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CaliforniaTrack &RunningNews Includes the Runner’s Schedule Calendar!
Nov/Dec 2009
VOLUME 35 NUMBER 5 $3.95
Victor Sailer/www.PhotoRun.NET
SAN DIEGO XC, JO ACTION PROFILE OF A RUNNING VISIONARY: JACK LEYDIG California’s MEB KEFLEZIGHI became the first American man since 1982 to win the ING New York City Marathon. His time of 2:09:15 was a PB.
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NOV–DEC 2009
David Kloz
Contents
Cal Track & Running News
SAN DIEGO CROSS COUNTRY ACTION: Dirt Dog specialist Lesley Paterson captured her second series win at the Balboa 4-Miler. Story on page 25.
Feature 14
Profile of a Running Visionary: Jack Leydig by Mark Winitz
The Basics 4 6 9
From the Publisher Regional USATF Association News The Runner’s Schedule Calendar
Departments 18 27 30
Long Distance Running Youth/Prep News Race Walking
California Track & Running News is a magazine for members of the California and N. Nevada associations of USA Track & Field. Contact your region regarding changes of address & missing issues. Central California Association: 661.758.5719 Pacific Association: 916.983.4715 or heikemansoor@aol.com San Diego/Imperial Association: 619.275.6542 or sdi_trackand field@sbcglobal.net Southern California: 562.859.4574 or info@scausatf.org
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From the Publisher first heard about Meb Keflezighi years ago when one of his relatives picked me up in a taxi at the San Diego airport and proudly told me about his fast nephew who was going to be running in the FootLocker Cross Country meet. I remember making a mental note to watch for him. I was at Stanford in April 2001 when Meb broke the American record for 10,000m, running 27:13.98. He fought until the bitter end of that race and though he didn’t take first, he made Abrahim Chebii run the then-fastest 10,000m ever run in North America. A brilliant cross country runner, Meb finished 13th, 14th, and 11th in three IAAF World XC Championships (’01–’03). And then in 2004 on a very hot and humid day in Athens, Keflezighi won an Olympic silver medal in the marathon. His tactics were brilliant as he raced through the city of Athens trailing only Stefano Baldini. Meb looked very good in the November 2007 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, but he eventually dropped from the lead pack to eighth place with what was later diagnosed as a stress fracture in his hip. There were times when Meb’s wife, Yordanos, watched him crawl because the pain was too intense to walk. He considered retiring. But after a year of therapy, hard work, and prayer, Meb managed to race himself into shape. On four weeks of training, Meb took 6th in the 10,000m at the U.S. championships last June. Then he ran 28:28.44 at the Memorial Van Damme meeting. After a 13:33.29 5000m, Meb came back and took second at the CIGNA Falmouth Road Race—the best performance there by an American in years. Word started circulating about Meb’s fitness after his 61:00 half-marathon in early October at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in San Jose. Even so, in NYC on Nov. 1, most eyes were trained on his training partner, Ryan Hall, so Meb was able to relax. In his eleventh marathon and his fifth run at ING New York City, Keflezighi had his master race. Staying in the pack, he hit the half with the leaders in 1:05:07. At about 22 miles, the race came down to Robert Cheruiyot, a four-time Boston winner, and Keflezighi, an Olympic silver medalist, but without a marathon win on his CV. Meb made the sign of the cross at just about the point that his friend, Ryan Shay, had died during the 2007 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Meb, very emotional, later noted that, “Ryan was never far from my mind.” At just about 24 miles, Meb made his move. He got five meters on Cheruiyot, then ten, then fifteen. Over the last two miles, Keflezighi left nothing to chance, charging to the finish, pumping his arms, lifting his knees, and becoming the first American to win the ING NYC Marathon since 1982, when Alberto Salazar broke the tape. Meb’s time was a personal best of 2:09:15.
I
Regards,
CaliforniaTrack &RunningNews Volume 35, Number 5 November/December 2009 Group Publisher Larry Eder Group & Coordinating Editor Christine Johnson, CTRNeditorial@gmail.com Contributing Editors Cregg Weinmann Apparel, Footwear Reviews Dave Shrock Community Colleges Mark Winitz Northern California Kees & Sandy Tuinzing Calendar Photographers PhotoRun.net, David Kloz, Michael Adkins, Brightroom.com, Wayne Joness, Pete League, Wayne Glusker/Special Moments, Competitor Group Inc., SmothermanImages.com, sportphoto.com, Alan Wickstrom Association Consultants John Mansoor Pacific Don Chapin Central Skip Stolley Southern Mike Rouse San Diego/Imperial Proofreader Red Ink Editorial Services, Madison, WI Pre-Press/Printer W. D. Hoard & Sons Co., Fort Atkinson, WI Website Chuck Bartlett
Larry Eder
CaliforniaTrack &RunningNews
Publisher recommends, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.
Publisher’s Information
Let Us Hear From You!
California Track & Running News (ISDN #1098-6472), incorporating Pacific Athlete, is the official publication for the USA Track & Field associations in California and Northern Nevada. It is produced, published, and owned by Shooting Star Media, Inc., P.O. Box 67, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Christine Johnson, President; Larry Eder, Vice President. All ad materials and insertion orders should be sent to Shooting Star Media, Inc., at the above address. Publisher assumes no liability for matter printed. Publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for content of paid advertising and reserves the right to reject paid advertising. Publisher expects that all claims by advertisers can be substantiated and that all guarantees will be honored. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. Copyright © 2009 by Shooting Star Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher. California Track & Running News is solely owned by Shooting Star Media, Inc.
California Track & Running News welcomes your suggestions, comments, and questions. Direct them to: Christine Johnson, Group Editor Shooting Star Media, Inc./CTRN 608.239.3787 CTRNeditorial@gmail.com
Address Changes/Missing Issues Third class mail is not forwarded! Please inform your local USATF association about address changes, duplicate mailings, or missing issues. See page 3 for how to contact your association for help.
Member of:
ADVERTISING Publisher Larry Eder, Shooting Star Media, Inc. phone: 608.239.3785; fax: 920.563.7298 larry.eder@gmail.com Publisher’s Representatives Peter Koch-Weser National pkwadvmag@yahoo.com phone: 310.836.2642; fax: 310.836.7093 Running Network LLC 920.563.5551, ext. 112 Special Projects Manager Adam Johnson-Eder 608.957.2159; atflistings@gmail.com Advertising Production Manager Alex Larsen
Counsel Philip J. Bradbury Melli Law, S.C. Madison, WI w w w. c a l t r a c k . c o m
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USATF Regional News Pacific Association
FROM IRENE HERMAN
It’s Time to Renew Your USATF Membership! Since you’re reading this, you can’t say that I didn’t remind you! When renewing online, please check your information: Did you move? Did you change your email? Are you running for a different club? Need a change on a secured site? Email me at Irene@ireneinsures.com. By the way, there are two other ways you can renew online besides using a VISA® card. USATF will take an electronic check or a savings transfer. On Dec. 2, over 40 members of the Pacific Association will be going to the annual USATF convention in Indianapolis, the home of USATF. With close to 6,100 members, we have the largest delegation (17). All members are welcome to attend the annual convention. This
PA LDR Notes FROM CYNCI CALVIN
On the Roads Congratulations to Philip Reid, who finished 10th overall and 8th in the U.S. 5K Championships at the 20th annual CVS Caremark Downtown 5K in Providence, RI, Sept. 20! Stay tuned for a report from him and for news about Heather Gibson’s performance at the Tuft’s 10K in Boston on October 12. Both Philip and Heather received grants from the Pacific Association to help with travel expenses. In the world of masters road racing, newlyturned-70 phenom Barbara Miller has been consistently setting (pending) age group records: 23:53, Susan B. Anthony 5K, Sacramento; 1:19:00, Buffalo Stampede 10Miler, Sacramento; and 48:29, Heritage Oaks 10K. Wow! XC Dirt Just about all of the XC dirt can be found in the fine series of articles about the Pacific Association’s XC Grand Prix written by
www.PAUSATF.org
is where we have the opportunity to represent our association in many sport committees and rally for future championships and venues. Our association is very active in authoring rule amendments and governance. 2009 is a bylaws year; 2010 is a rules year. I’m sure many of you were concerned about the headphone rule in LDR in 2008. Well, it’s at the annual convention that the Olympic Trials standards, rules changes, and other issues that affect competition are voted on by delegates and implemented in the following year. During the winter, if you’re taking a break from training, nursing an injury, or just chillin’, check out the officials’ clinic section on our website. You’ll find loads of activities for January–February 2010. Join a cross country, LDR, track & field, or race walk clinic. They’re all taught by experienced officials of master and national caliber. For you coaches, it’s time to tune up your skills to the next level. Coaches education is seriously emphasized in the Pacific Association. Information is also available on the PA website and in this magazine on page 28.
In retrospect, I’m so proud of our women. At the Golden Gate Park cross country race on Sept. 12, while experiencing intermittent thunderstorms, 150 women braved the course. We (I also ran) outnumbered the masters men, who numbered 149, and open men, who numbered 110. Go, women! I want to thank Lynn Walker for that great article in the San Jose Mercury. Thanks for promoting our sport, Lynn. Lynn is also one of our Web volunteers. He’s competing in our XC circuit, so when you hear his name, please show him some appreciation and cheer. There’ll be a membership drive at the Christmas Relays. You can sign-up for a fouryear membership for $100, that’s a $20 savings. On behalf of the board of athletics, we wish you a memorable and peaceful holiday season. We want to thank you for your membership. You are the reason why our association is so successful. Having close to 6,100 members is hard work. This is the affirmation your board needs to continue the good works—because you care. See you in 2010!
Tamalpan Lynn Walker for the Examiner.com. Each week, he gives a preview of the coming event and follows this up with a race report following the event. A link to the articles is on the home page of pausatf.org. Ultra Update Twelve down and 4 to go on the ultra-packed Ultra Grand Prix schedule! In checking event information, I came across an interesting resource: Ultra Signup. This is an online signup service and much more, catering to the needs of the ultra running community. Check it out at ultrasignup.com. LDR Movers and Shakers Give a big welcome to Brooke Wells, who has volunteered to be cross country co-chair alongside Don Porteous. Brooke will get a view of the big picture when she attends the USATF national convention in early December. She was approved as a Pacific Association LDR delegate at the September PA board of athletics meeting. Have fun, Brooke, and thank you for your much-appreciated PA involvement! Irene Herman is the first LDR woman to take the throne as the Pacific Association’s president. We got to wondering: who was the first LDRaffiliated man to be elected PA president? The answer is George Kleeman, back in the early days of the PA. Since then, he has served several terms as PA president and, in the absence of Jerry Colman who is on sabbatical, George cur-
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sportphoto.com
President’s Message
New XC co-chair Brooke Wells at the 2007 CIM, where she qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials. rently sits on the PA executive board as immediate past president. Association News continues on page 8.
