One foot in front of the other.
My trip to Louisville, Kentucky began at about 6 o’clock AM on August 26, 2010. Since I had so much stuff to bring, including my bike, helmet(s) and all my other race gear, some of which is quite bulky, I had decided to drive down rather than fly. From New York City, where I live, it is about a twelve hour drive. To be completely honest, the drive was rather boring and uneventful.
Upon arriving in Louisville and checking in to my hotel, I immediately headed to a nearby Wal-Mart super center to pick up some groceries. I was trying to keep my meals as on track as possible leading up to the race and, say what you want about Wal-Mart, but they had everything I needed to have the meals and snacks that Coach Jeff prescribed. After eating dinner and taking a bit to digest, I got right into bed and went to sleep.
The next morning, I didn’t have a very strict schedule of anything to do. So, after eating breakfast, showering and such I headed down to check myself in to the race and to visit the expo. Checking in was relatively painless and went by in about 15 or 20 minutes. The check-in process went like so:
After doing the check-in thing, it was on to the expo. A quick side-note on that; I think WTC (Ironman‘s parent company) is making a huge mistake by only having themselves as the sole vendor of general multisport “stuff” at these events. There are of course, other companies at the expo selling their products, but not really any multi-sport retailers other than Ironman. For instance, I needed two extra eight ounce Fuel Belt bottles. The Ironman store in the expo only sold Nathan products (that I could find) which do not fit in my Fuel Belt. So, I had to drive across town to what was actually a really great local multisport store, VO2 Multisport to find the bottles I needed. My point is, unless Ironman/WTC can somehow manage to have fewer exclusive deals and carry a wider range of products in their “store”, I think they’re hurting themselves and the athletes by boxing out stores that might be able to provide some of the things they cannot.
In the expo, I made my way through the companies that were there to visit Pam, Ian and the crew from Newton Running (I’m sure you’re completely shocked that I spent time there!). It was really great to hang out with them for a few and to talk about everything from shoes to the challenges of running (and hiking and biking and…) with babies, toddlers and beyond. I had put out the call for a tweet-up lunch thing meeting at the Newton booth at noon, so in the time I had before then, I ran back out to my car to take care of a couple of errands and to scope out the area. On my way out of the Galt House Hotel, where the expo and such was being held, I got recognized by a racer named Alvaro (I’m pretty sure). I’m constantly shocked when this happens, but he was such a nice guy and I truly hope his race was everything he’d set out to accomplish.
I got back to the Newton booth right at noon and waited around until 12:30 for people to show. The tweet-up ended up being just me, but that’s OK, because I like me (most of the time)! I think that a lot of the time, people are a bit shy about crossing the bridge between the virtual and real worlds and don’t want to speak up. So, if you’re reading this and you DID show up, but you just weren’t sure what to do next, SAY SOMETHING TO ME!! Chances are you know what I look like, but I probably don’t know what you look like!
After I had my lunch, I went back to my hotel to rest a bit and to shower and such as I’d be heading to the athlete’s dinner and meeting that evening. The meeting itself was the usual stuff; the directors of each portion of the course, and the race director went over rules and cautions, helping to give us the safest and best race experience.
Afterward, I headed back to my hotel. My plan was to begin to get my gear together and into it’s assigned bag. Below is the video of those details:
After all that, I headed to bed with my alarm clock set to wake me up and get down to the practice swim the next morning.
The practice swim was pretty uneventful. The race was NOT wetsuit legal as the temperature was about 86° F. I took the swim to feel out how I would react to the fact that we would begin the race by swimming upstream and against the current of the Ohio River. I also wanted to feel the downstream current as I was expecting to feel more pull than I actually did. The swim felt good and the water was MUCH better to swim in than the Hudson River!
After the swim, I took my bike to the Ironman wheel rental counter to get my race wheels put on (special thanks to @Indianabackdoc for helping facilitate this). I then had a short, easy bike ride of about 30 minutes in order to get my legs spinning. This was followed by a short, roughly 15 minute run. Both of these felt great and I was really beginning to get excited for the next day.
I went back to my hotel and got my gear together to check in. In Ironman races, you are required to check in your bike and transition bags the day before the race. Generally, you will have access to them on race day, but it pays to be ready ahead of time. I got my stuff all checked in and that pretty much ends the preparation!
After taking a short nap and lounging around my hotel room for the afternoon, I met up with Trevor and Kristine (Twitter friends and teammates on Team PRS Fit). We went to Lynn’s Paradise Cafe and had an awesome dinner with excellent conversation. It was so amazing to have met these two and to get to spend some really amazing time with them (more on this later). They really and truly made my trip without my wife and daughter that much more bearable and I cannot thank them enough for all they did for me.
I got back to my hotel at about 8:30 and set my alarm for 3 AM. I closed my eyes, and surprisingly, sleep came easily.
To be continued…
My Top Ten Tips for Beginner Cyclists
Baker’s Review of the Catlike Whisper Plus
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After what has seemed like an eternity for many of us die-hard Newton Running fans, the much heralded trail shoe has finally landed in the Newton store for pre-order! I spoke with Sir Isaac a tiny bit today and got some of the skinny on the shoes:
“Closed mesh, PU frame above the EVA for additional support and
protection, gusseted tongue, more supportive strapping, reinforced toe
cap.”
