News

Good morning and Happy Holidays! This will most likely be the final note of 2021 after a busy stretch of Stryders activities. Thanks to all who came out for the annual Jingle Bell Run and Grand Prix Awards last weekend at the Warming Hut; as you can see from the photos everyone was in a festive mood. Congrats to all the prize winners and thanks again to all the volunteers for 2021.

Just a few notes, leftover items and reminders as head speed toward the end of the year and prep for 2022.

• We raised $700 in cash donations from the Holiday Party and made a 50-50 contribution to the Franklin Community Center and Shelters of Saratoga-Code Blue.

• Don’t forget your face covering if you plan to head into Whitman Brewing after the Wednesday Night Run, they are following state guidelines. Also, please note that Whitman will be closed from Jan. 3-13 so Wednesday Night runners and walkers will need an alternative location for post-activity refreshment. The run will still commence from the brewery, 20 Lake Avenue, those Wednesdays at 6 p.m.

 • The Stryders are teaming up with the Roundabout Runners and Clifton Park Beer Runners for a “Keep Your Resolution Run” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 2 at Unified Beerworks in Malta. Choose your distance – 5K, 10K and Half Marathon routes will be mapped and marked – and start the New Year with other runners from local clubs.

Here’s the upcoming schedule:

• Wednesday Night Downtown Runs (Dec. 22 and 29). 6 p.m. Start/finish at Whitman Brewing, 20 Lake Avenue. Masks required if you go inside the brewery. Don’t forget reflective gear, headlamps, taillights, etc. You’ll need to find parking nearby, be mindful that the lot at 20 Lake Avenue is a private pay-per-day lot, so street parking or the Woodlawn garage might be your best options.

• Saturday Run/Walk (Dec. 25, Jan. 1) – 8:30 a.m. at the Warming Hut at the Saratoga Spa State Park. Don’t expect coffee or donuts on Christmas morning … and who knows if the Warming Hut will be open.

• Sunday Long Run – Dec. 25 No Run. Merry Christmas. Jan. 2: Keep Your Resolution Run. 11:30 a.m. at Unified Beerworks in Malta (see above).

Have a great week. See you in 2022!

Tom Law

Don’t forget, Saturday is the annual Stryders Turkey Raffle Run.

When: 8:30 a.m. Saturday

Where: Warming Hut, Saratoga Spa State Park

What: We’ll start a 1-hour run at 8:30 a.m. on a pre-set course (same as last year, in and around grass, woods, trails and bike paths near the Warming Hut). After each lap runners/walkers will receive a raffle ticket. Shortly after the 1-hour run/walk we’ll raffle off turkeys to the lucky ticket holders.

SPECIAL NOTES: We will conduct everything OUTSIDE. The Warming Hut has been open as of late so you should be able to get in for restroom facilities and/or a warm fire. We will also NOT conduct the raffle of baked goods, but you’re free to bring any along to share if you wish.

VOLUNTEERS: Lee Briggs will head up the team handing out the raffle tickets and she could use some help. Send Lee an email to lkel12@yahoo.com if you can help out.

Stryders team at Christopher Dailey Turkey Trot

Speaking of turkey, before you consume copious amounts of the great bird head out to the Christopher Dailey Turkey Trot in Saratoga Springs. If you run with us Wednesday nights you know most of the route, up North Broadway to Skidmore, around and back down the hill.

Lee Briggs set up a Stryders team. When you sign up the team password is stryders20201.

Runners already signed up can also contact Lee at lkel12@yahoo.com to be added to the team.

Finally, the Turkey Trot is the final race in the 2021 Stryders Grand Prix. We’re still tabulating results, so make sure to submit any old or new times to John Couch through the email results@saratogastryders.org.

 

Notes:

• On Monday’s note we had an incorrect date for the Schuylerville Drama Club’s Ugly Sweater 5K Run/Walk. The run is at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 at the Warming Hut.

• Don’t forget to RSVP for the Stryders Holiday Party.

 

Good morning. A rainy weekend and start to the week but once everything clears out it looks like we’ll have good weather for some upcoming Stryders events.

