Running Into Sports

Pulling up the back at the Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 12:27:00 +0000

At this weekends race I knew I was not going to PR frankly I hadn't trained for a half marathon since my lovely bruised ribs had sidelined me since April. I went out that morning with a plan one I knew I could easily stick to, one I came 1 minute off from. My plan was a nice and easy training run of 13 miles on part of the Boston Marathon Course. I planned to take full advantage of my entry and what they call Heartbreak Hill.

The attached is a great account of what happens at all races when the elite finishers are done and go home. I've been on a course for just 2:30 minutes and as long as 3:54 mins (my favorite race yet thanks to a man dressed as a frog). For everyone who isn't a runner go watch a race and see the effort of those at the front and those at the back, it's exactly the same. Everyone is covering the same distance 13 miles, 3 miles, 6 miles or 26.2. For some the push is harder, it's their first race, it's hotter 3 hours after a start or their minds are telling their able bodies to stop. Regardless everyone on an open course should be treated with the same, the entry fee is the same if you run 13 under 50 mins or 3:30.

We must have been around the writer when the car came through because my experience was exactly the same. Honestly I am surprised that no one got hurt as that car was flying and weaving in and out.

I can say one thing about this race that I haven't been able to in a long time because I've been so focused on a finishing time (pacing or not), I had a wonderful time. For me it was running in Boston, it was spending time with a friend and it was finishing 5 weeks after a fall that had side railed me and it was finishing with one inspiring women, Ironman Sarah Reinertsen.

http://relentlessforwardcommotion.com/2014/06/the-reality-of-the-back-of-the-pack-heartbreak-hill-half-marathon/

That Voice In Your Head

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 May 2013 14:50:00 +0000

I recently received an email with the following quote:

"Today I told myself I was going to run for 60 minutes.
I wanted to quit after 15, but I told myself to make it to 30.
I wanted to quit after 30, but I told myself to make it to 40.
I wanted to quit after 40, but I told myself to make it to 50.
I wanted to quit after 50, but I told myself I only had 10 minutes. When I was done, I had ran five and a half miles.
But something whispered... make it to six."

Runners, new and seasoned, have a voice in their head that talks to them. The voice tells you that today will be that day where you will run a mile longer than you ever have before. Today is the day that you will PR or in many cases the voice tells you that today will not be your day.

For the new runner just starting out this voice starts within the first 3 minutes of running, it’s the voice that gets your shoes on and opens the door. For a half marathoner the voice usually starts around mile 8 and for a marathoner, the voice is called the wall which occurs at mile 20. Many would believe that for an ultra-runner, who runs races that are well over 50 to 100 miles, there is no way that they have a voice. A voice that tells them to stop or that the pain in the right small toe will prevent you from finishing a 50-mile run.

Every runner has a voice. The question is, has your training prepared you to turn the voice off when negative and make it louder when positive. What training rituals are you going through for the mental preparation? You buy the right shoes. You run the required long distance run on Saturdays and your training includes the speed work required to improve your times. Have you trained your mind to believe that every training run and every race is YOUR day? Do you visualize crossing the finish line or running up the bridge and lifting your arms in victory?

One way to turn off the negative voice in your head is by breaking down your run into small increments.

New runners focus on the first 15 minutes, then go 15 more.
Half Marathoners break it down to 5 miles, another 5 miles and then an easy 5k.
Marathoners can do the same with 7-mile increments and an easy 5-mile. Bringing you past the 20-mile wall.
Ultra-runners break it down by half marathons.

If during training you hit the wall enlist friends to come along for a half marathon or a marathon during your race. The help of your friends will silence the voice.

Just like buying the right shoes, hydrating and speed work practice improves your form. Training your mind to believe in the possible is just another item in your running toolbox.

Happy Anniversary Title IX

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 20:38:00 +0000

If there was ever a law with so little words that made a huge impact it was Title IX. The 37-word law turns 40 this week and women everywhere are celebrating. The legislation called the 1972 Education Amendment, Title IX was simple “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance”. But a simple law made a huge impact in classroom, colleges, and boardrooms and in women’s confidence everywhere. Since the legislation went into place women playing high school and college sports has jump 1,000 percent. That said there are still issues and impacts of the law those needs to be addressed.

When the conversation of pay for play comes up in college sports, Title IX benefits both women sports as well as men’s sports. In short Title IX ensures gender equality in college sports, but also will help smaller men’s programs like wrestling and lacrosse from being excluded from a pay for play system. As Mechelle Voepel describes in a 2011 ESPN article “there is no viable end-around Title IX to allow schools to pay only those athletes who are in a profitable sport, which generally are football and men’s basketball.” A court would rule that all sports, regardless of size, popularity, or revenue source for the university, would need to be a part of the pay for play system.

Sadly the playing field is still not equal 40 years later. How many stories have you heard about a high school or college building a new state of the art complex and forgetting the girl’s softball field or a girl’s locker room? In a summit held at the White House this week, Olympic gold medalist in women’s soccer, Julie Foudy, told the story of when she and fellow teammates planned the first Women’s World Cup tournament and were told to book stadiums that held no more than 5,000 fans and only on the East Coast because the women’s game had limited regional appeal. To her and everyone else surprised they opened in a packed 80,000-seat Giants Stadium to a standing ovation. A great sign of how far women sports and women in sports have come.

As a woman who wants to merge herself into a career in sports and in an industry that now has close to 60 percent of participants who are women runners, I say “Happy Anniversary, Title IX”, thank you President Nixon for the wonderful future you made for women like me everywhere.

Women’s Running and The Competitor Group Team Up for Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:02:00 +0000

It was announced last week that Competitor Group Inc. had made another in a series of acquisitions. This time acquiring Women’s Running Magazine and the Lady Speed Stick Half Marathon Series. Many of you may know the founder of these two organizations as well as WomenRunning.com, Dawn Stone. Dawn was the 2005 winner of the Martha Stewart version of The Apprentice. At the time Dawn was the founder and publisher of Her Sports Magazine, the only magazine dedicated to women’s running.

Dawn Stone was a pioneer in the marketing to women runners. In 2009, she launched a half marathon in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida. One that was marketed with one of the best “goody bags” in the industry and a revolutionary medal that provide participants that opportunity to take a part of it to wear daily to show off their accomplishments. The Women’s Running Half Marathon is now a 4 event series held across the country with a new recently named head sponsor, Lady Speed Stick.

