Step Over Step, Mile After Mile

This was a fun course, with a good friend of mine. We started the run and headed out, things seemed to be going well minus some slight cramping. My firend Norm and I, met a very nice runner Courtney. We all paced out about the same, had same goal times so we ran together, sometimes one would run further ahead than the other but through 12 miles I was pacing around 12 minute miles, which is about where I wanted to be timewise. The one thing I didn't take into account for was: potholes. I tripped on a pothole around mile 15 and tried to keep running. I was able to get to the medic tent at mile 16. They stopped me and wouldn't give me medical clearance to continue. I was frustrated, angry, disapointed. My post to Twitter and Facebook was this: "Devestated at the medical tent with either bad calf pull or a torn muscle" as the ice and asprin started to take effect I realized I could walk and jog lightly on it. if I ran hard I could feel it but it didn't seem to be as bad. The medics told me they would have to wait for 7 people to need the shuttle in order for it to come get me or i could walk up to the next shuttle point and wait there. I decided the latter. As I started to walk I realized, it will probably take me as long to get to the shuttle as it will to get to the finish on my own. Stubbornness, determination and the thought of all my donors crossed my mind. So I decided to run. Then walk then run. I kept thinking that I was not going to stop. I traveled 2000 plus miles I wasn't going to let a little (a lot at the time) pian stop me here.

As I ran by my coaches from Team in Training they ran me in the last 3 miles. I have to say, and I say this to myself after each marathon, I don't know where I'd be without the continunal training and positive words my coaches provide. They are all fantastic and are such great people. We in New York are very lucky to have the coaches we do. It really makes me excited to plan for my next event knowing I'm in such good hands.

I have some video that I will post up here and will give you more once I've finished. Including my annual tweets from the marathon. I do want to thank all my friends, family and online supporters. I was overwheled when I saw I had 77 new facebook notifications and roughly 25 new mentions on Twitter. You guys rock, and kept me going during a very difficult run, but one of my most rewarding runs.

Happy Running!

Asked on Facebook what songs should I put on my pre-marathon get psyched playlist. Here were some suggestions:

Noah Santorello "The Final Countdown" for the last mile.
Cheri Hartman Depends on ur style. My playlist for running is all the new albums for: brittany spears, adam lambert, lady gaga and black eyed peas and a little akon and kid rock.
Payam Eric Nili I would walk 500 miles by the proclaimers
Mony mony by billy idol
Pablo C. Rayo "Hate Me Now" by Nas
Kristine Storle Kilcup Who let the dogs out!!!! Lol, I think it is fun to clean the house and listen to that, maybe it'd be good for running too
Meaux Feaux peace frog by the Doors. usually id be mean and sarcastic here, but i appreciate what youre doing.
Barbara Shimasaki Proud Mary, Tina Turner
Traci Oshiro ooo i got loads to send you!
Mike Haas 2 legit 2 quit

Thanks for your suggestions all. Here's what's on my Get psyched list:

Poker face - Lady Gaga
Safe to Say - Valencia
Good Girls Go Bad - Cobra Starship
The House Is Rockin - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Today - Smashing Pumpkins
Listen Up - Valencia
When I Grow Up - Pussy Cat Dolls
Stronger - Kanye West
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses
Don't Let It Go To Your Head - Fefe Dobson
Get Over It - The Eagles
Hello There - Cheap Trick
I'm Going To Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
He's Going The Distance - Cake

Happy New Years Runners!

I've been spending the first few days of this month/year/decade reading about reflection pieces and resolves for 2010. It got me thinking about my 2009 a bit. Last year as a whole I felt my running probably wasn't what it should have been. Battling through injuries and at times my own personal laziness (the latter probably was a bit of a cause to some of the injuries) and just never felt as comfortable running in 2009 as I did in 2008. Maybe it's because I ran with such a big chip on my shoulder, or maybe because it was so "new" or maybe that I was burned out from running so much. I'm not sure. I took a more upbeat approach to running in 2009. I was focused more on external things. Forgiving myself & others (well I guess that's internal but it was to remove the fore mentioned chip on my shoulder), trying to embody what the running community was about and trying to better my running skills. But see I feel I may have gotten away from something. I spent the first few days of this year trying to figure it out and it came to me. What I had lost was this:

I had gotten so caught up in all those other things, I didn't focus on the general resolve of running. As my fourth marathon approaches in 13 days, I've realized that running is where my peace comes from. It (even if it's temporarily) removes that critical voice in my head, the anger and even removes the angst of others out of my life. It's a time spent with me. My resolve is to run. To run for me, not for time, not for others, not to impress anyone other than myself. Let me tell you something runners. It's ok to be selfish when you run. It's ok for it to be about you. You and no one else. Most of all it's ok to own your own destiny. The thing I guess I love the most about my running is, I'm the boss. I don't have other people telling me what I need to be doing, how fast I need to be. Instead I have a network of people who cheer me on, regardless of when I finish. It's kind of nice to take back something for yourself. So I hope you do. But remember your supporters, during long runs sometimes they are the ones who get me to the finish line. My second marathon all I could think about was then from mile 18 on. It was the first time my parents saw me run. It was VERY special. And all I could think about was my parents traveling to San Francisco to see me. Well and maybe the fresh seafood at Fisherman's Wharf, but mostly me =o).

