The Groton Road Race strides into its 18th year – Sunday April 26th 2009!
A refreshed team, a renewed sense of commitment promises a great event for local athletes.
There was some question this fall as to whether the highly regarded Groton Road Race would be held at all in its 18th year. A few of the key members of the race director’s team were moving on and the question was asked whether or not it would be better to let the much-loved local event “go out on top”.
As is the case in many situations like this the community stepped forward and provided a new influx of talented volunteers and this local tradition is poised to pull off another spectacular event for Groton and adjoining towns.
Something for every family member…
This year marks the 18th running of the venerable road race. Each April for the last 18 years the local families have gathered at the middle school in Groton to partake in the series of races. There will be no major changes to the courses, schedules or other event details in 2009 so families and runners can continue to choose the event that suits them – 10K, 5K, 2K or Tot’s Trot. The whole family can come down to the middle school track to compete, cheer, celebrate or just enjoy the sun in the infield.
As in previous years there will be full athlete support with free massage, EMT, refreshments, baked goods, food & drinks and live music! It’s a road race party and you are invited.
Unique scenic country course closed for the racers…
Groton is unique among local races in that it continues to provide a closed course (no cars) for its competitors. The course itself is something that anyone who has run Groton raves about. Rolling country roads through farms, forest and community will greet those taking on the 5K and 10K.
Continuing the “Awesome Shirt” tradition…
Again this year Milan Studios has outdone itself in producing a shirt design that is a must have. Upholding the Groton Road Race tradition of high quality professional graphics design that truly captures the nature of the community and the event – this year is outstanding and you will love it.
Great sponsorship and more runner prizes!
The expanded race team this year enabled the gathering up of all sorts of prizes and gift certificates for participants. In addition to our traditional sponsors stepping up in difficult times many in-kind sponsors will be providing great stuff for the participants. (List of key sponsors here)
Still a bargain!
With all the doom and gloom of the economy the Groton Road Races are still an affordable event. The race fees have been kept low to encourage participation. Again this year online sign-up is available at www.grotonroadrace.com for no additional fee.
And it’s all for the kids…
The Groton Road Races are a completely non-profit organization run by 100% volunteers. The proceeds of the event go support youth sports and running. Specifically the race hosts the summer track and field program that has fostered generations of young athletes. The race also funds college scholarships for young athletes. In addition donations are made to the cross country, and track programs of schools in the surrounding towns.
Sign up soon – the race it coming April 26th…
Make sure to get your race sign up completed so that you are ensured a race t-shirt. Remember to come early to the Groton Middle School and give yourself time to park. You will want to be on time to drink in the wonderful spectacle that is the 18th Groton Road Race.
Chris Russell lives and trains in suburban Massachusetts with his family and Border collie Buddy. Chris is the author of “The Mid-Packer’s Lament”, and “The Mid-Packer’s Guide to the Galaxy”, short stories on running, racing, and the human comedy of the mid-pack. Chris writes the Runnerati Blog at www.runnerati.com. Chris’ Podcast, RunRunLive is available on iTunes and at www.runrunlive.com. Chris also writes for CoolRunning.com (Active.com) and is a member of the Squannacook River Runners. ChrisRunner@runrunlive.com
Tags
Running Podcast, Running Blog, marathon, triathlon, mileage, sprinting, run, track, training, running clubs, running groups, running shoes, exercise, health, 5k, running, swimming, sports, injuries, stretching, eating, jogging, biking, trail race, 5K, 10K, Ultramarathon, jogging a good exercise, road runner, jogging tips, benefits of jogging, free running, running shoes, marathon training, running, jogging, health and fitness, runners, runner.
b
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Run to Work – the ultimate commute
Run to Work – the ultimate commute
Littleton, Ma March 2009
Many local commuters have come up with ways to combat high gas prices by sharing rides or riding their bicycles this year but Chris Russell of Littleton recently went over the top. He ran to work. Before you say “So what?” you have to understand that Chris lives in Littleton, 17.5 miles from his office in Burlington, Ma., and he didn’t just run to work, he turned around and ran home for a 35 mile total commute.