So what might a mega event holder like Competitor Group, Inc. need with a women’s half marathon when it also runs all of the Rock n’ Roll Marathon and Half Marathon events? Well it’s actually a good fit given Competitor Group’s current publishing background and ability to show how they have expanded the Rock n’ Roll series. With over 50,000 runners in just the 3, short, years that the Women’s Running Half Marathon series has been in existence, the series is set for great growth and Competitor Group can take this into the hundreds of thousands as well as international expansion. With the continued growth in women running the market isn’t taking a turn for the worse anytime soon.

With this acquisition, it doesn’t appear that Competitor Group, Inc. will slow down their acquisitions anytime soon. They don’t stop finding niches were they can input themselves in. The question is will the dedicated runner continue to find events run by the mega endurance organizer a continued draw for their running funds. In October I’ll get to see for the first time what makes this group so great that Dawn Stone would partner up with them. Only time will tell what impact this partnership will have on women’s running. As a runner I hope this works out to my advantage and the magazine, website and the running series grow even better.

Reward your employees. Go Green.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 26 May 2012 18:02:00 +0000

If there are two things that I have learned from my research on Joe Reynolds and Steve Ells is that your employees and the earth are the two most important things in a business and a business plan. Regardless of if you are starting to put together a business plan or working for a company who is asking for your input into a business strategy you need to look at what can make you different and why your employees will want to continue to invest in your positive future.

Joe Reynolds, the founder of Red Frog Events, believes so strongly in the assets that are his employees, he provides them with a fun environment to work in. That environment includes a rock climbing wall, a zip line and a tree house. When he started he want a fun place to go to work where it didn’t feel like work. With 2000 applicants a month, I believe he has created what he set out to do. He also provides his employees with an unheard of unlimited vacation days and a mandatory sabbatical after 5 years. That’s putting a lot of trust in your employees to not take advantage of the perks, something that Joe Reynolds hasn’t experienced an issue with yet.

The one thing that Joe Reynolds provides each of his employees that I will incorporate into by business plan is an event budget. My business plan is for an endurance sports event and while I want my event to be the best that is out there, I’ll never know it is the best if the people who for my event can’t see what else is out there. Giving people the opportunity to train for a marathon, half marathon or triathlon and then providing them with the funds to enter the event ensures that employees can see the competition or unique events around the country and the world. Giving them the opportunity to experience what being a participant is like and what other do right or not so well, will only improve my event.

Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle, believes in something called “Food with Integrity” which is about sustainable food, and responsible treatment of the land and animals. Through everything that Chipotle does, it keeps the “Food with Integrity” in the forefront. To the farmers they use, the materials in the building supplies in the restaurants to the advertising and creation of short films reminding people to think about the food that they eat. Being an environment conscience company is at its core.

Runners want to ensure that their carbon footprint is a positive one and the way that many races are moving. I don’t feel we are doing it fast enough but my business plan that I have created addresses this from the start of the planning. It takes everyone to make a conscience effort to improve the environment. Even if my business plan never takes off, this will be the corner stone of any strategic initiative that I have involvement in during my future career in sports and endurance sports.

Run Away With Your Business Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:02:00 +0000

There are two things that runners love to do, have fun and run to eat. When I think of two men who are instrumental in making an impact on these to fundamentals of running I think of Joe Reynolds, the founder of Red Frog Events and Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle. Both of these individuals have built incredible organizations from scratch and are doing what they love. They are both experts in developing business plans and seeing them come to fruition. They advise people everywhere on how to build a business, what’s important, from the name of the company to ensuring that your employees, the meat of your organization are happy and productive.

When it comes to making sure your business plan finds a niche Steve Ells understands the concept well. Mexican food isn’t new. Fast food isn’t new. Sustainable food in a fast food environment on a mass scale is new. Steve Ells perfected it with the Chipotle brand. Now he is bring the same philosophy to Pan-Asian with his new ShopHouse restaurants. Steve Ells understands you have to, be different, think different and stir the pot a bit with your margins, ideas, and branding.

You may not have heard of Joe Reynolds or Red Frog Events, but I am sure you have heard of the Warrior Dash or the Great Urban Race. Joe took $5,000 in 2007 and founded Red Frog Events, LLC. The company was projected to make $50 million in revenue in 2011.

Joe Reynolds proves it’s important to take a normal function, like running, and turn it into something fun. With a business venture you have to be different, be creative and stand out from the rest. Make your marketing idea transcend geographical boundaries and differences. Creating the Great Urban race for cities and the BeachDash for the cities by the bays.

Joe provides advice on how to make a great company including ensuring from the start you have a creative environment for your employees and a company mission that stands behind this. Joe provides unlimited vacation to his 81 employees and offers a four-week sabbatical after 5 years of service.

If you’re looking at being entrepreneurs take the advice of Steve Ells and Joe Reynolds:

1. Be creative – Pick a great name, have unique titles, have a great different logo

2. Be different – Take something simple and make it better, unique

3. Grow quickly but not too quickly

4. Do well for your employees and the earth.

If you are just starting out in business these two individuals are great resources to gain an understanding of what makes a great business plan and entrepreneurs. So don’t just stand in place, come up with a grand concept and get running. http://warriordash.com/

Earth Day: Sports and Marathons Go Green/Eco-Friendly

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 01:10:00 +0000

The world is talking about Earth Day and the crazy weather we are having. Record heat for the 2012 Boston Marathon caused 4000 plus participants to defer their entries until 2013. With high temperatures of 86 degrees who would blame them. Although it is the Boston Marathon. Followed this weekend by snow in the Northeast part of the United States it makes the weather another topic on Earth Day for discussion on global warming.

Many sports teams and marathons are looking for ways to go green and install eco-friendly methods in their events. The stadium that the Miami Marlins play in is eco-friendly LEED Certified construction project. According to the Miami Marlins Facebook page they are doing even more than just playing in a “green” facility. The Marlins players have taken their fight to be green the streets of Little Havana to encourage their fans and neighbors to be more energy efficient. The caravan as they are calling it was long before the new stadium opened and long before Earth Day 2012.

The Marlins are not the only ones working to save the planet. The White Sox in Chicago unveiled a new parking lot at US Cellular field considered the “grand slam” for water management. The parking lot, which does not have to be paved for at least 40 years, is designed to absorb water instead of creating standing water. This prevents flooding and takes the water to where it is needed the most, in the ground.

By reducing the runner’s footprint, marathons are going green as well. Many race directors are looking for ways to create an eco-friendly environment for what many runners believe is already and eco-friendly sport. Marathons are encouraging runners to carry their own water or cups for pouring water into.

