Archive for the 'Big Ideas' Category
Ted Corbitt Medals, Scott Jurek, and company from CA
Gail Kislevitz and Ted's medals
A Ted Corbitt medal from the 50s.
The Lehigh Valley Half Marathon was a big success despite rain that started coming down just as most runners finished on the track in the stadium. However, it’s been two days and it seems like the rain hasn’t stopped. It was a pretty busy weekend with Laura having friends visit from NJ and California and visits with the Yasso tribe. Ultra extraordinaire Scott Jurek called to say he was going to be in town for a few days and would love to meet up with us. But before that, one of our friends Gail came over with a bunch of Ted Corbitt medals from the 50s and 60s. For those not in the know, Ted was considered the father of American ultrarunning. We were fortunate enough to get to meet him twice and talk to him about this passion – getting the 100K in the Olympics. Ted died in late 2007. His son has been going thru all of his memorabilia and Ted saved e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. He and Gail went thru old singlets, numerous newspaper clippings, trophies, plaques and medals – 100s of them. All will be in storage until a museum or Hall of Fame can take them. As it is now – budget cuts seem to be preventing institutions from accepting these iconic contributions without a monetary donation as well. Gail asked Laura what to do with about 80+ of Ted’s lesser medals. They thought of giving them to a group that upcycles them but quickly the women realized that these medals should be in the hands of those who appreciated what Ted had done for the sport whether it be ultrarunning or his involvement with establishing the RRCA. Cynci, one of Laura’s peeps from CA helped categorize each of the medals and before the night was done they realized they had 88 medals spanning a period of 35 years for races Ted either won or placed in – everything from a one -mile track race to a 50-mile trail ultr. Ted could do it all – and he did it all well. I gave Scott a 50 K medal. My wife picked out a marathon medal for us and we are helping distribute these medals to those who admired Ted.
Last night we celebrated Laura’s birthday – quatro de Mayo – at Kome, our favorite Japanese restaurant in the Lehigh Valley. Scott joined us as did Brit Keith Straw. Laura will be crewing Keith at the Badwater 135 this July. We thought it would be good for Keith (aka Tutuman as this speedy brit wears a self-made pink tutu during many of his races) to meet one of the great Badwater icons. Scott was kind enough to offer Keith some sage advice – mostly get your butt out there in the heat and get in the best shape of your life. Tonight we continue with the rain and another dinner, this time Indian, with Scott and Brian Sabin from work. The three of us had spent all day in the rain doing a video shoot in the parkway – and Sott thought he left all the rain at home when he left Seattle on Sunday!
Not Ready for a Race? Bike thru Santa Barbara Wine Country With Me
Next weekend, Saturday May 9th is the 3rd annual Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon and 2-Person Relay. The race is sold out but you can still come to Santa Barbara and be athletic – do a bike ride thru wine country with me on Friday, the day before the race.
http://www.runsantaynez.com
Wine Country Half Marathon
“Course Preview” Cycling Tour
with Bart Yasso of Runners World
 |
Friday, May 8th, 2009
Half Marathon “Course Preview” Cycling Tour w/Lunch includes:
Two Hour Leisure Guided Cycling Tour along the route of the Wine Country Half Marathon- Professional Tour Guides
- Gourmet Picnic Lunch & Wine Tasting at Rusack Winery.
- Includes guest host Bart Yasso, author, endurance athlete, and Travel Writer from Runners World Magazine.
- Bike rentals with helmet & custom water bottles also included
- SAG vehicle & mechanical support available
- Distance = 18 miles; flat with some rolling hills.
- Rate = $120.00/person
Cycling Tour Itinerary (with Gourmet Picnic Lunch)
- 11:30 AM
-
- Meet at Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling Tours (SBWCCT) store in Santa Ynez for bike fitting and ride description.
- Depart on Cycling Tour from race start line in Santa Ynez.
- Ride along country roads before we reach the quaint town of Los Olivos. Our ride will continue up a short hill before we descend into the beautiful
- Ballard Canyon past vineyards and cattle ranches.
- 12:30 PM
-
Arrive at Rusack Winery along Ballard Canyon Road for a gourmet picnic lunch under the shade of the Valley Oak trees on the wood deck over looking the vineyard.
- Bart Yasso of Runners World Magazine will share running experiences and discuss tips for running this course during lunch at Rusack.
- Lunch is followed by wine tasting.
After lunch we will continue a few more miles down Ballard Canyon into Solvang to cross the finish line on Copenhagen Dr. in downtown Solvang and stop in Solvang Park for a quick breather and refreshment.
