26.2 Quest

Lace 'Em Up For Boston!

2013-04-23T20:38:00.000-04:00

SAUCONY INTRODUCES ‘#BOSTONSTRONG LACE MEDALLION’ TO BENEFIT BOSTON MARATHON VICTIMS AND FAMILIES

Boston-based performance running brand encourages runners to show their support for victims with specially created shoelace medallion; Saucony to donate 100 percent of sales to The One Fund Boston

LEXINGTON, MA (April 23, 2013) − In an effort to inspire runners to honor and support the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, Saucony has created the #BostonStrong Lace Medallion to be offered as a fundraiser for The One Fund Boston. The two-sided medallion features the viral hashtag and unity motto #BostonStrong on one side and a custom-designed, laced-up heart icon on the other.

Runners can obtain the #BostonStrong Lace Medallion for five dollars per pair. For every pair of medallions purchased, Saucony will donate 100% of sales to The One Fund Boston, established by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Consumers can pre-order the #BostonStrong Lace Medallions at saucony.com beginning Wednesday, April 24^th. Medallions will be available to ship within three to four weeks.

Consumers are also encouraged to go to onefundboston.org to make a direct donation.

About Saucony: Saucony, a division of Wolverine Worldwide, is a leading global running lifestyle brand that fuses performance, innovation and style to create compelling footwear and apparel with its widely recognized brands Saucony and Saucony Originals. Founded in 1898, Saucony continues to inspire runners everywhere with its award winning innovations, including the “Geometry of Strong™, ProGrid™, PowerGrid™ VIZIPRO® and AMP PRO₂™ apparel. At Saucony, a good day is when we get to run. A great day is when we inspire someone else to run. For more information, go to www.saucony.com.

Adidas Launches "Boston Stands as One" T-shirt

2013-04-18T11:28:00.001-04:00

Boston/Portland, April 18, 2013 – adidas, Official Sponsor of the Boston Athletic Association and the Boston Marathon, today announced the launch of a limited edition “Boston stands as one” t-shirt. The t-shirt is available at baa.org and adidas.com/bostontribute with 100% of the proceeds going to The One Fund Boston, Inc. in order to help the people most affected by the tragic events. The One Fund Boston, Inc. was announced yesterday to support those affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on Monday.

“The selflessness and compassion demonstrated by the City of Boston, the first responders, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) and all marathon volunteers in providing assistance to the injured have stuck with us and inspired us,” said Patrik Nilsson, President adidas America. “We commend Boston - and of those associated with the City and the Marathon - for their reaction to this very challenging situation. We applaud them for standing together as one on Monday and in the days which have followed.”

The limited edition “Boston stands as one” t-shirt is available now at baa.org and adidas.com/bostontribute for $26.20.

Publix Georgia Marathon Race Entry Winner

2013-02-26T20:18:00.000-05:00

It is time for a winner to be chosen. Who will be the lucky runner that gets to punish themselves for 26.2 miles of Atlanta roads for free?

The Publix Georgia Marathon will be here before you know it and the streets will be lined with runners from near and far ready to take on the downtown course and see if they have what it takes to finish victorious.

If you have not yet signed up and you are not today's winner you can still sign up at the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration Page with $10 off of either the full or half marathon by using the code: BLOG10OFF13.

And now on to the winner......

We had 57 total entries in the comments. I entered these into random.org and the winner was selected. The random number selected was 48 which is Nat from The Negative Split.
Nat, please email me at info@262quest.com to claim your free entry!

Win a Free Race Entry - The Publix Georgia Marathon

2013-02-18T15:50:00.000-05:00

The Publix Georgia Marathon is just one month away and it is time to give away a race entry to someone that is ready and able to run either the 13.1 or 26.2 distance. If you are in training and can be ready to run one of these distances in a months time continue to read as there is a very good chance that you will have an opportunity to run the 2013 Publix Georgia Marathon for free!

As I mentioned in my last post, I once again this year will not be able to run. I have been running off and on, but continue to revisit the injury that has been haunting me for nearly two years now. I am a stubborn runner, but I have finally, yes finally, made a physical therapy appointment for tomorrow. I am ready to get this calf fixed for good so next year I can be talking about my training here on the blog.

This years race will take place on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17th, 2013 at 7:00 a.m. The race course will travel through metro Atlanta’s most interesting and historic areas and along the way runners will pass many well known landmarks. The Luckie 5K will also be run on the 17th at 7:30 so all races will be run on the same day. To register you can head over to www.georgiamarathon.com or straight to the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration Page and while you are there you can get $10 off of either the full or half marathon by using the code: BLOG10OFF13.

Thanks to the US Road Sports team, one of you will have the opportunity to run either the full marathon or half marathon on Sunday March 17^th free.

The Giveaway:

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly out of all comments left on this page. The guidelines below show all the options for entries, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry as only one entry will be counted per comment even if you list all the ways you are eligible. The giveaway time period will not be long with the last entry being accepted on Sunday February 24^th

How To Enter:

Leave a comment and tell us how your training is coming for the big day. If you are not in training tell us tell us how you plan to get ready.
Share the opportunity with everyone you know. You know the drill, share it with all those social media tools, your blog, and at your running club, but don’t stop there! (leave a comment for each way you share because each comment will count as an additional entry)
Join the Georgia Marathon Fanpage, follow them on Twitter at @GeorgiaMarathon and leave a comment for each of these as well.

Share often and come back daily to tell us how you have spread the word!

The Publix Georgia Marathon - St Patrick's Style

2013-02-11T19:17:00.000-05:00

It is once again time for Atlanta to start heading into those really long runs in anticipation of the 2013 Publix Georgia Marathon. If you are running in Georgia the winter months have been more than kind to you, but if you find yourself training in the northeast for the 26.2 mile run through the streets of Atlanta, you have been dealt a wicked blow to say the least.

