Undefeated Running

UNBREAKABLE Review; 2010 Western States 100 Miler Documentary

2011-12-04T11:38:00.001-08:00

I was fortunate enough (and smart enough to buy a ticket early) to attend the world premier screening of Unbreakable, the documentary of the 2010 Western States Endurance Run. Unbreakable follows (literally) 4 of the worlds top Ultrarunners during what turned out to be one of the most epic ultrarunning races we've seen yet; the 2010 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. In 2010, Geoff Roes,

Running to Strained Calf to Biking to Swimming to Triathlons

2011-10-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Since pulling my calf in June I have sadly not been able to run much. I am somewhat of a (well actually a big) self "diagnoser" and I definitely made my strain worse than it was when it happened. Numerous times I thought it was healed and I tried to run it out only to limp back home. I tried to find respite in heavy rides on the spin bike and strength training, including my legs, figuring

Secret Love Affair with Running and Endurance Sports

2011-10-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

This part of my life (roughly the past 4 yrs) has been one of transitions. As we know from our triathlete friends and high school soccer coaches, "it's all about the transitions". I am 31 now and as I've reached my late twenties and moved into my 30's, whether I am training for a race or just training for the sake of training, it has seemed to take the roll of my secret lover. It seems as

Marathon World Record

2011-09-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

So as you probably know there is a new world record marathon time. And no, it was not set by Haile Gebreselassie... It was set by 26 yr old Kenyan runner, Patrick Makau. Patrick blew everyone out the water and won by 4 minutes in a time of 2:03:38... that is an average pace of 4:43/mile. Fire!!! It should also be noted that a UK record was set at the 2011 Berlin Marathon as well. Scott Overall

"Running On Empty" by Marshall Ulrich; Book Review

2011-09-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you cannot get enough of running? Try running 3,096 miles over the course of 52 days. That is what running (ultrarunning) legend Marhsall Ulrich did at age 57. He recounts the experience in his book "Running On Empty". "Running on Empty" is a pretty good read. He gives you a solid look into his life; from losing his first wife to cancer to crying about not being able

San Francisco Marathon 2011

2011-07-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

I signed up for the San Francisco Marathon early in the year while training for the American River 50 which was on April 9th. Being my home marathon and that it was 3.5 months after my first 50 miler I figured it would be a fun run and one that I could push myself to run a PR at. My calf had other plans. After catching a gnarly head cold and not running for a week in mid-June I went out for a

The Devon Crosby-Helms Interview.

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling pretty good about my running these days because I was able to catch up with the ever speedy DEVON CROSBY-HELMS ("DCH") for an Interview. Devon is an elite endurance runner. She is a 3 time member of the USA 100K Team (has competed in 3 World Championships) and a recent qualifier for the Olympic Marathon Trials. Although, 50 milers are her favorite. Devon is also a certified personal

North Face Endurance Challenge Road Race... KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

2011-06-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

On August 27th and 28th in Kansas City, Missouri The North Face Endurance Challenge will be hosting it's first road race. Up until now "TNF Endurance Challenge" consisted of only trail races which culminate with the championship right here in the Marin Headlands (San Francisco). The North Face, besides being a bad-ass brand, has been putting together this Endurance Challenge for a few years now.

REST...

2011-05-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

...and recovering from an ultramarathon. Sometimes the best way to improve is by taking a break, for a bit. Taking a step away, letting something heal, letting something get stronger or gaining perspective can give you the advantage you've been in need of. In running, this might mean sleeping more, walking more, working on core strength, upper body or doing some lower body rehab and maintenance

BAY to BREAKERS 2011; the 100th Running!

2011-05-24T18:40:00.000-07:00

aaahhhh Bay to Breakers.... I love Bay to Breakers! (Wikipedia link: B2B)Many people are against it because of all the partying that accompanies it but I think it's awesome. It is a side of running that is rarely seen and a side of San Francisco that is unique to our city and needs to be shared with the world. The important part of Bay to Breakers is the part that falls somewhere in between the

American River 50 Mile Endurance Run 2011 Review, Report, Advice and Knowledge from the Road Less Traveled...

2011-04-14T23:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend (April 9, 2011) I ran the AMERICAN RIVER 50 MILE ENDURANCE RUN. It was my first 50 miler and my first "ultramarathon". It was awesome. I loved it. I barely slept the night before. We stayed at the Larkspur Hotel in Sacramento which was a 2 minute drive from the starting line. It was clean, quiet and a great place to stay. My girlfriend/crew was yelling at me all night to sleep (i

Cascadia 6 Break-In Session and Review

2011-03-10T16:19:00.000-08:00

Aaahhhhh, the Brooks Cascadia's. If there was a running shoe hall of fame (and there definitely should be one! Contact me if you're interested in starting it.) the Brooks Cascadia's would be in there, no doubt. There is something about this shoe that is simple, rugged, durable, and makes you want to cover some serious distance. My Cascadia 4's were getting old and I've been eyeing the new

