Phedippidations

Ted Corbitt was without a doubt the “father of long distance running”. He was a pioneer in ultramarathons and a big part of the running revolution of the 1960’s and 70’s. He was once called “a spiritual elder of the modern running clan". We will remember him in many ways: as the quiet guy in the background working to establish rules for age groups and course measurements. As a promoter of distance running who worked behind the scenes. He was an amazing athlete who was able to cover distances that is considered impressive by any standard, and he was a kind hearted, soft spoken fellow runner who overcame hatred and prejudice to embrace a sport that he loved so well.Most importantly, he was someone who loved to run. It was his life long passion, it was his daily joy and it was something that defined him, improved him and gave his life meaning and a happiness that inspires all who knew him and know of him…because Ted Corbitt was a man with an indomitable spirit who came into this world to live his life to the top, and he left this world a better place for his having run here. Show Links:http://bluedawgsrunning.blogspot.comhttp://www.usatf.org/about/committees/LongDistanceRunning/RoadRunningTechnicalCouncil/history/corbitt.pdfhttp://lelievreetlatortue.blogspot.comFdip Blog of the Week: http://beginjd.blogspot.comThe song “What Child is This?” was by Black Labhttp://blacklabworld.com

In this episode I run the 20th Annual Whiten Five Thanksgiving Day Road Race in Whitensville, Massachusetts; a village in Northbridge. It wasn’t my fastest five miler, but I had fun running it never the less. I came to celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving, to enjoy the morning with fellow runners, to compete against those around me and most of all, to run. Old New England towns remain preserved while merging with the modern world and new technologies. You can see that most clearly when you go for a run in such a town such as Northbridge Massachusetts, and the village of Whitensville. Show Links:http://www.tinkoff.comhttp://4feetrunning.blogspot.comhttp://badgirlsofrunning.blogspot.comhttp://badboysofrunning.blogspot.comhttp://tiredmamarunning.blogspot.comhttp://www.runcast.tvhttp://www.dumprunnersclub.comFdip Blog of the Week: http://www.runtodisney.comThe song “Run to Your Grave” was by The Mae Shihttp://www.mae-shi.com

Running clubs are local organizations that you can join to gain the support of fellow runners as a way to motivate, inspire, invigorate and improve your performance on the road. But for all the great benefits that joining a running club will give you, there’s something else you should consider in deciding whether or not you should join such an organization. When you join a running club you are not doing it only for yourself but as an opportunity to help others improve as runners: you are signing up to encourage others, to prove by your participation that running is a worthy effort, and to help others who are members of that club to run faster and farther, over and above what they might have otherwise thought they were capable of. In today’s episode I’ll list some of the great running clubs that are out there. Thank you to everyone who responded to my “Twitter Tweet” for running clubs! Show Links:http://theextramilepodcast.comhttp://www.runnersroundtable.comhttp://www.rrca.orghttp://www.teamcrossworld.com/runninghttp://runmdra.orgwww.kiltedrunner.blogspot.comwww.wanderersrunningclub.orgwww.portlandfit.comwww.hughesvillerunningclub.comhttp://bobrunner.blogspot.comhttp://www.arunnerscircle.comwww.elementsoferin337.blogspot.comwww.thesaa.cawww.e-venti.cahttp://www.lifetimefitness.comhttp://www.jsrc.org/www.runnersandwalkers.comhttp://www.trailrunnersclub.com/www.guelphvictors.cahttp://www.guelphrunning.ca/http://www.redhairedgirl.comhttp://www.runracine.com/www.runningramblings.comhttp://mcrrc.orghttp://gvltrackclub.clubexpress.com/http://www.fitnesssports.com/November_races/LivHistFarms/lhf_index.htmlFdip Blog of the Week: http://run350.blogspot.comThe song “Some Christmas Huggin and Kissin’” was by Geoff Smithhttp://thegeoffsmith.com

