The Wicked Running Register December 2010
Est. Jan 2010
Priceless
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH “It's very hard to understand in the beginning that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit.” -Dr. George Sheehan “When the days are too short, chances are you are living at your best.” -Earl Nightingale
WICKED KUDOS
In perhaps one of the biggest Wicked race turnouts of the year, a massive Wicked clump of runners met at the Gazebo on the Salem Common prior to the Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run on Thanksgiving Day morning. This race, which arguably brought the running boom back to the City of Salem, had a record 1,541 registered runners and 1,358 finishers- with top Wicked finishers Dave Long 10th overall, and Annie Rose Willis 9th woman. With such massive support from the local running community, this race remains the largest race on the North Shore. For complete race results and finishing times, check the Wicked website or coolrunning.com. In related news, Turkey Race Director Doug Bollen was inspired by the President’s pardon of the national turkey, and decided to pardon everyone not wearing Wicked clothing at the race. Congrats to the hard core runners who participated in the Stonecat Marathon and Ultra Marathon Saturday, 11/6/10. This race gives “eat and run” a whole new meaning, with food and drink stops along the way (bring your ID to show you are legal drinking age). Some Wicked finishers are pictured left, but more participated including Karen Giroux who completed her first ultra and wrote a race review later in this newsletter. If you intended to run the Stonecat Marathon but didn’t sign up before it closed, better start training even harder as starting next year it is only an ultra.
Congratulations to the 2010 Salem Park and Recreation Race Series finishers who completed all six Salem races, earning a cool race series hoodie in the process! Modeling their cool swag are Sue Keezer and Alison Rourke far right, and Mike Fitzgerald and Robin Lermond near right.
Page 2. A Wicked Fun Wedding! HUGE congratulations to WRC members Liz Touchette and Dan Sullivan (left, in a self-photo called “The Awesomes) who crossed the finish line of wedded bliss on November 13th, ran over to Ireland for a honeymoon, then raced back just in time for the Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run Thanksgiving morning. If you’ve ever been amazed at how many people you’ve met through running, imagine how many friends Team Touchette has made over the years… so many they held their own Wedding day race at Lynn Woods! (photo below by Chip Bott- far left standing).
A few Team Touchette & Sullivan fun wedding facts: * Miles suffered a broken leg, when Rich Tomlins danced around the table with him draped around his neck. * Bill Morse was listed in the wedding program as “Lord of the Rings” (a little more mature than ring bearer). * When Deb and Liz picked up their shirts for the wedding day trail race, they were accidentally shown the Wild Turkey shirt color, one of the best kept secrets in running circles. Ooops! * Lynn Wood friend Richard Lewis (right with the sporty bride) brought a stash of race shirts he changed into throughout the night.
* WRC members Tony Aloie and Eileen Quinn (left) are expecting twins on or around 12/18, as evidenced by her gigantic double baby bump! Baby news to come!!
Page 3. After completing the BAA Half Marathon in October, Paul Zampitella went the distance and wed Rose Fisher in Salem on November 6th. Wicked congrats to the happy couple, looking beautiful and happy on their wedding day, photo left. A big shout out to the Hamilton Wenham Cross-Country team who finished 1st in the States, with our own WRC member Kerry Phelan placing 7th. Ultra runner and WRC member Karen Giroux is the Assistant Coach. Congrats on a spectacular season! Happy 3rd anniversary to the Danvers 5k, which was born on Thanksgiving Eve 2007. Originally started by Liam Brady, the cast of characters who now lead this great event included Adam Prentiss and Aaron Toleos, along with the support of many more. As always, everyone is welcome‌ so check it out!
