FOOTPRINT Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers
November 2009
www.runnersandwalkers.com
Double Threats at Double Trouble By Kelly Richards
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he runners saw “double trouble” when José Lopez decided to pay the extra $5 on race morning to run both races at the decade celebration of Double Trouble 5K and 10K races. Lopez won the 5K in 17:21 and the 10K in 34:58. The double win made Lopez the 2009 RRCA Texas State 5K and 10K champion. RAW’s own Molly Tucker became the women’s 5K State Champion by winning the 5K in 19:31 and Britt Darwin-Looney won the 10K in 42:38, making her the 10K women’s State Champion. Lopez and Darwin-Looney are course record holders for the new 10K course. The 5K Master’s State Champions were Richard Neill (17:27) and RAW’s Elizabeth Rudy (21:05). Proof the volunteers had everything under control, co-race director
Co-race directors, Kelly Richards and Terry Marcott.
Terry Marcott was able to run the 5K and became the 5K Grandmaster’s State Champion by running a19:23. The female Grandmaster’s title was awarded to Kim Andres who ran a flat and fast 24:00. RAW produced the male and female 10K Master’s State Champions. Craig Minyard ran a speedy 35:13 while Laura Nelson earned her title with an impressive 45:19. The 10K Grandmaster was won by Doug Hind (44:10) and Elizabeth Rudy became a double State Champion by winning Grandmaster in the 10K (46:41). Hundreds of runners and dozens of volunteers doubled up one way or another to participate in the races. For some, this meant running both races. For others, it meant volunteering before or after running one of the races. Many RAW members spent their entire morning volunteering and putting on a well-run event. Everyone’s efforts paid off as the race went off without a hitch. Due to the use of timing chips, the race results were available in record time. Results were posted at the race site within minutes and posted to the web a few hours after the race ended. The runners liked the unique race “goodies”- silver-colored shirts, travel mugs for age-group awards and free samples from Enylten™ strips. The double feature everyone loved most was the beautiful race course and the friendly RAW volunteers.
(l-r) Rick Hanson giving Craig Minyard smack before the race.
Volunteer Scott Noell at the aid station.
Thank you to all of our 2009 Double Trouble Sponsors EnlytenTM: Independent Distributor Tim Condrin ID #1415 Taqueria Burritos Locos Saltgrass® Steak House
Rainforest Cafe® Orbital Systems, Ltd. Foot and Ankle Associates Heels and Hills
Laura Nelson, the female 10K Master’s State Champion
P.O. Box 2982 Grapevine, TX 76099
RAW Board and Committees President | Ray Harris RayH@RunnersAndWalkers.com Vice President | Bridget Smith BridgetS@RunnersAndWalkers.com Secretary | Doug Noell DougN@RunnersAndWalkers.com Treasurer | Brad Liles BradL@RunnersAndWalkers.com Directors Susan Barnett SusanB@RunnersAndWalkers.com Mike Bassano Jersey@RunnersAndWalkers.com Scott Decker ScottD@RunnersAndWalkers.com Tony Flesch TonyF@RunnersAndWalkers.com Emily Johnston EmilyJ@RunnersAndWalkers.com Cindy Lee CindyL@RunnersAndWalkers.com Terry Marcott TerrryM@RunnersAndWalkers.com
Footprint Editor-in-chief | Kevin Wessels editorial Coordinator | Tony Flesch associate editors Susan Barnett Kathryn Gleghorn Creative director | Lorraine Wessels Design & Production | Reneé McConnell
Membership Data Emily Johnston MembershipData@RunnersAndWalkers.com
FOOTPRINT Submissions Send articles to lgrawfootprint@verizon.net Footnotes to KathrynG@RunnersAndWalkers.com
MEMBER
Race results to tokaz007@hotmail.com
2 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
F ootnot e s • F O O T N O T E S • F ootnot e s • F ootnot e s
Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers Club
Congr atulations • To all the RAW members that participated in fall events locally and around the country. We had many new personal record (PR) times, Boston Qualifiers and distances. Check the race results for further details. • Congratulations to Kelly Richards and Terry Marcott on their successful turn as race directors for the Decade of Double Trouble club race last month. • To Debbie Carpenter who was recently promoted to Captain with the Carrollton Fire Department. speedy recovery • To Rick Fogle, Noreen Henry, and Staci Rivero who are recovering from foot injuries. • To Mark Studder who is recovering from a bike injury. Thank You • To all our volunteers who put out water and sports drink for the weekend runs. We appreciate each and every one of you. • To all club members who volunteered at Double Trouble and made it such a successful event. • To all club members who volunteered to Keep Grapevine Beautiful. We appreciate your time and effort in assisting with the clean up of the trail areas surrounding the lake. Lost & Found • Items in the Lost & Found are piling up! If you left something at the clubhouse please check to see if we found it. All unclaimed items are in the clear tote along the north wall of the clubhouse (just outside the bathroom). Change of Address • Change of Address, please notify Emily Johnston at MembershipData@runnersandwalkers.com announcements New RAWear shirts? They're available in black and white. Men's short sleeves and sleeveless. Women's short sleeve. Only $10. Available only while supplies last. The 2010 Hound Dog Hustle (HDH) is in need of a Co-Race Director. Randa Foster is returning as Co-Race Director responsible for soliciting major HDH race sponsors. If you are interested, please contact Randa at randakfoster@yahoo.com or Ray Harris at RayH@runnersandwalkers.com. Deadline for the next FOOTPRINT is December 1st. Send your articles to lgrawfootprint @verizon.net. Send your Footnotes to KathrynG@RunnersAndWalkers.com.
RAW Around Town
SNL Dinners
Social Calendar & Events
1st Saturday of every month
Check the RAWforum for information on all club events: www.runnersandwalkers.com
Saturday Night Live Dinners
December 5, 6 p.m. – RAW Annual Holiday Party Suann Lundsberg's Home, Colleyville
January 2, 5 p.m.– Saltgrass Steak House, Grapevine
RAW Walk/Runs
Board Meetings
Starting from the clubhouse
2nd Wednesday of the month, 7:30 p.m. at the clubhouse
Walk/Run every Saturday & Sunday 8 a.m. (standard time) 7 a.m. (daylight savings time)
Trail Runs Trail Run every Wednesday & Friday 7 a.m. (year round) Starting from the clubhouse
Trackies Trackies every Tuesday 5 p.m. Grapevine Middle School
Hillbillies
November 11 December 9 January 13 February 10 All members are welcome to attend.
Anti-Turkey Trot Trail Run Anti-Turkey Trot Trail Run Thursday, November 26, 7 a.m. at Rockledge Park If you want to run on Thanksgiving morning, but do not want to go to Ft. Worth or Dallas for their Turkey Trot, join us at Rockledge Park for a trail run.
Holiday Party Annual RAW Holiday Party
Location varies check the RAWforum
Saturday, December 5, 6:00 p.m. Suann Lundsberg Home in Colleyville Plan to bring a dish to pass and a new toy donation to this fabulous don't-miss-it event!
BRAw Cycling
Aid Station
BRAw Cycling
White Rock Marathon 10 mile Aid Station
Hillbillies meet Thursday nights 5:45 p.m.
Check the website for rides through the end of the year.
Potluck Breakfast Time Change Run Potluck Breakfast
Saturday, November 7, 8:00 a.m. Reset your alarm and sleep in but don’t miss it when the weekend group runs switch to 8 a.m. We will celebrate/recover with breakfast burritos, donuts and fruit. Additional Potluck items are always welcome.
The theme this year is FAVORITE MUSICIAN or MUSICAL GROUP. So dig out those lycra tights and big hair wigs and LET'S ROCK the ROCK!
New Years Day Recovery Run New Years Day Recovery Run & Breakfast
Friday, January 1, 8:00 a.m. This is always a great way to start the new year.
RAW's Bold in the Cold RAW's Bold in the Cold
Saturday, January 23, 8:00 a.m.
To see what’s happening, log on to www.runnersandwalkers.com
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 3
LAKE GRAPEVINE RUNNERSANDWALKERS
President’s Message A perspective to the members from RAW President Ray Harris Ray Harris
T
hank goodness the summer is over and we’re enjoying more pleasant weather. No more “Slippery When Wet” signs on the clubhouse floor when Henry “Squishy” Galpin finishes his workouts. And with the cooler temperatures comes marathon season (although for some of the members the season of the year doesn’t really matter), special events and the holidays. If you’re going to be in town for Thanksgiving, make sure to mark your calendars to not run the ATT (Anti-Turket Trot) Thanksgiving morning. It’s something that every member should make a point not to run at least once. A large and enthusiastic group generally doesn’t get together to run the trails at Rockledge Park at the break of dawn. No one I know has ever had any fun and it’s not likely to happen again this year. And don’t count on refreshments, including holiday beverages, afterward. If you’re new to the club and you’re a little confused about this, just ask any tenured member and they won’t tell you what it’s about.
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The annual LGRAW Christmas party is scheduled for Saturday, December 5. Suann Lundsberg will host the party this year and it is a great time to celebrate with fellow members when they are well-dressed and smell even better (well, at least most of them). The club will supply the main meat entrées and we’ll ask everyone to bring a favorite dish to share. The food, wine and beer will be plentiful. The following weekend, December 13, is the White Rock Marathon and again LGRAW will staff the 10-Mile Aid Station. We have been doing this for a lot of years and everyone has a great time. There are generally several RAW members running the marathon, so this is a chance for the rest of the membership to support them and the thousands of other runners. Since our aid station is relatively early in the race, it can get pretty hectic when the main pack shows up en masse. No telling what the weather will be like, but that adds to the mystique. RAW Vice President Bridget Smith is leading this effort. Look for more information about the “theme” this year and how to volunteer on page 16.
Then we’ll have our annual New Year’s Eve Run and New Year’s Day run to ring out the old and get a quick start on the new. If you haven’t figured out when these are scheduled, watch the RAW forum for more information. All in all, this is a pretty good time of the year to be a part of RAW. Watch the website and your e-mail for more information. Which reminds me, if you have changed e-mail addresses or your home address, drop me a note (RayH@ RunnersAndWalkers.com) and I’ll make sure our records get updated so that you don’t miss a thing. I hope to see you really soon at the clubhouse.
Ray
On Your Mark!
