For the n00bs - Ragnar Basics

For the n00bs - A Ragnar Basics Primer

The inner workings of a team, suggestions of what to do and what NOT to do from my experience so far

Disclaimer: I am not a hardcore, long time Ragnar veteran, but I have just finished my fourth Ragnar (I have friends who have done more than three times that in one year), and I have a strong background in logistics.  I want to lay out some basics of what Ragnar is, from the runners' viewpoint, to include some helpful hints, etc...  This will hopefully be some good, useful information for people looking at doing their first Ragnar, or maybe improving their overall experience.

Ragnar Basic Overview:

What is a Ragnar?  It is an approximately 200 mile long road relay race.  A standard team is no more than 12 individuals separated into two vehicles (referred to as "Vans" as the standard is a 15 passenger white van for most events).  An Ultra team is no more than 6 individuals in one vehicle.  This review will cover a standard team (as that is all that I have run and captained so far).

The Captain - The Big Kahuna, the Man (or woman) in Charge

The Team Captain is usually the person who registers the team with Ragnar and sends invites out to the team members so they can officially join the team on the Ragnar Relay page.  The Team Captain is more than anything an organizer.  It is really on them to fill the team, make sure that some type of order is maintained, and that all the logistics are handled.  This includes paying one lump sum to Ragnar for the entry fee (though this can frequently be done by another team member who has the ability to put together the lump sum, delegation is one of the big tools in a captain's bag), organizing transportation for the team during the race, determining what each member owes for the race. 

The amount each person ends up owing usually consists of the Team Race Fee, any vehicle rental fees (rental and insurance), any gas for the rental vehicles, possibly hotel rooms for before and after the race if the team all gets together in one place, possibly the recovery food/drinks for the vans, and possibly team uniforms (t-shirts, underwear, costumes, etc...) as long as it was agreed to by the whole team (if one person decides to go out and do it without the whole team agreeing that it should be done, they can't really expect the whole team to pay for it.  GET APPROVAL FROM THE TEAM FIRST).

What should NOT be included into what each team member owes is cost of getting TO Ragnar (each team member is responsible for at least getting to the general city/region to where the team can pick them up and they can go from there).  Whether team members fly in, drive in, take a boat, a train, or walk, it is up to the individuals to pay for that out of pocket (specifically it is not included in the team overall cost). Any incidentals affecting individual team members (i.e., child care so a team member can run, hotel room that a team member or members gets on their own for their own personal or small group use, meals purchased during the race, etc...)

Okay, back to the Captain.  Their job is not specifically to DO all the work of getting the team ready to run the Ragnar, but to make sure all the work is getting DONE.  DO vs. DONE, and the key word is DELEGATION.  You don't have to tackle it all yourself.  More likely than not, you will have at least one or two people on a team that have run one of these before, or at least are pretty good with logistics.  Get them to help out with the planning and organizing of pieces of it.  Just make sure you are keeping up to date with the basics of what they are doing, and make sure they are getting things done.  This both helps involve team members and helps them take ownership of the team.  It is a win-win situation for all involved.

Some examples: If your team wants to do team shirts, the Captain doesn't HAVE to be the one to design the shirts, find a printer, order the shirts, collect payment, and hand them out.  This all needs to be done, but it can be handed off to a number of people or one other person the team, depending on the talents and abilities.  The Captain's job should be to first get a consensus from the team that yes, they want to do this, handle any possible objections (if someone says they can't afford the shirt as well, you can't really tell them "too bad, you have to buy it anyway."  You need to work something out first before moving forward), and then delegate out the creation, purchasing, money collection, and distribution of the team shirts.  This doesn't mean the captain HAS to (say if the Captain is rather artistic, or knows of a printer, or is good with distribution and wants to handle part or all of it), it just is one more thing that the Captain doesn't have to feel is solely their responsibility.

Lastly, the Captain doesn't have to be the most knowledgeable person about Ragnars on the team, but the Captain SHOULD know their stuff when it comes to rules and regulations, important dates and times, and other race specifics.  You don't have to memorize the course, but you should have at least looked at the overall and all the leg maps, have an idea if there is a position that is going to have a LOT of miles, and one that is going to have only a few, what safety equipment is required at check-in on the day of the race, what city and state is the race in, where does it start, where does it end, the things like that.  The Captain should also know their team, know who they can ask about something they don't know, and to whom they can or can't delegate tasks.

The "Vans" - How Does That Work?

