Sunday, November 18, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Santa Clarita Marathon 5K race report
Submitted by Heather Stewart @captainstewie
I live in a sleepy suburb of Los Angeles. Close enough to get to the cool stuff in under an hour (sans traffic) and far away enough to not feel like I live in LA. In fact, I’m often told I don’t have the LA mentality and I know it’s meant as a compliment. The truth is LA is like a melting pot. You have this strong mixture of natives and transplants so I don’t exactly know what an LA mentality is. BUT I do know this: I live in an awesome place. So awesome, in fact, it was nicknamed Awesometown (barf!)!
I live in a sleepy suburb of Los Angeles. Close enough to get to the cool stuff in under an hour (sans traffic) and far away enough to not feel like I live in LA. In fact, I’m often told I don’t have the LA mentality and I know it’s meant as a compliment. The truth is LA is like a melting pot. You have this strong mixture of natives and transplants so I don’t exactly know what an LA mentality is. BUT I do know this: I live in an awesome place. So awesome, in fact, it was nicknamed Awesometown (barf!)!
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| Sara, Robert, Ryan, Cody, Ditto, Cassie, Neil, Me! |
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Chicago Marathon race report
Submitted by Mike Hornsby @Mike_Hornsby
There is something that is incredibly intimidating about the word marathon. It tells of an experience that does not come easy, or with little effort. There is great risk, but in perfectly proportional fashion there is a great opportunity for prosperous reward.
It was a cool October 2011 morning as I awoke to the sound of cheers and chants outside my Moody Bible Institute dorm-room window. I looked outside to see a multitude of runners passing our school heading south on Wells street, and low and behold I was watching the Chicago Marathon take place. My first thoughts: that is crazy, I would never do that. I proceeded to place my head back on my pillow and drift back to sleep, still hearing cheers and chants outside.
My Spirit did not let me rest with my first thoughts, and I proceeded to start my Chicago Marathon 2012 training in the summer of this past year. I was living in a small neighborhood in Humbolt Park, Chicago and the days were in the 100's regularly. This made training difficult on top of work and summer school.
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| Optimistic despite 37• weather! |
There is something that is incredibly intimidating about the word marathon. It tells of an experience that does not come easy, or with little effort. There is great risk, but in perfectly proportional fashion there is a great opportunity for prosperous reward.
It was a cool October 2011 morning as I awoke to the sound of cheers and chants outside my Moody Bible Institute dorm-room window. I looked outside to see a multitude of runners passing our school heading south on Wells street, and low and behold I was watching the Chicago Marathon take place. My first thoughts: that is crazy, I would never do that. I proceeded to place my head back on my pillow and drift back to sleep, still hearing cheers and chants outside.
My Spirit did not let me rest with my first thoughts, and I proceeded to start my Chicago Marathon 2012 training in the summer of this past year. I was living in a small neighborhood in Humbolt Park, Chicago and the days were in the 100's regularly. This made training difficult on top of work and summer school.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Pacebook Racing Club and #Run3rd Disney Wine and Dine Meetup
Join us for the Pacebook Running Club (PbRC) and Sean Astin's Team #RUN3rd Wine and Dine meet-up & photo opportunities! This is going to be a fabulous weekend with good friends, good food, and good drink!When: Saturday, November 10, 8:00pm ET - Group Picture at 8:15pm.
Where: ESPN WWOS Start Area. Find us between the Concession and the Info Tents - we will have balloons to help locate us.
You have to be in your corrals at 9pm!
Also, come join fellow PbRC and Team #RUN3rd members at the Grand Floridian this Friday, November 9! We will meet towards the back of the lobby starting at 4:00pm. Around 4:30pm we may migrate a short distance to the outdoor seating area at Mizners, where you can purchase quick service or drinks.Monday, November 5, 2012
Inland Trail race report
I had hoped the Inland Trail 5K would be my second race, but a painful neck spasm a few days before prevented me from walking. So instead, I volunteered!This is another relatively small race (~420 participants), with a full and half marathon in addition to the 5K, proceeds going to benefit the Murray Ridge Center for Developmentally Disabled. The ranks of the full marathon were swelled with about 40-50 runners who traveled to Ohio after the cancelation of the NYC Marathon. (More on that later!)
I learned a lot about how much work goes into even a small event of this type. A relatively small number of volunteers put together race packets, set up the race course, register racers, track finishers, provide food post-race, and more. I spent a couple of hours on Saturday handing out race packets; my pre-race job on Sunday was handing out timing chips. After the race, I handed out finishers medals and water, and assisted where needed. It was the best part of the day: congratulating the runners, seeing their expressions of joy, relief, pain, pride and exhaustion, thanking them and getting their thanks in return.