Lessons from Running History By Mark Miller
A
s a sophomore in college, I took a history class in which the professor denounced the common phrase, “that’s history” as a dismissal of the past as irrelevant to present circumstances. In his view, the past served as a reliable guide to the future. Because I wanted an A, this became my view as well. With that in mind, here are five events from the history of running and what we can learn from each to improve our own running. 1. 1 972 Olympic Games: Frank Shorter wins the Men’s Olympic marathon in a time of 2:12. He made a bold move to take the lead at Mile 12 and held it to the finish, winning by over 2 minutes. Lesson learned: Consistent high mileage training pays off. While preparing for the marathon, Shorter consistently ran 120 miles per week. While few of us can (or should) reach that total, we could all benefit from more consistency in our preparation. Many of us could benefit from a small, gradual increase in weekly mileage. 2. 1936 Olympic Games: Glenn Cunningham claims the silver medal in the 1,500 meters. As a child, Cunningham was severely burned in a schoolhouse fire after which doctors predicted he might never walk again. He went on to become America’s finest middle distance runner of the 1930s.
Lesson learned: Don’t accept limitations placed by others, even the experts. Glenn Cunningham did not accept the doctors' diagnosis and had the courage to pursue athletics in spite of his handicap. 3. 1964 Olympic Games: Billy Mills, a virtual unknown, comes out of nowhere to win the 10,000 meters. He was such a long-shot that many media members covering the Games did not know who he was. Mills later stated that he had visualized success in that race so often that, on race day, he was simply carrying out what he had done in his mind so many times before. Lesson learned: Don’t let long odds stand in the way of pursuing your goals. Also, visualization is a powerful tool. Obviously, visualization without physical preparation is useless. However, visualizing success puts you in the proper frame of mind to maximize your potential. 4. 1960 Olympic Games: Abebe Bikila wins the Olympic marathon while running barefoot. He was a last-minute addition to the Ethiopian team and his shoe sponsor provided a pair that did not fit him well, so he decided to run unshod. Four years later, Bikila once again won the Olympic marathon – this time with shoes.
Lesson learned: Don’t rely too heavily on equipment. Abebe Bikila achieved the same result both with and without shoes. Few would suggest you run your next marathon barefoot, but if your equipment, pre-race fuel, or other key elements are not just right, don’t let it ruin your race. Focus on the task at hand and not on the problem. 5. 2009 World Track & Field Championships: Kara Goucher foregoes the big city fall marathons (and the related potential for a big pay day) in order to focus on the World Championships marathon, finishing 10th. The reason: she wanted to gain experience in a championship race to better prepare for the 2012 Olympics. Lesson learned: Have a long-term plan, even if it means sacrificing short term rewards. Sometimes, you will have to pass up an old favorite race in order to focus your preparation on your goal later on. Back in that sophomore history class, our professor emphasized that his goal for his students was not merely memorization of names and dates (although he didn’t hesitate to lower my test score when I got one wrong), but rather interpretation of meaning. Likewise, we can look to past achievements of both notable and not so notable runners for lessons on improving our own running future.
Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers
Bold in the Cold 5K & 15K Saturday, January 23 For more information or to register, log on to runnersandwalkers.com/bitc2010.html
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 5
A Birthday Present for Myself in Cancun: a Trip to the World Championships! By Laurie Lukanich
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he Cancun Ironman® 70.3® took place on September 20, 2009, in Cancun, Mexico. This half Ironman-distance race was the last qualifying race for the 2009 Ironman® World Championship 70.3® in Clearwater, Florida. on November 14th. The race consisted of a 1.2-mile ocean swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run. Here’s why I chose to race Cancun. My triathlon history consisted of only Sprint/ Olympic-distance races. After winning a long battle with a hip problem, I was able to increase my distances and train consistently for my first 70.3 race in Lawrence, Kansas in June 2009. I completed this event with no problems. When I learned I had only missed first place in my age group (AG) by two minutes, I realized I could compete fairly well at this distance. Jim, my husband, placed second in his age group that day and earned a slot to the World Championships. I had never dreamt of it, but once you get this close, all kinds of crazy things enter your mind. Cancun Ironman 70.3 was being held on my birthday...karma?
Then there was the fact that my 50th birthday was coming up. It didn’t take long to discover that Cancun Ironman 70.3 was being held on my birthday...karma? Wait, there’s more! I also ride a Quintana Roo Tribike. Where is Cancun? In Quintana Roo! Yes, this was meant to be. My biggest challenge was to conquer my fear of open water swimming to be competitive, so I began swimming weekly in Lake Grapevine with Marty Metzger’s group, led by “Admiral Gary” Howsam and Steve “Dog Dude” Rush in kayaks. This was really the secret to my success. I also trained with the BRAW (Bikers Runners and Walkers) cyclists, my husband Jim, and went to several bike rallies over the summer to get stronger on the bike. Race day morning was sunny, clear, and 75°. I started the swim in the rear of the pack and found myself working through crowds most of the way. Thanks to Marty, “slide ‘n’ glide” was my mantra, and it worked. Jim was my spotter, and called out to me that I had one competitor in my AG three minutes in front of me out of the water.
6 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
The bike was a flat, out-and-back course with one leg repeated. I was able to stay on my bars 98% of the time, only getting up for the bottle exchanges. I came in off the bike in good time, so I was happy with that, but also felt a little tired as the temps were rising and it was very humid. I saw Jim and he told me the girl in my AG was only 4 ½ minutes ahead of me. I stayed focused when I started the run, but all I could think about was the heat. Thankfully, there were lots of fluid stops and all had ice-cold bottles of water and Gatorade®. At Mile 3, I got a pleasant surprise: I saw my competitor. I have no idea how fast I was running, because I never looked at my watch. A big smile broke out on my face and I actually felt bad as I passed her. She wanted it as much as I did, no doubt. I had a little spring in my step for about a mile…then I realized how fatigued I was. I had taken my nutrition as planned, and had plenty of fluids. The course was basically flat and two loops, but it felt like it took forever to get to the halfway turnaround. I saw Jim at Mile 7 or so, and he said, “You passed her!” I nodded in pain. Then what happened at Mile 8 ultimately saved me – it clouded up and rained. Other runners started cheering. I’ve never been so happy to see rain during a race before. By now there were many athletes walking. At the turnaround I thought, “Only 3.1 miles left.” I was now totally obsessed with wondering where the girl was behind me as I kept slowing down. My quads were burning from the bike and my shoes sloshed with every step. Mile 11 brought the sun back out and I seriously thought about walking. I have never felt this bad in a run before. At some point, I saw Jim and he said my competitor was four minutes back. If I could just keep going and not stop! That phrase, “pain is only temporary,” kept popping into my head. I saw the Mile 13 marker and got excited, but it was placed at the beginning of Mile 13, not the end of it. I seriously was not sure how I made it through the next mile. Every step was painful. I thought, “Just keep moving.” I saw the “300 meters to finish” sign and Jim. I weakly yelled out, “Do you see her?”
(l-r) Laurie Lukanich with superstar triathlete, Michellie Jones.
and he replied, “She is nowhere in sight.” At that point, I allowed myself to believe I had done it. I wanted to walk across the finish, but forced myself to run. I crossed the finish line and felt awful. Within 20 minutes it began storming badly, with torrents of rain and wind. I felt sorry for the rest of the athletes, but at least it was cooler. That phrase, “pain is only temporary,” kept popping into my head.
Back at the hotel, word started going around that the run course was long. The run course was 1.3 miles long, so approximately 14.4 miles instead of 13.1. Okay, I felt a little better at that point. Overall, it was a great experience and very humbling. I know I left nothing on the course, so I will be proud to compete in November in Clearwater. I want to thank all of my fellow athletes at RAW/BRAW for their support during my training, Gorilla Multisport, Dallas Sports University, my husband Jim, and the many other athletes/ friends that have shared their knowledge and expertise. It was a birthday adventure I will always remember!
RAW in the Kitchen By Bridget Smith
Go Green
RAW Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Tips
The holidays are here! And what do the holidays bring? Leftovers! Here is a recipe that will hopefully give you some new ideas on what to do with that leftover turkey. Turkey Enchiladas (6 – 8 servings)
This can be prepared ahead of time, but wait to pour the sauce over the top until you are ready to bake. 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 package reduced-fat cream cheese 1 tablespoon water 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin salt and pepper to taste 4 cups cooked diced turkey or chicken 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans* 12 6-inch flour tortillas 1 10 3/4-oz.can reduced-fat condensed cream of chicken soup 1 cup reduced fat sour cream 1 cup lower fat milk 1 or 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeño peppers 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese cilantro or parsley chopped tomato and green sweet bell pepper In a little water in a skillet, cook the chopped onion until tender. For enchiladas, spray a 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick coating. In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, water, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cooked onion, turkey or chicken, and toasted pecans*. Heat a tortilla in microwave or skillet just until soft. Spoon about 1/4 cup turkey mixture onto each tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in the baking dish. For sauce, in a medium mixing bowl combine soup, sour cream, milk and jalapeño peppers; pour over enchiladas. Cover with foil. Bake covered in a 350° oven about 40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle enchiladas with cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for about 4 to 5 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. Topped with minced cilantro or parsley, chopped tomatoes, and chopped green pepper. *To toast nuts, spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in a 350° oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Or, toast in an ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden brown. Please send recipe ideas and comments to Bridget Smith at fpt _ bridge@verizon.net.
Which Bin? RAW has been making great “strides” in going more green around the clubhouse. Recycling results have been a “runaway” success. Let’s “chase down” a few more opportunities. Here’s a common question. Question: Sometimes I find that deciding what to do with my finished water cup at the clubhouse can be more challenging than the run itself. Just which bin should my cup go in? The blue recycling bin or the trash can? Answer: Typically we have two types of cups available in the clubhouse: plastic and paper. Within the world of trash and recycling this breaks down into more categories. Plastic Let's start with the plastic. Flip your empty cup over and you should see a number inside a triangle. Plastic identification codes range from 1 to 7. In Grapevine, we can recycle any plastic with the following codes: 1,2,3,4,5 and 7. Here’s a trick, “Nix the six.” If the recycling number is a 6, toss it in the trash. Otherwise, you can place all other plastic cups with a recycling code in the blue recycling bin. Paper Now for the paper. Feel the inside of the cup. If you feel a waxy lining, chances are it’s not recyclable. Most paper drink cups are not recyclable or even compostable. There are new compostable versions made from plant byproducts; however, in our clubhouse chances are your paper cup needs to go into the trash can. For more information check out www. alliedwastedfw.com.
At the Blackland Sprint Tri in Plano Texas. (l-r) Marian Severn, Michelle Blackard, Christine and "Jersey" Mike Bassano and Randa Foster.
Send your “green” tips to Michelle Williams at shelarie@aol.com.