Runners 1-6 are in Van 1, runners 7-12 are in Van 2.  One van is always in support of the runner on the course, either by stopping and cheering them on, delivering water or other drinks and sustenance during their run, or where not allowed to stop and support, making sure to honk and make noise as they pass their runner on the way to the next exchange.  The van in support alternates from major exchange to major exchange.  These are exchanges 6, 12, 18, 24, and 32 (the Start line and Finish line are listed on the Ragnar site as major exchanges, but there really is no exchanging going on there).  At the major exchanges, the last runner in one van (runner 6 or runner 12) will pass off to the first runner in another van (runner 7 or runner 1, respectively).  From that point, the van that WAS in support is now free to go get food, go sleep, go shower (if available), find the next major exchange, resupply, get gas, etc...  This does take some planning as to what to do in what order.

Upon getting your last runner back, and coming off support, a van now has to decide "what next?"  Eventually, they will need to get to the next major exchange so that when the van that now is in support gets there, they can hand off again.  This won't happen for at least a few hours, and you can usually use the Pace Calculator from the Ragnar site to give you an idea of how long that will be (NOTE: this is why it is VERY important for team members to be HONEST when putting their 6k mile times on the Ragnar site as it can make a huge difference in accurate estimates and keeping both vans on track).  These are my recommendations of the order to take care of things (in specific order as I would suggest you do them once your van is no longer in support).  Note that not all of these things need to be done EVERY time the van is no longer in support.  It all depends on what the van is needing at the time, this is just a suggestion to help prioritize the ones you need:

1. Find the next major exchange!  This is always my priority because the last thing you want to be doing is having the van in support telling you they are only half an hour out and THEN try to find the exchange.  Find it while you are not under a huge time crunch, make sure you know where it is, and then proceed with whatever else you need to get done.
2. Get food!  If you are hungry, you need to get food in you, do this as soon as you can after coming off support (and finding the next exchange) as possible so you have plenty of time to digest a meal before your next run.  This also gives you a little bit more time so you don't feel so rushed eating.  Usually, for Van 1 this is done after your first set of legs, and for Van 2, is done while Van 1 is running their first set of legs and then again when Van 1 is running their last set of legs.  You might notice Van 1 in that scenario only really stops to have a sit-down meal once.  Yup, that is pretty much right. . . .  Though not a hard and fast rule, it usually works out that way.
3. Resupply!  If you need more water, more recovery snacks, batteries, chap stick, new running clothes, duct tape, sun screen, whatever, now is the time to do it.  If you are going to eat, you have taken care of that and can be digesting while getting anything else you might need.  This is also a good time to refuel the vans if they need it (depending on what your "vans" are, they might need more or less refueling throughout the event).
4. Sleep! Like with eating, you might not need to do this EVERY time.  Usually for Van 1, it is after the second set of legs, and after their final set of legs, and Van 2 it is after their first set of legs, and after their second set of legs.  Depending on how much running the other van is going to be doing, this might be a couple of hours, or a good chunk of time.  I would recommend planning your down times so that you have one for a meal, and another for sleep, so you can focus a larger block of time to each where necessary.  Plan for sleep though, always plan for sleep.  Have a sleeping bag, blankets, a pillow, basically something to keep you warm (because I haven't been to a Ragnar yet where it was warm at night, and I think the Keys and SoCal are the only ones that might be), and you can rest your head on.  It will make a WORLD of difference.  I have had Ragnars where I lent someone else my sleeping bag.  I did NOT sleep well.  I was NOT a happy captain. Plan for sleep, make sure your team members plan for sleep.  Get cat naps where you can, but plan for sleep at the major exchanges as well.
5. Showers and Miscellaneous other stuff.  Yes, showers fall under miscellaneous and not really necessary.  While it isn't a requirement or expectation that you will always be uncomfortable on a Ragnar, it is almost an unwritten rule that everyone will pretty much be getting funky by the end of the event (try putting four people and all their gear in a hotel room the night after the Ragnar is over.  I pity the fool who has to clean that room up after they leave cause the funk don't leave with the gear all the times).  Baby wipes are your friends, use real bathrooms when you get a chance, wash your hands with soap and running water whenever you get a chance, but I have taken a grand total of 1 shower during my four Ragnars.  Before and after, sure, but during, that sucks up time that you could be eating, sleeping, or resupplying and those three things are vastly more important than smelling pretty.  Oh, browsing around at the major exchanges if they have sponsors or vendors there kind of falls under this too.  It is really the least important thing to do because they will usually all be at the finish line as well.  It is fine to do that, and even encouraged (the sponsors do a lot for this thing called Ragnar, definitely check them out), but just remember that your focus is taking care of yourself and getting yourself ready for your next leg.

