Category Archives: General
MY RUNNING FAMILY
We’re the ones wearing red!
When it comes to family and friends, the old saying goes, “Blood is thicker than water.” Well, I’m not certain where sweat falls into that equation, but I bet it’s pretty damn important too.
With that said I, want to tell you about the runners, coaches and staff that make up T2 (Team to End AIDS)… my running family.
These are the people who I see during training season, week in and week out without fail. No matter what is going on in our lives, we get together each Saturday morning at 7:00am (sometimes 6:00am, oof) to talk, laugh, sometimes cry and to help others. And we also run… a lot.
RUN AND BE GRATEFUL
Meg Menzies
In the short time I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve had a lot of fun telling my personal stories, giving out hints, race reviews and poking fun at something I love so dearly. I prefer taking a light-hearted and humorous approach to this and life in general.
But there are some things that irk me, make me mad or in this case utterly friggin’ pissed off.
I read a news story today and it made me want to yell to the heavens at the top of my lungs.
Yesterday morning Meg Menzies was out for her daily training run when she was hit and killed by a drunk driver. CLICK HERE for the news story.
CARTOON ME!
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how many words is a caricature worth?
I turned to the folks at ilovetorun.org and had them transform me into a running cartoon.
Now I can impart my running words of wisdom (aka wiseass remarks) for all to behold. Enjoy!
Living the dream… as a cartoon figure.
Run on!
(Oh, and please feel free to use my mug to create your own eBib)
“HAVE YOU SEEN MY MARATHON?”
Missing Bling.
I woke up early Sunday morning and as I was in the midst of brushing my teeth, I felt this strong urge that something wasn’t right. And then it hit me.
I should be racing right now.
Now I hadn’t had a “senior moment,” as my dad likes to say, and completely forgotten about a race. No way my “Running OCD” would let something like that happen. But it was true, I should have been racing today, but I wasn’t. Why not? Because the race simply wasn’t there.
The race I speak of is the 2014 Los Angeles 13.1 Half Marathon. How did I know it was supposed to be today? Because for the 4 years of its existence, the race had been run on a Sunday in mid-January. And I had run 3 of them.
BREAK ON THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE
“Lead, follow or get (the hell) out of the way.” –Thomas Paine
NOTE: Read all the way through for a very helpful race hint that you won’t find in any other book or guide!
It’s like this, but minus the cars.
Today I feel the need to bitch a little, specifically about something that a certain group of racers does. I don’t know if it’s out of naivety, ignorance or simply not caring about your fellow runner (I suspect a little of all of them).
I’m talking about the “walking wall.” This is not the wall you hit when you bonk in a race. This is far far more frustrating.
This is when 4, 5 or 6 racers (almost always walkers) create a massive wall right in the middle of the course and move along at a snail’s pace, forcing the entire race to go around them. It happens occasionally in full marathons, more often in half marathons but this plague is quickly reaching pandemic proportions at 10Ks.
Am I overreacting? I mean, how bad can it be?
AVOIDING AN EGO TRIP
“Do as I say, not as I do.” –Pretty much everyone at some point.
Anyone know who is winning?
Last week when I ran the New Year’s Race, I broke one of my own rules. I did one of those things that “rookie” runners typically do and have to learn a lesson the hard way.
It was a momentary lapse of judgment on my part, but still a “no-no” and I’m embarrassed by it. Okay, maybe not totally. What was my mistake, you ask?
I raced somebody to the finish line at full sprint.
Before I beat myself up (not too much, mind you) let me explain why it’s potentially dangerous to sprint to the finish in a long race and why it’s pretty silly to race someone to the finish to begin with.
THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED
“Gotta Blame it on something. Blame it on the rain” –Milli Vanilli
Scott’s iPod Shuffle
2011- 2014
This morning at the gym, my iPod shuffle stopped playing mid-workout. The battery had been failing over the past few weeks and even quit during the final two miles of the Atlanta Half Marathon. I thought maybe it was my damn fault for not charging it fully.
Nope.
A quick trip to the Apple store today confirmed my fears. The diagnosis was terminal. My little shuffle had played “Ooh Eeh Ooh Ah Aah Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang” for the final time.
As I stood in line at Best Buy tonight to purchase my replacement shuffle (okay, so my mourning period was brief), I realized this was the third iPod that running had claimed. It also made me think about the first time I killed an iPod.
CHECK OUT MY BACKSIDE
Behold my backside!
The other day I was in the supermarket parking lot putting groceries in my SUV when an elderly lady walked up to me and asked a question.
“What is that thing on your backside?”
I was stunned for a moment. Was this septuagenarian taking the whole cougar thing a little too far? I mean, I’m flattered, but…
Then I realized she was talking about the sticker on my SUV. The one that reads “26.2.”
After calling her a naughty minx for checking out the “junk on my trunk” and getting a nice laugh in return, I explained that I was a marathon runner and that the sticker represented the distance of the race.
She smiled. And as she started to walk to the store she turned and said, “Well, it certainly shows on you.”
Like I said, a naughty minx.
Run on!
RACE REVIEW: ATLANTA HALF MARATHON (11/28/13)
Turkey Bling!
