One foot in front of the other.
Jabra Sport Bluetooth Headphones
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Win a portable solar panel from Brunton!
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THIS GUY!
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As many of you know, this coming Friday (June 10) at 5 PM EST my marathon live show to raise money for Athletes for a Cure will start! I’ve worked with several brands to arrange for giveaways and raffle items for the show and without any further delay…here they are! (Rules and such to be posted tomorrow, June 7, so check back!)
SwimSpray – I’ll be giving away a boat load of this amazing new product! Invented by a swimmer who was tired of smelling like a pool, SwimSpray eliminates chlorine odor and irritation from hair and skin. Use with your own favorite shampoo, soap, or body wash. Simple. Effective. Natural.
Hydrapak Gelbot – The Gel-Bot delivers two performance essentials, fuel and hydration, in one easy to use sport bottle. This patent-pending design lets you fuel or hydrate with just one hand. Perfect for racing or total gel addicts. All the Gel-Bot components can be taken apart and easily cleaned.
SOLE Signature DK Response footbeds – The Sole Signature Series Dk Response is world-famous ultra runner Dean Karnazes’ signature edition footbed, with added features. Every SOLE Custom Footbed features their orthopedic base layer that molds to your unique foot without losing its supportive shape. SOLE Custom Footbeds are accepted by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Sole donates a portioon of every sale to Karno Kids whose mission is to support, encourage, and motivate youth to get outside and become physically active, and to restore and preserve the environment.
Ryders Eyewear Seeker Sunglasses – All Essential styles within the Adrenaline collection feature Duraflex frames with low-profile, high-strength pinned hinges and polycarbonate lenses. These lenses are shatterproof, optically-correct, scratch-resistant and provide 100% UV protection. All styles have high-performance features such as anti-slip, hydrophilic nose pads and/or temple tips that get more tacky as you sweat so your eyewear always stays in place.
Road ID eCard – It’s a gift card for whatever Road Id strikes your fancy! Need I say more?
Kate’s Real Food Bars – (2, 6-packs!) Kate’s Bars are real food snack bars, hand made in the shadow of the Tetons. Kate’s Bars are created for people who live, play or just want to be outdoors. The flavors and textures of Kate’s Bars are designed to reflect the natural surroundings they were inspired by.
Brunton Restore power storage and solar panel – The most efficient, integrated compact power pack available. Internal battery keeps extra energy at hand, and twin solar panels keep the battery at peak capacity in less time. Ideal for charging personal devices like iPods® and smart phones. Advanced polycrystaline solar technology gathers maximum energy per inch for maximum efficiency. Power storage capacity: 2,200 mAh Output: mini-USB
Primus EtaSolo Stove – Compact, lightweight and low fuel consumption. Eta Solo is based on the award winning Eta technology of our Primus burner and heat exchanger. Its high efficiency rate assures fast boiling times and lower fuel consumption. The Eta Solo is stable in windy conditions, lightweight, and extremely compact. Quick and easy to set up thanks to its robust quick-click locking mechanism.
Polar RS300X – (Raffling off TWO of these!) A smart, intuitive training computer for runners and cross-training athletes, the Polar RS300X wrist heart rate monitor helps you to train at the right intensity with personal training zones. It’s compatible with Polar’s S1 foot pod and G1 GPS sensor (both separately available), enabling you to combine heart rate with speed and distance and truly make sense of your training.
Newton Running Shoes and Gear – We’ll be raffling off TWO gift packages from the one and only Newton Running(one for the ladies, one for the men)! This will include one pair of Newton Running shoes of your choice, a copy of Newton co-founder Danny Abshire’s book (Natural Running: The Simple Path to Stronger, Healthier Running) and some other schwag!
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!
Alberto Contador gets one step closer to racing the Tour de France
Heat training by Torbjørn Sindballe
American Trail Running Association
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Wouter Weylandt dies in the Giro d’Italia
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A new study in the Academy of Management Journal shows that people who force themselves to smile at work actually wind up putting themselves in a bad mood which can, in turn, cut productivity. According to lead researcher Brent Scott, assistant professor of management at Michigan State University, “Smiling for the sake of smiling can lead to emotional exhaustion and withdrawal and that’s bad for the organization.” The flip side to this idea is that people who are truly happy and smile as a result of some happy memory or other event have an improved mood that actually makes them more efficient.
