Running and Walking Friends
If you have lemons, you have the main ingredient for lemonade.
After a long day at work this past Thursday, I wanted to get home for a run. Being tired of the treadmill and the roads, I hoped to get a run in at my favorite county park and its soft trails. Because of the mild weather the snow was gone and I knew the trails might be a bit wet, but with my water resistant running shoes I would be all set.
Arriving at the park, things did not get off to a good start as winter hours were still in effect and the parking lot was closed. I parked near the park entrance and started out.
I decided to head out on one of the trails leading to a water fall. Unfortunately due to elevation, woods and terrain the trail was very icy. To make matters worse, it then turned into wet snow about 4 inches deep. 10 minutes into my run I was forced to turn back as the footing kept getting worse.
As I retrace my steps, I calculate a new plan and head to an open field with mowed trails that I have dubbed “the north forty”. Once again I am slugging through snow about 4 inches deep to get to these soft trails. Step by step, a few patches of brown turf appear and in just about 10 minutes I am on the trails of “the north forty”.
Amazingly, I find a 600 meter loop in this section of the park that is completely clear with grass that still wears its brown winter coat. Although it is a pretty short loop, I start thinking about lemons and lemonade. The loop features a nice 200 meter hill and would be perfect for a few hill repeats. So around I go, up the hill, coast around the loop for recovery and then back up again. I make this trip around 7 times and as I make my final loop a wet snow begins to fall.
My plan had been an easy run at my favorite park, but conditions changed the plan and a good work out happened instead. It has been said many times that running is a metaphor for life and on a cloudy day in March, I was reminded of that one more time.
Fleet Feet Training Programs Return in April
No Boundaries Begin to Run Program
Our popular Begin to Run program returns this year with a new name and support from New Balance. The No Boundaries program is designed for those with little to no running experience who would like to complete their first 5K road race. It is a ten-week, coached training program that includes a weekly group run on Wednesday at 5:45 PM at Long Branch Park in Liverpool. In addition to the group run, you will be expected to go out twice a week on your own. You will start out with a combination or walking and running, with most participants being able to run the full 5K race distance at the end of ten weeks. Last year over 60 people successfully completed the program. The registration fee of $75 also includes a team tech shirt and entry into the Swamp Rat 5K on June 21.
Space is limited and will be filled by a first received basis. Download the registration and participation forms here.
Those interested should attend our info meeting on Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30 pm at Fleet Feet. It is an opportunity to find out more about the No Boundaries program, meet the coaches and register.
Advanced 5K Training Program
This program is designed for graduates of our Begin to Run program and those who can already run for three miles without stopping, but are looking for direction in their training so they can improve their 5K time. It is a ten-week, coached program that includes a weekly speed workout on Monday evenings at 5:45 at Long Branch Park in Liverpool. In addition to the workout, participants are expected to run at least three times per week on their own. The $75 registration fee also includes a team tech shirt and entry into the Swamp Rat 5K.
Space is limited and will be filled on a first received basis. Download the registration and participation forms here.
Those interested in the Advanced 5K program should attend our info meeting on Monday, April 7 at 7:30 pm at Fleet Feet to find out more information, meet the coaches and register.
Goat Time Bonus Medals and 30th Anniversary Pins announced
To help celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Dunn Tire Mountain Goat Run, participants will be eligible for special prizes. Besides traditional cash and age group awards, the Mountain Goat will have time bonus medals and finishers pins at this year’s event on Sunday May 4th.
All finishers of the 2008 Mountain Goat Run or companion 3k will be awarded a special 30th Anniversary Pin.
Additionally a special 30th Anniversary Time Bonus Medal has been created and will be awarded to those completing the Mountain Goat in below 80 minutes. The medals honor the greatest champions of the Mountain Goat Run, Jerry Lawson, Kevin Collins and Michelle LaFluer. Medals will be awarded for the following:
Sub 60 Minutes – Gold
Sub 70 Minutes – Silver
Sub 80 Minutes – Bronze
All medals will be awarded on the chip timing results of Leone Scoring and Timing.
2nd Annual STREND Competition to be held in July
The Team of Dan and Dan Ganley conducted the first ever STREND Event in Syracuse last year. For those that don’t know what STRND is, it is a combination of events that feature strength (upper body weight lifting) and endurance (running).
In 2007 participants came from California, Colorado and New York City to participate in the series of five upper body weight lifting exercises (bench press, wide grip pull up, military press, chin up and bar dip) and the 5k run that follows. Competitors all compete evenly because of rules that minimize size and weight of all competitors.
All who took part as a participant or volunteer had a blast and so on July 12th at 9 AM, the 2nd Annual Syracuse STRND Event will be held at Corcoran High School.
Dan Ganly wanted to give everyone who is interested a chance to get ready for this year’s competition which he says will “blow your socks off”!
You can learn more about STREND - Other Info
Contact Dan Ganley for more information on Syracuse STREND 2008.
Road Trip
The Skunk Cabbage Half Marathon and 10k will be held on Sunday at Cornell University in Ithaca. The Skunk Cabbage is conducted by the Finger Lakes Running Club, where you will find complete information.
Running Tip of the Week
Find a committed Running Partner. It is easy to skip a run when you are doing it by yourself. If you have someone who is depending on you to go for your daily run, you won’t want to let them down..
High School Running Column by Seth Jackson
Dear dogs of Central New York,
The snow is starting to thaw and the roads are beginning to clear, which means that I'm going to be doing a lot more distance runs on rural roads. That means that we're going to be seeing a lot more of one another, and I know we've had our differences, a few incidents, but I'm willing to put that behind me and start anew.
You know, I'm actually a dog person. I've got two German Shepards, Mike and Scout. I'll admit that they bark at those passing by but at least they keep their distance, something I find that a lot of you fail to do. Can you please stop doing that thing where you charge to the end of the yard before pulling up and revealing that there's actually an invisible fence? That's really terrifying.
And I'm not sure what a bark exactly means, but the constant, unchanging tone is pretty rough on the ears. I respect you dogs a lot, really, I do. I know you're faster than me, and short of Kobayashi, your jaw strength is incomparable, so let's just get along this spring and enjoy the sunshine.
Yours truly,
Seth Jackson
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