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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.:)

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.

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.

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.