Running In Circles

TIR 2011 Video :: Sneak Peek

2012-01-25T16:30:00.000-06:00

I hope you enjoy this tease!

Leg Options

2012-01-24T11:15:00.001-06:00

Hello runners! This year, you get to choose one (1) leg that you are most eager to run. Please email me your #1 and back-up choice and we'll do our best to divide the legs up evenly and fairly. Here is the pdf to the Leg Rankings. I need those choices sent to be by February 10th. Only 66 days away!

Shirt Poll Closing

2012-01-10T10:26:00.002-06:00

It looks like blue is in the lead. Unless someone changes their vote and the 3 remaining people vote, I will be closing the polls at the end of today.

Shirt Options

2012-01-04T14:57:00.000-06:00

Below are some options for us to pick from this year. Please be sure to vote on the poll to the right. Voting ends in two weeks, January 20th. Everyone's opinion counts!

Women’s

Men’s

Full Team for 2012

2011-12-28T10:22:00.002-06:00

I'm happy to announce that we have a full team for TIR 2012!!! Keep an eye out in your email and this blog for updates and polls. We'll be choosing a team shirt soon!

Planning has begun

2011-11-04T11:19:00.002-05:00

Planning for TIR 2012 has begun. Team 1 is registered and paid for, hotel is booked and the team is almost complete. I've also just purchased the team bags and I think you'll all love it! Check it out! I'll be adding the Team 1 logo once I receive it hand.

All registered

2011-11-03T11:02:00.001-05:00

Team 1 is registered and paid for. Can't wait. Now the planning can begin!

Hotel Booked

2011-09-21T11:47:00.001-05:00

I just booked our hotel for the run in Bastrop. Can't wait! Staying at the Hampton Inn & Suites.

new date for TIR 2012

2011-07-08T16:12:00.001-05:00

The new date for TIR 2012 will be March 30-April 1st. Hope everyone can make it! :-)

TIR 2012 :: Hotel booked

2011-03-18T09:25:00.001-05:00

Just FYI, I've booked the hotel for next year at Sleep Inn Gonzales. It's a newer hotel, non-smoking, so we don't have to deal with the smell again next year! I'm so excited!

TIR 2011 :: Complete

2011-03-07T12:59:00.003-06:00

Another successful year in the bag. Thank you all for making it so memorable. I've emailed the runners a pdf of the timesheet this year. You all did an excellent job. Once the official results come in, we'll let you know.

I've also emailed everyone the expense sheet. Please pay it at a reasonable time so we can pay our bills. :)

Also, an email went out for the flickr group so you add your photos. I can't wait to see them all. If you don't upload your photos, it won't be included in the yearbook or video.

Thanks again for a wonderful year!

TIR 2010 Video Yearbook

2011-02-28T21:06:00.001-06:00

Check it out!

TIR 2010 from Thuy Nguyen on Vimeo.

TIR 2011 is nearing

2011-02-26T15:59:00.004-06:00

As the TIR is nearing, here are some things to remember!

1. Arrive at our house at 5:00 pm sharp. We want to get things started and out the door as quickly as possible. Dinner will be at Headquarters provided by Jackie, Garo and myself. An email of our address will be sent out as the date nears. Please carpool if possible. We strongly recommend taking the Monday following off just so your body can recoup from lack of sleep.

2. Ice breaker game: Everyone bring $3 for our favorite game, L.R.C.

2. Everyone, please remember to pack light, one bag per person please. We understand the extra items, you can leave those items at the house so we do not need to lug them around in the van. We will have extra towels in case you forget. There will be plenty of areas for people to rest, so no worries there.

For the everyone to bring: cash, pillows, sheets, towels and lots of energy

For the runners to bring: power bars/goo, socks (at least 2 pair), shoes, several changes of clothes, cash, gps watches, water belts, and head lamps. There will be some GPS watches, water belts, LED vests and blinkies for the runners to use, but if you have any, please bring them with you, make sure they are labeled.

For the supporters to bring: several changes of clothes, ear plugs, cash and lots of energy

3. I plan on ordering Subway to eat at the house for dinner on Saturday. I believe Garo will be making his special blend of coffee for those who need caffeine.

4. Our start time this is 8:16 am! We will be staying near the start line, so we'll have time to eat breakfast. We will leave an hour prior to our start in order to check-in and get situated.

5. Please be sure you know where you should be at any point of the race, refer to the leg exchanges, one TIR Packet will be in each van. TIR Packet will consist of the leg exchanges and maps. Be sure to check out the TIR Packet to help you know where you should be.

6. All Supporters must wear a reflective belt, head lamp or vest to be visible at night. You MUST carry a flashlight/head lamp with you!

7. It is HIGHLY recommended that runners either know their route (or bring the written directions) so that they could run their leg even without any signage or course markings whatsoever. This time, turn arrows are right on the cones themselves. Markings will also be on the ground just like last year...a red dot, a blue dot, and then a white arrow pointing in the direction runners should go. Finally, the red tent with the flags will be set-up at the exchange points. All exchanges will have portable restrooms with the lone exception of Exchange 30 in George Bush Park.

8. When we're at the monument, both vans will have a orange parking passes to enter the monument. The monument and race officials "request" (mandate) that teams run the last little stretch on the grass (and not on the road) for safety reasons since the road is not that wide and cars will need to be able to go both directions. Also, team members may want to bring a little cash if they are interested in purchasing official (and vintage) TIR merchandise.

TIR 2011 Meeting :: Meeting Minutes

2011-02-15T21:19:00.003-06:00

Thank you all that were able to attend the online meeting. I hope it wasn't too much trouble logging on.

Team Song
Please be sure to vote if you have not yet. Only a couple more weeks and the race directors need to know!

