Okay, so today is one of those mornings that we never hopes happens again …

It is also one of those mornings that if someone had shitted in their running shorts, it would be totally acceptable. With nearly everyone in the crew racing this weekend in some sort of half marathon the numbers were lower, and we were okay with that.

So the morning started off with the normal 5:30 and 6:00am running groups. We changed the 5:30 route and ventured over the new 6th street bridge that heads towards Garden Highway, it has a decent climb to it and has an awesome view coming into Downtown Sacramento.

When the 6AM crew made it’s way to pick up McRunner, he made the usual route to the Tower Bridge then over to the Golden 1 Center. There, something really bad nearly happened to the group that showed up this morning.

While crossing the street on a green light for pedestrians, a car decided to drive and turn without using it’s blinker at a decent speed. The white SUV nearly clipped four of us as were in the crosswalk. It was enough to get the attention of the construction workers making their way to the Golden 1 Center. It also made us yell, WHAT THE FUCK! to the driver.

Usually runners say they almost got hit and the car was yards away, this morning we almost got plowed by the SUV that came within inches of us with their speed on the turn. The car didn’t stop until about 5 yards after passing us. The driver stopped opened it’s door and looked at us, asking “Is everyone okay?” … without even a response, the driver closed their car door and went on their way …

We joke about it now, but it could have been really bad. Each one of us said that is the closest to ever being hit by a car. This is a lesson learned that even with the safety gear of headlamps and crossing at the proper time, we still have to be completely aware of our environments.

After the non-sense of the driver and the what could have been really bad, we made our way to the International World Peace Rose Garden for our Destination Friday workout.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend!

We also hope to see everyone tonight at the Shoes, Sips and Socialize. If you haven’t already RSVP’d please do so by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shoes-sips-and-socialize-tickets-28156752605. 

Thank you to everyone that voted for the Best Boot Camp in the Sacramento A-List voting. 9RUN6 steadily moved up the rankings and moved around the top 3 within the last week or so during the voting period.

Today the winners were announced with 9RUN6 finishing in the 3rd spot of the recognized top 5 in the category.

We are excited to see our friends take the time to vote through the website and get our name out there. Hopefully this will help us attract some new members to the squad as well as encourage more folks to vote next year as we attempt to bring our “A-game” and take first place. Right now we are content with finishing third place in the voting as it is our first year in listing.

What is awesome is that we are the only completely FREE group in the voting. Help us out by sharing how awesome YOUR crew did in the voting … now we are legit, how about we get out and invite some folks to join the squad!

9RUN6 isn’t us. Each individual just happens to choose to be 9RUN6. 9RUN6 is something we do, but it doesn’t define us. However, what we do before, during and after 9RUN6 does.

Life is all about choices. We choose to wake up before the sun comes up. We choose to throw our running shoes on. We choose to show up and put our self out there, even if we are all at different fitness levels, and run at different paces. The commitment to being part of a group or community, the willingness to get up and be awesome, taking chances, not fearing failure is what does define us.

We could all be doing our own thing, but 9RUN6 brings people together to help motivate one another. The actions that we take and the message we share with other people is what continues to define us as individuals. When people come out to take a chance not knowing what the workout is until they show up, shows and proves these folks at 9RUN6 are not afraid of putting themselves out there and take chances. Sometimes the workouts are crazy and uncomfortable, but those things outside of our comfort zone are where amazing things happen.

This goes on into marathoning or running in general. We are categorized as runners or marathoners because of the fact that we put one foot in front of another training to be able to complete a set distance. We aren’t out to win, shit most people aren’t out to “win”, but are still winning in their own way. If everyone was out to win, then races would stop and individuals would pull out the moment that the first runner crosses the line or finishes a workout. So why even race? Well we race or workout not to be first against other people, but we race to win in our own race, the race of conquering the distance.

The ability to overcome set backs in training and non-desirable races speaks wonders about the individual. The challenge of a workout or a marathon or half marathon aren’t easy task, if they were easy they then everyone would be doing them. I know I am speaking to the choir, but as runners we often get the question are you going to win … however, many of us laugh or say no chance, but we should all be saying YES I AM GOING TO WIN. I might not come in first place overall, but I am going to WIN!

