The last of the TNRL group at the last TNRL of 2011 last night at Harborcreek Community Park

Random notes on the Erie running scene:

TNRL wraps up for season

Jim Lang’s Tuesday Night Race League wrapped up last night with a 5K run through Harborcreek Community Park. It was a perfect night for a run and 14 people showed up to run, then we all hang around to chit-chat and drink (beer or water), though…the Cass’ had to rush home because we had homework, dinner, baths and reading time to accomplish before the girls’ bedtime which did not all happen by bedtime, but…everyone was in bed, clean and fed by 9 p.m. (that’s right….everything is a RACE for this family).

Race results & TNRL afta-afta chatter notes here.

Big thank you to Jim Lang who works hard on the TRNL and shows up all over God’s green earth every week — usually with at least one kid, often all three because his wife Jen works at night — and does this for all of us for free. This year he did do a TNRL 4-race series (paid races) and awarded plaques last night to the top male and female who completed all four TNRL races.

They were Rob Frost (no photo) and Karen Groschek (whose photo of the plaque I just blatantly stole of her Facebook page along with the group photo above which must’ve been taken after we had run home to do the homework-dinner-bath dash!). Here’s the series winner’s plaque — very nice!

Races galore

There’s plenty of races to choose from this weekend:

Saturday — Beat Beethoven 5K (downtown Erie); Allegheny Swimming & Diving 5-miler (Ernst Trail in Meadville); and, for Prep & Villa alums, there’s the Villa & Prep Alumni Classic (Frontier Park in Erie).

Sunday — Race for Recovery 15K/5K/1Mile (Presque Isle – Rotary); the Wine Fest 5K (North East); and, the Bemus Point Fall 15K.

Wheww…..

Watch the next generation of runners

If you’re not planning to race this weekend, head on out to Frontier Park on Saturday morning  to catch the next generation of runners in the Prep Rambler Classic cross country races. The races start with the youngest kids— 3rd & 4th Grade — at 9 a.m. and go until at least noon.

This is where you’ll find the Cass family on Saturday as our girls are running in their 2nd XC meet. We went out to Frontier as a team last night to learn/run the course.

We ran it twice, then did hill repeats on a steep little hill Coach Smith introduced the team to. Normally I’m not a hill-lover, but that steep hill was kinda  fun…charging up on my toes.

So, last night, Dan & I ran two miles at cross-country practice, then did hill repeats, then we ran the TNRL 5K, so tonight’s after-work run with friends on the hills at Penn State Behrend is going to kinda suck for me.

Her Times 5K — 500 preregistered

Much to my utter surprise, we are at 500 people registered for the Her Times 5K on Oct. 1! WOW!  We’re looking at, potentially, 650+ on race day.

We scrambled to order 100 more shopping bags, so everyone who made it in by the preregistration deadline will get a shopping bag & t-shirt (only the first 400 get water bottles though…hey, it pays to be the early bird!).

If you were not one of the first 500 people, you will not get a shopping bag, but you WILL get a shirt.  I ordered almost 700, so there should be plenty, but…if I run out of shirts completely on race day, I will order more.

It’s my belief that if you pay $20 to run a race, you ought to get a shirt — you just may not get it on race day if you wait until the last minuter (or you may get stuck with a size you don’t want because…I will not order for size, late comers will have to choose from whatever is left).

I will post a bunch more notes about the Her Times race tomorrow — including parking instructions, etc.

Which race are you doing this weekend?

Did you ever think the Her Times women’s 5K participation would DOUBLE in five years?

Have you ever done the homework-dinner-bath-dash? What’s your PR?

This week’s Tuesday Night Race League run is at Bill Tobin’s place on Tobin Road (where else?!) in Cambridge Springs. There will be a bonfire after the run. Bring a dish to share if you wish.

More info on the TNRL here

And, a map of the 5.65-mile course is above, but you can see it larger here.

Next week’s TNRL (Sept. 20) is the final one of the 2011 summer season and it’s at Harborcreek Community Park at The Firman Road entrance. Jim says: “We’ll have a little race, then awards for the series, then whatever.”

Received the following notes about the Tuesday Night Race League from Jim Lang:

Since I didn’t get this in the newsletter….

Sweatshirts – $17 for anyone that has come out to at least one race/run this season (whether you paid or not).  $20 for anyone else.  For the 4 who ran all four Series races, and the two who showed and either ran or volunteered at each, there is no charge.  Karen, Heather, Rana, Robb, Tom, Fred, Joe -
you’re all covered.

