THE BROOKS BLOG

Brooks held its first annual I.D. (Inspire Daily) Run Camp from June 18-21, 2009. Sixty-five Brooks I.D. members made the trip to Seattle for four days of running, fun, Brooks footwear and gear previews, and much much more. First stop: a tour of Brooks HQ in Bothell, followed by three intensive days at Crystal Mountain, near Mt. Rainier.

For recaps of the event, check out the blog postings of I.D. Member Jean Pommier, popular run blogger Frayed Laces, and Steve DeKoker, who runs the I.D. Program at Brooks.

Jean Pommier
Jean, a transplanted Frenchman who recently ran the Western States 100, lives and works in the Bay Area. Not only did he fully participate in all the activities at I.D. Camp—he also blogged each night. His posts are full of incredible detail, plus great accompanying photos.

• Brooks I.D. Camp - Day One (More Day One photos)
• Brooks I.D. Camp - Day Two (More Day Two photos)
• Brooks I.D. Camp - Day Three (More Day Three photos)
• Brooks I.D. Camp - Day Four (More Day Four photos)

Frayed Laces
Frayed Laces. a k a Laura Kloepper. is a highly popular blogger in the running community who was invited to the camp to participate, observe, and, of course, blog!

• Brooks I.D. Run Camp Part I
• Brooks I.D. Run Camp Part II
• Brooks I.D. Run Camp Part III
• Letter from Brooks I.D. Run Camp Day One
• Letter from Brooks I.D. Run Camp Day Two
• Invitation to Brooks I.D. Run Camp

Steve DeKoker
See Steve’s July I.D. Newsletter for his recap of the inaugural Brooks I.D. camp.

Congratulations to Brooks I.D. athlete Diane Groff, who won two divisions at the competitive 3K Snowshoe race at the Romp to Stomp Breast Cancer event on March 7th in Frisco, Colorado! Diane won both the survivor division, (by several minutes) and the 50+ age division (by three seconds).

Among other accomplishments, Diane is a two-time cancer survivor and a 46 minute 10K runner. She was named “Most Inspirational Colorado Female Athlete” of 2007 by the Sportswomen of Colorado… and overall kicks some major booty.

While on her latest adventure Diane wore the new Brooks Cascadia 4 trail shoes and the Brooks for Her Hat. (A portion of sales from the Brooks for Her Hat goes to support breast-cancer related causes, see www.brooksrunning.com/bfh for more information.)

Great work Diane!

Diane Groff

One of the things we’re most excited about at Brooks–besides our running shoes and gear!–is the Brooks I.D. Program.

Brooks I.D. is made up of over 800 athletes who are active in their running communities, share a passion for Brooks, and inspire people around them to run and be active. Members of the program get discounts on Brooks gear, connect with other members online and at events, and get the inside scoop on what’s happening in Brooks-land.

It’s a truly motley crew… including ultrarunners, marathoners, Olympic Trials participants, masters champions, cancer survivors, and runners like Brian Becker who inspire by virtue of their personal stories. We’ll be introducing more of their stories on this blog soon.

In the meantime, to learn more about the Brooks I.D. program visit the website or watch the video!

Congratulations to Brooks’ own Steve DeKoker, who won this past weekend’s Seattle Half Marathon! While most of us were still digesting turkey, Steve cranked out a 1:11:50 on a hilly course. Along with running (a lot), Steve otherwise keeps busy by heading up our Brooks I.D. Program. He’s also known as a snappy dresser around the office.

Congrats Steve!

A big shout-out goes to Brooks I.D. member Rob Heppell. Rob just achieved his goal of running all 5 World Marathon Majors in one year!

Rob was doubly excited (and we were extra impressed) that he managed to finish each of the 5 major marathons (London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York) in under 4 hours. Even better, his last race in New York was his fastest (3:29), as well as a qualifier for Boston next year.

Way to go Rob…and keep running happy!

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!

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!!!