One foot in front of the other.
Chrissie Wellington Taking 2012 Away from Ironman Racing
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Today is National Running Day (woohoo!) and to help you get in the mood to go outside and rock it, I thought I’d share this AMAZING video. Get ready to be inspired!
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I think I’ve floated the possibility of this event several times since I got involved in triathlon and it looks like the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) has been on the same wavelength as well. Bloomberg news is reporting that the WTC is in talks with Korff Enterprises, the company that operates the Nautica NYC Triathlon, to bring the 140.6 mile event to New York City.
While the event has been (and continues to be) in the negotiation stage for the better part of seven years, John Korff insists that it’s still a ways off.
The catch to an event of this magnitude being in NYC is, as the article linked below points out, the time factor. Ironman events give competitors 17 hours to complete an event, which would mean a huge amount of the city being blocked off and/or shut down for a big chunk of time. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the 17 hours mark is not a lump amount of time that racers have to complete the course. Races, which typically start at 7 AM, give competitors 2 hours and 20 minutes to complete the 2.4 mile swim portion, until 5:30 PM to complete the 112 mile bike portion and until midnight to complete the marathon portion.
The logistics of a race like this would be a nightmare but if it could be pulled off it is certain to be an epic, marquis event for Ironman.
[Bloomberg.com - Ironman Targets Wall Street Endurance Athletes With NYC Event]
Wouter Weylandt dies in the Giro d’Italia
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Legally Blind woman wins the Flying Pig Marathon!
Triathlete stops, mid-race, to save a life.
Man REALLY gets “natural” and tries to run a marathon…NAKED!
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In an epic show of badassery, Teresa McCoy, 37, of Tampa stopped during the bike leg of the well know St. Anthony’s Triathlon to save a life.
McCoy, who is a nurse by profession noticed a fellow racer being looked at by police officers. She decided that she would pull off the course to see if she could help. The officers, who believed the man to be having a seizure had apparently not taken his pulse. Upon checking, McCoy didn’t feel any signs of life. She immediately began CPR while calling for a defibrillator, which one of the officers had in his truck. Immediately after shocking him, her fellow athlete came to. Having answered the call of duty, McCoy got back on her bike and finished the race!
Teresa McCoy, we salute you!
[St. Petersburg Times - Tampa woman saves man's life, then finishes triathlon]
After kicking Haile Gebrselassie’s (and the current standing) marathon world record squarely in the ass, Geoffrey Mutai as well as the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) were lobbying hard for a new marathon world record. Alas, the B.A.A. has decided to let it go.
The Boston Marathon is not eligible for a world record according to the I.A.A.F because it is a point-to-point course and because of the amount of net elevation loss, regardless of its storied difficulty. For now though, Mutai’s time of 2:03:02 will still allow him to keep the $50,000.00 bonus for the best time of the year (but the year isn’t over?).
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Geoffrey Mutai wants his world record
Haile Gebrselassie weighs in on the marathon world record (sort of)
2011 Boston Marathon is not Kara Goucher’s day
Ironman Louisville gets five more years
2011 Ironman World Championship Lottery Results
A closer look at “balance” bracelets, necklaces and the like
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Kim Smith, native New Zealander who calls Providenc Rhode Island, ran an amazing race for the first 17 miles or so of the 2011 Boston Marathon this past Monday. Then tragedy struck. The video below is an interview with her soon after having to pull out of the race, unable to run.
@RunProvidence tweeted this on her behalf:
From Kim Smith “Since everyone has sent so many nice messages I thought I would update. Had an MRI and I tore my Soleus muscle.”
New York Times recap of the 2011 Boston Marathon
Natural running form clinic and symposia
Natural running form clinic in Hampton, Virginia
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While this stream only works in New England I think it may depend on where your IP originates so try and see if it works! If it doesn’t work, you can always listen to the live coverage!
http://boston.cbslocal.com/boston-marathon-live-stream/
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Natural running clinic in Milwaukee THIS WEEKEND!
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Sally Meyerhoff killed in cycling accident
Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp
Kara Goucher declares, “I’m back”
2011 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Women’s Odds
2011 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Men’s Odds
2011 Boston Marathon adds a third wave to the start
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Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)
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The Boston Athletic Association announced this morning a new registration procedure as well as new qualifying times. Both of these things will begin with the 2012 and 2013 races.This is in response to the record sell out time of the 2011 race which sold out in 8 hours.
First, the registration process will be a rolling admission whereupon the fastest qualifiers will be allowed entry first. Second, starting with the 2013 race all qualifying times, across both genders will be lowered by five minutes.
My two cents
While I don’t have too much of an opinion on the registration procedure, I think that the time standard change sucks.
I don’t necessarily have a problem with the open time (3:10 changed to 3:05) being lowered, though five minutes will be tough since just getting to 3:10 is tough enough. What I have a problem with (if I offend any women with what comes next, I don’t mean to. It’s nothing against anyone personally) is the RIDICULOUS notion that the women’s open qualifying time of 3:40, which will be 3:35, is somehow equal in its difficulty to the men’s qualifying times. The HALF HOUR time gap was a completely arbitrary number when it was established and is based on NOTHING. This is incredibly infuriating!
One suggestion that was being floated was to make the time difference between the men’s and women’s times the same gap between the respective world records (Men: 2:03:59, Women: 2:15:25). Hell, even make it an even 15 minutes! This is LUDICROUS.
(side note: The BAA website is getting slammed with traffic, so much so that I can’t pull up the story!)
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Happy Monday and happy Valentine’s day! Today is the beginning of a very interesting period in my life and I thought I’d take a minute to share some thoughts on where it began this morning and where it may be headed. It does have something to do with running, triathlon and the like so, read on!
Achilles
A few weeks back I mentioned that while out on a run on a day with a lot of ice on the ground I
over-extended my trailing leg and “tweaked” my achilles. Since then I’ve had to kind of knock back the intensity of some of my runs and, to be completely honest, I’ve not run 100% pain free since. I’m not sure that I’d call this a true injury per se, but rather a small stumbling block.
I had a run last Friday where I was feeling my oats a little bit and so I took it out quicker than I have been. I wasn’t in pain while running, but I was aware of the tweak. After my run (about 8.5 miles at about 7:00/mile), as soon as I stopped at the front door of my building and began walking in the hallway, my achilles lit up. P-A-I-N. It seemed that the pain came not really when I put pressure on it but rather when I took it off.
