Run 4 the River Half Marathon

By Daniel Lennon, Michelle Davis, and Chris Bishop

Most running articles talk about races after they are finished rather than before they are run. This way some great races are missed that when runners hear about them think, “If only I had known.” So here is a spectacular one you should not miss: Run4theRiver Half Marathon put on by Nark Running & Strength on September 3.

Dan Lennon said this about last year’s premier Run4theRiver Half Marathon:

The Run4theRiver Race is a wonderful event. The course is runner friendly and SUPER fast. It starts at the Mabee Farm, providing a great spot for warming up and relaxing pre-race. The course is point-to-point with a slight downhill grade making for a fast and comfortable run, even on tired legs. The bike path parking lots were filled with spectators which were great for keeping you inspired along the race. The course travels along the fast bike path with little winding, close to no wind interference, and finished at the Schenectady County Community College last year. By the finish line, there was a post-race party with free beer, free food, and live music which was great for celebrating. After racing R4TR last year, I knew I had to add this event to my annual race schedule because the course was flat, the weather was great, and the timing is perfect. Lots of

marathon runners target Fall races and R4TR makes for the perfect tune-up for a fast time. I’m not tuning up for a Fall marathon this year, but I am looking to race a string of races this fall, and I have a feeling that Run4theRiver will be the perfect start to a fast season!

Michelle Davis added:

The inaugural Run4 the River Half Marathon in 2021 was a very fun race. The start was at Mabee Farms, which is beautiful. It was a cool morning and a little warm at the end. But it was a good course along the bike path. The end was fun as we ran out of the bike path and through the SCCC parking area accompanied by lots of energy at the finish line. There was a party, but it will be so much better this year. At the end of the race last year there was a food truck, free beer, and music, but this year it will be awesome since the race ends at Frog Alley where the party begins. Monkberry Live is providing music.

So, start your Labor Day weekend off with a bang by running this race and celebrating your accomplishment immediately after with an outdoor party at Frog Alley with refreshments, free beer, and music.

BTW Chris Bishop will be at the race taking pictures for the Pace Setter!

Come Run in 2021 Expert Series!

Come Run in 2021: A Program to Deliver New Vigor to Your Running

by Christine Bishop and Mat Nark

The running community has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic with race after race cancelled. Gone was the excitement of real races and with it the motivation they created. Slowly races have returned but in a different format that is strictly regulated for safety with social distancing and mask wearing required. ARE has staged races carefully following New York State regulations and they have been highly successful energizing the running community.

Races will slowly return to normal as the virus eases and vaccines are available. To be ready for this, Mat Nark has created a program called: Come run in 2021: Sports and Fitness. It is comprised of seven leading experts in the field of running and it disciplines who together will help to revolutionize your running. The program will last for a month, starting with an introductory program on December 7. Each day of the week one of the 7 experts will feature programs with talks, videos, demonstrations, posts, etc. related to their field. The program will be on Facebook and Instagram. In addition, Josh Merlis will organize races and Mat will hold group runs that will be announced on this platform. So, remember to check back frequently.

The Experts

Mat Nark

Mat brings a wide array of knowledge to the group with specialties in both run coaching and strength training. He is a McMillan Certified Run Coach, Original Strength, FMS Advanced and a kettlebell expert with over 20,000 hours of experience and results.

He said, "Hopefully this platform can help to motivate runners through the end of this pandemic to stay active and focused on their goals for the upcoming 2021 spring racing season. It's been a long grind over the course of the past year and the running normalcy that we all crave can't return soon enough." Let's make 2021 the best running year of your life and Come Run in 2021 is here to help!

Yes, you can train seriously and run PR's during the pandemic. Meteor Nutrition's Kelsey Beckmann rocked a 13 second personal best at her Thanksgiving Day 5k (16:44 - 5:23) This came in Florida where races are becoming more readily available as we close out 2020. Tomorrow she competes in South Carolina at the elite only MNHM with only 100 participants. Running and racing can only get better as we roll into 2021. Get ready and be prepared to be at your best as the spring racing season approaches.

Michelle Merlis

Michelle is a mountain, ultra, and trail runner who favors steep and technical terrain.

In addition to having won races across the East Coast such as the North Face Bear Mountain Half, the Escarpment Trail Run 30K, and the Superior 50K, she has also completed unsupported runs of Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim in the Grand Canyon, the Pemi Loop, the Great Range Traverse, and the Presidential Traverse, and holds several Fastest Known Times in the Catskills, including the Devil's Path.

