spin / second sole multisport team

Blossom, Grafton and an FA

princessleah4 — Fri, 25 May 2012 01:51:55 +0000

This weekend there are a plethora of road races….whatever distance you desire from 5k’s, 5 milers and an FA race. (See Urban Dictionary definition #10.) Our local FA is a 6 or 12 hour run in which you complete a two mile loop as many times as you can. Since there is no race entry, everyone is encouraged to bring food to share.

The most notable weekend race is the Blossom Time Run. The hilly 5.25 mile course always hurts and never fails to disappoint. Make sure to stop by SSSMST’s camp for a cool, post race refreshment. Also on deck this weekend is the Grafton 5k. Here is a race promo from one of SSSMST’s very own……Nice little race. Good shirts, food, charity, small festival. It includes a decent-sized hill on Elms Street that you have to do twice (out and back over the railroad overpass). Last year Henely and I put up a sign that said “Nightmare on Elm Street” – so true for so many people! Henely won OA last year. Will he again be crowned “King of Grafton?” The only way to find out is to attend.

Have a great three day weekend!

Saturday

Dirty Bird 15k Trail Race (Wooster, OH)
Kaiser Permenente Eagle Run 5 Miler (Cleveland, OH)
No Frills, Just Hills FA (Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH)
Grafton First Place Bank 5k (Grafton, OH)
Tour de Frankenmuth (Frankenmuth, MI)

Sunday

Blossom Time Run 5.25 Miles (Chagrin Falls, OH)
Blue Streaks Through River 5k (Rocky River, OH)

Anything else going on?

Links to event websites are on our calendar or at Second Sole.

As always, keep abreast of upcoming races and SSSMST events with the calendar. The calendar has links to all event websites. Have a great weekend!

Filed under: 2012

Cinco de Mayo

princessleah4 — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:30:22 +0000

When you are not doing this over the weekend…….

Try a few of the things below.

Saturday

Races at the Lake (Munroe Falls, OH)
The Diversity Center’s 10th Annual Walk, Rock and Run (Cleveland, OH)
Cinco De Mayo Run for the Border 3 Mile (Cleveland, OH)
Urban Community School Run 5k (Cleveland, OH)
Dirty Rocks (Fairview Park, OH)
North Coast 24-Hour Endurance Run (Cleveland, OH)
Emerald Crossing Trail Run (Cleveland, OH)

Sunday

Covered Bridge (Peninsula, OH)
Lakewood Hospital Ambulance Chase (Lakewood, OH)
Holy Name High School Big Creek Run 5k (Parma Heights, OH)
Dara Hosta Olmsted Spirit 5k Race (Olmsted Falls, OH)
Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon (Cincinnati, OH)
Pittsburgh Marathon (Pittsburgh, PA)
North Coast 24-Hour Endurance Run (Cleveland, OH)

Anything else going on?

Links to event websites are on our calendar or at Second Sole.

As always, keep abreast of upcoming races and SSSMST events with the calendar. The calendar has links to all event websites. Have a great weekend!

Filed under: 2012

Hinckley Du, DC and Tough Mudder!

wayoffcourse — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:07:13 +0000

The multisport season is officially here! The Hinckley Bi & Duathlon has become an early season tradition and SSSMST was out in force…not just racing but volunteering too. Tough Mudder is a new addition to the local scene. Brandy got to test out this new race for herself, see her comments below. Congrats to all who participated! Not one to miss out on action, Katie got in a 5 miler for a good cause while in DC.

Lets check in for some first hand accounts…

Stern rocked it out;

I was cold to start, warmed up quick on the first run. Got cold on the bike and did not feel my feet until after the first mile of the second run. Good early season race and some good results from everyone. Looking forward to some warm weather racing ( or I need to put on some weight to stay warm in the cold). I hate wearing a lot of clothes.

