January 2, 2012
Hi Folks,
Note to self...As I look back on 2011, I want to thank you, the folks who read my emails and come to the runs, for another great BG year. In short, we had fun. As I look to 2012, it only gets better. Just think of our schedule for the year: Crazy Legs in April, Rockford Half-Marathon in May, Cheese Days in September, and Tyranenna in November. And this doesn’t include all of the local races you folks get to. 2012 sounds like it will be another banner year. Thank you for giving me the privilege of being your town crier.
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RAVE RUN…
None…come on, send me your rave run.
Send me your favorite Youtube video’s, stories, and photos of moments, experiences, places, or people that you feel we can enjoy reading about in the BG email.
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I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Now that the festivities are over, the dog days of winter are upon us. The next couple of months will be slow and boring. It’s the season for clams. I know it’s tough, but don’t be a clam, come out for a run and/or recovery. Look at the bright side. The days are getting longer, the nights are getting shorter. Before too long, we’ll be complaining that it’s too hot to run. Da Mudda has been very kind to us in the weather department. For the most part, the snow starts to melt and the temps starting going up around March. That’s two months away, so we’ve really skirted a few months of bad winter weather.
As the New Year starts, it’s time to reflect on where you’ve been and where you’re going. It’s a great time to look over your training and racing from the previous year and reflect on what went well and where the problems were. Make notes so you won’t repeat them this year. It’s also a great time to fill out your training program for the upcoming year. Highlight the dates of major running events and back your training into those events. If you want to run the Chicago Marathon, you can’t start training for it in September. (I suppose Dennis can.) Planning for these events is an integral part of the training for these events.
While you’re making notes and plans for your major races, I encourage you to consider volunteering for a race or two. All the races in the area depend on many volunteers to help keep the events inexpensive, safe, enjoyable, and fun. I’ve been volunteering at the Arny Johnson 10 miler in April for about 5 years. And for those running the race this year, you get to see my ugly mug at mile 7 barking out the times. I get to see the race as a bystander while encouraging runners along their journey. I have fun watching as the race unfolds. And it gives me the opportunity to give back a few hours to a sport I love. So, look at your schedule for the year and donate a Saturday or Sunday morning to the cause. For the right price, you can have my job at mile 7. Give a large donation to the Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity and the position is yours.
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Just a reminder…stay visible to automobile drivers while running on the roads. I noticed last week while running in the streets, it seemed darker out. OK, a brain lapse moment, it is dark out. But for whatever reason, it seemed darker out. So, where reflective material, a head lamp, and flashing lights, anything to stand out to drivers.
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Rockford Half-Marathon next May…
The date is May 20th, 2012.
Training starts the end of February.
And just because my notes will reflect the training for the half-marathon, not everyone who shows up for a run is running the half-marathon. So, come on down for a run at whatever your pace and/or distance.
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Don’t forget, the Crazy Legs race next April is on the calendar.
The date is April 28th, 2012. Registration opens after the first of the year. I’ll keep you posted.
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For those wanting to run the Chicago Marathon this year, here are some important dates to keep in mind. The race is October 7th. Registration opens February 1st and closes when they meet the number of registrants deadline (I think it’s 45K). For the past 8 years, since I’ve been writing this email, the closing gets sooner and sooner every year. Back in 2004, the race closed in August. Last year, it closed the middle of March. So, if you’re interested in running the classic, start having a soul searching meeting with yourself and see if you want to run the race. BTW…they don’t announce the closing date. They just close the registration to the race without any warning.
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Remember, the BG is on Facebook. The link to the group now is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/3R-Buddy-Group/113136022536.
The dates and activities for the next month or so should be out there. So, look for some information there. And go ahead and write on the wall. Let others know about your running adventures.
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If you need information about a run or location, feel free to give me a call at 815-222-1280.
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If you want to share any ideas for a run or recovery; if you'll be venturing to a distant race and you want to car-pool with some folks; or if you're training for a race and you want a training partner, pass the information onto me and I'll send the word out to others.
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Thursday, 01.05.12, Meet at Gerry’s Pizza on East State Street. We’ll run the bike path over to Midway Village for a couple of laps. Recovery is at Gerry’s. Meeting time is 6:00 pm.
Saturday, 01.07.12, Meet at Harlem High School on North Alpine Road. (Meet in the parking lot just off of Alpine, the first right, yes, the one that says “Do Not Enter”.) We’ll run towards Rock Cut State Park. Distance should be about 6 miles. For those wanting more miles, you can run the Arny course. Meeting time is 7:00 am.
Thursday, 01.12.12, Meet at Maciano’s on Perryville Road. We’ll either run the bike path north towards Rock Cut or the streets toward Rock Valley College. The distance should be around 6 miles. Recovery is at Maciano’s. Meeting time is 6:00 pm.
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“Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable." ~Mary Oliver
"The joy was in the act of running and in the journey, not in the destination." ~John Bingham
“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit.” ~Wilma Rudolph
“May there be peace on earth in 2012. We’re all in this same lifeboat together.” ~Dean Karnazes
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Waddle On!
Dave
The Buddy Group is open to any runners and walkers who want to come out and enjoy running and/or walking. We charge no fees and you do not have to be a member of any club. Please contact David Kiefer at davidkiefer@att.net for more information.
Legal disclaimer....I'm not a coach or trainer. By receiving this email, you will not hold the author or any recipients of this email liable for any injuries or activities you and your possession may encounter while running among this group. You run at your own risk knowing all the potential hazards that can arise.
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