The past couple weeks has been a flurry of activity and training. Most of the work related activity has kept me at bay from writing on a normal schedule. The training and racing over the past couple months has provide a handful of stories, but nothing overwhelmingly compelling enough to break through the busyness of my workload. This past weekend presented a story well worth sharing and so the silence is now broken.

For the first time in quite a while my wife and I both signed up for the same race. Our intention was to share a fun family race together – the two of us and both of our kids in the double jogger. Since my last two races involved one of our children in the jog stroller, it was great to get the opportunity for all of us to be out racing together. We took our place in the starting line and off we went for 5k.

Within the first half mile, I noticed the lead runners had not gone out very fast. Ironically at the same time my wife said something like, “you really want to race?”. With her cue it seemed like we were both thinking the same thing – I could catch the lead pack. We quickly agreed and the chase was one. Within the next quarter mile I, along with my excited kiddos in the double jogger, was able to reel in all except the top two and comfortably sat in third place overall. At this point I was starting to believe it could be possible to catch the leader. After passing the mile mark the race took a strange turn – literally.

The top two runners rounded a turn ahead of me after the mile mark. As I turned the corner behind them, I was stunned to have suddenly lost sight of them both. Could they have been holding back and the first mile was just a mild warm up? Point being. They were gone. Next thing I know I’m running right behind the pace car and now in first place overall. This happened so fast that I couldn’t figure out where those guys went. I didn’t care. I was now determined to win the race. As fast as first place was in my control, the pace car stops in an angle blocking the course. The driver leans out the window yelling, “You’ve missed a turn. You need to turn around.” What??

Since this all started as a calm and non-competitive family event, I took no time to even glance at the course. All I knew now was according to the pace car, I was not really in the lead, just off course. Without hesitation, I flipped the jogger around and the chase was back on. First and foremost getting on the right course was kind of important. From there I was planning to see if any lost ground could be recovered.

Running against the grain of the entire field of runners struck me odd. I found the turn and could see the lead runner who were also mildly confused by the misdirection. We all started to race again now all in one pack. After about a quarter mile and some strange silence, all I could think was “there are no cones out here nor anything else that says race course”. I broke out of the pack and turned around again heading back to the original turn where everything looked like a race. Re-entering the race it became obvious. The driver of the pace car made a mistake which sent the entire top 20 or so off the course. Ironically as I turned back onto the course I met up with my wife again. I was beside myself about what had just happened, but it was nice to be back to the original plan. While the glory of the overall win slipped through my grasp, running together as a family was back on.

Over the next mile (yes all this happened before mile 2) we bantered back and forth about what happened. Something about explaining the strange events audibly helped me process everything a little better. One by one a couple of the “previous leaders” started passing by us attempting to make chase to regain position. Each one said something like “can you believe it?”. I just smiled and shook my head as well. Since the original plan for the day was not wrapped around racing it was easy for me to turn off the competitiveness or most of it. As we crossed over the two mile mark my daughter started asking to run “fast” again. After another quick chat, the family event was changing again as I took off to attempt to turn a hard, fast last mile.

We were cutting through the crowd and every mild move was challenging with the double. As we descended a hill, I swung out wide to make the turn at the bottom. Seriously we rounded this turn like a crazed tractor trailer driver trying to pull of a perfect 90 degree turn on a dime. The downhill continued for a long straight away making it easy to stabilize the quickened pace. Some weird sound caught my attention next. It was keeping rhythm with each stride and even had a similar tempo. I started look around the stroller to put eyes on the sound. No way. We had blown out a back tire and we were riding down on the rim.

In complete disbelief, I pulled over and stopped running all together planning to reconnect again with my better half. When she saw me standing there she said, “what are you doing now?” Again we just shook our heads and I rejoined her to finish out the race. We crossed the finish line of this 5k with a story that which is only typically experienced in distances of marathons or a multi-sport event. Not for us though. Today this wild one was born in just three miles.

While it would have been really easy to blame the pace car driver, yell at the race director and go off in unrelenting anger about this mishap to every welcoming ear, for some reason I was calm. This race was designed to be a “family event” for us and obviously nothing was met to come in the way. A win would have been great, but not in this race. The real win was experiencing this together with my family and there is no accolade or special award that could be better. Thank you to the guy who sent me off the course and whatever flattened our tire – you saved my family race day.

The heat of summer is officially cranked up to high intensity. While hydration tends to be the topic demanding the attention in the summer months, it’s time to shift focus to protecting your skin as you pour on the mileage. Sunscreen is the key element to remember as a line of defense as you leave for your next run. The important question is what type of sunscreen should I use? Recently I came across Kinesys Sunscreen and at first blush was taken by their gear toward the endurance sports athlete.

As an endurance athlete and run commuter, I spend countless hours exposed to the sun. Many excuses or reasons clouded my mind about use of sun care products during exercise. Honestly it sometimes is the furthest thing from my mind when preparing for a run. With this trend changing the most important question I had was, “What type and brand of sunscreen should I use?”. In years past my first choice was anything labeled as “Sport”. I felt that any brand or product bold enough to claim being a sport specific sunscreen would naturally have a complete understanding of my sport. Or would they?

When I started to discover the countless options in sunscreen brands in the sports market, I felt it was time to do some research. I quickly found that there are very few true sport sunscreen brands in the market. One of which is Kinesys Performance Sunscreen. Why did I single out this brand?

First I gravitate toward ease of application. Most of the Kinesys sunscreen products are sprays or stick – which is ideal. I’ve never really enjoyed the typical lotion based sunscreen products as in my opinion they usually leave behind an oily mess. Kinesys sunscreens are easy to apply. A handful of simple pumps and you’re covered with a nice coating of SPF all while enjoying the light scent of mango (okay you got me, I’m also a fan of the tropical island scent). Then after about 30-60 minutes of exposure you can easily manage a simple re-application process without a timely interruption. If you’re a triathlete, this time saving protection quickly applied in transition is invaluable.

