The Inspiring story of Sarah Reinertsen

When Sarah Reinertsen was a kid, she was told she’d never be able to run.In 2004  Reinertsen, at the time was 29, became the first female with a prosthetic leg to enter the Hawaii Ironman-which involves a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run.

Sarah was the guest speaker of the  Runners World half marathon in Allentown, Pa.  My husband was coaching a group of runners called “Strides for Hope” from the area for the half marathon.  My daughters and I went to the race to cheer for the runners.  My daughters where 7 and 3 years old and were amazed by Sarah story she told at the pre-race dinner.  They could not believe someone was going to run with a “fake leg”.  We sat on the curb about half mile from the finish looking for her.  The girls sat intently looking for her  for about 30 minutes.  She was a little slower than expected for the race but as soon as my daughters saw her they started screaming her name.  My daughters and I were at the same hotel Sarah spoke at three years later, and they both remembered her story and the race.  I think having then watch her run made then realize how lucky they are.  They both run themselves now and have made comments about how hard it really is to run with a prosthetic leg.

Sarah Story- Sarah had her  left leg was amputated above the knee when she was 7  because of a tissue deficiency. She started running when she was 11, and in 1997 she completed her first marathon. After running six more-with a PR of 5:27:04-she started competing in triathlons. In 2003, she won the female leg-amputee division of the International Triathlon Union World Championships in New Zealand. “Athletics have given me the opportunity to prove that I’m just like everyone else,” she says. Reinertsen doesn’t wear a prosthetic to swim, so she has to hop out of the water and strap on her nine-pound running prosthetic to get to the transition area. There she switches to a prosthetic that has a bike cleat bolted to it. She has to change back to the running one for the marathon. Reinertsen, who lives in Solana Beach, California, works as a program manager at Challenged Athletes Foundation. “I want to help the disabled community break down barriers,” she says. “I love my life. I wouldn’t want to be any other way.”

Sarah story just goes to prove that running is a sport that anyone can do.

Lots of Running Articles

Running articles to help you train better in 2011. These articles are suitable for the novice to the elite runner.  One even helps to get your children to start running making it easy and fun.  Even an article for pregnant women to help then train without worrying about the little one.  Click below to check then out!

Articles.

Ben Colmen An Inspiring Story For Any Athlete

Ben Colmen is a remarkable young man who has had lots of challenges during his life.  This young man just wanted to be on a “team”.  Ben has cerebral palsy.  He could not find a team that was willing to work with his limitations.  One day he found cross-country, started to run and now has won the hearts of his competitors.  Cross country is a sport that anyone can fit into.  You don’t always have to be the fastest runner on the team and this video will prove that.

TIMEX Ironman Global Trainer with GPS Technology with Heart Rate Monitor- Product Review

Dave Erickson is a TV anchor and two time Ironman Triathlete. Below is his review of the new Timex Global Trainer with GPS technology.

It’s December and my triathlon season wrapped up in mid-September and I’m feeling fairly good about how things went. I earned my first ever podium spot at a Sprint triathlon in Rathdrum, Idaho in June. That was pretty exciting for me.

This season consisted of 3 Sprints, 3 Olympics and two 70.3′s which included my first ever Ironman Boise 70.3, in June. It was soon after that race that I picked up a new training device, the TIMEX Ironman Global Trainer with GPS technology with Heart Rate Monitor. It went Global in September.

This is the first GPS device to go head to head with the Garmin line of sports watches and for my money TIMEX is far and above the better value. I’ll tell you why in a moment.

My previous watch was a Garmin 310xt, a solid watch but a bit more spendy. Over the years I’ve had a number of different sport watches, some name brands, some generic, then as I got more series, I started using HRM watches, Polar, Garmins and most recently, TIMEX.

Here’s what I like with this Global Trainer. It was designed with the multisport athlete in mind and with a 15 hour rechargable battery life even an Ironman athlete can utilize all of it’s great features without the worry of it dieing or going blank mid-way through your race.

