Photos are up from Friday’s pre-marathon pep rally! Josh Baker of Azulox Photography was here, documenting the beer drinking, the socializing and Steve Sisson’s intense and motivating talk. Check them out and see if you can find yourself or your friends!

by coach Bobby Garcia

Rogue has long understood the importance of investing in the Austin community. As the official marathon training partner of the 2010 Austin Marathon’s philanthropy program, 26 Miles for 26 Charities, Rogue is showing Central Texas that it lives here, runs here, and gives here. The philanthropy program provides nonprofits in Central Texas the opportunity to increase community awareness while raising money to support their missions. 25 Rogue Team Sole Survivors ran for and raised money for 12 nonprofit organizations.

To help his athletes reach their fundraising goals, Bobby Garcia, coach of the Rogue Team Sole Survivors and longtime community leader, came up with idea of raising money for his team’s charities through the sale of raffle tickets for prizes. But before any tickets were sold, it was important for the team to learn about the missions of the nonprofits and the motivations of the runners. Before the mid-week workout each week, one or two Sole Survivors would stand before the team to introduce themselves, talk about the nonprofit they represent, and share why they were supporting this particular nonprofit. Hearing directly from the athletes helped the whole team better understand the critical work done by nonprofits in Austin.

After everyone had shared their stories about why they were running for the nonprofits they chose, Coach Bobby sold raffle tickets for $10 each and hinted at the great prizes—a Sole Survivors Marathon Survivor Goody Bag, Rogue shirts, gloves, post-marathon massage, and the grand prize: a wine-and-food-pairing dinner party hosted by Margaret and Bobby Garcia. The 2009-2010 Rogue Team Sole Survivors raised $2000 through this raffle. Three lucky winners, each of whom represented a nonprofit, were drawn for the delicious grand prize. From that group of three non-profits, one was selected as the winner of the money raised from the raffle. The 2009-2010 winner of the Rogue Team Sole Survivors challenge is Colin’s Hope, an organization that creates and supports programs that aid in preventing children from drowning.

Sole Survivors also supported Girls on the Run of Austin, Blue Dog Rescue, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Hill Country Conservancy, Dell’s Children Medical Center of Central Texas, St. Jude’s Children Hospital, Austin Children’s Shelter, Live Strong Foundation, Glimmer of Hope Foundation, Alzheimer’s Association, and Team Asha.

Trail running is generally considered a special category, reserved for the mileage extremists with an astute sense of direction, an immunity to the elements and a case of borderline insanity. To the pavement-pounders out there, it can often seem an exclusive club: you’re a trail runner, or you aren’t.

This is a shame, since trail running is the perfect complement to road running, giving your legs a break from the hard pounding, your ears a break from the sound of traffic and your mind a break from the daily grind. It’s a chance to ramble through the woods, paying attention to nothing but the scenery and your footing. Trail running will help you become a more nimble, balanced runner (you will quickly lose the shuffle-stride!) and builds strength, physically and mentally, like no other type of running. In short, it’s running as nature intended.

Lucky for you, Rogue has a trail series – the Rogue Trail Series – with something for everyone. This is accessible trail racing, something that doesn’t require you to prepare with months of 30 mile offroad runs. The races, which will take place on March 28, April 18 and May 16, all offer a 10K distance that anyone can join in addition to a 30K race for those ready to push their limits. All of the courses are well marked and supported, meaning that it’s okay if you weren’t born with an internal compass and you don’t need to worry about carrying water if you don’t want to. This is trail racing for everyone, and everyone should try it – it’s an entirely different side of running that many people, unfortunately, never experience (Town Lake Trail doesn’t count!).

More information on the Rogue Trail Series and registration can be found here - you can take on the whole challenge with all three races, or sign up for them individually. If you aren’t yet sure about hitting the trail, or want to find out more about the sport, check out this great article from Trail Runner Magazine: So you want to be a trail runner. Read it, get excited and get ready to get dirty!

Whether you are a barefoot convert or think that it’s all a bunch of hype, you can’t deny that the difference between a bare foot strike and a shoe-clad foot strike is significant. Whether all-natural is best or if shoes are an improvement on evolution remains a heavily debated topic within both the running and the science community – your thoughts?

From BBC News:

You love to run and, like many Austinites, there’s a good chance that you love your dog(s).

But do those two go together?

The knee-jerk response is ‘yes!’ – of course they go together. What better running partner could there be than your energetic, enthusiastic and seemingly athletic dog? Besides, this is your best friend that we’re talking about!

The answer, however, isn’t that simple. Your dog certainly can be a great running partner, but just as with a human running partner, you must take steps to gradually introduce the activity. Your dog naturally likes to run, but not the way that people run, and this can cause problems for the both of you.

If you are a dog owner, or anticipate becoming one, make sure that you take a few minutes to read this article from the New York Times on what you need to consider before taking your best friend out on your next run!

Josh Baker of Azulox Photography was here last night – can you find yourself?

Yesterday’s 3M Half Marathon was cold, it was brutally windy and the start was terribly delayed, but Rogues took it by storm! It ended up being a beautiful day, with beautiful performances. Check out these awesome results and the slew of PRs that our Rogues brought home:

From Carmen Troncoso’s “Team Tronky”:

Eric Hamill: 1:14 (PR!!)
Roger: 1:23
Greg Baxter: 1:25 (2 minute PR!!)
Catherine B: 1:26 (First Masters Overall & PR!!)
Robert S.: 1:27
Cindy Connolly: 1:27
Mandy: 1:32
Doug Hamm: 1:36 (1st in 65-69 AG.)
Ursula: 1:38
Amy G: 1:39 (6 min PR!!!)
Kelly G: 1:45
Brian L: 1:46 (PR!!)
Mary F: 1:46
Susan S: 2:11

RELAY:
Laura Mitchell/ Shellon: 1:31 (1st place in the WOMAN’s division!!)

