Six days, four local races to challenge your stamina
Yes, it is the merry month of May and races come in bunches this month.
Starting on Thursday, you can really test yourself with four consecutive area races over the span of six days.
First up, on Thursday, is the inaugural Huskies 5k Challenge at 5:30 p.m. on the Hudson Valley Rail Trail in Highland.
Sponsored by Highland Middle School, the race begins near the Rotary Caboose and the course is entirely on the trail.
Entry fee is $12 for adults ($15 on race day), $10 for students and $40 for pre-registered families.
All proceeds from the race benefit the school’s Parent-Teacher Association.
Next, head to Greene County on Saturday for the Catskill Spring Rush Triathlon, sponsored by the Catskill High Sports Marketing Class.
This is an ingenious little triathlon that includes a 2.25-mile run, a 10-mile bike race and kayak on the Catskill Creek.
The event starts promptly at 8:30 a.m. and there is also a Spring Sprint for kids 12 and under.
I don’t have entry fee information, but you can contact Patrick Hernandez at (518) 821-2274 and he can provide more details.
Then next Sunday, Boy Scout Troop 8 will hold its annual Run to the Hills 5k and 10k, starting and finishing at the Sawkill Firehouse.
Racing begins at 10 a.m. and organizers are offering a 1-mile family run (at 11:30 a.m.).
Fees are $25 for the 5k, $30 for the 10k and $20 for the mile.
Registration on race day starts at 7 a.m. and proceeds benefit programs and activities for the scouts.
Lastly, the second race of the Catskill Mountain Spring Series, the Olana Star Loop 10k, is scheduled for May 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Olana Historic Site in Greenport.
This is a fabulously beautiful trail run at the former home of Hudson River artist Frederic Church, featuring one of the finest views of the river valley in the area.
Registration fee is a modest $2 and you can sign up starting at 6 p.m. by the lake.
Whew, that should keep you busy!
Race directors, please be considerate
This is a request and a plea, not only on my behalf, but on the behalf of all runners and walkers, for race directors to make sure they send results.
I absolutely love promoting races before they happen, but there is nothing more disconcerting than not receiving results of those races after the fact.
Runners and walkers want to see their names published, whether in print or online, and it is disappointing when results don’t end up in my hands to make that happen.
Also, your race’s results
will make it in the paper much quicker if sent in a format that provides for easy formatting.
Electronic files are preferred and simple Word documents or Excel spreadsheets work best.
Check out the manner that results are reported in this section, which are basically finishing position, first and last name and finishing time.
Other extraneous categories (hometown, gender, age) are unwieldy and not necessary, and if you use race management
software, that has little to no chance being formatted properly.
Please send those results directly to me via email at Runerichrun@ gmail.com.
Thank you for your cooperation.
SUNY New Paltz freshman qualified for USATF Junior Nationals
Congratulations are in order for SUNY New Paltz freshman and Warwick High graduate Megan Reilly who qualified for the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Reilly ran a time of 10:44.50 at the Matthew Vassar Twilight Meet in the event on May 5.
Reilly, who transferred to New Paltz from Loyola Marymount, finished nearly a minute ahead of her nearest competitor.
The Outdoor Championships take place from June 22-24 at Sacramento State University in California.
Please send all race results and information to 79 Hurley Ave., Kingston, N.Y., 12401; fax to (845) 331-3557; or email to runerichrun@gmail.com. Follow Eric Houghtaling on Twitter at http:// twitter.com/runerichrun