DLT is a big fan of the Spartan Race which is coming to town February 9th and 10th. This year’s race supports two great charities, Green Beret Foundation and Creekside Outreach. Both are military based and help veterans. The wave will be geared towards secondary students (age 13-18) and will establish roots in Arizona for our High School Program. Their Reebok Spartan Race High School Program includes the teen only heat called the Reebok Spartan Race High School Challenge (HSC) and the ultimate goal to make this sport recognized in the United States, Australia, Europe, etc.

Normally the HSC is $30-$40. The charity 10:30am heat in Arizona will be a FREE HSC. A waiver must be signed by each racer.Parents, school faculty, and other adults are also welcome to run during this charity heat. However, they must pay the insurance fee. Both students and adults must register through spartan race, which is ultimately through active.com.The code for students is AZHS. The code for adults is AZHS14. Spartan Race will donate to the above charities for every racer that crosses the finish line. 

Visit the Reebok Arizona Spartan Sprint Race Event page to get signed up today!”

Admit it, fall brings many welcomed changes and seasonal delights. Although we’re still enduring the triple-digit heat, we can now 1) get a Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks and 2) enjoy football in its three most popular forms; NFL, college and, of course, fantasy.

Since Arizona State University  kicked off their season at home a week ago with a 63-6 victory over Northern Arizona University, despite their new coach, Todd Graham, and the new quarterback(s). The Sun Devils will host Illinois Saturday and here’s their complete 2012 schedule.

The University of Arizona was also victorious in their 2012 season kick off against Toledo Saturday. The game, which was Rich Rodriguez’s coaching debut in the desert, ended in overtime Wildcats 24, Rockets 17. What’s next for the Wildcats? Oklahoma State will be hitting U of A Saturday and here’s their complete 2012 schedule.

If you missed both games, don’t worry, after making final roster cuts and naming the John Skelton their Week 1 starting quarterback, the Arizona Cardinals will host the Seattle Seahawks for their home opener Sunday. Tickets are still available here, and don’t forget to check out the rest of the Cardinals 2012 schedule.

If your fantasy football team’s roster looks just plain terrible we’re sorry, but we can’t help you. However, if you haven’t found a fantasy league (let alone a team) for this season it’s not too late to participate, NFL.com has the details here, but don’t get flagged for “Delay of Game,” get to it!

Is your child a die-hard Suns fan? Now is there chance to be a part of the team. The Phoenix Suns will hold interviews for kids’ age 16 and older who are interested in a position with the Suns Ball Kids during the 2012-13 season.

The Suns are looking for highly motivated, hard-working individuals who are able to attend all Suns home games during the 2012-13 season. The perks are endless. A great thing to add to your resume and the ability to attend every Suns’ home game. Can we sign up too?

Registration will be held at US Airways Center on Tuesday, August 28 at 5 p.m. Bring your resume!

The Diamondbacks will make Arizona baseball history later this month. On August 22, the D-backs will host their very first doubleheader against the Miami Marlins at 12:40 p.m. and 6:40 p.m. at Chase Field. To help celebrate this great baseball achievement, CityScape Phoenix will be your one stop shop in between games.

After the first game, fans will be required to leave the stadium and our invited to walk over to CityScape to enjoy two-for-one specials as well as free D-backs activities at Patriots Square from 3-6pm including inflatables for kids, a D-backs whiffle ball field, speed pitch and face painting.

Now let’s get to the good stuff.

Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails

Grab a local beer and Blue Hound’s famous tater tots with smoked bacon, chive and a French onion dip for only $6.

Copper Blues

Two-for-one wells, local and domestic beers (over 25 to choose from) and house wine when you show your D-backs ticket (excludes happy hour items).

Tilted Kilt

Show your ticket to receive a free Irish Nacho. No purchase necessary.

Fuego CityScape

Two-for-one on all drinks including wine, sangria, mojitos and cocktails.

»READ MORE

Sometimes when you’re  a server in a fancy restaurant, you have the pleasure of serving a celebrity. August 27 is your chance to have those roles reversed. Late this month the 4th Annual Celebrity Servers Dinner for Charity will take place at Morton’s Steakhouse, hosted by the one and only Larry Fitzgerald.