The Boston Marathon going green effort includes using less trash to limit the number of cars on race day. At the top of ever list of the greenest races is the Austin Marathon, with a farmers markets at the end and the use of recycled toilet paper in the Porta Potties and tons of recycled trash bins along the course. You can’t go much greener then this race.

On this Earth Day, if you are looking for ways to go green while running, I highly recommend the website Running Planet for tips. If you are a race director or just want your race to go green, stop by Road Race Management and order the newest book The Road Race Management  Guide to Greener  Running Events - 2nd Edition. It’s every thing wanted to know but were afraid to ask about going green with your events.

As you celebrate Earth Day watching Americans favorite pass time played on eco-friendly turf or your going out for a run in last years race shirts instead of buying a new one, remember you to can help the world one step a time.

Digital Marketing in Sports – Building a Community

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 20:09:00 +0000

It is hard to believe that Facebook and Twitter have only been around for 5+ years and the Internet less than 20 years. Our lives have changed in the last 5 years and so has the way that Sports teams and Athletes interact with fans and participants. Sports Marketing and Digital Marketing in Sports has changed from the days of TV Advertising, Radio Advertising and Newspaper columns to reach fans. Communicating with Fans and participants has become so much easier and instantaneous. With Facebook Fan pages, YouTube Channels, Mobile Media and iPhone Applications, SMS and MMS channels you and your fans can be in constant communication. We now place the way a Sports Fan or participant communicates in their own hands, they determine the method that works best for them, we as business owners, and marketers do not.

Of course everyone in a community follows one team or another, if you’re an Ohio State Buckeye’s fan the people around you know it and you participate in anything from Twitter meet-ups to LinkedIn groups dedicated to your school. Companies are realizing the benefits of these communities and are creating them for those that follow their brands or creating communities so more people will interact with their brands. Two companies that are at the forefront of this are Nike and Rebook.

A pioneer in the Digital Marketing is Nike. Nike created an entire division dedicated to developing technology that allows users to track their participation in sports and fitness and integrate the results into a communication process through Facebook and Twitter to broadcast the results. Through all of this Nike is creating a mega channel for data that can be used by marketers. Nike is building on-line communities for wearers of the new Nike Fuel to interact with other owners of the product. Nike was very successful with the Nike+ in creating a community that allowed Nike to gather data to target marketing to those who regularly provided feedback on their logged runs and created incentives for runners to participate in competitions against others in the Nike+ community, bring followers back to the Nike site over and over again. Participants broadcasted their results on Twitter and Facebook and encouraged Friends to provide “Cheering” or challenged Facebook Friends to get in on the experience by joining the Nike+ community. This built additional brand awareness for Nike and put them on the forefront of Digital Marketing.

Rebook is another brand that has tapped into the digital community of an underground fitness crazy CrossFit. Rebook became the initial sponsor of CrossFit in 2010 and launching the partnership with a shoes and clothing line during the 2012 Superbowl. CrossFit is a social media networking crazy in-and-of it-self, with WOD, CrossFit games and barebones gyms. Instead of changing what CrossFit is, Rebook is embracing the CrossFit culture with the partnership. Rebook is bringing CrossFit to everyone with large shipping containers being dropped all over the country for people to try out the sport, most times locations only learned about via social media marketing on Facebook and Twitter.

So what as Sports Marketing professionals can we learn from all of this? Don’t stop believing in the next big digital marketing method. Find a way to engage your customers now in a community, whether you are a professional sports team, a marathon or fitness crazy, find a way to build a community for your current fans and for your future fans to interact. All the while you will be collecting data on them. How to use the data will be another Oprah Show in Sports Marketing.

Sponsors, Sponsors, Everywhere is a Sponsor

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Over the last few weeks a number of sponsors have renewed or announced a partnership with a sports team. Budweiser and the Olympics announced the renewal of the long-standing partnership. Toys R Us announced a first time agreement with the Special Olympics and Milk became the official refuel beverage for the Ironman series. Everywhere you look in sports there is some kind of sponsor. The NBA is even considering allowing sponsors logo’s on the players’ jerseys.

Do you remember the very bright red with black and yellow uniforms of the University of Maryland? Yes they were different and many remember they were sponsored by Under Armour. The uniforms of the University of Oregon, done by Nike. While the super fan and those that watch college football on Saturday’s in the fall know this the causal fan may not. What the causal fan may know better is the name of the stadium that they watch their favorite teams in. Citi field in New York, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indi and Pet Co Park in San Diego.

Pretty much every marathon you run has a sponsor. The ING New York Marathon. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon. The Honda LA Marathon. Just this month Allstate signed to sponsor the 13.1 Marathon series across the county.

It is not just ballparks and marathon names that can get sponsored. Have you ever run a small 5k race where the water stop is manned with people from a local bank? They are a sponsor. The back of your shirt from any race will have every sponsors logo, the front may as well if they have a title sponsor, like ING, Bank of America or Honda.

If you run a half or full marathon, your guaranteed to experience the “official” drink and the “official” pick-me up like GU, Power Shots or Gatorade.

So what is in it for the sponsors? Maybe the sponsor is trying to break out into a new market with a new audience or a new product. The sponsor might desire an image boost and by partnering with a non-for-profit they achieve a residual effect based on their good will. It used to be that sponsors worked with sports organizations that their CEO’s liked so that they could be seen at every event. That’s not the case anymore and most organizations are looking for a return on their investments.

For the big and the small sporting organizations, from the major leagues to the little leagues sponsors are everywhere, and frankly that’s a good thing. Without sponsors the teams on the field might not be as good as they are, or the events we enter and buy tickets for would cost much more. Without sponsors, little league teams with dreams of making it to the big leagues wouldn’t exist. So next time your out at a sports event or running in a race, look out for the sponsors names and support them at your next opportunity you never know what good is coming out of that sponsorship.

Goofy For Disney

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:04:00 +0000

Over the last 4 years I have competed in 8 Disney running events, now known as RunDisney. I love every race for the fun and enjoyable atmosphere, yes if you are looking at qualifying for Boston this is not the place. If you want to have a great time, love getting pictures and don’t mind running in a tutu or Mickey ears this is the place for your first or 20th run.

From a marketers standpoint my favorite part about Disney is how they take the information I provide when I register and incorporate it in all of their communications to me. From using personalized emails with my name, to emails with pictures of me, to a personalized url (PURL) with my picture, time and favorite characters. Not only is this done through the email and online communication, but also on the race bibs we receive with our chips included. They understand that I love the Princess and the Frog and ensure that my emails show scenes from the movie. By having the characters we love on the race course they encourage you to stop for pictures, and one of those pictures is going to be sent in an email congratulating you on your awesome finish, of course with a link for you to buy that picture and more.

