The Wicked Running Register November 2010
Est. Jan 2010
Priceless
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QUOTES OF THE MONTH “Pure and simple, any person who is enjoying life is a success.” -William Feather “Running is about finding your inner peace, and so is a life well lived.” –Dean Karnazes
WICKED KUDOS Our own Tim Clarke successfully completed the elite Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii on October 9, 2010- one of the most famous and respected Triathlons in the sporting world. His times are below. The only one I understand is the marathon and that would be respectable without a 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike ride first! See his review later in this newsletter- huge congrats to Tim! SWIM 1:22:24
BIKE 6:56:34
RUN 4:34:01
OVERALL 13:08:04
Runners who participated in this year’s Bay State Marathon and Lowell Sun Half Marathon were greeted with an abundance of sunshine and cool temperatures at the start of the race. Wicked was well represented in both the Marathon and Half Marathon this year as both races were in the Wicked Grand Prix race series. Congrats to Wicked Baystate Marathon Finishers: Tim Short, Aaron Toleos, Jeff Citroni, Gail Gordon (Boston Qualifier- woo hoo!), Moe Kelley, Dan Barrett and TR Ramsdell. …and our Wicked Sun Half Marathon Finishers: Brad Gates, Jennifer Howland, Rachel Somogie, Jacquie Washburn (NYC Marathon Qualifier- woo hoo too!), Billy Hutchinson, Shannon Downey and Kristine Capua. The Sun Half was Shannon Downey’s first half marathon (Yeah!). She said: “I am thrilled that I completed my first half marathon and proud to say that I ran the entire thing. Now if I could only find a way to get faster... :-)” Shannon’s hubby WRC member Billy Hutchinson said: “Psyched to do my first half marathon! TR suggested that I write my goal time on my hand for inspiration during the run. I was shooting for 2:15 and wrote that on my palm but it had rubbed off before the race even started! But I beat it anyway - official time 2:12:04.” Chicago Marathon News, 10/10/10: It was another Chicago steamer as temps reached the 80’s by late morning, but Wicked Women Melissa Jaynes and Michele Campbell both ran marathon PRs! Melissa ripped over 10 minutes off her previous marathon PR, and Michele set a new PR completing her first marathon, albeit with several trips to aid tents to cool down. Wicked friend Marie Gesnaldo also completed her first marathon, with some help from her daughter-in-law and veteran marathoner, Nicole Parsons. Check out the look of pride on Michele’s face at the finish line… well done! In photo left, Marie Gesnaldo and Nicole Parsons (seated) were riding the Chicago subway, when who got on but Melissa Jaynes (front) - on her way to the Perdue game. Wicked small world! Fantastic job by Kerry Phelan, who was listed in the Sunday Boston Globe on 10/3 as 2nd place finisher in the Bay State Invitational 3.1 mile race, Division 2, representing Hamilton-Wenham with a time of 19:05:17. Kerry also just got her driver’s license, which makes 99% of our club feel Wicked old!
Page 2. Rich Tabbut is racking up the senior PR’s this year, including his new one at the 5-mile Apple Harvest Run on Sunday, 10/3/10. See Rich’s race review later in the register. As Rich says, “Competing back and forth with some younger guys, hilly course, and another senior PR (32:47, 1st 50-59). That's what I run for.” Rich hit another senior PR at the Boston Firefighters 10K on 10/17/10, running 41:03. Nice! Congrats to Jacquie Washburn who qualified for the New York City Marathon with her half marathon finish at Bay State (Lowell Sun Half). As Jacquie states: “It was a perfect day - almost no wind and it was cool. I went into telling myself enjoy the run, if it happens it happens, but I was skeptical that I would be able to do it. I started in the back - second to the last row - which probably was the best thing I could have done because I think I stuck to about an 8:15 pace for the first two miles (of course I forgot to get the GPS satellite set before the race - so my Garmin wasn't working which might have been a good thing) - for miles 7-12 I stuck a 7:40 pace and mile 13 I was starting to drag but hit about an 8:00 pace, the time clock said 1:45:35 and I thought I didn't make it - and then when I pulled up cool running I saw I made it by 3 seconds. I tell you all this because - no one but a runner really understands - they just think you’re a bit crazy.” (For those of you who were not aware, New York City allows you to qualify for the full marathon with half marathon qualifying times- check the website for details.) Gail Gordon (photo left): “Happy the (Bay State) Marathon is over. Happier that I qualified for Boston. Happiest that I also PR'd. Now rest, eat, repeat.” CONGRATS GAIL! Smuttynose Hampton Half Results: A comfortably cool and dry Sunday morning, resulted in some great finishing times at this waterfront course including: Matt Adams, 1:41, Sarah Carrier and Allison Rourke, 1:52, Shari Hewson and Alison Phelan, 2:01. I’m sensing some wicked teamwork going on here… A plethora of Wicked people participated in the 10th Annual Witch City 5k presented by the Salem YMCA the weekend before Halloween. In honor of Halloween, my psychic abilities kicked in and I believe I can read Dave Long’s mind (left in photo) as he eyes John Ayers (right in photo). But you’ll just have to guess for yourself John finished 1st overall in 16:47, and Dave finished 3rd overall (and 1st in his age) in 16:57two fantastic finishes. Other Wicked winners were Annie Rose Willis- 2nd in her age group, Elaine Ambrozaitis- 1st in her age group and Billy Prentiss- 2nd in his age group. The same weekend, sturdy Stone Tower Trail runners took on Lynn Woods. 5k finishers were Sarah Coffey, Mary Bruno and Robin Lermond. 15k hardy souls were Team Touchette- Liz, Deb & Steve, Billy Shea, Alison Phelan, Karen Giroux and Angel Green. My hat goes off to all of you- this is a tough course no matter which distance you run! Mary Lester Bruno: “Who knew? PR 5k for me today (Fall Frolic, Beverly, 10/17) - 27:37 Happy Day :)” Great job by Ms. Race Director Shari Hewson who held the 1st Annual Fall Frolic 5k to benefit Beverly Elementary Schools on Sunday, October 17. Despite competition from several popular running events the same day including Bay State and Ravenwoods, Shari scored over 300 runners who cruised along the beautiful, rolling course to a great downhill finish inside Lynch Park. I personally ran my 3rd fastest 5k ever and came in first for my age group, probably because I know Kenny Hewson just behind me the whole way planning to pass any minute! Other Wicked medal winners were John Ayers, first overall, Annie Rose Willis- 2nd in age group, Shane Kilroy2nd in his age group.
