Becoming a Runner: Dirty Happy Girls Race Report

Running a half marathon for this beginning runner was foremost an enlightening experience.  My relationship with running first started for me two years ago when I moved to Bend, OR and my husband had to coax me to run a block. Through the support of my co-worker Jenn Smith, last Christmas Jingle Bell run marked my first 5k and my first 10k was Happy Girls Relay in spring of 2012.  In light of my thirtieth birthday recently passing and the realization that my times were not going to win me Olympic medals anytime soon, I decided it was time to work on a new goal for myself, up the ante and run a half marathon.  Knowing that I would have difficulty running longer distance runs on my own and that my sweet husband would not always be able to endure mile pace that is quite a bit slower than his, I decided it would be a great opportunity to join the half marathon training group at Foot Zone.

The support of my pace group leader, Nikki Cheney, and the Half Marathon group leader Caitlin Mastenbroek, along with the members of the group motivated me and kept me going as we upped our mileage. 

Even though the night before Happy Dirty Girls Half came quickly, the following morning came even faster.  That morning I did my best to eat my routine “race day” breakfast and then I set off to Sisters to meet my running friends.  I arrived and my nerves continued to plague me; we took the bus to the starting line and before I had time to think about it, we were off! As soon as we got going, I tossed aside my previous knowledge and made the new runner mistake of letting my excitement get the best of me.  I started too fast.  At mile three I felt a little dizzy and pulled over to regain my composure.

This is where it became an interesting mental game for me.  Realizing that though I had the support of my running group, it was up to me to keep myself going.  I decided I needed a plan; on previous training runs I had broken my mileage up into increments of three miles, so this would be my new strategy.   I ate a few chews, drank some water and began again.   

 

Mile six came and went in a blurr, followed by mile nine, and then mile twelve.  This point marked the farthest distance I had ever run. Muscle cramps started to set in and the only thing that kept me going at this point were the smiles and support of the women around me; my husband at the finish line; and finishing what I had set out to do; run 13.1 miles.  I crossed the finish line and was happy to be greeted by the support of our running group and cheer on other finishers. 

I did not know how to feel when crossing the finish line.  I had not accomplished my goal time and had not quite been on my game that day.  As the day went on and I analyzed what I could have done differently and realized I was missing the whole purpose of what I had set out to do.  Running a half marathon was my goal and I did it!  Along with this accomplishment I met wonderful people and learned that I was much more capable than I had imagined.  No longer am I the newcomer to Bend who can breathlessly run less than a half a block, but I am thirty -year old woman who can run 13.1 miles!!!

Written by:Alanna McGlone
2012 Happy Dirty Girls Race Results

Race Report: Silver Falls Trail Marathon & Half Marathon

This is the third year for the half marathon event, and the first for the full marathon. It was a staggered start with the marathon going off at 8:30, and the half at 9 am. The first 5 miles are the same for both races and initially makes a loop, coming back very near the start at about 3.5 miles or so, which is nice for any friends or family that might be along for support. There is some pavement for the first mile or so, allowing for runners to spread out a bit before hitting the trail. Otherwise, you are running through some beautiful forest with plenty of color still around.

The marathon course branches off around Mile 5.5 on to the Perimeter Trail to hit the backcountry area of the park. In all, we made a 14 mile loop that included several climbs, the first starting around mile 6-7. This part of the course was challenging to say the least. In addition to lots of hills, there was a bonafide river crossing, lots of mud, puddles, rocks, roots, and bombing downhills. It was also pretty slippery between the mud and fallen giant maple leaves on the trail.

At mile 19.5 the courses rejoin for the remainder of each race and this is where you reap the reward; all the waterfalls! The course runs by several stunning falls, and even behind a few! There are some nice flats and downhills through here, but don't be fooled, as there are lots of stairs and a nice uphill in the last mile. The last half mile or so is kind to all, with a nice downhill, then scenic bridge crossing into the finish area. It was nice that so many of the racers from both races were hanging around to cheer the later marathoners coming in.

The post-race environment was fun, with the fire still going in the shelter house. A pretty good spread of peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and hot chili was included, along with water, Heed, and some hot drinks as well.

