10Ks are WAY easier than marathons - 2010 RiverRun recap

I ran my first marathon last October, and took most of the winter months off from distance running. You know, you have to take care of your body, and it takes a long time to recover physically from a marathon…okay, maybe I didn’t run because when it comes to cold weather, I’m the biggest baby on the face of the earth. There’s no chance I’m running outside like the crazy people I see out when it’s 5 degrees above zero (I mean come on, stop it). And while I did run indoors on the track on occasion, it wasn’t really doing it for me.

But now that it’s sufficiently warm again in Iowa, I’ve been getting back into the habit of running, and absolutely loving it. I’m pleased to know that the enjoyment I got out of training for the Des Moines Marathon wasn’t fleeting. I haven’t decided yet whether I’m going to run another marathon this season, but in the meantime, I ran my first 10 kilometer race this past weekend in Iowa City, at the RiverRun.

After some modest training, I felt pretty good about the impending race and was really looking forward to it. After 26.2 miles, 6.2 should be a piece of cake, I thought. And, I’m not going to lie, it really was!

I cruised through the first 5 miles or so of the race, and realized I had a lot of energy left. I feel one should run a race with the intention of leaving nothing in your tank after it’s over. I certainly don’t run training runs like that, but a race is a race, might as well really push it!

Which is kind of what I thought I was doing. But apparently not. With about a mile left, I realized there was no point in holding anything back. I sped my pace by about 1.5 times, and for the last half mile, I basically sprinted to the finish! While I have to admit, it was actually really fun to pass so many people at the end, but it shouldn’t have gone down quite like that. I should have pushed it harder throughout the race. I guess it would have helped to have some sense of the timed miles I was running, but I forgot to start my wristwatch timer. Oops!

So, lesson learned, I have no idea how to run a 10K! I’ll work on that before I run another shorter race. But having said all that, if you’re a long distance runner, I highly recommend running a 10K! It was so much fun. A real breeze compared to the marathon. Though not as great as the feeling after completing a marathon, you still feel a sense of accomplishment after having finished.

I only have one complaint. Okay, maybe two. First, I noticed several people running with their dogs on the course. Really? I know I’ll probably get killed for this by all the dog lovers, but this is a race for humans. If you want your dog to be involved in a race, allow me to refer you to numerous dog tracks in Illinois. The race course was kind of small and crowded to begin with (this is complaint two). But having two runners running abreast, each with a dog, made things even more congested.

And for the race organizers, it really does make race small time if you allow animals to join in. I mean, it starts with dogs, but where does it end? Are squirrels and other varmint going to be joining in next year? Why not a horse like the one Chad Ochocinco raced?

I’m not sure what’s next for me this season. Stick to shorter races? Or do some shorter races, leading up to another marathon? Runners, what are your plans this season?

Photo credit: Iowa City Press-Citizen / Dan Williamson

Dance Marathon: Amazing event, amazing kids, amazing dancers

Say what you want about college-aged people. You can call them self-involved. Shallow. Irresponsible.

But if you experienced the University of Iowa’s Dance Marathon, you wouldn’t call them any of those things. You would call them selfless. You’d call them giving. Mindful. And inspiring.

Before this year, I had always admired Dance Marathon, which is a year-round volunteer organization that raises money and provides company and support for kids with cancer at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.

In my opinion, Dance Marathon combines the social and altruistic aspects of volunteering better than any volunteer organization I’ve ever seen. And it’s one of my major regrets from my undergraduate years at the UI that I didn’t participate.

But this year, I wanted to do my part to help the dancers get through the Big Event, which is 24 hours, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., of dancing and staying on their feet, interacting with the kids that they work so hard for and the families that appreciate them so much.

I volunteered and worked in the bag check area Friday night. I was honored and proud to be a small, small part of such a great event and organization. While there, I witnessed thousands of dancers, who had already given up many hours of their time to raise money for the young patients of the UI Children’s Hospital who face so much difficulty, giving up their weekend to stay up for 24 hours to celebrate life for the kids.