Rood’s view of Hinckley

“40 Degrees and Coooooold. I had a great time battling it out with other dudes in Blue and Green. Props to Z who had a great race and PK who still can run – 3 months post. Mike S. thanks for coming through and busting up our little riding group. Henely- nice race, loose the garbage bags. ”

Adam Roark;

Super hard race but a great venue and great fitness test in the early year

Mike Schaefer

Awesome team performance. I felt strong in run but maybe over-did it a bit. New Ridley (Phaeton) TT bike performed well but legs were kinda flat. Great job everyone!

Krol;

“Was looking to establish some sense of my level of fitness in what is probably the final race tune up before American Zofingen. That level of fitness, at least relative to our team, was known as not-quite-there, as I saw a pack of 4 or 5 other green and blue uni’s drift over the final hill at mile 2.5 of the first run. Thought I would make up some time and places on the bike, which I did the first lap and a half. Then, I was involved in the first of two incidents that I’ve never in my 15 or so years of multisport racing, and probably 12th on the start line of this particular race, have ever witnessed. The rest of my race went like this: I was nearly clipped from the left side going up a climb on the start of lap 2 by another competitor. One lap later, up another climb, a second incident with the previously mentioned competitor resulted in the crash of another athlete. After this, which I had to stop for, my momentum was completely gone although I rode on adrenaline for another 3 or so miles. By the time I got back to transition for the second run, the wind was gone from the sails.”

Patrick K

”Classic weather for this early season multisport race in Hinckley. It was cool, but at least no rain!. Took the first 3 mile run somewhat easy & ran with lots of teammates. The bike had a group of about 5 from SSSMST somewhat close, which kept things interesting. Around lap 3 I took a gel & when I looked up Henely& Z dropped me. So I worked to catch up over the next 2 laps, Rood and Mike were around me so that helped kick up the pace. Got off the bike, had a good transition & had a strong run…got to love the early season jelly legs off the bike! Stern blew us all out of the water & there was great team representation on the course (Krol & Roark) & volunteering – special thanks to Anne, Tim & Murphy for doing the dirty work! “

Anne aka super volunteer;

”A gusty,chilly morning is typical for the annual and painful Hinckley Duathlon. This year did not disappoint. A very fast field proved that the mild winter got the top three finishers off the trainer and left the treadmill in the basement. It was awesome to see the team in new kits, big smiles and kicking butt! Brian Stern proved he was ever worthy of his new Shiv. Mark Murphy, Tim Walsh and I made the podium for Top Race Officials! Adam Roark celebrated his first Team Race with a Birthday and a new kit…Woo-Hoo! Brother Adam! Zubricky, Schaefer, Henley, Krol and Rood…hammered the ride with a few altercations. Hinckley is tough to get a groove on and these mates prevailed! Way to rock it! Cheers SSSMST! “

Walsh & Murphy were a huge help volunteering on the “hot corner” Tim’s take;

With no spills and no DQ’s on the hairpin turn Murphy and Walsh manned, we say ‘mission accomplished’. Nice racing to SSSMST and to All!!

Here is Brandy’s take on Tough Mudder;

“The course was just over 11 miles with 26 obstacle courses. Throughout the race, I scaled walls, army-crawled through trenches, was submerged in ice water, walked across a balance beam, was submerged in muddy water (many, many times) and maybe the scariest of all: jumped from a 30+ foot platform into a quarry. And did I mention I was submerged in muddy water??

Overall, it was a fun day. I signed up with a team of triathletes from the CTC and there’s NO WAY I could have done it without them. They hoisted me up and over walls, including a greased up quarter pipe, pulled me out of mud pits, and generally encouraged me throughout. I thought that the obstacles were fun, though I would have enjoyed a few more in lieu of the multiple waist-high muddy traverses (especially since it’s not meant to be a timed course – after a while those were more annoying than anything since we just walked through them).

I should probably also mention that it was about 40-50 degrees, and from the first mile to the last, we were sopping wet.

This is a fun team event, and I really think SSSMST should sign up a team for next year! I will watch – one and done for me, I think!”