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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. Saturday, November 6, 10th Annual Stonecat 50 Mile and Marathon Trail Races, 6:15 a.m. Doyon School, 216 Linebrook Road, Ipswich. Organized by G.A.C., with proceeds to benefit Willowdale State Forest and Bradley Palmer State Park. This race is CLOSED, so if you did not already register and get accepted -better luck next year! Saturday, November 6, Boston College 5k for Haiti, 11 a.m. Boston College. Saturday, November 6, Run for All Ages 5k, 10 a.m., Wakefield. Same course as the Wednesday night Run the Q weekly series. Lord Wakefield Hotel, Wakefield, MA. Sunday, November 7, 3rd Annual EBSB Fall Back Challenge, 5K Road Race/Walk, 9 a.m. EBSB, 67 Prospect Street, Peabody (Northshore Mall). Pre-entry - $15 (by Oct 29th) or Post-entry $20. New course- 11k distance has been eliminated due to low numbers. Register at active.com. Sunday, November 7, Aaron’s 5k Run, Oxford High School, 495 Main St., Oxford, MA, Noon. All proceeds will be contributed to the family of Aaron Belanger, a student who was seriously injured when he was hit by a car running for school bus in September. The family is in serious need of assistance with increasing medical expenses. Aaron is the cousin of SHS track coach, Gary Lavoie. Monday, November 8, General Membership Meeting, 6:30 PM Senior Center- All members are encouraged to attend! There will be pizza and soda available for all members who attend. Come and listen to those who have been nominated as they give their statements on why they would like to be on the WRC Board of Directors in 2011. Information about upcoming Wicked Running Club events and races will be also given out that night. Members will also get to ask questions of the current Board Members. Hope to see you there! Thursday, November 11, 1st Annual Veteran’s Day Road Race, Bedford, MA. 10k starts at 9 a.m., 5k starts at 9:15 a.m. VA Medical Center, 200 Springs Road, Bedford. All proceeds benefit deployed military families. Sunday, November 14, 8th Annual Magic Mountain 5 Mile Road Race/Walk, Leominster, MA 10:00AM Leominster Sportsmen’s Club, 1455 Elm St. Description from director: Rolling hills, beautiful rural setting, Tshirts, prizes, raffles, food, cash bar. Saturday, November 20, Milton 5k Gobbler for Best Buddies, Milton, MA 9 a.m. Cunningham School, 44 Edge Hill Road (USATF Certified Course flat and scenic loop through Milton). Sunday, November 21, Essex’s Lion’s Club 8k Turkey Trot, Essex, MA. NOON. Starts at Woodman’s Restaurant in Essex. Sunday, November 21, Lynnfield Rotary 5k Turkey Trot, 11 a.m. Lynnfield Middle School. Residential neighborhoods, rolling hills, one challenging hill, prizes, tees. Thanksgiving Day 2010, Thursday, November 25. The Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run! 8 a.m. Boys & Girls Club, Hawthorne Blvd., Salem. 100% of proceeds benefit youth programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem and Salem Park & Recreation. You know the deal- register early if you covet the popular race shirt as they go fast and sizes can’t be guaranteed! It’s also the final race in the 2010 Salem Park & Recreation Race Series, AND the Wicked Race Series. The race course is new and improved, AND certified by USATF.
Page 4. Friday, November 26, 2010, Gabe’s Run, 5k Trail Races, Hamilton, MA. Starting times vary depending on race- check out the website at www.gabesrun.org. If you are lucky enough to have the day after Thanksgiving off, check it out. Sunday, November 28, 31st Annual 3.5M Andover Country Club Cross Country Race, Andover, MA NOON. Andover Country Club, Canterbury Street, Off Rt. 133. X-Country race on golf course, pasta buffet to follow, team awards. Sunday, December 19, 2010, Somerville Jingle Bell 5k Run, Davis Square, 11 a.m. This fundraising race is limited to 5,000 and closes very early so sign up now if interested (It was 55% full when I checked)! It’s a little pricey at $31, but the proceeds support local charities and includes admission, food and a beer at local pubs in the area. Plus the finisher medal is a keepsake bottle opener. Dress up as Santa, an elf, or Rudolph and come on downwe’ll be there! WEEKLY RUNS: 1) Monday nights, 6:30 p.m., Lynch Park, Beverly. 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: *D5K, Wednesday nights, 7 p.m., rain or shines. 5K Timed Fun Run, Starts at Sweet William’s Garden Center, 141 Pine Street, Danvers. BYOB post party. Details: http://danvers5k.com/about. * “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.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES A note from Stephanie Hagyard about our own Frosty Four race on New Year’s morning: “Kathey Moskal and I are heading up the volunteer committee for the Frosty 4. This race is our flagship event and is not possible without the help of all of our members - without volunteers this race could not be run. Last year we had over 500 registered runners and it was an awesome event that allowed us to award numerous scholarships to very worthy area runners. Some things we will need for sure are crock-pots and extension cords for the soup and volunteers to help set up on the night before the race (6 pm for about an hour or so)! HINT HINT!!!! We also are looking for someone to head up the food portion of the race. For those of you who don't know how it works, we look for a large contingent of members to help with everything from bag stuffing to helping with registration, packet pick up, food, course direction, the finish line, and many other things that I am sure will come up as the time approaches. For those of you who are concerned about the Salem Race Series (the Frosty 4 is the 1st race in the series), Doug Bollen allows members who volunteer to run the race once we are done cleaning, but you must still register and pay for the race. You are going to be getting a lot of emails over the next few months with regard to not only volunteering for the race, but also for bringing in raffle items for after the race, helping with finding sponsors for the race so we can fund the scholarships, donations for food etc. Thank you and go Wicked!” More from Tim Short: “Planning for the Wicked Frosty Four is going great and so is the effort by various members to get sponsorships for the race. We have a number of great raffle items right now and many local businesses have shown their support with money donations. While we are doing very well in terms of sponsors we still need to stay focused and tap into our local connections for additional sponsors. To put on a successful race like the Frosty Four takes a good amount of time, energy and of course money. I would encourage members to think about any businesses that they use on a daily basis and see if they would be interested in sponsoring the Frosty Four. As most of you know, a portion of the proceeds from the race goes to fund our scholarships that we give out each summer. This year we were fortune enough to give out four $1000 scholarships! Susannah Barnes, Christiane Henrich, Michael Nickerson and Alfred
Page 5. Rossi were recipients of this year's scholarship and I know we are going to have another great group of kids applying next year. My hope is that we can offer four more $1000 in scholarships for 2011!” For sponsor info and form, email Tim at tim.short1@gmail.com.
