Since I’m having trouble coming up with brilliant, witty or even quirky topics to write about, I’ve decided to write a little about what I should have been writing about all along. (Huh?)
You know, the everyday, the mundane, the rote. So, with limited grandeur and modest expectations I bring to you: Random Running Thoughts a.k.a. Sh*t I’ve Been Thinking About The Last Week.
Random Running Thought #1: Last Saturday I ran my longest run ever in both time and distance, 1:40 and 8.15 miles. Here’s a quick recap:
Start (0:00): I start running… slooowly. I run slowly so that I will make it the entire 1:40, and to try to avoid any (seemingly randomly occurring) foot pains.
30:00 : I am still running, but I have realized that the park that I’m exploring is smaller than I expected. I am already mildly bored. Not good.
60:00 : I decide to run to another nearby park, which is about a half mile run through Miami traffic. Like, Bird Road traffic. Just awful. I am not sure that I should even bother checking out this other park, but I do. Boredom increasing, legs feeling heavy.
75:00 : Grab water at park #2. The sky has grown dark, and it begins to rain heavily. I try to look at this as a positive, but I am too exhausted. Begin return to original park.
90:00 : Back at original park, but I still have 10 minutes to run. Knees hurt, legs heavy. Can I stop now?
Finish: Check Mapmyrun and find that I’ve broken my PR distance by more than a mile. It is now raining, windy and cold. I am too uncomfortable to get in a true warm down.
Looking at the run in black and white, it was pretty successful. I met my time goal, 1:40, I ran further than I ever have before, and I wasn’t injured.
But, truth be told, I didn’t enjoy myself on the run. During, I was bored. Afterward I felt rundown and burnt out. Marathon? No thanks.
Random Running Thought #2: I ran with an iPod strapped to my arm for the first time during that long run. The tunes were great. The band holding my iPod was cumbersome and unsnug, though it did its job.
Random Running Thought #3: MapMyRun is both a blessing and a curse. Yes, it is very awesome that one can track the exact distance and time of any run/bike/hike etc. But now, I run around the block and I want to know how far, what pace etc. And that damn armband..
Random Running Thought #4: The backs of my knees get very sore on long runs. I should ice them afterward.
I had to take a break from running after that long run. My body and mind needed a significant rest. I was burnt out. I took about a week off, save one short run, and I’ve been easing my way back into the previous routine (~25-30 miles a week). Can’t stop. Won’t stop.
Since January, I’ve visited Israel, driven through and/or stayed in every state between Florida and New York – twice – spent five days in New Orleans and a weekend back in Gainesville. All that in between working, running and, oh yeah, trying to figure out what to do for the rest of my life and where to do it.
All this has left RunGainesville on the priority back-burner for a little while. And while I think it’s been beneficial to take a break from the blog and writing in general for a little while, I’m ready to get back into it.
So, here I am. Here we are. Cozy, isn’t it?
Fortunately, and quite purposely, I might add, my running routine has not suffered, my weightlifting has picked up a bit and I feel strong like bull.
I’ve been working on some running ideas lately and pondering/experimenting with some strength-building ideas I’d like to share with you.
Let’s first talk running. I’ve picked up some new ideas and good advice from well-known runner and friend of the blog (in my mind, anyway) Jeff Galloway and his book: Galloway’s Book on Running.
Start runs slowly, don’t be afraid to walk frequently: Jeff’s perspective comes from a 60-something-year-old runner, but I think it’s a perspective that us 20-something-year-olds could benefit from. Be kind, gentle and patient with your body. Start runs slower than you think you need to, and for god’s sake, don’t be afraid to take walk breaks during your runs. Taking intermittent walk breaks will help you to…
Aim for 30 minutes or more of cardiovascular activity: Before 30 minutes of cardio, your body is using carbohydrates as a majority of its fuel. At 30 minutes, the fuel is 50% carbs and 50% free fats, and after 30 minutes you’re using more fats than carbs for fuel. You’ve heard it before, but 30+ minutes of cardio 3+ times a week also strengthens your heart, lungs, circulatory systems, reduces the risk of relating cancers etc. etc. Of course this doesn’t have to be only running. Back in Gainesville I used to like to run around campus and when I got tired, I’d go to the gym and hop on the bike for another 15 or 20 minutes of easier cardio.
