A Decent Forecast!

For the first time in a month we have a decent forecast to look forward to. Since I continue to not post a series of "What TRY is About" informational links for potential new members, let me just throw it into this update.

But first, since I get sick of reading my own writing, here is a touching story from one of our own and the road she took that is taking her to the Boston Marathon on Monday morning. Congratulations Katie. You've done what no other TRYer can lay claim to -- you are Boston bona-fide!

This weeks run: 4 mile run with 1/4 mile intervals. (Since not many people were able to take part last week. We'll restart with 1/4 miles again.)

For those looking for some background --

What TRY is about:
TRY is not email based. It is web/blog based...I am not actually supposed to send emails from work, you are probably not supposed to actually receive emails at work. So, for those who can, please start using the blog as your source of the updates.

TRY meets every Tuesday night at 5:30 at Liverpool's Onondaga Lake Park, near the Wegman's playground and right next to the bike rental area. The "group" run is typically 4-5 miles, but is optional. People are always encouraged to run shorter/longer/faster/slower as their training and body dictates. Every once in a while there is an exception to the meeting location and this summer there may be additional nights added (possible track nights on Thursdays a few times?). See the blog and the calendar app for reference. Follow along on twitter. Follow along on your smart phone. Whatever suits you.

TRY welcomes all speeds and running experiences...but it skews for newer runners or for runners attempting to improve their running times/techniques. TRY encourages running for the enjoyment of it. If you aren't enjoying yourself, then why bother? TRY wants to see a smile on your face. Often.

TRY believes that speed work is the most efficient use of your running time and the most useful training technique. We mix in different length intervals (kept very simple on group night) and tempo runs. For those of you that have never attempted speed work or have never TRULY given it a fair chance -- what are you waiting for? For anyone other than an absolute beginner, you are doing yourself a disservice to not mix in speed work into your training. It makes you faster, it gets you in better cardiovascular shape, and it helps you lose weight. Train smarter! Trust me. And trust every Runner's World that you'll ever flip through...they always mention the benefits of it.

TRY likes to help people improve. Let me know what your goals are for the year and I can either give you real advice, make something up to give you fake advice (sometimes I can be a real prick -- and honestly, I'm not as nice as you think I am), or can make sure you talk to the TRY member that has the experience and knowledge you are looking for.

TRY wants to make TRY more interesting and more fun. TRY has noticed that first time "users" tend to really enjoy the group experience. But each year, that persons interest seems to decrease a little. TRY takes this personally and blames TRY for this failure. So, TRY is looking for ideas on how to keep returning members captivated. Some ideas being tossed around:
Add some core exercises at the end of the runs.
Add some speed tracking nights -- clock a 1/4 mile or a mile run, say, in mid May, mid July, and mid October...just to see progress throughout the summer. (And give a fun goal outside of the confines of formal races.)
Play some shuffleboard, bocce, or volleyball after the runs...to take advantage of the fun park that we sometimes take for granted. All those options are available right next to where we meet every week.
Suggestions?

TRY encourages you to stop and smell the roses. Sometimes you need to ignore your watch. Here are some photos I stopped to take while running this Sunday morning. Sure, may pace suffered. But my spirit was buoyed. :-)