It pays to know your gear.

This will be short and sweet.

When we first started running in 2008, our TNT coaches told us it was important to get a good pair of shoes and we listened. We went to the local running shoe store and paid nearly $100 for a pair of Brooks. A year later, when those needed to be replaced, I believe spent a little over $100 for my second pair. They upgraded the shoe, I guess.

Well, I've become very familiar with my particular pair of Brooks (Adrenaline) and the sole shading that marks their inner arch support. So I immediately recognized them on the clearance rack at Sports Authority in the mall. $49.97! Jason bought two pairs.

I just have to share this because I always love a good deal.

Words of The Penguin

John, "The Penguin", Bingham has been the source of a lot of sound advice and words of inspiration for runners, walkers and waddlers everywhere. We got to hear him speak at the pasta party for our first Team In Training marathon in San Diego and I have read his articles and blog entries on running long distance events. He has a few books, too.

I took advantage of his blog offer on Competitor's website to "Ask The Penguin".

Here is what I said:

Dear Penguin,

As you may know, the Rock 'n' Roll marathon series gives away a Rock Legend heavy medal for people who finish 7 events in one year. My husband and I are considering attempting this in 2011 with a full in Phoenix and San Diego and the rest all half marathons. Since 2008 we have finished two fulls and two halfs. We're going to start preparing this year with two more halfs and I will begin a blog also. Are we crazy? Any advice you could give about trying to do 7 events in one year?


Here was his response:

Thanks for writing,

No, I don’t think you’re crazy. It sounds like fun. And, doing the full marathons nearly 6 months apart seems perfect.

The key will be keeping your “eye on the prize”. You can’t let any one event become so important that you risk being able to do them all.

I would certainly encourage you to use a run/walk strategy in your training and racing. That’s one of the best ways to reduce the risk of injury.

I’ll be at the start and finish of most of the events in 2011. We’ll get to be GREAT friends.

All the best,

John


Eye on the prize. Good word, John.

In the past, when we've had only one event to train for and finish, we would be careful during training to avoid injury. Then, at the actual event, we would feel like we could do whatever it took to finish. If that meant running on a painful IT band and being able to walk for the next few days, so be it!

But with this tight training schedule, we may not be able to afford a few weeks off to recover from an injury if we plan on being ready for the next event. So we can't race in any one event with the finish-at-all-costs mentality that we've been accustomed too.

It is always important to be listening to your body and be ready to stop if you feel it waving the white flag.

The Penguin and I are Facebook friends now. This makes me happy.

Medal Junkie

Here are the finishers medals & heavy medals I've collected so far. I don't know why, but when they put the medal around your neck at the finish line it is SUCH a great feeling. Partly because you're just glad to be done running. But also, this is the closest I will ever get to feeling like an Olympian.

1st medal: 2008 San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon

I could do without the surfer but it is my first and so it holds a special place in my heart.

2nd medal: 2009 P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, Phoenix, AZ

Shown here with my TNT Captain pin.

3rd medal: 2009 San Jose Half Marathon

4th medal: 2009 Inaugural Las Vegas Half Marathon

5th medal: Rock 'n' Roll Heavy Medal for finishing a full & half in one calendar year.

(actually, I think I am due for a 26.2 medal as well for 2 half's in one year).

6th medal: Rock 'n' Roll Heavy Medal for finishing 3 events in one calendar year.

And hopefully more to come.

The Plan of Attack: Event List

These are the events we hope to finish in the preparation phase & the challenge phase.

PREPARATION PHASE:

June 2010

Seattle Half Marathon

Our main reason for this event is to be there with our friend, Nicole Ianacone who is fundraising for this event with Team In Training Las Vegas. Our participation with TNT is what inspired her to do the same and we want to celebrate at the finish line together! Added bonus: our friend Remy from Chicago will be running with us! Just like Vegas 2009!

October 2010

Los Angeles Half Marathon

This will be when we really kick off the hard core training. Sure, we hope to do a lot of body toning & conditioning between Seattle and Los Angeles, but once we start running for this event, it will be over a year before we stop! We plan on joining with Team In Training again this winter to train with and fundraise for this event. Training with a team is amazing. Not only is it a support / accountability system, but it helps you learn more about running and training by paying attention to what your teammates are going through.

