ERC St. Patrick’s Day race director, Jim Lang, offered this preview of the race shirt. Rejoice — no gold this year! (Thank you, Jim).

Check it:

Note that this proof is short-sleeved, but the race shirts are actually long-sleeved.

The race is this Saturday at Presque Isle State Park’s Rotary Pavilion. There’s a 5K at 9 a.m. and a 10K at 10 a.m. Run one or run both and earn that “distance festival” on the race shirt.

Day-of-Race entry is $20 and you’ll have to buy the shirt separately (if available). Remember to bring cash or check because the ERC doesn’t take credit/debit.  (Please, please, please, ERC…..invest in a little cell-phone credit card swiper or something, nobody carries cash these days!)

Race details & application here.

Events

Looking for a new challenge? Try the Presque Isle Light House climb on Monday, March 9 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Join park staff for a chance to climb the 78 spiral iron steps to the top of the tower. There’s no fee, but registration is required and space is limited. Participants must be at least 44 inches tall to climb the stairs. For information and registration, call Brian Gula at (814) 217-9632.

See what else the park is offering in March (some fun stuff) at Matt Martin’s NWPA Outdoors blog.

Also…..don’t forget that Yoga, Pilates & More is offering another runner’s workshop on Saturday at 11 a.m. This workshop will focus on the lower limbs and, really, is there any part more important to a runner?  I found Elyssa’s last workshop to be really useful & informative.

Worth Reading:

* Knee trouble? Lots of great info about it at Athleta.

* Ever wonder what happens to your body during a 30-minute run? Wonder no more.

* 12 salads worse than a Big Mac (not sure I agree, but….)

Video of the Week

Did she seriously just as Mo Farah if he had ever run before?  Props to Mo for being so kind and gracious to this obviously clueless and completely unprepared reporter. Sad, sad, sad, lady.

You know Runner’s World’s Mark Remy was going to jump all over this opportunity, right? Click & enjoy!

 T-shirt of the week

Eco-tank available here for $30.

Itching to start racing? Get an early start on spring race season at the March Forth Against Crime  5K on Sunday at 9 a.m. at the Rotary Pavilion.

Proceeds benefit the Erie Crime Victim Center (a very worthy cause) AND…Erie Runners Club members receive a $2 discount on the $20 entry fee.

The premium is a knit hat and the organizers promise a roaring fire to keep you warm after the run!

Not enough to get you there? Consider this….you’d have a chance to support, cheer on, and encourage kids who are trying to get their lives back on track using the tool we ALL know has kept us sane — Running

We have participating with us again this year a program called Juveniles on the Run, where a group of juvenile offenders have been physically training with their parole officers to run a 5K.  It provides them with a sense of accomplishment as well as discipline (and health, of course), and was a huge success last year.  I believe we have approximately half a dozen juveniles who will be racing this year.

That makes me want to race AND bring my cowbell, but then…you know I’m a sucker for newbies.

The race application can be found here.

Got the following note from ERC runners Teressa & Christine. Sounds like a FUN group. And…it’s just the inspiration some of us need to keep running through the crappy-weather winter!  (Count the Cass’ in!).

P.S. I actually thought…this might be a great way to introduce my girls to running since we’ll be doing 1 mile loops!

Here’s all the info:

Around the time of the half marathon, Christine and I talked some people about getting a group together to run.  At the time we were thinking about Saturday mornings, but it appears that Thursday night is going to work better for myself in regards to regularity.  (Not starting until the 8th)

So we are looking to start a group of people that are willing to run outside throughout the winter.  We would like speedy runners and sweepers.  My thought is that we will find a loop of a mile or two (currently looking at the peninsula as a start) where the speedster will lap us slower individuals growing our group camaraderie with interaction during the loops.

Mileage will be the number of loops that you want to do.  Christine and I have mileage ranging in 6-8 miles.  For those that are training for a 5K come out.  If you want to know how we moved from the couch to 6 half marathons, come out.  If you want to hear stories of Christine yelling on the half marathons, come out.  If you are just looking for a fun run with someone besides the screaming rocker in your ear, come out.

Basically, come out and run, men and women, speedy and slow.  As a still new (but not a newbie) runner, I love to get the more seasoned runner views of runs and their stories of friends, injuries and races.  But I am finding the newbie runners have just as many stories.

Please feel free to send me an email at tmiller_spbr@yahoo.com.

Look forward to the runs.

— Teressa

P.S. If any of you have ideas on where to run — Looking for a loop that is a mile or two within Erie or Millcreek where we will be able to run during the winter. We need light traffic or a sidewalk and plowed terrain.