FOOTPRINT Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers
April 2007
www.runnersandwalkers.com
Bold in the Cold Lives Up to Its Name T
he 2007 Bold in the Cold 5K and 15K, held on January 13th, certainly had plenty of both, cold temperatures and bold souls. Mother Nature threatened the 9th annual LGRAW event with rare winter thunderstorms and freezing temperatures, but race directors John Bush and Mike Evans determined that “The race must go on.” Fortunately the predicted ice storm did not materialize. However, cold temperatures and sporadic downpours made conditions, well, let’s just say, miserable.
Gloria Bush makes sure race registration is all in order.
brightest stars at this year’s event. In the 5K run, the first female across the finish line was ten-year-old
John Bush and Thomas Goodwin are “bold in the cold” with pre-dawn water duty.
Soaking downpours and 33 degree temperatures occurred both before the 8:00 AM starting gun and after the awards ceremony, making set up and tear down duties very challenging. In fact, heavy rains washed out a portion of the 15K course in the early morning hours requiring course supervisor, Ray Harris and his team to scramble with a last minute effort to repair the area and make it safe for all the runners. All of RAW’s seasoned volunteers demonstrated their commitment and toughness and proved the old post office motto is still alive and well, “Nor rain or sleet or hail or snow.”
Over 195 runners braved the gloomy conditions, coming from as far as Oklahoma, to participate in the club’s traditional winter race. They were blessed as the rain held off throughout both runs. The RAW volunteers were not as Kelly Richards and Courtney Noell fortunate however. manning an aid station.
The younger entrants were the
The emcee with the golden voice, Dave Aungst, provides race highlights.
Molly Tucker. The first male was 17-year-old Britt Koester. In the 15K run, the first female finisher was Tara Upshaw, age 15, and the first male finisher was RAW’s very own, Mark Miller. Thanks to our participants, sponsors and volunteers who made the 2007 Bold in the Cold event a great success, despite the unfavorable conditions.
Mike Eccleston, Hèléne Walker and Mike Evans say the safe way is the only way.
Thank you to all our Sponsors and Volunteers!
Lake Grapevine runners & walkers Club P.O. Box 2982 Grapevine, TX 76099
K2 to you
rAw board and Committees PreSIDent | Kelly Richards KellyR@RunnersAndWalkers.com vICe PreSIDent | Jeff Barnhart JeffB@RunnersAndWalkers.com SeCretAry | Steve Rush SteveR@RunnersAndWalkers.com treASurer | Craig Minyard CraigM@RunnersAndWalkers.com DIreCtorS
Susan Barnett
SusanB@RunnersAndWalkers.com
John Bush
JohnB@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Tony Flesch
TonyF@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Henry Galpin
HenryG@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Cindy Lee
CindyL@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Thomas Okazaki
ThomasO@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Bridget Smith
BridgetS@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Footprint eDItor
Kevin Wessels
lgrawfootprint@verizon.net
DeSIGner | Lorraine Wessels ProDuCtIon | Doug Noell
As I said at the banquet on March 3, 2006 was a year of peaks and valleys for RAW. We’ve been to the mountain top before so that was nothing new. The trips back to the valley were pretty new to us. Fortunately due to the unrelenting commitment of the board and many others who volunteer their time, the club is stronger and better than ever. As we approach our 10th anniversary I believe the club is in a position to have the best year yet and the next decade will be even better than the last. I truly believe that and have a renewed sense of joy and excitement as I head into these last months as President of the club. I’m eager to kick off our 10th anniversary celebration which will include a 10k Fun Run on July 4th (this will be publicized and open to the public). Before then we have several RAW “favorites” coming up such as: mini-road trips to run Grasslands and Muenster, the Drive-In Movie Night, all long-standing traditions that once shared cement our friendships and create memories that we talk about for months and months. I hope you and your families can participate in many of these events. Our sport unites us as athletes, but it’s the social events that give us the opportunity to develop friendships with any and every member regardless of pace, ability or the distance covered on the trails. The social events are also a fun and non-intimidating opportunity for spouses, children and other loved ones to share in your running-life. Neither man nor woman can live on running alone so come join all the good times RAW has to offer! See you at the lake,
~K2
membership Data Doug Noell
MEMBER
MembershipData@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Calendar of Upcoming Events Check the RAWforum information on all club events: www.runnersandwalkers.com RAW Calendar Saturday & Sunday Walk/Run | 7am from the clubhouse Wednesday Trail Run | 7am from the clubhouse Friday Trail Run | 7am from the clubhouse Board Meeting | 4th Thursday of each month 7pm at the clubhouse
Upcoming Events Saturday Night Live | 1st Saturday of every month April 7th, 5pm Lazy Bones, Grapevine May 5th, 5pm Amore’s, Grapevine June 2nd, 5pm, Esparza’s, Grapevine Drive-In Movie Night | April 21st at the Clubhouse at dusk
To see what’s happening, log on to www.runnersandwalkers.com 2 FOOTPRINT | April 2007
Send your nomination to recognize a club member’s extra efforts to to susanb@runnersandwalkers.com.
This month, we tip our hat to Bridget Smith, banquet coordinator extraordinaire. Bridget worked tirelessly with her committee to ensure that our membership was entertained and well fed, and had plenty of fun as we looked back over 2006. By the time you read this, the banquet will be over, but the stories and memories will long be enjoyed around the clubhouse. Bridget has a knack for being creative and maintaining high spirits, and her enthusiasm is contagious. We are lucky that Bridget is willing to share her time and talent so that we can all enjoy another spectacular RAW banquet. Thank you, Bridget!
Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers would like to thank
for their continued support and partnership for our club. Their additional sponsorship of this year’s Mardi gRAW Banquet made the event even more special. Thank you so much, we appreciate all you do for us.
club turn-out A breakfast kicked off this new year to the highest weekend January attendance in the last 4 years. It was nice to see so many members enjoying the outdoors despite January’s and February’s cooler temperatures. Jan
Feb
Totals
No. of Members to Sign-in Weekends only
257
273
530
Total No. of Members Per Month
352
323
675
No. of Weekends
4
4
8
Closed Days
2
0
2
Missing Data Days No. of People Per Weekend Day
0
0
0
43
34
38
FOOTNOTES•FOOTNOTES•FOOTNOTES•FOOTNOTES
Giving back to the sport
CONGRATULATIONS • To Ray and Susan Harris who were presented Volunteer Service Awards on behalf of the DFW Directors Association and Texas Recreation and Parks Society (TRAPS) for their lengthy and monumental cleanup of the Grapevine Lake shoreline. THOUGHTS & PRAYERS • To the Ball family as David’s mother battles cancer. • To Steve Grady and his family as Steve’s father recovers from a recent illness. • To all of our RAW service members stationed overseas. CONDOLENCES • To Kelly “K2” Richards on the death of her Grandmother. THANK YOU • To all of our volunteers who helped with the Mardi gRAW Banquet. • To all of our volunteers who put out water and sports drink for the weekend runs. We appreciate each and every one of you. RAWear • Get the latest in RAW signature wear. See Kelly “K2” Richards to purchase tops, shorts and accessories. LOST & FOUND • Items in the Lost & Found are piling up! If you’ve left something at the clubhouse please check to see if we’ve found it. All unclaimed items are in the white cabinet along the north wall of the clubhouse. Deadline for the June FOOTPRINT is May 1st. Send your articles to lgrawfootprint @verizon.net Send your news for the footnotes to President@RunnersandWalkers.com
April 2007 |
FOOTPRINT 3
Austin to Boston The 2007 Austin Marathon By Laurie Lukanich
I
’ve never written a race recap for the Footprint before, but I wanted to share my experience and feelings about the new Austin Marathon course. For starters, it was a perfect day all around. Not many of those come along, as we all know, so I’m still writing this with a slight glow in my heart. The race started at 7:00 a.m., the temperature around 37 degrees. Since my cutoff temperature for tights vs. shorts was 42 degrees, I decided to be a bad ass this one morning and go for the shorts. It turned out to be a great decision. My husband, Jim, said he would wear tights if it were him, so being the perfect wife that I am, I did the opposite. I also did the unthinkable for me and ran the first 6 miles without music just to get the feel of the race and enjoy the sights and sounds of the city. These first I had tears in my eyes and finally got that four-second monkey off my back…I was “bona fide” and going to the Boston Marathon for real. miles went by very quickly, and soon I was at mile 10 and saw the sign that said “10 miles down, Hell to Go.” I laughed and turned up my music. I took that as a personal challenge. Typically for me, miles 15 through 19 prove to be the most difficult as I always feel like I am just biding my time, focusing on my pace and my body, waiting for the first ache or pain. This day was different and I checked my pace every three to four miles and saw that I was holding an 8:50+ pace each time. I kept telling
4 FOOTPRINT | April 2007
myself to slow down and thought I was until I checked my Garmin and saw the same thing again. This ability to just watch yourself run minute after minute, almost like a machine or wind-up toy, never fails to amaze me. The miles were ticking away. I had looked forward to this race and now it was almost over. I couldn’t believe it. I was just having too much fun. Mile 22 was about the time I started feeling a little tired. I had to work harder to stay focused and I started doing the mantra “just keep moving, just keep moving” in my head. I started singing to myself (it may have been out-loud, who knows) and that helped. I saw other runners stopping and it made me run harder as I wished them luck to myself. I felt that urge to stop dead in my tracks once around mile 24, but kept on going and told my brain to ignore that little message, and it did. At mile 25 1/2 I saw this person with really long, wavy, blond hair in the distance yelling my name and it was Kelly “K2” Richards! What a pleasant surprise. She was cheering for me and I knew I was almost home. The best part of the race was circling around to the front of the Texas Capitol building and running full-blast downhill to the finish on Congress Avenue. What a great finish. Spectators were cheering on both sides of the street and it felt like a mini Boston. I was smiling the whole time. My finish time was 3:55:21. I had tears in my eyes and finally got that four-second monkey off my back from Chicago. This time I was “bona fide,” as I told Jim, and was going to the Boston Marathon for real. Later, I found out I placed 24th out
Laurie Lukanich runs to a personal record… and a qualifying time for the Boston Marathon.
of 192 in my age group (45-49), was in the top 17% of all women runners, and top 30% of all runners, male and female. I felt like I had accomplished my goal. Later, at the post-race party at the Hyatt, K2 told me I looked like I was really having a good time when she saw me at the finish, and I was. This is what all the training was for, so I could enjoy my race and not just suffer through it. There is a huge difference, since I have run this distance both ways. Every mile from 1 to 26 was special and I lived in the moment the entire time. As for the new course, yes, there were some hills, the most obvious being the one right at the end, but if you train at the lake or anywhere in our communities that have mild hills, you will be fine. Thanks to everyone at LGRAW for your ongoing support and for being such a great running club, and to Jim, my loving husband and coach.
