Alameda Runners – Get After It!

State and federal parks in California are under attack from misguided politicians, with Governor Jerry Brown recently deciding to close 70 state parks.

The Brown administration announced they will shutter 70 of 278 state parks — the effort will officially begin on July 1, 2012, as a public outcry forced the state government to push back closures. The state is trying to desperately close a $15.4 billion budget deficit that never seems to shrink.

The parks receiving the axe were selected by a few different compiling factors, including the following: revenue generated at the park, visitor figures, importance to local and state history, and geographic/social issues (i.e. development plans).

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger went loony and tried to close 220 of 278 state parks, but quickly realized how much voters love their parks. After receiving more than 135,000 letters, e-mails and phone calls from angry Californians that wanted to keep their parks open.

I find it difficult to believe the budget couldn’t be wrangled under control by eliminating the many wasteful, mismanaged programs coming from Sacramento.

I plan on writing to the governor to voice my disappointment, and expect he’ll receive letters, e-mails and calls from other angry Californians. It’s a smaller number of parks that will be closed than previous efforts, so we’ll see what the public response to this will be in the coming weeks.

*Ted’s note: Those of us who live in the SF bay area are fortunate to have our parks spared because they are part of the East Bay Regional Parks district. We love our parks!

In a rather bizarre, creepy news post, I just wanted to make sure Bay Area readers are aware of an ongoing issue in Livermore.

Apparently there is some weirdo running around the Livermore area pulling down pants of women joggers — with six reported cases since 2007 — but details remain confusing.

“It’s odd,” said Sgt. Paul Mayer, Livermore police Sgt., in a statement to the San Jose Mercury News. “It’s hard to wrap your mind around what he is trying to do. We’re not positive it is the same person, but we are treating it like it is.”

If you’re going to run alone, make sure you’re vigilant of the surroundings around you. Many of us run while listening to an MP3 player, but that can be extremely dangerous if you’re alone in isolated areas. Running safety experts recommend people listen to only one earbud, or at least turn down the volume to a reasonable level.

You may have noticed a guest blog written by Yoon recently posted on Alameda Runners, and I wanted to share some more information. Trails Edge is a new blog I recently started writing for, and I wanted to highlight my first three posts for the site.

My first article for the Trails Edge blog featured some of my favorite fitness energy supplements, and can be found here.

If you’re looking for hydration pack advice, I recently wrote a quick story about different choices for trail runners and regular hikers. You can find the story here.

For people still debating whether or not they need a heart rate monitor, I also put together a basic story about the topic. (We already know that readers here seem to love gadgets and technology, so we’re sure you all have high-tech gizmos already.)

I’m writing for Trails Edge every week and look forward to contributing new and exciting stories that I will also share here. More importantly, Alameda Runners now has a new resource for enthusiasts, as I look forward to publishing more guest blogs.

This is a guest post from Yoon (my editor @ TrailsEdge ) about a new book focusing on ultramarathons that has received good reviews.

As a non-marathon runner, Relentless Forward Progress opened my eyes to a whole new level of strategy, planning, and race preparation. From the start, I knew I didn’t meet the qualifications to run an ultra because I’ve never even come close to attempting a regular marathon, but dove into this book as recommended by a friend. I may have just added an item to the bucket list. Running marathons demand respect. Running ultra marathons makes you a superhero, and if there’s anything I’ve wanted in my life since I was a kid, it is to be a super human.

As mentioned by Byron Powell, the author and Editor of iRunFar.com, the book is about as evergreen as a book gets; the content will never go out of date. Relentless Forward Progress is a confident authority that covers every aspect of ultra’s from prepare your quadricepts for down-hill running, to solving race day logistics like support crews and drop bags, and selecting the right runner’s pack to avoid chaffing.

If you’re able to glaze over fine details (schedules, plans, etc.), it’s a fairly quick read. I had it done in about 6 hours and was inspired to hit the trail for a short run (let’s just say the book’s impact on my running habits is long term). It’s an encyclopedia on ultra’s that if read in its entirety, will have you chock full of information that can be applied immediately, even on short runs.
The advice comes from many seasoned experts who have run hundreds and maybe even thousands of ultra’s and have different opinions on how to train. For instance, some of the commentators swear that speed work is important, while others say it’ll slow you down. That’s the beauty of this book; it’s the foundations of an ultra, but the fine tuning has to be done by you.