There’s a real sense of community in the IMU during Dance Marathon. Everyone smiles at each other, everyone is patient and cheerful and full of energy. There’s a palpable buzz. And the kids and families love it. They smile nonstop.

Everyone there is a rock star, but the dancers wouldn’t take any credit. They do it for the kids.

“For The Kids” (FTK) is their mantra, and it’s more than just that. It’s the reason they join Dance Marathon. And it’s the inspiration that keeps them going through all the canning for money; all the time spent organizing and preparing. And all the aches and pains and fatigue that come with staying up and on your feet for that long.

Of course, the amount of money raised is astonishing (over $1 million last year), but it’s the impact they have on the families lives that really matters. Just the fact that someone cares about them, works hard for them and spends time with them seems to brighten these brave kids’ lives. The dancers truly are role models for these kids. What kid wouldn’t look up to cool college kids who treat them like they’re the most important person in the room?

Not only the kids and families look up to the dancers, but the whole UI community does as well, myself included. To all the dancers still going strong as I write this: Thank you for all that you do. We’re proud of you, and you should be proud of yourselves. 

Professionalism: A moving target

Consider the following scenario: You’re at a professional function of some sort, related to your work. Maybe it’s an industry conference where most of the attendees are your client base. You are making your way around the room, meet someone new by chance, and begin talking. You really hit it off and end up talking for half an hour. It’s great conversation, the kind with no awkward pauses and everything just flows like a healthy stream through a meadow. You part ways, wishing the conversation didn’t have to end.

The next day you get a friend request from your conversation partner on Facebook. Remember, they are someone in your professional life who would be a client, where you have to maintain a level of professionalism with them. Do you friend back?

Now let’s say you are a journalist, and your conversation partner was someone who would normally be a source to someone in your profession. Now what do you do with the request?

Or maybe the person you enjoyed speaking with so much was a student and you are a professor. Or you are a doctor and it’s someone who would fit your typical patient’s profile. Now what do you do?

It’s important to strive for professionalism, especially in a professional context like the one mentioned above. But professionalism is a constantly moving target. And much like firing an arrow at a moving bull’s eye, your best efforts could very well go awry.

Any number of variables effect how you are supposed to react and behave in a given situation. One variable is certainly your position. A CEO or manager is going to behave differently at a professional conference than an entry-level specialist. Likewise, many people in my profession, public relations, are going to be held to a different standard than an accountant or webmaster who might do most of their work behind the scenes. Our job is to represent something or someone in a very public way, therefore, we should always be aware how our interactions will reflect, promote or contextualize what we represent. Even in semi-casual settings.

Additionally, one’s age impacts how they define professionalism in certain situations. Many Millennials would have no qualms about friending back in some or all of the above situations, equating it to exchanging a phone number or e-mail address, just another means of communication and networking. But Baby Boomers and even members of Gen X would shudder at the thought of letting a professional acquaintance have access to their Facebook profile and their “other,” non-professional self, because they or their contemporaries place a premium on privacy.

As with most ethically sticky situations, common sense seems the best solution when it comes to trying to achieve professionalism. If you’re faced with a scenario where you have time to think at length, consider how your actions will represent your employer; your clients; your boss; your colleagues; your subordinates. When you decide on a course of action, step back and think about what you would think if a colleague acted the way you were planning to. And don’t be afraid to seek advice from a mentor or friend. If you’re faced with a snap decision, trust your judgment; it’s what got you this far.

So, how do you define professionalism, and what tactics do you use in your best efforts to maintain professionalism in your interactions?

Nickles for news? New York Times to begin charging online.

News today that the New York Times is going to start charging for some content on its Web site marks a major shift in the structure of dissemination of news online for major media outlets.

We’ve known pay-for-content models for online news have been coming for some time. Though I love the fact that anybody anywhere can access great reporting at no cost, it’s clear this model is not going to be sustainable in the long run for newspaper companies. The actual printed newspaper is currently dying a slow (although rapidly accelerating) death, and newspapers are hemorrhaging money each year. Unfortunately, so are many other industries, causing the decline in advertising (both online and in print).

