Well it is obvious by now that it was a Toy Story Halloween for us this year.  Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jessie had a busy Halloween with candy parties, family, and friends throughout the day.  Great memories!!

So what do you think of the costumes?

Phoenix in Full Buzz Lightyear Costume

Phoenix dressed up as the best Buzz Lightyear ever on Halloween this past Saturday night.  Buzz was joined by Woody and Jessie.

Halloween 2009

Last week I posted photos and a review of Miley Cyrus Wonder World concert that took place in Memphis, TN on October 21, 2009. I was also able to capture a couple small bits of video footage with a small photo camera.

In the clip above, Miley straddles and rides a red Harley Davidson motorcycle above the audience while singing Joan Jett’s ‘I Love Rock N’ Roll.’

Be sure to check out the photos I took at this concert HERE!

Miley Cyrus Concert Review

Memphis, Tennessee (October 21, 2009) - by Joshua Holmes

Several months ago I had an opportunity to buy tickets to a Miley Cyrus concert in Memphis before they went on sale to the general public. I did it very quickly, thinking I would sell the tickets to someone else who really wanted to see the pop princess.

Come to find out it, the concert was what is called a ‘ticketless’ concert.  This is done  to cut down on scalpers. That means that the purchaser has to show up at the event with photo ID and the credit card they used to make the purchase.  Once at the arena they then print you off a slip of paper with your seat locations.

Long story short, that meant that I would be going to the show whether I wanted to or not.  However, I wanted to go and knew I would enjoy it. It is always fun to get a closer view of celebrities, and especially those I have covered daily here on Bumpshack for the past five years.

We parked very close in a parking garage on Union next to the Crêpe Maker. Since we were hungry and they make over 75 different kinds of crêpes we quickly decided this would beat any overpriced arena food.  With such a large selection it was easy for us all to find one to our liking. For me that meant the Tex-Mex crêpe which was so amazingly good.

Upon entering the arena, you couldn’t miss the Wal-Mart banners and kiosks promoting Miley and her clothing line at Wally-World in conjunction with fashion designer Max Azria.  The line is cute and very affordable priced. Props to Miley for not overpricing her fans (in that aspect).

Metro Station was the opening act and they were already half-way into their set when we found our seats, which were on the lower level.  Risers directly in front of the stage and really good seats!  I was impressed by Metro which is fronted by Miley’s older, painted-skeletor looking brother Trace Cyrus.  Miley’s Hannah Montana co-star Mitchel Musso’s older brother Mason Musso is also in the band.

The band first broke through on MySpace with their hit single ‘Seventeen Forever.’  Within the past year they exploded with the chart-topping hit ‘Shake It,’ the song they closed their set with.

As far as opening acts at concerts go, Metro Station was actually really good.  Trace can be too much at times and often comes across as trying to lower his voice with a whispering/fake (might be dying on stage) voice to fit in with the teens.  They do pop rock really well and did a good job warming up a crowd that came soley to see Miley.

The scariest part of their set, was their last song, when Trace took his shirt off, to expose his ink covered skeleton frame.  He went into a rant about how organizers at the start of the tour told him not to take his shirt off, that he would scare the young female fans…which he DID!  He proceeded to say he decided to say screw it and that he would be true to himself.  He then went into a long winded rant about accepting everyone for who they are regardless of their race, sexuality, tattoos, etc.

During the intermission, before Miley appeared, she had fans text her messages, which were then posted on the big screens atop the stage. She would sporadically reply via text to the messages on the board. Each time she did the crowd naturally went nuts.

Miley Cyrus arose up out of the stage within a giant glacier of ice to the shrieks of 18,000 of her fans.  She danced within the ice before it cracked open, and she began her first number.  Her opening was a bit of a let down and didn’t have the big explosive spark that most good concerts usually have.  Luckily, that was not foretelling, as everything that came after her opening number was truly amazing for a 16-year old.

Not being a super nitro-charged teen fan of Miley’s I was not familiar with all of her songs, but I recognized close to a dozen as the night unfolded. I would do her body of work an injustice if I tried to name the songs and order she performed them.