RELATED (and some unrelated) EVENTS AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENTS Salem Restaurant Week is November 7-11, right after we kick out all of the Haunted Happening tourists! For info check out www.salem-chamber.org.
WICKED GRAND PRIX UPDATE by TR Ramsdell “Wicked was well represented in Lowell recently as 8 members took on the Baystate full marathon, and 7 others took on the half. It was an absolutely perfect day for running a distance race. Temps at the start were in the 40's and overcast. While many were trying to satisfy their need to concur their first 1/2 or full distance, a few were chasing gold and trying to qualify for the Superbowl of all marathons, Boston. It was a great day for most having succeeded at completing their goal, while a few of us fell short due to injuries or simply "bonking". Shake it off guys. We all lived to race another day. Congrats to all for putting on a good show and representing Wicked nation! The last race in our Grand Prix Series is Doug Bollen's Wild Turkey 5 Miler on Thanksgiving Day, Thurs, Nov 25. It takes place at The Boys & Girls Club in Salem at 8 a.m. If you've never run this race before, set the timer on the turkey, and get on over and give it a try. It's a great Turkey Day tradition in Salem celebrating its 7th year. Hey, if nothing else, it's a good excuse to have an extra slice of pie after dinner. This is our 8th and final race for the 2010 Wicked Grand Prix Series. If you don't already have 6 races under your belt, You Need To Run This One. In this series, 3 strikes and you're out. C'mon, who's in? And speaking of the WGP series, I just want to thank my Co-race coordinator, Dan Barrett, for his tireless dedication for scrubbing all the races, and gathering all the results for not just our series, but for all those "other" races that we all seem to do. He puts in an inordinate amount of time doing this, so on behalf of Wicked Nation, Thank You Dan! I've had the easy part of this job by merely writing up race reviews or highlights, and trying to entertain you a little along the way. We're going to tweak the series a bit for 2011 with some different races etc. I've gotten some great suggestions on how to improve the series for next year, and if you have any, please forward them to me, or find me at a race or a run and tell me your thoughts. I've had a great time as your co-race coordinator this year. Thanks very much for keeping it fun. Now, get out there and run. See y'all on Turkey Day!” More exciting Grand Prix news from Dan Barrett: “We now have 14 Wicked runners who are still in the series. A few side notes to update on some ‘situations’. With Aaron on the heels of Brad in this race series, Brad answered by pulling a fast one (literally), by running the half marathon instead of full marathon, grabbing 100 points and increasing his points between himself and Aaron. And as I expected, something close, but not this close.[ this is sweet ] TR and myself are exactly tied. So I got my wish of a final fight to the death with myself and TR battling it out at the Wild Turkey 5 Miler. “With that “Star Trek – Vulcan – fight song “ playing in the background…” And to make it more interesting, TR and myself have wagered ONE HUNDERED MILLION DOLLARS. Happy running!”
COMEBACK CORNER Frank Kilroy (photo right) is plotting his eventual comeback from his recliner, where he is recuperating following his shoulder surgery in October to repair a rotator cuff injury suffered at his job. He is progressing well, growing a defiant beard (not allowed on his job) and going to rehab, which he says is thankfully only for his shoulder . Keep mending, Frank!
Page 6. When I heard that yoga was helping Beth Clancy (right) with her Achilles Tendonitis, I asked her to share the results. “I have been taking Vinyasa Yoga at Latitude's in Peabody twice a week. I have found that it has really helped my achilles tendonitis. The class is one hour and the downward dog pose stretches my calves and achilles. After 22 years of running, my muscles and tendons have become so tight from not cross training or stretching properly. Doing Vinyasa Yoga and having Mike Toomey work on me every other week has kept me healthy this season. Hopefully, I will stay healthy for the Marine Corp. Marathon on October 31st! No looking to set any records, but stay healthy and enjoy running with my friends.” Julie Arrison has been diagnosis with a stress fracture in her tibia . Pool training and on an elliptical for at least a month. Boo! It was a bad week on Jefferson Ave. when both Doug and I had to take a forced running break, his for a severe cough and mine for back pain. It’s the sort of thing that makes you appreciate even a bad running day when you are tired and don’t feel like doing it. Because when you are forced to rest, all you want to do is run!