This years race will take place on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17th, 2013 at 7:00 a.m. The race course will travel through metro Atlanta’s most interesting and historic areas, including the Sweet Auburn District, Inman Park, Decatur, Druid Hills, Virginia-Highland and Midtown areas. Along the way, runners will pass landmarks, including the King Historic Site, Carter Center, four college campuses and Piedmont Park. The Luckie 5K at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta has also been moved to the 17th at 7:30 so all races will be run on the same day. To register you can head over to www.georgiamarathon.com or straight to the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration Page and while you are there you can get $10 off of either the full or half marathon by using the code: BLOG10OFF13.

I once again find myself nowhere near marathon ready, and probably not even capable of getting half marathon ready considering my current state. I have been injured off and on since before last years race day, and recently have had yet another lapse causing me to stop running once again. But just because I can't run the full marathon doesn't mean that you cannot give the 26.2 or even 13.1 distance a shot.

If you have been to 26.2 Quest in the past you know that there is a good possibility that someone will win a race entry, and this year will be no different. Stay tuned and tell everyone to keep an eye open as a free race entry will be coming soon!

Winner Announcement - Allstate Life Insurance Atlanta 13.1 Marathon

2012-09-30T11:32:00.000-04:00

The winner announcement is here and the race will be in just one week. The winner for the Allstate Life Insurance Atlanta 13.1 Marathon has been randomly chosen and it is time to give one lucky runner the opportunity to run for free!

Before we get to the announcement, make sure that you sign up with the discount code QUEST10OFF131 if you are not the winner. The code is good until online registration closes in the next few days and is only good for the half marathon distance. You may want to think about registering today since the next price increase is tonight.

And now on to the winner

There were a total of 14 entries given the short notice till race day. I ran them through random.org and the lucky number came up as 1 (how odd is that!) and the lucky winner is....... Gina Running. Gina - please email me at info@262quest.com ASAP and I will get the instructions over to you on how you can register. Because of the time frame I need to hear from you by the end of the day Monday or I will need to choose another winner.

For all of you that are running good luck and enjoy the race. For those of you that are in the same boat as me.... wanting to run but not able to... I am sorry, I feel your pain. On that note, I recently relapsed with my injury once again and ended up with calf issues. I am now past that, but that sealed it for me that I would not be ready to run 13.1 by this coming weekend.

Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Atlanta Entry Giveaway

2012-09-25T06:59:00.000-04:00

The Allstate Life Insurance℠ Atlanta 13.1 Marathon® is less than two weeks away and it is time to do a lightning round race entry giveaway.

First I want to mention that if you don't want to take a chance by letting the race sell out you can register today and even get a discount while doing so by using the $10 off discount code QUEST10OFF131 which is good till online registration closes on October 3^rd. You can register for the Allstate Life Insurance℠ Atlanta 13.1 Marathon using the above code through the official Atlanta 13.1 Marathon Registration.

As recently announced, series sponsor Allstate Life Insurance and non-profit organization Give Your Sole have partnered to collect moderately used athletic shoes from Atlanta 13.1® Marathon race participants and spectators to benefit the Gateway Center, a local organization serving Atlanta’s homeless population. Shoe donations can be made at participating Allstate agencies, during packet pick-up and at the Allstate Life Insurance zone at the Finish Line Festival following the race.

Thanks to the US Road Sports team, one of you will have the opportunity to run the half marathon on Sunday October 7^th free.

The Giveaway:

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly out of all comments left on this page. The guidelines below show all the options for entries, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry as only one entry will be counted per comment even if you list all the ways you are eligible. The giveaway time period will not be long with the last entry being accepted on Friday September 28^thto make sure the winner has a chance to enter the race.

How To Enter:

Leave a comment and tell us how your training is coming for the big day. If you are not in training tell us tell us how you plan to get ready.
Share the opportunity with everyone you know. You know the drill, share if with all those social media tools, your blog, and at your running club, but don’t stop there! (leave a comment for each way you share because each comment will count as an additional entry)
Join the Allstate Life Insurance℠ Atlanta 13.1 Marathon Fanpage, follow them on Twitter at @131Marathon and leave a comment for each of these as well.

Share often and come back daily to tell us how you have spread the word!

Winner Announcement - The Allstate Life Insurance Atlanta 13.1 Marathon

2012-09-11T21:33:00.000-04:00

The long awaited... overdue... winner announcement is finally here. The winner for the Allstate Life Insurance Atlanta 13.1 Marathon has been randomly chosen and it is time to give one lucky runner the opportunity to run for free!

Before we get to the announcement, make sure that you sign up with the discount code QUEST10OFF131 if you are not the winner. The code is good until online registration closes and is only good for the half marathon distance.

And now on to the winner

There were a total of 54 entries which I ran through random.org. The lucky number came up as 31 and the lucky winner is....... Jack Bruce, proving that more isn't always better, sometimes you just have to be the lucky one :) Jack - please email me at info@262quest.com and I will get the instructions over to you on how you can register.

Keep your eyes pealed, as rumor has it that I have one more opportunity to win coming up very soon!

Win a Race Entry for the Allstate Life Insurance Atlanta 13.1 Marathon

2012-08-23T20:35:00.000-04:00

The Allstate Life Insurance℠ Atlanta 13.1 Marathon® is right around the corner and I am embarrassed to say that I am no where near where I need to be in my training to take on the half marathon distance. I could go on and on about all the reasons why, but today the post is for all of you.