Go for a long run once every other week or so: Mr. Galloway writes, “Long runs develop cardiovascular efficiency to its maximum. They are the single most important element in your program.” So there! Besides providing some solid bragging-right potential, long runs are a great way to mix up your running routine, explore new areas (my favorite element) and provide yourself with plenty of meditative “me-time.” Remember tip #1 for these long runs; start the run really slowly and walk throughout. You’ll thank yourself at mile 7, 8, 9 …
Now, Jeff isn’t really one for strength training, but I enjoy it and like the way it makes my body look. I’ve always been kind of a string bean, so weight training has given me a bit more bulk, strength and confidence, too. Here are a couple of things I’ve been toying with over the last few months:
Lifting weights can be quick and dirty: You don’t need to be lifting for 45 minutes to see results, nor do you need to work 4 muscle groups each time you lift. Not unless you’re trying to bodybuild, which you and I as runners are most likely not. What you do need to do is warm up, use proper form and be focused on what you’re trying to accomplish for that day. On most lifting days, I like to hit 1 or 2 muscle groups, and I like to lift heavy. That means I’m usually doing no more than 10 reps of any exercise, and usually somewhere between 5 and 8 reps. Vary your exercised and your reps to “confuse” your muscles and promote growth. Google is a gem resource for exercises and lifting information.
Push ups and pull ups are quick, convenient and as easy or taxing as you’d like them to be: Confession – I used to hate push ups and pull ups because they were/are hard, physically and mentally. One cool thing about them, though, is that they should get easier pretty quickly for you if you’re trying to improve. If you can’t do a regular push up, try doing it on your knees rather than your toes. If you can’t do a regular pull up, jump up and try to hang for 5, 10 seconds or as long as you can. Doing this a couple times a week will get you better at these exercises while making you stronger and more “cut.” Furthermore, there are an endless number of variations of push and pull ups that work different muscles. Variations keep you from getting bored and keep your muscles growing at a premium.
Mix in some weights and/or strength-building exercises with your runs: This can be tough physically and mentally, but honestly, you’ll feel like a badass after this kind of a workout. You’d be surprised how easy running feels after a set of pull or push ups.
As promised, a few things that I’ve been working on the last couple of months. Keep running, keep lifting, keep eating well, and the world is yours.
As of December 16, I will officially be an alum of the University of Florida. I’ve called Gainesville my home since fall 2009, and this time has been as important a two-and-a-half-year period as any in my life.
There’s just something special about Gainesville. I think a lot of us are missing it.
In 8th grade my family and I took a trip to Gainesville for a law school function (dad). I remember shopping for Gators gear in Midtown, going to the football game on Saturday (a 60-something to 0 blowout) and, very hazily, having dinner downtown.
It’s disappointing to realize that many UF students will leave Gainesville with only similar memories. There’s so much more to this town than what’s happening on University Avenue.
I don’t like to be sappy, but I’d like to post a couple of non-University Ave. memories I’ll be taking away from the ‘Ville.
The summer I spent running up and down 62nd Boulevard. I think I ran a half mile the first day, if that, and was completely exhausted. In fact, I may remember the exhaustion from these first runs more than anything else about them.
Nighttime full-moon trips to San Felasco. When the moon is really shining, the fields at SF are lit like daylight, which makes for great running as well as alone time. I also remember laying on the haystacks, watching meteors, with beautiful green tails, streak the sky.
Hidden trails and tent cities. There’s more than meets the eye, Gators…
Adam’s Rib Co. for evoking my love of barbecue and Satchel’s Pizza for so many reasons. I wrote a handful of stories about Satchel’s for school – I don’t think there are many places like this, or people like Satchel, anywhere. I’ll also remember drinking Bud or Bud Light, the only two choices, out of mason jars at the Ole Barn across the street from Satchel’s.
Local springs, and not just Ginnie. Silver, Rainbow, Blue, Ichetucknee, De Leon. Each one is amazing in its own right.
