Huntington Road Runners Next Meeting

We will be meeting this Tuesday at 6 PM at the Barboursville Park. We will meet at the top hill shelter (Enter the park, go to the top of the first hill, make a right and continue up the hill to the first parking lot on your right).

We will be cooking out making this a more social event then the last meeting. We do have some business to take care of but that shouldn't take too long.

Also, we will have the newsletter ready by Tuesday as well, so if you have any stories that you think should be included, please e-mail me and I will get them in the newsletter!

Because we are cooking out, we are going to ask that people bring side dishes (Chips, dip, etc.) and drinks. Rachel Gibson will get the meat for Hamburgers and Hot dogs as well as the buns. We will provide ice and coolers for you to put your drinks in when you get there!

This meeting is open to the public and we want people to get to know each other. If you know of anyone who is interested in joining the club, have them come and see what it is all about!
There is a great 3 mile route that we can run at 7:30-8:00 PM up there so come ready to run if you want to!

See you Tuesday evening at the Barboursville Park at 6:00 PM!

Weekend Recap

WV Has a Streaker

Here is an amazing story of Dan Withrow, who has ran every day for the past 10,000 days!! That is over 27 years!

Lewisburg man logs 10,000 consecutive days of running

Weekend Update

We had 4 races over the weekend in our region!

Congrats to all of those that got out there and competed!

Full Results from each race

LawDawgs 5K/10K Relay for Life
Run to Remember 5K Run/Walk
Memorial Day 5K
Step Into Summer 5K

WVU at Regionals and Fallout from this weekend’s Incredible WV State Track Meet

WVU At Regionals

The WVU Girls team is heading to University of Indiania this weekend to compete in the NCAA East Regional.

Results/Live Video/Schedule
Start Lists

 

Fall out from Burcham's Incredible Weekend

The picture that was posted below of the Boys 800m Finish at the 2011 WV State Track and Field Meet has generated a lot of buzz across the nation! Jacob Burcham's incredible weekend has also been covered by many national Track and Field Websites.

Here is a list of links to keep you updated on who all noticed what happened in West Virginia on Saturday!

- Burcham Rolls out a State Meet (FloTrack)
- What a Finish! Includes an incredible picture of Brandon Doughty of Jefferson High School (FloTrack)
- WV Sophomore Jacob Burcham 9:11/4:06 Double, 800 Yet To Come (LetsRun)
- Dear WeJo and RoJo, this picture should be picture of the year (LetsRun)
- Two years Left to See Jacob Burcham
- A State Track Meet Not to Miss

Videos

- 800m Run with the Incredible Finish
- 1600m Run with All-Time WV Record

Weekend Recap

Sarah Napier - Love Your Guts Memorial 5K

There was a record turnout in the Barboursville Park for the Sarah Napier - Love Your Guts 5K. Over 350 finishers made it a record breaking race. This race was the largest ever at the Barborusville Park!

Congrats to Tyler Salmons ( 17:30), who also ran 9:47 in the 3200 the evening before at the WV State Track and Field Meet, and Andrea Wirtz (22:49) for their individual wins!

Full Results

WV State Track and Field Meet

What an amazing weekend in Charleston. Many records went down as the high school athletes in the state of West Virginia are getting better and better.

Cabell Midland's Jacob Burcham clamed his first state title on the track in style by winning the 3200 in 9:11 on Friday Evening. He then came back on Saturday and had a day that people will talk about for a LONG time. A little before 11:20 AM, Jacob Burcham ran the fastest 1600 EVER for a high school athlete in West Virginia with a 4:08.80 which broke the State Meet Record, All-Time West Viringia record, and ranked him 5th in the nation. In the 800, Burcham finished 1st with a 1:54.01 beating the old state meet record by .02 in an incredible finish that saw Jefferson's Brandon Doughty going horizontal at the finish.

Full Results

Jefferson High Repeats as Champions, Midland Second

There's No Catching Burcham

State Track and Field Meet this weekend

The West Virginia State High School Track and Field Meet begins today at Laidley Field in Charleston, WV. Below, we have listed a bunch of links to get you ready for what is bound to be a very exciting (and possibly record breaking) weekend!

