tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13939763273436255682024-03-05T01:52:38.618-05:00@MarathonerRun Around the World with Marathon Maniac #6697 & @Marathoner on TwitterMark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.comBlogger249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-167196012706083392022-10-27T09:58:00.002-04:002022-10-27T09:59:43.219-04:00Featured in Zensah's NYC City Guide - Thanks!<p>My friends at Zensah just outdid themselves with <a href="https://www.zensah.com/blogs/zensah/nyc-city-guide-for-runners" target="_blank"><b>The Zensah NYC City Guide</b></a> for runners to celebrate the Nov. 6 TCS New York City Marathon...and I'm thankful to be one of their featured runners! Take a look...<br /><br /></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5hZI69MllrVEFc__kfR4fEoqEC7ZGts8baf9thlvGmLfXmx76j71VV4MVVXayZMIAfvxmQC7JO1QVojQjjnEBgO1krHhwNs5pW3u9v93GkC_br8wTricvz57b7AQmYZEO4l7-5_wc3EyFyESWKyA2UVhRdnfw77AZdVC74dU2SRtv3Qy4oTxX6WtSA/s730/Zensah%20NYC%20City%20Guide.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Zensah NYC City Guide" border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5hZI69MllrVEFc__kfR4fEoqEC7ZGts8baf9thlvGmLfXmx76j71VV4MVVXayZMIAfvxmQC7JO1QVojQjjnEBgO1krHhwNs5pW3u9v93GkC_br8wTricvz57b7AQmYZEO4l7-5_wc3EyFyESWKyA2UVhRdnfw77AZdVC74dU2SRtv3Qy4oTxX6WtSA/w271-h400/Zensah%20NYC%20City%20Guide.png" title="Zensah NYC City Guide" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-34737640704103799782022-10-20T12:54:00.022-04:002022-11-04T10:54:47.934-04:00Sponsor A Mile ... And Fight Multiple Myeloma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxY1ooDDhSN3QqGCpfcEVyT3F4WN-WQCRCXxJJriAx_etmdsJDAUYukoygfJdzcoHCGS7YQg0ZbfN9C4J1nniUyWhk-tyI-hjNRQ06WuVOUnRGx8e7i2gG-LuBVUjDvKXaQWktZ7Iu3vmvoJC-UM-2zxmoBR0nADMVNQiyPXqe_A3f6O8DajzVvhNhg/s705/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-20%20at%2012.37.32%20PM.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="354" height="585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxY1ooDDhSN3QqGCpfcEVyT3F4WN-WQCRCXxJJriAx_etmdsJDAUYukoygfJdzcoHCGS7YQg0ZbfN9C4J1nniUyWhk-tyI-hjNRQ06WuVOUnRGx8e7i2gG-LuBVUjDvKXaQWktZ7Iu3vmvoJC-UM-2zxmoBR0nADMVNQiyPXqe_A3f6O8DajzVvhNhg/w294-h585/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-20%20at%2012.37.32%20PM.png" width="294" /></a></div>I'm running the New York City Marathon on Nov. 6 and you can now sponsor ANY of my 26.2 miles. 🙏 Please join me and let’s make it fun for a great cause! Pick one and your donation goes to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. We're at nearly $2700 raised toward the $3000 target! <a href="http://give.themmrf.org/marknewman" target="_blank"><b>Just donate right here</b></a>, say what mile in the comments here, and I will add you to my tracker here and run that mile for you. I’m in the run/walk mode with this 19th marathon, so you literally can help push me to run more in that mile. READY...GO!<br /><br />How it works: your "mile" starts with the previous mile's marker and finishes with the mile number you chose. So if you sponsor Mile 1, obviously that's from the start line to the Mile 1 marker halfway across the...<br /><br />Staten Island/Verrazano Narrows Bridge<br /><br /><b>Mile 1:<br />Mile 2:</b><br /><br />Brooklyn<br /><br /><b>Mile 3: Roger Bickel<br />Mile 4:<br />Mile 5:<br />Mile 6:<br />Mile 7: Camille Campins-Adams<br />Mile 8:<br />Mile 9:<br />Mile 10: Lisa Orfino-Newman<br />Mile 11: Penny Orfino<br />Mile 12: Jeff Plain<br />Mile 13: Gerri Plain<br /></b><br />(That's the Pulaski Bridge by the East River looking at the NYC skyline and we're halfway done!)<br /><br />Queens<br /><br /><b>Mile 14: Ashley Stevenson Jenkins<br />Mile 15:</b><br /><br />Manhattan<br /><br /><b>Mile 16: Mary Van Dusen Mitchell<br />Mile 17:<br />Mile 18:<br />Mile 19: Cindy Lampe</b><br /><br />The Bronx<br /><br /><b>Mile 20:</b><br /><br />Manhattan<br /><br /><b>Mile 21:<br />Mile 22: The Hymans<br />Mile 23: Karen Harper<br />Mile 24: Bruce Harper<br />Mile 25: Mary & Reece Newman<br />Mile 26 + .2 (This is extra-special...how badly do you want it?)</b><br /><br /><a href="https://prodsitecore.blob.core.windows.net/nyrrsitecoreblob/nyrr/pdf/race-course-maps/2022/september-to-december/tcsnycm22_map_course_082322.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0PMvCXMXYBmwBRf1ZYEgNGFMw-Ww_Sn6IDbk381W3trVIdXaKjOADTSts" target="_blank">Here is the course map</a> so you can see exactly where your mile is happening.<br /><br />I am running this marathon in honor of my father Kurt Newman and his mother Marguerite Newman, both of whom were taken in their 60s by multiple myeloma. I have tested with The Promise Study of the Dana Farber Institute and so far no precursor conditions of MM, and I will take that early detection test the rest of my life. In the meantime, I’d rather do something to fight this disease and I’d be honored if you would literally join me in this marathon.<br /><br />Thanks so much to those friends and family who have already donated to my MMRF fundraiser. You’ve pushed us so close to the New York Road Runners' required goal of $3,000 raised! If you’d like to also sponsor a mile, this is separate and more noisy so feel free to jump in!<br /><br />After it’s all over, I’ll update here on how your mile went! Let’s do big things…
<br /><br /><b>You can also find me at:<br /><a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://instagram.com/marknewmanauthor" target="_blank">Instagram</a></b>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-44196439005969896192022-09-18T16:00:00.004-04:002023-08-09T14:00:47.911-04:0026.2 things to know about the New York City Marathon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQu0lptFXUV7CXml19BzueKk3i6A7-tKGjxGONCF0PrKV5wA6WpQihayI2pnmUA4XdtNxSrqmXOw51GkOAgOfyTSSW1LWvDhku2DxP7o95xzfoCnnwJ8AC5rD8dVa4WV7mpHRFOX9iYykDu219MPVrvrIgPw_RYHM39sZaxPY91fm4_swlLqCYxi8FQw/s800/NYC4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="800" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQu0lptFXUV7CXml19BzueKk3i6A7-tKGjxGONCF0PrKV5wA6WpQihayI2pnmUA4XdtNxSrqmXOw51GkOAgOfyTSSW1LWvDhku2DxP7o95xzfoCnnwJ8AC5rD8dVa4WV7mpHRFOX9iYykDu219MPVrvrIgPw_RYHM39sZaxPY91fm4_swlLqCYxi8FQw/w400-h326/NYC4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>
The <b><a href="http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/" target="_blank">2022 TCS New York City Marathon</a></b> will be my fifth, going back to the first one in 2007. For those preparing now to live out the dream journey through the five boroughs of Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Manhattan, here are some things you need to know:<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b>1. Nothing else compares.</b> You are among more than 50,000 participating athletes in a major televised
sporting event. It does not matter whether you are starting with the elites or
walking across the finish line in the back of the pack, this is the rarest of
opportunities. No other sports or events globally can make this claim, with no
qualifying required, as in Boston. Anyone can go for it. Give it everything you have and it's yours the rest of your life.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Set your clocks and watches back.</b> Daylight Savings Time will end at 2 a.m. ET
on Sunday, Nov. 6 -- raceday. Get that reminder on your digital calendar right
now, no matter whether your mobile device auto-adjusts. Have your #flatme laid
out the night before and then leave yourself plenty of time to reach your
Transportation hub. Make sure that your best, deepest sleep is <u>Friday night</u>.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Run the tangents.</b> Deena Kastor gave me this advice at a previous race and I
think it applies to ANY race. Follow the route that the elites will be running,
hugging the turns. It is the true 26.2, the shortest distance. Most of us
wobble off the tangents here and there, and that will all add up at the end. It's
not an ultra! That's why your Garmin rarely shows the same time as you cross
the finish line.<br />
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<b>4. Think 10-10-10.</b> That's 10 miles, 10 miles and a 10K, running the second 10
faster than the first, and the 10K faster than all three. Save up, save up,
save up in the first 10 miles. Our Team for Kids coach preached that back at
the 2007 race and it stayed with me. Probably the most commonly offered piece
of NYCM advice bears repeating here: Go easy at the start, when the excitement
level is sky-high and the crowds and bands are propelling you forward.<br />
<br /><b>5. Suggested mantra:</b> "Races are run with the legs, but marathons are run with
the heart." Say it over and over throughout the 26.2 miles. And then after
you cross the finish line, take a look at the Central Park bench plaque right
next to you. Those exact words are right there. It's where I got the mantra. Give a lot of thought to your own mantra and make it your ally in training and the race.<br />
<br /><b>6. Bring a raceday bag.</b> Selection closed in mid-September for the bag check, and since bag checking is done <i>before</i> raceday in these years, you only need to deal with a raceday bag either way. Bring a clear bag (no backpack) that you
are going to throw away before entering the corral. Include hand warmers, a
banana or other pre-race snack, water, your running hat (you will be wearing a
knit cap prerace), any carry items for your race (sunglasses, fuel belt, GUs,
mobile device, earbuds, etc.). Anything else you can fit into that raceday bag
that helps keep you warm, bring it! Get creative.<br />
<br /><b>7. Soak up the Expo and visualize. </b>There's nothing better than jut sprawling out in the middle of the Expo at Jacob Javits Center and watching the simulation of the whole race route, with other runners. It's a chill meditative moment if they do it again, a great way to visualize your run. See it all and then it will be muscle memory when you leave the start line. I always visualize any race layout -- Boston Marathon, wherever. Check youtube yourself and do this regularly, not just at the Expo.<b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b>8. There is no bad way to get there.</b> All of us make our Transportation choice,
either the Staten Island Ferry or the Midtown Bus, at various times. I have
done both, and either way you are going to be so moved, emotionally speaking.
It is exciting. I personally prefer the bus at this point, as it is just more
comfortable and it's one stop from Midtown to the Athlete's Village. It is
quiet time for reflection for me, and time for visualizing my race. . . or
maybe a little snooze. The ferry means you get to brush right past Lady Liberty
for incredible raceday blog photos, you might make friends for life, you
immerse yourself a little more. It's a little taxing getting into the line and
onto the ferry and then from the ferry onto a bus and then over to the Athlete's
Village for the big security check, but like I said, both ways are great.<br />
<br />
<b>9. Official Arm Sleeve Event.</b> Definitely bring arm sleeves with you, whether you want to buy a pair now from <b><a href="http://zensah.com/" target="_blank">Zensah</a></b> or pick up an official set at the Expo. The average
temperature is 40s-50s, and frigid winds especially impacted the 2014 event. You
may find yourself taking them off shortly into Brooklyn, but they will be your
friend early. Just tuck them into the back of your shorts. I always start with
old gloves and handwarmers and then toss them. A buff is also a staple for me,
so that I can lift it up over my chin and cover my ears if it's cold or just
wear it around my neck of put it in my pocket.<br /><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRO7QfkhFnpzXd0CuL6Y9T-wqRtxZZArjnH_xA8dwZOw17Wl0-dcESgJBC-xu5p58iCicxbwwC9syj9fgKj01mP27RP57KWN9gsGEtBLbbnEcH-IG6WgcTtdvO8xjB48QiM6HcWAPiGw0/s1600/NYCM12.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRO7QfkhFnpzXd0CuL6Y9T-wqRtxZZArjnH_xA8dwZOw17Wl0-dcESgJBC-xu5p58iCicxbwwC9syj9fgKj01mP27RP57KWN9gsGEtBLbbnEcH-IG6WgcTtdvO8xjB48QiM6HcWAPiGw0/s400/NYCM12.JPG" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRO7QfkhFnpzXd0CuL6Y9T-wqRtxZZArjnH_xA8dwZOw17Wl0-dcESgJBC-xu5p58iCicxbwwC9syj9fgKj01mP27RP57KWN9gsGEtBLbbnEcH-IG6WgcTtdvO8xjB48QiM6HcWAPiGw0/s1600/NYCM12.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRO7QfkhFnpzXd0CuL6Y9T-wqRtxZZArjnH_xA8dwZOw17Wl0-dcESgJBC-xu5p58iCicxbwwC9syj9fgKj01mP27RP57KWN9gsGEtBLbbnEcH-IG6WgcTtdvO8xjB48QiM6HcWAPiGw0/s1600/NYCM12.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRO7QfkhFnpzXd0CuL6Y9T-wqRtxZZArjnH_xA8dwZOw17Wl0-dcESgJBC-xu5p58iCicxbwwC9syj9fgKj01mP27RP57KWN9gsGEtBLbbnEcH-IG6WgcTtdvO8xjB48QiM6HcWAPiGw0/s1600/NYCM12.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><b>10. Athlete's Village Warmth.</b></div>
Speaking of the chilly starts, I have had a real
challenge with keeping warm in Staten Island while waiting hours for my corral
to open. I'm running this one for the <b><a href="http://give.themmrf.org/marknewman" target="_blank">Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation</a></b>, so for the first time since my Team for Kids run in 2007 I get a tent! Most don't so here's the setup. Unfortunately blankets were abolished a while back, so
you have to get creative. Wear lots of disposable clothing and don't worry
about how embarrassing you will look in the morning; I will break my no-Village-attire-photo policy just this once. Wear a secondary pair of thick
wool socks over your race socks, and then dispose of them (and all your other
extra gear) as the corrals open. You're going to be climbing over piles and piles
of clothing getting to your start area, but it all goes to charity. There is
coffee to help keep you warm, but beware overdoing it and relying too much on
(popular) portapotties.<br />
<br />
<b>11. Take advantage of a respite.</b> If you take the ferry, use the bathroom in the Staten Island terminal, where it's warm. You might even want to hang in the warm terminal a while if you think you have too much time until your start. This is one advantage of the ferry over the bus; once you board the bus, it's going to put you out in the cold soon enough. Portapotty lines will be a good half-hour anywhere in the village -- unless you're in a VIP tent, where you get your own dedicated portapotty. You can see why <b><a href="http://give.themmrf.org/marknewman" target="_blank">fundraising</a></b> is such a payoff.<br />
<br />
<b>12. Feel all the feels.</b> Go without the earbuds unless you absolutely need them.
At the New York City Marathon, the course is the music. You are going
to have about 120 musical acts along the way, from gospel choirs in Brooklyn to
R&B coming back from the Bronx into Harlem, so soak it all in. And more
importantly, HEAR all of those screaming spectators who are going out of their
way to support your endeavor. See and hear all the neighborhoods and cultures. Embrace the outside world.<br />
<br />
<b>13. Hydrate well in advance.</b> Drink 60 to 80 ounces of water a day in the week
leading up to the marathon. Your pee should be pale-yellow . . . never clear. Hydrate well that morning. I always have one cup of coffee and a croissant on race morning, my tradition. I don't want that coffee to be my only liquid going in before the start, though.<br />
<div style="text-align: start;">
<b style="text-align: center;"><br />14. Enter Brooklyn upright and easy.</b><span style="text-align: center;"> I was initiated into marathon life at the 2007
NYCM by nearly being trampled to death and a possible God experience. The
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is the biggest hill right at the start, two miles
leading from Staten Island into Brooklyn. So naturally Mile 2 is downhill and
leading into a bottleneck, and the tendency for many is to flow with a fast
surge into Mile 3 and expend too much energy there. Be intensely aware of your
footing and the feet around you. Someone clipped me from behind, and I did a
forward somersault like Simone Bailes on the balance beam. Somehow I was able
to crawl my way through traffic over to the right side curb, and as I picked
pebbles from the palms of my hands, I saw a pair of boots. Then looking
gradually up I saw jeans, then a t-shirt, then a beard, then a crazy stare
looking down at me, then a sign that
this mountain of a man was holding high overhead that read: "FAILURE IS
NOT A F**KING OPTION." Welcome to the New York City Marathon.</span></div>
<br />
<b>15. Avoid the tourist trap.</b> If you are an out-of-town entry, think like a local and
not like a tourist. In other words, don't spend Friday and Saturday constantly
pumping pavement and wearing out your legs. Do consider the hop-on, hop-off
open-deck tour buses, though. Broadway is OK, a bit of standing but mostly in a seat so that's fine. Sitting is your friend.<br />
<br />
<b>16. Plan your in-race meetups carefully.</b> Tell family and friends specific street-corner meetup info. With more than one
million spectators, many intersections will be deep with onlookers at every
corner and sidewalk space. If that loved one is going to be waiting for you
with an orange slice and kiss on First Avenue and 64th Street in Manhattan
around Mile 16, ask which corner of the intersection so you will know where to
look. Always be specific about that, not just the cross streets. It's easier for you to find them than vice-versa. This is more important than you might think, because it sucks when you can't wait to hear a shout from someone and it's not there.<br />
<br />
<b>17. Don't gets psyched out by the Queensboro.</b> Keep your head
right and pound your mantras. It's been like a barrage to the senses with all
the feels until that point, and suddenly you are in a virtual solitary
confinement where your own thoughts echo. You're so excited about that
thrilling rush of First Avenue up ahead that it can seem never-ending. You may
find yourself in those quiet moments wanting to take stock of everything,
looking at the big picture . . . and you never want to look at the big picture
in a marathon. Just realize that's the mile you are in, focus on your form and
your breathing, glimpse the beautiful East River through the left side, and
repeat the mantras that are uniquely you. As my friend Michele aka @nycrunningmama
says, "Tell yourself to get up and over the bridge and feel 1st avenue and
the spectators pulling you in."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZgzeMdhG55Jmmj0aD7_O-BeE6KTiGYWnE9H9MJB_J_xkHSEYZNBWOvjuNEXvtXaY5tCNgYzddg5MeKMDF22oQo9OCxKCrWPaWSHgssPimV_FgSIx0_vjA6herTehUUnTs819AXJA5O-v/s1600/Race8.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZgzeMdhG55Jmmj0aD7_O-BeE6KTiGYWnE9H9MJB_J_xkHSEYZNBWOvjuNEXvtXaY5tCNgYzddg5MeKMDF22oQo9OCxKCrWPaWSHgssPimV_FgSIx0_vjA6herTehUUnTs819AXJA5O-v/s1600/Race8.jpg" /></a><b>18. Pick up the pace on First Avenue -- slightly.</b> The crowds will probably help
this happen naturally for you. It's a straightaway into the Bronx after Mile
20. First Avenue will start to climb gradually, so you don't want more than a
moderate pace here . . . but you should be starting to take advantage of some
of that smart conservation work you did in the first 15 miles. Remember, leave
plenty for the last 10K.<br />
<br /><b>19. Prepare for Fifth Avenue.</b> We talk a lot about First Avenue, the thrill at the start and then the long steady climb until you get into the Bronx. But it's not over at that point. Once you get to Harlem you'll notice that Fifth Avenue's slight incline feels like a forever climb. At least that's how it's felt for me. This is where your conserved energy will help you. And this is where you need to break out the mantras. Just lean forward, never stop leaning forward. You'll get there. Dedicate the miles to friends and family. Whatever it takes. Suddenly you'll see 110th Street, which means you're officially at the top of Central Park. Then just watch your form and keep falling forward and before you know it you'll be at Runner's Gate entering the park where the Cat Hill downhill coast begins. You're almost home!<br /><b><br />20. Wear your first name prominently.</b> I was "Marco" on my Rome Marathon shirt and I was "Marc" at the Paris Marathon in 2012, but if ever there was a worldwide race to put your name on
the chest of your shirt and maybe mark it down your arms or legs, this is it.
Don't worry about falling into a trap of unconsciously going into walk mode,
because within seconds there is likely to be a big guy yelling at you: "Yo,
(your name here)! You can walk later!" I see that guy every time. Be noticeable.You can see here how I marked up my shirt in my 2007 race, and below that is a picture on Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn where I am clearly visible at the bottom. Stand out!<br />
<br />
<b>21. Keep calm and stay in the middle of the road.</b> Having said that in the previous paragraph, don't fall into the
high-five trap at your first New York City Marathon. I did that in 2007 --
wanting to run along the barricades and high-five every little kid who held up
his or her hand. I wanted so much to interact in that way . . . and it used up
a lot of energy. I decided after that to be a little more unsociable (sorry!)
and run typically in the center of the road.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOC1kYQpJ1OJ-tCcalh2ZxwU2hACJOhyeANk9mIlCeq0OsX8KCpe9K4ZJxgY2a5rx7y9UxtSFFliWGe6dhEwTA9T_HIhQsl_xmOLNwzks0xYIevZHGoVSdzv_WnNk2u-GtDZcwH95GRsqh/s1600/Race22.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOC1kYQpJ1OJ-tCcalh2ZxwU2hACJOhyeANk9mIlCeq0OsX8KCpe9K4ZJxgY2a5rx7y9UxtSFFliWGe6dhEwTA9T_HIhQsl_xmOLNwzks0xYIevZHGoVSdzv_WnNk2u-GtDZcwH95GRsqh/s320/Race22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>22. Don't get peed on.</b> Every repeat NYCM runner knows to be on the top deck of the
VN Bridge if you can possibly make that happen. There are going to be some
guys, usually Europeans, urinating off the side of it into the incoming waters
of the Atlantic Ocean below -- trying to replicate those majestic fountain
streams of water shooting out of the watercraft down there. Hey, blame it on
all that Dunkin' Donuts activity back in the runner village. It's all fun and
games until someone running on the bottom deck experiences the thrill rush of what
at first seems like breezy raindrops. If you are forced from the corrals into
the bottom-deck flow, just make sure that you run in the very middle of the
bridge so no one pees on you, because you're gonna wear that pee for 25 more
miles. The chances of being peed on are low but why take chances?<br />
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<b>23. Be the salt of the Earth.</b> It may get a little tart in the second half of the
race, but take advantage of Gatorade at each fluid station to keep that salt
and electrolytes flowing in. I always carry my own salt with me, whether it's
those little salt packets stuffed into my fuel belt or a baggie of crunched-up
salty pretzels. Avoid cramps, get salt.<br />
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<b>24. Go to the end of fluid stations.</b> Try to keep moving through fluid stations, so
your muscles don't shorten up on you by excessive walking. If you just
run-and-grab water and Gatorade, go past the first table to avoid heavy
traffic. They aren't going to run out of fluid at the New York City Marathon. Squeeze
the cup to help make a funnel instead of splashing yourself, and it also
prevents gulping. Don't splash fellow runners by dropping a half-full cup
without looking; always be courteous.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PLvtOCo1IzE_P99o4HwxJF7Z9YvDnoFwWyFa4I7l6lItr95q2iPI8oGIO7P5QdAfcKR4rywt5WGjCey4c8E09kBicktMrFY-PAGTJdEUyblMe_TCc-eqmpPqC30AS8bkqNttx5twmyKa/s1600/postnyc2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PLvtOCo1IzE_P99o4HwxJF7Z9YvDnoFwWyFa4I7l6lItr95q2iPI8oGIO7P5QdAfcKR4rywt5WGjCey4c8E09kBicktMrFY-PAGTJdEUyblMe_TCc-eqmpPqC30AS8bkqNttx5twmyKa/s1600/postnyc2.jpg" /></a><b style="text-align: center;"><br />25. Use your special hill muscles. </b><span style="text-align: center;">When you come upon inclines, just find that unique gear that is right there waiting to be used. Other than the first bridge, hills are mainly gradual in nature. In addition to the gradual uphill on First Avenue into the Bronx, you'll again deal with that slight incline on Fifth. Deena Kastor advises to "use different muscles" to conquer hills; put it in a lower gear and don't worry if you are slower!</span></div>
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<b>26. Don't overdo the fueling before and after.</b> Enjoy a hearty brunch on Marathon
Saturday -- eggs, sausage, lots of carbs -- but go easy on Saturday night and
avoid the heavy "pasta dinner" appeal. Use moderation in your carbo
loading the week before, so that you gain about two pounds before your race.
