Barely Interesting Running Facts

Dave K

Did you know!?!....

• Athletes dressed in red (NY Flyers Red?) are more likely to win events than athletes wearing another color (Nature Magazine) 
• Physically active people have a 60 percent lower risk for Alzheimer's disease than couch potatoes (The Lancet Neurology - Sweden)  
• In terms of on-site media coverage, the Boston Marathon ranks behind only the Super Bowl as the largest single day sporting event in the world (Boston Athletic Association) 
• An average man has enough energy in his fat stores to run non-stop for 3 days at 15 miles per hour. (bbc.co.uk) 
• Runners report average yearly injury rates from 24% to 68%, of which 2% to 11% involve the hip or pelvis (van Mechelen, W. in "Running injuries: a review of the epidemiological literature") 
• 13.2 to 17.3 percent of all running injuries have been attributed to shin splints (American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons) 
• The risk of having a heart attack during a marathon is one in 55,000. (Journal of the American College of Cardiology) 
• Runners who played ball sports as kids had nearly 50 percent fewer stress fractures than runners who didn't (Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine)

And there you have it.

-Dave K, Flyers Blogmaster

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THE GENESIS OF THE NEW YORK FLYERS

Jonathan Buck

Blogmaster's Note:  Last year was the Flyer's 25th Anniversary as a running club in NYC.  In honoring our long history last year, the Flyers Blog featured several posts from Flyers newsletters under the rubric "Flyers Flashback Fridays," dating back to 1992.  Today I'd like to share another piece, the following article from the July 1996 newsletter written by Flyers Co-Founder Jonathan Buck. that talks about the the forming of the Flyers. For prior posts under this category, please click HERE.   -Dave K, Flyers Blogmaster

Tim Kennedy and myself (Jonathan Buck) both worked at the New York Road Runners Club. Tim worked in the lobby handling phone calls and selling running merchandise. I worked in the library and often with race registration. 

We both worked at the New York Road Runners Club because it provided learning opportunities about the running business and more importantly -- the running community. We were both able to develop friendships with runners of many different levels and abilities. It became very apparent to both of us that all runners were very friendly and sincere people. One evening, 1 walked over to the sales desk and Tim seriously suggested the possibility of a new type of running club -- in essence, a club that would be open to all types of runners. 

Tim and I had discovered that manv clubs only lent themselves to fast, competitive runners, while shutting out average and slow runners. Our focus was then to create a club that would "promote the average runner", while still at the same time -- welcoming slow and fast runners. 

That evening, we joined the New York Harriers at a local establishment called "Kinsale" that still exists on the Upper East Side. After their nightly runs, the Harriers often gathered to discuss their running achievements and humorous moments. 

In many ways, they were a positive model for what a running club meant and how it should function. They were a fast running club, but more important than that, they were friendly to each other and even to other runners who were not members of their club. During that evening with the Harriers. Tim started to get very serious and focused about the function and structure of a more purposeful running club. 

We rebounded some ideas off the Harriers and then we embarked on our very own deep discussion. As the Guinness pints continued to evaporate, we were slowly able to put together a solid, strong, philosophical foundation. However we were stuck on one major obstacle - the name for our newly, founded running club. 

We spent the next few days brainstorming about possibilities. Finally, we decided on the New York Flyers because the first half of the name identified our proud community. The second half of the name described the sensation of what every runner felt, when they were running at their very best. 

Tim and I quickly spread the word and a week later we had our first meeting with seven new members. who were nicknamed "The Magnificent Seven". The meeting was held in The New York Road Runners' Library. Everybody was accommodated with their very own individual seat. 

It was an awkward -- and at the same time -- an exciting moment, because we really hadn't sat down to think about what we were going to say. Yet somehow, it didn't really seem to matter what we said, because what mattered that night was launching a feeling and a spirit about who we were and who we had the potential to be. Probably, the funniest statement we made that evening was "That some day we might grow to twenty or even thirty members". 

Never in our wildest dreams, did we expect the club to have over 300 plus members as it does today. However now it makes complete sense. because we were one of the few clubs who opened our doors to everybody no matter what their nationality, sexual orientation and most importantly -- their running pace. 

