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Keeping Track - November 2022 Newsletter
President's Corner
By Mick Close

Good luck to everyone running in the New York City Marathon on Sunday. The club will be well represented again this year with about 35 runners and many other people volunteering or spectating. The club is also providing two buses to the start of the Marathon this year departing from Fleet Feet at 5:30 am if you would like to come out and cheer for the runners as they leave. We usually have a group of people head out for a run after the buses leave.
 
We hope to hear many of your stories from the marathon at our Virtual Club Meeting on Mon, Nov 14 when we will be doing a recap of all the fall races. This is always one of our most popular meetings which we have been holding for many years and we hope many of you will share your recent race stories no matter what the distance. Wear your race medal and be inspired by your fellow runners! We had hoped to make this an in person meeting but we were unable to find a suitable place to meet and this is why we are meeting via Zoom. It has not been easy finding a location but we hope we can return to in person meetings next year.
 
Our Weekly Fall Track Workouts will continue for a few more weeks now every Wednesday evening through Nov. 16. These workouts are offered as a free benefit to all ERC members no matter what pace you run and whether you are a new or experienced runner! Runners are encouraged to bring a headlamp or light now as there is very limited lighting on the track.
 
Our Fleet Feet / Essex team has three more races this month in the USATF-NJ club grand prix championship, the Garden State XC Championship on Sun, Nov 6, Harrington Park 5K on Sat, Nov 12 and the Ashenfelter 8K Classic on Thanksgiving Day.when we hope to make a strong finish to the year. This is the perfect time to join USATF if you'd like to start running for the team. If you join USATF in November, you will be eligible to run for our USATF team at the three races in November as well as all the races in 2023.
 
Fleet Feet Montclair has a number of special events planned for this month as they continue to celebrate their 35th anniversary Including a Shake Out Run and Q&A with Running Legend, Meb Keflezghi on Fri, Nov 4, 80’s Run, Walk and Dance Party on Thu, Nov 17 and their 35th Annual Pancake Breakfast Run / Walk on Sat, Nov 26. We would like to congratulate them on their anniversary and thank them for everything they do for the local community. We are very lucky to have such a wonderful running store right here in our neighborhood.
 
As we start to look ahead to 2023, we would love to recruit a few more people to help us with our events and other activities. Please contact Christel Cogneau if you would like to be part of our events committee or help out with the club in some other way.
 
Good luck if you're running New York, Philadelphia or some other marathon or race this month and we hope to see everyone at Ashenfelter! Go Essex!
Calendar of Events

NOVEMBER:
Wed, Nov 2: Fall Track Workout #9
Fri, Nov 4: Shake Out Run and Q&A with Meb (Fleet Feet)
Sun, Nov 6: Club Race & Marathon Bus / New York City Marathon
Sun, Nov 6: Team Race / Garden State XC Championship (All Divisions)
Wed, Nov 9: Fall Track Workout #10
Sat, Nov 12: Team Race / Harrington Park 5K Fall Spectacular (Masters Men)
Mon, Nov 14: ERC Virtual Club Meeting / Fall Races Review
Wed, Nov 16: Fall Track Workout #11
Thu, Nov 17: 80's Run and Dance Party (Fleet Feet)
Thu, Nov 24: Team Race / Ashenfelter 8K Classic (All Divisions)
Sat, Nov 26: 35th Annual Pancake Breakfast Run / Walk (Fleet Feet)

Fall Track Workouts are now being held on Wednesday evenings and will continue through Nov 16.

Visit our Members Only Group on Facebook for all the latest news and updates about the club events.
Upcoming Races

Click on the links below for information on upcoming races and the 2022 USATF-NJ championship / team races. 



These are the remaining team races for this year.



Race Results

Please click on the link below to submit your race results for any event you complete in 2022 (except for the USATF-NJ championship / team races which will be automatically recorded).


Click on the links below to display all the results submitted so far this year.


Fall Track Workouts
Wednesday Nights at 6:30pm (Sep 7 - Nov 16)

Weekly track workouts are now being held on Wednesday nights at Hurrell Field in Glen Ridge and will continue through Wed, Nov 16. It's important to warm up before each workout so we suggest you arrive by 6:15 pm to complete an easy 10 minute jog prior to the workout. You should also be sure to cool down after each workout.

These workouts are offered as a free benefit to all ERC members no matter what pace you run and whether you are a new or experienced runner! Non-members are also welcome to attend one free session prior to joining the club. The workouts will be geared towards running a fast time at the upcoming team races and to help you prepare for races at all distances during the fall racing season.

Paul Kartanowicz (Coach PK) will be back as our coach and will design the workouts to help keep you motivated and ready to race whether you’re new to running or a seasoned veteran. Coach PK is a certified USATF Level II endurance coach, one of the top coaches in the area and the current head track and field coach at Glen Ridge High School.