We received some positive news over the weekend from Stryders member Paul Loomis, who heads up the Malta 5k/10k: the Saratoga Stryders had 23 members on hand for the races and we’ll receive $200 from this year’s race proceeds. Thanks to Paul and his team, and to Frank Lombardo for heading up the effort to get our members to the race. 

Speaking of Malta, Paul and his crew are organizing a 5K race on the 100-Acre Woods trails that we’ve run on during our Mix-It-Up Monday series in recent years. The Oct. 24 event is in conjunction with a 2K & 3K race for youth clubs from around the Capital Region. The youth runs are at 8:30/9 with the open race for adults and older kids at 9:30. Click here for all the details. Volunteers are also welcome, just shoot an email to Malta5kTrailRace@gmail.com.

Speaking of volunteers, Coach John Couch said the organizers for this coming Sunday’s Mohawk-Hudson Marathon and Half Marathon are looking for some. If you can help out, email John at StrydersCoachCouch@gmail.com.

The Wednesday Night Workout season continues to wind down and we have only 2 workouts in the Park remaining, before our Too Dark to Run in the Park event scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 20 at iRun Local. The wintertime downtown runs will start Wednesday, Oct. 27, from a location still to be determined. Our team scouted one potential location last week with two or three more planned in the days and weeks ahead. Feel free to send along any suggestions.

Other regular club events are on schedule:

• Stryders Book Club – 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5 at the Saratoga Springs Public Library. Details below.

• Wednesday Night Workout – 6 p.m. at the Saratoga Spa State Park. Optional dynamic warmup at 5:50 p.m., otherwise be ready to roll at 6 p.m. sharp. 

• Saturday Run/Walk – 8:30 a.m. at the Warming Hut at the Saratoga Spa State Park.

• Sunday Long Run – 10 a.m. Warming Hut, Saratoga Spa State Park.

Have a great week,

Tom Law

 

Stryders Book Club – Meeting Tuesday

Here’s the information from Laura Clark regarding Tuesday night’s Stryders Book Club meeting:

The Stryders Book Club will be this Tuesday, Oct. 5. We will meet at the library downstairs in one of the meeting rooms (not sure which yet) at 5:30 p.m. Masks must be worn and there is no eating or drinking- but at least it is dry!

The book is Running with the Buffaloes, by Chris Lear. If you haven’t read it, just Google.

If anyone has another in-person idea, we are open for November. The November book is Out and Back, by Hillary Allen.

Hillary Allen’s dramatic rescue from what should have been a life-ending cliff plunge at the Tromso Skyrace in Norway would have made a riveting adventure flick. Except that it was real. Miraculously, she survived. But what happened afterward? Granted, we have all been injured at some point, have experienced the denial/acceptance roller coaster and the abrupt cut off from our running community. But Hillary’s disaster was so much more than a six-week layoff and it would have been all too easy for her to surrender to feelings of uselessness and depression. Instead, she gives us an intimate, no-holds-barred view of her recovery process, one which leads inward to the innermost workings of her mind and soul.

After reading her narrative, I have a new-found respect for Hillary as a writer.  This is not a “with the assistance of…” book but a masterfully planned and perfectly flowing account. Truly inside Hillary’s mind and emotions, I felt as connected with her as I have with my favorite fictional characters.  Except the realness adds validity.

Hillary’s journey includes a complete medical team, a host of inspirational readings, a gritty resolve to get back to teaching a mere three weeks after her accident, and a determined group of workout partners.  Her “Just Keep Showing Up,” is a cornerstone of her comeback success.  In fact, each chapter begins with a mantra that defines her mindset: “Patience Takes Practice,” You Can Achieve It, Not Attain It, “Honor Your Process.” Looking back, her journey seems well-planned, but Hillary’s willingness to share her day-to-day doubts proves it is anything but. Sometimes it is even a one step forward, two steps backwards affair as when during her return to serious training, she broke her ankle and had to start from scratch.

Basically, it all comes down to active acceptance, as Hillary illustrates in her examination of the thought-provoking book, Deep Survival, by Laurence Gonzales.  She reflects that the deciding factor in whether someone ultimately lives and dies in a survival situation depends on the ability to relax and accept the circumstances you find yourself in at the moment. A good bit of advice for us all.