Conversely, don't make the mistake I have several times and go hog wild feasting
on massive calories in the 24 hours after your race. I got tired of running
marathons just to gain weight from the celebrating.<br />
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<b>26.2: Just a little thought.</b> Embrace every moment and every mile. This is for you. You are running the New
York City Marathon.<br />
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<b>
Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner" target="_blank">@Marathoner on Twitter</a>.</b><o:p></o:p>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-40117983961473351542022-05-14T11:04:00.005-04:002022-05-14T11:48:40.241-04:00How to write Marathon Runner in Japanese<p>How do you write "Marathon Runner" in Japanese? She was kind enough to show me at a Japan Day Run in Central Park. Then scroll for finished product. Enjoy!</p><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="476" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmarknewmanmlb%2Fvideos%2F10158604890730403%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="267"></iframe><br /><br />Please consider helping me <b><a href="http://give.themmrf.org/marknewman" target="_blank">raise funds</a></b> for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation as part of my 2022 TCS New York City Marathon drive, my 19th marathon or ultra. 🙏 I am running for my Dad and my Grandmother, who both passed away in their 60s due to MM. It would mean a lot and you can donate here:<br /><b><a href="http://give.themmrf.org/marknewman">http://give.themmrf.org/marknewman</a></b><br /><br />- Mark<br />twitter.com/marathoner<br />instagram.com/marknewmanauthor<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzvxyGo3EuF4faYqizZGN_-iIpy9VbTx9zuKCO_L5mgR9YRsEY7p_kzDCQ0-UIvzl-cFbGyWsUrRGKnxOORdS6-6bDDYC-QJzqj25NaiK7EMk1u2czTV4yBMGvBOdZ9FkEy4vIkGq-gGdalTEd4rEs2RUotWSTXkONuyAX8GbHquALMiKCAJT3oXxug/s1080/MarathonRunnerJapanese.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzvxyGo3EuF4faYqizZGN_-iIpy9VbTx9zuKCO_L5mgR9YRsEY7p_kzDCQ0-UIvzl-cFbGyWsUrRGKnxOORdS6-6bDDYC-QJzqj25NaiK7EMk1u2czTV4yBMGvBOdZ9FkEy4vIkGq-gGdalTEd4rEs2RUotWSTXkONuyAX8GbHquALMiKCAJT3oXxug/s320/MarathonRunnerJapanese.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-53674482589895522392020-04-20T21:01:00.001-04:002020-04-20T21:10:37.521-04:00A triumph of the will over all limits<div class="p1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">"A triumph of the will over all limits." That is what it says on the back of my 2007 New York City Marathon <b><a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/10/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-medals.html" target="_blank">medal</a></b>, a quote from the great Alberto Salazar.</span></div>
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That was my first marathon, and today I re-examined that medal and looked at it closely. Once proudly displayed, it now hangs and clangs against nearly 100 other medals in a temporary setting on a hook on the bak of an upstairs closet door, away from view.<br />
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I will fix that one day soon. It will be back where it belongs. One step at a time. We moved in 2018 from the NYC area down to St. Petersburg, Florida, and running suddenly became an afterthought when I dealt with debilitating lower-body pain and a successful back surgery that first winter here.<br />
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After a year of building up strength physically and mentally, I began light running a few months ago. I set out to lose 40 pounds, and as of now I am down from 230 to 215. A new LA Fitness membership was a big deal, and then it was closed just like that. So now I'm with all of you, working out any way that makes sense amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Here's my plan:<br />
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- I have been running 5Ks on my own along Tampa Bay, mixing in Cannondale bike laps around the Tampa Bay Rays' parking lot and swimming in our pool.<br />
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- I do curb pushups on an island in that MLB parking lot, and at home my weightlifting consists of a PVC pipe that has bookbags filled with water jugs hanging off each end. (Thanks to my friend Ashley, owner of the Pushin' Weight Crossfit studio in Richmond, VA, for the idea.)<br />
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- I start each day with a protein powder shake and I eat sardines for lunch. The first interview I ever did as a young Miami Herald reporter in 1982 was with Bill Rodgers, who was visiting our One Herald Plaza office that day while on a tour to promote Norwegian Sardines. He left me a black T-shirt with those two words on it in white, and said they helped him win the Boston and NYC marathons. I never forgot, and to this day I thrive on sardines, ideally from Trader Joe's. For dinner, Rachel is usually cooking something healthy, as she is spending these quarantine months with us down from NYC, where she goes to grad school.<br />
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No matter what, I know that running is always there when you need it. It always leads to positive developments in life, even if it hurts along the way. I am reminded of this now that I have restarted this @Marathoner blog. One step at a time. It's like running a marathon.<br />
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- I talked to Marathon Maniacs and my membership as Maniac #6697 is extended. So I'm that same guy who was ASICS Ambassador for an LA Marathon finish:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauCpSXLD-mDLWSWB_EFjxmTYwoXUtUHPIIHe2Yr734H-t4FVc_QNixRvo76gFQSN9QSH3jp3pKL-P8BtBFpvFhwg5b7dqGQI8XtOM-oSdUSogPMQksqu5RNlGv4F-rO3WZuWecvf2LMPK/s1600/IMG_2394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauCpSXLD-mDLWSWB_EFjxmTYwoXUtUHPIIHe2Yr734H-t4FVc_QNixRvo76gFQSN9QSH3jp3pKL-P8BtBFpvFhwg5b7dqGQI8XtOM-oSdUSogPMQksqu5RNlGv4F-rO3WZuWecvf2LMPK/s400/IMG_2394.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>- I find that I am fitting in my old running clothes, a nice upshot of losing 40 pounds.<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />- I am due for a new pair of running shoes. I am rotating a couple of pairs of Brooks Glycerines and Hoka Ones, and the cushioning has been enough for 5K distance. I'll need more for the road ahead.</span></div>
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<br />
- It's time for a better way of listening to audio while running. I go through many wired earbuds because sweat means you eventually just hear on one side, and I gave away a wireless set. I don't want Apple pods because I know it will be a waste of money when I soak them. <a href="https://aftershokz.com/"><b>AfterShokz</b></a> sponsored out last #RunChat on Sunday, and I am really intrigued by their <a href="https://aftershokz.com/pages/how-it-works"><b>bone conduction technology</b></a> so that might be a possibility for future runs.<br />
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Speaking of sardines, I have no idea how soon people will want to be crammed back into corrals or road races. But I will be there as soon as the light is green. I can't wait to sign up for another race.<br />
<br />
Display medals. Lose weight. Run more. Get shoes and an audio solution. Keep my lower back muscles strong. Oh, and find the right literary agent for the 540-page manuscript I finished after a year and a half of writing it here. One step at a time. Let's start with finally updating this blog right here. Thanks for your patience! <b><a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner" target="_blank">Please follow me @Marathoner</a></b> on Twitter, and say hi.<br />
<br />
Because I am back to following lots of runners and tweeting about our love of running.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/10/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-medals.html" target="_blank">My 10 Favorite Running Medals</a></b><br />
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Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-7512465745877238732017-07-14T10:20:00.001-04:002020-04-20T20:01:25.410-04:00All-Star Week 2017: Finishing in Style at Zensah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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OK, so Billy the Marlin told me to make sure I post to the running blog after I finished working All-Star Week in South Florida, so here goes.</div>
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One of my favorite annual traditions is hanging around the All-Star host city on the Wednesday after each All-Star Game, following a big week of around-the-clock work and thrills for baseball fans. This year's Midsummer Classic was in Miami, so that meant a chance to visit my friends just up the road at <a href="https://www.zensah.com/"><b>Zensah</b></a>!</div>
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<b><a href="http://zensah.com/">Zensah</a></b> is based in Hallandale Beach, about one Aaron Judge home run away from I-95 on your way up from Miami to Fort Lauderdale. I have been wearing Zensah ever since I became a runner in December 2006. I would always buy their compression calf sleeves at a Super Runners Shop in New York City, because I quickly discovered their many benefits to a distance runner, ranging from preventing cramps and shin splits to the added insulation on cold training runs. I took off the bummy cargo shorts (hey it was a long week), so here proof that I was wearing the Recovery Short, which helps me pour on the miles.<br />
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So now that I'm back home and gearing up for the Montreal Marathon on Sept. 24, I wanted to say thanks to Alberto, an athlete who knows what he's talking about, and his amazing team that I met at the Zensah HQ & warehouse. King Bingley, the Zensah Ambassadog, was especially happy to see me bring back a bagful of new products that he thinks he is going to wear on his next walky-walk. It was cool to meet the creative director and see her design idea board, which I can assure you has looks you will want. It was fun to chat with their braintrust for sales, analytics, website and social, even the shipping department, anyone else I am leaving out, and I appreciated the iced coffee as well as the Cuban lunch with Alberto and the goody bag for my training. It includes a pair of <a href="https://www.zensah.com/collections/mens-athletic-sport-running-socks/products/grit-trail-athletic-wool-running-socks?variant=25665022470">Grit Running Socks</a>, <a href="https://www.zensah.com/collections/mens-leg-sleeves/products/featherweight-compression-leg-sleeves?variant=31858182028">Featherweight Leg Sleeves</a> (for hot weather), and a Steel Grey version of new <a href="https://www.zensah.com/collections/mens-leg-sleeves/products/compression-leg-sleeves?variant=25664970310">Compression Leg Sleeves</a>. I'll review them in subsequent posts!</div>
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That is how I geared up while at work in Miami, and you can find many of the stories I wrote for MLB.com <a href="http://mlbcommunity.org/">right here</a>, mostly about Major League Baseball's All-Star Legacy project dedications from <a href="http://m.mlb.com/news/article/240874170/mlb-marlins-help-local-boys-and-girls-clubs/">Belle Glade</a> down to <a href="http://m.mlb.com/news/article/241691140/alex-rodriguez-mlb-team-up-for-field-reno/">Kendall</a>, and also <a href="http://m.mlb.com/news/article/241827546/robinson-cano-gives-asg-jersey-to-hall-of-fame/">my annual curtain-closer</a> on whoever is the game's MVP.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjLvdDpr9gKx4Kx8pXW_9loJvPY6o9jI6O3fu2726oVWr5pochyphenhyphenFXhINfhfEv6Ki-ngA_UbGZyGPawC5XWoH5AhX287xWxKhwj0ME8fPYrnVFP_ElS2AIylfYBxXvlOzcKThfH86tNu7c/s1600/IMG_6639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjLvdDpr9gKx4Kx8pXW_9loJvPY6o9jI6O3fu2726oVWr5pochyphenhyphenFXhINfhfEv6Ki-ngA_UbGZyGPawC5XWoH5AhX287xWxKhwj0ME8fPYrnVFP_ElS2AIylfYBxXvlOzcKThfH86tNu7c/s1600/IMG_6639.JPG" /></a></div>
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I have no Zensah attire on in this picture, it just happened to be my state of mind the day after the All-Star Game. After visiting Zensah, I got some ocean surf time in and it was perfect.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxCkYK-fTozY-YxcTqpxUWa9HDhhxNpckmS-Nfi24DZpHQe1qtqN7Gc39u0kB0tdpGOY193i7NyVvrXIG28DsX0IJqVJm5Cg8i5mWUOUsWS7YDKa9SYK0IfmdonJCOnFcqkhMaqTaFWoa/s1600/Z1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxCkYK-fTozY-YxcTqpxUWa9HDhhxNpckmS-Nfi24DZpHQe1qtqN7Gc39u0kB0tdpGOY193i7NyVvrXIG28DsX0IJqVJm5Cg8i5mWUOUsWS7YDKa9SYK0IfmdonJCOnFcqkhMaqTaFWoa/s1600/Z1.jpg" /></a></div>
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I also made sure to enter the new contest, posting #Zensaharoundtheworld at a perfect spot on South Beach. I have to say, I continued to wear the Recovery Short all day and night. That included on my United flight home, and I'm not sure that was such a good idea because my feet started getting a little numb in my aisle seat after an hour up the coast. Probably not good to mess with circulation when flying is hard enough! But that's how much I love wearing my Recovery Short.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTUeWVfwaaSkErUNgJBaITKFL5KsU_Ka6MOs8vhi3W8OHhyphenhyphen0ZYUehffy7QGMHneWQ9gjC8A33aoNJk8SNtwxwkY212mGv-Lt0aw0K0vw1DEEqY05HLbB_mp2zvrgaKznHK06VmCyllTWO/s1600/Z2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTUeWVfwaaSkErUNgJBaITKFL5KsU_Ka6MOs8vhi3W8OHhyphenhyphen0ZYUehffy7QGMHneWQ9gjC8A33aoNJk8SNtwxwkY212mGv-Lt0aw0K0vw1DEEqY05HLbB_mp2zvrgaKznHK06VmCyllTWO/s1600/Z2.JPG" /></a><br />
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This is a last look back at the view I woke up to every morning at the Royal Palm South Beach. South Florida, you were an amazing All-Star Week host. Zensah, it was so nice to spend time at the HQ before departing. Keep running, keep wearing <b><a href="http://zensah.com/">Zensah</a></b>, and keeping watching baseball!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWjIn5gq4DP5PJpm7opXWYSLRmHCH9chVSW_nwFQdDoP85PS5P4UOzD0srySmWbn1KU7zl5P2NIOQ6hPrIU5D2pCfItYYxoZcAR3QmcruHOYz7xMvithjQ874ZBZpRWrXVyX32kw9OUtB/s1600/19905355_10158930202355403_1026173219124626166_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAWjIn5gq4DP5PJpm7opXWYSLRmHCH9chVSW_nwFQdDoP85PS5P4UOzD0srySmWbn1KU7zl5P2NIOQ6hPrIU5D2pCfItYYxoZcAR3QmcruHOYz7xMvithjQ874ZBZpRWrXVyX32kw9OUtB/s1600/19905355_10158930202355403_1026173219124626166_n.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>Please follow: <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner">@Marathoner</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/zensah">@Zensah</a></b></div>
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Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-55873975328685689892017-06-14T19:39:00.005-04:002017-06-16T16:19:09.979-04:00Montreal Marathon and #BrooksEndorsed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was me in the ultramarathon that qualified me for Marathon Maniacs . . . </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIM_8lRb92P5zdZDPeRzupEZVUa3J3WOb_0Blkwy0KEUFvuiaKiIuNeCFlD5jJaYhAjObW35vG14g2hm0L3uxWZCjLa1gQRrjAs7BBstvQOva3ixGJE5KlkvxZdIdRPztSAh08FNQO_Kl/s1600/Knickerbocker50K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIM_8lRb92P5zdZDPeRzupEZVUa3J3WOb_0Blkwy0KEUFvuiaKiIuNeCFlD5jJaYhAjObW35vG14g2hm0L3uxWZCjLa1gQRrjAs7BBstvQOva3ixGJE5KlkvxZdIdRPztSAh08FNQO_Kl/s1600/Knickerbocker50K.jpg" /></a><br />
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... and those are Brooks Glycerins pounding the pavement for 9 loops around Central Park at that Knickerbocker 60K in NYC. Here are the latest Glycerins I am wearing, 9 years later:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKwdlmIIhWJy6I8WC457vURE5LwSLupsv6X0k4rjEe1NaDvKNetoluvp6IwlECa0Dbg9d99-OxGCTFHXIbwNx3C19sl14DrZgdbvDuczg7FHOxj2toxIXFWuX8v5KkE-NQdERZ3xBbOoa/s1600/17264645_10158286529245403_9111618477411742955_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKwdlmIIhWJy6I8WC457vURE5LwSLupsv6X0k4rjEe1NaDvKNetoluvp6IwlECa0Dbg9d99-OxGCTFHXIbwNx3C19sl14DrZgdbvDuczg7FHOxj2toxIXFWuX8v5KkE-NQdERZ3xBbOoa/s1600/17264645_10158286529245403_9111618477411742955_n.jpg" /></a><br />
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After all the pairs of Glycerins I have worn -- sometime just walking into Super Runners Shop by Centeral Park and telling them I simply need a new color -- it felt really cool to become a <a href="https://brooksathlete.com/en/home/"><b>#BrooksEndorsed</b></a> runner! When you open a new box of Glycerins, you literally can't believe how good they feel as your foot glides into them, and 20 runs later I was looking down at these same shoes while lapping Central Park and smiling at how they are still like brand-new. They are super-cushiony, fast, and seemingly weatherproof.<br />
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UPDATE: We'll be taking them north to run the Rock n Roll MONTREAL Marathon on Sept. 24! Just registered for 18th marathon or ultra. BACK TO BEASTMODE!<br />
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Go try on a pair, and get #BrooksEndorsed yourself! Follow me <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner"><b>@Marathoner</b></a> on Twitter and <b>@Marath0ner</b> on Instagram.Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-27296842070359923032016-11-30T16:54:00.001-05:002020-04-20T20:02:59.687-04:0010 Years of Running<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfvgLjyHNBLcaJXWGesHgHH0wF46oBkng7inoTX4o9149Kneh1onOCdkjfZ-Ebxzi2GLKEAF0pqy54oM4nwzV_jRYJ8rZAX2fSUggjIx7BYxaACQvDZCveka17kBL_R7AX61m7hRqGolR/s1600/18468-109-002f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfvgLjyHNBLcaJXWGesHgHH0wF46oBkng7inoTX4o9149Kneh1onOCdkjfZ-Ebxzi2GLKEAF0pqy54oM4nwzV_jRYJ8rZAX2fSUggjIx7BYxaACQvDZCveka17kBL_R7AX61m7hRqGolR/s320/18468-109-002f.jpg" width="213" /></a>My 10 Favorite: <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/11/10-years-of-running-my-10-favorite-miles.html">Miles</a> | <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/10/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-medals.html">Medals</a> | <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/06/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-shoes.html">Shoes</a> | <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/05/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-bibs.html">Bibs</a><br />
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Thursday marks my 10th runnerversary, and thanks to anyone who has been along for the ride. I never imagined I would still be doing this on that Friday of December 1, 2006. That morning, I moved into a new apartment on the Upper West Side of New York City, and it was freshly painted. While waiting for the movers to arrive with my stuff, I walked over to the bodega at 73rd Street & Columbus, to buy a few items. I stepped out, and was standing there at the intersection, with a full box of KOOLS in my hand, ready to light one. I had visited the apartment earlier that week, huffing and puffing up the steps to the third floor, overweight and a smoker for the past six or seven years, to meet the tenants who were moving out. They changed my world, without knowing it, because they told me they belonged to the New York Road Runners club and that they regularly ran and biked Central Park a block away. With that healthy thought in my head, I looked at that full box of KOOLS and I broke it in half, drawing curious looks from women who stood beside me. I went into my new apartment, met the movers, unpacked, and then immediately took the A train down to Times Square and bought a pair of ASICS at a Foot Locker. I went to <a href="http://nyrr.org/">NYRR.org</a> and paid for a one-year membership. That week I started running hilly Central Park, and on that December 10th I ran my first race, the Joe Kleinerman 10K, finishing with a net time of 1:18:40 (12:41 pace).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bkM1fbLHbMDKbnpGOGUzyG3QkveSayFBjaD1-UASfbn1q_t3yFsTv_MeQKKyPM5Ics1vyksJrBv5xzTaiy1vV0ZoVEfGqq81efSZ3-u3Akmpdsy-INQuwGOrdRDTWJYm2c5Q23bUqpLs/s1600/firstrace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bkM1fbLHbMDKbnpGOGUzyG3QkveSayFBjaD1-UASfbn1q_t3yFsTv_MeQKKyPM5Ics1vyksJrBv5xzTaiy1vV0ZoVEfGqq81efSZ3-u3Akmpdsy-INQuwGOrdRDTWJYm2c5Q23bUqpLs/s1600/firstrace.jpg" /></a><br />
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I have thought about this moment for a long time, and in counting down the days to this special runnerversary I have been posting several top-10 lists of my favorite things over this past decade of running. Today, I am going to celebrate by running Central Park at 5 a.m., then running around the Washington Monument later in the day, then by popping a bottle of champagne and spraying it all over myself. I am also going to celebrate by posting my final top-10 list, so here it is: <b>10 unbelievable things that happened after I quit smoking and started running</b>.<br />
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<b>10. It taught me to be a finisher in life.</b> Set a goal, work hard, persevere and finish. My first goal was to run the New York City Marathon within my first year as a runner, and I did that in November 2007. In the past month I finished my fourth NYC Marathon, and 17th full or ultra.<br />
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<b>9. There are 137 bibs on my bedroom wall.</b> They signify all the races I have registered for and then got up for early starts and put one foot in front of another until I crossed a timing mat. That has equated to thousands and thousands and thousands of miles I have run either in those races or in training. It means my heart has pumped blood in wonderful fashion amid all that activity. I owe a special thanks to the New York Road Runners, for conducting all those races I have run, and to the people who take care of Central Park and keep it so pristine and the best place in the world to run -- my track!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRbiupczBSQgXd1wqGVY4SG1FDeNesipBG3ZuZmSloQU2H8dZ0-2Krg-U1l3roK4TxswmVDmwEcNk1I986zLvrW_nR-txzXvXQF7DpY1UF1I-m1AMhhwPgTtzQ6A3q4qUsSnM4FpHbmW9/s1600/AmericanOnTheWall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRbiupczBSQgXd1wqGVY4SG1FDeNesipBG3ZuZmSloQU2H8dZ0-2Krg-U1l3roK4TxswmVDmwEcNk1I986zLvrW_nR-txzXvXQF7DpY1UF1I-m1AMhhwPgTtzQ6A3q4qUsSnM4FpHbmW9/s400/AmericanOnTheWall.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>8. I've been seeing the world.</b> Runcations are the way to go. I ran the Rome Marathon this April, and that follows other memorable runs in Paris, Yorkshire, Beijing, Miami, San Francisco, Niagara Falls, San Diego, Oklahoma City, Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, Boston, Washington, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Tampa, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Key West and more. Now it's time to fill out my 2017 calendar!<br />
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<b>7. Friendships.</b> I have made so many friends through running. That started with Myspace. In case you are too young to know what that was, it was the Internet site everyone had to be a part of in the early-to-mid-2000s (with Tom as your greeter). They started "Groups" and one of those was the Big Cat Running Group. You had to choose a "big cat" name to join, and most of the good ones were gone when I came along so I chose Monster Cat. That's how a lot of runners came to know me. I am still friends with many of them -- Roxy, Cindy, George, Carol, Troy...so many. I was blogging about my running in 2007, and then in the course of that year I started <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/">marathonomy.blogspot.com</a>, which is now the @Marathoner blog.<br />
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<b>6. Becoming <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner">@Marathoner</a>.</b> A lot of people have asked me, "How did you get that?" I joined Twitter in June of 2008, when it was in its infancy. It had launched two years earlier, and by June 2008 it was starting to soar, with 100 million tweets each quarter. I had to see what this world of 140-character posts was all about, so in the same month that I did a training run at Siesta Key in Sarasota and started my second NYC Marathon training plan, I went to twitter.com and began to register. I also started MLB on Twitter so they kind of went hand-in-hand back then. Today, Twitter is overtaken by runners, most of them female, lots of Millennials. When I started as @Marathoner, you had to work a little bit to find runners to follow. You can look at other running accounts' start-on date, and see that not very many beat me to the punch. It was cool to be kind of a running pioneer in that regard.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeCENeb6dk-kLvUzaNtPPIpwMCTVHX33W4UkwT3LPg4erGhl1Val7SE4WjAUylibKIv0TJFIT105QvofOaWchIMkDQEJmOLvnGRhpcH-e3eAKN1-imcnI2mucvj1etHteamtWh07w8I-j/s1600/finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeCENeb6dk-kLvUzaNtPPIpwMCTVHX33W4UkwT3LPg4erGhl1Val7SE4WjAUylibKIv0TJFIT105QvofOaWchIMkDQEJmOLvnGRhpcH-e3eAKN1-imcnI2mucvj1etHteamtWh07w8I-j/s200/finish.jpg" width="180" /></a><b>5. Brand influencer.</b> I have been an Ambassador for running manufacturers whose products I have naturally run in since I started this life 10 years ago. Previously I mentioned how I traded that box of KOOLS for a box of ASICS. With an occasional experimentation of other brands along the way, I have been an <a href="http://asics.com/">ASICS</a> runner ever since. ASICS made me an Ambassador from 2013-16, starting with the first-ever <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2013/12/asics-la-marathon-blogger-team-member.html">ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge</a> team for that 2014 race, with the opportunity to be coached by the Kastors, Andrew and Deena (right). I run in shoes that I know will get me to the start line healthy and make me happy all the way to the finish line. This summer, I joined <a href="https://www.zensah.com/">Zensah</a> as an Ambassador, also natural for me because I have been wearing their calf compression sleeves nearly this entire 10-year run, purchasing them at Super Runners Shops in NYC. I hope <a href="http://twitter.com/GarminFitness">@GarminFitness</a> is reading this, because I am a longtime <a href="http://www.garmin.com/en-US">Garmin</a> runner and my goal is to be a GF Ambassador.<br />
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<b>4. You can do things you think are impossible.</b> A woman who I don't know taught me that. She will likely never read this, but I am thankful to her. It happened just a month or so into my running days, in January 2007, at the Manhattan Half. The race is 2+ laps around Central Park. After one lap, I pulled off at the portapotties by the Met Museum, and I was ready to bail. Hey, I had run a steady 10K lap around that hilly park, so I was improved! Just quit already, I thought. I remember leaning over and catching my breath with my hands on my knees, and just saying to this stranger in line, "That's all I got." She said, "You can do it. Just walk and then start running again. You'll be fine." It was that simple. Remember that there are always new runners around you who do not know what they can do. I finished my first half, as you can see on the (naturally bad) picture to the right, and I have run about 7 of those events, now called the Fred Lebow Manhattan Half.<br />
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<b>3. My lungs are perfect</b> and my life is going to be long, meaning a long time with loved ones. According to doctors, 10 years after you quit smoking, your lungs are proper pink again and your chances of getting cancer are half that of a smoker. I'm exactly 10 years. Quitting smoking, for me, had the effect of making me want to take further healthy steps in my life. In August 2014 I quit drinking diet sodas and sugary drinks, for life. And this past July, I started an 0BPPG diet of no bread, pasta, pizza or gluten (more in moderation since the NYC Marathon). My knees are awesome, and I believe running makes your knees STRONGER, not weaker. You just have to keep your quads and hamstrings strong, to offload those knee joints. I know how to RICE injuries when I get them. I am healthy for the most part, although I have to see an ENT on Dec. 12 to resolve this perplexing problem I have with choking on food.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQ3nbFX_0_tbwXSBOmWGglquiZa7KlEKeyoORE8BwZl4UvY5MofiDls1bqwzeieV16Ql4_UnCGB6CMBg7e0yA2SJsQp6Fk0LrDAVIYBO3oMOs1x6zV1zz8uoKgItoambxrZIz9wj4RA-n/s1600/YesG1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQ3nbFX_0_tbwXSBOmWGglquiZa7KlEKeyoORE8BwZl4UvY5MofiDls1bqwzeieV16Ql4_UnCGB6CMBg7e0yA2SJsQp6Fk0LrDAVIYBO3oMOs1x6zV1zz8uoKgItoambxrZIz9wj4RA-n/s400/YesG1.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>2. It led me to my wife, Lisa.</b> I was sitting on a step of the Great Wall of China during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, in deep thought for an hour about how that wall was somehow constructed so long ago. The longer I sat there, the more I wished there were someone with whom to share moments like these. The first thing I did when I returned to New York was start a match.com account, and I met Lisa there. She ran the ninth and final loop of Central Park with me during the Knickerbocker 60K ultra a couple months later, and I proposed at the finish line of the 2009 New Jersey Marathon. She said yes. Her daughter Rachel soon joined our blended family along with my three sons Matt, Ben and Josh. They are awesome. And then came Chubby aka King Bingley.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPnXIVEqWQcRz4ZlkZAR6XXwFBgr6FCdVTwphoccwXiX-dH1wWH6f5RaTF8YrIB3j783omgxVzl3-SPazeVrlrKV_QHHfBdwt5uzhfOXQ1ywJ-rayGE_b3YAyU9mdesBnebfzt9naXGnF/s1600/Run10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPnXIVEqWQcRz4ZlkZAR6XXwFBgr6FCdVTwphoccwXiX-dH1wWH6f5RaTF8YrIB3j783omgxVzl3-SPazeVrlrKV_QHHfBdwt5uzhfOXQ1ywJ-rayGE_b3YAyU9mdesBnebfzt9naXGnF/s320/Run10.JPG" width="240" /></a><b>1. The opportunity to help others.</b> My grandmother used to always say, "Remember those less fortunate than you." It rings true my whole life as a priority. I discovered that being a runner means putting yourself in position to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than you. After the 2012 NYC Marathon was canceled due to Sandy, 1,000 of us wore our orange race shirts and filled backpacks with relief supplies and then went to Staten Island and pitched in to help those devastated by the hurricane. Think of all those times you donated to help another runner raise money for charity, or you made it possible for others to help because you were the one running for charity (2007 NYC Marathon, Team for Kids). Think of all those races you signed up for that send proceeds to important causes, from Boomer Esiaison's Run to Breathe event (fighting cystic fibrosis) or the Colon Cancer Challenge 10Ks. I have donated many of my running shoes and am about to donate another batch. We have run for runners we lost, remembering #megsmiles or Ryan Shay back in 2008 at Central Park. We ran for Boston because all of us were #BostonStrong. There is always a greater good that helps keep you going because that is living life with a purpose, I think the best part of running.<br />
<br />
There are many, many more wonderful benefits to a running lifestyle. For that reason, I am going to celebrate my 10th runnerversary on Dec. 1 in style. Here's to many more years of running, and thank you for being part of this with me!<br />
<br />
<b>When is YOUR runnerversary?</b>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-5758862144355580382016-11-29T15:24:00.001-05:002016-11-30T14:13:38.431-05:00Garmin Fitness chat with Alexi Pappas<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><a href="https://explore.garmin.com/en-US/vivo-fitness/">Garmin</a> pro athletes <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexiPappas">Alexi Pappas</a> and standup
paddler <a href="https://twitter.com/JennyKalmbach">Jenny Kalmbach</a> were at the Garmin HQ for a Facebook chat, and since I am a longtime Garmin (Forerunner 220) runner and am sort of obsessed with how cool and inspiring Alexi is to mere mortal runners
like me, I thought I would transcribe her replies here. You can watch the full video below, including all of Jenny's replies, and also be sure to follow <a href="https://twitter.com/GarminFitness">@GarminFitness</a> and join the <a href="http://facebook.com/garminfit">facebook.com/garminfit</a> page.</i><br />
<br />
Q: How do you structure your day and fit in everything you want and have to do?<br />
<br />
A: The first thing is, I lay out my clothes and everything the night before --
which sounds like the person I didn't think I would grow up to become. But it
makes the day a lot easier. That way, when I wake up and head to practice,
everything is ready to go. I do normal things like eat and practice but I also
eat every day.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Q: How many years have you been a professional athlete?<br />
<br />
A: Four.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEips8yIu9D8a88EIFjuiDJywwGg40WQ6DJiacQljAJuC15FauTo2ivzPy9MmjWEFELatx1vRRszeh9KnHNqjVK4MKft1FGLEvJwdxb0wMZ_qGwL1xfJ31WCs1ePYL1rONSiIiysY6-_72w0/s1600/AlexiPappas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEips8yIu9D8a88EIFjuiDJywwGg40WQ6DJiacQljAJuC15FauTo2ivzPy9MmjWEFELatx1vRRszeh9KnHNqjVK4MKft1FGLEvJwdxb0wMZ_qGwL1xfJ31WCs1ePYL1rONSiIiysY6-_72w0/s320/AlexiPappas.jpg" width="320" /></a>Q: How many times a week do you eat
whatever you want to?<br />
<br />
A: I feel like I'm mostly eating whatever I'm craving. So for me, it's not as
much about limiting things -- although I would say I eat less sugar, less
processed sugar -- as much as I know when I <i>need</i>
certain things. I'll like crave steak, and then I'll think I need to go
immediately and eat red meat. Or I really need a glass of milk, or I really
need some chocolate, and I'll go get those things immediately, because I think
our bodies are telling us we need those things.<br />
<br />
Q: What are your favorite foods for a cheat day?<br />
<br />
A: Sushi. I mean, that's not cheating, it's just delicious.<br />
<br />
Q: What's your favorite type of sushi roll?<br />
<br />
A: I really like raw salmon. That's my favorite thing. Or eel. Or that weird
egg thing that they make.<br />
<br />
Q: What Garmin are you wearing?<br />
<br />
A: 735.<br />
<br />
Q: What are your favorite features on this product?<br />
<br />
A: I rely on my Garmin really heavily for the mileage, honestly, and that it's
consistent. Because I'm traveling so much -- I haven't been in one place for more
than three weeks in over a year. So when I travel and train, the one thing
that's consistent is my watch helping me determine that I'm running the proper mileage,
and it's crucial to my training.<br />
<br />
Q: What's new for you in 2017?<br />
<br />
A: I might try a longer race, like I've never run a half-marathon or anything
longer. So I might try something even longer.<br />
<br />
Q: How tall do you think your bun is?<br />
<br />
A: I think it's probably between 4 1/2 and 6 inches tall, if you count from
scalp to the frizz. It's disgusting that I'm saying it.<br />
<br />
Q: What stats do you monitor on your various Garmin devices when you work out?<br />
<br />
A: Pace is very important to us. If we have a very long workout, we have to
make sure we don't start out too fast. Sometimes you're on a random road, and
I'm very grateful that something besides my body is determining my pace,
because otherwise I would mess everything up.<br />
<br />
Q: What's been your favorite thing about being here at Garmin?<br />
<br />
A: I think it's kind of cool to have grown up with a product your whole life.