They’ll be distributed at the Finale on the 20th of September at Harborcreek Community Park.  I’ll put up online “registration”
for sweatshirts for those that want to order them online. Everyone else will need to get in touch with me manually. (I want you to do it online!).

Crew-neck sweatshirt with TNRL Logo crest on front only…NOT a hoodie.

The schedule for the rest of the season:

Sept 6, 2011 – Lake Erie Community Park (Baseball Diamond) North of Lake city. (Patrick Krott is lead-man this time)

Sept 13, 2011 – Bill Tobin’s Bonfire Surprise – Tureen dinner – bring a dishand sit around chatting, eating, and cooking s’mores after.(Real Afta-Afta)

Sept 20, 2011 – Grand Finale – Harborcreek Community Park – Awards, Shirts, and other things afta. there will be a “real” 5k that night, no charge, no shirt, no reg, but timing & scoring.  Probably some beer, too.

With all of this details may be found at www.TuesdayNightRacingLeague.com. Maps, courses, and results.(Not always timely, but they get there)

Check out http://TuesdayNightRacingLeague.com for details.

Thanks,
Jim

Forgot to post this earlier, but tonight’s Tuesday Night Race League offering is at Asbury Woods Nature Center. Meet at the barn.

Not sure what Jim has planned, but I’d wear old shoes because it likely will involve some trail running.

Run starts at 7 p.m. and there are usually a couple course choices — longer and shorter.

PLAN AHEAD: Next week’s TNRL is at – Lake Erie Community Park on the Baseball diamond. North of Lake City off route 5.

‘Twas a great night for a run at Evanoff acres out in McKean and many agreed as there was a large crowd of suckers runners ready to take on one of Fred’s hilly courses. Fred had mapped out (and marked) a 3, 4 and a 7-mile course, but you can do whatever you want to at a TNRL race. Some turned around early, opting for just a 2-mile run and I led the kids on a 1.2-miler.

Jim Lang, TNRL founder and timing guy extraordinaire, did a great job keeping track of everyone’s finish time while also feeding baby Gracie, watching toddler Joe and wrangling preschooler chatty Cathy Emma.

Jim shows a new recruit how to time races…

She kinda sat around most of the time

But nobody minded because she was so darn cute…

and she cheered, in her own way.

Jim’s other helper, Joe, enjoyed the giant sandbox.

Fred did a great job marking the courses and explaining them beforehand:

I led the kids — my two & little Andy Nivens — on a 1.2 mile run which went well

…but slow since we had to stop & look at bugs and trash and trees and butterflies and moths and …..

When we got back, the critter hunting resumed in the Evanoff’s pond:

Going the distance & coming in 1-2-3 in the 7-mile run were:

Pat Krofft – 1st

Frank Combopiano – 2nd (check out little Joe clapping)

Dan Cass – 3rd

After everyone finished, we all ate, ate, ate (should’ve took some photos of all that food) and talked, talked, talked until long after dark.

Complete TNRL race results here.

Thanks to Rana & Fred for opening their home to all of us! 

Next week’s TNRL starts at the Asbury Barn in Asbury Woods in Millcreek.

This Tuesday’s Tuesday Night Race League event is at Rana & Fred Evanoff’s place in McKean (4550 South Hill Road, McKean).

They’re promising  7.2-, 3- and 4-mile courses. But, beware, there’s no avoiding the hills in McKean…so every distance is bound to be tough.

We’re partying after, so bring a dish to share, chairs if you have them and BYOB. And, word to the wise, bring ug spray, too (though I’m sure the Evanoffs have some to share).

Race starts at 7 p.m. See you there!

For more details on TNRL visit Jim Lang’s Big White Trailer site.  http://tuesdaynightracingleague.com/

Kelly made this sign to welcome the TNRL runners last night

Last night was a perfect night for a TNRL run at Casa Cass.
Despite some obstacles getting here (one closed road and one big accident at Moorehouse & Route 8), 10 runners hit Moorehouse Road at 7:05 in two directions.

Dan Cass, Pat Krott and Fred Evanoff opted for the longer (almost 6-mile) course with the hill from hell (that would be Kane Hill) and the rest of us did some version of the 4-mile out-and-back run which went right past the accident (which was mostly cleaned up by the time we got there) and over country roads.