ELECTION NEWS
What to be a RAW Board Member? The Election Committee is looking for club members interested in running for the four officer (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer) and seven director positions. All positions begin and end in July and are for a one-year term. A list of officer and director duties can be found in the club bylaws, located in the RAW clubhouse. The bylaws are in a purple binder on the table with the racing forms, running books and magazines. You can also contact any officer or director with questions about these duties. Candidates are to provide a brief statement explaining who they are, along with a photo. Arrangements for taking photographs of the candidates can be made by contacting Jeff Barnhart. The candidate’s statement and photo will be posted on the LGRAW website for the purpose of
identifying them to the voting membership. This information will also be posted and/or read at the July 4th elections. A list of potential candidates must be finalized 30 days prior to the elections. Interested candidates must have their names submitted to the RAW Election Committee by Monday, June 4. If you are interested in running, please submit your name for candidacy to ElectionCommittee@ RunnersandWalkers.com
RAW Annual Meeting & Elections The RAW annual meeting and elections will take place on July 4, 2007. All members in good standing are encouraged to vote. An individual membership gets one vote and a family membership gets two. Members can vote by proxy between June 4th and July 1st. To get proxy voting instructions and a ballot, contact Steve Rush at SteveR@ RunnersandWalkers.com
Looking for volunteers! Hound Dog Hustle is around the corner! This family race with kids and dogs, is great fun for all! Join the fun and volunteer! Contact Rick Sanford at sanfordrick@verizon.net.
April 2007 |
FOOTPRINT 5
RAW off to the Races White Rock-N-Roll 5 miler May 5 - 8 a.m.
Keep your RAW membership current
Winfrey Point at White Rock Lake www.whiterocknroll.com
This is a fun one! The run is followed by a post race party and concert featuring Hard Night’s Day, a Beatles cover band. They are awesome! Your concert ticket and party entry are included with registration. Bring a dry shirt and your sunscreen and lets have some fun!
The End of a Streak By Jeff “Barney” Barnhart
I
simply call it, “The Streak,” not to be mistaken for the 1970s Ray Stevens’ song named, “The Streak,” which was about a streaker. The word “streak” has many definitions, but the one I would like to review is that of an uninterrupted series. I heard of a story where a runner had run every day for 10 years and this “streak” of running consecutive days just started with him wanting to run every day. The current record of consecutive days running a mile or more as documented by the United States Running Streak Association is 14,101 days or approximate 38.6 years as of 3/1/2007 by Mark Covert of Lancaster, California. A streak can be defined as the number of consecutive days, or number of weekends, or number of races, or as in the following example, the number of years running a specific event. In an example highlighted in a recent issue of Runner’s World, there is a group of streakers at the New York City Marathon. At the top of the list is Rick Shaver, who completed his 30th consecutive one in 2006 and shows no sign of stopping any time soon. This brings me to my personal streak of consecutive Hood-toCoast Relays. Anyone who has run with me knows about my passion for this event. It all started in 1994 with my wife, Lynn, and me being asked to be substitutes for a good friend’s team. The first race led to a second and then a third, and 2006 marked number 13. I never dreamed of running this many and did not intend for the race to become my “streak,” but it did.
RAW now offers on-line renewals (and new memberships) through Active.com. http://www.active.com/event_detail. cfm?event_id=1310038 Of course you can still renew at the clubhouse or through the mail. Fill out the membership application on pg. 23 and drop it off or send it in.
Hood-to-Coast Relay streak is going to end at 13. Why you might ask? Was it an injury or health problem forcing me to stop running, a conflict with the event, etc.? No. Unfortunately the reason is that the team was not one of the 1,000 teams selected for the 2007 race. You may again ask, “How could this be?” For the Hood-to-Coast Relay, the entry process is very simple: (1) get your entry postmarked on the designated day of entry, (2) send it to the Hood-to-Coast office, and (3) pray you are one of the teams selected in the random lottery. For me this was the first year my team was not selected. The other aspect of the streak is to attempt to do anything to keep it alive. With Rick Shaver, his streak almost came to an end during one of his first NYC Marathons after passing out from heat exhaustion just a half mile from the finish. After being revived, he asked for his shoes and finished. As far as my attempts to keep it alive, they ranged from working with some of the key players within the race, writing a letter, and looking at other teams to find a van (two vans make up each team) to take over to place me and some of the team on, but again, no luck.
When I ran my 9th race, I was asked by Lynn, how many more years was I going to run this race? I said then I want to make 10, but then 10 turned into 11 and 12. Finally this past year, when getting ready for my 13th, I was asked if I would ever stop. My answer was, “Probably not until I don’t get in.”
So, after all these attempts during the last three months, I have finally determined it was meant to be and as all streaks, this one will come to an end. I am grateful for the 13 years where I did not miss a race and kept the streak alive. I guess the only consolation I have is I was able to make it to 13 years and the number of runners in this group is very small to say the least.
This, of course, brings us to the title of the story, “End of a Streak.” This year it appears from all indications my
Will I run this race again, you bet! Next year will hopefully mark race one in a new streak.
6 FOOTPRINT | April 2007
Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Trail Race By Jack Hase The Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Trail Race was held in early February in Huntsville State Park. The 100 mile course has five identical laps of 20 miles each. There are 6 aid stations at 3 to 4 mile intervals. There are 3 sections of out and back. The longest out and back starts at the Dam Road aid station and goes out 3 miles to the Far Side Aid Station and comes back to Dam Road. The Dam Road aid station is the only place out on the loop to leave a drop bag. This year the North Texas Trail Runners (NTTR) was in charge of the Dam Road Aid Station. Friday before the race I took a half day off work so I could get to Huntsville by 4:00. I met Troy Pruett at the race briefing and we ate together. We talked briefly to Scott Eppelman while standing in line for dinner. I knew Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki was coming down later and I never saw Sam Thompson before the race. The briefing was nice although it did not really have much info you couldn’t figure out for yourself after running one time around the course. Dinner was good. I got my drop bag ready and left it to be taken to the Dam Road aid station. Mostly it contained an extra of everything I had at the start/finish just in case something happened in the middle of one of the loops. After reading a bunch of race reports my plan was something like 3:30 for the 1st lap, 3:45 for the 2nd, 4:00 for the 3rd, 5:00 for the 4th, and anything under 6:00 for the 5th lap, for a total time of about 22 hours. I would be happy with anything under 24 (you get a special award for that). The cut-off time was 30 hours, which was noon the next day. Originally I thought I should be able to do this in 20 hours, but tales of the last two laps made me rethink things. Mile 0 – 20: We started off running slowly in a tight group. It was still dark so most people had their lights. There was a lot of uphill in the first mile, but the group I was in didn’t walk. This happened to me a lot in the first loop. I got caught up in a group and ended up running some uphills I should have walked. The 1st aid station was crowded and I was in and out so fast I forgot to get something to eat. I finished the first loop in 3:31. Miles 21 – 40: I finished the second loop in 3:48. I did more walking, but was still running up some hills. I started feeling really bad after mile 26. I had a headache and little pains bugging me. The headache may have been caused by the bright sunlight and dark shadows under the trees. It had a
strobe effect. After the 2nd loop I decided to take some Advil and change my socks. The course was boggy in places, but you could get around the puddles if you were careful. This was the fist time I sat down in 40 miles. The transition time was about 9 minutes. Miles 41 – 60: The 3rd loop was 4:10 (including the 9 minutes sitting in the van). I was happy with that. The sitting or the Advil made me feel better. Or maybe it was just the ultra marathon mantra of “push through the bad times – it will get better.” On this loop I definitely walked all the uphills. This was probably how fast I should have run the first two loops. Out on the Far Side section someone has added a great big hill that wasn’t there the first two loops. My 50 mile time was about 9 hours. It was now about 5:30 PM and would be dark in less than an hour. Miles 61 – 80: The 4th loop was 4:45. It started with sitting in the van for ten minutes, changing my shirt, putting on a sweatshirt, getting my lights together, phoning home, and getting my pills organized. This is one place where having a crew who knew your needs would be helpful. I was starting to get a little stupid and remembering everything was tough. This was the loop that everyone says things start falling apart. The Advil was so helpful after the 1st loop I brought some along. I also packed some caffeine tablets to take later. The temperature at 6AM was in the upper 20s. It warmed up to about 50 during the day, but it was starting to cool down. I put hand warmers back in my gloves and with a sweatshirt on I started off too hot, but that was better than being too cool at mile 75. I started off feeling OK. I managed to make it most of the way to the 1st Aid Station without using my light. In the dark, the Far Side section seemed to have almost no runnable places. It seemed to be uphill both ways and when it was flat, it was too sloppy to run. During the day you could pick out a line to run, but I couldn’t seem to do it in the dark. What downhills there were seemed too steep to run. I started feeling bad again. I think this is why everyone hates this section, not just because it is a long out and back, but that it falls during the spots in the race where people tend to have problems. I made it back to Dam Road and took my Advil and caffeine pills. Surprisingly, I started feeling better. I started doing quite a bit of running and finished this loop feeling good. It was almost 40 minutes slower than my 3rd loop. This running in the dark thing was hard and cost me about 2 minutes per mile.
Jack Hase executes his race plan to perfection and his first 100-mile finish.