Katie Shaw took the SSSMST show on the road to DC

“I was in DC for work for a couple weeks and thought it would be fun to do a race. I convinced a friend who was also in DC for work to run with with me so we headed over to Hains Point on the Potomac River near the Jefferson memorial on Saturday, April 14th. It was the first year for this race. It was a little unorganized and I suspect the 5 mile course was short, but the majority of the race registration fees went towards Parkinson’s Research so it was for a great cause. Also the views of the sun rising over the Potomac were spectacular.

I ended up finishing 2nd female overall with a time of 35:01. The results show a few women in front of me but they ran the 5k. I know there was only one woman in front of me for the 5 miler because it was an out and back course so I was counting and trying desperately to catch her the whole race. She slowed down in the 4th mile and I got right on her heels but she had more left for the last mile than I did and beat me to the line. I’m very happy with the time, but suspect of the course because it would be a PR by over a minute, so I’m just happy with the effort. Wish I would have had my Garmin. Also worthy of noting, around mile 2 a guy running the 5 miler recognized the Second Sole logo and told me he used to be a customer when he lived in Cleveland. Very cool “

Filed under: 2012

Calling all Ladies!

princessleah4 — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:15:32 +0000

THIS SATURDAY Spin Bike Shop is hosting a “Women’s Ride Day” in conjunction with a national marketing campaign through Specialized and The Ellen Degeneres Show. Spin Bike Shop will open at 9 where the ladies will be given bagels and treated to a flat clinic. Two rides will leave the shop at 10. An A/B ride that will go 30 miles and a 20 mile C ride. If you are a woman, don’t hesitate to come with a helmet and a bike. Don’t have either….just buy one when you get there! Hope to see you all this weekend!

If you also want to race…..look below.

Saturday

Races at the Lake (Munroe Falls, OH)
St. Angela Merici 5k (Fairview, OH)
Home Run for the Homeless 5k (Avon, OH)
Cleveland 10 Miler (Cleveland, OH)
RAINN 4.5 Miler (Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH)

Sunday

Covered Bridge (Peninsula, OH)
Our Lady of the Peace 5k (Cleveland, OH)
Emily’s 4 and 2 Mile Rainbow Run (Westlake, OH)
Providence House Child Abuse Prevention Run (Cleveland, OH)
Love a Stray Dog Walk (Cleveland, OH)
Eco Thon Trail Run 10k (Cumberland, OH

Anything else going on?

Links to event websites are on our calendar or at Second Sole.

As always, keep abreast of upcoming races and SSSMST events with the calendar. The calendar has links to all event websites. Have a great weekend!

Filed under: 2012

Cheeseburger (and a 5K) in Paradise

krolholio — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:13:07 +0000

Since the Cleveland weather took a dour turn the last few weeks, SSSMST’s own Mike Schaeffer took his talents to Castaway Cay.

How is this boat not touching bottom?

Mike’s race report after the jump….

Our family spring break vacation was a 5 day cruise on the “Disney Dream.” It included 2 days on Disney’s private island Castaway Cay (see picture). Luckily for me, each day on the island Disney puts on a 5K race – complete with race numbers and a permanent digital clock at the start/finish! The first race was pretty hot (85deg), and our lead group got temporarily lost, but I managed to run 20:15 and 3rd OA. Two days later we were back on the island again, and an even bigger field (almost 100 people!) gathered for another chance to work off the cruise-ship calories. The weather was cooler and spirits were high after 4 days of vacation.. This time the pace was quicker with some new guys who could run pretty fast! I decided to go out with the leaders, and barely held on for 3rd OA again. I ran a 19:35, which is my fastest time in a while..

I couldn’t help but think about XC ski racing as I was running.. It was such a stark contrast between this run in paradise and the freezing ski marathon I’d just done 6weeks earlier! …the palm trees, beach, perfect weather… Almost as good as Wisconsin in February!! (I’d still take Wisconsin!!)