Air Mattresses
Peter, Zhahan, Lyndsey, Julio and myself will be providing air mattresses. Also, we have a bed in the guest bedroom as well well as uber comfy couches upstairs.

Pot Luck at HQ
Garo and Jackie have graciously offered their services to provide food for us on Friday night. So everyone is off the hook, unless you want to contribute. A big thanks to Garo and Jackie!

Leg Distribution
Here is the link to the leg distribution. If anyone has a concern, please email Phi or me as soon as possible.

TIR 2011 Meeting :: Tuesday, February 15 @ 8 pm

2011-02-09T17:18:00.010-06:00

Hello everyone,

We are hosting an online team meeting on Tuesday, February 15 at 8:00 pm. If you would like to come over, you may do so as well.

We will start the meeting promptly at 8:00 pm and will stay as long as you guys want. We'll take the opportunity to answer any questions/concerns you may have.

We've set up a chat room using www.meebo.com.

Instructions to join:
1. Click on the following link: http://www.meebo.com/room/teamonetir/
2. Password: TIR2011
3. Once you are in the room, please change the nickname to your real name, this will make it easier for us to know who is speaking
4. We will begin the meeting at 8:00 pm on Tuesday.

Topics of discussion:
Introductions
Leg Assignments (click here for the distributions of legs)
*Note: We tried to accommodate everyone's wishes as best we could.
Pot Luck at HQ
Team Song
Air Mattresses

TIR 2011 Leg Distribution

2011-02-01T14:19:00.002-06:00

As we get closer to the run, we will start distributing the legs. You'll need to decided if you'd like to run 3 or 4 legs and have an idea of your strengths. Review this summary of legs and ranking. An online meeting time will be scheduled soon.

Also, I've ordered the team shirts. We ended up going with red shirts and white imprint. They look great!!!!

Things to remember on race weekend

1. Please be sure to arrive at our house by 5 o'clock, we would like to leave by 7 pm for Gonzales. It seems that we'll be having dinner at HQ, so arrive with food. Sign-up sheets for food will go out shortly. If it is possible, please try to carpool. Please bring your own towels and toiletries. We have some but if you have special needs, please bring your own. You can leave those items at the house to leave room in the vans.

2. Please be sure you know where you should be at any point of the race, refer to the leg exchanges, one TIR Packet will be in each van. TIR Packet will consist of the leg exchanges and maps. (will be reviewed later)

3. Food/drinks that we have purchased for the team: Bread, Peanut butter, bananas, honey, pudding, turkey jerky, water, cookies, Gatorade and sodas.

4. Runners must have their own goo/power bars

5. There will a runners bag in the both vans with a phone, camera, blinkies and walkie talkies. Additional items in the active van will be water belts and GPS watches.

6. Each van will have a GPS system, hand wipes, first aid kit, cooler, ice, food, and drinks.

7. Sleeping Arrangements: In Gonzales, TX at The Best Western, we will have 4 rooms with double beds. Wake up time is dependent on our start time. We are near the start line this year, yippee!

8. On Saturday evening, there will be Subway sandwiches ordered for the team at home base. There will also be a coffee maker for those needing caffeine.

9. Payment from each person will be collected after the race, after all receipts are added up.

TIR 2010 Photo Book

2011-01-28T18:04:00.002-06:00

Here's the book ready for purchase!

TIR Breaking News! (We're Famous!)

2011-01-26T09:28:00.004-06:00

This is an excerpt from the last TIR Email Newsletter:

Wayyyy back at the stroke of midnight on March 1, 2007, the TIR opened it's registration for it's inaugural running. The process to make the registration "go live" was literally the click of a button, which was clicked at exactly 12:00:00AM. Not thinking anything of it, I looked at my email before retiring for the day, and there was an email indicating that a registration had already been completed. It had to be some sort of glitch because it literally was there 2 seconds after registration opened. But, it wasn't... to this day, how it was done so quickly remains a mystery! This was the genesis of Team 1, and they have run the TIR every year since.

What started out as a family thing, quickly grew to include old friends and new. According to Thuy Nguyen, their team captain, "No matter what the makeup of the team, we've been blessed with amazing team chemistry. Everyone just clicks! We are family members, friends of friends, veteran runners and newbies. From our diverse backgrounds and varying experiences we remain united through one thing, the run. We may never be one of the fastest teams on the pavement, but we'll always be the first team online. :) "

Nominated Songs

2011-01-24T15:04:00.002-06:00

Here are the songs that have been nominated. Please be sure to vote on the sidebar.

1. Double Dutch Bus by Frankie Smith

2. Ride Like the Wind by Christopher Cross

3. Body Movin' by Beastie Boys

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T10:00:00.002-06:00

Can you believe it? In about 2 months, we'll be getting in our Team vans and heading for Gonzales, TX for our annual run. It's right around the corner. As we begin to receive information from the race directors, we will be sure to relay that to the team. Also, please comment below for a Team song to introduce us before our start. Once we get a handful, we'll put a vote out. I nominate Double Dutch Bus by Frankie Smith.

TIR 2011 Shirt Options

2010-12-02T21:38:00.005-06:00

Hello everyone,

We’ve just about finalized our team for 2011, earliest by far. Now the toughest question of all, what color would you like your team shirt to be. Below are the options for Men and Women, be sure to vote on the poll to the right. These are Champion brand shirts.

Breakfast for TIR

2010-10-19T22:09:00.001-05:00

I made a breakfast casserole for dinner tonight and it's tasty enough to be our Team breakfast for Sunday morning!

Polls

2010-10-08T14:34:00.003-05:00

Be sure to vote on the polls on the right hand side. It's vital that we get everyone's input.

TIR 2010 Time sheet

2010-04-05T19:37:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone. Sorry for the delay, but I had some numbers missing when I copied the time sheet for our personal records. I finally received the official sheet and here is the link to the time sheet.

