Club Group Runs in the Winter
Beginning in January 2009, the club will have two weekly group runs. The club keeps the Hyde Park Group Run, but it will now meet on Wednesday at 6:30 PM starting on January 7. Beginning on Sunday, January 11 we will head south into Kentucky and meet at the Perk Station in Crescent Springs KY. If one is near where you live, come out and run with us.

Weekly Group Run Details:

• Wednesday - 6:30 PM Run - Hyde Park Square - meet by the fountain - begins January 7.
• Sunday - 9:00 AM Run - Perk Station, Crescent Springs KY - meet in front of Perk Station - begins January 11
  

For more information check out our calendar or email us.

Egg Nog Jog Recap

The Egg Nog Jog is one of my favorite races in Cincinnati. I have run this race more times than any other in Cincinnati with the exception of the Reggae Run. The course is one of my favorites as it a loop course that goes around Mount Adams, and Eden Park. It has one of the more difficult hills that I haver faced even though it is not very long. The 2008 race was held a week later than usual on December 20, 2008. Typically the race gets around 150-200 runners but this year it got 400 runners and they had a line for registration out the door of the Koka Coffee Lounge, the kind host and a sponsor for this race. I decided not to get the t-shirt since I have so many and due to the number of runners, I heard that they ran out during preregistration. However, you could order one on race day and they would send it to you. Many runners could not get to the Jingle Bell Run 2 weeks earlier due to snow, so they decided to do this one. The course starts on the Jerome in Mount Adams and you go by several Mount Adams landmarks like the Celestial, Rookwood Pottery, the Art Museum, Playhouse in the Park, the Krohn Conservatory, the Water Tower and of course Eden Park. In Eden Park, you run around Mirror Lake and up through Seasongood Pavilion back to the finish by the old Rookwood Pottery Builidng which I believe is now a restaurant known as Porkopolis. Post Race featured water, coffee, bananas, and of course Egg Nog. Since it was quite cold, most did not stick around for the the door prizes and awards so I even won a door prize. Egg Nog Jog Results.

Time Change for the Al Salvato Frostbite 5 Mile
After many years of being held at 10:30 AM, the Al Salvato Frostbite 5 mile will be held at 8:30 AM on January 1, 2009 at the Campbell County YMCA. The race honors Al Salvato who passed away in 2006 due to complications from Leukemia. Al was a strong supporter of the YMCA and distance running in Northern Kentucky. He started the race about 25 years ago to raise money for the YMCA's Strong Kids Campaign. For more information about the race, go to getmeregistered.com.

Reindeer Romp Recap

Over 150 people participated in the Reindeer Romp 5k / 10K Race in Crosby Township held on Saturday December 13. Men's winner for the 5k was Ryan Woolley with a time of 17:27. The top woman was Mary Owensby with a time of 22:46. In the 10k, Keith Mills was the top male runner and Debbie Biddle was the top female. You can access the complete results here.

New Book on Northern Kentucky Running
Steve Adkisson, a local running legend has written a book titled Juggernauts: The Making of a Runner & a Team in the First American Running Boom. It recaptures his introduction to distance running and specifically cross country at Lloyd High School. For those that are familiar with Steve and the High School lore of Northern Kentucky Cross Country, the book is a must-read. For those familiar with Northern Kentucky University Cross Country history, the book is a pre-cursor to some of the individuals and events that shaped the teams of the late 70’s on the NKU campus.
It is not strictly a book on running as much as it is a reflection of the influences and attitudes that faced a young man growing up in the early 70’s and the carefree days of youth that everyone can relate to. The book is available for purchase at Barnes & Noble and also at Amazon.com.

Holiday in Lights Run Recap
This year the Holiday in Lights Run took place on Tuesday, December 9 at 6:30 PM. 43 runners showed up for the run on a rainy and relatively warm December evening. The weather was perfect for a marathon but a group run not so much. Most completed the entire route through Krohn Conservatory live Nativity scene, the lights of Mount Adams, and the holiday decorations in downtown Cincinnati from Fountain Square, to the Carew Tower to the Dule Energy Train Staion. Those who did not make the entire run wish that they had as they had to endure a cramped car back to the Williams YMCA. After the run, most met at O’Bryon’s for food and spirits even a few more who could not make the run showed at O'Bryon's to help with the beer and food. Special Thanks to Tom Glasscock for making this event a great success for the umpteenth year in a row and Ed Hunter for being the photographer.

November Poll Results
Here are the updates from the last poll. The last poll asked what is your favorite distance. About 25 people voted in the poll and 5k was the winner with 7 votes followed closely by half marathon with 6 votes. Tied for third was 10k and marathon with 4 votes each. Thank you for those that voted. I will leave the results up another day and a new poll question will be up by Wednesday December 10, 2008.

Holiday Party - January 3
RSVP NOW for another favorite of the Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati - the RCGC Holiday Party!! Definitely no later than December 29, 2008. Seats are limited and will be first come first served. We have a new location for our holiday party which is a little larger, but still cozy. So again, please RSVP ASAP or we may not have room for you!

• What: Christmas Party
  
• When: Saturday, January 3, 2009
  
• Time: 7:00pm-11:00pm
  
• Where: Swaim Park Lodge, Montgomery OH
  Corner of Cooper and Zig Zag Roads in Montgomery.
  Park in the lot on Zig Zag Road.
  