I can’t WAIT to try out these new shoes and get them nice and dirty on any trail I can find! When I do get some on my feet, you can be certain that I will give those of you on the fence about buying some for yourself a detailed rundown. For those of you that can’t wait, click the picture below!
Sole (AMAZING SOCKS, and sandals….)
Smith Pivlock V90 Max Sunglasses
Smith Pivlock V90 Max with Prescription lenses
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New York City Triathlon Results (I’m bib number 4788)
Me on the Official Newton Blog!
Infinit Nutrition (Free shipping with code: ironbrandon)
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Jens Voigt descends the Peyresourde Pass on a loaner bike after a crash shattered his own (Robin Wilmott)
You may remember Jens Voigt from his terrible crash [Video Here] in the 2009 Tour de France which forced him out of the race. Well, on yesterday’s stage it almost happened again. However, broken and bleeding, Voigt pulled it together to stay in the race…on a bike 3 sizes too small!!!
To me, about three years ago, the Tour de France was just this bike race that took place in France. Lance Armstrong was really the only cyclist I could name off hand. Then I started getting increasingly involved in endurance events, along the way falling in love with Le Tour (and other races as well).
This coming Saturday, July 3, 2010 marks the beginning of this year’s Tour which promises to be one of the most intensely contested races in a long time. One of the main reasons for this is the intense rivalry that developed last year as then Astana teammates Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador exchanged words, looks and mental gamesmanship. Since that time, Lance has walked away from Team Astana to form Team Radio Shack, taking along with him eight out of the nine members of the 2009 Team Astana (the same team that won the team title in the 2009 Tour).
Apart from the most watched rivalry is the the vast field of strong riders with widespread talent and teams that hope to guide their leaders to the podium on the Champs-Élysées. Perhaps the most watched among these riders is the second place finisher in the 2009 Tour, Saxo Bank rider, Andy Schleck who, along with his brother Frank, gave an amazing performance in last year’s Tour and promised to be at the front of the cycling world for many years to come.
If you’re not a fan of cycling because you find it boring or tedious, this year promises to be an incredible race to watch. Whether the Armstrong/Contador rivalry truly plays out or if the real challenge come from one of the new teams hitting the road in this year’s Tour, such as Team BMC or Team Sky, you can be sure that cycling’s best will be throwing down the gauntlet every single day between July 3rd and July25.
You can follow Tour coverage online at: http://letour.fr as well as on Versus. Additionally, Versus will be playing each and every stage live on it’s television channels and replaying it throughout each day. The Tour begins with the Prologue in Rotterdam tomorrow.
Win a free entry to the Salinas Valley Half Marathon!
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Hey there guys! I am so excited to share some news with you all. Much has been made over the past year of what exactly defines ‘good’ running for and/or technique. Many, like myself, believe in allowing your body to do what it is meant to do naturally rather than allowing an overbuilt, over-cushioned shoe get in the way. With all that said, there is an awesome clinic on natural running form coming to New York City on June 15! See you there! Here are the details:
What: Natural Running Form Clinic with Newton Running
When: Tues., June 15 at 6:30 pm
Where: Meet at The Boat House, Central Park NYC (See map below)
Why: Join Newton Running for a free, open to the public event featuring
Newton’s co-founder and running form expert Danny Abshire, as well as
Newton’s R&D/Education Director and adventure racing world champ Ian
Adamson. Danny and Ian will lead a clinic to demonstrate how proper running
form can improve speed and efficiency, and decrease the risk of injury.
*NOTE* Do not feel any pressure to be a Newton wearer in coming to this clinic! This is for ALL runners who want to improve their form and efficiency.
June 12th: Newton Running Form Clinic & Symposium, Newton Running Lab, Boulder, CO 9-10am Running Form Clinic, 5:30-7:30pm Natural Running Symposium
June 16th: Newton Running Symposium, The Track and Field Store (997 Madison Avenue, NYC) 6:30-8:30pm Symposium, Q and A
June 17th: Runner’s Edge, Farmington, NY 6:30-7:30pm Symposium, Q and A 7:30-8:30pm Form Clinic
Since I began this site I have tried out quite a few products. These things range from a cold weather headband with headphones built in to tech clothing and everything in between. You’ve probably actually heard me on my show or in posts on the site mentioning these things and what I think of them. However, every now and then, something has a huge impact on me and then I feel it is incumbent upon me to let you know the circumstances of that impact and how greatly I was affected.
This past Sunday during the Ironman Mooseman 70.3 triathlon in New Hampshire, it rained. In
fact, it started raining just before the start of the race and did not stop until I was driving on my way home about 30 miles away from the race. With the skies falling out the way they were, there was no way to avoid being completely soaked through on every inch of your body (at least not without taking the time to put on rain gear). This meant that my feet, the things which would be receiving the most punishment throughout the event, would be completely soaked for about SIX AND A HALF HOURS (including warm-up swim and standing around after the race).
Now, excuse the details, my feet have come to be able to handle a lot of punishment, but almost all of that comes when they’re dry. Once I hit the bike in this race, I was worried about any callouses becoming soft and the skin on my feet breaking down, which would the destroy my ability to run. This, however, never happened.
In my cycling shoes, which are admittedly not the best you can buy, I have Sole Thin Sport Custom Footbeds. These are custom in that you put them in your oven for a couple of minutes and upon taking them out, place them in the shoes you are using them with. they then conform to YOUR foot. During my race, where any wiggle (by way of looseness or stretching from being wet) of my cycling shoes likely would have resulted in skin being worn off my foot and/or blisters, my feet remained cradled and right where they needed to be.
