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The Mad Mad World of Big Running Races. I Signed Up For This?!

7/14/2015

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Start line at the Boilermaker 15K road race in Utica, New York
By John Roberts 

Around mile 7, I started to question my sanity. At least I had the comfort of knowing I wasn't alone in my madness. I was amid a mass of at least 14,000 others. 

We all descended upon a small Central New York city to run in sun on a hot and humid mid-summer day. The Boilermaker 15K road race in Utica, New York, has seen a steady growth in popularity over its 38 years. It started in 1978 as a small race of 800 entrants. Now, more than 14,000 run, and participation is capped, or even more would choose to take part. The festivities also include an offshoot 5K race with 4,000 runners. 

We all shell out money for running events in the form of entrance fees, travel costs and accommodations to partake in what turns out to be torture for many runners thumping along the pavement up and down hills for 9.3 miles.  

I was struck with several thoughts in my final few miles of this most recent 15K race Sunday, July 12, at the Utica Boilermaker: Why am I doing this? What am I trying to prove? 

This was my fifth Boilermaker, overall, and fourth year in a row that I have run it. Each time, I have been able to get a little bit faster as I get another year older (48 now). Running is not my favorite thing, but I enjoy the challenge of pushing myself to see what I can do racing against myself and no one else. My time of 1 hour and 26 minutes in the Boilermaker is a personal record but absolutely pales compared with some of the stunningly fast times people are able to run.  

The Boilermaker 15K is the longest race I have run. I might try a half marathon someday. 

Walt Disney World Marathon events are popular destination races, as are runs like the Bolder Boulder 10K in Colorado (50,000 plus each Memorial Day) and the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta (60,000).  

It seems like more and more people are challenging themselves with road races and other mass-participation events. Many people have placed completing a marathon as life goal. Mud runs and obstacle course races like the Spartan Race, BattleFrog and Tough Mudder are surging in popularity. Many friends of mine love the Ragnar Relay Series, in which a group of runners each take multiple turns running a total of 200 miles during two days and one night. 

So, why do people invest so much time, energy and money into the Walt Disney World Marathons, Bolder Boulder, Spartan Race, Ragnar Relay Series, Tough Mudder and other types of grueling challenges? 

Everyone has his or her own motivations, I suppose. But generally, it really feels good to challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone and push your physical limits. That's how you really can feel alive. 

I enjoy having something to look forward to, and this keeps me on track to train and stay active and work toward a goal. The day of the event is but a small piece of the overall experience. It's the best payoff, for sure, but your training and daily routine can help give you more energy and deliver wonderful health benefits, too. I feel best when I wake up each day with a sense of purpose and a plan to attack. 

While looking forward to participating in the race, training for that challenge and setting goals such as new PRs, we also pick out races at specific destinations we like to visit -- and usually spots where our friends or family live -- so we get the added bonus of making the whole experience a mini-vacation. This is a fun reason to travel.   

The camaraderie at these types of races is cool, too. People get so energized and work to cheer each other on. This extends to the communities and organizers who put on the events. Racing through Utica in the Boilermaker 15K, you're awash in a sea of smiles, from the runners to the spectators. The streets are lined with observers who deliver everything from claps and cheers to popsicles to passing runners along the entire course as it snakes through dozens of neighborhoods. Bands and other musicians, along with DJs, are present at nearly every turn to help pump us up as we chug along.  

So, all of these reasons help explain why we take on these types of things. But they can be of little consolation when you start to doubt what you are doing, your legs feel dead and you're still more than two miles from the finish line.  

Continuous glances at my Garmin GPS running watch reveal that my pace is not what I had hoped. Also, why did my mile indicator go off a full 200 meters before I hit the next official mile marker. Oh crap, I have been slowly but surely adding dozens and dozens of steps along the way as I wind around slower runners and some who decide to take walk breaks -- coming to a full stop right in the middle of others who are then forced to dodge them or stop or crash into them (please don't do this; instead, ease your way over to the "off ramp").  

Maybe I should just slow it down a bit and bring it on home at a comfortable pace. "But what if you miss your PR by only a few seconds. You'll be so mad," I said to myself. Plus, I am still on pace to be about a minute or so under my previous best time. I won't get the time I had hoped, but I can still PR, I noted. 

OK, let's toughen up and gut it out and see what happens. The final stretch helps, as the crowds thicken and cheers more loudly toward the finish line. Bands blaring, bleachers full of spectators yelling and the public-address announcer trumpeting finishing runners by name as they cross helps boost the energy measurably. Plus, the final half-mile or so starts sloping a bit downhill. Runners all flow toward the line at an improved gallop, me among them. 

The 2015 Boilermaker15K in Utica, New York
There I am. Grinding toward the finish line.
I make it once again. Another year, another Boilermaker 15K in the books. A new PR.  