I could go on and on, but I think I’ll spare you. If you only take away one thing from the previous howevermany paragraphs, remember that to truly appreciate Gainesville, you need to get away from the large rectangular area that is UF and explore the surrounding areas.
The other development in my life is that I’m injured, pretty much my first as a runner.
The culprit is my left Achilles tendon, which I think I injured running on a cold night without enough warmup. I didn’t feel it get injured, but the next day I was experiencing burning at the back of my heel with every step.
It’s been about a week now, and the pain seems to be, for the most part, gone, but I’m going to be very cautious and give it another couple of days before I begin running again.
It’s odd to have to stop running for a week or more. Three years ago, I would have welcomed the inactivity. Now, though, I feel like I’m missing out on precious running days. I have to remind myself that missing a week of running is far better than missing many months because of serious injury. That and I have the rest of my life to get back to the shape I was pre-injury, although I suspect it won’t take me that long =)
I’ll be sure to let you know how that first run goes.
Welcome to the first installment of Marathon Memories, a series that will highlight the marathon experiences of a number of Gainesville’s runners.
My hope is that the marathon stories of Gainesville’s runners will inspire others in this area, and all across the country, to run, race and, above all, challenge themselves.
The series’ first subject is Anthony Traina, a 25-year-old University of Florida alum, longtime runner and 8-year resident of Gainesville.
I have known Anthony for many years, as we first met as trumpeters in our sixth grade symphonic band. Back then Anthony was something of a middle school athletic hero, winning award after award and setting school records for running.
To my 11-year-old eyes, it seemed like Anthony was bound for the Olympics. And although that didn’t happen, I can with pure certainty say that I never met anyone else, throughout middle and high school, as in love with and intensely dedicated to the sport of running as Anthony.
Last week I sat down with my old friend in downtown Miami, just removed from the race path of the Miami Marathon, his one and only marathon experience. We chatted about his running background, his marathon experience and his thoughts, in general, on the marathon as an event.
Anthony Traina’s:
Fastest mile: 4:40
Fastest 5k: 16:20
Marathon finish: 3:19
Favorite running accomplishment: “I’m just happy to have been running 15 years strong now.”
Advice to new runners: “Don’t be afraid to take as much time to get into the sport as possible. Don’t get sucked up into a training program without listening to your body.”
-Ben
*Thanks to Anthony for sitting down and talking with me, and a special thanks to Jake Diamond for filming the interview.
It seems as though just about everyone struggles to maintain a workout regimen throughout the holidays, myself included.
Whether it’s the weather, the food or the family that’s keeping you from fitness during the holidays, I want to tell you just one thing:
It’s OK if you’ve fallen behind or are temporarily derailed altogether from your running, lifting, swimming etc.!
If you’re saying to yourself: wait, it is OK? Read on.
If you haven’t missed a beat at all throughout the holidays, I want to hear how you do it!
Here’s my opinion on the matter – the reason why I implore you not to stress about falling, temporarily, off the fitness wagon.
Fitness, be it running, jumping, fishing or fighting (thanks, Mick!), is a lifelong practice. To be cliche, it’s a way of life. There simply is no rush to get fit.
So if you haven’t ran in a week, two weeks, a month, don’t fret. Don’t think about how long you’ve been inactive, busy or just plain lazy.
Think about tomorrow.
Because tomorrow you can get outside or get on the treadmill, be active, push yourself and feel great about it.
(Check out Part 1 or Part 2 if you’ve missed them)
Fellow Gainesvillians, can you feel that? Can you? The anticipation. The tension. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. It is time to decide the 2011 Gainesville Running Store Royal Rumble Champion!
Our final two competitors have taken different routes to the championship bout.
In the other corner the newcomer, “The Fabulous One” Fit2Run, just squeaking by at 0-1. One slip up for “The Fabulous One,” and it will be all over.
Let’s separate the man from the boy.
Round 6: Price
The trick here was finding shoes that both stores carried. Let’s take a look at the prices of three shoes that both Lloyd Clarke Sports and Fit2Run carry.
