We can’t wait to yoga, run and party through Vancouver’s beaches, mountains and city streets with you again this summer. Last year, we created an app to help you with all things half-marathon related: training, a city guide to help you maximize your weekend in Vancity, run playlists and more. We listened to your feedback that you loved the app and that you wanted even more features added for this year’s event.

Drumroll please…

Please meet our brand new SeaWheeze app! We have added a ton of cool stuff designed to make your SeaWheeze 2013 experience as good as, oh, I don’t know, eating Oreo ice cream and getting a foot massage at the same time (*Editor’s Note: Alexis’ creepy idea of a good time does not reflect the views of this blog or 99% of the human population).

Let’s get into the nitty gritty of what features have been added to the app.

makeover alert: my training section

We heard you say that you wanted to track your progress up to the big day. Now you can check the boxes of which runs, yoga and cross-training you've completed per week and the app will compile your progress for you.

We’ve also added new training videos featuring this year's SeaWheeze trainers (runners Jenn Howard-Brown, Chris McClung and Blue Benadum and yogi Kerri Kelly) so you can get instruction on-the-go.

let’s get physical accountable

You can now share and interact with friends on Facebook who are also training – you can see their progress and they can see yours.

Things just got serious.

say cheese!

There's a Photo Booth with different frames so that you can share all your SeaWheeze memories with friends on Facebook, Twitter and more. There’s also a live Instagram feed of anything hashtagged #SeaWheeze so you can keep up with all the yoga.run.party times happening during the weekend!

get down on it

Playlists are now listed in the main navigation for easy reference.

My apologies in advance for multiple Mariah tracks...I was surrounded by butterflies and wearing denim cutoffs when I put them together.  #notreallysorry

live goal crushing

We will now be publishing live finishing times via the app on race day. These will still also be offered via desktop and tablet. Get those goals!

it’s the freakin’ weekend

Weekend events are now broken out by day to make weekend planning easy breezy.

We are counting down the days until August 10^th! This app is available in the App Store as of May 17^th. What part of the SeaWheeze weekend are you most excited for?

Brand Manager, blogger extraordinaire and fast runner (1:48 half marathons....whoa!) Kelsey has decided to switch gears and volunteer at this year's SeaWheeze. Here's why she's doin' what she's doin'.

There is nothing quite like crossing a finish line. All that hard work: the training, the mental preparation, the ice baths (ugh!) and the commitment to push yourself each and every day comes down to, in my case, one hour and fifty one minutes. It’s exhilarating, exhausting, immensely addictive and over before you know it (well, except for that last 2km).

It’s too hard to say what the best part of last year’s SeaWheeze was: training with our super dedicated run club, the excitement in the air before the race, seeing people I knew (and more importantly those I didn’t) cheering me on or partying it up after the race with all the other runners.

When registration came around for SeaWheeze 2013 I was pretty close to signing up again, but knowing how I felt seeing all those people cheering for each and every runner (and maybe some not-so-distant memories of interval training) I decided that this year I wanted to support other people in reaching their goals. Training will help you run the race but the support from the people around you is what gets you to the finish line.

So this SeaWheeze I’m volunteering. I cannot wait to see the race from the other side: to cheer at the top of my lungs, high-five those crossing the finish line and celebrate all the badass accomplishment that I know is coming.

We’ve got some awesome opportunities where you can get involved:

power to the pick-up

when: On Friday (day before the race)

what: Help our runners get their gear bag, timing chip and wristband

must-bring: your best smile and stellar small talk skills

check it, please!

when: Early Saturday morning

what: Help runners raring to go check their gear at the course before they head to the starting line

must-bring: ample energy and a friendly face

hand out some help

when: During the race

what: Keep our runners hydrated by handing out much-needed H2O and show ‘em some love to keep them going strong

must-bring: strong arms (you’re going to be handing out a lot of water!) and your loudest cheer voice

If you want to join me (and loads of other smiling, shining, helpful people) volunteer sign-up opens at 12pm on May 15^th on the SeaWheeze site. Email volunteer@seawheeze.com if you've got any questions! See you on the seawall.

Have you ever watched marathoners at the front of the pack whizz by with earbuds in and wondered what they are listening to? We always do – and so with this in mind we asked our three SeaWheeze run trainers Blue Benadum, Chris McClung and Jenn Howard-Brown to share their favourites with you. This playlist is a pretty eclectic mix, proving that no two runners have the same taste in music! We've compiled their most-loved training tunes into one 8tracks playlist - click here to listen.

jenn howard-brown

Florida Georgia Line - Cruise

Cayucas - High School Lover

Justin Timberlake - Damn Girl

Bruno Mars - Locked out of Heaven

C&C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat

Outkast - Hey Ya

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Thrift Shop

chris mcclung

Vangelis – Chariots Of Fire

Survivor - Eye of the Tiger (Chris: "for a little Rocky-style inspiration!")

