Today is National Running Day in the United States, and active companies are tweeting up a storm about the day.
Even if you’re not able to get out there and run today, simply acknowledging that it’s time to get outside for exercise is a step in the right direction. The hardest part of training tends to be the first few steps out the door – once you’re moving, though, hopefully you won’t want to stop!
Post a status update on Facebook or Twitter sharing your running plans for National Running Day and invite your friends to join you on a run. On June 6, our partner Competitor will also be providing a Facebook app that enables you to add your distance to a national mileage reel and the ability to post a custom National Running Day Facebook badge. For more details, visit http://running.competitor.com.
2. Set a Goal
Just like New Year’s, National Running Day is the perfect moment to set a new goal or renew an existing one. Whether you are attempting to set a 5k personal-record, or qualify for the Boston Marathon, setting and achieving running goals offers the opportunity to stay healthy, motivated and realize your full running potential.
3. Run!
It’s easy–just go for a run on June 6! Set aside some time before work or school, during lunch, or at the end of the day and go for a run around town or on a local trail. Better yet, meet up with friends and go for a run together. Don’t know where to start? Join a National Running Day group run.
See Jane Run was back in town for their annual half marathon through the streets of Alameda. SJR is a fun racing series for women. The race begins at Washington Park up by Crab Cove. It is a great place to start a race but there is not a lot of parking in the immediate area which causes a lot of people to scramble to the start line. If the race gets much bigger, they may have to use a shuttle service for parking.
Assuming you get to the race early, there are plenty of activities to keep you entertained before the race starts. The have dancing, aerobics and stretching before the race starts. The start line is a little narrow so the people who plan on placing near the top of the race have to squeeze up to the front. Outside of the first two rows, everyone seems more interested in having fun the setting a personal record.
See Jane Run is a local sports store for women with three bay area locations and one in Boise Idaho. They support Girls Inc. of Alameda and donate a portion of every entry to the breast cancer fund.
If you run a half marathon right by our street, someone from Alameda Runners is going to show up with a camera. We took a lot of pictures today. They can be found here.
Tired of riding alone? Want to push yourself and meet some new friends while in the saddle? How about a local group ride?
Alameda Runners previously published a few tips about group riding, but we’re back with another edition of basic group riding tips for you to survive your time on the road.
BikeRadar published a good video featuring Jamie Sparling, Team Raleigh-GAC super domestique rider, and he shares a few tips about safely riding in a group.
His tips:
Do not do anything abrasive – Riders are around you, so make sure no frantic movements are made.
Be attentive – Look out for potholes and road obstructions, which keeps you and your fellow riders safe. Either point out road dangers, or be vocal and call out to everyone else.
Keep the group tight – This one takes some skill and practice, as newbie group riders can be really jumpy. You should have some space, but still be able to ride as a cohesive unit.
I’m a complete maniac when I’m peddling by myself, but behavior drastically changes with other riders around me. The first few times riding in a group were intimidating, but as you gain more experience, it becomes a fun time.
Make sure you ride with a group close to your skill level, as you don’t want to participate in a group ride where you’ll be promptly dropped and forgotten about. Team Alameda has weekly organized rides for cyclists of all skill levels, and clearly post the scheduled speed and distance of the rides.
If you’re riding with a local cycling team, don’t be bashful by telling them you’re still new to riding in a group. Remember, a group ride isn’t a race against the clock, and your goal isn’t to try and explode out of the group while simultaneously splintering your riding partners. Also, don’t be afraid to hang out towards the back of the group, avoiding the wind and pace making duties – less experienced riders and slower riders – often end up chit chatting and hanging out.
For some additional tips, this Active.com story has some good tips for you. Bicycling.com also posted a, “How to Master the Group Ride” article, and it has some good pointers. Finally, visit the League of American Bicyclist website to see a series about advanced cycling, including a few helpful group riding tips.
Team Alameda had a bike ride around Paradise loop posted so I decided to join them. It was an ice cream ride for them but it was fun. We started out at the Sports Basement by Crissy Field and headed out to the bridge. The west side of the Golden Gate Bridge is finally open to bikes! I have been riding across the bridge for about 10 years and today was the first time I went across without construction equipment on the bridge. It was nice. The bridge was foggy and windy all day. In the morning, the fog horn was sounding. I like to listen to the fog horn when I cross the bridge.
