FOOTPRINT Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers
July 2008
www.runnersandwalkers.com
Dogs Win for the 9th Straight Year at the Hound Dog Hustle By Chris Reyher
Dogs, Cooper and Sheldon, provide their owner, Steve Rush, with some racing tips.
O
n Saturday, April 19th, Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers hosted their ever-popular signature running event attended by hundreds of runners and spectators. It is no surprise that for the ninth consecutive year, the dogs were again victorious at the 9th Annual Hound Dog Hustle! The Hound Dog Hustle (HDH) is a 5K road race, one mile fun run/ walk, and “adopt-athon.” In addition to the runners and spectators, it is
Marty Metzger serves as lead bike and chief navigator…without a GPS.
Caleb Bush races to stay in front of mom, Kirsten.
attended by representatives of 15 local dog rescue groups and their lovable candidates for adoption who eagerly meet and greet their potential new owners. Over the years, many close relationships have been initiated at the HDH, not to mention that nearly $50,000 has been contributed to the rescue groups from the proceeds of these races. This year, special recognition was given to a very popular demonstration participant who entertained and educated us for seven years. That participant was Darby, a German Shepherd and member of the Grapevine Police K9 Corps who passed away in 2006. Memorial awards of appreciation were presented to Darby’s handler, Senior Officer Brian Hintz, and the Grapevine Police Department. Darby is also memorialized on this year’s race shirts.
Kirsten Bush chases down speedy son, Caleb.
Very special thanks to our race director, Joe Luccioni, our loyal sponsors led by Pet Love, and the usual band of (mostly) merry volunteers who gave many hours of work to insure a quality, memorable event. And of course, congratulations to all of the HDH winners in both the four-legged and two-legged categories.
Karen Bosworth thinking she may adopt Kirsten Keats, but sticks with her dog.
P.O. Box 2982 Grapevine, TX 76099
rAw board and Committees PreSIDent | Joe Luccioni JoeL@RunnersAndWalkers.com vICe PreSIDent | Steve Rush SteveR@RunnersAndWalkers.com SeCretAry | Jason Anton JasonA@RunnersAndWalkers.com treASurer | Mary Keeffe MaryK@RunnersAndWalkers.com DIreCtorS
John Bush
JohnB@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Tony Flesch
TonyF@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Kathryn Gleghorn
KathrynG@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Laurie Lukanich
LaurieL@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Mark Miller
MarkM@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Thomas Okazaki
ThomasO@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Bridget Smith
BridgetS@RunnersAndWalkers.com
FootPrInt eDItor | Kevin Wessels lgrawfootprint@verizon.net CoorDInAtor | Tony Flesch TonyF@RunnersAndWalkers.com DeSIgner | Lorraine Wessels ProDuCtIon | Doug Noell
membership Data Doug Noell
MembershipData@RunnersAndWalkers.com
FOOTNOTES•FOOTNOTES•FOOTNOTES•FOOTNOTES
Lake grapevine runners & walkers Club
Congr AtuLAtIonS • To Randy and Danielle Bobe on the birth of their son, Brayden Joshua. • To Alan and Tosca Engisch on the birth of Pawel David Evans, born at Sigonella Naval Air Base, Sicily, Italy, to daughter Petra and Chief Petty Officer Will Evans. • To Letha Cruthirds and family on her daughter’s graduation from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. • To the RAW High School Grads: Eamon Smith, Natalie Johnson, Matt Green and Andrew Hale. • To Dave and Becky Aungst on the marriage of their son. • To all the RAW members that participated in spring events locally and around the country. gLAD you’re ok Ay • To Henry Galpin who is recovering from a broken shoulder from a car accident. • To Jeff Garber who suffered minor injuries from a car accident. thAnk you • To all our volunteers and participants that helped make all the spring RAW events successful. • To all the RAW Board Members for their dedication and commitment to our club and for serving on the Board this past year. • To all our volunteers who put out water and sports drink for the weekend runs. We appreciate each and every one of you. 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 next FootPrInt is August 1st. Send your articles to lgrawfootprint @verizon.net. We want to hear about you and your friends, send your footnotes to TonyF@RunnersandWalkers.com.
FootPrInt Submissions Send your articles to: lgrawfootprint@verizon.net Send your footnotes to: TonyF@RunnersAndWalkers.com
MEMBER
Send your race results to: tokaz007@hotmail.com
2 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
Interested in running trails? Join us for a run on the trails every Wednesday and Friday morning. The trail runs start at 7am from the clubhouse.
Wednesday 7am Trail Run Friday 7am Trail Run
RAW Around Town Social Calendar & Events Check the RAWforum for information on all club events: www.runnersandwalkers.com RAW Walk/Runs Starting from the clubhouse Saturday & Sunday Walk/Run - 7am Wednesday Trail Run - 7am Friday Trail Run - 7am
SNL Dinners Saturday Night Live Dinners 1st Saturday of every month, at 5pm July 5 – Baja’s, Grapevine August 2 – Asian Top, Grapevine September 6 – Amore’s, Grapevine
Upcoming Events Annual RAW 4th of July Events & Elections Friday, July 4. See the RAWforum for more details. Annual RAW Luau Party Saturday, July 26. See pg. 20 for more details.
RAW off to the Races The Too Hot To Handle 5K/15K Saturday, July 19th, 7:30am at Winfrey Point, White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX El Scorcho Dos 25K/50K Ultra Sunday, July 20th, midnight, at Trinity Park, Ft. Worth, TX
To see what’s happening, log on to www.runnersandwalkers.com
RAW Around the World Mustafa Varol By Marty Metzger
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Beijing. The big news is that during one of his visits to Istanbul (his home), he met a Turkish woman named Canan, and they are now married! Canan has since become a runner (imagine that), completing a few 10Ks and a half-marathon. If that isn’t enough, his eldest daughter, Duygu, living in Toronto, Canada, honored him with a granddaughter, named Sibella. Mustafa also inspired his middle daughter, Didem, to become a runner and she’s completed four marathons in two years. She is finishing her second degree as a Dietician from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. Not to be left out, his 15 year old daughter, Yasemin, has also been motivated to run 5Ks in Edmonton, Canada. Mustafa Varol with his new wife, Canan.
A
t least two of you old timers have asked me if I’ve heard from fellow RAW member, Mustafa Varol, lately, so here’s the scoop. He is still in Korea as his project was delayed a bit, and he’s also been working on projects
Mustafa hopes to return to North America next year and welcomes e-mails from his old friends at mvarol@gmail. com. He adds, “Hello to all my friends at the lake, I miss you guys. One day, I would love to run with all my family and with all my friends at the lake together.”
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 3
“A Flight in Time Saves Swine” By Kelly “K2” Richards, Rick Sanford, Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki, Brad Liles, and Kevin Wessels
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hat started as a simple idea — run the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio — turned into an Indiana Jones-like adventure. Cue the theme music, maestro. It’s amazing how the uncomplicated idea of taking a plane from City A to City B can become incredibly challenging when unpredictable spring weather is thrown into the mix. Unfortunately, our best laid plans were scrapped from the get-go and most of us ended up scrambling just to get to the start line. The only one spared was the brilliant K2, who flew a few days earlier for the RRCA convention held in conjunction with the marathon. On Friday, Brad got to the airport, sat in his assigned seat, and within minutes was on his way to an ontime arrival in Cincinnati. Boring. T.O. planned to fly into Cleveland and see an Indians baseball game Friday night. On Saturday, he wanted to visit the Rock and Roll / Pro Football Halls of Fame and then drive to Cincinnati. Unfortunately, a massive line of storms, from the Great Lakes to Texas, prevented that from happening. Instead, T.O. was routed into Chicago’s O’Hare airport and waited for 8 hours before finally getting into Cleveland…at 3 a.m Saturday morning! In a surprising stroke of fortuity, the rental car desk was still open and T.O. picked up his car and drove down and across the state to Cincinnati, bypassing his tourist plans. Kevin’s trip was more like a zany sequel. Unlike T.O., who at least flew out to a city near Ohio, Kevin was stranded in
4 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
other option of delaying the start by two to four hours.
(l-r) Rick Sanford, Kelly Richards, Thomas Okazaki, Brad Liles and Kevin Wessels “hog” it up for the camera at the “Finish Swine.”
