made was to put on my cycling shoes in the transition room rather than waiting until I got to my bike. This left me running to my bike on my toes, which is fine, but I would have preferred to be in socks. Again, the volunteers had my bike in my hand when I got to my row, ready and waiting for me!
Then I was on my bike and on my way! Riding down the helix at the opposite end from the swim
Bike Course
exit was cool, but it was a non-aggressive area and any aggressive riding would get you a two minute penalty. The bike course, was basically out of town for (roughly) sixteen miles, followed by two loops of a forty mile course and then the same sixteen miles back into town.
About 2.5 miles into the ride, I was cruising along nicely and feeling good. All of a sudden, my rear wheel hit something in the road and I almost lost control. I immediately knew that I had a flat, and pulled over to change it. Now, as I said earlier, I was riding with Zipp “deep-dish” wheels (clinchers). These wheels require a valve extender, which I had never used before. Fortunately, knowing I would be using these wheels, I watched a detailed video on Zipp’s website showing how to install the valve extenders.
It so happened that I stopped right by some volunteers who immediately made sure I was ok and then told me that they had a floor pump, which would make things far easier than my small hand pump. They also checked the road to clear whatever debris I had hit. I must say that, even though I was very angry and I am sure, cursing up a storm, the volunteers were nothing but helpful. It took me about three minutes to get the tire changed and ready to pump. By that point, the bike tech volunteer was on the scene in case I needed any technical help. She offered to put my wheel back on for me so I could avoid getting my hands greasy on the chain. This is where things began to go not-so-well.
As I got back on the bike and headed off, I wasn’t doing much shifting because I was on a flat portion of the course. However, as soon as I had to shift, my rear derailleur went crazy! Before I go on, I want to be clear that I in no way blame the bike tech who helped me. I think something just simply got bumped out of whack when the tire got changed. So, as I rode the derailleur was skipping gears and jumping back and forth on gears, and I didn’t have my best climbing gear at all. I was forced to stop probably five times to try to fix it by fine tuning. Eventually, after about fifty miles, it was reasonably fine.
The bike course at Ironman Wisconsin is hard. I say that not necessarily because it’s of any steep climbs or anything, but because it simply does not let up. From the time you hit the loop, and a bit before for that matter, the hills begin. there are a few hills that are substantial, and even a couple of great downhills (especially one at Garfoot Road where they have to place hay bales for crashes). There are ninety degree turns at the bottom of downhills that immediately go uphill, and hard turns at the top of climbs that keep climbing. The road conditions are not so fantastic. There is one stretch in particular that does it’s best to beat you to death for about three miles.
I am usually a very salty sweater and as such, when I ride, my sweat often drips onto the lenses of my sunglasses. This is annoying because it blurs my vision and is generally gross. The day was also turning out to be much hotter than I had thought. I heard someone say that it was about 85 F in the sun. As I hit the loop, the sweat began to hit my lenses, and I recall being annoyed. However, after about an hour of that I could all of a sudden see more clearly. I believed that this was because I was settling into a rhythm. In fact, it was my body slowing my sweating to a crawl. This is not good. I think I began to notice this about three or so hours into the bike, right about the time we picked up “Special Foods” bags. The bag pickup is when I noticed that I had not packed ANY ELECTROLYTES OR SALT. There were none in myT1 bag, and none in my bike “Special Needs” bag. So, I went into maintenance mode. I tried getting down as much Gatorade Endurance as possible, to no avail. I could only take in about one bottle every twenty minutes. I was also trying to get down water, but again, my stomach simply didn’t have the room.
At about mile 80 the leg cramps began. It started in such a way that I could simply ride out of the saddle for a bit and they would stop, but after a point, no matter which way I situated myself, my legs simply would not stop cramping. So, rather than get angry, I did my best to remain calm, pulled to the side of the road and sat on the ground with my legs in a neutral position until the cramps subsided. You may be asking why I didn’t stretch, and believe me, I tried that. The problem was, when I tried to stretch my hamstrings, my quadriceps would cramp and when I tried to stretch my quadriceps, my hamstrings would go into knots. So, neutral was the only way to go.
A bit more about the course; as you ride into the town of Verona, and it’s outskirts, there is an amazing, festival-like atmosphere. It is something akin to Alpe d’Huez in the Le Tour de France. There are people lining the climb, cheering you on, patting you on the back and messages of encouragement written in chalk on the road. Upon arriving in Verona, the cheers are deafening as you ride through the barricaded crowds. Again, simply amazing.
The ironic part of my bike leg is that after I bonked (and yes, I did in fact bonk. HARD), I was riding quite well. I think this was due to the act that to avoid complete shutdown of my muscles, I had to be efficient. This paid big dividends in terms of pace. There were more stops scattered throughout the rest of my ride, but again, I stayed calm and did what I had to do.
When we finally made the turn back toward Madison, I was feeling so elated, that I seemed to be ok for the majority of the ride in. Again, riding up the helix this time, was just as amazing. So much cheering from overhead and upon arriving to the dismount line, your bike was taken from you and the crowds went nuts! My bike time was 6:29:47 with an average speed of 17.2 mph. I must say that I added at LEAST 30 minutes to my bike split with all the stopping I did. That said, I am pretty proud of my actual riding. Nutrition, not so much.
As I got into T2, I knew that I needed to take sometime. I had put a Pedialyte in my transition bag specifically to replace electrolytes. I also asked the transition room volunteers if they had any salt. They had electrolyte tablets, which I welcomed. I took my time and kind of just sat there for a few collecting myself. Then I began the marathon.
