Something Special...

You know you're part of something special - unique - when even the people who have probably seen it all, have still seen nothing quite like you....

Obviously, the Deep-Shoe Diver (DSD) gets a lot of attention from visitors...but it gets just as much love if not more from the actual event staff!

For an industry synonymous with promotional collateral and creative community-driven marketing mixes - Run Happy Island and the Deep-Shoe Diver still harbor uniqueness :)

Today we delivered the DSD to the expo hall in Cincinnati for the Flying Pig Marathon expo beginning tomorrow.  We spent about 2-3 hours loading, unloading, and cleaning before grabbing our vendor passes and heading out!

Tomorrow should be a lot of fun!  I'm excited to get back to work chatting up the runners and putting them on their own path to Run Happy!  Tomorrow evening there is also a vendor-appreciation dinner after the expo that we're checking out :) I probably won't stay as long as Zach or Shannon at the dinner however as tentatively I'm considering racing the 10k Saturday morning!

Until tomorrow :)

#RunHappy

  

Cincinnati!

Today is our first day in Cincinnati in preparation for the Flying Pig Marathon this weekend!  I'm really excited about this event as I've heard so much about it over the years as it consistently ranks as one of those must do events in the country!

While tomorrow we're moving the Deep-Shoe Diver to the expo hall, today is an off day!  After finishing up some tour duties, Zach and Shannon had the idea of exploring a local trail-system and getting in a run.  Never one to pass down a trail run, I tagged along :)

The trail system was part of a larger recreation area known as Ault Park which also included manicured lawns, gardens, and some renaissance architecture.

Ault Park, Cincinnati OH

The trails were the highlight of the trip for me though!  It's been so long since I ran on a rolling trail-system I forgot how different (and funner) it is from running on the road!

Zach and Shannon!

Abandoned train tracks over a bridge - about a 40ft drop below!

Beneath the train tracks - see what I see?

Obligatory Ohio Trail Selfie'

Though our run was on the shorter side - about 20 minutes - it was AWESOME!  Felt amazing to be running on trails again and it was a great way to discover the local flora and fauna!  

After getting back to the hotel, Zach and Shannon went out to dinner while I gravitated toward room-service and finishing up my laundry :)

Tomorrow we're up bright and early to deliver the Deep-Shoe Diver and begin set-up!  As always I'm excited to get back to work - I love my off days but ultimately I'm happiest when I'm at my busiest :)

Before I finish this post though there is one more very important announcement...

MY BEST FRIEND AND HIS WIFE HAD THEIR FIRST BABY!  CONGRATULATIONS!

Goodnight ya'll :)

#RunHappy

On The Road Again...

Today we leave Oklahoma City on our way to Cincinatti and the Flying Pig Marathon!  We're breaking the 850 mile drive up over two days covering about 500 miles today. 

Should be staying just outside of St. Louis, Missouri tonight!

Run Happy Island rolls on!

Picture Worth A Thousand Words

These two...

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Zach and Shannon for completing their FIRST HALF-MARATHON today in Oklahoma City!  They're my friends, co-workers, and 2/3rds of the Run Happy Island crew!  Props guys!

#RunHappy

OKC Marathon Expo Day 2...

200 + gait analysis' later today is done...and I am beat...

Today was INSANE and yet what a joy to be part of such a positive, wonderful event!  Really can't thank the event staff and all the volunteers enough for orchestrating such an inspiring event plus Red Coyote Running for being such an AMAZING partner!

Thanks Red Coyote!

Tomorrow I'll be sleeping in but Zach and Shannon are running the half-marathon!  I'm really proud of them and can't wait to hear all about it!

Well goodnight ya'll!  #RunHappy and #StayPositive!

Anatomy of a coffee sip*

OKC Marathon Expo Day 1

Okay...

Well I am EXHAUSTED...but also really INSPIRED...

I'm exhausted because today was the first day of the OKC Marathon expo and we had ZERO volunteers...which meant Zach, Shannon, and I were cranking NON-STOP all day!  Props all around.