My high school graduation gift from my dad was one of the older Garmins for my
car, and now to kind of see the device become useful in my current profession,
which is no longer driving high school students, but as a running professional
athlete, is really cool. And to see where it all happens is special.<br />
<br />
Here's the full chat that you can find on facebook.com/garminfit. Be sure you are following me <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner">@marathoner</a>!<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="313" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgarminfit%2Fvideos%2F10154154041316446%2F&show_text=0&width=550" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe>
Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-79422431350066497382016-11-21T16:39:00.003-05:002016-11-30T14:13:58.894-05:0010 Years of Running: My 10 Favorite Miles<i>December 1 will mark 10 years since I became a runner instead of a smoker and changed my life. On the way to that 10th runnerversary, I am going to celebrate with an occasional top 10 post.</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/10/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-medals.html" target="_blank">My 10 Favorite Medals</a> | <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/05/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-bibs.html" target="_blank">My 10 Favorite Bibs</a> | <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/06/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-shoes.html" target="_blank">My 10 Favorite Shoes</a><br />
<br />
Officially, my favorite mile is "the one you're running." It is vital to think that way as a runner, and in life. Unofficially, I definitely have some of my own favorites just like everyone else. This is the hardest of my lists to narrow down, but here are 10 that have special meaning in my life.<br />
<br />
<b>10. Mile 11 of Maratona di Roma.</b> Between the 17K and 18K markers, you follow the cobblestones right up to Piazza St. Pietro and the Vatican. <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/04/rome-marathon-recap-10-things-i-learned.html" target="_blank">As I passed</a> the Pope's window where he gives his short speech and blessing some Sundays, crowds were forming behind barricades in anticipation. It is really hard to decide on just one mile in this race. This race is a feast of the senses.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3BvNOfns4YJ4vEXS54P31YOOviesLeUQVT4-e07bglWOlpzshkFh-WBE8sEXC9m89Ry7b_3nvN4yFgseIYM880fmmIF-3Nm3ortNqK3mjwuPzCy1V97Zx-AfsNev_7eUc6WbBhalcim5/s1600/VaticanMile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3BvNOfns4YJ4vEXS54P31YOOviesLeUQVT4-e07bglWOlpzshkFh-WBE8sEXC9m89Ry7b_3nvN4yFgseIYM880fmmIF-3Nm3ortNqK3mjwuPzCy1V97Zx-AfsNev_7eUc6WbBhalcim5/s1600/VaticanMile.jpg" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<b>9. Miami Marathon, Mile 5.</b> Run past the historic Art Deco hotels on Miami Beach's Ocean Avenue as the sun is rising and some locals are still staggering out of the nightclubs. This is from roughly the 4 1/2-mile mark past the Mile 5 marker and covering much of the next mile.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5HsrSlSJyaD4MTkRr0BHEYyi94l4aFiLSTd-O0WsA3IHCHfo89aW_opyhLjOFygvVHZcQTlrIMjfUGYBzywpuNKIWk7ksGMPxBmHifjrFIOoo-PPhT4I0oe7qWNWdMsgWZpDhlrsYBII/s1600/OceanDrive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5HsrSlSJyaD4MTkRr0BHEYyi94l4aFiLSTd-O0WsA3IHCHfo89aW_opyhLjOFygvVHZcQTlrIMjfUGYBzywpuNKIWk7ksGMPxBmHifjrFIOoo-PPhT4I0oe7qWNWdMsgWZpDhlrsYBII/s1600/OceanDrive.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>8. Central Park bridle path near Strawberry Fields.</b> It is perfect hard clay, a little puddly at times, with a gentle stillness around John and Yoko's turf, going under the <a href="http://www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-and-do/attractions/riftstone-arch.html" target="_blank">Riftstone Arch</a> across from The Dakota. You will always find marathoners logging their miles here, away from the more familiar paved path. If you run Central Park, the 10K road is iconic and a must-run, but to really experience running there like the locals, use the bridle path.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkEhTNls67ZnIp-WQZSzz0Zfkn4qGQQVntfNseb5if17N8XgY47raxpZjD5vMf2SL_9xLJPKmJqNTM4Sn_r1znyGSVIQQ-YhqSne9vfAXQJKT8fSywP3pyZ-NNhHwQi_nwNtHucbTcJYc/s1600/riftstone-arch-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkEhTNls67ZnIp-WQZSzz0Zfkn4qGQQVntfNseb5if17N8XgY47raxpZjD5vMf2SL_9xLJPKmJqNTM4Sn_r1znyGSVIQQ-YhqSne9vfAXQJKT8fSywP3pyZ-NNhHwQi_nwNtHucbTcJYc/s1600/riftstone-arch-l.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>7. Siesta Key, Florida.</b> The most beautiful beach in America is a secret to many. It's not even the most famous one in Florida, or even in the top three or four. It is in Sarasota. I ran it one time, in 2007, and I will never forget how amazing it was, with its white sand. See for yourself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonl37PMIAYZj36UQmX6s7HPGY9i1T2S0L2MyBiOauwX74z4O-j_PT4PGImPP45SFagwn3RWYuvGQnj02LW6ftD4Q1sPencHgN_rS6E9Cly7OiKcZy9uXmvhKkm7uNtQgTyl5P_9lAy42N/s1600/siesta-key-beach-header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjonl37PMIAYZj36UQmX6s7HPGY9i1T2S0L2MyBiOauwX74z4O-j_PT4PGImPP45SFagwn3RWYuvGQnj02LW6ftD4Q1sPencHgN_rS6E9Cly7OiKcZy9uXmvhKkm7uNtQgTyl5P_9lAy42N/s1600/siesta-key-beach-header.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>6. Rodeo Drive, Mile 16, Los Angeles Marathon.</b> Beverly Hills, baby. Had to stop and take this selfie, wish I could have stopped to shop. <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2014/03/asics-la-marathon-where-dreams-come-true.html">Recap.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidN7eh_n_djv0TnDIEq1_xXY50jyg1WCC9fluxBqdvLcGr9QIjBBwdkdkxiwBbuHxLn5SrkTWHmHiik9tsI6rg6LTgtQnHTKnSFHXEdwygm4Pf05F87_V5q56POqablvTgnHxIcDNCSeQT/s1600/RodeoDrive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidN7eh_n_djv0TnDIEq1_xXY50jyg1WCC9fluxBqdvLcGr9QIjBBwdkdkxiwBbuHxLn5SrkTWHmHiik9tsI6rg6LTgtQnHTKnSFHXEdwygm4Pf05F87_V5q56POqablvTgnHxIcDNCSeQT/s1600/RodeoDrive.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>5. Last mile of the New York City Marathon.</b> When you re-enter Central Park at Columbus Circle for the homestretch, you feel all the feels. And for me, I feel the presence of my Dad. My first marathon there in 2007, I looked up and cried the last 200 to 400 meters, as he had given me my start in life and this opportunity to be a runner. I did the exact same thing earlier this month. It felt like I had come full circle in my 10 years of running. Thanks, Dad. I could choose so many other possibilities from the world's largest race, such as Mile 16 after the Queensboro Bridge or the incredible crowds heading into Williamsburg, but they can't top this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPVShmT5CpX36hxelG-q4OHjMELtlbnMfa_BU1mwCjgWIz-ij-CCEId2Rx-D_vv6navLQWcb0x4OnYJZyL5X03mtQ7QnB_PbW1Lrv8Ol9ECr5vJiovyPebLSqT2heV13_grLWN0LAHRQe/s1600/NYCMFinish2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwPVShmT5CpX36hxelG-q4OHjMELtlbnMfa_BU1mwCjgWIz-ij-CCEId2Rx-D_vv6navLQWcb0x4OnYJZyL5X03mtQ7QnB_PbW1Lrv8Ol9ECr5vJiovyPebLSqT2heV13_grLWN0LAHRQe/s640/NYCMFinish2008.jpg" width="482" /></a><br />
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<b>4. Mile 2 of the Falmouth Road Race.</b> The start of this mile is at the historic Nobska Light, where I snapped this selfie two months ago during the 44th running. This coveted, hard-to-get-into race starts in Woods Hole in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and while you are running in this mile, Martha's Vineyard is off to your right and seems so close you can reach across the Atlantic to touch it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYykAVh6Q9dZ8sH_sFAQweKZE7yXDCsWQ5Lff_n8mOPR7LGYBUZ6sRfagyXddqCQzVgrAV8ci-SPGxuZcQL83ymmnGNqqfJc0C0iUH_aDsGYDQDgjd3umlrlDt0O4_yUV5AivOTd4bR2wM/s1600/IMG_5517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYykAVh6Q9dZ8sH_sFAQweKZE7yXDCsWQ5Lff_n8mOPR7LGYBUZ6sRfagyXddqCQzVgrAV8ci-SPGxuZcQL83ymmnGNqqfJc0C0iUH_aDsGYDQDgjd3umlrlDt0O4_yUV5AivOTd4bR2wM/s1600/IMG_5517.JPG" /></a><br />
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<b>3. Golden Gate Bridge.</b> The length of suspension span including main span and side spans is 1.2 miles, but really anywhere from the Marina District to the Marin side of the bridge. I have a tradition of trying to always stay behind an extra day to run after working the MLB All-Star Game, and the day after the 2007 game, I stayed behind and did a 15-miler with my colleague Jason Beck. (I lived in the SF market in 1990-91 but was not a runner yet.) The vistas looking over Alcatraz is gorgeous.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-PFwSfnffjkvFt-lGiEk4FN_YUtTiZ5z-j7x6LPsjxdbH960UUxPvNs6u-zxGbgs0OK22JUPuGRca8fz4XYZlpppk3ZkUNiQ-jLt1h_zNmaSkPqLYDMfpUYdhL9TXOEZ5r-fyWy5wKY3/s1600/goldengate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-PFwSfnffjkvFt-lGiEk4FN_YUtTiZ5z-j7x6LPsjxdbH960UUxPvNs6u-zxGbgs0OK22JUPuGRca8fz4XYZlpppk3ZkUNiQ-jLt1h_zNmaSkPqLYDMfpUYdhL9TXOEZ5r-fyWy5wKY3/s1600/goldengate.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>2. Mile 17 of the Paris Marathon.</b> You're running along the Seine, fully mesmerized about life in general, and then there it is on your left. So you ask a bystander if he would please take your picture with Tour Eiffel behind you, vertical if possible, <i>merci</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4j7Yz0CoBjjaFaLZtgsg6lqqrAG21k2NFR-GB0L0wbiHoRJhEhvSx59UNG4YRAGyowkL8yC6OCw7fNkAb8RJBTVGtNDf7H-OJnvPFmzoCBG53ArEUMrEyZA6DnKSAzUHAJ29cXNX4oPs8/s1600/Mile18Eiffel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4j7Yz0CoBjjaFaLZtgsg6lqqrAG21k2NFR-GB0L0wbiHoRJhEhvSx59UNG4YRAGyowkL8yC6OCw7fNkAb8RJBTVGtNDf7H-OJnvPFmzoCBG53ArEUMrEyZA6DnKSAzUHAJ29cXNX4oPs8/s1600/Mile18Eiffel.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>1. Times Square.</b> It is one thing to see it for the first time. It is quite another to take it over. We do that in the <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2015/03/united-nyc-half-recap.html">New York City Half</a>, which I try to run roughly every other spring. Times Square happens in the seventh mile, and when you giggle outloud while you run, feeling outlandishly happy and privileged (no taxis!), I think that feeling deserves the top spot on this top 10.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTpoN047hW3OMnZgYAkdX9VmAkdVzQWUIvJ4b3Bs__RZmVjpghh8kn9AN54PVAu8_1VORleml_IV3CYhUXQycqf-3UCZ_zmJQL656aPdVJVxqH8GuwRBog3yV1ek-60p5PTo0f_v191SX/s1600/UnitedNYCHalfTimesSquare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTpoN047hW3OMnZgYAkdX9VmAkdVzQWUIvJ4b3Bs__RZmVjpghh8kn9AN54PVAu8_1VORleml_IV3CYhUXQycqf-3UCZ_zmJQL656aPdVJVxqH8GuwRBog3yV1ek-60p5PTo0f_v191SX/s1600/UnitedNYCHalfTimesSquare.jpg" /></a><br />
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Honorable mentions: Great Wall of China, Badaling gate . . . Cat Hill in Central Park . . . Lake Michigan Ave. in Chicago . . . Budweiser brewery mile in the St. Louis Marathon . . . Cornfield by my parents' home in Evansville, Indiana . . . Key West Half past Ernest Hemingway's house . . . A1A/Fort Lauderdale Marathon finish on the strip . . . Brooklyn Half finish on Coney Island . . . Sunset Cliffs in San Diego . . . Anywhere #RunWestin suggests! . . . Over the bridge from Cincinnati into Kentucky and back . . . The Grandview stretch of the old rail trail near my home on the cliffs along the Hudson River north of NYC . . . too many to list!<br />
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<b>What's YOUR favorite mile? Please follow me <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner">@Marathoner</a> on Twitter and let me know!</b>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-90278241701156807022016-10-03T17:58:00.001-04:002022-10-10T11:45:44.033-04:0010 Years of Running: My 10 Favorite Medals<i>December 1 will mark 10 years since I became a runner instead of a smoker and changed my life. On the way to that 10th runnerversary, I am going to celebrate with an occasional top 10 post.</i><br />
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<b>My 10 Favorite Medals | <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/05/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-bibs.html" target="_blank">My 10 Favorite Bibs</a> | <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/06/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-shoes.html" target="_blank">My 10 Favorite Shoes</a></b><br />
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10. Miami Marathon, 2012. It's a humongous No. 10, so naturally I have to include it here at No. 10. This formalized a new era of "spinner" medals, as the palm trees whoosh through the medal like a warm Biscayne Bay breeze. It was a hard-fought medal, because around mile 17 I tipped over in someone's front yard due to ITB that suddenly stole my stride. Because of that, I got the back engraved: OVERCOME ANYTHING.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4ODEr_zh0MqkHxn7o41psAerqUrPgZqado8yTr6YAWdK63Unw9hUXblgWX5j-tQBBLVu5gwZ1wsuOSyg_qpNaiYVPDHls1pG8iVtnQHQzoKP9NOfPBWBzRali6ZkGmMoX01QEpnTOe2A/s1600/medal5a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4ODEr_zh0MqkHxn7o41psAerqUrPgZqado8yTr6YAWdK63Unw9hUXblgWX5j-tQBBLVu5gwZ1wsuOSyg_qpNaiYVPDHls1pG8iVtnQHQzoKP9NOfPBWBzRali6ZkGmMoX01QEpnTOe2A/s1600/medal5a.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQoJKfDrNnzC-R1K2Gs3SLsXMZZS3OlhvcYbEkEtxMdhMP_Y0OIT5xp1HvBnLFue6lh4R9khepJi-BLl35kcIQd-dgcr1qtwi3tueJxETcA2aUILBoWMEuZbjrO5eXtmIBo16FYHIMiGJ4/s1600/medal5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQoJKfDrNnzC-R1K2Gs3SLsXMZZS3OlhvcYbEkEtxMdhMP_Y0OIT5xp1HvBnLFue6lh4R9khepJi-BLl35kcIQd-dgcr1qtwi3tueJxETcA2aUILBoWMEuZbjrO5eXtmIBo16FYHIMiGJ4/s1600/medal5.jpg" /></a><br />
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9. St. Louis, 2008. My boys were all there waiting for me at the finish line, two years after I had moved from St. Louis to NYC due to my new MLB role, and I was so glad to have them there. My mission and purpose with running had been to make sure I stay healthy and live as long as possible to enjoy life with my kids -- still is -- and set a positive example for them of healthy living and goal achievement. There is nothing cool about the design of this medal, but that meaning makes it special.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pgtlWSorjlpK3jJphO_4yvI7YMi7LadEmEFNpHgMdQIoC-HXhczTl6lfEb3pCTcvJfg58vQvG0GAIB4yZwBylhnWV-6PUl7YorBJxWZG-BXUi02Yz7UFdT2sg5PDWNOVXDYe7okN2Jmk/s1600/St+Louis+Full+2008.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pgtlWSorjlpK3jJphO_4yvI7YMi7LadEmEFNpHgMdQIoC-HXhczTl6lfEb3pCTcvJfg58vQvG0GAIB4yZwBylhnWV-6PUl7YorBJxWZG-BXUi02Yz7UFdT2sg5PDWNOVXDYe7okN2Jmk/s1600/St+Louis+Full+2008.JPG" /></a><br />
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8. Fort Lauderdale, 2013. I don't think any race obsesses over its medal more than this one! It's all I heard about, before, during and after the marathon. Best medal, best medal! Well, this particular year, the "theme" of the Publix Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon was seahorses. The special twist was a sort of amulet in the center that opened, revealing palm trees inside. The only problem was that my amulet, as with that of some other runners', was defective and broke off. The race director, to his credit, was livid with the firm that produced his designed medal, and he sent a replacement by mail later. It is easily the heaviest medal I own and I can't ever imagine a heavier one in the future.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXoF-bkmsgB02c_6jg5-_8AV_c_bCWlu9B3PBGWvzneJqHqMJ7SWO3kM3hIONe4xBtWEeRpzY-mcmoaucw61bRj0SQE8ao6YvYP-kYjiUZhI6TtGn1Sw2nYR1QiXC42T9PUeg1s_S0kC2/s1600/seahorse_closed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXoF-bkmsgB02c_6jg5-_8AV_c_bCWlu9B3PBGWvzneJqHqMJ7SWO3kM3hIONe4xBtWEeRpzY-mcmoaucw61bRj0SQE8ao6YvYP-kYjiUZhI6TtGn1Sw2nYR1QiXC42T9PUeg1s_S0kC2/s1600/seahorse_closed.jpg" /></a><br />
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7. Los Angeles, 2014. When Deena Kastor hands you your medal, it is going to mean something! I was part of the ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge Team that year, flown out with Lisa and Rachel and given the VIP treatment all weekend. I sprinted the last mile, helping another runner finish, and Deena was among ASICS elites who greeted us at the end. It was a scorcher, and that medal was earned!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOzF1hjWBGNWCgskOVUnAQPzrjMCvJE3DgCIFiDkwa0npcjGBeSVG6j9hy0lL8zjDMy99H6tSW77IWXCpG9B7UnviLaCoIhFNEVrXijYeFhYKCO29vgZHexVGe0xCTqrpyAR7vRLUN8J-/s1600/ASICSMedal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOzF1hjWBGNWCgskOVUnAQPzrjMCvJE3DgCIFiDkwa0npcjGBeSVG6j9hy0lL8zjDMy99H6tSW77IWXCpG9B7UnviLaCoIhFNEVrXijYeFhYKCO29vgZHexVGe0xCTqrpyAR7vRLUN8J-/s1600/ASICSMedal.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLF2HE4rYxoEnJTl1UrtjepELQN-guAl9o0EjjvP_c4WIv815EwGZfzjN243HkQU0DZZ6VaE9XK3kfCtzTR-Tz40QrHHO0bL8ohBT6T9u-tElJGKnvlLYWsg7txTbL3ddOiIv7aIuZ-n-/s1600/Finish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLF2HE4rYxoEnJTl1UrtjepELQN-guAl9o0EjjvP_c4WIv815EwGZfzjN243HkQU0DZZ6VaE9XK3kfCtzTR-Tz40QrHHO0bL8ohBT6T9u-tElJGKnvlLYWsg7txTbL3ddOiIv7aIuZ-n-/s1600/Finish.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbyZmsRn53ob8V3ooUOLl-mLoqOMtDPyxN0pVSWPZNywsrqIz3Acog96gty-_a7e0D9xYVPzSxtiFGUi0XZvgO-eHZwFuV7pwVhH-8pOy7ATem6iIplrjfRBNslgfRnvgIuoF3yeScOeP/s1600/ASICS1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbyZmsRn53ob8V3ooUOLl-mLoqOMtDPyxN0pVSWPZNywsrqIz3Acog96gty-_a7e0D9xYVPzSxtiFGUi0XZvgO-eHZwFuV7pwVhH-8pOy7ATem6iIplrjfRBNslgfRnvgIuoF3yeScOeP/s1600/ASICS1.JPG" /></a><br />
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6. Hamptons, 2014. Honestly, if I have one "most beautiful medal" in my collection, this is it. My Hamptons Marathon bling is like a stained glass window. I admired it for a long time.<br />
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5. Maratona di Roma. I would be lying if I said this was a glorious finish, because the cobblestones destroyed my feet, there was an unexpected long uphill tunnel toward the end, and there was a long and frustrating trek to find my bag-check truck. Respiratory problems at the start of the year had set me back in training and I was overweight. But all of that agony kind of washed away when I asked someone to please take my picture holding the medal with the Colosseum behind me. I was a gladiator, just like the ones I channeled for the entire 26.2 miles. I survived. And this medal reminds me I did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZ7Yp2bElbCelBIste1Zz6ebvKvLE_kXe0O-02MH-VU3ymzIa_hwtkdRKyri5W_HkGae7Uba9bpt1THk8OAAR3L_YYgKqprBkAD43cfIKv5PULec2c2X2rAT26-HhBlUSN7kWRsArABV5/s1600/medal1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZ7Yp2bElbCelBIste1Zz6ebvKvLE_kXe0O-02MH-VU3ymzIa_hwtkdRKyri5W_HkGae7Uba9bpt1THk8OAAR3L_YYgKqprBkAD43cfIKv5PULec2c2X2rAT26-HhBlUSN7kWRsArABV5/s1600/medal1.jpg" /></a><br />
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4. Oklahoma City Half, 2007. My first running medal.<br />
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3. New Jersey, 2009. It's funny because out of all my medals, this is the one that I really don't ever remember receiving. Someone put it around my neck after I crossed the finish line, but I was focused on the bling that was in my hand. I got down on my knee and asked Lisa, who was waiting there next to the medals person, and I asked her to marry me. She said yes. So we both got a new accessory. The New Jersey Marathon also had the added touch of a little pin affixed to the ribbon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2Uaf5h7_gs1GOHvss71K1Hjin0iXnf_gN1Ik8YPaD7Cfln9dQhFCQBlAhv1kCQO1iGQ05aTQw04zZeSOVXX9I0oSuOh5yaaf4WYw97n3kWmIIpGpE7f55EkDln4ShtJE1n-aJUkUGZQT/s1600/medal4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2Uaf5h7_gs1GOHvss71K1Hjin0iXnf_gN1Ik8YPaD7Cfln9dQhFCQBlAhv1kCQO1iGQ05aTQw04zZeSOVXX9I0oSuOh5yaaf4WYw97n3kWmIIpGpE7f55EkDln4ShtJE1n-aJUkUGZQT/s1600/medal4.jpg" /></a><br />
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2. Marathon de Paris, 2012. Mais oui! This medal has grown on me ever since I received it beside the Arc de Triomphe. It is my lightest-weight medal, with not much of a ribbon, and it didn't feel that substantial at the time for such an immense event -- capping my first trip to Europe. It kind of felt like a popcorn garland on a Christmas tree at the time: quaint, not really bling. But I soon realized that it carried over the tradition of the Tour de France, an event run by the same sports body that runs Marathon de Paris. And every time I look at it now, it reminds me of running alongside the Seine, posing for a Mile 16 picture le Tour d'Eiffel, such beauty and magic. Je t'aime, Paris!<br />
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1. New York City Marathon, 2007. This is my Honus Wagner card in the collection. When I quit smoking and started running at the end of 2006, I gradually increased my mileage, ran the Manhattan Half in January 2006, and soon after that I decided that I would set an outrageous goal of running a marathon within my first year of running. Today it's not that uncommon, but in 2007 it was kind of crazy. This medal is the fruit of that labor. My first marathon was marred by plantar fasciitis that forced me to land on a different spot on my foot every step for the last 14 miles, but I made it, looked up at my Dad in heaven as I neared the finish line, and danced across the finish line, receiving this. On the back is an inscription from legendary runner Alberto Salazar: "A triumph of the will over all limits."<br />
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<b>What's your favorite medal? How do you display bling? Let's discuss in the comments!</b>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-72275309832828932232016-08-23T15:26:00.003-04:002016-09-06T12:13:27.808-04:0015 reasons why the Falmouth Road Race is such a big dealCAPE COD, Mass. -- Sunday's 44th running of the <b><a href="http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/" target="_blank">New Balance Falmouth Road Race</a></b> was my 134th race, and definitely the first one with a 7-mile distance. I finished in 1:27:00, well off the average 1:10:55 finish time for the 10,535 who finished, but great for me right now.<br />
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I was initially confused about how a 7-mile race could possibly be a lottery event with such a prestigious reputation, but now I <i>completely</i> understand. Here are 15 reasons why #FalmouthRR is such a big deal and a must-add to any runner's bucket list:<br />
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1. <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobska_Light" target="_blank">Nobska Light</a></b>. I haven't seen quite every lighthouse in the United States of America, but so far the one in Falmouth that is being restored is at the very top of my list. Before going to the Health & Fitness Expo on the Saturday of race weekend, we went to the lighthouse, took pictures and just basked in the glorious zen view of this nod to our seafaring past, looking out over Martha's Vineyard. It is the best Mile 1 Marker in the history of running and no race will ever come close to it. Originally "Nobsque" Light, erected in 1828, according to the old plaque below, and good folks are helping to preserve it.<br />
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2. The Tommy Leonard Start Line. Once you finally make your way there, you look to your left and see the race founder's face on the plaque hanging on the Captain Kidd bar in Woods Hole. Tommy was a bartender from boston working at the Brothers Four seven miles away in Falmouth Heights, and that is the distance that some runners had covered in the first actual race in 1972. Tommy made it a regular and official event in '73. <b><a href="http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/race-history" target="_blank">Read the history here.</a></b><br />
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3. It is the Boston Marathon's little brother in New England. I don't mean they are affiliated, I mean this is the second-biggest running event in the region only to that one, and the same types of athletes and traditions are found here on the chill heaven that is Cape Cod. In 1975, the race included a great showdown between reigning Olympic marathon gold medalist Frank Shorter and defending Boston Marathon winner Bill Rodgers. Can you imagine them racing on the map below? This is a picture of them, from the official race site. They're flying down a hill. That's the same Bill Rodgers who told me in 1982 that I could be a runner, if I only ran, walked, ran and walked. (It was my first interview of a sports figure after I was hired by The Miami Herald out of Indiana University, and he was wearing an EAT NORWAY SARDINES T-shirt as we spoke about his running-boom message and sardine-eating proclivity in the Herald cafeteria.) Elites like Sarah Hall, Meb, Molly Huddle and Joan Samuelson have been examples of the star power this race draws. I swiped this map from my awesome friend <a href="http://twitter.com/nycrunningmama" target="_blank">@nycrunningmama</a> after she blogged the race two years ago!<br />
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4 The people. Start with the 2,000 or so volunteers for this race, who are extraordinary in so many ways from the expo through the finish. They were so friendly. Then there are all those part-time and permanent Cape Codders who form a veritable human chain with unbelievable support for runners, especially in the second half after the roller-coaster ride that is the first 3 1/2 miles. There are an estimated <b><a href="http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/fact-sheet" target="_blank">75,000 spectators</a></b> along the way! The Falmouth Road Race puts your first name on your bib, so they all know to scream your name as you go by. This spectator support level was by far the thing I was most surprised by and eager to share with you. (This photo courtesy of the race site.)<br />
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5. Martha's Vineyard to your right. See No. 1. For most of the race, you can gaze at that big island just a short ferry ride away. Some people come over from there just to run. Some people go there after they run. It reminded me of a great trip we had there once and that I need to go there again. President Obama was out there somewhere while we were running by.<br />
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6. Heat management. They make sure you are amply hydrated at the start, and then once you get to the 2-mile mark, you'll never go without liquids. A forecast in the 80s had fortunately cooled to the mid-70s for this one. But you're still in the sun most of the way -- especially after the hills -- and water management was hugely important. Not only were there volunteers offering water seemingly EVERY SINGLE STEP, but there were a crazy number of locals who sprayed their hoses on the appreciative runners who passed by. One guy was even on the top floor of his home spraying the hose out over the pavement for us to run under. It was amazing. They helped me keep my cool:<br />
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7. No medal. Why would I make this a reason to run it? Because enough with the overabundance of medals in today's running community! Seriously! Disney is the biggest instigator of this. And last month, just out of curiosity, I ran one of these new virtual races and was mailed my Route 66 medal after self-submitting my many training runs that equaled a distance of 66 miles. I somewhat guiltily hung it on my medal rack, but I'm going to stop there. Let's go back to really appreciating what a medal means. They don't give you one here for seven miles. It's a great accomplishment, but you want a medal? Go run that Boston race across the bay in April and get a unicorn. I was happy to get a Yasso chocolate-chip coffee ice cream handed to me instead at the Refreshment Center.<br />
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8. <b><a href="http://www.capecodchamber.org/" target="_blank">Cape Cod</a></b>. We stay with family nearly every August in Osterville, a quiet and awesome village in the town of Barnstable. On Friday, we made our usual trip up to the outer Cape, this time to the famed Beachcomber in Wellfleet for oysters, lobster rolls and the dazzling beach scene (pictured here) with towering sand-dune cliffs. Also pictured here is a book I bought at the Osterville book store, by the same author and local radio personality who wrote the first version that I read last year. And below that is my wife Lismo in one of the many chill moments we enjoyed just hanging out. The geography of Cape Cod itself resembles the biceps-flexing emoji that I and other runners use ALL THE TIME on IG and TW, so imagine that Falmouth is the lower part of your biceps (Provincetown is the fist). It was the first time we had been to Falmouth, and now that we know all about it, we are not only going back for sure, but are already pontificating what it would take to have a place there some day. Falmouth is beautiful, it's kind of chill, it is idyllic.<br />
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9. Buses to the start. Again, this has a decided Boston Marathon feel in the beginning. The race begins at 9 a.m., with pulse wave starts. I got up at 5 a.m. in Osterville, and we left at 5:45 for the short drive on Route 28 to Falmouth, stopping at a Dunkin' Donuts for coffee and a banana. Lisa and Rachel drove me to the runner dropoff at a local high school, and from there I boarded one of the long line of yellow school buses that took us to the start area in Woods Hole beside all the boats. Pro tip No. 1: Have someone drop you off nearby and walk to the school, because you'll be stuck in a jam if you want to be dropped off AT the school's front entrance. Pictured here is the typical Cape Cod house with shingle siding where the bus dropped us off, so beautiful.<br />
