I couldn’t do this naked…I don’t think

Let’s be honest, I’m a gear nerd. I love trying new stuff, reviewing it, and sharing my experiences with you. I remember when I started running I was always asking the question, “What gear would be good for what situation?” and what’s funny is I’m getting that question a LOT from a lot of you! Now that I’ve trained and race in all sorts of conditions and distances, I’m getting more confident in my decisions (that doesn’t mean I’m immune to making mistakes) and want to share them. When I was writing my Leona Divide 50 Miler race recap, I thought it’d be good to write a separate blog highlighting each item I chose to wear or bring with me – for better or for worse – just so you could learn from my decisions. I’ll go from top to bottom.

HAT

I have visors, flex fits, running caps, bike caps, beenies, trucker hats and bandanas. What the hell was I going to wear? Well, with the heat and sun, I knew I’d want to protect my scalp, so I opted out of the visors (my scalp inevitably gets sunburned on the longer trail runs). The next choice was between a Outdoor Research short-brimmed cap or a Headsweats running cap. I chose the latter simply for more sun protection over my eyes (when hat is forward) or back of my neck (when hat is backwards). Added bonus would be the full-coverage hats could be stuffed with ice and let to melt over the course of the 5-7 miles between aid stations. I win.

SUNGLASSES

I love my Oakley Frogskins. These things have been through EVERYTHING over the last few years. They are extremely light, provide ample brightness protection and I can swap the lenses whenever I need. Also, I’m the only guy that I’ve seen sporting them out there on the trails and I like that. DON’T COPY ME!

Yurbud Inspire Pro

HEADPHONES

I knew I wanted to bring my iPod shuffle crammed full of music seeing as I was planning on a long long day out there on the trails. Normally, I just rock my regular iPhone ear pods with Yurbud silicon covers (I feel like I’m the only weirdo who’s ears and Apple earbuds DO NOT MIX), but the fine folks over at Yurbuds contacted me and sent me a pair of their Inspire Pro headphones in exchange for a review. I was pretty excited to try out a set of sport-specific headphones and quickly obliged. Over the last few weeks, I wore these suckers a few times and really tried to like them but they have one fatal flaw: they are a noisy pair of headphones. I’m not talking about sound quality (of which they excel over many other pairs I’ve tried – including the call feature) or noise-leak (they allow just enough noise into your ear to allow you safe environmental awareness when the music is moderately loud). I’m talking specifically about the manufacturing of the plastic coated cords that run up into the buds themselves. That point of connection is so loose and loud when running that all I hear is the clicking of the plastic cord hitting the plastic bud stem. It’s pretty aggravating and seemingly impossible to UNhear. They do offer new models that have cords made of cloth which I imagine would fix this issue, but they wouldn’t let me review a pair. However, by simply repurposing the silicon covers I received on the Inspire Pros, I feel like my iPhone headphones have a new life and are now my go-to pair.

The Yurbud Inspire Pros are $59.99 / pair which makes these a very expensive item. Rather than buying the full set of headphones, I’d recommend going with their silicon covers, sliding them onto buds you already own and enjoying your new awesome set of snug-fitting running headphones. Seriously, I’ve run all sorts of crazy distances, races, and in various conditions without an issue of the headphones coming loose. The silicon covers stretch out over time, but with a lifetime guarantee, Yurbud will happily replace a pair (as they did right before the 2012 SF Marathon when my covers would barely stay on the buds).

BANDANA

I wrapped a simple and cheap bandana around my neck per Jimmy Dean Freeman’s hot-weather advice. I sure am glad I did. I was able to dip this thing in ice cold water at every aid station and even wrap ice cubes up inside of it every 5-7 miles. That layer of cold would last for an hour on the back of my neck and I can almost guarantee contributed to keeping my core temp cool throughout the hot day. It was indispensable and an awesome last minute addition.

Train.Race.Beer. Singlet

TOP

As I do with any race, I love rocking one of my “Train. Race. Beer.” tops. I have both singlets and a long-sleeve race fabric top. For this race, I knew it was going to get very hot, so I was debating between my white singlet and my long sleeve. The singlet would allow more skin to sweat freely and possibly keep me cooler. The long sleeve would keep my skin from having to be covered in pore-clogging sun screen and sweat freely (if not more). I opted for the singlet just so I could manage my core temperature better and keep an eye on my glisteny-skin sweat levels. I will play more with the long sleeve in heat just to see if my body could even take it. I’m sure dumping water on it at every aid station could have kept my extremities cool.

