(707,1,'2017-01-15 08:07:37','2017-01-15 13:07:37','I did it. It\'s all over. 13 point freaking one miles. I can\'t believe I did that! And I can\'t believe my time either! It\'s been an incredible journey up to this point, and there are many miles ahead as I continue on to the next goal.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBQQ16x-OUg/Um1PTRq8vEI/AAAAAAAAB6k/VrHqgDlWO9Y/s1600/cchalfbibmedal.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBQQ16x-OUg/Um1PTRq8vEI/AAAAAAAAB6k/VrHqgDlWO9Y/s400/cchalfbibmedal.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"376\" /></a></div><br />So today, as I recover, I think I\'ll take some time to talk about the last couple of weeks - the injury worries, the Boston Firefighter\'s Memorial 10K, and the half-marathon itself! I have a lot to catch up on...bear with me!<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b>Lesson Learned - Listen To Your Body! If It Feels Wrong...Something\'s Wrong!</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b> <br />So I\'ll start with the injury worries that, for a minute, I thought might knock me out of the half marathon before I even started. <a href=\"http://runkeeper.com/user/dwmctague/activity/249332036\" target=\"_blank\">September 29th I went for a 10 mile run</a> as part of my training for the half. I was <b>wrecked</b> for the rest of the day - limping everywhere. I ended up feeling some pain on the outside of my left knee...I\'d never felt pain there, but I thought nothing of it. I gave myself a full week of rest to recover from it. Fast-forward to the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/canal-run-10kburpee-recap-lessons.html\" target=\"_blank\">Canal Run For The Troops 10K</a>...and things got bad. Not only was I feeling that left knee pain I\'d never felt before the 10 miler...but at 5.7 miles I was stopped dead in my tracks by debilitating right hamstring pain (right at the bottom of the hamstring). I thought it was just an immense cramp, and almost a month later I\'m still not sure what it was. I do know that I\'ve been able to stretch on the spot and run through it every time it comes up. I struggled through the last half mile of the Canal Run and finished.<br /><br /><b>At that point I hit the panic button</b>...made appointments with my primary care doctor (not until November), a podiatrist (not until 10/31) and my physical therapist (right away). As it turns out, my work shoes were too small and caused acute plantar fasciitis, which led to I.T. Band irritation on my left side. Painful, but not nearly as bad as it could have been. I took the right steps by getting new work shoes and new insoles as soon as my foot started really hurting, but by that point the \"damage\" had been done as far as my knee was concerned. My physical therapist was able to help me identify the problem (I.T. Band) and do some work to help me get through the half-marathon. Good news is, I did it...and now I\'ll see the podiatrist to permanently resolve the plantar fascia / foot issue and be back to normal come springtime, or maybe even later this winter (frozen fivers, anyone?).<br /><br /><b>For those who didn\'t read that far - ow.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XPYKPgdyp50/Um3YULJePbI/AAAAAAAAB7I/YjkpOBd3p-Y/s1600/ffrunning.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XPYKPgdyp50/Um3YULJePbI/AAAAAAAAB7I/YjkpOBd3p-Y/s400/ffrunning.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"355\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><b>Anyway, Boston <a href=\"http://www.bostonfirefighters10k.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Firefighters\' Memorial 10K</a></b><br /><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqrK0835xfg/Um3UC3Jt9gI/AAAAAAAAB60/OVCcWcidw8I/s1600/IMG_20131027_123212_380.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xqrK0835xfg/Um3UC3Jt9gI/AAAAAAAAB60/OVCcWcidw8I/s320/IMG_20131027_123212_380.jpg\" height=\"249\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>This race was supposed to be my last \"big\" run before the half-marathon...and it ended up being even more important than that - it became the big test to see if I\'d actually BE ABLE to run the half. I want to start off by saying a big THANK YOU to <a href=\"http://www.flexappealsportsnutrition.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Flex Appeal Sports Nutrition</a> for sponsoring me for this race!<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsjXAnnOMfU/Um3bOc0RrJI/AAAAAAAAB7U/zfRPhtwIa6I/s1600/1526170193.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TsjXAnnOMfU/Um3bOc0RrJI/AAAAAAAAB7U/zfRPhtwIa6I/s320/1526170193.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"213\" /></a></div>I have to say, I had a lot of fun with this race, and I learned a lot about my body, my legs, and my running. This race is apparently a big deal - lots of firefighters and military people coming out to support the cause. This was the 31st running, so they know what they\'re doing, and they had a huge level of support from countless area businesses. I ended up taking home a free year\'s subscription to New England Runner...they were literally just tossing stuff out there.<br /><br />Anyway, as far as the race itself - the course was pretty flat overall. I got to run through some major highway space which was pretty cool. It\'s too bad I\'m not much of a mid-run photographer...the firefighters had their boat spraying water everywhere for runners to see as we went over a bridge and ran through the harborwalk area. That\'s ok...my Droid stays right in my <a href=\"http://www.tunebelt.com/\" target=\"_blank\">TuneBelt</a> where I like it.<br /><br />Unfortunately, thanks to more walk-breaks than I would\'ve liked, I didn\'t quite get the time I wanted. I finished in 56:39, 9:08 min/mile average. 467th of 995 overall.&nbsp; I was hoping to&nbsp; break 54 minutes, and I know I can do it...but my knee/I.T. Band was an issue...oh well. There\'s always next time, and I know what I\'m capable of. Still WAY better than my first 10K!<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aBQQ16x-OUg/Um1PTRq8vEI/AAAAAAAAB6o/Jbpg1k1FvTg/s1600/cchalfbibmedal.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aBQQ16x-OUg/Um1PTRq8vEI/AAAAAAAAB6o/Jbpg1k1FvTg/s320/cchalfbibmedal.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"301\" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>The Cape Cod Marathon Half&nbsp;</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IPPwJAkgugM/Um5NesTuz5I/AAAAAAAAB74/vRgMxUqcW4Y/s1600/IMG_20131026_072625_288.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IPPwJAkgugM/Um5NesTuz5I/AAAAAAAAB74/vRgMxUqcW4Y/s400/IMG_20131026_072625_288.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></b></div><br />This was it...the big one! I\'ve been training for this for three months! I still can\'t believe it. It was an incredible experience getting my first 13.1...I feel so accomplished! It\'s so different running a half-marathon than it is to run a 5K or 10K...much more challenging and a completely different mindset.<br /><br />This race, as well as the full marathon and relay, are put on by the Falmouth Track Club. The half is a beautiful course that starts in front of the post office downtown, does a little loop in the downtown area, then goes along Surf Drive, to Woods Hole along the Shining Sea Bikeway, back to Falmouth along the first three miles of the Falmouth Road Race route, and finishes in Town Hall Square. The full/relay goes in a big loop all around Falmouth, starting in the same place and finishing downtown. <br /><br />Before I launch into it...a big thanks to all my sponsors that made it possible not only for me to run, but for me to be able to afford the gear necessary to train and compete in cold weather! It was 35 degrees at the start! SportClips in Falmouth was my title sponsor and, actually, my first sponsor period! I was fortunate enough to have a lot of sponsors - please check out the Sponsors Page to see who thought I was good enough to sponsor! THANKS!<br /><br />So, the race itself...first off let me just say I have never before run in such absolutely FRIGID weather! It was bone-chilling cold...and I know it\'ll get colder, so I shouldn\'t complain...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Tm3CKve_jk/Um5XwptI9yI/AAAAAAAAB8I/LTCRS_xD34Y/s1600/IMG_20131026_072611_869.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2Tm3CKve_jk/Um5XwptI9yI/AAAAAAAAB8I/LTCRS_xD34Y/s400/IMG_20131026_072611_869.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><br /><b>That cold weather was forgotten</b> as I passed the first mile marker...traded my Under Armour beanie for a sweatband and kept on truckin\'. I had gone four miles before I even realized what happened! It was at that point I realized just how different the mindset is when you run different races - Your mind and your&nbsp; body adjust to the length of the race! 6 days prior, when I hit 4 miles I felt like I had gone so much farther...but during the half? I wasn\'t even 1/3 done...and I felt like I could keep going for days! It\'s interesting, that\'s for sure.<br /><br />And it is at this point I would like to say - what a beautiful course! As we ran along Surf Drive, with the beach to our left...I was marveling at how great the scenery was. If it\'s one thing I\'m coming to realize is a treat about foot races, it\'s that it\'s about taking time to appreciate the scenery, get in touch with your body and your world, and just <b>be</b>. If you\'re in the market for a gorgeous road race, look into the Cape Cod Marathon Half. We turned left onto the Shining Sea Bikeway to make our way to Woods Hole, and were treated to more of the same beautiful sunrise / early morning beach views. Makes me wish I was taking pictures.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>It was at this point - about 4.5 miles, I had my first problem.</b> The right hamstring issue, that I didn\'t experience AT ALL during the Firefighters\' 10K, came back! I immediately stopped off to the side, stretched it out and kept on going. I had to do this several times between 4.5 miles and 5.5 miles (which slowed me down by a couple minutes, total), but by the time I got off the bike path and into Woods Hole I had run through it.<br /><br /><b>But now I had a new challenge...</b><br /><br />The entirety of the CCM Half is flat...except for miles 6.5 - 9.5. Those three miles are the first three miles of the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/and-then-i-ran-falmouth-road-race.html\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Road Race</a>, so there\'s rolling hills, including Nobska Lighthouse. This was the challenge not because of the hills, but because my I.T. Band is sore 100% of the time going uphill (it\'s in and out / avoidable on flat terrain and non-existent on downhills). This part of the course slowed me down by probably a minute or two...I went slower than I wanted and had to take a bit more walk-break than I wanted. I got through it though...and at mile 9 I had a feeling...<br /><br /><b>But at Mile 10 I knew - </b>I had a real shot to break 2 hours 15 minutes! Not only that, but if my math was right...if I was able to keep up 9 minute miles, hell...just be better than 10 minute miles...<b>I could break 2:10!</b> At that point, nothing else mattered. I had, at that point, officially run farther than I ever had in one shot before...<b>and nothing was going to stop me from breaking 2:10.</b> I told myself no more walk breaks - <b>walk when you finish</b>. I told myself the knee and the I.T. Band weren\'t going to be a problem - <b>I\'ve come too far to crap out now</b>. This was <b>my time</b>, and I was going to <b>nail it</b>.<br /><br /><b>And I did.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxqwdI2ffI/Um3glwJ8W3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/GozBLla5nSU/s1600/IMG_20131026_094154_638.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GJxqwdI2ffI/Um3glwJ8W3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/GozBLla5nSU/s400/IMG_20131026_094154_638.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a></b></div><br />When I started the race, the one thing I hadn\'t checked that morning was my playlist. There were about 12 songs not showing up that I had put on...and I thought nothing of it. Ironically, at Mile 13, with the .1 miles of the finish line lead-up left to go...I ran out of music. For the last .1 I had to listen to my own huffing and puffing, but I got to hear the sound of the crowd...the cheering and clapping...and I saw that LED clock...2:09:22...<b>it was in reach! </b>I crossed at 2:09:29.&nbsp;<b> </b>Thirteen point FREAKING one miles...accomplished. I found out that considering how serious of an accomplishment it is and how hard you have to work to be able to do it...it seems every race half-marathon or longer gives you a finisher\'s medal after crossing the finish line. Know why? <b>Not everyone finishes. </b>There were 1,200 people in this race...<b>995 finished</b>. The first picture in this article was the bib and finisher\'s medal, but I put it in again in this part too - that will not be the last finisher\'s medal I get. I\'ve got big plans for next year.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4k1AEXVlVg/Um5bUPpXt1I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/nPeb7H3VN_w/s1600/IMG_20131026_095523_208.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4k1AEXVlVg/Um5bUPpXt1I/AAAAAAAAB8Q/nPeb7H3VN_w/s400/IMG_20131026_095523_208.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" />&nbsp;</a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><br /></div><b>I thought calling this article</b> \"Achievement Unlocked - 13.1\" was  incredibly ironic considering this was about as far from sitting on a  couch playing a video game as I could be. A year ago, I WOULD\'VE been on  the couch playing a video game. Its incredible what you can achieve  when you just put your mind to it. I now firmly believe, beyond a shadow  of a doubt, something I said in a prior article - <b>Given time and training, anything is possible</b>.  I don\'t care who you are, how heavy or skinny you are, what problems  you have or how busy you are...if you put in some time, train, and get  determined, you can do anything. So, on this Motivational Monday, think about this - if, in less than 14 months, I can go from 300 lbs with a couch cushion molded to my butt to 179 and running half-marathons...<b>why can\'t you?</b> If I can do this, anyone can. I\'d love to help! If you\'re interested, check out the Coach page of this blog.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r6QzF3n9mDs/UjcbDB-Z99I/AAAAAAAABpU/2-GfIixZHmc/s1600/giventime.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r6QzF3n9mDs/UjcbDB-Z99I/AAAAAAAABpU/2-GfIixZHmc/s400/giventime.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />It\'s already yours...<b>Go out there and GET IT!</b>','Achievement Unlocked - 13.1','','inherit','closed','closed','','92-revision-v1','','','2017-01-15 08:07:37','2017-01-15 13:07:37','',92,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/92-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(708,1,'2017-01-15 08:07:37','2017-01-15 13:07:37','2013 was such a huge year for me - I learned a lot about myself, my body, and my abilities. I learned that the only limits we <b>truly</b> have are the ones we set for ourselves - that\'s why I threw the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Lose Your Limits Challenge 2014</a>\" out there. At the time, I didn\'t realize <b>I had already taken on this challenge myself.</b> As my 2013 running season drew to a close, I began lining up my 2014 season - that is where MY challenge lies - this upcoming year of races is jam-packed. If things continue the way they are I\'ll be running a race nearly every weekend! Lots of races are close together or back to back, and there are going to be some BIG ones later in the year. My 2014 season starts in 13 days, and I\'d like to share the first installment of that season with you today.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><a name=\'more\'></a>I\'m so fortunate to have a number of sponsors backing me for my 2014 race season! Without them, I wouldn\'t be able to run <b>nearly </b>as many races as I am. These first three races I want to share with you are sponsored by my&nbsp; very first sponsor - the one that made it possible for me to <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">run my first half-martahon</a> -<a href=\"http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;ved=0CC8QFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fhaircutmeneastfalmouthma.com%2F&amp;ei=NEO4UrCEGOjv2QWuiYDQDA&amp;usg=AFQjCNFtc1JAvTbUMLqdzkdh92bZgrH5CQ&amp;sig2=zN0loStr8ORivGZ3VaRvwA&amp;bvm=bv.58187178,d.b2I\" target=\"_blank\"> <b>SportClips in Falmouth</b>. </a><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1-2CYtLQjJA/UgobuUylIzI/AAAAAAAABO8/0n6Q7101Shg/s1600/sportclips.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"200\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1-2CYtLQjJA/UgobuUylIzI/AAAAAAAABO8/0n6Q7101Shg/s400/sportclips.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>For those of you who haven\'t been there...as the logo implies, it\'s a sports-themed haircut place meant primarily for guys. There are tv\'s literally everywhere - including posted up between chairs for you to watch tv while you get a haircut. It\'s definitely an interesting concept, and I can dig it. They also do this thing called the \"MVP\" - it\'s like a little man-spa. You should check out their site and learn a little more - if you\'re anywhere near (or on) Cape Cod, the one in Falmouth <b>is</b><i> </i>the closest one to you - I\'m pretty sure it\'s the only one this side of Boston. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><b>The Races</b></span><br /><br />George (the owner over at SportClips) was kind enough to sponsor me for three local races. The first one is on January 5th! I bet that\'ll be a cold one (or not, if this weird New England weather keeps up!).<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-icCssMcGVs0/Urgx-WsctrI/AAAAAAAAGF4/TaOujXI2l04/s1600/IMG_8095.JPG\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"298\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-icCssMcGVs0/Urgx-WsctrI/AAAAAAAAGF4/TaOujXI2l04/s400/IMG_8095.JPG\" width=\"400\" />&nbsp;</a> </div><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Cape Cod Road Runner\'s 34th Annual Winter Fun Run</span></b><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvSQ-gFC2sY/Urg0dTJgcII/AAAAAAAAGGI/8kGzFoBQQ50/s1600/CCRRFunRunroute.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nvSQ-gFC2sY/Urg0dTJgcII/AAAAAAAAGGI/8kGzFoBQQ50/s320/CCRRFunRunroute.jpg\" width=\"272\" /></a>This one looks like a lot of fun! The course takes you through some back-road area in Bourne / Monument Beach (just past the Bourne Bridge), with about a half-mile stretch along the beach itself. I\'m REALLY hoping it\'s not windy - that half-mile could be pretty awful. It\'s a weird length for a <span></span><span></span>course - 4.87 miles. I\'ve found that most, if not all, non-standard distance courses tend to have a story behind their distance. The <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/and-then-i-ran-falmouth-road-race.html\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Road Race</a> began as a run from the Captain Kidd in Woods Hole to the BBC in Falmouth (hence 7.4 miles), and it looks like (in terms of having a story) this race is no different. It used to be a course along a dirt road, which began at The Weary Traveler Shrine Club (Shriners are a part of Freemasonry), but over time maintenance of the dirt road became an issue, so they chose a new course. The revised course fell just short of 5 miles, but they stuck with it. <br /><br />This is a \"fun run\". <b>What does that mean?</b> It means there is no chip timing, and those bibs you see in the picture are basic and, it would seem, to help them jot down some overall and age group award winners. This\'ll feel the same as any other race I\'ve run - not like I\'m the leader of the pack taking home the prize for running a 15 minute 5K yet! Hah. The entry fees from this go to support the <a href=\"http://www.bourneconservationtrust.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Bourne Conservation Trust</a> - a private non-profit that acquires land in order to leave it in its natural state. Sounds good to me :). <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Lovin\' L.I.F.E. 5K</span></b><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fzHSbPZwReY/Urg1dzW9s9I/AAAAAAAAGGU/DDJZ4ErfKKA/s1600/12400_605858926109550_962739796_n.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"313\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fzHSbPZwReY/Urg1dzW9s9I/AAAAAAAAGGU/DDJZ4ErfKKA/s320/12400_605858926109550_962739796_n.png\" width=\"320\" /></a><br /><b>This one has some special meaning for me</b>. This was not only my first 5K, but my first RACE ever! I\'m VERY excited to run it again and see how I stack up against myself from last year. Last time I ran this race it was just a month and a half after I started running in the first place. <span></span><span></span><br /><span></span><span></span><br />This race, if they keep the same course as last year, takes you through some back roads and neighborhoods in Mashpee, MA. The home stretch goes along Great Neck Road in Mashpee, and the finish line is right in the L.I.F.E. complex. <br /><a href=\"http://www.lifecapecod.org/\" target=\"_blank\">L.I.F.E. stands for Living Independently Forever.</a> It\'s a non-profit org that provides assisted living for adults with disabilities in its condominium complex. It\'s a great group doing some great work, and I\'m happy to support them! The race is on May 4th, 2014. Should be a nice spring day, just like last year!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Falmouth Flag Day 5K</b></span><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LgkoCZp99DA/Urg-7E1gmrI/AAAAAAAAGGg/JiloqDnbVzc/s1600/598812_436432483056708_1291712048_n.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"262\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LgkoCZp99DA/Urg-7E1gmrI/AAAAAAAAGGg/JiloqDnbVzc/s400/598812_436432483056708_1291712048_n.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a><br />This race is still pending announcement, so it\'s tentative. I\'m PLANNING on running this one! This looks like a really fun race, and I ALMOST registered for it last year. I\'m not sure of the exact route of the course, but if photos are any indication it looks like the finish is right near the Falmouth Road Race finish - by the BBC in Falmouth Heights. If that\'s the case, I\'m sure this will be a very scenic race! This (hopefully) sunny June race will be a nice way to come down off of a half-marathon and an obstacle race...more on that soon ;)<br /><b></b><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>WHY Am I Doing This?</b></span><br /><br />These are just three of the 12 races I am (so far) registered for (through July), and there will be more coming. <b>Why </b>am I running so many races? And<b> why</b> would I register for races back to back? <b>I\'m doing it to show that you can</b>. If I can do it, anyone can. This time last year I was just beginning <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">my fitness journey</a> - I had just finished P90X, I was on the road to being healthy, but I never in a million years would\'ve thought I could go and <b>run</b>. A year and a half ago...I was still resigned to the \"fact\" <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">that I was, and would forever be, <b>big</b></a>. Clearly, that is not the case. <br /><b><br />Running is the most simple form of fitness. </b>Some more...<i>enthusiastic</i> runners...can make it very complicated...but in its simplest form, you strap on a pair of shoes and hit the road, trail, or treadmill. <b>That\'s it.</b> No complicated moves, no fancy agility training, no weights, no special gear, just you and the road. There is <b>no reason</b> why someone can\'t get out there and <b>be </b>a runner. This is how I\'m losing <b>my</b> limits - I\'m running. I\'m running <b>more</b>, I\'m running <b>faster</b>, I\'m running <b>farther</b>. By the end of 2014, I want to have completed my first marathon. <b>I want that 26.2. </b><u>And I\'ll get it. </u><br /><br />I didn\'t identify, personally, as a runner until I finished that half-marathon. I don\'t really know why...maybe I felt like I had something to prove to myself, or had to accomplish something big...who knows. I\'ve come to find, however, that it\'s very easy to figure out if you\'re a runner. <br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXwiwZTzSfk/UrhBOaTYQ1I/AAAAAAAAGGs/EFNqOoJ6xEM/s1600/definerunner.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXwiwZTzSfk/UrhBOaTYQ1I/AAAAAAAAGGs/EFNqOoJ6xEM/s1600/definerunner.jpg\" /></a></div><br />So <b>get out there</b>. Challenge yourself. Do something amazing. <b>Lose your limits.</b> I promise you, if you lose your perceptions of what you\'re capable of, if you <b>challenge yourself</b>, and <b>put the time in</b> to train...you can accomplish some <b>mind-blowing</b> feats. If someone had come up to me in August 2012 (when this all started) and told me that as I entered 2014 I would be training for my first marathon...I would\'ve told them to their face they were <b>high</b>. Now...Now I\'m hoping to be training for an Ultra-Marathon by 2015. <b>Funny how things change.</b><br /><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b>What are YOU training for? </b>Have you taken on <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">the challenge</a>?','I\'m Running. A Lot. This Is The Start.','','inherit','closed','closed','','86-revision-v1','','','2017-01-15 08:07:37','2017-01-15 13:07:37','',86,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/86-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(709,1,'2017-01-15 08:07:37','2017-01-15 13:07:37','What an INCREDIBLE weekend! I\'m still kind of in shock...words just can\'t describe how <b>elated</b> I am. This weekend I ran the Frosty Knuckle 5K+ AND the <a href=\"http://www.hyannismarathon.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Hyannis Half-Marathon</a>...<b>back to back days</b>.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--B0rrgmczaA/UwppIp5tN5I/AAAAAAAAGdg/jiE1WGiv4F0/s1600/runwkndnumbr.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--B0rrgmczaA/UwppIp5tN5I/AAAAAAAAGdg/jiE1WGiv4F0/s1600/runwkndnumbr.jpg\" /></a></div>Not only did I do well in both races...but I came away with a pretty big accomplishment in the 5K+ and a MAJOR accomplishment in Half-Marathon! If <b>I </b>can do this...<b>anyone</b> can. How did I do it? And how can <b>you?</b> Read on, and share in the journey!<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />This weekend, by all accounts, was probably <b>a really bad idea</b>. On Saturday I ran the Frosty Knuckle 5K+...then I ran the Hyannis Half-Marathon Sunday. That in itself could\'ve been passable...if it weren\'t for a few things... you\'ll find those as you read through...<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Let\'s Talk About the Frosty Knuckle 5K+!</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvySA8uyoHc/UwdHjD6XKRI/AAAAAAAAGbM/iZNE6aNHxsE/s1600/frosty_logo_MAIN-300x135.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvySA8uyoHc/UwdHjD6XKRI/AAAAAAAAGbM/iZNE6aNHxsE/s1600/frosty_logo_MAIN-300x135.png\" /></a></div><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lnE9r_MfMP0/Uwp8FNIAdcI/AAAAAAAAGd8/U5bx_XVVEH8/s1600/IMG_20140222_104632950_HDR2.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lnE9r_MfMP0/Uwp8FNIAdcI/AAAAAAAAGd8/U5bx_XVVEH8/s1600/IMG_20140222_104632950_HDR2.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"170\" /></a><b>Frosty Knuckle 5K+ was a blast!</b> I should start by thanking my friend Natalie at <a href=\"http://www.eclipxhair.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Eclipx Salon</a> for sponsoring me into this race! <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/EclipxSalon\" target=\"_blank\">Eclipx Salon</a> is her hair salon in Salisbury, MA (50 Elm St.) - the race was actually only about 8 minutes from her salon! Normally I do aim to sign sponsors that have something to do with health &amp; fitness, but I think it\'s also great to represent local / small businesses. <a href=\"http://www.eclipxhair.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Please be sure to give her site a look!</a> I\'ll be running more races for her later this year, so keep an eye out!&nbsp; She loved my shirt idea, by the way - \"Run Like A Beast, Look Like A Beauty\".<br /><br />It was a smaller race - the \"field\" (# of participants) was only 160 people. Smaller races are different - having a smaller \"field\" can provide for a different feel. I don\'t really know how to describe it... \"intimate\" isn\'t the right word...but it isn\'t the big song and dance that something like the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/and-then-i-ran-falmouth-road-race.html\" target=\"_blank\">Falmouth Road Race</a> is (with its 12,000+ runners) or even the Hyannis Half Marathon (with just under 3,000 runners). You get to see more of individual runners\' personalities, the groups that come having fun together, and even the event staff has more fun. <b>Whatever word you use to describe it </b>- I enjoyed it.<br /><br />Going into this race I was still riding the high from my MIRACULOUS <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/02/winter-warlock-recap.html\" target=\"_blank\">2nd place overall finish in the Winter Warlock 5K (Plymouth, MA)</a>. Between that and the size of the race...I may have gone a little harder than I initially intended....<b>whoops.</b><br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">How I Set Myself Up For Trouble:</span></b><br /><br />My initial plan was more or less to take it easy - I knew I had my 2nd ever half-marathon the next day, I knew what my goal was for the half...and I didn\'t want to risk screwing it up by burning myself out the day before. <b>What ended up happening</b> was mile splits of 7:21, 8:09 (when I realized I had to SLOW THE HELL DOWN), and 8:48 (once I hit the sand).<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHVDMGumL8Y/UwqIfVUo5PI/AAAAAAAAGeY/EmhsUqBcNss/s1600/frostyknucklemap.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHVDMGumL8Y/UwqIfVUo5PI/AAAAAAAAGeY/EmhsUqBcNss/s1600/frostyknucklemap.jpg\" /></a></div><br /><b>Oh yeah</b>...forgot to mention...from just before the 3rd mile until pretty much the end...<b>we were running on the beach.</b> <b>SAND!</b> Good Lord...let me just tell you...this was the first time I had ever run on sand before...NOT FUN.<br /><br />OK...maybe \"not fun\" isn\'t the right way to put it...<br /><br />Running on sand was <b>incredibly challenging</b>. There\'s a reason my mile split dropped to 8:48 on the sand...its just so tough! <b>*PRO TIP*</b> If you\'re running on sand, do yourself a HUGE favor and run near the water, where the sand is wet and more firm. The dry sand is nearly impossible...it just moves underneath you so much - it\'s hard to get any propulsion! When you push off with your foot, usually the ground doesn\'t move and you go forward...but when the sand moves backward you get less forward movement for the effort you\'re giving. Running on the wet sand is a little better, but it still moves and dampens the effort you\'re putting out.<br /><br /><b>This is why I\'ve come to the conclusion that running on sand is EXCELLENT for training. </b>It\'s also why I\'ve come to the conclusion that <i>I don\'t think I want to run any more races involving sand</i>. Haha. Unless it\'s an obstacle race - then I\'ll just consider it another obstacle.<br /><br />I ended up doing pretty well all things considered. The race was a little over a 5K (3.3 miles) and I finished in 26:59, which is about 8:11 min/mile. I was pretty satisfied with that, especially considering I intentionally tried to slow myself down starting somewhere late in the 1st mile. <b>What really caught me off-guard</b> was when the race director Heidi started announcing age group awards...and got to the Male 19 - 29 age group...<b>and announced me as 3rd place!</b> My Mom (who was there) can tell you...the look on my face must\'ve been hysterical - I was NOT at ALL expecting that. The medal itself was pretty hilarious, but appropriate considering Frosty Knuckle is actually a beer (Google it).<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztz0A3KJlAE/UwqZ8qz1ftI/AAAAAAAAGew/58yyErXAcYo/s1600/IMG_20140223_195721959_HDR.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztz0A3KJlAE/UwqZ8qz1ftI/AAAAAAAAGew/58yyErXAcYo/s1600/IMG_20140223_195721959_HDR.jpg\" height=\"225\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Yeah - it\'s a bottle-opener. Hah.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />The race was put on by Heat Event Management - Heidi (the Race Director) was SUPER nice and great to talk to - she said they do a LOT of trail runs, which is something I\'m looking to get into. She also mentioned that they happen in some really scenic places, which is a bonus. I definitely recommend looking into what they have to offer :) I LOVE local races. Another great thing about local races? ...sometimes they bring in LOCAL BEER! Ipswitch ale was there with a free beer for every runner :) So <b>that </b>was pretty great.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Jxnpf4Lw60/UwtIbzA3KDI/AAAAAAAAGgs/Hmk4rutNt5Q/s1600/ipsalebrewery.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Jxnpf4Lw60/UwtIbzA3KDI/AAAAAAAAGgs/Hmk4rutNt5Q/s1600/ipsalebrewery.jpg\" height=\"117\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>Quick side-note: </b>Salisbury Beach in the winter looked like something out of a zombie apocalypse movie. Think Zombieland...its got that creepy abandoned fun-house / boardwalk thing going on...it was odd. I wish I got a picture. Maybe when I go up in March for Smuttypalooza :)<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">On to the Hyannis Half Marathon!</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LKY7_wbGd3Q/Uwqpu6I_UbI/AAAAAAAAGfE/C2Fc3Nmv2_k/s1600/hyannis+half.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LKY7_wbGd3Q/Uwqpu6I_UbI/AAAAAAAAGfE/C2Fc3Nmv2_k/s1600/hyannis+half.jpg\" height=\"351\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>This was the big race! </b>I\'ve been looking forward to this since before the new year! This was my 2nd half marathon ever, and I was going in with a goal. My first half - the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-131.html\" target=\"_blank\">Cape Cod Marathon Half</a> - I had a rough idea, I was a little slower, and I was focusing on just <b>finishing</b>. I had a lot of hamstring and foot issues, I had I.T. Band issues, and I stopped to walk a lot as a result.  In the end, I finished in 2:09:29 (goal was to break 2:15:00).<br /><br /><b>Hyannis was different. </b>I had run more, trained more, and done long distances more. My obvious goal was to beat my old time. <b>My REAL goal was to break 2 hours. </b><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3Sn-o8DbV4/Uwqz0ycT5NI/AAAAAAAAGfY/7P1bY37f1ZQ/s1600/IMG_20140223_095223017.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j3Sn-o8DbV4/Uwqz0ycT5NI/AAAAAAAAGfY/7P1bY37f1ZQ/s1600/IMG_20140223_095223017.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"225\" /></a><span></span><span></span><br />So I showed up in Hyannis ready to go. My timing was a little off and I ended up getting there with enough time to get my number and shirt, hit the restroom and stretch. I had planned on getting there early, but that didn\'t happen...so I had to fight off that awful \"rushed\" feeling. I managed to simmer down once I got to stretching though.<br /><br />For starters...(literally)...I couldn\'t even get in the corral! It was so packed full there was just no room! I wasn\'t the only one who had to sneak in once the gun went off, though. To be fair, it was partly my own fault - I waited until about 5 minutes before gun time to even GET to the start and I refused to go farther down the chute - I was right up at the 8 min/mile flag. What can I say...I wanted to be near the start line! There\'s something about having that big neon clock at the finish at least KIND of close to your actual time...<br /><br /><b>***REAL quick - </b>for those who don\'t know - gun time is when the starting gun goes off to when you cross the finish. Net time is from when you cross the start to when you cross the finish. In a big race, you might not cross the start right when the gun goes off - might take 30 seconds, might take 5 minutes. The big neon clock at the finish goes off of gun time...so by being close to the start line, my net and gun times are close and that big neon clock is ALMOST accurate.***<br /><br /><b>As far as the race itself</b> - It was a nice run through Hyannis - we went close to (if not IN) downtown Hyannis, through Osterville, Craigville, and Centerville. We didn\'t <b>quite </b>go as far as Cotuit. It was a nice tour of Hyannis.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLT_Q9f3WcM/UwrRrJFRQqI/AAAAAAAAGgM/x0Hv5SBW4yM/s1600/hyannismap.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sLT_Q9f3WcM/UwrRrJFRQqI/AAAAAAAAGgM/x0Hv5SBW4yM/s1600/hyannismap.jpg\" /></a></div>I\'ve learned that it\'s all relative. I approach each different distance I run with a different mindset and a different target pace. When I\'m half done with a 5K I\'m just as pooped as I am when I\'m half done with a 10K. This is <b>almost</b> the same with a half marathon...but it\'s a little different. It may have been because I was trying to go much faster than my first half. It may have been because I ran a race the day before. It may have been because there were hills ALL OVER the course instead of mainly concentrated along a 3 mile stretch...or it may just be because 13.1 miles is a <b>long freaking distance</b>. Whatever the case, this race was tougher than my first 13.1. I may not have had injuries/cramps/issues like the last time...but that opened up a new set of challenges. <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wLl42a6iFNE/Uwq0bTotE3I/AAAAAAAAGfg/VVzpdiFQxj8/s1600/IMG_20140223_145512083.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wLl42a6iFNE/Uwq0bTotE3I/AAAAAAAAGfg/VVzpdiFQxj8/s1600/IMG_20140223_145512083.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"297\" /></a></div><b>What challenges? </b>It was me, my preparation, and my mind. In general, I feel like anything over 10 miles is all mental, and today reinforced that for me. That\'s the front of my shirt right there. I wasn\'t sponsored for the Hyannis Half, so I wore my own shirt. It wasn\'t a giant logo...it was <b>motivation</b>. It was for me and for whoever saw it - it\'s what I believe and what I\'ve been saying all along. The front said \"NO Limits.\" and \"I Can. I <u>WILL</u>.\" - You can see the back up above - \"Success happens one mile at a time\". I was repeating these three little gems to myself the whole race, because they were <b>all true</b>. Every time I wanted to slow down...<b>stop</b>...take a walk-break...I DEMANDED more of myself and resolved to get to the next mile. Know what I figured out? <b>I didn\'t really need to stop.</b> I kept telling myself \"I Can. I WILL.\"...<b>and I did.</b><br /><br />I started feeling my quads after a while...I kind of want to attribute that to running the Frosty Knuckle. The Race Director DID say she\'s had people tell her how sore their quads are after that race...<b>whoops</b>. After a while, that led to me feeling just how much my legs really weigh. I was reminded that while I have lost a <b>ton</b> of weight...at 175 lbs I\'m still heavier than many runners, and picking those legs up with each step requires a <b>lot </b>of work. <b>Didn\'t matter.