• Who: RCGC and guests (no pets please)
  
• Cost: White Elephant Gift(No fruitcake please)
  
• Info: The Club will provide entree, beverages, condiments, and wares.
  Members are asked to bring the following:
  
  • First names beginning with A-L: Dessert
    
  • First Names beginning with M-Z: Appetizer, side or vegetable
  
  For more information, visit the club calendar. Please email cincinnatirunning@gmail.com by December 29 to RSVP.
  

No Hyde Park Group Run On Tuesday December 9
With the Holiday in Lights Run on Tuesday December 9, 2008, there will be no group run at Hyde Park Square this coming Tuesday. The other group runs will continue as scheduled. All are welcome to attend. If one is near where you live, work or hang out and you would like a change from your usual running routine, come on out and run the city with us.

Straight Street Climb Recap

The Straight Street Climb is the last race in the Cincinnati Hill Climb Series. The Cincinnati Hill Climb Series is a group of races where you sprint up some of Cincinnati's steepest inclines ranging from a quarter to half a mile. About 20 of us decided to partake in this particular form of torture on a cold clear Sunday morning of November 23.
Climbing a hill as part of a 3 mile or a 5 mile run is quite easy if you are from Cincinnati since on most routes you run into nothing but hills. In a long run, you just keep a steady pace up the hill without doing a full out sprint. Also, I had done some hill work on Straight Street from the Clifton Group Run but generally only the top half to get ready for a strong finish. Trying it from a cold stop to a sprint was something for which I was unaccustomed and I had not really trained to do. Since this was my first time, a couple of experienced Hill Climbers said if you feel good after the first 20 yards watch out for the crash in the next 100 yards. They also mentioned that the cold weather could also make this interesting. They were right. I started out feeling quite good the first 20 yards which meant that I went out a little too fast and then the next 100 I was not feeling quite good as my heart was trying to detach itself from my body by going up my esophagus and out my mouth(at least that what it felt like in the next 100 yards). Needless to say rather than risking my heart leaving my body and even though Deaconness Hospital was at the top of Straight Street, I walked some of the distance until I got to the top half for which I trained and resumed running. It did not seem as steep as the lower half and ran in for a relatively strong finish of about four and half minutes. There was not much food post race but I did not feel like eating but they had copious amounts of liquid from Tradewwinds Tea to Hudy Delite Beer.
Overall winners of the race were Greg McCormick, race director for the upcoming Egg Nog Jog in Mount Adams and other races in Cincinnati for the men, and Leisbet Michaels for the women.(Go to the Hill Climb website for complete results.) I may have to ask how he trains for this particular form of torture so I am ready for next years.

Reindeer Romp - December 13, 2008
This year the Reindeer Romp is adding a 10k in addition to the 5k. Entry fee includes long sleeve t-shirt and free pancake breakfast. Race kicks off the Christmas in Crosby celebration. All proceeds benefit the Crosby Kringle Chest which provides toys and other gifts for children at need at Christmas

Race Details
DATE: Saturday,December 13, 2008
TIME: 9:00 AM
PLACE: Crosby Twp Senior Center, 8910 Willey Road Harrison OH
COST: $25 preregistered and $30 on Race Day. Mail in Entries must be postmarked by December 3. Online Registration open until December 9.
INFORMATION: Go to the www.crosbytwp.org for more information or I dare you to click here.

Holiday in Lights Run - December 9, 2008
Join the Club for one of our longest running and favorite events... The Holiday in Lights Run:

• When: Tuesday, December 9th
• Time: 6:30 pm
• Where: Williams YMCA
• What: Run a few miles down to the Square and back
• For: Enjoying the lights of the season.
• Distance: Approximately 7 miles round trip
• Showers: Available at Williams YMCA
• Party: Follows the run at O'Bryons across from the Running Spot
  

Do not worry if you can not make the distance, there will be motorized sleds(aka cars) that can take you from Fountain Square back to the Williams YMCA. Need more information. Check out our calendar.

Great Bearcat Run Recap
Over 70 runners ran the UC campus this past Sunday November 9 at the Great Bearcat Run. Runners and Walkers ran over the various terrains(brick, concrete, asphalt and synthetic grass) of the UC Campus culminating with a finish near the 20 yard line of Nippert Stadium. Congratulations to our overall men's winner Matt Gancedo with a time of 16:57, and overall woman's winner Jennifer Hannen with a time of 20:23. A Big Thank You goes to the UC Running Club and the volunteers who made the race a success. Thank you to our sponsors Bob Ronckers' Running Spot, Panera Bread, RoadId, vitaminWater, and Waltz Business Solutions.
Great Bearcat Run Results

Run/Walk for Fred this Saturday November 15
At the New York City Marathon on November 2, a local Cincinnati runner, Fred Costa collapsed at Mile 22 and was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. He remains hospitalized in critical condition and has not regained consciousness. Fred is 41 years old and has been a dedicated runner for years. He trains with Team in Training, gives countless hours of his time to help others train, to raise funds for local charities and to volunteer at local events. His family remains by his side during this difficult time.
Fred has given so much to the running community that Miles That Matter and Fleet Feet Sports are collecting donations (any amount will help) at these events (and at any time throughout the rest of the year) to help offset medical and other expenses for Fred Costa.

RACE DETAILS:

• RUN/WALK FOR FRED
• SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2008, 7:30 A.M.
• FLEET FEET SPORTS, Blue Ash, Ohio
  

Check the flier for more information.