RUNNING AROUND‌ Upcoming Races & Official WRC Events Running Around is a listing of local races and running events that have been suggested by club members or emailed to the club by other groups to share with members. These are not necessarily endorsed or recommended events. Only the listings with the Wicked Logo are official Wicked Events or Grand Prix Races. For a more complete listing of upcoming races, see www.coolrunning.com. Monday, December 6, Wicked Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Salem Senior Center, Broad Street, Salem. All members are welcome to attend. Sunday, December 5, Mill Cities Relay Race. Teams have been pre-assigned, but the Club can always use volunteers and alternates for inevitable last minute replacements. If you can help out, or would like to be on a back up list of runners, please email Melissa Jaynes at melissa.jaynes@gmail.com. Good luck to all the Wicked runners representing out club at the prestigious invitation-only relay. Sunday, December 5, 11 a.m., Jolly Jaunt to benefit Special Olympics, 5k, Beverly Hospital at Danvers, MA, 480 Maple Street. Long sleeve T-shirts to participants, all proceeds benefit Special Olympics. Saturday, December 11, Noon, Assault on Mount Hood, Melrose Fish & Game, 100 Slayton Rd., Melrose, MA. 3.75 mile cross-country race at Mt. Hood Golf Course. Sunday, December 12, 11 a.m., Holiday 5k Run Against Breast Cancer on the Esplanade, DCR Hatchshell on the Charles River Esplanade, Storrow Drive. Pre-reg for 20 dollars! All proceeds benefit Faulkner Hospital Breast Centre. Thursday, December 16, 6:30 p.m. Special meeting with B & S Fitness at Salem Senior Center, Broad Street, Salem. This meeting is to discuss various WRC member comments and concerns with regards to recent B & S races. This meeting is open to all members who would like to share any issues that they had while participating in either the Wicked Half Marathon or the Devil's Chase. If you have any topics for discussion, send a note to Tim Short describing the situation and a possible solution by December 15, 2010. This meeting is designed to give feedback to B&S Fitness to what went wrong at some of their events and possible solutions as well. An email will go out to the membership with more details about the meeting. For more information please contact Tim.
Page 4. Sunday, December 19, 10:30 a.m., Winter Classic 5k, Cambridge, MA. Asgard Pub, 350 Massachusetts Avenue (Flat course, great prizes and gifts, Post Race party at the Asgard Pub). Thursday, December 30, Mystic Invasion of the NRFTW Run from Salem Common A note from NRFTW organizers: “Since the Mystic Runners were so nice to invite members of the Wicked Running Club down to their Lake "Q" 5K race during the summer, Wicked has decided to return the favor and is inviting our friends from Mystic to our "No Rest For The Wicked" Weekly 5K"ish" on Thursday, December 12/30 at 6:45 pm. Following the run, everyone is invited back to Engine House Restaurant for a post run wrap up with Pizza and Beer. If you haven't had a chance to participate in what is affectionately referred to as "NRFTW", you should certainly consider coming to this last run for 2010! Or come to any of the Thursday night runs before then to practice the course! This is a great chance for Wicked Runners to get to know another awesome group of people who love running just as much as we do. I hope many of you will be able to make it. Be sure to check out the "NRFTW" Facebook page as well!” Saturday, January 1st, Our Own Frosty Four! 10 a.m., Old Town Hall, Salem. As this is our club race, all WRC members are asked to volunteer instead of run the race. If you wish to participate in the 2011 Salem Park & Recreation Race Series, and/or would like a race shirt (provided there are still some left), you must still register and pay for the race. There will be announcements about running prior to the race as a credit towards 2011 Salem Park & Recreation Race Series, but please note that you must run at the allotted time (which looks like prior to race) and have paid your registration fee prior to race day. Saturday, January 8, 2011, 10 a.m. Olde Salem Greens Snowshoe Classic, 5kish. Olde Salem Greens Golf Course, Salem, MA. Hosted by Salem Park, Recreation and Community Services with a special nod to Eileen Dunn and Dungeon Rock Racing. The first 75 registrants will receive a pair of custom- designed, actionperformance wool socks. No snowshoes? No problem- check out info online on reserving a pair of Dion snowshoes for $5. No snow? Still no problem as it will be a cross-country trail race. This race was great fun last year and one of the largest snowshoe races in the East! 31st Hyannis Marathon, Half Marathon, 10Km & Marathon Team Relay, Hyannis, MA 10:00AM Resort & Conference Center of Hyannis, 35 Scudder Avenue. This is a popular winter race destination for Wicked folks, and usually has appearances by Bill Rogers and Frank Shorter. Sign up early to keep yourself motivated! Sunday, May 1st, 2011, 2011 Eugene Marathon and Half Marathon, Eugene, OR. If you are looking