</b> <b>No Limits.</b> I powered through it. I didn\'t demand big crazy reaches out of my body...I did it one mile at a time. My calves started to feel like they wanted to cramp up on me. <b>I didn\'t allow it</b>. I Can. I WILL. I kept telling myself...<i>every little bit you can run instead of walk...every little bit you can keep going...it ALL matters, and it ALL gets you closer to your goal! </i><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TdZa5Y7cjqI/UwrM6BiActI/AAAAAAAAGgA/Za0LdGLP5e0/s1600/paceband.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TdZa5Y7cjqI/UwrM6BiActI/AAAAAAAAGgA/Za0LdGLP5e0/s1600/paceband.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"153\" /></a></div>At mile 11 an old friend caught up with me...<b>my left hamstring</b>. I realized if I tried to just blast <span></span><span></span>through it my time would suffer and it could get worse, so I stopped and stretched super-fast and got back in it. I took a couple extra 10 second walk breaks because I had the time. <b>And I kept going. </b>Nothing was going to hold me back - I was on track for a sub-2 hour half...and I was gonna <b>get it</b>.<br /><br />How did I know I was on-track? <b>I had a paceband. </b>What\'s a paceband? It\'s that thing right there! I found a site, I plugged in the time I wanted to finish in, and told it the distance I was running. It did the math and put it together into a wristband that said at what time I needed to be at each mile marker. I printed it out, cut it out, and...\"laminated\" it...with some scotch tape. For the first 8 miles I was 2 minutes ahead of target. After that I started to slow a bit, but I was on-track. I knew <b>for a fact</b> that I could do it. It also allowed me to make smart, informed, tactical decisions about \"walk-breaks\"...10 seconds of walking here and there helped me keep my overall pace up. I DEFINITELY recommend printing up one of these for your next race. Solid idea for sure.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So...How Did It Turn Out?!</b></span><br /><br /><br /><b>I DID IT! THAT\'S how it turned out! MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT - I BROKE 2 HOURS! Not by much, but I did it! I came in at 1:59:40 official time</b>. That\'s 9:49 faster than last time...almost 10 minutes off my time! I cannot BEGIN to describe how elated I am to have accomplished that! <b>ESPECIALLY </b>after having run that 5K+ the day before with that freakin\' <b>sand</b>.<br /><br /><b>The whole point of ALL of this...</b>all these races I\'m running this year...this site...<b>all of it</b>...it\'s to encourage, to motivate, and to show that <b>it <u>can</u> be done.</b> I was 300 lbs at the end of 2012! I had been a big guy <b>my whole life</b>. And here I am running back to back races and achieving amazing things like a sub-2 hour half marathon in the process! <b>ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! </b>Is this real life?! I literally would\'ve laughed out loud if, back then, someone tried to tell me this would happen...<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J-YOUducNeI/Uws8a0XiYCI/AAAAAAAAGgc/IUc3WDad9FQ/s1600/aftert25front.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J-YOUducNeI/Uws8a0XiYCI/AAAAAAAAGgc/IUc3WDad9FQ/s1600/aftert25front.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>It goes back to what I said</b> in the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/12/lose-your-limits-challenge-2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">Lose Your Limits Challenge article</a> - the only limits we TRULY have are the ones we set for ourselves. The human body is an amazing thing - given time and training it will do <b>whatever</b> you ask of it. It will change shape. It will get faster. It will endure longer. You just have to have the confidence and stamina to make those changes happen. Tell yourself exactly what I put on that shirt for me and everyone that could see it - <b>NO Limits. I Can - I <u>WILL</u>. </b>And remember - <b>Success happens one mile/km/lap/rep/pound/day at a time.</b><br /><br /><b>Honestly...</b> If I can do this, <b>anyone can. </b>You <u>WILL</u> get there. Just keep going :)','NO LIMITS. Frosty Knuckle 5K+ & Hyannis Half Marathon Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','78-revision-v1','','','2017-01-15 08:07:37','2017-01-15 13:07:37','',78,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/78-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(712,1,'2017-01-15 22:52:00','2017-01-16 03:52:00','','','','inherit','open','closed','','5-race-keys','','','2017-01-15 22:53:54','2017-01-16 03:53:54','',0,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/5-RACE-KEYS.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(713,1,'2017-01-18 07:19:06','2017-01-18 12:19:06','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">\"5 Keys To A Great Race\"</a> as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">click here and read it so this makes sense</a>.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">\"5 Keys\"</a></strong></h3>\r\n<em>If you just want the score, scroll through for the headers and the total at the bottom. </em>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n<h4><strong>Google sabotaged us.</strong></h4>\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n<h4><strong>My dilemma here... </strong></h4>\r\nis that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-747 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_095317_519-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Winter Warlock pre-race photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />Same-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat... passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but <strong><em>the rest of the course</em></strong> was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>That part felt a little... <em>thrown together</em> maybe?\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-745 aligncenter\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/distance-marker-turnaround-300x82.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock Turnaround Markers\" width=\"300\" height=\"82\" />Also - </strong>just realized...the email broke down where water stops were. The water stops doubled as the turnarounds. It\'s very clearly and intelligently laid down - 1.5, 3.1, 6.1, and 9 miles. All appropriate half-way turnaround points... except... 6.1? So where and when in the process did the \"whoopsie\" on the distance <em>ACTUALLY </em>happen? *sigh*\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler and 18 miler.\r\n<h4><strong>It seems there was a lack of volunteer help, though.</strong></h4>\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish - I looked around for the medal hander-outer person...nothing. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals on the ground after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal itself, too - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPost-race wasn\'t bad...just wasn\'t mind-blowing. Once you crossed the finish, water was available right there (grab it yourself, ok...no problem). No signs directing you to the post-race party...but again...<em>smart cookie.</em> Followed the crowd and found it - wasn\'t hard. The email said the post-race party was \"catered\". It was a nice enough spread, for sure - little scones, pastries, fruit, coffee and tea. I\'m not complaining, I guess I just pictured...something...<em>more</em>... when I hear \"catered\" and someone makes a big deal about saying \"we bought some nice food for you\" at the pre-race speech. But, hey, catered food was promised, and catered food was provided.\r\n<h4><strong>It bothered me that it ran out so fast, though.</strong></h4>\r\nWhile Megan was keeping warm she told me all the spectators went to that room and piled plates high - I could\'ve sworn I saw someone with a cookie, but I saw none on the table. By the time the last runners came in, not much was left (if anything). The very last runner...nothing was left.\r\n<h4><strong>TO HIS CREDIT - </strong></h4>\r\nThe race director rushed over to congratulate him and threw himself at the guy offering to get him whatever he needed in terms of food or drink - that was nice to see. Also to his credit - during the \"awards ceremony\" (which was so unceremonious I hesitate to call it a ceremony) when people WEREN\'T there to accept their awards...he DID say \"we\'ll make sure to get that out to them\". Was it reflex, or is he really gonna mail those awards? <em>I\'d like to think the latter.</em>\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Overall Rating - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-748 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_141819_706-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sunday runday winter warlock\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Would I recommend Winter Warlock?? </strong>\r\n\r\nI mean, shoot, you see my complaints laid out in black and white right here - if those get cleaned up I\'d recommend it all day. It\'s a nice, challenging little course with a 13.1 &amp; 18 mile option in the dead of winter where there aren\'t typically a lot of options. People gotta train for Hyannis &amp; Boston, right?\r\n<h4><strong>Will those complaints &amp; mistakes get cleaned up? </strong></h4>\r\nI\'d like to think so, yes. In all honesty, I went into this race expecting kind of a mess  - complaints about past Plymouth Rock Racing events flew around online. That\'s all neither here nor there - we\'re talking about Winter Warlock, and overall, despite my concerns (which I did dock points for), I had a pretty good experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>TO BE FAIR - </strong> I interviewed four different participants about (among other things) their experience. All four of them had nothing but good things to say and had a positive experience. For all the rumblings and complaining Megan said she heard on-site from the 5K, 10K\'ers, &amp; fast half-marathoners it appears there were plenty of people that had a good experience, too.\r\n<h4><strong>Like I said, I\'m a firm believer in \"the benefit of the doubt\" and positive change. </strong></h4>\r\nAs far as I\'m concerned, Winter Warlock 2017 looked, <em>overall</em>, like a move in the right direction...improving on some things that had been a source of complaints in the past. There\'s still some work to do, but we\'re getting there. Let\'s continue improving and moving forward, PRR - the more good races and options we all have...the better :)','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','publish','open','open','','race-recap-winter-warlock-2017','','','2017-01-18 10:22:36','2017-01-18 15:22:36','',0,'http://sothisisfitness.com/?p=713',0,'post','',0),(714,1,'2017-01-15 23:00:50','2017-01-16 04:00:50','','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-15 23:00:50','2017-01-16 04:00:50','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(716,1,'2017-01-16 23:06:55','2017-01-17 04:06:55','','','','inherit','open','closed','','img_20170115_185130a','','','2017-01-16 23:12:00','2017-01-17 04:12:00','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_185130a.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(717,1,'2017-01-16 23:29:38','2017-01-17 04:29:38','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-16 23:29:38','2017-01-17 04:29:38','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(718,1,'2017-01-17 00:03:23','2017-01-17 05:03:23','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 00:03:23','2017-01-17 05:03:23','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(719,1,'2017-01-17 00:33:36','2017-01-17 05:33:36','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3>I\'m a race junkie.</h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h3>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</h3>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h3>You have to call it like you see it.</h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 00:33:36','2017-01-17 05:33:36','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(720,1,'2017-01-17 00:58:04','2017-01-17 05:58:04','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h3><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h3>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h3><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h3>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. So...<strong>let\'s dive right in.</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Race Day -</h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><strong>The Course - </strong></h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Swag / Support - 7</h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Post-Race -</h4>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 00:58:04','2017-01-17 05:58:04','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(721,1,'2017-01-17 07:39:05','2017-01-17 12:39:05','','','','inherit','open','closed','','winter-warlock-gps-issue','','','2017-01-17 07:39:21','2017-01-17 12:39:21','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(722,1,'2017-01-17 07:54:38','2017-01-17 12:54:38','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h3><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h3>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h3><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h3>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys...\", click here and read it so this makes sense.)</em> <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in.</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h4>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n<blockquote><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</blockquote>\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h4><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" />Race Day - 6</h4>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category, but I\'m also a little torn. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>There are other aspects of Race Day that DID dock bother me.</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. After a somewhat condescending, preachy, applause-asking, \"don\'t-complain-please\" pre-race speech (, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h4><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Swag / Support - 7</h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Post-Race - 7</h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h4>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 07:54:38','2017-01-17 12:54:38','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(921,1,'2017-02-09 23:43:09','2017-02-10 04:43:09','','time management planner','','inherit','open','closed','','time-management-planner','','','2017-02-09 23:43:09','2017-02-10 04:43:09','',0,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/time-management-planner.pdf',0,'attachment','application/pdf',0),(724,1,'2017-01-17 10:16:41','2017-01-17 15:16:41','<h3><em><strong>\"When something bad happens, you have three choices. You can let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you.\"</strong></em></h3>\r\n<b>Something interesting is happening</b> in the OCR world right now: BattleFrog (a reportedly fantastic obstacle race series born just a year ago) is now implementing MAJOR changes to the rest of their schedule for 2015 as well as to their format in general.\r\n\r\nWhat will ultimately be the death or rebirth of BattleFrog as an OCR series is unfolding <b>right now</b> before our eyes. So what\'s involved? What\'s at stake? How will this affect BattleFrog, it\'s participants &amp; staff, and the OCR scene as a whole? And why are people <b>so damn mad?</b>\r\n\r\nNow that the dust is beginning to settle...<b>let\'s take a look.</b>\r\n<h3><!--more-->\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>BattleFrog brought something refreshing to OCR.</b></span></h3>\r\nThey weren\'t all about <a href=\"http://www.toughmudder.com/\">messing with your head</a>, they weren\'t trying to be <a href=\"http://www.spartanrace.com/\">the One True Obstacle Race</a>, and they weren\'t <a href=\"http://www.warriordash.com/\">come-get-muddy-have-a-beer-and-wear-fuzzy-hats</a>. BattleFrog was about one thing - being the best obstacle race they could be.\r\n<h4><b>How did they go about that?</b>\r\n<i></i></h4>\r\n<i><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-726 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/LegendsInTheMaking_BF-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Battlefrog Legends In The Making\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />By trying to cover all the bases. </i>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>They aimed to <b>cater to everyone</b> with different length/difficulty courses (including shorties for the kids!). They also offered both Saturday <b>and</b> Sunday races at <i>all</i> of their events. Even Spartan Race doesn\'t <i>always </i>do that. (they did cut that partway through last year)</li>\r\n 	<li>They <b>executed well</b> - US Navy SEALS design their courses and they have staff that takes their jobs seriously.\r\nAccording to all accounts thus far -<b> they put on one hell of a race</b>.</li>\r\n 	<li>There are live SEAL demonstrations on event day. Why? Because #America.</li>\r\n 	<li>They <b>played well with others</b> (something I wish Spartan would learn how to do) as part of the #OCRUnited movement.</li>\r\n 	<li>They even <b>cross-promoted</b> another Navy SEAL-designed event - <a href=\"http://www.bonefrogchallenge.com/\">The BoneFrog Challenge</a>. Fun fact, they also <i>made sure their event dates didn\'t conflict with BoneFrog\'s dates</i>. Show me another OCR that cares enough to do that.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nBy all accounts...<b>they were doing it right.</b>\r\n<b>\r\n</b><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So what happened?</b></span>\r\n\r\n<b>They made some major changes</b> within the last few weeks.\r\n<b>\r\n</b><b>For one</b>, the Sunday races were dropped from the schedule. <b><u>Across the board.</u> </b>After their Houston event (happening March 28th) this is official, meaning <u>no</u> BattleFrog events after March are happening on Sundays this year.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-727 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/battlefrog-pittsburgh-map-300x232.jpg\" alt=\"Battlefrog Pittsburgh map\" width=\"300\" height=\"232\" />An equally major change...<b>The race format was altered substantially.</b> Originally, BattleFrog offered the title 15K \"BattleFrog\" course and the 5K \"BullFrog\" course for adults. There were also the 1 Mile \"BullFrog\" and 400m \"Tadpole\" races for kids. Yes, that means <b>four separate courses </b>per event location. There was also the \"BattleFrog Extreme\" for those looking for an ultra-marathon-like challenge - Do one lap of the 15K then as many laps of the 5K course as you could. Elites would participate in the 15K course as the earliest waves of the day (as is customary in any OCR).\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Why the changes, anyway?</b></span></h3>\r\nI think it\'s easy enough to figure out, but some \"inside rumblings\" go a long way to confirm it - sustainability and cost.\r\n\r\nSunday races: As I gathered from posts on <a href=\"http://mudrunguide.com/\">MudRunGuide.com</a> and <a href=\"http://www.obstacleracingmedia.com/\" target=\"_blank\">ObstacleRacingMedia</a>...there weren\'t enough registrants last year to warrant Sunday events, and there weren\'t enough this year so far either. With too few registrants, it just wasn\'t financially justifiable to have Sunday events. OK, easy enough.\r\n\r\nThe race format itself: <b>A new 8K course</b> will replace both the 15K and 5K...this one\'s a mixed bag. <b>Cost - </b>Having two separate courses with their own separate obstacles is <i>significantly</i> more costly than having one course.\r\n\r\n<b>Sustainability/Location - </b>It can be a bit challenging, as we in the Northeast have learned, to find a venue that can accommodate an Obstacle Course Race. It can be even <b>more</b> challenging to find a venue for a longer-format course (over 5 miles). With BattleFrog moving down to an 8K format it will be easier for them to find more venues much closer to major metropolitan races.\r\n\r\n<b>What does this mean for the future of BattleFrog?</b> If all goes well...more (and better) locations at a lower cost? That\'s easy...<i>more BattleFrog</i>.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-728\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/10269541_765231210161710_4975062894693287738_n-300x111.jpg\" alt=\"Battlefrog Banner\" width=\"400\" height=\"148\" />\r\n<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>But of course, people are pissed</b></span></h3>\r\nThere were a plethora of things people were angry about, mainly centering on how they\'re mad what they had is now gone and they\'re not inconvenienced. All the complaints are things that will either be what BattleFrog is remembered for (if they go down in flames) or or that people will totally forget and get over (if they have a successful year).\r\n\r\nThe Field Team was at least temporarily angry as well - many of them felt unfairly dropped into bad situations, having publicized races and convinced friends, neighbors, and co-workers to register for something that was now gone. That has, at this point, mostly been quelled.\r\n<h3><b style=\"font-size: x-large;\">How did BattleFrog handle these changes?</b></h3>\r\n<b><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-729 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/80Percent_BF-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"80% of success battlefrog\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />There was an AWFUL lot of frustration and questions... </b>in the beginning anyway. As word of the Sunday eliminations...then 8K format change...slowly appeared online...BattleFrog\'s Field Team (brand advocates who publicize the races) took to their private communication channels like hyenas attacking a carcass. I have to give MAJOR kudos to Travis Ketcham, the Field Team Director - on a regular basis he handles an incredible volume of questions and demands from the Field Team with impressive professionalism and care...this situation was 10x worse than normal.\r\n\r\nOnce official word from BattleFrog HQ was released, however, staff members took to social media to ensure they would follow through on promises made, including:\r\n\r\n-Those who had registered for Sunday races were offered full refunds or transfers to Saturday events\r\n-Participants who registered for the 15K course were offered a number of options, including refund options\r\n-Season pass holders are being given a 50% refund\r\n\r\n<i>(BattleFrog has hinted that they may also take some case-by-case situations too)</i>\r\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So what now?</b></span></h3>\r\nThis could go one of two ways:\r\n\r\n1.) this pisses off a lot of people, things don\'t go as planned, HQ can\'t handle it and they slowly go down the tubes and die.\r\n\r\n2.) BattleFrog HQ handles this like a champ, they put on some excellent races, and people get over their pissed-off-ness.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-730 alignleft\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/NothingGreat_ComesEasy-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Nothing Great Comes Easy\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /><b>Honestly...</b><i style=\"font-weight: bold;\">I think BattleFrog is going to be just fine</i>. They have proven so far that they mean business and know how to put on an event. They handle themselves well and they know how to make people happy. <b>They made sure to get their sh!t together before opening their mouths...</b>even to their Field Team. They\'re also exercising a level of honesty, character &amp; accountability that we don\'t often see in terms of accommodations for race cancellations/refunds. <b>They want people to be happy and come back. </b>\r\n\r\nA Field Team member said it best - chalk this up to growing pains.\r\n\r\nOne thing, at this point, is clear: For BattleFrog...<b>this is either the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning.</b> Time will tell.\r\n<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>\r\n<b><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-731 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/updated-BFNE-flyer-217x300.jpg\" alt=\"BF NE promo flyer\" width=\"217\" height=\"300\" />If you are interested in participating in the new 8K format, I offer you my own modified flyer for the New England event - July 25th 2015. Be your own judge and see for yourself what BattleFrog has to offer. </b>\r\n\r\n<b><i>What do YOU think of the changes made to BattleFrog\'s 2015 schedule &amp; format? Let\'s hear it!</i></b>','Battlefrog\'s (Literal) \"Make Or Break\" Moment','','inherit','closed','closed','','41-autosave-v1','','','2017-01-17 10:16:41','2017-01-17 15:16:41','',41,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/41-autosave-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(727,1,'2017-01-17 10:09:17','2017-01-17 15:09:17','','','','inherit','open','closed','','battlefrog-pittsburgh-map','','','2017-01-17 10:09:29','2017-01-17 15:09:29','',41,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/battlefrog-pittsburgh-map.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(726,1,'2017-01-17 10:08:32','2017-01-17 15:08:32','','','','inherit','open','closed','','legendsinthemaking_bf','','','2017-01-17 10:08:50','2017-01-17 15:08:50','',41,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/LegendsInTheMaking_BF.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(728,1,'2017-01-17 10:14:47','2017-01-17 15:14:47','','','','inherit','open','closed','','10269541_765231210161710_4975062894693287738_n','','','2017-01-17 10:15:09','2017-01-17 15:15:09','',41,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/10269541_765231210161710_4975062894693287738_n.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(725,1,'2017-01-17 10:04:20','2017-01-17 15:04:20','','','','inherit','open','closed','','modified-battlefrog','','','2017-01-17 10:04:31','2017-01-17 15:04:31','',41,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/modified-battlefrog.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(729,1,'2017-01-17 10:14:49','2017-01-17 15:14:49','','','','inherit','open','closed','','80percent_bf','','','2017-01-17 10:15:54','2017-01-17 15:15:54','',41,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/80Percent_BF.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(730,1,'2017-01-17 10:14:52','2017-01-17 15:14:52','','','','inherit','open','closed','','nothinggreat_comeseasy','','','2017-01-17 10:16:10','2017-01-17 15:16:10','',41,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/NothingGreat_ComesEasy.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(731,1,'2017-01-17 10:14:56','2017-01-17 15:14:56','','','','inherit','open','closed','','updated-bfne-flyer','','','2017-01-17 10:16:32','2017-01-17 15:16:32','',41,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/updated-BFNE-flyer.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(733,1,'2017-01-17 11:31:35','2017-01-17 16:31:35','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h3><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h3>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h3><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h3>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in.</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h4>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n<blockquote><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</blockquote>\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h4><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" />Race Day - 6</h4>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category, but I\'m also a little torn. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4>Once you got in the building...ok, things were good.</h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h4><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Swag / Support - 7</h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4>Post-Race - 7</h4>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h4><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h4>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 11:31:35','2017-01-17 16:31:35','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(734,1,'2017-01-17 11:32:53','2017-01-17 16:32:53','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in.</strong>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n<blockquote><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</blockquote>\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" />Race Day - 6</h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category, but I\'m also a little torn. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4>Once you got in the building...ok, things were good.</h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Swag / Support - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Post-Race - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 11:32:53','2017-01-17 16:32:53','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(735,1,'2017-01-17 12:02:04','2017-01-17 17:02:04','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in.</strong>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" />Race Day - 6</h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category, but I\'m also a little torn. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4>Once you got in the building...ok, things were good.</h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Swag / Support - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Post-Race - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 12:02:04','2017-01-17 17:02:04','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(736,1,'2017-01-17 12:03:28','2017-01-17 17:03:28','<h3><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in.</strong>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4>Once you got in the building...ok, things were good.</h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Swag / Support - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Post-Race - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 12:03:28','2017-01-17 17:03:28','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(737,1,'2017-01-17 12:04:26','2017-01-17 17:04:26','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in.</strong>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4>Once you got in the building...ok, things were good.</h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Swag / Support - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Post-Race - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 12:04:26','2017-01-17 17:04:26','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(738,1,'2017-01-17 12:56:35','2017-01-17 17:56:35','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4>Once you got in the building...ok, things were good.</h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Swag / Support - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Post-Race - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 12:56:35','2017-01-17 17:56:35','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(739,1,'2017-01-17 12:58:02','2017-01-17 17:58:02','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h2><strong>Race Recap - Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h2>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4>Once you got in the building...ok, things were good.</h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Swag / Support - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Post-Race - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 12:58:02','2017-01-17 17:58:02','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(740,1,'2017-01-17 12:58:24','2017-01-17 17:58:24','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Race Recap - Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h3>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4>Once you got in the building...ok, things were good.</h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Swag / Support - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Post-Race - 7</h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 12:58:24','2017-01-17 17:58:24','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(741,1,'2017-01-17 13:28:53','2017-01-17 18:28:53','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Race Recap - Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h3>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bank a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park, EVENT HERE. The entrance of the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false). Once I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like the Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s). He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 13:28:53','2017-01-17 18:28:53','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(742,1,'2017-01-17 13:49:30','2017-01-17 18:49:30','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Race Recap - Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h3>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything. He made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 13:49:30','2017-01-17 18:49:30','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(743,1,'2017-01-17 15:09:38','2017-01-17 20:09:38','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h3>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but the rest of the course was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> and 18 miler.\r\n\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish, though. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. As a matter of fact, I was looking around for the person handing out medals. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 15:09:38','2017-01-17 20:09:38','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(744,1,'2017-01-17 19:06:23','2017-01-18 00:06:23','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h3>\r\n<em>If you just want the score, scroll through for the headers and the total at the bottom. </em>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but the rest of the course was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> and 18 miler.\r\n\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish, though. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. As a matter of fact, I was looking around for the person handing out medals. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 19:06:23','2017-01-18 00:06:23','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(745,1,'2017-01-17 20:48:08','2017-01-18 01:48:08','','','','inherit','open','closed','','distance-marker-turnaround','','','2017-01-17 20:48:20','2017-01-18 01:48:20','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/distance-marker-turnaround.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(746,1,'2017-01-17 20:49:48','2017-01-18 01:49:48','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h3>\r\n<em>If you just want the score, scroll through for the headers and the total at the bottom. </em>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\nSame-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but the rest of the course was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-745 aligncenter\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/distance-marker-turnaround-300x82.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock Turnaround Markers\" width=\"300\" height=\"82\" />Also - </strong>just realized...the email broke down where water stops were. The water stops doubled as the turnarounds. It\'s very clearly and intelligently laid down - 1.5, 3.1, 6.1, and 9 miles. All appropriate half-way turnaround points... except... 6.1? So where and when in the process did the \"whoopsie\" on the distance happen? *sigh*\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> and 18 miler.\r\n\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish, though. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. As a matter of fact, I was looking around for the person handing out medals. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPost-race wasn\'t bad...just wasn\'t mind-blowing. Once you crossed the finish, water was available right there (grab it yourself, ok...no problem). No signs directing you specifically to the post-race party...but again...<em>smart cookie.</em> Followed the crowd and found it - wasn\'t hard. The website, email\r\n<h3><strong>Overall - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 20:49:48','2017-01-18 01:49:48','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(747,1,'2017-01-17 23:20:06','2017-01-18 04:20:06','','','','inherit','open','closed','','img_20170115_095317_519','','','2017-01-17 23:20:20','2017-01-18 04:20:20','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_095317_519.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(748,1,'2017-01-17 23:25:06','2017-01-18 04:25:06','','','','inherit','open','closed','','img_20170115_141819_706','','','2017-01-17 23:25:31','2017-01-18 04:25:31','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_141819_706.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(749,1,'2017-01-17 23:35:58','2017-01-18 04:35:58','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h3>\r\n<em>If you just want the score, scroll through for the headers and the total at the bottom. </em>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n\r\n<strong>My dilemma here... </strong>is that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-747 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_095317_519-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Winter Warlock pre-race photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />Same-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but the rest of the course was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-745 aligncenter\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/distance-marker-turnaround-300x82.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock Turnaround Markers\" width=\"300\" height=\"82\" />Also - </strong>just realized...the email broke down where water stops were. The water stops doubled as the turnarounds. It\'s very clearly and intelligently laid down - 1.5, 3.1, 6.1, and 9 miles. All appropriate half-way turnaround points... except... 6.1? So where and when in the process did the \"whoopsie\" on the distance happen? *sigh*\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> and 18 miler.\r\n<h4><strong>It seems there was a lack of volunteer help, though.</strong></h4>\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish, though. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. As a matter of fact, I was looking around for the person handing out medals. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPost-race wasn\'t bad...just wasn\'t mind-blowing. Once you crossed the finish, water was available right there (grab it yourself, ok...no problem). No signs directing you to the post-race party...but again...<em>smart cookie.</em> Followed the crowd and found it - wasn\'t hard. The email said the post-race party was \"catered\". It was a nice enough spread, for sure - little scones, pastries, fruit, coffee and tea. I\'m not complaining, I guess I just pictured...something...<em>more</em>... when I hear \"catered\" and someone makes a big deal about saying \"we bought some nice food for you\" at the pre-race speech. But, hey, catered food was promised, and catered food was provided.\r\n<h4>It bothered me that it ran out so fast, though.