I’ve used the Global Trainer now in all three disciplines during training as well as full races and I love it! It works great in the water in part because the large display face makes it easy to read. It’s water resistant to 50 meters which is more than enough but like the Garmin it does lose it’s GPS below the surface; in the pool and in open water. It’s still works fine underwater, keeping track of my overall time, number of laps (up to a thousand if your that ambitious), split times, everything TIMEX watches already do, it’s the same system. And when I’m done I can review my workout. It takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for a full charge. It comes with a USB port adapter for the wall too.

Here’s one of the features that is exclusive to TIMEX and the Global Trainer, after your workout you can download your performance to the TIMEX Ironman Online Training log software which is powered by Training Peaks. My favorite mode on this watch is the MULTISPORT. This is perfect for the triathlete. Not only does it have a screen for and calculate your swim, bike and run time, it’s also set up to track your T1 and T2 times, just by pushing one button. It takes the guess work out of racing so you can focus on the task at hand.

I’ve had this watch going on 6 months now and it’s the only watch I use when training; its an “all-in-one” training device. It’s worth every dollar I spent.

Once you use it, I’m positive you’ll be happy with your investment.

My Picks For Best Runing Moments- Part 2

1924 Olympics- Flying Finn

Finland’s Paavo Nurmi won the 1500 meters in 1924 by 1.4 seconds. He lived by the stopwatch and carried one during races.  He slowed near the finish to conserve energy for his 5000-meter race less than two hours later. His time of 3:53.6 set an Olympic record. Finland’s Ville Ritola set a fast pace in the 5000 final.  Nurmi matched Ritola’s strong finish and set another Olympic record (14:31.2). Nurmi became the first runner to win the 1500 and 5000 in the same Olympics.

1964 Olympics- Mills scores upset in 10,000

American Billy Mills shocked the running world with his upset victory in the 10,000 meters in 1964. Mills survived a tough final lap against favorite Ron Clarke of Australia and Mohamed Gammoudi of Tunisian The three exchanged the lead during the last lap while contending lapped runners. Mills’ final sprint allowed him to break the tape in a then-Olympic record time of 28:24.4, which was 46 seconds lower than his previous personal best.

1960 and 1964 Olympics- Abebe Bikila

A bearfoot Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila won the Gold medal in the 1960 Rome Olympics.  In the 1964 Tokyo Olympics he wore shoes and easily won the marathon only a month after an appendectomy.  He became the first to depend his Olympic Gold marathon and also break the Olympic Record.  In the peak of his athletic career he was tragically crippled when his car was turned over and he was confined to a wheel chair.

What Is The Busiest Race Day?

Are you planning on running on Thanksgiving?  Did you know Thanksgiving is the busiest race day of the year  in the United States.    Thanksgiving even beats out Fourth of July. Many town and cities across he country will have “Turkey Tots” Thanksgiving morning.  Before you go pack on the pounds eating too much why not go for a run.

A “Turkey Trot” is a running race that is held on or around Thanksgiving Day, in the United States.  Americans anticipate eating too much on Thanksgiving and run in turkey trots to burn off calories before the big meal.

In many parts of the United States, Turkey Trots are as associated with Thanksgiving tradition as the meal itself.   Many courses used for Turkey Trots are between 5K (3.1 miles) and 5 miles.  They pick this distance because  it wont take months to train for the race meaning the organization gets a higher number of participants.    Some organizations hold their Turkey Trots the week prior to Thanksgiving in order to provide festive holiday meals to homeless and low-income families in their community. Turkey Trots range in size from just a few dozen runners to tens of thousands. Most Turkey Trots benefit local charities.

In Cuero, Texas they holds a Turkey Trot every November where hundreds of turkeys parade through the town.

The Buffalo, New York Turkey Trot race was started  in 1896 making it is the oldest continually running race in North America. The race on Thursday, November 27, 2008, marked its 113th consecutive start; and is a popular fundraiser for the local branch of the and drew a crowd of 10,250 runners in 2008.

