It's pretty clear that runners, walkers and inline skaters haven't been stopped by tough economic times. That shouldn't be surprising. There is a reason it's called endurance exercise. This is a good time to keep positive, and reach out to others who are struggling, and we are just the people to do it.
Despite the news that Grandma's Marathon did not fill for the first time in fifteen years, there are plenty of signs that our sports are very healthy right now. Two new metro-area marathons debuted successfully in the past few weeks, with numbers more than making up for Grandma's deficit. Our own event, Grand Old Day On the Go on June 7 is running substantially above last year's numbers. Twin Cities Marathon is even adding a 10K this year, a sign that they are bullish on running.
Runners, walkers and skaters are not immune to economic struggle. Some have lost jobs, most have had to cut back in some way. From a survey we did last year, fitness-related cutbacks were mainly in travel, as well as a sharper eye toward value provided by local events.
At the same time, runners, walkers and skaters are still running, walking and skating, still doing charity events or fundraising at events. Most of us are aware that non-profits have been hit hard recently, and we have tired to do our part.
This Sunday at Grand Old Day On the Go, we have partnered with the Hallie Q Brown Foodshelf to conduct a food drive. We have done this type of thing before, but this year there is a special urgency. Food shelves have become a lifeline for families trying to get through tough times. As runners, we are used to have food provided for us at the end of events. This is a great opportunity to give back. By simply bringing a can or box of food to the race, you can help a family have a meal. That good feeling you get from helping others will bring you smiles long after the race is over.
Thank you, runners, walkers and skaters, for continuing to be a positive force in the community. Your energy is truly a renewable resource that powers positive change.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Eight Ways Life is Grand
My friend Garrett B Shoemaker has been running in St Paul for a long time. (He remembers when the streetcars first came to Grand Avenue, but that's another story). Talking to him reminded me of the benefits of staying in place. I've lived in St Paul long enough to appreciate its charms and Grand Avenue is one of the brightest.
I've gone to school, lived and worked on or within a few blocks of Grand Avenue for over three decades. As Grand Old Day approaches, I've come up with eight reasons why Grand Avenue is the place for people On the Go:
I've gone to school, lived and worked on or within a few blocks of Grand Avenue for over three decades. As Grand Old Day approaches, I've come up with eight reasons why Grand Avenue is the place for people On the Go:
- You're never more than a few blocks from a cup of coffee. I don't even drink coffee, but I can't help but be in awe at the supply on Grand. Local or chain, foofy or black, your buzz is safe here.
- It's a perfect fartlek course. When running down Grand, you'll naturally change speeds as you encounter the bar crowd near Victoria (speed up for your safety) or the college crowd near Snelling (seriously, how do they make it to class?).
- Bad back? No Problem! Between chiropractors and acupuncturists, Grand Ave is awash in health practitioners.
- You're just a hop, skip and jump from a running track. Both Macalester College and the University of St Thomas have outdoor tracks that are open for public use, at least at certain times. Be sure to follow proper track etiquette!
- Cool down with ice cream. Is there a better way to end a run in the summer?
- Stock up on carbs. Grand Ave holds its own with grocery stores and specialty foods shops.
- 'Heart healthy' street crossing. Want to give your ticker a jolt? Cross Grand Ave as a pedestrian. Sprint to the other side as drivers look at you like you're invisible.
- One day a year, the streets are closed to cars, and pedestrians take over. Grand Old Day On the Go gives runners, walkers and inline skaters get a head start!
I know there are other Grand Ave lovers out there. Garrett is running a Facebook contest called Where's Garrett? Check it out and test your Grand Avenue knowledge. And if you drive into my neighborhood, please stop for pedestrians!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Stress Test Provides Feedback
Stress tests have leaped from the doctor's office to the bank examiner's office. Soon you may (or may not) know more about how healthy your mega-bank is. What about your favorite run/walk event? How does it do on a stress test?
As an event director, our stress test comes in the form of our post-event surveys. Your feedback provides valuable information about how we are doing. In the spirit of transparency, we want you to know the results.
