Social media platforms promotes the democratization of knowledge and information, transforming people from content consumers into content producers.

(Social Media. Wikipedia, The free encyclopaedia. November 12, 2009).

Even though the “prosumer“ concept has been around for 40 years (Toffler, 1970), my experiences as an active, involved content innovator as opposed to the traditional passive recipient of a product or service are new-found.  I first became aware that I was flexing these powerful muscles as I blog, leave comments, and tweet, after reading Grown Up Digital, written by someone who Al Gore has called, one of the world’s leading cyber gurus, own own Canadian, Don Tapscott. GUD is a relevant and inspiring ‘Field Guide’, of the Net Generation, outlining the survey findings of 11,000 NetGenners (11 – 30 years old), whereby connecting the dots and colouring in the big  picture as to how young people are using social media platforms to influence and shape their world.

To get a sense of the prosumer power, watch the YouTube clip of “In Conversation with Allan Gregg” (for those who want quick sound bites, watch 15:33 – 18:00). In a nutshell, Tapscott asserts, “if you understand the Net Generation, you will understand the future.”

Since this first read back in April, 2009, I have become increasingly aware of the innovative ways in which NetGenners contribute to the development, improvement and dissemination of products & services. For a very recent and radical example, pick up a copy of  Yes We Did: An inside look at how social media built the Obama Brand (Harfoush, 2009).

Even more rewarding, I am now cognizant of being both participant & recipient of new media techniques that amplify the ways in which we are able to use our voices to advocate change in institutional pedagogy, politics and practices.

What empowering realizations!

Imagine the electricity consumption at 24-hr fitness centres!

I now turn my prosumer-gaze on the fitness world – which is both my workplace and playground. While sport has the privileged reputation of being healthy and green, the fitness industry is a far cry from environmentally conscious. For lack of an academic urge at 2:00 am* this morning, I will cite the Biggest Loser reality television series recent  ”Green Week” workouts on unplugged fitness equipment to illuminate the copious electricity consumption of millions of treadmills across the world.

The buzz-word of today is eco-innovation and with that in mind, I encourage everyone to watch this green fitness centre concept video from Casey Shaaf of EcoDev Engineering, LLC, created for the 2009 Kettering Innovation Challenge and to appreciate the implications of this technology. Astoundingly simple, elegant and brilliant solution to recycling energy. Viewing it, I had to wonder, how is it that only 185* people have watched this video since September? Why am I the first to rate it?

I am hereby making it a personal goal to have this video reach 1,000 by the end of the year. 3 weeks left…

You in for the challenge?

* This blog post was originally published on Lighfooted.ca on November 27, 2009 at 2:00 am. Current YouTube count is 259.

• Where can athletes go to find safe supplements? RT @lightfooted The Inadvertent Doper http://bit.ly/5xu3cZ #
• As an athlete, it’s important you know what’s in the supplements you’re taking – just in case your aspirations lead… http://fb.me/6I4rpbq #
• Do you work out with Wii Fit? Share your insight with Lightfooted! RT @lightfooted Is this exercise? http://retwt.me/1J0GK #
• Rediscovered how amazing the #iPhone app “Spend” is: a very customizable budget on the go. Get’s me all excited to SAVE this holiday season! #
• Can’t believe ppl like Sarah Palin are defending #Climategate – the opposition seems complete asinine when change is SO vital & necessary. #
• Eating terribly healthy today after sweet treats the last week. Have a withdrawal headache but am pushing through with tea + snap peas. #
• Hey, sweet: #Netfirms now able to register your domain name via twitter! http://www.netfirms.com/twitter-domain-registration/ #
• 

  1.7 million shark fins in the last 5 years ended up in soup

  Shark Fin soup: a dying delicacy. The PM’s response to a Gr. 8 science project http://bit.ly/6j5XJ1 RT @carreralee /via @FullySustainabl #