Miles 81 – 100: The 5th loop was 5:24. This time, transition took 13 minutes. It was 10:30 at night and I was really feeling stupid. I wasn’t cold, but I changed back into tights anyway. I changed shoes and socks again because I took my shoes off. I tried taking some more caffeine, but there was no bounce this time. In fact, I think it made me a little nauseated. I ran a little for the first 5 miles of this loop. Then, I started to feel like I had a wrinkle on the bottom of my sock that I couldn’t fix. By Dam Road I realized it was a blister. This time I walked all the way to Far Side and back. I thought about stopping and having my blister popped by the NTTR folks at Dam Road, but at this point, finishing seemed more important. This may have been a point where a pacer could have offered some clearer ideas on the matter. I ran a little bit more, but gave up and walked it in for the last six miles. I did the math and realized the difference between a running pace of 14 minutes per mile and a walking pace of 18 minutes per mile would only get me to the finish 15 or 20 minutes sooner. At this point, it just became tedious. Things hurt, my blister was jabbing at me, and it was way past my bedtime. I wasn’t sleepy, but I was moving like a zombie. I wasn’t even able to run the last downhill mile into the finish. I finally put on a little shuffle and crossed the finish line at 21:40. That gave me 27th place out of 242 starters and 169 finishers (a very typical 69% finisher rate). I moved up almost 50 places from the 10 mile point, but if I had held it together at the end and finished 20 minutes faster, I would have moved up to 20th place. I have no interest in doing this again. However, now 50 miles seems like a very reasonable distance. April 2007 |
FOOTPRINT 7
On Your Mark! Playing the Game
By Mark Miller, 2005 RRCA Southern Region Runner of the Year
While at the University of North Texas, I had the good fortune to be coached by Greg Lautenslager, a four time Olympic Trials participant and former running columnist for the Dallas Morning News. He has an encyclopedic-knowledge of the sport and speaks with an Elmer Fudd stutter. While I was in the process of doing something dumb in a race (which was often), I would hear Coach Lautenslager yell, “P-p-play the game, M-M-Miller, p-p-play the game!” He was reminding me to use smart race tactics. When two runners are equally matched, the one using superior tactics will usually come out on top. Here are some tactics I’ve picked up over the course of miles that may help you discover the excitement, and even fun, of the “game” of road racing: 1. Don’t go out like a bat out of hell. This is the number one mistake most inexperienced (and many experienced) runners make. The longer the race, the more important it is to start conservatively. It has been said that for every second you run the first mile too fast, you’ll slow down by ten seconds in the second half of the race. 2. Draft. When you find yourself running near another competitor, run slightly behind and off his or her shoulder. Running in another person’s wind current, even on a calm day, conserves significant physical and mental energy. Let someone else be the hunted - you be the hunter!
bit. After they pass (and you’re no longer in their sight), throw in a surge and surprise them by narrowing the gap when they were expecting you to slow down. 6. Run the shortest distance between two points. No, don’t cut the course! Do run the shortest distance ON the course. By running the tangents and staying close to the turns, you may be able to run a 10K while your less efficient competitor runs a 10.1K. 7 Don’t take the lead until you’re sure you can hold it to the end. If you’re not reasonably certain that you can stay in front of a runner to the finish, then continue to draft and relax while waiting for your opportunity.
3. Read your opponent. The signs of fatigue in another runner are obvious - they’re the same ones you display. Loud breathing, deteriorating form, eyes fixed on the ground. These are signs that your opponent is hurting and vulnerable. Now may be your opportunity to pass.
8 Stay relaxed. As Kevin Wessels wrote in the February 2007 Footprint, the more you relax, the faster you run. Sure, racing hurts. However, try to relax your jaw, shoulders, and arms. During those long painful moments in the middle of a race, I often repeat to myself, “relax, relax, relax.”
4. When you pass a runner, do so decisively. Before passing a runner, take a moment to relax and gather yourself. Then go around him or her quickly. Throw in a slight surge and try to mask your own signs of fatigue. Project good form, relaxed breathing, and a relaxed facial expression. Send the subliminal message that you’re taking the lead and you’re not giving it back.
9 When you see the finish line, you’re no longer a distance runner. Now you get to play sprinter! No matter how tired you are, let it rip in the last few meters. You never know how many runners you’ll be able to catch in the final straightaway (or how many of them might be in your age group!)
5. Sometimes, sending mixed signals is a useful tool. No, this is not dating advice. (Why would anyone come to me for that?) For example, when running an out and back course, you’ll get to look runners ahead of you in the eye. Not only does this let you read your opponent (see # 3), it allows you to send a reading of your own. At times, it can be useful to actually try to appear MORE tired than you are. Feigning excess fatigue may just let the leading runner believe that he or she can let up a
10 After the finish line, congratulate your fellow runners. Win or lose, shake your competitor’s hand. Let him or her know that you genuinely appreciate their effort. After all, their effort pushed you and helped make your performance even better! One of the unique aspects of running is that in a well-run race, all the runners benefit from the competition, not just the one who finishes first. Thank your fellow runners who helped raise your performance - whether your beat them or not.
These are just a few bits of gamesmanship that can increase your odds of finishing higher in a tight field. However, it is far more important to compete with honesty and to show respect for your fellow competitors. Remember, they’re helping to make you better! Long after everyone has forgotten who placed where, they’ll remember that you were a good sport. Gamesmanship is well and good, but sportsmanship means far more.
8 FOOTPRINT | April 2007
Highlights from Houston
Blaine Covington took 3rd Place (9-10 Age Division) Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens Squirrel Run 5K. That was just one of his running accomplishments in November 2006. Way to go, Blaine!
November 4, Flower Mound, TX
November 18, Flower Mound, TX
Blaine Covington: 24:27 Tina Covington: 25:49, 1st AG
Blaine Covington: 24:37, 2nd AG Tina Covington: 25:00, 2nd AG
breaking out 5K
November 11, Ft. Worth, TX
Ft. worth botanical Gardens Squirrel run 5K Blaine Covington: 25:05, 3rd AG
Dorothy’s Dash 5K
November 25, Ft. Worth, TX
Jingle bell run 5K
Blaine Covington: 24:25 Tina Covington: 25:02
RAW in the Kitchen By Bridget Smith
Adrienne and Carl Stipe stride for stride in Houston.
Dr. Chuck Kennard qualifies for Boston with a 3:28 finish.
Here is a recipe that is simple and quick to fix. Add grilled chicken, beef or any variety of other vegetables as desired. Serve it alongside a tossed green salad and a crisp white wine for a perfect light spring or summertime meal. Linguine with Mushrooms (4 servings / 4 WW points*) • 12 ounces Linguine, uncooked • 8 ounces button mushrooms • 8 ounces shiitake or oyster mushrooms • 1 tablespoon butter or margarine • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley • 1/2 cup low fat sour cream • 1/2 cup skim milk • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Members and guests of RAW, including Susan Barnett and her sister Ann Oglesby, relax and enjoy a delicious pre race pasta dinner in downtown Houston, at Mia Bella Trattoria, the night before the race.
Prepare linguine according to directions on package. While pasta is cooking, clean mushrooms and trim stems. (Remove all shiitake stems) Melt butter over low heat in a large skillet with a tight fitting lid. Add mushrooms and parsley. Cover skillet tightly and let mushrooms cook slowly until they are completely tender and liquid is released. Stir several times to make sure that mushrooms are not browning. Stir sour cream and milk in small bowl until smooth. Before draining pasta, add 1/4 cup of the cooking water to the sour cream mixture. Drain pasta and transfer it to the skillet with the mushrooms. Add the sour cream mixture and heat to boiling. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer one minute. Toss to distribute sauce.
*Point Values provided are unofficial and are based on my knowledge of Weight Watchers.
Please send recipe ideas and comments to bridgets@runnersandwalkers.com.
April 2007 |
FOOTPRINT 9
The 2007 Goofy Challenge: Disney World Half-Marathon and Marathon By Thomas “T.O” Okazaki
I
had always wanted to visit Disney World in Orlando. Now, here I was getting ready to run the Goofy Challenge. The “challenge” is a half-marathon on Saturday followed by the full Disney Marathon on Sunday. For both Kim Danahy and me, this was also our first trip to the “Sunshine State.” Mark Sparks also signed up for the Challenge, with the mercurial Duncan Stewart flying in later, with his family, for the marathon on Sunday. The weather was hot and humid on both race days. Welcome to Florida, right? At least on Saturday, it was overcast, but on Sunday, the sun beat down on the runners, especially those finishing later in the day. The start was very impressive. First, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck arrived on the stage to do their customary welcome and good luck pep talk. Then, when the starting gun fired, we got incredible fireworks. I could feel the heat of the flame throwers above me as I passed under the starting line scaffolding. It was still dark and the air was thick and humid. I knew then I did not want to be out on the course very long. The course was fast and flat, but my glasses were covered with condensation and it was difficult to see. The Disney characters were out in full force along the course on both days…Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck arrived on the stage to do their customary welcome and good luck pep talk The Disney characters were out in full force along the course on both days. Many delighted runners carrying a camera would stop and take a picture standing next to their favorite Disney characters. Several runners dressed up in various costumes. At one point in the marathon, I ran behind a lady dressed up as Minnie Mouse. The crowds loved it and cheered her on. There were some lonely stretches between the different theme parks, but runners were rewarded with crowd
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RAW’s “Goofy” runners (from left to right), Thomas Okazaki, Kim Danahy and Mark Sparks enjoy Orlando.
support and plenty of different sights after finally arriving at the next one. My favorite section was running down the middle of Main Street, with the early park visitors cheering us on. As we finished and made the last couple of turns, there was a joyous church choir singing, greeting the victorious runners as they headed home. The Disney Finisher medals are unique and as special as you can get. The Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse medals were awarded for completing the half and full marathons, respectively. The Goofy medals were given to those runners who completed both races on the same weekend. If you ever decide to sign up for the Goofy Challenge, it is highly recommended that you book a room as soon as possible. You have two choices of either staying inside or outside the park. The Disney All-Star hotels are the most affordable. They have a cafeteria, and offer the convenience of being able to get a shuttle bus or a monorail ride back to your room at almost any time of the day. The Goofy Challenge is a great destination event. A must do for all distance runners and Disney fans alike.
Celebrating My 50th Birthday By Attempting a 100 Miler By Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki “Birthday Boy.” That’s what was on the blue ribbon that Letha Cruthirds snuck into my race packet at the Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler. I smiled and chuckled. I just turned 50 that weekend and I was hoping to celebrate by running “double” my birthday miles at Huntsville State Park. As I pinned the ribbon on my race jacket, I felt confident I was more prepared this time to go the distance than at the Heartland 100 back in October. I ran two 50-milers and sandwiched in between them were several strong marathons. I felt confident I had the adequate base conditioning to complete the course in the 30-hour time limit. As it turned out, I was only able to cover 70 miles. So what happened? First of all, let me just say this: running 100 miles is not for the faint of heart. This is an event that must be taken very seriously. Make sure you do your homework. Study what you think you need to do to get ready. Formulate a good, solid game plan and execute it to the “T.”