When you are out there, running a race, and you find yourself (point A) behind another runner (point B) whom you are working to catch up to…there is a relative velocity between the two of you that is much smaller than you can imagine…and today, I want to help you imagine it…because once you’ve come to realize how small that difference is, then you’ll be better able to summon the energy required to exceed that speed and close the gap between you and that runner ahead of you to the point where you’ll beat him or her to the finish. When you consider the difference, you’ll gain the confidence to catch up. Show Links:http://theextramilepodcast.comhttp://www.runningpodcasts.orghttp://www.runnersroundtable.comhttp://www.tribballin.blogspot.comhttp://www.teamworldvisionozarks.orgwww.fleetfeetstlouis.com http://www.fleetfeetstlouis.com/flyer/main.htm#bookhttp://www.homesforourtroops.orghttp://www.zachermedia.com/marathonhttp://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/13638.htmlhttp://whatstheharm.netFdip Blog of the Week: http://royinireland.blogspot.comThe song “You Can’t Catch Me” by Cottrell Ganthttp://www.cottrellgantt.com

So what is the point of giving gifts to each other during the holiday? It is to express our feelings of appreciation, care and fondness for one another…and the best way to do that, with respect to gift giving, is to make the gift a personal reflection of what you know the person you’re giving to would appreciate. Runners appreciate the little things; a good book on our favorite subjects, or something simple like a pair of gloves, socks or a water bottle…items which help to protect and comfort us during our daily runs…these are things that will be appreciated every day and serve as reminders that you, as the gift giver, really understood and cared enough to give something related to our passion for this sport and the importance we give to the gift of running. Show Links:http://www.roadid.comhttp://www.roadrunnersports.comhttp://www.runningpodcasts.orghttp://audiblepodcast.com/phedihttp://www.runarmagh.comhttp://www.trithemango.comhttp://www.coopamerica.orgFdip Blog of the Week: http://www.runcast.tvThe song “The Gift You Always Wanted at the Bay” was by Jon Caspihttp://www.joncaspi.com

Our core is our center; it is where our arms, legs and head meet to create the human body we inhabit and control. It is where, just a few inches or centimeters above, resides the all important heart, pumping oxygen rich blood to all of our extremities. In an anthropological sense, the heart is the focused center of our emotional and mental character….it is the mystical source of our kindness, charity, and love. In this same way, our core…the very central characteristic of who and what we are is sometimes associated with our human identity. To excel physically you must have a strong and powerful core, to excel as a human being you have to have a resilient and resolute center. Work on that part of yourself, both physically and emotionally and there will be nothing you cannot accomplish. Focus on developing your core and you’ll discover the power within yourself to run long and far and then you’ll find the strength to go on. Show Links:http://amilewith.me.ukhttp://runningfromthereaper.comhttp://www.catiefunrun.orgFdip Blog of the Week: http://runningismental.blogspot.comThe song “The Strength” was by the Brothers Falloon http://www.brothersfalloon.com

This episode will serve as proof that I’m an totally independent new media producer, and will guarantee that I never get that huge contract with a major running shoe label. But when running shoe companies enable their outsourced suppliers to treat their workers poorly, in unhealthy working conditions for long hours with wages that hardly allow them to feed and shelter their families…they are being evil…either by direction or failure. You and I can support the fight for human rights and the environment every day with our dollars…by purchasing products and services sold only by those companies and businesses who treat their workers with dignity and promote the basic human rights to life, liberty, freedom of expression, equality before the law and in society, the right to participate in culture, the right to food, the right to work, and the right to education along with ensuring that the production of goods does not negatively impact the environment. My expose here about some of the major running shoe manufacturers in operation today will most assuredly guarantee that I will never earn millions of dollars on this podcast through an advertizing contract with any of these companies…but morality dictates that I consider the big picture…and I’m going to do my best, in this episode of Phedippidations, to be honest, truthful and above all independent when it comes to giving you the 4-1-1 on what are, and are not responsible shoes. Show Links:http://www.corpwatch.orghttp://www.oxfam.org.auhttp://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/122/athleticshoes/3http://runningintothesun.blogspot.comhttp://unabuonaforchetta.blogspot.comhttp://www.hampo.bigblog.com.auFdip Blog of the Week: http://www.movember.comThe song “Not Responsible” was by Laura Clapp http://www.lauraclapp.com

