Behind the Scenes: Flyers Group Runs

For those who may not know it, the Flyers host many fantastic free group runs throughout the week, every week, week after week, all year long. And even for those who do know, questions you might ask yourself (and, conveniently, are answered in this blog post) may include:

• Why do group run leaders put in the time and energy to make these runs happen week after week?
• Why do runners come to the Flyers group runs?

The day, location and time of various Flyer Group Runs are posted on the Flyers website, which you can view by clicking HERE. 

There are two additional group runs, not currently listed on the website -- on Saturdays at 7AM year-round, and a new group run that's been meeting on Fridays at 5:30AM to focus on distances of about 10-14 miles. For information about the Saturday 7AM run, you may contact Karen H (by clicking HERE) and for the Friday 5:30 AM run, contact Scott S (by clicking HERE).

SATURDAY 9AM GROUP RUN

Doug R leads the Saturday morning 9AM Group Run (8AM in the heat of the summer). Prior to establishing this weekly run, Scott Swanay led a successful Saturday morning group run for many years.

The Saturday 9AM Group Run meets each week at Lamp Post E7210 where the East Drive meets the Bethesda/E. 72nd Street Transverse just south of the Boathouse. Runners generally break off into two or more groups depending on paces.  

When asked why he does it, Doug replied:

The simple answer is because I hated running. Several years ago I made the switch from competitive cycling to running. I can express my feelings about running during my first six months very simply -- I hated it. Not "didn't love" or "didn't like," but a deep, visceral hatred. Every time I went out to run in those early days, I wondered as I prepared to take my first step what would hurt the most from the previous day's workout -- left calf, right shin, left hamstring or, as was often the case, just about everything below the waist. And sometimes absolutely everything below the waist -- why didn't anyone tell me about Body Glide and where it is supposed to go on a guy BEFORE I did my first long run and subsequently took the most shockingly painful shower of my life?

How to make the pain of running go away? Distraction. Running alone, even with music, allowed me to focus too much on the constant pain and discomfort during my early days of running. Running with people -- especially people who for some bizarre reason seemed not to hate running -- allowed me to concentrate on something else. Running with a group of people who not only liked running but spent every second of every run talking about running-related matters in a positive way gave me inspiration that things could get better for me if I would only stick with it. It particularly helped me stop wistfully glancing at my former cycling buddies passing by a few feet away on the park drive on Saturdays, their smiling faces and smooth analog circular motions a stark contrast to what always seemed to be the pained grimaces (particularly mine) and syncopated digital rhythms of the runners on the other side of the double white line.

During my first winter "leading" the run, attendance on Saturday was often somewhat lacking, so I created my own not so invisible friend -- Lamp Post E7210. Rain or shine, hot or cold, he would always be there to meet me at the start and would, somehow, always beat me back to the finish. Gradually, the run developed some traction, particularly on the weeks when I announced on Facebook that I would not be there (I am still trying to wrestle with "causality" or "coincidence" as the explanation for this phenomenon). I did what I could to advertise and promote the run, focusing on emulating as much as I could the efforts of Francine A with the early morning runs, and Michael R with the Thursday evening run, in an effort to achieve a tiny modicum of their success -- although Third Saturday Drinks at 10:00 AM never seemed to catch on quite as well as did Third Thursday Drinks at 8 PM.

Reviving the Saturday run was initially a way of giving me company to get through those painful initial days when running was not fun, but a necessary chore. Gradually, of course, the pain of running and the associated hatred faded to tolerance and eventually to enjoyment and now, I must confess, a bit of an orgiastic obsession. The Saturday run has a fairly regular crowd now and it is a rare Saturday when it is just me and "E7210." While I no longer hate running, I still find running with friends, acquaintances and even the odd lamp post to be far more enjoyable then running alone. I love the opportunity to chat with fellow Flyers and, from a training perspective, to be pushed to a faster pace or further distance by the group then I ever would have done on a solo run. 

We are still experimenting with the format of the Saturday run. 8 AM or 9 AM? No Flyer Left Behind or Every Flyer for Him/Herself? Inside the Park or Escape from the Park? The current plan is for the run to leave the park on the first Saturday of each month. We'll continue to try new ideas to make the run bigger and better for everyone. And we'll be particularly welcoming to new runners who may not, yet, have embraced the cult of running like many of us have. Come out and join us! 

