After reading Robert Sullivan’s article “Stars Run Wild” in the February 2010 issue of Runner’s World got me thinking. Is it really a bad thing that so many celebrities are runner’s or use running as a publicity venue?

One of the things Robert pointed out in his article is that by running, celebrities “threaten to take over the mundane, real-life world that we, the noncelebrities, live in on a day-to-day basis.” No in a way, I can see his point, but only to a point.

As a runner, I guess I would definitely have an issue with a celebrity using running for publicity if in fact, they were not really runners. If they thought that being photographed in a pair of Nike’s and an iPod that it would somehow elevate their status in the public eye. Then, as a runner, I would take issue. But, when it comes down to actual fitness, I have no issue at all. In fact, I’d like to encourage it.

As runner’s, shouldn’t we be promoting the healthy act we participate in? To help discourage obesity in this world – especially in our children? Let’s face it. You and I don’t have the “pull” that an Edward Norton, Katie Holmes or the queen of all media – Oprah has on the masses. So if they can encourage other people to get their asses off a couch and onto the streets, shouldn’t that be a good thing? Heck, I say the more the merrier!!! Add to that, most celebrities run races for charities and I can’t imagine anybody having an issue with that.

Yes, it may lead to more crowded races and running outfits on the runways in France but that would also lead to more things being offered to runners. Imagine going into a sporting goods store with a larger running section than golf or cycling. Wouldn’t we “mundane, real-life runner’s” benefit from this? I think yes!!!

The only downside I can see is that people would jump right in without consulting other runner’s, physicians or expert advice. I believe we’re seeing the results of that now. With runner’s dying in many races this past year, I think people believe if you run, you’re automatically healthy. While running is a healthy lifestyle, running only provides fitness, not health. Be sure to get regular physicals and consult some experts before jumping in head first.

Give us your thoughts. How do you feel about Celebrity Running?

RMFR

Alarms ring, are you wakening,
In the street, snow is glistening
A worrisome sight,
This just isn’t right.
Running in a winter wonderland.

Gone away is the summer,
We all know, it’s a bummer,
Where’s the long sleeves,
I think I have to sneeze,
Running in a winter wonderland.

On the sidewalk we can jump a snowbank,
Then step in a puddle filled with slush.

Your socks are soaked
and feet are numb, it’s old now,
You curse and yell
When when nobody’s around.

Later on, we’ll retire,
Dry our shoes by the fire
Your clothes are all wet,
And it’s a good bet, you’ll be
Running in a winter wonderland.

In the winter we can use a treadmill,
Spend hours watching Oprah and the wall
It’s not a lot of fun using that treadmill,
Turn back time and bring back to fall.

When it snows, ain’t it thrilling,
Though your bones get a chilling
We’ll run and we’ll train and deal with the pain,
Of running in a winter wonderland.

NOTE: This is a repost of Troy’s post on his near misses while running. Troy was quoted from this post in January’s 2010 Runner’s World article “Collision Course” (p. 87) by Liz Robbins.

I am blown away at the number of people, young and old alike that have embraced this communication medium.  I too use this quick and efficient tool to communicate with others…the difference?  I don’t do it while I am freakin’ DRIVING!

I love to travel.  It offers countless benefits…especially to runners! The ability to run new courses, terrain,  hills (that may or may not already be named), climate, and definitely new challenges. The “new-ness” makes it fun, motivational, and exciting. Evidently, it also comes with great risks. No I’m not talking about the act of traveling… you know, breaking down on the side of the road, getting car jacked or some strange random occurrence that you read about on the front page of a local newspaper. I’m talking about the silent assassin with the lethal potential to seriously injure or possible kill runners all over the world. That’s right, TEXTING!

