Tom Talks Turkey

By annual tradition, it's time again to check-in with my friend Tom Turkey. He has been training for the Turkey Run (Sunday, November 20 at Como Lake in St Paul), a race he has won every year since its inception. I caught up to him earlier this week as he was making his final preparations.

Me: Are you ready for the big day?
Tom: I'm a lean, mean running machine!

Me: You look great. Anything new going on with your training?
Tom: I'm on a new diet heavy in chia seeds. They really make a big difference.

Me: So they really work? Any side effects?
Tom: You're about to step in it.
Me: Thanks for the warning!

Me: I know this is a special time of year for you. You seem to always peak for this event.
Tom: You're right. I train hard all summer so I can win this thing. There is no such thing as second place. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for this event.

Me: How so?
Tom: You've heard of the Biggest Loser TV show? Well, for turkeys, weight gain is a big problem too. I'm the only one left from my brood and I know that keeping a lean body mass is a big part of that.

Me: Last year, you had some ice to deal with. How did that go.
Tom: I literally flew around the course, so ice wasn't too much of a problem for me. The finish was a little slippery though. Talons help.

Me: The forecast is calling for some snow on Saturday but nicer on Sunday. Are you ready for the change of seasons?
Tom: By this time of year, I'm ready to just disappear in a nice warm jacket, if you know what I mean.

Me: What's your race strategy for Sunday?
Tom: Pretty much the same as usual. I'm not going to wait for things to happen, I'm going to make them come after me.

Me: Your prediction?
Tom: The streak continues.

Me: You usually take a vacation after the race. What are your plans this year?
Tom: They're evolving, but it looks like I'll be making a trip to the Middle East. I've been asked to mediate the situation in Syria.

Me: That's you? I thought it was the other Turkey.
Tom: A lot of people make that mistake. It's me.

Me: Have a safe trip. We're all hoping for the best. Enjoy your holidays.
Tom: Thanks! I'm ready to get the party started on Sunday. You're still vegetarian, right?
Me: Right.
Tom: Cool. Yeah, enjoy your holidays too!


Chris Fuller runs, coaches and blogs in the Twin Cities, and is the president of The Sporting Life event management company. Tom Turkey is the founder and owner of a vegan lifestyle company called Gobble This.

Turning 40: an event to remember

For runners, turning forty means you've become a Master. Whoever came up with that designation clearly had a marketing background. 'Master' sounds much better than 'middle-aged' the same way 'dried plums' sounds much better than 'prunes.' You've achieved something ('we're dried plums!') rather simply becoming pruney.

Forty is just the start of being a masters runner. You have your fifties, sixties, seventies and beyond to look forward to. For a race, things are a little different. Ten years is remarkable, twenty is rare, thirty is amazing and forty is almost non-existent. Other than the Boston Marathon (116 years and counting), can you name an event that has hit forty?

Minnesota has had a long history of impressive events, but no major race (1000+ participants) has yet hit forty, not Grandma's Marathon, not Get In Gear, not Twin Cities Marathon. That's about to change. Want to attend a special 40th birthday party? Come to Summit Avenue in St Paul on March 18, 2012 for the St Patrick's Day Human Race!

The event that started as the St Patrick's Day Mini-Marathon has been held on Summit Avenue each March since 1973, making the 2012 edition its fortieth. Originally a five-mile run, it now includes an 8K run (4.97 miles), 5K run/walk (3.1 miles) and youth run (0.25 and 0.5 miles).

I have worked the event each year since 1981 and been race director since the late 1980s. It's a humbling experience to guide an event with such an amazing history. I'll write more about that history, but now I'm busy starting to plan a party, and I need your help. What should we add or change about the event that would make it extra special? Something  that you've seen at other events, or something that you've never seen before. Maybe something we are already doing but could do better, or something we used to do and you think we should bring back. Turning 40 is a big deal, and we're ready to shake things up!

We'll collect the ideas and let you help decide which ones we should do. Feel free to spread the word (this isn't a surprise party after all). We want to hear from you, the participants that have made this a great event.

Help us become masters. Leave your ideas in a comment below, or on our Facebook page. The St Patrick's Day Human Race is turning 40 and we're ready to celebrate. Help us make it an event to remember!

Little Big Races

Standing at the starting line of a mega-race gives you a jolt. You can feel the energy of the crowd, hear the pounding music, and sense the collective anticipation. Boom goes the gun, and off you run, almost floating across the starting line. With luck, that energy will carry you all the way to the finish. Or at least to the next aid station.

Smaller races can't match their mega-cousins with energy. But there's something about their stripped-down essence that connects you to the primal side of running. It's you and the path before you, like it has been for thousands of years. If you choose the right path, that experience can tap into your internal energy, which is every bit as powerful as the energy you borrow from the crowds.

Fall is a great time for small races. There are still some mega races left this year, but look harder at the calendar and find something that stirs you from the inside.

Not sure how to do that? Here are seven tips to help you find your Little Big Race:

1. Bigger isn't always better. Unless you like standing in lines, remember Yogi Berra's famous remark: "No one goes there because it's always crowded." Jump out of line and find the pleasure of the small event.
2. What's so fun about not receiving a finish time? There is a place for 'fun runs' that don't provide finish times, but if you want your time and place, there are plenty of small-event options. Don't be shy about looking for certified courses too. Having an accurately measured course isn't just for the big guys.
3. Don't be afraid to leave the roads behind. Fall is the cross country season, which is a great excuse to run on grass. Several college and high school races include open events. My favorite cross country run, Rocky's Run, is open to all ages and abilities.
4. Go against the tide. Just because your friends are running that race on Thanksgiving Day doesn't mean you have to. Try the Turkey Run the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and sleep in on Thursday!
5. Invite a new runner to join you. Big races can be intimidating if you have never raced before, so invite a budding runner to your favorite small event. Show them the ropes, and watch for their finishing smiles!
6. Look for special perks. Small races tend to have more post-event drawings, more porta-potties per person and more unique freebies. Not sure what they're offering? Ask! You'll probably hear back directly from the race director.
7. If you are done racing for the year, volunteer. Remember all that energy you received from the crowds at the mega-race? You were just borrowing it. It's time to pay it back!

