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The True Road Warriors

by Christine BishopOn New Year's Day an annual HMRRC event occurs: the Hangover Half Marathon and the 3.5 miler. This is incredible since the races happen after New Year's Eve celebrations and the weather on January 1 can be horrendous. …
34 4 Josh Merlis M 39 Albany 1 https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2022/january/true-road-warriors

Adventure Race Metamorphosis: The Juxtaposition

by Josh MerlisJosh relates how the Adventure Race began in 2006 and how it has changed in the years since. The race was a high point of the weekend at Dippikill for over a decade, but this year was different. For full artic…
by Josh Merlis It all began as a joke. Three years afte https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2022/january/adventure-race-metamorphosis-justaposition

Josh Merlis: June 2004 Profile of a Runner

by Jess SpaetzThis profile was done when Josh Merlis was 22 years old, written by Jess Sapetz, will give you a wonderful background and understanding of what makes one of the top leaders of running in the Greater Albany region run. …
https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2022/january/josh-merlis-june-2004-profile-runner

The Inaugural Electric City Five Miler

The inaugural Electric City Five Miler created by Josh Merlis and run on March 13 was called a "breath of fresh air" by the Daily Gazette sports columnist Mike MacAdam and has been listed as the favorite race of 2021 by many of our runners. …
https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2022/january/inaugural-electric-city-five-miler

What Was Your Best Race of 2021 and 2022 Goals?

by Runners Like YouA question was sent out to our members about their favorite races and their goals for 2022. Find out immediately which races our runners loved! Amazingly over 50 people responded!! Enjoy reading this survey and if you want to participa…
everyone back together and run so well. Josh Merlis My favorite race of 2021 was AREEP https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2022/january/what-was-your-best-race-2021-and-2022-goals

The Untold Truth About the Hairy Gorilla

by Josh MerlisThe Hairy Gorilla Half Marathon is undoubtedly the most fun race we have. Awards are given for the fastest and the zaniest. This year Carole Baskin and Tiger Joe took the cookie as did the amazing running nuns. Incredibly someone ran an enti…
by Josh Merlis Click here to relive the day. Pictures b https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2021/december/untold-truth-about-hairy-gorilla

The Upstate Classic – a True Classic!

by Lonnie HalusicThe Upstate Classic was another important November Race that Lonnie Halusic was looking forward to. In 2020, she ran the Upstate Classic Half Marathon and now she was back but this time to go for the gold and run the Upstate Classic Mara…
but I was greeted to Josh Merlis yelling my name over the loudspeaker. Josh https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2021/december/upstate-classic-true-classic

Froggy Five Mile and Hard as Hell Half Marathon

by Josh MerlisThe ground was damp beneath the overcast sky as I unhurriedly entered the woods a half mile down the road from White Pine Lodge. For the first time in my 14-year history of marking the Froggy Five, I was doing so both under no time pressure …
by Josh Merlis The ground was damp beneath the overcast https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2021/august/froggy-five-mile-and-hard-hell-half-marathon

Are You Ready to Run Maskless?

by Benita ZahnI had planned to pen an article on the best mask to wear while running. I’d even reached out to a few companies to provide me with ‘trial’ masks so I could compare them. After skiing masked this past winter, I was looking for a product that …
g and social distancing guidelines. Props to Josh Merlis and his team. But now the https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2021/june/are-you-ready-run-maskless

My First Half in My Last Half

by Stephanie Mumford BrownOn April 17, I ran my very first half marathon in the last half of my life. Actually, to be brutally actuarial, I’ll be doing well if the Druthers Helderberg to Hudson Half Marathon is the opening act in the last third of my life…
But Race Director Josh Merlis wears a too sober game face on race day to r https://www.hmrrc.com/members/pacesetter/2021/may/my-first-half-my-last-half