Local area-residents and Cardinals fans are invited to enjoy a four-course meal served by Fitzgerald, his fellow teammates and other celebrity friends. All proceeds benefit The Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund. The first ever Morton’s Celebrity Servers dinner was with Fitzgerald, and it was such a success that it led to an entire dinner series. It has become the ultimate event and the place to see and be seen, drawing a host of celebrities. The great Muhammed Ali appeared last year.

When will be your next opportunity to have a celebrity serve you? What’s more, is that it is for a good cause. Tickets for the evening are $500 per guest which includes valet, tax and gratuity. The reception and silent auction begins at 7:00 p.m. For reservations and more information call 480.951.4440.

When someone mentions the dog days of summer, we think there is a good chance they might actually be referring to National Dog Day. Each year a variety of celebrations and events take place in honor our four-legged friends and family members and it’s never too early to start planning.

According to the National Dog Day website, August 26 was dubbed a holiday by pet lifestyle expert, Colleen Paige, and is a way to pay homage to our companions for their unconditional love and unquestioning loyalty. The website goes on to acknowledge that dogs play a huge role in our lives. In addition to making ideal best friends, they also work as service and therapy animals and serve alongside law enforcement and military members.

Here are just some of the events taking place in honor of our beloved canines as well as the rescue programs and shelters that work tirelessly on their behalf: »READ MORE

Credit: Reuters/Andrew Winning

What would the Olympics be without the torch relay or the opening ceremony? With all the hype behind tonight’s royal schedule of events we’re not willing to find out.

With “Isle of Wonder” as the event’s theme and reports that Queen Elizabeth and James Bond (Daniel Craig) will  be in attendance, we’re sure you will not want to miss the official kick start to the 2012 Summer Olympics in just a matter of hours. Here in Arizona that means tuning into NBC (12News) beginning at 7:30 p.m., which is really 3:30 p.m. in London.

Rumors (that we hope are true) include a good possibility that we’ll see a live performance by Sir Paul McCartney and that we should expects guest appearances by numerous barnyard animals. Additionally, we’re reading that the ceremony is being directed by Award winning filmmaker Danny Boyle and, according to AOL Sporting News, that the sound of the world’s largest harmonically tuned bell will mark the beginning of the show.

For the full events and results schedule, click here. To watch the games streaming live or for broadcast information, click here.

Who doesn’t love college football? Not that we’re biased, but because we are located in the heart of Sun Devil country we bring you the latest and greatest from Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Athletics.

What’s a team without its fans? Here are some ways for fans to get involved well before the season begins (in 35 days, not that we’re counting):

Sun Devil photo booths are located at Scottsdale Fashion Square, Chandler Fashion Center and Tempe Marketplace. Take a photo and create your own Sun Devil billboard. Fan photos will be randomly selected now through kickoff.

Every Friday is now #FanFriday. Sun Devil fans posting photos via Twitter or Instagram are encouraged to use hash tags #FanFriday and #FearTheFork. Submissions with the best Sun Devil pride will be featured as the face of Sun Devil Athletics every Friday.

Sun Devil football tickets are on sale now and check out the 2012 schedule here.

If the University of Arizona is more your thing, no hard feelings. Here is the complete 2012 Wildcat football schedule. And, of course, #BearDown.

The Arizona Cardinals officially kick off training camp today in Flagstaff. Without any imminent threat of another lockout and with a touch of a quarterback controversy things are looking pretty good for the upcoming 2012-2013 season.

However, we can’t talk about the Cardinals without mentioning Glendale (or the Coyotes for that matter). Let’s hope the proposed tax hikes and the financial woes of Big Red’s Westgate neighbor to the North have limited impact on University of Phoenix Stadium attendees this season. Curious what the City of Glendale is paying compared to Phoenix and the Suns?

Speaking of money, Jan Brewer is the newest Cardinals fan. Well, she should be after the franchise donated $5,000 to her Super PAC aka JAN PAC. Read Jan Brewer scores with NFL contribution.

Enough with the politics, here are some more headlines and links to help get your tailgating started this season:

Coach Whisenhunt talks training camp with ABC15

Arizona Cardinals’ Complete 2012 Training Camp and Preseason Guide via bleacherreport.com.

Via Twitter: “The @AZCardinals and Cards Camp #CardsCamp will be featured on @nflnetwork’s Inside Training Camp Live this WED and SAT. Check local listings! @nfl.”