As I headed out on the run, I was well aware that for me, this was rapidly becoming a race of
attrition. A volunteer was kind enough to point out the insane amount of salt that was coating my jersey and told me to make sure I got some salt in me. About 3 miles into the run, I saw Tory from Newton Running, and it was a much needed boost, not so much in pace or anything, just in morale. Tory ran with me for about a quarter of a mile, asking if I was doing ok and telling me I looked like I was doing well. This meant so much to me.
I decided early on in the run, that I would not run any of the uphills and I stuck to that. This was especially helpful because at about mile 5, I began to overheat. So, when I got to aid stations, which were located every mile, I stopped if I needed to. I just told to volunteers manning the stations that would be sitting down for a few minutes and not to worry, I was fine. After I began taking small breaks, I did a bit of run walk alternating. This seemed to work out ok. however, at about mile ten, I began having a hard time urinating (pardon the gross details). I knew that all I could do was to keep taking in chips and gatorade at the aid stations.
Annie and Bubba
The way the run course is set up, the half way point is right beside the finish line. As I got into the downtown area, near the finish/halfway point, I saw Kevin and Danielle for the first time since that morning. It was awesome! I felt so elated and happy to see them, and one of my dogs, Bubba. A bit further and closer to the finish, I again saw Tory with Tim this time. Tory, once again, made my day by walking with me for a bit and offering words of encouragement. I distinctly remember telling her that I was sorry for having to walk in a shoe that is the epitome of a running shoe!
I continued on to the turn around. On the way back I waved to Tory and Tim and saw Danielle and Kevin again. They informed me that J was about a mile behind me. I figured he’d catch me pretty soon since I was walking a lot. Sure enough, he caught me at about mile 14 or so. He was also having a rough go of it on the run. I would like to take a second to thank J for walking with me and stopping with me and waiting for me. It meant so much to have a friend there to talk to and with whom to commiserate. I can tell him a thousand times and he’ll never know how much that meant.
J and I walked together from about mile 14 until about mile 20. He wanted to see what his legs could do, and I was happy to let him at it. I continued to walk, eventually passing by a woman who asked me how much further we had to go. I told her about 4 miles and kept going. However, I noticed a distinct note of exhaustion in her voice and I told her to come and walk with me. She did, her name was Julie and we walked and talked for about the next two miles. Her husband had finished about the time J had. This too was her first Ironman and she was, like me having a hard time. It was again, so nice to have company to talk to. With about 2 miles to go, we began running. With about a 3/4 of a mile to go, I asked Julie if she wouldn’t mind if I went ahead. She was happy to oblige.
That last bit of the race went by in a flash. I know if was adrenaline and endorphins, but I felt like new. I approached the finish and felt overcome with so many feelings that to begin to describe them here would add another page to this report. Then I heard the words I had been waiting to hear. “Brandon Wood, you are an Ironman!”
Tomorrow I will begin writing the many portions of my race report for the 2009 Ironman Wisconsin. Before I begin, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to each and every person who sent me an email, a tweet, a Facebook message or a comment. It is truly thanks to you ALL that I was pushed and supported to finish my race.
Thanks to you, I am an Ironman!
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Sir Isaac and Lady Isaac Guidance Trainers
10 Ways to Succeed at Ironman Wisconsin
Seven Weeks to One-Hundred Push-Ups
Simply Stu’s Ironman Wisconsin Course Videos
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Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, appeared on Comedy Central in a great interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show. While it is a great interview (for being so brief), I am more than a little biased and much prefer my interview with Chris HERE.
Check out the video of Chris’ Daily Show appearance below!
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Christopher McDougall | ||||
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Heart Transplant Patient to Run Kona!!
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As endurance athletes, we all have little tricks that keep us moving. This morning, I found a new one for myself. Yesterday I read the passage in Dean Karnazes‘ book, Ultramarathon Man where, in the middle of “The Relay”, (a 199 mile race from Calistoga, California to the beach at Santa Cruz, California usually run by relay teams where each member runs three legs of 5.5 miles (Dean did it alone)) he is worried about the last 65 miles of the race he had left to go. His wife said not to worry about the next 65 miles, but just worry about getting to the next light pole, or the next 65 feet.
As I got up this morning at 4:45 AM, I was greeted, not with a dimly lit sky showing the first beams of the sunrise, but rather with a sky that I imagine looked just the same in the middle of the night. The overcast skies brought along with them a light mist, some wispy fog and about 90% humidity. Nevertheless, out the door I went, ready for an arduous run through air as thick as molasses.
Fortunately, it was not quite as hot as it has been for the last few days in the pre-dawn hours. The temperature was a mild seventy degrees and the mist felt good on my skin. Now, I have noticed recently that it takes me somewhere between two and four miles before I warm up and realy feel good on my runs. Coincidentally, that is also the approximate distance on which I am on a slight uphill.
As I got into the run, the thick air did indeed start to stick in my lungs a little bit, as expected. So, I focused on remaining relaxed with my breathing and inhaling down to my groin. This helped a bit, but I need some more encouragement, and since I was the only one around, it had to come from me. So, I saw a light pole bout one hundred yards ahead. I said (yes, out loud), “Hey light pole! You’re mine!”, and then I went and got that light pole. When I got there, I looked at the incline in front of me and said to the tree at the end, “Hey tree! You’re mine!”
I kept this up for most of my seven miles and it felt so great! I have recently started running, sans Ipod, and I have found that due to this I have the time to become much more introspective about what I’m doing. Contrary to what I initially thought would happen, this has resulted in my runs feeling more easy and they seem to go by much faster. Of course, it helped this morning that I was pushing my pace a bit.
What do you do when you need encouragement and you’re the only one there?
