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 I love it when a plan comes together. This week, the Tacoma Runners' Thursday Beer Run will prance around T-town in dresses, spreading the kind of good cheer that can only be conveyed with activity-inappropriate clothing. The debacle is being sponsored by the Tacoma blog, Exit133, our own Grit City Self Propelled, and the Harmon Hub. The Hub, in addition to providing a venue for 20 or so sweaty runners in questionable evening wear, has offered awards for our prize packs, plus a FREE large pizza for every seven people that show up. Wow. That our little group continues to grow and generate excitement in the community never ceases to amaze me. And the way Tacoma residents and businesses rally around fun activities like the ones we're putting on is inspiring and energizing. Thanks to Matt at Tacoma Bike Ranch for introducing us to the folks at Harmon. And thanks to Derek at Exit133 for being the biggest t-town advocate this side of Wild Waves. I'll post up some photos and an account of this disaster in a few days.
Same streets, same trees, same dirt, grass, concrete, and railroad tracks. Same time of day, same routine to get ready, and the same, skip. Same, skip. Same music on your mp3 player. When "regular" runs get to be a chore, it might be time to slow down. Slower. Slower. Stop. Bend down and touch the asphalt your feet pound every day. Lean over the railing of that bridge you always run across and see what's down there. Yesterday I took our crappy little point-and-shoot along on my "regular" lunchtime run. I wanted to see these seven miles in a different way. Or perhaps more accurately, to be reminded of the intricacies I've come to ignore. Some of the photos were taken on the move, others while stopped. Stitched together, they tell the story of a run in the dirty, beautiful, broke-down town I love. Just another run.
 Hardly a day goes by that either Lisa or I don't proclaim our love for this town. Tacoma has given us room to stretch our legs, courage to try new things, and fresh perspectives on the meaning of community. It's given our kids more stability and a better shot at success — even if they don't realize it yet. Grit City is the backdrop for our next chapter, and the prospects are exciting...
Tacoma Runners. “I would never belong to a group that would accept someone like me as a member.” -Groucho Marx Lisa and I solved Groucho's conundrum by starting our own club. In the Tacoma Runners, we've found kindred spirits and a weekly date night. It started with a simple post to Twitter... "Trying to gauge interest in a Tacoma running group. Laid back, beer-centric."  The first jog went down a few days later, with six like-minded beer runners. Last week we drew over 30, and organized a one-lap backwards race as part of the run. We even found some sponsors to fill prize bags with t-shirts, gift certificates, and booze (thanks Doyle's, O'Malley's, and Grit City Self Propelled). This is all-new territory for us, and we had a great time doing it. Next chapter indeed! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=302380360090----------------------------------------------Grit City Self Propelled. Recognize that name from the sponsor list above? I've hesitated to mention GCSP here, lest it fall victim to "the curse". See, we've tried to get a similar venture off the ground in the past. Twice. Both times, after a mention on this blog, the websites vanished mysteriously. So what's gonna make this one different? Place. GCSP is starting from an honest, simple place. It's starting at home. We'll be a resource for Tacoma's cyclists, runners, walkers... everyone living (or aspiring to) an active life here. And we hope to become an advocate for those groups in the shaping of public policy and infrastructure as the city continues to grow up. Again, all new territory for us.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gcselfpropelled
----------------------------------------------So there you have a peek into two of our new, ongoing adventures. Our energy seems to be building... no doubt thanks to the wonderful people we're meeting, and the encouragement that comes from seeing our kids thrive in new ways. Thanks for having us, Tacoma. We hope to bring you very, very much of the awesome.
 This could get ugly.
 I've never caught the bridge deck of the Murray Morgan in the raised position. Wish I would have been there when they brought 'er up. In any case, it made a perfect frame for Mount Rainier on a clear and bright Tacoma morning. Bring on the sunshine... we're ready to play outside.
 This is our coffee shop. Worn wood floors, well-used tables, mismatched chairs. Vintage light fixtures, some hanging, others on tables. Fireplace or pot-bellied stove in the middle of the room. Sunken area with a big, wrap-around couch pointed at an old 1940's tv console that has been hollowed out and had a new set placed inside. Bearskin rug. That's right, I said it. The tv will show old bike races and running events... live broadcasts when they're on. The walls will be a showcase for local artists, including our kids. We'll carry a small selection of basic bike parts, nothing exotic. And we'll do free, simple repairs while you enjoy a cuppa joe. On another wall, we'll carry a couple different types of running shoes. Only stuff we wear and love ourselves. There will be a small shelf of local, bottled micro-brews for sale, and possibly some unique glassware from the breweries. Outside there will be a fire pit, and we'll project classic outdoors movies onto the wall. We'll sponsor races and rides. You'll want to hang out here. It will be a clubhouse for anyone living a life self-propelled in Grit City.