CHALLENGE PHASE:

Event #1 - January 2011

Phoenix Full Marathon

This will be the kick off for 2011. A full 26.2 miles to get us geared up (and hopefully not psyched-out) for the next 6 events. We ran the Phoenix full in 2009. I'll admit, it was an ill-fated day for me but the course is nice and flat and the weather was cool and clear. We hope to take a few days to visit some dear friends in Tucson after this event.

Event #2 - March 2011

Dallas Half Marathon

With plenty of time to recover, we'll have an easy half in Texas while visiting family. In fact, this is likely to be a full week of vacation afterward. RnR is hosting it's inaugural event in Dallas this year, 2010. So hopefully, by 2011 they will have some of the "kinks" worked out.

Event #3 - June 2011

San Diego Full Marathon

This was our first marathon in 2008. San Diego is a huge event and it is mad fun. I'm looking forward to going back and maybe even going for a PR! Training for this will be our biggest challenge as we have a large gap of time to be training on our own. Completing this event would give us our second Triple Crown.

Event #4 - August 2011 (or maybe July 31st)

Chicago Half Marathon

We know there is a full that we could run but, let's be honest. It's Chicago. I'm imagining hot stickiness and not wanting to finish even 13.1 miles! We've been to Chicago several times so we're not planning on sticking around too long. However, we do know that we have a free place to stay so long as our friend Remy doesn't decide to move away. Finishing this event will earn us the Grand Slam Heavy Medal.

Event #5 - September 2011

Philadelphia Half Marathon

We've never been here before so this is going to be one of most exciting for us! If our buddy Mike is still in the city, we'll hopefully save some cash by crashing with him. He says he might be living in a community house start up. What a randomly awesome experience that would be! This would earn us Rock Star status.

Event #6 - October 2011

Los Angeles Half Marathon

Sound familiar? That's right. We'll have come full circle from the beginning of our training runs and we'll still have 1 more event to go!!! AH! The nice thing is that this event is a hometown deal and we won't have to worry about plane tickets or hotels. At this point we'll have earned a Super Six heavy medal.

Event #7 - December 2011

Las Vegas Half Marathon

If we make it this far, I may have an emotional breakdown at the finish line. We know this course and love it (even if it is 33 degrees out during the entire race). It's flat. It's cool. It's got a lot of interesting things to see along the way (i.e. club-goers who have yet to find their way back to their hotel for the "night"). We make this and we can expect to see our ROCK LEGEND heavy medal!

What makes a Rock Legend?

My husband and I are planning on taking the Rock Legend challenge in 2011. No, this isn't some odd new reality TV show or musical competition. This is about marathons.

So what is a Rock Legend?

Competitor Group Inc. runs the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. Each year they put on 14 full and/or half-marathons across the United States. If someone completes multiple events they receive an additional medal known as "Heavy Medals". For example, you get a Triple Crown medal for completing 3 events in one calendar year, a Grand Slam medal for 4, a Rock Star medal for 5, a Super Six medal for...you guessed it, 6. And last and most challenging is the Rock Legend medal for completing 7 Rock 'n' Roll marathon events in one calendar year.

In 2009 I earned my Triple Crown. I admit that I am a medal junkie. I actually care more about the finishers medals than I do my PR.

Blog: The Rock Legend Challenge

I will chronicle our attempt to achieve Rock Legend status in this blog: training, nutrition, preparation events, gear, etc.

I hope to encourage other "casual runners/joggers/interval walkers" and medal enthusiasts. I hope this journey provides some insights on fitness and health that are helpful to others. I hope that we are able to pay for all of this. I hope that we're able to finish all these events. I hope I don't do any permanent damage to myself or my ego.

We are not professionals here. We trained for and complete our first marathon in 2008 with Team in Training. We were trained to FINISH marathons by taking walk intervals. We're only in average jogging shape - which is why we're planning this challenge a year in advance. We need to prepare for this kind of thing.

Challenge accepted!