26.2 Miles and a Two Older Ladies

Yesterday while lying in bed nursing one of the worst hangovers I can remember I got a text from a good friend showing her son crossing the finish line of the Big Sur Marathon in Big Sur California. Justin’s journey had started a few months back when he asked me if I had a training schedule he could use for an upcoming race. We were at the bar (big surprise there I know) and I told him I’d email it to him in the morning. He was stoked and bought me another IPA. Let the fun begin I told him. And now he’s done it. Check out his blog for a write up of the event, including how two older ladies saved his ass.

Congrats man!

Photo © Jared Russle 2009

Think You Can Do it Yourself? Think Again You Need a Trainer.

On the day when a good friend wrote a post on making it happen and the pain one must endure, the New York Times published a solid article on the benefits of having a personal trainer. The story highlights the key reasons why trainers are a necessary component when looking to get faster, but also briefly mentions the emotional tenacity an individual must have when looking to push their personal boundaries. Whether you’re an athlete or not the articles is worth a quick read. And who knows maybe it will inspire you to go out and tackle something you once thought impossible.

Grandmas and Twitter

If I’ve learned one thing about Twitter, it is once the press thinks they’ve discovered the next best thing, the PR is more or less taken care of for free.

Just this past week I had to explain to a group of 70-year-old women what Twitter was and why everyone at the local coffee shop was tuned in. My answer was quick: Twitter is like walking into a room of a thousand strangers all talking to each other and finding common ground with a select few. Sure you could walk around the room just blurting things out until someone stopped you, but that’s now how conversation works. Instead it is a two-way dialogue that requires each participant to bring value to.

The old ladies said they kind of got it, but weren’t sure why people needed to know all that.

So I tried another one. I asked them when they were young how they kept tabs on their friends. “We would see them at school and then after school sometimes,” they responded. I then asked them how they kept in touch with their grandchildren if they had any. “Email, our kids blog, and of course traveling to see them,” they quickly answered.

“So you enjoy looking online to stay in touch because you don’t want to miss something?” I asked back.

“Of course! We don’t want to miss their first step or word.”

“There you go that is what Twitter is like, yet it’s less personal. People are turning to the room to find people to enrich their lives and keep in touch, and most are scared they will miss something life-shattering so they always tune in.”

“So my grandson could twitter?” one asked.

“Sure.”

“Now that’s scary,” she quietly pondered.

More infant thoughts…

Da nephew doing his thing with my interpretation of what’s going on inside. (I only attempt to do this since I lived with my sister for 20 years and can pretty much guess what he’s thinking)

“Um this is not my hat! Wow you’re really taking a picture? Don’t you know I’m a monster! (PS: Please tell my mom to give me more cookies since you know, she has the gumption to put me in this ridiculous outfit with no manly trucks, buildings, or camo.)

“I swear one more ‘oh he’s sooooo cute,’ and I’m going to squash you. And don’t think I can’t do it, I train with my blocks every day building up towers just to topple them and do it all over again. PS: that is not my ridiculous hat sitting next to me. No definitely not mine.”

Pascha 2009

Proof Creativity Can Be Found Anywhere

Ran across this video and couldn’t help but think about the fact no matter what your task is, there is always a way to improve your message while surprising and engaging your audience.

NYT’s Downsizes and axes Escapes

Friday mornings will never be the same. In a move to continue cutting costs, the New York Times will be eliminating several weekly sections including my personal favorite Escapes. Escapes was the reason I first subscribed to the Times and over the years has been a favorite way to learn about new outdoor activities throughout the US. Unlike the more luxurious Travel Section, Escapes focused on activities I could actually afford and kept me in the loop when it came to Colorado mountain towns and adventure races. So now it looks like I’ll have to subscribe to the weekend edition to get the travel section, which sadly comes on Sunday when I’m usually out and about on some mountain.

It was a good run nevertheless.

Remember Pluto? That’s right it *was* the ninth planet…

Like some who are addicted to TED, I’ve found a deep love for the Commonwealth Club of California. Most of their talks are available as podcasts and feature personalities ranging from Ted Turner to Gwen Ifill, but the most surprising as of late was Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City and author of The Pluto Files. During his talk he answers questions about Pluto’s demise, why it didn’t exactly match up to be a planet and what a young boy sent him when he learned his favorite planet was no more. The hour-long talk is entertaining, refreshing and well worth a quick listen to.

To download the podcast either check out the Commonwealth’s Apple Store page or go here.

What the heck is this hat doing on my head! And other infant thoughts…

Thoughts of my nephew. (Note: Since he is my nephew I figure I’ll take the liberty of translating the following photos)

“What the heck is this hat doing on my head! Does my mom even know that it totally clashes with my spit? Seriously while I’m at it I might as well just spit on the bear as well. Should have been a Tonka Truck.”

“What do you mean I’ve got to mow the lawn, do the dishes, and pull the weeds when I get older? Isn’t that what dad’s for?”

“Yes I am a badass and that scar came from some sick freestyle crawling. Lets just say stairs, a wheelbarrel, and a chew toy don’t mix.”

“Practicing my ‘why can’t I have my swiss army knife back mom’ look.”