for a destination race, it doesn’t get better than finishing your run with a half lap on historic Hayward Field. http://www.eugenemarathon.com/register/ WEEKLY RUNS: 1) Monday nights, 6:30 p.m., Lynch Park, Beverly. Parking is free after 6 p.m. 2) Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 5:30 a.m. from Front Street, Salem 3) Thursday nights, 6:45 p.m. Salem Common near Hawthorne Hotel. Post socializing at the Engine House 4) Saturday mornings, 8 a.m. from Forest River Park, Salem Other local weekly runs, free or optional donation: The Danvers 5k, Wednesdays, 7 p.m.ish (rain or shine), FREE! Starts at Sweet William’s Garden Center, 141 Pine Street, Danvers. BYOB post party. Details: http://danvers5k.com/about. ALL are welcome to run and it’s not an official race. We pride ourselves in being a diverse bunch and have regular runners of all ages and abilities. In nice weather, we even get a few parents with strollers. If you’re just starting out, that’s a great reason to come by. Chances are we’ll be a reason you keep running. Experienced runners like the D5K too. It’s a good regular run and you get to talk shop with other local runners. “Run The Q” (a.k.a. Wakefield Lake), Wednesday nights, 6:45 p.m. Weekly 5K Hosted by the Mystic Runners. Starts at Lord Wakefield Hotel, 595 North Avenue, Wakefield. Very flat course around the Lake.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES An email from Kathey Moskal: “Hey Wicked Runners, Just a friendly reminder that we are still looking for volunteers for the Frosty Four on New Year’s Day. Please consider volunteering for the race - it really is a fun time and a great opportunity to meet other members. The link below will take you right to the volunteer form! http://wickedrunningclub.com/the-frosty-4/volunteer-for-the-wicked-frosty-four/”
The 2nd Annual Wicked Running Club Toy Drive to benefit members at The Greater Salem Boys & Girls Club is taking place now through Sunday, December 19. For information on this event, see Presidential Perspective at the end of this newsletter.
RUNNING PERSONALS 2011 BOSTON MARATHON CHARITY RECRUITING: Some WRC members expressed interest in running for a charity, but believed they were all sold out. I recently received a note from the coordinator for 2011 Mass Eye and Ear Boston Marathon Team letting us know they still have a few spots available. If interested, please email Kristina Sym at Mass Eye and Ear for details at Kristina_Sym@MEEI.HARVARD.EDU. Are your goals achievable? It’s great to set race time goals to help motivate you, but to check if your goal is realistic at your current fitness level, go to runnersworld.com/cda/trainingcalculator. Enter your current race time at any distance and it will calculate your potential at a variety of distances up to a marathon. From Mike Toomey: Here is a quick update on running programs coming up at Toomey Sports. Boston Marathon Online Training Program This customized online training program will guide you through your training for Boston 2011. It will include daily runs, weekly workouts, and a long run each week that will get you ready for the big day. The training program starts January 1, and includes unlimited email and phone contact. We are able to meet with individuals and small groups for an extra fee, please check with us for details. Cost of the entire program is $125. (*Athletes that sign up for this program get access to Wednesday night indoor track practice at no extra charge!) Indoor Track Program Get out of the cold! This program meets on Wednesday nights 6:45-8pm at Governors Academy in Byfield, MA. Training plans can be geared towards any event up to the marathon. We have both youth and adult programs offered this night. Session 1: Wednesday’s November 3- December 29 6:45-8pm. Cost $120 ($60 option if joining in December) Session 2: Wednesday’s January 5 – February 23 6:45-8pm. Cost $120 More info can be found at www.toomeysports.net All programs are directed by Mike Toomey, USA Track & Field Certified Coach. www.toomeysports.net, www.nsrunningproject.com
SEEN & HEARD “ON THE RUN” Did anyone else witness a running couple get engaged in the Boys & Girls Club post Turkey Race? Brian Chisholm said it all went down right near the Wicked table. Rumors have been flying that the Lake Winnipesaukee Relay Race, which notoriously fell on the same day as the Wicked Half Marathon, will be moved up a few weekends next year, with a tentative date of 9/10/11. New WRC member Christian Nolin dropped a note to let us know his Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run Time was 33:59 and he wanted to be sure he was listed as a Wicked member. I have to admit I don’t know who Christian is yet, but with a time like that I’m sure I will in the near future! Fresh from her Philadelphia marathon finish, Darla Johnson is registered for the Pittsburgh PA Marathon on May 15, 2011. Why Pittsburgh you ask? I ask the same thing… so let me know when you find out ☺ Healing thoughts and prayers go out to Billy Prentiss as he recovers at home following a fall off of a ladder.