Why? “Well, I’m in training for the Boston Marathon already and my long runs are around 20 miles for that so I figured I’d see if I could run to work and just use it as a part of my training.”
But why turn around and run back? Isn’t that over doing it? “I’m in decent shape and I have some experience at what’s referred to as the “ultra” distance (beyond the 26.2 miles of a standard marathon). I ran the Vermont 50 Miler in September, so I knew theoretically I could cover the distance. The first time I ran in to work one way in February and has my wife give me a ride home and I felt great, so I figured I’d have a little adventure and give the whole round trip a try.”
Chris, who will be running his 11th Boston Marathon this year, is also one of the race directors for the Groton Road Race coming up in on April 26th of this year. “I had a great idea to wear some sort of advertisement for Groton on my shirt to call out the website www.grotonroadrace.com, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it.”
How long does something like that take? “My usual commute takes around 40-45 minutes depending on the traffic. I go down Route 225 through Westford, Carlyle, Bedford and Burlington. When I ran in to work, it took me around 2:24 and about 2:30 to run the other way. One thing I realized is that it’s downhill from Littleton to Burlington. So I had to run up hill to get home!”
At the end of the run Mr. Russell said he was “a little wobbly” but ok. Chris also noted that people who want to run on Route 225 during commuting hours because the roads are quite narrow in places and people don’t expect you to be there. He recommends running into traffic and being prepared to jump out of the way when someone isn’t paying attention.
Chris Russell lives and trains in suburban Massachusetts with his family and Border collie Buddy. Chris is the author of “The Mid-Packer’s Lament”, and “The Mid-Packer’s Guide to the Galaxy”, short stories on running, racing, and the human comedy of the mid-pack. Chris writes the Runnerati Blog at www.runnerati.com. Chris’ Podcast, RunRunLive is available on iTunes and at www.runrunlive.com. Chris also writes for CoolRunning.com (Active.com) and is a member of the Squannacook River Runners. ChrisRunner@runrunlive.com
Tags
Running Podcast, Running Blog, marathon, triathlon, mileage, sprinting, run, track, training, running clubs, running groups, running shoes, exercise, health, 5k, running, swimming, sports, injuries, stretching, eating, jogging, biking, trail race, 5K, 10K, Ultramarathon, jogging a good exercise, road runner, jogging tips, benefits of jogging, free running, running shoes, marathon training, running, jogging, health and fitness, runners, runner.
Littleton, Ma March 2009
Many local commuters have come up with ways to combat high gas prices by sharing rides or riding their bicycles this year but Chris Russell of Littleton recently went over the top. He ran to work. Before you say “So what?” you have to understand that Chris lives in Littleton, 17.5 miles from his office in Burlington, Ma., and he didn’t just run to work, he turned around and ran home for a 35 mile total commute.
Why? “Well, I’m in training for the Boston Marathon already and my long runs are around 20 miles for that so I figured I’d see if I could run to work and just use it as a part of my training.”
But why turn around and run back? Isn’t that over doing it? “I’m in decent shape and I have some experience at what’s referred to as the “ultra” distance (beyond the 26.2 miles of a standard marathon). I ran the Vermont 50 Miler in September, so I knew theoretically I could cover the distance. The first time I ran in to work one way in February and has my wife give me a ride home and I felt great, so I figured I’d have a little adventure and give the whole round trip a try.”
Chris, who will be running his 11th Boston Marathon this year, is also one of the race directors for the Groton Road Race coming up in on April 26th of this year. “I had a great idea to wear some sort of advertisement for Groton on my shirt to call out the website www.grotonroadrace.com, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it.”
How long does something like that take? “My usual commute takes around 40-45 minutes depending on the traffic. I go down Route 225 through Westford, Carlyle, Bedford and Burlington. When I ran in to work, it took me around 2:24 and about 2:30 to run the other way. One thing I realized is that it’s downhill from Littleton to Burlington. So I had to run up hill to get home!”
At the end of the run Mr. Russell said he was “a little wobbly” but ok. Chris also noted that people who want to run on Route 225 during commuting hours because the roads are quite narrow in places and people don’t expect you to be there. He recommends running into traffic and being prepared to jump out of the way when someone isn’t paying attention.