As you can see, the prices are very similar between the two stores, with Lloyd Clarke Sports narrowly edging out Fit2Run. I call that a tie. Of course, you know what must happen to settle a tie of this magnitude…
Lightning Round: Membership Discount
Lloyd Clarke Sports: While it doesn’t have its own membership or club, “Lightning Foot” offers a 15 percent discount to all Florida Track Club members. A FTC membership costs $20, but student memberships are $15.
Fit2Run: “The Fabulous One” offers a 10 percent discount on all in-store merchandise to its Club Fit2Run. A Club Fit2Run membership costs $30 to student and non-student alike. The Club Fit2Run member ship does allow its members to try shoes risk-free for 30 days.
Sorry, “Fabulous One,” but I’ll take 15 percent off for $15 over 10 percent off for $30.
The winner and undefeated 2011 Gainesville Running Store Royal Rumble Champion:
***Lloyd Clarke Sports***
An additional aspect of Lloyd Clarke Sports, which I haven’t yet mentioned, is that, while they’ve got an incredible selection of running shoes and accessories, they also have a great selection of equipment for other sports – football, baseball, disc golf, you name it. It’s an incredible one-of-a-kind store, and I highly recommend you get over there if you haven’t already.
Finally, I leave you with the image of a hilarious product that I found perusing Fit2Run. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Stick: “A Toothbrush for Muscles.”
Don't get muscle cavities! Use The Stick: A Toothbrush for Muscles
On Saturday I took a quick drive over to Boulware Springs to cover the 2011 Tom Walker Memorial Half Marathon. This was my first legitimate race experience, and even though I didn’t actually run the race, the energy and excitement of the race’s 254 participants left me completely motivated and inspired.
The race started about 10 minutes after its scheduled time of 8 a.m., and, for the first time this year, I could see my breath in the early morning air.
Chilly runners mingle before starting the Tom Walker Memorial Half Marathon.
After the runners took off down their 13.1-mile run along the Hawthorne Trail, I knew I had about an hour and 10 minutes, give or take a couple, before the first-place runner came to the finish line.
This gave me a chance to chat with some of the race organizers, as well as fellow spectators.
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. The running community here in Gainesville is 100 percent welcoming and encouraging. Every person I met and talked to – and I mean every single one – was excited about the race, willing to talk to me “the reporting blogger” (if I asked for an interview) or willing to simply pass the time with me “the spectator that doesn’t know anyone.”
Here are some snippets of conversation I had with a few of the folks organizing, timing or participating in there race:
RG: Do you wish you could be running in the race today?
MO: Yeah, I wish I could run it, ’cause it was, like, I think it was the very first road-race I ever ran. So then, like, when it was in danger of being cancelled, ’cause there was no one to take over the race directing, I decided to become race director. So now, like, instead of running, I get to take care of all the runners... It’s more satisfying – to see people finish the race has been more satisfying than any race I’ve personally finished.
RG: How did the Florida Track Club get involved with the Milestone Race Authority [the company in charge of timing the race]?
MO: Actually, that was through one of [Florida Track Club's] members, Barry Murphy, who was the race director for the Veteran’s Day Fisher House 5K. He was looking into professional timing for that race… so after he talked to [company owner] Jim Shields, of Milestone, and arranged a quote and stuff, he said, “Oh, what if we do both races, if you’re going to be in Gainesville?” … so after we looked at it, we thought, “It’s an increase in our operational cost, but as far as, like, bringing value to the runners, it’s something that was really worth it.” They brought a whole-different level of professionalism with all the setup.
RG: Does the track club make money from this race?
MO: Yeah, we make some money. It’s not a huge profit. There’s been years where we’ve probably lost money. It’s not a primary goal for us to make money. Although now that we’re on the [Hawthorne] trail, we like to share part of our profits with the Friends of Paynes Prairie. It’s usually 20 to 25 percent of the net profit that we donate to them. So we would like to make as much profit as possible, but it’s not the motivating factor.
JS: What we have here with Jaguar [Chip Timing System] is we’ve got overhead antennas that will send out a signal to an electronic chip that is on the back of the bib. And that chip is woken up by the first antenna, and then multiple antennas will read and track the runner as they come in. The reads can come out as far as 30, 40 yards, and we know who is coming across the line before they actually come across. The readers are keeping track of the people as they come [to the finish line]. The last reader that has a read on that chip, as they pass under it – boom, that’s their time.
