What I Learned From Meeting Meb

If you saw my Dallas Half Marathon Recap, then you know I got to meet running royalty – Olympic Silver Medalist and Boston & New York Marathon Champion, Meb Keflezighi!

Me n Meb

I actually got to run into him three times. First was in the race corral, second was on the course when he was high-fiving the runners, and third was at a special meet n greet I was fortunate to be invited to.

My friends took a selfie while we waited to meet him.

Not to be outdone, I took a selfie with Meb in the background.

After the meet n greet, he did a Q n A. This is where I learned a lot of stuff, but I gotta say, all three run-ins taught me stuff.

My elf friend took another selfie during the Q n A.

So for everyone that couldn’t be in Dallas this weekend, here is what I learned from Meb:

1. He’s a great ambassador for our sport. He was so giving of his time to be on the course high-fiving runners, then hand out medals at the finish, then do a meet n greet with fans.

2. He’s very nice and sincere. When I got his autograph, I thanked him for the high fives. Later during his Q n A, he remembered that and actually mentioned my by name in his talk!!! Meb remembered me!

3. He really believes in his sponsors. He called them partners. I had no idea UCAN was originally created to help a child with a rare illness stay alive.

4. His motto is “race to win”. He wrote that on every autograph. You may not win each race (or any race), but you should give it your all no matter what.

5. He’s very quiet and humble, but also funny. They had a moderator leading the Q n A. His job was to get Meb to open up, and he did! He has some great stories!

6. He’s training the next wave of super runners. He has little daughters at home who ask to go on runs with him, and he takes them on them. Look out Boston 2036!

7. He runs smart. He was the 15th fastest person in the field at Boston, but finished 1st. He did so by following a good race strategy. We should all do the same.

8. He has bad days too. He said there’s days when he doesn’t want to run, but does it any way. Make it a habit and have an accountability partner, was his advice.

9. He’s had injuries too. But unlike most of us who get things like IT Band pain or plantar fasciitis, his were more severe. And they came from pushing too hard. Like so hard that he tore his leg muscles.

10. He loves being American. He said during Boston that he couldn’t help but chant along with the crowd at times, “USA, USA, USA!”

11. Boston was personal for him. He said the year before, he left the finish area 5 minutes before the bombing. He wanted to win for America and the victims. He even had the names of the victims who died in the attacks written on his race bib. That’s awesome.

12. He works really hard, like totally super outrageously hard. This is what stuck out most to me. He said during the last few miles of Boston, he was pushing himself so hard that he started vomiting. He didn’t want his competitors to know this, so he covered his mouth with his hand and kept running hard. Wow.

Meb dropping some knowledge on us.

I will take these lessons with me. I mean, if he can win the Boston Marathon while puking at the same time, I can surely suck it up and skip a walk break on one of my little runs.

One thing I’ve thought for a while now, Meb was the ultimate storybook story hero for the Boston Marathon 2014. Nobody else should have won that race. And nobody else did. As I kept yelling at the TV during the Marathon broadcast back in April, “Go Meb Go!”

How bout you? Someone inspiring that you’ve met? What’s the hardest you’ve pushed yourself in a run? Do my friends and I take too many selfies?

-Scott

The Runners’ Stinky Co-Pilot

Sometimes I get bored on my commutes.  If you follow my Instagram, then you probably know this.  Cause I sometimes do silly things when sitting at a red light.

You can see the reflection of the red light in my shades.

Besides playing with my camera phone, I also think about things.  Recently I thought about this…

Several years ago I was lining up at the start of a 5k race.  A dude in front of me was wearing a shirt with stuff written on the back.  It was a list of things that only a runner would understand.  One of the things listed was ‘a separate hamper for running clothes’.  Ha, I don’t know why that stuck in my head all these years, but I can certainly relate!

I definitely have a separate hamper, and it don’t always smell so fresh.  And now that we’re moving in to summer, the clothes that go into it are sweatier and it’s smelling less fresh.