I'm inspired because though not my favorite locale we've visited - Oklahoma City - the marathon is by far one of the most special.  The ENTIRE event is ran by volunteers.  This allows the bulk of the proceeds to go directly to the events sole beneficiary: The Oklahoma National Memorial and Museum.  Such a massive undertaking, and the fact that it is entirely reliant on unpaid volunteers to willingly donate their time is a real testament to the character of Oklahoma.  Bravo.

Well I'd love to write more, but I am dead....  Goodnight ya'll!

Expo and Red Coyote Running

Yesterday we were able to deliver the Deep-Shoe Diver to the expo but that was about it as security wasn't scheduled and we were dissuaded from unloading anything.  So today we returned to the expo hall and got about the business of actually setting-up the DSD for tomorrows expo!

Learned a lot about the OKC Marathon today.  The entire marathon was originally set-up as a celebration of life, particularly to remember those individuals killed in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building by Timothy McVeigh.  In fact, there is a memorial service held before the start of the race as well as small memorials every 1/4 mile along the route for each of the 168 killed.

While setting up I was also able to chat up Jon from Red Coyote Running and it turns out we have a lot in common!  Jon use to live in San Diego and manage the run-specialty store I worked at way back in the day!  He left that employer before I was ever hired but we did know a lot of the same people and it was great talking to him :)

Later that evening...

Red Coyote Running was hosting a pub run from their store - something I discovered via FaceBook - and after informing Zach and Shannon we all decided to check it out! 

So glad that we did!  I haven't ran with a big group since leaving San Diego and it felt SOOOOO GOOD!  The store itself was BEAUTIFUL and there's always such a cool vibe permeating run-specialty shops - a vibe that lends itself to the shop's group runs and events.  Coupled with the raw energy and passion that runners exhibit, a group run can act as a motivator, pick-me-up, and social experiment all rolled into one!  Even Zach and Shannon used the energy of the group to run farther than either of them have in a long time!

After the run we again had an opportunity to hang out with Jon as well as the local Brooks sales rep while drinking Red Coyote Running 'Negative-Split' brew from Coop Ale Works!

Negative-Split Brew!

Well I am exhausted :) tomorrow is the first day of the Oklahoma City Marathon expo and I'm REALLY EXCITED!  Not only to work the expo but to work it with such an amazing partner as Red Coyote Running!  And as crazy as it sounds, even Zach and Shannon are thinking of getting into some half-marathon action come Sunday...we'll see!

Me and Jon!

#RunHappy

OKC & New Opportunities

Today is a great day!

A great day not only because we finished the drive to Oklahoma City but two of my friends just had AMAZING opportunities afforded them by major brands in the active-lifestyle industry!

While one accepted a sales position with a competing shoe brand, the other accepted a position with Nuun!  I'm so excited for both of them as they're both INCREDIBLY DESERVING!  They put 'time in the trenches' and stayed positive!

There's no secret path to your goals - you just hunker down and grind, grind, grind....  :)

Love you guys and couldn't be prouder of you both!

Tomorrow morning we're delivering the Deep-Shoe Diver to the expo for the Oklahoma City Marathon this weekend!  I'm REALLY EXCITED about this one as we're partnered with Red Coyote Running!  I've heard so much about Red Coyote and I'm really excited to get to know the staff better :)

#RunHappy

"All I do is drive, drive, drive..." -Johnny Cash

Today is our second straight day of driving on our way to Oklahoma City!  Tentatively today is going to be a little bit of a longer day with it ending in Conway, Arkansas.

The storm from yesterday seems to have passed over us and we have beautiful weather right now :)

We're about 130 miles outside Memphis, Tennessee at the moment.

Run Happy Island rolls on!

Clear skies :)

On a side note...

Today was the Boston Marathon!  Congratulations to all the runners!  I couldn't be happier for all my friends who ran it and the volunteers and crowd-support that make such a magical event even possible!

And a BRILLIANT, DAZZLING performance from Brooks-Hanson runner Desiree Davila!

Desi!

Lauren!

Garrett!

Eric!

Meb is always a class-act :)

Sarah!

Erika!

#Boston2015

Cookeville...mmmmmm...