</h4>\r\nWhile Megan was keeping warm she told me all the spectators went to that room and piled plates high - I could\'ve sworn I saw someone with a cookie, but I saw none on the table. By the time the last runners came in, not much was left (if anything). The very last runner...nothing was left. TO HIS CREDIT - the race director rushed over to congratulate him and threw himself at the guy offering to get him whatever he needed in terms of food or drink - that was nice to see.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Overall Rating - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-748 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_141819_706-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sunday runday winter warlock\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />Would I recommend Winter Warlock?? </strong>\r\n\r\nI mean, shoot, you see my complaints laid out in black and white right here - if those get cleaned up I\'d recommend it all day. Will they get cleaned up? I\'d like to think so, yes. In all honesty, I went into this race expecting kind of a mess  - complaints about past Plymouth Rock Racing events flew around online. That\'s all neither here nor there - we\'re talking about Winter Warlock, and overall, despite my concerns (which I did dock points for), I had a pretty good experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>TO BE FAIR - </strong> I interviewed four different participants about (among other things) their experience. All four of them had nothing but good things to say and had a positive experience. For all the rumblings and complaining Megan said she heard, it appears there were plenty of people that had a good experience, too.\r\n<h4><strong>Like I said, I\'m a firm believer in \"the benefit of the doubt\" and positive change. </strong></h4>\r\nAs far as I\'m concerned, Winter Warlock 2017 looked, overall, like a move in the right direction...improving on some things that had been a source of complaints in the past. Let\'s continue improving and moving forward, PRR - the more good races and options we all have...the better :)','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-17 23:35:58','2017-01-18 04:35:58','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(751,1,'2017-01-18 06:21:47','2017-01-18 11:21:47','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my \"5 Keys To A Great Race\" as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my \"5 Keys\"</strong></h3>\r\n<em>If you just want the score, scroll through for the headers and the total at the bottom. </em>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n<h4><strong>Google sabotaged us.</strong></h4>\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n<h4><strong>My dilemma here... </strong></h4>\r\nis that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-747 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_095317_519-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Winter Warlock pre-race photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />Same-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat...passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but the rest of the course was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-745 aligncenter\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/distance-marker-turnaround-300x82.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock Turnaround Markers\" width=\"300\" height=\"82\" />Also - </strong>just realized...the email broke down where water stops were. The water stops doubled as the turnarounds. It\'s very clearly and intelligently laid down - 1.5, 3.1, 6.1, and 9 miles. All appropriate half-way turnaround points... except... 6.1? So where and when in the process did the \"whoopsie\" on the distance happen? *sigh*\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> and 18 miler.\r\n<h4><strong>It seems there was a lack of volunteer help, though.</strong></h4>\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. As a matter of fact, I was looking around for the person handing out medals. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPost-race wasn\'t bad...just wasn\'t mind-blowing. Once you crossed the finish, water was available right there (grab it yourself, ok...no problem). No signs directing you to the post-race party...but again...<em>smart cookie.</em> Followed the crowd and found it - wasn\'t hard. The email said the post-race party was \"catered\". It was a nice enough spread, for sure - little scones, pastries, fruit, coffee and tea. I\'m not complaining, I guess I just pictured...something...<em>more</em>... when I hear \"catered\" and someone makes a big deal about saying \"we bought some nice food for you\" at the pre-race speech. But, hey, catered food was promised, and catered food was provided.\r\n<h4>It bothered me that it ran out so fast, though.</h4>\r\nWhile Megan was keeping warm she told me all the spectators went to that room and piled plates high - I could\'ve sworn I saw someone with a cookie, but I saw none on the table. By the time the last runners came in, not much was left (if anything). The very last runner...nothing was left. TO HIS CREDIT - the race director rushed over to congratulate him and threw himself at the guy offering to get him whatever he needed in terms of food or drink - that was nice to see.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Overall Rating - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-748 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_141819_706-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sunday runday winter warlock\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Would I recommend Winter Warlock?? </strong>\r\n\r\nI mean, shoot, you see my complaints laid out in black and white right here - if those get cleaned up I\'d recommend it all day. Will they get cleaned up? I\'d like to think so, yes. In all honesty, I went into this race expecting kind of a mess  - complaints about past Plymouth Rock Racing events flew around online. That\'s all neither here nor there - we\'re talking about Winter Warlock, and overall, despite my concerns (which I did dock points for), I had a pretty good experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>TO BE FAIR - </strong> I interviewed four different participants about (among other things) their experience. All four of them had nothing but good things to say and had a positive experience. For all the rumblings and complaining Megan said she heard on-site from the 5K, 10K\'ers, &amp; fast half-marathoners it appears there were plenty of people that had a good experience, too.\r\n<h4><strong>Like I said, I\'m a firm believer in \"the benefit of the doubt\" and positive change. </strong></h4>\r\nAs far as I\'m concerned, Winter Warlock 2017 looked, <em>overall</em>, like a move in the right direction...improving on some things that had been a source of complaints in the past. There\'s still some work to do, but we\'re getting there. Let\'s continue improving and moving forward, PRR - the more good races and options we all have...the better :)','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:21:47','2017-01-18 11:21:47','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(752,1,'2017-01-18 06:25:54','2017-01-18 11:25:54','<a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mKrYnmdi-ko/VF6F6JoQBiI/AAAAAAAALOU/VDydZUth1lM/s1600/560535_674041855941962_853171469_n.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mKrYnmdi-ko/VF6F6JoQBiI/AAAAAAAALOU/VDydZUth1lM/s1600/560535_674041855941962_853171469_n.png\" height=\"196\" width=\"200\" /></a>So, by now it\'s no secret that I overloaded myself this past summer. So many people believed in me and my message that I was inundated with opportunities to get out there and show people <i>you can do it. </i>Now that my wedding, the summer, and my race season is over, <b>it\'s time to catch up.</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;This is the first of many long-overdue race recaps and product reviews from the past year.<br /><br /><b>TODAY</b>...I\'m stoked. TODAY I revisit a GREAT obstacle race. My wife\'s very first OCR...<br /><br /><b><a href=\"http://boldrdashrace.com/\">BOLDRDASH ON THE BEACH!</a></b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UtunpsHj6QA/VPjviV_Ds_I/AAAAAAAAXIE/dVm7DQb08QY/s1600/BoldrDash%2Bon%2Bthe%2BBeach%2B2014%2B3491.jpeg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UtunpsHj6QA/VPjviV_Ds_I/AAAAAAAAXIE/dVm7DQb08QY/s1600/BoldrDash%2Bon%2Bthe%2BBeach%2B2014%2B3491.jpeg\" height=\"320\" width=\"213\" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>BoldrDash On The Beach was a GREAT OCR!&nbsp;</b><br /><b><br /></b>Boldrdash was a great example of what a top notch local race can be. Any Joe out there can put on a decent 5K road race, but it takes a special kind of Race Director to organize a great local <i>obstacle race - </i>Lynn Hall of BoldrDash has done just that.<br /><br />Let me start by saying I\'m 10x as happy that this OCR was as good as it was because it was my wife\'s <b>first obstacle race.</b>&nbsp;We both had a great time, ever since running she understands the sport and my obsession with it, and she was encouraged to run more! I\'m sure she wasn\'t the only first-timer out there and I\'m sure their experience was similar. That said...my rating <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">(how the rating works)</a>:<br /><br /><b>Pre-Race: 10/10</b><br /><b>Race-Day: 10/10</b><br /><b>The Course: 9/10</b><br /><b>Support/Swag: 9/10</b><br /><b>Post-Race: 9/10</b><br /><b>Overall: 47/50 - A solid \"A\" rating!</b><br /><br />From sign-up to show-up to climb-up to clean-up, BoldrDash on the Beach <b>just does it right.</b>&nbsp;This is an excellent Obstacle Course Race for the whole family - participants of all ages and skill levels will have fun here, find a challenge, and be able to succeed - <i>even the kids!</i>&nbsp;Is this a back-breaking extreme-endurance challenge like The Beast? <b>No.</b>&nbsp;<i>It\'s not trying to be </i>and it doesn\'t <b>need</b>&nbsp;to be. It\'s everything it\'s advertised to be <b>and more, </b>and you <b>certainly</b>&nbsp;won\'t regret signing up.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>So let\'s break that down:</b></span><br /><br /><b>Pre-Race: 10</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oRWUOzuHNNk/VPfESxBeJII/AAAAAAAAW4c/d6B0C4Hqwd8/s1600/boldrdash%2Bemail.png\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oRWUOzuHNNk/VPfESxBeJII/AAAAAAAAW4c/d6B0C4Hqwd8/s1600/boldrdash%2Bemail.png\" height=\"237\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>BoldrDash</b>&nbsp;really just <i>knocks it out of the park</i>&nbsp;in the pre-race department. I mean, <b>damn</b>, look at that! OUTSTANDING! Nevermind giving you a registration confirmation &amp; a pre-race info packet...BoldrDash takes it 10 steps beyond. Lynn really makes sure to keep you up-to-date on everything that\'s happening <b>as soon as it happens.</b><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Not only that</b>, there\'s plenty offered to participants <b>free of charge</b>&nbsp;before race-day. How do you find out? All those pre-race emails are full-fledged <b>newsletters</b>&nbsp;complete with events, news, and community updates.&nbsp;Packet pick-up? <b>Child\'s play.</b>&nbsp;BoldrDash kicks it into overdrive working with their sponsors/vendors/partners offering injury prevention clinics, free workouts, and community outreach events. <b>BoldrDash has your pre-race needs covered.</b>&nbsp;You\'ll feel like part of the family by the time race day hits.<br /><br /><b>Race-Day: 10</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>SPEAKING OF RACE DAY...</b>they\'ve got that on lock-down too. There was ample parking (which was <b>FREE</b>, by the way), and we were easily able to find a comfy spot and finish getting our gear on in the parking lot. Parking was pretty darn close to the festival/registration area, and it wasn\'t very challenging to see where we needed to go. Waiting in line for packets, t-shirt, port-o-john and marking station were all a breeze, and there was more than plenty of room to hang out, stretch, and prepare. From there, starting corral was super easy to spot - with an L.E.D. timing clock right there it was pretty darn hard to miss your start time, too.<br /><b><br /></b><b>The Course: 9</b><br /><b><br /></b>The course was <b>AWESOME.</b>&nbsp;I have to say, a beach OCR sounds pretty daunting...sand is <i>awful</i>&nbsp;to run on, but man...that <b>view!</b>&nbsp;Also, the sand wasn\'t as bad as I had expected - it was more of a 3 mile long obstacle! The <i>actual&nbsp;</i>obstacles were great; very well-constructed and challenging, but not impossible. There was certainly your typical OCR fare - wall climbs, over-unders, etc, but BoldrDash had plenty of unique offerings! Water carries <b>straight from the ocean</b>, a quarter-mile walk/run/climb/crawl along the jetty (tricky!)&nbsp;a couple of surprisingly-challenging balance obstacles and an inverted wall <i>harder than Spartan Race\'s</i>&nbsp;really made this OCR stand out to me. <br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q8A21rnWKyY/VPjtPHFu1nI/AAAAAAAAXHg/J7liIIoyUT0/s1600/BoldrDash%2Bon%2Bthe%2BBeach%2B2014%2B3671.jpeg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q8A21rnWKyY/VPjtPHFu1nI/AAAAAAAAXHg/J7liIIoyUT0/s1600/BoldrDash%2Bon%2Bthe%2BBeach%2B2014%2B3671.jpeg\" height=\"263\" width=\"300\" /></a><br />There were two reasons this category didn\'t get full marks, and they\'re relatively minor. 1.) There were a couple of points where we were confused on where to go and there either wasn\'t clear marking or a volunteer readily available to point you in the right direction. A simple sign with an arrow would\'ve sufficed. 2.) There was some back-up at the water carry - a temporary shortage of men\'s buckets (women had smaller buckets) left my wife waiting a bit for me to finish the obstacle. Overall, though - the course was very well thought out, well-built, not impossible (read: discouraging) and most of all...<b>FUN!</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Support/Swag: 9</b><br /><b><br /></b>I sometimes feel like a spoiled brat rating this category, but the fact of the matter is...swag can be a deciding (or at least major) factor in race choice for many people, <b>and that\'s totally their right.</b>&nbsp;Can you blame someone for wanting something memorable to take home to celebrate their accomplishment? I\'ll admit, I\'ve picked one half-marathon over another before because it had a better medal/shirt. <b>That said:</b>&nbsp;The BoldrDash t-shirt is <i><b>kickass</b>, </i>and (*<i>spoiled brat*</i>) the medal is kind of average. Know what, though? <b>That\'s ok.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>As far as \"support\" goes - BoldrDash did pretty darn good.</b>&nbsp;There were a TON of volunteers on-course and in the festival area. Many of them were JROTC, and I love that Lynn / BoldrDash gave them the opportunity to help out (and probably get some service hours in?). There were also plenty of spectators and \"other\" volunteers throughout to cheer you on and help with morale!&nbsp;The volunteers were, overall, very knowledgeable, very helpful, and very friendly (except the \"tough guys\" at some obstacles, but they were just playing their role). There were maybe a couple of volunteers throughout our experience who seemed a little lost/confused...but that\'ll happen.<br /><br />There was a whole med trailer on-site, ATV\'s rolling along the course (including Lynn herself!), plenty of water and, of course, ample port-o-johns available.&nbsp;They just plain <b>had it covered</b>&nbsp;across the board!<br /><b><br /></b><b>Post-Race: 9</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-583EA0nBjBc/VPju4TTRf7I/AAAAAAAAXH0/EXPH6wTRkMY/s1600/IMG_20140503_112146413.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-583EA0nBjBc/VPju4TTRf7I/AAAAAAAAXH0/EXPH6wTRkMY/s1600/IMG_20140503_112146413.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"220\" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>Nailed it. </b>Seriously...a veritable <i>mountain</i>&nbsp;of KIND bars of every flavor plus Hint water and plain water available literally steps away from the finish chute. From there, the festival began. I don\'t know that it really felt like a festival, but that could just be because all the little pop-up canopies were spaced so far apart. The free foam-rolling/KT Taping was available, Zico coconut water was there, etc. It was a decent little festival.<br /><br />Bummer of the day - <b>no alcohol allowed</b>&nbsp;as Scarborough Beach is RI State property. However, <b>this didn\'t stop BoldrDash</b>&nbsp;- they worked out a deal with a place about 5 minutes away to offer all participants a free beer! AWESOME! Downer that we couldn\'t have it right there at the finish, but I certainly appreciate that they still made it happen.<br /><b><br /></b><b>Overall Impression -&nbsp;</b><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SnwQ8q3X3xo/VPjvEE3pXCI/AAAAAAAAXH8/HOKvQojOLc8/s1600/IMG_20140503_112752668_HDR.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SnwQ8q3X3xo/VPjvEE3pXCI/AAAAAAAAXH8/HOKvQojOLc8/s1600/IMG_20140503_112752668_HDR.jpg\" height=\"320\" width=\"180\" /></a><b><br /></b><br /><i><b>What a great experience.</b>&nbsp;</i>Megan and I really had a blast - it was a great experience for her and I loved seeing her \"get it\" as we went along the course. We loved it so much and talked it up so much that my mom\'s gonna go for it this year and is even recruiting a friend! It\'ll be <b>her</b>&nbsp;first OCR too! Great for the whole family, too - There\'s the 5K course (with elite heats available for those seeking a challenge), and a kids race too. Make a day out of it!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Important Note:</b></span><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b><br /></b></span><b>This year\'s BoldrDash on the Beach is Saturday/Sunday May 2nd/3rd - THERE\'S STILL TIME TO REGISTER!!! </b>Which, by the way, I highly recommend you do! As with most OCR\'s, the longer you wait, the more expensive it is. Tomorrow (March 6th) at midnight the price will jump up!<br /><br />So, if you think this is a race you want to do, register ASAP, preferably before midnight 3/6/15! <a href=\"https://boldrdash.webconnex.com/boldrdashbeach15\">Use this link to register.</a> Hopefully I\'ll see you there :)<br /><br />#RaceLocal','Looking Back - BoldrDash on the Beach','','inherit','closed','closed','','43-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:25:54','2017-01-18 11:25:54','',43,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/43-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(753,1,'2017-01-18 06:25:54','2017-01-18 11:25:54','<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I thought I was looking for redemption.</b></span><br /><br />I came to the mountain on a mission. <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/10/Beast2014.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Beast broke me last year</a>...and though I got my finish...it didn\'t feel like a true victory. At the end there was no celebration. No camaraderie. No reveling in our success with hugs, beers, laughter and high fives. I came back looking for what I thought was taken from me. To correct my mistake. I thought I wanted...no...<i>NEEDED</i>...<b>redemption.</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CVP0WoXTOgE/VhEWBuLpuDI/AAAAAAAAeUQ/qkLw1Lk-nKY/s1600/beast-2014-finish-broken.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"182\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CVP0WoXTOgE/VhEWBuLpuDI/AAAAAAAAeUQ/qkLw1Lk-nKY/s400/beast-2014-finish-broken.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\">As it turns out...<b>I was wrong</b>.</span><br /><br />What I found and what I learned was much more valuable and worthwhile than that. Too bad it took me a year to figure it out.<br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><b><a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\" target=\"_blank\">As far as a rating goes</a>...</b>Let\'s knock this out now.<br /><br /><b>Pre-Race: 7.5<br />Race-Day: 8</b><br /><div><b>The Course: 7.5&nbsp;</b><br /><b>Support/Swag: 7</b><br /><b>Post-Race: 8</b><br /><b>Overall: 38/50</b><br /><br />Overall...average to above average. You\'ll get why by the end.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The theme of the day was \"struggle\".</b></span><br /><br />What can I say about the Killington Beast that I (or someone else) haven\'t said before? Those who have done it...know. And those who haven\'t yet...can\'t possibly REALLY know until you\'re there. Suffering and struggling through it. There are insane ascents, vicious descents, technical trails that eat ankles for lunch and top it off with obstacles strategically placed to push you to your limits.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DydM85_yrqg/VfgnMvpBk3I/AAAAAAAAd_0/QP6ePvWIaUM/s1600/12002898_10156036810185068_2215877450671638072_n.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DydM85_yrqg/VfgnMvpBk3I/AAAAAAAAd_0/QP6ePvWIaUM/s320/12002898_10156036810185068_2215877450671638072_n.jpg\" width=\"207\" /></a>This year was a bit different from the past, though. This year Killington was a Founder\'s Race.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>What does \"Founder\'s Race\" really mean?</b></span><br /><br />Some would say it means Spartan Race is getting cheap and taking the easy way out on a course build. Spartan calls it \"going back to their roots\" when things were simpler. Honestly...I think <b>it\'s a little bit of both.</b><br /><b><br /></b>The \"Founder\'s Race\" idea results in a less complicated, less grandiose build-out. No massive banners. No 5,000 foot high rope climb rigs with a water ditch below large enough to build a house in. To be perfectly honest...the build-out reminded me of some smaller, local OCR\'s I\'ve run lately. <b>I kind of liked that</b>. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Each year is different.</b></span><br /><br />Each year at any given venue is its own event, and you kind of have to take it for what it is. I heard some people (some, my own teammates) complaining that this year\'s VT Beast wasn\'t as hard as years prior. I read one blog in particular that I thought was pretty...shall we say...elitist...about it. Complaining that US races are incredibly disorganized. <b>It kind of offended me.</b><br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>In hindsight...I <i>WAS</i>&nbsp;slightly disappointed.</b></span><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FX6sL6uBRwk/VhEYoavbG0I/AAAAAAAAeUc/7TlNrlLShPw/s1600/beast%2Bpancake%2B2015.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FX6sL6uBRwk/VhEYoavbG0I/AAAAAAAAeUc/7TlNrlLShPw/s320/beast%2Bpancake%2B2015.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>As hard as it was...ultimately...it DID feel a little...disappointing in the obstacle category. There were innumerable things to climb over, at least 8 carries of some sort and three barbed wire crawls. These made up the VAST majority of obstacles. I felt there was a lot less...creativity...than I expected. Local OCR\'s I\'ve done...hell, even other SPARTAN races I\'ve done...have had more variety than that. Is this what \"Founder\'s Race\" means? If so...I won\'t mind if I don\'t run another. Lack of variety doesn\'t mean it was easy...but still...it felt like something was lacking.<br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mgiGxXthH4/VhEbojzjnZI/AAAAAAAAeVM/E6F4J2fOIIA/s1600/beast%2Blog%2Bcarry%2B2015.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mgiGxXthH4/VhEbojzjnZI/AAAAAAAAeVM/E6F4J2fOIIA/s320/beast%2Blog%2Bcarry%2B2015.jpg\" width=\"213\" /></a><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Despite it all...the struggle was real.</b></span><br /><br />That mountain is no joke. This year\'s course had all the steepest ascents and descents from last year\'s course...plus new ones. The heat was a new challenge...one that got the best of me for a while. You just never know what you\'re gonna get on that mountain...<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Lack of water didn\'t help, either</span></b><br /><br />I\'m not gonna sit here and make a Federal project out of it...Spartan Race blew it with water...but at least <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/spartanrace/videos/10153031586476861/\" target=\"_blank\">they owned their mistake.</a> They depleted their water sources way early and lost pressure on (it seems) their one available hose. People (myself included) weren\'t allowed to fill Camelbaks. I had to ration my water a lot more than usual. Given the heat...this was a challenge. One I was not prepared for.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Teamwork saved the day.</b></span><br /><br />I\'ve said it before and I\'ll say it again...<b>I would not have made it without my battle buddies. </b>For the uninformed - a Battle Buddy is someone you run/crawl/climb/struggle through the race with.&nbsp;<b>Maureen and Rob were mine.</b><br /><br />Happened kind of by accident, too...I lost my original BB very early (it\'s ok, we had a deal, not upset) and came across them on the first major ascent. Deciding to stick with them was probably the single smartest thing I did all day.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRC4pvrbkGg/VhEZ6oSZdmI/AAAAAAAAeUo/aKYe_VKZL80/s1600/beast%2B15%2Bbattle%2Bbuddies.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRC4pvrbkGg/VhEZ6oSZdmI/AAAAAAAAeUo/aKYe_VKZL80/s320/beast%2B15%2Bbattle%2Bbuddies.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><b>They had my back at every turn.</b>&nbsp;I was stunned to find them waiting for me at the bottom of the bucket carry. It got the best of me, whipped my ass...and there they were. Waiting. I felt bad because I took so long...this is exactly where I lost my battle buddies last year (except it was later in the race)...but there they were. And they were right there with me until the very end. Salt tabs, conversation, looking out for each other...they covered it all. It was a much different back-half of the Beast this year getting through it with a couple of BB\'s like that.<br /><br /><b>I would not have finished without them. Not this year\'s Beast. </b>No way.<br /><b><br /></b><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Imagine an entire community like that.</span></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_IO5sguLqU/VhEaTVthEmI/AAAAAAAAeUw/bXeBQnicU30/s1600/IMG_20150919_073611305.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"225\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_IO5sguLqU/VhEaTVthEmI/AAAAAAAAeUw/bXeBQnicU30/s400/IMG_20150919_073611305.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />That\'s the <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/nespahtens\" target=\"_blank\">New England Spahtens</a> - over 3,000 people just like that (to varying degrees). A whole community of \"care\". That\'s what OCR SHOULD be like...not whining about this or that, not complaining that someone didn\'t do their burpees, not bellyaching about cheating...just looking out for each other and having fun.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I almost cried at the finish line.</b></span><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1OzyNyZOdjw/VhEa5SiZv0I/AAAAAAAAeU8/7j-ep9x4gVI/s1600/beast%2B15%2Bfire%2Bjump.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1OzyNyZOdjw/VhEa5SiZv0I/AAAAAAAAeU8/7j-ep9x4gVI/s320/beast%2B15%2Bfire%2Bjump.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br />The look on my face at the fire jump was borderline horrified...but I jumped it. I landed. And I screamed out of pure elation. <i>I could finally run across the finish...</i><b style=\"font-style: italic;\">on my own.</b>&nbsp;And I did. And there was my wife. And my Battle Buddies. And that G-Damn medal I\'ve been chasing for months. <b>I did it.</b>&nbsp;The feeling is simply indescribable.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-9vYriFSlA/Vgcp17BJrfI/AAAAAAAAeMM/79CPufgh5AU/s1600/IMG_20150921_070553898.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"180\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v-9vYriFSlA/Vgcp17BJrfI/AAAAAAAAeMM/79CPufgh5AU/s320/IMG_20150921_070553898.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Thanks to the team...I found TRUE success.</b></span><br /><br /><b><i>And it was a bit different than I thought it would be.&nbsp;</i></b><br /><br />High fives and hugs. Shared stories of successes. Lamenting opportunities missed on-course. A teammate not-so-subtly offering a victory shot and beer. And also...asking after teammates we hadn\'t seen or heard from. Not for the gossip factor...not out of curiosity...but out of genuine care, and to perhaps be ready to help console a teammate feeling like a failure. <i>So much positivity...</i><br /><i><br /></i><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XA241grFg5k/VhEbFWSkA3I/AAAAAAAAeVI/qVP2yalrF04/s1600/beast%2B15%2Bvictory.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XA241grFg5k/VhEbFWSkA3I/AAAAAAAAeVI/qVP2yalrF04/s320/beast%2B15%2Bvictory.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br />Sitting in the lodge, much later, as I\'m getting ready to finish my beer and head home...A teammate comes in for hers. It\'s late, most others from the team have left. Despite being more sore than ever...of course I practically leap out of my chair to congratulate her.<br /><br />Back to the house...where other exhausted, beaten teammates rest as well. In the morning - shared stories of success. Breakfast in town surrounded by finishers, spectators...and people who <i>get it.</i>&nbsp;The next night...furiously hitting \"refresh\" on Chronotrack hoping to see friends finish the UltraBeast...<i>did they make it?</i><br /><br />The sense of completion...of victory...of <i>success</i>...didn\'t come from the medal, or simply from running across on my own two feet. <b><i>It was everything else.</i></b></div>','Struggle, Teamwork, & Success - Spartan Beast VT 2015','','inherit','closed','closed','','34-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:25:54','2017-01-18 11:25:54','',34,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/34-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(754,1,'2017-01-18 06:25:54','2017-01-18 11:25:54','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>It was a long road from the 2014 Killington Beast back to OCR for me. The 6 months prior to this event had been a constant battle to regain strength, speed, and motivation. This race reminded me why I love running races, why I put myself through these things, and why I bother with \"health &amp; fitness\" at all.<br /><div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-507bEijS744/VgccRebhHtI/AAAAAAAAeKY/ZGuMjN0IDzU/s1600/IMG_20150412_131239409.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"144\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-507bEijS744/VgccRebhHtI/AAAAAAAAeKY/ZGuMjN0IDzU/s200/IMG_20150412_131239409.jpg\" width=\"200\" /></a></div><br /></div><div>On Saturday, 4/11/15, I ran F.I.T. Challenge IV - Epic F.I.T. and I have to say...<u>it was exactly what I needed.</u> It challenged me, it tested me, it pushed me, and it renewed my drive for all things health &amp; fitness!</div><div><br /></div><div>So what was so great about Epic F.I.T.? How does it rank? Why was I so sore the next day...<i>and so happy about it?&nbsp;</i><br /><i><br /></i><a name=\'more\'></a><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Epic.</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>This event was just </b><i style=\"font-weight: bold;\">done right</i>. Robb McCoy, the man behind F.I.T. Challenge, knows how to put on a top notch event, and he has struck again with the 4th installment of his series.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Score:</a></b><br /><br /><b>Pre-Race: 8<br />Race Day: 9<br />The Course: 10</b><br /><b>Support / Swag: 9&nbsp;</b><br /><b>Post-Race: 8</b><br /><br />Just an all-around well-executed event. Things promised were followed-through on, the course was outstanding, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Would I run this race again? <b>Heck yes I would.</b><br /><br /><b>Pre-Race - 8</b><br /><b><br /></b>There were a fair number of promotional emails/Facebook posts and I certainly didn\'t forget the race was coming. The \"pre-race email\" came out the week before the race - I was impressed that it came to me as I wasn\'t actually officially registered for the race...I was signed on as a volunteer! Good on ya, F.I.T. Challenge! I DID check with some friends who pre-registered well in advance, and there were PLENTY of emails sent to participants.<br /><br /><b>Race Day - 9</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBezysHz4gU/VdMb8-q3lKI/AAAAAAAAdtg/fFC5cO_scmc/s1600/IMG_20150411_075758643.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"225\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBezysHz4gU/VdMb8-q3lKI/AAAAAAAAdtg/fFC5cO_scmc/s400/IMG_20150411_075758643.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>I must say, I had a pretty good race day experience. </b>Checking in as a volunteer was super-easy - this can normally be a pretty tedious or confusing process. I watched a number of regularly registered runners checking in as well, and it looked to be a pretty quick and painless process. Near registration there was a small festival area with some vendors and a rep from OCR World Championships (yes, this is an OCRWC Qualifier...wow!). There was also ample room to hang out, stretch, and prepare.<br /><br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m1GSccXvHJg/VijI_Hm2GGI/AAAAAAAAgY4/UkXDaR5AqVk/s1600/11073993_831901773564837_2627680150545396605_o.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m1GSccXvHJg/VijI_Hm2GGI/AAAAAAAAgY4/UkXDaR5AqVk/s320/11073993_831901773564837_2627680150545396605_o.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Our Team - Photo Credit: Mary Donohue</td></tr></tbody></table>As part of the New England Spahtens, I was a member of the day\'s largest team, which meant I got to hang out pre/post race at our largest team tent. Took a minute to figure out where it was - and once I did I discovered the restroom situation was INDOORS! Huzzah!<br /><br />Already ran your race? <i>Want to run another lap? </i><b>Go for it!</b>&nbsp;$15 gets you a new timing chip and you\'re off to the races (again). Manage 5 laps and you get a special plaque for doing 25K of OCR.<br /><br />All in all...everything leading up to crossing the starting mat was pretty darn smooth.<br /><br /><b>The Course - 10</b><br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DmfkvAq-FFg/VijIE7YQ7QI/AAAAAAAAgYs/sp-Mo7ITX4Q/s1600/10845812_831899546898393_1622263705756634095_o.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DmfkvAq-FFg/VijIE7YQ7QI/AAAAAAAAgYs/sp-Mo7ITX4Q/s320/10845812_831899546898393_1622263705756634095_o.jpg\" width=\"213\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Photo Credit: Mary Donohue</td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><b>The course was <u>excellent</u>. </b>There\'s no two ways about it. F.I.T. Challenge really nailed it all - use-of-venue, variety, quality, and quantity of obstacles...it was just <i>really well-done</i>. <u>Top-freaking-notch.</u>&nbsp;I\'m genuinely impressed here, in case you couldn\'t tell.&nbsp;The course was also INCREDIBLY well-marked - trust me...while volunteering post-race I pulled hundreds of flags, a ton of caution tape, and MANY arrow signs...so I can <i>personally</i>&nbsp;attest to that.<br /> <br /><br />I want to point out that part of what helped this race have such an excellent course was the #OCRUnited element - <b>they played well with others</b>. ABF Mud Run, ORTC at Shale Hill, Grit \'n\' Wit, Blizzard Blast and more - Robb McCoy and his crew aren\'t afraid to work with others to put on a successful event. This is something that helped him in planning, execution, race-day experience, the course itself...all areas got a boost.&nbsp;<i>Other, bigger races could learn something from F.I.T. Challenge </i>in this regard. <i>Take notes, big 3.</i><br /><br /><b>Support/Swag - 9</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EjbAEfzZvKs/VijHM5sH_uI/AAAAAAAAgYY/9KuH3nfxF7k/s1600/IMG_20151022_071608295.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"251\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EjbAEfzZvKs/VijHM5sH_uI/AAAAAAAAgYY/9KuH3nfxF7k/s320/IMG_20151022_071608295.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>Swag and Support was good - above average, even!&nbsp;</b>Swag included a cotton t-shirt, a logo\'d headband (similar to what you get at a Spartan Race, but no bib number), and finisher\'s medal. I love the medal - shaped like a Wreck Bag (added to the #OCRUnited feel - lots of local races are embracing Wreck Bag). NE Spahtens also got some \"cheap sunglasses\" (you know, the plastic Wayfarer knock-offs?) with Spahten F.I.T. printed on them. I\'m a sucker for \"cheap sunglasses\", and I think everyone else is too, let\'s be honest. Thanks F.I.T.!<br /><br />Age group awards were provided (nice), and as an added bonus (I mentioned this before) for those who managed 5 (timed) laps there was a special plaque involved. Nice touch. Not to mention that whole \"OCRWC Qualifier\" thing.<br /><br />Support was good - <i>especially </i>when you got to the #OCRUnited parts of the course, especially the big cluster with \"rigs\" by the big Shale Hill truck. There was a volunteer at every obstacle, as there should be, (some more engaged than others) and I was aware of medical support that was available.<br /><b><br /></b><b>Post-Race - 8</b><br /><br /><b>Post-race was pretty good too.</b>&nbsp;Once you cross the finish there was water, Hint Water (review coming) and though I didn\'t stop to look, I <i>think</i>&nbsp;there was food of some sort (bananas maybe?). The little festival area was there, so First Aid Shot Therapy was there with their \"shots\" (think 5 hour energy...but aspirin) in case you were hurtin\'. There was a cool little podium/backdrop area for photo ops and awards, but aside from that...if you\'re not running another lap (which you could for $10 or $15)...when you finish the race that\'s kinda it. <b>Pack it up and go home. </b>You could certainly hang out, though...it IS a state park (and very pretty, I thought).<br /><br />I personally would\'ve gone back over to the NE Spahtens tent to hang out if I hadn\'t immediately gone over to volunteer (he was grossly under-supported for PM volunteers. Shame on people for bailing). That\'s how I wrapped MY day up, and it was kinda fun to break it all down :)<br /><br /><b>Overall, I had a great time and would certainly go back.</b><br /><br /><b>At the end of the day - </b>this <i>was</i> a great race. What you\'ve got in F.I.T. Challenge is a great, very well-constructed, very well-thought-out, and very well-executed Obstacle Course Race. You can tell the owner/race director and the team that works with him (i.e. family and friends) really cares about the event and making it great. <b>That\'s why I love local OCR\'s </b>and why I will always seek them out. The big-name races are really turning me off lately, and \"the little guy\" keeps impressing.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rItZMRRVn-M/VijIC7t7GfI/AAAAAAAAgYk/5KqJgPTNJdM/s1600/11136175_831896266898721_7937356905526464364_o.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"213\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rItZMRRVn-M/VijIC7t7GfI/AAAAAAAAgYk/5KqJgPTNJdM/s320/11136175_831896266898721_7937356905526464364_o.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br />F.I.T. Challenge V is this fall on 11/14/15, and <a href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fit-epic-fifth-challenge-email-us-for-a-discount-code-tickets-16941529571?utm_campaign=new_event_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=eb_email&amp;utm_term=viewmyevent_button\" target=\"_blank\">you can register via this link</a>. If you\'re not already committed to something...