I am so delighted to report on a primary race that is near to my heart. The West Chester Area School Board (WCASB) has for the past four years been in the capable hands of my friend and fellow photographer – Sean Carpenter.  Primary elections were held this past Tuesday in Pennsylvania.  When the dust settled from election day, Sean Carpenter secured the highest number of votes within the slate of Republican primary contenders for WCASB: Carpenter 3,930, Coyle 3,637, LaTorre 3,573, Pimley 3,322.

Congratulations Sean!  I look forward to celebrating your victory in November and viewing your incredible photography.

FTR Radio to partner with Smart Girl Politics for Operation Helping Hand, a three hour radiothon to benefit the Mercury One Charity 2013 Midwest Tornado Relief Fund.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 22, 2013 – Indianapolis, IN – FTR Radio is teaming up with Smart Girl Politics for a three hour radiothon to benefit the Mercury One Charity 2013 Midwest Tornado Relief Fund. One hundred percent of the money raised will go directly to relief efforts in Oklahoma.

The three hour radiothon will air live on FTRRadio.com Thursday at 8pm EDT.

“In the past we have asked our listeners to donate to various charities and have been overwhelmed by their generosity” said Thomas LaDuke, Executive Director of FTR Radio. LaDuke added that “FTR Radio and SGP have done other radiothons in the past and we hope to top our 2012 ‘Cancer Sucks Radiothon’ that raised nearly $6000 for the American Cancer Society.”

Jedediah Bila, Monica Crowley, S.E. Cupp, Erick Erickson and Dana Loesch are just a handful of the cable news contributors and talk radio personalities who have agreed to take part in Operation Helping Hand.

For more information on the radiothon and to donate, visit http://mercuryone.fundly.com/operation-helping-hand-for-midwest-tornado-victims.

May 20th, Moore, Oklahoma:

Note the last few seconds of this video where the narrator notes that a school/daycare has been leveled. The video is chilling to watch and the death toll most likely will rise in the coming days.

New York Times reports:

Amy Elliott, the spokeswoman for the Oklahoma City medical examiner, said at least 51 people had died, and officials said that toll was likely to climb. Local hospitals reported at least 145 people injured, 70 of them children.

A spokeswoman for the mayor’s office in Moore said emergency workers were struggling to assess the damage.

“Please send us your prayers,” she said.

In the land that reality forgot and showing all the humanity of a modern day Eva Braun, Liz Winston, producer and co-creator of the Daily Show, uses this tragedy to score political points on the backs of the victims:

This tornado is in Oklahoma so clearly it has been ordered to only target conservatives.

— Lizz Winstead (@lizzwinstead) May 20, 2013

H/T: Warner Todd Huston

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrific tornado. For those not interested in politicizing this tragedy, your help and support is greatly needed in Oklahoma. Please click on this LINK for information on ways in which you can help the victims of this disaster.

Broad Street Run. This is my all time favorite 10 miler race. A straight and mostly downhill 10 mile race that bisects amazing neighborhoods of Philly on the way to the finish at the Navy Yard. The part are the spectators who line the entire 10 miles of this course.  They are out in force cheering on friends, family members and strangers as they run past. I’ve not encountered a similar level of spectator participation in any other race. I love that it is my home town that turns out for this event.

When the running gods smile upon you during this race it feels close to heaven. When they don’t, well, it is better than not running at all.

40,000-ish runners at the start of the 2013 Broad Street Run makes this a game of bobbing and weaving your way through this crowd.  Even with wave starts it is mad congestion for the first mile or two.

10 miles later at the Navy Yard happy runners show off their finisher medals.  What do I like about this race? Everything. What would need improvement? Nothing.

From Philly to Boston – with love!

Three weeks after the Shamrock Half Marathon in Virginia Beach, myself and fellow Team Philly runners traveled to Washington DC for the annual Cherry Blossom 10 mile run.  We all were excited about the possibility of running along  the tidal basin surrounded by blooming Cherry Trees as the National Park Service predicted peak bloom time would be race day.

They predicted wrong.