However, here are a few of my highlights and thoughts from the night:

The stage, choreography, and entire production was one of the best I have seen at a live concert.  Miley was constantly surrounded by very experienced dancers that were always covering the stage and creating a great visual spectacle.

At one point there was a 2-minute trailer for her new movie The Last Song about midway through.  The film will be released next summer and stars Miley, Greg Kinnear, Kelly Preston, and Bobby Coleman.

Miley’s - Madonna moment - of the night took place when she came on stage in a wedding type dress with hot pink - knee high socks that was simply slutterific.  She then was raised by a harness from the lighting tower and the ‘virgin-punk’ bride flew high above the audience as her teen fans went absolutely nuts below her.

The most visual grabbing moment took place during ‘Fly’ when Miley and sexy dancer pals jumped on top of what I have called the ‘Fly-Mobile’ and danced, grinded, and gyrated as it moved towards the audience.

Her other high flying event of the night took place when she strattled a red Harley Davidson and throttled the hog, before she went flying above the audience on the hog leaving a cloud of exhaust smoke behind her.  It had to be the ultimate fantasy of every pedophile Hell’s Angels’ undercover biker in attendance.

The surprise guest duo was none other than her brother Trace who reappeared and proceeded to chase Miley around stage as they belted out one of Miley’s harder rocking  joints.

Near the end of her set-list, to the delight of her fans, she came out and rocked to ‘Party In The USA’ as the dancers turned it up a notch and the big screens spastically flashed American flags throughout.

The show for sure had its stripper-esque and ‘just a bit too sexy for young pre-pubescent’ moments. Miles never wore shorts (hot pants) or a dress that came within 12 inches of the top of her knees.  At one point she did a quick pole dance with a orange and white striped rope that had conveniently fallen from the ceiling.  She also had a strip-tease like dance with a construction traffic sign.  I would say the show was PG-13 at best.  But there were thousands of girls under the age of 10, including my 7-year old relative, who came with us and had a good time.

For an encore (aren’t these a requirement and not a spontaneous and special event anymore?) Miley returned to the stage to even more theatrics to sing ‘7 Things’ and she closed the night with her #1 hit ‘The Climb.’

Most pop performers today lip-sync while dancing to a perfect recording of their songs. Miley sang every song, while dancing, and going through over a dozen costume changes.  She worked hard throughout the night during a challenging set that would have done in most of her contemporaries twice her age.  Just remember you can spend twice as much to go see a bloated Britney Spears lip-sync to a soundtrack of her songs or you can spend it on Miley and get an actual ‘live’ performance.

It was an expensive show (nearly $95 a ticket) but worth it.  If your daughter, son, girlfriend or wife is a fan of Hannah Montana or Miley Cyrus then the expense will be well worth it.  Everyone in attendance came away impressed and entertained from a rocking night from the most talented 16-year old in the business.

Please leave your comments below if you have seen Miley live and what you thought of her performance.

Miley Cyrus Concert Photos from her Memphis Concert

[all Miley Cyrus images by Joshua Holmes/Bumpshack.com]

RELATED: Miley Cyrus Hog Riding in Concert (Video)

Miley Cyrus put on a great concert last night in Memphis.  She was everything you would expect her to be.  More of those details along with some great photos coming shortly here on Bumpshack.

Enjoy the preview photo above. You will enjoy the rest of the photos even more….stay tuned!!

[image: Joshua Holmes/Bumpshack.com]

My apologies for no posts over the weekend. I was out of town in Murfreesboro running in a half-marathon and my computer time was almost non-existent.  I will try my best to catch everyone up today.

-joshua

I promise this process is getting close to being over, but I need your help in this poll to help me eliminate one of these two names that are under consideration for the sports blog. Bump Sports was the run away winner in the last poll, but I think many of you were voting based on what you think I would like instead of what would be best.

So if you could please vote and help me decide between these two names then it would really be helpful.

Rounding Home - www.RoundingHome.com - Rounding home is a play on rounding second or third in baseball. Rounding Home doesn’t happen in an actual baseball game, which makes it even more unique for a blog title. It does kind of imply ‘after the game, post game coverage, leaving the ball park, etc.’