I don’t wear any footbeds, other than what is already in my shoes, when I run. However, I’ll have these footbed in my cycling shoes for a long time to come.
Not only have I tried and approved of the Sole Thin Sport Custom Footbeds, I heartily recommend them.
Continued from: 2010 Ironman Mooseman 70.3: Race Report Part 3 – The Race…
After being presented with my medal and refusing, then reconsidering and seeking warmth under a Mylar blanket, I began to make my way through the sodden post-race festivities. The athletes food tent had hamburgers, hot dogs (one only, please), chowdah’ (see: chowder), potato and pasta salads and some other things. I dug in and tried to find some shelter under which to down my well earned sustenance.
I forgot to mention a couple of things in my earlier posts, so I’d like to get to them now. First, the plan for this race had been for my wife, Danielle, my mother-in-law, Kathy and my daughter, Sydney, to drive up for the race on race morning (coming from the Boston area) in time to see me come in on the bike and throughout the run. However, as fate would have it (and completely unbeknownst to me until well after the race) the power at my in-laws house had gone out early that morning and the rain which I was seeing was also coming down where they were. The decision was made for them to stay home as dragging my two month old daughter two hours in the car and then standing around in the mud and rain would be less than fair to her (not to mention Danielle and Kathy). Because she couldn’t get hold of me as I had already ditched my phone earlier, Danielle spent a good deal of the morning fretting over me not seeing them when I expected to. I’d like to say a big “Thank you!” to Ari, Kevin, Jeff and many of my other Twitter and Facebook friends for keeping her calm and not so worried. I will say that I held out hope that they were at the race, but had relegated themselves to sit out the rain in the car somewhere with a view of the course. Just knowing that their support was coming my way was enough.
The second thing I want to mention is a guy I met named Dennis. Dennis and I met on the slopes leading up to the S.O.B. hill and had some really nice conversation battling the inclines. In situations like that hill, it really is nice to just let your legs grind it out with someone who is offering their own encouragement and grinding it out themselves. Dennis and I passed each other a couple of times on the bike (with him finishing ahead of me by a bit) and passed each other going in opposite directions on the run. Each time I saw Dennis on the run, he was giving me words of encouragement and support, even as he was throwing down run splits himself that were much faster than the splits his surgically repaired knees could handle! Thank you, Dennis!
Eventually, Dennis and I decided to go grab our stuff from transition. I still had to drive back to my in-law’s two hours away, and he was waiting for a friend to finish, and he suspected it could be a while (it ended up being another hour and a half, waiting in the rain and cold). By the this time, transition looked like a war zone. Mud, grass, spandex, wetsuits, bikes and general debris littered the ground. What had been small puddles now looked like they could have hosted the swim portion of the race. I gathered my things (still in the rain)and began to make the slow, long, wet and muddy hike back to my car…3/4 of a mile away…in the rain…and mud…and 62° air…
Upon getting to my car (stepping in every clean-ish looking puddle along the way at an attempt to get the mud out of my shoes), I did my best to get packed and get my dry clothes on. The “parking lot” now looked as though it belonged in a war movie. Cars had dug tire channels so deep they looked like earthen berms perfect for a firing line. In fact, upon getting briefly stuck myself, I had to put my car into four wheel drive until I got out of the morass.
I cranked the heat, and headed home.
Continued from: 2010 Ironman Mooseman 70.3: Race Report Part 1 – The Day Before…
Four AM on race morning arrived to find me well rested (relatively speaking) and ready to go. I have tried hard to make myself sleep when I need to by telling myself that all the preparation is done, there’s nothing left now but to race. That seems to work, most of the time.
I got myself up and went through my usual morning routine. I took a shower, got dressed and watched the news while I ate three pieces of whole grain toast (OK, so I lacked a toaster and it was just bread) topped with peanut butter and grape jelly. I did a few, last minute checks of everything and then began to pack my car.
I was on the road to the race site at about 5:30 AM, which put me at the race at about 5:55 (give or take). Along with the other racers, I made my way through the now muddier parking lot, for the 3/4 of a mile trek to the race site, bike and gear in tow.
Upon arriving at the race site, everyone was being funneled through a narrow-ish corridor where body marking was taking place. I know that body marking has to get done, and I know that this seems like and efficient way to make sure everyone gets it done, BUT, when you have hundreds of people, packed to the gills with gear and often bikes as well, this is a tricky prospect. Bikes and gear and the clothes that we had to wear in the cool morning air were falling to the ground and tripping their wearers and everyone else.
By the time I got to my transition area, it was about 6:30. The first thing I noticed was that racer number 702 (the numbers went in order but on alternating sides of the transition racks, therefore, on my side of the rack were the odd race numbers and on the other, the evens) had set up hi entire transition in my area on the wrong side of the rack, leaving me absolutely no place to go. I pointed this out to a volunteer in the area, as racer 702 was nowhere to be found, and she moved his belongings to the proper side. I began setting up, putting everything in its designated place to make for a smooth transition.
At 6:45 the transition area was closed as the start of the race was scheduled for 7:00 AM. As I was leaving transition, the rain began. Rather than my usual shoe setup of cycling and running shoes set up in their respective row on my mat, I had placed my cycling shoes inside a plastic grocery bag (along with my other cycling needs) and placed that bag on top of my running shoes. This insured both pairs of shoes stayed mostly dry.