The Salomon XA Skin Pro 10+3

HYDRATION PACK/NUTRITION

Now this is the item that I will debate using again, not because it didn’t work (it worked flawlessly as usual), but because I see so many Ultra runners these days running sans-pack and with two handhelds and it’s made me think about how much I really need to carry come race-day. When I run long training runs, I always like to rock my Salomon XA Skin Pro 10+3 hydration pack. I fill it with a few litres of water, an Ultimate Direction water bottle up front in one pocket, GU gels, chomps, Enduralytes and Pure Energy pouches in the other. I’ll also pack ginger chews, a small camping roll of toilet paper (you never know!), a headlamp, and extra liquid nutrition packets or ziplocs in the back pocket. I like to weigh it down with as much as possible so come raceday I’m amply prepared for the weight on my back.

For this race, I wasn’t confident with the two hand-held approach (still need to train quite a bit with this and nail down what sort of liquid nutrition I can use/works) so I opted to wear the pack again. I wanted to carry everything I’d need just in case I was between aid stations and had specific fuel/emergency requirements. This is probably a rookie decision every ultra runner makes so why not me? I filled it up with water, had a bottle upfront for liquid nutrition, and carried almost every piece of nutrition I thought I might be able to stomach. In the end, I used a few GU gels and chomps early on, then switched to liquid nutrition (Hammer Perpetuem and Sustained Energy) for the last 20 miles with a lot of help from aid station potatoes and chips. My pack was still weighed down considerably by unused GUs, Chomps and Pure Energy pouches by the time I finished. I have to work this out in the next few months to gauge my adaptability to multiple handhelds. I’m also looking into the Ultimate Direction AK race vest.

Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts

BOTTOMS

I had recently purchased the Patagonia Strider Pro shorts from REI and had a few runs in them. I LOVED them almost immediately and thought they’d make a perfect pair of race shorts. I was right. These things are awesome and I’ve already filmed my review for them. They are a light, secure, well-pocketed pair of shorts that are great for any run. I WANT MORE!

SOCKS

I went with my trusty Injinji compression socks. You’ve already seen my review and know how much I swear by them and running 50 miles in them proved they work. No blisters. I did have some pain on the bottom of my feet from where the compression in the foot portion squeezed my sweaty and swollen feet over 50 miles. That additional skin-tightness mixed with the occasional sand and grit that snuck into my shoes caused for some painful forefoot pads for a few days. In the future, I might opt to the trail or midweight version of Injinjis that I’m used to.

Salomon Sense Mantra Goodness

SHOES

So this has been the biggest question I’ve been asked since running. I had some choices for this race, so I wanted to be smart. I’ve been running in my new pair of Brooks Pure Grits, my Pearl Izumi Trail N1s and Salomon Sense Mantras and Sense Ultras. I love the Grits, but thought the traction might be an issue on the sand and loose dirt technical sections of this run. I figured I’d use them as my drop-bag backups for when I needed more late-race cushioning. I didn’t have more than 18 miles in the Trail N1s, and despite loving them, I thought it would be safer to trust something I’d had more trail time with. I feared the Sense Ultras would be just too minimal for me for such long mileage and I hadn’t given myself ample time in the lightly cushioned shoe. However, I had my fair share of comfortable miles in the Salomon Sense Mantras and ultimately decided they would be the shoe for the race.

A few weeks earlier, I had a GREAT 24 miler in them that proved they could comfortably go the distance for me. That run is what helped me make my last minute decision. I wasn’t disappointed. They were awesome. Around mile 38 I really started to have forefoot pain, but I chalked it up to the mileage, long day on the feet and the invasive sand/grit. Overall they rocked and surprised me with awesome.

So that’s it! If you guys ever have any questions about what I wear for races or training runs or need any advice, don’t hesitate to contact me on Twitter, Facebook, or here on my site. I want to empower you guys to run harder and farther, so I’m always happy to provide advice where I can! Thanks for reading!