Why is this important to athletes? Many of you may remember seeing Chrissie Wellington in her first race in Kona. At the time she was a no name athlete who, from the looks of it, was having a blast on her way to her first (of three) Ironman World Championships. In fact, in all of Chrissie’s races since her smile is one constant thing, aside from blazingly fast speed, that is her calling card.
After watching that race and others with Chrissie, I decided that I would make myself smile during races and training. The thinking was that I would do all this smiling on the run since it wasn’t very practical while swimming and I seem to have some oddly contorted version of a smile while on my bike anyway.
Almost immediately I found that forcing myself to smile was harder than any run I was doing. I’m one of those people who version of getting “into the zone” often involves becoming very introspective, which tends to spill over into my facial expressions. I have become better about this and have learned to become more aware of the world around me and to get out of my own head a bit. In fact, on a ride last night I found myself thinking about kosher energy gels. I don’t know why, I’m not Jewish, but my friend Ari keeps kosher and since we’ve spoken a bit about it before my mind just wandered there.
In the 2009 New York City Triathlon I decided to put the smile thing to the test in a race setting.
Somehow, it just never clicked. In the picture at the right it’s quite clear that while my mouth may be smiling, the rest of me is not. According to this study I was actually in the process of putting myself in a worse place and was killing my productivity.
So, where does Chrissie get it? As the study says, those that are truly happy about something, whether it’s a fond memory or looking forward to something, are going to actually smile and be naturally happier. I was helping someone in a running form clinic recently. She was very much in her own head and had a constant downcast look of pain and laboring on her face while she was running. Aside form the fact that this was destroying her form since it caused her to be hunched at the shoulders and collapse her torso, it also gave her a sense of being defeated by something that SHOULD be fun.
I stopped her and we began to find a place in time where she enjoyed running. I asked her if she remembered being a small child and running barefoot in the summer. When she was a kid, she wasn’t running to fit into some clothes or for any kind of health concern, she was running because it was fun. She was running because at our core we all love that sound of wind whipping by our ears and the breeze on our cheeks. I then had her keep that memory in her mind and pick a point on the horizon which, since were right beside the beach, was easy to do. I ran ahead to let her get into that place for a minute and then she ran. It was beautiful. Smiling from ear to ear and with gorgeous form, it was not hard at all to see the child running because it is fun.
So, how do we get to that place where we aren’t forcing it but we’re truly having fun and enjoying what we’re doing? It is my opinion that we don’t necessarily need to find a specific memory or a mental escape, we just need to find a way to not be so concerned about our activity. Now, if you can do that and smile, great. If not and you find yourself with a perpetual scowl while training or racing, that’s fine too. As cheesy as it sounds, it’s what’s inside (your mind) that counts.
So, go run (or ride or swim or walk or whatever) and take a break from the arduous tendencies we all posses. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, every day we wake up and can call ourselves athletes is a good day.
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]
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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Come see me sing with Christopher McDougall and Co. at the Naked Tour!
I am now coaching! If you’re interested, email me at info@ironbrandon.com
Get up to THREE entries to win a Sony NWZ-W252 (pictured) by doing the following:
Entry one: Comment on Episode 140 of the IronBrandon Show [LINK]
Entry two: Have someone else leave a comment and refer your name (that way you BOTH get an entry!)
Entry three: Tweet the following: Listen to the IronBrandon Show 140 and be entered to win a Sony MP3 player! http://goo.gl/p9PCV #IB140
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Leave a comment HERE to be enterer to win a free pair of Stuffitts!
Natural running clinic in Milwaukee THIS WEEKEND!
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Leave a comment HERE to win a FREE bottle of Vidazorb!
If you’re in the Milwaukee/Madison/Chicago area come meet us for a run this Saturday, March 26 at 10 AM at:
Alterra Coffee
1701 N Lincoln Memorial Dr [Click the address for a map]
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414.223.4551
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Leave a comment HERE to win a FREE bottle of Vidazorb!
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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In less than a month, on March 11, 12 and 13 New York City athletes will get a chance to be attend some amazing natural running clinics right in the Big Apple (as well as a couple dates for those of you in CT and NJ!)! Ok, so I know that I’ve told you about these before and many of you reading this have come to these clinics and learned some great stuff, BUT for those of you that are rolling your eyes and saying, “I’m not a natural/chi/minimalist runner, Brandon”, yes, you are. If you have feet, you’re a natural runner, your shoes and such have just been telling you different for so long that you don’t know it!