Sweaty clothes = Free smells

And if I were to make that list of things a runner understands, I would add something else – ‘Always has a change of clothes on hand.’ 

I always keep a towel and a change of clothes in my vehicle.  It works out perfectly after a sweaty run – change shirt/shorts and then put the towel on the car seat to keep it dry.  This comes in especially handy if you’re running pals want to go grab a bite or a drink after.

Won’t you join me for a post run brew – it’s ok, I changed my shirt first.

It also comes in handy if you get caught in a rain storm, or if you have an unplanned meet-up after work, etc. etc.  It’s just a good idea to be prepared, so do it already!

One disclaimer – Always remember to take your discarded sweaty clothes OUT of your vehicle when you get home.  Do not leave it in there overnight – or you will smell it in the morning.  And the fumes may make you get even sillier on your commute.

I wore make-up today…ain’t I purdy?

What about you?  Do you keep a change of clothes on the ready at all times?  Do you have a separate hamper?  Anything else you’d add to the list of things runners understand?  Any make-up tips?

-Scott

Running in Wind Tips: Big Wind is Just Like Big Hill

I snuck in a 4 mile runch (run at lunch) this windy day.  Seriously, it was windy.  Just look at the flag.

Everything is big in Texas, even the big wind.

The weather lady on TV said there would be 40 mph gusts.  Sometimes it felt like running into a wall.  But I got through it, and here’s my tips for wind running:

Basically, think of it like you’re running up and down a hill.

1) When it’s at your face, try to lean into it, the same as running up a hill.

2) When it’s at your back, try to loosen your form.  Let it do the work for you, and just go along for the ride, just like running downhill.

3) You can also run in a skin tight body lycra suit to cut down on wind resistance.*

*This is optional.

Anyway, I followed 2 of my 3 tips and it went aight.

I finally took one of those popular pictures of the gps watch after a workout.

But I gotta say, all of this road and wind talk reminds me of this portion of a famous old Irish Blessing.

I wrote that.

I have a 5k this Saturday, so I figured this was good practice in case it is windy on race day.  And if it’s not, then all the better!  Like doing hill work to prepare for a flat race.

In other news.  Our kids are dorks.  They were getting ready for bed and came out dressed like this:

Hands up! You’re under arrest by the fashion police.

They said they were “cold”.  Weirdos.

How bout you?  Ever runch?  Anything other tips for running in the wind?  Where do you think the kids get their goofiness from?

-Scott

 

Dallas Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon Tips (& why I ain’t runnin it)

This weekend is the 5th annual Dallas Rock n Roll Half Marathon.  I have run the previous 4, but not this year.  Here’s are the 3 top reasons why:

1) They no longer support a charity.  They decided a couple years ago to be a purely for-profit race.

2) They have always been expensive, and now even more so.  Sorry, I ain’t payin $150 to run a half marathon in my back yard.

3) The entertainment has gotten weak.

My sis and I running the race a few years ago. I’m the one on the right.

It’s too bad.  When the race first started, it was a lot of fun.  The course was lined with high-energy bands and supporters.  The post race party included a a cool headliner concert and some free beers and grub.

My sis and me and a lost man behind us.

In my opinion, it’s not like that anymore.  The race just seemed to lose it’s buzz over the years.  For example, the post race concert went from acts like Better Than Ezra and Bret Michaels, to (and this is no joke) some random 4th place finisher from American Idol from a few years ago.  Who?!?!

Bret spells his first name with only 1 “t”. Maybe I should go by Scot?

So in the end, I decided to skip this year and instead look for more locally-run, charity supporting races.  Funny thing, RnR sent me an email trying to entice me to become a 5-timer in this race.  What was the incentive they offered, you ask? Answer:  A key chain bottle opener!!!!  WOW!!!!!  A key chain!!!!! What an amazing offer!!!!!  How could I resist!?!?!  Sawwy RnR organizers, you’ll have to step up your game more than that.

One of the 4 medals I currently own from this event.

