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We’ve all been celebrating the last week and a half the accomplishments of our country’s Olympians in Beijing as well as some of the incredible performances, such as the insane 9.69 100 meter and 19.30 200 meter gold medal performances by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and the surprising victory by American discus thrower Stephanie Brown Trafton. It was our country’s first in the event since 1932.
And what about Constantina Tomescu’s women’s marathon win? I guess Catherine The Great (Ndereba of Kenya) and others figured she was going to crash and burn like she’s done a time or two at other major marathons. But this is the Olympics where guts are often rewarded with "Gold"!
TWRC members have been picking up hardware of their own recently.
We missed Scott Campbell’s first and second place age group finishes in last month’s USMS South Central Long Course Championships as well as Dana Lyons’ second place age group cycling state team trial effort in Brookshire earlier this month. Kim Hager won the CATS Iron Mountain Half Triathlon in Arkansas on Saturday while Molly Field-Stout won her age group the following day in the Ironbabe Sprint Triathlon. Pretty nice for her first ever triathlon! All of their times are listed below in the race results.
But while we were watching Michael Phelps and his teammates Saturday night help the Baltimore native earn his record-setting eighth gold medal, our own rock star of an athlete, Jim Braden, was repelling some water as well.
You remember the “Bo Knows” commercials from nearly 20 years ago. Well, “Jim knows” a little bit about the number “eight” himself.
That water Jim was repelling? It was ice … thawing from his hands after his eighth career finish at the Pike’s Peak Ascent in some of the worst conditions that they’ve ever experienced. In fact, many were turned around three miles from the top and forced to do 10 miles back down the mountain – and some of those were doing the marathon the next day!
13 miles, 7,815 feet vertical gain. Enough said.
One blogger who was turned around posted this, “Everyone who reached the top was hypothermic. It was snowing, hailing, lightening, etc. Just plain dangerous. They all looked a bit stunned at what they had experienced.”
Jim’s first-hand report – with his own adjectives -- will be in the September issue of “Deer Tracks” as well as a number of other special race reports.
Condolences: We wish to extend our sympathies to vice president Ken Johnson of the Seven Hills Running Club in Huntsville, a friend of The Woodlands Running Club, regarding the passing of his oldest brother, Mickey Johnson, at the age of 83 in Tyler on Sunday evening. Ken’s brother enjoyed a 46-year career with the Tyler Fire Department, including 25 as the assistant fire chief. Services were Wednesday. His obituary can be viewed online here.
Enjoying eDeerTracks?: We hope you are. It is a new member benefit to your TWRC membership. The TWRC membership year, of course, started on Tuesday, July 1 and corresponds with the Houston Area Road Runners Association (HARRA) membership year. TWRC memberships are one-year memberships that expire on June 30. Annual dues are $20 for an individual and $25 for a family. A membership application can be found on page 2 of the most recent August 2008 edition of “Deer Tracks” that can be found on the club website underneath the “Newsletters” tab at http://www.thewoodlandsrunningclub.org/. Don’t run the risk of missing out on this weekly source of information … besides belonging to a group of pretty cool people!
Long Runs?: You bet, TWRC has them! JoAnn Blakeley graciously coordinates these and they’re typically early on Sunday mornings and at a location to satisfy that caffeine fix after the run. (Speaking of caffeine, Dr. Bob Hoekman, HARRA’s Medical Director, continues the second of his three-part series on the subject in the Footprints section of the September edition of Inside Texas Running.) If you have a question about the long runs (and not caffeine), please e-mail JoAnn at joann_blakeley@sbcglobal.net.
Here’s the schedule for the month of August (thanks, JoAnn!):
Sunday, August 24 – Starbucks/Jamba Juice in Market Street, 6:45 a.m., 10 miles
Sunday, August 31 – Starbucks/Sterling, 6:45 a.m. for all distances but 15 miles, 6 a.m. for the 15-miler, 8, 12 & 15 miles
Trail Runs: Club member Susie Schreiber usually gathers a group together every Sunday morning. Her weekly reminder e-mail that announces the meeting location and time and where the group will usually goes out on Thursday evenings or during the day on Fridays. Most weeks, the group gathers at the Exxon station on Greenbridge & 242 to run at Jones State Park. Note: Because of the rain this week, there will be no trail run on Sunday, August 24 at Jones Park! To get on Susie’s trail runners e-mail, please contact her at susieschreiber@lukeslocker.com. (For club members that have been on Susie’s e-mail list for both Luke’s Locker in general and her separate trail runners list, please resend your e-mail to Susie as the store’s ISP replaced their servers, which includes their e-mail address database.)
