I just want to wish everyone a happy, safe and fun 4th of July. Be careful on the roads and especially the water.

Happy 233rd Birthday America!

We now have our own Fan Page for Bumpshack on Facebook that you can join. On it, you can post comments, submit links of stories you find interesting, and interact with myself and the Bumpshack staff about celebrity gossip and current events.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter as well @bayou for additional thoughts, rants, etc. or if you just want the feeds and links to Bump stories then follow @bumpshack.

Join us tonight for live coverage (blog/chat) of the 2009 NBA Draft that will start at 8pm EDT. You will be able to post your thoughts, predictions, questions, and thoughts on the draft as they happen.

It is never easy running a full 26.2 mile marathon. Every helpful hint, tip, and trick you can pick up from experienced marathoners can give you more an advantage on race day. I don’t consider myself an expert, but I have run five marathons and learned a lot over the past five years of marathon running.  So I decided to compile a short list of things I have found helpful for running a marathon.

Below are 10 Really Good Marathon Tips that will help you in running your first marathon or running one even better than you have before.

10 Really Good Marathon Tips

1. Pick Marathon Course Wisely - The most important part of running a marathon is to be smart in selecting the course, especially if it is your very first marathon.  If it is your first race then it would be smart to find a fast course. In other words find a course that is flat, with few hills, and with mild to cool weather.  Multiple hills, climbs and hot weather can drain your energy, fatigue you, and end your race day before the finish line.  There are many sites online where you can read reviews about marathons and the elevations of the different courses.  Pick something flat and cool for your first marathon and then add hills and heat as you gain experience as a marathon runner.
2. Carb Up Night Before - It is essential to put a ton of carbs into your body in the days leading up to and especially the two days before your race. This means pasta, pasta, and more pasta. Don’t get too fancy with it or you might end up with an upset stomach on race day. Stick to a simple marinera or meat sauce and eat enough to get full without overeating.  RELATED 2(a) Marathon Day Eating: Be sure to eat properly the morning before your race. Don’t eat anything that is going to upset your stomach or make you feel too heavy or sick. Personally, for me I eat 4 packets of apple oatmeal and a Poptart or Nutrigrain fruit bar (right before the race). I also hydrate the night before and drink a couple of bottles of water with my race day breakfast.  If you are having to use the bathroom multiple times before the race then you are adequately hydrated.  Be sure to test your race day diet out before race day in your training.
3. Comfortable Clothing - It is smart and beneficial to buy proper running attire.  I went cheap for my first marathon in San Diego and wore a pair of gym shorts and a wife beater t-shirt.  Well, let me just say that wife beater got soaked and extremely heavy as the day unfolded.  I also wear a bandana to hold my hair back and keep the sweat off of my face.  We have all made fun of runners wearing really short shorts, but just remember the really good runners usually do everything for a reason.  I don’t wear an all-out running short, but I do wear them shorter on race day to be lighter and more wind resistant.  Every advantage you can give yourself will benefit you during the day.  Be sure to train in your marathon day clothing before race day to make sure it doesn’t rub or chafe and that it is comfortable. On that note - be sure to rub Vaseline around your arm pits, nipples and other areas that are susceptible to chafing.
4. Big Enough Shoes - My biggest mistake from my first marathon was wearing running shoes the same size I would normally wear to work out and run in.  I was quick to learn it was a mistake within 10 days after the marathon when all of my toenails had fallen off. It was suggested to me to buy marathon shoes that are a half size/full size bigger due to all of the pounding that the toes and nails take over 26.2 miles.  I wear a size 13 normally, but now do my marathon and all of my running in 14’s. I have still had some toe nail loss after marathons, but the bigger shoe size has definitely helped out.  NEVER go cheap on running shoes. Expensive running shoes are usually worth their money in saved doctor’s bills.  I would recommend a good Asics or Spira Running Shoes. My shoe of choice has been Spira for the past six months.
