Track Practice Update 10-27-12

In light of the pending storm, Hurricane Sandy, we have elected to cancel tomorrow’s track practice. The chance of rain tomorrow is predicted at 20%-30% during the morning hours, however, most of us will be busy making preparations to secure ourselves in the event of the storm living up to its potential breadth and impact.

There will not be a practice session on Wednesday October 31st because of Halloween and no practice on Sunday November 4th because of the NYC Marathon.

Lydia and I will be running the marathon and a small group will be assembling in the lobby of 453 FDR Drive and will proceed to the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge to cheer us on. If you are interested in being one of our cheerleaders, please let us know so that we can send you the details.

Please be safe and let’s hope the storm does not live up to its potential.

Pre Jamboree Update 11-19-12

This is an update prior to the NYRR Fall Youth Jamboree on Sunday at the New Balance Armory (216 Fort Washington Ave., btw 168th & 169th St.). Link: Fall-Youth-Jamboree. For those that have never attended a NYRR Jamboree event, they are fun, energetic, crowded, and at times chaotic. The best way to prepare is to get plenty of rest beforehand, arrive early, and bring snacks and light meals for both you and your children (fruit, bagels, sandwiches, pretzels, water bottles, nothing too messy). Also, there will be a lot of waiting in between events, so come equipped with some form of entertainment for both children and adults (books, magazines, newspapers, video games, etc.).

The Elementary Events take place between 9:00 am and 1:40 pm. Each athlete can participate in only two events: 55 meter, 200 meter, Long Jump, or 200-meter Relay. Please use this link to access the Instructions, Schedule of Events and Individual Race Assignments.

T-Shirts: We will once again have available for purchase our Five Points Runners T-Shirts. Shirts are blue with our gold/yellow logo and are a tech material (not cotton). They are $15 for children and $20 for adults.

Meeting Time & Location: Five Points Runners meet in the 4th floor bleacher section at the New Balance Armory (216 Fort Washington Ave., btw 168th & 169th St.). between 8:00 am and 8:15 am. We will text or phone our exact bleacher location the morning of the event. Once assembled we will:
* pick up our credentials
* stretch and do early warm up on the track
* introduce race buddies
* review race, hydration, and safety procedures
Note: race stickers will be attached prior to the event

Track: A link to a map of the track is provided. Please note that it is a 200 meter banked track which means that on the turns the outer track is higher than the inner lanes of the track. Link to the New Balance Armory.

Running Buddies: Only athletes will be allowed in the clerking area, coaches and parents are not permitted. To ensure the safety of our runners and ensure that they reach their assigned locations Niels Vanderloo and Olivia Wiltshire will serve as running buddies.

Jamboree T-Shirt Distribution: Only participating children should go to the designated t-shirt area on the third and fourth floors to individually pick up their free t-shirt. They will receive a hand stamp at the t-shirt area confirming they have received one. T-shirt distribution will commence at 9:00am and if there is a long line for t-shirts, children can return later. Adults are not allowed to pick up t-shirts for the participants. Should they run out of t-shirts before the end of the event, a “rain check” form will be issue for completion to receive t-shirts in the mail at a later date.

Contact Information: Lydia will (sadly!) not be in attendance, due to a prior commitment. But she will be cheering on the runners in spirit! Please contact: John Wiltshire (917) 747-7490

Ensure that our runners get a good night’s rest and hydrate well the day before. See you Sunday. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to call or email.

Post Grete Gallop 10-14-12

Thank you to those who participated in Grete’s Great Gallop on Sunday. Our young athletes had a great time and met their challenges. As some of you may already know, the NYRR has not posted and will not post results for this event. It was designated as a “fun run”. This came as a surprise to many of the athletes and to even members within the NYRR. We have been in communication with the Young Runners team at NYRR and unfortunately the situation remains that no results will be available.

We hold NYRR in high regard and have come to expect “execution” as one of the organization’s defining strengths. It is for this reason that we were so surprised and frustrated by the decision and communication from them. Nonetheless, we understand that in life there are unexpected events that are sometimes out of our control. Yes the events matter, but how we respond and learn from them is much more important.

The Five Points Runners team learned some valuable lessons on Sunday:
* Preparation for the event. This included conditioning, time trials and ensuring the safety of our athletes.
* Meeting personal challenge(s).
* The value of community (athletes, parents, coaches and NYRR).
* Performing on a large stage. This is after all New York City and our Central Park.
* Above all having FUN.

The solidarity of our team was clearly visible, as was pointed out by NYRR, and is what defines us. We will ensure that moving forward we capture our own times as a backup.

Thanks for your patience.

Pre-Grete Gallop 10-11-12

This is an update prior to Grete’s Great Gallop – 1.7 Miles on Sunday. All our runners who participated in the time trials understand their pace and potential for Sunday. We should all HAVE FUN!!!

T-Shirts: Our Five Points Runners T-Shirts are ready and will be available on Sunday. Shirts are blue with our gold/yellow logo and are a tech material (not cotton). They are $15 for children and $20 for adults.

Meeting Location: Five Points Runners and the NEST school team will meet at East 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue between 8:00 am and 8:15 am. From there we will proceed into the park where we will:

* pick up our credentials
* pin on bibs and attach D-Tags to shoes
* stretch and warm up
* introduce race buddies
* review race, hydration, safety procedures and reunite location
* proceed to start

Race Course: Please note that there is also a half marathon being run later that morning so please expect a lot of runners in the park. The start and end of the 1.7 will be West 67th Street. It is one lower loop of the park. Click on this link to access the course map.

Running Buddies: To ensure the safety of our runners a number of parents will be running with our runners. We will have a running buddy from NYRR who will also be joining our team, her name is Ashley Doran. Click on each item to access the runner list/buddy assignments, guidelines and other helpful material.

Contact Information:

Lydia Vanderloo (917) 331-0395
John Wiltshire (917) 747-7490

Please ensure that our runners get a good night’s rest and hydrate well the day before. See you Sunday.

 

Youth Cross Country… Nov. 18

Youth Cross Country Invitational

November 18th, 2012 | Van Cortlandt Park, 242nd St and Broadway, Bronx, NY |Invitational
Registration Closer Date:
November 5th, 2012

For athletes who participated in the Developmental Cross Country Series, this is the Series’ final event, the Youth Cross Country Invitational. This invitation-only event challenges athletes to take on the Bronx’s Van Cortland Park. The hilly 1.5 mile course will keep runners on their toes with twist and turns as it eventually finishes on the track.