"Tri-ing" Times in Philadelphia - Philadelphia Triathlon Results

Sunday, June 28, 2009 was the swimming-biking-running of the 5th Philadelphia Triathlon. There were some impressive times by some strong all-around athletes who, I'm proud to say, also happen to be members of the SRC. They all participated in the Olympic Distance Race: 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run.

JavaMon: 2:44:01 (new PR)
Dr. Ned: 3:46:56
Joe H: 3:33:53
Tri-Marni: 2:55:51
Waterbottle: 2:56:41

JavaMon (aka Arthur) has provided a race report from the Philly Triathlon as part of his training for the Lake Placid Ironman on July, 26, 2009. He's also raising money for the American Diabetes Association as a competitor in the Lake Placid Ironman. To date, he's raised over $7,000.00 For anyone who is interested in supporting JavaMon in his fund raising efforts, additional information can be found after the highlights of his odyssey:

Coffee for my breakfast, shot of whiskey on the side
It's a dark dreary morning, with clouds covering up the sky
My baby's grown cold, she's grown restless she's confessed
She says there's no one new, but deep down I know that's next

- Robert Cray, The Forecast Calls for Pain

Actually, yesterday's triathlon had great weather. It was a blast with, as usual, more than a few stories by the end of the day. But while Bluesman Robert Cray and I may be talking about different subjects (Hope and I just had our 23rd anniversary), we do have one thing in common in the we both rationally realize that, in our own respective near future, "The forecast calls for pain."

For me the next 4 weeks will be hard ones. I will be riding and running long miles. Last week I swam 2 miles non-stop in the pool, and I've added an event; on July 12, 2009, I'm swimming 3 miles in Lake Nockamixon in an open water swimming event. So, this is no longer a drill!

But I'm still having fun. Yesterday (Sunday) was no exception. I have scored a personal record (PR) at the Philadelphia Triathlon and improved several individual thresholds in the process.

I was in home territory and surrounded by friends: Dr. Ned, with whom I ran my first marathon in 2000 in Chicago; Joe, who was on my Margaret Bugay Riders' Tour de Cure Team; and Waterbottle, who was in my swim wave. And I see Bob, from Junior High. Like last year, Bob finished first in our age group and beat my time by more than half an hour. Pretty cool.

This was my 5th Philly Tri and I knew from experience that I needed to get to the race early. You have to get body marked (all the easier to fish you out of the water afterwards) and your bike racked before race time. So, being an experienced and knowledgeable tri-athlete, I already knew this and was duly prepared.

The Sunday race (Olympic Distance) starts in the Schuylkill River on the east side at St. Joe's Boathouse on Kelly Drive, and you finish the swim on the west side on ML King Drive. The bike race picks up on MLK Drive and circles in two loops through Fairmount Park. Each loop is about 12.4 miles. To put the Ironman in perspective, to equal Lake Placid's distance, the Philly Tri bike portion would be a little over 9 loops - over hilly terrain. Nevertheless, I find the Philly course to be challenging - and fun. After racing this distance, you run a 10K on MLK Drive. A good 3 miles of the run course is in full sun, and since this is in late morning, it's nice and hot. Fortunately, I was wearing sunscreen.

Unlike the Ironman next month, the swim portion in Philly is a wave start. Here the organizers wisely breakdown the swim race by age and category into smaller portions. They start them in staggered heats. Your wave has swim cap designations by color. For example, when I signed up, I got a black bathing cap. Waterbottle, my buddy, had a florescent pink bathing cap - quite manly.

I got up at 3:30am and got my stuff together and had a modest breakfast. And, I'm told that I didn't do any of this quietly. There's a name for people like me, and it's not Ironman. All I can say is that Hope's a fairly tolerant woman to put up with this stuff, and "thanks."

I'm out the door and get the early train to the city. I even bring 2 sets of swim goggles, so I'm really prepared. And one of the benefits of doing a Philly race is that I can stop by my office beforehand to get coffee and stuff before I head out to the race to check in, so I did.

But as usual, I have some knucklehead miscues before and during the event which have taught me a few more things as I plod along toward my main entre - the Ironman.

I get to the check-in to rack my bike. I notice, but don't fully comprehend the significance, that there are a lot of bikes racked up there. And while I see a lot of people milling about, there are not as many people as there are bikes. Just then I hear the race announcer, "And the elite wave is in the water. They'll be here in minutes to start the bike. We have world-class athletes competing today. The course record is most certainly going to fall...." And I think, "Gee, they decided to start the elites pretty early this year." Guess which character I am in "Of Mice and Men"? Still no clue.

So I see a girl in a bathing suit with body markings and I casually ask what anyone would ask such a pretty girl, "So are you wearing a wetsuit for the swim?" She looks at me like I'm crazy (and not for normal reasons) and says, "Swim? I'm doing the relay. I'm not swimming. Everyone's left. They're on the other side of the river getting in the water. The last bus left 10 minutes ago. You're too late. You're out of the race."

It was only then that I realized that I'm screwed - again. Suddenly, the decision about wearing a wetsuit is irrelevant - it's left behind. And I start running around, desperately trying to bum a ride to the other side of the river. The scene is what my Dad would describe as "Zey Loifen vi Fah Sumpta Moys", which from Yiddish means, "running like poisoned mice." Very descriptive and very accurate.

I'm not body marked, and there's no way I can get to the other side before my wave starts. However, it must have been painful to watch because eventually a bus driver says, "Come on, I'll get you there." A race official says, "Go ahead, you'll get body marked on the other side."

Tony, the bus guy, has to be their top driver. You see, they bike and run courses coincide along MLK Drive. There are numerous orange road cones that separate the two courses because when the elites are running, the rest of us will be biking. So, when Tony's driving, he's weaving in and around cones and not not hitting one. There are even recreational bikers, runners and in-line skaters in the road. Even the Philly Tri can't shut down MLK Drive, which is closed to traffic on Sunday for the public's enjoyment. No casualties, it's like a sports care commercial on a closed track except I'm in a big-ass school bus, where I'm the only passenger. Sure enough, I get there safe and sound, and they're a long way off from letting my wave, the "black caps" in the water.

At the Boathouse I see my running buddies and we're joking about Waterbottle's pink cap. However, he's 48 and in my age class, 45-49. The black caps are 50-55, the last wave. Sort of a depressing statement, quite frankly. I'll have to speak with Lars (Beck - race organizer) about that. I'm sure it will be a high priority. Anyway, I switch caps and it turns out that pink is actually much more slimming. My wave gets called and I'm in the water.

For those who flinch at swimming in the Schuylkill River, for all of the stories I've heard about dead bodies, floating animals, etc found there, it's still cleaner than the NJ shorline. Politics aside, the water is nice. It's a great swim.

In the water there's the usual pre-race banter before the wave starts. It's all men, but it's hard to tell given that we're wearing goggles and swim caps. Someone yells that he was fondled by a guy wearing a pink swim cap. People get goofy when they're swimming in the Schuylkill. They should bottle the stuff.

I finish the time in record time, 25:49. I'm getting faster, that's for sure. My goal was 30 minutes!

Then off to the bike. It's a fun course. I'm going 37 mph downhill and 22-25 mph along the straights, but right before the second loop my rear derailleur gear cable snaps so I only have 2 gears, "low" and "high" on my 10-speed bike. People think I'm being aggressive on the hills by standing on the bike, but I'm just trying to get up the hills and I'm struggling.

I'm not the only one having problems. I pass a guy and I see that his bike shorts (those spandex things) are ripped and his butt is exposed - just enough to bring it to one's attention as you're traveling along at around 25 mph. I tell him, "Your pants are ripped." He says, "I know." Seconds later another biker - this one's decked out like the guy from the Comcast commercial complete with an aero-sprint bike helmet ("You look ridiculous,"......"But I'm fast....."). He's laughing and says, "Did you see that guy's butt?".....and moves on.