More and more people are not receiving any newspaper or magazine at home nor buying them at newsstands. People are getting their news online. And with the rise of e-readers, the physical newspaper is becoming more archaic by the day. As a journalism grad, former newspaper reporter and news junkie, I’m somewhat embarrassed to say that I don’t get any newspapers or magazines at home. I do pick them up on occasion, but I get the vast majority of my news electronically.

Newspapers have long made their revenue on ad sales, but that doesn’t appear feasible presently. Some of the lost revenue needs to be made up with subscription fees for e-news. The Times is reportedly favoring a metered system, where consumers would be asked to pay a membership fee after reading a certain amount of free content. A model that interests me the most is a pay-by-the-article structure, where you would register with a payment method and pay maybe 5-10 cents per article, similar to an iTunes model.
Lots of questions surround the concept of paying for online news content. After having content for free at their fingertips for so long, will consumers be willing to pay, or will they simply turn to television news and free blogs in increasing numbers? How will this affect the sharing of news on Twitter and Facebook, where an increasing number of people get their news from links shared by media outlet accounts and friends? Can newspapers survive the initial drop in online readership that’s likely to occur, especially if online advertisers begin jumping ship? Nobody seems to have a reliable answer, but I sincerely hope we can find one before we lose more good reporters to layoffs and good newspapers (in print and online) to bankruptcy.

My holiday letter

It’s that time of year. Christmas is coming and Hanukkah is underway. The temperatures have dropped to obscene levels (polar bears are booking flights out of Iowa because it’s too cold for them). Along with all this come holiday letters from your friends and family.

I’ve never written a holiday letter, and I haven’t actually received that many, either. Though I’m starting to receive more. It’s typically a married couple thing or a family thing, and many of my friends fit into both of those categories (yet another sign of how old I’m becoming). My friends have written great letters in the past. Funny, well-written, even with blatant references to me, which I like, of course.

So this year, I’m going to write one. I may be single, but things have still happened in my life over the past 12 months worth documenting. And I will even open it to all my friends, strangers, whomever. You don’t even need to have a significant other to receive this!\

Enjoy!

Dear friends and family,

Greetings and Happy Holidays! I hope this letter finds all of you well. And I hope you and your family have had a happy, healthy and fruitful year.

At the risk of sounding clichéd, it’s been an eventful year. Professionally, it’s been a very successful and very fortunate year for me. The year began for me with a new job. I was hired as an Editorial Associate at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine, and started the new position in February. After what seemed like a very long search and an attempted relocation on the other side of the country, I was grateful to have been hired for a position that was in many ways what I had been looking for.

I work in the Department of Psychiatry in a research lab that conducts multiple Huntington disease studies. I started out working on the redesign of our biggest HD study that ended up occupying much of my time for the first couple of months. I then took over the coordination process of submitting articles reporting research findings to medical journals and doing public relations work for our studies.
In recent months, I have refocused most of my attention on the PR work (which is what I was hired to do). There’s a lot of work to be done in this area, and I’m basically building most of our efforts from scratch. But it’s challenging, rewarding work. And I’m doing things to promote a study that will hopefully lead to treatments for a horrible disease, so I feel like I’m helping people, which is what I wanted to do since I started my latest job search.

I kind of define myself at this point in my life largely by what I’m doing professionally, so starting the new job was definitely the biggest and best event for me in 2009. But a close second would be completing my first marathon. I finished the Des Moines Marathon on Oct. 18 after over five months of intensive training. Why did I decide to run a marathon you ask? A friend I volunteer with told me how she was running one, and then one day basically on a whim, I decided it would be fun to train for and run one myself. It most certainly was fun, and one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.

Training was difficult and utterly time consuming. I scheduled the rest of my life around training runs this summer and fall. But it was worth it in the end. I finished the race with a time of 05:05:30, which isn’t setting any records (aside from my own PR), but was about where I wanted to finish. Crossing the finish line was incredibly exhilarating, and I recommend it to anyone who likes running. I hope to run one again sometime (I’ll likely be tempted again this year).

