Club Running magazine - Winter 2011

ClubRunning WE RUN THE NATION!

2010 RRCA Championships Wrap-Up Runner Friendly Community Program Roads Scholar® Spotlight

Winter 2010/2011

2,400 women take off at the start of the 2010 New Balance Baltimore Women’s Classic in Baltimore, Maryland.

Year-End Shoe Wrap-Up

John Milliker; (Inset) Courtesy of Steve Nearman

Man in Motion: Steve Nearman

Inset STEVE NEARMAN’s running journey has led to being a running guide for the very fast JOE AUKWARD (right).

RRCA.org

ClubRunning Winter 2010–2011

Matt Mendelsohn

WE RUN THE NATION!

7: NDJGH:A;# DCAN 7:II:G#

7g^c\ dji i]Z WZiiZg ndj! VcY \d id b^ojcdgjcc^c\#Xdb id ÒcY ndjg adXVa YZVaZg#

Executive Director’s Letter

8

Members Speak

9

Health & Safety Spotlight

Your Letters & Our Web Poll

Talking with Kids About Abuse Calming Yourself Common Foot Injuries

12 Member Spotlight Running Makes Cents Baltimore Women’s Classic

14

Running Blind Steve Nearman: A Man in Motion

Courtesy of Steve Nearman

B^ojcd ^h VkV^aVWaZ ^c gZiV^aZgh VcY heZX^Vain hidgZh cVi^dcl^YZ#

6

16 RRCA Event Spotlight

2010 RRCA National Championship Event Series Wrap-Up

22 RRCA Program Spotlight Roads Scholar® Class RRCA Runner Friendly® Community Program 53rd Annual RRCA Convention Preview Kids Run the Nation

26 RRCA Training Tips

Thinking About Running an Ultramarathon?

28 Year-End Shoe Wrap-Up

CO NTENT S 4 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

RRCA.org

Matt Mendelsohn

Executive Director’s Note In May of 2010 the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) issued a press release outlining plans to standardize guidelines for safe training environments for its athletes. This release came out around the time of some high-profile sex abuse cases with coaches associated with USA Swimming. I applaud the USOC for taking a hard stance and encouraging all governing bodies of sport to do the same when it comes to developing safe training environments.

We’ve all read stories in our local papers about coaches of various sports who have been arrested for inappropriate behavior with Jean Knaack kids. In our sport, we continue to see organized youth running programs grow across the country. Youth cross country and track programs continue to gain in popularity. This is a great thing! However, many of these activities are taking place off school grounds, and some coaches most likely are not bound by a school’s criminal background check and abuse reporting system. While this shouldn’t raise alarm bells or incite national panic, it’s imperative that we as a running community do everything possible to create safe training environments for our kids, wherever they train and compete.

As a mother, I’ve been proactive in talking to my children about appropriate behavior with adults and other kids. I’ve taught them to understand what’s good interaction and how to talk with me if they ever have an uncomfortable or downright inappropriate interaction with an adult or kid. I believe this is an important step in keeping them safe.

First and most important is talking with your children about inappropriate interactions with coaches or program volunteers. To help parents, the RRCA has partnered with the organization Stop It Now! We’re pleased to share an article from them about how to talk with children about inappropriate interactions with coaches or other adults. Please take time to read the article on page 9. Then talk with your kids, other adults in your running community, and local youth running coaches about creating and maintaining safe training environments for kids. To share this information as widely as possible, the article will also appear in an upcoming issue of Youth Runner magazine, another Running Network LLC partner publication.

If you’re a youth coach or parent volunteer, the RRCA encourages your group to adopt a criminal background check policy, as well as an abuse reporting policy and procedure. More information about this can be found on the RRCA website at RRCA.org/programs/kids-run-thenation. Please join the RRCA in our efforts to ensure that kids can develop a lifelong love of running by providing safe training environments for young runners in your community.

Happy Running, Jean Knaack Correction: In our Summer 2010 issue on page 24, we inadvertently ran the incorrect name in the byline of the article “On Being a Runner.” The actual author is the 2009 Outstanding Club Writer of the Year Mark Lucas.

We regret the error and send our apologies to Mark.

ClubRunning is a complimentary publication made possible by our advertisers and created through a partnership between the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and Running Network LLC. You’re a member of your local running club and your local running club is, in turn, a member of the RRCA.

ClubRunning ClubRunning is produced by Shooting Star Media, Inc. for publisher Running Network LLC, P.O. Box 801, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. All ad materials and insertion orders should be sent to Running Network LLC at the above address.

Shooting Star Media, Inc. and Running Network LLC assume no liability for matter printed. Publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for content of paid advertising and reserves the right to reject paid advertising. Publisher expects that all claims by advertisers can be substantiated and that all guarantees will be honored. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher.

Copyright © 2011 by Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) unless otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher.

We recommend, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.

Let Us Hear From You!

ClubRunning welcomes your suggestions, comments, and questions. Direct them to share@rrca.org.

ClubRunning Winter 2010–2011 www.ClubRunning.net ROAD RUNNERS CLUB OF AMERICA (RRCA) Executive Director Jean Knaack RRCA President Brent Ayer SHOOTING STAR MEDIA, INC. Group & Coordinating Editor Christine Johnson, christinej.ssm@gmail.com Designer Alex Larsen Photographers Victor Sailer PhotoRun.net Action Sports International, Jeff Baughan Brightroom.com Facchino Photography Fastphotopro.com Marathon-Photo.com/ASI, Matt Mendelsohn John Milliker, Rob Mason BigStockPhoto.com Proofreader Red Ink Editorial Services, Madison, WI Pre-Press/Printer W. D. Hoard & Sons Co., Fort Atkinson, WI RUNNING NETWORK LLC Advertising Larry Eder President phone: 920.563.5551 x112; fax: 920.563.7298 larry@runningnetwork.com Advertising Production Manager Alex Larsen Publisher’s Rep Paul Banta OSE Productions, Inc. phone: 503.969.4147; fax: 503.620.4052 paul@oseproductions.com Counsel Philip J. Bradbury Melli Law, S.C. Madison, WI www.rrca.org www.runningnetwork.com www.shootingstarmediainc.com Member of

Address Changes/Missing Issues

Please visit rrca.org/publications/club-running/ about address changes, duplicate mailings, or missing issues.

Please include both old and new addresses.

6 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

RRCA.org

Sleepy. Happy. Grumpy.

And That’s Just The First Three Miles.

Disneyland ® Half-Marathon Weekend 9/2–9/4/11 Retracing Walt Disney’s footsteps during a magical run by Disneyland® Resort and racing

by Angel Stadium of Anaheim as cheers echo through the crowd.This is the Happiest Race on Earth! So don’t be Bashful. Register today.

Register at runDisney.com S&R-10-18854 © Disney

RRCA Members Speak Run for Your Life Today before my normal Thursday morning run, I read “Run for Your Life” by Mishka Vertin. I thought this was one of the best running articles I have ever read. It reminded me of the elation I should feel with every marathon finish. As a finisher of over 20 marathons and almost as many ultras (up to 100 miles), I can say I had forgotten the utter thrill that I should be feeling after finishing any/every marathon. My next marathon will be Athens in October and I have promised myself I will not race, but will simply run it to soak up the experience of running a race being celebrated as the 2500th anniversary of Pheidippides’ original marathon.

—Joe from Texas DVT Letters Thank you for including the article on Deep Vein Thrombosis by Dr. Parker (Club Running, Summer 2010) on the relatively rare but real threat to runners of suffering a deep vein thrombosis and resulting pulmonary embolism. Experiencing both in November–December 2002, I complained on one occasion to my physician-running partner about some intermittent, ongoing calf pain and then at a later medical appointment to another physician regarding some lung issues. But I certainly didn’t put the two things together until after a life-threatening PE about a month after the onset of the calf pain. I even did a race with a clot in my leg (yes, I was disappointed in the results that day). My advice to any runner who is experiencing both ongoing leg and lung issues—see a physician ASAP. —Mark from Eau Claire, WI I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your article in the Summer 2010 Club Running magazine on DVTs. I am 51 years old, have been running since I was 16 years old, with hundreds of races and nine Ironmans under my belt. When I was 35 and pregnant, I developed my first DVT. Then four years later while running a marathon, I developed another DVT. I was put on Coumadin at that time. Nine years of being on blood thinner I developed two more in my other leg. This is when the doctors did numerous tests and found out I have Lupus. Because of valve damage in my legs, I now wear compression hose 24/7. I, too, ignored my symptoms of a swollen painful leg. I am an athlete, therefore, I cannot have a blood clot. But sure enough ... So thank you for helping with the awareness of DVTs in athletes and how serious it can be. For me, the airplane ride to Hawaii would be more dangerous than doing the Ironman itself. But I am not going to quit. —Susan This article happened to me. Unfortunately, this information is not widely known. My doctors had not heard of athletes getting DVTs and PEs as a result of running. And until this event my medical history was clear. My experience was after my first ultra—chalking up fatigue and muscle pain to the race, I visited my Urgent Care office when I had difficulty catching my breath going up stairs a week or so later. The diagnosis was bronchitis and antibiotics. A week later at my doc’s follow-up, I stressed the fact my leg was swollen. He then did the d-dimer blood test that showed clotting enzymes. A quick trip to emergency and 6 months of blood thinners, and I’m back running. In hindsight, weak rehydration after the event, wearing compression sleeves too tight at the top, a 6-hour car ride the next day all played the part, as Dr. Parker’s article states. And, yes, I had a slight Factor V Leiden tendency on top of it. Thanks for publicizing this littleknown potentially life-altering health issue. I hope it helps others avoid this. —Mike from San Diego, CA Golden Years Letters I just love your publication and read it from cover to cover. In particular, I found the summer issue pertaining to the golden years of running very interesting. Just having turned 64, I’ve only been running since the age of 49. I qualified for Boston at my second marathon and have won numerous age group awards at various distance races. I’m in somewhat of a rut lately, since speed and distance have become more difficult; however, after

8 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

reading this issue I will keep up the challenge! Thanks for the inspiration to continue! —Linda I look forward to receiving Club Running magazine. I love the different topics and stories. I started running before I turned 55 and I enjoy reading stories of people in my age bracket. There is always something new to learn. “Addicted to running,” what a feeling!

—Gracie, Canyon Striders member, Moreno Valley, CA Great note about Sy [Mah]. We still honor him with a college scholarship fund and a statue in one of our area parks.

—Steve Baugh, President, Toledo Road Runners Club Claudis Hawkins You were on the money with your description of Claudis Hawkins in the last issue of Club Running. He has been an inspiring asset to Anniston Runners Club for a long time, and a few years ago when I was president, I awarded him a lifetime membership to the club and lifetime entry into our signature race, the Woodstock 5K (2010 RRCA Southern Region 5K Championship and 2011 RRCA National 5K Championship). Always wry, Claudis responded by saying, “Well, you won’t be out too much money!”

Mr. Hawkins passed away in November at 93 years young. He was an iconic runner in Alabama who proved you can do anything at any age.

Claudis was loved by all the Anniston Runners where he was still active in local running events including running three 5Ks last month [October 2010]: the Coates Bend Fire Dept. 5K , the Janney Furnace 5K, and the Great Pumpkin 5K. Claudis epitomized what running should be about for everyone. Yes, it’s a competitive sport, and runners always like to take home some hardware in overall or age-group categories. But Claudis truly loved to run for the joy of it. It was an additional perk for him that every time he ran a race, he set a new Alabama State Record for his age—because there were no other records for his age!

All of our local races loved to see him line up at their events. His broad smile, his ever-present wave to spectators as he ran, and his constant chatter as he competed were the highlights of the events.

We could all take a lesson from Claudis. Not just in the way he ran, but in the way he lived his life—joyously!

—Brooke Nelson, Woodstock Race Director, Woodstock 5K 2011 RRCA National 5K Championship event

RRCA.org website poll At what age did you start running regularly for fitness or sport?

Total Votes: 1748

I started between 10–18 years of age. 29% started during school age years

I started between 19–25 years of age. 15% started post high school

I started between 26–30 years of age. 11% started during the early career years I started between 30–39 years of age. 22% started during the mid-career years

I started between 40–49 years of age. 15% started during the established career years

I started at 50+ years of age. 8% started during the nearing retirement years

Votes

300

600

900

1200

1500

1800

We invite our readers to participate in the RRCA website polls at RRCA.org.