I stretched immediately but couldn’t take too much time since I still had to get to work (yes, I managed to make it out for a pre-dawn run). Throughout the day I forced myself to alter my walking gait so as to avoid any pain. I guess I looked like I was limping a bit but it was a self imposed limp rather than my body NEEDING to limp, so that has to be something.
On Saturday morning I headed out the door for a 2.5 hour brick workout. I had spoken to Coach Jeff the night before and he told me to just do the ride and to forget about the run. So my ride, which was scheduled to be 1.5 hours got upped to 2.5 hours. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to ride outside so this was a welcome change from the monotony of the indoor trainer. Upon getting on the bike my achilles, which had been largely immobilized and set in ice for most of the previous day, was feeling quite tight and sore. I made and effort to gently stretch it out when I could and after about 30 minutes of riding it loosened up and even let me ride some large-ish hills harder than I thought I’d be able to.
When not chasing my daughter and packing/cleaning, the rest of the day was spent, leg elevated and on ice. Sunday’s run was also canceled and we’re now in some odd stasis waiting to see how I feel this week. I don’t have a run scheduled until Wednesday and then I hope my patience and wisdom don’t lose out to ego and pigheadedness. There’s no point in sacrificing an entire season for a few missed runs.
As an aside, and not to go down the technical road; when I was home and able to, I spent the ENTIRE weekend in just socks. I even walked my dogs in just socks on Saturday night. When I was barefoot, I hardly felt anything at all. Today I decided to wear a pair of Newton Gravitas‘ to work since they’re effectively flat and thus far, I’m doing well.
The Subway
I got on the subway this morning (the ever so pleasant downtown 1 train) at my usual stop. The train was not very crowded and I easily got a seat at the end of a row. I tend to go for those seats since that means that I’ll only have one person squeezing in beside me rather than two. The train went from my stop (215th St.) to about 110th St. without incident, or even that much of a crowd. At 110th St. a bunch of people got on the train including one of those people who like to stand IN the doorway and block the door for those trying to get on and off the train even though there is plenty of room to stand elsewhere.
It was this door-standing, super classy individual that started my day off on the wrong foot. This guys elbow was just about level with my ear. Since he was holding onto the rail attached to the seat I was sitting in, this is not out of the ordinary and no big deal. However, as the doors would open, he would lean basically into my seat (yes, I’m aware of the sometimes overstated “American bubble” that we prefer and are spoiled with. That said, I’ve been on a subway in Japan at rush hour and I know what “close” really is). Each time he did this he was coming about 9 inches across where he needed to be and he would push, not very hard but just inconsiderately so, his arm into my head. He did not say, “I’m sorry” or even acknowledge this annoying and obvious invasion of my space.
Now, had this been simply an invasion of my “space” and not an actual instance of me being touched repeatedly in the head by some stranger, I would not really have a problem with it. At about 72nd St. there was a rather aggressive push of my head with this guy’s elbow. So, I put my hand on my head, in between my head and his arm and gently moved his arm away and said, “Excuse me, your arm keeps hitting my head.” I didn’t say this loudly of in any kind of a rude tone. The rest of the conversation went like this:
Douchey McA-hole: Don’t touch me again.
Me: I’m sorry?
Douchey McA-hole: I said, don’t touch me again.
Me: I’m sorry but you’ve been hitting me in the head with your arm for the last forty blocks.
Douchey McA-hole: I’m just trying to let people on and off the train.
Me: Well, you could go stand somewhere where you won’t have to do that and hit me in the head.
Douchey McA-hole: Don’t touch me again.
Me: If you don’t touch me again then we won’t have a problem.
Douchey McA-hole: Don’t touch me again.
Me: Or what?
Douchey McA-hole: *silence*
He got off the train at 59th St. (Columbus Circle) without further incident. I don’t like confrontation, but when I’m put in that situation, with someone literally standing over me (since he was standing and I was sitting) my hackles rise very quickly. However, I did maintain a calm demeanor which was bolstered by the very nice woman next to me who was encouraging me to ignore him since he was clearly “that kind of person”. I just don’t get it. Why do people have to be like that? I was tempted to stand up and just stare at the guy since I had about 20 pounds and 3 inches on him, but I figured that would only serve to exacerbate an already tense situation.
So, Douchey McA-hole, have a happy Monday and I’m not hoping at all that you get dropped like a sack of potatoes by someone with less patience than I have.
Looking forward
Danielle and I are going to Milwaukee this week to sing Mozart’s Così fan tutte with Skylight Opera. Being there will be a nice break from living in New York for a while, though I must admit that I doubt it will instill in me the affection that some feel for this town.
While there I hope to take Gearist TV on tours of SRAM, Saris and Trek Bikes. Gearist is doing well and is further expanding passions of mine that have been emerging for a while. Upon returning from Milwaukee, we will be looking to the future. Our lease is up in October and we are moving. We don’t know where just yet but to us, anywhere is better than here.
The spring and summer will be spent training hard and racing. The biggest race of the season of course, is Ironman Canada. I’m still toying with the idea of doing a 24 hour live podcast to help raise money for Athletes for a Cure (PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE!!). If I do do a live 24 hours show I am certainly going to need people to call in and stop by to keep me awake!
I’ll be touching more on the reasons and desires of our move in the coming months as well as the direction we’re moving in. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.
Photo: Donald Miralle/Getty Images
This is Kelly Gneiting. He is a sumo wrestler. He currently weighs 410 pounds. He is a marathoner.
In 2008 Gneiting completed the Los Angeles Marathon in 11:52:11. At the time his weight was about the same as it is now, and should have put him in the Guinness Book of World Records. However, the guidelines for this particular record, according to Guinness, say that the entire race must be filmed and that the runner must be weighed immediately before as well as immediately after the race.
The current record stands at 275 pounds, though after searching the Guinness website I don’t seem to be able to find it (if you are able, please send me the link). Training every day, with a long run of 6 miles on Saturdays, Gneiting hopes to complete the 2011 L.A. Marathon on March 20 in somewhere between nine and eleven hours.
I may be late to the party on this bit of news, but here it is! Apolo Anton Ohno, an 8-time Olympic medalist, will be running the 2011 New York City Marathon. His training for the marathon will make him take off the next season of short track speed skating, but he stops short of actually saying that he’s retiring from the sport that made him famous. The official announcement of Ohno’s NYC Marathon ambitions is scheduled for this Friday, February 11.
[Full Story: Apolo Ohno goes from short track to NYC marathon]
As I’ve said in the past, we all know someone who has been affected by prostate cancer. Many of us, however, have no idea what affects te proliferation of prostate cancer and what we can do to beat it to the punch.
