Newsletters

Greetings Fellow Runners –

Our second wave of marathons was completed last weekend – Illinois and Big Sur – with some excellent results and reviews.  Now, we officially begin our off season this week, even though some of our members still have yet to run their spring marathons.  This will be my last newsletter for a while as I go into off season mode (kind of like hibernation).  You will still hear from me with information about the end of season event and the start of our summer session.  Good luck to everyone participating in the Wisconsin Marathon and Half Marathon this weekend, as well as the Flying Pig Marathon.

 

Last week’s and this week’s run – The 8 mile run in Lake Forest must have been uneventful.  From the pictures that I’ve seen and what I’ve heard, the marathon in Big Sur was awesome.  I personally participated in the Illinois Marathon.  I’m happy to report that the results of many of the NSDRC runners were outstanding and the race was very well run.  Kevin Boe’s...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

 

We’re in the final stretch of our season.  Boston Marathon runners ran their race a week and a half ago and are now recovering.  The next wave of races is this weekend, with the Illinois and Big Sur Marathons.  We formally conclude the spring season (although there may still be some races left) the week after this, with the Wisconsin Marathon.  As we come to the end of this season, it’s time to look forward to what’s next, which I’ve outlined below.

 

 

Last week’s and this week’s run – There is not much to say about a 10 mile taper or recovery run.  I cut it shorter than that.  My only remembrance was almost being run over by a huge pickup truck driver who refused to move an inch off of the pavement on Green Bay Road.  Unless you’re running along the Pacific Ocean on California’s coast, or in between the cornfields of central Illinois, this week’s run won’t be much more memorable.  Everyone will be running the 8 mile Lake Bluff Loop.  Enjoy the train station and the streets of Lake Forest, since this will be the last time you may see them until December.

...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

 

As I posted on the NSDRC Facebook page Monday night: “Congratulations to all the NSDRC members who ran the Boston Marathon today in the brutal heat. On a day when the winner came in at 2:12, your time doesn't matter. Just to have participated was an awesome achievement.”  I can’t imagine how difficult it was.  I experienced Boston in 2004, when the temperature at the finish was equivalent to the start of the race this year.  And I DNF’ed that year (although it was more related to my back than heat).  Most of us have complained after experiencing the heat of Chicago in 2007, 2010, 2011 (most years lately) but it didn’t compare to what people felt in Boston on Monday.  I typically post our members’ marathon results after a race such as Boston in this newsletter.  But, posting times for this race would be a disservice to the efforts of our runners.  So, no Boston finishing times will be mentioned.  All of the participants should be congratulated for just enduring the most...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

 

 

It was kind of different having to wear pants while running this past week.  I think I was able to run in shorts every day since I returned from Colorado in early March.  Although, it felt unusual to get back to running in cold weather gear, it is very normal for this time of year.  Also normal for mid April are paying taxes and the Boston Marathon.  Good luck to all of our members with the former and a select group of runners on the latter.  May the wind be at your back from Hopkinton to Boston.

 

 

Last week’s and this week’s run –

Figuring out what to wear for last week’s run was tricky because of the varying temperature.  It started at 33 degrees but probably warmed up 20 degrees by the time we had finished 13 miles.  I generally don’t wear shorts when it gets below 37, but I risked it last Saturday and it worked out well.  I wore a light jacket over a long sleeved shirt and the shorts and was comfortable for the first loop.  I...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

This is the first newsletter for the month of April.  You know what April means – showers, opening of baseball season, and if you’re running Boston , Illinois , or Big Sur , it means marathon month.  Our Boston runners are already in their taper while the Illinois , Big Sur, and Wisconsin marathon runners are in their home stretch, with one last 20 miler ahead of them.  It’s getting exciting.

 

Last week’s and this week’s run – My first 20 mile run of the season went well last Saturday.  The conditions were really good for running – in the 40s with cloud cover and a very light breeze.  I felt really strong at the end with my last few miles run at a pace much faster than the rest of the run.  Finishing strong on a 20 miler builds confidence, which is really important to have approaching a race.  You never know how it will translate to race day, but I will have last Saturday’s run tucked away inside my brain to pull out if I’m experiencing any uncertainty before...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

According to the news media, last Sunday marked the start of the racing season in Chicago .  This statement was based on the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle.  Never mind the fact that many people ran the Cary March Madness Half Marathon the week before, plus numerous other races earlier in the year.  Congratulations to any NSDRC members who ran the Shamrock Shuffle, whether it opened your racing season or not.  I’ve shared my opinion on the absurdity of this race in the past.  There is no reason to repeat it, so I’ll just move on to the rest of the newsletter.