RRCA.org

Health & Safety Spotlight

Stop It Now!

By Yvonne Cournoyer, Stop It Now! Too often the news carries stories about a bus driver, teacher, or even coach who sexually abuses a child, stories that leave us wringing our hands. And yet, how many of us know what to watch out for or how to talk to our child when the risk of sexual abuse is more complicated than the scary guy at the playground offering them candy to get in his car?

To help parents, we’ve put together tips on how to talk with children about coaches or other adults who show signs of sexual interest in children. Take time to learn to recognize and speak up before a child is harmed.

Talk about who sexually abuses children.

90% of the time, children are sexually abused by someone they know. Children are most at risk of abuse by someone they have regular contact with, including relatives, coaches, teachers, neighbors, babysitters, etc. Use this knowledge when talking about who sexually abuses children. Say, “What if a neighbor asked you to look at some pictures of naked people.

What would you do?” Or, “What if the babysitter always comes in the bathroom without knocking. What would you do?”

Talk about and help them recognize concerning behaviors.

People who sexually abuse children often show signs before they abuse. While there is no foolproof warning, certain behaviors are cause for concern. Talk about why it’s important to tell a safe adult if anyone’s behavior makes the child uncomfortable. Say, “Some people need help if they can’t remember the rules for how to behave around kids.” Since most of the time kids know and often like the person who abuses them, it’s helpful to use neutral language like “the rules” rather than talking about “perverts,” “predators,” etc.

Talk about boundaries.

People who sexually abuse kids may disrespect or ignore a kid’s personal space or tease or belittle them when the kid tries to set a limit.

Sometimes this adult will hug, touch, kiss, tickle, wrestle with, or hold a child even when he or she doesn’t want this contact or attention. Ask your child to talk with you or a safe adult if this happens to them or to a friend.

Talk about inappropriate behavior between adults and kids.

People who sexually abuse kids can be more focused on relationships with kids than with other adults. They may turn to a child for emotional or physical comfort or share personal or

RRCA.org

private information or activities with a child or treat the child more like a peer. They might allow kids to get away with inappropriate behaviors or point out sexual images or tell dirty or suggestive jokes or talk with them about sexual interactions or images. They might be overly interested in the kids’ bodies or their dating relationships. Sometimes they will spend excessive time emailing, text messaging, or calling children or youth. Ask your child or teen to tell you or another safe adult if this happens to them or a friend.

Talk about how someone creates opportunities to sexually abuse children.

People who abuse kids often first build a relationship with the kid. They may “test” the child to see how they react to different situations. For example, the adult may put their arm around a kid then move to hugging them or asking them to sit on their lap. They might also give a child special treatment like buying them things, giving them special privileges, offering alcohol or drugs or sharing sexual material, explaining that these are their (the adult’s and the kid’s) special secret.

Talk with your child about these “tricks” and how, because they’ve enjoyed the extra privileges or attention, it can be harder for them to tell a safe adult. Tell them, “No matter what, other people aren’t allowed to make you uncomfortable by talking with you or touching you in ways that feel uncomfortable or that you don’t like. When that happens, tell a safe adult.”

Talk about why it’s important to tell a safe adult.

Anticipate and talk with your child about how someone might discourage them from talking to a safe adult. Say, “Sometimes people will scare you by saying Mom or Dad won’t believe you or you’ll get in trouble or even that it’s your fault. But Mom and Dad will believe you and you won’t get in trouble. Sometimes this adult will even say they’ll hurt Mom and Dad or the family pet. We know how to handle these things. We’ll be safe and you’ll be safer if you tell a safe adult.”

Talk about and help kids identify “safe adults.”

All kids need safe adults they can talk with, in addition to their parents. Ask your child whom they would talk to if they had a concern or were worried about something and you weren’t available or they weren’t comfortable talking with you about this.

If your child can’t come up with someone, help them think through whom they might consider. If your child mentions someone whom you don’t trust, talk with them about alternative adults. Say, “I want you to talk with these adults whenever you feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused about someone's behavior toward you.”

Speak up when you see or experience concerning behaviors.

If a child reports behaviors that aren’t explicitly sexual (for example, someone who gives them the creeps), don’t ignore it. At a minimum, talk with the person whose behavior is concerning your child. Don’t accuse them. Instead, describe the behavior and ask them to stop. Say, “When you do XYZ, Jimmy doesn’t like it.

Please don’t do that any more.” If you’re uncomfortable talking directly with the person, report your concerns to someone in authority or ask another adult to support you as you talk with the person.

If you observe interactions or behaviors that concern you, speak up. Say, “I’m uncomfortable when you hug Ana after every race. How about high-fiving instead?” If your child suddenly loses interest in an activity they previously enjoyed or tells you they want to quit, consider the possibility that someone has made them uncomfortable or unsafe. Support their “no” while trying to understand what’s behind it.

Report anything you know or suspect might be sexual abuse. While some professionals (e.g., teachers, child care providers, etc.) are mandated to report their concerns about sexual abuse, anyone can make a report if they’re concerned a child has been or is at risk for sexual abuse. If a child tells you about someone touching them or asking them to touch them in a sexual way or showing them sexually explicit photos, report it. In most cases, start by calling your local police. Don’t feel you need to have proof. It’s not your job to investigate or even to ask for more details. Leave this to the experts.

It can be hard to imagine someone you or your child knows could be sexually interested in kids. Without certain proof of abuse, it’s easy to dismiss such thoughts or think you’re overreacting. You may also be worried about the possible consequences of taking action, especially if the concern involves someone known and respected by other people.

Remember, your report may prevent other kids from being harmed.

To learn more, visit www.StopItNow.org.

W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 ClubRunning • 9

Health & Safety Spotlight

Calming Yourself Yo Sally! By Sally Young The path to personal happiness, the Stoics of ancient Greece believed, comes by way of living in agreement with nature and pursuing things that promote well-being. Nothing should be done that harms the body, over which one has dominion. Inner peace is kindled by extinguishing all thoughts and desires to change things beyond one’s influence, being mindful of only the present.

What would it be like to run in this state of “stoic calm”?

Meditation—the development of quietude, concentration, and insight—also goes back thousands of years. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t take you through the fairy ring into a thick cloud of amnesia. It’s a relaxation response that reduces oxidative stress, blood lactate levels, and pro-inflammatory reactants.

Respiration and heart rates are lowered, and alpha waves flood the brain, indicating a state of relaxed awareness.

For a few minutes prior to your run, sit

quietly. Put away active thoughts and focus on being absolutely passive. Find a word repetition or an object to dwell on. Breathe in deeply through your nose; exhale through your mouth, letting your body go limp. You’ll begin your run released from tension, breathing as easily as a Buddhist monk.

Sally Young is a runner and freelance writer living in the Virginia Beach area.

The 3 Most Common Running Injuries Seen in Our Clinic

By Dr. Jared Shippee, DPM There are many common, well-known problems that runners encounter, including plantar fasciitis, shin splints, sesmoiditis, stress fractures, and exertional compartment syndrome. There are two that tend to remain rare, perhaps because doctors fail to properly diagnose them or, when runners develop these conditions, there are other complaints that mask these problems. These two rare conditions are capsulitis and neuropathies.

Here I’ll discuss the causes of capsulitis, neuropathies, and the more common plantar fasciitis. The treatments described here are conservative. I won’t touch on surgery since that’s usually the option of last resort.

Capsulitis Joints are held in place and supported by ligaments and an outer covering known as a capsule, similar to the plastic cover on copper wiring. Inside the capsule is an oily fluid that lubricates and protects the joint. When this fluid-filled sac or capsule becomes inflamed, it’s called capsulitis. While this can occur at any joint in the foot, it often occurs at the head of the second metatarsal. (This is typically because the second metatarsal is traditionally longer than the others.)

Capsulitis is generally due to overload from a deformity, poor foot function or inappropriate footwear (such as high heels), being overweight, or excessive running while poorly conditioned or with improper form. There are also some medical conditions that may predispose one to develop capsulitis, including, but not limited to, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

The symptoms of capsulitis include tenderness or pain when touching under a specific bone under the ball of the foot, stiffness, and/or difficulty walking with associated swelling and redness. If these sound familiar, it could be capsulitis.

Typically, RICE—rest, ice, compression, elevation—resolve the problem. However, there

are times when you need to take more action.

This could include steroid injections, Prolotherapy, or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). One of the most important things that needs to be addressed are your biomechanics—the way your body moves when you walk or run. Don’t be fooled if someone tells you biomechanics cannot be modified. They most certainly can be with the use of custom orthotics (shoe inserts or other modifications to your shoes) and a proper running evaluation. Both of these are great ways to change biomechanics and prevent capsulitis.

medications such as Metanx, L-Arginine supplements and B-Vitamins, a Lidocaine patch (a topical anesthetic), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), Alpha-lipoic acid, over-the-counter capsaicin creams, and accupuncture. In addition, there are other prescription medicines available in consultation with your doctor. Do not self-medicate for neuropathy. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and are already taking some of the meds listed above, consult your physician before changing your medication regimen.

And if you smoke, quit. As always, biomeNeuropathies chanical intervention to change your form is Neuropathies are typically caused by nerve en- one of the most beneficial changes a commited trapment—a nerve being pinched—while run- runner can make. ning. This is one of the most commonly missed Last but not least, let’s discuss the everconditions and is often confused with neuromas popular and painful plantar fasciitis. and plantar fasciitis. Some studies have reported that anywhere from 8–20% of runners develop Plantar fasciitis a neurological condition. Epidermal Nerve Fiber There are many causes of plantar fasciitis and diBiopsy can be used to diagnose neuropathy so agnosis is simple, even for the lay person. Does one is not confusing neuropathy with another your heel or the bottom of your foot hurt with condition that presents in a similar manner. your first step out of bed? Does it hurt when you Causes include trauma from surgery, com- press on the bottom of your heel? Most likely pression or stretching of certain structures in the it’s plantar fasciitis. foot and ankle, or trauma such as a bruise. One Causes of plantar fasciitis include being eiof the most uncommonly diagnosed actions that ther high-arched or flat-footed, starting an expredispose one to neuropathies, running, causes tensive running regimen when not properly forceful compression and dislocation of nerves prepared, biomechanical abnormality, genetic where they run under muscle or tendon. Some abnormality, being overweight, and having a other causes might be smoking, hereditary, toxic tight Achilles tendon. chemicals, and diabetes.

Typical treatment options include stretchSome of the most common symptoms of ing, Prolotherapy, surgery, ice, orthotics, losing neuropathy include burning, tingling, shooting weight, PRP, and Graston Technique. sensations, sensitivity in bed while the sheets rest As one can see, many conditions in the feet on one’s toes. These sensations one may feel can be treated similarly. The most important acwhen walking or simply at rest. tion a runner can take is to seek the assistance of Changing one’s activity (taking up riding a podiatrist or foot doctor who understands runor swimming until the pain subsides), NSAIDS, ners and the conditions they experience. steroid injections, changing your shoes, modifying your running form, and physical therapy Dr. Shippee is a podiatrist and an RRCA-Certified are possible treatments. Others include oral coach in Ogden, Utah.

10 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

RRCA.org

Fredericksburg, VA

RUN or RELAY 13.1 May 15, 2011 Register Dec 15 www.MarineMarathon.com

Member Spotlight

Running Makes Cents

By Eric A. Kreuter, PhD

BigstockPhoto.com

In the almost 11 years since I turned 40, I’ve run (and finished) 61 marathons in 5 countries and 26 states. In 2005, I ran a marathon in each calendar month. Prior to entering my first marathon (Yonkers, New York), I trained for one year, running every day. In the very beginning of my training, I started to pick up and save in a special box every coin I found during my travels. I added to this collection money found while going to and from work, on vacations, and as part of normal activities. And not just coins, but paper money, medals, toys, even a beat-up Georgia license plate found after mile 24 in the Macon Cherry Blossom Marathon. (I drove back to the spot after the race and collected my souvenir.)