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 7
HALLWAYS A Marathon in Paradise...is Still a Hot Marathon Hallways By Ken and Kristine Hall
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n 2007, Ken and Kristine ran the Maui Marathon, which was Kristine's first marathon (to find out how Kristine finagled that, refer to the December 2007 FOOTPRINT). Not surprisingly, Kristine had a great marathon experience and an even better time in Maui after the marathon. Ken paced Kristine in the marathon, so though he might not use the same adjective to describe his experience in the marathon, he also enjoyed the time on Maui afterwards. So it is also not surprising that we had been saving up to go back to Maui in 2009 and were registered almost a year ahead of time. Since 2007, Kristine ran several marathons, but never beat her Maui marathon time. Through the spring and summer of 2009, Kristine’s training runs and races were impressive, foreshadowing an absolute smashing of her marathon personal record (PR) in Maui in September 2009. Then a back injury in August, not related to running, kept her from running for three weeks. As marathon day approached, Kristine was not sure whether she could still run it. In football parlance, it would be “a game time decision” at the expo whether to remain the marathon or switch to the half marathon. Ken had been plagued with hamstring problems throughout his training (this time, he would “race” not “pace”), so he was unsure about his performance, but based on prior years’ results, hoping to snag some prize money nonetheless. As race day approached, Kristine’s impending marathon was seldom far from her mind. At the expo, Kristine decided to go for it and remain in the full marathon. She placated her husband, friends, and family by saying she’d run what felt comfortable, she’d stop and smell the hibiscus and enjoy the scenery, and swore that if her back began to fatigue, she’d drop out. Ken, on the other hand, was not injured. However his training and racing over the spring and summer was erratic at best. Although he had put in the miles,
8 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
Ken was very unsure about how well he would race this hilly, hot, humid marathon. But there was still Master’s money out there to motivate him to overcome the “H” factor. The course was a point-to-point, going from Kahului in the north, south past sugar cane fields and Maalaea Bay, up and down hills, along the edge of cliffs, and through a tunnel between Miles 9 and 12, then flat along the coast to the west to the finish at Whaler's Village in Kaanapali. The temperature was about 72° with 90% humidity at the 5:30 am start, and in the mid 80s with humidity in the high 60s at the finish. The scenery was very beautiful, with the sun coming up over volcano Mt. Haleakala, and ocean views from Mile 7 through 26. Ken went out on his target pace. However he did speed up on several of the mid-miles. He was still doing well at Miles 20 through 23. Unfortunately, Ken's legs began to cramp at Mile 24 and he was stopped cold by a hamstring cramp at Mile 25. Having finished the half marathon about an hour earlier, cousin Mike ran the last half-mile with Ken. Ken finished in 2:52:49, feeling at the end like he had been beaten with a 2 x 4. Ken hobbled down to the beach to cool his legs in the ocean. When asked how he did in the marathon, Ken’s typical response was, “Okay. I was disappointed in my time. It was a hard course.” If Kristine was present when the question was posed, she was quick to talk right over Ken, clarifying that his “okay” finish got him 4th overall, Master’s winner, and he broke the standing record for his age group, held since 1993. The bummer, beyond the toll the race took on his body, was that they had changed the prize disbursement for the race and there was no prize money for the Master’s winner. Bigger bummer is that Kristine had already spent the expected winnings. Kristine’s “stop-and-smell-thehibiscus” strategy, including walking and two-fisted drinking at each of the
Kristine and Ken Hall
18 water stops and accepting icy-cold sponges whenever they were offered, worked well for her. She noted mile markers she’d return to for photos and occupied her mind with mile dedications and prayer – not uttering a word to any other runner for the whole race. Five miles from the finish, she looked at her watch and realized she was within range of her PR and she picked up the pace. Cousin Mike ran most of the final two miles with her, offering words of encouragement, and cousins Annetta and Waverly were there cheering her across the finish line. Kristine, lapping up the extra attention, finished strong in 4:22:04, shaving 3 minutes off of her PR. She finished smiling and ecstatic that she’d not only run a full marathon when the odds were against it, but ran it well. She glowed for two days over it. Kristine recovered quickly (it took Ken a while) and the rest of the trip in Maui was great: relaxing, reading, swimming, and watching the ocean and spectacular sunsets each night. We got to spend an afternoon and have dinner with fellow LGRAWers, Alan and Lisa Noell, and their kids Sydney and Jessi (Alan ran the full, Lisa the half, and Sydney the 5k) the day they left for the airport. Now to plan for 2011 . . .
Book Review
Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes
RRCA Runnings
By Amy Matasso
Road Runners Club of America
By Kelly “K2” Richards RRCA Director-At-Large
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ltramarathon Man is an autobiography by Dean Karnazes that you will find informative and inspirational. He wrote the book in two parts. The first part documents Dean’s life from his early childhood love of running, through a fifteen year hiatus and coming back full force after a wakeup call on his thirtieth birthday. Part Two focuses on his major accomplishments and his obsession with ultrarunning, which is a fairly unknown sport to most and includes all races that go beyond marathon distance of 26.2 miles. Karnazes showed great promise as a younger runner, but gave it all up when his sister Pary was killed in a car wreck on her eighteenth birthday. After fifteen years off, he came back to the sport and didn’t look back. His first run was a spontaneous midnight trek that lasted four hours. This run inspired him to train for the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile race that conquers unbelievable elevation and terrain. From there he went to unchartered territory by running the first marathon at the South Pole. On the flip side, he also completed one of the hottest road races out there, the 135-mile Badwater race through Death Valley. The last race described in the book is one of his leading accomplishments to date, a 199-mile relay event that he ran by himself to raise money for a young girl awaiting a liver transplant. All of the accomplishments are impressive on an individual basis, but to read about how one man completed all of these grueling races is amazing. This book is an easy read and well-written. I recommend it for anyone interested in Karnazes’ story or ultra running in general. I still find it hard to relate to those who choose to run ultras, but I have a new found respect for the ultrarunner.
Trail Mixer Awards Congratulations to all of the award winners at the Trail Mixer.
T
he RRCA is the oldest and largest long distance running organization in the USA. Since 1958, the RRCA membership has included running clubs, sponsors, and supporters. RRCA membership provides a way for clubs to obtain nonprofit status through the RRCA’s group exemption with the IRS. This is how RAW has 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt status, allowing us to attract sponsors, obtain permits, receive civic support, and commitments from public groups. RRCA membership also provides affordable insurance that covers all club activities, including races, expos, meetings, etc. RAW’s tax status and low-cost insurance are important, but what you probably want to know is what benefits or savings do you get from being a member of the RRCA? RRCA members receive discounts on a wide-range of products and services on everything from Hertz® rental cars to home and automobile insurance through Merastar® to crocs™ to members discounts at Sports Authority®. Sports Authority discount cards are at the RAW clubhouse and may be found online with more information about all these discounts and many more at RRCA.org. Run fast, save smart.
Best Blood First Aid Kit
Maria Dauphinais
Was Lost Now Found Water Bottle
Su Landis
Best Dirt Stain Remover
Christine Bassano
O'dark:30 Helper Headlamp
Jack Green
Best Sweat Male Cooling Bandana Henry Galpin
First Male Finisher Landry's Gift Card
Brad Liles
Best Sweat Female Cooling Bandana Susan Barnett
First Female Finisher Landry's Gift Card
Laura Nelson
Best Squinter Running Hat
Emily Johnston
Random Drawing $25 Run On! Gift Card Jack Hase
Biggest Sissy White socks
Bridget Smith
Random Drawing $25 Run On! Gift Card Alan Walker
Must Be President to Win Trail Socks Ray Harris Dirtiest Socks Trail Socks
Random Drawing $25 Run On! Gift Card Michelle Putze
Suann Lundsberg
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 9
“Redman” Felt More Like Dead Man By Lee Rebodos
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remember how excited I was when the Redman triathlon opened up additional spots for this half Iron-distance event and I was able to get in. Exactly one year after doing my first sprint triathlon, I was ready to do a longer triathlon race. My training had been going well and maybe too well, or rather too much. I came down with a nasty cold about four weeks before the race. No big deal, I just needed to take a week off and get some antibiotics. Well, it turned out to be a very big deal as I could not shake this cold and a trip to the United Kingdom with lots of work, stress, and travel did not help. One week of absolutely no workouts turned into 2 ½ weeks and, after several visits to the doctor and three different antibiotics, I finally got a prescription for steroids and just did very light workouts the week and a half prior to the race. Friday, the day before the race, was my first day not to take any kind of medication in four weeks! Race Day was finally here and I decided to ditch any time goals. I just planned on finishing as this would be my first half Iron-distance tri and the longest endurance event I had done. I arrived very early to the transition area and quickly set up my stuff. About 7 am, a light rain started. No problem. Well, it was a big problem. The rain stopped for a few minutes, then started again with a fury as it started to downpour! Everyone had their wetsuits on and proceeded to wait by the lake as the race director said the start would be delayed due to the inspections needed for the bike course. I tried to stay relaxed with other RAW friends, but I was so cold that I shivered for 30 minutes straight. The race director announced that it may be just a swim
10 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
and run because parts of the bike course were reportedly impassable due to high water. Instead, he announced that around Mile 8 there would be a mandatory dismount of the bike to walk through or around the high water. An hour after the original start time, the swim started in several waves. I stayed nice and relaxed on the swim and exited the water and crossed the timing mat at 41:02. Could this be right for me – a non-swimmer? It must be the wetsuit! After some confusion, I found my bike and was off. My transition time was really slow because everything was wet. There was some light rain during the first few miles on the bike and then the mandatory dismount at Mile 8. The small lake in the middle of the road was bigger than I pictured. I picked up the bike and just walked because my feet were already wet. I started feeling good on the bike and was getting into a good pace when we entered some rough road patches around 18 miles. I quickly came out of the aero position and accidentally veered to the edge of the road. I flipped over the front of the bike and did a nice tuck-and-roll into the grass. The bike seemed okay and then I looked at myself. There was a strawberry on my left knee and a bruise on my left shoulder. I got back on my bike and about 20 minutes later, I realized my speedometer / computer was not working. I had no idea what speed I was going and my seat was loose. I hit the turnaround and the last ten miles or so I started to get tired and my hamstrings were tight. I got into the transition area and found out my bike time for the 56 miles was 2:49, or about 19.8 mph. Not bad for the conditions, crash, and loose seat from Mile 18 on! A guy passed me on the
bike the last few miles and told me that he saw my crash and it was the most graceful bike crash he had ever seen. A tuck-and-roll into grass is better than skidding along the road. I took my time and tried to massage my hamstrings and take a gel. I would find out later that I did not take in enough calories the second half of the bike ride. I started running and immediately felt better. The 13.1mile run course was two loops on concrete sidewalks around a portion of the lake and through several spots where the water was so high and wide that everyone just ran through them. I completed the first loop in 48:09, but then the bottom fell out and I totally cratered. I proceeded to do the dreaded stop-and-walk, then go-slowand-walk. I have never walked so much in a race, not even in any of the many marathons where I struggled in the last few miles. I ate everything they handed out – oranges tasted so good. I kept telling myself that I could do this and “pain is temporary, but pride is forever” (à la Duncan Stewart), but the pain would not go away. I hit the finish line with a second half loop of one hour. I lost 12 minutes over the last half. My total time was 5:27 and I placed 258th out of 573. I think my body just had enough by Mile 6. All in all, I was happy to get this first one under me and, considering all the circumstances, just happy to finally be healthy again. I definitely learned a lot from the race and about training – we all need a combination of rest, nutrition and sleep when training for any long distance / endurance event. Maybe a full Ironman® in 2010!
