WINTER TIME AND THE RUNNING IS DIFFERENT

Written by Madeline Bost

Originally Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, January 15, 2012
Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2012

Just like the summer time is a time to take a break and look for a change of pace, winter offers the same option.   But while a run on a sandy beach might be inviting in the summer, a run across a snowy field is a better option in the winter.

Although we have been either blessed or cursed with a lack of snow, depending on your outlook on winter, we should be able to count on a few days, if not weeks of snow coming up.  Last year a number of New Jersey runners had their first taste of snow shoe racing and this year, once the snow comes, they will have more opportunities.

Mountain Creek in New Vernon in Sussex County is hosting a Tubbs Romp to Stomp snow shoe event on Saturday January 21^st.  It is being held to raise funds for the Susan B Komen Foundation that is associated with breast cancer.  The stomp in the title is to stomp out cancer.  For the uninitiated, Tubbs is a major producer of snow shoes.  The company will have a supply available for rental but you are advised to come early to secure a pair.

The event is on Saturday, January 21^st.   A 3 kilometer snow shoe race will start at 10:00 a.m.  It will be followed at 10:30 by a 3 kilometer and 5 kilometer snow shoe walk.  The participants will be treated to all the bells and whistles of a major event, including a ride up the slopes on a ski lift. 

Without any bells and whistles, not even a race shirt is the low key, low cost, local snow shoe race on Sunday, January 28^th at the Mount Tabor Country Club in Mount Tabor.  Weather and all else will determine if another five races will be offered. 

For those who are without snow shoes, a limited number of Dion Snow Shoes will be available for small rental fee.  It’s a onetime rental though, as the website, njtrailseries.com, puts it succinctly and to the point, “The reason for the rentals is to introduce the sport, not to keep you from purchasing snow shoes.”

The 5K will go off at 9:00 a.m.  A 3K may be offered for those who find the 5K too daunting. 

For those who think snow should stay up in Canada somewhere, there is another alternative sport – indoor track.  Although it is seemingly out of place so early on the track and field calendar, the USATF East Region Masters Track and Field championship will be on Sunday, January 29, in Providence Rhode Island.  The longest distance indoors is usually 3,000 meters, or twelve laps on the 200 meter track, but this meet is also offering a 5,000 meter race, or 25 laps of the track.  Due to time constraints no doubt, there is a 25 minute time limit for the event, which will be the first on the schedule at 10:00 a.m.   Road runners may find this hard to believe but middle distance track racers will welcome this opportunity to run 5 kilometers on the indoor track.

The New Jersey track and field championship will be on Sunday, February 19^th,  at the Bennet Center in Toms River.  This is an open and masters championship.  One word about the terminology here.    In road racing a masters runner is age forty or older.  But in track and field, the masters divisions begin at 30 to 34, on up through all the ages.

What about road racing this winter?  Well, the Passaic County Running Club Winter Series is having a 5K today at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne at 11:00 a.m.  There will be another on the 29^th and on February 12^th.

Here in Morris County, on Sunday, February 5^th, a new race, the Super Sunday Four Miler, will take place on Dehart Street in Morristown at 11:30 a.m.  Information on it is hard to come by but the grapevine says that four hundred runners have already signed up.   There is an info page in the latest print copy of Race Forum and this four miler looks like a real party race.