During the inaugural six months, the membership grew approximately from seven to fIfty members. After our first year, we had over 100 members. The single most important reason that we grew so quickly could be summed up in one word -- FUN! It was the key ingredient for our immediate success. We quickly created a yearly agenda that rewarded running with social functions. An incentive plan was mapped out for just about every possible social opportunity during the running calendar year. 

What personally impressed me was the fact that every New York Flyer had dreams and goals with respect to their passion for running. Many Flyers have transformed their dreams into memorable, concrete experiences. For example. the Flyers have not only run races in Central Park. They have run in races throughout the United States and throughout the entire world as well. We have never had any limits because as a club and a team. we are always searching for those experiences and interactions that will enrich us both as runners and as productive human beings. 

I have often thought about questions that other Flyers have said to me. They are complex questions, but they truly demonstrate the values of a reflective runner -- a runner who can think clearly and deeply while they run. 

How will we transform our positive running experiences into the more difficult schema of life? In other words, what can we give back to society from what we have learned through our most, meaningful, running experiences? How can we value and respect everybody's unique role and purpose in life?

When I think about my beginning running years, four concepts immediately come to mind. To some degree. these concepts reminded me of dialogues with other Flyers and their related experiences. 

First, I think about "fear" and how when many of us began running and especially when we ran our first marathons, many of us experienced fear about completing our intended running distances. Flyers have been known to share these anxieties with each other and thus transform this fear into a positive running focus. Second, I think about "PR"s or "personal records" and how as Flyers we share information and experiences that will extend our positive running focus. Third and fourth, I think about "self-esteem and confidence" that is not just restricted only to our running performances, but extends as well into our professional and personal1ives. 

I believe that being a Flyer teaches us to be a happier and more confident human being. Today. I still see all these processes and qualities evolving within the much larger Flyer organization. It is still a running club that believes in its roots and above all. It is the friendliest and happiest club in the New York City area. The New York Flyers has taught all of us about becoming leaders with our running and with our lives as well. 

Jonathan Buck

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ARE YOU HIGH?!

"Are you high?!" many runners might reply when asked if they enjoy treadmill running (if they ever run on a treadmill at all.

I'm not much of a treadmiller myself. I run outside through high heat and crazy cold, but I do sometimes use a treadmill, especially when there's snow and ice to prevent a slip and fall. I even wrote about treadmilling a few years ago for the Flyers Blog, which (of course you'll want to re-read :) can be viewed by clicking HERE.

Not long ago, on a snowy day, I ventured over to the Mile High Run Club in the East Village for a new treadmill experience for me.  I'd heard about Mile High from a Team for Kids Coach, Simon D, who has since started coaching classes at Mile High.

The class I went to was led by Laura C.  It was called The Distance, with the expectation that the class would involve running at least 5 miles (I ran 6.5 miles).  They also offer the Dash 28 class, which included intervals plus power training with kettlebells (I love kettlebells, so need to come back for that one!).  There's also one outdoor run class (Simon coaches that one).  You can click HERE for the schedule of classes.

Laura's "The Distance" class began with a 10 minute warm-up after she got all of us set up to run including with the brief instructions we needed on how to use the treadmill.  The focus of the class was 4 sets of the following (with 3 minutes recovery jog between each set): 2 min hill on 6.0 incline, 1 min at 7:30/mi, 1 min 7:00/mi, 1 min 6:40/mi, 1 min 7:00/mi, 1 min 6:40/mi.  We determined our own pace, but we sped up and slowed back our paces on the varying minutes based on Laura's guidance.  The class was suitable for runners of all paces, and we were encouraged to walk if needed.

Upon finishing the interval work together, we all finished up with a recovery jog to cool down.  The class was challenging, and it was fun to share the experience with a group of runners indoors on a snowy day. Laura had lots of energy, which combined with the music she selected, made for a very upbeat class. During the class she provided encouragement, humor, and anecdotes from her own experiences, and walked around the room offering encouragement, assistance with settings and form tips.

