Run, Karla, Run!

My National Running Day bib. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Runners, did you know that we have our own holiday? On Wednesday, June 4 say, “Happy National Running Day!”

National Running Day is a coast-to-coast celebration of putting one foot in front of the other as a fun way to stay fit and healthy. Join a group run, chat on social media, cheer on kids, get race discounts, find a running team, score New Balance gear from a vending machine and more at events taking place around the U.S.

Held on the first Wednesday each June, National Running Day is an annual collaboration between America’s premier running organizations, including the Atlanta Track Club, the Boston Athletic Association, the Chevron Houston Marathon, the Chicago Area Runners Association, Competitor Group, Inc., the Little Rock Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon, New York Road Runners, the Oregon Track Club, Running USA, the Twin Cities In Motion, and USA Track & Field. This year is the sixth anniversary of the event.

Join the conversation with #runningday on social media and visit www.runningday.org for more information. Here are just a few National Running Day events taking place online, nationwide and in New York City. Read the rest of this entry →

Harriette Thompson after breaking the world record. (Photo: Courtesy of the Competitor Group, Inc.)

If you need some inspiration this week, here it is: 91-year-old cancer survivor Harriette Thompson ran a new age-group world record marathon in 7:07:42 at the Suja Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon & 1/2 Marathon To Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on June 1. She became the second oldest woman in U.S. history to finish a 26.2-mile race.

Thompson, who hails from North Carolina, didn’t just break the previous world record marathon of 9 hours, 53 minutes. She shattered it by almost three hours. Plus, she accomplished the feat just four weeks after undergoing radiation treatment for skin cancer.

Thompson at the start of the Suja Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon. (Photo: Courtesy of Wireimage/Jerod Harris)

The race was Thompson’s 15th marathon, all run in San Diego. She ran her first 26.2-mile race at the age of 76.

“It’s never too late,” Thomspon said about starting a running and walking routine.

But more than simply running, Thompson has been a member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training since her first marathon, raising more than $90,000 for the charity over the course of her 15 marathons. Altogether, she’s logged 393 miles at the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon.

The classically trained pianist, who performed at Carnegie Hall, said she planned to celebrate with a long bath, a good night sleep and a big breakfast on Monday morning. “I don’t deserve all this attention,” Thompson said. “But it’s fun being famous for a day!”

It hard not to be moved by a runner like Thompson, who shows that there is no such thing as “too late” or “too old” when it comes to running. My first marathon, the New York City Marathon in 2007, was filled with many memorable moments. But one of them was this: somewhere near the Pulaski Bridge, which takes runners from Brooklyn to Queens halfway through the race, a woman with a great shock of white hair cruised past me. I have no idea how old she actually was, but my guess was late 70s. I was 29-years-old and here was a woman more than double my age running rings around me. I instantly thought: that’s going to be me someday. Read the rest of this entry →

Minnie Mouse times four at the Walt Disney World 10K. (Photo: runDisney)

So you didn’t get into any of the Walt Disney World Marathon 2015 races including the Dopey Challenge, Walt Disney World Marathon, Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Walt Disney World 10K and Disney Family Fun Run 5K? Never fear. Limited entries are still available for the races through charity and travel providers.

It was a record sell-out for the runDisney event. The Dopey Challenge, Walt Disney World Half Marathon, Walt Disney World 10K and Disney Family Fun Run 5K all sold out within 24 hours. The Walt Disney World Marathon filled up in 21 days, shattering the nearly 4 months it took the 2014 race to sell out.

Mickey Mouse & Snow White at the Kids Races. (Photo: runDisney)

Entries remain available for the runDisney Kids Races and Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge, where runners complete both the half marathon and marathon on back-to-back days. For the 10th running of the event, runners will earn a special anniversary Goofy-themed medal. As of press time, Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge is 62 percent full and the runDisney Kids Races are 50 percent sold.

But if you really want to run any of the other events at the Walt Disney World Marathon 2015 Weekend from January 7-11 in Florida, you still can if you register through a charity or tour group.