Our place

2010-03-11T16:27:00.002-06:00

Final results are in. We placed 99th overall and 58th in our Open Mixed Division. Great job runners! Be sure to check out http://www.lonestarrelays.com/ for updates. I'll get the official Team 1 time sheet up soon so you can check out how you did. As for pictures, be sure to add yours to the flickr pool. My 588 photos are up and I'm anxious to see everyone elses.

We're finished

2010-03-07T20:28:00.003-06:00

Great job guys! I hope you all had a blast, because I sure did. I always look forward to planning this awesome adventure. Hopefully, everyone was able to have memories that will last forever! I'll be sending out the team times as soon as I get them entered and have a link for sharing pictures. Team 1 forever!

love,
team mom

It's here

2010-03-05T12:42:00.001-06:00

It's finally here! We've been preparing for this day since a year ago and I think we're all ready to go! Woo hoo!

Updates to the Leg Exchanges

2010-03-02T18:34:00.005-06:00

Hello everyone. We had to make a slight change to the leg exchanges to be sure we abide by the rules. Please review to know where you'll be at all times. Thanks again.

Meeting Roundup

2010-02-26T11:02:00.005-06:00

Hello everyone. Thank you all that were able to come to the Meet & Greet. It was great seeing old faces and new!

Things to keep in mind.

1. Arrive at our house at 6:00 pm sharp. We want to get things started and out the door as quickly as possible. Dinner will be at Panera Bread to make it an easy in-and-out meal. An email of our address will be sent out as the date nears. We strongly recommend taking the Monday following off just so your body can recoup from lack of sleep.

2. Everyone, please remember to pack light, one bag per person please. We understand the extra items, you can leave those items at the house so we do not need to lug them around in the van. We will have extra towels in case you forget. There will be plenty of areas for people to rest, so no worries there.

For the everyone to bring: cash, pillows, sheets, towels and lots of energy

For the runners to bring: power bars/goo, socks (at least 2 pair), shoes, several changes of clothes, cash, gps watches, water belts and blinkies. There will be some GPS watches, water belts and blinkies for the runners to use, but if you have any, please bring them with you, make sure they are labeled.

For the supporters to bring: several changes of clothes, ear plugs, cash and lots of energy

3. I plan on ordering pizza to eat at the house. Also, there will be 8 pre-made burgers in the fridge ready to heat up and eat. Also, there will be a coffee maker for those in need of caffeine.

4. Our start time this is 8:32 am, the latest is has ever been since we have a strong team! We will be staying near the start line, so we'll have time to eat breakfast. We will leave an hour prior to our start in order to check-in and get situated.

5. Please be sure you know where you should be at any point of the race, refer to the leg exchanges, one TIR Packet will be in each van. TIR Packet will consist of the leg exchanges and maps. Be sure to check out the TIR Packet to help you know where you should be. (There are two sheets total, links are on the top left)

6. There will not be runner Check-In at each exchange this year. However, a few random exchanges may give the runner a sticker for the Team Captain to put on the timesheet that is to be turned in at the finish.

7. It is HIGHLY recommended that runners either know their route (or bring the written directions) so that they could run their leg even without any signage or course markings whatsoever. That said, we are going (for a 3rd attempt) at not having cones with signs literally blow away. This time, turn arrows are right on the cones themselves. Markings will also be on the ground just like last year...a red dot, a blue dot, and then a white arrow pointing in the direction runners should go. Finally, the red tent with the flags will be set-up at the exchange points. All exchanges will have portable restrooms with the lone exception of Exchange 30 in George Bush Park.

7. When we're at the monument, both vans will have a orange parking passes to enter the monument. The monument and race officials "request" (mandate) that teams run the last little stretch on the grass (and not on the road) for safety reasons since the road is not that wide and cars will need to be able to go both directions. Also, team members may want to bring a little cash if they are interested in purchasing official (and vintage) TIR merchandise.

This just in from Weimer…

2010-02-24T09:01:00.001-06:00

Hi runners!

TOW (tara of weimar) checking in to let you know that Weimar is sooooo ready for the run this year! Since Borden is not open, we will be preparing the hamburgers. Cold beer is only 2 blocks from the exchange. Come hungry or thirsty .

We are also dedicating our stop to Bill Dodge (Corpus Christi Roadrunners). This team has a special place in my heart and Bill's absence will be felt. Thoughts and prayers go out to the entire team!

Please send me any special requests (like if we need to make coffee). Weimar looks forward to your arrival...see you on the 6th

As the date nears

2010-02-19T11:21:00.004-06:00

Here is some info to keep in mind as the race nears:

1. Please be sure to arrive at our house by 6 o'clock, we would like to leave by 7 pm to have dinner at Panera Bread in town before leaving for Gonzales. Address will be given in an email at as the date becomes closer. If it is possible, please try to carpool. Please bring your own towels and toiletries. We have some but if you have special needs, please bring your own. You can leave those items at the house to leave room in the vans.

2. Please be sure you know where you should be at any point of the race, refer to the leg exchanges, one TIR Packet will be in each van. TIR Packet will consist of the leg exchanges and maps. (will be reviewed later, once we have our start times)

3. Food/drinks that we have purchased for the team: Bread, Peanut butter, bananas, honey, pudding, turkey jerky, water, cookies, Gatorade and sodas.

4. Runners must have their own goo/power bars

5. There will be a runners bag in the both vans with a phone, camera, blinkies and walkie talkies. Additional items in the active van will be water belts and GPS watches.

6. Each van will have a GPS system, hand wipes, first aid kit, cooler, ice, food, and drinks.

7. Sleeping Arrangements: In Gonzales, TX at The Best Western, we will have 4 rooms with double beds. Wake up time is dependent on our start time. We are near the start line this year, yippee!

