#10 The Weekly Pep Talk - January 28 - February 3, 2008

The Weekly Pep Talk
A Running Commentary
Sponsored by Ask About Running
Volume 2, Issue #10
This week is dedicated to Dorothy D. (this woman sets an awesome example!)
Monday, January 28 – Sunday February 3, 2008
Week 5 in 2008
Send comments to: Stephanie@AskAboutRunning.com


Dear Readers:

The running race season is starting here in the Bay Area! Now for some, this Sunday may be Super Bowl Sunday. OK, fair enough. But the big event on Sunday, as we all know, is the Kaiser Half Marathon and 5K, in beautiful Golden Gate Park. It is the first big race of 2008 in this area and it’s come to have a great reputation for organization and a fast course.

Best of luck to all you runners! I know we have several running club members participating so GO FOR IT! Please send us your race reviews. It’s always great incentive for the rest of us when we hear your stories of commitment and success!

Train for the Bay to Breakers
Starting this week I offer a weekly training schedule for beginning runners and walkers wanting to do the Bay to Breakers. You can start from scratch and be ready to participate in this fun event scheduled for May. Both training schedules are listed on the http://altbgo.blogspot.com/ as well as being attached to The Weekly Pep Talk. If you’re a more advanced runner you can still use the schedule but have to add some speed and intensity to the workouts. 7.46 miles is a great challenge for new competitors yet anyone who commits to the training at this time can complete the distance. I encourage you to give it a try!

Register as a Group?
The deadline for registering as a group is the same as for individuals however, early registration ends March 31st, so we would miss out on the cheaper registration fee, which along with the group discount, makes it a pretty good deal. If I’m going to organize the group, I need your commitment by 3/25/08. All I need is your names. Anyone can enter with us. We pay individually. I’ll submit the names that have been given to me; we get a code to use on Active.com. You handle your own registration directly online. That’s that.

From Last Week…
BAY TO BREAKERS – GROUP SIGN-UP SAVES 10 – 15%
If we have a good sized group we could have fun and get a discount for the Bay to Breakers. I think this could be a great “first race” for any of you who have not competed. And, for the veterans in the group, you know that you have to approach this race as a party. The Bay to Breakers is not a time to try for a PR (Personal Best)! However, I think we should try to do a group entry and then have a party afterwards!

I’ll be willing to do the online version for those of you who send me your name. Please read the details and confirm if you want to join. I’ll get the deadline information for submitting our name list.

This does not require that we run together nor are we required to be Ask About Running Club Members. I think anyone can enter through our group as long as they meet the deadline. That will come next week. I’ll be back in touch…

DISCOUNTS
Group Size
Discount
25 or more
10%
50 ore more
15%
Online Group Registration
· Group organizer collects the names of everyone in the group and submits the list to ING Bay to Breakers.
· ING Bay to Breakers establishes a special Coupon Code on Active.com
· ING Bay to Breakers provides coupon code to the group organizer so group members can register online using the code. (This coupon code is limited to the exact number of people submitted by the group organizer.)
Restrictions
· If someone has already registered for the race, they are not eligible for the group discount.
More info?
ING Bay to Breakers 12K Team www.ingbaytobreakers.com
97th Race: May 18, 2008 Always the Third Sunday in May

Carpooling in San Francisco
Katie lives near the SF CalTrain station in SOMA (4th & King) and doesn’t have a car. Anyone in her area willing to pick her up on Sundays so she can run with our group? Please contact me and I’ll forward her E-mail address. Stephanie@askaboutrunning.com
Welcome to new members of the Ask About Running Club
I’d like to welcome 4 new members. Welcome ladies!
Jeanetta M
Sandra O.
Rachel L.
Debra Michelle H.

If you haven’t already joined this group, now’s the perfect time. The days are getting warmer and lighter every weekend. We’re still working on getting the weather to cooperate but, in all honesty, it hasn’t been bad once we got going. It’s the driving or initial getting in the car where we psych ourselves out. So, make the commitment. You know you’ll be glad you did. And I’d love to share some of the new locations with you.