[svgallery name="Bobby Ironman 2009"]
Vineman Results (search for bib #40)
Brandon’s Marathon on The Running Front!!
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This past Saturday, August 1, 2009, my best friend, Bobby Cockrill, became an Ironman.
Bobby was a racer in the twentieth annual Vineman, the oldest independant Ironman distance triathlon held in the continental United States in Sonoma, California. If you’ve read or listened to Brandon’s Marathon in the past then you probably know that I started this site simultaneously with Bobby starting (the seldom updated) Bobby’s Marathon. Over the past roughly eighteen months, Bobby and I have seen each other go from running our first marathon, to our first sprint, olympic and half-Ironman distance triathlons to this, the culmination of hours upon hours of Bobby’s hard work and training.
Bobby raced as a member of the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Lukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. Bobby is one of the most gifted and generous people I know and below is a passage from his website that I think captures that:
We are a drop of water in the ocean of life but if you get enough of use together we can make a difference and I want to be apart of that difference! If we can just drown away one persons worries or sorrows than we have succeeded. “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”
All that said, I am not only exceedingly proud not just to know Bobby, but to be able to call him my friend.
I’m not sure of the exact date when I discovered Newtons, but thanks to this site, I can tell you the first time I spoke about them on my show. It is BMP #16 at about 29 minutes in. From that point, much of the research I did on the shoes themselves was done away from Brandon’s Marathon. I did however, talk some about the technology of the shoe and how it works. I also encouraged people to go to their website rather than hear the information secondhand from me. I STILL encourage everyone to do this.
The first time I tried Newtons was in October in Richmond, Virginia when I was picking up my race packet for a sprint triathlon I was doing. The store where the pickup was located was also a Newton dealer. I asked and they happily allowed me to take a pair of trainers for a spin around the block. They were exactly what I was looking for and felt amazing. Before anyone suggests that they felt “amazing” because I wanted them to feel “amazing”, I made a promise to myself when I began this website that I would be as transparent with my audience as possible, sharing every feeling that I had (though not necessarily every event). I have kept that promise, and not in the way our government is “transparent”, rather, for real.
Due to the fact that Newtons do cost a bit more than many running, a fact which does not escape me or my wallet, I could not immediately get my hands on a pair. Also, I wanted to wait because at the time, Newton had announced a new, all-weather shoe, that would be more appropriate for running in New York City in the winter, which would not be shipped until the end of the year or early the following year. For my birthday (December 2) my father and stepmother gave me my first pair of Newtons (which wouldn’t be in my hands for a couple of weeks, but what can you do?)!
My Newtons arrived on December 15, 2008. I know it seems excessive that I know when they arrived, but again, thanks to this site I have a record. Before then, I had been slowly transitioning to forefoot for a while and my legs were more than ready. As luck would have it, I had a race about five days after getting my Newtons, however, Mother Nature intervened and dumped a ton of snow on the city and Central Park was a cold, slushy, snowy, icy mess, so I opted for my Vomero’s. With the exception of some extremely snowy or disgusting weather runs, that was the last time I would go Newton-less.
But, WHY did I switch? The answer to that question has a few layers. First, as I said earlier, I was blissfully unaware of what running actually was. For me it was something where I just went out and did it to lose weight or to look better, but now I was doing it because it was fun! Yes some of the long, boring mile remained long and boring, but they were not so laborious as before. Keep in mind that I did not all of a sudden get my Newtons and begin forefoot/midfoot striking, I had been doing it for a while in my existing shoes. Newtons, due to their minimal heel-toe drop (about 1/6 of an inch), allowed me to use a much more “piston-like” (up and down) action with my legs rather than having to force my toes down to overcome the giant wedge of my Nike’s.
Second; I wanted to go farther and longer. This part is less about Newtons, “the shoe” and more about the technique which they use and promote. Over time, I had come to discover, through trial, that forefoot running, with a shorter, more efficient stride, allowed me to go longer with minimal fatigue. It also allowed me to get up hills, where before I had to walk, I could now run up no problem. I know that this, again, may sound like a bit of, “hey mom! look how I can run faster and jump higher in my new shoes!!” syndrome, but again, this is NOT about the shoe, but about the technique that they promote. As I said before, I am not a small, lanky runner type of guy. I am tall and big and can bench-press about 275 lbs. (or could before I began trying to lean out for my Ironman). I have not had a single injury, save for ITBS which was existing, since running in Newtons. Not shinsplints, not plantar fasciitis, not knee pain, nothing.
Third; when you go to Newton’s website, you will notice that, while they are a shoe company, they are less about the shoes themselves and more about running healthy. On their YouTube channel, there are seven videos talking about the shoes themselves but EIGHTEEN videos that are about running technique and testimonials. In my experience this embodies what Newton is all about. They are taking a stake in the general health of the world around them and promoting running healthy, shoes or no shoes. When the guys from Newton came to New York this past June and did a running clinic, about half the people there were wearing Newtons and the other half not. While they definitely told us about their shoes a bit and why they were different, not ONCE did they say, “Now go buy our shoes!”.
I wear Newtons because they work for me. I wear Newtons because they promote a technique that I believe in. I wear Newtons because when I wear them, I’m not “getting through” a run, I’m just running! If you have never tried a pair, try them! What do you have to lose? If your shoes work for you and you have zero problems, don’t try them. But don’t knock it until you try it.
I don’t work for Newton, and everything I’ve said in the parts of this article are how I feel. When I run in my Newtons, or barefoot with the same technique, I feel alive. I feel like I want to run, not like I have to.