Page 6. This year’s winner of the Philadelphia Marathon, Dan Vassallo, was a past multiple winner of the Wild Turkey 5Mile Run. Talk about a small world. WRC member Shari Hewson’s sister-in-law was in a serious auto related accident several years ago, resulting in major injuries that could have been life threatening, had it not been for WRC member Frank Kilroy who drove by and stopped to see what the commotion was. He immediately took action at the scene, freeing her from the car and performing CPR, which likely saved her life. A very grateful Shari wrote a heartfelt letter of thanks not only for saving her sister-in-law’s life, but for saving the family from nearly losing a loved one- a letter that Frank still has. For his unselfish good deed, Frank received the “Heroes Among Us” award at a Celtic’s game. All of this was before the Wicked Running Club existed, which Shari and Frank are now members of. Michele Campbell: “A PR at the Wild Turkey 5 Mile: 48:01 (would have been 48 even if those few folks didn't cut me in the corral...but still, I'm psyched!)” Shannon Downey is planning a Mother’s Day race starting at the AOH in Peabody Square- stay tuned for more information in months to come! I recently added swimming to my workouts, and would like to remind everyone that what you do under the water is NOT invisible to those swimming laps with goggles on. ‘Nuff said! Kudos to NRFTW Thursday night coordinator Brant Henne who sent an email shout out to Thursday night runners to let them know the run was on, turkey day or no turkey day… now that’s commitment! Doug Bollen is being stalked by a black cat. It jumps out at him on the path behind Salem State College hangs around in our yard. He doesn’t cry for food, and doesn’t seem spooked to see us. He just sits and stares. He looks like Doug’s deceased cat Beetlebomb, but also bears a striking resemblance to Miles Fartlek. I asked Doug if he had seen Pet Cemetery by Stephen King and he said no. Good thing! Age group alert: Dawn Cobak has bumped up to 40-49…and she is getting FAST so watch out 40ish girls! The President recently liked our economic recover to a marathon, not a sprint. Having run a few marathons, I can attest to the fact that marathons can seem painfully slow and it seems like forever until you cross the finish line. But you will eventually get there, so just keep the faith and keep moving forward! While Patrick Smith and Denise Murphy ran the Philadelphia Marathon, their pup Tula was seen tooling around town with Iron Man dog sitter, Tim Clarke. Congrats to Amber Woolfenden who took a hefty 20 minutes off of her half marathon time at the Maine Half on 11/7/10. After the same race, Sarah Carrier noted on Facebook: “After Scott gave me a post- race hug, he asked, ‘did you throw up on the course? You smell like vomit’. Gee- thanks dear! :)” Allison Rourke recreating a recent traffic incident on Facebook: Officer: "Hey, I noticed your 26.2 sticker. What marathon did you do?" Me: "Anchorage, Alaska. Actually I am also running one tomorrow." Next thing I know, he is letting me off with a warning and a "Good luck at your race tomorrow." (Stonecat Trail Marathon) Fred Bollen on Facebook commenting on the Boston Marathon sell out: “People whinning about getting shut out of the Boston Marathon and registration filling up in 8 hrs. Hey, this year only 80 of us ran the 48th Walter Child’s Marathon on 5/1/10 No glitz, only distance running and old-fashion camaraderie. Stop whinning and run this club race for 40 bucks” To which Fred’s cousin Nancy noted: “Fred, doesn't your browser have a spell check?” In the battle of the running injured, rumor is that Dan Barrett pulled away from TR Ramsdell in the final mile of the Wild Turkey Race to capture his 2010 Wicked Race Series age group win. Final details of the race series wrap up and annoucement of our 2011 race series coming soon.
