Run It Fast®

This is the medal for the Bupa Great North Run that took place on September 16, 2012 in Newcastle, England.

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[Medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers.  Follow him on Twitter @martyngringo]

This is the medal for the ING Hartford Half Marathon that took place on October 13, 2012 in Hartford, Connecticut.

Love this medal. Awesome detail and so cool that it includes the arch with runners going thru it.

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[Medal photo submitted by John Longo.  Follow him on Twitter @speed13jl]

RIF #166 Nathan Judd

This week’s RIF – The Club Profile is Nathan Judd #166. Nathan has one of the BEST first marathon stories I’ve ever heard! And he offers some great advice to go with that story. Don’t miss it!

Check out Nathan’s story:

INFO
Name: Nathan Judd
RIF #: 166
Twitter: @Beukdeup
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Beukdeup

STATS
Years Running: 18
Favorite Race Distance: Marathon (Transitioning to ultras)
Favorite PR: Marathon for Memories – 3:44:04
Favorite Race: Stump Jump 50k

With RIF #185 David Pharr

Favorite Bling: Stump Jump 50k
Next Race: Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon but, soon after that, the Lookout Mtn 50 miler
What Makes You FEEL Fast?: Trail running in the fall and spring.

FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS

What’s the most beautiful place that you’ve run? 
I grew up running the trails in Chattanooga.  It doesn’t get much better than that.  Rock Creek puts on a trail series out there, and I would highly recommend to everyone to look it up.  There is no way to compare the running in West Tennessee to East Tennessee.  There is an overlook in the Stump Jump 50k called Snoopers Rock.  That view pretty much sums up running in Chattanooga.

What is the one piece of running gear you can’t leave the house without? 
Body Glide – and Bandaids… I feel awkward.

What was your biggest “don’t” of a race? 
Don’t NOT train for a race. The first time I ran a marathon (St. Jude Marathon in 2006), it was the first time I even thought about doing a marathon.  My buddy wanted to do the half, but at that time, even a half seemed like an overwhelming distance.  I thought to myself, “If I’m going to run a long race, I’m going to go all out.”  I didn’t know how to train, so every time I ran, I just ran for as long as I could until I got tired.  I probably never ran more than 12 miles at one time before the actual day.  At about 15 miles into the marathon, I realized I wasn’t going to make it to the end.  I decided I would find someone who looked “official” at the next aid station to tell them I wouldn’t be able to make it to the end.  When I got to the aid station, everyone looked like volunteers. I knew I could make it one more mile, so I decided to find someone official at the aid station.  This kept happening until around 23 miles in.  At that point, I decided, “I’ve come this far.  I might as well finish.”  The only reason I finished the race was because I didn’t know how to drop out of it.  I didn’t run for about three years after that one.

What running moment are you most proud of? 
Getting 2nd in the Marathon for Memories.  It was set up as a relay, and I decided to run the whole thing.  I got 2nd overall.

If you can’t run, you’re ________? 
Dead. I’ve been doing a running streak (I run at least 2 miles every day).  This has been going on for over a year.  Seriously, if I’m not running, I’m probably dead.  When my wife was being induced for labor, I was looking at my watch wondering how much time I had because I hadn’t gotten my two miles in yet. I drove her so crazy, she finally just said to go run.

***

Great first marathon story, don’t you think? 😉 I think that’s definitely a good “don’t” lesson but also goes to show that you can do more than you think you can. Pretty impressive! I’m also impressed that he’s got a run streak going for more than a year now. ..and that his wife let him go for a run when she was in labor! A run streak isn’t easy. So much of our everyday life can interfere with it – family, work, travel, illness, injuries, etc. It takes commitment and dedication to keep going. Congrats Nathan! 

My longest run streak is 107 days but I hope to  streak for a year one of these days. How about you? Have you ever done a run streak? What’s the longest you’ve streaked?

Thanks for sharing, Nathan. Good luck at the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon and Run It Fast!

If you’d like to join Run It Fast – The Club or would like more information about it, please click this link:

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[All photos submitted by Nathan Judd]

Lance Armstrong had a very bad day. He was given the pink slip nearly half a dozen times TODAY!

The day started with news that Armstrong was stepping down as the chairman of Livestrong, the charity he created in the wake of his cancer survival and Tour de France success, to raise money to fight cancer.

“This organization, its mission and its supporters are incredibly dear to my heart,” the cancer survivor said in a statement. “Today therefore, to spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career, I will conclude my chairmanship.”

The Livestrong news came as a package deal with the major announcement from Nike that they were terminating their endorsement contract with Armstrong

“Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him,” the company said in a statement. “Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs in any manner. Nike plans to continue support of the Livestrong initiatives created to unite, inspire and empower people affected by cancer.”

After that the endorsement dominoes fell one after another starting with Anheuser-Busch announcing they wouldn’t renew their deal with Armstrong.

“We will not renew our relationship with Lance Armstrong when current contract expires”

This was followed by Trek, Giro Helmets, Honey Stinger, and 24 Hour Fitness all announcing they were severing ties with the troubled cyclist.

The sponsors are all jumping ship in wake of the insurmountable pile of evidence that Armstrong doped and cheating in winning his seven Tour de France championships.

This is the medal for the Dartmoor Vale Half Marathon that was held on October 16, 2011 near Kingsteignton, England.

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[Medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers.  Follow him on Twitter @martyngringo]

This is the medal for the Paris Marathon that was held on April 15, 2012 in Paris, France.

I don’t know if I like this medal for Paris. I think when you think Paris Marathon, you think over the top bling. So many landmarks to choose from and they choose a shirt? Hmmm… What do you think of it?

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[Medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers.  Follow him on Twitter @martyngringo]

This is the medal for the Plymouth Half Marathon that was held on June 3, 2012 in Plymouth, England.

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[Medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers.  Follow him on Twitter @martyngringo]

This is the medal for the Torbay Half Marathon that was held on June 24, 2012 in Torquay, England.

Simple, elegant medal.

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[Medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers.  Follow him on Twitter @martyngringo]

This is the medal for the British 10K that was held on July 8, 2012, in London, England.

Cool medal for a 10K.

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[Medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers.  Follow him on Twitter @martyngringo]

This is the medal for the Great Scottish Run Half Marathon that was held on September 2, 2012 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Sweet medal. Very nice how it incorporates landmarks. I can’t wait to race in Scotland (where I’m going to run to celebrate my 50th birthday)!

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[Medal photo submitted by Martyn Ewers.  Follow him on Twitter @martyngringo]