We're a breed - Mr. Exposed Butt and myself - and they're not getting rid of us soon. Our mantra: Don't panic. Keep going. That's a lesson to take home. And I finish with a record pace of 20.1 mph.

I'm tired as I start the run, but my spirits are raised when right before the dismount I hear a familiar voice, "Brother Paul." He's a guy from my masters swim class who's also training for the Lake Placid Ironman, except to look at him you'd never suspect that he's be doing it. He's not svelte, and that to me is an inspiration. I see that he's dropped more than a few pounds as we start the run. His nickname is self-anointed. No one else in my swim class has a nickname except for "Nick the Adonis," and that's what the guys call him. He's going to beat me bad in Lake Placid; Paul's another story.

Paul is looking good today and I'm pleased that he hasn't given up the good fight. He's raising money for MS in his father's name. His dad has been living with MS for many years. He's a good guy.

As I loop back into transition from the lower part of the running course I hear a big guy tell me that I"m going to be his pacer - foolish man. We head out to the sunny part of the course and though it's perhaps 80 degrees, I feel like I"m being baked. I remember the first time racing this course when I had to stop a few times because of that sun, but this time things are different. I'm not fresh, but I"m not wilted either. Along the way I see Bourne, a lawyer friend of mine - and fellow contributor to this fundraiser. He's in the 60-65 race group and he's doing great.

I finish the course in record run pace of 9:14 MPM. My overall time of 2:44:01 beats my last PR (2008) by 11 minutes! It's a successful day.

Notwithstanding all of this, I am sober enough to realize that running 26.2 miles - after biking 112 miles and swimming 2.4 miles - might be a tad more difficult. Hence, our theme today, The Forecast Calls for Pain. Difficult things are worth doing and this one is no exception.

I'm pretty psyched for the fun next month. I've raised over $7,000 for the American Diabetes Association, and things are on the upswing. Thanks for keeping the faith.

Best,

Arthur
*************************************************************************
If you'd like to make a donation to Arthur's fund raising efforts you can either make a check out to the American Diabetes Foundation and mail it to Arthurs' office:

Arthur Bugay
1818 Market Street, Ste 2300
Philadelphia, PA 19103

or go on line to the Janus Charity Challenge web site (who is matching funds raised by Arthur) at:

www.januscharitychallenge.com

Look up Arthur Bugay on the athlete search and you can donate on line.

***************************************************************

Good luck, JavaMon! Keep up the hard work!

SRC Run Report, June 6, 2009

The rain finally stopped in time for Saturday morning, but the moisture was still heavy in the air for the 15 dedicated runners who showed up at Northwest Ave. There were a few who kept true to the tradition and ran The Wall rather than the beloved(?) Shawmont.

1. Biker Bill: To the-Inn-and-back.....+2 (Dr.'s orders!)
2. CBG: 10 on-the-trail
3. Coach Carl: 5 on-the-trail, help with trail race, 5 more on-the-trail
4. Dr. Ned: 7 on-the-trail
5. John: Shawmont unspecified
6. Kenny Baby: The Wall + 3
7. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Manor
   
8. Michele: Shawmont unspecified
9. Mr. Rogers: Shawmont unspecified
10. Navy Scott: 10 on-the-trail
11. Quietman Tom: The Wall + ?
12. Tall Dave: Home-Canoe Club-Home
13. Teddio: "Whatever Dave (WB) is doing"
14. Tommy O: To the Canoe Club from the Inn and on for 15
15. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Eva (see Teddio's distance)

Race update: NC Tom ran in the Moorestown 8K on Saturday. Would we expect anything less than a win in his age group and putting the age group below him to shame? Yep! That's what he did! Tom's time of 32:46 put him first in the male 65-69 division. As a matter of fact, he would have won his division if it were 60-69, and he still would have been third if there were a 55-69 division! I don't think there is any stopping this guy! I hope not!

On the other extreme, you may have noticed that I have been conspicuously absent from the list of SRC runners each week. I'm on the DL list for a while for a vague, non-specific, hip flexor something. I can't say specifically when it happened or how or even describe the symptoms very well. Trying to run or ride through it only seems to make matters worse. Rest, gentle stretching, Motrin, ice, and oh yeah, patience seem to be making conservative improvements. For those of you who have asked, thank you for your concern. Eventually, this too shall pass and I'll be back on the trail with everyone. In the meantime, run a few miles for me :-)

Hit the Wall on Saturday, June 6, 2009

Hey folks! Kenny Baby reminded me that this coming Saturday, June 6th, is the one Saturday out of the year when it's appropriate to forgo an assault on Shawmont in order to ascend The Manayunk Wall in honor of the 25th Anniversary of the Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, June 7, 2009! Be sure to make a note of it in your training log!

SRC Run Report, May 30, 2009

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, albeit a little humid. Can you believe this is the last weekend in May? Before you know it, people will be ramping up the mileage for a fall marathon! We had 20 folks show up and take off before the Friends of the Wissahickon 5-miler started:

1. Alan Gross: 10 on-the-trail
2. BB Bestsy: Shawmont-Eva
3. Coach Carl: 8-10 on-the-trail
4. Doylestown Pete: Shawmont-Eva
5. Gwynedd Babe Joanne: Shawmont-Wises Mill*
6. Hoby Dick: to-the-Inn-and-back 5
7. Joe H: Shawmont-Wises Mill*
8. Lakshmi: Shawmont-Wises Mill*
9. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Eva
10. Linda: Shawmont-Wises Mill*
11. Milesman Hal: Shawmont + for 22
12. Mr. Rogers: Canoe Club
13. Navy Scott: 10 on-the-trail
14. NC Tom: 10 on-the-trail
15. Prof Sandy: Reader's Digest Shawmont
16. Quietman Tom: Shawmont-Manor
17. Teddio: "Whatever Dave is doing"
18. Terminator Tony: Shawmont-Manor
19. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Eva
20. Weezinator: 4

*Most of these were "Unspecified Shawmonts." Strange things can happen between the start at Northwest Ave and the top of Shawmont as folks consider their options regarding the magical mystery tour taking them back to their car.

Also seen: Lisa B and Neapolitan Nathan, and Dwight and Larry W.

Racing Update - Spring Lake 5-Miler, May 23, 2009 - NC Tom had another outstanding performance last Saturday. He finished the Spring Lake 5-Miler in a time of 32:54:04 for 134th place overall out of 7684 finishers. This was also consistent with his racing record so far this year, and once again he won his age group hands down! The race results don't break out the age categories for awards, but the next finisher between the ages of 60 and 69 years was Harold Nolan, 62, with a time of 33:35:73. Well done, NC Tom!

SRC Run Report, May 23, 2009

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend and has had a chance to kick back for a bit!

We had a modest crowd again this weekend. No need for a Parade Permit as Zen Yanni says, but a nice showing just the same. I'm glad I held off on this posting as I've been able to confirm or correct some of the declarations of the 17 faithful who showed up for a lazy, hazy, crazy official kick-off of summer run:

1. BB Betsy: Shawmont-Wises Mill
2. Biker Bill: 7 on-the-trail
3. CBG: Shawmont-Wises Mill
4. Dr. Ned: 7 on-the trail
5. Gazella: 3.5
6. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
7. Jenn: 7 on-the-trail
8. Jon H: 10 on-the-trail
9. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Wises Mill
10. Milesman Hal: Shawmont + for 22
11. Navy Scott: Shawmont-Wises Mill (Columbia MBA grad! Congratulations!)
12. Rabbi Jon: 7 on-the-trail
13. Steve J: 10 on-the-trail
14. Teddio: Shawmont-Eva
15. Thierry: 7 on-the-trail
16. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Eva
17. Weezinator: 3.5

Also seen: Mr. Rogers for 10 on-the-trail, and Seito (picked up at the Inn?) and ran with Milesman

Note: I think there may be a race on Forbbiden Drive next Saturday starting at Northwest Ave at 9am so parking may be a bit tricky.