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I went out way too fast at Rocky Raccoon. Of all the little mistakes I made that day, this was probably the worst. I went out too slow at the Heartland 100 and eventually did not make the cutoff time at 60 miles. I wanted very much to avoid the same thing happening again. In addition, I hoped to cover as much ground in daylight as possible because at night, the trails in Huntsville become more difficult to run fast on because of all the mud, tree roots and rocks. I also feel that the Montrail Hardrocks trail shoes I used that day were too heavy and stiff for the type of terrain I was running. One of my ultra running friends described it as driving a Hummer around downtown Dallas. After 60 miles, I wished I had brought my regular pair of marathon road shoes to switch them out. They offered more cushioning, were less stiff and more flexible. Next time, I will wear lighter road shoes with more cushioning for any runs over 50 miles. I will also pack extra pairs in my drop bags, perhaps using lighter shoes at the
start, then switching to one with more cushioning later. Finally, I feel the really cold weather was a factor. Both runners and volunteers suffered badly after sunset. It was much more difficult to get loose again, after taking walk breaks, and start running fast. After 20 hours and 70 miles, I had enough. I reached into my yellow drop bag one last time, and found that Letha snuck a birthday card inside, wishing me good luck. I sighed and thought of what might have been. For those who were not able to complete the 100 miles, you have a choice. You can either quit and say never again, or learn from the experience and try harder. I chose the latter. Today, I am glad that I, at least, made the attempt. Every effort is rewarded with important lessons learned, additional training mileage logged, new friends made, with moments and memories to last a lifetime. There will be other races! DNF should stand for “Did Nothing Fatal.” I lived to fight another day.
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Not only is this distance challenging physically, but you must be able to turn your mind off and not think how much further you have to go. This is especially
true, after you pass the half century mark. You must force yourself to think that you can conquer each mile, one step at a time.
MIZUNO SAUCONY ADIDAS NEW BALANCE April 2007 KEEN| FOOTPRINT PRANA 11
2007 LGRAW Annual Awards Banquet
M
By Joe Luccioni
T
he RAW Banquet and Awards night celebrating the accomplishments from 2006 was another successful RAW event. Numerous thanks go to the time and hard work put forward by Bridget Smith (Chair Lady) and her band of happy warriors (Thomas Okazaki, Kathryn Gleghorn, Cindy Lee, and yours truly). Just a few of the others who helped include Jeff Barnhart, who put the slide show together and was the operator of the projector, Noreen Henry, who printed all the award certificates, Tony Domeniec who lent us the
and all the security headaches that it presented, or Oprah Winfrey not to use the porta-potties, or the untim death of one the runners immediate the start of the 1997 race. Rick gen left some race entries for this year’s
Guest Speaker, Rick Nealis, pleads with Kelly Richards for a picture in the Footprint.
them, they could have gone on for hours. Their presentation was hilarious and very politically incorrect. Great job, guys! Since our club emcee, Dave Aungst, was unable to attend, I was chosen to emcee after 15 seconds of arm-twisting by the committee. Club awards were presented, followed by Jeff Barnhart who presented awards from the Double Trouble. Then, K2 presented the RRCA awards and other special awards.
Ken and Kristine Hall and Thomas Okazaki waiting for Spareribs and Mini Me.
projector, and Sonia Rochel, Byron Benoit’s sister who lives in Louisiana, who provided us with Mardi Gras beads which were a big hit. It was very impressive seeing that we all have another set of clothes besides our running/walking outfits. The ladies looked simply gorgeous and the guys, well…you’re just guys and still have a ways to go. The program was well-managed in that we came within minutes of meeting the time limit. Of course, the race clock had to be set up so that Kelly “K2” Richards would, and I’m happy to report, stay within the allotted time period. Spareribs (Gregory LaMothe) and Mini Me (Byron Benoit) put us in a 10-minute deficit. If a heckler in the audience hadn’t reminded
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The highlight of the evening was our guest speaker, Major Rick Nealis, race director U.S. Marine Corps Marathon. It was a very informal presentation, but one that demonstrated the difficulties that are associated with organizing the fourth largest
George Rivero, Chuck Kennard and Kevin Wessels just learned that Shiner was on tap.
marathon in the country. He shared many funny stories and serious challenges, such as when Vice President Al Gore decided to run
With drinks in hand and beads around their nec Marty Metzger and Jim Barnett are ready for
and the award
LGRAW Awards: Gunga Din Water Patrol Thomas Okazaki Most Miles Walked at Clubhou Men - Joe Luccioni Women - Tia Metzger Most Miles Run at Clubhouse Men - Thomas Okazaki Women - Kelly Richards “Extra! Extra! Read All About It Kevin and Lorraine Wessels Wow-zer Award Mark Sparks Tried & True Volunteers Ken MacInnes and Chris Rey “Thanks for the Memories” Jeff Barnhart “It’s been Real, and it’s been F (Race Directors for Fun Runs) Duct Tape Duet – John Bush 60 Minutes to Freedom – Hen Anti-Turkey Trot – Ken MacInne “And now for something comp different” Kayaking: Steve Rush Cycling: Marty Metzger Extra Mile Doug Noell Cleveland Ray Spirit Award Tony Flesch
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RAW Banquet quote-ables
wanting mely ely after nerously ’s
cks, Doug Keefe, Mardi gRAW!
“As much fun as Saturday night was, the highlight was breakfast on Sunday morning. Jack, Evans, Gloria and I heard many entertaining stories that weren’t quite ready for Saturday night primetime. By the way, how does Mike stay so thin? The guy can pack away the chips and salsa.” -Susan Barnett
Byron Benoit keeps Kelly Richards, Carl Stipe and Susan Barnett laughing with his “Mini Me” humor.
running of the marathon and he promised that we would have guaranteed acceptance. Thanks to all who attended. I know you enjoyed the event because of the many positive responses we have received.
d goes to… Recognition for Extraordinary Running Achievements Scott Eppelman
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RRCA Southern Region Awards: Runner of the Year Male Award of Merit – Jon Korte Award of Merit – Rick Hanson Runner of the Year Master Male Award of Merit – Ken Hall Runner of the Year Masters Female Bridget Smith Runner of the Year Female Mindi Rice Jerry Little Excellence in Journalism Small/Medium Club Newsletter Award First Runner Up - Kevin and Lorraine Wessels Club Writer Honorable Mention – Marty Metzger Honorable Mention – Thomas Okazaki Scott Hamilton Club President of the Year Award of Merit – Kelly Richards RRCA TX 10K State Championship Winners Overall Women’s Winner - Mindi Rice Women’s Masters Winner - Della Irby Women’s Grand Masters Winner - Ellen Kohn Overall Men’s Winner - Ken Hall Men’s Masters Winner - Craig Minyard Men’s Grand Masters Winner - Doug Keefe
From the moment I touched down at DFW to 26 hours later at my departure the Lake Grapevine RAW members made me feel so very WELCOME. Thank you for allowing me to get to meet new “friends”. I also enjoyed the opportunity to see your clubhouse and to take in a nice 6 mile run on Sunday morning. Madam President...you have a First class club…you all should feel proud. Semper Fidelis, Rick Nealis This was my first RAW banquet and I LOVED it. It was fun seeing everyone dressed up and receiving all their awards for their hard work and accomplishments…and can I just add that I feel I worked very hard to receive the whiner of the year award and I plan to do my best to insure that I receive it again next year!! -Mindi Rice The Mardi Gras beads we gave away at the door were like a light switch. They instantly put our members and guests into a festive mood. To the lovely ladies who said they preferred to “earn them”, thank you VERY much! -Chris Rehyer “My wife and I had a great time. The speakers were entertaining. The venue great. The food was delicious. The year in review and awards presentation were particularly inspiring. It is great to see how accomplished and active our RAW members are! Here’s looking to making great memories for next years event.” -Jason Anton This was my first banquet. My husband and I had a great time. Upon arriving, we moved over to the bar, got our beers and started chatting. He is not much of a runner, but enjoys beer, good people and a good time. (PR to him means Public Relations!) After about an hour .... “Umm,” he says to me, “I can see why you like this club.” RAW has a good, social bunch of people. Participation in RAW events is fun. Thanks, Ros Dalrymple Once again, another spectacular evening for LGRAW. I truly enjoyed spending some time at the clubhouse on Sunday with Major Rick - I think he enjoyed our little piece of running heaven. -Craig Minyard “The RAW Banquet was the first RAW social event Bruce and I attended. We enjoyed the evening and really liked that we were able to match faces with names we see in the Footprint and on the RAW Forum. Bruce does not participate in any of the weekend club runs so for him, he said the banquet gave him an opportunity to see who I run with, what the club is about and more importantly, that the members all like to have fun.” -Kathryn Gleghorn “Major Nealis gave our club a valuable gift, not only with his terrific presentation at the Banquet, but also in joining us the next day. Everyone who spoke with him could see his enthusiasm for the sport, and willingness to help other runners. The Marines picked a good guy for that job.” -Gregory LaMothe
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MEMBERSHIP What has been your fondest running memory? When I ran the White Rock 1/2 Marathon last winter, my wife and kids were featured on the news cheering me on and the other runners. My wife was dubbed the “Tambourine Lady” because she was shaking a tambourine and my kids got lots of press! Jason Anton with his wife Rose.
In Step With Jason Anton
How long have you been running? On and off since 2000, more off than on, at least until I joined RAW. Now I am hooked. How long have you been a RAW member? Since June of 2006. I moved to Texas from Massachusetts in March, so I have an excuse for missing out the first 36 years of my life. How did you find out about RAW? The woman cutting my hair told me (I am too cool to say I have a hairstylist). Who was the first person you met at RAW, or that first person who showed you the trails or really “took you in?” Ken MacInnes got me successfully out a mile and a half. Thomas Okazaki helped me back. They both compromised their workout to show “the new guy” the course. But the honors go to Troy Pruett who was on water duty that day. He filled a cooler of cold ones for post-run libations. Why running? I really love the sense of accomplishment and the health benefits. Beyond that, see the Troy comment above! Do you do anything special before or after running or do you have any pre/ post-race ritual? After a race I like to greet my wife and children (they are 6, 3, and 1). I want to set a good example for my children and they always want to do what they see their parents doing. Do you have a favorite place to run? At the lake, of course. Beyond that, New England in the fall.