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10. Woods Hole starting area. I was there at the start area two hours before the race. I am glad I was there that early, avoiding any hectic situation. There seemed like a thousand portapotties, and I hit them three times, the last one only requiring a line. Runners lounged on the grass or on the seawalls, taking in the chill vibe. Pro tip No. 2: Make sure you find a SHADY spot. There were 12,800 runners at the start, bunched into a thin roadway, and if the sun beats down on you, you are going to be hot when you finally do go over that start line. I looked for shade at any cost.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexDsi-jsLUpjSbMZBgKd_rtM7MI9jNt31gTgX3G4DF9a-Q6EXTUCAUKxF79R6P1lkVwtkm2QMvXOf30FKpdKVbnEtgNKAOpWcNc3vm5DVucLzPaVblMXb8T7rqJX3EF_EpVcnxH5fqCm7/s1600/IMG_5493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexDsi-jsLUpjSbMZBgKd_rtM7MI9jNt31gTgX3G4DF9a-Q6EXTUCAUKxF79R6P1lkVwtkm2QMvXOf30FKpdKVbnEtgNKAOpWcNc3vm5DVucLzPaVblMXb8T7rqJX3EF_EpVcnxH5fqCm7/s1600/IMG_5493.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGSjL1H9ZmIJzCW9qerxXwwhVLeyUzvYUtDFEaboybiJPro8To4ti4yvz9AQ3kfKNB6SzRHHmVlDN-5_L2KFSHVVWLRipS4i06mtIASNkXGZZT6L9rX4U2Nms43WHZGbkDoxzgTnJLbnR/s1600/IMG_5497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGSjL1H9ZmIJzCW9qerxXwwhVLeyUzvYUtDFEaboybiJPro8To4ti4yvz9AQ3kfKNB6SzRHHmVlDN-5_L2KFSHVVWLRipS4i06mtIASNkXGZZT6L9rX4U2Nms43WHZGbkDoxzgTnJLbnR/s1600/IMG_5497.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVZe5ub4Lv7DYDJW3cbPlHh2IfNII7sDLxJZM52NLF1DtqFsZLEnQcU19rsVH8YO7M6NXV0YJ1u1Eo59EpAqFTUPEd8bDJVVt-0lNavgu5UF4PajCYBDKNdshIsoaOVbfbHRD2cwtHJ6i/s1600/IMG_5496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVZe5ub4Lv7DYDJW3cbPlHh2IfNII7sDLxJZM52NLF1DtqFsZLEnQcU19rsVH8YO7M6NXV0YJ1u1Eo59EpAqFTUPEd8bDJVVt-0lNavgu5UF4PajCYBDKNdshIsoaOVbfbHRD2cwtHJ6i/s1600/IMG_5496.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vPoFopJ-z_oq6gUswkMPJE3KGYSw4yaztU1n_3mWUtcDg5J_iVqJ8xtgSgsjAXFsE88zuNHr69_YVs1fVVRCCnrYIFlWpYGjdMBJ8TBFBkiUzXNs0WQf6dIXNXnr5fiEc2HbXye5b_dp/s1600/IMG_5514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vPoFopJ-z_oq6gUswkMPJE3KGYSw4yaztU1n_3mWUtcDg5J_iVqJ8xtgSgsjAXFsE88zuNHr69_YVs1fVVRCCnrYIFlWpYGjdMBJ8TBFBkiUzXNs0WQf6dIXNXnr5fiEc2HbXye5b_dp/s1600/IMG_5514.JPG" /></a><br />
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...and here's a 360 video I took of the area where I chilled on the water:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="413" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EXjwE-s7T0o" width="550"></iframe><br />
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11. You can enjoy the Cape. This is not one of those events like the New York City Marathon where you need to be legs-up the day before and avoiding touristy activities. It's a 7-mile race! Don't overdo it, but enjoy yourself on the Cape! We spent the day Saturday PADDLEBOARDING in Barnstable, weaving our way past small crafts and alongside great mansions. Thanks to <b><a href="http://standupandpaddlecapecod.com/" target="_blank">Stand Up and Paddle of Osterville</a></b> for making it so easy for us, and to "Pernille the crazy Danish girl" (lol) for pointing us in the right direction! It was $50 a person for two hours (that was plenty), for the three of us. It was my first time paddleboarding and I was a little worried about using new muscles in my high-ankle area, but there need be no such concern. I fell in twice, and my only real worry was not getting a couple of iPhones wet. All's well that ended well. It was a beautiful day, enjoying life before the big race.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18sD1T8RHIu7HuYT9IbKbkUZVbxoV46l9EAnL4cIW3kVSitihJpYWfH-r2CZoPE-H_9cTgn4eEkFE5gYoaU6CaS8U86NyaH4t9JdDtSPu8-QRav55EcjpqaDd_-7vjqmMoFHgQ3xeFeZZ/s1600/Paddleboarding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg18sD1T8RHIu7HuYT9IbKbkUZVbxoV46l9EAnL4cIW3kVSitihJpYWfH-r2CZoPE-H_9cTgn4eEkFE5gYoaU6CaS8U86NyaH4t9JdDtSPu8-QRav55EcjpqaDd_-7vjqmMoFHgQ3xeFeZZ/s1600/Paddleboarding.jpg" /></a><br />
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12. Strategy. We had breakfast on Saturday of race weekend at the <b><a href="http://www.picklejarkitchen.com/index.html" target="_blank">Pickle Jar</a></b> (highly recommended!) in Falmouth, and near there I noticed a Super Lube oil-change shop that had a sign with a message for runners. It read: "RUN THE RACE WITH PATIENCE." Evidently they knew something I should know. Pro tip No. 3: Be patient and prepare to conserve energy the first 3 1/2 miles, because it is a roller coaster starting with an immediate uphill climb at the start -- up, down, up, down, up, down. It's almost entirely flat the second half, so use your speed there. After resting up in the morning, it's easy to want to go all-out the first few miles and you have to resist that urge and just bide your time. I'm including this as a reason to run the Falmouth Road Race, because you want a strategic race.<br />
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13. <b><a href="http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/runners-expo" target="_blank">The Health & Fitness Expo</a></b>. I was a little rushed, unfortunately, so I did not get to try on the race shirt that I bought, which I regretted later because it was so tight-fitting it was 2 or 3 sizes too small and I am stuck with a $40 expense. Here's what it looked like in my #FlatMe the night before, just as I decided to call an audible and go with an ASICS top I brought:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvYIzzKCQrux5B8vsx9paICyK0JSyhTLUvMa5gREJ4WnjfviLnqTv9d1gEkGF8SAlzfV_PbL826vHygckyuQMPBwWVG3idIABNohuKnCce-Zhxd1D5FvUS8eXDh9Ck1uAEOU1QVl_8WME/s1600/flatme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvYIzzKCQrux5B8vsx9paICyK0JSyhTLUvMa5gREJ4WnjfviLnqTv9d1gEkGF8SAlzfV_PbL826vHygckyuQMPBwWVG3idIABNohuKnCce-Zhxd1D5FvUS8eXDh9Ck1uAEOU1QVl_8WME/s1600/flatme.jpg" /></a><br />
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So make sure you have some time dedicated to really breathing in this expo. There was a lot going on. I did get to see most of the virtual race shown on a large screen, the only preparation I did for what the field was going to look like (other than seeing Nobska Lighthouse). There is gear galore. There was a seminar by the <b><a href="http://ksi.uconn.edu/" target="_blank">Korey Stringer Institute</a></b> about performing in the heat. I am a hardcore and longtime Vikings fan, so that sadly brought to mind the story of the Vikings' Pro Bowl lineman who died of heat stroke at training camp 15 years ago. I was glad to see that his legacy is helping others. I bring this up because this expo does a lot more than just sell gear to runners. Be sure to take the time to enjoy it, as it is open from Thursday through Saturday. You'll be glad you did as it's one of the better expos around.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycic6K_Pkvi7Qx0FONzok2_IBZRYW-sq0Y1bBOTmpAGLj9JZP_S0zXVOhCmWx0v0fWtriT7ctTouDQoDF5wW9siYtY-rwzDth2dkxCa28t26gKnN7pFr_M_r7r5r1LWtmUWS8Kz37Xplg/s1600/Expo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycic6K_Pkvi7Qx0FONzok2_IBZRYW-sq0Y1bBOTmpAGLj9JZP_S0zXVOhCmWx0v0fWtriT7ctTouDQoDF5wW9siYtY-rwzDth2dkxCa28t26gKnN7pFr_M_r7r5r1LWtmUWS8Kz37Xplg/s1600/Expo.jpg" /></a><br />
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14. New shoes? No problem! The distance is friendly for a pair of kicks right out of the box, although I don't usually try new gear for any race. I had just received a new box of the <b><a href="http://www.asics.com/us/en-us/accelerate-hope" target="_blank">Accelerate Hope</a></b> shoes from <b><a href="http://www.asics.com/us/en-us/" target="_blank">ASICS</a></b> that are enabling runners everywhere to help in the fight against various types of cancer. My new <b><a href="http://www.asics.com/us/en-us/gt-1000-5-gr/p/0010266047.9094" target="_blank">GT-1000 5 GR</a></b> shoes have the gold ribbon design to raise awareness about pediatric cancer, and anyone who buys these are helping <b><a href="http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/" target="_blank">Cookies for Kids' Cancer</a></b> to help that particular cause. For every specially marked product from the collection made available in retail stores nationwide from August 1 to November 30, 2016, ASICS America is donating $10 for each pair of shoes purchased to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, with a guaranteed minimum donation of $100,000, up to $150,000. Speaking of good causes, another big reason the Falmouth Road Race is such a big deal is the sheer volume of money raised by runners to help charities while helping themselves to an entry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSULFMm8KW_N0KwIVwxVjhSxGx2k7aaFW9nY_WJr8ILLMdHGgxDkTqfevgUkh_0aPzsMgzdAbKFKCUY3IHJmb_aZZrMDWGMEXGxhkfEGfU6i866WiLbQQgLuB8gug3KAjsDGlgKtbs3QH/s1600/FalmouthRace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYSULFMm8KW_N0KwIVwxVjhSxGx2k7aaFW9nY_WJr8ILLMdHGgxDkTqfevgUkh_0aPzsMgzdAbKFKCUY3IHJmb_aZZrMDWGMEXGxhkfEGfU6i866WiLbQQgLuB8gug3KAjsDGlgKtbs3QH/s1600/FalmouthRace.jpg" /></a><br />
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15. The Big Finish. When you see the giant USA flag -- one of the biggest in the nation, if not the biggest! -- you know it is time for that finish photo. In fact, this is one of the best finish-photo events on the international racing calendar. They are just waiting to pounce on the reality of your existence and you had better be running hard and happy as you reach that glorious conclusion! The video of my finish was available within 24 hours and the pictures from marathonfoto.com rolled in fast as well. I'm trying to decide which pic or package to get, but for now here's a sampler of the happy ending, including the perfect item on the menu for recovery food on the Cape.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvejMZBvP5YgHZZO82CAjGFAbvIWU8PrW2EldXJGIlBf2C7_5X_gbTUhOtSXSllDJJmGjMNFmOh0P_B9nv3QCXRJ0fhenitJdSWQoE9D9DsooD0Buv_xJp_xyQkrCjitv6t3341cmbW2Mf/s1600/IMG_5522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvejMZBvP5YgHZZO82CAjGFAbvIWU8PrW2EldXJGIlBf2C7_5X_gbTUhOtSXSllDJJmGjMNFmOh0P_B9nv3QCXRJ0fhenitJdSWQoE9D9DsooD0Buv_xJp_xyQkrCjitv6t3341cmbW2Mf/s1600/IMG_5522.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1zM26nWhmyC8CBTAy96coqnaMEnZ6KRa9IQpb43gxLzysKPmi0okgWXZnfjjq8E1aFxinJIVnm9o0ZPnNIvJ0f2I_2huUoQoMenZT3LWzpuOQf8TyGruFkE17gjleI019Brx-Wf7M2uK/s1600/Finish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1zM26nWhmyC8CBTAy96coqnaMEnZ6KRa9IQpb43gxLzysKPmi0okgWXZnfjjq8E1aFxinJIVnm9o0ZPnNIvJ0f2I_2huUoQoMenZT3LWzpuOQf8TyGruFkE17gjleI019Brx-Wf7M2uK/s1600/Finish1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEMN2UC8r1t4rzZ0WPrFSg7GO2C2b_GgTCP8GrIoVhta4-MMzv0kakl3P8qr37tnOeUSMUA3T50V7UszFA2xE7x6RC963pvP7i3PjQYWS6Lib-Yq1HesOEoqfifhwmXJPzAocf2mv3kEt/s1600/Finish2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEMN2UC8r1t4rzZ0WPrFSg7GO2C2b_GgTCP8GrIoVhta4-MMzv0kakl3P8qr37tnOeUSMUA3T50V7UszFA2xE7x6RC963pvP7i3PjQYWS6Lib-Yq1HesOEoqfifhwmXJPzAocf2mv3kEt/s1600/Finish2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiz2MbHP1evCHJVdprimZWsoWcKRti4MvPgJ7tMvVgf80tFN-Khx8Og0ji9M8LCjhBih4gSzSI30bjYC9QB9p-C2rPk-4zE4RpzW5P-hPph_ATUc-cNpdJ1Fh54HMS46JoInc_PSLXZRm/s1600/Finish4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiz2MbHP1evCHJVdprimZWsoWcKRti4MvPgJ7tMvVgf80tFN-Khx8Og0ji9M8LCjhBih4gSzSI30bjYC9QB9p-C2rPk-4zE4RpzW5P-hPph_ATUc-cNpdJ1Fh54HMS46JoInc_PSLXZRm/s1600/Finish4.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXe_sa_GDYC7cx_A0spOEDLL4iuUasZRhwibZU-LiidXNWrph7zRtSNgycd41xxa2gSsTz4JGOTXhMELImkOyQB8tH6mXkMPU-FOdJ4aCBOe8xJkhi-C-UxvzuepvmMmi2BzUa16BmYbX/s1600/FinishCopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXe_sa_GDYC7cx_A0spOEDLL4iuUasZRhwibZU-LiidXNWrph7zRtSNgycd41xxa2gSsTz4JGOTXhMELImkOyQB8tH6mXkMPU-FOdJ4aCBOe8xJkhi-C-UxvzuepvmMmi2BzUa16BmYbX/s1600/FinishCopy.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNxUkQGSU3xr4sLmHXMJZkQrA2AAc77OdnAGlvXpNE4HEBF0Ded3-4SGzGW_Eb7H1Pu4uYWClty8KcNKBaIc1vYDrs1b5_HOnRxsBLzFEpTzvQQMc306_QrXYX_6DqFH7_ufZhGYwgHeS/s1600/IMG_5539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNxUkQGSU3xr4sLmHXMJZkQrA2AAc77OdnAGlvXpNE4HEBF0Ded3-4SGzGW_Eb7H1Pu4uYWClty8KcNKBaIc1vYDrs1b5_HOnRxsBLzFEpTzvQQMc306_QrXYX_6DqFH7_ufZhGYwgHeS/s1600/IMG_5539.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lvfcrWt_Y61x7qvPrcePz9r9Y3KtSDPJQ2fUOG13zJcMVawcLF1moTrCMWoF0Al3bIBcHd0LaIh5rG_DBlnjLtSZQaN8pEzWCFl4097HBzlBSDuIoM7MLsYef-UHgaJ30Q9ANEQSenV3/s1600/lobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lvfcrWt_Y61x7qvPrcePz9r9Y3KtSDPJQ2fUOG13zJcMVawcLF1moTrCMWoF0Al3bIBcHd0LaIh5rG_DBlnjLtSZQaN8pEzWCFl4097HBzlBSDuIoM7MLsYef-UHgaJ30Q9ANEQSenV3/s1600/lobster.jpg" /></a>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-43448082394838281872016-07-25T19:37:00.005-04:002016-09-06T12:14:12.544-04:00The 0BPPG Plan: Why and How I Changed My World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<b>"Change your thoughts and you change your world." - Norman Vincent Peale</b><br />
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Please let me start by describing that dish above: One large grouper filet split in half, seasoned with turmeric and olive oil and steamed in aluminum foil on my grill; quinoa; and grilled squash. This was my first dinner after I changed my world last Thursday and I am not stopping. (Updated Aug. 10: 6 pounds lost in first 3 weeks, 2 pounds per week. Goal is 22 pounds total.)<br />
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Every runner knows that you don't look too far ahead when starting a major challenge. You focus on right now, the mile you're in, the present rather than the future. With that in mind, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself on my current challenge, but I wanted to share it as some have inquired.<br />
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On July 21, I decided to change my thoughts and change my world. I decided to quit consuming bread, pasta, pizza and gluten. I call it the 0BPPG Plan. My family was very helpful in advising how to go about it, and I evolved my thought process in walking down supermarket aisles. This is what I want to share: why I changed and how I changed, both equally important steps.<br />
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<b><u>WHY</u> I CHANGED</b><br />
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What causes that kind of major change in a single person? What is that fine line between ACTION and RUMINATION? Here are some of the things that tipped me over the top of the mountain:<br />
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On that day I changed, I was talking at length with a camera guy at an MLB event I worked that day at Sleepy Holly Country Club. He was fit and told me about his low-carb attack (I never use the negative word "diet") and how amazing he feels. I just needed to hear that from someone new to me, I guess. He gave me suggestions, a little too much like the old "Atkins Diet" . . . but it was an impetus.<br />
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This was not the result of any kind of cautionary medical directive from a doctor. It is me knowing me. I have struggled with extra weight for much of my life, from the days when I was described by mom as "husky" through ebbs and flows. I have walked past the cupcake shop downstairs at our Chelsea Market HQ, and some years I was a regular customer. This year, it began having a real adverse impact on me. I struggled the first 3 months of 2016 with respiratory/allergy problems, meaning I was carrying a lot of extra weight and virtually unable to train for my much-anticipated <b><a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/04/rome-marathon-recap-10-things-i-learned.html" target="_blank">Rome Marathon</a></b> on April 11. It was a beautiful event and a great trip, but the amount of walking I had to do through Rome's landmarks and my finish time was deflating.<br />
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Extra weight not only was only compounding my increasing respiratory and allergy conditions, but my wife Lisa, head of Admissions at a large senior-care facility in the Bronx, has repeatedly assured me from empirical data, which she sees and logs, that longevity is very much related to lean body structure. In other words, she does not admit very many overweight people. Not because they are home healthy, but because they are GONE. I'm sorry for the frank all-caps but if you are obese please change now. They do not usually last that long. Obesity and overweight conditions lead to too many health issues to mention here, including heart problems.<br />
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My grandpa Woody, a World War II veteran, is going to turn 100 in February. I think about his life, and I never remember him being anything but lean, happy-go-lucky, jitterbug-dancing the nights away and so smooth and effortless on his feet. God bless my grandpa. May he live for many more years beyond the century mark, and may he know that he has inspired me again, in this case to be more fit and trim.<br />
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I know I can do this, because I have proof: Quitting vices is something I am experienced at and good at. Case in points:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>On Dec. 1, 2006, after moving into a freshly painted Upper West Side apartment in NYC, I was at a tipping point. I was thinking about quitting smoking, and in visiting the couple who were moving out of the apartment a few nights prior, they explained that they ran Central Park in the New York Road Runners club. I was fascinated by the idea that I might be able to be a real "runner." I broke a full box of KOOLS in half and bought a box of ASICS instead. I stopped successfully because I would munching on celery/carrot sticks, grapes and nuts, I would drink water, I would run regularly -- and I would distance myself from places where people smoked.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Then on Aug. 25, 2014, I quit diet sodas and sugary drinks for life. You know, poison soda. Aspartame on label = legal poison, reduced lifespan ("diet" sodas make your body crave sugar so the label is a lie, in case you are just learning this yourself). This has been WAY harder than quitting smoking, but I have gotten through with Zevia, seltzer, teas and other substitutes.</li>
</ul>
I have said good riddance to other things/people in my life that were not good for me, so when I look at this challenge, I am NOT intimidated.<br />
<b><u><br />HOW</u> I CHANGED</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxczAIWoSFIckmpC42TCoUnkodceRFvsGxwhwqpU2D1_QbQrAMFFEEU9nG9VDAhtv6_7ACS8pcb_QGBIGTf8nLEltTFtuaSj6rhwnO22sqdg-64qrOku2HJsY8CtVrEKrjR8YsrUHXdFL/s1600/food7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxczAIWoSFIckmpC42TCoUnkodceRFvsGxwhwqpU2D1_QbQrAMFFEEU9nG9VDAhtv6_7ACS8pcb_QGBIGTf8nLEltTFtuaSj6rhwnO22sqdg-64qrOku2HJsY8CtVrEKrjR8YsrUHXdFL/s320/food7.jpg" width="272" /></a>I want to stress upfront that I have NOT consulted a nutritionist or doctor on my 0BPPG program. It is something I have invented, or at least modified to my own personal interests. I had an initial plan and then Rachel, who is super solid when it comes to nutrition, gave me suggestions and was (and is) there for text feedback when I was unsure what fit into my thinking and what did not. So I mention all this because I do NOT want anyone to think I am giving expert nutritional advice, especially when I am still in my first week of doing this!<br />
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Important: I am proceeding, like we say in baseball, "pitch by pitch." You know how the 2004 Boston Red Sox came back from a 3 games to 0 deficit to beat the Yankees in the greatest comeback in pro sports history? (I wrote a book about it.) Their manager, Terry Francona, made them believe that by only focusing on the next pitch, and then the next pitch after that, and by doing that they did not dwell on the impossibility of winning the next four games but rather by "chunking" it -- like we marathoners do. THAT is how I am going forward with 0BPPG. My next hunger urge; my next snack; my next meal.<br />
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I am not thinking about how much I might weigh when the legendary Falmouth Road Race happens on Aug. 21 on Cape Cod, or how much I might weigh when I run my fourth NYC Marathon on Nov. 6. I want to be more focused than that, and just do the best I can and stay POSITIVE.<br />
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THIS is when "quit" is an acceptable word, at least in my lexicon. Let's look at the four things I have quit:<br />
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<b>BREAD:</b> "Give us this day our daily bread." I just said that on Sunday morning in our Episcopal church service. I've always had to have one or two pieces of bread, usually buttered, to sop up that sauce on a dish. I've always had to have those two English Muffin, smothered in butter and honey or maybe NuttZo. I've always had to have that bread on a cold-cut sandwich that I would eat on my way to work. I think that "our daily bread" is not to be taken literally, though. (Maybe I can serve as a positive example to the many people today who take the Bible too literally, as with same-sex marriage and other issues.) I decided to stop eating bread. I will get asked 100 questions but that's it, no bread. HE GONE<br />
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<b>PASTA:</b> Lisa and I thrived on pasta in Italy two months ago. Imagine not eating pasta! Well, I can, and I did. At least the kind of pasta that contains gluten, the pasta you buy in your pasta aisle at the supermarket. Last night, Rachel picked two zucchinis from our garden and used the food processor to make an awesome zucchini pasta. THAT is OK, but for the purposes of my 0BPPG Plan, you know what pasta I am talking about. What you get at an Italian restaurant. I am done eating pasta. It sits in my stomach and converts to sugar. I want to shrink my stomach. I don't want to eat pasta. So you won't see pasta pics from me now. I will get asked 100 questions but that's it, no pasta. HE GONE<br />
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<b>PIZZA:</b> I have to write this paragraph really fast because this is the one that is blowing my own mind most of all. After eating maybe 100,000 pizzas in my life, in many countries and styles, from Chicago stuffed to a slice of New York white to our old Pizza King pepperoni with Coors back in the day, I have moved on. I will get asked 100 questions but that it's, no pizza. HE GONE<br />
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<b>GLUTEN:</b> I realize that this is what I am quitting in the ones above, but I decided to make this No. 4 anyway because there are many other sources of gluten in the world, and I am not going to consume them if I can avoid it. This is tricky because I am finding out what gluten is. Sometimes you see it on labels and sometimes you don't. Rachel has helped me with this. It will be a work in progress. Many people have told me how amazing I will feel once it is out of my system. I will get asked 100 questions but that's it, no gluten. HE GONE<br />
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If you are a company that makes any of this stuff, then say goodbye to my lil friend...<br />
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Also in the "How I Changed" category: Fitness is a huge part of this, as they go hand-in-hand. I am going to be training for that 7-miler in Falmouth (psyched because it's New England's second-biggest race behind a certain Boston event!) and the NYC Marathon, and currently I am combining training runs with our gym membership for weight training and core, cycling and swimming.<br />
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<b><u>EXAMPLES</u> OF CHANGE</b><br />
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This was actually the first food I bought after I changed my world. I went to Organica, a healthy market near us, and opted for the turkey and rice you see here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewDacBpF-F15RNQzmt9cfvnOmzHnJzCNIfcm7PFhoLNLXyJgacTJm2FXecHrWmHkgexggFGvhyphenhyphenERsHi3Ie5SkqEmPujEcFBDmXZEKbvyrGSekCxnjS31ALW8jUVeKMswHRhHBsVjnlIMU/s1600/food5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewDacBpF-F15RNQzmt9cfvnOmzHnJzCNIfcm7PFhoLNLXyJgacTJm2FXecHrWmHkgexggFGvhyphenhyphenERsHi3Ie5SkqEmPujEcFBDmXZEKbvyrGSekCxnjS31ALW8jUVeKMswHRhHBsVjnlIMU/s1600/food5.JPG" /></a><br />
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Rice and quinoa will be key staples for me, as I am not going the grain-free (or dairy-free) route typical of Paleo. I bought a batch of these at the store:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dpv6M16shnYYr6QLf2ZxqO2GPRX9R7YE26W50MH_TeeqfMu-btuabG19oBtBF6uycS7wR_7RlVhWwoDzCb508E1cM6Bwp7bMMb5hrtublJ52fglr2iLxaC-OshOIbjsurArr4xDyN0Dx/s1600/food2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2dpv6M16shnYYr6QLf2ZxqO2GPRX9R7YE26W50MH_TeeqfMu-btuabG19oBtBF6uycS7wR_7RlVhWwoDzCb508E1cM6Bwp7bMMb5hrtublJ52fglr2iLxaC-OshOIbjsurArr4xDyN0Dx/s1600/food2.jpg" /></a><br />
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Last Friday at our Chelsea Market HQ, I went downstairs and bought a half of a roasted chicken at one store, and then walked over to another and bought a side of roasted broccoli. I bought a TeasTea (zero calorie) and came up to my desk and ate it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0QnVtLabMpl1ZHH9CrUiPz3Q2vmZF_jT7lfrIiiM9_Ed31N2t4GQD5RRHeolvYhO_mD6sLf9Mx1BeAZ0MrtzsalbzIpMoSozJ8KglHkVlBacxXnnXsUrWV-QRHCymg_2t99IFlb5_fFo/s1600/food3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0QnVtLabMpl1ZHH9CrUiPz3Q2vmZF_jT7lfrIiiM9_Ed31N2t4GQD5RRHeolvYhO_mD6sLf9Mx1BeAZ0MrtzsalbzIpMoSozJ8KglHkVlBacxXnnXsUrWV-QRHCymg_2t99IFlb5_fFo/s1600/food3.jpg" /></a><br />
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Eggs will be a big breakfast ally for me. This morning for breakfast, I picked basil from our garden and chopped them up to go into scrambled eggs. I sliced half an avocado and had a banana (which will give me strong protein and potassium). Add OJ and boom.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUN19FifzockZ_qr9PVhk10gv604MXk6wC-QSdnR8Bv6b6M1vWA_3weYM7LnURpFwG_TZJE0cnT4pxqPVVjO2mUX_ebLG-1hKm32t2_1Jz8XSvO9hItFHlKT8YEkiHxCH4bKq2QdzW0W2-/s1600/food1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUN19FifzockZ_qr9PVhk10gv604MXk6wC-QSdnR8Bv6b6M1vWA_3weYM7LnURpFwG_TZJE0cnT4pxqPVVjO2mUX_ebLG-1hKm32t2_1Jz8XSvO9hItFHlKT8YEkiHxCH4bKq2QdzW0W2-/s1600/food1.jpg" /></a><br />
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I am a <b><a href="https://www.nuttzo.com/vip-nuttzo-ambassadors/" target="_blank">NuttZo Ambassador</a></b>, and NuttZo just happens to fit nicely into my arsenal. I just won't be spreading it over bread or English Muffins. I came to work today with a near empty jar of Crunchy Original, and a bunch of half-cut celery hearts. I slathered the celery with NuttZo as a 3 p.m. answer (eat five or six smaller servings per day rather than the traditional three big meals daily). You can use my code mark-20 and get 20 percent off at <b><a href="http://nuttzo.com/">nuttzo.com</a></b>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKr6YH6GIkO4FwuEH5IBxT5vQ8-SpDBdAqwqu7JJQGH5fzPiGVW9OSlpi1T3LyJ-7kcpHGaPV7s8Iqy4-PhfLXFYDjfGbTHE0YgKxlBCi-z4KAYhk-R0bFXzmd1_Bsoe1wGT1ukLUdWD0/s1600/food6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKr6YH6GIkO4FwuEH5IBxT5vQ8-SpDBdAqwqu7JJQGH5fzPiGVW9OSlpi1T3LyJ-7kcpHGaPV7s8Iqy4-PhfLXFYDjfGbTHE0YgKxlBCi-z4KAYhk-R0bFXzmd1_Bsoe1wGT1ukLUdWD0/s1600/food6.jpg" /></a><br />
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It helps if you have a supported family, as I do. Bonus points if you have other family members who know more about nutrition than you do and are happy to share. I also know from experience -- again having successfully kicked smoking and poison soda -- that there is a massive community of fellow runners who are supportive and even inspired by such challenges. I appreciate what so many of you already have told me via Twitter, IG, FB or otherwise.<br />
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Going back to my original point, I am in no way going to predict 0BPPG success or claim that I am doing something superduper. Man, I have eaten way too many Hostess Fruit Pies and chocolate cupcakes and large sausage pies in my life to be anything but humble now.<br />
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I am just explaining why and how I have decided to go about this. There may be nutritionists out there who think it's dumb, who knows. I can tell you that I am not focused on any weight-loss goals or reduced waist size, as I am just taking this pitch-by-pitch. So there you have it; time to head home and eat something great for dinner.<br />
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<b>Have any great suggestions for me? What's your nutrition gameplan?</b><br />
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Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-46448866699783287792016-06-19T20:41:00.003-04:002016-10-04T13:16:47.838-04:0010 Years of Running: My 10 Favorite Shoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>December 1 will mark 10 years since I became a runner instead of a smoker and changed my life. On the way to that 10th runnerversary, I am going to celebrate with an occasional top 10 post.</i></div>
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<b>My 10 Favorite Running Shoes | <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/05/10-years-of-running-my-favorite-bibs.html" target="_blank">My 10 Favorite Running Bibs</a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner" target="_blank">Follow @Marathoner</a></b><br />
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<b>10. Li Nings (2008).</b> I worked the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, representing Major League Baseball. At Opening Ceremonies, I marveled as Li Ning, a local legend who was China's first-ever gold medal winner, "ran" around the roof ring of the Bird's Nest tethered to ropes. Then on the morning of Closing Ceremonies, I went to a local mall and bought a pair of his shoes. Li Nings were the top running brand there, and I communicated (as best I could) with salespeople that I wanted a pair of them. Unfortunately they put me in a pair that ran a size too big, so it wasn't long before I donated these. I wish I had kept them, in hindsight, but they went to a good cause.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvemMCi2UcC905pGTpOIG7c6TeCvpfqTMyvLQ8TOHkorRym5nW84SeZ7cbdrckxWeo8F5q7zgQ5-zEoTtSvRQkgxl9QZ-ySaust4FiVq4R_e6HU67ApIu_lsVtBcJ1f_hOeSybgqcqN3-e/s1600/Top10LiNing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvemMCi2UcC905pGTpOIG7c6TeCvpfqTMyvLQ8TOHkorRym5nW84SeZ7cbdrckxWeo8F5q7zgQ5-zEoTtSvRQkgxl9QZ-ySaust4FiVq4R_e6HU67ApIu_lsVtBcJ1f_hOeSybgqcqN3-e/s1600/Top10LiNing.JPG" /></a><br />