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Association News continued from page 6
Southern California FROM WAYNE JONESS
A key mover and shaker in the Southern California Association, Robert (Skip) Stolley, has left Southern California to take a new position as head track & field coach at North Park University in Chicago. He took the position this September, after the 2009/2010 school year started, making his departure a surprise for all SCA USATF members, including Skip! While Skip has been a fixture in the Southern California track & field community for more than 20 years, he is actually a native of Illinois, so his new position at North Park
Mary Bakjian Retires FROM DAVE SNYDER Long-time Southern California Association office manager Mary Bakjian has retired. She worked in the Association office for over 26 years, most of them as the office manager. She was also an official for over 30 years and served the Officials Executive Committee for many years as its secretary and treasurer. While Mary officially retired this past March, on Aug. 12, 16 members of Mary’s family and more than 60 others, including representatives from the national office, gathered at the Carson Community Center to honor Mary for her many contributions. Guests were given the opportunity to tell Mary what she has meant to them and thank her for what she has done for the association and for them personally. Following dinner, Mary was presented with a Proclamation from the City of Downey signed by the mayor. Two nights later she was presented as an honored citizen at the Downey City Council meeting and given a Certificate of Recognition for her long service to USATF. On Aug. 19, she embarked on an Alaskan cruise purchased for her with donations from the association members. Mary’s distinguished officiating career included the Junior World Championships in Coto de Caza, U.S. Olympic Team Trials and Games in Los Angeles, 15th World Games for the Deaf at UCLA, Mexico City International Games, National Youth Track & Field Championships at Mt. SAC, USATF Championships at Cerritos College, and USATF National Junior Olympics at Mt. SAC. Mary was honored many times over the years as both an official and office manager. Her
University is something of a homecoming for the nationally recognized coach. Skip arrived in Los Angeles in 1983, working as the executive director of the Puma-Energizer Track Club. Fourteen members of the Puma-Energizers ultimately joined the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, winning national team titles in 1983, 1984, and 1985. Skip created Track West in 1986, a Southern California Association USATF club. Track West’s membership included 34 athletes who competed in the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials, and Skip had more than 60 qualifiers for the USA Championships. Through his accomplishments, Skip was recognized in 1999 by USATF as cross country Coach-of-the-Year. Skip has also been meet director for the Southern California USATF
Cross Country Championships and Summer Grand Prix Series. Nationally, Skip currently chairs the USATF Club Council and holds track & field executive committee positions in both USATF and the U.S. Track Coaches Association. It is impossible to underestimate the impact Skip Stolley has had on raising the bar for athletic competition in the Southland, and on nurturing the talents of so many athletes. Since 2004, Skip’s work as vice president of the Southern California Association has been invaluable in building many Association programs and membership. He has set a high standard for us to measure up to, and the Southern California Association would like to again thank Skip of his years of tireless hard work. We wish him the best of luck in the Windy City!
awards included the Andy and Mary Bakjian Award for Contributions to the Mt. SAC Relays (1986), USATF President’s Award for service to USATF (1999); the first annual Madeleine Arnold Memorial Award presented by the Officials Committee for outstanding and exceptional service to the Southern California Association (2006), Emeritus status conferred by the Officials Committee executive board upon her retirement from officiating (2008); and the National Associations Committee Horace Crow Award at the 2008 USATF Annual Meeting in Reno. Mary has missed only one Annual Meeting since they began in 1979. One more honor was conferred upon Mary at the festivities in Carson. Skip Stolley, SCA vice president for Open Athletics, announced the creation of the Mary Bakjian Outstanding Service Award by the SCA board of directors’ executive committee. The recipient of this award will be selected by the SCA executive board and presented annually to sport or administrative committee chairs, committee members, or SCA ath-
lete representatives who make outstanding contributions toward the Southern California Association achieving its mission to provide more and better opportunities to participate in all the disciplines of the sport of track & field. We look forward to Mary being able to present this award in person for many years to come. Mary has served as a role model for many. Her grace under pressure, respectfulness toward others, kindness, and sense of fair play embody the epitome of sportsman-like conduct—perhaps her greatest contribution to our sport. We wish Mary a long and happy retirement. Those wishing to extend their congratulations to Mary may do so in care of the Association office, 13039 E. Florence Ave., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670. L
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Association News continues on page 25.
Mary Bakjian center with USATF Grass Roots Sanctions Rep Carmen Triplet left and Sherry Quack, USATF Association & Member Services Manager, right
SmothermanImages.com
Skip Stolley Heads to Chicago
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CaliforniaTrack &RunningNews presents the
November/December 2009
Runner’s Schedule Calendar YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING, WALKING, TRAIL & MULTI-SPORTS IN CALIFORNIA containing events through August 2010!
Competitor Group, Inc.
25,000 Copies Distributed!
Check inside for information on these upcoming races: • LA Marathon • BAA Boston Marathon • USATF Cross Country Championships
• California International Marathon • El Paso Marathon • Oakland Running Festival
You can also find this calendar at www.caltrack.com.
At 33 years old, Meb Keflezighi just might be reaching his potential as a marathoner. The 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist and U.S. 10,000 meter record holder obviously has a lot left in the tank. Meb unequivocally demonstrated that fact at the 4th Annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Jose on Oct. 4. The resident of Mammoth Lakes improved his personal best by 25 seconds as he won the half marathon in 1:01:00. Along the way, Keflezighi set a pending American 20K road record. of 57:52 which bettered Ryan Hall’s previous American record set in 2006 by two seconds. (Story on page 18.)
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Calendar
November 1, SUN Camino: Apple Hill Harvest 8.5M, 3.5M Run/Walk, 1/4 & 1/2 M Kid’s Runs (30th), 8:55am 8.5M, 9am 3.5M $30/$35 after 10/24 w/LS shirt, Chip Timing, refreshments, drawing. 8:30am Kid’s _ & 1/4 M $16 w/t-s & special treat. ParaVi Winery; rolling paved loop through the scenic neighborhoods & fruit ranches of Apple Hill. Guaranteed LS/t-s to 1st 1,700. Free Satellite parking w/shuttle to race start. Apple Harvest theme. Camino School Club BeneďŹ t, rich@capitalroadrace.com, www.applehillrun.org; 916/492-8966 November 7, SAT Knights Ferry: Salmon Duathlon (5kR-30kB-2.5KR)(13th), 9am $45, $50 after 11/4, $85/$95-Relay w/T-s, Free Beer, Awards, Refreshments, Rafe Prizes. Stanislaus River Parkhalf way between Oakdale and Sonora. On Your Mark Events, PO Box 1199, Arnold 95223; Hinfo@onyourmarkevents.com; www.onyourmarkevents.com; 209/795-7832 Knights Ferry: Salmon 5000 (5K) (13th), 9am $30, $35 after 11/4 w/T-s, Awards, Refreshments, & Free Beer. S tanislaus River Park. On Your Mark Events, PO Box 1199, Arnold 95223; info@onyourmarkevents.com; www.onyourmarkevents.com; 209/795-7832 Stinson Beach: STINSON BEACH MARATHON, 25K & 7Mile™ - 19th annual. $30-10K/Half, $35 after 10/23. $50–Marathon, $60 after 10/23. w/t-s. The most varied course you'll ever experience with a beach start and a climb into the mountains with beautiful views and surroundings the whole way. Enviro-Sports, PO Box 1040, Stinson Beach, CA 94970; info@envirosports.com; www.envirosports.com; 415/868-1829 Danville: Red T-Shirt 10K Run & 5K Run/Walk, 10am $35 w/t-s & barbeque. Sycamore Valley Park (2101 Holbrook Dr). loop course. A non-proďŹ t raising money for families of soldiers who have died in Afganistan & Irag, and letting them know they’re not alone & they are as important as all segments of the American family & will not be forgotten after their tragic loss. thebearagrunner@yahoo.com; www.hatsoffamerica.us; Online reg. www.theSchedule.com San Jose: Almaden Hills Trail Run; Adults: 50Km; plus 20.8, 13, 8.6, 3.0 Mile Races; 3.0 Mile High School/Kid’s Race; 8:00 AM: Adult: 50Km; plus 20.8, 13, 8.6, 3.0 Mile Races; 8:15 AM: High School/Kid’s Race - 3.0 Mile Race Santa Clara County Quicksilver Park, Mockingbird Entrance, Start and
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Finish here. Dirt Roads, single track, very hilly. Pre-registered runners will receive a T-shirt, food and refreshment after the event. Check Website for registration and more details! Troy’s California Trail Runs, www.tctruns.com. Contact Troy@Tctruns.com. (530) 409-2989, Troy Limb. www.tctruns.com
November 21, SAT South San Francisco: Thanksgiving Fun 5K Run/Walk, 9am $18, $20 after 11/13, $5 13 -17, Free 12 & under. Genentech (1 DNA Way); out/back, paved, mostly at (2 small hills). Tim Chenette, SSF Parks/Rec, 1121 So. San Francisco Dr., 94080; tim.chenette@ssf.net; 650/829-4680
November 8, SUN Fresno: join the legendary Dick Beardsley for the second running of the Eye-Q Two Cities Marathon and half located in the heart of California, central to San Francisco, Yosemite and the Sequoia NP. This event has something for everyone. Marathon, half marathon, half marathon walk and 4 person relay. A $10,000 prize purse has been established to bring the ďŹ nest athletes from around the nation to compete in the marathon and half. The course is USATF CeriďŹ ed, fast and can be used as a Boston Qualifer. You will run along beautiful tree lined paved pedestrian and bike pathways through Fresno and Clovis. Last years event sold out early. The entries are limited to 5,000 participants. Register at www.RunFresno.com
November 22, SUN Oakland: Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders Fourth Sunday Runs 5K, 10K, 15K, 9 a.m., $3 members, $5 non-members. Sailboat House, Lake Merritt, 568 Bellevue Ave, Oakland. CertiďŹ ed, at loop course. Hotline: (510) 644-4224; www.lmjs.org Vallejo-Mare Island: Return to Mare Island 3.1 Mile Run/Walk (4th), 9am $30, $35 after 11/20,, $15 All students, $70 Family of 3 w/Awards, T-s,, Refreshments, Rafe Prizes. Touro University (1310 Johnson Ln); scenic run through the Old Mare Island Navy Base including the Admiral’s housing. On Your Mark Events, PO Box 1199, Arnold 95223; info@onyourmarkevents.com; www.onyourmarkevents.com; November 26, THURS
San Francisco:
Tom Caruso 5k Memorial Run,
Sacramento:
Run to Feed the Hungry 10K Run, 9am Golden Gate Park, Conservatory of Flowers. Prizes to top 3 Men & Women. Rafes for all entrants. Proceeds beneďŹ t 5K Run/Walk (16th), both the Tom Caruso Memorial Scholarship and USF Track & 10k -8:15am, 5k – 9:00am; $35/$40 race day, 15 and under Field. Online: TheSchedule.com; $20 anytime. A Sacramento Thanksgiving morning tradition. http://usfdons.cstv.com/sports/c-xc/sanf-c-xc-body.html Largest Thanksgiving Day Run/Walk in the U.S. with over 28,000 participants in ’08.Guaranteed LS t-s 1st 28,000. CSUS (J/Carlson Sts.); cert., fast loop through one of Sac’s most November 14, SAT beautiful neighborhoods. $6,000+ prize money, $2,500 bonus San Francisco: GOLDEN GATE PRESIDIO TRAIL 5K & 10K - $$, ChronoTrack Timing and live TV coverage, live music, Elvis. BeneďŹ ts Sac Food Bank & Family Services. Run to Feed the 8th Annual. $30, $35 after 10/16/09. w/t-s. This race will Hungry, PO Box 19939, 95819; Online www.runtofeed take place in the scenic Presidio neighborhood of San thehungry.com; rich@capitalroadrace.com; 916/492-8966 Francisco. Throughout the course, you'll enjoy stunning views of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Skyline. Enviro-Sports, PO Box 1040, Pinole: Gold Medal Turkey Trot 4M Run, Walk, Stride, 10am Stinson Beach, CA 94970; info@envirosports.com; $15, $20 race day w/t-s and gold medals go to all who www.envirosports.com; 415/868-1829. compete. Pinole Valley HS (take I-80 take Pinole off ramp & November 15, SUN San Francisco: SF’s Run & Walk for the Hungry, is a 5K & Mile for the San Francisco Food Bank near the Conservatory of Flowers In GG Park. www.PeopleEvents.org 650-2918531. Send SASE to 528 Larch Ave, South San Francisco, CA 94080
proceed south to Pinole Valley HS; out/back FLAT course. Drawing for 10 turkeys. Sky High, 4967 Santa Rita Rd, El Sobrante 94803; Online www.TheSchedule.com; 510/2235778 (7-10 am & pm). November 28, SAT Join us for the Amica Insurance Seattle Marathon 2009! The RRCA and AIMS certiďŹ ed marathon and half marathon
DISCLAIMER , (. &(* ) $ *& %)+( * +( . & * % &($ * &% '(&, % * # % ( &- , ( * '+ # ) ( ) %&* ( )'&%) # &( ((&() &$ )) &%) &( % ) $ * ( '+ # * &% &+ % ) , .&+() # * $ $&% . % (+)*( * &% . '( ( )* ( % &( , %*) )' ##. &( $ " % %. *( , # (( % $ %*) &+ $ . - ) *& &%2($ . * # ' &% - * &( % / () * * * $ % #& * &% !+)* '( &( *& * , %* LISTING YOUR EVENT &( .&+( # )* % - ## % '( %* % &%# % * (&+ * , %* * % ) $ . $ * %. * $ * %& * &% # ( ## &( % &($ * &% ONLINE CALENDAR % +' *& * , () &% & * # % ( % &+% &%# % * --- +# &$ 0 +%% (1) +# '(& + * &% % %. &($ ) '(& * - * &+* &%) %* & * '+ # ) (
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courses consist of rolling hilly sections and scenic views of downtown Seattle and Lake Washington. The Seattle Marathon Family of Events also includes the Seattle Children’s Kids Marathon, the Seattle Marathon 5K Race presented by Road Runner Sports on November 28, and the Health+Fitness EXPO on November 27 & 28. For more information visit our website at: www.seattlemarathon.org November 29, SUN San Francisco:
San Francisco: RUN WILD For A Child 5K & 10K (25th), San Francisco Golden Gate Park. 6000 Runners/Walkers ; Benefits: SF Firefighters Toy Program. www.rhodyco.com December 5, SAT San Ramon: Bah Humbug Run 5K by the City of San Ramon, 9am $25, $30 after 12/1 w/Awards 5-yr age groups, Refreshments, Prizes, L/S T-s. Cornear of Camino Ramon & Bishop Dr. On Your Mark Events, PO Box 1199, Arnold 95223; info@onyourmarkevents.com; www.onyourmarkevents.com; 209/795-7832 San Jose: Calero and Rancho Del Oro Parks Trail Run, 50, 34, 17, 19, 9 and 2.8 Mile Races, 7:00 AM: Adult - 50 & 34 Mile Races; 8:00 AM: Adult - 17, 9 & 2.8 Mile Races; 8:15 AM: High School/Kid’s Race - 2.8 Mile Race; Santa Clara County Parks, Calero Park Start/Finish Dirt Roads, single track, very hilly. Pre-registered runners will receive a T-shirt, food and refreshment after the event. Check Website for registration and more details! Troy’s California Trail Runs, www.tctruns.com. Contact Troy@Tctruns.com. (530) 4092989, Troy Limb.
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December 6, SUN St. Croix: St. Croix International Marathon, Run St. Croix…Flat, Fast IAAF/AIMS certified Seaside course. Small friendly field of runners. Historic setting. www.virginislandspace.org December 13, SUN San Francisco: Christmas Relays 4x4.46M (36th), 9am $70 team w/LS t-s $90 after 12/13. Sunset parking lot, Lake Merced; rolling loop on bike path. PA/USATF Grand Prix event. Marc Lund, 1433 Norman Dr., Sunnyvale 94087; mlundcpa@earthlink.net; Online reg. TheSchedule.com; Downloadable form www.westvalleytc.org; Tony Fong 510/205-8074 December 19, SAT La Honda: Sam McDonald Park Trail Run; 9:00 AM: Adult – 24, 14, 10, 4 Mile Races, 9:15 AM: High School/Kid’s Race 4.0 Mile Race, San Mateo County Park, Sam McDonald Park Start/Finish (Santa Cruz Mtns.) 85% Single Track, 15% Dirt Roads. Pre-registered runners will receive a T-shirt, food and refreshment after the event. Check Website for registration and more details! Troy’s California Trail Runs, www.tctruns.com. Contact Troy@Tctruns.com. (530) 4092989, Troy Limb. December 20, SUN San Francisco: “Christmas Classic 5K & Miracle Mile” Runs & Walks for the Rose Home Women’s Shelter. www.PeopleEvents.org 650-291-8531. Send SASE to 528 Larch Ave, South San Francisco, CA 94080 December 25, FRI Richmond: Santa’s Christmas Gold Rush 5M Run, Stroll or Walk, 10am $15, $20 race day w/t-s & “Gold” medals to all finishers. Includes many prizes from Santa’s bag! Be sure to
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wear your Christmas colors! Courtyard Marriott (I-80 Hilltop exit North: course around Gold Lake. Sky High, 4967 Santa Rita Rd, El Sobrante 94803; Online www.TheSchedule.com; 510/2235778 (7-10 am & pm). December 27, SUN Oakland: Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders Fourth Sunday Runs 5K, 10K, 9 a.m., $3 members, $5 non-members. Sailboat House, Lake Merritt, 568 Bellevue Ave, Oakland. Certified, flat loop course . Hotline: (510) 644-4224; www.lmjs.org January 1, SUN ’10 Berkeley: Splash and Dash 5M Run, Stride or Walk, 10am $20, $25 race day w/t-s and numerous awards. Sea Breeze Delifoot of University Ave. (from I-80 take University Avenue offramp. West toward the Bay; course around the beautiful Berkeley Marina and Park. Race numbers not mailed; you will pick them up on race day. Sky High, 4967 Santa Rita Rd, El Sobrante 94803; Online www.TheSchedule.com; 510/223-5778 (7-10 am & pm). January 10, SUN ’10 Stockton:
California 10, 9am. S/F San Joaquin General Hospital, French Camp, 5 miles sout of Stockton, (Mathews Road exit off 1-5). 10 Mile (cert # CA93028CW) and 10K out/back courses; flat, fast, paved. 10 mile finishers: sub 50/55/60 long sleeved T’s for those finishing in less than 50/55/60 min; sub-70 long sleeved T’s for women, all male runners 50+ finishing in under 70 min. Short sleeved T’s for all others. $25 postmarked by 1/5, $30 race day. Postrace brunch included. Benefits TeamFox for Parkinson;s Research. Active.com. Info: Larry Frank, 3808 Falmouth Ct, Stockston 95219-3203; 209/478-2802; email nephronman@sbcglobal.net; www.sundancerunners.org
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Jack Leydig: RUNNING VISIONARY By Mark Winitz
Pete League
In the late 1960s, when revolution riveted an entire generation, Jack Leydig and a handful of other pioneers started a revolution of their own: the Running Revolution. Its social impact was, perhaps, as significant as the vital movements for peace, human equality, and women’s rights during that turbulent era. Today, road running has grown to an estimated 36 million runners and 15,500 road races in the U.S. alone.* In his prime, Jack was a running visionary
whose “Jack of All Trades” service in the sport rubbed off on thousands well before mega races became commonplace. Frank Shorter’s inspiring gold medal at the 1972 Olympic Games marathon in Munich was merely the poster child for a trend that Jack and a handful of others fueled in the streets of everyday America. If you’re a dedicated runner, and particularly if you live in California, Jack’s name should be as familiar as John F. Kennedy’s, Martin Luther
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King’s, or Gloria Steinem’s. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. So let’s try to set that right. Today, my 65-year-old friend and mentor is fighting a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that has spread to his brain. As I write this, Jack is looking forward to resuming his running after many rounds of radiation and chemotherapy. Through his challenges, Leydig has managed to maintain his wry sense of humor. * Stats courtesy of the Running USA Road Running Information Center
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Wayne Glusker/Special Moments
Leydig (this page, on left) being honored for his service to the running community by Bill Clark at the WVTC Old Timers Reunion on Sept. 12, 2009. Opposite page: Jack (wearing the hat and neckerchief) on the starting line.
In 1998, I wrote a story about Leydig for The Runner’s Schedule magazine entitled “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.” That was almost ten years before Jack was diagnosed with cancer. Two of Jack’s running contemporaries (Gary Goettelmann and Bill Clark) suggested that it was time to update that story. After all, 2009 marks 40 years since the fortunate day when Leydig became president of the West Valley Track Club. I first met Jack in the mid-70s during my stint at Runner’s World magazine. By then, he was entrenched in numerous aspects of Northern California running, as an event director, publisher, club president, and running shoe salesman. However, in my mind two landmark occurrences for our sport in America happened before that. In 1970, Bob Anderson moved his pioneering publication, Distance Running News, from Kansas to a small office in Los Altos, re-named it Runner’s World, and hired his first employee, Joe Henderson. In 1968, Jack Leydig finished his studies at Southern Illinois University, where he’d run a 4:16 mile best and a 9:30 steeplechase. But Jack’s collegiate running career isn’t the defining event. That came after Jack returned from college to his San Mateo roots. He ran a then-popular 8-mile race in Tiburon and vowed to join whichever club came out on top. That club was the West Valley Track Club—a club that framed Jack’s leadership in the sport for more than a decade, and his running affiliation that stands today. Not that there were many clubs to choose from back then. But the inter-club competition between WVTC and the Marin Athletic Club, San Francisco Olympic Club, Excelsior, and one or two others was fierce. Then there was Walt Stack’s Dolphin South End Runners—a mostly recreational club—and the masters-oriented NorCal Seniors. Exactly what did Leydig do? Where do I start? I’ll touch a few highlights, and then leave the rest to his friends. He became WVTC’s president in 1969 and soon after began organizing and directing races for the club. In those pre-commercial days of running—when $3 to $5 entry fees were the norm— most races were put on by clubs as club fundraisers. Jack’s 5-loop West Valley Marathon in San Mateo was a staple through the 1970s, hosting a couple of AAU (precursor to TAC and USATF) national marathon championships, and attracting some of the finest runners in the country. In 1972, a rising star just out of Stanford University named Don Kardong won the West Valley Marathon in 2:18:06, qualifying for his first Olympic Trials. Leydig also organized excellent cross country events at the Crystal Springs course in Belmont.
