I’ll claim preoccupation with what the surgeon might say when I meet with him on Tuesday, but the truth is that I don’t have a very good reason.

But that’s okay, because I’m giving away a few hundred dollars in prizes.

Here’s a recap of what you could have won, and I’ve given the first name of the winners (or in cases where they didn’t provide a first name the handle that they used even in the cases where I know their first name.)

1. A Run to Win Atayne Grind T Running Shirt (men’s or women’s) worth $39 – John through Twitter
2. A Run to Win Atayne Trash T (men’s or women’s) worth $24 – Erin through Newsletter Subscription
3. A digital download of my “How to Raise Money For Non-Profits” coaching session with Mike Brooks worth $17.95 – Stacy through Facebook Fan*
4. A digital download of my “How to Regain and Maintain Your Competitive Edge as You Age” coaching session with Tom Ryan worth $17.95 – “countryike” From YouTube Subscribers*
5. Digital access to my “Yoga For Runners” coaching session with Michael Gaige worth $24.95 – “dpeach” From Linking to the Site
6. A $20 gift certificate to Road ID – “highonrunning90″ From a Forum Post
7. A SOC Box Greeting Card System for bragging about your next race worth $49 – ChickJ From Commenting in the Contest Thread!*
8. A copy of Meb Keflezighi’s book, Run to Overcome worth $24.99 – Don through Newsletter Subscription

If there is an asterisk after the person’s name it means that I have not yet heard back if they accept the prize. Each winner was given the option to not accept the prize in which case I’ll pick a new winner; as I hear back I’ll remove the asterisk.

It took me long enough to figure out how to create the lists of folks and draw the names and draw the prizes that I’d already heard back from a few people before even publishing the results.

My old theme was designed over 5 years ago and hasn’t changed much since. Now, the site should be a bit easier to navigate, it should be easier to find what you are looking for, and little things such as the YouTube videos being too wide to fully fit onto the page are now a thing of the past!

In celebration of which, I’m going to be giving away a bunch of swag, so keep reading for details about how to enter.

To start, here’s a quick walkthrough that I just recorded:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h_99YMtM9s

Download This Video: MP4 – MP3 – Watch on YouTube

Video Transcription

Click Here to Read the Transcript

Giveaway Details

Here’s what I’m going to do. The contest will be very easy to enter, and there will be many ways to earn a chance at a prize. Next week, I will compile all the names and how many chances you have to win, and will randomly choose winners based on your number of entries. Prizes will also be rewarded at random.

I’ll update this post with new prizes throughout the week as I think of them, so just scroll down to see what you can (currently) win and then check back later to see what’s been added.

Entering the contest is easy, and to suit everybody’s style of browsing the internet I’ve provided many different ways. Don’t feel as though you need to do everything, though, it could be overwhelming!

Here’s how to enter the contest:

• Subscribe to my Newsletter: If you are already subscribed, then you are already entered in the contest. (That was easy, right?) If not, there is a newsletter signup form in the sidebar to the right and at the bottom of the screen, and not only will you be entered into the giveaway but I’ll also give you a free copy of my report, The 3 Components of an Effective Workout.
• Participate in the Community Forum: I’ve set up a more interactive community here at Run to Win, and I’d love to give it a kick-start! For every post you make in the forums, you’ll get an entry into the contest. Don’t spam, though, or your comments will be deleted and you may get kicked out. Comments that don’t add anything to the discussion such as “I agree with what you said” without offering anything else are also not eligible to serve as entries into the contest. Registration is free so just click the community button and start interacting!
• Follow me on the Social Websites: Already follow me or are a fan? Then you are already entered in the contest! Each of these will get you an entry into the contest:
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Become a fan on Facebook
  • Subscribe to me on YouTube
• Mention This Contest On Your Website: If you link to this post and mention the new site design and the giveaway on your website, you’ll get another entry into the contest. Just leave a trackback or a comment below letting me know where to find your post.
• Let Me Know What You Think in the Comments: I’m a big fan of feedback; positive is better, but constructive is fine too. Do you like the new site design? Is there something I could do better? Just leave a comment below letting me know what you think and that’s good for another entry.
• Make a Purchase From My Store: Everything else is something you can do to enter the contest for free, but if you really want a lot of entries, I’ll give you 1 entry into the contest for every dollar you spend before the contest ends. I’ve got some great Run to Win running shirts.

So that’s how to enter, now what will you win?

Bear in mind that I’m going to keep adding to this list throughout the week, but here are the prizes so far:

1. A Run to Win Atayne Grind T Running Shirt (men’s or women’s) worth $39
2. A Run to Win Atayne Trash T (men’s or women’s) worth $24
3. A digital download of my “How to Raise Money For Non-Profits” coaching session with Mike Brooks worth $17.95.
4. A digital download of my “How to Regain and Maintain Your Competitive Edge as You Age” coaching session with Tom Ryan worth $17.95.
5. Digital access to my “Yoga For Runners” coaching session with Michael Gaige worth $24.95.
6. A $20 gift certificate to Road ID.
7. A SOC Box Greeting Card System for bragging about your next race worth $49.
8. A copy of Meb Keflezighi’s book, Run to Overcome worth $24.99.

So, by my counting, that comes to a grand prize of $217.84 worth prizes so far…

The contest will run from Monday, November 22, 2010 through Sunday, November 28, 2010. Next week, In the next couple of weeks, I will begin drawing names from each category and will draw for awarding prizes. For physical products, shipping is included to anywhere in the 48 contiguous United States, and we’ll work something out if you live elsewhere.

No purchase is necessary to enter the contest (per the methods of entering up above) and the contest is not valid where prohibited by local laws. Winners will receive an email notifying them that they won, so be sure you use a valid email address or are willing to respond to me if I contact you through a social media site (in the case where that’s where you’ve won.)