RUNNING PERSONALS MILL CITIES RELAY REMINDER: “Just a friendly reminder to sign up for Mill Cities (as a runner or volunteer). The deadline of November 1 is here! This year’s giveaway will be ear bands with the MCR logo embroidered on it. All Wicked Runners will receive this giveaway if they run! Just email me your name, age, preferred leg, recent race times, and if you would like to be captain. This is always a great time!!! Best, Melissa Jaynes (Treasurer) and Mike Toomey.” Interested? Drop a note to melissa.jaynes@gmail.com. For info on the relay, see millcities.com. Boston Marathon online only entry and subsequent sell out in 8 hours is sure to be controversial! Last year another marathon was started the same weekend on the east coast as an alternative to qualified runners who got shut out of Boston and want to use their qualifying time. Check out http://www.gansettmarathon.com for more information. As they say on their website, they are the ONLY marathon aside from Olympic trials where you must qualify- no charities, no comp numbers… just fast runners. Might be worth a shot for those of you who couldn’t find enough hours in the day on Monday 10/18 to try to sign up for Boston non-stop while their system kept crashing! (Qualifying times for Gansett are actually 5 minutes faster than Boston.) A note from the director: “Due to the great success of the 2010 qualifiers-only Exeter Marathon, we have moved to the Town of Narragansett, which is a more suitable venue for a growing event. Now called the Gansett Marathon, this is still the only qualifiers-only marathon in the United States, excepting the Olympic Trials. Organized by the Narragansett Running Association, the hallmark of this event is careful attention to the details that are important to runners. The race is set in the beautiful resort town of Narragansett, Rhode Island, and the flat and fast course winds past ocean, beaches, lighthouse, and harbor.” Now is the time to think about setting some goals for the future! Need some help? Check out the website: goals.lululemon.com for some assistance. You might be surprised to see what your dream future looks like and how close or far you are to achieving it- I was! Last call for 10% off Zensah products! I’m a big fan of their compression socks and calf sleeves, and also like the arms sleeves for racing in cooler temps as you can easily take them off during a race if you start heating up- great for a chronic overdresser like me! Their website is zensah.com.A few people asked what compression gear doesif you Google it, you will get a bunch of scientific answers about the benefits, but in simple language it gives me more bounce, gives my legs more energy for racing or long runs, and I recover faster. Here is the email from the company: “I am glad to hear you love our products. I would like to offer you a coupon for 10% off your next order placed with Zensah. At the checkout, simply type in “marathon10” as the coupon code to receive the discount. This coupon will be valid until Nov. 6th, 2010. Please pass this code along to those in your running club. This is a great way for them to try out our products and not have to worry about the shipping fees! Regards, Corey Gill”
Page. 7. Planning a 2011 marathon? Check out marathonguide.com for a fairly complete list of marathons, both domestic and international, by month along with runner reviews for each. Very helpful guide for those looking for a destination race. Last month when I published the goal updates, I listed Shawna Erps (right) as MIA. I’m happy to say she sent me this message: “I am in fact alive Other than the Bentley School race, I haven't been running consistently, but I have hopes that I will be soon! At the moment, with chasing my two little boys and a class full of kindergarten kids plus finishing up a second masters, I barely have time to shower! I do check in with the club though and love the register. I attached a race report for the Jimmy Fund Marathon Walk...see I'm not a total schlub!” See Shawna’s review later in the newsletter.
SEEN & HEARD “ON THE RUN” Register Retraction: In October I noted that the Wicked Half was Amber Woolfenden’s first. It was her first since she had her son Leo, but it was actually her 5th overall, as Amber also completed the Iron Horse (CT), BAA, Boston's Run to Remember and two Wicked Half Marathons. Mia culpa! Posted on Facebook by Allison Rourke: “Allison Rourke had an amazing run at the Hampton Half (10/3/10). A huge shout out to my ‘training tripod’: Sarah (my pace partner-in-crime), Mike (coach extraordinnaire), and Brett (ongoing support, on and off the course). Another PR for us!” After reading multiple Facebook updates from Tim and Nicole Short about how they were hanging out with Evan, Kenny Hewson assumed Evan was their nephew. Here is Evan: (photo right) After wondering why Wicked newlyweds Peter Raymond and Shannon O’Donnell had sunburns at the October Fall Frolic, they said they just returned from their October honeymoon at Beaches Resort in Turks & Caicos Islands, where they had a “wicked good time!” (Photo left) Aaron Toleos Facebook comment about Bay State Marathon: “No BQ but took about 8 minutes off pr and finished under 3:30 (3:29 something).” Darla Johnson is looking forward to running the York, Maine Half Marathon on November 7: “Looking forward to running it with my buddy Holly. I hadn’t planned on it, but luckily with marathon training it falls right into my plan. I never thought I’d be signing up for half marathons like they were 5k’s, who knew?” Mary Lester Bruno Facebook post about Tufts 10k on 10/11/10: “YEA! Finally a pr 10k!! 1:00:30 ~ very psyched! Tuffs and Conventures put on an awesome race!” Michele Campbell: “If I ever decide to do 26.2 again, I would run Chicago again. The volunteers were first rate like Boston - and the crowd support was unbelievable at every mile. Tons of locals helped me get through (China Town and Boys Town were awesome). Despite the heat, I am glad I chose Chicago for my first! Plus, this town rocks. We went on a boat tour today and went up the Sears Tower - cool city indeed!” Michele Campbell also PR’d at the Fall Frolic 5K (9:06 pace) and said “It's been a good week for running and tennis. I'm just so sporty!”