8. On Saturday evening, there will be pizzas ordered for the team at home base. There will also be a coffee maker for those needing caffeine.

9. Payment from each person will be collected after the race, after all receipts are added up.

New shirts

2010-02-15T15:09:00.002-06:00

Sorry guys, the shirts were not available, but we found one comparable to the original for a dollar cheaper.

Shirts have been ordered!

2010-02-12T18:11:00.000-06:00

Yippee, we're all on our way team! I'll hopefully have them picked up on March the 1st. Will post pictures of them once we have them in hand.

This just in

2010-02-11T14:14:00.000-06:00

In Flatonia
Yes indeed the showers in Flatonia will be available for you, this year with hot water also and more privacy too! Courtesy of the Flatonia Volunteer Fire Department. In addition the VFD will be selling sausage wraps to benefit the purchase of new equipment for the department.

We also will have a registered massage therapist here in case you have need for one.

The Flatonia Chamber of Commerce will be having a Market Days on March 6th also which is scheduled to have food vendors as well as arts and crafts, and music.

Notes from Meeting #2 (01.26.10)

2010-01-27T10:43:00.004-06:00

Again, thank you all for meeting last night. Here is the link to the leg assignments. We had to shuffle around some of the night time runs so everyone had a chance to go home and get some shut eye. If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Voting
Please be sure to vote for the team song to be played as we are introduced at the start line.

Shirts
Looks like navy beat out scarlet 10 to 8 vote. Thank you all for rocking the vote. I'll be placing the order at the beginning of February. If you'd like to change your order quantity or size, please let me know before then.

Air Mattresses
From the meeting, I gathered that Lyndsey, Loanna, Felipe, Quan and Zhahan had air mattresses we could borrow for that weekend. If this is correct, please remember to bring them the Friday before we leave.

Dinner to Meet & Greet
A lot of you showed interest in meeting & greeting before the relay race, which I think is great! Let me know your ideas in places to go and I can start planning that for the team.

I believe that's it. Thanks again for making meeting #2 a success! 37 more days!

Updates

2010-01-26T15:24:00.002-06:00

Check out the TIR website for updates. Now showing what the medals and socks will look like and the new legs and rules.

Welcome our 12th Runner

2010-01-22T11:46:00.001-06:00

I want to welcome Loanna to the team. She is the final runner to make it a complete team of 12 runners. Welcome!

TIR 2010 :: Meeting #2 on 01.26.10 @ 8 pm

2010-01-20T11:12:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone,

We are hosting an online team meeting next week on Tuesday, January 26 at 8:00 pm. If you would like to come over, you may do so as well.

We will start the meeting promptly at 8:00 pm and will stay as long as you guys want. We'll take the opportunity to answer any questions/concerns you may have. Just about half the team is new this year so I'm sure you all have plenty of questions.

We've set up a chat room using www.meebo.com.

Instructions to join:
1. Click on the following link: http://www.meebo.com/room/teamonetir/
2. Password: TIR2010
3. Once you are in the room, please change the nickname to your real name, this will make it easier for us to know who is speaking
4. We will begin the meeting at 8:00 pm on Tuesday.

Topics of discussion:
Introductions
10k times from runners
Leg Assignments (click here for PDF of leg summary, you must review before the meeting)
Finalize Shirt Order and Color

Things to remember on race weekend

1. Please be sure to arrive at our house by 6 o'clock, we would like to leave by 7 pm to have dinner in town before leaving for Gonzales. Address will be given in the meeting. If it is possible, please try to carpool. Please bring your own towels and toiletries. We have some but if you have special needs, please bring your own. You can leave those items at the house to leave room in the vans.

2. Please be sure you know where you should be at any point of the race, refer to the leg exchanges, one TIR Packet will be in each van. TIR Packet will consist of the leg exchanges and maps. (will be reviewed later)

3. Food/drinks that we have purchased for the team: Bread, Peanut butter, bananas, honey, pudding, turkey jerky, water, cookies, Gatorade and sodas.

4. Runners must have their own goo/power bars

5. There will a runners bag in the both vans with a phone, camera, blinkies and walkie talkies. Additional items in the active van will be water belts and GPS watches.

6. Each van will have a GPS system, hand wipes, first aid kit, cooler, ice, food, and drinks.

7. Sleeping Arrangements: In Gonzales, TX at The Best Western, we will have 4 rooms with double beds. Wake up time is dependent on our start time. We are near the start line this year, yippee!

8. On Saturday evening, there will be pizzas ordered for the team at home base. There will also be a coffee maker for those needing caffeine.

9. Payment from each person will be collected after the race, after all receipts are added up.

Your fondest memory of TIR

2010-01-12T13:47:00.001-06:00

Hello past, present and future TIR members. I'd like to know, what is your fondest memory of TIR? Comment below!

Team Song

2010-01-11T10:47:00.001-06:00

Leave a comment to what our team song for 2010 should be when we're introduced.

Shirts

2009-11-20T15:58:00.004-06:00

I stopped by a local t-shirt printing shop and asked for pricing on their water-wicking shirts. I was surprised by the brands of shirts they carried and offered them for so much less than competitors. Below is the shirt, for men and women. Yes ladies, I am trying to get shirts fitted for the curvier us! These are Champion brand shirts, so much better quality than the ones we've gotten. Let me know what you think and if you want to change your order quantity. We're thinking either scarlet or navy blue this year.

TIR 2010 :: Meeting #1 on 10.23.09 @ 7 pm

2009-10-20T22:59:00.009-05:00

It's about that time now to select the elite runners and supporters for 2010's Texas Independence Relay Race. For all of you who know, it's a weekend filled with adventure and new friends.