My other reasons revolve around the core ethos of the product. It’s critical to me that brands do everything possible to utilize sustainable processes to create their products. While these are typically intangibles, being “cruelty free”, fully recyclable packaging materials pre- and post-production, and mindfulness toward many known allergens or harmful chemicals. The most important of these benefits Kinesys provides is the last in the list. As a parent of a child with a serious food allergy, we’re always sensitive to both the foods and skin care products we’ll use. The fact that Kinesys is free of nuts, nut oil, gluten, dairy, egg and soy is great news and rare to even know. Most common “sport” sunscreens on the market don’t typically list known allergens. The secondary factor, yet important to overall health, is that Kinesys is void of parabens, preservatives, nanoparticles, sulphites and colorants. Now I’m not qualified to give scientific reasons to avoid these ingredients nor will I valid any claims toward their harmfulness. What I will say is that I personally have decided to avoid using products with these ingredients in their makeup.

It’s hot out there and you need good protection. I’ve opted for a brand with clear knowledge and true understanding of the endurance athlete. Now when I walk out the door to log the mileage it’s easier to protect my skin for the years to come.

* This product review is composed from personal opinion. The products tested during research for the review were provided as samples directly from Kinesys. Although the company provided product samples none of the claims or statements in the review were influenced by Kinesys nor did the company solicit the writing of this review.

On June 22 last year, my journey began as a run commuter. The plan was simple. Drive to work on Monday loaded up with a week’s worth of necessities and stow the car in the studio parking garage. Run home from the studio on Monday evening. Tackle two days of round-trip commutes to and from the studio on Tuesday and Wednesday. Finish up on Thursday with a run to the studio and then drive the car home at then end of the day. Let the car do the work on Friday to rest my legs. As life goes, nothing is as simple as it seems on the surface.

Next thing you know I’m setting goals to complete 100 days and 1000 miles by the end of the year and using my new run commuting lifestyle as marathon training. Though I’ve never really seen myself as a “writer”, each week I attempted to share the ups and downs of the journey. Would anyone out there care or read a single word about this journey? I still don’t know the answer to this question, but deep down my hopes were high to inspire other runners. Realistically I had no remote idea though.

The highs were so incredible and surpassed anything I could have dreamt up. In the first six months I ran quite a bit and fended off early pains of transitioning into high volume. A couple targeted races showed up on the radar screen. The peak target race was Charlotte’s Thunder Road Marathon and my goal was to finally break through a 5-year-old standing PR. In the process the “Hybrid Human – Run Commuter” performance t-shirts were created with the gracious and generous help of our friends at Sport Science. Crafting a t-shirt made perfect sense. I was a brand specialist and designer who was also now a moving billboard. Shortly after the t-shirts came to life I was visiting trade shows and meeting more people in the endurance sports industry – including elite marathoners and legends of the sport. All of this action was packed into the first five months of the journey.

In early December, the true test took place. I ran in Charlotte’s Thunder Road Marathon hoping to better the previous year’s performance and break the PR. The run commuting training plan worked like a charm. I crossed the finish line of this challenging course in 3:01 breaking through my PR previously set on a flat course by over 4 minutes. Everything happening seemed euphoric.

The arrival of 2010 was the dawn of setbacks. Was the euphoria ending?

Life was changing. Working through the free fall of the recession the entire time was taking its toll. As a business owner, I was posed with navigating the unknown waters of reshaping the business to sustain the impact of economic silence. In the mix of this reshaping was the decision to move my studio into the guest suite above our garage. Now what? Most joked about my now non-existent commute. No joking about it, I wasn’t ready to put the breaks on run commuting. It seemed like I was just getting started.

One day I decided to run to a client meeting. Of course I made sure they’d be good with it first (the client is a running specialty store – it was an easy sell). On the run back to the studio/home, I realized that run commuting had more than one dimension. The commute was bigger than travel to and from work. What a breakthrough!

With the studio move complete and stress dissipating, the run commuting journey was getting back on track. Then out of left field came the call from Endurance Magazine about featuring my run commuting journey as the cover story for their “Green” issue. Alongside the main article they also worked out a plan for me review four different sustainable endurance sport products. These reviews would be featured in both the printed magazine and here on the site. What a great opportunity! In the April, the story hit the streets. Big thanks again to the team at Endurance!

In the midst of a renewed euphoria, another level of setbacks began. It was a like a plague of injuries started looming and the run commuting began to morph again. I was off the roads and unable to run for the last couple months. The first year of run commuting was posed to close with a freeze on all running. Then came the revelation and movement into cycling  and swimming. Run commuting was traded out for Bike Commuting and swimming helped maintain endurance. When you move away from depending on your car for a long period of time, you get creative when one mode of transportation needs a rest. Instead of running to meetings, I dusted off the mountain bike and hit the roads. It’s not the most glorious transition to cycling, but I needed an immediate solution. Honestly it’s been great and thankfully along the way I met a great doctor who has helped me recover from the injuries.

Chapter One of this novel story is now complete. The next page has already turned and Chapter Two is starting to develop. While most storytellers set out with a well conceived plot, character outlines and rough story line, this storybook journey is crafted each day as the experiences unfold.

Stepping to the starting line of a race, my mind circles in thought. Lately it has been anxiety about my gear. This new found anxiety revolves around one big question: Am I wearing the right shoes today? As you can imagine, shoe selection for racing or speed work is kind of a big deal. After enduring multiple marathons fighting through the pain of blistering from a poor shoe selection, my goal has been to solve this painful piece of the puzzle. Slipping on the Saucony Kinvara for the first time eased my worries and is now the answer to my race day question.

Earlier this year, my friends at Sauconcy introduced me to the Kinvara. I remember my first thoughts, “Looks like an interesting shoe”. When I asked the story of the shoe, it was intriguing to hear that the shoe was targeted directly toward the emerging “free” running trend. While the Vibram Five Fingers really dominates the “free” running market, there are plenty of runners like myself who struggle to picture themselves almost shoeless. I can’t see myself becoming a “free” runner at this time. Wearing the Kinvara is as close to that as I’m going to get. Although, that wasn’t my goal. I was unconsciously searching for a new speed shoe.