If I recall correctly, the first time I heard anything about forefoot/midfoot running was in an article in Men’s Health in 2006 in an article entitled, “The Men Who Live Forever”, by Christopher McDougall. Thus, it was quite something, when three years later Christopher McDougall became the first interview on my podcast for his book, Born to Run. The paragraphs in the article that caught my eye were:
One of Hartmann’s star clients, marathon world-record holder Paula Radcliffe, has been training in the Nike Free, a new, minimalist slipper designed to mimic the range of motion of a naked foot. Alan Webb, America’s best miler, also works out in the Free. Webb had been hobbled by foot injuries early in his career, but after he started barefoot exercises, his injuries disappeared, and his shoe size shrank, from a 12 to a 9. “My foot muscles became so strong, they pulled my arches up,” says Webb. “Wearing too much shoe prevents you from tapping into the natural gait you have when landing on the ground.”
Perhaps this was what I had witnessed while trying to keep up with Alejandro. Watching him run, I was surprised to find that instead of the long, galloping stride I’d expected, he never stretched out his legs at all. He kept his knees bent and his forefeet padding down directly under his body, as if he were riding an invisible unicycle.
“Exactly!” says Ken Mierke, an exercise physiologist and the creator of the barefoot-modeled Evolution Running technique. “That’s why they don’t get hurt.” Mierke believes there is a perfect, Tarahumara-like footstrike that can guarantee you will run longer and faster, and drastically reduce your chances of injury. The key is to stay off your heel and to use your leg as a pistonlike shock absorber.
“You wouldn’t jump off a ladder and land on your heels, right?” Mierke asks. “Same with running. If you land on your heel, your leg is straight, and the impact is smashing into one joint after the other. If you land on your forefoot, however, with the leg bent, it absorbs shock using elastic tissues instead of bone.”
A while later, I stumbled across an article in the New York Times from 2005 entitled, “Kick Off Your Shoes and Run Awhile”, funnily enough, also by Christopher McDougall. By that time, I was a few month into Brandon’s Marathon (both the site and podcast) and was sharing my trials and tribulations with an online audience. With both of McDougall’s articles fueling my curiosity, I took to the treadmill.
At first, I was landing much too far forward, literally on my toes. I was also attempting this new form of running in shoes that had all but taken away my ability to strike the ground with my forefoot due to the heel-toe drop (again, the difference in height between the heel and the toe). Even my first ungainly attempts at forefoot running, with my toes taking a beating and my feet WAY too far out in front of me, I could already feel what I was looking for, or rather didn’t feel. This was in September of 2008. You can hear me talk about all these discoveries in Brandon’s Marathon Podcast, Episode 16.
I was hooked.
I discovered, the hard way, that to change to a forefoot/midfoot technique takes time. Newton says this very clearly on their website. I had very sore calves and even a touch of achilles tendinitis. So, I slowed down and began to take my time, doing a little bit of forefoot running mixed in with my runs…which kept getting longer.
As soon as I heard about forefoot running for the second time, I began to Google it (as is the custom it seems). and THAT is when I found Newton Running.
Watch Brandon’s Maraton Podcast Live!!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Just in case you didn’t notice, Lance Armstrong is back and kicking some SERIOUS ass in Le Tour de France. After a four year absence from the sport of professional cycling, Lance is currently (as of July 16, 2009; 2:25 pm EST) sitting in third place in the GC (General Classification). a mere eight seconds behind the leader and two seconds behind teammate Alberto Contador. The current leader, Rinaldo Nocentini, is unlikely to maintain the lead once the Tour reaches the Alps (tomorrow).
I just found this great picture of Lance, and wanted to give him a big shout, letting him know that his perserverance and dedication to his sport and to fighting cancer is an inspiration with every pedal rotation!
To watch the tour live, click HERE
Brain Surgery Frees Runner, but Raises Barriers
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This year’s New York City Half-Marathon takes place on August 16th, 2009. As of now it is far too late to enter simply by registering and paying your fee. that said, it is NOT too late to run this year! You can still be entered into the NYC Half by joining a charity team and raising money for a cause.
One such cause is the Fresh Air Fund. A bit about the Fresh Air Fund from their site:
Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or attend one of five Fresh Air Fund camps.
Today, the Fresh Air Fund contacted me and asked me if I would give them a shout on my site and on Brandon’s Marathon Podcast. I am more than happy to lend a hand, and I think that if you have the time and want to help NYC kids, while staying healthy, the Fresh Air Fund is a wonderful way to do it! From the FAF:
The Fresh Air Fund is looking for runners and sponsors to join our Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half-Marathon on August 16th… Last summer’s NYC Half-Marathon was a huge success and the Fresh Air Fund-Racers raised more than $125,000. We are also still in need of Friendly Town hosts for next month. Host families open their hearts and home to a NYC child who would not otherwise have the opportunity to escape the hot, crowded city streets.
So, if this is something you’d be at all interested in, as a sponsor or runner or Friendly Town host, please follow this link:
NYRR Achilles Hope & Possibility 5 Miler
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Yesterday was the Achilles Hope & Possibility 5 miler in Central Park. The famous, Ari and I had arranged to meet at the registration tent prior to the race and to run the event together. Achilles Track Club, for those who may not know, is an organization who holds as it’s mission statement: “Our mission is to enable people with all types of disabilities to participate in mainstream athletics, promote personal achievement, enhance self esteem, and lower barriers.”. I am no stranger to Achilles and have been there to cheer on many of their athletes before this event and have also been passed by one of their Iraq War veterans in a race!