My collection today contains over $600 and includes many foreign coins, a 50-Euro note, and an assortment of interesting items lost in the shuffle of ordinary life. I even found a silver quarter dated 1904 that was embedded in the dirt (I could tell it was a coin by the outline it made). During the Westchester Marathon, to my surprise, I found over $6, comprised entirely of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. They were all in the same general area hidden under a guard rail in the middle of the road. I barely had room in my carry-on pouch to hold the loot. I added at least a couple of minutes to my finish time by scooping up all the orphaned change.

After completing my 61st marathon, my career and work commute changed, making it

harder for me to allocate time to train consistently. My knees have developed some degree of arthritis so it’s more difficult to run long distances. However, after a sabbatical from the 26.2, I recently decided to train for number 62 on August 24, 2010. My long training “runs” consist of running the first 4 miles and then walking/running the balance. I am up to 20 or 21 miles in times of about 5 hours. My marathon finish times were not exactly blindingly fast—ranging from a personal best of 4:15 to a sluggish 7:15 trail marathon that I was lucky to finish—but I thoroughly enjoy them and the aftermath of the accomplishment.

Two of the later marathons I’ve done involved a large amount of walking and I completed them in about 6 hours. Being both patient and determined, I enjoy the challenge and struggle, pushing myself beyond my limits.

While I commend with honor the really fast runners, I also appreciate all those who attempt to exceed preconceived limits.

Bending down and picking up items from the road has added to the fun of running for me.

Today was a perfect example. I started out expecting to do 20 miles. My previous long runs each of the past three weekends have been on a very hilly 4-mile course. Because my next marathon is completely flat and only 9 days away, I decided to go to a local high school field with a rubberized quarter-mile track. On the way to the field from the parking lot, I found two quarters. After the training, I found a penny.

So chalk up another 51 cents to my growing tally and know that the motivation and determination I feel for endurance running is alive and well. While the sabbatical was necessary due to life circumstances, it also tested my will to not be so quick to retire my running shoes and to keep trying—living within my new goals and modified abilities—leaving room to break up current perceived limits.

My orthopedist would not concur with my current regimen or plans to get back onto the full marathon course. Having also run seven half marathons and a slew of shorter distance races, my heart remains in the traditional marathon distance. By adding walking to the pace, I feel I can keep in the action for at least a few more years, maybe longer. Having cheered on wheelchair entrants, blind runners, etc., I’ve also seen countless people walking, some even crawling to the finish. The connecting element running through each person is an “I can” attitude.

With the added incentive of amassing a small fortune from collecting on the road, running makes cents and cents add up to dollars!

12 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

Baltimore Women’s Classic Celebrates 35 Years

By Wendy Moskowitz On a hot, bright summer morning, the Baltimore Women’s Classic (BWC) celebrated its 35th anniversary with a record-breaking number of registrants and an old, yet new venue.

With the number of women participating in the BWC rising steadily each year, it was time to acknowledge growing pains and find a larger venue. Committee chairs Laurie Amatucci and Carrie Sauter decided that the Baltimore Women’s Classic should go back to its roots: Rash Field at the Inner Harbor, downtown Baltimore.

In 1976, the Baltimore Road Runners Club (BRRC) hosted what was known as the “Women’s 10,000 Meter Run” with 88 finishers. In 1977, Equitable Trust Bank sponsored a women’s 10K race in the Inner Harbor, with the race growing to 406 participants, each paying a modest $2 entry fee. From 1976 to 2010, the number of women who have become the heart of the BWC has grown to 2,400 (and a record-breaking 2,060 of those registrants finished the race this year).

The beauty of the BWC’s 2010 location was the open expanse with which to host the participants and their families, as well as the volunteers, spectators, and vendors who have made this one of the best race villages in the area. This year, title sponsor New Balance was joined by presenting sponsor Priority Worldwide Services. The Festival Village, enjoying more open space, welcomed Charm City Run, the BRRC, Falls Road Running Store, Brick Bodies, City Sports, Mercy Hospital, and a host of other participants offering a wide range of health and wellness services in addition to products geared toward women of all ages.

The 5K route for 2010 blended the route of years past with some breathtaking and scenic new twists and turns. Starting on Key Highway next to Rash Field, the race course continued to Lawrence Street and out to Fort Avenue and back. The wonderful surprise for race participants this year was a left turn on Key Highway, turning right into the Harborview Properties, and then along the Promenade, offering the warm and weary a beautiful view of the Harbor as they raced to the Rusty Scupper parking lot and down into Rash Field for the finish. One of the most cherished features of the BWC continued, as a single-stem rose was offered to each woman as she crossed the finish line, thanks to the generosity of Radebaugh Florist and Greenhouses. Volun-

RRCA.org

Member Spotlight aspects of the race, including her roles as chair, co-chair, leader of the 8-week training program, and passionate visionary. Because of Laurie’s love for the BWC 5K and her dedication to the women it serves, the race is reaching ever greater numbers and future generations.

Mark your calendars now for June 26, when the Baltimore Women’s Classic celebrates its 36th anniversary!

For complete race results, visit the events page of Charm City Run at charmcityrun.com or check out the Baltimore Women’s Classic homepage at baltimorewomensclassic.com.

Runners take off at the start of the Baltimore Women’s Classic

John Milliker

teers handed all participants a cold, wet towel and a bottle of water, and Jim Adams greeted finishers with fresh watermelon slices.

It has been the mission of the BWC to make this historic race an annual destination race for women throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, and its goal is to increase the number of entrants to 3,000 within 5 years. A vital part of the BWC’s core is also found in its commitment to encouraging everyday athletes of all ages and abilities, so that they might “experience a healthier lifestyle and pursue their own paths to excellence while helping to raise money in the fight against ovarian and uterine cancers.”

On Oct. 16, the BWC entered a team in the Baltimore Running Festival, and the opportunities to help raise money and awareness on behalf of the BWC don’t stop there. The BWC is always looking for great women (and men!) to serve on its steering committee so that future events will continue to improve in their levels of excellence and thrive. If you’re interested in becoming part of the BWC family, email Carrie Sauter at carrie@baltimorewomensclassic.com. Before we celebrate the award winners and participants of this year’s BWC, let us take this time to acknowledge Laurie Amatucci for her 8 years serving in all



  Running.Fredericksburg.Timeless.  www.rrcaconvention.org RRCA.org

W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 ClubRunning • 13

RUNNINGBLIND Steve Nearman: A Man In Motion

By Jeff Horowitz

Joseph Aukward (#3965) with guide takes third in the USABA Half Marathon Championship at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon

Marathon-Photo.com/ASI

F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said that there are no second acts in American lives. It’s good that Steve Nearman never took that to heart. For more than 3 decades, Nearman has reinvented himself in the world of running time and again, and he’s not done yet.

Nearman’s first act was as a competitive runner. Born in Framingham, Massachusetts 50 years ago, Nearman grew up in the shadow of the Boston Marathon course, so perhaps it was inevitable that he became a runner. He started running seriously in middle school and was All-American in high school track and cross country. He left his hometown to attend college at the University of Rochester, where he naturally ran on the school team.

The program’s coach believed in high mileage, but Nearman’s body didn’t. Nearman pushed himself through 120-mile weeks, but he failed to achieve his goals and found himself frequently injured. He pushed on, competing through his 20s and into his 30s, but every step forward on the track brought another physical breakdown. Finally, he decided enough was enough, and he walked away from running.

End of Act One. Needing an outlet for his competitive spirit, Nearman turned to hockey.

He played with Hockey North America until age 39, but his wife at the time was not impressed. “She saw that I was a horrible hockey player,” Nearman says, “and convinced me to get serious about running again.”

Nearman made his way back to the track and began working with John

14 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

Cook, the former George Mason University coach. Cook was working with Alisa Harvey, the local DC runner who famously qualified for the Olympic Trials in both the marathon and at 800 meters—and the latter at age 42.

Nearman needed a coach, and Cook needed someone to run with Harvey.

It was a perfect fit.

This time, Nearman flourished under a structured program. Cook was a hands-on coach, conducting three supervised track sessions a week. By the time Nearman turned 40 and began competing as a master, he was ranked second in the nation in the mile and 800 meters, and fifth in the 400. In 2000, he was part of a relay team that set three U.S. records and two World Records, including a big win in the 40–49 age group at the Penn Relays in the 4x400 meters. Nearman had finally hit stride.

Nearman stayed competitive until 2008, when family obligations kept him from maintaining his peak fitness. But when he walked away from competition this time, there were no injuries to blame.

End of Act Two. The next act in Nearman’s running life came about by accident. When he was playing ice hockey, Nearman still showed up at track meets to check out the scene and keep in touch. At one of those meets in the mid 90s, set up by the Potomac Valley Track Club at a northern Virginia high school, he was approached by runner Joe Aukward, who asked Nearman to be his guide. Aukward, who’d had sight at one time, was now completely blind.

“At that time, he was faster than I was,” says Nearman, “so I told him I couldn’t guide him until I could run faster than he could in the 400.” After Nearman began training with coach Cook, he finally beat Joe at another meet several years later. Aukward reminded Nearman of the promise he had made and, true to his word, Nearman agreed to work with him.

Aukward was already a very fast runner, running under one minute in the 400, and just over 24 seconds in the 200 when in his 40s. But like Nearman’s training partner Harvey, Aukward also had great range, running competitively in the marathon as well as on the track. But it wasn’t just Aukward’s talent that attracted Nearman. “Joe has the ability to make everybody around him better people,” he says.

Nearman quickly learned the skills needed to be a useful guide. He and Aukward use a tether, like a shoe string. In shorter events, like the 200 or 400 meters, they often used a jerry-rigged tape system, wrapping it into a tight figure eight, which enabled them to run with their arms swinging in perfect unison. When using the tether, Nearman looked for appropriate opportunities to let out some slack so he could run alongside Aukward with no tension on the string. But in tight situations, he reined in the tether closely, or Aukward held lightly onto his elbow.

Nearman also learned to plan their routes carefully, watching for obstacles. In races, he learned to respond quickly to road and crowd conditions, aiming for that balance between keeping his runner safe but also competitive.

When asked about the most challenging part of being a guide, Nearman answers simply and directly, “Keeping Joe vertical. I am totally responsible for somebody’s welfare. Early on, I returned Joe home with scrapes, bumps, bruises, and I just wondered when his wife Betty was going to say, ‘OK, you’ve beaten up my husband enough!’ ” Over time, Nearman and Aukward developed a feel for each other and a trust in their relationship. This paid off most dramatically in 2003 at the IBSA (International Blind Sports Federation) World Championships in Quebec. Aukward was the second leg on the USA 4x400 meter team. Working as a guide in a relay presented even more challenges for Nearman and Aukward. “We took the baton from a partially blind guy, who handed off to Joe,” recalls Nearman, “and we handed off to another partially blind athlete, all in the blink of an eye.” Preparing for the race, Nearman had only one request of Aukward. “I kid Joe about being the Mike Wallace of the blind sports community because he’s constantly asking questions, but for this race I asked him to not talk to me because I was concentrating so hard on getting and giving the baton.”

It worked. Nearman and Aukward helped the USA earn Silver, a moment that Nearman describes as one of his most memorable as a guide. “We

RRCA.org

also had an awesome 100-meter run in the Paralympics trials in 2000,” he recalls. “It was chilling looking at the pictures afterward—I was his exact shadow sprinting down the track!”

Over the years, Nearman has developed a clear vision of his role as a guide. “As I see it,” he says, “the most important thing for me to do for Joe is to guide him as if he is the only person on Earth and there is nothing in his way.” Nearman’s job is to see any obstacle as a problem that had to be solved as quickly as possible, all without distracting Aukward from the task at hand. “I make adjustments to keep him safe, without him knowing a car almost hit us or we just missed a huge pothole or telephone pole. He doesn’t need to worry about that,” says Nearman. “He just needs to focus every ounce of his energy on moving his body faster down the road, track, or trail.”

Nearman also serves as an unofficial announcer for Aukward. “I’m a closet color-commentator,” he admits, “so I love to describe the scene—with exaggeration, of course—even motivating him by making up competitors who are ‘just’ ahead of us or closing fast from behind.”

Over time, Nearman and Aukward have forged a unique bond that goes well beyond their tether. “Joe and I are pretty committed,” he says.