Look never forget why you started running and how it makes you feel. Don't forget about the people who are important in your life and know it's ok to lean on them. Don't worry about a time or the style of your shoe. Sometimes it's just as important to remember why you run and how it makes you feel.

I know I'm lucky I can run. I know I'm lucky to have the supporters I do and I know it's ok to be selfish when I run as well. I hope you all find your resolve to run or to keep running!

Happy running readers and Happy New Year!

It's hard for me to realize it's been two years to the day since I signed up to train for my first marathon. I remember and have outlined all the emotions I was going through at the time. So filled with self doubt and uncertanity. Felt so afraid to even go home for fear of what was to come next. When I really think about this journey and what brought me to runnning it's a constant source of pride. Given my life experiences at the time, I went through a lot for me. I look back at the marathons, the people I've met and I regret nothing. I gave everything I could in the events leading up to me running and put everything I could into my running. From running I've found a strength I never knew before. I became a more complete person. Tactical and strategic, bold but quiet and maybe most important nice but not afraid to stand up for myself and try to get what I want.

I'm proud of the person I've become, proud to say I've done something crazy like run a marathon and even prouder to say I've completed three marathons (and four by the time February comes) in under two years (if you count the clock at my first actual marathon April 26, 2008). I'm proud to say I'm a runner, an ahtlete but most of all, I'm proud to be me.

One quote I've always thought that reminds me of what I accomplished comes from the Shawshank Redemption: "Andy crawled to freedom through five hundred yards of shit smelling foulness I can't even imagine, or maybe I just don't want to. Five hundred yards... that's the length of five football fields, just shy of half a mile. Andy Dufresne - who crawled through a river of shit and came out clean on the other side." - Shawshank Redemption

Here are a list of things I've learned from running. I've been keeping a list and gathered some from people I know as well (in no particular order)

#1) The first step is always the hardest to take when you want to change your habits or your life
#2) It's easy to be overwhelmed by your end goal, when that happens just look at the short game
#3) When the short game gets frustrating look at where you have been and where you want to be
#4) Appreciate the now
#5) When people tell you that you can't know that only you can say you can. That should be the only voice you listen to
#6) Believe in you, at the end of the day you will never have to prove anything to anyone else but yourself.
#7) Don't look at your watch when crossing the finish line. Your photo finish will look better
#8) If you are a guy look at the beautiful women around you. That should be motivation.
#9) Women run away from the guys that are looking at you constantly. It will give you extra motivation
#10) Guys keep chasing those women
#11) You'll never know what you can accomplish until you try. Sounds cliche, but it's true.
#12) Channel your emotions, when you hit your wall think about those people who made you feel bad and use that to fuel yourself and to push yourself a little harder.
#13) Be sure to give runners around you the same positive attitude you want from spectators. It's appreciated
#14) The body can do things the mind doesn't believe. (Thanks twitter friend @TCRunner288)
#15) The mind can do things the body doesn't believe
The most important thing I can tell you
#16) Believe in yourself there's nothing you can't accomplish if you do and there's nothing you can accomplish if you don't

As someone who's proud of what I've accomplished running I read an article yesterday in the NY Times regarding "slower" marathon runners and how, according to some longtime marathoners, are ruining the mystique of a marathon.

As someone probably deemed as "slow" I take a bit of offense with this. First what determines fast? 2 hours? 3 hours? 4 hours? 5 hours? What do you deem as fast?

I've told my story here about why I started, some of my battles during training and marathon days. But does running a "slower" pace diminish a marathon. Let's think about this, I never ran before two and a half years ago. It took me 4 months to get into marathon shape and ran a 12:00 mile over 26.2 miles. Was it "fast" to me, yes. To an elite runner: no. Let's face it, elite runners have been running a good portion of their lives. They are called "elite" runners for a reason. Do I have any aspiration to be called one? In a word: No. I go at a pace and level that's healthy for me. Does my finishing a marathon towards the back half of the pack mean the marathon's value isn't great? In this blogger/runners opinion no.

Is it a race: yes. Do I run to compete with others: No, but I do compete against myself. Very hard. I compete against those not on the course, the ones who have tried to bring me down and with every mile I take I feel like I'm going faster.

Let me take a step back from talking about me. People run a marathon for many reasons, some sure it's a something to check off the life to do list. But others, they do it to find something therapeutic, something bigger than your race finish number. Something bigger than being called an "elite" runner. They do it for the betterment of their life, for the betterment of others who can't run or even get out of bed because of illness or disease.

