1 2 … 6 →

AlterG Contest

May. 21 Articles, Get Involved 1 comment

Gravity got you down? Maybe the injury bug snuck up and bit you? Or perhaps you just want to find out what all the fuss is about? No matter the reason, one lucky member of Level Legion will win an AlterG prize pack, courtesy of Fitzgerald Physical Therapy in Woburn, MA. You might remember that the Level crew tested out the AlterG there a while back.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Not only will the winner receive 60 minutes of AlterG time, but they will also be the recipient of a 30 minute basic running form evaluation. Not too shabby, huh?

Entry is easy: anyone who has signed up for their free Level Renner subscription is automatically entered. Not a subscriber yet? It’s free, quick and easy. Subscription box is located just to the right. Level subscribers are the first to know when the latest free issue of the magazine is available, and will have chances at subscriber-only contests like this one.

For those of you that are really interested in the AlterG then you might want to pay attention to this: we’ll give you an extra entry for “getting involved”. Between now and midnight on Thursday, the following things will earn you an extra contest entry:

liking and/or commenting on any of our new Facebook status updates
favoriting or retweeting any of our new tweets
commenting on any new blog post

It starts with all tweets and post related to this contest. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the updates as they come along. One last thing:

Anybody who signs up for the Level Renner 10k by Thursday at midnight will get 10 additional contest chances.

There’s no limit to the amount of bonus contest entries you can acquire, so if you really want this Fitzgerald PT AlterG prize pack then you can certainly improve your chances of winning.

Winner will be announced this Friday (May 24th). Good luck!

Thousands Raised for CAF

May. 18 Articles, Get Involved no comments

Pints for Prostheses

On Wednesday night, some local runners hosted a fundraiser benefitting the Challenged Athletes Fund (CAF). There were so many people involved in this great event, some of whom were: Michael and Rebecca Roberston, Thor Kirleis, Lindsay Smith, Meagan Drumm, Emmett Murphy, Lauren Ryba Davides, and EJN. Thor’s wife Heather was responsible for all the great graphic design work (see the banner up above).

According to Michael Robertson, over $3,800 has been raised so far. Between admission ticket sales, raffle tickets and then the silent auction, there were plenty of ways for people to give. The silent auction included items such as Bruins tickets, signed Bruins hockey sticks, entry to the Falmouth Road Race and gift certificates to various stores.

Stephen Currid holds up his prize sheet. He’s the proud owner of a new pair of Skechers.

Through the Level we were able to get prizes from Skechers (shoes) and Fitzgerald PT (AlterG time), along with a special Level prize package (t-shirt, charity promotional opportunity, race entry).

Shane O’Hara made an appearance later, bringing with him some of his Wednesday night Marathon Sports group run crew. It was great to see so many people turn out to help out such a worthy cause. To find out more about the CAF, you can read their response to the Boston bombings here.

We are still accepting donations on our Pints For Prostheses event page, so you can still help make a difference!

Make Tracks For Kids

May. 14 Articles, Get Involved no comments

Connecting for Children and Families will be hosting its 3rd Annual Make Tracks for Kids 5K Race/Walk and Fun Run on June 1, 2013

Join Celebrity Chairman Tony Petrarca, Chief Meteorologist at Channel 12 Eyewitness News, on this USATF certified course that winds through the beautiful campus of Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. All participants will receive a t-shirt and post-event BBQ lunch. There are prizes for the top three men and women finishers, and awards for the top three in each age division.

Proceeds from the race will go to support Connecting for Children and Families (CCF), which is a community-based organization with a mission to improve the quality of family and community life in Woonsocket. Quite a few of the competitors will also be raising money, and if any participant raises $100 or more in donor pledges, the race entry fee is waived. There will be a prize for the individual and team that raises the most money.

Registration is $25 in advance; $30 the day of the event. The Kids 1K Fun Run is $5. Online registration is available at http://ccfcenter.org/special_events.html. For more information, call Lauren Goldenberg at 401-766-338 or email lgoldenberg@ccfcenter.org.

***

Connecting for Children and Families (CCF), located at 46 Hope Street, Woonsocket, is a community-based organization with a mission to improve the quality of family and community life in Woonsocket. CCF offers a wide range of family support initiatives including quality childcare; after-school enrichment; workforce development; parenting education and support; and community safety initiatives.

