THE ROADRUNNER A Publication of the Memphis Runners Track Club www. memphisrunners. com
September 2018 • Vol. 38, No. 7
Back In Action
MRTC Kids! Starts Sept. 15 Coaches needed
Group Run Schedule Monday - 6pm - Fun Run Thursday - 6pm - Speed Work Saturday - 7am - Long Run All paces welcome
4530 Poplar Ave. #102 . 901-761-0078 www.fleetfeetmemphis.com
THE ROADRUNNER
A publication of the Memphis Runners Track Club September 2018 Vol. 38, No. 7
In This Issue From the Editor’s Desk
1
Message from the President (by John Payne)
3
Nutrition on the Run (by Ashley Holloway)
4
MRTC Kids! They’re back! (by Dayna Lytle)
6
MRTC meets Germantown KidsRUN365
8
Welcome new members
10
Race Judicata: offering help (by David Childe)
11
Amy’s fight against cancer (by Jordan Walker)
12
My Down Under marathon (by Rob Rayder)
17
Figuring out the problem (by Joel Lyons)
22
My virtual journey (by Colleen Johnson)
25
It’s different for Mama (by Rachel Kannady)
31
Group runs
32
Race Calendar
34
Advertisements
On the cover
Hustle for the House 4-mile walk/run
2
Blair Parker Design
5
Sprouts Farmers Market
9
Zaka Bowl
14
PR Event Management / Events
15
Judge Freeman Marr Panther Pride 5K
16
Start2Finish Event Management
21
Nationwide 23
Coming soon: MRTC Kids! run training program. See page 6. Photos by Jessica Suzore.
BioLife Plasma Services
24
Memphis Israel Festival 5K
26
Grivet Outdoors
27
Eye Opener 5K PJ Run
28
West Cancer Center
29
Cooper Young 4-Miler
30
Fleet Feet
Inside Front Cover
Overton Park Five Mile Classic
Inside Back Cover
ADVERTISING INFORMATION Ad Sizes and Rates Ad Size Price One Page $325 1/2 Page $250
6 Months $290/mo $220/mo
One Year $250/mo $190/mo
Cover Advertising Rates: Inside front or inside back cover: $450 per insertion Back cover: $600 per insertion A one-page ad is single side of a two-sided page. The front and back of a page is considered a two-page ad. Contact the editor for details about multiple-month insertions. Specifications for Submitted Art Full page ad with bleed: 8.75 x 11.25” Full page live area: 7.75" x 10.1875" Full page ad, no bleed: 7.75” x 10.1875” Half page horizontal ad: 7.75” x 5.25” Half page vertical ad: 3.75” x 10.1875” • Preferred formats are PDF, JPG or TIF. • Resolution should be 300 dpi minimum, at actual size. • Color format: CMYK (not RGB) • Photos/images must be embedded, and fonts must be embedded or outlined. • Payment must accompany ad copy.
Brent Manley Roadrunner Editor brentmanley@yahoo.com 901-246-6477 The Roadrunner is published monthly except January/February and July/August, which are combined issues. You can join the MRTC or renew your membership online at www.memphisrunners.com.
Article Submission Guidelines
Submissions should be emailed to the editor as Microsoft Word or text attachments. Please include name and telephone number with submissions. Photographs should be labeled with names, dates, locations and any other pertinent information. For more information about guidelines for submitting articles to the Roadrunner, contact the editor.
MRTC Board of Directors 2018 OFFICERS President/ Special Projects/Results John Payne 901-494-8266 johncharlespayne@comcast.net
Volunteer Director Nancy Brewton volunteeringwithnancy@ gmail.com 901-237-4758
Vice President / Sponsorship Director Steve Spakes stevemrtc@gmail.com
Finish Line Director/ Equipment Lane Purser 901-483-8929 lpurser350@aol.com
Treasurer Lorrie Williams brianbwilliamsmrtc@gmail.com
DIRECTORS Past President/ Roadrunner Editor Brent Manley 901-383-8782 brentmanley@yahoo.com Past President/ Course Measurement Rob Hunter 901-246-1565 robhunter33@comcast.net Past President/ New Race Coordinator Wain Rubenstein 901-278-1792 wrubenstei@aol.com Past President/Special Projects/Legal Matters George F. Higgs 901-528-1111 ghiggs@stonehiggsdrexler.com
Timing/Results Rich Tutko 901-481-0498 rtutko@hotmail.com Women Run/Walk Memphis Director Allison Andrassy 901-409-6620 allison.mrtc@gmail.com Director Kent Smith kent824@bellsouth.net Director Suzie Hicks-Hurt 901-496-1377 s_hickshurt@bellsouth.net Director Nancy Brewton volunteeringwithnancy@ gmail.com 901-237-4758 Director Peter Mercredi Director Dennese Black
For information about MRTC or running in the Memphis area, contact any board member or visit www.memphisrunners.com Administrative Secretary/Scheduler April Flanigan 901-574-8908 aflanigan@memphisrunners.com Magazine Services Printing and mailing services provided by Paulsen Printing 901-363-5988
From the Editor’s Desk Brent Manley Make new friends but keep the old; those are silver, these are gold.
Friendly faces
in this magazine significantly enhances its value. And that’s not all. Ashley perfectly fits my view of the typical runner – a good person. As I neared the end of the race, I spotted Rob Rayder, another regular contributor. I interact with him regularly by email but rarely in person. He’s a fun guy and it was good to see him today. It has been a while since I have visited with Dr. Darrell Croft, my podiatrist. The encounters usually occur when I see him for some sort of problem, but I’ve been free of trouble for some time now. When we got to talking, Darrell gave me an idea for an article based on some of his thoughts on our sport. In case you don’t know, Darrell has run the Boston Marathon too many times for me to count and he has done some interesting thinking on running. Look for the interview with Dr. Croft in a coming issue (October, I hope). Another noteworthy encounter occurred just as I was about to leave the park. I had my camera with me and was looking for a couple of people whose photos I needed when I looked up and saw Saketh Belde, a 12-year-old who had just finished the 5-miler. He was standing nearby with his father, SheShu Belde. I got to talking with them and found that young Saketh, a seventh-grader at Well Collierville Middle School, has an interesting approach to running (he also likes soccer). Check the October issue for more on Saketh and his dad.
— Joseph Parry
About three hours ago as I write this, I finished the first 5-miler in this year’s road race series. It was a challenge, but why would so many runners show up – there were nearly 1,200 finishers – if the races were easy? We want to feel good at the end of each race exactly because we know at that point that we have faced a difficult task and completed it. Running during the summer in Memphis certainly qualifies as difficult. When the corral I was in was given the go sign by MRTC favorite Lane Purser and we got started, it seemed as though we might have run into a bit of luck. It was surprisingly cool. Of course, if you’ve lived in this area long enough, you know how early-morning cool turns into sweltering heat pretty quickly, as it did on this day. As the time wore on, I found it necessary to slow down – okay, I walked a bit – and I barely missed my goal of finishing in less than an hour. Far from being disappointed, I was glad I went to Freeman Park this morning. Had I blown off the run, I would have missed seeing some of my favorite people. Terri Clarke is high on that list. Possessor of a sense of humor that defies accurate description (but is brilliant nonetheless), Terri was MRTC’s administrative secretary for a long time and wrote a column for this magazine. If I feel the need to laugh out loud, I just go back through my old Roadrunners and find a Terri Clarke column or two. I also had a chance to say hi in person to Ashley Holloway, one of this magazine’s most faithful contributors. She has been providing information on diet for runners and answering questions from MRTC members for well more than a decade. Her presence
... I was glad I went to Freeman Park this morning.