I headed down to the water’s edge, putting on my wetsuit along the way. As I walked toward the start, Maria found me and we both got in for a short warm-up swim. The water temperature, which I had expected to be frigid, was actually really nice and was a great compliment to the wetsuit legal swim. Just before the pros started the announcer informed us that they may be trying to send the waves off with a smaller time gap than the four minutes that were scheduled. (Side note: the National Anthem was actually quite good. I’m not sure who it was, but it was a good baritone.)
I made my way to the start and waited for my wave (powder blue swim caps and all) to be called to the line. This race was a beach start, which meant a great opportunity for some full contact racing. In this environment, kicks to the face and being swum over (by me) is not out of the ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. The starters gave us sectioned countdown. First we got the ninety second call…then sixty seconds…I didn’t hear the thirty second call, and there was no countdown from ten or even five seconds for that matter. I was clearing the fog from my goggles when the horn went off.
It was on.
This past Sunday, June 6, 2010 was the Ironman Mooseman 70.3 triathlon in Newfound Lake, New Hampshire. Beginning from my arrival in New Hampshire on the day before the race, this is my report.
My original plan was to drive directly from my in-laws home in Hingham, MA, straight to my hotel (located a short drive away from the race site in Campton, NH), check in and then head over to the race site to sign in. Just to make sure I would be able to check in, I called ahead to the hotel and was told that check in time was 3 o’clock PM and since I would likely arrive at about noon, that was not going to happen. So, I reset my GPS to take me right to the race site.
The staging area for the race itself was to take place in Wellington State Park, which lies on the Western shore of Newfound Lake. As I got close to the race area, there was a mass of people heading toward what was the parking area for the weekends festivities. These people were the racers and spectators from that day’s Mooseman International Distance Triathlon, and they were wrapping up their day and heading home. As I mentioned, cars were being funneled into a parking area that was essentially a huge field, and I do mean huge. The problem, which became increasingly clear as I drove deeper and deeper into the grassy expanse of this “parking lot” was that the rain which had rolled through the area that morning with such severity that race organizers were forced to cancel the swim portion of that day’s race, was that this field was rapidly turning into a huge mud pit. To be fair, I’m not sure if the park itself had the parking necessary to fit all the cars attending the races but, as I soon found out, this parking area was (depending on how far back you had to park) about 3/4 of a mile away from the race area.
Once I had made the trek from my car to the park entrance and race staging area, I found my way to the “expo” and began the fun of waiting in line. At this event, like other Ironman (WTC) owned events, you have to go through a series of check-in’s. The first of these is to check in with USA Triathlon (USAT), the sport’s governing body in the United States. At this area, you must present your USAT license or, as was the case with my friend Jay at Ironman Wisconsin, you can present a picture I.D. and the USAT representatives there are able to look up the validity of your license. Now, you are not required to have an annual license to compete and you are permitted to buy a one day license for $10 if you so choose. My license, which was set to expire on 5/31/10 but which I had renewed on 5/23/10, had not yet come in the mail when I left town (of course, it was in the mail when I came home). Based on what I had seen in Wisconsin, I thought I would still be fine and my information would be able to be looked up by the USAT at the race since my license number and everything was still the same AND since I had my (expired) license. I was wrong.
The USAT representatives were not working from a computer where they could just look up a racers’ information, rather, they had an old-school list of names printed out, with a column beside each name saying whether they were good to go or whether they needed to buy a one day license. My name, since the physical license I had with me was expired, fell into the latter category. I was pissed. Realizing that I would have to fight this battle later via email with USAT (I emailed them as soon as I got into my hotel room asking for my $10 back), I asked if they took credit or debit cards. Cash only, and I lacked any cash. So, now it seemed my only option was to walk the 34 of a mile back to my car, drive to find an ATM somewhere in rural New Hampshire, or borrow money from a kindhearted stranger. I then remembered that a woman who also coaches with Jeff, whom I was going be meeting up with later that day, might be at the race site. So I called her (Maria) and she and her husband were indeed on their way to the race site at that moment, and she was so kind as to lend me the necessary $10 to get things going.
The next step in the check-in process is signing in with the event itself. So, yet again, I waited in another line, and in pretty short order got into the tent. This part was very quick and well organized. Soon enough, I was done with the sign-in process and made my way to the “expo”.
The reason I keep putting quotes around the word expo is because this was an expo in theory only. The vendors at the expo were: MC Cycle & Sport (a local multisport retailer) and then Ironman itself. That’s it. MC had a small tent where they sold a few race day necessities and, to be fair, they had a small but well thought out selection. They were also providing last minute bike tweaking services (for a fee, of course) for those that wanted a quick tune up or something. The Ironman tent, as at all Ironman events, was selling Ironman branded everything, from wine glasses to onesies. Note: I don’t have a problem with this at all, I just wanted to be clear that this was the extent of the vendors. All that said, this was not an “expo” in term of what I would expect from a WTC event. Oh well.
Maria, John and I planned to head back to our respective lodgings for the next couple of hours and then meet up at 4 PM to ride a short bit of the course and then head to the 4:30 PM athlete meeting. I headed to my hotel, still an hour ahead of normal check in, and the desk clerk was kind enough to let me check in early. I went to a local grocery store to pick up some much needed sustenance, and then went back to my hotel to relax for a minute before heading out once again.
