Pics From Last Run

As mentioned before, much appreciation to Raelee Fenn for the pictures she took at our August 1 run. Hope you enjoy these! Doug

Week 12 Results - Pizza Run

Our 2023 series has come to an end, and it was memorable. We had 51 runners last night, a high count for the series. We knocked out 16 pizzas, without a problem. And the weather was good, no rain. We won't say anything about the heat, right? But we all made it through, and are better and tougher runners/walkers because of it. Proud of all of you! As an aside, I agreed to an informal run next week, Tuesday August 8th, 6pm, for anyone interested. I'll provide Gatorade and cups and you bring anything else you might want or need. Much thanks to Raelee Fenn and her father Thomas, for pictures that they took. When I have more information on the availability of the pictures, I'll post it here. Also much thanks to Chris Cannon for organizing the photography effort, and to Chris, Carter Cannon, and Raley Thorn for their help at the finish line and with the pizza table. Much appreciation to my wife Marion, for making the pizza run and for always being supportive of our run. She has made more than a few supply trips for me when I forgot things! Much thanks to Bob Banks for his kind words. Reckon it was all true? I'm too old to remember. :-). Many others have assisted over the years, and I appreciate you all. I can't say enough about the friendships that have developed over our 20 years of runs, it's been wonderful. I do have someone who is looking into continuing the Summer Swing runs next year, so if it all works out, maybe I can run with you all in 2024! Then I will finally understand how challenging the hills really are, LOL! :-). That's it for now - stay safe and stay hydrated, and I will see you on the 8th for our informal run. And again - more info on the pictures will be posted here, as soon as I have it. If you have any questions, give me a call at 334-524-5021. Always here for you! Doug

Week 11 Results

Here are the results of last night's run. We are close to wrapping up for the year; next week is the Pizza Run and is our last scheduled run. For those of you unfamiliar with the Pizza Run, I supply the pizza, you supply an appetite! No cost to you - just a perk of participating in our hot, challenging 5K series. We have had 93 different runners/walkers participate this year. We had a lot of rain issues in the first part of the series, but it has been better lately. The rain chance for next Tuesday is 30%, about as good as we can hope for. :-). If rain proves to be a problem, we will chow down on the pizza under the porch roof of the Rec Center. One other item - there are a few regular participants that can not be here next week - and asked if we could have an "informal" run on Tuesday, August 8th. We can do that - so if you are interested just show up on Tuesday August 8th by 6pm, same place as usual. I'll provide Gatorade and water, but there will be no sign-in, course markings, mid-course water stop, results, or grilling out. So if you want to show up for another run, just come on out. This time, I can run with you! Meanwhile, stay hydrated and watch for distracted drivers. See you next week, Doug.

Week 10 Results

Hot day for a run, but at least NO RAIN AND LIGHTNING! We had about 40 show up - good turnout for us. Only two runs left - next week is a normal run and then the Aug 1 run is our annual pizza run, so don't miss that. Free pizza is always a good draw. I have a few people who have not picked up their shirts. If that is you, be sure to get it within the next two weeks, or give me a call. As we wind down for the year, just wanted to say how much I enjoy seeing you each week. We always have a good time, and we meet new people each week. Chris, my grandson, suggested we try to pose for a group picture on our last run. I thought that was a great idea; we are trying to set it up now. I originally thought the picture should be after the run, but it seems much better to take the picture just before the run starts, while everyone is in one place at one time. AND we will all smell a lot better before the run rather than after it, LOL! Oh, here are the results for run 10. Hope to see you next week. Stay safe. Doug

Week 9 Results

Wow, what a great run! Very hot, but we expect that in July. The shirts turned out nicely, the watermelon was ripe and sweet, the hot dogs tasted pretty good, and the company was OUTSTANDING! Glad all of you could be there, and it was great to see a few new faces as well. There are a few who were not there to pick up their shirts, so be sure to be there in future runs, or contact me to work out a pick-up. We have three runs left, so we are definitely on the downhill side of the series. The last run is August 1st, which will be Pizza Night, as usual. Check here for yesterday's run results. By the way, we did have someone who failed to register or sign in, hence the "Unknown Runner". If that person sees this post and would like that corrected, just let me know. Until next week, stay hydrated and run safely. Doug

Run 8 Results

Wow, that was a hot run. Really. And now that we are rolling into July, there will be more. To be exact, 4 more runs, and that is it for the series. We have the watermelon run ahead us us next on July 11th, and the pizza run on August 1st. Just a reminder as things heat up....this is not the time to be working on a PR! Slow your pace and work on staying hydrated. Your health and well-being is important to me! You can check your results of run 8 here. Now, about the shirts. They look great! I think you will be pleased with them. Men's singlets are a different shade of green since coming from a different vendor. I'd say they are more of a yellow-green than a safety green - but regardless, they are very visible and look terrific. I will bring them and distribute them on July 11th. Remember, no run on July 4th. If you have not yet paid for your shirt, bring cash or check on the 11th. And if you want your shirt before the 11th, contact me at 334-524-5021 and we'll work something out. That's it for now. I apologize for being a couple of days late on this post. Busy summer! Have a great 4th of July and stay safe. See you on the 11th for run 9. Doug

