Plenty of local events to chase away mid-winter blues
The YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County Indoor Triathlon is celebrating its 31st year on Sunday, March 3. This triathlon consists of a 15-minute swim in the YMCA pool, 20 minutes on an Airdyne exercycle, and a 20-minute run on the Y’s indoor track.
There is a division for teams of two or three members that split up the legs of the tri. Quite a few families choose this option.
The pool is 25 meters long, and the track is 13 laps to the mile. A 10-minute transition from the pool to the exercycle lets you dry off and get dressed. After the 20 minutes on the exercycle, there is a five-minute transition before you start your run. Your total exercise time is 55 minutes.
The event is limited to 60 participants. The pool has six lanes, so there are 10 heats. They tend to group the heats by expected finish time. Therefore, each heat is a race in itself. Awards are based on the total accumulated distance of all three activities (swim, cycle, and run).
I’ve been a member of the Shawangunk Runners Club for more than 40 years, and one of our members started this event in the early 1990s. Don Davis of New Paltz is considered the “Godfather” of area triathletes. The “Don” started the SOS triathlon, and the indoor triathlon was his brainchild. It was conceived to give triathletes something fun and challenging to do in the off-season.
To complete the triathlon, you only need to know how to swim and be able to work hard for 55 minutes. The indoor triathlon is fun, challenging, and a perfect introduction to triathloning.
Olympic Trials Marathon
The United States Olympic Trials Marathon took place Saturday, Feb. 3, in Orlando, Florida. The trials are the selection competition for making the United States Olympic team for the 2024 Games in Paris, France, from
July 26 to Aug. 11. The top three men and women become eligible to represent the USA at the Games.
To compete at the Games, an individual must meet a stringent worldclass qualifying standard. In 2020, the Olympic Games wanted the men’s and women’s fields to be 80 competitors. However, 106 men and 88 women met the standard. For the Paris Games, the marathon qualifying standards were lowered to 2:08:10 for men and 2:26:50 for women.
An individual can also qualify by having a high world ranking or a topfive finish at one of the top marathons in the world. To give you an idea of how tough the world rankings are, the 50th-best marathon in the world rankings for men is 2:05:38. For women, the 50th-best time is 2:22:00.
For the Paris Olympic Games Marathon, 50 percent of the 80 runners will come from being under the automatic qualifying time and the other 50 percent from the world rankings. No country can have more than three representatives in the men’s or women’s races.
As you can see, making it to the Olympics is a monumental achievement. Even with all the corruption brought on by politics and commercialization, the Olympic Games continue to showcase human athleticism, and I will be avidly watching them this summer.
At the USA Trials, six individuals qualified to represent the USA in Paris. The results were what was expected on the men’s side. The two favorites took first and second. Conner Mantz (2:09:05) won with his friend and training partner Clayton Young second in 2:09:06. Mantz and Young were the only two entrants who had run under the qualifying standard, with Mantz having run a 2:07:47 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon and Young running 2:08:00.
Third-place finisher Leonard Korir, who has a personal best of 2:07:56 from 2019, has yet to run under the standard during the qualifying window (Nov. 1, 2022, to April 30, 2024) for the Paris Games. As of now, 63 of the 80 spots have been decided. Korir will have to wait till May 5 to find out his fate.
On the women’s side, eight women ran under the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:26:50. The top three women were Fiona O’Keefe (2:22:10), Emily Sisson (2:22:42), and Dakota Lindworm (2:25:31). Also, running under the Olympic Games qualifying standard were Jessica McClain (2:25:46), Caroline Rotich (2:26:10), Makenna Myler (2:26:16) and Lindsay Flanagan (2:26:25). Impressive running on a warm day with temperatures in the 70s.
For O’Keefe, it was her first marathon. She had qualified with a half-marathon time of 67:42. O’Keefe looked so good people are hoping she can replicate Molly Seidel’s medal-winning performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games marathon.
The trials had a total prize purse of $600,000 for the top 10 male and female finishers. First place garnered $85,000, second place $65,000, and third place $55,000. New American masters records (over 40 years of age) were set by Sara Hall (2:26:08) and Elkanah Kibet (2:10:02).
ORC Winter Survivors Series
In 2021, during the first full winter of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Onteora Runners Club (ORC) created its first Winter Survivors Series. The five-week series aimed to help motivate the club membership and other area runners to run through the heart of the winter.
The series has two ways to participate. Everyone has eight days to run a prescribed course and submit their time. On the first Sunday of each window, there is a group run of that week’s race course. The series is now in its fourth year and remains popular. This year, 81 people signed up.