One of them served as the national championship in 1974. The starting gun was fired by New Zealand’s Olympic gold medalist, Peter Snell. The race, won by Kenyan John Ngeno, attracted a superbly deep field that included Frank Shorter, Neil Cusack, Domingo Tibaduiza, Gary Tuttle, Marty Liquori, Barry Brown, Kardong, and others. Leydig founded the Christmas Relays in 1973—a popular race that is the ancestor of today’s road relays. In its early years, seven-person relay teams competed over a 50-mile course that ran on Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz (and sometimes the other direction). The event became so popular (growing to 1,700 runners) that Jack had to move the race from the jammed highway to a loop around San Francisco’s Lake Merced where it still runs today. Jack started the WVTC Newsletter in November 1969—one of the few sources of regional running information around. At the suggestion of Paul Reese, Leydig re-named that publication NorCal Running Review in 1971, and went statewide and nationwide. Jack served as chief cook and bottle washer for that painstakingly typewritten and produced magazine—rich in results, which eventually swelled to almost 70 pages with a full-color cover. After 10 years of dedicated effort—all a labor of love—he handed the magazine over to Fresno’s Bill Cockerham, who merged it into his almost-as-early-conceived California Track News (the older sibling of today’s CTRN). Jack also published, in 1970, the first Northern California Distance Running Annual for the Pacific Association/AAU, whose LDR membership was growing (almost 2,000 at that time). In the mid 1970s, Jack established one of the earliest racing circuits for “points” right here in Northern California. Call it a forerunner of the breakthrough ARRA professional running circuit started by Don Kardong in 1981 and today’s Pacific Association/USATF Grand Prix running circuits. In 1976, Jack married his close companion for the next 20 years, Judy Gumbs-Leydig, a talented athlete with whom he had a daughter and son (Erika, 28, and Chris, 24). Judy and other female runners such as Penny DeMoss, Joan Ullyot, Frances Conley, Ruth Anderson, Judy Ikenberry, and other Californians were breaking molds in the relatively early days of women’s distance running.
In Jack’s Words Last September, CTRN caught up with Jack for a few minutes during his busy daily schedule. Here are some excerpts from that conversation. On recruiting great athletes for the West Valley Track Club and putting together club teams: “I wasn’t really a hard recruiter. I just went up to folks and said, ‘Wanna join the club? Think about it.’ When [Alvaro] Mejia won Boston in ’71 that attracted a lot of attention for the club. Yes, I also put together club teams, but only because nobody else wanted to do it. I did everything, but for me it was fun. In the early ’70s there really wasn’t much of a competitive structure once you were out of college, so a lot of college coaches like Marshall Clark and Payton Jordan [at Stanford] and Jim Hunt [at Humboldt State] let us run in their meets.” On NORCAL RUNNING REVIEW: “It was total lunacy. I didn’t do it on a computer. I’d just sit down for a week and do it, typing out about 120 pages for a 60-page magazine because the type was reduced.” On his running background and training: “I went to Hillsdale High School [San Mateo]. We had a couple of national record-breaking teams there. We had five guys under 4:30 in my senior year [1962]. I ran a 4:21. After college, for a while 80–90-mile weeks were pretty standard for me, sometimes 100. I trained with Mejia a lot. Sometimes I did double workouts. Plus, I was working. When the part of the shipyard [at Hunter’s Point] where I was working closed in ’71, I decided to take time off and train for the Marathon Trials because the qualifying time was 2:30. But when I started my own business, it was nuts. I had to make some choices and cutting back on training was one of them.” Jack’s most gratifying accomplishment in the sport: “That’s a toughie. All of it was fun, and gave me a sense of accomplishment. It’s hard to pin-point just one. The national cross country championships in ’74 was a biggie because of the number of competitors we had there and the quality. Three hundred people on the Crystal Springs course is just nuts. Steve Prefontaine didn’t show up, but everyone else did. We tried to match Pre against Shorter, but Pre decided to stay home.”
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Leydig sold running equipment out of his 1968 VW van during the early and mid ’70s, and started Jack’s Athletic Supply in 1977—a business by which he still makes a living today producing race T-shirts. He still owns that van, which sports several refurbishings, almost a half-million miles, and “WVTC”on the license plates. “Jack was really a key element of running at that time,” recalls Ken Napier, one of WVTC’s early members, and the club’s president before Leydig. “He just did so much. As president, I wasn’t willing to do as much as Jack. Back then, the club presidents did everything. I’d say that Jack was one of the most important figures in Northern California running in the mid 1970s as far as promoting running and racing. He was a tireless worker.” Leydig did such a good job with WVTC that Napier soon was able to help start another—and very different—club called the West Valley Joggers and Striders. Amidst this frenzy of activity, Leydig managed to put in some pretty good times himself. He competed in the ’68 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. A 2:25 at the Boston Marathon qualified him for the 1972 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Jack didn’t have much time for training, but he pushed himself to the limits. Richard Delgado recalls a story about Leydig when Jack worked as a computer programmer for a firm contracted by the Navy. Jack was so committed to training—despite limited time—that he’d run loops around an aircraft carrier’s flight deck while it was out to sea. “If everyone at that time was limited to running 35 miles a week, I think Jack would have beaten us all,” admits Bill Clark, who joined
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WVTC a year or two after placing second at Boston in 1968. “By 1972, WVTC was one of the best running clubs in the country in terms of talent. And Jack was the club. There were six or eight of us at the Olympic Trials in ’72. Guys like Don Kardong and Duncan Macdonald joined—and a lot of it was because they liked Jack.” The long list of WVTC notables includes the standout Colombian pair of Domingo Tibaduiza and ’71 Boston winner Alvaro Mejia, Bill Scobey (winner of the Western Hemisphere and Avenue of the Giants Marathons among others), and 1974 U.S. national marathon champion Ron Wayne. “I always admired Jack very much,” says Ruth Anderson, a longtime role model for many female runners. “He was just so knowledgeable. He put so much effort into those early-day things. He was definitely a pioneer in event management, and a heck of a good runner, too. And, of course, he was always running around in that van of his, selling shoes and shirts.” That’s what Gail Rodd (nee Gustafson)—one of the early female running crowd—recalls best about Jack. “When we first started running we just had little Keds tennis shoes until Jack came along and sold us some real running shoes out of his van. There were no big running stores then.” Running footwear was limited to Tigers, Pumas, adidas, and, later, Nikes. But Jack had vital connections, which included Bob Anderson’s Starting Line Sports, one of the few retail operations for runners in the area. Anderson was also the founder and publisher of Runner’s World magazine which had corporate offices in Mountain View. In fact, RW was one of two or three pio-
neering running/track & field pubs headquartered in California at the time. One of them was a labor of love published by Leydig. Longtime WVTC member and ’70s masters standout, Flory Rodd (Gail’s husband until his passing) once wrote: “Jack published the NorCal Running Review in the Dark Ages of running, and his was the only reliable source for Bay Area track and road running results and information. He was not only the publisher, but also the editor, reporter, and office boy. It was always deadline time at the Running Review. It was always late. Jack’s true writing forte in those days was penning ill-natured and disagreeable notes to any of his subscribers who had the temerity to demand their Running Review on time.” That was Jack—so meticulous about his tasks that he would write pages of instructions to each of his race volunteers, according to Ellen Clark. But he was a compassionate motivator at heart who inspired others to lend a hand. Then, there was Jack leading trips to the Boston Marathon. Countless Californians—including me—learned the ins and outs of Boston from Leydig. As one who also has devoted a few hours toward Northern California running: My hat is tipped to Jack Leydig. Run your next race in honor of him and email me about it. Recruit your buddies to do the same. I’ll pass your emails along to Jack. We owe him that kind of thanks.
ning my sophomore year in high school. I became a member of the West Valley Track Club shortly after that and thrived under Jack’s leadership. Bottom line, Jack is someone you can always depend on.” —Mike Pinocci (2:14 marathoner) •“I remember the ‘trough’ excursions to Farrell’s Ice Cream where Jack would finish a multi-gallon trough of ice cream on his own and live to tell the story. I learned organizational detail from Jack which has served me well in my co-meet director role of •“Jack had the presence of mind to ask women the Modesto-California Relays and many other cross like me to join the West Valley Track Club in the early country and track and field meets.” —Dave Shrock ’70s, at a time when not many women were running. •“In 1978, when I invented the Chronomix timer, He called us the ‘distaff division.’ But his contributions Jack was distributing equipment through his business to running, in general, were extraordinary. He had the that helped make road racing much more accurate. I vision to see the wave of the future.” –Joan Ullyot, sold him the first digital clock which he distributed. He MD (women’s running pioneer, writer, and member of also rented state-of-the-art equipment to those who U.S. national marathon teams in the 1970s. couldn’t afford to buy it.” —Bob Rush •“Jack is just one of the good guys of the world.” •“In 1974, Jack trotted out to keep me com—Pete League (founder of the Houston Marathon pany in the one-hour run. After about two laps, while after he moved to Texas from the Bay Area in 1971) he talked non-stop and I didn’t say a word, he asked •“When I moved to the Bay Area in 1971, Jack if I liked company while running. I said ‘no’ and he was one of the first runners to welcome me. As a disappeared.” —Kathy Himmelberger (1976 young runner just out of college, it was an important women’s winner, West Valley Marathon, 3:00:36) first step after graduation. Jack introduced me to a •“By focusing people, Jack kept us all comlot of the runners, and we all had many great runs peting. And the club picked up a lot of young runand gatherings over the two years I lived there. Who ners who were coming out of high school at the knows what would have happened if he hadn’t been time, and we sent them to national championships. there to help?” —Jon Anderson (1972 U.S. They went on to have very good running careers. Olympian, 10,000 meters) A lot of that was Jack reaching out to people to •“I’ve known Jack for about 39 years, begin- attract them. Plus, his own running ability gave him
credibility.” —Bill Clark (runner-up 1968 Boston Marathon; WVTC women’s coach) •“Jack was the world’s greatest race organizer and salesman. I don’t know how he found the time to do all that he did. The reason I ran at all was because of Jack. When Jack put races together, they were perfect. Without him, I couldn’t have run the times I did because there was always competition.” —Gary Goettelmann (Owner, Ryan’s Sport Shop running store, Santa Clara) •“The opportunities that we got through running with Jack made us the people we are today. And he was the glue that cemented lifelong friendships for many of us.” —Gail Goettelmann •“When I first came to this country from Colombia, I was a retired runner after I competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. I met Jack and he took me to these really beautiful places to run, like the trails near San Mateo. He gave me the strength to return to running. He had all the contacts [at important races]. West Valley TC paid my fares to get to them. For that, I’m extremely grateful. He did the same for others. The [running] community owes him a lot.” —Alvaro Mejia (winner 1971 Boston Marathon as a WVTC member) •“I was always amazed at Jack’s ability to hand out jobs, like delivering cones to races, and to keep things in line. And, in 1974, under Jack’s wing, West Valley Track Club put on the [first] U.S. Women’s National Marathon Championship. Let’s face it, women were neglected up until that time.” —Wayne Glusker
Words From Others
When Leydig organized the second West Valley Track Club “Old Timers” Reunion last September (Jack used a word much more descriptive than “Timers”), the attendees turned the gathering into a day honoring Leydig and the club’s founder Frank Cunningham. We took the opportunity to obtain comments from Jack’s peers for this story. Here are some of them:
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Mark Winitz has been running and writing about running for well over 30 years. He also assists road racing events through his company Win It!z Sports Public Relations and Promotions in Los Altos.