These clinics are 100% free and are for ALL, and I do mean ALL runners, no matter what kind of shoes you wear, no matter how fast you are and no matter what you think you know about running, EVERYONE is welcome. This is a fantastic opportunity to get one-on-one attention from renowned natural running expert and SEVEN time World Adventure Racing Champion, Ian Adamson. Here are the details:
New York Running Company- East Side
What: Natural Running Reception & Presentation
Where: 1059 3rd Ave. | New York, NY 10065
Date: Friday, March 11, 2011
Time: 7-9:00 pm
Contact: 212.223.8109 | therunningcompany.net
New York Running Company- Time Warner Center
What: Natural Running Form Clinic
Where: 10 Columbus Circle | 2nd floor ste 210 | New York, NY 10023
(The group will meet at the TWC location and then head over to Central Park for the clinic)
Date: Saturday, March 12, 2011
Time: 8:30-10:15 am
Contact: 212.823.9626 | therunningcompany.net
New York Running Company- Time Warner Center
What: Natural Running Form Clinic
Where: 10 Columbus Circle | 2nd floor ste 210 | New York, NY 10023
(The group will meet at the TWC location and then head over to Central Park for the clinic)
Date: Sunday, March 13, 2011
Time: 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Contact: 212.823.9626 | therunningcompany.net
Greenwich Running Company
What: Natural Running Symposium and Form Clinic
Where: 2 Greenwich Ave | Greenwich, CT 06830
Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
Contact: 203.861.7800 | therunningcompany.net
Princeton Running Company
What: Natural Running Symposium and Form Clinic
Where: 108 Nassau St | Princeton, NJ 08542
Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
Contact: 609.252.9110 | therunningcompany.net
Sorry for such a short episode guys! The new (for the next few weeks) live streaming time will be at 8 PM EST on THURSDAYS!! To join in go to: ironbrandon.com/live
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I got beat to this by a tiny bit by someone else, but I thought I’d share anyway! Here is the former Mrs. James, Sandra Bullock on a visit to the gym accompanied by her Newton Performance Racers (Distancia)!
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!)
The headline pretty much says it all! The Sir Isaac Guidance Trainer from the awesome folks at Newton Running has been named the Run Shoe of the Year by the UK’s Triathlon 220 Magazine!
The Sir Isaac Guidance Trainer is part of the transitional line up of shoes from Newton. For those looking to become more efficient runners and to move their stride to a more natural, midfoot/forefoot gait, this shoe will certainly get you there. Now, got get some!
Leave a comment HERE to be entered to win a FREE bottle of Vidazorb!
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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.
Gear news and reviews at GEARIST.COM!
Draft Legal age group racing in Florida
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TriSports.com Phoenix Triathlon
Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island
Leave and episode HERE to win a FREE pair of Stuffitts!
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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.
For New York City being known as THE place where thing happen, it sure seems like I’m missing out on all the good stuff! Anyway, this is from The Running Front, Sir Isaac’s very own blog!
Help get me to Ironman Canada with Team Newton and Athletes for a Cure!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Great review of the Saucony Peregrine from Till. Check out more of the scoop from Europe at tridudes.com
Some good gear for cold weather running on the Today Show this morning. Take a look at what shows up at about the 2 minute mark!