The race finished right next to the picnic pavillion, where the cruise staff prepared an excellent picnic! The cheeseburgers and beer tasted so good! Ahhh. Paradise.. I highly recommend this cruise experience!!!

Filed under: 2012

Meet the 2012 Team!

Brandy — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:25:08 +0000

The 2012 roster is complete! This year we’ve added two “newbies”: Katie Shaw and Adam Roark!

Katie and Adam both have backgrounds in swimming and have used their competetive drive to push them through biking and running to some impressive triathlon finishes. By day, Katie is a rocket scientist for NASA, and you may recognize Adam from our favorite bike shop. We look forward to seeing them in blue and green!

Take a look through the roster and learn some things you may not have known before about our team! (Yes, these are changed every year!)

Here’s to a great race season in 2012!

Filed under: 2012

One Tough Mudder

princessleah4 — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:48:47 +0000

This Saturday and Sunday the Tough Mudder will take place in Amherst. The race is truly one of a kind. The course, approximately 12 miles long, contains 26 different obstacles which range from crazy to crazier. Some are as simple as climbing over a wall and others make you crawl though water filled under ground tunnels. Racers must run from one obstacle to the next until they encounter the final obstacle……. a field of electric wires. From start to finish, this race is action packed and surely won’t disappoint. One note of importance…..if you would like to spectate the race you must pay a $20 online fee or $40 once you arrive at the race venue. If you choose to volunteer at the race the spectator fee will be waived.

If you decide you are not one tough mudder, look below for a list of local running races.

Saturday

Tough Mudder (Amherst, OH)
Down and Dirty Trail 10k (Brecksville, OH)
Run for your Life 5k (Berea, OH)
Bridges to Recovery (Lakewood, OH)

Sunday

Tough Mudder (Amherst, OH)
Healthy Solon Run for Wellness (Solon, OH)

Anything else going on?

Links to event websites are on our calendar or at Second Sole.

As always, keep abreast of upcoming races and SSSMST events with the calendar. The calendar has links to all event websites. Have a great weekend!

Filed under: 2012

Easter Candy

krolholio — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 03:09:42 +0000

The indelible Cadbury Creme Egg

So while we, as the fit individuals we are, may not necessarily partake in all the spoils that our kids do, I thought it would be fitting - since there is virtually no racing to be found this week – that we could all reminisce about the good, bad and ugly of the Easter holiday. (Don’t worry kids, multisport race season is kickin’ off real soon…) Poll time!

Filed under: 2012

April Fools

princessleah4 — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:38:13 +0000

The list of races listed below is no joke. They are all really happening….. even on this weekend of foolishness and trickery. The races span the gamut from 5k’s to 50k’s (both on and off the road) to road races, where it’s best to remain on the road. Read below to find a race near you.

Saturday

St. Albert’s the Great Race (North Royalton, OH)
Sole to Soul 5k (Avon, OH)
Jog into Spring (Independence, OH)
Malabar Farms Road Race (Lucas, OH)

Sunday

Towpath Half Marathon and 5 Miler (Cuyahoga Heights, OH)
April Fools Trail 25k and 50k (Peninsula, OH)

Anything else going on?

Links to event websites are on our calendar or at Second Sole.

As always, keep abreast of upcoming races and SSSMST events with the calendar. The calendar has links to all event websites. Have a great weekend!

Filed under: 2012

Irish Spring

krolholio — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:24:17 +0000

kinda like our team colors!

The weather last Saturday wasn’t quite as warm as it was this week, but it provided a pretty good platform for launching the race season for a few of the lads and lasses.

An estimated 2400 runners turned out for the 32nd Annual St. Malachi 5-miler in Cleveland to benefit St. Malachi Outreach Services, and the SSSMST gang had a great showing, with Brian Stern, Scott Zubricky and emeritus Handsome Jim Lamastra topping their respective age groups.

Plenty of bad Irish brogue and race reports, after the jump.

And a link to the race results:

http://www.hermescleveland.com/roadracing/results/2012/MALACHI5.HTM

Filed under: 2012