Lucky for me the Kinvara was truly built for speed. My first couple of runs in the shoe were proof enough. Since the shoes are practically weightless, cutting through the miles required much less effort than in my previous pair of trainers. Run after run, the results were consistent and downright ideal. With a couple weeks of general training runs and run commutes in the books, I decided to tackle a spring half marathon in the Kinvara.

For the first time in several years, I stepped to the line with only typical race day jitters and the calming silence knowing my shoes were in check. The race went off without a hitch from the gear perspective. It was a half marathon so physically it’s never just a walk in the park. The day did impress in my mind a solid choice for my distance racing shoe and speed work trainer – The Kinvara.

The Kinvara by Saucony is now available in nearly every specialty running store across the country. Support your local running shops. Buying your shoes and other products locally supports more than the owner’s bottom line, you are supporting the livelihood of your running community.

Thanks again to my friends at Saucony for the opportunity to test run these shoes months before they landed in the market.

Setting goals and falling short due to unplanned interruptions makes for tough waters to navigate. As a runner who’s thrived on determination and pushing through adversity for years,  it’s hard when an injury draws my training to a screeching halt. Ironically there’s always something of beauty and appreciation waiting on the other side of injuries.

Years ago I left my hometown. Perhaps I had a chip on my shoulder. Running gradually became a way to “prove” to myself that I could be something greater than what my childhood depicted. Transcending the many days being picked last in gym class and hiding in the shadows of a big brother is a tough road to travel. What all those experiences created is an older driven person constantly, quietly striving to be the best. Why such deep thoughts? Earlier this year, I signed up for the Boilermaker 15k which is just outside of my hometown in Utica, NY. It’s significant since this was the first road race I ever ran.  After 17 years, I’m now going back home to race the Boilermaker.

An unscripted interruption, an injury, has sidelined my training for this important race. IT band tendonitis is the diagnosis. This tricky, painful injury has literally disrupted my training since early April (about same time the magazine cover story hit – significant? well that’s another story). In the last two weeks I’ve been able to run again, but nothing more than an easy run. Earlier this week I exclaimed to my wife in frustration: “If I can’t do really well in this race, then I’m not going to NY!”. Her reaction was lovingly tough and a bit more mature than my statement. “Yes, you will be going. You’re signed up. You’ll run.” This simple exchange opened my eyes to the fact that I’ve been training for too long to prove something to someone else. Somehow, along the miles, I’ve poured more energy into using running to prove my worth than to simply love the sport and be thankful for the sheer ability to run.

This week ends with the vail lifting. I’m striving to run for the love of running. I’m sure this is just the first step, but I believe this week is another building block toward a healthier future of running. Thank God for injuries and healing. And, yes, the Boilermaker is definitely on in less than 60 days!

Weekly Training Log

Monday – Rest (nursing our sick little one and lack of sleep sideline the day)

Tuesday – Day 78 Run Commuting: 12 miles (run to client meeting then back to studio – preview Nascar Hall of Fame Opening Ceremony on the way back – Fun!)

Wednesday – Day 79 Run Commuting: 10 miles (morning coffee meeting – no show > meeting friend for workout – missed them > pick mail – too early and forgot keys > tough morning)

Thursday – Bike Commuting: 14 miles (morning coffee meeting > off to client meeting > back to studio)

Friday – Day 80 Run Commuting: 13.5 miles (bank deposit and notarizing docs > mail drop > uptown to drop off SBE Business Certification docs > back to studio)

Saturday – Rest

Sunday - Day 81 Run Commuting: 5 miles (run home from the YMCA – 5 x 2:30 tempo pace with 2:30 rest between intervals)

Weekly Mileage

Run Commute: 40.5 miles
Bike Commute: 14 miles

Total Mileage To Date

Run Commute: 777 miles
Bike Commute: 14 miles

Tip of the Week

The best laid plans sometimes take you down the most unexpected roads. Luckily, while different, the road usually takes to you to the originally planned destination and sometimes as a changed person.

Years have passed with a simple awareness of Earth Day. Until recently doing my part covered the basics – reuse, recycle, etc. In the wake of the economic recession sustainability became cemented as a permanent fixture both within social acceptability and my everyday life. The arrival of Earth Day this year is much different than the past. My plan was near perfect. Spending the day navigating life without the common convenience of my car. Little did I realize my plan would be altered and turned upside down.

In early March, I ran a half marathon in Charlotte. Somewhere between miles 8 and 9 a pain radiated out of knee bringing me to a complete stop on the side of the road. After giving up a minute and half attempting to stretch out the issue, I rejoined the race. The rest of the race was challenging to say the least. My number one goal shifted away from running a strong time to simply finishing. At the finish line I quickly made my way to the a source for an ice pack. Later in the day, it was tough to walk a flight of stairs and the pain was pretty constant. Resting for a week iced my training plans. One week turned into two and on the third week I broke back into full stride with a dense commute week. Luckily everything was great at the end of the week. The next week proved quickly that the injury was still present and every attempt to run since hasn’t ended well.

Today was still on though. My determination to curb the car hadn’t faltered. Now did I have a plan. Not really. I’d tried bike commuting a couple months back and honestly wasn’t a big fan. The cars in Charlotte ride really close and the absence of bike lanes pose a much higher risk than the traditional sidewalk jaunts of a runner. Since running was out of the picture, saddling up on the bike was the only way to make the plan work.

This morning I hit the garage to dust off the bike and gear up for the venture. My day centered around a morning meeting followed by rounding out the loop with a mail pick up. After shifting the bike into gear the trip was seamless and notably fun. I covered about 10 miles on this outing and was able to log the workout pain-free. Today I can say I did my part for the planet with some personal originality. While it would have made for a better story to have run all over the city today, the real story for me was in finding a way to stick to my plans despite dealing with an injury. This proves to be another step toward run commuting becoming more like lifestyle running. Running (or biking) is weaving deeper into my everyday life and I love it.

Happy Earthday! That’s my story… care to share yours?

Months ago when my run commuting journey was merely in its infancy there was only distant thoughts about the potential of this venture making media waves. Everything changed though on April 1 with the release of Endurance Magazine’s monthly edition. The cover and feature article showcases the EnduroBrand run commuting project.