You should plan to wear a digital watch for the workouts so you can keep track of your splits (GPS watch is preferred). You should know your current / goal pace for the 5K and for other distances to help you determine the best pace for your workouts. Coach PK suggests using the free McMillan running calculator at www.mcmillanrunning.com to ensure you are running at the correct pace for each workout.

Details of each workout will be posted on Facebook each week so you can complete them at your own convenience any time during the week if you are unable to attend the workout in person or would prefer to do them on your own.

Note: Runners are encouraged to bring a headlamp or light as there is very limited lighting on the track.
Club Race / New York City Marathon
Sun, Nov 6

Good luck to everyone running in the Marathon on Sunday. This is always an exciting weekend and the club will be well represented again this year with about 35 runners and many other people volunteering or spectating.

The club is providing two buses to the start of the Marathon this year departing from Fleet Feet at 5:30 am if you would like to come out and cheer for the runners as they leave. We usually have a group of people head out for a run after the buses leave.

We still have a few seats available for the bus if you know anyone who needs a ride to the start.


Check out our Facebook event for a list of club members who are running with their bib numbers and starting wave numbers. There are five waves again this year with Wave 1 starting at 9:10 and Wave 5 at 11:30. Good luck everyone!

Team Race - Garden State XC Championship (All Divisions)
Sun, Nov 6
10:15 am (Women's 6K)
11:00 am (Men's 8K)

This is the second cross-country (XC) race in this year's USATF-NJ team grand prix to be held at historic Buccleuch Park in New Brunswick. It's is an all-division meet, but men's and women's races will be run separately and are different distances (6K for women, 8K for men).

Online registration was scheduled to close on Wednesday night (Nov 3) so it may be too late to sign up now. Click on the link below for more information.



Please notify one of your team captains if you will be running or have any questions (Mick CloseJackson BangsSamantha Spitaletta). 
Team Race - Harrington Park 5K (Masters Men)
Sat, Nov 12 10:00 am

Calling all Master's Men! Join us for this USATF-NJ 5K grand prix championship race for your division! We'd like to field a strong team to help us finish in the top 3 teams in the overall standings.

This popular fall race is held on a mostly flat, certified course on the roads through scenic Harrington Park with easy parking and a large indoor gym for pre and post race activities. Harrington Park is located in northern New Jersey near the Oradell Reservoir about 30 minutes away via exit 165 of the Parkway.

You must pre-register for all team races now as we have to submit the teams the day before the race. Please notify one of your team captains if you will be running or have any questions (Mick CloseJackson BangsSamantha Spitaletta). Click on the link below to register or for more information.


ERC Virtual Club Meeting / Fall Races Review
Mon, Nov 14 7:30 pm

One of our most popular meetings of the year. Share your recent race stories no matter what the distance. Wear your race bling and be inspired by your fellow runners. We want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly.


Note: We failed to secure a place to meet in person and this is why we are meeting via Zoom. It has not been easy finding a location and we aim to return to in person meetings next year - please send us your suggestions for potential locations.

Click on the link below to join the Zoom meeting on Nov 14:


(Meeting ID: 824 1003 1538 Passcode: 346291)
Team Race - Ashenfelter 8K Classic (All Divisions)
Thu, Nov 24 9:00 am

This traditional Thanksgiving Day event is held on a mostly flat and fast out and back course along Ridgewood Avenue in Glen Ridge honoring local hero and Olympic Champion, Horace Ashenfelter, who won the steeplechase event at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland.

This is one of our most popular team races and all club members are encouraged to come out and run for our Fleet Feet / Essex team in this USATF-NJ 8K championship race. If you didn't join USATF this year, you can join USATF in November and start running in the team races for the rest of 2022 and all of 2023.

You must pre-register for all team races now as we have to submit the teams the day before the race. Please notify one of your team captains if you will be running or have any questions (Mick CloseJackson BangsSamantha Spitaletta). Click on the link below to register or for more information.


Note: It's best to register early for this race since registration goes up to $50 after Sun, Nov 20.
Fleet Feet Montclair

The club shares a close relationship with Fleet Feet Montclair in supporting the local running community while promoting good health and fitness. They sponsor our USATF racing team and we organize many events and group runs together.


Upcoming Events:

  • Fri, Nov 4: Shake Out Run and Q&A with Meb: Join marathon running legend, Meb Keflezighi, for an exclusive shakeout run and Q&A just days before the NYC Marathon to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Fleet Feet Montclair. Meet up at Fleet Feet at 9:00am for the shake out run to be followed by the Q&A starting at 9:45 am in the community room at the church across the street. The Q&A will be hosted by Tommie Runz, marathoner and podcaster who's running the NYC Marathon for the first time! Get inspired with tips from Meb and Tommie on how to overcome setbacks, strategies to run your best marathon, and training and nutrition advice to achieve longevity in the sport.

