http://www.deenakastor.com New Blog Post Updates from Olympic Medalist Deena Kastor en-us http://www.deenakastor.com Hi Running Fans,

I am posting from the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California where I have been training the month of May.

Wednesday June 3rd is National Running Day. This sport gives us health, fitness, sanity, confidence, and adventure so celebrate the day by taking a friend for a run and share your secret of success with them. If you are a running enthusiast, then June 3rd is your day to promote our sport.

If you have procrastinated engaging the runner in you, this is your chance to get moving. Think of National Running Day as a second chance at your New Year’s Resolution. To get tips on how to incorporate running into your day visit www.runningday.org. Treat yourself to a run on a trail you keep meaning to explore. The first step is the most difficult, but the benefits that follow just might get you hooked on the sport for a lifetime. If you are a morning person, run before work. Use your lunch break for a jaunt through a local park. Unwind at the end of a long day by treating yourself to a run around your neighborhood. Whether you run 5 minutes or 1 hour, you have grown that much healthier. The point is engaging in the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.

I will be in New York with my friends at the New York Road Runners to celebrate the day. The New York Road Runner’s Foundation is putting on a kid’s event at Icahn Stadium where over 1000 children from Manhattan and the Bronx will be running. But, the beauty of running is you can participate anywhere at any time. So, grab your shoes, get moving and share the experience with a friend.




Click Here to go to Deena's Website »]]>Fri, 29 May 2009 19:40:53 -0400by Deena Kastor Blog Posts http://www.deenakastor.com/blog_posts.php?id=67 http://www.deenakastor.com Hi Runners

It is more difficult than I thought to be training at home during Boston marathon weekend. So, the inspiration of the many running there has me sitting here to write this blog. Spring is finally here, the kind of weather that makes it so exciting to get out the door and log some miles. My favorite trails are becoming exposed as the snow recedes. My next race is a 10K in Scotland and it has me fired up in training. The remainder of my spring and summer racing schedule will be posted on this site soon. I will be home in Mammoth Lakes between races, so I hope to see you running enthusiasts visit our running paradise. If you want to incorporate a race while here, we have a few fun events in town. On July 4th there is a fast road mile which takes place just before the main street parade. It is very patriotic and loads of fun. August 9th is the Footloose 10K which loops around town and is followed by a pancake breakfast. Next, on Labor Day is The Mammoth Rock Race, a 10K trail run that host some of the best views in the area although you have to work for it. And, October 3rd is the Mammoth Ultra. This beautifully scenic race offers both the 25K and 50K distance. I hope to see you at these events or on our trails enjoying a good training run. Please go to www.visitmammoth.com or www.mammothrunningcondo.com to plan your stay. If you stay at our condo, we have maps for running from your front door as well as direction to some of Mammoth’s greatest trails. See you in paradise.
Click Here to go to Deena's Website »]]>Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:57:33 -0400by Deena Kastor Blog Posts http://www.deenakastor.com/blog_posts.php?id=66 http://www.deenakastor.com Hi Runners,

It was a thrill to race this weekend after more than a seven month hiatus. The conditions were less than welcoming as I woke this morning to freezing rain being driven sideways down the street by a bitter wind. 32,000 people had registered for this year’s Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K and only 13,714 toed the line and braved the storm. The uneasy footing reminded me of my love for cross country. We runners were met with the brutal conditions of a gritty cross country race without the option to wear spikes for traction. It was cross country meets adventure racing and the enthusiasm on the starting line made me know that the love of running ran deep in the bones of every person there; so much that there was no room for the chill.

One of the enthusiasts in the pack wore only a green wig and tighty whities; a risky ensemble given the conditions. I made sure not to run next to him, but the guy I did find myself next to kept splashing slushy snow up on me. Brrrr! I couldn’t escape the continuous stream of freezing rain being kicked onto my legs only to have it slide down and add to the weight of my shoes. I surged, he surged. I slowed, he slowed. Luckily the race was only 8K.