With about 20 minutes before the lead runners were supposed to be finishing, I made my way over to the finish line to find a nice view of the run’s home stretch. There I met Pedro Pedroso, a Gainesville resident and engineer, who’s wife, Carmen, was running the race.
As it turns out, Carmen wasn’t always a runner. She had to overcome a disability and ensuing self-confidence issues to become one.
Carmen Pedroso, Tom Walker Memorial Half Marathon finisher.
(Audio below, as well as a transcript of the interview.)
RG: How did you get started running?
CP: Actually, it goes way back to when I was a little kid… I was born with a clubbed foot. My left foot was turned inwards, and I could not really walk normally. I couldn’t really do anything. So for a number of years I wore, like, braces that went, like, from [my knees] to my ankles, and they did all this stuff over the years. Well by the time I got old enough to stop wearing the braces, I was too self-conscious to try to, like, ride a bike or run or anything like that. So I became very inactive, and after a number of years I ended up weighing up to 206 lbs.
I had a little bit of a heart scare when I about 30-something or so, and that’s what made me, like, “Ok, I’ve got to do something about this.” So I started exercising. I started, you know, watching what I ate a lot more, and slowly but surely lost 92 lbs, have kept them off for now for about four or five years. I started running – at first it was running, quotation marks. I was really walking. But, you know, after a while I got to two miles, three miles in, and now I just run half-marathons, marathons – it’s all fun.
RG: And how many marathons or half marathons have you run?
CP: Half marathons, I have run five. This is actually my sixth now. I have another one next weekend and another one three weeks from there. And I’ve run two marathons. My third one’s in Disney in January.
RG: That’s great! How’d you feel about today’s race?
CP: I actually felt really really good… This was my first half marathon ever, actually, so it was kind of nice to come back and do the course again and see how it went. So, funny that, a couple of years ago my time was about 20-something minutes slower than today. So it actually felt really good to see that clock.
RG: What keeps you motivated going through these really long races?
CP: I think it’s the fact that when you run you feel like you really are doing something good for you. And it’s also cool for me to, like, see my friends who are wanting to lose weight become motivated by that. And it’s almost like my motivating them motivates them and then they motivate me in return. So it’s all a matter of just living a healthy life and just staying fit and just enjoying life to the fullest.
RG: Do you plan on running for the rest of your life?
CP: Oh yeah! I mean… of course, I’m not one of the fastest runners right now, I will admit. But I’m hoping that when I’m 80, enough people will have dropped out of running that I’ll finally be able to place in my age group. That will be awesome. But, yes, I’m hoping that it will be for life.
Pedro and Carmen Pedroso after Carmen's completion of the Tom Walker Memorial Half Marathon.
And here’s a video I shot of the race, which includes:
The race’s start.
The 1st overall finisher, Samuel Palmer, with an amazing time of 1:15:49.
The 1st women’s finisher, Sarah Petrick, with an equally amazing time of 1:23:08.
The post-race awards ceremony.
I’d like to thank Mark Ou, Jim and Hilary Shields, Barry Murphy, Tom White, and Pedro and Carmen Pedroso for being so warm and receptive to me, the stranger writing everything down.
I hope to see you all soon and at next year’s Tom Walker Memorial Half Marathon – only next time I’m going to run it =)
Welcome back to day two of the 2011 Gainesville Running Store Royal Rumble. Yesterday’s battle tested Gainesville’s four running-specific stores in the areas of parking availability, location and overall accessibility.
After two royal rumble rounds, Lloyd Clarke Sports and The Sports Authority, both 1-0 in competition, are looking down at Fit2Run and Gainesville Running and Walking, both 0-1 and one loss away from elimination.
Round 3: Online Presence
Lloyd Clarke Sports: LCS has an easily navigable website that allows customers to browse the inventory and shop online. The store updates its Facebook page regularly, and LCS does have a Twitter account, but it has not been updated since September. The store’s Digg and StumbleUpon pages are completely inactive.