We will be looking to secure 12 runners and a few back-ups as well as 6 supporters and a few back-ups. We are asking for a $50 deposit to secure your spot and help with up-front expenses. This will go towards your total cost at the end. If you know of anyone who is interested in running or supporting, feel free to add them to the list.

If you are interested in participating as a runner, please fill out this form.
If you are interested in participating as a supporter, please fill out this form.

We've set up a chat room using www.meebo.com.

Instructions to join:
1. Click on the following link: http://www.meebo.com/room/teamonetir/
2. Password: TIR2010
3. Once you are in the room, please change the nickname to your real name, this will make it easier for us to know who is speaking
4. We will begin the meeting at 7:00 pm on Friday, October 23rd.

Thanks everyone!

TIR 2010

2009-03-24T10:16:00.001-05:00

Hello all! I've booked our hotel for TIR 2010. We will be minutes away from the starting line. Woot woot!

2009 TIR PLACEMENT

2009-03-10T03:52:00.001-05:00

http://www.texasindependencerelay.com/csv/2009_TIR_Results_Overall.pdf
awww...143

Meeting Topics

2009-03-04T11:43:00.005-06:00

1. Please be sure to arrive at our house by 4 o'clock, we would like to leave by 5 pm. Address will be given in the meeting. If it is possible, please try to carpool. Please bring your own towels and toiletries. We have some but if you have special needs, please bring your own. You can leave those items at the house to leave room in the vans.

2. Please be sure you know where you should be at any point of the race, refer to the leg exchanges, one TIR Packet will be in each van. TIR Packet will consist of the leg exchanges and maps.

3. Food/drinks that we have purchased for the team: Bread, Peanut butter, bananas, honey, pudding, turkey jerky, water, cookies, rice cakes, Gatorade and sodas. Tina and Bob will be providing ham, cheese and bagels. Thanks!!!!

4. Runners must have their own goo/power bars

5. There will a goodie bag in the active van with a phone, camera, blinkies and walkie talkies. Additional items in the active van will be water belts and GPS watches.

6. Each van will have a GPS system, hand wipes, first aid kit, cooler, ice, food, and drinks.

7. Sleeping Arrangements: In Halletsville at Chaparral Motel, we will have 4 rooms with double beds. They will be providing breakfast for us at around 4 in the morning.

8. We plan on leaving by 5:00 am from the hotel to be in Gonzales on time.

9. On Saturday evening, there will be pizzas ordered for the team. There will also be a coffee maker for those needing caffeine.

10. Payment from each person will be collected after the race, after all receipts are added up.

Things to Remember

2009-03-04T10:28:00.002-06:00

It will be daylight savings on Sunday, but that should not make a difference on timing the event.

The Flatonia Volunteer Fire Department will be sponsoring the shower facility behind the Lyric Theater in Downtown Flatonia. There will be a couple of mobile restrooms here also.

Its a nice new 4 stall shower outdoor facility, so come get hosed in Flatonia!

Team 1 Shirts

2009-03-03T23:38:00.001-06:00

Hello team, here is a photo of our shirts, I think it came out great!

Meeting #2 :: Wednesday, March 4

2009-03-02T23:30:00.003-06:00

We wanted to give everyone a chance to get acquainted one last time before we actually meet up on Friday. So we're setting up an online meeting for Wednesday night. We will start the meeting promptly at 7:00 pm and will stay as long as you guys want. We'll take the opportunity to answer any questions/concerns you may have. Just about half the team is new this year so I'm sure you all have plenty of questions.

We've set up a chat room using www.meebo.com.

Instructions to join:
1. Click on the following link: http://www.meebo.com/room/teamonetir/
2. Password: TIR2009
3. Once you are in the room, please change the nickname to your real name, this will make it easier for us to know who is speaking
4. We will begin the meeting at 7:00 pm on Wednesday.

Thanks everyone!

Preparing :: Just so you know

2009-02-23T13:09:00.003-06:00

Yippee, we've added a new supporter, Zhahan. Welcome to the team!

Some things to keep in mind.

For the runners to bring: power bars/goo, socks (at least 2 pair), shoes, several changes of clothes, cash, gps watches, water belts and blinkies

There will be some GPS watches, water belts and blinkies for the runners to use, but if you have any, please bring them with you.

For the supporters to bring: several changes of clothes, ear plugs, cash and lots of energy

Only 11 days to go. More details to come. Please be sure to review your legs and where you need to be during the run.

View leg assignments here
View leg details here

In need of supporters

2009-02-18T13:14:00.001-06:00

Unfortunately, Dan and Jess are not able to come out and help us this year. If any of you know of anyone willing and able to support, please let us know.

In Preparation :: EDITED

2009-02-12T22:05:00.004-06:00

Hello all. Just a couple things I wanted to remind you guys of. We are planning to leave for our hotel on Friday, March 6, no later than 5:00 p.m. The meeting place will be at our house, address to be given at a later date. Please make arrangements to be at our house by 4:00 p.m. so we can meet & greet and distribute information. I also recommend taking the Monday following the TIR off from work to catch up on sleep and let your body rest.

Please be sure to bring towels and toiletries. We will be staying at our house Saturday night/Sunday morning for runners and supporters to freshen up, get some zzz's and grub. You can leave those items at the house so we do not need to lug them around in the van. We will have extra towels in case you forget. There will be plenty of areas for people to rest, so no worries there. If you have any special allergies, please let me know as soon as possible. I plan on ordering pizza to eat at the house.

We will be going to Costco next weekend to pick up some necessities for the trip, including water Gatorade/Powerade, snacks, fruit, hand wipes, bread, peanut butter, honey and sodas. If you have any special requests, please let us know.