Contact the following organizations directly to find out how to register for the races through them. Charities will ask runners to raise a certain amount of money for participating in the race, and tour providers may require purchase of a travel package. Read the rest of this entry →

Captain America storms Disney (Photo: runDisney)

It’s no surprise that runDisney’s Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend of races at Disneyland in California sold out in under 2 hours. Half marathons at Disneyland are especially popular, and the Avengers Half Marathon was sure to be no different.

But if you want to run the 5K on Saturday, November 15 or the half marathon on Sunday, November 16, you still can. Limited entries are available through the runDisney Charity Groups Program and runDisney Travel Provider Program.

Contact each group below individually to find out their requirements for joining their team. Charities may require a fundraising minimum and travel providers may require a travel package purchase. Each group offers guaranteed entry, discount hotel rates and other perks. Read the rest of this entry →

At the NYC Half Expo

NYC Half!

So many more running videos to share from my week working On The Run at NYC Half. Each one is about two to three minutes long, so watch and enjoy!

Battling Through More Than a Run

Teacher Mike Anderson and guidance counselor Dana Ash joined forces when one of their students was diagnosed with brain cancer.

She’ll Be Running With Me

Regina Romain is running her first half-marathon in memory of her swim coach, Lauren Beam, who lost her battle with colon cancer at the age of 34.

Work Hard and Play Hard with Black Roses NYC

Black Roses is one of New York City’s “running crews.” We joined them for a track workout in the East Village under the cloak of darkness.

Inside the 2014 NYC Half Expo

Enter to win your dream run, pick up race bibs, running gear and more.

For more videos from the NYC Half, check out:

On The Run at NYC Half: Elite Runner Mike Cassidy and The Magic of Goodwill

The Disneyland 10K and 5K finish. (Photo: runDisney)

So you didn’t get into any of the Disneyland Half Marathon 2014 races including the Dumbo Double Dare, the Disneyland 10K or the Disneyland Half Marathon? It was a record sell-out for runDisney this year. But limited entries are still available through charity and tour groups.

The major Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend races and events sold-out even faster than the 26 hours from last year for a new runDisney record.

All 35,500 of the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend‘s running bibs sold out within 12 hours and 13 minutes. The Dumbo Double Dare, where participants complete both the Disneyland 10K and Half Marathon on back-to-back days, filled up in just 41 minutes. The Disneyland 10K sold out in 53 minutes, followed by the runDisney Kids Races, which closed in 2 hours and 48 minutes. The Disneyland Half Marathon itself sold out in 9 hours and 20 minutes, while the Disneyland 5K closed in 12 hours and 13 minutes.

But if you really want to be a part of the Disneyland Half Marathon 2014 races from August 28-31, you still can if you register through a charity or tour group. Contact the following groups directly to find out how to register for the race through them. Read the rest of this entry →

Joey Fatone at the 2013 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (Photo: Preston Mack/runDisney)

Want to run any of the races at the sold-out Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend from January 8-12, 2014, the sold-out Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend at Disneyland from January 16-19, 2014 or the sold-out Disney Princess Half Marathon on February 23, 2014?

You still can. Here’s the scoop.

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend

Dream Come True Vacations, one of the official runDisney tour providers, has several openings available for the following races January 8-12, 2014:

Walt Disney World 10k
Walt Disney World Half Marathon
Walt Disney World Marathon
Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge
Dopey Challenge Read the rest of this entry →

Great T-Shirt design at the Trot Off Your Turkey 5K. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

The Trot Off Your Turkey 5K in Barrington, R.I., in Saturday, November 30 was, I’m amazed to say, my very first Turkey Trot in seven years of racing.

It was a fantastic local event with 637 runners in the 5K and 229 in the 1.5-mile run/walk. I loved everything about this race, from the flat course and bountiful post-race spread to the great T-shirt design and warm, community vibe.

It was 28 degrees at the start, so my husband, Phil, and I bundled up for a brisk run on a cloudless, blue-sky day.

A food drive and raffle raised money for TapIn, an all-volunteer, outreach program that provides food, clothing, household goods, transportation and other services to local residents in need.