Sportscasm - www.Sportscasm.com - a combo of sports and sarcasm which I am sure most of the writers on the site will heavily employ. Great potential to be catchy, kind of like sportscenter…Sportscasm - could be confused as sports orgasm instead of sarcasm and that could be a pro and con as well.

Thanks so much!

Two weeks ago I asked for your help in my quest to find the best name for a sports blog/website I am working on with several friends.  I started with seven domain names and through your votes and comments narrowed it down to the three best choices. Now I need your vote and opinion on the remaining three names below.

See the Original Choices and Poll HERE

BE SURE TO VOTE ABOVE (Your Opinion Really Helps)

Rounding Home - www.RoundingHome.com - Rounding home is a play on rounding second or third in baseball. Rounding Home doesn’t happen in an actual baseball game, which makes it even more unique for a blog title.  It does kind of imply ‘after the game, post game coverage, leaving the ball park, etc.’ Pros and cons with this one as with all of these…sometimes I like it.

Sportscasm - www.Sportscasm.com - + a combo of sports and sarcasm which I am sure most of the writers on the site will heavily employ.  Great potential to be catchy, kind of like sportscenter…sportscasm  -  could be confusesd as sports orgasm instead of sarcasm and that could be a pro and con as well.

Bump Sports - www.BumpSports.com - +obvious tie in and sometimes I really like that and other times I don’t and want separation from the Bumpshack brand.  It would be pretty easy to remember.

Thanks for your vote!!

1. Vanity Fair Photo Shoot with Billy Ray - This photo shoot ended up turning into a mini-scandal and in the end major publicity for Miley and her dad Billy Ray Cyrus.  The shoot was done by famed fashion photographer Annie Leibovitz.  The controversy came from Miley appearing topless in the shots and in a semi-suggestive position with her father in some of the other images.  Miley ended up issuing an apology and the issue slowly faded away.  (See Photos and Story)


2. Racy Photos on Her MySpace - Honestly, Miley’s popularity grew immensely after many racy MySpace pics and naughty, sexually suggestive photos were leaked online last year by Miles and her friends. Miley was caught making out with various girls (see #9), in some hot make out session with her ex-boyfriend Thomas Sturges (photos).  Several more intimate photos, never meant to be seen for mass viewing, were leaked online when a young hacker became obsessed with the Hannah Montana star. We have seen Miley attempting to expose her breasts (photo), doing a wet t-shirt contest in the shower (photos), and attempting to pose seductively in her underwear (photos).  Perhaps her internet connection should have disconnected by her parents when this kept happening over and over.


3. Lap Dance Photos on Director’s Twitter - This was an instance of Miley practicing an inappropriate and suggestive lap dance for the old and wacky director of “The Last Song” movie that were photographed.  The director then proceeded to take the photos and post the Kodak moment on his Twitter.  The director shares a lot of the blame for this bad judgment (if not all of it), but Miley should know better than to be doing lap dances for 50-year old men who have grandchildren her age.


4. Pole Dancing at Teen Choice Awards - This is perhaps the freshest screw-up on our list.  Less than a month ago, Miley performed her new single ‘Party in the USA’ at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards.  She came out in tight-black bootie shorts (photo) and in an extremely suggestive style jumped up on a moving ice cream cart (complete with stripper pole) and did a quick pole dance during the middle of the song to a stunned yet thrilled audience.  Meanwhile, Papa Billy Ray smiled and applauded his approval in the audience.  It is still mind-numbing that a producer of a teen awards show thought this was a good idea, regardless of actual intent. (See Photos & Watch Video)


5. Decision to Date Justin Gaston - Nothing is more controversial than a pure, virginal sixteen year old girl dating a 20 year-old underwear model, who is also an aspiring country star. This uncanny and allegedly asexual relationship between Miley and Justin Gaston might have been the critical turning point from Miley being seen as a virginal Disney star to a young woman with an appetite for sexy and dangerous boys and their toys.  The couple has since broken up and is no longer together. (Photos and Story)