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Where is the most unusual or unique place you’ve ever run? In downtown Shanghai early in the morning among the people biking to work and the sights, sounds and smells of the city. It is always eye opening when traveling abroad and I enjoy experiencing the culture. What do you consider your biggest running achievement? I started running seriously in January 2003 with the goal to run a marathon that fall. I did so in 3:55, which was my stretch goal. What running gear would you never travel without? Running shorts. Be glad I would never run without them. What would the members be surprised to learn about you? I started running because I fought cancer in 2000. I caught it early and successfully fought it. I thought if ever I needed to really battle it, I would be able to do so if I could run a marathon. That is why I started running. What has running taught you about yourself or what have you learned about life through running? Running allows me to reflect on many things. Here is one to ponder. If you run 10 hours a week for 40 years you will spend some 2.5 years running. However, in doing so, you likely will extend your life 10 years. Therefore, the excuse of having no time to run is false because running makes time. Or, looked at differently, I can run 6 miles in minus 3 hours. That has to be a record. GU, Gel, or Gatorade? GU and Gatorade. How much longer do you think you’ll speak with that funny accent? You can take a guy out of Boston, but not the Boston out of a guy! Anything else you’d like to add? I just want you all at RAW to know you’re all a great bunch of folks and thank you for welcoming me to the club!
UPDATE Welcome to all our new members
New members
Daniel Barfon Michelle Carrasco Kimberly Osborn Apurva & Rina Parikh Steve Stamos Allen Bese Peter Challinor Rosalie Drayton-Gardner Kristine Hinojos Carolyn Neal Pam Neven Paige & Jason Whitmire David Shuster John & Laurie Egeland Luzviminda Acero-Hogue & William Hogue Dottie Whitson Terry O. Jackson & Terri Schroeder
Renewals
Dan & Ruanne Banse Letha Cruthirds Crystal Grose Cathy McCauley Lee Miller Barbara Bowen Tanya Bubash Lori Cerami Ros Dalrymple Scott & Kelly Eppelman Thomas Goodwin The Ann & David McCarley Family Guy McCracken Courtney & Doug Noell Cheryl Rehberg Pam Truhn Alan & Hélène Walker Jim Baudhuin Reba Becker & Debbie Carpenter Gregory LaMothe & Family Byron Benoit Katherine Loewen Betty Paul Chris Reyher Keep your RAW membership current RAW now offers on-line renewals through Active.com. http://www.active.com/event_ detail.cfm?event_id=1310038
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro By Rick Fogel, Kathy “Kat” Loewen, Cindy Lee, and Jim Rubulcaba
H
ere we are at Baja Mexican Grill. It seems we have come full circle as this whole idea of climbing Kilimanjaro all started one infamous Saturday last spring. A few of us cracked open a beer in the morning and the impromptu party lasted for the next twelve hours. Somewhere in there, Mark “Giddy Up” Sparks suggested we plan a trip to climb Kili. That was the “spark” that started it all.
We had our heart and respiratory rates and blood oxygen levels checked after each breakfast and dinner. On this day, we hiked up to 15,200 feet and came back down to sleep at 13,900 feet to acclimatize. No one complained, but we were all getting tired of the rain. We all seemed to be having trouble remembering much about days 5 through 7. The summit seemed so far away. “Pole pole,” which is Swahili for “slowly slowly,” we’ll get there.
Finally, on January 24th, after countless hours of research, bargain hunting for flights, several trips to the REI outdoors store, passports, visas, and too many immunization shots to count, we were on our way. We checked several extra bags destined for the orphanage and the village school we planned to visit and settled in for the lengthy flight.
The rain stopped and the temperatures got cooler. The views were spectacular! And there is just no way to describe the sky at night. It was amazing! By night seven, we are sleeping at approximately 16,900 feet and everyone was feeling good and eager for the next day’s summit.
We arrived at 10:00 pm on the 25th. We were a bit concerned about customs with so many extra bags, but we sailed right through without needing Kat’s Swahili. We were met by Hermann (The Bull), who would be our assistant guide throughout the climb. It was midnight when we arrived at our guide Simon’s farm where we would spend two nights. Our first morning in Africa was full of sunshine and smiling faces. We were welcomed there. After some exploring around the farm and village, we knew we were some place special. We came across some locals who offered us some of their homebrewed banana beer. Rick was all too eager to oblige, so we all had to try it “community style.” In case you’re curious, it didn’t taste anything like Shiner. On Day 2, we met up with the other climbers. We did an equipment check and headed over to our next locale, a place called Simba Farm. It was a gorgeous plantation-type setting with a bed and breakfast attitude. Simon took us on a hike and we soon encountered our first downpour (of many, many more to come). We were soaked and our boots became boats. It was not a good thing to start climbing a mountain in wet boots. The next day, we were finally ready to start the climb. After a short drive to Kilimanjaro National Park, we signed in and began the ride up to the trailhead. Our Land Rover only got stuck twice. Hiking in the dense forest was awesome! We arrived at our 1st Camp Big Tree at 9,000 feet and were greeted with song and dance. On the next day of our climb, we made our first sighting of Kilimanjaro. We arrived at Shira 1 Camp at 11,900 feet to more song and dance. Every night we were greeted this way. The following day’s hike found us in the Mooreland where the plants were abundant, rare, and beautiful. We didn’t realize it at the time, but this will be the last of our botanical paradise for a while. We climbed the 1,000-foot Barranco Wall in a downpour and had a blast doing it! The Shira Camp 2 was at 12,600 feet. Each day started the same. Our porters woke us up and brought coffee or tea to our tent. Kat and Cindy were digging this! All breakfasts started with porridge and all lunches and dinners began with soup. We ate lots of porridge, lots of soup, and drank 3 to 5 liters of water a day.
On Day 8, we were up at 4:30 am and it was really cold. Up, up we go. By mid morning, we started to see some people coming down with big smiles and words of encouragement, but occasionally, we’d see someone who was really messed up. The anticipation grew as we all wondered if we would make it. Some of our own party was starting to feel the effects of the altitude and getting headaches and nausea. At 12:30 pm, we reached Stella Point. We had the option of continuing on to the summit or going to crater camp to summit the next day. We decided to keep going. The winds kicked up and we climbed in a white-out. We just put one foot in front of the other. We took one step and then another. The pace was slow, but we made it! The Roof of Africa was at 19,334 feet. What a wild scene. Some were sick and vomiting, some had headaches, and others were doing push-ups. Now we had the hard part, descending into the crater camp at 18,200 feet. This was where we would spend the night. It was a very steep climb down and the fresh snow made it incredibly difficult and slow. It was also very sunny for the first time on the mountain and this is where many of us got sunburns. A night in the crater cannot be described. The glaciers glowed in the moonlight. None of us had much of an appetite at this altitude and some were feeling bad. The next day’s descent took us down to 11,000 feet and everyone was feeling so much better. We all thought, “One more night in this blasted tent…one more!” The morning of our final descent was mixed with emotion, knowing this incredible journey was about to end. It was sad to many, but knowing we would be having a shower soon was exciting. We were greeted at the end once again with song and dance. The Kili4 was determined to score a cold beer And we did…it was the best beer ever! That night back at Simon’s Farm, we had a party for all the crew (44). The hikers served them this time. They had been so good to us, this was a pleasure. So, here we are at Baja’s finishing up this article and thinking… what’s next? Hmm….any ideas, Sparks? Maybe another mountain? Or did you know they have circus schools where you can learn to do the flying trapeze? Giddy Up! April 2007 |
FOOTPRINT 15
First Steps The New Runner’s Guide Getting Started: Safety
Runners Speak: Lactic Acid
Safety should be top of mind for all runners especially those new to the sport. The two key areas of safety that runners (and walkers) need to be aware of are injury and victimization. Injuries can stem from tripping on a crack in the sidewalk while running to being hit by a car. Gee, don’t these sound familiar? Here is how a few easy steps can keep you clear of both of these.
A substance which forms in the muscles as a result of the incomplete breakdown of glucose. Lactic acid is associated with muscle fatigue and sore muscles.
1.Think first. Before you go running consider these questions: Are your shoes tied? Are you running against traffic or off the street? Are you paying attention to your surroundings? Paying attention to your surroundings may be the most important of all of these tips. It can save you from becoming a victim and from missing that step off the curb. These are all very important things that are just common sense. Keep them in mind while running and you’ll be well on your way to safety. 2.Think twice about running alone in the dark (this includes mornings). Are you in a safe neighborhood? Are you using a flashlight or headlamp? Are you wearing reflective clothes? Best yet, just don’t do it. Always run with someone when running in the dark. 3.Don’t look like a victim. There are a lot of things you can do to keep from looking good to predators. Changing your route frequently with no discernible pattern, staying out of sketchy neighborhoods, running in groups, paying attention to the news are good tips. Other things like not wearing headphones, looking around you so it’s obvious you are paying attention to your surroundings, and standing up straight (looking strong) are also good ways to minimize your chances of meeting harm. Whenever I come across people who make me feel the least bit uncomfortable I look them in the eye and give a hearty greeting; they know I see them and that I’m totally aware of them. 4.Think like a driver. Remember not all drivers are paying attention; they could be eating, drunk, changing their CD, reading a newspaper or talking on the phone. Others may just be sadists and think it’s funny to swerve at you. Stay out of the streets if possible. If not, make yourself visible to drivers. Make eye and hand contact (notice I said hand as in waving and not finger as in well, you know…) with drivers at street crossings before you cross even if you have right-of-way. 5.Act like a runner which is to say be smart and prepared. Let someone know when you’re out running alone, especially if running a new route or in a new city. Bring your cell phone and a few dollars in case of an emergency. Unless you know with 100% certainty it will be available, bring water anytime the weather is warm. Following these simple steps will help keep you safe and start your running off on the right foot.
