Press Release

SAN FRANCISCO -- The ING Bay to Breakers and San Francisco police and City officials have announced several new policies that will be enforced to improve the safety and enjoyment of the race for runners, spectators and neighbors during this year's 98th running of the ING Bay to Breakers on Sunday, May 17.

"We have listened closely to concerns from race participants, residents along the race course, and civic leaders. In response to safety, logistical and trash issues, we are instituting new policies in cooperation with the San Francisco Police Department and City officials," said Angela Fang, general manager of the race.

"The ING Bay to Breakers is about promoting community, physical fitness, and giving athletes and fitness enthusiasts the chance to compete in and enjoy one of the most exhilarating and scenic footraces in the world. We're still focused on the fun, vitality and unique culture of the race - we're just removing the alcohol and the hazards. We feel that these changes will enhance the race experience for all involved," Fang added.

The following changes have been made to the 98th ING Bay to Breakers, as well as future races:

• Zero tolerance policy on alcohol. Anyone openly drinking alcohol or displaying public drunkenness will be subject to fines and prosecution.
• All wheeled objects and floats are prohibited. Inappropriate equipment on the streets is dangerous and can prevent runners and walkers from completing the race in a timely manner.
• Leave no footprint. Additional dumpsters will be placed along the course for trash.

"We are all working together to enforce these new zero tolerance policies," said Jim Lynch, assistant chief of the San Francisco Police Department. "We want to ensure that the 2009 ING Bay to Breakers is a safe and enjoyable event for everyone - race participants, families, residents and spectators included."

"The North Panhandle Neighborhood Association is supportive of the ING Bay to Breakers race instituting a zero tolerance policy for alcohol possession and public drinking. We want to see the race get back to its roots and focus on the sport of running, the celebration of San Francisco's diversity and the spirit of community. In recent years, the level of alcohol consumption has overpowered the event and made the race displeasing for the neighborhoods through which it runs," said Kevin Rafter, president of the association.

Fang called the ING Bay to Breakers race "a celebration of the unique spirit of San Francisco. Thousands of costumed participants, families and neighborhood residents from diverse communities come to cheer on professional and recreational runners and walkers," she said. "In keeping with both the integrity of the athletic competition and the fun, welcoming spirit of the race, we ask that participants and spectators respect the race route and the communities along the race course. This means leaving alcohol and wheeled floats at home, and putting trash and recyclables in their proper place."

In further support of the community, ING Bay to Breakers pays the City of San Francisco several hundred thousand dollars in fees, generates millions of dollars in travel and tourism and creates hundreds of event-related jobs for local community youth groups and schools. The race also makes significant contributions to a number of local charities.

The race draws approximately 65,000 participants and 100,000 spectators to San Francisco. The ING Bay to Breakers 12K was recently named by ESPN as one of the "101 things all sports fans must experience before they die," and already more than 6,000 registrants have signed up for the May 17 race. Fang assures that by adopting these new measures, "we are ensuring that runners, walkers and spectators enjoy a safe, fun event."

About ING Bay to Breakers 12K
Now in its 98th year, the ING Bay to Breakers 12K, a Running USA Founding Member, is one of the world's largest and oldest footraces, held annually in San Francisco, California. The name reflects the course which takes tens of thousands of participants from the northeast end of downtown San Francisco, near The Embarcadero (the "bay" side of the city), to the west end of the city and the "breakers" of Ocean Beach. The 7.46 mile (12 kilometer) race features world-class athletes in addition to costumed runners and "fun-loving" folks out for a great day of running and walking through San Francisco. For more information, visit: INGbaytobreakers.com

Press Release

Philadelphia, PA -- Anne Mahlum is a veteran marathoner who rose early most mornings to run on the dark streets of Philadelphia--often with homeless men cheering her on as she passed their shelter.

Instead of just waving and smiling, Mahlum thought she'd try and get them running with her. She contacted the shelter, got donations of running gear, and in July 2007 the Back On My Feet running club hit the streets.

The first day, Mahlum led nine shelter residents in a mile-long run. Today, Back on My Feet has teams at five Philadelphia shelters, with more than 90 members and more than 400 volunteers. The simple concept has developed into a comprehensive program that offers connections to job training, educational scholarships and housing assistance. The benefits of Back on My Feet are earned through the currency of attitude, commitment, teamwork, respect, dedication and leadership.

CNN Heroes and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter honored Mahlum at City Hall on Thursday, November 13, 2008, in anticipation of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" later this month that will spotlight ordinary citizens accomplishing extraordinary deeds. Mahlum was named one of ten CNN Heroes honorees last month, out of nearly 4,000 nominations from 75 countries and is the only honoree with an athletically-focused endeavor in the CNN Heroes Top 10.

