According to legend, when the Athenian army defeated the invading Persian army in the battle of Marathon in 490 B.C., the Athenians ordered the messenger Pheidippides to run the roughly 26 miles to Athens and announce the victory. Pheidippides raced back to the city in the summer heat, proclaimed “We Have Won,” and then collapsed and died from exhaustion.
Now, you don’t have to go extremes when it comes to running this summer. However, a great way to add a little incentive to your training is to enter one of the many local road races. It’ll not only give you a goal to work toward, but it’ll also allow you to meet new people, participate in a festive event, and help out a worthy cause all at the same time.
There are numerous road races held throughout the summer months in Buffalo, most of the 5K (5 kilometer) variety. That distance translates to 3.1 miles. It’s long enough to challenge a veteran runner, yet short enough so that a new runner should be able to handle it. Although they’re called races, most of the participants are not super competitive runners, but rather enjoy the camaraderie and fun atmosphere as much as the workout.
If you’ve been running and are in decent shape, a 5K shouldn’t be too hard for you. Just be sure to wear proper shoes, drink plenty of water, and stay within your own limits.
Most of the races about $20-25 to enter, and the cost generally goes up a couple of days before the run. In return you usually get a nice t-shirt or hat, and a post-race party. Here are a few of the larger races coming up:
One of the biggest races in the area takes place is on Thursday, June 9th when the Buffalo JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge will be held in Delaware Park. You must register in advance as part of a corporate team. After the 3.5 mile run through the streets around the park there’s a massive post-race tent part —- over 10,000 runners are expected, along with many supporters.
On Saturday morning June 11th starting at 10 AM there’s another very large race, the Susan G. Komen WNY Race For The Cure starting in Delaware Park. Last year this 5K drew over 1100 participants, so it’s pretty big too. It raises funds to fight breast cancer.
On Friday July 15th at 7:00 PM the Subaru Buffalo 4 Mile Chase returns to the Elmwood Village. This is a 4-miler, a bit longer that the usual 5K. It also draws a number of world class runners, although the regular recreational runner will really enjoy the event — especially the post-race party at Elmwood and Bidwell.
Another great race for a very good cause is the Ronald McDonald House Run on Wednesday, July 27th. It starts at Ronald McDonald House at 780 East Ferry and goes through the neighboring streets. All proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing for out-of-town families who have children in local hospitals.
There are just a few of the upcoming local races. You can find out about these and other races by going to one of the best sources of information about the local running scene, www.buffalorunners.com. That site has a comprehensive calendar of upcoming runs for the entire year, as well as results of past runs. There are also photos, articles and links to various other running sites.