The departure of Steve Nash to the Lakers has left many Valley residents bitter and dismayed. Unfortunately, Phoenix lost another long-time Suns player to LA. After playing with the Suns since 2007, Grant Hill has just signed a 2 year contract with the LA Clippers (at least it’s not the Lakers, right?) for $1.9 million per season.

Fear not, because it is not all bad news. Goran Dragic, the young Slovenian player who was Nash’s right hand man a couple years ago, is heading back to the Suns next season along with new team member Luis Scola. The Suns also signed Kendall Marshall, their first round NBA draft pick. Marshall, who played for North Carolina, will begin his NBA career in Phoenix next season and will participate in a pre-season scrimmage game against Golden State on Monday.

It’s beginning to look like a brand new team for the Suns and they are getting close to completing their starting lineup. We have high hopes this season and hopefully that’ll take us to a championship next year.

As if you didn’t already know from the endless advertisements and constant media coverage, the 2012 Summer Olympics are less than two weeks away. As NBC and their affiliate stations prepare to deploy journalists, photographers and the like across the pond for our patriotic viewing pleasure, they have managed to spark interest and nostalgia among fans along the way.

Their latest awesome idea is an interactive video ranking system of the top 30 Greatest NBC Olympic moments. So, take a look at NBC’s top 30 here, vote for your favorites (1st, 2nd and 3rd place) and share them with your friends and see which clips they chose via Facebook.

Tune in to NBC on July 21 for the results of your favorite NBC Olympic moments and for the opening ceremonies July 27.

@nikewomen gave Twitter followers a sneak peek at Diana Taurasi and the USA Women’s National Basketball Team “in their new uniforms for the first time” Sunday.

After 19 grueling games, and with a 4-15 win/loss record, the Phoenix Mercury will have some time to regroup during the WNBA’s routine Olympic break.

Sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference, the team is sending Diana Taurasi off to represent the franchise and USA in London. Taurasi was part of the USA Women’s National Basketball Championship teams in both the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Taurasi, Sue Bird (Seattle Storm) and Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever), all two-time gold medalists, will don the USA uniform together for the third consecutive time.

If Team USA’s exhibition victory over Brazil Monday (99-67) is any indication, the women’s national team could be bringing home their fifth consecutive gold medal in a matter of weeks.

Following the break, 15 regular season games remain and the Mercury resume their schedule August 16 in Seattle. Read more on the Mercury’s season thus far here.

Between television and internet we’re constantly reminded that the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in London are rapidly approaching. There’s something about the Red, White and Blue on the world’s stage that captures the attention of us all.

Here is your chance to skip following these athletes via social media and forget watching these sports from your living room: The USA Wheelchair Rugby Team will be practicing at the Virginia G. Piper Sports and Fitness Center this weekend.

Team scrimmage is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. and fans are invited to stop by to watch and support Team USA as it prepares to defend it’s Olympic Gold.

Learn more about the national wheelchair rugby team here:

Believe it or not, there are people who take outdoor running during the summer months very seriously (including some of us at Desert Living Today).

While it seems like this should be considered an extreme sport to most of us desert residents, there is community where the disclaimer “rain or shine” literally means getting soaked or fried by the elements.

Feeling inspired? Perfect timing. The Arizona Road Racers Summer Series #4 is set for July 14 in Tempe. If you need a little more time to prep, both the 2nd Annual Splash Mob 5K Fun Run & Walk in Tempe and the Scottsdale 5K Evening Running  Series Racin’ at the Basin are scheduled or July 21.

Check out GetSetAZ.com for a list of various outdoor summer races, walks and more.

The good news is that new participants are always welcome. So grab that sunscreen, get hydrated, register and start warming up (no pun intended). Oh, and don’t forget to stretch.

Every Arizona sports fan has surely felt disappointment at some point. Whether it was the Cardinals’ loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl 43 or  almost every Diamondbacks’ season after ’01, nothing hits quite as hard as the news of Steve Nash’s trade to the Lakers.

Nash’s three year, $25 million dollar contract with L.A. has left us all shocked and dismayed, they are indeed one of the Suns’ biggest rivals (aside from San Antonio, of course.) Our two-time beloved MVP will now be joining forces with Kobe in attempt to win a ring which, let’s be honest, is probably the best way to do so before he retires. He is 38 years-old and let’s face it, he probably only has a few more seasons left.

