Harriers Monthly Newsletter | July 2020 Edition
Jul 14, 2020 12:25 am
Harriers Monthly Newsletter — July 2020 Edition
By Emilia Benton
Happy Mid-Summer, Harriers! Welcome to our inaugural monthly newsletter. Feel free to email any updates for future newsletter consideration to emiliamariebenton@gmail.com.
First off, kudos to everyone who has continued to log their miles during the ongoing pandemic and uncertainty surrounding future races. It’s certainly not easy to log high mileage on our own in the brutal summer heat. We're hopeful that it will be safe to reconvene for group long runs and track workouts in the near future. Reminder: Club dues expire at the end of July, so don't forget to renew for 2020-2021.
Annual General Meeting and Board Election Results
The Harriers held the club’s annual general meeting virtually via Zoom on June 25, which included electing the club’s new board and advisory board members. The new board members are as follows:
President: Daniel Barron
Secretary: Flora Lai
Vice Presidents: Fredis Benitez and Nele Lefeldt
Treasurer: Kelly Ramey
Advisory board members: Doug Storey, Sherry Fuller, Pamela Skaufel, Sarah Rabourn and Sarah Cherington. If you have any ideas that could help improve the club, the board would love to hear from you. Feedback can be sent to houstonharriers@outlook.com.
Harriers Come Out in 5th Place in Chevron Houston Marathon 100,000-Mile Virtual Challenge
The Harriers brought their competitive game to the Chevron Houston Marathon’s 100,000-mile virtual challenge, which began on June 3 (Global Running Day) and concluded June 29. Our small and mighty club managed to collectively log 7,060 miles to round out the top 5 among Houston-area running groups.
Harriers Teams Bring Their A-Game at the Virtual Bayou Bash Relay
The Harriers organized six teams for the virtual Bayou Bash Relay, which included two open female, one open male, an overall mixed team, and both male and female masters teams. One open female team (comprised of Flora Lai, Stephanie Bonk, Jackie Tobin and Hannah Kellogg) and the overall mixed team (AKA “Essential Runners,” comprised of Daniel Barron, Grace Howard, Chris Gonzalez and Sarah Cherington) took first place in their respective categories, while the open male team (AKA “Sub-6 Feet,” comprised of Eugene Olivarez, Jon Pohlkamp, Ben Mohrdieck and Julius Michael) took third in theirs.
Member Highlights
Nele Lefeldt completed a spontaneous solo 50-miler entirely on the Memorial Park 3-mile loop on June 13. Several other club members showed up to cover some of the mileage with Lefeldt, in addition to providing a tape for her to break upon finishing.
Tracy Larson completed The Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee, a 1,000-kilometer event created by Barkley Marathons’ founder Lazarus Lake. Larson completed the challenge on her home streets and trails in Breckenridge, Colorado, in 46 days, ending on June 15. Her 635 cumulative miles included 47,000 feet of elevation gain, all between 9,000 and 11,000 feet, ending with a walk for ice cream with her kids for her final miles.
In the Media
Chris Gonzalez was featured on The Running Grind Podcast to talk about his two-and-a-half-year journey to break 3 hours in the marathon, which he accomplished at the Houston Marathon this past January. Be sure to also check out past episodes with Joe Balderas and Starla Garcia. Garcia and Terence Baptiste also had featured first-person accounts in Emilia Benton’s Runner’s World article on running and race, published in light of the tragic shooting of Ahmaud Arbery earlier this year.
Nutrition Tip of the Month from Starla Garcia, M.Ed, RDN, LD
On a daily basis, runners should aim to consume more than the typically recommended 64 fluid ounces of water. Athletes need much more fluids than usual in the summer to help them tolerate the extreme heat we experience in Houston.
Morning runners should aim for 16 fluid ounces of water before exercise. Evening runners should have met (or be very close to) their 64-plus-ounce quota for the day before heading out for their runs.
During exercise, aim to consume 4-8 fluid ounces at every 15-20 minutes of exercise. In especially hot and humid conditions like Houston's, aim for 16 fluid ounces at every 30 minutes of running.
After a run, rehydrate with a minimum of 16 fluid ounces of water or electrolyte sports drink such as Gatorade Endurance, Nuun or Skratch Labs. The standard rehydration protocol is 16 fluid ounces for every pound lost during exercise.
If you're not currently carrying fluids, there a number of ways to ensure you stay hydrated on the run. You can use a handheld hydration bottle or belt such as those by Nathan or Ultimate Direction, or plan your runs to stop at safe water stations. (Many thanks to Pamela Skaufel for her recent home set-up!) All of the aforementioned products are available on Running Warehouse; use code RUNSTRONG75 for 10% off.
Training Tips from Coach Doug Storey
Make an ice-filled bandanna to wear during hot summer runs or walks. I've used these for years and it will help you work your way into these hot runs before the ice runs out. Take a cloth or dry-fit bandanna and lay it flat on the ground, counter or other flat surface. Place a handful of ice in the middle of the bandanna and pinch the ends together to fold it into a triangle. Roll it from the long end down to the short end, like a croissant. Pick it up and wrap it with the ice side around the back of your neck and tying it in the front, loosely enough so that it rests on your shoulders instead of sitting tightly on your neck. This will help cool your blood temperature and should function for about 30 minutes before the ice melts down. Do not wet the bandanna before you put the ice in; otherwise it won’t last as long. If you have access to aid stations and/or another bandanna, you can swap it out during your workout once the ice melts. Stay cool, Harriers!
🔗: How to Make an Ice Bandanna
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Pamela