 

RunWV's Predictions

State Meet Records

Herald-Dispatch Articles

- Rivalries Collide

- Hurricane junior has made discus, shot put his specialty

- Buckley Brothers throw the distance for Poca Track

- Midland Sprinter eyes state title

- Hamilton getting one more chance to bring home state championship

Racing Season is Here and Boston Update

Racing Season

The weather is starting to warm up and the first 5K of the spring has already come and gone. Looking at the TriStateRacer.com Calendar, we have at least one race, sometimes more, from now until the WV 5K Championship on June 25, 2011, where the calendar shows a 1 week break before the full month of July.

I am sure that someone will take the July 2nd date which will ensure that we have a race every weekend in the Huntington area throughout the summer!

The first race of the season was held in Coal Grove on Saturday. I was pleased to take the victory (17:28) on the men’s side and 16-year old Sydney Pettit claimed the overall women’s title (23:24).

There were over 200 finishers in the first race, which tells me a lot of people were ready to get out and jump in a 5K!

Check out the racing calendar for a complete listing of races in our area!

Boston Update

We have only 5 weeks till Boston and today the bib numbers were announced. I will proudly be wearing Bib No. 2986 on April 18th!

Last week was supposed to be a light week. I had hit 73 miles the week before and wanted to only go 60 but ended up going 67 miles. I think that the 6 miles less that I ran from the week before did my body good. It doesn’t seem like much but it does help the body and mind to know that you are cutting back a bit.

This week, I am back at it with two quality runs planned and hopefully will be in the 73-75 mile range for this week.

My goal is still to break 3 hours, which is 6:52/mile. I plan on taking out in 6:45 pace to give me a little wiggle room in the newton hills section (Miles 18-22 on the Boston Course- this also contains heartbreak hill).

I am feeling pretty confident as I ran a 1:27:30 13.1 mile run last week. I just wanted to get out and go marathon pace but ended up going just a tad quicker. I averaged 6:40 pace for the run. That workout was a good test to see where I was.

I only have 3 more weeks (2 after this week) of hard training and then a 2 week taper until race day.

Boston Training

I just wanted to give an update to my training for the Boston Marathon on April 18, 2011. My goal time is to break 3 hours. I read somewhere that only 1% of all people who attempt a marathon have broken the 3 hour barrier. Something about being in that 1% sounds appealing!

 

I started this marathon build on Christmas day. That gave me 17 weeks to build up for this marathon.

Here is a summary of my weekly mileage buildup:

Week 1 – 27 Miles
Week 2 – 31 Miles
Week 3 – 50 Miles
Week 4 – 56 Miles
Week 5 – 53 Miles (Rest Week)
Week 6 – 63 Miles
Week 7 – 62 Miles (Got in a bad pair of shoes and struggled)
Week 8 – 61 Miles (Rest Week)
Week 9 – 68 Miles
Week 10 – 72.6 Miles (2nd Biggest Week Ever)
Week 11 – 71 Miles (Would have been 73 but the cold weather got to my head yesterday and I cut my LR from 20 to 18 Miles)

I am super happy with my buildup so far. Everything has been pretty smooth over the past 11 weeks. I have two small mishaps to report.

1.) The shoes, completely my fault. I got in to a stability shoe when I have been in a neutral shoe for years. The stability shoe was the wrong shoe for me and destroyed my legs. It was tough to get through that week, but once I was back in neutral shoes, my legs felt great.

2.) Last week, I pumped my calf on the back of a desk, not a big deal at the time and I went 13.5 miles less than 30 minutes after I did it but it locked up my calf. Luckily, I was able to get a planned rest day the following day and my leg was ready to go by the time it was time to run again.

I have been concentrating on the longer tempo runs. I am doing 8-10 miles at least 15-20 seconds under my goal marathon pace. I have not done any speed work yet (Mile or 800 repeats).

