I have finally decided to run another race and this one is going to be more of a fun run than a race. It is the Seattle Turkey Trot which is in run in Ballard on the morning of Thanksgiving Day, November 24th.
Besides being a good way to burn off calories before the big eating bonanza, this Turkey Trot benefits the Ballard Food Bank. More than 1,000 Ballard, Magnolia and Queen Anne households receive food, hygiene items or emergency financial help each week from the Ballard Food Bank, so this is a very worth cause.
Here is some additional information on the Turkey Trot and how to sign up.
For those of you in NYC and looking to volunteer at a race, the Rock n Roll NY 10K in Prospect Park is looking for some help. Details below:
VOLUNTEER FOR THE RACE CREW!
The Rock ‘n’ Roll New York™ 10K is rockin’ through your neighborhood October 21-22. Nearly 5,000 runners will race to the finish, but they won’t be the only ones out in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. The Rock ‘n’ Roll New York 10K event also features live bands and DJs playing great music every mile and a finish line headliner concert. It’s a 6.2 mile block party!
Volunteering for the Race Crew means you will not only be supporting thousands of aspiring runners and walkers, but also the community of New York. We need your help to make this event spectacular, and with over 400 Race Crew volunteer positions available there is a spot for everyone, including teams, corporate groups, or just friends and family.
BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING
- Official Race Crew T-shirt
- Race Crew drawstring backpack
- Support a great cause
- Fulfill community service hours
- Have a great time!
AVAILABLE RACE CREW SHIFTS
- Friday, October 21, Super Runners Store: 745 7th Ave. New York, NY
o Packet Pick-Up: 10am to 5pm
- Saturday, October 22, Prospect Park, Brooklyn
o Start Line Shift: 5:30am to 8:30am
o Finish Line Shift: 6:00am to 11:30am
o Corrals & Course Monitors at Start Line: 6:30am to 9:30am
o Gear Return at Finish Line: 7:00am to 11:30am
o Water Stations – times vary (contact Volunteer Coordinator)
HOW TO REGISTER
Step 1: Go to runrocknroll.com/new-york
Step 2: Click “Volunteer” on the left-hand side menu
Step 3: Click “Race Crew Information” to determine the shift(s) that best fit your schedule
Step 4: Click the blue “Race Crew” button to sign up!
After a long winter of eating, travelling, some sleep and more eating I have decided to start a serious running schedule again, which means, a race. For me, having a goal race is the best way to get back into running shape and this year I have decided to run the Beat The Bridge race in Seattle. Beat The Bridge is an 8K race that also serves as a fundraiser for the Juvenille Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The event actually consists of an 8K run, 4 mile Family Walk, One Mile fun run and a Diaper Derby (I may have to see this). The fun parts of this race are a challenge to beat the University Bridge before it is raised and then somehow complete an 8K and cross the finish line in Husky Stadium. The bridge is at the 2.0 mile mark of the race for those of you who follow the Imperial System.
Beat The Bridge finsih
Part of the training that I would like to complete is financial training. I am looking to raise funds for Juvenile Diabetes and would appreciate if you readers could make a donation to the cause. Click here to make a donation in my name to JDRF and help me along in raising funds for a good cause and getting back into training shape.
I will start this post off by saying I am not in the Brooks wear tester program, and this is not a sponsored review. If someone form Brooks is reading this and then wants to approve one of my many applications to become a wear tester, then I will not complain and will join you. Now on the review of the shorts.
Living in the Seattle area, which is home to Brooks Running, I am lucky enough to be near the Brooks outlet store and can usually find some good deals. At their last sidewalk sale I picked up a new type of running short that I had never seen before. It is called the Infiniti Notch (silly name) and instead of a mesh liner it has a compression short built right in. I was a little apprehensive at first since I am kind of careful what kind of shorts I put on, fears of chafing and using something with the word “compression” in certain areas.