“We’ve travelled extensively for competitions and I’ve learned a great deal from him. I should be thanking him for allowing me into his life as his running guide.”

It’s a relationship that works both ways because Aukward is lucky to have found Nearman, as well. The challenge for top blind athletes is finding guides, especially for faster runners like Aukward who have difficulty finding runners who can keep up with them. Many top blind athletes try to engage other runners as training partners, but not many people have the necessary free time. Also, people are nervous about guiding somebody for fear that their charge could get hurt on their watch.

Because of the difficulty in finding a good guide, Aukward had done much of his running on a treadmill, but he found it hard to do quality speed work that way. Reportedly, top runners in other countries receive a salary for guiding top blind runners full-time. From Nearman’s experience guiding Aukward in international competition, this makes a big difference.

Until that day comes, Nearman will continue to do his job and encourage others to become guides. To anyone interested in getting involved as a guide, Nearman recommends contacting the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes (USABA) in Colorado Springs at usaba.org/Pages/usabainformation /contactus.html).

“They could hook you up with a runner,” he says. “The commitment is whatever you and the runner work out. One workout a week, or even once a month, can go a long way.”

As fulfilling as Nearman found working as a running guide to be, he wanted to do more. Having written for many years about the running scene for the Washington Post and Washington Times, he had learned first-hand what it takes to put on a road race. Seeing an opportunity to organize a new professional race in the DC area, Nearman put his money where his mouth was by founding Endurance Enterprises LLC, and serving as event director for the newly created Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon.

Partnering with several other DC-area organizations, Nearman organized a beautiful course that runs along the Potomac River from George Washington’s historic home at Mount Vernon in Alexandria, Virginia, across the newly built Wilson Bridge to the National Harbor in Maryland. The WWB Half captured the public’s imagination, attracting 4,000 participants to its inaugural running this past September, including the great Kenyan Olympic Silver medalist and four-time Boston Marathon winner Catherine Ndereba.

“To have the best of the best of all time coming to our race is simply unbelievable,” Nearman.

Not surprisingly, Nearman has sought a way to bring all of these elements together for a show-stopping climax. Noting that USABA holds a sight-impaired national marathon championship every December at the California International Marathon, Nearman thought, “How great would be to host the first USABA Half Marathon National Championships at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half?” USABA immediately agreed. And Aukward, of course, immediately signed on. “We will have three participants this year, including Joe,” notes Nearman. “The other athletes could not travel here without financial assistance, and I just don’t have it this year. Maybe next year. I’d like to grow this USABA component of the race.”

But what about Nearman’s own running goals? “Right now, I just enjoy enabling others to enjoy the sport,” he says. “I’m in this phase of life where running with Joe, running with my friends in Falmouth on the Cape, and

RRCA.org

my friends here in the DC area, and helping them get faster is more important than my own goals.” Still, Nearman hasn’t quite lost his competitive edge. “I’ve maintained a good base,” he says, noting that he has already qualified for the 400, 800, and 1500 meter events in the July 2011 National Senior Games. “I’d like to medal in all three events, so I need to get my butt in gear.”

Stay tuned. There are obviously more acts to come.

Rodjom Takes Inaugural USABA National Champs at Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon Places 33th Overall in an Impressive 1:23:44 Matthew Rodjom did not have to travel far from his Alexandria, Vir ginia home to the start of the in augural Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon at Mount Vernon.

Once he got there, he made quick work of the 13.1mile USATFcertified course, finishing in 1:12:44 as the 33rd finisher over all. He was the top finisher in the firstever USABA (United States Association for Blind Athletes) National Half Marathon Champi onships.

The 30yearold Rodjom crossed the majestic new Woodrow Wilson Bridge and passed 10 miles in 1:03:53. His av erage pace for the half marathon was 6:24, which he perfectly maintained for the hilly last five kilometers in the resort of Na tional Harbor.

Fellow Alexandrian Tina Ament (with guide Kevin Tullier)

was second in 1:59:05, placing 1,153rd overall. The 49yearold hit the 10mile split in 1:31:05. Veteran Paralympian Joseph Aukward, 49, of Bethesda, Md., was third in 2:08:08, good for 1,507th overall.

Rodjom, Ament, and Auk ward all were presented with USABA medals and certificates commemorating their participa tion in the inaugural USABA Half Marathon Championships.

Winning the half marathon outright were Ethiopian Deresse Deniboba (1:04:44) and Kenyan Catherine Ndereba (1:13:17). Deni boba outran countryman Tesfaye Sendeku by just two seconds ahead of 3,200plus finishers.

Ndereba, a twotime Olympic marathon Silver medalist, two time World Champion and four time Boston Marathon titlist, topped two Ethiopian racers by more than 10 seconds.

Marathon-Photo.com/ASI

Tina Ament with guide Kevin Tullier takes second in the USABA Half Marathon Championship at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon

W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 ClubRunning • 15

RRCA Event Spotlight Kalamazoo Klassic 10K, RRCA National 10K Championship

Jason Drudge

Hannah Norton

Fastphotopro.com

The 2010 Kalamazoo Klassic race started well before the runners crossed the starting line.

Race officials were busy the night before the event monitoring the effects of a violent storm that ripped through town that evening taking down trees, race scaffolding, and tents. After an early morning removal of a very large tree that fell across the race course and re-setting the scaffolding and tents, the race was on and started on time as if the weather drama of the night before had not happened. The sky was blue and the temperatures ideal on race morning for a 10K. Both the 10K and 5K races start at the top of the West Maple Street hill. The 5K is a mostly downhill race that ends on the Maple Street Magnet School athletic field on West Maple, but the 10K runners continue up the steep hill to run the loop again before finishing at the school.

Fastphotopro.com

By Jean Knaack

RRCA National 10K Champions Open Male Jason Drudge, 33:03 (20, Graling, MI) Open Female Hannah Norton, 38:18 (28, Union City, MI) Masters Male JC Collins, 36:49 (53, Livonia, MI) Masters Female Peggy Zeeb, 43:37 (52, Colon, MI) Grand Masters Male Lou Hoekstra, 39:50 (53, Kalamazoo, MI) Grand Masters Female Julie Rupp, 49:22 (50, Kalamazoo, MI)

Hannah Norton, age 28 from Union City, Michigan, took the women’s field in the 10-kilometer distance of the Kalamazoo Klassic with a time of 38:18, winning the women’s division by almost 3 minutes to become the RRCA National 10-Mile Open Female Champion. Norton went out so fast that she was the sixth runner overall at the halfway mark until the infamously steep Maple Street hill where she faded slightly to finish 9th overall out of 440 10K finishers. The Kalamazoo Gazette noted Norton’s top marathon time is 2:58:00.

Jason Drudge, age 20, of Grayling, Michigan, defended his 10K title with a 33:03 finish at the top of the Maple Street hill.

Drudge’s winning margin was an impressive 3:46. Drudge is now at Central Michigan University where he runs on the cross country and track teams.

Parkersburg Half Marathon, RRCA Half Marathon Championship Kogo Breaks Half Record

By Jay Bennet of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel “Last year I ran this, but I just lose when I was about a mile from the finish. But today I took the course as business so I wouldn’t lose like last year,” said Kogo, who noted he was of no relation to former course record holder Steve Kogo of Kenya (1:02:25, 1990). “I felt good, but the pace was very too fast. The weather was very good. That was a personal record for me. This is the first time for me to win a half marathon.”

Despite not winning the race again, Reta wasn’t too displeased. Although he would’ve loved to capture the title for a fourth straight year, he knows a runner can’t always be at their

16 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

best every time out on the course.

“You know, you run into things like that,” said Reta, who added that he flew in from Mexico City to Charleston the Friday before the race and had come from a difficult race. “Today, I gave it a good shot. Next time, I’ll give it a good shot. I’m thinking I’m tired today actually.”

Rounding out the top 10 men behind Gillis were Jeffrey Eggleston (2010 RRCA Roads Scholar, 1:06:06), Benjamin Meto (1:06:18), Edward Tabut (1:07:26) and James Boitt (1:08:06).

Continued on page 18

Jeff Baughan

It was a perfect Saturday morning for running and 25-year-old Kenyan Julius Kogo ran the race of his life to establish a new course record and unseat 3-time consecutive champion Alene Reta at the 24th running of the News and Sentinel Half Marathon.

It was a case of unfinished business for Kogo, who runs out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and with the victory he earns the title of Road Runners Club of America national champion. A year ago, Kogo was in the running for a top spot, but went off course and finished a disappointing 14th.

Kogo wasn’t going to let that scenario occur again as he took the lead for good during the fourth mile of the race on Gihon Road from Reta, who finished third behind Canadian Reid Coolsact.

By the time Kogo was sprinting past South Hills Golf Course, he held a lead of 50 yards and continued to build upon it until he posted the new course record time of 1 hour, 2 minutes, 8 seconds. His victory earned the top prize of $3,000 and another $300 for setting the course record.

Coolsact, from Guelph, which is about 45 minutes west of Toronto, posted a runnerup time of 1 hour, 3 minutes, 46 seconds.

Reta, from Ethiopia, was third with his effort of 1 hour, 4 minutes, 20 seconds, while Ethiopian Girma Tolla (1:04:31) and Kenyan Samuel Ndereba (1:04:38) rounded out the top five.

RRCA.org

RRCA Event Spotlight Dibaba Sets Women’s Course Record in First Local Appearance

by Jim Butta of the Parkersburg News and Sentinel

RRCA National Half Marathon Champions Open Male Julius Kogo, 1:02:08 course record (25, Kenya) Open Female Mare Dibaba, 1:10:19 course record (20, Ethiopia) Masters Male Gideon Mutisya, 1:11:33 (43, Kenya) Masters Female Ramilia Burangulova, 1:18:59 (49, Russia) Grand Masters Male John Brockenbrough, 1:19:51 (52, Murrysville, WV) Grand Masters Female Lee Dipietro, 1:32:27 (52, Ruxton, MD)

“She [Dibaba] is probably one of the top two runners internationally at this distance,” explained Gooding, the athletics relations manager for Elite Sports Management. “In my mind it was never ‘if’ she was going to win, but ‘by how much.’ ” That question was answered nearly 5 minutes later when countrywoman Aliyu Azrza crossed the finish line on Market Street in 1 hour, 14 minutes, 51 seconds. Kenyan Everlyne Lagat was third in a time of 1 hour, 15 minutes, 13 seconds.

“It was a really hilly course,” said Dibaba, who holds the Ethiopian national record in the half marathon. “I had to push myself out there today because there were no other women around me.”

Taking off from the start, Dibaba reached the first mile mark in a time of 5 minutes, 9 seconds and held a 20-yard lead over a pack of three other runners, including Lagat.

By the 2-mile mark,

that advantage had increased to 25 seconds and never got any closer as the Ethiopian cruised through the third mile in 5 minutes, 38 seconds and never went above 6 minutes on any mile throughout the remainder of the race.

Third place in the race went to 29-year-old Kenyan Everlyne Lagat (1:15:13), who edged out 22-year-old Molly Pritz from Williamsport, Pennsylvania (1:15:37) by 24 seconds. Rounding out the top five were Ethiopian Misisker Mekonnin (1:18:39) and Beavercreek, Ohio’s Tara Storage (1:18:41).

Jeff Baughan

It’s not bragging if you can back up what you say. That was the case during the running of the 24th annual News and Sentinel Half Marathon when 20-year-old phenom Mare Dibaba dominated the women’s field to win in a record-setting time of 1 hour, 10 minutes, 19 seconds.

Less than 12 hours earlier, Dibaba’s coach Chris Gooding guaranteed race director Chip Allman that the Ethiopian would come away victorious even though it was her first visit to Parkersburg. The old course record of 1 hour, 11 minutes, 1 second was set in the 2000 race by Libbie Hickman (RRCA Hall of Fame member) of Ft. Collins, Colorado.

Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon 2010 RRCA Marathon Championship Jansky, Fredrickson Earn Respective Titles in Lakefront Marathon

Action Sports International

By Gary D’Amato of the Journal Sentinel (Reprinted here with permission.)

On a cool, cloudy day, Scott Jansky of Two Rivers, WI beat some 2,000 other runners to the finish line at Veterans Park, winning in 2 hours, 31 minutes, 41 seconds.

