Pace Setter : December 2015

What's Happening in December?

The calendar would lead you to believe that winter starts on December 22 but the HMRRC says that the date is December 13. That’s the day that the Winter Series returns with the first races being held on Sunday, December 13. The Winter Series is a collection of races from December through February. The Winter Series races are held at UAlbany on Sundays (or the day of the week that New Year’s Day falls on) and feature races of varying distances. The first of the Winter Series races will be held on Sunday, December 15 at 10 a.m. and features the Doug Bowden 15K and 3 mile run. The next Winter Series race is the Hangover Half Marathon and 3.5 mile run on New Year’s Day at UAlbany with a 12 noon start.

The club has a survivor award for those individuals that participate in all five of the Winter Series races as a runner or a volunteer. In previous years, this award has ranged from a winter hat to a long sleeve T-shirt or some other article of club clothing. I’m sure that this year’s prize will compare in value to the other years and I urge all members to participate in the Winter Series races.

The City of Albany celebrates the season with a 5k race at night.. The Last Run 5k will be held on Saturday, December 19 at 5:00 pm and features a tour of the Holiday Lights in Washington Park as part of the race course.

The Holiday Classic 5k will be held at Columbia-Greene Community College on Saturday, December 19 with a 10am start.

The City of Saratoga still has a First Night celebration and also has First Night race. The Saratoga First Night race will be held on Tuesday, December 31 at 5:30pm and features a 5k at Skidmore College.

The club business meeting for December will be held on Wednesday the 9th at 7:30 p.m. at the Point of Woods clubhouse at the end of Washington Avenue Extension. All club members are welcome to attend these meeting.

December marks the end of the year and brings us the holiday season. This is the last issue of the PaceSetter to be printed and thus marks the end of my column. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy, healthy New Year and best wishes of the season.