This Week’s Birthdays: Travis Ryals (August 22), Lisa Csikos (August 23), Michael Attanucci (August 24), Juris Green (August 24), Gena Alvarez (August 25), Katie Eubanks (August 26), David Gentry (August 26), Sarah Broyles (August 27), Stephen Griggs (August 27)
Trivia Question: Vincent Attanucci and Huntsville’s Ken Johnson have both run at least one mile for over 2,000 consecutive days. There are four Texans ahead of them on the current United States Running Streak Association active list. Which Texan is ranked No. 7 on the all-time active list?
Last Weekend’s Race Results ….
Pike’s Peak Ascent (13.32 miles, 7,851 vertical gain)
Colorado Springs, CO, August 16, 2008
Jim Braden – 4:08:37 1st AG
(This was Jim’s eighth Ascent finish, which includes one marathon descent)
CATS Iron Mountain Half Triathlon (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run)
DeGray Lake Park, AR, August 16, 2008
Kim Hager – 4:59:37 1st Overall!
Ironbabe Sprint Triathlon (300-meter swim, 11-mile bike, 3-kilometer run)
Houston, TX, August 17, 2008
Molly Field-Stout – 1:30:49.6 1st AG First timer!
…. And Some We Belatedly Missed
Texas Bicycle Racing Association State Team Time Trial (40 kilometers)
Brookshire, TX, August 3, 2008
Dana Lyons – 58:53.88 / 25.32 mph 2nd in 50+
(Woodlands Cycling Club team with Steve Schoger, Kevin Lynch and Norberto Valdes)
South Central Zone Long Course Championships
The Woodlands, TX, July 26-27, 2008
J. Scott Campbell – 3:06.93 (200 meter LC Medley Relay, 1st AG 280-319), 31.58 (50 meter LC freestyle, 2nd 60-64), 1:14.05 (100 meter LC freestyle, 2nd 60-64)
So, OK, we didn’t miss any running results this time! But … if we really did miss your result, please e-mail us at bdwyer2@comcast.net. Additionally, if you run at an out-of-town race, also drop us a line so we can include your result.
Join HARRA: TWRC will attempt this year to field more competitive teams in HARRA’s Fall Series of races (see below). For the club to score points in the inner-club competition, members have to also be HARRA members. More information can be found in the May and June editions of “Deer Tracks”. There is a paper membership application on page 4 of the May 2008 edition of “Deer Tracks” and online membership can be accomplished at http://www.harra.org/.
HARRA Fall Series:
Sep. 27 (Sat) Tornados Cross Country Relay (4 runners; 2 miles each); Houston, 5:00 p.m.
Oct. 12 (Sun) United Space Alliance 10-Miler; Clear Lake, 7:00 a.m.
Oct. 26 (Sun) Koala Health & Wellness Centers / Luke’s Locker Houston Half Marathon; Houston, 7:00 a.m.
Nov. 9 (Sun) HMSA Classical 25K; Houston, 7:00 a.m.
Dec. 14 (Sun) Sugar Land Lakes of Williams Ranch 30K; Sugar Land, 7:00 a.m.
XC Relay, Five Weeks Away!: Stephen Smith, our TWRC Team Racing Coordinator, reports that the first event of the Fall HARRA team competition series is the Cross Country team race at 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 27 along the sides of Buffalo Bayou near Memorial Dr and Shepherd. This race is run as four person teams. The teams compete in the following categories: Open Male, Open Female, Masters Male (all 40+), Masters Female, Mixed Open (2 male+2 female). Mixed Masters (2+2), Senior Male (all 50+), Senior Female, Veteran Male (all 60+), Veteran Female.
For more information on the race, you can check out the website at: http://www.tornadosrunningclub.com/XC2007/index.html
You can also find photos of the race from last year at: http://www.tornadosrunningclub.com/XC2007/images/XCRelayAlbum/index.htm
Since the teams need to register as a team, I will be happy to assist in helping put together the groups of four. Or you can put together your own team and keep me out of the loop. If you want my help, just send me an email expressing your interest. I will then *try* to put you in contact with three others, but please remember that I cannot manufacture runners if I end up with an odd number. For the teams that are formed, it will then be up to the four of you to register and arrange to get to the race on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept 27.
