TOPIC: OUTDOORS
CNY citizens know how to celebrate the sunshine. Not only are there music events for all types, there are also plenty of races and TAKE outings for people who want to get out and take advantage of the precious time.
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By Jessica Novak
What to do
Paige’s Butterfly Run
Saturday, June 7. $30. Clinton St. pbrun.org. This 5K, 3K and 40-foot Caterpillar Crawl (a fun scramble for kids 5 and under) helps raise money for and awareness of pediatric cancer.
Cazenovia Fourth of July Foot Race
Friday, July 4. $20 to $30. Cazenovia High School. Caz4thrun.org. This gorgeous run (5K or 10 miles) around Cazenovia Lake is both beautiful and challenging.
Boilermaker Road Race
Must-do: The Point to Pint Ride. Sunday, Aug. 24. $75 and $85. Point2pint. com. Photo by Liam Woods
Sunday, July 13. $30. Utica. Boilermaker.com. This ever-popular 15K hosts more than 17,000 runners per year from the world over.
A LONG RIDE WITH A REWARD AT THE END
W
hile running races and triathlons seem to get all the attention, bikers are not to be ignored, especially the brilliant bunch that designed the Point to Pint Ride, which gives cyclists the chance to ride a 25-, 50- or 100-mile course ending with a pint (or two or three …) at Empire Brewing Company. The event, put on by Empire and Syracuse Bicycle, provides cyclists the chance to tackle a challenging course, appropriate to their level, with a group that gets to enjoy some cold ones at the end. The “Full Pint” 100-mile ride begins with a breakfast before bikers set out at 9 or 10 a.m., finishing by 5 p.m. The “Half Pint” 50-mile ride starts at 1, finishing by 6 p.m., and “The Sampler” 25-mile ride runs 2:30 to 5 p.m. All are welcome to join for the party afterward, 4 to 7 p.m. at Empire. The event also gives back. Erin Scala, an extremely active athlete in the Syracuse racing community, participates in the event among others, including the
Athleta Iron Girl and the Empire State half marathon. Scala suffers from a degenerative eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa, which means she can see only dark and light. But the challenges don’t stop her. Money raised last year helped her purchase a Cannondale tandem bicycle. She aspires to ride in Paralympic cycling events. “There is nothing that she won’t try,” says her father, John Scala. “She doesn’t let anything stop her.” For cyclists, the timeless question gets answered on Aug. 24: How far would you ride for a beer? SNT Follow Jessica Novak on Facebook at www.facebook. com/JessRockNovak, on Twitter at twitter.com/JessRock87 and on Instagram at @JessRock87.
River Rat Triathlon
Sunday, Aug. 24. $40 to $60. Centennial Park, Clayton. Riverrattri.org. A team or individual 600-meter swim or 3-mile kayak/canoe, 16.75-mile road bike and 3.3-mile run.
The Arc Race
Saturday, Sept. 6. $10 to $40. Long Branch Park. Arcon. org. This 5K, half marathon, kids run and 3K walk offers variety while benefiting Arc of Onondaga.
Strathmore Parks Run
Sunday, Sept. 14. $20. Onondaga Park. Strathmore parksrun.com. A 4-mile run through the historic, picturesque and hilly neighborhood. syracusenewtimes.com | 2014 S U M M E R T I M E S
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