18 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

The first time he ran the Lakefront Marathon, back in 2006, Scott Jansky of Two Rivers, Wisconsin led at the 24-mile mark but couldn’t hold on. He was passed with two miles to go and finished second to Paul Laeseke.

Then came knee problems and surgeries in 2007 and ’08. Doctors advised Jansky to stop running.

“But I just wasn’t ready to give it up yet,” he said.

Four years after his disappointing finish, the 37-year-old Jansky was back to give it another shot in the 30th annual Lakefront Marathon, the 2010 RRCA National Marathon Championship event.

On a cool, cloudy day, pushed by a tailwind and his own determination, he beat some 2,000 other runners to the finish line at Veterans Park, winning in 2 hours, 31 minutes, 41 seconds.

“I can’t describe the feeling,” Jansky said.

“I’ve run shorter races and done well, but there’s nothing like a marathon. The victory tastes that much sweeter because after those surgeries I didn’t know if I’d get back to here. I’ve got to be

one of the happiest guys on earth right now.”

Jansky’s time was nearly 7 minutes off Ryan Meissen’s winning time of 2:24.53 last year. But Jansky’s steady 5:48-per-mile pace was fast enough to hold off Wynn Davis of Stillwater, Minnesota (2:33.47) and 44-year-old Dan Held of Pewaukee, Wisconsin (2:34.27).

Nacole Fredrickson of Milwaukee was the women’s winner in 3:01.39. She finished 47th overall. Fredrickson has run faster marathons, 2010 RRCA National Marathon Champions Open Male Scott Jansky, 2:31:41(37, Two Rivers, WI) Open Female Nacole Fredrickson, 3:01:42 (31, Milwaukee, WI) Masters Male Dan Held, 2:34:27 (44, Pewaukee, WI) Masters Female J. Elizabeth Teveer, 3:04:45 (47, Whitefish Bay, WI) Grand Masters Male George Ogutu, 3:00:29 (53, Milwaukee, WI) Grand Masters Female Kathy Waldron, 3:24:51 (51, Manitowoc, WI)

RRCA.org

RRCA Event Spotlight When you come through in a race like this, it feels so good. I can’t even explain it to you.”

He was pleased that he ran the second half of the race in 1:15.59, just 17 seconds slower than he ran the first half.

“I knew I was feeling pretty good,” he said.

“I wasn’t going to be able to run much faster, but I knew I could hold my pace.”

Davis, 29, who had the lead until Jansky passed him with about 3½ miles to go, appears to have a bright future as a marathoner. He didn’t run in high school or college and competed in his first marathon in 2005, finishing in 3:08. Davis then focused on ultra-marathons to build his endurance.

“This is my christening, if you will, back into marathons,” he said. “This is my first legit road marathon. I’m pretty pleased.”

Held, who turns 45 on Oct. 15, won the 1999 Lakefront Marathon and has long been one of the area’s top runners. He competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic trials, finishing seventh in the marathon and 13th in the 5000.

“I’m a long cry from that,” he said. “You just have to understand you can’t go to a 5minute pace for 26 miles anymore. I think it’s more of a mental adjustment, but I enjoy running now more than I ever have.”

Held had not competed in a marathon since 2001, though he ran a 50-kilometer race last year.

“He’s an icon, that guy,” Jansky said. “He was great for the sport, very humble, just a good citizen of the sport.”

Special guest Ann Marie Letko, two-time Olympian and 2009 RRCA Hall of Fame inductee, joined many other marathon runners in

raising money for Jenny Crain’s Make It Happen Fund. Jim Bahr, Duane Tate Jr., and Bill Boehm have completed all 30 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathons. Each was presented with a commemorative clock at the awards ceremony.

Action Sports International

but this was her first victory.

“I just kept hearing from other people that I was second or third, second or third,” she said.

I didn’t know where the first-place woman [Anne Ruffcorn] was until about mile 23, when I passed her.”

Cari Setzler of Wonder Lake, Illinois finished second in 3:02.23, and Sue Miller of West Bend, Wisconsin was third in 3:04.13.

Ruffcorn, of Milwaukee, had a two-minute lead at the 20-mile mark but faded to a sixthplace finish.

The race was free of controversy one year after both the first- and second-place women were disqualified—apparent winner Cassie Nelson for taking a water bottle from a friend outside a designated aid station and Jennifer Goebel for turning on her iPod late in the race.

The disqualifications made Corina Canitz of Brookfield the women’s winner for the third consecutive year. Canitz was out of action 14 weeks with a hamstring injury this year, however, and finished 15th on Sunday.

Neither Nelson nor Goebel competed this year.

“The officials of this race were very, very good about giving the rules sheet and giving a seminar about rules,” Fredrickson said.

Jansky won two marathons in 2005 but then tore the meniscus in the back of his left knee. The first operation didn’t correct the problem, and in the second, doctors had to spread apart his anterior collateral and medial collateral ligaments to make the repair.

“It was a tough road back,” Jansky said.

“Today made it all worthwhile, all the rehab, all those training hours, all the sacrifices you make.

Nacole Fredrickson of Milwaukee was the women's winner in 3:01.39. She finished 47th overall.

Fredrickson has run faster marathons, but this was her first victory.

Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Run 2010 RRCA 50K/50M/100M Ultra Championships

By George “Squirrel” Ruiz, Assistant Race Director “A Taste of Hell” took on a new meaning at the 2010 Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs. Because of permitting issues, the 50-Mile and 100-Mile out-and-back to Tahoe Meadows had to be changed. The use of the Diamond Peak Ski Resort lodge as an aid station instead of a tent in a parking lot at 8,800 feet was sounding more and more intriguing.

The main problem was how to get back to the Tahoe Rim Trail without going onto private property. One option was to go straight up the Crystal Ridge Ski Run back to the chair lift bull wheel and rejoin the Tahoe Rim Trail. The mileage worked out and the Diamond Peak Ski Resort welcomed us to use their facility. The new Diamond Peak Aid Station was born and will now be legend.

From the Tahoe Rim Trail north of the Tunnel Creek Aid Station, the new section of course drops 2,000 feet along the Tyrolean

RRCA.org

Downhill, as the mountain bikers call this piece of trail. This brings you to the ski lodge. Then the torture chamber begins with a 2-mile, 1,800-foot climb to the top of the Crystal Ridge Ski Run, the top of the Sierra Crest. It’s a short climb but is brutal because it has no switchbacks and virtually no shade. I knew the 50-mile and 100-mile runners would tackle this climb in the full heat of the day, causing my name to be slandered throughout the weekend.

Then Mother Nature played her part with a heat wave hitting western Nevada just in time for the race. Race day temps were hitting the mid 80s at 9,000 feet. The early 100-mile leader was Chris Knorzer with Thomas Crawford, Brett Rivers, Bob Shebest and women’s leaders Bree Lambert, Darla Askew, and Roxanne Woodhouse in close pursuit. As usual, the pace was fast for the first 50 miles and with the heat and the new climb out of Diamond Peak, it was

sure to play a roll in this year’s outcome. Out of 101 starters, there were 60 finishers for a 59% finishing percentage.

Knorzer begin to labor on the 6-mile downhill from Snow Valley Peak and Crawford took the lead. “It was earlier than I wanted to take the lead, but the pace felt right so I took the lead on the run to Spooner Lake,” Crawford said.

It was a lead he would never relinquish.

He came in at the 50-mile checkpoint at 8:43, holding onto a slim 10-minute lead over Jon Olsen and Bob Shebest. Crawford, 30, from Monrovia, California, ran a phenomenal race, continuing to build his lead on the second 50 miles.

Rivers moved into second place on the climb out of the Red House loop and held onto a slim 5-minute lead over third-place Shebest.

Rivers had also put himself back into conContinued on page 20

W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 ClubRunning • 19

RRCA Event Spotlight tention for the race lead as he came into Tunnel Creek with Crawford in sight. In the next 13 miles (that included the infamous Diamond Peak climb), Crawford would put the hammer down and build an hour lead over Rivers. Running without a pacer, Crawford continued to amaze everyone as he seemed to be running effortlessly, cranking out 10-minute miles to Hobart aid station and continuing this pace on the climb to Snow Valley Peak. Crawford came cruising into the finish in a time of 17:47:09, breaking the previous record held by Jasper Halekas since 2007 by 28 minutes. With his victory, he also claimed the 2010 title of Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) National Men’s Open 100-Mile Ultra Champion. Crawford, a virtual unknown to most ultra runners, had everyone baffled, asking (reminiscent of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), “Who is that guy?”

“I broke the course record at Leona Divide 50-Mile in April and that got me thinking that I could have a good day at

Facchino Photography

Thomas Crawford wins his first ultra title to become the 2010 RRCA National Ultra Champion at the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Mi Run.

Tahoe,” Crawford said. “I loved the course, especially the downhill run to Diamond Peak. On the second lap I thought it was going to kill me though.”

Bree Lambert, Darla Askew, and Roxanne Woodhouse continued their battle. Lambert held the lead going down to Diamond Peak at mile 80, with Darla Askew in second with 16 minutes in hand over Woodhouse. Then Lambert and Askew took a wrong turn at the top of the Diamond Peak climb taking them out of contention. Woodhouse continued with her excellent pace to place sixth overall and claim the 2010 title of RRCA National Women’s Open 100-Mile Ultra Champion with a superb time of 22:46:19, a 90-minute improvement over her 2009 finishing time.

This was the 10th year of the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K and 50-Mile and the fifth year of the 100-Mile. The event reached capacity in only 13 days after registration opened. Congratulations to Chet Fairbank (37) of Nevada and John Machray (57) of BC Canada, the only 5time finishers of the 100-Mile.

Rounding out the RRCA National 100-Mile Ultra Championship performances: Mark Moran (43) from Oregon captured the Men’s Masters Title with a time of 22:42:04 and Lisa Nicholl (43) from New Zealand took the Women’s Masters title. Finishing on top in the Grand Master (50+) competition were Californians Joseph Swenson (54) and Kathy Ingelse (51).

The Tahoe Rim Trail 50K and 50M events also served as the 2010 RRCA Nevada State Ultra Championships.

RRCA National Championship Event Series Preview RRCA to Award Senior Grand Masters (60+) as Part of 2011 Championship Event Series

The goal of the RRCA Championship Events is to shine a spotlight on well-run events and to award top-performing runners in the Open, Masters (40+), Grand Masters (50+), and Senior Grand Masters (60+) categories for both men and women. Since 1958, the RRCA has awarded championship events through a competitive bidding process at the national, regional, and state levels to RRCA member clubs and events to promote the sport of distance running at any age.

National Championship events are listed in date order and all race dates subject to change. See official race websites for final 2011 dates.

RRCA National 10K Championship Azalea Trail Run – Mobile, AL – March 26, 2011 www.pcpacers.org/atr/index.html This event is produced by the Port City Pacers.

RRCA National 10-Mile Championship Presidio 10 – San Francisco, CA – April 17, 2011 www.presidio10.com The event is produced by members of the Guardsman.

RRCA National Half Marathon Championship Marine Corps Historic Half – Fredericksburg, VA – May 15, 2011 www.marinecorpshistorichalf.com This event is produced by the Marine Corps Marathon Running Club.

20 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

RRCA National Ultra Championship Tahoe Rim Trail 100-Mile Endurance Run – Spooner Lake, NV – July 16, 2011 www.sagebrushstompers.org/trt50 The event is produced by the Tahoe Mountain Milers of Lake Tahoe, NV and the Sagebrush Stompers of Carson City, NV. RRCA National 5K Championship Woodstock 5K – Anniston, AL – August 6, 2011 www.annistonrunners.com/woodstock5k/ This event is produced by the Anniston Runners Club.

RRCA National Club Championship Challenge Disneyland Half Marathon – Anaheim, CA – September 4, 2011 www.espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/rundisney/disneyland-half-marathon Contact Sarah Ratzlaff at Sarah.E.Ratzlaff@disney.com for registration details.

RRCA National Marathon Championship Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon - Milwaukee, WI - October 3, 2011 www.badgerlandstriders.org The event is produced by the Badgerland Striders.

See page 25 for the 2011 RRCA Regional Championship Event Series announcement.

