The Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon & Half Marathon that usually takes place on the first Sunday in December has been moved up two weeks to November 17, 2013.

The race this year was on December 2, 2012.

The night time race that takes place on the Vegas strip for the majority usually attracts over 40,000 runners.

If you sign up today 12/12/12 you can save $20 on it and other races from Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon/Half Marathon Website

The old memories come back about this time each year

On Fridays I would take Momma out for supper. One Friday we ate at Pizza Hut where I could have spaghetti. She wondered why. It was because my first race, a 10K which I’d kept a secret, was on the next morning. Four days after her death, I had surgery, and, following recovery, trained for eight weeks and ran my first marathon. Running began a new life for me. For her, life itself was a hard run. By coincidence, it ended as my new one was beginning. Endurance had defined her days. She left it with me.

On the Sunday supper table at Momma’s: chicken and dressing, giblets gravy, cranberry sauce, fried rattlesnake, boiled potatoes, fried corn, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, poke sallet, sliced tomatoes, green peppers, fruit salad, homemade relish, cornbread, biscuits, pecan pie and coconut pie.
That supper was on September 23, 1984 in the Smith Bend community of Jackson County, Tennessee. Just an ordinary Sunday feast—except for the rattlesnake whose head I had chopped off after he failed to bite my brother and me. We dressed the snake, Momma cooked the meat. It would have been a feast even without it. Poke sallet? Momma served that delicious weed even in wintertime; she canned it.

Read the full story by Dallas Smith by clicking HERE

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Gladiator Rock ‘N Run that took place on December 8, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas.

What is the Gladiator Rock ‘N Run? From it’s website:

Dan Clark aka “Nitro” from the American Gladiators brings you the most insane one day event on the planet – The Gladiator Rock’n Run™.

The course challenges all participants to conquer extreme obstacles and harsh terrain, then to celebrate their conquests with a post race party filled with music, beer and food.

It’s more than a run.  It’s an experience!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Marathon medal photo submitted by Brandon Harrist. Follow him on Twitter @bharrist75]

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 22 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

Where Run It Fast Runners Are Running This Weekend (Dec 8-9, 2012)

Storified by Joshua Holmes · Fri, Dec 07 2012 11:23:41

Malibu International Marathon – (Nov 11, 2012)

Malibu, California – MIM was my second marathon in my back to back marathon weekend. I was tired and my body was thrashed from the day before at the Catalina Eco Marathon (race report) where the big hills and drops had done a number on my legs.  The progress my left knee, which had been recovering from a torn meniscus, took several backwards the day before on the island.

Run It Fast member Lisa Gonzales (RIF #5) picked me up early at my house to make the hourish drive over to Malibu where we parked near the finish line at Zuma Beach. From there you hop a bus for about an hour to where the race starts inland.  Before the race I ran into Deo Jaravata, Nadia Ruiz Gonzales, and Yolanda Holder from the day before along with Maniac Rocky Morales and several other running friends.

I hate to complain or knock marathons, and this will be my only complaint about the Malibu Marathon, but the race was supposed to start at 8am and we didn’t end up starting til 8:30am because the RD’s made everyone wait for someone to arrive at the starting line for the race.  A delay of that length can throw off many runner’s nutrition, race plan, etc.  This race is big enough that it should have started on time.

Everyone shivered and waited hurdled together for the race to finally start and it finally did.

The first 10 miles take you from inland, through several turns around farmland, until you reach the Pacific Ocean at about mile 10. I struggled for those ten miles leading to up to the water. I was slugglish, tired, and my knee and feet were hurting from the day before at Catalina. But getting to where the water started was good mentally as nature’s beautiful scenery started to unfold in front of me with majestic mountains and hillside to my left and the endless ocean and beaches to my right. Somewhere around mile 15 a fellow runner pointed out dolphins jumping in the water to me.  It was a truly wonderful site to witness during the middle of a marathon.

I had good and bad stretches over the last 16 miles of this race. I became stronger on the uphills as there were several long uphills as the race got closer to the finish. I was able to keep running up them and past many other runners as they walked and fatigued. I’d then float and speed down the downhills and straightaways as I started to count all the targets I was knocking off. I met a sweet woman over the past 3 miles that pushed me as I pushed her as we were eager to get to the finish and put this one in our race journals.