Our survey after the recent St Patrick's Day Human Race is now complete. We had more than 400 responses, which is 25% of the people receiving the survey link via E-mail. That is considered a high rate (at little as 10% could be statistically valid).
The Results
The six most important things to respondents are listed below. In parentheses next to each item is their importance to respondents and an approval rating, each achieved based on a five-point scale with 1.0 the lowest, 3.0 neutral, and 5.0 the highest.
We also asked you about our web site. It got higher marks than last year (we overhauled the site last April), and you really like the results features. However, many people had problems with the maps and some didn't like the site navigation. We are moving to a new mapping tool (MapMyFitness) that should greatly improve the maps we use, and are looking at the best ways to address the navigation issues. We have also made some updates to our online registration process. Most people flew through it with no problems, but the ones who had problems got really frustrated. We've eliminated a couple potential issues that should smooth things out for most people.
Action Questions
The most powerful questions on the survey where the three 'action' questions. Here is how we did on them:
Our stress test provides us some directives to make our events better. The funny thing is that I feel less stress just knowing what you are thinking. Thank you for sharing!
As an event director, our stress test comes in the form of our post-event surveys. Your feedback provides valuable information about how we are doing. In the spirit of transparency, we want you to know the results.
Our survey after the recent St Patrick's Day Human Race is now complete. We had more than 400 responses, which is 25% of the people receiving the survey link via E-mail. That is considered a high rate (at little as 10% could be statistically valid).
The Results
The six most important things to respondents are listed below. In parentheses next to each item is their importance to respondents and an approval rating, each achieved based on a five-point scale with 1.0 the lowest, 3.0 neutral, and 5.0 the highest.
- Official results posted online (importance=3.01/approval=4.16)
- Course (3.0/4.25)
- Restrooms (2.87/3.63)
- Event date (2.79/3.97)
- Headquarters (2.69/4.02)
- Refreshments (2.44/3.59)
The good news is that, in those six key categories, we performed pretty well. We consider any approval rating below 4.0 something we need to work on. That leaves three areas to address.
Event date and headquarters are linked: our date is fixed by the availability of facilities at the University of St Thomas. Our event is held on the first Sunday of their Spring Break so we have access to indoor facilities. Next year, things are a little uncertain, since the University of St Thomas will be building a new field house. We won't know until later in the year what that means for our event date and HQ.
We know restrooms are important to runners and walkers. At 3.63, the score wasn't terrible, but needs some work. The biggest piece of advice we got was that people wanted porta-potties near the 8K start at Prior. We are looking into options for doing that.
Refreshments did okay at 3.59, and even earned rave reviews for the trail mix from Great Harvest. We'll work to enhance our offerings for 2010.
Our Web SiteWe also asked you about our web site. It got higher marks than last year (we overhauled the site last April), and you really like the results features. However, many people had problems with the maps and some didn't like the site navigation. We are moving to a new mapping tool (MapMyFitness) that should greatly improve the maps we use, and are looking at the best ways to address the navigation issues. We have also made some updates to our online registration process. Most people flew through it with no problems, but the ones who had problems got really frustrated. We've eliminated a couple potential issues that should smooth things out for most people.
Action Questions
The most powerful questions on the survey where the three 'action' questions. Here is how we did on them:
- How likely are you to return next year? 90.8% likely or very likely
- Would you recommend this event to a friend? 90.7% likely or very likely
- Would you participate in another TSL event? 83.0% likely or very likely
Finally, when we asked you to describe the event, the most common words and phrases used were:
- "fun"
- "well-organized"
- "great course"
- "friendly"
Of course we did receive a few responses like "waste of money," "too expensive, especially on race day" and "not sure what the event has to do with St Patrick's Day or humans." We know we can't please everyone, and want to make sure people know what the event is about when they choose to participate.
ConclusionOur stress test provides us some directives to make our events better. The funny thing is that I feel less stress just knowing what you are thinking. Thank you for sharing!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Flats Happen; Got Spares?
I set a personal best last week. Unfortunately it wasn't a running achievement. I now have a new record for 'most flat tires in a single driving incident.' That record is two.
