Christmas Lights and a Contest

Next week there are two chances to walk/run through the Liverpool Lights on the Lake before it is opened up to vehicles.

Monday, the 23rd, is the Verizon Lights on the Lake Stroll.
Tuesday, the 24th, is the Verizon Lights on the Lake Dog Walk.

Both nights are open from 5-9 and you can buy refreshments, meet "holiday characters", and walk the 2 miles of the lights on the lake.

I am planning on TRYing to get a group to jog/walk on Tuesday night, starting at 5:30. Please let me know if you plan to make it and we can coordinate a holiday ending to the TRY running season. For those of you with dogs, it seems like that would be a fun night out with the pooch.

A great opportunity for you all was sent to me last week by Malinda -- the Topricin Race Photo Contest. They are asking for your worst race photos. Entries will receive a free sample of Topricin and the winner will receive a free 6 month supply of Topricin and the entry fee to their next race of choice. (Up to $150!) It is not completely set up yet, but to vote, you need to become a fan of Topricin on facebook (or use twitter). I just checked out their facebook site and became a fan and they only have 9 fans right now! So, it seems to me like this contest is prime for the picking. If one of us can come up with a really lousy race photo, I think we could easily overwhelm the voting and get a great prize for one of our members! (For those that don't know, Topricin is a homeopathic pain reliever that has helped a few of us through some injuries the last couple years. Malinda's father is a distributor/marketer and he and Malinda have both been very generous at giving Topricin to TRY members. So, please support this contest and check out the product some time if you need some pain relief -- it's basically the official pain reliever of TRY! And trust me, its much better than the sports creams that you are used to.) It's available online or in Wegmans (and I assume other local stores).

Don't forget about the Jingle Bell Run this Sunday (weather forecast looks warmish but with chance of rain) or the opportunity to donate to the cause.

Tonight: The last official TRY meeting of the year. Liverpool park at 4:30. 5 mile run with a 4 mile tempo for those looking for a harder workout.

Some inspiration - here are a few of my favorite TRY related race photos from the last couple years. Some are "bad", some look good. I need to go back and dig up some of my bad ones for the contest (normally I only save off the ones that were halfway decent). Please join in...it'll be fun if a few of us are competing and I hope that one of us has one lousy enough to end up the winner.

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.