Dallas. He was sitting on the tarmack at the DFW airport when his flight was cancelled. He was put on stand-by for future flights. After being bumped a couple of times, our movie hero’s chances on making it to Cincinnati dwindled like the sands of an hourglass. He dashed over to a ticket agent, secured a travel voucher for his cancelled flight, and decided on a script re-write. He discovered a flight on a different airline leaving at 6 am Saturday morning. It was far from perfect, but he would be in Cincinnati early that afternoon, so not a bad option. However, Kevin’s checked luggage was already on its way with no guarantee he could catch up to it before the marathon. Of course, his running clothes, watch, cap, etc. were all in the original suitcase, so Kevin needed to pack another bag with different stuff…and pick up new running shoes. Einstein didn’t hand carry them and
had to pick up a new pair that night and break them in on the plane. Just to make it a little more fun, he had to purchase a pair that was a half size too big. Kevin’s alma mater will be asking for his diploma back. Rick played all this a little cooler. After seeing his flight was delayed on Friday evening, he beckoned the airline and re-booked for early Saturday morning. That was a good move because he would not have made his connection in Chicago and would’ve had to catch his forty winks at the “Gate 17 Hotel.” After a brief delay on Saturday, he was the last of the group to arrive in Cincinnati. Of course, the craziness couldn’t stop there, so keep that theme music going. On race day, there was a major fire on a portion of the course. The race director decided to delay the start by 15 minutes and re-route the course on the fly. This was better than the
The marathon itself was fantastic. The course started by the football and baseball stadiums, crossed south across the river into Kentucky, back into Cincinnati, and then up the hills overlooking the Ohio River valley. The volunteers and spectators were incredible. The only glitch was the finish line, affectionately called the “Finish Swine.” Because of the new course route, it added a thrilling 2 to 3 minutes for our action stars. Not a big deal, especially for Brad and Rick who each set a personal record (PR) on the course, despite the extra ¼ mile added at the end. The course was packed with hills, so being able to subtract even more time from a PR would have been a nice bonus. In total, RAW had 6 marathon finishers. The fastest of the group was Mark Lehrman, who completed his 25th state in his quest of 50 marathons in 50 states. Brad and Rick, with shiny new PRs, were perfectly paced by K2. Brad also competed in the Pump n Run competition. Here, Herculean runners bench pressed a percentage of their respective body weight on Saturday at the expo. Amazingly, Brad completed 39 reps and didn’t tip over while running on Sunday. T.O. completed his 11th state overall and his 9th marathon in 2008, very impressive for a running machine that is now north of 60 lifetime marathons. The Flying Pig definitely provided a lot of thrills and challenges. This is a great option for a late spring marathon, but movie theme music and fedora hat are extra.
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Thank you to all of our club volunteers that worked the RAW Booth at the City of Grapevine Health and Benefits Fair Robin Pearson Gary Howsam Joe Luccioni Byron Benoit Stacie Sauber Thomas Okazaki Bruce and Kathryn Gleghorn
(l-r) Bruce and Kathryn Gleghorn, Robin Pearson and Gary Howsam
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 5
The Andy “What a Payne” Marathon — “No Payne, No Gain” By Steve Grady
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his year, late May meant two things. First, the hyperactive life skills students I teach at school and, second, the Andy Payne Memorial Marathon. It seems like this school year would go on forever, so I thought it might be relaxing to do a marathon in the month of May. I got permission from my wife, Cyndi, to go on yet another marathon adventure with my buddy, Thomas “ T.O.” Okazaki.
T.O. picked me up at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 24th. T.O. and I were joined by Adrienne and Carl Stipe, along with their son, for a delicious pasta meal at the Macaroni Grill in Lewisville, Texas. Jim Baudhuin, was going to meet us at the race start in the morning by leaving Dallas at 2 a.m. He planned to drive home right after the marathon. What a Maniac!
The Andy Payne Memorial Races honors the memory of Andy Payne, a Cherokee Indian who was unanimously elected in 1998 to be among the first inductees into the Oklahoma Long Distance Running Wall of Fame in Tulsa.
After all, this would be my 5th marathon of 2008 and my 32nd marathon overall. Rumor had it there would be lots of Marathon Maniacs there. You can learn more about these adventurous, over-achievers at http:// www.marathonmaniacs.com/. This would also be an excellent time to get “heat” acclimated for the “El Scorcho 50K,” later this summer in July. The entry fee was also only $35, so what a deal. The Andy Payne Memorial Races honors the memory of Andy Payne, a Cherokee Indian who was unanimously elected in 1998 to be among the first inductees into the Oklahoma Long Distance Running Wall of Fame in Tulsa. In 1928, he entered the Transcontinental Footrace from Los Angeles to New York City with hopes of winning the $25,000 prize money and paying off the mortgage of his family farm back in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. Payne won the race in 84 days, covering 3,422.3 miles in 573 hours, 4 minutes and 34 seconds. He became a national hero.
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After dinner, we took the scenic route up I-35 to Oklahoma City and then checked into the race motel filled with other Marathon Maniacs, the OKC Airport Clarion. We got a bit of shut eye and then awoke at 4 a.m. to get ready for what was supposed to be a short 15 minute trip to the start of the marathon. We left the motel at 5:30 a.m. and then promptly got lost on the surprisingly dark and unmarked John Kirkpatrick Turnpike. The toll booths were automated and unmanned, so no luck finding help there. After stopping for directions at a local 7-Eleven, we discovered we had missed our turnoff and were on the opposite side of the lake from where we needed to be. After several more detours, we finally arrived at the race start with only 15 minutes to spare. We were just in time for a nice long run in crisp temperatures near 80° at 6:30 a.m. A host of Marathon Maniacs began the journey of a short out-and-back and then 3 eight-mile loops around
the lake along with the rest of this small, intimate field of 80 runners. It was very windy on the west side of the lake. The aid stations were small, but adequate. The best one was right after a bridge on the north side of the lake manned by the Edmonds Running Club. I felt pretty good the first two loops, but then my 10:30 minute per mile pace slowed to a halt at Mile 21. I was trying out a new, but less stable, pair of shoes. It backfired as my plantar fasciitis bared its ugly head at Mile 21. I knew at that point I’d have to walk the last 5 miles in the heat and humidity. I was tempted to thumb a ride back to the start and call it a day, but I never have been into quitting. I went into a 7-Eleven and bought a cold soft drink. Yes sir, this Pepsi® would get me there. I jogged, shuffled, and limped for the next 5 miles and finally made it to the finish line. I was surprised I wasn’t in last place. It was really neat to have T.O. and three other Marathon Maniacs waiting for me. I could have driven to Newton, Kansas from Lewisville, Texas in the time it took me to complete this marathon. This was my slowest one ever! I knew this would be a record setting day. A nice crisp temperature near 90° at the finish made this marathon a real PAYNE! Oh well, like they say, “No Payne, No gain!” It was good to hear though that Adrienne won 2nd place in her age group. I learned two things on this trip: (1) Lighter, less-stable shoes don’t equate to faster running when you are a moderate overpronator. (2) If you can’t drink Coca Cola® at Mile 21, try a Pepsi®!
Cycling in Muenster, Texas with the BRAw Group The BRAw team seems to be more excited about their beer coupons and festival passes than about the ride! (l to r) Reba Becker, Marty Metzger, Debbie Carpenter and Doug and Mary Keeffe All successfully met the challenge of hills and brisk wind, but more importantly found a new parking area closer to both the starting line and festival areas. Debbie gets kudos for identifying a festival booth located near our usual picnic table, that had the best soft pretzels EVER!
LGRAW Members always save 10% on regular price footwear, apparel, & accessories
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 7
News from the RRCA Road Runners Club of America By Kelly Richards
RRCA 50th Anniversary Convention Cincinnati, USA
Lunch with the RRCA founders
The official convention welcome committee included Cincinnati mascots: Mr. Red Legs and Gapper. Many
The Saturday Luncheon hosted by “Marathon and Beyond” magazine featured a tribute to Ted Corbitt, founder of the RRCA, who recently passed away. Several members of the Corbitt family were in attendance. Gar Williams, Hal Higdon, and Tom Osler, original members of the RRCA, were on hand to answer questions and share their unique perspective of the RRCA’s first 50 years. It was informative, delightful and at times sobering listening to their stories and hearing first-hand how far our sport has come in 50 years. Annual Meeting and Election
All individuals on the slate of nominees as selected by the nomination committee were elected into office.
Kelly “K2” Richards with the Cincinnati mascots, Mr. Red Legs and Gapper.
attendees stayed in town for the Reds/ Cubs baseball game on Monday night. RAW members missed the game, but were able to visit the Reds Hall of Fame.