Thanksgiving Day Races with unique names include the Stuffing Strut and Mashed Potato Mile in Detroit, Michigan and the Feaster Five Road Race in Andover, Massachusetts. The Berwick Run for the Diamonds is a nine mile race first run in 1908 in Berwick, Pennsylvania. This race actually gives out diamonds rings to the top seven men and diamond pendants to the top seven women finishers. The top masters male also wins a diamond ring and top female masters wins a pendant. This race held Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

So before you eat to much why not burn some calories off in the morning.

Tips For Running With A Jogging Stroller

Having children and running can sometimes be a challenge.  Every runner with children should look into getting a jogging strollers.  Being a runner and mother of three children it was important to me to get a jogger, even more important than getting a regular stroller.  All three of my children have spent lots of miles in the jogger here are a few tips to make the run easier on both of you.

It’s always important to be safe when running but when you’re running with a jogging stroller, you have even more reason to be cautious. Here are some tips to make running with a jogging stroller easier, safe, and comfortable for you and your little one.

Make sure your baby is old enough
It’s not safe to run with a child under six months in a jogging stroller, unless your stroller has a car seat adapter. Using the jogging stroller with the car seat means that the baby’s head and neck will be stable and he won’t get bounced around too much.

Lock the front wheel
There are two types of jogging strollers one’s that  have a fixed front wheel,  while others have a swivel wheel that has a switch that allows you to lock and unlock the wheel. When you’re running with the stroller, it’s safest to lock the front wheel in place. This will prevent the stroller from turning suddenly and causing you to crash or fall.

Seat Position
Your  child should be sitting in the upright position not laying down.  

Pack wisely
Most jogging strollers have a basket underneath, and lots of other compartments.  This give  you  plenty of room for things you might need during your run. Things like diapers, wipes, water (for you and your child), snacks, and a toy or book to entertain your child.  Snacks are a great way to keep a toddler happy.

Protect your child from the elements
You will warm up because you’re running, but your child will not.  Bundle your child up in the cooler weather. If it’s cold and windy, you may want to use a weather shield for your stroller. On warm days, make sure your child is not overdressed and protected with the stroller’s visor as well as sunscreen. Keep your runs short on very cold or hot days.

Strap your child in with the full harness
The harness will protect your child from falling out.  Even if you’re not moving fast it doesn’t take much only a quick turn the child is not expecting and they could be jostled out of the seat.  The harness will also prevent them from being able to reach out and get their  fingers caught in the wheels.

Avoid running near cars as much as possible
It is a good idea to run in parks, bike paths, or other areas where the roads are closed to traffic.  If you don’t have access to parks run on the sidewalk instead of the road.  Try to avoid roads that don’t have much of a shoulder.

Schedule runs wisely
Before nap time is often a good time for a run because the movement may put your child to sleep. It’s not a good idea to try to run right before a meal, when your child will be hungry and may not want to sit in the stroller.

Don’t take your hands off the stroller
You may be tempted to push your stroller a little and let it go, so you can run hands-free, but it’s not a good idea. The stroller could  get away from you, making it unsafe for your child and anyone else around you.  You could hold with one hand while the other  hand is free after a few strides switch hands.  Many jogging strollers have a strap you can put around your wrist in case for some reason you accidentally let go the strap will stop the jogger from going any farther.

Don’t expect to run your usual pace
Expect your pace to be slower sometimes up to one minute or more per mile slower than your normal pace. But you’re burning more calories for your  effort and doing some resistance training.  Just like when you started running the more you run with the jogger the easier it will become.

Be in control of your stroller
You should never be going so fast that you couldn’t stop the jogging stroller if needed.  Use momentum when running down hill in such a way that you’re always in control of the stroller.

Mix it up a little
Toddlers and preschoolers may get restless in the stroller, so you may want to let them out and play for a bit during the run. They’ll be much happier and comfortable with a little break mid-run. If you don’t want to stop  have toys/snack  packed in one of the compartment that is easy to reach and surprise them it.  Sometimes pointing out things as you run keeps them busy.  You can also play do you see?  If you run in areas where there are farms you could say to the child do you see any cows?

