june 2012
DESCRIPTION
National Running Day, Gladiator Rock 'N RunTRANSCRIPT
Official PublIcation of
JUNE 20 1 2
Doc in the Box Our Running Doc, Holly Johnson MD, — A Happy Blood Pressure Means a Happy Run
Work is a Beach!And then you play
Summer is Gonna Fly, but so are We!The Great Prostate Can-cer Challenge & Dash for Dad Race Series — Ready for Take-Off
Running GoatsDon’t Be Baaaaashful! Come Run ‘em With Us!
DROP THE CLUTCH AND CRANK THE THROTTLE Hit the PIT on June 16 for Gladiator Rock’N Run
We know you’re passionate about your business. It’s our pleasure to run the show. Run your fingers over the numbers 214-339-7867.
s I often do when travelling I like to flip through the airline’s maga-zine and read the letter from the CEO. It gives me business insight and a few ideas on how I should approach my articles for On
Your Left! During a recent American Airlines flight, I learned how much the airline’s CEO Thomas Horton loves running, and especially how it con-nects him to the culture of the country he happens to be visiting. He goes on to explain that running and air travel are his two favorite passions. We can relate, since DFWRUNS was founded out of our love for running.
Like Thomas, I am passionate about running, so I immediately con-nected with his thoughts. Although I have not been so fortunate as to run in some of the amazing places he has been, I certainly have my list of favorites too. But more than running, his article got me thinking about my passion for the business that is DFWRUNS.
I often hear how lucky I am to have found a way to turn running into a successful business. While I have to agree with that assessment, it has not been an easy thing to do. In fact it is one of the most challenging things I deal with everyday — even more daunting than setting my alarm for 4:30 AM, so I can beat the Texas heat while marathon training.
The real challenge comes in finding the balance between running (my hobby) and DFWRUNS (my business). Over the past four years we have grown a lot and now have eight staff members on the payroll. This includes my wife, who works fulltime for us, but doesn’t draw a salary. Oh, and me too. This means DFWRUNS has to be profitable, other-wise... well, you get my drift.
Now, before starting DFWRUNS I worked for a number of profes-sional sports teams. As many of you know I am a huge fan of sports, especially the Chicago White Sox and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Years ago, while working on the team side, I would often tell myself that I would know it was time to get out of the sports marketing business when go-ing to games began to feel like work. When the late 90’s arrived, that is exactly what happened.
Letter from the EditorChief Running Officer, Eric Lindberg
“The real challenge comes from finding he balance between running (my hobby) and DFWRUNS
(my business).”
AMIXING BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE
MARKETING // PUBLICITY // SPONSORSHIP
CATCH US!(IF YOU CAN)
Long before getting to a stadium, I would begin analyzing and critiquing a team’s operations and logistics plans. I would compliment or criticize team promotions, ticket lines, signage, sponsor activation and more. I soon realized that the joy of just going to a game was gone, so I kept the promise I made to myself and moved on in my career.
Similarly, when I launched DFWRUNS I made that same promise to myself: as soon as I felt that running was simply work, I would hang it up. Although running can be a lot of work, it never seems to feel like business. What I learned from my previous experience in sports is how to channel that passion into something positive.
The great James Michener once wrote, “The master at the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his visions of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both.”
That’s great advice for balancing personal life and work life, not matter what you do.
Running has always been an escape for me. The way I balance it with work is simple — I choose what I need to escape from. I find that I am most creative when running. Sometimes I go for a run, hoping I can come up with a brilliant promotion for one our brand clients. Sometimes running helps me think about solving an operational issue for one of our event clients. Sometimes I run just to run. Still, no matter what I am thinking about, I always search for excellence in my experience.
As we enter the month of June (one of our busiest months of the year) finding balance will be an important thing for me and the entire DFWRUNS crew. Yet, one thing we all look forward to this time of year is National Running Day, which gives us runners a chance to reflect on why we are so passionate about our hobby. The first Wednesday of June each year pres-ents us with the opportunity to decorate our homes, hang running socks by the fireplace and hope that a skinny guy in red shorts is waiting on our front porch ready to take us a on a run. Yep it is our Christmas.
