Tomorrow will be a semi-trail race through Frick Park. I can't wait to hear the music along the route and have a little something-something to keep me going! If they don't have beer, I will be a little sad.
Tonight I will be going for the packet pick up. I don't know if they had it last year. I will take advantage of it, because it can get busy the day of. It is a pretty big race for a small area. Parking wasn't the easiest either last year so I will go early. I hope they have more honey pots than last year, too.
I will get you a right up of it by Sunday and let you know how it went.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Running Clinic: City of Pittsburgh Great Race
One of the benefits of participating in the City of Pittsburgh Great Race is the free running clinic. Walkers are also welcome to go to the clinic. This year I took advantage of the running clinic which was held on Saturday, August 7. The running clinic took place at the Federal North Building, and my appointment time was 9:45AM.
This is what the running clinic provided or was supposed to offer:
1) motion/flexibility evaluation
2) treadmill walking/running observation to determine correct posture and running shoe
3) blood pressure check
4) BMI check
5) physician evaluations for those with current injuries
6) stretching demonstration
7) runner coaching with expert runners
I took advantage of #1, #2, and #3 so I will mostly address these.
The first station was the motion/flexibility station. The person observing you (maybe a student in physical therapy or sports medicine?) had you lie down on a mat and lift one leg at a time. You were to lift the leg as high as possible and keep it straight. Another test was the "squat" test. The only things is that you had to put your heels on a slab of wood and then squat. The final "test" was when you had to lift your leg over a piece of string with your arms crossed.
At the second station, I was videotaped on a treadmill running. Then my posture was evaluated along with my stride. My shoes were barely mentioned, and I will address this briefly below in my "negative" section.
For the final station, I had my blood pressure checked.
2) Easy to access on the North Side
3) Free (validated) parking
4) Free long-sleeve T-shirt
5) Good information on stretching and on how to run properly
2) I didn't understand how a slab of wood under the heel was productive. If anything, I thought it would cause someone to fall forward. I have done free weights, and the squat they had us do was a bit off. Basically, I wasn't sold on their setup of gauging my flexibility.
3) I had very little confidence in the girl doing my assessment. She wasn't in shape and didn't seem to be flexible, either. It was like going to a doctor or nurse who smokes and is obese. It is nice to have someone to relate to since I am not fit, but I am not working in the health profession, either.
4) The first station took only ten minutes. Unfortunately, I waited 1.5 hours for the treadmill assessment (two treadmills going at the same time w/ two evaluators). There were twenty-five people ahead of me. You do the math. By the time I got up there, they only devoted three minutes to me. They didn't address my shoes other than to say that they didn't look appropriate. Their suggestion was for me to sign up for the Elite Runners running clinic (which I have) and get my shoes checked out at that time. I think their intentions were honorable, but it doesn't make me feel any better to know I didn't get the same quality time as the other people in front of me .
5) Because the treadmill evaluation took so long, I ran out of time to visit other stations.
6) There was a lack of direction. For example, I didn't know which station to go to after I did the first station. Had I known I could have gone to other stations before the treadmill, I probably would have. I also waited in the wrong line for what I thought was the BMI/blood pressure station until I saw someone's worksheet filled out already with that info. I asked them where I should go for the BMI/blood pressure screening, and they told me.
7) I have no idea if there were expert runners giving out advice (#7 on the list). There were no signs for the stations so I don't know if it even existed.
Based on this experience, I think I will skip the treadmill evaluation, and opt to do the physician's evaluation and BMI stations next time. The BMI station turned out to not be the same one as the blood pressure station.
Once I do the Elite Runner's running clinic (Good Form Running), I plan to post my experience here. I am looking forward to finding out more about running, and how I can become better at it!
This is what the running clinic provided or was supposed to offer:
1) motion/flexibility evaluation
2) treadmill walking/running observation to determine correct posture and running shoe
3) blood pressure check
4) BMI check
5) physician evaluations for those with current injuries
6) stretching demonstration
7) runner coaching with expert runners
I took advantage of #1, #2, and #3 so I will mostly address these.
The first station was the motion/flexibility station. The person observing you (maybe a student in physical therapy or sports medicine?) had you lie down on a mat and lift one leg at a time. You were to lift the leg as high as possible and keep it straight. Another test was the "squat" test. The only things is that you had to put your heels on a slab of wood and then squat. The final "test" was when you had to lift your leg over a piece of string with your arms crossed.
