Las Vegas Marathon - 2011

The big news surrounding this year's Las Vegas Marathon was the new start time.  Competitor Group, the race production company that organizes and produces all of the Rock 'N Roll series races changed things up!  The news should have been about running the strip at night, the new start time for the half and full marathon.  Instead, we're left wondering about what went wrong with such a "standard" race for Competitor Group?  Unfortunately, there were multiple problems running the gamut from packed finish shoots to disorganized bag check areas to "metallic" and "stale" water.  Check out horrifying accounts here from the Las Vegas Review-Journal!

Producing a major half or full marathon is extremely difficult.  It's hard to believe that Competitor Group had so many problems given their experience and number of races they produce each year but it goes to show that anything can happen on Race Day!  

Winter Wonderland @ Raley Field

Genevieve Diegnan & I with Santa aka Tony Asaro

 

 

Earlier today the Sacramento River Cats hosted its 8th annual Winter Wonderland at Raley Field.  I didn't know what to expect going into the event but feel so fortunate to have been a part of it and be there to see so many families and kids having an amazing time!  The River Cats gave presents to the kids, Super Cuts was there giving hair cuts, kids could decorate cookies and ornaments, each child could pick out a few books and of course take pictures with Santa!  It was a great, heart warming way to get geared up for the holiday season!

Another great part of Winter Wonderland was catching up with a friend from High School!  Small world that she's now the Programs Director for the Sacramento County Food Bank & Family Services which we partner with on this event, and others throughout the year. 

Raley Field doesn't often get utilized during the off-season and this was one great way to open the concourse and bring people to the Stadium who may have never been.  It's such a great community space that should be re-purposed all year long.  But how...

Running Happy in 2012!

I was super super excited to receive word today that I will once again have the opportunity to represent Brooks Running!  2012 is going to be a great year for running with the Olympic Trials, the Olympics and some personal goals I have for myself.  I'm super excited that once again I'll be sporting my Brooks gear and checking off some running "to-do's". 

The past few months I've been fortunate to see, first hand, the influence of I've had as a handful of people close to me are now Running Happy!

• Inspired by Chris McDougall's Born To Run, I recently purchased my younger brother's first "real" pair of running shoes!  We had an amazing experience at Fleet Feet, Chicago where he tried on a couple of Mizunos, Adidas and the Brooks PureProject Pure Cadence.  Not only is he now wearing shoes when he runs (he was going barefoot on a treadmill in his Girlfriend's apartment complex - that is the fastest way to get kicked to the curb!) but he helped pace a buddy in the Chicago Marathon and completed his first race - a 15k!  
• A friend of mine's daughter recently broke up with her long-term running shoe partner and switched over to the Brooks Adrenaline.  She cruised to her first marathon finish at the NYC Marathon in November!  Running for charity, the shoe switch that took place helped her achieve her goal.  
• A friend and co-worker who's gone through a complete transformation, dropping over 100 pounds and completely changing his diet, recently changed over to Brooks shoes as his long walks increased to over 15+ miles and he needed a wider, more supportive shoe than what he had previously been wearing.  The new Brooks now power him on his 3+ hour walks and is what he plans to use for his first half-marathon coming up in March!
• The aforementioned GF did not kick my brother to the curb for running barefoot!  Previously loyal to another shoe company, by brother and I have some affect on her!  She switched over to the Brooks Ghosts and we're super excited to have her be part of our Brooks family!

The Brooks ID program has been nothing but amazing and I'm super excited to continue representing, inspiring and being inspired by the brand and the other runners.  When I can think of more than enough excuses not to go for a run I'm inspired by so many of my Brooks friends who I know have already laced 'em up and had a great run! 

RUN HAPPY!

Sports Ticket Sales & Running a Marathon: A perfect analogy

I heard a great analogy today that I had never once considered.  I often tell people that running helps me in every facet of my life (my job, my health, my relationships…).  Without running I do not think I would be as motivated, driven, hard-working or dedicated as I am.  To be honest, I feel lost when I don’t run.  Working in sport ticket sales I have found that running is a lot like ticket sales and I use that analogy frequently.  They are both individual, you’re competing against yourself, you’re only as good as you push yourself, you mentally have to motivate yourself each day to stay on track and to keep going regardless of how discouraged you are or what happened yesterday.  You’ll face rejection and have bad runs, sometimes you experience a string of them but it’s that one great work-out or key sale that helps you turn things around.  You get the point. 

