Daytona 500 Winner Jimmie Johnson is also Fast in the Half Marathon!

Johnson finished the Daytona Beach Half Marathon in 1:29:49...on the same day as he drove the qualifying rounds for the 500! Nice. That's a 6:51 pace. Wowza.

And Daytona 500 racer Kasey Kahne was only able to drive to a 36th place finish on the oval...but ran the Half Marathon in 1:28:44! Take that, Jimmie!

Runner's World article here.

Northwest Running and Triathlon Race Calendar - March 2013

Yes, it's that beautiful week which welcomes the first day of Spring! Oh Glorious Spring!

It also seems to welcome in quite a few Half Marathons. So get out there and get running.

Let's race!

-Green Text for Trail Runs
-Red Text for Marathons and Half Marathons
-Blue Text for Triathlons and Duathlons
-Orange Text for everything else, the normal 5k, 10k, etc

RACES FOR WEEK OF MARCH 18th TO MARCH 24th

March 24th / Titlow Mud Run 2m / Tacoma, WA

March 23rd / Resolution Run Series 20m and 20k / Steilacoom, WA

March 23rd / Dizzy Daze 12-hour Run / Seattle, WA

March 24th / McKenzie River Half Marathon / Springfield, OR

March 24th / Comox Valley RV Half Marathon / Courtenay, BC

March 24th / Run Ladies Run Half Marathon and 10k / Friday Harbor, WA

March 24th / Hop Hop Half Marathon / Portland, OR

March 24th / Mercer Island Rotary Half Marathon, 10k and 5k / Mercer Island, WA

March 23rd / Spring Into Action Duathlon Sprint / Seattle, WA

March 24th / Rainman Indoor Triathlon Sprint / Seattle, WA

March 21st / Bring In Spring 5k / Eugene, OR (Thursday Night Race!)

March 23rd / Cougar Fun Run 10k and 5k / Echo, OR

March 23rd / Spring Into Action 15k, 10k and 5k / Seattle, WA

March 23rd / Not Too Stinkin' Cold to Run 5m and 5k / Soap Lake, WA

March 23rd / Karelian Bear Dog 5k / Mill Creek, WA

March 23rd / Mead Marching Madness 5k / Spokane, WA

March 23rd / Pooch and Pal 10k and 5k / Richland, WA

March 23rd / Rapid Rabbit Run 5k / Spokane Valley, WA

March 23rd / River and Rails Run 10k and 5k / Arlington, WA

March 23rd / Community Health and Fitness Run 5k / Idaho Falls, ID

March 23rd / Warrior Trek 5k / Twin Falls, ID

March 23rd / Run Baby Run 10k and 5k / Great Falls, MT

March 24th / The Big Climb Stair Climbing Event / Seattle, WA

March 24th / Fitness for Vitality 10k and 5k / Seattle, WA

March 24th / Jaimeson Jones Memorial 5k / Kenmore, WA

Yeah, we don't have a Rita's around here, but if you do, go get your free treat on the first day of Spring!

Hagg Lake 50k / 25k Results and Recap

So over the weekend, the wildly popular Hagg Lake Mud Runs were run. And run well. Course records were set in the 50k for both men and women. Here's a short recap from Runner's World. And an article from the Oregonian here, with video!

Just need results? Here they are.

The weather was pretty good but there was definitely mud, as you can see from the photos here and more linked on the Hagg Lake Facebook page here.

Seafair Benaroya Triathlon 2013 Registration Discount - Kick Off Party!

Yeppers, this Wednesday, from 4pm to 7pm, at Speedy Reedy in Seattle.

They'll have one-day only registration discounts, so don't be late!

Here's the info.

Word is that there will be freebies handed out. Woot!

Word also is that Speedy Reedy will give a 15% discount on all tri crap during the event. Woot Woot!

Get on it!

Best Running Song for February - We No Speak Americano - Yolanda Be Cool

Yeah, I have no idea how I missed this one for so long. "We No Speak Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool and DCUP. Apparently it was first released in February of 2010. Since then it's been a huge hit all over the world, including a top 40 song in the US and Canada. It was on the soundtracks for the movies Hop and Madagascar 3. It was in Just Dance 4. It was sampled by Pitbull for his hit "Bon Bon."

And Gabby Douglas used it in her floor routine at the 2012 Olympics! Where have I been?

Anyway, I didn't know about it, had never even heard it, until my son said it was the hip new thing at his middle school.

But hey, if you've got a speedwork session coming up...wow, is this the song for you. Bouncy? Yes. Jumpy? Yes. Fast? Yep. A little bit repetitive and annoying? Oh yeah. But it does the trick - it makes your feet move faster whether you want them to or not.

