Change of Shoes: 488 Miles and a Marathon Later

I'm now a marathon runner! Last Sunday I ran to Canada and back at the Detroit Free Press Marathon- pretty cool! I ran 26.2 miles and felt pretty good throughout the whole race. And I met my personal goal to finish within 4 hrs! My final chip time was 3:57:22.  Boom!

That night, I rode around Meijer in the electric shopping cart to purchase some epsom salt while wearing my medal: proof that my legs were sore and I'm not goofing off... Well, I still did a lil' obstacle course through the women's clothes section!

I ran 488 miles in the past 5 months- crazy!  I'm gonna retire my current pair of running shoes now.  And I'm gonna retire to the couch because my right foot hurts...  

Change in Distance: Going for 26.2 miles

It's less than a week before I run my first marathon at the Detroit Free Press Talmer Bank Marathon. It's kind of a big deal for me. I started this running earlier this summer after adventuring towards a raw vegan living foods diet that heightened my energy level. My training has been DIY: I started researching a lot about running, reading forums, watching Youtube videos, and changing my running form from a heal strike to a toe strike- all in effort to get myself to a 26.2 mi race without injury. 

If you don't have Sunday plans yet, I'd def appreciate any support on the course and/or at the finish line- I'm also looking for some photos/video at the finish line if you can help. When I ran the Dexter/A2 1/2 marathon it was pretty awesome to pick out Brad's and my family's cheers near the finish line. 

The marathon race starts @ 7am - Sunday Oct. 16th @ Fort/Cass Downtown Detroit.

My real goal is to finish. But, my estimate/goal is that I'll finish in approx. 4 hours. Since there's about 4,400 participants (in the marathon alone, not to mention the 1/2, 5k, and relay) I may not cross the starting line until about 7:30am. So, I'm guessing I'll be at the finish line around 11:30am, possibly 11am possible 12pm. This guess may not be accurate as I haven't ever trained with a watch.  The overall race ends at 2pm. 

YOU CAN TRACK ME, VERY COOL.

Thanks to technology, you can track my progress during the race (whether you're there or not) with the free Detroit Free Press Marathon app available for iPhone and Android. You'll need my bib number which is 5866. My bib has a little computer chip that tracks with a sensor at each mile marker- crazy! You can search for the app or go to the website to download. 

If you will be there, please send me an email and I will write your name on my arm and run a mile for you. Last time I ran 20 miles, my feet became very sore around mile 19 and I just started yelling while running down the road looking like a lunatic. Who knows, if you come to the race, I could be screaming your name and cheering you on too! 

To help spot me: I'll probably be wearing all bright blue with headband, tank top, and shorts if the weather's good. 

Okay! Lemme know if you'll make it out. Thanks! See ya!

http://www.freepmarathon.com

Change in Oil: The Obama Gas Station

I was driving around Detroit today doing some pick-up shots with a car mount for a short film. As we rounded a corner, we discovered change with a new gas station: THE OBAMA GAS STATION!!!

WHAT?!!!

I really don’t know what to make of this… The Obama Gas Station currently sells traditional fossil fuels… We can only hope for change in the future with a greater push towards alternative fuels to end our dependence on foreign oil.

I didn’t go inside to see if there were Obama candy bars, Obama cigarettes, or Obama high fructose beverages…

I don’t know what else to say about this so here’s some photos...