Run It Fast®

On the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing we remember not only those that lost their lives or were injured on that tragic day, but we remember all of the heroic first responders, police officers, volunteers, and fellow runners that helped injured runners, spectators, loved ones, and brought reassurance to all that were shaken on that gloomy Boston afternoon.

What we learned that day is that runners are an extremely tight knit community, even if we come from various backgrounds, beliefs, and ideologies.

The city of Boston’s police, firefighters, first aid responders, hospitals, and doctors were flawless that day during extremely traumatic circumstances.

Marathon runners and their families that day found solace in each other’s embrace, warmth, and strength as a group.  The rest of us runners that weren’t there united in prayer while raising support emotionally and financially in order to keep spirits afloat.  We used our legs in the ensuing weeks to show that two deranged bombers couldn’t terrorize us from racing or scare us away from running.

It’s catchy to say ‘Boston Strong!’ but in actuality it’s ‘Runner Strong!’  Runners from all over the United States and globe have each other’s backs in good times, bad times, and when terror strikes we unite closer than most countries do during an attack or natural disaster.

Running has helped thousands of runners overcome addiction, loss of life, pain, and create a new and healthier lifestyle. So inherently it’s a very strong group. Running only makes us stronger and closer. When something like the bombing at the Boston Marathon happens strengthens our bond and shows the very best of all of us.

So today we remember those we lost and those that lost limb or health that day. We raise them up, not just with our legs, but with our hearts and in remembrance, not only today, but every time we lace up our running shoes or simply think about them.

-Joshua Holmes

More and more runners are using Instagram to post photos from their training runs, races, and post-race celebrations.  Users of the popular picture sharing service use #hashtags to categorize photos for likes and to obtain new followers as well.

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Just this past week the hash #running was tagged for the 6,000,000th time. That’s a lot of running photos and an amazing feat. You can view running photos from runners from all over the globe under that tag and several others listed below.

Here is a look at some other popular running related tags on Instagram to tag your running photos with for likes and follows:

• #runitfast (1,127,249) – The official tag of Run It Fast®. Photos tagged with #runitfast are chosen from daily to be retweeted on our popular IG account (view HERE) of over 11,000 followers that has turned into a beautiful running mosaic.
• #running (10,492,316) – 10 million and counting.
• #run (10,470,249) – Slightly larger than #running
• #runner (1,803,097) 
• #instarunners (487,034) – Featured retweets of select running pics.
• #trailrunning (580,847) – Trail running pics
• #jogging (1,095,570) – Code name for running pics
• #marathon (1,623,769) – 26.2 miles
• #halfmarathon (631,263) – 13.1 miles
• #ultramarathon (43,208) – Beyond 26.2 miles
• #runnerspace (170,802) – Track and field pics.
• #runhappy (447,729) – Happy running!
• #finishline (241,417)
• #seenonmyrun (196,146) – Photos of what runners saw on their runs.
• #furtherfasterforever (191,028) 
• #nikerunning (844,820) – Some people even still wear their shoes to run it.
• #cardio (10,068,373) 
• #endurance (513,620)
• #exercise (12,349,046) – All forms of exercise including running.
• #fitmom (2,647,194) – Fit moms!
• #fitfluential (999,946)
• #fitness (66,217,466) – Over 34 million photos makes this one of the largest tags in any genre.
• #fitnessaddict (5,891,107)
• #fitspo (15,880,847)
• #workout (36,755,534) – Pump it up!
• #ultrarunners (4,445) – Ultramarathon runners and beautiful trails from around the globe.

[cut and paste these 22 basic tags – #runitfast #running #runner #run #instarunners #jogging #runhappy #nikerunning #furtherfasterforever #runnerspace #runhappy #finishline #cardio #exercise #workout #fitness #fitspo #fitnessaddict #workout #cardio #endurance #ultrarunners]

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Here is our live coverage and results of the 2014 Los Angeles Marathon via tweets from across the web live from the race and other places.

Ethiopia’s Gebo Burka wins the 2014 Los Angeles Marathon with a time of 2:10:37.

