THE BROOKS BLOG

Rock ‘n’ Roll comes to Dallas this weekend—March 14th race day!—with the Rock ‘n’ Roll 1/2 Marathon™ Dallas. Come over and say hi before the race and check out our VIP Porta Potties (click here to see how you can get your potty pass).

Monday recovery day is also party day at Run On! and Luke’s Locker.  Be one of the first 150 to stop by on March 15 between 3 and 7pm with your race bib and get a free goody bag. We’ll also have specialty tech tees free with $50 Brooks purchase and free food and beverage for everyone.

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Run On!

5400 E Mockingbird Ln #114

Dallas, TX 75206

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Luke’s Locker

3607 Oak Lawn

Dallas, TX 75219

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon™ and 1/2 Marathon Expo is open! This is our first time as an official sponsor, so stop by if you can and see what happens when you mix Rock ‘n’ Roll with Run Happy™.

Our event peeps flew out this morning for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon™ and 1/2 Marathon, our local Rock ‘n’ Roll event (Seattle) is within training distance, and we officially have marathons on the brain!

Thanks to Jesse Williams, our Team Sales Manager, for putting together these marathon training tips that will help no matter which stage of your training you’re in.

• Get a training partner. You’re going to be running a lot and longer than usual. It’s always nice to have someone else joining you. There are days when they’ll help push you out the door and other days when you’ll be their motivator.
• Get that long run going. It’s the single most important run of your week. It’s the run that teaches your body to fuel itself properly. It toughens your legs for those late miles. It’s also the most rewarding run of the week!
• Hydrate. Even if it’s not hot outside. Your body operates so smoothly when it’s properly hydrated. Muscles won’t cramp as often, injuries are lessened, and recovery is quicker.
• Practice race day scenarios. If you’re going to take water and sports drinks during the marathon, take them on your long runs for practice. Your body needs to practice digesting both before the big day. Same goes for sports gels or other fueling.
• Don’t change your ritual. If you always have “x” for dinner before your long runs and it’s worked, then have “x” before your marathon. Also, if that amoung of food has always worked, don’t change it. Why fix what’s been working? People often change things in the 11th hour and then the next day find that their body feels different than it did in training. This rule applies to most rituals—stretching, warm-up, sleeping, etc. Do what you have always done and what works.
• Gear it up. Running is so much easier with the right gear! Go to your local running specialty shop and get fit for the right shoe and apparel. It will make your running that much more enjoyable.

How do you follow up being a contestant on OXYGEN’s hit show Dance Your Ass Off ? For Karla Guy, the next challenge is P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona ½ Marathon on Sunday, January 17. Karla is running in the Adrenaline . We’re so excited to be part of Karla’s first ever race.

Have a great race, Karla! You’ve done the training, now enjoy the ride—and Run Happy®!

UPDATE: Karla finished strong. Read about her race strategy here. Congrats, Karla!

>> Follow Karla on Twitter @KarlaGuy .

>> Check out Karla’s sweet dance moves at KarlaGuy.com . Scroll to the bottom and watch the video of her winning the first competition.

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!

Hansons-Brooks women Melissa White and Dot McMahan led team USA to a fourth-place finish at the 2008 IAAF/CAIXA World Half Marathon Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Rochester Hills, MI, teammates were the first US finishers at 21st (1:14:37) and 24th (1:15:14), respectively. Ethiopia won the first-place team title, with Kenya and Japan taking second- and third-place honors.

Read the USATF press release here.