Why it's okay to have pizza and beer

Some people run to get in shape. Some people run so that they can eat food like pizza and beer. Other people run just to run. Me, I love slurpees.

Tuesday nights at the Harvard track has become a staple for most runners and tmirce'ers come out for all different reasons. You wanna get fast, you wanna get strong or you're training for a race. We run for all sorts of different reasons but the outcome is the same. See post track workout photo below.

From Left: Fast Bob, Ray, Dan, The Kid, Energizer Bunny, Danzu Ryu

So why do you run? I bet it's because a llama's chasing you; a valid reason. If that's not the case, tell us. If you're looking for a good reason to get out on a Monday night when it's dark and want to run with some fun people with free food afterwards, check out Lululemon's new run from their store at the Pru.

Want to run with Informal Running? Then get off your booty and join:
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The Most Informal Running Club Ever
we're even on Facebook too.

Defying physics at the Harvard Track

In typical New England fashion, summer has tucked tail and run for the hills. What should we expect then? One thing we all know is that rain sucks. Sure a light sprinkle might be nice when it's 90 degrees and humid; but when the temps start to drop and layering becomes necessary for those nightly runs, sogginess is an inevitable result.

Here's my suggestion. If you have never been to a track workout at the Harvard Track with TMIRCE, you might want to consider attending on those rainy days. Why do you ask? Well, watch this clip of Adam and Jamie from Mythbusters before reading on and you'll get the idea.

Take a Hint. The Inaugural PUMA 5 Miler kicked ass.

What started out as another humid day ended in celebration and excitement. The PUMA 5 miler in Westford, MA was set to kick off at 5pm as all of the 700 participants anxiously went through their pre-race routines, strategy plans, and superstitious rituals. The heat bore down but we were lucky enough to have plenty of Hint water on hand. I've recently become a huge fan of this refreshing beverage and will say that if you've never taken a Hint, then you're missing out. There was a great crew representing TMIRCE at the race, some who ran and some who were along in support, others were there for the post race beers and bbq - all exceptionally executed by the crew from the Harpoon Brewery - thanks for all the free beer! I'm looking forward to the 11th annual Octoberfest in Windsor, VT.

The race itself was executed with precision by Director, Greg Haskell of PUMA. The course was something out of James Taylor's, "Country Road."

Rolling hills and winding streets made for an eventful run with plenty of strategy to consider. With the final turn in sight and the inflated PUMA finish line within reach, I found my kick - thanks to track workouts - and was able to finish with a respectable time, one full minute after the woman's 1st place finisher, Amanda Walsh.

TMIRCE'ers sprinkled in one by one until eventually, we were gathered at maximum around a tabletop guzzling Harpoon and chasing it with Hint. This was a truly successful event and one I would certainly participate in again. It's difficult organizing every aspect of road races, while bumps and bruises along the way can teach valuable lessons such as, number of water stations/volunteers, porto-potties, etc. Great job PUMA at bringing together a proud community of runners and making us feel at home. - Chime in - Why would or wouldn't you run this race again? 

Informal Queens of TMIRCE Track - and some guys too.

The queens of track and Ryan

Sunny, warm nights in Boston don't happen often enough, but when they do, people shake off that wintery rust - grabbing the bull by the horns and coming out on Tuesday nights to run faster and stronger. The workout was a simple "sandwich" 1200m - 800m x2 - 400m - 800m x2 - 1200m and a 200m on top, bringing the total distance to 6.2k. What was special about last night was the great camaraderie between runners, supporting each other, clapping and cheering as we finished each lap.


It's been exciting to hear all the great success stories from runners who have been coming out to track workouts and pushing themselves. TMIRCE encourages runners to support one another and to push one another in running - and sometimes life  -  when we need it. That being said, informal Ryan recently ran a 5 miler at a 7:20 min/mile and attributes some of his recent successes to track workouts. Congrats to him for really utilizing track to get a bit stronger and faster and seeing success.

Last night we shared the track with several other clubs, all going through their weekly motions of run and repeat. Our workout pushed us to run a bit further than normal though, keeping us out 15 minutes later than our usual Tuesday workout. No one seemed to mind though, since the weather was immaculate. Not represented by the photo above are the 4 other runners, Ray, myself, Evan, and Renee who were either nursing blisters, speeding around the track, or just playing Words with Friends. 

After the beating ourselves playful into the ground, we went to Charlies Kitchen, home of the famous Double Cheeseburger and jalapeno poppers. The beer flowed and burgers demolished by the ravenous runners. A typical night of track, and post track celebrations as constituted by the Tuesday tradition.  

INFORMAL MINIMALIST CLINIC