Now, to say that I was “re-inspired” by this event is not entirely true. I think that, to be “re” anything, one needs to have lost their initial drive. I have not. However, as I stated in my article last week entitled, “Time”, I have been struggling with the amount of my life my training must take up, but lacking the time to allow it to do so. This weekend, I found myself renewed. On Saturday, I went on a 5.5 mile run in the morning, then headed out to rehearsal. Following rehearsal, I headed home and went on a 30 mile ride down the West Side Greenway (my first time on that route in a while). Knowing that I had an event the next morning, I looked forward to that soreness that makes you feel alive, like your body is working again.
The next morning, I went to the event in Central Park. First, walking through the parking area in front of Tavern on the Green, the amount of high-tech wheelchair gear was amazing! The amount of high end wheelsets on those chairs could almost surpass the wheelsets on überbikes at a triathlon. As I walked toward the registration tent and looked around, the people there, some with mental disabilities, some missing one or both legs or arms, I began to think. What if I wasn’t sore that morning because the part of me that should be sore was missing? Would I still be there? What if I couldn’t walk to the start, but had to use my arms? Would I still be there?
These athletes were there because they are just that, athletes. No matter what, at the end of the day, they were not letting some small thing like being a double leg amputee stop them from going out and using what God gave them. The wheelchair start went off before the main pack, and it was incredible to see these athletes, some of whom were forced to go backward in their chairs, due to their condition, just smile the whole time.
As Ari and I got to about mile 4 (holding down about a 7:15/mile pace), the heat and humidity began to kick my ass a bit, I said to Ari, “I’d like to go on the record and say that I am officially no longer having fun.”. Once I got home and had the chance to reflect, it made me realize how thankful I was to have been able to toe the line with the athletes from Achilles. So, to each and every one of the member of Achilles Track Club, thank you! I would also like to say a special thank you to the veterans who were there running. You have given of yourself with an unconditional love for our country and I am eternally grateful. As long as I have breath, I will defend and honor the sacrifices you have made for our freedoms. Thank you.
Official Results:
Time 36:55
Pace 7:23/mile
Running with the Pack Episode 49 (with me!!)
2009 Patriot Triathlon Official Results
Rio de Jinero Marathon (GO RAPHAEL!!!)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
A Gift For Winter from Athletes for a Cure on Vimeo.
The Revenge of Shrekilocks
Yesterday, June 20, 2009 was the Patriot Triathlon in East Freetown, Massachusetts, produced by Sun Multisport Events. I was a member of the relay team, The Revenge of Shrekilocks, along with my brother-in-law, Adam (run leg) and his best friend, Harrison (bike leg).
The weather report for the day had been changing throughout the week, and the night before we got the good news that any rain would most likely hold off until around 3 pm. Team Shrekilocks met up at the race check in at 6pm on Friday at Cathedral Camp (race site), where we got some decent schwag and headed off to dinner. After a great, if not slow meal at The Pasta Bowl, we all headed back my sister-in-law’s parent’s house in nearby Mattapoisett.
My alarm was set for 5 am, and I popped right out of bed. I usually have a hard time sleeping before any race, but for whatever reason, I slept like a log. We were out the door by 5:50 am, and on our way to the race.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the wide open layout of the transition area. In race past, I have become accustomed to some rather cramped racks and such, but there was no less than 15 feet between rows of racks and often times more. We had plenty of time to set up being that our wave began at 7:30 am, and at about 7:15, we all headed over to the swim start in Long Pond.
Our wave included; relays, aquabike, clydesdale and athena racers, which numbered probably about 30 (give or take). It was an “in the water” start, which was great in my opinion because it allowed me to walk in to about waist deep so that I could start swimming right away rather than having to deal with any running/jumping into the water. I managed to get myself to the front of the wave (in my shiny, new Xterra Vortex 3 sleeveless wetsuit) and the start went off without a hitch.
There were some swimmer-looking guys that I was a bit concerned about, but I passed them pretty quickly. I got out of any pack and on my own out in front pretty quickly. Then, at about the half-way point, as I rounded a buoy, someone came up on my left. Now, at about this time, I had begun to pass people from the other waves and I thought that this was just someone else I was passing and had missed seeing. Then I noticed that I wasn’t gaining any ground on this person! I looked and saw that they had on the same cap color that I did, as well as…PINK GOGGLES!!! There was a chick keeping right up with me!! Now, not that I am incapable of having my ass hand to me by a woman, but I was just not expecting it from my wave! So, I decided to just pace with her and I believe she decided to do the same. We stayed side-by-side until the turn back in toward the beach. We came up on someone from an earlier wave, and she went to the inside, right next to the buoy and I wound up getting bounced way out to the right. I had to pause for a second and make sure I hadn’t been thrown too far off course (which I kind of had) and during that little pause, the other swimmer gained about a body length on me.
At some point, as we made our way back in toward the beach, she crossed behind me and began to go wide right. Again, I paused to make sure I was on course, which I was, and decided that she was veering way off. As I hit the beach, I didn’t look back and hauled some serious ass around the transition area to the swim entrance. One thing I thought was nice, was that the timing pad, which picks up your chip and thereby your swim time, was right by the water’s edge. This was nice because it gives you a more accurate idea of your swim time. I have been in races, where the timing mat was about 100+ yards from the water!!
As I ran through the pathway that was set up to funnel swimmers to the transition, I had to kind of cram myself around some people that were taking up a LOT of the path. I got to the transition, found my rack almost immediately and made the switch-off to Harrison. About the time Harrison was heading out, someone behind me asked if it was me who was first out of the water (for our wave). Turns out, it was the woman who had been pacing me. Her name was Tracy and she was so very nice. We got to speak for a long while and I gave/give her unlimited kudos on the swim that she turned in!!