First I want to mention that the next price increase is in just a few hours at midnight August 23^rd. Don't miss this opportunity to get it before the $15 increase, and also don't forget to sweeten the deal by using the $10 off discount code QUEST10OFF131 which is good till online registration closes. You can register for the Allstate Life Insurance℠ Atlanta 13.1 Marathon using the above code through the official Atlanta 13.1 Marathon Registration.

Once again this year, thanks to the US Road Sports team, one of you will have the opportunity to run the half marathon on Sunday October 7^th free.

The Giveaway:

How To Enter:

Leave a comment and tell us how your training is coming for the big day. If you are not in training tell us tell us how you plan to get ready.
Share the opportunity with everyone you know. You know the drill, share if with all those social media tools, your blog, and at your running club, but don’t stop there! (leave a comment for each way you share because each comment will count as an additional entry)
Join the Allstate Life Insurance℠ Atlanta 13.1 Marathon Fanpage, follow them on Twitter at @131Marathon and leave a comment for each of these as well.

Share often and come back daily to tell us how you have spread the word!

Officially Registered - Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Atlanta

2012-07-05T09:25:00.000-04:00

I have officially registered and committed to the 2012 Allstate Life Insurance℠ 13.1 Atlanta. I have a lot of training to get done and a long way to go, but there is nothing better than a commitment to help get focused and in the right mindset. It has been a long time since the following words have graced my inbox, but I look forward to seeing it a lot in the future.

Congratulations! You are now registered for 2012 Allstate Life Insurance℠ Atlanta 13.1 Marathon® on Sunday, October 7, 2012.

I am not sure if running the Peachtree Road Race yesterday helped or hindered this decision given the outcome, but the trigger has been pulled. Yesterday's race was my first 10k since the last Peachtree a year ago, and the last time I had run 10k in nearly as long. It was a slow and hard race, the slowest 10k I have ever run.

If you were planning on running the Allstate Life Insurance℠ Atlanta 13.1 Marathon this October, or even just thinking about it, today is the day to register! The price increases tonight and so right now is the cheapest you will be able to register. To make things a little easier I have an opportunity for you to save an additional $10 off. That is right, just head over to register now and enter the discount code QUEST10OFF131 and save $10. This discount code will be available till online registration closes, however the sooner you use it the more savings you will receive!

There is much more to come as the time grows closer. Follow my journey back to the 13.1 mile distance and beyond. Keep your RSS reader pointed at the 26.2 Quest Feed, Like the 26.2 Quest Fanpage, or join us on the Google+ 26.2 Quest Page for some really exciting announcements coming really soon.

Building Mileage

2012-06-12T20:14:00.000-04:00

It has been and continues to be a long trip back from injury, but I have started to make some progress that actually feels like that - progress. I spent nearly a month running no more than 1 mile at a time, and not very many times a week. I then graduated up to 2 miles, and then finally 3.1 miles where I have been for some time once again.

There has just been something about going beyond the 3.1 mile distance that has been intimidating, even to the point that it seemed that I would never make it beyond the 5k distance. That is, until this past week.

June 2nd was a really nice Saturday, but I had a lot on my plate. I finished up a couple things and then headed out for a late morning run. 69 degrees and sunny and yet I still almost talked myself into cutting it to the 3.1 mile distance again. The discipline won out and I ran my first 4 miler in over 6 months!

The run was slow, but consistent with splits of 10:09, 10:08, 10:06, and 9:32 which I was very pleased with given the hills I once again started to incorporate into my run. I dropped back to the 3.1 and even 2 mile distances since then and just today ventured out for my second 4 miler. Today's splits were not quite as consistent, but in the end a bit faster at 10:22, 9:59, 10:04, and 9:18.

It is hard to believe that I had not run 4 miles straight since November 22nd, but I guess these times will come. I have a long way to go still, but I will get there. The next time I post I will be officially registered for my first 13.1 back after the injury..... how is that for motivation?

Keep the encouragement coming, and tell your friends about 26.2 Quest!

Missing and out of Action

2012-05-31T20:05:00.000-04:00

While running was something I craved for so long, recently I have found it to be little more than a chore. I guess that is what the road to recovery looks like after an injury that doesn't ever seem to give in. Maybe someday I will relive through words all I have been through these past months but for now I want to focus mainly on what the future holds.

The decline started well before the debilitating injury and so I have had to sit out two big races that were previously on my schedule. Some of that has been chronicled here on the site, but honestly, I find it difficult to write about running when I can't lace the shoes up and feel the wind in my hair and the bugs in my teeth. The 13.1 Atlanta was the first of those, while the second was the Publix Georgia Marathon.

While the injury took it's toll in both fitness and spirit, it also messed with my healthy eating and ultimately I gained some unwanted weight. As if the running is not hard enough already to build back up, I am having to do it while carrying much more than I have since 2007.

Running is not nearly as fun as it used to be, however I am determined to return to the days when I couldn't wait till the next easy run, long run, or when I was just hitting the trails to let the trouble of the day melt away. I have been running pain free for a little over a month now, but still need to get on a regular schedule and start building the miles.

I find that I hit snooze much less if I have a goal, and what better goal to set than one of 26.2 miles. The only problem is that I am not crazy, just a little overzealous at times. That being the case I will step back and rethink the insanity and take smaller steps. I will be running a 4 miler later this month and then make my way down Peachtree in July, but these will only serve as stepping stones on my way back to the 13.1 half marathon distance.

I have run the 13.1 Atlanta multiple times and have been a part of it in some way every year so what better race to put on the calendar as a "goal" than the Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Marathon Atlanta on October 7th. The race will once again start and finish in Town Brookhaven on Peachtree and wind around the surrounding neighborhoods while also covering a few miles on Peachtree itself. If you are looking for a fall half marathon I highly recommend this race, and there is no better time to register than now.

Want to run the Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Marathon Atlanta for free?