Thanksgiving is an ideal day for race. What better way to kick off the biggest eating day of the year than with a healthy calorie deficit? Knowing that the 2,000+ calories I burned off running would be more than made up for (seconds on pie, anyone?), I signed up for the Atlanta Half Marathon as I’d be in town again visiting family. Besides, it sure beat having to help out in the kitchen (I’m usually relegated to peeling potatoes). This annual race (both Half Marathon and 5K) starts and finishes at Turner Field and gives runners a nice look at downtown Atlanta. This year’s “turkey trek” featured almost 8,900 runners (6,733 half marathon and 2,140 5K) and the 7:30am start time guaranteed you’d be home in time for the feast (and football).
EATING ON THE GO
Big Box o’ Chomps!
I’m excited because I got a visit from the “marathon fairy” today. Okay, it was UPS, but they were bringing me goodies. Inside the package was some running swag and a big box of GU Chomps that I’d ordered. The timing was great because I’d just used my last pack on Saturday and needed to re-supply.
I know that a lot of my non-running friends (yes, I have them) are surprised when I say that not only do I need to drink when I run (a blog topic to come), but I also need to eat. I figure they have an image of me chowing down on a burger and fries as I clomp along the streets of Burbank and Glendale. While it’s nothing as fancy as that, proper eating (or fueling) during a half or full marathon can be the difference between finishing strong or “bonking.”
GOING NOWHERE FAST
On the fast track to nowhere.
After an obligatory rest day following the New Year’s Race half marathon, I hit the gym this morning excited for a maintenance run and a little speed work.
Now I can hear some of you out there saying, “Wait, you went to the gym to run? You don’t actually run on a treadmill do you?”
Yes, yes I do.
“So you must live in the Northeast where it’s currently -4 trillion degrees and wooly mammoths are roaming free. That’s why, right?”
SMILE AND SAY “CHEESY!”
Now that’s a camera!
An e-mail showed up in my inbox today that simultaneously filled me with excitement and dread.
“Race photos are ready for your review.”
NOTE: I’m not talking about the millions of smartphone pics and selfies snapped pre/during/post race by runners that will end up as Facebook or Instagram posts. That is a blog for another day. Today, I’m talking about the photos taken by the “pros.”
I ran the New Year’s Race half marathon on Saturday and the fine folks at Marathon Foto (one of the main race photo services) were on hand, snapping away like there was no tomorrow. And now those Kodak moments were primed for my perusal.
You see, deep down everyone wants a formal memento of their race experience. This is something you trained weeks or even months for and that moment is finally happening. How cool would it be to have a professional image of your accomplishment captured and framed for all to see… that iconic pose of you running triumphantly along the street and displaying perfect racing form.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? And it is, in theory.
RACE REVIEW: LA ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HALF MARATHON (10/27/13)
Trick or Bling!
The LA Rock ‘n’ Roll series hosted its 4th annual race this past weekend in downtown LA, featuring a Half-marathon and Mini-marathon (3.5 mile untimed run). Taking place on Halloween weekend, the race definitely brought out some wonderful costumes. I saw everything from a guy riding an ostrich, to several participants of Mario Kart and a plethora of superheroes (DC and Marvel). My hat is off to the lady sporting the Milla Jovovich “Leeloo” tape outfit from THE FIFTH ELEMENT…beware of chafing. The officials said there were 13,000 people running, although according to results board the half marathon had about 7300 finishers. The weather was overcast, but not too cold…actually really good running conditions. Here’s my review about the race’s various components…enjoy!
RACE REVIEW: HOLIDAY HALF MARATHON (1/15/13)
Snowflake bling!
‘twas ten days before Christmas and all through the race, the runners flashed smiles… no matter their pace.
For those of us who want to get in a last race before Christmas & New Year’s Eve, the Holiday Half Marathon is a good option. The weekend includes a 5K run/walk and kids fun run on Saturday, culminating with a half marathon on Sunday morning. Centered at the Fairplex in Pomona, the half marathon included about 6300 runners, many showing their holiday spirit. Runners clad in red and green dominated the field, many wearing the free Santa hats and jingle bells given out with your bib. Others donned elf ears and some (myself included) sported a pair of reindeer antlers hoping to run like Rudolph. One other thing of note was the inclusion of the Students Run LA group, which was comprised of thousands of runners. The SRLA group started 30 minutes after the other runners, but some of those speed demons still caught the main pack.
RACE REVIEW: NEW YEAR’S RACE (1/4/14)
New Year’s bling!
“Should old acquaintance be forgot”… now run! 2014 (the year of the horse, in case you’re wondering) is upon us. And it’s time to make immediately good on that resolution to run more and work off those holiday treats. The New Year’s Race (Half Marathon and 5K) takes place the first Saturday of the New Year and to make things even more interesting, it’s a nighttime jaunt starting in downtown Los Angeles. Last year’s race was the inaugural event and like all first year races, was plagued by a few course and organizational hiccups (aka growing pains). This year’s race featured 5,370 runners (1656 for the 5K and 3714 for the half Marathon) all raring to get 2014 rocking.
Tripping The Kenyans 