Welcome Yankee Runners

Manned Water Stops, Saturday, September 4

Our manned water stops are a way of getting an idea of what water stops will be on race day. There is no stopping sipping and socializing. What there is, is maybe slowing to a fast walk grabbing a cup and get going. This event requires some volunteers. I have listed the water stops and approximate times when volunteers will be needed. Slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis. All the volunteers need to do is show up with a card table and be able to fill cups with water or Gatorade. The supplies will already be in place. There is no real pressure if the weather turns out to be bad and some volunteers fail to show up we will be no worse off then any other week. I tell volunteers if the weather is bad stay at home. So don’t let fear of weather keep you from signing up. It is my hope that we can keep track of who is the last group out and they can tell volunteers when they can go home which may be before the prescribed time. I will talk about this more in the near future.

Waterstop	Time	Volunteer
159th	7:10-7:30	Lauren Heller
151st	7:20-7:50	The James Bruce Family
143rd	7:35-8:15	Jimmy Getz
131st	7:50-8:45	The Finn Family
Ballfields	8:00-9:10	Sig Ancevicius and Daughters
131st	8:45-9:25	Rob Brown, Chris Gambotz and Families
143rd	8:55-9:40	Jimmy Getz
151st	9:00-10:15	Roach family
159th	9:10-10:30	The Strilko Family

Bike the Course With Spero, Sunday, September 12

The date for “Bike with Spero” has been set. On September 12, 2010 we will meet at 6:45 and promptly at 7:00am we will depart from Jackson and Columbus. We will travel through the streets of downtown before heading north to Lincoln Park. When it is all said and done we will have traveled 26.2 miles. We will have seen all of what the enemy has in store. We will know what to expect and how to deal with it.

This event to me is one of the most enjoyable events we offer. I have ran 10 Chicago Marathons before last year’s bike ride. I saw things on the bike ride I had never noticed during any of my previous races. This is not a race; this is a leisurely bike ride with some great people. If you are training for your first marathon we will be glad to tell you what to expect as we travel along the racecourse. I will have snacks around ½ way. It is a good idea to think about how to keep yourself hydrated along the way. I think we may have one spot in the Lincoln Park area where we stop at a local convenient store and buy something to drink. You can always carry some water or Gatorade. We may again stop somewhere around mile 21 for drinks. While this is not a race you should be able to peddle a little faster for a short stretch should we become separated.

Don’t think you can show up in your car at Columbus and Jackson at 7:00am. You need to arrive early enough to find a parking location that suits your needs. There is a parking garage very close, and with the free Sunday parking we once enjoyed gone, that may not be a bad idea. Car-pooling can help. Also you need to check your bike out in advance.

I don’t want to scare anybody off; we will ride at an easy pace. If you have any questions please ask Spero or me.

Ready to Run 20-Miler South Side Style, Sunday, September 19

R2R 20 miler South Side style: Let me tell you how CARA planned the day. We drive to Foster Ave beach (5200 North) and park our cars. We then find our group. We will be in groups of 50 starting with the R/W followed by the 7:30 milers. The first wave will start at 6:30. When our pace and our group within that pace is called we start and run to the South Shore Cultural Center (7100 South). We party as long as we want with some finger food, drinks, and live music. The beach is there if you dare to take a dip. When you are ready to leave you board a school bus and CARA will drive you back to your car. Remember: Your car is 5200 North and we are 7100 South. Where do you live? Why would you go back to 5200 North?

Now let me tell you how we do it on the South Side. Before 5:00am, we park our cars in a yet to be determined lot of the South Shore Cultural Center. We may have to pay to park for the first time this year. Worst case scenario it will be $7.00. CAR POOL. We pay another $5.00 to Joe for the bus. Then we board school buses and are bused to Foster Ave. Beach. We join our group and run back to our cars. We will have a Weber grill and plenty of charcoal. We will have REAL food to eat. Like last year we will have sandwich steaks, which I will cook. I will have tomatoes and lettuce for your sandwich if you want anything else let me know. In the past other people have brought stuff to share. It seems to turn into quite a picnic. We could use a couple folding tables and you should bring your own lawn chair. When we are done we get in our cars and we are almost home.

The bad part is if you are a back of the pack runner you may not start until around 7:30. This year the Yankee Runners will implement Jen’s plan, which is brilliant. There will be a gear check at the start. You will be able to check gear before you start your run and it will be waiting for you at the finish. This will allow you to dress appropriately while you wait to get started. Some of our runners last year got dropped off up north and picked up at the end. This is a good option if you can work it out.

I will be looking for a head count next week on September 4 for how many of you plan on taking the bus.

Run to the Finish Before the Start, Sunday, September 26

On Sunday, September 26, 2010, we will run the last 6 miles of the marathon course. This year we hope to have group leaders for several paces. We will let you know what paces will be available.

We will run the end of the course taking in all the sights. We will familiarize ourselves with the twist and turns of the course. All this will be done while we are fresh and full of energy. We will become one with the streets. When we next see the twist and turns we will not be so fresh but we will still be one with the streets. We will know we can finish this thing because we have already done it. We will not fear the hill on Roosevelt we will welcome it. To us it will be no more then a speed bump on our way to the glory that is finishing a marathon.

We will meet at the Illinois School Bus Company located at 13939 S. Cicero ave at 6:45am. The bus will depart promptly at 7:00am. It will drop off two groups, the first one at Cermack & Wentworth which is around 21.5. The second group will be dropped off at Cermack and Halsted which is about 20.5. You will have one hour to get to the finish line. The bus will pick us up at Columbus and Balbo and return us to 139th & Cicero. We will be back by 10:00am. The cost is $5.00 to be collected as you board the bus.

This is a very worth while event. At that stage of the training there is NOTHING you can do that would be more beneficial then running the last miles.