Well after a month or so of use I can say these are my new go to shorts. The outside liner material is loose since it does not have to be snug against you to hold down the liner, and does not seem to chafe or rub anywhere it should not. The compression liner is comfortable and supportive and while I am not sure of the benefits to your muscles from the compression shorts and the claims that it fights fatigue, I can tell you that most important , everything stayed in place.
As for the colors and the pockets and the other details , my review is – they are fine. This short is not about some cool secret pocket for your keys or funky glow in the dark colors, but about a really good everyday training short that I think most men would appreciate. If you need it here is the official product description and a picture. Enjoy!
Men’s high-performance 2-in-1 marathon short features dual rear-holster pockets and CoRe Liner, a Compression and Recovery boxer brief that reduces chafing and fights fatigue on longer runs.Shell: Element Woven (100% waterproof/windproof microfiber polyester) provides protection from wind and wet, breathability for comfort and a fine, soft texture; Liner: (84% polyester/16% spandex) moves moisture away from your skin.
One of my favorite running stores in NYC is having a show. Here are the details below:
The JackRabbit NYC Running Show is April 22-23!
www.nycrunshow.com
JackRabbit is hosting the first ever NYC Running Show on April 22-23rd. Over two years in the making, the show features 30,000 sq feet of expo space, clinics, speakers, panel discussions, and social events. Over two dozen of the top brands in running & triathlon will be exhibiting, including major booths from Asics, Brooks, Saucony, Mizuno, Vibram, & Adidas, along with New Balance, Garmin, Zoot, Sugoi, CEP, Feetures, Nathan, BlueSeventy, Powerbar and many more.
Speakers and panels include Scott Jurek, Matt Long, a panel discussion on the trend to minimalist shoes & barefoot running, a seminar on womens health issues in running, an information session for participants in the Ragnar Relay, clinics on improving running form, stretching and strengthening, nutrition, tackling new race goals, and many more. You’ll also get a chance to meet the six runners chosen for JackRabbit’s “Run for the Rabbit” fundraising campaign this year.
A $10 ticket gets you $15 off your purchases at the show, and there will be great free gifts for people who spend over $100, $200, or $350. It’s a great opportunity to gear up for spring and start the season right!
JackRabbit is offering each club a free table at the “Clubs and Races” mini-expo on the second day of the show if at least ten members buy tickets. Don’t miss out on this chance to market the club, show team pride, and help us recruit new members! Please visit www.nycrunshow.com to learn more and get tickets.
Even though the race is not until March 2011, the time to apply for the 2011 NYC Half-Marathon is right now. Applications are now open and the registration period closes on November 15th, so if you want to run in this years race, you better get moving.
Apply for NYC Half Marathon via NYRR
Sunday, March 20 – New York City
Start: 7:35 a.m.
Course: An iconic course that runs through the heart of the city including Times Square!
Now that we have changed the clocks back and it is dark real early here in Seattle, I needed to find a new running headlamp. After the usual hours and hours of searching I purchased the Black Diamond Sprinter, a headlamp specifically designed for running.
The coolest feature of the headlamp and why it is tailored for runners is the focus of the light beam. It is a strong, oval beam that illuminates the path directly in front of you and not just a dispersed bright light. An easier way to explain it is it shoots a spotlight right in front of your feet so you can really see what is in front of you, not a dispersed light that will brighten a room. For those that care about technical specs the LED produces 68 lumens at its brightest setting, which really means it is really, really bright. Another great feature for runners is a red strobe light in the back so cars and other people can see you coming and going.This switch can be turned off so as not to annoy other runners if you happen to be running in a pack.
Some of the other cool features are a rechargeable battery, which really lightens the load of this headlamp to 100g/3.5oz, probably the lightest running headlamp out there and has a 6 hour charge time, so it will burn for 5 hours on the highest setting and something like 60+ hours on a dim setting.