My apologies to Rangers fans, but this is one great thing that has come out of New York. The largest running club in the US started National Run-ning Day as a way for us as a community to work together to promote a healthy lifestyle. It is a time when new runners, old runners, middle aged runners, back of the pack, front of the pack, middle of the pack, foot shuf-flers, sprinters, walk/runners, road runners, trail runners, minimalistic and animalistic runners can all unite for at least one day.
We have a special event planned for National Running Day, so Thomas, if you are reading this and you find yourself in Dallas on Wednesday, June 6, join DFWRUNS at 6 PM at the Knox Street entrance of the KATY Trail for a run. I will even share with you my favorite run on Maui in the crater of Haleakala. Hey, I said I had a few good ones!
— Eric Lindberg
WHO’S SHOUTING “On Your Left!”?
OWNERS & EDITORS IN CHIEF Eric Lindberg – [email protected]
Sharon Lindberg – [email protected]
DESIGNCathy Hutzler – [email protected] WRITING & EDITINGCherilyn Wilson – [email protected]
CONTRIBUTORSLindsay Musielak – [email protected]
Paul Hutzler – [email protected]
Caitlin Baird – [email protected]
Kelli Conway – [email protected]
Seth Gonzales – [email protected]
Gabriella McCord – [email protected]
Rosemarie Coletto – [email protected]
UPCO
MIN
G EV
ENTS
he PIT MX motocross owners told Team Gladiator that “everything is bigger” in Texas as they measured up the berms, whoops, ruts and outer terrain and promised to deliver the wildest, muddiest, most insane
“Gladiator Tough” course yet. That’s when musclely, Dan Clark, (a.k.a. “Nitro” from the early 90’s TV series, American Gladiators) signed the contract at the dirt track — just 20 minutes outside Dallas, before effortlessly crushing the pen in his hand.
Clark then logged in to post a GUT CHECK on gladiatorrocknrun.com challenging our DFWRUNNERS to:
• Look in the mirror.
• Take in a stiff breath of courage.
• Chastise yourself for taking life too seriously.
• Promise yourself you’ll be “Gladiator Tough” and do better today than you did yesterday.
But it’s not all about big muscles, mohawks, or brimming spandex. Being “Gladiator Tough” doesn’t only mean manning up to Hell’s Hills (the berms) or the Polar Bear Plunge. There’s something inside of EVERY athlete that REALLY gets the blood pumpin. It’s a heart. Dan Clark has a big one. And his Gladiator races rev up funds for a non-profit organization that is very close to his. Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) has helped close friends whos lives have been affected by autism by providing education, support, and information. Like The Gladiator Rock’n Run, TACA began in Clark’s hometown of Orange County, California and soon grew nationally. Today, they serve several thousand families around the United States by providing parents with the resources to help their children diagnosed with autism be the very best they can be, with the hope of recovery. They are Families with Autism Helping Families with Autism.
So let’s dig deep down in the heart of Texas and help a great cause by digging deep down into the trenches of mud when the most insane ride of your life hits the PIT this month!
It’s NOT too late to sign up, but your last chance is on June 14, so make roost toward the registration site and GET SIGNED UP!
Drop the Clutch and Crank the Throttle Hit the PIT on June 16 for Gladiator Rock’N Run
REGISTER NOW!
T
Dash for Dad South BaySaturday, June 16, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
Dash for Dad AtlantaSaturday, June 16, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
Gladitor Rock ‘N Run DFWSaturday, June 16, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
Dash for Dad NashvilleSaturday, June 16, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
on’t look at the RUNS in our name as only working in the running community. Even though we run our promotions
and events tirelessly with endurance beyond any other marketing team you’ll ever hire, we’re trained to encompass what we call the entire active lifestyle marketplace. We work hard and play hard, and what better example of this active lifestyle clientele than our tanned-toed, cocoa-butter scented friends from the Dallas Sport and Social Club?
The Dallas Sport and Social Club (DSSC) is the exclusive provider of sand volleyball league management at the new Sandbar Cantina and Grill. They pride themselves on operating the highest quality sports league experience while creating a fun, social atmosphere for our participants. The Sandbar’s commitment to offering a quality sand volleyball playing experience is clear in the design of the courts and the high quality sand that they have used. The sand is soft and perfect for play and the design of the
courts will allow them to drain quickly minimizing the effect of rain on play. Sandbar will also have an awesome vibe and incredible views of downtown Dallas creating an amazing atmosphere not only as a destination for volleyball players, but a destination for anyone looking to have a good time. It’s the newest beach in Dallas… Beach Ellum!