You’ll realize that ultra’s are on a whole ‘nother level from marathons. Because anyone can run a marathon, given enough time and resources; but an ultra requires that you plan out every minute of every detail; otherwise, you might not finish before the sun goes down.

We haven’t explored guest posts too much on Alameda Runners, but the feature is a definite possibility in the future. Since it’s obviously impossible for us to review, test, interview, and interact with all companies involved in endurance sports, we hope these guest posts help share even more knowledge with all of you.

Sam and the rest of the Brazen Racing family are friends to us here at Alameda Runners, and we often enjoy racing and volunteering at their events. As such, here are a few of the upcoming Brazen races that runners can learn about (sent out by Sam) that will be hosted over the next six weeks.

Here are the three upcoming races:

• Hellyer Half Marathon/10K/5K (Sunday, May 22):Here is the Hellyer website.
  
  Except for a very short star/finish on grass, these races are entirely on paved trails through Hellyer Park and along Coyote Creek. By normal Brazen Racing standards (comparing with many of our trail races), this is a “flat” race, but for those a little more accustomed to road races “very gentle, mild rolling” might describe it better. There are no major climbs, but there are sections that are slightly up and slightly down. No matter the description, it is a nice fast course!

• Nitro Trail Half Marathon/10K/5K (Saturday, June 4):Here is the Nitro Trail website.
  
  The original Brazen Racing event, Nitro will take you along the bay-hugging trails and eucalyptus groves of what was once the company town of the Atlas, Giant and Hercules Powder Company. All courses have a few rolling hills and offer plenty of great views with temperatures that are typically about 20 degrees lower than you’d find inland, making for perfect June running conditions.

• Trailquake 2011 Half Marathon/10K/5K(Sunday, June 12):Here is the Trailquake website.
  
  Back to the South Bay for a run through the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains! These courses run along the always-gorgeous San Andreas Trail in Sanborn County Park, under the shade of redwood and pine trees. There will be some hills to climb, but then you get to come right back down them too!

It’s amazing to see Brazen continue to expand as Sam has created a following that looks forward to his events.

The Oakland Running Festival (ORF) is a major event for Alameda Runners, and we love to put the spotlight on the event’s sponsors. One such sponsor is Greenlight Apparel, the company that made this year’s event shirts, and they have a fantastic story helping drive their business.

In addition to using greener materials in all clothing products, Greenlight also is interested in helping out in a very important effort. Not only does the company provide funds, but also sends company officials to make sure the money and collective manpower is being used as efficiently as possible.

“Our dedication to our mission and audience is a real factor,” Greenlight recently told Alameda Runners. “More and more companies are willingly — or through public pressure — becoming more socially responsible, but we’re really built around doing good. Organic and recycled fabrics aren’t just in some of our products. That’s all we use. And we don’t just write checks and make donations to good causes, we actively work hand-in-hand with humanitarian partners, and frequently travel into developing countries to work on the child labor and human trafficking causes we represent.”

It’s important for companies involved in the active community to have athletes in the office — it helps offer a more accurate insight into the inner workings of the athlete psyche.  Ask friends and family, and it seems that we’re a very special bunch … and that helps shape Greenlight.

“Likewise on the user end, we’re deeply entrenched in the athletic community. We’re runners and fitness enthusiasts ourselves, and have staff representing us at as many races and expos as we can. We maximize Facebook (page here), not just to self-promote, but to have that relationship with the running community and people wearing our shirts. It’s really a part of us. ”

In the future, fans can expect to see Greenlight continue to strive to make products even better for athletes and customers.

“Race tees are certainly our bread-and-butter. Our sales tend to go beyond ‘customers’ and into partnerships, so we’ve had some great race directors who will experiment with us. Our tees get better because we’ve had the luxury of being able to test different fabrics, stitching, seams, cuts and so forth. We’re producing socks, hats, jackets and windbreakers, and similar athletic gear now, and working with the same experimentation. This fall we’ll be launching a full line of retail gear for the individual athlete and casual wearer, and will have many more of these products available then.”

To wrap up our conversation, Greenlight Apparel wanted to invite you to visit their Facebook page (and offer up a ‘like’ if you wish). Alameda Runners has a second part of this story currently being written, with a focus on Greenlight’s humanitarian efforts in other countries.

*Ted’s note: I met with Greenlight at the Oakland running festival.  They have great products at reasonable prices and great people out representing the company.  My Greenlight shirt is one of the few race shirts that I actually wear.

Alameda Runners is an absolutely fun blog to operate, and I enjoy reaching out to companies, but I also love when we get e-mails and press releases. It can be difficult to pick topics to write about, but it becomes a lot easier when companies reach out to us.

