EASTSIDE RUNNERS INVITATIONAL
By Everyday Athlete and Run26

Results: The results are in!  You can also see pictures of this inagural event.

Everyone at Eastside Runners would like to thank our faboulous sponsors and the race coordinators who have made this event possible! In addition many thanks to all of the volunteers who were awesome in setting up and monitoring the course and working registration.

Several Brooks Podium long sleeved shirt (shown above) are still available for purchase.  There are only a few left so act quickly. Only Small, Medium and Large sizes left. If you are interested please contact: susan@wedo.net.

EASTSIDE RUNNERS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

ESR launched a cross-country team in 2006. The team completed its second fall season in 2007, with more than 100 members participating. 2008 looks to be a breakout year for our team! All ESR members are welcome to join.

If you’ve never run cross-country before, or haven’t run a cross-country race since high school and forgot what it’s like, you’ll find it a lot different than road racing. Like mud and hills? You’ll get plenty of both on some cross-country courses. The number of runners in a cross-country race is usually much smaller than in a road race – typically 50-100, with a few larger races drawing several hundred runners. Race distances are usually 5K-6K for women and 5K-10K for men. The women and men race separately in most meets, with at least one or two meets each season including a separate masters race.

For a look at cross country, here are some photos from the Sundodger Invitational in Sept. 2007. Below is our 2008 season schedule as well as some Frequently Asked Questions.  If you’re interested in participating or have questions, contact team coach John Sweeney at esrtrack@hotmail.com.

2008 Schedule

Sat 8/30 – Lake Padden Relay, Bellingham
Sat 9/20 – Sundodger Invitational, Lincoln Park, West Seattle
Sat 9/27 – Bellevue Invitational, Lake Samm St Park, Issaquah
Sat 10/11 – Lakewood “Hole in the Wall” Invite, Arlington/Marysville
Sat 10/18 – Bellevue CC Invitational, Lake Samm St Park, Issaquah
Sun 11/2 – PNTF Cross Country Championships, Woodland Pk, Seattle
Sat 11/15 – Eastside Runners Invitational, Lake Samm St. Pk, Issaquah
Sun 11/23 – USATF Northwest Regional Club Cross Country Championships
Sat 12/13 – USATF National Club Cross Country Champs, Spokane, WA

FAQs
Q:What the heck is Cross Country anyway?
A: Cross Country is similar to a road race, the difference being the terrain. Most XC courses are run on a mix of trails, grass, occasionally some road, and mud if we’re lucky! In Europe, XC races also have obstacles, barriers, and even river crossings but I wouldn’t anticipate seeing anything like that in our races. Also, XC races are often run as a team event. In general the finishing places of the top 5 people on a team are summed up and the lowest score wins.

Q: If I join the team, will I be required to run in all of the races?
A:No, you can run in any races that fit into your schedule.

Q: Will there be any team practices?
A: There will be no team practices other than the optional Wed. night track workouts in Kirkland/Redmond. Most people have busy lives and fit in their running when they can or they already have established training groups. If you generally train alone and are looking for a group, we can put you in touch with some other runners of similar ability. There are also the ESR weekly runs where several team members will run together regularly.

Q: Am I fast enough to run on the team?
A:YES! Everyone of any ability is welcome to run on the team. There are three races on the schedule that are more competitive and we have included minimum entry guidelines to team members (Sundodger, PNTF, Nationals).

Elite Runners: If you have run any of the following times since July 1, 2007, your race entry fees will be covered for the season.
Men – 16:30 5K, 27:15 8K, 34:40 10K, 1:17:05 1/2M, 10:10 3200 (9:28 3K, 10:13 2 mile)
Women - 18:40 5K, 30:55 8K, 39:15 10K, 1:27:40 1/2M, 10:45 3K (11:32 3200, 11:36 2 mile)

Q: Are the any requirements to run on the team?
A:The only other requirement is that you are a current member of the Eastside Runners running club. At only $12 per year (or $18 for the whole family), this is by far the cheapest club dues of any area running club. The membership will easily pay for itself w/ the discounts at local running stores.

Q: I am running a fall marathon. Should I run Cross Country?
A: Many runners find a few cross country races can compliment marathon training quite well. I would suggest focusing your training on the marathon, but run any cross country races that fit in before the marathon. Then once you’ve recovered from the marathon, you could run any remaining XC races on the schedule.

Q: Before I commit to this team, who else is running? Are all the cool kids doing it?
A:Last year we had over 100 runners on the team and we expect at least that this year. We plan to field teams for Open Men & Women, Masters Men & Women, 50+ Men & Women, and 60+ Men. If we have at least three people to form a complete team, we can also add a 60+ Women’s Team and 70+ Men’s Team. Early signs indicate we will be much more competitive in the elite ranks this year and we will also be adding people of all different paces and all age groups. This is truly a running club for EVERY type of runner which sets us apart.