Friends that Train Together – Crank Together! By “Drum Michelle” Blackard
Once upon a time, on a cold Saturday morning this past January, two girls, strangers, decided to run with RAW. Similar paces had them running next to each other and as they talked, they realized they had some things in common. Most importantly, they lived in the same town and liked to swim, bike, and run. That was pretty much all they needed to know and after a great summer of training together, they finished off the season with the Stonebridge Ranch Triathlon on September 27th.
First things first: the 1,500-meter swim. We weren’t too worried about the swim because nothing would be as painful as our first race together earlier this year that just happened to be in that same lake. This past spring, neither of us wore wetsuits thinking, “Oh, it’s only 500 meters, we’ll be fine. It’s not that cold.” Um, yeah. I think we both PR’d that 500 meters because we wanted so badly to get out of the water. Needless to say, this time the swim was great because we were focused on swimming and not just keeping our heads above water. Now the bike. The first thing out of the transition area was a hill and wind. It seemed like I was in my easiest gear for the longest time. I kept looking at my clock and seeing that I was averaging 14 mph. “14 mph! What the?!” Diana said she felt the same way, so much so that she thought her brakes were touching her tires! Thankfully, it was a loop, so the second half was super fast. I heard a man being interviewed after the race and he was asked how the bike was. All he could say was, “Man, it was really windy. Really windy.” The run was described on the event website as “hilly and challenging.” All I have to say is yes. I was so thankful for those Thursday night hill workouts because they really helped me out in this race. Granted, six miles isn’t a long way to run on its own, but it sure felt like it at the end of an already long morning. I got to a point at about the 5-mile mark where I had visions of my running leg at the Lonestar Ironman® 70.3® in Galveston that was on the beach. It was a moment of such exhaustion, I just wanted to cry and stop running. As thoughts of that day came to me it was easy to think, “Well, this isn’t nearly as bad as that. I’m really tired and I really want to be done, but I can keep going.” That’s kind of what this is all about, right? Just keep going. We had such a great summer getting to know each other, racing together and making lasting friends with the
Photo by Dan Hill
For Diana “Princess” Hill and me, it was our first time doing the Olympic distance and I don’t think either of us could have done as well if we had taken on the challenge by ourselves. We spent this summer riding with BRaW (Bikers Runners and Walkers) on Monday nights, open-water swimming on Sundays, running hills with the Hillbillies on Thursday nights and since school restarted, hitting the track on Tuesdays with the Trackies.
(l-r) Diana Hill, Michelle Blackard capped off their racing season with a couple of PRs.
Trackies and Hillbillies. Having a group of people who will relentlessly badger you for missing a workout is surprisingly helpful. It doesn’t matter how tired I am at the end of the workday, I always look forward to, well let’s be honest, the dinner/drink hang-out afterwards. Speaking of social hangs, the first time I swam on a Sunday, Tia and Marty Metzger brought bagels, champagne and orange juice. Once on a RAW Kayak outing this summer, people brought muffins and champagne. The first time I went to the track, two “beer girls” showed up in swim suits carrying plastic cups filled with who-knows-what! Seriously, this is the best club ever! Last year, when we didn’t know each other, Diana and I both did the Iron Girl® sprint triathlon in Irving. Since meeting and training together with RAW, I went from a 11:03 / mile 5k in a sprint distance race to 8:33 / mile. 17.9 mph on the bike to 18.7 mph and 2:22 / mile swim to 1:55 / mile. Diana’s numbers from last year to this year line up right next to mine. Thanks to the club I’m also well-versed in different types of brews, but we’ll leave that subject for another day, perhaps over a beer.
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 11
It’s hard to top Mother Nature’s splash of color. … but we come close. Put some razzle-dazzle in your winter workout. Shop our huge selection of winter training gear.
Colleyville Town Center 5505 Colleyville Blvd. Colleyville, TX 76034 817-849-1562
WHO AM I?
Guess this RAW Member
Hours
Mon – Fri: 10 a.m. – 7 p..m. Saturday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday: Noon – 5 p.m.
Planning a trip and need a running route?
• I’m a Commercial Instrument Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor, but make a living in a cubical rather than a cockpit. • My spouse and I moved to Grapevine from Rowlett, because of the lakeside parks. • I was silly enough to serve in the Army, twice! • I played the Trombone in my high school jazz rock stage band, although I’m tone deaf. • I’m an Eagle Scout. • I earned a brown belt in Judo, studied competitive Taekwondo in Korea and took a few Kung Fu lessons.
• About 9 years ago, I won RAW’s ‘Wowzer!’ award (Most Improved) Test your sleuthing ability by looking for Who I Am? on page 16 and send your clues for members to guess Who You Are? to KathrynG@RunnersAndWalkers.com.
12 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
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.
Omaha? Discovering the prairie is not flat. By Kelly “K2” Richards
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funny thing happens when people ask you where your next marathon is and you respond by saying Omaha. The most common response is, “Omaha…?” Picture a look of confusion on his or her face. As if further explanation is needed. For some reason going to Omaha as in Omaha, Nebraska, is perplexing to many runners. What brought me to Omaha? I’m a “50-Stater,” someone who is on a quest to run a marathon in all 50 US States, plus Washington, DC. This means eventually I had to go to Nebraska. At the RRCA Annual National Convention in March, I successfully bid on an Omaha Marathon weekend package that included two race entries, a posh hotel room a few blocks from the start/finish and two meals, all for $100! Eventually I arrived and I found myself along with fellow RAW members Teresa and Mark (another 50-Stater) Lehrmann and two more “50-Staters” in Omaha for the 34th Omaha Marathon, the 2009 RRCA Nebraska State Marathon Championship. The day before the race, we learned the course was going to be hilly from Miles 6 to 12. We were in Omaha. How hilly could it be? This is where the famous Omaha Steaks graze while they’re still known as cattle, the corn grows tall and the NCAA World Series is played. You know the stadium out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by prairie in one direction and cornfields in the other? Wrong! The stadium is in the city at the top of a series of enormous hills that no non-Cornhusker knows exists between the Mississippi and the Rockies. Warren Buffet, genuine cowboys and rhinestone-clad rodeo fans call Omaha home. We searched for one and saw plenty of the other. Warren was nowhere to be found (the second thing anyone who hears you’re going to Omaha says is, “Say hello to Warren Buffet for me.”) The rodeo was in town and so were their fans. It was the first time I’ve ever seen pressed jeans outside of Texas. There were more rhinestones at this rodeo than the last Miss America pageant.
If you are in two states at the same time does that mean you have "dual Visitorship?"
Thinking Omaha was flat was only one of many misconceptions I had. I admit I didn’t have high expectations about beauty, culture or the size of Omaha. I was stunned to learn over 425,000 people call Omaha home. It’s a big city with small-town charm, especially in the Old Market area. It has a world famous zoo, impressive museums, many pieces of art on display in public parks, a wonderful trail system along the river, and a brand new ultra-modern pedestrian bridge that you can walk across to reach Iowa. I know, now you’re thinking, “Iowa?” Omaha is also home to Up-Stream Brewing Company. The perfect place to enjoy post-race refreshments while celebrating another state and reveling in the new knowledge that the prairie is not flat.
Did you know photos from many RAW races and social events can be found on the RAW website? Go to Runnersandwalkers.com and click on “gallery.”
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 13
HTC 2009: a Race Three Years in the Making
RAW-based teams (RAWHide and RAWSeek) run, play and pose together. And yes, that's snow behind them on Mt. Hood.
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fter 16 years, 15 races, 80 different runners, 241.3 miles, 404.5 hours and a priceless number of memories, my time with the Hood to Coast (HTC) Relay has come to an end, but with a spectacular finish. After three years of trying to get two RAW-based teams (RAWHide and RAWSeek) to run together, it finally happened this year.
Portland, Oregon to Seaside, Oregon
HOOD TO COAST RELAY
By Jeff “Barney” Barnhart
With the race organization taking a different direction, I made the hard decision this year would be my last. The theme of this race during the nine months of planning quickly became, “Fifteen and Done.” Yes, friends could not believe this would be my last, but I was committed to making it my last. Race week came fast and the coordination of 23 runners got underway. I had coordinated one team, but would this be just as easy or a new challenge with two? This year’s story will provide time stamps to give an indication of how long it takes to run this event. Thursday, 1 pm Having overcome the first hurdle of getting everyone to Portland on time, it was off to the hotel and grocery store. The local Safeway will never be the same after our visit of 4 carts, 20 runners and over $400. How can so few people eat so much over a 24-hour period? Well, they are from RAW! The pre-race dinner was at an organic brewpub which included a quiz on memories from all the past years. This was a truly RAW-based event with the beer bill being higher than the food. Our tummies were full and we returned to the hotel for the last good night’s sleep of the weekend.
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Friday, 9 am Race Day finally came and we were up and ready to go. Even with a 4 pm start time, the day went fast and, before we knew it, we were off to Mt. Hood to get this event underway. At 4:15, the first runners, Tony “Flash” Flesch and Mike Ahearn, were off and down the first leg of 5.6 miles and 3,000 feet in elevation change. The first setback for RAWHide was an early foot injury to Noreen “Diva” Henry and Staci “Tini” Rivero stepped in to finish Diva’s leg. Friday, 9 pm The teams were divided up to make things as even as possible and, if the runners were honest with their pace predictions, the teams would be neck-and-neck most of the race. This fact came true at the end of the 36 miles and 5 hours where the teams were only 10 seconds apart! The race was going great and everything I had hoped for was happening. The first vans were off to eat and sleep -- okay, catnap -- before meeting with the second vans in downtown Portland at 1:30 am. Saturday, 2 am At the end of 70 miles, Team RAWSeek was in the lead by 24 minutes. RAWHide would have their work cut out if they were to catch them. We quickly discovered a lot of sandbaggers within Team RAWSeek. During our first leg and as we started our second leg of the relay, I began to notice something different about the race and how less-crowded the course and exchange points were. I have 14 previous races under my belt and have never seen the exchange points so easy to get in and out of. The second leg was, as usual, dark and lonely going down the highway towards the fairgrounds in St. Helens.
