October 2026 Newsletter

By Kristina Siladi

I love this time of year. I’m one of those people who gets giddy when the leaves start turning and the nights are crisp. I often joke that leaf peepin’ is my favorite sport, though I don’t know if it’s actually a joke. It sounds ridiculous to admit, but I find that I can sometimes really stress out over feeling like I need to capitalize on every good weather day during these few fleeting weeks, as I know those gorgeous fall-hued leaves will soon fall, and daylight is waning quickly. I have to constantly remind myself to slow down, that I don’t need to see every turning tree to enjoy the season, and to soak up all the moments when I find myself in a postcard on a picture perfect day. While I’m not currently running far or fast, this season, I’ve found those moments leisurely-paced hikes and peeking at the turning trees beyond the armpit of my wetsuit as I turn to breathe. I hope that you, UVRC crew, have also found moments to savor in this most glorious of seasons. 

Racing Opportunity

Join the Special Needs Support Center for the Flutie 5k on October 24th! Warm up at the UVRC group run and then head down to CCBA for the race start. Details can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/snsc-community-fun-5k-tickets-1997847097449 . 

Western New Hampshire Trail Running Series

Congrats to all who competed in this year’s WNHTRS! The series wrapped up on 9/12 with the Farnum 5. Check out the Western New Hampshire Trail Running Series website for results. Hope to see you out there next year!

UVRC Calendar

Looking for a local race? Did you know UVRC’s website features a race calendar? Scroll through to find your next adventure!

https://uppervalleyrunningclub.org/racing/

Updated Discount Code: Running Warehouse

As a UVRC member, you can enjoy a discount from Running Warehouse: 20% off clothing and socks and 10% off select clearance shoes, visors & hats, and nutrition. Enter code HJZ93FA6 at checkout. Note: this is a new code as of July 1st. 

Volunteer Challenge 2026

Have you ever avoided getting lost in a race because someone in a stylish traffic vest pointed you in the right direction? Have you ever had someone hand you a cup of electrolyte mix mid-stride and continue to smile brightly even though some of that sticky liquid spilled on their hand as you took it from them? Have you ever had a stranger put a medal around your neck and congratulate you? Have you ever reached an aid station 20 hours into a race and had a stranger hand you pickle juice and an otter pop and tell you you look great even though you know they were lying through their teeth out of kindness? 

If you answered yes to any or all of the above, you have benefited from the generosity of volunteers in the running community! Knowing that running events do not happen without volunteers, UVRC is once again issuing a Volunteer Challenge in 2026 – now with a new format! Any UVRC member who volunteers at least 3 hours at a running event or trail work day will be entered to win a pair of running shoes of their choice from Omer and Bob’s or Stateline Sports at the end of the year! Each person gets one entry, though volunteering more than 3 hours is always encouraged. You can submit your hours by emailing  volunteering@uppervalleyrunningclub.org. If you;ve never volunteered at a running event before, we think you’ll find it to be a fun and rewarding experience!

By Kent Hikida

I ran track and cross country in high school and have run on and off including six

marathons over the past 40+ years. I was excited to run in the Lebanon, NH Red,

White, and Blue 6.2-mile race on the Fourth of July.

I completed the Covered Bridges Half Marathon a month earlier and was feeling

confident about running half the distance on the Northern Rail Trail. It was a hot and

humid day, but the course was mostly shaded and unpaved along the Mascoma River. I

remember the starter saying, “this is a very informal fun run, and if you’re registered for

the 5K, but you want to run 10K, or if you’re registered for the 10K and you want to run

the 5K go ahead, just let them know at the finish line so they can adjust your finish time.

And if you want to take a dip in the river along the way I won’t judge.” That put a smile

on my face and I thought this would be fun. Little did I know what was in store for me.

The run started well and I didn’t push too hard and I established a decent pace, but my

smartphone running application volume was low so I couldn’t hear my splits and didn’t

know my pace. I took water at every water station, and near the turn around when we

ran on the road there was no shade and I could feel the heat building.

I was cruising along when I hit mile 5 and I thought I had enough in the tank to speed

up, but about half a mile from the finish line I totally bonked and collapsed, and I could

not get to my feet. The next thing I knew, the EMT’s were loading me on a gurney and

into an ambulance to take me to Dartmouth Hitchcock (DH). I was dehydrated and my

electrolytes were depleted. This was not the 4 th of July fireworks that I intended at the

beginning of the day. The EMT’s checked my vital signs and started me on an

intravenous drip, and I felt better almost immediately. At the DH emergency room, they

determined that one of my electrolytes was low and they replenished it.

The next week I had a regular check-up scheduled with my physician who also runs. He

said I should have allowed an extra minute per mile due to the heat. I normally run

around 9:00 minutes per mile, but it turns out I was running an 8:30 mile when I hit

bonked, and I literally ran out of fuel. His advice, “Don’t try to set any records when it’s

hot and humid, make sure you hydrate and refuel.”

Since then, I’ve fully recovered (except my wounded pride), and I’m back to running 4-

miles a day and a long 10K weekend run. Thanks to my fellow runners who alerted the

EMTs, to the EMT’s who picked me up, and to the DH ER staff who rehydrated me and

got my electrolytes in balance. I used gels during the half marathon a month before, and

I don’t know why I didn’t bring a couple for this 10K.

