HTC Group Runs

In an effort to promote running for our members the Hartford Track Club lists as well as organizes weekly group runs. If you would like to add a group run please e-mail Bob Gemske at Gemske@aol.com. The runs should be open to runners of all abilities. We urge people to slow down so that they can run at a conversational pace with someone else; fast running is best reserved for races or specific speed workouts. If you are new, please let somebody know!!!

Wednesday Night Granby Group Run

5:30: We are leaving from the parking lot of McCleans Game Refuge in Granby CT on route 202. We have broken into two groups running 40-50 minutes per group 3-6 miles 7-10 min pace. Runs are all on trails throughout McClean. Please contact Mark Hixson 860-916-5792.

Wednesday Night HTC Group Runs Continue in Wallingford

Greetings - The Walleyworld chapter of the Hartford Track Club is alive and well! Every Wednesday night at 6 p.m. an intrepid band of runners gather for their weekly constitution on the beautiful campus of Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford. The distance and pace vary with usually about three sub groups forming and running a distance from 5-9 miles at a pace between 7-10 minutes/mile. The course is a combination of wooded x-country trails and paved roadways. A varied cast of characters are likely to show up on any given Wednesday, but most likely to show amongst the HTC failthful include: Bob Najarian, Kevin Markowski, Tricia Dowcett, Todd Brown, Ed Mokoski, Bill Varhue, Kim Ferraiolo, Brent Stratton, Fran O'Donohue, Karen Howard, Jerry Augustine, Anne Manning, Karen Howard, Tim Castillo, Anson Smith, Todd McWhinnie, Tim Hawley, Pete Hornyak and Craig Zettergren. If you would like more information please contact me, Bob Tumiski at (203) 294-1467 or email me at BobTumiski@sbcglobal.net.

Wednesday Night Group Runs at Fleet Feet in West Hartford Center

Every Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. Group runs from Fleet Feet in West Hartford Center. Run start from the store at 1003B Farmington Avenue (Next to Harry's Pizza). If you need directions call the store at 860-233-8077. This group run has been comprised mostly of women who wish to run a slower pace for approximately 3 miles. All runners men and women of different levels are welcome and can break into more groups running at different paces if there is a larger group.

THURSDAY RESERVOIR RUNS CONTINUE.

WHEN IS THE LAST OFFICIAL 2008 THURSDAY RESERVOIR RUN AND WHAT TIME DOES IT START?

We start our non-competitive runs at 6:00 P.M. every Thursday until September 25th when we start at 5:45 P.M. The sun sets at 6:54 P.M. on the September 18th, and 6:41 P.M. on September 25th. Since the MDC is very serious about closing the complex thirty minutes after sunset, we will have to be outside their property by 7:24 P.M. on the 18th and 7:11 P.M. on the 25th. On Thursdays after September, Todd and Kim Brown invite you to join them for the Rocky Hill non-competitive runs (see details below).

The reservoir runs occur in the Farmington Avenue (Route 4) MDC reservoir complex in West Hartford. To find the entrance to the complex, type in "1470 Farmington Ave., West Hartford, CT" at http://maps.google.com. Construction is continuing on the new parking scheme for the complex, so, as of this writing, our old parking lot, with its striped pole, is off-limits. We have been starting our runs at a portable striped pole that Peter Hawley made. He places his pole at a sign on a side road; the side road (which has been made into a cul-de-sac) is on the right side of the main entrance road, about two tenths of a mile from Farmington Avenue. One week, the side road was blocked so we met in the main parking lot, about a half mile in from Farmington Ave. If we can't park at the first starting point, we should be at the second.

The standard, approximately eight-mile route is about half off-pavement, and very hilly and rocky in places. Some people typically take a left before the big Kilkenny Rock hill and run an approximately five-mile course. Paces generally vary between nine and seven minutes a mile. We try to get people to slow down so that they are running with at least one other person --- these aren't races; we want people to run in a social, non-competitive manner, whatever speed they are running at.

