ready, set, go!
walk the rochester half marathon!

by Barb Cacia

Six weeks of training time left for Rochester’s Half-Marathon on September 17th! I know it seems a little close, but if you dedicate yourself to the training program, you will cross the finish line injury-free and feeling very proud of yourself! Your training schedule should include 4-5 miles per day 5 days a week. Once a week, you will train longer. Here’s my recommendation:

Remember REST one day a week!

The marathon starts and ends at Frontier Field. You will proceed through the city on East Main Street, up a few easy-to-maneuver inclines on your way to East Avenue. You’ll stay on East Avenue for about 6_ miles, passing through beautiful neighborhoods under glorious trees in front of old mansions. You’ll see the Eastman House, the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and The Stone Tolan House. Then you’ll hit the business district near Winton Road. You might start to feel your trek here. But if you’ve been training, you should be fine! On the whole, the East Avenue stretch is a relatively level walk all the way out to Hawthorne’s Restaurant. And that’s the good news, because at Hawthorne’s you’ll make an about face and head back to Frontier Field. You will repeat the course back up East Avenue until you reach the trendy Park Avenue district. Your calves may be starting to hurt a bit, but you’re still on a level course when you reach the intersection at Alexander Street. Turn right and proceed to Gardiner Place. Take a left on Gardiner Place and another right onto Union. Then it’s over a few small hills to Broad Street and across the river to South Plymouth Ave. Finally, you’ll be going through the cheering throngs to the sidewalk in front of Frontier Field. Travel along the walk to the right field gate and go into the stadium, where you’ll finish at Center Field! Does it get more exciting than this?

Along the way, you will have 7 water stops where there will be plenty of water for your stomach or head, whichever needs it most! The replacement drink on the course is Power Bar Endurance drink. I would suggest you buy some and train with it to see how your body likes it. The rule is NEVER try anything NEW on marathon day! Keep your eyes peeled for the sweet taste of Florida oranges on Park Avenue.

Get your family and friends involved too. The Arthritis Foundation needs many volunteers, and there are many ways to help. So when you sign up for the accomplishment of a lifetime, bring your supporters with you and they can have an awesome experience too! Aside from a water bottle, you will want to carry your camera to catch some of the Rochester sights and to allow your fellow marathoners to catch you in action. It’s also a wonderful idea to bring your cell phone along, so you can coordinate with family and friends to deliver any treat you might be longing for at the end (ice cream?).

If the half marathon is more than you can manage at this time, but you’d still like to participate, consider the Preferred Care Health Walk led by Abby Wambach. For more information, call the Arthritis Foundation (585) 264-1480 or go to their website, www.rochestermarathon.com.

See you at the Finish Line on September 17th!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Barb Cacia is a certified Rochester area personal trainer and specialized consultant who offers workshops on health and healing exercise for people with chronic pain. She is also the “Joints in Motion” coach for the Arthritis Foundation’s marathon training program.