Holiday Shopping Ideas

Well the XMAS season is here and I'm sure you are thinking what should I get the athletes that are in my life this year? Checkout Run Colorado. They have Gift Cards NOW ON SALE!!! 

Check out this link to there page. Happy Holidays!!!


Click here: RUNCO

Warner Smith's Joy of Running Colorado: I'm back

Warner Smith's Joy of Running Colorado: I'm back: Hey I'm back everyone! It's been a busy time for me but I need to keep writing in my blog. I just got the official date for my retir...

I'm back

Hey I'm back everyone! It's been a busy time for me but I need to keep writing in my blog. I just got the official date for my retirement from the military. It will be March 2, 2014 and I'm so excited! It's been challenging serving in the military as active duty and national guard for my career. 

Now I can truly focus on  "MY FUTURE"! My new challenge in life is to change my lifestyle into one where I'm developing myself into an Endurance Athlete who has a goal of doing a full IRONMAN in 2015

Currently I'm registered for the Boulder Sprint Triathlon on June 1, 2014 which the fee entry I won on Facebook from Pace Per Mile!

I will use this blog to help me recored my new journey and help promote the wonderful opportunities for training as an athlete here in Colorado.

Be a part of one of the nation’s largest charity partner programs!

CHARITY PARTNERS PROGRAM COLFAX MARATHON

122 nonprofits participated in the Colfax Marathon in 2013 to raise awareness for their cause, get people involved in a fun race and raise money!

If you’re a nonprofit, it’s easy to participate:

• Your nonprofit recruits runners to register for one of our races or recruits volunteers to help us.
• You build a fund-raising and visibility campaign around your highly-visible participants. We have ideas to share.
• You keep 100% of the funds you raise.
• We provide lots of visibility, tech support and social media to showcase your efforts, plus a free tent at Charity Partner Village on race weekend.
• There is no fee to become a Charity Partner but you need to invest some energy to make it work for you.

We hold introductory meetings to show you how the program works and how others have used us to raise funds and awareness for their organization.  There is no obligation to attend but you do need to RSVP to jean@runcolfax.org
Next Introductory Meetings: Location:  Mile High United Way, 2505 18th Street, Denver, CO 80211 (Highlands Neighborhood) Time:  Start at 3:00 pm sharp; please arrive by 2:45 pm.  Finish at 4:30 pm Dates:

• Wednesday, November 6, 2013
• Tuesday, December 3, 2013
• Thursday, January 9, 2014

Benefits of Becoming a Charity Partner

Fundraising:

• Use your own fundraising tools or ask our specialist to describe fundraising platforms you might use.
• Access our more than 15,000 runners and friends who visit your tent at Charity Partner Village on race weekend.
• Retain all funds that you raise. You might decide to pay registration fees for your runners in return for their specific pledge to raise money. (A few take this approach.)
• Get selected by winning relay teams that earn cash awards and give the money to a charity partner that they choose. Find or enter a fast relay team!

Visibility:

• Broaden your visibility through our web site and social media platforms.
• Showcase your organization at your free tent at Charity Partner Village.
• Attract runners who will wear a special back bib, designed by us with your unique logo.
• Brand yourself by providing race day shirts and caps to your runners.

Support:

• Create a team-building opportunity among board, staff and supporters or just have fun!
• Provide a new way for your supporters to run, walk or volunteer for a cause they already believe in.
• Provide another way to thank your contributors by offering running shirts/caps/etc., finish line benefits and after-event celebrations.

The best way to learn more is to attend an introductory meeting. For specific questions, contact jean@runcolfax.org.

Bike Crash

On Oct 5,2013 I learned what they meant by "It's not if you will fall but when you will fall", This is what my Coaches and fellow veterans of cycling have told me as I became a new cyclist. While making a normal turn my rear tire slipped on what I now know was sand causing me to lose control of the bike. The bike just slammed straight to the ground. The bike trail I was riding on was smooth thank God!!! I thrown to the ground on my right side. After getting up to check if I had an major injuries,  I learned that I was very sore and my bike was broken. It took me a few minutes to get myself together. I was very sore in my right side rib area under my arm pit from the front chest area to the back area. If I had been knocked out I was so glad that I was wearing my RoadID because then someone would have had contact info about me so that they could get me help. 

If you are a runner, cyclist or swimmer I recommend getting one. I will post the link. I must say that I was so thankful for the fellow bikers who stopped to check on me. They made sure I was okay before leaving me and helped me understand that my bike was not broken as bad as I thought it was and that the repair was an easy fix.  Which was confirmed by my coach Richard Kalasky. 

