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With the start of the new year, we are excited to announce that we have made some investments that give more options for race timing, including a cheaper option to allow smaller races the option of accurate chip timing.

The new system is from the same manufacturer, IPICO, that made the system we have been using for several  years. It is called TUHF, and the biggest difference is something race directors will like. Because it uses a different type of chip that are inexpensive – they are about 50 percent less than our other system – smaller races have the opportunity for premium features at a lower cost.

In addition, we have also purchased a back-up video timing system from Eagle Eye that gives real-time results. We think there’s a real need for a good back up for races, particularly larger ones, and this system provides good data if needed. If there’s a question about a time or a need to review a finish, we can stop the action and move the images forward and  backward and review the details. The video below shows the system in action for a cross country meet; it would work similarly for a road race. The system is also good because ARMS could use it time track meets.

For more information about the systems and how they can help you execute a better race, contact Chuck Wells at 2athlon@comcast.net.

A gracious, generous and humble Jim Ryun spent three days in Elizabethtown this week talking to athletes in the community and addressing the high school cross country team at its awards banquet on Monday night.

Applied Race Management Solutions was proud to be a part of things, sponsoring Ryun’s visit and serving as the timer for the Jim Ryun Prediction Mile Sunday night.

For the uninitiated, Jim Ryun was the first high school boy to run the mile in under 4 minutes, hitting 3:59 as a junior in 1964. He went on to set world records in the mile and the half-mile and won a silver medal in the 1500 meters at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

Ryun and his wife, Anne, brought a message of overcoming adversity and setting goals to runners on the Elizabethtown cross country team. During an informal meeting with them after school on Monday afternoon, Jim said they need to set challenging goals and not just to have fun during a cross country or track season.

He recalled his experience as a junior high student who was cut from the baseball and basketball teams and only found success in track after several years trying different events. After running a 4:20 mile, his coach talked to him about setting a goal, telling Ryun he could be the first high school boy to run the mile in under 4 minutes. He remembered being taken aback, but he accepted that it was a possibility. And thanks to much focus, dedication and hard work, and he achieved it.

Ryun also gave a motivational talk on Tuesday evening at Elizabethtown Area High School and held a private reception for VIP ticket holders prior to the talk. People were clearly fans of Ryun and track from the mid 1960s, and he shared numerous stories about those days.

He said he and Steve Prefontaine were close friends and had started training with each other outside of regular practices to push themselves to the next level — until their coach Bill Bowerman found out and put a stop to the training. Although he got some laughs saying he was glad that Prefontaine decided not to run the mile and focused on longer distances instead, we’re not quite sure he was joking about that.

At every appearance here, Ryun was more than generous with his time, posing for photos with all who wanted them and signing autographs. One person who came from Carlisle for Tuesday’s public talk brought along a well-preserved copy of the 1966 edition of Sports Illustrated in which Ryun was named the Sportsman of the Year.

After ARMS owner Chuck Wells posed for a picture with Ryun, and Ryun put his arm around Chuck, he said to a friend that he is hoping some of Ryun’s speed will rub off on him. Let’s just say that many of us in Elizabethtown feel the same way after this week!

Have you wanted to run a 5K but felt intimidated because you’ve never done it before? Or maybe you’ve run one in the past but have gotten out of shape and need some motivation?

The Frozen Foot 5K Race Series can help. For the second year in a row, we are offering Couch to 5K training to get folks in shape for the first race on Jan. 15. The cost is $110, which includes registrations to all three races in the Frozen Foot series and 9 weeks of coaching. Register here (select the Couch to 5K option).

Here’s what a prior participant in last year’s Frozen Foot’s Couch to 5K training said:

Because of your efforts I have a whole new part of my life, it’s fun and healthy and therapeutic. On Saturday I ran in a 5K … and placed 2^nd in my age group, the ‘Fossil’ section! I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ and to let you know that I often think of you with gratitude.

– Jayne, 2016 Couch to 5K participant

This year’s program will start on Nov. 13 and last 9 weeks, culminating with the first Frozen Foot race. The program will help new runners and those getting started again by running and walking, gradually increasing the time running and decreasing the time walking. Participants should be committed to 3 workouts each week. They will receive an email at the beginning of each week with an outline of their 3 workouts, which include one in-person group run each weekend.

Elizabethtown Area Middle School cross country coach Jeff McCloud started the program last year and will lead the program again this year.

“All it takes is commitment and consistency to get in shape for a 5K, and I know Couch to 5K participants will be thrilled with their achievements,” McCloud said.

We are well into the fall racing season, and many people have completed their goal race – the Hershey Half was this past Sunday – and many other races are on the calendar through November and December. Leading up to a race, you’ll be focused on the preparation and training and what to do in the days leading up to the event. Once it’s over, and you’ve put your body through a tremendous amount of stress, you need to know what to do.

Hydrate and refuel soon after crossing the finish line

Most half marathons and marathons will have water, sports drinks and food available after your cross the finish line. It’s important to replenish your electrolytes after a long race, so drinking some Gatorade or other sports drink will help that process. It’s also important to consume some calories, especially some protein to help repair your muscles. In the hour after you finish, your body is especially prepared to take on those nutrients, so don’t wait to get eat. Most of us runners also know about the benefits of chocolate milk, and we personally have experienced the benefits of that after big races. In fact, we’ve been known to stop at Sheetz or Turkey Hill to get a bottle on the way to a race just to make sure we have some in the car. If you don’t eat right after your race, you’ll find yourself super hungry later in the day and could possibly end up eating more calories than necessary.

Eat a balanced meal within 2 hours of finishing

The snacks that you get after crossing the finish line help with immediately replacing glycogen and getting protein to your muscles. After you’ve had a chance to shower and get cleaned up, your body still needs additional protein and carbs. Runner’s Connect recommends some things such as grilled chicken and a salad topped avocado and salsa, steak salad, a veggie omelet and fruit or chili.

Take a break from running

Some experts recommend taking as many days off from running as the miles of your race. So if you finish a half marathon, they say, take a 13-day break from running. After our first half marathon, we followed that recommendation, and it worked out pretty well. Our legs were sore – oh, the stairs! – and we needed the break. After 2 weeks off, we slowly started running and building some easy mileage over the next week or two. The second time around, however, we took just a week off with no running and then ran in a 5K, which felt good at a slower pace than normal. A good rule of thumb is to take time off and then ease back into running with shorter runs and building back up. Brisk walks and other cross training, such as cycling and swimming can also help.

Relish in your accomplishment

Part of the enjoyment of running a big race is the sense of accomplishment you feel afterward. From the moment we got in the car to drive home after our first half marathon, all we could do was relive various parts of the race with our family. It was a great to debrief and come down off the adrenaline high of having beat our time goal and finishing a half marathon. Then we went out to eat to celebrate the occasion.

Give yourself 24 hours to grieve

This  might seem like an odd tip, but it’s not unusual for some people feel a letdown after they cross the finish line of a marathon or half marathon. After all of the weeks of training and the commitment, it is suddenly done and you don’t have that single event to focus on anymore And if you didn’t hit your time goal, the letdown can be exacerbated. Of course, you’re going to be disappointed, especially if you’ve put in the right kind of training and done the miles leading up to the race. Our recommendation is to give yourself 24 hours to grieve, and then evaluate your run and start looking at what happened during the race. This will help as you start preparing for your next round of training so you’ll know what to focus on for your next big race.