Check out The Runner's Cookbook which includes 100 recipes submitted by some of the world's greatest distance runners. The book contains recipes that can be used for maximizing performance and recovery, as well as recipes for simply indulging yourself after a hard training session. All of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Ryan Shay Memorial Fund and the Jenny Crain "Make It Happen" Fund.
I have my French Toast recipe in it. :-) It's quite tasty after my long runs
July 7, 2008
June 29, 2008
Grandma's Marathon
Lake Superior along the course
Lemondrop Hill, Mile 22
Skipping a rock on Lake Superior!
I may be a little bias, but what a great event the Grandma's Marathon is! In its 32nd year, Scott Keenan has been the Executive Director since day one! What started with 150 runners in 1977, now they limit the marathon field each year to around 10,000! That along with the 6,000 runners they let in the half marathon, and the 2,000 runners in the 5K, it is one festive weekend!
I flew in from Boston where I was doing some talks for the New Balance and got into Duluth Thursday afternoon where my wife Jill met me as she was flying in from our home in Austin, TX.
I spent Thursday evening at the race expo either in the Marathon & Beyond magazine booth or at the Dick Beardsley Running Co./Dick Beardsley Half Marathon booth. I have so much fun meeting and greeting people, having pictures taken, signing their bibs, or signing my book, Staying the Course, A Runner's Toughest Race for them. the time really goes by quickly! I had the opportunity to meet a very inspiring gal named Melissa. She gave her book as a gift. Thank you!
Friday morning up early for a 10 mile run with my wife Jill and my good friend and store partner Greg Hammes, it was then a full day at the expo!
I was one of the keynote speakers and was as nervous as a "cat on a hot tin roof"! I've spoke every year at the expo for as long as I can remember and before any talk I do, I get butterflies, but this time it was different, this time I was going to tell my story about my addiction!
I didn't know how people would respond, perhaps they were thinking I was going to tell funny running stories, what happens if they all get up and leave? These were the thoughts going through my head! They always get incredible crowds for all the speakers they have every year. I was introduced, walked up on stage and said, "Hi, I'm Dick, I'm an addict" Many people started laughing (At this point I'm thinking they are laughing because of course I'm an addict, a running addict) I said it again, "I'm an addict" that's when things got eerily quit!
My story of being addicted to narcotic pain medication is not all bloom and gloom, some parts our actually quite humorous and the crowd laughed in the spots I thought they would. Other parts of it are very emotional for not just me but the audience. Many times as I would look at the crowd, I would see people wiping back tears, I had to look away immediately, as I would begin to choke up. I finished my talk with a song I wrote long ago called "LUCKY" Just me, my guitar, and 300 people! I got quite choked up singing my "LUCKY" song, had to restart a line or two because of it, but it went well and the thunderous standing ovation at the conclusion, wow, I'd thought I'd just won the Grandma's Marathon again!
After my talk, I visited with lots of folks on stage and then again back at the expo, by the time I got into bed, I felt like I had run three marathons all in a row!
Saturday morning I was up bright and early at 3 a.m. to get my run in (I know it sounds crazy). Jill and I then met the press vehicle at 5:15 am for the ride up to the start of the marathon. If I don't run the race, I always do the play by play from the lead vehicle for the men's race for the local radio station. My broadcast partner was my good friend a Duluth Tribune sports writer, Kevin Pates.
The race went by quickly and we had a good time and it was a great race to call, especially at the end, when the winner beat the second place finisher by just 5 seconds! The top men and women's results are at the bottom of this page.
Saturday evening, Jill and I spent a couple of hours at the Marathon & Beyond party where I gave a short talk and sang. What a busy fun day we had!
Sunday morning up early for a 12 mile run while Jill did her run, and then back to the hotel, a little breakfast, pack, then catch the plane back home for Austin!
Thanks Grandma's Marathon! Jill and I had a wonderful time!!!