My goal for the swim was to be the fastest swimmer in the race, a goal which I made to myself but didn’t share with anyone other than my team. I did not accomplish that goal. My swim time was 18:32 which was fourth fastest, the fastest time being 18:09. I must admit, I am a bit annoyed by this fact, but I can’t rewind time and push it now!! That being said, I do not believe that the swim was a true half-Ironman swim distance. Especially since the fastest swim time last year was 27:58. I mean, I would be happy if I went that distance in 18:32, but being realistic, I would also then have some sort of record!
After changing into dry clothes, I went down to the bike course to wait for Harrison to come around on the first loop of a two-loop course. Prior to the race he had been downplaying (in my opinion) what his pace would be. He called this “expectation management”. So, we expected him to show up at maybe about an hour and a half from the time he left. Instead he came riding by at an hour and twenty-three minutes!! His total time on the bike was 2:47:06 (58 miles, so more than a half-iron!!), with an average speed of 20.8 miles per hour (we’ll call it 21!). As a matter of fact, Harrison came running into the transition area so fast that he almost crumpled from his legs cramping, and at the same time had an insanely fast transition time of thirty-one seconds!!
Before his run leg, Adam, my brother-in-law, had to pee about 4 times inside of 30 minutes! I don’t blame him, seeing as before my swim, I went to pee and by the time I had walked directly from the porta-john to the swim start, I had to go again. Due to some significant humidity and heat, he decided to run in just his compression shirt rather than that, plus a tech-tee over top. He also made good use of my hat that was courtesy of Newton Running. We couldn’t see Adam at any point on the course, but we knew that he would be in at approximately one hour, forty-five minutes from his start. Sure enough, Adam’s run time was 1:45:00!! It took a minute for him to be able to talk (as it did for all of us!!), but when he did, he was very satisfied with his run (as were we all!!!).
Our total time was 4 hours, 52 minutes and 24 seconds (4:52:24). Now, while we were hanging around and gathering our belongings after the race, results began to go up. We saw that we had come in fourth place (not bad out of 11 teams!!) and decided to head out to grab some food. Later that night, I checked to see if official results had been posted. It turns out, due to a 4 minute penalty by the third place team, we had bee bumped into third place!!! We’re not sure if we get an award or anything, but we should!!
As for the event itself; it was very well run. The check in was smooth and all the staff had most of the answers to any questions, and if they didn’t, then they knew who to ask. The transition are was AMAZING!!, It was more wide open and comfortable than any I have ever been in. The water was perfect and the waves had just enough people to be competitive, but not crowded. Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend the Patriot Triathlon. We have even begun talking about plans to come back next year!!
If you would like to see the official results of the 2009 Patriot Triathlon Click here!!
As always, I will have a further race review on Brandon’s Marathon Podcast later this week, so be sure to check back on Tuesday!! And also, a HUGE shoutout to our cheerleaders; Danielle, Kate, Kathy, Christian and John!! Thank you all for making the EARLY trek to encourage us!!
Yesterday evening, at 5:30 on a particularly beautiful day here in New York City, a group of runners met at The Bosthouse in Central Park. We were meeting with the common interest, not only of running, but of running smart and running healthy. The vehicle through which this took place was Newton Running.
We were met by Danny, Ian and Ian. Danny, being one of the founders of Newton was not only INCREDIBLY in touch with his product (obviously), but is one of the foremost experts on running in the world today. With the help of the Ian’s, Danny explained in very clear terms the theory and technique behind using the Newtons to further proper running technique. What was of great advantage was the fact that what Danny was explaining is not some revolutionary concept that ad piles upon piles of numbers to digest, but rather, was simply common sense and utilizes our true “natural” running technique.
After we met, we went up to a part of the park where there was a traffice turn around (fortunately with no traffic) so that we could run around the circle to nail down the technique. One of the FIRST things we did was TAKE OFF OUR SHOES! I think it is important to note, to the Newton skeptics out there, that 1. Not everyone was wearing Newtons. and 2. They explained the technique WAY before the technology.
We then went on a short group run on the bridle path (not too sure how far) and during the run, the Newton crew was taking the time to look at our strides one at a time and gives us tips and encouragement. They also were more than happy to answer any questions that we had.
I will go more into detail about some of the things we discussed on next week’s show, but for now, suffice it to say that if Newton is EVER in your area you should go talk to them. In the meantime, I will be putting up videos every day (if I can remember) that come from Newton themselves. If you would like to explore more about Newton, please visit their site, or feel free to ask me any questions if that is easier for you and I can pass them along. However, they are extremely accessible and I’m sure would be hapy to help out with anything you may want to know!!
For my part, I would like to say thank you so very, very much to everyone from Newton!! If you guys EVER want to do another thing in NYC, you can count on me to drum up as many people as I can get my hands on!!
Xterra Wetsuits (50% off until the end of June!!!!)
Patriot Triathlon (Go Shrekilocks!!!)
Dreamfar Triathlon Team (Thanks guys!!)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Here is some amazing video coverage of the Ironman Boise 70.3 that took place yesterday, June 13, 2009. Inside of ONE MILE to go, Craig Alexander ran down and passed Chris Lieti who lead off the bike. If you look closely, you can see the killer shoes that Crowie is rocking across the finish line!! (Newtons, in case you can’t see)
Thanks to KBCI-TV in Boise for the coverage.
After a stop at a port-a-potty, I headed inside the host hotel to find Dailyrunner who picked up my bib and chip the day before. I dropped off my bag and headed outside to the start area. An announcement was made that there was going to be a 15 minute delay in the start of the race. I took the time to seek out Julie, author of the blog Raceslikeagirl, who was running the half marathon. We chatted for a bit and then I went back to find the 3:50 pacer.
