18 November 2012

Jingle Bell Hell 2012 is COMING!

You may or may not remember that I was race director for an awesome holiday race last year. It was SO awesome that no one attended the real life event knowingly. And the winner of the real life race was a random guy who had no idea he was a part of the resurrection of Jingle Bell Hell. 

Runner Chris...random guy who won last year's race!

There were a number of participants in the virtual race and they gave some fabulous race recaps...and most of them got prizes! Though two of the prizes are still sitting here in a box never having made it to the post office...so embarrassing :(

ooooooo!!!!  aaahhhhhhh!!!  prizes!!!!!

Anyway...

It's time to sign up for this fabulous event!

Below is information on the race...past and present...a little history...some details...hope to see you there, either in the flesh or in spirit!


The 5th running of 
Jingle Bell Hell
1/3-marathon and fun run 
Saturday, December 15, 2012 at 8:00 a.m.
Inspiration Point, Tilden Park, Berkeley, California
Rain or Shine

or wherever in the world you might be :)

The starting point of the real-life event is Inspiration Point in Berkeley, California and the course map is...




and the elevation profile is...


as determined by my Garmin.

The History

My best friends from high school used to put on a race in December. It was small in terms of the number of participants but huge in terms of fun and adventure. Initially, it was a half-marathon, but they found that very few of their friends were at all interested in or capable of running that far. Additionally, the course involved some running on a twisty, narrow road with minimal shoulder that did see its fair share of traffic...especially on weekends. So they abbreviated it to a 1/3-marathon (more or less...a bit over 8 miles) and were able to run it entirely on a paved, car-less road.


My husband (who was my boyfriend at the time) and I ran in their 3rd Annual Jingle Bell Hell in December of 1995 (see picture above...I am front and center with the socks on my hands, he is in the back in the light shirt). It was freezing by Bay Area standards...but not wet. Not everyone went all the way out to the turnaround...and that was just fine.

I won the trophy that year... the "Actually Trained for This Race" Award...


This year's winner will get to have their picture taken with this perpetual trophy and have their name added to the illustrious list on the bottom... ballpoint pen inscribed on masking tape, 'cuz we're classy like that. And there will be some prizes that can be taken home as well :)

I am really hoping to see some local runners in attendance! It's not far from San Francisco, San Jose or even Santa Cruz... looking west or south. Concord is super close to the east, and Sacramento is just 90 minutes away to the north. It's a great follow-up to the early December races, like CIM and Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas

If you're coming in from out of town and need a super cheap place to crash...with an SF Bay view, in a solid structure, and don't mind driving a five miles...

The Albany Bulb Waterfront has some very artistic structures that may or may not be inhabited by squatters.


If you want to do virtual version of Jingle Bell Hell, here are the parameters...
  • Must be at least 5K in total length...no maximum.
  • Must be done on a challenging course (and if you hate treadmills, that means it could be on a treadmill) because the idea is "Hell" ... that is the important part.
  • Must be done between Dec. 8-16, 2011... any time of day or night. This gives you two entire weekends to choose from.
  • You must laugh at least once... can be an evil laugh, a laugh of futility, any kind of laugh but laughter is a MUST.
  • Email me a link to your Jingle Bell Hell recap so I can post it and we may all share in the fun... please include something about when, where, why regarding the laughing part and what made the run your special brand of Hell :)
Participants in the virtual race will be entered in a prize drawing. Things like fueling products, Nuun hydration products, winter running gear, running safety items, some random stuff... I want to try to have something for everyone... depending on how many or how few participate. Going with that whole "Everyone's a Winner" thing :) Don't want anyone's self-esteem damaged by a silly sporting event. 

Leave a comment if you want to participate!

43 comments:

  1. This sounds like a blast! I'm actually signed up for a 5k on December 16th. And since it's a 5k in Boston during December...I'm sure it will be hell because it will probably be in the middle of a blizzard. Yay!!!

    By the way, I've read your blog for awhile...just my first time posting!

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    1. Sounds perfect! Just remember to laugh in there somewhere ;-)

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  2. How late can we sign up? I have some nice challenging places I could do this, or could sign up for a race....but I want to see if a) CIM kills me or b) if my husband is totally fed up with me racing after CIM. :^)

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    1. You can decide the day of :) Either of your scenarios would fit the theme perfectly, though ;-)

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  3. Count me in! It'll give me an excuse to run hills.

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    1. Yay!!!! Last year you did it after mega-partying, right?

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  4. I'm with Terzah -- I'd like to run this, but I have to see if I'm even able to walk after CIM.

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    1. But Jen...this is your chance to MEET ME!!!! LOL and you can walk with my husband if CIM cripples you ;-)

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    2. I have yet to go for a run post-CIM, but I'm 90% sure that I'll see you on Saturday! :)

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  5. Sounds fun- and like a good excuse to do hill repeats. Mine include a semi-loop running up and down the hill in our neighborhood, both sides, and having the neighbors stop and stare at me like I'm insane.