• In love with snap peas & Mandarin oranges this week. Change your diet often to keep things exciting & to get max nutritional benefits #
• http://bit.ly/8OqWFN Huffpost – ClimateGate: The 6 Most Dubious Claims About The Supposed “Global Warming Hoax” #
• Started my day with a lrg glass of H2O + tbsp silicea + sqz of lemon, followed by a whole grapefruit. 20min intense wkout, now oatmeal+ egg #
• Congrats! “Huge thanks to @adrienoleary who called Yes We Did, web business book of the year!” http://bit.ly/4JA6kT /via @rahafharfoush #
• A whole lot of great advice – not just for the holidays: Christmas Nutrition By Angela Olsen http://bit.ly/6ZWaQq /via @FitnessTown #
• Christmas Nutrition By Angela Olsen: In most families, the holidays are filled with the three F’s … http://bit.ly/6ZWaQq /via @FitnessTown #
• So excited/nervous: took the first step towards pursuing a #PhD at #UBC’s Schl of Human Kinetics. 2.5 yrs of my life = endless rewards! #
• http://twitpic.com/plq9m – It’s feeling definitely fall-ish out there. What do you wear to run? Here’s my pared-down fall race kit. (The win #
• Picked up some cilantro & parsley from the grocery store & can’t wait to add it to salads, soups & stir-frys. I’ve been missing my spices! #
• Awesome to hear! “I’m loving all the opportunities I’ve had this year to use social media for travel” /via @Miss604 #
• 

  Threadless Infinitity Tee-shirt

  Did a whole schwack of Christmas shopping on #Threadless! Holiday Sale: ALL Tees $9 – can’t get better than that! http://www.threadless.com/ #

• All dried out from swimming. Will be drinking H2O all day to rehydrate. #
• So what is the keyboard, or the iPhone touch pad? “The pen is the tongue of the mind” -Miguel de Cervantes (via @EduifyQuotes) /via @Gar1n #
• Hmm… RT @rick_vosper Are Cyclists Secretly Using Viagra? England’s World Cup football doctor seems to think so http://ow.ly/JHze #
• 

  Sun setting over Whistler Mountain

  End of a gorgeous day at @WhistlerBlackcmb courtsey of @nhandcock’s iPhone. http://yfrog.com/4f166sj #

• Sweet! Chicago Marathon (@themarathon) just followed me! Pretty stoked about that. #
• RT @BreakThruGuy The thoughts dancing in your mind toady are choreographing your tomorrows. #
• Just discovered Naam on 4th Ave – 24hr veggie/vagan restaurant w/HUGE survings & crabby waiters. Perfect for a Fri night!!http://is.gd/5cTht #
• Really considering continuing on to do a PhD at UBC in HKin- the learning culture is amazing & I’m really inspired by my research… #
• Banff Mountain Film Festival – 2009 World Tour – http://tinyurl.com/ydu7cev (via @karlwoll) Playing at Vancouver this weekend! #

While cruising the ‘net for information on the ‘criminalized’ athlete whose doping activity has either harmed or advanced their careers, I came across a CTV article (April, 2009) Banned sledder helps combat inadvertent doping. I was floored to read that Canadian bobsleigh pilot Serge Despres was banned from competing until August, 2009 due to the consumption of a single contaminated supplement in 2007.

Unfortunately, this case is not an anomaly. In 2001, the IOC lab tested 634 supplements from around the world and found that some were incomplete or inaccurately labelled. For instance, more than 25 per cent of the supplements collected in The Netherlands yielded positive tests for banned substances undisclosed on the packaging. An yet, in light of these findings, Despres’ ban for an infinitely small positive – less than a single nanogram of steroids – was not revoked.

What can an athlete do to ensure that the supplements they require to support an intensely active, rigorous and demanding training program are contaminate-free?

Currently, a company called NSF International provides a Safe for Sport Certification analysis program, whereby manufacturers submit nutritional supplements to be tested up to 130 banned substances on the World Anti-Doping Association’s drug list before they are consumed by athletes.

NSF Certified for Sport Product list available here, and includes such Canadian-made products as:

• COLD-FX® Daily Defense
• Myoplex® Advanced Protein Ready to Drink (Vanilla)
• Activ-X Multivitamin for Active Men and Women by Platinum Naturals

Even though Despres’ 2010 Winter Olympic podium dreams have been publicly and humiliatingly crushed, he has used the situation to become part of the solution.  In April he helped launch the Clean Sport Initiative sponsored by Platinum Naturals, to campaign for increased knowledge and information on supplements approved by the NSF. Help support Despres’ cause and join the Facebook group: Clean Sport Initiative.

Bill Graveland/The Canadian Press

Relating the Innovation Management Process to Organizational Theory in Sport & Leisure via poor Ricky Berens‘ polyurethane swimsuit malfunction at the July 27, 2009 World Swimming Championship

Failure to manage the Innovation Process

(PC/The Hollywood Gossip )

I’m interested in following-up the incident with a few questions:

• How did the Italian design company, Jaked, handle the incident? That is, how are they monitoring the results of their innovation?
• How are they handling the Olympic ban of the super-slick swimsuits?
• What is their reaction to the allegations of providing an unfair advantage akin to ‘technological doping’?
• How are they communicating this reaction to their athletes and the public at large?