There are few words to use in describing this experience. Honestly while this is an incredible honor it’s still a little strange personally. My personality typically shies away from the lime light or anything related to being the center of attention. In this case though I’ve really enjoyed the fruits of hard labor, literally. Over the past nine months, I’ve poured on the miles en-route to many different locations on foot instead of driving. There were a lot of bumps in the road along the way. Injuries. Studio move. Sleeplessness with a new born. With the bumps also comes the celebrations. Breaking my marathon PR (after 5 years). Landing new clients. Traveling to work (run). Magazine cover story. Clearly in my mind the wins far outshine the bumps endured along the way.

If you are in the Carolinas, take a look on the news stands for a copy of ENDURANCE. Living outside the Carolinas? You can pick up the article online at ENDURANCE ONLINE.

Thank you to everyone following this journey. I truly appreciate your readership and hope to share more intriguing stories, inspire more run commuters and uncover the best running gear on the planet. Cheers to the road ahead!

Living in the Carolinas the history of textiles are woven into the region’s DNA. While the last decade produced plenty of stories about Main Street American textile mills closing their doors, a progressive player in the performance tee shirt arena has pulled mill door back open staking their claim in being “Locally Sewn”. Sport Science is carving their niche into the performance tee market with a figurative classic – the Smarter Performance tee. These tees blend the wicking nature of polyester with the soft hand of cotton and focus intently on being the only shirt on the planet with a tiny carbon foot print – 125 miles.

The performance product market is oozing with green as the once trendy topic of creating eco-friendly products settles in to stay. As you pour through the masses of products most are moving in the direction of recycled content, natural fibers, or other material based alternatives. Sport Science took a complete lateral in their approach to the “green” topic focusing on the holistic production of each garment. They create garments grown, sewn, dyed, printed and shipped all within a 125 mile radius and right in classic epicenter of textiles – the Carolinas. First let’s marinate on that mileage for a moment. Most elite runners tackle that distance in one training week. An ultra-marathoner might chew up the total mileage in one crazy long run. For us mortal runners, three weeks of training lands us logging their total production mileage. Depart with me for minute now and picture the “typical” garment in a single stage of development life cycle making a one way trip from overseas production to an American distribution center. Lower costs at the expense of the environment based on the emissions impact alone. How about lower costs stemming from Sport Science’s unique production in your figurative backyard. Novel plan reaching to the past for a brighter future.

Years ago we shopped local, supported generations of family-owned businesses, spent more time in transit on foot and lived a completely different way. If you are finding yourself grasping for a piece of the life from the near past, Sport Science is an easy company to support.

Silence is golden. Imagine the impact a simple running shoe can make in the world by focusing on the environment. Think a little lateral for a minute. Some remember a time when leisure suits were hot stuff – not most of us though. Well Brooks Running reaches deep into the closet for these once treasured garments and is literally weaving them into some hot kicks. Honestly at first blush the Green Silence is laugh out loud strange looking, but the facts behind these eye-catching, visually loud shoes amplify a voice of sustainability for the environment.

The Green Silence by Brooks utilizes both recycled and earth-friendly materials while sporting a wild design constructed using roughly half the materials of comparable shoes in the market. When it comes to sustainability the Green Silence seemed like the perfect match for a run commuter. The ideologies behind both blend as a near perfect match giving your ability to make a light carbon foot print mighty magnification.

Here’s a couple factoids speaking behind the silence.

• 75% Post-consumer recycled shoe materials
• 100% Post-consumer recycled shoe laces
• 100% Recycled packaging (90% post-consumer recycled)
• Water-based adhesives used throughout
• All dyes and colorants are non-toxic
• 1/2 as many parts as comparable shoes (saving oil and energy)

All sustainability facts aside for a second. For a running shoe to be a real winner it has harness all the functionality and sustainability elements into performance. Since these shoes seem to weigh in at just about nothing they are prime for both competition or ideal for those interested in the “free running” movement. During testing I intentionally focused on turning some intensely long commute miles in the Silence. The first session was a short 3 miler on a treadmill which was a great proving ground for the general fit and feel. After the initial session I hit the roads pretty hard. The commute runs ranged in distance from 18 miles down to 8 miles. Along the way the shoes performed well and exactly as I imagined with a minor exception. Yes this is a great competition shoe and I’d likely take them through races from 5k to marathon. Now the training is another story for me personally. Since the shoe is so lightweight there is also less support. After two weeks and about 100 miles my feet and right IT band were starting to flair up (which speaks to my need for more support and increased strengthening more so than any deficiency in the shoes). My advice for a runner interested adopting the Green Silence is to slowly ease these shoes into your training schedule starting with the shorter distances and working your way up as much as your body can handle. I know now that the rest of my time in these shoes will be dual purpose – shorter commutes when I need to race the clock and various distances racing this summer season.

This whole review process was really cool. Not only was I turning my back on a traditional vehicle as a mode of transportation, but now my feet were sporting an authentically sustainable shoe. What a double win for the environment.

Sunscreen is the last layer of protection you can wear when you hit the roads. Naturally your skin and body will appreciate Soleo Organics Sunscreen more than you can imagine. In the quest to live a more sustainable life most of us have naturally gravitated toward organics primarily while grocery shopping. Until recently sunscreen would have never entered the radar as a potential organic product. After all we’ve been conditioned to pay more attention to the SPF rating than to the holistic recipe of ingredients in our sunscreens. Soleo Organics has a clear mission to educate consumers about the value of organic sunscreen to both our skin and for the well-being of the environment.

The first point to address is to clearly understand the amount of sun exposure your skin endures as a runner. Most of us spend at least an hour a day and sometimes upwards of three hours in a stretch out on the roads training. Without doubt we are taking in high levels of sun exposure yet until recently I never thought about sunscreen before walking out the door. I’ll make my point simple – running + sunscreen = good thing.

Since you now have sunscreen on the brain as you prepare to venture out on your next trek, it’s time to figure out which one to use. Before you go reaching into your stock of generic “sport” sunscreen let me share a key fact. The lotions you rub on your skin are absorbed into your skin. One of the best parts about Soleo is the product doesn’t contain any chemical UV absorbers or titanium dioxide (chemicals like: Octyl Mehoxycinnamate, Oxybenzone, Benzophenone, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, and more). I think you get the point.