Chris Russell lives and trains in suburban Massachusetts with his family and Border collie Buddy. Chris is the author of “The Mid-Packer’s Lament”, and “The Mid-Packer’s Guide to the Galaxy”, short stories on running, racing, and the human comedy of the mid-pack. Chris writes the Runnerati Blog at www.runnerati.com. Chris’ Podcast, RunRunLive is available on iTunes and at www.runrunlive.com. Chris also writes for CoolRunning.com (Active.com) and is a member of the Squannacook River Runners. ChrisRunner@runrunlive.com
Tags
Running Podcast, Running Blog, marathon, triathlon, mileage, sprinting, run, track, training, running clubs, running groups, running shoes, exercise, health, 5k, running, swimming, sports, injuries, stretching, eating, jogging, biking, trail race, 5K, 10K, Ultramarathon, jogging a good exercise, road runner, jogging tips, benefits of jogging, free running, running shoes, marathon training, running, jogging, health and fitness, runners, runner.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Yaktrax Pro Review – Getting a grip on winter running
Yaktrax Pro Review – Getting a grip on winter running
I’ll spoil the suspense for you; they worked awesome for me and I’ll tell you about it. I got the perfect storm, so to speak, of new toys and awful weather. Couldn’t ask for better weather to test out traction devices in.
Ironically my new YakTrax Pros showed up while I was out running in the woods last week in 4 inches of thick slush. I was thinking to myself that they might come in handy before I left. Then there they were, leaning against my garage door in the freezing rain when Buddy the Wonder Dog and I got back from our sloppy 10k.
I was yet to know that Old Man Winter would provide me with the industrial strength proving ground I was looking for before the week was out!
It started as snow, turned into rain and left 4 inches of slush like you get out of the Slushy Machine at 7-11. Brutal stuff. After it stopped raining the temperature dropped. This is the worst scenario. If you don’t get the slush up it freezes into a wonderful layer of hard snow and ice that cannot be moved at a later date without the use of dynamite or blow torches.
Once you have the slush storm followed by a freeze it creates the worst winter running conditions. These are icy conditions that are downright treacherous even for a sure footed hobbit-like trail runner. Well – actually, I’m not too surefooted, but I am quite hairy like a hobbit.
As the weekend approached the forecast was for another snow storm on top of the hardened slush ice. I decided I should move my 12 mile long run to Saturday and try out my new YakTrax. I’m the master of dual tasking. Test the YakTrax and get a long run in…seemed to make perfect sense to me. Yes, I know, never try out your new footwear on a long run or a race, but that doesn’t apply to me? Right?
I thought about what the appropriate shoes to strap them to would be? I decided on my old trail shoes. They only have a couple hundred miles on them and only one ultra-trail-mountain-marathon but they’ve started to fall apart. It turned out to be a good choice.
I got the “large” version of the YakTrax Pro. They fit my size 12D very well, snug and comfortable. Like a glove…. They didn’t pull on my toes or feel loose. They have a Velcro strap across the top like sandal to keep them on your feet, but mine fit so well I think the strap was superfluous.
Conditions Saturday afternoon as Buddy the Wonder Dog and I headed out for two loops of our woods 10k were cold and icy. The snow/slush had hardened to 2 inches of snow with a 2 inch ice crust on top. It’s a real pain because sometimes you fall through the crust on your foot plant and sometimes you don’t. The crust was pure smooth ice. If you dropped a hockey puck it would slide away towards the horizon with no impedance.
Some jerk with a dog had gone out and run the trails while the slush was still wet and left large, frozen, fossilized footprints on my trail! 4 inch deep size 12 bomb craters right down the middle of the trail! Heffalumps! Woozles! Usually if I leave footprints I can use them as toe-holds on subsequent trips, but these were so deep and icy as to be dangerous trail hazards. Can you say “ankle-snapper”?
The YakTrax were awesome on the ice. The coils bite well on both the heel and the forefoot. That’s where the coils form large diamond patterns that provide maximum surface area for grip. They are not so good on the mid-foot and I’ll touch on that later. I started out cautiously, but quickly go the feel of them and was able to run my normal mechanics and stride.