I understand to a point that some runners want the best of the best. Then have a circuit for these people in addition to events. Boston is not open to the general public it's based on qualifying times. I know in every ounce of my soul that the odds of me qualifying for Boston are the same as me winning the lotto, they exist and every time i run I do have a chance albeit slim. I have no desire to qualify for Boston. Fact is I like running the races I do, to be able to participate in multiple marathons. I definitely don't need people diminishing my accomplishments because they feel upset that there are people not at their athletic level. I don't need people like Adrienne Wald to tell me that because I run at a slower clip that I've diminished the value of a marathon. I think running a marathon still means a lot to others, but you only can take out what you've put in. If you are genuinely not serious about training then no the value of a marathon is inherently less than if you put a lot of time and energy into your training. I see run/walkers all the time training hard, if not harder than some runners and does their dedication to the sport not make it better? Shouldn't we be celebrating people who are willing to better their lives, and dedicate themselves to a sport to put months of training into one singular event? We train and we train not for a full season, not for a post season but for one day, and not even a full day but for several hours. Not all of us can run at an Olympic pace, or an "elite" runners pace and I will tell you that the value of my marathons probably have a lot more meaning and are more special to me than those who are constantly finishing and expect to finish high in the standings. I appreciate my journey and the journey of us "slower" runners. In the dedication of so many we celebrate the marathon and I feel inspires people to get out of their houses/apartments and go for a run or a long walk. In that way I believe we create more value for a marathon.

It's not where you finish, or your time, it's your dedication to something that creates value. Maybe it's time for some runners to remember that.

So I have this tradition before each race of more than 10k I listen to a song for every 1k.

So tomorrow morning I will wake up a quarter to 5 and will make my toasted plain bagel with Peanut butter x2 And put on my Zune and will listen to these 10 songs

1) Move Along by All American Rejects
2) All These Things That I've Done by The Killers
3) 500 Miles by The Proclaimers
4) Hot N' Cold by Katy Perry
5) Come Back Around by Dion Roy
6) The House Is Rockin' by Stevie Ray Vaugn
7) You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC
Scream by Michael Jackson
9) Return Of The Mack by Mark Morrison
10) One Step Closer by Linkin Park

And with that it's an early morning kids! Talk to you after the Nike Human Race!

Happy Running!

I read about this today and wanted to make a comment briefly about running a marathon. Today three people died, one after completing the 13.1 half marathon and the other two (at the time I read) was unclear if they were doing the half or the full marathon. All three died of (an apparent) heart attack at the time I read this story.

It's a sad somber reminder that in any event, or any sport where you push yourself to the limits that this can happen. But it can. One thing I always do before and after a marathon is get a check up. Make sure my system is in good working order. It's a nice piece of mind for me to go into an event where I'm pushing myself hard that I know my body, at least from what the doctors can see at the time, is going to be o.k.

Now is it fool proof? No. But rates for fatality at a marathon are actually very low. Only 1 in 100,000 runners die in a race and half of all deaths occur in the last mile according to stats released by the Free Press. While weather was not figured to be a condition of this Detroit Marathon, weather can be a huge factor in DNF's in a marathon.

In 2007 the Chicago marathon was held on October 7th. The weather that day was already 73 degrees Fahrenheit at the 8 AM gun time, and rose quickly to 88 Fahrenheit by noon. The high temperatures were accompanied by 86% humidity. A 35 year old male runner collapsed and died during the race. Of 300 runners treated for heat related problems, about 50 of those people were hospitalized. My coaches have always told me to figure that your body temperature will be 20 degrees hotter than it is outside so to dress for that. So if it's 46 degrees when standing still or walking, figure once you start running your body temperature will rise and will get up to 66 degrees. As you can tell in Chicago with 88 degree weather, their body's were at a 108 temperature.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness and is a life-threatening emergency. It is the result of long, extreme exposure to the sun, in which a person does not sweat enough to lower body temperature. It is a condition that develops rapidly and requires immediate medical treatment.

What are the symptoms of heat stroke?

The signs of heat stroke symptoms may include:

headache
dizziness
disorientation, agitation or confusion
sluggishness or fatigue
seizures
hot, dry skin that is flushed but not sweaty
a high body temperature
loss of consciousness
rapid heart beat
hallucinations

If you do suffer from heat stroke or see someone who is try to or get someone to

Get the person indoors
Remove clothing and gently apply cool water to the skin followed by fanning to stimulate sweating.
Apply ice packs to the groin and armpits
Have the person lie down in a cool area with their feet slightly elevated

Intravenous fluids are often necessary to compensate for fluid or electrolyte loss. Bed rest is generally advised and body temperature may fluctuate abnormally for weeks after heat stroke

How can heat stroke be prevented on race?

Drink plenty of fluids during outdoor activities, especially on hot days. Water and sports drinks are the drinks of choice; avoid tea, coffee, soda and alcohol as these can lead to dehydration.

This really goes back to one central core theme of this blog. Listen to your body. Your body knows when something's up. Don't be afraid to take two or three cups of water at a station. I always have my fuel belt with me in case I start feeling dehydrated between water/Gatorade stations.

It's a tough thing and scary as a runner when you hear about running related deaths. And we pause and feel for the families of these people. But if you are a new runner you should know, like in any sport, there's always a risk even if it's a rare or small one. So when you train you are not just training for mileage. You are also training yourself to understand your body and how to listen to it correctly. The latter I believe is the hardest training of all. You have to know how and when you should listen and when you can push on. It's a delicate fine line, but remember stay healthy. If it means you have to slow your pace to get to the end, do it. If it means you have to stop at a fueling station or medical tent during the run. Do it. Trust me when I say this: NO ONE WILL THINK LESS OF YOU (besides it's not about them it's about YOU!).

