FRUNERGY

The cold weather season has arrived, and among many of the hardships winter weather brings, the difficulty of obtaining fresh fruits is always a concern of mine.

Being an avid runner and an active athlete, I try to maintain a balanced diet, rich with colorful fruits and vegetables. I grow my own rather large garden during the summer months, and I try to buy fresh fruit whenever possible.

I am constantly looking for ways to remain healthy and to maintain my competitive edge as I age.

Recently, I bought a product that enables me to receive more than my daily requirement of essential fruits.


The product is Harmony Frunergy Vitamin C Powdered Fruit Drink Mix, for more information, please find the official website to better understand the product.https://naturecare.life/harmony-prebiotic
https://naturecare.life/harmony-frunergy. It is also available on Amazon.

Frunergy contains a blend of 16 fruits in one serving. Yes, 16 different fruits.

They are,

Acerola                             
Cherry
Watermelon
Pear
Mango
Strawberry
Papaya
Tangerine
Apricot
Apple
Grape
Grapefruit
Orange
Pineapple
Lemon
Lime


This product is rich in vitamin C, it is 100% natural, and it is easy to use.

I simply tear open a packet, pour it into water, or an energy drink, usually before a workout. The drink provides me with more energy, and I actually feel better. My wife felt a cold coming on the other day, drank a glass of Frunergy, and the cold never amounted to anything.

Frunergy tastes somewhat sour, due to acerola, an energy rich fruit, loaded with vitamin C, but, otherwise, it is quite tasty.


This is a great product and an excellent way of getting the vitamin C and other nutrients we all need due to our busy lifestyles.

Check out their website, https://naturecare.life/harmony-frunergy, for more information.



 

RUNNING:IT'S A FAMILY THING

Following is my monthly column, which appeared today in the Republican Herald newspaper.

Running can truly be a generational thing.

Our region has produced many great runners, many of whom have distinguished themselves at the scholastic, collegiate, and national levels.

In a few rare instances, however, running success has spanned generations. The Lowthert family of Pottsville is a classic example.

On November 22, 2016, the patriarch of another local running family which has left an indelible impact on our sport, passed away, at the age of 71.

John Granito, Sr., a veteran of five marathons and hundreds of road races, grew up in Pottsville, but picked up competitive running later in life, literally following in the footsteps of his fleet-footed sons.

During the early 1980s, the Granito boys led the Blue Mountain cross country and track teams to prominence.

Under the tutelage of legendary cross country coach, Ralph Jaeger, and bolstered by the coaching of former Millersville standout middle-distance runner, Mark Herb in track, John, Jr., Adam, and Jason Granito, at one time, comprised 3/5 of the scoring on a cross country team that became one of the most feared teams in the state of Pennsylvania.

John Granito was the leader of a Blue Mountain cross country team that place third at States in 1984. During his four years at Blue Mountain, the cross country team finished in the top ten every season. John began running track in fourth grade, and was a member of the 4x800 meter relay team that made it to States in 1984. He also placed seventh at the prestigious McQuaid Invitational, in New York, leading Blue Mountain to the team title against teams from 13 other states and Canada. John earned a scholarship to American University, where he became captain of the cross country team for all four years of his career.

Adam Granito was a 5-time District XI champion in track and cross country during his running career at Blue Mountain. He was also a 2-time State medalist, placing 6^th  in cross country and 6^th in the 3200-meter run. Adam went on to have a distinguished running career at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

Jason Granito competed with his brothers when he was a freshman at Blue Mountain. That year, he placed second at the McQuaid Invitational.

John Jr.’s son, Nico, and daughter, Mia, both ran cross country at Blue Mountain.

Nico Granito is currently the captain of the Penn State Schuylkill cross country team. In 2015, he earned Second Team All-Conference honors in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, and in 2016, he led the team to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships in Virginia Beach.

Running has united the Granito family.

At the annual Rhoades Race 5K, held in Saint Clair, three generations, consisting of eight members of the Granitos once ran the race. Six of them earned awards.