<b>I heartily recommend you register.</b>&nbsp;Whether you\'re a rookie or a rockstar, you\'ll have fun at this event.</div>','Back In The Saddle - F.I.T. Challenge IV Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','32-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:25:54','2017-01-18 11:25:54','',32,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/32-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(755,1,'2017-01-18 06:26:13','2017-01-18 11:26:13','<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/getting-things-in-mocean-running-update.html\" target=\"_blank\">Yesterday I talked about</a> how <a href=\"http://www.moceancapecod.com/\" target=\"_blank\">MOCEAN Cape Cod</a> went above and beyond in their sponsorship and helped me get into <a href=\"http://www.capecod4thetroops.com/upcoming_events.html\" target=\"_blank\">a second race</a>. Today, I have more news on the same topic....<b>two more runs have been added to the calendar!</b>\r\n\r\nPeople are really responding to this campaign I\'m putting forth. The more people and businesses I talk to, the more people want to back me and help me do this thing. It\'s great to have support in an endeavor such as this, and it\'s nice to know there\'s people out there that care about people getting healthy as much as I do. As far as I\'m concerned, being able to raise money for charity while doing all that is icing on the cake.\r\n\r\n<b>SO, two more runs in preparation for the half-marathon. </b>What are they? And who\'s backing me to run them? <!--more--><b>I\'m being backed by Flex Appeal Sports Nutrition </b>in Burlington, MA.\r\n<a style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\" href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rysYNzjO38c/UiHVaoOS-mI/AAAAAAAABZU/l8BLboov9Ws/s1600/flex+appeal.jpg\"><img src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rysYNzjO38c/UiHVaoOS-mI/AAAAAAAABZU/l8BLboov9Ws/s400/flex+appeal.jpg\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" border=\"0\" /></a>They\'re a hidden gem in Burlington, MA. I actually never even knew they were there until last week. We had just left the Used Book Superstore and took a wrong turn...Megan spotted them in the plaza I was using to turn around. We decided to take a look and were greeted by a fully stocked little store. They\'ve got <b>everything</b> broken down on the shelves by category (and labeled), and they\'ve got a good selection of protein, bars, cookies, etc. I was listening to the clerk talking to people about different things and he was <b>incredibly</b> knowledgable, and my favorite part - <b>they don\'t make commission there. </b>I CANNOT overstate the importance of that. Employees of big chain nutrition stores, like GNC, make commission on certain products. Of course, they\'re going to want to sell those products, so the opinions and advice they give you is skewed...and frankly I feel like I can never trust an employee\'s advice when I go into one of those stores. Smaller, local stores like Flex Appeal...with NO COMMISSION, are <b>great. </b>I know I\'m getting an honest recommendation. If you\'re in the Burlington area (or anywhere close) check them out (282 Cambridge St.)! I\'m pretty sure they\'ve got a store in Medford too. You can check them out online at www.flexappealsportsnutrition.com\r\n\r\n<b>So what about these races you mentioned?</b>\r\n\r\n<b>I know, </b>I went on for a minute there...but I think it\'s important to recognize and thank the people that help you along the journey. <b>SO - these races </b>they backed me for...there\'s TWO of them! I\'ll go in chronological order:\r\n<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>\r\n<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3NQrgcv5vI/UiHYi1aAp_I/AAAAAAAABZo/vP7Ir_HA5So/s1600/tavern+to+tavern+5k.png\"><img src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3NQrgcv5vI/UiHYi1aAp_I/AAAAAAAABZo/vP7Ir_HA5So/s400/tavern+to+tavern+5k.png\" width=\"400\" height=\"131\" border=\"0\" /></a></div>\r\n<h4><b>9/22/13 - Tavern to Tavern 5K in Cambridge, MA</b></h4>\r\nOh boy oh boy...this looks like a fun one!\r\n<b></b>\r\n\r\n<b>So basically </b>you start this race at the Tavern In Porter Square, go out, do a loop and come back to the Tavern In Porter Square. Then there\'s beer. Who doesn\'t love beer after a race? It\'s recovery carbs (that\'s my story and I\'m sticking to it). Your registration fee for this race benefits Cambridge Rindge &amp; Latin Track and Field, so once again your entry fee is going to a good cause (isn\'t that nice?). The website says the course is flat and fast, meaning (perhaps obviously) there\'s no hills to contend with so you can turn it up and zoom along. I\'m pretty excited - this one looks like a lot of fun...and since it\'s an out-and-back course with the start/finish in the same place, if Megan doesn\'t run it with me she can be there to see me both start <b>and</b> finish...we don\'t have to pick! That was one of the most annoying things with the Falmouth Road Race - my parents trying to decide where they were gonna be...they wanted to see me running, but they wanted to see me finish (they ended up getting some prime real estate right near the finish line). <b>And the other race?</b>\r\n<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8mjed6yfWiQ/UiM6-CDXdgI/AAAAAAAABZ4/HJY_tRjPd3Y/s1600/BF10KMRR_logo_large.jpg\"><img src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8mjed6yfWiQ/UiM6-CDXdgI/AAAAAAAABZ4/HJY_tRjPd3Y/s320/BF10KMRR_logo_large.jpg\" width=\"320\" height=\"320\" border=\"0\" /></a></div>\r\n<b>10/20/13 - <a href=\"http://www.bostonfirefighters10k.com/\" target=\"_blank\">31st Annual Boston Firefighters\' Local 718 Memorial Road Race 10K</a> in Dorchester, MA</b>\r\n\r\nBoy, that was a mouthful! This one, I have to say, looks pretty awesome as well. The race is run in memory of Boston Firefighters who gave their lives in the line of duty. According to the website, the event raises money for various charities and helps fund scholarships. It also looks like they make this a pretty big event with a sizable celebration afterwards. The course is described on the site as follows: \"A 10k (6.2 miles) USATF certified course that is fast and flat, with a great ocean view, strict course security, and electronic timing with mile splits.\". <b>Sounds good to me!</b>\r\n\r\nBest part is, considering this race is six days before the half-marathon, it\'s at a perfect time to be my last \"long\" run beforehand! Crazy to think, though, that I don\'t consider 6 miles a \"long\" run anymore; 3 miles is short, 5 or 6 is average, and 10+ is long. Can\'t wait for 10 to be average!\r\n\r\n<b>So That\'s Where I\'m At For The Next Two Months</b>\r\n\r\nI don\'t think I\'m going to be adding any more races to my calendar - I think that\'s plenty for now. Between fundraising efforts (I\'m already brainstorming events), endurance training, my regular workouts and work...I think I\'ll be plenty busy! <b> </b>I\'m so excited to have the opportunity to run all these races and even more excited to be able to raise money for the V Foundation as a part of running them! If you\'re going to be at any of these races, give me a shout and we can say hi at the finish!\r\n\r\n<b>Let this serve as a lesson - </b>with enough determination and perseverance <b>anything is possible</b>. <b>The only limit is the one YOU set for <i>yourself</i>. </b>','2 Months, 4 Runs, One Great Cause','','inherit','closed','closed','','105-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:26:13','2017-01-18 11:26:13','',105,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/105-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(777,1,'2017-01-20 16:45:20','2017-01-20 21:45:20','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8n99vhRQcg/UhSlDm5MViI/AAAAAAAABWg/QjTQLWq4hWM/s1600/e-bk-easy-readers-04goldilocks-pic3-anim.gif\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8n99vhRQcg/UhSlDm5MViI/AAAAAAAABWg/QjTQLWq4hWM/s1600/e-bk-easy-readers-04goldilocks-pic3-anim.gif\" /></a></div><br />I thought I was pretty original with this one, but apparently some scientists thought they were clever too...so I guess I have to be specific in my title. I\'m sure you\'re all familiar with the story of Goldilocks, right? Goldilocks and the three bears, three of everything, one was always too cold/little, one was too hot/big, and one was just right? Yeah...today, think of us - the American People, as Goldilocks. Forewarning - this is, to some degree, going to piggyback off of <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-the-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">America The Fat</a>, so having read that might help you understand where I\'m coming from with some of this.<br /><br />The problem we face in our society and our culture today is - we can\'t find \"just right\" like Goldilocks did.<br /><a name=\'more\'></a>That\'s not necessarily all our fault either...we aren\'t generally <i>encouraged</i> to find \"just right\". Instead, we\'re told to pursue \"too small\" or \"too big\".<br />Look at the media, at TV, at movies, at society in general...everything we see either encourages us to be (what <b>I consider</b>) too skinny or tells us that being fat is OK. The examples of \"fat being OK\" are glaringly obvious and easy to see (my opinion) as its <b>thrown in our faces </b>to make those who are fat feel better, but the \"too skinny\" message is a little more subliminal than that, so let\'s tackle that first.<br /><br /><b>What is too skinny?</b><br /><br />I assume its easy to understand what \"too big\" means, and I\'m sure many of you can visualize it...but what about \"too skinny\"? What, exactly, constitutes \"too skinny\"?&nbsp; <b>\"Too skinny\" is a stick figure. </b>\"Too skinny\" has no muscle definition and looks like you\'d blow away in a strong breeze. When I think \"too skinny\", I think of people doing whatever they can to lose weight, be \"thin\", and look as tiny as they can. Guess what weighs a lot? <b>Muscle</b>. The \"diets\" many people do in order to lose weight and achieve \"too skinny\" don\'t just make you burn fat, they also force your body to break down muscle as well. <b>That\'s not healthy!</b> If your body is at a point where it has to break down muscle, it means it is <b>malnourished</b> and not getting enough nutrients and fuel! Here\'s my prime example:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><b>Giuliana Rancic. </b>Those of you who watch E!, any kind of gossip news, the TV Guide channel or any kind of red carpet anything have seen this woman. So what\'s my issue with Giuliana?<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Qp4KBMzQgc/UhS1M02xtQI/AAAAAAAABW8/U0E4zzv6qFQ/s1600/Giuliana.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Qp4KBMzQgc/UhS1M02xtQI/AAAAAAAABW8/U0E4zzv6qFQ/s320/Giuliana.jpg\" width=\"213\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Img Credit - Fame</td></tr></tbody></table>Well, for one, she\'s a perfect example of the kind of body being shown by Hollywood to women as ideal, and let\'s be honest - what we see on TV, <b>especially</b> <i>those</i> sorts of programs, is meant to be our model for ourselves. We\'re taught to idolize the famous, envy the rich and powerful, and do what we can to be more like them. That said, look at some of the celebrities we\'re either told or supposed to imply are the standard of \"attractive\" that <b>we</b> should be - Giuliana being one (who, by the way, started her own \"fitness\" website to \"help\" others get in the \"perfect shape\"...). Keira Knightley is another one - Pirates of the Caribbean anyone?&nbsp; It\'s tough to find if you go out <b>searching</b> for it, but its there and its sneaky. I had to think about it for a minute, but then I looked at some pictures of Megan Fox from Transformers, and I can\'t decide without watching the movie again, but from pictures I can see online, she definitely rides the line. What was the big reaction to her in that movie though? <b>Sexy</b>. The problem with things like that is, while she may not actually <b>be</b> \"too skinny\", women, especially teenage girls and women in their early 20\'s, want to <b>be</b> that skinny, so<b> they become \"too skinny\" as a result</b>.<br /><br /><b>I will say</b> - while this IS still a problem, its becoming <i>less </i>of a problem as we begin to demonize certain celebrities and their behaviors - certain celebrities who, in addition to drug problems and bad behavior, <i>happen </i>to also be too skinny, so that becomes bad too. As long as there are celebrities like Giuliana who are being praised, and movies showing near-toothpicks like Megan Fox in Transformers, it will still be an issue...and frankly I don\'t foresee Hollywood casting directors changing that anytime soon.<br /><br /><b>How About \"Too Big\"?</b><br /><br />I want to be clear here - when I say \"too big\", I\'m not talking about people who are riding the line and are somewhere close to being \"just right\"...I\'m talking about people who are <u>clearly</u> \"too big\". Visibly overweight. When you <b>get winded going up a flight of stairs</b>, you might be \"too big\". When <b>you can\'t see your toes over your belly</b> you might be \"too big\". When <b>you regularly put down over half a pizza by yourself in one sitting</b> you might be \"too big\". The worst part of \"too big\" is that this country is making it OK. Let me give some examples:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbc-b1-upK4/UhTIR7XfNKI/AAAAAAAABXI/gKQhDZ2OaDI/s1600/adele+fat.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"274\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbc-b1-upK4/UhTIR7XfNKI/AAAAAAAABXI/gKQhDZ2OaDI/s320/adele+fat.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>Some of you may be familiar with this popular recording artist - Adele. She\'s a well-known big girl and I\'ve actually read a quote from her saying she\'s not concerned about weight and being skinny - she never plans to lose weight. She basically said she could be a house but as long as she\'s making quality albums she\'s ok with that. <b>That is the wrong message to send.</b> But that\'s not <i>really </i>what I\'m talking about: Adele\'s attitude, I feel, just <i>implies</i> that being overweight isn\'t something to worry about. What I\'m talking about is much worse than that. What I\'m talking about is a culture that makes it <b>acceptable</b> to be overweight. Teaches us that everyone is beautiful and to love your body.<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K7S7UthwIdo/UhTI3niIKjI/AAAAAAAABXQ/KtJ8Lgczw64/s1600/Fat-Amy-pitch-perfect-32534849-720-720.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K7S7UthwIdo/UhTI3niIKjI/AAAAAAAABXQ/KtJ8Lgczw64/s320/Fat-Amy-pitch-perfect-32534849-720-720.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Img credit - Fanpop</td></tr></tbody></table>Let\'s get this straight - <b>I thought Pitch Perfect was hilarious</b>. That said, now that I think about it, I have a <b>BIG</b> problem with the \"Fat Amy\" character. Basically, Fat Amy is teaching people that it\'s OK to be fat, that skinny girls (or \"twig bitches\") are mean and not to be admired, and that you should love yourself and your body regardless of your size. The movie uses her size for many jokes (both physical comedy and verbal jokes) which, of course, I would expect in a comedy. However, when you couple those jokes with the message the character is sending, you kind of <i>glorify</i> being big like that. They\'re portraying her as a strong character because she\'s overcoming adversity and being happy with herself. <b>I can\'t agree with that</b>. We shouldn\'t be teaching people that maintaining an unhealthy body fat percentage is ok. It creates health problems! High body fat percentage puts stress on your body in so many ways, it puts you at risk for heart disease, diabetes and more...<b>why are we telling people that\'s OK?</b> <br /><br /><b>I\'m gonna <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soapbox\" target=\"_blank\">get up on my soapbox</a> for a minute - this is going to be a long paragraph.</b><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd_yBWoBcyA/UhTL-F-MQVI/AAAAAAAABXg/GGqh3CfDWt8/s1600/soapbox.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd_yBWoBcyA/UhTL-F-MQVI/AAAAAAAABXg/GGqh3CfDWt8/s320/soapbox.jpg\" width=\"304\" /></a><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b>Your doctor </b>should be telling you what a healthy range is and helping you figure out a plan to get healthy. Your doctor should also be describing all the health risks associated with being overweight. One of my faithful readers and members of the <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/sothisisfitness/\" target=\"_blank\">\"So Fit\" Family</a> messaged me a link a short while ago and I have to tell you it got me so fired up I wanted to pop. There are, apparently, doctors out there who are telling people <b>that it\'s OK to be fat</b>, that aren\'t making an issue of it, that aren\'t weighing you when you come in for a visit and tell you not to worry about losing weight. <b>I don\'t even know where to begin with this</b>.<br /><br />First off, a clarification - not all of the doctors on this list are internal <span></span><span></span>medicine - there is a wide variety. There are internal medicine, family medicine, naturopathic, OB/GYN, midwifery, psychologists, therapists, gastroenterologists, etc etc. What bothers me is that these are <b>doctors</b> making it <b>OK.</b> If nobody else in the universe tells you the health risks of being overweight and urges you to \"get healthy\", <b>your doctor should</b>. Frankly I think it\'s irresponsible and a violation of the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath\" target=\"_blank\">Hippocratic Oath</a> to tell people it\'s OK and to tell them they don\'t need to worry about their weight or think about losing any. When someone walks in your office door and is 400 LBS...you offer them <b>help</b>, not a mozzarella stick (there is no tall person alive tall enough for 400 lbs to be healthy...please correct me if I\'m wrong). Now, don\'t bite my head off here - I understand that many people don\'t go to the doctor because they\'re embarrassed about their weight and don\'t want to weigh in, yes I do believe these people should be able to see a doctor without having to be ashamed...but if you feel ashamed because your doctor is telling you about the health risks you\'re currently facing...<b>shouldn\'t that be a hint that you\'re not happy and it\'s time to do something about it?</b> If the doctor is being a jerk about it and is intentionally making you feel ashamed about it, that\'s another thing entirely and I <b>don\'t condone</b> that, but what we have out there is the exact opposite - doctors making you <i>feel good</i> about being overweight! That\'s something that needs to stop. Another part that gets me fired up is: some of those doctors out there who are psychologists or therapists are basically preying on those who are overweight. These doctors get the overweight to come in under the auspices of caring about them and not making their weight an issue. <b>That\'s deceptive and dirty</b>. Ok...off my soapbox...<br /><br />Add on to all of those things we just talked about the general culture of \"love your body\" \"it\'s OK to be big\" and \"be happy\" that these promote and what you have is a nation of overweight people who are empowered to pick up that chicken wing and chow down because y\'know what...<b>I\'m OK with this and it\'s OK to be big! </b>Add in <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-i-dont-feel-like-it-syndrome.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"The I Don\'t Feel Like It Syndrome\" </a>and you have a recipie for disaster.<br /><br />Y\'know...let me tell you...I was Mr. I\'m-Big-I\'m-Not-Ashamed for a while but y\'know what...when I stopped fooling myself and lying to myself...I admitted that I really wasnt\' happy. That\'s when <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">My Story</a> and <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">My Transformation</a> began. Don\'t forget...<b>I was a pretty big guy</b>...so on a lot of this, I\'m speaking from experience. I may have seemed happy or tried to be happy, but I really wasn\'t. It was the biggest thing dragging me down in my life.<br /><b> </b><br /><b>So What Is \"Just Right\"?</b><br /><br />Do we really know what \"just right\" is? We\'re pulled in two directions so much that many people don\'t actually find the way to \"just right\" or the tools to figure out what exactly that is. Where\'s the happy medium between \"too big\" and \"too skinny\"? Well, many would say to follow a \"body mass index\" (BMI) chart...but I\'m not sure I agree with that. BMI charts follow age and height to find what your ideal weight range is. The government website where I found a BMI chart DID make a point to say that it is inaccurate for those with an athletic or muscular build, or for those who are older or who have lost muscle weight. Not everyone who is 24 and 5\'8\" should weight the same...some are lean builds and some are athletic. <b>So BMI Chart is out. My vote </b>is to use the Jackson &amp; Pollock chart.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nJq_iaqOctk/UhTMzJvQuXI/AAAAAAAABXo/MPScp5ti340/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart2.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nJq_iaqOctk/UhTMzJvQuXI/AAAAAAAABXo/MPScp5ti340/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart2.jpg\" /></a></div><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGBM0EcTxW8/UhTNcEkvyvI/AAAAAAAABX4/XKPYemPz99k/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart3.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGBM0EcTxW8/UhTNcEkvyvI/AAAAAAAABX4/XKPYemPz99k/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart3.jpg\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>These charts, I think, hit the nail on the head. They go by age and gender, and there is a range! Lean, Ideal, Average, and Above Average. I\'m gonna go ahead and say that, since this IS \"<a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-the-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">America The Fat</a>\" that \"average\" is probably \"slightly overweight\" and \"above average\" is probably \"too big\". I\'m not sure where I fall right now because I can\'t for the life of me figure out how much pressure to use when I use my body-fat measuring calipers. I\'ll go more in-depth on this in a later article, but the basics here are: women have higher acceptable body fat %\'s than men because they have more need of it in their bodies. These charts use age because as you get older, you naturally have / need more fat in your body. Like I said, <b>this is a really REALLY basic explanation</b> but the gist here is, I think this is the chart to follow. Ask your doctor to help you figure out your body fat percentage and go from there. This is also good for those building muscle as it allows you to account for muscle in your body - notice this chart <b>doesn\'t use weight</b> as a measurement! Imagine that...<b>weight itself isn\'t everything</b>.&nbsp; I feel like <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-2-the-scale.html\" target=\"_blank\">I\'ve heard that somewhere before...</a><br /><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjTPjwp6uQQ/UetkdSWAiaI/AAAAAAAAA84/mALlnkHUDOk/s1600/wall-e-human.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"238\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjTPjwp6uQQ/UetkdSWAiaI/AAAAAAAAA84/mALlnkHUDOk/s320/wall-e-human.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a>\"Just Right\" is different for everyone. Some of you might want to fall into the \"ideal\" category, some of you might want to be a little more in the \"lean\" category. Just make sure if you\'re gonna go down the \"lean\" road you have some muscle in there...don\'t go down the \"lean\" road in such a way that you become \"too skinny\". I don\'t want to sound like I\'m putting down the \"love yourself\" idea, but you should be able to love yourself <b>and be healthy too!</b> It\'s all well and good that people want others to be happy, but there\'s nothing wrong with being<b> fit and healthy</b> as a means to be happy<b> </b>. All too often the \"fit\" people are demonized as the jerks, the evil ones, the people <b>putting me down for being fat. The sad truth is, </b>there are \"fit\" people out there who DO actually do that. So my advice to you is - <b>Offer help, not hate.&nbsp; </b>Part of why this whole \"love yourself, fat is OK\" thing is out there is because of \"the jerks at the gym\". Let\'s try to turn that image around, ok? Otherwise Goldilocks is never going to find \"just right\" and we\'ll end up like the humans in <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WALL-E\" target=\"_blank\">Wall-E</a>. Nobody wants that. <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>','The Goldilocks Problem - Body Image','','inherit','closed','closed','','113-revision-v1','','','2017-01-20 16:45:20','2017-01-20 21:45:20','',113,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/113-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(756,1,'2017-01-18 06:26:29','2017-01-18 11:26:29','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8n99vhRQcg/UhSlDm5MViI/AAAAAAAABWg/QjTQLWq4hWM/s1600/e-bk-easy-readers-04goldilocks-pic3-anim.gif\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A8n99vhRQcg/UhSlDm5MViI/AAAAAAAABWg/QjTQLWq4hWM/s1600/e-bk-easy-readers-04goldilocks-pic3-anim.gif\" /></a></div><br />I thought I was pretty original with this one, but apparently some scientists thought they were clever too...so I guess I have to be specific in my title. I\'m sure you\'re all familiar with the story of Goldilocks, right? Goldilocks and the three bears, three of everything, one was always too cold/little, one was too hot/big, and one was just right? Yeah...today, think of us - the American People, as Goldilocks. Forewarning - this is, to some degree, going to piggyback off of <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-the-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">America The Fat</a>, so having read that might help you understand where I\'m coming from with some of this.<br /><br />The problem we face in our society and our culture today is - we can\'t find \"just right\" like Goldilocks did.<br /><a name=\'more\'></a>That\'s not necessarily all our fault either...we aren\'t generally <i>encouraged</i> to find \"just right\". Instead, we\'re told to pursue \"too small\" or \"too big\".<br />Look at the media, at TV, at movies, at society in general...everything we see either encourages us to be (what <b>I consider</b>) too skinny or tells us that being fat is OK. The examples of \"fat being OK\" are glaringly obvious and easy to see (my opinion) as its <b>thrown in our faces </b>to make those who are fat feel better, but the \"too skinny\" message is a little more subliminal than that, so let\'s tackle that first.<br /><br /><b>What is too skinny?</b><br /><br />I assume its easy to understand what \"too big\" means, and I\'m sure many of you can visualize it...but what about \"too skinny\"? What, exactly, constitutes \"too skinny\"?&nbsp; <b>\"Too skinny\" is a stick figure. </b>\"Too skinny\" has no muscle definition and looks like you\'d blow away in a strong breeze. When I think \"too skinny\", I think of people doing whatever they can to lose weight, be \"thin\", and look as tiny as they can. Guess what weighs a lot? <b>Muscle</b>. The \"diets\" many people do in order to lose weight and achieve \"too skinny\" don\'t just make you burn fat, they also force your body to break down muscle as well. <b>That\'s not healthy!</b> If your body is at a point where it has to break down muscle, it means it is <b>malnourished</b> and not getting enough nutrients and fuel! Here\'s my prime example:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><b>Giuliana Rancic. </b>Those of you who watch E!, any kind of gossip news, the TV Guide channel or any kind of red carpet anything have seen this woman. So what\'s my issue with Giuliana?<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Qp4KBMzQgc/UhS1M02xtQI/AAAAAAAABW8/U0E4zzv6qFQ/s1600/Giuliana.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Qp4KBMzQgc/UhS1M02xtQI/AAAAAAAABW8/U0E4zzv6qFQ/s320/Giuliana.jpg\" width=\"213\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Img Credit - Fame</td></tr></tbody></table>Well, for one, she\'s a perfect example of the kind of body being shown by Hollywood to women as ideal, and let\'s be honest - what we see on TV, <b>especially</b> <i>those</i> sorts of programs, is meant to be our model for ourselves. We\'re taught to idolize the famous, envy the rich and powerful, and do what we can to be more like them. That said, look at some of the celebrities we\'re either told or supposed to imply are the standard of \"attractive\" that <b>we</b> should be - Giuliana being one (who, by the way, started her own \"fitness\" website to \"help\" others get in the \"perfect shape\"...). Keira Knightley is another one - Pirates of the Caribbean anyone?&nbsp; It\'s tough to find if you go out <b>searching</b> for it, but its there and its sneaky. I had to think about it for a minute, but then I looked at some pictures of Megan Fox from Transformers, and I can\'t decide without watching the movie again, but from pictures I can see online, she definitely rides the line. What was the big reaction to her in that movie though? <b>Sexy</b>. The problem with things like that is, while she may not actually <b>be</b> \"too skinny\", women, especially teenage girls and women in their early 20\'s, want to <b>be</b> that skinny, so<b> they become \"too skinny\" as a result</b>.<br /><br /><b>I will say</b> - while this IS still a problem, its becoming <i>less </i>of a problem as we begin to demonize certain celebrities and their behaviors - certain celebrities who, in addition to drug problems and bad behavior, <i>happen </i>to also be too skinny, so that becomes bad too. As long as there are celebrities like Giuliana who are being praised, and movies showing near-toothpicks like Megan Fox in Transformers, it will still be an issue...and frankly I don\'t foresee Hollywood casting directors changing that anytime soon.<br /><br /><b>How About \"Too Big\"?</b><br /><br />I want to be clear here - when I say \"too big\", I\'m not talking about people who are riding the line and are somewhere close to being \"just right\"...I\'m talking about people who are <u>clearly</u> \"too big\". Visibly overweight. When you <b>get winded going up a flight of stairs</b>, you might be \"too big\". When <b>you can\'t see your toes over your belly</b> you might be \"too big\". When <b>you regularly put down over half a pizza by yourself in one sitting</b> you might be \"too big\". The worst part of \"too big\" is that this country is making it OK. Let me give some examples:<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbc-b1-upK4/UhTIR7XfNKI/AAAAAAAABXI/gKQhDZ2OaDI/s1600/adele+fat.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"274\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sbc-b1-upK4/UhTIR7XfNKI/AAAAAAAABXI/gKQhDZ2OaDI/s320/adele+fat.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div>Some of you may be familiar with this popular recording artist - Adele. She\'s a well-known big girl and I\'ve actually read a quote from her saying she\'s not concerned about weight and being skinny - she never plans to lose weight. She basically said she could be a house but as long as she\'s making quality albums she\'s ok with that. <b>That is the wrong message to send.</b> But that\'s not <i>really </i>what I\'m talking about: Adele\'s attitude, I feel, just <i>implies</i> that being overweight isn\'t something to worry about. What I\'m talking about is much worse than that. What I\'m talking about is a culture that makes it <b>acceptable</b> to be overweight. Teaches us that everyone is beautiful and to love your body.<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K7S7UthwIdo/UhTI3niIKjI/AAAAAAAABXQ/KtJ8Lgczw64/s1600/Fat-Amy-pitch-perfect-32534849-720-720.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K7S7UthwIdo/UhTI3niIKjI/AAAAAAAABXQ/KtJ8Lgczw64/s320/Fat-Amy-pitch-perfect-32534849-720-720.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">Img credit - Fanpop</td></tr></tbody></table>Let\'s get this straight - <b>I thought Pitch Perfect was hilarious</b>. That said, now that I think about it, I have a <b>BIG</b> problem with the \"Fat Amy\" character. Basically, Fat Amy is teaching people that it\'s OK to be fat, that skinny girls (or \"twig bitches\") are mean and not to be admired, and that you should love yourself and your body regardless of your size. The movie uses her size for many jokes (both physical comedy and verbal jokes) which, of course, I would expect in a comedy. However, when you couple those jokes with the message the character is sending, you kind of <i>glorify</i> being big like that. They\'re portraying her as a strong character because she\'s overcoming adversity and being happy with herself. <b>I can\'t agree with that</b>. We shouldn\'t be teaching people that maintaining an unhealthy body fat percentage is ok. It creates health problems! High body fat percentage puts stress on your body in so many ways, it puts you at risk for heart disease, diabetes and more...<b>why are we telling people that\'s OK?</b> <br /><br /><b>I\'m gonna <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soapbox\" target=\"_blank\">get up on my soapbox</a> for a minute - this is going to be a long paragraph.</b><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd_yBWoBcyA/UhTL-F-MQVI/AAAAAAAABXg/GGqh3CfDWt8/s1600/soapbox.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd_yBWoBcyA/UhTL-F-MQVI/AAAAAAAABXg/GGqh3CfDWt8/s320/soapbox.jpg\" width=\"304\" /></a><b>&nbsp;</b><br /><b>Your doctor </b>should be telling you what a healthy range is and helping you figure out a plan to get healthy. Your doctor should also be describing all the health risks associated with being overweight. One of my faithful readers and members of the <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/sothisisfitness/\" target=\"_blank\">\"So Fit\" Family</a> messaged me a link a short while ago and I have to tell you it got me so fired up I wanted to pop. There are, apparently, doctors out there who are telling people <b>that it\'s OK to be fat</b>, that aren\'t making an issue of it, that aren\'t weighing you when you come in for a visit and tell you not to worry about losing weight. <b>I don\'t even know where to begin with this</b>.<br /><br />First off, a clarification - not all of the doctors on this list are internal <span></span><span></span>medicine - there is a wide variety. There are internal medicine, family medicine, naturopathic, OB/GYN, midwifery, psychologists, therapists, gastroenterologists, etc etc. What bothers me is that these are <b>doctors</b> making it <b>OK.</b> If nobody else in the universe tells you the health risks of being overweight and urges you to \"get healthy\", <b>your doctor should</b>. Frankly I think it\'s irresponsible and a violation of the <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath\" target=\"_blank\">Hippocratic Oath</a> to tell people it\'s OK and to tell them they don\'t need to worry about their weight or think about losing any. When someone walks in your office door and is 400 LBS...you offer them <b>help</b>, not a mozzarella stick (there is no tall person alive tall enough for 400 lbs to be healthy...please correct me if I\'m wrong). Now, don\'t bite my head off here - I understand that many people don\'t go to the doctor because they\'re embarrassed about their weight and don\'t want to weigh in, yes I do believe these people should be able to see a doctor without having to be ashamed...but if you feel ashamed because your doctor is telling you about the health risks you\'re currently facing...<b>shouldn\'t that be a hint that you\'re not happy and it\'s time to do something about it?</b> If the doctor is being a jerk about it and is intentionally making you feel ashamed about it, that\'s another thing entirely and I <b>don\'t condone</b> that, but what we have out there is the exact opposite - doctors making you <i>feel good</i> about being overweight! That\'s something that needs to stop. Another part that gets me fired up is: some of those doctors out there who are psychologists or therapists are basically preying on those who are overweight. These doctors get the overweight to come in under the auspices of caring about them and not making their weight an issue. <b>That\'s deceptive and dirty</b>. Ok...off my soapbox...<br /><br />Add on to all of those things we just talked about the general culture of \"love your body\" \"it\'s OK to be big\" and \"be happy\" that these promote and what you have is a nation of overweight people who are empowered to pick up that chicken wing and chow down because y\'know what...<b>I\'m OK with this and it\'s OK to be big! </b>Add in <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-inconvenience-factor-accepting.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"The I Don\'t Feel Like It Syndrome\" </a>and you have a recipie for disaster.<br /><br />Y\'know...let me tell you...I was Mr. I\'m-Big-I\'m-Not-Ashamed for a while but y\'know what...when I stopped fooling myself and lying to myself...I admitted that I really wasnt\' happy. That\'s when <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">My Story</a> and <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">My Transformation</a> began. Don\'t forget...<b>I was a pretty big guy</b>...so on a lot of this, I\'m speaking from experience. I may have seemed happy or tried to be happy, but I really wasn\'t. It was the biggest thing dragging me down in my life.<br /><b> </b><br /><b>So What Is \"Just Right\"?</b><br /><br />Do we really know what \"just right\" is? We\'re pulled in two directions so much that many people don\'t actually find the way to \"just right\" or the tools to figure out what exactly that is. Where\'s the happy medium between \"too big\" and \"too skinny\"? Well, many would say to follow a \"body mass index\" (BMI) chart...but I\'m not sure I agree with that. BMI charts follow age and height to find what your ideal weight range is. The government website where I found a BMI chart DID make a point to say that it is inaccurate for those with an athletic or muscular build, or for those who are older or who have lost muscle weight. Not everyone who is 24 and 5\'8\" should weight the same...some are lean builds and some are athletic. <b>So BMI Chart is out. My vote </b>is to use the Jackson &amp; Pollock chart.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nJq_iaqOctk/UhTMzJvQuXI/AAAAAAAABXo/MPScp5ti340/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart2.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nJq_iaqOctk/UhTMzJvQuXI/AAAAAAAABXo/MPScp5ti340/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart2.jpg\" /></a></div><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGBM0EcTxW8/UhTNcEkvyvI/AAAAAAAABX4/XKPYemPz99k/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart3.