12/30/10

Thoughts on a New Year


Dear Adam Tinkoff: you can have your warm Florida climate; but here in New England we are basking in the joy of COLD (can I live with you?). Today I talk about living in the present while looking forward to a new year. (15 degrees F Adam, that's right 15 FRIGGIN' DEGREES!!)

12/29/10

The Mojo Loco Near YOU


Daytona, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Sydney and the UK: somewhere there's a Mojo Loco being planned near YOU! Will you run with us?

12/28/10

Email from Greg



In an attempt to respond to all of my email by the end of this year, I read and respond to Greg’s message about the Holidays, running and other assorted stuff.  Happy New Year Greg!

12/27/10

Snow Angels from HELL


We got exactly 75 FEET of snow (if you believe the local media reports) and Mathew is going to show us how to make snow angels. Somebody, please shoot me.

Holidays and New Year Mojo


Talking about my holidays and the great things to come in the New Year!

12/24/10

12/23/10

Poco Loco Boston Planning


Sorry for the scratchy voice (I'm getting over a cold) but today I'll talk about the ongoing plans for el Poco Loco Boston!

12/22/10

Join Me in the Stream!



This is an open invitation for you to join me on my UStream feed, Monday through Friday (most mornings) at 8AM and again at 5PM for about an hour. We'll talk about running, Phedippidations, el Mojo Loco events and anything else you'd like to talk about! Hope to see you there!

el Poco Loco Boston – a Little Crazy Run Through and Around Beantown

This is my proposal, subject to change based on your feedback and ideas.

The Poco Loco would begin to the west of Boston, in the city of Newton, on the World Famous Boston Marathon course.  This would incorporate the major hills of that course, including (of course) Heart Break Hill. 

We would come into the city, run around Fenway Park, and then head out past the Boston Commons, State House, Government Center, Faneuil Hall and into the North End (and beyond).

Proposed Legs 1 through 3
So far, I have 3 four mile legs roughly defined (subject to change). 

Leg 1: Starts at the corner of Washington Street and Commonwealth Avenue, at the Fire Station in Newton Massachusetts.  It follows the Boston Marathon course all the way up past Heart Break Hill and ends at Boston College.

Proposed Leg 1
Leg 2: Starts at Boston College and follows the Boston Marathon course until we get to Friendly Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.


Leg 3: Starts at Fenway Park, loops around Lansdown Street routes back to Kenmore Square and the Boston Marathon course, and takes that famous right hand turn onto Hereford Street for the run down Boylston Street (and the finish line of the Boston Marathon).  Then we continue all the way to the Boston Common (where we’ll run through the park).  At this point I need to make some modifications to the map, as there’s a lot to see here…but generally speaking we’ll be passing by the State House, Government Center, Faneuil Hall and into the North End, with the leg ending somewhere in the North End.



So, that’s the first tentative 12 miles of the course. 

For this “Poco Loco” of 26.2 miles, we would split the run into 6.55 segments (round it to 6), giving a team of 12 runners 2 opportunities to run (minimum); one in the morning and the last one in the afternoon.

Anyone unable to attend the Poco Loco Boston would be welcome to join us at whatever pub or restaurant we end up at. 

I have A LOT more work to do on this, as this is VERY preliminary…so I’m open for ideas.  Send them to me: steve@steverunner.com or twitter.com/steverunner join me as I discuss this LIVE on my UStream Channel somewhere around 4:00 PM this evening (Wednesday December 22nd).  I’ll also try to put together a Talkshoe conference call to get your ideas at a later day.

We need to keep this momentum going, there are ideas for Mojo Loco’s popping up all over the world, and it’s IMPORTANT that we help them to happen!

Viva el Mojo Loco!

- Steve

------------------------------ UPDATE ----------------------------------------
2:49 PM ET - Adam Tinkoff made a really good point in a tweet he sent over earlier:


"if you make it a POCO LOCO (26.2 miles) and segments of 10K you only need to find 4 transfer points. April is the right time."

I agree.  I'm going to revisit these maps to weave the course around some of Boston's most famous locations, and elongate the 3 legs I've depicted here by 2 miles each (for a total of 6 miles per segment, or more specifically 6.2 for a total of four 10K's.).


As for the date; my only concern with April is that there are alot of other races being run in that time frame; Easter is on the 24th and the Boston Marathon is being run on the 18th, leaving only the 2nd or 9th of April for potential dates.


I don't personally see a huge problem with the 2nd or 9th of April...but May seems like it's past all the scheduling issues.


Anyway, we'll talk about this more in the weeks to come.  I do think it's important that we set a date soon however, since we'll need to fix our schedules.

Thoughts on a Boston Mojo Loco



I need some feedback on my ideas for a Boston based Mojo Loco like event.  Please listen and lend me your thoughts!

12/19/10

My Marathon Training Plan: Free from Hingeries



I’ve started training for my Spring Marathon this week (Boston? ) and I talk about my so-called-goals and plan for overcoming Hingeries!