Today we left Chapel Hill and started the long drive to Oklahoma City for the Oklahoma City Marathon!

We'll be completing the 1200 mile drive over three days.  Aiming to make Cookeville, Tennessee this evening we're basically chasing/fleeing a storm the entire first day so wish us luck!

Rain or shine, #RunHappyIsland rolls' on!

Tar Heel 10 Miler & Fleet Feet 4 Miler

Today was the Tar Heel 10 Miler & Fleet Feet 4 Miler!

Both events started right on UNC's campus in Chapel Hill, NC.  While I was there with the Deep-Shoe Diver and Run Happy Island, logistics allowed me to run the 4 miler along with Chris, Brooks' local sales rep.  Zach, the local Guru, was running the 10 mile!

Zach, myself, and Chris!

Endurance Magazine really put on a great event and the course was MAGNIFICENT.  Lots of rollers with forests and UNC's campus always on either side.  Great crowd support too!  Ended up taking 5th Overall in the 4 mile.  It felt amazing to be out racing again - I dueled with a couple of guys and managed to move my position from 8th to 5th around mile 2.5....

The finishing tunnel literally funneled me right back to where the DSD was located and I didn't have to wait too long before it got CRAZY BUSY!  Prize table and gaits were cranking almost the entire time!

!!!

Huge props to Endurance Magazine for accommodating Run Happy Island and putting on a STELLAR event!  Great support, really well organized.  Also, THANK YOU Fleet Feet Carrboro for being an amazing partner and for the sweet 9 Run 9 shirt!

So local even most the locals don't get it...

Tomorrow begins the long drive to Oklahoma City, OK.  Though originally aiming to make the drive in two days we've given ourselves three to make the days a little less tiring....  North Carolina has been a lot of fun and though it's been a blast I'm excited to explore a new locale :)

Until tomorrow, #RunHappyIsland rolls' on!

TGIF

Today is FRIDAY!

We delivered the Deep-Shoe Diver to UNC's campus for the Tar-Heel 10 Miler tomorrow and gave it a good cleaning to make-up for all the rain and road-grime that had accumulated.  On a side note: UNC - and Chapel Hill in general -  really, really love that powder-blue color...you see it everywhere!

I bit the bullet *gulp* and went ahead and registered for the 4 miler that happens in conjunction with the Tar Heel 10.  So between racing and activating - tomorrow is looking to be an exciting day!  After the DSD's needs were taken care of Shannon and Zach took me to pick-up my bib!  Interesting thing about the expo (which we did not attend) was that the entire thing was inside of a shopping-mall...where normally you'd see the little kiosks selling things you had vendors instead....

I'm super excited to race tomorrow.  It's been awhile since my last race and I've been feeling the itch lately to hop in.  Took me awhile to actually enjoy the competition and strain that comes from competitive running but once you're hooked - you're hooked....  :)  I'm also really looking forward to seeing Chris the sales rep and Zach the local Guru again!  Chris alone brings such an energy with him it's pretty hard not to get pumped-up whenever he's around!

Well I'm going to finish my laundry, stretch out, and head to bed!  4am wake-up call!

#RunHappyIsland rollin' out!

Fleet Feet Carrboro (Wednesday)

Yesterday was AMAZING!

It really was just what I needed...

I derive so much from interacting with the community and listening to their stories and goals.  People continue to inspire me and it's those interactions that can really set the tempo and mood for the entire day!  And being a part of Run Happy Island everything is compounded tenfold because then that passion to Run Happy is bonding everything/everyone together.  Positive people pump me up.

Yesterday morning began with an awesome 5 miler around Durham (6:30/pace).  It's still a little scary running around the area due to the absence of sidewalks, drivers that aren't necessarily use to seeing runners, and narrower roads - but the scenery really makes it all worth it.

Obligatory North Carolina Selfie'

In the evening we were due to activate at Fleet Feet Carrboro about 15 minutes from Durham.  The event was suppose to be 1/3 pub run, 1/3 shakeout for RnR Raleigh, and 1/3 training run for the Tar Heel 10 Miler.  Most Fleet Feets' are franchises but this one was corporate-owned and we were expecting some higher level executives to be attending and really wanted to give it our A-game!

