Helen Gold run/walk adds a 10K!

if you're looking for a good local KC race that helps fight an important cause, the Helen Gold race is Sept. 13. the race is helping to raise funds and awareness for Parkinson's Disease. i've run this race a few times and always had a great time - the best thing about this year's race is the new 10K option.

this time of year seems to be one that necessitates little bumps in one's running and training. we're about to hit fall races, summer runs are behind us, etc. i'm facing five 26-mile-plus events in the fall and winter and need some motivation and energy. i'll run this race as a way to jump start my competitiveness and get myself back in the step of events and races.

the other thing i love about this race is that the company I work for, Barkley, has been an amazing supporter both creatively and in spreading the word. not that we're not want for ways to socialize internally, but running and walking with your co-workers, for a great cause, sure is a good way to come together.

hit up the Web site to learn more and show up on the 13th.

my dad plain rocks

i've posted about my dad's blog a couple times. if you're an athlete, or even a maybe-i-wanna-be-an athlete, you will dig his posts. here's the most recent reason i'm proud to be his son.

sure do hope this is fake

Mad Men's Don Draper has a Twitter account.

and that is the most sensible sentence you'll be able to find as you explore the fake relationship building and sort of creepy game of pretend here.

my guess is it's fake. my devious hope is some dumbass from AMC or whatever agency is promoting the show somehow sold this in as marketing communication steeped in Web 2.0.

either way, the weird collision of very different time periods is fun to observe.

New Interwoven Threads now online!

check out the website for the two new designs - and a cool redesign of the Interwoven site!

based on customer comments, i've made the women's shirts longer in the torso - and these new shirts are super soft. even softer than the last designs. you'll love the way they fit.

also, again because of your comments, i created a new donation element. for every sale of the white threads, i'm donating $5 to America's Second Harvest to help fight the growing cost of food for lower income Americans. this will be a meaningful donation during a time when all of our budgets are stretched, but none so much as those who already were in need. the yellow threads will be the same one-shirt-donated-per-purchase model.

these shirts were designed by Suzanne Frye.

look good, do better.

When sponsorship works

if you follow my twitters or facebook updates, you know i was in hog heaven this past weekend: North Carolina, three days of cycling, talking with spectators and racers and most importantly, hanging out with the elite team Barkley sponsors. Barkley is a presenting sponsor of the Hincapie Coca-Cola Cycling Team, a team of elite pros chock full of talent and true class. it was a joy to hang out with the team, and team manager Adam Little, who played host/educator during the various criterium races we watched.

(Jeremy pushes the pedals in the Presbyterian Invite Crit in Charlotte)

(Scottie at the line for the Presbyterian Invite Crit in Charlotte)

Barkley is also a sponsor of the Hincapie Development Team - a U-23 group that's kicking hind-quarters at races across the country. The New York times wrote a story about that sponsorship - check it here.

being that our elite team is so strong (both men and women riders were winning and front-of-pack at each of the races), i heard our agency's name quite consistently. but that's only one part of a successful sponsorship. the true measure of success was found talking with spectators, other racers and local cycling leaders who had looked up the Barkley website and also had stellar things to say about the character and talent on this team. the similarities in both organizations personalities was powerful.

(Blair moving the pack in the Hanes Park Crit)

much of why i was traveling to these races was to do my planner duties and talk to people. i took hours of video interviewing folks about what makes them tick in relation to sports and healthy lifestyle. from 5-year-olds on training wheels to professional cyclists, the insights were valuable and the conversations were a lot of fun to be part of.

the other thing i realized is how advanced that part of the U.S. is in terms of active lifestyle. the cycling culture there is insane. the average small-town spectator knew the teams - even some of the racers - and could rattle off the ins and outs of a criterium race easily. you don't see that in Kansas City.

big thanks, again, to Adam for rolling out the red carpet. kudos to the team for some big wins and great sustained effort during a long week of racing.

check out the team blog here for more. they have a nice post on the weekend here.