6. Jogging in Bikini/Bra with Shirtless Boyfriend - Miley and then model boyfriend Justin Gaston went for an early morning run earlier this year.  Justin ran sans shirt, which I normally do as well during the summer.  That is perfectly acceptable for a 20-year old modeling stud.  However, Miley ran in denim Daisy Dukes and a low cut shirt with her bra/bikini top covered boobs bouncing in-n-out of it - completely inadequate jogging attire for an underage girl that is more than aware that the paparazzi is present to track her every move and illegal bounce.  Miley knew exactly what she was doing but later tried to explain it away by stating that she was simply dressed for a car wash.  (Photos and Story)


7. Asian Slanted Eyes Photo Controversy - I think most of us at some point made ’slant-eyes’ Asian faces during our childhood. But that was in a different time and age. However, this is not as acceptable to do in this ultra political correct world we now live in. Miley made the mistake of doing her own version of ’slant-eyes’ in a group photo at a small party. Several other kids in the photo were goofing off as well. Miley was probably actually clueless that her gesture could be found offensive. Being the mega-celebrity that she is - it was just a matter of days before the photo was circulating all over the internet. The OAC admonished her with a stong handed statement. One Asian woman filed a lawsuit seeking $4 billion in damages for all of the Asian Pacific Islanders living in the Los Angeles area for the ‘racist’ picture. So I guess it was acceptable for Michael Jackson to want to be white, but racist for Miley to want to be Asian. Miley has to be smart, especially at these parties, and in today’s society where a cell phone camera can catch celebrities in a wild array of unfathomable positions or gestures. Miley was being harmless but very likely will simply be ‘Smiley Miley’ the next time someone says “CHEESE!”


8. Twitter Rants/’Miles to Go’ Book - For someone who often complains about public scrutiny of her personal life, Miley has no problem putting her emotions and feuds in print or on her Twitter.  Miley’s first autobiography “Miles To Go” tells all you want to know (or don’t want to know!) about her first failed attempt at a romantic relationship with Nick Jonas, better known as ‘Prince Charming’ in the book.  Alternatively, she uses Twitter to profess her love to an unknown person, send Justin Gaston messages and rant about how the media doesn’t leave her alone.  Well, maybe the media would leave her alone more if she wasn’t constantly bringing attention to herself via her Twitter or rambling thoughts. [Other Twitter Rants: Miley Cyrus Is NOT Fat Twitter Rant + Miley Cyrus Is Single Twitter Rant]


9. Photos Kissing Girls - Miley also likes to spread the love to her girl friends. I don’t know why, but there is often something about Christian girls wanting to go out smooch other girls and mark it up to experimenting or being confused.  First, Miley got sweet and wild with a girl in a hotel hallway (photos), then she was caught trying to attack Ashley Tisdale (photo) and most recently kissing “I Kissed A Girl” singer Katy Perry (photos). Locking lips Lohan-style might be the chic thing in Hollywood right now, but it’s definitely not appropriate for a sixteen year-old Disney star.


10. Overexposure - #10 was originally ‘Bad Parenting,’ but after some thinking I decided Miley’s parents are probably doing the best they can do with all of the vulchers and snake oil salesmen around them in Hollywood. Still Miley’s folks, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus, could have kept a bit tighter reign on her at times and monitored some of her online behavior, as all parents should do with teenage children. They also should have 86′d the topless Vanity Fair shoot and not allowed the stripper-like performance of ‘Party in the USA’ at the Teen Choice Awards.
    
    However, something they are letting take place that might eventually hurt Miley’s career or her psyche in general is overexposure. You can’t avoid Miley in the supermarket, Wal-Mart, television, radio, or the internet without hearing or seeing Miley Cyrus. I understand you have to do the branding while the iron is hot, but give the kid at least a small bit of what little remains of her childhood to enjoy.
    
    Exposure and profitability is a good thing, but overexposure almost always ends up killing the product in the process. Miley could be an exception to that rule much in the same way that Britney Spears has been, but Britney has not done it without stints in rehab, failed marriages, and a massive meltdown. Hopefully, Miley can learn from her own mistakes, and from the mistakes of others so she can mature her career as graceful as possible over time.