At 4 we all met as planned and began our short ride. I noticed a problem with both of my wheels that has happened before. I was running clincher type tires and the bead of the tire was not seating properly in the channel in the rim itself that it is supposed to. This is not really a make-or-break problem, but it is one that you really want to fix as it would likely result in a very sore ass after a long ride (it feels like there is about a 3 inch flat spot on the wheel that has this issue).
The meeting was short and sweet. The race directors and officials presenting were very well prepared and ran over their points quickly, answering any questions that arose along the way. After the meeting we headed over to check out the transition area. Uh oh.
At Ironman Wisconsin, the transition consisted of a separate bag for each transition and a clean, carpeted of concrete surface and chairs to sit in. This was not the case at Mooseman. The transition was to be like any other triathlon on a local level. Bikes were racked according to number and your transition area was to be set up beside your front wheel. My particular rack was set behind a tree that, when you cam around said tree, you were looking at two rack rather than just one. The largest problem that was already shaping up in the transition area was the ground. After that morning’s rain, the ground had become soft and was already turning to mud in the aisles from the foot traffic. Oy.
Maria, John and I bid each other a good night’s rest and went our separate ways. My evening was spent working on my tires and packing my race bag to be set up quickly in the morning. I got to bed at about 10 o’clock PM with my alarm(s) set for 4 AM and 4:15 AM, just to be safe.
Part 2 (coming soon)
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Carl Lewis to Run the Houston Marathon
Triathlete Attacked by Alligator
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Now that we’re officially in race season across the country, and the world for that matter, I wanted to give a shout out to some friends who’ll be racing soon.
Kevin from KC Tri’s (and fellow Newton Running devotee), whom you may remember was a massive help to me and my wife during Ironman Wisconsin last year, is about to do his first ever marathon! Kevin will be running the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon this Sunday and his bib number is 929 (race tracking HERE). Kevin has been and continues to be a huge supporter of me and my show and I could not be more excited for him to take this huge step toward his first Ironman (Ironman Wisconsin 2011)!
Also racing this Sunday is my friend Ari from Run Ansky Run! Ari is always an amazing supporter of my site and show and he’ll be running the Pocono Mountain Run for the Red Marathon! Ari has been coaching with my coach, Jeff, and ALL signs are pointing to him busting out a huge PR!
Finishing out the across the country marathon weekend is Colin from Resurrected Runner. Colin is also about to do his first ever marathon this Saturday in the Windermere Marathon in Spokane, Washington (for those from the South, like me, that’d be “Warshington”) Colin has been a tireless supporter of me and my site, always in the live chat for my streaming shows. I have a sneaking suspicion that Colin is going to completely destroy his expectations in this race and I cannot wait to see the results!
On the triathlon front, I am so excited to see Incredible Jane go kill it in the UBC Sprint Triathlon this Sunday! I’ve been following Jane since day one of her quest and through ups and downs and finding that “life happens” more than we can ever expect, Jane has been an amazing force of positive energy. Also coaching with Jeff, Jane has seen herself crossing the finish line at the Rock ‘n Roll Las Vegas half marathon and starting a regular running group and training session with the awesome folks at Sugoi! I’m so excited to see what she can do!
Not this weekend, but on May 30, Lam of The Running Laminator fame, is debating running the Buffalo Marathon. His original spring marathon had him running the New Jersey Marathon a couple of weekends ago, but alas, the bubonic plague or something saw him shivering in bed for the week leading up to the race (though, I assume he lost several brain cell due to his illness as he STILL found the balls to run the half marathon at the same event!). As you may or may not know, Lam is a very fast and very smart runner. He is aiming for a sub-3 hour marathon this year and I, for one, think he’ll have no problem attaining that time. His body (for the moment) may have other ideas according to him. In any event, I look forward to seeing Lam kick some more ass.
I’m positive I’m missing people, and if you’re of of the missing, please don’t be offended. Send me your information (name, race name and bib number) and I will be more than happy to put the word out!
Got an idea for my 100th show? Let me know!
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Do you want to go the distance…all 26.2 miles across the five boroughs of New York? Team Lifeline is ready to give you the chance with the first ever “Team Lifeline New York, New York Video Contest.” In this contest, avid and aspiring runners are invited to submit a short video that will convince a panel of distinguished judges why they deserve the opportunity to run in the ING New York City Marathon, the world’s largest marathon. Twenty lucky individuals will win exactly that — guaranteed entry into the marathon, which takes place on Sunday, November 7, 2010.
Team Lifeline encourages creativity, so don your director’s cap, pick up your flip camera and start shooting. Video submissions must be two minutes or less and should convey why you, the runner, deserve a spot in the marathon. Be spontaneous, hilarious, serious or dramatic, but go the distance to win one of the highly coveted spots. The videos will be posted online for the public to view at www.teamlifeline.org and on Team Lifeline’s Facebook page. Submissions will be accepted through May 24th, 2010, and the winners will be announced May 28th, 2010.
“As the song goes–If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere–but first, you do indeed have to make it there,” said Ari Weinberger, Team Lifeline Captain. “Team Lifeline is thrilled to offer this amazing opportunity to runners around the globe. We hope that the first ever video contest will help raise awareness and funds for a truly inspirational organization.”