Help wanted
1
You will probably notice that the Marathon Results are missing in this issue. It’s because we recently lost the volunteer who put the results together for each issue. Sherilyn Huey did a wonderful job compiling the list, but she and her husband moved to Indiana recently and she is no longer available. If you have an interest in this volunteer position, please write to me: brentmanley@yahoo.com
BENEFITING
PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE – FEDEX FREIGHT SOWE DIVISION Brooks, Doug Clavier | Gann | Paul Davis, Ken Frith
Clint McCoy, Darren Plumlee
2
A Message from the President By John Payne I really enjoyed the last couple of weeks where we had some mild temps. It has gotten hot again but that is to be expected in August in Memphis, and as much as I complain about cold weather, you won’t hear me complaining, not too much, anyway. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and push through the remaining hot weather, it will start to cool off before you know it. With three big programs going on at the same time, this is a really busy time for MRTC. First, the Women Run/Walk Memphis program is almost halfway through. There are over 500 women meeting up for training every Monday evening at 6:30 at various locations near Shelby Farms. Allison Andrassy and Anne Forbus are doing an excellent job as the directors of the programs. Huge thanks go out to all the coaches who volunteer their time every Monday night to help out. After all of their training sessions through July and August, they will test that training at the graduation 5K on Sept. 8. The race is limited to graduates of the program. We are always looking for volunteers for this race because a lot of our coaches, who regularly volunteer, will want to run with the women they have been training. If you are around that weekend, please come out and cheer these women to the finish line. Many of them will be running their first 5K. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Nancy Brewton (volunteeringwithnancy@gmail.com). Another huge event we have going on is the annual E.J. Goldsmith Jr. Memorial Road Race Series, with almost 1700 signed up for the full series. There is still time to sign up if you haven’t and you can always run individual races. Three races are already in the books, so you can’t get the coveted Road Warrior trophy if you’ve missed one or more of them, but if you sign up for the full series soon, you can still get the RRS T-shirt, be considered a finisher and get
the great finisher item, plus free entry to our Holiday Party in January. With 1700 people signed up for the full series and almost 1300 in each of the 5Ks, we have had some pretty long lines at the portalets. We go on the standard one portalet to 100 runners, so we have enough but we have noticed that people standing in line are not paying attention and there have been some portalets sitting open. We just ask that everyone using the portalets try to make sure you are paying close attention to when one is open and not being used so we can move the line along quicker and make sure we start the races on time. We want each race in the series to be the best it can be, so let us know if there is anything we can work to change to make the RRS or any other race a better experience. Last but not least for events, we have the Fall MRTC Kids! program coming up (see page 6). They will meet four times on Saturday mornings at 11a.m. near the Showplace Arena at the Agricenter starting on Sept. 15. Kids-only graduation races will take place Oct. 14 at our Fall Membership Meeting at the Overton Park Clubhouse. This program is for kids 13 and under and is broken down into 4 and under, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 and 11-13. This is a terrific program to introduce kids to running, teach them how to run safely as they learn about stretching, good nutrition, running etiquette and hydration – all while having a great time with the sport we all love. New this year, we are adding a 1-mile fun run for the kids at our second series 5-Miler to kick off the kids program for the fall. I hope you have received this issue in time to sign up. I would also like to welcome our two new board members. You have probably already seen something on our social media accounts but if not, we are very pleased to have Peter Mercredi and Dennese Black join
There is still time to sign up if you haven’t ...
(continued on page 9)
3
Ashley Holloway, MS, RD, LDN Drinking on the run Â
Plenty of my running friends, myself included, enjoy drinking beer, having a glass or two of wine, or a few frozen margaritas on a hot day after a long run. And we are not alone as evidenced by post-race beer tents, free drink vouchers on race bibs, and overhearing others talking about meeting up for drinks following a race. The good news is that there are health benefits of consuming one or two alcoholic beverages a day. Studies show that drinking or or two alcoholic beverages a day can raise your good cholesterol, reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease, and even help stave off dementia. Unfortunately, some people go a little overboard and drink too much, causing negative health effects, especially when they combine it with physical activity like running. It is important to understand how alcohol affects the body in order to avoid adverse consequences before, during and after a run. Alcohol enters your blood stream within minutes after your first sip. According to the Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, it can raise your blood alcohol level (BAC) in as little as 10 minutes. And it doesn’t take much alcohol to affect performance. Research from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) found that those who had a BAC of at least 0.04 or greater within 24 hours of running were those most likely to suffer unpleasant side effects. The more you drink, the more unpleasant the negative effects will be.
If you do decide to drink, how much will it affect your performance? These are six things to keep in mind:
Alcohol can be dehydrating
When you run, you sweat, which causes you to lose fluids and electrolytes, but when you add alcohol to the mix, you can become even more dehydrated. That can cause fatigue, cramping, and muscle strains. The ACSM classifies alcohol as a diuretic, which is a substance that promotes the production of urine. If you have consumed alcohol within 24 hours of a run, it is recommended that that you consume one cup of water for every alcoholic beverage you have consumed along with a banana or some orange juice to replace some of the electrolytes you have lost. Consider switching out the water for Gatorade, Powerade or even Pedialyte. Also, be sure to drink one glass of water for every pound you have lost after exercise to help replenish all the fluid you lost during your run.
Alcohol can impair your temperature regulation
The summer heat in Memphis is tough enough without adding alcohol into the mix. If you do, know that it could cause you to overheat much faster. According to the ACSM, even a small amount of alcohol consumed in the previous 24 hours can make it much harder to release heat in hot weather and maintain heat in cold weather. Running at different times of the day, wearing layers, protecting your extremities, limiting exposed skin and drinking at least eight ounces of fluid before and after every 30 minutes of exercise can all be effective ways to prevent weather-related issues during a run. Alcohol can decrease your balance, coordination and reaction time. Be sure to watch your step after an evening of dinner with drinks. Even limited amounts of alcohol can negatively affect your coordination, balance and reaction time, making it much harder to step over obstacles or navigate trails. Slow down your pace to avoid any potential missteps, injury or accident. 4
Alcohol can cause sleep issues
organ that helps the body recover from exercise. One of the liver’s jobs is to monitor blood flow. Because increased blood flow can occur after you’ve had too much to drink, your liver focuses on trying to regulate that, rather than the body’s recovery from exercise. Therefore, it takes much longer (up to twice as long) to replenish your liver and muscle glycogen stores if you have consumed alcohol the day before a run. Finally, consuming alcohol may impair your recovery from an acute injury or muscle soreness. In order to recover from an injury or a sore muscle, we often ice the area to reduce blood flow and constrict blood vessels to hasten healing. Unfortunately, alcohol has the opposite effect on an injury because it is a blood vessel dilator. This impairs healing and increases the total time it takes for your injury to heal. Runners may have additional concerns regarding alcohol compared to the general population, including its effect on recovery from exercise and injury. Low to moderate alcohol consumption (1-2 drinks per day) will have less of a negative effect than heavier drinking (three or more). If you do choose to drink alcohol the day or night before a run, take special care to meet your recovery needs with adequate fluids and electrolytes, and as always, please drink responsibly and plan for a safe ride home.
While you may fall asleep quickly after drinking, it’s also common to wake up in the middle of the night. After drinking, the production of adenosine (a sleepinducing chemical in the brain) is increased, allowing you to fall asleep quickly. But it subsides as quickly as it came, making you more likely to wake up before you’re truly rested. Alcohol also blocks the most restorative cycle, known as REM sleep, so you are likely to wake up feeling unfocused and groggy. All that alcohol also causes you to take more trips to the bathroom disrupting your sleep even further.
Alcohol can increase your heart rate
Your heart rate increases when you drink alcohol, as does your blood pressure. This can be particularly problematic for anyone with an underlying issue who then goes out for a long or tough run. This extra stress on the cardiovascular system can increase a person’s risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Alcohol can slow down your post-run recovery
One of the biggest issues with alcohol consumption in runners is the fact that it slows down recovery. Alcohol puts a large strain on your liver, which is the same vital
5
Calling all Kids. Calling all Famlies.
Kids begin one of the races at the MRTC Kids! event at Rhodes College in the spring of this year. Photo by Jessica Suzore.
It’s Time to Have Some Fun, Get Healthy and Run
MRTC Kids! uses RRCA’s Kids Run the Nation Program Guide (see link at the end of this article) and children are taught that proper nutrition and hydration are important in daily actions. In addition, our coaches give instruction on how to run safely, the importance of a warmup and cool down, stretching, running etiquette and how to have fun while you exercise. Training culminates in kids-only races in different groups depending on age and experience. Each runner gets to run, receive a medal for a job well done and eat a great meal prepared by the famous MRTC cookers. The one-hour training programs are held on Saturdays in the spring and fall at the field south of the Agricenter on Germantown Road. Registration for the races begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018 (Races start at 2:30 p.m.) at the Clubhouse in Overton Park. The kids will be broken into appropriate ages and skill levels. We will have skilled coaches for each group.
By Dayne Lytle The MRTC Kids! Run program focuses on children in the community and teaches them a sport we all love – running! I am the MRTC Kids! race director and mom of two highly energetic boys! I am joined by a team of highly qualified, creative, fun and kid-friendly coaches who are ready to train your kids of all ages and ensure your whole family has a great running experience! Training is based on the children’s ages and abilities. In the training program, the kids learn to maintain proper form when running and how to complete their assigned distances. The MRTC Kids! program centers on four core values: NAPS 1) Nutrition 2) Activity 3) Perseverance 4) Self-esteem 6
Training Sessions
If you are interested in coaching or helping out with the MRTC Kids! run training sessions, please contact Dayna Lytle at sunflday@ me.com. No qualifications are required. You just need to be energetic and love to teach kids how to run. Volunteering for MRTC Kids! is a great way to give back to MRTC. You will always receive MRTC Kids! Head Coach rewarding smiles Dayna Lytle. and leaps of joy from the kids as they finish their races!