(Stephen forgot to mention that one of the benefits of this race is that the Tornados bring free beer for the end of the race! Additionally, while all members of the team need to be a HARRA member before the start of the race for TWRC to score HARRA Club and Team points, you do not HAVE to be a member of HARRA to run this race. TWRC’s target should be ten (10) teams. This is what the Bay Area Running Club brought out last year.)
Speaking of our Friends from BARC!: This invitation is extended from our friends with the Bay Area Running Club and the publishers of our sister publication, eBARCer.
Not going to Beijing? Then attend the Games of the VIII Olympiad BARC Pub Crawl - It starts at 11 a.m. at Carlos's Beer Garden on Highway 3 near NASA Rd 1 in Webster on Saturday, August 23. You can go the Silver Medal Distance of 5.4 miles and finish at Boondoggle's/Chelsea's or do the full Gold Medal Distance of 7 miles all the way to the Turtle Club in Seabrook. Check out the map here. Stop at nine establishments along the way. There is no cutoff time so move at your own pace. Costumes are optional but encouraged. Go Greek or cleverly represent your favorite country. This is a free event but bring money for beverages. Park at the Turtle Club and carpool to Carlos's (limited parking) at 10:40 a.m.
For September’s Deer Tracks (Top 5 Races): What are your top five races? Simply list your events out. You can even tell us why. We’d love to have 50 of you respond to add to the already great content that we have planned for September’s edition of “Deer Tracks”. So send us your top five races to bdwyer2@comcast.net.
Want To Run This With Me?: In the face of $4 per gallon of gasoline, this section is for club members to indicate their interest in perhaps getting a group of runners to go run particular races. Our first participant is Najat Shayib, who is looking for other club members that might be interested in going to Austin on Sunday, August 31 to participate in the Human Race 10K or the ROC Fun Run 10K in Kemah on Saturday, September 27.
If you’re interested in doing either one of these events with Najat, please contact Bill Dwyer at bdwyer2@comcast.net and he’ll put you in touch with her or others who express their race interests here.
2008-2009 Texas Marathon Price Tracker (An eDeerTracks exclusive)
Oct. 4 (Sat) – West Texas Crossroads Marathon, Odessa - $70 until race day (NEW)
Oct 18 (Sat) - Marathon 2 Marathon, Alpine - $65 until October 1, 2008
Oct 26 (Sun) – Miracle Match Marathon, Waco - $65 by September 8, 2008
Nov 16 (Sun) – Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon, San Antonio - $95 through August 31, 2008
*Use the code “SOLDOUT” for a $10 discount off of either of their races*
Dec 7 (Sun) – Fiesta Marathon, Hidalgo – Registration Not Open
Dec 14 (Sun) – Nexbank White Rock Marathon, Dallas - $90 through January 31, 2009
Jan 1 (Thu) – Texas Marathon, Kingwood - $45 through October 2, 2008
Jan 18 (Sun) – Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston (SOLD OUT)
Feb 14 (Sat) – Surfside Beach Marathon, Surfside Beach - $50 early registration is currently in effect
Feb 15 (Sun) – AT&T Austin Marathon, Austin - $100 through September 30, 2008
Feb 28 (Sat) – Cowtown Marathon, Fort Worth - $70 through February 2, 2009
March – El Paso Marathon, El Paso – Registration Not Open
Mar 15 (Sun) – Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, Seabrook – Registration Not Open
Apr 5 (Sun) – Big-D Texas Marathon, Dallas - $65 through January 17, 2009
Apr 11 (Sat) – Davy Crockett Bear Chase, Groveton - $45 through September 27, 2008
Courtesy of The Woodlands Running Club
(If you copy and share this with non-members, please including the heading and the courtesy line immediately above.)
Financial Consulting: Because of the current economic conditions, club member (and one of Houston’s faster masters runners) Jacob Mazone has offered TWRC members two (2) hours of complimentary consulting in the areas of retirement planning and investment advice." Jacob’s direct line is (281) 362-4737 or email at jacob.mazone@ms.com.
Next Two Months Local Race Calendar:
Aug. 23 (Sat) Heat Wave 5K; (Seven Hills RC club race); Bowers Stadium parking lot; Huntsville, $1, 8:00 a.m.
Sep 1 (Mon) Third Annual Woodlands Adventure Race; Rob Fleming Park in Creekside; The Woodlands, $50 early, $65 race day, 8:00 a.m.
