Happy Holidays, Runners!

adidas Urban Run would like to extend very warm holiday wishes to each and every one of you! May the days ahead be merry and bright, and may all your runs feel fast and light!

Please note that we'll be taking a brief break for the holidays, and there will be no runs on 12/23, 12/25, 12/29, or 1/1/08. We'll resume with in the new year on Sunday, January 6, 2008.

See you then!

Shop and save on adidas gear!

If you saved all of your holiday shopping until the last minute, don't fret. Just head over to Soho and hit up the adidas Sports Performance Store (610 Broadway, at Houston Street) for its End of Season Sale. Snap up bargains on all of the gear that you--or your loved ones--could ever hope for, discounted up to 30%!

NYRR Holiday 4 Miler

Here is a post-race photo flashing the team's Adidas Urban Run tees. Congrats to Eric, Michael, Dario, Lewis, and Derek on their fantastic results and braving the cold!

Here is my 'Joe anecdote' for the day titled...
"How to know if you are actually racing" by Joe Franza

This past Saturday, while lead runner Sarah and the team took their positions at the starting line for the NYRR Holiday 4-miler... my watch decided to malfunction. Being under the impression that I spared 15 minutes to the start of the race, I decided to finish my stretches, make sure my shoe laces were tight, while watching people line up at the '11 minute mile' section. The 11 & 12 mile group had began to move slightly, so I started jogging closer to the starting line to take my spot. I must have missed the starting line in the midst the crowd, because I continued jogging leisurely down to 98th street.. at which point I asked a runner next to me "Has the race started?" and she responded "yeah, baby, you're racing." I thought to myself "no wonder the starting line seemed so awfully far..."

Team adidas Urban Run!

Here's a shot of Eric, Lew, and I just before the start of the NYRR Holiday 4-Miler on Saturday morning. As you can tell, we were freezing! But once we stood among the 5,000 other runners at the starting line, we started to warm up. The cold effected us all--I never really thawed out and was moving rather slowly--but, by the end of the race, we were nice and toasty!

Here are the results:

TEAM adidas URBAN RUN
NYRR 4-MILER
DECEMBER 15, 2007, CENTRAL PARK, NYC
29 Degrees

Dario Banalotti (25:55)
Joe Franza (26:01)
Eric Cheung (26:46)
Michael Klochkov (27:04)--sixth in his age group!
Lewis Santoni (27:43)
Sarah Wassner Flynn (28:56)
Derek Seto (31:49)

A full team picture coming soon!

~Sarah

Running to Win!

On Sunday's run, we selected three lucky adidas Urban Runners to win free entry into the NYRR Holiday 4-Miler on December 15. Lewis Santoni, Michael Klochkov, and Eric Cheung will all toe the line at next week's race sporting their team Urban Run t-shirts. Let's hope their luck from yesterday carries them through to a PR next week!

Want to join us at the race? Simply register and let us know when you do. We'll get you a t-shirt and give you the scoop on when and where to meet at Central Park.

Urban Runners Running Fast

A couple of our own Urban Runners have fared very well at recent races: Marc Vromen had a fantastic finish at the Las Vegas Half-Marathon over the weekend. And last month, Dave Goldberger demolished his prior PR in the marathon by seven minutes with a sizzling 3:20 finish in last month's Philly marathon.

A big congratulations to both!

Have you run a remarkable race recently? Let us know!

Pace Projection Race #2: Sunday!

Don't forget: Our next pace projection is in just two days! Before we leave for the run, we’ll ask you to gauge how long it will take you to complete our regular 4- or 8-mile routes. Leaving your watches behind, you’ll then shoot to stick to your designated pace throughout the run. At the end of the run, we’ll see how close you get to your projected time. The top five runners who most closely match their predetermined pace will win a fabulous adidas prize. Last time, Urban Runner Dario Banalotti was just 42 seconds off his predicted time. Think you can do better? Join us on Sunday!

Raffle Redux

Boosted by (relatively) mild weather and the collective need to burn off all of that Thanksgiving grub, we had an excellent turnout on Tuesday's run. But we got so caught up with chatting and taking part in the adidas FootScan that we completely lost track of time. Since most of you had left before we realized we hadn't drawn a name for the monthly shoe raffle, we're going to pick a winner next Tuesday, 12/4, instead.

So for those of you who still want a shot of winning a brand new, top-of-the-line pair of adidas running shoes, come out to next Tuesday's (12/4) adidas Urban Run. We promise we won't forget this time!