11 a.m. to noon in the open field south of the Showplace Arena at the Agricenter Saturday, Sept. 15 Saturday, Sept. 22 Saturday, Sept. 29 Saturday, Oct. 6
The Races
2:30 p.m. at the Clubhouse (south entrance to Overton Park) Sunday, Oct. 14 Includes refreshments, award, T-shirt Distances by Age: 4 and younger – 100-yard dash 5-6, quarter mile 7-8, half mile 9-10, 1 mile 11-13, 2 miles Entry fee: $25 per child Please note: Awards and T-shirts must be picked up on race day. Training goodies must be picked up on the day distributed. In case of inclement weather, we will not be planning make-up sessions.
Link to RRCA’s Kids-Run-the-Nation Program Guide: www.rrca.org/kids-run-the-nation/curriculum
Some of the many MRTC Kids! coaches.
Time to renew your MRTC membership? You can do it at www.memphisrunners.com 7
Information needed – meeting arranged
MRTC President John Payne (center, in blue shirt) meets with members of the Germantown KidsRUN365 group to provide information about MRTC activities and running opportunities. Photo by Steve Spakes On Aug. 8, MRTC President John Payne traveled to Houston High School in Germantown to meet with members of the Germantown Kids RUN365 chapter. The group was interested in MRTC programs and activities. Stacey Schwarzmann, one of the founders of the Germantown group, offered this report on why the meeting was arranged.
area running community. Our summer season was about to come to an end, so we felt this was good timing for our young runners to learn about other running opportunities that occur throughout the year through MRTC. Kids RUN365 is a an organized running group for kids where they get to meet on a weekly basis throughout the summer to run and earn running charms for every lap they complete in 30 minutes. We have chapters in Bartlett, Collierville and Germantown. This year, we had around 225 kids participate within the three chapters. To change things up each week, we either do unique challenges like mile time trial, one more lap than you have before, buddy run or bring in different running guest speakers like Angie Zinkus and Lauren Paquette, and representatives from Memphis Youth Athletics.
We invited MRTC to come to our Germantown Kids RUN365 chapter to talk about MRTC and all of the running programs that they offer. Given that our whole program is centered on helping kids learn running basics, helping them train for cross country and, most important, learn to love running, we wanted them to learn about the Memphis Runners Track Club, whose members and officials support the Memphis8
Thanks to Sprouts for supporting the 2018 Road Race Series and the 2019 Winter Off-Road Series
A Message from the President (Continued from page 3)
the board. We had an overwhelming amount of interest in the open board positions and I would like to thank those who put their names in for the position. We had our elections at our last quarterly meeting in June and the membership voted the current board members up for election back on, as well as filling our two open positions with Peter and Dennese. As always, in addition to these events there are a
lot of other races and there are running groups almost every day of the week. You can find all of these races and running groups at our website (memphisrunners. com) as well as in the last few pages of this magazine. As always, feel free to email me with any concerns/ suggestions you might have at johncharlespayne@ gmail.com. I hope to see you all at an upcoming race, running, volunteering or maybe even both. 9
Vikas Alagawadi, Uma Mudaraddi, Aadya Alagawadi David Arroyo Nicole Arsenault Obaid Awan Adam Baker Amy Baltensperger Robert, Monica & Nicolas Barringer Jillian Barron Chris Baxter Rachel Bendure Jessica Bigham Joseph Birch Mark Bird Brandon & Lyndsi Blanton Lindsay Blazin Lyndsay Boyle Amy Brame Benoit Briard Brian Burks Tonia, Andy, Marcus, Jacob, Mason & Lucas Bussell Sandy Butler Margaret Caffey David Caffey Jeremy Cain Audrey Pinnner Scott Campbell Stephen Cannon Dominic Cardone Mary Alice Chandler Vishnu Chitneni & Neethika Polsani Ben Clark Karin Coltharp Heather Colturi
Cameron Conn Michael Covington Alyson Cronnelly Mariah Curtis Jeff Deverell Jewel Dinning Christina Dixon Emma Draluck Carlos Escalante Sonya Faught Leslie Ferraro Rachel Fielder Ashley Finch Gray Fiser Jeremy Fisher Antonio Gaines Courtney Gannon Chelsea Geno Manuel Glory Sergio Glory Dustin Gray Rona Green Dee Gregory Linnea Hall Matthew Hammond Caroine Harris Charles, Suelynn, Ashley, Joshua & Daniel Hartness T.J. & Kristen Hawkins Penny, Adam & Knox Hensley Kaycee Hess Khristina Hidalgo Michael Hirons Taylor Holland Tanya Holmes Armance Holton Dana Horgen Rose Huang
Clyde Huff II Ross Hughes Katelyn Hunt Elizabeth Hylle Jaweed Ibrahim Tera, Noah, Blake, Brooklyn & Greg Jackson Patti, Andrew & Christian Jelinek Dongxia Jiang Chris,Taylor & Logan Johnsen Shavon Johnson, Collin, Christian, Caedon, Seth, Sean, Samuel, Ceder & Cora Johnson Zachary Johnston Mandy Kelley Kyle Kempka Chris Knight,Vanessa, Iliana, Cayli, Riley & Addison Knight Lauren Korleski Boris Kort-Packard Christophe Lechauve Arin Levy Patricia Lockhart Jenny Lovitt Suzi Luciano Ebony Mack Dean Martin Lauren Matousek Frank Mayfield Rose McCall Nicolai McConville Brian McDaniel Caitlyn McGinnis Mike McGinnis 10
Andrew McKnight Kasey McKnight Christopher McLemore Randall Melton Amy Miller Rex Mills Louis Montesi Regina & Ronald Montgomery Keith Moore Scott & Jennifer Morgan Stacey & Bryan Moultrie Markus Mueller David, Neddy, Sydney, Matthew, Lauren & Madison Neal Dana Nebergall Matt Neil Carli Nelson Shane Nelson William Noggle, Jennifer Lee, Clara Noggle Cedar Nordbye & Kenny Stevens Kristen Olson Virginia Onetto Corey Orman Emily Owens Miyoko Patricelli Nicole Pell Kari Pennington Kelly Phillips Rebecca Pietrzak Amanda Pinto Aaron Redmond Emilee Redmond Michelle Reed William Riley Ashley Roach-Freiman Brian Roberts Brian Rochelle Tim & Linda Rogers Allison Rogers Herlinda Rojas Melanie, Radu, Luke & Jack Roman Kaitlin, John, Abby & Mason Ross Satish Sagiraju Will Sallade
Kim Sanders Sooraj Sasi John Saylor Mary Kathleen Scott Omer Asif Siddiqui Shawn Sigler Kali Singer Jeffrey Skogen Mary, Bill, Aidan, Alyson & Anna Sloka Trina Smith Kara Smith Dave Smith Allison South Taylor Stanford Allison Stanford Toby Steele Blake Stephens Connor Stevens Emily Stoutenborough, Edie & Nicholas Street Carrie Strehlau Summer Stroup Michael Studaway Vanessa Sweet Jamie Throgmorton Kyle Tiemann Priya Tummalapalli Leslie Van Horn Suzanne Varnon Troy Vereshack Melissa Walker Catherine Weiser Dennis & Patti Wheeler Patrick Wheeler Pamela Wherry Lori White Michael Wiegert Lisa Williams Sharon Williams Cynthia Williams Pamela Wilson Jeremy Wilson Mary Wilson Screws Kaitly Woodard Jessica Woods David Wurst Jessica Wurst Janice Wyatt Emily Wyonzek Lauren Wysocki Carolyn Zermeno John Zinn
Run to support a worthy cause By David Childe
Runners start off in the Race Judicata from a previous year. Launched in 1982, Race Judicata stretch on Adams that passes a number of Memphis’ (The Run for Justice!) is now one of the oldest 5K most historically and architecturally significant races in Memphis – appealing to runners of all stripes buildings. They finish behind the law school right on the while bringing the community together for an excellent promenade overlooking the Mississippi River. cause. All proceeds from the race are used to support Awards will be three deep within five-year age the work of Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS), group ranges – customized for this event. The overall the Community Legal Center (CLC), and the Memphis male and female, masters, grandmasters, and senior Bar Foundation’s Access to Justice Program. Race masters champions will have their own award classes. Judicata is co-hosted by the Memphis Law Student Bar Race Judicata should be a fun and memorable Association and the Memphis Bar Association. downtown event featuring breathtaking views from the Memphis has the unfortunate distinction of being law school Promenade and from Fourth Bluff Park. the poorest metropolitan area in the country with The After Party at Fourth Bluff Park will feature a poverty rate of: 26.9% (compared to 15.8% in plenty of hot food, interesting booths and live music Tennessee). Almost half (44.7%) of Memphis children provided by The Risky Whiskey Boys. Two free beers live in poverty. are included with your race entry! Appearances by the Most of the problems facing low-income people, 501st Legion dressed in their impressive Star Wars including the working poor, can be ameliorated with costumes will be there (great for the kids and the kid legal assistance – housing, benefits, healthcare and in all of us!). Explore Bike Share will be in attendance consumer issues. Unfortunately, it is difficult for lowhanding out coupons and giving live tutorials on how to income residents to gain access. The major issue lies rent the new bikes downtown. in the lack of resources available for the two primary We look forward to sharing part of your Saturday providers of free legal services in Memphis: Memphis with you at 10 a.m. on Oct. 6. To register, visit Area Legal Services (MALS) and the Community Legal racejudicata.racesonline.com Center (CLC), to assist all the clients who contact them for help. This is where the Memphis Bar Foundation’s Access to Justice Program comes into the picture. The Access to Justice Committee works to recruit, train and deploy local attorneys to help “plug the gap” between the need for legal assistance and resources available to provide it, through such events as the Second Saturday Free Legal Clinic, the Veteran’s Clinic, Courthouse of the Day Clinic, and non-conviction expungement clinics. For this year’s race, Rob Hunter’s team at MRTC has designed a singular course beginning on the site voted best law school building in the U.S. Runners will pass by Memphis’s stately courthouses, circling around Race Judicata Race Directors Brad Reasonover, Victorian Village, and enjoy panoramic downtown views David Childe and Kaitlyn Cornett. from the Jefferson overpass on the return, and a back 11