The Half Marathon awards ceremony was held in a timely fashion after most racers were in, with a separate Marathon ceremony held later. Both offered an abundant raffle for all racers, with some cool schwag given away.

Despite a little rain at the start, the weather ended up being pretty ideal, with temps in the upper 50's, and varied conditions of fog and mist, and some very brief sunshine. This, against the back drop of some spectacular just-past peak colors, made for a beautiful morning of trail running.

Some other tips...Take the exit for Sublimity off of Hwy 22, rather that going to the official Silver Falls State Park exit, seems like it would save a few minutes. Also, if you have both half and full marathoners in your group like we did, we suggest throwing in some lawn chairs for waiting around, and maybe bringing your own post-race beverages. At this time of year, be prepared for wet conditions, and have a dry set of warm clothes to change in to as well. A pair of water proof shoes for after would be good too.

All in all, this is a gem of an event and we had blast! Bend was well-represented and it was a great day for everyone!

Written by: Kathy Lein with contributions from Stephanie Waritz and Jennefer Lloyd

 

Max King Night

This is my first official Footzone Blog post of the new improved Footzone blog.

This Thursday at 7pm I’ll be fortunate enough to stand up in the Footzone and run through all I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish this year and also what I’ve learned from what went right and what went wrong.  While these things, specifically if it’s called “Max King Night” make me nervous because I find it unnerving to talk about myself, I’ll do my best to take you through a year filled with ups and downs, far away trips and a variety of races and events. I can talk training all night long and will probably have a tendency to go that direction during the talk but I’ll try to stay on topic as much as possible. 

Gorge Waterfalls 50k

Grand Canyon Photoshoot

Through photos, video, and stories I’ll take you through my year from the Olympic Trials, to Spain, mountain running, and my first 100k. I’ll share photos from the Canary Islands and Zegama, Spain where I had a horrible race but also learned that if there is 5 inches of mud on the course then a road shoe is woefully inadequate. I’ll share how to train to have your best Olympic Trials in only 6 workouts, by the way, not recommended, but it seemed to work. I’ll tell you how to run both a 3k steeplechase and a 100k in the same summer. I’ve got some brand new photo and video footage that no one has ever seen, not even me, so I hope it’s good.

Come on out on Thursday at 7pm and I’ll do my best to entertain for an evening at the Footzone. Since I’m also pretty indecisive, if you’d like to have a hand in what I do next, I’ll probably be taking suggestions on what I should do next year. 

Zegama Marathon Spain

After Zegama Marathon

Olympic Trials Steeplechase 2012

I LIKE PIE 2012

Yes, indeed!

I Like Pie

Thanksgiving Day will bring the 5^th annual I Like Pie run and walk.  This is not a race, just a social Thanksgiving morning fun run/walk where you get a piece of pie at the end.

The Course

yumm, pie!

We leave from behind the FootZone, run down the alley, across Greenwood Ave, past the old Parks and Rec building, take a left on Portland Ave and head to the 1^st Street river trail.  You can turn around wherever you like but we’ll mark 2k, 5k, 10k and if you run all the way to the green gate and back, that’s 10miles. 

The Sign Up Weekend

Get festive if you like

November 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th we’ll host a special sign up weekend here at FootZone.  All donations to NeighborImpact this weekend will be matched up to $500 (t-shirt sales don’t count).  Plus… we’ll have the t-shirts here so you can try check them out, try them on  And… if you donate $10 or more to Neighbor Impact with your entry, you can take your shirt right then and there (instead of waiting until the day before Thanksgiving).   Obviously, you still have to buy your T-shirt on top of the donation.  Yes, these are all shameless ploys to get more cash in the hands of NeighborImpact. 

The T-Shirts

Women’s specific: we’re using the same style/cut that we have the past two years.  It’s called the Bella Favorite tee and people love this shirt, but it run’s really small.  That’s why we are staying with it because hopefully you know how it fits now and you can adjust accordingly. 

Men’s/Unisex:  we’re changing to a more normal fitting, 50/50 blend.  It’s the same shirt SuperDave has used as a volunteer shirt and we all love it (so hope you will to).  It feels great, fits great, doesn’t shrink, etc.  Not quite as soft as the ladies tee but we’re men so deal with it.