If you are here you are probably not a professional runner or an "Elite" runner (aka going for prize money) so remember you are doing something only (from what my friends have told me) roughly 1% of the population on earth ever does. So while all your months of training have led you to this point, don't throw caution to the wind. Seek help if you need it, that's why it's there.

Be safe, listen to your body and happy running.

(As stated earlier in blogging I am not a doctor however these are tips and advice I've learned from others so please consult with doctors or the on site medical staff if you have any questions regarding health related issues)

This sounds simple. It sounds like something that after months of training you should know how to avoid. But the simple truth is, it's probably the one thing every runner is guilty of doing at one point or another.

Starting out of the gate too quickly.

I asked five of my running friends on Twitter what was one or two of the worst mistakes they've made during a marathon or long run. Not surprisingly they all said "starting too quickly". It's a really easy mistake to make, and one that can so costly. This is one of the reasons I don't listen to music. I get a sense of my own tempo and rhythm when I run. And I can usually tell on my own if I'm going too fast and can tell myself "Woah Scott, slow down" and I start to. If you are listening to music or aren't quite in tune with knowing your personal mile pace here's a few tips you can do to combat this.

1) Bring a timing watch. Time your first half mile/full mile. If you see you are running faster than your normal pace, obviously slow down. I actually think it's a good idea to run a bit slower than your normal pace in your first couple/few miles. Simply put you can always speed up later if you have the energy, but if you spend it too quickly out of the gate you won't be able to maintain your pace and your time will probably be slower.

2) If you forget your watch, look at the starting time when you get started then track your first mile. Again if you are going too fast you can adjust for it here, just do some simple calculations in your head to figure your mile time.

3) Phone apps Both the Iphone and the Palm Pre' have apps now for runners which tracks your time, distance and course. So you can always default to these as well.

4) Follow your instinct. If you at all feel you are going too fast on a gut instinct, slow down. As I said earlier you can always speed up later but the first three to five miles are going to be key to the last portion of the race.

Remember these longer runs are not about how you start. As my coach says "If you misbehave early you will pay for it later" There's nothing worse than running along and realizing half way that you have to stop or slow way down because you don't have the legs to keep going. I've seen it happen at marathons all the time.

So why does this happen? After months of hard work and training, how on Earth could one start out too quickly?? Simple: Adrenaline. There's nothing more exciting than getting to race day. The nerves are rocking you, you're excited and you want to do well. If you can channel this energy it can help you in the first 5-7 miles, if not longer. However if you let it over take you it can crash the marathon/long run party and who likes a party crasher?

As a rule I always tell myself to slow down no matter what I see my mile time is when I first get started. I'd rather conserve as much as I can early then when I need to dig deep I have the reserves to pull out the energy I need to finish my event and not be totally dead at the finish line. Also your finish line photo will look fantastic because you'll have a big smile, arms over your head and your head held high in the air. It's a great feeling, one you deserve to feel so in the words of my coach "BEHAVE!" Misbehaving comes *AFTER* the event (he he he)


Happy running!

(Thanks to @limespark @boulderrunner @MarathonMaritza @TalkingEyes on Twitter for answering my question posed on Twitter this past week and you should follow them!)

There's one thing I've learned about running that I didn't know when I started. Your arms play a huge role in your speed and your stride. The faster your arms pump, the faster your legs go. The longer your arm swing, the longer you stride.

For first time marathoners or half marathoners, you don't want to have too long of a stride or be going too fast. You have 13.1 or 26.2 miles to get through so your pace is very important. Some tips I've gotten over time that I want to share with you are these:





1) Keep your hands relaxed you shouldn't be clinching them tightly pretend that you are holding an egg so close your hands softly but not have them closed all the way. Again this reduces excess energy waste (again you'll be running anywhere from 4-6 hours so little things matters)


2) Your fists or arms should never be in full sight of your eyes when you swing them upwards. If they are, they are too high and you are wasting energy by taking too long of strides. Instead if you are looking straight ahead try to get them to just come into your peripherals of your eye site.


3) Remember your pace, don't swing your arms too fast as your legs will follow so keep it at a comfortable swing and if anything I think swinging a bit slower is better early on as you can always go faster later.


The key to this is energy conservation, remember you have a long run ahead of you so all these little things add up especially towards the end, you want to have as much energy as you can with as little waste as you can.

Happy Running!

I am continually inspired by the people I get to meet on a week to week basis while I run. My mentees and I had brunch today and I got to talking to them. They all have such a different background of where they are coming from with their running. Some of them it was a self awareness of I wanted to run and get into shape, others are more connected to the mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (the organization that operates Team in Training). As I sat there and listened out my one good ear (my right ear is currently plugged), I was so vastly inspired by the different reasons each person was running. Mostly because here is a large group of strangers talking intimately about their lives. Going beyond the top level answer of why they run but adding depth.

It's amazing to me how a group of people who "only" have one thing in common, in this case running, bond so quickly. I really think and believe it's because we are very like minded people. We motivate each other, we are loud to some degree, and just aren't afraid to go out and seize the moment, and yes as my friend put it, "you are all CRAZY". Well probably.

I guess the lesson here and not just for running but in general is look around you and really pay attention inspiration is all around. Everyone has a story. What's yours?