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGBM0EcTxW8/UhTNcEkvyvI/AAAAAAAABX4/XKPYemPz99k/s1600/Ideal-Body-Fat-Percentage-Chart3.jpg\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>These charts, I think, hit the nail on the head. They go by age and gender, and there is a range! Lean, Ideal, Average, and Above Average. I\'m gonna go ahead and say that, since this IS \"<a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-the-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">America The Fat</a>\" that \"average\" is probably \"slightly overweight\" and \"above average\" is probably \"too big\". I\'m not sure where I fall right now because I can\'t for the life of me figure out how much pressure to use when I use my body-fat measuring calipers. I\'ll go more in-depth on this in a later article, but the basics here are: women have higher acceptable body fat %\'s than men because they have more need of it in their bodies. These charts use age because as you get older, you naturally have / need more fat in your body. Like I said, <b>this is a really REALLY basic explanation</b> but the gist here is, I think this is the chart to follow. Ask your doctor to help you figure out your body fat percentage and go from there. This is also good for those building muscle as it allows you to account for muscle in your body - notice this chart <b>doesn\'t use weight</b> as a measurement! Imagine that...<b>weight itself isn\'t everything</b>.&nbsp; I feel like <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-2-the-scale.html\" target=\"_blank\">I\'ve heard that somewhere before...</a><br /><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjTPjwp6uQQ/UetkdSWAiaI/AAAAAAAAA84/mALlnkHUDOk/s1600/wall-e-human.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"238\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AjTPjwp6uQQ/UetkdSWAiaI/AAAAAAAAA84/mALlnkHUDOk/s320/wall-e-human.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a>\"Just Right\" is different for everyone. Some of you might want to fall into the \"ideal\" category, some of you might want to be a little more in the \"lean\" category. Just make sure if you\'re gonna go down the \"lean\" road you have some muscle in there...don\'t go down the \"lean\" road in such a way that you become \"too skinny\". I don\'t want to sound like I\'m putting down the \"love yourself\" idea, but you should be able to love yourself <b>and be healthy too!</b> It\'s all well and good that people want others to be happy, but there\'s nothing wrong with being<b> fit and healthy</b> as a means to be happy<b> </b>. All too often the \"fit\" people are demonized as the jerks, the evil ones, the people <b>putting me down for being fat. The sad truth is, </b>there are \"fit\" people out there who DO actually do that. So my advice to you is - <b>Offer help, not hate.&nbsp; </b>Part of why this whole \"love yourself, fat is OK\" thing is out there is because of \"the jerks at the gym\". Let\'s try to turn that image around, ok? Otherwise Goldilocks is never going to find \"just right\" and we\'ll end up like the humans in <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WALL-E\" target=\"_blank\">Wall-E</a>. Nobody wants that. <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>','The Goldilocks Problem - Body Image','','inherit','closed','closed','','113-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:26:29','2017-01-18 11:26:29','',113,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/113-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(778,1,'2017-01-20 16:45:20','2017-01-20 21:45:20','Let\'s have a little talk about <b>-Haters-</b>.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-80WmeXeDx6M/UhtMBo-Un6I/AAAAAAAABYI/i88hlw2LLJQ/s1600/hatersgonnahatethumb.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"225\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-80WmeXeDx6M/UhtMBo-Un6I/AAAAAAAABYI/i88hlw2LLJQ/s400/hatersgonnahatethumb.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />We all know what haters are. We all probably <b>know</b> some haters too. Odds are, many of you out there might even <b>have</b> haters of your <i>very own!</i> I\'ll go ahead and say that 90% or more of the haters out there are the people I\'m talking about in this post. Up to 10% might have a legitimate reason for hating...maybe. For the purposes of this article, let\'s assume we\'re talking about the 90% that I\'m about to describe.<br /><br />Ultimately, I have to say..<b>.I don\'t hate haters.</b> If you think about it the way I do...you can\'t help but love them just because of their very nature.<b> </b>Haters are <b>important! </b>Just not for the reason they wish they were. On this Motivational Monday morning, I think its time to talk about <b>the haters.</b><br /><br /><b>What drives a hater? What do Haters...hate? Why?</b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />So, before we go on...you might be wondering what exactly I mean by \"hate\". <b>What does it mean to be \"hated on\"?</b> How does someone \"hate on\" you?<br /><br />Think back to elementary school, middle school...yes even high school. The haters will <b>make fun of you. </b>The haters will <b>belittle you and your achievements. </b>The haters will try to <b>recruit others </b>to their side to make you feel like you\'re <b>all alone</b>. The haters will <b>bully you </b>and <b>badmouth you. </b>Haters will <b>spread rumors </b>about you. They\'ll try to make you feel like everything you\'re doing <b>doesn\'t matter </b>and no matter what you do, in the end you\'re <b>just a loser</b> wasting their time. <br /><br />If you\'ve seen people getting \"hated on\", you\'ve probably wondered what that person did to \"deserve it\". If <b>you\'re</b> getting \"hated on\" yourself, its probably bothering you that you <b>don\'t know why</b>! I\'m going to make this REALLY simple:<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Haters Hate Your Success&nbsp;</span></b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76T_sSFFaFU/UhtNkxLQqwI/AAAAAAAABYU/lYjvob5e8hw/s1600/hatersmeme.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76T_sSFFaFU/UhtNkxLQqwI/AAAAAAAABYU/lYjvob5e8hw/s320/hatersmeme.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>Yes. It really is that simple.</b> Haters are <b>bitter</b>. Haters are <b>jealous</b>. Haters see in <b>you</b> a reflection of everything they wish <b>they</b> were. Haters want to be able to achieve what <b>you</b> have achieved. Have you lost weight recently? <b>Your hater feels fat.</b> Have you run a race? <b>Your hater wishes they could run. </b>Your hater DID run that race? <b>You got a better time than them</b>. I\'m sure you get the point.<br /><br />I know this seems really childish and like something that belongs in grade school...but it\'s the unfortunate truth. Rather than celebrate your successes with you the haters try to wash it away and put you down. Rather than try to improve themselves and work on their shortcomings, they focus their energy on <b>bringing. you. down</b>.<br /><br />But <b>why?</b><br /><br /><b>Because the haters can\'t be bothered to do the work.</b><br /><br />Haters are often people who suffer from things like <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-i-dont-feel-like-it-syndrome.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"The I Don\'t Feel Like It Syndrome\"</a>.<b> </b>Maybe <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/defeating-demotivators-1-fear-monster.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Fear Monster</a> has them in it\'s grasp. <b>Maybe </b>they\'ve got a <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-1-napoleon-complex.html\" target=\"_blank\">Napoleon Complex</a> or <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-2-the-scale.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Scale </a>discouraged them so badly they just can\'t bring themselves to try anymore. <b>Maybe they\'re lost in <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-the-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"America The Fat\"</a>. Or perhaps </b>they just can\'t drum up the<a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-the-truth-about-motivation.html\" target=\"_blank\"> motivation</a> to get it done. Whatever the reason...<b>SOMETHING</b> is keeping the haters from getting what they want and being happy, and it\'s everything that <b>YOU </b>have managed to work past to reach your successes and keep on going. <b>That makes your haters very mad</b>. It <b>frustrates them</b>. People often get angry or begin to <b>hate </b>what frustrates them or what they can\'t understand.<b> </b>So since the hater can\'t get past whatever it is stopping them...the mindset becomes toxic.<br /><br /><b>If the hater can\'t have success, neither can you!</b><br /><br /><b>THAT,</b> in a nutshell, is why haters hate. If the hater can\'t be happy...if the hater can\'t lose weight...if the hater can\'t run a race, get an A+, get a girlfriend, get a promotion...<b>neither should you</b>. They <b>hate</b> seeing you get what they want. That\'s why they hate on you and try to bring you down - <b>they\'re trying to make you quit</b>.&nbsp;<b> </b>But <b>this </b>is why I <b>love </b>haters.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Haters let you know you\'re doing a good job</b></span><br /><br />Honestly, the more hate I\'m catching...the harder my haters are hating, the <b>better</b> I must be doing. If they\'re hating on me <b>that much harder</b> then I <i>must </i>be making <b>that much greater</b> of an achievement. THAT is why I said haters are so important - <b>haters are your success meter!</b> Don\'t let them drag you down or discourage you - rather, let your haters <b>be encouragement</b> to go harder. See <b>how much</b> you can make the haters <b>hate </b>you. I\'d like to hope that eventually they\'ll either <b>give up hating</b> or start backing you, but it could very well be the case that they just <b>can\'t get past</b> whatever their own problem is...and they\'ll just keep on hating. <b>So what. Let them hate. </b>Just remember what it means.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdYuObL40sc/UhtT3ipSrDI/AAAAAAAABYk/ibm6uS1uZFE/s1600/tumblr_md5tvm53DT1qmp520o1_500.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"292\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdYuObL40sc/UhtT3ipSrDI/AAAAAAAABYk/ibm6uS1uZFE/s400/tumblr_md5tvm53DT1qmp520o1_500.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />By <b>continuing to do what you\'re doing </b>you\'re sending a message to your haters:<br /><br /><b>Your Opinion Does Not Matter. </b><br /><br />Your continued success and your positive attitude lets the haters know that <b>they are powerless to stop you.</b> In the end, you should probably <b>take pity on your haters - </b>they <b>wish</b> they could do what you\'re doing but they can\'t beat their own roadblocks. They <b>can\'t plow through </b>like you have and get down the road to success.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>Sucks to suck.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />So next time someone starts hating on you or trying to bring you down...<b>just smile at them, </b>walk away, and know that <b>you </b>are what someone else wishes they could be. <b>Don\'t let the haters get you down or stop you - let them push you and encourage you </b>to keep achieving new heights. <b>Don\'t be afraid </b>to post those <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">before &amp; after pictures</a>. Don\'t be afraid to <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">talk about how you got where you are.</a><br /><br /><b>Don\'t be afraid to keep becoming a better you. </b>\"Haters gonna hate\".<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Let \'em. </b></span>','Haters','','inherit','closed','closed','','107-revision-v1','','','2017-01-20 16:45:20','2017-01-20 21:45:20','',107,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/107-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(757,1,'2017-01-18 06:26:29','2017-01-18 11:26:29','Let\'s have a little talk about <b>-Haters-</b>.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-80WmeXeDx6M/UhtMBo-Un6I/AAAAAAAABYI/i88hlw2LLJQ/s1600/hatersgonnahatethumb.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"225\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-80WmeXeDx6M/UhtMBo-Un6I/AAAAAAAABYI/i88hlw2LLJQ/s400/hatersgonnahatethumb.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />We all know what haters are. We all probably <b>know</b> some haters too. Odds are, many of you out there might even <b>have</b> haters of your <i>very own!</i> I\'ll go ahead and say that 90% or more of the haters out there are the people I\'m talking about in this post. Up to 10% might have a legitimate reason for hating...maybe. For the purposes of this article, let\'s assume we\'re talking about the 90% that I\'m about to describe.<br /><br />Ultimately, I have to say..<b>.I don\'t hate haters.</b> If you think about it the way I do...you can\'t help but love them just because of their very nature.<b> </b>Haters are <b>important! </b>Just not for the reason they wish they were. On this Motivational Monday morning, I think its time to talk about <b>the haters.</b><br /><br /><b>What drives a hater? What do Haters...hate? Why?</b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />So, before we go on...you might be wondering what exactly I mean by \"hate\". <b>What does it mean to be \"hated on\"?</b> How does someone \"hate on\" you?<br /><br />Think back to elementary school, middle school...yes even high school. The haters will <b>make fun of you. </b>The haters will <b>belittle you and your achievements. </b>The haters will try to <b>recruit others </b>to their side to make you feel like you\'re <b>all alone</b>. The haters will <b>bully you </b>and <b>badmouth you. </b>Haters will <b>spread rumors </b>about you. They\'ll try to make you feel like everything you\'re doing <b>doesn\'t matter </b>and no matter what you do, in the end you\'re <b>just a loser</b> wasting their time. <br /><br />If you\'ve seen people getting \"hated on\", you\'ve probably wondered what that person did to \"deserve it\". If <b>you\'re</b> getting \"hated on\" yourself, its probably bothering you that you <b>don\'t know why</b>! I\'m going to make this REALLY simple:<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Haters Hate Your Success&nbsp;</span></b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76T_sSFFaFU/UhtNkxLQqwI/AAAAAAAABYU/lYjvob5e8hw/s1600/hatersmeme.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76T_sSFFaFU/UhtNkxLQqwI/AAAAAAAABYU/lYjvob5e8hw/s320/hatersmeme.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>Yes. It really is that simple.</b> Haters are <b>bitter</b>. Haters are <b>jealous</b>. Haters see in <b>you</b> a reflection of everything they wish <b>they</b> were. Haters want to be able to achieve what <b>you</b> have achieved. Have you lost weight recently? <b>Your hater feels fat.</b> Have you run a race? <b>Your hater wishes they could run. </b>Your hater DID run that race? <b>You got a better time than them</b>. I\'m sure you get the point.<br /><br />I know this seems really childish and like something that belongs in grade school...but it\'s the unfortunate truth. Rather than celebrate your successes with you the haters try to wash it away and put you down. Rather than try to improve themselves and work on their shortcomings, they focus their energy on <b>bringing. you. down</b>.<br /><br />But <b>why?</b><br /><br /><b>Because the haters can\'t be bothered to do the work.</b><br /><br />Haters are often people who suffer from things like <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-inconvenience-factor-accepting.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"The I Don\'t Feel Like It Syndrome\"</a>.<b> </b>Maybe <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/defeating-demotivators-1-fear-monster.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Fear Monster</a> has them in it\'s grasp. <b>Maybe </b>they\'ve got a <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-1-napoleon-complex.html\" target=\"_blank\">Napoleon Complex</a> or <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-2-the-scale.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Scale </a>discouraged them so badly they just can\'t bring themselves to try anymore. <b>Maybe they\'re lost in <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/america-the-fat.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"America The Fat\"</a>. Or perhaps </b>they just can\'t drum up the<a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-the-truth-about-motivation.html\" target=\"_blank\"> motivation</a> to get it done. Whatever the reason...<b>SOMETHING</b> is keeping the haters from getting what they want and being happy, and it\'s everything that <b>YOU </b>have managed to work past to reach your successes and keep on going. <b>That makes your haters very mad</b>. It <b>frustrates them</b>. People often get angry or begin to <b>hate </b>what frustrates them or what they can\'t understand.<b> </b>So since the hater can\'t get past whatever it is stopping them...the mindset becomes toxic.<br /><br /><b>If the hater can\'t have success, neither can you!</b><br /><br /><b>THAT,</b> in a nutshell, is why haters hate. If the hater can\'t be happy...if the hater can\'t lose weight...if the hater can\'t run a race, get an A+, get a girlfriend, get a promotion...<b>neither should you</b>. They <b>hate</b> seeing you get what they want. That\'s why they hate on you and try to bring you down - <b>they\'re trying to make you quit</b>.&nbsp;<b> </b>But <b>this </b>is why I <b>love </b>haters.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Haters let you know you\'re doing a good job</b></span><br /><br />Honestly, the more hate I\'m catching...the harder my haters are hating, the <b>better</b> I must be doing. If they\'re hating on me <b>that much harder</b> then I <i>must </i>be making <b>that much greater</b> of an achievement. THAT is why I said haters are so important - <b>haters are your success meter!</b> Don\'t let them drag you down or discourage you - rather, let your haters <b>be encouragement</b> to go harder. See <b>how much</b> you can make the haters <b>hate </b>you. I\'d like to hope that eventually they\'ll either <b>give up hating</b> or start backing you, but it could very well be the case that they just <b>can\'t get past</b> whatever their own problem is...and they\'ll just keep on hating. <b>So what. Let them hate. </b>Just remember what it means.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdYuObL40sc/UhtT3ipSrDI/AAAAAAAABYk/ibm6uS1uZFE/s1600/tumblr_md5tvm53DT1qmp520o1_500.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"292\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdYuObL40sc/UhtT3ipSrDI/AAAAAAAABYk/ibm6uS1uZFE/s400/tumblr_md5tvm53DT1qmp520o1_500.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />By <b>continuing to do what you\'re doing </b>you\'re sending a message to your haters:<br /><br /><b>Your Opinion Does Not Matter. </b><br /><br />Your continued success and your positive attitude lets the haters know that <b>they are powerless to stop you.</b> In the end, you should probably <b>take pity on your haters - </b>they <b>wish</b> they could do what you\'re doing but they can\'t beat their own roadblocks. They <b>can\'t plow through </b>like you have and get down the road to success.&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>Sucks to suck.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />So next time someone starts hating on you or trying to bring you down...<b>just smile at them, </b>walk away, and know that <b>you </b>are what someone else wishes they could be. <b>Don\'t let the haters get you down or stop you - let them push you and encourage you </b>to keep achieving new heights. <b>Don\'t be afraid </b>to post those <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">before &amp; after pictures</a>. Don\'t be afraid to <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">talk about how you got where you are.</a><br /><br /><b>Don\'t be afraid to keep becoming a better you. </b>\"Haters gonna hate\".<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Let \'em. </b></span>','Haters','','inherit','closed','closed','','107-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:26:29','2017-01-18 11:26:29','',107,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/107-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(792,1,'2017-01-20 16:47:42','2017-01-20 21:47:42','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>I know - <b>it\'s been a little while.</b> Life, a new/second job and planning a wedding apparently take a lot more time than I initially gave them credit for. <b>Time to get back on the horse.</b> <br /><br />Remember that weekend I ran 3 races in two days? Yeah...there was one more race I didn\'t talk about, and it was pretty fun.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOPnXFdfuTE/U33nkMOrhuI/AAAAAAAAHqQ/kfKtmeCZxRM/s1600/IMG_20140504_111731990.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOPnXFdfuTE/U33nkMOrhuI/AAAAAAAAHqQ/kfKtmeCZxRM/s1600/IMG_20140504_111731990.jpg\" height=\"297\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Spring Classic 5K! </b>What a cap-off to my crazy, double-booked, super-packed weekend.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">I may have exercised poor judgement in planning my weekend...</span></b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />Running back and forth in Plymouth to two races wasn\'t the only reason the weekend was nuts...<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>To pick up where we left off...</b> </span><br /><br />Team checked in at relay for 9 am start - check. Bolted across town for the 10 am 5K - check. Back across town to start my leg of the relay round-about 11 am - check. Placed 4th overall in the 5K (24:14), placed 2nd all-male team, 6th overall team (out of 57) in the relay (33:19 individual time, 4.37 mi). <b>Sweet.</b> Many a post-race libation was shared in celebration of our sweet sweet victory and the awesome medals we took home.<br /><br /><b>Aaaand then I hit the road to Amherst.</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7SCpYlcubbo/U33sL9eukrI/AAAAAAAAHqc/QdkcZM_EkWM/s1600/Delta_Chi_Logo_Color.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7SCpYlcubbo/U33sL9eukrI/AAAAAAAAHqc/QdkcZM_EkWM/s1600/Delta_Chi_Logo_Color.jpg\" height=\"130\" width=\"320\" /></a>I serve as Chapter Advisor to my college fraternity chapter at UMass Amherst. That night they just so happened to be holding an important ceremony...one which I REALLY should be at. So, of course, I went. <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-1-herring.html\">In the first article about this weekend of races </a>I mentioned I originally hadn\'t even planned on any races...<b>this was why.</b><br /><br /><b>So I shot out to Amherst, </b>we had our night, and I didn\'t end up going to sleep until about 1 AM. <b>I then got up 4.5 hours later </b>to make the drive to Cambridge. So now, not only<b> </b>was I physically <b>POOPED </b>from running two races the day before...but I was also now running (literally) on 4.5 hours sleep.<br /><br /><b>ugh.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />Arrived in Cambridge a little over an hour early (as I like to do), and meandered my way to the number pick-up. Got a sweet tech tee AND a pint glass for signing up so early. I had bib #384...aaaand they were capped at 3500 runners. So yeah, I was a little early to sign up. hah. <br /><br />Ended up doing a LOT of wandering and time-wasting. Kiiind of my own fault. I had registered as a part of <a href=\"http://www.nespahtens.com/\">the \"New England Spahtens\" team</a> - they\'re a huge Obstacle Course  Race enthusiast group / team. The Spahtens, generally, show up IN  FORCE...<b>En Masse, </b>in <i>droves</i>, etc...whenever they show up to a race. More often than not they are the largest team present.<br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ_-83bXw9U/U35wUOqyynI/AAAAAAAAHq4/tKxQ37RpZLw/s1600/ne_spahtens_final1.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ_-83bXw9U/U35wUOqyynI/AAAAAAAAHq4/tKxQ37RpZLw/s1600/ne_spahtens_final1.jpg\" height=\"290\" width=\"320\" /></a><br />Naturally I assumed they would be the largest team at Spring Classic so I went off in search of the special \"largest team\" tent. I could not find it. Short answer was, I think it was pretty much just me and this other guy that actually ran Spring Classic for the Spahtens. <b>I didn\'t realize there were two obstacle races happening that very same morning</b>...so guess where all the other Spahtens were.<i> Whoopsie.</i> In the end I got my stretching in, used my Tiger Tail (review to come) and got to the starting corral in plenty of time.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I had forgotten what it was like to run a big race.</b></span><br /><br />It was jam-packed. Spring Classic 5K had even more runners than <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/03/5k-recap-smuttypalooza-pace-to-a-pint.html\">Pace to a Pint 5K </a>did, and you could tell. I couldn\'t even get into the corral until the gun went off and people started moving and making room. Once we were off, it was pretty crowded on the streets of the course - there was a lot of bouncing between people, slowing, speeding up, etc. Overall, despite the crowd I was able to maintain a strong pace. <b>It was pretty cool running through the streets of Cambridge - </b>traffic was stopped/blocked off and we got to run through major thoroughfares of the city! I love races like that...part of <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-13-1.html\">why I enjoyed the Boston Firefighters\' 10K so much.</a><br /><br />In order to keep myself at a strong pace, I had to push hard through the lack of sleep and tired muscles. I tried picking people out of the crowd and pacing them, then I\'d pick someone else out and try to pass them. I repeated this process for the vast majority of the race. At one point I spotted a guy wearing a New England Spahtens \"drill shirt\" - he was the only other Spahten I had seen all morning...I <b>had</b> to catch up. I tried, but he was just too fast. I was now determined to find him post-race.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The effort required to keep running was immense.</b></span><br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndI00k9Y8O0/U35zwp2MrGI/AAAAAAAAHrA/LKxn5La6i7Y/s1600/IMG_20140427_105721497.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndI00k9Y8O0/U35zwp2MrGI/AAAAAAAAHrA/LKxn5La6i7Y/s1600/IMG_20140427_105721497.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"262\" /></a>I was SO tired, SO exhausted...SO <i>worn out.</i>..but I wanted to <b>push</b>. I wanted to break 24 minutes. I wanted to end the stupidest weekend of my running career <b>strong</b>. At the time, I mistakenly thought my 5K PR was 23:57 (it was actually 23:51) - I was convinced a new PR was within reach if I just kept pushing.<br /><br /><b>Funny thing about a 5K</b>...a brief slow-down, a quick walk-break...can make such a difference in your official time. I had a rough idea of how far the finish was, and I pushed it. I pushed <b>hard</b>. <br /><br />I ended up sprinting it out at the end like I always do, and I got an official time of 24:24. I didn\'t PR, and honestly, I don\'t think I <b>really</b> expected to. Thinking it was within reach was probably just what I needed, at the time, to get it done with (to me) a respectable time. <br /><br /><b>Once I crossed it was all over</b> - the last two days caught up with me. My legs felt like jelly and politely informed me I was done exerting myself for a while. <b>Once I got to the beer table, my day got interesting again. </b>I ended up meeting this guy right here - Kevin. <b>The guy in the Spahtens shirt.</b> Found him. Ended up having a great conversation, several beers, and when the free beer ran out we continued our revelry at The Asgard (where the official post-race party was). Then later we went and watched a robot fight at The Middle East club a la BattleBots. I kid you not. I DID say my day got interesting, right?<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Definitely a fun race.</b>&nbsp;</span><br /><br />If you\'re looking for a fun race, a great course, and an opportunity to run through some big city streets with 3499 other people...go run Spring Classic. They also have Winter Classic, and they\'ve just added Fall Classic. Same course, just different seasons/weather/conditions. Give it a whirl! <b>I can\'t promise you\'ll see a robot deathmatch</b>, but you\'ll very likely have a good time regardless. <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Oh...and...don\'t double-book yourself.</span></b><br /><br /><b>Do yourself a favor - learn from my mistake.</b> I may have gotten through it...but <b>good lord</b>...what an effort it took to coordinate, keep it straight, and make it work. I was lucky both the Herring Run Classic 5K and 26.2 Challenge Team Relay were in the same town just 8 minutes apart. <b>They easily could\'ve been across the state</b>. Then I would\'ve been out my registration money and potentially pissing off a sponsor. Keep your races straight and you\'ll thank yourself.<br /><br />Then again...I don\'t know many other people running 35+ races in a year. So maybe this isn\'t a common problem...','A Lesson In Double-Booking Pt. 3 - Spring Classic 5K Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','67-revision-v1','','','2017-01-20 16:47:42','2017-01-20 21:47:42','',67,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/67-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(758,1,'2017-01-18 06:27:14','2017-01-18 11:27:14','<div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>I know - <b>it\'s been a little while.</b> Life, a new/second job and planning a wedding apparently take a lot more time than I initially gave them credit for. <b>Time to get back on the horse.</b> <br /><br />Remember that weekend I ran 3 races in two days? Yeah...there was one more race I didn\'t talk about, and it was pretty fun.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOPnXFdfuTE/U33nkMOrhuI/AAAAAAAAHqQ/kfKtmeCZxRM/s1600/IMG_20140504_111731990.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOPnXFdfuTE/U33nkMOrhuI/AAAAAAAAHqQ/kfKtmeCZxRM/s1600/IMG_20140504_111731990.jpg\" height=\"297\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>Spring Classic 5K! </b>What a cap-off to my crazy, double-booked, super-packed weekend.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">I may have exercised poor judgement in planning my weekend...</span></b><br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br />Running back and forth in Plymouth to two races wasn\'t the only reason the weekend was nuts...<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>To pick up where we left off...</b> </span><br /><br />Team checked in at relay for 9 am start - check. Bolted across town for the 10 am 5K - check. Back across town to start my leg of the relay round-about 11 am - check. Placed 4th overall in the 5K (24:14), placed 2nd all-male team, 6th overall team (out of 57) in the relay (33:19 individual time, 4.37 mi). <b>Sweet.</b> Many a post-race libation was shared in celebration of our sweet sweet victory and the awesome medals we took home.<br /><br /><b>Aaaand then I hit the road to Amherst.</b><br /><br /><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7SCpYlcubbo/U33sL9eukrI/AAAAAAAAHqc/QdkcZM_EkWM/s1600/Delta_Chi_Logo_Color.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7SCpYlcubbo/U33sL9eukrI/AAAAAAAAHqc/QdkcZM_EkWM/s1600/Delta_Chi_Logo_Color.jpg\" height=\"130\" width=\"320\" /></a>I serve as Chapter Advisor to my college fraternity chapter at UMass Amherst. That night they just so happened to be holding an important ceremony...one which I REALLY should be at. So, of course, I went. <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-1-herring.html\">In the first article about this weekend of races </a>I mentioned I originally hadn\'t even planned on any races...<b>this was why.</b><br /><br /><b>So I shot out to Amherst, </b>we had our night, and I didn\'t end up going to sleep until about 1 AM. <b>I then got up 4.5 hours later </b>to make the drive to Cambridge. So now, not only<b> </b>was I physically <b>POOPED </b>from running two races the day before...but I was also now running (literally) on 4.5 hours sleep.<br /><br /><b>ugh.&nbsp;</b><br /><br />Arrived in Cambridge a little over an hour early (as I like to do), and meandered my way to the number pick-up. Got a sweet tech tee AND a pint glass for signing up so early. I had bib #384...aaaand they were capped at 3500 runners. So yeah, I was a little early to sign up. hah. <br /><br />Ended up doing a LOT of wandering and time-wasting. Kiiind of my own fault. I had registered as a part of <a href=\"http://www.nespahtens.com/\">the \"New England Spahtens\" team</a> - they\'re a huge Obstacle Course  Race enthusiast group / team. The Spahtens, generally, show up IN  FORCE...<b>En Masse, </b>in <i>droves</i>, etc...whenever they show up to a race. More often than not they are the largest team present.<br /><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ_-83bXw9U/U35wUOqyynI/AAAAAAAAHq4/tKxQ37RpZLw/s1600/ne_spahtens_final1.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQ_-83bXw9U/U35wUOqyynI/AAAAAAAAHq4/tKxQ37RpZLw/s1600/ne_spahtens_final1.jpg\" height=\"290\" width=\"320\" /></a><br />Naturally I assumed they would be the largest team at Spring Classic so I went off in search of the special \"largest team\" tent. I could not find it. Short answer was, I think it was pretty much just me and this other guy that actually ran Spring Classic for the Spahtens. <b>I didn\'t realize there were two obstacle races happening that very same morning</b>...so guess where all the other Spahtens were.<i> Whoopsie.</i> In the end I got my stretching in, used my Tiger Tail (review to come) and got to the starting corral in plenty of time.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I had forgotten what it was like to run a big race.</b></span><br /><br />It was jam-packed. Spring Classic 5K had even more runners than <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/03/5k-recap-smuttypalooza-pace-to-a-pint.html\">Pace to a Pint 5K </a>did, and you could tell. I couldn\'t even get into the corral until the gun went off and people started moving and making room. Once we were off, it was pretty crowded on the streets of the course - there was a lot of bouncing between people, slowing, speeding up, etc. Overall, despite the crowd I was able to maintain a strong pace. <b>It was pretty cool running through the streets of Cambridge - </b>traffic was stopped/blocked off and we got to run through major thoroughfares of the city! I love races like that...part of <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/achievement-unlocked-131.html\">why I enjoyed the Boston Firefighters\' 10K so much.</a><br /><br />In order to keep myself at a strong pace, I had to push hard through the lack of sleep and tired muscles. I tried picking people out of the crowd and pacing them, then I\'d pick someone else out and try to pass them. I repeated this process for the vast majority of the race. At one point I spotted a guy wearing a New England Spahtens \"drill shirt\" - he was the only other Spahten I had seen all morning...I <b>had</b> to catch up. I tried, but he was just too fast. I was now determined to find him post-race.<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>The effort required to keep running was immense.</b></span><br /><br /><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndI00k9Y8O0/U35zwp2MrGI/AAAAAAAAHrA/LKxn5La6i7Y/s1600/IMG_20140427_105721497.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ndI00k9Y8O0/U35zwp2MrGI/AAAAAAAAHrA/LKxn5La6i7Y/s1600/IMG_20140427_105721497.jpg\" height=\"400\" width=\"262\" /></a>I was SO tired, SO exhausted...SO <i>worn out.</i>..but I wanted to <b>push</b>. I wanted to break 24 minutes. I wanted to end the stupidest weekend of my running career <b>strong</b>. At the time, I mistakenly thought my 5K PR was 23:57 (it was actually 23:51) - I was convinced a new PR was within reach if I just kept pushing.<br /><br /><b>Funny thing about a 5K</b>...a brief slow-down, a quick walk-break...can make such a difference in your official time. I had a rough idea of how far the finish was, and I pushed it. I pushed <b>hard</b>. <br /><br />I ended up sprinting it out at the end like I always do, and I got an official time of 24:24. I didn\'t PR, and honestly, I don\'t think I <b>really</b> expected to. Thinking it was within reach was probably just what I needed, at the time, to get it done with (to me) a respectable time. <br /><br /><b>Once I crossed it was all over</b> - the last two days caught up with me. My legs felt like jelly and politely informed me I was done exerting myself for a while. <b>Once I got to the beer table, my day got interesting again. </b>I ended up meeting this guy right here - Kevin. <b>The guy in the Spahtens shirt.</b> Found him. Ended up having a great conversation, several beers, and when the free beer ran out we continued our revelry at The Asgard (where the official post-race party was). Then later we went and watched a robot fight at The Middle East club a la BattleBots. I kid you not. I DID say my day got interesting, right?<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Definitely a fun race.</b>&nbsp;</span><br /><br />If you\'re looking for a fun race, a great course, and an opportunity to run through some big city streets with 3499 other people...go run Spring Classic. They also have Winter Classic, and they\'ve just added Fall Classic. Same course, just different seasons/weather/conditions. Give it a whirl! <b>I can\'t promise you\'ll see a robot deathmatch</b>, but you\'ll very likely have a good time regardless. <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Oh...and...don\'t double-book yourself.</span></b><br /><br /><b>Do yourself a favor - learn from my mistake.</b> I may have gotten through it...but <b>good lord</b>...what an effort it took to coordinate, keep it straight, and make it work. I was lucky both the Herring Run Classic 5K and 26.2 Challenge Team Relay were in the same town just 8 minutes apart. <b>They easily could\'ve been across the state</b>. Then I would\'ve been out my registration money and potentially pissing off a sponsor. Keep your races straight and you\'ll thank yourself.<br /><br />Then again...I don\'t know many other people running 35+ races in a year. So maybe this isn\'t a common problem...','A Lesson In Double-Booking Pt. 3 - Spring Classic 5K Recap','','inherit','closed','closed','','67-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:27:14','2017-01-18 11:27:14','',67,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/67-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(760,1,'2017-01-18 06:27:58','2017-01-18 11:27:58','2014 is going to be a huge year - If things go the way I\'m hoping for I\'ll not only be running a race almost every weekend...but I\'ll be <b>running a half-marathon a month</b> and my <b>first marathon</b> or <b>Spartan Beast</b> by the fall! Maybe <b>both</b>.<br />I\'m going to push myself, I\'m going to find the ceiling and <b>SMASH through it</b>...<br /><br /><b>and I want YOU to join me.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDkwFWSYoLQ/UqqofNnjVwI/AAAAAAAAGDg/kk-dcRJHahw/s1600/STIF-LYLCYL-Ch.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDkwFWSYoLQ/UqqofNnjVwI/AAAAAAAAGDg/kk-dcRJHahw/s400/STIF-LYLCYL-Ch.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b></b></div>I\'m calling it the \"Lose Your Limits\" Challenge 2014. The idea is simple, the challenge is not.&nbsp;<b> </b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">\"Lose Your Limits\"?</span></b><br /><br />Like I said - The idea is simple: most of us think we have a pretty good idea of what our limits are. We know what we\'re capable of, and we know what probably isn\'t a good idea. We\'re also SURE of what we simply can\'t do. <b>Running?</b> No way. I\'m not a runner. I can\'t go out there and do that. <b>Obstacle race?</b> Are you <i>kidding me</i>? <b>Marathon?! </b>Are you <i>high?!