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<b>9. ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16 (Spring 2014).</b> They were given to me by #TeamASICS and I ran my <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2014/04/100-races-why-its-all-about-shoe.html" target="_blank">100th race</a> in them. For that alone, they will always be special. They introduced "FluidRide" and I pushed them hard to retirement.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZqw2Th0QxRSTdtjQhMVjjxBCo3cVX-KTdmgqZWQPXqXcu6b0g2sK-4k3yBsGLusPZTrS2Nk-YpPchHifwVOyuN8LG0jM1Pi8xGmm4fSmeQd_lXujTL80yEcctLJbprR66oZHnGvMFUVL/s1600/T9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZqw2Th0QxRSTdtjQhMVjjxBCo3cVX-KTdmgqZWQPXqXcu6b0g2sK-4k3yBsGLusPZTrS2Nk-YpPchHifwVOyuN8LG0jM1Pi8xGmm4fSmeQd_lXujTL80yEcctLJbprR66oZHnGvMFUVL/s1600/T9.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>8. ASICS LA Marathon Edition GEL-Lyte 33 3.</b> ASICS flew me, Lisa and Rachel from New York to Santa Monica to run the <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2014/03/asics-la-marathon-where-dreams-come-true.html" target="_blank">2014 ASICS LA Marathon</a> as part of our ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge team -- a first for the company -- and a box of these <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=btRty8h9X9c" target="_blank">special editions</a> were waiting for each of us at the front desk of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows when we checked in. So I took this picture of them from our window view over the finish line (below), and the first time I ran in them was with Ryan Hall during a shakeout run toward Malibu.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNW8gHfHoDNBoE5YExmDTz1qC3IWK6rq-Tey7npQDsjAXlIUZh8dGy3wv-JUjv23Yg6aqn47VZ-fu_XZ9eM0BP1xVjWnmvh7prpp1hR6dy-NCaGtpbHqCxGQ3w0O-tANH9OSJixuWlPiA/s1600/T8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNW8gHfHoDNBoE5YExmDTz1qC3IWK6rq-Tey7npQDsjAXlIUZh8dGy3wv-JUjv23Yg6aqn47VZ-fu_XZ9eM0BP1xVjWnmvh7prpp1hR6dy-NCaGtpbHqCxGQ3w0O-tANH9OSJixuWlPiA/s1600/T8.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>7. Saucony Ride 2 Pro Grid.</b> On June 24, 2010, I went to the annual Wall Street 3-Mile Run to support friends, and the finish was at the World Financial One center along the Hudson. They set up a makeshift shoe sale for runners who congregated at the finish, and I snapped up these cool pair of Sauconys. I wanted to take a chance on "neutral is neutral." Indeed, I absolutely loved these shoes. Very cushiony and a lot of life. The only downside is that my English Bulldog, King Bingley, liked to chew shoes as a puppy and took a chunk out of these -- look closely at the left shoe heel. (Donated)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzhVW7ryw1OYXrMsy6NA3TNAwubg0NW7Nwx4E52MG74W7Y3U9M4V1k4PrVLuGnaPbB11y_HLxRV4XyUb393ARAqAIO2HYV0lrdWq7eRrgebFvy-65Ldjas_UNRY4o1wr3A_SuODrBNc6D/s1600/T6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzhVW7ryw1OYXrMsy6NA3TNAwubg0NW7Nwx4E52MG74W7Y3U9M4V1k4PrVLuGnaPbB11y_HLxRV4XyUb393ARAqAIO2HYV0lrdWq7eRrgebFvy-65Ldjas_UNRY4o1wr3A_SuODrBNc6D/s1600/T6.JPG" /></a><br />
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<b>6. ASICS GEL-Kayano 16 (Spring 2011).</b> My English Bulldog having munched on the Saucony above, I happened to be at the Palisades mall in the NYC area and in a Sports Authority. These were neutrals and on a clearance table for something like $60 (can you imagine today!) so I took a chance that they would at least rotate in as decent trainers. I ran the Brooklyn Half in them that year. They were OK, not ideal for me, but what made them special is that they were my first ASICS since my rookie year after a stint with Brooks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWR3qwTB2v0KkBIkQmoJM7Ig-M8Ip5_itXNFXSATm5HETO9TJvt3-Lt9bBmM0k94AVUtkYeQtXf3Y2bpwSnmQ1f3EBzkjR2lM6yfP0jmIoRTjhzkPe5h8qcwTYp0N9Y0u8tzQL3296uFEE/s1600/T7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWR3qwTB2v0KkBIkQmoJM7Ig-M8Ip5_itXNFXSATm5HETO9TJvt3-Lt9bBmM0k94AVUtkYeQtXf3Y2bpwSnmQ1f3EBzkjR2lM6yfP0jmIoRTjhzkPe5h8qcwTYp0N9Y0u8tzQL3296uFEE/s1600/T7.JPG" /></a><br />
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<b>5. Brooks Glycerines (April 2009). </b>What footwear should a man buy to pop the question? I went with my third consecutive pair of Brooks and I wore these at the July 2009 New Jersey Marathon. It was solid rain from start to finish, but it didn't matter because at Mile 25 I picked up the engagement ring box held by race officials and carried it to the finish line. Then I got down on a knee and asked Lisa if she would marry me. She said yes and I love her.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8wG_XXumvv9Sw_3jX0z5A7Go2xtHyhIp7qjETmZTfsXTBYVI6tsIreYYSoSRinrplykEqRwjyJtC3ijSBciiiFNx4b91rvczUnYEpp6cdaaDGZQiNOJJSHs98_0rgF-xbvi3iBBWqI3f/s1600/T5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8wG_XXumvv9Sw_3jX0z5A7Go2xtHyhIp7qjETmZTfsXTBYVI6tsIreYYSoSRinrplykEqRwjyJtC3ijSBciiiFNx4b91rvczUnYEpp6cdaaDGZQiNOJJSHs98_0rgF-xbvi3iBBWqI3f/s1600/T5.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTCispZ1H2iF2ANZTbcuK-lD8zxSxey3N0Yns_KYzD8nn5OG2yruZvgvJ1BoTSQ7FCP3EhpjxY6wHt_e1x9DyW5H5_v5hkS23DKP7nhTFlnV6U_GBs0B_EXaY4nPLUcSoURKZW6LpKP_1/s1600/TProposal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTCispZ1H2iF2ANZTbcuK-lD8zxSxey3N0Yns_KYzD8nn5OG2yruZvgvJ1BoTSQ7FCP3EhpjxY6wHt_e1x9DyW5H5_v5hkS23DKP7nhTFlnV6U_GBs0B_EXaY4nPLUcSoURKZW6LpKP_1/s1600/TProposal.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>4. Brooks Glycerines (Oct. 14, 2008).</b> I bought these at <a href="http://superrunnersshop.com/" target="_blank">Super Runners Shop</a> from a familiar salesperson who ran marathons. This was probably my high point in my first five years of running: KNOWING what I want, not needing to try on any other pairs, just buying what already was proven for me at the time, and then just getting the same thing in a new color. Indeed, less than one month later I ran the NYC Marathon in 5:13, which to this date remains my PR. I was in such good shape, two weeks after that I finished my first ultramarathon, the Knickerbocker 60K. It rained solid for one of the laps around Central Park in that 37-miler, so I changed from my Brooks yellows to greens during the race, and afterwards matched my yellow shoe with the race crystal trophy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLrFheYWmw2_hlbC5OBz0PuO6NsI3zNMPPfPpUybWw4d05wsWSyvkyoeAp2uP03ABB55n6jgc0ZByBM9F-xbnC1PsMSTa9hqU2LCyeLQRkhnAhk0qQ3bj9q_kQV68rTXxmcz3GycBV01I/s1600/T4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLrFheYWmw2_hlbC5OBz0PuO6NsI3zNMPPfPpUybWw4d05wsWSyvkyoeAp2uP03ABB55n6jgc0ZByBM9F-xbnC1PsMSTa9hqU2LCyeLQRkhnAhk0qQ3bj9q_kQV68rTXxmcz3GycBV01I/s1600/T4.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw33pIH5eZyLfh9Nfcwe1rSwEBY5_YijWKXrSw9E66-ruMujGJqQkCV0lEj_jmCKpZYi32gvbgE8-8-pWk3s5u93rlCX_0H8U6mtOITxlx6-eefce9Gd-p_SpEGE3XBfoUpP7fVsqGXvW/s1600/T4Knickerbocker60K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw33pIH5eZyLfh9Nfcwe1rSwEBY5_YijWKXrSw9E66-ruMujGJqQkCV0lEj_jmCKpZYi32gvbgE8-8-pWk3s5u93rlCX_0H8U6mtOITxlx6-eefce9Gd-p_SpEGE3XBfoUpP7fVsqGXvW/s1600/T4Knickerbocker60K.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>3. ASICS GEL-Nimbus 17.</b> About 100 miles into receiving this shoe as a gift from #TeamASICS, I decided it was the best performance shoe for me since I had begun running. I maxed out the mileage and until the very end it was so cushiony, I swore I would never run in any other shoe. I guess we all say that when we find the one that's just right, like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Currently the <a href="http://www.asics.com/us/en-us/gel-nimbus-18/p/0010255942.9001" target="_blank">Nimbus 18</a>, in black and blue, is in my training rotation and keeping me happy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyQpmCKH80h4798QfSL4Yy7cfMQaMmAkixhYirXg2LrBcFLsPa1Z2gk8qaTuhvPVeGiU3uYfewbSy_Gn7TH7Y4xk2pcFC4BLv0hFoX4GaTpjIN4l9j7d_umcfTBQmo6hNridDGLU-rPyi/s1600/T3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyQpmCKH80h4798QfSL4Yy7cfMQaMmAkixhYirXg2LrBcFLsPa1Z2gk8qaTuhvPVeGiU3uYfewbSy_Gn7TH7Y4xk2pcFC4BLv0hFoX4GaTpjIN4l9j7d_umcfTBQmo6hNridDGLU-rPyi/s1600/T3.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>2. ASICS GT-2110 GEL.</b> I had no idea what I was doing on December 1, 2006. I broke a box of KOOLS in half and decided to quit smoking. Instead, I took the subway from 72nd Street to 42nd Street, got out at Times Square and went to Foot Locker to get a box of running shoes. I asked where shoes were and a salesperson recommended these for me. I mostly stayed in ASICS the rest of the next decade, trying out some others along the way, and I lived and breathed the gradual evolution of the great running shoe of our times. For me not to make these my No. 1 all-time running shoes would take an almost magical box to open . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierKaGKkGKuZRuOlQntFTLwXF-GhUxAl9HMrZCehYIVaYnw4h9_Pb7CzRxqE-EfY6XOP1P8jBGPHm9-dBL4gHm6L0dCiwXAkACrVYAwgkdipyWKR_TIaz-RHuBjc95RHA8YaC4wFqq0A5s/s1600/T1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierKaGKkGKuZRuOlQntFTLwXF-GhUxAl9HMrZCehYIVaYnw4h9_Pb7CzRxqE-EfY6XOP1P8jBGPHm9-dBL4gHm6L0dCiwXAkACrVYAwgkdipyWKR_TIaz-RHuBjc95RHA8YaC4wFqq0A5s/s1600/T1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLlPDxwlQEZJXYtPX9gI5YnBbLPKy2fzlZOrcfOVeWOZ3_vNBrPkdrduIIgPWuFViRPHOpcxjZ32qGMXX01y8UZl_ozYWIg2Jn0KralsaKXJHD8O-7G2qH86kgCh6-UG3Crxv7g1JrwW_/s1600/Asics2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLlPDxwlQEZJXYtPX9gI5YnBbLPKy2fzlZOrcfOVeWOZ3_vNBrPkdrduIIgPWuFViRPHOpcxjZ32qGMXX01y8UZl_ozYWIg2Jn0KralsaKXJHD8O-7G2qH86kgCh6-UG3Crxv7g1JrwW_/s1600/Asics2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.asics.com/us/en-us/fuzex/c/fuzex" target="_blank">1. fuzeX (2016).</a></b> I would have NEVER in my wildest dreams seen myself making this the No. 1 shoe on my list when they arrived. When #TeamASICS sent us <a href="http://www.asics.com/us/en-us/fuzex/p/0010256024.4350" target="_blank">these unique shoes</a> earlier this year, I was happy to review them as part of my role as an ASICS Ambassador. We took part in a contest, asking fans where they would run in their fuzeX anywhere in the world. But train for marathons and run in marathons in them? They were really different, maybe gimmicky, so the jury was out. Well, I'm at least a couple hundred miles into them and they are my go-to on any surface and in any condition. They surpass traditional restrictions -- you can run any distance in them, any foot style, trail, gym, streets. They feature ASICS' new midsole tech called fuzeGEL, which the ASICS site describes as "a fusion of GEL property and foam for the ultimate rearfoot shock absorption that transfers to the forefoot during take off." I honestly can say I feel better in these than in any pair I have owned this past decade. And another unexpected development: They never seem to age or get dirty. To this date it looks like I just took them out of their box. ASICS hit a <b><i>big </i>home run</b> with fuzeX, and now they also have a <a href="http://www.asics.com/us/en-us/fuzex-spirit-collection/c/fuzex-spirit-collection" target="_blank">fuzeX Spirit collection</a> with patriotic flair so I can rep the USA.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSKhLgOfRwKNzPRPeyzicz4GYQXWP5e7cpAWyyBwTSUcipwTLEI7bNAkEA1kFAmWl3QaI0PR9IuQvuu_vxyvkcemG5kdHQ6-1igtAnzVC5_xibtbNTbRiqLmCEZJ4XDfccvhYig09FNGY/s1600/T2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSKhLgOfRwKNzPRPeyzicz4GYQXWP5e7cpAWyyBwTSUcipwTLEI7bNAkEA1kFAmWl3QaI0PR9IuQvuu_vxyvkcemG5kdHQ6-1igtAnzVC5_xibtbNTbRiqLmCEZJ4XDfccvhYig09FNGY/s1600/T2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSv5bcmd2SSLVljVmCH8W0RY17R-sXeCYkvRjU2fsQd2eMhNk5pgu-9_iR4IDknelmialBruicQzkx98mI4onsK4PyqmLwEAA8tvXneG2FrpWAlru1iJr5eKY-_HEb_T3tCmDMEDVshyfB/s1600/Fuze13.JPG" /><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuKYGUE37LtuBfVVE8zVkO9iijpRrraDqzEPBmDjsFu57tauNQQwNkI8Kr7P75WZsBsFjwKRllylmFexMuda6rF6XUf4eJ_wwDaMaQF5r6VwOlhUZGfTcM_4CIMbaFC2KXj3UzkzIMxVt/s1600/fuzeXworkout.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge283Yi_rHr9zNreT3pYnlW-wq9TFihaaj4YDJPOV3-knvPoT943Nh0u5N2FIQdcQeYxRlC1R3l_1-K-QmSxFIiXkhhi1J06XJ-tSHX9RGIBEDHRd-0F5kBNgKUfPDZGa18nlodKhOO6EW/s1600/Fuze3.JPG" /><br />
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<b>What's YOUR favorite running shoe?</b>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-69629365835393381892016-05-16T13:09:00.004-04:002016-10-04T13:17:00.969-04:0010 Years of Running: My 10 Favorite Bibs<i>December 1 will mark 10 years since I became a runner instead of a smoker and changed my life. On the way to that 10th runnerversary, I am going to celebrate with an occasional top 10 post</i>.<br />
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<b>My 10 Favorite Bibs</b><br />
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<b>10. 2012 New York City Marathon.</b> I keep this one wrapped in a drawer for posterity. Superstorm Sandy forced the only cancellation of a NYCM -- controversially decided within 48 hours of the race. A thousand of us <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2012/11/water-and-walter-2012-nyc-marathon.html" target="_blank">ran instead on Staten Island</a> with orange race shirts and our backpacks filled with relief supplies to help victims there. I ran the <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2012/11/harrisburg-marathon-recap-10th-marathon.html" target="_blank">Harrisburg Marathon</a> as a replacement two weeks later.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHK2yDf2yIS5agfvUSrrNUctVdHXTTgTUUoTi1vhEo-ckUW8F671wmQjdRCV2CwXD8Y0pbsEJiug_JJkC8_nes1t9uCvLjgGaokiFO0ZsZDxn0ZqwdgggH0FvRjFLyQxkGfzxfI5SFV76/s1600/bib4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHK2yDf2yIS5agfvUSrrNUctVdHXTTgTUUoTi1vhEo-ckUW8F671wmQjdRCV2CwXD8Y0pbsEJiug_JJkC8_nes1t9uCvLjgGaokiFO0ZsZDxn0ZqwdgggH0FvRjFLyQxkGfzxfI5SFV76/s1600/bib4.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>9. Ultramarathon bib.</b> This one was the <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2008/11/knickerbocker-60k-951.html?q=superstorm+sandy" target="_blank">2008 Knickerbocker 60K</a> at Central Park. To me it just represents being on the pavement for so many hours, rain and hills notwithstanding, and it got me into the Marathon Maniacs as runner No. 6697.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2o2dqP2yKT4ZqRMJ8Rv_knRJosQLdBriNJrDDnoJN_agYYKWXYHS4R6y0lG7Tm4VRIJhdaXFk8FTu6fU9KTTIxdXUvWpDGBnHKfk3b6UOymvdyJ8lWYBA8HW6kYk0D0wG_i3Scfj3SRT-/s1600/bib10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2o2dqP2yKT4ZqRMJ8Rv_knRJosQLdBriNJrDDnoJN_agYYKWXYHS4R6y0lG7Tm4VRIJhdaXFk8FTu6fU9KTTIxdXUvWpDGBnHKfk3b6UOymvdyJ8lWYBA8HW6kYk0D0wG_i3Scfj3SRT-/s1600/bib10.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>8. 2015 Runners World Half.</b> I liked that bib because it matched my Pat Benatar rock outfit. A bunch of us stumbled upon an actual Pat Benatar concert the night before the race in Pennsylvania, and that was legendary enough that I have to include the bib here as well. <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2015/10/you-better-run-to-runners-world-half.html?q=superstorm+sandy" target="_blank">We Belong.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAuS1CJyRm4TUEGP8Ei5cMIOZIgJL8pd13gtYb-s5RiiazX8hA2XqQwhrncvIoNQCCc4meiJK2eUhIC1giiWCV6yEWzt7nKRcxfK0T-HUZyp3TLtcFj8rDw1ykPR_WKUtAz9yYuuQkEUW/s1600/bib11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAuS1CJyRm4TUEGP8Ei5cMIOZIgJL8pd13gtYb-s5RiiazX8hA2XqQwhrncvIoNQCCc4meiJK2eUhIC1giiWCV6yEWzt7nKRcxfK0T-HUZyp3TLtcFj8rDw1ykPR_WKUtAz9yYuuQkEUW/s1600/bib11.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>7. First bib.</b> Right after I traded a box of KOOLS for a box of ASICS, I joined the New York Road Runners and started running regularly at Central Park. My first race was the Joe Kleinerman 10K, one full loop around the park, and it was gruelling for me. But I made it and my life changed forever, opening the door for some of the things that you will see below. "8875" remains special.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWac32JPThy87IYaot3LRwwyWjo5uRHaNjYahmHy0DiJV7rdaNFefzp-f8NKoPcoG_AkU1hpAg7u4n6WViE110nkiYAgEIz3t4yKTbK-PIj3HHvOKwg72zMgKAxUWxvvd82Ws-zk6MgDnB/s1600/bib8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWac32JPThy87IYaot3LRwwyWjo5uRHaNjYahmHy0DiJV7rdaNFefzp-f8NKoPcoG_AkU1hpAg7u4n6WViE110nkiYAgEIz3t4yKTbK-PIj3HHvOKwg72zMgKAxUWxvvd82Ws-zk6MgDnB/s1600/bib8.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>6. 2014 ASICS LA Marathon.</b> I put my Twitter handle @Marathoner on a bib for the first time, and as a member of the first-ever ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge Team, a dozen or so of us runners g<a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2014/03/asics-la-marathon-where-dreams-come-true.html?q=superstorm+sandy" target="_blank">ot the royal VIP treatment from ASICS</a> and there is a cool red VIP sticker on the bib.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpRNqNKpahmVsjIhEl4eQKY4_zVZe44nXXApiP_A6oDgGAOoXWfNkfYvMkvSHlkfUBSaLXkyEshChjY9dBlcaxjx7dsGXQ0-aZvs540e9Jt-wkFfikp89LKMhUYhpiD1Qjp7J0pHaUJ5t/s1600/bib3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpRNqNKpahmVsjIhEl4eQKY4_zVZe44nXXApiP_A6oDgGAOoXWfNkfYvMkvSHlkfUBSaLXkyEshChjY9dBlcaxjx7dsGXQ0-aZvs540e9Jt-wkFfikp89LKMhUYhpiD1Qjp7J0pHaUJ5t/s1600/bib3.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>5. 2012 Paris Marathon.</b> I remembered that when I took French in high school and college, I had to use the French name of "Marc" instead of "Mark." So I customized my bib in Paris as such and then <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2012/04/paris-marathon.html?q=superstorm+sandy" target="_blank">ran past the Eiffel Tower</a>. That would start an international trend.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcVJlCijPUTitWCtbLMYGgw4Cz37zXeQvUI21Y6ZKdwy5eAtcMWEg_sqegM-HIVhDl7GzBkzCVlxKQ07KS4vuALjDNQeOHm3_3wYTNbBlaIBCmhUEP8paQVr22c3_5weN2-J_zvwgFvTO/s1600/Bib1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcVJlCijPUTitWCtbLMYGgw4Cz37zXeQvUI21Y6ZKdwy5eAtcMWEg_sqegM-HIVhDl7GzBkzCVlxKQ07KS4vuALjDNQeOHm3_3wYTNbBlaIBCmhUEP8paQVr22c3_5weN2-J_zvwgFvTO/s1600/Bib1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>4. 2016 Maratona di Roma.</b> After being known as "Marc" at the Paris Marathon, I was henceforth known as "Marco" last month <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2016/04/rome-marathon-recap-10-things-i-learned.html?q=maratona+di+roma" target="_blank">through the ancient streets of Rome</a>. I customized the name not only on the front of my race giveaway shirt but also on the back. It was only after I realized doing so that I should have done the same when given the chance to customize our bibs as well. Oh well -- it was worth it to customize the shirt, because you haven't lived until you are running through Piazza Navona and a little boy with his father sees you from outside the barricade and yells, "Bravo, Marco!" I almost started crying. I love the Maratona di Roma logo on this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8BOQ42koetEzdzzLk8KnMFZVl_ciBx9c3Ci51aZsl-7G0kz_XlOm0SJ8ggWg_XRIEWF9yKtFicASC0VkMEmDF6yVqY-hhaqbyosnMc8VZM4VfgyZxzwes9Sfek_O-jixAv9uYs-Dex8L/s1600/bib2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8BOQ42koetEzdzzLk8KnMFZVl_ciBx9c3Ci51aZsl-7G0kz_XlOm0SJ8ggWg_XRIEWF9yKtFicASC0VkMEmDF6yVqY-hhaqbyosnMc8VZM4VfgyZxzwes9Sfek_O-jixAv9uYs-Dex8L/s1600/bib2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>3. 2009 New Jersey Marathon.</b> Now we get to the lovey-dovey portion of the Top-10 bib list. I brought an engagement ring box to the start line area early in the morning and the race organizers took it and told me to grab it at the Mile 25 fluid station so I could <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2012/06/mezamashii-most-brilliant-run-of-my.html?q=mizuno" target="_blank">give it to Lisa at the finish line</a>. Just in case Lisa needed any help with her answer, I put it on this bib under my number. Obviously this warrants No. 1 on this overall list, but below you will see why I had to list it No. 3.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-adOaeDDXW1djV9ydw0BmS73o1vVRLkEX-KjNGwbttDugzB-Fv69v_lzVwMmGQGtxoy0OPjLMm5Hfu7OwjftC0vH_oEzzvmArMhsdW-UDlaHP5rjq48O77Tshd0_MKfT5I3aTBebUu1w/s1600/bib7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix-adOaeDDXW1djV9ydw0BmS73o1vVRLkEX-KjNGwbttDugzB-Fv69v_lzVwMmGQGtxoy0OPjLMm5Hfu7OwjftC0vH_oEzzvmArMhsdW-UDlaHP5rjq48O77Tshd0_MKfT5I3aTBebUu1w/s1600/bib7.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>2. 2010 Miami Marathon.</b> As you can see from this bib, Lisa had given the correct answer at the New Jersey Marathon above. So just to keep a tradition going, I celebrated our engagement that January at <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2010/02/miami-marathon.html?q=mizuno" target="_blank">my first Miami Marathon</a>, and then really celebrated after the finish. A month after the Miami Marathon, we were married and then honeymooned in Curacao. Running life is good!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVi0cVWALXzKj9lBlequm0Xs3BWvkb3JSGZY33PRJpdkGoaXuQO6zmlhxVM9jF8WZk4Y3Q6hN4BRKMWZGkDWSilJgCZOgiiTLHqOSRl2cx74kRmRRvMoJYB_ryQWPLadiIWd1aC1taFhFB/s1600/bib6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVi0cVWALXzKj9lBlequm0Xs3BWvkb3JSGZY33PRJpdkGoaXuQO6zmlhxVM9jF8WZk4Y3Q6hN4BRKMWZGkDWSilJgCZOgiiTLHqOSRl2cx74kRmRRvMoJYB_ryQWPLadiIWd1aC1taFhFB/s1600/bib6.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>1. . . . and for the No. 1 bib</b> in my <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2014/05/100-races-year-by-year-list.html?q=mizuno" target="_blank">decade of running</a> . . . what else?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxnWgr5WcwaRYt-I0wjX5Ou_dVpyJG00ykbgrcAV0raLQ5wCyXlaipgOripMG1FUlowha6jWiyeF1-bUCdQFAj6x4iPEGHo7Ox8iR8ZFzgVFh1bOIhJGPzxh4CheE1zV3njP5UXHr1bde/s1600/162998_10150353013975403_4843735_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxnWgr5WcwaRYt-I0wjX5Ou_dVpyJG00ykbgrcAV0raLQ5wCyXlaipgOripMG1FUlowha6jWiyeF1-bUCdQFAj6x4iPEGHo7Ox8iR8ZFzgVFh1bOIhJGPzxh4CheE1zV3njP5UXHr1bde/s1600/162998_10150353013975403_4843735_n.jpg" /></a>
<b><br />What is YOUR favorite running bib?</b><br />
<br />Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-67303517618463253152016-04-22T19:52:00.001-04:002016-07-26T16:45:13.364-04:00Rome Marathon Recap - 10 Things I Learned About Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bonjourno, that's me zooming by Mussolini's Window at Palazzo Venezia in the photo above. I finished the <b><a href="https://www.maratonadiroma.it/?lang=en" target="_blank">Maratona di Roma</a></b> on April 10, a major highlight of our dream trip to Italy. Lisa's father is from the <b><a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/puglia" target="_blank">Puglia</a></b> region and she had not been to Italy since she was a little girl, so this was her trip and my only wish was to run the marathon and then go along for a second honeymoon.<br />
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Rome was my 130th race and 16th marathon or ultra since I traded smoking for running nearly 10 years ago. While I expected nothing more than "finishing" this one after battling severe respiratory problems for the first three months of 2016, it did feel good to get back on the 26.2 board.<br />
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We spent the entire time in Southern Italy and I cannot recommend the marathon and this trip strongly enough. I'll do this recap by posting 10 things I learned about Italy.<br />
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1. The spirit of Ancient Rome's gladiator is alive and well. We toured the <b><a href="http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum" target="_blank">Colosseum</a></b> right after arriving, and I totally channeled their greatest warrior survivors. In fact, they became my mantra for the entire Maratona di Roma. At every tough point I said some variation of: <i>Gladiators destroyed anything or anyone that stood in their way of survival. They fought to live another day. They did whatever it took to conquer and move on.</i> The gladiator was the supreme athlete in Imperial Rome, and upon entering the corrals the sign said "ENTRANCE ATHLETES." It led to the very same arena where gladiators fought for their lives, to thrill the bloodthirsty crowd. Nearing the start line, I looked back, giddy at the Colosseum looming in all its glory, minus the stolen marble decore that resulted in its many holes. I am not comparing gladiators' "gory days" and life-or-death performance with finishing a marathon, but I am mindful that I was in for a physical battle, now in my 50s, without having a long run in the books. A test of physical survival? Yes, this was exactly that, by my own standards. As you can see above, at the finish line of the marathon, costumed gladiators waited and posed with you for pics. I was an Official Gladiator.<br />
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2. <i>Autostrada</i> is the best way to travel. I am listing it high here, because when people ask me what I liked best about Italy, I tell them it was driving around the country. After four full days in Rome, we rented a Volvo automatic at Fiumicino, Rome's airport, and set out for several points. I actually had requested an Economy with a stick, thinking I would do as the Romans do, but I was so thankful that Thrifty/Hertz gave us the automatic, given the upcoming Amalfi Coast cliffs. <i>Autostrada</i>'s left lane is for fast drivers, so that was me. If a faster car comes upon you, you just nudge over slightly to the right (lanes are like U.S., drive on right), then nudge back. Almost no one in Italy uses a turn signal, only tourists; it is embarrassing to use a signal there. Also, there are no patrol cars whatsoever, the exact opposite of U.S. "gotcha" tickets to fill county coiffers...although they do have electronic monitoring according to the signs, so it's not a ticket to go 200. I love that about Italy. And I'm not done: The Autogrill service plazas are like our best restaurants in terms of cuisine, as opposed to Sbarro/Burger King here at plazas here. Also, they go out of their way to market must-see landmarks that are off the beaten path, by posting info with billboards and at the service plazas, and they have awesome solar shades that fill two needs. Drive a car around Southern Italy, and you can make your way up high to Tramonti, which offers the best possible cliffside viewing of Mount Vesuvius (also high above the ruins of smothered Pompei) as well as a great plate of raviolis (pictured below) at a quaint local restaurant (make sure you at least try Italian there, though).<br />
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3. Matera is the "Wonder" way to recover. Trust me on this one. If you run the Maratona di Roma, drive Southeast about four hours to this village of caves. In 1950, it was considered the shame of Italy, a place of backward dregs who shared cave dwellings with their donkeys and had a 50-percent infant mortality rate. They were laughed at. Matera has made such a turnaround that it will be the 2019 European Culture Capital! That is mind-blowing and it reflects how times have changed with regard to sustainability. Today those caves make it a carbon-neutral location, the best environmental place on Earth. And some caves are converted to amazing hotels, like the one we stayed at: <b><a href="http://www.hotelinpietra.it/?lang=en" target="_blank">L'Hotel in Pietra</a></b>. Our room (see <b><a href="http://www.hotelinpietra.it/room/kings-room/" target="_blank">room 1007</a></b>) had a dazzling jacuzzi in the lower level, so a day after my marathon I was soaking in THAT. It was something to look forward to during the marathon. And because there are steep steps all over the Matera village, you walk a lot and your legs don't get wobbly. Cool fact: A Hollywood movie production crew stayed in rooms at our hotel while we were there, and they buzzed in a helicopter to film a key scene. It will be Diana's "village" in the 2017 blockbuster "Wonder Woman." Look for Matera and the white caves in the movie!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgU2fv054tK9KNcTEDIX-U1VCGr9XmlwLE71qVToJE5bzaF3hcoF_9sLDQCxAGYIDQxld3vA108EqKeZk91gfMfWxdb9GPxl26_1yIZiUcoeXw_8h-FY6BrEQmykLYA3zmvdc7DGGYw7U/s1600/MateraJacuzzi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgU2fv054tK9KNcTEDIX-U1VCGr9XmlwLE71qVToJE5bzaF3hcoF_9sLDQCxAGYIDQxld3vA108EqKeZk91gfMfWxdb9GPxl26_1yIZiUcoeXw_8h-FY6BrEQmykLYA3zmvdc7DGGYw7U/s1600/MateraJacuzzi.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERCynEosCuNN55f-4SZhAAIy3ZUYFzmhbW0ZqqcgfbUopS11F64J9qMWsz_7dce-rIB1VvANIR5BK9emWxj_KCm9H0hgY_3S4eI5RZogI4-cfVgD7zFM7Se9hv5lh46s-XwGAYwHTAEpk/s1600/MateraView.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERCynEosCuNN55f-4SZhAAIy3ZUYFzmhbW0ZqqcgfbUopS11F64J9qMWsz_7dce-rIB1VvANIR5BK9emWxj_KCm9H0hgY_3S4eI5RZogI4-cfVgD7zFM7Se9hv5lh46s-XwGAYwHTAEpk/s1600/MateraView.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTt5H0KaqS3Mfa4_T2StIOErgsfP2zD46qYAB6VsKglX1g0fpzyO73r8QX8Btkv9HNTTjXh3jOiLkJaXv-31gkhF2MN7fboqhWO8vHzGVj9TfAf2GilfCm6j4VlCYBiI8C_kZ__oc-F8a/s1600/MateraView2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTt5H0KaqS3Mfa4_T2StIOErgsfP2zD46qYAB6VsKglX1g0fpzyO73r8QX8Btkv9HNTTjXh3jOiLkJaXv-31gkhF2MN7fboqhWO8vHzGVj9TfAf2GilfCm6j4VlCYBiI8C_kZ__oc-F8a/s1600/MateraView2.jpg" /></a><br />
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4. Pope Francis and I have something in common. Not only did the pontiff receive the "first" medal for our marathon in a presentation that week, he also <b><a href="http://www.papalaudience.org/" target="_blank">appeared at his customary apartment window</a></b> at almost the same time that I ran by it after the 17K mark. This was the Jubilee year for the Pope, so the Maratona di Roma was billed as the Jubilee Edition. I actually reached Piazza St. Pietro and the Vatican about one hour before his noon short speech followed by the Angelus followed by his blessing. As I ran by, the crowds were filling their own corrals just as we had done earlier. Lisa and I had a tour of the Vatican two days before the race, and my own personal highlight was actually not Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel painting, but rather a fresco by Raphael called "The Signature" (it is right below Michaelangelo's fresco in the following pictures). It shows his temperamental greatness-rival Michaelangelo, in the middle of the fresco, reluctantly signing a contract for the Pope to spend several years of his life telling the story of Genesis on a ceiling high overhead, while Raphael includes his own face on the far right side. I had no idea that Michaelangelo was not exactly champing at the bit to do that work. Our tour guide explained everything in detail about his work, so we would know what to look for. I was disappointed that once you are in that large room, it is a total cattle drive with bossy guards, herding people to keep moving through. If you were able to stumble over into a herd looking up at the ceiling, you were jostled and rushed. I snuck four iPhone pics of the ceiling because my iPhone is not going to hurt the ceiling nor stop visitors. Italy could learn something by how well the Louvre handles Mona Lisa. You can't even enjoy Michaelangelo there!<br />