Work is a Beach!UP
COM
ING
EVEN
TS
And Then You Play
D
Put the ball in our court and watch how we implement your promotional campaign… SERVE, SET, SPIKE!
Dash for Dad Capitol AreaSunday, June 17, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
Hottest HalfSunday, August 12, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
GPCC - CincinnatiSaturday, September 8, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
GPCC - Kansas CitySunday, September 16, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
DSSC will offer leagues at Sandbar on Sunday through Thursday nights including many Coed options and primarily 4’s and 6’s play. 4’s and 6’s provide a highly social atmosphere which adds to the fun of playing volleyball. League play is available for all skill levels so whether you are playing just for fun with friends or co-workers or want to play at a highly competitive level, DSSC has the league for you. Dallas Sport and Social Club also offers DFW’s best Soft-ball, Kickball, Football, Soccer and Basketball leagues. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! So get over [to] the net at: dallassocialclub.com or check them out in person at the Sandbar Cantina & Grill Sunday thru Thursday between 6-11 PM 317 S. 2nd Ave., Dallas.
MARKETING // PUBLICITY // SPONSORSHIP
REGISTER NOW!
GPCC - DFWSaturday, September 22, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
GPCC - CamdenSaturday, September 22, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
Dash for Dad Twin CitiesSaturday, September 22, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
GPCC - IndianapolisSaturday, September 22, 2012
RACE WEBSITE
ur Angels are flying all across America this month as we celebrate dads’ health through the Great Prostate
Cancer Challenge & Dash for Dad race series. We’re cruising various altitudes — checking courses and delivering promotion-al support from Cincinnati to Nashville and Chicago to Atlanta. There’s no turbulence and we’re gaining speed as we crosscheck for Dallas.
If you or dad are ready to step up to the starting line of a healthier lifestyle, or if you can be an example of someone who already does, let this Father’s Day be your reminder to GET REGISTERED for the Great Pros-tate Cancer Challenge DFW which will touch down in Arlington on September 22. As we’re talking about flying, we all know how fast summer will fly so don’t get delayed!
Summer is Gonna Fly, but So Are We!
OThe Great Prostate Cancer Challenge & Dash for Dad Race Series — Ready for Take-Off
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONJoin USMD Prostate Cancer
Center and Urology Associates of North Texas for the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge®, a 5K Run/Walk to support ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer. The race is part of the Great Prostate Cancer Chal-lenge, America’s Premier Men’s Health Event Series, taking place in 34 participating cities in 2012. Funds raised go to research, education, and free testing.
MARKETING // PUBLICITY // SPONSORSHIP
REACH OUT!Learn how DFWRUNS can help grow your brand or event. Contact us today!
PHONE: 214-DFWRUNSEMAIL: [email protected]: www.dfwruns.com
FIVE AND DIME RUNBy Abby Werner
n May 12th I ran in my first 5 mile race — Five and Dime Run at Winfrey Point. I was very anxious on the week leading up to the race I had never run that far. I did feel a little better knowing more of what to expect.
This time I wasn’t worried that I would be the last to finish, I was worried that I wouldn’t finish!
On the day of the race, after I had checked in and retrieved my bib number, number 557, I looked to see if there were any other kids about my age and was amazed to see only about five or six. I also stretched and watched as the crazy 10 milers set off. Even though he wanted me to, I didn’t even start with my dad, I wanted to be closer to the front. When the whistle sounded and I took off at a steady jog. I was thrilled to notice that there was a somewhat steep downhill start for the race. I kept at it until around the 2 mile mark, even ignoring a water station (not the smartest thing to do) before I had to stop and walk for a little bit. I power-walked for maybe an eighth of a mile at the most before I started jogging again. At the halfway/turn around marker I grabbed a cup of water and a cup of Gatorade and then started jogging again for about half a mile. At that point I saw my dad going in the opposite direction, not yet at the halfway marker, so I cheered him on. I jogged on and off until the last mile.