At one point I run a section of asphalt road to get to the next trail head. I thought this would be terrible but the ride wasn’t that bad. For short distances the YakTrax felt fine on the road. Indeed for one uphill section that was heavily sanded they provided extra traction in the grit. The trail shoes I put them on had nice big lugs and a soft ride and I think this absorbed much of the hardness of the coils. I didn’t try it, but I’m thinking my road shoes, being stiffer and thinner would not ride as comfortably on the hard surfaces.
The best traction is on the forefoot. It’s pretty good on the heel too, so that covers most runners. The blind spot is in the midsole where the coils cross. The only time I fell was when I planted my foot on an slanted icy corner – the midsole coils caught, but not enough to keep me upright and I couldn’t recover. It was a sideways slip and fall which are typically better than the high-impact head over heels falls you get when you heel strike on a patch of ice.
I routinely run in less than perfect surface conditions and I tend to adjust my stride to be more flat-footed to maximize tread-to-trail surface area. That’s not a great strategy with the YakTrax. They work much better if you can maintain a good high turn forefoot churn. Perfect for you Chi-Runners.
The next day I had some very light leg fatigue but no leg or knee pain. There was no weird fatigue or discomfort. This tells me that the YakTrax didn’t change my running mechanics.
Over the following days I have run in deep snow, both on the trail and on the road with them. They aren’t really designed for deep snow, but will give you some extra toe-off ability even in the deep stuff. On the road in the ‘marshmallow’ snow along the side they were ok – not perfect, but better than road shoes.
Late in runs they started to slide off the toe – mostly because one of the cross strap lined up with a trench in my trail shoe. Overall a quick tug and they’re back into place and good again. Buddy was sliding on the ice – I was gripping!
Summary:
- Good fit
- Normal running mechanics
- Great on ice
- Added value in deeper or softer snow
- Not horrible on the road
- Recommend trail shoes with them
Two thumbs up. I’ll keep running in them and let you know if the great stress of my high-mileage Clydesdale training causes them to prematurely deconstruct.
In the meantime – I’ll see you out there!
Chris,
Chris Russell lives and trains in suburban Massachusetts with his family and Border collie Buddy. Chris is the author of “The Mid-Packer’s Lament”, and “The Mid-Packer’s Guide to the Galaxy”, short stories on running, racing, and the human comedy of the mid-pack. Chris writes the Runnerati Blog at www.runnerati.com. Chris’ Podcast, RunRunLive is available on iTunes and at www.runrunlive.com. Chris also writes for CoolRunning.com (Active.com) and is a member of the Squannacook River Runners. ChrisRunner@runrunlive.com
I’ll spoil the suspense for you; they worked awesome for me and I’ll tell you about it. I got the perfect storm, so to speak, of new toys and awful weather. Couldn’t ask for better weather to test out traction devices in.
Ironically my new YakTrax Pros showed up while I was out running in the woods last week in 4 inches of thick slush. I was thinking to myself that they might come in handy before I left. Then there they were, leaning against my garage door in the freezing rain when Buddy the Wonder Dog and I got back from our sloppy 10k.
I was yet to know that Old Man Winter would provide me with the industrial strength proving ground I was looking for before the week was out!
It started as snow, turned into rain and left 4 inches of slush like you get out of the Slushy Machine at 7-11. Brutal stuff. After it stopped raining the temperature dropped. This is the worst scenario. If you don’t get the slush up it freezes into a wonderful layer of hard snow and ice that cannot be moved at a later date without the use of dynamite or blow torches.
Once you have the slush storm followed by a freeze it creates the worst winter running conditions. These are icy conditions that are downright treacherous even for a sure footed hobbit-like trail runner. Well – actually, I’m not too surefooted, but I am quite hairy like a hobbit.
As the weekend approached the forecast was for another snow storm on top of the hardened slush ice. I decided I should move my 12 mile long run to Saturday and try out my new YakTrax. I’m the master of dual tasking. Test the YakTrax and get a long run in…seemed to make perfect sense to me. Yes, I know, never try out your new footwear on a long run or a race, but that doesn’t apply to me? Right?
