A lifetime of running boiled down to one race.

Alright, I did it.  I finally knocked out a marathon.  After 28 years of running (yep, that's right) I just ran my first marathon.  It was AWESOME! Thanks for asking.  Running has changed for me, and I'm stoked.

Most of my life I have focused on three races: 5,000 meters; 10,000 meters; and my beloved Half Marathon.  I was a little too serious, some might say, about how many minutes and seconds I took to run these three races.  I was so serious that I may have even been unpleasant to be around if the results weren't what I had wanted.  (call up a few ex-girlfriends, old roommates, and of course my sister; they'll let you know what I'm talking about).  Good news though, I'm over it.  These three races are now just for fun, for the medal, and to hear complete strangers cheer for me as I run through their neighborhoods.  Then Marathon Matt entered my life, and after a few years of teaming up for Half Marathon Training Teams, we had the great idea to have a Full Marathon Training Team.  Given the opportunity to "work" and train for a marathon at the same time, I committed.  So after a bit of a break from serious running, I took the plunge in February to start up my training.

Initially I was pretty sure I was going to like it.  I have been at the scene of several 'crimes' over the past few years.  Austin's Motorola Marathon (now something else...Freescale or something), San Francisco's Marathon, and last year's NYC Marathon.  The later was dope! (yep, I said that, too)  Experiencing the NYC Marathon as a spectator last Fall, I knew I had to get into it and was 99% sure I'd love it.  The way the city of New York embraced the marathon, welcomed the runners, and made them all feel like rock stars made me want to be a part of it.  So without having run a marathon yet, I threw my name in the lottery and booked my tickets and hotel.  A few months go by and I get the response.

Bupkiss!  I didn't get in!  Can you believe that?  Just because 100,000 people entered and they can only fit 30,000 runners...I didn't get in.  I too was shocked at my strikeout on those sweet odds.  So here I am...the wife and I have hotel booked, plane tickets purchased with frequent flier miles (yeah, those will be easy to get back!), and to top it off the Pops is going to be in NYC that weekend on business and he's going to be sure to see the race as well.  All set up and a big "No Dice" from the race director.  

Training for my first (SF) and second (NYC) marathons is still going well.  The wife is training, too and she's doing great.  Although I'm disappointed about the NYC hiccup, I'm in good spirits. For one, I have a Trump Card to get in.  For two, I know that I'm in the SF and will get my debut marathon regardless.  What's the Trump Card you ask?  My buddy works for Runner's World...and that buddy has access to a few entries into the NYC Marathon to give out at his leisure.  Although I'd hoped not to use it, I did.  It worked.  Marathon 2, back on track!  The Wife and the Pops will be cheering me on as I enter Central Park for the home stretch.

So, with the races lined up and the training going well, only thing to do is knock out that debut marathon.  Like I said...it was Awesome!!  Let's breakdown why over a few bullet points:

1. The wife and I ran the first 8 miles together, got a couple of great photos, and knocked out our respective first marathons out together, on our home course no less.

2. The bikers/course marshals never cracked a smile no matter how hard I tried.

3. Shoes felt great (New Balance 1224).  No blisters and they held up mile after mile.

4. Nike+ Sportband kept me running slow enough in the early miles to make the later miles feel good.

5. I saw a ton of customers and friends along the course and in the race.  It's pretty cool to have lots of people to talk to along the way.  (A big thanks to Daisy, Tanya, Sergio, Micha, Matt, Jon, Megan, Steve, The Livestrong Guy from the expo, Jo Ann, Joseph, Heather, and Laura for distracting me long enough to get me around the next corner and up the next hill.)

6. The Wall never reared it's ugly head.  I was worried, but it stayed away.

7. The medal.  Yep, I love those puppies.  If you ever make it into the bathroom in our apartment, you'll get to see it.  Just in case you don't get past the bedroom door, I'll give you a visual: it's copper, it's big, there's a windmill on it.

8.  The in-laws came to cheer us on at the finish.  (The in-laws aren't exactly fans of sport in general, let alone running for pure enjoyment.  It's okay, they are very cool people, just not students of the sport, if you know what I mean.)

9. The post-race pub crawl that will take place tomorrow.  (I'll let you know how it goes).

10.  The photos!! Yep, I'm going to buy a few of those for sure.  Sucker? Yep!

So there you have it.  Ten reasons why I loved my first marathon.  Here's the big key to the ten making it into the blog at all.  I ran really, really easy.  I made sure I finished with a smile on my face and even stopped to smell the energy gels every couple of miles.  The 'slow-and-steady' mode is key in my book.  I'll be sure to use it in NYC, too.  Might even pack a camera in my running shorts.

Happy Running.  I hope your first marathon leaves a smile on your face as well.

Brett

“I’m Surprised You Recommended a Nike.”

This is a comment I’ve heard a lot recently.  Many of our customers are not only surprised to see so many Nike shoes on our shoe wall, they are also surprised to see the shoes coming out of the back and put on their feet.

Nike has changed significantly over the past 24 months.  Although they were the first mega-brand for runners, and the keystone brand for every running store in the late 1990’s, they had a notorious dry spell over the past six to eight years.  This dry spell has done significant damage to their reputation amongst avid runners, who appreciate great quality and consistency over great marketing campaigns.

Three years ago, we barely carried Nike footwear.  Two shoes have always been a staple in their line (Pegasus and Structure Triax), and we’ve been known to pepper in the ‘Shoe of the Moment” (like the Air Max 360 or Zoom Plus).  Those two staples are still with us, and better than ever.  The Structure has upgraded its cushioning system to a Cushlon mid-sole and Zoom Air in the heel and forefoot.  Zoom Air is the most durable and responsive ‘Air’ system offered by Nike, and unlike it’s competition it has a very soft feel, yet offers significant energy return.

Today we are up to six styles of footwear from Nike, and all six are of very high quality.  The four additional shoes are the Skylon, Zoom Elite, Vomero, and Equalon.  All three shoes are incorporating high quality rubber like Cushlon (an improvement on Phylon, Nike’s cheaper, less durable midsole of a few years ago).  The Elite, Structure Triax, Vomero, and Equalon all have Zoom Air in the forefoot and heel. 

One other notable difference in Nike footwear is the fit.  Once Nike was known for narrow, low-volume shoes, that ran a size or so too short.  Today, although they still run short (about a half size), they are getting wider and fuller in volume.  The average customer can easily fit into a Nike shoe, and on a few models a wider foot will fit comfortably in the medium width as well.

Like most companies, Nike’s ‘greatness’ has waxed and waned over the years as it relates to their running footwear.   They are definitely in strong form right now.  Their company structure has taken a note from Mizuno by segmenting the Running Department from the rest of the brand, allowing the team to market and budget according to their own needs and successes, rather than be at the mercy of the popularity of other sports like basketball or golf. 

 

Happy Running,

Brett Lamb