lululemon got us running

When someone says they like lululemon, they're probably a woman and you think they're totally into yoga. Well look out ladies and yogi's - lululemon is making a case for us guys too! And not just in the yoga department. They are jumping into the running foray feet first and with a big heart.

Left to Right: Anne Morrissey, Amanda Walsh, Joe Davies, Martin Potter, Andy Marx,
Chris Montgomery, Liz Tempesta, Kaipo Henning (Not Pictured: Jeff Barbieri, Ellen)

Last night, a few Informal Runners of varying abilities gathered at the lululemon store at the PRU and were presented with a unique opportunity - personal assistance in selecting a running outfit and then a run/wear test with Assistant Manager, Nicole Cristoforo, 400m hurdler Jonathon Hall of Northeastern, and all the sushi we could eat. In return, we were asked to be righteously critical of the gear. If lululemon does one thing well, it's listening to their customers and enthusiasts.

11 of us departed for a lovely 3.3 mile run around the Charles, as is tradition, and were greeted by a cool, evening breeze. Myself, Martin, and Amanda were all recovering from an incredible half marathon, Sunday in Quebec City, while our stiff legs from the 7 hour, post race drive home were thankful for the 25 minute shake out jog. Returning to the store hungry, we crowded around a generous tray of Snappy Sushi -- tuna, avocado, and california rolls are some of my favorite pre and post run foods -- go Omega-3 fatty acids!

As for the gear, I ran in the light as air short and was pleasantly surprised by the compression lining sewn right into the shorts. There are a few pockets, one zipper low on the left quad for an id, credit card, T-pass and Panera card. I didn't notice to much shifting of material during the run and felt comfortably cool. If you bump into any of this crew on the street, ask them what they think of the gear!

Want to run with Informal Running? Then get off your booty and join:
~

The Most Informal Running Club Ever
we're even on Facebook too.

Take a Hint. The Inaugural PUMA 5 Miler kicked ass.

What started out as another humid day ended in celebration and excitement. The PUMA 5 miler in Westford, MA was set to kick off at 5pm as all of the 700 participants anxiously went through their pre-race routines, strategy plans, and superstitious rituals. The heat bore down but we were lucky enough to have plenty of Hint water on hand. I've recently become a huge fan of this refreshing beverage and will say that if you've never taken a Hint, then you're missing out. There was a great crew representing TMIRCE at the race, some who ran and some who were along in support, others were there for the post race beers and bbq - all exceptionally executed by the crew from the Harpoon Brewery - thanks for all the free beer! I'm looking forward to the 11th annual Octoberfest in Windsor, VT.

The race itself was executed with precision by Director, Greg Haskell of PUMA. The course was something out of James Taylor's, "Country Road."

Rolling hills and winding streets made for an eventful run with plenty of strategy to consider. With the final turn in sight and the inflated PUMA finish line within reach, I found my kick - thanks to track workouts - and was able to finish with a respectable time, one full minute after the woman's 1st place finisher, Amanda Walsh.

TMIRCE'ers sprinkled in one by one until eventually, we were gathered at maximum around a tabletop guzzling Harpoon and chasing it with Hint. This was a truly successful event and one I would certainly participate in again. It's difficult organizing every aspect of road races, while bumps and bruises along the way can teach valuable lessons such as, number of water stations/volunteers, porto-potties, etc. Great job PUMA at bringing together a proud community of runners and making us feel at home. - Chime in - Why would or wouldn't you run this race again? 

Blues and Running: The two best clubs in Boston heating up

Put some south in yer mouth yall.

Wednesday night, I made my way into the heart of Brighton to find some respite from the oppressive heat and humidity. The plan was to grab a bite at one of my favorite local BBQ pits, Smoken' Joe's BBQ. While I found a nice air-conditioned restaurant, Pianist, Alizon Lissance and special guests made sure that they kept the place hot with some great southern blues. I felt like I was in the heart of Cackalacky as the tomato base was flowing and the pulled pork was 'smoken.' Get there early on a weeknight for some great food and music. Joe's  selection of west coast beers, while limited, really highlights the BBQ/Blues joints' attention to southern detail. Joe himself (a self-made BBQ expert with more then 20 years experience) is usually around to serve your drinks. And if you're lucky enough, he'll sit down at your table and educated you about some of the greatest jazz and blues musicians you've never heard of.

Best run ever.