Her passion for trail running is deeply connected to her love of the outdoors and the process involved in training. She aims to embody and foster these elements within the spirit of adventure for all of the athletes, trail and road, that she coaches through MNTN Goat Running. Through MNTN Goat Running, athletes not only work toward their running goals, but are also encouraged to engage in environmental activism through the MNTN Goat Running Environmental Lab.

She looks forward to bringing you content that will encourage you to give trail running a try or increase your trail running skills, and most importantly, inspire you to adventure.

Kelsey Beckmann

Meteor Nutrition arose after lifelong athlete, Kelsey Beckmann RD, LDN, wished to pursue her passion for the impact of nutrition on the human body in motion. Kelsey grew up playing competitive soccer, and eventually ended her career as a D1 soccer player to transform into a distance runner who since has qualified for the 2020 marathon Olympic trials. Through several instances of her athletic background, she felt the ebbs and flows with nutrition on performance. She knew she was destined to help other athletes benefit from the implementation of optimal nutrition. Aside from working with ambitious athletes, Kelsey has worked in the clinical arena with a multitude of different medical complexities. Having a variety of different experiences in dietetics has given Kelsey the necessary tools to allow wholesome food heal and fuel the remarkable human body.

Meteor Nutrition propels active endeavors by developing optimal fueling strategies for the individual. We favor sustainable methods that nourish the most healthy, strong, and powerful bodies.

Meteor Nutrition loves science. In this day and time, there is plenty of readily available information on nutrition. We have the background and experience to provide the most safe and current information that is evidence based and practical. One must realize, not every shooting star is the same. Therefore, it is imperative that athletes are mindful and feed these differences appropriately.

Josh Merlis

Josh ran his first 5K at age six, began computer programming at ten, and started assisting with the production of races at sixteen. In college he created the Albany Running Exchange, began directing his own races, and built an online registration system (now known as ZippyReg.com).

ARE Event Productions (AREEP) was formed in 2006 as the race timing and event management arm of the ARE, and has since provided services to over 1,500 races from coast to coast, including multiple national championships with his signature certifying new American Records. AREEP also provides custom software to enhance the participant experience and has been part of numerous major Nike events across the US and Canada providing both timing and digital activations.

He is a consultant to other timers and event directors, helped found timing companies in DC and WI, and has repeatedly been invited to present on timing and technology at the annual Running USA Industry Conference.

While in a normal year his company finds itself working races near and far, home is where the heart is, and his greatest joy is bringing people together to run and race in the Capital Region.

Todd Shatynski

Todd Shatynski, M.D., Sports Medicine, General Orthopedics (Non-Surgical) is a sports medicine specialist with an emphasis and interest in the nonsurgical treatment of injuries and is trained in the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound for the diagnosis of soft tissue injuries and the guidance of injections. He is often involved in teaching residents and sports medicine fellows.

Dr. Shatynski has extensive experience in a variety of sports, including football, hockey, and endurance sports. His experience with running and triathlons is a nice complement to his non-surgical approach to diagnosing and treating running injuries.

A graduate of Guilderland High School, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, as well as participating in running and triathlons. He has completed multiple marathons and Ironman distance triathlons, including Ironman Hawaii. He serves as a team physician for the University of Albany, College of Saint Rose, Columbia High School and Triathlon Australia.

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Doctor of Medicine: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
Family Practice Residency: Saint Vincent Hospital, Erie, PA
Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship: Saint Vincent Sports Medicine, Erie, PA
Board Certification: American Board of Family Medicine
Certificate of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine: American Board of Family Medicine

Brad Hudson

Professional running coach and author Brad Hudson is a wealth of knowledge and has plenty of expertise to share with all runners.

Brad’s love affair with distance running started at 9 years old. He made waves in the sport before he was even a teenager, clocking a 2:50 marathon before high school. He set the course record on the famous Van Cortlandt Park cross country course, set the high school indoor national 5,000m record and placed 7th and 3rd at the Kinny/Footlocker High School National Championship. Additional notable high school performance includes 23:02 8K and 48:55 10-mile. Hudson also ran a 2:17 marathon prior to college.

While at the University of Oregon, Brad was a PAC-10 conference champion in cross country and helped the team to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. He also qualified to represent the US at two World Championships in the marathon but was forced to pull out in both races (1991 & 1993). His PR for the marathon stands at 2:13:23.