The natural eco-friendly fact about Soleo involves sunscreen’s direct contact with the environment. Triathletes and swimmers spend a nice duration in the natural environment of lakes and the ocean. Soleo is the ideal sunscreen for water contact. Being water resistant is a natural highlight for any sunscreen. Let’s go to the next level. During contact with water all sunscreens will eventually wash off. The ingredients in Soleo are designed to biodegrade instead of leaving the gift of a nice oily film behind.

The review process for Soleo Organics Sunscreen was super simple. Every time I hit the road during the last couple weeks run commuting, I put on a thin layer. It was really interesting to put this on for the first time. I quickly noticed the lack of the typical greasy residue left on your hands and skin after applying the sunscreen. Instead my skin was relatively dry. My biggest worry was what would happen when the sweat started pouring on and potentially dripping into my eyes. The worry was just that. There was never even one sunscreen laced sweat bead nearly blinding me mid-stride. Finally with an SPF of 30+ there was no trace of sun exposure left even after being out on the roads mid-day for near three hours.

Whether you are at the pool or on the road, Soleo Organic’s ingredients will help keep your skin healthy while protecting the environment. Remember as you shop for this product remember this is a premium sunscreen commanding a couple more bucks than a generic sport sunscreen. You only have one body and it’s worth the price to protect its health.

Paradise found. The last place you’d imagine sporting coconut shells is on your feet. Find yourself in sock paradise plowing through the miles in the NBx Cocona Socks by New Balance. With just under half the fiber content in these sock derived from the coconut shell, you’ll enjoy superior moisture wicking and a performance fit with a sustainable edge.

A myriad of socks line the racks at both running specialty stores and other big-box retailers. The toughest hurdle for runners of any level is to figure out which sock is the best fit for them. I’d venture most runners pay very little attention to the thought process behind the purchase when it comes to these essentials. In my opinion the real key in keeping your feet happy and healthy is the “shoe + sock combo”. Both pieces of gear dance together every step of your run and need to deliver a stellar performance each time.

The New Balance Nbx CoCoNa sock now enters from stage right to begin their performance. The notable difference in the socks evades the eye yet stands clear in the threads weaving each stitch together. The threads contain a high amount of fiber content derived directly from a coconut shell. Honestly the first picture in my mind when I read, coconut, was nothing in the world of comfort. Then again I was thinking literally. When pulling on these socks for the first time I was surprised by their soft hand. Also, I noticed the attention New Balance paid to crafting a performance sock in the anatomical fit for each foot. Not to worry each sock is clearly marked with a red “left” or “right” symbol.

Now came the real test. The rubber (or coconut) meets the road over miles of run commuting and training. It was no surprise to me that these sock performed nicely. The natural moisture management from the CoCoNa fibers kept my feet nice and dry. Then the next important ingredient is the mix is odor management. Rest assured in these socks you’ll be spared the post run smelly foot. The capstone keeping these socks in my line up was blister management. While this is not a feature touted by the product, over the miles of testing my feet remained blister-free which is always a nice bonus.

What makes this sock special in my mind is the sustainability angle in the use of natural materials in producing the product. The performance aspects are par to the pack for all running socks so if you are sustainability minded the New Balance Nbx Cocona socks could be the perfect fit for your running lifestyle.

The winter season seems to wear on my inspiration to log the mileage more and more each year. This year was no exception especially being so unseasonably cold. With spring officially kicked off the race calendar literally seems to have a 5k on the docket every weekend somewhere in the immediate region. At first blush the volume of races is overwhelming since spring has magnetism drawing runners into the race scene fast and furiously. As you can guess, my race calendar is getting decorated with more races than years past all in stride with run commute mileage bulking up a nice training base every week. We’ll find out how well integrating run commuting into a training plan fits in the journey to break some long standing PRs this year.

First Place Baby
This past weekend, our little guy turned one. As part of the celebration lacing up the racers, loading him up in the jogger and racing with him in the local Shamrock 4 miler was only fitting. At first I was a little shy about racing with the jogger. Entering the “baby jogger” division has not been my typical route for racing since my focus has been on marathons until recently. At the starting line, I quickly realized the baby joggers were being given a separate start. What a relief. The last time I raced with my daughter in the jogger we were stuck spending every bit of energy weaving through the crowd.

Before the race a friend asked if I’d ever run on this course before. To which I answered, “Nope”. He smiled and said it’s all easy on the way out over the first two miles. Now the way back (mile 3) is really tough is all he said. I remember thinking, “How tough could this really be?”. Now I’m on the line and the gun goes off. Just like he said the first two miles were fast. I was experiencing the great feeling of chasing the pace car in the lead (given our 2 minute head start on the open race). As we headed to the turnaround, the lead runners in the open race were starting to pass by. We were moving along, but they were flying. It was cool to see the race from this perspective. None of them were pushing a jogger so I knew I was still leading my race.

Then we started the climb (mile 3) back toward the finish. Really my friend wasn’t kidding about how challenging this was. Add pushing about 40 extra pounds of weight to the race equation and I’m telling you my legs were burning. Just when I thought I couldn’t take much more the grade started to level out to an easier climb. From this point out all I had to do was keep my son’s Cheerios cup from flying out the side to jogger. We almost lost it once between the three mile mark and the finish. Not something I’m usually thinking about mid-race, but it made me laugh to myself.

After a couple more winding hills we wrapped down to the finishing stretch. By this point I was pretty confident that we were winning our race. All we had to do was navigate over the multiple speed bumps on the finish stretch and cross the line. Finishing this race I was happy to share the experience and win with my son. First birthday. First place. First race. I’m still smiling thinking about it. While I’m sure he doesn’t remember it all happening. I’ll have the memory for a lifetime.