I’ll start my investigations here, at the Design News July 2009 article, “Ban on Polyurethane Swimsuits Makes No Sense” and report back.

• 

  Twittering about Twitter

  Explaining #twitter to my HKIN 591 class. So FUN! #

• Totally inspiring – I want to learn how to do a breaststroke like that! Completely effortless. #
• I’m enjoying working in the warmth of the UBC pool balcony. That & the great VIEW: UBC men’s swim team practice time! So graceful + smooth #
• Those box of Mandarin oranges are dangerous things to have around the house. I have consumed 6 today & there’s still tonnes more!!

• Can it be possible I’m STILL working on my Wii Fit study protocol? At 1:30 in the morning? Maybe I’d better take a break and PLAY some Wii! #
• 20 people have watched the #Green #Fitness Centre Concept video since posting it this morning – have you seen it? http://bit.ly/8hC8Pa #

As the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games approaches, UBC is encouraging people to ask provocative questions about what the Olympics and Paralympics means to our society, and what will the impact be on the community and country at large.

The following speaker series offers a diverse mix of scholars and athletes and will explore the upcoming mega-event through a variety of lens, such as gender, diversity, ethics, science and sustainability. All events are open and free to the public.

Even Mascots engage in meta-analysis! (2010 Winter Olympic mascots the work of Vancouver-based Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy of Meomi Design.

School of Human Kinetics Seminar Series

• December 17, 2009 – 12:30pm
  Dr. Matt Fedoruk (Manager, Anti-Doping Operations, VANOC)
  Vancouver 2010: A state-of-the-art anti-doping program
  
• January 21, 2010 – 12:30pm
  Dr. Rob Vanwynsberghe (School of Human Kinetics, UBC)
  Olympic Games Impact Research
  
• February 4, 2010 -12:30pm
  Dr. Patricia Vertinsky (School of Human Kinetics, UBC)
  Ski Jumping Women
  
• March 4, 2010 – 12:30pm
  Dr. Jim Rupert (School of Human Kinetics, UBC)
  Genetics in Sport: Detection, Correction, Perfection
  
• April 15, 2010 – 12:30pm
  Dr. Jean Harvey (School of Human Kinetics, UBC)
  The Olympics, Globalization and New Social Movements

Ethics and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Dismissing the Dis in Disability.

• December 3, 2009 – 7pm
  Liu Centre for Global Issues, Multi Purpose Room – 6476 Northwest Marine Drive
  
  Panelists:
  Dr. Andrei Krassioukov, MD, Ph.D
  Clinical Associate Director, ICORD
  Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UBC
  
  Dr. Gary Birch, O.C. Ph.D, P.Eng
  Officer of the Order of Canada
  Executive Director, Neil Squire Society
  Adjunct Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UBC
  
  Ms. Peggy Assinck
  Masters Candidate, Department of Neuroscience, UBC
  Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Trainee, CIHR
  Captain, Women’s Ice Sledge Hockey Team, Canada

Joan Carlisle Irving Lecture Series: IM/Perfect Bodies

• March 8, 2010 – Time TBA
  UBC Robson Square
  Barbara Evans, Olympian and UBC Dean of Graduate Studies
  The Aesthetics of Performance

2009-2010 Ziegler Visiting Speaker Series

• January 14, 2010, 4pm
  Bozena Karwowska (University of British Columbia)
  Poland and the 1936 Winter Olympics

• RT @lululemon Dance like the photo’s not tagged, love like you’ve never been unfriended, tweet like nobody’s following. [@Aydsman] #
• Own your own fitness studio? Consider eco-fitting the treadmills + ellipticals: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKBfovuwH8A&feature=autofb #


Eco-Fitting Treadmills

• Trying to work in eco-innivation into my Tech&Innovation seminar lec next week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKBfovuwH8A #
• Need to focus this afternoon: sipping on a sm, black coffee & working under headphones at the Van Library. #
• While happily munching on cucumber, I am startled by a loud beep from the fridge – left the door open! What a novel, energy-saving concept. #
• Great idea! RT @WhistlerBlckcmb: #Whistlertweetup is today at the GLC starting at 2pm. Appetizers are on us and cool prizes up for grabs. #
• Wish i was skiing!! Whistler was AMAZING on the wkend RT @WhistlerBlckcmb: Come celebrate official opening day http://bit.ly/5ovhGA #

