Race Planning Clinic Re-Cap

Claude, relaxing with coffee and Vi gel in the bleacher seats.

Sunday, we had the Race Planning and Strategy clinic at Tennessee Valley in Marin.  Claude and Margaret were kind enough to bring good coffee and pancakes for everyone and Liana showed up with more baked goods.  So we just skipped the clinic and ate.

Kidding.  We gave out samples of Vi Fuel and drew numbers for a full box of Vi Fuel gels.  I was excited to have Victor Ballesteros join me to host the clinic.  His epic run at the Tahoe Rim Trail (168 miles) in August provided a terrific opportunity to discuss the importance of covering the details and plans before setting out.  He also brought a couple of his Victory drop bags and talked about the idea for them and the design and features.  Victor will be joining us again this weekend for the Eat to Win and Hill Running clinics (and group runs afterwards).  Thanks very much Victor for sharing your veteran experience and for giving us a glimpse of what the world is like at the front of the pack.  With Tim (Lucho) Waggoner and Victor there, I won't have to do any work!

More info on this weekends clinics may be found on the Running Clinics page of this site.

Here are some of the 800 photos from the clinic Sunday.  Unless otherwise noted, they are all courtesy of the prolific photo practitioner, Margaret Gagnon.  Thanks Margaret!

"What in the world am I going to talk about to these people?"

Group:  Liana, Christopher, me, Kara, Pete, Victor, John, Claude (sitting), Vivian, and hooded James

James, Liana, Kara, and Kara's hat.

James with some sort of odd undergarments.

Focused and obviously entertained.  Vivian, John, Pete.

Riveted to every word (or "God, is he going to ever shut up?"): Pete, Pon, Chris.

Obligatory Tim and Margaret photo...

"Y'all calm down and pay attention or I'll pack this show up and vacate."

Victor schmoozing the ladies.  Sheez.

"Victor, I want a drop bag about this big and made out of alligator skin."

On more than one occasion I saw Victor giving me the "what the hell are you talking about" look.

"So, after I killed the bear with my slingshot and finished the race…. "  Victor didn't buy it.

My turn with "the look".  Mr. big shot bag guy.