John Granito, Sr. won his age division at the Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K in 2015.

It was John Granito’s character, more than his running knowledge, that guided his sons to success.

According to his son, John, Jr., his dad encouraged he and his brothers to, “Strive to be your best,” and to, “Do what it takes to succeed.”

It is a legacy that has spanned three generations of the Grantio family of runners.

                                                                       Nico Granito

TOM AUSHERMAN 5-MILER

http://www.ausherman5miles.com/

Not many races have been around for 29 years, but this one has.

More random prizes, deep age-division awards, in plenty of age groups, cash prizes, food, beverages, and a lot of fun. Chambersburg, a quaint little town, near Gettysburg, is south-central Pennsylvania, is the place to race on Saturday.

 

 

RUN WITH ZEAL

Most of us love to train.

Our daily workout, whether it be running, walking, cycling, or swimming, is an essential component of our day.

We stress our bodies in ways most other people cannot imagine, because we want to achieve our personal best during our competitive endeavors.

We try to consume healthy foods, but sometimes that just isn't enough. As we seek a competitive edge, we search for a wellness product that is all natural, containing no stimulants. A product that helps fight inflammation, high blood pressure, and one that can increase our endurance and performance. A product that is vegan, non-GMO and gluten free. 

Check out Zeal. https://m.facebook.com/healthy-with-zeal-1740615302892158, or at: https://www.zurvita.com.

Zeal is a terrific product that is an all-in-one nutritional formula that shortens recovery time, thus enhancing training efforts. It increases endurance and stamina, which will improve race times. Zeal decreases inflammation and pain, which aids in recovery, and it lowers blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels.

I highly recommend Zeal as a product that will give you a competitive edge, in a safe, natural way.

                    

 

RUNNING CHARACTER

A few years ago, a discussion among a group of friends turned to the great local athletes of the past. Naturally, others in the group listed basketball players who scored massive numbers of points before the advent of the 3-point shot, and high school football heroes who, like Al Bundy, scored four touchdowns in a high school football game.

I shook up the conversation by stating that my vote for the greatest local athlete of all time was Randy Haas, who, back in the 1980-1981 cross country and track seasons, earned three state championships, in cross country and in the 1600 and 800 meter events. His records in the 800 and 1600 meters still stand locally, after 34 years. Randy went on to the Olympic Trials and owns a marathon time of 2:17. His story is chronicled in the chapter entitled 'Cast of Characters,' in my first book, Running Shorts. www.muldowneyrunning.net

In 2016, I will enter my 40th year of competitive running. Throughout that time I have engaged in fierce rivalries with other competitors. When the gun sounds, friendship pauses for the duration of the race. But when the race has ended, for the most part, runners of all ages and abilities display extraordinary character. Former running adversaries have gone on to become some of my closest friends.

Both in competition and coaching, I have observed that most runners are smart, socially conscious, and successful. Most runners do not suffer from addiction or dependency issues, and most are successful in their professional endeavors.

Let's say you're an employer and the job applicant lists that he or she is a runner. By reading the application, you know that the person is driven, goal-goal oriented, and is probably going to show up on time. Sick days will be minimal as you know the person is health conscious. Just like a race situation, your prospective employee will be competitive but cooperative. If he or she is driven enough to run and race, chances are that drive will apply to their job. In many high schools and colleges, the cross country team achieves the highest academic average among the varsity sports teams.

Whether a runner is an Olympic prospect or a back-of-the packer, their goals remain the same. It may be to climb the ladder from a 5K to a marathon, or to improve their time at a particular distance.

Every runner displays an extraordinary amount of courage each time they pin on a bib. In team sports, it can be convenient to blame other team members for a failure. If a runner produces a race time outside his or her goal, they beat up themselves. In the large scheme of life, nobody really cares if you run 30 seconds slower, but you do!

And when a runner returns to work after a tremendous marathon effort, coworkers may ask about the time or place. When they tell you that, "You'll do better next time," the courage and discipline it takes to restrain yourself is also a testimony of your runner character.