Once you finish you are sure to receive a virtual certificate that you can download with your time and finishing place and of course your name in the color of one of your favorite characters. You would really be surprised at how many races don’t supply this one great takeaway for free or don’t provide it electronically. Many only support the top ten percent of their finishers in acknowledging they even finished. Those of us in the middle and the back of the pack burned more calories over a longer time period but hey what does it matter if we aren’t Boston bound. Disney don’t care as long as you had fun and come back for more fun.

One thing that I have seen a lot from races of late is Facebook badges, this is something that RunDisney doesn’t do. This might add a personal touch to the pictures we download and would increase the brand awareness of the great number of Disney races. Of course incorporating the personalization into the badge would provide the Disney touch that many of the badges are missing now.

If you are looking for a well-executed race that uses the marketing best practices that only Disney does best then look no further than Disney for your greatest competition and your most enjoyable event. There are 5 more events in 2012 waiting for your registration and of course the 20-year anniversary of the Disney Marathon in January 2013. If your crazy like me you’ll register for the Goofy Challenge, a half marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday. 3 t-shirts, and 3 medals. Yes it’s Goofy but not Dopey (add a 5K).

NFL Blackout Rules - What's right, what's wrong

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:55:00 +0000

Living in what is considered a small market broadcasting city, I am well aware of the issues around the NFL’s policy to blackout NFL games when the stadium is not sold out at least 72 hours in advance of the game. While the Jacksonville Jaguars have not had a blackout game for the last two seasons, it is always threaten to happen. Most weeks during the football season you will hear that the team received an extension to the rule.

What many don’t realize that the NFL did not instill this rule, but that Congress passed the legislation back in 1973. Prior to 1973, the NFL blacked-out all home games during the regular season and during the playoffs. According to recent tapes released during Nixon’s presidency, the President wanted to watch a Washington Redskin’s game that would have under normal circumstances would have been blacked-out.

According to an SBNation the blackout rule was derived when the NFL made most of their money from ticket sales. With the financials changing to have most of the revenue provided by the broadcasting rights, the rule is under investigation by the FCC. The FCC will rule on the need to change or not change the blackout rules, as they are set today. The review will take place this week on February 27, 2012.

Here in Jacksonville, some people are hoping that the rule will not be lifted. That sounds strange doesn’t it? I agree, except that the tipping point could be reached and teams in smaller markets, like the Jacksonville Jaguars, could pick up and leave for a city like LA. What would stop them from going if ticket sales go down and heading to a city that can afford to put a winning team on the field, one that in the end would create higher revenue from Ticket sales and broadcasting or so that is what the proponents say?

Florida is hit hardest by the NFL Blackout rule with 3 teams in the state with low attendance and a higher percentage of blackouts occurring. So 2 Florida lawmakers are fighting to end the blackout rule. Since each of the teams used or requested public funds over the last 30 years, the Senator’s, according to a recent report in Tampa, Florida, want to ensure that customers in those markets fans or not are given a better chance to watch their favorite teams. It will be interesting to see what decision the FCC comes to and where we go from here.

We have learned from MBL Baseball that broadcasting allows teams to be competitive. The question remains if the NFL could change this so that smaller markets can compete. I am very interested in what the FCC has to share.

A Marathoners Assumption of Risk

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:51:00 +0000

On February 12, 2012 I ran the National Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville, Florida. The weather was very different than a normal February day in Florida with temperatures never reaching higher than 40 degrees and a wind chill unheard of, at 20 degrees. Friends suffered hypothermia and dehydration along the course reminded me of the legal and liability issues around marathons. Runner safety should be the backbone of every running event, but we have all been a part of or heard of event that went terribly wrong.

With a registered field of 45,000, the 2007 Chicago Marathon was looking to be a great race. The elite athletes proved this by having two of the closest finishes in the history of the marathon, but what was happening behind them would prove to be a future case study for race directors and lawyers.

There is really no way to articulate what happened that day or who was at fault. So many worlds collided in one event that questions have arisen on who is liable for the wrongs of an endurance event. Runners World magazine describes in detail the “Melt Down” that occurred that day. The weather topping 92 degrees in the sun, the lack of water at water stations due to faster runners using more than what was forecasted, the race director cancelling the race in what has been deemed to late for the conditions, runners not recognizing their own bodies telling them to stop, EMT’s in unfamiliar locations with limited directions and overwhelmed emergency rooms in the area, all of these created a snowball effect creating a disaster with 1 death and over 300 people treated at area hospitals.

Every participant signs a waiver of liability, essentially waiving the right to assumption of risk. Just like purchasing a ticket to a baseball game does for foul balls. The question is does this cover negligence on the part of the race organizers or the volunteers if you are at the back of the pack during a marathon? Do you sign away your rights to have water available in extreme heat or that the ambulance driver will know the way to the emergency room? The Sports Law Blog questions all of this and how much warning does a race organizer have to give? The expo had announcements that it would be extremely hot and that participants needed to ensure that they took every precaution. Is it then the participants’ responsibility to ensure that they have enough water and Gatorade to make it through the first part of the race? In my opinion it is. I feel that as a casual back of the pack runner, it is my responsibility when running a Marathon or Half-Marathon that I have trained well and am prepared for the race. If it is hot, as it was in Chicago, then it is my responsibility in signing a waiver of liability and assuming a risk that I dress appropriately and ensure my own hydration needs are met. As with the Florida marathon in the cold, it was also my responsibility to ensure that I was dressed appropriately and stayed hydrated. While I don’t think that those running up front of a race should use all of the resources I think in extreme conditions it will always be a calculated risk that happens.

I think that the best thing that the race officials did is stop the race. Do I think that they could have done more, sure? I think that they could have worked to start the race at an earlier time given the forecast. Would this have made participants angry if they wouldn’t have started on time, yes but most waivers signed by runners give the organizer the ability to make changes? Changing the start time in advance would have proved to be a smart idea. Every participant has to retrieve his or her own bib number at the expo, communicating the change here would have been appropriate.

As a runner in Florida, I often experience the conditions like those at the Chicago Marathon. There are races that I won’t do any more because I see how participants are treated and how race officials are prepared. Race directors should look at what worked and what didn’t at the 2007 Chicago Marathon and should learn from them before any more people get hurt. That said runners should take responsibility for yourselves just as you do on a training run and make sure you are prepared for anything.

