Thursday’s show was about Clubs in the New York area. We begin with the landscape in which NYRR has set up a year-long club competition. It consists of designated races on the NYRR calendare — some, such as the Healthy Kidney 10K or the Marathon — are always on, and some rotate. Distances vary from 5K to the marathon and a “club race” generally occurs once a month. The final one of the year is Sunday, December 5, the Kleinerman 10K.

Clubs get points for each race on a 15-12-10-8 etc. basis, and get to drop one, low scoring race from the year-long tally. In the end, high score wins. The competition is open (with an A and a B competition for men, which works like a European soccer league) and 40+, 50+, and 60+ age groups.

Bottom line: it is an active competition and generally the faster runners aim to run most of the club races. These races, in turn, are the most competitive on the calendar.

The competition provides a focus for the club scene. What one sees at these races is lots of club singlets and club-members meeting up afterward and intermingling with members of other clubs.

We spoke about a number of area clubs. Importantly, except for a couple of clubs, such as the Manhattan Track Club for men and NYAC for women (there may be more), which focus on the front of the pack, clubs have a wide range of abilities. Clubs are of differing sizes and personalities. Some, such as Amy Cooper‘s Inwood Hill Runners, are geographically centered. Frank Colella (RunDangerously) lives in Westchester and is a member of Taconic Road Runners, which is based in northern Westchester.

With Amy and Frank on the show were Julie (RacesLikeAGirl) (a member of NY Harriers), Steve Lastoe (NYCRuns) (deciding what club to join), and Joe Garland (RunWestchester) (Warren Street).

And we had a bit of back-and-forth on New York Road Runners and communication (or the lack thereof).

The talk chiefly was about a possible Brooklyn Marathon, in the Spring. Listen to find out how we got there.

Julie plugged the Thanksgiving Marathon (and HM and 10K) in Van Cortlandt on Thanksgiving. Joe revived his idea about an Ekiden.

Tonight’s team was Steve, Brenn, Julie, TK, and Joe Garland.

We hope this’ll be the regular time-slot (although nothing on Thanksgiving). Not sure what topics yet, but everyone is free to join us.

Although you can enter the chat room as a “Guest,” to participate you:

• Go to TalkShoe.
• Go to Sign Up
• Register; Use the 10-digit phone you’ll be using as your PIN. Then when you call in and put in the show number it’ll automatically put you on the call.

You’re now in the system.

If you just want to go to the chatroom, go HERE and log-in (or enter as a “guest”). There’ll be a “JOIN IN” button at 7:45 (15 minutes before the call is scheduled).

If you want to call-in, between 7:45 and 8:00, call:

• 724-444-7444
• Call ID: 46097#
• If you put the phone number you’re using in, it’ll put you in automatically. Otherwise you’ll be prompt for the PIN.

Also, it doesn’t like Chrome. Firefox seems OK.

Tonight at 7:15. We hope to make this a regular weekly thing, although in the future it’ll probably be on Thursday nights. This week we’ll be chiefly talking about the NYC Marathon. No surprise there.

Although you can enter the chat room as a “Guest,” to participate you:

• Go to TalkShoe.
• Go to Sign Up
• Register; Use the 10-digit phone you’ll be using as your PIN. Then when you call in and put in the show number it’ll automatically put you on the call.

You’re now in the system.

If you just want to go to the chatroom, go HERE and log-in (or enter as a “guest”). There’ll be a “JOIN IN” button at 7:00 (15 minutes before the call is scheduled).

If you want to call-in, between 7:00 and 7:15, call:

• 724-444-7444
• Call ID: 46097#
• If you put the phone number you’re using in, it’ll put you in automatically. Otherwise you’ll be prompt for the PIN.

Also, it doesn’t like Chrome. Firefox seems OK.

It was a rambling conversation, much about how these guys got started. A bit of a discussion about the new book “Born to Run,” running with clubs, and running road relays.