Top Three Men:
Lamech Mokono - 2:13:39
David Tuwei - 2:13:44
Benson Cheruiyot - 2:14:20
Top Three Women:
Mary Akor - 2:38:50
Margaret Toroitich - 2:41:43
Sally Meyerhoff - 2:42:58
June 9, 2008
Dick Beardsley's High School Running Camp, Craig, Alaska
I flew from Austin, Texas to Salt Lake City to Seattle to Ketchikan, Alaska to Craig, Alaska! What a trip and what fun we all had!
How, you might wonder did we ever come up with the idea of putting on a high school running camp in Craig, Alaska? In May of 2007, I was the invited guest to speak at the Prince of Wales Island Marathon in Craig. It's a small race with big time fun! Dave "Roadkill" Johnson is a member of the running club there and works for the US Forest Service. Dave had heard about our high school running camp in the small rural community of Corning, Iowa and thought "why not here in Craig" Between Dave and our camp director, Jan Seeley, they pulled it off! The major cost would be our airfare for myself, Jan, and our other coaches, (Bill Wenmark, Joe Henderson, Mike Dunlap, and Mary Cordt) we come from all across the country. Dave did a fantastic job of getting business owners in Craig and Ketchikan to come up with funds so we would not have to charge an arm and a leg to the kids so they could come to the camp.
We had around 50 kids from mainly SE Alaska, but one young runner came all the way from Anchorage. We had a GREAT camp with plenty of wonderful food, fresh salmon, halibut, and lots of other great items. We had volunteers from the community pitch in to make the food and dish it out to the kids, talk about a community effort!
Saturday evening we all went to the Craig High School for the "Monthly Grind" it's a community talent show where anyone can perform. I was notified when I got to Craig that I was scheduled to sing and play the guitar! Roadkill got me a guitar, but all my music and songs I have written over the years were back home in Austin. I know my "LUCKY" song by heart, but I thought "I need to sing more then just one song" so Saturday afternoon I slipped off to my Bed and Breakfast and wrote a song for the folks of Craig, Alaska. It went off quite nicely! Some of the kids from our camp even got up and performed! We all had a fun fun time!
That's what is so nice about small communities, everyone pitches in to make things happen! To Dave "Roadkill" Johnson and the entire community of Craig and Ketchikan, Alaska, thanks for making our high school running camp such a success! Can't wait for next year!
How, you might wonder did we ever come up with the idea of putting on a high school running camp in Craig, Alaska? In May of 2007, I was the invited guest to speak at the Prince of Wales Island Marathon in Craig. It's a small race with big time fun! Dave "Roadkill" Johnson is a member of the running club there and works for the US Forest Service. Dave had heard about our high school running camp in the small rural community of Corning, Iowa and thought "why not here in Craig" Between Dave and our camp director, Jan Seeley, they pulled it off! The major cost would be our airfare for myself, Jan, and our other coaches, (Bill Wenmark, Joe Henderson, Mike Dunlap, and Mary Cordt) we come from all across the country. Dave did a fantastic job of getting business owners in Craig and Ketchikan to come up with funds so we would not have to charge an arm and a leg to the kids so they could come to the camp.
We had around 50 kids from mainly SE Alaska, but one young runner came all the way from Anchorage. We had a GREAT camp with plenty of wonderful food, fresh salmon, halibut, and lots of other great items. We had volunteers from the community pitch in to make the food and dish it out to the kids, talk about a community effort!
Saturday evening we all went to the Craig High School for the "Monthly Grind" it's a community talent show where anyone can perform. I was notified when I got to Craig that I was scheduled to sing and play the guitar! Roadkill got me a guitar, but all my music and songs I have written over the years were back home in Austin. I know my "LUCKY" song by heart, but I thought "I need to sing more then just one song" so Saturday afternoon I slipped off to my Bed and Breakfast and wrote a song for the folks of Craig, Alaska. It went off quite nicely! Some of the kids from our camp even got up and performed! We all had a fun fun time!