RRCA.org

Because Your Fairy Godmother Carries A Stopwatch

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2/25–2/27/11 Like a Disney Princess, you have that inner voice urging you to chase after your dreams. So imagine a 13.1-mile run through Walt Disney World® Theme Parks where you’re part of the magic. Once upon a time? For you, it’s right now.

Register at runDisney.com

presented by

S&R-10-15959 © Disney

RRCA Program Spotlight

RRCA ROADS ® SCHOLAR

Class of

Since 1996, the Road Runners Club of America has awarded grants totaling over $330,000 through its Roads Scholar® program. The program’s goal is to assist American post-collegiate runners who show great promise to develop into national and world-class road running athletes. The grants awarded by the RRCA go directly to the athletes to help support their goals of becoming world-class runners.

The RRCA Roads ScholarSelection Committee for 2010 included Carl Sniffen (chair), Mike Morgan (Roads Scholar), Joan Benoit Samuelson (Olympian), Keith Brantley (Olympian), Don Kardong (Olympian), Phil Stewart, Bee McLeod, Brent Ayer, and Jean Knaack.

The RRCA is pleased to introduce the 2010 Class of Roads Scholars. Congratulations to all of them.

Stephan Shay Stephan Shay is the youngest of eight children.

He graduated from Central Lake High School in Michigan where he was four-time all-state selection, four-time conference champion, and three-time regional champion. He captured the state Division IV individual title as a senior and broke the state Division IV cross country record with a time of 15:35. He set 12 meet or course records and was named Academic All-State on three occasions. He won every meet during his senior season. Shay ran for 2 years at Michigan State where he was coached by Walt Drenth. He transferred to Brigham Young University for his last 2 years of college, competing under the

2010

coaching tutelage of Ed Eyestone. Shay was AllRegion in track and cross country at Michigan State and BYU. He was conference champion at BYU in outdoor track for the 10K, was a four-time qualifier for cross country nationals, and qualified his senior year for the Outdoor Track Nationals. In his first year out of college, Shay has proven his abilities in distance racing, placing 10th overall at the Gate River Run (the USA 15K Championship) and fifth overall at the USA Half Marathon Championship hosted by the Aramco Houston Half Marathon with a time of 1:02:26. Shay is currently being coached

by Magdalena Lewy-Boulet and advised by coach Joe Vigil.

Lindsay Allen Lindsay Allen competed in high school cross country and track & field at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill, California. She went on to run for Stanford University where she was a member of four cross country Pac-10 championship title teams and Stanford’s 2007 cross country national championship. She currently holds the Stanford school record in the 3000m steeplechase and is a two-time NCAA Division I national championship qualifier and AllAmerican in that event. Since her 2008 graduation, Allen has been a member of McMillan Elite, a post-collegiate running team based in

Flagstaff, Arizona where she is coached by Greg McMillan. Allen competed in the 2008 Olympic Trials as well as the 2009 and 2010 USA Track & Field Championships in the steeplechase. New to the roads, Allen finished 10th in the U.S. 5K Road Championships in 2009 and made her 10K debut at the U.S. 10K Road Championships that same year. Also in 2009, she represented the United States in the Chiba Ekiden Relay in Japan, helping the U.S. earn fifth place.

Patrick Smyth Patrick Smyth was a cross country and track standout at Judge Memorial Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, where he was an 8-time varsity letter winner in the two sports. In 2005, he was the Utah Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year and Utah High School Athletic Association Track Athlete of the Year. He was nationally ranked in cross country and track during his senior season. At Notre Dame University, he was a seven-time All-American—three times in cross country, three in outdoor track, and one indoor. During his collegiate career, he was the two-time NCAA Great Lakes Regional Champion in cross country, the Big East 5000m champion, and the two-time Big East outdoor 10,000m champion. He was a three-time qualifier for the NCAA Cross Country Championships finishing as high as 11th in 2008. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2009, he finished fourth in the 10,000 meters. Patrick holds the Notre Dame record for the most sub14-minute 5000m races (10), including five

PhotoRun.NET PhotoRun.NET

PhotoRun.NET

22 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

RRCA.org

sub-13:50 performances. He is also the school recordholder in the 10,000 with a time of 28:25.85. At the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships, he finished seventh. In his road debut, Patrick finished fifth at the USA 10K Championships. At the USA Men’s 10-Mile Championship, he was third. He placed second at the 2010 USA Half Marathon Championships and then second at the USA Cross Country Championships to become a member of the U.S. national team going to the World Cross Country. Patrick joined Team USA Minnesota in July 2009.

Andrew McClanahan

Jill Swope Jill (Steffens) Swope was born and raised in Illinois where she was an All-State runner for Moline High School. Her senior year she was the starting point guard of an Elite Eight MHS basketball team. But at 5-3, a basketball career was out of the question, and she accepted a track scholarship to the University of Georgia after being charmed by the south. At UGA, Jill was a four-year team captain, 10K school recordholder, three-time SEC champion, and 10K All-

American. It wasn’t until her senior year, racing the 10K at Stanford in a time of 33:21 (a 67second PR!) that she decided to train post-collegiately. Jill signed with New Balance and raced the 10K in the 2008 Olympic Trials and decided while in Track Town USA that her new dream had found her. She hesitantly entered the 2008 20K National Championship which was scheduled just 5 days prior to her wedding. In her first race over 10K, Jill captured the 20K National Championship in a three-way battle to the finish in 1:08:47. This qualified her to represent the United States in Brazil at the 2008 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, where she finished 30th in her debut at that distance.

In 2009, she finished 12th in the 10K at the USA Track & Field Championships and went on that summer to place sixth, eighth, eighth, and eleventh in four U.S. National Championship races ranging from 10K to 20K. Jill intends to hit the roads this summer and travel the country chasing faster times and her dreams simultaneously.

can at the B.A.A. Half Marathon in 1:04:16, and setting a 5K road best of 14:11 at the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot. In January 2010, he made a strong marathon debut of 2:14:32 at the P. F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll AZ Marathon in Phoenix. He continues to train autonomously in Flagstaff and represents Team MarathonGuide.com and Brooks.

Learn more about the RRCA Roads Scholar program at rrca.org/programs/roads-scholars/. (And don’t miss two-time Roads Scholar James Carney featured in the ad on page 27.)

PhotoRun.NET

Jeffrey Eggleston Jeffrey Eggleston was born in Greece, New York and graduated from the University of Virginia in 2007, running four seasons for the Cavaliers. In his first race after college, he finished an encouraging tenth at the USA 20K Championship in New Haven. He followed up this performance by running 1:04:58 for his first half marathon at the 2008 USA Championship in Houston.

During a brief stint with a training group in Michigan, he finished third at the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago. For his performances on the roads that fall, he was named New England Runner magazine’s 2008 New York Runner of the Year. In January 2009, he returned to Houston and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials by running a personal best of 1:03:58. In the summer, he moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to prepare for his first marathon under the tutelage of coach Jack Daniels. His fall racing highlights included winning his third consecutive title at the Rochester Run for Hospice, third overall and top Ameri-

RRCA extends a big thank you to our 2010 Roads Scholar Fund donors as of Dec. 31, 2010.

Annapolis Striders, Atlanta Track Club **, Alta Vista Runners Club, Atomic City Roadrunners, Big Lake Half Marathon, Blue Springs Runners, Brent Ayer, Carl Sniffen, Central Mass Striders, Cherry Blossom Inc.***, Club Northwest, Cumberland Valley Athletic Club*, Daniel D. Edwards, East Bay Front Runners & Walkers, Frederick Steeplechasers, Fulmont Road Runners Club, G. Thomas Jennings, Glenn W. Stewart, Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs, Henley Fant Gabeau Living Trust, John G. Tyler and Bee McLeod*, Jon Hughes, Jersey Shore Running Club*, Keith Brantley, Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders, Leonard M. Goldman, Lilac Bloomsday Assn*, Maine Running Co, Montgomery County Road Runners*, Napa Valley Marathon*, Nashville Striders, New Orleans Track Club*, North Coast Road Runners, Pensacola Race Management, Pensacola Runners Association, River City Runners Club, Run Like a Cheetah, San Diego Track & Field Assn, St John Land Sharks, Syracuse Chargers Track Club, Team Footworks*, The Boilermaker Road Race Inc, Travis Eliot Landreth Memorial Scholarship Fund*, Utica Roadrunners, Inc. *$1,000–$4,900 donors

RRCA.org

**$5,000–$9,999 donors

***$10,000 plus

W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 ClubRunning • 23

RRCA Program Spotlight Do You Live in a Runner Friendly Community®?

Inaugural RRCA Runner Friendly Communities to Be Designated in 2011 Running is one of the most popular and affordable forms of exercise to get and keep people fit and healthy. Running with a group can also be a positive social experience.

Running can generate significant economic impact dollars for communities that host events and support the running community. Pedestrian networks that include sidewalks, trails, paths, and shared lanes often increase property values and overall quality of living in a community. While runners don’t require a lot of expensive equipment, there are several ways that local communities can invest to ensure that running is safe, affordable, accessible, and enjoyable for anyone who wants to run. Many communities support a variety of sports and sporting facilities and at the heart of almost every sport is running. Being a Runner Friendly Community not only supports the running community, but running as the foundation of many other community-based sports (for example, soccer, football, tennis, basketball). The goal of this program is to shine a national spotlight on communities that stand out as runner friendly and to provide incentives and ideas for communities to work toward becoming runner-friendly communities. Being runner friendly can increase the quality of life, improve physical activity for residents as out-

lined in the National Physical Activity Plan, and provide for increased economic impact for the community.

Benefits of receiving the RRCA Runner Friendly Community designation include the following: Your community is listed as a Runner Friendly Community on RRCA’s website for a 5-year period. After 5 years, a community may resubmit a nomination to prove it continues to be a Runner Friendly Community. RF Communities will receive a plaque to be placed in city hall or community’s location of choice. Additional plaques are available for purchase. Community featured as a Runner Friendly Community in a national press release from the RRCA, featured in one issue of Club Running magazine and in the RRCA Annual Report. Receive up to 50 RRCA Runner Friendly Community window decals to be placed in runner-friendly businesses by the local running club. This helps local runners know which businesses are runner friendly and safe places for runners in times of need. Additional stickers are available for purchase. RRCA will fund attendance (up to $400) for a designated community representative (mayor, city council member, running club president, etc.) from the Outstanding Runner Friendly Community to be honored at the RRCA National Convention during the Saturday luncheon. Royalty-free use of the RRCA Runner Friendly Community logo for a 5-year period.

Review the program criteria and apply at rrca.org/programs/runnerfriendly-community/

53rd Annual RRCA Convention Preview The 2011 RRCA Convention hosts, the Fredericksburg Area Running Club and the Marine Corps Marathon Running Club, cordially invite you to attend the 53rd Annual RRCA National Convention in Fredericksburg, Virginia. This fun-filled, networking and educational event will be held May 12–15, 2011 and will conclude with the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon, the 2011 RRCA National Half Marathon Championship event. All convention attendees get guaranteed entry into this event that typically sells out early.

The RRCA Convention is a great opportunity for running club leaders, race directors, running coaches, sponsors, running industry professionals, and runners to come together to share information, best practices, and contribute to the national mission of the RRCA: to promote running as a sport and healthy exercise throughout the U.S. The Convention consists of best practices workshops, the RRCA Annual Meeting of the Membership, the National Running Awards Banquet, and several fun-filled networking events. RRCA members are encouraged to reward their key leaders with a club-funded trip to the Convention.

The 2011 RRCA Convention is pleased to present Olympic Gold Medal winner, author, and former U.S. Marine Billy Mills as the featured speaker at the RRCA luncheon to be held on Friday, May 13, at the historic Fredericksburg Square.

Our luncheon speaker for Saturday, May 14, at Brocks Riverside Grill is RRCA State Rep Gary Morgan. The nationally recognized race walker and Olympian from Pontiac, Michigan is a world traveler who’s traveled from Antarctica to Africa and beyond.

The 2011 National Running Awards Banquet keynote speaker will be Julie Isphording, Saturday, May 14, at the Fredericksburg Country Club.