The main event was a fundraiser for St. Luke’s School, where the race was held. Bib pick-up and the raffle were inside the school gym, which I very much appreciated since it was so cold outside. Read the rest of this entry →

Finished! (Photo: Marathon-Photos.com)

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 20, 2013 was my seventh marathon in as many years. Put on by Canada Running Series, the entire event was top-notch with a flat course around Canada’s largest city.

Hugging much of the city’s waterfront, the course is known as a fast, but sometimes windy, race.

But this year, runners couldn’t have asked for more ideal weather. The temperature at the start hovered around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, warming up to 55 later in the day. Clear skies brought plenty of sunshine, and wind was negligible. It was a perfect day to run a marathon.

More than 20,000 runners tackled races at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon: 3,655 runners finished the marathon, 10,094 finished the half-marathon, and 6,493 finished the 5K. Runners came from every Canadian province, more than 40 U.S. states, and 60 countries around the world. I heard runners speaking a myriad of languages, and heard even more end their sentences with, “Eh?” Only in Canada. Read the rest of this entry →

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Course Map

Well, this is it folks. In a little over 60 hours I’ll be at the starting line of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. You’d think that after running six marathons, wrapping my brain around that prospect would get easier. But somehow it never does.

It’s especially meaningful to me to be running in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Media Challenge in memory of my cousin Laura and on behalf of the Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of Canada.

As always, it’s been a long and winding road to get to this point.

Running the Kaua’i Half Marathon (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

I started off marathon training season the wrong way: with a hip injury I sustained from falling off a horse. One month of physical therapy and two triathlons later, I was finally ready to focus on running long again.

I’ve logged 470 miles and 10 races, with three of them as specific training runs for this event: the Kaua’i Half Marathon, Direct Edge Newport Liberty Half Marathon, and 20 miles of the Yonkers Marathon. In the process, I’ve notched personal records at 3 miles, 5K, 4 miles, 5 miles, and 10K, the last three of which I nailed during a track workout. I’ve gotten a lot faster this year, especially over the middle distances. Read the rest of this entry →

The start of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon (Photo: Canada Running Series)

The countdown is on. In just four days, I’ll be at the starting line of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.

But I’m not just running the race. I’m also taking part in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Media Challenge, a race-within-a-race where reporters, editors, producers, photographers and assorted media folk face off against each other for charity. I’m running on behalf of the Sarcoma Cancer Foundation of Canada in memory of my cousin, Laura, who died last year from a sarcoma cancer.

The Hamza family won Best Dressed Costume in the 5K. (Photo: Canada Running Series)

It’s all part of the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, an initiative that raised $4.3 million for 181 charities in 2012.

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon hosts 25,000 runners from over 60 countries for the event’s three race distances: the marathon, half-marathon and 5K.

The marathon course is known as a flat and fast, but sometimes windy, run around Canada’s largest city, with 150,000 spectators cheering runners on.

Whatsmore, more than one-quarter of the race’s runners register to support one of the event’s 180 official charities partners.

Stephane Hetherington won Best DressedCostume in the marathon and a Guinness World Record for fastest marathon in a superhero costume. (Photo: Canada Running Series)

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon Charity Challenge

The Scotiabank Charity Challenge has lots of competitions to encourage people to raise money.

Charities can earn bonus money for placing in the top three in each of these categories: most participants, most money raised, most money per participant raised. It’s an extra incentive Scotiabank gives charities to get as many runners as they can out on the course.

But that’s just the beginning of the challenge.

Costume Challenge

Perhaps the most fun is the Best Dressed Costume contest. Runners can win extra money for their charity of choice by taking home the best-dressed prize. Scotiabank donates $5,000 to the costume winners’ charity picks. Read the rest of this entry →

(Photo: Matogo97/Wikimedia Commons via Creative Commons license)

So much running news this week. It must be fall marathon season! Here’s a rundown on some of the big stories I’ve been following:

Pamela Anderson Running The New York City Marathon

Everyone has seen images of Pamela Anderson running on “Baywatch.” Now she’ll be running a marathon.

From the sounds of the New York Daily News article, she’s not doing a ton of training. But Anderson is running to raise $500,000 on Crowdrise for Sean Penn’s J/P Haitian Relief Organization.

“The charity wanted her to simply hug their elite runners crossing the Central Park finish line, but Anderson, who has visited Haiti twice since the devastating disaster, suggested taking it a step further,” the New York Daily News reports.

Read the New York Daily News article here.

Meb Keflezighi chases down Kenya’s Robert Cheruiyot at the 2009 ING New York City Marathon. (Photo: Randy Lemoine).

ING New York City Marathon Sets Professional Field

Pamela Anderson isn’t the only famous name running the ING New York City Marathon. A big list of professional runners are in it to win it.

Meb Keflezighi and Ryan Hall are still in. Kara Goucher is out. Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya and Ethiopia’s Firehiwot Dado are returning once again to defend their crowns from the 2011 ING New York City Marathon after the 2012 race was cancelled in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Altogether, the race will include 23 Olympians from 23 countries and will serve as the deciding showdown in the 2012-2013 World Marathon Majors series. Here’s a look at the professional field in both the women’s and men’s races. Read the rest of this entry →

RUN10 FEED10 2012 (Photo: Women’s Health Magazine)

Talk about a race with a mission. The RUN10 FEED10 10K run is a collaboration between Women’s Health Magazine and the Feed Foundation, a charity founded by Lauren Bush Lauren that aims to end hunger worldwide.

You might have seen one of the iconic FEED bags in a magazine or even being carried by someone on the street. FEED raises money by selling products that have a set donation built into the price. With RUN10 FEED10, they’re taking it to the streets in seven cities across America. You can even participate in a virtual 10K run anywhere in the world. Read the rest of this entry →

Runners pass a Mickey Mouse hot air balloon at the 2013 Walt Disney World Marathon in Florida. (Photo: Todd Anderson/runDisney)

Want to run the Walt Disney World Marathon 2014 presented by Cigna or even the Dopey Challenge? You still can. The races may be sold out, but a limited number of charity and tour group entries are still available for runDisney fans who want to toe the line in Walt Disney World in Florida from January 8-12.

I ran the Walt Disney World Marathon in 2013, courtesy of runDisney, and had the most fun I’ve ever had at a marathon. And I’ve run six of them including “bucket list” races like the ING New York City Marathon and Bank of America Chicago Marathon. My husband and I got in the runDisney spirit and ran the race in costume as Cinderella in Rags and Jacques the Mouse. It was like a 26.2-mile roving street party with Disney characters, music, and more. Read the rest of this entry →

Hope For The Warriors is one of the official charities of the ING New York City Marathon. (Photo: RunKarlaRun.com)

Want to run the ING New York City Marathon on November 3, 2013? You still can through one of the race’s official charity partners like the Brain Tumor Foundation.

Thanks to the cancellation of the 2012 ING New York City Marathon, charities are having a hard time filling their spots for the 2013 race. The Wall Street Journal examined the problem in an article on July 19. As of then, half of the normally sold-out 8,200 charity spots were still available.

Theories abound why the charity bibs are taking longer to sell-out this year. One reason may be that New York Road Runners—the organization that puts on the race and one that I freelance for as host of On The Run—offered 2012 charity runners the option of taking a guaranteed entry into this year’s race without raising money again. According to the Journal, 64 percent of the 2012 charity runners have done just that for 2013, with some electing to fund raise again.

Another theory posits that charities are suffering under the compressed timeline for the 2013 race. While NYRR worked to sort out the resolution from 2012, they weren’t promoting the 2013 race. As a result, the application process and lottery took place a full month later than usual, giving charities fewer months to recruit runners.

Others speculate that some runners may have lingering fears regarding security in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings in April or don’t like how NYRR handled things after Hurricane Sandy.

My own personal theory? I think many runners wrote off the 2013 ING New York City Marathon as impossible to get into. They knew a large portion of the race’s spots would go to runners from the canceled 2012 race. So instead of waiting to enter a really tough lottery, they committed to other fall marathons instead. Read the rest of this entry →