I almost immediately feel refreshed. It happens this way every year. Begging for the race to be over, and 20 minutes later looking forward to next year. 

Oh, I recall one more reason we all get together for this seeming madness. 

The post-race party! 

Post-race party at the Saranac Brewery at the Boilermaker 15K road race in Utica, New York
Thanks for reading, 

JR 

Travel fit! Travel happy! 
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Best City Running Paths Offer an Easy, Cheap Way to Explore

3/31/2015

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Picture

Plot your route 

Several apps and websites help you find a safe route to run. You can chart your own course/distance or use a route that has been entered and shared by someone who has been there and done that.

Try these:

MapMyRun.com
RunKeeper.com
TrailLink.com
Runners World Route Finder --rw.runnersworld.com/
route/routefinder.html
By John Roberts

Running along the roads and footpaths in the tiny village of Kinderdijk (pictured), we were surrounded on all sides by twirling giants. What a way to see this quaint destination in the Netherlands. We were away from the crowds and made our own way looping around from the water to the interior canals, and before an hour had passed, Colleen and I had spotted animals (many cows, horses and mallards), ships, trees, flowers, chatted with residents and seen every windmill in town.

This is often how we like to explore ports areas and other destinations. You get to see more, find a little piece of solitude and best of all, it's free and good for your health.

We have enjoyed runs in St. Thomas USVI, London, New York City, Key West, Orlando, Dublin and many, many more.

Many cruise-port cities offer great walking/running paths that are natural fits for excellent sightseeing while you get in your workout.

Just throw on your running shoes and grab your camera, then head out for a cheap self-guided tour in these spots.
Miami
Picture
Go for a morning or sunset run at Miami Beach Boardwalk in South Beach. The route offers continuous views of the ocean, sandy beach -- and interesting people. The route runs for 40 blocks north from the South Beach area, and you can pull off to find a wide variety of other things to see or do: eat, drink, shop on Lincoln Road or check out the Art Deco designs of the hotels and homes. How about, trying it all? 

New York
Picture
Central Park (at left) gets busy, but there is plenty of room for everyone. Miles and miles of loops offer endless variation as you run within view of impressive skyline, trees, foliage and lakes and bridges. Also, you'll spot bikers, walkers, people playing Frisbee, softball, bocce and all sorts of activities. Or, try a run along the High Line Park, a 1.5-mile long path that has been built on a refurbished portion of an old New York Central Railroad section. The park on Manhattan's West Side extends from 34th Street to Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District and contains wildflowers and wild grasses as well as public art, food vendors and unique views of the bustling city life below.

Cozumel
Picture
Enjoy a scenic and sunny run along the Malecon that stretches from the International Cruise Port area all the way to downtown San Miguel (about five miles). Your run follows the ocean the whole way, and you can slip into the water to cool down after your run at several small public beach spots, many adjacent to quaint bars/eateries. I think it's awesome to start the day with a challenging, sweaty run and then reward yourself with a couple beers, chips and salsa and relaxing time in the cool, clear waters. But that's just me. 

Houston
Picture
A slow-moving river, Buffalo Bayou, winds through the city, and you can run along the banks of this waterway. About 20 miles worth of trail segments form a park system shared by bikers, walkers and runners and goes through downtown Houston and features green spaces, a skate park, paddlesports, scenic waterfall, art installations and even an observation deck to view the nightly spectacle of the Waugh Bridge bat colony -- the creatures emerge at dusk to begin their hunt for mosquitos.

Montreal
Picture
The city's popular Mount Royal Park holds a wide variety of trails. You can challenge yourself with some elevation change up the mountain path to Montreal's highest point (at just 764 feet, Mount Royal is really a hill) or glide along to enjoy the green expanse of the Golden Square Mile. Paths are unpaved, making it easy on the knees and feet. 

Hong Kong
Picture
The Hong Kong Trail is a 30-mile-long route that begins at Victoria Peak (pictured) and descends into wooded forests, and along the way includes climbs of some of the islands' highest peaks for amazing views. The trail contains eight sections and goes through five country parks. Don't worry. If you just want an easy run, you can plot out a mild section. (The first leg, from Victoria Peak, is a relatively easy four-mile stretch, for example.)

New Orleans
Picture
A section of the Mississippi River Trail goes through the Crescent City and is a hot spot for visitors and residents. Run on a levee atop the banks of the Mighty Mississippi after you set out from Audubon Park (pictured), which also features its own beautiful two-mile running path. In fact, the city is filled with options for runners who want to enjoy the sights. Check out the mansions on St. Charles Avenue from your route along the roadways' "neutral ground" median.

Please share spots you have discovered for your runs/walks around the world.

Thanks for reading. Travel fit and travel happy!

JR


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