Weekly Hill Workout
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- Written by Martin Mazur
Hill repeats are like track workouts with gravity. And since you can't escape hills in Central Pennsylvania, hill workouts are a good thing to add to your workout repertoire. Weekly Hill Workouts were started around 2007 by Hill Queen Tara Murray. She's gotten help running the show from Her Hynerness Meira Minard, all around trail running champ and winner of, among other things, the Hyner Challenge, Rothrock 30K, and other local trail races.
The routine is similar to Thursday Track. The group assembles for the noontime run in the warmup area beside the main gym at Rec Hall. The runners leave at 12:10 PM. Tara or Meira picks a hill and the group does a warmup run from Rec Hall to the bottom of that hill. Then they scamper up and jog back down until they're good and tired.
The group has been getting more popular lately. But Tara has taken a new job in Bellefonte and Meira, who will be student teaching at times, has moved the workout from Tuesdays to Mondays for Fall of 2010. This may change as the semesters advance. We'll keep you posted.
If you want to get an early heads-up on the workout so you can meet the group at the hill instead of at Rec Hall, join the Yahoo Discussion Group 'NVRC'.
Weekly Hill Workout: On-Ramp Rambling
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- Written by Mike Casper
September 20, 2011
The weather was pleasant and sunny with a gentle breeze as Lance Bland, Jim Myers and Mike Casper headed to the selected hill, the old University Drive-College Ave. ramp, Mike had already put two reps in when reinforcements arrived. Then, lo, down the hill came prancing a score of other Rec Hall Regulars, including Tom Cali and 2011 Dam Half Queen (sans sash) Meerkat Minard. Tom admitted he was tapering for a half marathon a few days away and Wineglass Marathon in 10 days. A few side-fives were exchanged as we climbed the hill; we were acknowledging their bravery in showing up. But as we turned to descend again, alas, they were long gone, probably searching in vain for some flat ground. Their loss!
This is, as it turns out, quite a crossroads venue. Down the hill walked a professionally dressed lady student who seemed to understand what the heck we were doing. As it turns out, it was the girlfriend of Mike Williams, president of the PSU XC Club. She wasn’t missing out on anything, she pointed out, as the XCers will be doing 800s tonight. If you’re a glutton for repeats, show up at Rec Hall after 5.
Keep hilling!
Weekly Hill Workout: The Drips Have It
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- Written by Mike Casper
May 17, 2011
While there were dribs and drabs of drops and drips in the air, these did not divert Dave Agler, Meira Minard, Ken Davis and Mike Casper from the day’s task at hand: ascending the lower hill on Porter Road. This run goes from the crosswalk at the bottom to the “no parking” sign just past the gas line post. After a few reps the local hog contingent was out whooping and hollering and placing bets on who would last. There was light vehicle traffic but the downhill recovery was exhilarating! Mike had a head start but most were on their sixth rep by the time he peeled off to rumble up the mini Hastings hill nearby.
What drips were dry in their offices or gyms? You know who you fair-weather folk are. Ye who show, reap!
Weekly Hill Workout: A Lonely Climb
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- Written by Mike Casper
May 24, 2011
Spontaneity (or zero planning) has its virtues. Today’s advance hill discussion was a single FYI sent out less than half an hour before noon. Though not calculated this way, this boosted my chances of running solo hills on the path behind the high school. Thus I focused on nature and how I felt and not on shrinking figures climbing ahead of me. I’m just getting into speed and hills again after months off, so rep speed is a very relative term. The water gizmos at the revamped pool across Westerly Parkway were all gushing away for one or two onlookers – and of course to get all the drivers-by talking and planning for the grand opening. To optimize climb time and minimize flats, I stuck with just the pathway ascent, leaving off the flat yardage to Westerly as well as the flat-ish macadam between the path and the next bumps of road. This allowed the climb and recovery times to be nearly similar, while the climbs felt better and better and got faster. I did 11. The path went from mostly wet to mostly dry in 30 minutes, just from the heat of two feet.
So, no aspersions to cast, but I do wonder who else was making multiple ascents somewhere . . .
[Note: Judd Michael and Jon Oatley did another impromptu hill workout on Park Ave... -Ed.]
Weekly Hill Workout: Not Much To Report
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- Written by Meira Minard
January 17, 2010
I accidentally hit return after typing in the subject on the last message, and contemplated just leaving it at that. You know, 'enough said' kind of thing. But that wouldn't be fair to the few brave-hearted souls who battled the hills with me today. Instead of warpaint, these soldiers wore tights, which was just as (if not more) intimidating! Although quite a sizeable crew set out from Rec Hall, when it came time to separate the tuff from the fluff, only Jim Moore and Jonathan Thurley chose the high road. We headed over to the Park Ave hill, and ran into none other than the Martin of the Mazurs and John Wilcock. John has a slow year planned, only a few HALF-Ironmans (what a slacker!). Our regiment was made complete by the arrival of Judd the Studd Michaels, whom I tried to run over as he was climbing Orchard on his bike this morning (he was wearing Lakers colors--I couldn't help myself!!!)
So, we managed to make three charges up the hill. Enemies were scarce, although a biker bandit rode by and managed to divide the ranks a bit. The trash can full of dog crap was also pretty threatening....
I guess I'll have to wait a little longer between visits, as today wasn't quite the "hill-coming" i was envisioning. Or maybe i'll just conduct surprise inspections periodically (incognito of course). Was that a squirrel that just ran by? Or something else.....?