Team Philly was well represented at this event with 8 members selected to run this race. I traveled to DC with Shanae and Trish the day before the race. We hopped on the Metro (another first for Trish)  to the Expo at the beautiful National Building Museum. I’ve been in this building a few times over the past few years for other events and I’m always delighted by the stunning interior design. The bib pickup is organized with military precision – you show up, present ID, pick up your bib and other items then move along – quickly.  Then you are ushered to the main atrium where all the expo vendors are set up for your perusal.

This is a relatively flat course with no appreciable hill until the very end of the course. The. Very. End. If you are having a bad running day that just makes the day worse.  From approximately mile 7 till the finish I had to stop frequently to work out numbness in my right foot. Needless to say, I was not having a good running day.

I found the course to be crowded from start to finish and I bobbed and weaved for most of the distance. I’m thinking it is because the course doubles back which effectively halves the the width of available road for runners in either direction.  This is a very popular spring race with 17,532 finishers this year.  I think the combination of a crowded run and foot issues made this run difficult for me to enjoy.  Also, the Cherry Blossom trees were just not ready to bloom – if the race were held a day or two later it would have been spectacular.

What I wore:

Philadelphia Runner tech shirt

Winter running pants.

Live, Love, Run arm warmers.

Nike + Sportswatch.

Armpocket arm band.

Mizuno Alchemy running shoes

What impressed me about this event:

• The beautiful finisher medal
• The organized wave start
• Running medics interspersed through the crowds of runners.
• Smiling and enthusiastic volunteers.
• Scenic course

What needs improvement:

• Bag check was incredibly slow
• Clearer corral designations

I would recommend this event to those who have not done this race – it is something quite unique among 10 mile runs. If you are planning to post a PR for 10 miles, this may not be the race to do so as there are tight turns and a crowded field. Make this a fun run and you won’t be disappointed.

On Sunday April 28th, Washington DC played host to the inaugural Nike Women’s Half Marathon. For the past ten years, Nike has hosted this race in San Francisco. This is the first year this famous women’s race has been hosted on the east coast. My Team Philly running friends jumped at the chance to run this and had a great weekend and fabulous run. I even managed a modest PR/PB on this half marathon and is the natural result of what happens when you focus on more consistent training.

The race course is essentially the Cherry Blossom 10 mile plus an additional three point one miles tacked on to complete the half marathon distance.

OMG – the Expotique!  This was an expo unlike any other expo I’ve experienced up till now. No bewildering array of aggressive merchants trying to sell their product, in fact, there were only a few select partners such as Luna Bar and Nuun who handed out plenty of samples and information. The expotique provided the opportunity for gait analysis, bra fittings (must always protect the girls) and to my delight – hair and makeup stations.  Bib pick-up was in a separate tent leaving you to explore the expotique at your leisure.  The Nike Georgetown store was a block away and there is where you would find items that you may want to purchase and also the Wall of Names.

Who runs DC? Why I do.

The race was held two weeks after the terror attack at the Boston Marathon and our hearts were with Boston this weekend.  A moment of silence was held before the start of the race to remember, reflect and honor those who will never run again.

Nothing like a Bare Essentials makeup station at a running expo along with Paul Mitchell hair salon. Nike has completely spoiled me for future expos.  demand all future expos have hair and makeup stations.  It is a great way to help soothe pre-race jitters.

Chatting with a running legend – J0an Benoit Samuleson at the Nike Women’s Expotique. She is so tiny, yet whip fast in a race.

We run DC!

Wall of Names. I look a bit manic in this photo. Don’t know why, I’m a runner, dang it!

Ahh, the famed Tiffany necklace! It worth every inch of 13.1 miles.

What I wore – ‘Back in Black’:

• NWM In Training Tech Shirt
• Winter running capri pants
• Nike + Sports Watch
• Armpocket Armband
• Tifosi Shades
• Mizuno Wave 16

What worked well with this race:

• Fabulous Expotique
• Comprehensive training guide for new runners attempting their first half marathon
• Tiffany necklace handed out by handsome men in tuxedos.
• Finisher shirt given at the end of the race not at Expotique.
• Clear roadside signs and well stocked water stations.
• Red carpet start and finish – classy!
• Hands down the BEST roadside entertainment along the course of the run. Most notable:  Batala and the tunnel drummers.
• Outside of completing your first Marathon – Nothing can compare to running down Pennsylvania Avenue with crowds cheering you till the finish line.

