Half Marathon, Race planning, Race Report
Lee Mamola
Wineglass Half Marathon - Race Report

The Wineglass Half Marathon has been on my running bucket list for some time now. My running buds have boasted about this race as have many other runners online. It has also continually been ranked as one of the best in the country.  Everything that has been claimed about this event nestled in New York’s Finger Lakes, wine country, and the series of race is true. This race also caps off my racing for 2024.

Wineglass Half Marathon - Race Report
Running Coach, Coaching Runners, Training Plan
Lee Mamola
One Key To Improve Your Running

Those new to running soon discover that they enjoy the sport. They are inquisitive about seemingly everything running related. The most often asked question centers on how they can improve. Whether it’s taking on the challenge of their first 5K or seeking a longer-range target such as running a marathon. They want to know all the “how to’s” to help them reach their goal.

One Key To Improve Your Running
Race planning, Road Running
Lee Mamola
Heads Up Race Directors!

My racing experience dates back to the days of $5 entry fees and as an incentive for runners to sign-up organizers offered runners a free T-Shirt! Well, the shirts are mostly still here and thankfully they are a much-improved product too. In recent years some races recognize that many runners have drawers full of T-shirts and the shirts are no longer the incentive they initially were during the early years. Fast forward to current time and see some organizers offering a different incentive to runners. They offer runners to not receive the shirt and in turn pay a lower entry fee!

Heads Up Race Directors!
Race Report, Road Running
Lee Mamola
Kick Off 2024 - Super 5K

So come race morning I wake early and find that the last thing I really wanted to do was run a race, let alone a faster pace 5K race. It’s not unusual for me to have “race entry remorse” on race day anymore.

Kick Off 2024 - Super 5K
Road Running
Lee Mamola
What's In A PR?

I am going to go way out on a limb here and assume that you, like most runners, are not a world class runner and therefore will never come close to challenging a world, Olympic, national, regional, or similar record. In the world of running, runners instead celebrate their personal records or PRs. It does not matter how fast one ran a race, what matters is how fast the runner ran for a specific distance relative to that runner’s past performances. Since most runners compete in races of various distances, most runners will accumulate their own best finish time for each distance. Thus, the title PR for that distance.

What's In A PR?

crim

Touring The Crim Course Mile - 8

Welcome back Crim Runners! Glad to see you have survived the first 7 miles! Today I guide you along mile 8, a beautiful stretch of the course that includes many more wonderful homes, wide views, some shade, and oh, those curves with “gently rolling” hills. I hope you enjoy this mile too!

Mile 8

Yes, mile 7 might have felt short as hopefully you have been able to pick up your pace again as the course is flat to downhill. There are two immediate tangents to pay close attention too immediately following this turn. Along scenic Parkside you will receive encouragement from a high school band and cheer team may get your juices jumping a bit but you still need to pay attention to the curves of the tangents, work the hills (they are all short so run hard and get them over with!) and stride down the hills when given the opportunity. 

There are many twists and turns along the last half of this mile that prevent you from seeing too far ahead. The result is you may think you only have one more bend in the road when in fact another bend and another hill await you. Your pace is likely slower than a few miles ago so your brain teases you by making you think the route is longer and harder.  Remember, a mile is a mile.

As you approach the end of mile 8 there is a large house on the right, you are on a shaded part of the route, and there will likely be a hose spraying water for you to run through. There is another very mild hill to get over and again, your mind begins to play tricks on you. Be mentally tough, don’t slow down, plow through this point and turn the corner onto Miller Rd. only two more miles to race!

However, sneaky mile 8 decides to jump up and steal it all back again!  Enjoy this stretch of road for as you turn right onto Court St, you will be likely be greeted by sunshine with the resulting hot pavement. The sun, the heat from the pavement, the vast width of the road, your tired legs, all combine to make this part of the route this writer’s least favorite. The best part of mile 8 is completing it, for now there are only 2 more miles to race!

Thanks for following me along this long. Come back tomorrow as we prepare for the final push to the finish line!

Coach Lee

PS: Please cruise through the other parts of The Running Architect website while here too!

Thanks :)

The information and materials contained within this website are copyrighted 2024 by The Running Architect LLC and cannot be reproduced, copied, borrowed, utilized in any manner without the permission of The Running Architect. Blog posts represents Coach Lee’s personal opinion and is not to be taken as direction or professional advice without consultation. All data collected is used solely for analytical or communications purposes. It is not sold or shared with any entity beyond The Running Architect LLC.