The Future:

6 Weeks till race day.

6 Weeks out – Rest Week – 60-65 Miles
5 Weeks out – Big Week – 70-75 Miles with 21-22 Mile LR
4 Weeks Out – Big Week – 75 Miles with Fast Finish LR
3 Weeks Out – Big Week – 75 Miles

HARD WORK IS DONE

2 Weeks Out – Taper Time!! – 55-60 Miles
1 Week Out – Nice and easy – 4-6 Miles/day

Recap of the Barboursville Winter Series

The 2nd Annual Barboursville Winter Series concluded on Sunday with the 5 Miler at the Barboursville Park. We were very lucky to have great weather for the majority of the series and we had a great turnout as well.

Our goal with the series was to encourage people to push their limits and move from the 3 Mile or 5K distance to a 5 Miler. We did this with three races that gradually increased in distance by one mile per month. We believe that this was a good thing and everyone had a good time.

The overall winner of the series was Jacob Burcham, who is the youngest high school All-American Cross Country runner for 2010. For the woman, Diane Riley, XC and Track Coach at Cabell Midland High School, took the crown.

We would like to thank the Village of Barboursville for all their help with the series. Our first race had a lot of snow and they were able to clear the parking lot and a path for the runners. I believe we raced on some of the only cleared roads in the tri-state that day and we are very grateful for the city workers in Barboursville and all that they do.

We would also like to thank everyone who came out for the races. Without the avid runners and fitness fanatics in the area, we would not be able to put on these races.

We now shift gears and start preparing for the WV 5K Championship that will be held on June 25, 2011 in Huntington, WV. This will be the 3rd year for the event and we are very pleased to announce that the Herald-Dispatch has signed on as title sponsor again this year!

Stay tuned as we will make more announcements about some awesome changes to the WV 5K this year!

Your First 5K

I have a good feeling that the weather is going to warm up pretty soon and a lot of people will get out and start training. Many people would like to take part in a local road race but don’t know what to do when they get there.

Today, I am going to attempt to give you a beginner’s look at what to do at a local road race.

 

Before Race Day

1. Run! – I had to throw this one in! You can run/walk however fast or slow you want. The important thing is that you are active!

2. Sign-up for the race – Many races offer a discount on the entry fee if you sign up a week or more in advance. While this is not mandatory (Most, if not all races, offer race-day registration), it can be very beneficial. If you sign up early, you will 1.) Get the lower entry fee and 2.) Be guaranteed a T-Shirt. If you are doing your first road race, you definitely want to come away with a T-Shirt to remember the occasion!

3. Check out the race information – Go online (TriStateRacer.com) or find a printed brochure or race information page and review. Pay close attention when packet pickup begins and the start time of the race.

 

Race Day

1. DO NOT TRY ANYTHING NEW! – It is very common to change your diet (Eating a Powerbar or Wheaties) on race morning. This is a TERRIBLE idea!

Why? Good Question!

Your body may not react the way that you want it to by trying anything new on race day. It is better to keep doing what you do during training on race day. If you eat a cheeseburger right before every run, then eat a cheeseburger right before you race. If that is what your body is used to, don’t change it on race day.

This rule also applies to clothing, sleeping habits, and anything else you can think of.

Try to treat the race as a normal training run. Your body will thank you and your results will too!

2. Show up early – You will want to get the to race about 45 minutes to an hour before the start. This will allow you to find a parking spot, get your race packet, pin on your bib number, and warm-up before the race.

3. Bib Number/Timing Chip – Pin your bib number to the front of your shirt/shorts so it can be seen by someone at the finish line as you make your way towards it.

Your timing chip will most likely be worn around your ankle. Not all races use a timing chip but if they do, they will provide instructions on how to attach your timing chip to your ankle, shoes, or back of your bib.

These are very important and if you do not have your bib or timing chip on correctly, you run the risk of not being included in the results and thus, not eligible for awards.

4. Start Appropriately – If this is your first race, then you might want to start towards the back. The faster runners will be up towards the front of the starting line. If you plan on walking, or have your dog on a leash, start towards the back. This allows for a clean and smooth start to the race. Plus, it feels a LOT better to pass people than it does being passed!