If you are a road runner, you have come accustomed to running with full awareness of your surroundings. You must stay alert and focused at all times to avoid being struck by bicyclists, motorists, or even large animals, depending on where you live and definitely WHERE YOU TRAVEL. I am currently in Portland, Oregon – on “vacation” (whatever that means). Regardless of where or what I am supposed to be doing, I will RUN. That’s what you do when you’re a runner…you just RUN, no matter where you happen to be. This time though, I am forced to run on a fairly busy suburban street located in a residential area of SE Portland.

This is where my story begins… I had arrived the night prior (morning actually), at 3:30 a.m. only to rise at 7:30 to hit the road for a quick 9. I am greeted by pleasant temps around 62º and full sun. Perfect! Right? WRONG!!!  About a 1/2 mile into the run I come within feet of being struck by a car driven by a young teenage female as she is making a right turn onto a main road. I look up and notice immediately, she is TEXTING!  I shake my head and run on down the road, thinking to myself, “Chalk that one up to stupidity”. Nearly two miles later as I approach a controlled intersection (running in the opposite direction of on-coming traffic), a car to my left begins to make a right turn; a RIGHT TURN, right into ME. I literally jump out of the bike lane and onto the sidewalk while trying to keep my balance. I looked up just in time to see a 45+ man with his head down, punching on his phone keyboard while trying to make this right turn on red! I gave him a few friendly gestures of “gratitude” and moved on down the road.

It was about this time that I noticed an increasingly high number of dead animals on the road. In fact, I had noticed several earlier in my run. Well, I guess you couldn’t help but notice the amount of road kill because the stench was foul and the carcasses were aplenty. But why? I immediately began my hypothesis, but I needed more quantitative data to support my theory. Moving on down the road now on about mile 6, I am nearly struck again by a motorist who crosses over the bicycle lane path right at me…yep, you guessed it, TEXTING! At this point I am pretty fired up; I am not enjoying the run and merely want to make it back to the house alive. As I come into my last mile stretch of road, I approach an oncoming cyclist (I run in the bike lanes and move to the left when cyclists approach). He is about a half mile away at this point, but still visible enough to have on my Runner’s Radar. I start thinking about my technique and my finishing kick and suddenly the NO-HANDED, CELL PHONE WIELDING, TEXTING cyclist is right in front of me! I quickly jump to the left to prevent colliding with his handle bars and avoid having a crank implanted in my head! Are you kidding me? A cyclist? Impulsively, I wanted to chase him down and knock him off of his bike into tomorrow. But at that point, I just wanted to get home in one piece and get the heck off of this road.

As I turned back in the direction of my course, I nearly tripped over a large dead animal of some variety. The stench was profound and the carcass destroyed. It was then, that I realized, runner’s are treated no differently than animals crossing the road…one way or another, we  are both victims of cell phone wielding idiots across the globe and may end up as road kill…from TEXTING! I am seriously considering forming a coalition called Runner’s Against Texters (RAT). If you are interested in forming a local chapter in your area, please contact us at ORB.

Runners be AWARE. Fight back against the TEXTERS! We think Sexting is a real issue in America? I am officially bringing this serious matter to the media’s attention. The official “brand” for these type of texters is now DEXTING (Driving while Texting), or otherwise now known as DEXTERS. Let us band together as running brothers and sisters and fight back against this abusive, and life threatening behavior of DEXTERS! Rise up my fellow Runners! There is work to be done to keep us all SAFE (Do I sound like a hippie activist picketer yet or what?!?!?).

- RITN, Schritter

Even though Sarah Palin was featured in Runner’s World (Aug. 2009) and now the Newsweek cover (Nov. 23, 2009) as a runner – I still don’t really care for her. I will say her approval rating with me went way up from where she was at but let’s say she was way down there. If that wasn’t enough, now there seems to be some controversy regarding the photo in Newsweek.

