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Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon Newsletter
22 March 2010 |
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RUNNING IS ALIVE AND WELL
We use MarathonGuide.com for our registration service. One of the things I like about the site is that they keep lots of good statistics about marathon running. For example, you can find out there that (SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT) the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon is one of the top qualifying marathons for Boston. You can also find out a lot of other good stuff, like demographics about runners, how many marathon finishers there were in 2009 in the US.
The bottom line is that RUNNING IS GOING WELL! Every year, more people take on bigger challenges.
What's your next challenge? Another marathon? Your first? Something else big? I'd love to hear from you.
Meanwhile, is anyone else running Ocean Drive in New Jersey this weekend? I'll be out there for my second time in New Jersey, as I work my way around the rest of the states in the next few months. The last time I went there was the weekend after my daughter Katie got married. I stopped by Atlantic City on the way and won back about the same amount I had given the kids for a wedding present the night before. Cool. The next day during the marathon I met a new friend. You can read about her below.
This one will be #190. Only 110 to go after this. :-)
Unrelated thought: The way things have been going lately I'm reminded of an old riddle: What follows two days of rain in Michigan? Monday.
FIFTH THIRD RIVER BANK RUN MENTOR PROGRAM!!
The lovely Francine has this program dialed in. Under her leadership, this year we're helping more people than ever before prepare for their first 25K. It's a step-back this weekend, so I think the intermediates are going about 9 miles or so, the beginners maybe a mile less. IT'S ALWAYS FREE. IT'S ALWAYS FUN.
Rain or shine (snow, wind, etc.) we'll be there. Come on out and join the fun. Meet us at the zoo, parking lot corner of Park and John Ball. 8:00 Saturday morning.
The Mentor Program is a program of the Grand Rapids Running Club.
SOCKS, HATS, EXTRA SHIRTS
Extra Red Shirts from 2009 are available at the BUYSTUFF link. $20. Socks, $5.00. Hats are $10.00. www.cooladventures.net/buystuff.htm. Still have a bunch of the 2008 shirts for only ten bucks too, if you like. |
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Hey--Jim decided to snooze a bit on Thursday and get over a cold, so the "drill sergeant" duties fell to my mom's favorite race director. We toured downtown Grand Rapids, sprinting the Monroe Center mall to the police station. We did pushups in front of it. Then visited the Calder for a few calisthentics. We circled the plaza enjoying the artwork, then headed to the Grand River, stopping to do a few more core exercises by one of last year's Art Prize sculptures. Then a quick crossing to the final resting place of President Ford, where we did more pushups in his honor. Next stop, the Steel Water sculpture by the JW, which commemorates the fact that GR was the first city to put flouride in its water. We finished up in the JW parking ramp, doing some intense 10-second hill blasts. Interval training, core work, culture, and fun, and we're done by 6:00.
We'll be doing four FREE SESSIONS in April as an intro to our Summer Session. Hope you can join us. Will post dates here shortly.
Want to feel the burn? Our super-secret underground Boot Camp meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:00 a.m. Want to try a couple free sessions? Email me with the subject line "Boot Camp"
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Baby update! After what I thought was our first baby last time, I heard from another woman who had a baby on marathon day last year at Metro Health. Then another who's due in April. I already knew about one due this June. All starting their lives at Metro!
So, you should know, the offer's still good:
Have a baby at Metro Health, and get a free entry in 2010.
Let me know how things are progressing, will you? |
Be an Inspiration by Don Kern
"When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself."
-Jacques Cousteau
Around 1997 I started a new website: "Don's Really Cool Adventures." Unlike a lot of websites, I didn't create it to make money. I started it so I could record and share my experiences-okay-maybe to brag a little, too.
But the effect it's had on others has been pretty remarkable sometimes. Every once in a while I'll get an email like this one:
Don,
I just had to tell you that I enjoyed wasting quite a bit of time at work today reading some stories on your website. I found it refreshing and quite entertaining. I even emailed my good friend, a fellow runner, the link to it so she could be entertained, as well...
Nevertheless, I just wanted to share that I enjoyed your humor and sense of adventure. I may have to sit down and make a list of 100 things I want to do in my lifetime, as well!
In March 2003 I ran a marathon in New Jersey. A little over three years later, I received an email from Tammy Gaghan, a woman I ran with that day. Here's her story:
I just had to send you an email after seeing your new running adventure posted on my running group's webpage. I have been meaning to send you a note since March 30, 2003.
I just wanted to thank you for running the last ten or so miles with me during the Ocean Drive Marathon in New Jersey. It was my first marathon, and you made the time fly by with your wonderful marathon stories. During one of your recent blogs you were talking about heroes. Well, you are sort of a hero to me.
You have inspired both my husband and me into running all fifty states. I have completed ten, and he has done eighteen. He also wants do to fifty by fifty. The next one is the Country Music Marathon in April.
Both my husband and I competed on the CBS show, The Amazing Race-season eight-along with two of our children, who also share a love of running. I swear the reason we were were picked was because of our marathons. So I guess this is also a thank-you note, because your inspiration enabled me to get on a TV show that I loved.
I'm sure you don't remember me, but I have posted a link to the show with a picture of me. It was cold that day of the marathon, so just imagine me with a funny black baseball cap with earflaps.
I've been blessed to be able to do some pretty unusual things. Sharing them with others makes me feel good. But more important than that, sharing my experiences gets other people dreaming. And when people dream, amazing things happen.
Whether we realize it or not, we have an effect on everyone we meet. The example we set, whether a good or bad one, is likely to get noticed, even when we don't think anyone is watching.
Today might be your day to inspire someone. Make it a good one!
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You need a good run this weekend? Try Jill's Hills! This weekend is a great 15K race in Kent City, north of GR. Get a good run, enjoy some good food afterward.
Kent City Ridge Run 15k Run & 5k Run/Walk
Saturday, March 27, 2010, 9:30 a.m. (Packet pick-up 8-9 a.m.)
Kent City High School, 351 N Main St, Kent City, MI
Try it!
See you in October at the FINISH LINE!
and the adventure continues....
Don Kern
Race Director, Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon
P.S. If you want to respond to this newsletter, change the subject line so I don't just end up thinking it's a bounce notice or something. Thanks! |
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| And now...a word from our SPONSORS!
Pepsi Bottling of West Michigan
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| The Schedule
September 2010
20 Mile Training Run hosted by Gazelle Sports
October 16th 2010 9 - 6
Health & Fitness Expo and Packet Pickup at the David D Hunting YMCA
October 16th 2010 Kids Marathon
Final 1.2 miles at 1:00 pm
October 17th 2010 Seventh
Annual Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon, Half Marathon, and Relay
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| LIFETIME RUNNER |
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Enter Once, Run Forever!
You can enter the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon for LIFE.
For $725, you get to enter the full or the half marathon for as long as we're still in business!
You'll get a permanent number, some extra swag, and the adoration of your fellow runners.
If you've already registered for this year but would like to upgrade, we can make that work too--just email me and we'll get it figured out. | |
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