After the Race

1. Warm-down – This is a great way to get a couple of extra miles in and help your body start recovery process. You will feel much better if you jog for a bit after the race. Coming to a sudden stop after the race and not working out all the junk in your legs will make you feel really bad for the next 2 days. Do yourself a favor and jog slowly after the race till you start to feel better again.

2. Attend the Awards Ceremony – This is a great way to chat with other runners. Some race give out door prizes and they have some nice ones, so sticking around for the awards ceremony, even if you think you are not going to win anything, could be worth your time.

3. Check out your results online – Most of the races in our area will have the results posted online within an hour or so after the race. Go online and see how you did. You can also go back to the race 6 months from now and see how you did. This is an easy way to see how you are improving!

4. Find another race to run – Now that you have finished your first 5K, why not try another one? You will find that no two races are alike. Each race director, course, and event brings a different style that keeps racing fun and interesting.

5. Bring a friend – This is a social activity and it is made much easier when you have people to run with. Encourage a friend to get out and run with you. Become training partners and watch how fast you both improve.

Boston Buildup

Holy cow has it been cold lately! I have been pretty consistent with my running so far in 2011 as I have decided to make the commitment to go all out in my training for the 2011 Boston Marathon on April 18!

My goal time is 2:59:59. I just want to break the 3 hour mark. I read somewhere that only 1% of all people who have attempted a marathon have broken the 3 hour barrier. 1.) I am super happy to say that I have qualified for Boston and 2.) if I break 3 hours, I will truly fill like I have accomplished something! I certainly wasn’t in the top 1% of my high school or college graduating classes so if I can be in top 1% of all marathoners, that will make me feel pretty cool!

My 4 weeks so far into my Boston Buildup have looked like this:

Week 1 – 31 Miles
Week 2 – 50 Miles
Week 3 – 56 Miles
Week 4 – 53 Miles (Rest Week)
Week 5 – Goal of 60 Miles

I took Week 4 a little easier as I jumped 25 miles in two week and wanted to give my body a week to get used to that mileage.

I am going to continue building up my mileage for 3 weeks and then take the 4th easy again.

I am only running 6 days a week and taking 1 day off every week. My body seems to recover very nicely from that 1 day off.

I hope everyone is already setting their racing plans for the spring/summer!

Don’t forget about the Barboursville Winter Series (Next race is this Sunday) and the WV 5K Championship on June 25th!

Just another running update!

I have a lot to update here so let’s get started!

Jingle Bell Run

The Jingle Bell Run that was held over the weekend had a very fast and surprising entrant. David McCollam came all the way down from Bridgeport to run the race and did so in 15:22. He has won the MU Half-Marathon twice and came in 4th this year! This is a very fast time for such a cold morning.

Overall Results | Age Group Results

Ritter Park Off-Road Challenge

80 or so of the toughest runners in the Tri-State managed the roughest 5K course in our area! Cabell Midland Junior Tyler Salmons represented the Ona Elite Track Club by winning with a time of 19:47. This should show how tough this course was because a week early, he ran 16:10 in Cary, NC at the NXN Regionals. That is over 3:30 slower in one week! Did Tyler loose that much fitness in a week or is the course just that tough!! I believe it is just one, nasty, and tough course. Congrats to all those who conquered it!

Overall Results

Jacob Burcham – All American

Cabell Midland Sophomore proved over the weekend that he is the #1 American Sophomore in the nation by finishing 16th in the NXN (Nike Cross Nationals). This was a true national championship race that brought the best high school runners in the nation to the Nike Campus.

Jacob was the 3rd Underclassman to finish. As you know, this means he will return next year ranked 3rd in the nation for all high school athletes!!!

More information can be found at MidlandRunning.com

Barboursville Winter Series

The Barboursville Winter Series is fast approaching with the first race on December 19th. This year, the winter series will feature three races at the Barboursville Park. A 3 Miler on December 19th, a 4 Miler on January 30, and a 5 Miler on February 27!

Rumor has it that All-American Jacob Burcham will be in this series!

Here are just a couple of reasons to do the series:

1. 1. Sign up for all the races and make the commitment to stay fit all winter long
2. 2. Run with one of the best high school runners in the nation
3. 3. Run on perfectly cleared roads no matter the weather! Barboursville will keep the roads cleared for us!
4. 4. You get a discount for signing up for all 3 races early!