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    1. It is ALWAYS awesome when the neighbors stop and stare! Bonus prizes if you get a crowd going and take a pic :)

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  6. Seriously, XL, you just made my year.
    I had a 5 half marathon goal for the year... Raced 3. Signed up for a 4th, but injury sidelined me from what would have been my original 4th (earlier this month) so I've been trying to figure out how to cram 2 halfs into the next 6 weeks (between final exam week and work travel). A virtual half is just what the doctor ordered!

    I'm already signed up for a 5k on the 15th... Thinking running 10 miles first, then trying to RACE the last 3.1 sounds like my version of hell!

    I'M IN!!!!

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  7. Well crap!! That half marathon from frozen hell I ran in last year, the one that will surely be the same shitty weather, is December 1st. That was the best Jingle Bell from Hell ever! Maybe my Maffetone training can be considered for this year's event....running at a 135 HR max is total hell - I truly want to slit my wrists most of the time it is sooo slow. So put me down! :)

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  8. Well, this actually sounds like fun, but it would almost be as if I were cheating - it's coming to summer here. LOL, December will be lovely, but I am sure I can find a bit of hell, and the laughing part, that's easy. The more hellish, the more I laugh.

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  9. I'm in! I have a stage race and 2 stages are on 16 Dec. Is in the middle of our summer in one of the hottest parts of South Africa. Hell for sure!

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  10. Count me in - maybe I'll revisit my stair climbing hell from last year :-)

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  11. Doing a "non-hell" Jingle Bell 5K with friends on the first weekend. I'll try to dream up something hellish to be done on one of the other days. Looking forward to it. Have used the crap out of my Turtle ear band. Thanks again!

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  12. I'm in, and I hope all your readers show up. I'm in the mood to meet some cool bloggers!

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  13. Ooh, good timing! I have a half marathon that I'm going to turn into 20... I know I'll race it, so those last 7 miles should be a bit brutal... but I'll try to remember to laugh. :)

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  14. Count me in for some hilly hell work! :)

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  15. Count me in for this year! Thanks for hosting this again!

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  16. I'm in again. Went and re-read my race report from last year and was surprised at how far I ran and how unflattering the pictures of me were. Why change things now? :-)

    I liked the card you sent with the goodies last year. Nice personal touch.

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  17. This marathon is so exciting. I am sure runners are going to have a blast.All the best for the Jingle Bell Hell 1/3-marathon!

    Tribulus

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  18. I'm considering it. Right now, I'm pretty sure a 5K anywhere will be hell. Yeah, I'll probably need to train a little to not totally kill myself. Zumba just isn't the same thing. Ha!

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  19. I'm in. Running outside in December sounds like hell to me. I'm a warm/hot weather runner :)

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  20. I'm in too! It is going to be hell trying to keep up with this guys running a marathon (38 laps) for charity but will try as many laps as possible. Have to bring my own fuel too so that's hell too (organization required :p)

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  21. Well, hot diggity!! I am definitely going to join in on this, although I think I will be doing it virtually. The trip from North Carolina to California may be a bit pricey before Christmas. LOL!! I guess I could stay with the squatters though. I will take my run up the hill of hell near my house.

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  22. I am SO in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I live in a hilly neighborhood that is still covered with debris from Sandy so this should be fun!

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  23. I'm in...but I'm going to be in Tokyo so can I maybe do a 5k in Tokyo and pretend it's 8 miles in the Bay Area? And could I do it maybe the day before due to flight times?

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  24. I wasn't going to do this when I first read about it earlier this week because it is so soon and I haven't run in ages, but this morning I realized, that I think I need it...so I am going to do it, have to find a route, will do a search on MapMyRun and see if anyone has one that I can steal and then I will get going on it. Thanks for the motivation!!

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  25. How did that random Chris guy win last year? I forget.

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  26. Salt Lake City in December. I haven't run for over a year. I'm in. Bring on a personal hell as I hate running in freezing cold. It makes my throat burn. And I'll be huffing good as I'm NOT IN SHAPE.

    So fun. Thanks :)

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  27. Running in rain is hell, and I live in the Seattle/Tacoma area so I am in! I have a 12 miler on 12/12/12 at 12:12 that just might be the race. We will see!!

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  28. I love it! I'm doing the Live Ultimate Quarter Marathon in Miami Beach for the first time on the 15th so that might just be the race. I did my first 10K this Thanksgiving and that was hell so this can only be as much hell as that. plus, who knows whether it will be scorching hot or some Miami winter I will experience. I'm in!

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  29. I'm in! I love the thought of evil laughter while out running.

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  30. Fun! In. Virtually. Hell is better in numbers right? :)

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  31. Sounds great and the fun inspiration I need to get out this weekend! I'm in virtually keep you posted with my recap and picture!

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  32. I think I'm in, if only to practice my evil laugh :)

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  33. sorry I missed this!!!!! it was on my bday too :(

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