Continue, through your example, to spread the good news about running. Anyone can do it. It is inexpensive and convenient. You don't need anyone else to participate. You simply lace up the shoes and go.

By bringing more people into our sport, either through your example, coaching, or mentoring, you are displaying your true running character, as well as building a running character in others.

A SEASON OF PRIDE

In August I began my eighth season as head Men's and Women's cross country coach at Penn State Schuylkill, a satellite campus of the Pennsylvania State University,

The campus is nestled in a cozy, rural area, and the annual enrollment hovers around 1,800 students.

Schuylkill boasts a unique, diverse blend of local young men and women, most of whom commute to campus, as well as many inner-city youth.

Every year, my runners include veteran runners, those who have run cross country or track in high school, as well as those who have very little knowledge or experience in the area of distance running.

This year's team featured two local runners, who distinguished themselves in high school, followed by a group of runners who were, for the most part, novices to the sport.

One such novice was Muhmod Shabazz, from Brooklyn, New York.

Muhmod, a quiet, personable young man, had never run a step in his life, and on August 24, the first day of practice, looked at me with disbelief when I informed him that he would be running 5-mile races before the season ended.

For his first workout, he ran a little over a quarter mile.

At the state championship meet on Saturday, he crossed the finish line at the end of a 5.2-mile race, on a very challenging course.

He did so through incredible hard work and dedication. He vows to continue running

As a group, this year's runners made me very proud.

 

Three  runners earned All Conference honors at the PSUAC State Meet at the Penn State Nationals on Saturday.

 

Casey Renninger earned first team All-Conference honors by placing 6th on the 6K course, with a time of 29:28. Lauren Howell, a graduate of Pottsville Area, made second team All Conference, placing 11th, in 31:17. Justice Dimitro finished 14th, with a time of 36:06, followed by Maria Naradko, 15th, in 36:20, and Jodi Francis finished 16th, with a time of 36:59.

 

Schuylkill finished 3rd in the team competition.

For the men, Blue Mountain graduate, Nico Granito earned second team All-Conference honors, by placing 10th, with a time of 34:08, on the 5.2 mile course. Julian Seawright ran 48:14, placing 31st. Muhmod Shabazz placed 34th in 55:50. Richie Dawson ran 1:02:32, to place 35th, and Adam Wimmer ran 1:05:19. to finish 36th.

Schuylkill Boys placed 6th in the team competition.

 Running and competing is fun. Passing it on is fulfilling

www.muldowneyrunning.com

                                                                     Nico Granito

                                                                     Schuylkill Girls
 

IT'S THE 'SEASON'

Ever notice that many races these days are woefully represented in the 20-25 age division?

How about how the football or soccer teams receive the adoring adulation of the high school student body and the fans?

And, how many people even know how a cross country meet is scored?

One final question.

Who needs to change these situations?

The answer is easy.

We do!

We need to pay it forward, promote our sport, and support the young athletes and coaches who participate in the sport of long distance running at the junior high and high school level.

Chances are, if they have a positive experience with our sport at that level, they will continue to run throughout their lifetime.

There are several ways we, veteran runners, can help.

First, gather you and your running partners and attend a high school cross country meet. Other than parents, support for the hard-working runners is practically non-existent. Runners know other runners. The young men and women will be honored if they notice a group of local runners along the course at a home meet.

And be sure to encourage EVERY runner. The beauty of a cross country team is that, where scoring is concerned, the fifth runner is as important as the first runner.

Volunteer, either as a coach or as a course monitor. I'll bet there are few of us who haven't run a race where well-intentioned volunteers pointed runners in the wrong direction or failed to provide any direction at all to the participants. And coaches can always use some help, especially if the roster is large.

Cross country teams are rarely on top of the equipment list, so if you can organize or participate in a fund raising event for the team, that would be beneficial.

Finally, you are role models to these youngsters. You may be in your 30s or well beyond, so when the kids see "That old guy" out there on the road, in all kinds of weather, they become inspired.