I welcome you to hang around and follow my recovery and path to the 2012 13.1 Atlanta. Better yet, why don't you join me in running it? If you hang around here at 26.2 Quest you may even find yourself lucky enough to run this race for free this year. As I did last year, I will have some race entry giveaways as the race gets closer. Make sure you follow now so you don't miss these announcements.

Thanks for hanging out while I haven't been around as often, I look forward to interacting again very soon!

Publix Georgia Marathon Race Entry Winner #4

2012-02-23T12:30:00.000-05:00

The fourth and final race entry giveaway for the Publix Georgia Marathon has finished and it is time to pick the winner. This one drew the most entries so it could really be anyone’s entry. If you are not the lucky winner there is still time to get registered with a $10 discount using the code: 262QUEST when checking out.

With 113 entries there is obviously a lot of interest in running the 13.1 or 26.2 course this coming March 18th. If you have not taken the time to read through the comments like I have, there are some good stories in there once again, and who knows you may even find yourself a new running friend.

I plugged 113 in the random.org number generator and the number 25 was returned. The number 25 means that Russell Brown’s persistence paid off in these last two giveaways and his sharing on Pinterest will mean that he will run the Publix Georgia Marathon for free this year thanks to the US Road Sports Group.

Russell, please contact me at info@262quest.com so I can send you the code you will need for the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration checkout page.

On a completely unrelated note, if you are one of the 360 people that follow this blog with Google Friend Connect, can I please ask you to follow using one of the other options? You can subscribe to the RSS Feed which would be the closest to the way you are following now, but the 26.2 Quest Fanpage, @262quest Twitter feed, or the 26.2 Quest Google Plus Page are also available options. Russell’s winning post reminds me that I need to find out how to get involved with Pinterest. If you have suggestions let me know.

The One Month Countdown

2012-02-21T18:54:00.000-05:00

I really wish I could be one of the ones that was nearing the taper, but The Publix Georgia Marathon was not in the cards for me once again this year. A bum calf has played it’s part with keeping me off of the roads and trails, and also from the starting line this coming March 18th when thousands of runners line the streets of Atlanta.

If you thought that it was all about the marathon you would be mostly right, but in case you were not aware, there is a lot more than just an enjoyable 26.2 mile stroll through the streets of Atlanta.

Some of this information can be found in the One Month Countdown Press Release with just a couple of the highlights here:

Publix Georgia Marathon Health & Fitness Expo: Friday, March 16, 2012, noon to 7 p.m.; and Saturday, March 17, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Cuties Luckie 5K and Kids Fun Run: Saturday, March 17, 2012 at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta’s Luckie Marietta District. The Cuties Luckie 5K will begin at 8 a.m., and the Kids Fun Run will begin at 9 a.m.
Publix Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon: Sunday, March 18, 2012, starting at 7 a.m., from Marietta Street/CNN Building and finishing at Centennial Olympic Park.

There is still time to register, and yes, there is even still time to win. If you hurry you can still enter to win a free entry into the Publix Georgia Marathon right here on 26.2 Quest. The giveaway ends tomorrow so don’t delay.

In case you are not the lucky winner you will want to head over to the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration page and get registered. While checking out don’t forget to use the discount code 262QUEST to get an extra $10 discount off of the current price for the full or half marathon.

Are you running the race next month? If so let us know which one you are running, be it the Marathon, the Half Marathon, or the Cuties Luckie 5K and Kids Fun Run. If you are running any of the races that weekend good luck and enjoy the race!

Free Race Entry for the Publix Georgia Marathon

2012-02-14T19:51:00.000-05:00

We are just one month away from the Publix Georgia Marathon and just a few short days away from the bitter sweet taper for many would be marathoners. Race day may be getting close, but there is still a chance to get in on the big day whether it be by hitting the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration Page before the next price increase on February 16th, or by winning the chance to run for free.

If you have not yet registered you can take advantage of the price before it increases in just a couple days, but don’t forget to use the discount code: 262QUEST to receive an additional $10 off the current race entry fees.

If you are still willing to gamble with the discount and try your luck at winning a free race entry I can help you out with that as well. I have one more entry just waiting for someone to take advantage of. Thanks to the US Road Sports team someone can run either the 13.1 or 26.2 distance on March 18th, paying with only sweat and extensive training.

The Giveaway:

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly out of all comments left on this page. The guidelines below show all the options for entries, but be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry as only one entry will be counted per comment even if you list all the ways you are eligible. Due to the shortness of time before race day the giveaway time period will not be long with the last entry being accepted on Wednesday February 22nd.

How To Enter:

Leave a comment and tell us how your training is coming for the big day. If you are not in training tell us why you think running either a full or half marathon is a good idea with just four weeks of training.
Share the opportunity with everyone you know. You know the drill, share if with all those social media tools, your blog, and at your running club, but don’t stop there! (leave a comment for each way you share because each comment will count as an additional entry)
Join the Publix Georgia Marathon Fanpage, follow them on Twitter at @GeorgiaMarathon and leave a comment for each of these as well.

Share often and come back daily to tell us how you have spread the word!

Publix Georgia Marathon Race Entry Selection

2012-02-07T06:34:00.000-05:00

It has been a few days since the entries closed and so it is time to select a winner for the free Publix Georgia Marathon race entry. March 18th, aka Race Day, will be here before we know it and thousands of people will be warming up along the streets of Atlanta, ready to take that 26.2 mile journey from being just a goal to a completed reality.

There is still time if you have not yet registered to run either the full or the half marathon. If you are just now registering don’t forget to use the discount code 262QUEST to take $10 off the current registration price at the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration page.