Happy Running!

Ok I don't recommend this to anyone running a marathon, but I found this to be quite funny.

They say the hardest part about running, isn't the actual running. They say it's actually getting past that little voice in your head that says "Hm Scott we've run a long ways, I think I want to stop now, please" And the longer you don't listen, that please becomes other words that well, I won't publish here. You get the gist.

But there are times where we need to listen (at least a little) to that voice, not because we want to stop but because, well maybe it's telling us something. Now I'll preface that comment by saying it's REALLY hard to start and get back into your rhythm if you stop during a longer race. But I at least hear that voice out a little bit. When I hit that first wall, I know, it's just me wanting to stop. I'll hit it again at some other point during my marathons. But I know if the combination is because well like in SF my left knee almost gave out then yes, I will stop. I listen to my body and know when it's time to shelf pride in place of smarts.



What good is running a marathon if you are crossing the finish line in an ambulance or helped off the course by the EMT's? My first marathon almost 20,000 runners started the marathon/half marathon. 4,401 finished the full 2475 M / 1926 F Yup. 2475 men finished. I was one of them. But I had to think about my health along the way. There were times I wanted to stop. But I knew my body and what it was and wasn't telling me. So in having spent a few months working out and running constantly I knew what was just my body aching because I was running and what was or wasn't actual pain. So I kept pushing myself to keep going. And sure enough I finished without stopping (well minus one bathroom stop) otherwise I didn't stop.

So you just have to learn when you need to back off and when you push forward. I know we all want to run well during our events but also listen to your body, if you are a new runner, I couldn't (or maybe just don't want) to imagine getting injured during your training or marathon ad can't compete because you let your pride of trying to do a little more when a little less would have been ok.

Happy Running!

I originally started to write this blog piece about pride and understanding your runs and when it's o.k. to back off and when you should push forward. I saved it for another time. Instead my message and really the message you should take day in and day out of your life is this.

Never ever, let anyone ever, tell you directly, or indirectly what you can or can't do. Ever.

If you run a marathon or you swim laps in a pool. You control your destiny and your fate. No one else. There are days where it's cold and it sucks to get out of bed. But you can get out of bed and do something or you can go back to sleep. You can put off that 2-4 mile run for "another day" or you can make today that "another day". Simply put this is your life. If you want to do more with it, then do it. I know, some days are harder than others, but man, that's life. And each day you spend talking about the next day, is day you are missing out on this day.

For me what spawned all this talk about today and another day was a letter I found stored away in a box. It was from someone really close to me once, the writing was faded as it's about 14 years old. In it' simplicity it read

"Scotty, everyday you wake up from today on, you push yourself as hard as you can. Work as hard as you can. Dedicate yourself as much as you can. Do these things and no one can ever ask more of you, not today. Don't worry about tomorrow, it'll come and will be there, and when it is you will call it today and you will make the most of it. Don't ever forget the person you strive to be, and the person you are today. Be you, be dedicated and I know great things are about to happen - Love, D.E.B." October 7, 1995

In you 14 years later I finally say this, you were right. So let's make the most of today. Lace up your shoes and go hit the pavement.

So you are probably asking what do these three have in common and why are they on your running blog Scott?

Good question. But as you probably know I'm running this marathon for my favorite charity. I promote this blog through social media and word of mouth of people only. I have been tempted to advertise on a Facebook, but I actually enjoy that this can be spread more word of mouth (keyboard to eyes) than anything. It gives me great satisfaction to see that this blog has a loyal group of followers who read. I'm personally flattered by this as I started this on live journal as more of a place for me to collect my thoughts on my running until one of running friends found it and called me out on it. Saying I should write more. Then another running friend called me out recently and told me I should take my stories and write a book. So I'm doing THAT now as well.

The point is, is that there is a great power behind social media. It connects not only friends, coworkers and relatives to each other but also people with common interests, people whom you may not know who now want to see what you are talking about, or want to seek advice from someone who isn't a professional or can come from a point of view that they can relate to. I've been able to reach out to people I know and don't know and be able to represent the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and help them fund raise. At a time where the economy is bad and analysts are predicting things won't be fully restored until 2011, nonprofit's/charities have begun to utilize social media as a way to reach their audiences in a cost efficient manner. Non profits are always tackled with great challenges Tight budgets, staying within their causes and trying to be creative to recruit and find new donors/members. Through word of mouth I've seen a lot of charities and charity events now being promoted through social media. While I feel like there's a long way to go for social media to truly define itself for a long haul, I do fully think there are tremendous benefits. However just implementing a social media campaign is not enough. "As a highly interactive medium, social media marketing requires a commitment to fast response times, an always-on attitude, a willingness to continuously monitor activity and the ability to quickly respond to comments, both positive and negative," he says. "Social media is relational marketing…and relationships take commitment." a article on from a Brafton article from Sept 5th. It's something nonprofit's need to learn to act and react quickly to.