BROOKS INFINITI III SHORTS

LIKED:

• Minimal/Light
• Storage
• Moisture Wicking

DISLIKED:

• Revealing
• Price

QUALITY: 4/5
COMFORT: 4/5
PRICE: 3/5
LOOKS: 4/5

TOTAL: 15/20

BROOKS NIGHTLIFE ESSENTIAL RUN JACKET

LIKED:

• Element Resistant
• Weather Proof Pocket
• Night Visibility

DISLIKED:

• Sizing
• Heavier
• Not Breathable
• Pocket Not Secure
• No Hood

QUALITY: 3/5
COMFORT: 4/5
PRICE: 3/5
LOOKS: 4/5

TOTAL: 14/20

BROOKS UTOPIA THERMAL 1/2 ZIP

LIKED:

• Comfortable
• Warm
• Thumbholes
• Back Pockets
• Looks

DISLIKED:

• Sizing
• No Hood
• Pockets Too Big/Low
• Zipper Garage

QUALITY: 4/5
COMFORT: 4/5
PRICE: 3/5
LOOKS: 4/5

TOTAL: 15/20

For more info on these items, visit: http://BrooksRunning.com and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE.

This pack is awesome. While it fits more like a vest (which I’m glad to see is the new general trend in hydration packs overall), the XA Skin Pro 10+3 pack has quite a few bells and whistles that take this pack to the next level. I’ve been playing around a lot with various hydration systems and so far, this one is my go-to for the long runs. I’ve managed to stick pants, a jacket, trekking poles, food, gloves, and various other items in this pack for recent summit hikes and I’ve consistently been surprised with how much it can hold tight.

It has plenty of storage, a 1.5l water bladder (by Hydrapak), plenty of flexible straps for a custom fit, and is durable beyond a trail runner’s needs. I’ve run races, long training days, summitted mountains, and raced through horribly inclement weather with nary a problem. While pricey, the Salomon XA Skin Pro 10+3 pack is an awesome long-haul hydration solution.

LIKED:

• Comfortable
• Storage
• Expandable
• Sternum Straps
• Light
• Insulated Bladder Sleeve
• Underarm Hydration

DISLIKED:

• Shoulder Adjustment
• More Pockets
• Hip Pockets
• Flappy Straps

QUALITY: 4/5
COMFORT: 4/5
PRICE: 3/5
LOOKS: 4/5

TOTAL: 15/20

This item was provided by Salomon Running for review. All opinions are my own. For more info on the item, visit: http://SalomonRunning.com and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

I held a fun giveaway for the Salomon Running Agile 7 hydration pack and asked you to submit your best photos of you in need of some serious hydration. I LOVED all the photos you submitted across the social networks and email, but I had to narrow it down! Below are the Grand Prize winner (they will receive the Agile 7 Hydration Pack), the Runner Up (they will receive a custom Ginger Runner tshirt) and the Honorable Mention (they will receive the biggest and most bad-ass virtual high five from myself and all who have ventured here!). Thanks again to ALL who entered. Stay tuned for many more giveaways!

GRAND PRIZE WINNER – JT Peebles

JT Peebles shows us what it takes to win (I even had to censor this one)!

Let’s be honest, to have the balls (pun intended) to send me a photo of yourself naked riding a bike across a mountain top deserves a win. Notice the folks ahead? They got far more “view” than they intended (pun intended). Got to give a guy credit for going the extra inch (pun intended, again).

RUNNER UP WINNER – Ethan Hodge

Gotta give Ethan credit for the creativity (and American short shorts)! Way to go, kid! #TrainRaceBacon

Love the creativity on this one, the confidence in showing so much pasty leg (trust me, I can relate) and the pride in his nation. Ethan Hodge, for your photo you will receive a brand new “Train. Race. Bacon.” tshirt!

HONORABLE MENTION – Clinton Munkres

Have you ever seen an athlete so sad??

Clinton, I had to post this photo. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone so sad that they were out of PBR. Nice touch with the “#TrainRaceBeer”!!

AGAIN, thank you to all who entered! Stay tuned for more great giveaways right here!

Guess what? I’m GOING TO THE 2013 BOSTON MARATHON! I honestly cannot believe it and am excited beyond belief. Here’s what’s up: Newton Running contacted me recently and proposed the idea of partnering up, travelling to the Boston Marathon, and creating cool video content for everyone to watch while we’re there. Wait, SAY WHA? They have been a fan of my videos for awhile (and I’m obviously a fan of their kicks) so they thought it would be a cool to bring along an “every runner” to document some behind the scenes action from one of the most prestigious marathon events on the planet. DUH, I said, “yes”.

