October 2024 Newsletter

Racing Updates: 

• The next race in the UVRS series is the Tiger Run 5K/12K in Enfield NH on October 27th
• The CHaD HERO Half Marathon & 5k is on Sunday October 20th. We encourage you to race either distance (or pace! See Volunteer Opportunities below)
• If you’re itching for a 5k, but don’t want to deal with traveling or even registration, consider jumping into the Hanover High School XC meet on Wednesday October 9th at 5p! It is FREE and open to the public, featuring their new and improved course on the Dresden Athletic Fields and trails in Norwich. There is no need to pre-register, but if a group of more than three individuals know you will be racing, it would be helpful if you could contact HHS Athletics (nikkiboyle@hanovernorwichschools.org) to give them an idea of approximately how many racers will be attending.

Tuesday Night Track: We are continuing to enjoy the crisp weather and foliage at our TNT Fall location. We meet at the pin here every Tuesday at 5:30p and you can find parking at the rugby field just past the traffic circle. Don’t forget your headlamps soon! A few quick notes about TNT if you haven’t come:

• The Coach thinks of a workout that is challenging to help you push yourself
• It is a workout meaning it's a time to work on your speed and endurance. That being said, the cross country course is a mix of gravel and grass, and has a few undulations, which makes it “slower” than the track. Come ready to work on your “race pace effort” and worry less about “race pace”. The fact that you’re willing to show up and run means you’re already putting in the work. There’s no need to be a “racer” to work hard. 
• YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THE WORKOUT AS PRESCRIBED! It is a recommendation and a good alignment point for you and your fellow runners. You can totally choose to do more or less or modify as needed
• Show up and run even if you don’t think you can or want to do the workout! I promise you it’s easier to work hard in a group of motivated peers than to do the workout on your own
• It’s for everyone. All paces  

Runner’s Nights Out: Every Second Tuesday of the month we head over to Hanover Ramuntos for free pizza on the club! Come hang out with your pals after Tuesday Night Track, and eat FREE PIZZA!

• October 8th (Newsletter editor apologies for publishing this a day late - mark your calendars for November)
• November 12th
• December 10th

Saturday Morning Runs: EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! Saturday morning runs will return to a 9AM start time until the Spring. We meet in front of Omer and Bobs for a chiller social run. People break out into groups based on pace and route and head off. Afterwards we meet on the Leb Green for baked goods or head over to Lucky’s Coffee for some breakfast!

Volunteer Opportunities

In case you missed it we’re doing a 2024 UVRC VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE see the March Newsletter for full details! 

Every year, UVRC provides pacers for the CHaD HERO Half Marathon. The course features the biggest hills near the Ledyard bridge, which is why they annually call in the experts (that’s us!) to help runners reach their goal paces. Many of you have already signed up and we are so thankful! Pacing is quite fulfilling and we know the racers appreciate it too. If you are still interested in signing up, there are a few pace groups that still need helpers (2:05 and 2:15 half marathons), and others we can triple up on. The more the merrier! And the more to share carrying the pacer sign :) You can sign up here, and search for the UVRC Pacers team. The race is October 20, 2024. Of course, you are also encouraged to race the half marathon, race the 5k, or go cheer!

The September entry in the Upper Valley Running Series (UVRS) was the Sharon Sprouty! Congratulations to all of the UVRC participants. You can see the latest participation and scoring on the UVRS website:

http://bit.ly/uvrs2024

Be sure to let me know of any corrections, especially name misspellings can lead to your result getting missed.

The next race in the series: October 27th, the Tiger Run 5K/12K in Enfield NH. Always a fun race.

https://sites.google.com/view/tigerunnh/home

So, what is this UVRS that you’re hearing so much about? It’s our club’s series of local road races. Full information: http://bit.ly/uvrs2024. 

Full-series registration is closed for the year, but you can still participate in the series. As long as you are an up-to-date UVRC member, you can just sign up for each race through the normal race registration (even day-of is OK). You’ll get credit as a series participant.