That's what is so nice about small communities, everyone pitches in to make things happen! To Dave "Roadkill" Johnson and the entire community of Craig and Ketchikan, Alaska, thanks for making our high school running camp such a success! Can't wait for next year!
May 30, 2008
ALARC Marathon Training Program
My good friend and former coach, Bill Wenmark, started the ALARC running program back in 1981. There are two major marathons in Minnesota, the Grandma's Marathon and the Twin Cities Marathon. Bill started the ALARC program to take first time marathoners and train them to finish their first one. What a success it has been! Of the thousands of runners that have been through the ALARC program since 1981, only 3 people have not finished, that is amazing!!
I've been one of their guest speakers since the program begin and love talking to this group! I flew into Minneapolis/St. Paul on Wednesday from my home in Austin, Texas. I picked up my rental car and went straight to my good friend Dr. Steven Moe, Chiropractic Kinesiologist. I've been going to Dr. Moe for over 20 years now. He checked me out, adjusted a few things and I was on my way over to Bill's house. I took a short nap, then went out for a nice easy 5 mile run on some beautiful trails. It was then onto my talk.
When I first started speaking to the ALARC group, I focused on types of training that might help these folks, over the years my role has changed and now I tell stories and get them all fired up for the big race they have coming up. My talk went well and I had a wonderful time!
Afterwards Bill and I went out for a bite to eat and ran into a mutual friend, Dr. Ken Hightoff. When I had my bad farm accident back in 1989, Dr. Hightoff did the MRI's on my body to see how much internal damage I had done, he was one of the first doctors in Minnesota that had a MRI machine.
We had a nice supper and shared some old stories!
Thursday morning it was up early for a 10 mile run and then catch my flight back to Austin. Keep up the great work ALARC and thank you Bill for making my trip to Minnesota all possible!
I've been one of their guest speakers since the program begin and love talking to this group! I flew into Minneapolis/St. Paul on Wednesday from my home in Austin, Texas. I picked up my rental car and went straight to my good friend Dr. Steven Moe, Chiropractic Kinesiologist. I've been going to Dr. Moe for over 20 years now. He checked me out, adjusted a few things and I was on my way over to Bill's house. I took a short nap, then went out for a nice easy 5 mile run on some beautiful trails. It was then onto my talk.
When I first started speaking to the ALARC group, I focused on types of training that might help these folks, over the years my role has changed and now I tell stories and get them all fired up for the big race they have coming up. My talk went well and I had a wonderful time!
Afterwards Bill and I went out for a bite to eat and ran into a mutual friend, Dr. Ken Hightoff. When I had my bad farm accident back in 1989, Dr. Hightoff did the MRI's on my body to see how much internal damage I had done, he was one of the first doctors in Minnesota that had a MRI machine.
We had a nice supper and shared some old stories!
Thursday morning it was up early for a 10 mile run and then catch my flight back to Austin. Keep up the great work ALARC and thank you Bill for making my trip to Minnesota all possible!
May 19, 2008
Woody’s RV World Marathon and Half Marathon, Red Deer, Canada
You talk about a fun event, well organized, one of the best pasta dinners I've ever been to, and lots of friendly people, that's what you have at Woody's RV World, Marathon and Half Marathon in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada!
I arrived in Calgary, Canada early Thursday afternoon, rented a car and made the hour and a half drive north to Red Deer. What a beautiful city!
I checked into my hotel, took a short nap and then headed out on a beautiful run on the many paved and unpaved trails through the forest and woods that surround Red Deer.
The next morning I was up bright and early and got in a beautiful 10 mile run, once again on the trails. At about 8 miles I was running along side a small river and I came across a beaver that I swear was the size of a small Volkswagen! After my run, I went down to the conference hall at the hotel where I met the main sponsor of the marathon, Woody Taylor. You talk about a enthusiastic, energetic person, that's Woody! I can see why he is one of the top RV dealers in all of Canada!
I spoke after breakfast to many of his staff that work at his RV Center in Red Deer. Woody preaches teamwork and setting goals, so that was my main focus of my talk. They were a great group to speak to!
