2011 Recap, part one

This blog entry is the first in a series, which will recap my first year of Running With the Locals.

2011 began with a Hangover. Not an actual, New Year's Eve induced, lower-case "h" hangover, but the annual Hangover Classic 10-miler. I wasn't entirely prepared for the distance, but I ran it anyway. Actually, I ran stretches of it and walked shorter stretches of it.

The next few weeks were uneventful, running-wise. Around here, races are scarce during the first two months of the year. Fewer than ten, as I recall. Probably closer to five. I was putting in some miles, but nothing stellar. I didn't have much pushing me to get out and run, except for the Mini and another local two-mile race, so I borrowed an idea from my friend Lincoln and came up with something to get me out there. Not just training for some race on the horizon, but to be social, and also learn more about the running scene in the Louisville area.

You may know Lincoln and his partner-in-video Squire as The Local Guys, but before their gig on Live from 725, they created a series of web-based videos called "Living With the Locals". It was a highlight reel of the finer parts of the city, focusing one one neighborhood or area in each episode. I believe it spun out of wanting to use video, and specifically YouTube, to grow Lincoln's real estate business. I wanted to take this model and tailor it toward the races and runners in the Derby city. With their blessing, support and a little push, I started Running With the Locals in mid-February.

That month, I made two videos. The first was an introduction, to explain what I wanted RWtL to be. The other was the March race edition. I also launched the Facebook page, to dovetail with the YouTube channel, while also promoting it.

It was a modest start, with a pretty steep learning curve, but I was pretty excited about making something out of it. Plus, it got me running more. I didn't want to just talk the talk, you know?

To be continued...