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I am often asked when a Newton Running clinic will be coming to different parts of the world. One of the places that has come up several times is the great state of Texas. Well, all you natural runners in the Lonestar State, you’re in luck! Ian Adamson, director of R&D and ridiculous adventure racing world champion will be giving several FREE clinics across the state beginning next week! Here are the deets:
What: Natural Running Presentation & Discussion
Where: University of Texas | Levin Hall North Auditorium | Room 2.220, Galveston, TX
Date: Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Contact: 409.539.5150 | Fit to Run | www.fit2rungalveston.com
What: Natural Running Form Clinic
Where: Fit to Run | 528 23rd Street | Galveston, TX
Date: Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Time: 5:30-7:30pm
Contact: 409.539.5150 | Fit to Run | www.fit2rungalveston.com
What: Natural Running Presentation & Discussion
Where: Fleet Feet | 2408 Rice Blvd | Houston, TX
Date: Thursday, January 13, 2011
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
Contact: Fleet Feet | 713.520.6353 | www.fleetfeethouston.com
What: Natural Running Form Clinic
Where: Fleet Feet | 2408 Rice Blvd | Houston, TX
Date: Friday, January 14, 2011
Time: 6:30-7:30am
Contact: Fleet Feet | 713.520.6353 | www.fleetfeethouston.com
What: Natural Running Presentation & Discussion
Where: Luke’s Locker | 1953 West Gray | Houston, TX
Date: Friday, January 14, 2011
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
Contact: Lukes Locker | 713.529.0786 | www.lukeslocker.com
What: Natural Running Presentation & Discussion
Where: Luke’s Locker | 1953 West Gray | Houston, TX
Date: Saturday, January 15, 2011
Time: 8:00-9:00am
Contact: Lukes Locker | 713.529.0786 | www.lukeslocker.com
What: Natural Running Presentation & Discussion
Where: TriSition Area | 2602 NW Loop 1604, Ste 106 | San Antonio, TX
Date: Saturday, January 15, 2011
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
Contact: TriSition Area | 210.492.4884 | www.trisitionarea.com
What: Natural Running Presentation & Discussion
Where: TriSition Area | 2602 NW Loop 1604, Ste 106 | San Antonio, TX
Date: Sunday, January 16, 2011
Time: 9:00-10:00am
Contact: TriSition Area | 210.492.4884 | www.trisitionarea.com
I really hope that many of you can make it. These events are free and open to the public and an incredible opportunity, in an informal and pressure free environment to learn more about good running form. As always, you DO NOT need to be a Newton runner to attend (but you may be one after you leave)!
GoLite Black Mountain Thermal Wind Jacket
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
I think it often slips our minds. I think we all forget far more than we remember that every day of the year the United States Armed Forces are placing themselves in harms way. I think we forget that that fact is not political it is simply a fact. I think we forget that even in times of relative peace, we are enjoying that peace because someone gave their life to help make it possible.
Often at this time of year we see images of our troops abroad sending messages to loved ones back home. These are messages of love and hope. Hope that families will be reunited soon and that God will see the person on the other end through another day safely. We take for granted the fact that many families are unable to have such virtual conversations because the soldier who should be wishing for home has laid down his or her life in the ultimate sacrifice of millions of Americans who will never even know.
Throughout the days, months and years politicians, organizations and individuals use our Armed Forces as a bargaining chip or as an idealogical standard. The fact of the matter is, it doesn’t matter which side of the spectrum you come from, our troops protect all of us. If someone doesn’t believe in having a military at all, that person’s right to stand up and yell that is protected daily by the same troops that are the focus of their ire. If a soldier is homosexual or heterosexual, whether you agree with it or not, they still bleed and they still die. Whether you like it or not our troops are , in fact, sacrificing their lives for us all.
During this season of love, joy, peace and fellowship, we should all strive to keep in mind that thousands of families won’t be together because someone is standing vigil over our freedoms and the freedoms of others. Someone is taking up arms and willingly standing in front of a faceless enemy that wants nothing more than to wreak havoc on peace. Mothers and fathers, sisters and brother, friends and spouses, every one of the members of our armed forces knows what could lay in store for them, yet still they protect and defend us all.
It is with gratitude and profound humility in my heart that I say to the members past and present of the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force, United States Coast Guard and all those in the United States National Guard and Reserves; thank you. Not just this season, but in all seasons, on all days. Thank you, merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and happy new year.
Brandon Wood
Natural Running: The Simple Path to Stronger, Healthier Running
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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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Fourteen months ago 1st Lieutenant Ryan McGuire lost his leg in a boating accident on Lake Amistad. The wind caught an inner tube sitting next to him, and the rope attached to the tube yanked him from the boat and he flew out at 40 miles per hour, dislocating his hip, fracturing his pelvis, and mangling his foot. Since that day, McGuire has undergone rehab with a prosthetic leg, run in the Air Force Marathon, and competed in the Warrior Games in his Newtons. It is remarkable to see someone focused enough to make such a quick recovery. You can read the full story here.
McGuire is still determined to become a pilot, and was approved to return to training on October 29th. We wish him the best of luck!
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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