Weekly Mileage Report

Monday – 13 miles (round trip into Uptown and Dilworth over fall commute routes)

Tuesday – 10 miles (Met Charlotte Running Club Group for Intervals)
Warm Up: 2.5 miles
3 x 12 minutes at 6:20 pace: 5 miles (estimated)
Cool Down: 2.5 miles

Day 76
Wednesday – 10 miles (short commute mixed with training run)
Run to shops and dinner – 3 mile (roundtrip)
Training Run – 7 miles

Day 77
Friday - 8 miles
Run from Studio to Mailbox: 4 miles
Run from Mailbox to Studio: 4 miles

Weekly Commute Mileage: 11 miles
Total Commute Mileage to Date: 736.5 miles

Tip of the Week
Spring time equals race time. Be cautious to give yourself enough rest and recovery time between racing. Racing is a ton of fun. Watching from the sidelines during peak race season with an injury is not.

When this whole adventure began the vision was to run commute for one-hundred days and cover the distance of one-thousand miles. Setting this goal seemed so far from attainable that few even heard about it until now. This week achieving the goal started becoming more real then I ever imagined when hitting the road on day one. While I’m still quite focused on this initial goal, recent the realization of the holistic nature of blending running into everyday lifestyle activities has sparked a new vision spinning a host of new goals in the distance horizon.

Surpassing 700 miles
The climb to the surpass the 500 mile mark seemed to take forever. The heat of the summer made every mile feel like it took twice the effort to complete. Little did I know the road between 500 and 700 miles would mentally take even longer. This week run commuting I crossed over the 700 mile threshold during a 15.5 mile day.

The cross over day was nothing short of tiring yet full of energy. The venture started with a run session into uptown Charlotte to meet a photographer for a photo shoot. In most cases I’m the one directing the shoot alongside the photographer with a specific vision in mind. This time I was the model in the shoot and the context was naturally running. The shoot was awkwardly entertaining and fueled my spirit to tackle the rest of the day. From the shoot it was a direct route back to the studio to pick up a couple forgotten items and then off to a meeting with an apparel client. Midstream in the meeting I found myself super tight and dreading the last leg running back to the studio. Here I was clearing the 700 mile mark and literally mixing it up with a run walk shuffle to close the day. I was psyched and wiped out all at the same time. It was beautiful.

Necessary Maintenance
Runners are commonly known to be less flexible than most athletes. Our constant forward motion thrives on flexibility yet the activity itself produces more tightening than promoting looseness. For years I’ve been encouraged to strength train or consider taking yoga classes. This week I found myself walking into my first “real” yoga class. Thankfully the visit was alongside my wife. This was nice since the whole deal was really intimidating to me. Typically I stick to the sports where I can perform well and not expose glaring weaknesses. Yoga was clearly going to expose a quite a bit of weakness in my body. Starting the class I couldn’t even sit in the “resting” pose (in non-yoga terminology – sitting cross legged). My nerves hit an ultimate high when the teacher asked, “Is this anyone’s first yoga class?”. Now not only was I the only guy in the class, but now I was visibly the newbie as well. Whether I raised my hand or not the on-going poses would have exposed the poser for sure.

I survived and even enjoyed the hour long flex factory and let’s just say I was so relaxed feeling after the class. I’m still not sure if the feeling came from the calming peace of the class or the shear exhaustion resulting from just trying to keep up. The good news for me is this class is just the beginning. I’m ready for the next session.

Day 74 – Tuesday – 15.5 miles
Run from Studio to Photo Shoot: 4.25 miles
Run from Photo Shoot to Studio: 4.25 miles
Run from Studio to Meeting: 3.5 miles
Run from Meeting to Studio: 3.5 miles

Day 75 – Thursday – 11 miles
Run from Studio to Mailbox: 5 miles (with single jogger with my son)
Run from Mailbox to Studio: 6 miles

Weekly Commute Mileage: 26.5 miles
Total Commute Mileage to Date: 725.5 miles

Tip of the Week
Try adding something new to your typical training program. Even if the new activity is outside your comfort zone, stepping into the unknown can open your eyes to a new horizon.

Over the past three months many changes have been in the mix. If you’ve visited EnduroBrand in the past you might have gotten used to weekly updates and a steady stream of product reviews. With the bulk of changes now drifting off into the past, a new pace of life is settling in to redefine “run commuting” and my running lifestyle.

Redefining the Commute
It’s safe to say the economic turmoil of the past year has caused many changes which have impacted about every business sector and company in the market. My design firm was no exception. Most of last year was spent furthering direction shifts in the core vision of the studio and refining the business all together to weather the storm long term. The greatest shift in relation to run commuting was moving my studio into our home studio suite. While on the surface this might sound crazy, but having a studio detached from the house pretty much keeps a traditional work environment intact. One of the key bonuses is new studio design boasts an instant workout facility – a treadmill and free weights.

Wait stop the press. You’re reading correctly. My work commute no longer exists. The reason it took so long to begin posting updates is that it took time to redefine the future of run commuting in my life. At first it seemed the project would gracefully end. Then it hit me. Destination running or run commuting could involve a variety of locations and doesn’t necessarily tie to a typical home to work pattern. Run commuting is a lifestyle that trades out driving your vehicle to a destination in exchange for trekking the mileage on foot. So the dawn of a new day brings the vision for the future. Many more miles on the commute are coming.

Messed Up Meeting
The best client to work with as a run commuter is run specialty retailer. EnduroBrand was recently engaged to rebrand a Charlotte-based running store which naturally leads to a lot of meeting time. Since they are all runners, I have the green light to run to our meetings. This week was the first run commute to one of our meetings which was really exciting. The store is about 6 miles away and during the run a call came in. The meeting time was moving and it sounded like the location was as well. I was about 4 miles into the commute when the shift happened. The other store location mentioned in the call was another 8 miles away and running there was the only way I could navigate the schedule for an on-time arrival. So off I went.

Luckily after commuting for so many months and knowing the distance, I’ve become a decent predictor of arrival times. I landed at the new store location with 10 minutes to spare. This afforded me the time to grab a water and stretch out a little before we met. So then the owner motioned to me to join them in the store – which is a new location in the throws of a build-out. He said, “What are you doing down here? I meant an hour delay to our meeting in the original location.” Ah, a great detail lost in translation due to my assumption over a quick phone conversation. Good thing I met the owner there. The marketing director had already left and he was close behind.