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REVIEW YOUR RUN Stone Cat 50 Miler, Saturday 11/6/10 Reviewed by Karen Giroux “This was my first 50-mile trail race. I thought that running close to home (Ipswich) and with our good friends from the GAC would be a good place to try the distance. The race was held in Willowdale State Park on a 12.5-mile loop of rolling mostly single-track trails and carriage roads. It was a perfect day to run! Cool and a bit overcast. Loop #1—All the runners started together in the dark with headlamps. I always like the way the sky and trails “glow” just before sunrise. LOVED seeing Wicked Steph Cooper in her cat ears at Fast Fred’s aid station!! I also got to see lots of my friends doing the marathon during this loop. Loop #2—I was totally enjoying the day. Seeing Steph the second time gave me an "up" that lasted to the end of this loop! I came through the halfway mark in 5:40 hours (I did note to myself that I would have run a faster marathon this year than last year's 5:55) I was sent out on loop #3 with cheers and "good lucks". (and a "you're crazy"...don't know who that was!) Loop #3-- I hit my only "low" spot during this loop when I had to run through the Beaver Pond for the third time. I did NOT want cold, wet feet again! The Beaver pond had overflowed the trail...it was basically a "puddle with a current" and stretched about the length of a full basketball court. No way around it--and it got DEEPER as the day went on! Third loop it was over my ankles....brrr! I found during this loop that I really, really wanted to be alone. I was able to run my own pace better and I didn't want to talk. It was also during this loop that people kept asking me if I was one of the lead women (ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!) I responded "no--this is my third loop, not fourth!". It still made me FEEL good though! Loop #4-- I grabbed my lights @ the start of this loop because I would be finishing in the pitch dark. I was still enjoying running alone, but admit the hills grew considerably larger as the day went on ☺ especially in this last loop. At the last aid station before the finish, I knew I was going to be running into the dark alone very soon. While this thought had scared me a LOT during the weeks before Stone Cat, I was actually excited to be running alone in the dark. Just before it got pitch black, I heard owls hooting all through the woods. I love owls, so this gave me a great lift. I wanted to answer them "It's ME!!" This was the darkest dark I'd ever been in. I found I still had energy to run (a lot slower in the dark), and with my headlamp and flashlight, I could see both the trail and the markers. Soon I could hear the party at the finish through the woods. As I came through the field, there were whoops and hollers, and Gilly was yelling through the bullhorn "Runner! Runner! Run toward the Light!" As I ran into view, Gilly announced "This is Karen finishing her FIRST 50 miler!" I went through the finish and was given my finishers coat. Someone came over and handed me a cheeseburger and cup of Ale. (yum!) My finish time was 12 hours 8 minutes. I am happy with my time for a first 50, although I feel like I probably could have been less conservative with pace as I finished with energy and feeling fine! I felt really happy throughout the whole day. This was a totally different "mental game". I didn't think in terms of "miles". I ran aid station to aid station, never considering how far I was or how far I had to go. And YES, I will do another 50!”
Congrats Karen!