That said, I have a ton of friends running this race.  And since I’ve run it 4 times already, here’s my tips:

1) Don’t pay for Expo parking.  They want like 15 bucks or so.  Park on the street instead.  You should be able to find a metered spot just as close, and it may be free (or just a couple bucks).

At the expo. I got several compliments on “my style”, so I’m never going to change outfits again.

2) Race day – get there EARLY!!!  The start and finish are two locations, and they are not close.  If you are parking at the finish and taking the shuttle over to the start, you’re gonna need extra time (they have had severe issues with the shuttle system in the past).  If you can, have someone drop you off at the start, that’s the best option.

Another of the medals. And some tin foil.

3) Since you’ll be there early, you’ll need to find a place to hang out until the race starts.  If you’re lucky, you can sneak into the convention center – it’s shelter and they have potties.  Last year we went to the Omni hotel.  They were nice to let all the runners chill.  They also have potties and shelter.  And I believe they had a Starbucks.

4) The race doesn’t start until 8 am for some reason.  The sun will be up.  If it’s a warm day, you will be blasted by the sun from the back and the front as it reflects off the Omni hotel.  Have sunblock and your shades ready!

Some years it’s hawt, some years its cowd.

5) There are a lot of first timers at this event.  Resist the urge to go out sprinting at the start (like they will be).  Keep it in check.  Remind yourself that you’ll see them later (when you pass them).

6) The first 8-9 miles are a general slow incline.  Conserve your energy.  Don’t burn out getting up the hill.  Leave something in the tank for the down hill.

Who doesn’t love a 9 mile incline?

7) Yes, what goes up, must come down.  The last 3-4 miles are mostly downhill.  Enjoy it.  Hopefully you didn’t burn the tank to get there.

8) Finish strong!

9) Find your friends and celebrate with the cooler of adult bevvies you had stashed in the trunk of your car, which was waiting at the finish area.  You did pack a cooler, didn’t you?

After the race with some friends and a giant ferris bueller wheel.

So there you go.  I wish all my friends running this race the best of luck!  And I wish all my running strangers luck too!  If it’s your fist 13.1, I send you congrats in advance!

Anyone else have any tips?  Who would you like to see in concert after a race?  Sup?

-Scott

Runner vs Dog…AGAIN!

A while back I posted about a dog encounter on my run, along with my tips for those situations. This morning I got to use my own advice again.

It was early this morning.  Still dark.  I was 3 miles into my 5 miler.  All of the sudden about 20 yards in front of me these two loose dogs that I hadn’t seen in the darkness just went nuts barking at me.

I immediately paused my gps watch running.  But I did not run away.  Whosever house I was in front of had left their trash and recycling bins by the sidewalk for collection.  I began pounding on the bins to make loud noises.  I yelled at the dogs in a loud deep voice.

One was obviously the leader, and the other stayed behind him.  I did not pay the other any attention, I focused on the leader.

Photo break – here’s another neighbor’s house. He likes this time of year, I guess.

Now they didn’t immediately retreat, but they did stop in their tracks.  We had a good ole fashioned stand off for a few minutes (or at least it seemed like).  Neither of us budged…they kept barking and I kept yelling at them and banging on the bin.  I’m sure I must’ve woke up some of the neighbors.  I did not care.  I was secretly hoping to wake up the owners of the dogs (if they lived in one of the houses there).

I then took my jacket up in my arms stretched over my head to make myself look bigger.  I started to take steps toward them, and the leader held strong.  The other dog backed up some into the street, and luckily a car came from behind it that spooked it.  When I took more steps, the other dog ran off.  Then the leader finally submitted when I took a few aggressive steps toward them.  I picked up a newspaper to throw at them, but after a defiant final bark, he retreated with the other.

I waited a few seconds to make sure they didn’t return, dropped the paper, and ran in another direction.

I’ve encountered countless dogs on my runs, but this was the first time I faced a pair.  They definitely took longer to back down, but they did.

I know I’ve asked this before, but what do you do when confronting a hound?  Ever come across a pack?  Ever banged on a neighbor’s trash can at 6 am?