Dance like the photo's not tagged
RT @lululemon Dance like the photo’s not tagged, love like you’ve never been unfriended, tweet like nobody’s following. [@Aydsman] #
Amen to that!! RT @BikeTOforum: You Can’t Be a Cyclist and Pedestrian at the Same Time!! http://bit.ly/8wKO2E #BikeTO #cycling #
Swam 100 lengths this eve. Feeing physically drained but mentally calm & energized. Can get back to my readings now. #
Going for a much-needed swim. Unwind from today’s work! #
First ski day at Whistler-Blackcomb – Brought the Garmin 405 Forerunner watch and had fun deciphering the altitude… http://fb.me/3dZyg0D #

Spirit of the Skeena Swim 2009
Anyone in the VANcinity of Robson St. on Thurs, Dec. 3rd? Come learn about Ali’s epic adventure http://fb.me/3gy3t8L #
Want to go hear Ali’s story on Thurs, Dec 3rd? I sure do! http://lightfooted.ca/2009/11/one-woman-one-river-620kms/ #
#Eco-fitting: greening sports facilities – can’t wait until #EcoDev #innovation hits the market http://tinyurl.com/yhrt46o #
What do you think makes up an “Innovation Champion”? Anyone come to mind immediately? #
Woohoo, got my first “Listed” today! #
Q: Who do you think is the greatest ‘Innovation Champion’ in the sports world today? Please answer & RT #
Brilliant, simple concept – ecofitting the treadmill & ellipical machines in gyms to produce electricity! http://tinyurl.com/yhrt46o #
Just bought an “Edge” pass for #Whistler-Blackcomb ski hill (yay!) but boy, does their purchase process need an overhaul – so confusing! #
My PM snack of choice these days: sm salad with strawberries & goat cheese, dressing of olive oil + balsamic vinegar + toasted almonds. #
Wearing my #Garmin 405 on the ski hill, I found out that I travelled 40km (lifts + runs), with a max speed of 41.8 km/hr & a max HR of 179 #
Neat-o! #Mountain Dynamics (http://www.mountaindynamics.com/en/) links up with my #Garmin 405. Thanks, @hemantbist #
http://twitpic.com/qgtpz – Brought my #Garmin 405 to #Whister Ski Hill today. Check out the Elevation chart! Any guesses as to the number of #

Whilster Ski Day Elevations
RT @SNOWGA: You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. — Plato via @storystalker #
The snow is AMAZING today up at #Whistler. Can’t wait for the whole hilll to open up. #
Up & at ‘em early for the 1st ski day of the year! #

This past summer Ali Howard, a former water polo player for Queen’s University,  donned a wetsuit and swam the entire length of British Columbia’s Skeena River in 28 days. Ali’s Spirit of the Skeena Swim adventure brought residents and communities together around a common vision for one of the world’s most celebrated wild salon ecosystem, and earning her a position in  the Top 10 Most Intriguing Environmentalists of 2009.

Spirit of the Skeena Swim 2009

Join Ali and her swim team for a spirited evening of stories, film and photography next Thursday, December 3 at 7:00 PM,  UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson St.  Vancouver.

• After sitting all day, deep gluteal (butt) wkout: 30min of squats, deadlifts & ham extensions followed by 10min of Erging (rowing). Yeah! #
• Sitting on my butt, working on a study design protocol since 10am. Seriously in need of a 30min gym session before heading home. #
• Don’t we know it! RT @gatesfoundation“Nothing is as important to a student’s success in school as an effective teacher.” – Vicki Philips #

• 

  Almonds – Heart Healty

  So here goes: 10:45am snack time! Have YOU eaten since breakfast? Enjoying tea, an orange + almonds. #

• Learned that reaction time is an indicator of athlete overtraining. This has applications for athletes at all levels – adolescent to elite #
• Discussing gender segregation in my Org. Theory class – how does it tie into the culture of sport…#
• Seriously, seriously brilliant. #SixthSense technology is Mind-Blowing. http://tinyurl.com/yavmmd9 #
• #Pranav #Mistry is BRILLIANT! I want to use his sticky-notes! #TEDTalkshttp://tinyurl.com/yavmmd9 #

