2.4 mile swim. 112 mile bike. 26.2 mile run. WTF??
I have a few friends who are training for the Ironman next year, and I’ve always wondered how it all started. It all started because of one question between swimmers and runners, “Who are the best athletes?”. So John & Judy Collins started with that idea, and made it a success.
I stumbled upon this music video by Erin Sholl aka Lady Southpaw while searching for running or TNT related videos on YouTube. This is one great example that not all efforts outside of training has to go towards fundraising. It’s about helping people get motivated. It’s more than just running, and it’s more about inspiration. Her event and fundraising is done, but I’m sure this video will still continue to inspire others, and it’s great to see creative ways people promote the cause.
The Silicon Valley & Monterey Bay chapter of Team in Training ran the Rome Marathon on 3/18/07, and here’s their highlight video.
I participate whenever I can on other activities and sports. Another interest of mine is snowboarding. Although I still have that fear of falling while snowboarding (I dislocated my left shoulder a few years ago at Mountain High), I still love it. Honestly, I’ll only go after a rainstorm or if it’s Mammoth or Utah.
If you’re in LA this weekend from December 4-7, you should check out the Ski Dazzle® – The Los Angeles Ski Show & Snowboard Expo® at the Los Angeles Convention Center. They have really great deals everything you can think of for the next snow season – that’s where I purchased my snowboard, binding, and jacket. Also, some vendors would honor in-store discounts if you happen to go there and they don’t have the particular item you want.
Hours
Thursday December 4th: 4:00pm to 11:00pm
Friday December 5th: 4:00pm to 11:00pm
Saturday December 6th: 11:00am to 10:00pm
Sunday December 7th: Noon to 6:00pm
Prices
$17.00 – Regular Admission*
*Includes FREE $53.00 value Bear Mountain Resorts Lift Ticket Voucher!
$5.00 – Children 6 – 12 years (No Lift Ticket Bonus)
FREE – Children 5 and Under (No Lift Ticket Bonus)
My friend IMed me the other day of something called the Vibram Five Fingers. It took the toe-socks concept to another level. I hear though, that running barefoot is more natural, and better for your feet. I’m not gonna knock this product because I’ve never tried it. It looks like it would be perfect for bouldering and climbing situations, but for long distance runs, I’m not too sure about that. I guess it all depends on what kind of foot arch you have. Again, this isn’t a recommendation or not. I’m just exploring what’s out there in the fitness world.
This is what they have on their website:
barefooting (bare•foot•n) n. 1. The exhilarating joy of going barefoot without leaving yourself exposed; 2. any activity requiring unconventional footwear offering the protection of a thin, flexible Vibram skin; 3. an intelligent way to deepen your connection with your natural surroundings.
I get a lot of my running information from various running websites, blogs, youtube, and other fellow runners. One avenue of information that I have been neglecting are the podcasts. I just started to listen to the top ones ranked by iTunes users, and so far it’s been very useful.
My first one I subscribed to is The Runners Roundtable. It’s a live show of runners from around the world share tips and tell their stories. It sounds like a conference call with 3-4 people, so you’ll get the usual blunders and mess ups, but that’s the beauty of these podcasts. It’s very genuine.
What sparked my interest is their latest topic on social media with runners. They expanded on Twitter, Facebook, and other niche social sites. They interviewed Phil from RuncastTV, a social video site by runners for runners. He talked about how the whole idea started from Last.fm. He noticed that after a Radiohead concert, many people uploaded videos and photos from that event, so he brought that same idea to the running community. I’ve checked out and signed up for RuncastTV (it’s free!), and although the interface is quite simple, there seems to be a growing community of runners. I’m member #228. It’s a great site to see the different sights and sounds from other runners from around the world!
Check it out -The Runners Roundtable
One thing I haven’t really tried yet is trail running. I’m not sure if the Santa Monica Mountains count, but just by watching this video gives you a sense of some of the more challenging trail runs. You’ll have loose gravel, loose branches, challenging hills, crooked descents, and more unexpected encounters. What makes it all worth it I think are the beautiful landscapes you will run through.
Someday.
Ok, I did it again. “Running” by Gwen Stefani.