blue benadum

Hall of Fame by The Script

My Body by Young the Giant

What is your go-to music when you run? Electro? Hiphop? Country? A mix? Tell us your favourites…we’re putting together a SeaWheeze playlist inspired by our guests and we’d love to hear from you!

meet jes

alexis: so tell me - how long have you been running for? 

jes: When I was young I lived in Australia and was part of a group called Little Athletics - my love of sport came at a young age.  I have always been athletic - I played volleyball, basketball and was on the track and field team in high school. Once I graduated I got my personal training certificate in Alberta and then moved out to B.C. Once I got here, I never actually launched my personal training business (I became a hair stylist instead...kinda different, I know!) but I maintained my own fitness and running is a big part of how I like to train.

alexis: so...considering you are a certified personal trainer, it's kind of random you've never done a half marathon. what compelled you to sign up for SeaWheeze?

jes: A long time ago I broke my leg in two places and stopped running longer distances because of it - my ligaments had torn and long training runs became very painful. I've done lots of 5 and 10k races, but only in recent years have I started running longer distances again. When I began working at lululemon I set a goal to run SeaWheeze in 2013. I'm super happy that my body is feeling strong enough to do this - I realized that while my injury was real, I didn't have to let it define what I can do. I may not be the speedster I was when I did track and field back in the day but I can still have a great time on August 10th!

alexis: what kind of yoga do you practice to augment your run training?

jes: I go to Hatha class a couple of times a week and it really helps with sore muscles and flexibility. When my IT band is giving me trouble, I always go to Yin class - the long poses are challenging but it's the best thing I've found to fix the tightness in my hip and knee.

alexis: you are a pretty funny cat. are you going to run by yourself or with a friend on race day so you can giggle and take it all in?

jes: I am going to run with a friend! This isn't a "race" for me - I'm not going for a specific time. For me, SeaWheeze is about seeing Vancouver in a cool way, taking in the sights and sounds and people watching! Having a good time and having my body feel strong is celebration enough.

There are many reasons people sign up for races - some have concrete goals they are achieving, whereas others do it for the experience. Why are you running the SeaWheeze this year?

michelina's SeaWheeze story

Where did you grow up? Brampton, Ontario – it's the fastest-growing city in Canada, look it up!

How did you sweat growing up? Were you a runner? I played competitive basketball – I could shoot well but running wasn't my strong suit on the court. My coach always told me I had to play smart because speed wasn't my forte!

Where do you live now? Beautiful Vancouver, B.C.

What made you decide to run the SeaWheeze this year? It all goes back to last year's SeaWheeze. At this time last year, I had goals to move from Ottawa (where I was living at the time post-university) to Vancouver. I saw some co-worker's Instagram posts of the SeaWheeze launch party last year and had major FOMO – it was then that I decided I was going to Vancouver to run. When I ended up coming here, I spent a day working with the social media team and discovered what I wanted to do with my career next. What was great about the experience is that my "online friends" became my real-life pals – we ran beside each other, worked together and had an amazing weekend. It was through these connections made during the SeaWheeze weekend that I achieved my goal of moving to Vancouver and getting a job in my new favourite city.

What is it that you love about Vancouver in the summertime? I discovered this city – the beaches, mountains and neighborhoods – via the SeaWheeze. It was an incredible way to drink in this city and I fell in love. I love that on one run you can see mountains AND the beach from downtown – it is so unique. The yoga scene here is incredible and the communities are great – there is a ton of diversity but everything is close together. Vancouver has big city feel but it's still small enough to feel at home.

What running goal are trying to accomplish this year? I have a lofty running goal that's actually going to take longer than a year. My friend Danielle and I set a goal to run five of the coolest half-marathons in the world over the next five years. Some we're thinking about include the Rock 'N Roll Marathon in the UK, the San Francisco Nike Half-Marathon and more. It's a great way to stay in shape and incorporate some great travel!

What is one goal you haven't reached that you are still trying to attain? This one eats at me big time. When I was 16 years old, we visited the Great Wall Of China on a school trip. Once I got the photo op, I quit climbing before I got to the top. When I think about this it drives me nuts and one day I will get back there and summit the highest point!

Are you a morning or evening runner? In Ottawa I had to be a morning runner because it is so hot in summer. I am so excited to be able to train at different times of day this Spring in Vancouver.

What kind of yoga do you do to complement your run training? Vinyasa Flow is the practice that I love (I practice at least two times a week) - I know my body will begin craving Yin as training gets more intense and then I'll switch over.

What are you going to eat the night before the SeaWheeze? Pizza and pasta, hold the wine. I am Italian after all!

We are going to be featuring different runners over the next few weeks who are running SeaWheeze - why they are running, some tips they have and what keeps them inspired. Are you running SeaWheeze 2013? Follow along to get amped up for the big day! If you are interested in participating in the SeaWheeze weekend but missed out on signing up, we still have tons on volunteering opportunities - come party with us!