Page 8. Ann Sousa: “6 x 400 done, massage, check, wicked shirt clean and packed, new tunes on the ipod…Ready or not, Newport, here I come!” Saturday morning regular “V” was excited to train for and finish the Wicked Half Marathon, only to get into a bad car accident on a ramp to Route 1 the next week. Her car was totaled, but luckily V is on the mend. Our own Doug Bollen was the host of the world famous Halloween Parade in Salem on Thursday, October 7th, where he broadcast live from his booth in front of SATV. Not quite as big time as the Macy’s Parade on Thanksgiving, but close! Thanks to Kerry Phelan for trying to coordinate some Wicked participation in this event, but it just didn’t work out this year. I got a note from WRC member John McDonough: “I think I was behind your car the other day.” Me: “Why would you think that, because I’m an excellent driver?” John: “I saw a Wicked, 26.2 and 13.1 Disney stickers on the back.” Me: “Thank goodness I really am an excellent driver then!” Julie Arrison: “My liver hurts. My ankle tendonitis hurts. Two signs of a great weekend.” Congrats to Dawn Farley Cobak, Beth Clancy and Colin Doherty who headed down to our nation’s capital to run the Marine Corp Marathon on October 31st. Dawn (photo left with her Marine Corp Marathon medal and Wicked singlet) is the founder of a local non-profit providing assistance to families with autistic children, and she has also spoken at many schools to help raise awareness and understanding of autism. Her charity is named after her son Jake, and the website is: http://www.forjakessake.org. I haven’t had a chance to look up the results yet, but I think she did well based on her Facebook post: “Toomey! I did it!!!! Thank u for being the best coach!!!” Progress report from Mia Poppe Mountain posted on Facebook: “I got my PET scan results today and they look great. Still have to do four more months of chemo... but I "look" cancer free on paper -- or x-ray plastic-- or whatever ;-)” XO Wicked healing thoughts to Mia! Danvers 5K Fun Run sent out a big Congratulations to Gail M. Gordon who qualified for Boston (and PR’d) at the Bay State Marathon with an impressive 3:38:13 (needed 3:45:59 to BQ). Nice job! Daniel J. Barrett: “Thank you Gail M. Gordon for being at the finish line (of the Bay State Marathon) glowing like an angel, waiting patiently for me to come in…(and she really was glowing, and rays were shooting off her in all directions, and I think I heard some music).” After reading about the Food Project in Kerry Phelan’s profile a few months ago, including a follow up where they were visited by a member of the White House staff, the project was nearly cancelled at the Ingalls Elementary School in Lynn. That is until members of Wicked were asked to help, via an email alert by members Gail Gordon and Dan Barrett. Enough members stepped up to write a note or attend the meeting to help postpone this decision until more information can be provided to try to save the project. When Deb Touchette suggested ginger chews to ease an upset stomach on long runs, she was onto something. I also read in Women’s Health, a survey showed that ginger could reduce exercise induced muscle pain by 25%, as evidenced by a study where participants chewed ginger before lifting weights. Sounds promising! Posted by Shannon Downey on Facebook 10/20 and a great reminder to all of us: “Three years ago today my brother Patrick lost his fight with esophageal cancer at age 39. As I prepare to turn 40 in February I challenge everybody to stop complaining about getting older and embrace every day you are given. Age is a privilege that not everybody gets. Miss you, Patrick.”
Page 9. Matt Adams Fall Frolic 5K (Su 10/17)- Took home three 1/2 mile kids run metals, Tucker beat his PR by more than 2 minutes, I got 3rd in my age group. Great family race! In an accidental email to everyone in the Wicked Google group responding to Mill Cities Relay reminder, Caitlyn Gaglionesaid: “My husband is a new wicked member and wants in!” That’s the Wicked spirit we like Anthony! Facebook post by Deb Touchette on Halloween: “Got a little beat up at the Busa Bushwack ten mile trail race today. Steve fell for the first time and cut himself up pretty good, Liz twisted her ankle and impaled me with a stick! I am thinking that Team T is a little tired!!!!! Need to rest before Stone Cat next Saturday! I still say Bring it on!” Good luck to all of our Stone Cat Marathon & Ultra runners! Posting from Stephanie Hagyard following the 6.66 Devil’s Chase: “Stephanie Hagyard…wants to thank the support of fellow wicked runners along the route and at the end including Michele Campbell, Ann Sousa, Darla Johnson, Timothy Short, TR Ramsdell, Shari Hewson, Robin Lermond, Amber Woolfenden and others from wicked running club!”
REVIEW YOUR RUN Title 9 Women's Sprint Triathlon, September 12, Hopkinton Reviewed by Dawn Cobak “It was incredibly organized, plenty of e-mail communication and helpful information for weeks prior to the event, nice volunteers everywhere to help out with setting up and directions, etc., great course, and awesome food and drinks afterwards :-) It was my first Tri, but won't be my last. My words of wisdom for Newbies - no amount of swim training can prepare you for getting kicked in the head and face, kicking people behind you, having bodies everywhere as you're trying to stroke your arms and the sudden onslaught of waves and water in the face as the swim starts. So if you aren't going to be in the front; stay to the side and try to make your own space! I give it 5 cats!”
Apple Harvest 5 Mile Road Race, October 3, 2010 Reviewed by Rich Tabbut “I didn’t know what I wanted to run following the Wicked Half Marathon the previous weekend. I thought about running the flat 5k in Georgetown, but I had already run my goal time (under 20) at Rowley. I remembered that the Apple Harvest was a tough 5-mile course and decided I wanted to test myself to see what I could do. My buddy John Ayers calls 5k’s baby courses, so I went old school. I didn’t register early so I didn’t get the long sleeve shirt and paid $25 to run. I saw Aaron before the race and decided to try to keep him in sight since he always runs a little faster than I do. The temperature was around 62 degrees at the start with a slight breeze. The race started at 12:30 p.m., which allowed me to have a relaxing Sunday morning prior to the event. Mile one is rolling with slight changes in elevation and a water stop just before the mile marker. My time was 6:31 and I was happy since my previous best senior five miler was at 6:42 pace. The second mile starts with a downhill for about a quarter of a mile, flattens out, and then goes uphill. I had a group of younger runners battling with me the entire course. One of them noticed that I ran fast downhill and slower on the inclines. He passed me on every uphill and I passed him on the down hills. My second mile time was 12:45, fastest split of the year. I wasn’t too confident yet because I knew that mile 4 is very difficult with some major hills. Mile three had some major inclines and is flat near the end. My 5k split was 20:08, only surpassed by my 19:40 at Rowley. There is a very tough double hill at 3.5 miles. I put my head down and remembered Coach Braz’s advice to take hills hard. At the top I was pretty tired and leaned forward on any downhill sections to get my wind back. I was closing the gap on Aaron and thought maybe I could catch him. My 4-mile time was 20:18 and the fifth mile feels like a gradual uphill. Aaron put on his jets so I couldn’t catch him. My young guys passed me as a group around 4.5 miles. I did a pickup at 4.75 miles and passed the group. My uphill/downhill guy passed me in the final 150
