Today: MOTIVATIONAL RUNNING QUOTES

“You have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.”
- Steve Prefontaine

“Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.”
-Oprah Winfrey - Not sure how often Oprah runs but whatever she says is worth believing

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge,  but rather a lack in will.”
- Vince Lombardi  

“Just remember – right, left, right, left….repeat.”
Jordan F  – LOVE this one.  Some people think running is intimidating. Running the 1/2 marathon let alone a full marathon seems impossible. Just remember everyone has to start somewhere with everything they do.  Right, left, right, left… repeat through life.

“… run with patience the race that is set before us …”
Heb. 12:1-3 - Even the BIBLE believed in taking one step at a time to achieve our goals and cross that finish line.

“There is nothing to be intimidated about – it’s just another long run where a few more people  show up and they happen to wear numbers.”
- Wesley Stafford 

Let’s end this blog post with a laugh!

“Running takes balls. Other sports just play with them.”

Have a fanastic day everyone! KEEP ON RUNNIN’!

Marathon season is in full-force this time of year, and one of the most competitive & highly anticipated marathons is just 20 days away: BOSTON. With competitive required qualifying times and Olympic participants, no wonder this race has made an impact even in our small town of Burlingame

With a few local ARM friends competing this year, we figured it was a good a time as any to throw out as much information as possible about this great race. Of course, we’re YET to see ourselves participate on this level of competitive running so we have to rely on our friends at Runner’s World. They know they’re stuff! Click here and become a Beantown-Marathon-Pro!

In the meantime, here are some FAQ’s about this year’s race from RW:

What is the weather like, historically?
The weather can vary dramatically on race day. Cold, wind, and rain combined to slow runners in 2007, as a major storm moved through New England. In 2005, however, the temperature at the start was 70°F, with clear skies. On average, Boston experiences daytime highs in the mid-50s in April.

How big is the field this year?With the new registration process, a total of around 27,000 entrants were accepted. Registration for the 2011 Boston Marathon closed in only eight hours.

Where can I find a map of the course?
You can view a course map here.

Is it too late to book a hotel room in Boston for marathon weekend?
Most likely, yes. But, you might place a call to see if there are any openings. MarathonTours.com has a listing of hotels and phone numbers.

What’s the deal with the start corrals?
Corral placement is assigned according to bib numbers (based on qualifying time). Your starting corral is printed beneath your runner’s number on your bib. You are only allowed to move back to a higher numbered corral; forward movement is prohibited.

Where and when is the race expo?
The John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo will be held at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. The expo is home to bib number and packet pick-up for all registered runners. There will be no race-day number distribution. Hours are as follows:

Friday, April 13… 2:00 p.m.—7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 14 … 8:00 a.m.—7:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 15 … 9:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m.

We can’t WAIT to join forces with Newton’s this weekend at the Oakland Running Festival Expo, taking place from 9am-5pm at the Oakland Marriott City Center.

Come stop by our booth as you weave through the masses of vendors, charities and merchandisers for goodies, shoe advise from the experts and of course EXTRA enthusiastic words of wisdom before your big race!

Look out on our Facebook page for details about our booth’s location. SEE YOU THEN!

We couldn’t help but think this image was PERFECT in motivating us (and hopefully you!) to hit the pavement in support of the Breast Cancer movement this year! Our running shoe partners at Asics have been working behind the scenes to develop a high fashion, high performance, HIGHLY PINK shoe (and other fun accessories) for runners/walkers/supporters who are fighting to find the cure.

These GTS-1000′s (similar in appearance to the 2170′s) will be released to the public this October, just in time to be sported for upcoming Breast Cancer events in 2013. These shoes will retail at $100, and $2 per pair of shoes up to $100K will be donated to support Christina Applegate’s “Right Action for Women” on behalf of Asics.

We at ARM lucky enough to guarantee that IF YOU ORDER THROUGH ARM BY FRIDAY 3/23, YOU’LL GET YOUR OWN PAIR THIS OCTOBER! These are going to be a hot purchase when they’re released to store’s so to make sure you have these pink-beauties this year, might as well order through us ASAP.

If there are any other accessories you’re interested in (headbands, sports bra, anything you see listed in the above flyer), let us know! These pieces would be PERFECT if you’re looking to participate in any of the upcoming Run Like a Diva races

For other tips from the pros at Asics, we’ve been checking out their blog and it’s great! We used their post from the 13th on race recovery, worked like a charm.