So as a warning to others just getting out there for the first time. Here is a awesome lesson I wish I had learned before my bike ride. It's about how to fall off your bike.

 Click on the word "Fall" below to get to the article. 

I also added a link to get info about the RoadID, click on the word "RoadID" below.

Be safe, set goals and train hard!!!!

Fall


Road ID

Help spread the word about an awesome event to honor our Veterans!

I'm reaching out to my family and friends to please share The National Veterans Day Run event. We are holding to make it a world record event that will benefit an awesome cause. I'm registered for the Denver running event, I'm running the 11K. But you can race at any of the other events being held on Veterans Day throughout the country or join us via virtual racing details are available at the following link: Click on the word "Veterans Day" below.  Me being a soldier in the Army National Guard I try to remember the words from West Point: Duty, Honor and Country!

GO ARMY!!!


Veterans Day 

Running in cold weather. What are the dangers?

As we enter into Fall here in Colorado, I'm really entering into my first year of training in cold weather. I know that I can't be an indoor treadmill athlete and then hit the streets for my races hoping to get amazing results. Treadmill and Street running isn't the same. I lesson I learned the hard way during my first half marathon. So I been going some research and found one very "COOL" article on the subject. Click on the word " Winter Running" below to get to the article. Happy reading please be careful running as winter comes!!!

Winter Running

5 minute warm up before you run

I'm learning that I really need to warm up the body before starting a run after a long day at work. Runner's World has a great video of a short 5 minute exercise routine that will help your body prepare for you run. Click on the word "WARM UP" to get to the video. Please share if yo have any awesome warm up drills that you use before your run.


Warm Up

Selection as 2014 Colfax Marathon Ambassador

I'm so excited to announce that I was selected to be a part of the 2014 Colfax Marathon Ambassador program. It's such a great honor and I can't wait to work with the other ambassadors. Our job is to help promote the Colfax Marathon and all the events that surround that race weekend. Since I was selected I challenged myself to next year run the full 26.2 mile marathon. This year I ran the 13.1 miles in the half marathon which was an awesome tour of the Denver. 

So in the next few weeks you will start seeing lots of blogs with me telling you about Colfax and how you to can be a part of an AWESOME WEEKEND May 16 thru 18th of 2014. Mark your calendar and SAVE THE DATES!!!!

Pace yourself without a GPS

I don't know about you but pacing myself is one of my major problems as I continue on my journey to becoming a seasoned marathon runner and Triathlete. So of course I spent money on a Polar GPS watch and still have issues with being at a good pace thru out a race. But Runner's World wrote a story which I find very interesting about pacing yourself thru feel. 

Click on the WORD PACE to read the article:

PACE

Boston Marathon Qualifiers notified

Today the Boston Marathon representatives are sending out the notifications of those lucky athletes that made the BQ times. They expanded the number of entries and the world knows that its going to be an amazing race for a marathoner to run. Click on the word "Boston 2014" for the complete story. God Bless all who make it. If you didn't please consider being a volunteer. 

BOSTON 2014

BOSTON STRONG!!!!

Exercising at Work

So you say you don't have time for exercise because you are too busy at work. Well guess what? I found an article that gives you great ideas on how you can exercise at work. Of course the number one exercise is walking. Use the stairs and not the elevator is my favorite. Please click on the link to learn more at the exercises.

Work Exercises

There is also time for exercising!!!!

Stress

Wow stress was really affecting my training and my personal life for the last few weeks and it's all my fault. I just couldn't keep focused on the training plans my Coach Richard Kalasky set up for me for this month. As you know I withdraw from the Denver Triathlon and then it was cancelled. I wasn't sure whee I was going to be working since my current employer lost the contract to this work site. But finally things are back to normal. I decided to transfer to the new company that is taking over the work site and I got a raise. But during all this my health and my personal life was being affected by my high level of stress. I know this can't be go for me so I did some research and found a very interesting article that I would like to share.

Click on stress info link below
Stress info 

Understanding Custom Bike Fitting

I just love my custom fitted Trek cycle which I got from Treads located in Lakewood, CO. The whole process was awesome and I highly recommend the process when you go buy a bike. I was lucky to have one of my coaches Richard Kalasky with me as I was getting a new cycle. I didn't understand how the store tech was using they fitting machine but after he was done we found the perfect bike for me.

Here is some very interesting info about how to get a custom fit bike. Click on the Bike Fit link.