SRC Run Report, May 16, 2009

We seem to be experiencing some down time as part of the ebb and flow of the annual marathon cycle based on the attendance and distances run on Saturday. The Boston Marathon is behind us for one more year, as are many of the other spring marathons. Some folks have their eye on the triathlon season or maybe the adventure racing season, but for those considering a fall marathon, now is the time to enjoy some "leisurely moderate distance" Saturday runs. Remember, only a marathoner would describe a 10-13 mile run as leisurely or a moderate distance!

We had a modest showing compared with many other Saturdays, and less than half ascended Shawmont. There were 18 people at Northwest Ave on Saturday, including one newbie.

1. BB Betsy: Canoe Club 13
2. CBG: Canoe Club 13 (I think)
3. Doylestown Pete: Shawmont unspecified
4. Iron Arthur: Shawmont unspecified
   
5. Hee Haw Jim: 12 on-the-upper-trails
6. Joe H: 10 on-the-trail
7. Kenny Baby: Canoe Club +1 for 14
8. Lakshmi: Shawmont unspecified
9. Lima Bean: Canoe Club 13
   
10. Michele: 10 on-the-trail
11. Mike F (newbie): 9-ish on the trail - Welcome to SRC!
12. Milesman Hal: Shawmont + for 22 (some things never change)
13. Quiteman Tom: Shawmont unspecified
    
14. Tall Dave: Home-Canoe Club-Home for 16
15. Teddio: "Whatever Dave is doing"
16. Terminator Tony: Tony Manor
17. Thierry: Canoe Club for 13
18. Waterbottle: Shawmont maybe? Or 11 somehow?

Incidentally, parking was a little easier with the earlier start!

Athlete of the week, Iron Arthur

May 9, 2009 - Cedarville, NJ
The New Jersey Devilman Triathlon - swim 0.9 miles, bike 40.3 miles, run 8.8 miles - was completed by our own Iron Arthur this past Saturday. Despite some technical difficulties (see commentary), he had an impressive performance with a finish time of 4:36:37. His splits were: swim 17:44; T1 2:29; bike 2:24:10; T2 3:38; run 1:48:38.

Here's a detailed account provided by Iron Arthur:

Well, I learned a lot at the NJ Devilman. The sun and heat are not my friends. But, the people who race these events are. When I left at 3:30 am to go to Cedarville, New Jersey, I thought I had everything with me. In fact, I even did a checklist to make sure. The night before I bought a wet suit for the event - and I had that too (check).

So, bleary-eyed, I drove to Cedarville, stopping at the local WaWa for Gatorade, coffee, and a hoagie. I saved the Gatorade and consumed everything else on the way. Mapquest didn't fail me until I got to Vineland, NJ where I overshot my target, but ended up getting good directions from a fellow at the 24-hour "Save-A-Lot". By this time, it was getting light and I could almost see the road signs.

Cedarville is a farming community. Flat as a pancake and I can already see it's going to be a hot day. My luck is that it's all open - 100% open sun exposure. But, unlike Nashville, I thought ahead and used sunscreen, block 50. It wasn't enough.

After I picked up my packet, I ran into Bob, a friend from jr. high school, who is a killer at these events. He won our age group at Philly's Triathlon (Olympic Distance) last year and will be racing in Australia. And, above all, he's unfailingly nice. We go for a quick warm up spin on the bike course and everything seems okay.

I didn't realize something was wrong until I racked my bike and set up my transition. It turned out that I had left my swim goggles and "race food" (goo and "sport beans" - yum) at home in another bag. I went through the usual search procedures only to confirm what I already knew - the trip was for nothing. There was no way I could race without swim goggles - not in the Cedarville (Bog) Lake. And there was no way I could bike 40 + miles and run for nearly 9 without any nutrition. In short, I was screwed.

So with the race about to start, I "scratched." I handed over my timing chip, unracked my bike, and headed to my car.

But, then, Joe Sise, from Amsterdam, NY, calls and says, "Hey buddy, what's wrong?" I explained and he said, "No problem. I have an extra pair of goggles." After going through the excuse of not having "food", he solved that problem too and gave me a bunch of Fig Newtons, some energy candy, and a spare goo. And he was incredibly nice about the whole thing. What a bunch of nice people.

As for me, people who now me generally let such scattered behavior go. And my father has a gentle term for it - Kutzen ha moyech, which means "Cat Brain." It's so good to know that those in the Ironman realm also have a soft spot for those with soft heads.

So I was pretty flustered, and my calf was also giving me some problems. And frankly I was plain scared because this was going to be a long day, in the heat (it got up to 80F) and I was suddenly not feeling ready for it. But, Joe says, "Relax. You're here to have a good time. Enjoy yourself." And so I did.

The swim went well as expected; the wet suit paid off - the lake is indeed a swampy, smelly, shallow body of water; and, don't forget, it rained most of the week. It's a mass start, I'm thinking we're going clockwise and we head counterclockwise. I'm swimming into people as others swim over me and we headed around the buoys in two laps. The course is supposed to be .9 miles, but I think it's shorter than that because my time is pretty incredible for that distance - 17 minute, 44 seconds. Normally, it's nearly twice this time.

Open water swimming is completely different from pool/lap swimming. You can't see anything and have to sight your way while you're taking breaths during your stroke. And, of course, you don't normally take laps with over 100 other people at the same time. The advice is to bring two pairs of goggles because in the fray you can easily have one pair ripped off your face. I thought I'd be okay - but of course I ended up coming without any swim goggles.

I'm number 68 into the chute and it's off to the bike portion. In Philly, my average bike speed is 19.8 mph and the course is fairly hilly. My thought was that I'd be happy with averaging 17-18 mph given the distance difference - 25 miles versus 40 miles. But, I was still hoping to do better, perhaps 20 mph, because the course is much flatter. What I really liked about the bike course was that it was really safe - no technical areas, just straight, flat riding.

After attacking the course at 23-24 mph and higher, reality struck me at the first turn - a fierce headwind that slowed my pace to about 14-16 mph with brief bursts beyond back to the start. My second lap was even tamer. You get pretty docile after about mile 30. I passed my new pal, Joe Sise, who joked that I'd have to give over my medal as Clydesdale winner (guys weighing over 200 lbs) if I took the prize. But, he passed me soon enough and it was a non-issue. In fact, as thing progressed, I found that I was fairly out classed by this group of athletes.

To put things in perspective, I was beaten by the oldest competitor in the field, Russ Abbott, age 66, who completed the course in 4 hours, 3 minutes, 44 seconds. To put this into greater perspective, he beat my buddy, Joe, who was a fairly experience triathlete of my age, 45-46, 20 years his junior. Tough guy.

I racked my bike and was feeling pretty tired and beaten when I started the running leg. The first thing you pass after leaving the transition area is a cemetery. The next and only thing you see for miles is farmland - "Children of the Corn" and "Cujo" territory, where you'd expect "Pennywise, the Clown" to be mayor. There just miles and miles of this, without end.

As I plod uphill, my childhood buddy, Bob, is cruising down to the finish on the opposite side - he crosses over, all smiles, to give me a high-five. About 3 miles later I see my buddy, Joe, who gives me a thumbs up and is heading home. Then, from behind me, I'm passed by Beatrice, my swim coach (I take a masters swim class on Tuesdays). As she passes, she gives me a few encouraging words and goes on. I had no idea she did these races. I found out later that she's doing a Half-Ironman in June.