Other items that have defined my year include: moving to a new apartment in Iowa City (I like living here a lot); having season tickets to the University of Iowa football home games and witnessing the crazy season in person; becoming active in the social media scene (insert joke about my Twitter obsession here); having my “Fave Five” article published in my new favorite publication, Hoopla (the photo even turned out good!); continuing to volunteer once a week at the Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City (great place, love the staff and families); and starting a radio talk show with my brother Corey on KRUI.

I’ve enjoyed watching family and friends experience happiness and success in their lives this year as well. A big congratulations to all you who have had a baby this year, which includes so many of you that I won’t name anyone for fear of leaving someone out. We sure are getting older, aren’t we? For everyone who has embarked on new journeys this past year like I have, I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride as much as I have. But I also know with the economy in its current state, things beyond our control have had an impact on our lives, and I hope the steps taken over the past year will begin to improve that aspect of everyone’s life very soon. As always, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.

When the new year begins, I’ll be looking forward to winter being over so I can start running more frequently again/going outside again. I’ll also be looking forward to continuing to grow both professionally and personally. If you’re in to resolutions, I hope you find one that leads to a fruitful 2010 for you. My resolution is the same this year as always: to be a better person than I was the year before. I hope I accomplished that this year, and I hope to do the same next year.

Happy Holidays to everyone. I hope you had a wonderful year, and I hope 2010 is even better. Best wishes to you, your friends and family.

Sean Thompson

Still here, huh? Thanks for reading that. Hope it wasn’t too self indulgent. I’d love to hear about your year. What defined 2009 for you?

A case for Twitter and SM

When I get together with my extended family, there are certain constants. Absurd amounts of good food, for example (takeout or eating out; my grandma doesn’t cook, never has. She had Thanksgiving catered!). One of the new constants among many of my family members is making fun of me for my use of social media, especially Twitter (@seanathompson).

I’m used to being made fun of for any number of things by my family. My slenderness; my tendency to sunburn at the lake; my ginormous head size (though we all have that curse, not just me!). It’s just something my family does. We all have robust senses of humor. But the mocking of my social media use bothers me a little. Mostly because I wish they got Twitter and other SM the way I do.

I’ve tried to explain Twitter to them. But like most other people who make fun of us social media-ites: they’re usually not too keen on listening. It’s that kind of closed-mindedness that frustrates me.

Of course, this criticism isn’t limited to my family. I’ve heard similar sentiments at work as well. Twitter and SM haters think it’s a waste of time. They think that I and others merely post updates about what kind of sandwich we’re eating. They claim that nobody cares what I or even a celebrity is doing at any given time.

Of course, the only sandwich I will ever tweet about is the Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich from The Vine in Iowa City. Seriously, it’s so addictive, it’s deep-fried crack (courtesy Matt Farrell). But I fundamentally disagree that even pure status updates are insignificant. I for one am interested in what my friends are doing or what celebrities are doing/thinking.

Especially for celebrities and other well-known people, Twitter is a revolutionary tool. Never before has there been a marketing and public relations tool that lets well-known individuals connect directly to their fans and the public at large. There’s fast becoming no need to use the traditional mediums to communicate with consumers/fans/casual observers. Even the media now does much of its reporting using direct tweets from celebrities and other well-known people. While using tweets alone is lazy journalism, it’s certainly valid to use direct-quote tweets as part of one’s reporting.

This form of communication makes fans feel more directly connected to their favorite celebs than ever before. Such use of Twitter is only expanding. Of course, there are those who are now becoming celebrities in their own right because they’ve mastered Twitter and SM and are communicating things that other SM users are interested in consuming.

The other well-propagated myth courtesy of Twitter haters is that the “pointless” status updates are its only use. Nothing could be further from the truth. I started using Twitter as a status updater. Now, I feel like I’m only at the tip of the iceberg in terms of its use for news and information gathering, communicating, networking and professional development.