David and Goliath in Endurance Sports

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:34:00 +0000

An interesting thing happened this week in endurance sports and the companies behind the technology we use every training and race to make us faster and stronger. Whether you are just an avid runner, a part-time runner or an elite runner you have a pair of shoes that are your favorite. You also have thoughts around what can make you faster or feel more confortable during the run. If you are also a triathlete you have technology that goes beyond just shoes. You buy the best that you can afford for your bike and your wetsuit. Just a few seconds saved in a transition can make you better than the person next to you who you have been competing against the last three seasons.

What if you work for a company who makes bicycles, wetsuits or running shoes? As your running through the streets of Chicago and an idea to limit blisters that always come up in mile 20 of your run pops in your head. You decided that you think you know how to build a better shoe or bike and quit your job. Your job is in the marketing department so your thoughts really don’t make any difference for your company if you have them or now. You don’t design their shoes you just market them and wear them. You decide to take your idea to a design shop and build a contraption that stops blisters at mile 20 helping people get beyond the marathon wall. Your idea takes off and is now being worn by runners all over the Chicago Marathon. Does the running company you work for own the idea you had?

That’s what Specialized bicycles thought when they filed a lawsuit against the founders of Volagi bicycles. Two avid riders who just happened to work for Specialized when they had a thought about technology that would improve the comfort of the bike while riding for long periods of time. Anyone who has done a Century Ride or an Ironman knows how uncomfortable a bike can get. The founders of Volagi were sued because they signed a confidentiality agreement that covered their thoughts while they worked at Specialized.

Both Volagi and Specialized believe they are winners in the race, I mean lawsuit. Specialized proved that the founders of Volagi breached their contract with Specialized but were unable to prove the Volagi owners stole the Intellectual Property that Specialized believed they did in the design of the Volagi bicycles. For his part in the breach of contract Volagi founder Robert Choi is fined $1 that is owed to Specialized. The question in the end is if Volagi is really a winner as they claim or if Specialized bankrupted Volagi with the lawsuit making it now impossible to continue to market and sell the bikes they create.

Regardless, I am sure each one of us will continue to find new and improved ways to make us for comfortable as we train for our marathons, half-marathons, century rides, triathlons, and Ironman’s. Train on.

On the Run with Chris Twiggs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:39:00 +0000

This week I had the privilege to take some of Chris Twiggs time for a short discussion on the Endurance Sports Industry. Chris is the National Program Manager for Galloway’s Training Programs. Chris is also the Founder and Co-Program Director for the Jacksonville, Florida Galloway Training Program. In addition, he sits on the Board of Directors for the 26.2 with Donna, the National Breast Cancer Marathon held every February, where 100% of the proceeds go to the fight to finish breast cancer. One of the reasons I enjoy getting but early on a Saturday morning and running is due to Chris’s magical spirit and unbelievable knowledge of what it takes to get mostly middle aged women, some a bit overweight, to run a half-marathon or marathon, without injury in 7 to 4 months, all while making it fun.

Chris Twiggs got into running and endurance running less than 20 years ago. He was going to graduate school at Florida State University, working 3 jobs, one teaching at a community college in Gainesville, Florida when his new bride, an avid runner, told him about a new Marathon that would be held at Walt Disney World. Chris’ new wife wanted the two of them to do this together and as is typical with Chris’ personality he said sure. Chris picked up a book at a local bookstore read it and started to follow the training schedule. The problem with the schedule was that it was not practical for anyone who worked full-time and lacked time to run 13 miles on a Wednesday. Chris muddled through the training and half way through determined that he would do another marathon but it would not be using the training in this particular book. So he headed back to the bookstore and found another book, this time by Jeff Galloway, an Olympic marathoner. It just happened that Jeff Galloway was a speaker at the first Walt Disney World Marathon, and Chris and his wife stopped to listen and get autographs from Jeff.

During his speaking engagement at the Disney Marathon, Jeff Galloway was introducing a new way to run using a run/walk ratio. Chris and his wife decided to try this new method out. Using walk breaks Chris went from a 4:15 marathon to a 4:01 while Chris’ wife went from a 4:14 to a 3:38, qualifying for the Boston marathon. They became instant believers in this new method. For their third marathon the two run the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington DC. Chris was just in the process of finishing another of Jeff’s books this time more of a novel. As fate would have it Jeff Galloway rode in the bus back to the airport with Chris. As an English Professor, Chris had taken note that in the back of the book Jeff had asked for feedback on how to improve the book. During that bus ride Chris went out on a limp and asked Jeff if he could provide feedback. Three months later Chris and Jeff came together yet again at the Disney Marathon where Chris provided Jeff with feedback on the book. A few short months later, Chris received a call from Jeff asking him to start a Galloway Running program in Gainesville, Florida. Unfortunately that didn’t work out but Chris took Jeff’s offer and started one in Greensville, South Carolina. Chris enjoyed it so much that when he moved to Jacksonville, Florida he started a chapter in Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. The Jacksonville chapter has grown from just 20 people to well over 500 in just a short 7 years.

Because of Chris and Jeff’s relationship Chris once told Jeff that if the National Program Manager position ever came open he wanted the opportunity to take the position. As fate would have it, again, in 2011, Chris became the National Program Manager for over 90 chapters of Galloway Training Programs across the United States and now internationally. As National Program Manager, Chris provides all of the marketing materials, training needs and advice that a local chapter needs to become successful. In our discussion, Chris mentioned that the most successful chapters have not one but two Program Directors and work with local running stores or health organizations like the local YMCA to gain membership and the support that is needed to grow and sustain a chapter. Those in trouble are usually chapters where there is no one in the waiting to take over the reins. It is Chris’ responsibility to help out as best he can to ensure that there is a succession plan and that a chapter is set to succeed.

I asked Chris about what he believes makes a successful Marathon Director and a successful marathon race. It was interesting to hear his response. Based on Chris’ assessment there are two types of Race Directors, those that are considered Professional Sports guys and the Passionate runner who becomes a Race Director. The Professional’s own the equipment and put on races weekend after weekend. They care less about the runners experience and more about putting on a race that starts on time and ends on time. They have the routine down and everything is turnkey. The Passionate Race Director worries about the participant’s experience. They want everyone to have a good time. They want them to come back because it was fun not profitable. A Passionate Race Director’s race may not make as much profit as the Professionals but the race most times is more successful in the eyes of the runner and may be around for a longer time, year after year.