For 2024, you need to run 7 (of the 11) races to get the finisher prize. With 2 races to go, I think you can still get there (hopefully you've already done at least 5)!

If you don’t want to race, or have a family member along, who doesn’t want to run, consider volunteering. Prizes available. See the March newsletter “Volunteering” article for details.

https://uppervalleyrunningclub.org/march-2024-newsletter

The seasons are changing, and so is our UVRC leadership. RJ announced his departure from the Upper Valley and his presidency in our September newsletter. We will all miss that “Hey Fam!” which undoubtedly precedes a novel length email addressing all running and non running related stream of consciousness that is the most unique constellation of words you’ll read that day or year. Drew Prescott, Kristina Siladi and I are stepping in as a triumvirate to give justice to the long list of duties RJ led single handedly for years! Thanks for your patience as we learn, but let’s all take a moment to thank RJ for the mountains of time and effort he put into making this club fun, welcoming and the smoothest sailing operation on either side of the Connecticut.  

Because I can’t top his creativity, this love note is practically written entirely by RJ himself, a.k.a.:

Rakshasa Digcraft, Urban Ninja, Commuter Jones, Rococo D’Luxe Prince of Derby, Rogar the Mighty Bardbarian, Revolutionary J, and Royale Jackale Adjudicator of the Danse Republic (if you’re lucky enough to follow him on Strava), 

or RJ, a.k.a:

UVRC President, do you ever wonder if you could talk to and understand animals, if they would swear as much as we humans do? I feel like cats especially would be proficient at swearing under their breath #showerthoughts

UVRC President, Self-Love begins with listening to "Everytime we Touch" by Cascada. trust me on this one, i've done the research

UVRC President, The triple dog dare got me thinking of recess. Does anyone want to try four square as an adult? It will either be an absolute bloodbath, or not nearly as fun as we remember. There is no inbetween

UVRC President, you know...when you run at night, there's no way to tell what your shadow is doing when you aren't looking at it

UVRC President, it's not like I dislike pumpkin spice or people who like it, it's just that given that there is generally 0% pumpkin in pumpkin spice there is no actual harvest related rationale for why pumpkin spice could not be sold year round especially considering that the individual ingredients of it actually are sold all year round separately. So the only reason there is a 'season' is artificial and driven by capitalism which in this TED talk I will--- gets dragged off the podium
And now, our UVRC President Emeritus:

He sparked a website revamp (in the works!), helped our club pace several prominent races, coordinated new and improved UVRC swag, made sure our bellies were full of pizza at a minimum of one night a month, ensured the banquets and picnics had crafts and games, kept us cool with ice on those hot TNT nights, and overflowed our newsletters and inboxes with his creativity, among countless other behind the scenes duties. He made every single person he encountered happier from his ridiculous shorts, unbelievably quick wit and permanently fixed smile. RJ’s kindness, forward thinking, optimism and positivity never went unnoticed, and his endless focus on lowering barriers to joining the club will have long lasting effects on our community. 

It’s hard having a President who is also really ridiculously smart. RJ, we wish you the best in your PhD program and Burlington chapter, and hope that you honor your promise to mail each of us our favorite Trader Joe’s snacks at any moment over the next 5 years :) Mochi cravings are REAL, y’all. We thank you for years of over the top enthusiasm, inclusivity, leadership and hard, hard work. 

 -Cara

A few love notes (including favorite RJ phrases), from the rest of the club, who misses you dearly:

“Howdy People!”

Thank you RJ for your constant joy to the UVRC board and community.

I do not have the right words, nor can I write as eloquently as your e-mails to the UVRC community. Just know I truly truly appreciate all that you have done for UVRC.

It’s been a pleasure to work with you.

-Kristine F

"Hello, Fam!"

When I moved to Hartford, one of the first things I did was look for a local running club.