MEMBERSHIP
UPDATE Welcome to all our new members Keep your RAW membership current RAW now offers on-line renewals through Active.com. http://www.active.com/event_ detail.cfm?event_id=1310038
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President: Brent Ayers Vice President: David Cotter Treasurer: Dennis Novak Central Region Director: Mitch Garner Easter Region Director: Mark Grandonico After a lengthy forum and annual business meeting it was time to vote
on the Bylaws revisions. Members voted to pass thirteen of the fourteen proposed changes to the RRCA Bylaws. Resolution five was not passed. The current language, as stated in the June 2005 version of the Bylaws for Article VI, will stand in the newly revised Bylaws. Voting by proxy will remain in the new version of the Bylaws. Gift to RRCA
In recognition of the RRCA’s 50th anniversary and in celebration of the next 50 years, outgoing President Bee McLeod generously donated $50,000 to the RRCA! RAW Club Members received RRCA Southern Region awards:
1st Runner-up Open Male Rick Hanson 1st Runner-up Club Writer Gregory LaMothe 2nd Runner-up Masters Female Leana Sloan 2nd Runner-up Masters Male Ken Hall Honorable Mention Club Writer Mark Miller Honorable Mention Masters Female Laurie Lukanich Honorable Mention Club Newsletter The FOOTPRINT
Renewals
New members David & Kami Anderson Roberto Aramil The Dalana Bewley Family Stacie & Kevin Boudreaux Peggy Chesnutt Martin Dixon Skye Garrett & Tracy Morris Jett & Marshall Hampton Judy Harding Matt Hasten Laura Hause Kent Hutchison Amy Lee Shannon Lucas
Andrew Malchow Maggie McClure Kelley Ann & Mike Meehan John Newman Sherry & John Parady Valerie Price Leslie & Ken Rigoulot Elizabeth Rudy & Blade Norman Richard Rummell Julie Sampson Tammy Shadden Gianluca & Alexandra Sparacino
Byron Benoit Kelly Brittain Ross Darrow Diane Hernandez Kristine Hinojos Kirsten Keats Mark & Teresa Lehrmann Troy Pruett Stacie Sauber David & Bridget Smith Liz Tinch Noel Widdowson & Lauren Wallach Michelle & James Williams
RAW Student Section Getting to Know Katie Pearson By Mindi Rice 2006 RRCA National Female Runner of the Year
With two parents as active as Robin and Brad, it’s no surprise that young Katie Pearson is following right along in their footsteps. Katie has only been running a couple of years and just recently took up triathlons. Looking at her hobbies, she no doubt keeps busy with many other healthy activities. I met Katie a couple times and I am impressed with her maturity and desire. I wish I had a few Katie Pearsons at my school. She is a coach’s dream. Congratulations on all your accomplishments, Katie, and keep up all the hard work!
Age? 10, but I turn 11 in July What school do you go to? Durham Intermediate in Southlake When did you start running and why? I started running in 2006 because my mom was competing in a 5K at the “Run for Recovery” race and I decided to compete in the 1 mile run. What races have you been a part of? Run for Recovery, Valley Ranch Pumpkin Dash, Jogging for Johnson, Carrollton Runners Club, and Too Cold To Hold. Just recently, I was in the Benbrook Kids Triathlon. What was your favorite race and why? It was one of the Carrollton Runners Club races, because it was when I got my fastest time of 29:37 for the 5K.
Do you prefer running races or triathlons? Running races because I only have to train for one thing at a time. And I don’t really like getting up early before school to swim!
Will you run for your middle school next year? Yes, I will when I get there. Middle school for me is 7th and 8th grade. Next year, I will still be in intermediate school as a 6th grader.
Where do you usually do your running, biking, and swimming? I run and bike around the neighborhood and on Horseshoe Trails in Grapevine. I swim at the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD pool.
Will you run track? If so, which events would you like to do? Yes, I would like to run the 1 mile and 2 mile.
Do you prefer running alone or with friends and why? I like running with friends because they either keep you going because they are fast or I keep them going while joking around with them like a trainer wanting them to go fast. What benefits do you feel you get from running? I like being healthy and feeling in good shape.
Who are your role model(s)/ idol(s)? My dad, the volleyball player, Gabrielle Reece, and every adult triathlete. Besides running, what other hobbies do you enjoy? Being outdoors, swimming, playing volleyball, bicycling, computer games, and spending time with friends at movies, parties, and sleepovers.
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 9
The Challenge: Ride 150 Miles…Tomorrow By Jay Smith Editor’s note: Jay is not a RAW member, but started riding with our BRAw (Bikers Runners and Walkers) group and is a friend of RAW Member, Brian Luker. Appearing as a guest author, Jay’s experience tackling the grueling MS-150 charity bike ride shows the grit and humor that brings all athletes together.
O
ne Friday morning I had coffee with a group of friends and one of them mentioned that he was riding in the 2008 Sam’s Club MS-150 that weekend. The MS-150 is a 150-mile bike race across two days that raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. It is the largest charity bicycling event in the U.S. and is held in different locations around the country. Last year, there were about 100,000 cyclists. I jokingly said that I could do that and another guy quickly challenged me with an offer to donate $1 for every mile I rode on Saturday and $2 for every mile on Sunday. So with that, the challenge was on. Later that day, I borrowed a bike and gear from a friend and set out to buy the most padded bike shorts I could find. To properly train for ride the next day, I decided to ride up to the bike store about 2 ½ miles away. Thank goodness for this training because I almost killed myself trying to figure out the pedal clips. When I got to the bike store I told the guy that I was riding in the MS-150 the next day and he laughed at me. He said, “Well, let me show you how to put your helmet on correctly.” I had it on backwards! If you decide to do something difficult — don’t think about it, just do it.
On Saturday, we started in Frisco, Texas and rode all the way up to Lake Ray Roberts and finished at Texas Motor Speedway. As I rode across the dam at Lake Ray Roberts, I thought to myself that we never come up here because it is too far to drive - and I am on a stupid bicycle. We rode 81 miles on the first day. My body was pretty upset at me. The hardest part of the race was the four hours directly into a headwind of 15 to 30 mph. It was like riding in mud. After enough Advil® to paralyze a horse, I passed out at about 8:30 pm. The next day went much better…until after lunch. We started out with 4,000 bicycles riding around the track at Texas Motor Speedway. The ride up to Decatur (another place I don’t go very often because it is too far to drive) went pretty well, but I quickly found that it was the calm before the storm. Once we got down by Eagle Mountain Lake, the hills started. I will never look at a hill the same again. The hills were so bad that people were getting off their bikes and walking. But by now, there was no stopping - I was 130 miles into a 150 mile race. At one of the stops I pulled in to refill water, and as I was slowing, the chain fell off my bike. Since I had no experience with bikes this could have posed a huge challenge. Fortunately there was a repair tent where people got quick tune-ups on their bikes. As I handed my bike over the guy grabbed the handle bars and they almost fell off. He looked at me with
10 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
(l-r) Jay Smith, Hal Hardister and Brian Luker shamelessly bid to be endorsed by Crocs ®.
eyes wide open and told me that my headset was falling apart. Apparently there is a screw that holds everything together and that screw had backed out from all the bumps and rough roads. He said that I would have crashed within a half mile. He also told me that my rear wheel was about to fall off. He tugged on it without loosening anything and the wheel came off. Thankfully, he fixed all of my mechanical issues and I was off again. At the next stop, I had a blow out and had to get a brand new tire. At Mile 150, there was no end in sight. It turns out, the race is actually about 159 miles with a huge hill about a mile before the finish. It was sadistic. At the finish line, there were thousands of people cheering us on and it felt like I was pulling into the finish of the Tour de France. It was a great feeling and a great sense of accomplishment. I still can’t believe that I rode 159 miles on a 10 pound bicycle. It took about 12 hours and a bottle of Advil®. My legs weren’t very useful for walking afterward, but it was all worth it. Without any training or preparation it was probably one of the dumbest things I have ever done. But it’s also one of the most memorable experiences of my life. If you decide to do something difficult - don’t think about it, just do it. Since I finished the race, another friend told me that he would match the original donation that initially challenged me. What a great race and a great cause. For more information, you can go to http://dallas.ms150.org/dallas/.
On Your Mark!
Our Toughest Opponent
Giving Back to the Sport
By Mark Miller, 2005 RRCA Southern Region Runner of the Year
“In running it is man against himself, the cruelest of opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability with brain and heart to master himself and his emotions.” – Glenn Cunningham, American mile great of the 1930s.
T
he Boston Red Sox have the New York Yankees. For the Dallas Cowboys, it’s the Washington Redskins. George Foreman had Muhammad Ali. Even as local runners, we form friendly rivalries. It’s the one opponent that most often stands between you and your goals. I have a long-standing rivalry with a runner; the one opponent I have competed with most often and most fiercely. I see that opponent every time I look in a mirror. One of the unique aspects of running is that we must overcome our own internal battles before we can conquer any external hurdles. In the pursuit of my own running goals, I have often been my own worst enemy. I seem to have been equipped with a self-destruct feature that I have greatly overused. When I have over-trained, compromised a workout, relaxed my diet, or not taken appropriate rest and recovery, I have lost the internal battle before even setting foot on the starting line. Giving in to my own emotions or my desire for comfort is one of the toughest challenges I have ever faced. Taking on such a battle with oneself is so challenging that it begs a question: why? Why fight your natural instincts? Why struggle with your own limits, fears, and doubts, even your own humanity, just to run a few seconds faster in a 5K or a couple of minutes faster in a marathon? It borders on absurd to go to such lengths to achieve an arbitrary goal that is completely
Joe Luccioni lacking in utility. Non-running friends are right to think we’re a little crazy to do what we do. The best answer to the why question is that, in and of itself, a time or place goal doesn’t make much sense, particularly in the contest of what it costs us. Pursuit of a time on a clock or a place in a field is not the real goal. It is merely an external proof of an internal victory — to know that I faced the opponent in the mirror and won by overcoming my own habits, shortcomings, limitations, and fears, that I had the ability and the courage to change. That’s the real goal. The running goal is just a really cool side benefit. There’s good news in the battle with oneself. While we can be our own worst enemy, we can also be our own greatest ally. Each of us possesses an inner strength, a will, and a drive, that when properly directed, can defeat the enemy within. We have the capacity to commit to a cause, to achieve something greater than ourselves. Achievement of such a victory can carry over to other aspects of life. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I perform my best at work when I’m running well. The knowledge that you can defeat the internal rival produces the confidence to overcome obstacles at home, at work, or at school. Winning the battle with oneself is a victory that means more than any personal record or trophy.