The female winner today was Amane Gobena, also from Ethiopia, in a time of 2:27:40.

UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE RACE

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 7 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.

Disney is well on it’s way to having a race almost every weekend at it’s theme parks in California and Florida. Today, runDisney announced the creation of The Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend that will take place November 14-16, 2014 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

From runDisney:

Avengers Assemble! Join the Avengers team of Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Tony Stark for the first-ever Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend at the Disneyland® Resort – the extraordinary course on Earth hosted by Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! It’s a power-packed weekend of fantastic fun and amazing excitement with mighty runs, incredible surprises, a night time pasta party, and the chance to take home your own Avengers Super Heroes Finisher Medal. Unleash your inner Super Hero abilities! Join the fun during the Avengers Super Heroes Weekend.

The weekend will consist of the half marathon, a Super Heroes 5K, and runDisney kid races.

Registration for the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon weekend opens on March 25th. Will this be the first half marathon to crack the $200.00 entry fee ceiling for 13.1 miles?

For more info check out runDisney’s page HERE!

Bandit 50K Race Report – February 16, 2014 

I decided a couple of days ago to run the Bandit 50K once again. It’s about 35 minutes away in Simi Valley, California. Last year it beat me up, ran over me, then spit on me finishing in 6:32:28. So this year I wanted to beat that. I was relatively fresh going in but aware that the temperatures could once again top 80.

The Bandit 50K is one of the toughest 50K’s in the U.S. and the toughest I’ve done to date. It climbs nearly 1,750 feet from mile 1.5 to 4.5. The total elevation gain for the race is around 6,500 feet with the same amount of descent for about 13k in total elevation change. The course is totally in the open without cover and really heats up the last 20 miles.

I ran and hiked pretty well for those first 4-5 miles up the first big climb before falling and hitting my left knee hard on the stone floor. It took a bit of time for it to feel mostly normal again. Naturally my fall happened while I was talking to a fellow a runner.

After the first aid station, you begin a steep descent that takes you all the way to the mile 9 aid station. It’s technical and a fast down hill. I kept misstepping here and there and turning my ankles and feet along the way yet nothing major.

For the next 2 miles you face another solid climb. Around this time the temperature started to become noticeable. I came into the race on the low side of being hydrated and the distance between the aid stations (more so just my lack of not having a big enough handheld/or two) quickly led to my dehydration.

The stretch from mile 11 to 15 is mostly down hill with a couple of smaller hills (relatively speaking to this race) before reaching the turnaround aid station at mile 15. I tried to down as much water as I could at this aid station along with some calories. I think those calories ended up being a Gu, an orange and a Rice Krispie Treat. I could tell by now I was dehydrated which impacts the body in numerous ways. I knew with the way my body was feeling that the climb out of 15, back up to mile 19, and down to 20 would be challenging and tough. Mentally I was also already thinking on the gradual climb from 20 to 24.5 and the massive climb from there to 27.5.

It took a lot of grit and grind, but I made it back to mile 20 and the aid station that was there. I was very dehydrated at this point, yet tried to smile and put on a good face while downing 7 cups of water, pouring one over my head, and downing a Gu and Hammer gel.

I knew the stretch from 20 to 27 was going to be brutal and steep especially the last 2-3 miles of it. About 1 mile into this segment I had to pee. I knew what to expect but it was still shocking to see my pee the color of Mello-Yello but as if someone had removed the water from Mello-Yello. Oh well, at least it was pee. My body was aching but the march continued, tattered, rattled and with an occasional 25-50 step jog. Yes, I counted!

Miles 20 to about 26.5 without an aid station during the toughest and hottest stretch of the race is very challenging (especially carrying just a 20 ounce handheld). I tried to pace myself with my fluids, but my body said drink now. So my handheld was empty and I still had about 2 miles to the aid station with about 1,000 feet of climb over those two miles.