Run Disney Tip: Wakey Wakey Early Early!

Today is a rest day in my Disney Dopey Challenge Training.  It’s really weird having a rest day in the middle of the week.  It was tempting to go to the gym, but I’m going to stick to the schedule as I know what’s coming the next 4 days.

Anyway, I thought I’d give some tips today about running a race at Disney World.  Whether you’re running this year, or at some point in the future, I hope this helps.

Me and my sis running this past year’s Disney Marathon. Yup, it starts way before sunup.

I’ve run the marathon 3 times, so I kind of know what to expect.  First off, you must get there early.  And by early, I mean like 2:00 am alarm clock early.  They usually have to close some of the roads to stage the races, so if you don’t get there early, you could be stuck in traffic and risk missing the start.  This is from their website…

“…there will be SIGNIFICANT DELAYS starting at 3:30 a.m. due to road closures…Roads begin to close as early as 11:00 p.m. on the evenings before the Half Marathon and Marathon. GPS devices or other sources will be inaccurate due to road closures.”

So yeah, when we drive to the start line, we get there by 3:00 am-ish.  The races don’t start until 5:30 am, so you’ve got some time to chill.  Luckily they have live music, characters, etc. to keep you entertained.  Though it’s kind of surreal that early in the morning to see all that.

The boy and me and my sis before the 2013 Disney Marathon. It was early.

If you take a bus from a resort (like we did this past year), you have a little more wiggle time, but not much.  And keep in mind that where they drop you off, you still have a considerable distance to walk to the staging area.  More time on your feet = not what you really need.

Now, once you’re at the staging area, I recommend you stay there as long as you can.  They will try to encourage you over and over to make your way to the corrals, but I prefer to lay there and chill.

Once time to go to the corral, know that you will be walking about a mile, shoulder to shoulder with people.  From their website…

“You must be in your corral at the start line by 5:00 a.m. or you will not be allowed to start. Please note, it takes 20 minutes to walk from the Family Reunion area (Epcot® Wonder Lot) to the start line.”

If you’re not expecting that, it can be kind of disheartening.  You’re already worried about saving your legs, and here they have you adding a mile to your race!  But now that you know, I like to use this as my warm up.  Take it easy on the walk, and try to get loose while doing so.

After the death march I like to do my dynamic warm up before getting into the corral.  The port-a-potties are few at the corrals, so expect to go in the adjacent wooded areas!  All they while they have entertainment going on. They do a sort of live morning show there where they have celebrities and such giving you encouragement – all broadcast on some big screens.

All that’s left is to start the race…

I jumped really high to take this photo. Or I stole it, can’t remember.

I can’t stress enough to get there early.  Last year I got the chance to watch my mom run the Half Marathon.  You wouldn’t believe how many runners were running everywhere to try and get to the start.  We even set up at mile 4, and there were people trying to get on the monorail to get to the start while still getting dressed.  It was crazy!  So get there early folks!

Are you running any Disney races this year, or in the future?  How early do you get to the start line for a race?

Runner vs. Loose Dog

Carving Jack-O-Lanterns with our dawgs a few years ago. They’re horrible at it, BTW.

If you run, you no doubt have come across your fair share of Fidos.  Most of the time they are just barking at us from behind a fence or living room window.  Sometimes they are coming at us dragging their owner by the leash.   Other times, they are loose.  There are three ways they get loose.

1.)  The owner thought their dog was such a “good widdle puppy” that they could take the leash off and the dog would stay by their side and obey every command.  Here’s a newsflash for those people:  Your dog will not care about you when it sees some random person running, and will instinctively run towards said person.  Keep the leash on.

2.)  The owner opens their front door to get the paper or mail or chat with a neighbor and the dog takes this opportunity to run out the door and chase the jogger down.

3.)  Dog escapes another way like digging under a fence, or the owner accidentally leaves the backyard fence door open, or they do not properly secure the chained up outside dog.

This morning I dealt with the last one.  Luckily I knew how to approach this situation, and it worked out for me.  Lemme splain.