What needs improvement with this race:

• Nike should create a website for registration and important information.  Organizing, registering and disseminating information on FaceBook exclusively forced those who wanted to participate in the race to join a social network they may not have wanted to join. Not everyone is a FaceBook fan.  Also crucial information and maps were not easy to find on the FaceBook page with the scrolling architecture of of the main page.

Mimosa’s to celebrate our completion of the inaugural Nike Women’s Half Marathon in DC.

The weekend of March 16 & 17th brought together 28,000 runners to Virginia Beach to participate in the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon and Anthem Half Marathon.   A very flat (check out the elevation profile) and fast course that winds along woodland, beachfront and finishing up on the boardwalk.  The Marathon is a Boston Qualifier and with such flat terrain this race would be a good choice for those taking on the challenge of qualifying for Boston.

The Anthem half marathon was the first of four spring distance runs that I completed within the span of 6 weeks.  The plan look great on paper by was a whirlwind to complete and I’m just finding time now to create the race recaps for all of them. This was also a Team Philly girls weekend getaway. I have to give credit to Shanae for bringing this race to our attention last fall.  Despite car trouble, an unexplained phone death and a hotel from hell; we managed to have a great weekend full of running, laughing and lots of good food. Okay..maybe a bit of alcohol as well

Even though it is still off season, Virginia Beach pulls out the stops for race weekend. I was amazed to see the number of billboards and signs scattered around the town welcoming runners to this event. Even the staff at hotel hell donned race themed t-shirts during our stay. Philadelphia is host to large sporting events, yet you don’t get the same saturation of support citywide that I encountered during this weekend. This acknowledgement certainly added an additional layer of excitement to the overall race experience.

The packet pickup was well organized and the expo was what you expect a running expo to be.  After making sure all of us were properly wrist banded for post run spirits, I discovered an irresistible pair of arm warmers with the phrase ‘Live, Love, Run’ emblazoned on them.  I wore them race day breaking the runner rule of not donning anything new on race day. Oh yeah, I am that much of a rebel!

Race day morning arrived and we traveled via a shuttle from Hotel Hell.  to be delayed approximately 20 minutes past the stated start time.  The announcement was garbled and I couldn’t make out anything more than the race start was delayed. Awesome. Now was the time to break out the iPhone and take silly/fun photos while  waiting in the starting line.  This helped break some of the nerves I had going into this race.  I decided to take a training break in February and only completed a few training runs for this event.  With such sparse training, I knew this race was going to be a ‘fun run’ only – no PR for this distance run.

Poseidon – God of the Sea – was not happy with the delay at the start either.  Although, who has witnessed a happy Poseidon? Who knows what really makes him happy. There was no wave start for this race causing a bit of congestion the first mile or two. A chilly morning  as well, it took a good three miles to warm up before hitting my stride – such as it was.  Residents and volunteers lined the route for the first few miles of the course then disappeared as we ran through a woodland patch and looped through Fort Story.  The wind off the ocean was relentless as we heading towards the finish and I was happy for the occasional windbreaks of sand dunes or housing.  I made a point to stop for a photo op with the distinctively painted Fort Story lighthouse in the background.  I believe this was the first time I’ve stopped for a photo opportunity during a distance run, then again, this was a fun run and I was making the most of it.

The final half mile of the run was on the boardwalk lined with cheering spectators and a grimacing Poseidon. I was never so happy to see the finish line of a race and donned my biggest smile as I crossed the finish line  with a chip time of 2:14:19.

Instead of heat shields the organizers distributed fleece blankets to runners as they finished their run. What a brilliant move that kept runners warm in the cool temperatures as they mingled around with bag check and meeting friends before heading over to the post race party tent on the beach.  The post race party was amazing – good music and delicious Irish stew that hit the spot after a tough half marathon.