Cancer survivor ‘knew I had to keep going’ By Jordan Walker “I FIGHT ON day by day for myself and for all those affected by cancer.” Before breast cancer, Amy Pollan had what she describes as “a very normal life.” She is a native Memphian, graduate of the University of Memphis, paralegal at FedEx and active community volunteer. She has been married to her husband, Benji, for 17 years. They have two children, Grayson, 12, and Anna, 11. An avid runner, Amy often takes her children along with her on runs. “It is one of our normal family activities to go on runs together around the neighborhood. My kids love it.” It was after one of these normal family runs that she discovered something that would turn her world upside down – a lump in her breast. “What I remember most about that day was that it was just so hot,” said Amy when recalling that day in June of 2017. Amy Pollan with her husband, Benji, and their children: daughter Anna and son Grayson. “I had just finished a run with my kids, and I remember coming home and sitting on the couch and clutching my hand on my chest to try to cool down and catch my breath.” That is when she felt the lump. “I remember thinking, ‘that is not supposed to be there’ and showing my husband.” Amy was only one month away from her annual exam with her doctor after turning 40 the year before. She immediately called her OBGYN, who got her in for a mammogram and ultrasound the next day. The doctor said it was probably just a cyst and not to worry until there was something to worry about. The first time walking into the Margaret West Comprehensive Breast Center at West Cancer Center, Amy did not know what to expect. She had not planned on her first mammogram being diagnostic. “I remember trying to read the technician’s face while she was doing the scan,” Amy recalls. A short time later the radiologist came in and told Amy that she needed to schedule a time to come back in for a biopsy. “At that point I lost it; I was terrified and in tears. The sweet scheduling representative at West was so kind and reassuring, telling me that it was okay and that they would take care of me.” Amy’s mother and aunt, a cancer survivor herself, insisted on going with her to the biopsy appointment the Amy Pollan with her children at her first race after treatment. next day. After the biopsy, she received the diagnosis 12
she so dreaded – breast cancer. Pollan said the worst It was last fall at the very beginning of her part was not the diagnosis itself, but having to tell her treatment that Amy first heard about the UT/West kids. “My son had a friend whose mother had passed Institute’s signature fundraising event, West FIGHT away from breast cancer just the year before and that ON. One evening, she was leaving the clinic after was his only experience with the disease. His first infusion treatments, and she heard a familiar voice. question was if I was going to die too. As a mom, that “I was on the third floor, and I heard my friend absolutely tore me up inside.” Stephanie’s voice.” Amy and Stephanie knew one another through the Junior League of Memphis and Following a breast MRI, genetic testing and lymph had reconnected through their shared experience of a node biopsy, Amy met with her medical oncologist, breast cancer diagnosis. Dr. Lee Schwartzberg, to determine her treatment plan. She would go on to have eight rounds of chemotherapy That evening as Amy walked out of infusion, infusions, followed by surgery with Dr. Richard Stephanie happened to be on the microphone Fine at West Cancer Center and then six rounds of welcoming guests to West FIGHT ON’s VIP event and oral chemotherapy. During sharing her own breast cancer treatment, her family was experience. Stephanie recalls, her steadfast support system. “I remember glancing up while Her husband stepped in as speaking and then locking eyes her doting caregiver and even with Amy. In that moment I took over some of the “mom” was overwhelmed with emotion duties to try to keep life as seeing my friend just out of normal as possible for Grayson treatment. The reason for our and Anna. Amy said that she fundraising efforts really hit tried so hard to stay positive, home for me. We FIGHT ON “I am so good at masking for people like Amy.” Amy it. Even on my worst days I remembers that same moment didn’t want anyone to treat me as the one where she knew that like I am sick.” But as hard as West FIGHT ON was going to she tried to keep everything be her way to get involved and together, chemotherapy was give back. Fast forward almost a almost more than she could nine months and now Amy is the take at times. Survivor Chair for West FIGHT ON and leads the committee “Between round six and responsible for planning all seven of chemo in the fall, I of the survivor recognition was so close to saying ‘I can’t activities for the event. do this anymore’ my body was so tired, my hair had “Cancer just becomes part Amy Pollan at the Common Journey Ribbon Wall fallen out, and my spirit was of your life. There isn’t a day at West Cancer Center. so beaten down, but I kept that goes by that I don’t think looking at my kids and I knew I had to keep going. I about it. The hardest part of my cancer journey was had to fight on for my family.” feeling like I couldn’t be the same mom to my kids, but looking back at my journey I would never change any “After my surgery in November, Dr. Schwartzberg of it. My family is stronger, and I have met so many recommended that I do six rounds of oral amazing people through my treatment and through chemotherapy to be safe. I was two weeks on then one volunteering.” Amy’s last day of chemo fell on the week off.” During those weeks off, Amy felt better and same night as a steering committee meeting in May. even was able to start running again. Her first 5K since Her fellow volunteers all dressed in pink and surprised diagnosis was the Junior League of Memphis 5K in her with a party to celebrate the milestone. “West is May of this year. As the former chair of the event, she just such an amazing place, and West FIGHT ON is my knew she had to do it even if she was still undergoing chance to give back and support others battling cancer.” treatment. “I ran as much as I could but had to walk the second half of it. My kids finished 20 minutes ahead of This year on Sept. 15, Amy will be back to running me, but their smiling faces were waiting at the finish and will be running proudly as a cancer survivor. Join line to cheer me on.” Amy and almost 3,000 others from the Mid-South as 13
Did you Know? After finishing a marathon, Oprah Winfrey exclaimed, “Damn! This is better than winning an Emmy!” While running barefoot, South African runner Zola Bud won two IAAF World Cross Country titles. Paula Radcliffe of England holds the current world record for the fastest marathon run by a woman, at 2:15:25. Over 1 billion pairs of running shoes are sold worldwide every year. Atalanta is the Greek goddess of running. The average exercise life of a running shoe is 400 miles. From running.competitor.com
Help Wanted The MRTC has need for a volunteer to research and report on marathon finishers from the Memphis area for publication in the Roadrunner. If you are interested, contact the editor (brentmanley@yahoo.com) or phone 901-246-6477. The person who volunteers will receive instructions on the procedure for gathering the information.
Amy Pollan holding a sign celebrating her final chemotherapy treatment. they participate in West FIGHT ON to raise awareness and funds for the UT/West Institute to FIGHT ON against cancer. Register today at www.westfighton.org Whether you cycle, run, walk, or simply donate and cheer us on, you are making a difference in the fight against cancer. FIGHT ON!
