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Miscellaneous Great Stuff
September/October 2011 Editor’s Note
By Brenda Barrera
September/October 2011
Heat. Humidity. Scorcher. Dog Days Are Here. Blazing. Hot. Haze. Ozone alert.
Summer . . . see ya later! Helloooo Gorgeous Fall!
Okay, so summer may not be over ‘officially’ until the fall equinox on September 23 and we might still be subject to a few of these conditions, but the length and severity have passed. The glimmer of cooler days providing more comfortable runs approaches. Leaves that once gleamed Kelly green will soon take on a crimson hue marking an ideal time to explore the myriad of trails. In this issue, Dickson Mercer profiles a running club that is crazy about dirt trails (p. 46) and WRR Art Director Karen Donohue shares one of her favorite fall trail races (p. 28).
September marks the beginning of the school year. If you have children participating in a cross country or running program, or maybe you have a new role as coach, be sure to read Alisa Harvey’s column with guidelines for coaching youth (p. 44). She knows a thing or two about the subject.
Across the Mid-Atlantic region, many of you will turn the calendar page and see the date of your goal race etched in a big X or maybe a heart or perhaps a star?
Some pre-race advice for your goal event, whether it’s the Army Ten-Miler, Marine Corps Marathon, Baltimore Running Festival, or any of the other fall races is it’s okay to slow down prior to “the day.” Coach George Buckheit reminds readers the importance of tapering in his Training feature (p. 20). Here’s another recommendation: Carve out a little time to remember the day you signed up for the race, what motivated you, and what carried you through the long summer runs. Columnist Margie Shapiro also reminds us how sweet it is to have a loved one (family or friend) that supports us in our athletic endeavors (p. 42).
My parents taught me the importance of saying, ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ It is just plain good manners. At races, I always make an effort to share my gratitude with the race volunteers, whether it is the high schooler who hands me my race packet or course marshal standing on a street corner at the crack of dawn directing me down the correct road.
Think about all of the times throughout the weekend or on race day that you come across a volunteer:
- Packet pickup
- Health and fitness expo booths
- Race information tables
- Corral monitor
- Water and aid stations
- Gear check
- Finish line chute
- Finish line food and beverages
- Medical assistance
- Race organizers
Most likely you will come in contact with many volunteers in these various roles at races who have generously offered their time to ensure the event goes as smoothly as possible so everyone can have a positive experience. We salute all volunteers and highlight a few in our Special: Behind the Race series. (p. 22).