• 

  Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

  Hearty chicken-noodle soup! Carrots, beets, potatoes, rice, noodles, cauliflower & Jalapeno-jack cheese dumplings http://yfrog.com/1d1jbj #

• Making a Cajun-inspired chicken soup -RED is today’s colour. http://yfrog.com/3ntgzj #
• Making a Cajun-inspired chicken soup -RED is today’s colour. #
• Yay! I’ve been such a good girl & worked hard on my project all day so now I’m going to swim for an hr. #
  
• Make a diff! RT @dtapscott: Mass collaboration? RT @SteveCase: Help choose which charities receive $5 million from Chase http://bit.ly/jhgFh #
• RT @brianai: RT @bikeunion: support our proposal for a fine increase & more bike lane parking enforcement - http://tinyurl.com/yj7d6vv #
• Picked up another @lululemon thermos as the bf reappropriated mine. It keeps tea/coffee hot for 5hrs & warm for 8hrs. Amazing, really. #
• Sweet! Made top 14% (72/499) of Fall Classic 21km, 29th out of 135 in W(20-29) cat. with a time of 1:49:32. Lots of room for improvement! #
• Ate 8 (sm) meals today & I’m still hungry! The days following a 21km run always rev my #metoblism. Going for 2nd supper now. #
• RT @lululemon: It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” Muhammad Ali http://bit.ly/2QW5EA #



• I love it when I eat a processed/pkged food item & the ingredient list reads like this: cashews, dates. Thanks #Larabar! #
• Ditched my new H2O bottle during the 1/2marathon yest’day – TOO heavy! Found it all chewed-up t’day – squirrles?! http://yfrog.com/j1yzcj #
• RT @bikehiketravel: Bike, Hike and Sea Kayak in Northern Vietnam http://ow.ly/CSDk I’d bike there in a heartbeat! #
• Dropped my iPhone running to the bus this morning! Realized 2km down the road. Ran back & found it!! So I ran 25km incl the half-marathon. #
• Woke up naturally at 5:50am – 1min before my alarm. Sweet! Race day is here! #

• 

  Setting out my Race Day Apparel

  http://twitpic.com/plq9m – Setting out my race kit for tomorrow’s half. #

• With the race tomorrow, I’ve put together a little list of things I’ve learned over the last 6 half-marathons. http://tinyurl.com/y85cbmh #
• DYK: Batman wouldn’t be defeated by his nemesis – rather, it’s the cumulative trauma of repetitive strain injuries that would do him in. #
• Saw Dr. Paul Zehr speak about #Becomig #Batman this morning. Engaging & informative http://www.becomingbatman.com/ #
• Swam 80 lengths at UBC pool this eve – 2km! All relaxed & energy-spent, having tucked into my glycogen fat stores for the long, slow laps. #
• Woke up an hr earlier than usual – prepping for my 8:30am #half-marathon on Sunday – the New Balance Fall Classic. #

With the New Balance Fall Classic Half-marathon tomorrow, I thought I would share some of my insights into race-day preparation, beyond what you could find in the standard Race Event email (i.e. as in the Fall Classic “Important Race Information” email below):

To have a great experience, follow these tips:

Days before race

• Check the race-day weather forecast
• Pack your things the night before – set race gear aside and pack a bag with a change of clothes
• Stay well-hydrated
• Think about taking a bicycle (free secured parking) or public transit, or arrange for carpooling with friends. Our parking map has the location and price of parking options.

Race morning

• Get up with plenty of time for breakfast and travel
• Arrive 1 hour before race start
• Grab a pair of raceday gloves if it’s chilly
• Drop off your bag with the bag check

Over the last two years, I’ve participated in six half-marathons and have learned a few things that aren’t often written about in these letters:

[Warning: Some photos are a little gross.]

Blisters and bruised nail beds from baaad shoes

Shoes

• Don’t  wear any new shoes (that’s heels, pumps or loafers) in the days before a race – new hot spots on heels or toes can quickly turn to angry blisters in the race and ruin your fun
• Same goes for new running shoes  – carefully consider the downsides of running 21km in a pair of old, worn-out ‘no-shock-left’ shoes and a pair of ‘fresh out of the box’ shoes. The three times I’ve bought shoes in the advent of a race, I wore them every day for a week before they fit comfortably.

