Use this topic for posts to collect community stars for the Sweet 1600 “course.”
Here’s how it works.
After last year’s picnic, my daughter Erin became very interested in doing the FLRC Challenge, especially when she heard that another child had participated last year. So today after her soccer game, we headed to the BU track with her sister Abby because they both wanted to run. Abby tested out her plantar fascia, which were feeling much better after her last-minute start of track season, while Erin and I ran a mile together. Afterwards, when the girls were doing a cool down walk, I took off and ran another mile on the track, solo.
Great to hear, @kuwanna-dyerpietras! We have a few more kids signing up this year, and I’m happy to work out a Personal Challenge if running some of the longer distances would be a bad idea. (In general, I wouldn’t recommend anything over 10 miles until about age 13, with a kid who has run some real miles.) The two main approaches so far have been to just drop several of the longer distances or to split them up into multiple sessions to keep each session at a reasonable distance.
Haha funny you should mention that @adamengst… Knowing that you are flexible with younger runners, I already let her know this. And I keep reminding her how far a half marathon is, and how if it takes me about 2 hours to run one, we’ll be planning on half a day out there. Then she got excited about the idea of bringing lunch and making a day of it…and knowing she completed the full 13 miles. We’ll plan on pushing that one to the end, but I really like your suggestion of splitting the distance and will absolutely keep your offer in mind (she’ll feel she missed out if you drop a course). In the crazy chance that we decide to attempt it, it will definitely be more of a day “hike.” 
Heck, I’ll probably be hiking it too. No shame in that! And there are some really pretty spots with long views about halfway, plus a lovely gorge area a few miles further on.
On this warm sunny morning, I had completed the Lakefront Loops course and decided to knock off another easy one, while the going was good! From downtown Ithaca, I headed south to Candor High School, where my kids went to school. I don’t have many reasons to travel into Candor these days from where I live, so it’s sometimes nice to visit the old track and field where my kids used to run and play soccer. After completing the Sweet 1600, it was time to visit the Hi Way Dairy Bar on Rt 96B and get a coffee milk shake!
Lansing had a 2-for-1 special on Challenge courses this afternoon in which I shuffled through four sweltering laps on the Lansing High track while in mid run on the Ludlowville Loop. I adjusted the split times accordingly for Challenge scoring and now I don’t have to run on a track again until I do the Ultra Challenge.
As per my training schedule I was supposed to do a 7x800m workout this morning but decided to knock off my least favorite of the virtual challenge runs, the Sweet 1600 on a track, instead. Jamie and I ran all around the Cornell outdoor track but could not find a way in. Even I was too big to squeeze through the chained gates. If anyone knows a trick to get in, please let us know. So not willing to give up on the plan, we headed to Barton which luckily (unluckily???) was open. Jamie did his single mile and I stayed behind to complete my speed workout with 4x1600. Not dressed for the indoors I was grateful for the water fountain and even peeled off my long sleeved shirt and ran only in my running bra for the first time ever. Glad that is over with!
Unlike the previous 2 Challenges, this year I am hitting the ground running (
). Today I completed my THIRD course, and it’s only the first week! WHAT?!?!?
Given that I wanted to run late afternoon and it is track season, I thought I would visit the 1/2 mile track at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds
It was quite an adventure … I ate Mexican food for lunch and chugged a bunch of warm water before running. My plan was to run a half mile warm up lap, push harder on a mile, then a half mile cool down. 3/4 of a lap into my faster mile, I had to slow down then stop twice for dogs, off leash, who may have thought I was chasing down their owners. Near where I thought I should have finished my first mile, I looked at my watch only to realize that I hit pause instead of lap! 
I was tracking on my phone as well, so I decided to log the mile splits. It seemed like a lot for just a Sweet 1600!!
You’re braver than I!
I stopped the the Lansing High School track after the Ludlowville Loop course, but the rain was moving in quick, so I high tailed it home and stopped at the Dryden High School track instead. 2 efforts with the threat of rain looming.
I went to the track in Candor today to take advantage of the clear, cool weather and run some faster 1600s. I warmed up for 8 laps, then ran 3 x 1600 at about 5k pace (Strava), and cooled down for 8 laps to get total of 7 completions. I’ve never run that far at 5k pace outside of a race (usually I stick to 800-1200 reps in workouts), but the Challenge convinced me to try it. 4 laps at a time is tough, but if you convince yourself that it’s only a 1200 with a bonus lap it’s manageable.
I was scheming yesterday afternoon on how to get some Challenge efforts in during the track workout; glad I wasn’t the only one, as @tonya-engst mentioned having the same thought during warmup! I determined I could squeeze out 4 on-the-track miles: 1 each for warmup/cooldown, and 2 during my 3 intervals; though none would be particularly fast.
I felt as good as I expected to, given the workout was 1000s and my anaerobic threshold is still trash: 4:01 (a little fast), 4:08 (a little slow), 4:24 (at least I didn’t vom). Still, I hit goal R pace on all 3, and it was enough to get me into 3rd place for “Most Runs” on my first day in the Challenge…too bad it was my last indoor workout of the year!
After spectating at my daughter’s never ending softball game (thank goodness for time limits, Marcy rules, etc), I hit the half mile track at the Trumansburg fairgrounds for a few easy-ish miles.
As I drove home, I observed the sun as a giant setting fireball. No pictures because sometimes I just have to enjoy the moment in the moment.
In the Albany area for my daughter’s college graduation this weekend. An easy morning run around the Union College campus was interrupted by ….oooh the gate to the track is open! Gave the Sweet 1600 another go!
A post-dinner walk on a weird, three lane track at Hobart and William Smith in Geneva. Although they get points for leaving the track open, they seem a little unclear on the concept of not using it as a closet.
By happy coincidence, Adam and I found this track at Hobart and William Smith College after eating a large Italian meal. Due to having just eaten, we did not try to run it but we had a lovely early evening walk. The photo of Adam shows him in front of the main gate, which was open, and the photo of me shows me by the small gate, which was also open.
I’m in Stockholm visiting my daughter. So I got to do a sweet sixteen at the iconic Stockholm Stadion.
OK, I’m breaking the rule about the Star Post being on the same day as the run, so don’t count this one 
But, a couple days ago, I was in Lausanne and ran at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin. He started the modern Olympics. It’s a rinky dink track, but named after a famous guy. It was the biggest track in Lausanne in the eighties when I lived here. I remember seeing Edwin Moses win a 400m hurdles event here.