Group Run Update
Beginning Thursday November 13, the Clifton Group Run will meet at 5:15 PM at the Clifton Recreation Center and the run will be about 30 minutes. Times for the other group runs will remain the same. All are welcome to attend. If one is near where you live, or work, come out and run the city with us.

Weekly Group Run Details:

• Tuesday - 6:30 PM Run - Hyde Park Square - meet by the fountain
• Thursday - 5:15 PM Run(Note change in time) - Clifton Recreation Center - meet in front of Clifton Cultural Arts Center(formerly the Clifton School) next to the Recreation Center.
  
• Saturday - 9:00 AM Run - Delhi Park - meet by the basketball courts.
  

For more information, check our calendar.

Hill Climb Series Returns!
The Cincinnati Hill Climb Series™, the most grueling sub-mile runs on the planet, returns to Cincinnati’s racing calendar in November. Begun over 30 years ago by a subgroup of the Clifton Track Club known as MAHFU(Masochists and Hill Freaks United), the oxygen-depleting sprints up the city’s steepest inclines are back for 2008.

"It’s two minutes of self-inflicted torture, and there's nothing the Geneva Convention can do about it!" said race director Doug Newberry, president of EventFund, LLC, referring to the average winning time for many of the shorter runs.

Proceeds from this race series benefit the Cincinnati Soap Box Derby.

Entry forms for the entire hill series are available at local running stores or at www.thehillclimb.com or www.straightstreethillclimb.com

Registration fee for any of the individual races is $10, or $20 with a custom-designed race series T-shirt that you’ll want to wear to brag about your accomplishment.

Runners are advised that the sponsor will provide plenty of liquids to facilitate recovery upon completion (or not) of the race, but participants should bring their own oxygen.
The next race in the series is Hill St (Mt. Adams) on November 16 and followed by Straight St. on November 23 which you do not want to miss.

Great Bearcat Run Preregistration Ends Early Next Week
Mail in entries for the Great Bearcat Run 5k Run/Walk must be postmarked by this Monday November 3. Online Registration is open until Tuesday November 4. Get the flier or register online now before you forget and the price goes up! Go to this link for more information.

Bob Roncker's Running Spot Grand Opening - Loveland Store only
For those that live in Northeastern suburbs of Cincinnati, Bob Roncker's newly opened store in Loveland will have a grand opening celebration beginning this Saturday November 1 and ending November 9. During this time, there will be giveaway, raffles, and 20% off fall and winter apparel. You can go to his website for more information.

Run Like Hell Recap
I attended this race from 1995 to 2002 and stopped going in 2003 due to other races that I wanted to do and the post race kept giving runners and walkers less and less and the price kept going up and up. The biggest disappointment in 2002 was that it was a Halloween race with no Halloween candy. I went back in 2007 just to check it out and the race especially the post race party definitely was better than 2002 since they had Halloween Candy plus other things. In 2008, there was a new location just down the road due to the construction at Xavier University. Thank goodness, the rain stopped about two hours before race time so more runners and walkers would experience this race. The course was the same as we ran through the Walnut Hills Cemetery with runners and walkers (including me) dressed in costume. The biggest complaint about the race that I got was the start as people ended up running through cars at the first turn onto Dana. Most people had a good time at the post race party as everything is free except the beer and wine. The post race although not as good as the Reggae Run(but what race is) was much better than 2002 and a slight improvement over 2007. I missed out on the burgers, goetta sandwiches, and hot dogs due to the long lines but not the giant chocolate chip cookies by the Panera Booth and of course they had a better mix of Halloween Candy. The highlight of the event is the costume contest which I did not win but there is always next year.

Daylight Saving Time Ends this Weekend
Daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in November which is November 2. Be sure to set your clocks back this weekend. About Daylight Savings Time.

October Poll Results
Here are the updates from the last poll. The last poll asked what gets you out of the house to do a race. 33 people voted in the poll and tradition was the big winner with 22 votes i.e either it is a race that you always did or the race has a great tradition. I really did not specify. Tied for second place place was the race reputation and the race distance(I hear another another poll question) followed by race uniqueness. I have a feeling that most people may be sick of polls so the next one will be up around November 10 and to give you time to look at the full results. Thank you to those that voted.

Club Race Calendar
Check out the club calendar for Cincinnati Road Races. It includes 5Ks, 10Ks, Marathons, Half Marathons, and just about any other distance that you could imagine running. It includes Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati events, and a few regional and national races but mainly Cincinnati and Northern KY local road races. Access the club race calendar.

Miller Lite Lope 5k Recap

This past weekend I was a glutton for punishment. This is one of my favorite races for a couple reasons. They have a nice t-shirt at a great price(One of the few races that I will open my wallet for and get the t-shirt), the venue is the Miller Brewery located outside Trenton Ohio, and the best awards of any race large or small. If you win your age or weight division, you get a case of Miller Lite or if you are under the age of 21 or a tea totaler, Premium Root Beer or Vanilla Creme Soda. The course is a flat two loop run around the brewery. I missed last years due to technical difficulty, but even after doing the Reggae Run the night before, I was not going to miss the 22nd. I was disappointed that the t-shirt was short sleeve as they usually gave a nice long sleeve t-shirt but the design did not disappoint. Also, attendance seemed down from 2006 when I last ran it but it was a great day to run on a Sunday afternoon. Runners and walkers get separate starts as walkers start a half hour before the runners. The post race was bagels, water, and fruit. The awards ceremony seemed to go on for awhile but you always stay to see if you won your age group or division and male runners seem to be the last one that they get to. The biggest shame is that more people do not either know about this race or with the number of races in Southwest Ohio, it gets difficult to fit a unique race like this into your running schedule.