Trotting Before the Turkey

Every Thanksgiving for the past five years or so, I've made a point to run a turkey Trot prior to the big feast. Not only is it a great way to build up a huge appetite for T-Day (usually that's not a problem for me, but I have to go to two--that's right, two--meals in one day, so I need any help I can get!), but it's also a fun opportunity to get in a rare mid-week race. Usually, I'll do a 10K on a rather tough course, but this year I opted for a more manageable 5K in Northern Virginia. About 3500 runners toed the line on the balmy, bright morning, and I found a spot in the front of the pack just before the gun went off. My plan was of course to finish in a respectable time, but also to see if I could run evenly (I have a tendency to go out too fast in races). After a few near-trips over some high school kids running zig zag in front of me, I settled into my groove and darted toward the first mile. We crossed that mark in 6:20, and immediately I put on the breaks. Too fast. Even though I felt great, I wanted to focus on keeping a strong pace throughout. So I backed off into about 6:40 pace, which I managed to hold onto all the way through the slightly uphill finish. My final time was 20:41: Not my best, but faster than what I've run lately. And even better? I felt like I could run another 5K at the end, making me think I can hold 6:40 pace for a 10K with a bit more training.

So, did any of you get to trotting on Thanksgiving? If so, tell us about your race experience!

Hope to see you at the adidas Urban Run this week!
~Sarah

Wanna Race?

After all of those long, easy runs up and down the West Side Highway, you're probably ready for a little speed. So test out your fast-twitch muscles at the NYRR Holiday 4-Miler on December 15. I'm organizing a group of Urban Runners to join me in this fun, festive and--most importantly, short--race. Sign up here, then let me know you've done so at the next Urban Run. I'll give you an adidas Urban Run t-shirt (so you can show off your team pride during the race!), and more details on meeting up at Central Park before and after the race. (Pssst...reindeer ears not required, but if you have 'em, wear 'em!).

~Sarah

FOOTSCAN® AND RAFFLE NIGHT: 11/27

Need an extra excuse to run (besides burning off all of that turkey!)? How about a chance to win free shoes! On Tuesday, 11/27, we'll give you the opportunity to do just that with our monthly shoe raffle. All you have to do is try out the adidas footscan®—which analyzes how your foot moves and exactly where you need support when running—and you'll be automatically entered in the raffle, to be drawn after the night's run. Easy as pumpkin pie!

Urban Run - 11/13/07

Thank you all for a such a lively run last night! We could have not asked for better weather. All 14 of us headed south on the runners path. Jaci led the 4-mile group, while I, and two other runners, looped around battery park in a 7-mile course.

Stay tuned for upcoming Adidas Urban Run events: Our monthly raffle, Q & A sessions with elite athletes, races, and more!

November Shoe of the Month is (drum roll please!)...

ADIDAS RESPONSE TRAIL 14



If you are looking for:

* an entry level trail shoe
* a proven off road shoe

then,
this is it!





Happy Running,


Joe Franza

It's cold! Ur-brrrr-an Run low down for 11/11/07

Hi all,

Joe Franza here reporting from the Urban Run Headquarters. :P

So, our in-house blogger and project lead, Sarah, is off to sunny Belize. Let's hope my post is, at least, half as interesting, articulate, and well written as hers...

Yep, it looks like we have transitioned from summer into winter almost overnight! Just when you thought you'd be gearing up to those pleasantly cool and breezy autumnal Urban Runs, the onset of nearly freezing temperatures caught you off guard!
Congrats to all the brave runners who fared the unseasonably cold wind this morning! Our uptown run was crowded and cheerful... and kudos to Eric for picking up on my attempt to cheat the runners into running 5 miles (as opposed to our usual 4).

For all of our Urban Runners who participated in last week's 2007 ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHON: Good Job! I know most of you are still enjoying your well deserved break; we look forward to hearing all about your marathon experiences.

On Tuesday 11/13 at 7pm we will meet at the Urban Run Office and will be heading downtown. The 4 mile group will turn around at Stuyvesant High, whereas the 8 mile group will continue down to the end of the runners path and run back on the promenade (you can't beat the view!).

Hope to see you all there!

Joe

Baby, it's cold outside...

...but we're still running! The weather outside may not be too frightful (yet!), but we're gearing up for a wonderful Urban Run winter. And whether we get walloped with a wintry mix or simply subjected to sub-zero windchills, the Urban Run will go on! So layer up and join us in greeting ol' man winter with a fun four- or eight-mile jaunt up and down the West Side Highway. (Sure beats logging miles indoors on a boring treadmill, right? Right!)