For me, I can talk to my donor's directly and tell them about the 13 mile run I just accomplished, or post live updated on Twitter about a marathon while I'm running it. I can reach out and personally thank those that donate to my community. Everyone likes to feel recognized. It's ok to say that. We all do, you the person behind you and me. But we also need to make sure as the senders of these messages that we are sending relevant messages and not just flooding people with asks. I try to mix up my messages to some degree. Some are personal, some are work/industry related, some are for the LLS and some are just for fun. But at the end of the day I'm mindful of how much I send out to the masses. I think (and I'm no "expert") the couple of issues with social media remain:

How do you monitize (in the end business needs to make some kind of funds to stay afloat or it becomes a nifty idea that would have been great if...)
How do you keep users engaged

Quite simply put the industry really is still figuring all this out. Social media's are trying what the industry's latest buzz term "Behavioral Targeting" trying to make ads more relevant for the consumer (you). Trying to get you to click, but beyond the click engage in the advertisement or landing page. But this is another conversation for a different blog. Back to the topic...

It's that last point (keeping users engaged) that I always try to keep in mind to keep this blog on topic and my social media posts limited. There are lots of issues within running that go beyond a new runner and I will probably talk about that as well in good time.

In any case, social media for this blog, and how it affects running has brought you all here. I'm pleased to say that no matter how many times this blog gets read and passed around or not, I'm very proud of the following we've grown here. This blog exists because of you and your socialness to read and share these pieces. So for that I say thank you.

I will return in the next day or so with a more running related blog =o)

Happy running!

One comment I hear a lot is "I could never run without music. I don't know how you do it" For me it's kind of simple. I replace music with talking. Especially running with my team. I'll run and talk to anyone, well who will listen. Quite frankly I find that it's much easier to run and talk than just using music, here's why:

When I use music I find that I listen to the the music but I'll start figuring out how long I've been running, think about the end because I know about how long my songs are. When I run with someone, I talk and while I use sentences usually no more than six or seven words it keeps my mind off actually how long I've run or in my longer runs, the fact I've BEEN running the whole time. Plus running with my team, gives me a feeling of being able to just talk. The beauty of running is I feel it's a time when the person is the most naked emotionally. It's a great time to get off the things that are bothering you the most and in someway a kind of therapy for yourself. I've talked and my guest bloggers have talked about what I call the "Runners Rush" that moment after a run where things make sense, where life isn't as complicated as we try to make it sometimes.

Running as a team has many benefits such as keeping you motivated when you don't feel you can't go any further, meeting new people, having people to share your experience with. It's been amazing how many people I've met while running with Team In Training. I sill see people in the park who say hi, or will run with me. In New York which has a reputation of being an individuals city it's nice to have a group of people who say hi and drop in from time to time. It makes running a little more enjoyable.

I highly recommend that you run with a team, especially if you are a new runner. Find a group like Team In Training or a group that fits your personality. It helps not only your motivation but also your social world.

Happy Running!

Team in Training is more than just training your body for a marathon or Triathlon. It's about raising money for two very important cause: Cancer research and cancer patient services. I've been very fortunate to have run most of my events through this. A lot of my friends and coworkers have asked me why I stay connected through Team in Training and I tell them because it makes me feel good to raise money for a very important cause. Plus I run with great people, travel to fun marathons and beyond that I know that I'm feeling every bit as good on the inside as I do on the outside. And that's maybe just as important to me. I also wanted to take a minute before I dive into my actual post to thank all of my donors thus far and let you know if you want to donate Donate to Team in Training and help find a cure for cancer:

Diane Nguyen
Julie Diffenbach
angela simoncini
Mary Barber
Caryn Regen
Amy O
hal trencher
sara horvath
Michael Lazar
Christine Shurts
Aja Albiar
Matthew Fogarty
Michael Beckley
Jennifer Colarusso
Jennifer McCarthy
Leah Logan

The first practice is always something to look forward to. From meeting(some or all of) my mentees it's always great to get back out there with my coaches and a support group that keeps you motivated to run.









































I'm really fortunate this season as I get to run with my coworker Angie T. Angie is a great person and I'm very excited to be able to be her "mentor" and watch her turn into a marathon runner. She's been to a couple of the preseason practices and yesterday was her first official Team in Training practice. She was glowing after about the people and coaches. I couldn't agree more. They are a part of the reason why I keep coming back. The coaching is fantastic and the people are all like minded so for me it's really embracing to have people that really understand each other.

Here's a picture of two of my mentees Angie and Helena:










































We did a nice 30 minute run to start the season running from Central Park on the east side 90th street entrance running up to 102nd street and cutting over and back down on the westside about 15 blocks then turning around and running back up the westside and back over to east 90th street entrance. A nice run, I wasn't winded at all and talked to Angie the entire time. Angie made the comment that "talking while running actually makes the time (and mileage) go by faster" I couldn't agree more.









































When we get back from our run we have a period where we stretch. We always stretch after the run. I know this sounds odd, but we don't stretch before. The coaches have said that stretching when your body is cold doesn't help, which before I joined I never knew or thought about. So we always do our stretches after.









































It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to this season! I hope you all lace up your shoes and get out for a run!

Happy Running!

We have another guest blogger joining us. Sara Wingert. I didn't know Sara all that well until I realized she too was running her first marathon in Nashville and really got to know her as I trained for the SF Nike Women's Marathon. Much like most runners I met she's an inspiration and a good person to know. I've enjoyed the short time I've known Sara.