I eventually get to the finish with a sobering 4:36:36 - which is 108th place in a field of 122. My average bike speed is 16.8 mph. My "run" speed is 12.21 mpm, a far cry from last weekend's Broad Street 8:26 mpm for 10 miles. I conclude that I need to run more and to bike a lot more. But, I'm really thrilled to take this to another level.

I ran into the finish with a veteran Ironman and conclude that it was a good race after all. I achieved my objectives, learn from this experience, and escape without injury. I am now prepared for my next race, the Great Hudson River Race, a 1.3 mile swim in the Hudson, in Brooklyn. My plan is to bike to New York city the day before just for kicks. Because, after all, the Ironman bike leg is 112 miles and much longer than this. I have miles to go before I am ready for the Ironman.

As for my buddy, Joe. I didn't use his goo, so I thought the only decent thing to do would be to return it. As it turns out, he's a Judge from New York State.

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Pretty awesome and inspiring, huh? Thanks for sharing your race experience with us Arthur! Congratulations on a great effort!

For anyone who may not know already, Arthur is registered to compete in the Ironman Lake Placid on July 29th, 2009.

SRC Run Report, May 9, 2009

The times they are a changin'.........our Saturday morning meeting time at Northwest Avenue that is. Be sure to adjust your alarm clocks next week because starting May 16th we will meet at 7:30 am! Thank you Joe H. Kenny Baby, Marni, and all of the other folks who remembered the Shawmont Running Club web site indicates that the change in meeting time should have been this weekend. Apologies to anyone who was caught in the mix up! Also, parking might be a little easier with an earlier start and the growing popularity of the trail.

I missed a few people in the Broad Street Run race report last week:

Just Gene: 1:08:54 (2nd in division to Terminator Tony. Tough crowd!)
J. Runnin' with the King: Couldn't find time, but I know he ran with his grandaughter in her first Broad Street Run.

As for this morning, amongst the confusion we had 20 people show up at various times. Here's what was what:

1. Alan G: early arrival, distance not sure
2. BB Betsy: 10 on-the-trail
   
3. CBG: 10 on-the-trail
4. Cisco Joe: To-the-Inn-and-back 5
5. Dolly Llama: To-the-Inn-and-back 5
6. Gazella: T0-the-Inn-and-back 5 plus 1
7. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
8. J. Runnin' with the King: Shawmont for 15
   
9. Joe H: Canoe Club 13
10. Julianne: Shawmont unspecified
    
11. Just Gene: Shawmont plus 5
12. Kenny Baby: early arrival and 10 on-the-trail
13. Lakshmi: 10 on-the-trail
14. Lima Bean: 10 on-the-trail plus Andorra for 12
    
15. Milesman Hal: Shawmont plus for 22
16. NC Tom: Shawmont-Wises Mill
17. Seito: Shawmont for 15
    
18. Teddio: 10 on-the-trail
19. Thierry: Shawmont plus for 13-16
    
20. Waterbottle: Home-Inn-Home for 6

Also seen: Larry W and Dwight finishing up 10, and MaryBeth with her four-legged friend finishing a run.

Best wishes to Prof Sandy at the Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure tomorrow!

SRC Broad Street 2009 Race Results

Wow! The Broad Street Run already has race results posted for the 23,079 finishers! Pretty impressive! I found 21 SRC folks in the results! If I missed anyone, my apologies. We had a great showing and a terrific performances by the SRC with 2 first place and 2 second place finishes in his or her respective division.

1. Alan G: 1:18:23
2. BB Betsy: 1:18:11
3. Biker Bill: 2:08:42
4. Cisco Joe: 1:20:46
5. Coach Carl: 1:26:57
6. Dr. Ned: 1:34:38
7. Gwynedd Babe Joanne: 1:26:04
8. HeeHaw Jim: 1:19:00
9. Hoby Dick: 1:43:51 (2nd in division!)
   
10. Iron Arthur: 1:24:19
11. Joe H: 1:20:49
12. Karen Kanada: 1:44:56
13. Lima Bean: 1:17:16
14. NC Tom: 1:07:42 (1st in division!)
15. Prof Sandy: 1:25:52 (2nd in division!)
16. Rabbi Jon: 1:25:10
17. Teacher Craig: 1:04:09
18. Terminator Tony: 1:07:46 (1st in division!)
19. Teddio: 1:26:30
20. Thierry: 1:23:19
21. Tri-Marni: 1:19:07

Well done everyone! Congratulations!

SRC Run Report, May 2, 2009

There really isn't a lot to report about the run on Saturday morning between the soggy weather, the day before the Broad Street Run, and the Boston Marathoners still enjoying the much deserved recovery mode. Quietman Tom found a web site of FREE Boston Marathon race images. He was able to track down himself, Seito, Sandor, and Waterbottle, and forwarded some of the images to me. Can you find Quietman Tom? Here is the link to more Boston photos if you'd like to look for yourself or a friend.

As for the run yesterday, most folks opted to put their feet up or at least keep them dry the day before the Broad Street Run. We had 11 folks who had other ideas:

1. Gazella: Shawmont-Eva via the Audi ;-)
2. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
3. Joe H: Pre-Broad Street 5
4. Lima Bean: Pre-Broad Street 4
5. Milesman Hal: 20....would you expect anything less?
6. Mr. Rogers: Canoe Club 13
7. Quietman Tom: Canoe Club 13
8. Rabbi Jon: Pre-Broad Street 3
9. Teddio: Shawmont-Eva via the Audi ;-)
10. Thierry: Pre-Broad Street 3
11. Waterbottle: Still enjoying post-Boston recovery 5

As of the posting of this report, those of you who ran the Broad Street Run should be finished and hopefully are warm and dry now! This was one of the largest crowds at Broad Street with about 27,000 people registered. Congratulations and well done! I'll look for results and post something later this week.

One last note from Professor Sandy:

I just received a request from "Coastal Studies for Girls, a Science and Leadership School" in Maine. (www.coastalstudiesforgirls.org) They need GPS units.
I remember hearing of different folks getting new units, so they might wish to donate their old ones. I won't be at the fence this Sat because I"m doing Broad St. (The next week I'm doing Race for the Cure.) If anyone has one to give away, please email me at sfolzer@verizon.net

SRC Run Report, April 25, 2009

What a beautiful weekend! There are two things that happen on the trail each year that I consider part of the rites of spring; 1) the water fountain at the Inn works again, and 2)the gnats provide a protein supplement to unsuspecting runners and riders. It's definitely spring now, although it felt more like summer this weekend. We'll have some cooler days ahead still, but isn't this great? I think the 21 SRC folks who showed up at Northwest Ave on Saturday morning would agree. Some were tapering for Broad Street next weekend, a couple were doing the post-Boston victory trot, and the rest were there because that's what you do on Saturday morning!

1. Alan G: Shawmont unspecified
2. BB Bestsy: Shawmont unspecified
3. Biker Bill: 7 on-the-trail
4. Dana: Canoe Club and Andorra (Welcome back!)
   
5. Dr. Ned: 7 on-the-trail (I think)
6. Gazella: To-the-Inn-and-back 5
7. Gerry: To-the-Inn-and-back 5
8. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
9. Joe H: Canoe Club and Andorra
10. Lima Bean: Shawmont unspecified
11. Milesman Hal: 10 on-the-trail (That's what he told me, but I suspect more miles)
12. Mr. Rogers: 10 on-the-trail
13. NC Tom: a "brisk" 8 on-the-trail
14. Prof Sandy: Shawmont unspecified
15. Quietman Tom: post-Boston 4 on-the-trail
16. Rabbi Jon: 6 on-the-trail
17. Tall Dave: Home-Canoe Club-Home for 16.5
18. Teach Craig: pre-Broad Street tapering 8
19. Terminator Tony: Tony Manor
    
20. Thierry: 6 on-the-trail
21. Tri-Marni: Canoe Club and Andorra

Also seen: Rob H

Race reports:

Sunday, April 19, 2006

1. NC Tom won his age division at the Valley Forge 5-miler last weekend in a time of 33:51! Congratulations, Tom!
2. CBG, Gazella, and Ben, aka Team Master Blaster, won the coed Masters team of 3 division at the Savage Adventure Race at Brandywine Creek State Park! It was a blast!