5. Sunscreen/Sunglasses/Hats - Being in the sun for 3-5 hours can do mild to severe damage to your skin unless you are fully prepared for it on race day.  Be sure to apply a strong sunblock to help prevent burn and dehydration. Remember you can still get sun burn even on a cloudy or overcast day.   Some people don’t like running in sunglasses, but I prefer them to keep the sun out of my eyes (and provide a bit of sunscreen protection as well).  A hat can also provide sun protection, shade, and relief from the heat.
6. Running Watch - Some races have many official race clocks throughout the course, but they are never more than every few miles.  Some races don’t have a clock except at the finish line. It’s important to know your accumulated running time during the race (at least to me).  A simple start/stop timing watch will do, but the GPS running watches that keep track of distance traveled, pace, elevation, heart rate, among many other features.  A good running watch can really add to your training and race day experience. I currently run with the Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS (see left wrist in photo above) and love it. It is great for training, in that I can just take off on training runs, and know the distance I have run without having to mark it off beforehand.
7. Pain Medication - Someone told me before my first marathon to take 6-hour Tylenol right before the start to help with joint and bone pain throughout the race and to get a head start on post-race recovery.  I have done this for every race but one, and my body punished me for forgetting to do so.  I had bad shin splints for the last 12 miles of the race that forced me to walk a few stretches in order to finish.  It is a must for me on my pre-race checklist and before the starter’s gun goes off.
8. Never Pass Up Water/Energy Drink - Never take your hydration for granted or assume you are fine.  Be sure to drink water or a Gatorade like drink at every available station throughout the marathon.  You will constantly be sweating - losing fluids and it’s essential to replace them throughout the race.  During most marathons, and especially when it is really warm, be sure to take salt packets at aid stations and swallow the salt with water to help retain fluids.  If your marathon is using a sports aid drink that you are not used to, then try to find it and train with it to make sure it mixes well with your stomach.  I often grab Gatorade and water and mix the two together so it will be easier on the stomach.  Most races will already have watered down the sports drink in advance.
9. Energy Beans/Gel/Gu/Shot Bloks - A very essential part of running a marathon is replacing the energy and electrolytes you burn throughout the race.  This is something that has evolved perhaps more than anything over the past decade or so in the marathon world.  I have used three different forms of these during my marathons.  I have tried energy gels, sports beans, and shot bloks.  For me, I have had the best success with the energy gels.  I tried the sports beans during the Walt Disney World marathon and had the most upset stomach of my life for the last 16 miles. I can’t prove the beans were the reason, but they were the one thing I did different compared to other marathons. Sports beans are jelly beans with a ton of caffeine in them.   I also tried the shot bloks that day. The bloks are the easiest to get down. They are like gummy cubes. The gel is very tough and gooey to get down.  Be sure to swallow it at a water station so you can chase it with water.  Again, it’s best to test any of these out during your training to see how your body responds to them.
10. Porta Potties - The larger marathons will have many porta potties placed throughout the course.  If you tend to over-hydrate or need to use the restroom before the race starts then be sure to get there early.  I have yet to attend a marathon that didn’t have extremely long lines for the porta potties before the race, even if the pre-race area was stocked with hundreds of potties.  If the marathon uses computer chip timing then be sure to use the potty before the race, remembering your marathon time won’t start until you cross the start line.  If your marathon doesn’t have computer chip timing, then find our beforehand where the porta potties will be placed on the course. Sometimes businesses will be open and available to runners to use during the race.  As a man, it is always easier since we can pull up anywhere and hydrate nature with our excessive fluids. Women naturally face a more difficult challenge and need to know where the toilets will be located.  Although, I have seen several women go for it right along the tree line with the guys too.