We couldn’t help but to take a trip down memory lane after seeing this photo of our very own ARM manager, Monte, during his high school racing days. Our Newton rep/educator, Brad Jacobs, sent us this photo of them racing at Crystal Springs circa circa 2005. Monte’s in the front with his Burlingame High School jersey and Brad’s catching up to him representing Aragon High School.

It’s certainly perfect timing to reminisce on how much has happened since Monte’s high school Cross-Country days: he was joined this past weekend by his amazing groomsmen for his Bachelor Party, which included a quick trip down to LA to catch the Clippers vs. Warriors game! We hung back with his wonderful fiance, Liz Doogan, keeping our fingers crossed that the men enjoyed/behaved themselves

Tune back Thursday for some highlights from our Napa Valley Marathon team!

We can’t help but be inspired by this photo, capturing a profound moment in the lives of our friend’s Anna’s parents, Bonnie and Roger, in the late 1970′s after a run in Ann Arbor MI to raise money and awareness for the Equal Rights (for Women) Amendment. The 70′s were a known for sparking a number of movements, from ERA to Civil Rights and (right up our alley) the “running boom” in the United States and beyond.

Nowadays, it seems like every other person we meet is either training for a marathon or wondering when they should check a triathlon off their “bucket list.” So when did this whole running “kick” happen, and how? It’s said that Frank Shorter’s gold medal win in the Munich Olympic Marathon of 1972 was the catalyst of the 1970s running boom, and an estimated that 25 million Americans took up some aspect of running over the course of the next two decades.

With that huge running frenzy, what better time for running mag’s like Runner’s World and shoe companies like Nike to take the spotlight and get to work supporting these athletes!

Many historical events and societal trends can also be associated with the running boom, but three individuals stand out as those who truly set fire to the runner’s spirit in the US.

Bill Rodgers was one of the best marathoners to ever live, setting the world’s fastest time at the NYC marathon in 1976 and winning the Boston marathon. His love for the race literally doubled the number of participants in the NYC marathon the year after he won!

Then there was Katherine Switzer, a woman who dared to go against the common belief that that women were not fit to compete in long running distances when she registered for the Boston marathon under the gender-neutral name “K.V. Switzer.” She literally had to fight off male protestors who tried to physically take her out of the running! Even after women were legally allowed to participate in these 26.2 mile races, she fought even farther by encouraging women to compete in the Olympics in this field, saying ”Olympic inclusion for women’s distance runners would mean two things: first, that the whole world would at last acknowledge women’s physical capability, and second-but no less important-that women themselves would suddenly realize that they could be distance runners at the highest level.”

This dream became a reality in when Joan Benoit Samuelson took Gold in the  first women’s Olympics in Los Angeles during the summer of 1984. Not only did this spark the trend in female racing, but it’s impact has shown in our lifetime with all-women races like the Nike Women’s Marathon and equal rights movements through the art of running for the European Women’s Lobby.

Well, there’s your bit of history BTYB your Arm Social Media Rep Just some things to think about when you sign up for your next race: you’re helping to continue a tradition that’s been inspiring people (including ourselves) for a long time. GO YOU!

Here’s a little blurb on what our store manager, Monte, had to say about the situation and what his concerns are as someone who trains runners regularly throughout the year and is at a loss for convenient places to meet:

“Monte Keleher, a Burlingame native and one of the owners of A Runner’s Mind on Howard Avenue, recalled working summers at Runner’s Feet which offered group runs at the Burlingame High School track. When that store located across the street from the tra

ck on Oak Grove Avenue closed, A Runner’s Mind opened in August 2010 similarly offering group runs throughout the week. 

Keleher agrees, the track should be closed during games and isn’t opposed to paying for a permit to use. But he questions the need to close public access to fields during practices. Additionally, Keleher has concerns about the district’s communication about when the field is available.”

Click here to read the rest of the article, which includes feedback from the school district’s facilities manager and other local coaches.

As a store dedicated to our runners, we want to know how these track closures have affected you! Email us your feedback at armsocialmedia@gmail.com for any questions, concerns, or thoughts about the article. Fingers crossed we’ll find a new home for our ARM Academy training sessions and group runs soon!

Being a store whose creator was a worried mother to several track-obsessed children, ARM knows that the start of Track & Field seasons also means the beginning of a possible series of running injuries. The students are PUMPED for a good season and an opportunity to join a team of great people and start off with a bang. A few weeks pass and those who were having the time of their lives are halted by shin splints, IT band syndrome, runner’s knee, stress fractures, plantar fasciitis…the list goes on.