Forgot to mention one of the most important features of the Black Diamond Sprinter, it actually feels good on your head. It has a great balance and you do not feel it flying around or worry that it is going to come off at any moment. A major problem I have had with other headlamps. I know it might not look that great in these pictures, but at the end of the day, who cares. It is dark out and this light is meant to shine in front of you, not on you.
I know that I promised to start writing again, so thought I would try to kick it off with the Lake Union 10K here in Seattle. August 22nd 2010. I ran this race last year and for an inaugural race is was pretty well done. If I could give one word of advice to the race organizers is please get a speaker system or some other method to project your voice. A little bullhorn will not work.That being said, I liked the race a lot and plan to run it this year. My results were pretty weak last year and am hoping for a slightly better result this year, maybe break a 7:45/mile pace.
For those that are interested in running the race I believe registration is still open here in Seattle and you can also register online via Active.com. All the information for the race can be found here http://www.lakeunion10k.com/
Good Luck and hope to see everyone out there. Lake Union is a beautiful place here in Seattle and one of of my favorite running routes
Below is my email rejection letter for the 2010 NYC Marathon. I am actually relieved since it would have been a stretch for me to run it this year.
For those that have been rejected, I advise you to think about being a charity runner. I ran the NYC Marathon with Team for Kids and it was a great experience, and recommend to everyone
Entry Number: 468985
We’re sorry, but you were not selected in the ING New York City Marathon 2010 lottery. We appreciate your commitment to running with NYRR, but we must limit the size of the field to make this race safe and enjoyable for participants.
Fortunately, there are still opportunities for you to enter this race and be part of our running community throughout the year.
You can join Team for Kids to gain entry to the November 7 race and benefit from a variety of training programs, online forums and chats, and race-weekend perks. You can register with any of our charity partners to receive exclusive member-only benefits with your race entry and the satisfaction of participating for a cause.
Whether you want to run your fastest 5K or finish a marathon, you can compete nearly every weekend of the year in NYRR races. Our training programs, packages, and online tools are available for runners of all abilities wherever you live and train.
Keep moving toward your goals, and we expect to see you out on the roads!
Sincerely,
New York Road Runners
After a two year absence I have decided to throw my hat back into the ring and I applied for the 2010 NYC Marathon. In the past the lottery was rigged for me since I gained automatic entry by running the number of qualifying NYRR races. Since I have moved out to Seattle, I have kept my NYRR membership but have not run in one qualifying race.
This year the NYRR have decided to up the ante and are broadcasting the NYC Marathon lottery live April 7th on their website http://www.nyrrvideo.org/lottery Noon ET, 9am PT
I am hopeful that I get in to the race and also interested on how NYRR will run this live lottery. They have had server issues in the past from too many neurotic runners trying to check at once. I hope this works out smoothly
Looking forward to seeing my favorite sign on the marathon course. Always makes me laugh when I see it.
I remember when I first started running serious miles and training with a team I would come home and my neck and shoulders would be sore. Since I was just starting to log long distance I assumed this was a side effect that everyone had and I would just deal with it. Thankfully our charity team had an amazing Ethiopian coach who was able to point out my stupidity and correct my errors.
When you run, your hand position is very important. I am not talking about swinging your arms or pumping but what you do with your finger and your hand. I was holding my hand in a fist position and as the running became more intense, especially on hills I would tighten that fist. As you can guess that is the exact opposite of what you need to do.
In an accent that cannot be transcribed to text, our Ethiopian coach explained to me that I need to pretend I am holding a potato chip between my thumb and index finger and make sure it does not break. Yes, imagine you are holding a potato chip when running, it works. I searched the web looking for an image to help and the best I could find was a Cheeto shaped like Jesus, but you still want to hold on to that Jesus cheeto and make sure you do not break him. I think the image works
The neck and shoulder pain went away immediately, but there was also another benefit. I was much more relaxed when I was running and enjoyed running a lot more. Give it a try on your next runs and if you cannot imagine holding the chip try to imagine holding Cheeto Jesus and making sure you keep him intact
I try to take a few weeks off from running around New Years so I can get a little break and avoid all the people who are sticking to their resolutions for the first few weeks of January. By the third week of January I am well rested, the roads are clear and I am ready to return to running. The only problem is that after three weeks off, how do I jump back in to running without hurting myself. It has only been three weeks so my mind does not think I should slow down, but my body is telling a different story. All those tequilla shots, enchiladas and fajitas I ate in Mexico are not helping much.