Race Entry Contest

May. 09 Articles, Get Involved 1 comment

May 19th is fast approaching and with that, the first annual NE Distance Community 5k. The name couldn’t be more appropriate since the support of the New England running community is necessary not just for the success of this race, but the for the success of the whole non-profit program.

Karhu and NE Distance are teaming up to give two lucky runners a free entry to the race. To enter, just leave a comment below. We’d also encourage you to like NE Distance on Facebook and start following them on Twitter, just to help them spread the word about their wonderful program.

In fact, for an extra couple of chances, favorite and retweet this tweet. Pretty simple, right? The more you get involved, the more chances you get to win!

For more information on the race, please click here for the race website. If you are all business and just want to skip right to the registration, it’s on the RunRhody website.

We’ll see you in Woonsocket on the 19th!

Winner will be picked on Monday, May 13th, so enter now before it’s too late.

NBB Headed to Austin

May. 07 Articles, Get Involved, Press Release, Racing no comments

New Balance Boston Athletes to Represent Boston at Red Sock Relays

(Austin, TX) - Sarah Crispin and Dan Kramer from New Balance Boston are the latest athletes to confirm their participation in the Austin Track Club’s Red Sock Relays, being held in Austin, TX on May 11. Crispin, a two-time All-American in the 800 meters and distance medley relay at Tufts University, has been with New Balance Boston since 2007. Kramer attended McGill University in Montreal, where he earned all-Quebec honors in cross country and several conference championships in the indoor 1500 meters. After graduating McGill, Kramer ran with Montreal Endurance (now McGill Olympic) before returning home to the Boston-area and joining New Balance Boston.

Crispin’s participation adds an extra level of significance to the Relays through the event’s beneficiary, the GiveForward fund established on behalf of Patrick Downes and Jessica Kensky. Downes and Kensky were severely wounded in the Boston Marathon attacks. Downes and Crispin were co-workers at The Giffords School, and when she learned about their injuries, Crispin wrote a blog for the running website Level Renner asking for donations for her friends. “That was how Sarah first came to our attention,” says Austin Track Club director George Perry. “We were looking for a beneficiary that would allow us to make a direct, personal impact on someone who survived the attack. At the same time, Sarah was reaching out to the community she knows best. Once we were put in contact with her, it didn’t take much convincing to get her to sign up.”

Crispin and Kramer join Matt Duffy of the Northern California-based Asics Aggies and the Austin Track Club’s roster as the elite athlete contingent at the Relays. These athletes will be available to any mile relay team looking for an extra burst of speed to get under the 4:15 time that earns a donation on the team’s behalf. An elite mile race will cap off the Relays’ festivities, which include a series of 200-meter sprints, all-comers mile relays and individual miles, and a social media scavenger hunt powered by MapMyFitness.

Registration for the Red Sock Relays will cost $10. For more information, please visit www.redsockrelays.com.

The Austin Track Club, L3C, a low-profit limited liability company, is a professional track and field team with the mission to train, develop and support aspiring Olympic athletes. Since its inception the club has coached numerous athletes to compete in national and international competitions, most notably 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano.

The Return of the Group Run

May. 02 Articles, Get Involved no comments

Marathon Sports hosted their usual Wednesday night group run, but there was nothing usual about this particular run. It was the first time that the group has been able to meet at the Boylston St location since the bombing on Patriot’s Day. On an average night one can expect to find about 40 people gathered for a workout, but last night drew a crowd of closer to 300.

Gods to see @marathonsports hosting their group runs. #bostonstrong vine.co/v/bQKTu2TxFdr

— Level Renner (@levelrenner) May 1, 2013

The gathering was so big that it caught the attention of more than just the underground running media, as mainstream outlet WBZ was on hand to cover it as well.

Before the run started, store manager Shane O’Hara addressed the crowd and reminded us to keep the victims “in your hearts, minds and in your miles.” Although the store looked great and it was a positive upbeat environment, there are still people out there that need your help. Talking to Shane after the event, he mentioned a couple of people that were badly hurt, and I believe this is the link to help them out directly.

Shortly after that, members of the run club presented Shane with a plaque thanking him (and the rest of the company) for his service to the running community.

After the run, returning runners were greeted with pizza provided by Bertucci’s and drinks and snacks from Shaw’s.

Below are some pics taken during the event, and additional pics can be found on the Level Instagram page:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

See you there next Wednesday!