From an assortment of Rogue groups:

Brian Gannon: 1:34:02 (5 minute PR!!)
Scott Brown: 1:35:13 (6 minute PR!!)
Michael Long: 1:35:44
Lesley Hempfling: 1:40:16
Brian Snider: 1:41:45 (2 minute PR!!)
Denise Skarecky: 1:42:58
Jessica Bryant: 1:47
Oscar Gonzalez: 1:47:19 (6 minute PR!!)
Genest Landry: 1:51:06
JC Sanchez: 1:52:55
Beth Apperley: 1:55:35
Kelly Knapper: 1:56:16
Jennifer Howard-Brown: 1:57:01 (11 minute PR!!)
Erin Geisler: 1:59:51 (first half marathon!)
Stacy Prentice: 2:00:33
Dave Marquardt: 2:01:19
Beth Prevelige: 2:03:56
Rose Mata: 2:10:30 (4 minute PR!!)
Jacqueline Keating: 2:11:33 (4 minute PR!!)
Janna Adams: 2:12:21 (26 minute PR!!)
Jen Ritchie: 2:14:01
Jenny Janak: 2:21:09
Suresh Warrier: 2:21:54
Trey Kirk: 2:24:44 (26 minute PR!!)
Vijay Balakumar: 2:25:22 (14 minute PR!!)
Kim Theel: 2:25:33
Layne Parker: 2:27:07
Mary Bisheh: 2:31:40
Elke Gonzales 2:31:05 (7 minute PR!!)
Colleen Grosso: 2:33:08
Jen Snavely: 2:33:53
Angela Laidacker: 2:36:42
Nancy Weston: 2:41:27 (11 minute PR!!)
Marion Martin: 2:44:44
Emlea Chanslor: 2:48:43
Sarah Chanslor: 2:48:42
Stephanie Williams: 2:52:27
Fred Aus: 2:53:52
Nikki Trevino: 2:56:05
Allison Feese-Strickland: 3:17:10

We are proud of every single one of you – great job, and thanks for making Rogue look so good!

In the eight days since tragedy struck Haiti, an overwhelming number of ‘ways to help’ have surfaced everywhere from the internet to the television to the radio to the mailbox. It’s hard to believe that anything can help or improve a disaster as overwhelming as what is happening right now, but it’s those small donations and gestures that eventually add up to become something big. No matter how seemingly insignificant a donation may be, it’s going to mean something to someone.

In that spirit, here is another way you, as a runner, can help. Go to your closet or dresser and take a look at your stash of running clothes. How many race shirts are in there? How many have you actually worn in the past few months? If you’ve been running for any length of time, I can guarantee that you’ve got a giant, unused stash of clothing commemorating one random road race or another. Why not put it to work for someone?

Chicago Athlete Magazine has decided to collect and organize as many race shirts as possible, from everywhere possible, before packing them all up and sending them to Haiti. You can be part of this! Check out the official information here, then gather everything (please ensure it’s in good, usable condition) you can and send it to the Chicago Athlete magazine at:

Chicago Athlete Magazine
7842 N. Lincoln Ave
Skokie, IL 60077

Sydney Pitt can tell you. Sydney not only works at Rogue Equipment as a bonafide running apparel expert, she is also out there running alongside all of you and training hard for the Austin Marathon. In short, she knows what she’s talking about! Here is what Sydney has to say about dressing for your marathon (or any race, for that matter):

With a taste of spring this week, I’ve really been thinking about being prepared for what marathon conditions might be like. We have truly seen all different temperatures in Austin this winter, and Valentine ’s Day could be 18 degrees, or possibly 70. With that being said, it isn’t a bad idea to start thinking what you might want to wear race day. I would recommend running in something you have found to be comfortable in your training.

The race expo is bright, shiny, and full of glamorous shorts and tees, but waiting to wear your new purchases until after the race is some of the best advice experienced rogues can give. If you are looking for something fresh, come by the store to check out some of the lovely new apparel we’ve received. Now is a great time to do so, that way you know you will like the fit and feel, and will be ready to race in style and comfort.

For ladies, we have just gotten in the 2010 version of the Brooks Equlibrium short sleeve ($36) and tank tops ($34). This silky tech shirt is great on its own, or as a base layer beneath a vest or jacket… And the best news, we have it in a bright pink/light pink combo! Perfect for showing how much you love running during the Valentine ’s Day Austin Marathon!

Men, don’t think I forgot about you! The newest version of the Nike Stretch woven running short ($35) has a 5” inseam, a great length if split shorts show more than you’d like. They have reflectivity on each side, a handy water proof pocket on the back, and an additional key pocket located inside the front of the shorts. There is no better compliment to a run than shorts that look great, feel great and offer functionality!

You know where to come to find what you need – Sydney and the rest of the Rogue EQ staff are here to make sure that your clothing doesn’t get in the way of your big day.

Pass those desk hours by checking out the latest batch of Rogue photos – featuring the Zooma Kickoff – from Josh Baker (of Azulox Photography)!