I’m the sole judge and the rules may change at any time without notice.

So with all that out of the way…what do you think of the new site?

Hopefully you’ve been following my 1 More Mile for Sunshine challenge, because I’ve been so busy running that I kept forgetting to email you about this week’s contest.

I got a pair of Recovery Socks to test out a couple weeks back, and have been wearing them almost every night. They are probably one of the reasons that I feel so good even though I am now running more miles in a week than I ever have in my life (one more college statistic I’ve now broken!)

I’ve got a quick review up on the website, and another simple contest (just leave a comment on the post) where you can try to win 1 of 2 pairs that I’m giving away:
http://www.1moremileforsunshine.com/249/win-a-free-pair-of-recovery-socks

You have until Sunday night to enter.

Good luck!

“Do you offer private coaching?”

Until now, the answer has always been, “I will, but not at the moment.”

For those local to Southern Maine, I help out with the coaching at Maine Running Company for those that don’t mind being in a group, but other than a couple of close friends I haven’t offered private 1 on 1 attention up to this point.

Well, this week I’ve finally gotten the biggest hassle out of the way (insurance) and will be offering a program at the beginning of November.

Now, this opportunity is only going to be open to a small number of people. I’ll have some more details and a video available for you on Monday (November 2nd) that should answer any questions that you have.

If you are interested in private coaching, then enter your name and email address to sign up for the early bird notification list:

Once you click on the submit button above you’ll receive a confirmation email. Click the link in the confirmation email, and you will be notified first when the coaching program opens!

In the meantime, run safe and stay healthy!

Regards,
– Blaine

P.S. If you have any specific questions about what you’d want in a private coach, just leave a comment below and let me know and I’ll try to address your question on Monday.

The service that I use to publish my feed that you can subscribe to got bought a year or two ago and has had some internal changes that have been made and weren’t being clearly communicated to the users, so I didn’t make all of the updates I was supposed to.

It is fixed now, though, so you should receive your regular updates again. If you’d like to subscribe to the site, you can do so by clicking here or entering your email address below:

Last year, I won the marathon in 2:43:27, which was pretty exciting.

Going into the race this year, I have 3 goals.

1. Break the course record.
2. Set the course record.
3. Run faster than 2:37:00.

If you haven’t made a guess yet, you can get full details here:
http://news.runtowin.com/2009/04/30/guess-how-long-it-will-take-me-to-run-the-cox-sports-marathon.html

On another note, I will probably get an update on the site late today with how Mike Brooks did during his 10 day race and whether he was able to run the last 31 miles to reach his goal of 500 miles or not. His back was hurting him pretty bad the last I heard from him. I won’t be able to get the audio update onto the site until tomorrow evening, though.

This weekend, I decided to celebrate the holiday with a couple of giveaways through my email newsletter. If you aren’t familiar with Patriot’s Day, it is a distinctly New England holiday, specifically for Maine and Massachusetts (which used to be the same state.) The holiday celebrates the battles of Lexington and Concord, which began the Revolutionary War. Every year, the Boston Marathon is held on the 3^rd Monday of April and almost everybody in the area gets the day off from work and school and comes out to watch the race.

Because it isn’t as important a holiday outside of New England, I decided to limit my giveaways to prizes that are only really relevant to folks that live in this area.

The first prize was for a gift certificate to Loco Running, a local shoe manufacturer based in Newmarket, New Hampshire. This gift certificate is good for 50% off any pair of shoes from them. They are good folk, and do a lot to support running in the area.

There were 16 total entrants in the contest for the gift certificate.

The second giveaway was for a subscription to New England Runner, which is probably my favorite magazine. Every time an issue arrives in my mailbox I immediately flip through the entire magazine looking for pictures of folks I know, and then read it cover to cover within the next few days.

They do a really good job covering all of the major events in the greater New England/New York area, and have some good tip-based and athlete profile articles mixed in with the race results. I always get excited when one of my teammates is featured or is an Athlete of the Month.

There were twice as many people interested in winning the subscription to New England Runner.

If you have a similar local magazine in your area, I recommend you check out an issue or two and see if it is a magazine you want to support.

I had a little trouble getting the screen capture program to work at first, so ignore the little flub at the start of this video:

So congratulations to our two winners!

If you’d like to participate in future giveaways or receive running tips and marathon advice, then please subscribe to my running tips newsletter (I’m still giving away my report on the 3 components of an effective workout if you subscribe today!) Just enter your name and email address here to sign up for the newsletter:

The phone call is absolutely free (your carrier may charge you but I won’t) and I’ll be grilling Mike on how he raises as much money as he does by running for charities. If you’ve ever run for others or considered doing so, you are going to want to be on this call.

More information:
http://news.runtowin.com/2009/03/18/have-you-ever-run-for-a-charity.html

However, it is currently past midnight and I’m not much of one for all nighters, so rather than try to decide which tracks to release, I am going to give you all the entire track list of topics and let you decide which ones I should release! I will be putting them together on Friday afternoon or early evening, so they should be available shortly after dinner.

