Pace Setter : March 2024

President's Message for March

by Ravi Chauhan

It’s March, which means longer days and spring racing. Getting out for a quick run after work to recharge is so much easier in the spring, with the temperatures climbing. Don’t get me wrong; I have been known to wake up early to run or work out, but I like my sleep, and sometimes a run after a long day just hits the spot.

Spring racing for the club will kick off with Running of the Green on March 16th, along with several other non-club races in the area. We’ll be starting up more preview runs to fill in your schedule and meet some new people, so follow us on Facebook or Instagram for updates.

Wrapping up the Winter Series 5 hit the halfway mark for the HMRRC Grand Prix series. The ROTG 5k, Delmar Dash (5-miler), and Bill Robinson 10K are all GP point events coming in the next few months. Even if you're not the first to the finish line, the competition makes the events all the more exciting. Volunteering at these events gets you some points on the GP as well, not to mention the new free membership.

Speaking of volunteers, our volunteers are the best! I really appreciate all the hard work you all do, and I’m consistently surprised at how much work you do—with a smile. At the Winter Series 5, I was able to volunteer at the finish line with Bob Barbato. Having a couple of dozen club members volunteer to help support the 20-mile finishers is amazing. And they pretty much do it all for soup and hanging out in the lobby of the Athletic department, chatting about their next run.

Todd Messick and his crew are gearing up for the 2024 Workforce Team Challenge (WTC). As you know, the WTC is one of the club’s premier races and brings the entire Capital Region together. The 3.5-mile course starts and finishes at the Empire State Plaza, and we are really excited to be working with two Charities of Choice, Wizards Wardrobe, and Reeling for Recovery, this year. We had a lot of great applications, but these two charities stood out. We know our club members are usually the runners who organize your company teams and get your walkers and runners excited about getting together on a Thursday night in May. Thanks in advance for all you do! I can’t wait to see all the t-shirt designs. Also, there are sponsorship tents still available on the plaza, which are a great way to rally your team before and after the event. Help us make it a great race this year!

Happy Running
Ravi Chauhan, President

 

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