At the last mile I jogged with this man who was maybe in his sixties. We started talking and when I asked him if this was his first race he said no, this was around his 200th. We kept on chatting as we ran, encouraging each other as we jogged along. Once we had about a third of a mile to go, I had to stop and walk so he kept going. After power-walking about 100 yards I started trying to run with all the energy left in me to the finish line. Apparently, I was pushing myself too hard on the finish which was now an incline, because with less than a sixteenth of a mile to go I threw up the water and Gatorade. Two women who were running behind me stopped and asked if I was ok, one of them ran ahead so she would have a water bottle waiting for me and the other ran with me to the finish line. Once I finished I received a medal for finishing that had the Five and Dime logo on it.
After the majority of the runners had finished they had an awards ceremony and gave a trophy to the top three runners in each gender and age group. I was ecstatic when they called my name for third place for the girls 14 and under age group with the time of 54:40:47. What I thought was really cool was that even though the race was competitive, everyone was really supportive of each other.
I also made the track team at my school. It’s pretty much beginners track, preparing us for middle school next year. The only events are the 100m, 200m, 400m, and mile. They made you try out for everything, but I stunk at everything but the mile (I am not a sprinter!). We have one track meet and I’m obviously running the mile. Wish me luck!
ABBY ROAD
O
Doc in the Box by Holly Johnson, M.D.
ow that you all know a little bit about me (a real doc from the cornstalks who had a purple
bike), and you know your numbers (blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index, and cholesterol), it is time to tell you one of my patient stories from this past month. The patient was a 50 year old runner. (Well, not techni-cally; he was really more of a weekend warrior and soccer dad.) But, he had a great story! He was running to shag a lost soccer ball at his daughter’s game when he put his hand down on a fence post to support his weight as he hopped the fence to snatch the ball.
Unfortunately, his right foot got caught in the fence, and he came tumbling down, knee in an awkward posi-tion, screaming in pain. He was dislodged from the fence, an ambulance was called, and an orthopedic surgeon who just happened to be at the soccer game diagnosed him with an ACL tear. He was put in a splint and sent to see me. His final diagnosis? (Insert drum roll, please...) He fractured and displaced the upper end of his tibia which required surgery that same day. Ouchy momma!!!
I tell you this crazy story for a reason: things on the inside aren’t always what they seem on the outside...
That brings us back to one of your numbers — your blood pressure or BP. High blood pressure or hypertension is called the “silent killer” because often there are no signs or symptoms! You look normal on the outside, but an elevated BP could very well be kicking your booty on the inside! Over time, untreated hyperten-sion increases your risk of having a heart attack, stroke, heart or kidney failure, and even blindness. (How are you gonna reach your goal of running a half marathon if any of that happens?!?)
N
How can you start lowering your high BP or maintain your already normal BP? Here are some ideas:
Be physically active.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Don’t smoke.
Control diabetes if you have it.
Eat lots of colorful fruits and veggies.
Decrease your salt intake (Sorry, no salt-rimmed margaritas! And on that note...)
Limit alcohol intake.
PH
OTO
BY
: SP
EN
CE
R FR
EE
MA
N
A Happy Blood Pressure Means a Happy Run
Doc in the Box, Cont.An estimated sixty-eight million or more people in the
US have high blood pressure. That amounts to one in three people! So, if you haven’t already, hike out to the pharmacy, the fire station, your local walk-in clinic, or your doc’s office and get your BP checked today!
Your blood pressure by definition is the measurement of force against the walls of your arteries which push your ruby-colored plasma where it needs to go, like your organs, brain, and muscles. You’ve all seen it--we use a nifty tool called a sphygmomanometer which pumps on your arm to measure your BP. We then document your BP with two numbers. The top number is called your systolic blood pressure (SBP) which is the force that is placed on your arteries when your heart contracts. The force that is placed on your arteries in between heart beats, or at rest, is your diastolic pressure (DBP), the bottom number.
So who and what is normal? If your blood pressure is 119/79 or less, you are normal! If it is in the range of 120/80 to 139/89, you are considered pre-hypertensive and need to make some lifestyle changes to lower your BP. If you BP is greater than or equal to 140/90 on two different days, you have hypertension! Your doctor should talk to you about making lifestyle modifications immediately and possibly start you on a medication to lower your BP.
Blood pressure in kiddos is measured the same way, but the definition of HTN is slightly different than in adults. In kids, hypertension is diagnosed not only by the BP num-bers, but is also based on sex and height.
