news, races

Los Angeles Marathon "Stadium to the Sea"

Los-AngelesThe inaugural Los Angeles Marathon was in 1986, born from the euphoria after the successful 1984 Olympics held in L.A. It had more than 10,000 entrants, making it the largest inaugural marathon in the world.

This year’s Los Angeles Marathon will be held on March 21st, 2010. The course has changed a few times in the 24-year history of the race. The 2010 course is brand new and is nicknamed “Stadium to the Sea”. The course takes runners from downtown Los Angeles to the Santa Monica coastline.

Each course in the history of Los Angeles Marathon has had a tradition for encouraging entertainment along the way. Music, dancing and other sorts of entertainment keep spirits up, spectators clapping, and runners going. A total of 1,000,000 spectators usually line the course and celebrate the 26,000 runners at the finish area. Get more information at the Los Angeles Marathon website.

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Barcelona Marathon

Sagra FamiliaBarcelona Marathon started as the Catalunya Marathon in 1978, and was renamed in 2005. The event will be held on March 7th, 2010.

The route, which changes every year, leads runners past many of the city’s historical landmarks. This magnificent Mediterranean city has a history that goes back to the Roman Empire and was home to the world-famous architect, Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi is the originator of numerous spectacular buildings in his native city. The marathon course leads runners past several of his works such as La Pedrera and Familia Sagrada church. The marathon starts and finishes below the green hills of Montjuïc Park.

The course is advertised to be flat, but it contains some long inclines. The hilly parts are mostly situated in the beginning of the route, but the scenery makes up for the relative toughness of this part of the course.

The number of entrants is increasing rapidly each year. Usually, almost half of the marathoners are visitors from abroad. For more information about the race and how to register, check the Barcelona marathon website.

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Napa Valley, a rural marathon

Napa-Valley.jpgThis year’s Napa Valley Marathon is going to be held on March 7th. It has an excellent course for beginning marathoners. The course begins in Calistoga and runs the length of the famed Napa Valley wine-growing region. The first 6 miles are rolling hills and the course is relatively flat thereafter.

Dedicated to fostering and promoting quality road racing, the Napa Valley Marathon is known as the “Biggest Little Marathon in the West”. In its January ’02 issue, Runner’s World Magazine named the marathon one of the Top 20 Marathons in the United States. Also Competitor Magazine, named it the Best Rural Marathon in America, in its January ’05 issue.

The race is limited to 2300 people and each participant assists important local causes. Also, the first male and female finishers win their weight in wine! All proceeds from the Napa Valley Marathon (a non-profit organization) are donated to local charities and schools in the Napa Valley region. For further information, check out the Napa Valley Marathon website.

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New feature: GPS integration

gps-iconToday we’re very happy to release a feature that many of you have requested. Introducing GPS integration! You can now log a new activity by uploading your GPS data (in the widely-supported GPX file format). We’ll create a new route and record all the extras like speed, heart rate, elevation, and date. You just need to choose the type of activity and tell us how it went.

Ready to try it out? Simply go to the Log an activity page. Select the “Use a Route” option and then click “Upload from GPS”.

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Export a GPX file from your device and save it to your computer. Select the file for upload. For Garmin devices: Use Garmin Training Center

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When the file is uploaded, you’ll see a map showing your route along with your total time and date. Then, just complete the rest of the form to log your activity.

show GPX data

Your new FitBlog post will show a small GPS icon for uploaded activities. Also, the new route from your GPX file is automatically added to your route list.

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We need your feedback!

As we developed this feature, we realized how difficult it can be to understand all of the different data types that can be found in a GPX file. If you find that your GPX file does not work correctly, please email us (support [at] runthere.com) a copy of the file so we can improve! We will also be adding better visualization of heart rate, timing, and elevation data as you request it!

Other updates:

  • Added Elliptical to activity choices
  • Viewed routes should load very quickly (especially for longer routes)
  • Embedded routes now show mile/km markers
  • Updated user profiles with activity info

Please let us know if you have any questions or want to share your ideas on how to improve our service.

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Mardi Gras! Run with the music.

mardigrasRock ‘n Roll Mardi Gras Marathon will run through New Orleans on Sunday, February 28, 2010. The event has a new initiative that will aid the local community in its ongoing effort to restore the City of New Orleans through The Brees Dream Foundation. The foundation uses these funds in the New Orleans community to provide care, education and opportunities for the children of New Orleans.

Rock ‘n Roll Marathon series is known for lining race routes with live bands, cheerleaders, and themed water stations. Mardi Gras marathon and half-marathon will be the eleventh event in the national series of music-themed marathons. Since the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon Series has a reputation for offering the runners spectacular post-race concerts, be ready. This year, Cowboy Mouth will headline the post-race concert. Also, the local bands will be playing along the marathon courses to energize the runners and walkers.

Be there and help New Orleans get in shape!

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