Team Lifeline is an endurance training program that proves that “you can go the distance,” by providing individuals of all ages and skills with the tools to complete a marathon or half-marathon. In exchange, team members raise much needed funds for Chai Lifeline, the international children’s health support network dedicated to bringing joy and hope to seriously ill children and their families. The funds raised by Team Lifeline are earmarked specifically for the organization’s Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, incredible overnight summer camps designed to meet the unique medical and social needs of children and teens with life-threatening or lifelong illnesses.
Last year, over 300 dedicated Team Lifeline runners laced up their running shoes for the ING New York City Marathon, Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon, and ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon, raising more than $1.35 million for Chai Lifeline programs and services. This year marks the first time that Team Lifeline will be participating as an official charity team in the ING NYC Marathon.
Salinas Valley Half Marathon ($5 off with discount code: “IronBrandon”!!)
Pittsburgh Marathon Bomb Scare
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My daughter Sydney came home from the hospital on Friday, April 2, 2010. The following day was the Santa Anita Derby which was being broadcast on NBC. My dad and stepmother were in town to see Sydney for the weekend and we were all sitting around watching Sydney with rapt attention only taking brief glimpses at the television (it’s amazing how a sleeping baby can grab your attention).
The coverage of the horse race on TV began to give the background of the horses, jockeys, trainers and the usual commentary leading up to the start of a major race (the Santa Anita Derby is a major run-up race to the Triple Crown). As it happened, one of the horses was named “Sidney’s Candy“, and he was going off at 7-2 odds. We all got so excited at the happy coincidence and my dad decided to place a bet (online) on Sidney’s Candy to win. At this point, he was not the favorite in the race, but was still in good standing. So, we placed a $20 bet and got ready for the race.
I’ll save you my novice commentary on the race, but suffice it to say that Sidney’s Candy went wire to wire to win the 2010 Santa Anita Derby! On top of that, my dad turned his $20 bet in $98.60 (some odd bonus thing)!
Tomorrow will be the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby. As of this writing, Sidney’s Candy is one of the favorites at 6-1. The race is expected to be quite the mud-fest with torrential rains coming in tomorrow and we have placed all $98.60 on our horse to win! So here’s hoping!!
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Running America (www.runningamerica08.com) is premiering in Pittsburgh on Monday, April 12, 7pm at Showcase Cinemas West (here’s the event link – http://store.nehst.com/rascr41210pa.html) This is the first time the film will premiere and Producer / Ultra Marathoner Charlie Engle will be there for a post film Q&A session, so it’s a pretty exciting. It’s also sponsored by Elite Runners and Walkers
Sydney Elizabeth Wood
Help Save Saint Vincent’s (Where Sydney was born)
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Professional triathlete, Jordan Rapp, winner of the 2009 Ironman Canada and Ironman Arizona was involved in a car accident on the evening of March 23. He is currently in the intensive care unit at St. Johns Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, California.
For complete coverage of news related to Jordan’s condition, please visit the following:
Big congratulations are in order to NBC Sports for garnering three Emmy nominations for their coverage of the 2009 Ironman World Championships from Kona, Hawaii! Personally, I am always moved and inspired by their coverage. Their attention to detail while covering the professional race as well as some of the age group drama is enough to pull in eve the most jaded athlete.
From Ironman.com:
Published Thursday, March 18, 2010
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) today announced the nominees for the 31st Annual Sports Emmy® Awards at the IMG World Congress of Sports at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California. The 2009 Ford Ironman World Championship coverage that aired on NBC received three nominations in the categories of Outstanding Edited Sports Special, Outstanding Camera Work and Outstanding Editing.
At the 31st Annual Sports Emmy® Awards, winners in 32 categories will be honored. The Awards will be given out at the prestigious Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center located in the Time Warner Center on April 26th, 2010 in New York City.
The Ironman show, which has received 15 Emmy Awards, received nominations in the following categories (other nominees are included):
Outstanding EDITED SPORTS SPECIAL
2009 Ford Ironman World Championship NBC Ironman Productions
America’s Game – The 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Network NFL Films
Incident At Candlestick MLB Network Josh Hamilton: Resurrecting the Dream MLB Network
MLB Productions Mayweather-Marquez 24/7 HBO Sports
Outstanding CAMERA WORK
2009 Ford Ironman World Championship NBC Ironman Productions
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals HBO Sports NFL Films
Inside the NFL Showtime NFL Shots of the Year NFL Films
Pacquiao – Cotto 24/7 HBO Sports
The Iditarod – 2009 Versus Blink Productions
Outstanding EDITING
2009 Ford Ironman World Championship NBC Ironman Productions
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals HBO Sports NFL Films
Mayweather-Marquez 24/7 HBO Sports
NASCAR Cup Season in Review ESPN2 NASCAR Media Group
NBA on TNT TNT
Pacquiao – Hatton 24/7 HBO Sports
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This is not a review of Sugoi R+R socks per se, rather it is a giant THANK YOU to the folks at Sugoi for helping my wife tolerate some of the annoyances of being pregnant.
If you’ve ever been pregnant, or near someone during the course of their pregnancy, you are probably more aware than you’d like to be of the swelling that can occur in the feet and legs during this time. My wife is no different. What began with her ankle area quickly began to vacillate between there and her feet, if not both places at once.
