Great Hiking Trails Yakima, WA

If you’re looking to explore some of the best trails around while sniffing the sweet smell of vineyards in the air then look no further than Yakima Valley. I’ve only been here for about 2 weeks now and in that short period of time I am happy to say that Washington is by far one of the best places I’ve visited so far. Don’t believe me, check out my list of some really cool trails to visit next time you’re on your way through this beautiful state.

Cowiche Canyon, the Tieton Nature Trail

Bench Loop Trail

Yakima Canyon Rim (Skyline) Trail

Big thanks Peacock bridge kennels

 

Stay tuned for pics and video from the St. Louis run later today.

 

http://www.pbkennels.com/

journey to the top of the arch

 

 

 

Journey to the the Arch in St. Louis should prove to be a fun way to start off the first day of runs. Cheers and happy holidays to all!

 

 

Good Times at Polk State College

During my last couple days here in Polk county, Florida I’ve been taking the time to visit one of my favorite little parks in the area. Nestled in the heart of Winter Haven, Fl right on the Polk State College campus is perhaps one of the most under-rated parks around.

 

Perfection on the baseball field.

 

Hands down to the pull-up queen!

 

The running path here isn’t one of the best or longest around, but with scenic views of the baseball diamond, soccer fields, and nearby lakes it is pretty good.  As you can see from the photo I didn’t look too upset so if you’re in the area I would recommend stopping by at least once or twice.

 

 

The outdoor workout stations here were what kept bringing me back. You literally can work everything from chest and back to quads and core. Another good thing to note is that unlike many outdoor workout stations they offer step by step exercises to do each day.

 

 

Temple Grad Will Run 1,000 Miles to Pay Off Student Loans | The Philly Post

Temple Grad Will Run 1,000 Miles to Pay Off Student Loans | The Philly Post.

Plans for the Upcoming Susan G. Komen Run in Philadelphia

Coming from a family with a breast cancer survivor in the household the upcoming Susan G. Komen Walk has always been something I’ve wanted to do. Luckily, now the opportunity to do good and raise money for this righteous cause is better than ever. The walk itself runs October 4-6 averaging 20 miles each day. Each team is required to raise a minimum of $2300 for the cause and will be aided by the foundation every step of the way.

How I plan to Help

To help raise money for the cause I plan to auction off the 3 days for the event in hopes of tripling this requirement. Race day specifics and details are not yet set in stone, but odds are this will not be something I’m doing alone. Follow along as I give updates on the event and details about my potential running partner/s.

8 years old and running for a cause

Running for Christ makes her happy. What makes you run?    

The Band “Bloated Roadkill” Scheduled for Sept. 3rd Run.

Just got word that this cool local band from Reading, PA has decided to give PaidtoRun a shot. The band “Bloated Roadkill” is composed of 4 members (Groundhog, Possum, Raccoon, and Dawg) from the Berks area who started jamming together in late 2008. After several hours of playing together at a mutual friend’s house on Christmas day 2008 the group decided to take their passion for music even further and create a band.

For more info on “Bloated Roadkill” and potential booking check them out at.

http://www.bloated-roadkill.com/index.htm

info@bloated-roadkill.com

https://www.facebook.com/bloatedroadkill

Running with the Dogs

Peacock Bridge Kennels Sponsors September 2nd

I’m happy to say that September 2nd has been reserved by Peacock Bridge Kennels. The 10,000 sq. ft. building situated on 35 acres outside of Reading, Pa is one of the best training and boarding schools in the state. If you’ve got a special pup in your life that you’d like to see become “Well Behaved in 2 Weeks” look no further than right here.

 

For more info and details on the Peacock Bridge Kennel please feel free to reach them at.

http://www.pbkennels.com/

Andy Bensing

610-926-2722

https://www.facebook.com/PeacockBridgeKennels

 

 

5 Things I Learned from Running in Florida

1. The Sunshine State isn’t always Sunny like Philadelphia– Now for me growing up in Reading, Pa and spending lots of time in Philadelphia left me too dependent on the Weather Channel. In PA I can typically start out a day by eating a good whole grain breakfast, checking my email, checking the weather, then heading out for a good run, but unfortunately this isn’t how it is in Florida. I found out pretty quickly that no matter what you may see outside, hear on the news, or feel in your heart there’s probably about a 150% chance that the weather will completely catch you off guard. After being caught in torrential down-pours for 2 days in a row while on long jogs I realized that long distance jogs are something best accomplished by taking several loops around your neighborhood. Although this isn’t always true I’d definitely consider keeping this idea in mind for anyone looking to log more than 5 miles in a day.
2. Lizards are Worse than Roaches– For some people roaches can be some of the biggest pests on the face of the Earth, and for the longest time I’ve completely agreed, until now. The other day while on a jog near Lego Land in Winter Haven,Fl I began seeing hundreds of tiny lizards dashing across the sidewalk in front of me. Taken back by this spectacle I began slowly running through the may-lay of tiny critters as they dashed under my feet. Now although this was a bit annoying what happened next was what gave them the title of “Most Annoying Pests” in my eyes. Scared that they would be stepped on the lizards began jumping across the sidewalk, hurling themselves into mine and my running partners shoes. As I ran hysterically laughing about the experience I began to notice how badly my running partner had really felt about the lizards that attacked her. Although I had been relatively unaffected by the mild inconvenience, my running partner looked almost completely traumatized by her fear of lizards. Due to this fact these tiny lizards earned themselves a spot on the list of Things I Learned from Running in Florida.
3. Wear a Mask in Central Florida– I probably don’t have to tell many of you that mosquitoes and nats aren’t something that are particularly good to have around, but central Florida takes this truth to new heights. With one of the highest concentrations of lakes per square mile in the entire country this region is bombarded by all manner of pesky insects. So if you’re like me and prefer to jog outside instead of on a treadmill for an hour then I highly suggest investing in a high quality bug repellent to help minimize the likelihood of becoming a feast for every insect in the area.
4. Humidity kills more than Heat– Warm days on the beach with friends, good drinks, and beautiful people is the reason nearly everyone comes to Florida. This of course is very similar to runners as well who come to Florida with dreams of running on the beach with the soft breeze of ocean air hitting them in the face. In fact I myself have been caught a few times falling into this mindset as I took long jogs on the beach. Sadly to say however as fun as this may seem at times, the humidity in Florida makes running on some days almost unbearable, if you’re not use to it. With the humidity and daily temperatures ranging in the 90’s on most days average runners often wait til late night or early morning to get daily runs done. While the heat may some times consume the day, it is the humidity that makes breathing extremely difficult at times. This is especially true for individuals, with allergies, asthma, and respiratory conditions. So stick to the recommended 5am runs to help avoid the humidity and maintain proper hydration to avoid breathing complications.
5. Grass isn’t always Low-Impact- On many occasions I, like many of you out there, prefer to run trails and grass paths for a low impact day of running. As good as this is it’s not as easy as it sounds in many parts of Florida. One of the reasons this is true is that despite offering an abundance of natural beauty, a lot of the trails and grass paths in Florida tend to have very patchy spots of grass that isn’t properly maintained. Part of this is due to the soil that is found predominantly throughout Florida which is more comparable to sand then the typical dirt one sees in other parts of the country.  This combination leads to many ditches and small potholes that if not monitored at all times could turn a once relaxing jog into an unwanted sprained ankle. While not all trails in Florida are like this it is something to consider if you plan on running off the beaten path.