Can I borrow some coin me brutter?

Today I got reminded of a fact I had forgotten during my time off due to injury and distractions of life, running is a darn expensive cheap sport.  Now obviously it doesn't have to be.  We've all the stories of people eating just beans, wearing barely more than smiles and rushing through the wilderness for free.  And that's great! I applaud them! Realistically though for most of us we like shiny things, we get dazzled by the latest and greatest and more than likely at some point you'll want to run a race.  If you want to do well in said race, you'll need to be training which will require nutrition of some sort and new gear...at the very least some briefs to keep things from rubbing raw and maybe some Red11 Sport to keep your nippies intact.

This thought was brought to my attention after considering signing up for the Marine Corp Marathon.  Got all the way through and sat pondering the, not excessive, but certainly not insubstantial, reg fee...should I be lucky enough to be chosen from the lottery.  Then I started thinking how I could really use some new trail shoes and mid-to-high mileage shoes.  Aaaand I was off...wouldn't say no to a new Garmin and I would really like a chance to re-do Chicago(I think you can still feel my shame of my performance), but that would require a flight/hotel/el/cab/food and that's not realistic right now.

I'm signed up for 4 decent sized races through the end of May right now and aside from a few small, cheap things that might be it for a while and that's fine.  And maybe I'll win some shoes or gear...that would be great.

Orrr maybe I'll just learn to accept that I can squeeze some extra miles out of my rotating shoe stable and that the open roads and, hopefully under the inches of snow, trails are still free.  The main point I guess is, don't stop or make excuses. Just improvise, adapt and enjoy!  Too many people don't have the abilities(I don't mean financially despite the tone of the rest of the blog) to get out there and test their bodies and minds.  Left foot, right foot...watch that right outsole though, it's getting thin.

It's going to be a looong trick or treat night!

Been wanting to write something for a few days, but then I it came to me after checking my Facebook(Adam Bricker), my Instagram(@APBRICKER) and my Twitter(@APBricker)! I'll write about the community. My endurance "neighborhood"...hence the cheesy title.

Between the races I've run, the people I've spoken with through social media, either on my own or as an ambassador for one of the various companies I've been lucky enough to promote, or just random folks out along the way, I've been a part of 200k+ block party.  Now obviously haven't spoken to everyone, but I've read blogs, tweets, finisher's list, profiles, articles...whatever and we are all kindred spirits.  The endurance community is one of the most open and easy groups of people I've ever met or known.  For the most part, 5 min mile or 14 min mile, Nike die hard or interested in the latest and greatest...a moment can and will be spared and an equality will be established, because we are all striving for the same thing, self-improvement...and that glorious FINISH LINE banner.

Sometimes I get so lost in the training, which is going well and I can't wait for Spring, or hitting this time or distance, that I don't appreciate everything else being a "runner" has done for me.  Whether it's been a re-tweet or a donation when I ran the Goofy on behalf of the Arthritis Foundation or just reading this now I'm impressed by how giving and accepting the community is.

So just want to acknowledge and say thanks!  Also, can't wait to continue down this road, or trail, with all of you.  Now, please pass the potato salad.