Follow race rules
Some road races don’t allow jogging strollers, while others do.  You will most likely have to   start at the back.

Running with your child can be stressful and fun.  They see more of the area up close than other children in the neighborhood.  My two year old son waves to all the cars as they go by us.

Inspiring Running Story

Are You Inspired to Run? After reading this story you may want to lace up your shoes and run.

There were plenty of celebrity runners at the New York City marathon. Former NFL players and even the guy that lost a lot a weight eating Subway subs. just to mention a few. But the runner who grabbed the most headlines and the hearts of anyone cheering was Edison Pena. He was one of the rescued Chilean miners. He run six miles a day while trapped underground for 69 days. He had to walk most of the second half of the marathon and spent time in a medical tent icing his knees but he finished. Before the race he had said, “I would like to inspire young children to run because running makes you free.”

Edison Pena crossed the Central Park finish line with a time of 5:40:51 He was draped in a Chilean flag as Elvis music played over the speakers. The 34-year-old had a goal of finishing under 6 hours. All spectators cheered as # 7127 finished. If he didn’t finish he was still a winner in everyone eyes. He exceeded his goal even with the knee problems he experienced.

“First, I want to run this marathon, but secondly, I’d like to motivate those people who aren’t running the marathon to do so in the future,” he said before starting this morning. “I also want to especially motivate young children and youth to run because running makes you free.”

Pena’s trained in near-darkness, jogging each day while trapped underground in stifling heat and humidity. He and 32 other miners survived 69 days underground as the world waited. He said “running was his salvation” his way of proving how much he wanted to live. He cut his steel-tipped boots down to ankle height so he could train each morning and afternoon along the rocky, muddy 1,000-yard corridor where they were trapped. He dragged a large wooden pallet, that was attached to a cord tied to his waist to build up strength. NYC Marathon officials heard about Pena’s subterranean training and planned to invite him as an honored guest. But he wanted to actually run the race.

He started having trouble about an hour into the marathon.    At 14 miles “The Runner” as his fellow miners had nicknamed him left the race and entered the medical tent.
About 1 hour later with bags of ice tied to both knees he continued on the quest of finishing the marathon. He had a bad left knee that was injured during the collapse of the mine in Chile. This man could have given up when the pain in his knees forced him to go into the medical tent but he didn’t.

When the going gets tough think about this mans story and just run.

Celebrities Who Have Run A Marathon

Ever wonder who among the famous have run a marathon and where you would finish against them?  Here is a list of a few I found.

Athletes

• Lance Armstrong- 7 time Tour De France Champion who started his athletic career as a triathlete -2006- New York City Marathon- 2:59:36

• Kerri Strug – anyone who watched the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games remembers watching her land her vault on a broken ankle- 1999 – Houston Marathon – 4:12:06

• Lynn Swan – former Pittsburgh Steeler wide reciever- 1993 – New York City Marathon- 4:26:21

• Pat Tillman - former Arizona Cardinal – 2000- Avenue Of the Giants Marathon- 3:48 (he left football to go to Iraq and was killed)

• Amani Toomer- former New York Giants wide reciever- 2010- New York City Marathon- 4:13

Politicians

• Clarence Thomas- US supreme court justice- 1980- Marine Corps Marathon- 3:11

• Mike Huckabee- Governor of Arizona- 2005- Little Rock Marathon- 4:39:04

• George Bush- 43rd President of the USA- 1993- Houston Marathon- 3:44:52

• John Edwards- former US senator- 1983- Marine Corps Marathon- 3:30:18

• Al Gore- former VP of the USA- 1997- Marine Corps Marathon- 4:58:25

• Sarah Palin- former Governor of Alaska- 2005- Humpy’s Marathon- 3:59:36

Actors

• William Baldwin- New York City Marathon- 3:24:29

T.V.  Personality

• Oprah Winfrey- inspired other to get fit and finish- 1994 -Marine Corps Marathon- 4:29:20

• Ted Koppel- 1983- Marine Corps Marathon- 5:09:08

• Cecil Tynam- Philadelphia channel 6 news- Meteorologist- 2001- Disney World Marathon- 2:54:36

Dimitrion Yodanidis- Guinness World Record holder for being the oldest man (98) to participate in a marathon.