RJ's warm greetings with every UVRC email were always so welcome in my inbox!

-Helene S

I want to thank RJ for his amazing work as UVRC president, but words are failing me. How about I use some of RJ's own?

"Dungeon Diving Adventures with Rakshasa Digcraft and Nero Timberheart: The Tomb of Champlasia"

Or how about:

"Welks and Revolutionary J, Alien DJs from the Outerworlds: Kawaii Future Bass for Boys with Unbreakable Bonds"

Or:

"Ro-bobo the Anime Music Powered Robot: The Quadrillion Drive!"

Really, I think RJ speaks for himself!

Thanks for your hard work RJ,

-Geoff D

Thank you for being a great partner in growing the couch to 5k program to spread our enjoyment of running with hundreds of people in the UV. We already miss the energy and enthusiasm you brought to our group, along with your great outfits. Thanks for every joke, and for your kindness and friendship along the way. As President, you went far above the call of duty so many times over the years, and that never went unnoticed or unappreciated. Thank you so much for making a difference.

-Keri N

Thank you RJ for your hard work, your dedication and your passion as a president 

We appreciated your high energy and good mood that we all needed after a long day at work.

You did an awesome job and we wish you the best in your new Burlington's life

-Sebastien

RJ has invigorated all things UVRC with his infectious enthusiasm and joie de vivre. I will miss him greatly as I am sure will many.

-John S

RJ’s ongoing dialog with club members is fun to tune in to. As I hoped when I passed the torch, the club membership has responded with chuckles, enthusiasm and a welcoming spirit to all newcomers. To be honest I only understand about half of what spews from RJ’s mouth. And, that is why I thought it a good time to step back and welcome in a new generation of Upper Valley runners. Run on UVRC!

Never say die,

-Jim B, Grrrr…

I met RJ a few years ago through the Couch to 5k program, and I am so delighted to call him my friend. Working out with him is always fun because of his perpetually sunny attitude, sense of humor, and encouragement. Thank you, RJ, for being the coolest and kindest president.

-Jess

Goooooood byyyyyeee, RJ Roberts! You kept us rockin' and rollin' and runnin' during your captaincy! From the UV to the MT Washington summit, from the TNT to the RT/rail trail, and every hot and steamy and cold and dark run in between! 

RJ, you kept us going, always reminding us how crazy awesome our sport and community are. From your heavy metal Strava post names to your Saturday double workouts with Couch to 5k and Omer and Bob's muffin runs. Your UVRC emails were IVs of hilarity, positivity, random cultural references, and rambunctious enthusiasm that artfully masked guilting requests for volunteers, newsletter articles, coaches, race sign-ups, and pacers. Well done, always! We salute you. Thank you, from the bottom of our stronger heart muscle and our thinning shoe soles. 

Run on! 

-Dorcas D

RJ, It's hard to find the right words to sum up your contributions to UVRC, and especially hard knowing that YOU have such a gift with words - so much pressure! I am forever grateful that you made UVRC such a welcoming place when we moved here, which in turn helped make Vermont feel like home. We will miss your optimism, your booming voice that can garner a crowd's attention in an instant, your organization, your passion, your ability to inspire a bunch of adults to work together to see whose team can smack a grape the furthest across a field, your creativity, your zany socks and running shorts, and, of course, our inboxes will all be sadder places without your legendary emails. Thank you, RJ, and enjoy Trader Joe's! 

-Kristina S

Thank you RJ for sharing your infectious joy and love for running and life with all of us and for dedicating your time and energy to help shape the UVRC into the amazing club it is today.

-Drew P

The hair. I have been a member of quite a few running clubs over the decades in different parts of the country. RJ's hair is easily THE VERY BEST HAIR of any member in any of those clubs. Then about a year ago, he chopped it off! <GASP!> I was deeply saddened by this life-changing turn of events. But then when I heard WHY he cut off those beautiful locks, I loved him even more. RJ cut those locks for a Halloween costume. YES! HE DID! As much as I loved RJ's hair, I loved even more that he went all-in for a Halloween costume. That is a dedicated person. And that dedicated person threw that same dedication into his UVRC presidential tenure. You will be missed, RJ. Especially your hair.