So here’s what’s going to happen: On the Thursday before the Marathon (April 11th, 2013) I will leave LA and fly into Boston to meet up with my Newton cohorts. Over the next 5 days I will be creating videos, blogs, tweetin’ & instagramin’ like nobody’s business. I’m basically going as a total BM noob and trying to see/capture as much of the Boston Marathon spirit as possible. I will also be participating in a number of Newton sanctioned events and activities so stay tuned for that! Hell, I might even talk them into letting me GIVE SOME STUFF AWAY (no guarantees, but I’ll try)!! You’re going to want to follow me on all the social networks to get your chance to win! So that’s it for now. Be sure to subscribe to all my ish below and stay tuned for updates!!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheGingerRunner
Facebook: http://facebook.com/TheGingerRunner
YouTube: http://youtube.com/TheGingerRunner
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Website: http://GingerRunner.com

It takes a bold man to wear tights, and an even bolder man to wear 3/4 length tights. Lucky for you, I am that man. I’ve rocked these suckers for a few months now through the brutal SoCal winter (sarcasm) and love ‘em. They definitely proved durable and comfortable through various weather conditions/climates so I give them kudos.

I definitely recommend these for those in-between days where it’s too cold for shorts and too warm for full tights. Add a pair to your arsenal for spring and fall runs.

LIKED:

• Storage
• Thin material
• Moisture Wicking

DISLIKED:

• Minor Chafing
• Glitter Legs
• Waist Band
• Cuffs

QUALITY: 4/5
COMFORT: 4/5
PRICE: 3/5
LOOKS: 3/5

TOTAL: 14/20

This item was provided by Pearl Izumi for review. All opinions are my own. For more info on the item, visit: http://pearlizumi.com and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel HERE.

This last weekend was packed with SO MUCH awesome! If you didn’t know, I’m currently in training for the Leona Divide 50 miler (my first 50 mile race, YIKES!), so I needed to pack on the mileage, push my legs through some serious pain, and most importantly, have fun in the process.

First, I got to run an unsanctioned marathon with my buddy Colin (@RunWicked) down in Palos Verdes. I Couldn’t ask for a more beautiful day! We originally had planned on 25 miles, but when you’re that close to a full marathon, we opted to just add that 1.2 miles by running around the parking lot a few times. Thank you Colin for an awesome long, slow distance in a gorgeous area. No way I could’ve figured out all those trails without ya!

The next morning I met back up with Colin as well as Billy (@LARunr), Josh (@SpectorJosh), Joe, Chris Price and others to summit Mount Baldy via Bear Canyon Trail. I’ve done this trail before and it’s BRUTAL. This is a 6+ mile trek that starts at around 4300ft, travels straight up 5800 feet to the summit. However, due to snow, ice and high winds, I was cautious and opted out of summitting less than .4miles from the top. I was SO CLOSE! While I’m bummed, I know I made the right decision for me. I was using microspikes for the first time and was just getting used to them and trusting them. No use in pushing my luck on the first try! Trust me, I’ll get back up there again very soon!

Finally, I finished off the weekend with a bunch of my YouTube friends (Jimmy Wong, Meghan Camarena, Joey Graceffa, David, Brittani Louise Taylor, and Alyssa Poppin) canyoneering down 6 waterfalls in the Angeles National Forest. A very special thanks to ATS & CanyoneeringLA for being so damn awesome and patient will all of us vloggin’ yahoos!

All in all, it was an amazing weekend that has left my quads weak and sore, my calves tight, and my heart warm. I got to share some roads and trails with good friends and even traverse a waterfall or two with new ones. I wanted to document some of it to hopefully inspire you to get outside and try something new and push yourself out of your comfort zone (safely!). The whole goal of all of this is to have fun, and I sure did nail that this weekend! Now remember, TRAIN HARD, RACE HARDER, PARTY HARDEST! It’s time for a beer…

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The new 2013 Injinji Performance 2.0 line of toe socks are AWESOME. I’ve worn my fair share of these foot-beasts and can vouch for not only their comfort, but their ability to get you through long races unscathed. I was hesitant about toe socks after a pretty bad experience with Five Fingers, but once you get them on and log a few runs with them, you’ll see what I mean. Also, with the new 2.0 line’s varying degrees of thickness, you can tailor which socks to wear with which shoes for which events. It’s nice. My favorites are the no-show midweight, no-show lightweight, and compression. While they can be a little pricey, the amount of comfort and stress-free running justifies the cost for me. Let me know what YOU think in the comments below! Do you have a favorite sock?

