Run for the Parks

Think and run green on April 18th at 8:00 AM in a 4-mile race that supports City Parks Foundation.

Proceeds from the day benefit CPF's free citywide programs.

You can bring the whole family to participate in the kids' races and have fun at the post-race reception. What's the ideal location for your Sunday run? Central Park, of course.
 
Register Here

Just for Fun: 10 Reasons to Run in the Rain

 
The rainiest March on record for New York City has inspired me to come up with ten awesome reasons to run in the rain. So without further delay, here they are:

1.      You can run for miles and miles and have most of the road/trail to yourself.
2.      When you come back covered in mud you feel even more hard core than you would after a dry run.
3.      When you tell people (specifically non-runners) that you went for a run in bad weather (bonus points if the wind gusts were over 40mph or there were significant downpours) they think you are really committed and even more awesome. They could also just think you're crazy... but that's OK too.
4.      You get to puddle jump like when you were a kid… you’re already wet anyway, right?
5.      Sweat, what sweat? It's just rain water! ;-)
6.      The road has an odd mirrored effect which makes your shadow/reflection look pretty cool.
7.      When you do pass the occasional runner or cyclist there is a good chance they will smile at you and you might even get the occasional thumbs up or “Way to go!”
8.      You won’t get overheated like your would on a dry day and no need to carry water, just open your mouth towards the sky.
9.      You are never tempted to start walking or slow down just to “take a break for a minute”-- You will get to your warm, dry home faster if you speed up (read: brand new personal record).
10.  When you get home you have never been happier to have a nice, long, hot shower. 

Bonus Reason: You are NOT on the treadmill!*

So get outside, even if it is raining. In fact, enjoy all your outdoor activities in the rain, be they hiking, soccer, baseball, running or just a nice trip outside for puddle jumping. 

*Many thanks to Chris M. for the bonus reason! 

A Race Anyone Can Win

Jack Rabbit Sports (one of my favorite stores) is holding a race on April 13th in Prospect Park that ANYONE can win. That's right anyone... if you run a 6 minute mile or at 12 minute mile, it doesn't matter... we'll all be evenly matched.

Jack Rabbit writes,  

This race will not be won by the fastest runner, but by the person who knows themselves best.  When you register, you need to predict your finishing time.  The race will be chip timed, but there will be no clocks on the course and runners are not allowed to wear watches.  After the race, you’ll see what your actual finish time was and just how close you came.  The people that are closest to their predicted times win.

Because this race is not about speed, we will not have separate categories for men & women or different age groups.  Instead, the top 5 most accurate runners will win a $30 coupon to JackRabbit, the next 10 most accurate will win a $20 coupon, and the next 10 most accurate will win a $10 coupon.  Winners will receive coupons via email or as a store credit.

The proceeds of this event are going directly to benefit Prospect Park.  Instead of printing yet another race tee shirt, we’re going to pool the proceeds from the race and put them towards a project in Prospect Park that will benefit the running community.  

Crucial Information: The race will begin and end at the Bartel Prichard lot at the intersection of 15th St and Prospect Park West in Prospect Park at 7:00 p.m.  Please plan to arrive no later than 6:45p.  Bag drop will be provided.  The start is very close to the F train stop at Prospect Park. The race course will be approximately one loop of the park.

The race is capped at 400 registrants.  Online registration will end at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 12th or when the race is full. Online registration is $20 at www.jackrabbitsports.com/anyonecanwin.  Pre-race packet pickup will be available at the JackRabbit Union Square store on Monday, April 12th or at the race start beginning at 6:00pm.  If space is still available, race evening registration will be $30 on-site.

I love that Jack Rabbit is donating the proceeds of this race to benefit Prospect Park... Personally, while I love race tees, I have enough of them and I always agree with supporting our city's parks. Way to go Jack Rabbit!!

Please go and checkout Jack Rabbit's website. This store proved to be a great resource for me when I had just started running. Their staff was always encouraging, welcoming and friendly. Additionally, they were knowledgeable about their products and general resources for runners in and around the city. They are great for runners, cyclists, swimmers, yoga fanatics and general fitness enthusiasts.