Kid’s Tee:  This one wasn’t on the flyer and is a bit under the radar but due to popular demand we will have some kids tees available in a youth small, medium, and large.  Same price as the adults and you can check them out on the sign up weekend.

Fun for the whole family!

The Cause…

Howdy, Pilgrim

Neighbor Impact gets every dollar that comes to this event other than what we have to pay for the t-shirts, porta potties, insurance, permits, supplies (forks, napkins, etc) and the $500 we contribute to the Bend High Culinary program for their help with the Pie Baking Contest.  The entry fee for this event is a donation to Neighbor Impact (we are able to cover all expenses with the t-shirt sales).  So, technically, you can participate for free if you want.  Of course we (and Neighbor Impact) would appreciate if you offered up a little donation.  Ideally, do it when you sign up.  We will also have a donation jar out there morning of.  Last year we (you) raised $5800 for NeighborImpact.

The Food Drive-

We ask every participant to bring 5 lbs of food for Neighbor Impact the morning of the event.  There will be a big truck directly behind the FootZone/Tower Theater.  Last year you brought almost 4000lbs of food.  Can we top that this year???

The Pie

We don't let this guy come any more (kidding).

choosing can be tough

no shortage of pie

Please consider bringing a pie to help feed the masses and possibly enter it in the pie baking contest.  You get to choose whether or not your pie is judged.  Sweet Home Alamode is taking over the Pie Baking Contest along with the Bend High Culinary Program.  They will break the pies up into categories and quickly pick a winner from each (that person gets a FZ gift certificate).  When you get back from your jaunt, we’ll have a piece of pie waiting for you! 

the man, the myth

Thanks to SuperDave

I Like Pie was SuperDave’s brain child.  Dave has good ideas and we’re thankful for them (and him).  Let’s face it, we didn’t really have anything going on Thanksgiving morning anyway;-)  Thanks SD.

Other Thanksgiving Day Runs

When I Like Pie started, it was the only Thanksgiving Day gig in town.  Now there are a few others and contrary to what many believe, we applaud that!  ILP isn’t for everyone and options are always good.  If you are looking for something else, we strongly encourage you to do the GBCCO Turkey Trot.  It’s down in the Old Mill and a great benefit for Girls on the Run and the Boys and Girls Club. http://www.footzonebend.com/events/bgcco-turkey-trot   Another great option is the Black Butte Turkey Trot.

Wanna Help??

Email teague@footzonebend.com and I’ll find a place for you.

Asics GT-2000: A Smooth Evolution

GT-2000

The past 20 years of my life have focused around running shoes.  For the first 18 or so of those years the changes in running shoes were incremental.  Fits improved, shoes got generally farther off the ground, softer (up until a few years back, that’s all anyone wanted).  Enter the trend toward “natural movement” (or minimalism or barefoot running) and we’ve seen a crazy amount of change in just 12 months.  Keep in mind that a year ago there were only a handful of shoes that truly fit into this natural movement category.  Now there are dozens and this will continue to evolve in the months and years to come. 

Despite all that change it’s probably not surprising that we (like most running stores) still sell far more “traditional” shoes than anything else.  The Asics 2000 series and Brooks Adrenaline continue to lead the way despite the fact that other shoes are chipping away and gaining on them.  Our goal is to get people in the shoes that will work for them, keep them free of injury, and help them meet their goals. Regarding this task we’re realists more than idealists.  We know that runners, first and foremost, want to run, and they certainly don’t want their shoes to hold them back. 

Asics GT-2000 Trail

What I really want to talk about however is how the natural movement trend in running shoes has impacted even one of our most tried and true shoes.  The latest edition of the Asics 2000 series has been in the store for about a month now.  The Asics GT-2000 series originated back in 1995 (the year I opened FootZone) with the GT-2000.  The name has grown sequentially by 10 each year (2010, 2020, 2030, etc) through the 2170.  Breaking from this pattern, they will now maintain the name GT-2000 and every year go to version 2, v3, v4, etc. 