TC 2009: a Race Three Years in the Making
f “Barney” Barnhart Saturday, 6 am When we arrived at the fairgrounds, I was taken aback by how few teams were at the exchange. This was a common exchange where both vans meet and therefore double the amount of traffic. Oh well, it was making the race easier, so off to Mist we went as the sun was coming up. Saturday, 7 am Mist was busy, but not as much as in the past and we proceeded to get our second catnap of the race. Mist was living up to its name this year with a heavy mist / light rain coming down, but with two legs and about eleven miles per runner completed, who cared what it was doing, it was time to rest. Saturday, 10 am Team RAWSeek extended their lead to 38 minutes. RAWHide was still down a runner and would continue to have runners doing double duty during this third set of legs. We started our last set of legs and I began thinking about how this would be the last time I would be running a HTC leg for many years. You might have seen a tear come to my eye, but the rain easily covered it. The weather gave us a bit of everything, from rain to sun to wind, back to rain, then again to sun. Some may think what is so strange about this? The strange thing was it happened over the course of six miles. One minute I was running in the rain and cold, the next I was hot in the sun. It truly was a strange and unique way to end my HTC run. Saturday, 2:45 pm The strange lack of teams at the exchange points continued with the last common and always overcrowded exchange point where the two team vans meet for the last time before the finish. In the past, the runner would often pass the van as it was coming into the exchange due to the backup in traffic. This year we drove right in and parked without a problem. I felt like I was in The Twilight Zone.
Saturday, 7 pm Team RAWSeek was the first RAW team to finish, arriving at the beach at 7:06 pm with a time of 26 hours, 51 minutes, 42 seconds. I always create a pre-race time prediction for each team to help with logistics and have been able over the years to get very close to the final numbers. Team RAWSeek beat my prediction time by 51 minutes. Again, what a bunch of sandbaggers! Team RAWHide crossed the line 50 minutes later with an overall time of 27 hours, 41 minutes, 54 seconds. and was only 5 minutes off their predicted time. Way to go, RAWHide! Saturday, 10 pm Many runners from both teams were ready to party the night away, but Seaside was not, with all of the drinking establishments closing at 10 pm. Henry’s van was truly disappointed. Sunday, 9 am Back to Portland and to airport for the trip back home. I woke up and could not help thinking how I was going to miss this race, but it was time to bring this chapter of my running career to an end for a few years. I will not say I will never run this race again, but it is time for a break to the dismay of many of my teammates. Thanks, Hood to Coast Relay, for providing me and so many others a very unique running experience. On a final note, there are so many to thank, from all of the team members this year who made it one, if not, the best race I have run, to Mamie Jones and Gus Filer, who called Lynn and me to be substitutes back in 1994 race beginning my long run, to finally the best wife and partner one could have with putting up with me running this crazy race all these years. Yes, Lynn, it is truly, “Fifteen and Done” for me with Hood to Coast!
Team RAWSeek extended their lead to 42 minute going into the last set of legs. Henry Galpin’s van truly contained the sandbaggers of the 2009 race.
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 15
Giving Back to the Sport Kathryn Gleghorn & Lorraine Wessels
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re you familiar with The Learning Channel program, “While You Were Out,” a show whose premise is to “makeover” a home while the owners are out? The RAW clubhouse recently underwent a makeover of its own, courtesy of Kathryn Gleghorn and Lorraine Wessels, the latest recipients of “Giving Back to the Sport.” With the approval of the RAW board, Kathryn and Lorraine spent several hours tidying up and reorganizing the clubhouse. The goal was to use the clubhouse floor space more efficiently and to get everything more organized. The club is in its twelfth year and, during this time, members have developed “sentimental” attachment to the clubhouse and the assorted paraphernalia. With that in mind, the secondary goal of the makeover was to change the clubhouse layout, but to still keep the same “feel.”
Kathryn and Lorraine succeeded in reaching their clubhouse makeover goals as the feedback from the membership has been overwhelmingly positive. Here are some of the comments from the membership regarding the makeover: “Clubhouse looks fantastic!” -Kelly Richards “Thank you Kathryn and Lorraine on your hard work and great organizational skills. Awesome!” -Brad and Robin Pearson “Excellent.” Jeff Barnhart “Looks great! Thanks for doing this. It looks better and has so much more room! Love the shelves for the bags.” -Stacie Sauber “Thank You. One of the best contributions to the club ever. Thank you so much. It looks wonderful.” -Spareribs
A shelf was added to house members' gear while running.
Send your nominations for “Giving Back to the Sport” to KathrynG@RunnersAndWalkers.com
lET 'S
the
Dallas White Rock Marathon RAW Mile 10 Aid Station Sunday, December 13 Bridget Smith and Christine Bassano are your Captains for this years PREMIER Volunteer opportunity. The theme this year is FAVORITE MUSICIAN or MUSICAL GROUP. So dig out those lycra tights and big hair wigs and LET'S ROCK the ROCK!
16 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
WHO I AM
The secret of our RAW Member revealed.
From the clues on page 12, did you guess… Marty Metzger?
If you have some little-known fun facts about yourself that you would like to share with RAW and be featured in an upcoming Footprint, send your name and clues to Kathryn Gleghorn at KathrynG@RunnersAndWalkers.com
RAW Made My Redman Possible By Janet Dixon Editorial note by Marty Metzger: By the time you read this, the open water swim group will be heading into their winter break until the wetsuit group starts again in March. If you’ve ever thought about doing a triathlon, ‘except for that darn swimming thing,’ then read on and prepare a New Year’s resolution. I wish I had video of some of the folks doing their first open water swim last spring and then a comparison to now - it would be so motivating! Back then, John Ruiz, Christine Bassano, Sonia Soprenuk, Janet Dixon and others were all starting out staying in knee-to-waist deep water, nervous, and having to stand up every 10 or 20 strokes. Now, just a few months later they swim the 1/2 mile to the dock without stopping except maybe once to double check direction, then turning around and swimming all the way back.
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ear after year, I would watch the Ironman® triathlon on television and wonder how cool it would be to complete an Ironman® distance, or even a Half Ironman® (now called Ironman® 70.3®). I knew I wanted to “tri” just once. I decided in August 2008 I would complete a half distance Ironman® by the fall of 2009. Here was the fun part: • I didn’t know much about triathlons. • I didn’t know how to swim. • I didn’t own a road bike. • I didn’t have myself in shape. Sounds like the making of a country song, doesn’t it? Seriously, the above four statements were true. Even better, I had an injury and was told to nix long-distance running. The only things I truly had were: • A goal. • A determined hard head. • A serious amount of guts. • A membership with Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers. I purchased a bike in August 2008 and did my best to quickly learn the ins and outs of cycling. It turns out, most of my resources were right here in the club. The folks who ride in the Bikers Runners and Walkers (BRAW) were key in helping me out. If you have ever thought about cycling, you need to catch up with the BRAW group. There are all different levels of ability, yet every rider is happy to help you and cycle right alongside you. I then chose the Redman half iron distance triathalon. To assist in keeping focused on the goal, I elected to blog on my Facebook every step of the way. Members of RAW cheered me on after I posted each workout. Tony “Flash” Flesch, Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki and Spareribs were my “regulars.” Spareribs particularly enjoyed my updates. Thanks to Spareribs, I purposely threw in extra workouts knowing I was going to hear about it online.
In January, I bought a wetsuit. In February, I hired a swim coach. I swam three to four nights a week. I knew the goal of 1.2 miles in open water was going to be tough. Being relentless and having a great swim coach who understood the goal was key. I started barely making 25 yards and by the third month I swam 3,000 yards in the pool. That was great and all, but I still had to take the technique outside to open water. Again, I turned to RAW. On Sunday mornings, a group swam in Lake Grapevine. As Gary Howsam watched over the flock of swimmers in a kayak, I slapped the water and tried to mimic what I did in the pool. It was tough. I was in awe of the level of swimming and advice from Marty Metzger, Lee Miller, Marybeth Crane, Lee Rebodos, Laurie Lukanich, and Hélène Walker, to name a few. They swam like fish and had a confidence level I had not yet obtained. I kept at it and was finally swimming consistently on my own. I nailed the mile distance without stopping. I had to tie the three disciplines together and needed help, so I hired a tri coach. I was blessed to find a coach who knew where I was coming from and the mountain of work ahead of me. My coach straightened out my workouts and reworked my nutrition. When Redman weekend arrived, I was confident I would finish. The weather was a challenge and the race was delayed by 45 minutes because of the rain. The race officials considered changing parts of the bike course that were under water, but we were able to proceed with the race as planned. Whew! I had a choice of swimming in the beginner group. I wanted to see what I could do with a large group of swimmers, so I swam in my age group. I was just fine swimming alongside the other participants and finished the swim portion relaxed and happy!
The weather was having a good time with us as it continued to rain through much of the cycling portion. I managed to drop my riding gloves on the ground as I left transition. I had to ride gloveless and in the rain for the very first time. During the entire race, I never once thought to stop – I was not giving in to Mother Nature. Unfortunately, I was cut off by another cyclist and I fell. I got back on my bike and kept pedaling. I finished the bike portion sore and, of course, soaked. I proceeded to the running portion. The fall on the bike was catching up with me. Considering this was a learning race, I made the decision to walk when I needed to which turned out to be the majority of the distance. I made the best of the run and cheered on Jeff “Barney” Barnhart (his first half Iron distance), Marty, Brad Pearson, Lee Miller, Lee Rebodos (his first half, too), and Byron “ByRun” Benoit. As I approached the finish line, I found Tia Metzger on the park bench cheering everyone on. I looked to my right and Marty was bowing to me. He is the Ironman, so it should have been the other way around. Straight ahead were Barney and Brad. They formed an arch and I jogged under them. They were finished for quite some time, yet they still took time to hang around to see me finish. That was my first half Ironman® experience and I would not have changed a thing! Having RAW members at the race made every step all the more worthwhile. That is why I belong to this club. You would never get this kindness and support anywhere else. Thank you RAW!
