Happy Labor Day!

From Wikipedia: The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties. In U.S. sports, Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons. NCAA teams usually play their first games the week before Labor Day, with the NFL traditionally playing their first game the Thursday following Labor Day.

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Monday Weigh-In results:

Weight: (Goal of 201) - 197.8
BF: (Goal of 11-22) - 14.5
TBW: (Goal of 50-65) - 56.2
VF: (Goal of 1-12) - 6

Chicago Monster Half Mary

So I'm pulling a Patrick; also, I really want a race buckle like Emily will be getting (not that this would equal it). So when I saw the above race advertised, with a buckle for finishers, I became sorely tempted. I've decided to race the Chicago Monster Half Marathon. Am I ready to race a half-marathon? Doubtful. Could I do it? I can. Plus, with a lot of the runners dressed up for a Halloween Race, it would be a pretty spectacular setting to set a new PR. That's right, if I finish, I get a new PR, since I've never raced the distance before.

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Just a reminder that you can get $40.00 from SomnioRunning.com by using code KovasBlog10 at checkout.

RoadID Race Hat Product Review and Giveaway!

RoadID Race Hat (It's Who I Am)

Many people don't realize that RoadID, besides carrying their life-saving ID tags and bracelets, also carry apparel. Yes, that's right, apparel for the endurance crowd (that's you and me!). It looks really cool and, based on their safety products, probably well-made. Still, I decided to dip my toes in rather than jumping in and buying, say, their cycling bib. I opted for their race hat, made by Headsweats, seen above.

Here's what they say on the website:

"This ridiculously awesome technical hat was custom made for us by our good friends at Headsweats®. The design is based on their most popular "Race Hat" and is constructed from CoolMax® for excellent moisture management and air flow. This puppy is built for serious competition, but is sharp enough for everyday wear. Our Race Hat is also a great safety device as it helps keep wind, rain, sun and tree branches out of your eyes. Train during the dark hours? We've got you covered. The sliver stripe around the bottom of the hat is highly-reflective and will help motorists see you in the dark."

Dare I agree that this hat is awesome? I do. This hat is incredibly comfortable, incredibly light, and makes me run and cycle well beyond my normal capabilities, though it did interfere with my swimstroke (you've been warned). I would consider it the equal of my GoLite cap, which as everyone knows, is next to godliness. Since most of my runs are in the dark, the reflective piping on the hat gives me some (maybe only mental) additional safety.

How much do I think you'll like this hat? Enough to have purchased a second, USING MY OWN MONEY, to give away on this blog. That's right, my own money (will wonders never cease?). But that's not all, because while you will be the proud owner and wearer of a brand-new with tags RoadID Race Hat, you'll also receive a $15.00 gift certificate good at RoadId.com!

But wait, there's more. That's right, along with the hat and the gift certificate, you also -- nope, sorry, that is all. My bad.

How to enter:

1. Be a follower of this blog.
2. Like this blog on Facebook.
3. Link this contest to your blog, announce on FB, or retweet using any of the handy buttons. Leave a comment for each thing that you do.

Enter through Thursday, September 9th- winner announced Friday, September 10th!

(Disclaimer: I purchased this product to review on my blog. I  paid for the item, did not receive payment, nor agree to give it a positive review. Aside from information gleaned from the company website, the opinions are my own. Gift Certificate is courtesy of RoadID)

Have a product you'd like reviewed? Contact me at lakotega@yahoo.com.

Book Review: Purple Cow by Seth Godin

As you can see from the plethora of product and gear reviews on the website, I love trying out new (and old) things and telling the world what I think. I've always been fascinated by business, especially the public relations aspect of it. How to get people's interest and hopefully, get them to buy a product.

Purple Cow, by Seth Godin (2003, New York, NY: Penguin Group), is a book on marketing and making a remarkable product. I got this book from the sale rack at our library, and flew through it while on the train to and from work. It is an amazing read if you have any interest in how products are created, marketed and sold.

Godin's thought is that most everyday niches have products that already fulfill consumer's desires, some dominating so much that the product becomes synonymous with the genre (i.e. Xerox, Kleenex, Band-Aid, Velcro, and so on). To be successful, you have to create a Purple Cow, a product that stands out from all the everyday cows.

Even though I disagree with him to some extent, he also feels that media marketing (print and television) no longer work and are basically a waste of money. In his mind, the way to market is to create a product and get it out to influential "sneezers," early adopters who love the product and get the word out ("sneeze the ideavirus") to their friends, who, trusting in this person, look at the product and purchase it on the sneezer's say-so. This part I agree with. I'm no stranger to requesting products from PR firms and manufacturers, hoping to find the Purple Cow that I can tell all of you about. I am, in a word, public relations friendly (that's actually 3 words). I know I trust the reviews in the blogosphere a lot more than I do television and print media.

One other thing Godin writes about that I really find interesting is Otaku, a Japanese term that describes something that's more than a hobby, but a little less than an obsession. I'd say multisport is my Otaku - even though I'm close to obsessive about the gear, the training, and now (finally) the nutrition, I still spend time with my family and hold down my job in the office.

In our midst, we have a possible Purple Cow. Patrick and Riley recently started Endurance Athlete Project, a different way of creating and marketing a product, or in their case, products. How often have you seen a product, in the store, in a magazine, on TV, or on the web, that looks really cool, except for one or two small details, like sizing, fit, or design. Endurance Athlete Project is offering us a chance to get in on the ground floor. Push Patrick and Riley to up the ante, to listen to you, to let you become a sneezer for them.

What's your Otaku? What's a Purple Cow you think everyone should know about?