Useful Team Aids

There are a number of things that are not necessary, not required, but VERY helpful for a team to have.  I am just going to run over these really quick, give a little information on each, and go from there.  It will depend on the team, their skill level, their overall requirements, etc... as to whether these things will truly be useful or not, but here we go:

• Team / Van Binders - These are a binder per van that contain the following information (at a minimum recommended):
• Team phone list (everyone's phone number, whether they can receive text messages, etc... though there are some great apps to help with this too like GroupMe)
• Team Pace Estimation Spreadsheet - I believe the Captain can download this from the team page.  It gives the estimated Start Time of the team, how long (time-wise) each leg is expected to take, based on the team members' average 6k mile time, and the perceived distance of the legs (you will notice the mileage on that spreadsheet will usually always differ from the mileage on the leg maps.  It is the difference between perceived and actual)
• Ragnar Bible - This will come in the Rag Mag as well, but nice to have it separately in here as well.  Sometimes it is just easier to use.
• All the Leg maps, divided by Van (Van 1 Legs 1-6, Van 2 Legs 7-12, Van 1 Legs 13-18, etc...).  Yes, they might change, so this is usually something I recommend NOT printing off until the week before the race, just to make sure you get the most recent maps from the website (as they will usually be more recent than what makes the Rag Mag).  They are both useful to have in a binder form (lot easier for the navigator to use than the Rag Mag, and no adds to sift through), and can be used to compare to what is in the Rag Mag to see what might have changed since they were sent to the printers.  It also allows you to keep the Rag Mag a bit more pristine in case anyone wants it as a collectible item.
• GOOD Van Decorating materials.  This is not an add, but might I recommend Crayola?  They have been doing art supplies for a LONG time, and they come off VERY easy with Baby wipes (which is another suggestion.  Buy them, use them LOVE them, for Baby wipes do everything from remove van decorations to give you a quick and simple cleaning solution when a shower just isn't doable).  Whether you get Crayola or something else, definitely take the time to decorate the van.  It is fun, it gets the team working together and bonding, and it lets each van personalize their own van to their tastes.  Some suggestions for decorations:
• Team Name
• Team Members Names
• Check Boxes for Legs done (Persons Name: [  ] [  ] [  ]) to keep track of how many legs you have completed so far.
• Space for tracking Road Kills (Road Kill, def: When a runner passes another runner during a Ragnar, the passed runner is counted as a "road kill" as they have just been run over by someone else.  There are differing methods of determining exact totals based on whether you pass the same person multiple times, whether you get passed as well, etc... Just make sure the whole team is on the same page with how you are counting and IF you are counting).
• Witty sayings or slogans based on your team name
• Team Transportation.  I wanted to put a blurb here on this as well.  We discussed Vans already, but I wanted to hit on this again to address a different part of this.  The Ragnar regulation on what the vans can and cannot be is somewhat limited.  It does give a MAXIMUM size limit, but no real MINIMUM size limit.  It does state that an Ultra team only has one and a Standard team only has two, but outside of that, there is a lot of room for interpretation.  I have seem teams use 15 passenger vans, big Dodge Sprinter vans (VERY roomy, but VERY expensive too), mini vans, conversion vans, pickups, SUVs, cargo vans, station wagons, pretty much anything else Ragnar will let them use.  What do MOST other teams use?  White, 15 passenger vans.  Easily 9 in 10 vehicles used for teams for Ragnars are a 15 passenger van from a rental company.  They provide plenty of room for gear, sleeping, everyone gets their own space, no cramping, etc...  I have done ONE Ragnar in a 7 passenger minivan.  They estimate 7 passengers without gear or anything else, now through duffels and gear, as well as a cooler, and now make sure they are all sweaty and been up for way too long...  Not the best or most enjoyable Ragnar in memory.  Whatever you do, when thinking about what to use for transportation, consider these things:
• You are going to have not only 6 people in the van, but all their gear for the day and a half of running they are going to be doing.  That can be a change of clothes for each leg, clothes to wear in between for going into civilized places like restaurants and stores, costumes, recovery aids (rollers, Kinesiology tape, scissors, ibuprofen, etc...), toiletries, coolers for recovery snacks and drinks, recovery snacks and drinks outside the cooler, etc...
• While supporting, at least ONE of those people is going to have just finished their leg and probably be pretty hot and sweaty.  A rental van seat gets sweated on, no big deal, they will shampoo it when it gets returned.  Your personal car seat gets sweated on... a bit more work to take care of.
• Sleeping: Yes, a lot of the major exchanges will usually have sleeping areas, but I have been to at least one Ragnar where after the event starting, the location of a major exchange came to the Ragnar staff and changed their mind, decided they did NOT want to allow a bunch of tired runners to pass out on their lawns.  At that point you have very few options.  If you can find somewhere else you can bail out of your ride and sleep, great, but if not, you might have to sleep in your ride.  Minivans packed with 6 runners do NOT make the best sleeping environments, and you REALLY want to try getting sleep when you can.
• Power considerations - everyone has phones, MP3 players, book readers, tablets, headlamps, wireless earphones, watches, and a variety of other things they need to recharge.  Does your personal vehicle have both enough juice and enough outlets to handle this?  First, an inverter is a great thing to have for each van, though that is more of a personal thing, not a team thing, but second, the more power outlets you have in a ride, the better!