The first thing that I did upon noticing this was to run to my sock drawer and grab two pairs of socks. The first was just for her feet and it was the Sugoi R+R Compression Ped Sock. Almost immediately, this little gem of a low-cut sock began to improve the circulation in her feet and reduce swelling.
The second pair of socks I grabbed was what most of us 
recognize as a compression sock, the Sugoi R+R Knee High Compression Sock. This took care of any ankle and lower legs swelling in short order!
So, to sum up, even if you’re not killing on your feet or on two wheels, these sock do what they say they do. Ladies, if you need some help with swollen ankles and such during pregnancy, or any day for that matter, check these out!
Black Diamond Sprinter Headlamp
Newton Running Symposium in Boston
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Kimberly (#3130) – Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon
Michael (#1242) – Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon
Mark – Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon
Congrats to all the racers!
Kimberly (#3130) – Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon – 1:58:11
Michael (#1242) – Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon – 1:35:21
Mark (#3557)- Dallas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half-Marathon – 1:53:02
Desiree (#2092) – Singapore Biathlon – 1:48:03
Nicole (#1734) – 5K on St. Patrick’s Day – 23:32
Date: 3/8/10
Consecutive Days Run: 67
Runner: Brandon Wood
Shoes: Newton AW Trainers
Location: New York, NY
Type of Run: Quickie
Time of Day: 6:20 PM EST
Distance Run: 1.71 miles
Time Run: 00:17:43
Average Pace: 10:20 per mile
Weather Conditions: Cool (51 degrees Fahrenheit)
Disposition: Good, but with tired legs
Link to Run Detail: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/26505486
About the Run: Happy tenth birthday to our baby girl Annie! No, not the human baby girl, but the canine version of our baby girl. She is ten years old today and for her birthday, she wanted to go for a run with her dad and I was more than happy to oblige.
Whenever I run with either of my dogs, it really give me a chance and pause to see how they literally stop and smell everything. Even when they don’t stop, they’re still taking in everything around them. They aren’t jaded or oblivious to the incredible world with which they are surrounded, they are simply fascinated to be in it. This innocence always touches me. Even when I get upset with one of our dogs, they will always say they love me no matter how angry I am.
The run was good, but slow. Don’t be fooled by her age, Annie is fully capable of breaking down and going far faster than I am, but she just likes to take her time. My legs are a bit weary so it was probably a good thing to take it easy.
I rescued Annie from the Albermarle County, Virginia SPCA when she was just eight weeks old. Our other dog, Bubba was rescued from the North Shore Animal League two years ago. Danielle and I strongly support rescuing dogs and cats and other animals from humane shelters. Please consider donating to Me and the Road and helping to support the North Shore Animal League. You can donate by linking through Me and the Road or by going directly to the donation site located at: http://meandtheroad.bbnow.org
Donate to IronBrandon (Please!)
Nytro Complete Triathlon Package
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For a second year in a row, Newton Running shoes were rewarded for their outstanding products in the prestigious 220 Triathlon awards held on 13th February at Sandown Park.
Following their 2009 win for ‘Innovative Product of the Year’ the popular ‘Newton Gravity’ training shoe was awarded the 2010 ‘Run Shoe of the Year’ award, beating Asics Noosa and Saucony Fastwitch 3 to the title.
Mike Trees, managing director of Triathlon Consultants (Newton Running’s UK distributor) accepted the award and said “It is a great honour to receive this award on behalf of Newton Running, who have put so much research and development into producing what is now recognised at possibly the greatest running shoe in the world for forefoot and mid foot runners. We at TCL have the relatively easy job of selling the Newton Running shoes the eagerly awaiting public.”
The attached image shows Mike Trees standing with his long time hero in sport Dave Scott, 6 times winner of the Hawaii Ironman and arguably the greatest triathlete to date presenting Newton’s award for Run Shoe of the Year.
According to Crowie’s official Facebook page, his race bike has been stolen! From Crowie:
Last night my black ORBEA ORDU 51cm bike with Shimano Di2 Electronic gears and SRM, along with my road bike and a bunch of other cycling equipment was STOLEN from my garage. Please contact crime stoppers in Australia on 1800 333 000 if you see or hear anything. I will post photos as soon as I can.
Here are a couple of pictures of the Ironman World Champion’s ride (click for larger image):
Here are the specs on Crowie’s stolen bike(s):
Bike Name: Black ORBEA ORDU
Size: 51cm
Headset: Integrated Headset
Derailer Front: SHIMANO 7900 DI2 ELECTRONIC
Brake Lever: Shimano Durace Carbon
Brake Callipers: DI2 Group Set
Cranks: SRM Power Meter
BB-Set: Enduro Grade 3 Grade 3 Ceramic Bearings
Aero…bars: Pro Carbon Missile Flat with Straight Bars
Head Stem: Pro Vibe 85mm
Seat: Fizik Arione Carbon Tri 2
Chain: Durace 10 Speed
Cassette: 12-23 Durace
Training Wheels: Durace Wheels
Tyres: Continental Grand Prix Clinchers
Cages: XLAB Chimp and Gorilla Carbon Cages
XLAB Rear Carbon Hydration System
Pedals: Durace
Frame: Black Orbea ORCA 54 cm
Derailer Front: SHIMANO 7900 Durace
Training Wheels: Durace Wheels
In the spirit of the Olympics, and to make up for the fact that the United States laid the smack down on our good friends to the North AND because they have some simply amazing gear, I think you guys should check out this Canadian themed gear from Sugoi!
