NY Mini Race Performance and Meeting Meb

The NYRR New York Mini 10K race was well over a month ago now and it just hit me that I didn't wrap it up with a performance report!

I had a phenomenal time. The New York Road Runners Club is known for there large and well organized events and the entertainment portion was no exception. The sound crew was awesome and everything went off without a hitch. I played a few songs before the race and a set after the race and right before the awards ceremony. Some one even came up to request one of my pre-show songs again which was super cool.

Thanks to the wonders of twitter I had been able to recognize a nyrr photographer who had been tweeting that he was covering the show. As a result I was able to get the pics he took of me onstage immediately after the show. All he asked was that I give him photo credit. So here are a few master shots taken by Michael Chadwick. If you happen to be looking for a photographer check out his website or follow him on twitter @ChadwickPhotog

I was happy to see several other of my tweeps there. Before the show I saw @Ashmoe of HashNYC.com and nycruns.com fame. I also managed to play the BoldPaceMusic blog's pick for running song of the week last week, "Engineering Masterpiece," while @BklynRunner was in earshot (which was a song she had personally requested.) After the show I saw @herroyaltallnes jamming out and snapping pics. I officially met @Running_Fox for the first time and @SpeedySasquatch even stopped by. I recognized a few other people from facebook as well. Special thanks to my sweetie @Hickey462 for playing roadie and toting my gear around (the parking was quite a feat as well.)

As I was leaving I found myself a few feet from one of my running heros, and let's face it the hero of many female runners of our generation, Kara Goucher! I was too shy and in too much of a hurry to stand in the line of adoring fans but I did snap a quick camera phone shot as I walked by.

Speaking of running celebrities in my "I intended to blog about this a long time ago," vault.... Check out this great autograph I got from last year's ING New York City Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi! I got it while attending a nycruns.com sponsored event at the Run Footlocker store on Union Square back in April. I decided it would mean more to me to have him sign my Runner's World to Lady Southpaw and tried desperately to explain my concept as quickly as possible (as there was a long line fans waiting.) He actually humored me with his very sweet message of "To: Lady Southpaw, Best wishes & Thank you for writing songs to Runners. Run to Win, Meb." This one is definitely going into a frame to be hung in my "music studio" (AKA bedroom.)

Running Music Performances at Races

If you are going to be anywhere near Central Park this Saturday June 12 please stop by the NYRR Women's Mini 10K! There will be a Lady Southpaw performance before and after this event around 8 and 9:40 am respectively. It should be pretty exciting as two of my heroes Kara Goucher and Paula Radcliffe will be running but not racing because they are both pregnant. How BadAss is that?

2010 has been a pretty good year for Lady Southpaw running rock performances at races. It was more than a year ago now that I was musing about that as one of my goals.

To kickoff the year, in January I played after a hash.

In February I performed after the Valentines Day 5K with the Brooklyn Road Runners Club thanks to support from NYCRuns.com (which included helping me duct tape my mic to a hand truck when I forgot my mic stand, very smooth.)

In March I rocked mile 11 of the NYC Half Marathon with New York Road Runners Club (scroll down to the bottom of the entertainment page to see a Lady Southpaw link on youtube.)

April took me to the Asbury Park for the Jersey Shore RunAPalooza Half Marathon & Marathon Relay.

A group of us representing NYCRuns.com went down and had a great time. This was a big first for me because they had me sing the National Anthem before the race. The only picture I have from that event is of my back, and the backs of all the racers as we gaze lovingly at the flag on top of the Asbury Park Convention Hall. I got to play inside the hall during the expo which was pretty cool considering big acts like Bruce Springstein and the Rolling Stones have all played there. It was a bit funny with just me and my one little amp; can anyone say reverb? That place is like a huge echo chamber but a kick-ass experience nonetheless.

Have I mentioned that NYCRuns.com is a great resource for all things running in the New York area? This includes a race calendar, local running clubs, partner finder, and the best running bloggers in NYC.

Again, if you are in the Central Park area this Saturday, please please please come support!!

If I had to make a goal for next year, it would be to get a full band together.... Sooooo.... if you happen to know any musicians who are running-inclined pleeeaaase send them my way lovelies.

Thank you. That is all.