Have your own marathon tips and advice I didn’t cover?  Then leave a comment below with your own helpful marathon tips and advice.

- Joshua Holmes

Purchase Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS with Heart Rate Monitor
Purchase Spira Running Shoes

Busy and calm day of traveling yesterday, but back to work today! It looks like it could be a very interesting and busy week in blog-land.  I will try to update with photos from here when I can!!

Here is the video from Bumpshack’s exclusive interview with interior designer/TV host Jennifer Farrell, on the eve of her second appearance on The View. We were fortunate to sit down with Jennifer at her beautiful Hollywood home this week.

We asked Jennifer about a wide range of topics ranging from designing a small room, taking care of one’s self, her future endeavors, and small steps in how to be eco-friendly with your home.

Here are a few of the things Jennifer had to say in our interview:

“There is a lot you can do to help improve the planet. I am very frustrated in this country that not every city in America has recycling.”

“Think about what you can take out of your trash. We put a lot of things into the garbage that don’t need to go into the garbage. For example instead of throwing away your water bottle, why don’t you refill it with water from your fridge. I use the same water bottle for about a year at a time.”

“The biggest thing is how you treat your body.”

Related: Who Exactly is Jennifer Farrell?

Drop us a comment below with what you are doing to be eco-friendly or with your home design tip for our readers.

Exclusive Photos of Jennifer Farrell on The View

[video: bumpshack.com]

Designer and TV host Jennifer Farrell let us tag along with her this week for her second appearance, in as many weeks, on The View.  We were able to take several behind-the-scenes photos of Jennifer (see below) before and after the taping.  The show, based in New York,  filmed three days this week in Los Angeles.

Other stars to appear on The View this day were Sally Field (photos), Calista Flockhart (photos), Spencer Pratt (photos), and Heidi Montag (photos).

Jennifer also took time to sit down with us for an exclusive Bumpshack interview where she discussed a wide range of issues from going green to her upcoming projects (watch video interview).

Bumpshack’s Bio of Jennifer Farrell

The four screenshots below are from Jennifer’s March 6, 2009, appearance on The View.

More Behind-the-Scene Photos of Jennifer on The View
go on reading »

Brothers & Sisters stars Sally Field and Calista Flockhart stopped by The View on Tuesday, in Los Angeles, for a chat with the women.  Sally looked amazing as always.  Can you believe she is 62-years old?  We were lucky enough to have a front row seat for these great photos.  The photos might not do her justice, but Calista is the skinniest woman we have seen this side of the ocean.

The show airs this Friday on ABC and also stars Jennifer Farrell, Spencer Pratt, and Heidi Montag.

Exclusive: Photos of Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag on The View

More Photos of Sally and Calista on The View

[images: bumpshack.com]

The View is filming in Los Angeles this week and we were right there, in the middle of the madness.  We got these exclusive photos from the first row of Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag who were on the taping yesterday (show airs March 13, 2009).  The Bump Wife sent me the photos as the show was being recorded on Tuesday.

She emailed me one of Spencer during the middle of the taping with the subject line: ‘Tool’.  She had no clue who Spencer was before seeing him there, so I found her instant analysis of him extremely funny, since that is the public’s prevailing view about him.

Other celebs on Friday’s episode will include Sally Field, Calista Flockhart, and Jennifer Farrell.

More Photos of Speidi from The View

[images: bumpshack.com]

After much resistance I have fallen to temptation and am now on Twitter and addicted.  You can add me and get live feeds on Bumpshack stories, as well as my ramblings, quick opinions, and links to other sites that I find amusing or interesting.

Start Following Our Tweets on Twitter

Click HERE and then ‘Follow’ or click the Twitter logo above and click click ‘Follow’ to add Joshua Holmes to your Twitter.

If you don’t Twitter then stay away!!  You will become an addict like me and millions of others.  It is quickly becoming the #1 social networking tool and has lapped MySpace and is about even with Facebook and will pass Facebook in just a couple of months.

If you are new to Twitter then you will want to try out the TweetDeck that makes it really easy to sort and keep track of all of your Tweets.

Bumpshack.com’s ‘Top 10 Super Bowl Ads of 2009′

1. Coca-Cola: ‘Heist’ (Watch Video) - It is safe to say that Coca-Cola’s ‘Heist’ commercial was the most beautiful ad of the night.  A stream of outside critters and bugs, including lady bugs, grasshoppers, and bumble bees, work together to heist a tasty Coca-Cola away from a good looking guy taking a nap on the ground.  This ad should win awards at the National Commercial Marketing Convention or whatever they call it.

2. Telaflora:  ‘Mean Flowers’ (Watch Video) - I had never heard of Telaflora before tonight but they made a big splash with their 30 second spot during the Super Bowl.  A cute girl receives a box of ugly flowers at her office desk.  The flowers then insult her every which way in getting the point across that if her man loved her then he wouldn’t send her flowers in a box.  A very direct and brutal stab at Pro Flowers and all of the other boxed flower delivery services.  Big props to Telaflora!

3. Cash4Gold - ‘Ed McMahon’ (Watch Video) - Everybody knows and hates these Cash4Gold.com ads when they normally come on television, but the ad they ran tonight featuring Ed McMahon and M.C. Hammer was actually pretty good.  The two celebs were able to make fun of their financial hardships and earned some decent coin in the process.