ORDER ONLINE ZAKABOWL.COM VISIT US 575 ERIN DR CALL US 901.509.3105
FUELING RUNNERS TO P.R.ʼS ONE BOWL AT A TIME
14
15
16
Running about as far away as you can get By Robert “the Lone Runner” Rayder
It wasn’t hard to think of reasons for that limited scope. Work, school, children, money and spare time all vied for a top spot on my list of legitimate excuses. Still, I knew it was time to push the envelope. And anyone who knows me knows that when I decide to push, I’m going to do in a big way. The only question was exactly where. If you looked for the spot on our planet that is the farthest away from home, and not buried under the crushing depths of the ocean, you would arrive in Australia. “The Land Down Under” is one of our planet’s seven continents, located nearly 10,000 miles from Memphis. It has bizarre-looking animals, some of which are incredibly toxic and dangerous to humans, and landscapes that are beautiful and exotic. There is a vastness about the place, much like what we see in America, that invites the imagination to go exploring. There is the Great Barrier Reef, the desert Outback, and massive tropical rainforests. There is a wine country and surfing beaches and lonely grasslands like those found here, but they are uniquely different and strange to our eyes. With all that in mind, the decision for a new spot to run became a simple choice. Australia, here we come! Of course, it didn’t hurt my decision process that my brother, Jeff and his wife Sarah live with my 13-year-old nephew Zach in the beachside community of Brisbane. It is, after all, that country’s third-largest city and made a great jumping off point for so many potential adventures. It also didn’t hurt that one of the country’s best marathons, the Gold Coast Marathon, was only 40 miles south of there. My plans started to take focus. So, my wife, Christina, and I loaded ourselves up and took a plane away from a sweltering Memphis on a summer’s afternoon to begin our grand adventure. We landed in Houston TX to await our flight to Auckland, New Zealand, and from there on to the Gold Coast. While taxiing into Houston, I watched the sun set over the half-baked Lone Star horizon. I just happened to look at my watch. Little did I know that this was the
The author and his wife, Christina, at a rain forest park near where the marathon took place. I was looking at the map on which I had been filling in blank spots for almost a decade, and I knew I had a problem. Pins with little red plastic tips and paper flags covered the map from one end to the other. The decorative markers looked like so many soldiers proudly bearing their colors. Groups clustered together in some areas while in others they stood conspicuously alone. The map was of North America, and each pin stood at the site where I had run in a marathon or ultramarathon. There were now more than 130 such tributes covering parts of 32 states, and each one held a special memory for me. There on my wall were the visual representations of every race I’d ever run, every mile I’d ever struggled through and even the majority of places I’d ever been. Yet when I scaled this picture back, my problem became glaringly obvious. If someone looked at my map from a global perspective, all my accomplishments started to bunch in one small corner. The majority of the world existed far beyond the points marked by any of my cherished red-clad flags. For the most part, despite thousands of miles of running accomplishments, the majority of the world remained untouched. 17
Sunrise on the Gold Coast. my childhood home in California. Here were the same waters I grew up in playing among the semi-frigid waves, only those waves were an unimaginably long, long ways away from me both in terms of time and distance from the spot where I stood then. The scale of that distance was hard to comprehend. It made me dizzy to think about. Huge high-rise condos towered along the beachfront. The scene vaguely reminded me of Fort Lauderdale, only on a much grander scale. Many of the largest buildings there pushed 50 stories tall, and they continued in an unbroken chain for mile after mile. Christina and I would get to run along the street that separated those huge condos from the ocean during our races the next day. Oddly, the half marathon started first, so my wife began her running journey in the pre-dawn gloom while I was afforded some time (after she was underway) to walk along the beachfront as the sun began to rise. It was a spectacular site, and one I promised myself I would strive to see each and every morning I could. My race that day started soaked in the golden sunlight that clearly gave the region its name. I passed beautiful beach vistas, the unique architectures of skyscrapers, palatial beachfront homes, unenumerable trendy restaurants, and even a neat little farmers’ market that had a spectacular beach backdrop. As amazing as all that was, the thing I found most fascinating were the marathon signposts, recording distances in the shorter metric of the kilometer rather than the miles that I was used to. Early on, these more frequent markers gave me a big boost. “10 down already!” I would think. “I feel great!” On the backside of the race, however, the numbers backfired. “I still have 10 more to go! Aaargh!” Still, my wife and I relished the cool temperatures and both of us finished with respectable times. The next day I arose before sunrise and took a slow jog in bare feet along the well-packed sand. I went straight into the tidal zone where the crisp ocean water ran playfully over my sand-covered feet. It was an indulgent pleasure. As the sun rose, I realized that the show I had been witness to just before the marathon the day before had merely been the smallest sample of a much bigger event. The waves danced in a sparkling golden sheen. A rare double rainbow was suspended in the inland
start of the longest night of my life. It would be 18 and a half hours before I would see the sun again. As our Boeing 777 jetliner lifted off into the night sky, the captain set a course westward, which I found a little funny since we were bound for eastern Australia. When travelling long distances, one has to think of the world as a globe. Heading west may be the fastest way to reach something in the east, and vice versa. But that was not the only oddity about this 15hour flight. We happened to be leaving Houston the evening before our 27th wedding anniversary. When we landed in New Zealand, thanks to the wonders of the International Dateline, it was very early in the morning the day after our anniversary. Then there was the weather. We left the States during the hottest part of the summer. When we crossed the equator, we left the summer behind and entered the depths of winter. It was disconcerting to have departed enduring almost 100-degree temperatures and arriving during the Australian equivalent of “sweater weather,” with conditions in the upper 50s. I found it refreshing. The Gold Coast itself is a series of touristy beachfront cities that look eastward over the Coral Sea, at the literal opposite end of the Pacific Ocean from 18
The next day I took an early morning run along the Sydney Harbor front. I ran past the busy ferry terminal and ran right up to the doors of the Sydney Opera House. The outside sparkled in the early morning light like a million reflective shells stacked one on top of another. Then I ran on to the Botanical Gardens, which I was amazed to find were wide open even at that early hour. Unfamiliar bird calls and colorful flowers bloomed despite the cool weather. I just stood in a quiet spot for a minute and took in the stunning but strangely unfamiliar scene. I moved on and crossed the Harbor bridge (this time via the normal pedestrian path) and ran into the rolling hills of North Sydney. The author striking a pose at Glass House Mountains National Park. Tropical garden plants hung from baskets like I’ve seen in photos of the Mediterranean, skies and seemed to terminate directly into the side except these splashes of color were right in the middle of one of the ubiquitous condo high rises. The clouds of a major city, deep into the brisk winter months. over the ocean seemed to be on fire, as they glowed in unbelievable shades of red, yellow and orange. It was People walked and biked and ran over the quaint an incredible sight to behold. I couldn’t think of a better streets often lined with brick walkways. It was a totally way to spend my morning. The following day, we were off to Sydney, the tourist capital of Australia. Here is the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbor, the Harbor bridge, Bondi Beach, and the spectacular skyline of one of the world’s most recognizable cities. In Sydney, we had bigger plans than just a stroll by the water. We worked our way down through the historic Rocks District (the first European settlement in Australia, mostly made up of English prisoners in those days.) From there we found the base of the Harbor Bridge and began a hike unlike any I’ve ever done before. After strapping into a harness and locking an alligator clip around a continuous medal bar, Christina and I joined an expedition to the top of the bridge itself. I’m not talking about to an observation platform protected by plexiglass, or a trip strolling along the car deck. We hiked up to the very highest steel girders, completely open to the elements, and hovering hundreds of feet above the choppy waters of the Sydney Harbor. And we did it during sunset, ascending in the late afternoon to spectacular views of the harbor and surrounding mountains, and descending with the lights of Sydney glimmering in a massive multicolored cityscape backdrop. The experience is beyond description (and maybe a little insane … but what else Rob and Christina Rayder in front of a common Australian is new!) It is something I will never forget. road sign. 19
unexpected vista, and once again I marveled in the multitude of ways Australia could keep surprising me. We headed back to the Gold Coast, where I treated myself to another barefoot beach run before meeting up with my brother and heading out for a day in the Australian Zoo (former stomping grounds of the late Australian naturalist Steve Irwin.) My nephew Zach and I watched giant salt-water crocs devour whole animal carcasses in single bites, then we petted koalas and kangaroos, and formed our own plan.
