Sept. 18th Jackrabbit Trail Reason 2 Smile Fundraising Run

A fundraising trail run will round out this week of training. Myself, along with a couple dozen or so other local folks, are running on the historical Jackrabbit trail to help raise funds for Reason 2 Smile. [See earlier post.] This small, but growing organization is raising funds to help financially support orphaned and impoverished children in developing countries. Currently, Reason 2 Smile is contributing to the Jambo Jipya School in Kenya.

For more information about Reason 2 Smile check out:

www.reason2smile.org and on Facebook:

Sept. 17th Sports Psychologist to speak at National Sports Academy

In NSA's efforts to understand the process of reaching Peak Performance they've gathered area resources, among them local professionals, alumni and Olympic athletes, to help inform their community about a variety of elements that go in to reaching such an optimal state as students, as athletes, as human beings.

On NSA's website: Understanding the Process of Achieving Peak Performance: theme for the 2010-2011 school year

This Friday a Professor of Psychology from St. Lawrence University, Cherly Stuntz, will speak about motivation.

Lake Placid Iron Kids @ John Brown Farm

Local kids cross-country running program starts up next Wednesday the 8th.

Location: John Brown Farm, Lake Placid

Days/Times: M-W-F 3:45-4:45

Contact: Rick Costanza rtcostanza@gmail.com

Here's what Rick has to say:

Hi Everyone,

The Lake Placid Iron Kids running program will begin for the fall season on Wednesday, September 8th at John Brown Farm. We will meet M-W-F from 3:45 to 4:45. We are pleased to offer kids the opportunity to run, play and have fun. This is the tenth year of the program offering kids ages 8 and up a chance to run with local coaches and have the option to compete in a few races.

There is no fee to join the program but all participants wishing to compete in the USA Track and Field qualifiers will be required to join USATF. The Lake Placid Iron Kids is a registered club with the Adirondack Association of USA Track and Field. Coaching is provided by club coaches Rick Costanza and Paul Woodruff. Others may be added and new assistant coaches are always welcome.

Sign up for the program will be at the first practice.

For repeat Iron Kids families: The program is essentially unchanged from previous years with the new twist. We no longer have funding from Iron Man so we will not be able to pick up the cost of entry fees or T-shirts. We are planning to add in a few paintball biathlon days at Mt. Van Hoevenberg and perhaps a trial run at the Paul Smiths VIC.

I look forward to another season with all of you.

Rick

Johns Brook

In a matter of seconds...

Training in Keene

Level 4 skate intervals on Hurricane Rd. (East Hill) in Keene were the high point of this week's training before a few relaxed days of hiking.

If it was warm enough this would have been the post-ski swimming hole. But, Fall is in the air here and the mornings are cool and the leaves - one by one it seems - are starting to change.

The secret to longevity: "ski, ski, ski"

The entrance sign at Rock and River, Keene

My training week ended yesterday with a run along the Jackrabbit Trail. This 39 mile trail links the towns of Keene, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Lake Clear and Paul Smiths with the mission of promoting skiing in the Tri-Lakes area. Its unique name is in honor of Herman "Jackrabbit" Johannsen, who was one of the many influential Norwegians to introduce nordic skiing and ski jumping to the US and Canada. Jackrabbit Johannsen in particular helped promote nordic skiing in Lake Placid through the Lake Placid Club just as the town began to grow as a winter sports mecca leading up to hosting the 1932 Winter Games. His advice was sought on such projects as the construction of the 1932 Olympic ski jump or as an instructor for the Lake Placid Club's Sno Bird Ski Club while living in Lake Placid with his family and working for the logging industry in Montreal.

I didn't attempt the full 39 miles of course, but instead covered the first few miles from Keene's Rock and River lodge back up to Placid and ended at the Olympic Training Center. After the end of a long summer of training and having spent a lot of time on some of the same trails, it was invigorating to revisit a good local trail with a point to point destination.

At the top of the pass the trails skirts along beaver ponds below high cliffs perfect for ice climbing.

I was also curious to check out this section of the trail again because on September 18th it will be my leg of the 2nd Annual Reason2Smile Trail Run. This is a fundraising run to help benefit the Jambo Jipya School in Mtwapa, Kenya. Why kids in Kenya - you might ask? Keela Dates from Lake Placid started the organization Reason 2 Smile last year to help poor, orphaned and at-risk children in Kenya with the mission that every child needs a reason to smile. In this case her organization is helping local communities in developing nations financially provide for the education and well-being of their children - their future.

The purpose and existence of the Jackrabbit Trail is a good reason to smile too. Jackrabbit Johannsen lived to be 111 and owed such vitality and longevity to skiing as he became known for his phrase: "ski, ski, ski".

Trail markers are posted by the Adirondack Ski Touring Council.

If you'd like to learn more about this trailblazer click here. Not only did he teach people in Placid how to ski, he was also well known for his abilities by Canadians in Ontario and Quebec, as well as the Cree Indians who are noted for giving him his nickname "Rabbit" for his speed and agility on skis on snow in the winter.

The other thing that helps in the last sessions of the week and on a cool rainy Sunday is good conversation and company while running the trail. Thanks Mike!

www.jackrabbittrail.org

www.reason2smile.org