Boston Marathon 2009 Results

The weather held out for the 113th Boston Marathon yesterday with overcast skies and an average temperature of about 46 degrees (F). Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the race on TV, but the women's race was something else with first place by Salina Kosgei of Kenya, less than one second in front of second place by Dire Tune of Ethiopia . Third place was less than 20 seconds behind that by American Kara Goucher, in a time of 2:32:25. The men's race was won by Deriba Merga of Ethiopia in a time of 2:08:42. American Ryan Hall finished in third place in a time of 2:09:40. It's great to see Americans in top finishing places at Boston once again!

As for our local heroes, I think all of those bone-chilling long runs this past winter paid off yesterday. Some impressive times were posted!

Kenny Baby: 3:34:25
Lisa B: 3:55:22
Master Jack: 3:28:38
Maverick: 3:14:12
Milesman Hal: 3:37:22
Paul W: 3:04:24
Quietman Tom: 3:12:05
Sandor: 3:58:01
Seito: 3:34:15
Waterbottle: 3:29:47

Well done everyone! We're very proud of you!

Enjoy the recovery. You earned it.

SRC Run Report, April 18, 2009

I thought we were due for another group photo and since I wasn't running today, I brought Bailey (the unofficial SRC mascot) and my camera down to Northwest Ave this morning. That's a nice lookin' group, don't ya think? It was a beautiful spring morning too! Waterbottle stopped by for a little run before leaving for Boston and his BIG run on Monday. Other than that, there were quite a few Shawmonts, but nothing really specific so please excuse the general reported distances:

1. Alan G: Shawmont unspecified
2. Bailey (the mascot): 2 on-the-trail
3. BB Betsy: Shawmont unspecified
4. Biker Bill: Shawmont unspecified
5. Cisco Joe: 8 on-the-trail
6. Dolly Llama: 8 on-the-trail
7. Dr. Ned: Shawmont unspecified
   
8. Gazella: 2 on-the-trail
9. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
10. Iron Arthur: Shawmont unspecified
11. Lima Bean: Shawmont unspecified
12. NC Tom: To-the-Inn-and-back warm-up for the Valley Forge 5-miler tomorrow
13. Rabbi Jon: 10 on-the-trail
14. Rob H: 10 on-the-trail (?)
15. Teddio: Shawmont unspecified
16. Thierry: Canoe Club for 13
17. Tri-Marni: Shawmont unspecified
18. Waterbottle: pre-Boston 3 on-the-trail
19. Weezinator: 2 on-the-trail
20. Zen Yanni: 2 on-the-trail

*****************************************************
Report update - This past week I received this duathlon race report from Joe H.:

Last Saturday (Apr 11), I was at Lake Nockamixon for the 1st Doylestown Duathlon, which was a 5K run, 30K ride, and then the same 5K run. My main concern was that I should have brought heavier gloves for the bike ride, but after I wrung out the water in the pair I had they were OK for the ride. We started in waves, with mine being the second group, and the women were about 3 minutes after us. So in the first 5K, I was passed by the 1st woeman after about a mile and then passed by about 6 more women after that.

I think the weather only attracted the serious or foolish runners/bikers and kept the novices away. It was not that bad and the bike course was very safe going around the perimeter of the lack on public roads with some challenging hills.

There were 150 individual finishers and another 45 relay teams. I was 123/150, 13/19 in gender age with split times of 26:13, 1:22:16, and 30:39. The first place in my gender/age splits were 20:50, 1:01:22, and 23:17. The first place woman's splits were 18:24, 55:50, and 19:38 and she finished 15th overall.

I did notice that when it's wet enough and you are going fast on a bike, the water coming off of the front wheel starts to spray straight up in the air. That was fun to watch.


Nice work, Joe! I think you deserve a medal just for showing up in the terrible weather conditions we had last week!

******************************************************************

Final note: To all of those who are Boston bound for the marathon on Monday -

Bill C
Kenny Baby
Lisa B
Maverick
Milesman Hal
Quietman Tom
Sandor
Seito
Waterbottle

I hope I didn't forget anybody.

Have a great run and a great time! You worked hard to get to Boston, and we'll all be there with you in spirit (and via the Internet) on Patriot's Day to cheer you on!

SRC Run Report, April 11, 2009

It's fitting that the first Saturday after the opening of the Major League Baseball season the SRC run was essentially rained out, or at least had a rain delay. There were so few people who showed up that I can describe just about the entire run in the narrative today.

I went down to Northwest Ave mainly out of a sense of responsibility to take attendance for the few dedicated and/or crazy folks who were willing to come out and run in a spring shower on a Saturday morning. Professor Sandy and Terminator Tony were there and started off on their run as BB Betsy and I pondered our options. Then along came Jon H and Quietman Tom. Jon was out because that's what you do on a rainy Saturday morning of course, and Quietman Tom was tapering for the Boston Marathon next week. Betsy and I, the independent thinkers that we are, gave in to peer pressure and decided to give the trail a try with Jon and Tom.

The rain was light and the puddles didn't seem too bad on the way to the Inn. We caught up with Prof Sandy and Terminator Tony at the Inn and once again considered our options. Sandy and Tony went on pursue a Manor run. My hamstring was having second thoughts about the run so I decided turn around. Then the independent thinkers, Tom, Jon, and Betsy decided to go back to Northwest Ave as well. We spotted Iron Arthur on our way back. By the way, the rain picked up and the puddles turned into ponds on the return trip. Jon gave up trying to jump over or run around the water hazards, and instead had a splashing good time. Betsy and Tom took a trek up Andorra, and Jon and I headed for our cars as the rain got heavier even still when we got back to Northwest Ave.

I'm on a baseball theme here, so once again humor me with this spin on "Casey at the Bat"

"Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright. The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light. Somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout, but there's no joy in Mudville, the Wissahickon Trail is rained out!"

SRC Run Report, April 4, 2009

First of all, I'd like to thank Waterbottle for taking attendance today. I wasn't able to join the gang at Northwest Ave this morning because CBG and I took a road trip down to Brandywine Creek State Park in Wilmington, DE to check out the location of our next adventure race, The Savage (April 19th). What is an adventure race? It's a team race (teams of 2-3 people) involving trail running, mountain biking, canoing and orienteering. It's fun and it's different from typical races that are strictly time-based competition if you're looking for something new to try. Anyway, if the wind outside of the Wissahickon trail was anything like the wind in the open areas at Brandywine Creek State Park, I'll bet you got as much of a workout bracing against the gale force wind as much as you did climbing Shawmont. It was unbelievable! It might also explain why so many folks opted for Shawmont-Wises Mill, to get back in the protected(?) valley. As Waterbottle reported, it was a Shawmont-Wises Mill Day! Here's who was not blown away by a little spring breeze this morning:

1. Alan G: Shawmont-Wises Mill
2. BB Betsy: Shawmont-Wises Mill
3. Doylestown Pete: Shawmont-Wises Mill
4. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
5. Iron Arthur: Shawmont-Wises Mill
6. Joleen: Shawmont-Wises Mill
7. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Wises Mill
8. Milesman Hal: Shawmont-something for 20
9. Professor Sandy: Shawmont-Wises Mill
10. Sandor: Shawmont-Wises Mill
11. Teddio: Shawmont-Wises Mill
12. Terminator Tony: Tony Manor
13. Thierry: 10 on-the-trail
14. Tri-Marni: Shawmont-Wises Mill
15. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Wises Mill
16. Weezinator: 3 on-the-trail
17. Zen Yanni: 2 on-the trail

Also seen: Rabbi Jon and Rob H.