Here is the list of tracks:

• 01 Opening Call Summary
• 02 Introductions & Tom’s Running History
• 03 Inspiration and Motivation for Getting Out The Door
• 04 How To Plan Out Your Year From Season to Season
• 05 The 2008 Beach to Beacon: An Impromptu 50+ 10K Championship
• 06 How To Maintain A High Level of Performance On Relatively Low Milage
• 07 How To Balance Weekend Races with Mid-Week Track Workouts
• 08 How To Deal With Recovery In Your 50s Compared to 3 or 4 Years Ago
• 09 Unexpected Changes Over The Course of the Past Few Years
• 10 How To Find People To Train With Every Day
• 11 Nutrition & Diet
• 12 The Difference In Body Weight From Tom’s 20s through His 40s and 50s
• 13 Serious Running Injuries and How To Stay Healthy
• 14 How To Choose Running Shoes
• 15 How To Maintain Focus Through the Middle Of A Race
• 16 How To Formulate a Race Plan & Choose Specific Splits
• 17 How Many Races Tom Does Per Year & At What Distances
• 18 Opening Up To Questions: Welcome John
• 19 Strengthening Core Muscles
• 20 Weight Training & Yoga
• 21 Treadmills & Training Outside in Winter Weather
• 22 The Benefits of Screw Shoes
• 23 Training Paces On Long Runs Compared to Races & Other Runs
• 24 Case Study: Setting Goals
• 25 Clothing Choices to Protect Your Respiratory System in Cold Air
• 26 The Root Causes of Knee Problems & Other Ailments
• 27 Transitioning From Walking to Running During Marathon Training
• 28 Training Logs
• 29 Case Study: How To Pace a Friend in a 100 Miler While Training For 5Ks
• 30 How To Train For Endurance
• 31 How To Fuel Yourself In Endurance Running
• 32 Respiratory Problems / Asthma / Cold Air (Revisited)

I will probably be releasing 3 or 4 of them, depending upon how ambitious I am, so vote for the topics that interest you most. Most of the tracks are between 2 and 5 minutes long each.

You can either leave a comment below, or you can send me an email. I’m looking forward to hearing what you think!

Screen Media Films is provided me with 5 copies of the DVD to give away, which I did throughout the course of the past week.

This last contest was a little more difficult to win than any of the previous contests, since it involved doing a little research to answer a pair of questions. First, you had to tell me who ran the first sub-4 minute mile in Maine, and then what shoe company Jeff Caron ran for in Boston.

This became a little more difficult, though, because I actually asked a different question than I meant to for question 1.

Watch the video to see the answers, as well as the selection of the last DVD winner:


Watch “Run For Your Life” DVD Contest » Day 5

The contest was a lot of fun for me, I really enjoyed reading everybody’s comments and emails. I hope that you enjoyed this whole process as much as I did.

Was this worth doing? Should I run contests more often? I don’t know if I will let a week long contest take over my site like this one did, but should I try to give things away more often? Which parts of the contest did you like, and which did you not care for? Leave a comment below or send me an email and let me know.

Thanks for taking part!

Screen Media Films is provided me with 5 copies of the DVD to give away, which I did throughout the course of the past week.

In the meantime, I never heard from one of the winners after 2 days, and so I chose a new winner! I didn’t create a video for the redrawing; instead, I just took a screenshot and then added in a piece from the winning comment.

Congratulations Phil! I’ve sent you an email, so hopefully you have an opportunity some time in the next 2 days to check your email and claim your prize.

In the meantime, I happen to know you are running the New York City Marathon tomorrow morning, so good luck and good race!

I have chosen the winner for the last DVD, I am just waiting for the video to upload so that I can announce who it was. That will be announced within the next hour or so.

Screen Media Films has provided me with 5 copies of the DVD to give away. Monday through Wednesday, you had an opportunity to win a copy through the website by leaving a comment on the daily contest.

Yesterday, the folks that have subscribed to my running tips newsletter were given 2 opportunities to win the remaining DVDs, first by sending an email to a specific address for the contest (the easy way) and second by emailing a separate address with the answers to a couple of questions that require a little bit of research (the hard way.)

This morning, I chose a winner for the 4^th DVD:


Watch “Run For Your Life” DVD Contest » Day 4

Thanks for the great emails, I did enjoy reading through them all even though the selection was completely random. Remember that you have the rest of today to get your answers in to the last contest, and I am not planning on closing entries until I get around to choosing a winner tomorrow morning or early afternoon.

Screen Media Films has provided me with 5 copies of the DVD to give away. Monday through Wednesday, you had an opportunity to win a copy through the website by leaving a comment on the daily contest.

I am also giving away 2 copies to people that belong to my Running Tips Newsletter, so you have until 11:00 this morning (Eastern Daylight Time) to join my newsletter so that you can receive instructions about how to win one of those two copies through your email.

Be sure to get to a screening of the movie sometime this week in New York City, if you are in the area. And if you don’t win a copy of the movie this week through these contests, then be sure to pick up a copy after it is released later today on DVD.

Now, here is the winner of the third DVD:


Watch “Run For Your Life” DVD Contest » Day 3

I will be sending out an email around 11:00 a.m. EDT today to anybody that belongs to my newsletter. There will be 2 ways to win a DVD from this morning’s email, and I’m including the standard rules in this post that applies to today’s contest. If you haven’t joined the newsletter and downloaded your free report on the 3 components of an effective workout, then now is the time to do so:

Contest rules and disclaimers:

1. There are 5 copies of the DVD being given away, and they will be mailed postage paid to anyone within the continental United States. (I am not sure if this movie is playable outside of the United States or not.)
2. I will be the complete and final judge. I can change the rules on a whim. The winner will be chosen by random drawing through the use of the website, random.org.
3. I will make my best effort to package and mail the DVD in new condition, but will not be responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during shipping.
4. For each DVD, one (1) entry per person is allowed, although that person may enter separately for each DVD. Subsequent entries from any given person will be deleted and ignored and any attempts to spam me will result in all of their entries being deleted.
5. If you won a cpy of the DVD already in one of these 5 contests, then you are not eligible to win a second copy.
6. The email contest will be in 2 parts, one of which will be open through today and the other which will be open through tomorrow. Both contests will start today.
7. If you win and do not get back to me within 2 days, then I reserve the right to give the prize to somebody else.
8. I will make my best effort to contact the winner, but a valid email address must be used to enter the contest.
9. Local laws, rules, and regulations apply. No purchase is necessary.
10. Does anybody actually read these? I guess so since on Monday there were comments about my rules.
11. I plan on continuing to announce the winner in video format because it is actually quite fun. Is it worth doing or am I just amusing myself?

