Shoelace Day at Shea Stadium

Tonight, Thursday August 9, get free shoelaces at Shea Stadium for the Mets-Braves game. Sesame Street and New Balance are teaming up with the New York Mets to present "Mets Shoe Lace Day at Shea." The first 12,000 kids, 12 and under will receive a free pair of New Balance orange and blue shoelaces.

The theme of the night is "Healthy Habits." Sesame Street and New Balance have formed a program called "Healthy Habits for Life." Together they want to improve the well-being of children and teach better ways to live longer, healthier lives!

Check out this news bite for more information on the festivities.



--Cassie

Self Inspiration - What is Your Inner Pep Talk?

This morning I stopped in one of the Runner's World chat forums. They were covering an interesting topic, "do you talk to yourself when you run?" And if so, "what do you say?" Last weekend I ran 4 miles at my favorite indoor track and even though the track was crowded with people, I would catch myself saying "you can do a few more, a few more," and "no stopping, no stopping." I would make sure no one was in sight while saying these phrases to myself, I wouldn't want someone to turn around and see me talking to thin air.

But I tend to have different phrases and "talks" to myself when running outside, they get a little more intense. In high school, I had an incredible cross country coach; Coach Jim Davis (no really, that was his name...not the New Balance Jim Davis but the Parkway West High School coach/English Teacher Jim Davis). He had a series of excellent pep talks and phrases he would say (or shout at us) while running a race, workouts, sprints, etc. He would point to the runner in front of us and say "go get 'em!" and "you see her? Go get HER!" At each point of the race he would have a different phrase and he would run next to us in his straw hat and shades. It was pretty motivational to see your coach screaming and running beside you shouting "GO! GO! GO!" My favorite 'shout outs' of his came towards the end of the race, I loved this one: "Now is the time!" and "You can see it!" Meaning now is the time to go all out, start your kick, and bring it home, you can see the finish line. The most inspirational "talks" always came during that middle second mile in a 3.1 mile cross country race. At these critical moments he would jog right along side you , almost in the trail and say "look at me...you can do this...you can do this...GO!" Now that was motivation. Very intense, but it always gave me the extra push to keep going.

So, when I'm running outside and the sun is beating down and I have already run to my limit, I try to picture Coach Davis screaming and running along side me in that straw hat yelling "You can see IT! Go Cass!" Memories of the Coach Davis cheers are my personal pep talks.

What do you say to yourself while running? "lookin' good!" maybe "keep it up!" or even song lyrics..."Eye of the Tiger!"

--Cassie

Blog Your Training for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon

If you are currently training for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, and have a story to tell, now you can start your own LBCM Training Blog! And it's FREE!

As a Blogger, set your own goals, monitor your progress, share your ideas with other "like minded" marathoners, and other runners can comment and post suggestions. It's one way to start and establish your own running community. Think of it as your personal sounding board, diary or running journal.

If you decide to start your own training blog for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, please let us know and send us a link!

--Cassie

Announcing the New NB Zip®!

The New NB Zip® is finally here! The most anticipated new styles of the NB Zip® are now available. The new look is innovative, edgy, and fun. There is a style for any activity: cross training, running, basketball. Ideal for neutral runners/athletes (runners and athletes with neutral walking or running gaits), the NB Zip® is constructed to absorb impact with responsive struts placed in the heel.

The basketball NB Zip® has a few new added features this round: an inner fit system to keep the shoe snug around your midfoot, removable strap for ankle support, and a performance basketball outsole that helps to increase traction on the court.

Once we have a review out for the new NB Zips®, I will definitely keep you in the loop and feature the review on the blog. But if any of our readers have taken a run, walk, or played a game in this new style, please let us know; we'd love to hear from you.

--Cassie

2008 New Balance Half Iron Registration Opens September 1, 2007

The New Balance Half Iron Registration opens September 1, 2007. The Half Iron event takes place in Victoria, BC on June 22, 2008.

According to this news bite, registration sells out within the first week!

This event also attracts the international "greats" and past winners of the Ironman including: 2000 Ironman Florida winner Jamie Cleveland; 2000 Ironman Lake Placid and 1999 Ironman New Zealand winner Melissa Spooner; and the great Ironman Champion Lori Bowden.

--Cassie