  • Thu, Nov 17: 80's Run, Walk and Dance Party: Come celebrate 35 years of Fleet Feet Montclair with an 80's themed run / walk starting at 6:00 pm to be followed by beer, pizza and an 80's dance party at Porta Montclair (499 Bloomfield Ave). Hang with your friends and get your groove on. Tease that hair, dust off the leg warmers and bring out the New Balance 990 V1's! The best dressed will get some special prizes. Registration is only $15 and all registration fees will be donated to the Montclair Human Needs Food Pantry.

  • Fri, Nov 25 - Sun, Nov 27: Black Friday and Small Business Saturday Weekend: Fleet Feet will be offering discounts on apparel, accessories and selected shoe models plus there will be special pricing on some tech accessories like Theragun and Garmin.

  • Sat, Nov 26 @ 8:00 am: 35th Annual Pancake Breakfast Run / Walk: For as long as the Fabbro's can remember, Fleet Feet has celebrated the store's birthday and kicked off the holidays with this very popular event. Meet at Fleet Feet at 8:00am for an easy run or walk to be followed by Chef Paul's famous stockroom - made pancakes and coffee! Then join us for some early access to storewide sales to get a running start on your holiday shopping.
USATF Team - Fleet Feet / Essex

The club had another strong showing at the East Brunswick 12K on Sun, Oct 16 which was the final coed team championship race for 2022 and it looks like we finished in 2nd place in the final standings behind Shore AC.

There are still three more races this month in the club grand prix championship and we need as many people as possible to participate in these races since we are in a tight race with Clifton and Raritan Valley for 2nd place in the overall team standings.




Click on the link below to see all the latest individual and team standings.


Anyone interested in joining the team can sign up with USATF and start running on the team. November is the perfect month to join USATF since your membership will be valid for the rest of 2022 and all of 2023. All new team members receive a team singlet when they run their first race. Click on the links below for more information about joining USATF and running for the team. Our USATF team / club number is 246.



The club also has an incentive / reward program that will reimburse a portion of your USATF membership dues for the next year if you run enough team races during the prior year. You will qualify for the reward in 2023 if you run at least five times on a club team in 2022 if you are a masters runner (40 and over) or at least four times if you are an open runner (under 40).

Please contact one of our team captains if you have any questions (Jackson Bangs, Samantha SpitalettaMick Close). 
USATF Membership

This is the perfect time to join USATF or renew your membership if you're interested in running for the Fleet Feet / Essex team.

If you join USATF or renew your membership in November, you will be eligible to run for our USATF team at the three races in November as well as all the races in 2023. 

Click on the links below for more information about joining USATF and our Fleet Feet / Essex racing team.


Help Wanted!

We need your help! We are working on our 2023 schedule and would love to recruit a few volunteers to help us with event planning / organizing (runs, workouts, parties, etc.).

If you want to be part of our event committee or would like more information, please contact Christel at ccogneau@gmail.com.

This is a great opportunity to give back to Essex Running Club. Thank you so much.
Welcome New Members

We would like to extend a warm welcome to the following new members who joined the club during the past month. We hope to see you soon at one of our upcoming events.

  • Derrick Chell (Nutley)
  • Sheila Dunn (Nutley)
  • Ronald Leiva (Montclair)
  • Michelle Sanchez (Montclair)
  • Nicole Steiner (Livingston)
Photo Highlights

Please post or share your photos to the ERC Members Only Group on Facebook so we can include a few of them in the newsletter each month! Visit our Facebook group to see all the photos posted each month.
Sat, Oct 1 - 4 Miler at Garret Mountain
Sun, Oct 2 - Little Silver 5K
Sun, Oct 2 - Little Silver 5K
Sun, Oct 2 - Carlos Negron 5K
Sun, Oct 2 - London Marathon (Paul Giuliano)
Sun, Oct 2 - London Marathon (Dalva Santos)
Sun, Oct 2 - Wineglass Half Marathon (Aubrey Blanda)
Sun, Oct 2 - Wineglass Marathon (Fabian Castillo)
Sun, Oct 2 - Wineglass Half Marathon (Samantha Spitaletta)
Sun, Oct 2 - Supported Long Run
Sun, Oct 2 - Congratulations to Roselynn and Carlos!
Sat, Oct 8 - Oradell 5K
Sat, Oct 8 - Chicago Marathon / Pre-Race Dinner
Sun, Oct 9 - Chicago Marathon
Sun, Oct 9 - Chicago Marathon
Sun, Oct 9 - Steamtown Marathon (Lia Travers)
Sun, Oct 9 - Staten Island Half Marathon
Wed, Oct 12 - Weekly Track Workout
Fri, Oct 14 - Fleet Feet 35th Anniversary Party
Sun, Oct 16 - East Brunswick 12K
Sun, Oct 16 - Paramus 10K (Michael Vitulano)
Sun, Oct 16 - Harding Halloween Half Marathon
Sun, Oct 16 - Congratulations to Roseanne and Ed
Thu, Oct 20 - Running with the Icons (Roger Robinson & Kathrine Switzer)
Thu, Oct 20 - Running with the Icons (Roger Robinson & Kathrine Switzer)
Sun, Oct 23 - Atlantic City Half Marathon (Mike Ciaverella)
Wed, Oct 26 - Weekly Track Workout
Sat, Oct 29 - Marine Corps Marathon Kids 1 Mile Run (Kiernan Signer)
Sun, Oct 30 - Run with the Devils 5K (Michael Vitulano)
Sun, Oct 30 - Marine Corps Marathon (Raymond Murphy)
Sun, Oct 30 - Happy 90th Birthday to George Studzinski
Weekly Group Runs

