the race in the USA that really matters to me right now

it's a big weekend coming up - not because of the republican presidential candidates debate taking place on saturday, but because it's the US olympic marathon trials.  and i'm stoked.

why, you ask?

why bother when there's no one that i'm personally connected to in the race?

why the interest in american running when there are so many great canadian runners to follow and support?  (believe me, i do support them too ...!)

why stare at a TV screen for a couple of hours just watching guys and gals trot through the streets of LA?

i'll give you a few reasons why that's what i'll be doing.

1. i'm a visual learner - as opposed to someone who can and does simply study and learn from textual material, or a tactile learner who benefits from someone physically guiding them through the mechanics of an activity, i find that i amass the most knowledge and integrate it best by watching others do what i want to be able to do.  and since the television coverage of the US olympic trials provides an opportunity to observe some of the best marathon-distance runners on the continent (if not on the planet) doing their thing in a high-stakes event, i'm going to be focusing my beady little eyes on just about every footstrike, every hip angle, every sagittal (or coronal) swingpath of the arm and every body-angle lean.  yep, i'll be geeking out.
   
   from one of my favourite running blogs, The Balanced Runner
2. meb - c'mon, as a guy in his mid-forties i gotta root for another runner in the same decade of life who is considered one of the favourites going into this competition.  meb keflezighi also just happens to have one of the most inspirational life stories of anyone on the elite marathoning scene, and is a great all-around human being to boot.  #GOMebGO
3. you can cheer for athletes other than canucks - i know lots of canadians who pull for the detroit red wings, or the green bay packers, or manchester united, or maria sharapova or rory mcilroy.  just because you take interest in and can get behind an athlete/athletes from another nation doesn't necessarily mean that you have diminished interest in a homegrown athlete.  believe me, i'm just as keenly following reid coolsaet's training camp in kenya right now and eager to track with rob watson's london marathon prep.
4. watching others give their best brings out my best - for me there's nothing quite like appreciating the level of dedication, sacrifice, perseverance and pure desire that can seep through the television screen during an event like this.  although i know that i will never be (and most probably could never have ever been) in the hunt for an olympic berth watching these men and women chase after their dream will charge my batteries as i focus on my own meagre goals.  some (hopefully most) of them will radiate pride just because they have managed to work their way into that starting chute - and i will be ready to applaud them before the starter's pistol ever fires.  and as they jockey for position and the real contenders emerge, i feel as if i will absorb some of their grit by sheer osmosis as they draw upon the deepest parts of their wells to try to secure one of those top three spots in order to earn the honour of representing their country in rio de janeiro later this summer.

so what about you?  does a race like this mean anything to or for you?  will you be tuning in, or would you rather watch paint dry?  please share your comments, and if applicable who you will be rooting for!

in the meantime, be sure to check out some of these great videos about the lead-up to the feb 13 US olympic marathon trials!

"One Team, One Goal" by timothy jeffreys

"Chasing Rio" - a competitor.com series

"Saucony Seeker" featurettes

the race in the USA that really matters to me right now

gear review - Skechers midnight running tight

i know - you're still trying to get over the fact that Skechers should be taken seriously as a running company.

maybe you're starting to hear about how many people are training in and racing in Skechers Performance Division footwear.

maybe you've noted that premier athlete and Skechers Performance brand ambassador meb keflezighi is the reigning 2014 Boston Marathon champion.

maybe you've seen Skechers as a feature sponsor at road races and triathlons.

but what else have they got to do with running?

how about technical apparel?

late last year i received several pieces of Skechers Performance gear to help get me through my season of winter training, and among them was the midnight running tight.

now i will admit that i'm a tight-wearing kind of guy - especially when it comes to layering up for harsh tundra-like workout conditions as are common in this neck of the woods.  when i first tried the midnights on i will say that i was slightly disappointed - i hoped that they would feel like compression tights, but they slid on more like tight-fitting yoga pants - and the ankle cuff was loosely fitted, not wrestle-over-your-heel narrow.  minor letdown at the outset.