I came across this site today and it goes into some wonderful detail about prostate health and prevention. From screening to prostatitis and into the side effects of prostate disorders such as erectile dysfunction, this site includes an impressive list of resources and survivor stories.
Gear news and reviews at GEARIST.COM!
Draft Legal age group racing in Florida
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If you’ve ever done a triathlon in the United States chances are, drafting on the bike leg was illegal. In it’s rules USA Triathlon (USAT) takes the time to lay out the rules for drafting and how they are interpreted.
In USAT racing drafting is grouped among the “Position fouls”. Below is the text from that section of the USAT rules [LINK](you can skip to the end for the good part if you want!).
5.10 Position Fouls. In accordance with the Rules as set forth in this section, a participant is not permitted to position his bicycle in the proximity of another moving vehicle so as to benefit from reduced air resistance. While on the cycling course, participants shall not work together to improve performance, efficiency, or position by teamwork or other joint conduct. A variable time penalty shall be imposed for any violation of this section. This section shall not apply to off-road triathlons and duathlons and shall be excluded from enforcement at those events.
a. Drafting. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, while on the cycling course, no participant shall permit his drafting zone to intersect with or remain intersected with the drafting zone of another cyclist or that of a motor vehicle. With respect to a motor vehicle (including authorized race vehicles); it is the athlete’s responsibility to move out of the vehicle’s drafting zone or to continually communicate to the vehicle to move away.
b. Definition of Drafting Zone. The term “drafting zone” shall refer to a rectangular area seven (7) meters long and two (2) meters wide surrounding each bicycle. The longer sides of the zone begin at the leading edge of the front wheel and run backward parallel to the bicycle; the front wheel divides the short side of the zone into two equal parts. With respect to a moving motor vehicle, the “drafting zone” is a rectangular area extending 15 meters to each side of the vehicle and 30 meters behind the vehicle.
c. Right-of -Way. A participant is generally entitled to assume any otherwise proper location on the cycling course provided that the participant arrives in the position first without contacting another participant. When taking a position near another participant, however, a cyclist shall not crowd the other participant and shall allow reasonable space for the other participant to make normal movement without making contact.
d. Blocking. Cyclists must not block or obstruct the progress of another participant.
e. Passing. A participant who approaches another cyclist from the rear or from another unfavorable position bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul even if the cyclist being approached alters speed. A participant must not attempt to pass another cyclist unless adequate space is available and the athlete is confident of his/her ability to pass the other cyclist. All passing is to be done to the left of the cyclist being overtaken unless otherwise specified.
f. Position. Except for reasons of safety and when no advantage is gained, all cyclists shall keep to the right of the prescribed course unless passing.
g. Being Overtaken. When the leading edge of the front wheel of one cyclist passes beyond the front wheel of another cyclist, the second cyclist has been “overtaken” within the meaning of these Rules. A cyclist who has been overtaken bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul and must immediately move to the rear and out of the drafting zone of the passing cyclist. The overtaken cyclist shall first move completely out of the drafting zone of the other cyclist before attempting to re-pass the other cyclist.
h. Exceptions. A participant may enter the drafting zone without penalty only under the following conditions:
(1) When entering the drafting zone from the rear, closing the gap, and overtaking all within no more than 15 seconds.
(2) When cyclist reduces speed for safety reasons, for course blockage, for an aid station, for an emergency, when entering or exiting a transition area, or when making a turn of 90 degrees or more; or
(3) When USA Triathlon or the Head Referee expressly excludes a section of the bicycle course from the position foul rules because of overly narrow lanes, construction, detours, or a similar reason.
5.10A Position Fouls. Rule for Elites(a) Drafting. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, while on the cycling course, no participant shall permit his drafting zone to intersect with or remain intersected with the drafting zone of another participant or that of a motor vehicle. With respect to a motor vehicle (including authorized race vehicles); it is the athlete’s responsibility to continually communicate to the vehicle to move away.
(b) Definition of Drafting Zone. The term “drafting zone” shall refer to a rectangular area ten (10) meters long and two (2) meters wide surrounding each bicycle. The longer sides of the zone begin at the leading edge of the front wheel and run backward parallel to the bicycle; the front wheel divides the short side of the zone into two equal parts. With respect to a moving motor vehicle, the “drafting zone” is a rectangular area extending one meter to each side of the vehicle and fifteen (15) meters behind the vehicle.
(c) Exceptions. A participant may enter the drafting zone without penalty only pursuant to the following exceptions:
(1) When entering the drafting zone from the rear, closing the gap, and overtaking all within no more than 15 seconds; or
(2) When cyclists reduce speed for safety reasons, for course blockage, for an aid station, for an emergency, when entering or exiting a transition area, or when making a turn of 90 degrees or more.
(d) Position on Course/Right-of-Way. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, a participant is generallyentitled to assume any otherwise proper location on the cycling course provided that the participant arrives in position first without contacting another participant.
(e) Staggered Positioning. All cyclists must assume and maintain a staggered riding position relative to the cyclist directly ahead; no cyclist may maintain a position on the course directly in line with a cyclist directly ahead. This staggered position must be maintained even if the cyclist is outside of the drafting zone and following at a distance of greater than ten (10) meters.
(f) Blocking. Cyclists who have assumed a proper position must not block or obstruct the progress of another participant.
(g) Position and Passing. A participant must not attempt to pass another cyclist unless adequate space is available and he is confident of his ability to overtake and pass the other cyclist. A participant who approaches another cyclist from the rear or from another unfavorable position bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul even if the cyclist being approached decreases speed.
(h) Overtaken. When the leading edge of the front wheel of one cyclist passes beyond the front wheel of another cyclist, the second cyclist has been “overtaken” within the meaning of these Rules. A cyclist who has been overtaken bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul and must immediately move to the side or to the rear and out of the drafting zone of the passing cyclist. An overtaken cyclist shall first move completely out of the drafting zone before attempting to re-pass another cyclist. In no case, however, shall a participant move into the path of another participant possessing the right-of-way.
PHEW! Now, with all that being said, there is a new race about to break onto the scene that is a DRAFT LEGAL race that IS sanctioned by USAT! This race will take place in Clermont, Florida in March and is the idea of one Mr. Jarrod Shoemaker. Below is a link to an interview he did recently with Slowtwitch discussing the first ever Draft Legal Challenge atClermont.
Much has been made in the past of the Crowie and Macca rivalry. In fact, you may have even heard some hints of it in my interview with Crowie [LINK]. Usually we have to wait until Kona to see Crowie and Macca go head to head, but this year we’ll get to see them early! Both World Champs will be in the Abu Dhabi International triathlon which takes place on Mach 12.