A total of 82 entries into this Publix Georgia Marathon giveaway and it is obvious there are many runners that really want to take on this race. If you have not taken the time to read through the comments there are some great stories that are well worth your time to read them.

The random number generator gave the lucky number 48 which means the lucky winner is Christine Krauth for her comment about posting it to Facebook. Congratulations Christine! Please send me an email at info@262quest.com so I can get you the information you need to register.

If you weren’t today’s winner, you will want to make sure you Circle 26.2 Quest on Google+, Like the 26.2 Quest Fanpage, follow on twitter at @262quest, and subscribe to the RSS Feed to make sure you are one of the first to find out about the next race entry giveaway.... yes, I said the NEXT race entry giveaway.

Options To Run The Publix Georgia Marathon

2012-01-19T15:39:00.000-05:00

In recent announcements it is clear you have many options with both registration and running the Publix Georgia Marathon or one of the other races that day. Of course you have the option to run free by entering to win the current race entry giveaway right here on 26.2 Quest, but a very cool partnership with the Atlanta Hawks can give you a discount off of the current Publix Georgia Marathon Registration.

When the Hawks win at home, runners benefit with a registration discount. Last night the Hawks won their game against the Portland Trail Blazers in a 92-89 victory which means that if you register today with discount code HAWKS you will get $3 off your registration since the point spread was 3 points. Further information is available here about the Publix Georgia Marathon Sponsorship with the Atlanta Hawks.

The third and final chance to get the Hawks point spread discount is following their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers this Saturday, January 21st, lets hope for a victory with a 110 point spread so EVERYONE can run the marathon for free! Hey….. it could happen! (OK, so the discount is capped at $15 so no go)

Another option that you have is to admit that you are not marathon ready and sign up instead for the Luckie 5k and Kids Fun Run sponsored by Cuties California Mandarins. The family fun events will be run at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park on St. Patrick’s Day, the day before the marathon and half marathon. More information is available about the Cuties Luckie 5k and other events on March 17th, or you can register now.

Don’t forget, if you can’t find any other better option, you can always use the 262QUEST discount code when visiting the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration for $10 off of your registration. This discount is only available for the full and half marathon races.

Win a Free Entry To Run The Publix Georgia Marathon

2012-01-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

If you were not able to secure your spot to run the Georgia Marathon in one of the past giveaways you have another chance. With the Publix Georgia Marathon just 2 months away on March 18th I hope you are already training if you want to run the 26.2 miles, but if not this entry will also work if you are more of the half marathon type.

The US Road Sports group has offered yet another lucky runner the opportunity to run the marathon or half marathon for the highly discounted rate of $0. All you need to do is provide the training and transportation which is the easy part right?

Do you want to leave nothing to chance and make sure you have your entry set? If so, while you head over to the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration make sure you don’t forget to use the $10 discount code: 262QUEST. This code is good for $10 off either the full or half marathon.

The Giveaway:

One lucky winner will be given the opportunity to run the Publix Georgia Marathon on March 18th, 2012 for free. Entries will be taken until January 31st with the winner announced shortly after.

How To Enter:

Leave a comment and tell us about your marathon experience (or lack there of) and why running the Publix Georgia Marathon will change your life forever.
Share the opportunity with everyone you know. You know the drill, share with all those social media tools, your blog, and at your running club, but don’t stop there! (leave a comment for each way you share because each comment will count as an additional entry)
Join the Publix Georgia Marathon Fanpage, follow on Twitter at @GeorgiaMarathon and leave a comment for each of these as well.

Don’t forget to share often for the best chance to win!

What Does it Feel Like to Not Run?

2012-01-15T12:19:00.000-05:00

I am sure there are many ways to describe what it feels like to not run, but to a runner not many of the explanations are positive. As runners we are always looking forward to the next run, sometimes even while we are running. To our non-running friends we are talking as if we are from another planet we we stress about missing a run or when we long to run when something is keeping us from it.

The year that just closed it’s doors is one that I will not miss when I think about running. 2011 was littered with pain, disappointment, and frustration when I discuss my year in running. The year started off with disappointment, and never let up.

When looking at my 2011 year in review on Daily Mile it tells the grim story. In comparing it to my 2010 year in review on Daily Mile I noticed a few things. My mileage wasn’t even half of what it was in 2010, and my higher mileage months were right around where my lowest mileage month was in 2010.

The 12 month timeline tells a story, my story. The story starts in March when things started to fall apart. My mileage was looking good for the most part as I was training for my third marathon, the 2010 Publix Georgia Marathon. I won’t revisit all the details, but an injury late in the marathon training forced me to take a couple weeks off leading up to race day, and ultimately dropping to the half marathon which was even run with some pain.

I had an extremely hard time coming back from this thigh injury and the mileage never came back with consistent nagging from my thigh. When I was finally getting past the injury I had trouble building the mileage back to where it needed to be because of fear of injury and just plain laziness.

Summer was drawing to a close and the mornings were starting to cool off a bit, but August brought with it some extremely long hours at work which would prove to be one of the final blows to 2011 as a runner. The long hours made it difficult to run, but one morning when I did make it out the door I was greeted with another even more crippling injury, my calf. As the mileage shows I was lucky to run at all during the last quarter of the year, and in some cases went weeks without lacing up the running shoes.

This year has taken it’s toll on my body and my spirit. I have had a hard time writing about running when I wasn’t doing it, and felt like a hypocrite when I was eating unhealthy and putting on weight that I had not seen since starting this journey in 2007.

The clothes are tighter and the outlook is grim, but I am slowly trying to regain what I have lost, and lose what I have gained. It has and will be a long road back, but I can only take one step and one day at a time. It is amazing how hard it is to eat right when you are not being active.

