Yesterday we bid August adieu and it’s now time to flip the page on your kitten calendars to September.

Run on T2!

Labor Day Weekend is just around the corner, along with the start of the college and pro football seasons (get those fantasy drafts ready).

And today, September 1st, also marks the start of registration for the 2016 LA Marathon.

However, the 31st running of the Los Angeles Marathon is going to be rather unique.

How come?

For starters, the race is a month earlier that usual. Instead of lacing up our shoes around St. Patty’s Day, we’ll be pounding the pavement on Valentine’s Day (trade in your leprechaun and shamrock for a bow & arrow-wielding Cupid).

And why would they possibly do that?

Because this upcoming year the US Olympic marathon trials are being held right here in LA (granted their course will be quite a bit different than the one us mere mortals run). It should be a really spectacular weekend with all running-obsessed eyes focused on our fair city.

In addition, the race has changed its sponsorship from Asics to Sketchers. Gone is the orange-colored “LA” line logo and in it’s place is a blue/green color scheme and a rather low-key/meh logo (maybe it’ll grow on me as race day approaches).

The logo and color scheme hasn’t grabbed me yet.

But with all of these changes, one thing will remain constant for me. I will once again be running the Los Angeles Marathon with my favorite charity TEAM TO END AIDS (T2).

This will be the 7th time I’ve run the LA Marathon with my teammates and I look forward to that 26.2 mile trek from Dodger Stadium to the ocean.

Now given that the race is a month earlier, our training will also start a month earlier (Sept. 12th this time around).

T2 is a wonderful organization that raises money to assist APLA (AIDS Project Los Angeles) as they help people whose lives are impacted by HIV/AIDS. You’ve heard me talk about them before.

And I’m asking for my friends to help support me by donating whatever they can to this tremendous cause.

My goal is to raise $1,100 between now and race day.

Here is the link to my fundraising page:

Click here for Scott’s Page

Any amount (even $5) can make a difference in someone’s life and your donation is tax deductible.

If you’ve read and enjoy “Tripping The Kenyans,” here’s a chance to pay it forward by chipping in a few dollars to support a great organization who is helping those in need.

Thank you so very much… and Run on!

And there will be plenty of coverage to come on my training prep (and T2) as we start the countdown to the Los Angeles Marathon.