How Mark Zuckerberg just changed running forever

Mark Zuckerberg started his A Year Of Running 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.

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.

Here is why I am obsessed with it:

"You Better Run" to the Runners World Half Marathon

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 2015 Runners World Half Marathon & Festival..

Extreme Heat or Extreme Cold?

By Mark | After doing this @Marathoner 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.

Countdown to 2015 TCS New York City Marathon

This includes updated info below on the 50% increase in lottery entries in 2015!

So there I was at the doctor's office, dealing with a deep cough, and continuously reloading the TCS New York City Marathon signup page as the clock hit high noon. I had my credit card ready, already had a tweet composed, and was determined to be the very first runner to claim guaranteed entry for the November 1, 2015, race. I would be the first signup. That, of course, is when the good doctor walked into my room and began the checkup.

Alas, I had to wait 15 minutes before entering, but it's DONE. I'm in. That's how I excited I get when it comes time to claim that guaranteed entry. It's something I and many others work so hard for during the course of a year, running at least nine scored New York Road Runners races and volunteering for another so we can get that all-important 9+1 exemption. It guarantees entry for the following year's NYC Marathon. I will always do 9+1 as long as I'm able in life.

An Evening With ASICS Teammates

Thanks to NYC Marathon veteran runner Noelle from ASICS America HQ in Southern California for treating a batch of us ASICS bloggers in New York to an awesome night on the town! Left to right are Erika @bgg2wl, Gregg @nycsweat, Famous ASICS Mannequin, Noelle @run_noelle_run, Megan @runlikeagrl, Grace @leangirlsclub and yours truly @Marathoner.

We met tonight at the ASICS Meatpacking District Store next to my MLB HQ, and first there was a 4-mile run along the Financial District path to World Trade Center area and back. One of the best runs I've had in a long time, solid pace in the 9s. Then it was back to #ASICSMeatpacking for some shopping, courtesy of ASICS. "Pick out an outfit" are some of the coolest words I hear, and I asked if it was OK to do my random shopping for Rachel, our 19-year-old runner who is a contributor on this blog. (I'll let Rachmo show you the outfit in her upcoming gear review of it!)

Holiday Fitness Tips from Michelle Lovitt

ASICS Fitness Expert
Michelle Lovitt

From Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, holiday traditions will bring us cherished memories of a lifetime . . . and some real challenges on the training front. ASICS & Pear Sports Fitness Expert (and NYC Marathon finisher) Michelle Lovitt is kind enough to share these important tips entering into this holiday season so you can make the most of a wonderful time of year and stay within your fit lifestyle.

Ready? Here goes:

1) Drink plenty of water before and after a meal. Water will not only help you feel more satiated it will help increase your metabolism and help your body burn calories more efficiently. Keep in mind that the increase in calories burned is modest, however the water keeps your body hydrated and functioning properly.



2) Don't drink your calories. If you partake in holiday festivities limit your alcohol (and eggnog) consumption to no more than two glasses. Drinking caloric beverages daily not only dehydrates you but also packs on unwanted pounds with extra calories.

110th World Series 10K

Hello from Kansas City! I am working my 20th World Series, and this morning I put on my new ASICS GEL-Kayano 21s that ASICS sent me to review, and got in a glorious run before all the wildness begins between the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals, which you can watch on FOX with Game 1 at 8 p.m. ET. The Harry S. Truman Sports Complex in Jackson County is shared by the Royals and the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and it is massive. Which makes it also ideal for training runs for an @marathoner like me.

We Go Big. No REALLY Big.

I was walking 44 blocks to our MLB HQ from Grand Central when this happened.

"We Are Marathoners. We Go Big." And if you want to see just HOW big, then watch the video I just took with my iPhone. You can see for yourself what happens when you combine ASICS with the TCS New York City Marathon and iconic scenery for the world's biggest race.

Hamptons Marathon: This Is Living

The Hamptons Marathon on Sept. 27 was my 15th marathon, my 107th race overall, and my third marathon of 2014 after the ASICS LA Marathon in March and the Boston Marathon World Run in April. After this I have the Staten Island Half on October 12 and then the Walt Disney World Marathon on January 11. Here is a recap from paradise:

Stained Glass Medal. It's the most elegant medal I own now. When you hold it up to a light, it is almost like a stained glass window, with a beautiful blue ocean hue, which you can compare to the shot below. The engraving is a lifeguard stand with surfboards on its sides. Nice style.

I Shall Protect This House

I was up early this morning to hit our BodyQuest gym with Rachel, and it was a terrific speedwork session with leg weights and core training. "Focus on supreme fitness," Coach Andrew Kastor, the coach for our ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge, told me on the phone last Friday. "Think one day at a time." It was exactly the workout I needed on another day when snow was falling yet again in the NYC area.

What I didn't expect was to basically work out much of the day. The same snow that has posed such a challenge in training for a beautiful Southern California marathon course on March 9 has caused serious problems for people in our area, and on this day I was in position to be potentially a victim.

We have a flat metal roof covering half of our deck behind our house, attached to the back of the house and supported around the edges by upright poles and braces. Last night, the Winter Advisory warning on my Weather.com app suddenly mentioned that "flat roof collapses" are likely. Then the most respected meteorologist who I follow on Facebook reposted a list of symptoms for a possible flat roof collapse, and I saw at least three symptoms that applied to my deck roof. We were in trouble with wet snow on the way.

The roof was bulging in spots, with a couple of leaks. I told Lisa and Rachel to not walk under it, under any circumstances. The roof had nearly two feet of ice and snow covering it, bearing as much weight as possible. Someone walking under it could be crushed, pinned, a disaster waiting to happen. I returned from BodyQuest to defend my house. I didn't want to see a collapse, insurance claim and so forth, but most of all I wanted to make sure we have a safe home. That's my most important job as a homeowner.

Because I NEVER STOP IMPROVING, I went to Lowe's to buy lumber to make a T-frame for support. I got five 2x4x8s, could have used a couple more but time was of the essence, plus I had to get down to the city for work. I knew that temperatures were forecast to rise into the 40s in the second half of this week, but this was an emergency. I took the boards home, measured the distance from deck to roof in the center area. I nailed two of the 2x4s together so they would form the beam that goes longways against the roof, and the other three 2x4s would be the legs. I cut those with a hand saw in our dining room, went out to the deck and wedged the new T-frame in snugly so there would be no way it could collapse in the center.

With some assurance now in place, I then proceeded to start shoveling the exposed deck area, which had at least 2 feet of snow and an ice base. That was a long job and the second part of my workout, heaving shovels of ice and snow over the deck railing. Once I cleared out enough room to place a rug and my stepladder, I got onto the top step and began shoveling snow and ice from the top of the roof. What I saw made it even more surprising that the roof had not collapsed yet. I awkwardly hauled off seemingly a ton of snow and ice, clearing the gutter area, and that was just the left half of the roof. I have more to do tomorrow, but this seemingly has removed the crisis and prevented at least one more collapsed flat roof in our area.



















Are you affected by the big snow this winter? Is the drought out West a serious problem for you? 19 days to the LA Marathon. Stay tuned...