not a runner or hiker. For the three of them, this was an impressive feat. We spent more time at the top, this time taking many selfies and soaking up the views before heading back down. At the bottom of the trail my brother proudly declared, “One N-gun-gun and I’m done-done.” He’d seen the top of the mountain, and once was enough for him! On our final day in Australia, Christina and I decided to hike in Lamington National Park, a rain forest sanctuary high in the Blue Mountains located just west of the Gold Coast. It has ancient trees and an abundance of wildlife running free alongside cascading waterfalls and pristine rivers. The biggest problem for me was getting there. Driving on the left side of the road and steering from the right side of the car was tough enough on wellmaintained city roads. The national park was high in the mountains, at the end of a one-lane road with traffic going both ways. It was not a trip for the faint of heart! Somehow, we made it to the top and were rewarded with suspended wooden walkways spanning the forest floor, treehouses accessible only by climbing ladders nailed directly into the living tree trunks suspended a hundred feet up, and colorful wild parrots whose brilliant plumes put those poor creatures The author with his 42K finisher medal for the Gold Coast Marathon. purchased in pet shops to shame. It was the perfect ending to the trip of a lifetime. The next day we headed to the Glasshouse Travelling to the opposite end of the earth was Mountains and decided to run to the top of Mt Ngungun more than I ever could have hoped for. And it was (pronounced Naaah-gun-gun.) my running and hiking that brought me most of the There is nothing quite like the Glasshouse Mountains. They rise from the forest floors at incredible treasures I collected for my soul. I’ve found that simple fact to be true just about every time I’ve gone angles and taper at the top. They looked to me like someplace new. However, the farther I’ve gone, the giant, tree-clad spirals of some long-buried church built more amazing and interesting my runs become. It is by on a geologic scale. Zach couldn’t have picked a better far the best way to see the world, whether it be a local running adventure spot. 5K, or an adventurous marathon on the opposite side of So, the next day we run up the steep earthen trail our beautiful planet. keeping a sharp eye for loose rocks that might send us So now I’ve earned a pin that I can’t place tumbling down. Christina, Sarah and Jeff chose to walk anywhere on my current map. Its destination rightfully up the trail at their own pace and would turn around lies beyond the limited scale of the previous boundaries. whenever they became tired. It seems like it’s time for a new larger version, one that Zach and I bounded upward to the top of the spiral can better handle my new “world view.” and clowned around at the top for a while before we turned around and started to head back down the trail. I only hope I have enough pins. It’s about time There, to my astonishment, was my brother with Sarah I start to fill this massive globe with decorative red and Christina in tow. pins and flags! That’s the only way I know how to fill This was no easy trail, and my brother is a surfer, myself up, too. 20
21
By Joel Lyons, PT, OCS Differential Diagnosis
by X-ray or MRI, but the reality is he needs to work on his back regardless of the results of those tests. He also needs to continue to strengthen the hamstrings because they are obviously weak. He may actually have a hamstring strain and a mild back injury. He has been back running and will continue to manage these problems.
With some injuries it can be a challenge to figure out exactly what the specific diagnosis is. Is the pain you’re feeling the result of a stress fracture or just a bad shin splint … a torn meniscus or a patellofemoral pain syndrome … a hip-joint problem or an abdominal hernia? At times it may take a good examination by a healthcare professional, and other times you might be able to rule out certain diagnoses on your own. And sometimes it’s not even necessary to know the exact diagnosis because the treatment is similar for both of the possibilities that it could be. Below you will find some common ones I find with runners.
Hip vs Lower Abdominal Injuries
The location of these structures is very close together. Palpation doesn’t always seem to differentiate the problem. The main muscle that flexes the hip, the iliopsoas, is deep to the more superficial abdominal muscles. The patient will complain of anterior hip pain for both of these diagnoses. They both will be painful when the patient tries to lift his leg up while in a lying position. One of the ways a PT or MD diagnoses a hip flexor injury is to palpate deeply at a location that is just to the side of the belly button. This will be right on the psoas part of the iliopsoas muscle. Often, a more superficial abdominal strain is located a little lower toward the groin. This can be described as a sports hernia. If the hip joint is the culprit, there often is pain with internal hip rotation. Arthritic changes here also give fairly consistent aching pain. The treatment for a hip flexor strain, hip arthritis and a sports hernia are a little different, but they typically include core strengthening exercises. Arthritic hips require protection and mobilization.
Back Injury vs Hamstring Strain
At first, you wouldn’t think these two problems could be confused at all, but I have seen it all too many times. My good friend, Timmay, has had to deal with chronic hamstring pain. He’s a runner who loves trails and distance. He didn’t remember a specific beginning to the pain but has dealt with it off and on for years. The hamstring has been sensitive to deep pressure and weak when his strength was tested. He’s had treatments, including deep massages, ultrasound, strengthening exercises, and even rest. He has used a compression sleeve while running. All these seem to help a bit but the symptoms lingered longer than he hoped. Well, Tim also has a history of low back pain. It has been one of those nagging problems that never seemed bad enough to get a workup from a doctor. He has treated it with flexibility and core strengthening exercises. He has tried to watch his body mechanics while doing yard work. He often has to spend a lot of time in his SUV driving for his work. This puts a load on his lumbar discs that is hard to avoid, but he tries to get out of the vehicle and do back extensions more frequently. The best management for Tim has been to work on both areas. He may have the beginnings of degenerative disc problems that could be diagnosed
Knee Injuries
Multiple structures can be at fault when the knee has pain. In many cases, the runner is convinced he has a meniscus tear that might need surgery. The meniscus is cartilaginous tissue that is basically a cushion between the femur and the tibia. It also guides the movement of the knee. Bottom line: it rarely is the correct diagnosis. More frequently, the proper diagnosis is patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) or iliotibial 22
band friction syndrome (ITBFS). manual tests that can help diagnosis this but, of PFPS is probably the most common knee injury course, the gold standard is an MRI. I see in runners. It is often because of chondromalacia Many healthcare providers believed that the but doesn’t always have to be. Chondromalacia is treatment for this was automatically surgery. The the breaking down of the cartilaginous structures surgery was to trim out the torn part, which was that line the back side of the knee cap and the end usually effective. Now there is more evidence showing of the femur. It typically gets worn down with a that, long term, some patients do just as well without combination of poor body mechanics, flexibility surgery. As a physical therapist, I would lean toward problems, and/or strength deficits. The treatment is conservative care and avoid a quick rush to surgery. to address all these issues. Sometimes a person cannot function with simple ITBFS is often a cause of knee pain too. It is the walking because their pain is so severe. Even with result of the IT band rubbing back and forth on the weeks of treatment they don’t improve. They may side of a boney protuberance on the side of the knee. have to have surgery for any real benefit. Those whose This gets inflamed and very tender. I used to think symptoms are not so serious do improve with time that this was due only to a tight IT Band, but now I and treatment. My advice: be patient and seek proper am convinced that the weakness in the hip is the more conservative care. likely culprit. The weakness leads to faulty biomechanics, which causes the stress on the knee. I will treat with strengthening Auto Home Life Business Motorcycle and flexibility plus education on proper form and a proper training regimen. Although a torn meniscus is rarely the cause of knee pain, it sometimes is. There are some
MRTC bad-weather policy
As a local agent, I’m here for you.
MRTC contracts to provide finish-line services at local races. When there is inclement weather, the race director has the option to postpone or cancel the race and is responsible for notifying the MRTC and participants. In the event of a cancellation, rescheduling is unlikely because of the number of races already on the MRTC calendar. For MRTC races (the Road Race Series, the Winter Cross Country Race Series and the Hill & Dale 8-miler), the policy is that the race will go on, rain or shine. The start of a race may be delayed to let bad weather pass, but scheduled races will be run.
#
ServIng Tn for 18 yeArS. #
At LOFTON WELLS INSURANCE, we have a long history of doing what’s right. That includes a tradition of personal attention, and being right here in MEMPHIS to help you protect what’s most important.
Pamela Lofton Wells LOFTON WELLS INSURANCE 901-388-SAVE (7283) wellsp1@nationwide.com loftonwellsinsurance.com Not all Nationwide affiliated companies are mutual companies and not all Nationwide members are insured by a mutual company. Nationwide, Nationwide is On Your Side, and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2016 Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. NPR-0784AO (08/16) ##
##
##
www.memphisrunners.com
#
23
24
In it for the long haul By Colleen Johnson
Ever since I saw the movie Forrest Gump, I have had this crazy notion that I’d like to run across the United States, as Forrest did. Few runners, of course, are able to pull off such an undertaking. It demands the highest level of physical fitness and is extremely expensive. Even for the elite who are physically and financially fit enough, finding the time for a trans-continental run would be nearly impossible. I know of a few runners who have completed a “real world” trans-con and I have the utmost respect for them. They have done something that I know I will never be able to do. Physical and financial restraints notwithstanding, I still yearn to run across the continent, so when I found out about virtual race that makes it possible for ordinary participants to do this, I was quick to sign up. The race is called the Amerithon Challenge. It is an annual virtual event, with a new cross-country race starting up each July 4. The journey begins at the Golden Gate Bridge. The race course spans 3,521 miles as it crosses through the American heartland and eventually ends at the Washington Monument in our nation’s capital. Along with several thousand of my closest friends from all 50 states and several foreign countries – I am taking the virtual journey. We can take as much time as we need, even several years. Some of the places that we will pass through on our way across the continent include Yosemite National Park, Death Valley, the Vegas Strip, the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, Dodge City, Branson MO, Nashville and the Shenandoah Valley. We will climb tall mountain peaks and descend into deep canyons and valleys. We will traverse wilderness and busy urban areas.As we reach each of the different “highlight” destinations along the way, race organizers will provide us with fly-over videos of the area, so we can see the land we are passing through. Those of us journeying together can get together – to share experiences and to encourage each other – on our own Facebook page. Camaraderie is strong and supportive. The goal of the Amerithon is to
The author in her Amerithon T-Shirt. promote activity and fitness among participants, who range from ultra-fit athletes preparing for an upcoming competitions to beginners who have never done a race – real or virtual. The committed vary from the very young (many children are participating with their parents) to the very old. Many are making the 3,521mile journey as a solo effort. Others have joined teams to share the mileage burden. Many participants are healthy, some are not. One team that successfully completed this challenge in 2016 was made up exclusively of individuals with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) – a rare lung disease that significantly reduces lung capacity. Some have joined the challenge to lose weight, others signed up to become more physically active. Many report using their participation to help improve their overall health or jumpstart healthy lifestyle changes. Others had unique stories – like a Midwest family doing the challenge as a family team. The children are home schooled, and they are using their virtual trek across America to provide opportunity for their kids to learn more about local history and differences in regional cultures. How an individual participant chooses to measure the miles is his or her decision and is dictated by the person’s fitness goals. Participants will measure their progress differently.