Ted recently chatted with Rob Butner, XTERRA Dry Creek Trail Run co-director, about the XTERRA events and what they meant to athletes. Rob is a first time race director, while “co-director, Enrique Henriquez is the head coach of the Moreau Catholic High School cross country team. He has experience directing invitationals with attendance of over 1,000 runners.”

Although he’s serving as race director for the first time, he has raced XTERRA off-road triathlons for six years. As such, here’s a bit about XTERRA and what you can expect if you race in one of their events:

“XTERRA is a global leader in off-road adventure sports. With both an off-road triathlon and trail run series, they focus on uniting athletes of all levels with nature while promoting a healthy lifestyle.”

The XTERRA race at Garin Park (Hayward) is XTERRA’s newest effort to help bring its well known trail and outdoors events to Northern California. “We are definitely working with the XTERRA Trail Run Series to create a full XTERRA NorCal Trail Run Series. One has existed in the past, and we are trying to bring it back better than ever for 2012.”

The XTERRA events will feature GU and Gatorade products along with water and vocal spectators helping cheer athletes along. These events cater to both experienced trail runners and beginners alike, so don’t be afraid to hit the trails even if the courses do look intense.

If you’re looking for a trail event this summer, there are plenty of choices for you to consider. In addition to XTERRA events in Northern California, the SF Bay Area also has Brazen Racing, EnviroSports, Pacific Coast and other race companies focusing on playing outdoors.

The 2011 Xterra Dry Creek Trail Run takes place on June 4 from Garin Park in Hayward, with 21K and 6K running races available.

Today was the Every Step Count run day.  The weather sure did cooperate.  Who knew you could see the Golden Gate Bridge from San Leandro?  It was great to see all of the people out running and trying to run.  Not everyone could run the whole distance but everyone tried.  Every time you get out and try, you get better.  I love to see the effort.  I tried to get a picture of every race participant.  The pictures can be found here.

Every Step Counts is a race hosted by the Stepping Stones Growth Center, an organization to help young people with learning disabilities.  Life skills involve making every step count and taking things one step at a time.

Mike’s note:  At a time when the state and national governments slash budgets for parks, education, and other vital programs, it’s great to see Stepping Stones Growth Center and similar programs making a great difference.

If you’re in the SF East Bay and want a local 5K to race this weekend, the Every Step Counts 1 Mile Walk/Run will be held on Saturday (April 30) from the San Leandro Marina Park.

The event, hosted by the Stepping Stones Growth Center non-profit social services agency, helps children and adults with disabilities get better life skills.

The race has a $30 entry fee (includes race entry, t-shirt, one free entry to prize drawing, goodie bag, and post-race snacks). You can head to the Active.com event registration page for online race signup.

For anyone thinking about attending the race, here are the particulars:

Date: Saturday, April 30, 2011
Location: San Leandro Marina Park, 13800 Monarch Bay Dr., San Leandro 94577
Race check-in and day of registration: Begins 7:30 a.m.
Opening ceremony and walk/run: Begins at 8:30 a.m.
Closing ceremony and post-event festivities: Begin at 10:00 a.m.

I’m currently working on an upcoming article related to the SSGC, its work in the community, and the impact of its 5K race.

Cycling advocates in San Francisco are upset with a continued effort to create a cycling speed limit on the Golden Gate Bridge.

The proposed speed limit would be 5 mph when navigating around any iron tower, with a 10 mph speed limit across most of the bridge. There is no official speed limit and there are times when people can be found exceeding 20 mph on a crowded bridge, making a possible incident more likely.

The base fine for law violators would be $100, but would drastically increase after court fees and other charges are included on the ticket.

Riding across the GGB draws thousands of visitors every day, as tourists, residents and athletes pedal across the bridge.

I think the focus should be on those towers, where you go around a blind turn that is narrow and sometimes hazardous. An avid cyclist friend agreed, saying he agreed that 5 mph around the tower seemed like a fair speed limit.

There are plenty of rude cycling snobs that have passed me on the GGB even when I was riding a fairly reckless pace. It’s going to happen, and it causes the most discomfort and danger among tourists with shaky bike handling abilities.

I’m all for keeping people safe on the bridge, but a $100 (plus added fees) on the ticket seems too ridiculous right now. Besides the fact that the proposal wasn’t well thought out — and didn’t involve any bike advocacy groups in SF or Marin.