Red Sock Relays

Apr. 24 Articles, Get Involved 1 comment

Austin Track Club Announces Red Sock Relays to Support Survivors of Boston Marathon Attacks

Promotional post from the Austin Track Club

(Austin, TX) – The Austin Track Club is presenting the Red Sock Relays at Austin High School from 9am – 11am on Saturday, May 11, 2013 to raise money for The One Fund, a non-profit established to support the victims and survivors of Monday’s attacks at the Boston Marathon. The relays will feature local runners who competed in the Boston Marathon with running groups such as Gilbert’s Gazelles and Rogue Running, local elite athletes as well as athletes from Boston-area track clubs. The Red Sock Relays will be a series of 200-meter sprints, 1-mile relays and 1-mile individual races. The Austin Track Club will donate $25 for each person who runs 200 meters in under 26.2 seconds; $50 for each relay team that runs a mile in under 4:15; and $75 for each individual who runs a mile in under 4:15.

All participants in the relays will receive a pair of red socks to commemorate the city of Boston and its citizens. Austin Track Club chief marketing officer Anthony Schurz quickly turned his anger over the attacks into a desire to bring out the best in the running community. “We wanted a way to support those in need after the Boston Marathon attack while reaffirming the strength and resilience of the running community as a whole,” Schurz tells us. “This event should accomplish both of those objectives.”

Austin Track Club director George Perry noted that red socks symbolize how the entire country – “even Yankees’ fans” – rallied to Boston’s side. “The commemorative red socks will be a reminder to the community of how runners across the country each did their small part to support a great city.” Schurz agrees: “The red socks are a symbol of our empathy for the city of Boston. We think there’s a lot more meaning behind these socks than a typical race t-shirt.” Perry added, “It was also a much cheaper and cleaner way to evoke memories of Boston than handing out lobsters at the finish line.”

Registration for the Red Sock Relays will cost $10, and participants may run in as many races as they desire throughout the meet. To learn more about The One Fund, please visit www.onefundboston.org.

The Austin Track Club, L3C, is a low-profit limited liability company with the mission to train, develop and support aspiring Olympic athletes. Since its inception the club has coached numerous athletes to compete in national and international competitions, most notably 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano.

A Place for Your Thoughts; A Place to Process

Apr. 16 Articles, Get Involved, Press Release no comments

boston marathon blue ribbon 4.16.13 We are putting together a tribute/forum/editorial (we are still processing; we don’t know what to call it) section for our next issue and on our website. We want you to contribute your thoughts, concerns, prayers, reflections. Please help the world see the power of running. You can contact me directly with your thoughts at kevbalance[at]levelrenner[dot]com. Please contribute. Show the strength of our running community.

We will collect submissions for the next few days and compile them into an organized forum. If necessary, we will edit them for clarity and brevity. May your voice be heard. Pray for Boston.

WMDP – Run For Boston

Apr. 16 Articles, Breaking News, Get Involved no comments

Guest blog from the WMDP

Hey runners! And walkers. And friends. And family. Join us Sunday morning in Stanley Park, Westfield, MA at 10AM for a community fun run – Run For Boston.

In the wake of these events let’s do what we do best; run. We will be running/walking laps of the Stanley Park Athletic Fields to support those in the eastern part of the state during these tragic times. Donations are open and where they will be made is to be determined. This event will not be timed, so bring your own watch! Also we welcome snacks and water! We’re working on music. Parking available at the WSU commuter lot.

So come hang out! Run, walk, dance, sit, whatever you want! We hope to see you there! More details to come…

We’ll keep you posted with any updates we get. Feel free to pass along any suggestions for worthy charities or organizations.

Also, check out the latest from the BAA.

Holyoke Contest Winner & a Few B-Days

Mar. 08 Articles, Get Involved no comments

Okay, it’s been about a week now. Time to announced a winner for two free entries to the 38th Annual Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Road Race. The lucky member of Level Legion is….

Kevin Coyne

Kevin left a comment on the site as his entry, and we thought it was worth sharing: Love the website and can’t wait for the St.Patty’s RR…greatest and greenest day of the year in Holyoke!

We could potentially be doing this again, so keep checking back. In the meantime, feel free to like the Facebook pages of both Level Renner and the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Road Race. Every little like helps out immensely!

We’d be remiss to not acknowledge a couple of big birthdays today.

Dan Kramer – New Balance Boston

Joanna Murphy – New Balance Boston

Tom Derderian – GBTC / USATF-NE President

How can we not acknowledge El Presidente? Happy birthday to all of them, don’t party too hard. Or party just enough to keep it on the Level.