</i> <br /><br /><b>I thought I knew what time it was</b>. I was a big guy. I was <b>always </b>gonna be a big guy. That\'s just how it was. I just needed to not be a <b>huge</b> guy. There was <b>no way</b> I would <b>ever</b> be under 200 lbs...I couldn\'t do that even at the PEAK of my physical fitness in high school. No way it was <b>ever</b> gonna change. <br /><br /><b>Then Megan and I did P90X. </b>That was August 2012. Mid-June 2013 I broke 200 lbs. <br /><br />I was <b>not </b>a runner. I was <b>not</b> an athlete. I was <b>not</b> gonna go out there and run. Just because I could do P90X and INSANITY didn\'t mean I could actually get out on pavement and <b>go</b>. That was a whole \'nother animal entirely. <br /><br /><b>But Megan and I went out for a run</b>. That was late-March 2013. May 2013 I finished my first 5K. Late-October 2013 I finished my first <b>half-marathon.</b> <br /><br /><b>Starting to catch on to the trend?</b> The first time I challenged myself was August 2012. <b>Nothing has been the same since then.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>I got out of my bubble. </b>I left my comfort zone in the <b>dust</b>. I <b>made time </b>to <b>make it work.</b> I pledged to myself and to those I love that I would <b>make a change</b>. And I DID. I changed my <i>life<b>.</b></i><br /><br /><u><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>I want you to join me for the next step of the journey.</b></span><i><b> </b></i><b>&nbsp;</b> </u><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rvt3AOYj8pc/Uqqn__DYAWI/AAAAAAAAGDY/5Y17jR45pZo/s1600/STIF-LYLCYL-Chpledge.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rvt3AOYj8pc/Uqqn__DYAWI/AAAAAAAAGDY/5Y17jR45pZo/s400/STIF-LYLCYL-Chpledge.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br />What do I want you to do, exactly? I want you to <b>take the pledge</b> to <b>lose your limits</b> by challenging yourself. If there\'s anything I\'ve learned in the last 16 months its this: the only limits we truly have are the ones we<b> set for ourselves</b>. I\'ve said it before and I\'ll say it until I\'m blue in the face - <b>Given time and training, anything is possible. </b>What do you think you can\'t do? What\'s outside your comfort zone? Do you think you can\'t contort yourself into some kind of human pretzel (which would mean yoga is out of the question)? Do you think there\'s no way you have the stamina, endurance, or just plain <i>ability </i>to go and run any kind of distance (however short)? Do you think you\'re the most wimpy weakling on the planet and the idea of lifting weights is laughable? Do you think there\'s just <b>no time</b> to get it done? Don\'t have anywhere you can work out?<br /><br /><b>See where I\'m going with this?</b><br /><br />If it\'s something you \"don\'t do\", \"won\'t do\" or \"can\'t do\"...guess what? <b>Go DO IT. It doesn\'t have to be a physical barrier - </b>notice how \"no time\" and \"don\'t have anywhere\" were in there? Lots of people have a barrier like that in their way - they think they don\'t have time or anywhere to do it. They\'re <b>just as wrong</b> as the guy or girl who thinks they can\'t run a mile.<br /><br />If I can do it, <b>anyone can do it</b>. Seriously - see this guy? These two are the same guy.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sl7dTuG5CMY/Uqqtw49X8CI/AAAAAAAAGEE/mUjbADIjOK8/s1600/blob.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"186\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sl7dTuG5CMY/Uqqtw49X8CI/AAAAAAAAGEE/mUjbADIjOK8/s400/blob.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><b>Hard to believe, I know. </b>Amazing what happens when you get out of your own way, huh?<br /><br /><b>THIS ISN\'T JUST FOR NEWBIES! </b>Do you already work out? Already run races? Do Crossfit? What\'s the next big step that you haven\'t done yet? The next race you don\'t think you&nbsp; can handle? Do you lift/Crossfit and don\'t think you can run to save your life? <b>Bingo.&nbsp;</b> <br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">What am<i> I </i>doing, you ask?</span></b><br /><br />So far I have 13 races lined up through July, including a few half-marathons and an obstacle race. <b>I am planning on adding many more</b>, and by fall my goal is to participate in <b>and finish</b> my first marathon or Spartan Beast / Tough Mudder. More on all those races coming VERY soon. First race is January 5th! BRRRR! Check out the race calendar tab to the right for all my races (click \"find more\" to see them all!) - maybe come run a race with me! (if you DO want to, reach out! Comment, shout out on Facebook, use the contact form below, or email me at Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com.<br /><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">So How Do You Take The Pledge?</span></b><br /><br /><b>Simple: </b>Go to the <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/sothisisfitness/app_208195102528120\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook Page here. </a>\"Like\" the page, and follow the instructions. <b>Make the commitment.&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>Don\'t have Facebook? </b>\"Follow\" the blog (via email or RSS - instructions below) and comment below telling us all that you\'re gonna <b>do it</b>! You can even tell us what limit you\'re gonna lose!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>You Can Do This. </b></span><br /><br />If you <b>make the commitment</b>, <b>take the pledge</b>, and <b>set your mind to it</b> - you can absolutely <b>CRUSH</b> this challenge! There are lots of articles already on this blog to help you - check out the below articles for a good start in the right direction:<br /><br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/so-this-is-nutrition-basics.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"So THIS Is Nutrition\"</a> - Nutrition Basics<br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/making-it-work.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Making It Work - Time Management\"</a> - Helps you figure out how to make it all work<br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/its-always-better-together.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"It\'s Always Better Together\"</a> - Thoughts on doing all this with a partner / buddy<br /><a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/10/race-beginner-dos-donts.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Race Beginner Do\'s and Don\'ts\"</a> - Self-explanatory<br />The Original <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/lose-your-limits.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"Lose Your Limits\"</a> Article that gave me the idea for this challenge<br />How to deal with <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/haters.html\" target=\"_blank\">Haters</a><br />Also, look at pretty much anything in the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013_07_01_archive.html\" target=\"_blank\">July 2013 part of the archive </a><br /><br /><b>There will be many more articles, product reviews, updates and (hopefully) giveaways / contests to help you along the way in your challenge. </b>I encourage you to follow this blog via e-mail (enter yours right above the run calendar box) or via RSS (click the orange RSS feed tab on the left of the page) to make sure you get all the updates!<br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>No excuses.</b></span> It\'s time to <b>get out</b> of your own way, <b>lose</b> your limits, and <b>change your life</b>.<br /><br /><i>Will you take the pledge and accept the challenge? Leave a comment and let us know!</i>','\"Lose Your Limits\" Challenge 2014','','inherit','closed','closed','','87-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:27:58','2017-01-18 11:27:58','',87,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/87-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(761,1,'2017-01-18 06:27:58','2017-01-18 11:27:58','<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Sometimes <i>Life</i> feels the need to test you.</b></span><br /><br />The last few months have been one of those times. <b>It\'s felt a lot like this:</b><br /><b><table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_fg18LkeB-4/U67GaAUcTfI/AAAAAAAAH-I/PibTJqTKO6w/s1600/Tough+Mudder+Mid+Atlantic+Facebook2.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_fg18LkeB-4/U67GaAUcTfI/AAAAAAAAH-I/PibTJqTKO6w/s1600/Tough+Mudder+Mid+Atlantic+Facebook2.jpg\" height=\"319.5\" width=\"480\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Yes, that is a pool of Ice Water.</b></td></tr></tbody></table></b><br />The last few months have been a little insane, and it all started with my triple-booked race weekend (<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-1-herring.html\">here,</a> <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-2-262.html\">here,</a> and <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/05/a-lesson-in-double-booking-pt-3-spring.html\">here</a>). Despite the fact that a number of things are off my plate, I\'ve managed to get buried by what IS still there - <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/anytimefitnessmashpee\">new job</a>, <a href=\"http://www.theknot.com/wedding/Megan-Darrell\">my upcoming wedding</a>, the looming menace that is \"September\", and more. <b>This can, and DOES, happen to the best of us.</b> So <b>what do you do</b> when life keeps on knocking you down? What do you do when it\'s tough to keep up with your health and fitness? <b>How do you beat the <i>I don\'t have time</i> thing?</b><br /><br />...let me tell you a little story...<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Lately it\'s been tough to un-bury myself. </b></span><br /><br />That ever happen to you? I envisioned a quiet couple of months for the summer. I don\'t have many races scheduled (see calendar widget to the right), I\'m not traveling to Amherst to visit my <a href=\"http://www.deltachi.org/\">Delta Chi </a>chapter (I\'m their Alumni Advisor), and most of the wedding planning is done...should be relaxing, right? Lots of time to write race recaps, product reviews, be thoughtful and create original content, create a workout program, and just <b>relax</b>.<br /><br /><b>I was wrong.</b><br /><br />Instead, I got a little complacent, got a little lazy, and things started to pile up. I don\'t know what happens to YOU all when you start getting behind...but for me it\'s kind of like my brain wants to do everything at the same time...and nothing actually gets accomplished. <b>Which really only made the problem worse</b>. Then the panicky stress sets in and you\'re really just not gaining any ground. Here I am about 10+ articles behind (a combination of race recaps and product reviews), I\'m 48 days away from the wedding and running out of time to accomplish the last things on the list, and there\'s a whole <i>laundry list </i>of things I need to accomplish on top of that (including laundry!).<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>How do you surface? How do you break out of the crazy and actually make some headway?</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nrbs03J4ReA/U67fQiergDI/AAAAAAAAH-Y/JSKJgCvE4GU/s1600/Ice-Ice-Baby.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nrbs03J4ReA/U67fQiergDI/AAAAAAAAH-Y/JSKJgCvE4GU/s1600/Ice-Ice-Baby.jpg\" height=\"214\" width=\"400\" /></a></b></div><br /><b><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Stop. Breathe. Don\'t Panic.&nbsp;</span> </b><br /><br /><b>You WILL get through this.</b>&nbsp;<b> </b>You just have to stop, breathe, and break it down into bite-sized pieces. Prioritize just like I walked you through in my <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/making-it-work.html\">time-management article</a>.You <b>can </b>get through it.<br /><br /><u><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Focus.</b></span></u><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MxCMT9t1Hw/U67l6g2VpNI/AAAAAAAAH-o/b9Y7vxci-_8/s1600/adhd-1.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MxCMT9t1Hw/U67l6g2VpNI/AAAAAAAAH-o/b9Y7vxci-_8/s1600/adhd-1.png\" height=\"282\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>It can be easy to get distracted<b> </b>and fall off from your super-productive timeline. This is an especially great challenge for me...as I have A.D.H.D. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Basically...I start at \"apple\", I end at \"Optimus Prime rolling down I-95 Boston during rush hour\" and totally forget where I started and what happened in the middle. Picture the dog from \"Up\" - that\'s me. This is a large part of how I fell behind - I can spend hours accomplishing nothing...just running in place.<br /><br /><b>Through all of this, my workouts have not suffered.</b><br /><br />I had a workout program, I knew I needed to set aside an hour in the morning before the day got rolling, and I <b>got it done.</b> The problem happened when I completed that program. I didn\'t have anything else made up and ready to go...so <b>I kind of floundered for the last 2 weeks</b>. I ran a few miles as many days as I could...but I didn\'t have a program. I <b>certainly</b> didn\'t lack <i>motivatio<b>n </b></i>(If that\'s your issue, <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-the-truth-about-motivation.html\">read this now</a>), I just didn\'t have <b>direction</b>.<br /><br /><b>That\'s when my fitness fell off right along with everything else I wasn\'t getting done.</b><br /><br />So that\'s pretty much when I said enough is enough. <b>YOU CAN NOT </b>let your health &amp; fitness suffer...that\'s when it begins an ugly downward spiral.  I\'ve had to take time to stop, breathe, re-focus, and prioritize. I\'ve had to start trying to take things bit by bit and accomplish SOMETHING. <b>You can\'t do it all at once, </b>but if you start with one thing, you can move on to the next. Pretty soon, you\'ll break through and dig yourself right out of the ugly little pit you fell into.<br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1X2u_jJseiY/U67oU2k6RxI/AAAAAAAAH-0/ppGrHBPZgbA/s1600/TM-Arctic-Enima-Ice.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1X2u_jJseiY/U67oU2k6RxI/AAAAAAAAH-0/ppGrHBPZgbA/s1600/TM-Arctic-Enima-Ice.jpg\" height=\"247\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><b>And try to remember - you\'re not the only one stuck in that pit. You\'ll all get out.</b><br /><br />I guess what I\'m trying to say is - <b>try not to let it all overwhelm you.</b> Stop, breathe, don\'t panic, and focus. You can get it done AND find time for yourself. That said, you should start seeing more regular posts from me again. I have a few races coming up in the next two weeks that I\'m excited to share with you, and you\'ll FINALLY find out what the big deal is with September. Have questions? Email me or reach out on my Facebook Page. <br /><br /><b>You <u>Can</u> Do It. </b>','When Life Gets You Down - Surfacing From The Crazy','','inherit','closed','closed','','66-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:27:58','2017-01-18 11:27:58','',66,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/66-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(762,1,'2017-01-18 06:46:41','2017-01-18 11:46:41','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">\"5 Keys To A Great Race\"</a> as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">\"5 Keys\"</a></strong></h3>\r\n<em>If you just want the score, scroll through for the headers and the total at the bottom. </em>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n<h4><strong>Google sabotaged us.</strong></h4>\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n<h4><strong>My dilemma here... </strong></h4>\r\nis that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-747 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_095317_519-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Winter Warlock pre-race photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />Same-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat... passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but <strong><em>the rest of the course</em></strong> was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>That part felt a little... <em>thrown together</em> maybe?\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-745 aligncenter\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/distance-marker-turnaround-300x82.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock Turnaround Markers\" width=\"300\" height=\"82\" />Also - </strong>just realized...the email broke down where water stops were. The water stops doubled as the turnarounds. It\'s very clearly and intelligently laid down - 1.5, 3.1, 6.1, and 9 miles. All appropriate half-way turnaround points... except... 6.1? So where and when in the process did the \"whoopsie\" on the distance <em>ACTUALLY </em>happen? *sigh*\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler and 18 miler.\r\n<h4><strong>It seems there was a lack of volunteer help, though.</strong></h4>\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish - I looked around for the medal hander-outer person...nothing. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals on the ground after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal itself, too - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPost-race wasn\'t bad...just wasn\'t mind-blowing. Once you crossed the finish, water was available right there (grab it yourself, ok...no problem). No signs directing you to the post-race party...but again...<em>smart cookie.</em> Followed the crowd and found it - wasn\'t hard. The email said the post-race party was \"catered\". It was a nice enough spread, for sure - little scones, pastries, fruit, coffee and tea. I\'m not complaining, I guess I just pictured...something...<em>more</em>... when I hear \"catered\" and someone makes a big deal about saying \"we bought some nice food for you\" at the pre-race speech. But, hey, catered food was promised, and catered food was provided.\r\n<h4><strong>It bothered me that it ran out so fast, though.</strong></h4>\r\nWhile Megan was keeping warm she told me all the spectators went to that room and piled plates high - I could\'ve sworn I saw someone with a cookie, but I saw none on the table. By the time the last runners came in, not much was left (if anything). The very last runner...nothing was left.\r\n<h4><strong>TO HIS CREDIT - </strong></h4>\r\nThe race director rushed over to congratulate him and threw himself at the guy offering to get him whatever he needed in terms of food or drink - that was nice to see. Also to his credit - during the \"awards ceremony\" (which was so unceremonious I hesitate to call it a ceremony) when people WEREN\'T there to accept their awards...he DID say \"we\'ll make sure to get that out to them\". Was it reflex, or is he really gonna mail those awards? <em>I\'d like to think the latter.</em>\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Overall Rating - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-748 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_141819_706-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sunday runday winter warlock\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Would I recommend Winter Warlock?? </strong>\r\n\r\nI mean, shoot, you see my complaints laid out in black and white right here - if those get cleaned up I\'d recommend it all day. Will they get cleaned up? I\'d like to think so, yes. In all honesty, I went into this race expecting kind of a mess  - complaints about past Plymouth Rock Racing events flew around online. That\'s all neither here nor there - we\'re talking about Winter Warlock, and overall, despite my concerns (which I did dock points for), I had a pretty good experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>TO BE FAIR - </strong> I interviewed four different participants about (among other things) their experience. All four of them had nothing but good things to say and had a positive experience. For all the rumblings and complaining Megan said she heard on-site from the 5K, 10K\'ers, &amp; fast half-marathoners it appears there were plenty of people that had a good experience, too.\r\n<h4><strong>Like I said, I\'m a firm believer in \"the benefit of the doubt\" and positive change. </strong></h4>\r\nAs far as I\'m concerned, Winter Warlock 2017 looked, <em>overall</em>, like a move in the right direction...improving on some things that had been a source of complaints in the past. There\'s still some work to do, but we\'re getting there. Let\'s continue improving and moving forward, PRR - the more good races and options we all have...the better :)','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:46:41','2017-01-18 11:46:41','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(763,1,'2017-01-18 06:49:41','2017-01-18 11:49:41','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">\"5 Keys To A Great Race\"</a> as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", click here and read it so this makes sense.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">\"5 Keys\"</a></strong></h3>\r\n<em>If you just want the score, scroll through for the headers and the total at the bottom. </em>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n<h4><strong>Google sabotaged us.</strong></h4>\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n<h4><strong>My dilemma here... </strong></h4>\r\nis that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-747 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_095317_519-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Winter Warlock pre-race photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />Same-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat... passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but <strong><em>the rest of the course</em></strong> was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>That part felt a little... <em>thrown together</em> maybe?\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-745 aligncenter\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/distance-marker-turnaround-300x82.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock Turnaround Markers\" width=\"300\" height=\"82\" />Also - </strong>just realized...the email broke down where water stops were. The water stops doubled as the turnarounds. It\'s very clearly and intelligently laid down - 1.5, 3.1, 6.1, and 9 miles. All appropriate half-way turnaround points... except... 6.1? So where and when in the process did the \"whoopsie\" on the distance <em>ACTUALLY </em>happen? *sigh*\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler and 18 miler.\r\n<h4><strong>It seems there was a lack of volunteer help, though.</strong></h4>\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish - I looked around for the medal hander-outer person...nothing. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals on the ground after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal itself, too - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPost-race wasn\'t bad...just wasn\'t mind-blowing. Once you crossed the finish, water was available right there (grab it yourself, ok...no problem). No signs directing you to the post-race party...but again...<em>smart cookie.</em> Followed the crowd and found it - wasn\'t hard. The email said the post-race party was \"catered\". It was a nice enough spread, for sure - little scones, pastries, fruit, coffee and tea. I\'m not complaining, I guess I just pictured...something...<em>more</em>... when I hear \"catered\" and someone makes a big deal about saying \"we bought some nice food for you\" at the pre-race speech. But, hey, catered food was promised, and catered food was provided.\r\n<h4><strong>It bothered me that it ran out so fast, though.</strong></h4>\r\nWhile Megan was keeping warm she told me all the spectators went to that room and piled plates high - I could\'ve sworn I saw someone with a cookie, but I saw none on the table. By the time the last runners came in, not much was left (if anything). The very last runner...nothing was left.\r\n<h4><strong>TO HIS CREDIT - </strong></h4>\r\nThe race director rushed over to congratulate him and threw himself at the guy offering to get him whatever he needed in terms of food or drink - that was nice to see. Also to his credit - during the \"awards ceremony\" (which was so unceremonious I hesitate to call it a ceremony) when people WEREN\'T there to accept their awards...he DID say \"we\'ll make sure to get that out to them\". Was it reflex, or is he really gonna mail those awards? <em>I\'d like to think the latter.</em>\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Overall Rating - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-748 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_141819_706-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sunday runday winter warlock\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Would I recommend Winter Warlock?? </strong>\r\n\r\nI mean, shoot, you see my complaints laid out in black and white right here - if those get cleaned up I\'d recommend it all day. It\'s a nice, challenging little course with a 13.1 &amp; 18 mile option in the dead of winter where there aren\'t typically a lot of options. People gotta train for Hyannis &amp; Boston, right?\r\n<h4><strong>Will those complaints &amp; mistakes get cleaned up? </strong></h4>\r\nI\'d like to think so, yes. In all honesty, I went into this race expecting kind of a mess  - complaints about past Plymouth Rock Racing events flew around online. That\'s all neither here nor there - we\'re talking about Winter Warlock, and overall, despite my concerns (which I did dock points for), I had a pretty good experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>TO BE FAIR - </strong> I interviewed four different participants about (among other things) their experience. All four of them had nothing but good things to say and had a positive experience. For all the rumblings and complaining Megan said she heard on-site from the 5K, 10K\'ers, &amp; fast half-marathoners it appears there were plenty of people that had a good experience, too.\r\n<h4><strong>Like I said, I\'m a firm believer in \"the benefit of the doubt\" and positive change. </strong></h4>\r\nAs far as I\'m concerned, Winter Warlock 2017 looked, <em>overall</em>, like a move in the right direction...improving on some things that had been a source of complaints in the past. There\'s still some work to do, but we\'re getting there. Let\'s continue improving and moving forward, PRR - the more good races and options we all have...the better :)','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:49:41','2017-01-18 11:49:41','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(764,1,'2017-01-18 06:51:48','2017-01-18 11:51:48','<b>Occasionally Darrell, \"So THIS Is Fitness...\", and his mission gets noticed and featured in other publications!</b> Those press and media features are highlighted below. <em>(most occur shortly after his initial 130 lb weight loss)</em>\n\nIf you\'re interested in interviewing/featuring Darrell, please reach out at: Darrell (at) SoTHISIsFitness (dot) com.\n<h4><strong><img class=\"alignright wp-image-264 size-medium\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/aof165-press-300x291.png\" alt=\"Athlete On Fire feature of So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"291\" />Athlete On Fire - Ep. 165 - 8/2/2016</strong></h4>\nDarrell was invited on the Athlete On Fire podcast to talk about his story! They talked life on Cape Cod, weight loss, running, and what it takes to make a major transformation happen.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.athleteonfire.com\">Learn more at www.AthleteOnFire.com</a>\n\n<a href=\"http://athleteonfire.com/aof165-losing-100-pounds-running-100-miles/\">Find the blog post here.</a>\n\nand listen to the episode! (AOF #165)\n\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\n\n<h4><b>Health Warrior - \"I Conquered 2014\" - </b><i><b>11/25/2014</b></i></h4>\n<img class=\"alignright wp-image-258\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/hw-conquer-press-300x213.jpg\" alt=\"Health Warrior feature of So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"213\" />Health Warrior featured 6 athletes as part of their \"I Conquered 2014\" series, and they saw fit to include Darrell as one of them!\n\n<a href=\"http://www.healthwarrior.com/conquered-2014-darrell-mctague/\">Check out the post here</a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/01/ch-ch-ch-chia-health-warrior-chia-bar.html\">And check out the review of their Chia Bars here</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\n\n<h4><img class=\"alignright wp-image-257 size-medium\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/huffpostsuccess-300x285.jpg\" alt=\"Huff Post Health feature of So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"285\" /><b>The Huffington Post - Healthy Living:\nHow A Pair Of Work Pants Inspired Darrell W. McTague To Lose 125 Lbs. - </b><b><i>5/19/2014</i></b></h4>\nThe Huffington Post Healthy Living category featured Darrell\'s story - he shares how he gained the weight, his breaking point, and how he lost it.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/19/i-lost-weight-darrell-mctague_n_5104908.html\">Read the HuffPost story here</a>\n\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\n\n<h4><b><img class=\"alignright wp-image-255 size-medium\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cognitea-feature-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"CogniTea &quot;I Can. I WILL.&quot; story featuring So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" />CogniTea - \"I Can. I WILL. Story\" - </b><b><i>4/30/14</i></b></h4>\nAlready the first athlete featured by and associated with CogniTea, Darrell was featured again as their first \"I Can. I WILL. Story\". Highlights include Darrell\'s story, his advice, and action steps to make your own change.\n\n<a href=\"http://cognitea.com/blogs/the-stories/13996861-introducing-darrell-mctague-i-can-i-will-story-of-the-month\">Read the story here</a>\n\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\n\n<h4><b>Road Runner Sports - Spring 2014 Catalog / Inspiration Instigator</b></h4>\n<i style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Spring 2014</i>\n\nIn Spring 2014 Road Runner Sports, a brick &amp; mortar / online running specialty store featured Darrell as part of their Spring 2014 catalog, sharing his story. Darrell was also featured as a part of Road Runner Sports\' \"Inspiration Instigator\" promotion.\n\n<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWcltCojY-M\">See the video here</a>\n\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\n\n<b><img class=\"alignright wp-image-256 size-medium\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cognitea-feature2-300x192.jpg\" alt=\"CogniTea Feature of So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"192\" />CogniTea - \"How CogniTea helped Darrell run (his first) sub-2 hour 1/2 Marathon!\" - </b><b><i>2/26/14</i></b>\n\nCogniTea, a Boston-based startup bringing a new, brain-boosting tea to the world, featured Darrell as their first inspirational story. Darrell exemplified CogniTea\'s motto of \"I Can. I WILL.\" in his mentally tough personal victory - his first sub-2 hour half-marathon.\n\n<a href=\"http://cognitea.com/blogs/the-stories/12684025-see-how-cognitea-helped-darrell-mctague-run-a-sub-2-hour-1-2-marathon\">Read the story here</a>','Press and Media','','inherit','closed','closed','','251-autosave-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:51:48','2017-01-18 11:51:48','',251,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/251-autosave-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(765,1,'2017-01-18 06:52:03','2017-01-18 11:52:03','<b>Occasionally Darrell, \"So THIS Is Fitness...\", and his mission gets noticed and featured in other publications!</b> Those press and media features are highlighted below. <em>(most occur shortly after his initial 130 lb weight loss)</em>\r\n\r\nIf you\'re interested in interviewing/featuring Darrell, please reach out at: Darrell (at) SoTHISIsFitness (dot) com.\r\n<h4><strong><img class=\"alignright wp-image-264 size-medium\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/aof165-press-300x291.png\" alt=\"Athlete On Fire feature of So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"291\" />Athlete On Fire - Ep. 165 - 8/2/2016</strong></h4>\r\nDarrell was invited on the Athlete On Fire podcast to talk about his story! They talked life on Cape Cod, weight loss, running, and what it takes to make a major transformation happen.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.athleteonfire.com\">Learn more at www.AthleteOnFire.com</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://athleteonfire.com/aof165-losing-100-pounds-running-100-miles/\">Find the blog post here.</a>\r\n\r\nand listen to the episode! (AOF #165)\r\n\r\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\r\n\r\n<h4><b>Health Warrior - \"I Conquered 2014\" - </b><i><b>11/25/2014</b></i></h4>\r\n<img class=\"alignright wp-image-258\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/hw-conquer-press-300x213.jpg\" alt=\"Health Warrior feature of So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"213\" />Health Warrior featured 6 athletes as part of their \"I Conquered 2014\" series, and they saw fit to include Darrell as one of them!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.healthwarrior.com/conquered-2014-darrell-mctague/\">Check out the post here</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2014/01/ch-ch-ch-chia-health-warrior-chia-bar.html\">And check out the review of their Chia Bars here</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\r\n\r\n<h4><img class=\"alignright wp-image-257 size-medium\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/huffpostsuccess-300x285.jpg\" alt=\"Huff Post Health feature of So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"285\" /><b>The Huffington Post - Healthy Living:\r\nHow A Pair Of Work Pants Inspired Darrell W. McTague To Lose 125 Lbs. - </b><b><i>5/19/2014</i></b></h4>\r\nThe Huffington Post Healthy Living category featured Darrell\'s story - he shares how he gained the weight, his breaking point, and how he lost it.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/19/i-lost-weight-darrell-mctague_n_5104908.html\">Read the HuffPost story here</a>\r\n\r\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\r\n\r\n<h4><b><img class=\"alignright wp-image-255 size-medium\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cognitea-feature-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"CogniTea &quot;I Can. I WILL.&quot; story featuring So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" />CogniTea - \"I Can. I WILL. Story\" - </b><b><i>4/30/14</i></b></h4>\r\nAlready the first athlete featured by and associated with CogniTea, Darrell was featured again as their first \"I Can. I WILL. Story\". Highlights include Darrell\'s story, his advice, and action steps to make your own change.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cognitea.com/blogs/the-stories/13996861-introducing-darrell-mctague-i-can-i-will-story-of-the-month\">Read the story here</a>\r\n\r\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\r\n\r\n<h4><b>Road Runner Sports - Spring 2014 Catalog / Inspiration Instigator</b></h4>\r\n<i style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Spring 2014</i>\r\n\r\nIn Spring 2014 Road Runner Sports, a brick &amp; mortar / online running specialty store featured Darrell as part of their Spring 2014 catalog, sharing his story. Darrell was also featured as a part of Road Runner Sports\' \"Inspiration Instigator\" promotion.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWcltCojY-M\">See the video here</a>\r\n\r\n<hr width=\"60%\" />\r\n\r\n<h4><b><img class=\"alignright wp-image-256 size-medium\" src=\"http://50.87.248.94/~sothisj4/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cognitea-feature2-300x192.jpg\" alt=\"CogniTea Feature of So THIS Is Fitness\" width=\"300\" height=\"192\" />CogniTea - \"How CogniTea helped Darrell run (his first) sub-2 hour 1/2 Marathon!\" - </b><b><i>2/26/14</i></b></h4>\r\nCogniTea, a Boston-based startup bringing a new, brain-boosting tea to the world, featured Darrell as their first inspirational story. Darrell exemplified CogniTea\'s motto of \"I Can. I WILL.\" in his mentally tough personal victory - his first sub-2 hour half-marathon.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://cognitea.com/blogs/the-stories/12684025-see-how-cognitea-helped-darrell-mctague-run-a-sub-2-hour-1-2-marathon\">Read the story here</a>','Press and Media','','inherit','closed','closed','','251-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 06:52:03','2017-01-18 11:52:03','',251,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/251-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(766,1,'2017-01-18 07:18:06','2017-01-18 12:18:06','With so many events out there to participate in, it can be tough to make a choice. Or maybe you’re not sure what IS out there, and you’re just looking for a suggestion. One of the best ways to get a solution to these problems…is to check out a race recap! I do my best to get a race recap posted after every road, trail, or obstacle course race I participate in. I also do my best to rate races according to my “5 Keys To A Great Race”, which you can learn about here.','','','publish','closed','closed','','766','','','2017-02-20 06:58:51','2017-02-20 11:58:51','',3,'http://sothisisfitness.com/?p=766',9,'nav_menu_item','',0),(767,1,'2017-01-18 10:22:36','2017-01-18 15:22:36','<h3><strong><em>Sometimes...the important thing is to just GET OUT THERE...</em></strong></h3>\r\nIt\'s a new year...with a new set of goals...and a new reason to <strong>get out there</strong>. With such lofty goals as a 22 hour 100 miler and a sub-4 hour marathon... no training opportunity can be passed up. That said... when presented with the opportunity to run a half-marathon in an otherwise mostly race-barren month... who am I to say no? So, off I went to Plymouth for Winter Warlock 2017.\r\n\r\nLet\'s just say... it didn\'t go exactly how I thought it would... in a number of ways. I\'m still trying to decide how I feel about that. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n<em>(Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary registration to this event - this was not payment or compensation of any kind, nor did it influence my review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.)</em>\r\n<h3><strong>I\'m a race junkie.</strong></h3>\r\nAnyone that knows me knows I love a good race. They\'re fun, and they\'re a great opportunity to <strong>get out there</strong>, push yourself, and see where you\'re at. <strong>Competition</strong>, whether against yourself or others, is the true litmus test of your current fitness level and athletic ability - it makes you push in a way you wouldn\'t on any normal day. So, like I said...when presented with the opportunity to run a race...I just can\'t pass it up. Not every race, however, is the most spectacular event to land a permit.\r\n<h4><strong>I always give the benefit of the doubt.</strong></h4>\r\nI can\'t help myself, really - <strong>I\'m a bright-sider.</strong> When you preach positivity for so long you kind of can\'t help but just live that way on a daily basis. <em>It\'s my curse, </em>what can I say? So when a race isn\'t perfect...I tend to downplay shortcomings, make up excuses, and sugar-coat mistakes that were made. Sometimes, yes, there are perfectly reasonable explanations... and sometimes, <em>sure</em>, its understandable how something happened... but sometimes...\r\n<h4><strong>You have to call it like you see it.