Twinned with Cory Reese’s memoir Stronger Than the Dark, Allen’s account provides yet another view of struggle and depression – one that was precipitated by injury and not ongoing medical and mental challenges. And while Cory could continue to run in an albeit less satisfying manner, Allen at first could not even walk. Both acknowledge the necessity of accepting their vulnerability, but Corey’s is an ongoing battle while Hillary’s limitations ultimately resolve themselves. In the end, each acknowledged they were better for the experience, although it wasn’t anything they would have willingly chosen. Ultimately, running is far more than finish times; it is the courage to engage in the ongoing process, whatever that may be for you at the moment.

This is a book you will want to purchase and reread whenever overwhelming circumstances threaten your equilibrium and cause you to doubt yourself.

In his Ultrarunning magazine monthly column byline, Cory Reese boasts that he became an ultrarunner to support a well-developed sweet tooth. And this strikes a chord -- for many of us, that was the initial reason we signed on. But as we progressed, we realized that the simple act of steady forward progress meant so much more: a space to connect with community, a space to enjoy nature, a space to mediate and problem solve. In fact, most of us turn to our sport to find solace when the world is simply too overwhelming. But as the tough decision made by Olympian Simone Biles illustrates, sometimes the mere act of physical release is not enough to chase down personal demons.

Who knew from reading his monthly humor column, that Cory Reese was battling depression?  He was diagnosed with what is called “smiling depression,’ meaning he was good at covering it up and outwardly functioning normally. His condition was jumpstarted by the double whammy of a faith crisis and a serious medical diagnosis requiring weekly infusions. Cory at first found himself cut off from the very thing that might have helped - his running habit. True to form, once his medical issues were somewhat controlled, he decided to run not just an “ordinary” 100-miler, but also Laz Lake’s Volunteer State 500K to prove to himself that he could still function. 

And he wasn’t too far off the mark. During this event he learned that it is OK to ask for help and more than OK to admit to weakness. Still, even in the afterglow of accomplishment, Cory can feel himself slipping into a downwards spiral. As a social worker, he recognizes that he needs counseling, but this is a double-edged sword, since as a social worker, he is embarrassed that he cannot handle things on his own.  Like Hillary Allen in Out and Back, in order to function he must come to terms with his own vulnerability.

So, does running help depression? There is no definitive answer but Reese gives us several takeaways. As runners, we become accustomed to problem solving during a race, and this is assuredly a transferable life skill. We learn to depend on family and friends while training and on crew and road angels during the event itself. Ultimately, depression cannot be solved on its own and the ability to welcome a backup team is essential. There is no denying the physical and mental release that comes with putting one foot in front of the other in nature, but that is a bonus and not a solution when things become serious.

As Cory reflects, “I think that life is like a long, long walk across Tennessee.  Life breaks us with its blisters, sunburns and heat rashes…And yet those challenges are the experiences that shape the race.  They are the times when your defenses are shattered, your vulnerabilities are exposed, and you learn the most.”

Buying into the “a picture is worth a thousand words” concept, author Lisa Jhung, a contributing editor for Runner’s World, has created a practical, humorous visual journal of everything trail running, perfect for the beginner who has many urgent questions but has yet to discover a group of mates. For old hands, practical advice on managing scary animal encounters, first aid scenarios, and running successfully with dogs, horses and burros rounds out the picture.

Jhung roughly sketched out her ideas for Charlie Layton’s quirky pen-and-ink illustrations, lending a seamless harmony to both components, something that is not often seen in these days when authors and illustrators typically live at opposite ends of the globe.  While this book is fun to read straight thru, as I, being a rigid Type-A personality felt compelled to do, it is also designed as a handy reference tool. Gone are the dense paragraphs relentlessly marching from page to page.  Instead, each new bit of information is headlined by green ink and given enough space to stand out on its own, making it easier to locate and remember. A plethora of charts partition facts into manageable bites. Asides, cornered in green-boxed Tips, The Dirt, and Says Who quotes, combine to make the text memorable. The playful approach to all things trail is highlighted by a trip back to childhood, where an Energy Land game (think Candy Land) illustrates nutritional choices and a Chutes and Ladders version of trail running etiquette drives home the polite experience.