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...and look here and you can see more of the paving stones!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKA13GDqkP_-p-BKg4BsMOW1qsVc1OrGY46qtNN9xcBYoBowxaV-BiDgHQ_18n8Eb8wpeB6hUitoTzByuQItyHDcaUvN5d2ZdVJ6XXg_SyMnZnV0eN03kixG71iuvZhwXECAi8EvK_t9S/s1600/Vatican.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKA13GDqkP_-p-BKg4BsMOW1qsVc1OrGY46qtNN9xcBYoBowxaV-BiDgHQ_18n8Eb8wpeB6hUitoTzByuQItyHDcaUvN5d2ZdVJ6XXg_SyMnZnV0eN03kixG71iuvZhwXECAi8EvK_t9S/s1600/Vatican.jpg" /></a><br />
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5. The olive tree is a magnificent thing of beauty. We drove from Matera to Altamura, a village with a cool history, and then in Puglia we stayed at Sannicandro di Bari. That's where Lisa's dad is from. After a while there it became clear that the village was not just a suburb of the major Adriatic seaside port of Bari, but also a place that is truly part of a giant olive grove, supplying the world's olive oil. We bought produce at a farmer's market and I bought a couple of shirts, and then we drove away, finding ourselves on a dirt road that wound through countless acres of olive trees. They are magnificent monoliths that dominate the culture there. Lisa's dad worked on olive farms as a boy. We developed an appreciation for their life. And I will never forget the Sannicandro di Baro gas station attendant who sprinted out to our Volvo -- 1950s-style in the USA -- to fill our tank and clean our windshield with a fervent gusto that was inherited. I love Puglia.<br />
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6. Make a plan for the Sampietrini. They are Rome's classic, dark, cube-shaped paving stones that are the pride of the city but the bane of any high-heeled woman or any marathon runner known as @marathoner. They are beautiful, yes. But I list them here among Things I Learned About Italy, because I had no idea how much they undulate. They comprise 7 percent of the marathon course, that being most of the major start and return area in the city-center. My shoes I was given in an Ambassador role before the marathon were barely broken in so they were about as max-cushion as you can find. I would recommend a gel insert if you run this marathon, because of the rolling stones. My feet were on fire in the last 5K, more than in any marathon.<br />
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7. Positano is a Cubist mecca. It is on the gorgeous Amalfi Coast, just below Napoli along the Mediterranean. We stayed at the Art Hotel Pasitea, and we learned of the attraction that Positano has had the past century on such people as creative forces as Escher, Steinbeck and Picasso. If something is "Escher," it is askew, challenging to fully grasp. This is how Positano is. You walk down the windy rodes from high above to reach sea level and "the square," and then you ride the Interno Positano bus back up. The bus proceeds to make a variety of turns that completely confuse you on your setting, because it is effectively a double-loop, M-shape geography. That's why people like Picasso loved it, because it reinforced the Cubist vision. Positano is wonderfully confusing. <b><a href="http://www.positano.com/en/s/positano-3" target="_blank">Go here</a></b> for some background info on the setting's history. Few settings on Earth can be more idyllic.<br />
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8. Italy knows its plumbing. When we arrived at Rome Airport, I saw my first example of Roman excellence with plumbing. The men's bathroom was 75,000 times better than any U.S. airport bathroom. That was the starting point and it got better, for the most part. This, of course, is the same land that brought an Aqueduct to run fresh water from the nearby mountains and to create a famed system of public baths. They also are believed to have had public drinking fountains and latrines at the Colosseum during its height. There are public drinking fountains all over Italy, and I freely hydrated with them before the race. There's one of me below in Rome, and one of Lisa in Matera. The plumbing acumen even applied to the marathon porta-pottys! First of all, there was a statue of Augustus (I think!) hulking over the first porta potty I saw, as if to say go in there and do your business and be happy. So I went in, and I was surprised to see that there is a large handle to the right. You pull it down and it moves the existing waste out of sight. HELLO USA PLEASE GET THESE!<br />
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9. Six o'clock happy hour at <b><a href="https://www.google.com/#safe=off&q=pantheon" target="_blank">Pantheon</a></b>. We stayed at a hotel on a classic thin Roman street right off Pantheon, so that magnificent square/dome was our "home base" while in Rome. It was such an amazing place to retreat to after a day of exploring. At 6 o'clock, the piazza in front of it would come alive. One day a tenor took command of the expanse, and we stood awed with a large crowd around him. Speaking of time, we had been forewarned that Italians eat dinner late, but we still did not realize the full extent of that until we experienced it for ourselves. One day in Bari, we walked three hours in pursuit of some kind of sustenance during the afternoon, and we learned that restaurants did not open until 8 p.m. During that time, there is no "snack" food or what we consider convenience stores or bodegas, either. You are not going to find a morsel of food at 5 p.m. We dealt with it. We drove off blindly, stumbling into another small village, and at a nondescript deli found arguably the best food of our trip, with a matronly owner making sure we were taken care of in every way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dNlNenoc0ePMKgiiQbNcK3iluZYP1Ew1VoYp0e-U24mSsNEcybrn5XIluZdJsEjV2opEBjMFkYANUIat9rBY2YujYb9TwRAdxznO5KCgGXsDxzguty5hb4VbvkpojDI6Y-9vaaRGHQ0P/s1600/Medal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dNlNenoc0ePMKgiiQbNcK3iluZYP1Ew1VoYp0e-U24mSsNEcybrn5XIluZdJsEjV2opEBjMFkYANUIat9rBY2YujYb9TwRAdxznO5KCgGXsDxzguty5hb4VbvkpojDI6Y-9vaaRGHQ0P/s320/Medal.jpg" width="240" /></a>10. Naturally, I will save <b><a href="https://www.google.com/#safe=off&q=limoncello" target="_blank">Limoncello</a></b> as the perfect ending. Anyone who drinks it knows why. It's all about finishing, like getting this medal. If you order off the "menu" -- that's what Italians call their full-course meals -- you get a flute or tube of Limoncello to finish your dinner, as if a gift and a thanks from the restaurant. Leaving the Amalfi Coast, we drove inland through high mountain roads and stumbled onto the town of <b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g194873-Ravello_Amalfi_Coast_Campania-Vacations.html" target="_blank">Ravello</a></b>. Greta Garbo, Gore Vidal and many others fell in love with this area. When you drive through it, you find your way to a little stop in the road that says "CELLO" -- a small producer of this famous Italian liquer. We had been fascinated with the giant lemons of the Amalfi Coast, and here they and other lemons were brewed into the concoction. We walked in, and two nice gentlemen gave Lisa and I a tour of their facility, showing us their vats and explaining how they make Limoncello. They slice the dried pulp of the lemons and toss them into the vats, and we left with our own batch. As a gift, the owner handed Lisa a giant lemon with a bow, a tremendous act of kindness. Unfortunately, the Rome Airport authorities by all accounts removed said lemon from our suitcase after we went through security, and apparently took the whole bag of souvenirs that went along with said lemon. But despite that loss that left us "sour," I raise my Limoncello high here and say "Salut" to our new friends in the beautiful country of Italy, at hotels and restaurants and shops galore, and graciously thank the Maratona di Roma organizers and all who showed us their glorious world. Veni, Vidi, Vici.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNJmR_Qsvu4p9NlIczlO3CjCCMNRuuN2AJPGJuMc9WsUm7CHdvMe6DFXFIKG0JkMTWUX4fUhgfjXb99POVVMdX6hqcSht18T-VqNovuLrs4XMMlYA6yTlPrFmo152v4jb5hpmrj215c7w/s1600/LimoncelloTour1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNJmR_Qsvu4p9NlIczlO3CjCCMNRuuN2AJPGJuMc9WsUm7CHdvMe6DFXFIKG0JkMTWUX4fUhgfjXb99POVVMdX6hqcSht18T-VqNovuLrs4XMMlYA6yTlPrFmo152v4jb5hpmrj215c7w/s1600/LimoncelloTour1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rU0c0GvIy9Y0vBtXqFck0AdnV6lQlbyw9zwOORswOvbv2-C2h3cunbEbenLnEyc30yUKSH_SXu3cWWSVQtc52wSYsL4ngY1hEKe3F02X9AUkex2UFxYfofTpDCixC8rGMEaUUtgkK_RF/s1600/LimoncelloTour2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rU0c0GvIy9Y0vBtXqFck0AdnV6lQlbyw9zwOORswOvbv2-C2h3cunbEbenLnEyc30yUKSH_SXu3cWWSVQtc52wSYsL4ngY1hEKe3F02X9AUkex2UFxYfofTpDCixC8rGMEaUUtgkK_RF/s1600/LimoncelloTour2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtyQ2IpMPa8weuWD61DI5S_6hiWyovyz_Q_gJGrOvFdFdKlcQGuyxRwydYparEukCsjyPyk2tXWJdafy_dCrv8Ab1ZQUDrZUDo6XQFte1ySHuxY6NieRDSOdm7izPBWz-X8cL6oI5W4HU/s1600/LimoncelloTour3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtyQ2IpMPa8weuWD61DI5S_6hiWyovyz_Q_gJGrOvFdFdKlcQGuyxRwydYparEukCsjyPyk2tXWJdafy_dCrv8Ab1ZQUDrZUDo6XQFte1ySHuxY6NieRDSOdm7izPBWz-X8cL6oI5W4HU/s1600/LimoncelloTour3.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRrlli7KW51ogLJKC1vBuVEW_th9pw5XWRmUOPLzCTrYJj5GQp8aUPQ4-RCkidi7NeitdnUuyTMCBOMRmx49ib2xqPQAaMKvdSdW4J8KhRYtBv_1_q0Lta0RQB7mpqUhkrRSIQc8mt8Du/s1600/MuchLimoncello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRrlli7KW51ogLJKC1vBuVEW_th9pw5XWRmUOPLzCTrYJj5GQp8aUPQ4-RCkidi7NeitdnUuyTMCBOMRmx49ib2xqPQAaMKvdSdW4J8KhRYtBv_1_q0Lta0RQB7mpqUhkrRSIQc8mt8Du/s1600/MuchLimoncello.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcZVIgNwY7IYhdb7Xe0q6EcmH5Z8K82dfgaj9dmWPuv_l-6m0TJsr1jwXyWsHuJFgaG2Dz6xq4iwY_WX2nyhjtzKk1KjThhkNmCWvj7GJr6Vjm7zU3PujUN22Zlx9WfDEzzDCYdSOtl3R/s1600/BestLimoncello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcZVIgNwY7IYhdb7Xe0q6EcmH5Z8K82dfgaj9dmWPuv_l-6m0TJsr1jwXyWsHuJFgaG2Dz6xq4iwY_WX2nyhjtzKk1KjThhkNmCWvj7GJr6Vjm7zU3PujUN22Zlx9WfDEzzDCYdSOtl3R/s1600/BestLimoncello.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7-QWsigBSltOLKh0qEGe-X2DkR5Ea-TCf5KOvkMPBo27LMgV-0ruff9PYx9XD92MDyrH5wUGTmevGb_mSj3VwCgifPLEPtWflmZVBW7nF096D2LECHbuVD7nb5eyF71m045oiNvHyBPq/s1600/DrinkingLimoncello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7-QWsigBSltOLKh0qEGe-X2DkR5Ea-TCf5KOvkMPBo27LMgV-0ruff9PYx9XD92MDyrH5wUGTmevGb_mSj3VwCgifPLEPtWflmZVBW7nF096D2LECHbuVD7nb5eyF71m045oiNvHyBPq/s1600/DrinkingLimoncello.jpg" /></a>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-43668603812361580842016-03-23T21:56:00.002-04:002016-06-03T09:33:37.354-04:002016 ASICS Fall/Winter Collection Preview<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgee1s9_HKHb7u8t1B4fOVe0QGTVty0ia_F5i51-MB2dUnWHi5sfOCkPtGNwSK5J7M1UGyxxP5_7eArq1Qn-fuFkX5j8Dz-Kv_hBcRgslMudYClJcAcBzyx4F0GBVDrrDYBrloKccVrHF3t/s1600/ASICS11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgee1s9_HKHb7u8t1B4fOVe0QGTVty0ia_F5i51-MB2dUnWHi5sfOCkPtGNwSK5J7M1UGyxxP5_7eArq1Qn-fuFkX5j8Dz-Kv_hBcRgslMudYClJcAcBzyx4F0GBVDrrDYBrloKccVrHF3t/s1600/ASICS11.JPG" /></a><br />
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Welcome to the ASICS showroom in Manhattan's Fashion District!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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I was honored to be invited by <b><a href="http://asicsamerica.com/" target="_blank">ASICS</a></b> to see a sneak preview of their 2016 ASICS Fall/Winter Collection. Here's a summary, <u>with 19 video clips below</u>: Get ready for color-changing shoes; bright and bold styles; 360-degree protective reflection; a lighterweight Kayano thanks to amazing FlyteFoam midsoles featuring reinforced fibers; prints galore; women's studio flex gear (think yoga & classes); comic-inspired fuseX; the first-ever ASICS down jacket; NYC Marathon shoes with passport stamps to celebrate an international event; and much, much more.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytdSkbh6i_wnGZlPuKfvjzn7vH7gp3fuCp3U8mWI12EOeR8d3zjNmmOc3JigCgovP9CoYh6f8yLpsaVd5JrDHnTxh4M3gjB8VizeXAYkut9IJOeEjZSzB3G40Ivk5a3-nkHvxzQg2U6Y0/s1600/ASICS10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytdSkbh6i_wnGZlPuKfvjzn7vH7gp3fuCp3U8mWI12EOeR8d3zjNmmOc3JigCgovP9CoYh6f8yLpsaVd5JrDHnTxh4M3gjB8VizeXAYkut9IJOeEjZSzB3G40Ivk5a3-nkHvxzQg2U6Y0/s1600/ASICS10.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YytEfiwCxYB_wiSjTU4FR9-84kQ6rSONPPLLooQshHq2Oxqs-fU-QIrDRoEub1VAqSP1tkXjfy3SDliUuXExkdHCXulcjKprqYqquzSwpO5ZyagQPlFOPJ0jQE3q1hv6dSdn9cHYqpJy/s1600/ASICS1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6YytEfiwCxYB_wiSjTU4FR9-84kQ6rSONPPLLooQshHq2Oxqs-fU-QIrDRoEub1VAqSP1tkXjfy3SDliUuXExkdHCXulcjKprqYqquzSwpO5ZyagQPlFOPJ0jQE3q1hv6dSdn9cHYqpJy/s1600/ASICS1.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO56MI9nYYyFHBoaxp0WwYVW332oB4G5VkeB9MS2ItPPV9H3il2KChtEpYwASsLE1RSb45lym4GzEF5Qm3qnWN9dNKToTFfpeVf7-GG7OkKqrU2fDpzmj2HVa-sOab-AWHGCFe4Qh0y94f/s1600/ASICS9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO56MI9nYYyFHBoaxp0WwYVW332oB4G5VkeB9MS2ItPPV9H3il2KChtEpYwASsLE1RSb45lym4GzEF5Qm3qnWN9dNKToTFfpeVf7-GG7OkKqrU2fDpzmj2HVa-sOab-AWHGCFe4Qh0y94f/s1600/ASICS9.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HBNZAiHz7vEEImqkFRYOHAhPHs_ZyvxnXwgw9W5H-r0ooYXpgO3YxWvEdfbK3VgOitocQoWewrspy_5Khf2y0qDZ-5a8NOLs-vrBUZxMHYNNJ4H4G0LmXzN_uX5aupvQgnk6FQGZCk2d/s1600/ASICS4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HBNZAiHz7vEEImqkFRYOHAhPHs_ZyvxnXwgw9W5H-r0ooYXpgO3YxWvEdfbK3VgOitocQoWewrspy_5Khf2y0qDZ-5a8NOLs-vrBUZxMHYNNJ4H4G0LmXzN_uX5aupvQgnk6FQGZCk2d/s1600/ASICS4.JPG" /></a><br />
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Let the outstanding ASICS Showroom experts guide you:<br />
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<b>Kayano 23</b>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uzhAn32hIDA" width="550"></iframe><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Quantum-360 Chameleon Mesh (IT CHANGES COLORS!!!!!!!)</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wthOeGQFeaY" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Lite-Show Shoes</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MyozK5iq9pU" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Cumulus 18</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GKpaDngSvO4" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>fuseX Meets ComiCon</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-yShPcC9Mnc" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>GT-1000</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/StETrmt1dZs" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Cancer Awareness Ribbon Models</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XsCUUVXA3xk" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>TCS New York City Marathon Official Shoes & Apparel</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A62NeA1mUUY" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoF7xyljDBZFB_wfkDTD2_UyFoHn-pnibSUHVX6jFJ7TEfOZjq7QmkQX5FsaKzXuYnhu59LhhvEdkxnzONiz2Ac7BFcUTaiPWmPsHVsQkqGuXhZfXdRIhM9XYRFz0WGW3x8tggzwM_nvsQ/s1600/ASICS5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoF7xyljDBZFB_wfkDTD2_UyFoHn-pnibSUHVX6jFJ7TEfOZjq7QmkQX5FsaKzXuYnhu59LhhvEdkxnzONiz2Ac7BFcUTaiPWmPsHVsQkqGuXhZfXdRIhM9XYRFz0WGW3x8tggzwM_nvsQ/s1600/ASICS5.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYo_R-mIc3wH9-IK4q-W1TqWbrZOIGZ5ZwD4_gHa8WrqodcsHkZGE6gg2peqAJIEmySY8DoxpOTQR3o61BE-gRRXf4Viqxa3HNA3He6RHMa_doRRBdVUyc3dDgF6snIo5nX2RMY7r0tPRu/s1600/ASICS6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYo_R-mIc3wH9-IK4q-W1TqWbrZOIGZ5ZwD4_gHa8WrqodcsHkZGE6gg2peqAJIEmySY8DoxpOTQR3o61BE-gRRXf4Viqxa3HNA3He6RHMa_doRRBdVUyc3dDgF6snIo5nX2RMY7r0tPRu/s1600/ASICS6.JPG" /></a><br />
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<b>Women's Training Gear</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vro2xeEQX7M" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeK2TeEzNmdkv6ga-8c1xl7NgpjlifvaMmWQdi1gvqpTEQ3NyX12LZVjv5WGPoEHDn5o92EqAzXL8LS0DeX3sx9cJr6y9isKeFR-ADhag48bMSFMpZW3BXNFWTAY3dsbepSZLWsDR_0ige/s1600/ASICS7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeK2TeEzNmdkv6ga-8c1xl7NgpjlifvaMmWQdi1gvqpTEQ3NyX12LZVjv5WGPoEHDn5o92EqAzXL8LS0DeX3sx9cJr6y9isKeFR-ADhag48bMSFMpZW3BXNFWTAY3dsbepSZLWsDR_0ige/s1600/ASICS7.JPG" /></a><br />
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<b>Cocktail Bar (hey, this is a lot of work)</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EB0s6y715SI" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Women's 360 Degree Protection</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4BrIzp_ZP_M" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Women's Three-Layer Protective Gear</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wje78dKAWKg" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI8tsm11Ev7QYWDKP5gm4ohO31kPgyVWS_ZD6ogQswjRDZ7aCujIQGWQ9aVjgbVvtEnvvXevzEhYt9Jq_L0r-hXXtO8h7y7LvnKr-mxUZVtFlfIXLkw-Fj0aUj0qeekKsCDB61GApqtM3/s1600/ASICS2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUI8tsm11Ev7QYWDKP5gm4ohO31kPgyVWS_ZD6ogQswjRDZ7aCujIQGWQ9aVjgbVvtEnvvXevzEhYt9Jq_L0r-hXXtO8h7y7LvnKr-mxUZVtFlfIXLkw-Fj0aUj0qeekKsCDB61GApqtM3/s1600/ASICS2.JPG" /></a><br />
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<b>First-Ever ASICS Down Jacket!</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YdwkODptDrc" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Women's Support</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ogrjTRyj55I" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Men's Wind Boxers</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QbzLIerXetU" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Women's Accessories - Studio Flex</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bWsNqLnwM_Y" width="550"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b>Be Bold & Be Bright - Accessories</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lLc375f9Izw" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>Women's Complete Footwear</b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uAtkqCxkDPM" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>The Amazing, Magical Lite-Show Shorts! Without Flash, With Flash!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzpIw_b7PUUq-PWNEEoh9CLg7dh5kL-6mZsP85QJOl4tk4-COb84L69YlTYvTO_ZJtxRrArPqSSycEGquSQpTgAaHM-K7bIzhkWhvJtB2ER9R_b7-dl_l0-jISzDDw9pJsNydQUxDlqNL/s1600/LiteShowShortsBlog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzpIw_b7PUUq-PWNEEoh9CLg7dh5kL-6mZsP85QJOl4tk4-COb84L69YlTYvTO_ZJtxRrArPqSSycEGquSQpTgAaHM-K7bIzhkWhvJtB2ER9R_b7-dl_l0-jISzDDw9pJsNydQUxDlqNL/s1600/LiteShowShortsBlog.jpg" /></a><br />
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And like I said: much, much more. Hope you enjoyed the sneak preview! <a href="http://asicsamerica.com/" target="_blank"><b>WANT IT MORE.</b></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6KsXdi2VxTVRNG80AgS85dHUyxqgr_gyJmwZJr2MFDJAMsXb6OA4s9EjtZ9rteiGHPL1NvfGzgWpB9-5_jnACAc2uaMy5xrjTrOsBCBGOYqo2PQsqbhz5jsymf3CKaaz1N_MvqSjZjcz/s1600/ASICS8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6KsXdi2VxTVRNG80AgS85dHUyxqgr_gyJmwZJr2MFDJAMsXb6OA4s9EjtZ9rteiGHPL1NvfGzgWpB9-5_jnACAc2uaMy5xrjTrOsBCBGOYqo2PQsqbhz5jsymf3CKaaz1N_MvqSjZjcz/s1600/ASICS8.JPG" /></a><br />
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<b>What do you think of the 2016 ASICS Fall/Winter Collection?</b><br />
<br />Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-79872888754641803532016-02-16T10:57:00.000-05:002016-03-02T13:20:34.049-05:00I'm a NuttZo Ambassador!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://nuttzo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Eat NuttZo!" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDindupWbIH1Yji-BtNFFgjL7h06hWFYj-HeR1lYm5lH9HDZPfbgfABQKUYwvmqkMuWT_V0G-InY4YnEL0SnPC379VLwn8jSDY5y4p8rSxpzPQSP0KykpABMuqkje4zM7V0dCmZXE3dZc/s400/Eat+NuttZo.png" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>I #EatNuttzo all the time and am proud indeed to represent my friend Danielle and her amazing <b><a href="http://nuttzo.com/" target="_blank">NuttZo</a></b> spread as a healthy and natural part of my regular @marathoner diet. In fact, it is my primary power fuel I am using to get me to the Colosseum start line healthy for the April 1 <a href="http://www.maratonadiroma.it/?lang=en" target="_blank"><b>Rome Marathon</b></a>.<br />
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You can save 20 percent on a jar of NuttZo by going to <b><a href="http://nuttzo.com/">nuttzo.com</a></b> and using code mark-20. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://nuttzo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEr9bwIaT3t4tfyqrSOGb2wDzvlMWyAAI-dC3Pi4e36Cb_Sub8OMYQdH7h4c9FJd8BlOhdoYe_yHMv0GP-ygR8pWNiKVLUKxMHGqnn2pf71nsgdCfELoC9DFa7snsTUqWY7r6LFcHAEva/s1600/NuttZoOnTheShelf.jpg" /></a><br />
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Fairway is a great grocer in the NYC area, and as you can see above, I like to help them with a little NuttZo arranging. Especially when I find a few right-side up. I may have changed their display from one NuttZo row to two rows in this picture just to help other customers.<br />
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Yesterday I snagged the Power Fuel Crunchy option and started today with that on Ezekiel toast with a banana before taking the train into Manhattan.<br />
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<a href="http://nuttzo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVD2EfAKx6aO3r6qpKerYJ0vfIGbDaPkilfTEty5rFeAqzQeoWuCzrEw4ydOfSZpUaPz5t4yRmoxjG7c-1tf3GIzan2GnIu7bY8T9kV_cBKmw3uDFHeh_YaD956728Bte1G-io7LHHz5s/s1600/NuttZoInTheCart.jpg" /></a><br />
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I'm not the only one in our house who loves NuttZo, either. Check out King Bingley!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzG-xhMXdnk7FoT3XkuOk8wVEs9bToCpwcRXEYd7Y2UnwSuaGGM143TOg4l2BTBBOipcLuyKgB47PWDEhZvlSB2NmRW-dcXxXhMnJ3pUAvj3t7eif62LNVcv_4lswyLubesB4qHS2En40w/s1600/BingleyLikesNuttZo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzG-xhMXdnk7FoT3XkuOk8wVEs9bToCpwcRXEYd7Y2UnwSuaGGM143TOg4l2BTBBOipcLuyKgB47PWDEhZvlSB2NmRW-dcXxXhMnJ3pUAvj3t7eif62LNVcv_4lswyLubesB4qHS2En40w/s1600/BingleyLikesNuttZo.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPfxiOxoB9A9_m_4WPc_v8b3LUVoQJC5mKgb6xpy19-vYM0KJl50p18fo2jRk_QKJnhemheEn3urJMYsdTCFY6BZUVe0uC0y8ygBRzwtpQRXYq9iRtzoDjQZT_lxulaWUXd7MQHoBG-N-/s1600/Hat2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPfxiOxoB9A9_m_4WPc_v8b3LUVoQJC5mKgb6xpy19-vYM0KJl50p18fo2jRk_QKJnhemheEn3urJMYsdTCFY6BZUVe0uC0y8ygBRzwtpQRXYq9iRtzoDjQZT_lxulaWUXd7MQHoBG-N-/s1600/Hat2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>What's your favorite fuel to get to the start line?</b>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-5979972601655426602016-01-26T16:20:00.001-05:002016-03-02T13:22:08.700-05:00Ludivine's Elkmont Half Marathon Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I normally post my own race recaps here, but because <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Elkmont-Half-Marathon-The-Trackless-Train-Trek-1647029648910689/timeline" target="_blank">Ludivine</a></b> is a bloodhound I am going to devote this post to analysis of her 2016 Elkmont (Ala.) Half Marathon form. Ludivine finished seventh overall and first in her working-dog group with a PR of 1:32:56. She was let out to pee and wound up in the middle of this race, and through the race organizer's pics (thanks to WeRunHuntsville/G Gelmis & J Armstrong) we can now break down her impressive performance here.</div>
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<b>THE START</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M3yeQ-qn2fBnpc959hOmshET2HHdLLYcmSAG7OP6aIPn3SpuaTcZXojZRv_9WX6zrnaBNl9LLpDMKNlvVpL12VO_MA8Nd3dI9bcoxx8t95PuM0AhK38P6L2uFAS-KtZ1zVTFluN_DCh_/s1600/L11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M3yeQ-qn2fBnpc959hOmshET2HHdLLYcmSAG7OP6aIPn3SpuaTcZXojZRv_9WX6zrnaBNl9LLpDMKNlvVpL12VO_MA8Nd3dI9bcoxx8t95PuM0AhK38P6L2uFAS-KtZ1zVTFluN_DCh_/s1600/L11.jpg" /></a><br />
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Ludivine is on the right of the start pack here. She was bred to be a tracking dog at the local prison, but she also looks out for rabbits. That's what she is doing here. She starts coyly on the other side of the double yellow line and then dives in behind the guy in blue, content to let him set the pace.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFQ1a-ZQuHbjQceBq06L4NJaHZvg8T7RjAGv5mpMXjQUBg92-CzlxFZHlgmJm2gXpEhaVKtOiD5GqOZIlpc5DqUnruRqHMAtTpYCj-9Aq-cnee84QR-DEja8RrybC0auvWn1AWxY4fN40/s1600/L10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFQ1a-ZQuHbjQceBq06L4NJaHZvg8T7RjAGv5mpMXjQUBg92-CzlxFZHlgmJm2gXpEhaVKtOiD5GqOZIlpc5DqUnruRqHMAtTpYCj-9Aq-cnee84QR-DEja8RrybC0auvWn1AWxY4fN40/s1600/L10.jpg" /></a><br />
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Darting a bit too much at the outset, needed to conserve a bit more energy. But boundless enthusiasm is understandable to all of us who break out fast in the pack.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizU8crHI7eMyf_ktL3elDRhP1Z4hrk6nHNCNtpe6t14AuZnlBfoD-Atg2AJ72WuSSPyXRLnT4FDJ_lrSv09AqmcU4g0VgmDLQCreEgr4tBPmRgEOoXgj4SmAeoMl5NotKjl5GWK1q3hRFM/s1600/L9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizU8crHI7eMyf_ktL3elDRhP1Z4hrk6nHNCNtpe6t14AuZnlBfoD-Atg2AJ72WuSSPyXRLnT4FDJ_lrSv09AqmcU4g0VgmDLQCreEgr4tBPmRgEOoXgj4SmAeoMl5NotKjl5GWK1q3hRFM/s1600/L9.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>THE GIN RUNNER MAKES HER MOVE</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiSMzpUG-MyX_7QURBBymidso1Vu6qipCIGXLuun-QUQ7nk5fjb3vLDoEPKUwM3OM4I2MtSPo6c79hNK1oMfOK1NG5iBymhLa22kCXqulVYspwD-MxcmvmNWEkiC3bojS-3oAXAatyiP6/s1600/L13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiSMzpUG-MyX_7QURBBymidso1Vu6qipCIGXLuun-QUQ7nk5fjb3vLDoEPKUwM3OM4I2MtSPo6c79hNK1oMfOK1NG5iBymhLa22kCXqulVYspwD-MxcmvmNWEkiC3bojS-3oAXAatyiP6/s1600/L13.jpg" /></a><br />
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I did some homework on Elkmont, and it has an awesome history. The "rails to trails" area is a stretch that takes you near Civil War fighting, notably the important <b><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj7x83srcjKAhUBaD4KHbbZAkoQFggcMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FBattle_of_Sulphur_Creek_Trestle&usg=AFQjCNFi5QnUy_IznuasTLk6X385fLuxOw&sig2=cTDAlhiqOmQV3t_lbl1p-A&bvm=bv.112454388,d.cWw" target="_blank">Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle</a></b>. There is also a cool cotton-gin history here, and <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Gin-House-Barbeque-118088784876241/" target="_blank">Gin House Barbeque</a></b> is one of the race sponsors. So in these shots, Ludivine is looking strong going past the old North Limestone Gin Corp. building. (Thanks to reader Andy for noting that it was a dry county for many years so it's not the other kind of gin made in this building.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKCpO5FtfCUiWQGzshgRto_LhBDlBAQn4hfCT42SXtyZJL8r8LcbdPx9WyzyMaZS3flcwaM2HhsiCTk5eRL1PiMs9WADRkGVd7fw3J-5tyTx2J0kaWTTb8i6NkxeKxwN3d4syCqzR18cp/s1600/L8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKCpO5FtfCUiWQGzshgRto_LhBDlBAQn4hfCT42SXtyZJL8r8LcbdPx9WyzyMaZS3flcwaM2HhsiCTk5eRL1PiMs9WADRkGVd7fw3J-5tyTx2J0kaWTTb8i6NkxeKxwN3d4syCqzR18cp/s1600/L8.jpg" /></a><br />
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Good forward lean here, everything going forward like <b><a href="http://twitter.com/CoachKastor" target="_blank">@CoachKastor</a></b> says. Clearly drafting off runner in blue shirt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOu4Yc6pzaJIBChOHqAoJRpohtDcPwTPcSuQzr5zTCraryuOKUtRD-j5_IRjSmG1GkZ8Jh1SDC0UhFMo64VKcdjXLtfPBrSfnG7LMUrV6D7FyER2h9cx_-mgsU2yOCiVOHNO2tG6YOBoy/s1600/L7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOu4Yc6pzaJIBChOHqAoJRpohtDcPwTPcSuQzr5zTCraryuOKUtRD-j5_IRjSmG1GkZ8Jh1SDC0UhFMo64VKcdjXLtfPBrSfnG7LMUrV6D7FyER2h9cx_-mgsU2yOCiVOHNO2tG6YOBoy/s1600/L7.jpg" /></a><br />
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In the photo below you can see Ludivine's excellent gait, powerful strides and good four-heel strikes. Note the mouth closed, breathing efficiently through snout. Peak performance! The other runners respect her space. This is a nice running pack.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWRWRIgiSmyRlUE8dCrGlo7pXMyDeKw6DxNjdVaBRkSzKZRm904yB442RN3HG483HfmBqGlroQy_cCWjowX2QhuM2w3PAO5nsCxo8EhzyHFhCDd9-M5AZw0fQ7t6ABYBJM7FxWqqOlV5S/s1600/L6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWRWRIgiSmyRlUE8dCrGlo7pXMyDeKw6DxNjdVaBRkSzKZRm904yB442RN3HG483HfmBqGlroQy_cCWjowX2QhuM2w3PAO5nsCxo8EhzyHFhCDd9-M5AZw0fQ7t6ABYBJM7FxWqqOlV5S/s1600/L6.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>KEEPING IT TOGETHER</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1uTpwKzobRY90dUuNjz6gbVME2_wlO9u6GTFy4KE-ZvYNhaQSch0Az6i26NS51aCYH7RoeNX63S7FgDjkRjTnO12jVnDzIFi3GhdtVeovfrEPUbikGoqb4CQSAGJ1t4RKxTr4rEOC6BD/s1600/L17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA1uTpwKzobRY90dUuNjz6gbVME2_wlO9u6GTFy4KE-ZvYNhaQSch0Az6i26NS51aCYH7RoeNX63S7FgDjkRjTnO12jVnDzIFi3GhdtVeovfrEPUbikGoqb4CQSAGJ1t4RKxTr4rEOC6BD/s1600/L17.jpg" /></a><br />
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Here is where a runner has to stay within herself, stay composed, block out distractions and bad thoughts. Deer, squirrels and rabbits can be spotted along the trail as well as hawks and woodpeckers. It is a lot for a bloodhound to block out, because they smell everything and they put the track in track and field. But Ludivine holds her own with mantras and total focus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqffirB3jftIr1rNf_s9GPkzap2B5h_HU03sC4gI50JU7mc5WrdK7TK2mrrZQsNNAObtZvPQ2uhGd_0ERVA7VXTJtAb-Z7Y5qVBwpKYlHdYixIkbvapTO1uGxPC6JFSnUnVvGvZtqooNN/s1600/L15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqffirB3jftIr1rNf_s9GPkzap2B5h_HU03sC4gI50JU7mc5WrdK7TK2mrrZQsNNAObtZvPQ2uhGd_0ERVA7VXTJtAb-Z7Y5qVBwpKYlHdYixIkbvapTO1uGxPC6JFSnUnVvGvZtqooNN/s1600/L15.jpg" /></a><br />