After my talk it was off to Notre Dame High School where I spoke to a bunch of students, like Woody's employees, they were great!
I had a short break before it was off to the Runner Den specialty running store. I did a meet a greet and also a couple of TV interviews. I got back from that and spent a couple of hours at the expo doing more meeting and greeting. It was then off to Woody's grandson's house for supper!
Clayton Phillips and his wife Melissa hosted myself along with Woody and his partner Val for a great evening of fun! Clayton barbecued up some of the best salmon I've ever had!
Saturday morning I was up early and did a 8 mile run along the Red Deer River, I then went and ran with a bunch of folks that were in town for the marathon and we did a 2 mile fun run together on a beautiful morning!
I spent lots of time at the expo during the rest of the day. Saturday evening it was time for the pasta dinner. They had sold it out, over 300 people were in attendance and we had a great meal along with honoring some runners and then I gave my talk. My talk went well, then it was time for all to hit the hay for our races the next morning.
Sunday morning was beautiful and they had a record turnout for the marathon and half. I ran the half at a good effort but did not race it, had a wonderful run on a beautiful course!
After the run it was back to the hotel, pack, and drive back to Calgary for my flight home to Austin. If you are looking for a GREAT marathon that's not to big except in hospitality, then Woody's RV World, Marathon and Half Marathon in Red Deer is the place you don't want to miss! Thanks Woody and Red Deer, Alberta, Canada!
I arrived in Calgary, Canada early Thursday afternoon, rented a car and made the hour and a half drive north to Red Deer. What a beautiful city!
I checked into my hotel, took a short nap and then headed out on a beautiful run on the many paved and unpaved trails through the forest and woods that surround Red Deer.
The next morning I was up bright and early and got in a beautiful 10 mile run, once again on the trails. At about 8 miles I was running along side a small river and I came across a beaver that I swear was the size of a small Volkswagen! After my run, I went down to the conference hall at the hotel where I met the main sponsor of the marathon, Woody Taylor. You talk about a enthusiastic, energetic person, that's Woody! I can see why he is one of the top RV dealers in all of Canada!
I spoke after breakfast to many of his staff that work at his RV Center in Red Deer. Woody preaches teamwork and setting goals, so that was my main focus of my talk. They were a great group to speak to!
After my talk it was off to Notre Dame High School where I spoke to a bunch of students, like Woody's employees, they were great!
I had a short break before it was off to the Runner Den specialty running store. I did a meet a greet and also a couple of TV interviews. I got back from that and spent a couple of hours at the expo doing more meeting and greeting. It was then off to Woody's grandson's house for supper!
Clayton Phillips and his wife Melissa hosted myself along with Woody and his partner Val for a great evening of fun! Clayton barbecued up some of the best salmon I've ever had!
Saturday morning I was up early and did a 8 mile run along the Red Deer River, I then went and ran with a bunch of folks that were in town for the marathon and we did a 2 mile fun run together on a beautiful morning!
I spent lots of time at the expo during the rest of the day. Saturday evening it was time for the pasta dinner. They had sold it out, over 300 people were in attendance and we had a great meal along with honoring some runners and then I gave my talk. My talk went well, then it was time for all to hit the hay for our races the next morning.
Sunday morning was beautiful and they had a record turnout for the marathon and half. I ran the half at a good effort but did not race it, had a wonderful run on a beautiful course!
After the run it was back to the hotel, pack, and drive back to Calgary for my flight home to Austin. If you are looking for a GREAT marathon that's not to big except in hospitality, then Woody's RV World, Marathon and Half Marathon in Red Deer is the place you don't want to miss! Thanks Woody and Red Deer, Alberta, Canada!
May 10, 2008
Duluth Middle Schools, Duluth, MN
It is always a treat for me to go to Duluth, Minnesota, to me it is almost like going home as I'm always welcomed there with such open arms! This time I was in Duluth to speak to all the kids at the middle schools. I was there to speak about living a healthy active lifestyle, chemically free. The very thing that the Dick Beardsley Foundation is promoting.
