Why Snow is Good?

Snow on December 1st in Rochester, how appropriate. Fortunately we only got 2-4 inches, not the 35 inches in West Seneca, NY. If we got that much I would have cleared a spot in the front yard and placed the "For Sale" sign up, put the Explorer in 4-wheel drive and headed south!

But, there must be some good things about snow, right? How about Ten Reasons?

10. Buffalo was shut down for two days. Who wants to go to Buffalo anyhow?
9. Time to really think about snowshoe racing season. I run just as fast wearing snowshoes as I do on clear roads, so why not?
8. I made snowmen that look like Mike and Lou in my front yard. Scares the neighborhood kids.
7. People can't drive. Expressway traffic gets backed up more than usual. This gives me more time to reflect on life while stuck on I390.
6. The Fleet Feet Snowcheap series begins on December 15th at Cobb's Hill Park. Lots of fun on the dark trails of Rochester!
5. Snowshoe racing throughout New York state. Check these three websites, ESSRA, USSSA and Roads are Poison.
4.Jan loves to shovel the driveway.
3. What could be more fun than wearing boots, gloves, thick socks, heavy winter coat, goofy hats from snowshoe racing, a scarf and snowpants?
2. Who doesn't love to slip and slide while running on the roads?
1. Another reason to run on my treadmill in the basement and catch up on all the wonderful television programs available through cable tv.

Bonified and Qualified!

Mike W., Eileen W and myself are officially qualified for the USSSA National Snowshoe championship being held on March 6 near Tully, New York. Mike finished 4th (1:03:54) in his age group (top 5 automatically qualify), Eileen was 2nd (1:15:22)and I was 1st (58:38) among USSSA members. Lou gave a valiant effort, but finished seventh. You can also qualify on time, finishing with 130% of the winning time for your age group, but Lou picked a tough and fast age group to compete in.

Almost 100 snowshoers competed in the 10k at Mendon Ponds on Sunday, January 17. There seemed to be a good representation from around New York state. The warm spell threatened to make the race a running trail run, but fortunately there was just enough snow left on the hilly course to allow us to use snowshoes.

Jan, a past qualifier, opted to save her achilles tendon for summer triathlons and did the smart thing by resting.

Winterfest Snowshoe

A day made for snowshoe racing greeted us at Mendon Ponds park on Sunday, January 18. Mike, Jan, Eileen and I opted to run the Citizens 5k instead of the USSSA 10k qualifying race. The course was hilly, as expected for Mendon, but fair. 32 snowshoers participated in the 5k. I finished 4/32 in 30:39, Mike ran a 32:47, Eileen a 39:52 and Jan 41:25.

In the difficult 10k Frank Q was 2nd in his age group in 59:08. Fifty-six runners participated in the longer event.