Life is all about making choices. Choices between what’s right and wrong, choices between what’s good and evil, choices between altruism and egotism, of giving and taking, of sharing and selfishness and choices between what’s smart and what’s dumb. I chose to run the 2008 Bay State Marathon just as 25 years ago this month I chose to take part in a project to help etch my college radio station’s name in the history of a Northern Massachusetts city. Sometimes we do things without thinking it through, or considering the consequences. Sometimes we do things on impulse or instinct and throw caution to the wind for ideals and purposes which seem like a good idea at the time. Whatever we do, for whatever reason we do it: one thing is perfectly clear. We all have a choice. Show Links:http://www.baystatemarathon.comhttp://www.wuml.orgThe song “Choice” was by Jon Miller http://www.jonmilleronline.com

Over 1,100 runners from more than 40 countries took part in the 3rd annual World Wide Festival of Races. This really was a festival; it was a celebration of life, of community, of doing something of importance, endurance and strength. It was a day where we took to the roads and ran together although we were apart. There were many reasons why we all took part in this event: to celebrate, to share, to make friends and to inspire others. We did it to prove that national and territorial boundaries on a map are nothing more than dotted lines meant to keep us physically apart, and that our own customs, religions and social environments do not exclude us from the privileges of friendship and camaraderie. What makes us different from each other locally does not prevent us from going out into this world, under the same sky on the same little blue bubble in space, and celebrate those things that we have in common. We just want to live a good, happy and healthy life. We just want to live in peace and harmony with each other…and above all, we just want to Be OK. Show Links:http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.comhttp://www.amilewith.me.ukhttp://www.dirtdawgramblingdiatribe.blogspot.comhttp://www.theextramilepodcast.comhttp://www.showemyoucare.com Fdip featured blog of the week: www.richruns2.blogspot.comThe song “Be OK” was by Ingrid Michaelson http://www.ingridmichaelson.com http://www.standup2cancer.org