Thanks to all of the people who have participated over the past 3 days in the contest! It has been a lot of fun, although I admit that I’m looking forward to talking about something other than this movie.

Screen Media Films is providing me with 5 copies of the DVD to give away. Monday through today, you will have an opportunity to win a copy through the website by leaving a comment on the daily contest article answering a specific question, which will be asked after yesterday’s winner is announced. I will randomly choose one commenter each day from people that comment on that day’s article.

I will also be giving away 2 copies to people that belong to my Running Tips Newsletter, so you have until tomorrow morning to join my newsletter so that you can receive instructions about how to win one of those two copies through your email.

Be sure to get to a screening of the movie sometime this week in New York City, if you are in the area. And if you don’t win a copy of the movie this week through these contests, then be sure to pick up a copy after it is released later today on DVD.

Now, here is the winner of the second DVD:


Watch “Run For Your Life” DVD Contest » Day 2

This is the article for today’s contest. Just leave a comment below answering this question for a chance to win the first DVD:

How long have you been running?

It’s an easy question, and I will not be fact checking. I have been running for around 18 years or so at this point, since I was in middle school.

As with the last two days, you can link to today’s contest from your website and leave a second comment that includes the URL to the page that you linked from for a second chance to win the DVD. Anybody else leaving a second comment will have that comment deleted, and anybody’s first comment that doesn’t answer the above question will have their comment deleted.

If you want to have a chance to win the 2 DVDs tomorrow, then you will need to join my email newsletter before mid-morning; if you are already on the newsletter then you are all set and will get instructions later in the week automatically! As a bonus, I am still giving away my free report about the 3 components of an Effective Workout Report. You can sign up from the newsletter description page, by entering your name and email in the sign up box above and to the right, or by just entering your information here:

Contest rules and disclaimers:

1. There are 5 copies of the DVD being given away, and they will be mailed postage paid to anyone within the continental United States. (I am not sure if this movie is playable outside of the United States or not.)
2. I will be the complete and final judge. I can change the rules on a whim. The winner will be chosen by random drawing through the use of the website, random.org.
3. I will make my best effort to package and mail the DVD in new condition, but will not be responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during shipping.
4. For each DVD, one (1) entry per person is allowed, as well as one entry per website. Subsequent entries from any given person will be deleted and ignored.
5. Each daily contest will be open to comments the day that the article goes up announcing it through the next morning when I get around to closing comments. Comments are guaranteed to be open only for the remainder of that day.
6. If you win and do not get back to me within 2 days, then I reserve the right to give the prize to somebody else.
7. I will make my best effort to contact the winner, but a valid email address must be left in the comments. If a trackback wins, then I will do my best to find a contact link on the web page linking to here, but if I do not see one then you will have to look back at this site to see if you have won.
8. Local laws, rules, and regulations apply. No purchase is necessary.
9. If you won a copy of the DVD already in one of these 5 contests, then you are not eligible to win a second copy.
10. I may or may not continue to show the winner in video format, we’ll see how many problems people have with it.
11. Clarification: As mentioned above, you can leave a 2^nd comment if it links to your own website where you mention today’s contest. However, it can not be from the same blog post or page and must link to today’s contest to be eligible for today’s second comment allowance.

Don’t forget to let me know how long you have been running or else your comment is going to be deleted, and if you aren’t a runner then just say so, that’s fine.

Screen Media Films is providing me with 5 copies of the DVD to give away. Yesterday through tomorrow, you will have an opportunity to win a copy through the website by leaving a comment on the daily contest article answering a specific question, which will be asked after yesterday’s winner is announced. I will randomly choose one commenter each day from people that comment on that day’s article.

I will also be giving away 2 copies to people that belong to my Running Tips Newsletter, so you have until Thursday morning to join my newsletter so that you can receive instructions about how to win one of those two copies through your email.

Be sure to get to a screening of the movie sometime this week in New York City, if you are in the area. And if you don’t win a copy of the movie this week through these contests, then be sure to pick up a copy after it is released later today on DVD.

Now, here is yesterday’s winner:


Watch “Run For Your Life” DVD Contest » Day 1

This is the article for today’s contest. Just leave a comment below answering this question for a chance to win the first DVD:

What was your time in either your 1^st or your most recent marathon? If you haven’t run a marathon, then what was the time you ran for your last race and how far was it? If you have never raced, then what was the time for a race a family member or friend ran, and how do you know them? If you don’t know anybody that has run a race, then how did you originally find this website?

It’s an easy question, and I will not be fact checking. As with yesterday, you can link to today’s contest from your website and leave a second comment that includes the URL to the page that you linked from for a second chance to win the DVD. Anybody else leaving a second comment will have that comment deleted, and anybody’s first comment that doesn’t include a race time or other answer to the above question will have their comment deleted.

If you want to have a chance to win the 2 DVDs at the end of the week, then you will need to join my email newsletter before Thursday; if you are already on the newsletter then you are all set and will get instructions later in the week automatically! As a bonus, I am still giving away my free report about the 3 components of an Effective Workout Report. You can sign up from the newsletter description page, by entering your name and email in the sign up box above and to the right, or by just entering your information here:

If you don’t like how this contest is different, then you can blame Steve W and Tika Wright for putting the idea in my head. Also note that there are a few additions to the contest rules and disclaimers going forward, although they are not particularly exciting.

