Perfect day for the Tough Mudder - the sun was out, temps were cool, and there was little to no wind.  Team Semper Mudelis completed the 12 mile course in 4 hours.  It was definitely an endurance and mental challenge, speed at most points was not an option.  The course started with a dry, flat, 1 mile run and that was the last of dry and flat!  The first obstacle was an ice water jump requiring a swim under a wall.  Then it was mud, mud, and more mud.  I thought the most injury prone part of the race was a 2 mile trail run which include ditches, mud traps, and so many tree roots.  The water obstacles were a double edge sword one part energizing the other part petrifying.  The height obstacles, well lets just say I fixed my eyes on my hands, so that I wouldn't know how high up I was.  Started as a team, ended as a team.  I'm banged and bruised up, and can barely climb a set a steps, but would I do this again? ABSOLUTELY!  

PROS:

No Mudder Left Behind - everyone helped…

The Inaugural Beachwood 5k River Run (and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk) took place Saturday October 20, 2012 in Beachwood, NJ.  MyRunSpot member, Steven Komsa, was a key organizer for this spectacular event.  The Beachwood 5k River Run starts and ends on the beautiful beachfront in Beachwood, NJ.  The course begins and ends on the waterfront at Mayo Park and Beachwood Beach, goes past parks, waterfont homes, the yacht club, marina, war memorial and river walk.  The 5k River Run began at 10am, followed by the Fun Run at 11am.  Proceeds from the event go to the Beachwood Recreation Commission.

Pre-registration and the after race party were at High Velocity, a great sports bar and grill, just blocks…

The New Jersey Color Run was held at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ on Saturday (and Sunday) September 1^st, 2012.  It was a colorful start to the new month, to say the least!  The run begins at 8am with the first group of 2000 runners (yes, 2000 runners!!!).  The website and pre-race information packet explains that packet pickup is encouraged due to this, as race day is CRAZY.  After running the race, this is a definite and is strongly encouraged by…

This was definitely the happiest 5K on the planet, but just like Philly definitely a jog/walk/bring the kids event. My daughter Kaitlyn (15), Jessica (15) and I arrived at 6:45 am and the place was hopping. The event started right at 8 and the heats of 500 or so took off every 5 minutes. We got into the 4th heat but had to slow to a jog before the first kilometer. Finished by 9 and the girls headed straight to the mosh/dance fest. They had an absolute blast and wore their color with honor at the PPB Bubba Koos Burrito - totally worth the early morning rise. Next year, they plan on wearing Tutu's and Tiaras!

Blog Post provided by Jason Fitzgerald of StrengthRunning.com

One of the main reasons that running is so appealing to millions of runners is that it’s simple. All you need is a good pair of running shoes (and sometimes that’s not even necessary!) and you can get a great workout anytime, anywhere.  

You don’t need any fancy equipment, a track, or any technology: just you, your running shoes, and the road. Now that’s minimalist running! (though, even tech like heart rate monitors can be useful)

But these days (I’ll try to refrain from complaining like an old man), the running landscape is changing. Runners are buying more gear that aims to make them faster, healthier, and stronger. True minimalist running,…

The Tri-State Rugged Maniac Mud Run took place this past Saturday, July 14^th, at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ.  The length of the run is a 5k (3.2 miles), and it is littered with obstacles and MUD!  The weather for the event was mostly cloudy and very humid.  The clouds certainly helped with the heat, and the mud and water raining down on the participants throughout the course helped with the humidity. 

Pre-Race

                Upon first arrival at the event, there are plenty of runners sporting costumes (one guy wore a complete dog costume) and finishers sporting plenty of mud.  Right away, one can tell this was going to be a great event!  The check-in tents had decent sized lines, but simply because of the event’s…