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December 12, 2009
www.usatf.org/events
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Long Distance Running Southern California Association LDR Report
Alan Wickstrom
2009 Road Running Grand Prix & Road Championship Races Conclude in November Long distance runners in the Southern California Association have an exciting schedule of races on their November calendar, with not one but two Association Road Running Championship events: the Santa Barbara NewsPress Half Marathon, on November 7, and the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K on Thanksgiving Day, November 26. The 33rd annual Santa Barbara Half Marathon offers a scenic and challenging run through beautiful Santa Barbara, starting and finishing on Leadbetter Beach. The course runs along Santa Barbara’s central beach community and through the exclusive Montecito area. Santa Barbara is a popular destination for Southland residents looking for an escape from LA, and this should be a well-attended event. This is the second Association race in the Santa Barbara area, following the Semana-Nautica 15K in Goleta on July 4. The final Road Running Championship race of 2009 is the Dana Point 10K. This is also the final race in the inaugural 2009 Road Running Grand Prix series, the last of a sevenrace series that includes the Santa Barbara Half Marathon as well. Scoring will be closed after the Dana Point race, with cash prizes and
Brightroom.com
FROM WAYNE JONESS LDR CHAIR
Mo Trafer (#18, 29:22) and Tove Berg (#31, 35:49 ) claimed decisive victories in last year’s Dana Point 10K Road Championship despite the torrential rain. Below A look at last year’s LA Marathon field. awards to top Grand Prix participants presented in January 2010. The Dana Point race was also the 2008 10K Road Championship race, where top finishers Tove Berg and Mo Trafeh won decisive victories despite an unusual early morning torrential downpour. The 2008 Dana Point 10K sold out before race day, so runners are advised to register early for 2009.
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2010 Road Running Grand Prix Begins to Take Shape With 2009 drawing to a close, the SCA LDR committee is working on an expanded 2010 Road Championship Series and Road Running Grand Prix. The biggest race on the 2010 schedule is also the most talked about race in Los Angeles history: the newly revised Los Angeles Marathon. The Los Angeles Marathon
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Wayne Joness
Rosemarie Jeanpierre right and niece Anna Rose Bejasa at the OC Marathon Expo, May 2009.
was launched following the 1984 Olympics, and the course has been through several revisions and date changes in its 25-year history. But 2010 marks the most dramatic change for the marathon: a new “Stadium to the Sea” course that starts at historic Dodger Stadium and runs westward, through key Los Angeles landmarks, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and finishing on the beach. The date has been moved back to March 21, with a start time of 6:55 a.m. There has been no shortage of discussion about LA’s “hometown marathon,” and this is the course that the active local running community has been dreaming about for years. The early start promises ideal temperatures, and with the marathon running towards the cool Pacific Ocean breezes, running condi-
PACIFIC ASSOCIATION LDR NOTES
Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Jose Oct. 4; San Jose BY MARK WINITZ At 33 years old, Meb Keflezighi just might be reaching his potential as a marathoner. The 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist and U.S. 10,000 meter record holder obviously has a lot left in the tank. Meb unequivocally demonstrated that fact at the 4th Annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon San Jose. The resident of Mammoth Lakes, CA improved his personal
tions will improve for runners as race progresses. In addition, the last eight miles of the course actually have a downhill grade. The Los Angeles Marathon promises to offer a course that is not only scenic, but may provide a personal record for many runners, or a great “tune-up” event for those aiming for the Boston Marathon in April. The Southern California Association has many nationally ranked marathon runners in its membership, who often travel outside of the state for marathon races. With the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon as the official Southern California Association Marathon Road Championship race, we anticipate a high level of turnout, and active participation in this historic event. Visit www.scagrandprix.org for current Grand Prix point standings. best by 25 seconds as he won the half marathon in 1:01:00. Along the way, Keflezighi set a pending American 20K road record of 57:52 which bettered Ryan Hall’s previous American record set in 2006 by two seconds. In addition, Keflezighi’s half marathon performance now ranks him number three alltime on the U.S. list for a record standard course. Only Mark Curp’s 1:00:55 set in 1985 and Hall’s American record 59:43 from 2007 are faster. Perhaps most impressively, Meb ran the last 10 miles of the race on the fast, loop course through San Jose’s streets alone. He led about 12,500 runners while 20 Bay Area bands, local school cheerleading squads, and spectators spurred him on. Ideal weather, around 50 degrees with no wind, were conducive for fast times. Keflezighi and Oakland’s Bolota Asmerom accompanied designated pacesetter Cosmas
SoCal USATF Member Talks About Running on NBC’s Today Show Southern California Association USATF member Rosemarie Jeanpierre made an appearance on NBC’s Today show on Sept. 14. Rosemarie has been an inspiration to runners everywhere with her story of dramatic weight loss, and her passion for running. After being diagnosed with prediabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol several years ago, Rosemarie made a commitment to turn her life and her health around. She changed her diet, started exercising, and found a new passion for running. Since she started running, Rosemarie has a lot of new personal records, including cutting her body weight in half, from 220 pounds to 110! In 2009, Rosemarie ran nearly a race every weekend, with a personal best 5K time of 21:59. Rosemarie is now actively pursuing the dream of so many USATF long distance runners: qualifying for the historic Boston Marathon. While she ran the 2005 LA Marathon in 6:31:24, she improved that time by more than two hours this year, finishing in 4:26:30. Incredibly enough, she followed this remarkable accomplishment one week later by running a personal best of 4:18:53 at the 2009 San Diego Marathon. Rosemarie’s goal is to live her life as an example for other runners who want to challenge themselves to reach goals once thought impossible. Rosemarie and her niece Anna Rose Bejasa have become cheerful, familiar faces at Southern California USATF races this year, and we congratulate her on her national television appearance. We’re proud to have Rosemarie as a member of the Southern California Association USATF. L Koech Kimutai of Kenya through mile one in 4:36. Asmerom decided to drop off the torrid early pace and by mile two sat 50 meters behind. At 5K, hit in 14:20, the rabbit dropped off and Meb was on his own. “I was hoping that the pacer would be able to run 8 to 10 miles, but you need to deal with the cards you’re dealt,” Keflezighi said. “If there were people to run with, I’m sure it would have been even faster.” He proceeded through 10K in 28:45 and 15K in 43:17, only losing momentum around the multiple turns mid-course before racing to a strong finish. Asmerom (2nd, 1:03:06) and Charlie Serrano (3rd, 1:04:20) of Chico, followed with PR performances. Michigan’s Luke Humphrey was 4th in 1:05:03. 2008 Cal Berkeley grad Chris Chavez (Menlo Park) finished 5th in 1:05:13 in his half marathon debut. Continued on page 20.
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Competitor Group, Inc.
LDR continued from page 19
“I’m very pleased with the performance,” said Keflezighi, who was tuning up for the ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, a race where he finished second in 2006. “For me, today’s PR and 20K record has to rank right up there with my Olympic medal and American record 10,000.” The race was also a redemption of sorts for the 19-time U.S. champion. In 2006, Meb came into this race in perhaps the best shape of life as he pointed toward the New York City Marathon. But he had to drop out before the 11-mile mark with a hamstring pull after negotiating 10 miles in 46:45—a pace right on Mark Curp’s 1:00:55 U.S. half marathon record at the time. Then, in November 2007, Meb suffered a stress fracture in his hip during the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in New York City— a day when the death of his fellow Trials competitor and friend Ryan Shay left him physically and mentally shattered. During the 10 weeks before the injury was diagnosed, he couldn’t turn over in bed because of pain. He could barely crawl on his hands and knees, let alone run. Now, after winning the U.S. Men’s Half Marathon Championship last January, followed by his third USA cross country title, a personal best of 2:09:21 at the Flora London Marathon, and a new U.S. 20K record, Meb appears back on track. “My aim is to make one more Olympic team and try to get on the podium,” Keflezighi remarked. “Obviously, it was hard to keep up with Meb today,” said Asmerom about his friend and
fellow former citizen of Eritrea. “I’m happy with a PR today. It was actually my second this year. I also ran a 1,500 meter PR of 3:40 this summer.” The former All-American at Cal Berkeley was also tuning up for the New York City Marathon where he ran 2:16:37 last year in his marathon debut. Third-placer Serrano, the 2007 NCCA Division II 5000m national champion while at Chico State, said he may eventually move up to the marathon distance where his “greatest success,” as he puts it, may await—but not for a while. “Maybe by the time the [2012] Trials come around,” he said. In the women’s race, Ethiopian Belainesh Gebre grabbed a 1:11:24 win, her ninth victory of the year, which included a 1:10:22 PB at the Spirit of Columbus Half Marathon. 2008 U.S. Olympian Magdalena Lewy Boulet (Oakland) placed second in 1:11:46, a one-second PR. Her previous best came last January in her win at the U.S. Women’s Half Marathon Championship in Houston. Gebre and Lewy Boulet covered 10K in about 33:30 before Gebre put in a surge at 10 miles and forged a gap. “She’s strong,” said Gebre, 21, about the 33-year-old standout U.S. marathoner. “She’s
Meb ran alone for the last 10 miles of the race on the fast, loop course through San Jose.
run 2:30 for the marathon. So maybe I’ll move up to the marathon some day.” “I actually didn’t feel that great today. I was hoping to break 1:11,” said Lewy Boulet, who had recorded 145 training miles the previous week in preparation for the NYC Marathon, her highest mileage week ever. “But I’ll take it in the middle of all that training. The fact that I felt awful and still ran a PR shows I have the training behind me.” Jenny Wilson (Discovery Bay) placed 3rd in 1:22:38. Dena Evans (Redwood City) was 4th in 1:22:50. 49-year-old Maria Trujillo (Los Gatos), a 1984 Olympian for Mexico who later represented the U.S. and won a gold medal in the 1995 Pan American Games, came out of retirement and recorded a respectable performance. Trujillo, who has a 2:28:53 lifetime PR in the marathon, ran 1:30:43 in San Jose. L Complete results on the Web at http:san–jose.competitor.com.
2009 Pacific Association USATF Road Race Grand Prix Schedule
Date 11/8 11/26 12/6 12/13
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Event Clarksburg 30K Synaptics 5K California International Marathon Christmas Relays
Division Long Short, open individual only Long Team only
Points 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 or 2.0
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RunCIM.org
Sunday ย 'HFHPEHU ย D P ย )ROVRP WR WKH 6WDWH &DSLWRO
2009
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January 24, SUN ’10 Lahaina: Maui Oceanfront Marathon, 6am Start of event shops at Wailea; pt to point flat and fast course with beautiful ocean and mountain vistas. Run north through Kihei and along some of the prettiest beaches in the world. Designer medals and t-shirt to all finishers. January is a great month to run in Hawaii! www.mauioceanfrontmarathon.com; leswright@sbcglobal.net.