I thought about what the appropriate shoes to strap them to would be? I decided on my old trail shoes. They only have a couple hundred miles on them and only one ultra-trail-mountain-marathon but they’ve started to fall apart. It turned out to be a good choice.
I got the “large” version of the YakTrax Pro. They fit my size 12D very well, snug and comfortable. Like a glove…. They didn’t pull on my toes or feel loose. They have a Velcro strap across the top like sandal to keep them on your feet, but mine fit so well I think the strap was superfluous.
Conditions Saturday afternoon as Buddy the Wonder Dog and I headed out for two loops of our woods 10k were cold and icy. The snow/slush had hardened to 2 inches of snow with a 2 inch ice crust on top. It’s a real pain because sometimes you fall through the crust on your foot plant and sometimes you don’t. The crust was pure smooth ice. If you dropped a hockey puck it would slide away towards the horizon with no impedance.
Some jerk with a dog had gone out and run the trails while the slush was still wet and left large, frozen, fossilized footprints on my trail! 4 inch deep size 12 bomb craters right down the middle of the trail! Heffalumps! Woozles! Usually if I leave footprints I can use them as toe-holds on subsequent trips, but these were so deep and icy as to be dangerous trail hazards. Can you say “ankle-snapper”?
The YakTrax were awesome on the ice. The coils bite well on both the heel and the forefoot. That’s where the coils form large diamond patterns that provide maximum surface area for grip. They are not so good on the mid-foot and I’ll touch on that later. I started out cautiously, but quickly go the feel of them and was able to run my normal mechanics and stride.
At one point I run a section of asphalt road to get to the next trail head. I thought this would be terrible but the ride wasn’t that bad. For short distances the YakTrax felt fine on the road. Indeed for one uphill section that was heavily sanded they provided extra traction in the grit. The trail shoes I put them on had nice big lugs and a soft ride and I think this absorbed much of the hardness of the coils. I didn’t try it, but I’m thinking my road shoes, being stiffer and thinner would not ride as comfortably on the hard surfaces.
The best traction is on the forefoot. It’s pretty good on the heel too, so that covers most runners. The blind spot is in the midsole where the coils cross. The only time I fell was when I planted my foot on an slanted icy corner – the midsole coils caught, but not enough to keep me upright and I couldn’t recover. It was a sideways slip and fall which are typically better than the high-impact head over heels falls you get when you heel strike on a patch of ice.
I routinely run in less than perfect surface conditions and I tend to adjust my stride to be more flat-footed to maximize tread-to-trail surface area. That’s not a great strategy with the YakTrax. They work much better if you can maintain a good high turn forefoot churn. Perfect for you Chi-Runners.
The next day I had some very light leg fatigue but no leg or knee pain. There was no weird fatigue or discomfort. This tells me that the YakTrax didn’t change my running mechanics.
Over the following days I have run in deep snow, both on the trail and on the road with them. They aren’t really designed for deep snow, but will give you some extra toe-off ability even in the deep stuff. On the road in the ‘marshmallow’ snow along the side they were ok – not perfect, but better than road shoes.
Late in runs they started to slide off the toe – mostly because one of the cross strap lined up with a trench in my trail shoe. Overall a quick tug and they’re back into place and good again. Buddy was sliding on the ice – I was gripping!
Summary:
- Good fit
- Normal running mechanics
- Great on ice
- Added value in deeper or softer snow
- Not horrible on the road
- Recommend trail shoes with them
Two thumbs up. I’ll keep running in them and let you know if the great stress of my high-mileage Clydesdale training causes them to prematurely deconstruct.
In the meantime – I’ll see you out there!
Chris,
Chris Russell lives and trains in suburban Massachusetts with his family and Border collie Buddy. Chris is the author of “The Mid-Packer’s Lament”, and “The Mid-Packer’s Guide to the Galaxy”, short stories on running, racing, and the human comedy of the mid-pack. Chris writes the Runnerati Blog at www.runnerati.com. Chris’ Podcast, RunRunLive is available on iTunes and at www.runrunlive.com. Chris also writes for CoolRunning.com (Active.com) and is a member of the Squannacook River Runners. ChrisRunner@runrunlive.com
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