Saturday, July 30, 2011

Fall-Winter Races for NYRR Open Aug. 1

Races for Oct. -Dec. include the Staten Island Half.

Founders 5K Results Posted

Top results, both male and female, dominated by Central Park Track Club, which was the host of the race (not much from the local Brooklyn teams). Still lot of Brooklyn turnout overall. Next week is the NYRR Team Championships, the annual smackdown among registered teams.

One thing I'd note - I was running in the same direction as the runners doing a long run today - lot of traffic on the Prospect Park pathways. That's both good (love it when tons of runners are out there), and obviously bad (when you're racing, the last thing you want to do is be having to worry about runners - and cyclists).

Results are here - click on the .pdf to see age-group rankings.

Queens Half Results Posted

Less than 4,800 finishers in this year's race, which was closed to entrants several weeks ago. Hot day, though thankfully less humid (think what if this was *last* weekend)

Brooklyn's Miriam Beyer (racing for Athena New York) was top female with a 1:29:14, edging out Brooklyn's Sarah Foster. In fact, five of the top finishers in Queens were from Brooklyn.

Brooklyn's Armando Ramirez (WSX) finished third overall among the men with a 1:17:33.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Founders 5K on Saturday at 9 a.m.

Late notice I realize, but for those looking to run one of the many 5Ks in Prospect Park this summer - here's the next one.

Founders 5K, to honor the founders of the city's running clubs, starts at 9 a.m. just outside of Bartel Pritchard Square.

Friday, July 15, 2011

The First Brooklyn Marathon

How much do you love Prospect Park?

3 loops (like the Cherry Tree 10-miler). How about ... 8 loops.

You get the opportunity for the inaugural Brooklyn Marathon, to be held in November. Details are here

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Plot Strategy for Your NYC Marathon Qualifiers

UPDATED this post to correct and reflect that the Club Championships is a marathon qualifier!)

As of now, all the summer qualifiers are closed until Aug. 27 (except for the Club Championships ... and you have to be a club member to race that)

The way things have been going, qualifying races have been closing out 2 weeks to 2 months ahead of time, so be alert.

Based on the NYRR event calendar, here's the number of remaining qualifiers that are still open (and remember, you need a volunteer entry as well):

*July: 0
*August: 3
*September: 3
*October: 3 (details on Grete's aren't up yet - both races that day may be qualifiers)
*November: 2
*December: 4

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Boards or Concrete at Coney Island?

The New York Times offers an update on the ongoing debate about whether the boardwalk at Coney Island will be replaced with something other than boards.

The article quotes schoolteacher Robert Burstein, who runs on the boardwalk daily:

Robert Burstein, 56, a schoolteacher who daily takes five-mile runs on the Boardwalk, said people flocked to it because they “want respite from concrete; we have concrete all around us.”

Friday, July 1, 2011

Go Fourth and Run

I love three-day weekends, because it means there's the opportunity to get in two long runs and not suffer (too much).

Or, you can run long on Saturday and race Monday.

Or ... and you knew this was coming, you can do both (see option two).

Two races I want to highlight this weekend, though there are plenty in the region:

*Pepper Martin 5 Mile out in Staten Island. Absolutely wonderful local race, with a killer hill and great post-race party.

*The July 4th Marathon up at Van Cortlandt Park. I've never done one of these trail holiday races, which range from 6.5 mile parts and up, though I might make my way up this weekend. It consists of one or more loops on the gradual Van Cortlandt trails (as opposed to the undulating X/C course and the punishing Cemetery Hill). As the motto for this free community race states: Just show up and run.

And the great thing? On this one, you can go long ... and race.

Happy holidays everyone.