http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011 A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:24:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-9516 Ales Rarus - A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog » Run With HAART 5K Sun, 09 Apr 2006 22:49:49 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-9516 [...] Like I said, it was freakin’ cold, but not unbearable. The pre-race registration seemed well organized and the race started on time. I finished in 29:15, which gave me a mile pace of 9:26, and my heartrate averaged 180 and peaked at 195. That time’s in between my results for the Run Shadyside and Chamber Classic last year, and I’m pretty happy with it. It’s early in the season and I have plenty of time to improve before the Great Race. I finished 44rd out of 60 males in my age group and 110 out of 208 total participants (though some of them were walkers and skew the results a little). [...] http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-9501 Ales Rarus - A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog » Pittsylvania XC Challenge 6K Sun, 09 Apr 2006 02:39:17 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-9501 [...] Though the setup was simpler, I thought the atmosphere was far more professional than the Chamber Classic 5K. I’ll definitely run it again next year and I’m glad I’ll be running in other WPTC events as well. BTW, if anyone knows of any good cross-country runs in the Pittsburgh area, please let me know. [...] http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-3452 Amy Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-3452 but but but... what you described *is* "mostly flat" <br /><br /><br />...for North Park, that is ;)<br /><br />Stinks that the race turned out to be a bad one. Hopefully you'll find a race in Schenley soon.

…for North Park, that is

Stinks that the race turned out to be a bad one. Hopefully you'll find a race in Schenley soon.]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-3453 Rob Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-3453 There's a standard joke about "gently rolling" in race promos meaning "bring mountain climbing gear." Where was the race in North Park anyway? If it was out and back anywhere around the lake...well, Amy's right. I suppose you could do laps in the North Park Boat House parking lot....<br /><br />Races on trails are pretty rare around here. The Turkey Trot downtown used to run on the Eliza Trail, but that was pretty crowded. Personally, I always wanted to have a marathon on the Mon-Yough trail and call it the Boston (PA) Marathon. There aren't any trails in North Park that I know of that would hold a race. Schenley Park may have some trails for races, but even there, it would need to be a small race. Shame -- the trail system in Schenely is lovely.<br /><br />There's also a safety concern. Rescuing a runner on trails is difficult. EMS has to get past the runners. Run Around the Square used to be in the trails section a lot more, back when it was a five-miler. A runner went down, a Pgh. EMS Bronco (with a supervisor and goof friend) went out on the course, and runners would not move out of the way for him. They spit at the vehicle. Sigh.<br /><br />The Western Pennsylvania Track Club used to hold the Saucony Series in Frick Park. They still have the XC Challenge on November 12th. That's trails, but be warned. This race is HILLY! If you're running a 9 min. pace, you will have to walk at least one hill, and your overall time will show it -- don't plan on cranking out a 45 min. race!<br /><br />For a small race like that (how many?) you're not getting a starting ChampionChip mat. Chip and gun time are the same.<br /><br />Smaller races aren't going to be as organized as the bigger races. They're expensive to put on, difficult to organize, and getting enough people to work can be a pain.<br /><br />Hey, at least there was food at the end. Maybe I should run more 5Ks with 1/2 marathons attached instead of running the 1/2 marathons!
Races on trails are pretty rare around here. The Turkey Trot downtown used to run on the Eliza Trail, but that was pretty crowded. Personally, I always wanted to have a marathon on the Mon-Yough trail and call it the Boston (PA) Marathon. There aren't any trails in North Park that I know of that would hold a race. Schenley Park may have some trails for races, but even there, it would need to be a small race. Shame — the trail system in Schenely is lovely.

There's also a safety concern. Rescuing a runner on trails is difficult. EMS has to get past the runners. Run Around the Square used to be in the trails section a lot more, back when it was a five-miler. A runner went down, a Pgh. EMS Bronco (with a supervisor and goof friend) went out on the course, and runners would not move out of the way for him. They spit at the vehicle. Sigh.