A fifty-percent deficiency is all relative. In airplane engines, it is a really bad thing. In kidneys, not too bad. In tires? The problem is you only have one spare, and it's miniature. What happens when two tires go out at once? If you don't have AAA or an equivalent, you end up driving on whatever tire is the least flat.
While TJ stood guard (you're pretty vulnerable when changing a spare, even if it is in a mall parking lot), I replaced the right rear tire, tossed the bad one in the trunk, and hoped the front right tire could take us home. It could.
The next day my neighborhood auto mechanic had one tire plugged and the other replaced by 10:30 AM. All-in-all, it could have been much worse. It reminded me that situations like this can happen at any time. You need a Plan B, or maybe even C.
Like most runners, I've had the occasional race where the wheels just fell off. As you creep toward the finish, you wonder what went wrong. The most common problem is that you expected everything to go right. Running, like most things in life, requires constant adjustments.
The adjustments range from monitoring how you feel on race day or before a key workout, to changes you make as you age. You might make back off a little at the start of a race to let yourself work into your pace, or maybe you drop a day per week of running from your schedule so you can recover fully. You might add speedwork to jump-start your energy system, but subtract some mileage to keep your overall work level in check. The adjustments are constant, with unforgiving consequences if you try to simply stay the course. Hmm... somehow this veered into commentary about the economy.
In ChiRunning we teach that you need to feel what is going on in your body in order to make changes to your form and posture. A constant process of sensing make the adjustments easier to make. We things are off, it is off because we are paying attention.
My mechanic told me there were nails in both tires. Since I don't live or work in a construction zone, I'm not sure sure where I picked-up those unwelcome travelers. You can't avoid every problem: sometimes you drive over nails. But you can adjust, and soon you'll be back on the road again. And with proper adjustments, you can keep driving, or running, for a long time.
Five ways to make adjustments:
A fifty-percent deficiency is all relative. In airplane engines, it is a really bad thing. In kidneys, not too bad. In tires? The problem is you only have one spare, and it's miniature. What happens when two tires go out at once? If you don't have AAA or an equivalent, you end up driving on whatever tire is the least flat.
While TJ stood guard (you're pretty vulnerable when changing a spare, even if it is in a mall parking lot), I replaced the right rear tire, tossed the bad one in the trunk, and hoped the front right tire could take us home. It could.
The next day my neighborhood auto mechanic had one tire plugged and the other replaced by 10:30 AM. All-in-all, it could have been much worse. It reminded me that situations like this can happen at any time. You need a Plan B, or maybe even C.
Like most runners, I've had the occasional race where the wheels just fell off. As you creep toward the finish, you wonder what went wrong. The most common problem is that you expected everything to go right. Running, like most things in life, requires constant adjustments.
The adjustments range from monitoring how you feel on race day or before a key workout, to changes you make as you age. You might make back off a little at the start of a race to let yourself work into your pace, or maybe you drop a day per week of running from your schedule so you can recover fully. You might add speedwork to jump-start your energy system, but subtract some mileage to keep your overall work level in check. The adjustments are constant, with unforgiving consequences if you try to simply stay the course. Hmm... somehow this veered into commentary about the economy.
In ChiRunning we teach that you need to feel what is going on in your body in order to make changes to your form and posture. A constant process of sensing make the adjustments easier to make. We things are off, it is off because we are paying attention.
My mechanic told me there were nails in both tires. Since I don't live or work in a construction zone, I'm not sure sure where I picked-up those unwelcome travelers. You can't avoid every problem: sometimes you drive over nails. But you can adjust, and soon you'll be back on the road again. And with proper adjustments, you can keep driving, or running, for a long time.
Five ways to make adjustments:
- Check in regularly so you know what your baseline is.
- Make the check-in be comparative, not judgemental. "I feel bad," is not as helpful as "I feel tighter than yesterday."
- Don't make too many changes at once. No more than two per week.
- Learn to trust your gut. Don't let ego arguments carry the day.