The race finally started a little bit before 8:00. The NJ Marathon is a double loop course with the start and finish on the promenade adjacent to the beach. The loop is mainly through neighboring residential areas. The beginning miles went by pretty quickly. I had no problem hanging with the 3:50 pacer and, at the time, thought I’d be able to finish the race with him. I stuck to my plan, hydrating starting at mile 4 and taking a gel every 6 miles. My wife and daughter didn’t make the trip down with me so it was nice seeing EN, a friend from Nike Speed, just before the half. Hearing his words of encouragement pumped me up. We finished the first half in 1:54:17, right on pace according the my pacer. Soon after we started the second loop, which by the way did not play any Jedi mind tricks with me, the rain started to pick up. For a while it was still refreshing but around mile 20 it started to get heavier and really started to bug me. Soon after that I run through a few puddles and my shoes started to feel like a ton of bricks At mile 21, my left knee started to hurt. I think it had something to do with the uneven road surfaces and twisting in ways the human body is not meant to twist in order to avoid puddles. At first it was bearable but at mile mile 23 I had to take a 2 minute walk break. I hated taking a walk break with only 5k to go but I was really hurting. The walk break did the trick, I got a second wind when we made the final turn towards the finish. EN was there with less than a mile to give me one final push finish. I finished strong and crossed the line in 3:52:54 (8:54 pace). Unfortunately, I did not run a negative split. My second half split was 1:58:37. Considering the problems I was having with my knee and shoes, I’ll take it. I got my finishers hat, medal, and refreshments and made a beeline for the bag check where a dry and warm set of clothes awaited.
3:52:54 is a PR for me besting my 3:55:08 I set at the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2008. Every race has it’s own challenges and surprises. With the NJ Marathon it was the weather. Setting a PR in less than perfect conditions is definitely cause for celebration.
Lastly, congrats to Dailyrunner on achieving a BQ after almost 5 years of trying. Check out his race report on his blog (linked above).
Getting ready for the race was difficult for me, since I had a rehearsal until 10:00p in San Diego the night before my race. That meant that I didn’t leave San Diego until 10:30 and had to drive to my hotel in Costa Mesa (only 90 miles). So I checked in at midnight and was laying out my stuff (shoes, Wrightsocks… great investment by the way, Nike running shorts and sports bra)for the race and getting settled until like 12:20a. Luckily I had all my Hammergels and stuff packed in my belt before I went to work on Saturday. I got up 5:00 and was in the hotel lobby at 5:30a for the shuttle to the start. I was a little anxious that morning, and really tired as it was my first day off in 2 weeks, but I good and alert which is what I hoped was going to help keep me going.
Sunday morning was a little grey and overcast and in the mid 50s which was nice. I wish it would have stayed that way, but alas it warmed to the mid 60s and sunny by the end of the race which was a little warmer than I would have liked, but it’s southern California what can you do?
The race was scheduled to start at 6:30a and we officially started it almost 6:40a, I think. Those 10 minutes between when we were supposed to start and the gun were the most anxiety filled of my life! I was all ready to go and then standing and waiting in a pack of thousands of people nerves started to get to me. But after the national anthem and 2 passes of a helicopter to take pictures we were off. The full and half marathoners all started together which meant that the energy was great because there were just SO MANY people.
I placed myself right at the back of the first corral, since I thought I would be finishing in the front half of the 4th hour and when we got going excitement took over and I was going like a bat out of hell. First mistake. The first 5 felt great. It was mostly downhill (sweet) and I was booking it and feeling really solid. I ended up without even pushing just ahead of the 3:40 pace group. Then my shins decided to give me trouble. I have been working on a raked stage for the last weeks and I have shin splints so I knew that I was probably going to have trouble with them, but I was sort of hoping that it would hold off and bug me later. That was the first time I dropped my pace, but I kept going. Stopping wasn’t an option. It was keep running or keep running. As I kept running I managed to get myself through the pain and started feeling good again.
There was a large chunk of this race that was on bike trails through a nature reserve, which was beautiful, but man was it lonely. I much preferred being out on the road where there is someone at least every little bit screaming and clapping for you to keep going. These trails, which were paved (mostly, I’ll get to that) weren’t really even and were solid rolling hills. I trained in southern California and south eastern Virginia… I’m not good with hills. Right around mile 9 (I think… I was solidly in a haze by that point) there was a hill, and not a small one and I actually said out loud “You have got to be kidding me.” It was short, but steep enough for my legs to say screw you.
At mile 12 the half marathon course broke off and we marathoners were left on our own for the remainder of the race. I started feeling solid again at that point. I had dropped my pace but knew that if I didn’t then I wouldn’t cross the finish line. We ran through South Coast Plaza, yes they really took us through a mall parking lot, and it crowded with people screaming and cheering which was exactly what I needed. We then went through another set of bike trails, my least favorite of which was UNPAVED and UPHILL. I wanted to cry. This was at mile 22 ish, maybe 23. I hadn’t run on sand or dirt EVER… I mean EVER. I wasn’t prepared at all for that and my body was not a fan. By that point I think I was running almost all on heart anyway, so a shock like that was killer. But I just kept going.
As I closed in on the finish line I knew I had to just keep going but thankfully the crowds picked up again and the street was pretty well lined in people. The finish line was in the Orange County Fairgrounds so we were winding through the parking lot to scream and cheers. That was when I found what little I had left and ran with everything I had for the last straight to the finish line.
Then I teared up. I had done it. In 7 months of training I had gone from not running at all to running a marathon. A MARATHON. It still amazes me that I did it. I had never been happier or prouder of myself. My friend Christine was waiting at the finish line cheering and laughing. I think knowing she was there was what gave me the last push to get to the end.
