Quote:
"Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be" - André De Shields
Intro:
Welcome to the Cincinnatus Track Club newsletter! The very first edition. I've been thinking about starting this for awhile. Here in Cincinnati, we have such an amazing running community. So many groups full of so many supportive and motivating people. We need that, because running isn't always easy. You're forcing your body and mind to grow and adapt constantly to new challenges. Pushing our limits and exceeding past what we once thought we weren't capable of. But at the end of the day, it makes you a better person. And overall, that makes us a better and stronger community. I thought this would be a cool way to start to connect all of us in this community a bit!
Lately, I've noticed the huge number of running clubs popping up all over the city. It's awesome to see. Running has been my primary hobby since I was 15 years old. It's certainly changed my life. I'm always happy to see others start to feel the magic of running a little bit. Especially people who once told me "I'm not a runner" or "running is just a form a punishment". Even when the runs do kinda suck, run clubs are always full of awesome and encouraging people.
We're coming up on the fall season. The crisp air just feels like cross country season to me. This summer has been a hell of a grind, but we're nearing the end of it. Excited for the leaves to start falling and fall marathon season to be here.
Local Running News:
I was down in OTR and stopped by Ziegler Park to watch the Pool Run put on by Fleet Feet Cincy and Fifty West Brewery. Fun to see everyone crashing into the pool straight from the finish line. I've never seen people swimming in Vaporfly's until now.
On my Sunday run, I came across a 5k in Oakley that I wasn't aware of. Music, food, and a party at the finish. I felt like I missed out. Shout out Dewey's Pizza hosting their Run to Raise Dough 5k. Looked like an awesome event!
I saw on instagram that Sprints is releasing their Fall Training Collection of apparel. Great, local company!
Area 513 Run Club is hosting a run this Friday, 8/16 with New Balance at Pata Roja Taqueria. Looks fun. Alien mask not required (but they are welcomed I'm sure).
World Running News:
USA cleaned up at the Olympics. It made pretty big headlines so I'm sure most people saw. But wow, it was inspiring. I'm currently dealing with a bit of an injury so I have been taking some time off. But after Cole Hocker won the 1500, I wanted to just go outside and run more than anything. I could shout out some individual performances but there was so much coverage of the Olympics, I won't this time.
It was great to see all of the stories of athletes and runners making their dreams come true. And it was cool to see track and field in the spotlight for once. I had co-workers, family, friends who wouldn't normally care much about track getting pretty invested into the sport. Hoping to see some of that continue.
To keep up on the global running scene, follow accounts like Citius Mag. Lots to come for the sport of running in the near future.
Strava Segment Highlight:
Picking a strava segment for each newsletter to highlight. Maybe because it's got a cool view, a challenging hill, by a landmark, etc. But go out and give the segment a shot. Run the segment and mention this newsletter and I'll shout someone out in the next episode!
I actually made this segment like 4 years ago. Little neighborhood loop hidden in Hyde Park.
Training Tip:
To refer to the quote at the beginning of this post... Be patient. As I mentioned, running can be hard. Really hard some days. Be patient with your body and learn to love the process. Having big goals and dreams to work towards is important, but if you don't enjoy the journey to get there, it won't be very fun! The hot summer runs, the cold winter morning runs, the runs where you complain with your friend the whole time, and the runs where it all just feels right; they are all a part of the process. And all your runs, whether good or bad, have one thing in common: you are moving forward.
Cincy Runner Spotlight: Nick Mundy
For this segment, I think it'd be cool to highlight someone from the Cincy running community in each episode. I didn't have a plan for who I would highlight to start this, but I was scrolling through instagram yesterday and saw Riviera Run club post about a man named Nick Mundy and the unfortunate news of his passing. I didn't know Nick and I actually hadn't heard of him until I saw their post, but I quickly learned that I had been missing out.
It took a few moments of scrolling through his page @thenickmundy to see the great impact he had on so many people. He had been fighting cancer for the last few years and he did so with resounding positivity and passion for life. I found a quote from him on one of his posts that I admired: "I am willing to give everything without the promise of a reward or a guarantee of seeing my dream come to fruition." It is a great message that applies to running, but also to life. Be willing to give 100% of yourself to whatever it is you choose to do in this life, regardless of circumstances or an end result. Give all of yourself to each moment that you have. As Nick said often, live and love boldly. His passing is truly a great loss to the community.
I have included a link to a GoFundMe for his family below. And please check out his Instagram page for some great inspiration.
Upcoming Local Races:
8/17 - Summer Sizzler - Mile/5k/10k/15k at Otto Armleder Park
8/17 - KWF Fun Run 5k - 5k at VOA Park with a big celebration after!
8/17 - Medpace 5k - 5k at Medpace's campus
8/24 - Cincinnati Dragons 5k - Scenic 5k at Rentschler Forest MetroPark in Hamilton
8/24 - Fuel the Sole - Mile race and Power Hour run at the Banks
8/24 - Tiger Trail Run - 5k and 10k trail race at French Park
I'll work on getting this newsletter out bi-weekly (hopefully) to stay connected with all that's going on in the Queen City and all it's amazing runners and races. Please consider subscribing to stay up-to-date and drop a comment below if you enjoyed the read!
Excited to see this newsletter continue. Great article, the Cincinnati running community is amazing.
The Cincy running community is the best!
Great work! Get busy moving or get busy dying!