Although I have run Northeastern trails for many years, I still feel rather intimidated when I picture the iconic Western States landscape.  Are those the truly real trails where magnificent views are ever-present and up is a fact of life? But Jhung offers refreshing reassurance for the aspiring trail runner when she defines a trail as “an unpaved path that goes somewhere.” It could be a mountain, but it also could be a dirt road, a grassy field or a chipped wood park path.  The choice is up to you and your particular skill level and goals.  With this one fell swoop she has x-ed out the asphalt paths that our local parks insist on calling trails.  Good for her!

If you live in a colder climate, at some point dirt paths will transform into snowshoe experiences.  As a snowshoe race director, I often field questions from newbies about what to wear. This information is not always easy to come by, so I was immensely gratified to see that Jhung took a stab at the basics. As well she should in a trail running book, because at some point it makes a lot more sense and a lot more fun to avoid the postholing and trade your sneakers for snowshoes.

I have experienced my share of animal encounters and have always had difficulty trying to remember if the animal I am facing is one that should be stared down, run away from, or witness to my best imitation of a dead, uninteresting human. Here in the Adirondacks, our Black Bears are more like the fuzzy Teddy Bear variety and I am always tempted to try and make friends. Nothing like the huge Cave Bear descendants out West. Still, Jhung’s Do’s and Do Not’s pose a reminder that we are guests in their territory and need to demonstrate proper respect. I was impressed that Jhung seemed to consider every species, including cows. Now you might think Bossy is harmless, but here we have the Finger Lakes 50s Ultras which require several excursions through cow fields. Cows are big and an entire herd is even more so. Now I know what to do!

And that is pretty much the spirit of this entire handbook. At first glance it appears simplified, but packs an amazing amount of information of the “everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask” variety, including how to successfully pee in the woods.  Do not be afraid to dog-ear! 

Reviewed by Laura Clark

Initially, many folks explore running as a means to lose or maintain weight while still being able to eat the foods they enjoy. And while all runners love to eat and discuss favorite recipes with their friends, eventually the running portion becomes paramount and enjoying delicious food is seen more as an adjunct to fueling for sport.

A similar evolution occurred with Billy White, now head chef at Rosendals Tradgard in Stockholm, Sweden, who discovered running in 2011. As with many of us, running suited his frantic work and family schedule and he embraced the training aspect where the journey is just as important as the ultimate goal.

While Eat, Run, Enjoy offers over 80 recipes, many vegan and vegetarian, it is so much more than a simple cookbook.

Billy White visits, runs with and cooks for notable ultra runners from the UK, USA and Sweden, exploring Denver trails with Courtney Dauwalter, Lake District fell running with Ricky Lightfoot, Barr Camp with Zach Miller and enjoying a Swedish archipelago run with Emelie Forsberg, Ida Nilsson and Mimmi Kotka. No slouch to the running scene, White is able to keep up with these world-class runners on their “easy” expeditions, and at the same time ply them with meaningful questions about cooking and training.

All are foodies and take proper fueling as seriously as they do their training.

After each adventure, White prepares a sample meal, involving everyone in the preparation.  But more than that, he details how and why he selected the particular ingredients, taking into account individual preferences and local availability.

I especially enjoyed his stint at the isolated Barr Camp hiking lodge, halfway up Pikes Peak, where perishables need to be backpacked from town on a roughly (in good weather) three hour uphill hike. You had better believe weight, nutrition and caloric value are fully calculated! Basic supplies are hauled a few times a year by COG Railway and Patrick Engstrom’s carefully crafted photos reveal the skill with which these everyday supplies, stored on open wooden shelving, contribute to the atmosphere in the cabin, just as much as the cozy fireplace.

Similar care is given to the picnic White hosts for the three Scandinavian runners, where breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. Not only are these ladies world-class athletes, but knowledgeable sources. Emelie manages a sustainable farm and is the author of another must-read, Sky Runner, replete with stunning photos, advice and delicious food. Ida is a professional chef and Mimmi holds a master’s degree in food science. The breakfast White concocted on this chilly fall morning was grilled on portable equipment, served on a rock outcropping and included mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, tortillas and porridge. I so wanted to be there! But thanks to the included recipes, you are welcome to recreate your own picnic adventure with friends.