BIKE FIT

Compression Socks

Ever wonder why some runners wear long socks? They are called COMPRESSION SOCKS. I really didn't understand their purpose but after reading the following article I got a better understanding of how they work. Check out the article by click on compression socks tab.

Compression Socks 

Picking your running shoes

Having trouble picking the right running shoes? Try Gait Analysis. Here is a good article explain what it is.

Gait Analysis 

Colfax Marathon Registration is OPEN!!!

One of the best marathons in Colorado is the Colfax Marathon. Registration is open so please check the link to learn more.

Colfax Marathon 2014

Beat Mental Roadblocks

I wanted to share an article I read about Beating Mental Roadblocks. Lately I have been letting things in my life affect my training as a runner. If you are having the same problem please check out the link:

Mental Road Blocks 

Sad Announcement about Denver Tri

Sharing this sad news about the Denver Triathlon. If you were registered please read to understand what your option are for a refund. Don't wait!!! I'm sure there will be more info coming out because we are hearing negative comments over the donating the race fees. Again you must email them now.

Colorado Flooding & Athletes


Dear Triathletes and the supporting community,

In light of the massive Colorado flooding, and that many of our registrants hail from Boulder, Northern Colorado and other affected areas, we feel it difficult to hold the third annual Denver Triathlon as our thoughts have been with those that have been gravely affected.   We believe that next weekend’s efforts would be better spent as a community of athletes helping our fellow Coloradans.  It is with this in mind that the Denver Triathlon management team decided to cancel the race. 

THE PLAN:

We are changing Sunday, September 22nd, from a day of racing, to a day of giving as we ask registered athletes to join us in volunteering that day.  On behalf of our registered triathletes, we will also donate the remaining Denver Triathlon registration fees to the American Red Cross of Colorado*. We will be sending you opportunities for the triathlon community to volunteer in the cleanup effort along with the team here at the Denver Triathlon.   Please watch for an email with more details and opportunities to sign up starting on Tuesday. 

We hope that while this news may surprise you, you and your families will decide to join us in giving back to Colorado. 


Kindly, 

Chris Laskey
Denver Triathlon Race Director

Prairie Dog Half & 10K

Hi folks,
Sorry I've been gone for awhile trying to get things together in my life. What I have learned you need to relax and write down everything going on in your life so that you can see the big picture. Once that's done you can plan better. When you plan you can handle more on your plate.

One of my goals is to help promote racing events here in Colorado. 

Here is a link to another race opportunity.  Prairie Dog & 10K 

Rest Day

Rest days are something you really need to stick to during your training. I know, why rest when you feel great and you know you can  run 10 miles, bike 50 mile or swim 1 mile today. But getting plenty of rest is important to your training. As you progress in your training your body will need time to adjust to the new demands being put on it to perform. Rest also helps with the soreness that usually starts to show up. Trust me, my body was hurting from my first swim on Sunday Night! So today I kept off my feet as much as possible. Hard to do when your job is security but I did. Drank enough water  and eat much better. Time for Sleep because tomorrow it's back to the grind!

Getting over that mental funk

Part of my training is to first have my fitness training which I know is needed to help me strengthen my core which I know is so important in my training to be able to perform better in my races and triathlon events. Today my fitness trainer kicked my butt. I felt so tired but I didn't realize that it was just mental. My mind was telling me it had enough and I needed to go home. Sadly I listened so I got in my car and was headed home but I'm so glad that I started remembering what my training was for today and said wait a minute! Your training today called for fitness camp and an easy 2 mile run. So I quickly drove to one of my favorite biking /running parks.

It wasn't easy but I got in my easy 2 mile run. So glad that I fought my mind telling me that I was tired. Working hard now is going to pay off later when I compete in my first tri - Denver Triathlon on September 22, 2013 and Denver Rock n Roll Marathon where I'm doing the half and have a goal of completing it in under 2 hours!

I do have a book recommendation that I friend suggest to me. I believe it helped my today. Please read "The Philosophical Athlete by Heather L. Reid you will get a wonderful understanding about the mental part of being an athlete. I know reading this book has be helpful for me in helping realize when negative energy is trying to stop me from pushing myself so that I can exceed my goals.

Keep up with your training. Learn to workout with a group but also push yourself when you are training alone. Thanks for reading and remember to wave when passing another runner. Show your support for their hard work. We are a family!

How Marathons can heal communities

Running can change the world. Check out these incredible stories of how marathons can heal communities on TED. Has running connected you with others?  