Brrr… It is getting cold outside!

I always like to repeat the same blog entry this time of the year. With the weather turning colder, some people like to head indoors and we often pick being warm over being active and fit. So, how do you stay active and fit when it is really cold outside?

Here is your tips for dressing for those winter runs!

 

The first rule of running in the winter months is dressing appropriately. Layers are best but not everyone knows how to dress in layers.

Base Layer

The first layer (or the layer closest to the body) is called a base layer. Typically this would be some sort of tights. Underarmour has finally made these cool to wear even as an outer layer. They can be found at any sports stores, local running shops, or online retailers.

Mid-Layer

The next layer can be an assortment of different things. There are many different fabrics that whisk sweat away and you can go with these more expensive fabrics or just some cotton sweats or a long sleeve t-shirt.

Outer Shell

The final layer is the outer shell. When it is windy, snowy, or the rain is falling, this layer will help you out the most. The outer shell layer will consist of a wind/rain resistant jacket and/or pants. This will do wonders to protect against the winter elements.

Head

Your head should be covered with a toboggan of some sorts. The cheapest ones sometimes work the best so there is no need to spend a lot of money on these.

Hands

Gloves are a must when the temperatures drop below 45’. There are many different varieties of gloves. Typically, a runner will not want a big and thick gloves as they may be too heavy and tire the arms on a long run. They make gloves that can actually warm as you produce sweat. Fleece gloves are also very popular.

Random Tip

Another tip would be to watch the wind and if the route is an out and back, try to make the out part (or the first part) of the run against the wind. This is when the body is just warming up and hasn’t produced too much sweat. When it is time to turn around, the body will be a little sweatier, and the wind is at the runner’s back making the return trip a little more satisfying.

Be Consistent!

One last tip would be to be consistent. If a runner stays out on the roads, they get used to the conditions. The more a runner goes out in the worst of conditions, the easier it is to go out again.

What could be better then a snow storm coming through making the roads impassable to cars?!!? That is when the runner really knows what it is like to own the roads while running on snow that feels like pillows under the feet.

Very Busy and Spooky Week!

It is amazing to look at my calendar and see EVERYTHING that is happening this week. This week, we have 6 5Ks in our region and the WV XC State Meet at Cabell Midland High School!

WV XC STATE MEET

In the AAA race, the Cabell Midland boys team is ranked #1 in the state and one of the top teams in the nation lead by the No. 1 Sophomore in the nation, Jacob Burcham!

If you like to run and are a fan of running, I would HIGHLY recommend making your way to Cabell Midland on Saturday to catch some VERY EXCITING RACES! Stay for the awards ceremony as it is one of the best awards ceremonies in the nation!

State Meet Schedule

10:00 AM - AA-A Boys
10:45 AM - AA-A Girls
11:45 AM - AA-A Awards Ceremony

1:00 PM - AAA Boys
1:45 PM - AAA Girls
2:45 PM  - AAA Awards Ceremony

Admission for State Meet

Adults - $8.00
Students - $7.00
*Prices set by the WVSSAC

 

Local Racing

There are LOT’s of scary races lined up for Halloween!

MU Alum Run
(Huntington, WV)

Freaky Fall 5K
(Louisa, KY)

Halloween Hustle 5K
(Owingsville, KY)

Grove Yard 5K
(Coal Grove, OH)

FAITH's Boo Bash 5K
(Paintsville, KY)

Halloween Spooktacular 5K
(Hurricane, WV)

A busy week for Racing

The week started early with the Old Fashion Days 5K in Greenup, KY on Thursday, October 7, 2010 where 101 runners/walkers took part in the race. Eddie Neal from Chesapeake, Ohio and Mandy Musick, from Ashland, Kentucky took the wins in the first race of the week.

Old Fashion Days 5K
Overall Results | Age Group Results

The next race was a chilly midnight race around the KYOVA Mall in Ashland, KY. The CASA 5K For a Reason began at midnight on Friday, October 8 where 90 runners/walkers took part in the late night race. Nick Bias and Macy Dyer took the wins in this race. Macy reportedly woke up the next morning and raced in a scholastic cross-country race as well!

