Unbelievable race entry offer

OK...so here is one of the most unbelievable race entry offers I've ever seen. The LL Bean Fourth of July 10K is offering the following to the 1st 800 race entries. For $17 dollars you will receive a New Balance Tech Tee ($25 value) and a pair of $120 New Balance 1062's. Wow!!! This is a no brainer folks. $17 bucks for $145 dollars worth of products! I've never seen anything like it in 25 years of being associated with road races and running, in general. Even if it is not the correct shoe, hey, it's a Christmas gift for your brother, sister or aunt.

At first, I am thinking that I need to send back all my 1062's to New Balance....but, you know what! If LL Bean can support the running community and a good cause with all proceeds benefitting the Casco Bay YMCA Camp Scholarship Program, I'm all for it. I've said this many times and still believe it....if the running and fitness community works together and we can build a good fitness foundation, everyone benefits, especially the runners, consumers and businesses.

On a personal note......Jack, thanks for all your support and wise reflection over the years and for fighting this past year with dignity and an incredible spirit. Finally, thanks for providing me with a great partner...you will be sorely missed!

JR

Boston, Trials and Stuff

Spent the weekend in Boston, enjoying the women's trials and catching up with a lot of old friends. First, congrats to all the Maine women for their great effort on Sunday morning. Deena Kastor with a time of 2:29:35 won, but there was a great effort and one emotional farewell from the Maine contingent of four.

Sheri Piers placed 16th with a personal best time of 2:38:46, Emily LeVan was 67th in 2:45:45 and Kristin Barry came in 73rd with a time of 2:46:41.

And in Joan Benoit Samuelson's farewell marathon she finished 90th in 2:49:08 (a 50-54 American record), beating her goal of sub-2:50 and finishing, as she did in in her first Boston win in 1979, in a Red Sox Cap! Coming down Boyleston Street, the crowd roared their adulation and Deena Kastor, caught up in the moment, waited at the finish line to show her support and respect. It was, to say the least, a Kodak moment.

The Expo was rocking on Saturday! I met up with old friend Steve Jones, the former world record holder in the Marathon. We discussed Greg Meyer throwing out the 1st pitch at Fenway on Sunday, celebrating his 25th year since being the last American to win Boston. We joked about how when "old ballplayers" come back to throw out the 1st pitch, it's OK to be fat.... you can't do that when you are a former world record holder or Boston winner?? Greg looks like he could still run 2:09.

Patriot's Day always makes Boston Shine. The city and region is energized. We are the only other state that celebrates that holiday.... Good luck, Maine Runner's and seize the day.... remember, Run Happy!

Beat's Last Year's Weather! Patriot's Day Weekend!

Thursday night was a beautiful spring evening (Compared to last year's Patriots Day Storm!). We had a full house for our RTB training group. We have added another RRCA certified coach, Blaine Moore, to assist Michael Gaige, our head coach. With 140 folks signed up and an average of 80 runner's every Thursday night in the group, we need to make sure we have the coaching support in place. Michael has his RRCA coaching certificate pending.

The group is beginning to reap the benefits of the 1st 4 weeks of base work. The beginner's were given the challenge of running 6 min/2 min (run/walk) for 40 minutes and some decided they were ready to run the entire way. This is the time when you see the beginner's confidence level zoom. When they begin to realize that they can actually complete their workout with a full run. The next phase of strength training will send their confidence even higher.

Greg Knapton, Director of Riverview Physical Therapy, finished up the night with post run stretching and using the "Foam Roller" to help recover and work sore muscles, especially, the calves, hamstrings and IT band.

Marathon and racing season sees an increase in folks purchasing racing or lightweight trainer/racers. Most training shoes have a heel to toe centerline thickness of 24mm (Heel) to 12mm (forefoot). Lightweight trainers will usually have a 22mm to 11mm thickness to reduce weight and provide more of a road feel, such as the Asics DS Trainer and Speedster and Nike Zoom Skylon and Elite. Remember, keep in mind to purchase these lightweight trainers in the same category of stability and neutral as your everyday training shoes.

The Portland Press Herald, Boston Globe and Boston Herald all had great articles on Joan Benoit Samuelson, Emily LeVan and the rest of the Maine Women U.S. Marathon Trial Qualifiers. Sunday's race starts at 8am and NBC will be streaming it live. For more information go to www.bostontrials2008.com. Monday will mark the 112th running of the Boston Marathon (www.bostonmarathon.org). Good Luck to all the runner's.