It's something I would do again and that I recommend to others.  If you'd like to try out a free class, Flyers Head Coach Brian R shared a promotion code (NYCRUN2015) that can be used by Flyers that was provided for us by the Mile High Run Club that expires on May 1, 2015.  And if you'd like to hear an excellent interview conducted by Gotta Run with Will (a friend of the Flyers) of Mile High Run Club Founder and President Debora Warner, you can click HERE or on the link below to listen to watch and listen to what she has to say.

-Dave K

NY Flyers Blogmaster

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WARM WISHES

Dave K

When heading out for a run, it sometimes may be tempting to not bother to warm up properly. Yet for both maximizing performance and preventing injury, especially before a speedwork session or a race (and extra-especially in COLD weather), a proper warm-up is essential.

WHY WARM UP?

Going for a run without a warm-up is a shock to the system. A warm-up eases that shock by getting the heart pumping, the blood flowing, the nervous system activated, the joints and ligaments and tendons loosened, the muscles ready to work, and other good stuff.

Don't believe me? Here's what Runner's World has to say:

"Once we get revved up to run it’s tempting to shoot out the door at top speed. But heading out of the gates at full speed—without a proper warm-up—is a recipe for disaster, and injury.If you start out too fast, you run the risk of pulling a muscle, tweaking a tendon, bone, or joint, or getting into a pace that you can't sustain. The result? You end up slowing down and burning out before you're done with your workout. The worst part is that you’re likely to end your run feeling exhausted, discouraged, and dreading your next workout.A smart warm-up gives your muscles, bones, and joints a chance to loosen up; it gradually and gently brings up your heart rate and makes it easier to get into the rhythm you want to sustain so you can run—and finish—feeling exhilarated and energized enough to go longer, and excited to set out for your next workout."

HOW TO WARM UP -- THE DELUXE VERSION

For those who may want to develop or enhance your warm-up routine, here are various warm-up options. You don't have to do them all, but for the most part, the more the better.

• Self-Massage. Use a foam roller (and a small ball) to knock knots out of tight muscles before and after each run. Click HERE for why and how to do it, courtesy of Finish Line Physical Therapy.
• Body Loosening.  For years now, before going out for a run, I'll usually do a few of the Chi Running body looseners that I learned from Danny Dreyer's Chi Running book and at one of his workshops. If you don't want to buy the book or DVD, click HERE for a video link (not by Danny Dreyer) for demonstrations. Or talk with Chi Running-certified running coach and NY Flyer -- Joel M (click HERE for Joel's website and HERE for a Daily News article featuring Joel and Chi Running).  Joel led a series of free Flyers Chi Running Clinics this past summer that included attention on body loosening exercises.
• Active Stretching. Experts on stretching, Wharton Health, promote Active Isolated Stretching to increase range of motion, mobility and health of muscles, tendons and ligaments to reduce the risk of muscle strain and tear. They developed the NY Road Runners Team for Kids pre-run stretch routine, which you can view HERE
• Other Active Warm-Ups.  Before I head out for a run, I also like to do leg swings and butt kicks. Here's a good leg-swing demonstration video posted on Runner's World that you can see HERE.  The butt kicks I do are different from the dynamic drills version in the bullet further below, as I do them standing in place/not while running (I do the running version during my warm-up run). And for more great warm-ups, I like the warm-up routine at inMOTION Workouts (new users can create a trial account and receive instructions for a great warm-up and work-out routine)
• Dynamic Stretching. Recommended dynamic stretching exercises for different muscle groups are provided by Finish Line Physical Therapy, which you can view HERE on the Flyers Blog.  
• Dynamic Drills. When heading over to a race or for a speedwork session, after my
  
  warm-up job I like to do a series of dynamic drills. For me, this includes bounding, skipping, high knees, butt kicks, fast feet, and a few strides. Sometimes I'll also do carioka or grapevine drills/crossover drills. I do my drills during my warm-up run so they require no extra time. Some of the drills I just mentioned are described in this Competitor Running piece (click HERE) and are shown in this Runner's World video HERE. Or to see elite distance runner Lauren Fleshman demonstrate many of these drills in an old but still timely video, you can click HERE.

FOR SLACKERS: A VERY ABBREVIATED WARM-UP

I know, I know -- not everyone will heed my wise sage advice by doing a complete and proper warm-up. And I know that I may do only some (or none) of what I posted above because I don't always feel like I have the time or the patience, so I'll try to keep my self-righteousness to a minimum. 