We were a little worried about the weather as a storm was moving in.  Activating outside in the rain is never fun....

:(

Later...

The event turned out to be a HUGE SUCCESS!  Even though I'm sure the weather scared away some would-be participants we had a solid turnout.  Fleet Feet Carrboro is great and everyone on staff was super nice and supportive of our presence.  The Brook Sales Rep and Guru on site were likewise AMAZING and really helped us hold down the fort.  We kept the treadmills running outside to do gait-analysis while we moved our prize-table inside where Fleet Feet also had drinks and empanadas for the runners!  Great turnout, lots of fun - and believe it or not quite a few people braved a slightly damp DSD to get their gaits analyzed!

Pre-event, a damp Deep-Shoe Diver.  Left the back curtain closed to protect the electronics.

Party at Fleet Feet Carrboro!

Between Fleet Feet Carrboro AND the two individuals on separate occasions stopping us at our hotel to talk about their love for Brooks - yesterday was very satisfying :)

Today is an off day and it's raining again :( but that's okay.

I think I'm going to lay low today and recharge my batteries so-to-speak plus I really need to ice my achilles...been bugging me lately.

Still riding the high from yesterday and thinking I may drop into the 4-mile option of the Tar Heel 10 Miler too to stretch my legs out ;)

#RunHappy

RIP #TimedMileTuesday, Greetings Tar-Heel Country

I'm telling you...

7+ hour car rides are not conducive to overall hip and glute health :(

Bananas were very motivating today.

 Last night we stayed in Dandrige, Tennessee about 20 minutes east of Knoxville - not too far from the Smokey Mountains National Park.  Eastern Tennessee is by far one of the most beautiful, rugged areas we've traversed so far.  Also, everyone we've encountered in the area is really nice J

Yes, that is a massive wall-mountain of trees...can't even see the sky.

Today we're finishing the last 300 miles to Chapel Hill, North Carolina and I couldn't be happier!  These long drives are BRUTAL and I’m just the passenger…. 

Tomorrow we have a retail event at Fleet Feet Carrboro which I am REALLY excited about it!  It’s always great to support the local retailers plus the smaller events have an intimacy that the bigger activations can lack J

This weekend is the Tar Heel 10 Miler AND THE BOSTON MARATHON!  Now, we’ll be at the Tar Heel 10 Miler and NOT Boston but I’m stoked about both regardless.  North Carolina LOVES its’ Tar Heels and any event tied to UNC is sure to be a blast.  As for Boston I have so many good friends running I really can not wait to see how everyone does.  Meb Keflezighi is running too!  Meb is great, he’s always running around Mission Bay and Penasquitos Canyon where he trains and every local SD runner has a story about running into him and how nice he is!  He also has a janky, old mountain bike he pedals around on J 

Well I am writing this as Shannon drives and we only have about 30 minutes left before hitting Chapel Hill!  Still going to try to get in a run today but not before a nice, hot bath…. 

North Carolina 'mud' run!

On a side note:

#TimedMileTuesday is indefinitely on hold.  I got 10 solid weeks of timed-miles and ran a new PR of 4:31 that I am very happy with but need to mix things up.  Plus, it’s becoming increasing difficult to run it.  Monday-Tuesday are becoming drive days and every Tuesday I’m waking up in a strange location.  Inattentive drivers not use to looking for runners and an absence of sidewalks in the Midwest and Southern United States are also making my runs….hazardous….  I’ll definitely be revisiting #TimedMileTuesday in the future, but not right now J

Tar-Heel Country!

That's right!  We're on our way to Tar-Heel Country, Chapel Hill, North Carolina!

Apart from culture and basketball, apparently Chapel Hill is also the 'foodiest' city in the US which I'm sure will lead to a couple of splurge-nights!

We'll be splitting the drive up over two days and driving 500 miles today which should put us just outside Knoxville, Tennessee tonight.  Can't wait :)

#RunHappyIsland rolls on!

