A Short Commercial Break

I apologize to those of you anxiously awaiting Part II to my story from yesterday. I got so entrenched in my tale that I lost all track of time and had to bail before I could finish. Not to worry though, everything will be resolved by tomorrow.

Before I continue though, I would just like to give a quick shout out to the people at Champion Innovation Lab. They contacted me a short while ago and asked me to review some running gear. Of course, being that I aspire to be somewhat of a champion in my own life, how could I say no, right? So I will be telling you my take on the yeas and nays of their new line of apparel after beating them up for a few hundred miles out on the backcountry (or my backyard) roads and trails, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime go to the Champion website and check out their entire line of athletic gear for runners of all shapes and sizes for all types of terrain...and let them know I sent you!

As an added bonus, they are also sponsoring 17 athletes to run this weekend at the Disney World Marathon Challenge! I have secret aspirations of participating in the Goofy challenge sometime in the next couple of years so I'm very excited to see how they and the rest of the runners do this weekend. I hear great crowds are expected at this race and I personally know friends and fellow bloggers who will either be running or spectating both days. To those who will be participating in the Disney Half Marathon, Full Marathon or both, have a great race and a wonderful time! I, for one, am on the one hand thrilled for you all but on the other hand extremely jealous! Good luck, take lots of pictures and have loads of fun! I expect full, detailed and glorious race reports (like the kinds I am famous for!) from everyone next week!

Going Metro

Long before I was a blogger, before I was a runner even, I used to what they call a metrosexual. I used to buy GQ and Details on a regular basis, owned a bunch of chique and expensive clothes that I only wore once, worked out at the gym until they close every night, and even had aspirations of starting a fashion magazine with an Asian American theme. I remember one winter, my brother and I developed an exercise plan that we affectionately called “Buff by Summer” that would change our physical bodies forever. I don’t think we ever made our goal (even if we really didn’t really have one to begin with); I just remember that was the year I came closest to my dream weight of 150 lbs. Nowadays, just five years removed from that period of my life when looking vain for some reason meant something, I rotate the same seven sets of clothes I used for all social events, no longer go to the gym unless I absolutely have to, have difficulty pushing the scale past 135 and can’t find a clothing store that caters to my ever thinning waist. If running hasn’t reaped such rewarding benefits, I’d considered my fall from fashion and grace somewhat sad.

So, why am I telling you all this? It’s because I received a FedEx package from these guys today. A couple of weeks ago, one of their representatives contacted me and wanted me to review their product. Apparently, they consider my blog to be quite influential in the running community…which is funny, because I always thought my family and my ten friends are the only ones who reads this mumbo jumbo. But now that the cat is out of the bag, if any other companies, especially running shoe companies…are you listening Nike, New Balance, Asics, Mizunos, Brooks…wants to send me their products to review, please have your people contact my people (or just me), and I’ll be more than willing to offer my services. Shameless plug over.

Anyway, in all seriousness, this MISSION Product company is pretty neat because it was founded when Charlie Engle, an ultra-endurance athlete ran 4,300 miles across the Sahara in 111 consecutive days and realized that there wasn’t a line of skincare for athletes. He partnered with MISSION Product to create high performance skincare that is tailored for endurance athletes and Voi-la, this new line of skincare products was born. Apparently, their product has been endorsed by many top-level athletes including five Beijing Olympians, so I’m pretty psyched that they chose me to review their product.

Although it’s a stretch to consider the 40-50 miles I put on the road each week “endurance training”, I’m up for the challenge of taking these products out for a spin and reporting my findings. There are five gels and creams in the bundle kit they sent me, including Lip Protector, Daily Offense, Anti-Friction Cream, Foot Synergy Gel, and Revive Gel, so I plan to test each product individually for two weeks and note any changes that take place during that time period. I figure even if I won’t look all buff and metrosexual after my ten week trial, at least my skin will feel really really good…just in time for the New York City Marathon too.

I’m excited. Wish me luck!