This week, in fact, we’re going over to Point Isabel, in Richmond, near Costco. The route is flat and lovely, along a paved path with great views of the bay, the bridge, and San Francisco. It offers parking and toilets (porta-potties). Water is available from a faucet used to fill dog bowls so, you might want to bring enough of your own! We do not run with dogs but the area has a very popular dog walking section so, the parking lot is generally full of the canine types.

We’ll miss our Kaiser Half Marathon Running Buddies this weekend but otherwise, COME ON OUT! Let’ put in some miles!

FYI - An upcoming run - The Tom Caruso memorial 10K.
The 8th Annual Tom Caruso Run/Walk is Sunday, February 10th, 2008 at 9am in Golden Gate Park by the Conservatory of Flowers. Join fellow runners and walkers to celebrate the life of a man whose passion for running lives on through this memorial event.

Please come and show support for one of your fellow runners. Tom Caruso, who was a graduate at the USF Business School and President of the MBA Alumni Association, has his memorial run coming up on the 10th of February. You can run, walk, hang out with family and friends, bring your strollers, pets, and even just donate to the cause without ever being present. Tom Caruso, graduate of St. Ignatius High School, St Mary's College and USF's MBA program, was the type of person people like immediately. An avid marathon runner, Tom was training for the Olympic trials when he was struck and killed by a cab in Las Vegas in February 2000. Sign up today on Active.com http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1502348 Proceeds benefit the Tom Caruso Memorial Scholarship, awarded to an MBA student for International study and the USF Cross Country/Track and Field Teams. Great Prizes are available and all levels of runners/walkers are encouraged to sign-up and participate for a great cause honoring an avid runner and great person. Registration is $20 pre-race ($12 if you are a student or USF staff member) and $30 on race day ($15 if you are a student or USF staff member). If you cannot attend the run, but would like to donate to either the cross county/track and field program or the MBA program at USF, you may also donate through the link above. Through this memorial run for Tom Caruso, the hope is that a passion for running can be developed by all of the participants. In the end, everyone is registering "for the love of running."


OUR FOURTH RUN OF 2008 - WHAT WEATHER!!!
We had a dedicated crew show up on Sunday in both the East Bay and San Francisco. The weather in Berkeley was cooperative as we ran around Aquatic Park and Cesar Chavez. There was plenty to talk about so the time went by really fast.

By 1:00 in San Francisco it was pouring! Two hearty souls, Sarah and Debra showed up. We headed out in Golden Gate Park together with Sarah quickly leaving us in the dust, well actually, in the pouring rain! So, Debra and I determined that a warm hot tub was a much better alternative and headed back to the barn like horses with a mission. Rest assured, unless I am prevented by weather (like flooding or a landslide) I will set the course. You just show up and run! Good job Debra and Sarah!

NEXT SUNDAY’S LOCATIONS
I want this club to reflect the needs and wants of the membership so let’s keep tweaking away at the details until we make it the best darn women’s running (and walking club) in all of North America. Contact Stephanie@AskAboutRunning.com if you have further questions, or need an application. You can also sign-up on the spot for daily, weekly, monthly, 6 months, or a year so, what’s keeping you from doing it?

Next Sunday we will run at Point Isabel in the East Bay and the Marina (Crissy Field) in San Francisco. Remember East Bay runs meet at 9:00 and San Francisco runs will start at 1:00. You may do either or both.

SIGN UP NOW!!
The time is now! I look forward to starting the new year with you as a member. Just fill in the details on this form and E-mail it back. Full information will follow.

1 Person/1 Month Buddy System – 2 women sign up together
____$20 ____$30
Begins first Sunday of each month. Automatic recurring billing only. Must pay by credit card.
1 Person/6 Months Buddy System – 2 women sign up together
____$110 ____$165 6 months from date of sign-up
1 Person/12 Months Buddy System – 2 women sign up together
____$200 ____$300 12 months Best price!
Your name
Your buddy’s name
Email Stephanie@AskAboutRunning.com and you will be billed through PayPal or send a check to ALTB International, Inc., 58 W. Portal #227, San Fran CA 94127 (800) 457-4574

P.S. Drop ins are always welcome any Sunday. The fee is $6.