We rode to the original location. The meeting went great. I refueled more and post meeting was back on the road for the 6 miler back to the studio. What a crazy 18 mile morning. Honestly it was one of the best ways to spend it – a long commute and great meeting. Doing what you love with a client you really enjoy working for really makes life sing.

Day 71 – Monday
Stationary Commute (Treadmill): 3 miles
Recovering from Half Marathon

Day 72 – Tuesday
Run from Studio to Meeting: 12 miles (extra 8 miles for location change)
Run from Meeting to Studio: 6 miles

Day 73 – Thursday
Run from Studio to School: 5 miles (with single jogger to donuts for Dads morning event)
Run from School to Mailbox to Studio: 6 miles

Weekly Commute Mileage: 32 miles
Total Commute Mileage to Date: 699 miles

Tip of the Week
Ask twice. Run once. Make sure to double check your thoughts derived from a phone conversation before jumping to a conclusion…. unless you have time for the bulk of extra miles that could result.

For years I’ve heard stories about other runners changing shoes mid-stream in the marathon and watched a handful of triathlon transitions. Curiously I’ve always wondered how this could be possible to do without giving up precious time. Maybe a clumsy nature has plagued my shoe tying skills since each story that stands out didn’t mentioned special shoe lacing systems.

A couple months ago, I was introduced to Yankz! shoe laces. All I can remember thinking is why do I need these and what could the benefit possibly be for me personally. I’m not a seasoned triathlete shaving time at transition and honestly once I’m in a shoe during a race the last thought I have is stopping for a change. Regardless of these minor details, I cracked open the box recently and laced up my trainers with Yankz!.

Lacing up a pair of shoes… how tough could it be? Well with Yankz! I’d highly recommend reading or better yet following the directions the first time you lace with these laces. Primarily since you’ll find yourself lacing the shoe from the top down or in reverse. I think you get the point follow the directions and prepare to make adjustments in your first couple runs with these laces in your shoes. If you’re not familiar with Yankz! let’s just say once your shoes are laced with these babies, tying your shoes is a thing of the past.

Whether you’re dreaming of reducing time in your next triathlon transition, want to try a little switch-o change-o in the middle of the race or you’re like me and simply want to nix tying your shoes pre each run. Lace up and snap these babies in place and kiss good-bye your tying skills (or lack thereof).

The close of the decade is hard to imagine. Seems like only a short blink of an eye ago everyone was preparing for the Y2K unknown. Today we are now 10 years into the unknown and although the world has changed it didn’t all happen with the unwinding of one large computer glitch. Is that a relief and kind of humorous all at the same time. In the past ten years many incredible events graced my life. Dispelling the myth that your running career peaks out by age 28 was one of the best discoveries. At the dawn of the decade, my post-college running career finally crossed the starting line. A couple friends invited me to run a half marathon which then slowly led to many miles of training, multiple marathons and most recently the run-commute project. While it seemed the end of my young running career was quickly approaching, it’s now quite clear that the dawn of the new decade in more like the beginning.

Run-commuting Update
In the end of June 2009, I started running to work and the run-commute project came to life. During the first couple weeks the mileage clicked off quickly and an injury arrived early on. While spending two weeks on the sideline healing, I realized it was time to truly get healthy. If I was going to survive the high mileage it was time to get serious. Hitting the roads again, each week logged a variety of mileage totals and some really fun experiences. Everything culminated to a marathon in mid-December. To my surprise, with training only through run-commuting and a long run on the weekend, this style of training powered me forward to a new marathon PR. Since completing the marathon the run-commuting miles slowed as I rested post race. Now with the new year at hand, the original goal still looms on the horizon. With 70 days officially in the books, the 100 day goal is within reach.

2010 Race Plans
Listening to other runners, I’ve found that we all define our race schedules in different ways. This past weekend, I was running with a couple guys and while talking one mentioned preparing for “light” race schedule. When I asked how many races that comprised a “light” schedule, he said, “about 10 for the year”. Hearing his definition of light, all I could think was “wow… my schedule must me ultra-light” as over the last couple years, I’ve raced less than ten times in the year. Then it occurred to me. There are two parts to a race schedule – frequency and volume. Hence there is a big difference between running a series of 5k races or a marathon a month plan. So, this year I’ve decided to race in a free form style. Mix up a handful of 5k events, half marathons, a mountain relay, hometown 15k, and my first ultra – 50 miler. We all define our running lives through different lens. Personally, 2010 is a dense year of fun and new frontiers.

Tip of the Week
Looking for a speedy recovery from nagging injuries? Trade in ibuprofen for a steep reduction in your refined sugar intake. Since refined sugars naturally increase inflamation in the muscles and joints, avoiding high levels of sugar intake may lead to the calming recovering your muscles desire.

Sometimes I wonder how most runners keep it together weaving training into everyday living. This week was a perfect example of hitting a training wall while navigating a stressful work schedule. Walking out the door on Monday morning the week seemed perfectly laid out. I’d continue to click off the miles charging toward the 1000 mile mark. Guess again. The deadlines mounted. Multiple late nights of work climaxed with an all-nighter. Literally it was like going back to college prepping for finals week.

Since the beginning of this journey, I realized the road would not be perfect. I remember clear advice in reading a Runner’s World article. If you miss a workout it’s gone. There’s such relief in turning yesterday’s page and moving on to the next day. That’s the story of my week.

Day 69
Run from Studio to Home: 6 miles

Day 70
Run from Home to Studio: 7 miles

Weekly Commute Mileage: 13 miles
Total Commute Mileage to Date: 667 miles

Tip of the Week
Take care of yourself both on the road and off. When the throws of life flair up, give yourself space and sideline the training.

In mid-2009, a new accessory by Nathan – Human Propulsion Laboratories joined my family of gear. The L.E.D. Safety Strobe was a required accessory for all runners participating in the Blue Ridge Relay which was my influenced introduction. Though I’ve always turned a blind eye to “safety” accessories, later in life and since having a family care-free attitude toward danger has changed. Of course, I wanted to run the race where these “flashing lights” were required as well.

