That’s right, free food at Fuzio in downtown Modesto. All you need to do is register early for the Spirit of Giving Run.

Come down this Saturday to Fuzio, register for the race and enjoy free appetizers and a coupon for a future meal.

Heard Our Radio Spot?

This event is going to be so much fun that it is being spotlighted on local radio. Check it out:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vadBH9mN8I[/youtube]

Spirit of Giving Registration Drive Radio Spot

What

Registration Drive for 3rd annual Spirit of Giving Jingle Bell Run & Walk

When

Saturday October, 27th from 1 – 4 pm

Where

Fuzio’s at 1020 10th Street, Modesto

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Fuzio’s will provide free appetizers for those who come down to register and a dining coupon.

Bring a can food item (for Modesto Gospel Mission) or a Dollar Donation to spin the prize wheel.

This is a family-fun spirited event with a free kids run to chase the Grinch out of Modesto

Proceeds from the race go towards Youth Recreation Programs and Meals on Wheels

For more information go to www.shadowchase.org

2012 Spirit of Giving Run

 

halloweenfunrun

Halloween is fast approaching and so is our Halloween Fun Run.

This informal 5K and 10K event is a great way to get into the spirit of the holiday and support a great cause. Proceeds of the day will sponsor Modesto youth in the Teens Run Modesto program.

No need to pre-register, just show up on race day. Only $10 to participate.

giantpumpkinGet creative with your costume and you could win a prize.  There will also be drawings and a silent auction for giant pumpkins.

Saturday October 27, 2012
East La Loma Park
8:30 AM

yogurtmill
Do you love frozen yogurt? Of course you do.

Why not enjoy this guilty pleasure while helping a great cause?

Enjoy any tempting treat at the Yogurt Mill this Tuesday, October 16th. 20% of your purchase will be donated to Teens Run Modesto.

The offer is good all day (10:00AM-10:00pm) at either of the Yogurt Mill’s 2 locations.

The only catch is YOU MUST PRESENT THE FUNDRAISING FLYER.

So treat yourself to a tasty frozen yogurt and help keep Modesto youth on the right track.

When:

Tuesday, October 16
10:00AM-10:00PM

Where:

Roseburg Square
801 West Roseburg Avenue
Modesto

Oakdale Road
2509 Oakdale Road
Modesto

Unlike past years, the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon will be offering different incentives in the coming months to encourage early registration for the race.

This week is one amazing incentive.

ontherun-300x155Every person who comes down to OnTheRun to register for the race this Saturday afternoon will reason a huge discount from OnTheRun!

This goes for all 3 races, the marathon, half marathon or 5K

The Discount

  • $15 off any purchase of $50 or more
  • spend $100 you get $30 off your purchase and so on

Use your discount for running shoes, apparel or accessories.

When

  • Saturday, October 6
  • 12:00PM to 5:00PM

Where

  • OnTheRun
  • McHenry Village
  • 1700 McHenry Avenue, Suite A13
  • Modesto, CA 95350

marathonhatThe Modesto Marathon hats were such a hit last year that we brought them back for the 2013 race.

Let everyone know you are training for the Modesto Marathon by wearing the official hat on your runs.

For only $12.00, this hat is a real bargain.

Where Can I Get My Hat?

There are several opportunities this month to purchase your new running hat. There are even ways to get a hat for FREE.

Hats will be available for purchase at all 3 of the training program meetings.

If you register for the marathon or half marathon at a training program meeting, you will receive a hat for free.

ShadowChase members can also purchase hats at our monthly club meetings.

Don’t wait. Last year’s running hats sold out quickly.

clear_channel-logo-300x187

Clear Channel Radio is airing a public service announcement for the Modesto Marathon.

Click the link below to listen to it.

2013 MM PSA Training

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sonyaanderson-300x199Sonya Decker

2012 SAMM Winner
3:01:08

You are from Minneapolis, MN. What brought you to Modesto to run the 2012 Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon? How did you hear about our race?

I came to Modesto because a friend of mine moved out to Los Gatos and she told me that she was planning to run Modesto. Helen Lavin (who finished 2nd female!) invited me out for a visit at that time, as we both were looking for an early spring marathon and there isn’t anything here in Minnesota at that time of year.  So we realized we both found a marathon that would fit our training/racing schedules and also get a chance to visit.  I’m not able to travel much due to family and work, so it was a rare treat to be able to make a trip to California.  I also really appreciated getting the chance to spend time with one of my favorite training partners whom I really miss.

Did you think you’d have a chance of winning the race when you decided to run here?

I was not thinking that I would be in a position to win the race, but did feel I could run the kind of time I was hoping for there. In my thinking, winning is about who shows up, which there is no control over. What is within control is working toward being able to run the kind of time I am hoping for, and then seeing where that puts me competitively and doing my best at that point.  It was helpful to run the first half with Sarah, but after that I ended up on my own trying to push for a sub-3 hour time.

