Round and round we go

Sue (Wait) is out of the office this week but is looking for people to do a long run (8-10) miles with this weekend. Any takers? (Post in the comments or get a hold of Sue.)

Today is our last planned field trip of the summer -- back to Green Lakes State Park for a yog. The group run will start at 5:45ish and meet near the bathroom building, at the second turn in from the main entrance to Green Lakes. (Where we had the picnic back in July.) Google map to guide you.

These field trip runs are hard to coordinate a group run for, so lets just wing it tonight once I talk to the people that make it. There you can do a 3 or 5 mile run around the lakes quite simply, can do hill repeats, can go for an adventure and try to add on new trails off the back of round lake (but they get a little confusing, I almost got lost the other day). So, show up, let me know what you are in the mood for and we'll split up into 2 or 3 like minded groups. People new to Green Lakes, be sure to let me know. I'm not going to send any newbies off into the woods by themselves. (The trails aren't marked very well.)

For people in the mood -- bring towels/swimming stuff. It should be warm enough for a quick dip after the run.

Since I was judged harshly last night by a stranger for a hat that I chose to wear while playing softball (someone was hating on my lucky beaver hat -- thought it meant that I was better than everybody else -- that'll teach me to wear a $2 kids hat!), it reminded me that discrimination still happens all the time. And since the olympics are just wrapping up, here is a thought provoking quote from one of the USAs most famous olympians:
"When I came back, after all those stories about Hitler and his snub, I came back to my native country, and I could not ride in the front of the bus. I had to go to the back door. I couldn't live where I wanted. Now what's the difference?"
Jesse Owens

Keep that in mind when you catch yourself judging others this week.

MIA -- Thanks to my helpers

Just wanted to formally thank Allyson and Katie for leading the troops in my absence yesterday. I wasn't feeling up for running and I texted them at the last minute and asked them to help me out.

Thanks ladies! :-)

For those (non blog readers) that didn't get the group email yesterday or a response to specific emails -- I think you know why by now...but if not -- I was out of commission and out of touch with reality yesterday. Hopefully I'll be ready to try again next week. (Green Lakes State Park field trip.)

A Fair End to the Summer

Is it really time for the Great New York State Fair? Hard to believe. Oh well, that'll teach me to sleep through the summer.

We continue to follow the TRY August Schedule. So that puts us back at our normal place and time for this week. Unfortunately, its time again for 1/2 mile intervals (my least favorite of the three I have you do):

The group run will be a 3.5 mile run with 1/2 mile intervals:
1/2 warmup,
1/2 on,
1/2 recover,
1/2 on,
1/2 recover,
1/2 on,
1/2 cooldown.

Not everyone has been embracing the speedwork, but I continue to encourage you to do so. If you push while doing it, it will make you faster in the long run (punny, aren't I?) and studies show that interval running is much better at helping you lose weight than long, slow distance is. Tonight you know that you only have 1.5 miles of "fast" portions -- so make it hurt. The two miles of warmup, cooldown and recovery are easy...so work the part the matters.


Miscellaneous topics:
1) Syrup -- someone who got the same vintage syrup as most of you said they noticed some mold on their container. That is perfectly normal although unfortunate. There are no preservatives used in pure maple syrup and since I was transporting them in the middle of the summer, they were susceptible. So, if anyone finds mold on their syrup, you have a couple choices. A) Give it back to me or just let me know that you want it replaced. B) Skim it off and then heat up the syrup and then skim the top again. And it will be as good as new. Truly.
Sorry if anyone else has had that problem. :-(

2) I believe TRYers were well represented at some local races this weekend. Two at the Willow Bay Run for Women and three at the Upstate Chiropractic run at Beaver Lake? Keep up the good work peops -- and remember that not ever run and not every race is going to be ideal. Some days you just don't have it, so don't beat yourself up if you don't do as well as expected. Try to figure out what might have gone wrong, but sometimes its just a coincidence. Even Michael Phelps isn't perfect! (Ok, bad example....but you get the point.) You aren't always going to be at your peak.

3) I have added a list to the side of the blog, for TRY members who have their own blogs that they would liked linked to. So, if you would like to join Annette in her kitchen, let me know. Ally, maybe you could make a bedroom blog? Kristen, maybe you could make a blog about Lily? Ron, maybe you could make a pianist blog? Etc... Share your talents please. It will allow us to get to know other TRYers better.