The Western Pennsylvania Track Club used to hold the Saucony Series in Frick Park. They still have the XC Challenge on November 12th. That's trails, but be warned. This race is HILLY! If you're running a 9 min. pace, you will have to walk at least one hill, and your overall time will show it — don't plan on cranking out a 45 min. race!

For a small race like that (how many?) you're not getting a starting ChampionChip mat. Chip and gun time are the same.

Smaller races aren't going to be as organized as the bigger races. They're expensive to put on, difficult to organize, and getting enough people to work can be a pain.

Hey, at least there was food at the end. Maybe I should run more 5Ks with 1/2 marathons attached instead of running the 1/2 marathons!]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-3454 Funky Dung Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-3454 I can handle Frick Park. I train there a lot and really doubt I'd need to walk at any point. Anyhow, at least I'd know what I'd be getting into.<br /><br />Still, what bugged me most about the race wasn't the course but the ineptitude of the organizers.
Still, what bugged me most about the race wasn't the course but the ineptitude of the organizers.]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-3455 Rob Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-3455 <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Frick+Park+Pittsburgh+PA&ll=40.433033,-79.901011&spn=0.007215,0.013739&t=h&hl=en">Here</a> is a map of Frick Park. Fi you follow Lancaster St. northwest, before it dead-ends, there's a curvy path that goes down the hill. There's a trail that runs NNE that you can see. If you go straight it takes you toward Homewood/Pt. Breeze. You'll see a big tree right where the grey path bends. It turns almost exactly west. That's the hill.<br /><br />The last time I ran the XC course, it went NNE and almost out onto Forbes, parallelled S. Braddoc, and then dove down a steep switchback to the field. Instead of returning to the start (which would be the 2K, it turned up the above-mentioned hill and wound up making a couple loops right near where the +/- magnification scale appears on the Google map, and then went back down to the field. You really should run it. I think that would put you out for the Turkey Trot, but so be it! Here is a map of Frick Park. Fi you follow Lancaster St. northwest, before it dead-ends, there's a curvy path that goes down the hill. There's a trail that runs NNE that you can see. If you go straight it takes you toward Homewood/Pt. Breeze. You'll see a big tree right where the grey path bends. It turns almost exactly west. That's the hill.

The last time I ran the XC course, it went NNE and almost out onto Forbes, parallelled S. Braddoc, and then dove down a steep switchback to the field. Instead of returning to the start (which would be the 2K, it turned up the above-mentioned hill and wound up making a couple loops right near where the +/- magnification scale appears on the Google map, and then went back down to the field. You really should run it. I think that would put you out for the Turkey Trot, but so be it!]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-3456 Funky Dung Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-3456 My 10K route starts at (if I read the map correctly) Beechwood and Nicholson. I'd tell you which trails I take, but I can't find a single map of the Frick trail system. What's up with that?! Anyhow, my midway point, where I cool off and get water before running back the way I came is the paved loop behind where the Great Race starts. http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-3457 Funky Dung Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-3457 I found <a href="http://home.comcast.net/~pghmtb/frick.pdf" >a half-decent trail map</a>, but my sense of direction sucks. I wish I had your GPS device, Rob. ;) a half-decent trail map, but my sense of direction sucks. I wish I had your GPS device, Rob. ]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2011#comment-3458 russ Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2020#comment-3458 CCFA has a 5K race every September in Schenely Park.<br />http://ccfa.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=108981&lis=1&kntae108981=61ABE24DA1794EFBB86E2BD9C72086FF<br /><br /><br />Also, the Pharoah Hounds running club usually hosts a series of 6K races in Schenely each summer.<br />http://www.pittsburghpharaohhounds.org/ http://ccfa.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=108981&lis=1&kntae108981=61ABE24DA1794EFBB86E2BD9C72086FF


Also, the Pharoah Hounds running club usually hosts a series of 6K races in Schenely each summer.
http://www.pittsburghpharaohhounds.org/]]>