Today someone told me they see the Ticket Sales industry in sport as being similar to a marathon.  He was absolutely right.  You have to compartmentalize the various stages, or miles, breaking them down into smaller portions and working through each individually before you can cross the finish line.  You have to put your head down and push through those tough stages knowing you can you can breathe a little easier when you reach those easier, downhill stretches.  He understood the mental strength required to complete the marathon, most likely because a sporting season is very similar. During the off season there aren’t many sales being made and things are quite, similar to a maintenance phase when you’re just logging miles and making deposits, slowly putting miles in the bank.  You wonder what you’re doing and whether or not the work you’re putting in will come to fruition, in ticket sales as well as training.  Will this client come through and be that big sale you’re working towards?  Will all of the early morning hours, little sleep and sacrifices made to complete your training pay off on race day?  How do you know?  You don’t.  You have to put in the work, for months at a time and trust that you’ve done your best.  When other sales people are slacking or simply going through the motions you have to make sure that you’re still pushing hard because at the end of the season it will payoff in your sales numbers versus theirs.  Those that press the snooze button one more time or slow down on their tempo training runs won’t have the tools they need to succeed on race day, or achieve that PR.  If you slow down in the middle/late miles of the marathon often there’s no coming back.  You can’t make up that lost time, those seconds that will make the difference as to whether you reach a new PR or qualify for the Boston Marathon.  It’s all about mental determination.  Ironically, Josh Cox posted a column today identifying something similar.   His take is a little different than what I heard but with the same objective:  “Marathon running is a great metaphor for life because in order to succeed you have to make daily deposits over a long period of time.”

I don’t know why I hadn’t thought about it that way but it’s the perfect analogy: sales in sports is like running a marathon. 

If I want to break 3:00 in the marathon what does that translates into ticket sales?!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

As I finished the article and was about to discard this section, I caught this article by Roger Rosenblatt.  Opening Day is just 4 days away and the S.F. Giants are en route from AZ to S.F.  The months of waiting are finally over and I am super excited about the 2011 season.  This article describes the pure love of the game that is impossible to deny and the emotions that every fan shares.  There's only 4 more days until the first pitch!

I took advantage of today being the last day of Spring Break and indulged in reading the S.F. Chronicle's Sunday edition, in its entirety, including sections I do not normally read such as the Parade Magazine.  I was drawn to the Parade insert because it featured a story on Phil Mickelson.  Phil played golf for ASU and to the dismal of my two UofA alumni brothers, I am a Lefty fan!  

Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Roger Rosenblatt

Back to the Blog!

I was testing out a different blog hosting site for a while but am back to Blogger. I may move those posts over to this Blog when I have time but for now I'm excited about getting back to this blog!

My amazing birthday weekend is coming to an end :( I had a wonderful weekend and am looking forward to some big changes and big things this year. I have accepted the fact that I may not be able to focus too much on improving my marathon time this year with the changes I'm about to embark upon (the major announcement will come in the next week!) and the final quarters of my master's program but I think that acceptance is important for my sanity and will help me keep things in perspective. Over the last year I have become frustrated at my inability to train as hard, or as much, as I would like but I know once I complete my M.S. Sport Management I will be able to quickly regain my speed and crush my marathon PR!

Bill Simmons - Giants - Dodgers Rivalry!

Here's what Bill Simmons said today on Sport Nation about the best under the radar rivalry:

"The best under-the-radar rivalry is Dodgers-Giants. I had no idea how deep that one was until I moved to California... that one goes waaaaaaaaay back and both sides absolutely detest each other. Fights in the stands, fights in the parking lot, the whole thing. It's every bit as bitter as Yankees-Red Sox without nearly the same hype." (Bill Simmons)


It's about time this crazy rivalry gets some attention! Too many Giants have gone to the Dodgers (including Juan Uribe this season after winning a ring with the Giants) with little national attention about the significance. Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon made national headlines moving from Boston to NY. We may have been happy to see some go (there was some mistrust with Jeff Kent after he lied about an injury, claiming he fell off his truck while washing it, but he's since regained favor in S.F.) but I think it's safe to say we're still bitter when players choose L.A. over any other team in the league - including players like Schmidt and Uribe. Schmidt never came back to hurt us and I hope Uribe doesn't this season. The chant we use to yell when he came to the plate, the chant that people always thought sounds like a boo ("UUUU-RIBE"), will most definitely resemble more of a boo this season.

