Get your running movie fix!

I like a good movie now and then, and I love a good movie about running. I was talking to one of my friends this weekend and we got into a discussion about what movie is the best running movie of all time. We came up with a few of the biggies like Chariots of Fire and Forest Gump (my friend insisted that this was a running movie).

Although we were never able to agree on a winner, we did stumble onto a very cool resource on the topic. There is a web-site that lists and reviews over 1,000 movies about running. Who knew there were so many?

The list of movies isn’t only feature films, but also documentaries, promotional films and educational films. So if you’re looking for something about running — or you’re looking to improve — this site might have something for you.

Check out the site at www.runningmovies.com.

And if you want to tell me what you think is the best running movie of all time, please feel free to let me know by commenting here.

Duane Slade, Mesa Arizona

The Boston Marathon is only 21 days away!

When I set decided seven years ago to try to qualify for Boston, I didn’t imagine what it would feel like to be here: 21 days from now I’ll actually be running the Boston Marathon. It’s been a long road and right now I’m just about dying with anticipation! I can’t wait.

Seven years ago, I ran the St. George Marathon in Utah. In that race, I ran a 3:59. I decided about two seconds after crossing the finish-line that somehow, some way, I would get myself to the Boston Marathon.

Fast forward seven years and I’m finally going. In that time, I’ve lost fifty pounds, worked with the amazing Coach Dean from RxRunning in Phoenix, and finally qualified for Boston. I ran 3:10 at St. George this past year and that’s what I needed to get to the big show.

Boston represents for me the culmination of a lot of hard work and a lot of my dreams. When I toe the line, alongside the greatest field of runners in America, I feel like I’ll be making it to the Olympics. In fact, that’s the cool thing about Boston. A regular guy like me — a financial consultant by day — can make his way to a huge international sporting event. I can’t think of any of sport where I’d be able to get to the championship game, whether that be the SuperBowl, the World Series, or the Masters. But with enough work, sweat, tears, and pain, a mere mortal like me can wind up running 26.2 miles alongside the best that America has to offer.

It leaves me. . . speechless.

But I didn’t start a blog to be speechless. I’m going to write more about my experiences getting to Boston and what I experience there. I’ll be running some of the race with Coach Joe who is hopefully going to capture some of it on video to share as well. In short, there should be a lot more to share about this experience in the coming weeks.

For now, I just hope that I stay healthy and that any of you Boston runners out there do as well!

Duane Slade, Mesa Arizona

Running the 2008 Ragnar Del Sol Relay

Let’s get my blog going with a story that I wrote that originally appeared in Running Advice and News last month. This is the story of my weekend at the Ragnar Del Sol Relay in Arizona. It was a fantastic experience and I can’t wait to run again next year. The Boston Marathon is coming up next for me and you’ll see lot’s more about that here on my new blog!

I had a great weekend at the Ragnar Del Sol Relay and the race was just a part of what made it all fun!

That’s me, in the middle with John Hetrick and Chris Dragon at the Ragnar Del Sol Relay

It all started when I pulled up to Rob’s house and realized I had forgotten all my food and all the supplies that I was responsible for bringing. They were back at my house sitting on my desk. I thought to myself, ‘oh great! these guys are going to think I am a total flake.’ To my surprise Rob and John both told me not to worry about it and that we could make it work. I knew then that it was going to be a fun experience. As we drove out to the first exchange I had to laugh at the thought of 6 grown men jammed up in a van getting ready to drive and run for the next 21 hours. It takes a ’special’ person to be willing to do this and we were six of them together. The thought just made me laugh.

John started our van off with leg number 7 and did a great job. In fact everyone on the team did fantastic. By the time Dave handed off to me it was around 12:40 in the morning. It was cold and very dark. I felt great when I started off and was starting to slow down about the 4 mile mark. Then all of a sudden I heard a pack of coyotes. I wasn’t sure how far off they were, but I didn’t want to find out so I picked it right back up. By the time I got to the 6 mile mark I was starting to feel pretty good.

A new blog, coming soon!

My new blog:

Duane Slade, My Arizona Adventures

is coming soon.

Check back here for it at duaneslade.wordpress.com

Duane Slade, Mesa Arizona, USA