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. :-)

Why, why, does it always rain on TRY?

Sometimes, weather just isn't fair. Sure, we weather it, whether we like it or not, but this is getting just plain silly. How is it that in the midst of near record nice weather in late March and early April that the third straight lousy weather Tuesday is hitting us? Oh well, it gives me an excuse for not getting my TRY roll-out in place for this week, since I doubt any non-hardcore members will make it out. (For my laziness with my updates, I blame Easters, crazy forlorn cousins, and having a cold...let's just say it's been a long few days.) I did make some more tweaks to the blog site and the biggest addition is that TRY is now a Tweeter! If anyone actually uses twitter (and cares) you can add "thereisatry" to the list of "people" you are following. I'm new to it myself, so I don't know quite what I'm doing, but I'll figure something out. I've also added a recent comments panel so we can more easily see what Ally is saying to herself in the comment sections of the posts.

Assuming it's not dangerous out (lightning or large dogs raining down) this week is the first official encouragement to do speed work. Plan for 4-5 1/4 mile intervals embedded inside of a 4 mile run. It's time to crank it up...speed work benefits all running abilities, so there is no [good] reason for anyone not to do it.

And since this is the "kick-off" week for TRY, I'm hoping some people will be able to head to The Retreat afterward for a little socialization. Assuming no one was hit by lightning, that is. (If someone has been hit by lightning we'll have to move our socialization to the local emergency room.)

Also, don't forget about the Syracuse Chiefs opening day celebration on Thursday. Weather looks iffy at this point, but maybe we'll get lucky?

Whether Weather

With the cold and rain last week and the probable chilly rain today, I've gotten some questions:

Will we run tonight?
Are people still going to run?
Is TRY canceled?
Etc...

Here is a little diddy that works well with kids and with TRY:

Whether the weather is cold or
Whether the weather is hot,
We'll weather the weather,
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not!

(I stole it from a cartoon.)

TRY does not stop for rain. TRY does not stop for cold. TRY does not stop for cold rain. TRY only stops if the weather is putting my life at risk: thunderstorms, tornadoes, rogue waves, microbursts, or if it is literally raining cats and dogs (big dogs that could crush me on impact, not little dogs that just bounce off a windbreaker).

So, I will always be in the parking lot...no need to ask. But, if the weather doesn't inspire you, then stay inside. I don't expect anyone to actually show up and run in lousy weather, but the option is there and you can show up if you want to. Last summer/fall during the midst of an annoying rain storm, a few of us basically ran under a double rainbow. It was miserable and beautiful at the same time. Inspiration can come at the oddest of times and that is why I always TRY.

This will be the last week of the pre-season. So the run will be whatever steady distance you feel like running. Next week, brings April, and the first attempt to organize some speed work. Giddy-up! Dream about 1/4 mile intervals! Yummy.

TRY Preseason Continues

I've decided that March is going to be considered the pre-season and to keep TRY low key. For the next two weeks, the TRY run will be moderate paced distance. In April the speed work can start for those who are ready.

In my first attempt to make the blog more useful, I added a calendar application to the blog (hopefully it is visible above)? Please let me know what races/events you plan to do and I will add them to the calendar so it can be a resource to you and all TRY members as to what races are when.

So far I have:

Mountain Goat Training Runs

Mountain Goat Race

Making Tracks For Celiacs Walk/Run

Relay For Life

Chase Corporate Challenge

Boilermaker

TRY Begins and Mountain Goat Training Runs

I have some fun and useful updates planned, but they will have to wait a week or two.

For this week, I'll focus on just the timely issues:

The first group TRY run is this Tuesday. 5:30 start time at the Wegman's playground end of Onondaga Lake Park. Plan on running between 3 and 5 miles, to be determined by who shows up and what their plans are. (You can always do you own thing.)

This Saturday morning, the Mountain Goat training runs start. Check here for a training plan, FAQs and a waiver form that you can fill out ahead of time. That group run will be 5 to 5.5 miles, but I intend to do the entire course (about 9.5 miles to and from the MOST). If you are ready for that, capable of running 9-11 minutes miles, and willing wait for the slowest member, let me know and join in. (Bring a drink to carry, since we will be beyond all but one of the drink stations set up.)

I hope to see a bunch of you this week!

Winter Update

Random "mid"-winter notes and thoughts, from the mind of raving lunatic.

1) Anyone want to cross-county ski this Saturday morning? I think the snow will hold up at Highland Forest and we'll be able to go there. $3 if you have skis, $13-$18 if you need to rent, depending on how long you want to ski for. (90 minutes for the $13 total price is usually enough for inexperienced skiers.) I promise to help beginners survive the day and lead you on a trail suitable to your skills. You can also rent snowshoes and downhill sled (BYOS) there. Link.