</strong></h4>\r\nWhen I ran Winter Warlock this past Sunday...I had mixed feelings. I decided it was best to stick as close as I can to my <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">\"5 Keys To A Great Race\"</a> as a means to rate the race...and we\'ll see where the chips fall. <em>(If you haven\'t already read \"5 Keys..</em>.\", <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">click here and read it so this makes sense</a>.) <strong>L</strong><strong>et\'s dive right in. FAIR WARNING - </strong>this is gonna be a little long... there\'s a lot of things I feel the need to mention.\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Recap &amp; Rating based on my <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2014/11/5-keys-to-a-great-race.html\">\"5 Keys\"</a></strong></h3>\r\n<em>If you just want the score, scroll through for the headers and the total at the bottom. </em>\r\n<h3><strong>Pre-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPre-race is a tough category for me to really judge on since I actually signed up as a same-day on-site registration, but I would be remiss if I didn\'t share what I heard from many people.\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Take this with a grain of salt,</strong> as it was not my personal experience:<strong> </strong>I\'m in a hyper-local running-focused Facebook group where a lot of people complained that it was just days before the race and they hadn\'t gotten any correspondance. Just before the event (Friday 1/13/17 at 11:14 am) someone said they DID receive an email, which they forwarded to me. For the most part, the email had all the info you\'d want... but it seems aside from a sign-up confirmation...this email Friday morning before a Sunday race was the only thing they heard from the race.</em>\r\n\r\nHad I personally been in these shoes, how I felt may have adjusted my ranking. As it stands, I had a pretty average pre-race experience - the information I needed was online and available, and I was able to show up on race day to sign up.\r\n<h3><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-721 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/winter-warlock-gps-issue-300x148.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock GPS Issue\" width=\"300\" height=\"148\" /><strong>Race Day - 6</strong></h3>\r\nI\'m honestly really disappointed on this category. First thing on the list of \"Race Day\" is showing up. Well...take a look at the photo here and you\'ll see the issue.\r\n<h4><strong>Google sabotaged us.</strong></h4>\r\nThe race website, email, and registration page all tell you the race begins and ends at Plimoth Plantation, with a GPS-friendly address of 137 Warren Avenue. That address is also where Google Maps/Navigation takes you when you type \"Plymouth Plantation\", and it\'s the address on Plimoth Plantation\'s website. Naturally, one would assume this is the right place. On race day, though, when I followed those directions it took me to a beachside restaurant...NOT Plimoth Plantation. Fortunately I\'m a smart cookie and know how to bang a u-turn and follow road signs to Plimoth Plantation (3 minutes away). If you\'re not from around here...this could\'ve been a big problem.\r\n<h4><strong>My dilemma here... </strong></h4>\r\nis that I WISH the race director had clarified this, but I can also see how this could easily happen...and Lord knows it won\'t happen again (I hope). It\'s the first year he\'s held this at Plimouth Plantation, and I think we locals all take for granted that we know how the hell to get there. So, to be extra helpful, he hops on the website or google maps and finds the actual ADDRESS of it for non-locals. Well...frankly, even if he HADN\'T provided that GPS address, everyone\'s GPS STILL would\'ve taken them there, except we\'d be blaming Google or Apple and not the race director. Should he have done that extra step? <em>Sure</em>. Is it ultimately all his fault some of us landed in the wrong place? <em>Maybe not</em>. I did...and I didn\'t follow the faulty address he gave.\r\n\r\n<strong>The mixed-bag of \"race day\" experience continued...</strong>\r\n\r\nOnce I DID find the entrance to Plymouth Plantation...well, there was no sign or indication of \"hey this is where you go to park\" or \"EVENT HERE\". The entrance off the \"main road\" had no signage, so once I figured out I had driven by the best &amp; only entrance...I turned around (again, GPS kept telling me there were more \"access roads\" to get in...false).\r\n\r\nOnce I actually turned IN to Plimoth Plantation, there was a volunteer that directed me to the main parking lot. Ample parking there, but no sign to the registration area. I understand this is a little thing, and yes I figured it out by following the crowd and looking around for a minute...but <em>I shouldn\'t have to \"figure it out\".</em>\r\n<h4><strong>Once you got in the building... things were good.</strong></h4>\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-747 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_095317_519-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Winter Warlock pre-race photo\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" />Same-day registration was a snap, and it looks like pre-registered number pick-up was pretty easy, too. I even got a t-shirt as a same-day! Though, in hindsight, I think benches may have been set up between the same-day reg table and the shirts as a \"you can\'t come in here\"...<em>oops</em>. Didn\'t seem like it at the time.\r\n\r\nPlimoth Plantation\'s indoor bathrooms were open/available (which was nice) and there were port-o-johns outside (ample bathrooms). I happened to be outside in the 15 minutes prior to the race, but it seems clear there was an indoor announcement telling people to get outside for the start. Start notification while outside? My only indication was when everyone started migrating behind the start line. Meh, that\'s pretty normal I think.\r\n<h4><strong>But our final send-off was less than stellar.</strong></h4>\r\nThe pre-race \"speech\" came off kind of gruff and bothered me a bit. It was somewhat... passively... <em>condescending </em>maybe? It was a bit preachy and had a very \"don\'t-complain-please\" attitude, which could\'ve easily been sarcastic (just like Paul Clark at the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s) except...you  could tell he was serious and not laughing it off or anything.\r\n\r\nHe made a point of saying if you win something stick around because he\'s NOT mailing awards, hey we bought you some nice food so stick around after, can-i-get-a-clap, I love headphones but USATF doesn\'t so I don\'t buy insurance from them, etc. I dunno...I just feel like he could\'ve delivered the exact same info but in a cheery way that left everyone pumped up and ready to rock. After that, we began the race about 6 minutes late...with no apparent reason for the lateness. Not the best way to go off. :/\r\n<h3><strong>The Course -  6</strong></h3>\r\nWinter Warlock offered a 5K &amp; 10K (just like the first time I ran it a few years ago) and also offered a half-marathon and 18 mile option. I opted for the half-marathon, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. The half-marathon course itself was nice enough - rolling hills, some flat parts, some paved road, some dirt road. It was an out and back, with the far half of the out/back being on Old Sandwich Road - the oldest dirt road in the country. It was kind of cool (and I\'ve run that road before), despite intense potholes in the first 2 miles of OSR (not the race\'s fault, and he DID warn us about it).\r\n\r\n<strong>I DID have three main complaints which docked points:</strong>\r\n<h4><strong>1.) Traffic management &amp; thus, runner safety, concerned me.</strong></h4>\r\nCops WERE present at major intersections...but <strong><em>the rest of the course</em></strong> was the concern...I didn\'t see any road signs alerting motorists of a road race in progress (or coming, for days before). The course was not closed, and we weren\'t instructed to keep tight to the shoulder or anything. As such, people mostly took up the entire side of the road in the first half of the race. This effectively blocked a side of the street and created a little bedlam when a car would try to pass &amp; come upon an oncoming car. Add into that people starting to turn around in the middle of the street at the 5K &amp; 10K turnarounds...<em>eek. </em>That part felt a little... <em>thrown together</em> maybe?\r\n<h4><strong>2.) Course marking.</strong></h4>\r\nJust like there was no \"hey, this is where you park for the race\" sign when you arrived for registration...well, that\'s exactly where a \"hey, turn here to finish the race\" sign should\'ve been. <strong>There wasn\'t.</strong> This was the ONLY signage issue on an otherwise well-marked course...but unfortunately it was an IMPORTANT course marking to miss.<strong> </strong>I figured out where to go because, again, <em>I\'m a smart cookie</em> and I recognized that the finish area was down the same road we went to park. I heard many people who were much faster than me cruised right by it and ran too far.\r\n\r\nBut the third, and arguably biggest issue (for me)?\r\n<h4><strong>3.) The half-marathon course was .6 miles short.</strong></h4>\r\nI can understand maybe a tenth (.1) of a mile... but having your half-marathon course over half a mile short... Sorry, but it\'s kind of an essential basic that your race needs to  be the distance you advertise. That could\'ve been easily avoided by just a little more care when dropping your turnaround marker. That was a big deduction. It seems all the other race turnarounds were correct...well, <em>that\'s nice</em>...but I ran the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler, so that\'s what I\'m speaking on. TO HIS CREDIT, when I chatted with the race director post-race he DID own up to the short course before I even mentioned it...but man, when did you figure it out? When one of the Cambridge Classic 5K\'s was too long due to a police/lead car error...they told us. Tell people you whoopsied, make an announcement, an apology...SOMETHING. Just acknowledge it.\r\n\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-745 aligncenter\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/distance-marker-turnaround-300x82.png\" alt=\"Winter Warlock Turnaround Markers\" width=\"300\" height=\"82\" />Also - </strong>just realized...the email broke down where water stops were. The water stops doubled as the turnarounds. It\'s very clearly and intelligently laid down - 1.5, 3.1, 6.1, and 9 miles. All appropriate half-way turnaround points... except... 6.1? So where and when in the process did the \"whoopsie\" on the distance <em>ACTUALLY </em>happen? *sigh*\r\n<h3><strong>Swag / Support - 7</strong></h3>\r\nThere was an EMT and ambulance on-site and available. <em>Check.</em> There were 4 water stops, which really meant for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler I got 5, not 3. <em>Check</em>. Swag - already mentioned there was a nice enough long-sleeve tee for the race (said all 4 distances on it), and there WAS a finisher\'s medal for the <del>half-marathon</del> 12.5 miler and 18 miler.\r\n<h4><strong>It seems there was a lack of volunteer help, though.</strong></h4>\r\nI WAS a bit bothered that there was nobody handing out medals at the finish - I looked around for the medal hander-outer person...nothing. Like, if my wife hadn\'t pointed out the small tupperware of medals on the ground after the finish arch I would\'ve completely missed it. That...idk...just feels like a basic thing. Stick someone at the finish to hand out medals. I was a little bummed at the medal itself, too - it was kinda cheap &amp; generic. Didn\'t really feel special. I don\'t know much about races and medal purchasing, so who knows how much those things cost...but I\'ve run half-marathons that cost the same and have a much nicer, race-specific medal. Oh well.\r\n\r\nNo finish-line photos either, which weren\'t advertised or promised, so not docking points...I guess its just something I\'ve come to expect at races, whether its free or for profit. Guess maybe I\'m spoiled. So...overall...average on the swag/support.\r\n<h3><strong>Post-Race - 7</strong></h3>\r\nPost-race wasn\'t bad...just wasn\'t mind-blowing. Once you crossed the finish, water was available right there (grab it yourself, ok...no problem). No signs directing you to the post-race party...but again...<em>smart cookie.</em> Followed the crowd and found it - wasn\'t hard. The email said the post-race party was \"catered\". It was a nice enough spread, for sure - little scones, pastries, fruit, coffee and tea. I\'m not complaining, I guess I just pictured...something...<em>more</em>... when I hear \"catered\" and someone makes a big deal about saying \"we bought some nice food for you\" at the pre-race speech. But, hey, catered food was promised, and catered food was provided.\r\n<h4><strong>It bothered me that it ran out so fast, though.</strong></h4>\r\nWhile Megan was keeping warm she told me all the spectators went to that room and piled plates high - I could\'ve sworn I saw someone with a cookie, but I saw none on the table. By the time the last runners came in, not much was left (if anything). The very last runner...nothing was left.\r\n<h4><strong>TO HIS CREDIT - </strong></h4>\r\nThe race director rushed over to congratulate him and threw himself at the guy offering to get him whatever he needed in terms of food or drink - that was nice to see. Also to his credit - during the \"awards ceremony\" (which was so unceremonious I hesitate to call it a ceremony) when people WEREN\'T there to accept their awards...he DID say \"we\'ll make sure to get that out to them\". Was it reflex, or is he really gonna mail those awards? <em>I\'d like to think the latter.</em>\r\n<h3><strong>Winter Warlock Overall Rating - 66/100 (D)</strong></h3>\r\n<strong><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-748 alignright\" src=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IMG_20170115_141819_706-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sunday runday winter warlock\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" /></strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Would I recommend Winter Warlock?? </strong>\r\n\r\nI mean, shoot, you see my complaints laid out in black and white right here - if those get cleaned up I\'d recommend it all day. It\'s a nice, challenging little course with a 13.1 &amp; 18 mile option in the dead of winter where there aren\'t typically a lot of options. People gotta train for Hyannis &amp; Boston, right?\r\n<h4><strong>Will those complaints &amp; mistakes get cleaned up? </strong></h4>\r\nI\'d like to think so, yes. In all honesty, I went into this race expecting kind of a mess  - complaints about past Plymouth Rock Racing events flew around online. That\'s all neither here nor there - we\'re talking about Winter Warlock, and overall, despite my concerns (which I did dock points for), I had a pretty good experience.\r\n\r\n<strong>TO BE FAIR - </strong> I interviewed four different participants about (among other things) their experience. All four of them had nothing but good things to say and had a positive experience. For all the rumblings and complaining Megan said she heard on-site from the 5K, 10K\'ers, &amp; fast half-marathoners it appears there were plenty of people that had a good experience, too.\r\n<h4><strong>Like I said, I\'m a firm believer in \"the benefit of the doubt\" and positive change. </strong></h4>\r\nAs far as I\'m concerned, Winter Warlock 2017 looked, <em>overall</em>, like a move in the right direction...improving on some things that had been a source of complaints in the past. There\'s still some work to do, but we\'re getting there. Let\'s continue improving and moving forward, PRR - the more good races and options we all have...the better :)','Race Recap - Winter Warlock 2017','','inherit','closed','closed','','713-revision-v1','','','2017-01-18 10:22:36','2017-01-18 15:22:36','',713,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/713-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(770,1,'2017-01-19 02:19:19','2017-01-19 07:19:19','<h2><strong>It always easier to \"not\".</strong></h2>\r\nIt doesn\'t take much for us to stay in bed, sit on the couch, and otherwise simply NOT do it. When you factor in the bitter cold, snow, wind, and all-around poor conditions of winter... you can just forget the whole \"getting outside for a run\" thing. Maybe that\'s why folks who DO go out there and run despite the winter chill are called \"winter warriors\".\r\n\r\nIt\'s not such a crazy concept, when you really break it down... and understanding the \"why\"? Well...if you\'re in this fitness thing, or you\'re even THINKING about it... I bet you\'ll get it.\r\n\r\nThere\'s plenty to go over in this episode...\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t really sure what to expect from this episode when the idea struck me. What I ended up with was...dare I say... pretty awesome. I had the opportunity to interview 4 people who all had some interesting and different ideas on why THEY get out there despite the bitter winter cold. Their stories ranged from pretty normal to pretty extraordinary.\r\n<h4>So what exactly is in this episode?</h4>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Revisiting my big goals for this year, and what kind of a start that\'s off to.</li>\r\n 	<li>Winter Warlock 5K, 10K, 13.1, &amp; 18 Miler 2017</li>\r\n 	<li>What\'s In The Box - January Edition</li>\r\n 	<li>On-site at Winter Warlock\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Participant</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>','#21 - Winter Warriors & Why We Do It','','inherit','closed','closed','','768-revision-v1','','','2017-01-19 02:19:19','2017-01-19 07:19:19','',768,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/768-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(771,1,'2017-01-19 02:36:33','2017-01-19 07:36:33','','','','inherit','open','closed','','wordswag_1484809133932','','','2017-01-19 02:38:52','2017-01-19 07:38:52','',0,'http://sothisisfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/wordswag_1484809133932.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(772,1,'2017-01-19 02:42:40','2017-01-19 07:42:40','<h2><strong>It always easier to \"not\".</strong></h2>\r\nIt doesn\'t take much for us to stay in bed, sit on the couch, and otherwise simply NOT do it. When you factor in the bitter cold, snow, wind, and all-around poor conditions of winter... you can just forget the whole \"getting outside for a run\" thing. Maybe that\'s why folks who DO go out there and run despite the winter chill are called \"winter warriors\".\r\n\r\nIt\'s not such a crazy concept, when you really break it down... and understanding the \"why\"? Well...if you\'re in this fitness thing, or you\'re even THINKING about it... I bet you\'ll get it.\r\n\r\nThere\'s plenty to go over in this episode...\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t really sure what to expect from this episode when the idea struck me. What I ended up with was...dare I say... pretty awesome. I had the opportunity to interview 4 people who all had some interesting and different ideas on why THEY get out there despite the bitter winter cold. Their stories ranged from pretty normal to pretty extraordinary.\r\n<h4>So what exactly is in this episode?</h4>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Revisiting my big goals for this year, and what kind of a start that\'s off to.</li>\r\n 	<li>Winter Warlock 5K, 10K, 13.1, &amp; 18 Miler 2017</li>\r\n 	<li>What\'s In The Box - January Edition</li>\r\n 	<li>On-site at Winter Warlock\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Participant experience</li>\r\n 	<li>Why they are Winter Warriors</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li>My thoughts on why to be a Winter Warrior</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nBe sure to check out the Dave\'s Antarctica marathon plan and the My Luu charity links below!\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Brief Video Summary of Dave\'s Plan to Run in Antarctica:</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1484887464239000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHpgfyBnTo6cIA1nh7jHJUWtlDpaQ\">https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY</a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>The My Luu Memorial Fund:</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1484887464239000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFTrx6nlCsu9HmvvupK_qeoO_oXqQ\">https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThanks to my sponsors!\r\n\r\nwww.hopheadevents.com\r\n\r\nwww.runtruenorth.com\r\n\r\nwww.foolproofbrewing.com','#21 - Winter Warriors & Why We Do It','','inherit','closed','closed','','768-revision-v1','','','2017-01-19 02:42:40','2017-01-19 07:42:40','',768,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/768-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(774,1,'2017-01-19 08:57:32','2017-01-19 13:57:32','<h2><strong>It always easier to \"not\".</strong></h2>\r\nIt doesn\'t take much for us to stay in bed, sit on the couch, and otherwise simply NOT do it. When you factor in the bitter cold, snow, wind, and all-around poor conditions of winter... you can just forget the whole \"getting outside for a run\" thing. Maybe that\'s why folks who DO go out there and run despite the winter chill are called \"winter warriors\".\r\n\r\nIt\'s not such a crazy concept, when you really break it down... and understanding the \"why\"? Well...if you\'re in this fitness thing, or you\'re even THINKING about it... I bet you\'ll get it.\r\n\r\nThere\'s plenty to go over in this episode...\r\n\r\n[podcast src=\"https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5006647/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/\" height=\"90\" width=\"450\"]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t really sure what to expect from this episode when the idea struck me. What I ended up with was...dare I say... pretty awesome. I had the opportunity to interview 4 people who all had some interesting and different ideas on why THEY get out there despite the bitter winter cold. Their stories ranged from pretty normal to pretty extraordinary.\r\n<h4>So what exactly is in this episode?</h4>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Revisiting my big goals for this year, and what kind of a start that\'s off to.</li>\r\n 	<li>Winter Warlock 5K, 10K, 13.1, &amp; 18 Miler 2017</li>\r\n 	<li>What\'s In The Box - January Edition</li>\r\n 	<li>On-site at Winter Warlock\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Participant experience</li>\r\n 	<li>Why they are Winter Warriors</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li>My thoughts on why to be a Winter Warrior</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nBe sure to check out the Dave\'s Antarctica marathon plan and the My Luu charity links below!\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Brief Video Summary of Dave\'s Plan to Run in Antarctica:</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY\">https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY</a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>The My Luu Memorial Fund:</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund\">https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThanks to my sponsors!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.hopheadevents.com\">www.hopheadevents.com</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.runtruenorth.com\">www.runtruenorth.com</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.foolproofbrewing.com\">www.foolproofbrewing.com</a>','#21 - Winter Warriors & Why We Do It','','inherit','closed','closed','','768-revision-v1','','','2017-01-19 08:57:32','2017-01-19 13:57:32','',768,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/768-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(773,1,'2017-01-19 08:53:53','2017-01-19 13:53:53','<h2><strong>It always easier to \"not\".</strong></h2>\r\nIt doesn\'t take much for us to stay in bed, sit on the couch, and otherwise simply NOT do it. When you factor in the bitter cold, snow, wind, and all-around poor conditions of winter... you can just forget the whole \"getting outside for a run\" thing. Maybe that\'s why folks who DO go out there and run despite the winter chill are called \"winter warriors\".\r\n\r\nIt\'s not such a crazy concept, when you really break it down... and understanding the \"why\"? Well...if you\'re in this fitness thing, or you\'re even THINKING about it... I bet you\'ll get it.\r\n\r\nThere\'s plenty to go over in this episode...\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t really sure what to expect from this episode when the idea struck me. What I ended up with was...dare I say... pretty awesome. I had the opportunity to interview 4 people who all had some interesting and different ideas on why THEY get out there despite the bitter winter cold. Their stories ranged from pretty normal to pretty extraordinary.\r\n<h4>So what exactly is in this episode?</h4>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Revisiting my big goals for this year, and what kind of a start that\'s off to.</li>\r\n 	<li>Winter Warlock 5K, 10K, 13.1, &amp; 18 Miler 2017</li>\r\n 	<li>What\'s In The Box - January Edition</li>\r\n 	<li>On-site at Winter Warlock\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Participant experience</li>\r\n 	<li>Why they are Winter Warriors</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li>My thoughts on why to be a Winter Warrior</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nBe sure to check out the Dave\'s Antarctica marathon plan and the My Luu charity links below!\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Brief Video Summary of Dave\'s Plan to Run in Antarctica:</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1484887464239000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHpgfyBnTo6cIA1nh7jHJUWtlDpaQ\">https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY</a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>The My Luu Memorial Fund:</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&amp;q=https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1484887464239000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFTrx6nlCsu9HmvvupK_qeoO_oXqQ\">https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThanks to my sponsors!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.hopheadevents.com\">www.hopheadevents.com</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.runtruenorth.com\">www.runtruenorth.com</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.foolproofbrewing.com\">www.foolproofbrewing.com</a>','#21 - Winter Warriors & Why We Do It','','inherit','closed','closed','','768-revision-v1','','','2017-01-19 08:53:53','2017-01-19 13:53:53','',768,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/768-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(775,1,'2017-01-19 13:09:55','2017-01-19 18:09:55','<h2><strong>It\'s always easier to \"not\".</strong></h2>\r\nIt doesn\'t take much for us to stay in bed, sit on the couch, and otherwise simply NOT do it. When you factor in the bitter cold, snow, wind, and all-around poor conditions of winter... you can just forget the whole \"getting outside for a run\" thing. Maybe that\'s why folks who DO go out there and run despite the winter chill are called \"winter warriors\".\r\n\r\nIt\'s not such a crazy concept, when you really break it down... and understanding the \"why\"? Well...if you\'re in this fitness thing, or you\'re even THINKING about it... I bet you\'ll get it.\r\n\r\nThere\'s plenty to go over in this episode...\r\n\r\n[podcast src=\"https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5006647/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/\" height=\"90\" width=\"450\"]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t really sure what to expect from this episode when the idea struck me. What I ended up with was...dare I say... pretty awesome. I had the opportunity to interview 4 people who all had some interesting and different ideas on why THEY get out there despite the bitter winter cold. Their stories ranged from pretty normal to pretty extraordinary.\r\n<h4>So what exactly is in this episode?</h4>\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Revisiting my big goals for this year, and what kind of a start that\'s off to.</li>\r\n 	<li>Winter Warlock 5K, 10K, 13.1, &amp; 18 Miler 2017</li>\r\n 	<li>What\'s In The Box - January Edition</li>\r\n 	<li>On-site at Winter Warlock\r\n<ul>\r\n 	<li>Participant experience</li>\r\n 	<li>Why they are Winter Warriors</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n 	<li>My thoughts on why to be a Winter Warrior</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nBe sure to check out the Dave\'s Antarctica marathon plan and the My Luu charity links below!\r\n\r\n<em><strong>Brief Video Summary of Dave\'s Plan to Run in Antarctica:</strong></em>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY\">https://youtu.be/xmEOPyxpeWY</a>\r\n\r\n<strong><em>The My Luu Memorial Fund:</em></strong>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund\">https://www.crowdrise.com/myluufund</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThanks to my sponsors!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.hopheadevents.com\">www.hopheadevents.com</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.runtruenorth.com\">www.runtruenorth.com</a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.foolproofbrewing.com\">www.foolproofbrewing.com</a>','#21 - Winter Warriors & Why We Do It','','inherit','closed','closed','','768-revision-v1','','','2017-01-19 13:09:55','2017-01-19 18:09:55','',768,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/768-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(776,1,'2017-01-20 16:45:19','2017-01-20 21:45:19','<b>Not sure if you\'ve noticed, </b>but there\'s a serious problem in this country. I\'m not sitting here trying to lecture people about the \"obesity\" epidemic, or spit out some figures and statistics at anyone. I\'m talking about what I see in the world around me each day. <b>What am I talking about?</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><table align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0yPuOqYgrfg/Ug46ZpYYQII/AAAAAAAABS0/wTqEworgdcI/s1600/maternal-obesity.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"178\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0yPuOqYgrfg/Ug46ZpYYQII/AAAAAAAABS0/wTqEworgdcI/s320/maternal-obesity.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">img from medicaldaily.com</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b>We, </b>as a nation,<b> are fat. </b>And for the most part, <b>it doesn\'t really seem to bother us.</b> Not as long as the line at McD\'s isn\'t too long. <br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yY8cOcxnR7Q/UgywAeH6xJI/AAAAAAAABRk/Y19jxLJoVd8/s1600/fat-american.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"226\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yY8cOcxnR7Q/UgywAeH6xJI/AAAAAAAABRk/Y19jxLJoVd8/s320/fat-american.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><br />The problem is - we <b>want </b>what we <b>want</b> when we <b>want</b> it. When do we want it? <b>Now</b>. What do we want? What we <b>like.</b> Don\'t worry,&nbsp; we know what we like...<br /><br /><b>Everything we\'re told to like.</b><br /><br />Sugary, salty, fatty, sweet and designed to taste so good we just. want. <b>more</b>. What foods do you see advertised on TV? What delicious delicacies are you told are so good, so <i>irresistible</i>, you simply HAVE to go out and get it <b>right now</b>? Everything <u><b>bad for you</b></u>. Fast food burgers and fries, ding dings and hoo hoos, little snack cakes, drive-in hot dogs and potato puffs you <b>don\'t even have to get out of your car for </b>brought to you by people who can <b>roll to you</b> (because why should <b>they</b> be bothered to walk if you aren\'t?) and cheese poofs that look <b>bold and daring</b> because the cheetah eating them is a <b>jerk</b>. All these awful foods are <b>glorified</b> and <i>celebrated </i>as something we are privileged to be able to have.<b> But that\'s just ONE part of the problem...</b><br /><br /><b>IN MODERATION</b>, and I mean, like, as a <b>once-in-a-while treat</b>...I suppose it could be <i>possible</i> that your health and energy level wouldn\'t suffer too much from all this stuff. Problem is we don\'t seem to understand the <i>concept</i> of moderation. I find that many people just <b>aren\'t taught limits</b>. Our bodies will <b>tell us</b>&nbsp; when we\'re full, when we are satisfied...when we are <u>sufficiently nourished</u>.&nbsp; When I was little, I was told to <b>finish my plate</b> before I was allowed to have dessert. \"Eat your food, <b>there\'s starving kids in Othercountria\"</b>. That\'s great, stick it in a box and mail it to them...<b>little-kid-me is full!</b> And <u>that</u> is the instant we are taught to ignore anything resembling a signal from our body. We also don\'t eat slowly...we just <i>inhale</i> this stuff. People eat all this awful \"food\" so fast that it doesn\'t even register with their body that it\'s<i> </i><b>in there</b>, so we miss the signals our body is still <i>trying</i> to send us.<b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>And this is a behavior that we celebrate!</b><br /><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1plSxZlgo-c/Ug4s0485LbI/AAAAAAAABSM/FGpmWKyPvi8/s1600/moderation.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"252\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1plSxZlgo-c/Ug4s0485LbI/AAAAAAAABSM/FGpmWKyPvi8/s320/moderation.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a> <br />How many food-eating contests do you see? Food \"challenges\"? That famous American hot dog eating contest on July 4th? Where like 10 people line up on a nationally televised stage and try to shove 50+ hot dogs down their food-hole in <b>the fastest manner possible</b>? Seriously? It\'s disgusting to watch!&nbsp; I used to LOVE \"Man vs. Food\"...I thought it was <b>awesome. </b>Then over time I noticed the guy on the show seemed to be getting kind of fat. Like <b>visibly, noticeably </b>fat. Pretty soon after that there was a new show called \"Man vs. Food Nation\" where <i>he wasn\'t the one eating</i>, it was other people! Imagine that.<br /><br /><b>Speaking of portion size - </b>I was talking with a co-worker the  other day and I mentioned that I really liked the bbq chicken pizza at  such-and-such restaurant - it was REALLY good and very well-done. They  replied \"Oh, I don\'t like such-and-such restaurant...their portions are  so small!\". <b>Really?</b> Their portions are actually a pretty good size...it\'s just not the <b>overflowing platter of nom</b> that we\'re taught to expect. What a shame that\'s the expectation...the  food at such-and-such is actually really good and not the typical  get-fat-and-blow-up fare you get at most big chains.&nbsp; <br />And y\'know what makes this awful food and lack of moderation even <i><b>worse</b></i>?&nbsp; <br /><br /><b>It\'s all so cheap you can feed the wife and kids too!</b><br /><br /><b>Ten dollars </b>feeds the WHOLE family from the dollar menu! Got a <i>powerful </i>appetite <b>all on your own</b>? Get a <b>big box</b> of heart-stopping <i>tasty</i> for just $5! Want to make sure you REALLY fill up? There are plenty of buffets to choose from, some as cheap as 4.99 for endless everything! <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-Qfm0aRU6E/Ug4peJeDPYI/AAAAAAAABSE/3c1mJX7PVic/s1600/obesity-ad.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"235\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-Qfm0aRU6E/Ug4peJeDPYI/AAAAAAAABSE/3c1mJX7PVic/s400/obesity-ad.png\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><br /><b>Appetite Stimulus Plan?</b> Are you <b>kidding me?</b><br /><br />This has got to be one of the top reasons, as far as I\'m concerned, that we as a nation are so fat - <b>it\'s so damn cheap!</b> I know as a recent college grad I have been broke since I was \"on my own\" in college. What happened when I got hungry? <b>I\'d find something cheap!</b> But boy was I HUNGRY! Well, I <b>was</b> taught to make sure I got my fill...Easy beans! 4 bucks at Taco Bell and I was <b>stuffed</b> for the night. Then again, that 4 bucks\' worth of food was probably more fat and calories than I should\'ve taken in for the whole day.<br /><br /><b>Another problem with all this cheap food</b> we stuff ourselves with is...it\'s <b>cheap</b>! Not just price-wise, but quality-wise too. Next time you go grocery shopping look at the ground beef. Notice that the higher the fat content (and lower the quality) the less expensive it is. The health food section, \"natural\" section...whatever they call it... is often much more expensive than the rest of the store - prohibitively expensive for many people.&nbsp; The average American can do a pretty good job eating relatively healthy, but the average American is also pretty decent at stretching a buck - so the cheap stuff makes it into the cart.<br /><br />But if you\'re feeding the family with this...that means <b>the kids are eating it too</b>.<br /><table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;\"><tbody><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iZjQlS3ewg/Ug46XoW4ESI/AAAAAAAABSw/OdLd9BZMXJc/s1600/obesity.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6iZjQlS3ewg/Ug46XoW4ESI/AAAAAAAABSw/OdLd9BZMXJc/s320/obesity.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style=\"text-align: center;\">img from the-menace-of-obesity.com</td></tr></tbody></table>This is one of my<b> biggest </b>problems with this WHOLE thing...we\'re teaching our <b>kids</b> that not only is eating to excess ok, but its the norm. Some of you may know, I work in a pretty big restaurant chain (over 100 locations)...and I\'m in a tourist town, so LOTS of people come in. I can\'t tell you how many <b>round</b> children I see walk in the door. ROUND! I can\'t understand how, as a parent, some people can allow their child to eat so much that they become <b>so</b> fat they\'re <i>round.<b> </b></i>Kids can\'t get their hands on that amount of food on their own, it\'s being <b>provided</b> to them. I don\'t even know what else to say...it\'s just <b><i>irresponsible</i></b> to feed your kids that kind of food that often and that much that they blow up. And this isn\'t a nutrition thing...but most of these kids aren\'t encouraged to go out and play all that much...many of these kids are the same ones who sit at one of my tables with their eyes glued to and hands surgically attached to a GameBoy or smartphone playing games. <b>Not the best way to burn off the 3000 calories your kid ate today.</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-axzMVOgSmTM/Ug42slFHkYI/AAAAAAAABSc/W-8GzYll_ck/s1600/so+hungry.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-axzMVOgSmTM/Ug42slFHkYI/AAAAAAAABSc/W-8GzYll_ck/s320/so+hungry.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>No. You\'re not. </b>You\'re <b>bored. </b>Put down the burrito!<br /><br /><b>I guess where I\'m going with all this is</b> - we need to SERIOUSLY re-examine how we as a nation behave when it comes to food. Fast food, snack food and deep-fat are so ingrained in our culture that it\'d take a pretty big paradigm shift to get truly healthy. This whole problem, coupled with the <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-i-dont-feel-like-it-syndrome.