Isphording is a 1984 Olympian who ran with the first-ever Women’s

24 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

Olympic Marathon Team. She was also the first American woman finisher in the 1986 Boston Marathon. Now an award-winning syndicated radio talk show host who can be heard on 55KRC (550 AM) in Cincinnati, Isphording features health experts and provides listeners with fitness and nutritional advice. She is the author of three books, including her most recent, Get Healthy, Get Happy: How to Make Small Changes That Give You Big Results.

Register today for this exciting event at RRCAConvention.org!

RRCA National Race Shirt Contest The RRCA is pleased to announce the third annual RRCA National Race Shirt Contest! This is an opportunity to showcase your event from a different angle. The RRCA is seeking shirts (long or short sleeve, cotton or performance) from 2010 events hosted by RRCA members. Only one shirt per event is needed, size does not matter. A club hosting multiple events can submit entries for multiple races. **The race shirt must have the RRCA logo on it to be considered for judging.** All entries should be mailed to the RRCA National Office at 1501 Lee Hwy, Ste. 140, Arlington, VA 20009 by March 1, 2011. Please include the name of the event, event date, location, host club, contact name, contact email, and contact phone number with the shirt.

A first round of judging will take place at the RRCA National Office by a team of local club members. Attendees to the 2011 RRCA Convention (rrcaconvention.org) will have the opportunity to vote on the finalists to select the 2009 RRCA National Race Shirt Winner. The winning shirt will be announced at the 2011 RRCA Annual Banquet and National Running Awards Ceremony and featured in a future issue of Club Running.

RRCA.org

RRCA Program Spotlight

Kids Run the Nation Fund Gives $15,000 in Grants for 2010 The Road Runners Club of America is pleased to announce it has granted $15,000 to deserving youth running programs throughout the US at the conclusion of 2010.

Starting in 2007, the RRCA has granted $5,000 annually to deserving youth running programs around the country through the Kids Run the Nation Fund. The Kids Run the Nation Fund is designed to provide needed resources to launch and support youth running programs around the country as an opportunity to address the ongoing inactivity and obesity crisis facing today’s youth.

After significant financial support in 2010 for the Kids Run the Nation Fund by RRCA

members and individual donors, the organization has been able to increase overall Kids Run the Nation grant funding to $15,000 for the year.

The panel reviewed 77 applications for programs that collectively serve more than 20,000 youth around the country. While all applicants were deserving of funding, the RRCA was only in a position to provide grants to 24 youth programs. Ten grants will be used to launch new youth running programs and the remainder will support existing youth running programs.

Detailed information about the 2010 Kids Run the Nation grant recipients can be found at rrca.org/programs/kids-run-the-nation-fund/

2011 RRCA Regional Championship Events EASTERN REGION 10K – Fred D’elia Ridgewood Run 5/30/2011 – Ridgewood, NJ www.ridgewoodrun.com

Half-Marathon Inside Out Sports Classic Half Marathon 5/22/2011 – Cary, NC www.ncroadrunners.org/ioclassic/index.html

5K – Crowley Brothers Road Race 6/12/2011 – Rutland, VT www.crowleyroadrace.com

15K – Fort Worth Runners Club Labor Day 15K 9/5/2011 – Forth Worth, TX www.fwrunners.org

CENTRAL REGION Ultra – Kal Haven Trail Run 3/6/2011 – Kalamazoo, MI www.kalamazooarearunners.com

Marathon – Freedom’s Run 10/1/2011 – Shepherdstown, WV www.freedomsrun.org

Cross Country – Chile Pepper XC 10K 10/15/2011 – Fayetteville, AR www.chilepepperfestival.org

5K – Rotary Ramble 5K 3/6/2011 – Demotte, IN https://register.thtiming.com

Ultra – Oil Creek 100 Trail Runs 10/8/2011 – Titusville, PA www.oilcreek100.org

10K – Cajun Cup 10K 11/12/2011– Lafayette, LA www.cajuncup10k.com

Half Marathon – Glass City Half Marathon 4/14/2011 – Toledo, OH www.glasscitymarathon.org

Half-Marathon – ING Hartford Half Marathon 10/8/2011 – Hartford, CT www.hartfordmarathon.com

WESTERN REGION Half-Marathon – Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon 2/6/2011 – San Francisco, CA www.pamakids.org

10K – Kalamazoo Klassic 10K 6/18/2011 – Kalamazoo, MI www.kalamazooklassic.org

SOUTHERN REGION Marathon – Mississippi Blues Marathon 1/8/2011 – Jackson, MS www.msbluesmarathon.com 10 Mile – Red Nose Run 1/8/2011 – Homewood, AL http://rednoserun-bham.com 5K – The Courier Presents the TGMC Run for Excellence 5/14/2011 – Houma, LA www.tfae.org

RRCA.org

Marathon – Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon 3/6/2011 – Napa, CA www.napavalleymarathon.org 10K – Presidio 10 4/17/2011 – San Francisco, CA www.presidio10.com Ultra – Bulldog 50 Ultra Run 8/20/2011 – Calabasas, CA www.trailrunevents.com

5K – Duke City Marathon and 5K 10/16/2011 – Albuquerque, NM www.dukecitymarathon.com

30K – The Milford Labor Day 30K 9/3/2011 – Milford, MI www.laborday30k.com Marathon – 16th Annual Community Health Network Indianapolis Marathon 10/15/2011 – Indianapolis IN www.IndianapolisMarathon.com

See page 20 in this issue for the RRCA National Championships Event Series Preview.

W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 ClubRunning • 25

RRCA Training Tips Thinking About Running Your First Ultramarathon?

By Mike Broderick, RRCA Certified Coach

ward progress toward your finish goal. Ultras also tend to be more social, in large part due to the more relaxed pace that’s required to complete the longer distances.

While the thought of running the standard ultramarathon distances of 50K (31 miles), 50 miles, or 100 miles may seem like an impossible dream, the reality is that the training needed to complete these longer distances is not dramatically different than training for a marathon.

If you break it down to basics, marathons to 100-mile ultramarathons are all long-distance endurance events that require a similar foundation of training the aerobic oxidative energy system. By completing a marathon training program of several months’ duration, building to long runs in the 20-mile range with weekly mileage of 40–60+ miles per week, you

Mike Broderick flashes a smile at the completion of the 2010 Western States 100 Endurance Run.

Courtesy of Mike Broderick

If you’ve run a few marathons and thought about what lies beyond 26.2, you’re not alone.

The number of runners who are entering and completing ultramarathons has been increasing at an extraordinary rate in recent years. The challenges are greater, but with them come new and exciting opportunities.

Most ultramarathons are done on some variety of trails, ranging from smooth dirt or gravel paths to rocky, mountainous courses.

Many runners have found the experience of running in more natural settings is a welcome change from training and racing on city streets.

Ultramarathoning can be liberating for runners who’ve tired of being obsessed with mile split times. There are no mile markers on most trails we run on for training runs and races, and the races don’t have signs at each mile as in road races. It’s all a matter of making consistent for-

build a strong endurance base. From there, you can progress to greater distances with appropriate modifications to your training and approach to the race.

The most important modification to your marathon training is to extend the time and Continued on page 30

RRCA Facebook Friends Share Their Ultra Running Experiences, Favorite Races My first ultra was the Full mOOn 50K in July. It is run in the Ouachita Forest in Central Arkansas beginning at 8:00 pm. It was hot, humid, and hilly! It took me 7 hours and 25 minutes, but I finished when many dropped out.

I ran the last 7.5 miles without seeing a soul except the sag vehicle that drove by every so often to check on me. I wasn’t last. I rounded the corner to the finish line and had a dear friend meet me and run me in. It was the greatest feeling to cross over that line and “become an ultra runner.” —Judy Massingill I’ve always wanted to run a marathon, but only ran 10 & 11 miles, years apart, and those were my longest two runs. Then as a midlife crisis, I started running again. Months later, I ran the Goblin Valley 50K in Utah, going way beyond my dream. My favorite ultras are the San Juan Solstice 50M (Lake City, CO), Bandera 100K (TX), and Jemez Mtn 50M (Los Alamos, NM).

—Jeff O’Reilly My first ultra was the Labor of Love 50K in Las Vegas, NV. I wanted to run an ultra for the challenge it presents to the body and mind. Since then, I have run a few 50-milers and will be running my first 100 in Feb. of 2011. So far my favorite has been the Old Pueblo 50M in southern Arizona because of the remoteness of the race. —Jimmy Gabany, Las Vegas

My first ultra was the 24-hour Ultra-centric. I mostly did it to spend time with my brother John. He’d been talking about how much fun they were and how different the participants and atmosphere was at an ultra event, so I wanted to enjoy that for myself. He was so right! I’ve never been surrounded by so much encouragement and support, both from the lap counters & volunteers but also from the other racers. Even the ones who would eventually win took the time to walk a bit with me and answer questions and give advice. I was humbled and uplifted all at once! —Pony Peterson I’ve only run about 5 ultras or so. A couple of 50Ks, a couple of 50 milers, and one 100K. I’m an average ultrarunner. I began ultrarunning simply as a way to force myself to run through the harsh Iowa winters. (I dislike treadmills.)

Without a race goal, I tend to miss a few workouts and not push as hard. Also, I do a variety of competitions from 5Ks to marathons, and I also do triathlons and bike races in the summer. Obviously I can’t swim outdoors and bike outdoors (easily) in the winter, but I can still run.

Since I usually push the running hard in the fall usually culminating in a marathon, by the time December arrives my body is pretty beat from triathlons, bike races, and marathon training.

So in the winter I devote extra time to the weight room, and use this time as well to build

a base of miles run at a slower pace to allow my body to recover from high intensity training. Thus, for the past few years I’ve signed up for a spring ultra as a way to get myself to keep the long runs up in the winter.

The slower, longer jogs on trails give my body a break while still helping to keep the fat off and building up a base of miles good enough that I actually don’t run a whole lot in late spring and summer and can devote that time to getting my bike legs back in shape.

Overall, it’s been a good pattern that has worked for a few years now. Winter slow trail runs leading to a spring ultra, then transitioning into cycling and lake swimming for triathlons and bike races, then high-intensity road running for a fall marathon. Then start over. I’m always working but various body parts are simultaneously resting. It is my hope that this will keep races feeling “new” and help to avoid overtraining injuries. —Tim C. Smith

Read many more inspiring stories from this discussion topic from RRCA’s Facebook friends. Simply click on the Facebook icon on the RRCA website (rrca.org) to join our Facebook discussions.

We recommend, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.

26 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

RRCA.org

Š2010 New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.

James Carney, Team New Balance

The 759 was designed for the body in motion, unleashing your inner animal. So lace up a pair, scope out your target and let your spirit run wild. newbalance.com

REVIEWS

Year-End Wrap-Up of Shoes 2010 by Cregg Weinmann

Many of the shoes we see each year are actually aimed at the holiday season/year’s end, but others arrive in the fall (earlier than year-end models but later than our traditional fall review) so we think they, too, deserve mention in our year-end wrap-up.

Though not always equipped for the weather at the end of the year, here we see three that have been “warmed up” to better handle wet and/or cold conditions. This review looks at eight new or updated shoes split between the Hybrid Trail and Performance categories, with a Motion Stabilizing shoe for good measure—making a little something for everyone.

HYBRID TRAIL

Brooks Adrenaline ASR 7

Combining a bestselling stabilizing shoe with trail protection and traction has been a successful strategy for the Adrenaline ASR. Round 7 continues to provide stability, traction, and protection on trails, as well as roads.

The upper features a waterresistant mesh that’s now a little more open, along with increased lateral support and more bunion-friendly support on the medial side.

The midsole is multi-density BioMoGo foam with a reconfigured crashpad and a reduced DRB Accel shank, providing a better transition without sacrificing much support. The outersole continues with the same forefoot flex grooves as the 6, but they’ve been opened up slightly to improve flexibility. The tread profile provides the traction the Adrenaline ASR is known for, both on- and off-road.

“Fit snugly, but not tight. Good arch support. Fairly firm heel, very stable, but a softer forefoot. Interesting feel; I like the softer forefoot. Excellent off-road traction.

I like these shoes a lot.”