Results:

* Jen Miller is on the mend and did a quick 2 miles. Yay, Jen!
* Karen Pekelnicky stuck to her 1/2 marathon training plan and did 3 miles in 33:37
* Barefoot runner, Tom Madura, was challenged by newly tar-and-chipped roads (dang Greene Twp.), so he cut it short & did 3 miles in 39 minutes.

Almost 4-mile course
Tom Twohig — 33:37
Heather Dunkle — 34:20
Heather Cass – 38:24
Jenn Wright — 38:24

Almost 6-mile course
Dan Cass — 46:23
Patt Krott — 46:24
Fred Evanoff – 47:02

Afta-afta chatta
(written in 3rd person because I had wrote this report to send to Jim)

* There was lots of great food for the afta-afta party with hot dogs grilled up by Jen Wright’s awesome husband, John Wright, who also served as the babysitter and lifeguard while the rest of us ran.

* Fred Evanoff brought amazing fresh blackberries, Tom Twohig’s wife whipped up some awesome blueberry muffins, Karen brought a yummy “embellished” pasta salad and Heather D. brought two — count ‘em two — delish pies from Art’s bakery. And…there was plenty more, too: chips, dips, watermelon…oh…and Labatt Blue, too.

* Heather C. took her life in her hands, chalking arrows on the two courses at rush hour (though, really…is there such a thing as “rush hour” in Greene Township?)

* Jim Lang, the Godfather of the TNRL, was MIA. A naughty 3-year-old is reported to have been involved.

* Karen P. is running her first half marathon in October — the Towpath 1/2 Marathon in October in Ohio. And, she recently completed her first Duathlon. This after having just run her very first race at the Her Times 5K in October of 2010. You go, girl.

* There was virtually no traffic on the 6-mile run thanks to all those “road closed” signs at Kane Hill. The nice thing about being a runner is that feet can go where wheels aren’t welcome.

* We exchanged Quad swim horror stories. Tom M., Tom T. and Heather C. all confessed to nearly drowning in the pool during the Quad swim. Fred says it’s all mental and they need to attend his swim class at Fairview on Thursday nights.

* Tom T. brought young Liam Twohig Sontheimer who was born just 4 days after Dan & Heather Cass‘ oldest daughter, Kelly. Both Liam and Kelly turned 10 in July.

* All the kids — Liam, Kelly & Lauren Cass and Adam & Lucas Wright — enjoyed the pool and later, they cooked marshmallows over burning newspaper (OK…it was supposed to be a real fire, but the Cass’ little patio fire pit wouldn’t keep a flame going if you filled the stupid thing with gasoline).

* Despite Heather C.’s consistent whining about vicious, free-roaming dogs in her area, no one was chased or even saw a dog larger than ankle-height.

* Heather C. may have found a willing sucker…I mean, early morning running partner as Heather D. said she doesn’t live too far and might get up at the butt-crack of dawn a day or two a week to join Heather C. for a few early-morning miles.

* Pat works third shift, so his “after work” run is at 7 a.m. Sweet, right?

* Heather C. needs to get a new camera because all the great photos she took of tonight’s TNRL are blurry. Boo!

* Next week’s TNRL is at the Evanoff’s house in McKean and Fred says they have a 4- and a 7-mile course. But, beware, Fred has dubbed the 7miler his “pissed-off” run course. Bring a dish if you wish…cause we’re partying afta-afta next week, too.

Here’s your chance to run on my turf.

Dan and I are hosting Jim Lang’s Tuesday Night Race League this Tuesday, Aug. 16 for the Cass Castle Creek Climb.

We run at 7 p.m. from 8251 Moorehouse Road (zip: 16509). Directions: Take I-90 (or pine Ave.) to Route 8. Moorehouse is the first left south of I-90. So, get off the highway, turn right (south toward Wattsburg) until you come to the first road on the left…that’s Moorehouse).

I’ve got two courses planned — an almost-4-mile out-and-back that incorporates one tough hill (uphill on the way out, down on the way back) and an almost-6-mile out-and-back that includes one bad ass hill that I DARE you to run up & down (and you’ll get that chance twice) – map here.

After we run, you’re welcome to hang out and swim in the pool. We’re grilling hot dogs and we’ll have cold water and beer. Bring something if you want…or don’t…doesn’t matter.

For background info on the TNRL, click here.

Your reward: