THE BROOKS BLOG

After a breakthrough senior season at the University of Portland–which included two All-American honors, two school records, and a berth in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials–Michael Kilburg made the move to Michigan last month to join the Hansons-Brooks (powered by Saturn) Distance Project.

The Seattle native earned All-American honors in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships (6th), and at the Outdoor Championhips in the 10,000 meters (12th). In qualifying for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, he posted the 16th fastest qualifying time–running a school record 28:20.57 at the Stanford Invitational this spring. Portland coach Rob Conner called the record setting run “the greatest race in [U of Portland] Pilot history” in an interview with the Oregonian. His 5,000 meter personal best of 13:49.88 is also a U of Portland school record.

While accruing accolades on the track, Kilburg maintained a 3.22 grade point average as a physics major–earning the title of 2008 U of Portland Student-Athlete of the Year.

Who doesn’t need at least one of those? And what’s it called?

The Brooks EZ T!

Don’t just take my word for it (though I do own four of them). The Brooks EZ-T was featured in the latest Women’s Adventure Newsletter, and the reviewer raved,

“I think I’ve found the most comfortable t-shirt on the planet. The photos don’t do the fit justice either….using a stretchy soft fabric that has the sheen and soft hand of cotton without sacrificing a form-flattering fit….It dries fast and it’s light, so it’s technical enough to run in or to wear out for a post-cycling margarita…”

The EZ T is available in several styles and colors, for men and women. A sampling is shown below…now go check out this shirt!

Brooks EZ Fun T

Brooks Iffley Road SS

Brooks EZ T

One FAQ that frequently comes my way is…”What is the best way to clean my running shoes?”

The answer: Hand-wash them with a damp cloth and mild detergent. For best results, clean your shoes immediately after they’re exposed to mud or dirt. Then let the shoes air-dry at room temperature. It is important that you do not machine-wash or machine-dry your shoes!

Next week marks the start of fall - and with it, more runs in the dark…and cold…and rain.

Living in the Seattle, I’ve logged more than my share of miles in the dark. Luckily I live near a well-lit portion of the Burke-Gilman Trail, which keeps me mostly off the roads and away from nighttime traffic.

Last night marked my first “dark run” of the season – a short post-dinner trot with my sister. While I was out there, I noticed the nocturnal cyclists were doing a pretty good job of staying visible with bright clothes and lights…but the runners weren’t always so easy to see. A big part of staying safe is staying visible – and that starts with wearing bright clothes.

Have you seen yourself in the dark lately?

Brooks puts out a line of running clothes made specifically to enhance nighttime visibility called the NightLife Collection. The collection includes weather-resistant, breathable, retro-reflective jackets; comfortable, lightweight baselayers; and accessories like hats and socks. My personal favorite: the NightLife L.S.D. Jacket.

To see it in action, check out this short video we shot of my friend Andrew showing off the gear. (Hey, Seattleites: can you spot the location?) You can also hear Brooks I.D. Athlete Mark Buciak talk about why it’s his favorite thing from Brooks.

Run happy…and stay safe!

In 2007 Saturn equipped all of our Brooks field team, THE BROOKS GURUS, with new Saturn Outlooks. Our Gurus are in the field each week visiting specialty running accounts, attending group runs, working events, and can be found wherever runners gather! They now travel to all all of these events in style thanks to Saturn and after this latest car wrap……they will be showing some serious support of our star Olympian Brian Sell!! Check it!

On Friday, August 22nd, Brooks participated in the world’s largest relay race, Hood to Coast. With over 1,000 teams of 12 athletes, two vans, drivers, support crew, and the like, the Brooks Beast (men’s elite team), Brooks Running 1 (mixed corporate team), and Brooks Baba Yaga (women’s elite team) started their 197 mile race from the Timberline lodge on Mt. Hood to the sunny beaches of Seaside, OR.

In the end, the Brooks Beast men’s team finished 2nd overall and 1st in the men’s open division. Brooks Running 1 finished 29th overall and 3rd in the mixed corporate division, and Brooks Baba Yaga finished 35th overall and 2nd in the women’s open division!

Through all the blisters, irritable bowel syndrome, lack-of-sleep, malnutrition, and everthing else associated with this crazy race, everyone finished in high spirits. Needless to say, 20 hours in a van with 6-8 other sweaty and stinky people creates a special bond that only the racers and drivers can truly know.

We hope to be back next year stronger than ever…competing for those podium spots!!!

Arciniaga 6th at USA 20km Championships; McMahan and White place 5th and 6th in the women’s race

Rochester Hills, MI, September 1, 2008–Hansons-Brooks (powered by Saturn) athlete Nick Arciniaga placed sixth at the USA 20km Championships in New Haven on Labor Day. In the women’s race, Dot McMahan placed fifth, with teammate Melissa White a few steps back in sixth. Both women ran personal bests of 1:09:33 and 1:09:47, respectively.

James Carney (Boulder, Colo.) took control early and led most of the race before breaking the tape for his second USA Championship this year in 59:11. He was followed by 2006 NCAA Cross Country Champion Josh Rohatinsky (Portland, Oreg.), and 2004 Olympian Dan Browne (Beaverton, Oreg.) who ran 59:58 and 1:00:06, respectively.

Arciniaga’s sixth place finish is his highest placing in a USA Championship race, and his 1:00:47 finishing time is the third best in team history for 20km. Teammate Kyle O’Brien finished 23rd overall, finishing in a time of 1:04:58.

Former Georgia All-American Jill Steffens (Athens, Ga.) ran a well-paced effort and surged past two-time Olympian Elva Dryer (Gunnison, Colo.) in the final 400 meters to claim her first national title. Dryer led most of the race, eventually gapped the field, and appeared to have secured the second national road title of her career–at least, until Steffens and 19 year-old Ilsa Paulson (Flagstaff, Ariz.) combined efforts and rejoined the Olympian just after ten miles. Over the final miles there were several lead changes–with Steffens making her final move to the front in the last straightaway to claim victory.

McMahan, who ran with the eventual champion Steffens for much of the race, couldn’t match her efforts when she made the move to catch Dryer over the second 10km.. She had no trouble, however, matching her own effort from a year ago–running almost two minutes faster than her previous personal best from the USA Championships last year, where she placed eighth (1:11:23) Both McMahan and White improved on the previous team best of 1:10:07, set by Davila a year ago.

For complete race results, visit the New Haven Road Race web page.

ABOUT - The Hansons-Brooks Distance Project is a post-collegiate training program for runners with Olympic aspirations. Athletes in the program live and train together in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Team sponsors include Brooks Sports, Inc., Saturn Corporation, Aruba Sport Eyewear, and Hansons Running Shops.

release via Mike Reneau