I can't resist this so humor me. It seems appropriate after a windy run today to finish this post with an Irish Blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

SRC Run Report, March 28, 2009

If limited parking on a Saturday morning at Northwest Ave is a sign of spring, then spring has sprung! The rain stopped in time for the group run and it even felt a bit, can I say it, WARM outside this morning. Today was also the day for the AARC's monthly traveling run, so a few of the regulars were missing in order to take in a different running venue for a change of pace. Still we had a good showing of 17 folks, including a few who were getting in their last loooooong training run before the Boston Marathon, which is in a little over 3 weeks from now.

1. BB Bestsy: 10 on-the-trail
2. CBG: Shawmont-Eva
3. Dr. Ned: Shawmont unspecified
4. Gazella: Shawmont-Eva
5. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
6. Iron Arthur: Shawmont-Manor
7. Lima Bean: 10 on-the-trail, from home and back for 14
8. Milesman Hal: Shawmont-Spring Mill-Manor, plus for 23
9. Prof Sandy: Shawmont-Eva (modified)
10. Ram: Shawmont-Eva
11. Rob (anti-SRC) H: To the Inn and back 5
12. Seito: Shawmont-Spring Mill-Manor, plus for 22
13. Tall Dave: 10 on-the-trail from home and back for 14
14. Terminator Tony: Tony Manor
15. Teddio: Shawmont-Eva (modified)
    
16. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Spring Mill-Manor
17. Weezinator: To the Inn and back for 5, maybe a little more?

Also seen: Mimi at NW ave, and Tony D at the Inn

He's amazing

March 20-22, 2009 - Landover, Maryland
The press release for USATF reads, "The 2009 USA Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships at Prince George's Sports and Learning Center in Landover Md., Friday-Sunday, March 20-22, have attracted some of the world's top masters athletes, including at least 12 Olympians and 58 reigning world champions. With the theme of lifetime fitness, the meet is open to all athletes 30 and up. The oldest competitor is 95." Among those competing athletes was Olympic Gold Medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson, who set an age division in record in the W50 division 3000 meters in a time of 10:22:69.

I'm proud and honored to report that our own NC Tom was also one of the athletes competing at this event and once again had amazing performances! Tom ran in the M65 division for the 3000 meter run, the mile, and the anchor leg of the 4 x 800 meter relay with the Philadelphia Masters Track Club. He commanded the 3000 meter run and won the race in a time of 11:26:24, more than 45 seconds ahead of second place by Lou Coppens who finished in 12:13:78. Tom got the silver medal in the mile in a time of 5:48:84, less than 3 seconds behind the winner and American record-holder for the age group, Frank Condon. His anchor leg in the M65 4 x 800 was 2:46 and the final team relay time was 11:23, good enough for another gold medal. Incidentally, in the week prior Tom ran in the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon and set the course record for his age division with a time of 1:33:12. The previous record was 1:35:40.

A good number of the SRC gang are in the Masters category of competitive running or approaching Masters status a little quicker than we'd like. We all know that we will begin to slow down at some point, although we'd like to think, "Maybe not." We all love to run too. If we didn't, we wouldn't get up early on Saturday mornings to go out in extreme weather conditions or ignore that twinge in the leg that might be a warning sign to back off a little, just to get some miles and maybe a big hill in for the day. So when a member of the group is exemplifying our dreams and in such a gracious way, how can I be be anything other than amazed and proud to say, "I know him!" In an era when professional sports and athletes are more like businesses, isn't it great to see someone who is one of us everyday people excel on a national level? I think it's wonderful! Congratulations, Tom! May your greatness in running continue for many more races and years!

SRC Run Report, March 21, 2009

Welcome Spring 2009!....... Spring? Spring? Are you out there? Has anyone seen Springtime? We sure didn't feel it yesterday morning, which by the way was the first full day of Spring! It was a brisk 23 degrees at 8am on Saturday morning at Northwest Ave. Well that's a fine "How do you do?" to kick off warmer(?) weather, flowers blooming, and leaves budding on the trees don't you think? We did spot some daffodils along the tow path, which in Kenny's book is all that is needed to confirm that winter is over! I'll take that for now, so Bye Bye Winter!

Last Sunday there was a good showing of SRC folks at the Caesar Rodney Half-Marathon. I understand that NC Tom set the course record for his age group. He truly is "Too Hot" Tom as well as our local National Champion. He participated in the USATF National Indoor Track & Field Championships this weekend as well. I'm still waiting for breaking news of race results. Stay tuned.

I wanted to post all who participated in the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon and their times, but I'm getting a warning that the race results page is infected with a virus. My apologies for not being able to post everyone's hard efforts on a tough course. Here is the list of those who I know ran last weekend along with my congratulations!

Iron Arthur
Joe H
Just Gene
Kenny Baby
Lakshmi
Lima Bean
Marni
NC Tom

Fast forward to yesterday (back to the future?), here's the list of folks that showed up for a brisk Springtime morning run:

1. Alan Gross: 10 on-the-trail
2. BB Betsy: Shawmont-Manor
3. Bill C: Shawmont-Wises Mill
4. Chris P: Shawmont-Wises Mill, plus Andorra for 16
5. Cisco Joe: 10 on-the-trail
6. Coach Carl: 10 on-the-trail
7. Doylestown Pete: Shawmont-Manor
8. Gazella: Shawmont-Manor
9. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
10. Iron Arthur: Vanilla Shawmont
11. Jenn: 5 on-the-trail
    
12. Joe H: Shawmont-Wises Mill
13. Kenny Baby: Shawmont-Wises Mill
14. Lima Bean: Vanilla Shawmont
    
15. Prof Sandy: Vanilla Shawmont
16. Quietman Tom: Shawmont-Spring Mill-Manor
17. Rabbi Jon: 5 on-the-trail
18. Ram: Shawmont-Spring Mill-Manor
19. Rob H (anti-SRC): 5-8 on-the-trail
20. Robert: 8 on-the-trail
21. Teddio: Vanilla Shawmont
22. Thierry: 5 on-the-trail
23. Torry: 5 on-the-trail
    
24. Tri-Marni: Shawmont-Wises Mill
25. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Manor

Also seen: Tony D and PomPom Princess

Also seen later in the day and still upright, Just Gene, after completing the HAT 50K Trail Run in a time of 6:09:07, which was good enough for 3rd place in his age group! Congratulations!
Race results indicate that HeeHaw Jim also completed the race in 5:55:02! Well done both of you!

Other important notes: Last night was the 8th Annual SRC Dinner at Bourbon Blue which was organized by Zen Yanni and Weezinator. Once again, it was a delightful evening! A good time was had by all!

SRC Run Report, March 14, 2009

Veni, vidi, vici! That seemed to be the underlying mantra for today! Although we had a good showing of 23 folks today, there was a conspicuous absence of some of the Saturday regulars. Tomorrow is the running of the 46th Annual Caesar Rodney Half Marathon in Wilmington, Dela-where? I suspect some folks were resting their heels this morning in preparation for kicking up some hills tomorrow. A few came out for a little Pre-Caesar Rodney Run (PCRR) and there were a few who clearly were in the Boston-or-Bust training mode. The rest of us were in the Cesar Millan, aka the Dog Whisperer, mode exerting calm assertiveness on the weekly run with the rest of the pack.