UPCOMING RACES – Let me know if you are training for any of these
The Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon & 5K February 3, 2008
xnet.kp.org/sanfrancisco/index.html
Only 2 weeks to go. Go Ladies Go!
Members who are running the half marathon or 5K
Barbara B 13.1 miles
Destiny L 13.1 miles
Sandy O 13.1 miles
Gini H 5K
The London Marathon April 13, 2008
www.london-marathon.co.uk
See Training Schedule in ALTBgo@blogspot.com
The Boston Marathon April 21, 2008 http://www.bostonmarathon.org
16 week training begins December 31
The Bay to Breakers/San Francisco May 18, 2008
http://www.ingbaytobreakers.com/main.html
Who has signed up for this one?
See Jane Run Women’s Half Marathon & 5K May 31, 2008
http://www.seejanerun.com/t-See-Jane-Run-Half-Marathon-and-5K.aspx
Who has signed up for this one?
The San Francisco Half & Full Marathon & 5K August 3, 2008 http://www.runsfm.com/home.html
The Disneyland Half Marathon and 5K August 30/31, 2008 www.disneylandhalfmarathon.com
The Chicago Marathon October 12, 2008 http://www.chicagomarathon.com
The Nike Women’s Half and Full Marathon October 19, 2008
www.nike.com
The New York City Marathon November 2008?
www.ingnycmarathon.org
The Honolulu Marathon December 14, 2008
www.honolulumarathon.org
Members who are running the marathon or fun run
Stephanie Atwood Fun run


Send me your stories, comments, and questions about life and running. My E-mail is Stephanie@AskAboutRunning.com. If you haven’t already joined the yahoo group, please go to AskStephanieAboutSports@yahoogroups.com and join. This group site sends updates and houses the weekly calendar for the running club. It also has archives of all past publications and allows for “safe chatting” with other members.

The Sunday walking/running program meets on Sunday, February 3, 2008 in the East Bay and San Francisco. Meeting sites for this week are:

Richmond
Point Isabel
Meet at 9:00 at the far end of the parking lot, away from the entrance

From I80 (in either direction) take Central Avenue exit and head toward the bay. Go right on Rydin and follow it to the parking lot at the end. We will meet at the far end of the parking lot, away from the entrance.

Toilets
Free Parking
Water from faucets for dogs, no drinking fountains


San Francisco
The Marina - East Beach – Mason Street near Marina Blvd.
Meet at 1:00 at first picnic tables to the right as you enter the parking lot

From I 80 follow The Embarcadero to Bay Street. Left on Bay and continue to Laguna. Go right on Laguna, past Fort Mason to Marina Blvd. Follow Marina Blvd. going West, past the Yacht Harbor. Keep to the right on Marina Blvd and drive into the Presidio as if going to Crissy Field. Street becomes Mason. East Beach is the first right turn on Mason. Look for the sign. If you get to Sports Basement, you’ve gone too far. Turn around and try again!

Toilets
No Parking Fee
Water (in bathrooms and some drinking fountains)

Have a good one! See you Sunday!
Stephanie Atwood

P.S. Please check out the blog http://altbgo.blogspot.com and the website www.AskAboutRunning.com I’d love to hear your comments!

Online Fitness Products that might be of interest:
Fit Over Forty - http://altbgo.20754.hop.clickbank.net/
Iron Dolls – Female Body Building Science - http://altbgo.irondoll.hop.clickbank.net/
The Stubborn Seven Pounds - http://altbgo.joshgarage.hop.clickbank.net/
Personal Power for Women 6 Week Online Course - http://altbgo.glowkat.hop.clickbank.net/

All Rights Reserved
Copyright ALTB International, Inc