I ran across this article in Runners World that gives a good rundown of how to come back after a break which I thought I would share. Here are some of the highlights:
START SLOW Runners returning to action often carry extra weight, which puts more stress on the body. To avoid injury caused by that stress, run no more than 20 consecutive minutes for several weeks.
JOIN A GROUP Athletes respond best when they return to a team setting.
RECOVER WELL Run every other day for the first few weeks. Rest days reduce the risk of injuries.
CROSS-TRAIN After a month, gradually change your recovery days from rest only to cross-training days. It will help build your aerobic development without increasing your injury risk.
If you would like to read the whole article you can read it here, it is worth the read http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-516–13390-0,00.html
About one year ago I wrote a post about running at night and how to get past the excuses and get out there now that we only have a few hours of daylight. One of my brilliant ideas was “Wear something reflective” which I think at this time of darkness is worth expanding on.
There is no way most people can look cool wearing something reflective and I think I now have the proof of that with my new hat. The Brooks Nightlife Hat
This hat is comfortable, adjustable, reflective as hell, but kind of ugly. It has high visibility fabric that gives you 360 degrees of visibility and wait for it…….a flashing rear LED light on the back. Now since it is dark out when I am running I am going to go with function over fashion every night and wear this hat. While it will not a fashion award, it will probably save your life so I recommend this hat when running in the dark, which in Seattle at this time of year is 4:30pm – 7:30am.
One more note – if you are looking for this hat or maybe some other reflective accessories check out this site night-gear.com. They have all sorts of reflective items for sale.
I am looking for some help and recommendations for a new jacket for running in the rain. The last review of jackets that I can find is from Runners World 2007 and am looking for a fresh perspective. I am not worried about warmth, just something I can wear on a run that will keep me dry and breathe.
Please post any recommendations in the comments and let me know what your favorites are. I would prefer to spend under $100 for a new rain jacket but if someone can convince me that a certain jacket is incredible I could go up to $101, maybe even more.
I am looking to make the purchase in the next week or two as the weather here in Seattle is starting to turn and need something new. Look forward to my review on the new running rain jacket once I have put some miles on it.
Well it was not as bad as I thought, but I am still out of real running shape and need some real work. Here is a little detail of the Lake Union 10K which I finished in 48:33 a 7:47 pace
* Mile 1 – A little tight at the start, but a nice first mile. Will never understand why people who are slow and know they are slow must start up front. Mile 1 done in 7:36
* Mile 2 – Starting to feel pretty good. Group spaces out and there is now room to run. Find a nice little pace group to run with.Think everyone in the group has a Garmin, we all beep at the end of Mile 2. Mile 2 7:30
* Mile 3 – Crap, here come the hills and a little wind. About halfway through the climb I realize I may have bit off more than I could chew. Starting to fade. Mile 3 7:55
* Mile 4 – These hills will not let up. As we enter Eastlake there are a couple of hills that are short but lung searing, way too steep for a residential area and the shape I am in. Mile 4 7:52
* Mile 5 – Finally some flat areas and I am starting to kick this engine in. Actually feeling good and chasing some girl with an awesome tattoo on the back of her neck. Mile 5 7:30
* Mile 6 – I may have gone a little too early on my final “kick”. Look to finish this in sub 7:00 but cannot muster the energy. 7:03
Overall this was an awesome race and am very happy to be back in the game. Looking forward to a few more fall races, hopefully a half-marathon
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