- 1:30 PM
-
- Arrive back at Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling Tours (SBWCCT) store in Santa Ynez.
- Arrive back at Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling Tours (SBWCCT) store in Santa Ynez.
Half Marathon “Course Preview” Afternoon Cycling Tour includes:
Two Hour Leisure Guided Cycling Tour along the route of the Wine Country Half Marathon- Professional Tour Guides
- Bike rentals with helmet & custom water bottles also included
- SAG vehicle & mechanical support available
- Distance = 18 miles; flat with some rolling hills.
- Rate = $70.00 / per person
- 2:30 PM
-
- Meet at Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling Tours (SBWCCT) store in Santa Ynez for bike fitting and ride description.
- Depart on Cycling Tour from race start line in Santa Ynez.
- Ride along country roads before we reach the quaint town of Los Olivos. Our ride will continue up a short hill before we descend into the beautiful
- Ballard Canyon past vineyards and cattle ranches.
- We will continue a few more miles down Ballard Canyon into Solvang to cross the finish line on Copenhagen Dr. in downtown Solvang and stop in Solvang Park for a quick breather and refreshment.
- 4:00 PM
-
- Arrive back at Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling Tours (SBWCCT) store in Santa Ynez.
MAKE YOUR RESERVATION TODAY!
To make your reservation contact Corey or Tim at: (888) 557-8687
or e-mail info1@winecountrycycling.com
Registration to “Wine Country Half Marathon” is not included and must be done through
www.destinationraces.com .
The third annual Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon returns to the Santa Ynez Valley this May 2008, by Destination Races. Located in a spectacular setting within the wine country; this event features a scenic course through rolling hills alongside the majestic San Rafael Mountains. The race starts in Santa Ynez and passes through the town of Los Olivos before finishing on Copenhagen Street in historic Solvang for the Wine & Music Festival. For more information, visit:www.destinationraces.com
iBart
This is a piece by Mark Remy on Runner’s World Online, http://rwdaily.runnersworld.com/
April 07, 2009
iPhone Apps: Have We Been Trying Too Hard?
Mark Remy 
In case you haven’t heard, apps are white hot. (No, not this kind of app. This kind.) Apple has sold approximately 900 jillion iPhone apps to date, and roughly 3 jillion new apps are being added every single day. Just in the time it takes you to read the phrase “iPhone apps,” according to our estimates, 320 million new apps were created. Feeling overwhelmed yet? So are we. In fact, we here at Runner’s World are feeling so overwhelmed that we don’t even have any apps for sale yet. We’re working on that. But I’m starting to wonder if we aren’t overthinking this iPhone app thing. All along, we’ve been working on the assumption that our apps should be, you know, useful. For instance: an app that creates a marathon training plan for you, then imports it into your calendar, then reminds you when it’s time to run and, oh yeah, that you also might be due for a new pair of shoes, and, hey, click here for a list of specialty running retailers in or near your zip code, and yadda yadda. What a bunch of chumps we are. Apparently, according to articles like this one in The New York Times, the hottest iPhone apps are the simple, goofy ones. Like iSteam. iSteam — and we’re not making this up — is an app that makes your iPhone’s screen appear to fog over. Wipe a finger across it, and you “clear” a path, complete with squeaky sound effects.
Three guys created this app in seven days. According to The Times, “they made more than $100,000 in three months.” Which got me thinking that there has gotta be a Runner’s World equivalent. Say hello to iBart. iBart is a new iPhone app that, for the low, low price of $1.99, puts RW‘s own Bart Yasso on your iPhone. What does Bart do on your iPhone? Hey, you’re lookin’ at it. I mean, come on… It’s Bart! On your iPhone! For less than two bucks! While you fish your credit card out of your wallet, I’ll get back to work on our next iPhone app. I can’t give out details just yet, but let’s just say it’s called “iAmby.”
il Nostro Anniversario & a Race T-shirt Quilt
Eight years ago today was a beautiful and unseasonably warm day in Casoli, Italy where Laura and I were married in her grandparent’s hometown village with 27 friends and famiglia in tow. Today, we celebrated, just the two of us, at a local Indian restaurant. Laura had a quilt made for me - using t-shirts from my favorite races including Badwater, Smoky Mountain Marathon and various Ironmans. Here’s a photo Laura took of me under the quilt and our cat on top of it. (A shout out to runner Jackie Kelly of Tennessee for her amazing work on the quilt. Nobody makes better t-shirt quilts than Jackie.) Mojave never slept on the couch when other blankets were there but he does now – he loves this quilt for some reason.
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