A short video clip taken at the post race party with a very happy runner:

What I wore:

Philly RnR Half Marathon Finisher T-shirt

Lulemon running pants

Mizuno Alchemy running shoes

Arm warmers – Live, Love, Run

Tifosi shades

What worked well with this event:

1. Clear and concise race communications prior to the event.
2. Finisher fleece blanket and hat.
3. Cute and useful finisher t-shirt.
4. Amazing volunteers.
5. Flat and fast course.
6. Very scenic venue and course.
7. Water stations well stocked.
8. Clear signage along course.
9. Post run party and food – Murphy’s stew was out of this world delicious!

What could be improved upon:

Aside from a delayed start, I had no issues with this event.

I strongly recommend this half marathon for beginners, intermediate and advanced runners. If you are looking to qualify for Boston, I highly recommend the Marathon as a possible event for you to attempt your BQ.

Warm and fuzzy memories of this event:

We will process and discuss these issues in good time. What we need right now is a moment to chill and perhaps have a laugh before digesting the above mentioned issues.

So sit back and enjoy the comic relief of my favorite Doctor – David Tennant:

UPDATE: As I predicted, Gosnell was given life albeit behind bars. He will serve three life without parole sentences and an additional 2 1/2 to 5 years for the overdose death of Karnamaya Mongar.

It seems these so-called  ’blobs of cells’ are human after all.  A Philadelphia jury found Kermit Gosnell guilty of infanticide and involuntary manslaughter. The prosecution can seek the death penalty in the three infanticide verdicts though I believe the jury, in the sentencing phase, will give life without the opportunity of parole.

@jdmullane reported this afternoon via Twitter:

The abortionist #Gosnell also guilty of infanticide in death of Baby A, and conspiracy in deaths of babies C and D.

— jdmullane (@jdmullane) May 13, 2013

Gosnell was also found guilty of involuntary manslaughter of Karnamaya Mongar.

In case this trial was not covered in your local news, JD Mullane has been diligently tweeting trial coverage since day 1. The following tweets explain why Baby A, C, D were so charged by the jury.

Baby Boy A:

Baby A was photographed by #Gosnell employee Adrienne Moton, disgusted after Dr Gosnell joked “He’s big enough to walk you to the bus stop.”

— jdmullane (@jdmullane) May 13, 2013

Baby Girl C:

Baby C, a little girl, was seen by clinic employees moving her arm before neck was snipped.

— jdmullane (@jdmullane) May 13, 2013

Baby D:

Baby D was born in a commode in the abortion clinic, and struggled to get out before A clinic employee snipped the child’s neck.

— jdmullane (@jdmullane) May 13, 2013

You can read all the gory details outlined by the grand jury report.

Of all the carnage that went on in this legal and state sanctioned public abortion clinic; the description of Baby D struggle for his or her life then brutal death haunts me the most. At the moment, Planned Parenthood is attempting to set groundwork for the legalization of infanticide of infants born alive after an abortion procedure by blocking life saving care and ignoring Safe Haven laws. Consider the implications of this legislation at a federal level: Kermit Gosnell would have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter only. In an interesting corollary to this story, Democrat congressional representative, Allyson Schwartz CD-13, recently announced her intention to run for Governor of Pennsylvania.  To date, she has not answered numerous questions as to whether as director of a PP abortion clinic she allowed referrals to Gosnell’s clinic.

Whatever your stance on abortion, we can all agree what went on in Kermit Gosnell’s clinic should be held up for scrutiny and accountability. The decades long victimization of women at this abortion clinic needs to be addressed.  Along with identifying community roadblocks that prevented these women from getting the appropriate information at a time when they needed it the most. The conviction of Gosnell is just the beginning of the healing process,  as a community, we have a long road ahead.

Thoughts on the jury verdict? Leave me a comment.

Listen live to the Snark Factor every Wednesday night at 8pm EST on FTR Radio where I will be joining Fingers Malloy, Irish Duke to bring news bites at the top of the hour followed by sparkling chats with invited guests. If you are a fan of my blog, you’ll know that I have an eclectic taste in news of the day.

On tap tonight:

#Benghazi – that local event in Libya last September 11th:

How long has the Washington Post invented data? Clearly it is the case with their Benghazi *coverage*.

Joel Pollack – 5 Key Points from Today’s Benghazi Hearing.