Nonetheless, many Suns fans are taking this news personally. But we are reminded of our kind, Canadian friend’s humbleness in an interview he did with the Arizona Republic yesterday. ”For the last eight seasons, I’ve been blessed to play for a team and a city that has embraced me and that I have come to call home,” he told the Republic. “This is a tough business, and the only thing constant in life is change.”

We wish you luck in L.A. Steve (even though some of us are secretly wishing your defeat come next season.)

Read the whole Republic article here.

Image via Harry How/Getty Images

Looking for a patriotic way to spend the 4th? Here’s our top five classically American ideas for the entire family to celebrate Independence Day in the Valley next week:

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Diego Padres - Watch these two teams face off Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. at Chase Field. The first 20,000 fans get a free stars and stripes T-shirt courtesy of Ram Trucks. Tickets start at $12.

Independence Day Music Festival - See country music performances by Miranda Lambert and Darius Rucker followed by a fireworks display Tuesday at the Salt River Fields. The event’s pre-party begins at 3 p.m., followed by the concert at 5:30 p.m. and fireworks display at 10:30 p.m. Admission ranges from $22 to $89 and firework viewing is free with $10 parking.

»READ MORE

Lucky for you we’re reading Mashable Business and our most recent discovery is sure to score plenty of attention among soccer fans.

With the Euro 2012 in its final stages and the 2012 Olympics in London just a month away, the buzz word this summer is soccer fútbol and the latest social media network couldn’t have better timing.

Billing itself as The Global Fútbol Experience, Kyck.com is a website for fans of international and club soccer that “lets you follow and be followed by other users and get content delivered based on the teams and players you support,” according to the article by Sam Laird.

With following, posting, commenting, sharing and streaming features we’re already accustom to, Kyck incorporates matches and squads into the network and gives fans the ability to use tags to direct and engage specific conversations (i.e. #Gooooooooooal).

A Kyck iOS app is currently available on iTunes and an Android app is slated for later this year. Watch the Kyck.com YouTube demonstration to see for yourself, then let us know what you think.

Photo courtesy of Sam Hjelle.

They don’t call them the dog days of summer for nothing, so before you hit the road for a chilly three-day weekend up north or you pack the cooler and head west for the ocean, check out BringFido.com and see what kind of dog-friendly itinerary these destinations can accommodate.

BringFido.com is worldwide database of dog-friendly hotels, beaches, trails, restaurants and more in almost any city. Not to mention veterinary services and discussion forums.

After your trip be sure to share your dog-friendly experience upon your return so other travelers and their canine companions can enjoy the same attractions and adventures in the future.

Local dog parks provide our four-legged friends with much-needed exercise, so if you are staying in town this summer be sure to visit a dog park in Chandler, Scottsdale, Phoenix or Cosmo Dog Park in Gilbert in the mornings or evenings to avoid peak temperatures. Happy tails trails.

You recognize her in Gatorade and Nike commercials, you remember her defense during the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup and you watched her strut her stuff on Dancing With The Stars. Now see Hope Solo in Phoenix before she heads to London with the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team for the 2012 Olympics.

The Phoenix Mercury will recognize Solo as the team’s 2012 Inspiring Woman during Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks. According to the Phoenix Mercury, the evening will be dedicated to recognizing Solo’s accomplishments on the field as well as in the community and will also mark the Mercury’s celebration of the 40th anniversary of Title IX.

Submit a story here about how Title IX has benefitted you, a friend or family member and you will automatically receive a free ticket to the game and take part in an on-court recognition and group photo with Solo at halftime. To find out how your soccer team can meet Solo, call (602) 379-7521 or email [email protected].

Tipoff is at 6 p.m. at the U.S. Airways Center. Tickets start at $10.

Sports? Father's Day? Why not celebrate with a locally brewed beer. Here are some recommendations. Photo courtesy of Yumsugar.

With the NBA Finals underway, Diamondbacks’ season in full swing and the Stanley Cup just wrapping up (great run, Coyotes) it is no surprise that we’re seeing an influx of beer news, beer consumption and beer recommendations. In order to remain relevant and keep our buzz going, here’s a redux of this week’s happenings in our favorite food blogs:

Let’s hope by now you’ve at least decided on a Father’s Day gift for dad (even if you haven’t crossed it off the shopping list yet), but for those of you procrastinators out there here are six brilliant beer suggestions based on your dad’s personality, thanks to Chow Bella.