T
his month’s “Giving Back to the Sport” nominee is former club president, Joe Luccioni. Joe is a longtime member of RAW and has been very active over the years in the club. Joe has always been a willing volunteer for RAW events, clubhouse maintenance, and was instrumental in the Protectors of Freedom events. Joe is also very active in the community as a volunteer with the Grapevine Police Department and his involvement in the 9/11 Memorial. Although Joe has run many marathons, he has now become one of the driving forces in the “Walkers” zone, emphasizing the “W” part of RAW. This past year, Joe really stepped up to the plate doing double duty as 2007 – 2008 RAW President and Race Director for the 2008 Hound Dog Hustle. With this recognition, we would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Joe for all of his involvement over the years. Joe certainly serves as a great example and should make us all ponder: If this old guy who can hardly speak English, let alone Texan, can give so much to our club and to our sport, why can’t we? Thank you, Mr. President! If you would like to recognize someone for “Giving Back to the Sport,” please send your nominations to TonyFlesch@yahoo. com along with a paragraph or two on why you think that person should be recognized for “Giving Back to the Sport.”
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 11
Boston Marathon — Version 1.02 By “Dr. Chuck” Kennard
Q
ualifying for the Boston Marathon became a personal goal for me in the fall of 2006. In 1983, I ran a time (3:06) that would have qualified me when I was a (young) medical student. But, since that would have meant spending money I didn’t have and took time I didn’t have as a student, the Boston trip was put on hold. As a matter of fact, I put marathoning on hold for 21 years, running my next marathon at Napa Valley in 2004. As the result of running Napa Valley about 12 minutes off the Boston Qualifying time, “Major Mike” Eccleston encouraged me to follow his lead and make a real commitment to the goal of qualifying. I was vaguely aware of a “Boston curse” that had struck runners before me with illness, injury and misfortune on the road to Hopkinton, but I could not have dreamed of what lay ahead. Fortunately, I had the support of Staci “Tini” Rivero, Steve “Dog Dude” Rush, and others who were In 1983, I ran a time (3:06) that would have qualified me when I was a (young) medical student… I put Boston and marathoning on hold for 21 years.
training for marathons in the fall of 2006 and winter of 2007. All was going fine and I was ready for the Houston marathon in January 2007. Once the race started, I knew this was the day I was going to qualify! About 1½ miles from the finish, Kelly “K2” Richards ran out from the curb and shouted “You’re going to make it!” I broke out in a grin that didn’t fade for at least two days after I finished with a 3:28 qualifying time.
12 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
All was well for the 2007 Boston. I was qualified, had a hotel room, a flight, and my mother, brother and girlfriend, Susie, were all set
to travel to Boston and cheer me on. About two days before we were scheduled to set off, I started to feel ill. I hoped it was just fatigue; I had been racing very fast in the weeks leading up to the trip and maybe I just needed rest. It was not to be. After flying to Boston, I actually became sicker and sicker. On the night before the race, I became so ill that I knew I could not even go to the starting line. It was the easiest, but the hardest, decision to make. I could not possibly run a marathon in my condition, but I felt I would disappoint Susie and my family. The day of the race dawned with me laid out in bed, watching the other runners on TV. Later that day my brother said that he was sorry about what happened, but he would make the trip next year to cheer me on when I ran Boston in 2008! It was quickly confirmed that I would still be qualified for 2008 and a weight was lifted from me. It actually took about 3 weeks and 2 courses of medicine to rid me of my symptoms. Training began again in the late summer of 2007, but it did not go well. The Boston curse was still in effect! I was sidelined with a series of injuries to my lower legs.
I did not panic, but took time off from running, visited my favorite chiropractor, Daryl Laney, and hung in there. However, the pain did not abate. Then, I read an article by Hélène “LN” Walker in the March 2008 FOOTPRINT. LN described the same problems and voilà, I saw the answer. I changed my shoes and started wearing my orthotics again without pain. I was going to beat that damn Boston curse! Once again, my RAW training partners were the inspiration. Jessica Hanson and Kristine Hinojos were indefatigable and when we met one winter morning at 6:00 AM in complete darkness and 23 degree weather for an 18-miler, I knew I was ready! So, here I am: Monday morning, April 21, 2008, Hopkinton, Massachusetts. I am standing in the starting corral smack dab in the middle of 23,000 runners who have earned their way to this time and place by their own efforts and with the support of their own family and friends. We are sharing a dream and, perhaps, this is something that will happen only once in each of our lives. Our loved ones are with us. Some, like Susie, my mother and brother are on the sidelines of the course. Others, like my children and my younger brother, are watching the feed on their computers or cell phones. And some, like my father, are watching from someplace that holds them secure and at peace, but nonetheless close to the heart of the runner who has taken a lifetime to get to the start of this storied marathon. I take the first step over the starting line and the “curse” is lifted. The finish line in Boston is easy to reach this day.
Paddle, Pedal & Pound the Pavement…
In Step With
at the Grapevine Triathlon
Randy Bobe
Randy Bobe with his son, Brayden Josua
Are you a native Texan? No, I was born in Brooklyn, New York If not, what brought you to Texas? My father’s company transferred us here in 1987. Grapevine was nothing more than a small town back then, a big change from New York City. How long have you been running? I ran some track and cross country in junior high, but I really picked up running after having surgery in 2004 from a torn ACL. Why running? I used to play competitive flag football, which is how I tore my ACL. Mentally, running works better for me and there is no twisting or cutting involved. How long have you been a RAW member? I joined the club in June 2007 after I had a confirmed entry into the NYC marathon. Who was the first person you met at RAW, or at first showed you the route, or really “took you in?” On day one, I ran 6 miles with Kelly “K2” Richards and Jessica Hanson. K2 has always been very friendly and welcoming. She is a special person. Do you do anything special before or after running, or do you have any pre/post-race ritual? A cold beverage among friends always works for me after a long run. Do you have a favorite place to run? With my friends at RAW.
Do you prefer roads or trails? Roads. What has been your fondest running memory? May 26th, 2008. I was running a 10k race at the Ballpark in Arlington. Shortly after completing the race, my wife called and was headed to the hospital. Four hours later, my son was born. I was still in all my race clothes and race number when he was born! What do you consider your biggest running achievement? Running my first marathon in New York, 2007 (Editor: check out page 17 of the January 2008 FOOTPRINT for Randy’s NYC Marathon recap). What has running taught you about yourself or what have you learned about life through running? Running makes me appreciate life more. I am doing what I like to do. I am outside and enjoying the weather, rain or shine, cold or warm. Who cares as long as I am still running? Do you have a spouse or significant other, any children? I have been married 4 years as of June 5th. My wife and I just had our first child on May 26th.
Brad Pearson races to an age-group win.
(l-r) Matthew and Jeff Barnhart in transistion to the bike.
Robin Pearson cheers hubby, Brad, to victory.
Besides running, what other fitness activities do you enjoy or do as cross-training? I like boxing, snow skiing, and lifting weights. What would the members be surprised to learn about you? I used to have hair on my head and if I would have known it would be gone so soon, I would have never shaved my head when I was younger.
Marty Metzger focuses at the start of the swim.
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 13
Boston ‘08: It’s About Giving Back By Dave Ball
I
can’t say enough about the Boston Marathon experience. It always seems to live up to the hype. Perhaps it is the qualifying part being so tough that adds to the glory that is Boston. But then what? See the end of the article to find out! April 21, 2008: I lined up at the start line in Hopkinton, Massachusetts with right hamstring issues and a newly-developed, nasty left calf knot. The medical tent said there wasn’t anything they could do and told me to do my best. What looked like a nice cloudy, overcast day in low 50s at the drop bag busses turned into sunny and mid-50s at the start. When the fans are wearing t-shirts, it’s not a good sign for the runners. 10 AM: I started the race conservatively, 8:23 or so per mile, for the first 12 miles. Warm turned into hot temperatures and a stiff breeze began. Legs felt relaxed, though. Wellesley College’s screaming co-eds were phenomenal this year. The flat section got crowded and I ran 8:35s,
dodging lots of folks walking from going out too fast. The water stations were tricky, too. A couple of runners are still choking from me running into their backs after they stopped in their tracks when getting fluids instead of moving over to the side. Whoops. Newton Hills: Up and down. Up and down. But my conservative pace was paying off. Starting at Mile 16, my splits were 8:25, 9:09, 9:19, 9:06, 9:05, and Heartbreak Hill at Mile 21 was 9:33. Neither the left calf knot nor the right hamstring were issues. I was drinking Gatorade® and dumping water on my head. It was all working because I still had gas in the tank. I ran even faster splits to the finish and used it all up. I’ve never felt this good at this stage of Boston. I was passing people like mad. The crazy, cheering crowds really helped, too. Finish Line: Rounding Hereford onto Boylston Street was unbelievable and like entering the Roman Coliseum. It is what
distance running is all about. I finished in 3 hours and 46 minutes. Looking back, it was a day to run conservative. Although a pretty warm day, it was probably my best Boston. I like feeling good at the end. After the Finish: Soon however, the triumph of the day dies down. I enjoy looking at the finisher’s medal, but an overwhelming joy comes over me knowing that so many generous people gave to my annual pledge campaign for the Parkland Burn Camp. In its 9th year, net proceeds exceeded $3,200 this year. Giving back in this way has netted me a priceless feeling of gratitude to God for giving me the ability to run and enjoy RAW and to “give back” to these precious little ones who just want to be like other kids. I encourage anyone who feels the spirit inside to turn their running effort toward a charity or special cause. Feel free to contact me for some easy tips on getting started. Running is a gift. Consider giving back through that gift by helping others. God bless.