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FOOTPRINT 17
Back Pain on the Run? By Dr. Marybeth Crane
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id you know that low back pain at some point in time will inflict over 80% of the population? Proper footwear can potentially prevent, reduce and treat biomechanical factors associated with low back pain in runners. Back pain can be a mysterious thing. Every time your feet hit the ground, the reacting shock is transferred up your legs to your hips and spine, and any biomechanical imbalance can ultimately cause lower back pain. It could be that you have flat feet, and your over-pronation (rolling in of your feet) is causing your back ache. It could be that you have really high-arched, rigid feet and the lack of pronation is causing your back pain. It could be that one of your legs is ever-so-slightly shorter than the other, or that your pelvis is just a tiny bit uneven or tilted. You could have a curve in your spine. More seriously, one of the discs between the vertebrae of your spine could be degenerating or arthritis is setting in. Back pain can be a tough mystery to solve, but with a little help from your friendly neighborhood sports medicine specialist you should be able to track down the cause. By far the most common diagnosis in patients with low back pain is the lumbar sprain/strain, which accounts for about 75% of all cases of low back pain. While muscle strain is the most common cause of back pain for runners, play it safe and visit a sports medicine orthopedist or a chiropractor to have your spine and vertebrae examined if you are experiencing severe pain. If you have ruled out all the worrisome spine issues, you may have an uneven pelvis or unequal leg lengths. These conditions are relatively common and can be ascertained with a good biomechanical exam. With either, the muscles on one side are being pulled. They're tense to begin with, and the added stress of running can put them into spasm. Relatively weak abdominal and lower back muscles might also contribute to the problem. Running generally tends to cause strength imbalances between these muscle groups. Add tight hamstrings, another common condition among runners, and you have a nifty recipe for back pain. Core strengthening exercises and a lot of stretching can help. Finally, the root cause is often in your foot, the last place most people look! Back pain is one of the many possible injuries associated with flat feet and over-pronation. Likewise, if your feet are rigid and high-arched, their
lack of stress relief and under-pronation can cause stress imbalance resulting in back pain. For immediate relief, cut back on the mileage and use moist heating pads, anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen, and get a good massage. If the problem is disc deterioration or spinal arthritis, surgery may be necessary, and an adjustment in training is absolutely required. Take this condition seriously, and see a spinal specialist. If your spine is merely out of alignment, manipulation by a chiropractor or physical therapist may help ease your pain. This may also ease your muscle strain. If your doctor confirms that you have an uneven pelvis or unequal leg lengths, the solution will likely be to try to correct the problem with a heel lift on the short side. This may be as simple as putting a piece of 1/4" foam or cork into the heel of your running shoe. If you don't get any relief at all within a week, go ahead and take the lift out. If it does no good, its better just not to wear one; your body may have adjusted to different leg lengths, and "fixing" it may cause more discomfort. Whatever the case, make sure that the remedy matches the problem; do not use a heel lift if your doctor does not confirm that you have an uneven pelvis or unequal leg lengths, or you may only make your problems worse. If your problem is in the structure of your foot, your solution may be as simple as wearing different running shoes or adding orthotics to the mix. Most shoes lose 75% of their shock absorption after approximately 500 miles. This appears to be the critical point in which injuries tend to develop as a result of shoe wear. Thus it is important to have a rough idea how many miles are on your shoes and to replace them before soreness begins. If your shoes are not worn out, see your podiatrist for recommendations of shoe types and to see if an orthotic will help decrease the biomechanical strain causing your back pain. In most cases of lower back pain, you will benefit from exercises to strengthen your back and abdominal muscles. Back pain can be an indicator of a serious problem and can lead to a cascading injury that slows your running to a complete halt! Muscular back pain is the most common and can be annoying and complicated to treat due to the myriad of causes. If you have severe pain, seek medical attention immediately. If your pain is mild and seems to be directly related to your running, look to your feet as a possible contributor to you pain.
Dr. Marybeth Crane is a board certified foot and ankle surgeon and veteran marathon-running podiatrist. For more information on running injuries, visit www.myrundoc.com or email her at crane@faant.com. For appointments call (817)416-6155.
18 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
Picture Perfect! Hotter 'N Hell
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All R AW membe rs are welcom e. BYOB an d a side dish to sh are. Watch fo r further details o n the R AWforu m.
(l-r) Joe Allen, Hal Hardister, Rick Fogle and Larry Bennet. Apparently Larry did not get the memo...for the finish line pose you are to cross your arms.
Massage Therapy for the Active Athlete Karen Robertson, L.M.T. 10 years experience in deep tissue/therapeutic massage for the runner and multisport athlete. Reba Becker demonstrates why carrying the bike will slow you down.
Massage for an athlete by an athlete. Onsite chair massage & out calls available.
817.798.9562
Be a Star‌
Be a Water Duty Volunteer The sign-up sheet is located on the back door of the clubhouse.
(l-r) Larry Bennet, Jay Smith and Brian Luker
Sign up for just one day; it is not required that you sign up for both Saturday and Sunday. You can also work in tandem, one member puts out the water and the other takes care of the pick up.
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 19
In Step With Tim Jacobs Tim Jacobs
Are you native Texans? No, I am originally from a small town in Indiana. What brought you to Texas? I was an engineering professor at Duke University in North Carolina. Sabre (a subsidiary of American Airlines at the time) wanted to create a research group to help develop new software products for airlines and recruited me to come to Texas and join the newly-formed group. At the time I joined, there were only five of us in the research group. We had a great deal of fun trying out new research ideas and concepts. How long have you been running? I began running in 1976 when I joined my junior high track team – I tried football, but at 90 pounds, that was a less-than-thrilling experience for me. How long have you been a RAW member? Since 2005. Who was the first person you met at RAW or at first showed you the route or really “took you in?” Kathy (Kat) Sparks. We both took karate lessons at the same martial arts school and she suggested I come and join RAW. I had run in the area and on the trails since moving to Texas in 1996, but had never joined or run with RAW. Why running? I have always been an endurance athlete and I really enjoy activities that push a person to rely on stamina. When I was running cross country in high school, several of us on the team participated in an annual 24-hour relay. We did this all four years of high school and I enjoyed it. In fact, I really enjoyed the friendships and camaraderie that we developed while members of the cross country team. I continued to run during college and graduate school at Purdue University. I found that running was relaxing and therapeutic. As a doctoral student, I found that running helped me generate new ideas and formulations for my research. It was also during this time that I began to run local triathlons. My brother began running these races with me and ended up becoming a very serious and competitive triathlete. Running is also a great way to stay healthy and keep a clear mind. Do you do anything special before or after running, or do you have any pre/post-race ritual? Before I run I stretch, but like most runners, I tend to not stretch enough! After running I have hot green tea with honey and a bowl of oatmeal. I know that sounds strange. Do you have a favorite place to run? Not really, but I do enjoy exploring new venues (parks, trails, etc.).
20 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
Do you prefer roads or trails? Either. Trails offer varied terrain and remind me of cross country while roads allow you to really stretch out your stride for a more paced workout. I think both are important. Where is the most unique or unusual place you have ever run? The Circus Maximus in Rome, Italy. I was in Rome on business and a number of us decided to run every day. We would run to the Coliseum and on to the Circus Maximus to run laps. It was neat to imagine all the chariot races and sporting events that had taken place there 2,000 years earlier. The tourists just thought we were nuts. What do you consider your biggest running achievement? I don’t know. I really enjoyed running the 2007 Marine Corps Marathon. It was the best organized race I have ever been in and really fun. The crowds were extremely supportive of all the runners. What running gear would you never travel without? Aside from the obvious necessities like shorts and shoes, a running hat! Do you GU, gel, Gatorade®, or other? On longer runs, I will either Gu or gel. I do stay hydrated by carrying water in my fuel belt. What has running taught you about yourself or what have you learned about life through running? Always try your best and never give up! A true sense of accomplishment comes from knowing you gave it your all. Anything less is soon forgotten. Do you have a spouse or significant other, any children? Yes, I have a wonderful and supportive wife Judi and three beautiful children; Aidan (13), Anna (11) and Kyla Dale (8). Aidan now runs track and really enjoys it and Anna has been in “Girls on the Run” for the past three years. Are you a professional runner or do you have another job? I am not a professional runner. I am actually a research engineer and the chief scientist for American Airline’s Operations Research (OR) group. As a member of the OR group, I help develop new techniques and models for efficiently scheduling the airline, managing the seat inventory and maintaining the aircraft. Besides running, what other fitness activities do you enjoy or do as cross-training? I am very involved in martial arts and teach karate to kids and adults at the Grapevine Community Center as a member of the Legends Martial Arts program. I am a third-degree black belt in American Karate. In addition, I specialize in a style known as Pilipino Arnis (the art of stick fighting) and teach classes in this style on the weekends. I also enjoy cooking and trying out / creating new recipes, especially fish. What would the members be surprised to learn about you? I am an avid musician and enjoy playing the French horn and trumpet. Every week I join Aidan and Anna at band practice and play along. It is a lot of fun doing things with the kids.
