Dear BUS Member,

 

I realize the BUS mailings can be erratic.  Usually, I have an idea in my head what topics will be covered.  But the filler stuff can be anybodys guess.  I just bang away at my PC and transmit whatever is on my damaged mind.  It could be serious, silly, solemn or stupid.  As you can see I like S words.  I even like the look of an S.  It resembles a winding river.  But I think I might have gone on a tad too much with the last mailing.  It was resolution week and I was thinking about days of old and days of new.  I guess I was venting or unleashing.  I am sorry for the intrusion but thank you for the allowance.

 

But this cleansing exercise seemed to be very therapeutic as I got off to a good start in 2015.  During the first long weekend, I witnessed an excellent Broadway play, a raucous movie, went to 2 parties and dined at a 100-year old Italian restaurant.  A place that my Dad frequented quite often (I even had a Cutty in his honor).  And I also ran a handicap race on New Years Day in Prospect Park as a tribute to Bobby Fisher and Paul Soskind.  If you want to call it a race?  During the middle of the event, I was being challenged by a guy pushing a Halal wagon and losing.  Then again, he did have wheels.

 

WHATS GOING ON:

 

Our 2015 Membership drive has been moving slowly.  So far, only 36% of our membership has renewed.  Bill de Blasio may even have a better approval ratethen maybe not.  The people that have renewed have been also very generous and that was very much appreciated.  But we still have a long way to go.  Please understand that your membership dues and donations are the foundation of the organization.  We lose money on every race and its the dues and the donations that underwrite all those expenses and more.  Please renew and donate if you can as soon as possible.  I have attached a BUS Membership Application if you need one.  Thank you.

 

This Saturday will be the NYUR Award 3-Hour Brunch at Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream starting at 9:00 AM.   The event, as I remove my galoshes, IS STILL ON.  I realize the Valley Stream area has been hit with over a foot of snow, and the forecast for Saturday will be the roaring twenties.  But we are hopeful to still have an event to provide a winter workout and also honor our NYUR Awardees for 2014.  It will depend on the Villages snow removal.  I hopefully will know more by Thursday.  But in the meantime, please plan to come even just for lunch.

 

The first ultra of the year was the Recover from the Holidays Fat Ass 50 Km on January 3 at Norrie Point in Duchess County.  The event was coordinated by the Mid-Hudson RRC and included 22 finishers with Jason Friedman (3:48:05) and Jacque Schiffer (4:55:10) as winners.  This race, directed by BUS Member Pete Colaizzo, has celebrated their 19^th edition while enduring all kinds of weather.  There has been some discussion that this ultra secret might one day join the NYUR Grand Prix series, but still have been ultra strong all these years.

 

The first NYUR Grand Prix event will be the Caumsett Park 50K Championship on Sunday, March 1 with the corresponding GLIRC 25K Run.  The race will commemorate its 10^th anniversary being the 50K National Championship.  Please note the new starting times as the 50K will start at 8:30 AM and the 25K will start now just 5 minutes later at 8:35 AM.  This is a chance to run along some of the best ultrarunners in the land.  Credit to the Greater Long Island Running Club for conducting an ultra race featuring many fast performances.  It reminded me of yesteryear when this area was a hotbed for high quality ultras, because of the limited ultra opportunity in the country.  I remember one time running a 50K under 8 minutes per mile in the snow and 80% of the field beat me, and I had a handler and dark hair.  Those were the days.

 

Ill be back in touch soon with more about the upcoming 3-Hour Run.  But at the moment, its all system go.  I hope you will be there with us.

Take care & cheers,

 

Richie