Well that’s a steep climb and with my body aching and my head throbbing I had to sit down a couple of times on jagged half rocks to keep from passing out. I knew that I wasn’t going to quit, and I was hoping I wouldn’t get pulled. So I quickly realized that my hopes of finishing better than last year where over and to just finish the race. I kept hiking as fast as my body allowed and ran when I could even if it was for short spurts that might have been discouraging to others if it had been them. However, I found hope that with each pained and dehydrated step that I was a step closer to finishing this beast of a race. Then I could stop, lay down, and tell myself I’d never do this again…well at least not this race…maybe.

To speed up this race report so it doesn’t become as arduous and painful as the Bandit was for me (too late you say?) I’ll fast forward to when I hit that last main aid station. There I downed a couple cups of water, poured another one on my hair (it almost even soaked through it), and continued on knowing that the last 3.5 miles would have a lot of downhill but that it would be technical and tough on the feet and ankles.

I was cautious yet still running where I felt in control and moving forward at a good rate yet when I’d slow down due to technical dangers. I completely rolled over each ankle during this time. I knew that sub 6-hours was likely gone, but I kept pressing on.

With 2 miles left to go you drop about 700 feet within the span of a mile. It’s intense and technical! I was smart and remembered my #1 goal for every race, “To be alive at the end of the day!”

I was keeping an eye on my watch and knew I’d likely be around 6:02. With about 0.5 mile to go I realized that I could perhaps kill myself finishing and MAYBE break 6 hours. Death is not worth a finish in the mid 30’s overall at a race that most humans have never heard about. So I decided to run and finish as best as I could while feeling semi-comfortable (since comfortable left once the race started).

Around the last bend I knew I’d be 600 and change. I crossed the finish line in 6:00:40 and was never so glad to finish a race. I didn’t care about my time or much else at that moment. I went to my truck and laid in the bed of it for about 20 minutes.

As disastrous as the day felt to me I was very pleased with my finishing time. It was 32 minutes faster than the year before. I felt like I was battling for my life out there the last 15 miles and just tried to be smart but relentless to push through the discomfort and finish.

The Bandit 50K is a really good race. It’s very tough with 6500+ feet climb, the heat, sun, concrete like-technical trail, and distance in between aid stations. The RD’s do a great job hosting this race. It’s affordable (less than $100), nice medal and shirt, and everyone associated with the race is very pleasant. It has a very small town feel to it even though it’s in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Southern California.

I swore many times during this race that this was it and I’d never do the Bandit again, but i have this sneaky feeling that I’ve perhaps lied to myself once again.

–joshua holmes (RIF #1)
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The prevalence of marathons has exploded in the past decade across the United States, and the entry fee for these races has exploded at the exact same pace.

So we have compiled the list below of The Most Expensive Marathons in the United States that we could find. We are sure there are many that aren’t on this list that we haven’t come across yet. Don’t worry! We’ll update the list as they come to our attention.

(The list is limited to 26.2 mile marathons. It does not include half marathons or ultramarathons.)

The Most Expensive Marathons in The United States

1. New York City Marathon – $255
2. Walt Disney World Marathon – $190
3. Chicago Marathon – $185 ($220 outside of the U.S.)
4. Los Angeles Marathon – $180
5. Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon – $180
6. Boston Marathon – $175 ($225 outside of U.S)
7. San Francisco Marathon – $165
8. Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon  – $160
9. Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon – $150
10. Big Sur International Marathon – $150
11. Malibu International Marathon – $140
12. Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon – $140
13. Rock ‘n’ Roll St. Louis Marathon – $135
14. Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Marathon – $135
15. Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Marathon – $130
16. Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon – $130
17. Twin Cities Marathon – $130
18. Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon – $130
19. Griffith Park Trail Marathon – $125
20. Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio – $125
21. Maui Oceanfront Marathon – $125
22. Flying Pig Marathon – $115
23. Marine Corps Marathon – $110

How much is too much to pay for a 26.2 mile marathon? What’s your financial limit for a marathon?

So which marathons did we miss that deserve to be on this list? Email us at runitfast@gmail.com with the name of the race, price, and date of the race. You can tweet us on Twitter @runitfast as well.