Well, I feel there is probably plenty more, but this is at least a start.  There are hundreds of more pointers, tips, ideas, suggestions that I have either from the Ragnars I have done, or from the advice and ramblings of friends who have done many more than me.  If I can gather my thoughts on those, I will do another For the n00bs article.  Until then, this is at least a good start.  I hope this has been some useful,if sporadic and rambling, information that might help make your next Ragnar just a slight bit easier.

Upcoming Events - Ragnar Relay Del Sol (21-22 Feb. 2014)

Upcoming Events - Ragnar Relay Del Sol (21-22 Feb. 2014)

Part of what I wanted to do was to share my adventures in racing and running events.  Definitely a huge part of my race season is the Ragnar Relay series.  If you have never participated in one, I would HIGHLY recommend trying one out (heck, get in contact with me, I am usually captaining at least one team a year, and trying to be on at least three or four more).  This year, I currently have 5 relays on the docket, with the first one coming up in just a week.

Race

Ragnar Relay Del So

Type

Team Relay Road Race

Location

Wickenburg, AZ to Tempe, AZ

Team Name

Breaking Bad

Synopsis

I will be part of a twelve man (and woman) team, running in position two, running a 202.5 mile course over the course of a day and a half.  We will be divided up into two vans (van 1 holding positions 1-6 and van 2 holding positions 7-12).  The vans rotation, van 1 starting and then switching off after the sixth leg with van 2, then switching back after the twelfth leg until each runner has completed 3 legs each.  The legs are of varying distances with runners covering from 10.8 miles to 23.1 miles overall in the course of the race.

The team I am part of, Breaking Bad, is going with a theme based on the popular show.  In fact, I have been picked to be the "Walter White" of the group.  This will include me dressing something like Walter White from the Season 1 poster for the show (green shirt, tighty whities, argyle socks. . .).  The team has custom painted tighty whities (with "Breaking [RunnersName]" on the back in Breaking Bad style, see pics).

(oh, did I mention that the tighty whities glow?  Forgot that part!  The "Let's Cook" one of Walter White's most notable lines, is written on the front of the tighty whities).

Why I Love This Event

Ragnars in general are truly an experience.  Everyone is the same kind of crazy.  We are all out there because we love to run, we love the social aspect of the Ragnar, and we want to be around other people that share our specific type of sickness.  Many of us while running are saying to ourselves "Why am I doing this AGAIN???" but as soon as we cross the finish line, our next thought is "When can we do this again???"  There is a sense of community and family among Ragnarians that I have not quite felt anywhere else.

This specific race I am looking forward to because it is rumored to be one of the pretties night runs of the Ragnar event.  In fact, our team is going on a free pass because the team captain won the Del Sol Starry Night competition (something I will have to try to outdo him on this year. . . . ).  Arizona in February, running through the dark country side, seeing a massive vista of stars.  What's not to love?  It will be my first time running Del Sol, and I am really excited to get out there and do it.

I am running in Position 2, which means that I will run a 5.5 mile leg, then a 5.7 mile leg, and finish with a 7.7 mile leg.  This is just about what I like to do.  3 miles seems too short, and anything over 7 or 8 miles at a stretch gets to be a bit much for me sometimes (though I WILL be doing a 9.8 mile leg in May).  Anyway, the legs are just about right for what I am looking for, though I will end on a pretty nice hill (the 7.7 goes downhill then back up for the last half).  Either way, I will run it, I will finish, I shall overcome, and I shall LOVE it!