In these cases, I'll suggest to just do something quick that at least will get the heart rate up and the muscles primed for a work-out. For example, do 10 of the following:

- Burpees (or half-burpees/squat thrusters if you hate burpees) 
- Mountain climbers 
- Jumping jacks (yes, I'll spare you a demonstration video for these :) ) 
- Air squats, and/or 
- For us yogi Flyers, a few Sun Salutations.

And there you have it. 

Warm (up) wishes, Dave K

NY Flyers Blogmaster

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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

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Flyers Flashback Friday -- 1999 Executive Board Nominee Statements

Blogmaster's Note:  This year is the Flyer's 25th Anniversary as a running club in NYC.  In honoring our long history, this is the last in a series of posts this year featuring excerpts from Flyers newsletters dating back to 1992.  For prior posts under this category, please click HERE.

Since during the new month we Flyers will elect the new Flyers Executive Board that will take us into the 2nd quarter century of the club's existence, this blog post takes us back 15 years to 1999 to see what the candidates running for office had to say in their campaign platforms back then.  

In December 1999, there was one candidate for President (Amy Stern) and Secretary (Sara Dziklewicz), along with five candidates for VP (Ed Altman was elected), two candidates for Treasurer (Tim Decker was elected), and three candidates for Member at Large (Vicky Tiase was elected).

Below are excerpts from the campaign platforms of the Flyers who were nominated in 1999 and then were elected to serve on the Executive Board in 2000.

To read the entire newsletter from which this article appeared, you'll need your Flyers password when you click HERE.  -Dave K, NY Flyers Blogmaster

Election 2000 Candidate Biographies

Amy

Amy Stern, President 

"... I now believe it's time to turn our attention inward. I envision the Flyer logo overwhelming the Park, events filled to capacity, newer members bringing their fresh ideas to the fore, and long-standing members experiencing a revitalized interest in club activities.  Through our efforts, I want all members to rediscover their passion for sport and play."

Ed Altman, Vice President 

"... As your Vice President I will continue to seek your input regarding the direction of the team and will work to ensure that the Flyer experience is pleasant and rewarding for all of us."

Ed

Tim Decker, Treasurer

"... If elected NYF Treasurer, you will see the same attention to detail, fairness and dedication that has been evident in my efforts on behalf of the Flyers in the past.  You will also return a strong, experienced voice to our Executive Committee.

Tim

Sara Dzikiewicz (aka Sara Heard), Secretary

"... In the interest of full disclosure I should admit that I'm a lousy minutes taker, but hey... nobody's perfect."

Sara

Vicky

Vicky Tiase, Member at Large

"As an avid runner I looked to the Flyers three years ago for some people with whom to share my love of running and athletics, and to socialize just a little.  Not only did I find what I was searching for, but I also had the opportunity to meet great people, some of which have become my best friends.... I decided it was time to give more of myself and take a more integral role in the premier running club of the area. My goal is to see the New York Flyers work even more efficiently and to reach every member in some remarkable way."

Blogmaster's Other Note: Please remember to vote in this year's election. And for the uncontested positions, please still read the candidate biographies -- you can click HERE to read the bios of all of the candidates. Each candidate has a strong vision for the club, just as they did 15 years ago. I think we'd all agree that we owe all of them a debt of gratitude for running for office, not just this year, but throughout the years. We all get out of the Club as much or more as we put into it, and with the leadership of our Executive Board members, and the involvement and support of the membership, we all can be excited about what's yet to come :)

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Training and Racing At the Right Pace

Dave K

I've absolutely loved participating in the NY Flyers Marathon Training Program(MTP), and also the Flyers SpeedPass program. 

But I realize that not every Flyer opts to participate in these programs including because of reasons such as conflicting work and family schedules.

And so this piece is aimed to help those Flyers who don't received coaching, and who may want some guidance and tools to assist you to train and race at the right pace for you.

Whether you train on your own without any guidance, or with a group, or via an on-line training program, or use one you've found in a book on running, it's important to know at what paces to race and train. Many of us do different types of training runs such as easy runs, tempo runs, marathon goal pace or other race pace runs, and interval repeat training. But it's clear that not everyone knows what pace to run at for the different types of training runs.

