The 4th Annual SF Beer Week Beer Run is in the Books! Thanks to all!

Beer Runners taking a short rest and milling
around the turn-around point at Vasona Dam. 
(Photo by Bryan Kolesare of brewlounge.com)

The 4th Annual SF Beer Week Beer Run is in the books!  After three years in San Francisco, the run headed to the South Bay in Los Gatos, and we were fortunate to enjoy some awesome running weather as we ran along the Vasona Creek Trail.  It was also great to see Beer Run Co-founder Bryan Kolesar make it for the run,  all the way from Philadelphia as he was in town for many of the SF Beer Week Festivities.  Many thanks to Strike Brewing and C.B. Hannegan's for their great help and support.  And I'm especially thankful for all the participants, who created a spirit of friendship and generosity that always seems to coalesce whenever runners get together.  We raised over $100 for Autism Speaks and 2nd Harvest Food Bank and proved beer running is alive and well in the South Bay!  Can't wait until next year!

Update:  Bryan Kolesar has posted a number of Beer Run pictures online (as well as others from his travels that day) you can find here.  You just might find a picture of yourself.



Yours truly giving final run instructions before we all hit the course.
(Photo by Bryan Kolesar of brewlounge.com)

Lighting it up blue for Autism Awareness Month

What do the Empire State Building, the Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro and this blog have in common? All are being lit up blue for April, which is Autism Awareness month.

"Light it up blue" is an initiative of Autism Speaks to raise autism awareness by encouraging the public to illuminate either national monuments or their front porches with blue light.  OK, lighting this blog blue for Autism Awareness Month involves nothing more than changing this blog's layout settings, but just work with me here.  As the father of an 11-year old autistic son, I have a certain self interest in creating more understanding of this affliction.  And if I can help out the 1 in 88 children diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum and their families, than I've accomplished something more with this blog than simply writing about beer and running. 

Besides, running is a lot about overcoming barriers.  Watching my son work hard everyday to overcome the sensory and cognitive barriers of his autism in order to simply communicate and participate in our world has been an inspiration.  While I certainly hope more resources can be brought to bear on this condition which is nearing epidemic proportions, if we can just take a few moments to appreciate what people with autism are going through every second of their lives, the daily challenges of our lives will seem a lot less daunting.

So please join me this month to support those dealing with life on the autistic spectrum and celebrate the accomplishments of those struggling with this disorder.