It was a tough lesson to learn, but next time I’m going to take it easy and not speed up,

stop and walk at the water stations, and refuel with gels. I look forward to seeing

everyone back on the course next year, and don’t bonk like me!

By Mike Vecchiarelli

There is a great book out there called, Why We Run by Bernd Heinrich.  He is an over 50 (now around 86) ultra marathon runner and professor emeritus in biology at UVM.  In this book he combines his scientific, biology and anthropology research with his pursuit of endurance, distance and speed in running.  You may enjoy his anecdotal experiments with honey, beer or cranberry hydration techniques. (Spoiler: beer does provide carbohydrate but also a steep crash along the way.)  It would seem that our bipedal approach, although not as fast in a sprint as the four-legged friends is very efficient for long runs.  I recently attended a symposium for endurance medicine where the presenter described a study where an indigenous hunter ran down their prey over a long distance of many, many loops.  (Think about that next time you’re doing track laps; maybe get the Willey Coyote image in your head of someone ahead of you looking like a roasted chicken you are pursuing.) 

So here I am now entering my 7^th decade (always sobering to assign it that way, eh? No need to sugar coat the math here) and often wondering why I pound-the-pavement, hit the trail, log-the-laps, etc.  Each time I have a window of “opportunity” to get some exercise I must kick myself out the door.  I prepare excuses why not to go; maybe this is too much wear-and-tear on my body; there’s a great series on Netflix I could be binging instead; its too cold, too hot, too…not enough…but…then I suit up and go.  Once out there I really do feel good (sure some of the hills are a slog but that’s just our friend gravity keeping it real.)  Afterwards, the tired feeling is not so much exhaustion as it is relaxation.  And then, I feel I’ve earned that high calorie dinner or the hermits with my coffee in the morning, right?!?!

This September I participated in an annual, mini-modified triathlon called The Josh Billings in the Berkshires of Western Mass.  It involves a 27-mile bike ride, followed by a 5-mile flat-water paddle, and finishes with about a 10k run.  Despite being a former lifeguard, I don’t like swimming and really do love boating.  So this is just the right Tri for me.  There are many iterations of the race depending on the boating style; teams of two, three, four or solo (Iron).  I have been participating in the Iron over 50 kayaking division.  This year was my 3^rd time.  It was a super rainy day and I, more or less, enjoyed it.  Jackie (your C2.5K coach and my partner/wife) was there at transitions to help me…there’s a funny story there too but we’ll save that for the campfire.  I’m happy to say I came in 6^th in my division…good enough for me and nothing damaged as far as I can tell.

Training, if one can call it that, was various days of running UVRS races, doing fun runs near home, occasionally biking, occasionally paddling.  Note the word “occasionally” I’m not very disciplined about training.  I’m not going to dump on those who are fastidious about dropping long miles, pinching minutes off, or generally squeezing in workouts here and there (see what I did there? groan worthy humor?) but I know there is merit to being competitive that way.  At the end of a race I often wonder how much better I could have done if I’d trained better…but then I don’t.  My competitive streak is limited to not being passed at my sprint to the finish line.  Not a well-paced means of competing but a good showy finish all the same.

So if not to compete, and not being very diligent about training, and hoping not to hurt myself, why do I do it?  Well, I guess I actually enjoy it! I believe it makes me healthy (for my part), wealthy (NOT, but it’s not too expensive either), and wise (questionable but lets keep it subjective here.)

Epilogue: No artificial nor actual intelligence was employed to write this article.  I just needed to do something around the house today.  Maybe I should go for a run now, but I just ate lunch, and it’s a grey day, and I have the sniffles and there’s probably something on Youtube I could be streaming and…see you at the next 10k, or not.

The 2026 Upper Valley Running Series (UVRS), brought to you by BE Fit Physical Therapy, had the 8th race in September, the Sprouty 5K/10K. A UVRS classic! Results here:

https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/Overview/35839

You can find UVRS standings on the UVRS website (email me with any corrections):

https://uppervalleyrunningclub.org/upper-valley-running-series/

We’ve got 2 UVRS races in October! Best month ever? First, it’s the Downriver Rail Run 10K on October 10th:

https://raceroster.com/events/2026/113953/downriver-rail-run

Then, on October 25th, it’s the Tiger Run 5K/12K:

https://raceroster.com/events/2026/113781/2026-tiger-run-12k5k

So, what is this UVRS that you’re hearing so much about? It’s our club’s series of local road races. Full information: 

https://uppervalleyrunningclub.org/upper-valley-running-series/

As an up-to-date UVRC member, you can participate in the series, just by signing up for each race through the normal race registration (even day-of is OK). You’ll get credit as a series participant.

For 2026, you need to run 6 (of the 11) races to get the finisher prize. We’ve still got a bunch of eligible runners left, with 3 races to go.

If you don’t want to race, or have a family member along, who doesn’t want to run, consider volunteering. Prizes available. Volunteering into:

https://uppervalleyrunningclub.org/volunteering/