A Sort of Homecoming My first race out of the Syracuse area was a return home—and to my old home. The Rochester Ugly Sweater 5K, organized by Willow Racing and actually held in Honeoye Falls, afforded us the chance to stay with my parents in Honeoye. After we arrived at the family home that morning,…
The final race of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Family Fun Series, run by Willow Fitness, was held at Onondaga Lake Park two days after many of us raced one of the turkey trots in Liverpool or Baldwinsville. I’d set a PR at the latter and initially wondered if I’d recovered enough to run a decent…
The Baldwinsville Turkey Trot is one of the oldest and largest races in the region. It comes in two flavors: 5K and 10K, with both courses starting at CW Baker High School and weaving through town streets. I opted for the 5K. Race day way cold, windy, and wet, and I opted for my waterproof…
Liverpool’s Lights on the Lake display through Onondaga Lake Park is a popular and often crowded rite of the Christmas season. When we learned of the opportunity to run through much of the display without traffic, we jumped at the chance—which was fortunate, as the race quickly sold out after being promoted on the local…
I gave up cycling after 2012 because it was frightening to share the road with people who used their vehicles as weapons of intimidation. The usually inarticulate, often homophobic comments were annoying but bearable. The shock of having a motorist pass a few inches from my left shoulder wasn’t. I’d watch the driver’s actions as…
Triumph ISO 5 Saucony’s Triumph ISO 5 (replaced by the Triumph 17 reviewed below) was the company’s premier neutral trainer and the final model of the Triumph to use the ISO Fit system. These durable, comfortable, and well-cushioned shoes are my go-to trainers for long runs. Technical Information The ISO Fit system essentially consists of…
I started running in July with this race in mind. There were times when I admittedly wondered if this was a bridge too far; I entered July as an avid walked, but I hadn’t run over a mile since high school. I wasn’t trying to go from the couch to a 5K in nine weeks—I…
The Halloween Run, hosted by the Syracuse Track Club, is a well-established event in the Syracuse area. The race, held at scenic Green Lakes Park, is something of a cross between a trail run and a road race. Green Lakes boasts a number of trails; the Halloween Run followed the main trails down the east…
The Hokas One One Cavu 2 is one of the least “Hoka like” shoes in the company’s lineup. It’s a simple design with a comparatively simple look, low profile, and less obviously pronounced meta rocker, meaning that the forefoot has a less aggressively “upset” look to it compared to the Rincon or Clifton. This is…
I bought a pair of Hokas One One Rincons at the Syracuse Fleet Feet last July; they were. brand new model at the time, light, sleek, affordably priced, and as it turned out, an interesting choice for a first pair of shoes. As is my wont, I spent hours pouting over shoe reviews and recommendations,…
The Eastwood 5 Mile race is the last event in the Syrathon competition. The race starts at Henniger High School and winds its way through the Eastwood neighborhood. The promoters advertise the race as having “several challenging (but not too tough) hills.” This is a fair assessment of the course; the hills and five mile…
The Empire State Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10K is a large, polished local event usually staged out of NBT stadium, though construction shifted the start/finish area to the parking lot in 2019. I opted for the 10K as part of my preparation for the Syracuse Half Marathon the following month. The 10K was the last scheduled…