Check back the week after the race for my post race overview!  It should be a fun one.  I have not yet exposed myself in Arizona as I shall during the race (Speedo is all I have to say, Speedo and tighty whities).  Hopefully I will have some pictures to share, some stories to share, and many new friends from yet another amazing Ragnar!

Running Gear Review - Safety Vest - Noxgear Tracer360

Today's Review:

Noxgear Tracer360 Illuminated Safety Vest

Noxgear Tracer360 is probably one of the coolest pieces of safety equipment I currently own.  I saw it originally on Kickstarter, and supported the project there because I thought it was a cool idea.  From there, when I originally got it, I started wearing it for my night runs.  I was so impressed with it, that I then ended up ordering one for each member of my Ragnar Relay Las Vegas team for 2013 (see notes about this being Ragnar Compatible later).  Anyone who has run a multi-day relay race has probably had to have some kind of nighttime running gear to include something like a headlamp, tail light, and reflective vest.  Well, Tracer360 covers at least two of these relatively well.  It has reflective parts to cover the reflective vest, and it is definitely visible from behind for a tail light.

Another great thing about the Tracer360, more the company Noxgear, is their customer service and their passion for their product.  As I said, I was a kickstarter supporter of their launch.  After that, I got in touch with the owners, +Simon Curran  and +Tom Walters , and asked if they would be willing to be sponsors for our team for Las Vegas.  By sponsors, I just asked if they could give me a team discount when I bought 12 Tracer360 for my Ragnar team.  They were more than happy to work with me, and they also made some special modifications to the original Tracer360 so that it would be Ragnar Compatible:

NOTE: Ragnar Compatible:  The Tracer360 meets almost all of the Ragnar Safety Rules for a reflective vest.  The ONLY thing missing is reflective material over the shoulders.  The Tracer360 has fiber optic cable over the shoulders, but the Ragnar staff was very specific that it must be REFLECTIVE.  Simon and Tom came up with a fix for that, the Ragnar Ready Tracer360 that had additional reflective pieces that rode on the shoulder to meet the Ragnar Safety Rules.

Manufacturer Facts:

• 360 Degree Dynamic Illumination
• 3M Reflective / Hi-Vix Sport Elastic Belt
• Quick-Clip Buckle & Dual-Adjustment
• Lightweight (6.5 oz.)
• All-Season, Rain-Proof design
• Full Color Spectrum
• Battery Status Notification & Always Bright LEDs

My Take on the Gear:

This is one of the most comfortable, easiest to use, and coolest safety vests I have ever seen or used.  The sport belt sits right under chest level, and has adjustments to hold the two fiber optic cables in place over the shoulders.  The device has a low-profile electrical pack that the safety belt is attached to that sits in the middle of your back.  It is cushioned, and so light weight that you hardly remember it is there.  It has the on-off button on it, near the bottom where most people should be able to reach it.  The two fiber optic cables run from the top of the pack piece, up over the shoulders, to the safety belt in the front, then down under the arms/along your side, and back to the bottom of the back piece.  They are light-weight, and as long as you adjust them to sit snugly on your shoulders, they won't be a problem.

I have been running in a Tracer360 almost every workout since I got them (it is dark here in the Northwest in the evenings, and I don't get to go for a run until after work, around 5:30-6:00 PM, and going on a 4-7 mile run, it gets dark before I get back).  I can't imagine going back to anything else.  It is near impossible for drivers NOT to see me.  There are a good selection of light modes to use from solid colors (in most colors of the rainbow), to slow pulsing between multiple colors, to flashing between multiple colors.  My Ragnar Ready Tracer360 (I have two now, one Kickstarter and one Ragnar Ready) even has a White and Orange Ragnar mode where it flashes between white and orange colors.  Simon did that special, just for us.  What did I say?  These guys rock.  Wearing the Tracer360, it is so light (figuratively and literally) that you almost forget you are wearing it (other than it is flashing, blinking, pulsing, and tough to forget when it is dark out).  It is light-weight, comfy, and I have gotten MANY compliments and comments on it.  

