Race Report Scandia 10k

Another “I feel great at the finish race!” (That’s two 10ks in a row.) My time was about the same time as last year but I did stop at every water station. (I’m testing out this routine – as I usually don’t drink anything till after the race.)
Happy with some of my splits too!

This year, the mint fields were already harvested, but there was still a lingering distant whiff in the cool morning breeze.



One guy ran with his Thor horns on to honor the Scandinavian Days. Next year I’m going to braid my hair.



I Love the homemade direction signs.



After I found my pace, I slipped into an observational trance - noticing the way other runners held their arms. I tend to run with my arms at waist level. For several years I ran with a dog and had better leash control with my arms at that level.
But what I witnessed was crazy:

• Arms bent at a 45º angle with hands almost touching their chest.
• Arms slapping about like they were dislocate at the shoulder.
• Elbows sticking out.
• Hands like propellers.

It appeared, as runners began to fatigue, there was greater arm movement...
What do your arms do? Improve your running or just go along for the ride?
Arm Movement in Running

More Highlights!

Port-o-potty chat: “More people here than last year – yeah, in this line!”
T-shirt Talk: “Don’t Vote Me Off”
Farthest away t-shirt - Tempe AZ

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Finishing Strong

Datalogic 5K Fun Run

The best part of the race – finishing strong! How about crossing the finish line with a smoking 6:20 pace. I purposely started off slow to accomplished this. NOT EASY!
I only had one scare (no red anywhere) – My MP3 player hung! I had a reset emergency 5 minutes before the gun went off. “Hold the menu button down for 15 seconds…” and pray.
I was lucky.



Me, sporting my “goody bag.”
No chocolate, just flyers
and a pencil.
But I love this bag!















Another medal...











Juneathon Day 20
Running 3.1 miles
T-shirt Words - "Molecular Probes

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Adam Jacobs

I did a site review on The Final Sprint in March 2007. It was one of my favorite places for interviews and podcasts with athletes. (Podcast with Galen Rupp) He always asked just the right questions. Adam, the editor-in-chief was approachable, intelligent and had a keen sense for what was interesting for runners at all levels.
So I was sad to hear he had died. (He was only 24 years old…)
He left a comment on my post thanking me for the kind words. (I actually complained about the blinky advertising.) In the end he encouraged me to keep on writing, even offering me an opportunity to write for his site. That meant a lot to me!
Thanks Adam for connecting with us - your love of the sport running lives on.
~
A really nice tribute - The Red Fox

"The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship."
William Blake

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Part of the Whole

Maybe it was the walking on the beach as the beginning daylight danced off the wet sand

OR

maybe it was the fact that I didn’t have my running gear on; I was hit with this overwhelming urge to run and never stop.
This powerful feeling flowed through me, like I was caught in a slipstream...
As any runner knows, these mysterious flashes don’t pop up everyday. In fact most days it's -> “First your shorts - then your shoes.”
I wish I could save this heartfelt occasion – and pass it on. The ultimate cure for runners’ burnout.
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Todays run - 5.1 miles – with a negative split!
Cheery Tune – “I’m Yours.”
Reading - Chicken Soup to Inspire the Body & Soul
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Earth Day 2009

Looking at this map, you can appreciate just how big the surface of Mother Earth is! Unfortunately, through my lifetime, I’ve only experienced a small part of her grand territory. But of what I have seen, I’ve made note of.
I never ignore a fresh breeze or the tiny hum of a bumblebee. Events like these make my day special.
So take a moment today - get in touch with the planet and appreciate just how lucky we are to be here. Keep on running.

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
-- Kahlil Gibran

Top Earth Day Activities and Tips
5 Healthy Ways to Celebrate

Above image: Wiki

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Running Blogs – How and Why? TiaRT

This week’s theme at Runner's Lounge TIaRT is.... Running Blogs - How and Why? Share your tips for how you use your blog to help your running. Talk about how/why you started, what keeps you blogging and how you use it to keep you running.

How



You can keep track of your runs on various sites (like MapMyRun) but if you want to explore your own reasons for running (and living) I recommend keeping a personal blog also.
I’ve been using the Blogger platform since 2/17/03. It was choppy in the beginning and you had to host your own images. But now, I highly recommend them. (Despite the Google involvement.)
They have evolved into a very friendly user mechanism for blogging. There are lots of layouts to choose from plus you can easily personalize them with your own style. They use Picasa to store your images which can be directly posted in your blog. And all of this is FREE!
Two other components I like about Blogger is the search bar – great for recollecting moments like this. The other is their tag system - they call Labels. A very easy system to file your data. Links to any tags you list can be included in your post - giving readers the option to explore.

Why



I started this Blog – Between the Miles to keep track of my progress while training for my first half marathon. It not only helped me stay on course : ) but the comments I received spurred me onward.
Being able to write down problems enables me to collaborate with runners who have more expertise than I. This rich pool of resources is not only helpful but reveals – "you are not alone!"
But I’d have to say, the number one reason I continue to blog is the gift of encouragement I receive from all my readers. (Thank-you!)

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