Not going to Boston on Monday? Run a Portland Tradition, the 79th Annual Boy's & Girls Club Patriot's Day 5-Mile Road Race, begins at 12noon on Cumberland Avenue. Go to: www.bgcmaine.org/PatriotsRace08 for more information.

Have a great Patriot's Day weekend and remember....Run Happy!

Emily, Boston, Shannon and Stuff!

Last week we hosted the Olympic Trials Women's Marathon Qualifying team and it was quite a night. We had 150+ folks and raised $4,000 for Emily LeVan's Two Trials quest. We had two corporate matches from Wright Express ($1,000) and Unum (participation match of $50 per runner) and thank YOU!!. Had I known Emily was going to be included in the Women's Trials edition of Runner's World, we would have ordered and rushed a few copies, but a few lucky souls came with their copies to have Emily sign.

Joanie came and showed her support for Emily's cause and the evening was an example of the unbelievable Maine spirit that exists in our running community, as we had folks from as far away as Bridgton and Farmington show up. The Women's team discussed everything from their training-to-their marathon trials expectation-to-how to run a 100+ miles a week raising 4 kids and holding down a full time job. Thanks for all your support and efforts. Good Luck Girls, we'll be cheering you on!

Hey Shannon! We start at 6pm....stated right on the brochure! Alright....you are doing great! keep up the good work.

Shoe Of The Week! Asics Gel 3000 - $115. It has a slightly broader forefoot than the 2130, with a Dynamic Forefoot Cradle for the late stage pronater. It is a shoe that works well with medium to low arch folks that don't need the support of the Brooks Beast/Ariel or New Balance 1011. A great upgrade to the 2130 with maximum support for the lighter to medium framed runner!

I was in Chicago at a Specialty Running Store Trade Association meeting this week and it is obvious there is a new trend of serious business owners in the running specialty trade channel. Maine Running Company, along with Fleet Feet Syracuse, Salt Lake Running Company, Charlotte Running Company, Naperville Running Company, Potomac River Running Company, Runners Depot and Colorado Running Company all met to discuss the state and future of our trade channel. Running Community based businesses, with a sense of purpose, within their market served, is becoming increasingly more important. This includes, customer aqcuisition and retainment, community involvment and activisim and financial skills.... we're excited about the future of this.

See you and Remember....Run Happy!

Emily & Maddie's "Fund Run" April 3, 6pm

This Thursday, April 3, at 6pm, Maine Running company is holding a "Fund Run" for the TwoTrials organization for Emily and Maddie LeVan. There is no registration, just show up, donate and run for a good cause.

Two Trials has a goal of raising $52,400 for the Maine Children's Cancer Program. Why $52,400? Because Emily is training and running two marathons (2 X 26.2), one for her and one for Maddie, Emily’s 4-year-old daughter, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia this past November.

By now, everyone in the Maine Running Community has heard or contributed to Emily's TwoTrials fund, which is currently at $41,074. If you haven't heard of Emily, she is the fastest Maine women's qualifier at 2:37:01, for the U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials to be held on Sunday, April 20th in Boston.

Emily, from Wiscasset, Maine, was the first American woman to finish the 2005 Boston Marathon, which earned her a spot on that summer’s U.S. World Championship team, where she set a personal record of 2:38:32. At the 2006 Boston Marathon, she lowered her PR to 2:37:01 and again was the first American.

Kirsten Barry and Sheri Piers have also qualified when both ran 2:45:37, tying for ninth in Philadelphia, this past October. Both respectible times.

Joan Benoit Samualson is also entered and would be running in her 7th, and what could be her final U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (I don't think I need to elaborate on Joan's accomplishments)!

So this thursday, just show up. We will have stations set up for donations for two trials (every $10 donation will receive a twotrials bracelset) and we will do a 4 mile run/walk around Back Cove. Immediately following will be a presentation by Emily, Kristen and Sheri, discuss their training and personal insights for the trials at Maine Running Company.

As a follow up, on May 13 at 6pm, hear these incredible women runners re-count and give a retrospective on the women's Olympic Trials Marathon race at Peak Performance Multisport.

These athlete's deserve a great send off! Good Luck Girls!!!