Even when we don’t have our best time in a race, we still WON! By being committed to training and getting ourselves out the door we have already taken the steps to winning. Everyday good, bad or in different it is important we enjoy the challenges of training.

So get out and WIN this weekend!

We post on social media and tell friends or strangers … FREE.FUN.FITNESS … yes FREE. However, on numerous occasions the question is brought up … “WHAT’S THE CATCH?” … There is no catch, it really is free.

We won’t sell you anything, except for how awesome it is. In a world of selling people on things and with being cautious, with the thought of if it sounds too good to be true it probably is, it is understandable to why people don’t jump into the 9RUN6 movement as quickly as they would want to.

9RUN6 is about community, it’s about coming together with a common interest in pushing one another to reach our individual goals. 9RUN6 has grown and has seen individuals grow to make fitness part of their lifestyle. We have seen average people, which we all are at 9RUN6, do some amazing things.

Trust us … give us a try and if it isn’t for you then it isn’t your thing. However, you will never know unless you give it a go.

It’s too early.

It’s too far.

I have to work.

I’m not a morning person.

It’ll be too hard.

I’ll join you guys when I get fit.

I’m not ready.

The time isn’t right.

I’ll join someday.

… The list goes on and on … but every excuse SUCKS in our books.

We just ask to commit to the first workout for yourself, but you respond with I cannot commit … how does your significant other feel about your lack of commitment? Being part of a community that helps jump start your day or holds you accountable to get your miles in on the weekend, is F@#$ING awesome! Trust us, we are a group of awesome individuals who come together to get their dose of pouring of liquid awesome on.

Come out to one workout and you will quickly realize that getting up early and taking in the scenes of Sacramento while throwing down some liquid awesome doesn’t suck, it’s your excuses that kinda suck 🙂 …

We have 400 people who “like” us on Facebook, so the challenge is to get 25% of that group to at least tryout one workout … and if all of them show up at the same workout … then you know what happens … I get the 9RUN6 tattoo …

Let’s make this happen people! You can get it done. I believe in all of you to put your excuse(s) aside and make it out to one of the workouts.

So today is Friday, which means destination Friday. A day where we use the West Steps as  a meeting point and head to another location for a workout. Today however was a little different in regards to location, because we hit up various locations around Downtown and the Mid Town area.

Last week was the Sacramento Mural Festival, where local artist showcased their skills along some buildings in Sacramento. So this morning we went out and visited some of those sights, checking out 6 of the 12 murals that decorated the city.

It was a great way to get some miles in to kick off the Labor Day weekend. Folks got some decent miles in while seeing the murals this morning. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the murals, I highly recommend taking the time to get out to the Downtown / Midtown area of Sacramento to take in these awesome pieces of work by local artist.

Join us tomorrow for a long run. The group will gather at 7AM at the Big Lots parking lot in Sacramento located at 8700 La Riviera Dr. 

When Friday comes about, we notice, or at this point expect the numbers to get lower in our attendance. We get it, folks sometimes get their rest day in or whatever. Nonetheless, the weekly group commitment is pretty F@#$ING awesome, with our Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday meet up groups.

Today was the infamous destination Friday, where we traveled off to Cathedral Square located at 11th & K, upon arrival, we found that there were plenty of people sleeping around the Cathedral, not to mention the unknown stickiness on the ground where we would have to do push ups, sit ups and other random movements that would cause us to touch the ground.

So we moved across to the south side of the light rail tracks, and did the workout at Bishop Gallegos, where there was a little more open space to do this morning’s partner workout. 

During the workout, Brad 1.0 raised the question … “When did this workout get easier?”

Folks the workouts don’t get easier, we just get stronger and can accomplish more when there is a commitment to getting after it. Fitness can’t be a sometimes thing, it has to be a routine to see gains. The workout never changed, it is the same one that we first saw before. It just shows that when you commit to something the results will happen and the joy of knowing what it took to get there makes it all worth it.

When workouts get tough, I think rather than dreading it we should all embrace the struggle at times because it is part of the journey. A journey that we set for ourselves. Not one person in 9RUN6 is a professional athlete who does this for a living, so each moment hard or easy should be ended with a smile, because at the end of the workout, we just found much more about ourselves.