We love Miley here at the Bumpshack and think she has survived remarkably well to this point in her career. Hopefully she can escape the demons and heartache that usually ends up suffocating child stars in Hollywood.

Now it is your turn to drop your thoughts and opinions below in the comments on this list? Do you agree or disagree? Did we miss something that Miles could have avoided?  What is your opinion about Miley?

I have been working on putting together a sports blog for a long time now. It has long been a passion of mine to create a top notch sports blog/website with some very talented sports bloggers and friends.  Well that reality is almost here.  I just need to decide on a name for the site.

Below are the names we are discussing for the site. I already own these domains and will likely sell the ones that are not chosen.  I have both the site name listed and spelled out with www and .com as well to show how it would look typed in a browser (the links below don’t work - they are just for appearance).  I have included some notes I had compild and emailed to a good friend who will be writing on the site.

So I need your help to decide on what to call this new sports site that will launch in the next month.  The descriptions are below and you can vote for multiple sites above in the poll.

BE SURE TO VOTE BELOW (Your Opinion Really Helps)

Home Ruin - www.HomeRuin.com - + very close to ‘Home Run’, plays off of the tainted steroid era and homers, pretty short, should be memorable  - It could also confuse people and for sure have them thinking I have no clue how to spell Home Run.  This one is tough for me to decipher.

Ball Count - www.BallCount.com -  + Pretty short and simple. It would be easy for people to remember.   - might could be a bit dull compared to others but maybe not.  I kinda like the way it looks.  Maybe be too boring for some.

Triple Dribble - www.TripleDribble.com -  This one can be seen a few ways  + one as a triple dribble which is a play on Double Dribble (the basketball call and great Nintendo game) and would make you a horrible baller.  It also would tie in a term from baseball (triple) and basketball (dribble) while at the same time meshing together for a bit of an oxymoronic ‘Triple Dribble’   - could be hard to spell for some or those that get in a hurry typing at times.

Rounding Home - www.RoundingHome.com - Rounding home is a play on rounding second or third in baseball. Rounding Home doesn’t happen in an actual baseball game, which makes it even more unique for a blog title.  It does kind of imply ‘after the game, post game coverage, leaving the ball park, etc.’ Pros and cons with this one as with all of these…sometimes I like it.

Sportscasm - www.Sportscasm.com - + a combo of sports and sarcasm which I am sure most of the writers on the site will heavily employ.  Great potential to be catchy, kind of like sportscenter…sportscasm  -  could be confusesd as sports orgasm instead of sarcasm and that could be a pro and con as well.

Balk Ball - www.BalkBall.com - +short, simple, sweet, a balk is a mistake,screw up, by a pitcher in baseball that allows a baserunner to advance a base.  Athletes screw up all the time so it could be a logical tie in like that.  It would also have the double B thing, which could work good in a header design.  However, many casual sports fans would have no clue what a balk is.

Bump Sports - www.BumpSports.com - +obvious tie in and sometimes I really like that and other times I don’t and want separation from the Bumpshack brand.  It would be pretty easy to remember.

Big League Turf - www.BigLeagueTurf.com - + sounds pretty professional - could also be confused with Chem Lawn or something like that.

Big Wilt - www.BigWilt.com - I bought this domain a couple years ago… + short domain name, refers to Wilt Chamberlain, could become catchy.  - Some will have no clue who Wilt was or his impact in sports and the bedroom. Domain name is rather short which is good and would be easy to remember. On a sidenote I do own 5 pairs of Wilt’s leisure pants from the 70’s.  They are about as tall as I am.

BE SURE TO VOTE BELOW (Your Opinion Really Helps)

*Note: You can vote for more multiple choices in the poll above.

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.

Legendary college basketball coach Bobby Knight watching the 80th MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis on July 14, 2009.  Knight is good friends with St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa.

Coach Knight also participated in the Celebrity Softball Game on Sunday night. Knight played first base on the winning National League celebrity team.