If you’ve had your gifts for pop bought and wrapped for weeks now (and we’re boring you at this point), we turn to Mouth By Southwest for five fruit-flavored Arizona beer profiles. Don’t simply judge a beer by it’s cover fruit, be sure to try some of this frosty-cold, sweet summery bliss.

In other beer news, Mouth By Southwest is reporting that the opening of World of Beer in Tempe has been pushed back from July 2 to July 23. Construction permitting, you should be able to watch your favorite teams compete at the London 2012 Summer Olympics while sipping an international brew (since it is all about sports after all).

Photo courtesy of Z'Tejas

There is a reason so many local festivities populate around mid June and that reason is because any man celebrating Father’s Day enjoys options just as much as the women in his life. If our Father’s Day Gift Guide missed the mark, one of the following practically free, sporting and eating ideas is sure to make dad’s day is memorable.

If free food and drink is you pop’s style: »READ MORE

While it seemed after three games and three bitter losses to the Los Angeles Kings, the Phoenix Coyotes were done for this season, yesterday’s last ditch effort in game four proved they have a little fight left in them. Captain Shane Doan scored the only two goals in the game while Mike Smith had his third playoff shut-out game on the road, this time in the Staples Center. The fans were angry, the Kings were frustrated and the Coyotes, well, they were the team we expected to see. While there has been speculation that it would be in the best interest of the league to have the Kings play the Rangers in the Stanley Cup Finals, our inkling is that the hardest working team in the NHL isn’t going to just roll over and die. Teams that have trailed 3-1 in the playoffs have come back a total of 229 times (or 8.7%) according to NHL.com meaning that the Yotes aren’t dead in the water just yet and we still have something to root for, however small of a sliver that may be.

“When you have nothing to lose, you just throw it all out there and see what happens,” said Doan in a post-game interview. We’d like to see it all out there again during game five in Glendale Tuesday. Read more of what Doan had to say in this Sports Illustrated article and get to howlin’, Arizona.

photo credit: Joseph D’Hippolito NY Times

Hail to Mike Smith and the Coyotes for turning what started out as an ugly game filled with turnovers and a gross imbalance of shots on goal into a 4-0 lead. The win not only means the Coyotes will advance to the Western Conference semifinals against the Nashville Predators, but it will also be the first time they’ve made it past the quarterfinals since the team landed in the desert 16 years ago. While the fate of Yote’s future in Arizona is still undecided, fans can rest easy in knowing there are at least four more games of “hockey the hard way” ahead. Check out a beautiful save by Mike Smith in the video above, just one of 39 blocked shots for the Coyotes’ goalie last night.

Yoga, as we all know and we here at DLT love, is the practice of self-discipline in order to achieve control of the body and mind, and to gain tranquility. Not only is Yoga a great workout, but also a great way to find peace in the busy life of the 21st century. It’s amazing how something as simple as holding a pose for an extended period of time can bring peace to mind.
When thinking of yogis and yoga, one wouldn’t associate them with the competitive world of sports. But a new craze is bringing yoga to the front lines of sport competition: competition yoga.

Back in January, Arizona Yoga hosted the 2012 Asana Championship, a competition devoted strictly to holding difficult poses. Yogis from all over the Valley competed against one another. But does the competition take away from what yoga is all about? »READ MORE

As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories of ALL TIME aka last week just in case you missed them.

The Phoenix Suns proudly presents 11th Annual Jack in the Box Celebrity Shootout. On Saturday, March 3, the shootout will take place at US Airways Center at 2 p.m. Celebrities of the TV, movie, and music industry will be stopping by the Valley for the shootout. Taking time out of their busy schedules, celebs will be playing against each other in the shootout with all proceeds going to Phoenix Suns Charities and Suns Nite Hoops.

To kick off the weekend celebrities in the likes of Anthony Anderson, Terrell Owens, Donald Faison, and Pauly Shore (hey, where’s Frankie Muniz??) will be heading to the Valley on Friday for a pre-shootout party, beginning immediately after the Suns-Clippers game. The party will be at the W Scottsdale, and lucky you has the opportunity to hangout with celebs just by purchasing a VIP ticket. It’s going to be a star-studded event, you won’t want to miss it.

For tickets to the game click here, and for tickets to the pre-shootout party click here.