- Set some boundaries. Healthy running does not involve limping!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Oops, I forgot to Set A Goal
I finished a long-run the other day, and felt pretty good. The distance was in the medium range for my long runs, but it was enough to get me tired. As I refueled afterwards, my satisfaction started to fade. The run itself was fine, but how did it fit into my overall plan?
I've been a runner for over thirty years and a coach for nearly twenty-five. I'm always ready to learn new things, but I have a pretty good idea what I need to do to establish goals and set up a training program. What was going on here?
The easy answer is that I lost focus. That sports cliche is actually based in truth. It is rare that the winner of a marathon will confess at the awards ceremony, "I had no idea what I was doing out there. I was daydreaming the whole way." Successful athletes have a plan and ways to adapt the plan, and don't stray too far from it. Focus matters.
Beyond focus is a larger issue. You can't have focus without a goal. What was your goal for today and how does it match up with your bigger goals? If you know the answer, congratulations. You are well on the way to success. If you are like the rest of us, it's time to do some work.
I realized that for me, the lack of goal setting was not because I didn't know what to do. I've had plenty of experience setting and reaching goals. The reason was avoidance. If you don't set a goal, you can't fail, right? The problem is that you can't succeed either.
When I look at my situation, I also realized I was making the mountain too high by creating an endless list of things that needed to be in place before I could set goals. It's an icy winter, so it's too soon for speed work... My long runs aren't where I want them yet... I'm busy with work...Blah, blah, blah. I wouldn't allow those excuses in someone I was coaching, so why was I making them?
I don't believe that every action we take has to revolve around a larger goal. It's fine to be spontaneous. But the benefit of goals is that they help round things into shape, and help you make decisions on how to spend your time and effort. While reaching your goals can be challenging, having goals tends to make day to day decisions easier.
Part of the process for me is to remove clutter. That includes both physical and mental clutter. What are the things clogging your path? Start pruning, purging and organizing, and that path becomes much easier to follow.
There is also power in sharing your goals. You may want to keep a few to yourself, but sharing can also help draw in the outside resources you might need. Want to run a marathon in 2009? Find a training program and/or training group. Looking for a new job? Let people know you are looking. Want a new relationship? Put yourself out there.
I still have some clutter to remove, but I'm not waiting to set my goals. I'm turning them loose by sharing a few with you:
I've been a runner for over thirty years and a coach for nearly twenty-five. I'm always ready to learn new things, but I have a pretty good idea what I need to do to establish goals and set up a training program. What was going on here?
The easy answer is that I lost focus. That sports cliche is actually based in truth. It is rare that the winner of a marathon will confess at the awards ceremony, "I had no idea what I was doing out there. I was daydreaming the whole way." Successful athletes have a plan and ways to adapt the plan, and don't stray too far from it. Focus matters.
Beyond focus is a larger issue. You can't have focus without a goal. What was your goal for today and how does it match up with your bigger goals? If you know the answer, congratulations. You are well on the way to success. If you are like the rest of us, it's time to do some work.
I realized that for me, the lack of goal setting was not because I didn't know what to do. I've had plenty of experience setting and reaching goals. The reason was avoidance. If you don't set a goal, you can't fail, right? The problem is that you can't succeed either.
When I look at my situation, I also realized I was making the mountain too high by creating an endless list of things that needed to be in place before I could set goals. It's an icy winter, so it's too soon for speed work... My long runs aren't where I want them yet... I'm busy with work...Blah, blah, blah. I wouldn't allow those excuses in someone I was coaching, so why was I making them?
I don't believe that every action we take has to revolve around a larger goal. It's fine to be spontaneous. But the benefit of goals is that they help round things into shape, and help you make decisions on how to spend your time and effort. While reaching your goals can be challenging, having goals tends to make day to day decisions easier.
Part of the process for me is to remove clutter. That includes both physical and mental clutter. What are the things clogging your path? Start pruning, purging and organizing, and that path becomes much easier to follow.
There is also power in sharing your goals. You may want to keep a few to yourself, but sharing can also help draw in the outside resources you might need. Want to run a marathon in 2009? Find a training program and/or training group. Looking for a new job? Let people know you are looking. Want a new relationship? Put yourself out there.