We’ve introduced you to the three amazing run ambassadors who will be leading you through your run training for SeaWheeze 2013. Now meet Kerri Kelly, our Official SeaWheeze Yoga Instructor! We love to incorporate yoga into our run training and we’ve built regular practice into the SeaWheeze training program to compliment all those miles on the pavement.

Kerri first found yoga in the late 90s after a series of running and sports-related injuries had her down and out. She quickly discovered the power of yoga, not only as a way to heal her body, but as a spiritual tool to change her life. Inspired by this, she left the corporate world to dedicate herself to empowering others through yoga, and now she’s bringing her knowledge to SeaWheeze 2013. Kerri has been teaching yoga for seven years and continues to explore many styles of yoga to ensure creativity and balance in her classes. She is an ambassador for our Cow Hollow store in San Francisco and will be leading yoga during the SeaWheeze weekend in Vancouver!

Q&A with kerri

1.How long have you been doing yoga?  I "checked" myself into yoga in 1999 after a serious of run-related injuries.

2. When did you start running? I've been running as far back as i can remember.  But it was in 6th grade that i discovered i was fast when i beat all the boys in our PT test.

3. Favourite city in the world? In this moment, I am in Varanasi, India and it is blowing my mind.

4. Guilty pleasure? OK. Here goes. I have been totally afraid to admit this. But i love sci-fi.

5. Favourite type of yoga for running? Balancing poses and core work really help reinforce "whole-body running" that not only makes us more coordinated, but more sustainable runners.

6. One thing you want our runners to remember this year?  Listen to your body.  It is brilliant and will tell you everything you need to know about being fast and healthy.

7. Who inspires you? Right now? Young girls in India.

8. One goal you have for 2013?  Let go and Let it ALL in.

 9. Anything else you want us to know? Yes. Self-care is everything. Build it into your cross-training routine...it will make all the difference (and you will be happier too!)

Watch our Facebook page for upcoming live chats with Kerri to learn more about the benefits of building yoga into your run training. 

yup, it's that time again!

We've all done it: with major excitement, we sign up for a half-marathon…and then two months before the race, we realize that we haven't started training yet. Eeep!

We are launching the TackleBox training program in May – this 10-week program is engineered to help achieve your peak performance at SeaWheeze 2013 (hello, personal best!) However, we want you to begin the TackleBox program with some fitness and cardio skills already under your belt. It is with this in mind that we have created the Get Sweaty Get Ready program.

Regardless of your current level of fitness, Get Sweaty Get Ready has plenty of options available to get you into your running groove. Along with running, we have incorporated plenty of yoga and strength work to augment your training. By the time the TackleBox training program program rolls out, you'll be ready to rock!

If you have any questions about training or anything else SeaWheeze-related, please email us at support@seawheeze.com or post on our Facebook page.

For any other training-related queries, please visit our FAQ page under the "Training" tab.

See you on the road!

Last week we introduced you to Chris and Jenn from Austin, TX – this week we’re excited to introduce you to Blue Benadum from LA, who will join them as an Official SeaWheeze Trainer and lead you through the run training for SeaWheeze 2013!

Blue Benadum (twitter: @BlueBenadum, Instagram: blue_benadum)

Blue knows the SeaWheeze well - last year, he placed second overall! He is a pro marathon runner living in Los Angeles and one of our elite ambassadors. He spends most days leading his elite running team LASP in hard pursuit of the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials and also coaching and training LA running teams, groups and schools. He’s currently working on his first book "Find Your FAST! -The Pursuit of Speed, a Runner's Obsession."

q & a with blue

1. when did you start running? As soon as I could walk!

2. what was your first half marathon? The first half of the San Diego Rock n Roll Full Marathon in 2006.

3. what made last year's SeaWheeze so awesome? I love the beautiful course, the sunset yoga, the concert and of course all the beautiful girls in luon!

4. what's your favorite pre-run snack? Oatmeal.

5. favourite movie? Last of the Mohicans.

6. worst run story? I was demonstrating how to do a progressive speed sprint interval to my high school cross country students last year. At the fastest moment, the parking lot took a dip and...wipeout! I was able to roll up to my feet and shake it off but I couldn't run for two weeks. My hip hit really hard. The kids were laughing but a little concerned! ‘What NOT to do when sprinting’ by Blue Benadum.

7. best tip for finishing a race feeling good? The more training the better you will feel after you finish. That, plus good nutrition of course.

8. what's one goal you have for 2013? I really want to chip a few more minutes of my finishing time in a key marathon to set the stage for an Olympic Qualifier in 2014.

9. what inspires you? I am inspired by the pursuit of pushing boundaries. It is a beautiful thing because it is relative to each of us. Everyone has their own limitations and regardless of what they are, those of us that work to push beyond them, find that we have something in common.

We think you should know: Blue’s running team, LASpeedProject.com, is part of a documentary where they will be aiming to set a 300 mile running speed record on March 29-30th from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with 4 guys and 2 girls. Talk about a BHAG!