 This is me and my dad warming up for a road race, I'm guessing sometime around '84. On mornings like this, we would spend some time jogging, stretching, pinning on numbers... trying to shake off jitters with routine. We'd start together, then Dad would run ahead, finish the race, and come back for me. We always finished together. I'm not sure if enjoyed running for its own sake in those days, but it was important to my dad... and that was all that mattered. He was very good, eventually amassing a room full of ribbons, trophies, and wall plaques that formed a shrine to the sacrifices he will now tell you he regrets. Dad's stare-down with cancer is causing him to scrutinize all the years spent in pursuit of transient prizes. But I never think, "If only my old man hadn't spent so much time running, maybe we could've done (fill in the blank)." No, I think instead of mornings spent on the road... and promise to give memories like those to my own kids. Are you sharing running with someone?
 A forewarning: This is going to be one of those posts where I grab onto my horn with both hands, dig in, and toot loudly. Paints a picture, don't it? Anyway, on to the news... Brooks Running has managed to look past my unhealthy obsession with beer and bacon, and selected me for its ID (Inspire Daily) program. I've been a fan of the local company for some time, so it's exactly like the cool kids waving me over to their lunch table in the 7th grade. Except this actually happened. I'm a Brooks groupie for several reasons. They have a commitment to helping runners develop at every level of the sport, they produce excellent gear, and they back it up with good service. Also — and this speaks to me as a marketer — Brooks has an uncommon attention to individual customers, especially via social media. Larger companies don't even come close to feeling as personal and approachable. I am pumped to be a part of the Brooks team and I look forward to bringing my loyal readers (hi, Lisa) more product reviews and other fun stuff. This is gonna be rad.  Also on the awesomeness front, Tacoma Runners is having its second (week) anniversary run tomorrow night. We leave from the mighty Red Hot on 6th Avenue, at 6:30pm. Check the Facebook group for more details, yo. The club is turning out to be kind of a fun endeavor. It's a great group, and we somehow managed to get through last week's inaugural run with no injuries and nobody (as far as I know) getting 86'ed from the Parkway. Heck, examiner.com even caught wind and wrote a little story. It'll be interesting to see where this goes. Lisa and I are thinking about races, themed runs, and other ways to grow the group and keep it fun. Alleycat race with tequila checkpoints, anyone?
A left turn off a fast, flat section and my bike commute immediately grinds to a near-halt. The hill. Shift down. Click. All the way down. Click, click. I lower my head and settle into a different frame of mind. I get hot and wish I could take off my jacket, but that would mean stopping and there's no way I'm stopping. And then, from somewhere on my left... "Enjoy your ride!"Startled back to reality I lift my head and look around. There, at the end of his driveway checking the mailbox is an old man, 80 years if not 90, waving and smiling as I pass. "Thank you, I will," is all I can muster through labored breathing. Eyes forward, keep pedaling, and then...
"Atta Boy!"Many things have been yelled my direction while cycling. It's part and parcel of what Bike Snob calls "the indignities of commuting by bicycle" and you get used to it. But atta boy? My mind begins to fill with scenarios from the old man's past that would make him sympathetic — no, enthusiastic — about seeing two wheels roll by. He was once a bicycle courier, battling cars and trolley tracks and cobblestone streets in 1930s Tacoma. Or maybe he was a board track racer in the waning years of the great six-days, for whom the sounds of chain and cog stir deep emotions. Then again, it's entirely possible he's just a guy who still remembers his first bike, baseball cards in the spokes, and that feeling of sweet freedom.  To the old man... thanks for making my day. I did enjoy the ride.
 If you're a regular reader (hi, Mom), you know that three of the most pervasive themes around here are running, beer, and Tacoma. I've been thinking lately about ways to combine this most righteous trinity, and recently floated the idea of a laid-back running club to my Twitter and Facebook homies. Seems there's actually some interest, so... Join us for the inaugural run this Thursday (January 28), 5:30pm, at the Parkway Tavern! We'll do 3 miles at a "social pace" and end back at the P'way for a pint or two. If it works, we'll do it again next Thursday from a different watering hole. I'm resisting the urge to register a domain, get shirts printed, and start looking for investors... but I am very excited about the possibilities for this club. Come on out and be a part of it! If you have any questions, just drop 'em in the comments. Please also comment if you've got ideas about what makes a good running club, as I have no idea what the hell I'm doing.