When we wore the Tracer360 at the Las Vegas Ragnar, we could always spot our runner in the long line of runners at night.  They were the ones that stuck out and were visible from over a half mile away.  As we were driving the support van, we passed runners that had tail lights you could barely see to ones that were almost dead.  The Tracer360 won't ever do that to you.  When you turn the Tracer360 on or off, it will pulse Green to let you know the battery is still good.  Or, it will pulse red to let you know the battery needs to be changed.  One thing it WON'T do to you though, is if you are out on a run and the battery starts to give out, it won't just diminish in brightness and leave you stranded.  It will switch to an energy saving red pulse.  This does TWO things.  It lets you know that your battery needs to be changed when you are done with the run, and it DOESN'T leave you stranded without your illuminated vest.  I have had mine start pulsing red only 5-10 minutes into an hour-long run, and it never  gave out on me.  This is an AWESOME benefit for any of you running a team relay.  If the batteries get weak, you will still be able to finish the leg you are on.

Summary:

So, I can't say anything bad about these.  They definitely have the wow factor (you become like a walking disco party, or for you kids out there, a walking rave party), the comfort factor (so lightweight, and fits comfortably enough, you won't even think about  the feel, just how cool you look), and the safety factor (believe me, you can't miss someone in this vest when it is dark out).  The company is run by a couple of amazing guys, and their product is really great.  If you ever bump into me at a race, you can bet I will be wearing mine for my night gear.  These run true-to-size at least for the men's sizes, and for the women, if in doubt, order one size larger.  It is easier to deal with extra fiber optic cable than deal with not having enough.  Hope you can pick one up and try it, and if you are ever driving through my area and see a strobing light running along the road, no it is NOT aliens, it is just me out rocking my awesome Tracer360!

Running Gear Review - Heart Rate Monitor - Rhythm by Scosche

So, this will be my first gear review.  Currently, I will only be able to review the gear I have.  Maybe in the future, I can branch out and try new and different gear to review and the like, but we shall see.

Today's Review:

Scosche Rhythm Heart Rate Monitor

Scosche Rhythm is a non-chest strap heart rate monitor.  I will start with the quick stats and details on it per the manufacturer's website.  It is their slightly older model (they now have the Rhythm + which is their newer version of this as far as I can tell).  Currently the Rhythm comes in black with yellow or pink body.  I purchased mine at a Best Buy where it was selling for right around $79.99 (the same as it sells for on their website).  The strap has Velcro on both ends to adjust on either side so you can correctly position it on the upper forearm.  Unlike your standard chest strap heart rate monitor that works on electrical diodes touching the skin, the Rhythm works by shining a small light onto the skin and measuring the light absorption.  The literature that comes with and can be found online states that this is only at most 3% off the chest strap accuracy.  The Rhythm connects via Bluetooth to a number of Apple and Android phones.  Per the user manual iPhone 5, 4S, 4, and 3GS, iPad 3rd and 2nd gen, iPad iPod Touch 5th, 4th, and 3rd gen, all requiring iOS 5.1 or higher.  It doesn't really specify which Androids it is usable with, but I am currently using a Samsung Galaxy S4 and it has no issues.

Some of the quick facts from the user manual that some will find important:

• Size: 2.17"W x 1.92"H x .58" D
• Weight: 1 - 1.1 oz. depending on armband
• Charging Time: 2 Hours
• Battery Type / Life: Lithium Ion / 6 Hours

My Take on the Gear:

Now, onto the more interesting things, my actual testing of it so far.  First, I have been testing it, using the Scosche Rhythm app that was designed to work with the unit.  There are a number of other apps that the monitor is supposed to work with (Digifit, iBiker, iPower, RunDouble C25K, iSpinner, iCardio, iRunner, iSmoothRun, Spinning), but I don't use any of those.  I usually use MapMyRun.  I was not able to get MapMyRun to recognize the heart rate monitor though, so was required to use the Scosche Rhythm app.

The upsides to the app:

• You can play and control your music through it (I still use a different app to do that, but more for reasons of getting this app and many others to recognize my specific playlists, an issue for another time)
• You can select the type of activity AND the heart rate level you want to achieve during the activity so it gives you a visual guide to whether you are in the zone or not (as well as you can select to have audio prompts)
• You can add custom activities and setup the heart rate levels for the zones for that activity
• Does a pretty passable job keeping and allowing you to track heart rate data.
• The Stop, Pause/Resume buttons on the app are larger and easier to hit when working out than many other apps I have seen.