As many have said before (not the least of which is Macca himself), Macca is considered to be a stronger cyclist than Crowie. With that in mind, the unusual distance of the Abu Dhabi course will favore the 2010 Kona champ. The distances are: 3 km swim (approx. 1.86 mi.), 200 km bike (approx 124 mi.) and 20 k run (12.4 mi.).
TriCenter this week did a bit of a highlight on the two heavyweights as they gear up for an early season showdown.
TriSports.com Phoenix Triathlon
Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island
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Prostate cancer affects everyone, even those that may seem above it all. Here’s a short, but seemingly long, list of some rather famous people who’ve fought the disease. Some have won and some have tragically lost. Please click here to help me raise money for Athletes for a Cure and the Prostate Cancer Foundation on my way to the 2011 Ironman Canada.
Harry Belafonte: He was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer in 1996 and successfully treated. He is now a prostate cancer advocate, raising awareness of the disease in men.
Bill Bixby: Diagnosed in 1991. He succumbed to the disease on November 21, 1993.
James Brown: The Godfather of Soul was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004 but survived. He died of heart failure in 2006.
Robert DeNiro: The Academy Award winner was diagnosed with early-stage cancer in 2003 at the age of 60. He has kept details of his treatment private. His father died of prostate cancer at the age of 71.
Sen. Bob Dole: Diagnosed in 1991 and successfully treated, he became an outspoken prostate cancer advocate. He became a spokesperson for Viagra because of the problems prostate cancer survivors often experience with erectile dysfunction.
Robert Frost: The poet was diagnosed in 1962, had a radical prostatectomy the same year, and died in 1963.
Rudy Giuliani: The former New York City mayor was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April 2000 and had surgery to implant radioactive seeds in September 2000. Giuliani’s father died from prostate cancer in 1981 at the age of 73.
Robert Goulet: Diagnosed in 1993 at the age of 60 after a routine blood test for insurance purposes, Goulet underwent a radical prostatectomy and is now free of prostate cancer. Robert Goulet died in 2007 of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease.
Merv Griffin: Diagnosed in 2000 at the age of 75 and underwent 7 weeks of radiation therapy.
Alec Guinness: While battling glaucoma, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 2000. In July 2000, he was diagnosed with advanced liver cancer and died a month later on August 5, 2000.
Langston Hughes: Died on May 22, 1967 at the age of 65 after complications from abdominal surgery related to prostate cancer.
John Kerry: The former presidential candidate was diagnosed in late 2002 with early-stage prostate cancer and had successful nerve-sparing prostate cancer surgery in 2003. Kerry’s father died of prostate cancer in 2000 at the age of 85.
Timothy Leary: The 1960s counterculture icon died from the disease in 1996 at the age of 75.
Phil Lesh : The Grateful Dead bassist announced that he was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer in October 2006.
Nelson Mandela: Diagnosed in 2001 with early-stage cancer. He underwent seven weeks of radiotherapy and made a full recovery.
Roger Moore: The former 007 was successfully treated with surgery in 1993.
Pablo Neruda: Died of the disease in 1973 at the age of 69.
Laurence Olivier: Diagnosed in 1967 and underwent radiation treatment that successfully eradicated the cancer.
Jerry Orbach: The Law and Order star died from the disease in Dec. 28, 2004 at the age of 69.
Linus Pauling: The Nobel Prize winner was diagnosed in 1991 at the age of 90 and died of the disease in 1994.
Colin Powell: In 2003, he underwent surgery for early-stage prostate cancer and made a full recovery.
Johnny Ramone: The Ramones guitarist died in 2004 at the age of 55 after a five-year battle with the disease.
Telly Savalas: The “Kojak” star died of the disease in 1994 at the age of 70.
Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf: Diagnosed in 1993 and underwent successful surgery.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau: The Prime Minister of Canada died of prostate cancer in 2000 at the age of 80.
Bishop Desmond Tutu: Diagnosed after a routine exam in 1996. He was treated in the United States with hormone therapy and radiation.
Earl Woods: Tiger Woods’ father was diagnosed in 1998 and successfully treated with radiation, but the cancer returned more aggressively in 2004. Woods died on May 3, 2006 at the age of 74.
Frank Zappa: Died of complications from the disease on December 4, 1993 at the age of 52.
Floyd Landis wants to legalize doping(?)
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IronBrandon reader/listener Chris ran the Walt Disney World Marathon on January 10, 2011. He sent over this email and the awesome pictures below it. (I’m SUPER jealous of his medal/Newton pics!)
Hi Brandon
Just wanted to drop you a quick note and let you know, after hearing about Newtons on your show, I purchased my first pair at the MCM expo in Oct ‘10. I ran the Disney marathon in my Newtons over the weekend and it felt great. I’ve had issues in the past with losing toe-nails and other knee pains – but not this time. I had a number of runners ask me how I liked my Newton’s and I gave them my experience and reasons for switching. I also had a TSA agent come up to me and ask me “what are those??” when I put them in the tray to go through x-ray. He said he was a boater and they looked like great deck shoes! And on the way to the airport, we stopped at a convenience store. These two teenagers came up to me and said “hey man, cool kicks”. That is something I don’t often hear.
I have included a few images from Sunday’s run.
Enjoy//Chris
01.21.2011– January 21, 2011 – Philadelphia Triathlon, LLC, owners of the SheROX Triathlon Series, and Life Time Fitness, Inc. (NYSE:LTM) today announced a multi-year partnership expanding SheROX to a nine event international series beginning in 2011. The expanded SheROX Triathlon Series includes five races from traditional SheROX markets (Asbury Park, NJ; Aurora, Colo.; Philadelphia; Webster, Mass. and Bermuda), three existing races from the long-running U.S. Women’s Triathlon Series (USWTS) (Naperville, Ill., Federal Way, Wash., and San Diego), and one new event (Detroit). The 2011 SheROX Series features race weekends in the following cities:
SheROX Naperville, Illinois – June 11-12
SheROX Aurora, Colorado – July 9-10
SheROX Federal Way, Washington – July 9-10
SheROX Detroit, Michigan – July 16-17
SheROX Webster, Massachusetts – TBD
SheROX Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – August 6-7
SheROX Asbury Park, New Jersey – August 27-28
SheROX San Diego, California – October 15-16
SheROX Bermuda – November 5-6
“Since 2007, we’ve established SheROX as one of the top brands in women’s triathlon,” said Richard Adler, CEO, Philadelphia Triathlon, LLC, owner and operator of the SheROX Series. “Through our new partnership with Life Time Fitness, we have a fantastic opportunity to continue our rapid growth and introduce the SheROX Experience to more women across the country, including the extensive and active female members of Life Time Fitness. Through our combined efforts more women will truly get engaged and passionate about the sport of triathlon.”