Contest rules and disclaimers:

1. There are 5 copies of the DVD being given away, and they will be mailed postage paid to anyone within the continental United States. (I am not sure if this movie is playable outside of the United States or not.)
2. I will be the complete and final judge. I can change the rules on a whim. The winner will be chosen by random drawing through the use of the website, random.org.
3. I will make my best effort to package and mail the DVD in new condition, but will not be responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during shipping.
4. For each DVD, one (1) entry per person is allowed, as well as one entry per website. Subsequent entries from any given person will be deleted and ignored.
5. Each daily contest will be open to comments the day that the article goes up announcing it through the next morning when I get around to closing comments. Comments are guaranteed to be open only for the remainder of that day.
6. If you win and do not get back to me within 2 days, then I reserve the right to give the prize to somebody else.
7. I will make my best effort to contact the winner, but a valid email address must be left in the comments. If a trackback wins, then I will do my best to find a contact link on the web page linking to here, but if I do not see one then you will have to look back at this site to see if you have won.
8. Local laws, rules, and regulations apply. No purchase is necessary.
9. If you won a copy of the DVD already in one of these 5 contests, then you are not eligible to win a second copy.
10. I may or may not continue to show the winner in video format, we’ll see how many problems people have with it.
11. Clarification: As mentioned above, you can leave a 2^nd comment if it links to your own website where you mention today’s contest. However, it can not be from the same blog post or page and must link to today’s contest to be eligible for today’s second comment allowance.

Screen Media Films is providing me with 5 copies of the DVD to give away. Today through Wednesday, you will have an opportunity to win a copy through the website by just leaving a comment on the daily contest article. I will randomly choose one commenter each day from people that comment on that day’s article. I will also be giving away 2 copies to people that belong to my Running Tips Newsletter, so you have until Thursday morning to join my newsletter so that you can receive instructions about how to win one of those two copies through your email.

Be sure to get to a screening of the movie sometime this week in New York City, if you are in the area. And if you don’t win a copy of the movie this week through these contests, then be sure to pick up a copy after it is released tomorrow on DVD.

This is the article for today’s contest. Just leave a comment below for a chance to win the first DVD. If you link to today’s contest from your website, you can leave a second comment that includes the URL to the page that you linked from for a second chance to win the DVD. Anybody else leaving a second comment will have that comment deleted.

If you want to have a chance to win the 2 DVDs at the end of the week, then you will need to join my email newsletter before Thursday; if you are already on the newsletter then you are all set and will get instructions later in the week automatically! As a bonus, I am still giving away my free report about the 3 components of an Effective Workout Report. You can sign up from the newsletter description page, by entering your name and email in the sign up box above and to the right, or by just entering your information here:

Contest rules and disclaimers:

1. There are 5 copies of the DVD being given away, and they will be mailed postage paid to anyone within the continental United States. (I am not sure if this movie is playable outside of the United States or not.)
2. I will be the complete and final judge. I can change the rules on a whim. The winner will be chosen by random drawing through the use of the website, random.org.
3. I will make my best effort to package and mail the DVD in new condition, but will not be responsible for any damage or loss that may occur during shipping.
4. For each DVD, one (1) entry per person is allowed, as well as one entry per website. Subsequent entries from any given person will be deleted and ignored.
5. Each daily contest will be open to comments the day that the article goes up announcing it through the next morning when I get around to closing comments. Comments are guaranteed to be open only for the remainder of that day.
6. If you win and do not get back to me within 2 days, then I reserve the right to give the prize to somebody else.
7. I will make my best effort to contact the winner, but a valid email address must be left in the comments. If a trackback wins, then I will do my best to find a contact link on the web page linking to here, but if I do not see one then you will have to look back at this site to see if you have won.
8. Local laws, rules, and regulations apply. No purchase is necessary.

What are the most important considerations when purchasing a treadmill? To find out, I had a chat with John Cammidge, who sells treadmills at the Fitness Superstore, a UK based company.

The most important features that you should look for when purchasing a treadmill that you plan to run on are different than if you were just getting one to walk on. Here are some of the most important:

• Top Speed: If the treadmill can not go fast enough for you to get your workout in, then you aren’t going to use it and you won’t get a good workout if you do use it. A commercial treadmill will usually max out at around 12 miles per hour, which is about 4:50/mile pace.
• Roller Size: The larger a roller, the longer it will last. Look for a roller that has a diameter of 2 inches, or 2½ inches if you can find and afford it. A 1½ inch roller will have to complete many more revolutions to cover the same distance as a larger roller.
• Motor Horsepower: If you plan on doing any sort of long run on your treadmill, then you are going to need at least a 3 horsepower motor. If you only plan on going for short runs or don’t plan on using the treadmill very frequently, then a 1.5HP motor will probably suit your purposes.
• Warranty: If the warranty is short, then the manufacturer has no faith in their product. Be sure to look for a long default manufacturer warranty that covers motor, frame, and labor. You do not want to have to send the treadmill back to the manufacturer for repairs; they should be able to provide on site maintenance through a local contractor.
• Belt Size: The faster you plan on running on your treadmill, then the larger of a belt that you will need. You will also want to make sure that the belt is long enough for your height, so that you do not step off of the front or back of the treadmill.

My wife inherited a treadmill from her grandmother when they sold their house. Despite being many years old, it was basically new as her grandmother rarely used it. Even so, I can’t bring myself to run on it. It is just too slow and too small for me, and I feel that if I were to use it that it would fall apart. When my wife uses it, she only goes for brisk walks.

Based upon my own experiences with treadmills, there are a few other points that you may want to consider when purchasing your treadmill.

