Greetings, runners! We have no in-person events again this month, but there’s still plenty to do. Most importantly, please help us support Loaves & Fishes in our Virtual Turkey Trot! We’re also hoping you’ll join in the fun of our Happy Holidays Scavenger Hunt for the rest of the year. Plus, be sure to check out our FLRC Presents series of injury talks—the next one looks at Achilles tendinopathy. Finally, note that regular deer hunting season goes from Saturday, November 21st through the end of Sunday, December 13th, so be sure to wear blaze orange if you’re out on the trails. Read on for details!
Turkey Trot goes virtual to raise money for Loaves & Fishes
We may not be able to meet in person for our traditional Turkey Trot prediction run, but race director Bruce Roebal is taking the Turkey Trot virtual this year as a fund run to benefit Loaves & Fishes of Tompkins County. Loaves & Fishes currently provides over 1200 meals every week to those in need, nearly three times more than last year at this time. Run or walk a 5-mile course of your choice anytime the week of Thanksgiving, before the end of Thanksgiving Day. No predictions. No times. No pies. Just future calories burned and meals for the hungry! For 2020 to count toward your inclusion on the Turkey Trot Honor Roll, please register for the Virtual Turkey Trot online. The $10 registration fee is equal to what we would have asked that you donate to Loaves & Fishes had we all run from Ithaca High School. If you wish, you can add an additional amount. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Loaves & Fishes to help their efforts in feeding our community. Our goal is to raise at least $3000 to match the amount a normal Turkey Trot usually generates for Loaves & Fishes, and with your help, maybe we can exceed that number.
Build some fun into your runs with FLRC’s Happy Holidays Scavenger Hunt
Looking to spice up some dreary early winter runs? In FLRC’s Happy Holidays Scavenger Hunt, you’ll compete with fellow runners to find six items each week on your runs through the end of the year. For each item you find, take a selfie or a picture and post it to the FLRC Forum to earn a point. Each week, the runner(s) with the most points will be entered into a drawing to win fabulous FLRC swag at the end of the event. The Happy Holidays Scavenger Hunt is free, you can join at any time, and it will run from November 22 to December 31, 2020. You can run, walk, or hike, and there’s no minimum mileage required. Scavenger Hunt director Heather Cobb will be posting the first week’s items to find soon, and you can read more details on the forum.
Mark your calendar for “FLRC Presents: Managing Achilles Tendinopathy” on 11/23 at 6:30 PM
Our FLRC Presents series of virtual presentations is continuing! On Monday, November 23th at 6:30 PM, physical therapist Jason Tuori will be giving a free live virtual presentation on patellofemoral pain syndrome, more commonly known as runner’s knee. It’s perhaps the most common running injury, with up to half of all runners suffering from it at some point. Tuori will explain the anatomy of the knee, how you can differentiate patellofemoral pain syndrome from other knee conditions, what commonly causes it, how you can treat it, and how you can avoid it in the first place. Along with a graduate degree in Physical Therapy, Tuori is a certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, a certified USA Track & Field Level 1 Coach, a certified USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach, and an accomplished runner and triathlete who has dealt with his own share of injuries. The talk is free, but registration is required to get the Zoom connection details.
200-day hiking streak by FLRC members Amy and Elizabeth Dawson
Congrats to FLRC members Amy Dawson and her daughter Elizabeth Dawson for their 200-day streak of hiking—covering nearly 600 miles—in local state parks during the pandemic. Their efforts garnered them a mention in both the Ithaca Times and New York State’s daily coronavirus update, a worthwhile email newsletter from the state about how we’re faring. Each installment includes a “Deep Breath Moment” featuring people who’ve done something extraordinary during these challenging times.
Watch “FLRC Presents: Managing Runner’s Knee” on YouTube
If you missed Jason Tuori’s second presentation on patellofemoral pain, also known as runner’s knee, you can still watch it on FLRC’s YouTube channel. And if you have questions about what’s going on in your knee, feel free to ask them on the FLRC forum!
FLRC weekly workouts continue after helping Gabrielle Woo to a PR
If you’re looking for some structure for your running, remember that we continue to post our weekly workouts for middle- (5K to 15K) and long- (half marathon and marathon) distance runners on the FLRC forum. FLRC member Gabrielle Woo reported that she dropped her half-marathon PR by over 5 minutes after running the long-distance workouts all summer. If you run with a friend or find yourself in the presence of walkers or runners, please follow FLRC’s recommendations for safe running!
Install the COVID Alert NY app on your phone to help stop the spread of COVID-19
Until we as a society can eliminate the coronavirus, races, group runs, and other club events simply won’t be the same. One easy thing we can do now is install the free COVID Alert NY app on our phones—there are versions for the iPhone and Android. After you enable it, it alerts you if you were in close contact with someone who later tests positive for COVID-19. The underlying technology was created in an unprecedented collaboration between Apple and Google and has received praise from privacy advocates because it doesn’t record or reveal your location or any personal information to anyone, including Apple, Google, New York State, or the federal government. It’s one more way we can all work together to protect each other and move toward normalcy.
Until next time, stay fit and stay healthy, and we look forward to running together again!
—Adam Engst, FLRC President and VP of Track