So, instead of 'Friday Night Lights,' let's celebrate the season of Wednesday afternoon meets and Saturday afternoon invitationals in a sport where there are no time outs, and where the clock is unforgiving,

It's the season of the boys and girls of September, October, and November.

Let's show them our appreciation.

CAL STATE GAMES

We love running and runners.

We enjoy passing on our knowledge and expertise to our youth, with the hope that they, too, will appreciate the joy of running.

Recently, I received a message from a father of two young men, ages 8 and 14, who have distinguished themselves as accomplished runners.

Dad would like to further their running experience by taking them to the Cal State Games competition on July 18 and 19.

Being a father of four children, the costs associated with attending are a bit prohibitive.

I'm a great believer in "Paying it forward," in order to keep good young people in our sport.

Check out the following links, and lend a hand if you can.

http://www.gofundme.com/calstategames

http://www.calstategames.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n51CzmDzd5I

https://www.youtube.com/user/MrVpk6

"A BETTER MOMMY"

Happy Mother's Day to all!

And to all the moms out there, I hope you were able to get out there and run today, because you deserve it!

You see, you simply do more than us. You multitask, juggling a family, work, and countless chores.

Last summer when I interviewed Dr. Jenny Burgess for the chapter entitled 'Extraordinary,' for my book, Personal Best, www.muldowneyrunning.com, she told me that she explains to her three children that after she goes out for a run, she comes back "A better mommy."

Jenny is a mother, a wife, chiropractor and a coach, as well as a veteran of three Boston Marathons.

There are a lot of great running mommies reading this blog. Become a "Better mommy" by letting your family know how important your running time is to you...and them!

A GOOD FRIDAY

Snow blanketed the ground on Tuesday, as March came in like a lion and, well, went out like a lion.

Wednesday remained cool, and then it happened. For the first time in over five months, the temperature topped the sixty-degree mark.

Today was downright balmy. There was humidity in the air.

Things just smelled like spring. A sleeveless compression shirt and a pair of shorts was the wardrobe, and it felt great to drip with sweat after turning in a hilly four-mile workout.

My dogs spent the day outside, I cleaned up some winter debris, and finally planted my spring onions.

Easter as well as Passover will be celebrated this weekend. Renewal, rebirth and resurrection will be the themes.

We will renew our training efforts after many dark months. Our fast workouts will be resurrected as our bodies will have more energy for running and less for fighting frigid temperatures and biting winds.

Enjoy the Easter and Passover holiday.

Spring has arrived.

It is a good time for all runners.

A LULU OF AN APRIL FOOL

April Fool's Day is tomorrow, and with an 'Alberta Clipper' poised to dump more snow, I'm hoping the weather gods are pulling a prank on us.

My publisher, Lulu, www.lulu.com, has a great sale going on for the next two days, and they're NOT joking. From now until April 2, Lulu is offering 25% off all print books, AND 50% off shipping.

Lulu has published both my books about running. They are books written by a veteran runner, for runners.

The cool thing about having written two books about running is that they are two contrasting works.

My first book, Running Shorts: A Collection of Stories and Advice for Anyone Who Has Ever Laced Up a Pair of Running Shoes, published in 2011, is a compilation of my experiences as competitive runner for 39 years, but many of these tales reflect experiences YOU have had during your years as a runner. As one of the Amazon reviewers stated, "It will make you laugh and it will make you cry."

Traveling the country, promoting my first book, prompted me to write, Personal Best, my second book, published in September 2014.

Runners told me what they wanted in a running book, and I tried to respond by writing a book that is instructive to runners of all ages and abilities.

Personal Best took a tragic turn in April 2013, soon after I crossed the finish line at the Boston Marathon. I devoted my first chapter, entitled "Was That Thunder," to the events, and my experiences of that day. I guarantee you, it is worth the read, and it is my fervent hope that I was able to capture the emotions of that fateful day in a manner in which every runner can relate.