however, they felt velvety smooth - the spandex/poly fabric has a really nice hand to them, and i could quickly tell that the next-to-skin contact would not ever be an issue.  in fact, they worked extremely well as a semi-thermal tight because they are a heavier weight than a standard technical tight.  

although not required during the winter (because i wore them underneath a nylon-paneled outer pant) the reflective detailing on them are well-placed from the appliqué Skechers logo mark on the mid-thigh to the shin-crossing sewn-on reflective strips.

so there were many functional aspects of the pants that i did like - so what didn't i like about them?

for one, i wish that there was some kind of pocket system integrated into the tights - whether an external zippered pocket at the back just below the waistband, or even a small internal key-pocket.  if i'm going to head out on a run with these tights as a single layer, i'd like to have somewhere to keep my keys or a bit of cash.

second, i had a question about quality - in particular as it relates to the rear-facing cuff zippers.  they feel solid enough, but that's in part where the issue lies - they're so solid that it's almost a two-handed job to zip or unzip them.  now given that they are pretty stretchy at the cuff it's not a big deal to whisk the pant over your unshod feet, but if for whatever reason you want to unzip the bottom of the leg for additional clearance it's not that quick-and-dirty.  better zipper sourcing next time please. 

my video review is available here:

considering all of this i do really like the midnight run tight - so much so that i made sure to get one of my running partners into his first pair of tights, and it was in a pair of these.  for comfort, function and affordability (at just $40 USD) Skechers has gone and done it again!

*** disclaimer:  i was provided with the Midnight Running Tight by Skechers Performance Division (Canada) but was not obligated to provide a positive review.  all opinions - however poorly expressed - are my own. 

gear review - Skechers midnight running tight

the sounds of cadence

blonk.  klop.  boing.  whirr.  ping.

i know, it sounds like the noises that might come from some cool new kids toy.  or your car's transmission just as it's about to blow up on you.

but have you ever paid attention to your footfall while running?

admittedly, it's far from scientific ... but i think that one of the markers of my running progress has been just how i visualize (or perhaps auditorialize) the way in which my feet impact the ground during the running gait cycle.
 

image taken from here

when i first started taking to running as a form of exercise (mid-2009) i simply didn't think about it.  as such i tromped along, slapping my foot onto the tarmac with each stride as if letting my feet fall like dead weights (wearing the heaviest tennis shoes that i had in the closet probably didn't help any) was the best way to maximize my fitness ROI (return-on-investment).  it was heavy, jarring, and makes me think of *blonk*.

the next iteration of my footstrike pattern came when i started to believe that the most natural (!) and effective way to run was to land heel-first, roll along the mid-foot and then toe off.  this reminded me of the way that a wheel contacts the ground, and actually was the way that i used to explain the functionality and science of Nike running footwear to our patrons while i worked for Nike's retail division.  the word that i associate most closely with this style of running was/is *klop*, as even though the technique is depicted as a rolling motion it often winds up being more of a slapping-the-ground movement.

watch dr. nick campitelli talk about the perils of 'toe-off'

  
when i was first introduced to the idea of forefoot striking (courtesy of my friend trevor and dr. mark cuccuzzella) i transitioned to loping around on the front pads of my feet.  the immediate kinetic feedback was that i was activating the springy tissues (e.g. tendons and ligaments) as well as relying on my muscles to serve as shock absorbers and energy-returning pistons.  i had braced myself for the inevitable "you'll feel unusually sore" response to making this kind of a change, and while it did happen it didn't last very long.  i had done it - made the move to a more 'natural' method of running.  each day i took to the roads with a *boing*.

and then i read a little something about vertical travel.