Different this year, we will NOT be providing power bars or goo. Each runner is responsible for their own needs, since everyone has different preferences. Refer to the leg assignments to determine how much you need. Remember, the first day you'll be pumped and full of adrenaline, you'll need the energy on Sunday, when the lack of sleep will kick in.

Everyone, please remember to pack light, one bag per person please.

Runners, suggested items to bring are socks (at least 2 pair), shoes, several changes of clothes, gps watches (if you have them, there will be several to borrow), water belts (if you have them, there will be several to borrow), ear plugs to catch some sleep if you can, cash to purchase food along the way in the towns if you want and blankets/pillows/sleeping bag.

Supporters, suggested items to bring several changes of clothes, ear plugs to catch some sleep if you can, cash to purchase food along the way in the towns if you want, lots of energy and blankets/pillows/sleeping bag.

Remember to keep referring back to the TIR Packet, it is being constantly updated. I've added a music list tab, let me know if you have anything to add.

Please familiarize yourself with the information on this page, it will be very useful for you to know before the race.

2009 TIR Packet

2009-02-10T00:36:00.003-06:00

Hello All. I've emailed most of you this packet, but if you did not receive it, here it is. I will be updating you all on items needed and other things that were not discussed in the meeting. Thanks, team mom (thuy)!

Updates from Race Directors

2009-02-07T18:25:00.002-06:00

Prologue and Epilogue: We do encourage that teams run the prologue all together. However, some of you ultra-competitive types may send your first runner on up ahead (as though the epilogue were part of the first runner’s first leg) while the rest of you can hang back and enjoy the jaunt together. It’s completely up to you. The finish will be just like last year’s. However, for competitive purposes, the timing will end at the conclusion of Leg 40 (.38m away from the finish). Then, you all can proceed to your finish in whatever celebratory fashion you choose to employ on the epilogue!

Runner Check-In at each Exchange: This year, immediately upon finishing their legs, runners need to tell their name to the appropriate volunteer at the exchange (likely the one with the computer).

NOTE: We will still have to divide legs evenly.

Team Meeting

2009-02-04T12:45:00.002-06:00

We need to do a team meeting very soon to go over leg assignments among other details. We can try to do this online like we did last year or we can try meeting in person. Which would you guys prefer. Show your vote on the poll to the right.

Thanks team!

Race Update (including some minor leg changes!)

2009-01-29T11:33:00.003-06:00

We're in the process of finalizing the roster this week so if you haven't officially confirmed your participation, let us know now. There have been several people who have expressed interest but haven't fully confirmed. Thanks everyone.

Also, race updates have been posted!

Check out the leg summaries here.

TIR 2009!!

2009-01-02T15:47:00.002-06:00

It's time to rally the team! Check out the new 2009 TIR Medals!

So who's definitely a part of Team 1 this year? Leave a comment everyone!

RRR {relay race reunion} Potluck

2008-03-24T09:37:00.002-05:00

Hello all. Just curious of everyone's schedules. a few of us were interested in doing a post-run reunion to watch the video and just see each other again, and…to see if anyone is interested in doing TIR 2009. Please let me know your availability for either first two weekends in April.

UPDATE: Official TIR Leg Times

2008-03-11T12:37:00.002-05:00

Here are the official leg times and pace. Enjoy!

How well do you know your teammates?

2008-03-05T23:20:00.004-06:00

Can you guess who's shoes these belong to? (Pictures to the right) The guesser that answers the most correct gets a nifty prize, a guaranteed spot for next year. Loser sits in a pile of runners socks. j/k!

some pictures

2008-03-05T08:32:00.002-06:00

Here are some pictures from the professional photographer at the relay. If you guys want to chip in to get a picture, let me know and I can order and distribute.

our place as of now

2008-03-04T09:09:00.004-06:00

I checked the TIR website to see if they had placements or what not. Guess what!!! We placed 15th! Not sure out of how many teams, but great job! Check out the link.

---

Update: They have now put up the official results. We placed 17th in our division and 95th overall. Still, not too shabby! Great job to all!

What a great experience! Thanks to everyone!

2008-03-04T07:50:00.002-06:00

I want to thank Quan for being daring enough to register and start all of this; Phi and Thuy for all of their hard work on planning and logistics, making reservations, and picking up the vans; Ashley and Francis for volunteering to run at the last minute; Thuy and Xiaoman for driving for so many hours when I know they were as sleep-deprived as any of us; Kim and Lloyd for picking up those delicious sandwiches downtown when we were all starving.

I was inspired by Homer and Phi for outstanding efforts on their legs; Parker, who finished his leg (the longest and a difficult one) despite the fact that he was in pain; and those who picked up extra legs, especially Long, who ran his greatest distance ever at a remarkable pace.

It was fantastic to meet everyone and the way everyone pitched in to help one another was inspiring. I look forward to doing it again next year!

Bob

foods/fluids at the exchanges

2008-02-28T13:15:00.002-06:00

Generally speaking, we will be 100% self-sufficient. The following is what will be available, but certainly would not be enough to live on:

There will be Larabar samples in the Goody bag and Larabar will also be giving free samples at the start and finish.
In the morning in Gonzales, there will be breakfast tacos. Water will also be provided at the start (but only for that location... not for people to load up for their trip!).
The only leg that will definitely have water is leg 3 (the only leg longer than 8 miles).
Shiner will have a sausagewrap lunch that teams need to RSVP. The lunches are $6.
Flatonia will have a chili cookoff... more of a taste test, though.
Schulenburg will provide a little gift bag for the finisher of leg 11, and it may have treats (not sure).
Weimar will be providing a sausage-on-a-stick dinner (provided by Weimar's famous Kasper's Meat Market) - $7.50.
Borden will have 200 hamburger dinners (burger, chips, soft drink (or water or tea) - it won't be long until these are all reserved. $7.50
Columbus has many restaurants at I-10 & 71.
There are also plenty of gas stations / grocery stores along the route.
Starbucks is right by Luke's at exchange 28... we're worried about them.
Houston has some places to eat.
At the finish, every team will receive 4 large Papajohn's pizzas.