I get most of my news from Twitter. And no, that doesn’t mean I’m getting 140 chars on each story. If you’re interested in something, you follow the link and read on. Rather than going to 20 separate news sites, I follow 20 news twitter accounts, and get much more information than I would otherwise. It allows everyone to be their own reporter (which for a former reporter like me is quite a nice fix).

And as a former reporter transitioning into the world of public relations, I have learned more about my new profession in a month or two by following fellow PR pros than I could have reading any single book. And so far I’m only reading a fraction of the blogs that I should be and hope to be. I’ve also found free webinars that I know are going to make me a better professional and will benefit my research lab. SM is to thank for that.

The networking comes naturally with the professional development. That’s an element I’m looking forward to taking advantage of more in the near future. I’ve found some awesome and inspiring young gals and guys doing really innovative things, and I want to become a more active participant in the conversation myself.

Ultimately, maybe I can’t convince my family members or anyone the many beneficial and exciting uses for Twitter and other SM. As friend and tweeter extraordinaire Adam Sullivan said (tweeted) to me, “The only people who don’t like Twitter are the ones that don’t get it.” I’m not convinced I fully “get it” yet, but I’m eager and excited to continue learning. I’m utterly convinced that Twitter (or something like it) is the future of media. So you’re only hurting yourself if you’re not at least attempting to get it.

To paraphrase Rick Clancy, the head of social media for Sony “the conversation is happening with or without you.”

My first marathon

After deciding in June (mostly on a whim) to train for and run a marathon, I completed my first marathon at the 2009 IMT Des Moines Marathon on Oct. 18

After doing a few final stretches, I meander into the rows of people lined up at the starting line. It’s about 7:55 a.m., and I feel a little like a cow being led with the other cattle to something where I don’t quite know what to expect, but I have a feeling it’s not going to be pleasant. All the nervous energy that I’ve been filled with throughout the week leading up to the marathon has not left me; rather, it’s doubled or tripled in intensity.

My mind is racing. Why didn’t I get here earlier to loosen up and stretch? My nerves had no doubt made me late, and I barely had time to jog a block and then try to stretch on a chilly morning. I could see my breath, and after shedding layers down to a long-sleeved t-shirt over a regular t-shirt and shorts, I was shivering. My teeth wouldn’t stop chattering while trying to jog. This isn’t a good sign. I should have worn more layers.

I looked at the people around me. It was comforting to see that most of them seemed about as anxious as I was. As the national anthem played, I shifted from one leg to the other, much like an NBA player during game one of the finals. I clapped after the song was over, though I hadn’t heard a word of the song. But it meant that it was almost time to go.

And then, apparently it was time to go. Though those of us near the back where I positioned myself certainly didn’t hear the starting gun or any announcement. But we saw the mass of humanity move up the street well in front of us. It looked like an hourglass moving in reverse. I wasn’t sure how long it would take for our part of this river of runners to begin flowing. There were a few false starts, where we’d move ahead a few feet only to stop.

Then, we began walking, followed by jogging ever so lightly. Before I knew it, the starting line was approaching. The nerves didn’t go away, but suddenly, I wasn’t nervous because I hadn’t stretched enough or it was freezing cold. It didn’t matter anymore that I should have gotten new shoes weeks ago. A feeling of confidence that I had felt at various times during my training returned, and I knew I was ready. As I crossed the starting line, a huge smile forced its way onto my face, and I began establishing my pace.

Mile 1 snuck up on me fast, as did Mile 2. Mile 3 came a little slower. Once we got out of downtown and into the hilliest part of the course early on, I was feeling pretty well warmed up. No need to stop and stretch, which is something I normally would do after 5 minutes of a training run. I began establishing my pace of walking a minute for every mile, even though I certainly didn’t feel that it was necessary yet. But I knew I’d need that stamina for later on in the race.

The miles began to fall away like the layers of runners’ clothing that littered the sides of the course. But with every mile sign I saw, I was reminded how many I still had to go. It wasn’t discouraging, but it kept me paced the way I wanted to be.