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Equipment, Gadgets & Gizmos: Old School Mechanical Timer If you’re a track coach, just like pretending you are or you’re just helping someone train for a race, you need a stopwatch. You need to be able to keep track of the time, so you can see if your protégé is getting better. Now, you can get all sorts of fancy timing gadgets today, but there’s something neat about this old schoolstyle stopwatch. It’s just the sort of thing gym coaches all had back in the day, so it can bring back some memories or just make you feel important. Whether you were actually around back then (or you just remember enjoying the Wonder Years), you can get that old school feel for less than $50 from Online Sports: http://www. onlinesports.com/pages/I,CEI-1000.html
GPS-enabled Cell Phones BiM (Bones in Motion) Active has merged GPS-enabled cell phones with the Internet, so runners can track their progress. You can track your path using the BIM service, upload it wirelessly to the Internet, and then merge it with data about weather and terrain, for example. At any time during your workout, you can check the phone’s screen and read the distance you’ve traveled, your pace, your calories burned, your split time, and your total elapsed time. When you’re done with your run, you can log onto the site’s community space to share how much you love the RAW eight-mile route with others. You can also check progress charts and summaries of your daily activities on the web site. All this high tech sophistication probably won’t improve your times, but it can make your training a little more interesting. For all the details go to: http://bimactive.com
The AT&T Austin Marathon & Half-Marathon Baghdad, Iraq By Terry Marcott
I
participated in the Baghdad HalfMarathon and finished in a time of 1:33:50. The course was set up and started at the U.S. Embassy athletic gym. It went behind the U.S. Embassy, and then past the Iraqi 14th of July Bridge. From there, the course turned to the site where the new U.S. Embassy is being built to a turn-around point and back to the Sadaam Soldier Memorial. After the memorial, the runners turned to Route Irish. One year ago, this stretch of road leading to the Baghdad International Airport was the most dangerous route in the world and today I am running on it. Down this route, we passed by Adnan Palace, where I worked for the first four months of my tour. Adnan houses the Iraqi Ministers of Finance and Interior. As we passed Adnan Palace, I reflected upon the initial weeks that I was here and all the unknowns that I feared. Now, most of those have subsided and I am more comfortable with the surroundings, yet vigilant. Next, we passed through the former Sadaam parade grounds, which included a matching set of crossed swords built to dedicate victory over Iran. There were thousands of helmets lining the base of the swords with shrapnel and bullet holes indicating the personal victories
Command Sergeant Major Terry Marcott (third from left) stands among America’s bravest at the AT&T Austin Marathon & Half Marathon Baghdad, Iraq.
of Iraqi soldiers. We then ran by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This memorial is probably one of the most impressive in Iraq. As we passed by the Tomb, we could see the Al Rasheed Hotel. We ran towards the hotel, which also is home to the Baghdad Convention Center. We meandered through the complex perimeter and turned left towards the CSH, or Combat Support Hospital. This is a fine facility set up for emergencies and once stabilized, soldiers are transported out of the area to a safe area for further treatment. Then, we passed by Believers Palace, where the “shock
and awe” of 2003 is clearly visible on the palace once believed to hold Sadaam Hussein early in the war. We finally turned back to the U.S. Embassy and passed by the Soldier Memorial and 14th of July Bridge and back to the start / finish line. I must admit this was one of the only times that I really relaxed in a race. There were roughly 120 runners in the halfmarathon and forty in the marathon. The marathon was two loops of the same course. While my time was slow, the spirit was high. We had Iraqis and Americans alike running side by side.
Pedaling Their Way to a New Season By Marty Metzger What is BRAw? BRAw (Bikers, Runners, and Walkers), is a free, entry-level cycling group of more than 65 members, based in Grapevine. Our no-drop, casual, social, Monday night rides average 15 - 18 mph for an hour or two, and are ideal for someone who just bought their first road bike. Who else rides with you? Some of us frequently ride with the following local groups: • Mad Duck http://madducksports.com/ • Fort Worth Bicycling Association http://www.fwbaclub.org/ • Carrollton Cycling Club http://www.carrolltoncycling.com/ Do you also participate in organized races? Definitely. Highlights of our season include the Shiner BASH and the Hotter Than Hell.
OK, what do I do now? The default time for training rides is 6:30 pm Monday nights, from the LGRAW clubhouse, but check the latest discussion groups for any changes. How do you pass news and info to riders? The group communicates via a private Yahoo! Discussion board located at: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/ GrapevineBRAw/ To apply for admission, obtain a free Yahoo account id & password, and then go to the above site and request admission, mentioning that you’re a RAW member. Be sure to include a little about your cycling experience so we can introduce you to the rest of the group.
April 2007 |
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RAW Student Section
Getting to Know Matthew Barnhart By Mindi Rice, 2006 RRCA National Female Runner of the Year
Well into my 9th year of teaching and coaching middle school age kids, I am well aware of the hatred most kids feel for running....especially if it’s “just for exercise.” I have heard all the whining, all the excuses, and everything else that follows the statement, “OK, guys, we’re running the mile today.” I hear phrases like, “It’s too hot,” “It’s too cold,” “My stomach hurts,” “My foot hurts,” “I have asthma,” and on and on. And some of you wonder where I get all my whining experience! So, to hear stories about some of our RAW members’ kids, it is like a breath of fresh air. Our first recipient of the RAW Student Section is Matthew Barnhart, son of our very own Jeff “Barney” Barnhart. When I was 10, I didn’t want to run one mile, let alone 3.1 miles, so to hear about Matthew’s accomplishments in his 5K races is amazing. Matthew recently completed the Jogging for Johnson 5K in 23:01 and set a personal record (PR) by 52 seconds. Matthew is already racking up the hardware in his age group and he’s just getting started. At only 10, Barney is going to have to add on to the house to find places for all of Matthew’s awards. I’m pretty sure Matthew may be catching his dad in the number of awards soon. Below are some questions I asked Matthew. Congratulations, Matthew, and keep up the good work. We are all proud of you!
Matthew Barnhart
What are your future plans in running?
What school do you go to?
Who are your role models / idols?
Age 10
Johnson Elementary in Southlake
Maybe do a marathon or just run for fun.
First in kindergarten with the running club. Then, two years ago in the first Jogging for Johnson 5K run. My sister and I ran the 5K because they were giving out medals for each grade.
My Dad (this was not prompted by me) and Riley Dodge, Southlake high school quarterback, because he plays football no matter what happens to him. [Note: This is in reference to Riley throwing up on the field in the 2006 Texas state championship game just before he took the snap and threw the winning touchdown pass.]
What is your favorite distance to race and why?
What is your favorite racing memory?
When did you start running and why?
The 5K because it challenges you and because it is a longer distance. [Note: Matthew ran track last summer and ran the mile and half mile. He liked the longer distance better due to his experience in these races.] What is a typical training week like for you?
I run at school in the running club. I am a member of the 85-mile club. I play lacrosse and have practice three times a week, play baseball or basketball also.
18 FOOTPRINT | April 2007
When I twisted my ankle, but still won in the 2006 Fillie Trot Run. Is it true you have gotten too fast for your Dad to pace you? And if so, how does that feel?
Yes, it feels great because he started running before me. [Note: Jeff has not been able to run with Matthew in a race due to his commitments as a race director, but based on Matthew’s last race and PR of 23:00 for 5K, I think it would be a challenge.].
Get HIP
Using rest and recovery to run better: The Perfect 10 - the Bo Derek - of Running By Bart Yasso, Runner’s World magazine
Note: The Footprint is honored to have Runner’s World magazine’s Bart Yasso pen this issue’s “Get HIP” column. We’re proud to bring you Bart’s own “Perfect 10” program. This is great advice from someone who loves running and has made his life purpose improving runners’ performances. Recovery is the most important part of a training program. Runners try to accomplish everything in a calendar week. Getting in your quality workouts with subsequent easy days and rest days usually cannot be accomplished in a seven-day cycle. And why should it? Clinical studies have shown that because running utilizes the same motions over and over, excessive workout intensity and duration does not allow for proper physiological adaptation. Muscles and tendons fatigue easily and as a result, overuse injuries occur. Failure to allow for easy days and rest days between quality workouts is the most common training mistake. The “Perfect 10” program I designed has more emphasis on rest and recovery, so the quality workouts become more beneficial. If you follow a 10-day cycle instead of a 7-day cycle, not only will you run faster, but chances are you will also stay injury-free. Has the 7-day Week Cycle Ever Been Interrupted?
There is no record of the seven-day cycle ever having been broken. Calendar changes and reform have never interrupted the seven-day cycles. It’s very likely that the week cycles have run uninterrupted at least since the days of Moses (c. 1400 B.C.E.), possibly even longer. It’s time for a change.
