While not overly competitive, these races offer the chance to work on your race skills such as start-line strategies, pacing, hydration stops, and your finishing kick. Sometimes you get great schwag...sometimes great food...sometimes great entertainment. And always, great cameraderie!
This past Friday, we attended the inaugural "Joggin for Jugs" 24 hour Relay for Breast Cancer sponsored by a neighbouring running club. Four of us travelled to Belle River to participate and ran the 8:00 pm-9:00pm relay-leg. I ran with one of my marathon training partners and we did the 3 mile course twice because our training schedule called for 6 miles that night. I made a $30.00 donation and received a great pink t-shirt! (which my wife will wear as a nightie) This charity is one that she supports quite actively because not only does it affect many women, this one is close to home because her mother is a breast-cancer survivor and as a result, she (and her daughters) are in a higher-risk category. Two years ago, she was our leading fund-raiser for our dragon boat team, raising $1,600 for local breast cancer research.
Marathon training has begun and I successfully logged my required miles this week (with 2 extra miles for good measure). Today's long run was scheduled for 8 miles but I needed 10 because yesterday was a golf day, so I missed a run. I was feeling really good this morning and the temperature was bearable in the mid 70's so I logged 11.5 miles at a 8:26 pace. I was quite impressed with myself! I try to keep my long runs at a 9:15-9:30 pace but I just felt very energetic today. I ran the new 20k running route developed by our town (see my post from a couple of weeks ago). Their measurement was a little generous. When I ran on the official opening day, my RunKeeper logged it at 11.65 miles and today it measured the same distance. (20K should be 12.4 miles)
We have finally selected our fall marathon. I will be doing the Towpath Marathon in Northeast Ohio on 10/10/2010 (which is Canadian Thanksgiving) We are trying to get a group of local runners to attend as it is only about 3 hrs from home. If you are doing the 10k or 1/2 marathon, it's a doable day trip.
The Towpath Marathon was established in 1992 to introduce the Towpath Trail as a new recreational amenity and to promote the establishment of the Ohio & Erie Canalway; in 1993, it was one of ten events that celebrated the completion of the Towpath Trail through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Since its inception the Towpath Marathon has grown to become one of Northeast Ohio’s premier marathons, attracting an average of 1,200 participants and 3,500 spectators from more than twenty-seven states for a weekend of outdoor festivities and athletic competition. Described as “one of the most beautiful race courses in America” by Runner’s World magazine, the Towpath Marathon showcases breathtaking segments of the historic Towpath Trail located between Akron and Cleveland. It is one of few marathons that take place in a National Park, and many consider it a unique specialty race due to the setting, fall foliage and crushed limestone surface. The course has changed many times throughout the life of the marathon and most recently drew attention to newly completed portions of the Towpath Trail as it heads into downtown Cleveland.
Now that I have selected a race, I can focus on training and ...as always...
Running to feel youg.
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