My official time was 4:16:23. I was 484th overall 151 in women and 13th in my age group. I’m thrilled. I now have a PR for my next marathon.
Unfortunately I still don’t have a running picture where I don’t look pained, but I’ll send one anyway. Maybe the official pictures will be better
I would have never thought that I could do this. But here I am, a marathoner and hunting for my next race. Brandon you pushed me to do this when I doubted myself. Thanks man!
Megh
Popular Mechanics Article On Barefoot Running
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Bobby’s Wildflower Half Ironman: 6:53:26 (official)
Ari’s New Jersey Marathon: 3:52:54 (official)
Megh’s OC Marathon: 4:16:23 (official)
Shelly’s Eugene Marathon: 3:32:25 (official)
Carrie’s Wisconsin Marathon: 3:54:19 (official)
Allison’s Indy Mini: 2:17:35 (official)
Justin’s Indy Mini: 1:35:38 (official)
Zach’s Salt Lake City Marathon: 5:03:13 (official)
I will update any unofficial results with official ones as soon as I can.
De Soto Cool Gear (scroll down the page)
Soldier passes away in Country Music Half Marathon
Wildflower Triathlon (Bobby Cockrill)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Today was the 2009 Boston Marathon! The winnser were:
Women:
Salina Kosgei (KEN) 2:32:16
Dire Tune (ETH) 2:32:17
Kara Goucher (USA) 2:32:25
Men:
Deriba Merga (ETH) 2:08:42
Daniel Rono (KEN) 2:09:32
Ryan Hall (USA) 2:09:40
The finishers will be coming in for a long time yet, but to everyone, CONGRATULATIONS!!! If you would like to see all of the results, click HERE.
I am going to try to sit down and take stock of everything, pre-race on Saturday night. However, knowing that life works the way that it does, I’m not sure if I’ll have the time. So, this could be my last post before the Shamrock on Sunday.
That said, I am so excited and thankful for every person who has ever laid eyes or ears on Brandon’s Marathon. You are all my inspiration and offer so much support and encouragement, and for that I thank you. You will all be in my mind from start to finish and please know that every step I take brings me closer to my first marathon and I couldn’t have taken step one without the support of perfect strangers.
Yours,
Brandon
Hi Brandon,
I just wanted to let you know that I officially ran my first 10K Saturday
morning and lived to tell about it. As you know, I am a very inexperienced
runner. Looking back five months ago, I would have been thrilled jogging for
five minutes in Central Park. After living in New York City off and on for
the past three years, I knew my “upper west side” lifestyle was a fun and
costly illusion that had to end. I packed up and moved back home to
Tennessee. Luckily, my friend Amy also moved home before she began school
in January. We were both sulking and frustrated to be back in our small
hometown of Maryville, TN. We knew we needed a hobby or an activity to get
us out of our slump, and because of all of your encouragement, Brandon, we
decided to start running. We ran our first 5K in October and I can finally
say I ran a 10K on Valentines Day! The only thing missing was my friend
Amy, who is now back at school in Iowa, but we talk on the phone throughout
the week and remind each other to keep running. While singing with you in
Virginia, I remember hearing about your training for triathlons and
marathons, thinking how amazing it would be to complete a race. I just
wanted you to know that you were the first person who ever looked at me and
said, you can do that. I was shocked. Of course, I was your girl who could
sing a song, drink my weight in Guiness, have the biggest hair in the
room…but RUN? I thought, if this guy thinks I can do it, maybe I can. A
week before my 10K, my own father said there was no way I could run 6.2
miles without stopping. He bet $100 against me. Well, guess who has $100
in her wallet? 
I just wanted to say thank you for all of your help, and
keep up the good work. I wish you and your wife luck at the Shamrock
Marathon, and maybe one day we can run one together.
Ok, ok, so it wasn’t exactly a blizzard. I just went for a run on the West Side Greenway (See my MotionBased runs on the right for the map) and as the weather said, it is beginning to snow.
It’s about 33 here in the Big Apple and there’s not too much of a breeze. On the last part of my run, the flakes started to sprinkle down, and it was pretty cool! There is something really serene about it, AND it helps that I forgot my headphones, so listening to my Ipod was out of the question.
Anywho, I hope you’re enjoying Episode 26 of the podcast and I’ll talk to you soon!
This is one of the first things I saw this morning. Nothing like starting your day off with a couple of tears!
Team Winter- 2008 Athletes for a Cure Triathlon from Athletes for a Cure on Vimeo.
Brandon’s Marathon proudly supports Winter Vinecki.
Thanks so much for visiting my site! My name is Brandon Wood and I am the social media manager and a customer service rep for Newton Running. This site and podcast follow my adventures on the way to competing in and training for all kinds of endurance events, especially triathlon and running. Click the "About Me" tab for more info!
Who: This contest is open to anyone and everyone in the U.S. and Canada (also APO)! Tell your friends!
What: Stuffitts! I have spoken about these simple yet awesome shoe savers in the past. Click here to read more about them. I cannot say enough how great they are!
When: Starting NOW! This is an ongoing contest that will be every month, or until every person on the planet has nice, fresh smelling shoes!
Why: Because Stuffitts are awesome! The folks at Stuffitts are being SUPER generous and I also want to give you guys something that I think is a great addition to any athletes arsenal!
How: On the last podcast episode post of each month (example: Episode 99 on June 28 HERE) entrants should leave a comment (however long you'd like). On the following week's show (the first show of each month) I will draw, by random number generator, one winner! That's it!
Good luck!
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