A couple of weeks ago Sara graciously approached me about writing a piece for you all. And I'm pleased to say this is her story.

Why do you run?
by Guest Blogger Sara Wingert

Is it the runners high? The feeling of freedom? The exhilaration and endless possibilities of the open road?

As a charity runner and volunteer with the American Cancer Society, I was asked to answer this question at the pasta party dinner for those participating in the NYC Half Marathon this August. I thought it would be an easy question to answer. And I was wrong.

In May 2007, I moved from Colorado to New York, knowing only one person in the state and three people on the entire east coast. All I had was a brand new job at an international PR agency, a roommate who I met on Craig’s List, and two duffle bags jammed pack with clothing and shoes. That was basically it. Sara, meet the city.

At first, the rush of the Big Apple and the new culture were enough for to keep me busy, but by fall I decided that I needed to become involved in some sort of activity that would help me make additional friends and contacts in the city. I debated joining a sports team, volunteering at an elementary school, taking pottery lessons, becoming a magician.....then I heard someone talking about Team in Training while I was on the subway one day. I thought, “If they can do it, then I can do it. Hell, I’m in.”

After attending an info session on TNT and its upcoming races, I signed up to train for the Nashville Country Music Marathon in April 2008, while subsequently raising funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Proud as could be, I came home and told my roommate: “I’m going to run a marathon!” She looked at me, chuckled, and said “Right. Good luck with that.” I frowned and wondered what exactly I was getting myself into.

Training was tough. I endured a bout of painful IT Band issues that left me unable to even run one mile some days. I woke up at 7am for Saturday morning trainings, I ran across the George Washington Bridge in 30 degree weather, I gasped for breath during the sprints up and down Central Park while dodging angry bikers and tourists. After months of aches, pains, worries and doubts, I found myself in Nashville at where else but the pasta party dinner on the eve of the big day. What I experienced at that event is the reason that I’m still running for charity organizations today:

A man approached the podium to speak about his reasons for running with TNT and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He explained how he had never been a runner. He was lucky if he completed marathons in less than six hours. He was actually not a huge fan of the sport at all, let alone for exercise in general. But then he clicked through to the next button on his slide show, and a picture of a little girl appeared on the big screen. She was obviously underweight, completely bald, hooked up to an IV, and smiling as big as she possibly could. The man turned to us, and he said, “This is Carrie. This is the reason I run.”



When I originally began training for marathons and fundraising money to fight cancer, I did it because I wanted a hobby. I wanted to meet friends. I wanted to get out of the house. I did it for what now feels like selfish reasons. Then at that pasta party dinner, it hit me. Truth was, I was actually doing something much greater than that, whether I realized it or not. I was raising money that supports people when they are facing the most difficult time they may ever endure. I was giving hope to those who thought their luck had run out. I was supporting my friends and family members who have been touched by cancer themselves or watched loved ones suffer. I was running for people. I was running for life.

Last year, I completed two marathons and raised more than $5,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This year, I’ve already run two half marathons and am training for the ING NY Marathon in November on behalf of the American Cancer Society. By the end of 2009, my goal is to raise $10,000 in support of cancer research, education and advocacy.

I still run because I enjoy the rush of endorphins and because I’ve grown to know and love all the people who train with me every day. But I’m proud to also say that I have a meaningful and personal reason for those 16-mile training runs.

For my upcoming race, I want to run for someone you know who has fought the battle against cancer. To do this, I’m auctioning off each of the 26.2 miles of the race. A donation of at least $25 will secure the fame and recognition of your name on my personal fundraising page, as well as a mile of your choice in honor of your friend, family member or contact. Please visit my fundraising page to find out which miles are available and to secure your own.

For questions, comments, feedback or to tell me why YOU run, please email me at lttlwing@gmail.com or you can follow me on Twitter.


Sara's fundraising site for the American Cancer Society can be found at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/runfastersara

We are always welcoming guest bloggers here and tonight is no exception. I am pleased to bring you talented singer/songwriter and runner (of course) Dion Roy.

When Scott asked me to contribute to his blog right after I tweeted about my amazing 6 mile run, I have to say I was a bit nervous--I'm not a writer. Then, I realized I was in fact a song writer and I sure as hell better be able to put a few words together coherently. The result is below. I hope you enjoy it, and if you don't, it's Scott (the host of this here blog)'s fault, so address any and all hate mail to his attention.

When I was in my teens, I found it really tough to focus on many things, or more poignantly, to focus on anything at all. I suppose it's more clinically referred to as Attention Deficit Disorder according to our present day eager-to-prescribe-ritalin Docs. But I have discovered another solution to this common problem; there is a far more useful and safe natural drug and it may surprise you…wait for it…it's called adrenalin. Crazy right? Not at all. Read on.

I can't prescribe my methodology carte blanche, but what I can say is that as a musician, I write and work on some of my best music a couple of hours after an intense run.

Once I've accomplished a detoxifying run, the immediate rush from the adrenalin later turns into a very peaceful and productive moment of clarity for me. The kind of peace and concentration I cannot normally find when the stresses of every day life weigh upon me. The beeps, ringers and NYC fire department that usually distract me no longer do, and I'm generally able to stay focused.