UPDATE: Inaugural Barkley Fall Classic Race Results (2014)

A few weeks ago I mentioned on Twitter that a crazy race was in the process of being created that would rock the marathon racing scene. Now comes the rest of that story…

The ultra-devil known as Lazarus Lake (Gary Cantrell) has birthed another demon spawn of a race that will shake up the endurance-addicted race world. Laz is the creator of the Strolling Jim 40 Miler, Big Dog Backyard Ultra, The Last Annual Vol State 500K, and the Barkley Marathons (the hardest race in the world to finish).

Laz, along with fellow race director Steve Durbin (creator of Land Between the Lakes and Run Under the Stars), have now officially announced The Barkley Fall Classic which will take place at Frozen Head State Park on many of the same trails used in the infamous Barkley Marathons. The race will be on September 20, 2014.

Unlike the Barkley Marathons (100 miles) that takes place in the Spring, The Barkley Fall Classic will be open to runners of all levels that register and signup. However, that doesn’t mean that you will finish.

The Barkley Fall Classic will be approximately 31 miles long and have over 10,000 feet of climb and 10,000 feet of descent for a total elevation change easily over 20,000 feet. Runners will have a time limit of 13 hours and 20 minutes.

Here is a description of The Barkley Fall Classic in Laz’s own words:

on september 20. 2014,
we will hold the barkley fall classic,
with an entry limit of 300 runners….

if you are one of those people who have followed the infamous barkley marathons over the years,
and had this secret itch to get a taste of those trails and that experience;

this is your chance.

if you have been trying to enter the barkley for years,
and just cannot get unlucky in the lottery;

this is your chance.

if you want to see some of the best scenery available in the eastern u.s.,
from the primordial woods of the “north boundary” where the sun never shines,
to overlook views that extend to the smoky mountains to the east,
and the big south fork to the west;

this is your chance.

the fall classic will be a little different.

it is all on maintained trails and will be clearly marked.
there will be aid stations…
but it is still the brushy mountains.

it will not be easy.

the trails are many of the same trails featured in the original Barkley.
the core race is roughly 31 miles (with about 20,000 feet of elevation change)

runners will have opportunities to opt down and have “fun run” finishes of 9 miles, 16 miles, or 24 miles.
the time limit will be the same 13:20 as a regular barkley loop. (23.3 mile cut off is (9:00 hrs)

obviously… no pacers allowed.

and the first prize will be a slot in the original barkley…
if the winner still thinks he wants to do that 5 times in 2 and a half days!

the entry will be first come-first served.
announcement of the opening of registration was made to the barkley list first, so those lucky souls had first shot at it.

better not delay…

something bad like this doesn’t come along every day.

laz

Laz has also been quoted as he will be surprised if 50% of entrants finish the race.

Do you have what it takes to tackle this epic challenge? Can you finish this 50K in 13 hours? Will you be one of the runners that has to opt down to 9, 16, or 24 miles?

The Barkley Fall Classic is 31 miles on paper but likely the equivalent of a 1ooK.

Oh yes, we should probably mention that the trail is likely more wicked, rough, and wild than what you’d find in the jungles of Cambodia.

You can sign up now on Ultrasignup by clicking HERE.

 

The couple in this video was being interviewed by a Portland television station about their wintery run in the snow. Both runners were eloquent and smooth in describing being out in the wintery mix and how good the conditions were for runners.

Chelsea tells the reporter that the snow is a “Perfect texture for running, very light impact..”

After the couple’s interview, they take off running and Chelsea’s feet slipped out from underneath her and she snowplowed the asphalt hard.

She did get up and give a painful thumbs up to the camera crew and reporter who asked to see if she was ok.

The lady in the video, ‘Chelsea,’ posted this comment on Deadspin about her epic running fa(i)ll:

“As the chick in this video, all I can say is that running in powder when there’s no one else out at night is a shitload of fun. But stopping to pose for the local news station in the middle of the icy street hurts like a bitch. Glad it’s as funny for everyone else as it was for us.”

She sounds like a really good sport about her fall. Falls happen to all runners of all levels in all conditions. She appears to be tough and is ok after her fall.

Of course after her fall this runner is now being referred to nationally as a ‘jogger.’ (SMH)

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 15 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.