Here, practice your dance moves.



Here's a funny marketing stunt from Yolanda Be Cool, recalling their song.



Here's another song by Yolanda Be Cool, "Change." Video doesn't make much sense, but I sort of like the beats.



Not a huge Pitbull fan, but here's "Bon Bon," where he samples steals "We No Speak Americano." Also, nice job dragging music video back 30 years there, Pitbull.



Rock that Run!

Past Best Running Songs: January: The Naked and Famous / "Young Blood" December: Of Monsters and Men / "Little Talks" November: The Black Keys / "Little Black Submarines" October: Cold War Kids / "Hospital Beds" September: Bloc Party / "Octopus" August: Matt and Kim / "Let's Go" July: Gemini / "Blue" June: Joe Jackson / "Got the Time" May: Tiesto vs. Diplo / "C'mon!" April: Grouplove / "Tongue Tied" March: Foxy Shazam / "I Like It" February: Foster the People / "Don't Stop" January: Hot Hot Heat / "Bandages" December: Camp Lo / "Luchini aka This Is It" November: Wolfmother / "Joker and the Thief" October: Phoenix / "1901" September: Matt and Kim / "Daylight" August: Collie Buddz / "Holiday" July: Pretenders / "Tattooed Love Boys" June: The Wombats / "Moving to New York" May: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros / "40 Day Dream" April: Foxy Shazam / "Unstoppable" March: Pharrell / "Fun Fun Fun" February: Puff Daddy / "Come With Me" January: We Are Scientists / "The Great Escape" December: Cee Lo Green / "F**k You" November: Tokyo Police Club / "Breakneck Speed" October: Two Door Cinema Club / "Something Good Can Work" September: Stone Temple Pilots / "Cinnamon" August: Louis XIV / "Guilt by Association" July: Devo / "Fresh" June: Saliva / "Your Disease" May: Metric / "Gold Guns Girls" April: OK Go / "This Too Shall Pass" March: The Hours / "Ali In The Jungle" February: Los Fabulosos Cadillacs / "El Matador" January: White Rabbits / "Percussion Gun" December: Deftones / "Knife Prty" November: The Kooks / "Always Where I Need To Be" October: At the Drive In / "One Armed Scissor" September: Silversun Pickups / "Lazy Eye" August: Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros / "Johnny Appleseed" July: Deathray / "I Wanna Lose Control (Uh Oh)" June: Raconteurs / "Salute Your Solution" May: Tea Party / "Save Me" April: Bloc Party / "Like Eating Glass" Ever: The English Beat / "I Confess"

Twelve Mistakes Runners Make

Great article in Running Times from Pete Magill on the 12 most common mistakes that runners make. Whether you're new to running or a 30-year veteran, I guarantee you'll see yourself making more than one of these errors, including "Starting Too Fast" and "Neglect Speed."

Check it out.

Yes, socks with sandals is a mistake...whether you run in them or not.

Northwest Running and Triathlon Calendar - March 2013 - St. Patrick Day Runs

Most of the St. Patrick's Day runs will hit the calendar next week - so stay tuned! - but there are a few on this week's schedule as well. So dig out that hideous green shirt from the back of your closet and sign up for something!

Let's race!

-Green Text for Trail Runs
-Red Text for Marathons and Half Marathons
-Blue Text for Triathlons and Duathlons
-Orange Text for everything else, the normal 5k, 10k, etc

RACES FOR WEEK OF MARCH 4th TO MARCH 10th

March 9th / Buck Mountain Mudslinger Trail Run 6.5m / Silverton, OR

March 9th / Race to the Cape Trail Run 10m / Tillamook, OR

March 9th / Lake Sammamish Half  Marathon / Redmond, WA

March 9th / Spring Sprint Duathlon / Lewiston, ID

March 10th / Walla Walla Dirty Duathlon Trail Sprint / Walla Walla, WA

March 9th / Team Congo PDX's Group 10k and 5k / Portland, OR

March 9th / Run of Two Cities 10k and 5k / Coos Bay, OR

March 9th / Run for the Shamrock 10k and 5k / Eugene, OR

March 9th / Astoria Run for Breast Cancer Research 5k / Astoria, OR

March 9th / Karelian Bear Dog 5k / Olympia, WA

March 9th / King County Bar Association YLD 5k / Seattle, WA

March 9th / S & M Challenge Obstacle Course 5k / Castle Rock, WA

March 9th / Speed to Feed Idaho 10k and 5k / Boise, ID

March 9th / Shamrock Run 5m / Central Point, OR

March 10th / Synergy Health Management Bazan Bay 5k / Sidney, BC

Bad ass Nike Air Max from Kicks on Fire.