Can you give us a brief running history? How long have you been running? What is your marathon PR, etc.

My competitive running started in my early 30s after my daughter was born.  I enjoyed running for fitness and stress relief since high school, but never raced until then. I kind of accidentally discovered that I was running faster after having my first child, then followed up on someone’s suggestion that I try a race, found that there weren’t a lot of other women around me where I was finishing, and it all started from there. I started seriously training with the marathon as my focus, and eventually was working toward trying to run a time that would qualify me for the Marathon Trials, which back at that time was 2:50.  My PR ended up being 2:51 at Chicago in 2003.

Is the marathon your primary race distance or do you prefer ultras, or shorter races? Trails or road races?

In more recent years, I have started doing ultras and really enjoy those also.  Running ultras has made me a better road runner and vice versa. There is much to learn from each world and the different runners you come across.  Ultras give me a chance to do what I love, which is to go on really long runs – with company!  I feel that same way about roads and trails – I love them both and go back and forth as needed physically and emotionally. Trail running has helped me survive all the training miles, while road running has helped keep some speed. My body usually only gets comfortable with distances of 15K and above. I do the shorter races on our team circuit locally, but they are pretty painful and non-rewarding for me, as I just never have enough time to get in a good groove.  In some ways, I still think the marathon is the perfect distance, since it can truly be raced, yet is so challenging.  Even after trying quite a few ultras and trying to run qualifying times at the 100K distance, I still have serious appreciation and respect for how hard it is to really race a marathon.

What was your favorite part of the 2012 Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon race?

I loved the cool weather – ironically it was unseasonably hot back in Minnesota that weekend and I heard many complaints from friends who were at an 8K team race that same day.  I felt I made the right choice missing that traditional race, as I got a chance to run a distance I prefer in conditions that I prefer!  Who would have thought it would work to go from Minnesota to California to get a cooler race day?  I also enjoyed the chance to run a flat course in a well-organized event.

Was there something you’d like to see us improve upon?

The only suggestion I have is to spread your volunteers out a bit more at the water stations – I was concerned that I might have some issues getting enough fluids on the course as that is sometimes the case in smaller marathons.  But there were definitely enough aid stations; the only challenge was that I needed to grab a few cups at some and could usually only get one.

What are your goals for the coming year?

 

I would love to still get in under 3 hours for the marathon – it annoys me to be just over that mark after running many sub 3 times in the past.  (I ran 3:01 at both Modesto and Chicago last fall).  So when I finished at Modesto, I was disappointed with narrowly missing again, but had the follow-up reaction of being happy to win it and still be running competitive times. Many of my past training partners are not able to race anymore due to injuries – there is not a day that I head out for a run or race where I don’t appreciate how fortunate I am to still be doing what I love!

Do you have any advice for new runners?

My advice is to be as consistent as possible with your training in terms of getting out for runs and go with the hard/easy philosophy as far as pushing very hard for some runs and then truly recovering on others. My opinion is that watches that tell you everything about pace have messed some runners up about going easy enough on their easy days – I don’t look and instead go by feel – if I feel like it’s not easy enough then it’s not no matter how slow the watch says I’m going.  Also mix things up with roads/trails and different distances. I attribute these factors as keeping me at least somewhat within the ballpark of my old times as a masters runner.

What’s the best running advice anyone has given you?

The best advice I received is to appreciate current PRs and standout performances in the moment instead of jumping ahead to what they could be, as we never know when we have run our lifetime PR at a specific distance and it is a shame not to enjoy it.

Will you be coming back to defend your crown?

I would love to come back – if it fits into my training schedule and Helen invites me again.  Hopefully she will read this and take the hint!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Lastly, I have run a lot of marathons and was impressed with how well this one was organized and how friendly/helpful the volunteers were, so thank you to everyone involved!!  You all helped us work to get as close to our goals as possible. I was a little nervous the night before Modesto, as the last marathon I ran in California was back in 2004 when I was trying to qualify for the Trials, and I got blocked by a train at mile 2!  Helen was laughing when I saw the train tracks near the course as we were driving it the day before and I wanted to know if we were going to have to cross during the race (some train paranoia).  We also were intrigued about what we were supposed to do at the part of the course that was flooded out by all the water, but magically it had been taken care of the next morning.  It’s thinking about those kind of things that helps your racers be successful and then recommend the race to others and come back themselves.

traininggroup

Hard to believe that it is that time of year again already. Time to start training for the 2013 Modesto Marathon.

This year, our training program will be bigger and better than ever before. We have more coaches, mentors and coordinators to help you get ready to perform at your best on race day.

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An overview of the new Adult Training Program can be found in our website’s Training section.

To get everyone up to speed for this 26-week program, we are having 3 informational meetings:

Hope to see you at one of the meetings and looking forward to running with you.

clydebehunin-213x300

Clyde Behunin

2012 SAMM Winner
2:32:46
(course record)

You are from St. George, Utah. What brought you to Modesto to run the 2012 Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon? How did you hear about our race?