I also wanted to get Chris’ feedback on some of the larger races that are out there and understand why he feels that some races are so successful and why some right now are receiving such negative feedback yet are continuing to see huge volumes of runners and continue to draw people year after year. Chris’ assessment of this is that some of these larger races that are in their first years draw 30,000+ people are put on for the first time runner and not the avid runner, who knows from experience what they like and don’t like from an event. Many races won’t recover from some of the mistakes that these races have experienced recently. If you advertise a “scenic route” you have to deliver on that promise, cutting costs by running through lesser traveled sections of town and calling that scenic won’t cut it for the repeat runner. The little things like having enough T-shirts, medals and water are important to runners. Smaller races won’t recover from these mistakes.

One of the trends in producing marathons is to use a cookie cutter approach and come into a city with a plan that has worked in one city and use the same methodology for all cities. It just doesn’t work and leaves the runner with some extremely bad impressions. The problem is that these same races are bringing in millions of dollars to the cities they are held in and making millions for themselves while runners suffer. In 5 years it will be interesting to see where we are and if races like the 26.2 with Donna will be more successful as a home grown, home town feel then the big cookie cutter approach guys.

I could have talked to Chris for many more hours and feel a great privilege that he took time out of this day to talk with me. If there is one thing I learned more than anything from my conversation with Chris is that if you want something or your interested in something let people know. You never know who might be sitting next to you on a bus to the airport.

Attracting Fans in a Down Economy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:43:00 +0000

As we go through the process of an election year, we are all reminded that we are in a “down” economy or a recession. The entertainment industry has seen lower box office revenue and as prices go up at the gas pump and in the grocery isles we are all feeling the pain in the wallet. That is with the exception of many sports teams. A recent article by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta spells out how many teams are not experiencing the same issues of the entertainment industry and sports are still bringing in the fans despite the economy. The Florida Gators are one of those teams that are not experiencing any issues with the down economy.

Living in Florida for the last year and in a city with a football team often rumored to be moving to Los Angeles, I can see the creative ways that teams are attracting fans to sporting events. The Jacksonville Jaguars created a program called "Teal Deals" for their season ticket holders. Teal Deals offers $2000+ discounts at local merchants and restaurants. A program like this is a win-win for everyone.

Things like Groupon and LivingSocial, also called daily deals can work for sporting events and running events. Your daily deal might not be a discount on the entrance but a limited opportunity at the expo. Creating a “runners” experience at the expo or on race day won’t take from your registration fees and can provide additional revenue opportunities on race day. Think an exclusive VIP tent with massages and heat before and after a Half Marathon, a place to meet friends and family where you can also offer concessions, merchandise and registration for your next event.

A down economy makes business look for creative ways to drive traffic into their stores and restaurants. Sports teams and fitness events are no exception.

RunDisney's Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:19:00 +0000

As we all are aware, social media isn't going anywhere. You most likely use it every day and I know that I'll be sharing my blog post on my Facebook and Twitter pages. Some companies us Social Media effectively and others need some help. In the attached video I have provided an analysis of Run Disney's Social Media Marketing mix.

The one thing Disney does great is keeping us all coming back for more. Something I love.

Performance Enhancements in Sports

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:54:00 +0000

With the New Year upon us it always gives us a time to look back at the recent past events either in our lives, our businesses or our interests. I was directed to a CNBC video called “The Biggest Plays in Sports Business”. While I don’t necessarily agree with all of the assessment, the one thing that I do agree with is how Performance Enhancing Drugs have played a roll in the last decade of all sports, not just Major League Baseball or Cycling.

Performance Enhancing Drugs have been around going back to 1886 and have just become more popular in the recent decade with increased financial incentives to outperform the competition. In 2008, Sports Illustrated wrote a timeline that really puts things into perspective on when the increase in usage became apparent. Reading this makes me more frustrated that we now question every athlete’s performance especially those that define all odds or records.

Running, Cycling, and Swimming have been hit the hardest and the earliest with some of the biggest names in their respective sports. Rumors have swarmed around Lance Armstrong and his usage, if even by association, during his 7 years as the Tour de France winner. Since the Tour de France is one of the most grueling events in professional sports it makes sense that the athletes must use something to excel and power through. How else can you go 20 days on a bicycle for over 3,479 kilometers or over 2,162 miles?

As a marathoner who is participating in the Disney Marathon this weekend, I can see how more and more amateurs are walking in the footsteps of the professionals and are looking for the next edge. Those in the front of the pack will look for ways to make it into the elite marathons like Boston, and those in the back are looking for a edge to keep them going for over 5 hours or to ensure that they are not swept by the sweeper bus.

This need for increased performance enhancements is articulated very well by a quote from the Association Against Steroid Abuse. “The most common reason for steroid abuse in sports is desire to excel. These drugs are a particular enticement when faced with the pressures felt at the high school and amateur levels.

They are often seen as a necessary step towards college scholarships and progression towards the professional ranks. Steroid abuse has been speculated to be even worse at these levels than in professional sports.”

As I run the Disney Marathon, I will be proud to know that I am not one of the amateur athletes who is running with the help of Performance Enhancing Drugs, but will be powered through by my own training and a “Runner’s High”.

Now if we could all get everyone from the amateur athlete to the professional to perform drug free we can show our kids the real meaning of “This is your body off drugs”.

The Art of Negotiation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Negotiating is an important part of any sporting event. Just putting players on the field starts with the negotiation of a player contract or as we have seen recently in the NBA and the NFL, the art of negotiation gets players and owners to work out each other’s positions to have a season. Endurance Running is no different; the Race Director negotiates with Elite Runners, with Sponsors, with hotels for expo locations and even runners themselves when issues on either side arise.

This week I had a great opportunity to interview two people from the PGA Tour who negotiate everyday in their jobs. Dana Welch is a PGA Tour Producer and Thomas Spence is the Footage Licensing Manager at the PGA Tour.

Dana Welch works with Sponsors and Tour Talent to create advertisements and news stories to be used in telecasts of PGA Tournaments. Her largest struggle when negotiating with Talent and Sponsors is to remember to separate the people from the problem. Since sponsors are at times providing more than $10 million dollars to the PGA Tour she has to remember that without the sponsors she wouldn’t be producing a spot. She reminders herself often that they are busier than she is and they are doing something great for the PGA Organization by donating to the charitable organizations. If issues arise she is lucky to have the opportunity to pull aside a “handler” for help in the negotiation of the moment. Sometimes it takes a lot of “being fake” to ensure that she builds a relationship to get what she wants.