And the problem here is that if you're training with a goal of becoming a faster runner, then by not running at the right pace you may:

• Increase the likelihood of injury, or
• Not be as fast a runner as you might like to become.   

For example, when I've run as coach and a mentor for Team for Kids, and also when running with other Flyers, I've heard questions (not necessarily directed at me -- they know better if they don't want a long-winded answer! :) such as "what should be my marathon pace?" "how fast should I run my long-run?" and "am I running my easy run too fast or too slow?" And especially for a new runner, answering these questions for oneself can be challenging.

I know that for me, especially when I was a newer runner, it was (and sometimes still is) tempting to run faster than I should for different types of runs.  

At non-coached group speedwork I'd find myself (and other runners who are far more intelligent than me) running each repeat as fast as possible, rather than considering the purpose of each different work-out and selecting the correct pace for me to best achieve the intended purpose.  

And at group runs with friends (or at least they pretended to be my friends?), sometimes one of us might pick up the pace (Sean J and John W, yes, I'm talking trash about you among others), and before we knew it, some or all of us would be running at something approaching 4-mile race-pace (or at least my own race pace if not theirs) while enjoying the challenge and fun of running hard together. 

As I gained knowledge and experience as a runner, I learned that one way to train is by feel (no, not as in "I feel lousy so let's go for beers instead" although not a bad idea sometimes). If a training plan called for an easy-pace run, then it should be run at a "conversational pace" that is slow enough to be able to have a conversation while running. For a tempo run, the term "comfortably hard" often is used. But when running alone or in a group, these sorts of terms can get a little bit fuzzy. And when actually out there running, terms like comfortably hard may morph into a reality of uncomfortably hard or race pace when the training pace is not put in terms of pace per mile.

Fortunately, there are some helpful on-line tools out there that runners can use to select an appropriate goal-pace per mile for different types of training runs. All one needs to know is a race time from a recent race. By plugging the race result into an on-line pace calculator, you can determine your ideal training pace for different types of training runs, and also estimate a goal pace for a future race, based on your current level of fitness.

It's important, however, to not use the time from a race when you were in much better shape than you are now, or else the training paces that will be generated for you will be TOO AMBITIOUS because the paces will be based on a different, faster (and better looking?) version of you. Likewise, it's best to estimate pace for future races by entering in the time for a recent race of a similar distance, or at least relatively close to the distance of the race you're estimating. For example, you'll get a better estimate for marathon goal pace using your time from a recent half marathon than from a recent 5K.

Here are links to three on-line calculators that enable runners to calculate training pace for various types of training runs (e.g., tempo/threshold, intervals, marathon, easy). My favorite is the first one, below, by Jack Daniels, PhD. The coached training provided by Flyers Head Coach Brian Rosetti for Flyers SpeedPass and Flyers MTP applies the teachings of Jack Daniels and the work of the Run SMART Project, in making use of the same formulas. The other calculators work in a similar manner, and generate similar results.

• Jack Daniels' Running Calculator. Includes an informational video about the calculator and instructions for using it including for factoring in variables such as weather.  
• Runner's World Training Pace Calculator
• Runner's World Finish Time Calculator
• McMillan Running Pace Calculator. Includes an instructional video.

Here's an example of training pace calculations for different types of training run paces after entering into the Jack Daniels Running Calculator the distance (13.1 mi) and time (1:45:00) of a recent race (half marathon):

Type	Pace/Mi	Pace/Km	400	200
Easy	09:21 - 09:56	05:49 - 06:10	--	--
Marathon	08:19	05:10	--	--
Threshold	07:49	04:51	01:57	00:58
Interval	07:11	04:28	01:47	00:54
Repetition	06:47	04:13	01:41	00:51

Some runners like to train according to heart rate readings, which the McMillan Running Pace Calculator takes into account.  Since I don't train with a heart rate monitor (HRM), I won't discuss HRMs in this blog piece, but if others have experience with HRM training and would like to write about that for the Flyers Blog, please feel free to submit something for me to post as a sequel to this piece! :)

-Dave K

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