Run 7 Results

By now we should be getting used to Mother Nature not cooperating. I think this may be the rainiest series we have had in our 20 years of existence. Thunderstorms approached Opelika at 5:45pm Tuesday. It looked like they were going to split, with a storm to the north and a storm to the south. About 6pm I lost radar on my weather app, and the guesswork began. Some had already decided not to run, and some 15 or so hung around and wanted to run. I turned the runners loose at 6:15 as usual. Before they even made it to the stop sign at the bottom of the hill, BOOM! We had a lightning strike about 3 or 4 miles distant, closer to Auburn. Everyone decided to keep going, and thankfully there was no more lightning. They did run through a hard rain, and came back soaked - but enjoyed the coolness of the run, from what I was told. So - the forecast looks better for next week, with a 10% or 20% chance of rain on Tuesday. Remember that we will take a break on July 4th - no run scheduled. There are 5 scheduled runs remaining. Here are the results of Run 7. Now for a little housekeeping. Shirt orders are closed, and the order has been placed with the screenprinters. They expect to print them by the end of next week (6/30). I will bring them with me on July 11th, run 9. If you have not yet paid, you will need to pay at that time. If you would like to get your shirt before July 11th, give me a call late next week or the week of the 4th (334-524-5021) and we will arrange a pickup somewhere. One last detail - as you know, we offered tank tops this year. There were 7 tanks ordered by men. Because the men's tank is a different cut than the women's tank, it is from a different manufacturer, and the color will vary a bit from the women's tank. They will both be safety yellow, but will be a slightly different shade. I hope that is not an issue for any of our guys, but if it is I will be glad to refund your payment. One other thing - our watermelon runs will be coming up soon - July 11 or July 18. We will close out the year with our pizza run on August 1. That's it for now. Run safe, stay hydrated, and I'll see you next week! Doug

Run 6 Results

Great evening for a run! The early afternoon rains cooled things off nicely. This time of year, you never know what the weather is going to do, but this time it worked out in our favor. We missed a few of our regulars, but had about a half dozen new folks. That's one of my favorite things about the Summer Swing series - getting to meet new runners and walkers. Would you believe - that over the last 20 years - nearly 1500 different runners have participated in our runs? Amazing. And - we still have some of the originals with us - a few have been hanging around for 20 years! Here are the results for run 6. You can also find the results in a link in the right column. One last item of business - SHIRT ORDERS are coming to a close. Next week is the last week I will take orders - deadline is the 20th. So if you are interested, please let me know. Shirt information is in one of the posts below. The screen printers need two weeks to process the order - so your shirts should be ready around the 4th of July. That's it for now. Keep hydrated and stay visible! Doug

Run 5 Results

Here are the results of yesterday's run 5. It was perfect weather, except for being on the warm side. We had a very good turnout - 42 runners/walkers in all. Good to see so many newcomers for the 2023 series, and I hope to see you next week. Concerning shirts for this year - the last day for placing your order is TUESDAY JUNE 20. Be sure to let me know by then if you would like a shirt this year. This is a quality wicking technical shirt. Cost is $15, and is due when you place your order. Shirts will be available in Tee or Tank, Adult or Youth, Male or Female for Tanks, and in Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. I can get 2XL and 3XL Tees, but there is a slight upcharge for these two sizes. The shirts will be available to you around the Fourth of July. See the shirt design below. That's it for now. Be careful while you are out there running and stay hydrated. Hot July runs just around the corner!

Run 4 Results

Finally, beautiful weather for our run! So glad all of you could make it. Check your results here. I'm still taking orders for shirts - you can see the design in an earlier post below. You can have either a Tee style or Tank style - Adult or Youth - Men or Women - for $15. I will take orders for two more weeks, so if you are interested, let me know soon. Also - I confirmed with the printer that we CAN get the Tank style for women AND men. Same with the Tee style of course. Eight more runs to go - looking forward to our first June run next Tueday. See you then - Doug.

Run 3 Results

Finally, I thought. We will get a run in without rain. Mother Nature had other plans. This time we made it all the way until run start time before the sprinkles began. Don't get me wrong, running in a light rain in spring and summer is pretty nice. But directing a race is another story. Anything that involves paper becomes really challenging (registration, results, placement cards, shirt orders, etc). Electronic devices must be put up quickly (clocks, amp, phones, Ipad, timer). Grilling still works, but the burners were blown out by the wind. Waa, waa, waa, I'll stop crying in a minute, LOL! In spite of the rain we were able to keep everything working long enough to capture results, which you can see here. BUT...since we called the run last week (due to rain), I was bound and determined to have a normal race this week. Thanks for your patience while we hashed things out! Next week, the long range forecast is calling for good weather on Tuesday with a zero percent chance of rain. Ya think? Now, a little housekeeping. I will be taking orders for shirts for a few more weeks before the printing order is placed. You can see images of the shirt in a post below. Tee or tank, adult or child, $15 each. Please pay when you place your order if possible. I plan to have them available around the Fourth of July. That's about it for now. Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend and I hope to see you next Tuesday - on a SUNNY afternoon for a change! Doug

