Running in Hot Weather

Last year on race day, the temperature began to rise very quickly between 7:30 and 8:00AM, and the heat and humidity became very difficult to run in.  What is a good way to prepare yourself in case we encounter hot weather again this year?  I asked Ann Ringlein, manager of the Lincoln Running Company and Women’s Cross Country Coach at Nebraska Wesleyan University for advice.

"With Havelock being just a couple weeks away, and the weather probably only getting warmer, now is the time to move outdoors - if you haven't yet! There is something called "Training Specificity" and for this race that would mean "training in the heat!" Your body needs to acclimate to the heat and being able to perform in the heat, running inside on a treadmill won't cut it! Get outside, sweat a little and be a bit uncomfortable and on race day you will feel a whole lot better!

"Another training regiment that will help you on race day is to begin drinking more cold water daily. Our muscles perform best in a fluid environment, so to get the most out of them we need to supply that fluid! Our body, as a whole, needs to be hydrated to race well in the heat, by being used to drinking more water daily you will provide the best environment for you body to do what you want it to do.

"Now, what if we wake up on June 6th and it is 80 degrees at the start of The Havelock Run? We rethink our game plan, that's what we do! Plan on running slower and begin the race with your first mile much slower than what you had anticipated it would be on a perfect day! Try to maintain that pace for the next couple miles up the hill on 84th and then as you hit Adams St and those rolling hills, use them to speed up a bit on the down hill portion of them. That momentum will help carry you through Mahoney Park and once you head back on Fremont you are home free!

"If, at any time during this race you are feeling dizzy, light headed, or just not right... please stop and walk and ask a volunteer for help. Don't be a hero! A ride to the local Hospital is not the way to end The Havelock Run!"

FInding Teammates

Charity donations made by Pinnacle Bank as part of the Havelock Charity Run are only made on behalf of teams in which at least five runners complete the race.  Donations are not made on behalf of individual runners.  It has come to our attention that there are runners out there who would like to form a team (and therefore take part in having a donation made to a favorite charity) but don’t have enough connections with other runners to do so.  If you fit that description, please drop us an email at havelockcharityrun@hotmail.com and we’ll try to link you up with other runners in the same boat.

Volunteers Needed!

The Havelock Charity Run – and any Lincoln Track Club event for that matter – could not operate without the help of volunteers.  On race day, volunteers are needed to man water stations, food tables, and help at the finish line, among other things.  Well before race day, volunteers help organize the event, stuff race packets, and help with packet pickup.  Race participants are often unaware of how much work is done by unpaid volunteers to make the race a positive experience.

Because we rely so much on volunteers, we are always in need of more.  If you would like to volunteer to help with the Havelock Charity Run, send us an email at havelockcharityrun@hotmail.com.  If you can’t help out with this particular race but would like to help with another Lincoln Track Club event, please contact the club at ltc@inebraska.com.  Your help will be greatly appreciated!

Charities

One of the unique aspects of the Havelock Charity Run is the commitment that Pinnacle Bank makes in its donations to charities.  If you put a team together and at least five members complete the race that you’ve signed up for, Pinnacle will donate $50 to the charity of your choice.  If the sum total of the times of your top five finishers is lower than that of the Pinnacle Bank team, Pinnacle will donate $75.  In this way, your team has a very real incentive to run fast!

Last year Pinnacle donated more than $6000 to various charities in and around Lincoln.  This is in addition to the hard work their staff puts in designing posters and T-shirts, helping to organize the race, and volunteering on race day.  And – their teams also have to train for the race!  The Lincoln Track Club is very proud to have Pinnacle Bank as the long-time sponsor for this race.

To find out which charities are approved for donations, simply begin the registration process online, and a pop down menu will present itself.  If you would like to have a list of the approved charities emailed to you before you register, please send an email request to havelockcharityrun@hotmail.com and it will be emailed to you.

Online Entries

This year for the first time, registration for the Havelock Charity Run is done online only.  No mail-in entries are accepted.  So,why are we changing the process, you might ask?  Although we acknowledge that this may present an obstacle to some entrants, we feel that in the end it will make the entire process smoother and less confusing - for entrants and for the race directors. 

This race has a number of complicating factors that are not present in other races.  For instance, entrants have a choice of race distances, and whether to enter on a team or as an individual; team entries have a choice of names, charities, and who their members are. 

In a perfect world, every mail in entry in would include all the correct information along with the correct entry fees; but alas, we don't live in a perfect world!  As this race has grown in size over the years (this year is the 31st!), keeping everything straight was becoming increasingly unwieldy.  Last year there were actually a few team entries that weren't straightened out until minutes before the race!

We hope that entrants make the adjustment to the new entry process and find it to be hassle free.

Hello!

Welcome to the Havelock Charity Run Blog.  In coming weeks, we will be posting information and welcoming your comments in preparation for this years race, held on June 6.

You can also find information at www.lincolnrun.org, the Lincoln Track Club website, and ask specific questions privately at havelockcharityrun@hotmail.com