Here's what some Flyers and one tall metal object have to say about the Saturday Group Run: 

Tran L: 

"The Flyers Saturday Morning Run is the anchor to my weekends. It gets me out of bed and running at a reasonable time of day. Without the run, it’s a downward spiral of procrastination, laziness and eventual guilt. The fun and friendliness of the group is very motivating."

Luiza S: 

"Why do I like the Saturday morning running group? Well, because it´s a great opportunity to run with some Flyers who motivate me to push harder, all in a friendly atmosphere. It´s really nice to start the weekend with friends and lots of laughs."

Lamp Post (aka Milepost) E7210:  

"I love that runners of all paces are welcomed and come to the group run. I don't always want to keep up with some of the speedier runners, but I do always feel loved and I enjoy hanging out with the group at the start and end of each run. It's especially rewarding to provide support by helping runners do their post-run calf stretches."

THURSDAY EVENING GROUP RUN

The group meets each week at 7pm in Columbus Circle at Merchants' Gate under the Maine Monument.  The warm weather when it stays light late, the group runs a 5-mile loop clockwise along the bridle path. In the cold weather months when it gets dark early, the run stays on the paved Central Park loop for the 5 miles. The origins of the run are included humorously in the Flyers Blog Post of the Thursday Group Run's founder, Michael R, which you can read by clicking HERE.

These days, the Thursday Group Run is led by "committee" with Pei A, Suzana P, Suzy L, Dave K, and Doug R pitching in to share the responsibilities. Each week, an announcement goes up on Flyers FB and is eblasted to a list of interested runners. To be added or removed from the elist, click HERE to contact Dave K. We also like to take a photo at the start of each run, which gets posted on Flyers Facebook after we complete our journey.

The Group Run Leaders try to make sure that no one has to run alone (while runners concerned about not having at least one partner should bring a friend to keep them company! :) ), and those who finish first are known to wait for the rest of the group to finish. On the 3rd Thursday of each month, the group socializes at On Tap -- a bar/restaurant inside Whole Foods near where we start and end our run at Columbus Circle.

Here's what a couple of the Thursday group "regulars" had to say about the Thursday Group Run:

Lee R: 

"OMG, where do I start? What I like about the Thursday night group runs? Well, for starters, there’s Pei, Suzy, Dave, Luiza, Andrea, Bill, Suzana, Declan, and more. I like that everyone in the group has fun but takes running seriously, too. I am relatively new to running, and I have learned a tremendous amount by asking questions and hanging out with these guys. And no matter what pace I am running at, there is always someone who will run with me and cheer me on. It’s the best.

It’s kind of a big treat for me to run in Central Park because I usually run on pretty flat stuff— like Downtown along the East River or the Hudson. But running with the Thursday night group in Central Park challenges me. Everyone has this wonderful energy. And the terrain has this awesome up and down. At first, we start out strong, and the gentle hills are sort of unnoticed, but by the time I go up Cat Hill, I know that I am not Downtown anymore. And then if I am still feeling strong, I keep pushing it. But if I am feeling like I should go easy, then that's OK too--there's always someone who will keep me company. 

I love running with trees around me. And the gravitational pull of the Thursday night group motivates me. Do you think I run this fast when I am alone? Ha! When we power along the 102nd Street Transverse, I start to smile—halfway there! And soon, as we motor on, I see the most magical view of the skyline—twinkling a million lights—and I break into a great big grin. Beautiful!! Takes my breath away every time (if my pace hasn’t already). New York City—if you can run it there you can run it anywhere."

Andrea M:

"When you run a 10:00/m pace (or more) it can be hard to find running partners. So when I heard about the Thursday Group's "No Flyer Left Behind" Policy I decided to test it out in Spring 2014. And since that fateful night (which happened to be Michael R's last night as the group leader) I am happy to report, I have never been left behind. Sometimes someone takes pity on me, but usually there are at least a couple of us "not quite fast yet" runners keeping each other company for a nice 5 mile run. So for all those Flyers out there who think that there won't be anyone their pace on Thursdays -- I promise I won't leave you behind!"