Good things happen over the long term when we exercise: Our happy hormones and stress-reducing bio-chemicals start kicking in which actually relax our blood vessels and increase their elasticity which in turn low-ers our BP. Also, as we exercise, our heart muscle gets stronger which can then pump more blood with less effort. If our heart works less to pump, the force on our arter-ies decreases along with our BP. It usually takes about one to three months for regular exercise to affect our BP. Studies show we can lower our BP by at least 5-10 mmHg as long as we keep exercising to maintain it! The surgeon general recommends moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, even if we break the 30 minutes into three 10 minute sessions.
So what happens to our BP while we are exercising?
During exercise our SBP actually increases pretty dramatically. It is not unusual for a run-ner’s SBP to increase while running from 100 to 200 to meet the demands of the body during exercise. How-ever, the DBP changes very little. In fact, if it increases more than as little as 10 mmHg, you should see your doc before continuing!
If you do not have high blood pressure (or other medical problems), you can probably safely start an exercise pro-gram without consulting a provider. If you have hypertension, you should monitor your BP before, during, and after exer-cise especially when you start out on an exercise program and report those numbers to your doctor. If your resting BP is greater than 200/100, you should NOT start exercising until you are advised by your doc or a cardiolo-gist that it is okay.
A happy blood pressure equals a happy heart and therefore, a happy runner! Know your BP? Yes? Then, get running!
Please Note: The info in this article is not a substitute for medical advice from your own PCP; you should always discuss exercise plans with your own doc; Dr. Johnson and DFWRUNS are not liable for any broken legs or worse should you be running and decide to hop on over a fence.
An estimated sixty-eight million or more people in the US have high blood pressure. That amounts to one in three people! So, if you haven’t already, hike out to the pharmacy, the fire station, your local walk-in clinic, or your doc’s office and get your BP checked today!
f you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you
may have seen a few strange posts about running Goats. If Na-tional Running Day is not enough rea-son to celebrate for the entire month of June, then National Goat Trauma Month should sustain your runner’s high! The staff at DFWRUNS started running Goats approximately 3 years ago as a team building exer-cise. There are also a few fortunate DFWRUNS friends who have also experienced Goat running. Don’t be baaaashful, you know who you are!
Over the years we have had a lot of curious inquires about Goats — what they are and how to do them. Un-fortunately, one of our many Goat rules prevents us from telling you just exactly what they are. You must experience them with one of our exclusive shepherds. Recently while researching information on how to kick start our summer Goats challenge, we stumbled across the Childhood Goat Trauma Foundation and it blew off our horns! We had no idea that Goat Trauma affects over 6,000 people annually.
This summer we are dedicating our Goats to the foundation with the hope of eradicating the scourge of Goat Trauma. Stay tuned to our social media outlets to find out when we will host our next Goat run, and help us build awareness of this traumatic condition. Learn more at www.goat-trauma.org.
Running Goats
IDon’t Be Baaaaashful! Come Run ‘em With Us!
Last year, around Father’s Day, David But-terbaugh had only been running a couple months and a just couple miles at a time. This year, he celebrates better health, 3 half marathon victo-ries and the joy of fatherhood along with his son, Ben and his daughter, Jessica, who are now also parents and aspiring runners. David started walking in order to simply complete a physical challenge with his men’s Bible “quest” group. This year, he’s dedicated to an additional path — and running it at 5 AM at least four times per week with a goal of a full marathon! Ben says his dad always taught him about hard work. Up until now, however, it was learned through the family landscaping business, Ben-N-Dad’s Lawn Service. “Dad started talking about running all the time and how good he felt.” Ben tells us. “I’m not as hardcore as my dad, but he’s definitely inspired me to do something.” Both Ben and Jessica testify that though they were never really runners, their interest grew (like a well-groomed lawn) when dad wanted to run a 5K at their church. David was proud he would get to share the running experience with his kids in support of a foundation they all strongly believed in. Jessica admits that seeing her father — a non-runner, able to start, excel, and succeed, allowed her to trust that she too could thrive on a running program. Ben now understands first-hand the business of father-hood and the determination it takes to make time for training.
Happy Father’s Day, David! (and Ben!)
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