At the second station, I was videotaped on a treadmill running. Then my posture was evaluated along with my stride. My shoes were barely mentioned, and I will address this briefly below in my "negative" section.
For the final station, I had my blood pressure checked.
Positives:
1) Free2) Easy to access on the North Side
3) Free (validated) parking
4) Free long-sleeve T-shirt
5) Good information on stretching and on how to run properly
Negatives:
1) The person doing my motion/flexibility assessment didn't know how to set up the "tests" properly. I couldn't even step over the string b/c I was too far back. The string was also not adjusted to my height so I couldn't even lift my legs high enough and stretch it far enough to get over the string.2) I didn't understand how a slab of wood under the heel was productive. If anything, I thought it would cause someone to fall forward. I have done free weights, and the squat they had us do was a bit off. Basically, I wasn't sold on their setup of gauging my flexibility.
3) I had very little confidence in the girl doing my assessment. She wasn't in shape and didn't seem to be flexible, either. It was like going to a doctor or nurse who smokes and is obese. It is nice to have someone to relate to since I am not fit, but I am not working in the health profession, either.
4) The first station took only ten minutes. Unfortunately, I waited 1.5 hours for the treadmill assessment (two treadmills going at the same time w/ two evaluators). There were twenty-five people ahead of me. You do the math. By the time I got up there, they only devoted three minutes to me. They didn't address my shoes other than to say that they didn't look appropriate. Their suggestion was for me to sign up for the Elite Runners running clinic (which I have) and get my shoes checked out at that time. I think their intentions were honorable, but it doesn't make me feel any better to know I didn't get the same quality time as the other people in front of me .
5) Because the treadmill evaluation took so long, I ran out of time to visit other stations.
6) There was a lack of direction. For example, I didn't know which station to go to after I did the first station. Had I known I could have gone to other stations before the treadmill, I probably would have. I also waited in the wrong line for what I thought was the BMI/blood pressure station until I saw someone's worksheet filled out already with that info. I asked them where I should go for the BMI/blood pressure screening, and they told me.
7) I have no idea if there were expert runners giving out advice (#7 on the list). There were no signs for the stations so I don't know if it even existed.
Based on this experience, I think I will skip the treadmill evaluation, and opt to do the physician's evaluation and BMI stations next time. The BMI station turned out to not be the same one as the blood pressure station.
Once I do the Elite Runner's running clinic (Good Form Running), I plan to post my experience here. I am looking forward to finding out more about running, and how I can become better at it!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Brookline Breeze 2010
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of running in the Brookline Breeze for the second year in a row. Last year, I ran the race in 40:43, and this year I did it in 39:48. Not a big change, but I am always happy to beat a previous year's time even if it is only by one second.
This is a picture of me at the start of the race.
The Brookline Breeze is a community footrace for the city of Pittsburgh. Community footraces highlight various parts of Pittsburgh while helping to raise money for that particular community. An upcoming community footrace (08/28/10) will be in Regent Square called, Run Around the Square. It is mostly a trail race through Frick Park with some street running. They also have a variety of bands/musicians playing throughout the course with alcoholic beverages to help boost your stamina. If you would like to learn more about the community footraces in Pittsburgh you can visit http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/parks/community_footraces.htm.
I haven't really created a grading method of analyzing races and probably should try to systematically rate them so that I can objectively talk about them while also giving my own opinion of the race. At any rate, I really want to get this blog posted today so here is my attempt at providing you info about the race.
Cost: $15
Schwag: T-shirt, canned peaches, bag of pretzels, UPMC mini recipe booklet, emergency contact magnet, & a handout for another race
# of Runners: 448
Course Description: The beginning of the race briefly goes down a very small, short slope and then for the next mile goes up an incline (Brookline Blvd.), with the second mile a mix of small hills on some side streets and a school parking lot (Pioneer Ave., Waddington Ave., Brookline Regional Catholic School, and Kennilworth St.), and the third mile is mostly downhill as you turnaround and head back on Brookline Blvd.
Parking: in the neighborhood and on the street but beware of being blocked in if you are parked on the course rather than a side street
Motts: There was Rita's Ice, bottled water, Diet Coke, and oranges available after the race. I didn't take the opportunity to see what other food was offered.