I found the race online… had planned on doing LA that same weekend but just didn’t feel good about it for some reason. Then saw this race and we (my wife and I) had lived out in Modesto for a summer selling home security systems about 10 years ago. So I was semi-familiar with the area and decided on Modesto.

Did you think you’d have a chance of winning the race when you decided to run here?

Yes, although nothing is guaranteed. I looked up the previous winning times and decided that with a decent race and barring no really fast guys showed I’d have a chance.

Can you give us a brief running history? How long have you been running? What is your marathon PR, etc.

I ran in high school and college but nothing amazing. I started running marathons with the St. George marathon in 2005 and have been running them ever since. It took a few years of playing with training and figuring out what it was going to take to run a good race but I got really serious in 2007 and ran a PR of 2:25 at STG. I’ve won 3 marathons, and have high finishes in several others; 18 full marathons. I finished 97th overall in the 2007 Boston Marathon.

Is the marathon your primary race distance or do you prefer ultras, or shorter races? Trails or road races?

I’m a marathoner, but will run other races to “train” for the marathon. Halfs, 10ks, and I’ve even done a few 50ks, 40 mile runs and every year on my birthday I run my age. 🙂

What was your favorite part of the 2012 Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon race?

It was a picture perfect day! Cool, calm and crisp. I loved running through the cool morning air out in the blooming orchards. I could run marathons the rest of my life and maybe not have better conditions than we had that morning. Plus it’s an awesome spectator course so I was able to see my wife at about 6 different places.

Was there something you’d like to see us improve upon?

I think you guys did a great job! Honestly we really enjoyed this one. With the solid foundation you’ve already built and super flat, awesome course, I think this race will only grow.

What are your goals for the coming year?

Short term is to get healthy. I ran the Ojai 2 Ocean Marathon in Ventura around the first part of June and took second. Then shortly after that I was out on my boat and wrecked on the wake board really bad — messed my ankle up … bad! So I’d like to run STG in October and maybe CIM in December but training is slow going with an ankle injury… .

Do you have any advice for new runners?

Be consistent. If you’re going to run you need to get out at least 6 days a week and just run. There’s no other secret.

What’s the best running advice anyone has given you?

That when in a big race and running against tough competition the other competitors are “lions” (at the time I felt like a monkey) and they own the jungle (race). But as my training improved someone told me I was at least a baby lion and was growing into a tougher competitor and would — if I believed and worked hard enough, become a lion someday.”

Will you be coming back to defend your crown?

I want to. We had a great time. It just depends on my ankle and how fast it heals up and if I decide to go run Boston this year or not.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I’m glad I came. Not just because I won, but because it is a great course and that day turned out to be a great one. Here is my blog write up of the race.

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Vicky-King-2012Vicky King of Salida wasn’t supposed to be running the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon on March 18. She was supposed to be home with her hubby, celebrating 34 years of wedded bliss. But when she couldn’t find a marathon she wanted to do about the same time, she got the blessings she needed from her husband, she ran, and boy is she thankful. King is the winner of the SAMM first-time Boston qualifier contest! She wins $1,000 toward her dream trip to compete in the 2013 Boston Marathon.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh,” said a stunned King. “What news! Oh my goodness!”

King did the SAMM half marathon last year. “Modesto just kept tugging at me (this year), for many reasons. It’s local. My family could come watch me. … It’s a fast course. I really, really enjoyed it. This is my backyard. … The orchards and the fields were just beautiful. And the people out there were amazing!”

King qualified for Boston in only her second marathon. Her first was the inaugural Santa Barbara Marathon in 2010, where she ran well at 4:11:10, with her only goal to complete the course. But in Modesto, she had the “ultimate dream” of qualifying for the prestigious Boston Marathon. “My friends kept urging me to enter the contest.” This is the second year SAMM has sponsored the contest.

“I was trying to do under 4 (hours) on the clock,” she said. “Actually, I wanted to do 3:59:59. But when the 4-hour pacer went by me and started getting out of sight, I thought, just keep putting one foot in front of the other.” King said her quads were cramping for half the race and she felt like she was all over the place, literally kicking herself in the ankles. But she persevered and when she turned the corner to head toward the finish line, she knew she could qualify for Boston.

King has been running since 2005, when she was undergoing some stressful times in her life. She entered her first race at age 49 — the 5K Lodi Easter run —  to “celebrate God and what He had done” in helping her get past her struggles.

Now the biggest struggle King has to face is finding airfare and a place to stay in Boston, while navigating the rules of applying for the Boston Marathon … all new territory for her. “This is monumental,” she exclaimed.

And by the way, while King was traversing the Modesto Marathon course, her husband, a massage therapist, was busy in the finish line area giving out free massages to runners. And they had plenty to celebrate that evening.

Congratulations, Vicky!