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I rarely ever make a portapotty stop during a race, but I made an exception during the ferocious winds on the back side of this month's Key West Half. Here I can relate to Ludivine. She's gotta pee, and she shows good runner courtesy by not hosing down the area between these two runners. She politely moves over to the grass, does her business and then bolts back into the field.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD3UDI1OFi3Rr6GAFv3x2QIrRSik8c7EbWDzdtSWYu72g_QM-FgM8ck6vBHEbQsNLkpYVsBQq90akEBbu4McJs5Ag9cu3teYYRjuXP3q13hHsSmCRxqHKoo48NUiDpxLvaBD75lRyjdmy/s1600/L16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD3UDI1OFi3Rr6GAFv3x2QIrRSik8c7EbWDzdtSWYu72g_QM-FgM8ck6vBHEbQsNLkpYVsBQq90akEBbu4McJs5Ag9cu3teYYRjuXP3q13hHsSmCRxqHKoo48NUiDpxLvaBD75lRyjdmy/s1600/L16.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>SMELLING THE FINISH LINE</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUh_WkiNeBMSkUsJl-Ek4WaMNnIIW_tCfSkh-JStWfCyFJ4lULxVsUpSF9LDb6L1EC9N1Z3Mg71fpw5Gb4JzA0LWWUaqym4f6fG6AvksIaPN1iFYRCDeYeBrz9MDhdsxtFJ1M7jpgZGkaZ/s1600/L5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUh_WkiNeBMSkUsJl-Ek4WaMNnIIW_tCfSkh-JStWfCyFJ4lULxVsUpSF9LDb6L1EC9N1Z3Mg71fpw5Gb4JzA0LWWUaqym4f6fG6AvksIaPN1iFYRCDeYeBrz9MDhdsxtFJ1M7jpgZGkaZ/s1600/L5.jpg" /></a><br />
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Note the perfect tail extension. Still a solid forward lean with remarkable acceleration and drive. She can sense much love ahead from her family and friends, strong motivation to close strong. Shoulders are pulling the path to her and focused on a big finish. A bloodhound can smell it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28fRAKs6UazHzjcA7-QKoAWwEHsub8aHkxK6siK6uN63D5Uraw3bp_tYPJqZ2aX_jaShW0HsXSoJu-505hWWB8U8uZtK8MDpIb39Bjw9Rwb0S2x61vfdnUIwiM8ATv5a_sPXGXAsSwCAU/s1600/L12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28fRAKs6UazHzjcA7-QKoAWwEHsub8aHkxK6siK6uN63D5Uraw3bp_tYPJqZ2aX_jaShW0HsXSoJu-505hWWB8U8uZtK8MDpIb39Bjw9Rwb0S2x61vfdnUIwiM8ATv5a_sPXGXAsSwCAU/s1600/L12.jpg" /></a><br />
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You can see at this point that Ludivine has a lot to teach us human runners. She runs free, fast, far and fun, emphasis on the last of those big four F's. Just let it fly like Ludivine.<br />
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<b>PHOTO OPP</b><br />
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Excellent awareness of event photographers, slight dip in upper body to show rigor of the journey as a keepsake for later. Stays away from fenced area, respectful of private trail owners.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnA6Le3AAlTTC9lWJf3fDTEP9mZOqApUK9aRdshalgRFXxzHjUu2rdOApGvwWZPehBvBlfbiIX3YjKLa1uAxhnswx2WBAJxWcOjxIFDIiWwSv3iizhPDx-4Wg3kXlopYvAe0YnCKIhTIF/s1600/L4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnA6Le3AAlTTC9lWJf3fDTEP9mZOqApUK9aRdshalgRFXxzHjUu2rdOApGvwWZPehBvBlfbiIX3YjKLa1uAxhnswx2WBAJxWcOjxIFDIiWwSv3iizhPDx-4Wg3kXlopYvAe0YnCKIhTIF/s1600/L4.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>FLUID AND CHEER STATION MANAGEMENT</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkC7cTbD6knNb8tfypsAA5bqscnjYoCnCVI-zAW_OO24sWcoVAnnHoCZQ0SZcLhczxImhRGi5W3dL2L74o13NQookaVfzlbYjK_Xxb9D_9Vfj8R7_hiFT5RqKzVSPUli9dPolGAO91Gdw_/s1600/L3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkC7cTbD6knNb8tfypsAA5bqscnjYoCnCVI-zAW_OO24sWcoVAnnHoCZQ0SZcLhczxImhRGi5W3dL2L74o13NQookaVfzlbYjK_Xxb9D_9Vfj8R7_hiFT5RqKzVSPUli9dPolGAO91Gdw_/s1600/L3.jpg" /></a><br />
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Ludivine allows for momentary comfort and heaps adulation as she powers her way forward on gravelly terrain. Tongue flying everywhere at this point indicative of PR pursuit. I'm told she also did a roadkill shot block at some point on the course as well to maintain glucose storage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LAOZo2WSQmLiB6IFJqU4syRRGvyGyIrmq2M2lAnWZj_jDEIh9d9ceocDNZ0gpGBg5c8OmmYZOEETsUektRXaGatUROKhgQVPjsB47ErJZjoa9x5DrWWyp9oeQ3_xojvRAvYtb4XmAYWf/s1600/L14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LAOZo2WSQmLiB6IFJqU4syRRGvyGyIrmq2M2lAnWZj_jDEIh9d9ceocDNZ0gpGBg5c8OmmYZOEETsUektRXaGatUROKhgQVPjsB47ErJZjoa9x5DrWWyp9oeQ3_xojvRAvYtb4XmAYWf/s1600/L14.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6_sv0L8YU10ugEZm8W5jwTQxEBIucWHv8O_EHJP9FGZvF6rvqs7o0B9EgPUtrDH9B6XEy0LHIdMNBqWs6Wj1uL99p2KG3sdfQY_Cvkzv-gtotoxvoXdFcXK7o4tKKgNCZz-TjaJKv_jl/s1600/L2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6_sv0L8YU10ugEZm8W5jwTQxEBIucWHv8O_EHJP9FGZvF6rvqs7o0B9EgPUtrDH9B6XEy0LHIdMNBqWs6Wj1uL99p2KG3sdfQY_Cvkzv-gtotoxvoXdFcXK7o4tKKgNCZz-TjaJKv_jl/s1600/L2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>POSTRACE MEDAL SHOT</b><br />
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Beautiful pose for all the social media sharing to follow, eyes wide open for cameras. Happy to share adventure with loved ones. Looking forward to post-race meal and then the <b><a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/AL/Elkmont/ElkmontHalfMarathon" target="_blank">next race signup</a></b>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7q0XWGB03-kzw7avYxCNvx2zz2zDq6z2_8lpIXgjW_CGzjieCzSlFK_he7UtcNsXx7sXRfgKc7nD3LxFe6ElNR0gyZ4ataZL59plSfgwiFbJDB2ZMdMrHAsleov9qm0GvddwS3V8iElZN/s1600/L1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7q0XWGB03-kzw7avYxCNvx2zz2zDq6z2_8lpIXgjW_CGzjieCzSlFK_he7UtcNsXx7sXRfgKc7nD3LxFe6ElNR0gyZ4ataZL59plSfgwiFbJDB2ZMdMrHAsleov9qm0GvddwS3V8iElZN/s1600/L1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<i>Photo credit: April DeBois Hamlin</i><br />
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Follow <b><a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner" target="_blank">@Marathoner</a></b> on Twitter and <b><a href="http://instagram.com/marath0ner" target="_blank">@Marath0ner</a></b> on Instagram</div>
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Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-20335359221442076012016-01-08T10:42:00.001-05:002016-01-26T12:35:26.141-05:00How Mark Zuckerberg just changed running forever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7qInxGaum2FfsLSaCSkDDMFndmgfVCZ8HvDL6BzmlX3quLAMoORqIi1Pc5Rq5pVoz8tTvPe8FXVVe2OMPp5ksJVm4pNjtiUFuvlm-052NkCm-B7lkVT2P7L1tJ22lpfCk4ozrJpA5ZNn/s1600/MarkZuckerberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7qInxGaum2FfsLSaCSkDDMFndmgfVCZ8HvDL6BzmlX3quLAMoORqIi1Pc5Rq5pVoz8tTvPe8FXVVe2OMPp5ksJVm4pNjtiUFuvlm-052NkCm-B7lkVT2P7L1tJ22lpfCk4ozrJpA5ZNn/s320/MarkZuckerberg.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
Mark Zuckerberg started his <b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/954704787945183/" target="_blank">A Year Of Running</a></b> group on Facebook less than a week ago, and in my experience as one of the first of about 100,000 to join it already is the biggest running social network in the world and is already changing lives and making a difference everywhere.<br />
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The Facebook founder started it as his annual commitment to try something new, and his objective is to run 365 miles in 2016 and get others to run as well. The results are already profound, and I predict that it will live on into 2017.</div>
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Here is why I am obsessed with it:<br />
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1. My FB wall is now taken over by runners in Syria, Iraq, India, America,Taiwan, Great Britain, Mexico, Brazil, etc.</div>
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2. There is no politics, religion, race, class, gender, media, language, fast or slow, relationship status, size, health, or even shoe type. It is John Lennon's dream come true. It is natural Earth.</div>
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3. If you post a pic and a few words about your latest training run, you have hundreds of likes and comments almost immediately from others who share your love of just running.</div>
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4. We can speak a universal language (FB translates it for you) and learn to love each other more. T<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">hat tells you what is still possible with technology and healthy passion. It makes you hopeful amid ceaseless reports of a hate-filled, oppressive and crumbling society. Just consider this post today by a female runner in Gaza named Asmaa Muhammed:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPd9K7XQKwW6P1-FxDpzgFKvdRlYXS_zK1TYbWOaBQM-1umtsg_bB2rFYJGAj9JQfUQ-ZPzrj1BzZaa3UOD6u_Iaf2EOkQ9KrlSP5J55JqVlWwZvL2ita6wn0wErnT-M_a7-9qmZgsvC6/s1600/runner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPd9K7XQKwW6P1-FxDpzgFKvdRlYXS_zK1TYbWOaBQM-1umtsg_bB2rFYJGAj9JQfUQ-ZPzrj1BzZaa3UOD6u_Iaf2EOkQ9KrlSP5J55JqVlWwZvL2ita6wn0wErnT-M_a7-9qmZgsvC6/s1600/runner.jpg" /></a><br /><br />She explained to her commenters: "I can run at home only which is really boring. I cant go run out at parks or beach." She later added for those who ask her why: "They think its not good for women to run in front of other people." There is strong support for her from other runners, other women. It seems helpless, but maybe it makes her feel better. It should at least start with being friendly to other people, as this does. Maybe it empowers her. Who knows?</span></div>
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5. Learning how to run takes a huge stride forward. A person in one part of the world learns how another trains, learns sports medicine (ie plantar fasciitis), learns how to run in cold weather by seeing a post from someone running in Finland! </div>
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6. This is how to build a bucket list, and meet people you might meet in person when you travel to their local race.</div>
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7. Stories about weight loss are so common on AYOR that you believe in your own ability to go after it.</div>
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8. Far down the list but not irrelevant is brand-building. I am an <b><a href="http://www.asicsamerica.com/asics-ambassadors-running-bloggers">ASICS Ambassador</a></b> and just doing what I do naturally for the last decade gives ASICS more global reach. Running brands cannot afford to overlook this, but just talk, don't preach. After all, as one poster just noted, "stop promoting your country!" (He was quickly shot down by a lot of runners who said they are enjoying learning about other countries and how people are runners there.)</div>
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9. It is going to float all social boats and chats. Just add your Twitter or IG handle at the end of a comment on another's post, again with discretion. There is nothing wrong with introducing new running friends to your blog and overall social world.</div>
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10. It is what I got on FB for in the first place. I tell everyone that my FB is for my running first and foremost. Some non-running enthusiasts among your family and friends will always see you as a "narcissist" (such a cynical word!) if you post about your race or training, but we support each other. This is the best thing since the Big Cats Running Group I joined on Myspace nearly 10 years ago.</div>
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I have been on other FB running groups such as Marathon Maniacs and I love them. But nothing on Earth is like this and it took less than a week.</div>
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Thanks from one Mark to another.</div>
Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-18061324997042926442015-12-28T11:57:00.000-05:002016-01-26T12:35:51.322-05:00#NoResolutionsNeeded: Early 2016 @Marathoner Schedule<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's only one way to ring in a New Year: With a new race schedule.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6urBFKZRuN22jqtUYVi2kzVhYGHUNP8IYLq57_F93DgINwGrA0WevA_36WdqxXLgo-o8K9rKlMSU5Wl36ZkILlZhHrKeJ0qUb1YCuDV1XZ5v9mDQotQSojyouLB1M7lMrIah0mLkKkct8/s1600/runningschedule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6urBFKZRuN22jqtUYVi2kzVhYGHUNP8IYLq57_F93DgINwGrA0WevA_36WdqxXLgo-o8K9rKlMSU5Wl36ZkILlZhHrKeJ0qUb1YCuDV1XZ5v9mDQotQSojyouLB1M7lMrIah0mLkKkct8/s1600/runningschedule.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a name='more'></a>For me, it will be the year that marks my 10th anniversary of going from smoker to runner, and according to doctors that means I now officially have healthy pink lungs again. If you want to know what keeps a person going race after race, it is honestly the mere act of signing up for more races. It is about setting big goals, working hard to get there and then being a finisher.<br />
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The legendary Falmouth race is a 7-miler in August and that lottery opens up in the spring -- the only lottery reliance at this point. The two certain marathons are Rome and New York City. The X-factor in all this is that I'm about to begin physical therapy for my left shoulder (tendinosis and capsulitis - steady pain) two times a week for the next eight weeks. Hopefully it will strengthen the shoulder.<br />
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Hopefully the above list will nearly double in size before it's all over, as this is just the first pass. It's the most fun part of the year: When you dare to dream, when you look over the bucket lists. I run as an <b><a href="http://www.asicsamerica.com/asics-ambassadors-running-bloggers">ASICS Ambassador</a></b> and as a longtime member of <a href="http://nyrr.org/"><b>New York Road Runners</b></a> and <b><a href="http://www.marathonmaniacs.com/">Marathon Maniacs</a></b>. Here's wishing you a Happy New Year as we run into another big year, and remember: #NoResolutionsNeeded<br />
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<b>What are <i>your</i> big 2016 race plans?</b>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-83737340875706883272015-11-05T14:22:00.001-05:002016-01-26T12:36:34.915-05:002015-16 ASICS Ambassador - But Really For A Decade Now<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4ehe8b9EugkIPo6iBYbTgNpOvPjgQQwJl6RlCwSLWOpRgTOkhIiv4KSfHNPGhSuzLAngnJummsgMYl83SvxQ3Okz-qQ0u6On1tFNPHMIIpWfd5nimSn-GdJEpTtCJqUF7Uu5V4qe9wg7/s1600/Ambassador-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4ehe8b9EugkIPo6iBYbTgNpOvPjgQQwJl6RlCwSLWOpRgTOkhIiv4KSfHNPGhSuzLAngnJummsgMYl83SvxQ3Okz-qQ0u6On1tFNPHMIIpWfd5nimSn-GdJEpTtCJqUF7Uu5V4qe9wg7/s320/Ambassador-logo.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><a href="http://asicsamerica.com/">ASICS</a></b> is a way of life for me, ever since I traded a box of KOOLS for a box of ASICS and became a Central Park runner on Dec. 1, 2006. Now that I am about to start a year-long celebration leading up to my <span style="text-align: left;">10th runnerversary (!!!)</span><span style="text-align: left;">, I am PSYCHED to announce that my friends at ASICS have chosen me as one of 16 #TeamASICS Ambassadors for 2015-16.</span>
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What it will mean for you and friends who follow me here and <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner"><b>@Marathoner</b></a> on Twitter is...<br />
<a name='more'></a> the opportunity for more extremely cool #ASICS merchandise giveaways, and I will have more details on that later. I cut back on marathoning in 2015 to focus on finishing some personal projects, ranging from college to a hopeful bestseller to a blanket chest restoration. Now it is time to build back into marathon and ultramarathon shape in 2016 as I have Rome (April) and New York City (November) marathons on the calendar so far.<br />
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In the meantime, I just really want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to ASICS for this past decade of running. To say that I am an "Ambassador" for this brand is like saying I am a red wine ambassador or a proponent of oxygen for all humans. ASICS is just what I do, as authentic as you can get. I have mixed in an occasional other brand here and there to test, as I think everyone does. But I just rely on ASICS because it means running. And I think to celebrate this occasion, I am going to show it to you, with help from King Bingley, our lovable English Bulldog who wants me to walk him right now.<br />
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<b>A DECADE IN ASICS SHOES</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2uDGMovEG5rs4vpt6KFpc_mgiZ_AXVXT6LHcWAeD2oIh1I94U4-uzmDCfQNgGp61mw0kc3WN7Mxjct05uNnNOCYsL88qNRdOsW21_QNopHU-A2I484vffMUh57F_uCBZwWO5WJYy5DZy/s1600/ASICStour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2uDGMovEG5rs4vpt6KFpc_mgiZ_AXVXT6LHcWAeD2oIh1I94U4-uzmDCfQNgGp61mw0kc3WN7Mxjct05uNnNOCYsL88qNRdOsW21_QNopHU-A2I484vffMUh57F_uCBZwWO5WJYy5DZy/s1600/ASICStour.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPI3UKbiip97ZX0C_vlfZrEkAstcSsAcoVbfs2L7NPQxnYQWBB-zAgMFwBDfMw0ZoBD4rLIA1UH3D5iYQiS9LFWkB0g180Zo0T9PzNNIO8Mx8D1-fIFnbjjCY0Wty7sFPyNtVPx0Ud0ISV/s1600/IMG_4221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPI3UKbiip97ZX0C_vlfZrEkAstcSsAcoVbfs2L7NPQxnYQWBB-zAgMFwBDfMw0ZoBD4rLIA1UH3D5iYQiS9LFWkB0g180Zo0T9PzNNIO8Mx8D1-fIFnbjjCY0Wty7sFPyNtVPx0Ud0ISV/s1600/IMG_4221.JPG" /></a><br />
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Those are my current <b><a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2014/04/100-races-why-its-all-about-shoe.html">ASICS shoes</a></b> after having <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00:00:00-05:00&max-results=8"><b>donated double-digit pairs to Soles4Souls</b></a> in 2011. Top row, left to right: My first-ever pair of ASICS GT-2110s bought at Times Square Foot Locker on Dec. 1, 2006, from a retail person who had no clue what they were for; worn in 2007-08, now mudders around the house; Kayanos worn in 2014 ASICS LA Marathon. Middle row, left to right: 2014 ASICS LA Marathon special-edition lightweights ; GEL-Cumulus 16 give to me for my 100th race, the 2014 Brooklyn Half; and GEL-Electros sent for review (I wear them to knock around all the time). Bottom row, left to right: <b><a href="http://www.asicsamerica.com/gel-cumulus">GEL-Cumulus 17</a></b>; <a href="http://www.asicsamerica.com/gel-kayano" style="font-weight: bold;">Gel-Kayano 21</a>; and <a href="http://www.asicsamerica.com/gel-nimbus" style="font-weight: bold;">GEL-Nimbus 17</a><b>. </b>What happened to QUANTUM-MAN, you ask? I gave the <a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2015/07/did-you-think-you-could-stop-future.html"><b>GEL-Quantum 360s</b></a> to my son Josh.<br />
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<b>A DECADE IN ASICS TOPS</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DO7BDAPiXa07JBgEEGqCT5LUbrWC9t3uh27Ii-GG9fyv1df3mjKOyQ2kvzZC1MQHdDnaklDG-m8EQfe7Ih-acLtvEwJ4gUQsw3KOLbTlRzzKD75qWJju4oXbSX22wzvROeMgIfWAmJL5/s1600/IMG_4279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DO7BDAPiXa07JBgEEGqCT5LUbrWC9t3uh27Ii-GG9fyv1df3mjKOyQ2kvzZC1MQHdDnaklDG-m8EQfe7Ih-acLtvEwJ4gUQsw3KOLbTlRzzKD75qWJju4oXbSX22wzvROeMgIfWAmJL5/s1600/IMG_4279.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1G_A98KVo2fNl8jnNpFjMw49eYLZhopr-ZquGHTa1d0DTYIxdd7zoa_FBpIQxL0SNYorndsGNrvRD4v_S2WwjDSOa5TTWoyax6WeIUcdWXGDO8EsLOTxaJl-IBBkiWIJiKAmziGUth_L/s1600/IMG_4248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1G_A98KVo2fNl8jnNpFjMw49eYLZhopr-ZquGHTa1d0DTYIxdd7zoa_FBpIQxL0SNYorndsGNrvRD4v_S2WwjDSOa5TTWoyax6WeIUcdWXGDO8EsLOTxaJl-IBBkiWIJiKAmziGUth_L/s1600/IMG_4248.JPG" /></a><br />
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Here is a video tour of most of my most meaningful ASICS tops. I would like to challenge other #TeamASICS members to post a Video Tour of Meaning clip that takes us through your running world through the importance of individual tops you have worn. I have tried to take great care of all my running gear in the past decade, and I will say that quality ASICS gear lasts forever. Watch:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="413" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U9snGGfBmc0" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>A DECADE IN ASICS BOTTOMS</b><br />
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This is just part of the collection of shorts, tights and running pants that I have gathered. I don't know about you, but I have to load a huge clear bin twice a year with cold or warm running gear, and then I put the bin in our basement that season. I just brought up the tights and other cold weather gear.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVBJa7EwKtRL_SKNvQWXEaqPM0GQRyqBFZ9SlmuXZobPPlHWNs6t-IoxL0QJRSuSivh2xNvilmN3L1tuKpp5p2GCV_WtrNmlQ0STPdJhXJZDAZcZFmPA_Ls2Iwh5dtZ8Lsm4GbxJzSzaA/s1600/IMG_4236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVBJa7EwKtRL_SKNvQWXEaqPM0GQRyqBFZ9SlmuXZobPPlHWNs6t-IoxL0QJRSuSivh2xNvilmN3L1tuKpp5p2GCV_WtrNmlQ0STPdJhXJZDAZcZFmPA_Ls2Iwh5dtZ8Lsm4GbxJzSzaA/s1600/IMG_4236.JPG" /></a><br />
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Here is a closer look at the bottoms:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dupFCguBVck" width="550"></iframe><br />
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<b>A DECADE OF ASICS ACCESSORIES</b><br />
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So King Bingley was especially curious about this stuff. It's again just a sampling of the wide variety of ASICS items that are compiled in nearly a decade of marathoning. So much to love.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAljiX1OFX5VqDEr2Iviu6X8pMpSctA4d8IUjdF_gL2-kC06STsk4XF1JT5mQWf742oepmqOJfh74VFrd5Z0EhkvJyT4Lhq4DIYO2oyb60l1ORKz_rSpSE2TKwHxkxaw4hqDtiL34x0GCa/s1600/IMG_4213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAljiX1OFX5VqDEr2Iviu6X8pMpSctA4d8IUjdF_gL2-kC06STsk4XF1JT5mQWf742oepmqOJfh74VFrd5Z0EhkvJyT4Lhq4DIYO2oyb60l1ORKz_rSpSE2TKwHxkxaw4hqDtiL34x0GCa/s1600/IMG_4213.JPG" /></a><br />
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Here is a tour of the accessories:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1WbzHjazrL8" width="550"></iframe><br />
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Please be sure to follow me on <b><a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner">@Marathoner</a></b> on Twitter, and just change the "o" to a zero and follow <b><a href="http://instagram.com/marath0ner">@Marath0ner</a></b> on Instagram -- at least until I can figure out how to get that IG account. Also check out my Tumblr at <a href="http://finisher.tumblr.com/"><b>finisher.tumblr.com</b></a> -- and all of my stories on MLB.com.Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-92033306854910552072015-10-19T15:07:00.005-04:002015-11-06T14:45:34.332-05:00"You Better Run" to the Runners World Half Marathon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rjUsKCNpcynUzqY6JNu-DqaMGdJrV-gwPwS5OAxRKfz7BzaRSLmcAkcjnkbVxk2R1pniFUtQqxsoFlWIOnpzS80s-LstmvtvnPvfy8GWi0EYGSLWCGEdA8Gk-Gq2nHobDa42gdR8DLon/s1600/FinishLine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rjUsKCNpcynUzqY6JNu-DqaMGdJrV-gwPwS5OAxRKfz7BzaRSLmcAkcjnkbVxk2R1pniFUtQqxsoFlWIOnpzS80s-LstmvtvnPvfy8GWi0EYGSLWCGEdA8Gk-Gq2nHobDa42gdR8DLon/s1600/FinishLine.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzy8O-J4pU8Fyc4IQgDzlmcgirhbVEzYpeqyO9ojH1wEKC4PwaVFrPjsjcX92IC0qKnFe5jguj87HiyoUCwlYbXel3XaTeA0j2rpJB4Rtnih9E6f3H_WEHc0_QizEot9XkXYxiYGjhubP/s1600/RWHalfFinish3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzy8O-J4pU8Fyc4IQgDzlmcgirhbVEzYpeqyO9ojH1wEKC4PwaVFrPjsjcX92IC0qKnFe5jguj87HiyoUCwlYbXel3XaTeA0j2rpJB4Rtnih9E6f3H_WEHc0_QizEot9XkXYxiYGjhubP/s1600/RWHalfFinish3.jpg" /></a><br />
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That's me in the Pat Benatar concert shirt with runner friends Larisa, Karla and Kristin, and crossing the finish line. Below, that's my #FlatBenatar from midnight the night before. Here is what happened at the legendary <a href="http://rw.runnersworld.com/rwhalf/">2015 Runners World Half Marathon & Festival</a>..<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2Rcg6x2p3aPkG8AQqKZO03hZwpgm1zeFkolyBwdCjfy3Jy1XAYrqShJpmBSjMdCIAhpjQAQ182ttZDWfr_FvJ8SEbnbpidrVIiszW4JThj07-uEa36REC1kLUfg-FwEv0z2jRconFvJ1/s1600/FlatBenatar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2Rcg6x2p3aPkG8AQqKZO03hZwpgm1zeFkolyBwdCjfy3Jy1XAYrqShJpmBSjMdCIAhpjQAQ182ttZDWfr_FvJ8SEbnbpidrVIiszW4JThj07-uEa36REC1kLUfg-FwEv0z2jRconFvJ1/s1600/FlatBenatar.jpg" /></a><br />
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Let's go back in time, to August 1, 1981. "You Better Run" by Pat Benatar became the first music video by an American artist to be aired on a new cable thing called MTV. It was the second overall music video that day, after "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.<br />
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I saw it. I was about to return for my last year at Indiana University. Pat Benatar and her husband, guitarist (and then producer) Neil Giraldo, were staying that day at a cheap motel with a scary bedspread, the place you stay at when you are just trying to make it in the music business. They watched on their motel TV as their lives -- and the world -- suddenly changed before their eyes.<br />
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"There we were, on TV, watching our song," Patricia (as Neil calls her) said this past Saturday night during a <a href="http://benatargiraldo.com/">35th-anniversary tour</a> stop at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA. "Then MTV just kept running it every hour on a cycle. By the end of that week, we couldn't even go to the grocery store." Here is what it looked like to all of us then:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="413" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IvSbQB6-UdY" width="550"></iframe><br />
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They are inspiring. They are living proof that amazing things can happen if you are creative, work hard, go for it and allow yourself to be in the right place at the right time.<br />
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On Saturday, I woke up and decided to go run the Runners World Half Marathon (#RWHalf). It was just two hours away from my NYC-area home, inside the Pennsylvania state line. It seemed like everyone I know in the running community was there, since the RW mag had sponsored so many bloggers from around the country to come in and experience it. I had to go, even unsponsored. My awesome wife Lisa was like go for it, so I took her ride and it was game on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflbab-ci7cRHox4kL7b1I3ORpJ81x_teABTYIP4SnVLAytN32sn_Ysnzs_ffeNE9w6CYn03yqiFC1j3w883xcz11xpbdz9t8xs9_dUV3Ma0b8Z1jbhEd3wNoHeybP8nwx9q-019tVam5V/s1600/CRpCsLAVEAAhbOz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflbab-ci7cRHox4kL7b1I3ORpJ81x_teABTYIP4SnVLAytN32sn_Ysnzs_ffeNE9w6CYn03yqiFC1j3w883xcz11xpbdz9t8xs9_dUV3Ma0b8Z1jbhEd3wNoHeybP8nwx9q-019tVam5V/s320/CRpCsLAVEAAhbOz.jpg" width="258" /></a>After buying a race entry at the RW Half Festival expo and getting to see Coach Andrew and Deena Kastor there, I joined up with runner friends including David (<a href="http://twitter.com/RunningBecause">@RunningBecause</a>, our esteemed #RunChat leader pictured at right!), unstoppable Kristin (<a href="http://twitter.com/BamaGirlRuns">@BamaGirlRuns</a>), funny as all get out Larisa (<a href="http://twitter.com/larisadixonblog">@LarisaDixonBlog</a>) and part-time Cape Cod neighbor Nancy (<a href="http://twitter.com/lilfancynancy">@lilfancynancy</a>) at Bart Yasso's #FlatBart yard party, where we listened to an Irish band and drank some good beer. Great to see Linzie aka <a href="http://twitter.com/SharpEndurance">@SharpEndurance</a>, too!<br />
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Then we returned to the Festival area where I bought a ticket for a fantastic pasta dinner, and that's when this whole Pat Benatar thing started.<br />
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I finally got to meet Karla (<a href="http://twitter.com/KBruning">@KBruning</a> on Twitter, <a href="http://instagram.com/runkarlarun">@RunKarlaRuns</a> on IG), who I have known on social media a long time -- the host of New York Road Runners digital shows and a voice at the start of many of our Central Park races. A bunch of us, including Karla, were walking through the adjacent Sands Casino, deciding not to hit the machines because of all the smokers. So we kept walking through casino and its adjacent outlet-store mall, and I stopped to use a restroom. When I came out, my fellow runners were standing in a short line, motioning me to come over.<br />
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It turns out that Karla "spent 7 years singing Pat Benatar in an '80s cover band." And it turns out that Karla has "still got it" from her old club days. They noticed that Pat Benatar (!) was playing right then at there, in the big room right next to us. She somehow got us six comp tickets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YCk-YT6Z_A8ngpgNHiq21ISJSODfN8jon2XsHjQ0QHBlEEqoZpGF7W_623We9AH_Q2lbWpZsEvIAJQxEdDgpT1Y_DwE2xlfwrr5Ndr0lzvtXPExVb67uIGxxOYegDrT2OK8C-TqS15SQ/s1600/RWHalf2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_YCk-YT6Z_A8ngpgNHiq21ISJSODfN8jon2XsHjQ0QHBlEEqoZpGF7W_623We9AH_Q2lbWpZsEvIAJQxEdDgpT1Y_DwE2xlfwrr5Ndr0lzvtXPExVb67uIGxxOYegDrT2OK8C-TqS15SQ/s1600/RWHalf2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmm0h-HYyy9a1hNXCFVD5zLINR9uFwyxdPRqAGzLnRuxx-byKtBg_K8ze2AluCIXXa6tjd4mYWaRPdW02_x4PawWPs0c57uX4RW1fLS6gSqCAkde9d-i9fyrIybr_ULIFsXZ9Y0AivTSC/s1600/IMG_3468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmm0h-HYyy9a1hNXCFVD5zLINR9uFwyxdPRqAGzLnRuxx-byKtBg_K8ze2AluCIXXa6tjd4mYWaRPdW02_x4PawWPs0c57uX4RW1fLS6gSqCAkde9d-i9fyrIybr_ULIFsXZ9Y0AivTSC/s1600/IMG_3468.JPG" /></a><br />
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The show had already started, but there were seats toward the back and we went in and suddenly were watching a concert. "Patricia" and Neil were on the stage, doing an acoustic show. ALL THE HITS.<br />