“Life Time is excited to be partnering in the growth of the SheROX Triathlon Series,” said Ken Cooper, vice president, Life Time Fitness Endurance. “Helping expand this brand across the country offers more opportunities for women of all ages to compete in the sport of triathlon, emphasizing physical fitness, healthy nutrition and the achievement of personal goals.”
The Series will continue to feature the successful programming elements and benefits which have made SheROX so popular highlighted by the SheROX Mentor Program. The complimentary SheROX Mentor Program pairs participants with an experienced female triathlete who is passionate about the sport. Mentors provide information and motivation helping women with their expectations during training and on race day. Mentors are available via e-mail and proactively send regular tips and suggestions to address individual needs and concerns. The Mentor Program also includes regular e-newsletters, group workouts, informational meetings, clinics and social get-togethers helping women prepare for and truly enjoy their SheROX experience.
“Since its inception, over 7,000 women have participated in the SheROX Mentor Program, led by over 200 mentors across the country,” said Barb McKeever, SheROX Series Director. “Both first-timers and experienced athletes count on SheROX and the Mentor Program to keep them informed and on track to achieve their triathlon goals. By providing a great overall race experience, the expanded SheROX Triathlon Series will continue to encourage and support more women to a healthier and more active lifestyle.”
The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) — the long-time charitable partner of the USWTS – serves as the Official Charitable Partner of the 2011 SheROX Triathlon Series. OCRF is dedicated to the formulation of early diagnostic treatment programs and research toward the ultimate conquest of ovarian cancer. SheROX athletes will have the opportunity to join “Team Hope”– pledging to raise funds for OCRF as they race.
Online registration is currently open for most SheROX events. For more information of the 2011 SheROX Triathlon Series, visit www.SheROXTri.com or follow the Series on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/SheROXTriathlon or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SheROXTriathlon.
Help get me to Ironman Canada with Team Newton and Athletes for a Cure!
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Lance Armstrong has officially pulled out of his much anticipated re-entry into triathlon. Juan Pelota, Armstrong’s swimming, biking and running alter-ego has said that he will be pulling out of the January 29th Blue Lake multisports festival in New Zealand due to a sore left knee.
Regardless of his knee situation, Lance will be riding in the Tour Down Under (January 16-23) which has has said will likely be his last professional cycling race outside the US.
Hopefully the layoff from running won’t last too long for Lance since his long time coach, Chris Carmichael has already said that the seven time Tour de France Champion will indee be toeing the line at the 2011 Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii in October. I know that I’d certainly like to see what Lance can do in the triathlon world and based on all the buzz, I’m far from alone!
[LINK]
Honey Stinger Grassroots Sponsorship Program
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As they stated earlier in the year, the Boston Athletic Association intends to make many changes to the registration procedures for the Boston Marathon in the future. In the story linked below, race director Dave McGillivray alludes to “a few innovative approaches” to the registration process.
This is, of course, on the heels of the most abbreviated registration period in the history of the Boston Marathon. A period that used to be open for several months before selling out, this year sold out in some eight hours, leaving many valid Boston qualifiers shut out of the 2011 race.
When seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong toes the line in his return to triathlon in January, he will certainly have to bring his A-game and then some to step up to the competition. New Zealand pro Bevan Docherty will join Lance at the Blue Lake Multisport Festival as well as long distance pros Bryan Rhodes and Kieran Doe.
Not that anyone expects the competition to lay down for Lance, but one has to wonder if he thought he’d be facing athletes of this caliber when he hinted to this event under his alter-ego @JuanPelota when he tweeted:
“I’m thinking the first tri is here… 38°12′S 176°20′E”
If you’re wondering why I keep referring to this as Lance’s “return” to triathlon, it’s because before he was the yellow clad cyclist we know now, he became a professional triathlete at the age of 16. In fact in 1989 and 1990 Armstrong was the national sprint course triathlon champion.
He’ll also be in Kona next October, so this race marks the beginning of a very exciting chapter in his sports career. Oh, and the name “Juan Pelota”? Google translate and a little bit of humor helps.
Runner’s World reported yesterday (link below) that Kara Goucher has chosen the 2011 Boston Marathon to be her first marathon following the birth of her first child, colt this past September. From what she says in the RW article, the 2009 Boston Marathon 3rd place finisher can’t think of a better place to make her return. [LINK]
Prior to Boston, however, Kara has her eye set on some other goals. In 2009 she won the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon beating ALL other comers, male and female alike. Next year, when she heads to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Half Marathon on January 16, she’s got someone specific in her sights. Mario Fraioli from competitor.com has made it clear that he wants to beat Kara. So, in true badass fashion, Kara wants to beat him! Should be a great race! [LINK]
You’ve got to hand it to him, Richard Branson is brilliant when it comes to PR. The event will take place on the weekend of July 30-31 in the Docklands and it will be the 15th anniversary of the race. Branson’s company, Virgin Active, has signed a three year title sponsorship with the event in which 13,000 people take part.
Listener Jeff just sent this article to me. It is a very cool idea of a high school marathon relay running alongside the pro runners at this weekend’s Dallas White Rock Marathon. While the idea is interesting and it will undoubtedly bring even more attention to running and marathons in particular, I can see some problems with it as well as a cacophonous protest from many people over at Letsrun. Should be interesting! Click the link below to read the full article.
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We’ve arrived at that time of year (Ok, I’ve arrived at that time of year). The major marathons are over, triathlon season is hanging on to the last vestiges of warmth in the Northern Hemisphere and many of us are still digging our way out of a Thanksgiving and football induced coma. We have arrived at “The Off Season”.
As I look back at the past few months, since the remnants of the previous off season gave way to flowers and warmth, and I begin to lay out the next few months of my schedule, I’m actually quite surprised at how much “on season” stuff I’ll be doing. If you read or heard my race report from the 2010 Philadelphia Marathon or the comments that followed, you may have noticed that I really didn’t race that much this year and now that I’m not in über hard core training, I actually find myself wanting to race more.
