(repeated here in case you missed it on Shirley's blog or mine).
Dear Blogger Friends,
Just found out yesterday that I made it to the first round of Team Evotri, which involves the opportunity to win a cool triathlon sponsorship package (bike, coaching, wetsuit, etc). I need your help, though, as the next round involves voting by email. There are 10 folks in the round including me. Our 3-minute video applications, along with voting criteria, can be found at www.evotri.com. If you just want to view my video, go to http://youtube.com/watch?v=_RZAV0WAAG8. All of us in round one have motivating/inspiring stories that got us there so I encourage you to view the other videos and judge for yourself whether you think I deserve your vote.
To vote for me, I need you to send an email to vote@evotri.com with my name, Shirley Pratt, in the subject line. The body of the email will NOT be read. Only one vote per person, multiple votes from the same email address won't count. Voting for round one closes tomorrow, Wed, 2/20, at 11:59pm PST.
If I make it to the finals, I will be asking you to vote for me up to 3 times. If you do not want to receive further emails from me about this, let me know. On the other hand, if you know others who might be interested in voting for me, please forward them this note or consider giving me a plug on your blog like Ellie did (thanks Ellie!). I’d be glad to return the favor in the future if the opportunity ever arises and would love to get to know more blogger friends. In fact, chances are I met you via someone else's blog :-)
Anywhoo, I appreciate any support I can get. If you’ve already voted, thank you for doing so, particularly if the vote was for me!
-- Shirley (HumbleTriathlete.blogspot.com)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Let's Tri!
The date of the SimplyStu Worldwide Triathlon has been announced! Mark your calendars ... it's the weekend of March 28-30, 2008.Like the Phedippidations Worldwide Half Marathon, this a free, no stress, no hassle event that you do on your own or as part of a real race, your choice. It's a great chance to do something new, something challenging, something FUN!!!
You choose the swim, bike and run/walk distances and you can even spread out the events over the 3 days. You can swim with a noodle, buoy, kickboard, anything goes. And any bike will do, even an exercise bike.
And if you can't do one of the events, people have been known to substitute another activity or just do a duathlon (2 events) instead.
Who's in?
Should we create a team? I can submit everyone's names, events & distances, results (times, photos, video, blurb, write-up, whatever) to Stu based on what is posted here since there's no slick website like PWWHM has, yet. Any suggestions on a team name?
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Post your 2008 Races
I just did some cleanup on our race plans - deleting the old races and adding races that I knew about.
Post here your 2008 race plans!
Post here your 2008 race plans!
Running Your Own Race
(Saw this today in an Insight of the Day entry from Josh Hinds. Thought I would share :-))
Think back to a time in your life when you tried something new.
When I was a teenager I volunteered to work the water station at a 10k race. It was called the "Heaven Can Wait" 10k run and ironically, it was sponsored by the local cemetery.
My job was to pass out water to the runners. I remember being so excited to see all the different kinds of people who passed by and grabbed a cup of water. Some ran past, some walked past and a few wheeled past. I saw so many types of people doing it, I thought maybe I can do it too!
So the next year I signed up for the race and gave it a shot. Back then I didn't do much to prepare except jog around my neighborhood. I never tracked how far I jogged, or timed myself, I just ran around. I had no time goals for the race, no specialized training, no game plan, nothing. Needless to say that I prepare differently when I run races today, but back then my only goal was to finish.
On the day of the race, it was incredibly hot and humid. I remember struggling at about the 5th mile, thinking, "I must be crazy, why did I do this? What was I thinking? And at one point, I said, "I am never doing this again!"
Have you ever felt that way about something? You eagerly undertake a goal and in the midst of it comes a moment of struggle, and you realize it is much harder than you imagined it would be?
That first 10k race was quite an experience. I jogged, I walked, I jogged and I walked. At times, I didn't know if I could finish. Then came a defining moment.
At one point near the end, a 70 year old man ran past me, very very fast, and I felt embarrassed that I was 50+ years younger than he and I couldn't even keep up with him. I felt defeated for a second. But then I realized something. He was running his race and I was running mine.
He had different capacities, experience, training and goals for himself. I had mine. Remember my goal was merely to finish.
How often in life do we compare ourselves to others and feel disappointed in ourselves when we really shouldn't? After a minute, it hit me that this was a lesson I could draw from. I learned something about myself in that moment. I turned my embarrassment into inspiration.
I decided that I would not give up on running races, in fact, I would run even more races and I would learn how to train and prepare properly and one day I would be one of those 70 year olds who was still running. As I crossed the finish line, I was proud of my accomplishment.
I am so glad I didn't give up on running. Today it is an incredible source of joy in my life. I have run several races since then, 5ks, 10ks and I run purely for fun. I have studied running books, made friendships with other runners and I can report that I love it now more than ever.
In life we all have those moments where we compare ourselves to others. It's only natural. Don't allow those moments to disempower you. Turn them into motivation and let them inspire you. Use them to show you what is possible. Every struggle is rich with opportunity. You define your own race when you define your own goals.
With the proper preparation, coaching and conditioning, you can improve your results to achieve anything you want in life.
The impact of fitness and nutrition on my life has been remarkable. I can do things now that I could not even do in my 20's all because of coaching, proper nutrition and conditioning.
You decide your race and you decide your own pace. Rarely in life will your destiny be determined by one little race.
"Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable." - Coach John Wooden
Life is a series of races. There are lessons in every race. There are life lessons to be learned every single day. If you don't win the race, but you get the lesson, and grow, you are truly a success.
Live Your Dreams.
Jill Koenig
Think back to a time in your life when you tried something new.
When I was a teenager I volunteered to work the water station at a 10k race. It was called the "Heaven Can Wait" 10k run and ironically, it was sponsored by the local cemetery.
My job was to pass out water to the runners. I remember being so excited to see all the different kinds of people who passed by and grabbed a cup of water. Some ran past, some walked past and a few wheeled past. I saw so many types of people doing it, I thought maybe I can do it too!
So the next year I signed up for the race and gave it a shot. Back then I didn't do much to prepare except jog around my neighborhood. I never tracked how far I jogged, or timed myself, I just ran around. I had no time goals for the race, no specialized training, no game plan, nothing. Needless to say that I prepare differently when I run races today, but back then my only goal was to finish.
On the day of the race, it was incredibly hot and humid. I remember struggling at about the 5th mile, thinking, "I must be crazy, why did I do this? What was I thinking? And at one point, I said, "I am never doing this again!"
Have you ever felt that way about something? You eagerly undertake a goal and in the midst of it comes a moment of struggle, and you realize it is much harder than you imagined it would be?
That first 10k race was quite an experience. I jogged, I walked, I jogged and I walked. At times, I didn't know if I could finish. Then came a defining moment.
At one point near the end, a 70 year old man ran past me, very very fast, and I felt embarrassed that I was 50+ years younger than he and I couldn't even keep up with him. I felt defeated for a second. But then I realized something. He was running his race and I was running mine.
He had different capacities, experience, training and goals for himself. I had mine. Remember my goal was merely to finish.
How often in life do we compare ourselves to others and feel disappointed in ourselves when we really shouldn't? After a minute, it hit me that this was a lesson I could draw from. I learned something about myself in that moment. I turned my embarrassment into inspiration.
I decided that I would not give up on running races, in fact, I would run even more races and I would learn how to train and prepare properly and one day I would be one of those 70 year olds who was still running. As I crossed the finish line, I was proud of my accomplishment.
I am so glad I didn't give up on running. Today it is an incredible source of joy in my life. I have run several races since then, 5ks, 10ks and I run purely for fun. I have studied running books, made friendships with other runners and I can report that I love it now more than ever.
In life we all have those moments where we compare ourselves to others. It's only natural. Don't allow those moments to disempower you. Turn them into motivation and let them inspire you. Use them to show you what is possible. Every struggle is rich with opportunity. You define your own race when you define your own goals.
With the proper preparation, coaching and conditioning, you can improve your results to achieve anything you want in life.
The impact of fitness and nutrition on my life has been remarkable. I can do things now that I could not even do in my 20's all because of coaching, proper nutrition and conditioning.
You decide your race and you decide your own pace. Rarely in life will your destiny be determined by one little race.
"Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable." - Coach John Wooden
Life is a series of races. There are lessons in every race. There are life lessons to be learned every single day. If you don't win the race, but you get the lesson, and grow, you are truly a success.
Live Your Dreams.
Jill Koenig
Monday, February 4, 2008
Who'll come and run with me?
I know I know - I'm on the slow road to recovery from an injury, I'm running the London marathon in 10 weeks, I've got enough on my plate. But I wouldn't be I, and me wouldn't be me, without picking the next challenge on the horizon. So - drumroll - my dear friends, I have signed up for the Chicago marathon. HEAR ME OUT before you say it was a disaster last year. It was. Not ALL the organisers fault, it has to be said, but still.. But listen to me. I ran it in 2006 (when it was freezing cold, literally). It was fantastic. Flat, fast (and very cold, but I already said that) and amazing crowd support. Bands, pizza in the Italian section (so much tastier than a Gu), cheering, singing, wonderful views and neighbourhoods, great and inspirational pacers and a fantastic atmosphere overall. A great expo where I met and talked to Hal Higdon and John Bingham and bought loads of wonderful running gear that I use to this day. What can I say - I had such a fantastic time there. Regarding the debacle last year - I think they're going to be working very very hard to make this marathon a success. I really do.
So come on y'all - who wants to go for a run with me? I'm going to be staying with some friends in Chicago but will be expecting you to come out and play - who else will walk round the expo and be as interested in the running stuff, last minutes nerves and niggles etc. Who wants to come and carbo load with me on the Friday and Saturday night? And who wants to come and drink some beers and eat some fries (or deep dish pizza - your choice) with me on the Sunday night? And talk and get to know each other and natter into recorders to create podcasts and take photos for our blogs - come on! This could be SO much fun! So you know you want to - sign up here. And then post a message to let me know you'll be there. I just can't wait!
So come on y'all - who wants to go for a run with me? I'm going to be staying with some friends in Chicago but will be expecting you to come out and play - who else will walk round the expo and be as interested in the running stuff, last minutes nerves and niggles etc. Who wants to come and carbo load with me on the Friday and Saturday night? And who wants to come and drink some beers and eat some fries (or deep dish pizza - your choice) with me on the Sunday night? And talk and get to know each other and natter into recorders to create podcasts and take photos for our blogs - come on! This could be SO much fun! So you know you want to - sign up here. And then post a message to let me know you'll be there. I just can't wait!
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