The story starts another year before last. I was running with two friends while marathon training. We met quite early in the morning before work to get in a weekly long run. This particular morning one of the guys, a local running store owner, was sporting a flashing strobe. I remember wondering why since we were running on sidewalks usually. Only three miles in to our run, a car blew through a stop light (right turning without looking) and nearly clipped me. Really it was a close one. The reason I wasn’t hit was they stopped in time. The first thing my friend said was, “good thing this flasher caught their attention”. I thought, “yeah, good thing” and while a little shook up by this near miss, we went on to finish the run.

A full year passes since this incident and now I find myself in need of a good safety strobe for this 210 mile mountain relay deal. Luckily I found the L.E.D. Safety Strobe product by Nathan. It was the perfect size while most other strobes seemed to focus on cyclists, this one appeared to be angled toward runners. The best part about the product was that it clips onto a belt or waist band. Since I already typically wear a SPI-belt when running these babies would blend in perfect with my existing gear. What a deal.

Now let’s get down to the facts. A safety flashing light is a safety flashing light or is it. Not to me. These L.E.D.s by Nathan are both functional and cool (a necessity for us “too-cool” for safety runners). The cool factor for this product is two fold. First, as I mentioned they clip onto existing gear. Second, they have multiple strobe modes. Depending on your mood for the run you can choose between four different flash patterns. If these two fun-factors don’t do it for you – just think, these could save you from a non-attentive driver making a beeline for your knees.

Whether you are required to wear a safety strobe for an upcoming ultra or multi-day relay event, I recommend Nathan as your product of choice. Not all strobes were created equal. Be cool and be safe.

On December 12th, Charlotte was the settling for my eighth bout with the marathon. The Thunder Road Marathon traverses 26.2 miles of rolling hills around the center city area of Charlotte, NC creating a challenging yet near perfect course for marathon racing.

With distant memories of my last two marathons fading into the past, I approached the starting line planning to wipe the slate clean. These last two races were both stories of desperation finishes, which made them both quite humbling experiences. In Chicago 2007, the massive heat wave that closed the race down after the first four hours hit me hard. Finishing just over 3:30 I came face-to-face with the real possibility of needing to “crawl” over the finish line. Luckily I finished upright. Fast forward to Charlotte’s Thunder Road Marathon in 2008. Early race blisters led me to detour from the course at mile 5. I left the course near my house to change out shoes and socks. Following 20-30 minutes off the course, I returned to mile 5 and gutted out the rest of the marathon. Again posting a hard fought 3:30 finish.

Today’s race was a new day though. I trained completely different. Test drove many shoe and sock combinations. Sampled various nutrition supplements. Let’s just say I was ready for the challenge.

Start your engines! The roar of the Nascar stock car made my heart race at the start and off we went to conquer the 26.2 distance. My goal was to settle in for the first half of the race just under 1:30 and then power through the second half with negative splits. It’s always easy to plan for this, but pulling it off is a much different story. My first seven marathons told a consistent story of fading in the last 6-8 miles.

The first half of the marathon went exactly as planned. I settled in the 3-hour pace group. The pacer seemed to really have the pace nailed down. Following 13 miles, we begin to quietly knock off the miles one at time. The group remained both intact and strong through 18 miles. Seems like the 18th mile has a way of sifting the pack. Slowly I started losing touch with this group and beginning to battle cramping calf muscles. Luckily for me, the cramps relented on the downhill or flat sections. Although, the climb into the arts district (NODA) made it hard to stay in contact with the pace group that I was breezing through the first half with.

At the 20 mile marker, I found a renewed confidence founded in a versed knowledge of the remaining miles. I started to attempt a little Jedi-like mind action on this frustrating calf cramping. This was all spurred on by my training partner, Kurt’s roadside encouragement, “You’re in the shape of your life! This is your race. NOW STOP COMPLAINING about your calfs and drive this baby home!!”. Over the stretch covering The Plaza and Central, I dropped my head and started reaching deeper for more strength. My confidence soared as I began passing other runners. Much to my surprise, I was passing individuals one-by-one from my early pacing group. What a rush… at this point in the marathon I typically faded and now I was surging.

Finally entering the home stretch last two miles, I knew breaking the 3 hour mark was just out of reach, but I couldn’t mathematically calculate how far off I was though. My mile pace was back on target and I could mentally picture the finish line. As I made the turn to ascend to the finish line, I started “losing it”. My legs turned to jello and nearly began to buckle. With the support of the crowd cheering, I made my way to the finish and crossed the line with great relief. My eighth marathon was now complete and I’d just logged a 3:01:45.

What a day racing! My time officially qualifies me for a return trip to Boston in 2011. With over a year to train and race, I look forward to another shot at maybe the most challenging and sought after race experience I know. Get ready Boston, I’m coming back!

Some runners love music and religiously plug up to the iPod for every run. Years ago, a walkman (remember that cassette tape deal) was a mainstay item in my gear bag for all Cross-Country and Track meets. A rockin’ cassette mix, fresh AA-batteries, adjustable headset and a pre-race run were the ideal combination to produce driving race results. Thankfully over the years an iPod has made my love of music-in-motion a much simpler deal. These days the right playlist helps to carry some speed workouts and offers a welcomed distraction from tired legs from running multiple double workouts in a week.

This post is dedicated to sharing an interesting rock 80’s playlist. You’re hearing me right. Shelve the modern hits for a little throw back to the glam rock or metal of the late 1980’s.

Here’s some music I’ve enjoyed rediscovering in the past couple weeks:

Monkey Business – Skid Row
Slave to the Grind – Skid Row
Youth Gone Wild – Skid Row
Wait – White Lion
Tell Me – White Lion
Breaking the Chains – Dokken
In My Dreams – Dokken
Shake Me – Cinderella
Gypsy Road – Cinderella
Somebody Save Me – Cinderella
Only Young Once – Trixter
Give It To Me Good – Trixter
Final Countdown – Europe
Crazy Train – Ozzy Osborne
Ride the Lightning – Metallica

Whether you enjoy the good old memories attached to 80’s hairband metal or if you have no idea who these bands are, I strongly encourage all fellow iPod friendly runners to mix it up often. Music can both help you stay motivated with some variety or can bore you to sleep with repetition.

Have some suggestions for good training music? Please share.