TUESDAY/THURSDAY 6AM GROUP RUN

This twice-weekly run was launched back in 1997 by Francine A and Michelle H (was led for awhile wonderfully by Vida B while Francine's twins were very small) and remains an important fixture for many Flyers and friends of Flyers.  The group meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 6AM at 72nd Street and CPW.

Tuesdays is for speedwork, with a variety of work-outs originating from different sources. For example, Cat Hill Repeats came from former Flyers Head Coach Cliff Held, Reservoir Intervals from Ben Seiver, Mile repeats on the lower loop from Monika Gross, etc. The group does hills on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, and flat intervals on the second and fourth Tuesdays (short interval repeats of 220's and 300's when it is hot out). On the Tuesdays leading up to the NYC Marathon, the group does longer repeats, with the final two Tuesdays reserved for the Finish Line hill and the last four miles of the course.

The Tuesday group's most popular work-out is Cat Hill repeats.  It's done on the FIRST TUESDAY of every single month and is a great way to ease into Tuesday speedwork.

On Thursdays, the 6AM group does a 6-mile loop (hence earning the slogan "6 at 6"). Some runners take it easy, while others are known to make it into a tempo run or even faster, with competitive juices sometimes inspiring runners to push the pace and each other.

For much of the winter, the group is limited to the roadway. In the nice weather, the group uses the Bridle Path and Reservoir as much as possible. 

  

Francine sends out an eblast prior to each run that includes both information about the run and the runners, and also often includes Flyers announcements. Francine is great about highlighting racing and other achievements of the 6AM runners, while also keeping the group apprised of upcoming races that the 6AMers plan to participate in down the road. And before each Tuesday run, details of what the Tuesday speedwork will include is provided. 

Here's what a couple of the 6AM stalwarts have to say about the group:

Lisa M: 

"Every Tuesday and Thursday morning when my alarm goes off at 5:15am I ask myself 'why am I waking up so early to run?' Without fail, after every run with the 6am group I know the answer to that question -- it's the people. I love the camaraderie, support, and inspiration the group provides. I am so thankful for the special people I have met at 6am, and I am especially appreciative for Francine and the effort she puts into organizing these runs every Tuesday and Thursday morning rain or shine!"

Jodie F: 

"I love the 6am Tues/Thurs group because it is "fully inclusive." Anyone and everyone is welcome at any time! Just show up whenever you can! The 6am group is full of wonderful people! It is a great way to start the day. A big thank you to Francine for leading this group for so many years! It is very appreciated."

WEDNESDAY MORNING GROUP RUN

This group run dates back some years to Flyer Lisa S. When Louise moved to PA, Louise C became the new group leader. And when Louise moved to Ireland, Scott Stelk kept the group run going. Hopefully Scott won't be moving away from NYC anytime soon!

The Weds Group meets at 6AM at Engineers Gate, with a core group of Flyers who've included the likes of Andreas W, Deb M, Francesco P, John R and others. The group generally runs a counter-clockwise 6-mile loop, with pace varying between 7:30 and 9:00 min/mile.

Scott had the novel idea of sending out a survey to those who frequent the 6AM group run for thoughts on how the run might further support the runners' training needs. In consideration of the results, it was determined that the run would continue to start and finish on the east side, runners would like to sometimes run a different route, the group would work to create an environment so that no runner gets left behind, and Francesco confirmed that it seems to snow more on Wednesday than any other day of the week, among the findings.

In addition to his astute snowfall observation, Francesco offers the following praise of the Weds Morning Group Run:

"The Wednesday's morning group is fantastic, not only because I am an East Sider (yes, meeting at Engineer's Gate gives me an 10 extra minutes of sleep than going to the West Side), but also because this is a pretty small group and the regulars have become quite close to each other. So when the previous leader, our good friend Louise C., suddenly announced earlier this year she was going back to Ireland to join her new Irish boyfriend, we were initially all worked up about the future of the group without her amazing leadership. Louise had energized the group for years and was going to be badly missed. 

But as things turned out, in a matter of hours a name was on everybody's lips: Scott S. As paradoxical as it seemed to have a West Sider like Scott lead the quintessentially East Side group, no one had a shred of doubt he would be the right person. And history proved it. A transition has never been smoother. and the group has been happily continuing under his relentless leadership. And now -- surprise surprise! -- it has a West Side meeting point too!"

-Dave K, Flyers Blogmaster