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Philadelphia Marathon (Philadelphia, PA), 11/21/10 Reviewed by Patrick Smith & Denise Murphy If you're looking for a big city marathon experience, but want the conveniences of a smaller more personal marathon, Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, may be the marathon for you. For me and my wife Denise (and forever running partner), this race gets two thumbs up. Logistically this race was so easy, you could walk to the start from almost any downtown hotel, you could arrive 30 min before the start and still get to your coral location, and was so organized at the finish and yet it was still a race with 20,000 runners (9,000 marathoners, 11,000 half). In addition, the race/accommodations/food didn’t empty your pocketbook, it had weather that can be guaranteed at 40 to 60 degrees, and a course with a nice mix of flat and rolling terrain to mix up the muscle groups and keep you moving. For a 7am start (due to the first 7 miles through the City), the crowds were great, music and inspiration were where you needed it and there were plenty of water/Gatorade and GU stops (and even one beer and brownies aid station at mile 19!). We raced well, raced smart and within our limits. Denise PR’d with at 4:16:03 (and would have hit her sub 4:15 goal if she would stop waiting in port-a-potty lines and just pee behind something like 80% of the other racers). For her second marathon in a row, she had a negative split for the second 13 miles. Now that’s a good game plan. For me, “I” did not want to run this, was talked into it by Denise, whined about it all year, but in the end couldn’t stop from having the best weekend a marathon could bring. From the running to dining to drinking to sight seeing, it was that much fun. Game plan-wise I went the other route from Denise, getting comfortable early and then banking time (12 sec under per mile) to the 20 mi mark to give plenty of bonus time for the final 10k. With the assistance of a pace band made by master band maker T.R. (THANKS!) I had a plan for a sub 3:20 that I was on track for at the 10k, 13 mi and 30k mark, but I let a little too much time slip by over the last 4 miles and cruised in with a sweet 3:22:56 BQ (needed 3:30). Take that sold out Boston 2011! (chip on the shoulder? Me?). Philly's course treats you to historical landmarks like the Liberty Bell, as well as the natural beauty of scenic sections along the Schuylkill River. And, if you still have some energy left at the finish line, you can do your best "Rocky" imitation by running up the Philadelphia Museum of Art's steps. If you aren’t a big fan of marathons, but still want to do one to say you did it, let Philly bring you in.” (‘Pain is temporary, Pride is Forever” – Dave Scott, 6-time Ironman World Champion)
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I’m also a sports therapist. This month’s member interview is with our co-founder and last year’s Salem News Coach of the Year, Mike Toomey (pictured left winning the 1st Wild Turkey 5-Mile Run, which finished on Salem Common that year). Here is some background information from the man, the myth, and the legend: “I grew up in Lynn with 2 sisters and went to Lynn English and UMass Lowell. I lived in Salem for 10 years and moved to Marblehead 2 years ago. I’m recently engaged to Theresa Ridgway (a new wicked member!) and have a stepdaughter Maria and a 7 month old puppy Miss Lucy. Running Background: High School State Champ in the mile (PR of 4:17), Boston Herald and Globe All-Scholastic. College: NCAA All-American in XC and NCAA Team Champs in 1991, Member of UMass Hall of Fame. Post-Collegiate: Ran for Reebok, Boston for 6 years after graduating Wicked member #1 and 100 :) started club with Doug and Jen to give the people in the clinics a common team to run for and it just took off from there. Today, I have a sports therapy practice in Marblehead focusing on Sports Massage and Active Release technique and I’m also a running coach for Salem Park and Rec, private runners, and Marblehead High School Girls Track.” Congratulations on your engagement! Are the nuptials planned yet, or still in the works? Still in the works...although it’s looking like this March How did you and Theresa meet? Through a mutual running friend.... Kevin Sullivan. What kind of pup is Lucy? A nightmare! No....she is sweet, probably a cross between black lab and hound dog You have a very impressive running background. What was your proudest personal running moment? Definitely when my college team won NCAA's in 1991. We were all best friends and all from MA so it made it very special. We did everything together and to experience that with each other was out of this world. We were recently inducted into the UMass Hall of Fame and we all went in together. We often hear about elite runners who are sponsored by a company like you were. What does all of that really mean...are you recruited? Is it a full time job to train and race? Is the primary objective to promote the brand of shoes you wear? Do you do appearances, etc? What it meant for me was that I ran for a team sponsored by Reebok. My coach set up a relationship with Reebok where they provided equipment, race fees, and travel expenses. We did have a few athletes on the team that were individually sponsored but most of us were part of the team. My coach was Joan Benoit's coach when she won the gold medal in 1984...so to have the chance to run for him was amazing. The 7 years I spent with him really set the foundation for my coaching today, as he really spent a lot of time talking to me and explaining his theories and philosophy. I worked full time during those years, but running was my focus. We did do a lot of clinics in those days for local schools and teams and you can be sure Reebok made sure we were decked out with clothing to promote them.