I just can't believe Simmons recognized our rivalry! The first Giants - Dodgers rivalry game I can remember attending was at Candlestick park with my older brother and his friend. We were sitting next to a group of Dodger fans, 4 guys, quite a few years older than us (I think I was a freshman in high school - it's hard to believe that was the first rivalry game I can remember). We were yelled at the entire game! The fighting and yelling began when we sat down and didn't end until we were in our car after the game. I think I paid more attention to the action in the stands than I did on the field.

The only game I remember going to in L.A. at Dodger Stadium was a few years later while I was a freshman in college. My Dad came down to UCSB to visit my sister and I for the weekend. On Sunday, my sister's boyfriend, my sister, my Dad and I all went to a Dodgers v. Pittsburg game since I hadn't been to Dodger Stadium since I was a tiny tot. My Dad, a short, scrawny guy with coke bottle lens glasses and a life long Giants fan wore his Giants hat to the game. We had awful seats up in the second deck and didn't experience too much heckling during the game. It was after the game while we were walking to our car in the parking lot that some random Dodger fan came up to my Dad, yelled in his face and shoved him. It completely took my Dad by surprise and scared the daylights out of me because my Dad did not stand a chance against this guy. Being the geeky stat guy he was, my Dad listed off some stats about how much better the Giants were than the Dodgers. This guy yelled obscenities at my Dad as we walked away to our car. It was the scariest baseball experience of my life!

Bill Simmons is right - we detest each other! BEAT LA!

Cheers to Lincecum & the SF Giants!

I love love love the cover of the latest Sports Illustrated!

Rock 'N Roll Las Vegas

"Marathon expected to boost area economy"
(Las Vegas Review Journal)

Above is an article about the non-gaming impact of the Rock 'N Roll Las Vegas Marathon taking place in Las Vegas. It's estimated that the 40,000 runners participating in the race will produce a non-gaming economic impact of $18.6 million! What's great about this event is its impact on local business and events throughout the rest of the year. The owner of the Las Vegas Running Co. is quoted in the article and talks about how this not only helps his running company but also the events that he puts on throughout the year. Not to mention that this is getting people more interested in running and doing something good for themselves while in Vegas rather than destroying their liver! Tylenol sales may remain strong race weekend but it will be to alleviate the soreness from the 13.1 or 26.2 miles, not that awful hangover.

I am surprised that this article doesn't mention the race headliner - Bret Michaels!

It's great to see the effects marathons have on local communities and economies, especially in Las Vegas which took a big hit during the recession.

SF Giants - Victory Parade

Yesterday was the S.F. Giants' victory parade. It was absolutely amazing and completely insane! There were hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets, cheering on the team. It was an incredibly unifying event that ran smoothly, considering the huge crowds and absolute rowdiness! It was so super exciting to have a victory parade in S.F. after watching all of these other teams take home the trophy.

Over the last couple of days, there have been a number of stories about people who have been following the Giants since they came to S.F. and even from way back in their NY days. I've heard a lot of stories about adults who grew up in households where there fathers were loyal, die-hard Giants fans and they only wished those people could be here to see the team bring home the Championship. It's definitely bittersweet and makes me think of my own Dad who introduced me to baseball and without which I probably wouldn't have this passion for baseball. If not for my Dad I wouldn't be in love with going to baseball games or enjoy sitting in stands watching a game. He would have loved to be a part of this win and probably would have predicted the victory the way he was always able to calculate players stats and extrapolate the unique stats he kept. It's amazing that I was able to experience this win and will be able to tell people that I was part of the 2010 World Series Champs S.F. Giants, even if I was just a fan whose participation was limited to watching from the stands, on TV or listening on the radio to Kruk & Kuip and Jon Miller & Dave Flemming. I can't wait to get back to AT&T Park in 2011!

