Can you believe it? Summer is over. But weren't July and August simply marvelous running months? In early July, I ran my fourth Boilermaker in Utica, NY, and had the pleasure of being able to personally thank Frank Shorter for his spending time with us the Friday night before the Classic 10K in June.I passed Shorter on the course at about mile 4, and noticed him because so many of the fans lining the course were calling out to him.
In late July I had the pleasure of running about seven miles in the beautiful Black Rock Forest preserve. If you can get over the climb up from the bottom parking lot, you are in for a special treat.
Covering 3400 acres of the Hudson Highlands just outside of downtown Cornwall, Black Rock has a mix of trails and old roads that can be mixed and matched for runs of varying lengths. Views along some of the roads and trails are spectacular. And all right here in our backyard. Some of us from the ORC will be heading up in late September, so please look for a notice and join us. With the change in leaf colors, it will be certain to please.
In early August, dozens of ORC members completed the Catskill Mountain Road Relay, a team event that is as much fun as running can get.
Connecting with other runners of like interests and abilities, is what club membership is all about. And meeting members with different interests might even expand your horizons a little. I hadn't run a team relay ever in my life until several ORC friends encouraged me to do so.
So I implore you. Come out to our next monthly meeting. Make some new friends. Put a name to a face you have been seeing on the race scene, even if you only see it briefly as it passes you a hundred yards from the finish line. ORC membership has its privileges. Take full advantage of it.
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The Orange Runners Club is looking for potential speakers for the Monthly Meetings. So far this year, we have been entertained, educated and regaled by some truly interesting people. In March, we learned about the physical and mental benefits of yoga. In April, we heard about the Long Path and great ways to mix up your training and running regimen with local trail runs.
If you missed the August meeting (guilty as charged), you missed ORC member Bill Braine talk about how he has become a fairly regular contributor to Runner's World magazine. And he even read a piece or two for the attendees.
And who could forget Frank Shorter, Olympic Marathon Gold medalist, visiting with us for more than an hour during Classic 10K weekend? Not bad eh? The ORC rocks, and it is greatly due to the hard work from President Todd Jennings and his board. Thank you to all of the board members for your dedication.
So the question is: who would you like to hear speak at an upcoming Monthly Meeting? Let us know. Even if the name of a speaker doesn't come to mind, tell us about the subject matter, and we'll see if we can find the speaker.
So what are you waiting for? Lace 'em up and get out there already!!!
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