Page 10 yards and beat me. I kept the rest behind me and crossed the finish line at 32:47, my best 5-mile time in several years! The post race party has great food and the band “Don’t Call Me Shirley”. I particularly like the homemade brownies. The race benefits the John Page School and the parents bring all sorts of goodies. Whenever I run a good race my reward is to eat all those items I shouldn’t, it was a pleasure! The awards are merchandise prizes and medals to the top three in every age group. I really wish that race directors stopped giving out medals as prizes. They are usually very low in quality and unoriginal. Give out trophies, hats, chocolates, or whatever (sorry I had to get that in). I finished tenth overall and 1st in my age group. Another senior finished 3rd and wasn’t counted in the age group categories. I really can’t use my prize, a free oil change at the Midas in Newburyport. I gave it to one of my wife’s friends who reside there. I give the Apple Harvest race 4 and one half cats. It has three water stops, every mile marked, a beautiful country course, and excellent post race festivities. The only downside is that it is a difficult course. Remember that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Ironman World Championship October 9, 2010 Kona Hawaii by Tim Clarke 2.4 miles swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 run = 140.6 miles “Of the 1,800 participants in the race every year 1,650 or so qualify by being among the top finishers in their age groups at Ironman races all over the world. They save 150 slots for regular folk (that get in through a lottery). Through the luck one experiences once in a lifetime, I got in. Someone once said to me that it is the sports equivalent of going to the World Series and then playing in it. This was my second Ironman distance race. On paper the Kona course is no tougher than the Lake Placid race, but the elements of extreme heat and wind conditions on the bike make the course challenging. There is a huge commitment of energy and time to prep for a race like this. I continued in the pool with Endurance Swimming and enrolled with Breakthrough Performance Coaching for bike and run training. I had help from my friends when I needed some company on open water swims, longer bike rides and longer runs. This was a blessing and very much appreciated. My wife, Alice, and I got to Hawaii a week early to acclimate and so I could get familiar with the course. I felt like I landed on the planet of ‘1% body fat‘. Everywhere I looked there was an ultra fit person or high-end bike. Exciting; Kona! Race morning: Up at 4:00: LET’S DO THIS. Helicopters, crowds. . .before you know it the gun goes off. Swim: 1.2 miles out to the turn around buoy looks quite far. Wetsuits aren’t allowed as the water temperature is 79 degrees and its KONA - got to be challenging. I felt good on the swim. Bike - The name of the game is pace yourself. The heat was intense and the wind was brutal; the closer I got to Hawi, the stronger the wind. I was just slogging away till I got to the turn around. As I left Hawi and started to head back there was a strong tail wind (nice) and side blasts (not so nice). As I headed back for the last 30 miles there was a head wind again; oh joy. I was glad to get off that bike - doesn't everyone feel that way. Run - made it through transition and did not quite have that pep in my step like I had hoped. I started to settle in and immediately started passing people that were walking. Great supplies and volunteers at the aid stations. You do about 10 miles in town - great spectator support. One giant hill up Palini drive and off to the Energy Lab. Once the sun set there was very little light out there -something you don‘t fully appreciate watching it on TV. You can barely see anything in front of you. Back in town the crowd was into it and very supportive. Running down Alii drive there is nothing like it. No one right behind me. I could take some extra time and 'savor the moment’ . . . TIM CLARKE. . . .YOU ARE AN IRONMAN. 13:08:04 You can’t do an event like this without lots of support for the people around you. I am very grateful for all the support of my family, friends, coaches and co-workers. Who’s next?” (Don’t have to ask… 5 cats!)
Page 11. Jimmy Fund Boston Marathon Walk reviewed by Shawna Erps “Trust me guys, as a runner, I know there is a BIG difference between walking vs. running the Boston Marathon. However, running a marathon is not on my bucket list. I thought this would be a fun, ok not so fun, way to experience the history of the marathon and raise money for a good cause. I started out around 7:15 am with hopes of an eight-hour day. The course was mostly the sidewalks and some areas with cones near the shoulder of the road. Not sure what I was expecting…maybe more room? Perhaps a few people cheering us on? Overall the entire 26.2 miles were quiet except for stops at every other mile which provided music, snacks, and port-a-potties. Come mile 20, walking or running, you want someone, anyone, to tell you to keep moving! The event was well organized. They provided lunch at mile 16 and we got in and out in about 20 minutes. There were snacks galore along the course. There were also people to sticker your bib in hopes that someone at the finish might notice all of your stickers and realize you just walked 26.2 miles, and not one of the shorter routes. ;) In the end, it took me eight and half hours with 20 minutes for lunch and a 10 minute sock change. All in all, on target!! Although my claim to fame will probably that I did not use a single port-a-potty the entire day…10 and half hours total I would guess. In spite of bottle after bottle of water and Gatorade, my public restroom phobia prevailed…mind over matter people!! Five cats!”
WICKED REVIEWS Fran & Dianne’s Kitchen on Lafayette Street, near Salem State College. Just opened this summer and quickly won several awards for best local pizza. Well it ain’t Santarpio’s, but if you like thin crust pizza it ain’t bad either! They expanded their hours since they first opened, and added delivery, so give them a try. Doug ordered a pepperoni, bacon and mushroom combo- 4 cats! The Loft in North Andover- Nosey me read that Shannon and Billy were going to eat at The Loft after picking up their Lowell Sun Half Marathon numbers, so this foodie had to check it out. I got the combo plate of their two specialties, pub sirloin and lobster mac and cheese. Comfortable, casual atmosphere and great food at a reasonable price. 4 ½ cats!
I’M ALSO A _______________________. When I asked WRC member Adam Fitch (right) to fill in the blank, I didn’t think it would be so hard for him to narrow it down! I can think of a few things. I'm a certified hypnotherapist, I'm the father of adopted foreign-born twins, I'm a freelance graphic artist, etc. Any of those sound interesting? Wow, all of it! But let’s start with some background info. I grew up about an hour west of Salem, near the 495 line. My parents moved there from NH in the 60’s, so all of my extended family is out of state. My wife Emily and I moved to Salem 10 years ago, and adopted our twin boys Max & Jack from Guatemala 7 years ago when they were six months old. I spent 11 years in financial services as a manager and graphic designer until the market collapsed in '08, and started doing layout in Andover in October of last year. I've been doing freelance graphics on the side since college, more for fun than anything else, designing logos, t-shirts and album covers for bands as well as promotional items for local businesses. I got interested in hypnotherapy a few years ago while helping a friend train for his certification, and started on my masters in psychology.