2010 began well enough with a new half marathon PR in the Manhattan Half Marathon (part of the New York Road Runners half marathon series). That race marked a few firsts; the first time I had someone pacing me (thanks @RunningLam!), the first time I felt like I really “raced” a race of that distance no matter how humble my actual time was and also the first time I went into a race with a very distinct plan and was able to stick to it. I found that this race also got me moving in a solidly good direction in terms of my running. In fact, less than a month after this race I broke my PR time of 1:35:20 quite easily by over two minutes…during a workout!
The next race up was Ironman 70.3 Mooseman in June. Seeing as I had not been in an actual race since June, I was already falling into a pattern of training and not racing. Mooseman went quite well all thing considered such as the torrential downpour, hills that I was not quite expecting and the mud pit that was transition. Little side note, I set a new half marathon PR of 1:35:08 which should tell you something about the direction of my fitness since that was after a 1.2 mile swim and a 56 mile, HILLY bike ride.
Next up was the New York City Triathlon in the middle of July. It was a reasonably good race though I managed to swallow about half the Hudson River during the swim only to almost puke it up on the bike. Going into this race I had the goal of getting my elite time (2:15) and I did get that time…by 15 seconds. I’ll take it but I know that I can do better and while I’m not scheduled to race the NYC Tri this summer, I will be back and I will kill it.
By this point in the year I had only done three races and was training far to hard. Now, I don’t want this to appear as though I was being told to train as hard as I was. In fact, coach Jeff was constantly telling me to reign it in on my workouts and I and my ego didn’t want to listen. Yes, I was going faster and farther but I was in the process of peaking far too early. About a month before my biggest race of the year, Ironman Louisville, my body shut down and refused to go. For about a week I simply could not put together any solid workouts at all. During this time and in the rest of the lead up to Louisville, coach Jeff deserves a massive amount of credit from bringing me back from what could have easily been the end of my season right there.
If you’re not already aware, my Ironman Louisville ended in a medical DNF. This was due to still unexplained cramping throughout my whole body. Shortly after IML, I resolved to get back and do something and so I signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon and shortly following that, I went to the Chicago Marathon with Newton Running (GREATEST RUNNING COMPANY/SHOES EVER) and while there had the opportunity to pace my brother-in-law in his first ever marathon. The run was amazing and I had a blast but I wouldn’t exactly call it a race.
Last weekend when the Philadelphia Marathon rolled around and I wound up in the porta-jon at mile 11, my race quickly switched from the full marathon to the half. This led to countless conversations since then about WHY. The answer that seems to be coming around was racing. See, in 2009 I raced in 15 different events and this year (2010) only 6.
Maybe I’m wrong about why Philly went bad and maybe it’s something that we’re all missing. I also have to give a big, unsolicited shout to Newton Running and to Jeff for keeping me injury free for so long (knock on wood)!
For now I’m going to race more. I’m going to have fun and I’m going to just enjoy the “off season” and really, REALLY use it to build strength. Hopefully when I come out on the other side of this period of the year it won’t feel like an off season at all but will have me itching to swim, bike and run FAST. Meanwhile, I’ll also be doing the stuff that winter allows for; skiing, hiking, camping, cross country and introducing my 8 month old daughter to the amazing world we live in.
How does your off season look so far?
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Disclaimer: This post, while not too gross, will be WAY more than I ever wanted to share. Here’s to painful honesty!
For me, the 2010 Philadelphia Marathon was something of a redemptive race. I ran the race last year and after stopping to pee at the halfway mark had a vasovagal episode which found me puking up all of my nutrition and messing up the rest of my race. It was also an important race since it would be my first race since my medical DNF at Ironman Louisville in August. I did run the Chicago Marathon this year on 10/10, but that race was run with me as pacer for my brother-in-law so while I had a blast and a great run, it wasn’t “my” race. So, Philly 2010 was important to me.
@RunningLam and I would be driving down together since he would be going to Philly for his second consecutive shot at the half marathon. The way the races are set up is that the racers for both event start and run the first 13 or so miles together and then the half marathoners split off to the finish line while the marathoners keep going [COURSE MAP]. We drove down on Saturday morning and got into town just in time to meet up with several online friends for a great lunch at the Marathon Grill. Special thanks to @EricaSara for organizing everything.
After lunch Lam and I headed to our hotel to check in and then made our way to the Pennsylvania Convention Center for the expo. Check in was very easy and quick with plenty of volunteers and staffers helping guide racers to the correct place. The expo itself was not so great. I think the problem is that Philly is kind of a second (or so) tier marathon and is after all of the big races. It also happened that it took place on the same weekend as The Running Event in Austin, Texas and Ironman Arizona so I’m sure a lot of exhibitors may have chosen those larger events over this one. We probably spent about an hour total at the expo and decided to head back to the hotel to rest for a bit before going to grab dinner.
I think now would be as good a time as any to address food. For my races, especially for dinner the night before a race, I tend to call Coach Jeff to ask what is best for me to eat. For lunch on Saturday I had a nice blend of protein and carbs in the form of a very well made burger for lunch and for dinner I had a grilled chicken salad with a side of rice. I was feeling absolutely fine and was hydrating well. When I was about to go to bed I remembered that I had not (get ready for the over-share) used the bathroom that day…let’s just say #2 (blush). I didn’t think anything of it and just figured I would go in the morning.
I slept well and woke up as usual before any race, with plenty of time to wake up in the shower. Before getting in the shower however, I tried to do what I had not had to do the night before. Still a no go. Still feeling fine and not worried about it, I showered and finished the rest of my race morning rituals. I had a whole grain English muffin with sunflower butter and jelly and water.
Since we were literally 2 minutes from the starting area we didn’t have to brave to cold too much beforehand. As we got to the corrals Lam and I wished each other luck and parted ways. I got into my corral and was right with the 3:20 pace group. The wheelchair racers went off first shortly followed by the elite field. When it was my turn there was surprising little traffic. Yes, there were still a lot of people but I think since I was much farther up in the corrals than last year there was a much more down-to-business approach with the faster group and people seemed to hold their lines much better.
I was feeling great and pleasantly surprised at the good pacing being done by the pacer (last year’s 3:30 pacer was running 7:15/mile at about mile 14). I actually had to reign myself in a couple times to keep from going too far off the front. The temperature, which was a cool 38° F at the start had come up a couple of degrees and felt fantastic. I was having a wonderful time and running well.
At about mile 5 I started to feel like I had eaten a huge bowl of gnocchi and got a little uncomfortable. I pushed this feeling out of my mind and focused on the fact that I was otherwise feeling great and running well. As the miles wore on this feeling did not go away and began to become increasingly uncomfortable. Miles 6-10 (approx.) are hilly, both up and down and are deceptively so when looking at the course map and elevation. The last, longer hill just before the 10 mile marker put the hurt on a lot of people and agitated my stomach big time. I quickly realized that it was important that I get to a bathroom SOON.