at the time i was not only a fan of american distance runner ryan hall (and still am!) but also did my best to model my running style after his.  when i read this article detailing how if you measured the distance of vertical travel or 'bounce' that ryan had over the course of a marathon it would equal something like 1.24 miles - quite an unnecessary expenditure of energy.  in my attempts to mimic ryan i was quite unwittingly also bouncing around - as noted by the pacer i ran with at the 2012 hamilton marathon road2hope.

just as surely as a pendulum swings back and forth, my next 'adaptation' was to try to limit the extent of vertical travel during my stride cycle and mimicking what it would be like to "balance a dinner plate on your head".  my running form got closer to a shuffle-like movement, staying low and level ... something of a *whirr* effect (think 'road runner') across the ground.  a corollary effect of this transition was to turn my attention to increasing my cadence since (at least in my mind) i was going to cover less distance while airborne.

the most recent change in my running form has been a more modest one, and has come about as a result of watching and studying the speed and lightness of 2014 NYC marathon winner mary keitany.  in a post last month i commented on how there was much to learn from watching mary run, and perhaps for me one of the most remarkable aspects of that is just how effortless she appears while in motion (contrast that with the discernible chugging effort of someone like meb keflezighi or the flailing form of lelisa desisa).  i've characterized this footstrike as something akin to a *ping* - rapid, reflexive and light.  the intention behind this adjustment is all about economy of motion.

of course all of this only exists inside of my head ... i've not had any kind of video evidence or filmed analysis to corroborate the notion that the way that i run has changed at all, or that (apart from the Road2Hope pacer's observations) i even do half of the things that i think that i've done with regard to running form.  but if visualization counts for anything at all i will continue to think of myself as pinging my way to faster race times.

 

*** GIVEAWAY TIME ***

now you know that i hear voices (or at least imaginary footstrike sounds) in my head.  that's partially due to the fact that i don't listen to any music during any of my runs, of any distance ... but maybe you do!  if you'd like to enter to win a 2GB iPod shuffle just use the rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

the sounds of cadence

sponsorship year one - reflections

i'm not a corporate sell-out - it's a privilege, and a source of motivation.

this year i've been blessed to be able to help carry the banner for two great organizations - Skechers Performance Canada and Team Running Free.  the support that i've received from each has been tremendous, and has expanded the sense of tribe and family that i've come to know since embarking on my own running journey.  being affiliated with some recognizable names has also elevated my sense of accountability - not necessarily to them, but to myself and my commitment to health, exercise and excellence.

and here's the tale ...

just shy of two years ago i discovered the the Team Running Free sponsorship program but was too late to apply for that year's cohort of athletes - so i patiently waited about 10 months to submit my application for the 2014 season.  the allure at that time was to work with a local running specialty store that i believed had not only a real focus on people who were serious about their sport (without necessarily being elite-level) but also a focus on giving back to others (e.g. their shoe re-use program and mission haiti initiative).

after receiving notice of acceptance into the 2014 program, i was over the moon!  beyond all reasoning i was now a 'sponsored athlete', and that certainly made me feel like i'd achieved a dream goal.  now i would not only be able to don official Team Running Free gear and not be a 'poser', but i would actually represent (and cheer on) this sporting clan in competitions.  throughout the racing season i have proudly worn either my Team RF singlet or arm-warmers, and also had the opportunity to participate in clinics or special events with other Team RF athletes.  two of the highlight moments from this year have included meeting groundbreaking canadian olympian and marathoner sylvia ruegger as well as running with one of the world's best known superhumans dean karnazes.

what i love and deeply appreciate about the Team RF sponsorship program is that anyone is eligible to apply, and athletes of all capacities are accepted.  the defining criteria is passion for their selected activity as well as promotion of health and fitness within their broader community.  through this connection i've come to know a variety of fantastic people and been encouraged by their comments and accomplishments - and in so doing become a better runner and ambassador for sport.  i plan to reapply for 2015, and see what new escapades come about!