The one thing I found out about speaking to kids years ago is, you have to get them into your talk right away or you spend the rest of the time reeling them back in. Fortunately I was able to do that! The kids at all of the schools were wonderful and they all gave me their utmost attention! I can't thank the folks at Grandma's Marathon and the Duluth School District for making my trip to the middle schools all possible!
The one thing I found out about speaking to kids years ago is, you have to get them into your talk right away or you spend the rest of the time reeling them back in. Fortunately I was able to do that! The kids at all of the schools were wonderful and they all gave me their utmost attention! I can't thank the folks at Grandma's Marathon and the Duluth School District for making my trip to the middle schools all possible!
May 5, 2008
Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon/ RRCA Convention 50th
The folks in Cincinnati really have something going with their flying pink pig! This was my second time time to be at the Flying Pig Marathon to speak and my first time to speak at the RRCA Convention. It was the 50th Anniversary of the RRCA so I was very honored that they chose me to be their keynote speaker!
I arrived on Friday afternoon and got to the hotel around 2 pm. I took a short nap and then went for a beautiful 5 mile run along the Ohio River!
After my run, it was over to the expo to be at the Marathon & Beyond booth and talked to folks, sign copies of my book, Staying the Course, A Runner's Toughest Race and John Brandt's book, Duel in the Sun, race bibs, took pictures, and enjoyed the festivities. This is another race that has really grown! In their 10th year and getting bigger and better!
Saturday morning I went out for a nice run with a few thousand other runners who were running the 10k, I jumped in a got a good workout in, of course I did not go through the finish line since I was not registered.
I spent the day at the expo, then gave my talk at 3pm to a packed audience, they were super and my talk went well!
Saturday evening I gave the keynote at the 50th Anniversary Banquet of the RRCA.
Sunday morning I was up and did a couple of miles then ran the half marathon for a good workout. With 3 miles to go, I caught up with my ole friend Doug Kurtis from Detroit. Talk about a running legend! Doug had a PR of 2:13 in the marathon but the most incredible thing about Doug is, he holds the record for the most marathons run under 2:20, Doug totaled 76! That my friends is absolutely amazing, that is one record I don't think will ever be broken!
Doug was running the half also as a good workout as he was in training for the Grandma's Marathon coming up in June.
We finished our run, then it was back to the hotel to pack and catch my flight back home to Austin.
Thanks Flying Pig for the wonderful time I had!
I arrived on Friday afternoon and got to the hotel around 2 pm. I took a short nap and then went for a beautiful 5 mile run along the Ohio River!
After my run, it was over to the expo to be at the Marathon & Beyond booth and talked to folks, sign copies of my book, Staying the Course, A Runner's Toughest Race and John Brandt's book, Duel in the Sun, race bibs, took pictures, and enjoyed the festivities. This is another race that has really grown! In their 10th year and getting bigger and better!
Saturday morning I went out for a nice run with a few thousand other runners who were running the 10k, I jumped in a got a good workout in, of course I did not go through the finish line since I was not registered.
I spent the day at the expo, then gave my talk at 3pm to a packed audience, they were super and my talk went well!
Saturday evening I gave the keynote at the 50th Anniversary Banquet of the RRCA.
Sunday morning I was up and did a couple of miles then ran the half marathon for a good workout. With 3 miles to go, I caught up with my ole friend Doug Kurtis from Detroit. Talk about a running legend! Doug had a PR of 2:13 in the marathon but the most incredible thing about Doug is, he holds the record for the most marathons run under 2:20, Doug totaled 76! That my friends is absolutely amazing, that is one record I don't think will ever be broken!
Doug was running the half also as a good workout as he was in training for the Grandma's Marathon coming up in June.
We finished our run, then it was back to the hotel to pack and catch my flight back home to Austin.
Thanks Flying Pig for the wonderful time I had!
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