The spectators on the sides of the course continued on through the wealthy hillier neighborhood and into the Drake University neighborhood. People stood or sat and clapped, and I smiled every time and tried to acknowledge them all with a wave or a “thank you.” Their kindness and enthusiasm buoyed me, as I’m sure it did others, and I can’t fully describe how awesome it was to have them experiencing this with me.

I continued on toward Drake Stadium. The wind had really picked up once I got there, and making a circular lap isn’t always what gives you energy during a marathon, but it was very cool to run a lap around the historic track where so many world-class athletes had competed.
Coming away from Drake and back toward the river, I had now passed the halfway point. I was feeling it, but my plan to walk as much as I needed to feel fully refreshed at the 13-mile mark left me feeling good. It didn’t take me nearly as long as I thought it would.

As I ran downhill toward the string of parks that made up most of the rest of the course, I saw my friend Matt and brother Corey for the first time. They walked with me for a minute or two, and their presence and support gave me a big boost of energy as I entered the parks section.

It was about at this point where I lost sight of a runner I had been keeping pace with for large portions of the marathon. His shirt said “blind dude” on the back, and he was running with his “guide dude,” also identified by t-shirt. I have much respect for that fellow-runner, as I did for the several wheelchair competitors that I saw on the course.

The parks sort of blended together, and eventually, I fell into a pace with about 8-10 others that I would see for most of the rest of the race. Mile 20 is about where I hit “the wall,” and from then on, it was all will and adrenaline. My legs felt like two planks of wood; my ankles like they were comprised of rubber bands, and my feet ached with every step. I kept reminding myself, one foot, then the other, one foot….

A well-placed receptacle of Gu energy gel I’m sure helped me get through the last four miles. As did my playlist flowing into my ears via my iPod. Though I didn’t have enough time to organize the playlist the way I wanted, some perfect songs came on at the right time, like The Streets’ “Prangin’ Out” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone.” When I got to Mile 24, I assessed what energy I had left, and decided I would do the last two miles and 385 yards without walking.

Making that decision and carrying it out gave me a new wave of energy, as did more adrenaline and every last bit of motivation I had built up during my training. As I had countless times throughout the race, I thought about crossing the finish line, and tears welled up in my eyes. I struggled to pull it together and tried not to think about it anymore, needing all my concentration to finish the marathon.

I cruised by a number of runners who were still walking, as Kelly Clarkson’s “Sober” pumped me up. And then, I made the turn, and was heading up the final street, the final two blocks, with the Finish line visible. I’ll always remember what song was in my headphones (“Somewhere a Clock is Ticking” by Snow Patrol). I’ll always remember the cheering spectators lining the finish area and hearing and seeing Matt and Corey cheering me on. But I don’t really remember what I was thinking. I know I was happy and relieved. But I didn’t cry. I didn’t throw up my hands and yell. But it felt overwhelmingly good. I was proud.

So proud that I did something kind of silly. After having my timing tag removed, I got to the woman handing out medals. This being my first marathon, I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to take the medal or have her put it around my neck. But she was holding it with both hands, so I decided to go for it. I figured I had earned it. And she didn’t seem to be taken aback by my actions. But it was really great to have her place it around my neck, where it would remain the rest of the day, only taken off for a shower and ice bath.

More thanks to the marathon for providing all the food and drink after the race, which I both ate and loaded up on for later. And special thanks to the Des Moines University student who stretched me out following the race. I’m sure it helped my recovery immensely.

I’m certain that completing the marathon was one of the most personally rewarding and fulfilling accomplishments of my life. My time of 5:05:30 is nothing to brag about, but it’s about where I wanted to finish. And finishing was my main goal. For me, there’s really no better feeling than setting a difficult goal and achieving it. Finishing the marathon has also boosted my self-confidence.

I have been battling some post-marathon blues in the week after the race, and I’m glad my body has recovered so I can run again (which I haven’t done since the marathon, which seems like the longest time I’ve ever gone without running, which of course isn’t even close to being true). But anytime I’ve felt frustrated, discouraged or down since the race, I just think of what II accomplished, and I’m instantly back up again. Wearing that medal helps too, which I can’t really do in public, but you better believe I’m wearing it now.