After we crossed the bridge, we stopped to regroup and shed some wool. It was 60 degrees Fahrenheit on the bridge and 75 on the Sausalito side of the bridge. We cruised down to Mikes Bikes for another break and to chat some more then we headed off to Tiburon. The temperature kept climbing as we went, topping out at 91. The weather and views were stunning. I feel so fortunate to live here and be able to go ride my bike in these beautiful areas. Ride details can be found here.
When the group stopped in Tiburon to get something to eat, I rode on. I intended to do the Alpine Dam loop but when someone at a stop light yelled out for a guide to the Rodeo Lagoon, I volunteered. The wind was brutal and my tourist could climb like the wind. He was also good at descending. Because of my slowness, I got stuck behind a car and he totally dropped me and missed the turn. I went looking for him to no avail so I headed back alone. When I got to the GGB, I ran into Team Alameda at the re-group zone.
We talked for a bit then headed out to Sports Basement. I ran into my tourist on the bridge. I felt better, knowing that he did not head up the coast on Route 1. It is hard to do but I worried all the same. I asked him why he was on the bridge when he was going back to where he joined me. He told me he did not know where he was going but it seemed like a good way to go. I pointed him in the right direction while admiring his attitude.
It was great to get out for a social ride with Team Alameda. Check out their site and consider joining them for a ride. If not them, pick another group and go out for a no-drop ride. It is a good change of pace from running all of the time.
In the 2012 Giro d’Italia, won by Canadian Garmin-Barracuda’s Ryder Hesjedal, the four wildcard teams offered a chance to race made it worthwhile.
A couple wildcard riders made the top 15, with Colnago CSF-Inox won a stage, while Farnese Vini-Selle Italia and Androni-Venezuela grabbing two stage victories each.
“I hope this victory, my first in the Giro, inspires other riders from the south of Italy to try to turn professional in these difficult financial times,” said Domenico Pozzovivo, a Colnago rider picking up a stage win – and finishing an impressive eighth overall – when asked after the race. “There are just two pros from my region and I would like there to be more.”
The ProTour teams typically dominate all the races they enter – but the wild card teams are tasked with attacking and helping liven up each race or tour stage. During a lull in a grand tour, for example, the wild card teams are typically the ones making it into the breakaway, forcing the ProTour teams to limit their losses and keep the attackers under control.
The 2012 Tour de France will feature the following pro-continental teams: Argos-Shimano, Saur-Sojasun, Cofidis, and Team Europcar. To be fair, Cofidis used to be a UFCI Proteam cycling squad, but they’ll still look to prove their worth this July.
A lady jogger was mugged for her iPhone while out for a run on Broadway (1500 block @ 8:00 p.m.) a few days ago, and Alameda Police are warning athletes to be aware of their surroundings.
A full incident report can be seen here, including descriptions of both suspects.
Here are a few tips:
• Do not wear headphones when running alone.
• Run against traffic.
• Be mindful of your surroundings and trust your intuition. If a location, a person(s) or something does not feel right, avoid it.
• Always carry identification or write your information on your shoe.
• Wear light colored and/or reflective clothing.
• Carry a cell phone, preferably in a non-visible location.
• Run with a partner, a dog perhaps. We have great dogs available at our local shelter www.faas.bbnow.org.
• Consider carrying a noise maker or pepper spray.
If you want to learn more about jogger safety, please feel free to post a tweet directed to the AlamedaPD’s Twitter account; they are very welcoming to interaction with the public.
I’m always bummed when I have to write a short blog post like this one – but it’s actually a great reminder that we need to be aware of our surroundings.
Shopping for running gear can be aggravating. There are so many choices that you never know if it is worth the money for that small upgrade. Several years ago, I was having knee pain from my IT band so I kept buying softer and softer shoes. The more I spent for the soft shoes, the worse the pain became. I went to Road Runner Sports to have my feet measured and my gait analyzed. It turns out; I have high arches and a neutral gait which need additional support and firm cushioning. It cost a little more for the shoes but they give you three options and you find the one you like best. I paid about $150 for the first pair of shoes then waited for them to go on sale at Sports Authority and bought 5 pair.