Almost every run I go on takes me to a park near the house.  To get to said park I run past a house that has no fence and the owners keep their dog chained to a spike in the ground.  The best way I can describe this hound is that it looks like a junkyard dog.  It’s big and mean and goes absolutely berserk every time I run past.  I also think of it as a junkyard dog because the owners keep their pick-up trucks in the same yard.  Yes, I live in Texas.

Every time I run past this yard, I always think up a plan for what to do if this dog ever gets loose.  I always figured it was an eventuality that he would eventually pull the spike out of the ground so he could fulfill his dream of mauling me.  I’ve always thought that I would jump up on top of one of the cars parked on the street.  But here’s what I did do this morning when he came after me.

I’m not an expert, but I’ve lived with dogs my whole life, I know how they think.  I also used to watch the Dog Whisperer religiously.  And luckily, I instinctively did what some of the things he says you should do if you come across an less than friendly pooch (along with some of my own techniques):

1.)  Stop running!  If you run, the dog will chase, and it will catch you as they have the advantage of running on four legs.

2.)  Turn and face the dog.

3.)  Make yourself look big – stand tall and puff out your chest.

4.)  In your lowest and loudest voice (mimicking a bark), yell at the dog.  This morning I yelled, “No!” and “Go!”

5.)  Stand your ground.  You may even take a couple steps toward the dog.

6.)  Have no fear!  Dogs can sense it, so you must portray confidence and dominance.

7.)  When the dog backs down and retreats, do not turn your back, but back away until you feel it’s safe to turn and continue on your run.

I did all of this stuff this morning, and it worked like a charm.  When he came at me barking, I turned toward him, puffed out my chest, and yelled.  The display and noise seemed to shock him out of his pursuit and he stopped in his tracks.  He barked a bit, but when I took a step toward him, he retreated with a defiant “woof”.

Sometimes though, these tricks don’t work and the dog will still come at you.  I was prepared for this this morning.  When the dog started coming at me, before I turned to face it, I looked down and saw a large rock in their neighbors yard.  I picked it up.  If my display of dominance wouldn’t have worked, I would have fought that dog with the rock.

Bailey & Guinness – the Irish Car Dogs.

Before I go on, know that I am a dog person.  We have two at home that we rescued from a shelter.  I’ve also helped catch dogs who have escaped from their owner’s house, while I was on runs.  But I’ve also been bit before.  It was a nightmare, I had to report the dog to animal control who put it in quarantine.  I had to go to the emergency room to make sure I didn’t get rabies or anything.  So when a dog does come at me on my runs, I don’t care if the owner is standing there or not, I will kick it.  I will throw stuff at it.  Anything to get it to back down.  If you’re worried about kicking a dog in front of their owners – don’t worry, I have yet to have them get mad at me.  Instead they apologize and yell at their dog.  I’m a pretty laid back guy, but in those situations, I will yell at the owners to get their darn mutt on a stinking leash (perhaps with harsher language than that).

For those who feel sorry for the dog, I’m with you.  They shouldn’t leave it chained up alone outside all day.  After I got home, I contacted Animal Control who said they would investigate to see if there are any code violations.  I believe they have to have access to water, shade, etc to avoid a violation.  If anything, a visit from Animal Control may scare the owners straight into properly housing their pet.  Hopefully in the future they will treat the dog better so that it won’t be so angry that it wants to kill joggers.

What about you?  Anyone else have any doggy stories or tips?  What do you do when a dog comes at you snarling and barking?

Rock N Roll Dallas Half Marathon Prep #RnRDal

Yo yo, it’s almost time to go!  Just a couple days till the Rock n Roll Dallas Half Marathon, and I’ve got some tips for you.  I have run this race each year of it’s existence – and this will be the 4th time.  Since I have experience, I have some advice to offer – especially if you haven’t run it before.  So here they are in no order that makes any sense.