Overall, I think this race sounds like a fantastic idea... I'm slow, so this may be my only opportunity to ever win anything. I'm so excited! See you out there!

Calling All Triathletes!

The Multisport World Conference and Expo will be coming to New York City on April 18th, 2010.

The Expo is FREE and open to anyone who likes to complete in triathlons or likes to swim, bike or run. I went last year and really enjoyed it... and I am certainly no cyclist and not a competitive swimmer.

They will be offering seminars on such topics as injury prevention, developing faster running times, and nutrition. There will also be running, swimming and cycling clinics-- I did the running clinic last year and LOVED it. For more information on the clinics click (here) and for more information on the seminars click (here).

The event will also feature two speakers: Troy Jacobson founder of Spinervals and National Director of Endurance Sports Training for Lifetime Fitness, and Jordan Metzl, MD, a nationally recognized doctor of Sports Medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery. For more information on the speakers click (here).

Please also note the USAT Northeast Region Annual Membership meeting will be taking place at the expo.

The expo will take place at the Manhattan Jewish Community Center (JCC) which coincidentally hosts an awesome indoor triathlon each December (a great opportunity for first timers who are a little worried about the open water aspect of triathlons).

The JCC is located at 334 Amsterdam Avenue (at 76th Street) New York, NY 10024

For more information and to register click (here). My best advice is to register early... this event was PACKED last year!

Update (4/17/10): Jordan Metzel will no longer be speaking at Multisport. But they have added many other experts to the web-page including Dr. Paul Weiss, Jordano Quaglia, Dr. Mark Klion, Andrew Kalley, Scott Duke, Peter Duggan, Nicholas Amico, Niel Cook, and Sarah Currie. For more details on the speakers click here.

8 Places to Grab Your Running Gear

Looking for a place to get your running clothes, sneaks or fuel packs?

Check out NYCGO.com and read Runners' Buy: Best NYC Trotting Gear which is complete with a map of all locations.

Personally I love Jack Rabbit sports and Super Runners for their running evaluations and general knowledge of the sport. I also appreciate that at Super Runners when I buy a new pair of sneakers I can try them out for 30 days and return them if they aren't exactly what I need. (Note: Jack Rabbit may have the same policy, I just haven't been told of it.) Additionally, I have also had great success with Asics shoes and therefore enjoy going to their store.

Hope this article helps you find all the equipment and apparel you need for an awesome run!

Want to Run with These Guys?

I don't know about you.... but I do! They look like a fun bunch!

New York Road Runners Club is sponsoring Scotland Week which starts on April 3, 2010 with the Scotland Run! The race is a 10K in Central Park and is a qualifier for the Marathon in 2011.

NYRR also mentions that there will opportunities to win some pretty cool prizes such as "trips to Scotland and luxury gifts."  They also promise that "the post-race festival promises tasty Scottish fare and live entertainment." --- I really hope this means bagpipes!!!!

Cool Tool- Map My Run

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I've been MIA for a few days... a nasty stomach bug took me out.

Before I got my Garmin one of the hardest things for me to do was track the distance of my runs accurately. That is until I stumbled upon this fun tool, Map My Run. It was one of the easiest tools to learn to use. Although it can be slow to load and a little finicky at times, I found those drawbacks to be well worth it as it is FREE and works everywhere that Google Maps works (read: even on trails in Upstate NY or CT).

 Image of a saved run in through Van Courtland Park on Map My Run

It also lists favorite routes of people in your neighborhood and in the city (for an example, see the above image). This is also great if you are a cyclist and looking to measure your distance.

So if you don't have a Garmin, Polar, or iPhone try this tool out and I hope it helps you in your workouts.

Run for a Good Cause

It seems as though Haiti has been on everyone's minds and hearts lately. So many people have already donated their money and time to help a nation in critical need. Here is another opportunity to help and to be active at the same time!

Run for Haiti - A 4-mile race taking place in Central Park starting at 9:00a.m. with kids races taking place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 20. Perhaps, best of all, its a double qualifier for those of you NYRR members who are hoping to qualify for the 2011 NYC Marathon. Online registration closes tonight at 11:59 p.m. So why are you still reading?.... Get going!!! Click here to register.

I'll be out there Saturday morning cheering you all on!!