You are here: Home / Archives for Running

2009 – The Highlight Reel

December 31, 2009 By davidebowman 1 Comment

2009 was an amazing year for me.  I decided I would end the year with a blog post version of my highlight reel for the year.   Life has its share of ups and downs, but I feel like I get a lot more good than bad every day.  For that I am grateful.  It seems like nearly every day had some serendipity.  Here are some of my favorites:

  • I completed my first 5k and then my first 1/2 marathon, doing both with my wife Colleen by my side.
  • I helped my daughter learn to ride her bike, and then rode with her in the 4th of July bike parade.
  • I made a lot of chalk drawings on the driveway with my son.
  • Not only did I get to do a podcast with Chris Brogan and see him speak twice, I also got to have dinner with him too.
  • I presented to thousands of people at dozens of events on topics ranging from social media and marketing to data analytics, presentation skills and creativity.
  • I was quoted in an article about social media that appeared on the CNN / Fortune Small Business web site.
  • I was given the privilege of writing a column for the monthly publication Dayton B2B.
  • Twice last summer, I performed original music at Canal Street Tavern with longtime friend and musical collaborator Derek Wade.
  • I also played guitar and sang a song I wrote to open a presentation on PowerPoint at a meeting of business professionals in Cincinnati – something completely new for me.
  • I helped to plan and then got to emcee SummitUp, a social media conference here in Dayton, Ohio.
  • I shed some tears as my daughter hopped on the school bus for the first time, and watched in amazement as my son began spelling word after word at age 3.
  • Seth Godin left a comment on my blog.
  • I got to interview, among others, Kevin Dugan, Artie Isaac, Bob Gilbreath, and Peter Shankman.
  • I saw The Dayton Marketing Community social network that I launched at the end of 2008 grow to over 350 members, and I organized and led 3 successful Big Idea Breakfast events.
  • I continued to offer my time as a member of the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio, and attended my first Mud volleyball tournament – an event that raised nearly $80,000 for the organization.
  • I drank approximately 2,000 cups of coffee, read about 40 books, took 2 trips to the beach, got my first bass guitar, and got my wife her first drum set.
  • I won a flip cam from sharethis.com and a multiple books from inbubblewrap.com – thanks!!
  • I shook hands and said hello to smart guys John Battelle and Peter Kim.
  • Just last week, while picking up some last minute groceries for Christmas Eve, the COO of Dorothy Lane Market recognized me from my blog, introduced himself, and thanked me for writing about how much I love shopping there – a very gratifying experience.
  • On a sad note, my grandmother died just a few years shy of 100. She was an amazing woman, a huge influence on me, and someone who made everyday count. Thanks Grandma Peg for teaching me that playing it by ear beats the hell out of not playing at all. We should all be so lucky as to live life like she did.
  • I helped to organize the 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Dayton, and a day later witnessed history as America inagurated our first African American President.
  • My idea “User Generated Healthcare” was selected as a finalist in the Cincinnati Innovates contest. Although the idea did not win, it was a huge honor to be a part of the whole thing.
  • When my Blackberry finally gave out in September, I finally got an iPhone – how did I live without it for so long?
  • I discovered Nike+, became consumed with tracking my every step, and learned a lot about where marketing is headed.
  • I got to meet Tim Westergren, founder of music site Pandora.com, and introduce him to the crowd at a Cincinnati Social Media Breakfast event.
  • Speaking of music, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, and Phish all released music in 2009.  I spent a lot of time enjoying the fruits of their labor.
  • I made hundreds of new friends, and connected with hundreds of old ones.  How lucky I am to know so many great people.
  • I spent a lot of time with my family, who never ceases to amaze me, always supports me, and serves as the inspiration for all I do.  I love you.

2009 was a year filled with amazing adventures, exciting challenges, and pleasant surprises.  Thank you to all who helped make it so great.

Filed Under FEATURED, LIFE Tagged With , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hurts So Good

October 19, 2009 By davidebowman 2 Comments

Randalls&BowmansWE DID IT!

Yesterday, my wife and I both ran our first 1/2 marathon – The Nationwide Better Health Columbus 1/2 Marathon.  We were joined the whole way by our friends Dana & Patty Randall,  Columbus natives and also neophytes to the 13.1 mile journey.  The day could not have been more perfect.  Today I simply ache from a physical standpoint.  My feet throb, my muscles are sore, and my aging knees crackle with each and every step.  “Oh the sweet pain of lactic acid fermentation, how I have missed you.”  Every twinge makes me wince a little and smile a lot.   I know that in another day or two, physically I will be back to my old self.  Mentally on the other hand, I am riding a new high.  One that comes from accomplishing a goal.