The downsides to the app:

• The GPS tracking is off by QUITE a bit.  A route I have run three times now, I have driven before, and I have mapped on both Google Maps and Map My Run came out a mile SHORTER on the Scosche app vs. the Map My Run map and the Route Creator.
• The music playing portion only recognizes limited playlists.  I created a couple of playlists using Amazon MP3, and they are not recognized.
• In spite of the website and documents saying that workouts can be shared with a number of other apps, the ONE I wanted to share it with is the ONE that it is currently having (known) issues with.
• I have not been able to find a way to export the workouts as a GPX or anything to manually transfer to another app.

Now this really ISN'T a review of the app, but since you will also have to decide whether you want to use the app if you get the heart rate monitor, I wanted to give at least a few points on it.

Now onto the heart rate monitor itself.  The pros would be:

• No Chest Strap!  You don't have to have something wrapped around your chest, hopefully staying in place.  It is an armband that wraps around the upper forearm, and the unit sits on top or inside of the arm.  If you are used to running with an MP3 player on your bicep or something like that, it isn't too much of an adjustment.  If you are used to wearing an MP3 player on the wrist, you could probably figure out a way to combine the two.
• Relatively small size and comfortable.  The unit is not very big and site just below the inner side of the elbow.  The times I have run with it, it has always been comfortable and never gotten in the way.
• Ability to control your music volume.  There is a plus and minus button on the unit that will increase and decrease the volume without having to do it on your phone.  This is particularly nice as a lot of smart phones' volume buttons are a bit difficult to get to in an armband.
• Ability to stop and start the workout.  The center button is supposed to allow you to start and stop your workouts without touching the phone.  It is also supposed to allow you to change the music, but I believe that is only when using the associated app for music as well.
• Strap is highly adjustable.  Since both ends of the strap have Velcro, you can put the unit on your arm where you want it, and then adjust from BOTH sides to keep it where you want it.  This is instead of trying to figure out where to start it so it is where you need it to be when you are done pulling a single strap.

The only con I have come across so far is the inability to sync this heart rate monitor with a variety of apps.  I have used +MapMyFitness  MapMyRun for a long time, and would really like to be able to sync it up with that.  It seems that a big effort to make it compatible with Apple has been done, but not much to make it compatible with Android.  If I could change one thing about it, that would be it.  Make it better compatible with Android and Android apps.

Other than that, it has been a great heart rate monitor.  Small, light-weight, and simple to use.  You turn it on, wait for your chosen app to sync with it, and then go.  If you need to adjust your volume up or down, pause or restart your workout, both are fairly simple tasks with this.  Oh, if you have a relatively LOW resting heart rate, you might have to do some jumping up and down to get the monitor to actually properly start registering your heart rate, but once you start working out it will be fine.

Summary

My overall review?  This is a decent heart rate monitor for the money.  It doesn't require a watch or something like that with it.  It doesn't require a chest strap or anything with it.  The straps are comfortable, and it fit snuggly without being too tight.  My only issues are issues with compatibility both with apps and the online portal.  If you have an app you like that is on the list of partner apps, I would definitely recommend this monitor.  It has been great.  If you don't I would definitely think twice about buying this.  I might recommend looking at their Rhythm + as it is supposed to work better with a wider range of apps.  If you don't want to bump up to the Rhythm + and you are okay with the Scosche Rhythm app issues, this is definitely worth the cost.

#MegsMiles - Running to Remember, Running to Support

Some of you might have heard about this, some might not.  There was a runner killed on Monday of this last week, January 13th, 2014.  Her name was Meg Cross Menzies.  If you want to read a bit more, you can find the facebook event page here: #MegsMiles

What I find really interesting about the running community as a whole is this.  In a lot of cases, a tragedy like this would have affected the people that knew her, friends and family, and they would have been LESS likely to go out and do whatever she was doing when this happened.  But not the running community.  Word spread from one runner to another, from people who knew her, to people who had never met her or even heard of her before this tragedy (that would include me).  In spite of that, in spite of never having met her, people still committed to run in memory of her, in support of her family.  That is what is so awesome and amazing about the running community.  They pull together for each other, to support each other and to lift each other up.  To see what I mean, just got to the event page, and click on the hash-tagged #megsmiles where you will find hundreds and hundreds of people who ran in memory and support of Meg.