The medal was great and instead of a finisher’s tech tee like at most races they gave everyone a Malibu International Marathon beach towel which was a nice touch. The finish area had two food trucks and a live band as runners relaxed on the beach, in the water, and at the finish to watch the remaining runners came in.

I waited for Lisa to come in (that’s Deo above not Lisa) and she did with a smile as she had hit her pre-race target. We ate some food from one of the food trucks and then made the trek back home.  I’m thankful for Lisa picking me up and dropping me off for this race. It wasn’t necessary on her part, but it made it easier on me having run and traveled to Catalina to race the day before.

• Medal: 8.5/10 (see here)
• Course: 7/10 (last 16 miles 9.5)
• Scenery: 8/10
• Support: 8/10
• Crowds: 5/10
• Price: 7/10
• OVERALL: 7.5/10

A beautiful race in one of the most beautiful places in the United States.

– Joshua Holmes (RIF #1)

You can follow Joshua on Twitter @bayou

Catalina Island Eco Marathon – (Nov 10, 2012)

Catalina Island, California  – This was one of the most beautiful and challenging marathons I’ve done to date. It’s a bit of a hassle to get to as you have to take a hour long boat ride to get over to the island, but it’s well worth it. Enjoyed meeting Aaron Nowlin on the boat ride and discussing his upcoming 50-Miler. I also enjoyed meeting fellow Run It Fast member Nadia Ruiz Gonzales (RIF #69) before and after the race, Guinness record holder Yolanda Holder, and Maniac Deo Jaravata as well.

The race started with a 1,500 ft climb within the first 3 miles of the race that drained the hammys for the rest of the day. Once ‘atop’ Catalina the view continued to impress more and more as you could see almost the entire island at once.  It was very windy in parts with 40 mph side-ways gusts, but I kind of like that type of extra added challenge that helps separate the field from one another.

I struggled at different points during the day as I felt a bit out of shape from not training much in the past three weeks since the Javelina Jundred. I did have some good stretches at different points though.

Different parts of the race included almost every type of trail imaginable which helped to battle the mental fatigue that can sometimes come from seeing the same thing over and over.  Catalina had some really great running from mile 10 to 19 but then, oh then, mile 19…the Catalina Crush!  The Crush was a straight climb/walk/crawl to heaven as the back of my legs and back ached and caused me to stop and let the throbbing relax before continuing my slow crawl to the top and to the rest of the marathon.

The last 3 miles of the marathon are a twisting trail dump back down 1,500 feet with the last 1.5 miles of those 3 being on asphalt as you re-enter the small town to finish right in front of the beachfront.

This race is not easy and not for everyone based on degree of difficulty but you won’t find a more beautiful trail marathon anywhere.

• Medal: 9/10 (see here)
• Course: 9/10
• Scenery: 10/10
• Support: 7/10
• Crowds: 1/10 (would ruin it anyway)
• Price: 5/10
• OVERALL: 9.5/10

It’s not in the small print but it’s going to cost you a $79 boat ticket to get to and from the island.

– Joshua Holmes (RIF #1)

You can follow Joshua on Twitter @bayou

Catalina Island Eco Marathon Medal (2012)

RIF #186 Danny Staggs

This week’s Run It Fast – The Club profile is #186 Danny Staggs. Danny is another one of our newly minted ultra runners. He just completed his first ultra at the Black Diamond 40 Mile on Black Friday and came in 4th! What a great ultra debut!

Meet Danny:

INFO
Name: Danny Staggs
RIF #: 186
Facebook: Danny Staggs

STATS
Years Running: 12
Favorite Race Distance: Marathon
Favorite PR: Oct. 2009 Louisville Marathon 3:43:44
Favorite Race: Loonies Midnight Marathon. This was my hometown’s first marathon and I just happened to be co-race director. I also ran in it and had a blast.
Favorite Bling: Little Rock Marathon. The medal is huge with a spinner in the center. It was so heavy I didn’t leave it around my neck for very long.

Next Race: Rocket City Marathon Dec 8, 2012
What Makes You FEEL Fast?: When it’s warm enough I like to run without a shirt. I always feel faster even though I may not actually be faster.

FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS
Who inspires your running and why?
My wife and daughter are my greatest inspiration. They have always been very supportive of me even before they began running. Years ago they would call me crazy for training in nasty weather and such, but now they run and participate in races and understand why I was always out there pushing myself.

Which of your running routes makes you the happiest and why?
I love training on the Loonies Marathon Course. It brings back memories of the Marathon training runs we held leading up to the race. We would invite other runners to come and train on the course. It also brings back memories of the race itself which was so much fun.

What is the thing you splurge on after a race?
I always enjoy a big hamburger as a reward.

Why do you race?
The number one reason I race is for the sense of accomplishment I feel after I’ve pushed myself to my limits both physically and mentally.

Big races or small races? And why?
Small races without a doubt. The pre race logistics are much less stressful in smaller races.

What is the one piece of running gear you can’t leave the house without?
Since I’ve been running in them I would have to say my Hoka shoes.

What’s your pre-race routine?
Wake up two hours before the race, eat breakfast which usually consists of oatmeal, yogurt, banana with peanut butter and pop tarts. I then take a shower and relax as much as possible before the race. I always like to get to the race at least thirty minutes prior to start time.

What running moment are you most proud of?
Running with my wife and daughter in a 5K race this past spring and crossing the finish line together. Words can’t describe the feeling.

Finally, Danny had this to share with the RIF readers:
I started running in the spring of 2000 as a way to lose weight and better my overall health. When I first started running regularly I was 40 pounds heavier and felt sluggish most of the time. My first race was a 5K in the summer of 2000 and I was hooked. I completed my first Marathon in April, 2001. Since then I’ve completed 46 Marathons and one Ultra Marathon along with numerous shorter distances. Most of my Marathons have taken place in the last 3 years with 15 of them in 2012. My current goal is to complete 50 Marathons before I reach age 50. If my body holds up I should easily reach that goal soon.

If I could give any running advice I would say to just stick with it. It’s not always easy and setbacks such as injuries will occur. It’s easy to get frustrated when things are not going as planned and things may not always fall into place like we hoped they would but if you continue to set goals and keep reaching for them amazing things can happen in your life. The people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made through running are better than any award I will ever receive.

***

Danny wasn’t kidding when he said his wife and daughter support his running. They crewed for him at the Black Diamond 40 Mile and they were a great help to all the runners. Danny must have really encouraged his daughter, Amanda, as well because she just became a member of Run It Fast – The Club (RIF #210) too! Welcome Amanda!

It’s kind of funny that I had planned to post Danny’s profile this week on RIF. Sometimes, we get a message from an unexpected source and the advice that Danny shared in his last paragraph was something I needed to hear this week. It’s a good reminder we can all use at times in our running careers. Things won’t always be perfect but I guess that’s what makes it so satisfying when we do reach our goals, whether it’s your 1st marathon or your 46th. Thank you Danny for sharing that and letting us interview you.

Good luck at Rocket City this weekend and on your quest to do 50 by 50. I have no doubt you will 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:

Run It Fast – The Club (JOIN TODAY)

[All photos submitted by Danny Staggs]

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 29 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

Where Run It Fast Runners Are Running This Weekend (Dec 1-2, 2012)

Storified by Joshua Holmes · Fri, Nov 30 2012 09:56:02

RIF #181 Donna as an honorary Hatfield at the Hatfield McCoy Marathon

Time for another Run It Fast – The Club profile! This week, we are spotlighting RIF #181 Donna Pittman. I met Donna at the Flying Monkey Marathon earlier this month and we got to run for a little while together which I really enjoyed. The Flying Monkey Marathon is hard enough but Donna had a little mishap during it that made it even more challenging but she survived…I mean, finished and got her first Monkey kill. Read her “don’t” below to read all about it!

Meet Donna:

INFO
Name: Donna Pittman
RIF #: 181
Blog: www.themommyminute.blogspot.com
Facebook: Donna Johnson Pittman

STATS
Years Running: 5.5 years
Favorite Race Distance: 13.1
Favorite PR: Kentucky Derby Marathon
Favorite Race: Oak Barrel Half Marathon
Favorite Bling: Hatfield-McCoy Marathon finisher’s plaque in a mason jar.
Next Race: My first trail marathon at Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky on March 9.
What Makes You FEEL Fast?: Finishing strong and when I do tiny races and come out with an age group placement.

FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS
Who inspires your running and why?
The members of this RIF Club inspire me daily. I love how so many are “outside the box” runners completing extreme challenges in terms of distances, back-to-back races, running on trails and up mountains. You all search out adventure, not just another 5K PR, and I need more people like that in my life.

What is the strangest/funniest thing you’ve ever seen while running?
The strangest thing I’ve ever DONE on a run was at the Run Under the Stars in June of this year. I guess because it is a night race or because I overloaded on sodium, my feet swelled to the point that my shoes no longer fit by mile 13. I had huge blisters and all my toenails hurt. I thought I was going to have to finish in flip flops. Then I figured if MY shoes didn’t fit, why not try someone else’s? My friend James had already run about 20 miles in his shoes and was switching to fresh ones. So, I put on his hot, sweaty men’s shoes three sizes too big and completed my first 50K in them. My friends said I looked like I was running in clown shoes, but hey, whatever works.

Which of your running routes makes you the happiest and why?
My happy place is the Bicentennial Trail in Ashland City, TN. It is 17 minutes from my house. On one side, it is a four-mile paved path along the river. There is an old wooden bridge to cross and even a little waterfall in one spot. The other side is a dirt road/trail along the river for a few miles, then I follow the road through a campground, beside a little beach, and past Cheatham Dam. It’s where I discovered long-distance running. The first time I ever ran 13.1 miles was there. 6. Have you ever worn a costume during a race? What was it and for what race? If not, would you?

Why do you race?
Well, certainly not to win! I love being a part of the community of runners. That camaraderie is my favorite part. I talk to people in port-o-john lines. I initiate conversations on the course. I stay afterwards just hanging out. I enjoy spending time with my old friends and make new ones. In two of my five marathons, I’ve made a friend around mile 13 and stayed with him/her until the end. We shared our life stories (at my pace, we are talking for 2+ hours….), but most importantly, we shared the suffering. Suffering shared is so much better than suffering alone. I do races for fun, mostly, but a few times a year, I go all out to see what my body can do. I’ve only “left it all out there” a couple of times though. I need to do that more often.

What was your biggest “don’t” of a race?
Falling down at the 10.7 mark of the Flying Monkey Marathon is my biggest “don’t.” I had never fallen on pavement or a trail before. One minute I was talking to Lisa Gonzales, the next minute I was looking at sky. I stepped in a pothole in the asphalt, rolled my left ankle, and went down hard on the right side. I sprained my ankle and my wrist. Then I had to run 15.5 more miles. But, I figure the Monkey was going to hurt anyway…..

What running moment are you most proud of?
The race I’m most proud of is the April 2012 Kentucky Derby Marathon. I trained hard, studied the course, and wrote a detailed race plan of what pace when. I even wrote my goal splits in Sharpie on my arm for miles 13, 16, 20, 23, and 25. I executed my plan exactly, ran negative splits, and finished 3 minutes ahead of my “best-case scenario” goal. It was a nine-minute PR, and I definitely left it all out there. Those last couple of miles hurt, but were my fastest of the day.

Finally, we asked Donna if there was anything else she would like the rest of the club to know and that is what she had to share:
When I started running in 2006, I absolutely fell in love. Running changed my life. I knew I had to share this amazing experience with others, so I became a RRCA certified running coach. Over the last three years, I’ve coached aspiring runners ages 5-12, led two Couch to 5K training groups, and have helped 122 runners and run/walkers cross their first half-marathon finish line. As a coach, I’ve discovered that most people just need someone to believe in them. I love sharing my passion with others!

***

Donna said she admires RIF – The Club members for being ” “outside the box” runners ” but I think she shows a lot of that herself…like wearing “clown shoes” so she can keep running at the Run Under The Stars race (a timed, loop race). She also obviously has a LOT of determination to not quit after spraining her ankle while running the Flying Monkey. She passed me later on in the race and I had no idea that she was hurting like that! I admire Donna for her guts, her outside the box thinking, and her willingness to help other runners and give back! Thanks for sharing Donna! Good luck with your next race and…Run It Fast!