The calm that proceeds a killer run is something that you just can't explain unless you do it. I'd love to say that my main focus for running would be staying in shape, or being disciplined in some other tortuous way, but it's not. I'm simply able to get more done with running as an integral part of my life (errr, sanity). Granted as time goes on and I become more addicted, I do find that this little side effect has probably moved my career forward more than I care to admit.

My creative juices are always ready to come out, but living in a metropolitan area like NYC with distraction abound, for me, running is now a requirement in life and career.

It just takes a little push to get yourself going, but once you've experienced the endorphin rush, it is impossible to turn back.

It should be noted that this blog post was written under the influence of running.

About Dion Roy
" Dion Roy is a singer-songwriter from South Africa, now based in NYC - his music can be heard in several movies, commercials, and ghetto blasters. His music can be heard on iTunes and via his website http://dionroy.com"

Hope everyone had a great week and a good weekend .There's a lot of reasons you come here to read this blog. Running tips, insight, if you know me perhaps trying to get a better understanding of why I run or my motivations. Whatever the case may be, I thank you for reading. I am extremely humbled by the page views and how many people take a minute or two to read this site. So to all of you thank you.

In that spirit if you choose to do a marathon or a half marathon most of the people you meet will be supportive. Most. It's that 1% that can really surprise you. If you are like me you'll take that 1% initially as a huge chip on your shoulder. There'll be people who will look at you with disbelief or that look like "You're a runner??". There'll be other people whom you've become close to that you'll discover aren't that support group, I won't lie it will hurt, it will suck. But you can use it to your advantage. I take the can'ts or the looks and I channel it into my miles. When I hit that wall and want to stop I think about those nay sayers and it drives me, fuels me a bit more. Something the best thing for an athlete is despair. We can use that despair to push ourselves harder than we could in a perfect world. Sometimes we need that agony to make us better in order to get to that finish line.

I use everyday frustrations and things in my life when it's 5 degrees out and I want to sleep in to pull me out of bed and get to the park to run. It's something people don't largely understand but running is my feel good pill. I feel at balance in my life when I run and when I finish. While all these negative thoughts can help drive you, one thing I learned after finishing my most recent marathon is this: In this lifetime you won't have to prove anything to anyone but yourself.

Maybe it's time to prove to yourself you can. It won't be easy but you can, and you will...if you want it enough.

Happy Running!

As I write this I'm actually still at work (almost 9 EST) but decided to take a break while I wait for some plans to reserve.

I wrote leading up to my race day for the Rock and Roll Seattle Marathon and one thing I can't stress in the week leading up to race day is this. Do not try any new foods. Stick to what you know. Don't try a new thai dish, or a new fish platter. Stick to the good old standbys. The last thing you want to do is battle an upset stomach, or anything else. It's just not worth it.

I usually stick to a routine of this on race week:

Breakfast: Peanut butter on a toasted bagel
Mid Morning: Apple or fruit (I cut this out as i get closer to race day)
Lunch: Turkey sandwich
Afternoon snack: plain bagel
Dinner: grilled chicken and baked potato (closer to race day I go to a pasta and bread)
Drink usually 9-10 cups of water and a couple of bottles of Gatorade

Race week can be fun, so let it and enjoy some of your good old favorite meals that aren't going to make your stomach angry and you have an unpleasant run. All your months of training that would be a horrible way to reward yourself.

Happy Running!

During the course of a day we have many things to do. Work, meetings, deadlines, decisions about what to do after work, who you will see, where you will go. I talk to my friends and they tell me some days there just aren't enough hours to go work out. I agree with that feeling, but I also discovered that in talking to some of my running friends they tell me if I can't run for a half hour or more why bother.

It's interesting. In this age of have it now service like shopping online (as nice as it can be sometime), messaging platforms, social media, have we lost track of how to take care of ourselves? Because we live in a society where we can have everything and anything almost instantly why/how can I schedule a workout after work? How can I not talk to my friend right away? Or get that beer with a coworker after work. I need I need....

What I've discovered for myself is that even as busy as I get, I try to schedule a quick run after work, even if it's just 10 minutes I feel better. I work all day at an office, so an opportunity to get up and move around a little really can change the perspective of a day. I believe that as humans we aren't meant to sit behind a desk all day. Now I'm not begrudging my job at all, rather I'm saying that it amazes me how a day can turn after a quick 10 - 15 minute run. Rather than saying I can't I tell myself I have 15 minutes (5 to change and 10 to run)

People who know me will probably tell you I give alot to other people. Sometimes probably more than I should. But I will tell you this, I feel better about myself and feel like I accomplished something for myself when I run. We all have deadlines and we are accountable to others during a day, so why not take a quick break and make ourselves accountable to our own body. I by no means am a fitness guru, but I do know how I feel after a quick run, a work out or a long run. And the feeling I get afterwards is unmatched. Those issues or stresses of a day melt away and I see things clearly.

Take 10 minutes and do something great for yourself. You won't regret it. Oh and yes a lot of time that 10 minutes becomes 20. When something feels good, why not go with it, be selfish. Sometimes being selfish can be a good thing.

Happy Running!