Tie-dye Party Signals the “RAW”-ficial Start of Summer.
Ray Harris returns to his psychedelic days with his creation.
14 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
“Jersey Mike” Bassano and Gloria Bush choose their colors carefully.
Kelly “K2” Richards asking who has the Minnesota Vikings purple dye?
Following Dad…but not for long By Matthew Barnhart
W
hen I ran a kid’s triathlon last October, I thought I would never run one again let alone the sprint distance my Dad, Jeff “Barney” Barnhart, has been doing. This spring, he asked me if I wanted to run the sprint triathlon, Old College Tri, at Southlake High School in late April. I thought about it for a long time and decided to try running with Dad at Southlake. Dad thought it would be a good one to run since I swim at the pool for the swim team and know the area. For my first race, my Dad and I thought I would finish in about 1 hour and 30 minutes and he would watch my swim before starting. We also thought he would pass me during the bike portion of the race. With him watching my swim, I had about a 10 minute headstart. My swim went well and I passed four other swimmers, but like my Dad’s first race, I had a long first transition time. My bike portion was easy except for the hills, especially the hill by the high school. That hill hurt my thighs and they were sore the next day. The good thing was that my Dad did not catch me on the bike. The run was good except for the weird JELL-O® feeling in my legs from the bike. I could not stretch them out. About 1 mile into the run, my Dad finally caught me. He asked how I was doing and I told him about my legs. He said he told me that they would feel different and he was right. I told him that he did not pass me in the bike, so I won. It felt great to finish the race and I wanted to do another one since I knew I could do better in my transition times and run. Dad asked me if I wanted to run the Grapevine Tri, Paddle, Peddle, and Pound, and I said yes. The Grapevine Tri was really fun. Dad and I started together this time
Matthew Barnhart is a triathlon star in the making, but has to catch Dad first.
with me going first. This time I was really ready for the swim since I had started summer swim practice. I knew I would be able to beat my Dad, but I did not know if I could pass anyone else. I was able to pass three others. My transition this time was better because I knew what I was doing this time and I had less stuff to put on. I got to even talk to my Dad as he transitioned and that was awesome. The bike was not as hard as I thought it was going to be and it was great to see my Dad as he passed me. The run felt great and I was pushing hard with all the RAW members cheering me on. Coming up the hill I felt strong and finished with a sprint thinking someone was coming behind me. I really liked the Grapevine Tri because of all the RAW members there and other runners talking to me about my race. I am looking forward to doing another triathlon because they are challenging in every way… and I want to beat my Dad. I would also like to thank Kathryn Gleghorn for loaning me her bike for both races. It was much easier to ride than my mountain bike.
Planning a trip and need a running route?
Map out and measure a route from the largest database of running routes in the country. Log on to www.usatf.org/routes to map out a route anywhere in the USA.
Would you like to be a Newcomer Mentor? We are looking for club members who are interested in becoming mentors for new members. The mentors would meet one Saturday a month to make new members feel more welcome and a part of the group. Contact Laurie Lukanich at LaurieL@runnersandwalkers. com to sign-up.
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 15
RAW Off to the Races RAW had a solid showing at the Thurston 17th Annual Memorial Day 20K and 5K. The races served as the spring edition of the club’s “RAW Off to the Races.” The start and finish of both events was at the Bath House at White Rock Lake. Leana Sloan led the way by nailing down the overall female winner category in the 20K with a blistering time of 1:31:33. in fact, most of our club runners brought home the hardware on this day. Jeff Garber, Julie Burns, and Kristine Hinojos also placed in their respective age groups along with the ever-improving Pam Neven who ran the 20K as a tune up for the Grandma’s Marathon in Minnesota in mid June. RAW then turns up the heat with a double feature weekend, July 19-20th with The Too Hot To Handle 5K/15K on Saturday, July 19th, 7:30am at Winfrey Point, White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX and el Scorcho Dos 25K/50K Ultra on Sunday, July 20th, midnight, at Trinity Park, Ft. Worth, TX.
Kristine Hinojos proudly displays her age group award.
Jeff Garber is in a “happy place” after taking 2nd place in his age group.
Pan Neven’s smile outshines her age group award. Leana Sloan looks cool after a blistering win.
16 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
Running a Marathon — Take Two By Randy Bobe
A
fter I finished my first marathon (the New York City Marathon in November 2007), I was both pleased and disappointed. I really wanted to finish less than 4 hours. It was not meant to be and I finished in 4:00:52. I felt like I was capable of a better time and that a second marathon would definitely be in my future. I learned a few things after running just one marathon.
City Memorial. I had never been to Oklahoma before and was impressed with the city. We passed the state capital and went through some really nice neighborhoods with better than expected crowd support. We actually caught up with a man, around Lake Hefner, who was running his 97th marathon. He shared some of his stories with us and distracted us from the windy conditions around the lake. He went on to run a 3:31. I believe he was 61 years old.
1. When a training schedule calls for a 20 mile run, 18 miles will not suffice. 2. Running a 5k and a 10k two weeks before my first marathon was a big mistake, especially for a beginner like me.
Danielle and Randy Bobe days before their first son is born.
program. I went out and purchased the book, Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide. Higdon’s book really helped me understand a little bit more about what needed to be done to prepare for a marathon both physically and mentally. I used his intermediate training program. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is just starting out in our sport.
(l-r) Jessica Hanson, her friend, Rob, and Randy Bobe celebrate dual PR’s
I made some mistakes in my training for the first marathon, but I fixed them the second time around. I took some advice from our resident experts, Spareribs and Mike Evans. They both told me that I should look into the Hal Higdon
I had run my last two 20 mile runs with Jessica Hanson and we arranged to run this race together. Her goal time was 3:40 to qualify for the Boston Marathon. My goal was between 3:30 and 3:40. There was also an added bonus, the Hansons arranged for a friend of theirs, Rob, to pace Jessica to her goal time. The weather was perfect on race day: cool with a slight breeze. The wind, which is normally a huge factor in Oklahoma, was really minimal except around Lake Hefner. The course was out-and-back, starting and finishing at the Oklahoma
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We kept an even pace for the first 20 miles, about 8:15 per mile and the plan was to pick it up after 20 miles and pass as many people as possible. We ran strong the second half and finished with a negative split. [A negative split is running the second half of a race faster than the first half.] We both finished in 3:33. The joy in crossing the finish line after giving everything is overwhelming, especially after seeing my wife as I crossed the finish line. Big thanks to Rob for pacing us and big congratulations to Jessica for kicking butt and qualifying for Boston. Back in October, my wife and I learned that we were pregnant with our first child. Ever since then I have been thinking about him when I am running. I have now donated two medals to the bookcase that faces his crib. Now that he is born, I can tell him about all the miles I ran while my wife and I waited for his arrival in late May. We decided to name our little guy Brayden Joshua Bobe. My nickname for him by the way will be “BB.” Who knows from here how much running I will do? I guess it all depends on him.
Keep your RAW membership current 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.