The bad part about the Giants winning in 5 games is that baseball is now officially over until Spring. I'm completely lost in the off-season without the baseball and the Giants. Here's hoping winter sails by. The countdown for pitchers & catchers reporting starts now!

WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!

The S.F. Giants, aka The Freaks, have won the World Series and will be bringing the trophy back to S.F. for the first time! The Giants have not won the World Series since 1954, before they moved West.

The entire series was exciting and while I would have loved for it to return to S.F., I'm super excited Timmy shut them down for the win last night.

The road to the world series was, as "Kuip" appropriately title the team, torturous. I had all but given up at the end of August but they fought back hard and won the must-win games when it counted. It was definitely the pitching that came through at the end which is exactly what was predicted before the season started. The Giants' rotation reminded me of the A's back when they had the triple threat of Zito, Mulder & Hudson. I've been a Zito fan since his days is Oakland and I did miss him throughout the playoffs. It was a pitcher's duel this World Series with aces Lincecum and Cliff Lee. The Giants' bats remained quiet in the post-season, except Cody Ross. The Giants were not a power hitting team this season anyway and I'd rather see everyone coming through than rely on one big power hitter.

This post-season has been super fun to watch, I can't wait for next season! No one could have predicted this finish for the team of outcasts and misfits. Where will we stand in the predictions for 2011? Now is not the time to focus on next year, the S.F. Giants have finally won the World Series, we'll be celebrating until April!

GO GIANTS!!!

6:51

When I'm trying to rush out the door or get ready for work, what I think will take just a couple minutes inevitably takes longer. When I'm out on a run and trying to make it home with enough time to get ready for work without being late I calculate and break down everything I have to do: shower and change (45 minutes), breakfast (6 minutes), prepare coffee in traveler (30 seconds), grab my pre-made lunch and water (2 minutes), sync Garmin and update Daily Mile (2 minutes)...

My wonderful brother broke down what he does in the time it took me to run one mile in my recent race:

Things Christian can accomplish with 6:51:

Eat an entire meal at taco bell

Enjoy a 22oz blue moon at a Chicago bar with my running-sis.

Send a (hopefully) comical email about things to do in under seven minutes.

Walk the streets of Chicago without hearing a jab about the hometown baseball teams.

Walk casually to Wrigley field from my bedroom.

Walk quickly to aforementioned taco bell.

Kick back three shotguns during Iowa football tailgate.

Take a nap between train stops on the yellow line.

Enjoy a Dave Matthews Band version of All Along The Watchtower before deciding to go to the next song.

Sit for a family meal before a fight breaks loose.

Read a couple interesting blog posts on MentalMarkers

Fight to get an eyelash out of my eye (sorry, but it’s been bothering me this whole email).

Cruise through the sports page on SFGATE.

Average that pace on a half marathon Not even close!

Nashville - A Running Community

While I didn't have the best race in Nashville this past weekend, I absolutely loved the entire experience. The race was an inaugural event that I found out they were capping at 5,000 runners. The course was challenging but took us through great areas of Nashville. I was surprised to see the amazing crowd support throughout the entire race. The people lining the course ran the gamut from little kids with cow bells to entire families and young adults with coffee in hand. It was great to see so many people out supporting this new race.

I was also blown away at the number of volunteers and how sweet and helpful they all were. When I crossed the finish line 3-4 volunteers approached me with water, a space blanket and simply to congratulate me and see if I needed anything. While hanging out in the finisher's area, a couple more volunteers came up to me to see if I needed anything and again offer congratulations to myself and the other runners. I couldn't believe how friendly everyone was - this is what Southern hospitality is all about. I was so shocked at how attentive the volunteers were I asked a couple what organization they were with and why they were volunteering. One woman, who volunteers each year with the Nashville Country Music Marathon, said she just wanted to be a part of this new event and check it out. Two other young girls (late teens or early twenties) were also volunteering just to be a part of this event. There was no underlying motive for the majority of these volunteers. They were not forced to volunteer, they weren't doing it to meet any volunteer hour requirements and they weren't part of any organization or non-profit that was partnered with the race. Road races are dependent on volunteers, not just to show up, but to work hard and be helpful. The volunteers at this race were the best I had ever seen and were absolutely amazing. I couldn't believe how friendly and nice everyone was but what surprised me the most is that these people just wanted to be a part of the event and were taking pride in showcasing their hometown.