I’d like to build another list of celebrities who have run a marathon so if you know any please let me know about them!

“Team Hoyt” An Inspiring Story For All Athletes

Team Hoyt is an inspirational story of a father, Dick Hoyt, and his son, Rick, who compete together in marathons and triathlons across the country but how they compete is what make this families story so inspiring.   ” Team Hoyt strives to help those who are physically disabled become active members of the community.”  This story is well know in the running world especially in Massachusetts (where they live).  While watching my husband run Boston in 1996 I saw the Hoyt’s finish the race.  The crowd went crazy and Rick was very excited.    In 1999 I ran the Boston Marathon and saw Team Hoyt up close.  There story is incredible.

Rick was born in 1962 to Dick and Judy Hoyt.  As a result of oxygen deprivation to Rick’s brain at the time of his birth, Rick was diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy.  Dick and Judy were advised to institutionalize Rick because there was no chance of him recovering, and little hope for Rick to live a “normal” life.   This was just the beginning of Dick and Judy’s quest for Rick’s inclusion in community, sports, education and one day, the workplace.

Dick and Judy soon realized that though Rick couldn’t walk or speak; he was quite astute and his eyes would follow them around the room.   They fought to integrate Rick into the public school system, pushing administrators to see beyond Rick’s physical limitations.   Dick and Judy would take Rick sledding and swimming, and even taught him the alphabet and basic words, like any other child.   After providing concrete evidence of Rick’s intellect and ability to learn like everyone else, Dick and Judy needed to find a way to help Rick communicate for himself.

With $5,000 in 1972 and a skilled group of engineers at Tufts University, an interactive computer was built for Rick.   This computer consisted of a cursor being used to highlight every letter of the alphabet. Once the letter Rick wanted was highlighted, he was able to select it by just a simple tap with his head against a head-piece attached to his wheelchair.   When the computer was originally first brought home, Rick surprised everyone with his first words. Instead of saying, “Hi, Mom,” or “Hi, Dad,” Rick’s first “spoken” words were: “Go, Bruins!”   The Boston Bruins were in the Stanley Cup finals that season.   It was clear from that moment on, that Rick loved sports and followed the game just like anyone else.

In 1975, at the age of 13, Rick was finally admitted into public school.    Rick attended Boston University, and  graduated with a degree in Special Education in 1993.   Dick retired in 1995 as a Lt. Colonel from the Air National Guard, after serving his country for 37 years.

In the spring of 1977, Rick told his father that he wanted to participate in a 5-mile benefit run for a Lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident.   Dick was not a runner but agreed to   push Rick in his wheelchair and they finished all 5 miles, coming in next to last. That night, Rick told his father, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.”

This realization was just the beginning of  over 1,000 races completed together, including marathons, duathlons and triathlons (6 of them being Ironman competitions).   In a triathlon, Dick  pulls Rick in a lifeboat, with a bungee cord one end attached to a vest around his waist and the other end to the front of the boat.    Rick rides in a seat on the handle bars of a special two-seater bicycle. Then Dick pushes Rick in his custom-made running chair (for the running stage). Imagine pulling a full-grown adult in a life boat for 2.4 miles, them pedaling 112 miles with him on the handlebars and finally pushing him 26.2 miles all in one day.

Rick was once asked, if he could give his father one thing, what would it be?  Rick responded, “The thing I’d most like is for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once.”

The 2009 Boston Marathon was officially Team Hoyt’s 1000th race. Rick always says if it comes down to doing one race a year he would like it to be the Boston Marathon: his favorite race. Dick Hoyt hopes that he is able to push Rick in the Boston Marathon when he is 70 years old (2011)! Neither Dick or Rick are ready to retire yet.