"Running really is a metaphor for life," said Mahlum. "There is always another mile. You just have to take it one step at a time."

A Blue Ribbon Panel made up of distinguished humanitarians and leaders, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jane Goodall and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, selected Mahlum for her work to give people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia a sense of community and accomplishment through physical fitness. She will be awarded $25,000 and is eligible for the $100,000 prize that will be bestowed upon the CNN Hero of the Year later this month.

The public will select the "CNN Hero of the Year" via voting at the CNN Heroes site at www.CNN.com/Heroes through Thursday, November 20 at 6 a.m. Eastern. At a November gala, CNN will honor the 10 heroes and reveal the CNN Hero of the Year. Hosted by Anderson Cooper from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute will air globally on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español on Thanksgiving, November 27, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

Read the CNN.com article "Runner Gets Homeless on Right Track", and visit the Back on My Feet donation page.

Watch a video of Mahlum and Back on My Feet

Before you head out for your weekend, check out some of this week's best posts from the Cool Running and Active communities:

* So why did we start running?
" Why did you start running? Do you come from a long line of runners? Nothing else to do and its better then watching tv? Perhaps you're a criminal and you need to build get-away speed? Seen others do it and you hate to miss out on anything?"

* Hydration Gear on Long Runs: What to use
" Triathlete training for her first marathon and would like any advice on hydration gear during long training runs: have a 2-bottle hydration belt, but those little curved bottles really don't hold much."

* Endurance build up?
" I've been running for 3 months now and would like to know why I'm feeling spent so often. Two weeks ago I was able to run 3.5 miles without feeling to spent."

* What do you think about when swimming?
" Terry Laughlin's newest article talks about how some people zone out during activity in order to avoid thinking about pain, distance or whatever. He remarks that he once swam 9 miles with Louie, Louie stuck in his head."

* Critical Mass Cyclist Assaulted by NYPD
" I just read an interesting article in the New York Times regarding the investigation against an NYPD police officer in the Critical Mass YouTube video shown below."

* Training for ½ Running on Grass
" I am new to running,(at 48 yrs) as is never run before. I started running (slowly) in May and in July decided to train for a 1/2 in November. I have just done my longest run ever, 5 miles without stopping, using a training schedule I downloaded from RunnersWorld, on Monday I will try for 6."

Before you head out for your weekend, check out some of this week's best posts from the Cool Running and Active communities:

* Trail shoes, might buy mailorder for first time
"I need some shoes for offroad running. I'm not an "Ultra" guy, but I do all my running on fields and through forests. I need some new shoes but don't really have much to choose from at stores here, so I'm thinking of going mail order and would really like it to work out on the first attempt, which is why I'm asking here."
* Beer for my horses, whiskey for my men!
"It has been a while since we skirted this topic and with the many new faces I decided to start a good beer thread. Tonight I had a beer that I picked up in California. It's a brew I have never heard of but man is it good."
* Everyone's next race?
"What are others planning on running next? My next one that I call official is in Vermont at the end of January(I mean July). I plan on running a fast 2 mile race on July 4th. but the big event is in Vermont."
* Wish me luck at the U.S. women's Sprint Tri this Sunday
"I'm as ready as one can be for this triathlon on Sunday. I'm excited about it. My goal is to make it under 1 1/2 hours. I can do the swim in 12 minutes or less, bike in under 40 and run in 30. The transitions will get me as I have to go to the bathroom more often and think I'll have to go each transitions. LOL!"
* How can I swim faster?
"I've done about 5 sprint tri's and I'm really slow on the swim. I can do the distance. I don't know if I should focus on kicking more or there is something about my form, or I'm just not strong enough."
* Too soon to run a 1/2 marathon?
"I am on week five of the couch to 5K from coolrunning.com. There is a half marathon on Oct 11 I want to run. That would mean I would finish my couch to 5K program the third week of July and jump right into the build up for the half-marathon."

Olympian Jeff Galloway is conducting free clinics throughout the United States to help both novice and experienced runners make the most of their ability.

Jeff has coached over 250,000 runners to their goals and is the author of more than a dozen books on running. An All-American runner at Wesleyan University, he has developed clinics for NASA astronauts, vice-president Al Gore and a variety of North American corporations. He also served on the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games, designing a heritage program to bring the Olympic excitement and fitness into area schools.

These lively sessions feature plenty of time for individual questions and cover key points that include:

-Maximizing training effect in a minimum of time
-How to train for a marathon/half marathon and not be tired
-How to stay injury free
-How the run-walk-run method allows you to run faster in races
-Fat burning tips
-Nutrition for running
-How to be more motivated

For specific locations and times, visit JeffGalloway.com. Dates and times subject to change.