Race Report – Women’s Running Magazine, Nashville Women’s Half Marathon

Women's Running Magazine Women’s Half Marathon

Nashville, Tennessee September 25, 2010

********** FEMALE TOP 3 OVERALL RESULTS ***********

Place No. Name Ag S City St Chiptim

===== ===== ======================= == = =============== ==

1 1006 JILLIAN MASTROIANNI 28 F NASHVILLE TN 1:24:46

2 1008 ASHLEY HANSEN 26 F SONOMA CA 1:29:36

3 1929 MOLLY BROWN-BOULAY 39 F FRANKLIN TN 1:29:50

After reading the WSJ article I posted on here last week, I was unsure of what to expect going into the race weekend. The entire weekend was amazing, beginning when I checked into my hotel in Nashville. I was completely surprised at how organized, friendly and fun the weekend was given my hesitation and the all women’s field of runners. I stayed at the host hotel in downtown Nashville where the Expo was held and only a few blocks from the starting line. All of the hotel staff had pink Women’s Running pins on their jackets and were incredibly helpful. Whenever I check into a hotel one of the first questions I ask is where I can go running in the morning. I prefer to run early in the morning, before most people would consider getting out of bed while on their vacation, and as such I like to ask the locals their advice on safe running routes. The guy at the front desk first recommended a path along the river that most people run but then admitted that it’s “only” 3 miles and he could see I would probably be looking for something a little longer than that. He was incredibly helpful with healthier dining recommendations and was able to tell me everything I needed to know about how to get to the starting line on race morning and was even willing to leave a room key for me for after the race so I wouldn’t have to worry about running with one during the race.

Coming off the inaugural Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon on Labor Day Weekend, I was also weary of this being an inaugural race. I saw the pitfalls and issues of a first time event firsthand in Oregon and those thoughts were in the back of my mind all weekend. The expo was great and there were some fun vendors and fun WRM gear for sale. I admit, I didn’t do much research about the race before getting on the plane but there were some questions I had that did not have answers on the race website so I asked the two girls working the information desk. I wanted to know about gear check bags (if they would be provided at the start and what size since we didn’t get any with our bib and packet pick-up). I was surprised that neither of the girls even know what gear check bags were and looked at me as though I was crazy?! I explained that the website said they would be provided but didn’t say if we could pick them up at the expo or offer any other details. They weren’t able to answer that question or find someone who could so it’s a good thing my friend at the front desk was going to have an extra key for me! Although these two girls didn’t know much about running or running events they were incredibly nice and friendly, as was the rest of the race staff.

On any race weekend, the hotels are packed with nervous, anxious and excited runners and this weekend was no exception. It was crazy to see so many women in one place, it was a little over whelming but I now understand an all women’s event!

Race morning was a little warmer than us runners would have liked but luckily there was no rain which had been in the forecast the day before. I usually arrive to the starting are moments before the gun goes off and I made sure to arrive a little earlier for this race (about 20 min. before start time). I hurried into my seeded corral in the front to find there weren’t too many ladies lined up at the starting line. I usually start near the front but never at the very front. There were only about 5 of us toeing up to the line with the other ladies a few feet behind us. This was like no race start I have ever seen and I was a little confused. I started chatting with an older woman next to me who said she had to be at the front because she needed to hurry to her daughter’s soccer game after the race. Unlike other starting lines where men and women are elbowing and nudging for room, I could do jumping jacks without even hitting another person. I was embarrassed to be toeing up on the line but had such an adrenaline rushing seeing the open course ahead and since no one else was lining up to the start I thought I should take advantage as I will never be in this situation again. It was awesome! When the gun when off myself and two other girls took off and never looked back. We were spaced a good distance apart to where we weren’t within talking distance. Along the course there was a short turn-around where we were running directly opposite other runners. The cheers and support from the other runners was unbelievable! They were cheering the three of us on as if they were spectators on the sidelines. It was unreal! Running is an individual sport but it’s also a competition and a race. Never before had I heard such loud cheering and support from the competition – it was an amazing experience.