The “enjoy” factor, however, extends well beyond the run.  The book itself is a sensual pleasure to hold with its heavy cover and rough-edged feel, with the pages thick enough to suggest elegance and still silky smooth to facilitate browsing. Each recipe is given its own spread, with the finished product displayed as artfully as it would be on any dinner table, looking good enough to eat. It is one thing to discover an interesting recipe, but quite another to follow through on the directions and present your creation to its best advantage. With this book you can achieve both.

Happy running, enjoyable eating and remember this book when choosing a gift for your favorite runner. The gift that will keep on giving.

     

Even with all the heft, tactile feel and drool-worthy photography requisite of any coffee table book, 500 Races Routes and Adventures is more than just a touristy advertisement.  Written by John Brewer, a leading expert in the UK on sports and exercise science, it takes armchair running a step farther.

Initially, I failed to see the point, thinking that a simple Google search would reveal races and routes in whatever country or town you were planning to visit. True enough, but it is the indexing system that reaches beyond mere one-stop shopping.

The book is logically organized by continents and then countries or states so you can survey outstanding events within your chosen destination. But more than that, schedule your vacation in April and are flexible as to location. Then simply turn to the additional monthly index to scan available opportunities.

If you are fortunate to have lots of money and discretionary time, you could ideally use this listing to plan a yearly timetable. If you are traveling with friends or family members, events with various distances are listed so everyone can choose that which best accommodates their skill set. And this is the feature that I like the best: for many of the areas, Brewer cites trails and routes that are not specifically races, but are open all year round. Perfect for an add-on opportunity, a goal in itself, or simply a way to amble through an unfamiliar area in a less stressful, more thoughtful manner.

While the U.S. and Europe were generously represented, it also surprised me how many runs were available in the Australia/New Zealand area. Might make you consider heading “Down Under,” a lengthy journey not to be undertaken lightly and worthy of ultra status in its own right. 

I’m sure you can dig up similarly peculiar facts just by studying the index. There are perhaps five Race the Trains listed, and I can imagine folks trying to rack up points at all of them. I also noticed that in Europe, especially, there are a good number of events that begin at night, showcasing a lit-up, sparkly clean version of their daytime cities.

Remember those grade school gym challenges where each class tried to rack up the most miles on a trip around the world? Fitness and geography in one handy package.

While most of us are pretty well done with virtual races, there still is motivational merit.  Try the virtual Appalachian Trail or track your progress running on the iconic Route 66.  Farther afield, try the virtual route across Australia or New Zealand and be sure and stock up on some Aussie brews to celebrate your milestones.

For additional quirkiness, there is also a section on Tower Ascents, which rivals altitude running for asthma-inducing qualities.

Finish off your adventures with a lowkey Parkrun. Conceived in the UK, these are now world-wide free Saturday 5K runs, featuring a mix of surfaces. Try the original Bushy Parkrun in London or explore www.parkrun.com for endless options.

Before enjoying this book, like most of you, I had in the back of my mind a bucket list of running vacations. But now that has expanded into so much more – a veritable onslaught of expanding opportunities, both near and far and not limited to pure racing.

Good morning. Happy belated Father’s Day to all the dads out there and a warm welcome to the start of summer to all! There’s plenty to dig into this week, and all the details are below.

Regular club events are on schedule for this week:

• Monday Trail Run – 6 p.m. at Kalabus Perry. Details below.

• Wednesday Night Workout – 6 p.m. at the Saratoga Spa State Park. Meet at the “Stryders Bench” in the grass across from the Little Theater parking lot. Optional dynamic warmup at 5:50 p.m., otherwise be ready to roll at 6 p.m. sharp. Coach John Couch is on point this week, details below.

• Saturday Run/Walk – 8:30 a.m. at the Warming Hut at the Saratoga Spa State Park.

• Sunday Long Run – 10 a.m. at Warming Hut at the Saratoga Spa State Park. NOTE THE TIME CHANGE FOR THE SUMMER.

 

Have a great week!

Tom Law 

 

Stryders Virtual Mile – Grand Prix

The second race in the 2021 Stryders Grand Prix is underway with the Virtual Mile. Everything started Saturday and continues through this Saturday, June 26. The race can be run anywhere at any time, as long as it’s a mile. Sign up here and don’t forget to send your results to results@saratogastryders.org.

