Category Archives: Blogs I Read

USATF CEO Blogs

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The new CEO of USA Track and Field (USATF), Doug Logan started a blog shortly after taking over the post.

In his inaugural post, on Shin Splints, he had this to say:

When I became CEO of USA Track & Field on July 17, I had several concrete plans for my first several weeks on the job. One is that I would be a sponge, listening to anybody and everybody in the sport in order to learn as much as I can about it. Another was to start a blog.

Writing a blog is relatively easy, but naming it is more difficult. About one week into the job, it hit me: Shin Splints. They are a slight irritant. They don’t kill you, but they make you sit down and think about what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. Both are things to which all blogs should aspire. So aspire I shall.

I haven’t read all of his posts yet, but this is a great step forward in transparency for the organization. This is just one of many improvements that appear to be on the horizon.  My biggest complaint is that there is no RSS feed for the blog.  This means that you have to actually go to the website to see if he’s updated at all – which is more than a slight irritant.

Hopefully, this new addition will be good for the sport.  If nothing else it will be an insight into the CEO of running.

What do you think?

Updated 9/21/2009 They still don’t have an RSS link, though somehow I get an e-mail from their marketing department about new blog posts.  I think they need a website overhaul that includes a blogging platform.

[tags] USATF, Blogs, Doug Logan [/tags]

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Phedippidations: The Blog

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I have mentioned several times that I listen to Phedippidations the podcast, but did you know it also has a blog?

I won’t mention much about the podcast, but you can see my past thoughts about it here and its also on my mp3 player list posted here. RCI was also a featured blog of the week in September (listen to the mp3 excerpt).

So what does Steve Runner publish on his blog? Well you might be a little disappointed, unless you are an avid listener of the show. It is quite simply his “Show Notes.”

The posts include a summary of the week’s topic and then a list of the links he mentions in the show, including the Blog of the Week, links to the Podsafe Music Network’s music that he used, and other blogs or websites that he refers to. This is beneficial because unless you have an excellent memory you’ll forget most of the links while running down the road (unless you carry pen and paper!) There is also a link to listen to the show directly so if you don’t have iTunes you can still listen or save the file to your computer, which could be helpful for those of us who don’t use a real iPod. The blog also is a good way to find out what each week’s topic is and download it individually without subscribing to the show.

This isn’t a blog you stop by often to read, but it is a blog to stop by and listen.

You can listen to Steve’s promo mp3 for the podcast here.

Yesterday’s Run

Honestly, I haven’t run since Tuesday morning. I don’t really have a good excuse, except that I thought it might be good to see if I could get rid of the pain in the ball of my foot. After running it hurt to walk on it for most of the day and still hurt a little on Weds. But now it feels fine. We’ll see how it feels after racing tomorrow.

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Cool Running Blogs

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I am currently subscribed to 3 of the 27 blogs available through the Cool Running News Feeds. Cool Running has recently become part of the Active.com network. Overall the site provides a range of resources, race calendar, race results, training tips, and a community/forum section.  They also have an online running log for you.

Back to the blogs,  I subscribe to the Community, Training, and Training Tips blogs.  After looking at the list again I might add the Midwest News blog and Top Headlines blog as well!

The blogs are pretty self-explanatory and none of them post very often.  The last few posts from the community blog are about the growing conflict between iPod users and race directors, and then a few about the Olympic Marathon trials. The last few posts in the training blog talk about the Honolulu Marathon, tips from Frank Shorter about self-coaching, and the use of protein while training. The training tips blog hasn’t been updated in awhile but talks about keeping a journal, fartleking, and the RICE method.

I hope you are able to enjoy some of the ideas presented in these blogs and that they help give you new insights into running.

Yesterday’s Run

I did an easy lap around Shadyside Park in Anderson which is approximately 2.64 miles, it was windy, even in the wooded section and about 36 degrees.  I ran the lap in 18:44 and did a couple of accelerations afterwards.  I saw maybe 5 people on this cool morning.

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Paper Kenyan

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Martin Dugard is a renowned author of books such as Chasing Lance, The Last Voyage of Columbus, Into Africa, and others. That is not what first attracted me to Dugard. During the 2006 Tour de France, I began reading his daily missives about traveling around France watching and reporting on the events surrounding the Tour as well as the actual tour itself.

I was hooked by his engaging style, rants against complacency, and his general discussion of running, cycling, and other endurance sports. Dugard is a professional journalist and author, who is not afraid to bare a little of his own soul and passion with his weekly daily blog posts.

I would highly recommend checking him out at his blog Training Ground.

Dugard, who is also something of an adventurer, has completed the two-week Raid Gauloises adventure race; sailed on a tall ship across the Mediterranean; and spent time in an African prison while researching one of his books.

On a miscellaneous note, Dugard lived for six weeks on the Malaysian island of Palau Tiga during the filming of the television show Survivor. This became the subject of the bestselling Survivor: The Ultimate Game, co-written with series producer Mark Burnett.

I was encouraged by this article to write about the blogs I read and share why I read them, with you my readers.

On a side note, Martin is running the New York City Marathon this weekend, so stop by and wish him good luck/congratulations.

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Bad Ben Rambles

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I was encouraged by this article to write about the blogs I read and share why I read them, with you my readers. So here it goes!

This is a fairly new blog on my list but I’ve been hearing it for awhile.  It is read weekly at EndurancePlanet.com on their podcasts.

Bad Ben is a fairly well known trail runner from Kansas City.  When most people think of a runner they think about people who run local races or marathons.  Well, Bad Ben does some of that, but is probably most well-known for running the longer ultra-marathons. He also has quite a sense of humor and knack for story-telling.

Here is a sample from his “About Me” section:

I find ways to enjoy life as much as I can. Also, life’s too short to treat people poorly. I’m into long runs in the park, consuming salt, popping blisters, eating roadkill & tree bark, and burying whiners in shallow, unmarked graves. I also enjoy designing trail race courses that would make the Marquis de Sade blush. A fun time for me would include banging muddy shoes together, setting broken bones with a machinist’s vise, and duct-taping-down any part of my body that is bleeding or just flopping-about uselessly. What helps me to be an active trailrunner and grandpa? My secret: 1) Daily sponge baths with bovine stem cells; 2) Copious amounts of delicious & nutritious homebrewed beer; and 3) My secret elixir…Bicarbonate of Figleaf.

If you have an interest in running or are a “Trail Nerd” this blog should be on your list! His blog includes stories from runners, race reports, and rambling thoughts, such as a recent post about T-shirt Etiquette!

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