-Sean M

RJ, thank you so much for your commitment and dedication to UVRC! I know that you've put countless hours into UVRC, and that work has meant so much to myself and everyone in the club. From coaching at Couch to 5K and running the club's Instagram to doing all the behind-the-scenes work for pacer organization and social events, you not only kept the club chugging along but also improved it. During your time as President, I have seen UVRC become a more inclusive and supportive organization for all runners. Thank you for your selfless, tireless leadership.

-Chris W

The leaders at UVRC are always sure to make new runners feel welcome to the club and bring positivity and encouragement to every workout. No one does this better than RJ who always shows up with warm energy and a smile. Thank you to RJ for all you did as UVRC president and always bringing positivity to the team! 

-Andy and Kara M

RJ, your generous spirit and kind personality has kept this club humming along for so many years now. Somehow you seemed to have boundless energy for club, enough energy to run and skate, and also enough energy to be in literally every location at once (I felt like I could bump into on the Leb Rail Trail and at the exact same moment you might be running past Garipay fields or at the same moment in Hanover, and also didn't you live in VT???? Some sort of time/space vortex stuff there). Thanks for all you did, and best wishes on your next adventures - wherever you run (or skate?) off to next is lucky to have you.

-Anne F

As some of you may know, in my younger and wilder days I spent a year in Eugene Oregon.  Eugene is a runner's town.

Of course what makes it a runner's town is that there are a lot of active runners there.  Or maybe I should say hyper-active hyper-runners there.  But that is not what I want to write about today.

Despite the fact that it is filled with these hyper-runners, the city it self really is a good place to run and offers some nice venues for striding along. It is the home of Hayward Field, the track where numerous Olympic Trials have been held.  It is also the home to the "Pre-trails" in Alton Baker Park, named after the favorite son of Oregon, Steve Prefontaine.  But one of my favorite trails was the "Amazon Trail" in Amazon Field.

The Amazon Trail was a wood chipped path, a loop near Amazon creek.  It was a mile long and every 400 meters there was a marker.  One of my hardest workouts ever was originally designed as a light run, but Bob Mackenzie goaded me into repeat miles. Very fast repeat miles.  But the best thing about this trail was that I could almost see it from my apartment.

That was then, long long ago in a city far away.

I now live in a town not quite as hyper, but still full of a lot of good runners.  We have three excellent tracks within a few miles.  But what we need is a running park.

Or maybe we already have it?

The Dartmouth Cross-Country Field (sometimes called "The old golf course") is a wonderful place to stretch the legs.  Every time I run on it, especially in the fall when the air is filled with the smell of wet falling leaves, takes me back to all the great cross-country races of my youth.  The McQuaid Invitational in Genesee Valley Park, the Eastern Invitational in Van Cortland Park, Bear Mountain, Alfred-Almond, Malone, The "Hearts", Letchworth, Mendon Ponds, Hamilton College, Delaware Park and many more.  

But what the field is missing is for us to recognize it as a running facility and not just as an abandon piece of land.  So I am encouraging us to use the name, "The Cross-Country Field", (or you could talk me into calling it "The Cross-Country Park"). And then we need to figure out exactly where we are doing intervals.

I know local coaches; Barry, Cara and now Ben, have gone out there and measured 800 meters, or 1000 meters, or a mile, and marked it with orange cones.  Only to do it again the next week.

So, under the cover of darkness (okay, it was a sunny Sunday morning), I borrowed a distance wheel from the Dartmouth team, and walked around the course, measured from the starting line for the Dartmouth Invitational.  There are now white stakes located every 200 meters around the loop.  The stakes are just into the long grass so they wouldn't be mowed over.

So now what?