We came across this GREAT article in A Runner’s World on how to approach this season and prevent injury as a parent, a coach and most importantly, as a runner.

Come into the store for more tips on injury prevention, starting from the ground up Excited to watch all our local high school teams hit the track this Spring!

In preparation for this year’s 2012 Olympics, popular athletic brands are going above and beyond technology and innovation to provide our athletes with the most advanced footwear/clothes that is both functional and fashionable. After all, with the world at their fingertips as they line up at the starting line, the last thing Ryan Hall and Shalane Flanagan want to worry about it is what they’re wearing.

Just days ago, Nike revealed their exciting new line Olympic Track & Field athletic-wear, highlighting two significant pieces of the collection that are sure to “wow” the audience and improve the performance of the runner.

Their Pro TurboSpeed track suit, dubbed the fastest track uniform Nike has ever built. According to Nike, the suit is reportedly .023 seconds faster over 100 meters than the company’s previous uniform, according to wind tunnel data. It comes in a one-piece, full-body suit, a two-piece option and shorter styles for athletes in longer distances.

Don’t worry, all you “green” beings. No animals were harmed in the creation of these wonder uniforms. The suits are made with 82-percent recycled polyester fabric, which is made from recycled plastic bottles. The bottles are reduced to fine pellets, which are then made into a yarn that is spun into material. It takes an average of 13 bottles to create enough yarn for one uniform.

With the creators of these awesome suits claiming that they are “faster than skin,” questions of the legality of this athletic wear has come into play. Luckily, Nike Olympics innovation director Martin Lotti has refuted all these rumors, equating the invention of this suit as being the same as giving the runner a lighter shoe. It is meant to grant the runner a slight edge towards winning, but “the heavy work comes from the athlete.”

Speaking of shoes, we can’t RESIST getting overexcited about their new distance running shoes using Nike Flyknit technology, which is exactly what it sounds like. The shape and structure of the shoe’s upper is knitted by machine using a variety of yarns and fabric threads. There is zero waste and the shoe weighs only 5.6 ounces. It is also 19-percent lighter than the shoe worn by the gold, silver and bronze medalists in the men’s marathon at the 2011 World Championships. That’s crazy!

Nike has definitely outdone themselves in sticking to their long tradition of enhancing athletic performance through science, technology and the love of the sport. If you haven’t seen enough Fly-Knit promotion, check out the below video!

Can’t WAIT for the 2012 Olympics kick off! Which race are YOU most looking forward to seeing?

With so many exciting Bay Area races just around the corner, what better way to get yourself motivated to sign up/pickup your training than to give you some FUN insight on these events.

Today’s highlighted race: OAKLAND RUNNING FESTIVAL 2012

The rundown: Organized by Corrigan Sports Enterprises, the Oakland Running Festival is a two-day celebration of running that includes a full marathon, half marathon, team relay, 5K, and the Lucky Kids’ Fun Run. Taking place March 24th and 25th, 2012 marks the events’ third consecutive year that the city opens its streets to thousands of runners, walkers, and excited volunteers and townspeople who come out in droves for this one-of-a-kind event.

Fun facts:

*Before 2010, the city of Oakland had not seen a marathon in over 25 years!

*Oakland was selected #5 overall on the New York Times listing of “Places to Visit in 2012″, and was first among USA destinations on that list:travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html. What better way to enjoy it than by RUNNING through it

*One of the main attractions to this race is the weather: The average high temperature for the end of March is 63 degrees and the average low is 50 degrees. PERFECT for a long run!

*Corrigan Sports is the driving force for the innovative creation of the Baltimore and Frederick Running Festivals in Maryland, which have been highly successful for the past 11 years. Their focus is on organizing larger running events within unique small-to-medium sized cities (that often go overlooked). Oakland, like Baltimore, is rich in history and has enjoyed fast and vibrant growth. Both cities are nested within a larger urban hub, which makes for an exciting and affordable visit and an excellent place to run.

*To those member of the Raider nation, the team will be there to cheer you on!

*Lake Merritt (which both full and half marathoners will pass on their way back to downtown Oakland and the finish line) is the first official wildlife refuge in the United States. It’s home to a large population of birds, particularly geese (which are the mascot for the local running club, the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders). Don’t worry, they’re friendly!

For more information about this great East Bay festival, stop into the store and we’ll be happy to share our experiences there. Many ARM runners took part in it last year and had positive feedback. Hopefully this post will inspire you to register and see what FUN is in store for you!