We RUN the Stockade-athon for FUN!

by Mat Nark and Friends

Daylight savings time comes to an end every year around this time and the HMRRC/MVP Stockade-athon 15k is here once again. Beginning in 1976 and running almost every year since, it has been one of the Capital Region’s BEST local road races for nearly five decades. The best of the best from the Albany area and beyond show up for this race every year. I ran my first Stockade-athon in the early ‘90s as a college student and have participated many times in the decades since. This race is a favorite of mine and our team with it being the conclusion for many of our fall seasons. Unfortunately, with the timing following many marathon seasons, our squad is never in peak fitness and readiness for this one. That being said, we always field multiple teams and give it our best in support of the HMRRC and the local running community.

With a ton of rich, running history in the Capital District let’s acknowledge a bit of this race’s history. From the first year when they hosted about eighty runners to its peak year, Mark Mindell is the creator and first race director of the Stockade-athon in 1976. He won the first two events and participated in 43 straight events (1976 - 2018). Originally, Joe Notar (Schenectady Commissioner of Parks and Recreation) came to Mark and asked him to start a local race for the country’s bicentennial. Mark decided that they would come up with a 15k event through the streets of Schenectady through the Stockade. This was at a time when 15k’s weren’t even a thing and local road racing was in its infancy. The event would explode in popularity in the late ‘90s under Vince Juliano’s direction. He directed the event for 19 years from 1998 to 2016. He directed five of the Stockade-athon’s best registration years with 2013 being its peak with 1877 finishers. It now stands as a mainstay in Capital District running and a must run for athletes near and far. The Stockade-athon is one of the oldest and best 15k’s in America. It has changed course numerous times over the years while always running through the Schenectady Stockade and presenting runners with a very challenging course to tackle.

                                   

Wudu Girma

I did it last year. Time was around 58 minutes. I’m trying to improve my time down to 57 minutes. As long as the weather is ideal, I believe this is possible.

Ryan Cooper

Tyler Morrissey will probably wear the ski mask again and I am yet again coming off IR, so have your popcorn and cameras ready for the show. But on a serious note, most races of this distance in this area are rarely in Schenectady and it is great to see all the people lining the streets to watch the event. With that said, the goal for me is to set the course record.

Amy Smyth

Jamie Davenport and I had the pleasure of meeting Ryan Cooper 2 years ago running this race, through the cemetery. We were only mildly freaked out and he joined our group shortly after. Ha!!

Julianne McCarthy

This year I’m not running this race for fun. I am taking it seriously. I ran it back in 2021 with a minor knee issue so I wasn’t in 100% shape, but I finished in 1 hour 2 minutes, and even placed 2nd in AG. My goal for this year is to match or be around that time but would really like to see improvement even if it’s slight. I am feeling good & confident this year & am coming into this race injury free as well.        

Michelle Carr

This is a race in my city, and it means a lot race the streets of Schenectady, where I grew up. I am finally in shape to attempt the goal that I've had for 6 years ..... a 1 hour 15k!

NRS/HMRRC/FF Stockade-athon Preview RUN on 11/29 from Bountiful Bread

Jamal Vazquez

I always look forward to running in such a great event. I expect to run well and for Team Nark to make some noise!

Shawna Walz

This race is the one that introduced me to the fact that this team existed. The first time I ever laid eyes on the Nark team was at the Stockade-athon in 2021, when I saw a few girls wearing Nark crops and thought, "They're crazy for running in crops in this weather...also, what's a Nark?" It took me a year and a half later to really look into it and find out...but I'm so glad I did. I'm glad to be running it this year as part of the team!

Andrew Pavlou

This is always a fun way to end the season. Nice and cool and running through the Stockade section of Schenectady is scenic and inviting.

Thomas Gabriel

I know the area well. For years I ran these streets day in and day out. This race is like a stroll down memory lane for me.

Stockade-Athon Runners Get Ready to Party

We will be hosting our annual Stockade-athon 15k post-race party, immediately following the event right up the hill from the finish line at 151 Bar & Restaurant.

Post Race Party: 151 Bar & Restaurant, Lafayette St., Schenectady, N.Y. 12305

See you there and happy running!