Go out there are enjoy some fast miles, or kilometers, or 800's, or . . .

What was the race or running event?

The Sprouty 5k

How did the day go in general?

Well it was a beautiful day & my back finally felt well enough for a hard effort. Unfortunately I made a rookie mistake of trying something new on race day. After listening to a podcast describing the need for fuel before a hard effort especially for women I decided to eat 3 hours before the race. That did not go well. I ended up dry heaving & walking multiple times during the race.

What went well?

Somehow I finished 3rd & won a basket

What did not go so well?

As above

How did you prepare for the event? Anything you would do differently in training?

I had several good weeks of track workouts so that was good

Any notable moments?

It’s a beautiful community event that i highly recommend

Any changes you would make to how you ran?

No pre race food. May try liquid calories before hard workout to see if my stomach can tolerate but won’t do anything new on race day!

My name is Lydia Reedstrom and I'm a causal runner and writer. This vignette is inspired by some of my recent fall runs. I haven't yet come across a deer on one of my runs, but I hope to one day.

Breath hot. Air cold. Mist tangles in her fur. The sun hides behind the mountains, autumn-shy. The forest is burning, but the trees pay no mind. Her hooves find sure ground every time. Muscles coiled, elastic despite the chill. No hunter tracks her now. She is no quarry. No debt to be paid. Before the earth slumbers ‘neath winter’s white mantle, she rejoices in the rasp of air in her lungs. Wind whistles through her ears. The song of centuries, sung to her every ancestor and descendent. Of a wildness so absolute, untouched by the hands of man. If only for a moment. She is every stone. Every silvan casualty littering the forest floor. She is the sky, the fog, the secret sigh of heaven—drifting through the tree-tops. One day her bones will feed the land. Green life will spring from soil wet with her heart’s blood. One day her limbs will falter. An arrow will fly true. But for now it is enough to run through fields unmarred, nose filled with the soft sweetness of decay. It is enough that winter’s promise chases fast on her heels. For it will not catch her. Not yet. 

With miles yet, she does not slow. Flanks heaving. Clouded breath trailing. The season’s demise is thick here. Molten gold and russet bleed across the leaves. Grass, desiccated and near-dormant whispers under hands called down from the great north. Distantly, the taste of snow, fleeting on her tongue. Soon, the grazing will grow slim. Those lean months of dark loom over the horizon. Then, the generational gift. A soft bed in lush verdancy. Small hooves, fumbling after her, steps unsteady. But only after she reaches her destiny.

In the heart of the glen the hart waits. Velvet shed mere months ago. Hart and hind. The promise of more.

Across acres, only hoof and hill. Copper sun cresting the crags of millennium-weathered granite. Light bright enough to sear. Flames flickering o’er fir and foliage. Blaze blinding through haze fast fading. Her focus never wavers. Ears swiveling to catch every creak of wood, every rustle in the detritus. Creatures long stirred from slumber watch her flight. Falcons wheel in unclouded skies. The fox, cunning and camouflaged. Vaulting deadfall, navigating root and ruin. She races her heart. And fate follows after.

It took me some time to break away from identifying as a sprinter and hurdler. The hurdles were where I found the most success during my competitive days in high school and college. I was convinced my frame was built for speed. Transitioning to endurance events would only lead to injury. Afterall, I had evidence for this when I developed IT-band syndrome during my short stint with the X-Country team. 

Fast forward a bunch of years, and I finally caved. I have the Upper Valley Running Club to thank (blame?) for this! When I first joined a couple years ago, a friend invited me to complete a string of 10k’s as part of the Upper Valley Running Series. (Sure!) Then, why don’t we both do the half-marathon in Concord, NH as well? It’s part of the NH Grand Prix, and we will get a free singlet if we do that and a couple more. (OK! All that sounds good - Thank you, Nadia!). Now, here I am, two years later – full-on training mode for my first marathon.