I am very proud of the people that showed up to take part in this race. In an economically difficult time for our country, I’ve seen statistics show that alcohol and fast food sales are doing very well. How disappointing. I am grateful that Bank of America has chosen to sponsor this event as well as the Chicago Marathon, giving people a healthy outlet for the financial stress we are all incurring. Help out a friend this year and show them the simplicity, the confidence and clarity that comes with adopting running into your lifestyle. We will all be better off for it.


Click Here to go to Deena's Website »]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:11:05 -0400by Deena Kastor Blog Posts http://www.deenakastor.com/blog_posts.php?id=65 http://www.deenakastor.com Hi Runners

I am grateful to have this exhausted feeling from overexerting in practices. With a mild headache from speed work or sore muscles from a long run on pavement, I am sleeping very soundly. So, you can imagine that on this leisure Sunday afternoon (the only day of the week I have the afternoon off) it was a surprise when I got on my Wii balance board for a little downhill ski jumping only for the game to respond “Hello Deena. I can’t help but notice you haven’t workout out in a while”. ASICS gave Andrew and me a Wii for Christmas and it was a hit among family members during the holidays. It has also started some fun competitions between Andrew and me. I can’t believe this game came with a guilt trip. Moreover, I can’t believe I talked back to it saying that I have been working out VERY hard since the last time we hooked up. It deserved a chuckle and sent me to my computer to type a long overdue blog.

I am almost 7 months from injuring myself in Beijing, and I feel as though my training was slow and calculated until recently. After a visit to the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center in February, I received blood test results that confirmed my body is absorbing Vitamin D and therefore able to use calcium for bone growth. I also had a VO2 Max test that proved the highest I have taken in the past 13 years. This was great news to know I am on track for a good season ahead. I will be opening my 2009 racing season with the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago at the end of this month. I will be racing on the roads quite a bit this spring and summer, so I hope to see you in Chicago, New York, San Francisco or Maine. If you are in the process of planning a runner friendly summer vacation, keep Mammoth Lakes in your plans. You can stay at our townhome which comes with trail maps of my favorite runs. Check availability by going to http://www.mammothrunningcondo.com . You can also visit http://www.visitmammoth.com to help plan your trip. I hope to see you in Mammoth or at the races


Click Here to go to Deena's Website »]]>Mon, 16 Mar 2009 07:19:55 -0400by Deena Kastor Blog Posts http://www.deenakastor.com/blog_posts.php?id=64 http://www.deenakastor.com Hi Runners

The 57th Transport Division of the US Army put on a race in Bagdad, Iraq. It was a huge success thanks to Captain Phil Castillo and his crew who wanted to hold a 5K race. With the help from my husband Andrew and ASICS America we were able to send race t-shirts and Ctyomax among other race necessities. The T-shirt reads “Get on the Truck” which is the slogan of the 57th Transport Company. I’ve been told that the Cytomax was quite popular as I shared my favorite Peachy Keen flavor.

The starting line held over 300 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Iraqi civilians. Before the starting gun fired the 10th Mountain Division band played the National Anthem, and 3 soldiers courageously went through their re-enlistment ceremony. What an inspiring beginning to the day. Although the course was slightly long due to the length around the lake, the results were none the less impressive.

Male: 1) Lieutenant Colonel Marty Muchow 17.29 2) Patrick Matolka 18.37 3) Major Jason Borg 18.39

Female: 1) 2LT Adrianna Ochipintii 22.08 2) CPT Penny Blodel 22.56 3)CPT Reyn Landreth 23.07

The same weekend as Phil’s race, I ran my first 20 miler since my Beijing injury. I couldn’t help but be filled with gratitude that I have the freedom to trek across the mountain ranges here in Mammoth, California. Greater still, I feel safe running at home because of what these soldiers are trying to accomplish in a place so distant to most of us. Please view the photos on the appropriate page of my website so you can see the amazing photos Phil took during his 15 month tour in Iraq as well as the uplifting photos from race day. Congratulations to Phil, the 57th Transport Company and all the participants and for a great team effort!


Click Here to go to Deena's Website »]]>Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:46:28 -0500by Deena Kastor Blog Posts http://www.deenakastor.com/blog_posts.php?id=63