(continued on page 27)
25
26
Some Amerithon Challengers – mostly the experienced runners among the group – have chosen to include only miles that they purposefully run on city streets, trails or running tracks. Most of these runners will use Garmins to keep track of their challenge miles. Others will to include purposeful running and everyday walking. Many of these will use FitBits to track their miles. One thing that sets the Amerithon Challenge apart from most other virtual races is that participants are not limited to running or walking when counting progress towards their 3,521- mile goal. We can count mileage achieved using any form of self-propelled physical movement as we make our way across our virtual continent. Many participants include miles achieved riding bikes – a “real” bike on city streets or a spin bike at the gym. In fact, there are some whose chosen sport is cycling, not running – and many of them will count only their biking miles as they travel across the country. Others (especially those training for triathlons, injured runners, and arthritic old ladies like myself) will include swimming and aqua-jogging miles. Some are will include miles logged using treadmills or elliptical machines. Miles logged in wheelchairs (other than motorized) can be counted. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some teenager out there who is counting the
skateboard miles for this virtual race. Everyone runs his own race. I am counting miles that I run, walk, bike, swim, aqua-jog or do on the treadmill. That includes both purposeful exercise and everyday walking. I already engage in all of these activities (plus weight training) on a regular basis, as I try to keep my 63-year-old body in the best physical shape I can. Younger runners can afford to focus on running only. We older folks don’t have that luxury. When you get up into your 60s and beyond, what you don’t use, you will lose. Crosstraining is essential for the more mature crowd. My decision to include mileage earned through such a wide variety of activities might seem like a form of cheating to my younger, healthier running friends. But it reflects the reality of my advanced years, and need to cross train to keep fit. Finishing the Amerithon Challenge requires a long-term commitment, unlike the local 5Ks and half marathons we know. My goal is to reach the Washington Monument no later than the end of the Labor Day weekend in 2019. It will be a huge challenge for me to finish all 3,521 miles by that date – even when I include all these different forms of selfpropelled movement. Then again, I thrive on challenges – the bigger, the better, and this one is definitely a huge challenge.
27
PRESENTED BY
SLEEPY ZZZS MATTRESSES AND FURNITURE BY MICHAEL ZELLNER
SATURDAY, OCT 13TH 9 AM
AT HOUSTON LEVEE PARK, GERMANTOWN, TN $100 VISA GIFT CARD FOR BEST LOOKING PJS!
EO5K PJ RUN DOG TAG FOR ALL FINISHERS!
ONE LUCKY PARTICIPANT WILL TAKE HOME A QUEEN SIZE MATTRESS FROM SLEEPY ZZZs!
MS RAINBOW CLOWN WILL BE DOING FACE PAINTING & BALLOON SCULPTURES
AWARDS FOR RUNNERS & WALKERS! WHO DOES THAT???
NOT DOING A 5K? TRY THE RACE AGAINST THE TURTLES, A FAMILY FRIENDLY HALF-MILE RUN OR WALK AROUND THE POND.
MEDALS & MUGS FOR 1ST PLACE FINISHERS!
VINCE & LARRY, THE CRASH TEST DUMMIES, OLLIE THE SEATBELT OTTER, TENNY C BEAR, & MCGRUFF WILL ALL BE THERE!
PRE-RACE WARM UP, POST-RACE MASSAGE, FOOD, FUN, & AN AWESOME DJ!
WEAR YOUR PJS OR DON'T, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO WEAR SOMETHING!!! REGISTER AT WWW.EO5KPJRun.RACESONLINE.COM 28
29
30
Race-day Rhythm By Rachel Kannady
The alarm goes off at 5:05a.m. It’s time for another race. Seems simple enough. Get up, go to the bathroom, get coffee, maybe back to the bathroom? Get dressed, out the door. Head to the race, run, hang out with friends, chat, go home, shower and move on with your day. NOT FOR THE MAMAS. Here’s how her story goes… The alarm goes off at 5:05a.m., she turns it off with lightning-fast speed so as not to wake anyone. Did the dog hear? Is that a child? Crap. Wait, she’s back asleep. Whew. Get up, move stealthily out of the bed so as not to disturb the husband, the dog or the child who came in last night. Extract your arm. Understand now what the premise of Coyote Ugly was all about. Arm is free, there’s less feeling in that hand right now, but freedom … sneak to the bathroom at the far end of the house. Hope one trip will do. Clothes are in the kitchen so you don’t have to go back to the bedroom. Dress as quietly and quickly as possible. Curse yourself for not leaving out more things because the refrigerator, cabinets and the faucet and everything else make so much noise! Wish that your car was not so modern and you
could put it in neutral and coast down the driveway. Ugh. Start the car and back down the driveway. Get to the race. No text messages is a good sign. Walk around, get situated, head to the start. Run the race. Get water, chat with friends. Head home. Walk in the door and get attacked by dog wanting to go out, child wanting to be picked up, child wanting to do something else and husband wanting attention, too. Get moving on all the things. Realize the shower still hasn’t happened and circle back to that about three hours later. The day is taken over by all the things and all mom can think is, “When is nap time?” But she wouldn’t trade the crazy day for a second, ’cause the run is done and she feels great!
Overheard at the races
“You may be a runner if you can run just about any time but somehow never have the energy to fold a load of laundry.” “I’m afraid if I give up running I’ll have to replace it with murder.” “Why couldn’t Pheidippides have died at 20 miles?” “Feet: I’m going to turn into 10-pound weights now.”
Time to renew your MRTC membership? You can do it at www.memphisrunners.com 31
Run with a Group Do you need some help in finding a running group or are you interested in starting your own group? Contact MRTC Coordinator of Running Groups, DJ Watson: djw@virtualmvp.com.
Sunday morning
Monday afternoon
Tuesday morning
Run: Germantown
Run: Fleet Feet Coed Fun Run Time: 6 p.m. Place: Fleet Feet, 4530 Poplar Ave. (Laurelwood Shopping Center) Distance: 3, 5 and 7 miles Contact: Eric Flanders, 901-761-0078
Run: Fitness Plus Lunch Run Time: 11:45 a.m. Place: Fitness Plus, 2598 Corporate Ave. off Nonconnah between Millbranch and Democrat Distance: 7 miles Contact: Rick Ellis, 901-345-1036 Showers and extras available. Access to Fitness Plus facilities free to runners on group run day
Thoroughbreds
Time: 6:30 a.m. - (June thru Sept.); 7 a.m. - (Oct. thru May) Place: Panera Bread 7850 Poplar Avenue, Germantown Distance: 4, 7, 12.5 (or more) miles Contact: Charles Hurst 901-491-2096 or churst9676@gmail.com Water stops provided on the course. Big fun group with all paces. Run: Cool Runnings Time: 7 a.m. Place: Shelby Farms Visitor Center, lower parking lot Distance: 10+ miles Contact: bostonbear13@gmail.com Run: iMARG: Indian Memphis
Association Runners Group
Time: 7 a.m. on weekends (mostly Sunday) Place: Johnson Park, Collierville Distance: 3.1 to 20 miles Contact: Sheshu Belde 901-413-4456 Facebook page: https://www.facebook. com/indianmemphis.runnersgroup
Run: Southaven Striders Time: 6 p.m. Place: Central Park (Tchulahoma entrance, east side of park) Distance: 3-5 mi. (9- to 12-min. miles) Contact: Kyle McCoy, 901-299-8630 Kalmac220@gmail.com Angie McCoy, 901-233-0168 anggail09@gmail.com Run: Sea Isle Park Runners Time: 5:30 p.m. Place: McWherter Senior Center 1355 Estate Drive Distance: 1 mile-5K Contact: Sea Isle Park Runners Facebook group Notes: One mile loop around Sea Isle Park and two miles of hills in wooded neighborhood east of the park. Beautiful and safe course!
