Coffee and Chat with DeeJ!

Sunday, February 12, 2017 · Mike Davis

Good morning! This morning you have a treat, as one of NFLR's great coaches is going to hangout with you and share coffee and her thoughts. DeeJ Swallow may be fairly new to coaching, but she has been around the Seacoast running scene for a few years. Enjoy your coffee with DeeJ!

Yesterday was another snowy day here in the Northeast - something our Winter Pacers know a lot about as of late. This group has been motivating each other through the ups and downs of a typical New England winter since November - and loving every minute of it!

We have accumulated another 3+ inches, while we await another storm due in today, that is expected to bring up to 2 feet of fresh powder through Monday. While this is great for the skiers on the slopes, it's not really the best for runners... and due to the weather, it was safest to cancel our scheduled group run yesterday. Best to make sure that everyone stay safe and make their own decisions on when is best for them to hit the streets. (or treadmill for some!)
I did venture out with a couple of running friends and managed to get in 5 miles with my YakTrax. It felt great to still be getting out there and was actually a lot of fun running in the snow, though it did take me by surprise that even though I was running my typical conversational pace, I felt very winded due to the uneven footing that was taking a lot more energy to run through. I hadn't really thought about that before as I don't usually run in these conditions, so it was a great lesson learned! I'm hoping to get another run in this morning before the next big round of snow arrives! With a couple of people to help hold me accountable - I should be good to go!

It's no secret that my favorite runs are those within a group setting.

After all, the group setting is what sparked my true love for the sport of running quite a few years ago, now, as I mentioned in my previous blog ramblings. So, there should be no surprise that I have a fond love for the great group that makes up NFLR, and the new Winter Pacers program has been a wonderful addition.

No Finish Line Running has been picking up the pace (pun intended!) with camaraderie lately with much credit to the Winter Pacers.
Our Wednesday evening runs have been finishing up with dinner and/or drinks at various downtown Dover restaurants, and on Saturday mornings we have been taking over Penny University while we all enjoy a post-run coffee and chat. With the recent unexpected closing of Penny University, we will soon be switching to a new local coffee-friendly location, but P.U will always have a place in our hearts...

Last month NFLR had a huge showing for the Snowflake Shuffle in Bedford, NH which was a lot of fun. After the race we reconvened back in Lee at Coach Julie's for a holiday brunch and "Yankee Swap" where even more fun was had by all! We are already looking forward to this event again next year.

Though this group is not training for any race in particular, there has been a lot of talk about NFLR running in the upcoming Run Before You Crawl in Dover, NH on March 11th. This is a fun 5k that kicks off the Dover Race Series. After the run the camaraderie continues with a "pub crawl" through the local restaurants and bars downtown. NFLR currently has a team set up through the registration site and is looking forward to another great get together on race day! If you wish to join us - be sure to check out http://www.runb4ucrawl.com/ for more information and select No Finish Line Running as your team during the registration process. We love supporting our local businesses, and this race and "after party" is a great way to do just that!

We currently have 3 runners who have earned their free NFLR winter hat, and a few others who are close to earning theirs as well. Perfect for keeping your running noggin warm during this snowy weather!
It only takes 10 (free!) group runs to earn one of these awesome hats - so if you've been thinking of joining, its not too late! There is still plenty of opportunity to earn one of these hats before our Winter Pacers program wraps up on April 5th. Join us Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings for our free and fun group runs!

Keep on running!

-Dj