Will Gimmick Runs Take Over?

Happy Labor Day!

For the suggested group run this week I could not decide between 1/4 mile intervals and hill work, so I decided not to decide.  I figured we could do a 1/2 mile warm-up followed by a couple 1/4 mile repeats, and by turning after the first recovery, we'd be right along side "faith hill" at that point and can do a couple sets of multiple hill runs.  Say - 5 hill repeats, an extended rest, then 5 more hill repeats.  (And for the uninitiated "faith hill" is the hill that is right near the .75 mile marker in the park...it climbs up out of the park into Liverpool, but is on a very quiet street so it's relatively safe.  It looks innocent enough, but run up it three-plus times in a row and you'll start to respect it.  As for why it's called "faith hill"?  Well, it didn't make sense to call it Tim McGraw, now did it?)

Before I forget, I want to congratulate Sue on her first triathlon over the weekend.  She didn't get the press that our resident celebrity Escalade did for her first tri, but just like Erin she's been toiling all summer, working on her swimming and her biking and mixing in BRICKs (whatever those are) to prep for her Skinnyman adventure.  So, congratulations on a successful first tri, Sue!  Just because you didn't get interviewed on TV and in the paper doesn't mean that we can act like we're not impressed by your accomplishment.  (Although, I must point out that it's called Skinny"man" and not Skinny"lady"...and that is a scientific fact!)

I've teased a post-run core workout routine for quite a while now.  And even though the rain may spoil it this week, I plan to finally come through on my promise.  If no one else has suggestions, I am going to attempt to lead us through this circuit-ab workout.  So, bring a towel or a mat or just a willingness to get your back dirty and we'll do this after Angela's TRYangle walk.  We'll do twice through each of the main four, which would mean four minutes worth, followed by up to a minute of the stabilizer (which is really just a regular plank).  The good part about this one is it works a variety of muscles and with 30 second cycles it will allow people to tap out early and rest up as needed before moving on to the next one.  So, just like our speed work while running, it will allow people to get their most of it while not holding back others in the group.  

I stole this from a different core-exercise write-up.  Reasons why a strong core is important:

Strengthening your core will allow your body to efficiently transfer force from the lower to the upper body and back again, thus ensuring that any force you exert to move your body forward isn't wasted in moving your body sideways, etc. A strong core will allow you to keep optimal body alignment for whatever you’re doing (swim, bike or run), and this in turn will reduce your fatigue in the long run (good form usually takes less energy than bad form).

And some reminders on how to do core work:

1. If you aren't breathing while doing these, then you're doing them wrong.
2. Go slow. Speed is not important, and will usually lead to using momentum to cheat your way through the exercise.
3. Quality over quantity.
4. Do these with other people. It's great fun, and will keep you motivated.

Finally, back to the title.  I can't help but wonder if "normal" 5k and 10k races are in danger of being endangered?  Amid the explosion of regular races, it seems their has been an even bigger explosion in gimmick races - which I consider anything that isn't just a run.  So, all the obstacle course style races count (Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder, etc) along with a few new ones that you have been talking about.  I can agree, that at it's core, running is rather boring, so it makes sense that race organizers are livening things up for runners which has the benefit of also drawing in non-runners to these events.

Princess Beefeater posted about the Color Me Rad 5k in Albany later this month - Saturday the 22nd.  (Looks, crazy fun!)  And I've heard this type of run referred to as just a "color run" although this is the first I've heard of in the area.

Fleet Feet posted about this last week and I heard a couple of you talking about this on Tuesday night: The Escape From Fright Nights 2.5 mile "fun run" on Sunday, September 30th.  They promise that the zombies and other people out to scare you are trained to not touch you...which makes sense.  

But, seemingly means that they are already being out-gimmicked by this event being held at the Syracuse Kickball Park in Liverpool.  The Run of the Dead obstacle course 5k which is being held on Saturday, October 20th.  This one has zombies that are supposed to chase you down and grab one of your flags.  Lose both flags?  And you've been zombie-fied.  It sounds like there are prizes for getting through with a flag left, for not getting through with any flags, and even prizes for the zombies.  (They are looking for volunteers for that part of the race too.)

In four weeks time, you can get colored up with corn starch, get scared by touch-free frighteners, or have bath salt slurping zombies chase you down to steal your virtue...and those are just the ones I've happened to notice.

Where does this leave us as runners?  The grandpa in me wants to say "Back in my day, we ran boring 5k's and didn't even mind the boredom.  In fact, we looked forward to being as bored as we could possibly be!  I went into a coma once about 2 and a half miles into a 5k and I didn't come out of it for six weeks!  I was in a hospital bed and nothing more than a vegetable...Meatloaf and Sue would have loved me!"

But I can't help but be impressed by the innovation.  I just wonder what it means five years from now.  After being chased by zombies or coming out of a race looking like a pack of skittles or crawling under, over, and through things, how will people feel just showing up and running?  Is the zombie-race apocalypse upon us?