The latest on the running and injury is that I am slowly starting to run again. Each time I tried to run before my calf would end up complaining and putting me on the sideline once again, but this time I am taking it much slower and using compression all along the way. So far so good, but I am keeping conservative with my optimism.

How do you describe your feelings when you cannot run?

Run, Chipper, Run

2012-01-11T09:50:00.000-05:00

Today’s post is the first guest post for 26.2 Quest. The post was written and submitted in late November but if you haven’t noticed the posts have been few and far between this past month and I neglected to get it posted until now. The post was written by Chipper Nicodemus who works for Healthline.com, and was written about his experiences leading up to and conquering a big PR in a Thanksgiving Day 10k.

Running was always something I was forced to do. Baseball and wrestling were my sports in high school and running was never a reward we got for doing well. So you can imagine how foreign the idea of running for fun might be. Now several years later, I can say, much to my friends amazement, running is fun. Allow me to explain.

For 3 years now my wife and I have been running in the local “Turkey Trot” 10k at my alma mater Sacramento State University. We did this so we could have a tradition to start following and to burn off some calories before we over ate on turkey and other traditional fixings. My usual training had been a handful of 3 mile runs about two weeks before the race. Needless to say, this left me gasping for air and useless for the remainder of the food gorging holiday. This was not fun running as I had claimed I participate in now. I vowed to make it different this year.

A few life events prompted me to start running for fitness and fun. First off my weight wasn’t ever where I’d like it to be. I was always the ‘big guy’ in my group of friends. I’ve never really been in good shape since wrestling, and the idea of running several miles and being able to speak afterwards really appealed to me. So a full three months before the Turkey Day race I started changing my lifestyle. I downloaded the Lose It! app, and the ever so useful Nike+ app, took pics of my ‘before’ body and stepped on the scale. I watched this video on how to pick the right running shoes and I went to the local sporting goods store and picked up a new pair of running shoes, shorts and one of those fancy tech tees. I read up on Running 101.The next day after work I took of to attempt to conquer the hills of San Francisco. A mere 1.5 miles left I was about done.

I could only muster around the same distance for the rest of my 3 runs that week. I set a goal for myself that every Saturday I would do my ‘push yourself’ longer run. My first push run was an excessively San Franciscan hilly 3 mile run, about half way through I realized I bit off more than I could run. Only a few weeks later I was easily handling 3 miles and working on some 6 mile runs. Every run I was hitting personal records for 10k without too my effort on my part. Here in San Francisco we are blessed with great running weather, so most of my runs were in perfect 60 degree weather. After several 10k and longer runs, I felt more prepared for the Thanksgiving Run to Feed the Hungry than any previous 3 years. Now it was race day.

My alarm woke me up at 5:30 am, on a chilly Sacramento morning, working on just over 4 hours sleep. I got dressed in my favorite shorts and shoes, grabbed a few Gu packs and started hydrating. My wife and I headed out for my alma mater Sacramento State University, but not before a much needed stop at Starbucks for a coffee and banana, which has become my go to pre-run morning meal. We were parked and headed over to meet with our team Cal Fit for our pre-race picture. That is when a monkey wrench got tossed my way. Rain.

I’ve never had to run in the rain before. Usually rain was a great excuse to get out of running, but today I was looking forward to the challenge. I tried to say dry as best I could with some help of some redwood trees. About 5 minutes before the start, I headed towards the ‘8 min/ mile’ sign, which was my stretch goal pace, but I was just shooting for a new personal record which would be below 55 minutes for the 10k race. The local radio jock was doing his best to cheer up the wet runners before the starting gun was shot. GO! I was off and despite the massive amount of people; I got to a decent start, but kept my pace steady. Around mile 1 I felt that my socks and shoes were soggy, but it didn’t affect me too badly. Every mile marker I checked my watch and spent the next quarter mile calculating my pace and if I was on track for my PR. Around the half way mark at 5k, I looked at my watch and realized that there are some people about to finish the race in less than 5 minutes. I pushed on and was keeping a solid pace at around 8 minute miles, which is great for me. Somewhere between mile 4 and 5, I slammed my Gu pack and pushed on. I hit mile marker 5 and knew I had to make my push; there was no reason not to leave everything on the field so to speak. I rounded the corner and headed for the final straight away, finish line in site. I checked my watch and a little off my stretch goal, but in great position for my new PR. At the 6 mile marker I took off in a dead sprint and the official clock was becoming more readable through my rain filled glasses. About 100 feet from the finish line I saw the clock tick closer to 52 minutes. I hit the after burners and sprinted through the finish line still a few seconds to spare before 52 minutes. Exhausted and fulfilled were the two feels I felt immediately. I stopped my watch timer and my Nike+ app, both informed me of my new personal record. I walked over to the refueling station and grabbed another banana and several bottles of water. The chill of rain soaked clothes set in and I was ready to head home and hit the comfort of a warm shower. I waited for my wife to finish her 5k walk and when she did I informed her of my new accomplishment and she congratulated me. We both refilled our waters and headed home to enjoy some football and turkey dinner.

I felt great for the rest of my day with my very own runner’s high and even managed not to eat too poorly for all 3 of my Thanksgiving dinners. I’m really looking forward to my next running adventure which is my first ½ marathon in March. Any tips or tricks for my first ½? Please share with me below in the comments.

This guest post, the first for 26.2 Quest, was written by Chipper Nicodemus from Healthline.com.

Look Who Is Running The Georgia Marathon For Free!

2012-01-09T19:48:00.000-05:00

The Publix Georgia Marathon is quickly approaching and the winner best be already training. The giveaway started just before Christmas, but the gift of being able to put yourself through torture for 26.2 miles is being given away now.