I still have some clutter to remove, but I'm not waiting to set my goals. I'm turning them loose by sharing a few with you:
- I turn 50 in June, so I'm training for a marathon this year. I probably won't have a time goal, but want to use ChiRunning and enjoy the experience.
- I want to act on all your suggestions on how to make TSL events better than ever. That means I'm actively looking for more sponsorships.
- I'm looking to use my knowledge and skills to help others meet their goals. That means I'm looking for work, either projects or jobs, where I can add value (project management, writing, coaching, cone moving).
What are your goals? Share them on our Facebook page in the discussions section. By turning them loose you'll me amazed by the power that flows back to you.
Resource guide:
There is no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to goal setting and motivation. Here are some great resources:
Books:
Galloway Training Programs by Jeff Galloway
ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running by Danny Dreyer
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude by Jeffrey Gitomer
The Passion Test by Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood
Local Workshops and gatherings:
Live Dynamite with Cathy Paper and Maryanne O'Brien (they are both runners)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Time for Stories
Every day the stories seem more bleak. More layoffs, more Ponzi schemes, more bad financial news. I admire ostriches for having enough sense to put their heads in the ground and ignore it all!
We did a survey last summer and found most runners were not cutting back significantly in their running expenses because they consider them to be essential. That may have changed slightly since then, but we're seeing race registration purring along, people buying running shoes and getting excited about a chance to run outside with a little warm-up.
Most of us can't ignore the bad news entirely. But we can use some of our best human skills, the ones that have kept our species alive for so long. We can connect with other people, share our stories, and work together to make things better.
A new president has asked us to do just that. There are glimmers of hope. For many of us, running is a great metaphor for times like these. Yes, sometimes it is hard, but moving forward will lead to something better, sharing will lead to something richer, and persevering will lead to something lasting.
For those who have lost jobs recently, I encourage you to maintain your connections. Running can be a great way to keep social, keep active, and keep sane. Reach out to your running partners or group, and let them reach out to you. Don't disappear, come to races too. We're offering a special $10 entry fee for the St Patrick's Day Human Race for people recently laid off. Join us and join your friends.
Continue to tell your stories. Stories keep us connected, keep us inspired. Online social networking is so popular for a reason. It allows people to tell the stories of their lives, and see the stories of their friends. Tell us your stories. Find us on Facebook and drop us a note. How is your running going? What about your job search? Reach out to others who want to hear, and want to help.
We all have our own stories, but sometimes we want to be lost in someone else's story. Movies have the power to tell stories in ways that pull us in. There are many inspirational running movies (and some dreadful ones too). I've incorporated a list of fabulous running movies into six-week training programs posted on our Facebook page. These movies combine entertainment with inspiration.
Of course, there is no substitute for face-to-face interactions. Training partners , training groups and running clubs all fill that role. Jeff Galloway, Olympian and marathon training guru, recommends that each person in a training group bring a story to tell on a long run. By the time you get to your marathon, you are not only ready to run, you've become a better storyteller and listener.
The snow will melt, the economy will heat up and jobs will return. Your running will be part of what makes things better. Your stories will be part of what makes things richer.
We did a survey last summer and found most runners were not cutting back significantly in their running expenses because they consider them to be essential. That may have changed slightly since then, but we're seeing race registration purring along, people buying running shoes and getting excited about a chance to run outside with a little warm-up.
Most of us can't ignore the bad news entirely. But we can use some of our best human skills, the ones that have kept our species alive for so long. We can connect with other people, share our stories, and work together to make things better.
A new president has asked us to do just that. There are glimmers of hope. For many of us, running is a great metaphor for times like these. Yes, sometimes it is hard, but moving forward will lead to something better, sharing will lead to something richer, and persevering will lead to something lasting.
For those who have lost jobs recently, I encourage you to maintain your connections. Running can be a great way to keep social, keep active, and keep sane. Reach out to your running partners or group, and let them reach out to you. Don't disappear, come to races too. We're offering a special $10 entry fee for the St Patrick's Day Human Race for people recently laid off. Join us and join your friends.