Reggae Run Recap
The Reggae Run is Cincinnati's largest 5k. I have run every one except the 1rst one (out of town) and the 13th one(severe case of Triskaidekaphobia). This past Saturday was the 15th Reggae Run and certainly did not disappoint. They have a great course but extremely crowded, a great reggae band and great party (the best post-race that I have ever seen). This might be my last one as a runner as the 1 mile warm-up to the start from where I park and the sea of several thousand runners and walkers in the race carrying me to the finish is starting to be too much. Maybe next year I will volunteer so I can see how they put this amazing race together.

Great Bearcat Run - November 9, 2008
After a brief hibernation, the Great Bearcat Run returns to the University of Cincinnati Campus on November 9, 2008 at 9:00 AM. Proceeds benefit the UC Running Club and the Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati Scholarship Program. It also pushes the number of races in the Cincinnati area back to 1000.

Race Details
DATE: Sunday,November 9, 2008
TIME: 9:00 AM
PLACE: UC Campus, Gettler Stadium, Cincinnati OH
COST: $16 preregistered - General Public; $12 for Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati Members and $12 to UC Students/Faculty/Staff. Mail in Entries must be postmarked by November 3. Online Registration open until Tuesday November 4. Race Day Registration is $20 and opens at 8:00 AM near Gettler Stadium. No discounts on Race Day.
INFORMATION: 5k Run/Walk begins by Gettler Stadium, tours the pathways of the UC Campus and finishes in Nippert Stadium. Postrace features bagels, beverages, bananas, and doorprizes. Sponsored by the UC Running Club, Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati, Bob Roncker's Running Spot, RoadID, VitaminWater, and Waltz Business Solutions.

Two Races in October Cancelled
During the blackout, I found out that two races normally scheduled for the month of October were cancelled. They are the Hyde Park Minstry in Motion and the Fire Hydrant 5000 in Lebanon. It now drops the number of races held in the Cincinnati area to under a 1000.:)

Back after the Blackout
You may have noticed that over the past two weeks there was little to no activity on the blog. Well Cincinnati had a severe windstorm that knocked out power and it also knocked out my internet for almost two weeks. With no internet, the only thing that I could could do is run. Now that I have internet, I will add several updates over the next couple of days.

17th Annual Run Like Hell
Run Like Hell isn't your normal 5K. Join thousands of costumed runners for the biggest and "Best Fun Run in Cincinnati" (voted by Cincy Magazine in 2007)! Enjoy food, drinks and live music by Forehead at the After Party!
Want to do more than just run? Form a team! Put together a group of your co-workers, friends or family members for a Run Like Hell fundraising team! The CF Foundation staff will help you along the way with tips to make your team successful. With your help, make CF stand for "Cure Found"!

Race Details
DATE: Friday,October 24, 2008
TIME: 7:30 PM
PLACE: Corner of Dana and Woodburn Ave, Cincinnati OH
COST: $30 preregistered. Mail in Entries must be postmarked by October 15. Online Registration open until October 18(no online processing fees). Race Day Registration is $35.
INFORMATION: 5k Run through Walnut Hills Cemetery begins as daylight ends. After the run, find the food and drinks you need to re-fuel, and the live music to get you rocking through the night. For more information, visit www.cincyrunlikehell.com.

Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati Group Runs Resume Tuesday September 16
The Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati group runs will resume next week beginning on Tuesday September 16. All are welcome to attend. If one is near where you live or work and you would like good company, come join us.

Weekly Group Run Details:

• Tuesday - 6:30 PM Run - Hyde Park Square - meet by the fountain
• Thursday - 6:30 PM Run - Clifton Recreation Center - meet between the Center and Clifton Cultural Arts Center(formerly the Clifton School)
• Saturday - 9:00 AM Run - Delhi Park - meet by the basketball courts.
  

RRCA Run@Work Day - Friday September 19, 2008
The goal of the RRCA National Run@Work Day is to raise awareness about the importance of daily physical activity for adults. Please run or walk at least thirty five minutes on September 19, 2008 in support of the RRCA National Run@Work Day. Also, get your coworkers, friends and others to join you for your 35 minute run. If you do not have a run to attend, the Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati will celebrate Run@Work Day by inviting all Cincinnati area runners to a run in Clifton at 6:00 PM. The UC Running Club will be there with us as they kick off the school year.

RCGC Run@Work Day Details
DATE: Friday, September 19, 2008
TIME: 6:00 PM
PLACE: Gettler Stadium, UC Campus
INFORMATION: Celebrate RRCA's Run@Work Day with the Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati on Friday September 19th at 6:00 pm in a casually-paced 4-5 mile run. All are invited. All paces welcome. Free of charge(includes a t-shirt from a past club race while they last).Refreshments provided after the run. Parking available on campus and side streets.

Harvest Home 5K Run/Walk
This is another race on the West Side of Cincinnati. With over 100 races in the area, it is nice that a few are going to the west side of town. The race was this past Sunday September 7 and put on by the Westside Running Club and part of the Harvest Home Fair at Harvest Home Fair Park in Cheviot. I ran this race about 5 years ago and there were 120 runners. This race had about 200 runners and I got a goody bag and t-shirt this time. The race started by the Park went down North Bend to Harrison Avenue and eventually on to Westward Northern Boulevard back to North Bend and down a few side streets in Cheviot to a finish on the other side of the park. It is rolling hill course as the first mile is downhill, the second mile uphill, and the third mile I really do not remember much about the third mile as I was dizzy. At least, it was not an out and back course which our club and most directors specialize in. Post race was solid with Bagels, Cookies, a new water from Snapple and regular water. Awards probably took the longest time and I heard that it was attributed to computer problems as they pulled Bib tags at the finish. Lots of door prizes but I did not win any so that is a negative. Overall a positive experience except for one slight problem with the awards.