Run 2 Rained Out

For the second week in a row, thunderstorms rolled in around 5pm. I called the race at 5pm, as I could not tell what the weather would be like at 6pm. As it turned out, the storms rolled on through and there was only light rain to contend with. Light rain is great to run in, but it makes it difficult for registrations, and timing the run. Electronic devices do not get along well with moisture. Current cost to replace the timer and clock would be about $1200 to $1500. So when it's rainy I go to manual timing, which involves paper and ink in the rain - not a good combination either! I'm determined to not let the weather cause another called race, if there is any way I can. So let's hope for the best in our next 10 runs. By the way, even if the race has been called, you are welcome to show up and run informally on your own. The one exception is active nearby lightning. I would rather that none of us run under those conditions. If there is no lighthing, usually 10 to 20 show up in rainy conditions anyway. The cool rain is great this time of the year! The Gatorade and cold towels will still be there for you. It's the registration process, grillng, and capturing run times that get compromised. I will be taking orders for shirts for a few more weeks. See last week's post below for graphics and cost details. See you next week - Doug.

Run 1 Results

We are off and running (no pun intended)for the 2023 series! Mother Nature threw us a curve ball with an intense thunderstorm about 4:00pm, but it had stopped raining about 5:15 and cooled off nicely. Seems we always have a weather issue once or twice. Maybe this is it for the series? Hope so. You can see the results at the link to the right (2023 Summer Swing Results) or click here. We will offer a technical, wicking shirt this year. You can have a T-shirt or tank top, adult or child, for $15. 2XL sizes ($17) and 3XL ($19) cost a bit more. I will take orders until the middle of June. At that point I will place the order, which should have the shirts available around the 4th of July. If you are interested place your order with me within the next few weeks, and pay when you place your order. I will have shirt samples at our runs so you will have a good idea how they will look. The shirt color is safety yellow, that yellow-green bright color you see frequently in running shirts. I'll paste a likeness of the shirt below, if I can remember how! Hope to see you next week! Doug

Weather Update

Run is still on! Thunderstorms should be out of here by 5:30. Will update again if necessary. Doug

Update - Run Start Time - May 9

There has been a little confusion on run start time. The run starts at 6:15pm. You will need to come early in order to register. I would suggest arriving by 5:45, as this is our first run and everyone will need to be registered. Your registration is good for the series - so other runs you attend will only need a sign in. Sorry for the confusion! See you this afternoon. Doug

Here We Go! 2023 Summer Swing 5K Series!

Seems like a long time since we sweated out our last run in August 2022 - but here we are ready to crank it up and have some fun this spring and summer! If you are new to our Summer Swing 5K Series, you can find all the details in the links found in the right column. You won't find a better deal than ours - 12 organized, timed 5K runs for a mere $10 for the season - or if you would rather pay weekly it will set you back a whole $1 per week.....that is unless you are 18 or younger, and in that case you run for free. Can't beat that. Our first run is Tuesday, May 9th. We would have started a week earlier but I will be on vacation on Tuesday May 2nd. There will be a great free concert that Tuesday, the OHS Bands. If you want to run on your own, come on out and get a head start on the rest of the gang, then enjoy some great music while you cool down. This year we will take a break for the Fourth of July - it falls on a Tuesday. No doubt it will be pretty hot by then, so that will be a good break. Also, this year we will print and offer our traditional Summer Swing technical shirts. It will be a good quality wicking shirt, and will be offered in both T-shirt and tank top styles. I'll have art work to show you at the first run, and I will sell them at cost, as is our tradition. More on that later, but I would like to have them distributed to you before the Fourth of July, so we will take orders in May and early June and get rolling on them. Hard to believe this is our 20th year. For the past few years I've been giving some thought to when I would give up directing the series - and have decided that this is my last year. It's been a lot of fun - have met so many great people over the years - and I will really miss starting you up and then hustling to get those burgers cooked before you get back in! We have kept it simple, inexpensive, flexible, and warm and friendly, I hope. You have all been terrific. I'm hoping that someone, or a small group, will be interested in keeping the series active. I would certainly be glad to train, assist, and provide most of what would be needed to direct the races. And of course, I would encourage you to look into making any improvements/changes that you feel would help the series. We can talk about it in days to come. I am always available at 334-524-5021, or durunforfun@yahoo.com. So get ready! Lots of good concerts, good runs, good fellowship just around the corner. Four weeks to go! Much thanks to Opelika Parks and Recreation for partering with us over the years. Looking forward to another Summer Swing 5K Series! See you soon, Doug.