"It's hard to appreciate the Earth when you're down right upon it because it's so huge. It gives you in an instant, just at a position 240,000 miles away from it, (an idea of) how insignificant we are, how fragile we are, and how fortunate we are to have a body that will allow us to enjoy the sky and the trees and the water ... It's something that many people take for granted when they're born and they grow up within the environment. But they don't realize what they have. And I didn't till I left it.'' -- Jim Lovell, Apollo 8 and 13. Greeting Fellow Runners… The average distance from the Earth to the Moon is 384,403 km, that’s 238,857 miles. To put that into perspective, it’s exactly 2,462 miles or 3,961 km between New York and Los Angeles…so the moon is 156 times the distance away from the Earth as New York is to LA. When the Apollo Astronauts went to the moon, they noticed a few things which probably should have been obvious and expected. First, the moon is dead; Buzz Aldrin stepped out of the lunar lander, looked around and gasped “Magnificent desolation”. He witnessed first hand that the moon is beautiful, but void of life. The second thing the astronauts noticed when they looked back at the earth was that it was the only thing in the sky that had any color. It shone of deep blues, white wisps, dark greens and browns. The Earth was, in fact, a magnificent oasis of life. The third thing the astronauts realized when they stood on the surface of the moon was that, if they lifted up their arm and stuck out their hand, holding it out to towards the little blue bubble that was hanging in the lunar sky, they could cover the entire Earth with their thumb. Everyone who has ever lived was hidden behind that thumb. The entire history of the human civilization was hidden behind that thumb, every creature that had ever swam, crawled, slithered , hopped, walked, or flew had lived (or were living) their whole lives, hidden behind that thumb. Wally Schirra, the astronaut who flew around the earth on Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions once said “I left Earth three times. I found no place else to go.” Think about the profoundness of that statement. He found no place else to go because there IS no place else to go. Seen from space, this little blue bubble we run upon is our home and is very likely to be the only place in the entire Universe that we will ever be able to live. I know that we’re talking about going to Mars and we can imagine a future where we terraform planets or create starships to take our descendents to extra-solar planets over the course of a millennium; but this one planet that we live upon is a precious bubble of life in space. It’s our home, it’s small, and we have to take care of it. But today, I’m going to suggest that before we can take care of this little blue bubble that we first take care of each other. Perspective might be the key to that. I’m a science fiction fan. I love “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” and anything to do with space travels and alien encounters. I’ve often wondered what alien visitors to Earth would think as their spaceship got close and they saw this little blue bubble of life. Wouldn’t they assume that all of the intelligent creatures of the indigenous civilizations on this planet lived in peace and harmony as a single tribe of the human species? Wouldn’t they believe that conflicts would be rare on such a tiny world where global cooperation was the only logically sensible way for such creatures to co-exist. Wouldn’t they expect that such creatures, born of the same species, evolved from the same ancestral lineage, and with essentially similar physical features…would live, love, share and care for each other throughout their short lives? On this podcast, I’ve tried to make the point that if we’re going to live up to those expectations (and as the so called intelligent self aware species on this planet, I think we should probably make peace, love and understanding a common goal) and if that’s a noble and good goal, then it has to start somewhere. Where’s it going to start? With religion? Maybe…but religious differences hasn’t been particularly effective with the whole “ensuring world peace thing” over the last thousand years. I’m saying that as a devote practicing Roman Catholic…religion without the underlying foundation of tolerance, understanding, acceptance, charity and love for all of the people on this little blue bubble, no matter how they worship or what they believe…isn’t helpful to a world in desperate need of peace. Will the goal of such peace start with governments? Ummm…I’m not very good with understanding the whole socio-political strategy of the modern world, but I’m pretty sure there are a few wars going on that started because “So and So said that So and So had weapons and the other guy called So and So part of the axis of evil…and…ahhh…my head it going to explode!! No: world peace and the idea of a planet of creatures living together in harmony is not going to start with any of the traditional avenues of diplomacy, it has to start WITH US. You are a runner. You are now running in a global event with friends from all over the world. We all have our differences, we all carry our baggage of fear and shame, anger and frustration with us…but that’s okay: that’s part of being human. The one thing I can say that we have going for us, as runners, is that we do not hate. Today we’re not individuals from other countries and cultures: today we are all runners: fellow runners. It doesn’t matter what you look like, how you dress, or what you do in your spare time. Right now, this moment, you are out sharing an experience with other human beings who are feeling the same heart pounding exertion that you are feeling. And it’s a good feeling, tiring, yes…but think about it: we are living our lives to the top as the good animals we were always meant to be…out here, we can imagine a world full of friends who believe in the ideals of love, joy and peace…out here we can afford to be a little idealistic and possibly naive…because we’re running a race that transcends borders, cultures and rules that have been set in place to keep us apart. You are a runner; and when you live your life as part of a community where you have friends all over the world, as you do, you begin to appreciate each other more, you begin to see the world from each others eyes and perspectives. If each of us, running across the Earth could imagine the view of our planet from the surface of the moon, or Mars or from the very edge of our solar system and beyond, we’d have to appreciate how precious this little blue bubble really is…and more importantly, how precious we are to each other. You and I are fellow runners…and we set positive examples for every human being that lives on this little blue bubble in space…and when it comes to having a world full of healthy, happy, peaceful, kind, generous and thoughtful creatures…it all starts with us. Show Links:http://www.worldwidefestivalofraces.comSend me your WWFR Race reports [email protected] or record an audio report: +1 206-338-3211 The song “New Prayer” was by Black LabDownload it for FREE at http://blacklabworld.com/marathon Ambient music included in this episode came from Aaron English, Amb26 and Adhesion.