not long after submitting my application to Team RF, i was contacted by the marketing director at Skechers Performance Canada about the possibility of becoming a brand ambassador for them.  this came completely out of left field - while i have been a big fan of the Skechers Performance Division footwear for a little while now (not quite since their emergence) and have been singing their praises on social media outlets, i certainly did not imagine that anything would come about as a result of it.  however, my vocalizations on twitter caught their attention and lo and behold they expressed an interest in exploring a relationship with me, involving active representation for them on twitter, facebook, youtube and this blog.  not long after that, i had arrived at the next level of athletic sponsorship - actually signing a contract.

i cannot say enough about how happy i have been to be aligned with such a great company and especially to be on side with inspirational people like meb keflezighi and kara goucher, nevermind the slew of other Skechers-affiliated ambassadors and team athletes out there.  and my point people with SPD Canada have been wonderfully communicative, supportive and generous - i am excited for the opportunity to continue working with them into this next year and showing up to races as one of the few sporting the Skechers Performance logo!

i am honestly very anxious to chart the directions that Skechers Performance takes in the near future - they continue to bound forward (no pun intended) with advancements in their technical footwear, and grow in association with top-notch performers (e.g. PGA tour golfer matt kuchar) and high-level competitions (e.g. houston marathon).  the sky's the limit!

- - - - -

have you ever connected with/sought connections with a brand or sponsor?  if so, which one(s), and how has it gone?  if not, why?  i'd love to find out! 

sponsorship year one - reflections

monkey see, monkey do - runners that i follow

there are all sorts of learning styles, and i find that when it comes to athletics i am very much a visual learner.  specifically i've taught myself tennis, volleyball and golf by watching the technique and form of particular competitors that i enjoy watching and who excel in their respective fields.

the situation is no different when it comes to running.  i've never had a coach (except for motivation) and did not start any kind of running until the spring of 2010 - nothing in high school, and only the occasional once around the track in university if i saw a pretty girl worth following for several hundred metres before i passed out.

here are just a few of the runners that i've paid close attention to, for various reasons:

• haile gebrselassie - IMHO the greatest distance runner of all time.  a dimnuitive figure with gobs of talent and just as big of a heart.  depending on how old he might actually be, he may have set the world record time for a male marathoner when he was 40.
• geoffrey mutai - the person with the fastest finish of any marathon ever and arguably the best living marathoner. makes every race look like a easy jog in the park.
• ryan hall - one of the US' best distance runners, and outstanding man of faith.  gives back to people generously, and i have tried in the past to mimic his form.  his marathon training plan also helped me to achieve my current PB in the marathon (3:18:15).
• meb keflezighi - currently the #1 marathoner for the US.  at 37 he's still kicking butt, having won the 2012 US Olympic Marathon trials and placing 4th at the London Olympic marathon.  another inspiring man of faith too.
• desiree davila - i have a friend who trained with desiree as part of the hansons brooks distance project in michigan.  desiree is one tough competitor, and now in the top three female US marathoners.  i've adopted her arm carriage style in my own running.
• mary keitany - the favourite in just about any race in which she's entered.  a powerhouse.
• tsegaye kebede - this guy is about the height of my honda civic, but probably has the stride length of a cadillac.  unbelievable runner from ethiopia, having captured this year's chicago marathon in 2:04:38.  i've adopted his leg position and stride pattern in my own running style.
• yuki kawauchi - my new favourite runner ... known as 'citizen runner' because he's the only person on this list who's not a full-time athlete (he holds down a day job just like me).  runs like a maniac - having put together back to back marathons last fall within two weeks of one another, forking out $6000 for a plane ticket to a race in egypt because he missed the plane that the organizers paid for, and five out of the first six marathons he ran he ended up in the medical tent after crossing the finish line.  he's told interviewers "Every time I run, it’s with the mindset that if I die at this race it’s OK." now that's a racer i can look up to. 

so who do you admire/follow in running?  i've only listed the high profile types, but maybe for you it's someone local, or in your family line.  feel free to share the names of those who inspire you as you run!

monkey see, monkey do - runners that i follow