ALV Award at San Diego Auto Show

Ed Witt and Jim Woodman

The sixth annual Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year program concluded this week with an awards presentation at the San Diego Auto Show. ALV co-founder and juror, Jim Woodman, presented the award for best luxury on-road vehicle to Ed Witt, owner of Witt Lincoln Mercury. Witt was accepting the award for the 2010 Lincoln MKT.

Athletes who drove the MKT were impressed by the performance of Ford’s new EcoBoost engine, innovative safety features such as blind spot warning and cross traffic alert, as well as the vehicle’s versatile interior.

The Active Network Inc., one of two program sponsors, has hosted the athlete’s ride-and-drive event at its San Diego campus for the past five years.

“We were honored to host the 2010 Active Lifestyle Vehicle Awards,” said Jon Belmonte, chief operating officer of The Active Network. “This event has had great success in connecting auto manufacturers with active consumers.”

The San Diego Auto Show runs through January 3 at the San Diego Convention Center.

My Three Thousand Mile Year

Running shoes

Actually, it was 2970 miles. A slight calf pull at the beginning of December kept me from running the sixty-plus mile weeks that I needed to reach 3000 by January 1.

If one were to string the past 52 weeks worth of runs end to end, it would be the equivalent of running across America. It makes me wonder what it would be like to run or bicycle across this country: to watch the terrain change from hardwood forests to the grasslands, the desert, and eventually the Mediterranean climate of southern California.

While I have contemplated such a journey, it has never been a goal of mine, any more than running the equivalent mileage was. Looking back at my diary, my goals for 2009 were to stay healthy, enjoy running, and jump into a half marathon or two. Read the rest of this entry »