Monday afternoon
Run: Salty Dogs of
Run: FIT4MOM Run Club Time: 9:30 a.m. Location: Visitor Center at Shelby Farms Park (6903 Great View Drive North) Distance: 5K training Contact: Amy Earnest amykearnest@gmail.com or visit www.memphis.fit4mom.com 8-wk session March 19th - May 12th
Time: 7 p.m. Place: Bardog Tavern, 73 Monroe Ave., downtown Distance: 3-5 miles run through historic downtown Memphis and afterward enjoy food, drink and camaraderie. Contact: Jessica Grammer, 901-734-5731 or jessgrammer@gmail.com
Bardog Tavern
Tuesday afternoon Run: Track House Workout Time: 6 p.m. Place: U of M Old Field House Track Distance: Various workouts Contact: Paul Sax, 901-276-5758 Run: Black Men Run Memphis Time: 6 p.m. Place: Varies. Check https:// www.facebook.com/ groups/425282507588975/ for location Distance: Usually five miles Contact: Shannon Chisenga, 215-834-4687; shannon.chisenga@blkmenrun.com
LifeGreen Checking 1.800.regions | regions.com/green © 2009 Regions Bank.
32 REL-TN-P91348 RoadRunners.indd 1
6/9/09 2:06:05 PM
Wednesday morning
Run: Fleet Feet Time: 6 p.m. Fleet Feet hosts individualized Run: Southaven Striders speedwork sessions including track Time: 6 a.m. and tempo workouts for runners Place: Central Park in Southaven who want to get a little quicker. (Tchulahoma ent., east side of park) Distance: 3-5 miles (9- 12-minute miles) No fees. Contact: Kyle McCoy, 901-299-8630 or Contact: Feb at 761-0078 or lovetorun@fleetfeetmemphis.com kalmac220@gmail.com
Wednesday afternoon Run: Breakaway Running Time: 6 p.m. Place: Wolf River Store 1223 Germantown Pkwy. Contact: Barry, 901-722-8797 or 901-754-8254 Run: Midtown Run Time: 6 p.m. Place: Corner of Madison and Tucker, across from Huey’s Distance: 6 miles Run: Bartlett UMC Time: 6 p.m. Place: Bartlett United Methodist Church, 5676 Stage Road; group meets in the gym lobby Distance: Varies Contact: Sam Thompson, 901-386-2724 or sthompson@bartlettumc.org Run: Bartlett Run Time: 6:30 p.m. Place: W.J. Freeman Park, 2629 Bartlett Blvd. Distance: 4-6 miles Contact: Paul “Spunky” Ireland h. 901-388-5009 c. 901-826-7496 or paulireland@att.net
Thursday afternoon Run: Breakaway Running Time: 6 p.m. Beginners group Place: Breakaway Midtown 2109 Madison Contact: Barry, 901-722-8797 or 901-754-8254
Run: Sea Isle Park Runners Time: 6 p.m. Place: McWherter Senior Center 1355 Estate Drive Distance: 1 mile-5K Contact: Sea Isle Park Runners Facebook group Notes: One mile loop around Sea Isle Park and two miles of hills in wooded neighborhood east of the park. Beautiful and safe course!
Saturday morning Run: Breakaway Running Breakaway’s Marathon and Half Marathon Training Group meets each Saturday morning through December to help prepare our friends for the St. Jude Marathon. Check website or Facebook page for location and time. Join us! 722-8797 for more info. Run: Black Men Run Memphis Time: 6 a.m. Place: Code Enforcement, Farm Road at Mullins Station Distance: Varies Contact: Shannon Chisenga, 215-834-4687; shannon.chisenga@blkmenrun.com Run: Fleet Feet Time: 7 a.m. Place: 4530 Poplar (Laurelwood Center) Fleet Feet hosts long runs on Saturday mornings geared toward upcoming races. Many distance options are available. Call 761-0078 or email lovetorun@fleetfeetmemphis.com for more information. 33
Note: This information is provided as a courtesy in an effort to help MRTC members enhance their running experiences. MRTC encourages members to run with groups of their choice, but the listed running groups/group runs are independent and not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the MRTC. The club makes no representation that the information provided is accurate. Persons who wish to participate in activities with these groups should contact the individuals listed for further information and participate at their own risk.
Run: FIT4MOM Run Club Time: 8 a.m. Location: Visitor Center at Shelby Farms Park (6903 Great View Dr. N) Distance: 5K training Contact: Amy Earnes amykearnest@gmail.com or visit www.memphis.fit4mom.com 8-wk session March 19th - May 12th Run: Run & Play Time and Place: meet the first Saturday of the month at 9 a.m. at various locations in town (see website for each month’s location) This group is geared for moms with strollers and/or toddlers. Info: www.seemommyrun.com/tn/ Run: Mommies on the Move Time: 9 a.m. Place: Shelby Farms Visitors Center Details: For mothers with strollers and toddlers Contact: www.seemommyrun.com/tn Run: DAC Fitness Collierville Time: 9:30 a.m. Distance: from 5K beginner to half marathon training at various paces Contact: Heather Nichols 651-1065 or Brandy Heckmann 443-653-0385
Various Days Run: Tipton County Road Dawgs Time: Friend us on Facebook under Road Dawgs and check posting of upcoming runs, usually on Sat. a.m. Place: Check Facebook Distance: All distances, all ages, all paces. Runs are in Tipton County and north Shelby County Contact: djroaddawg@yahoo.com
Race Calendar Date & Time: Saturday, Oct. 13, 9 a.m. Race name: Eye Opener 5K PJ Run Location: Houston Levee Park Contact: See ad on page 28.
Date & Time: Sunday, Aug. 26, 7 a.m. Race name: E.J. Goldsmith Jr. Memorial Road Race Series 2nd 5-Miler Location: Freeman Park, Bartlett Contact: www.memphisrunners.com
Date & Time: Saturday, Oct. 20, 8 a.m. Race name: Fall Fun Fest 5K Location: Carriage Crossing Mall, Collierville Contact: www.eventbrite.com/e/2018 fall-fun fest-Registration
Date & Time: Saturday, Sept. 8, 8 a.m. Race name: Women Run/Walk Memphis 5K Open only to program participants and coaches Location: Cancer Survivors Park (east end of Audubon Park) Contact: www.memphisrunners.com
Date & Time: Sunday, Oct. 21, 7 a.m. Race name: E.J. Goldsmith Jr. Memorial Road Race Series 1st 10-Miler Location: Shelby Forest State Park Contact: www.memphisrunners.com
Date & Time: Sunday, Sept. 9, 7 a.m. Race name: E.J. Goldsmith Jr. Memorial Road Race Series 1st 10K Location: Shelby Farms Park, near horse stables Contact: www.memphisrunners.com
Date & Time: Friday, Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m. Race name: Firefighter 5K Location: 118 Adams Ave. Contact: www.racesonline.com
Date & Time: Friday, Sept. 14, 7 p.m. Race name: Cooper-Young 4-Miler Location: Cooper and Young, Midtown Contact: See ad on page 30.
Date & Time: Saturday, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. Race name: Royal Family 5K Location: Shelby Farms Hyde Lake Pavilion Contact: www.racesonline.com
Date & Time: Sunday, Sept. 23, 7 a.m. Race name: E.J. Goldsmith Jr. Memorial Road Race Series 2nd 10K Location: Shelby Farms Park, near horse stables Contact: www.memphisrunners.com
Date & Time: Saturday, Nov. 3, 9 a.m. Race name: Race for Grace 5K Location: Shady Grove Presbyterian Church 5530 Shady Grove Road Contact: www.racesonline.com
Date & Time: Saturday, Sept. 29, 9 a.m. Race name: Judge Freeman Marr Panther Pride 5K Location: Freeman Park, Bartlett Contact: See ad on page 16.
Date & Time: Sunday, Nov. 4, 7 a.m. Race name: E.J. Goldsmith Jr. Memorial Road Race Series 1st half marathon Location: Singleton Pkwy. at Austin Peay Hwy Contact: www.memphisrunners.com
Date & Time: Saturday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. Race name: Race Judicata 5K Location: Downtown Memphis Contact: www.racesonline.com Date & Time: Sunday, Oct. 7, 7 a.m. Race name: E.J. Goldsmith Jr. Memorial Road Race Series 1st 10-Miler Location: Meeman Shelby Forest State Park Contact: www.memphisrunners.com
Date & Time: Saturday, Nov. 10, 8 a.m. Race name: Shelby Farms Park 10-Miler and Buffalo 5K Location: Shelby Farms Park Contact: www.racesonline.com 34
Memphis Runners Track Club P.O. Box 17981 Memphis, TN 38187-0981
Non-Profit Org U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MEMPHIS, TN Permit No. 960
MRTC President John Payne, at right, talks to members of KidsRUN365 of Germantown, letting them know about MRTC and the club's programs and activities. More on the visit can be found on page 8.
Photo by Steve Spakes