March 18th will be here before you know it, and those running will be heading through the streets of Atlanta to once again claim victory in the battle against the hilly marathon and half marathon courses. If you have not yet registered there is plenty of time and you can secure your spot for $10 less than the current rate by using the discount code 262QUEST when signing up.

Too many people were thinking of others during the Christmas holidays (or were wondering how they could possibly run that far given the way they were currently eating) and so the entries stayed a bit lower with just 37 total entries.

With 37 in the Random number generator the button was pushed and the lucky number 20 revealed double_jogger as the winner. double_jogger is looking to run the Publix Georgia Marathon to get back into shape post baby, let’s all congratulate her!

Please contact me at info@262quest.com by Friday to claim your entry or I will need to pick a new winner.

For those of you that didn’t win, thank you for reading & entering…………… and stay tuned!

Happy Running!

The Georgia Marathon – Christmas Giveaway

2011-12-23T17:34:00.001-05:00

We are only a short time away from when we start to look at our physique and wonder what we should do about it. Yes, it is the time of year when the New Years Resolution craze causes gym memberships, even with their high prices, to skyrocket. Running, on the other hand, is one of the least expensive sports, but it can still offer many of the same benefits that are being sought out during this time of redirection.

While many are looking at their bank accounts to try and figure out how they will pay the trainer next month, the Publix Georgia Marathon wants to give you a chance to focus more on your running and less on how you will pay for it.

Yes, that is right, just in time for Christmas, the generous people over at US Road Sports, and the Awesome person behind the 26.2 Quest Fanpage (which would be me) are teaming up to offer you a chance to beat the down economy while running the Publix Georgia Marathon or Half Marathon for free!

Many of you, I am sure, have started training for that spring marathon, but just haven’t decided which one you will run yet. With the price increase coming up at the end of the year, there is no better time to sign up for the Publix Georgia Marathon then now. While you head over to sign up make sure you don’t forget to use the $10 discount code: 262QUEST. This code is good for $10 off either the full or half marathon.

The Giveaway:

One lucky winner will find themselves with a little extra cash in their pockets when they are given the opportunity to run the Publix Georgia Marathon on March 18th, 2012 for free. Entries will be taken until January 6th with the winner announced shortly after.

How to enter:

Leave a comment and tell us why you want to run the Publix Georgia Marathon.
Share the news! Get in the spirit of the season and share the opportunity with everyone you know. You know the drill, share with all those social media tools, but don’t stop there! (leave a comment for each way you share because each comment will count as an additional entry)
Join the gang at the Publix Georgia Marathon Fanpage, on Twitter at @GeorgiaMarathon and leave a comment for each of these as well.

Now since you are entered to win it is time to start training if you haven’t already. Run a couple miles for me as I once again try to nurse my leg back to health.

Merry Christmas!

Publix Georgia Marathon Race Entry Winner

2011-11-21T16:27:00.001-05:00

The much anticipated winner of the Publix Georgia Marathon race entry is about to be announced. Thank you to everyone who read, entered, and helped by promoting this giveaway.

Keep in mind, that if you are not the winner, you can still walk away a winner by using the $10 discount code: 262QUEST. This code is good for $10 off either the full marathon or the half marathon and can be used online up until the online registration closes.

We had plenty of runners entering for their chance at running the Publix Georgia Marathon for free, but some took it to a level well beyond everyone else. Whether it was Terry who tried to promote it nearly every day, or Rachel who took her promotion attempts well beyond where most people would draw the line. A picture is off to the right in case it inspires you in future giveaways.

Counting the entries took some time. I am sorry if I missed an entry, but I can’t be held responsible for missing one of your entries if you put more than one entry per comment.

We had a total of 56 entries. I took that total and entered it in random.org and the magic number 35 was revealed. Counting back through the entries this number landed on Terry’s comment from the 9th, making Terry Higgins aka Planet3rry the lucky runner who will be running the Publix Georgia Marathon or Half Marathon on March 18th paying only with sweat and countless hours of training.

Terry, please send me an email at info@262quest.com to claim your entry code. I will give plenty of time for you to respond given the holiday, but if I don’t hear back by December 1st I will need to pick an alternate runner.

If you weren’t today’s winner, you will want to make sure you Circle 26.2 Quest on Google+, Like the 26.2 Quest Fanpage, follow on twitter at @262quest, and subscribe to the RSS Feed to make sure you are one of the first to find out about the next race entry giveaway.... yes, I said the NEXT race entry giveaway.

Thanks for reading, now make sure you congratulate Terry!

West Stride Running Form Clinic

2011-11-14T22:05:00.001-05:00

This past month I was given the opportunity to participate in a Running Form Clinic offered by West Stride in cooperation with running form expert Kyle O’Day of Continuum Sports Solutions. I, like most runners, am aware of my form, but I am never absolutely sure if I am doing it right.

If you read much about running form you know that a lot of emphasis is put on foot strike and what type of shoe you wear or maybe don’t wear. Too many times people try to fix their form and bent toward injury with shoes or other gadgets instead of seeking professional help with tuning up their form.

Many runners don’t even think about form and it’s affect on injury, but rather think of it as a way to speed up and stay fresh instead of the premature fatigue most of us experience. If only I can fix my form I will finally be able to set that new PR, or go that new distance. While correct form will help both speed you up and take you further, the method to fix the form is once again approached wrong – many times with the focus being on shoes and foot strike.

If you read my three previous articles on this clinic you have seen how much I learned in the four weeks we met. I previously thought I knew running form pretty well. I taught my daughter what I learned when I was in high school and was proud to watch her run with what I viewed as pretty good form. I rarely questioned if my running form had anything to do with my recent and numerous injuries.

The first of the four sessions was a show and tell with videos showing both incorrect and correct form. Kyle also explained what we would be doing in the coming weeks to analyze and fix any running form issues we had.