UPDATE: Join the new Facebook group for news and info on future runs.
 When cancer enters our lives, we often speak of it as a fight. And while that analogy is a little bristly for some, it makes sense to me. Cancer is a battle, and those of us who intend to win will look for any advantage. Navigating Cancer, where a good friend of mine is Community Manager, looks to be a great tool to have in our corner. The site provides a set of practical, empowering tools... a way for patients to organize their cancer journey along with their supporters and care teams. It also offers a strong community of support groups... facilitating discussions and the sharing of experiences, recommendations, and guidance. This free, easy-to-use site is currently in beta and will only continue to get better as people join, engage, and provide feedback. Check it out and see if it might make a difference in your fight. Navigating Cancer
We all know how hard it can be to drop everything, change into our workout skivvies, and head out for a run. Add a little rain, wind, ice, and darkness to the mix and the chances of getting out the door become even slimmer. Wouldn't it just be easier to crack a cold one and watch some Biggest Loser? Well, sure. But then the fitness we've worked so hard to gain during the warmer months would go right out the window.
Here's how I'm staying motivated this winter, and how you can, too.. 1) Set a Goal for Spring - Decide to do something big by May, and commit to it. Your goal should be concrete and measurable. "Get faster" and "lose some weight" do not count, because they leave too much wiggle room in the training plan you'll create in Step 2. My goal is the Eugene Marathon. But I won't just train to complete the race, I'll train to PR and break 3 hours. See... concrete, measurable. If you can commit to your goal financially, do it. Register for that race, reserve a hotel room, do it now. Make your goal real and impossible to ignore.  2) Create a Plan and Keep a Journal - Now that you've got a goal, it's time to work backward from that date to today. What weekly mileage will you need to be running and how can you build to it safely? Do you need to incorporate track work or cross-training? I like to plan at least one month out using a simple online spreadsheet, which also serves as my log. Check it out. Whether you do it online or on paper, a plan and a journal will map baby steps to your goal, and keep you honest.  3) Reward Yourself for Success - It's important to celebrate small victories. Didn't miss a workout all week? Crack a cold one and watch some Biggest Loser! Reached a new milestone in your weekly long run? Buy yourself some cushy new running socks! And think about how you'll reward yourself in May, too. I'll probably continue my marathon tradition of a bloody mary and a bacon cheeseburger.  4) Allow Yourself Some Missteps - The purpose of a goal, plan, and journal is not to intimidate. It's a system of checks and balances. So don't beat yourself up over a missed workout or a day when you couldn't run as far as you planned. In fact, it can be kind of liberating to write in your log, "Was supposed to do 800-meter repeats, but decided it was a good day to hang out in my pajamas, read the newspaper, and eat pizza rolls" (just don't do that too often).  5) Embrace the Season - Winter is a great time to train! The cooler weather allows us to run farther and faster without overheating. I know some folks move inside at the first sign of rain, but I say get off the treadmill, put on a jacket, and get outside. Stick out your tongue and catch snowflakes. Don't step around puddles, stomp through them. Toughen up, Sally. Embrace the winterness... run like a little kid!
 I have such fond memories of the Governor's Cup 5K, a race I ran every year as a youngster in my Montana hometown. This one, probably circa 1980 or '81, would have followed a predictable strategy... go like a bat outta heckfire at the gun, eventually settle into a comfortable jog, and then kick like a stubborn mule the last 200 yards into the finish chute. Man I loved the kick. Those last steps, with a crowd imagined to be something on the order of a million, transformed this little kid into a giant. Some things never change.
It's been almost a year now that we've been doing this. You'll recall it started as a low-key affair — half-hour romps at lunchtime and then we'd go our separate ways. No commitment, no expectations. "Let's not get too serious," you said. And I agreed, mostly. But there was a part of me that knew... soon there'd be no looking back. Co-workers started noticing that I was stepping out every day and coming back exhausted, with a curious smile on my face. I began to let some of them in on the secret — about the simple joy you and I had found together. And now I know a couple of them have found their own mistresses. And they come back from lunch with the same smile. None of this was real, though, until I told my wife. I said it out loud one night, without even thinking. The words instantly echoed in my own head and it became cemented forever. "I'm a runner."
1) PBR 2) PBR 3) Tawdry fling with wife 4) Widmer 5) Pre-fab dinner from Omaha Steaks 6) Widmer 7) Fast Friday8) Widmer 9) Once Upon a Wheel10) Busch Light 11) Cut up something old and make something new... 
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