These are some of the people who have participated in 2008: Larry Chaves, Mary Beth and Ryan Walsh, Dan Senecal, Tom Cook, David Ricciuti, Richard Guffy, Peter Kruse, Mary-Liz Williams, Cynthia Buckley, Sean McKeown, Dan Pilz, Marty Duchow (pronounced "DUKE oh"), Jill Best, Carmen Yiamouyiannis, Patrick Kral, Chris Armen, Paul D'Lubac, Ted Ostrowski, Jenn Forman, Peter Hawley, David Reik, Todd and Kim Brown, Eva Van Stratum (in the area on business --- she lives in Pennsylvania now), David Hill (visiting from St. Albans, England), Ian Hill, Tim Costillo, John Castilhos, Olympic Marathon Trials-runner Colleen Casey, Cynthia Sweezy, Frank Dease, James Sullivan, Ray Wise, Tom Buckley, and Bill Shortell. Bill Katz visited on a bike.

We can't claim to have a marked course, any sort of course monitoring, or any other sort of assistance for runners, but you can see several course maps, including maps of routes from the temporary starting points, that I (David Reik) have posted, in PDF format, at http://davidreik.home.comcast.net. The best way to reach me is with this e-mail address (disguised to fool automatic web-crawling address collectors): davidreik at comcast dot net.

Thursday Evening Winter Run

6:00 PM Rocky Hill High School, 50 Chapin Ave, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

The light and warmth of the summer has faded away. It is too dark to run at the West Hartford reservoir at 6:00 pm on Thursday nights. The HTC winter course for Thursday nights is to meet at the Rocky Hill High School. Meet us in the front parking lot off to the right of the school for a 6:00 start. The standard route is an out and back just under eight miles and is on lightly traveled roads. A map can be found at http://www.rrca.org/running/tools/maps/?id=443

This route is on part of the Asta Challenge Winter Series course held in March. The high school is open for swimming making the locker rooms available to us. We run together as a social group. No one runs alone except by choice. More runners make more available paces. Bring your reflective vest for safety.

Last year our group included: Peter Hawley, Art Byram, Tim Castillo, Kevin Markowski, Mike Randich, Larry Rubin, Craig Zettergren and Kim Brown

This run is from the first Thursday in October until Daylight Savings Time starts in the spring and we return to the West Hartford Reservoir.

Contact Todd Brown at AstaTheSmallDog@cox.net

Thursday Night Track Workouts

Coach Schuyler Schuster leads a "track workout" each Thursday night at 6:30pm. This workout is designed for runners of ALL abilities. The goal is to introduce you to different types of running (intervals, hills, tempo runs) and help you get stronger and faster. The workouts will vary locations - some will take place at the track at St. Joseph's College and others will start from Fleet Feet West Hartford. This is your opportunity to get professional coaching for free - and meet some great fellow runners. Check with the store, 1003 Farmington Avenue, http://www.fleetfeethartford.com, 860 233-8077 for the meeting location.

Weekend Running Colchester

Most Saturdays & Sundays, 6:30 a.m. we meet at the Route 149 commuter lot, exit 16 off Route 2. Pace & length is usually determined before we meet via e-mail but ultimately by those who show up. Please e-mail or call before showing up unless you’re ok running alone. We usually run on the cinder and level “Airline” rail trail (great for recovery runs) but will also run the roads to spice things up and when the trail has too much snow. Men & women, boys & girls, fast & slow, peaking or recovering - everyone’s welcome. Contact either Rick at r-kon@sbcglobal.net / 860-537-4597 or Mike at sgraziosi@cox.net / 860-657-9078 or Andrea at albirmingham@sbcglobal.net / 860-593-3019.

Saturday Morning Women's Runs/Walk Continue

Saturday mornings, 7 a.m., 3 or 5-mile run, or 3 mile walk. All levels and abilities welcome. Warm, supportive group. We meet at participants' homes in the greater Hartford area. For futher information contact Charlotte at hartfordbrunchrun@yahoo.com

Saturday Morning Long Runs in Farmington

Saturday morning at 7 a.m. long runs at Brickyard Road in Farmington. Currently there are four runners (all at 9-10.5 pace) all abilities are welcome. Please join me (Rose Famiglietti). I can answer questions and be reached at 860-563-6786. I prefer phone to email.

Women's Running Group

Non-competitive weekly run held between May-October 3-4 miles in local Rocky Hill and Wethersfield area at a moderate pace (9-10 minute mile). Call 860-335-6795 for info and weekly registration. -Karen Carty