Karli Taylor

Karli is a corrective exercise specialist, E-RYT yoga instructor, international fitness presenter and the creator or BarreFlow.

With over 20 years experience in the fitness industry, Karli is passionate about creating space where yoga can be safe, effective and fun for all bodies and all levels. Her yoga for runners is a comprehensive program designed to strengthen the muscles that are underutilized by the mechanics of running and stretch the ones that are over-trained. It is this combination of stretching and strengthening that will help any level of runner push harder, run longer and live with fewer aches and pains!

Click here to find out how Karli started working with Nark Running and Strength and check out the library of articles she has written for HMRRC. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks to keep you running longer and stronger.

A Socially Distanced ADK 5K Event!

By Stephen Hallgren

As I was driving up to Lake George from Albany I knew it was going to be the perfect day for a race. The temperature had dipped into the 30s overnight, but despite the crisp air, the sun was out warming things up and quickly melting the frost away. I’ve never raced the Adirondack 5k, but I was particularly excited for this race. One reason is that there haven’t been a lot of races happening this year, stupid COVID-19 pandemic. I was also excited because rather than racing, I’d be cheering on my Nark Running & Strength (NRS) teammates, while shooting race photos–for my very first time–of all the runners who came out to prove that running doesn’t stop for COVID-19. Also, did I mention that the race was hosted at the Adirondack Pub & Brewery? A cold beer was in my near future.

If you haven’t attended a race yet during the pandemic, things look a lot different than what you might be used to. The Adirondack 5k joins only a handful of locally organized races that have figured out how to successfully host a race, while also meeting the appropriate health requirements of New York State. While over 200 runners raced, each racer was grouped into  1 of 5 waves staggered approximately 45 minutes apart. For each wave, 5 racers, spaced 6 feet apart, started at 30 second intervals. Masks abounded (my favorite was the Baby Yoda mask worn by a volunteer) and were mandatory everywhere except for your own personal “bubble” in the staging area. Despite all the somewhat cumbersome precautions, the joy, energy, friendship, struggle and competition of racing was very real throughout.

The ADK 5k website describes the course as “providing panoramic views of Lake George in early fall” with minimal hills, the biggest of which is a 60’ climb. That 60’ hill did not deter the top finishers from giving it their all and finishing with some scorching times. Jonathan Lindenauer (Willow Street AC) pulled off the overall win, Anthony Giuliano and Nathan Laing (NRS) came in close behind with the 2nd* and 3rd place overall wins. Within the women’s division, Christine Myers (NRS) took 1st place (5th overall), with Stephanie Popovitch (NRS) and Alyssa Drapeau (NRS) coming in 2nd and 3rd place.

After shooting more than 1,400 photos, plus lots of start/finish line video, it was time for me to head back to the Adirondack Pub & Brewery and join up with my teammates, fill my hungry belly with a pulled pork sandwich, wash it down with a Fat Scotsman and revel in the joys of running. While things looked different than other years, it was nonetheless a successful and beautiful day for runners to come together and do what they love. I was thankful that the ADK 5k happened, I was thrilled to have been able to participate vicariously through my camera lens, and super proud of my NRS teammates for showing up and running an amazing race. Here’s to what I hope are many more races, despite the pandemic,

* It should be noted that while Louie Dinuzzo’s time placed him in 2nd overall, to receive the Overall Award (Division), runners needed to run in wave 1 or wave 2. Therefore Louie won his age group, but not the 2nd place overall award.

Marathon to Match Your Goals

Choosing the correct marathon to match your goals is a top priority. Setting the correct expectation is essential to the process of enjoying and excelling at the distance. It can be tricky and takes some consideration of a handful of variables. In running these days, more athletes are aspiring to run marathons, chase their Boston Qualifiers, and even attempt to knock off an Olympic Trials marathon standard. So let’s decide on whether you’re running for fun, a personal best, (PB or PR) or both. One of the biggest obstacles that I see lies within the athlete’s selection process and choosing the optimal marathon to meet their goal. A lot can go wrong or right over the course of 26.2 miles for an athlete on race day. A much more enjoyable experience can be achieved by considering these factors before deciding on which event that you want to run.

