Yes, You *CAN* Run Away From Your Problems

Someone asked me recently why it was that I run… so I figured it would be worth one post… although I try not to get too personal here on account of me being personal on every other media outlet known to man and the Internet.

I digress… I started running in October of 2008 when I had reached a dark point in my life. I’ve always thrown myself head first into everything that I did: work, relationships, school, family, etc. I found that I eventually got to the point where I would be so accommodating to everyone and everything else that I would lose myself in the process.

So I ran… my co-worker challenged me to train for a half marathon with her at the time and when we didn’t run together I would run alone high up in the Santa Monica Mountains to escape my troubles and somehow find myself. I ran that trail at least 150 times to date (and counting) who knows how much blood (I’ve fallen and tripped on a few rocks), sweat and multitude of tears I’ve ended up dropping on that gravel.

Since then I haven’t gone back, I’ve been half marathoning, marathoning (#2 is coming up with the next LA Marathon) and just running for the love of the sport ever since. I don’t consider myself an athlete by any means but if anything: I am a runner.

The Future of Road Racing: Are We Really Gonna Build This City On Rock & Roll?

Not too long ago,  commentary was posted on the near extinction and death of the indie race due to relatively behemoth racing groups (i.e. The Competitor Group) purchasing them to toss into their well-oiled assembly line of racing series. Meaning… quirky + cool marathons and half marathons with small budget marketing are in danger of being engulfed and regurgitated as cookie cutter RnR races.

The 26.2 and 13.1 races are no longer the only races to fear assimilation. The Competitor Group recently announced that Dean Karnazes will be hosting the very first ULTRA Rock ‘n’ Roll Ultra Marathon in Phoenix, AZ January of 2010. Three letters immediately came to mind: W T F. When I think of an ultra marathon, the LAST thing that comes to mind is some local no-name sugar-coated garage band crooning a song that I have no interest in hearing at the time, local high school cheerleaders and gaudy bling. I think trails, homemade PB+J sandwiches, rugged men and women wearing kerchiefs around their neck along with a calm look of zen-like determination on their faces. Also… mothereffin’ Dean Karanazes?

This is a *big* move by the Competitor Group and also a great indicator of the future of road racing. Historically, the recent downturn of the economy has actually helped distance racing (read: Marathon Outruns Economy). Popular distance races have seen significant increases in participation proving that marathons just might be recession-proof. This is no surprise to anyone who dedicates a significant part of their personal life to training. Nothing makes you feel more in control and more accomplished than testing your physical limitations with a marathon or half marathon. Because of the upturn in this particular industry we’ve seen companies and racing series like the RnRs of the world out there thrive. Debuting their first ultra race (which I imagine will have a solid turn out) could just be the tip of the iceberg.

Is 2010 destined to be a Rock n’ Roll year? And who’s hosting the next Rock n’ Roll Iron Man competition (because you know more IM and half IM’s from these guys are just around the corner)!

More importantly, what does this mean to the serious racer? With increased participation, expect some high traffic and congestion in races by slow and “inexperienced” racers (a gripe that was recently brought up during the last New York Marathon in a New York Times article). I couldn’t count with five hands how many people jumped and signed up for the new Stadium to Sea course for the L.A. Marathon without planned training on how they were actually going to FINISH the course. I’m hoping I will be able to find stats on sign ups versus completions.

Whatever the future of road racing may be, I’m excited to see how 2010 shapes up… Will indie races step up to the plate and leverage grass roots marketing and social media like racevine.com, dailymile.com, popular running bloggers and Twitter/Facebook to increase participation? Will you end up having to pick which RnR marathon you want to run instead of having real choices? Are coaches going to leverage increased participation by using RnR marketing tactics to win over this new breed of runner? Will the next RnR Iron Man be held in a Western coastal state so I can at least go and watch?!
Woo! Can’t wait to find out!

Instead of Ignoring my 29th Birthday

Instead of ignoring my birthday like I usually want to… I “donated” it to Amnesty International via Facebook. I’m usually too nervous about fund raising but I figured my birthday would be a good excuse to hopefully get at least a few people to donate. Amnesty International is my favorite non-profit organization because I have a soft spot in my heart for the human race. Their objective is to protect human rights and take a stance against injustice by informing the public about violations against the dignity that all who are a part of humanity deserve.

Human Rights Day (12/10/09) falls the week of my birthday, so I pledged to write 10 letters on that week for the following cause:

If you’d like to give me a birthday gift then you can go here to donate. I only asked for $10 donations because that’s pretty much the cheapest birthday gift you can give someone but it means a whole lot more when you give it to a deserving charity like Amnesty.

The Impending Death of the Indie Race

The LA Times recently announced the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon (a popular racing series owned by the Competitor Group) was now going to have a home in Los Angeles. The group bought the City of Angels Half Marathon, a small and fledging race whose last breath will be this December 6, 2009. Running a similar course, its debut will be next October 2010.

This Los Angeles Rock + Roll half will be the 14th in the series of RnR races. I have yet to experience one (Vegas will be my first) and from what I know there are two very divided camps: One thing they seem to have going for them is that they are a well-oiled organizational machine. This is a big feat to pull off for any racing event producer, let alone have a reputation for.  Don’t get me wrong, I love an easy to run race: cool freebies, easy to get to, entertainment on the course, B-List celebrity MCs and a professionally designed logo on a tech tee… I’ll be happy as a clam.

Even so, the indie rock chick in me just can’t shake her initial feeling that the Competitor Group may be “THE MAN” and this year’s TWO race acquisitions (the Denver Marathon will also debut as an RnR race in 2010) is only furthering the threat of homogenizing marathon racing experiences across the country. Would I travel to run a marathon or a half marathon? Hell yes! But not if they’re all coming with the same cookie cutter song and dance. That’s just like pop music people!

When I ran the inaugural Malibu International Marathon we had a late start, one of the buses from the point to point path got stuck in the parking lot and the mile markers on the course looked like they were drawn up by eight-year-olds (they were actually “designed” by a local youth organization). The expo at Zuma Beach looked like it was a high school bake sale. I’ll admit it, “hokey” would be the best way to describe the feeling. And it.was.awesome!

I would hate to see a cool and unique race that has a lot of special charm and real community involved (like the little old grandmas who hand out orange slices at the Chinatown Firecracker 10K Run) come to economic hardship where they would literally have to “sell-out” and be bought by a bigger organization like the Competitor Group – who are successful only due to their marketing savvy in drawing a crowd but may fail in delivering the depth that a smaller “indie race” might (kind of like how you feel a little empty after listening to the new Kelly Clarkson album but hum along anyway).

That being said, I would urge you to make sure that you are doing what you can to support your favorite local races in spreading the word about how great the course is, how amped the crowd got you and how deserving the local charity groups are for the donations and help given to them as a result. When you think of all the blood sweat and tears that go into what happens before the gun goes off… for that one sweet moment of euphoria of crossing the finish line – it’s not too much to ask. Just a thought.

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