I just want to say a big thank you, and tip my hat to the whole running community, for this true sense of community and caring.  You are some of the nicest, friendliest, most supportive people I have met in all my years, and I am glad to be a continued part of the community.  Some of us choose to do short races like 5k and 10k, others choose to do a bit longer like half and full marathons.  Some of you crazies out there even step up to ultra-marathons.  Some participate in team relays like the Ragnar Relay and Hood to Coast, others do triathlons and add a couple of other sports in there.  We all seem to do a slightly different mix of things, but we can all understand each other and our passion for running, and we can all support each other, and help each other make it another step, another mile, push for a PR, or just finish.  I am glad to be a part of this, and look forward to many more years of running.  Thank you all.

What's In a Name

So, just a quick post tonight as it is late, and I took both dogs running today.  I am a bit sore and could use some ibuprofen and a good night's sleep.  It's a good sore, but running with a Weimeraner/Vizsla mix dog is asking for a quick run.  He would have gone faster if I let him.

Anyway, back to the name of the blog.  Where did it come from?  Well, anyone who knows me currently knows that I am not exactly what people think of when they think "runner."  I have a few extra pounds on me (umm, about 65 lbs. more than when I came out of Basic Training 10+ years ago), and I am definitely not a skinny, svelte running type.  But, I still run.  I actually tend to surprise some people with my ability to move, even sprint at times (I think the people I flew by at the Holiday Half Marathon in the last 400 meters were quite surprised to see someone my size fly by as fast as I did).  I won't ever be the runner I was in high school (imagine 120 lbs., skinny, and able to run a sub 5 minute mile). I have too many injuries that are going to keep me from doing that, but that won't keep me from running.  I still love it.  I enjoy getting out and just running.  I enjoy taking part in team relays.  I love what I do.  That being said, I still take people by surprise because they aren't usually expecting what I can do.  The best example of this was back in 2006 when I deployed to Afghanistan.  I was not quite as big as I am now (I think I was around 190 at the time), but still bigger than I wanted to be.  We were in Camp Shelby, Mississippi doing physical training as a company.  We happened to be doing wind sprints, and I came up against my company commander, a much more slender guy who seemed to think he was rather fast. . . . until I blew by him at a high rate of speed.  His comment and nickname has kind of stuck in the back of my head ever since.  As I flew by him, and we got to the end, he quipped "Doughboy can run!"

So, thanks to Captain Fernandez (I am sure probably Major or higher by now), I will ever have that image in my head.  I hope to not always LOOK like the Pillsbury doughboy, but the nickname is always a reminder that I have more I can do, farther I can go, and harder I can try to improve myself.  I know he didn't mean it as a mean statement, but even if he did, it is the ability to  take a statement like that, turn it around and use it as a source of motivation.  Are you a "Chubby" or "slow-poke" or "wimpy?"  Is there something people whisper about you behind your back?  If there is, take that, make it your own, and turn it into the motivation to go out and prove them wrong, to get better, to go farther.  For me, it gets me out pounding pavement, finding a trail to run, finding a race to run, finding a team to join. 

The moral: People will say mean things, intentionally or unintentionally.  The best things to do with those statements are 1) be honest with yourself (I AM a bit of a Dough boy, not proud of it, but it's the truth), and 2) use it to motivate you to improve yourself (I don't ALWAYS want to be a Dough boy, so what do I do about it to change that. . . ).

Well, so much for a quick post.  I hope that, if you have read this far, and you come back here every-so-often, that my blogs about running and motivation, or whatever strikes my fancy at the time, can always help encourage you to reach new heights, to always continue trying.  It isn't about being skinny, being the best, being fast.  It is about always striving to be better than you currently are.  It is always pushing to find something more you can do to improve.  Get out there and run!

In the beginning. . . .

So, where to start, for beginnings are very tenuous times, or so I am told.  I guess the very beginning.  When I was in junior high, I loved to run.  I continued to run up through high school and even into college.  Then life set in, I got a job, lots of sitting at desks, slowing getting out of shape.  Then, I joined the Army and again started to do a lot of running (and marching, and hiking, and other things).  Then I commissioned as an officer and did a lot less running.  Then I got back into the civilian world and got a job in technology and did a LOT less running, and a lot more sitting.  Then, I had a little bundle of joy arrive, my little darling daughter, and at first I did not start running again,  but eventually, I committed to get into shape for her, so that some day I would be there for all the special events.  So, it is because of her that I have again embarked upon this wondrous journey of running.  I continue so I can keep getting in better shape, but also for the joy and the love of running, for the fun of the competitions and races, and because sometimes, just being all alone with your music, your thoughts, and the trail is as close as we can get to Nirvana in our day to day lives.  So, that is where it all begins. . . .