Click to watch the review above and don’t forget to subscribe to my youtube channel! (CLICK HERE TO SUB)

LIKED:

• Comfortable
• Varying degrees of thickness
• No blisters
• No seams
• Coolmax fabric blend

DISLIKED:

• Pilling
• General sizing
• Potential wear/tear

QUALITY: 4/5
COMFORT: 4/5
PRICE: 4/5
LOOKS: 3/5

TOTAL: 15/20

For more info on this shoe, visit: Injinji.com

This shoe is awesome. There are so many things that I like and only a few things I don’t. If you haven’t run in a Kinvara yet, I would absolutely recommend you try them on and taking them on some miles. While the shoes seem to break down early in their lifespan, the comfort, weight, and upper make up for it by delivering a road shoe that can get you through any distance. You can find this shoe for well under $100 which makes it worth it for me.

Now there’s also already talk of the Kinvara 4 improving on this platform by fixing a lot of the issues I and others have, so that excites me. AND the Viratta is dropping here in the next few months and that looks to be a VERY exciting shoe. Zero drop, very light, comfortable – it could be the perfect reduced race shoe. I’ll hopefully get my hands on a pair!

Click to watch the review above and don’t forget to subscribe to my youtube channel! (CLICK HERE TO SUB)

LIKED:

• Light
• Flexible
• Upper
• Lacing
• Wide Toe-Box
• Heel Drop (4mm)
• Lateral Midfoot Rubber

DISLIKED:

• Wear/Tear
• Heel-Cup

QUALITY: 4/5
COMFORT: 5/5
PRICE: 4/5
LOOKS: 3/5

TOTAL: 16/20

For more info on this shoe, visit: Saucony.com

Injinji socks giveaway!

It’s the new year, January is almost over, and I think I owe you all a lil something for being so damn awesome and inspiring me everyday. Rather than hugging you and touching you each individually in the creepiest way possible, I’ve decided to host a fun lil giveaway starting THIS WEDNESDAY, January 23rd at 9am and ending at midnight (pst) the same day. And this one should be fun!!

I got word that Injinji, those crazy yahoos that make my favorite socks, are redesigning their website on Wednesday. In honor of the redesign and their kick-ass 2.0 line-up (review coming soon!), I’m giving away some kick-ass 2.0 socks to one of you! How is this all going down you might ask? We’re doing a scavenger hunt! Once the site goes live, I’ll be posting the specifics of the hunt and let you go to town. Rather than making it a “first to finish, first to win” type of thing, I’m going for creativity. I haven’t worked out all the details yet, but I want to make it fair for everyone so stay tuned!! I will be posting the rules ON MY FACEBOOK first thing Wednesday morning once the site goes live so BE READY!

You wanna win some kick-ass socks?! Huh? Well, DO YOU??  Here’s a fun video they created for the new site launch. Enjoy!

Run, Ginger, run!

Yes, I know. I’m late to the pony race and am just now posting my 2012 “year in review” blog. I could give you the excuse that I’ve been crazy busy filming commercials, travelling through mountains, training, racing, working the world’s biggest electronics show (CES), and am prepping to head off to Sundance as a result of a short I made, but that’d be the easy way out. Instead, I’ll be honest and tell you that I didn’t consider last year full of accomplishments when it came to my running. However, after reading so many other runner’s annual recaps, I realized accomplishments don’t always have to be in the form of PRs, podium finishes or medals. They can be personal goals achieved, memorable moments I value, and the creation of new goals for this year. So here we go, here’s a list of moments from 2012 that I value! Warning: in honor of this being my first blog of 2013, I may be drunk.