• Decibel Level: How loud is the treadmill when it is operating? Our treadmill is extremely noisy, and one of our prime considerations when we replace it is going to be how loud the new one is. A heavy, stable frame will help to cut down on the noise.
• Computer: If you like to have programmable workouts on your treadmill, then be sure to purchase a treadmill with an intuitive display. I have never actually used this feature past looking at how long I’ve been running, how far I’ve ran, and how fast I am currently going. I manually use the incline/decline and speed buttons to control my workouts.
• Max Incline: I never use an incline less than 2 degrees, although I’ll ramp it up as far as 8 or 10 degrees during a workout. If you want to fight boredom and change your workout up, one of the few “terrain” types of changes that you can make with a treadmill is the level of incline.
• Price: How much your treadmill costs is going to make a big difference in what sort of features you are going to get, although the price of manufacturing has been coming down and treadmills have been getting more affordable. You will probably want to spend a few extra dollars to get a treadmill mat, even if you are not worried about protecting your floors. The treadmill mat will prevent dust and dirt from getting sucked up into the motor, which sucks particles up off of the floor due to the static electricity that it generates as it operates. A floor mat can keep your treadmill operating more efficiently and help it to last longer.

This article has been sponsored by The Fitness Superstore, who recommend the following 2 models for serious runners: Horizon-Elite 507 Folding Treadmill – Tunturi-T85 Folding Treadmill

• I began the week by discussing how effective body weight exercises are when traveling. This was the final article of the month on training and travel in collaboration with Scott.
• I collected my best tips as well as what other people with the article about what to do when a dog wants to chase you. Once you use these tips and are safely away, I really recommend that you call animal services or your local warden. It may seem like a harsh thing to do and it will definitely upset the owner, but it is in the dog’s best interest for their owner to be aware of what they are doing and making sure that the animal stays safe and doesn’t put itself or anybody else in danger.
• This week last year, the marathon world record was broken by Haile Gebrselassie with a time of 2:04:26. That ain’t walkin’…
• In local racing news, Kay West finished the Eliot 5k in 1:28:53, which was below the USATF age group guidelines for the distance. She was 97 years old! I wonder if she’ll be running again later this morning?
• This week 2 years ago, I made the front page of the local newspaper. The story didn’t have a whole lot to do with me, but it involved a giant picture so I won’t complain! I pointed out how easy it is to make new friends while you are running, and discussed how important a flexible training schedule can be.
• This week 3 years ago, I discussed DNA tests that determine what sports you may have better success at than others. I also spoke about running through illnesses and a good swiss ball routine.

• In the training tips department, I wrote about training options while on the road. There are a lot of different ways to stay in shape even if you travel regularly, and this article pointed at some different ways to stay fit in your hotel room, the hotel fitness center or a local gym, or by heading outside.
• I make no bones about my abhorrence to caffeine, but I can still joke about it. I found a great webcomic strip that helps you to learn how to quit drinking caffeine. It gave me a good chuckle.
• In local news, cyclists received the protection of some new laws here in Maine by allowing motor vehicles to cross a solid yellow line when passing a cyclist, requiring at least 3 feet of clearance before passing, and by not allowing teenagers to use their cell phones while driving. I haven’t really noticed much of a difference on the streets over the past year, however. In other local news, Team competition returned to the Eliot 5k. Eliot used to be the largest 5k in Maine, and annually draws an extremely competitive local field. This year’s race (which is a week from today) should be no different.
• Also in the news, John L Parker, Jr had a heart attack and spent the next few months recovering. His health has since improved and he is doing quite well as of the last that I heard some months ago.
• This week 2 years ago, I created a video demonstration of how to tie your shoes with a runner’s knot so that they do not come untied. I also listed a few exercise related How-To articles and also reviewed Chariots of Fire, which must be the most well known running movie ever made. Dean Karnazes began the Endurance 50 and ran his first of 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. I began to mix up my pushups with medicine balls to give myself a little extra challenge, and I also offered a race tip about running first thing the morning before a race to properly loosen up your body.
• This week 3 years ago, I climbed Mount Washington and I wrote about proper gym etiquette.

• First, Asafa Powell set a new 100 meter world record in Rieti, Italy with his time of 9.74 seconds. He has since run faster than that, but no longer holds the record.
• Second, the Back Cove Weekly Race Series finished up. 2007 was the first year that I was one of the sponsors, and I managed to win free shoes for a year by having the fastest 6 times on the course. I only won by an average of 1 second per race!
• Third, I wrote about my first ultramarathon experience at the Pisgah 50k Mountain Race. I had quite a few articles about the race, so anybody that is thinking of running might want to take a look through. The race is either today or tomorrow this year, and I wasn’t able to make it back. Hopefully next year.
  1. Pisgah 50k Trail Race (2007) – Pre-Race Review
  2. Pisgah 50k Trail Race (2007) – Race Review
  3. Pisgah 50k Trail Race (2007) – Post-Race Review
  4. Pisgah 50k/23k Trail Races – 2007 Race Results
• This week 2 years ago also saw the Back Cove 5k Race Series finishing up, that time with Mike Caiazzo and Lindsey Davis taking the series honors. I won the last race, and placed 3^rd overall. I added on to my icing series from a few months earlier by explaining how to ice sensitive areas on your body such as your eyes or testicles, and I reviewed Breaking Away, a movie about cyclist in the 70s. On the news front, New Jersey began testing kids for steroids in an attempt to catch them young.
• This week three years ago, I pointed to some resources about deadlifting, namely a video on how not to deadlift and one on proper deadlift form.

