As the Covid crisis is starting to wane, races are coming back. As races come back, so does the sport of running.
If you are not ready, don’t race! But if you are, this is the time to get back into it. Many of us have been running by ourselves or in small groups because of everything that is going on. However, if you feel like you are safer and have taken appropriate measures for you and your family to feel confident to run in a race, then it is time.
As always, a race:
- Gives you a chance to put in play what you have practiced in your training
- Is a change of scenery from your usual route
- May reconnect you with runners you haven’t seen in a while
- Allows you to run with people that are better than you
- Gets you a base time from which to see where your fitness is at the moment
- Let’s you run through different weather conditions
- Helps you learn something new about yourself every time if you take the time to reflect
Whether it is a small race of 40 people or a large race of 10,000+, only you can make the decision to run it. Please be safe and enjoy – that is what running is all about – it should be FUN first!
With trials of miles,
Coach Nick
Nickolas Joannidis
I have been running for over 35 years, having done practically every possible racing event or distance from the 100 meters through the marathon. I competed in varsity high school cross country and track at Saddle Brook High School in the mid-1980's, varsity cross country and track at Division II Pace University and finished well over 200 road races since then, including 20 marathons with a lifetime best of 3:14:50.
I was the president of the Hoffmann LaRoche corporate running team for 7 years, growing the team from 25 to over 90 during his tenure. I coached many of these runners to achieve their goals, whether they were beginners or advanced.
In 2011 I was an assistant coach for the Fair Lawn Recreation track team, helping the 10 to 14 year old group. I am currently personally coaching dozens of runners, from beginner levels to advanced levels and getting them to be prepared to meet their goals.