Sunrise over horse country

I have this recruiting document entitled “Where We Train.” I created it a few years ago as a way to address the glaring fact that, here at beautiful Marist College, we do not have a track on our campus. But, as I have said time and time again, to current team members and prospective student-athletes:

“No Track. No Problem.”

We do just fine without one. Would I like for us to get one on our campus? Of course. But rather than dwell on what we do not have, I’d much rather be thankful for all that we do have. And so, I wrote “Where We Train.”

Admittedly, the recruiting piece is geared more toward distance runners. The mid-Hudson Valley is blessed with many phenomenal training venues close to campus. I discuss these in detail. It is a useful recruiting tool. But even for track, we have more than we think. The McCann Fieldhouse, while not ideal, does give us a place to train all winter.

And the addition of the new facility at Vassar has been a huge boon to our program. Vassar coach James Macowan has been a great friend and huge advocate of our program, and it is very much appreciated.

So yes. What we have far outweighs what we do not have. No doubt about it.

On Sunday morning, I was able to reaffirm why this is such a wonderful area to be a runner or endurance athlete when I participated in my buddy Krys Wasielewski’s Hilltopper Half Marathon out in eastern Dutchess County. Krys and his Junk Yard Dogs (Big Dog, TousDog, etc.) have mapped and marked out a hilly but incredibly scenic loop that starts and finishes at the tony Millbrook School out in the Horse Country of Dutchess County.

This is the third or fourth time I have done this run, and I’m always glad that I did it – afterwards. Yes, it is hilly. But it’s not a killer course. And you cannot beat the scenery.

This year, I balked at Krys’ constant overtures for me to come out and run his race.

I’m not in good shape, I whined. I’m fat, I intoned. I’m too slow, I’ll hold everybody up, I crooned.

But Krys was persistent. He offered me an early starting time, which I graciously accepted. He tried (successfully) to bribe me with post-run chocolate chip cookies baked by his wife Barbara. And what the heck: Krys is a constant, year-long supplier of midday coffee for me -- stopping by campus with a steaming cup and a big smile. The very least I could do was support the fine JYD event –- even if I was slower than the many cows I saw along the route.

So I drove out there on a cool Sunday morning, and something amazing happened. God turned summer off for a few hours! It was 54 degrees when I strapped on my fluid belt and headed out for a planned run/walk over hill and dale. After last week’s group long run in Hyde Park, which STARTED in 80-degree weather, this was a welcome respite.

With the early start, I had the course to myself. After a slow start, I got into a nice rhythm and felt great. The cool weather is like a natural dose of Red Bull to a summer-weary runner.

Other than the many disinterested horses and sleepy horse farms in the first half of the course, followed by equally disinterested (but a bit more smelly) cattle and Holstein farms along the second half of the course, I had the roads to myself for a little more than two hours.

And as the sun rose over God’s country, with little more than the sound of my plodding footfalls and my not-too-labored breathing, I had to admit that – once again – this sure is a great place to live and to run.