Week one of the series was the Stockade Sprint. The sprint was a 1.77-mile jaunt using the streets of uptown Kingston. The race started at the corner of North Front and Crown streets. The participants charged down Wall Street and came back via Fair Street.
The top three men were Owen Harvey (10:45), closely followed by Ian McGrew (10:53) and Liam Regan (11:04). The three fastest women were Catherine Herne (11:59), Anna Harrod-McGrew (13:06) and Jess Oakley (13:50).
The youngest participant was 12-year-old Elinor Kibbee (16:57) and the senior most participants were 70-plus-year-old Bill Maynard (19:05) and Mae Fitzgerald (23:19). If interested in joining in on the fun, visit the website www.zippy-reg.com and click on the register button for the ORC Winter Survivors Series.
The ORC also has a 10week series of Saturday Breakfast Runs to help motivate people to get outside and run in the winter. On Saturday, Feb. 17, week seven will be a six-mile run on the Walkway Over the Hudson starting from the Highland side. The Breakfast Runs are free and open to all. For more information, visit the website onteorarunners.org and click on events.
Training Corner
Healthy eating is crucial for good health. I have asked Beth Glace, a nutritionist for the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine in Manhattan, what the best diet for health is. She has always advised that people should follow a Mediterranean diet. Since I have been experimenting with using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Training Corner section of my column, I asked Chatgpt if the diet was good for runners. Below is AI’s response:
“The Mediterranean diet is generally considered a good option for runners and athletes. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by an emphasis on whole, nutrient-dense foods and has been associated with various health benefits. Here are some aspects of the Mediterranean diet that can be beneficial for runners:
* Rich in Carbohydrates: The Mediterranean diet includes a variety of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, providing a good source of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source, making them essential for runners to fuel their workouts and support recovery.
* Healthy Fats: The diet contains healthy fats, primarily from olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish. These fats contribute to overall health and can provide sustained energy for endurance activities.
* Lean Proteins: While not as protein-focused as other diets, the Mediterranean diet includes moderate amounts of lean protein from fish, poultry, beans, and legumes. Protein is crucial for muscle repair and recovery after intense exercise.
* Anti-Inflammatory Properties: The diet is known for its anti-inflammatory components, such as fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and fatty fish. Runners may benefit from the potential reduction in inflammation associated with regular exercise.
* Rich in Nutrients and Antioxidants: The Mediterranean diet is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from various colorful fruits and vegetables. These nutrients play a role in supporting overall health and recovery.
* Hydration: The diet often includes water as the primary beverage, promoting proper hydration, which is crucial for runners to maintain optimal performance and recovery.
It’s important to note that individual nutritional needs can vary, and athletes may have specific requirements based on factors like training intensity, duration, and personal health conditions. It’s advisable to consult with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to tailor the diet to individual needs and ensure it meets the specific demands of a runner’s training regimen. Additionally, staying adequately hydrated and considering pre- and postrun nutrition is essential for runners to focus on, regardless of the specific diet followed.”
There is an adage that you are what you eat. The multitude of health issues that plague many Americans is proof of this adage.
When most of us think of the word diet, we think of restriction. The Mediterranean diet is more of a lifestyle change and getting away from the old pattern of a meal being a starch, meat, and vegetable. The Mediterranean diet has been linked to cardiovascular health and longevity.
Upcoming Events
Sunday, Feb. 25 — Orange Runners Winter Series 5K, Middletown, New York. Visit www.orangerunnersclub.org for more information.
Sunday, March 3 — Thirty-first YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County Indoor Triathlon, Kingston, New York. Visit www.ymcaulster.org for more information.
Sunday, March 3 — Ed Erichson Memorial 5 mile/10 mile, Lagrangeville, New York. Visit www.mhrrc.org for more information.
Sunday, March 10 — Kingston Shamrock Run (2 Miles), Kingston, N.Y. Visit www.kingstonshamrockrun.org for more information.
Saturday, March 16 — St. Patricks 5K, Dover Plains, N.Y. Visit www. edrrc.org for more information.
Sunday, March 17 — Wallkill Scramble 5K, Wallkill, NY. Visit www. wallkillscramble.wixsite. com for more information.
Saturday, March 23 — Sap Happy 5K, Wappingers Falls, NY. Visit www. edrrc.org for more information.
The Super Bowl on Sunday is not the biggest sporting event of the weekend. Be sure to tune into NBC’s coverage of the 116th Millrose Track and Field Games from 1 to 3 p.m.