4) This is completely unrelated to anyone but me, but it isn't often that I see my hometown (or in this case the neighboring "city") in the national news. I stumbled across this story on Yahoo most popular the other day. Its a story about how the 200 windmills that have been built on the Tug Hill Plateau near Lowville, NY have not been without controversy. It was a very interesting read for me since I drive by them a lot when visiting my family. Link.

Quote:
"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine

(A very famous US runner...he died early in a disputed car "accident". When you see people wearing "Pre" stuff...that is a tribute to him.)

TRY Field Trip for August 12th

I'll be out of town through Monday so I thought I should post this ahead of time. On Tuesday the 12th we'll be yogging at Beaver Lake Nature Center.

Meet at the marked parking lot in the map at 5:45. If you are running behind or get lost, call my cell phone at 440 0397.

The plan will be to do a group warm up jog on one of the short trails (Hemlock Hollow perhaps?) and then to do the main lake trail as individuals hard. (A 3 mile tempo type run.)

If you've never been to the park you should head into the main building and check out the animals. (I recommend petting the beaver...I know I always enjoy that.)

Depending on who shows up, and who is interested, we could have one of the Baldwinsville residents lead us to a post race food destination in B'ville.

Coordinate carpooling amongst yourselves or in the comments below. (You shouldn't need an account, just choose the anonymous option.) There is a nominal fee to get out of the park -- $2 per vehicle.

If you enjoy the run there is a race on Sunday right at Beaver Lake -- 5K and 10K options available.

Quote for the week:
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; They shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

TRY for the week of August 5th

Meeting at the typical place and time. Tonights group run will be a 3.5 mile run with 1/4 mile intervals dispersed in our typical pattern. So that is five "on" portions. Plan your energy accordingly. (We are saving the "tempo" run for next week at Beaver Lake since there are no markers there.)

After the run there is a TRY group outing to the Syracuse Chiefs game for free baseball and cheap dogs. Feel free to join in!

There is a chance of storms this afternoon, so the group run may be at risk...you can call me if it is threatening and you have questions on whether the run is on as scheduled.

Someone out there is always disappointed when there isn't a quote of the week, so this ones for you:
"Ability is what you are capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it."
--Lou Holtz

What is TRY?

TRY is the Tuesday Recreational Yogging club. (Yogging is jogging with a soft "j", inspired by Ron Burgandy).

TRY is a non-judgmental, non-elitist, group of runners who meet together to train in an attempt to reach new personal goals, but also in an attempt to help and inspire newer runners. Helping others enjoy running and reach goals that they thought were unreachable (or lengths that they thought were unrunnable).

Each week there is a group run that has some basis in logic on why that is the group run. Some people join in, others do their own training that suits them better at that time. Usually there is a little bit of socialization before and after the group run and occasionally there is a group outing to keep the socialization going. But, the focus is on enjoying the running/training that you are doing and to have others help you on your way just as you are helping them.

Weekly updates and/or just the plan for the week will be posted on this TRY blog.

The typical place and time to meet and run is at the Wegmans playground end of the Onondaga Lake Park at 5:30. (See the "Where we TRY" entry for a map link.) If the time or place have been moved it will be mentioned in the weekly post.

"Do, or do not. There is no TRY." -Jedi Master Yoda

"There is a TRY now!" -TRY Master T

Where we TRY

The links below are all google map links, so you should be able to use them to get directions. If you have problems with them, please let me know in the comments section.


The primary TRY meeting location:
Onondaga Lake Park meet-up location

"A" marks the spot. Park in the large lot to the north and meet near the tables next to the bike rental building. The runs start on the circle next to the Wegmans playground. The website for Onondaga Lake Park.


Field trip locations:
Green Lakes State Park meet-up location
"A" marks the spot on the trail where we congregate. Close to the second parking lot and close to the small bathroom building.

Beaver Lake Nature Center meet-up location
"A" marks the spot next to the parking lot where we congregate.

August and Everything After

Well, just August actually. The votes are in and people overwhelmingly wanted to do a couple field trips during August. So here is the plan:

08/05 - Normal place and time
08/12 - Beaver Lake Nature Center at 5:45 (There is a 5K/10K race at Beaver Lake on the 17th so I wanted people to see the course before that.)
08/19 - Normal place and time
08/26 - Green Lakes State Park at 5:45

Details (and maps) to come, but I wanted to get the schedule out there for people to plan around. The field trips will start a little later to allow for travel time.