If you would like read an electronic version of Personal Best, it is available for only $2.99 at Amazon, Lulu, iBooks, Nook, and Kobo.

You can visit my website: www,muldowneyrunning.com, and I will personally sign and send a book to you. You can go to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or take advantage of the sale at Lulu, to purchase running books that will positively influence your future running efforts.

And, it doesn't end there!

Read the books and stay in touch. email me here, look me up on Facebook at: Joe Muldowney Running, or on Twitter at: rdrunnr00. Tell me about your running, ask me questions, discuss training or injury issues.

I love this sport, and I love runners.

Let's get to the finish line together.

SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF OUR SPORT

This week, despite frigid temperatures, the high school track and field season began here in northeastern Pennsylvania. Athletes have been practicing for about three weeks, but snowy and icy conditions forced most teams indoors, so when the first meets were contested on Tuesday, they were little more than intense workouts, means of allowing coaches to gauge their talent pool.

Track and field ranks as the world's oldest sport. The ancient Greeks held games at the base of Mount Olympus as a means of honoring the gods they believed resided there. Sprint races, javelin and discus throwing were some of the events we contest in our track and field meets, some 2700 years later.

From lithe distance runners to burly shot put hurlers, a track meet is like a three-ring circus, featuring sprints, hurdles, horizontal and vertical jumps, distance races, and throwing events.

And unlike many other sports, there's no subjective evaluation in track and field. No one can argue that, "He's a better hitter," or "She's a better 3-point shooter." If you run faster, jump higher, or throw farther, you are, statistically, the best.

Track and field athletes work very hard to perfect their crafts, but since it is not a "money generating" sport, it is often ignored or poorly funded. With the exception of the University of Oregon, few stadiums are filled for track meets.

This spring, make it a point to attend a track and field meet. Support the young men and women who do what you do. Encourage the distance runners to train year-round.

They may be high school students, but they are the future of our sport, of which there is no retirement age.

HEALTHY KIDS

One thing you'll notice if you run enough races: They're getting older!

At many small, local races, runners in their 40s in 50s often dominate the awards platform.
Also, at some local competitions, the 20-25 and 25-29 age divisions sometimes have NO participants.

Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of us "older" runners, but we need to pass along our love of our sport to the youth.

Couple this with the alarming childhood obesity rate in both America and the world, and it's clear we need a call to action.

Thankfully, in my little corner of the world, concerned runners and coaches, like Doctors Jason and Jennifer Burgess, are promoting the sport of running to our youth in a fun manner. Below are a couple of examples of programs they have become involved with.

As described on the website: http://www.healthykidsrunningseries.org/, The Healthy Kids Running Series was created by Jeff Long, Founder and President of Pattison Sports Group, to provide kids with a positive, educational, and fun experience in the world of running. To combat the increasing rates of child obesity in America, Jeff designed a running program that would motivate kids to be healthy and active and provide a fun environment to improve their self-esteem. Jeff believed the program would encourage kids to adopt a “Get Up and Go” attitude.

The Healthy Kids Running Series is a five week running program in the spring and fall for kids from Pre-K to 8th grade. Each Race Series takes place once a week and offers age appropriate running events including the 50 yard dash, the 1/4 mile, the 1/2 mile and the one mile run. Kids compete each week of the Series for a chance to earn points and at the end of the Series the top boy and girl with the most points in their respective age division receive a trophy. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you run because all participants receive a medal and gift bag for their achievements courtesy of our sponsors!

Join us as we encourage kids to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle, help increase their self-esteem, and make new friends!

The Miners Track Project is a local USATF club located in Minersville, Pennsylvania, created to develop young athletes from first to eighth grades. You can check it out at: http://www.minerstrack.com/, and Drs. Burgess will be happy to pass along information that will assist you in developing similar programs in your area.

As we "old folks" can attest, this sport is a lifetime endeavor. There is no retirement age. Besides, retirement is something you do from work. Let's pass our love for our sport to the youth, so they can enjoy a healthy life for many years to come.