Fall Running on the East End: Marathon, 5Ks, Run Clubs
With lower humidity and sunny skies, fall is the perfect time to sweat—and to work off the copious quantities of pumpkin beer, fudge and pie you’ve been consuming.
Most runners will tell you fall is prime time to take to the streets. If you need motivation to start pounding the pavement, Lululemon East Hampton hosts a weekly run club on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. What’s better than logging miles with like-minded fitness aficionados and trading workout secrets, as you motivate one another to run past East Hampton’s bucolic estate section? Open to runners of all fitness levels, the group meets at the store (35 Main Street) and does running loops that vary between three and six miles, mostly based on the overall feeling of the attendees. Lululemon’s goal is to get bigger each week, as they strive to become every East End runner’s go-to group. With light traffic on Montauk Highway leading to East Hampton, this is the perfect opportunity to share in greater running community.
Lululemon will also set up a cheer station (with a DJ!) at the Hamptons Marathon and Half Marathon, held on Sept. 28. Runner’s World named the marathon one of the Top 10 Races to Run in 2008, lauded for its beach views and small-town atmosphere. Meet fellow cheer station participants at the intersection of Town Lane and Stony Hill Road in Amagansett at 8 a.m. Check out lululemon.com/easthampton for additional info on community events.
In addition, there are a number of fall road races in the area, which are great benchmarks for training. Check out Andy’s Run 5K Run/Walk on Oct. 5 in Sag Harbor; Southampton Youth Services 5K on Oct. 12 in Southampton; the Run for Ross 5K Run/Walk on Oct. 13 in East Hampton; the 5K Run for the Ridley on Oct. 26 in Riverhead; and the Run for Fun Turkey Day 3 & 6 Mile Run/Walk in Montauk.