TMIRCE Saturday's at City Sports have been equally hot, both in attendance and temperature - more so the temperature. The dog days of August have settled in. The past few weekends running have been hot, but also humid. TMIRCE'ers have been coming in the door with a good pre-sweat. I tend to have difficulty maintaining speed and endurance in the heat - not to mention my body also seems to breakdown faster and recovery takes longer. Be heard - What are 3 things you do to train and recover in the heat? - Best answer will be the topic of my next post. The run was the best ever as is tradition but the table of healthy snacks and goodies surpassed my weekly expectations. The stand out items of the week, Ginger donuts, were baked by TMIRCE baking veteran, Diana.


I'm hopeful 8/20's TMIRCE - pre Puma 5 Miler at 5pm - in response to this post, will have some pulled brisket, coleslaw, and corn bread for the post run festivities.

Want to run with Informal Running? Then get off your booty and join:
~

The Most Informal Running Club Ever
we're even on Facebook too.

Learning to run and relax on Martha's Vineyard + Garmin Forerunner 210 Review

When I arrived on the Vineyard Thursday, I was greeted by the Conway's of Lincoln, MA and offered an Adirondack chair and a glass of white wine. My intentions for this trip were work first, play second, but how could I resist. Feeling motivated to get a good run in on Friday morning, I decided to test out my new Garmin Forerunner 210. This really helped me get out of bed and go, otherwise, the day would get ahead of me and running would take a back seat.

I stood on the stairs of the house on Coffins Field Rd. searching for satellites. My Garmin took about 30 seconds to sync up and find all three needed to triangulate and track my movements. I was impatient, but this 30 second moment taught me a valuable lesson; never go running out of haste. With a "bleep" from my wrist, I was off to explore.

Running with Lulu in a Thunderstorm

Last night I was heading out the door for an after work run with Nicole from lululemon. I felt a breeze and looked up and saw ominous storm clouds approaching. Inside the buzzing store, Nicole and I discussed briefly our concerns regarding the weather, but decided, as most Bostonians of summer do, to brave the elements as they presented themselves.

The streets of Back Bay were crowded with throngs of people, clinging to every moment of outdoor time they could, creating a challenge of bobbing through the crowds as we attempted to find the river path. The heat was oppressive at one point, but the breeze kept us going until we reached the Harvard Bridge on Mass Ave. when the sky's opened.


Nicole, Assistant Manager of lululemon in Back Bay, has a deep passion for running, yoga, and bringing the Vancouver based brand onto the running scene. Did you know that they make men's apparel? I've been a fan of lululemon since I bought my running shorts there back in March, but I've come to realize that they are more than just a clothing store. lululemon has a great mantra geared towards creating a healthy community, bringing people together to share in positive experiences through yoga, running, and sometimes the occasional beer and sushi.

Our run took us around the Museum of Science where the duck boats were lined up with excited children quacking away. The rain continued to pepper us but at this point it was a welcomed reprieve from the heat. As we cruised back into the Back Bay, around 8 min/mi for the duration - said my Garmin Forerunner 210, the sun broke the clouds and reflected off of the Prudential Tower. After a good stretch and a quick bite at Bostone's, my favorite local pizza joint, we said our goodbye's and headed for home.

Summer Days and nights on the road in Vermont - GMR Review

A few months ago, I received an invitation to join a team for a fabled 200 mile relay. That's right, 200 miles. But before you jump to the conclusion that I'm solely nuts, our team consisted of 11 other people, split between two vans that would leap frog one another during 30 hours of running.

The scenery is what you'd expect from Vermont. Green, mountainous, epic vistas and then there were the little details. During my 3:30am run, the near full moon was setting just in front of me to my right, while the darkened sky was giving way to the early morning sun behind my left shoulder. I quietly ran through a Christmas tree farm, seeing triangular shadows looming in the early morning mist, and smelling the deep pine as it moved over the roadway. My other two runs were equally experiential with rolling hills, turtles, and lots and lots of cows.

Minimalism, Barefoot Running, and a touch of science.

The Most Informal Running Club Ever - TMIRCE - at City Sports on June 11th had a bit more appeal than usual. We hosted our first ever, and in my opinion, best ever, minimalist clinic. In a nut shell, over the past few years and in response to the popularity of "barefoot running" as described in Chris McDougal's Born to Run, Informal Runners of TMIRCE had been asking about this phenomenon that we have come to know as the minimalist movement. In response to your questions and inquires, we invited Dan Lieberman, Harvard Professor and Human Evolutionary Biologist to come and share with us his findings and personal thoughts on the movement.