1. Vancouver First-Half Half: This was my frist race of the year as well as my current personal best in the half marathon (it was also the last road half marathon I’ve run since). I went into this race moderately trained and was looking towards the LA Marathon a few months later. I took it fairly easy, wanted to fall into a moderate pace, and finished strong. Vancouver is such a gorgeous city and I LOVE running around the Stanley Park Seawall whenever I can. In this case, the race has full access to the amazing path. Boom, beautiful first race of the year.
2. The LA Marathon: I value this race as being the worst race of the year. People always talk about learning from their mistakes, and this race is no exception. Check out my race recap to see what all went down, but just know this race changed how I approached marathons for the rest of the year.
3. Big Sur Marathon: This is probably my favorite marathon I have ever run. While I was pretty nervous going into it due to its difficulty and coming off the LA mary failure, I was with my best friends in one of the most beautiful places in the U.S.  Can’t beat that! I took this race easy, enjoyed the whole journey, and drank plenty of delicious beer at the finish. It was also my girlfriend (Mile Long Legs) and best friend’s (Justin) first full marathon so I’m pretty sure it went into the record books for us all.
4. The STP: The Seattle To Portland double century was my first endurance bike race since I was 18. I will always remember this day, 204+ miles ridden in less than 12 hours with my nephew across some of the most scenic back roads of the PNW. I went through some tough times during this race, but perseverance and the promise of food and booze at the finish kept me goin (I’m noticing a trend here…).
5. The Portland Marathon: My first marathon was the Portland Marathon, and this race marked my 10 year anniversary of that run. I had to put this one on the list as being one of my favorites in 2012. Perfect weather, great crowds, dope city. It was also the second full marathon for my GF and BF. It was also the VERY FIRST 10k MY PARENTS EVER FINISHED! I was so proud to see my parents take on something tough like a 10k and demolish it! I hope they keep it up!
6. Strava 50 miles in 1 week Challenge: This might not seem like a lot to some of you, but this might be the first time I can remember where I logged more than 50 miles of running in one week. Normally I bounce between 35-45 for marathons, but I wanted to take it one step further. What’s crazy is that I felt pretty good all week with very little lethargy. Now I need to see if I can push this even FURTHER!
7. The North Face 50k: This was my first Ultra and easily the most memorable race I’ve had to date. Crazy weather, insane mud and terrain, and a last minute course change made for quite the experience. While it wasn’t a full 50k in the end, it is still the furthest I’ve ever run. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up the second I passed the 26.2 mile mark. I also hope this race is the first of many more ultra finishes!
8. UltraMagazine: While I found out about this moment in 2013, I still chalk it up to being a 2012 memory. A fellow Ultra running Angelino (LARunr) subscribes to Ultra Magazine and found this fun picture of me from running the North Face 50k in early December. Pretty cool that my first Ultra turned out to also be my first published race photo!
   

   I’m in Ultra Running Magazine!

Now moving forward I have a couple of goals for 2013.

1. I want to complete my first (and second) 50 miler. I signed up for Leona Divide (WS100 qualifier!) and the Squamish 50 (CAN’T WAIT!). Needless to say I’m freaked out of my gourd, but will hopefully push through these bitches.
2. I want to show the LA Marathon who’s boss. That fickle beast annihilated me last year. Now, as a more trained and polished marathoner, I hope to renegotiate the course and possibly PR (maybe a little too eager, but I still want to try!).
3. MORE VIDEOS!! I love making videos for y’all. I want to get up to doing 1 per week. Whether it’s a review, a live stream chat, or a race recap video, I just want to fill up my GingerRunner YouTube channel with more gold!
4. San Francisco Double: This is a doozy, but I’m thinking about running the SF Marathon Double (marathon course backwards then forwards sequentially). When I saw Dean Karnazes do it at Big Sur, I added it to my list.
5. I want to MEET MORE OF YOU! Maybe run meet-ups around LA or your city. I think it would be cool to run with others that enjoy it as much as I do!
6. Brew More Beer: Umm, DUH!

Well, that’s it! While I’m pretty sure there were plenty more memorable moments throughout the year, these were the stand-outs for me personally. I hope you all had a number of memorable moments as well. Please feel free to share some of them in the comments below! My ultimate goal with this list is to encourage myself to continue to make and find moments in this pursuit of running. While I’ll never be the fastest or most elite runner, that doesn’t discount the fact that I’m still having fun and enjoying every moment I’m out there running. I hope you are too. Now, go train. Go race. GO DRINK SOME BEER!