Page 12. How long have you been married and how did you and Emily (left with their cat Spirit) meet? Emmy and I met in college; we both worked at the college radio station. We were friends for years before we ever started dating, and we've been married for 13. What was it like adopting twin boys (Jack and Max, below) from another country- your life must have gone from 0 to 60! Most of the work of adopting happened before we ever saw them. We used to joke about how everyone wonders if they're going to have a boy or girl but we would KNOW beforehand. So of course, we went looking for a girl and got twin boys instead. I never really thought much about how our lives changed, we were too busy 'doing' to really stop and think about it. They're really good boys; we're very lucky. So you are a hypnotherapist... what are the sorts of things you can hypnotize people to do? Most people think of the stage when they hear about hypnosis, but it's also used to help people with for behavior modification, fears and phobias, breaking bad habits, etc. I've been certified for years but haven't been doing very much lately due to the economy. Hopefully that will turn around once it starts to pick up. Can you hypnotize me to make me run faster? Hypnosis has been used to increase athletic performance, but I've never worked with it. Financial manager and graphic artist is an interesting combo - how did you merge the number crunching side with free thinker side, and how did the ‘08 financial bust change the direction of your life? I was a workflow manager and fortunately didn't have to do a lot of number crunching. The '08 crash hit the whole financial services industry really hard, and most of my old department was laid off by the end of that year. I was fortunate enough to find another job within a year; many of my former coworkers are still unemployed. I hear you can whip up a mean Zombie costume (photo left is Adam at the 2010 Devil’s Run)- tell us about your interest in the living dead. I guess this question was inevitable. :) I've loved horror movies since I was a kid and zombies have always been my favorite monster. A few years ago, people started doing zombie flash mobs and it was a chance for me to have a good time with other zombie fanatics. It's like any other convention, but with more blood. What's your favorite Zombie moment? There are so many great moments it's hard to choose... making Mia Poppe-Mountain shriek as I charged at her in the Devil's Chase this year was lots of fun, as well as the time during the first Salem Zombie Walk when my friend Jennifer freaked out after she noticed that the stitches in my neck "WERE REAL!". (I had just had surgery.) What is your favorite race and why? My favorite race is the Wicked Half... it was the first race I entered that was longer than 5 miles so it has special meaning to me. halfs are also just my favorite kind of race... I'm not particularly fast so I like longer races for the challenge. A half is a nice challenge but doesn’t require the training time that a full marathon does. Is there anything we'd be surprised to know about you? Surprised? I don't know. I like to think I'm open about everything, and don't have a lot of surprises.
Thank you Adam! Who will be profiled next month… maybe you!
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Question of the Month –Where is the coolest place you’ve ever run? Shannon Downey: “I think the coolest place I've ever run is over the Brooklyn Bridge. Billy and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary last December by going to NYC for a few days and one morning we bundled up and ran over the bridge. What fun!” Doug Bollen: “The coolest place was Hayward Field at the Eugene, OR half marathon.” Beth O’Grady: “I have to agree with Doug. Finishing a race on Hayward Field makes you feel like a running rock star. The New Year’s Eve midnight run in Central Park with fireworks going off was pretty cool, too.” Tim Short: “Running through the streets of Chicago before and during the 2008 Chicago Marathon probably tops my list as the coolest place that I’ve ever run. Chicago was an amazing city and the sights and sounds were just incredible. Oh, and having a group of Wicked Runners also in the city at the same time made it even more fun!” Paul Herrick (left with wife Danika) “I am enjoying running with Wicked most Tues & Thurs AM’s. What a great group of people. I feel it has helped me greatly to learn from more experience runners. I ran the Boston Half Marathon. It was a great experience-perfect weather. I did much better than last year. My wife came to watch, but decided to jump in too! Danika ran 10 miles and now seems to have also caught the running fever! I want to Thanks all the runners and especially Tim Clarke for motivating me early on, and my coach, Patrick Langmaid from Danvers. In November, we are heading to the Outerbanks where I will be running my 1st marathon & Danika will be running her first half.” James DeLuca: “I've run in a lot of places (on three continents so far this year) and seen a lot of different races but count myself lucky that I can drive to the coolest place to run any day of the week (as long as I'm not traveling for work). This one spot is better than running on the track lanes for runners next to the streets of Korea, in the farmlands in Germany or in the reborn industrial zone in the Netherlands. Lynn Woods is a special place for running. The summer running series is just the icing on the cake. Any time you go you can find a different loop for a different distance with whatever type of terrain you want all without having to worry about cars and with amazing scenery all around. Lynn Woods is the coolest place I've ever run.” Julie Arrison: “I love running in Franklin Park in Boston. It's a great landscape and has challenging terrain. It's also beautiful any season you run there!” Amber Woolfenden: “My most memorable (coolest) run happened this past summer in my home state of Michigan. We have a cottage on a lake that has been in my family for 40 years and I spent summers there as a kid. My cousin and aunt used to run around the lake and I thought they were super women for doing it. My cousin said the lake was a 7-mile loop, which made it seem even tougher. I didn't start running until ~6 years ago and have been wanting to run around that lake forever! Finally, this summer I ran around the whole lake and was beaming with pride that I did it after so many years. My cousin and aunt don't run anymore so now I am the super woman in the family. My cousin was off on the distance by alot. My Garmin said it was only 4.5 miles of awesomeness.” Darla Johnson: “I’m not a Salem resident, but I feel at home whenever I run in Salem, MA. This all started back in 2007 when I joined Wicked, and regardless of the route, I find myself always looking forward to my Salem runs during the week. Whatever life has slapped me in the face with, I always know I can puzzle out a solution while heading out on New Derby/Fort Ave, or just relieve the tensions of the day and absorb the positive vibes from the many encounters with fellow Wicked members that inspire me along the way! Thanks Wicked Nation!” Rich Tabbut: “The coolest place I ever ran was in Tralee in Ireland in the middle of a herd of cows. Tralee is near the Dingle Peninsula on the west coast.”