12/17/10

Mojo Moments


Random and assorted moments, recorded during el Mojo Loco

O Sapientia



400×300 CNM Advent Badge


Today’s episode is a simulcast post that I produced for the Catholic New Media Advent Calander.  It’s my third year reflecting upon the O Antiphons; prayerful songs that are chanted during the Roman Catholic Vespers in the Octave before Christmas, starting on December 17th.

The origin of the O Antiphons aren’t exactly known, there’s a reference made to them by Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius (Ann-ee-chee-oos Manlee-oos Sever-eenoos Boe-thee-us), a Christian philosopher of the early 6th century. 

In the 8th century these prayerful chants became a part of the liturgical celebrations in Rome.
The O Antiphons are each used to highlight a title for the messiah: Christ of Wisdom, Lord, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Rising Son, King of Nations and of course, Emmanuel: God is with us.
Each chant makes reference to a prophecy of the 8th century BC prophet Isaiah.

For example, from Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Today is the day of the first O Antiphon".

From Isaiah 11:2-3

“The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.”

You know the O Atiphons from the John Mason Neale song written in the mid-19th century: titled “Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel”
Veni, O Sapientia,
Quae hic disponis omnia,
Veni, viam prudentiae
Ut doceas et gloriae.

Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
Nascetur pro te, Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel.

12/16/10

Mojo Loco Goodness



This is a variety of snippets recorded on video during el Mojo Loco on December 11th.  Watch this and consider being a part of the next Mojo Loco!

12/15/10

Viva el Mojo Loco: The Starting Line



We're at the Saint Augustine Lighthouse; the starting line of the Mojo Loco with a very special official (Steve Chopper) who cross an ocean to make our day!

12/14/10

Mojo Loco at the Lighthouse


Raw video from the lighthouse in St Augustine just before we started our run.

Mojo Slow



This is just a random sampling of the many conversations which happened at el Mojo Loco; including a talk about the goodness of running slow. (I didn't really listen to this, it's unedited).

12/13/10

el Mojo Loco in el Photo's

Meeting Team Mojo Loco



This is the first in a series of videos I'll share from our amazing Team Mojo Loco run in Florida on December 11th. You can find all kinds of videos, podcasts, photos and blog posts on the Tubes of the InterWebs, just look for the tag #mojoloco or follow me on Facebook and Twitter. Go to www.TeamMojoLoco.Blogspot.com for all the good stuff!

Zen Runner and Eddie Marathon Talk Mojo Loco


Just as the title says, Eddie and Adam talk with me about the Mojo Loco in a recording made before the event.

12/10/10

On the Way to Mojo Loco



Eddie and Adam taste some honey (the food stuff, not....oh, never mind) on our way to el Mojo Loco!

12/8/10

Loco for el Mojo Loco



It’s only a few days away from a magical, crazy event that will be taking place on the Atlantic side of sunny Florida!  

12/3/10

Categorizing Phedippidations

I’m re-evaluating what category my podcast, Phedippidations, best fits under. 

The tag line “Inspirations, motivations, contemplations and conversations for and about runners” and my purpose for the show doesn’t really align with any of the standard iTune podcast categories.

I’m considering sticking it in the “Society & Culture” section under “Personal Journals”, with additional categories under “Sports and Recreation” (Outdoor and Amateur) and “Health” (Fitness & Nutrition); but even these are a bit mis-leading.



I’d appreciate any thoughts you might have on this.  Send me an email/twitter message or join me at 4:30 PM ET today for my LIVE UStream “Car-Cast” as I make my way home to my home in Oxford, MA.





12/2/10

Ch Ch Ch Changes!



I’m making a minor change (improvement) to my podcast Phedippidations, that I want to tell you about.  This “show” of mine has undergone many changes in the past five years; but alas I’ve drifted from the original intention of the show.  Having overcome my “self” talk over the past year; I’d now like to expand thing a bit both with topic and “audience”.  Phedippidations will always be a Running Conversation for and about runners, but there are so many cool things OUTSIDE of the running topic that I want to talk to you about!

Phedippidations: Changes I’ll be Making



Change is a good thing, and the ideas I have for my OTHER podcast (Phedippidations) are all part of my master plan TO RULE THE WORLD!! (Well, not really).  In this episode of Intervals, I’d like to let you into my thought process for plans that I’ve had for a loooong time now about the future direction of Phedippidations.  I’d appreciate your feedback: steve(at)steverunner.com

12/1/10

Love of Dogs and Gods Love



Listen in as I tie together two completely different topics and try to make some kind of point or two.  Both Dogs and God have unconditional love for us…yeah, that was my point…sure.

New Shoes Unboxing (and some Black Lab Goodness)



My New-NewBalance 801's are here!  Today I show you what a pair of NB800's look like after 700 miles, and might I also recommend for you a certain new musical album from a certain AMAZING band called Black Lab?  Check it out!