Each year, Ironman has a lottery for entry into the Ironman World Championship held in Kona, Hawaii. This year’s race will be held on Saturday, October 9.
The lottery entry will set you back $40, orif you prefer $50 to be entered via the “Passport Club” which gets you some additional bells and whistles which include and increased chance at hitting the lottery!
There are only three ways to get to race in Kona! You can qualify via another Ironman event, you can win the charitable Ebay auction, or this way, which seems to be the easiest way to go!
This morning I was greeted by a surprise package, which I love! It was a new Giro Advantage 2 aero helmet as well as a pair of Giro Havic 2 Compact sunglasses! I cannot wait to get both of these out on the road to put them and myself through the necessary paces. However, with a storm that many are calling “a storm of historical proportions” bearing down on the Northeast for the next several days, that may have to wait a bit!
I will take a second to do some first impressions though.
Advantage 2: It just looks fast! Feels lighter on my head than I would have thought. As with all aero
helmets, heat is a concern, but the extensive venting and channeled air flow seems that it might really keep that in check. Glasses fit extremely well with the helmet on with no pinching or cramming at all!
Havic 2 Compact: Light! These glasses felt like they would have been insecure on my face, but once on they felt like they were part of me. Fantastic visibility (for being in a office!) with no sight line obstruction. Again, the compatibility with this helmet is a fantastic argument for sticking to a brand where things are designed specifically to work with each other. Bravo Giro!
Yep, I'm a dork.
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Date: 2/15/09
Consecutive Days Run: 46
Runner: Brandon Wood
Shoes: Newton AW Trainers
Location: New York, NY
Type of Run: Quickie
Time of Day: 6:08 PM EST
Distance Run: 1.51 miles
Time Run: 00:11:59
Average Pace: 7:50 per mile
Weather Conditions: Cold (34 degrees Fahrenheit)
Disposition: Getting sick
Link to Run Detail: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/24800223
About the Run: I felt good today after my run yesterday. That is, my muscles felt good. As for the rest of my body, not so much. I am getting sick and it sucks.
I had a really wonderful interview catching up with Incredible Jane and then took off on my run. I had such a hard time getting it together enough to even go out the door. Danielle and I had already had a busy day, and this was icing on the cake. However, it got done even though I went a bit shorter than my usual two mile run. My pace fell off a bit, simply because I didn’t feel like moving. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow.
Date: 2/14/09
Consecutive Days Run: 45
Runner: Brandon Wood
Shoes: Newton AW Trainers
Location: New York, NY
Type of Run: LSD
Time of Day: 3:35 PM EST
Distance Run: 14.46 miles
Time Run: 01:45:02
Average Pace: 7:15 per mile
Weather Conditions: Cold (36 degrees Fahrenheit), Windy
Disposition: Good
Link to Run Detail: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/24709744
About the Run: Happy Valentine’s Day!!
My assigned run today (which equals assigned nap time for my very pregnant wife!) was: Nice steady zone 2 run. Focus on keeping your hr down and not letting it rise more than 3 BPM. I left my building with that in mind, combined with my last LSD run pace of 7:47 per mile as well as the almost four hour brick workout from yesterday floating in the back of my head. Honestly, when I go do a run like this one, I set my Garmin so that the only things on my display are my heart rate zone and my total time run. This way, I cannot pay any attention to my pace and must pay attention to the perceived effort of my body.
So, off I went, feeling good and ready to do some more running on a bit of snow along the way. Largely, the snow was cleared from my path, one main exception being the most steep downhill I encounter on this route which was covered with snow and ice. This affected my pace little on the way out, but on the way back up the same hill, my pace and legs got destroyed.
My plan was to run South on the West Side Greenway for fifty minutes and then turn around. I took what felt like a very comfortable pace that was not taxing. When I hit the fifty minute mark it really came much faster than I expected. Still, I did not check my pace. On the way back, I was feeling good, still finding myself in a comfortable zone. I fully expected to be slower on my way back than on the way out, but I wasn’t. In fact, I had to run some unplanned roads at the end to fulfill my assigned one hour forty-five minutes. As I arrived at my front door, my brain was a little bit too scrambled to do the math required to figure out my pace and I still refused to look at my Garmin data.
The first time I did see my data was when I uploaded it to my computer. It was then that I looked at my pace, 7:15 per minute, and checked my half-marathon split. If you recall, a few weeks ago I was paced to a half-marathon PR by Laminator with a time of 1:35:20. My half-marathon time today was 1:34:53, a new PR! IN TRAINING! I was honestly shocked to see it because today I felt worlds different than I did in the Manhattan Half-Marathon.
All things considered, it was a spectacular run today. A bit windy, but otherwise a gorgeous day to boot!
Dan – Hypothermic Half-Marathon 2010, Calgary
Lori – Aaron Rogers 5k Open Invitational preview
Libby – Surfside Beach Marathon
Fawn – Surfside Beach Marathon
Michelle – ATHelite Run in the Park 5K
Sherry – IMS Arizona Half-Marathon
Lonnie – Lace Up Against Breast Cancer
Lisa – San Dieguito Half-Marathon
EMAIL THE LAMINATOR ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME!
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Thanks so much for visiting my site! My name is Brandon Wood and I am an opera singer living and trying to make it in New York City. 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!