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 17
ING Georgia Marathon — “Hot Times In Hot-lanta” By Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki Georgia, Georgia, The whole day through Just an old sweet song Keeps Georgia on my mind I’m saying Georgia, Georgia, A song of you Comes as sweet and clear As moonlight through the pines Ray Charles-1960
I
watch through the airplane window as we slowly descended through the skies of Atlanta toward the runway. This was my very first visit to the Peach State. I was looking for my 10th different state to run a marathon in to qualify for a standard membership to join the 50th States Marathon Club and ING Georgia seemed to fit that bill. I have also been looking forward to visiting Atlanta, Georgia for a very long time. Before moving to Dallas from Little Rock, Arkansas back in 1994, my other choice was possibly moving to Atlanta, or “Hot-lanta,” as I like to call it. Here was an opportunity to tour the city and see what might have been.
runners registering for this event until at the race expo inside the Georgia Dome! In recent years, ING, the Dutch insurance conglomerate, has slowly been expanding its reach and influence in sponsoring major marathon races in North America including New York City, Hartford, and Ottawa, Canada, along with Bay To Breakers in San Francisco. This would be my first ING marathon. The race expo was well run, attended by many interesting and different vendors and one of the better ones I have seen. Packet pick up was a snap. A very nice tech shirt was handed out along with a wonderful goody bag with lots of freebies. Neon signs a-flashin’, taxi cabs and buses passin’ through the night A distant moanin’ of a train seems to play a sad refrain to the night A rainy night in Georgia, such a rainy night in Georgia Lord, I believe it’s rainin’ all over the world I feel like it’s rainin’ all over the world Brook Benton-1970 I listen to the rain beat heavily against the window at our downtown Hampton Inn Hotel. There had been rain showers off and on the entire weekend. Race morning promised to be chilly and possibly very wet with a forecast low of 48° F and high 54° F with some rain showers. RAW’s Alan Noell arrived that evening and we went to the Buckhead district to enjoy a pre-race pasta dinner at a Maggiano’s Little Italy. Brad Frazier was in town and hoped to do the halfmarathon, but an ankle injury eventually prevented him from doing so.
(l-r) Thomas Okazaki and Alan Noell are glowing in “Hot-lanta.”
The ING Georgia Marathon course offers a very challenging, but scenic route that highlighted the best of the Atlanta area. It has the second highest elevation of any major city in America. Now I understood why the course was not revealed more to
18 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
The start and finish of the event was at Centennial Olympic Park. The famous water fountain rings for the 1996 Olympic Games were unfortunately turned off due to a local drought. In fact, a tornado recently hit the downtown area causing this year’s marathon route to be altered slightly at the finish because of safety concerns from falling glass.
This was a wonderful destination marathon. One could see the CNN Center, The World of Coca-Cola® Museum along with the mammoth Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest, all within walking distance from the start. Also don’t forget to visit The Varsity, featured on the Food Network, as the World’s Largest DriveIn Restaurant after the race, serving the residents of Atlanta since 1928, echoing that famous phrase, “What’ll Ya Have?” Over 15,000 participants were expected on race morning. Some were scared off by the threat of rain. Race Director Victoria Seahorn and her staff made many improvements from last year’s inaugural event including more fluids along the course. I had never seen so many tables of water and Gatorade®. The food and water stations were well organized and the crowds were very enthusiastic, including the cheering Agnes Scott Scotties from a private liberal arts women’s college in Decatur. This event had a very nice Southern charm, with its scenic course winding its way through picturesque “old money” neighborhoods lined with colorful dogwood trees in full springtime bloom. The severe rolling hills started early and just kept on coming. At least the morning showers had stopped and the overcast skies kept the temperatures at a cool 54° F. The finisher’s medal was one of the nicest ones I have ever seen. It was in the shape of a Georgia Peach and the center actually rotated. Do not be afraid of doing hilly marathons. In fact, running this marathon gave me the confidence to run the challenging Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio a month later. Also consider that most of the more scenic marathons such as Big Sur, Whidbey Island in Washington, and Mt. Desert Island in Maine are also all very hilly. This would have been a very difficult marathon for a first-timer, but if you’re looking for a good scenic course that will challenge you and provide a good hilly workout, ING Georgia is the one for you.
Back Home Again in Indiana By Jeff “Barney” Barnhart
E
very year during the pre-race ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500, Jim Nabors (otherwise known as TV star, Gomer Pile) sings “Back Home Again in Indiana.” When you hear him singing this song, only one thing can be happening — the start of the Indianapolis 500 race. In the past I have always gone back for the race or qualifications, but I have never gone back to run a road race. This year, for the first time since high school, I returned to the state where I grew up and ran a race that I had wanted to complete for a long time. For me, I was definitely back home again in Indiana, but this time for the 32nd running of the OneAmerica 500 Festival’s Mini Marathon. Why have I wanted to run this race? The biggest reason is in being a huge race fan. The race course goes from downtown, out to the speedway and does one lap around the famed 2.5-mile oval, and returns downtown for the finish. I had not trained as much as I wanted to before the race, so I set some realistic goals of running the race non-stop, finishing in 1:55.xx, and enjoying running the event. I hit all my goals except for the time which I missed by 20 seconds with an official time of 1:56:19. There were many highlights of the race, from the bands at almost every
mile, cheerleaders, square dancers and even a group of cloggers at mile 5, to the 35,000 runners in the field. But the biggest highlight came at mile 6 when we entered the speedway and ran the complete 2.5 mile lap running, of course, across the yard of bricks at the start / finish line. I have been just about everywhere at the speedway, but to be able to run from turn 4 down the main straightaway will be something I will never forget. You might be asking what is the heck is the “yard of bricks?” When the speedway was first built, it was made up of all bricks and now there is a is a 3-foot section of bricks at the start / finish line made up of the original bricks used to create the speedway in 1910. This is also why the speedway is called the Brickyard. I have never run a race with as many runners. I kept waiting for the field of 35,000 to thin or string out, but it never did. There were seeding corrals from the letter A-Z and lucky for me I was able to submit a time from the RAW’s 2007 Hound Dog Hustle and was seated in the 5th corral. I started the race with a conservative target pace of 9:00 while keeping the overall goal of a non-stop run in my mind. The race was very well run with water every mile and the
stations situated on both sides of the four-lane road. The course was very, very flat with the only hill being at the 5 ½ mile mark when we entered the speedway through a tunnel and we had to run up a small hill to get under the track. The organization behind this race was great, from the race booklet that provided every detail of the race, to the packet pickup, to the finish area. There are many RAW members who have run the Boston, New York, and Marine Corps marathons, as well as other big races, so they have already experienced what I did this year. There is this energy you get from all the other runners around you. I usually run with a MP3 player, but decided not to this race and was glad I did not. The crowds of cheering fans were the best and kept you going. If you are looking for a unique halfmarathon to do, I highly recommend this race. I had such a good time that I have already signed up for next year’s race and hope to run a PR (personal record) for a half-marathon. By the way, Spareribs, according to my Garmin®, the course was 13.26 miles not 13.1. (Editor: Spareribs’ hilarious commentary on runners and their GPS watches can be revisited in the August 2007 FOOTPRINT.).
Did you know photos from many RAW races and social events, including the annual banquet, can be found on the RAW web site and are available for order? To see them go to… Runnersandwalkers.com then click on “gallery”
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 19
RAW in the Kitchen By Bridget Smith 2006 RRCA Masters Female Runner of the Year
“Summer Time – and the livin’ is easy” – and this month’s recipes are just that – EASY! I got this burger recipe from watching “30 Minute Meals” on the Food Network and they are fantastic! Prep them the night before to save yourself time when you get home from a long day. Fajita Chicken Burgers (4 Servings)
Unofficial “Weight Watcher” Points – 5 points per serving (w/o the roll) 1 1/3 pounds ground chicken 1 tablespoons ground chipotle (smoky flavor) chili powder, a palm full 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves Several drops hot sauce 1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick) ¼ of the onion from the peppers and onions recipe below Non-stick cooking spray Grate about half of the piece of onion into the chicken. (Onion is optional but will help keep the burgers moist). Combine chicken and onion with the chipotle powder, cilantro, hot sauce and grill seasoning. Divide meat mixture into 4 sections and form big patties, about 1-inch thick. Spray each side with nonstick cooking spray to prevent from sticking. Cook 6 minutes on each side or until meat is firm and cooked through.
Advertise for the FOOTPRINT Ad space is avaliable for businesses related to our sport and for our club members who are business owners. The FOOTPRINT is a bimonthly publication and is mailed to over 300 households and placed in local running stores. For advertising information contact tonyf@runnersandwalkers.com
Grab your grass skirts, pooka shells and Hawaiian shirts for the annual
Seared Peppers and Onions (4 servings)
Unofficial “Weight Watcher” Points – 1 point per serving 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil* 2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise 1 medium yellow skinned onion, thinly sliced lengthwise, reserve 1/4 of a piece, uncut - for the burger 1 jalapeno or serrano, seeded and chopped 2 cups tomatillo, green chili salsa or chipotletomato salsa, your choice Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and peppers and onions. Stir-fry the veggies tossing them with tongs to sear them at edges. Add the jalapeno or serrano pepper. Toss and turn the mixture about 3 minutes, then add salsa of choice and toss a minute longer.
RAW
Lu au
Place burgers on a roll** and top with 1/4 of the pepper and onions. * Point Saver – use non-stick cooking spray in place of the oil for 0 points! ** Points for the roll will vary between 1 and 4 depending on the type you use. Point Values provided are unofficial and are based on my knowledge of Weight Watchers. Please send recipe ideas and comments to Bridget Smith at bridgets@runnersandwalkers.com.
20 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
Saturday, July 26 • 5 p.m. Ray & Noreen Henry’s Home See the RAWforum for further details.