 

Monday Trail Run – Kalabus Perry

The Kalabus Perry trail system is part of the Saratoga County Trails Initiative that offers some forested single-track running with many switchbacks. We’ll start at the large parking lot at the end of Gailor Lane and take the orange trail with a short jaunt on the yellow trail to get some elevation gain. We’ll need to stay together as there are many intersections, especially at the #6 junction that is described as the Tibetan Prayer Monument (TPM), where there are multiple color trails and flagging ribbons that decorate the forest.

Please try to arrive 15 minutes early, at 6 p.m. if possible, to allow for warm up.

Stats

Rating: Mostly easy, some moderate with roots. No rocks!

Elevation Gain: 610+/- feet

Distance: 5 miles

Trail Leads: Laura, Jen, Russell, Dan

Where: Kalabus Perry Hiking Area, 109-199 Gailor Lane, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

This is an approximate location. We will meet at the very end of Gailor Lane at the large parking area.

Grand Prix volunteer points

All who worked the Adirondack Sports & Fitness Expo will be credited with a volunteer point for the Stryders Grand Prix. To be eligible for season-end awards you’ll need at least one volunteer point and there are plenty of opportunities coming up – Summer Picnic (July 10), Trail Series (Mondays in August) and more.

 

It would seem that the last thing the marathon-crazed would need is yet another book on how to proceed successfully. But trust me, this one is different.

The author, Matthew Huff is not only an upstanding contributor to Runner’s World, but also host of the podcast, P.S. You’re Wrong and finally an ardent improv comedy performer.  You can see where this is going. Who knew there was something funny about marathons? For all you parents, there is something oddly familiar about the title. Took me a while to figure it out, but how many of us poured over Heidi Murkoff’s What to Expect series – What to Expect When You’re Expecting, as well as What to Expect the First Year, etc.? And if you think about it, giving birth to a marathon is remarkably similar, especially if you are aiming to improve year after year.

Similar to Kathrine Switzer’s 26.2 Marathon Stories, Huff divides his book into 26 mile-by-mile chapters, culminating with .2 and bookended by Prerace and Postrace. Both are intended to provide photographic and literary inspiration for your own personal journey. But Huff’s version differs in that it is crammed with details, all neatly compartmentalized in their own boxes.

Occasionally our Saratoga Stryders Wednesday night workouts, coaches will host a fun Trivial Pursuit workout. Everyone runs the same loop and then returns to the start to select a trivia card. A missed question involves a penalty loop, while a correct answer invites another turn around the board. There is an opportunity here to gather all these marathon and running facts together into a fun game, complete with workout instructions. I hope someone takes me up on it!

Each mile’s chapter focuses on a central theme, many of which are vital to the enjoyment of your experience, but often overlooked in the down-to-business pace charts of more series marathon books. For example, Mile 3 is devoted to aid-station protocol with a two-page diagram of how to avoid getting trampled, Mile 9 to bathrooming and how to avoid excessive stops, and Mile 12 to typical course shape diagrams detailing the advantages and disadvantages of various patterns. Mile 19 features pop culture, with a listing of big-screen marathon films and a rundown of celebrities – there were many more than just Oprah. My favorite is Mile 22 Supporters, featuring marathon signs and marriage proposal do’s and don’ts. Runner-up is Postrace, which details all the must-have photo ops, from Bite the Medal to Heat Shield cape.

But wait! The marathon is a looooong race and there are a lot of other facts to cram in.  Each chapter includes a marathon vocabulary word with illustrative humorous quote, a body check, a sidebar on marathon history, as well as sidebar surveys of playlist artists, favorite marathon vacations and more. There are focused interviews with our heroes: Amanda McGory explains the tricks of wheelchair racing and Des Linden selects favorites from her running book club. My favorite is the famous mile rundown, where the author details the most striking miles for each particular chapter. Makes you want to do them all!

As with any marathon, once the joy of completion had worn off, I was sad that I had come to the end of the journey. I couldn’t help but remember the time I ran the Ottawa Marathon and was so impressed by my incredible speed through all the markers. Until I realized they were in kilometers and not miles. Still, if Matthew Huff wanted to expand to 42.195 kilometers I am sure he would have many eager readers.