Continue to tell your stories. Stories keep us connected, keep us inspired. Online social networking is so popular for a reason. It allows people to tell the stories of their lives, and see the stories of their friends. Tell us your stories. Find us on Facebook and drop us a note. How is your running going? What about your job search? Reach out to others who want to hear, and want to help.
We all have our own stories, but sometimes we want to be lost in someone else's story. Movies have the power to tell stories in ways that pull us in. There are many inspirational running movies (and some dreadful ones too). I've incorporated a list of fabulous running movies into six-week training programs posted on our Facebook page. These movies combine entertainment with inspiration.
Of course, there is no substitute for face-to-face interactions. Training partners , training groups and running clubs all fill that role. Jeff Galloway, Olympian and marathon training guru, recommends that each person in a training group bring a story to tell on a long run. By the time you get to your marathon, you are not only ready to run, you've become a better storyteller and listener.
The snow will melt, the economy will heat up and jobs will return. Your running will be part of what makes things better. Your stories will be part of what makes things richer.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Got Cones?
New events are popping up everywhere. There are two new marathons to choose from this May (Minneapolis and Stillwater), Get In Gear is adding a half-marathon, and every non-profit in the Twin Cities has their own race. While some event directors salivate at the idea of working multiple events every weekend, I’m taking a different approach. I’m doing less.
Don’t get worried. All your favorite TSL events are still on the calendar: Frigid 5 (1/11), St Patrick’s Day Human Race (3/22), Grand Old Day On the Go (6/1), Hennepin-Lake Classic (8/2), Paul Mausling XC Run (10/11), Rocky’s Run (11/8) and Turkey Run (11/22). I’ll still be working with my friends at the St Paul Saints on Running of the Pigs (4/19). But instead of adding more events, I’m going a different direction. Any maybe you can help me.
As an event director, I’m responsible for creating a positive experience for hundreds or thousands of people at an event. Something as simple as an orange cone becomes a key part of that experience. Have you ever gotten lost on a course? Cones to the rescue! They help you know where to go.
I’ve spent more than twenty-five years pointing people in the right direction. Now I’d like to apply that knowledge in a new way. Are you part of a team looking for a results-oriented project manager, customer service specialist, marketing innovator or experienced writer? I’d like to help you reach your goals. If you don’t have cones, I’ll bring my own!
In this tough economic climate, we’re all looking for some direction. I’m looking to see what direction the cones point me. Got cones? Need cones? Please contact me at Chris.Fuller@TSLevents.com or on LinkedIn to discuss your opportunity/problem. Whether you have a short-term project or a long-term job, I’d like to see if I can be part of your solution.
Cones to the rescue!
Don’t get worried. All your favorite TSL events are still on the calendar: Frigid 5 (1/11), St Patrick’s Day Human Race (3/22), Grand Old Day On the Go (6/1), Hennepin-Lake Classic (8/2), Paul Mausling XC Run (10/11), Rocky’s Run (11/8) and Turkey Run (11/22). I’ll still be working with my friends at the St Paul Saints on Running of the Pigs (4/19). But instead of adding more events, I’m going a different direction. Any maybe you can help me.
As an event director, I’m responsible for creating a positive experience for hundreds or thousands of people at an event. Something as simple as an orange cone becomes a key part of that experience. Have you ever gotten lost on a course? Cones to the rescue! They help you know where to go.
I’ve spent more than twenty-five years pointing people in the right direction. Now I’d like to apply that knowledge in a new way. Are you part of a team looking for a results-oriented project manager, customer service specialist, marketing innovator or experienced writer? I’d like to help you reach your goals. If you don’t have cones, I’ll bring my own!
In this tough economic climate, we’re all looking for some direction. I’m looking to see what direction the cones point me. Got cones? Need cones? Please contact me at Chris.Fuller@TSLevents.com or on LinkedIn to discuss your opportunity/problem. Whether you have a short-term project or a long-term job, I’d like to see if I can be part of your solution.
Cones to the rescue!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)