I am seeing an awesome trend while doing these profiles of Run It Fast – The Club members. So many of them are helping others and giving back to the running community and I think that’s what makes it such a great club. It is so cool to have so many supportive and encouraging runners help each other and push each other to be the best we can be!

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

Run It Fast – The Club (JOIN TODAY)

[All photos submitted by Donna Pittman]

The inaugural Black Diamond 40 Miler + Relay took place on Black Friday – November 23, 2012 in Jackson, Tennessee.  The race took runners from Jackson to Milan to Humboldt and back to the finish in Jackson over the course of 40.50 miles.

Jonathan Harrison left the field two miles into the race and set a blistering pace as the rest of the field couldn’t keep up.  One of the more amazing things about Harrison’s run is that it was his first time to go beyond a 50K.  He even set a PR marathon split along the way.

He led the entire race until around mile 29 when Joshua Holmes caught up to him in Humboldt.  The two continued to push each other from Humboldt, down Windy City Road, back to the finish at All Saints Anglican Church.

Holmes finished in 6:22:48 with Harrison coming in a close second in 6:31:27.

Brad Box ran strong throughout the day and finished in third place with a time of 6:42:18.

On the women’s side the win went to Jennifer Whitley in 7:27:57 with Diane Bolton, like Harrison running for the first time beyond a 50K, coming in second place with a time of 7:37:19.

Mikki Trujillo, running her first 40 Miler, came in third place in 8:14:53.

Black Diamond 40 Miler Results

1. Joshua Holmes (Jackson, TN) – 6:22:48 (9:27/pace)
2. Jonathan Harrison (Henderson, TN) – 6:31:27 (9:39)
3. Brad Box (Jackson, TN) – 6:42:18 (9:56)
4. Danny Staggs (Livingston, TN) – 7:01:35 (10:24)
5. Anthony Ohrey (Henderson, TN) – 7:23:29 (10:57)
6. Jennifer Whitley (Murfreesboro, TN) – 7:27:57 (11:03) – 1st Female
7. Diane Bolton (Nashville, TN) – 7:37:19 (11:17)
8. James Krenis (Jackson, TN) – 8:07:53 (12:02)
9. Mike Youngblood (Shelbyville, TN) – 8:14:44 (12:13)
10. Mikki Trujillo (Cookeville, TN) – 8:14:53 (12:13)
11. Winston Trice (Hayes, VA) – 8:23:54 (12:26)
12. David Oglesby (Jackson, TN) – 8:53:03 (13:09)
13. Billy Cannon (Milan, TN) – 9:00:25 (13:20)
14. Heather Shoemaker (Alpharetta, GA) – 9:34:14 (14:10)
15. Scott Stader (Jackson, TN) – 9:34:14 (14:10)

Congrats to Harrison, Box, Staggs, Ohrey, Bolton, Trujillo, Trice, Oglesby, and Cannon who all set Personal Longs!

The Black Diamond Relay was competitive as the Just A Blur team anchored by a blistering final leg by Steven Reagan came from behind to beat the Diamond-Dolls by nearly six minutes.

Third place relay team went to -Y Racing which broke 6 hours as well.

Black Diamond 40 Miler Relay Results

1. Just A Blur (Steven Reagan, Marj Mitchell, Mark Finton, Michael Banks) – 5:36:09 (8:18/pace)
2. Diamond-Dolls (Kristen Doyle, Angie Box, Leanne Dibrell, Nick Butter) – 5:42:04 (8:26)
3. -Y Racing (Julie Montgomery, Lyndi Strange, Erin Gray, Melanie Kayal) – 5:51:14 (8:40)
4. Fit4@5  (David Johnson, Stephanie Johnson, Scott Gatlin, Julanne Stone) – 6:11:14 (9:10)
5. Run It For Fun (Jim Warmbrod, Ed Woodside, Amy West, Zach Hagen) – 6:23:12 (9:27)
6. Thanksgiving Leftovers (Daniel Escue, Joey Kennedy) – 7:06:08 (10:31)