The second session was the first time we took the short run to a local track. We talked a lot about our posture and how it is the basis for good running form. We worked on learning some drills that we would continue to use throughout the entire clinic. The drills helped ready us for the lower body techniques we would be learning later in the clinic, but also was helping us “feel” the posture we were currently working on.

The third session started to incorporate some lower body form. Kyle did not let us down when he had previously warned us that lower body form would be much harder to feel, and that most of us would not pick it up as quickly. I was a perfect example of this, and I even served as comic relief for some of the West Stride group that was helping watch and correct us as we worked on what we had been taught.

The fourth and final session pulled all the different things we worked on together as a package. We all had the weeks between the sessions to work on our form and practice what we had been taught. This last week gave us the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback on how far we had come. We once again used the drills to drive home the posture and leg action.

In addition to what we had already learned, we worked on maintaining form while running hills, as well as changing tempo. The final piece to the puzzle was foot strike. Don’t let me mislead you into thinking we didn’t talk about foot strike often, but this was the first time we actually worked on it. We spent a lot of time talking throughout the four sessions on how foot strike is more of a result of good form, and yet trying to change foot strike will not, in most cases, help with form.

Working on this foot strike at the end gave everyone a good chance to work on their form, and many foot strike problems took care of themselves as the form was corrected. What helped further was when a slight problem was detected with foot strike Kyle could point to the issues with the form that caused it, and it was easy for each runner to understand what needed to be done to further correct the foot strike.

When it was my turn to have my foot strike analyzed I intentionally didn’t think about anything and tried to run as I did normally. I wanted to see what my foot strike looked like without any correction on my part. I was happy to find that I have a mid-foot strike and further correction in form as I train my body to know what good form is will only serve to perfect it even more.

What did I learn?

I learned a lot, much more than I expected to. What I wrote about each week and summarized in this post is only the highlights. I am extremely pleased with how the clinic went and would do it again if given the opportunity. While I understood how important good form was, I didn’t know what good form was specifically. Going through the West Stride Running Form Clinic with Kyle O’Day from Continuum Sports Solutions gave me eyes to be able to see good and bad running form, but more importantly the teaching helped teach my body how to feel good running form. I still have a lot of practice to get to where it becomes natural, and I need to have patience as I work on it, but I now have the tools in the tool chest to work on it intelligently.

What are your thoughts on running form?
Have you ever thought about taking part in a running form clinic?
Where do you feel you have the most room for improvement?

We are now on Google+ Come join us on the 26.2 Quest Google+ Page!

What About The Publix Georgia Marathon?

2011-11-01T15:06:00.000-04:00

Many of you have just finished a full marathon, while others of you are merely a week or two a way from your 26.2 mile journey. For some of you this will be just another marathon, but to many others it was or will be the first after a long yet exciting journey. If you are like many of the others who have made their way to the only finish line with ancient Greek roots, it will only be the first of many more to come.

Do you need a discount or a free entry to fit it into your budget?

There are still many more that have not yet decided to make that commitment, and yet they are reading this and wondering – can I do a marathon, should I do a marathon? The best advice I can give you is to find a friend who has run through multiple pair of shoes so they would have the privilege of calling themselves a marathoner and then make your way over to the Publix Georgia Marathon Registration, as I am sure you will be needing it.

One of the first questions I was asked when I crossed the finish line of my first marathon was if I planned on doing any more, to which I immediately answered – Absolutely! If you have completed a marathon you know exactly what I am talking about, and if you have finished a half marathon you know the question is not much different for you – you have run a half marathon, are you planning on running a full?

Regardless of whether you have just finished your 100th, your first, or are yet to run a marathon the Publix Georgia Marathon is within your reach. With nearly 5 months of training time available it will give you plenty of time to train even if you need some time off to rest from your most recent adventure.

The Publix Georgia Marathon was recently awarded the 2012 Southern Region Marathon Championship by RRCA. This will no doubt draw an elite group of runners with names which will be easy to recognize.

If you have not yet registered and already have Sunday March 18th blocked off on your calendar you will want to head over and register in the next couple days before the price increase on November 3rd. When you stop by to register at the Registration Page make sure to use the exclusive discount code: 262QUEST to get $10 off when checking out.

What about a FREE RACE ENTRY to run the Publix Georgia Marathon?

You say that you love discounts, but a free entry interests you as well? Then I have a deal for you that you cannot refuse. I have a code ready for one lucky winner. That code will allow that winner the privilege of running either the half marathon or full marathon courtesy of US Road Sports.

The Giveaway:

One Lucky runner will have the opportunity to run the Publix Georgia Marathon on March 18th, 2012. There are multiple ways to enter, and many which you can use to enter over and over again until the winner is drawn on November 18th. If I have not posted the winner and closed the comments you can still enter, so keep entering and keep promoting it for the best chance to win.

How do I enter?

Leave a comment and tell us why you want to run the Publix Georgia Marathon (1 time).
Tell everyone you know about this giveaway: Share it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, DailyMile, your blog, a billboard, or even by painting it on the side of your car or etching it on the bathroom stall. Each time you share it come post a separate comment for each share. To make it even better, you can share it each place again every day for additional entries – just come back and comment to let us know of each share for an even better chance of winning. The question is…. how bad do you want this entry?

If you haven’t already, make sure you head over to the Publix Georgia Marathon Fanpage, follow them at @GeorgiaMarathon on Twitter, and stop by the Publix Georgia Marathon Website. While you are taking the Social Media tour be sure to look for 26.2 Quest at the 26.2 Quest Fanpage, on twitter @262quest, and subscribe to the RSS Feed to keep posted on this and many other great promotions, thoughts, and a chance to share your opinion.

Good Luck!