February 14, SUN ’10 Monterey: Together With Love 10KRun, 5K Run/Walk, 1K Kid’s Fun Run (25th), 9am $26, $30 after 1/30 w/LS T-s, refreshments, prize drawing; 8:15am 1K 10 & under $13/$15 w/medal & goody bag. Lovers Pt Park; flat, certified,paved, scenic out-back course along wter of Monterey Bay. Benefits Monterey Rape Crisis Center’s services for sexual assult. Active.com; for more info call 831-373-3955
February 7, SUN ’10 Huntington Beach: Surf City USA Marathon, Surf City USA® Marathon – California’s Classic Oceanfront Festival includes a beach side beer garden in the California sun. Marathon. This exclusive oceanfront course is a California Dream! Run on Pacific Coast Highway past the famous Huntington Beach pier and wind through the legendary surfing beaches of Southern California. Retro surf bands entertain along the way and the Finish Line Finishers receive bodacious surfboard medals! Info@runsurfcity.com; www.runsurfcity.com
February 15, MON ’10 San Mateo: President’s Day 5K, 10K Run/Jog/Walk/ Stride, 10am $20, $25 race day w/t-s, awards and Olympic style medals to all finishers(9 & under & 70 & over Free!) Coyote Pt. County Park (Hwy 101 in San Mateo take the Coyote Point off ramp and follow signs to park); flat out/back scenic run along Bay. Event numbers not mailed; you will pick up on event day. Sky High, 4967 Santa Rita Rd, El Sobrante 94803; Online www.TheSchedule.com; 510/223-5778 (7-10 am & pm).
Novato: Tamalpa Runner’s Couples’ Relay 2M (30th), 9am $25/$30 per couple after 2/7 w/t-s. Vintage Oaks Shopping Center (Rowland Exit off 101); flat and fun . Women/partner run two laps on a one-mile loop. Lots of awards (two-five deep in the divisions based on the combined age of the couple. Brownies, raffle. No partner, no worries. Show up before 8am & we’ll do our best to match you up w/ partner. Tamalpa Runners, PO Box 4132, San Rafael 94913; www.tamalparunners.com; Active.com; 415/388-7917
March 20, SAT ’10 Oakland: Join us for a 5K Walk/Run and 10K Run around pristine Lake Merritt in Oakland for our 16th Annual AHS Greek Independence Day Walk/Run. Enjoy the refreshments, music and raffle prizes. Awards for all categories and crowning laurel wreaths for overall winners. Discounted reg fees for 19 and under. www.run.pahh.com; Online Theschedule.com
Your daily updates on the latest in track & field, cross country, road racing, and marathon running. Sign up at www.runblogrun.com and get your athletics fix at least 350 days a year. (Hey, we need a break once in a while, too!)
April 11, SUN ’10 Pescadero: Artichoke Half Marathon, 10K Run/Stride, 9am $25, $30 race day w/t-s and awards to all. Pescadero Exit off Hwy One (14M S of Half Moon Bay) Pescadero Road East to Stage Road, turn right to Native Son’ s Hall; very scenic out/back level paved road and 3M of trails. Race numbers are not mailed; you will pick them up on race day. Sky High, 4967 Santa Rita Rd, El Sobrante 94803; Online www.TheSchedule.com; 510/223-5778. April 25, SUN ’10 San Rafael: Register soon for the Marin County Marathon, Two Person Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k and Kids Run. Sunday, April 25, 2010 at McNears Beach Park in San Rafael. Produced entirely in a sustainable manner - 100% of the proceeds are donated to charities: Athletes for a Cure, Karno Kids and Parents Place. Where the musicians come to play, join US Olympians and celebrities for an amazing day at the beach. To learn more and to register, visit www.marinmarathon.com April 24, MON ’10 Antioch: Deer Valley Super Sprint Triathlon, 9am Superkidz 7yrs-under (50ydS-1mB-.25mR), Superkidz 7-10 yrs (100ydS2mB-.5mR); Sprint Course (250ydS-8mB-2mR) Super course (500ydS-18mB-3.8mR), 8am Superkidz $15, Sprint course $35/$40, Team $45/$50 race day; Super course $40/$45, Team $45/$50. Medals for all, plus SuperKidzs. Kids 14 and under will win an award! Prewitt Water Park, 4701 Lone Tree Wy. Swim-pool, bike-slightly rolling loop, Run-paved path. Race numbers are not mailed; you will pick them up on race day. Sky High 510/223-5778; Online www.TheSchedule.com June 4-5, FRI-SAT ’10 Reno: Reno-Tahoe Odyssey Relay Run Adventure 178M (6th), 7am. One of Reno-Tahoe’s newest & most exciting Special events; a team relay run on a 178M course through the Reno-Lake Tahoe region. Peopleburningfatproductions@pyramid.net; www.renotahoeodyssey.com July 18, SUN ’10 Lost Gatos: Los Gatos Half Marathon, 10K Jungle Run, 7am $40, $45 after 10/25, $50 after 1/10; 7:15am 10K $25/$30/$35. Los Gatos Creek Trail. First Wave Events, PO Box 321263, Los Gatos 95032; info@firstwave-events.com; www.firstwave-events.com July 26, SUN ’10 San Francisco: San Francisco Marathon, For more info go to : www.runsf.com July 31, SUN ’10 Australia: Australian Outback Marathon, Contact LeRoy for Information. leroy@letatravelvacations.com; www.letstravelvacations.com; 800-383-9648 August 8, SUN ’10 Pinecrest: Pinecrest Run 5M and 1M Fun Run, The Pinecrest Run is held annually the second Sunday in August. All ages welcome! Starts and ends at the beach on Pinecrest Lake in Pinecrest, California. Race course runs through hilly streets and steeper terrain near the lake. This is Tuolumne County’s oldest running foot race! Scenic 5 mile run and "1 mile" Fun Run. Registration begins at 7:30 AM Sunday August 8, 2010. Fun Run kicks off at 8:30 AM and 5-Mile Run at 9:00 AM. There is a $15 registration fee and T-shirts sold separately also for $15 each. Proceeds benefit the Pinecrest School physical education program.
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WA
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West Valley Track Club Presents the 36th Annual
Christmas Relays Lake Merced, San Francisco 4 person teams 4.5 miles per leg
SUNDAY DECEMBER 13, 2009 LOCATION: START TIME: DISTANCE:
Start/Finish and all exchange points at Sunset Circle Parking Lot (Sunset Blvd. at Lake Merced) All teams start at 9 a.m. Each of 4 members runs one 4.464 mile leg. OK to run one leg on more than one team.
REGISTRATION: Early entry fees: $96 per team with long-sleeve shirt $76 team with no PRIZES IN THE FOLLOWING DIVISIONS : shirt if entry postmarked by December 5. $96 team late registration with no shirt. AFTER RESTRICTION CODE DEC 5 only race day (starting at 7:30 a.m.) or online entries (ALLSPORTcentral.com) DIVISION No restrictions OPEN allowed. IMPORTANT: Divisions B & C, deduct $1 per runner, and Division U deduct $2 per OPEN No age restrictions N runner from amounts listed above for pre-registered entries. Late entries must register after Women’s Open Junior Girls Born 1990 or after C 7:30 a.m. on race day. DIVISION RULES: Team members may be changed after entry is Junior Boys Born 1990 or after B submitted (within same division) but Division Changes must be made at Registration (bring old Sub-Masters Men 30 years or older F set of numbers with you!). During the race, substitutions may be made if they do not change Sub-Masters Women 30 or older X division status. Changes in division status must be reported at the finish and will result in place- Masters Men 40 years or older H ment in the OPEN division. WOMEN may compete in any of the divisions. Age on December Masters Women 40 years or older R 50 years or older L 13 determines division, except Juniors as described below. AWARDS: $2900 PAUSATF Senior Men 50 years or older T GRAND PRIZE AWARDS. RIBBONS to all finishers. AWARDS to all members of top division Senior Women Men 60-Plus 60 years or older K teams. RAFFLE: Merchandise awards.
No processing fees for online registration! -your fastest and easiest registration option RETURN TO: Send Entry fees (non-refundable, non-transferable) with completed forms to: Christmas Relays, c/o Marc Lund, 1433 Norman Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 (checks payable to West Valley TC). Enclose self addressed envelopes with adequate postage to receive #s, or pickup raceday. FAX credit card entries to (650) 960-6993. FOR INFORMATION: TONY FONG (510) 205-8074 (evenings).
Women 60-Plus 60 years or older J 14 & Under Mixed or same-sex U Family At least 3 from same family E Couples 2 males, 2 females S Corporate Open At least 20 hrs./wk. at one firm A Corporate Women Same as above W Law Enforcement (members must be from the same jurisdiction; active or reserves - police, fire, CHP, Sheriff’s Dept., national park, etc. Military police okay, if from the same facility) Y
For Division records and number of awards per division, visit www.westvalleytc.org
I N C O M P L E T E F O R M S C A N N OT B E P R O C E S S E D WAIVER: In consideration of your acceptance of our entry, we, intending to be legally bound, hereby for ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, waive and release forever, any and all rights and claims or damages we may accrue against USAT&F, West Valley TC, Inc., the City and County of San Francisco, the San Francisco Parks and Recreation Dept., and any and all sponsors of this event, their successors, representatives and assigns, for any and all injuries suffered by our team while travelling to and from, and while participating in the 2009 Christmas Relays. Date
Team Representative (over 18 yrs.) (Signature required for team waiver; must be of credit card holder if applicable)
TEAM NAME: If the club or organization enters more than one team in a division, follow the name by an appropriate designation, such as “A” Team or another unique name.
Circle Division Code: OPEN A Please bill my:
MasterCard
Visa
B
C
E
F
H
J
K
L
N
R
S
T
U
W X
Y
Account Number________________________________________ exp. ________ amt. $_______
MANDATORY: LIST TEAM MEMBERS -- (Names may be changed on raceday).
