Run Suwanee

Suwanee Creek Floods at Martin Farm Trailhead

The following photos were taken around 6:30 pm on Monday, September 21, 2009 where the Suwanee Creek Greenway crosses Martin Farm Road.  

  

The trailhead was completely submerged and the swollen creek was moving swiftly.  Fences were ripped from the ground and pushed downstream.

Needless to say, Martin Farm Road was closed to all traffic.

It'll be interesting to see how the Suwanee Creek Greenway looks after the flood waters recede.  This was truly an amazing sight.  The images don't do it justice.

Suwanee Day Adds 10k to September 13th Road Race

The Suwanee Day 5k Classic has added a 10k option for the September 13th road race.  Both events will start and finish at Town Center.  The 5k race course remains the same while the 10k option will be run on an out-and-back course along the Suwanee Creek Greenway.  The 5k begins at 7:30 a.m. while the 10k will start at 8:30 a.m. 

The race director has added an interesting option rarely seen in road races.  Runners may run the 5k and/or the 10k for the same registration entry fee ($18 if received by September 6th).  Simply check both boxes (5k and 10k) on the race application and you may run in both events.  That's a lot of racing ifor one morning.  For more information and a race application, visit www.suwaneeday.com.   

Suwanee Represents at the 2008 ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon

Runners from Suwanee, Georgia were well represented at the 2008 ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon held on Sunday, March 30, 2008 in Atlanta.  24 residents of Suwanee completed the full marathon with the fastest resident clocking-in a fast 3:38:58.  A whopping 118 residents of Suwanee completed the half marathon.  The fastest Suwanee resident completed the half marathon in a time of 1:40:07.  These are pretty impressive numbers and times.  Full 2008 ING Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon result can be found at www.inggeorgiamarathon.com

   

Suwanee - A Winter Wonderland

The above photo was taken at the Martin Farm Trailhead of the Suwanee Creek Greenway on Saturday, January 19th.  The snow began to fall furiously around mid-day and continued through most of the afternoon.  As runners, we got a taste of what our northern bretheren have to deal with from November through March.  At the same time, running in these conditions allowed us to see the greenway in a different light.  With huge snowflakes falling, a snow-blanketed ground, and iced-over trees, it was truly a sight to behold on Saturday and much of Sunday.  Despite the cold weather, snow and ice provided a change of scenery and a certain beauty to our surroundings that we are not accustomed to.    

Experience the Spirit of the Marathon on January 24th

On January 24, 2008, thousands of runners will race to locals theatres as the marathon makes it to the big screen.  For one night only, the Spirit of the Marathon movie will appear at the Mall of Georgia Regal Cinema (IMAX), AMC Discover Mills, and hundreds of theatres across the United States.  The movie is the first ever non-fiction feature film to capture the essence of the marathon experience.  The film follows the triumphs and travails the both amateur and elite athletes as they train for and race the Chicago Marathon.  The Spirit of the Marathon was created and produced by Academy Award winner Mark Jonathan Harris, Telly Award winner and marathon runner Jon Dunham and producer/marathoner Gwendolen Twist.  The film stars running legends such as Bill Rodgers, Grete Waitz, and Paula Radcliffe.

The movie has received a number of accolades including the Best Picture Award at the 2007 Mammoth Film Festival.  If The Spirit of the Marathon meets expectations, don't be surprised to see runners on the Suwanee Creek Greenway training with renewed vigor for a spring marathon.  For a listing of theaters and to purchase tickets, follow the link above. 

Drought Impacts 2008 Peachtree Road Race

On Friday Atlanta city officials announced that the Peachtree Road Race will not end at Piedmont Park in 2008 due to the continuing drought.  The 38-year-old Peachtree Road Race hosts 55,000 runners and is the largest 10k road race in the world.  Piedmont Park in midtown Atlanta has served as the finish area since 1978 and logistically is one of few options large enough to handle the crowds.  According to recent new reports, the Atlanta Civic Center and Turner Field are being considered as alternate finish lines.  This, of course, may require a change in the starting line, which historically has been Lenox Mall.

So much for a grace period for new Atlanta Track Club Executive Director Tracey Russell.  With the race only five months away, this will certainly be an enormous challenge.  As the Peachtree Road Race is a signature event in Atlanta, hopefully she will receive the support and cooperation of city officials, the running community, and volunteers. 

Here is a link to the January 12, 2008 article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution discussing these changes.

      

Common Sense Following Ryan Shay's Tragic Death

Ryan Shay's tragic death at the U.S. Olympic Men's Marathon Trials in New York on November 3, 2007 sparked a degree of morbid attention to the sport of running unseen since the death of runner/author Jim Fixx 23 years ago.  As usually follows, many of the media reports left open the possibility that Shay's enlarged heart may have been a result of his running and intense training.  These reports unintentionally left the impression that running could result in cardiac arrest.  On November 13, 2007, John Mayer of the Denver Post wrote a sensible article discussing the potential causes of Shay's death and how average runners should receive this information.  The bottom line of this article was that benefits of running far out weight the risks.  Many thanks to John Mayer for added a degree of common sense to this terrible tragedy.

On a separate note, while Shay's death is tragic and unbelievably sad, his life was apparently very full and his accomplishments and contributions to distance running are worth noting.  The website www.letsrun.com has created a Ryan Shay memorial page with photos, articles, messages, and links.  This is a classy tribute that is worth your time.  The running community continues to be deeply saddened by Shay's death and our hearts go out to his family and friends.