HYBRID TRAIL $105 Sizes: men 8–13,14,15; women 5–12 Weight: 13.0 oz. (men’s 11); 11.1 oz. (women’s 8) Shape: semi-curved For: medium- to high-arched feet with moderate overpronation

Newton Terra Momentus=Momentum

Mizuno Wave Ascend 5

The Wave Ascend proves again that it’s a worthy anchor in the Mizuno trail line, providing traction, protection, and stability. The midsole/ outersole maintain the well-cushioned AP foam, a waveplate combination of lateral rubber and medial TPU for stability, BEST SHOE and a trail profile of effective lugs that grip well on Hybrid Trail both hard and soft surfaces. The upper addresses YE fit and protection. Flat laces replace the bumpy “linkAR-END 2010 sausage” variety and may be a bit easier to adjust the tension of the eyestay. Synthetic rubber has been added to the toe and heel bumpers for more protection from trail hazards. Overall, the fit, cushion, traction, and forefoot flexibility attest to the Ascend’s versatility, garnering it our Best Hybrid Trail Shoe award.

“Roomy in the forefoot. Seems lighter than most trail shoes, especially for the support and cushioning. Traction is very good, even good on pavement, and surprisingly durable for an aggressive, off-road tread. I don’t see any wear anywhere.”

HYBRID TRAIL $95 Sizes: men 7–13,14; women 6–11 Weight: 12.5 oz. (men’s 11); 10.5 oz. (women’s 8) Shape: semi-curved For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to moderate overpronation

Nike Air Pegasus +27 Trail WR

With Newton’s first foray into trail shoes, the hybridized Terra Momentus=Momentum, we get just what we’ve come to expect: a thoughtfully conceived, well-executed shoe. The upper features a closed mesh with a full rand for protection with extra shoe lace-securing overlays on the tongue. The outersole has been beefed up from its road models with additional carbon rubber on the forefoot actuators and covering the heel membrane to protect it from trail debris. The midsole is Newton’s resilient foam formulation with the same low-profile geometry as in its other models, and it handles trails with a surprisingly nimble touch. Runners already familiar with the Newton ride will find the Terra Momentus=Momentum to be a quality trail alternative. Those looking for a more efficient trail gait can start with Newton.

The Pegasus is Nike’s “King of the Road” and an all-time favorite neutral shoe. The Trail WR is the off-road–equipped version. This season, number 27 (though the trail version has only been around for about a decade) receives both updates informed by the road version and some trail-specific features. The closed mesh upper now sports a full rand in addition to rubbery, high-friction heel and toe bumpers. A water-resistant treatment makes the shoe well suited to wintry, wet trail conditions. The midsole, formerly Phylon foam, has been upgraded to the more durable and lively Cushlon. The outersole is the same toothy waffle tread as before and it remains equally at home on trail or roads. Overall, the Pegasus +27 Trail WR takes the road performance of the Pegasus off-road.

“Great, supportive fit with plenty of room for my toes. Though not very lightweight, it feels very lively on the trail. Good protection, traction, and cushioning.

The forefoot-oriented landing improved my trail running.”

“Great cushioning on the roads without mushiness on the trails. Very effective traction on the trails which also manages the roads well. Overall, a great hybrid trail shoe which is just right to run in.”

HYBRID TRAIL $139 Sizes: men 6–13,14,15; women 5–11 Weight: 13.0 oz. (men’s 11); 10.4 oz. (women’s 8) Shape: semi-curved For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

HYBRID TRAIL $95 Sizes: men 6–13,14,15; women 5–12 Weight: 12.1 oz. (men’s 11); 10.6 oz. (women’s 8) Shape: semi-curved For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

28 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

RRCA.org

REVIEWS

Year-End Wrap-Up of Shoes 2010 continued

MOTION STABILIZING

PERFORMANCE

adidas Supernova Sequence 3

In round 3, the Supernova Sequence retains its hallmark: reliable, cushioned stability. The upper now features an airier mesh with soft, synthetic suede overlays that are positioned to provide support without hindering the foot. The newly configured midsole has repositioned the forefoot adiPrene inserts beneath the foot and now contains them with a sidewall for better cushioning underfoot.

The outersole has seen small adjustments to the flex grooves that improve gait efficiency. Runners looking for a good combination of cushioning and stability will be well served by the Supernova Sequence 3.

“Fits well with a comfortable cushy ride. Reliable stability without being too stiff.

They kept the best of the previous version and improved the overall feel.

A pleasant experience with every run.”

Motion Stabilizing $100 Sizes: men 6.5–13,14; women 5–12 Weight: 12.9 oz. (men’s 11); 11.0 oz. (women’s 8) Shape: semi-curved For: medium- to high-arched feet with mild to moderate overpronation

ASICS Gel-Speedstar 5

The consistent and effective Speedstar has long filled the role of beefy racer/lightweight trainer.

Version 5 surpasses its predecessors. The significant change here is the new upper: a breathable mesh with a matrix of black urethane in small hexagonal shapes varying in thickness to provide more support where it’s thicker and more flexibility where it’s thinner. The midsole and outersole remain much the same as previous rounds with a nice combination of responsive cushioning and great flexibility—defining elements of a quality minimalist shoe. The Speedstar’s looks—bright base with striking black—get extra credit, but the real draw here is the performance.

“These shoes feel snug and light. Lots of cushion without a bulky feel. The upper was flexible enough to form around the foot with good support to the arches. A very light, comfortable, cushioned shoe for faster running—even an all-around great racing shoe for me. I have used it on many speed workouts and races up to 1/2 marathon.”

Performance $90 Sizes: men 6–13,14; women 5–12 Weight: 9.5 oz. (men’s 11); 8.6 oz. (women’s 8) Shape: semi-curved For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics, for faster-paced running

New Balance 870

The 870 is a performance shoe new to the New Balance NBx line. The upper is a thin, layered open mesh first seen in the 759, here combined with more minimal overlays of synthetic leather and microsuede that don’t compromise support. The lacing uses traditional eyelets along with Ghilley webbing loops attached to the overlays that flank the metatarsals, keeping the foot over the midsole. An abbreviated N-ergy crashpad in the heel encourages the foot through the transition. The dual-density midsole offers a resilient and stable ride with the aid of the polyurethane Strobel board and Abzorb innersole. The outersole is designed for full-sole contact, whether striking on the heel or farther forward, but it’s segmented for good flexibility. The Ndurance carbon rubber in the high-wear areas and better-cushioning blown rubber everywhere else nicely balances traction and durability.

“Fits my feet really well. Plenty of cushioning, yet allows you to feel the road. Keeps the foot stable and the pace quick. I’m always looking for a marathoning shoe, and this one is going to Boston!”

Performance $100 Sizes: men 8–12,13,14; women 5–12 Weight: 11.5 oz. (men’s 11); 10.4 oz. (women’s 8) Shape: semi-curved For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

Zoot Ultra Kalani

The new Ultra Kalani, the neutral companion to Zoot’s Ultra Kane, is designed for economy and protection without added fluff.

The upper features the same compression fabric used in the Ultra Speed racer, and employs support straps and laces like the Kane does—more for BEST SHOE minor adjustments—since the compression fabric Performance does such a great job of securing the foot over the midsole. The midsole is EVA foam with a layer of reYE AR-END 2010 silient full-length Z-bound nearer the foot. The EVA Strobel board and polyurethane innersole provide additional benefits—both in step-in comfort, as well as improved fit and feel on the road. The carbon fiber shank responds well to the torsional forces generated through the gait and adds a responsive quality to the midfoot ride.

The outersole features blown rubber in the lateral forefoot and ZCR (Zoot carbon rubber) in the rearfoot and medial toe, traditionally the high-wear areas of any shoe. The quality materials, precise execution, and excellent ride garnered the Ultra Kalani our Best Shoe award in the Performance category.

“Wow! Great fit, great cushioning, a great shoe to run in.”

Performance $140 Sizes: men 8–12,13,14; women 6–11 Weight: 11.4 oz. (men’s 11); 9.8 oz. (women’s 8) Shape: semi-curved For: medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

CREGG WEINMANN is footwear and running products reviewer for Running Network LLC. He can be reached via e-mail at shuz2run@lightspeed.net.

Copyright © 2010 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of Running Network LLC. Reprinted here with permission.

RRCA.org

W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1 ClubRunning • 29

RRCA Training Tips Continued from page 26

AVAILABLE AT:

Fleet Feet Davis & Front Runners AND ONLINE AT: RoadRunnerSports.com

30 • ClubRunning W i n t e r 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1

distance of the long runs. While most marathoners strive to complete one or more runs of 20 miles leading up to the marathon, races of 50K to 100 miles require additional physical and psychological training that come from longer long runs. For a 50K race, achieving one or more runs of 25 miles or 4–5 hours is probably sufficient. For 50 to 100 mile races, building to one or more training runs of up to 6–10 hours is needed.

The good news is that both the training runs and the races themselves are all run at a more relaxed pace than most runners are used to from their marathon training and racing.

The pace should be easy, and it’s highly recommended to take regular walk breaks to extend the time to exhaustion. Make no mistake about it, most ultra runners will take regular walk breaks during their races, and fast walking is a skill that can be acquired.

The long training runs are your time and opportunity to experiment with all the various techniques and strategies you’ll need for fueling, hydration, and gear. You’ll need to consume more calories than you’re used to taking in during marathons and shorter-distance races, and this is the time to find out what fuels work best for you: powdered mixes, real food, gels, or some combination.

This is one of those areas where we are all truly “experiments of one” when it comes to what foods and fuels work for you. How much do you need to drink and how are you going to carry your fluids? Unlike typical water stops in a marathon, which may have water and sports drink every 1–2 miles, aid stations in ultramarathons may be much farther apart and there can be an hour or more between them. You’ll need to know this ahead of time and then work on your plan to manage your fuel and hydration needs on that course. These long runs are also where most of your mental training takes place. Learning to be on your feet for hours and how that feels is a critical part of your preparation. Experiencing the inevitable low spots and figuring out how to recover from them is essential to success in ultra distance events.

It’s important that you focus your training based on the rule of specificity by trying to mimic the conditions that you’ll encounter in your race during your training runs. If your target ultra is one that will be run on somewhat technical trails with hills to climb, then it’s critical to incorporate as much technical trail running and hills as you can manage into your training. For example, if you’re training for a mountainous 50K with substantial elevation gains and losses on dirt trails, it would be better to do a long run in the mountains on hilly trails that require 6 hours to complete

20 miles than it would to complete a 30-mile run on a flat asphalt path that also requires 6 hours. Make your training look as much like your race as you can.

One aspect of ultramarathoning to take into consideration is the importance of selfsufficiency and self-determination. Recognize that most ultra races are conducted under more primitive conditions and require runners to take a higher level of personal responsibility for their navigation, nutrition, hydration, and safety. Expect far less handholding in one of these events than in your typical road race. These races also tend to be small compared to road races and it’s not unusual to find yourself running alone on a forest trail. There are few spectators other than at aid stations, so don’t expect cheering crowds to pull you along.

If you have a passion for distance running, a love of the outdoors, and you wonder what lies beyond the marathon distance, you owe it to yourself to explore the world of ultramarathoning.

For more information on ultrarunning, some good resources are available. Ultrarunning magazine (ultrarunning.com) has monthly articles and race information. Kevin Sayers, an accomplished ultrarunner from Frederick, Maryland maintains a website loaded with information about every aspect of training for and running ultramarathons at www.ultrunr.com. Perhaps your best source of advice and inspiration will be found from other trail and ultrarunners in your area.

Search them out, run with them, and discover the adventure that lies beyond 26.2 miles of pavement.

Shortly after submitting this article to Club Running, Mike Broderick (RRCA coaching instructor) passed away at the young age of 54 on Nov. 5, 2010 due to complications arising from a brief battle with lung cancer.

“Mike was a coach, a teacher, a runner, and a friend to hundreds of men and women across the country. But to those who knew him well—and there were many—he was much more than that. If a person could be the heart and soul of a running community, that was Mike Broderick. Known as the ‘coach’s coach,’ Mike dedicated his life to the community of runners he loved so much, sharing his inspired form of coaching, not only by training runners himself, but also by teaching others to become coaches.”

– Eve Mills, RRCA Program Director

RRCA.org

FIND THE RHYTHM OF FAST. USAIN BOLT. WORLD’S FASTEST MAN.