1.)  Get there EARLY!  Traffic will be a PAIN.  Transportation to the start will be a hassle.  There will be tons of people all with the same goal, so get there before them to avoid as much hassle as possible.

2.)  Find the best way for you to get to the race start.  If you drive yourself, see 1.).  If you take the DART, see 1.).  If you have someone drop you off – that’s a pretty good way to go.  If you get a local hotel next to the start, then you can sleep in later than the rest of us.

3.)  At the Expo, do not park in the parking garage.  They charge a butt ton of money to park, but if you park on the street you can find metered spots.  And I don’t believe you have to pay for the metered spots on Saturday.

4.)  If you need to change corrals, they have a booth for it at the Expo.  Just ask them and they will do it, no questions asked.

5.)  Visit the crazy Brooks exhibit at the Expo.  I’m partial to Brooks products, but that’s not why I recommend it.  They do this crazy huge set up with lots of chances to win free stuff.  Check it.

6.)  This is a late start for this distance.  8am I believe.  Last year that meant the sun was up and it was hot!

9.)  Keep in mind that the start and finish are not close to each other.  That will affect your race day planning.

10.)  If you, or family or friends, drive and park at the finish area, be sure to bring bevvies for post race tailgating.  I think they give you a free MGD 64 or Ultra or something, but come on, those aren’t real drinks.

11.)  During the race itself, I cannot stress enough that you should start out slower than you think you should.  I know that it’s easy to get caught up on the excitement at the start and adrenaline wants to take over, but let your mind take over instead.  Trust me, once the adrenaline wears off and you hit the meat of the race, you’ll wish you hadn’t wasted so much energy at the first few miles.  Try and keep it in check and go for a negative split!

12.)  Along the same lines as 11.), keep in mind that the first like 8 or so miles of the course are generally on a steady incline.  Don’t waste all your energy getting up the hill!  Try to keep some reserves for the last several miles which are mostly downhill!

13.)  The weather.  It can be hot or cold.  Changes year to year.  This year they say it will be cold, somewhat humid, and windy.  But like I said, I am writing this a few days before the race.  And as my dad always says, “The weatherman couldn’t predict a bowel movement, let alone the weather.”  It’s true, generally they can only be truly accurate about 15 minutes before or after, not a week out.  I don’t mind the cold so much for running, seems to be easier than in the heat, but if it’s windy, look out.  It’s been so windy in North Texas the past several months, like ridiculously so.  My friend is an avid skydiver, but hasn’t been able to go in two months cause of the wind.  Let’s hope for calm weather on race day!

14.)  Try to enjoy the bands we pass on the course.  I know we only hear them for about 30 seconds, but they’re still trying to entertain us.  Also, I have a fact for you – cheerleading teams on the course love high fives…Give em frequently.

15.)  Keep an eye out for funny race signs, then tell me about them.  I’m always on the lookout for a laugh on the course.

16.)  Relax.  When things get tough, just keep reminding yourself that it’s only one more step to go.

17.)  If it’s super cold, bring throw-away clothes to wear until you’re warmed up.  That may be after a good warm up before the race, or if you let the first couple miles be your warm up.

18.)  Bring a warm change of clothes for after the race.  It’s always good to get out of the sweaty clothes.  And if it happens to rain, you’ll be wanting some dry duds to don.

19.)  After you finish, go back with the spectators and cheer others on – especially if you have any friends or family on the course.

20.)  Stick around and celebrate after the race.  The temptation is to jump in your car and go, but part of the high price of the RnR races is the post race concert.  We have some dude named Andy Grammer this year.  I don’t know him, but I hear he’s good, and his music is positive.  I’ll give him a chance.  Why not, it’s already paid for and you’ve got the tailgating bevvies from tip 10.).

That’s all I’ve got right now.  Oh wait, one more – if you need to potty before the race, try to sneak into the convention center.  They have indoor plumbing and a central heating unit.  Now, that’s all I’ve got.  Good luck, can’t wait to see you out there!  Can’t wait to hear how your race goes!  Can’t wait for us to get that medal around our necks!

-Me