• The week began with a new series with Scott, this time focusing on travel. I offered advice on finding a track to work out on when you are traveling. My favorite tip is to just look at Google Maps or some other aerial or satellite photography of the area you will be visiting, because running tracks are very distinctive and easy to pick out on a map.
• I created a case study on developing a race plan so that you could follow my thought processes on how I decided what to do during a specific race. I then followed that case study up with the actual results of the race after all was said and done.
• One of the reasons that I needed such a detailed race plan was because a few days after the 5k race, I ran a 50k. It was my first time racing beyond the distance of a marathon.
• Some of the latest research in muscle performance found that most racing problems are probably mental rather than physical. There is a chemical influence in the body relating to muscle damage, but there aren’t any actual problems with the muscles themselves that would inhibit performance.
• This week 2 years ago, I shared the 2^nd best way to avoid hangovers (the best obviously being to avoid drinking to excess.) I also suggested that you check your gym or race bag before you leave in the morning. It is much more convenient to remember something before you leave than after.
• This week 3 years ago, I wrote about the best marathon training run…ever! Not only did I get in a good 17 miles, but my girlfriend also agreed to marry me along the way. We’ve now been happily married for a little over 2 years. A little less exciting but more useful to everyone else, I also wrote about losing weight by cutting out sugar water by drinking more water and less soda or sports drinks.

• A common question that I get asked is a variant along the lines of “Why do my feet go numb?” There are quite a few reasons that you might get a numb foot while you are running, and I go over what they are could be as well as how to prevent the problem.
• Finishing up a month about the media, Scott discussed Usain Bolt was still beatable as the USA did well in the men’s sprints.
• This website got hacked by some script kiddies after I waited too long to update the software I use to run the site. Let this be a lesson: Update regularly. There are much worse security vulnerabilities around for outdated versions of WordPress these days.
• This week two years ago I was thinking a lot about marathons.
  • I explained 50 Marathons in 50 Days is impressive.
  • I discovered that it took 5 weeks of low mileage to decondition, and that I was able to regain that level of fitness in about two months. I also began lifting weights with a wedding ring on, which remains a surprisingly popular article.
  • The B.A.A. published a press release that they were going to move up the start of the Boston Marathon by 2 hours to 10:00 a.m. I predicted that there was going to be a blizzard due to the earlier starting time, and I was not too far off of the mark. A Nor’Easter blew through right before the race, which made it difficult for me to get home as the train tracks were washed out and the roads were all flooded and blocked.

Ian Parlin and Jamie Anderson gave an excellent Trail Running 101 clinic at a local shoe store, introducing the basic concepts and rules of trail running to the crowd. You can read my notes on the presentation as well as download the original powerpoint slides.

The world championships had a fair bit of media coverage, with constant radio broadcasts and daily television broadcasts on the Versus network and on NBC.

The IAAF coupled the increased media coverage with the first incarnation of their fantasy athletics game.

The heat and humidity was good preparation for this year’s Olympics, but led to quite slow times as Luke Kibet won the men’s marathon in a “pedestrian” 2:15:59.

In other racing news, the L/A Bridge Run was exactly a year ago. I managed to run (slightly) faster and place higher despite not being in as good of 5k shape as I am this year.

This week two years ago, I gave some reasons that running takes practice just like any other sport. I also found the “Athletes Against Doping” website, which contains a lot of information about what substances are banned in each sport and who the governing bodies are.

This week three years ago, I also talked about doping by explaining what EPO was after the furor with Lance Armstrong brought it to attention. Kenenisa Bekele also set the 10k world record with a time of 26:17.53.

• The first running tip that I offered was how to drink water during a race, with practical tips to keep you from having to slow down and to make sure you don’t try to drown yourself.
• The second tip that I offered last year was to warm up in spare clothes before a race. Getting your racing clothes soaked or sweaty before a race can be aggravating, so having a spare set of clothing to change out of before the race (and, for that matter, into after the race) can make you much more comfortable.
• I asked the question, “Dean Karnazes. That I was asking this question a year ago is rather appropriate, given that his new book is set to be published in another week or two.
• In running news, Jeremy Wariner set a 400m record and won a diamond at a meet in Stockholm with a time of 43.5 seconds.
• In fake running news, a graphic design student created a movie trailer for Once a Runner, which is one of the best fictional running books in the sport.
• This week two years ago, I was busy getting ready to get married but the site kept ticking over with interesting things to read.
  • I explained the difference between RICE and RID and why either method is a good way to treat your injuries. I have since learned that using anti-inflammatories can be counter productive.
  • Over in the UK, cross country running was declared a brand of abuse and was equated with bullying. It still seems a little ridiculous to myself.
  • The first half of my Shoe Maintenance Series went live while I was busy getting ready to be married. I introduced the series, and then offered up a central theme in the tips which is to keep your shoes dry when you are not wearing them. How you keep them dry is important, as well, which is why I continued on the second day by explaining how effective pulling out insoles can be and why you should remove rocks and mud after your run. The next day was the wedding itself, and then on Sunday there was one tip where I explained what to do if your shoes are sopping wet.
• This week 3 years ago, at the world championships in Helsinki, Kenenisa Bekele won the 10,000m, Bershawn Jackson won the 400m hurdles, and the United States took the top 4 in the 200 meters final. I also reviewed my casio wristwatch and the book, Run Fast: How to beat your best time every time.

• I started the week off by offering 4 ways to determine the length of a pool in response to a reader question on the matter.
• Maine Running Company hosted a talk by John L Parker, Jr. where he discussed his history as a runner and as a speaker. He read the first chapter of his as yet unpublished sequel to Once a Runner.
• The rest of the week was all about the B2B. First, it was announced that everybody would have a chance to run with the elites at the Back Cove race following the Beach to Beacon. There was also an interview between Joan Samuelson and Dave McGillivray published on the B2B site that offered some insights into the founding of the race. I offered up a few tips about running the race and provided a breakdown of the results after it was over.
• This week two years ago, I discussed why it is important to hydrate yourself after a race as well as before and during the race and I went into quite a bit of detail after being asked, “What is a taper?” I wrote a review of the movie Running on the Sun, about the Badwater ultramarathon.

