Spring is in the Air
The recent spate of 50-degree days has my mind thinking of Spring.
Another sign of Spring was that pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training on February 12 and 13. I’ve noticed that there is still light in the sky until 5:45 pm. For runners, a sure sign of Spring is all the Spring races being online and open for registration.
The biggest run in the area is on March 10. The Shamrock Run will kick off its 32nd running from Kingston’s Academy Green on Albany Avenue. This 2-mile run and walk began in 1988 and the inaugural race had 297 participants.
In 2018, more than 4,500 people participated and the organizers have been hard at work hoping to reach 5,000.
This event is run in conjunction with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The run is the first unit or “float” of the parade. The course starts at the Academy Green and finishes at the foot of Broadway in the Rondout section of Kingston.
The 12:50 p.m. start allows finishers to get to watch the parade and join in the festivities downtown. In recent years, the Shamrock Run has raised up to $10,000 for a local charitable organization. For all details and to register, go to shamrockrun.org. Don’t hesitate because the 3,000 tshirts or pint glasses will go fast.
On Mar. 31, the 25th Annual Rays’ Run 4 mile run/2 mile walk will step off from Dietz Stadium in uptown Kingston. This event raises money for the Raymond Caddy Jr. Scholarship Fund at Kingston High School. There are free short dash races for youngsters 12-and-under.
Linda Cadd , Raymond’s mother, is still the chief race organizer. The KHS cross-country and track teams are the bulk of the race volunteers. This race is not huge like the Shamrock Run, but is of high quality. I like to bill it as the “best little race in Ulster County.”
I’ve been running in allcomers races since 1968 and know a class event when I participate in one. Rays’ Run is top notch. For more information, go to shawangunkrunners.com or zippyreg.com and under “register” click on Rays’ Run.
On Apr. 7, the Onteora Runners club will present its 3rd Dirty Sneaker 5k in Hurley. This race often kicks off the club’s Grand Prix Series. The race begins at the Hurley Mountain Inn and is a flat, out-and-back run on Old Route 209. Participants are urged to bring old sneakers (or new ones) for donation. The goal is to fill up a pick up truck. Details can be found at onteorarunners.org.
On Saturday, Apr. 13, I am the Race Director for the 8th running of the Rock and Snow Bridge 2 Bridge 5 Miler. This run organized by the Shawangunk Runners Club benefits the Mohonk Preserve. The race begins and ends at the Preserve’s Spring Farm in High Falls, the race is run on five miles of beautiful carriage trails.
These trails are not rough, single track and you do not need to be a “billy goat” to run this race. If you are new to trail running, this race is a perfect introduction. Through the generosity of Rock and Snow and the Shawangunk Runners Club, 100 percent of your entry fees go to the Mohonk Preserve and its mission to protect the Shawangunk Ridge. To register and get information, go to mohonkpreserve.org. This race is limited to 300 runners and in recent years sells out.
On Sunday, Apr. 28, the 37th Kiwanis Kingston Classic is happening in downtown Kingston. This will be the 3rd year the race will use its new Rondout and Port Ewen course. The race committee has been hard at work implementing some changes that I believe will be popular with race participants.
This year’s race will feature three distances. The traditional 10k will begin at 10 a.m. A new 5k and 1.5 miler will be at 10:30 a.m. This three-race format will allow runners of all ages and ability levels to join in on this running festival. The 1.5 miler is envisioned to be perfect for youngsters, new runners and walkers. It seems like a perfect vehicle for families to participate together.
The focus of the 1.5 miler is to be a fun run while the 10k and 5k are for people to challenge themselves. In the past, the Kingston Classic started at 1 p.m. The race was run through uptown Kingston and the 1 p.m. start was to avoid disrupting traffic patterns for church services. I remember some races when the temperature was high and the hot weather became a serious risk factor.
The earlier start time should help mitigate this risk and also let the downtown business district assume normal tourist and business activity for the day. The race committee should be applauded for listening to participant feedback and for having the courage to make changes.
The Kingston Classic serves more than just the purpose of putting on a great race experience. The race generally raises $25,000 for Kiwanis and that money goes back into the community through the programs that Kiwanis helps to support. Community organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, Children’s Home, Read and Write Program, Kiwanis College Scholarships, Lisa Libraries, Peoples Place, Senior Citizen Holiday Dinner, Family of Woodstock, Caring Hands Soup Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity and many more local organizations. For a complete listing of what the Kiwanians do, go to kingstonkiwanis.org. To register for the race, go to kiwaniskingstonclassic.com.
To help area runners get ready for the Classic and all the races mentioned, Kiwanis has partnered with three area group runs to provide a “training program” for all. There are group runs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays. These runs are open to everyone and are led by veteran area runners and easily modified for all levels. Check out the details in the Daily Freeman’s calendar of running events.
With Spring right around the corner, get out there running, participate in the group runs and sign up for all these great local races!
Calendar, results
Race directors, please submit information for the race calendar to sports@ freemanonline.com. Information should be in the form of a concise email with important details highlighted and included in the body of the email. No race flyer PDFs.
Race results should be submitted directly to me at ssrun54@aol.com.
Steve Schallenkamp has been active in area running circles since 1966 as runner, race director, volunteer and coach. He is a member of the Onteora Runners Club and president of the Shawangunk Runners Club.