I stopped at a bank of porta-jons somewhere near mile 11. I felt awful. That’s all I have to say about that.
Upon leaving the restroom I quickly realized that I had to make a decision. I could finish with the half marathon group or I could stop at porta-jons for the next 15 miles. My stomach quickly told me which option to choose and I laid down 2 very fast miles (about 6:15′s) to the finish line of the half. I kept running past the finish and directly to the restrooms…again.
I’m not quite sure yet how I feel about this race. Part of me thinks that I should just call it a solid half marathon and leave it at that. Another part of me says, “Yeah, but you signed up for the marathon.”. I will say this though, at least I can kind of put my finger on what went wrong and why. Moving forward, I’m going to aim to race more. This past year I haven’t raced much. I have trained a LOT, but I have neglected the short, local races that allow athletes to get into the often hazardous and elating head-space of racing.
The race as an event is a really great production. While it is a smaller race, the energy and the way that the city of Philadelphia rolls out the red carpet is really heartfelt and wonderful. The temperature the past two years has been optimal for running a marathon. I’m not sure that I’ll do this race again any time soon simply because of the bad experiences that I’ve had, but those experiences were mine alone and should in no way reflect on this race. I had a great time and after getting of two days worth of food sitting in my stomach I felt like a millions bucks, bruised ego aside.
This morning I read the below linked article from Runner’s World. It references entry into the 2011 Boston Marathon. If you’re not familiar with the incredible deluge of unhappy BQ’ers this year, I’ll give a brief summary.
In years past registration for the Boston Marathon has taken months to fill up for those qualified runners. However, when the registration for the 2011 running of the famous race opened on October 18, the race filled up in about eight hours. Obviously this angered many of those who had qualified to run but were knocked out simply by timing.
At the time the Boston Athletic Association came out and basically said, “Sorry“. Well, apparently now they’ve decided to extend entries to some of those that reported having “problems” registering on October 18 that prevented them from entering in time. Sounds to me like they still don’t have their ducks in a row, but I guess it’s better than nothing.
Natural Running: The Simple Path to Stronger, Healthier Running (By Danny Abshire with Brian Metzler)
London 2012 Olympics runs into Ramadan
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Last week when checking race dates for 2011 I was made aware that The World Triathlon Organization had scheduled The Ironman World Championships on Yom Kippur, October 8,2011.
For those of you unaware of the status of this holiday to the Jewish Nation, you should know this is by far the Holiest Time of the Year for Jews World Wide. This is the day of atonement, the day Jews around the world bring their sins to G-d. For Catholic’s this is equivalent to Lent, making a sacrifice for 40 days through the day of Resurrection. For many other other faiths, you might consider it being asked to schedule a race on any Holy Day that mandates sacrificing time to your belief. In fact all practicing Jews are required to fast for 25 hours on this day. Making fueling just a bit dangerous.
I sent WTC a request to find out their feeling on this gross oversight. This is how the email conversation transpired. Athlete Services Coordinator Evan Brown answered my question of how this oversight could happen with these words.
“Thank you for your e-mail and interest in the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship. We are aware that next year’s event coincides with Yom Kippur. Despite this conflict, we are committed to maintaining its original date of October 8th, 2011. ” Evan went on to explain that Kailua Pier need to be closed the entire event week due to safety issues and event happenings. This I understand.
Evan continued by saying; “We realize how difficult the decision between the dream of competing in Kona and the observance of such an important religious holiday will be for our athletes. As hard as it is, we aren’t able to accommodate the needs of each and every athlete without jeopardizing the entire event.
I responded to Evan I understood and would inform my Jewish team mates and Jewish triathletes friends that Ironman is leaving the choice up to them; Follow your faith or race!
Evan again responded and explain, “The date was chosen in 2006 and he could assure me all considerations were taken into account.” I think Google may have been around then? A simple search for Yom Kippur dates turns up the actual dates for any year.
Hmm, so what went on at that meeting. Oh, Yom Kippur is on the proposed race date for 2008? What do we do? Whats our Jewish particpant level? Pretty minimal. Okay move ahead.
I’m not out to start a religious debate with WTC and I’m not hurling anti-semitic accusations against WTC. I’m just thinking this is another insensitive lack of fore thought and decision on their part. Need I mention the recent Access Program. I even suggested a reasonable solution to offer Jewish Triathletes that qualify for the 2011 race an option to carry that over to 2012. This was met with a resounding no can do as well.
So I’m left with a sinking feeling that the sport of triathlon that started at the grass roots level to give everyman a unique physical and mental challenge has tossed that feeling by the wayside. It seems WTC has turned Ironman into a cash cow with cash concerns only As a businessman I get that too.
What I don’t get is WTC’s refusal to make allowances for Jewish Triathletes that qualify this year to use that qualification in 2012. Would that really be such a difficult thing to do? Maybe it would work for WTC if all Jewish Ironman participants paid a special High Holiday $1000 fee, this would allow them to carry over their 2011 qualification to 2012, and get the a nice membership card and subscription to Lava Magazine.
Be Healthy, Train Smart, Have Fun
Coach Jeff
Dr. Daniel Lieberman, The Barefoot Professor
Hit and run driver being let off with a misdemeanor
SIGN THE PETITION TO KEEP FELONY CHARGES IN PLACE
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By Erin Cockrill
Sometimes you have to go back to the very beginning. For me that meant going back to my first race, the very one where I learned the rush of the finishing chute and the novelty of earning my very first medal. Long Beach International City Bank Marathon and Half-Marathon is where it all began for me.
The pre-race information has been great on all levels starting with confirmation of my entry to training opportunities to right up to race week with final instructions. We always opt to stay in Long Beach the night before the race, partly for tradition, partly for convenience. There are a plethora of hotel options near the race start, but we booked at least 6 months in advance, and even then the race weekend discounted rates had been sold out. Luckily my awesome husband has plenty of points so we avoided that cost. We got down to Long Beach around 4pm the afternoon before the race- the expo starts on Friday and runs all day Saturday through 6pm. Part of the pre-race information from the organizers, RUN Racing, included emails with our bib numbers so we didn’t have to stand at that table searching endlessly for our bib numbers in order to go to the correct table. We grabbed our bibs, complete with our D-tag timing chips and headed over to T-Shirt pick up. The shirts this year are probably one of the best tech shirts I have ever received. V-neck for the women, crewneck for the men, it actually fits well and is a good material that wicks well. Plus number 1. Next stop was to pick up our swag bag. Reusable, drawstring. Plus number 2. Oh, and this whole process was completely well organized with friendly staff.