Page 10. How does the Wicked Running Club as it is today compare to your original vision when you started the club? On one hand, I could have never imagined any of this...but then again; the north shore is such a special place for the sport of running that it does not surprise me at all. We have been so lucky with the people that have been involved with the club, people like Doug Bollen, Tim Short, Rich Tomlins, Sherrie Feffer, etc. Those people really got us to where we are today. I was at the last board meeting and it looks like the incoming board will be our best yet, they are so energized and excited to lead the club going forward. What are some of your proudest moments as a coach? There are way too many to list here...two that stand out are 1) Danny Chick running 3:17 at Baystate in 2008. That was just a special day where an athlete put it all on the table and was rewarded with a magical day. I don’t think I saw an athlete smile more than Danny did that day.... both during and after the race. 2) Last year my 4 x 400 team at Marblehead came in 12th at US Nationals running a 3:59 in NYC. The time, finish, race was incredible...but the fact that they did it on the biggest stage in High School Track is what makes it so special. What would Wicked be surprised to know about you? I’m afraid of the dark What is your favorite race and why? The 800m or one mile race on an indoor track. Nothing beats the energy you get circling the track with everyone going crazy on the outside. You can’t hide in track.... and I love that part of it.
Question of the Month –What are your running goals for 2011? Michele Campbell: “My 2011 running goals are to work on earning more PRs (a half marathon PR would be great), complete a second full marathon in the fall, and improve overall fitness. Also, not running, but I want to be a better tennis player in 2011.” Susan Goniprow: “To run my first half-marathon.” Courtney Silver: “I would love to fit in at least 1 half marathon and 1 marathon for 2011. I feel one of each is attainable for my schedule. I have so far only run one half marathon, and met my goal of sub 2:00:00 (1:58:49). My goal for my next half is sub 1:55:00. Baby steps... :)” Kathey Moskal: “I certainly have running time goals that will remain mine only, but more importantly my 2 major goals for 2011 are to run the entire year happy and healthy and to have 1 run every week where I don't wear a watch or Garmin…don't worry about distance or pace and just enjoy the run for what7 it is- getting out there and running because I can!” Debbie Shahidi: “My goals for 2011 are to participate in a few more half marathons and maybe even a relay race.” Kerry Phelan: “My goals for 2011 is to continue to race well for my team, and run with the club as often as I can (especially at 5:30am!). I hope I can continue to stay motivated in my training, and drop my times in my cross country and track races while still having tons of fun!” Beth O’Grady: “Health permitting, to qualify for the Gansett Marathon with a 4 hour marathon finish time (my best to date 4:05:50). This is the new “Boston Marathon” alternative race, and the only Marathon that is 100% qualifying runners aside from the Olympic trials. Hey… if it were easy, it wouldn’t be a goal! Editor’s note: I was disappointed to get so few goals sent along to me, but strongly suggest anyone with a goal in mind to visualize it and verbalize it. I’ve talked to a lot of members who have ‘secret goals’ because they fear peer pressure or having to face public failure. Personally, I was scared to death of saying I was trying to qualify for Boston, but I got nothing but support and encouragement from WRC members. Sure I feared failure and having to possibly tell everyone I didn’t make it after a year of talking about nothing but my goal. But as Doug is my witness, in those moments after the marathon when I thought I did not achieve my goal, I was still proud for having set it in the first place and trying my best. Luckily, my best turned out to be good enough by 10 seconds, but sometimes the success is in the trying as much as the final result.
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS WICKED? A very sincere THANK YOU to Wicked Running Club members for giving up a Sunday afternoon to stuff a record number of Turkey day race bags. Your help is truly invaluable and essential to the success of this great community event!