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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS WICKED? Is that a him? a she? A “shim”? Looks like Miles Fartlek in disguise as Ms. Miles to crash Liz Touchette’s bachelorette party. Apparently he/she came ready to party with a shot glass attached to his/her tail.
Photo Left: John Ayers cruises in for his 16:23, 1st place finish at the Seacoast 5k at Lynch Park, Beverly on September 12. Photo Right: Melissa Jaynes poses on the Chicao waterfront prior to running her PR marathon. After what appeared to be an all night bender, Miles Farlek (right) showed up unannounced and naked at Darla Johnson’s office at Kettle Cuisine demanding access to the seafood kitchen. An intervention may be in order soon…
Have you worn your Wicked pride someplace exotic or exciting? Send a photo along to bethogrady@yahoo.com.
WICKED TRIVIA: Q. Which Wicked Running Board Member is a huge fan of Star Wars; so much so that his pastry chef/wife painstakingly hand painted individual cookies to represent characters from the original movie to serve at his birthday party? A. That would be our own Prez, Tim Short and his talented wife Nicole who posted a photo of her Star Wars cookies with the heading “never again!”…
Page 15. WICKED PET CORNER This month we decided to find out a little about your Wicked furry family members. The following submission was sent from the email of Patrick Smith and Denise Murphy. I suspect it was sent by Tula herself, who thought this was the Wicked pet dating page by sound of her personal ad Tula “The Wonderdog” (photo left) Wicked Parents: Patrick Smith & Denise Murphy (Right) Name: Tula (full name Taloula Mango Murphy) Age: 5 months Weight: 30 lbs and growing Favorite Running Spot: The beach, with lots of dogs! Favorite Food: Anything you put in front of my nose. Favorite Toy: Any stick I can carry and run with. Favorite Dog Breed to Play with: All, big and small. Can be Found: Relaxing with Miles Fartlek (below left); walking with Mom and Dad; at a future Wicked event. Races/Training: Lynn Woods Relay (Support), attended Stone Tower 15k (picked up water cups and guided runners), Toomey Clinic warm up & cool down pacer. Activities: Running (anywhere, enjoys large groups), Chasing Tennis balls (anywhere but mostly on the tennis court), Hiking with Mom & Dad, Sailing (with Capt Dan & Tim) Biggest Challenge: Trying to understand my new siblings, Roushdy & Kiko (funny dogs, some breed called “cats”) Future Aspirations: Run 5 miles with Mom & Dad on a Tu/Th Front Street Run (maybe next year). They only let me run a mile right now. If Tula sounds like your pet’s perfect match, drop a note to her parents to see if there is a love connection! Photo Left, from Darla Johnson and Frank Kilroy: “Sally O’Malley and Mary Katherine Gallagher (“Gallie”) – We love these two more than you can imagine!”
Beth Clancy: “This is a picture of my Chico (right). He is a thoroughbred Chihuahua, but I think he is part terrier. I bought him as a puppy many years ago. He is now 16.2 years old. He is the most precious little guy. Chico is going blind and a senile, but I love coming home and seeing his little face. He is the best companion.”
Page 16. From Amber Woolfenden’s House: “Hello, my name is Dizbro (Diz for short). I am a saucy Salem kitty who loves being petted and tormenting my owner with fur and hairballs. Some say I am a bit pschyo like Jack Nicholson in The Shining, but really it makes life interesting!” (Diz is peaking from between the banisters, right) From Shannon Downey: “I'd send pictures of the cats but I'm sure that Wicked Nation is sick of seeing the four of them by now!”
PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE by Tim Short November is here and it’s going to be a great month for members of the Wicked Running Club, new and old! In this edition of my Presidential Perspective, I would like to highlight a few of these great events and important dates that will be coming up. The month starts off with a bang when new membership for 2011 will be accepted. If you know a friend or a family member that is looking to join Wicked, the final two months are a great time to sign up! For those who join Wicked anytime between November 1-December 31, 2010, 100% of your 2010 dues will be applied to 2011. Wondering what to get your favorite runner this Christmas? A membership to Wicked is a gift that keeps on giving! If you are a current member this is also a great time to renew your dues for 2011 as well! Our membership period runs from January 1 to December 31, so be sure to renew as soon as possible. Membership fees are still the same great price of $15 for Student Membership, $25 for Individual and $50 for a Family membership. Visit www.wickedrunningclub.com for more information about membership fees and benefits. Looking to get more involved with Wicked? Our 2nd Annual General Membership meeting is a great place to start! This meeting is coming up on November 8, 2010 at 6:30pm and will be held at the Salem Senior Center. The main focus of the meeting will be to allow Wicked Running Club members who were nominated for Board of Director positions in October to give a small speech as to why they are the best candidates to serve the members of the Wicked Running Club. Wicked will then hold an election in early December (Date TBA). Other items of interest for the meeting will include: -Pizza/Soda for all members who attend -Information about upcoming Wicked events -Talk with the current Board of Directors about ideas you have for the club The Board of Directors would love to see as many members of Wicked attend this meeting if possible! So if you plan on attending be sure to encourage other members of Wicked to attend as well. The more members that get involved the better the Wicked Running Club will be! Last but certainly not least, I hope that all of you will consider spending your Thanksgiving morning with me and about a 1000+ other runners by participating in the Wild Turkey 5 Miler. This will be our last Wicked Grand Prix race of the year and it also happens to be the final race in the Salem Race Series as well. Our very own Doug Bollen has been the Race Director of this Thanksgiving Classic from the start and is probably one of the best races around on Turkey Day The word on the street is Doug is not telling anyone the color of this year’s shirt. Last year we all received a very bright colored shirt that is great for nighttime running. What will this year’s color be? We will just have to wait a few more weeks to find out! Keep on Running Wicked Nation! Tim Short, President Happy November… Go Wicked! B.