Marin Headlands 22.5 Miler

2011-02-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

I have the fortune to live in one of the best running regions in the world, the San Francisco Bay Area. On Saturday (2/26/11) I went for a 22.5 Miler through the Marin Headlands which included about 4,500' elevation gain and an equal amount of descent (I think I was on flat ground for only about a half mile total!). It was a great training run for the American River 50 Miler and it also covered

Running and Blogging

2011-02-25T09:55:00.000-08:00

I used to think that even though I write a running blog, running and blogging really did not have any similarities. When I first started this blog, I thought that the writing and time for it would always come easily. Recently I have learned what running and blogging have in common. Writing a blog is like being on a really long run with no finish line. You face adversity, you feel great highs,

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE OF RUNNING

2011-01-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

2011 will be running's biggest year yet. The streets are flooded with runners, the parks are littered with us and on most trails you're almost guaranteed to see at least one person to throw a runner's wave at. Races are selling out well in advance and the Elite's are pushing the pace to new lows. Barefoot runners and Minimalist shoes are EVERYWHERE. I even see people with backpacks commuting to

Running Into the Storm

2010-12-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year when the daylight and your motivation seem to race away from you together in the late afternoon. If you're a morning runner it seems like it will take the Sun all day to warm up the land around you and your bed feels like you're on a beach in Hawaii. I went out for a 20 miler today. My goal was to take it really easy for the first half and then power back the second. This

Superfeet VS Plantar Fasciitis VS EVO Barefoot Shoes

2010-11-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

A few months ago (maybe it was 6), I developed Plantar Fasciitis. I went through the usual motions of trying to heal it; less running more biking, swimming, and trying every machine at the gym that i never tried before. I would throw a run in every few days but the Plantar Fasciitis never healed and just became worse. I researched PF online and off and found quite a bit of valuable information

DANA CASANAVE: 52 Marathons in 52 Weeks for South African Orphans!

2010-11-10T16:42:00.000-08:00

Some runner's are on a personal quest, some runner's are searching for something they may or may not find, some runner's could never stop moving and eventually became runner's, and some runner's run to make the world a better place. Dana Casanave began running for her health and in doing so she found a passion for running. Being a strong runner and an even stronger mother, she decided to help

Meb Keflezighi's "RUN TO OVERCOME" Book Review

2010-11-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

Meb Keflezighi is the American Dream. In 2009, after becoming the first American to win the NYC Marathon in 27 years, Meb helped USA Running and himself break through the wall to be known (again), as regular's on the world's running podiums. It's interesting to note how a Silver at the Olympics in 2004 didn't carry the same weight as the NYC Marathon. Although Meb was born and partially raised in

"Profiling HURT" ...A Documentary about the HURT 100 Mile Ultramarathon in Hawaii

2010-10-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

The HURT 100 Mile Endurance Run takes place in Hawaii on the island of Oahu. It is know for being one of, if not the toughest 100 Miler out there. It's a 20 mile-loop-type-course through the rain forest that ascends and descends about 29,000' (each way). The top of the mountain, where the trail intersects is about 1450' and in one lap you reach the summit 3 times. The race is 5 laps around the

Lake Tahoe Marathon 2010

2010-09-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

The LAKE TAHOE MARATHON has been on my list of "races-to-do" for a long time. Lake Tahoe is an exceptional place so naturally it would have an exceptional marathon! The fall is a great time to visit the lake and surrounding area. We were blessed with some unseasonably warm weather which was great for hanging out but a little tough for running. Les Wright, the Race Director has done an excellent

RUN THE 2010 NYC MARATHON AND HELP KIDS ENJOY SUMMER!

2010-09-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

Undefeated Running People! Listen up... Didn't qualify for the 2010 NYC MARATHON or get in through the lottery this year? Don't fret! Lottery's aren't easy to win and running Sub 3hr marathons aren't either... Here's your chance to gain entry to the 2010 NYC Marathon while helping inner city children enjoy their summer vacations! The FRESH AIR FUND needs you to do what you do and run... the 2010

NEW RUNNING MUSIC!

2010-09-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

Finally! ARCADE FIRE has come out with another album... and Finally! I have found yet another exceptional song to run to that will be on my ipod shuffle for a looooong time. The song really builds for the first minute or so and then breaks into a driving rhythm with running lyrics. Arcade Fire has some other great songs to offer to running which you can find in the Amazon Undefeated Running Store

It's Trail Running Season and You Should Be Running Trails... not reading this blog!

2010-08-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

I would say (and most of you seasoned runner's probably would too) that trail running is the fastest growing area of running. Trails seem more crowded with runners. Every running brand seems to be releasing AT LEAST one trail shoe model/year. Trail "challenges" and/or races are popping up all over the place as well. Although many runners (myself included) love running trails year round, it seems

Running Against the Grain

2010-08-03T15:02:00.000-07:00

Counter Cultures are a funny thing. So are perceptions. What is dorky and what is cool? When I was younger, I used to skateboard around San Francisco with my friends and remember telling them that if I ever became a "jogger" to shoot me. Part of what I love(d) about skateboarding was that we were moving through the streets against the grain. Most people looked down upon skateboarding. We were