Finale

Today is the regular season finale. Another great forecast is in the works and has mid to high 50s for the final OLP TRY of the year.

The group is meeting at 5 with a 5:05 start time. That still means mostly dark to actually dark as you finish your running so please pair off or group up and make sure that everyone gets out of the park safely. Flashlights or headlamps would be nice for anyone running more than a two miles.

Stay tuned to the Facebook page for "off season" running meet-ups including continued running on Tuesday nights at various after-dark safe running locations. I am usually unable to attend which leaves you in more capable hands to orchestrate the runs.

As most of you know today is a very important day. So I wanted to take the time to remind you to be sure to take advantage of today and do something that many people around the world think we take for granted. Whether you did it this morning already and sneak it in tonight at the last minute it is VERY IMPORTANT for you to go out and ...

Think about TRY and the running accomplishments that you and the group have had this year. Whether you did another marathon, your first hymon, a unique trail run, a new group relay race, a relay "great" race, another group relay race, a trail marathon, another hymon, a 5k, a 3.5 mile "challenge", or any of the various other running "races" that group members have put themselves through...take a moment to think back.

There is plenty of time in the calendar year to add on more races - from jingly balls, to wonderful runs, to turkey trots, to frozen trail races, but with the end of regular TRY for 2016 think of your accomplishments and learn from them - both good and bad lessons - and consider what you will do the same or different in 2017.

That's it...nothing else of note to do today...

Frost on the Pumpkin

Despite the cold start to the day, the hourly forecast is saying high 50s at TRY time.

Counting tonight, we have TWO SESSIONS of regular TRY left. BUT, next week falls after the change back to standard time, so I recommend moving the TRY meetup time based on what was done last year - shifting 30 minutes earlier for next week. Hopefully I remember to bring that up tonight.

For those who care about lights on the lake, it opens for cars on Wednesday the 16th with a "Salute the Troops Night" (free with military ID). Monday the 14th is the stroll night and Tuesday the 15th is the dog walk night.

That's it...I'm all hallows eve'd out!

Whatever Floats Your Boat

Somehow it will be 35 or so degrees cooler this week at TRY time. Forecast is putting it in the low 40s.

Counting today, there are THREE weeks left of regular season TRY. Next week will be normal time and then there will be one week after daylight saving time ends...I'll have to look up how we handled that last year. (I'm guessing I wasn't there since after dark is not kid friendly.)

Predicting the future:
I thought Prancercising was going to be a thing. I thought carrying your own drink cup was going to be a thing. I thought elevation training masks were going to be a thing... (I'm way too lazy to link back to those specific predictions but feel free to search the archives.) So, my predictive skills have not been very good at all. But, this showed up in my FB newsfeed and since I clicked on it, it continues to show up constantly. I don't know if anyone else is seeing this so I wanted to pass it on...

Salt therapy and float therapy are coming to Syracuse. It appears the latest estimate is for a January opening. Somewhere on Erie Blvd. Here is the local Facebook page with all sorts of links and details, but here is the article from Yahoo! I read about "floating like Eleven in Stranger Things". (I assume you do not get to visit the upside-down, but details are sketchy, so maybe?) It's not immediately obvious if all the floating tanks are sensory deprivation tanks as well? Or if there is some sort of choice for which type of "float" you want to do? (From the simple pictures it sure looks like there are different size tanks that are used - but no indication yet on what the Syracuse location will have.)

That's all I have...you'll thank me when you are floating your troubles and this winter away come January.

The Summer That Won't Quit

Somehow, it's another Tuesday TRY with high 70s at TRY time. This one might hurt a little.

Counting tonight there are FOUR weeks left of regular season TRY.

And since this is such a long article that is REALLY IMPORTANT to read, I'll end my writing here in the hopes you continue. This was from Runner's World in the past week and about your hips and glutes and proper running form. (Is the minimalist movement as dead as this article claims? Duerr?)

Pork, The One You Love

Cloudy and low 60s at TRY time. Fall like, but still leaning way to the side of great weather.

The countdown to the end of regular season TRY is on -- counting tonight there are FIVE weeks left.

On 10/11/12, my oldest boy was born. Tonight after TRY you can join us at the Village Burger for a tasty, but slowly served, burger followed by some funfetti cupcakes. No need to bring anything for the birthday boy, except a happy birthday wish, either at the park or at VB for those who can join in.

The "Run of the Dead" is this Saturday (the 15th) right in Liverpool. There is a video right at the top of the page that shows off a lot better zombie action than I assumed they had. Certainly looks interesting! (If you are into that sort of thing.) My sister-in-law plays a role in this event because her and other North Syracuse Wilderness Search and Rescue volunteers do most of the work getting the course prepared...and then get a minor kick-back of money from each participant. (So it becomes one of the WSARs bigger fundraisers for the year.)

Does anyone want to check out a local Y?
Catherine's membership (And I assume any other main member?) currently has the option of "gifting" a two week trial membership to as many friends as she can find to take up the offer. (Then if you end up joining, she does get a free month herself, but that is very secondary to you guys taking advantage to see if the Y is worth your time.) I am thinking someone like Malinda? Or Tim and Lindsay? Bill? People that live super close to the "new" one in B'ville that maybe have never seen the inside? Membership is month to month, so for anyone looking for a place to get runs in through the winter, it may be worth considering for 4-6 months? (The B'ville one does have a 1/8 mile track.)