I didn’t feel too strong the entire race but fought to hold onto second place. I think I could have pushed it a little more and I probably would have if there was someone in front of me giving me that extra push. The first place finisher, a Nashville native, smoked the rest of us and I was pretty much running by myself without the pull of another runner out in front. It was a great race and I’m happy with another sub-1:30 finish. Not all races can be PR’s and I’m excited with 2^nd place!

A true testament to how organized this race was is how calm, relaxed and happy the entire staff appeared. Everywhere I looked, no matter who it was, what they were doing or what kind of chaos was going on, they remained calm with a huge smile on their face. Even event director, Dawna Stone was walking around congratulating runners and chatting with everyone. I was completely impressed at the personalized feeling and friendly atmosphere of the race organizers. I will definitely do another Women’s Running Magazine events for the great organization and fun atmosphere.

Women's Running Events

Interlopers Run Amok: Guys Crash Road Races for Women

They Come in First, Are Dissed at Finish; For Meeting Fit Females, 'It's Hard to Beat'

Wall Street Journal, Kevin Helliker, 09/20/2010

Ironically, this article was sent to me as I depart for Nashville this week for the Women's Running Magazine Nashville Women's Half Marathon. I registered for this race months ago and had barely checked out the race details or race website before reading this article. When I registered I hadn't given much thought to the fact that this will be a "women's" race in a very literal sense. The goody bag, according to the website, is the ultimate women's goody bag which I have no doubt it will be seeing as how the race is organized by Women's Running Magazine & Martha Stewart's Apprentice winner, Dawna Stone.

Before reading this article I was simply looking forward to exploring Nashville and having a good time running 13.1 miles. Now I'm a little more nervous about the competition as I'm sure there will be some tough chicks out there ready to rock the race. I usually use the guys in front of me as extra motivation. I don't know why but it is a great feeling to close the gap and eventually take over guys out in front of me, especially those who were muscling or elbowing their way in front of me at the starting line. And it's always great to get compliments after the race from incredibly fit guys saying they were trying to catch me and my ponytail. Aside from being a little more nervous about the female competition, I am not sure what to expect at this all women's running events. I hate to say it but in most races, the females I am running alongside or near are not too friendly. The most trash talk on the course and most disrespectful behavior I've witnessed has been committed by women - spitting, intentional flat-tires, running directly in front of me, elbows and just flat out bad attitudes. I do not think I will see this at the upcoming race in Nashville but I'm sure there will be a small percentage of runners at the head of the pack exhibiting some of the typical female behavior that I frequently experience at races. I'll definitely miss the male competition. I'm not sure I understand why men would want to run a race that's geared towards women and deters them from competing but at the same time, why not welcome them into the race?

I'm super excited to be heading to Nashville!

Turnkey Sports Poll - Which endurance sport property has the strongest brand?

While doing research for a paper I came across this Turnkey Sports Poll. I'm not surprised that Boston or NY top the list but I am surprised the Rock 'n 'Roll Marathon Series did not rank higher. If this survey is conducted at the same time next year (August, 2011) I'm sure Rock 'n 'Roll will rank much higher since they've been adding additional events and the series is becoming much more popular. It seems like more elite runners are competing in these events and the growth of their blogs, including the addition of John "The Penguin" Bingham are enhancing the Rock 'n 'Roll brand.

Having recently run a 13.1 Series race, I'm surprised they are an option. These events seem relatively small compared to the other options on this list but since they are advertised as taking place in major cities I can see why they may seem more popular and/or identifiable.

What endurance sports properties are not on this list?

Which of the following endurance sports properties has the strongest brand in the U.S.?

• Boston Marathon - 45%
• ING New York City Marathon - 30%
• Ironman Triathlon - 13%
• Rock’n’Roll Marathon Series - 7%
• Bank of America Chicago Marathon - 2%
• 13.1 Marathon Series - 0%