CREDIT CARD HOLDER OR RACE PACKET RECIPIENT INFO --enclose SASE):
1. _______________________________________________ Age__________
Name:_______________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________ Age__________ 3. _______________________________________________ Age__________ 4. _______________________________________________ Age__________ RACE NUMBERS WILL BE MAILED TO PRIMARY CONTACT PUT ADDRESSES ON BACK OR ON FAX COVER SHEET FOR RESULTS
Address:_____________________________________________ City:___________________________ State/Zip:_______________________ Ph: (
)_______________ H or W
e-mail:__________________________
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
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Association News continued from page 8
San Diego–Imperial Association
REPORTS BY MORGAN SJOGREN Dirt Dog Action begins at the Wild Duck 5K Guajome Regional Park; Aug. 22 The San Diego Dirt Dog cross country series got off to a competitive start with this rolling 5K course. Both the men’s and women’s races showed incredible depth, signaling the beginning of an exciting 2009 series. The men’s race was won by Okwaro Raura (Running Center/BSK), who took second overall in the series last fall. His time of 15:50 narrowly bested Fernando Blanco (adidas Movin’ Shoes), who ran 15:51 to secure third place over David Dominguez’s (San Diego Track Club) 16:00. The team competition featured a win by the Lost Boys over the San Diego Track Club. During the women’s race, spectators saw a familiar face at the front of the pack. Lesley Paterson (K-Swiss Misses), last year’s overall champion, once again took a control of the race and won in a fine time of 17:23 on a challenging course. KC Meehan (adidas Movin’ Shoes), took second in 18:03, with Joey Bonfiglio (Running Center/BSK) following in 18:23 for third place. The K-Swiss Misses captured the first team title of the series in a close dual with Running Center BSK (28–32). In the masters’ 40+ race, Michael Hansen (Running Center/BSK) won the first race over Juan Naranjo (Jamul Toads), who led the Jamul Toads team to victory. The women’s masters’ race featured a dominating JH Cohn team whose runners swept the first three spots and the team title; Terry Martin Duvel, Tamara Tabeek, and Tracy Golba set the tone that this team means business. The masters’ 50+ winners were Adam Weiner (JH Cohn) and Linda Powers (JH Cohn). In the 60+ race, Phil Camp (Jamul Toads) won the men’s overall and Willie Mundt (San Diego Track Club) took first for the women.
ready to run. The women’s race featured an extremely high level of talent, with the top ten comprised of many former All-Americans and national caliber athletes. Once again, Lesley Paterson set the tempo up front, finishing first in a time of 23:46. adidas Movin’ Shoes also made a strong statement up front with Jennifer Santa Maria and KC Meehan sweeping the next two spots in 24:46 and 24:48, respectively. The ladies of Running Center/BSK took their first team victory. If this race is any indicator, the women’s final in November looks to be one for the record books. The men’s races continue to have exciting and close finishes. Nazario Romero and Sean Zanderson of adidas Movin’ Shoes put together a team effort, taking the first two positions and leading their team to victory. Their times of 21:00 and 21:02 narrowly bested third-place runner Okwaro Raura (21:09) of Running Center/BSK, who won the first race of this year’s series. The masters’ races saw familiar faces up front. Laura Cohn once again led the JH Cohn 40+ women to victory, while Michael Hansen of Running Center/BSK secured his second 40+ victory. The Jamul Toads 40+ men’s team came out victorious for the second week in a row. In the 50+ race, JH Cohn’s Kimberlee Rouse and Adam Weiner both took first place. For the second week in a row, Willie Mundt (San Diego Track Club) won the women’s 60+ race and Ronald Wells (San Diego Track Club) took his first win of the season.
Close Finishes at City College 10K Rohr Park; Sept. 12 On a humid overcast morning, the City College Invitational provided a four-lap tour of
Rohr Park for the 96 participating runners. While the race lacked some of the top individuals and teams from the previous two races, there was no lack of top-notch competition. The men’s race highlighted this as Nazario Romero of adidas Movin’ Shoes and Okwaro Raura of Running Center/Team BSK battled head to head until the final sprint. Romero was able to out-lean Raura and both runners finished in a fine time of 32:40 on a course comprised of grass, a woodchip hill, and a miniature train track. The Lost Boys’ Sean McKeon rounded out the top three. The Running Center/BSK team took their first victory of the season over the San Diego Track Club. The women’s competition featured two runners new to the Dirt Dog top three. Kathy Kasischke (JH Cohn) took her first win in 38:53 over consistent top-three performer Joey Bonfiglio of Team BSK (39:15). Not far behind was Morgan Sjogren, also of Team BSK, who ran 39:19 in her Dirt Dog top-three debut. The 2–3 finish sealed the second win of the 2009 series for the Running Center/BSK team over the San Diego Track Club. James Towle of Running Center/BSK took the individual 40+ masters title, as did Laura Stuart (JH Cohn), who was also an impressive 4th overall for the open women. The Running Center/BSK 40+ men captured team victory, while the JH Cohn 40+ women continued their dominance. The 50+ runners were led by Dave Spinler (San Diego Track Club) and Linda Powers (JH Cohn). Jan Kafka (San Diego Track Club) took first in the men’s 60+ division, while Willie Mundt (San Diego Track Club) continued her winning streak for a third week.
Continued on page 26.
Full Teams Come Out to Play at Balboa 4M Balboa Park; Sept. 5 The Balboa 4-Miler showcased high-quality competition in all divisions, as most clubs fielded a full team and many top individuals came
David Kloz
Men’s 40+ leader James Towle (#42) at the head of the peloton at the Bonita Stampede 8K.
www.SDUSATF.org n ov e m b e r – d e c e m b e r 2 0 0 9 • c t & r n
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Association News continued from page 25 Series leader Okwaru Raura (#27) at the Bonita Stampede 10K. Cohn powerhouse to another 50+ team victory.
Bonita Stampede 8K Sweetwater Regional Park; Sept. 26 Over 130 runners stepped up to the starting line of the Bonita Stampede despite the whispers that the course contained a mile-long hill. The challenging course spurred on the competition and shook up the Dirt Dog standings. After several second-place finishes, Okwaro Raura (Running Center/BSK) took first among Dirt Dog racers in a fine time of 25:37. Unlike the previous races which came down to a finishing kick, Raura finished 46 seconds ahead of Hector Hernandez (adidas Movin’ Shoes), who finished in 26:23. Adam Coleman rounded out the top three for the first time by running 26:30. With two runners in the top three and four in the top ten, the Running Center/BSK earned another win and 20 points towards the overall championship. The women’s race was led by a strong contingent of adidas Movin’ Shoes runners who swept the coveted top three spots. KC Meehan finished first in 29:00, with Dianna Chivakos on her heels in 29:15. Christy Beckman, who ran 30:11 for the 8K course, secured the third spot and victory for the team. The full squad looks ready to run hard at the Dirt Dog final on Nov. 14. In the master’s 40+ competition, James Towle (Running Center/BSK) took the victory in 27:25 and solidified his place as one of the top runners in the series by placing 10th overall. The women’s 40+ race saw a new face on the podium. Lisa Pechin (San Diego Track Club) won her first race of the series in a lightning fast time of 32:49, fast enough to place her 12th in the open division. The Jamul Toads and San Diego Track Club won the men’s and women’s 40+ team titles, respectively. Proving that the master’s runners are some of the finest athletes in the Dirt Dog series, the 50+ races were won by Adam Weiner (JH Cohn) in 28:16 and Kim Rouse (JH Cohn) in 34:59. Both led the JH
The Ursula Rains Balboa Boogie 5K marked the halfway point of the 2009 Dirt Dog series. The relatively fast 5K course offered runners a chance to show off the fitness and speed they have gained as the season has progressed. Nazario Romero (adidas Movin’ Shoes) established himself once again as the front-runner with his time of 15:25. He led the adidas Movin’ Shoes charge, and was followed by Sean Zanderson in second (15:36) and Paul Wellman (15:42) in third. The strong efforts of the adidas Movin’ Shoes team earned them a clear victory in this race. Lesley Paterson (K-Swiss Misses) not only showed off her speed with her time of 17:22, but also her consistency in winning her third race of the season. KC Meehan (adidas Movin’ Shoes) finished second in 17:50, with teammate Dianna Chivakos right behind in 18:02. Unlike the men who have consistently seen the same two teams battle for the top spot, several different teams have won the women’s races. The JH Cohn women joined the mix in taking their first victory this season. The women’s team competition will be a true battle come Nov. 14. Jim Walsh (JH Cohn) ran 16:47 to win the masters 40+ race, but his victory wasn’t enough to halt the strong teamwork of Running Center/BSK, who won the 40+ team race. On the ladies’ side, Laura Stuart’s winning effort of 19:07 solidified the JH Cohn 40+ victory. The 50+ individual and team races were also won by JH Cohn runners: Adam Weiner finished in 17:17 and Kim Rouse ran 21:20, to lead the way and showcase the incredible depth and talent that this master’s team has.
Full results at www.sdusatf.org/ldr.html
Cougar Challenge CSU San Marcos; Oct. 17 The Cougar Challenge 5K and 8K held at California State University, San Marcos Series leader Joey Bonfiglio (#156) and KC Meehan.
26 c t & r n • n o v e m b e r – d e c e m b e r 2 0 0 9
David Kloz
David Kloz
Ursula Rains Balboa Boogie 5K Balboa Park, Morley Field; Oct. 3
stands out among the other Dirt Dog series venues. While the cross country course features a variety of terrain including dirt and grass, it’s primarily known as a fast course. And not just fast by Dirt Dog standards, this course is truly one to set a PR on! The action began with the women’s 5K, which, true to form, featured fast times. Joey Bonfiglio (Running Center/BSK) took her first win of the season in 17:26. Dianna Chivakos (adidas Movin’ Shoes) finished second in 17:46, and Morgan Sjogren (Running Center/BSK) ran 17:57 to join Joey in the top 3 and secure a win for the Running Center/BSK ladies. Laura Stuart (JH Cohn) won the women’s 40+ race in 18:32 and Teri Fitzgibbons (JH Cohn) ran an amazing 20:49 to win the 50+ race. JH Cohn won the team titles in both women’s master’s races, as well. The runners in the men’s 8K took full advantage of the fast three-loop course. Nazario Romero set the standard by finishing in a course record time of 24:27. The previous record of 24:41 was held by Okwaro Raura (Running Center/BSK). Sean Zanderson (adidas Movin’ Shoes) finished second in 24:49 and Marco Venacio (adidas Movin’ Shoes) helped the team sweep the top-3 and earn the victory by running 24:59. This team looks ready to face the competition at the Dirt Dog final on Nov. 14. Jim Walsh (JH Cohn) won the 40+ race in 27:12 and Adam Weiner (JH Cohn) took charge of the 50+ division in 27:42. The master’s races featured split victories with Running Center/BSK winning the 40+ race and JH Cohn winning the 50+ race. The Dirt Dog series makes its final regular season stop at the Cuymaca 6K on Oct. 31 before the Dirt Dog Championship final at Morley Field on Nov.14. L
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Youth/Prep News San Diego Imperial Association Recap of the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships July 27–August 2; Greensboro, NC
When the medals were awarded, a number of San Diego Imperial Association athletes had run, jumped, thrown, and vaulted their way onto the awards stand at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, North Carolina, the site of the National Junior Olympic Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Twenty-five athletes from the San Diego Imperial Association, many accompanied by their coaches, parents, and family, traveled the 2,125-mile distance to join an estimated 7,000 participants. San Diego Imperial Association athletes competing at the Irwin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T turned in some fine performances and represented themselves, their teams, their association, and Region 15 well. Eleven athletes returned home with the much coveted National Junior Olympic Championships medal, which was awarded to the top eight finishers in each event. Those who didn’t medal gained some valuable
Courtesy Michael Adkins
Below ‘N Step Youth Track Club Bantam Girls’ 4x100m relay team: l–r Jaida Payne, Zaire Bankhead, Zion White, Aliyah Campbell.