I have a dream job at Runner’s World magazine. The only tough part of my job is dealing with injured runners. I hate to see someone train six months for a race and then get injured in the training phase. The most common injuries runners encounter are from overuse. I always hear runners say they got injured on one of their tempo workouts, speed sessions, or long runs. If you can master the Perfect 10 technique, you will avoid injuries by resting more and going easier on the easy days to recover fully for the quality days. One of the many lessons I learned from several trips to East Africa is that the Kenyans go very easy on their easy days and very fast on their quality days. Make sure you go easy on the easy days, and you will notice the strength you have on the quality days. The easy days can be anywhere from five to eight miles, depending on how you feel. The pace on your easy days should be at a
conversation pace or approximately two minutes per mile slower than your 10K race pace. Rest days and easy days can be interchangeable to be more flexible with this program. However, the quality days should stay where they are. Cross-Training: Cross-training will strengthen the heart and the muscles you don’t use in running. It will enhance your fitness level, build muscle, reduce body fat, and aid in flexibility. Flexibility is something we need as masters runners. Cross-training should involve sustained aerobic activity like cycling, or an elliptical trainer; rest day crosstraining should be no-impact activities like stretching, yoga, pool running, weight training, or swimming. Hill Repeats: Find a hill that will take you at least two minutes to climb, and mark off a “short” repeat (about halfway from the bottom) and a “long” repeat (all the way to the top). Do a set of “short” hills: three or four sprints up the short repeat, then a jog back down. Then do a set of “long” hills: three or four loops of a hard run to the top, a jog back to the top of the “short” segment and a sprint to the bottom; then another three or four “short” hills. Adjust the repeats depending on the miles you need. You should be doing two miles of warm-up and cool down before and after the hills, so the workout should involve three or four miles of work. The downhill sprints in the long sets are nearly as important as the uphill parts. Try to run smoothly, without slapping your feet. MPW: The marathon-pace workout, or MPW, as I call it, should be a 15-minute warm-up at easy pace, then 30 to 60 minutes at marathon pace, followed by a 15-minute cool down. Make sure you pick a course that can best simulate the course you will be racing. Long Runs: LSD with a twist: LSD, or “long slow distance,” runs are purely for the purpose of endurance. LSD is the cornerstone of endurance. It increases your aerobic fitness, teaches your body to run efficiently, and helps you build mental discipline. It will give you the endurance to tackle the tempo and speed workouts, and also to recover from them quickly. Long-run pace should be a minute to a minute and a half slower than marathon
Continued on next page April 2007 |
FOOTPRINT 19
continued from previous page GET HIP: Using rest & recovery to run better pace. Try long runs with this twist: run the last three to four miles of your long run at your marathon pace, that is the horse-smells-the-barn type of ending to your long run. This will enable you to develop a “negative split” mentality, running the second half of your race slightly faster than the first half. Speed Work: Speed work will condition your body to run fast on demand. You can do the speed workout on the track or on a road; just make sure the course is accurately measured. Make sure you warm-up two miles and cool down two miles very easy. Always jog half the interval distance for recovery. A classic speed workout is mile repeats. It’s pretty simple: run a mile at your 10K pace, jog a half mile for recovery, and repeat three times. Yasso 800s are the rage for marathon runners. (Amby Burfoot, the winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon, named the workout after me.) If you want to run a 3:30 marathon, then train to run a bunch of 800 meters in 3:30 each. Between the 800s, jog 400 meters. Training doesn’t get any simpler than this, not on this planet or anywhere else in the solar system. Begin running Yasso 800s a couple of months before your goal marathon. The first week, start with four or five. On each subsequent week, add one more until you reach 10. The last workout of Yasso 800s should be completed at least 17 days before your marathon. Use 400 meter repeats to keep up some of that leg speed. Twelve times 400 with a 200 recovery is always a great workout. Run as many miles as you can on soft surfaces. I recommend that 70 percent of your running is done on a cinder, hard-packed, or trail surface.
The Perfect 10 Marathon Training Program Follow this cycle twice leading up to your marathon. Make sure you do a 3 week taper prior to your marathon. Day One
Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Day One
Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten
Cycle One MPW, 15-minute warm-up, 45 minutes at marathon pace, 15-minute cool down 7-9 miles Rest day or Cross-train 4 to 6 easy miles Speed work 6 Yasso 800’s Rest day 5 to 7 easy miles 6 to 8 easy miles Long run, 15 to 18 miles, LSD with a twist Rest day 4 to 6 easy miles
Day One
Cycle Two MPW, 15-minute warm up, 60 minutes at marathon pace, 15-minute cool down 7-9 miles Rest day or Cross-train 4 to 6 easy miles Speed workout 12 x 400 - 8 miles Rest day 4 to 6 easy miles 6 to 8 easy miles Long run -12-15 miles LSD with a twist Rest day 6 to 8 easy miles
Day One
Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten
Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten
Cycle Three MPW, 15-minute warm-up, 45 minutes at marathon pace, 15-minute cool down 7-9 miles Rest day or Cross-train 4 to 6 easy miles Speed work 4 x 1 mile Rest day 6 to 8 easy miles 4 to 6 easy miles Long run -20-22 miles LSD with a twist Rest day 6 to 8 easy miles Cycle Four MPW, 15-minute warm-up, 30 minutes at marathon pace, 15-minute cool down 7-9 miles Rest day or Cross-train 4 to 6 easy miles Speed workout 10 Yasso 800s Rest day 6 to 8 easy miles 4 to 6 easy miles Long run -18-20 miles LSD with a twist Rest day 6 to 8 easy miles
Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Recognizes RAW The Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has sent a letter and certificate thanking our club’s participation in the 50th Anniversary of the Council. Also in the letter are some goals for 2007. Clubs like ours throughout the country are making a difference in the realm of community health and fitness. Our name was included on the fitness.gov site and also in their commemorative 50th Anniversary Catalog. Add to your own family’s fitness and fun by participating in the PresidentsChallenge.org (a FREE online logging system that allows you or your children to log on and acrue points to earn a bronze, silver or gold medal).
20 FOOTPRINT | April 2007
RAW RACE RESULTS Please e-mail your race details to thomas “t.o.” okazaki at tokaz007@hotmail.com From 5Ks to uLtrAS
January 1, Dallas, TX
new year’s run 5K
Lee Rebodos: 19:12, 2nd AG Julie Kaner: 23:22, 1st AG
January 5 & 6, Orlando, FL
Goofy’s race & A half Challenge Disney world half marathon Thomas Okazaki: 1:43:20 Mark Sparks: 1:55:47 Neil Sobol: 2:22:12 Kim Danahy: 2:23:07
Disney world marathon Duncan Stewart: 3:07:55 Thomas Okazaki: 3:48:43 Neil Sobol: 5:07:42 Mark Sparks: 5:20: 17 Kim Danahy: 5:24:55
January 6, Dallas, TX
Dallas running Club President’s 10K Spareribs LaMothe: 45:26:34, 2nd AG
January 6, Addison, TX
rotary resolution 5K erin Dugan: 32:31:35
January 13, Grapevine, TX
bold In the Cold 15K
Mark Miller: 53:40, Overall Winner Lee Rebodos: 1:01:00, 2nd AG Sarah Hale: 1:06:36, 1st AG Andrew Hale: 1:06:37, 1st AG Mark Studer: 1:07:55, 3rd AG Doug Noell: 1:10:47 PR Brad Liles: 1:14:38 Robin Pearson, 1:14:54, 1st AG, PR Laurie Lukanich: 1:17:03, 1st AG Karen Robertson: 1:18:19, 2nd AG Kyle Keifer: 1:20:26, 3rd AG
bold In the Cold 5K
Thomas Goodwin: 23:28, 1st AG Dale Mauger: 23:34, 2nd AG Mike Czyz: 25:57 Joseph Hale: 26:21, 2nd AG Tim Roche: 26:38, 3rd AG Richard Maas: 27:29, 3rd AG, 1st 5K Rhonda Houston: 30:03, 1st AG
January 13, Dallas, TX
Snowman Shuffle 10K
Julie Kaner: 48:53, 2nd AG
January 13, Bandera, TX
bandera 100K trail run
Scott eppelman: 11:16:23, 2nd Overall
bandera 50K trail run (Start 100K/Finish 50K) Todd Roper: 7:12:18 Kevin Boudreaux: 7:13:22
bandera 25K trail run Kelly eppelman: 2:46:38
January 14, Houston, TX
Chevron houston marathon Rick Hanson: 2:44:36, PR Ken Hall: 2:44:51, PR Chuck Kennard: 3:28:41, BQ, PR Thomas Okazaki: 3:42:35, PR Staci Rivero: 3:48:09 Steve Rush: 3:52:15, PR Steve Bryant: 3:54:32 Julia McCloud: 4:11:00 Susan Barnett: 4:14:20, PR Steve Grady: 4:21:16 Carl Stipe: 4:23:16 Adrienne Stipe: 4:23:20 Jim Baudhuin: 4:24:15 Mary Ann Cavio: 4:41:17 George Rivero: 5:09:29, PR Debbie Bryant: 5:14:52
February 3&4, Huntsville, TX
rocky raccoon 50 miler Letha Cruthirds: 10:53:02
rocky raccoon 100 miler
Scott eppelman: 17:20:29 Jack Hase: 21:40:38, 1st 100 Miler Sam Thompson: 22:47:52, 1st 100 Miler
February 10, Tyler, TX
east texas ultrarunners 25K Kevin Wessels: 2:39 Rick Sanford: 2:39 Cevin Wyatt: 3:04 Letha Cruthirds: 3:06
east texas utrarunners 50K
Rick Hanson: 4:26, Overall Winner Paige Henderson: 6:34:16
February 10, Southlake, TX
Jogging For Johnson 5K
January 20, Dallas, TX
Kelly Richards: 22:58, 1st AG Matthew Barnhart: 23:01, 1st AG Robin Pearson: 23:09, 2nd AG Blaine Covington: 24:08 Tina Covington: 26:00 eileen Fontaine: 28:44, 1st AG Will Hall: 28:45 Abi Hase: 31:58, 3rd AG Katie Pearson: 33:23, 3rd AG
too Cold to hold 15K
February 10, Haltom City, TX
Chevron houston half marathon Tony Flesch: 2:11:48
January 14, Phoenix, AZ
PF Chang rock’n’roll half marathon Jon Korte: 1:20:31 vern Lumbert: 2:08:01
Mike evans: 1:04:48, 2nd AG, PR Mike Czyz: 1:17:42
too Cold to hold 5K
Spareribs LaMothe: 21:20, 1st AG
January 27, Benbrook, TX
Lake benbrook half marathon Rick Sanford: 1:40:18, PR Doug Noell: 1:51:02 Kim Danahy: 2:15:01 Ross Darrow: 2:16:49
January 28, Carrolton, TX
Carrolton running Club 5K Yolanda Hopping: 21:35, FW
January 28, Austin, TX
the 3m half marathon
Scott Duryea: 1:16:03, PR, 1st Half Samantha Galpin: 1:42:09
the 3m half marathon relay Masters Male: 1:27:48, 1st Place Jim Uhelski & Henry Galpin
February 3, Grapevine, TX
Fillie trot 5K
Ken Hall: 16:38, MMW vern Lumbert: 26:16, 3rd AG
February 3, Dallas, TX
tal morrison Classic 15K Julie Kaner: 1:16:34.16 Cevin Wyatt: 1:26:46.99
haltom Stampede 10K Mark Miller: 34:45, 1st AG Jill Smith: 1:01:36
haltom Stampede 5K Alan engisch: 31:43
February 11, Fort Worth, TX
Cowtown Countdown 5 miler Marvin Smith: 44:40, 3rd AG Jill Smith: 48:39, 1st AG
February 17, Dallas, TX
mardi Gras 2 miler
Yolanda Hopping: 13:02
February 17, Arlington, TX
mLK Day & Dream 5K
Ken Hall, 16:51, Overall Winner
February 18, Austin, TX
At&t Austin marathon
Mike evans: 3:17:59, PR Doug Shanahan: 3:24:20, PR David Ball: 3:25:20 Chris McCain: 3:25:52, PR Mark Studer: 3:34:24, PR Lori Cerami: 3:52:03 Laurie Lukanich: 3:55:21, PR, BQ Thomas Okazaki: 4:12:40 Kevin Smile: 4:13:22 Susan Barnett: 4:22:46 Jim Baudhuin: 4:38:22 Adrienne Stipe: 4:39:15 Carl Stipe: 4:39:16 Diane Hernandez: 4:53:27 April 2007 |