How to Get a PR! Featuring Carmela Giordano and Ryan Cooper

How to Get a PR!

by Ryan Cooper

September 2nd was finally here and the team at NRS was ready to tackle Nark Racing’s signature event, Run4 the River Half Marathon 2023, that signaled fall racing was here. After training in the summer heat, the weather was perfect, and the team was chatting about PR’s while praying that the fog would not lift until Monkberry was deep into their set on the beautiful deck at Frog Alley. Due to an issue with wearing spikes on the track that I don’t want to talk about, I made the right choice to Run for the River and not Race for the River. Mat had paired me up with Carmela Giodarno as she was doing great in her training block and with a buddy, she should be able to snag a PR.

After the gun went off, we settled in nicely with one problem, Carmela likes to talk and so do I. As shown above I needed to remind Carmela that “I would do the talking.” This almost cost us the “CO-PR,” as I said if she gets a PR I am humbly taking the credit for it.

As the miles clicked away and the sun remained hidden, we were on track for the goal. The plan was to take a gel at the 30/60/80 minute marks which was the right Rx. As we approached the finish line, we saw the clock and knew that we did it. Carmela was able to snag a 40+ second PR with a time of 1:46:56 and for me it was a great feeling that I was able to support a teammate reach their goal.

Below is a list of the in-race activities/shenanigans:

Mile 1 - Made a video of our progress and loaded it to the NRS Page.

Mile 3 - Another video talking about the train going overhead.

Mile 5 - Instituted the quiet game, this lasted 95 seconds.

Mile 9 - Facetimed Alyssa (Carmela’s daughter) to tell her to stop texting. She hung up, twice.

Mile 12 - Talked to some random guys running with a speaker and asked them if they took requests. They put on a song by Zedd.

Final Stretch - Went live on NRS facebook page to tell everyone we were going to get our PR. Upon running up State Street I yelled to the people on the street that Carmela was fading and she needed their support. Thank you to all who did this as it was loud and worked.

Up next for Nark Racing is the Wineglass Series!

Stronger. Faster. Further.

Ryan Cooper is the VP of Business Development for IEA Infrastructure Services as well as “The Mayor” of NarkRunningStrength.com and a Founding Member of Team Bark.

NRS New Bedford Half Marathon!

2023 New Bedford Half Marathon

On March 19th nine members from Nark Racing took the starting line to run the New Bedford Half Marathon. This scenic race took the team and 1,300 other runners through the charming streets of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and along the beautiful coastline. The day started out like many other races with the exception of the gun going off at 11:00 am. Coach Mat, Julianne, Damian and I decided that because of the late start we would make the three hour and fifteen minute drive that morning. This approach seemed to work out just fine as we arrived with plenty of time to get changed and warmed up. It also provided me with plenty of time to make some videos for the NRS FB Page documenting the journey. Episode 2: Truth or Dare was probably my favorite and the masses agreed.

On the way to New Bedford Mat was constantly checking the weather forecast while  watching Chris Thompson burn out at the United Airlines Half Marathon. The two lessons we learned were One: It is going to be windy the first 5k, which was uphill, and Two: Don't go out too fast. 

It was almost go time as everyone piled into the gates and fought for a spot in the sun to stay warm while the National Anthem was playing in the background. The gun went off and the slight downhill for the first half mile was a red herring as we quickly met one hundred feet of elevation followed by seventy five feet of decline only to go up about another hundred all during the first 5k.  Now this doesn’t seem too awful but Mat Kovachick Nark correctly predicted that we would be running uphill into a 15 MPH wind, this really wasn’t ideal. I was able to find a larger runner and drafted him, sorry, until he ran out of gas then found myself being drafted. The race plan called for this portion to be slower and it worked as I had plenty of gas in the tank as the next six miles were downhill leading to the flat by the ocean.

