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Newsletter Archive - 12.02.10 - Holiday Edition


Trail Running Tips, 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials, and a Merry Christmas and Hannukah!

© 2010 www.runningacrosstexas.com All Rights Reserved

Did you have a great Thanksgiving? I know I did. One thing I mentioned over on the Examiner where I cover Houston running is that Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that’s most packed with races. Did I race? No, I covered a local run here put on by the good folks at the On the Run store. It was the Bay Area Turkey Day run. The next morning I posted race photos.

The next race I’ll cover is the inaugural La Porte by the Bay Half Marathon next Sunday. If you’re there, smile for the camera! The unique thing about this event is that it goes over and back the Fred Hartman (or Baytown) Bridge. It’s not overly steep, but boy is it long. It's a great training run.

Tips for Trail Running

I recently posted an article dealing with a few basic tips for . It was mainly targeting springtime and summer running, but the tips apply in the winter as well. One tip that I think is most important is the "spider stick". It's a pretty simple concept; just hold a 'Y' shaped stick up and in front of your face while you run, especially in the morning.

I hate getting a mouthful of spider meat and this solves the problem. Mornings seem worse for spiderwebs spanning narrow trails and they're hard to see. It's always been a source of great puzzlement why some cultures eat bugs. The weirdest thing I ever ate was guinea pig down in Peru. Awesome, but a bit too greasy.

Houston to Host the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials

The trials will take place on January 14, 2012, the day before the annual marathon. Unfortunately, according to the Houston Chronicle, it will be "on a closed, multiple-lap course along Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive." Surely Houston can do better than that; that's way too much concrete even though the scenery is outstanding.

The great thing is that this is the first time any city has hosted both the men's and women's trials. It's a great honor not only to Houston, but to Texas in general. Now I know I'm going to garner some heat for saying this, but my opinion is that these elite runners are greater athletes than any football or basketball players, and dare I say it, even Tiger Woods. And we get to watch it for free! Road trip!

Have a Merry Christmas and Hannukah!

Stay healthy, run strong, spend time with your family, and give to others if you can. My favorite charity is Feed the Children. And yes, I put my money where my mouth is just before Thanksgiving. Just saying. The price of a pair of running shoes will feed 15 families. Get your karma on.

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Happy running!

Kelly, info@runningacrosstexas.com