2) Anyone looking for a wintertime volunteer activity? I'm looking to sign a group up to volunteer at the New York State Special Olympics Winter Games. No idea what we would be assigned to do - anything from parking lots, to setting up/tearing down, to just being cheerleaders at the activities. The deadline is the 27th, so please let me know by the end of this week and I'll coordinate further before the deadline. The event itself is Feb 5-6. I'm planning to volunteer on Saturday the 6th, with an eye towards the skiing events at Highland Forest. Link to the games here. Or if you want to volunteer on your own here. If we get enough people, I think they would assign us a group, if not, then we may get split up. Come out and help support some of those in our community that can't do what we take for granted every moment of every day. (For you LMCOers - one of the poster children is our concierge's nephew...and she is the person who put the mention of this event in our in brief emails. She helped me set up at the Relay for Life event last summer so I'm hoping to repay her a little at her event.)

3) A reminder that there are a few winter races (and spring races) coming up:
a) Snowshoe race at Beaver Lake on January 30th. (5K)
b) Chilly Chili 5k in Cazenovia on February 7th. (You'll have to somewhat rush to your Super Bowl parties after that -- but you'll be able to chow down guilt free.)
c) All you lonely hearts, pay attention to this one! The "Cupid's Chase" 5K run at the Liverpool park on February 13th. It mentions it is "...the best way to make a love connection in the new year." So, for those in need of a love connection, you know where to go. You're welcome, and please, quit asking me out on dates! I'm not interested. And for me, I'm wondering what the heck that means? Are they going to do something unique at the race? (There is a "skirt chaser" series of races gaining popularity where women get a head start and the men are supposed to [try to] run them down. [Timewise, not literally run them down] I wonder if there is some quirk in this event for them to make such a bold statement.)
d) Tipperary Hill 4 Miler (Shamrock Run) on March 6th
e) And the Mountain Goat is looming (10 miler on May 2nd). Only 2 months til the training runs start! I have in my mind to do the entire course every week, so if you want to join in for that, be ready to run 10 hilly miles by March 20th.
f) Other winter races are around the area as well. There is always a link to the Fleet Feet running calendar on the side of the blog.
g) Some TRYers are already training for the Boston (Katie's bona-fide!) and Cleveland marathons, so they are skipping their winter hibernation. Join in if you are looking for running partners. (Information available on request.)

Miscellaneous stuff that you may not know:
1) Beaver Lake has moonlight skiing and snowshoeing coming up in the next several days and stay open til 9 (9:30?) under the light of the fullish moon. (I may set up a group for that some night -- people have to let me know if they want in. Snowshoe rentals are available there, skis are not.) They'll do that again in late February around the full moon.
2) You can cross-country ski anywhere there is snow, of course, but they have trails/tracks available at the Erie canal parks in various places, at Long Branch Park, at Oneida Shores, at Green Lakes State Park (free to get in this time of year), Beaver Lake, Highland Forest, golf courses, etc... So for those looking for an inexpensive alternative to running outside, cross-country skiing really is an excellent choice. (Ok, so you have to buy the equipment, but after that its very cheap outings.) If there isn't enough snow around Syracuse itself, there are multiple places north of here within an hours drive that always have plenty of snow. If you want to try before you buy, Highland Forest has rentals and I've heard a rumor that EMS has rentals as well. (The northern places have rentals as well. Salmon Hills (This page says it's closed!!!?? can anyone confirm that for me?) and Osceola ski center.
3) I thought there was a third thing you may not know, but I guess not. You are very smart people! You only don't know two things. That's amazing, actually!

This gets it's own paragraph -- The Relay For Life event is June 18th and 19th. So, for those who want to do it, block it off. (For all you planners out there that actually commit to things more than 2 days ahead of time! But, don't forget my credo - "Indecision is the key to flexibility!" Or, "Why commit to something today, that you may not feel like doing tomorrow?").

Last Week of the Year

Even though the weather is still cooperating for a while, this will be the last TRY weekly "yog" of the year. (Cars and Lights on the Lake will take over the park for the next month.) The plan for tonight is to meet at 5:30 at the Liverpool park to walk (or run if you want to) under the lights on the lake on the "Dog Walk" night. Refreshments for humans and dogs are available for sale. At least a couple TRYers will be bringing their dogs. Come join in for a festive finale and bring along a four legged friend. (Or if you don't have any four legged friends -- bring your dog instead!) We'll coordinate the walkers/runners once we see who makes it tonight. Call my cell phone if its hard to find people in the dark.

Don't forget about the Topricin Worst Race Photo Contest! Entries are submittable for another week. As of this weekend there were only 12 entries and a couple of the examples I posted last week, here, would be in the top five "worst". Also, there are still very few people registered to vote, so if one of us can find a really awful looking photo, there would be a decent chance of winning the prize. ($100 - $200? value for winning, so its worth digging for that lousy race photo that you hate of yourself.)

This past weekend was a great race weekend for TRY. Two first time marathon finishes, one first time half-marathon finish, one marathon PR, and one 5K PR! Good job everyone! (Well, everyone, except for me.) Congratulations on going farther and faster than you ever have before. :-) All your hard work this summer and fall paid off. I am very proud of all of you!

Enjoy the rest of the year everyone! Posting/emails will be sparse through the winter...see you all (with perhaps some new recruits) come spring time.