Don't get lost in the crowds. You'll find everything you need at your new favorite Little Big Race. Already have a favorite? Post your comments here or on The Sporting Life Facebook page.

You can't defeat heat, so learn to adapt

Heat is a fact of life in summer in the upper Midwest. Heat puts extra stress on your body, especially while exercising. Don't try to simply tough it out. Here are eight tips to help you adapt your habits and enjoy your summer running.
1. Run in the coolest part of the day. In the summer, that is almost always the morning, before the hours of sunshine have their baking effect. If you can't run in the morning, the next best time is dusk, when the sun is starting to go down. The air temperature may still be high, but the sun angle is decreasing, and its effects lessen as it sets. Avoid running in the hottest part of the day, which is generally from 10 AM to 6 PM.

2. Stay in the shade. The temperature in the shade can be significantly cooler than in direct sun. This is another reason to run early or late in the day when the lower sun angles create more shade.

3. Wear sunscreen or sun block. Although some sun exposure is needed to help your body produce vitamin D, the cumulative effects of sun exposure is the primary cause of skin cancer. Use a minimum of SPF 15, and reapply as needed. Sunscreen can also lower your skin's surface temperature, which is an added benefit.

4. Hats and sunglasses help too. Protect your eyes with sunglasses and a hat with a bill. Choose a light colored hat to reflect as much sun as possible.

5. Drink early, drink often. Our thirst is a poor gauge of our water needs. Drink before you are thirsty, and every 15-30 minutes throughout your run. Water is all you need, but for longer runs (more than two hours), it's a good idea to get some electrolytes from a sport drink too.

6. Run with a friend, or tell someone your route. This is always a good idea, but especially important in the heat. Know the signs of heat stress and heatstroke, which include disorientation and cessation of sweating. If you or your partner have these symptoms, stop immediately, get to the shade, get some water, and seek medical help.

7. Shorten or slow down your runs in severe conditions. Heat can add 10-20% more stress than a cool day. You need to slow down and shorten the run to adapt.

8. Adaptation to heat takes 2-4 weeks. In our climate, you may not fully acclimatize to heat all summer because we don't always have several weeks in a row of heat. Realize that although you have been running in heat, you may not be fully acclimatized.

Splashing to Spring, One Step At a Time

Even a near-record winter had to end sometime. That time officially is Sunday, March 20. This week of melting has given us the usual puddles along with epic potholes. Runners and walkers are at peril on every sidewalk as the freeze/thaw cycle adds invisible hazards. We're ready, though, to take on that challenge.

Splash, splash, splash, skidddd.

The occasional icy patch doesn't change the reality that spring is winning this battle. There may be another blast, but the snow mounds have started to disappear, retreating like conquered soldiers.

Soon enough we'll forget all about this winter. As green emerges, we will undergo that amazing transformation that is spring in the  upper midwest. For now, take time to reflect on your winter accomplishments, and ready yourself for the frenzy of spring.

One step at a time we make the transition.

Splash, splash, splash. The sound of spring!

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Looking for a great way to celebrate the coming of spring? Join us on Sunday, March 20 for the St Patrick's Day Human Race on Summit Avenue in St Paul. Choose the 8K, 5K or youth run. Registration available through race day.

Less is the New More

It's hard not to be overwhelmed by technology. Your cell phone likely can accomplish more than your first computer could. There is not only 'an app for that,' there are probably 1000 apps. Web sites have so many bells and whistles that, well, they're noisy. Has it made your life any easier?

I confess that I recently acquired a Blackberry and I love what it can do. I'm not addicted, but I appreciate its horsepower. Owning it confirmed to me what I already knew: the way we use the Internet has changed dramatically, and it isn't going back to the old way. Gone are the days of poking around entire web sites, looking at everything they have to offer. Now I want to get in, get out and get going. The full features may not even be available to me if I'm on my Blackberry, so I'll never see them anyway. Sites like Facebook can easily be clipped for mobile use, as can many of your favorite sites. Old, clunky web sites just don't make the grade anymore.

That's a long introduction into the beginning of an evolution for the TSL Events web site. Our old site had become too rigid, and with a push from our web developer, Kirk Hoaglund of Clientek, we've slimmed things down. Now when you go to http://www.tslevents.com/ you'll find a handy place for the information you want, including a new wave of widgets.

For example, want a race map? We've embedded our map from the Map My Run site. Looking for results or photos? Kirk has created new widgets to easily display those in one spot. (Those clever widgets are also available for you on Facebook). Want to see what we're doing on Facebook? That's also available right on the home page. Soon we'll have a widget for race registration from our registration partner, ImATHLETE. The goal is to give you easy access to what you want, and ultimately to let you take it with you.

The new site isn't yet designed for mobile use, but we're headed that way. The old web model was to create 'sticky' sites that created multiple hits and clicks. Now, I'm only concerned that you can get what you want. If you want to do only one thing on our site, I want to make sure it is easy and accessible. It's still a work in progress, but I think we've taken some big steps.

As always, you'll be the judge. Let me know what you like and what you don't. The new format is much more flexible, so we can respond quicker to your feedback.

Less is the new more. Does it look good on us?