FOOTPRINT 21
RAW RACE RESULTS continued Jon Korte: 1:22:11 Jim Lukanich: 1:33:14 Kristen Jett: 1:35:03 Heide Dettweiler: 1:53:00 Kim Danahy: 2:00:31 Tony Flesch: 2:19:30
February 18, Ft. Worth, TX
Cowtown marathon
Mark Miller: 2:42: 36.5, 1st AG, 2nd Overall Thomas Okazaki: 4:20:28
Cowtown half marathon
Chuck Kennard: 1:36:19.3 Andrew Hale: 1:39:30.9, 1st Half Robin Pearson: 1:43:03, PR Julie Kaner: 1:51:21.2 Pam Neven: 1:57:10.3, 1st Half Cevin Wyatt: 1:59:01.1
Cowtown 10K
Kristine Hinojos: 49:42.9, 3rd AG Neil Sobol: 1:06:38.3
Cowtown 5K
Will Hall: 26:58.6 Tom Zack: 31:31.2
February 18, Lake Texoma, TX
January 28, Flower Mound, TX
Scott eppelman: 8:33:23, Overall Winner
(5K Run/13 Mile Bike/350 Meter Swim) Julie Kaner: 1:21:05, 2nd AG
Cross timbers 50 miler
Cross timbers marathon
2007 run bi tri #1
Marty Metzger: 5:32:10 Todd Roper: 5:32:10
February 18, Ft. Worth, TX
Tia Metzger: 3:34:35
(2 Mile Run/15 Mile Bike/ 2 Mile Run) Karen Roberston: 1:14:24.4, 1st AG Julie Kaner: 1:18:08.6, 3rd AG
Cross timbers half marathon February 18, Plano, TX
texas motor Speedway F-1 Duathlon
Plano Pacers 15K
Lee Rebodos: 1:02:27, 1st AG
February 19, New Orleans, LA
mardi Gras marathon
Kelly Richards: 3:30:13, PR George Rivero: 5:29:13
LeGenD
At&t half marathon
Duathlons & triathlons January 21, Round Rock, TX
Frost yer Fanny Duathlon Short Distance
(3 Mile Run/20 Mile Bike/3 Mile Run) Julie Kaner: 1:57:16.2
Pr-Personal Record AG-Age Group bQ-Boston Qualified Fw-Female Winner mmw-Male Masters Winner Fmw-Female Masters Winner
Please e-mail your race details to Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki at tokaz007@hotmail.com
2007 Cowtown Marathon Race Report By Mark Miller
W
hen I told friends that I was training for the Cowtown Marathon, I was usually greeted with a look of, “What are you thinking?” Sometimes, it was more than just a look. Cowtown has a reputation for being somewhat less than runner friendly. True, the course is hilly and can be rather isolated (more on that to follow) and the race has a history of unfortunate “incidents”. However, Cowtown has a special place in my heart. I grew up running the 10K here and always knew I’d run the marathon eventually. Things worked out for this to be the year.
My training went well, but the weather reports in the week leading up to the event were ominous. Violent thunderstorms and high winds were in store. The weathermen were half right — race day was VERY windy. Undaunted, I knew race day was going to be special. This feeling was confirmed when the last people I saw before the start were my parents. They were there to see me run my first Cowtown 10K in 1992 (when I was 14), so it was fitting for them to be here today. After the gun, I settled into a relaxed, conservative pace. I chuckled at the folks
22 FOOTPRINT | April 2007
taking off ahead of me knowing I would see most of them again later on. Sure enough, I spent the first nine miles of the race passing people — half marathoners, relayers, and other marathoners. After nine miles, the halfers turned off to return downtown and things got lonely. However, I was feeling relaxed and confident. At this point, someone told me I was in third place. This gave me a boost as I set my sights on a runner in the distance. I slowly narrowed the gap, caught him just before 12 miles, drafted for a bit, and then passed him into second place. After this point, I was on my own for the next 14 miles. Keith Pierce, an outstanding runner and coach at Krum High School, had built an insurmountable lead and was on his way to a 12 minute win. I ran the last 14 miles alone knowing I was going to be second. What I didn’t know was how long it was going to take me. From miles 10 to 18, I felt amazing! Several miles passed at or near six minute pace, and I actually had to hold back, reminding myself there was still a long way to go. That changed after 18 when things started to get difficult. The difficulty was compounded by howling winds that at times almost blew me off the course. I got a temporary boost at 20 miles from a group of sorority girls at TCU — even this North
Texas Mean Green grad could appreciate the presence of attractive Horned Frog coeds. By 22 miles, I was in pain. It’s a good thing my place was already wrapped up because I was really struggling. I ran like Herman Munster for the final two miles as I made my way over the hills back toward downtown. I stumbled home in 2:42:37, over a minute off my P.R. As much as I was hurting, I tried to enjoy the final stretch down Main Street. The reception from the crowd around the finish was great — it had been so long since Keith had finished that they were probably bored and were just glad to finally see another runner! Appropriately, the first people I talked to after the finish were Mom and Dad. They gave me a big hug (maybe because I was having trouble standing up?) as they gave me an early birthday card for my 29th. That was a special moment. After running the Cowtown Marathon for myself, I believe the race has gotten a bad rap. True, the course is hard. However, all logistics were well taken care of. I believe the race officials have made a real effort to fix the problems of the past. If you’re looking for a late winter marathon and aren’t afraid of a challenge, then go ahead and go local — run Cowtown!
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i know that participating and volunteering to work in club events can be potentially hazardous. i assume all risks associated with running, walking, and volunteering to work in club events. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts, and in consideration of your acceptance of my application for membership, i, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers, inc., Road Runners Club of America, and all sponsors, their representatives and successors from all claims of liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in club activities. i grant permission to all of the foregoing to use any photographs, motion pictures, recordings or any other records for any legitimate purpose.
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Keep your membership current
RAW now offers on-line renewals (and new memberships) through Active.com at http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1310038 You can still renew at the clubhouse or through the mail. Simply fill out the membership application and drop it off or send it in.
Whether training or racing…always look good…get your RAWear now! Summer wear: singlets, Cool-Max hats and shorts Safety wear: long sleeve bright yellow shirts Sweatshirts Shorts Singlets Cool-Max hats
$40 $20 $20 $15
Long-sleeve shirts Beanie Caps Socks Gloves
$15 $10 $5 $2
Contact Kelly “K2” Richards to make a purchase.
April 2007 |
FOOTPRINT 23
Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers P.O. Box 2982 Grapevine, TX 76099
PRSRT STD A U.S. Postage PAID Grapevine, TX Permit No. 243
ShAre wIth A vISItor or new member After reading this issue, drop it off at the clubhouse for visitors to get to know us.
Ask Spareribs Dear Spareribs: A running buddy of mine criticized me for not “cooling down” after a 5K with an easy jog. I’m fairly new at racing and don’t know anything about this. What advice can you give about the “cooldown?” -Rick from Flower Mound Dear Rick: Your friend is correct that a good cooldown is helpful after a race, as a slightly elevated heart rate helps flush accumulated lactic acid, keeps you from stiffening up, and speeds recovery. But enough of that sports physiology mumbo jumbo. There is another reason why cooling down is important, and it has to do with your persona as a runner. Face facts. In every race there are two groups of runners: those who finished ahead of you, and those who finished behind you. Who are the runners who finished ahead of
you? They’re lucky people who happened to have a good race that day. They’re not necessarily faster or better than you, and with a bit more training you can beat them next week. But more important, who are the people who finished behind you? Pond scum! These runners have no business being in the same race with you, and you must make sure they know it. If not, you run the risk of having them come up to you later and try to talk, tell you about their race, or in a wild act of temerity attempt to befriend you. You must put a stop to this quickly so they know their place. And the perfect way to do this is in what I call the “Pro Cooldown.” Here is what you should do immediately after a hard 5K. Grab a water bottle and jog the entire course again, so you get another three miles in. But here
is the key: make absolutely sure you run the course from the finish line back to the start, not the other way around. This way you run opposite the lowlifes still out on the course, as an “in your face” reminder to them that you are top dog today. To do this well, you must adopt an air of studied indifference to the people you pass. If you pass someone you know, for heaven’s sake, don’t yell, “Way to go!” or the nonsensical “Woo Hoo!” Instead, a low wave, flip of the hand as you go by is sufficient, if you bother at all. Act as if fast people seldom notice anyone slower. There is one key exception. Let’s say that purely by luck, someone is in the crowd of losers who has in the past beaten you in a race or two, a key rival you hate. Now the rule changes. For this competitor you must offer banal, yet chilling words of encouragement: “Go for it, Mike!” “Hang in there, Henry!” “Lookin’ fine, Mindi!” This appears to bolster their self-esteem, in the knowledge that you permit them to share the oxygen we all require. It is all the acknowledgement they need or, in fact, deserve, but more importantly it will drive them insane!
Here are three more techniques that have worked well for me. First, drink often from the water bottle so it appears you are running effortlessly. “Hey, I can drink, talk and run at the same time. How you doin’?” Second, throw in some fast strides during the cooldown, but wait until you are about even with the middle of the loser pack, so you can show to the greatest number of people that you have plenty left. This says, “Sure, I ran hard today and beat you, but if I wanted to I could still run another hard mile. This is easy.” Third, find someone of about your own speed and finish place to cool down with, and spend the whole time chatting amiably about this and that, totally ignoring the others. Laugh a lot. They’ll get the idea. If you can incorporate the “Pro Cooldown” after every race, you will not only maintain fitness, but also show others “who’s your daddy”. Naturally I recount these rules and advice with this degree of accuracy in full recollection of the many times they have been used on me, your fellow back-of-thepacker. Good luck. - Spareribs
The opinions and recommendations expressed by Spareribs in the “Ask Spareribs” column are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LGRAW members. Give credence to his ideas at your own risk.
Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers | www.runnersandwalkers.com