Nike+ Human Race recap
Cincinnati participated in the largest running event on the planet with a fun run rather than race for the Nike+ Human Race. The run started and finished at the Kenwood Town Centre with about 15 daring souls to run. Registration was at the Finish Line Store in the Town Centre. For running the race in Cincinnati, you got a drifit shirt. The race number was imprinted on the shirt to make sure that you wore the shirt during the run. It was humid at 8:00 AM in the morning. When they mentioned that they were going to be 2 waterstops, I wanted to add Stacy Osbornes famous punchline - at the start and the finish! It started a few minutes late but no one seemed to mind. Since I am very unfamiliar with that part of town, I have no idea where we ran but there were waterstops at the 2 mile and 4 mile mark. With nobody really pushing me, I ran the 10k in about 65 minutes. After the run, post race was bagels, fruit, clif energy bars, and doorprizes. The only complaint that was the lack of publicity to the event and also trying to find information about the event like time and place.

Rohne Race Results
If you have not checked out the club website recently, results have been posted for the
Brian Rohne Race held on Friday August 15. Take me to the results.

New Poll on the Blog
There is a new poll on the blog for the month of September. In the last poll would chip timing influence you to run a race. 7 people voted(Nice to have 7 readers). 5 said it would not influence their decision and 2 said it would. This months poll follows same vein and you can select more than one choice so vote in the poll.

Prediction Run and Picnic Recap
The Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati crowned a new champion psychic this year at the prediction run on Sunday August 24 as Lonnie Smith was unable to attend and make it 3 straight in 2008. Misha McCormick won the 2008 prediction run. His predicted time was 15:30 which was 17 seconds off his actual time of 15:13. He was also first across the finish line. About 12 members and guests participated in race conditions that were warm and muggy. No watches are permitted and no split times are given so runners had to use the force or call on the spirit of Carnac the Magnificent to guess how they would run on 2.5 mile course. Rounding out the top 3 were Laura Wagner(30 seconds off her predicted time) and Nancy Zadek(56 seconds off her predicted time). Bill Hardy opted to not defend his 2007 Magic 8 Ball Award as it told him not to run in this year's run and he gladly volunteered as timer and starter. New comer Patrick Evans won the Magic 8 Ball as he was some 12 minutes off his predicted time. Hopefully it will help him with next year's race. Thank yous go to Tom Glasscock and Elizabeth Beals for helping with the prediction race as time recorder and course marshal.
Special Thank you goes to Mark and Kim Retta. Mark served as last minute master chef cooking up hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers and chicken patties and Kim neatly arranged the appeaking desserts appetizers and sides.

RRCA Run@Work Day - Friday September 19, 2008
The goal of the RRCA National Run@Work Day is to raise awareness about the importance of daily physical activity for adults. Please run or walk at least thirty five minutes on September 19, 2008 in support of the RRCA National Run@Work Day. Also, get your coworkers, friends and others to join you for your 35 minute run.

Bob Roncker's Running Spot Thursday Group Run
With the RCGC Cross Country Series coming to a close and needing to spend my Thursdays somewhere, I went to the Thursday Group Run at Bob Roncker's. About 5-10 people typically meet on Thursday at 6:30 PM at the store in O'Bryonville for a relatively long run usually 5-8 miles. On August 21 I was a little late, and it was a special Thursday in O'Bryonville so parking was more of a challenge. There were about 5 people stretching and getting ready to run. Most of the runners that I met were getting ready for a fall marathon as I heard much talk about the past Saturday long run of 17-18 miles. The heat probably was a factor due to the low turnout. This week, they decided to go for about an hour since some of them had plans on a Thursday. There are several courses to choose from the Store as it has been there for over 25 years. This time we ran through Hyde Park, one of the more popular, safe and scenic areas for running in Cincinnati. We ran about 50-60 minutes and finished by the store. Overall a nice experience and they will get more people on Thursday when Bob's Thanksgiving Day Race Training Group begins.

Brian Rohne Race Recap
Over 150 runners covered the course on the NKU Campus. Congratulations to the overall men's winner Drew Harris with a time of 15:36, and overall woman's winner Michelle Thomas with a time of 18:36. For a list of overall results, go to our website at www.cincinnatirunning.com.

New Running Spot in Loveland
The Runner's Depot, in the historic district of the city of Loveland, occupying the old train station on the Loveland Bike Trail, opened as a Bob Roncker's Running Spot this past weekend. It will be the third Running Spot in the Greater Cincinnati area. They have a location in Glendale and the original store in O'Bryonville.
The new Running Spot will provide extensive footwear solutions in running, walking, cross training, and hiking to meet the needs of the growing Loveland area and surrounding communities.