Courtesy Michael Adkins
FROM MICHAEL ADKINS SDI/USATF YOUTH CHAIR
Second fom left Michael Adkins, ‘N Step Youth Track Club on the awards stand at the National Junior Olympics, Youth Boys 800m. Michael finished 5th with a personal best time of 2:05.39. experience in competing at a national level. Overall, San Diego Imperial Association athletes and coaches enjoyed one of their best years at the national meet. The ‘N Step Youth Track Club was represented by two Bantam Girls relay teams. Zaire Bankhead, Aliyah Campbell, Jaida Payne, and Zion White picked up National Junior Olympic hardware in the 4x100 meter relay, racing around the track to a 6th-place finish in a time of 56.72. The same quartet just barely missed qualifying for the 4x400 meter relay finishing just one spot out of the finals with a 9th-
place overall finish. Competing for the Millennium Express Youth Track Club in the Bantam Boys division, Dominque Williams advanced to the 100m finals. Williams turned on the speed to a thirdplace finish in the finals with a time of 13.63. Zach Podraza, also of Millennium Express Youth Track Club, jumped his way to the awards stand in the Midget Boys high jump. Podraza jumped 1.45 meters, which was good for 6th place. Rebekah Bosler, competing for the San Diego SoCal RoadRunner Youth Running Club, competed in a field of 23 Youth Girls in the 3000m run and outdistanced the majority on her way to capturing 3rd place with a time of 10:32.87. Bosler’s teammate, Abigail Callahan, vaulted her way to tie for 7th place in the Youth Girls pole vault by clearing 2.40 meters. Callahan claimed a second medal by placing 2nd in the high jump event where she jumped 1.60 meters. Michael Adkins II, a sprinter on the ‘N Step Youth Track Club, stepped up to the 800m run in the Youth Boys division. Adkins, a threetime National Junior Olympic Championships qualifier (at 200m in 2005, 400m in 2007, and 800m in 2009), earned his first National Junior Olympic medal with a 5th-place finish clocking a season and personal best time of 2:05.39. Grant Zebold, competing in the Youth Boys division and a member of Millennium Express Youth Track Club, continued his winning ways, medaling in all four of his events. Zebold finished 3rd in the outdoor pentathlon with a point total of 2807; 7th in the high jump, clearing a height of 1.70 meters; 7th in the 200m Continued next page.
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Youth/Prep News continued from page 27
YOU CAN BECOME A MORE EFFECTIVE TRACK & FIELD COACH! Dec. 19–20, 2009 USATF Level 1 Coaching School* Location: Sacramento City College Contact: dshrock@pacbell.net Jan. 16–17, 2010 USATF Level 1 Coaching School* Location: Chabot College, Hayward Contact: dshrock@pacbell.net
Abigail Callahan (Youth Girl, San Diego SoCal RoadRunners) tied for 7th place in the pole vault and placed 2nd in the high jump at the JOs. (Unattached), 17th in the Intermediate Girls triple jump; and Ryan Morgan (San Diego Blessed), 28th in the Young Men’s 400m.
2009 Cross Country Season FROM MICHAEL ADKINS, YOUTH CHAIR After a successful outdoor track & field season, cross country takes center stage for the San Diego Imperial Association. Once again, the dominant San Diego SoCal RoadRunner Youth Running Club will look to continue their strong tradition of developing some of the very best youth cross country athletes in the nation. Head coach Mike Mena has produced several USATF National Junior Olympic team champions and All Americans during his illustrious USATF youth club career, which began when he founded the RoadRunners in 1994. Many of Mena’s athletes have gone on to compete at a high level in the San Diego High School Section of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and at colleges around the country. Mena, also a local high school coach, was named by the San Diego Imperial Association as a 2008 Coach of the Year (see September/October 2009 edition of California Track & Running News). The RoadRunners look to duplicate their efforts from a year ago when they captured 4 national titles at the National Junior Olympics Cross Country Meet in four age group divisions (Bantam Boys, Bantam Girls, Midget Girls, and Youth Girls). The San Diego SoCal RoadRunners will host their annual meet on Nov. 1 at Kit Carson Park in Escondido, which will be the site of the
Courtesy Michael Adkins
hurdles turning in a time of 26.91 meters; and 8th in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.52. Lastly, Devin Hickey of the North County Stallions, who was the Youth Boys bronze medalist in the 100m hurdles at the 2008 National Junior Olympic Championships, moved up to the Intermediate Division this year and demonstrated that he can run with the best. Hickey was the class of the field returning home as the gold medalist in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.59. Other athletes making the trip to Greensboro included Jaiden Phillips (Flo Jo International), 12th overall in the Bantam Girls 100m; Anastasia Armendariz (Unattached) in the Midget Girls discus; Jael Wyatt (Flo Jo International), 9th in the Midget Girls 1500m race walk; Spencer Dodds (San Diego SoCal RoadRunners), 17th in the Midget Boys 3000m run; Victoria Branch (Flo Jo International) in the Youth Girls 3000m race walk; Hadiyah Muhammad (‘N Step), 19th in the Youth Girls triple jump; Billy Hoffer (Unattached), 16th in the Youth Boys javelin; Jalen Wyatt (Flo Jo International), 21st in the Youth Boys discus; Asia Adkins (‘N Step), 12th in the Intermediate Girls shot put; Riley Mack (San Diego Cheetahs), 12th in the 800m and 20th in the 1500m run competing in the Intermediate Girls Division; Shayna Stein
Association Championships on Nov. 15. The San Diego Imperial Association will welcome the Southern California and Nevada Associations when it hosts the Regional Cross Country Championships on Nov. 22, also at Kit Carson Park. Top finishers will vie for the right to compete at the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships to be held in Reno on Dec. 12. L
Santa Barbara’s Club West Honored FROM BEVERLEY LEWIS
Jan. 23, 2010 (Saturday) VS Athletics Nor-Cal Super Clinic Location: Sacramento City College Contact: Peanut Harms (peanut@vsathletics.com)
Many of the state’s top coaches will provide invaluable information to add to your season’s success. Format will be similar to that of the USATF SuperClinic, with speakers in the following event areas: sprints/hurdles, distances, long & triple jumps, pole vault & high jumps, and throws. For complete information on all of these school and clinics, visit www.pausatf.org and click on the Coaches link.
City of Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation Department’s Recreation Supervisor Terry Brown (2nd from right) presents Club West president Beverley Lewis (2nd from left) with the City of Santa Barbara Proclamation of Olympic Day signed by Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum. The proclamation designated June 23, 2009 as Olympic Day with June 20, 2009 being the anniversary of the founding of the modern Olympic movement. This represented the date on which the Congress of Paris approved the proposal of Pierre de Coubertin to found the modern Olympics. Santa Barbara was but one of hundreds of cities across the country who joined together to show their support for bringing the Olympic Games to Chicago for 2016. Joining in the presentation is Club West Vice President Robin Paulsen (far left) and Club West Board member and youth coach Kevin Young (far right). Club West, co-sponsored by the City of Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation Department, hosted the Club West All-County Youth Championships earlier this year at Santa Barbara City College, as well as Club West’s Masters and Open Meet in October at UC Santa Barbara.
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Courtesy Beverley Lewis
*Level 1 Coaching Schools are 21-hour certification schools that provide in-depth sports science and specific event instruction.
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I am proud to say the Pacific Association youth race walkers continued their successes in 2009. We may not have the quantity of walkers they have on the East Coast or in South Texas, but it’s hard to argue the quality the Pacific Association continues to have represent them. Santa Cruz Track Club hosted 2-time Olympian Tim Seaman and Jeff Salvage, noted author and sports photographer, to give their inaugural clinic in Santa Cruz back in February. The Pacific Association gave a scholarship for each of our youth to attend this outstanding 2day clinic. There were 9 children who benefited from their expertise in the sport, as well as their encouragement to strive to be the best they can be. Another outstanding clinic was held and paid for by a development grant given by USATF to the Pacific Association for youth race walking. National team member and 50K American recordholder Susan Armenta led a group of 20+ walkers at Granada HS in June. Susan continues to be one of our chief supporters and an outstanding role model. The Sorensen duo of Tyler, 15, and Nicolette, 13, sets the bar for the entire country to follow. Could we potentially have brother/sister Olympians from the Pacific Association in our future? Even though Tyler had focused to enter the world of freshman high school track, his elite junior status showed with his outstanding indoor and outdoor race walking season. Some of Tyler’s 2009 highlights include Millrose Games, 6th place, 6:37, 1-mile, new national freshman record; 15K Perona Cup, 1st place, new junior national record; Nike Indoor Nationals, 2nd place; National Scholastic Indoor Championships, 1st place; and 10K Junior National Championship, 2nd place. Nicolette is a seasoned veteran and hard pressed to find anyone in her age group to challenge her. She continues to find those challenges among the high school girls much older than she, as well as crushing her personal goals. She also is an avid runner and valued teammate for Pleasanton Heat. I think it’s also amazing that every year she has competed in the Junior Olympics in race walking, she has walked away with the gold medal and now is a 6-time national champion. We look forward to next year as she enters the junior ranks. Some of Nicolette’s highlights include Nike Indoor Nationals, 4th place; National Scholastic Indoor Championships, 8th place; Junior Olympics, 1st place, Youth Girls, 6-time national champion. Several other noteworthy race walk ath-
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letes have emerged, including Lila Haba, 13, with LSI Sprint. Lila earned the gold medal two years in a row at the Youth Nationals. She also walked a close second behind Nicolette to take the silver medal at the Junior Olympics two years in a row. These are my 1–2 stars in the youth girl category. Lila will also be competing with the Juniors next year. Could we see a 1–2 finish at Junior Nationals next year? They’ll be the youngest competitors, but their technique and drive to win just might carry them to success. Entering the Midget Girl category was 2time national Bantam champion Caitlin Palacio from LSI Sprint. Caitlin walked away with gold once again, to become a 3-time national champion. Caitlin’s superior technique puts her in a class of her own. This 11-year-old tells me her goal for 2010 at the JO in Sacramento is to break the Midget Girl national record in front of her home state crowd. Daimon Todd from Umoja TC stepped up to a new distance of 3000m as a Youth boy. Daimon’s smooth technique and desire to win brought him his third silver medal at this year’s Junior Olympics. He had won the previous silver medals as a Midget boy at the 1500m distance. I know Daimon will work that much harder next year to go after the gold. Newcomer to the sport and first-year Bantam boy Jason Gomez (LSI Sprint) surprised even me. Jason is an outstanding runner and has a tremendous drive to win, amazing for a boy so young who took on the challenge of learning this technique-driven sport. Jason was disqualified in the first race he walked back in February, but at the Junior Olympics in July, he took home the silver medal and was only 6 seconds away from the gold. The athletes I have mentioned will no doubt earn the distinction of making the National Race Walk Honor Roll this year. We have others who participated in race walking throughout the year and we look forward to working with them again next year. I have appreciated tremendously the cooperation of the parents and those clubs willing to make race walking part of their track regime. I think we would have more clubs willing to have their kids give this sport a try if they understood how it needed to be coached. I’m willing to help with that task by providing teaching tools, videos, or even site visits to help you build your team. The outstanding results displayed by the Pacific Association race walking teams show we can bring that success to your race walk team too. Please feel free to contact me via email at boopwalk@yahoo.com or phone me at 831.588.0858. L
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