Turkey Trot Packet Pickup and Other Important Details

Of course we're Turkey Trotting tomorrow! Participants from the Ebensburg area, 18 states, and the District of Columbia are helping to make this the biggest Turkey Trot ever. Snow and cold just add to the fun and adventure and make the post-race hot apple cider and goodies all the better.

And let it be known that this race is amazingly efficient. We aim to start on time (9:00 a.m.), buzz through the awards, and wrap everything up so that you can be home for your Thanksgiving celebrations.

So before the big day arrives, here are four things to know:

1. NEW Pre-Race Packet Pick Up on Wednesday – Stop by Dauntless Fire Station (209 W. Sample St.) on Wednesday from 4:30-8:30 p.m. to pick up your race packet.  If you can’t make it Wednesday, you can pick it your packet on Thursday beginning at 7:30 a.m.
2. Don’t Forget Dorothy Day! – Please bring canned goods and personal hygiene products for the Dorothy Day Center at Saint Francis University. In addition to race proceeds, we’d like to provide the Dorothy Day Center with an entire truckload of supplies to help with their mission to serve local families in need.
3. Got Old Sneakers? – We also will be collecting gently worn shoes for Soles for Souls, a global not-for-profit institution that fights poverty by distributing shoes and clothing. If you have old running shoes, bring them laced together or attached as a pair. 
4. Be Thankful! – This race would not be possible if it weren't for our fantastic and generous volunteers. As you're running and enjoying the Turkey Trot this year, please take the time to thank our world-class volunteers.

That's it for now. We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow for what promised to be a memorable event!

Turkey Trot: Remember to Bring Non-Perishables!

Let's fill a truck (or two) again!

Now that we have reached 700 runners, final preparations for the Turkey Trot are in full swing. We're marking the course, getting shirts printed, and assigning jobs to all of our generous volunteers.

While Team EARC gets ready for you, we would like to remind you to PLEASE bring non-perishable food items and/or hygiene items for Saint Francis University's Dorothy Day Center. We will be collecting them outside of the fire hall, and our volunteers will have bright smiles so that you can't miss them.

We started the food drive in the first year of the Trot, and it has grown alongside the race ever since. So let's keep on helping the DDC, Turkey Trotters!

Strong. Vital. Human.

Do yourself a favor and read this beautiful reflection on running and prayer from Joe Simmons--a Jesuit, blogger, and philosopher at Creighton University.  A segment...

As I trudged up hills and coursed down slopes, my mind ran to prayer.  Running and prayer are, I think, equal parts attractive and repulsive.  Attractive because I want to enjoy their fruits; repulsive because to commit to either means giving up some quality sloth time.  Attractive because I’ll feel better once I’m in a good rhythm; repulsive because a good rhythm is almost always a delayed return on investment.... 

A friend new to running once told me, “my body actually feels different now.” Well, I assure you, his body actually was different; he really thinned out.  Running makes you breathe differently, sleep better, and start to desire healthier foods.  No amount of caffeine can ape the alertness of sustained physical activity.  When you fall out of a good rhythm of running, you don’t feel the inertia seduce you – until you are lying (literally) at its feet.  For me, this looks like a lot of yawning, fatigue despite sleep, and craving salty crunchy junk food because, well, because it’s salty and crunchy... 

[CONTINUE READING AT THE JESUIT POST]

Why are Kenyans so Fast?

"There are 17 American men in history who have run under 2:10 in the marathon,"  says journalist David Epstein. "There were 32 Kalenjin who did it in October of 2011."

The Kalenjin are a tribe of approximately 5 million in the African country of Kenya.  While "Kenya" has become shorthand for distance running greatness, the majority of that country's great runners have come from this tribe.

All of this has led researchers, journalists, and curious onlookers to ask the obvious question: Why?  Is it genetics? Climate? Culture? All of the above?

One of my favorite podcasts, Radiolab, looked at all of these questions in their latest episode, "Cut and Run".  Give it a listen. And be prepared to wince, because it gets... well... disturbing.