Boilermaker& Beyond- Drinking from a Fire Hose

Well, the glaciers have receded and the runners have come out of hibernation! While those that suffer from pollen allergies dread this time of year, it heralds the beginning of the road race season. It simply amazes me the sheer amount of events that get jammed into one weekend.This Saturday there are not one, but two color runs taking place in upstate New York. I've written about these runs in the past. In a nutshell, you run a 5k in a white tee-shirt and have colored cornstarch thrown at you rendering you a moving tie-dyed human. The Color Run will be taking place in Rochester, while the Color Me Rad takes place in Syracuse. I rather assume these guys don't like each other; I'll be interested to see what there participation numbers are. I read somewhere that 60% of people who run a color run never participated in a running event before.

If decorating yourself with mud rather than color is your thing the inaugural Mighty Run takes place on Saturday at the Masonic Care Community. A 5k relay with obstacles. Survival runs like this have become very, very popular. I really hope this grows as this could become a real regional draw.Make-A-Wish is having a Walk/ Fun Run this Saturday at Onondaga Community College.Finally, the Mountain Goat takes place in Syracuse on Sunday. You know when a race sports the moniker Mountain Goat it's not a gentle rolling course- it's a very tough event. They also offer a flat 3k for those who want to participate in a more sane level as well as a Kid's Run.

I'm guessing between the outstanding weather forecast for the weekend and the rather defiant attitude the running community has after the Boston Bombings that they may hit a participation record.The point of this blog is not to get you to participate in these specific events. Rather, it's to point out these are events out there for every age group/ physical ability. In fact, at this time of the year, perhaps the toughest thing is to choose what event you want to participate in!Whether you're walking for a cause or wading in the mud, get off your duff and do something! Don't want to be a 'buzz kill' but before you know it it'll be snowflakes, not pollen, in the air.