4. Godaddy.com - ‘Danica Steam’ (Watch Video) - Godaddy had a couple of ad spots during the Super Bowl.  I thought the second one with Indy racer Danica Patrick in the hot, steamy shower was the best.  Horny boys at a computer, lusting over Patrick in the shower, believing they can do anything now that they have the internet on their computer.  It must have worked because they went on to add another sexy woman in the shower with Danica as she seductively washed her hair.

5. Budweiser - ‘Clydesdale Fetch’ (Watch Video) - Budweiser at its best. I am not sure how much longer they can pull off these Clydesdale commercials, but this one was actually rather good.  Clydesdale watches dog fetch stick before deciding to one up him and bring back a massive tree branch in his mouth.

6. Bud Light - ‘Conan O’Brien’ - (Watch Video) Conan is just a funny dude.  In this ad Conan is well…Conan.  There is a lot of truth in this ad about Hollywood celebrities that refuse to do commercial ads in the United States but have no problem doing them overseas.

7. Doritos - ‘Crystal Ball’ - (Watch Video) So dumb that it is actually really funny and works well off of that angle.  Nerdy office guy claims snow globe is a crystal ball to predict everyone in the office will get free Doritos.  Even dumber co-employee takes snow globe, wishes for raise, and proceeds to pelt boss in the nuts with the ‘crystal ball.’

8. Budweiser - ‘Clydesdale Circus’ - (Watch Video) Another classic Budweiser Clydesdale ad and the second one that makes this top ten list.  A mini story of boy running off to find girl, rescuing girl from circus, and dashing off to nearest field to get laid.  The song is backed by the song ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ made popular by Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell.  The creators of the ad should have spliced in Marvin’s ‘Sexual Healing’ after the two ponies run off together.

9. Pepsi - ‘Pepsuber’ - (Watch Video) This ad is a play off of a terrible ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit which is a play off of the 80’s hit TV show MacGyver.  In advertising you want your ad to be really good or really bad so people remember it and talk about it the next day at work.  Well this ad for sure fits the specs of the former.  Easily the worst ad of the night if you don’t count movie trailers.  Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s new movie would take the honor if you included it.

10. Pedigree - ‘Crazy Pets’ - (Watch Video) Makes the list because one has to think that the NFL and NBC cut Pedigree a huge discount in the wake of the Michael Vick dog-holocaust scandal for this ad. The theme of the ad is to adopt a dog or support the Pedigree adoption program.  2+2=4

- Written and Compiled by Joshua Holmes

Add Bumpshack to Your Facebook

Facebook has taken over all human kind and is a fun tool and a bit scary at the same time.  It’s almost like constantly having a legal wiretap on all of your thoughts and actions.

Now you can Add Bumpshack on Facebook as one of your favorite blogs.  Go ahead, it’s free, and it might even get you that date with your sexy co-worker.

xxx

I wanted to wish everyone and their families a Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to offer a very special and fattening Turkey Day to Eric, Kirk, Luke, Trevor, Travis, and Watson!

Here is a look at ‘The 10 Sexiest Vampires of All-Time’.  The list ranges from TV vampires like Eric Northman (True Blood) and Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) to the dynamic duo of Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt) and Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise) from Interview with the Vampire.

The 10 Sexiest Vampires of All-Time

1. Brad Pitt as Louis de Pointe du Lac in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1996) - Louis is a depressed soul after the deaths of his wife and daughter.  Lestat tries several times to teach and convert Louis into a vampire. Louis finally crosses over when he bites the neck of a young girl named Claire (Kirsten Dunst).  Louis and Claire eventually flee out from Lestat’s control after Claire kills him.



2. Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in Twilight (2008) - Edward is a 107-year-old vampire trapped in a 17-year-old’s body.  Isn’t that when most of us were near out sexiest?  Isabella Swan (Kristen Stewart) quickly falls for Edward and his family comes to help save Bella once evil vampires move into the region to try to kill her.



go on reading »

Reminder: We are getting a ton of responses to our survey but we need many more, especially WOMEN. Don’t fret it’s totally anonymous and the results will be put to good use in an upcoming story about how men and women view sex and sexual positions.

Please take time to do this quick 2 minute survey.

Take the Sex Positions Survey

All answers are anonymous!!

Thanks for participating!

I am doing research for an upcoming Bumpshack story. Please take time to do this quick 2 minute survey.

Take the Sex Positions Survey

All answers are anonymous.

Thanks for participating!

Just a few quick words from a Holiday Inn Express in Dallas, Texas for the night.