Nike+ Human Race Training Group Run
I attended this running group last Wednesday August 20 at the Finish Line in Kenwood Towne Centre. The heat probably kept the number of runners down as they were about 8-10 of us who decided to run in the heat with half of them staff. We ran only 30 minutes due to the heat and needless to say I struggled with the heat among other things. I did finish in one peice and they did have water, powerade, cliff bars. For showing up, I got a t-shirt for participating and I won a pair of socks. They meet every Wednesday night at 6:30 PM and Saturday morning at 8:00 AM at the Finish Line at Kenwood Towne Centre through the month of August to prepare you for the Nike+ Human Race. For participating in either the Group Run or Human Race, you get a t-shirt and the opprotunity to win fabulous door prizes like a finish line gift card, a Pair of Nike Socks. Hurry there are only two runs in the training group left before the Nike+ Human Race. This Wednesday at 6:30 pm and next Saturday at 8:00 AM. The Nike+ Human Race will take place on Sunday August 31 at 8:00 AM at the Kenwood Towne Centre.

Nike+ Human Race - August 31
The Nike+ Human Race is the world's largest running event. Nike has organized 25 physical race cities around the world, but the Nike+ Human Race is truly open to everyone.
Cincinnati will also participate and there is a training group for it. The training group is free, includes a few freebies and meets every Wednesday Night at 6:30 PM and Saturday Mornings at 8 AM at the Finish Line Store in the Kenwood Towne Centre through the month of August. You can show up on Wednesday Eevning or Saturday morning to run with the group.
The race (more a fun run than a race) will be on Sunday,August 31 at 8 AM from the Kenwood Towne Centre. It is free, and includes a t-shirt, and doorprizes. To guarantee a T-shirt, please sign up online. Nike+ Human Race Information.

RCGC Summer Picnic - August 24
This Sunday August 24 is the Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati Summer Picnic. Please bring something to share with other club members. We have cornhole, frisbee , wiffle ball and much more

• Location: Swaim Park
• Date: Sunday, August 24, 2008
• Time: 3:00 - 8:00 pm
  

Last names beginning with:

• A-K: bring a dessert
• L-Z: bring a side,salad, or appetizer
• Club provides meats, drinks, plastic ware, condiments...
  

If you need directions, get them from the club website.

Summer Prediction Run
As part of the summer picnic is the Summer Prediction Run at Swaim Park. See how fast you think that you can run 2.5 miles.

Race Details:

• Location: Swaim Park
• Date: Sunday, August 24, 2008
• Time: 3:30 PM give or take 15 minutes.
• Rules: No watches allowed during the race. Awards given to the runners closest to their predicted times. Special award given to one who really needs help with their prognostication.

Fleet Feet Tuesday Group Run
I was planning to do the Runners' Depot of Loveland 5k on Tuesday night at 6:30 PM but due to a late start and slow traffic on Interstate 71 between Norwood Lateral and Blue Ash forced a change of plans to hit the group run at Fleet Feet. The group meets on Tuesday and Thursday at Fleet Feet in Blue Ash at 6:30 PM. When I got there, I was shocked at the number of people in attendance. They had at least 50 or it seemed like 50. Later I found out that they have training programs that meet on Tuesday for the Fall Marathons so everybody runs together. With so many runners, the training plan for today was intervals. After breaking us into to groups, we went down Kenwood Road to Belleview Avenue to Donjoy. Although the day was comfortable, they had water and gatorade for replenishment. The interval was from Donjoy to Kenwood Road and back. You could do it 1-4 times. I did it 3 times. It was quite a different workout than I normally do. I did about 5.5 miles of running with a few hills. Overall, it was nice to get out of the running that I usually do. Even though I know about intervals, I typically do not do many of them unless I am on a track. Many are training for a fall marathon, but they will gladly welcome another runner.

Crazy 8 Race Recap
About 50 runners braved the hills, the fallen trees and the steps last Friday at the Crazy 8 on 8-8-8 Trail Race in Mount Airy Forest. Nobody got lost on the trail that we laid or least that I know about and we had only a few scrapes and falls. Congratulations to our overall men's winner Tom Lee with a time of 30:25, and overall woman's winner the appropriately named Kristen Mudd with a time of 45:00. The Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati first attempt at a trail race was a success. A big thank you goes to our volunteers Tom Glasscock, Katie Jadeed, Nick Kleiner, Jenny Rudy, Doug Ruedesil, Mike Smith, and Ryan Woolley for helping make it a success. Crazy 8 Race Results.

Summer Cross Country Series Race #8 - August 7,2008
The weather was comfortable for a Thursday Night in August as over 50 runners showed up for race #8. Although the weather was comfortable, race director Stacy Osborne still set up the two waterstops for the course - one at the start and one at the finish. Stacy gave the first time runners some running advice(Ignore your coach's advice about going out slow and sprint out at the start as fast as you can. When you collapse on the hills in back, you will know not to go out so fast the next time.). He also recognized the current president of the Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati and got everybody to do a Men in Black 2 cheer (All Hail T! All Hail T!(name omitted to protect the guilty)). Over two months of running, the course was still in good shape. I had to leave early so I did not know who the winners were for this race. This Thursday, August 14 is the last race of the series. Come out and see how you will do on the course.