Fit2Run: Turn on your speakers, and you’ll immediately notice why I can’t bear to be at F2R’s website for any extended period of time. Aside from the unpleasant background noise, the site is easy to navigate and frequently updated, but does not offer online shopping. The store’s Facebook page is updated daily, and they also an active Twitter account.
Gainesville Running and Walking: Google “Gainesville Running Store” and the first listing will be for GRW. Props. Unfortunately, the website is basic and bare. No online shopping, and the “Products” page really needs some work. GRW does update its Facebook page, but does not have a Twitter account.
The Sports Authority: With over 450 stores, SA had better have a functional website, and it does. Phew. You can browse the store’s products and shop online, too. Facebook page? Check. Twitter account? Ditto. The force is strong with this one.
Round 3 Winner: The Sports Authority (2-0)
Round 3 Loser: Gainesville Running and Walking (0-2) *Eliminated*
Lloyd Clarke Sports: I’ve been to LCS roughly 10 times in the past two years, and I’ve never been disappointed with the service or attention I’ve received. I’ve found the salesmen and women at LCS to be extremely knowledgeable about footwear and also about running form in general. Furthermore, I recently had an employee go out of her way to answer a set of questions I had about Vibram FiveFingers for my Vibram trend piece. Much appreciated.
Fit2Run: The Gainesville Fit2Run has only been open since August, but I’ve had a chance to visit the store three or four times now. The employees have been friendly each time, and the ones that I’ve chatted with were serious about their own running. In fact, I always seem to end up in a discussion about neat places to run in the area, and I’ve learned about a few new spots because of the Fit2Run staff.They’re also very knowledgeable about the store’s products; earlier this week I was explained the difference in outsoles among the various FiveFingers shoes and how those outsolescater to different running surfaces. On the other hand, I have emailed the store’s owner twice now (his email address is available on the website) and have received no response either time.
The Sports Authority: I have visited Gainesville’s SA three times now, and I’ve always left with the same general impression of the employees there. They are friendly and willing to help, but if you have specific and/or detailed questions about, for example, a particular pair of running shoes, you’ll likely have to ask elsewhere. When I visited the store earlier this week, the salesman helping me was happy to retrieve a pair of shoes my size from the back of the store (twice) but admitted he was not a runner and didn’t seem to know any more than I about the shoes I was tryingon.
Lloyd Clarke Sports: By my count, LCS has about 190 men’s running shoes on its shoe wall and about 200 women’s shoes on the wall. There are about 10 pairs of shoes, at any given time, on sale and set aside from the shoe wall. LCS also carries 17 styles of Vibrams, as well as other minimalist shoes. Some other running-specific products you’ll find in the store include: socks, compression sleeves, shorts, shirts, flasks, gels, watches and too others more to include here.
The Sports Authority: The SA has two small shoe walls for men’s running shoes and two more for women’s running shoes, with each wall holding 35 shoes. The store also has a Nike shoe wall holding some 50 pairs of shoes. There are also roughly 10 pairs of shoes on sale and set aside from the shoe walls. The SA does not carry Vibram shoes, but does carry other minimalist shoes including, as of Tuesday, adidas’ venture into the minimalist world: the adidas adiPure Trainer.
Fit2Run: Fit2Run, like the SA, has two shoe walls, one for men and one for women, each holding about 150 pairs of shoes. The store carries seven styles of Vibrams for men and nine styles for women. Although there are no obvious shoe sales, F2R does offer a 10 percent discount on all store mechandise to its Club Fit2Run members. F2R also has an obscene amount of running accessories including: apparel, watches, gels, powders, magazines, muscle-massage devices and much more.
Round 5 Winner: Lloyd Clarke Sports (3-0)
Round 5 Loser: The Sports Authority (2-2) *Eliminated*
Come back Monday, when I will crown the 2011 Gainesville Running Store Royal Rumble Champion. Will it be Gainesville’s established veteran running store, Lloyd “Lightning Foot” Clarke Sports, or will it be the brash newcomer, “The Fabulous One” Fit2Run?
Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the first-ever Gainesville Running Store Royal Rumble! Today’s no-holds-barred battle will determine the strongest of the strong, the toughest of the tough and the most dynamic of the dynamic of Gainesville’s running stores. The stores selected to participate in today’s competition are either entirely running specific or have a running-specific section and are located in Gainesville proper or its closest neighbor, Tioga.