Eugene Marathon 2013 - Free Preview Runs

It's strange that I can't find anything about this on the official Eugene Marathon website, but it was the first item in an e-mail I received from the official Eugene Marathon E-Mail Senders.

Two Preview Runs of parts of the official Eugene Marathon course. If you haven't run it before, it's always nice to get a look at the actual course. If you have run it before, well these are great LSD runs for your training program.

Here it is, straight from the Eugene Marathon:

Sunday, February 24:
Previews: Franklin Blvd.,Springfield, Valley River
Approximately 13 miles

Sunday, March 24:
Previews: Final sections of the full marathon
Approximately 16 miles

The free preview runs are non-competitive with no times or awards given. All runs start at 8:00 a.m. outside of Hayward Field; on the corner of Agate and 15th. Water and Gatorade is provided at the start, finish and one aid station along the route.

Stick around after your run and enjoy a quick, FREE MASSAGE from students at Lane Community College massage school.

Go Pre!

Electric Run Portland 2013

I'm not usually a huge fan of "gimmick" runs, but at least this one looks amusing. Night time races are always fun and neon lights are a good time.

The Electric Run. Coming to Portland on July 13th, 2013. Sort of pricey at $45 per runner, but that's better than waiting for day of race registration - $60!

Oh, and register before February 22nd and use code "ATHLINKS2" and you'll save 10%.

Check out the gallery - Yowza!

Let's light it up!

New RaceCenter NW Article Out Now - Boutique Marathons

No, I don't really know what "Boutique Marathon" means either. To me a marathon is "big" or it's "small." You know it when you see it.

But anyhoo, in the brand spanking new issue of RaceCenter NW magazine - and you can see the complete digital edition right here - the R's has a new article titled "Boutique Marathons in the Northwest." Sure, I used the term "boutique." I'm not afraid to say it. I even mention in the article that "Boutique Marathon" means a race with fewer than 1000 runners, although I just totally made that up. Seems right, I don't know.

This issue of RaceCenter also has the incredible 2013 Event Guide, which lists all (well, most) of the 2013 races that you'll be looking forward to (to which you'll be looking forward). Plus, it's got an article on the cycling Boswell's. And the yearly Tri Northwest Rankings, for you three-sport folks. Hey, it's just a great issue.

If you're old-school, like me, you can pick up a hard copy of the mag at most running shoe stores and Jamba Juice locations.

Race on.

Northwest Running and Triathlon Calendar - March 2013

And the Half Marathons are starting up! You've got to love the springtime: the flowers, the sun, the Half Marathons. My Half Marathon, the Corvallis Half, isn't until April 14th, but there are a few already in the first weekend of March if you're itching to get at it.

Let's race!

-Green Text for Trail Runs
-Red Text for Marathons and Half Marathons
-Blue Text for Triathlons and Duathlons
-Orange Text for everything else, the normal 5k, 10k, etc

RACES FOR WEEK OF FEBRUARY 25th TO MARCH 3rd

March 2nd / Mountain Marathon and Hillbilly Half Marathon / Olympia, WA

March 2nd / Les Bois Trail Run 10k / Boise, ID

March 3rd / Spring Run for Fun at Redmond Watershed Trail Run Marathon, Half Marathon, 10m and 5m / Redmond, WA

March 3rd / Stewart Mountain Trail Run 15k and 5k / Bellingham, WA

March 2nd / ORRC Champoeg 30k and 10k / Champoeg Park, OR

March 2nd / Snake River Canyon Half Marathon / Pullman, WA

March 2nd / Run for the Honeywagon Half Marathon and 4m / Everson, WA

March 3rd / Lincoln City Half Marathon and 10k / Lincoln City, OR

March 2nd / YMCA RainMan Indoor Night Triathlon Sprint / Tacoma, WA

March 3rd / Lost River Winter Triathlon Sprint (ski, bike, run) / Winthrop, WA

March 2nd / Fire and Ice Obstacle Run 5k / Snohomish, WA

March 2nd / Lincoln School Run 4.3m / Vancouver, WA

March 3rd / Fred Meyer Fort Vancouver Run 15k, 10k and 6k / Vancouver, WA

March 3rd / Donut Dash 5k / Olympia, WA

March 3rd / Drew and Michelle Medical Fund Run 10k and 5k / Eugene, OR

March 3rd / March Forth 10k and 5k / Seattle, WA

March 3rd / Red Lizard 5m / Lake Oswego, OR

March 3rd / Hot Chocolate 15k and 5k / Seattle, WA