St. Louis Exploration (Off Day)

Today we decided to explore St. Louis before saying goodbye tomorrow and hitting the road for Chapel Hill, NC!  St. Louis is very...interesting...there are huge swathes of it that are completely abandoned and in decay.  Residential areas as well as industrial.  Much of the architecture is pre-1900 redbrick so instead of falling prey to the elements all the abandoned buildings simply lie dormant.

One particularly interesting section is the old St. Louis waterfront that is undergoing a revival of sorts with the addition of murals, street art, and biking/running paths:

Abandoned factory.

Beautiful yet abandoned...for how long?  No clue.

 Very beautiful albeit one of the strangest settings I've ever visited as the entire area is completely empty.  Factories, warehouses, all empty zig-zagging the waterfront for blocks.  We saw a few other adventurers exploring the area but for the most part everything just sits there in quiet and stillness.  I did think it'd be a pretty cool setting for a run or a 5k though!

After exploring the waterfront for a bit we decided to head toward the St. Louis Arch, the city's most famous landmark to finish off the day!

Tomorrow we hit the road for North Carolina!  I've gotten my fill of Missouri and though it's been great I'm excited to explore a new locale!

Time to do laundry!

#RunHappy

Dear Britney,

Who are you?

What purpose do you serve within my gait-analysis tool?

Why are you in Support when kitty cats are clearly Neutral?

Are you new to the Run Happy Island tour or a hardened veteran?

Is that a bread machine?

If I recommend you why are you priced at $500?

That's a lot for a stray tabby...

Britney - if that is your real name...

GO! St. Louis Marathon Expo Day 2

Today was the final day of the GO! St. Louis Marathon expo and I'm exhausted! In a good way :)

Everything went super smooth and we received a lot of great feedback from visitors, students, and registrants!  Event staff was great as well as our retail-partner, Big River Running Company.

Now we're heading back to the hotel to drop off the vehicles before meeting my AMAZING - yes, you are if you're reading this - former PowerBar boss for dinner!  I really can't wait to see her as she always brings this really infectious energy and charisma.  I love it.

To finish off this post I'd like to congratulate my best'est, beautiful friend Miranda Williamson who completed her first 50k trail race today!  WOOT, WOOT!  Welcome to the Ultra Club Miranda :)

Congratulations Miranda!

Tomorrow is an off day and I'm looking forward to squeezing in my very best impression of a long run and relaxing before we hit the road Monday morning to make the drive to Chapel Hill, NC!

Until then, #RunHappy

GO! St. Louis Marathon Expo Day 1

Today was AMAZING!

Today was day one of the GO! St. Louis Marathon expo all taking place on SLU's campus!  We stayed pretty busy throughout the entire day plus lots of great interactions with the students.  Great to work with Blaize again too as the energy he brings can really set the tempo for the entire day.  It's infectious.

SLU's Mascot - the Billiken.  No, I can't explain.

This statue had no placard and no one seemed to be able to tell us about it, but he was shirtless and so we clothed him.

Working the big events and interacting with the local running community, I am continually amazed at the emotion individuals attach and exhibit toward Brooks.  I've worked run-speciality for a long time and have failed to see that same kind of passion associated with another brand before.  It's both inspiring but also very daunting - it sets the bar very high for us...challenged accepted :)

It was bit windy today but zip-ties and anchor-weights saw us through - I think we were all just really thankful the rain and lightning from the previous days had retreated....

Windy Yo'.

Chatting up runners and expo visitors there was lots of commotion about Brooks' new Kaleidoscope Collection.  Click on the link if you're not familiar - it's HOT!  Saw the collection in New Orleans and the colors really pop - super nice.  By the way, I want these socks:

Everyday, everyday.

After the expo we made a stop for supplies and I was able to swing into a Trader Joes real quick and grab dinner:

Glucose...nom, nom, nom...

The day is done and it's time to wrap things up.  Tomorrow is day two of the GO! St. Louis Marathon expo and tentatively we're meeting up with my old PowerBar boss for drinks afterwards!  I can't wait to see her...she is one-of-kind to say the very least.

Run Happy Island rolls on!