Thomas Spence’s negotiating skills are a bite different. As the Footage Licensing Manger he often works with organizations like HBO Sports to negotiating pricing on existing footage that the PGA Tour owns. Thomas always starts out with providing a rate sheet before beginning the negotiation process. He often sees organizations try to use status as a negotiation factor but recognizes this as not a positive method for many of these companies when they indicate they don’t have a budget. Their excuse of little budget is often contradictory to their status or previous negotiations with the PGA Tour.

One memorable negotiation that didn’t go particularly in Thomas’ favor was a request to the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. They mentioned a price and knowing that the PGA Tour didn’t have a BATNA (Best alternative to a negotiated agreement) the Masters held strong in their position and an agreement was not made, putting Thomas into a position where the project couldn’t move forward.

Getting the opportunity to talk with others in the Sports Industry was a wonderful experience and helped me to realize that regardless of your industry we all have similar issues and things we have to deal with. We all use the same methods to negotiate our position and the sports industry provides more challenges for overcoming egos in negotiations in a sponsor, a player, an event location or our own negotiations with ourselves.

Run for Charity and Clarity

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:40:00 +0000

How is it that more people are finding the drive and the inter strength to overcome obstacles to finish a marathon? May people would tell you that they are driven to the finish line by a sense of greater good. The word Marathon and Charity now go hand and hand. Runners are raising more money for charity then ever before. The numbers as reported in the July issue of Runners World Magazine are staggering at 1.65 billion dollars raised so far.

Just this past weekend it is estimated that over $30 million dollars was raised by runners at the New York Marathon. This includes the great number of celebrities who ran for a cause.

People are finding a deeper connection between the sport of running and the cause. Most would tell you they run because they can and they run for those that have suffered more then they will for the 3 to 6 hours it takes them to finish a marathon. The training for a marathon is not a grueling as a round of chemotherapy.

Team in Training is the largest organization that trains participants to run marathons, half marathons, triathlons and century bike rides. They give you organized training, pay the entrance in the race, and the travel to get there. You raise money for the Leukemia Society and finish the race. If you have been to a race lately you have seen all of the people both running and on the sidelines in Purple. It really is inspirational to hear a mother tell you thank you for running for her daughter suffering from Leukemia.

If raising upwards of $3,000 isn’t something that you feel you can do while raising a family, training for a family and many of times working full time, there are other options. Raises dedicated to the cause are out there. Of course my favorite is the National Breast Cancer Marathon held in Jacksonville, FL every February. 100% of the registration fees go to the cause to Finish Breast Cancer. There is of course the ability to do further fundraising and it is encouraged, but not required to run the raise and see millions of spectators who have been impacted by people who have fought Breast Cancer.

If getting in shape isn’t enough to get you off the couch, then look for a cause to run for. The pain is temporary, pride is forever.

It costs how much to run?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:02:00 +0000

When you get into running the first thing you hear is how there is little equipment to run. Really all you need is a pair of running shoes and nothing more. It doesn’t cost to step out the door and head down your street for a 5-mile run. What people don’t tell you is how much it costs when you start to really get into it and when you want to go the distance by running a Half Marathon or a Marathon.

Of course you can do the local events and the costs might be cheaper but if you want to experience or have an excuse to go to a great city you have to pay the price. For the purpose of this blog post I am going to stick with the costs of doing a Half Marathon. More people are stepping up their training to enter this race more than the Marathon partly because it is easier on your training time and it’s easier on your wallet. But is it really?

The Disney Half Marathon held in January of every year costs $160 dollars. But let’s be truthful, I find it worth every penny. Yes, Disney is making a profit, but they are also making this one of the best races if you want to have fun. Characters are everywhere, the medal is one of the best if not the best and the shirts for this run are top notch. I run 2 of these events a year and am hoping to take it across the coast to Disneyland in 2012 which will add more bling for no additional cost for the Coast to Coast medal. The Disneyland Half is $145 and I’m hoping well worth the trip to the other ocean.

As much as Disney might be in it for the money, I’ve heard that the Rock n’Roll Series of Half Marathons will really hit you in the wallet. The Chicago Rock n’Roll entrance fee is $120, the Zappos.com Rock n’Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon will cost you $155 and the new Savannah will cost you $105. What they don’t tell you is that for Savannah they are charging for the transportation to the race and I’ve never heard of this but they are charging for your friends and family to track you throughout the race. Something I am hoping that iPhone’s new Siri will help me with in the future.

If you want to put your money to good use, I recommend a great race out of Jacksonville, FL, The 26.2 with Donna, the National Breast Cancer Marathon. 100% of the $95.00 entrance goes to help women with Breast Cancer and the research to finish the disease. Plus how much fun is it to run on the beach in February!

No matter what race you choose, undoubtedly you will have a great time and will be rewarded with an outstanding accomplishment as well as a beautiful medal to add to your collection. If you sign up for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon it can even be a Tiffany Necklace.

Happy Running.

Born to Run

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:04:00 +0000

There are some great resources for inspiration and knowledge on the web. Recently I found a video on Ted.com by Christopher McDougall: Are we born to run? Every runner has read Christopher McDougall's book by the same name Born to Run. If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it.

If you have ever wondered why we run and most importantly why we run longer distances like the Marathon or an Ultra Marathon this video could give you the answer you need. Most people call this crazy, why would anyone run 26.2 miles never less 100 miles. Seriously who are these people? I have a friend, Chris Twiggs, who runs the Hard Rock 100 every year, and yes he is crazy.

Are women more crazy and more suited for a longer distance run? Christopher McDougall seems to think so. As he points out in this video, women were not allowed to run the marathon until the 1980’s, because everyone thought that parts of our body would fall apart. Sometimes after I run 20 miles I start to believe that this could be true. But women are just 10 minutes off the fastest men. Not bad if you ask me. Thank you Kathrine Switzer for going rouge in 1967 to run the Boston Marathon. Every women today who runs Chicago, Boston, New York and every race out there owes it to you for your courage to run.

McDougall speaks about another amazing women who ran the Hard Rock 100. That’s over 100 miles at a high altitude many of times in snow and blizzard conditions. Emily Baer finished 8^th of 500 runners, stopping at ever water stop to breast feed her new baby. Power to the women!

I have seen a number of t-shirts around that say “Running is Cheaper than Therapy” or “Running is my happy hours”. I think we women run to get away. To have a moment to ourselves and to feel powerful in our bodies.

I’ll end with a quote from Christopher McDougall’s video Are we born to run?