Last week’s and this week’s run –

Last Saturday’s heavy fog, mist, and low cloud cover were a blessing and a curse to me.  They were a blessing since it kept the temperatures mild.  The conditions for running were much better than they have been lately, with our early summer in March.  But, they were also a curse to me and anyone else wearing glasses.  The condensation made it impossible to...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

 

 

Last Sunday marked the unofficial start to the distance racing season with the Cary March Madness Half Marathon.  Congratulations to everyone who participated.  I’ve listed some of our members’ standout results below and pictures taken by Kevin Boe have already been posted on the NSDRC web site.  This had to be the warmest March Madness in history.  Most years, the conditions have been terrible.  I can remember races with wind chill temps in the single digits and sideways rain, making running virtually impossible.  But the only weather risk this year was sunburn and overheating.  

 

 

Last week’s and this week’s run –

Last Saturday was a perfect day to do just about anything outside….except run 20 miles.  That was really tough.  The unseasonable heat and humidity made it a difficult run, especially since our bodies weren’t used to it.  Congratulations to everyone who ran 20, or any distance, in the March heat wave.  I would have preferred...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

 

 

I intended on opening with a mention of last week’s shindig at Mickey Finn’s, but there is something more prominent that I’m opening with instead – the weather.  In mid March, we’ve been able to run in shorts and short sleeves all week.  It’s awesome, and a little insane.  We’re experiencing May’s weather in March.  My run this morning was slightly uncomfortable from the heat and humidity.  While it’s fantastic to not have to worry about layering or slipping on ice, if it feels like May in March, what will August bring?

 

 

Last week’s and this week’s run – I hope that everyone had a great cutback run in Lake Forest or Barrington last Saturday.  My run last week was shorter but much higher and steeper, which I’ll describe below.  From what I’ve been told, the people who came out to the pre-run event at Mickey Finn’s had a great time.  The turnout was sizable and many people stayed well past 8:30.  Hopefully, it didn’t affect anyone’s run the next day.  Please provide your feedback to me or any of the NSDRC Board Members if you’d like to do something like this regularly and let us know how it can be even more enjoyable.  You better not plan on partying late this Friday night in advance of Saturday’s run because it’s a long one.  Runners training for Boston will have their second 20 miler and IL / WI runners will run just 1 mile less.  We’ll all start with the 10 mile Southern Trail Loop.  Boston folks will then tack on the 10 mile Scranton Lake Bluff Loop while IL / WI runners will accompany them for most of it on the 8 mile Lake Bluff Loop, and then add 1 more mile for 19 total miles.  Good luck to anyone running the Cary March Madness Half on Sunday.  The weather should be great.  Remember that running a long run Saturday before racing a half marathon on Sunday would truly be madness.

...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

Due to my travel schedule, this week’s newsletter is being sent out early and will be brief. Monday and Tuesday were spent in California on business, with Thursday through Sunday being spent in Colorado skiing followed by a family event. So, the important information will be covered while the less important stuff will be minimized.  Maybe I should travel every week to keep this informative and focused.

Last week’s and this week’s run – I really enjoyed running the Old Mill Loop last week.  Perhaps it was because it was the first time I ran the route this season.  We had it scheduled on 12/31, but many members, including myself, didn’t attend.  We will be running it again in a month, also combining it with Fort Sheridan .  The bike path will probably be easier to run on at the end of March than it was last week.  Most of us exited the path and ran on Western.  Some folks even took an entirely different loop for the second one.  This week’s run may also have different...

Greetings Fellow Runners –

 

 

The subject of this e-mail brings some good news just in the simple mention of the date.  It’s the first newsletter of March.  Today marks the start of meteorological spring.  That doesn’t mean that winter is behind us completely, but it does mean that the days are getting longer and warmer. Not that this winter has been difficult; it’s been delightful for running.  How many people ran in shorts to celebrate Leap Day?  March is also the month before April, which is when many of our members are running their spring marathons.  So, our days are getting longer while the days before our spring marathon are getting shorter.  I just confused myself; so on to the rest of the newsletter.

 

 

Last week’s and this week’s run – It was a fairly normal 16 mile run for me last week, with a few notable moments: 1 - the bike trail north of Old Elm and in Lake Bluff was treacherous.  We moved to the street paralleling the trail as soon as possible.  2 – the...