More All-Star Game Photos of Bobby Knight

More Exclusive Bumpshack All-Star Game Photos
President Obama’s 2009 MLB All-Star Game First Pitch
Sheryl Crow Sings National Anthem at 2009 All-Star Game
Billy Bob Thornton at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game
Bobby Knight at the MLB All-Star Game
Sara Evans ‘God Bless America’ All-Star Game

[photos by Joshua Holmes/Bumpshack.com]

Billy Bob Thornton was one of several celebrities in attendance at the 80th MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis on Tuesday night.  Billy Bob sat on the fourth row right next to the National League dugout.  Billy was very cordial with the fans, especially upon his 6th inning exit, where he responded to cheers, waved, and gave high fives to several people on his way down the VIP tunnel.

Thornton is almost always more than kind with his fans.   I first met him on the set of The Badge nearly five years ago in Louisiana.  He took time to talk to all of us in between takes, and he did his best to blend in and just be one of the guys.

Thornton was in St. Louis for most of the weekend and played in the Celebrity Softball Game on Sunday night.  He played high school baseball and eventually earned a try out with the Kansas City Royals before a broken collar bone derailed his dream.  Billy Bob grew up in Arkansas as a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.

More Photos of Billy Bob from the All-Star Game

More Exclusive Bumpshack All-Star Game Photos
President Obama’s 2009 MLB All-Star Game First Pitch
Sheryl Crow Sings National Anthem at 2009 All-Star Game
Billy Bob Thornton at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game
Bobby Knight at the MLB All-Star Game
Sara Evans ‘God Bless America’ All-Star Game

[photos by Joshua Holmes/Bumpshack.com]

Singer Sheryl Crow performed the Star Spangled Banner last night at the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in St. Louis.  The Missouri native also performed a concert Saturday night as part of the All-Star Fan Fest.

The photos don’t lie, the 47-year old Crow is still rockin’ fifteen years after she rose to national fame with her breakthrough 1994 hit ‘All I Wanna Do.’

More 2009 All-Star Game Photos of Sheryl Crow

More Bumpshack MLB All-Star Game Photos
President Obama’s 2009 MLB All-Star Game First Pitch
Sheryl Crow Sings National Anthem at 2009 All-Star Game
Billy Bob Thornton at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game
Bobby Knight at the MLB All-Star Game
Sara Evans ‘God Bless America’ All-Star Game

[photos by Joshua Holmes/Bumpshack]

President Barack Obama had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the 2009 Major League All-Star Game in St. Louis, Missouri.  Obama received a mixture of cheers and boos as he walked to the mound to make his pitch.

He was booed in large part for wearing a Chicago White Sox jacket to the mound.  The Cardinals faithful and Cubs fans in attendance were not too keen on that Presidential move.  I have to agree that it was not the best of decisions. He should have worn a Cardinals jacket or at worst an official All-Star Game 2009 jacket to appease the masses.

Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols caught Obama’s first pitch before helping introduce the commander-in-chief to the living Cardinals Hall-of-Famers (Ozzie Smith, Bruce Sutter, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, the great Stan ‘the Man’ Musial) and Redbirds legend Red Schoendienst.

The pitch was hardly a strike and barely made it to Pujols as he inched forward to snag the ball right before it hit the dirt in front of home plate.

Obama was friendly and seemed truly excited to be taking part in MLB’s mid-summer classic. He took time to meet the two teams before the game and his pitch.  Obama then sat in the box behind us at the game for about three innings before making a quick departure.

Many people who viewed the event on TV have said today that “Obama throws like a girl.”  What did you think?

More Exclusive Bumpshack All-Star Game Photos
President Obama’s 2009 MLB All-Star Game First Pitch
Sheryl Crow Sings National Anthem at 2009 All-Star Game
Billy Bob Thornton at the 2009 MLB All-Star Game
Bobby Knight at the MLB All-Star Game
Sara Evans ‘God Bless America’ All-Star Game

More Photos of President Obama’s ASG First Pitch

[photos by Joshua Holmes/Bumpshack]

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!

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]