Newt Blog

Right. So when it rains in Oregon, these cute little buggers come out.



I vote we relocate a newt population to Minnesota. They're the most adorable amphibian you're likely to find.

More Oregon Port-a-potty news

These guys are making a bold statement.



The best? I don't know about that. Sure, the pot was placed in a nice wooded location bordering the McDonald national forest. Yes, the hand sanitizer was full. Sure, there was plenty of toilet paper. But the "best"? That just seems arrogant.

However, they do have the best logo I've seen on a port-a-pot (even better than Honey Bucket's). Maybe that does make them the best.

3:20 marathon

A 3:20 marathon is pretty fast. About an hour faster than your average Twin Cities or Grandma's finisher.

However, a 3:20 marathon is un-friggin-believable when it comes at the end of Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Congrats to MN rockstar Anthony Hirschman who uncorked a monster 3:20 to finish 5th in M25-29 and earn a spot to the Ironman World Championships in Kona.

Way to go, Anthony... you friggin badass.

Doesn't anyone want a free hat?!?

Come on, people! Someone must have a funny story from Grandma's! Send it to RunMinnesota@gmail.com by July 4th & you could win a sweet MDRA HeadSweats hat.

As I mentioned before, fire hydrants are wacky out here in Oregon. I was hoping to see one in action, but it's raining today so that seems unlikely. Anyhoo, here's a picture of one.


-----------
colin

Running on Planet Endor

Remember planet Endor? It's the one where all the fuzzy little Ewoks lived in Return of the Jedi. They shot portions of that in Oregon. While running here, you expect a storm trooper to pop out at any second to blast you. Not that they'd succeed. Those guys had the worst aim. You think the Empire would mandate a minimal level of marksmanship. I guess that's why the rebel alliance won in the end. But I digress...

Here is what 90% of Oregon's trails look like. This shot was taken at 11:00 AM on a sunny day.



That's 2 time Olympic marathon trials qualifier, 2 time NCAA national champion, and Minnesota native Johanna Olson (I call her sister-in-law) leading me up the trail. The temperature in the woods was a solid 10-15 degrees than the surrounding meadows. I could run all day under those conditions.







We went up for a while...











And eventually took a break near the top. Notice that the canopy is thin enough for sunlight to pass through.










Of course, what goes up must come down...


The descents were fantastic! The trail was a series of switch-backs with slight up and down variations in between. The run felt like a roller coaster ride, and I laughed out loud on more than one occasion.








Finally we made it back to the parking lot, where this fellow stood watch over the trailhead.

I've seen these in the background of Hood to Coast pictures, but could never make out the logo. Oregonians don't call their port-a-johns Biffs, or port-a-pottys, or even port-a-johns for that matter. No, they have the Honey Buckets. It's both a descriptive and hilarious name, and I think we should adopt it. Note to the good folks at OnSite Sanitation; Please consider re-branding your port-a-johns as Honey Buckets. We all need a good laugh when we're waiting to poop before the sun comes up so we can go drag our sleepy carcass around some race course. Thank you.

Live, from Planet Endor,
colin

Running Related Song of the Week

This week's tune is "Runnin' Down a Dream" by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

Why Tom Petty? Because he's an American institution. Also, he was in an episode of the Simpsons that totally cracked me up.

Great Running Related Line Uhh...running down a dream. Maybe?

Pics from yesterdays killer Oregon trail run will be posted soon. I'll also post some shots of Oregon fire hydrants. They are freaky looking.
-----------
colin

i hate airlines

Run blogger has arrived in Oregon. Don't fly Frontier airlines. Ever. They lost my bike while the plane was on a 1 hour layover. My bike was put on a plane in Minneapolis, lost in Denver, then arrived in Portland several hours after me.

In other news, rain gear is a good idea here. Long live gortex. I'm gearing up for an 8 mile trail run tomorrow by drinking a few Fat Tires at the moment. Good times.

Rockin' the Cascade Mountains fo all ya'll flatlanders.
--------
colin

everybody's working for the weekend

Hey cats & kittens. Just a reminder to Email us your submission for the "Funniest thing overheard at Grandma's in 25 words or less" contest.

I'll be in Oregon next week - so be prepared for some left coast bloggin'. I'm also getting a race in while I'm there. Any advice on air travel with DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) would be cool. Post it in the comments section, amigos.

Adios
------------
colin

MDRA Fall Marathon class

The MDRA Fall Marathon class has TCM entries available for you procrastinators out there. Sweet! Class starts next Tuesday, June 26th at 7:00, room 351 at the Edina Community Center. Register on Active.com & get training!

Running Related Song of the Week

This week's running related song is Stevie Wonder's "Keep on Running".

Why Stevie Wonder? Because he's incredible! Songs in the Key of Life, Anyone?

Speaking of Stevie, Check this out.


It's a six minute drum solo by the man himself. This is by far the funkiest thing you will see today. George Clinton and the ghost of James Brown could perform in your living room, and it would not hold a candle to this clip. Stevie can throw down like nobody's business. 3 minutes and 12 seconds in to this clip, you will get up and dance. It can't be helped, just go with it.

Go Kathy!

Big shouts out to MDRA Secretary Kathy Benhardus, who got name-checked on Sven Sundgaard's Blog.