CASA 5K For a Reason
Overall Results |Age Group Results

Then on Saturday morning, the 9th of October, 59 runners and walkers took off on Route 7 for the Chesapeake Octoberfest 5K. This race has a very long history and I am personally glad to see it is still being held every year. Fairland High School’s Raine Wireman and Concord University’s Rachel Williams took the wins in Chesapeake

Chesapeake Octoberfest 5K
Overall Results | Age Group Results

The race week ended on Sunday with the Once in a Lifetime 10K in Hurricane, WV. Almost 100 runners took the starting line on Route 34 at the Hurricane City Park where they traversed a hilly course at 2:00 PM with the sun beating down on them. Hurricane High School’s Jeremy Shultz lead everyone with a 38:44 finish and Bethany Williams lead the women with a 50:20 finish!

Once in a Lifetime 10K
Overall Results

I know there were several people who ran in more than one race this week. That is an impressive feat. There are also other runners who ran the midnight race on Friday Night, then woke up and ran the Chesapeake Octoberfest 5K the next morning!!

 

 

This upcoming week will not be as spread out, but Saturday morning looks to be very busy time for runners in our region. Hope that you can make it out to one of the races below! Enjoy this great fall weather and get fit!

Light for the Islands 5K
(Huntington, WV)

Run in Remembrance
(Ironton, OH)

Pumpkins in the Park 5K
(Charleston, WV)

St. Albans 5 Mile Trail Run
(St. Albans, WV)

Serenity House 5K
(Gallipolis, OH)

Ray of Hope 5K
(Jackson, OH)

Jacob Burcham | Top 20 in the nation

The sophomore from Cabell Midland High School leaped into the top 20 on ESPNRise’s Top 25 high school cross country runners!

He competed in the Midwest Meet of Champions on Saturday where he ran a 15:05 in route to a second place finish.

Cabell Midland finished 3rd as a team!

The following is from MidlandRunning.com

After a 2 week training period since the Trinity Invitational, Midland headed to Dublin, Ohio for the Midwest Meet of Champions to face another top notch field. This marks only the 3rd time Midland has raced this season and the strategy is paying off with big results each time from the Midland runners.

The MMOC competition offered numerous elite teams and individuals in all races along with a well groomed fast course. The temperatures were near 60 degrees with a strong breeze throughout the course. However, the breeze appeared not to slow down the runners too much and the meet produced some fast times along with strong team showings. LaSalle would come out on top with Medina and Cabell Midland rounding out the top 3 spots.

Jacob Burcham would lead his Knights again with a smart race strategy to come from behind and finish 2nd overall. His 15:05 was only 4 ticks behind Mason's, Zach Wills, 15:01 winning time. Burcham's 15:05 is the top sophomore time in the nation and also West Virginia's top season performance. Burcham wasn't the only Midland runner to produce an impressive time. Tyler Salmons ran 15:55 to finish 24th overall followed by a stellar performance from Sophomore Jeremy Waugh's 16:12. Ryan Smith continues to stay consistent at 16:26 to finish 60th followed closely by sophomore Avery Campbell's 16:30. Mason Dino continued to stay in Midland's top 7 with his 16:59 followed by Steven Egnatoff's 17:13.

In the boys open race, Midland would finish a strong 2nd overall behind powerhouse LaSalle. Midland appeared to have a lock on the team title until David Jobe's allergies kicked in forcing him to fade from the top 3 to 36th overall. It would be Jared King stepping up for Midland to run a 17:07 to take 4th overall followed by Andrew Ferguson 10th place finish in 17:18. Matthew Edmunds would PR in 17:21 for 12th overall followed by Freshman, Eric Wooten's 17:22 good enough for 16th overall. Midland's bid on their "Elite 7" is forming into a fierce battle for those 7 spots.

Due to Homecoming, Midland would only enter one runner in the girls race. Standout, Jorden Thornton, would run a 19:40 placing her 42nd overall among an elite field of 138 runners.