RAW RACE RESULTS Please e-mail your race details to thomas “t.o.” okazaki at tokaz007@hotmail.com
From 5ks to uLtrAS Apr. 5, Dallas, TX DrC Flapjack 5 miler Apurva Parikh: 49:39
Apr. 5, Abilene, KS eisenhower marathon Brad McClew: 3:38:40 Mark Lehrmann: 3:44:57 Steve Grady: 5:01:36
Apr. 5, Ft. Worth, TX hit the bricks 5k
Mark Miller: 17:36, 1st AG
Apr. 6, Dallas, TX big D texas marathon
Thomas Okazaki: 4:39:30
big D texas half marathon
Jim Lukanich: 1:28:57 ed Stoddard: 1:52:03 Doug Sullivan: 2:07:49, 1st Half Kim Danahy: 2:14:32 Neil Sobol: 2:23:41 John Ruiz: 2:37:07, 1st Half
Apr. 6, Dearborn, MI running Fit martian marathon Brad McClew: 3:49:11 Mark Lehrmann: 3:53:55
Apr. 12, Dallas, TX brentfield bobcat boogie 5k John Ball: 19:57, 1st AG
Apr. 12, Dallas, TX Camper Scamper 10k
Ken Hall: 34:45, 2nd MMW Robert Fowler: 38:17, 1st AG
Camper Scamper 5k
Yolanda Hopping: 20:28, 3rd FMW
Apr. 12, Groveton, TX Davy Crockett bear Chase half marathon Staci Rivero: 1:48:10 George Rivero: 2:01:48, PR
Apr. 12, Irving, TX Play tri Festival 10k
Julie Burns: 1:01:51, 1st AG
Apr. 13, Wakefield-Annandale, VA Spring backyard burn 10 mile trail run#4
Mark Miller: 17:14, 2nd AG Jeff Garber: 17:17, 1st AG Jack Hase: 19:50, 1st AG Tim Oberholzer: 19:52 Jimbo Cross: 20:02 Joseph Hale: 20:09, 1st AG John Ball: 20:16, MGMW Molly Tucker: 20:26, 1st AG Leana Sloan: 20:40, FMW Laura Nelson: 21:39, 1st AG Felice Johnson: 21:41, 2nd AG Lee Miller: 21:42, 2nd AG Dale Mauger: 22:50, 1st AG Curt Burgess: 23:01, 1st AG Matthew Barnhart: 23:48 Steve Rush: 24:01 vern Lumbert: 25:46, 2nd AG Carol ezell: 26:49 Christine Bassano: 26:53, FGMW Michael Czyz: 26:57 Meredith St. John: 28:21, 1st AG John St. John: 28:35 Mike Bassano: 28:39 Carol Novak: 34:30 Mylon Johnson: 37:55, 1st 5K Roy Lange: 38:32 Sydney Johnson: 43:32 Stacie Sauber: 46:00 Joseph Czyz: 52:02, 3rd AG Tanya Czyz: 52:04
Apr. 19, Ft. Worth Ft. worth Zoo run 10k
Ken Hall: 16:36, MMW
oklahoma City memorial half marathon Dusti Kuehne: 1:59:24, PR Kathryn Gleghorn: 2:05:21 Pat Noell: 3:50:53
May 3, Dallas, TX DrC white rock n roll 5 miler Michael Ahearn: 39:03 vanessa Loggins: 45:27
May 3, Dallas, TX make tracks For hope 5k Molly Tucker: 20:37, OFW
May 3, Ft. Worth, TX mayfest 10k
Ken Hall: 35:00, 4th MMW Yolanda Hopping: 41:44, 2nd AG
May 3, Indianapolis, IN oneAmerica 500 Festival mini-marathon
Abby Cox: 23:03, 2nd AG
Craig Ottman: 2:37:59 Lee Rebodos: 3:10:54 Chuck Kennard: 3:39:48 David Ball: 3:46:06 Kristine Hinojos: 4:05:30 Doug Keeffe: 4:07:42
Apr. 26, Nashville, TN Country music marathon
David Moyer: 3:44:33, PR Curt Burgess: 3:57:54, 1st Marathon
Country music half marathon
Henry Galpin: 42:58, 2nd AG
Apr. 19, Grapevine, TX hound Dog hustle 5k
Jeff Garber: 2:56:55 Troy Pruett: 3:02:04 Randy Bobe: 3:33:35, PR Jessica Hanson: 3:33:35, PR, BQ Thomas Okazaki: 4:27:21 Steve Grady: 5:11:01
Apr. 21, Boston, MA boston marathon
Apr. 27, Carrolton, TX Carrolton runners Club 5k
Jessica Montz: 2:06:32
Apr. 27, Oklahoma City, OK oklahoma City memorial marathon
Jeff Barnhart: 1:56:19
Tracy Altman: 2:38:03 Jane Strawn: 2:46:07
Apr. 13, Whidbey Island, WA nature’s Path organic whidbey Island half marathon
John Ball: 19:58, 3rd AG
Melissa McKibben: 51:39 Ft. Worth Zoo Run 5K Rick Hanson: 17:16, 1st AG
Samantha Galpin: 1:15:50, 3rd AG
Spring backyard burn 5 mile trail run#4
germanfest 5k
Robin Pearson: 25:50, FMW Katie Pearson: 30:34, 1st AG
Apr. 27, Muenster, TX germanfest 15k
Tim Oberholzer: 1:08:43, 2nd AG Julie Burns: 1:12:44, 2nd AG Lillie vanMeter: 1:33:38, 3rd AG Neil Sobol: 1:24:34
May 3, Plano, TX Plano wildfire run
May 3, Jekyll Island, GA turtle Crawl 5k
Susan Barnett: 25:32, FGMW Courtney Noell: 28:58
May 4, Ft. Worth, TX FwrC bud run 10k
John Ball: 43:01, 2nd AG
May 4, Cincinnati, OH Flying Pig marathon*
Mark Lehrman: 3:37:24, 25th State Brad Liles: 3:53:24, PR Rick Sanford: 3:55:03, PR Kelly Richards: 3:55:03 Thomas Okazaki: 4:10:27 Kevin Wessels: 4:31:28
Flying Pig Pump ‘n’ run
Brad Liles: 2:35:24 net time (39 pumps/handicap-1:18:00) *This year’s Flying Pig marathon was approximately ¼ mile longer than the official marathon distance due to an early morning fire along the race course that forced the race officials to detour the race course.
July 2008 |
FOOTPRINT 21
RAW RACE RESULTS continued Bridget Smith: 2:01:23 Ken Hall: 2:19:08 Kristine Hall: 2:19:08 Apurva Parikh: 2:19:30 Louise LaMothe: 2:25:00 Tracy Altman: 2:35:39
heels and hills half marathon Janet Dixon: 33:38
May 4, Spokane, WA Lilac bloomsday run 12k Dave Aungst: 1:12:01
May 10, Ft. Worth, TX buffalo boogie 5k
Laura Nelson: 22:28, FMW
May 10, Lucas, TX Lovejoy Country run 5k
Yolanda Hopping: 19:29, FMW Sophia Hopping: 31:28
May 10, Southlake, TX Southlake kiwanis Club’s run For kids 5k Craig Minyard: 20:00, 1st AG
May 10, Flower Mound, TX the Faith run 5k John Ball: 20:54, 1st AG Curt Burgess: 23:01
May 14, Dallas, TX Jogger 5k Summer Series #1 John Ball: 21:10, 2nd AG Henry Galpin: 21:23, 1st AG Jim Uhelski: 22:47, 1st AG
May 15, Dallas, TX michelob ultra no. 10 katy 5k Jeff Garber: 17:46, 2nd AG Michael Ahearn: 23:53
May 17, Azle, TX Azle Lake run 10k
Jeff Garber: 36:32, 1st AG, 2nd Overall John Ball: 43:20, 1st AG Laura Nelson: 44:43:15, 1st AG
May 17, Corpus Christi, TX beach to bay relay marathon Masters Men: FWRC Road Dawgs: 2:52:30 Darrell Davis Paul Grindel Don Nelson (x2) Stan Ujka Byron Benoit++ Masters Mixed (3&3): Aged To Perfection: 3:32:01 Jenni Pascacio John Nance eddie Pascascio Bridget Smith++ Linda Kelly Scott McKissick ++ Current Members of RAW
May 17, Southlake, TX Dragons Fire 5k
Jack Hase: 19:35, 1st AG
22 FOOTPRINT | July 2008
May 17, Ft. Worth, TX Lifegift 2nd Chance run 5k
Duathlons & triathlons
May 17, McAlester, TX Spaghetti run 10k
(300 meter swim/12 mile bike/5K run) Scott Decker: 1:02:39 Chris Hillen: 1:05:53, 2nd AG Dan Banse: 1:08:32, 1st AG Noel Widdowson: 1:09:42 Linda ellestad: 1:12:38, 3rd AG Jeff Barnhart: 1:18:31
Blade Norman: 19:16, 1st AG
Steve Grady: 54:00, 1st AG
May 18, Dallas, TX north trail half marathon Troy Pruett: 1:26:28, MMW Leana Sloan: 1:34:42, FMW Julie Burns: 1:47:23, 3rd AG
May 21, Dallas, TX Jogger 5k Summer Series #2 John Ball: 21:29, 1st AG
May 24, Oklahoma City, OK Andy Payne memorial marathon
Thomas Okazaki: 4:59:17 Adrienne Stipe: 5:10:58, 2nd AG Jim Baudhuin: 5:11:32 Steve Grady: 6:14:00
May 24, Ft. Worth, TX Firemen’s run 5k Blade Norman: 19:05
May 24, Ennis, TX Polka run 10k
John Ball: 46:03, 1st AG
May 25, Carrollton, TX Carrollton runner’s Club 5k Terry Marcott: 21:50, 1st AG Sophia Hopping: 32:25, 1st AG
Carrollton runner’s Club 1 miler
Yolanda Hopping: 5:58, OFW
May 26, Arlington, TX American heroes’ memorial 10k
Randy Bobe: 43:38, 2nd AG, PR Brad Liles: 46:24, 3rd AG, PR Michelle Putze: 50:30, 1st AG Jane Strawn: 1:14:00
American heroes’ memorial 5k Curtis Strawn: 45:00, 1st 5K
May 26, Dallas, TX memorial Day 20k
Jeff Garber: 1:30:29, 2nd AG Leana Sloan: 1:31:33, OFW Julie Burns: 1:46:21, 2nd AG Kristine Hinojos: 1:48:57, 3rd AG Pam Neven: 1:51:43, 3rd AG
memorial Day 5k
Henry Galpin: 21:30, 1st AG Thomas Okazaki: 24:05