It was just this spring that my wife and I began jogging.  I started with a walk / run program, and she just hit the sidewalks running.  We did not even run our first (and only to date) 5k race until the middle of the summer.  That day in July, we were mostly surrounded by highly skilled cross country runners from UD and area high schools – all of whom ran circles around us old folks.  It was great to run the race, but a little daunting to do it with so many fast, young, energetic people.  Still, shortly after that day, we decided that next up would be running a 1/2 marathon – Columbus fit the bill.

Well shortly thereafter, we roped in Dana & Patty, and it was all set.  We would run the Columbus 1/2 marathon together.  With plans in place, it then became about getting prepared for race day with run after run of training.  Things did not go exactly as planned, as I dealt with muscle pulls (running away from bees in fear), bad weather,  and other unexpected interruptions that could have easily provided us with excuses to quit.  Happily, we all forged on, and by race day everyone was ready.

The race itself was great.  It was in the high 30’s when we started at 7:30am, and it only took a few minutes to get acclimated to the temperature.  The 4 of us kept a nice steady pace of about 11:00 minutes per mile the whole way.  Nope, we did not break any speed records, but that was not the point. As they say at Nike, our motto was “just do it.”  Columbus is a great city, and we got to see some beautiful neighborhoods – Bexley, German Village, Brewery District and some others.  All along the way we were greeted by bands, race volunteers, and friendly folks who encouraged us to keep on going.  We even said hello to Governor Ted Strickland, who was out on his back lawn waving and shouting words of encouragement to passing runners.  Thanks to all who helped keep us moving ahead.

At the end of 2 hours and 25 minutes, we completed our journey north on high street, turned left, and crossed the finish line – physically spent and emotionally exuberant.   We immediately proceeded to devour the free bananas, bagels, doughnuts, chips, and rice krispy treats that they had waiting for us on the other side of the line.  Not since 2:30am in college has food tasted so good. We exchanged hugs with family members who came to support us, smiled for pictures, hobbled back to the car, and made a bee line for Bob Evans, where I made quick work of a stack of pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, home fries, and coffee.  So much for getting healthy…

After our feast, we came home and collapsed.  Colleen and I had been up since 4:00am, driven to Columbus and back, run 13.1 miles, and completed a goal that not long ago seemed completely crazy.  Thanks to Colleen’s sister for watching the kids, thus allowing us to get some much needed recovery time.  The kids came home in the evening and thankfully gave us hugs and kisses and went right to bed.

That brings me to today.  My body aches, but I can say “I did it!’  The ability to say those words far outweighs any temporary pain I am enduring today.   Already, I am starting to plan what is next on the list.  Not sure if I am going to do the 26.2 next year or if I am going to try to do another 1/2 marathon and increase the pace a little.  With winter approaching here in the Buckeye state, it will be a little while either way.

To all who offered encouragement, Thanks!  Especially, thanks to my wife Colleen, who motivates me to be a better man each and every day.  It is great to know I ran a 13.1 miles, but the experience of doing it together will stay with me forever.

Filed Under FEATURED, FUN Tagged With , , , , , , , ,

Adding Fun to Your Run with Nike Plus

June 24, 2009 By davidebowman 1 Comment

"Hi, my name is Dave, and I am a nerd… a nerd who is trying to get in shape by running every day even though running alone can be mundane.  A nerd who is staying interested in running by gathering data about my running using an awesome gadget called Nike Plus.  If you are a health conscious nerd like me, I encourage you to check out Nike Plus."

Recently I wrote that I had started a program of exercise combining intervals of running and walking in an effort to get into better shape. One of the great things about the run / walk program I was utilizing was that it was progressively more difficult.  Each week you ran a little more and walked a little less. This increasing challenge made running interesting.  Each week was more difficult than the week before, which kept me motivated to get out and run each day.  I am pleased to report that I completed the program, and I am now a full fledged runner – not a great runner but a runner none the less. 

While on vacation a few weeks ago, I got the chance to run / walk with my sister in law Katie – who is an avid runner.  One morning between my gasps for oxygen while trying to keep up with her, I expressed my concern that I was going to need to figure out a way to stay engaged in running once I completed my walk / run program.  She suggested that I check out something called Nike Plus.  I thought it sounded kind of cool, so I put in on the "things I need to check out someday" list in my head… and then quickly forgot about it due to the pain in my lungs, knees, and ankles.