3 more days!

2008-02-27T18:32:00.008-06:00

Attached is our personal TIR packet we put together. It includes contact information, shirt sizes and quantity, expenses thus far, TIR legs and predicted times, Leg exchanges and olle hotel room assignments. On the leg exchanges page, we will use that as reference to determine where you need to be at any given leg. The highlighted rows will be the van-to-van exchanges. We will discuss this more in detail on Friday when we get to Flatonia. We will be using the TIR legs and predicted times to let the vans know what time to expect the runners to be at their legs for pick up/drop off.

A few things to remember while preparing for this adventure.

Please pack light, one back pack per person. Please bring your phone and car chargers, in case we need to contact you. There will be two designated phones for runners to use, those numbers will be given on Friday night. The main contact person will be me, thuy, if there are any questions or emergencies that need to be tended to. Runners, please bring enough socks and change of clothes that you think you will need. Remember, you will be getting a pair of socks in the bags TIR will provide and I will have our official team running shirt for you as well. If you have a water belt and feel like you need it, please bring that as well. There will be water, Gatorade, power bars, bread and peanut butter, honey, bananas, pepsi and sprite, chips and ramen noodle bowls in each van. However, if you're in the resting van and would like to pick up food or souvenirs in the towns we pass, please remember to bring cash with you.

For the night time exchanges, legs 18-29, those will be done by runners. Two people must be awake to drive and help navigate. More explanation will come on Friday.

We've checked the weather for this weekend. It looks like there may be a 30% chance of rain. If anyone has a poncho or two, please bring that along.

In the active van, there will be a bag used exclusively for runners, which will include the nighttime necessities (i.e. blinkies, flashlights, etc.) as well as the phones to be used. Do not mistake this as a goodie bag. :)

If anyone has any traveling games, bring that along if you'd like. We will be bringing travel scrabble and a few deck of cards. Anything else is welcomed.

Remember, you all will be in one of the two vans for most of the trip. Sleeping may be at a low for most people. Please get as much sleep as you possibly can. If that means bringing ear plugs, pillows or blankets, then do what you can to get some zzz's. We will be checking out of our hotels in Flatonia at 5 am to get to Gonzales for our start. We will be having homemade breakfast at 4:30, so plan accordingly.

Oh I forgot, please everyone meet at our house by 3:30 pm on Friday, Feb. 29th, so we can start heading off for our adventure.

I think that is it for now. So rest up and we'll have a great adventure this weekend!

Leg Assignments

2008-02-04T17:25:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone. We have to submit our leg assignments to the race directors very soon. We've gone ahead and divided up the legs for everyone. Please take a look, and let us know if you would like something changed. Send this info to peter.pqv@gmail.com ASAP. The cutoff time will be 7:00 PM Tuesday 2/5/2008. After this time we'll go ahead and submit the leg assignments to the race directors. Thanks!

Team Logo

2008-01-31T19:52:00.000-06:00

Hello all. I've come up with a logo for our team. We are considering an orange shirt with the logo printed on the front left. I will move forward with getting a quote for shirt printing, unless someone objects. I will need to know who all is interested in shirts, your sizes and how many shirts each ASAP!!! You can get one for each leg.

Last Chance To Submit Your Leg Preference

2008-01-29T23:51:00.000-06:00

We have to submit our leg assignments to the race directors very soon. Please submit any leg preferences you may have to tnguyen308@gmail.com ASAP. The cutoff time will be 7:00 PM Wednesday 1/30/2008. After this time we'll do our best to assign your legs for you. We'll post the leg assignments before we make our official submission.

Thanks everyone!

notes from the 01.17.08 meeting

2008-01-22T19:36:00.000-06:00

Thank you all for attending our first online meeting. We will continue to have them as it gets closer and closer to the relay race.

Major points from the meeting:
1. We have confirmed 12 runners and 5 guests (list on the right)
2. I have booked hotels in Flatonia at the Olle Hotel for Friday night (9 rooms, 2 per room) and Columbus at the Holiday Inn Express for Saturday night (2 rooms, 4 per room, we may need another, will talk about this below)
3. Leg discussion: we have not had a chance to assign legs to people yet, but once we do, I will have the file shared for all to view/comment/change. If you have preferences, please let me know this week.
4. Leaving Friday, the 29th: seems like all but a few will be ok with leaving at 2 pm on Friday. I know there will be a few people meeting us in Flatonia and that will be fine. The more people caravaning the better.
5. Team Name: It has been decided to have the name be Team One. I did a quick search to see how much it would cost to have custom printing on running shirts, very expensive. What about having custom printed bandannas? Much cheaper. Let me know ASAP. I will try to get a logo posted soon.

Ok, so for the hotel in Columbus, we figured that we'll be running in waves, so it would not be necessary to have rooms enough for 17 people. However, if we err on the safe side and have one more room, just in case, would that be ok for everyone? Currently, expenses for hotel rooms, for both nights, are $70 per person. If we get another room, we would tack on another $6 per person. Please let me know ASAP!

Last but not least, I still need contact info for (phone and email): Homer, Kat, Kirsten, Parker, Xiaoman

Thank you all!

Hey Team

2008-01-19T10:26:00.000-06:00

Hi this is Homer. Just got the Team invite/info. So I just wanted to say "Hi"

chat room set up

2008-01-16T21:41:00.001-06:00

Hello, hello.

We've set up a chat room using www.meebo.com.