RAW RACE RESULTS
Send your race results to Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki at tokaz007@hotmail.com
From 5Ks to ULTRAS Aug. 1, Arlington, TX Summer Sizzler 5K
Ken Hall: 17:01, OMW Kristine Hall: 25:35, 2nd AG
Aug. 1, Dallas, TX The DRC 3x2 XC Relays SubMasters-Mixed Division Two Minis and a Cooper: 42:02.02, 2nd AG Jennifer Dean Julie Kaner* Ryan Cooper
Masters-Female Division
Dashing Divas: 45:11.07, 1st AG Kristine Hinojos* Candace George Angela Eusery
Seniors-Male Division We’re Back: 54:02.53 Cline Talpin Jim Welski Henry Galpin*
*Member of RAW Aug. 2, Dallas, TX Two White Dogs 5K
Priscilla Reese: 25:21, FMW
Aug. 6, Ft. Worth, TX Trinity 5000 Summer Series #10 Kimberly Davis: 30:21, 2nd AG
Aug. 8, McKinney, TX McKinney Historical 5K Run Colleen Casey: 18:47, 1st AG Nick Kannady: 26:09
Aug. 8, Arlington, TX Race Against Hunger 5K
Blade Norman: 19:37, MMW Molly Tucker: 20:30, OFW Elizabeth Rudy: 21:38, FMW Priscilla Reese: 25:05, 2nd AG
Aug. 8, Rodeo Beach, CA Headlands 100 Mile Endurance Run
Richard Evans: 1:09:32, 2nd AG Ross Darrow: 1:49:20 Summer Bath 5K Dale Mauger: 24:33, 2nd AG Priscilla Reese: 24:59, FMW
Aug. 13, Ft. Worth, TX Trinity 5000 Summer Series #11 Helene Walker: 25:08, 2nd AG Elizabeth Lawrence: 26:30, 1st AG Julie Sampson: 28:44, 2nd AG Kimberly Davis: 30:05, 2nd AG
Aug. 15, Dallas, TX UPC Life Without Limits Run Walk Roll 5K
Kristine Hinojos: 22:35, FMW Mike Ahearn: 24:43
Aug. 16, Ft. Worth, TX FWRC Watermelon 5K
Female Teams: Cathy Buchanan / Priscilla Reese*: 5:24, 1st place
Priscilla Reese: 41:36, 2nd AG Mike Ahearn: 41:49
*Member of RAW Aug. 23, Dallas, TX The Hottest Half
Robert Fowler: 1:30:52, 3rd AG Chris Hinkel: 1:32:15 Tim Oberholzer: 1:38:45 Kristine Hinojos: 1:41:54, 2nd AG Julie Burns: 1:50:12 Ed Stoddard: 1:52:34 Traci Rodney: 2:38:17 Curt Burgess: 2:42:07
The Hottest 10K
Craig Minyard: 36:23, OMW Colleen Casey: 39:01, OFW Mitch Kent: 47:44, 2nd AG Priscilla Reese: 52:41, 1st AG Michelle Blackard: 56:42
Aug. 29, Arlington, TX August Gusto 5K
Elizabeth Rudy: 21:20, OFW
Aug. 9, Titusville, PA Drake Well Marathon
Aug. 29, Dallas, TX Fit To Fight 5K
Lesley Toops: 5:38:27
Dale Mauger: 24:10, 2nd AG
Aug. 9, Irving, TX Heels & Hills “A Dollar A K” 5K
Aug. 29-30, Mt. Hood to Seaside, OR The Nike Hood To Coast Relay-197.2 miles
Heels & Hills “A Dollar A K” 10K Team RAW SEEK: 26:51:42 Heels & Hills “A Dollar A “K” 15K Stacy Ward: 1:19:14, 1st AG Spareribs LaMothe: 1:23:26, 1st AG Aug. 9, Dallas, TX Summer Bath 15K Frankie Agius: 1:05:38, 1st AG Byron Benoit: 41:34, OMW Mary Lessor: 58:35, 1st AG Shawna Mohler: 1:09:37
Mike Ahearn Michelle Putze Dan Jones Karen Jones Brad Liles Steve Rush Ken MacInnes Samantha Galpin Henry Galpin Jim Uhelski
Sept. 11, Olathe, KS Patriot’s Run 2009 (9 Hrs, 11 min.)
Steve Grady: 40.768 miles
Sept. 12, Austin, TX Keep Austin Weird 5K ** Kelly Richards: Kirsten Keats: Susan Barnett:
Aug. 30, Wichita Falls, TX Wee-Chi-Tah Half Marathon Trail Run
Marty Metzger: 2:12:03 Tia Metzger: 2:32:25, 2nd AG
FWRC Watermelon 1 Mile Relay
Kat Sparks: 23:13, 2nd AG Mary Keeffe: 24:37 Kristine Hall: 26:25 Anne Sommerfeld: 29:04 Steve Johnson: 32:37 Nicole Luccioni: 35:31 Helene Walker: 1:11:03
Team-RAW HIDE: 27:41:54 Tony Flesch Noreen Henry Jeff Barnhart Robin Pearson Kevin Wessels Staci Rivero Doug Keeffe Mary Keeffe Todd German Monica Johansson Jim Rubalcaba Cindy Lee
Jill Smith: 28:21, 2nd AG Kimberly Davis: 30:25, 3rd AG
Letha Cruthirds: 29:22:00, 1st AG
Tony Flesch: 32:12, MMW Karen Wales: 37:56, 2nd AG
Spareribs LaMothe Doug Noell
** Chose “untimed option” Sept. 12, Haltom City, TX Mercy Hearts Spur On Drive 10K Kristine Hinojos: 46:12, OFW Randy Power: 49:45, 1st AG, PR Marty Metzger: 51:19, 3rd AG, PR Margaret Powers: 53:04, 2nd AG Michelle Blackard: 53:59, 1st AG Diana Hill: 59:39. 1st AG
Sept. 5, Dallas, TX DRC Breakfast Bash 5 Miler
Sept. 6, Koloa, HI Kauai Half Marathon
Mercy Hearts Spur On Drive 5K Priscilla Reese: 24:56, FGMW
Doug Noell: 1:50:25 Courtney Noell: 2:29:56
Sept. 6, Albuquerque, NM New Mexico Marathon
Sept. 12, Las Colinas, TX Radiant System Sprint For Cancer 5K
Sept. 6, West, TX Westfest Kolache 5000
Sept. 12, Southlake, TX Southlake Carroll XC Invitational
Sept. 7, Ft. Worth, TX FWRC Labor Day 15K
Sept. 19, Arlington, TX 20th Annual Communities Against Crime 5K
Lesley Toops: 5:23:46, PR
Spareribs LaMothe: 24:27, 2nd AG
Blade Norman: 19:36, 2nd AG Elizabeth Rudy: 21:21, FMW
Felice Johnson: 12:41
Ken Hall: 55:11, MMW Troy Pruett: 59:14, 2nd AG Robert Fowler: 1:02:23 Terry Marcott: 1:04:18, MGRMW Mark Lehrmann: 1:08:03 Brad McClew: 1:08:07 Laura Nelson: 1:08:16, 1st AG Lee Rebodos: 1:10:06 Kristine Hinojos: 1:10:26, 3rd AG Tim Jacobs: 1:10:35 Jack Hase: 1:11:40 Steve Buksh: 1:12:54 Heather Wallace: 1:18:35 Priscilla Reese: 1:22:04, 3rd AG Helene Walker: 1:23:39 Elizabeth Lawrence: 1:25:48 Paul Gerba: 1:26:43 Richard Maas: 1:31:42 Kathryn Gleghorn: 1:33:30 Teresa Lehrmann: 1:40:27 Bruce Gleghorn: 1:46:56 Traci Rodney: 1:57:03 FWRC Labor Day 5K Mitch Kent: 21:43 Doug Keeffe: 22:08, 3rd AG
Blade Norman: 19:17, MMW Tim Yatko: 20:45, 1st AG John Ball: 21:00, MSrW Elizabeth Rudy: 21:17, FMW Kim Danahy: 27:10, 1st AG Kimberly Davis: 29:52, 1st AG,
Sept. 19, Addison, TX Addison’s Octoberfest 5K Mike Ahearn: 23:21
Sept. 19, Maui, HI Maui Tacos 5K
Kathy Calkins: 27:08 Sydney Noell: 1:08:37, 1st 5K Julia Noell: 1:08:37
Sept. 19, Lewisville, TX Race For The Chidren 5K
Spareribs LaMothe: 24:11, 1st AG
Sept. 19, Keller, TX Run In The Dark 5K
Chris McConnell: 21:58 Kristine Hinojos: 22:53, 3rd AG Dale Mauger: 25:58, 2nd AG Anne Woods: 33:51
November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 21
Deb Stuart: 37:04 Vern Lumbert: 39:09
Sept. 19, Ft. Worth, TX September Stroll For Babies 5K Maria Dauphinais: 26:36, FMW
Sept. 19, Dallas, TX Toyota Tour des Fleurs 20K Jeff Garber: 1:18:49, MMW Rick Hanson: 1:19:46, 2nd AG Tim Oberhozer: 1:33:44 Mitch Kent: 1:35:27 Melissa McKibben: 1:53:32 Carol Wise: 2:17:26 Leslie Horwitz: 2:22:12 Traci Rodney: 2:25:38
Toyota Tour des Fleurs 10K
Priscilla Reese: 51:03, 2nd AG Brad Frazier: 51:26 Laura Hause: 53:04 Danyah Arafat-Johnson: 59:58, PR Stephen Revel: 1:01:01
Asics Lukes Texas 10K Challenge Laura Nelson: 43:11
Sept. 20, Maui,HI Maui Marathon
Ken Hall: 2:52:49, MMW*** Kristine Hall: 4:22:04, PR Alan Noell: 5:59:54 Lesley Toops: 6:21:30
***Set a new men's age-group course record Maui Half Marathon Lisa Noell: 3:29:51 Pat Noell: 4:32:36
Sept. 26, Dallas, TX Autumn Equinox 15K
Julie Burns: 1:16:25, 1st AG Mark Miller: 1:00:33, 1st AG
Autumn Equinox 5K
Priscilla Reese: 24:38, 1st AG
Sept. 26, Big Sur, CA Big Sur Trails Half Marathon Ros Darlymple: 2:09:46, 1st AG
Sept. 26, Keller, TX How The West Was Won 10K Anne Sommerfeld: 56:29, PR
How The West Was Won 5K Kristine Hinojos: 20:29, OFW Mitch Kent: 20:19, 1st AG Dale Mauger: 22:50, 1st AG Vern Lumbert: 24:20
Sept. 26, Mansfield, TX Pecan Festival Run 5K
Kimberly Davis: 29:35, 3rd AG
Sept. 26, Mineral Wells, TX Run From The Ducks 8-Hr Ultra Laura Nelson: 43.97 Miles Thomas Okazaki: 35:00 Miles Denny Maietta: 37:00 Miles
Sept. 26. South Lake Tahoe, CA Lake Tahoe Marathon Shannon Allen: 4:52:37
Sept. 27, Carrollton, TX Carrollton Runner’s Club 5K Blade Norman: 21:03, OMW
Elizabeth Rudy: 21:35, FMW Carrollton Runner’s Club 1 Mile Blade Norman: 5:32:32, OMW
Sept. 27, Las Colinas, TX Heels & Hills & Him Half Marathon
Jack Hase: 1:35:11, 3rd AG Kristine Hinojos: 1:37:45, FMW, 2nd OF David Ball: 1:38:18 Randy Powers: 1:46:42 Helene Walker: 1:55:08, 3rd AG Margaret Powers: 2:01:06 Elizabeth Lawrence: 2:04:17 Kathy Caukins: 2:06:40 Rianne Rhead: 2:08:21 Maria Dauphinais: 2:12:46 Bridget Smith: 2:15:45 Crisann Becker: 2:26:42 Charlyn Maloy: 2:27:08 Traci Rodney: 2:42:57 Ross Darrow: 2:56:26
Sept. 27, South Lake Tahoe, CA Lake Tahoe Embassy Suites Half Marathon Ros Dalrymple: 1:55:54, 2nd AG
Sept. 27, Omaha, NE Omaha Marathon
Mark Lehrmann: 3:48:59 Kelly Richards: 3:53:54, 3rd AG
Duathlons & Triathlons Aug. 2, Dallas, TX Two White Dogs Duathlon
(2 mile run/9.4 mile bike/2 mile run) Robin Pearson: 1:01:55, 1st AG Kimberly Davis: 1:14:32, 1st AG
Aug. 9, Denton, TX TWU Pioneer Power Sprint Tri
(300 meter swim/20K bike/5K run) Noel Widdowson: 1:17:18 Matthew Barnhart: 1:26:47, 2nd AG
Aug. 16, Grand Prairie, TX Prairie Trail Off Road Tri
(400 meter swim/20K bike/5K run ) Karen Robertson: 1:29:15, OFW Roy Robertson: 1:44:05
Aug. 23, The Colony, TX Take On The Heat Triathlon (350 meter swim/12 mile bike/5K run) Lee Rebodos: 1:06:24 Noel Widdowson: 1:11:08
Aug. 30, Penticton, B.C, Canada Subaru Ironman Canada (2.4 mi swim/112 mi bike/26.2 mi run) Scott Decker: 11:17:28