Last week, my wife, who began running a few weeks before I did, informed me that Nike Plus was something that we needed to get.  It seems Katie had told her about it too, and thankfully, my wife’s memory and listening skills are better than mine.  So we went out and picked up a Nike Plus sensor and tested it out.  In a word – Awesome.

Nike Plus is simply a small sensor you put on your shoe that then works with your ipod to measure the speed and distance of your run.  It could not be easier to use.  You pick a workout, pick your music, and hit go.  As you run, you can push a button to find out how far you have run and what your current pace is.  It will also tell you when you reach milestones like 1/2 miles, 400, 300, 200, and 100 meters to go.  It keeps you engaged in running by giving you constant feedback, which in turn motivates you to run harder.  

Once you finish running, you can upload and track your data online, day by day and run by run.  Doing this converts running from a monotonous, isolated activity into an engaging, ongoing competition against yourself.  "Can I beat my fastest mile?"  "Can I beat my fastest overall time?"  "How many miles can I run this week?"  It is like being the main character in your own video game.  Each time I upload the data, I look for peaks and valleys in my time, think about my run, and ponder how I might be able to improve my results next time.  Each time I lace up my shoes, I am competing against the last time I laced them up, and each time I start to get winded, I think about beating yesterday’s time. Even if I don’t succeed, it is fodder for thought as to why. 

Not only can you compete against yourself with Nike Plus, but the website also offers the ability to set goals, follow training programs, create teams, schedule events, map routes, blog, and engage in dialogue, contests, and competitions with other runners – thus creating a complete community of engaged fitness geeks.  It is compelling to see so many others engaging in the same ongoing struggle to put the right foot in front of the left more quickly than the day before.  The site adds a great element of community to the very personal activity of running.  It is an excellent motivator and a great source of useful information. 

So, I continue my journey to renewed physical fitness – a journey made nerdier, and hopefully more successful, with technology.

Thanks for reading the post.  Gotta run.

To learn more about the story of how Nike Plus came to be, check out this story from Wired.

To check it out for yourself, visit the NikePlus website.

Filed Under FEATURED, LIFE Tagged With , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Re-Run

May 18, 2009 By davidebowman 1 Comment

Back in the summer of 2006, I wrote this post about a running program that I was starting: Run Like Hell, Walk Like Hell…repeat | davidebowman

Well, I managed to complete the 1 month program, but alas, my running ended shortly thereafter.

I am happy to report that I am back at it again.  I have been running for a couple weeks now, and I am starting to actually feel some of the benefits – although my knees and ankles might beg to differ.  I am determined to stay with it this time.

I am starting with the same program yet again, as I think it is a great way to get back into running quickly and relatively painlessly.

  • 1R , 4W x 6 times. Week 1
  • 1R , 3W x 7 times. Week 2
  • 2R, 3W x 6 times. Week 3
  • 2R, 2W x 7 times. Week 4
  • 3R, 3W x 5 times. Week 5
  • 3R, 2W x 6 times. Week 6
  • 3R, 1W x 7 times. Week 7
  • 4R, 2W x 5 times. Week 8
  • 4R, 1W x 6 times. Week 9
  • FULL Running for 30 minutes.

R = Run, W = Walk,

Total Time = 30 minutes per day

Just over a month from now I will be running full speed for 1/2 an hour, covering several miles every morning.  For now, I am mixing running with walking to build up my endurance, and strengthen my body.  I am in week 3 and already covering over 2.5 miles per run / walk – not bad for just a few weeks.

My day now starts with writing until I fill up 3 blank notebook pages and then pounding the pavement for 30 minutes.  So, on most days, by 6:30 a.m. I will have created 3 pages of new writing, run a few miles, and drank the first 2 of several cups of delicious coffee.   A great way to start the day.

Filed Under LIFE Tagged With , , , ,

Leaders Make Change

May 7, 2009 By davidebowman 3 Comments

I started running again.  (Please don’t inform me of the over / under on how many days until I quit.)   Anyhow, I decided to combine my love for books with my need to exercise in an effort to make the most of each run.  I have loaded up some audio books onto my ipod, and now can run and learn at the same time.  I hope that my thirst for knowledge will help to offset my love for sleep – and subsequent reluctance to drag my butt out of bed, lace up my asics, and get after it.

This week, while pounding the pavement at the crack of dawn,  I am listening to the audio version of one of my favorite books  – Tribes by Seth Godin.  A quote from that book stuck with me all day today.  “Managers make widgets, Leaders make change.”  I love it.  I am working on becoming an effective leader.   Just like running… it is not easy work, but I know I am better off for doing it.   You?

Filed Under FEATURED, LIFE Tagged With , , , , , ,