There are usually group runs at Fleet Feet Montclair on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings, and at the West Essex Trail in Verona on Saturday mornings. Post to our Facebook group if you want to check who will be running on a certain day.

We also organize hosted group runs on Sunday mornings during the winter and on Wednesday nights during the summer. These are a great way to meet your fellow club members while enjoying a leisurely run

Fleet Feet Thursday Night Run - Meet at 6:00pm at Fleet Feet Montclair (603 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair). All paces are welcome and you can run as little or as much mileage as you want. Most people start out on a 3 mile route down Midland Ave with a loop around Edgemont Park but you can turn around sooner if you want a shorter run. Some people also extend the run up to 6 miles with a second loop.

Saturday Morning Trail Run - Meet at 8:00 am in the Verona High School parking lot on Sampson Drive by the tennis courts just down from the start of the West Essex Trail on Fairview Ave. You can run up to 6 miles out and back on the trail or you can run on the road to Cedar Grove Park or Verona Park. Optional post run coffee and breakfast outside at the back of The Blue Hippo (662 Bloomfield Ave, Verona).

Sunday Morning Group Run - Meet at 7:00 am at Fleet Feet Montclair (603 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair). Popular with people training for longer distance events especially during the summer and fall. Various distances and paces through the streets of Montclair to Edgemont Park, Anderson Park and Brookdale Park including popular routes of 5K, 5 miles, 7 miles and 8.5 miles. Route maps are available on our Running Routes page on the ERC web site.
Running Routes

Click here to view this page on the ERC web site with links to local running routes as follows:

  • Running Routes for Club Events & Group Runs

  • Other Local Running Routes

  • USATF Certified Course Maps for Local Races
Custom ERC Clothing
(TeePublic)

Custom ERC clothing and many other items are available on TeePublic with the classic ERC logo as well as the one for Covid-19. 

These are some of the items available in a variety of colors.

  • Tank Tops
  • Short Sleeve T-shirts
  • Long Sleeve T-shirts
  • Sweat Shirts
  • Hoodies
  • Masks

Just click on the link below to see what's available and please contact Paula Fields if you have any questions.


TeePublic usually has a sale for a few days every month when they offer 35% off!
Membership

Please click on the link below to login to MemberPlanet if you need to check your membership status, update your information or renew your membership. 


You will need to enter your email and password to log in to your account. If you don't know your password or don't have one, just use the Forget your password? option in MemberPlanet.

Don't forget to renew your membership if you received an email from Member Planet to say your membership is expiring. You will no longer receive this newsletter if it is more than 90 days since your membership expired.

Our annual membership is still only $25 (individual) or $40 (family) and there is a discount if you register for multiple years. We do everything possible to support the local running community and to keep the cost of our events as low as possible. 

Please contact our membership chairman (James Walker) if you need any help or have any questions.
Stay Connected with ERC through Social Media

Our members only group on Facebook can be found here. This is where you will find the latest news about the club and what's happening.
 
We also have a public page on Facebook that can be found: here.

More information about the club and all our activities is always available on our web site at www.essexrunning.com or www.essexrunning.org

Find us on Twitter: @EssexRunning and on Instagram: @essexrunningclub

#runerc and #essexrunningclub

Our group on MemberPlanet can be found at www.memberplanet.com/essexrunningclub.

We also have groups on Garmin Connect and Strava where you can keep track of your workouts and see what other people are doing.
Officers & Board Members for 2022

Officers: Mick Close (President), Paula Fields (Vice President), Carl Sturcke (Treasurer), Christel Cogneau (Secretary)

Board Members: Marian Alaya, Catherine Close, Gail Goldspiel, Tom Kelly, Paul Maloney, Eddie Signer, Ed Trieste, James Walker

Please feel free to contact one of the people listed below if you have any questions, thoughts or suggestions about the club.