CIT Y OF PALO ALTO PR ESENTS TH E 29TH ANN UAL
5K WALK, 5K & 10K RUN
Veronica Weber
Great for kids and families
Runners in the 10k race take off from the starting line at the Moonlight Run on Sept. 28, 2012.
ongs and books have been written and movies made about the harvest mooon. Neil Young suggested going dancin’ in its light.
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But for the locally and athletically inclined, the harvest moon means just one thing: running in the Baylands as part of the Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run & Walk. For nearly three decades, runners and strollers have taken part in the event’s 10k and 5k runs and 5k walk.
This year, it will take place on Friday, Sept. 20. As always, the proceeds benefit the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund, which supports local nonprofit organizations. This Moonlight Run special section contains a schedule, a map, last year’s results, this year’s volunteers and an article on how to best prepare for a nighttime race. So grab your shoes, get on your mark, get set ... and run! N
Making the night-race switch
FRIDAY SEPT 20 7PM
How runners can prepare for the 29th Annual Moonlight Run by Eric Van Susteren
I
t may seem obvious that a moonlight run doesn’t really work without nighttime, but to many athletes accustomed to running their races early in the morning, it might mean unraveling race-day rituals, throwing schedules out of whack or at the very least making a few organizational adjustments. As the Palo Alto Weekly-sponsored race celebrates its 29th year on Sept. 20, runners will jaunt around the Palo Alto Baylands by night, just as they have in years past, racing either the 5-kilometer or a 10-kilometer course. Mina Raczkowski, a personal trainer at Form Fitness in downtown Palo Alto and an avid runner, said that what may most likely throw runners off about a nighttime run is what they eat before the race. She recommends against the traditional carbo-loading the night or day before the race. And a big, heavy meal with lots of fat consumed during race day may leave runners feeling drowsy — or worse, it could lead to problems during the race like cramping, she said. To Angie DeGeronimo, founder of NoX-
cuses Fitness in Midtown Palo Alto, the perfect pre-race meal is something that’s easily digestible that also maintains blood sugar over time. She likes to go with wholegrain bread, fruit and a handful of almonds an hour-and-a-half before a race. Whatever racers eat, Raczkowski recommends not varying one’s normal eating schedule too much in preparation for the race. “See what works for you,” she said. “Try out the meal that you want to eat on raceday a few days before to make sure you don’t cramp up during the race.” The Moonlight Run will be held Friday, Sept. 20, but DeGeronimo said that racers who are worn out from a grueling week at work or a long day at the office should resist the urge to drink coffee to try to get some pep back in their step. It’s best to stick to water. “Even if you’re really tired, the last thing you should do is drink coffee,” she said. “You should go the opposite way — overhydrate and boost your Vitamin C and anV Ì Õi`Ê Ê«>}iÊÓx®
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