Meet Your Lead Runners: Joe Franza

HOMETOWN: New York, NY

SCHOOLS ATTENDED: Columbia U. (Undergrad) & U. of Illinois (Grad)

DAY JOB: Architect

FAVORITE DISTANCE TO RUN: 5K (3.1 miles) when racing, 8-12 miles when training

FAVORITE PLACE TO RUN: Anywhere there's a running path, trail, or an unobstructed stretch of land.

WHAT'S ON YOUR RUNNING PLAYLIST?

Bloc Party, Keane, Embrace, Blondie, various remixes, and a bunch of 80's

FAVORITE ADIDAS ITEM: Adidas Supernova Cushion... all the way!

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO RUN? the Runner's high!!

adidas BELIVES IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING. WHAT’S YOUR UN-IMPOSSIBLE MOMENT?: Running the 2006 New York marathon under 3 hours.

Free shoes and great advice!

Urban Runner Dave Goldberger is just weeks away from running the Philly Marathon. Good thing he now has in his posession a pair of the world's fastest shoes--the adiZERO LT. The winner of last night's monthly raffle, Dave will soon receive these lightweight, minimalist trainer offering the perfect blend of cushioning and support to maximize propulsion and efficiency. Congrats, Dave!

And a big thank you to everyone who turned out for our first-ever Urban Runners' Forum featuring Caitlin Tormey! Caitlin shared with us everything from her race-week diet (absolutely no carbs until two nights before competition) to her training regimen (120 miles per week!), and she even joined us on our 7.5-mile run. If you're out there rooting on the marathoners this Sunday, be sure to give Caitlin a few extra cheers--look out for her among the top women!

Urban Runners' Forum #1: Tonight!

Want to know what it takes to run a 2:45 marathon? Here's your chance! Local and elite marathoner Caitlin Tormey (that's her on the right, in last year's Houston Marathon) will chat with the Urban Run group tonight prior to our regular 4 or 7.5-mile routes. Part of the brand-new Urban Runners' Forum, Tormey will talk about her experiences at the 26.2-mile distance, and how she's preparing for this Sunday's ING New York City Marathon.

And as a bonus, Tormey will join us for our group run following the Forum (don't worry, she'll slow down for us). So join the run tonight, and tomorrow you can brag to your friends that you kept pace with an elite!

See you tonight at 7.

Pace Projection Run: The results are in!

Yesterday, we held our first-ever pace projection run. Before we took off for our run, we asked each runner to write down how long he thought it would take to complete the uptown 4-mile route. Leaving their watches behind, they then shot to stick to their projected time. How'd they do? Here are the top three results:

1. Dario Banalotti*
Projected time: 30:00
Actual time: 30:42

2. Mike Caywood
Projected time: 38:00
Actual time: 36:22

3. Peter Murdock
Projected time: 34:00
Actual time: 31:50

*Quite an impressive feat for Dario, considering he came straight to the Urban Run from the Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff 5-miler in Central Park!

So, ya think you can do better than these guys? Join us for our next pace projection run next month! Date TBA.

Meet Your Lead Runners: James Brown

Sure, you run with them every week, but how well do you really know your Urban Run Lead Runners? Over the next few weeks, we’ll give you a little more background on our team members. First up: James Brown.

FULL NAME: James A. Brown II

HOMETOWN: Rialto, California

COLLEGE: San Diego State University
DAY JOB: Media Vest
FAVORITE DISTANCE TO RUN: 10 miles, or until my legs tell me to stop.
FAVORITE PLACE TO RUN: Along Dockweiler Beach in Marina Del Rey, CA and throughout Balboa Park in San Diego.
ON YOUR RUNNING PLAYLIST: Born Too Slow by Crystal Method, Above the Clouds by Delerium and Nocturnal Transmission by BT, to name a few.
MOTIVATION: Seeing smiling faces from fellow runners during and after a long run.
adidas BELIVES IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING. WHAT’S YOUR UN-IMPOSSIBLE MOMENT? When, in pursuit of a dream, I left everything behind in California and became an East Coaster.

Welcome adidas NYC Urban Runners!

Hi runners, and welcome to the adidas NYC Urban Run blog!

Here, we'll keep you posted on our twice-weekly routes, special adidas Urban Run events, and what's going on in the running world. We may even post our own training updates and racing recaps—and hopefully some of yours, too (if you’re willing to share, that is!).

So remember to keep clicking on www.adidasurbanrun.blogspot.com throughout the week—this is where your run begins!

—Sarah and the adidas NYC Urban Run team