Sept. 7, Plano, TX Blackland Triathlon
(300 meter swim/15 mile bike/3.1 mile run) Tim Oberholzer: 1:18:04 Michelle Blackard: 1:25:21 Traci Inman: 1:34:29 Randa Foster: 1:38:15, 1st Sprint Tri Christine Bassano: 1:44:02, 1st AG Mike Bassano: 1:49:40
22 FOOTPRINT | November 2009
Sept. 12, Madison, WS Ford Ironman Wisconsin (2.4 mile swim/112 mile bike/26.2 mile run) Al Walker: 13:06:14
Sept. 13, Denton, TX Old College Triathlon
Matt Barnhart: 1:28:27, 1st AG
Sept. 13, Grand Prairie, TX PrairieMan Long Triathlon (1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run) Julie Burns: 5:06:29, 2nd AG Julie Sheridan: 5:10:57, FMW
PrairieMan Sprint Triathlon (500m swim/27K bike/5K run) Scott Decker: 1:13:58, OMW Sonia Soprenuk: 1:46:43
Sept. 19, Oklahoma City, OK Redman Ironman (2.4 mile swim/112 mile bike/26.2 mile run) Alberto Battaglino: 15:04:06
Redman Half Ironman
(1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run) Abby Cox: 4:58:55, PR Byron Benoit: 4:59:37, PR Brad Pearson: 5:04:12, PR Lee Miller: 5:21:15, PR Mary Lessor: 5:22:13 Lee Rebodos: 5:27:24, 1st Half Marty Metzger: 6:02:45, PR Mark Minorik: 6:21:16 Jeff Barnhart: 7:06:08, 1st Half Scott Meador: 7:27:55, 1st Half Janet Dixon: 7:52:20, 1st Half
Redman Olympic Distance (1.5K swim/40K bike/10K run) Steve Cox: 2:51:09 Edward Leyton: 3:27:14 Steve Stamos: 3:57:05
Sept. 20, Cancun, Mexico Ironman 70.3 Cancun
(1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run) Laurie Lukanich: 6:10:24, 1st AG, Ironman 70.3 World Qualifier
Sept. 26, Stillwater, OK OSU Outdoor Adventure Fall Triathlon
(1/2 mile swim/21 mile bike/3.1 mile run) Matt Loewen: 2:03:51, 1st Sprint Tri
Sept. 27, McKinney, TX Playtri Stonebridge Ranch Triathlon Olympic Distance
(1500 meter swim/24 mile bike/10K run) Brad Pearson: 2:29:12 Michelle Blackard: 2:56:44, 2nd AG Diana Hill: 3:02:11
Playtri Stonebridge Ranch Triathlon
(750 meter swim/12 mile bike/5K run) Scott Decker: 1:11:32, 1st AG
Cycling Aug. 29, Wichita Falls, TX Hotter ‘N Hell 100 Miler
Joe Allen, 1st 100 Miler Ted Amyx Reba Becker Kevin Cooper Jennifer Cooper, 1st 100 Miler Janet Dixon, 1st 100 Miler Dennis Dixon, 1st 100 Miler Hal Hardester Laurie Lukanich Brian Luker Marty Metzger Matt McCullough, 1st 100 Miler John Ruiz Jay Smith, 1st 100 Miler Janet Dixon, 1st 100 Miler Dennis Dixon, 1st 100 Miler Joe Allen, 1st 100 Miler Jay Smith, 1st 100 Miler
Hotter ‘N Hell 100K Laura Arbani Bill Brown Wayne Eichel Rick Fogel Eddie Leyton David Moyer Pam Neven Craig Pollard Steve Stamos Cevin Wyatt
Hotter ‘N Hell 50 Miler Debbie Carpenter Kelly Rhoten
Hotter ‘N Hell 25 Miler Bridget Smith
Sept. 26, Glen Rose, TX Texas Time Trial 12-Hr Bike Race (26.2 mile/loop, 1,500 feet climb/loop) Ryan Burns: 132 miles
Kayaking Aug 30, Bastrop to Columbus, TX Colorado River 100 Mile Marathon Canoe Race Tandem Female Class: 17:29, 2nd Place Debbie Carpenter* Nancy Alvarez-Bills
*Member of RAW LEGEND 1st HM-1st Half Marathon 1st M-1st Marathon 1st Tri-1st Triathlon 1st Ultra-1st Ultramarathon 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 MGMW- Male Grand Masters Winner FGMW- Female Grand Masters Winner MSrW- Male Senior Winner FSrW- Female Senior Winner
Lake grapevine Runners & Walkers Club
Membership application New Membership
Male Female DOB___/___/___
Renewal
Name_________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ City_ _________________________________________________
Can we publish this information in the club directory? Yes No Participating Family Members Name ___________________ M F DOB___/___/___
State_ ____________ Zip Code_____________________________
Name ___________________ M F DOB___/___/___
Home Phone ( )_________________________________________
Name ___________________ M F DOB___/___/___
E-Mail Address_________________________________________
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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.
Membership Dues $20 Single $30 Family
Do you need 2 membership cards? Yes No
Signature _________________________________ Date___/___/___ Mail completed application and payment to LGRAW, P.O. Box 2982, Grapevine, TX 76099 or drop in the mailbox at the LGRAW Clubhouse.
Keep your membership current
RAW now offers online 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.
z Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers
Membership
update
New Members Todd Farrell Stephen Garfield Claudia Halman Wolfgang Heidrich Edward Henderson Brad Hetisimer Joel Holmes Rachel Kaiser
Su Landis Suann Lundsberg Matt McCullough Elizabeth Mendiola Michelle Newton Michael Nicholas Ed Oleksiak Danielle Pierce and Nathan Roseberry
Julie Pirro Melissa Schlenker Abbie Siedel Marci Sims Tommy Spain Amanda Waring
Laura Hause Beth Hyland Tim Jacobs Brad Liles Terry Marcott David Moyer Muswamba Mutombo
Valerie Price Elizabeth Rudy & Blade Norman John & Patty Tucker Heather Wallace Karen & Mike Wright
Membership Renewals Mike & Christine Bassano Jennifer & Kevin Cooper Deborah Evans Richard & Michele Evans Dr. Bob Fowler Brad Frazier Chad Goodnough
Welcome to all of our New Members November 2009 |
FOOTPRINT 23
Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers P.O. Box 2982 Grapevine, TX 76099
Non-Profit 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.
What’s in a Nickname? By Kevin “(insert moniker of choice)”Wessels
L
ook, I get the nickname thing. We’ve got some great ones in the club. Sometimes it’s meant to differentiate people, like “K2.” Other times, it completely replaces your identity, like “Spareribs.” We have running-related nicknames, such as “Flash.” For others, it’s to commemorate a favorite beverage, as in “Tini.” And then there’s the all-encompassing, cult-ofpersonality nickname, “Diva.” No question who’s primping hair and wearing multiple layers of clothes there. I like nicknames. I’ll even feel obligated to refer to people by their nicknames from time to time. So here’s my question: what happens when people can’t decide on a nickname? I mean, is there a 30-day trial? Are people talking and saying, “Look, we’ll give this a try and see what we think?” I got my first RAW nickname in 2004. Because I had to leave and “scoot” home, I became “Scooter.” OK, not a bad name. I mean one of the greatest Yankees of all time, Phil Rizzuto, was called “The Scooter.” It doesn’t exactly initiate fear in other runners when people yell, “Go Scooter!” in a race, but, heck, I’ll do my best to “scoot” by them. Quietly, a new name started to emerge when K2 called me, “K-Dog.” Maybe I could even “gangsta” it up a bit and go by “K-Dawg.” But then I wondered how someone cheering K-Dawg could explain to my competitors that they should fear me because of how it’s spelled. The time it would take for me to explain, “Did you hear that? It’s spelled d-a-w-g, lady, so you better be scared.” Well, at least her laughing might slow her down enough to miss placing in the 60 to 64 age group. Then came “K-Dub,” a “ByRun” and “Buster” favorite. Short. To the point. I liked it.
“K-Dub” morphed into “El Kevino.” I clearly understand that. Hot, Latin blood and all. Has a real “caliente” feel to it. En fuego, amigos. Of course, because of my hobby, I was also known as the “Biermeister.” Who wouldn’t love that name? And my partner in crime was the “Brew Monster.” Truly appropriate because you breathe fire after drinking his beers. When he brings his homebrew out to a party, he has to put those hazardous cargo signs on his truck. I was slowly becoming the guy with all the nicknames. Then one day this summer, I was brewing a batch of beer. As you can probably imagine, I meticulously followed the recipe. I even had a second person keep time on a stopwatch for me to make sure all the steps were executed perfectly. However, because I made it look so easy, somebody thought I must’ve bypassed some procedures. So, within seconds, I had my umpteenth nickname, “Shortcut.” But it didn’t end there. During Hood to Coast, I was known ‘round them parts as “Free spirit Kev.” Probably the truest nickname for my always easy-going, laissez-faire attitude. You know me, che sarà, sarà. They say you can’t be all things to all people, but I think there’s an exception. Apparently, I am a lot of things to several people because each person seems to have a nickname for me. Can we not come to some agreement? You know, I feel like the puppy that everyone in the house is trying to name to see which one sticks. Oh, I wish I hadn’t said that – I think my newest nickname will now be “Velcro®.”
Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers | www.runnersandwalkers.com