1. Your marathon goal

What is your goal in the upcoming marathon season and event? Is your goal to run fast, compete, or to just have fun and take it easy? Although we don’t train athletes for a “completion goal” I know that they exist and are used by some potential marathoners. This type of goal makes the planning much simpler and can relieve a lot of stress in the planning process. With a more general “fun run” goal you will be able to choose almost any marathon of your choice. Big Sur, Red Rock Canyon, and Miami Marathon are all courses that you won’t run personal best times on but could be a lot of fun in nice parts of the country. If you’re looking to compete and achieve at a higher level then more consideration will be needed in selecting the correct event. If you want to run fast you go to Chicago, CIM, or Berlin Marathons to name a few. There are obviously many other options out there but these are some of our favorites for producing fast times with a great experience. So as you can see it’s critical in deciding whether you are going shoot for an ambitious goal or just take it in stride.

2. Time commitment

There are many factors associated with succeeding at the marathon but do you have the time? Do you have the flexibility in your schedule to give you a realistic shot at accomplishing your goal? It’s a long grind and the season requires many sacrifices in your personal, professional, and family lives. Early morning runs may be something to be considered and 2 - 4 hour blocks of training reserved for each weekend. Regular training volume for your past five and 10k’s will have to be increased and that extra rest day of the week may be missing at times. Compromises with friends and family will have to be considered to accommodate your new training challenges. One problem that we regularly encounter with inexperienced marathoners is that they are not efficient in the development of their program and have less than optimal training runs scheduled.. This wastes valuable personal and family time while being inefficient to the training process. Successful marathoners optimize their personal time while maximizing their training hours.

3. Budget

Do your marathon goals meet your personal or family budget? There will be essential travel needed for tune up races and the marathon itself. These expenses can add up during the training block and surrounding your peak event. Some work may be missed, equipment needed, and trips to the massage therapist can be a necessity to support your season. Once you’ve considered all of these variables you’re ready to select the location of your peak race.

4. Climate/weather

This one here is one of the most important variables to consider when selecting a marathon with a targeted time or new personal best attempt. It’s imperative that you select the appropriate climate in which to run your peak marathons. So many athletes make the mistake by choosing to run a marathon in a warmer weather location. There are a number of environmental variables that will directly affect your marathon time on race day. Temperature, humidity, dew point, wind, and precipitation are all factors to be considered on race day and need to be examined ahead of time. Your body will function more optimally and closer to your true capacity in certain conditions. Temperatures ranging from roughly forty degrees to the mid to high fifties, with lower humidity, and little wind will help to produce the best results. When the temperature is higher with increased humidity levels we tend to overheat and performance directly suffers. The longer the event and exposure to the elements the greater time that will be lost and suffering that will be experienced. It’s a fact that we have no control over the weather and on any given day surprises can happen. That being said, if you select an event in a city or environment that has a history of ideal weather conditions at that time you’re setting yourself up for success on race day.

5. History of event

Does the event of your choice have a proven history of results, a certified distance, and a reputable timing company (like ARE) running it? It’s essential that the course has been certified and has a proven record of acceptable results that meet your racing needs. Let’s keep in mind that you will be training for roughly four months and scheduling a marathon at a first year event could be a bit of a gamble. You want a tried and tested race where years of experience have been put to the test. I personally have made the mistake of signing up for a newer event and been less than pleased with the outcome on race day. After all of the time, training, and investment I can tell you that you don’t want to make this mistake. Do your research and select an event that meets the requirements listed above and succeed on race day.

6. Course/terrain

When it comes to running fast or a new personal best time this is one of the most important factors in which to consider. To run fast times it’s essential that the course is favorable for this goal. Flat courses with limited amounts of turns will almost always produce more optimal results. Sure, we can run less than our best on any course on any given day. We don’t want to plan for failure but instead put ourselves in the best possible position for success on our big day. If you spend some time checking out the course map and elevation profile you will be able to get a solid grasp on the dynamics that the course has to offer. From a terrain perspective some great 2020 winter/spring full options that meet the fast terrain criteria are Chevron Houston, Shamrock, Queens, Coastal Delaware, Boston, New Jersey, Eugene, Ottawa, and Grandma’s marathon to name a few. All of these courses have limited elevation increases, flat, or substantial net down hills. These courses and others alike will put you in the best position for a fast time on race day and optimal marathon performance.

Hopefully after considering all of these variables you’re in a better position to make the correct marathon selection that meets your goals. This can really be one of the biggest decisions that you will make regarding the success of your first or next marathon journey. Make it as enjoyable and memorable as possible while you crush your marathon goals in 2020!