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"I don\'t feel like it syndrome</a>\" is why we\'re in such a bad situation right now. However, if we take baby steps, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/so-this-is-nutrition-basics.html\" target=\"_blank\">follow good nutrition guidelines like I\'ve talked about before</a>, and embrace healthy-eating movements we can start going in the right direction. <b>&nbsp;</b><br /><br /><b>I implore you</b> - start at home, with yourself and your kids. <b>Be conscious</b> of the foods you\'re putting in your mouth and putting on a plate for your kids. <b>Make sure</b> not too much of your food is coming from a greasy bag or box handed to you through your car window. <b>Listen to your body</b> - it will tell you when you\'re done. We eat for nourishment and to enjoy the taste, <b>not because we\'re bored.</b>&nbsp; <b>Teach your kids</b> healthy habits and the right foods to eat. <b>They\'re learning from YOU - </b>so make sure you\'re careful about what you\'re showing them.<br /><br /><b>We, as a nation, don\'t have to be fat</b>. But <b>it starts</b> at <i>home</i>. With <b>you.</b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div>','America The Fat','','inherit','closed','closed','','116-revision-v1','','','2017-01-20 16:45:19','2017-01-20 21:45:19','',116,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/116-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(780,1,'2017-01-20 16:45:20','2017-01-20 21:45:20','Once again, I thought long and hard about how to approach this topic, but the simplest way to say it is - going through a health &amp; fitness journey alone <b>sucks</b> and often <b>just doesn\'t work</b>. For so many years I tried and failed to do it on my own. The desire was there, and I did use the word \"tried\"...<br /><br />Many, maybe even most people out there just can\'t do it alone, and if you\'re one of those people<b>...I get it. </b>I\'m not gonna say it\'s not your fault because, frankly, I don\'t think there necessarily <i>is </i>anyone at fault...it\'s just <b>freaking hard </b>to go it alone. In the last week I have really embraced, openly, the \"group effort\". I became a BeachBody Coach and immediately set out to start a P90X Challenge Group to help people make a change, stay with it, and <b>succeed</b> (more on that later). Today, on Hump Day no less, I want to talk about how to get over the hump of sticking with your health &amp; fitness decision by not having to go it alone. You might think twice about your impending solo act.<br /><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dz2l_d_zAoU/UlQOwn7vPSI/AAAAAAAAB3U/0skgMkyckXk/s1600/IMG_20131005_093735_948.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dz2l_d_zAoU/UlQOwn7vPSI/AAAAAAAAB3U/0skgMkyckXk/s400/IMG_20131005_093735_948.jpg\" width=\"225\" /></a></div>I\'ll come right out and say it - <b>going it alone sucks.</b> Some people out there have the drive and motivation needed to make change happen without anyone else there to push them, encourage them, and do it with them. Looking back,<b> I was not one of them. </b>I recognize that. I had my fiancee Megan there with me from <b>before </b>Day 1. When the decision was made to start...we decided it <b>together</b>. I tried for years to do it alone, and it never stuck. Without anyone there to help motivate me...it was so easy to just say \"nah...not today\" or \"<i>God Almighty</i> this is too hard...I\'m out\".<br /><br /><b>Nah, I\'m Totally Capable, I Can Do This!</b><br /><br />Ok, that\'s great! There <b>are</b> people out there who can get it done on their own. People who are SO motivated...SO driven, that they could not only complete a fitness program on their own...they could climb Mt. Freaking Everest on their own. I <i>wish </i>I was one of those guys. I mean, I probably am NOW, but then again, NOW I\'m fit, healthy, and I <b>enjoy </b>this stuff. I\'m talking last August, when I was 300 lbs and hadn\'t started this whole thing yet. <i>That guy </i>wishes he was driven enough to do it alone. If you\'re one of those people, I encourage you to <b>go for it</b> and make it happen. <b>You </b>are the kind of person who helps motivate others towards their successes. <br /><br /><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Why Should I Have Others?</b></span><br /><br /><b>No Easy Outs</b><br />I have found, over the course of the years, that <b>not </b>having someone else doing it with you and committed to it...there are a lot of easy outs. For one, <b>nobody is there to see you quit</b>. It\'s really easy to quit when you don\'t have anyone to answer to...nobody to witness it. It\'s like it never happened! I feel like that\'s one of the top reasons people are...OK...with giving up. <b>It\'s not ok.</b> You\'re only letting yourself down. It\'s so easy to fall prey to the <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-i-dont-feel-like-it-syndrome.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"I Don\'t Feel Like It\" Syndrome</a> when you\'re on your own...easy for <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-1-napoleon-complex.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Napoleon Complex</a> to overtake you...to just plain <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-the-truth-about-motivation.html\" target=\"_blank\">lose motivation</a>!<br /><br /><b>SUPPORT!</b><br /><b>I can\'t TELL YOU </b>how great it is to have someone there reaching milestones with you, achieving successes with you...just generally sharing in the experience. It was great to get through a workout, look at Megan 5 feet away, and high five her after we finished a workout. The look we gave each other after finishing the last workout of week 1 was of such accomplishment, relief, and joy...in that moment we knew we could do it - if you can get through the first week you can get through it all...<b>and we had done it! </b>Sharing that with her was great! Working with a partner I was able to <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/09/lose-your-limits.html\" target=\"_blank\">lose my limits</a> and achieve new heights I never would\'ve dreamed of before...I\'m running a half marathon in a week and a half for crying out loud!<br /><br />Likewise, it\'s great to be able to share in your struggles and work through it together. We were both practically dying on the floor together during some of the more intense days during some of the programs we did...but we looked at each other, reaffirmed we could do it, and kept going. You keep going for yourself, you keep going for them...whether it\'s because you want to succeed for them or because you want to challenge them to keep up...it\'s because <b>they\'re there</b>. <b>They\'re doing it too. </b>That other person can make the difference. They can also help to shield you from outside influences too...help keep you strong. When you\'re in it with someone else, they can help defend against the <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/08/haters.html\" target=\"_blank\">Haters</a>. <br /><br /><b>Accountability</b><br />If you\'re doing your workouts with someone else...they\'re gonna know if you didn\'t do it. Maybe because you work out together, maybe because you check in with each other...but <b>they\'ll know</b>. Whether they give you crap for not doing it or whether you feel guilty all on your own...having that other person can keep you honest and get you to do it on a day you\'d otherwise say <i>screw it</i>. Knowing that other person is tracking their progress and will be showing you their before/afters can also encourage you to work just a little bit harder throughout the course of the program instead of taking it easy on yourself. Besides...if you\'re gonna commit, <b>why not go whole-hog?</b><br /><br /><b>THIS IS NOT A NEW IDEA</b><br /><br />Working out with others is by no means a new idea...workout classes, CrossFit gyms, etc...there are countless people, groups, and organizations that use and encourage the buddy system or the group mentality. Why? <b>Because it works</b>. Having a community of people all in it together makes it work so much better.<br /><b> </b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KuZMwagaiGg/UlgGym6nN4I/AAAAAAAAB4E/UfZQ_RrjzXI/s1600/BBAltSigB.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KuZMwagaiGg/UlgGym6nN4I/AAAAAAAAB4E/UfZQ_RrjzXI/s1600/BBAltSigB.jpg\" /></a></div><b> </b><br /><b> </b><br /><b>What About That \"Challenge Group\" You Mentioned?</b><br /><br />Many<b> </b>BeachBody Coaches out there (probably all, really) run \"Challenge Groups\". Each coach, I\'m sure, does it differently. The idea, no matter how, specifically, they do it, is that a group of people (maybe 5, 10, 20...depends on the coach) all do the same program starting on the same day. They check in on a special Facebook group (or through some other method, again, depending on the coach) and talk about their progress. People in the group will talk about their struggles and successes, share in their accomplishments and difficulties, and seek advice, guidance, and motivation from the rest of the group and their coach. The coach is usually always there to actively guide and encourage the group members and provides tools for success to make sure each individual can achieve their fitness goals. Some coaches run their group for the full duration of the program, and some run it for a month or two. The idea is to help make sure, again, that each individual has the support, encouragement, and tools necessary to achieve success.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DvAPRqiRNpA/Ul8K0foMflI/AAAAAAAAB5A/WxHDvU36Jlk/s1600/challengegroup.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"400\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DvAPRqiRNpA/Ul8K0foMflI/AAAAAAAAB5A/WxHDvU36Jlk/s400/challengegroup.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div><br />I am running a P90X Challenge Group. My group will be pushing play for Day 1 on Monday, October 28th. I\'ll be starting to put out information and guidance for them this weekend, getting them ready and preparing them for the challenge to come. If you are interested, please don\'t hesitate to reach out to me at <a href=\"mailto:Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com\">Darrell@SoTHISIsFitness.com</a>, make an account on <a href=\"http://www.teambeachbody.com/\">www.TeamBeachBody.com</a> (identify me as your coach - coach id 301487 or screenname SoTHISIsFitness - I\'ll find you), or request to join the <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/group/SoTHISIsFitness\" target=\"_blank\">\"So Fit\" Family facebook group</a>. You&nbsp; can get the program through me at www.BeachBodyCoach.com/SoTHISIsFitness . <b>If you\'re interested, you likely need to order by Friday or Saturday in order to have it in-hand in time. </b><br /><br />I\'m SO excited to have the opportunity to help people achieve their goals and finally attain success. This is the first program I did...it\'s what started me on the path to  where I am now! It\'s great to see that it\'ll also be the first program like  this for a number of people who have already committed to the Challenge  Group. I\'d love to help you too! That\'s the whole point of this blog. <br /><br /><b>So why do it alone?</b><br /><br />I\'m sure there\'s <b>someone </b>you know that also wants to make a change. <b>Someone </b>else who\'s having the same thoughts go through their head that are going through yours. Try feeling it out among those you know and see if someone wants to join you. Maybe you\'d rather go through a challenge group or online support community (like the <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/group/SoTHISIsFitness\" target=\"_blank\">So Fit Family</a>) to find your encouragement and motivation. Whatever the case, know that <b>you don\'t have to do it alone. </b>It\'s always better together. Happy Hump Day!','It\'s Always Better Together','','inherit','closed','closed','','93-revision-v1','','','2017-01-20 16:45:20','2017-01-20 21:45:20','',93,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/93-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(781,1,'2017-01-20 16:45:20','2017-01-20 21:45:20','At this point a lot of people have heard, seen or read <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">my story</a> and asked me <b>how I did it</b>. How I got started? How I stayed motivated to keep going? Turns out, a lot of people ask me that question because <b>they want to know how THEY can do it too</b>.<br /><br />Well, here we are. The \"Get Up And GO\" Guide. This will break down everything you need to know, do, and remind yourself in order to...well... Get Up and GO! Let\'s dive right in - <br /><br />First Thing\'s First<b> - Get Out Of Your Own Way!</b><br /><b></b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b><br /></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LH9jfUr-XhM/UgKqj7IHAOI/AAAAAAAABHE/CFvxtJCN2P8/s1600/stifstopsign.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LH9jfUr-XhM/UgKqj7IHAOI/AAAAAAAABHE/CFvxtJCN2P8/s1600/stifstopsign.jpg\" /></a></div><b>YOU </b>are the only obstacle in your way. Nobody can<br />tell you that <b>you can\'t do it</b>. <b>Your voice</b> is the only voice that matters. You are <b>perfectly capable</b> of achieving your goals. So, <b>stop the excuses</b>, <b>do</b> what you need to do to be in a position to begin your journey...and <b>do it!</b> I could go on for hours, but that\'s about all there is to say in this part of the guide. I\'ve already talked about the <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-i-dont-feel-like-it-syndrome.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"I Don\'t Feel Like It Syndrome\"</a>, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/defeating-demotivators-1-fear-monster.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Fear Monster</a>, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-1-napoleon-complex.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Napoleon Complex</a> and <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-the-truth-about-motivation.html\" target=\"_blank\">motivation itself</a>, so we\'ve covered a lot of the bases concerning why you might not have been doing anything - it\'s time to figure out what\'s been keeping you away from a better you and <b>beat it</b>. Those other articles might <br />help.<br /><br /><b>So What Are You Gonna Do Now?</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Meem0uxYX6U/UgPzfNL6fHI/AAAAAAAABHk/vf2fQbWEsgc/s1600/ok-now-what.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Meem0uxYX6U/UgPzfNL6fHI/AAAAAAAABHk/vf2fQbWEsgc/s320/ok-now-what.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>&nbsp; </b><br />No, really...assuming you\'re ready to do something, you have to know <b>what it is</b> you\'re gonna do! That means you need to have a goal envisioned in your mind. What is your goal - <b>what do you want</b> in the end? It\'s going to be a long road, and you need a road map to get there. So, figure it out!<br /><b> </b><br />Are you trying to burn fat and get lean (known in fitness world as \"cutting\") or get big and build muscle (\"bulking\")? What do you want to look like? What size do you want to be? What weight are you shooting for? Where do you want to be in a year? I know it seems far off, but if you set your ultimate goal now you can figure out your plan and set little, more immediately attainable goals to achieve along the way. Trust me - little victories along the path to the Promised Land can do a lot more for you than you can appreciate right now.<br /><br /><b>OK, </b>So you know where you want to go - <b>How Do You Get There?</b><br /><br />This is the part where you have to choose your starting point - what you\'re actually going to do to start losing/gaining weight. This can be a big decision, and it IS an important one.&nbsp;<b> </b>Megan (my fiancee) and I were between two programs - P90X and INSANITY. We were familiar with the two from word of mouth, internet ads, and tv infomercials. We had a rough idea of what we were in for and what the two were like. In the end, the differences we were deciding between were:<br /><br />P90X - requires some equipment, allows lots of modification of moves, well-rounded program<br />Insanity - requires NO equipment, doesn\'t really allow much modification (or any at all), cardio HELL. <br /><br />We decided, in the end, to do P90X first. Frankly, <b>I\'m glad we did</b>. For what we were looking to do it was a good starting point. It allowed us to ease into things modifying moves and achieving little victories, still getting the full workout done instead of failing after one or two full-out intense reps. It allowed us to <b>feel good</b> about our achievements and see our <b>progress</b> as we went along. <b>Yes,</b> we would\'ve seen progress in INSANITY too, but the fact we couldn\'t go balls-to-the-wall and get more than a couple reps might have discouraged us from finishing the program. Doint P90X also helped us build a base of muscle and shed some initial weight (read: a LOT of weight) that helped make INSANITY suck a whole lot less.<br /><br />In the end, <b>we made the right choice for us</b>. Maybe the other choice would\'ve worked for you. That\'s probably the toughest part - in the end, <b>you have to make the call.</b> Look into your available options and choose what you think is going to serve you best. P90X allowed my 300 lb out-of-shape self to struggle for 10 pushups on my knees and still complete the workout. Progress is progress -<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLDUQomQlGk/UgRhkwa-zqI/AAAAAAAABH0/llsPETZ427c/s1600/dead-last-finish-meme.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"200\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLDUQomQlGk/UgRhkwa-zqI/AAAAAAAABH0/llsPETZ427c/s400/dead-last-finish-meme.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>Because let\'s be honest - you\'re already lapping the guy still sitting on the couch.<br /><br />Once you figure out what you\'re doing, you need <b>the tools for success</b>.<br /><br /><b>What are The Tools For Success?</b><br /><br />Generally, whatever the program you\'re doing calls for! If you\'re going to do a program like P90X that requires equipment, <u><b>you need that equipment!</b></u> Things like resistance bands, pull-up bars, push-up stands, yoga mats, etc can be found at stores like Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, Wal-Mart, or your favorite sporting goods store. I got my resistance band set for about $12, same with some nice push-up stands. Yoga mat was about $12 for a nice one and yoga block was $5 (worth it). Trust me,<b> the equipment</b> <b>is worth the investment</b>. Don\'t let a few extra bucks scare you away - it\'s worth it for your health, fitness and enjoyment. I\'d happily invest that $50 again to add enjoyable years onto my life. If you\'re going a little more hardcore with something like P90X2 or Body Beast, you\'ve probably already done some workout programs and have built up a collection of equipment already. <b>Don\'t choose a program simply because of a lack of required equipment</b>. I almost made that mistake, and if I had, I might have gotten discouraged and quit INSANITY, and I never would\'ve gotten in shape and started running.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RAPp4HY0GyQ/UgRt0lGoo_I/AAAAAAAABIk/MWs3CFqF70I/s1600/IMG_20130730_103135_867.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"360\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RAPp4HY0GyQ/UgRt0lGoo_I/AAAAAAAABIk/MWs3CFqF70I/s640/IMG_20130730_103135_867.jpg\" width=\"640\" /></a></div><br />If the program you\'re doing has worksheets, trust me...<b>print them and use them. </b>I WISH I had printed and used the P90X worksheets - I\'d LOVE to see how far I\'ve come since then. Not only that, but the worksheets help you stay on track, remember what weight/how many reps you did last time, and <b>continue to steadily improve</b>. I thought I knew better. Guess what? <b>I didn\'t.</b><b> </b>I\'ve come so far that now, in Body Beast, not only did I use worksheets, but I found better worksheets online and modified them to suit my needs. <b>USE THE WORKSHEETS</b>. You\'ll thank yourself later.<br /><br /><b>Before and After Pictures &amp; Measurements are HUGELY Important!</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7bfQ1zYljU/UgRmPd603xI/AAAAAAAABIE/a9_wxDme9Sk/s1600/885308_10101200011174872_1745072204_o.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"377\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7bfQ1zYljU/UgRmPd603xI/AAAAAAAABIE/a9_wxDme9Sk/s640/885308_10101200011174872_1745072204_o.jpg\" width=\"640\" /></a></b></div><br />Seriously, if you take one piece of advice, take this - <b>DO THE BEFORE AND AFTERS!</b> You have no idea how sorry I almost was...I waited until Day 6 of P90X to do before pictures.&nbsp;<b> </b>I was<i><b> so ashamed</b></i> of my body and <u>disgusted</u> with how I looked<b> I didn\'t even want to do before pictures</b>. <b>I wanted to forget all about it</b>. I am SO glad I finally did the before pictures. I can see how far I\'ve come! I can appreciate my achievements! It\'s such a great feeling and now that I\'m so much more fit people look at the before and can\'t believe it. (you can see all the <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">before &amp; afters here</a>) I <b>wish </b>I had taken measurements before. The only one I have is my waist size, and that\'s not entirely accurate. It was likely bigger than I think. <br /><b>Take Pictures, take your measurements, document your journey. Fit-&amp;-Healthy You WILL thank yourself. </b><br /><br /><b>Once you do that, it\'s GO TIME</b><br /><br /><b>SO, </b>You\'ve got direction, you\'ve got a program, you\'ve got the tools and you\'ve taken the pics/measurements. Presumably, you have a <b>suitable space</b> to do your workout. Anywhere you can do your workout, use your equipment, not disturb others (too much) and not be disturbed by others will do. <b>Don\'t worry about people watching you</b> <b>- let the hater\'s hate. </b>I would think anyone that could see you in your workout space would be someone close to you, and I would hope someone that close wouldn\'t judge you. <br /><br /><b>NOW that we\'ve moved on from the haters - </b>Get your fit test done (if there is one). Some programs, such as P90X, have a fit test you do before and after the program, whereas other programs like INSANITY have a fit test that is part of the regular schedule. Whatever the case, DO IT. Again, <b>you\'ll thank yourself later</b>. <br /><br /><b>This Is The Easy Part</b><br /><br />Not to rip a line from Nike or anything...but...well...Just Do It! You\'ve got everything you need. Just. Freaking. <b>DO IT! </b>If you need motivation along the way, just think about where you came from, where you want to be, and how much you don\'t want to look like that before picture again. Think about how good it feels to finish a workout and have that little success under your belt. Think of how good it feels to see yourself shrinking week to week, see your clothes fitting looser, needing to go shopping to buy new ones. Think of your loved ones and how you\'d like to be around a little longer for them, or how you\'d like to look better for them. If you\'re like I was, think of <b>how much it sucks to get winded going up one flight of stairs</b>. Everyone has that one little nugget of <i>something</i> that will kick their butt into gear no matter how much the workout sucks, how much you\'re swearing at Tony Horton or Shaun T through the TV, or how much you REALLY just <i>don\'t </i>want to get out of bed and go work out this morning.<br /><br /><b>If you need a little outside help</b> keeping yourself accountable, be a part of a group designed for just such a purpose. There are many on Facebook, many in real life (with real people!) too. Enough people reached out to me talking about inspiration and asking for advice that I went and made one. If you want, you can become a part of it&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/sothisisfitness/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>. I\'ve been a part of one for a while and I can tell you it was definitely a great motivator on the days I needed it. Other days, it\'s a great place to learn something or help motivate others. <b>Maybe having a workout partner </b>is what you need. I know having my fiancee there beside me every day doing the workout with me was a big deal. <b>I tried harder</b>. For her and for me. If she could do it, I could do it. If I could do it, she could do it. We were a <b>team</b>. Once we got to the end of Week 1 Day 6 we looked at each other and said \"If we can get through the first week, we can get through the whole thing.\" - and we did. <br /><br /><b>Fight off those last little excuses </b>that creep into your mind! Don\'t try to fool yourself and say you don\'t have time: no matter how long you work, how screwed up your hours, how awful your schedule, remember: <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MxsTZj6guyg/UgRq8Uu1ZEI/AAAAAAAABIY/tTzzOSFUWF4/s1600/too-busy.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MxsTZj6guyg/UgRq8Uu1ZEI/AAAAAAAABIY/tTzzOSFUWF4/s320/too-busy.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">Think you<b> can\'t do it? </b>It\'s just<b> too hard </b>and you\'re <b>too out of shape?</b></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-isFEI803Hzc/UgRxlKyUZzI/AAAAAAAABI0/QiEz6h3NlAI/s1600/no-excuses.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-isFEI803Hzc/UgRxlKyUZzI/AAAAAAAABI0/QiEz6h3NlAI/s320/no-excuses.jpg\" width=\"310\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">So <b>get to it, Nancy. <u>You got this. </u></b></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><b> </b>','The \"Get Up And GO\" Guide','','inherit','closed','closed','','120-revision-v1','','','2017-01-20 16:45:20','2017-01-20 21:45:20','',120,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/120-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),(782,1,'2017-01-20 16:45:51','2017-01-20 21:45:51','At this point a lot of people have heard, seen or read <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">my story</a> and asked me <b>how I did it</b>. How I got started? How I stayed motivated to keep going? Turns out, a lot of people ask me that question because <b>they want to know how THEY can do it too</b>.<br /><br />Well, here we are. The \"Get Up And GO\" Guide. This will break down everything you need to know, do, and remind yourself in order to...well... Get Up and GO! Let\'s dive right in - <br /><br />First Thing\'s First<b> - Get Out Of Your Own Way!</b><br /><b></b><br /><a name=\'more\'></a><b><br /></b><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LH9jfUr-XhM/UgKqj7IHAOI/AAAAAAAABHE/CFvxtJCN2P8/s1600/stifstopsign.jpg\" style=\"clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LH9jfUr-XhM/UgKqj7IHAOI/AAAAAAAABHE/CFvxtJCN2P8/s1600/stifstopsign.jpg\" /></a></div><b>YOU </b>are the only obstacle in your way. Nobody can<br />tell you that <b>you can\'t do it</b>. <b>Your voice</b> is the only voice that matters. You are <b>perfectly capable</b> of achieving your goals. So, <b>stop the excuses</b>, <b>do</b> what you need to do to be in a position to begin your journey...and <b>do it!</b> I could go on for hours, but that\'s about all there is to say in this part of the guide. I\'ve already talked about the <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/the-i-dont-feel-like-it-syndrome.html\" target=\"_blank\">\"I Don\'t Feel Like It Syndrome\"</a>, <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/defeating-demotivators-1-the-fear-monster.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Fear Monster</a>, <a href=\"http://www.sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/why-workouts-fail-1-napoleon-complex.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Napoleon Complex</a> and <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/2013/07/conquer-the-truth-about-motivation.html\" target=\"_blank\">motivation itself</a>, so we\'ve covered a lot of the bases concerning why you might not have been doing anything - it\'s time to figure out what\'s been keeping you away from a better you and <b>beat it</b>. Those other articles might <br />help.<br /><br /><b>So What Are You Gonna Do Now?</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Meem0uxYX6U/UgPzfNL6fHI/AAAAAAAABHk/vf2fQbWEsgc/s1600/ok-now-what.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Meem0uxYX6U/UgPzfNL6fHI/AAAAAAAABHk/vf2fQbWEsgc/s320/ok-now-what.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><b>&nbsp; </b><br />No, really...assuming you\'re ready to do something, you have to know <b>what it is</b> you\'re gonna do! That means you need to have a goal envisioned in your mind. What is your goal - <b>what do you want</b> in the end? It\'s going to be a long road, and you need a road map to get there. So, figure it out!<br /><b> </b><br />Are you trying to burn fat and get lean (known in fitness world as \"cutting\") or get big and build muscle (\"bulking\")? What do you want to look like? What size do you want to be? What weight are you shooting for? Where do you want to be in a year? I know it seems far off, but if you set your ultimate goal now you can figure out your plan and set little, more immediately attainable goals to achieve along the way. Trust me - little victories along the path to the Promised Land can do a lot more for you than you can appreciate right now.<br /><br /><b>OK, </b>So you know where you want to go - <b>How Do You Get There?</b><br /><br />This is the part where you have to choose your starting point - what you\'re actually going to do to start losing/gaining weight. This can be a big decision, and it IS an important one.&nbsp;<b> </b>Megan (my fiancee) and I were between two programs - P90X and INSANITY. We were familiar with the two from word of mouth, internet ads, and tv infomercials. We had a rough idea of what we were in for and what the two were like. In the end, the differences we were deciding between were:<br /><br />P90X - requires some equipment, allows lots of modification of moves, well-rounded program<br />Insanity - requires NO equipment, doesn\'t really allow much modification (or any at all), cardio HELL. <br /><br />We decided, in the end, to do P90X first. Frankly, <b>I\'m glad we did</b>. For what we were looking to do it was a good starting point. It allowed us to ease into things modifying moves and achieving little victories, still getting the full workout done instead of failing after one or two full-out intense reps. It allowed us to <b>feel good</b> about our achievements and see our <b>progress</b> as we went along. <b>Yes,</b> we would\'ve seen progress in INSANITY too, but the fact we couldn\'t go balls-to-the-wall and get more than a couple reps might have discouraged us from finishing the program. Doint P90X also helped us build a base of muscle and shed some initial weight (read: a LOT of weight) that helped make INSANITY suck a whole lot less.<br /><br />In the end, <b>we made the right choice for us</b>. Maybe the other choice would\'ve worked for you. That\'s probably the toughest part - in the end, <b>you have to make the call.</b> Look into your available options and choose what you think is going to serve you best. P90X allowed my 300 lb out-of-shape self to struggle for 10 pushups on my knees and still complete the workout. Progress is progress -<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLDUQomQlGk/UgRhkwa-zqI/AAAAAAAABH0/llsPETZ427c/s1600/dead-last-finish-meme.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"200\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLDUQomQlGk/UgRhkwa-zqI/AAAAAAAABH0/llsPETZ427c/s400/dead-last-finish-meme.jpg\" width=\"400\" /></a></div>Because let\'s be honest - you\'re already lapping the guy still sitting on the couch.<br /><br />Once you figure out what you\'re doing, you need <b>the tools for success</b>.<br /><br /><b>What are The Tools For Success?</b><br /><br />Generally, whatever the program you\'re doing calls for! If you\'re going to do a program like P90X that requires equipment, <u><b>you need that equipment!</b></u> Things like resistance bands, pull-up bars, push-up stands, yoga mats, etc can be found at stores like Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, Wal-Mart, or your favorite sporting goods store. I got my resistance band set for about $12, same with some nice push-up stands. Yoga mat was about $12 for a nice one and yoga block was $5 (worth it). Trust me,<b> the equipment</b> <b>is worth the investment</b>. Don\'t let a few extra bucks scare you away - it\'s worth it for your health, fitness and enjoyment. I\'d happily invest that $50 again to add enjoyable years onto my life. If you\'re going a little more hardcore with something like P90X2 or Body Beast, you\'ve probably already done some workout programs and have built up a collection of equipment already. <b>Don\'t choose a program simply because of a lack of required equipment</b>. I almost made that mistake, and if I had, I might have gotten discouraged and quit INSANITY, and I never would\'ve gotten in shape and started running.<br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RAPp4HY0GyQ/UgRt0lGoo_I/AAAAAAAABIk/MWs3CFqF70I/s1600/IMG_20130730_103135_867.jpg\" style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"360\" src=\"http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RAPp4HY0GyQ/UgRt0lGoo_I/AAAAAAAABIk/MWs3CFqF70I/s640/IMG_20130730_103135_867.jpg\" width=\"640\" /></a></div><br />If the program you\'re doing has worksheets, trust me...<b>print them and use them. </b>I WISH I had printed and used the P90X worksheets - I\'d LOVE to see how far I\'ve come since then. Not only that, but the worksheets help you stay on track, remember what weight/how many reps you did last time, and <b>continue to steadily improve</b>. I thought I knew better. Guess what? <b>I didn\'t.</b><b> </b>I\'ve come so far that now, in Body Beast, not only did I use worksheets, but I found better worksheets online and modified them to suit my needs. <b>USE THE WORKSHEETS</b>. You\'ll thank yourself later.<br /><br /><b>Before and After Pictures &amp; Measurements are HUGELY Important!</b><br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><b><a href=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7bfQ1zYljU/UgRmPd603xI/AAAAAAAABIE/a9_wxDme9Sk/s1600/885308_10101200011174872_1745072204_o.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"377\" src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U7bfQ1zYljU/UgRmPd603xI/AAAAAAAABIE/a9_wxDme9Sk/s640/885308_10101200011174872_1745072204_o.jpg\" width=\"640\" /></a></b></div><br />Seriously, if you take one piece of advice, take this - <b>DO THE BEFORE AND AFTERS!</b> You have no idea how sorry I almost was...I waited until Day 6 of P90X to do before pictures.&nbsp;<b> </b>I was<i><b> so ashamed</b></i> of my body and <u>disgusted</u> with how I looked<b> I didn\'t even want to do before pictures</b>. <b>I wanted to forget all about it</b>. I am SO glad I finally did the before pictures. I can see how far I\'ve come! I can appreciate my achievements! It\'s such a great feeling and now that I\'m so much more fit people look at the before and can\'t believe it. (you can see all the <a href=\"http://sothisisfitness.com/meet-darrell/my-journey\" target=\"_blank\">before &amp; afters here</a>) I <b>wish </b>I had taken measurements before. The only one I have is my waist size, and that\'s not entirely accurate. It was likely bigger than I think. <br /><b>Take Pictures, take your measurements, document your journey. Fit-&amp;-Healthy You WILL thank yourself. </b><br /><br /><b>Once you do that, it\'s GO TIME</b><br /><br /><b>SO, </b>You\'ve got direction, you\'ve got a program, you\'ve got the tools and you\'ve taken the pics/measurements. Presumably, you have a <b>suitable space</b> to do your workout. Anywhere you can do your workout, use your equipment, not disturb others (too much) and not be disturbed by others will do. <b>Don\'t worry about people watching you</b> <b>- let the hater\'s hate. </b>I would think anyone that could see you in your workout space would be someone close to you, and I would hope someone that close wouldn\'t judge you. <br /><br /><b>NOW that we\'ve moved on from the haters - </b>Get your fit test done (if there is one). Some programs, such as P90X, have a fit test you do before and after the program, whereas other programs like INSANITY have a fit test that is part of the regular schedule. Whatever the case, DO IT. Again, <b>you\'ll thank yourself later</b>. <br /><br /><b>This Is The Easy Part</b><br /><br />Not to rip a line from Nike or anything...but...well...Just Do It! You\'ve got everything you need. Just. Freaking. <b>DO IT! </b>If you need motivation along the way, just think about where you came from, where you want to be, and how much you don\'t want to look like that before picture again. Think about how good it feels to finish a workout and have that little success under your belt. Think of how good it feels to see yourself shrinking week to week, see your clothes fitting looser, needing to go shopping to buy new ones. Think of your loved ones and how you\'d like to be around a little longer for them, or how you\'d like to look better for them. If you\'re like I was, think of <b>how much it sucks to get winded going up one flight of stairs</b>. Everyone has that one little nugget of <i>something</i> that will kick their butt into gear no matter how much the workout sucks, how much you\'re swearing at Tony Horton or Shaun T through the TV, or how much you REALLY just <i>don\'t </i>want to get out of bed and go work out this morning.<br /><br /><b>If you need a little outside help</b> keeping yourself accountable, be a part of a group designed for just such a purpose. There are many on Facebook, many in real life (with real people!) too. Enough people reached out to me talking about inspiration and asking for advice that I went and made one. If you want, you can become a part of it&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/groups/sothisisfitness/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>. I\'ve been a part of one for a while and I can tell you it was definitely a great motivator on the days I needed it. Other days, it\'s a great place to learn something or help motivate others. <b>Maybe having a workout partner </b>is what you need. I know having my fiancee there beside me every day doing the workout with me was a big deal. <b>I tried harder</b>. For her and for me. If she could do it, I could do it. If I could do it, she could do it. We were a <b>team</b>. Once we got to the end of Week 1 Day 6 we looked at each other and said \"If we can get through the first week, we can get through the whole thing.\" - and we did. <br /><br /><b>Fight off those last little excuses </b>that creep into your mind! Don\'t try to fool yourself and say you don\'t have time: no matter how long you work, how screwed up your hours, how awful your schedule, remember: <br /><br /><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MxsTZj6guyg/UgRq8Uu1ZEI/AAAAAAAABIY/tTzzOSFUWF4/s1600/too-busy.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"240\" src=\"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MxsTZj6guyg/UgRq8Uu1ZEI/AAAAAAAABIY/tTzzOSFUWF4/s320/too-busy.jpg\" width=\"320\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">Think you<b> can\'t do it? </b>It\'s just<b> too hard </b>and you\'re <b>too out of shape?</b></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-isFEI803Hzc/UgRxlKyUZzI/AAAAAAAABI0/QiEz6h3NlAI/s1600/no-excuses.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-isFEI803Hzc/UgRxlKyUZzI/AAAAAAAABI0/QiEz6h3NlAI/s320/no-excuses.jpg\" width=\"310\" /></a></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\">So <b>get to it, Nancy. <u>You got this. </u></b></div><div style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"><br /></div><b> </b>','The \"Get Up And GO\" Guide','','inherit','closed','closed','','120-revision-v1','','','2017-01-20 16:45:51','2017-01-20 21:45:51','',120,'http://sothisisfitness.com/2017/01/120-revision-v1.html',0,'revision','',0),