A long day of travel but rather relaxing and fun as well.  After running 26.2 miles almost anything is fun including dealing with airlines in the U.S.

Overall I feel pretty good today. I realized this afternoon that my right ankle is sprained pretty good. I think that happened on about mile 16-17.  My knees feel a lot better than they did last night or the last half of the marathon.  They are still weak but better.  The only other injury update is just general muscle fatigue and soreness mostly in the lower legs and shoulder/back of the neck region.

It looks like I will only lose, at most, 1-2 toenails this time.  I lost all 10 toenails after the first marathon I ran back in 2004.  I lost 2-3 from the second marathon. So what can I say? I am improving!

When I get back to the office, probably Wednesday morning, I am going to try to write a bit about the marathon and post some pre-race and post-race photos hopefully.

Thanks to everyone who has sent me kind and thoughtful emails or Facebook messages.

Philippians 4:11-13

PS: Has anyone else come across the cool College Football Pop Tarts?  Well they got me. I didn’t even want Pop Tarts but I was at the store and saw that they had College Football logos on them and I had to get them.  So far I have eaten LSU, Georgia, Texas Tech and Texas.

Probably the hardest thing I have done in my life. I feel pretty good at the moment though.

My slowest time ever but by far most rewarding and challenging marathon.

More details later.

Time to find a shower!

Those of you that know me well know that I truly hate cold weather.  So naturally a cold spell hit here in northern California this weekend just in time for my marathon tomorrow.  As you can see above it’s going to be a cold one.  I have several layers I hope to shed throughout the race as it warms up.

Upon survival I will be back here in the hotel room after the race to update everyone if I am alive, frostbitten, and my time in the event I finish.

Previous Times:

June 2004 - San Diego - 3:39

December 2005 - Tucson - 3:22

My only goal here in a few hours is to finish the race.  I don’t see myself beating my Tucson time. Although I will be running faster than normal just to get out of the cold.  Kind of the same way I run when rapid dogs are after me.

I want to thank everyone who commented with well wishes on the post I did on Thursday.

UPDATE: When you complain about the cold weather you can always expect the fire alarm at your hotel to go off at 3am and send you outside into the cold to stand half naked for 30 minutes with your family.  NO JOKE!  This is for sure going to be a fun day!

Hey Folks,

I will be traveling and away from the computer most of today. I am heading to the cold mountains of Northern California for my third marathon.  My goal this time is simply survival.  I set my personal record (PR) at my last marathon which took place in Tucson, Arizona. I finished Tucson in 3 hours - 22 minutes.   The first marathon I ran was in San Diego and had nearly 18,000 participants.  My time there was 3 hours - 39 minutes.  I truly don’t expect to PR this race at all.

Many people often ask me how far a marathon is when the topic is at hand.  There are several different legnths but the standard distance, and the one I always run, is 26.2 miles.  There are half marathons (13.1 miles - tricky math) and super marathons that can extend all the way up to 100 miles.  Those are rare and the people who attempt them are half robot.

I do plan to blog as much as I can for the next few days before the race on Sunday, as I will have a good bit of down time and resting before hand.  But I wanted to be sure to let you know that I have hired a really talented blogger to help out at the Shack while I am gone and from time to time.  Her name is Rita Pereira and you will really love her work. She is extremely talented, snarky, and foreign (don’t worry she is not French).

If all goes well with Senorita Pereira I might look into hiring some additional writers here at BS as we look to continue to grow.  If anyone is interested then feel free to email me at Bumpshack@gmail.com.  If you want to include a resume or writing samples then please do.

We have had amazing growth here at Bumpshack over the past four years.  We hit 20 million hits earlier this year and expect to have that many in 2009 alone.  BS has been featured on several news outlets including MSNBC, Fox News and tabloids throughout the world.  BS covered the first Presidential encounter back in August between Barack Obama and John McCain.  I am currently working on several projects and with a handful of celebrities, behind the scenes, on some upcoming projects to be announced later this year.

I appreciate your dedicated support to BS and passing the word to your family, friends and co-workers over the past four years.  I am always open to new ideas and how to keep the site fresh and ever evolving.  If you have any ideas you want to share, then please send them to me at the email address I mentioned two paragraphs ago. Also, don’t hesitate to let me know what you think about the job Rita does on Bump as she helps out from time-to-time.

Thanks,

Joshua Holmes
Bumpshack.com