• Daytona, FL -- April 19
• Sarasota, FL -- April 19
• Tampa, FL -- April 20
• Lakeland, FL -- April 20
• Charlotte, NC -- April 23
• Raleigh, NC -- May 3
• New York, NY -- May 5
• Mahwah, NJ -- May 6
• Springfield, MO -- May 12
• Salt Lake City, UT -- May 14
• Dallas, TX -- June 7
• Temple, TX (Scott & White Half) -- June 8
• Orlando, FL -- June 28
• Sacramento, CA -- July 10
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- July 26
• Pensacola, FL -- August 9
• Los Angeles, CA -- August 16
• Albany, GA -- August 23

In addition, Jeff offers running schools in four- to five-hour sessions with individualized form evaluation, personal training information, priority email access afterward and more. Go to JeffGalloway.com for further information about registering, tuition, and details on exact times and locations.

• San Jose, California - Thursday, April 24
• Conway, Arkansas - Saturday, May 10, noon-5 p.m., Chamber of Commerce, 900 Oak Street, Conway 72032
• Dallas, Texas - Saturday, June 7
• Austin, Texas - Sunday, June 8
• Orlando, Florida - Saturday, June 28
• Sacramento, California - Thursday, July 10
• Fresno, California - Monday, July 21
• Fargo, North Dakota - Saturday, July 26
• Hawkinsville, Georgia - Saturday, October 11
• Princeton, New Jersey - Sunday, December 7

TCSD (Triathlon Club San Diego) released a preview of their 2008 race apparel:


For those of you coming down from your weekend runner’s high, check out this article posted by Active Expert Charles Stuart Platkin, where researchers have finally demonstrated the existence of an 'endorphin driven runner's high'.

Do you get enough sleep? Check out this study released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggesting that Americans aren’t getting their Zzzz’s.

Did your favorite marathon make the list? Check out the Guide to Some of the Best Marathons in North America and let us know.

"You can't keep those women down, you can't get them back in the kitchen." Read the full story to find out which major marathon event director has his foot in his mouth.

Listen to this podcast from Endurance Planet, where USAT Coach Troy Jacobson answers a question about strength training for the marathon, finishing strong in a 70.3, and full Iron-distance event.

And last and certainly not least, ActiveX: ARMaggedon

Hey everyone, Trish and Toby here. This month we've created a guide to our best seasonal articles to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the holidays. No matter what your active passion may be, we've got you covered.

Lifestyle:
With holiday feasts right around the corner and weather that can diminish our motivation to train, it is not uncommon to pack on a few extra pounds this time of year. Active Expert Charles Stuart Platkin’s article, The Diet Detective: Fall Into Healthy Eating Habits, offers valuable tips for maintaining fitness without a compromise in performance at winter races and ensures a return to peak form in the spring.

Endurance:
Have you ever heard the saying, “athletes are made in the off season”? Now's the time to target your weaknesses and build proper technique and habits to lead into a successful racing season. Check out Boost Your Endurance in 7 Simple Steps and get the most from your off-season training.

Team:
Basketball season is upon us and it’s time for fundamental workouts with and without the basketball. Mississippi State basketball coach, Sharon Fanning, shares a 45-minute Workout that will developing confidence, coordination, strength, timing, and stamina on the hardwood.

Action:
Indoor Climbing Gyms Offer Year-round Fun Fitness and a nice break from the treadmill and stationary bike routine. Don’t let the winter elements take you off belay—utilize indoor climbing gyms to build stamina and confidence in a controlled environment. When the weather warms enough to head outdoors, you’ll be in peak condition.

Activities of Interest:
Check out Sacramento Winter Softball Camp by Olympic gold medalists Tairia Flowers and Natasha Watleyto hone your softball skills at the plate and in the field. Focus will be on increasing offensive power, slapping techniques, defensive fundamentals and pitching development. This camp will also feature practice-structure tips and drills along with valuable college recruiting advice from the pros.

Take advantage of The Classic Y-100, one of the last century rides of the year on November 25 in Ormond Beach, Florida. Crank out 100 in this inaugural ride that promises a beautiful route leading north along the Intracoastal waterway through parks and along the Atlantic coast. This event features a great safe route for beginners as well as 65- and 35-mile routes.

Folks in Southern California have already begun to register for the 2008 Carlsbad Marathon and Half Marathon on January 20. This was Toby’s first half marathon back in 2006 and he recommends it for runners of all abilities because of the fast course and beautiful ocean view.

See your training bear fruit at the oldest Ironman-distance triathlon held in the continental United States. Check out one of five 2008 Vineman events: Ironman 70.3, full Vineman, sprint tri at sundown, women's half or Aquabike during this weekend-long triathlon celebration.