As he continues his out of control downward spiral, WRC mascot Miles Fartlek did not register for the Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run until Thanksgiving morning, then had a fit about not getting a shirt. When Doug Bollen told him he could not make any exceptions, Miles tried to sneak onto the Boys & Girls Club balcony which displayed 7 years worth of wild turkey shirt glory, only to find the doors locked and his plot foiled. Don’t me a Miles Fartlek‌ be sure to register early next year!
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PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE by Tim Short It’s hard to believe that it’s already December! The Wicked Running Club has done some amazing things over this past year and it’s been an honor to be the President. With just 31 days to go before we welcome 2011, Wicked is ending the year with our 2nd Annual Wicked Running Club Holiday Toy Drive to benefit members at the Greater Salem Boys & Girls Club. The toy drive is going on now through Sunday, December 19. Toys should be new and unwrapped. Gift cards to Target are great for older kids and young teens as people normally think of a toy drive for just young kids. Please consider donating toys/gift cards in the amount of $10 and greater. The age range for the Toy Drive is 718. Wicked will be donating all toys/gift cards to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem on December 20, 2010. Toys can be dropped off at Tues/Thurs morning runs with Alison Phelan or Saturday morning with me or any other Board member present for the Saturday run. Our friends over at New England Running Company will once again be participating with Wicked as the official community-drop off location for all donations. If you would like to donate, but cannot make it to New England Running Company or any of the structured runs to drop off your gifts, please get in touch with me and I will make arrangements to receive your donations. This is a statement from the Boys & Girls Club regarding its programs: “In many communities, an increasing number of boys and girls are left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets. As well, an increasing number of children go home after school each day to no adult care or supervision. Young people need to know that someone cares about them and will always care for them. Boys & Girls Clubs offer that and more. Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. Boys & Girls Clubs are a safe place to learn and grow – all while having fun. They are truly The Positive Place for Kids.” As Wicked becomes more prominent in Salem and the surrounding communities, we are seeking to give back in as many ways as possible. On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you in advance for your generosity to this amazing organization, and to thousands of children who otherwise would not celebrate the spirit that makes the holidays what they are. Be sure to visit the 2nd Annual Holiday Toy Drive Facebook Page! Since this will be my final Presidential Perspective of 2010, I would like to thank Beth O’Grady for doing an outstanding job with the Wicked Running Register. Each month the WRR is a pleasure to read and I think that it is a wonderful resource for club members. I would also like to thank the Board of Directors and all the other members who have volunteered their time and energy over this past year to make the Wicked Running Club the best that it can be. I’m looking forward to supporting the Board in 2011 and watching Wicked continue to grow and prosper in the coming years. Keep on Running Wicked Nation! Tim Short, President
Page 13. EDITOR’S NOTE: As I wrap up my year as newsletter editor, I’d like to thank everyone in the club who found time in their busy schedules to send in contributions to share with other members. With a club as big as ours that has several different weekly running groups, the newsletter can be a great way for everyone to feel connected and get to know each other. But as with pretty much everything in life, it is only as strong as the people who contribute to it, and in recent months the contributions have dropped off drastically. With that in mind, we sent out a Survey Monkey asking you for feedback about the future of our club newsletter. We received 41 responses that will be forwarded to the Board of Director to discuss how to proceed to best meet the needs of our members with regards to club news and information. In light of our 2011 Wicked Running elections currently taking place, I would like to commend our outgoing President, Tim Short, for a fantastic job as not only the leader, but the heart and soul of our club. In my entire volunteer career, I have never seen anyone give so much of himself to a cause and devote so many hours to our success. Perhaps the only person aside from Tim who truly knows the hours of dedication he put into this Club, is his wife Nicole, who is expecting their first baby in February 2011. As we look forward to a new year, new leadership, and a new board of directors, I wish everyone a happy, healthy year of running ahead. Go Wicked! B.
Vote through December 10 at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CKZV8DG or http://wickedrunningclub.com/