Honey Pots: The public park restrooms were locked, but the community building ones were open. There are only three stalls, but ample t.p. *Helpful Tip*: Wait to go to the bathroom just before the start of the children's one mile race. All of the moms and most of the grandmas will be preoccupied either running with their child/children, getting them lined up, or just waiting for the little ones to begin running.
Water Stops: There were at least three water stops with one of those water stops utilized both ways on Brookline Blvd.
Community Support: Various business owners came out and cheered on the crowd. There was also a lot of encouragement from strangers and among friends/family/neighbors.
2010 Website: http://www.brooklinebreeze.com/
2) some confusion and congestion when runners were told to go line up, but had to walk through the children's one mile course causing trouble and possible collisions
3) mark a starting point for walkers since they won't begin walking until the runners have already started
4) more signage where the packets/goody bags can be picked up vs. the chip timers
Overall: I had a great experience and will be back for a third year in 2011. I don't have much of anything negative to say about the race because it went pretty smoothly. I also would recommend this race for hardcore runners, track/XC participants, newbies, walkers, families, teens (lots of teens in the race of all athletic abilities), and seniors.
This is a picture of me at the start of the race.
 |
| Before we begin the Brookline Breeze at the BOP. |
And here is a youtube video of me crossing the finish line:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4lMvM4DqrAThe Brookline Breeze is a community footrace for the city of Pittsburgh. Community footraces highlight various parts of Pittsburgh while helping to raise money for that particular community. An upcoming community footrace (08/28/10) will be in Regent Square called, Run Around the Square. It is mostly a trail race through Frick Park with some street running. They also have a variety of bands/musicians playing throughout the course with alcoholic beverages to help boost your stamina. If you would like to learn more about the community footraces in Pittsburgh you can visit http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/parks/community_footraces.htm.
I haven't really created a grading method of analyzing races and probably should try to systematically rate them so that I can objectively talk about them while also giving my own opinion of the race. At any rate, I really want to get this blog posted today so here is my attempt at providing you info about the race.
Brookline Breeze Overview
Registration: I registered by snail mail and had no hangups. I also believe there was online registration with active.com.Cost: $15
Schwag: T-shirt, canned peaches, bag of pretzels, UPMC mini recipe booklet, emergency contact magnet, & a handout for another race
# of Runners: 448
Course Description: The beginning of the race briefly goes down a very small, short slope and then for the next mile goes up an incline (Brookline Blvd.), with the second mile a mix of small hills on some side streets and a school parking lot (Pioneer Ave., Waddington Ave., Brookline Regional Catholic School, and Kennilworth St.), and the third mile is mostly downhill as you turnaround and head back on Brookline Blvd.
Parking: in the neighborhood and on the street but beware of being blocked in if you are parked on the course rather than a side street
Motts: There was Rita's Ice, bottled water, Diet Coke, and oranges available after the race. I didn't take the opportunity to see what other food was offered.
Honey Pots: The public park restrooms were locked, but the community building ones were open. There are only three stalls, but ample t.p. *Helpful Tip*: Wait to go to the bathroom just before the start of the children's one mile race. All of the moms and most of the grandmas will be preoccupied either running with their child/children, getting them lined up, or just waiting for the little ones to begin running.
Water Stops: There were at least three water stops with one of those water stops utilized both ways on Brookline Blvd.
Community Support: Various business owners came out and cheered on the crowd. There was also a lot of encouragement from strangers and among friends/family/neighbors.
2010 Website: http://www.brooklinebreeze.com/
Improvements:
1) better sound system at the start of the race (i.e. couldn't hear the announcer and the Star Spangled Banner)2) some confusion and congestion when runners were told to go line up, but had to walk through the children's one mile course causing trouble and possible collisions
3) mark a starting point for walkers since they won't begin walking until the runners have already started
4) more signage where the packets/goody bags can be picked up vs. the chip timers
Overall: I had a great experience and will be back for a third year in 2011. I don't have much of anything negative to say about the race because it went pretty smoothly. I also would recommend this race for hardcore runners, track/XC participants, newbies, walkers, families, teens (lots of teens in the race of all athletic abilities), and seniors.
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