Greetings and happy Friday the 13th Steamtown entrants! Hope you didn't trip over a black cat on your training run today.
Well, it's only 81 days to the 17th annual Steamtown Marathon. By now your long runs should be getting pretty long so I thought I'd remind you in a very quiet, gentle, and meek way to MIX IN SOME DOWNHILLS ON YOUR RUNS!
Steamtown is a quad killer. The course features a 955' net elevation drop from start to finish but the vast majority of the drop is in the first 8 miles. The course has so much downhill during the early stages that you will feel like you are "running through a cool rain forest without a tie on."
Many of you are probably now saying to yourself, "Myself, since the early miles sound so easy and fun, I think I will run really fast early on and bank time. Then, I can take it easy during the later stages of the race and still meet my goal time."
Wrong naiive runners! Banking time is a really bad idea and will result in agony and despondent thoughts when you hit the uphills (yes, uphills) in the later stages of the race. Your best strategy is to keep an even pace and try your best to run even splits for both halves of the course.
I strongly suggest you attend the race expo to listem to the presentation about our course from really smart running people. They will make you promise that you will try to run even splits and will hold you down and give you a pink belly if you refuse.
In the meantime, here are some links to pages on our Web site that I recommend you read:
http://www.steamtownmarathon.com/4.3.html
http://www.steamtownmarathon.com/4.html
http://www.steamtownmarathon.com/4.1.html
Also, if you are seeking yet another great half marathon in Northeast PA prior to running Steamtown, why not give the Wendy's Wonderful Kids Half Marathon in fabulous Wilkes-Barre, PA a try?
Here is a link: http://www.wilkesbarreracing.com/WWK_HalfMarathon/
Well, that's my story and I am sticking to it. Will drop you another line in a couple of weeks. Get going on those downhills.
Sincerely,
Jim "Do you think he's serious about the pink belly?" Cummings
Asst. Race Director