Regarding the photo, former Governor Palin (on her Facebook page of course) said “The choice of photo for the cover of this week’s Newsweek is unfortunate. When it comes to Sarah Palin, this ‘news’ magazine has relished focusing on the irrelevant rather than the relevant.” Two things here:

1. Did she really refer to herself in the 3rd person?
2. Running is irrelevant? Excuse me but just a few months ago you were more than happy to show us all you were a runner.

To be honest, she rose a couple more rungs on my ladder when I first saw the Newsweek cover. My first thought was she decided to give running another shout out in a much larger circulated magazine. It also made me forget a little bit how her speeches grated on me – not so much for their content but just they way she gave them. I did see another quote though where she back tracked and said she still believes exercise is important but a photo of her in running gear should be used for a serious story. Ummm OK.

The controversy does indeed go deeper. It seems that the photos that were used in the original “I’m A Runner” section of Runner’s World were exclusive to Runner’s World for a year. The photos were given to Newsweek by the photographer’s stock agency without Runner’s World knowledge or permission. Click here for the editor’s note.

I would like to now officially name this fiasco “Runner’s Gate”.

RMFR

Have you looked at the moon? No, I mean have you really looked at the moon? Running in the dark has given me a new found respect and for the moon. We take it for granted most of the time. Yes, it’s always up there making the same trek around the earth and manipulating our oceans tides but have your really noticed it?

The next time your outside and the moon is full, look down. The light from the moon is bright enough to cast a shadow. Freaked me out the first time I noticed that. I was running alone in the desert and was suddenly alarmed when I saw my shadow and a car wasn’t behind me.

I’ve come to rely on this beacon in the dark. I can see the terrain and now that I have an additional friend above me leading the way and making me a little more visible to traffic. Next time your outside at night, take a look at our old friend and give it a wave. You never know the next time it will lead your way.

I HATE IT!!! I hate the “I Did It” t-shirts at races. Not for one great ideological reason that will set a precedent for all to follow but for the following (but not limited to) trivial reasons:

• Most of the shirts and apparel you see this illustrious saying on are offered at the pre-race expo. You haven’t done anything yet. I appreciate the confidence but offer these items after the race for those crossing the finish line.
• Instead of putting the revered saying on clothing, why not on the medal? I have seen medals that have it. While still not ecstatic about it, I can accept the premise.
• Distance running speaks for itself. Approximately 1% of the country’s population will EVER run a marathon and that’s a pretty special company. Maybe it’s my personality but I’ve never been one to puff out my chest and toot my horn.
• For me this is a personal quest. Yes, I initially started running for my health and my family but I’m proud of what I do for me. I don’t need others to validate it (especially on a t-shirt).

This isn’t a hot button item. In fact, it’s like complaining about your sports team winning even though they didn’t play up to their potential (Minnesota Vikings). It’s more like a pebble in your shoe – it’s not a big deal but it drives you absolutely nuts!!!

It happens every time I travel to run in a race. “What did I forget?” On the eve before I pack up the family to spend 5 well earned days in the California sun (and smoke), I know I’m going to leave something behind. I procrastinate and pack the night before (opposed to my wife whose been packed for 3 weeks). This always leads to me scrambling to get my running gear together.

[x] Shoes
[x] Socks (different kinds for different conditions and moods)
[x] Shirt and shorts (warm and cold options)
[x] Band-aids and Vaseline
[x] Garmin and sunglasses
[x] Clif shot gels and Tiger’s Milk energy bars

Yep, I’m ready…or am I? I’ll lose sleep over it tonight although I know that anything I forgot will be readily available at the expo. Feel free to comment if I forgot something obvious. I’ll be back on Wednesday with race reports of Mickey’s Main Street U.S.A. 5K and the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon.

What’s Quan?
Don’t know. I’ve spent the last 30 minutes looking and all I’ve found are a reference to a rare Chinese family name and at the end of several Tai Chi and Kung Fu definitions. With no clear english definition, it means it’s open to interpretation. According to Rod Tidwell (a.k.a. Cuba Gooding Jr.), it means “love, respect, community and the dollars too.” To me, it means something totally different.

Quan is what we as runner’s do naturally – as natural as breeding offspring and reproducing for the survival of our species. The definition of “Quan” is spreading our love for running – inspiring others to share in our need to pound the pavement and paths. If we don’t, our species will die (I doubt it but I’m on a soapbox). Part of being a runner is to be an Ambassador of Quan. Getting an ex-jock back in the game or inspiring a couch potato to jog around the block, that’s our calling…that’s our “Quan”.

So Who’re It’s Ambassadors?
A one-legged brother? Roy Firestone? A militant TP? Troy Aikman or Tom Cruise? Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. “Quan” has no barriers, no rules of possession or discrimination. It’s there for every runner/jogger/walker to spread like the wind to the masses. All you have to do is share a story, drag somebody out the door or ask somebody to join you.

Who’s Your Ambassador(s)?
As much as I’d love to say it was my dad, I truthfully cannot. He’s been a great inspiration for me since I started running but he wasn’t my “Ambassador”. In fact, I don’t even know my “Ambassador’s” name!!! All I remember is an image from a early December morning television broadcast of the Las Vegas Marathon in 2005. As I lay in my warm cozy bed next to my sleeping wife, I saw him. Not an image of grace and beauty or speed and athleticism. No, the man I saw trod across my television screen could have been my twin. A tall, overweight guy running the marathon. Although I will never know his name, he forever will be my Ambassador of Quan. At that moment, I told myself if that guy can do, then so can I.

Who were/are your Ambassadors of Quan?

re•count•er [ri'kountǝr]

noun
Meeting a fellow Urban Warrior on a long run and then seeing that same individual at another point on your route signifying that they are on a long run too.

This has to be one of my favorite things to happen when I’m running. I’ve now grown accustomed to flashing the “Runner’s Gang Sign” to every runner I meet – even if it means running backward to catch their attention. It’s a movement people!!! “Just Do It!”

As I was saying…I’m trying to be more social when running. We’re a community and we need to stick together. What makes this a special moment is when you get to see that same runner again. They remember you. Whether it’s because of the “Runner’s Gang Sign” or my Lasse Viren appearance (no, I’m not going to post a photo of me), they remember you.

They are not just another once a week runner, they’re on a long scheduled run like you. The fact you met them at mile two and again at eight puts it all into perspective. There’s a camaraderie there as if to say “RMFR you’re doing great!!!” It’s this kind of unexpected support that makes us runners. We understand each others dedication and psychotic AM runs. We know how it feels like pushing up 25% grades and screaming down the same decline. So next time your pounding the pavement or trails, hail your kinsmen because you never know when you’ll meet them next.

There’s no denying it – we’re in the “social media” age. From Facebook to Twitter and a million blogs in between (present company included), there are more outlets to information than ever before. My advice to you…grab on and hold on tight.

To be honest, it’s just too much. How much information can one runner’s brain actually handle? I don’t want to find out. From now on, I’m going to treat social media as I do talking to my wife – selective listening (just a joke honey – SERIOUSLY – I’m just joking…honey?).

When I first signed up on Twitter, I followed everybody and their mother…yes I did actually follow somebody’s mother. I finally reached my breaking point after reading several posts by Lance Armstrong feeding his kids various types of sandwiches several days in a row. Could the signs have been any clearer?

My Twitter page now reads like a “who’s who” in the running world. That’s what I really want to know about. I DO care what Ryan Hall eats before his 15K training run. I DO want to know that Dean Karnazes ran the LA Marathon and kept running south thru California until he ran the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon (which is later next year and may be on my schedule next year) the following week. You can’t get that anywhere else and you have to admit, it’s good stuff! And the best part is, they’re runners and don’t have the time to post every hour on the hour.

With a little discipline and a reckless abandon to hit the “Don’t Follow” button, you too can lead a sane and informational Twitter life.