For those not in the know, Kathy is one of MDRA's rockstar coaches and has been a board member for several years. Sven is the devastatingly handsome meteorologist on Twin Cities' KARE 11 television, and possesses the finest biceps at any race he enters, guaranteed.

A quick look at RaceberryJam.com shows 10 races in Minnesota this weekend. One is taking place near you. Go run it.

Win a hat, dammit!

We've only received one submission for our "Funniest thing overheard at Grandma's" contest. It came from a guy named Evan, and it's pretty funny. Put on your thinking caps, people. Don't let this guy walk away with an awesome HeadSweats hat unchallenged!

Running-related Song of the Week will be coming later today. I've been busy getting my Flash on for the last three days. Mind on overload. Good thing running doesn't require a whole lot of brain power.

Grandma's Pictures are up

Congrats to everyone who staggered across the line at Grandma's! What was the temp? 120 degrees or so?

Pictures from Wayne Kryduba are online. Check 'em out.

Also, we are having a little marathon story contest. Send us the funniest thing you overheard at Grandma's, in 25 words or less. Submissions can be sent to runminnesota@gmail.com. Entries due by July 4th. Winner will be selected by the MDRA Promotions committee, and recieve a sweet new MDRA hat as a prize. Enticing, eh? Get writing people, that hat isn't going to win itself.

Inked

I got a new Tattoo.

I think it's pretty hard core. No one is going to horn in on my space at the start line anymore.
--------
colin

Grandma's Weather

Thanks to blog reader Don for this tidbit: the Duluth Lakeshore weather report from Duluth Sky Harbor is typically more accurate than from the airport up the hill. Good to know!

Thanks again, Don. Rip it up this weekend!

File under "i" for irony.

So, I spent the better part of this year bitching and moaning about the wind and what happens? The wind finally subsides and we get a bad air quality advisory for the Cities, St. Cloud and Brainerd. Stupid ground level ozone... whatever that is.

Supposedly, the air is only bad for "sensitive groups". Bad news for me, 'cause I'm a pretty sensitive guy. I cry at movies, I'll admit it. I use after-shave lotion for sensitive skin. This bad air might just do me in.

In other news, past MDRA president Gloria Jansen just had a birthday and moved up an age group. That means a lot of Minnesota state records for F60-65 are about to go down. Hard. Condolences go out to the rest of Gloria's new age group.
----------
colin

Weather for Grandma's Marathon

Twin Cities meteorologist Jonathan Yuhas is running Grandma's this year. As a result, the rest of us are getting a totally awesome race day forecast from his blog.

Here's the start time forecast for the Bjorklund half: "6 A.M..temperature.....54 degrees...Dew point temperature...50 degrees...Sky: patchy fog otherwise clear to partly cloudy with some showers south of Duluth...Wind: Light and variable."

Nothing, if not thorough. Thank you, Johathan. Run fast and have fun.

Get up to date Grandma's info from the Duluth News Tribune's Grandma's Marathon Section. Jeez, could I say 'grandma's' a few more times in this posting? I think I'll go call my grandma.

Summer Track & Field Series

Dust off your spikes! USATF Minnesota is bringing track season back with a series of open meets this summer. Check their schedule for locations and more information.

90 degrees again today. Summer is here. That means Fall is on it's way...and so is Cross Country season!

Running-Related Song of the Week

Time for installment number two of our running related song feature. This week, it's a classic from Van Halen, from the album of the same name: "Running With the Devil"

Why Van Halen? Because they're friggin' Van Halen! The original line-up with Diamond Dave. Pure Gold, baby.

Great running-related line: "Yes I'm livin' at a pace that kills". Anyone who has gone out too fast in a race can attest to that.

Sure, the bass line isn't much (it's one note) but Eddie has a rocking solo, and Dave throws in several larynx-shredding "Yeahhhhhhhhhh!"s.

F.Y.I. - You are required to sing the chorus to anyone wearing bib number 666 at a race. If you don't, the gods of rock will hunt you down and make you bonk. And you don't want that.

Ladies First

In case you missed it, there was a nice article in the Sunday Strib about beginning Women's Running. It's chock full o' useful info and commentary from uber running expert Jeff Galloway. If only there was a class in Minnesota for women who want to start running. Oh wait, there is!

Less than one week until Grandma's! Everyone remember to taper? Stop by the MDRA booth at the marathon expo and say hey to our fabulous board members.
--------------
colin

digital inspiration

Here's a little something to get you motivated.

Homeward Bound

This is awesome. A St. Louis Park kid is biking home from college in Vermont. Seriously.

Mike Mommsen has been posting updates on his college Nordic Ski Team Blog. Hooray for human-powered transportation!

In other news, it's wind advisories for a good chunk of Minnesota. What is it with the wind this year? I am officially sick of wind as of June 6, 2007. It makes running and commuting by bike a royal pain. If only I had a wind turbine, I could generate my own electricity. There's one for the x-mas list.
------------
colin

Running-related song of the week

Here's our first blog feature - the running related song of the week.

This week, it is "If I Run" by Semisonic.

Why Semisonic? Because they are a killer band from Minnesota. Lead singer Dan Wilson wrote a lot of the Dixie Chicks latest album, which won a gazillion awards.

Great Line: "If I run, I can free my worried mind." How true.

In other news, Alan Webb is wicked-fast.
---------------
colin