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Jan 22

Meb Monday

For anyone who lives in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Roxboro, Wilmington, Southern Pines, or any other part of North Carolina, area, please note that Monday is Meb Monday. Meb Keflezighi, winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon, will be at Runologie, to promote the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & Half Marathon as well as to lead a fun run through the city. And I’m pretty sure it’s the biggest thing to happen to our running community since… well I don’t know when.

The event is scheduled to start at 6:00 pm but it’s probably a good idea to get to Runologie as soon as you can. For parking, you can park along the street after 5:00 pm or there is also the Powerhouse Parking Deck, located at 513 W Jones Street, in case you can’t find a spot. Meb is scheduled to give a talk around 6:00 pm and then he will start the group run. There will be several different pace groups, ranging from 8:00 min/mile to 12:00 min/mile and there will be two leaders with each group. After the run, there will be pizza from Trophy Brewing Company (which in case you didn’t know, was voted best pizza in NC) and beer from State of Beer. And of course, the store will be open for you to purchase all of your awesome Runologie gear. What better want to start the week?

This really is a huge event for both Raleigh and the running community. Meb is such an awesome person and we are so fortunate to have him coming to our store. If you live anywhere within driving distance of Raleigh, you really don’t want to miss this. I mean how often can you say that you’ve ran with the winner of the Boston Marathon?

Hope to see you on Monday!

Happy Trails and Happy Running,
Tracie

Jan 14

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My Obsession

This morning I came back from my workout and was informed that I had an obsession with running. Now I know that I love running, but when put in terms of “obsession”, it sounds like it’s a bad thing. Obsession can be defined as the “domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.” Ok, yes I admit, I think about running a lot and now that I’m working at Runologie, I talk a lot about running too. But I don’t know if I would say I’m obsessed with running by the dictionary definition. I do think about other things. For example, the food I’m going to eat after a run, the clothes I’ll need to keep me warm during a cold run, and even the schools around the Raleigh area (with tracks open to the public). So obsessed? Ok, maybe.

The more I got to thinking about it, the more I began to realize that even if I am obsessed with running, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As human beings, don’t we all have our quirks? Work, money, clothes, tv shows, books, cooking, shopping, fast cars, music, video games, etc. We all have these things that preoccupy a lot of our thoughts, and more than likely, you don’t view your “thing” as a bad thing. It’s just what you love to do. However, some people may call it an obsession. But really, who are we to judge?

I love running. It makes my heart happy. It is not the only thing my life is about, but it is a big part of my life. Yes, it has caused me more physical pain than probably anything else ever has, but I call that an obstacle, not an end. Did the chef with tongue cancer give up cooking? No. Instead, he opened up one of the top restaurants in the world, Alinea. It’s probably fair to say that he’s obsessed with cooking. And that’s ok. Did Meb Keflezighi let a hip fracture put an end to his running career? No. He cross trained like crazy and then came back to win the 2009 New York City Marathon. And the obvious one… Did Steve Jobs let getting fired from his own company stop him? Nope. He came back to change the technology world as we know it today.

I think it’s fair to say that all of these individuals had an obsession with their respective careers, which isn’t a bad thing. And although I may not be changing lives or the world with my running, that doesn’t make my obsession bad. It’s just what I love to do. So if anybody ever says you’re crazy for running a marathon, or waking up at 5:00 am to get in a quick run, or perhaps running through a pregnancy, it’s okay. Everybody has their thing, and yours just happens to be running. Enjoy it!

Happy Trails and Happy Running,
Tracie

Jan 12

Meb is Coming to Runologie!!!

The running world is full of inspiring, motivational, and loving people. Runners have such a positive vibe and we are all moved by one another. However, there is one runner in particular who holds a special place in all of our hearts and that runner is Meb Keflezighi. Winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon and 2009 New York Marathon, 4th place finisher at the 2012 Olympics, and silver medalist in the 2004 Olympics… Meb is not only a phenomenal runner but he is also an incredible human being. And guess what!?!?!? He’s coming to Runologie!!!

On January 26th, Meb Keflezighi will be in Raleigh, NC to promote the Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh marathon. We, Runologie, are the fortunate people who get to have Meb at our store, leading a group run through downtown. When I first heard this may be a possibility, it was almost impossible to contain my excitement. If you’ve ever watched Meb at any race or in any interview, you would know that he is not only one really fast runner, but he is also one of the most gracious, humble, and kindest individuals out there.  And if you saw him win the 2014 Boston Marathon, you may have shed a tear or two as he embraced his wife right after crossing the finish line in a personal best time of 2:08:37. (I did, at least.)

For me, Meb is not only an incredible runner, but he is also a personal inspiration. Back in 2008, Meb suffered from a fractured hip and it was doubtful that he would ever run again. He could barely walk, let alone run, and there were times he couldn’t even roll over in bed. Just18 months later, he came back to win the New York City Marathon, and that is an incredible feat for a runner with a fractured hip.

There were times after my hip surgery, when I questioned whether or not I would ever be able to run again. When you’ve got screws and a rod holding your hip together, it’s hard to even think about getting back out on the road. Then there were those first runs, when it was painful, slow, and almost impossible. Once or twice I even considered giving up running altogether. But then there was Meb. A runner who had suffered a similar injury. A runner who despite the odds, came back to exceed everyone’s expectations. And a runner who won the same race that lead to my most devastating injury. For me, Meb offered motivation when I needed it most. I’m just an average runner trying  to do my running thing. Meb is an Olympian who had way bigger hurdles to cross. There were times during those first few runs when I really struggled, but then I summoned my inner Meb and kept going. And now, in just two weeks, I get to meet him!!

If you’re in the Raleigh area, come out and join us for the group run. Meb will be here on January 26th at 6:00pm and after the run, we will have pizza and beer from Trophy. Check out the Facebook event page here and RSVP if you’ll be joining us. It’s going to be a GREAT time!!

Happy Trails and Happy Running,
Tracie