November Races

For those of you that want to end your running year with a race or two:

1) On Sunday, the 22nd, the Jingle Bell Run/Walk is being held at Long Branch Park. It used to be a 5k/10k at Onondaga Lake Park but they changed it this year. So, it's not the same exact event that I'm familiar with, but I assume it won't change the atmosphere much. If you didn't get enough use out of your striped tights at Halloween, now is your chance! Or if you have a dog and want to run a race with it, this is your chance! Put antlers on the pooch and bring it along. This is the only local race that I've ever had to dodge a dog in! It's a fun little event that a lot of people dress up festively for and we had a large TRY contingency at it last year. (I even traveled over 2000 miles to participate myself.) At least 6 people from TRY that supported it will be out of town this year for the Philadelphia marathon/half marathon, so I'm hoping for some replacements. If anyone else feels guilty about bailing out on a fun, local race, join me in pledging one of our own. Malinda is taking up the torch (or would that be antlers?) and raising money this year. Please join her. Or support her if you can't end up running the race yourself. Donate to her here.

2) On Thanksgiving day, the Baldwinsville Turkey Trot takes place at Baker High School. I've never done this one and this year I'll be running in Watertown instead since I'll be home for the holiday. For anyone around Syracuse on Thanksgiving you may want to join in so that you can pig out guilt free the rest of the day. 5K and 10K options are available.

For tonight's group run -- we are meeting at 4:30 at the Liverpool park. The speed work will be full mile intervals.

Lastly --
My theory for why they don't have a Jingle Bell Run 10K anymore? I think Katie smoked the competition so badly last year that the competition committee canceled the event. (Now that is what I call bona-fide! Getting a whole race canceled! Nice work Katie.)

Not The Same Thing

We are running out of daylight! This whole earth-tilt-thing is really starting to be a problem.

So, we are moving the start time to 4:30 until Thanksgiving, at which time we go on hiatus for a while due to lights on the lake.

Same Thing

Same thing. 5:00 PM start. Nice fall afternoon to run if you are up for it.

Nothing Special

The baseball playoffs are killing me. I need some sleeeeeep!

Tonight, 5:00 PM. Normal place. Looks like some lovely fall weather so come out and enjoy it.

The Five Spot

Reminder. Starting tonight, the group run starts at 5:00. (Well, by 5:05) Same place.

We'll keep it at 5:00 for the next 3 or so weeks when it'll have to move again when daylight saving time switches.

The suggested group run will be 4 or 5 miles with 1 mile intervals, but we have been in a choose your own adventure mode for a while.

The only other thing I'll say today is a shout out to Maria. Our triathlete star did something she's never done before -- ran a half marathon this weekend. Congratulations Maria! You are our half-iron woman! :-)

Last Time For This Time

Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention. I've just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. I need all of you, to stop what you're doing and listen. Cannonball! [At this point I would cannonball into a pool.]

Ok, not the news story I meant to pass along. The important news is that we are going to start moving the TRY time back in order to get the run in before darkness sets in.

This week: regular time. (5:30)
Next week and for the next few weeks: 5:00 (with a 5 minute courtesy window, so the runs will start at 5:05.
Eventually: even earlier (4:30)

I know this limits some of you from being able to make it, but there isn't much we can do. And lets be honest, not that many people are making it anyway. Hopefully some of you can still keep attending. (And for a couple of you, the earlier time may even help make it again?) For you newer people, TRY keeps running until Thanksgiving week, or later, so there is still plenty of time to run with the group.

Once the snow flies, you can still run at the Liverpool park, but daylight becomes an issue...so any semblance of group runs usually goes out the wintry window.

Speaking of wintry windows: I know there is some interest in people either learning how to ski/snowboard or skiing/snowboarding more. And also some interest in learning how to cross-country ski. So, please let me know if you have interest in either type of skiing and especially if you don't have people to ski with and want to learn and I may just attempt to put together a couple to a few winter outings that help people learn to ski/snowboard or get out cross country skiing. We'll time it so that Aubrey and Brian can join in during a weekend visit! Let me know if you have interest and I'll maintain a list to get a hold of when late December rolls around.

There is a half marathon that 2+ TRYers are running this weekend: Durkee's Bread Run

Tonights run: Is anyone even still reading? Even if they are, are they going to follow the group run? Unlikely. Run like Forrest -- run like the wind blows.

Run Smarter, Not Harder

Group run: tonight at 5:30 at OLP. (Within a couple weeks the time will have to move up to 5:00 for lack of light reasons.) The actual run? Whatever you are up for. I think I'm healthy enough to run intervals again, so I'll attempt to lead up a 4-5 miler with 1/2 mile intervals.

Some TRYers still have their fall laid out for them. Their ultimate test for this year is still to come and their training plan is in place. But for others, their big test is behind them. So what do they do now?

That's right Jacque*, I'm talking to you. You've had an awesome year, reaching new lengths in your running and keeping a great mood along the way. But now the pressure is off and I'm guessing that motivation might be lagging. So, what now?

Focus on some little things:
Think about your running form. Do you carry your hands higher than you need to? Do you come across your body with your arms more than necessary? Why not think about that when doing a short run? Make some minute improvements in your running efficiency that will aid your running for years to come.

Think about training smarter. Long, steady runs are perfect for training for long races. But they are not very good for cardio fitness or for weight maintenance/loss. So, start working on speed differentiation during your runs. Instead of doing a steady 8 miler. Go out and do a 5 mile tempo. Instead of a regular 4 miler. Mix in some 1/4 mile intervals. Get those legs moving, get that heart pumping and push yourself harder in your shorter runs. It'll pay dividends for any future running that you do of any length. Plus, its mentally rewarding. When you see those split times getting faster after just a couple weeks of pushing yourself, you know you are making strides. (Ummm, bad pun. :-)

Do some shorter races. There are 5ks and 10ks all the way through Thanksgiving (at a minimum). So, why not circle that local Turkey Trot held near wherever you will be on Thanksgiving morning and have that as a goal out there to keep you training until the snow flies. That speed work that you will be incorporating will help you maximize your performance in a "short" race. You'll gobble up the 5 kilometers in no time.

Enjoy your running. Not that you haven't been. But the pressure of building up to new lengths is over...so make sure that training is fun again. Enjoy having to run "only" 4 miles. Explore new places to run. Do some trail runs underneath fall foliage. Etc.

*Names have been changed. Any overlap with real TRYers is purely coincidental.