Today’s battle will occur by round, with each round testing a specific category of the running stores, for example, shoe variety, online presence etc. Each round will have one winner and one loser. Any store that loses two rounds is eliminated from the competition. The store left standing after all others are eliminated will be crowned the 2011 Gainesville Running Store Royal Rumble Champion.
And now, if you’ll please turn your attention to my good friend, Mr. Michael Buffer:
Round 1: Parking
Lloyd Clarke Sports: Located in a small strip mall, LCS has a handful of store-specific (customer only) spots directly in front of the store, including handicap spaces. The number of spaces, in total, is limited, but rarely have I seen the parking lot completely full.
Fit2Run: Sitting in the center of Oaks Mall, Gainesville’s largest and most popular, F2R has hundreds of parking spaces, including handicapped, to offer its customers. Unfortunately, those closest to the mall entrance are almost always taken, and, of course, there is no front-of-store parking here.
Gainesville Running and Walking: Like Lloyd Clarke, GRW resides in a small strip mall with front-of-store parking. GRW, however, offers its customers more parking spaces than LCS but does not have GRW-specific spots.
The Sports Authority: Tucked away in its own authoritative area about a quarter mile west of F2R, SA boasts roughly 100 parking spots, including handicapped, all located within 100 yards of the store’s front entrance. I have yet to see this parking lot even somewhat full.
Lloyd Clarke Sports – 1504 Northwest 13th Street: LCS is directly north, about a mile, of the northeast corner of the UF campus. The strip mall has entrances on both Northwest 13th Street and Northwest 16th Avenue.
Fit2Run – 6233 West Newberry Road: F2R is roughly three miles west and slightly north of UF’s campus. The stretch of Newberry Road between Northwest 55th Street and I-75 is one of the most congested in Gainesville and is one of my least favorite places to drive in the area.
Gainesville Running and Walking – 13005 SW 1st Road #139: You’ll find GRW some five miles directly west of Fit2Run. This means, unfortunately, you’ll have to pass I-75, heading west, to get there, assuming you’re traveling from Gainesville. There are three entrances to the Tioga Town Center, where you’ll find GRW. One is well before GRW, one is seemingly after you’ve passed the center, and the most direct entrance requires a U-turn.
The Sports Authority – 7400 West Newberry Road: In between Fit2Run and Gainesville Running and Walking lies The Sports Authority. You’ll have to pass I-75 and its traffic, but at least you won’t have to drive out to Tioga. There’s a pretty large SA sign at the entrance point, so although the store is tucked back from Newberry Road, it’s hard to miss.
Round 2 Winner: Lloyd Clarke Sports (1-0)
Round 2 Loser: Gainesville Running and Walking (0-1)
After two rounds, we’ve judged the stores on their parking-space availability and convenience as well as their location in relation to central Gainesville and their overall accessibility.
Competition will be postponed until tomorrow, when we’ll move inside the stores and take a look at store size, product selection and variety, and customer service.
Until then, I leave you with this T-shirt, which I found and photographed at Gainesville Running and Walking. They must be fans of the blog =)
1. Trail running can lead to secluded fantasy-inducing encounters with sexy, and often sweat soaked, women or men.
2. Sadly, he or she may have a different take on the matter.
3. You will have to poop on some of your runs.
4. Whether or not you do (doo?) depends on how far you’ve run.
5. After a run, you may, occasionally, be too tired for sex.
6. If you’re turning down sex because you’re tired, I hate you.
7. Runners resent runners that don’t acknowledge other runners. Even a hand-raise pseudo wave will suffice. Ignore me altogether, and I will take your mother out to a nice seafood dinner and never call her again.
8. You will be asked for money, even if it’s obvious you don’t have pockets.
9. Dogs, and likely other animals, will scare the shit out of you at some point during a run. This includes surprise spiders webs.
10. You make puke at some point during a run, though hopefully not on the side of 441 during rush hour, while a convertible full of sorority girls laugh hysterically as they snap photos of you on the iPhones, the locations of which remain unknown despite various “puke” and “run” related Google searches…