Click on the below link to get to story:

Marathons can Heal 

New Bike

Well today was very exciting for me. I met with my coach +Richard Kalasky at Treads located in Lakewood, CO to help me get fitted for a bike for my first Triathlon (Denver Triathlon September 22, 2013) and for my training program. If you are thinking of getting a bike please go get a free bike fitting before you get a bike. What a difference it makes when you have a bike that is fitted to you. After looking at a few bikes, we found a bike that was perfect for me as I start my challenge of competing in Triathlons. The bike is a Trek 1.5 cost $1,100 dollars.

Click on  Trek Bike link to see the bike.

 Trek Bike 

I got a different color. Black and white. Since I'm tall 6'3" they had to order the bike from CA so I'll pick it up next week! Pictures to follow. 

Colfax Marathon Ambassador Program

Are you the next Colfax Marathon Ambassador?

Are you an influencer who loves the running community here in Colorado? We’re looking for 15 dedicated runners who love the Colfax Marathon, are involved in our running community (both on the ground and online), and are ready to be part of our amazing team of Ambassadors! 

The Kaiser Permanente Colfax Marathon is seeking 15 Ambassadors to help get the word out about our 7 running events in May, 2014. We're doubling the size of our program - we have 15 returning members and will be adding an additional 15 this year to help us spread the word in 2014! We are happy to announce the return of ADIDAS as our Key Sponsor of our Ambassador Program.

If you’re someone who shares races on Facebook, tweets daily, has a blog, and rallies your friends for social events, then we want you to be a Ambassador! The application will be posted on August 15. Applications are due September 1.

Your role as an Ambassador includes:

Collateral Distribution throughout Colorado (running stores, local races)

Spreading the word about The Colfax Marathon events (local running clubs, social media, and blogging are all examples) and answering questions.

Participation in the 2014 Charity Partner Program - more than 100 charities raise funds through our race. Help with fundraising, coaching support, lead group runs, and answer the needs of our Charity Partner runners.

Race Weekend support- you must work the Health and Fitness Expo Friday May 16th and Saturday May 17th, 2014.

And of course run the event in your branded Colfax Marathon Ambassador Gear!

Be an expert on The Colfax Marathon! Click link below

colfaxambassador

When my running career started

Today I took a look in the mirror and finally told myself that it was time to really focus on putting more effort into my training. I have the best coaches in the world, +Richard Kalasky , @Carlos T. Hill, @Kristen Schuldt, @Debo Condo and a AWESOME support team of runners who are part of @O2EA Fitness and Endurance Training. 

My journey started back in 2012 when Coach +Richard Kalasky  invited me to a runner's meeting at what is now Run Colorado Run. This meeting turned out to be life changing for me. It seems I agreed to be a part of @TeamDetermiNation of Denver's American Cancer Society and running in The Phoenix Rock n Roll Marathon which will be on Jan 19, 2013. Okay, Me run a marathon 13.1 miles!!! I got home and said omg what have I done. 

As in most training I was involved by going to meeting and getting out on the weekends to be with the running group. But somewhere in the middle of the over 14 week training before the race, I lost focus. Did the training have ass and did most of my running on a treadmill. Even on a treadmill I never got to 13.1 miles.

Jan 19, 2013 came and wow my lack of training really showed as I struggled to keep pace and was so thirsty during the entire race. My body was in pain but I keep moving mile after mile. We I finally got to the 13 mile marker the leg cramps began and it was a struggle to get to the finish line. But something special happen during the race that I must talk about now. There were spots along the race while Team DetermiNation coaches were there to help keep our spirits up!!!! Just seeing them gave me a boost of energy that keep me going and yes at the end of the race some were there to help bring me home!!!!

Wow what a feeling it was to cross that finish line. My official time was over 3 hours but I finished my first half marathon!!! So now I was hooked!!! I told myself that I will have to improve my finish time for my next marathon. Colfax Half Marathon in Denver, Colorado was my next marathon challenge. I did work hard on my training program but still not at the level of dedication that is required for me to run entire marathon and not take so many walk breaks. 

I did a few 5K and 5 mile races before the Colfax to get me into learning how to train right. I did reach my goal of being under 3 hours in the Colfax Race. I was done in 2:38:44 it was almost an hour off my Phoenix time. I was so proud! One race that really challenge me was The Slacker Half Marathon which the course is mostly downhill. I did finish it under 3 hours but OMG my body was done. My knees were like butter but it was  crazy race.

And now my I'm preparing for another rock n roll marathon - Denver! My training started so and so but now August 14, 2013 I have stepped it up!!! The race is Oct 20th and I plan to complete the race at 2 hours are less!!! I joined Life Time Fitness so that I would have good equipment and no excuses for getting in my workouts!!!