As the parade looped around around the peninsula and our time at the beach was coming to an end there was one last mountain to climb. I can picture in my mind the race planners all sitting around a table laughing when they said “lets make these fools run up Country Street at the end of the race, that sounds nice doesn't it?” I was in a pack of probably ten or so and as we rounded the corner from Cove to Country Street I could hear the expletives over my music being uttered. It was at this moment we all saw what looked like an urban Mt. Everest ahead. I swear I couldn’t see the top as it was in the clouds. But, once at the top we were all blessed with a fast downhill stretch and a crowd that sounded like the student section at a D1 football game.  

For those not familiar, the New Bedford Half Marathon is more than just a race, it's an experience. Since the majority of the race is in town the course is lined with cheering spectators, encouraging runners to push themselves to their limits. Several people even would read the runners name on their bib and for example shout “Go Ryan!”. If they only knew I was a huge Buffalo Bills fan they probably would have thrown rocks at me, being that close to Foxborough and all.

Ryan “The Mayor” Cooper  and Damian “The Doc” Compa with fresh PR’s!

If you're looking for a memorable racing experience with Dollar General quality medals, mark your calendar for next year's New Bedford Half Marathon. For team NRS it sure was memorable as eight of the nine team members, despite the terrain and wind, came out with PR’s ranging from :16 to 5:45! Personally I was able to drop 2:35 off my PR time to ring the bell at 1:34:04.

Up next for Nark Racing is H2H where we will rain PR’s!

Stronger. Faster. Further.

Ryan Cooper is the VP of Business Development for IEA Infrastructure Services as well as “The Mayor” of Nark Racing.

Stronger Faster Further with Friends!

by Carolann Koleci

The alarm goes off at 4 a.m.  You are tired from a myriad of mundane things and the stress of work and life is taking its toll.  You’re hungry, but you don’t have time to brew the coffee or wolf down a donut.  It is still dark outside.  But this is the ONLY time you have for your run, a moment of peace, clarity, and reflection.  Some days it seems like magic, and you make it happen, while other days, it is just not possible, and you must pass. It’s 4 a.m. somewhere for us runners and we all know the triumphs and tribulations of life’s journey.

Let’s face it, running during the winter months is seemingly one of the most challenging activities.  It’s cold, dark, dreary, the sky is gray, the icy sidewalks are a catastrophe, and most of the birds have migrated south for the winter.  Escaping the cold is not just for the birds!  In fact, many people opt to go to Florida or stay indoors (I’m sure there is a statistic out there to prove it, but I don’t have time to find it!).  Do you find yourself running less and less during the winter months?  Does the lack of physical activity add to feelings of sadness or depression? Do you ever wish you had a friend or support system in place to help during these challenging times?  Help is on the way!

At Nark Running Strategies (NRS), which I run, there is community.  Yes, you will get stronger, run faster, and run further, but you will be part of an amazing community that looks out for one another and raises each other up.  There is a cornucopia of events designed to bring athletes of all backgrounds and experiences together, from social strength workouts to Workout Wednesday speed training meet-ups to weekend long runs.  What’s that you say, you are not in the 518 circle, you don’t run like Kipchoge, you don’t know the difference between a goblet squat and a back squat? That’s okay! First, there is the online NRS circle is active and supportive! You are never alone, even when the temperatures drop.  Come to a weekend long run and you will find various runners of all abilities, you will have battle buddies to see you through the distance, all while learning more about these incredible people.

You see, running is not a solo sport.  Everyone has a story.  People are fascinating creatures.  Don’t think of it as running around a loop, or freezing for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, one hour, two hours, etc.  Running is a sport that brings people together to build community.  NRS is a diverse group of people, each having unique life experiences and perspectives to share.  They are a welcoming and warm community, even when the temperatures are frigid!  If you have ever had a conversation with someone during a marathon, you know you can get the whole life story (if you have not, that is okay too, it just means the story unfolds over more time, like a day-time soap opera, without the drama, sometimes).  So maybe for the new year you resolve to exercise more.  I’d say why not exercise the social and physical aspects of running and get to know this diverse, talented, and strong community!  And don’t be surprised if some of your running battle buddies become some of your closest friends and run partners!

An African proverb sums it up best: “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.”   Come join the 2023 challenge:  get stronger, run faster, and run further with your community.

By CarolAnn Koleci