The Third Annual Woodlands Adventure Race will start from the jewel park of The Woodlands: Rob Fleming Park in Creekside. The Woodlands High School Triathlon Team (22 students from both College Park and The Woodlands) will host this event with new challenges in navigating, trail running and team planning to execute the perfect race! An 8 a.m. start will send off teams all through Creekside Park. Families again with members as young as age 10 will be allowed to participate. Early mail-in registration as well as race day registration beginning at 7 a.m. will exist again this year.
Sandra Sutherland can be reached at txtri@att.net for all race day information. Entry forms will be at Luke’s Locker, Bikelane and the YMCA starting this weekend.
[And, of course, be on the lookout for Double Bigfoot Thunder!]
Sep. 6 (Sat) Bearkat Bash 5K; Klein High School; Klein, 7:30 a.m.
Sep. 27 (Sat) Fall Fun Run 10K/5K; (Seven Hills RC club race); SW corner of West Hill Mall; Huntsville, $1, 8:00 a.m.
Big Events TWRC Members Are Training For: Here’s your place to tell us what marathons, half marathon, ultramarathoners or beer runs that you’re training for. Let’s us hear from you! (We tend to randomly peruse race web sites; however, if we miss you, please don’t be offended. Just drop us a line! We want people to know what you’re planning on racing – and after the race, the membership would love a race report for Deer Tracks.)
Green River Chamber of Commerce Run With The Horses Marathon: Green River, WV; August 23, 2008 (Lou Wilson)
Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon: Virginia Beach, VA; August 31, 2008 (Susan Meyer)
Portland Marathon: Portland, OR; October 5, 2008 (Russell McCoy)
Ford Ironman World Championship: Kona, HI; October 11, 2008 (Dana Lyons)
Heartland 100: Cassoday, KS; October 11-12, 2008 (Lynnor Matheney)
Bank of America Chicago Marathon: Chicago, IL; October 12, 2008 (Mary Kerschbaum, Patrick Morein)
Nike Women’s Marathon: San Francisco, CA; October 19, 2008 (Kristin Collins, Susie Schreiber)
Ford Ironman Florida: Panama City Beach, FL; November 1, 2008 (Dan Jordan, John Laskowski)
ING New York City Marathon: New York City, NY; November 2, 2008 (JoAnn Blakeley, Sarah Broyles, Don Cole, Carrie Davies, Sharon Griggs, Bernhard Skarpeid, Johanne Skorve, Mark Whittemore)
Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon: San Antonio, TX; November 16, 2008 (Misty Baugh, Sarah Broyles, Bill Crews, Bill Dwyer, Karen Felicidario, Kelley Golden (debut), Kevin Golden, Joey Krivi, Katy Lampson, Kim MacDougal, Donna Ryals, Najat Shayib, Richard Tramm, Debbie Tripp, Jon Walk)
Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon: San Antonio, TX; November 16, 2008 (Leslie Alli, Althea Caldwell, Fran Blanton, Barry Blanton, Judy Blevins, Chad Broyles, Mary Kerschbaum, Todd Kerschbaum (debut), Susan Meyer, Corina Privett, Kim Rawls)
Ford Ironman Arizona: Tempe, AZ; November 23, 2008 (Bruce Cobb, Michael Collins, Kim Hager, Buck Snyder, Susan Rouse)
Texas Marathon: Kingwood, TX; January 1, 2009 (Jon Walk)
Chevron Houston Marathon and the Aramco Houston Half Marathon: Houston, TX; January 18, 2009 (A complete list appears in the August edition of Deer Tracks)
Western States Endurance Run: Squaw Valley to Auburn, CA: June 27-28, 2009 (Rick Cook)
2008 Remaining Local Race Calendar:
Coach Dana Fossmo at Willis High School tells us that the third annual Willis Wildkat 5K will be on either December 13th or December 20th.
An excellent race calendar can be found at the website of our friends from Huntsville with the Seven Hills Running Club. It can be viewed at this link.
Our Board: Tony Allison is our President in our third year of operation. Bill Dwyer is the Vice President and President-Elect. Kerri Snyder is the Secretary, Pam Meaux is the Treasurer, Tracy MacEwan is our Registrar and Dan Green is our running coach.
Courier of Montgomery County: Read Jon Walk’s local running column in the Courier (most) every Tuesday. If you need to know where the best locations are to pick up a copy, please drop us an e-mail. This past Tuesday’s column was online. Here’s the link:
Trivia Answer: The Terlingua Track Club’s Alex Galbraith has run at least one mile every day for 13,312 consecutive days as of June 1. 2008. The Terlingua Track Club is a HARRA-affiliated club and we read awhile back that Galbraith logs at least 28 miles a week – because he runs at least four miles every day.
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