I love Road Runner Sports. They have great gear that is always of the highest quality. I went there today (Sunday) to get some shoes for my son. There were some workers at the shoe area helping customers and a lot of customers sitting around. I asked a clerk how to buy shoes and I was told to sign in and it will be about a 20 minute wait. I must be spoiled by being able to go to Sports Basement and try on my own shoes but I don’t like to wait 20 minutes to have a shoe salesman call my name. Lombardi Sports on Polk Street in SF has store people wait on you and I never have to wait 20 minutes there. If I do have to wait a long time, they have cool stuff to look at, while I wait. Road Runner failed my patience test but they are a good store and worth wait if you need a gait analysis.
In the same plaza as Road Runner Sports, there is an REI. Since I am a triathlete, REI is not really my type of store but I like it there anyway. We went in looking for running shoes and wound up buying 2 bicycle helmets and some bike gloves. They had Lance Armstrong Giro helmets on sale for $26 and I just had to buy the matching gloves for $25. It is a good thing they did not have the cycle kit to match.
The next stop on the shopping trip was the good old Exchange on Coast Guard Island in Alameda. They are a good consistent store that usually sells all sporting goods at 20% off list. I bought 2 shirts and 2 pair of running shorts for about $100. All of this shopping made us hungry so we went to lunch. We went shopping for running shoes, spent about $250 and came home with no shoes.
My little story took us to a few stores in the San Francisco Bay area. They are all good stores with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Road Runner Sports – As the name suggests, they are a running store. They have good customer service and great products. You usually have to pay list price for stuff.
REI – All around outdoors store. Cater to high end customers who go to national parks. They have a pretty good bike selection and a lot of that outdoors survival stuff. They also have lots of cool lectures and classes.
Lombardi Sports – A great sporting goods store that is surviving on Polk Street. The area is getting better all of the time as the time as gentrification heads south. The developers would love to tear that place down and build some condos.
Coast Guard Exchange – No customer service, consistent discounts, quality products and no taxes. I point this out because there are a lot of discount stores that have good stuff without the brand name for about half of what you would pay at a high end sporting good store.
The big bridge birthday celebration is this weekend. If you are like me and like to play in the Precidio and Crissy Field, parking may be difficult. I am going to head north and ride my bike up MT Tam or some place like that.
I have to admit, the Golden Gate Bridge Commission knows how to throw a party. Here is a copy of their flyer.
Golden Gate Bridge 75th anniversary! – Sunday May 27th – 11am – 10pm
Key details on transit and road/bridge/parking closures at the link below. Presidio is closed to all vehicles All Day. Bridge will be closed to bikes/peds at 6pm and to cars at 9pm Sunday night for fire works. Tell a friend and share
http://goldengate.org/ggb75transit/index.php
Enjoy total sound isolation with a quality pair of earbuds, but worry if you’re losing out from not being able to hear ambient sound?
If so, there is an interesting new product that utilizes air channels so you’re able to hear ambient sounds while still listening to music with a promise of no distortion. It helps give citizens and athletes have an ability to hear ambient sound while still enjoying their playlist.
It looks like the team did take its time working with design experts seriously, and this product could prove to be most useful.
The AIRbudz alone will cost $10, or you can pay $20 for the AIRbudz and some headphones. The Kickstarter AIRbudz promotion requires a minimum $10 donation, though additional funds can be contributed.
The SafeSound AIRudz seem interesting enough, and I’ll be curious to hear what people think about the product. I’ve seen runners and cyclists become oblivious to their surroundings while jamming out — which might be okay in the gym or on the tread mill — but can be extremely dangerous out in the world.
We all frequently learn about studies that discuss habits and life style choices that either add or remove years from our lives.
The newest study being marketed shouldn’t be a big surprise to any of us: jogging is a healthy activity that extends your life expectancy.
Running helps add 6.2 years to male life expectancy, and 5.6 years to female life expectancy. The research still must be peer-reviewed, but it’s definitely interesting to hear that all those hours of effort and sweat have a positive long-term impact.
“The results of our reasearch allow us to definitively answer the question of whether jogging is good for your healthy,” said Dr. Peter Schnohr, a cardiologist involved in the running research. “We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don’t actually need to do that much to reap the benefits.”
If you’re in it to stay healthy, it’s recommended to work towards being breathless, but coherent enough to be aware and have a conversation.
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