Accessories

• This one I learned from a seasoned marathon runner: if you’re racing for the first time with a new watch, wear your old one as well! Last month, at the Okanagan Marathon, she was standing at the start line, acquiring the satellites on her new Garmin Forerunner 405 (in order for the Garmin to calculate an accurate distance/pace/speed), when it suddenly went dead (it showed a full charge). Luckily she had her Ironman on her other wrist so was able to keep a 4-hrs 15-min pace and come in first in her age category – 60 years old! The problem with the Garmin, it turned out, was a deposit of sunscreen/sweat which clogged the charging points. A little alcohol on a q-tip and it was as good as new.

Apparel

• Don’t wear a pair of short-shorts or racing skorts if you’ve not run in them before, or if you’ve gained/lost a little weight and your clothes are too tight or too loose – creating friction. I have scars on my inner thighs from a race in May where they rubbed together for an hour and forty minutes and running in the hot weather, mixed with the sweat… it. was. just. painful.
• 

  Body Glide - For a smooth run

  Do use Body Glide or Vaseline on those tender, bouncy bits and where the seams of clothes can up (under arms, under the bra, thighs…)

• Consider running with a little tub of Sportslick or Vaseline to apply to any area along the way. Some races even supply it at aid-stations en-route, but don’t depend on it.
• Do reschedule any body-waxes for after the race and minimize any freshly shaved/waxed surfaces, as fresh skin irritates easily.
• Same goes for the pedicure – save it for after the race. Cut toenails short, and file rough edges so the nails are less likely to catch on your shoes and with the constant pressure, causing them to lift off the nail bed.
• Guys – do wear nip guards to avoid the “Bloody Elevens” which will freak out the runners around you. It’s the repetitive friction of the fabric against the nipples, which will cause them to ache or even bleed.
  

  Bloody Elevens - ouch!

• More on the prevention of thigh chaffing here.

Other random stuff

• Don’t dye your hair the day before a race, unless you want coloured-splatters all over your racing jersey – even if it does say ‘permanent’ on the package

Nutrition stuff: Gel energy shots

• 

  Cliff Shot Mocha - Energy Gel

  Do pack enough gel shots to get you through a race. For a half, I pack five: one I take 15min before the race, and three along the race (every half-hr) and that last one to hold in my hand for the last 20min to bring me comfort – as if holding it alone will give me that extra energy surge!  My personal favourite are Clif Shots because I can read & understand the nutrition contents – which are mostly organic, natural ingredients. (You can read a review of them here.)  I remember reading that Lance Armstrong reportedly ran a 2:50 marathon on 15 gel shots…

• Oh, dang – I just realized, I don’t have any gels left for tomorrow’s race! Ack! So, um… do remember to BUY your gels before the race - preferably in bulk, in all the flavours you enjoy.
• Do grab an aid station water if you’re going to be sucking back the gel shots. It can be tough on the stomach if you’re not diluting them.

Motivation

• At the start line, squeeze in there amongst the other runners – being surrounded by all that nervous, excited energy will get you pumped!
• If you run with an an mp3 player put some time into creating a motivating playlist. Mine contains little messages from my bf that I play at particularly tough spots (for me – around the 9km, 13km and 19km mark). I also have a track on gratitude play around 14km, so I can forget for a moment that I’m racing for myself, and reflect in appreciation for the opportunity to be running with all these healthy, fit people instead of running from war or terror or from some predator, like my ancestors would have had to do.

Biomechancis

• Don’t blow it all in the first 2 minutes. It’ll feel amazing, like you could run forever, but once your muscles run out of the stored ATP (energy) for this short/intense anaerobic start and the lactic acid hits a threshold, your body will have to begin to make more ATP – which means, for most of us, we slow down (i.e. find our pace) to allow for ATP to be produced oxidatively (aerobically). That’s why we find ourselves breathing heavily.
• Breath naturally – but try to find a calm, deep rhythm – that’s one thing you’ll notice as you become more aerobically trained – your breathing will become deep, full, slow and powerful.

Race Etiquette

• Really do say “Thank you!” as you run past the race volunteers, especially when they’re standing by themselves, in the chilly morning. They got up even earlier than you to be there! The mere act of showing gratitude will make you feel happier, your step lighter and everyone’s day better.
• Pin your race number to the front of your shirt, not the back  if you want to find any of the professional pictures of yourself on the route.
• SMILE when you cross the finish line! I’ve always be the serious ‘sprint-to-the-finish-line’ kinda runner, with devastating photo results. Take the last 4 or 5 steps before the line to raise your arms and smile. It seriously won’t affect your time that much

Cherish that Feeling!