“imagine a world where everybody could go out their door and engage in the kind of exercise that's going to make them more relaxed, more serene, more healthy, burn off stress -- where you don't come back into your office a raging maniac anymore, where you don't go back home with a lot of stress on top of you again.”

Road Runners Club of America

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:24:00 +0000

Road Runners Club of America

Have you ever wanted to join a running club or start a club of your own? There are some very active running clubs across the country, who even put on major events. These clubs help thousands prepare for 5k’s and Marathons. When I lived in Chicago I had the opportunity to run with CARA, the Chicago Area Runners Association. CARA starts helping people who just want to learn the basics, how to run 15 straight and takes their program to help people of Chicago run the Chicago Marathon.

With the number of people who are apart of running clubs, the organizers need advocacy and support. There are a number of associations that support running clubs and running event directors. The largest is the organization Road Runners Club of America. This organization offers the services needed to promote and support local running clubs and events. The mission of Road Runners Club of America is to promote a healthy lifestyle through competitive running events and clubs. The organization is the oldest and the largest organization, supporting running.

Road Runners of America offer a number of programs to promote running and to help area running clubs and event directors. The Road Runners of America does not discriminate about ability and looks to help those just starting out to those winning races. On September 16, 2011, Road Runners of America sponsored Run@Work Day. The goal of this day was to promote at least 30 minutes of running during their day. This event encouraged corporations across the country to help employees schedule time for fitting in physical fitness in the form of running. Road Runners of America provided a kit to anyone wanting to plan an event as well as posters to promote the events.

Road Runners of America offers running clubs tools to help run their clubs, including membership, insurance, and even funding. What it really takes is a group of people or one advocate to start a running club in your area. If you have the will, Road Runners of America is your source. This isn’t the end all be all location for event directors, but it really is a great source of information and provides the running community with the resources and advocacy they need. The website www.rrca.org provides a wealth of information, and I highly recommend you visit it more than once.

Remember membership is free for the average running and $75 per participant in a running club or event. If there isn’t a running club available in your area join as an individual and think about starting a running club yourself.

It's Racing Day. Today's The Day We Race.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 18:56:00 +0000

I'm two weeks away from running my first half-marathon of the season at the Disney Wine and Dine half-marathon. This is my favorite run at Disney as it is all done at night starting at 10:00pm on October 1st. With just two weeks away and my first training run in double digits, 10 miles, I am starting to think about all of the planning that goes into being prepared to run a race.

Of course the first step is to get out the door and start putting one foot in front of the other. To do that you need motivation, this might be losing weight, raising funds for a good cause, or just making sure you stay in shape. After you find your motivation you need a training schedule. Then, of course, you need to stay on track with each of the scheduled long runs, weekday runs and find time for cross training. (See a previous post on tips for this). I have chosen to run with the Galloway program, which has a great training plan that includes interval running and walking. There are other programs out there and I highly recommend the training plans on Active.com. You can download your plan based on distance as well as your ability. (i.e., Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced).

The next step is getting a great pair of shoes. This doesn't mean that you should run to your local discount shoe store. Instead, I recommend finding a running specialty store. These stores hire people who are runners; they are trained to find you a shoe that fits your running style. Most running stores will watch you run and will determine the best shoe for you and only you. We are all unique. This means that your shoe may not be the color you like and they may or may not cost more than you wanted to spend. Most importantly, ensuring that you are injury free will cost you less in the long run. If you are looking for a national store that is dedicated to running, see if Fleet Feet is in your area.

While you are at the running store pick up some running specific clothes that are made from wicking, dry-fit material. Just remember the saying, "Cotton is Rotten". This includes socks and undergarments. Believe me, you will thank me later.

Last but not least, make sure to plan what you will eat before and during the race. Test your food choices before every long run until you find the food that works for you, and then make sure that you stick to the plan on race day. A race like the Disney Wine and Dine half-marathon creates a challenge. Especially, if you don't normally run late into the night. I've found that pasta the night before and pancakes in the morning with a small lunch of chicken and pasta works best. Don't head out and try all of the great foods, on race day, at the Food and Wine Festival. If running longer than a 10k start testing things like GU and Gatorade. This will help you with energy and hydration. I do suggest checking out the race details to see what they will be serving on race day. Again you don't want to try anything new that day.

So how does one learn all of these tips? Years of running and making some really bad mistakes. But no worries if you plan ahead you will have success on racing day.

Now get out there and run.

I am not Superman. How do you fit it all in?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 21:26:00 +0000

How do you have your cake and eat it to? Okay the answer to that is run a ton and you'll never think twice about that piece of cake. But really how do fit in family time, running, cross training, working, school, volunteering, making sure the dog goes out and everyone is feed?

These are questions that I have been asking a lot lately as I find time to be Supermom, CEO of the family, train for a marathon, work and go to school. I am lucky as my project management skills of scheduling everything has helped. If it is not on the schedule it will not be done. I have this down to when the dishes are done and have even scheduled bath night for my little guy. But "life" still seems to get in the way.

Last week I had a trainer session before getting my son from school. Not knowing that traffic was going to be a nightmare I had no idea how little time I had to run from the gym to the school. When I got there the guilt trip started as he proceeded to inform me he was the last one there with another girl.

I had just read an article on in Runners World Magazine about how a structured schedule keeps you happy and healthy. I knew I had to continue to work out with the trainer and I needed to ensure that pick up at school wasn't a guilt trip for me and a therapy session years from now for my son. As the wife of a football coach, I knew my husband was out, so I enlisted my dad for his first ever carpool lane experience. Like project management you have to delegate to others so that you can stay on track. I know that this won't work for everyone. My next options were changing the session to lunch time or making my husband leave football practice for a few minutes. I was determined to get in this training session.

As it is starting to get cooler, multi-tasking to get the workout in always helps. There is nothing like running next to my son's bicycle or having him do planks with me. Of course at 4 he thinks planks are fun. The Mayo Clinic gives advice on how to fit in exercise when you can't make it to the gym. Anytime you can watch TV while moving will help you in the long run. I also find that recording my thoughts on my iPhone while running also helps. Yes, it sounds funny when you play it back but you don't miss things on the to do list and dictating that paper while running makes it a better paper with clear thoughts.

If all else fails wake up at 4:30 on a Saturday for an 8 mile run before everyone is up for the day. You get the run in, everyone else sleeps and you still have time for family day. Just remember that sleep is over rated. That's another blog post for another day.

Now get out there and schedule your run.

Help me fundraise. It's fun and it makes you feel good.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:31:00 +0000

Help me fundraise. It's fun and it makes you feel good.