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That's when she explained how it had all begun on that first day of MTV. And that's when I installed the Lighter app on my iPhone, to lift in the air. That's when Larisa and Kristin and Karla got up and tried to rush the stage, taking a selfie with the performers behind them before the security guy politely pointed them back to their seats. That's when we realized this was a legendary weekend, requiring a Lighter app download from the iTunes store.<br />
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Here was Karla's post that said it all:<br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/89eJrKln4d/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">What? Just lucked into free tix to #PatBenatar! She's only my 80s rock goddess idol! Geeking out right now! I spent 7 years singing Pat Benatar in an 80s cover band. #fangirl #RWHalf #sandscasino #80s #1980s #bucketlist #rocker #loveisabattlefield #hitmewithyourbestshot #webelong #heartbreaker #promisesinthedark #onstage #liveinconcert</a></div>
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A photo posted by Karla Bruning (@runkarlarun) on <time datetime="2015-10-18T01:27:48+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Oct 17, 2015 at 6:27pm PDT</time></div>
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What a great way to chill and psych up at the same time, the night before a big race. Watch:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RxOFn6HVnQg" width="550"></iframe>
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and this...it was one hit after another, beautifully narrated by two legends and lovers. Patricia told the story about the first day of MTV between one of the songs.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/doWtIIpNxcU" width="550"></iframe><br />
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Since I wasn't as brave as the others and didn't rush the stage for a selfie, here are the best photographs I could muster for you with my iPhone from the back:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYgyXCLnxsUNKd4Eln3_w-m_MKxtJQQR8S3XZDj0Pr5hLiCdTJZ3sLxPGOZEu7zqy-o-K34lDxeDJu6Vc-g5EhrHZ3VeJY9xo8vv3hPAaqLP7Y2PAsvyfkZMWAJ3XJITVcmmX2pbWdTpa/s1600/IMG_3491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYgyXCLnxsUNKd4Eln3_w-m_MKxtJQQR8S3XZDj0Pr5hLiCdTJZ3sLxPGOZEu7zqy-o-K34lDxeDJu6Vc-g5EhrHZ3VeJY9xo8vv3hPAaqLP7Y2PAsvyfkZMWAJ3XJITVcmmX2pbWdTpa/s1600/IMG_3491.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKY_XHXwbymuCvmRFVGfsk9PSxGUTHsYH_Zx_tqWDI2-Nh0s9cC8tXjwAJWS9OoLMHIT-_jrfNW028nanqAtiQNrt-nORgSF7QWqJk42Ub1n52ENywbYvjA7-zE3X0GEKwWaj9wyIhP1UW/s1600/IMG_3492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKY_XHXwbymuCvmRFVGfsk9PSxGUTHsYH_Zx_tqWDI2-Nh0s9cC8tXjwAJWS9OoLMHIT-_jrfNW028nanqAtiQNrt-nORgSF7QWqJk42Ub1n52ENywbYvjA7-zE3X0GEKwWaj9wyIhP1UW/s1600/IMG_3492.JPG" /></a><br />
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We watched the whole show. It was fabulous. They look terrific. They sound amazing. In this photo, Karla is down there on the end, and you can't see her face in this one because Larisa is going all concert-light on us. Next to her is David, then Nancy, then Kristin. Having fun much?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEwrobWGT2cFfVsg_8t3q6H1nGTOaCLcVUWK9JpCaUyPHey6O8684ZbbaTrAaeXNmezvCoUhE5bfxVCkJY4xzEBXKJIBs2FjpBMjE5tavpBrlRckSKOWPmwgezfankxAbziiOTbyQqUWW/s1600/IMG_3481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKEwrobWGT2cFfVsg_8t3q6H1nGTOaCLcVUWK9JpCaUyPHey6O8684ZbbaTrAaeXNmezvCoUhE5bfxVCkJY4xzEBXKJIBs2FjpBMjE5tavpBrlRckSKOWPmwgezfankxAbziiOTbyQqUWW/s1600/IMG_3481.JPG" /></a><br />
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I never knew about Patricia's husband, but now I do. (He talks baseball, which this MLB guy especially likes!) On our way out, amid the bizarre spectacle of characters on stilts and women dangling from thick ropes attached to the sky, I told the group to hang on. I had to buy a <a href="http://patbenatar-neilgiraldo.shop.livenation.com/Product.aspx?pc=FXCTPBE64193">Pat Banatar Vintage Photo T-shirt</a>.<br />
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Because I had to run in that shirt the next morning.<br />
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We walked back to my car (aka event shuttle) and in doing so we were covering the last half-mile of the next day's race. It was a memorable walk. The Bethlehem Steel Stacks were alit in purple at night. If you don't know the history of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem_Steel">Bethlehem Steel</a>, please stop what you are doing and look at the Wikipedia page. It is a really interesting account of how America was built right here. (It's also a cautionary tale of corporate greed, and why we need industry back in this country.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkmHqm-T4UdwM7EMX2mBfTG3Uu24G4YYFf3EAS01E-t1zNlOPQ90u22r8SVQcXASDtW9Gg4TdF6M6Fmxcmse-eS7hVn6khmq187lOptFPTfTkxuhi9rHFeN3-BPL3MQ4-ERVysywPO4Dd/s1600/IMG_3446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkmHqm-T4UdwM7EMX2mBfTG3Uu24G4YYFf3EAS01E-t1zNlOPQ90u22r8SVQcXASDtW9Gg4TdF6M6Fmxcmse-eS7hVn6khmq187lOptFPTfTkxuhi9rHFeN3-BPL3MQ4-ERVysywPO4Dd/s1600/IMG_3446.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://instagram.com/p/9C3WZzGw_6/" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Can't get #PatBenatar and Circus People outta my head!🙌🏽🎶🎤🎩💪🏼 #WeAreStrong #rwhalf #rwhalfandfestival #runnerfam #goodtimes @marath0ner @runningbecause @larisadixonblog @runkarlarun @lilfancynancy</a></div>
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A photo posted by BamagirlRUNS (@bamagirlruns) on <time datetime="2015-10-20T03:44:12+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Oct 19, 2015 at 8:44pm PDT</time></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXJ9eG8nOcUnP84XoXL-Nv_gx_e3bsCVmNyBTvu_GvTwh0dtH4lgG461UlTT_be80_fKKo1kPw7cTgdmmtSytS4KGXSBHs38h4_kqRTaivF0_qbfEViTjOAVOyFRI0pg7brXmIQ2Bzskq/s1600/IMG_3451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXJ9eG8nOcUnP84XoXL-Nv_gx_e3bsCVmNyBTvu_GvTwh0dtH4lgG461UlTT_be80_fKKo1kPw7cTgdmmtSytS4KGXSBHs38h4_kqRTaivF0_qbfEViTjOAVOyFRI0pg7brXmIQ2Bzskq/s1600/IMG_3451.JPG" /></a><br />
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So that's the story of the #Flatme aka #FlatBenatar at the start of this post.<br />
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I stayed the night at a Fairfield Suites by Marriott about 15 minutes from the start, got up at 5:30 and drove to the P7 lot near the Start line. It was about 31 degrees at that point. Fortunately it would warm up, a little bit. I put my fleece in a Gear Check bag, which was very convenient. I had to give mad props overall to the Runners World magazine team, on running a terrific event. My sponsored running blogger friends (did I mention I wasn't sponsored/chosen) did the "Hat Trick," also running the 5K and 10K on Saturday, and not only that they ran a new 3-mile REI trail run on that Friday. (RunDisney-esque.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7sdBvBn95IyOIaxdSjNtF79XfZq6x_tqbKYrV0U94h4-jddpeOkFm8qoypV6x_xKTitzqc-ZOJfYqunxcG1bsBnG7aTBsMolyfkJ3QxR9lrH4kVsVkqvwCghyz6Uo-TMOU41ZFTSaAAa/s1600/IMG_3440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7sdBvBn95IyOIaxdSjNtF79XfZq6x_tqbKYrV0U94h4-jddpeOkFm8qoypV6x_xKTitzqc-ZOJfYqunxcG1bsBnG7aTBsMolyfkJ3QxR9lrH4kVsVkqvwCghyz6Uo-TMOU41ZFTSaAAa/s400/IMG_3440.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
My eyes were barely open at the start, like any good post-concert pic. OK it was sunrise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhtisGIhof0S1uf8lPoLlh_hFfIF9x3zmFt30EbkHGJNmby7atmdKYVu5AN6dz9HBeLnESpK7OLh9pxjp5k3jZVHWScIXI7S2wB4GbMatlDOLI-LFF0K2i8U5bgvgWBEJfl6HCqC8VdyS/s1600/DJVZvYTN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhtisGIhof0S1uf8lPoLlh_hFfIF9x3zmFt30EbkHGJNmby7atmdKYVu5AN6dz9HBeLnESpK7OLh9pxjp5k3jZVHWScIXI7S2wB4GbMatlDOLI-LFF0K2i8U5bgvgWBEJfl6HCqC8VdyS/s1600/DJVZvYTN.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh897OdBMgl6cE9NVBvCCCr-ZF8ktfEtyMHc5fzAo9LZNvQg5-Twm1sCTk8QKxVBtDehNQhDsh7HfVL2XXQDGOZTcAyiQOwtLzyQN4m08q9VZpqRavexDEjas9OjwS7jgJs2CuDkts1QYX_/s1600/CRmPAVRWEAAwhBX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh897OdBMgl6cE9NVBvCCCr-ZF8ktfEtyMHc5fzAo9LZNvQg5-Twm1sCTk8QKxVBtDehNQhDsh7HfVL2XXQDGOZTcAyiQOwtLzyQN4m08q9VZpqRavexDEjas9OjwS7jgJs2CuDkts1QYX_/s1600/CRmPAVRWEAAwhBX.jpg" /></a><br />
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The Allentown (PA) Morning Call newspaper included me (slide 53) in this <a href="http://fw.to/qLNBNSj">photo gallery</a>, taken at the start. Just crossed the start line, remembered I forgot to start my Garmin on time. They must be Pat Benatar fans, because who isn't?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mhHJa9bb_thcfxupfxCVzSqK4qcXMHNs90lP_Hut8llSRV2uy8X02pUTvz4qw9xPwkO3bVw7R17qkw7UtC2f0UYigmWfAha6Sgr9iGTB7xxunA_6u8m19MBIo-DcMvKJXGEmLQY84PIB/s1600/PBStart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mhHJa9bb_thcfxupfxCVzSqK4qcXMHNs90lP_Hut8llSRV2uy8X02pUTvz4qw9xPwkO3bVw7R17qkw7UtC2f0UYigmWfAha6Sgr9iGTB7xxunA_6u8m19MBIo-DcMvKJXGEmLQY84PIB/s1600/PBStart.jpg" /></a><br />
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Here was a photo I took at the expo of the course map:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9RLev4xSyb-7SM5m2P1Swl84xLqhLPQgw0wNFMUZKbsphhhyO9HxiPN8SY-htHoP5LUlds1uTFtDZuVMwNQRvqyerRo8625UkTnZzDa-zRNJ93bmPiulTDcnGQQJYN-ou3r9PNT-JOiw/s1600/IMG_3436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9RLev4xSyb-7SM5m2P1Swl84xLqhLPQgw0wNFMUZKbsphhhyO9HxiPN8SY-htHoP5LUlds1uTFtDZuVMwNQRvqyerRo8625UkTnZzDa-zRNJ93bmPiulTDcnGQQJYN-ou3r9PNT-JOiw/s1600/IMG_3436.JPG" /></a><br />
<br />
Deena had told me when we chatted on Saturday: "Run for the tangents." That is elite-speak for "Don't stray from the path the elites take." Indeed, there are some wide roads, and if you don't "run for the tangents," you can find yourself adding a lot of extra mileage to your half. Whenever Deena speaks, I listen. Please make sure you follow <a href="http://twitter.com/DeenaKastor">her</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/CoachKastor">Coach K</a>!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPUxtr-5dD1NJS57spq0H22pRbAFHjuP21AMgZF96bfC-jkCkngSfOaf-lChNAvoCi7ZI_KSvrUplXZYB_Yx4JOpnfelJfO3uWNbOz52gsH9jzYrPrL6d4rZZ2-_BHESYWK5U0nnCUrSW/s1600/IMG_3428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPUxtr-5dD1NJS57spq0H22pRbAFHjuP21AMgZF96bfC-jkCkngSfOaf-lChNAvoCi7ZI_KSvrUplXZYB_Yx4JOpnfelJfO3uWNbOz52gsH9jzYrPrL6d4rZZ2-_BHESYWK5U0nnCUrSW/s1600/IMG_3428.JPG" /></a><br />
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"Hills for breakfast" were the encouraging words at the start line from RW editor David Willey (I think), and I looked forward to just getting through the first eight miles, as the final five were pretty much downhill. This is not a Half for the meek of heart, I have to say. Miles 3 and 8 are major uphill hikes, even tougher than the Harlem Hill on top of Central Park that I battle so often.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstZXkKflskBTUVNX2YW0HtTvcU7ycSgyAaEZSBTjb3yJ-_bhoKSpCwMLdO1ZdM21iLMLhboDJgxTwbztukiEiRFuH98txTkg9HK527IoWEX7RryQ9V9Yf_P0aWqHS5wQNABU7Oh4-tTe_/s1600/rwhalfracepic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstZXkKflskBTUVNX2YW0HtTvcU7ycSgyAaEZSBTjb3yJ-_bhoKSpCwMLdO1ZdM21iLMLhboDJgxTwbztukiEiRFuH98txTkg9HK527IoWEX7RryQ9V9Yf_P0aWqHS5wQNABU7Oh4-tTe_/s1600/rwhalfracepic1.jpg" /></a><br />
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I had been hit with a stinging pain in my lower right calf area 2 weeks earlier in the Grete's Great Gallop Half at Central Park, felt it again in a 3-miler on a treadmill last week, and then sure enough it hit me in Mile 4 of this race as we were running straight downhill and my legs were trying to resist gravity.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAywbXZ2Zz4lJ8gMiY7U2YyvBGa577_ShNZWsZYHLofI4Vs7MLxQiOyEy-VxE-zG1JFSMhUYEFUfGmKYJFfxcJ5rqZwGYeaQkGKrM_QekbGAZGSmcGbeQltNV53dFYotrgVtFcXAGKXSpl/s1600/RWFinish2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAywbXZ2Zz4lJ8gMiY7U2YyvBGa577_ShNZWsZYHLofI4Vs7MLxQiOyEy-VxE-zG1JFSMhUYEFUfGmKYJFfxcJ5rqZwGYeaQkGKrM_QekbGAZGSmcGbeQltNV53dFYotrgVtFcXAGKXSpl/s1600/RWFinish2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGilAfsn4gM_cJZAY1B5F9KtgAJEJ3PPuhpKBw-mdoRQoACHbrTyUuhw_2lmRuvSFqrDbmenhfRc4Sy3xoNbambgwoqsf3gunTFHMXWiUN6aJK1PYtH-ctu4VCf8fYzvYB2-eA3GDEZvDX/s1600/RWHalfFinish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGilAfsn4gM_cJZAY1B5F9KtgAJEJ3PPuhpKBw-mdoRQoACHbrTyUuhw_2lmRuvSFqrDbmenhfRc4Sy3xoNbambgwoqsf3gunTFHMXWiUN6aJK1PYtH-ctu4VCf8fYzvYB2-eA3GDEZvDX/s1600/RWHalfFinish1.jpg" /></a><br />
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So the rest of the race, I was dealing with significant pain in my lower right leg, and that combined with the tough hills meant I was walking more than I usually would. My finish time was 2:49.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy5QCY9GUnrDDSRYwsZLxhwgvuBrzTVDkFW5HRWa5GrZMrNdsUf96PJiEp0lO8g9UePWzmnWfOXknl1yWERXFNN5pYRS6Yjryp_sTqx0IH2D9535LXwWAgonkupsg6EPqbeT2TvenhOYr/s1600/RWHFinish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy5QCY9GUnrDDSRYwsZLxhwgvuBrzTVDkFW5HRWa5GrZMrNdsUf96PJiEp0lO8g9UePWzmnWfOXknl1yWERXFNN5pYRS6Yjryp_sTqx0IH2D9535LXwWAgonkupsg6EPqbeT2TvenhOYr/s1600/RWHFinish.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfliPbS2bURYjFFyk0F2DlQ3_NNCkeiQITZZmGn7flTh06lGSUe169lPKG7sqdz_1g2i3RGaZfWCNy2w_sFs9jLcsuyznie6He60brxdkNjx74btleuU-uvRwWNh-bzFU8vKtDlYaY6tJ/s1600/12140839_10156100170365403_1624776287171274193_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfliPbS2bURYjFFyk0F2DlQ3_NNCkeiQITZZmGn7flTh06lGSUe169lPKG7sqdz_1g2i3RGaZfWCNy2w_sFs9jLcsuyznie6He60brxdkNjx74btleuU-uvRwWNh-bzFU8vKtDlYaY6tJ/s640/12140839_10156100170365403_1624776287171274193_n.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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Have to give a major shout out to @BamaGirlRuns for finishing all four events, while still not cleared for running duty following her unfortunate leg break this year. It was a lot of #beastmode to get through those hills, walk or run. Hope she bounces back fast! And same to Karla, Larisa and my friend <a href="http://twitter.com/RacePaceJess">@RacePaceJess</a>, hope all of you guys bounce back from dreaded runner injuries.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QlFISbKE6L5DoPgAjQQMhL282OhsoPhlQ0iwfhDWuTVPnQMs6X3k1-db_7Tzh6belGNwuRSSdT4uOb8VBEyXlKtoUVzlZVRMPn0q5FijzhjRs14iXGr7V4-Qrr3wfl7_WAkIr6lIx4x8/s1600/WithBamaGirlRuns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QlFISbKE6L5DoPgAjQQMhL282OhsoPhlQ0iwfhDWuTVPnQMs6X3k1-db_7Tzh6belGNwuRSSdT4uOb8VBEyXlKtoUVzlZVRMPn0q5FijzhjRs14iXGr7V4-Qrr3wfl7_WAkIr6lIx4x8/s1600/WithBamaGirlRuns.jpg" /></a><br />
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It is a beautiful course, and the field of runners are abnormally running-savvy (think Boston Marathon as a half) while the event is also extremely accommodating and helpful to ALL runners. I found out about their Sub Thirty Club (under a :30 5K is the premise). You learn a lot at this event. It's a cool expo, and the seminars and pasta party are among the highlights.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLEFG46v3wnqJLR07WhkS_uG-HBc6zNmag4C6VcoKxMeSq2i-qo3wE2cTytdE2JuzKVOcMptEWzGzqx4w7DYkD4JTeSUUX7oNqzt0HjT9LcubMjMq8OoBzWPQzFKUUe_9AUZNGx1LpSKx/s1600/IMG_3426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGLEFG46v3wnqJLR07WhkS_uG-HBc6zNmag4C6VcoKxMeSq2i-qo3wE2cTytdE2JuzKVOcMptEWzGzqx4w7DYkD4JTeSUUX7oNqzt0HjT9LcubMjMq8OoBzWPQzFKUUe_9AUZNGx1LpSKx/s400/IMG_3426.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4NrPK3WaVTjYnp7zeDZaI6cBydY6-Ebxt9CYt1M7ee2_31keqGH8Tq5UeRTQ840Dp-fV2jKHZHqqN_pSnn7RIjM6UHn6dBBbUG_KTdmi4n4FTsM39uF3N0yBRu2QxskHYvb5lTIFBbCh/s1600/IMG_3455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4NrPK3WaVTjYnp7zeDZaI6cBydY6-Ebxt9CYt1M7ee2_31keqGH8Tq5UeRTQ840Dp-fV2jKHZHqqN_pSnn7RIjM6UHn6dBBbUG_KTdmi4n4FTsM39uF3N0yBRu2QxskHYvb5lTIFBbCh/s640/IMG_3455.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
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So my advice after this running weekend was just remember what Pat Benatar told all of us during her show. You never know when one of your songs is suddenly going to appear in a whole new paradigm shift from audio to something called MTV. You never know when opportunity will happen. So just get out there and make things happen. And remember this:<br />
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<b>#WeAreStrong</b><br />
<br />
<i>- Mark</i>Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-72225018939983425542015-08-25T13:14:00.002-04:002015-11-06T14:45:16.734-05:00One Year With No Diet Sodas<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrIgOTm6vbWuHaTgq0Tof4n2Wqw1o40ncXGfAOrrY9C7_vDqK8L8VOj6z0W5zkNAPtphldq660GpbAGa2_cDgw9Uv5zY8MwN4KyrBzcVKL1UATGBx_MXbu3khN_Tr6BIX7__HZ3XIgoqX/s1600/drinks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrIgOTm6vbWuHaTgq0Tof4n2Wqw1o40ncXGfAOrrY9C7_vDqK8L8VOj6z0W5zkNAPtphldq660GpbAGa2_cDgw9Uv5zY8MwN4KyrBzcVKL1UATGBx_MXbu3khN_Tr6BIX7__HZ3XIgoqX/s1600/drinks.jpg" /></a><i>By Mark</i> | One year ago today I stopped drinking diet sodas for the
rest of my life.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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I am not here to preach to anyone who drinks diet sodas. I swore that when I
traded smoking for running on Dec. 1, 2006, I would not be one of those pushy
people who think he knows it all. Others can do as they please as none of us
are going to live more than 100-and-change anyway.<br />
<br />
This is a report of my own findings over a year of new beverage consumption. It
has been tough at times, actually harder for me than quitting smoking. It is
easy to avoid smoking; it is harder to avoid diet sodas because they are
omnipresent, thanks to institutionalized soft-drink companies.<br />
<br />
Before August 25, 2014, a typical day at the office for me would include a few
trips to one of three beverage machines in our cafeteria, where my go-to was a
Diet Coke, Diet Dr Pepper or Diet Pepsi. The far-right machine was bottled
water only, and I would work those in as often as I could force myself to. My diet
soda habit also encouraged fast-food drive-thru trips and bad food, all part of
the package.<br />
<br />
As I am writing this, I am in a car dealership service department, waiting for the dangling rear-view mirror on my Jeep to be fixed. I just went to the drink machine in the waiting room pictured here and looked over the choices: Monster Energy, Vitaminwater Fruit Punch, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fuze Iced Tea, Seagram’s Ginger Ale, Coke Zero, Seagram’s Sparkling Seltzer Water Original and Fanta Grape.<br />
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That is fairly representative of what I find these days. If you swear off diet
soda and you are a runner trying to keep sugar to a minimum, then what you see
in an example like this is pretty disappointing. Again not judging others, but
the world is going to have to catch up pretty soon to a lot of people, I think.
That is where I will start the list of beverage lessons that I have learned in the
last year:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKPOx56mIXU28_WSJnSO39VXcSc3sAc-pLaxq-iXfTC3kE3k63JpM-31-6nnnGrLqXYdpnjmGQ80WXYrQaGSpRlGXugbDWzJXHTDUKXGz4rGuTvD3_8loy2XJHM4jIP9gd68yvFa4Fyt6/s1600/PolarSeltzers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKPOx56mIXU28_WSJnSO39VXcSc3sAc-pLaxq-iXfTC3kE3k63JpM-31-6nnnGrLqXYdpnjmGQ80WXYrQaGSpRlGXugbDWzJXHTDUKXGz4rGuTvD3_8loy2XJHM4jIP9gd68yvFa4Fyt6/s1600/PolarSeltzers.jpg" /></a><b>1. I love seltzer.</b> This was my choice in the beverage machine shown here. I was
never a seltzer guy. Ohmygod was I not a seltzer guy. But I needed to replace
that “fizz” with something else, and especially if I am eating something at the
same time. I can’t do regular bottled water with food, just can’t. Seltzer,
yes, and feel free to mix a small amount of lemonade or other flavoring as you
wish (I do).<br />
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<b>2. Iced tea rocks.</b> My favorite is a large unsweetened iced tea from Art Café,
an establishment in my neck of the woods in Nyack, NY. If you can make your own
and throw a mint leaf in it, enjoy. They infuse it with mint and it is pure
goodness and refreshment – especially after a run. As for iced-tea commodities,
I often turn to Teas Tea, Gold Peak, any that are unsweetened and calorie-free.
"Mint is an antispasmodic, so it can relax muscles, which combats
stiffness and aches," says Susan Lark, MD, author of The Chemistry of
Success (Bay Books, 1999). It aids in digestion by promoting the movement of food
through the digestive tract, according to Fitness Magazine.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0fdTSLwtPhAcPU2FwFEJSIYTgDq-cJfDqGNBLQymeGsjoxBLSfd-wIe9B-InSsDkK2Wd7cyDgjCadRp49mOMOWsGDPoRepGlyB5-dik-FZZ2Duabx4sjbRCq0vVvZeAY5M8tnXDqlA8x/s1600/Zevia.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0fdTSLwtPhAcPU2FwFEJSIYTgDq-cJfDqGNBLQymeGsjoxBLSfd-wIe9B-InSsDkK2Wd7cyDgjCadRp49mOMOWsGDPoRepGlyB5-dik-FZZ2Duabx4sjbRCq0vVvZeAY5M8tnXDqlA8x/s320/Zevia.png" width="166" /></a><b>3. I love Zevia.</b> There is not a consensus on how good these drinks are for you,
but they don’t contain aspertame, which is the main reason I stopped drinking
diet sodas. They do contain Stevia, a sugar substitute that is still up for
debate as to its goodness. They come in various flavors, and to me they are the
best substitute for the drinks I used to love. I’d like to see these in our
work cafeteria!<br />
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<b>4. Honest Tea needs to be more honest.</b> You started as a go-to but soon your
high-sugar versions became as omnipresent to me as name-brand diet sodas, at
every market and highway stop. I did not give up diet sodas to turn to rich,
unhealthy, sugar-loaded iced teas. Thus after a year’s findings I cannot
include this beverage, at least not until calorie-free products are stocked on
common USA shelves. Similarly, I just bought that Fuse Iced Tea Lemon out of
the above drink machine, just to see what’s on the label and how it tastes; it
is 70 calories and has 18 grams of sugar, so I would avoid that.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Do we really need this much energy?</b> As you can see from the first choice in
that drink machine and looking at every cashier counter in America, energy
drinks dominate everything. I know I don’t have any use for this. I like
coffee, and I’ll go to Starbucks for an iced coffee in the afternoon if needed.
If I really need a pick-me-up, Starbucks Refreshers are pretty healthy as an
alternative. But all the others, again I don’t want to judge anyone else, but I
really hope no one harms themselves with these things. I was just surprised to
learn the past year just how overbearingly omnipresent they are.<br />
<br />
<b>6. Coconut water is good but I lost interest.</b> I was often mixing these in with
diet sodas until a year ago, so it was fairly common to find a bottle of Zico
on my desk or after a run. But in the process of quitting diet sodas, I
completely lost my taste for coconut water. I can’t explain it, just saying
that is what I found. Maybe all of that is related, maybe not. I don’t want
coconut water.<br />
<br />
<b>7. I still drink bottled water, usually Poland Spring.</b> I try not to drink the
ones that prop up the diet soda business, but others can do whatever they want.
Some days I chug water in mass quantities, some days I completely forget. If a
marathon or half is coming up, a bottle of water is an extension of my hand.
Obviously this is the No. 1 healthy beverage of all-time and for the future, as
all the experts agree. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, the
Institute of Medicine has set an adequate intake of 125 ounces (about 15 cups)
for men and 91 ounces (about 11 cups) for women. In most people, about 80 percent
of this water volume comes from beverages; the rest comes from food.<br />
<br />
<b>8. Gatorade is great . . . on race day.</b> I still drink it a little too often, and my goal is to limit it to ultimate races/workouts, where it is more useful as a regenerator of electrolytes, carbs and fluid. For most people, it is just another way to get extra sugar and calories.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>9. Juices and smoothies.</b> Yum. I still mix these in just as I did before I stopped drinking diet sodas, so nothing changes here but they still help fill that gap. Love our Nutriblasts.<br />
<b><br />10. It is always wine o'clock.</b> Red wine. Italian wine. Red wine from the Puglia region of Italy.
Yes, this has plentiful sugar as well, but hello it is wine o’clock and there
are healthy benefits. Talk to me.<br />
<br />
So, he are after a whole freaking year of avoiding diet sodas. Happy Asperversary to me.<br />
<br />
My weight is about the same, as I have run only one marathon since then and have devoted much of my spare time in 2015 to personal projects. Being diet-soda-free once I pick up my training will mean welcomed weight loss. It isn't easy, but it feels good and I highly recommend it to anyone else who wants to try it. The alternatives are not as abundant as you will wish, but it is possible to keep it going, just as I proved when I traded a box of KOOLS for a box of ASICS and ran about 120 races.<br />
<br />
<b>What do you drink?</b></div>
Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1393976327343625568.post-28931637976836638012015-08-18T15:12:00.001-04:002015-11-06T14:44:59.387-05:00Extreme Heat or Extreme Cold? <div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGe5snNlyx3SrnKF_fgggXYKyMPy_-jJi5I1LkBCqPt5TBKHhct2Bru6PXsUDWdUDzRuyE_1tC459y2em8O6NAIEqz-1ujzW8i89oGNmnB4SjG-y-5Dj9WW37lgFFLLFtG345z9a8SWJuL/s1600/HotRunning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGe5snNlyx3SrnKF_fgggXYKyMPy_-jJi5I1LkBCqPt5TBKHhct2Bru6PXsUDWdUDzRuyE_1tC459y2em8O6NAIEqz-1ujzW8i89oGNmnB4SjG-y-5Dj9WW37lgFFLLFtG345z9a8SWJuL/s200/HotRunning.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<i>By Mark</i> | After doing this <a href="http://twitter.com/marathoner" target="_blank"><b>@Marathoner</b></a> stuff for nearly a decade, I decided to list as many pros as I could for running in the most extreme heat and the most extreme cold.<br />
<a name='more'></a> I like to run in both, and I know Rachel tackles them both as well. Every time I run -- such as today's brutally hot 4-miler on a trail along the Hudson River -- I come up with additions to this. Here's what I've got, with "Hot" leading just slightly (it has a calendar advantage right now). <i>Please</i> add your pros in the comments!<br />
<br />
<b>EXTREME HOT RUNNING</b><br />
<br />
The freedom of lightweight clothing and speed.<br />
<br />
Gels (in my case GU) keep their viscosity.<br />
<br />
Safe footing that you can see, so no risk of falls and lower-leg injuries.<br />
<br />
You look sexy, as opposed to the cold category.<br />
<br />
Central Park water fountains are turned on so you can run hands-free then.<br />
<br />
Always other runners around so you are inspired with company.<br />
<br />
More road side surface to run on, as snowplowed shoulders deter cold runs.<br />
<br />
Training for a marathon or half is just easier with steady scheduling.<br />
<br />
Precipitation in summer (rain) is easier to run in than precip in winter
(snow/ice).<br />
<br />
There is more sun and everyone loves more sunshine.<br />
<br />
No temptation to use the dreadmill.<br />
<br />
You get to run through sprinklers, just like a kid. Can’t do that in the snow.<br />
<br />
You can run on the beach. The ocean is there. It is paradise.<br />
<br />
No bag check at that hottest race of the year! That means more sleep.<br />
<br />
Trails are shaded so it keeps you cool.
No leaves in the winter.<br />
<br />
The “Summer Wind” that Sinatra sang about is easier to handle. Not wind chill.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="310" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eEqJvLmIlAE" width="550"></iframe><br />
<br />
You know when a snot rocket has properly cleared your nose. No idea in January.<br />
<br />
Much more variety of courses, as cold routes are more limited.<br />
<br />
Stretching is easier, again because less constrictive clothing.<br />
<br />
Cold muscles can’t perform at the same level as a muscle that is warm.<br />
<br />
Summer Olympics have running events, not Winter Olympics. Inspiration there.<br />
<br />
<b>EXTREME COLD RUNNING</b><br />
<br />
No Air Quality Alert advisories on your app. Pollen zero.<br />
<br />
Wear whatever colors you want. Can’t wear dark colors on that hottest day.<br />
<br />
No swarms of gnats to inhale in on your trail, and no bugs at all.<br />
<br />
Hands-free without carrying water.<br />
<br />
Run any time of day, as opposed to 4 or 5 am wakeups to beat the heat.<br />
<br />
You don’t have to slow down as often.<br />
<br />
You are so #beastmode tough out there by yourself. And no Instagram
competition.<br />
<br />
You can post one of those awesome pics of icicles forming on facial hair.<br />
<br />
You’re not ready to pass out from heat stroke. Dehydration never a real
concern.<br />
<br />
You get to wear cool gear like <b><a href="http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2014/01/marathoner-product-review-asics-cold.html" target="_blank">ASICS Storm Shelter</a></b>, including stuff that holds
your mobile phone.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="yaktrax.http://marathonomy.blogspot.com/2015/03/gear-review-deer-tracks-and-yaktrax.html">Yaktrax</a></b> and <b><a href="https://www.thorlo.com/">Thorlos</a></b>.<br />
<br />
No heat cramps caused by fluid and electrolyte loss.<br />
<br />
I wear Breathe-Right strips when I run, and super-hot humidity runs make them
peel off.<br />
<br />
Running while the snow is falling is a beautiful silence and serenity.<br />
<br />
It's more fun to do gear reviews. There is more to write about!<br />
<br />
A post-run bath or shower feels better than it does after running in the
hottest weather.<br />
<br />
The best food of the year is offset by a great run during the holidays.<br />
<br />
Earbuds are less squishy with less ear sweat and water dumped over your head.
You hear holiday music.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<b>Please add your own hot-or-cold pros to the list in the comments! Yes, most probably would say it's better to run in spring or fall, but this is strictly about extreme hot or cold.</b><br />
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Mark Newmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14538539044809518955noreply@blogger.com2