Regardless, this is the shoe that replaces the 2170 and it seems like a winner.  It continues to be a mild to moderate stability shoe.  Like any change in a running shoe, there are people who will be disappointed but our general feedback has been very positive.  The fit is relatively low volume and secure, much like that of the 2170 (which was one of our best fitting shoes in 2012).  The two biggest changes will go un-noticed by many but they are at least notable.  First of all, the heights on the shoe have come down a tiny bit.  Asics removed 2mm of foam in the heel and forefoot bringing it ever so slightly closer to the ground (now 21/11mm vs. 23/13mm).  As a result, (and the 2^nd big change) they were able to de-emphasis their midfoot support piece (Guidance Trussic System) to make the shoe quite a bit more flexible which ultimately results in a smoother ride. 

 I’m talking like a shoe geek here and just to re-emphasize, most people will not notice a difference.  However, make no mistake, these are changes brought on by the trend towards smoother riding, less cumbersome shoes and generally, I applaud Asics for their efforts (and their willingness to tweak things).  The GT-2000 and the GT-2000 Trail version are very good shoes that will give many runners happy miles.  As always, the test will be whether runners come back for another pair after they get 300/400 miles on these.  Time will tell and we hope you’ll let us know what you think.  Cheers-Teague

We're Back

To say that we have been deficient bloggers would be an understatement.  For some reason we’ve used Facebook and all our general busyness as an excuse not to blog.  Thankfully, we’re over it.  We’ll still use Facebook of course but we’ll also be filling up the blog with tidbits about running, about shoes, and we’ll be giving you perspective from some of the great voices in this active community.  Hopefully you’ll like it and if there’s anything you want to hear about, let us know!  Cheers

Beware the Offset

Or at least be aware of the offset. Offsets are the buzz in the world of running shoes. This isn’t new but you’ll soon hear a lot about it. You’ll also see many more options added to the current offerings from Inov-8, Saucony, Altra and Brooks. First, a little context; the offset is the difference in height from heel to toe of a shoe measured in millimeters. Traditionally (at least for the past 30 years) running shoes have been 10mm or 12mm. There have been exceptions in the form of racing flats and in the past decade from the UK brand Inov-8. Now there is an ever expanding selection of 8mm, 4mm, and zero drop (even from heel to toe) shoes.

So what gives, and why should you care? First of all, you don’t have to care. Many people don’t get injured and are happy with their shoes. Assuming that’s the case, it would be difficult to make a compelling argument that you should change anything. Fortunately, you don’t have to. Most companies have shown no sign that they will change the offset in their franchise shoes. You’ll be able to stick with them and run your brains out.

Saucony, most notably, is choosing a different path. With the tagline “a new angle on running” they will come down to an 8mm (or less) offset on all new shoes that come out going forward. This will take some time as many of their shoes won’t update until Fall 2012 or even Spring 2013 but within the next 18 months they plan for all their shoes to be either an 8mm, 4mm, or no offset. Even in a time of ample change in running shoes, this is a gutsy move by Saucony. Other major shoe companies are on board. We saw Brooks make a splash in October with the introduction of their Pure project shoes (all 4mm offset) but Saucony’s willingness to move ALL their shoes shows some serious commitment.

Our take at FootZone is a positive one. This is a lot of hubbub over 2-4mm (if you take the difference from 10 or 12 to 8mm). Look on a ruler, that’s not very much. Saucony feels confident after testing that moving to 8mm will not require break in for the average runner and will improve the ride and stability while allowing for a less emphasized heel strike and encouraging a more natural stride. They would advise that switching to a 4mm or zero drop shoe may require a more gradual transition to avoid calf strain and injury. Based on personal experience and watching many runners experiment with different shoes, we would have to agree. The 8mm offset will not even be noticed by many runners and if they choose, the 4mm offset will also be an option. The zero drop shoes require a bit more patience and practice and for some runners simply feel too strange.

Of course, the frustrating part of all of this is that there is no science supporting any of it. The idea of natural running makes some inherent sense and appeals to many but has already proven that it’s not simple for most runners. Many are calling for a more definitive study and surely there will be many on that task in labs across the country. Given all the variables of different runners with different histories, foot types, biomechanics, and efficiencies, I struggle to think that we will come up with anything TOO definitive. Regardless, I trust that runners will do as they always have and buy the best running shoes available that work for them. Whatever the slope from heel to toe will be interesting to talk about but will ultimately mean less than our ability to go out and enjoy our run. Cheers-Teague