• This week last year started off with The Running Shoe FAQ, which explained why runners wear specialty shoes and what makes them different from normal walking shoes.
• I answered a question from an aerobics instructor about how to treat posterior shin splints, including what they are, how to best treat them, and how to prevent them from coming back.
• I was asked “What is the difference between swiss balls and medicine balls?” by Susan. Swiss balls are the large inflatable balls that you can sit on, while medicine balls are the small weighted balls that you can use in place of dumbbells. For good measure, I also explained what a bosu ball was.
• Some friends of mine ran the Vermont 100 mile race last year for the first time, and all three have continued on for their ultramarathoning endeavors. In fact, there were 5 guys who went to Vermont last weekend to compete in this year’s event from our training group.
• On the news front, the IAAF finally agreed to work with Oscar Pistorius to determine whether or not his prosthetics give him an advantage. I also provided a new wrap up that covered stories about new Junior American records, doping at the Tour de France, Disney’s move to ban smoking in their movies, and a study that found that obesity is contagious.
• This week two years ago, I continued my series on how to ice sore muscles by explaining how to give yourself an ice massage and how to use an ice bath. I spent a little time exploring the cost of racing and how much race registration fees can cost. I also discussed how gastrointestinal problems are affected by running.
• This week three years ago, Lance Armstrong won his final Tour. I also gave some tips about proper hydration and how to time rest intervals while lifting weights.

• I began the week by continuing the discussion of technology and fitness by describing 7 ways to time workouts. This article ran the technological ladder from using the sun to using an RFID chip on your shoe.
• In a very unique race, 56 people ran blind in the Vision 5k. Half of them were actually blind and the other half were sighted runners taking the blindfold challenge. This would be a fun race for me and one that I believe that I could do well at, except that I can’t afford the time to get down to Boston multiple times for mandatory “training” sessions.
• Almost 4 months before Ryan Shay died in the Olympic Trials, I discussed whether running a road race will kill you. I still believe that running is inherently healthy and that the infinitesimal chance of having a heart attack is not something that I am personally going to worry myself about.
• On a lighter note, I followed up that morbid discussion by defining some common running terms that you may encounter. Specifically, I defined what it means to get “girled” or “geezered” in a race. Sadly, I did not hear any of the women at the Maine Coast Half Marathon complain about getting “guyed”.
• On a non-running related note, I shared my thoughts on attending minor league games, specifically baseball games.
• This week two years ago was pretty busy.
  • Nick had a great suggestion that I wish that I had done. He suggested that you take before and after pictures for new exercise programs. When you are starting a new program, there may be some aches and pains, so remember to ice early and ice often.
  • When in a training program, be sure to include some downhill running. Last year I provided a half dozen benefits to doing so. You should also remember that the best runs come when you least expect them, such as the morning after your bachelor party.
  • I reviewed the Vitruvian Running Shoes. In other shoe news, the Nike+ system launched.
• This week 3 years ago, I reviewed Thorlos socks and I got punched by an Olympic Gold Medalist. My wife also did a workout that I would never even attempt, and it was only the first workout of the day. Even 3 years later, I wouldn’t attempt that kind of a workout. I’m still amazed by it.

• Scott started off a discussion on technology and fitness by discussing the sustainable gym. They seem to be getting more popular as time goes on.
• I created a 4^th of July race recap to celebrate the 4561+ people that competed last year.
• In Olympic news, the IOC announced the new Olympic selection process for deciding which sports to include or drop in future games.
• Alberto Salazar was hospitalized after having a heart attack while coaching.
• This week two years ago, I spoke about how one of the best things about the Fourth of July are all of the Fourth of July races you can find in every state. I also did a recap of the 2006 Fourth of July races. I followed that up by describing one of the my favorite runs from preseason in college, the beach run. In running news, Sam Thompson beat out Dean Karnazes as the first person to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days.

• I began the week by looking at dancing as an alternative exercise. Unfortunately for my wife and I, we haven’t been out dancing too often since she went to law school.
• The UCI came out with an anti-doping charter, and I felt that cyclists would be foolish to sign it. On the surface, anything to discourage doping is a good thing. I just felt that this particular measure took away too many of the athlete’s rights.
• In running news, the IAAF changed their stance on Oscar Pistorius so that he could compete until they decided if he had an advantage or not.
• On the track and in a headwind, Tyson Gay ran the 2^nd fastest all-time 200m race in 19.62 seconds, about 3-tenths of a second behind the 1996 mark set by Michael Johnson.
• I reviewed Trails.com and put together a video demonstration of what you get with the website.
• This week 2 years ago, I suggested that you never go to bed hungry. During the Western States 100 (which was unfortunately canceled this year), Brian Morrison was disqualified for receiving some help from the crowd near the end. I also discussed research about whether or not bonking during training was a worthwhile pursuit or not. Two years ago was centered on marathoning, such as a book review and a website review, my list of marathon candidates for Autumn, and my discovery that I was near meeting the requirements to join the 50 States Marathon Club. I also won the Literacy 5k, which I believe has since folded.

• This week last year, there was a debate about whether or not you should refuel during a marathon or whether you should stick to water. I had to throw my 2 cents in. My opinion is basically the same this year as last year, although I should go back and update it with my latest opinions and experiments.
• Scott and I continued our series on alternate exercises by suggesting that you should walk everywhere. I just bought a new car, so regardless of how much exercise I want to get you had best believe that I’m parking in the least desirable areas where there will hopefully not be anybody else parking near me.
• There was a lot of news this week last year. Here are a few of the more interesting stories:
  • Bike activists create their own bike lanes.
  • 16 year old Windy Hagar married her 40 year old track coach.
  • Dean Karnazes missed setting the 24 hour treadmill record.
• This week two years ago, I suggested that you shouldn’t fall asleep in front of the television.
• This week three years ago, I reviewed the books Running with the Buffaloes and Eat to Be Fit. I also shared my Beef Jerky recipe and made on a suggestion on how to deal with migraines. Lastly, I recommended that you go for a good Beach Run.