To Chip or Not to Chip
The Downtown Dash featured chip timing which was the primary cause for registration problems as the volunteers had to enter the chip number and race number into only one computer so 2 volunteers had to service one runner at a time. Chip Timing might be overkill in this case as they gave awards to the top 5 males and top 5 females and had 230 runners( I was at a seminar where the speaker basically pointed out that to purchase much less rent chip timing for a race with less than 300 runners/walkers is not the best use of time). Two of Cincinnati's larger races, The Reggae Run(with over 6,000 runners/walkers) and Run Like Hell(with over 2000 runners/walkers) give awards to the top 50 males and top 50 females and do not use chip timing as the party is the main draw. They use a couple of people to determine the winners as they finish. However to promote the race, chip timing may have gotten the Downtown Dash a few more people to run the race than they otherwise would have gotten. Also, runners from competitive to recreational want more accurate timing even if the race has only 100 runners. Chip timing is the most accurate, but it is more manpower intensive than bib pull tags(direct a race and see how much manpower it takes to make a large race much less a small race to be successful). If a race featured chip timing, are you more likely to run it?(see poll question)

Downtown Dash - Recap
This race was part of St. Xavier's Block Party on Friday night August 1 and also the first year of the race. Over 230 people(click here for results) attended the race which was more than they expected as they ran out of shirts and had some issues with registration. It seems like many first year races underestimate how many people show up for a race and registration turns into a nightmare. I waited about a half hour in 90 degree heat to get my bib and champion chip. To make matters worse, only two people handled registration so they used the same line for both race day registration and preregistered runners. As a result, some preregistered runners did not get their shirt. Hopefully, the race organizers will send it to them(some races will send you a shirt and some races won't send you a shirt depends on the organization handling the race). The problems at registration delayed the start by about 15-20 minutes. Some of the runners were actually disappointed with the race due to registration but also there were no mile markers on the course to let runners know how they were doing and the course was longer than a 5k. According to the course on the website, runners were supposed to run to the intersection of Ida and Eden Park and turnaround but actually ran up to the roundabout in Eden Park which added about .2 to the course. The post race party was okay with energy bars, vitamin water and one free drink. If they do the race next year, hopefully the problems with registration and course will be fixed.

Runners' Conference 2008 - Myths and Truths about Running

Commonwealth St. Elizabeth Sports Medicine will host the 2008 Runner's Conference. This conference provides competitive and recreational runners with key information about injury prevention, training and conditioning guidelines, the psychology of running and nutrition for the runner. Author Hal Higdon is the keynote speaker.

2008 Runner's Conference Details

• Date: Saturday, August 9
• Time: 8 a.m. - Noon
  *Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast provided.
• Where: Thomas More College - Holbrook Student Center
• Cost: $25
• Presented by: Commonwealth St. Elizabeth Sports Medicine
• Sponsored by: St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers, Meters & Miles, Fleet Feet Sports, Florence Chiropractic, Gaitwell O & P, Five Seasons Sports Club, Brooks, Pearl iZumi, GU Energy Gel, Elations, Volkswagon, Gateway Community and Technical College, Thomas More College, Egelston-Maynard Sports
  

Summer Cross Country Series Race #7
It was hotter than the hinges in hell so Stacy had two waterstops on the course - one at the start and one at the finish. It was too hot for me to count how many people were there, but I guess about 30. Randy King was the top runner with a time of 16:09. I believe that he cracked the top ten fastest times at the Princeton Course with that performance - more remarkable due to the heat. Again it was too warm to wait for the top women to finish and Stacy is a year older. There are only two races left before an end to the 40th Annual series.

Race Party Friday in August
In the month of August, there are races on the first three Fridays. The Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati is associated with two of them. Details of the three August Friday races are below:

• This Friday August 1, Downtown Dash, 7:00 PM, St. Xavier Church, 6th and Sycamore Street, Cincinnati OH. Race information available at www.downtowndash.org.
• Friday August 8, RCGC Crazy 8 on 8-8-8 ,8k Trail Run, 7:00 pm, Mount Airy Forest, Race flier, course map and online registration available at www.cincinnatirunning.com.
• Friday August 15,14th Annual Brian Rohne Memorial 5k Run/Walk, 7:00 pm, Northern Kentucky University, Steve Kruse, 859-572-5193. Online Registration and race flier available at www.cincinnatirunning.com.

Summer Cross Country Series Race #6
More people than I could count(I stopped at 30 when the gun went off ) showed up for the July 24 run at Princeton Community Middle School. Compared to last week, it felt like fall with low humidity and temperatures in the low 80's. Brian Bea won the men's race as he outfoxed a top cross country runner from Lakota West High School at the finish. I heard from several unreliable sources that Race Director Stacy Osborne(now a year older) and his trusty sidekick Mike Smith(just recovering from the prior weekend's Tahoe 50K Trail Race) started to to tear down the course before the first woman crossed so I have no idea who the top female was. Rumor has it that if they waited in their current condition of old age and insanity(Who in their right mind runs a 50k in mid-July?), they might be taking down the course until the next day. The next race in the series will be Thursday, July 31 at 7:00 PM at Princeton Middle School.

13th Annual Backpack Trail Race at East Fork Lake State Park-Recap
The Backpack Trail Race is Cincinnati's Oldest Trail Race and it is also the most unique race in the area. The goal of the race is to attempt to have all the runners finish at the same time as each runner is handicapped based on age, sex(male or female), and now performance in other races from the Dirt Trail Series. The slower that you are the earlier you start and the faster that you are the later that you start. Typically they alter the course from year to year as you run one direction one year and the opposite direction the following year. Over 100 people showed up for the 13th Annual Race. The unexpected uphill start killed me along with the heat, humidity, and of course more hills. The postrace was unique and quite good due to the Unwritten Chef. Top five finishers were Jordan Payne, Heather Poast, Kristen Mudd, Amy Bancroft and William Rathkamp. If you want complete results or net times, go to www.runningtime.net.

Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati Blog
For about 4 years, the Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati has had a blog unbeknownst to the Cincinnati running community. 4 years ago also was the last time that it was updated until now. The blog will feature recaps of running events like races, group runs, and fun runs in the Cincinnati area, and of course more shameless promotions of club events. Eventually, it will give you a chance for some quick feedback and comments about events in the area.

Summer Cross Country Series Race #5
Over 60 people showed up for the July 17 run at Princeton Community Middle School. It was hot and humid and of course there were two waterstops - one at the start and one at the finish. The heat must have gotten to the race director(Stacy Osborne) as he had trouble remembering the male and female winners since they were new to the series and with the heat he and all of us wanted to get out of it pretty quickly. The top male was from the Running Spot with a time of 16:55 and the top female was a freshman from Oak Hills High School with a time of about 20:05. The next race will be this Thursday at 7:00 PM Princeton Middle School. The turnout should increase with more teams getting ready for the upcoming cross country season. See you there.

Tuesday Group Run at Mojo Running
This past Tuesday went to the Group Run at Mojo Running. Mojo Running is located on Union Centre Blvd in the US Bank Centre next to Chipotle. They have been open for a little over a year. While the club group runs are on summer break, I decided to take a tour of the other group runs in the area. Since Mojo Running is the furthest out, I decided to go there and work my way back down to where I live. Anyway, it was hot and humid and the group run leader is Mark who is also a store manager. About a dozen runners showed up for the run which considering the heat and sumer vacations seemed to me a good turnout. Mark had two routes for us. One was a 4 mile route and the other was a 6 mile route. Since I have to taper for Thursday's cross country series, I chose the 4 mile route. I was running with three other people who chose the 4 mile route. One was training for the Augusta Half Marathon. The other two were a husband and wife getting back into running and soon to be moving to Lawrenceburg Indiana. They are looking for group runs on that side of town. I knew about races in Indiana, but group runs are a completely different story. Maybe the club will have to put one there. We followed the route okay initially but we got busy talking with each other that we missed our turn so we had to come up with a new route. The new route took us down Cincinnati Dayton Road and then we decided to take Allen Road by the new Ikea Store. There were no sidewalks, but the berms (I think that is what they are called) were pretty wide on Cincinnati-Dayton Road, not so much on Allen between Cin-Day Road and the IKEA Store. We managed to hook up with some of the runners from the 6 mile route and found our way back to the store. The store did have water for the runners. Overall it was good experience, and the courses were nice and flat. They also have another group run on Saturday which goes longer. Recently, they moved the group run time on Saturday from 8:00AM to 7:30 AM. Runners of all abilities are welcome to either group run. If you happen to live or work in the area, the group runs are worth checking out.

13th Annual Sayler Park 5k
There are not many races on the West Side of Cincinnati. Even fewer that are less than 10 minutes drive from where I live. The race was this past Saturday July 12 and put on by the Cincinnati Recreation Commission. The race had about 170 runners /walkers and a very reasonable race day entry fee of $10(T-shirt not included). The race ran through the the streets and neighborhood of Sayler Park. The course was flat overall and the neighborhood of Sayler Park is a nice place to run with big large houses, neighborhood businesses etc. I ran a pretty slow 29 minutes. Post race was good with bagels, and cream cheese, water, cookies, bananas, and I believe gatorade. The only problem was that they were a little slow with awards. They used finish cards which sometimes makes results take a little longer rather than the standard bib tear offs. Hopefully, they will post results at their website so I can see how I did.

Summer Cross Country Series
The Runners' Club of Greater Cincinnati Summer Cross Country Series is in its 40th year of existence and is Cincinnati's second longest running contribution to the racing scene behind the Thanksgiving Day Race. The Series runs every Thursday at 7:00 PM at Princeton Middle School until August 14 so we are almost half way done. Admission is free. The 3 mile cross country course is spectator friendly and there will be two waterstops - one at the start and one at the finish.

el Presidente

14th Annual Brian Rohne 5k Run/Walk - August 15
Brian Rohne was the most valuable athlete for the Men's Cross Country team at Northern Kentucky University in 1992. Brian was fatally injured in January 1993 on a training run and the race is held in his name. The race raises money for the Northern Kentucky University Cross Country team. Pre-registration is $18.00 which includes a shirt. For Runner's Club members pre-registration is $15.00 which includes a shirt. Race Day is $20 with the shirt while supplies last.

Race Details:

* When: August 15, 2008
* Time: 7:00 pm
* Where: Albright Health Center, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights KY
* Distance: 5k.
* Cost: $18 Pre-registration(includes T-shirt). RCGC Members $15 with T-shirt. Race Day Registration is $20(T-shirt included while supplies last). For more information, check the website www.cincinnatirunning.com. We hope to see you there.

Crazy 8 on 8-8-8 - August 8, 2008
We hashed on 6-6-6, we raced on 7-7-7 so let's go crazy on 8-8-8 with the RCGC Crazy 8 on 8-8-8 at Mount Airy Forest at 7:00 PM. The club will venture for the first time in a long time into trail running with an 8K Trail Run. Top 8 Males and Top 8 Females get awards. Pregistration is $8.88 (add $8 for a T-shirt). Race day registration is $16(add $8 for a T-shirt). Racing fliers must be postmarked by Friday August 1, 2008. Online registration will be available through Monday August 4, 2008. For more information, check our website www.cincinnatirunning.com. We hope to see you there.