With a combination of excitement and trepidation, I first had to figure out which one to do. I liked the idea of running one in my home state during its most beautiful time of year – fall. I would have the entire summer to train, which would certainly be sufficient. I had recently completed a trail half-marathon in Stowe at the Von Trapp Family Lodge. Should I go for the full next year? Hmmm… even the half was brutal. Trail running is a different animal than road running. Then, there is also, of course, the New York City Marathon in November.  Not in Vermont, obviously, but it is the world’s most famous, and certainly the biggest. It is also a place that has a rich history for me. After working out a few logistics, I settled on the Champlain Islands Marathon in South Hero, Vermont on Oct. 20. Perfect. A flat course. Sanctioned. Only two hours from here and just before the leaves begin to drop. No lottery; no qualifying time. Registration - done. 

Next up, training plan. I Google’d a bunch and saw a common structure – the gradual progression, increase in mileage, two rest days, speed day, long-slow-day. Taper just before the race. Got it. The big question was the time. Would I set a goal time for myself? What would be my goal for this race? After much reflection and several conversations, I settled on two main goals: (1) stay healthy (2) enjoy the process enough to want to run another one. So far, I am on track!

As I write this, the marathon is just shy of four weeks away.  I hit two big mileage days – one was a 17 miler up and around Jericho Road through Hartford. It was so fun to see a part of Vermont that I had never seen. Right in my backyard, more rolling hills and wide open farmland. I saw no other runners but several other bikers tackling those long and grueling hills. I told at least 6 people about my run as soon as I had done it. It felt so good to reach that kind of mileage.  Two weeks later – 20 miles! A gorgeous 10 mile out and back from Sutherland, Vermont to Equinox Hotel in Manchester, Vermont. Donning my new Osprey hydration pack and consuming 3 power gels (BPN Go Gel mixed berry) during my run, it felt amazing. My sister and her partner greeted me on their bikes as I approached the driveway. “You look great!” “You don’t even look tired!” “I can’t believe you did 20 miles!” I don’t do it for the praise, but it certainly feels good.

I thought about waiting until after the big day was over before I wrote about it. But with the monthly newsletters beckoning, and the joy of hitting such big miles, I had to share the experience now. Afterall, it’s always about the journey, not the destination.  

Ralph's Station in the Vermont 50 Kilometer Race has been staffed by the UVRC for at least a decade.  The race supports a great cause, adaptive sports.  Giving back is especially good for endurance runners like everyone in our club. Think about volunteering like Sarah, Hillary and me next year.  It takes 6-8 volunteers, so race coordinators send us extra help.

Race Director Mike Silverman gives us a gem of a time and location.  We start early on a Sunday morning at 7.1 miles, finish by 10 am, soak up the Vermont-country-road-leaf-peeper scene and cheer on the long-distance athletes.  It feels good and we have fun. Several runners told us we were the strongest and most above average aid station volunteers.  We realized this was their first stop but did not argue.

We come from different paces, ages, interests and professions, though we all have one thing in common: running. And, along with that: gear. Nathan, one of our own teammates, a Dartmouth ‘27 engineering student and triathlon team member, has an exciting project he’d like to share with us. Please see a note about his footwear startup and a link to his survey, below:

We’re NEXUS Running Company, a Dartmouth student-led startup working on a new form of running footwear. Our current focus is on researching how runners purchase, use, and assess their shoes. 

We’re searching for responses to a brief 3 minute survey that is entirely confidential. Your responses will be invaluable in helping us learn about how shoes fit into a running lifestyle! 

Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYNyVbT3sxA309mpDdBgets3yoPsZmke1xWsmoPnzdCUhRkw/viewform?usp=sf_link

We can’t reveal the product concept before the survey is taken for research purposes—but there will be an option to sign up for a quick interview at the end of the form! Please sign up if you were intrigued by the survey or want to learn more about our product! 

Contact nathan.p.hammerschmitt.le.gal.27 [at] dartmouth.edu for any questions.