No matter which Y you would want to check out, Catherine just would need to know that you are interested - gives them your name - and then you get two weeks free. You do have to start your two week trial by the end of October. (And it just so happens that at the B'ville Y they are doing a 2 week yearly pool maintenance the last week of October and first week of November, so that would limit what you have access to during your trial.)

For those who have never thought about the Y as a gym choice - a membership gets you into "all" the Syracuse area Y's, including the one at OCC - which has that very nice indoor track for winter running.

Do you have a choice of what time of day to run? Because SCIENCE is now claiming it is better to run in the evening. (TRY time is probably a bit too early to be considered to ideal time...but at least it is close?) Of course, I've often heard that running in the morning is better for weight loss, so who knows with these studies and how they come up with their numbers?

Meat eaters only from this point on:
Lastly, I posted this on TRY, but another way to ask people: Who would be interested in buying locally raised pork next late September or early October? My brother-in-law proved the concept this summer raising 5 of them, but next year is willing to double his herd. (But needs the "order" soon so that he can put the request in with the farmer that will have the piglets in the spring.) This year the price per half pig ended up being a little less than $300 for about 70 pounds of meat. You get a lot of choices for the cuts you want. (Hams versus steaks, what types of sausage, ribs or not, etc.) The pigs are raised on my families old farm in Croghan and the meat market is just outside of Lowville.

Here are some photos to give you an idea of what half of a pig involves. We ended up with about 20 pounds of ham and ham steaks, and 5 pounds of bacon. 15 pounds of sausage. And then ribs, all sorts of pork chops, tenderloin, shoulder, ...

Here are the coolers that were both full:



Here is the bacon (disappointingly little, but super tasty):


Here is almost all the rest of the meat (a couple small pieces wouldn't fit and kept sliding off). Hams and shoulder on left. Chops and steaks in the middle and our sweet and hot sausage on the right.:


Here is part of the custom cut order form to see the decisions you have to make:




This year no payment was due until the end, but with him expanding to non-family members, there may be a minor down payment asked for in the spring? (I trust all of you so am not too worried about it.)

Fall In Love With Running

Fall is here on the calendar and also with our overnight temperatures, but at TRY time the mercury will have fought its way to an almost summery 70 degrees. Unlike me, this summer just won't quit!

Kelly has already posted about the group run - it will be quarter mile intervals for those able. As a non-runner myself, I didn't feel it was my place to chime in, but I'm glad the group vote was to attempt some form of group intervals again. (It is the only choice that allows for some semblance of a group run when there is such a diverse group of people running. And is even written up in our charter.)

The running part:
Slight, but lingering, injuries, my own apathy, and my own obesity all contributed to a poor spring and summer for me running-wise. Once September arrived I rebooted my running and turned off my watch and turned off my thinking about my runs. It has given me a clean slate and allowed me to slowly "fall" in love with running again. It has been refreshing! So I wanted to encourage anyone who reads this that is in a running rut - take a week or two to think about what you enjoy about running. And ask yourself what it would take for you to "fall" in love with running again over the next couple months? (There are a myriad of reasons that people run. Re-find your own specific reason!)

The fun but educational part:
You've certainly seen Truck Nutz by now.

And hopefully you've had an in depth discussion in the past about "neuticles".

But have you embraced the latest bike safety craze...the naturally inspired invention known as "bike balls"?

You're welcome!

Again?

Yet again we have an low-to-mid 80s forecast for TRY time. Soak it in and let the sweat times roll!

I will not be able to attend again, which is getting to be entirely too common of an occurrence. (Today's excuse - it's Wegman's appreciation month at "The Strong National Museum of Play" and this is the day that worked best for Catherine and her parents to go...so we'll be on our way back from there at TRY time.)

Something to file away for next year:
My oldest sister and my niece took part in a very special sounding race on Sunday. They talked so highly of it that I decided to feature it here for future reference. I liked that it had such a unique "heart" to the event...

The race is called "The DeWitt PFA 5K" and the course is along the canal. This year was extra special because it was held on 9/11 but it is not just for 9/11.

In the race's own words: "TheThird annual "DeWitt PFA 5K" is a run/walk designed to remember and support those emergency services personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. Although held on September 11th, the run memorializes those heroes who risk and unfortunately lose their lives on a daily basis. Starting and ending at the Town of DeWitt 9/11 memorial site, the route takes participants along the Erie Canal before turning and heading back.

Proceeds from this event will be donated to the “National Fallen Firefighters Foundation”, a 501(c)3 not for profit organization that supports families and fire departments of fallen firefighters."

My sister and niece both got to select someone to run for (a fallen hero), including a picture, and said the finisher medal was top notch and you can see they both got roses as well. There was also a 1/4 mile kids fun run that she recommended to me (I think for my sons, but maybe for ME?!) for next year.

#neverforget