Patrick O’Grady’s “Old Guys Who Get Fat in Winter” cartoons became ever more relevant when I was cycling—and even more so after I stopped. It wasn’t the cold; I’d ridden in 10 degree weather without too many complaints, but a slippery road could lead to a bad month or three. There was always the indoor…
The final act of our 2019 season brought us to Seneca Falls, New York, home of the Women’s Rights National Historical Park and the inspiration for Bedford Falls of Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life. Fittingly, the race race starts on the steel bridge upon which the movie’s span was modeled. Or it would be…
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 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 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…
The Inner Harbor 5K, benefitting It’s About Childhood and Family, is another part of the Syrathon series. The race sets off from the brand new Iron Pier apartments and shops immediately adjacent to the Creekwalk. The race started on Van Rensselaer Street, weaved around Leavenworth Park, headed to Franklin Square, and finished on West Kirkpatrick,…
The venue shifted from one of Syracuse’s gems to Emerson Park, the pride of Auburn. The Superhero Run/Walk, in its second year, is a fundraiser for the Cayuga Centers and sponsored by a host of regional businesses. I’d tased in Auburn in 1989, so this was my second competitive event held in the city. Emerson…