May 26, Grand Prairie, TX Peaceful tomorrows For
Mar. 15, Keller, TX St. Patty’s triathlon
April 6, Grand Prairie, TX Fast & Furious Duathlon
(2 mi run/11 mi bike/2 mi run/11 bike) Karen Robertson: 1:30:49, FMW Julie Burns: 1:40:20, 1st AG
Apr. 13, Irving, TX Play tri Festival half Ironman
(1.2 mi swim/56 mi bike/13.1 mi run) Scott Decker: 5:07:51, 1st AG Dan Banse: 5:29:33, 2nd AG Al Walker: 5:48:45, 1st AG
Play tri Festival
Olympic Distance Triathlon (1500m swim/ 27mi bike/6.2 mi run) Chris Hillen: 2:40:24, 1st AG Brad Pearson: 2:49:04 Linda ellestad: 3:06:33
Apr. 13, Tempe, AZ Ford Ironman Arizona (2.4 mi swim/112 mi bike/26.2 mi run) Daryl Laney: 11:53:09
Apr. 26, Southlake, TX old College triathlon
(300 meter swim/12 mile bike/5K run) Jim Lukanich: 58:05, MMW Jimbo Cross: 1:04:17, 3rd AG Mike Doud: 1:06:56, 1st AG Noel Widdowson: 1:06:57, 3rd AG Jeff Barnhart: 1:11:46 Lauren Wallach: 1:24:52 Matthew Barnhart: 1:26:01, 3rd AG, 1st Tri Crystal Grose: 1:36:47
May 3-4, Ruston, LA the rustman Fest triple
Karen Robertson: 3:13:33, OFW
gator terra off-road tri
Lincoln 2 miler
Karen Roberston: 15:08, 1st AG
hidden Paradise Sprint tri
(600yd swim/13 mi bike/3.2 mi run) Karen Robertson: 1:12:25, FMW
May 26, McKinney, TX Stonebridge memorial Day 10k
May 4, Benbrook, TX tri-benbrook triathlon
May 28, Dallas, TX Jogger 5k Summer Series #3 Leana Sloan: 21:43, OFW
Boys Ages 9-10: (100 meter swim/2.5 mi bike/1 mi run) Michael vanMeter: 24:35 Girls Ages 11-12: (200 meter swim/5 mi bike/1.5 mi run) Katie Pearson: 53:52, 1st Triathlon
May 18, Millington, TN memphis In may triathlon
(1.5 km swim/40 km bike/10 km run) Jim Lukanich: 2:05:51, 2nd AG Bart Bybee: 2:29:27 Laurie Lukanich: 2:47:32
May 18, Canyon Lake, TX XterrA Dirty
(1500m swim/14 mi mtb/10K trail run) Karen Robertson: 3:06:30, OFW
the Dirty tri Sprint
(750m swim/7 mi mtb/5K trail run) Roy Robertson: 1:49:24, 2nd AG
May 31, Grapevine, TX Paddle, Pedal & Pound the Pavement IX Sprint tri
(300 yd swim/20K bike/6K run) Brad Pearson: 1:03:54, 1st AG Stacy Dannels: 1:05:10, OFW Karen Robertson: 1:08:28, 1st AG David Moyer: 1:14:05, 1st AG Jeff Barnhart: 1:16:34, 2nd AG Laurie Lukanich: 1:16:54, 1st AG Brad Liles: 1:20:42 Marty Metzger: 1:23:00 Matthew Barnhart:1:27:24, 3rd AG
May 31, El Reno, OK route 66 Sprint triathlon (0.5K swim/20K bike/5K run) Mike vanMeter: 1:24:25, PR
June 1, El Reno, OK route 66 Int. olympic triathlon (1.5K swim/40K bike/10K run) Mike vanMeter: 2:53:53, PR
June 1, Poconos, PA black bear half Ironman
(1.2 mi swim/56 mi bike/13.1 mi run) Samantha Galpin: 5:32:14, 1st AG Molly Tucker: 19:38, FW
(800 yd swim/10 mi mtn bike/3.5mi tr run) Karen Robertston: 1:46:00, FMW
Our Troops & vets 5K John Ball: 20:53, MMW
Yolanda Hopping: 43:32, OFW
May 11, Benbrook, TX benbrook kid’s triathlon
(300 yd pool swim/13.8 mi bike/5 km run ) Stacy Dannels: 1:08:03, 1st AG Noel Widdowson: 1:13:10
LegenD
May 4, Las Colinas, TX heels and hills half marathon
Pr-Personal Record Ag-Age Group bQ-Boston Qualified ow-Overall Winner oFw-Overall Female Winner omw-Overall Male Winner mmw-Male Masters Winner Fmw-Female Masters Winner e-mail your race details to Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki at tokaz007@hotmail.com
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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! Latest gear: long sleeve N/B Tempo shirts $32 Summer wear: singlets, Cool-Max hats and shorts Safety wear: long sleeve bright yellow shirts Sweatshirts Shorts Singlets Cool-Max hats
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Long-sleeve shirts Beanie Caps Socks Gloves
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Contact Joe Luccioni to make a purchase.
July 2008 |
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.
variety we’ll have it wind back and forth so that they can never run in a straight line.”
Ask Spareribs Dear Spareribs: It’s commonly known that you are the most knowledgeable person on the planet when it comes to running, but since there are so many people who give running advice these days, who do you think is the LEAST knowledgeable? In other words, who should I NOT pay any attention to? -Michelle in Frisco Dear Michelle: Easy one! That would be the concierge or other front desk personnel at whatever hotel you happen to stay at when you travel. They’re always good for a laugh. It’s a little known fact that they have to sign a contract forbidding them to know anything about running, advising guests where to run or otherwise being in any way helpful to hotel guests who are runners. Based on my own hotel experiences from my frequent travel, I have these nitwits divided into groups, those with a running route and those without: In the first group you have the tourist hotels, such as Disney. How is it that the greatest entertainment company in the world can’t figure out how to give runners a decent path or trail to run on? You can just see them planning it with their architects. “Okay, let’s see. These joggers are going to want some place to run, so here’s what we’ll do. Let’s give them a ¾ mile jogging path made of cement, and for a bit of
Then you, the victim, go into the lobby and the bright-eyed clerk hands you the “Jogger’s Map” and proudly points out the path. “You just go out to the parking lot and follow the signs with the little jogger on them. The path goes around the parking lot and past two small ponds. Just follow the goose crap.” “Oh,” you say sadly. “How long is this path?” “It’s about half a mile but you can go around it as many times as you like,” she adds brightly. But the real diabolical people are in the second group. Anything is likely to happen to you when you ask, “Excuse me, where is a good place to run around here?” To this question the clerk will look at you as if you just asked him to recite Avogadro’s Number, and not wanting to look like he doesn’t know the answer, will offer up some instantly concocted running route that will either get you killed, arrested, or hit by a truck. “Just out of our parking lot, you take a right and you can run along a nice grass shoulder for miles and miles,” he will say. Then he goes back to work, satisfied that he has sent you on your merry way, and not a bit concerned that he has sent you into the right lane of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Or how about this one? You check into your room and see that the hotel abuts a huge forest or park, and you know it must have some beautiful trails to run on. You go down to the lobby in the morning and ask about the running routes and you get this response: “Running? Oh, you mean like jogging? Well, I don’t know. I’m really not from this area. I have no idea where you could go. Let me ask the manager….” So Michelle, the next time you’re planning a trip out of town and want to go running, ask me if I would like to go with you. We can share a room to save expenses and I’ll show you a great time. Hope that helps. -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.
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