Instructions to join:
1. Click on the following link: http://www.meebo.com/room/teamonetir/
2. Password: TIR2008
3. Once you are in the room, please change the nickname to your real name, this will make it easier for us to know who is speaking
4. We will begin the meeting at 9:10 pm on Thursday, January 17th.

Rules of the meeting:
I will begin with a series of questions for everyone to answer. After all questions have been asked and answered, we can begin general chat about the relay.

Questions to be asked:
1. Confirming that you will be joining the team.
2. Will you be bringing guests (non-runner)?
3. Your 10K time (if you do not know, we can get it later)
4. Are you a speed runner or long distance runner?
5. Can you take off work/school on Friday, Feb. 29th to travel?
6. Team Name discussion

UPDATE :: meeting

2008-01-16T10:41:00.000-06:00

Hello all...hoping that everyone on the team is continually checking and reading the blog.

For the meeting on Thursday, it has been changed to 9 pm. We will be using www.meebo.com. We will let you know what the chat room name will be soon.

Things to be thinking of for the meeting:

1. Confirming that you are going to be joining the team.
2. Your 10K time
3. Will you be bringing guests?
4. Fast runner or long distance runner?
5. We will be leaving on friday am-ish for the saturday race, will that be ok?
6. Team Name discussion

Also, if you could please email me your information (tnguyen308@gmail.com):
1. Name
2. Email address
3. Phone number

Thanks to all. We really need to get going on this!

new admin

2008-01-14T12:34:00.000-06:00

hello all...i've been recruited to help out with the race organization. first things first, my name is thuy, phi's wife, just in case you did not know. secondly, we need to get going on this quickly. just doing a quick search for hotels and vans that weekend, we are very limited. So, please let me know quickly if you are available for a meeting with the runners. If it can be in person, that would be great, but we can also do a go-to meeting online. How does everyone feel about Thursday, January 17th at around 8 pm to meet? Please let me know ASAP! The more people that can be at our house for the meeting, the better! Topics of discussion: hotels, cars, running of legs, 10K pace, etc. Please download and read the Leg Summary Sheet. This contains all of the leg distances, their relative difficulty rankings, and their brief descriptions all in one place.

Information for upcoming team meeting

2007-12-12T07:24:00.000-06:00

It's time to start organizing our team for the TIR. Everyone please e-mail the following information to me at: wanderingbob@yahoo.com :

Name / Address / Phone
How certain are you (0% to 100%) that you will be running the Texas Independence Relay?What is the longest single leg length that you feel you can comfortably run?
How many legs to you feel that you can comfortably run?
What pace do you expect to comfortably run?
Are you willing to attend a team meeting? If so, is there a location that you would prefer? (Houston, Austin, Dallas, other)
Are you interested in obtaining one or more logo team t-shirts?
Our team is currently Team Discovery Channel – do you have any alternate suggestion for a team name? There's already another team with a similar name, although they are not a team in the TIR.

OldGuy

It's Time To Get Really Serious!!

2007-12-10T23:34:00.000-06:00

Alright team. As 2007 winds down, we should all be getting really serious about our training. We'd like to have a every one's solid commitment by the end of December so we can start discussing race legs, team strategies, travel logistics, etc. Let the communication begin!

Happy running everyone!!

GPS Watch

2007-11-27T14:00:00.000-06:00

hey I was wondering what kind of watch ya get and where. I'm not saying I will get one but I will think about it
LOL Peace

Running Shoe Finder

2007-11-12T23:55:00.000-06:00

Ever wonder what kind of feet you have and what shoes may be best for you? The answer is only a click away.

http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/whichshoe/1,,s6-240-325-329-0-0-0-0-0,00.html

Yasso 800s

2007-10-11T12:53:00.000-05:00

Yasso 800s....what is it? Click below to find out.

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-624-0,00.html

- Quan

Galloway's Magic Mile

2007-10-11T00:24:00.000-05:00

This is supposed to be a pretty accurate way to estimate your potential given your current ability.

http://jeffgalloway.com/resources/gallracepredict.html

So get out there and run!

-Phi

AT&T Austin Marathon & Half Marathon

2007-09-26T14:13:00.000-05:00

Hello all. The race is set for Sunday, February 17, 2008. I'm thinking about running the Half for the first time. If anyone wants to join me, let me know. It'll be two weeks before the relay....plenty of time to recover.

http://www.attaustinmarathon.com/cms/

- Quan

Useful Links

2007-09-26T01:15:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. Here are some links that you may find useful.

Register now and receive complementary high fives from Phi Nguyen!!
http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/site3.aspx

Ooh yes..the highly anticipated Relay Race!! We're going to run for the sake of fun and adventure.

http://www.texasindependencerelay.com/

This site's got loads of great tips and information.

http://www.runnersworld.com/0,7118,,00.html

They're giving away free women's running shoes!! (If only I was a woman...I could use some new shoes)

http://www.ryka.com/goodforyoursole/

Happy running.
-Phi

The McMillan Running Calculator

2007-09-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

This is a useful tool that estimates race performance and calculates optimal training paces.

McMillan Running Calculator

- Quan

Hal Higdon's Training Guides

2007-09-12T13:28:00.000-05:00

For those of you interested in running a half or a full, try one of these programs out.

Half marathon training guide

Marathon training guide

- Quan

Hello

2007-09-04T17:49:00.001-05:00

Hello all...the name's kat...thanks for getting this set up peter.

2007-08-30T08:26:00.000-05:00

I want to thank Phi for giving me the confidence to train for and attemp a half marathon for the first time

Running is like mouthwash; if you can feel the burn, it's working.

2007-08-28T21:17:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, use the blog to discuss the relay, marathons, training tips, running gear, nutrition, your accomplishments…all things running. Support, encourage, learn from, and share each others’ running experiences.