So I know we have been talking about running... but given the current political scene,it's time to talk about a different kind of running... candidates RUNNING for office.
For some, this kind of running is no sprint- but much like a marathon, fueled by campaign donations from individual donors. Today we examine the Top 10 donors to federal campaigns from my home city... land of Oak trees....Thousand Oaks, Calif. (note: Since the 91362 zip code also includes part of adjacent Westlake Village, some contributors originate from the neighboring city.)
Here are the deep pockets according to CQ Moneyline
1. Coming in at the top spot is Blue Cross of California with a $50,000 contribution (gulp) to Republican Governors Association... someone still wants to continue the legacy of the Terminator.
2. And runner up is attorney Jerry N. Paul, of Paul Hanley and Harvey LLP. Paul spent a fat $25,000 on the DNC , and made other smaller donations to John Edwards for Prez among others.
3. Ron Plotkin, COO of Monster Worldwide, gave $30,100 total in contributions. The majority of which went to the Republican National Committee last April. According to the LA Times, Plotkin is part of Rudy Giuliani's finance team.
4. A retired Wallis Annenberg, gave $25,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee... seems Mr. Annenberg is a man of mystery.
5. Annette Plotkin, spent $22,300 on campaigns. $20,000 went to the Republican National Committee, while another $2,300 went to Giuliani... how convenient.... are these two Plotkins plotting for the Republican/Giuliani takeover???
6. & 7. Phillip Chase, president of The Chase Group, and Susan Chase.... gave $27,300 collectively but in small amounts.... and each used a variety of different job titles under the Chase Group company name. Some went to Mitt Romney and lots to the American Heath Care Association Political Action Committee. The Chase Group is listed as a nursing home consultants.
8. Louise Pearson, a self-employed musician, gave $11,250 to political campaigns including the Democratic Congressional Campaign and Moveon.org... but the majority of her spending went to non-federal causes.
9. Rick Chivaroli, of Chivaroli and Associates Insurance Services, a brokerage firm in Westlake Village, gave nearly $7,000 to Romney and Giuliani campaigns.
10. Amgen Exec George Morrow felt in the giving mood to the McConnell for Senate Committee among other causes totaling in at $6,000.
Picking the Perfect Shoe
Buying the right running shoe is half the battle in making sure you are training properly for a marathon. And with so many options to choose from... in this department it's really necessary to have a professional coach or runner assess your foot and tell you which direction to go in. Any specialty running store, with trained runners will help you do this...
I went to Future Track Running Center where runner and track coach Gloria Rios walked me through the process of picking a great shoe for your foot. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour... depending on your issues.
She said the basics of deciding on a shoe include:
1. Support (depending on your arch structure)
2. Width
3. Length
And of course, taking the shoe for a test drive in the store is a must! Don't be afraid to kick up your heels.
Rios says quality kicks range anywhere from $90 to $130. And it is important to turn in the old for the new at the appropriate time to maximize your running. Women should purchase new shoes every 400-600 miles during training... and men, because of weight difference, should get new shoes every 300-400 miles. To calculate the time, just figure out how much you run each week, and divide accordingly.
(TIP: Write the date and month on the heel of your new shoe upon purchase to accurately track how long you have been hitting the pavement.)
Watch Gloria as she describes Running Shoe 101!!
I went to Future Track Running Center where runner and track coach Gloria Rios walked me through the process of picking a great shoe for your foot. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour... depending on your issues.
She said the basics of deciding on a shoe include:
1. Support (depending on your arch structure)
2. Width
3. Length
And of course, taking the shoe for a test drive in the store is a must! Don't be afraid to kick up your heels.
Rios says quality kicks range anywhere from $90 to $130. And it is important to turn in the old for the new at the appropriate time to maximize your running. Women should purchase new shoes every 400-600 miles during training... and men, because of weight difference, should get new shoes every 300-400 miles. To calculate the time, just figure out how much you run each week, and divide accordingly.
(TIP: Write the date and month on the heel of your new shoe upon purchase to accurately track how long you have been hitting the pavement.)
Watch Gloria as she describes Running Shoe 101!!
Runners and walkers gathered in Chinatown, north of downtown Los Angeles, on Feb. 10 for the 30th Annual L.A. Chinatown Firecracker 5k/10k Run.
At the start near Broadway and College Street, pre-race festivities included lion dancers and Taiko drummers before the ceremonial lighting of 100,000 firecrackers to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to participants. Onlookers heard the snap, crackle and pop of the firecrackers that left Broadway littered with red shards.
5k start: 8 a.m.
10k start: 8:30 a.m.
A Sea of Silver
Today racegoers endured wind and rain at the 2008 Surf City USA Marathon and Half Marathon that took over the city of Huntington Beach.
The estimated 15,000 runners and walkers that suited up for the event huddled under their silver foil panchos– given to them post-race to keep the muscles warm– creating a reflective huddled mass. The haze of the drizzle made the air near the coastline wet and chilly.
Every participant who finished donned a surfboard shaped medal around their neck as they crossed the finish line on Pacific Coast Highway between 1st Street and Huntington Street.
The announcer at the finish line kept cheering the runners on as they crossed, some raising their arms for a sparse crowd of spectators. And the faint bleep sounds from the race tracking devices on each runner's shoe signaled another finisher. Runners were handed
water as they crossed, and following the instant gratification of hydration, PCH became littered with paper cups. Money raised at the Surf City USA Marathon benefits Run for Mobility participants for the Free Wheelchair Mission. However it seemed the main order of business for most runners was dulling the post-race pain with a cold Michelob from the beer tent.
As I walked the grounds of the finishing area, runners walked and chatted exchanging stories about their pace at the start of the race, their level of exhaustion and various sightings along the scenic oceanside course.
Participants had been running since early that morning depending on the varying start times for each race, and everyone looked drained from exertion and the elements.
The Surf City USA Marathon and its festivities went on as planned, but wet weather was one more thing participants had to cope with.
For more info on the race visit http://www.runsurfcity.com/site3.aspx
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