Run The Course

  APRIL 2022- Maria Elena has been training in her Brooks Ghost 14 preparing for the Carlsbad 5000. What does she think?  Maria Elena has put them through the paces which include long runs, tempo runs, interval runs and so called easy runs. Elena has taken them for a ride on the track, the streets of Reynosa, the sidewalk and even while navigating the park dodging loose vicious canines. (A story for another time). The Verdict? After 100 KM or so Brooks Ghost 14 scores high marks when it comes to overall support and comfort.    These running shoes hug your foot and have virtually no annoying heel lift. Maria Elena says that she realizes that these are trainers but they do seem extra heavy. As for heat dissipation they are awesome, no sweaty feet after a long run and that is always a good thing. As for looks and esthetic appeal Maria Elena says Brooks knocked it out of the park! Here is Maria Elena sporting the Brooks Ghost 14 after a long work out at the Cultural Park...

  E dward Cheserek has confirmed that he will be participating in this years Carlsbad 5000 scheduled for May 22, 2022. This is exciting news and will make the event that much more competitive. In 2018 Cheserek tied the worlds record for the 5000M with an amazing time of 13:29. Cheserek competes in the Elite category of the Carlsbad 5000 and this fantastic event is put on by Meb Keflezighi, an Olympic champion and winner of both the NY and Boston Marathons so he knows a little about speed. You can "catch" Cheserek at the starting line at 1:45 PM in beautiful downtown Carlsbad, California. He will be gunning for a new worlds record I am sure. This 17 time NCAA champion participated in  "The Chase" as part of the  Hapulua Half Marathon race in Hawaii a couple of weeks ago. This is an event where local runners are given a head start (between 7-23 minutes) to make for a very exciting race for the local running clubs.  In 2018 I had the good fortune of seeing Cheserek run...

    It is that magical time of year again. No not Christmas, it is the Spring running season. Spring, when the air smells of sweet anticipation, our heads fill with visions of breaking PR´s, and the Brrr of Old man winter is just an ïce-o-lated¨memory. Spring, where one can start fresh, where a young persons fancy turns to thoughts of love for…new running shoes, and the liability waivers are signed without a glimmer of understanding. So put aside those jackets, lose the gloves and ear muffs, and shout from the rooftops that Spring has sprung! On this eve of the coveted historical Boston Marathon we can all take solace in the fact that new races await, personal records are going to fall, and the need for layers are gone. Enjoy the Spring races which include Caesar Sportsbook Crescent City Classic in New Orleans, LA; the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco; our favorite the Carlsbad 5000 in Carlsbad, CA; The Bolder Boulder 10K; here at home we have of course the 5K de Mayo. Enjoy ...

 There most be a thousand training plans out there that could fill all the volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannia (those were books filled with information that you had to pay hundreds of dollars for before the advent of the internet and The Matrix). Having read many of them, the plans not the encyclopedias,  I have found that there is one recurring theme in all of them. That is consistency, discipline and self accountability. I seem to find those three fundamental issues coming from all the coaches, athletes, University studies, medical experts, as well as your average avid semi successful amateur runners. It is great to add various pieces to your training like intervals or tempo runs or fartleks or if you ascribe to HIIT, or emphasis on hill repeats etc., but none of it would help if you did not do them consistently, have the discipline to overcome those days when you do not feel like training, or have self accountability to set proper and realistic goals and follow them. The...

                  Maria Elena is the foundation for Runners Without Borders, Run the Course and Runnerverse. they are trainers but are still on the heavy side. They do however release the heat so no sweaty feet after a hard workout. And when it comes to overall looks she says Brooks has hit it out of the park.  MARCH 2022 -Elena is the foundation for Runners without Borders and is taking a well deserved break this week in one of her favorite destinations, Cancun, Mexico. This on the heels of the Cancun Half Marathon and 10K which was held on March 6, 2022. I caught up with her and asked her about her favorite running attire. Having to first suffer the 80 degree weather, the sunshine, blue skies and surf Elena broke down her hot and cold weather gear for me. For the hot weather races she wears a Nike breathable hat that keeps the sun off her head and lets the air pass through to keep from overheating. She owns several of these hats that h...

  A crazy sky, a wind picking up from the north and a warmth we had not seen here for what seems like a month! Bikers, short distance runners, long distance runners, walkers, baby carriages, and even an Arbor Day bear  made up the scenery at Quince and Bicentennial this morning. Oh, and a whole lot of trees just waiting to be adopted and planted. All types of trees set as a back drop for the Arbor Day races we all had anxiously awaited.  Organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters all performing their tasks flawlessly and I never saw so many smiles and helpful folks as in this event. Well done one and all.  The course was the same tried and true path used in years past, except that the trees you run by have grown of course. This is a fast course, closed, flat, well paved, and with plenty of width to house the running of the bulls.  We had two Runners Without Borders represented at the race, both did well improving their personal bests for this course while ...