Now, of course you can’t get out of there without walking through the entire expo, which in comparison to Maui, was completely geared towards runners and athletes. Upcoming races, charity training programs and of course plenty of Gu to be had at almost every booth. We grabbed some Gu’s and were on our way- we didn’t need anything else so it was time to grab a beer and some food and relax. I allow myself to have at least one glass of wine or a beer, because I find it relaxes me.
Originally, I had started on a training plan to set a new PR, but as it tends to go, I was sick for a few key weeks of training and so I had to put those goals aside. So this was a race where I was going to give it my best and just see what happened. Maybe it would give me the desired result, maybe not, but either way, this is a fun race. Race morning we woke up at the very decent time of 5:45am. This race has a wave start, and our wave was scheduled for 7am, however I knew from prior experience that I needed to be walking to the starting line by 6:30- it takes a while to walk there, even staying across the street. The walk over was definitely not lonely as there were masses of runners in all sorts of gear walking along side of us. We made it with 10 minutes to go and made our way as close as we could to our wave starting group.
The gun went off and we were on our way. It took us 4 minutes to get to the first mat. Not surprising at all given the field size. This is an out and back course with both Marathoners and Half- Marathoners starting at the same place at the same time. We didn’t have time for a quick bathroom break before the race started as the lines were typically long at the starting ling, so we made the decision to run until the first station, which happened to be at mile 2. That is the one downside of being well hydrated I suppose. I have found that as a long distance athlete it takes me a while to get up to full speed, which I think in this case, hurt me in the end. But, moving on we finally got up to a pretty good pace and were holding steady through the majority of the race. The miles flew by and then we were running on the beach path, one of my favorite parts of the race. My husband didn’t like that part of the race because he felt that there were too many people trying to occupy a small area, but really if you are good about picking your line, much like skiing moguls, you can get to where you need to go. Personally at that point in the race, I don’t mind the close proximity of people- it makes it less lonely.
All along the course water stations were well stocked with PowerAde (made correctly this time), water and all along the course were oranges and bananas. Still no pretzels. Not sure when that became passe and luckily I didn’t need it as the weather was cloudy and cool- perfect for running, but still it has been a staple at most races in my short athletic career to this point. Gel was located at the mile 10 station.
Mile 10 and the dreaded Wall. This is where I started having some problems. My left hip cramped up and I immediately cursed the fact that I had missed some key long runs to push through that pain and ready my body for the effort. I kept pushing even though it hurt. Normally at this point in the race I might not have taken a walk break, but I needed it this time. One last Gu with caffeine and I got a short burst, but the last miles of this one were tough. Not because the course was tough, but because I was hurting. Mile 11 or so and the Marathoners split from the Half Marathoners- one guy almost missed his turn off- I had to laugh because there were race officials everywhere yelling out directions and he was so zoned out he wasn’t paying attention at all.
The chute was beckoning and the crowds were getting thicker. Usually, the adrenaline starts to kick in and my heart starts racing. That didn’t happen this time. Just put one foot in front of the other and you will make it- you are almost there. I passed a woman who was collapsed about 3/4 of a mile from the finish- she was in pain and there were people yelling at her to get up and finish- I didn’t look back to see what happened, but I hope she got up. Finally, I was across the line with a leap of joy. We have good days and bad days in racing- clearly this wasn’t a good day. But in the end, I still finished with a time that clearly wasn’t my best, but also wasn’t my worst, so I guess I should be happy about that.
At the finishing line I was greeted with my hardware, but no mylar blanket. I saw them on others, so I knew they existed, but we hadn’t gotten far enough down the line I guess yet. Because of the cloud cover, it was chilly, so when we finally got our blankets, it was a good thing. We stopped to get a quick picture- they had two photographers and the line was moving quickly. It was a good place to get a photo and it kept the athletes moving through the finishers chute. Then we wrapped around and got a bag with a banana, an apple, trail mix and a bar. The next set of tables had recovery- in the form of ice cold chocolate milk. It was pure heaven. Good touch LBC. After that, we made a beeline to the beer tent. Naturally. Sponsored by Michelob Ultra, every racer received a free beer. I do love my post- race beer. Additional giveaways included a box of food from Bubba Gump. We did not partake because we were going to enjoy waffles and fried chicken from Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles- but that is a totally different review. Also in the expo area were a smattering of merchandise booths, the requisite massage tent and some charity tents, which we passed by because really once you have been through one, you have been through them all unless you are looking for something specific.
Getting back to the hotel was a little bit of a challenge that could be remedied by some signage, but we eventually found our way and got back to our hotel. One of very few issues with this race, so really I will let them off the hook for this one. All in all, this is a well oiled machine and they treat the athletes well. This is a great race, whether you are going for a PR, to qualify for Boston, or just finish a Full or Half Marathon.
Stay tuned for a review of Surf City Half Marathon in February and hopefully a better day at the races for this athlete. Training begins for Desert Tri and subsequently Wildflower Long Course- reviews and training reports will be forthcoming.
I WISH I could be there for this event!! If you’re in NYC and want to get down with some celebrity runner in this year’s NYC marathon, check it out! (I’ll also be giving away an entry to the 2011 SF Marathon soon!)
Edward Norton and Robin Quivers, joined by hundreds of runners, athletes, fitness & wellness gurus, celebrities, philanthropists, sponsors and marathon fanatics alike will gather for The SF Marathon and Crowdrise Partnership Launch Party. “Gotham to Golden Gate” is putting New Yorkers and serious athletes to the test- daring them to run on SF’s turf and raise money for a cause.
After all that went down last week with the whole Ironman Access debacle, you’d think that Ironman (WTC) would really be making sure to be on their best behaivior for a while. Not so.
Ironman 70.3 Miami was this past weekend and according to many reports it was replete with problems. The complaints included (but were not limited to) the run course going over the same bridge EIGHT times. Bad layout and road conditions on the bike course. Also a amazing lack of water along the bike course leading some racers to pull over and try to fill their bottles with the remains of discarded bottle on the side of the course.
To be absolutely fair, Ironman did not produce this event themselves, rather it was put on by Paramount Productions, though the race was licensed and branded by WTC as an Ironman 70.3 event. Now however, Ironman has stepped in and will be running the race moving forward.
In response to this latest flop, Ironman has offered entrants in the race a complimentary entry into one of several 70.3 races next year. See the link below to read the full press release from Ironman.
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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