1. BB Bestsy: Shawmont-Eva
2. Bill C: Art Museum Loop for 23
3. CBG: 8 on-the-trail
4. Chris P: Shawmont-Wises Mill
5. Coach Carl: 8-10 on-the-trail
6. Gazella: Shawmont-Eva
7. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
8. Iron Arthur: PCRR 5
9. Joe H: PCRR 5
10. Lima Bean: PCRR 5
11. Lisa B: Art Museum Loop for 23
12. Milesman Hal: Art Museum Loop for 23
    
13. Quietman Tom: Shawmont-Manor plus for 20
14. Rabbi Jon: 6 on-the-trail
15. Ram: Shawmont-Wises Mill
16. Rob H: 6 on-the-trail
17. Seito: Art Museum Loop for 23
18. Tall Dave: Home-Lincoln Drive-Home for 14
19. Terminator Tony: Tony Manor
    
20. Thierry: 7 on-the-trail
21. Waterbottle: Art Museum Loop for 23
22. Weezinator: 20
23. Zen Yanni: 20

Also seen: Pom Pom Princess (Wearing pink, what else!), and Mr. Rogers out for a bike ride on the trail with a few friends

To those who are running Caesar Rodney tomorrow, have a great day and a great race!

SRC Run Report, March 7, 2009

Could it be? Is it possible that spring is in the air? It sure felt like it this morning and it was a warm welcome, literally. Hard to believe that on Monday we were covered in snow with bone-chilling winds. It was about 45 degrees outside when the SRC folks gathered at Northwest Avenue this morning and most of the snow on the trail had melted. It was a bit of a mud fest with lots of puddle hopping in areas, but who cares when you don't have to dress like Nanook of the North just to go for a run!

What was even better this morning was the return of two very important members of SRC, Zen Yanni and Weezinator! Welcome back! We've missed you!

Also, we have a new nickname for Eric S, CBG, which is short for "Crazy Bald Guy." This was actually coined by a member of a gym where CBG teaches spin. Incidentally, in case you didn't know, the photos at the top of the page are of CBG, who kindly posed for the camera to show just how muddy the trail was. You should see him after an Adventure Race!

We had 27 folks show up this morning. When asked how far people were running I got quite a few responses like this, "I'm doing Shawmont.....?????", so this is my best stab at the "...????" part for those responses.

1. BB Besty: Shawmont-Eva
2. Bonnie B: Shawmont unspecified for 17
3. CBG: Shawmont-Wises Mill
4. Coach Carl: 10 on-the-trail
5. Dan T: 12.5 on-the-trail
6. Gazella: 10 on-the-trail
7. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
8. Iron Arthur: Shawmont unspecified
9. Joe H: Shawmont unspecified for 17
10. Joleen: Shawmont-Manor plus for 17-18
11. Kenny Baby: Art Museum Loop
12. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Eva
13. Laura: Reader's Digest Shawmont
14. Matt: 10 on-the-trail
15. Milesman Hal: Shawmont unspecified plus for 30
16. Prof Sandy: Reader's Digest Shawmont
17. Rabbi Jon: To the Inn and back 5
18. Sandor: Kelly Drive 15 at marathon pace
19. Seito: Shawmont unspecified plus for 30
20. Teacher Craig: Walnut Lane 10
21. Teddio: unconfirmed, noncommittal Shawmont unspecified
22. Terminator Tony: Tony Manor
23. Thierry: To the Inn and back 5
24. Tri-Marni: Shawmont unspecified for 16
25. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Manor for 17
26. Weezinator: 15 Welcome back!
27. Zen Yanni: 15 Welcome Back!

Also seen: Lisa B and her peeps doing a Shawmont unspecified.

DON'T FORGET: Zen Yanni is coordinating the 8th Annual SRC Dinner Social which will be held at Bourbon Blue on March 21st. Cocktails at 6:30 and dinner at 7:30. Please be sure to RSVP to Zen Yanni by Thursday, March 12th.

SRC Run Report, February 28, 2009

We had a huge turn out today! People were coming out of the woodwork and it's not even spring yet! It seemed like every time I looked around there was someone else to add to the list, so I hope I got everyone. Before I list the attendees for this week, I have a couple of other announcements.

1) The Frostbite 5-Miler had 928 finishers last week. From the race results posted on the AARC web site, these are the SRC folks I could find and their times:

Quietman Tom 32:56
Seito 33:29
NC Tom 33:34
Ram 34:15
Snake MacWilliams 33:13
BB Betsy 38:13
Prof Sandy 41:56

I'm pretty sure all of these folks at least placed in their age division, if not won their age division. Nice job everyone and congratulations AARC on having very successful race!

2) We had a special member of SRC return to run with the group this morning, Rabbi Jon! He's back from serving out country in Iraq. This is not a leave from duty, he's home for good! Glad to have you back safe and sound, Rabbi Jon!

As for the rest of us, this was who's who on Saturday morning:

1. Alan G: 10 on-the-trail
2. BB Betsy: Shawmont-Manor
3. Bill C: Shawmont-Wises Mill
4. Chris P: Shawmont unspecified (Manor maybe?)
5. Coach Carl: 8 on-the-trail
6. Dan T: 11 on-the-trail
   
7. Derek (a newbie to SRC): Shawmont-Manor
8. Gazella: Shawmont-Manor
9. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
10. Iron Arthur: Shawmont unspecified
11. Joleen: 10 on-the-trail, maybe Andorra too
12. Joe H: Shawmont-Wises Mill
13. Just Gene: a tapering 10 on-the-trail
14. Kenny Baby: Shawmont-Manor
15. Matt: 14 on-the-trail
16. Maverick: Shawmont-Manor
17. Michael W: 8 on-the-trail
18. Milesman Hal: Shawmont-Spring Mill, plus 2 for 22
19. Prof Sandy: 10 on-the-trail
20. Quietman Tom: Shawmont-Manor
21. Rabbi Jon: To-the-Inn and BACK 5...Welcome Home!
22. Ram: Shawmont-Manor
23. Sandor: Shawmont-Wises Mill, plus a few for 18
24. Seito: (met us at the top of Shawmont) 30
25. Teacher Craig: Walnut Lane 10
26. Teddio: 10 on-the-trail
27. Terminator Tony: Tony Manor
    
28. Thierry: To-the-Inn-and-back 5
29. Tommy O: Shawmont-Wises Mill, plus a few for 17
30. Tri-Marni: Shawmont-Wises Mill
31. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Spring Mill

Also seen: Lakshmi, Bonnie B, and Lisa B out for 20, and Tony D.

Pretty impressive, huh?

SRC Run Report, February 21, 2009

I think we had a record small crowd today. It wasn't that cold compared to other Saturdays this winter, but it seems quite a few folks were in the mood for a little racing, as in the Frostbite 5-Miler. Rumor has it that as of Friday there were about 1000 people registered for the not-so-little race in Ambler. Congratulations, AARC! I hope the event was a huge success! Back at Northwest Ave at 8am, there were 9 runners who are obviously creatures of habit.

1. Doylestown Pete: Shawmont-Wises Mill
   
2. Gazella: Shawmont-Wises Mill
3. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
   
4. Joleen: Shawmont-Wises Mill
5. Michael W: 7 or so miles on the trail
6. Rugby: 7 or so miles on the trail, up the trail, down the trail, and in the creek!
7. Milesman Hal: Shawmont-Wises Mill plus 13 for 27 miles
8. Teddio: a short run with a twist...of the ankle. Hope everything is OK!
   
9. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Wises Mill

Also seen: Biker Bill finishing a To-the-Inn-and-Back 5

SRC Valentine's Day Report, February 14, 2009

What a day we had today! Was it due to the karma of Valentine's Day or was it just a coincidence? The trail was just about clear of ice, slush, and puddles although there were plenty of frozen ruts that made for some technical running. Several people joined us again who were either traveling, recovering from a marathon, or just caught up with life outside of running. Some additional long lost Shawmonters were spotted on the trail as the Shawmont-Wises Mill contingency were finishing their run. Betsy ran so hard she lost her voice by the end of the run, and there were a few new nicknames given today; Gene who had no nickname is now "Just Gene" and the runner formerly known as "TooHot Tom" is not "NC Tom" short for "National Champion Tom" at least for the next year!

Incidentally, NC Tom will be featured in the Ambler Gazette next week as the "Person of the Week." If you receive any of the Montgomery County Newspapers, I believe you may see the article in any of those newspapers as well. There may be tie-in to the Frostbite 5-Miler, which will be held next weekend on February 21.

Anyway I digress, there were 25 folks who showed up and ran their hearts out for the Valentine's Day Saturday morning run.

1. Alan G: Shawmont-Wises Mill
2. BB Betsy: Shawmont-Wises Mill
3. Dan T: 10 on-the-trail
4. Doylestown Pete: Shawmont-Eva
   
5. Eric S: Shawmont-Wises Mill
6. Gazella: Shawmont-Wises Mill
7. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
8. Joe H: Shawmont-Eva
9. Joleen: Shawmont-Manor
10. Just Gene: Shawmont-Wises Mill
11. Just Gene's friend, Julie: Shawmont-Wises Mill (welcome to the group!)
12. Lakshmi: Shawmont-Eva
13. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Wises Mill
14. Lisa B: early start for 22
15. Milesman Hal: Shawmont-Spring Mill, plus 2
16. NC Tom: Shawmont-Manor
17. Rahm: Shawmont-Manor
18. Sandor: Shawmont-Wises Mill, plus 2 (Welcome back!)
19. Tall Dave: Home-Canoe Club-Home
20. Teddio: 10 on-the-trail
21. Terminatory Tony: Tony Manor
22. Thierry: To the Inn-and-back 5
23. Tommy O: 15 on-the-trail (Welcome back!)
    
24. Tri-Marni: Shawmont-Eva
25. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Spring Mill, plus 2

Also seen: John H. on the mountain bike while nursing a leg injury, Pretzel Rod and Tennis Michele training for the Cape May Marathon, J "Runnin' with the King" and Roger, and Julio (Jeremy) and his wife.

To the Ambler Area Running Club, may the 10th Annual Frostbite 5 miler be a huge success, and to those running in the Frostbite 5 miler, have a great race!

A National Champion

February 7, 2009
Derwood, Maryland - Two-time male masters, 60-64, winner of the Philadelphia Distance Run, Tom Jennings, has once again raised the bar by winning the National Cross Country Title for male masters 65-69 at the USA National Cross Country Championships. Tom's 8 km time of 34:36 was a hands-down victory by more than 2 minutes over second place by William Hagman of Morris Plains, New Jersey who finished in 36:39! Congratulations, Tom! You are awesome!

Highlights of the National Cross Country Championship will be televised on February 15th on ESPN.

SRC Run Report, February 7, 2009

To trail or not to trail? That was the question of the day Saturday morning. It appears that despite these hard economic times the city of Philadelphia still had enough money left in their coffers to plow the trail at some point this week. I'm not complaining! It was a welcome surprise that had a lot of folks wondering if the trail was in adequate condition for running, or if the roads were still the better option. Consequently, trying to get a definitive answer from most people about which route they were taking and how far they were going was a challenge. Some folks opted to repeat the School Route 2009, and the rest took the great unknown adventure on the trail. This week I'm just listing the 22 who were there. You're on the honor system if asked directly, but I think it's safe to say that for the most part everyone ran between 10 and 20 miles. Well done, everyone!

1. Alan G
2. BB Besty
3. Biker Bill
4. Dan T
5. Eric S
6. Gazella
7. Hoby Dick
8. Iron Arthur
9. Joe H
10. Joleen
11. Kenny Baby
12. Lakshmi
13. Lima Bean
14. Lisa B
15. Michael W (Welcome back!)
16. Milesman Hal
17. Navy Scott
18. Quietman Tom
19. Teddio
20. Terminator Tony
21. Tri-Marni
22. Waterbottle

SRC Run Report, January 31, 2009

The trail wasn't this bad Saturday morning, but you get the idea. The trail was pretty much impassable on foot, that is if you wanted to stay upright, so the 14 faithful who showed up opted for the road. We all did "School Route 2009" which was pretty neat, because we all stayed together. There were quite a few places where it was single-file, but no one got lost or dropped, and thanks to the Garmin-armed we know that the distance was 12.15 miles. Here's the list of the baker's dozen plus 1:

1. Alan G - Garmin-armed
   
2. BB Betsy
3. Eric S.
4. Gazella
5. John H.
6. Joleen
7. Lakshmi - Garmin-armed
8. Lima Bean
   
9. Lisa B
10. Prof Sandy
    
11. Teddio
12. Terminator Tony
13. Tri-Marni - Garmin-armed
14. Waterbottle

Also noted, Hoby Dick did a couple of lengths of Andorra Road.

On the other side of the trail, field reporter Biker Bill filed this report:

"(I) Ran around the drives for eight and a half miles with Dr. Ned. Also ran into Seito who was working on four times around the drive. Also J. King, who did one time around the drive."

From the early shift, I received this report from Kenny Baby:

"HeeHaw and I started at 5:45 this morning. (HeeHaw had things to do/places to go.) We ran Shawmont (via Ridge Rd, Main Street Manyunk and Umbria), then back up to the start via Ridge and then a Chestnut Hill loop for 21+."

Thanks, Biker Bill and Kenny Baby!

I hate to say it, but based on the weather forecast for this coming week and the time of year I think Forbidden Drive may be forbidden territory for for running for the next couple of weeks. So, see ya next weekend when as the Willie Nelson song goes, "On the road again, just can't wait to get on the road again.........."

Amos

Today I'm taking literary license and writing about a retired racer who recently passed away. This isn't a plug about the horrors of the greyhound racing industry, or a story about how great greyhounds are as pets. I've had 7 dogs as pets over the years and each of them was wonderful in their own way. I don't pick favorites, but sometimes there is a special someone, animal or human, who passes through your life and makes you a better person. This is a tribute to a special dog named Amos.

Most greyhounds you see today were originally bred for racing. When racing greyhounds are about 18 months old they are entered into maiden races with other young greyhounds. They have 3-4 chances to win, place, or show to go on to racing. If they don't win, place, or show, the lucky ones are rescued and adopted as pets. When we adopted Amos he was just shy of his third birthday so I like to think he may have had 1 season of racing.

I've always admired greyhounds for their natural athletic ability as runners. They love to run even in retirement; however if you ever saw Amos' running style you'd wonder how he ever made it on the track. For a greyhound he had a gawky running style that didn't look anything like the profile of the dog you see in the greyhound bus logo. His lack of efficient running form was made up by his joy in the moment. I've never seen a dog happier about something as simple as a beautiful day and a new squeaky toy. It was not an uncommon sight to see Amos on a walk, tail and head held high, carrying a huge stuffed animal in his mouth. He did have some residual instincts from the track though. There was the incident of the dumb squirrel in the backyard that he caught when it ran around the base of the tree rather than up the tree. Amos had a stunned look on his face as though to say, "Now what?" The only thing better than any of this was a ride in the car. He never sat down in the car, and the entire time he seemed amazed to move so fast and so effortlessly. For Amos it was all about being with the people and things he loved.

Dogs naturally live in packs and within the pack is the alpha dog, or the leader. When we adopted Amos we also adopted Schultz, another wonderful greyhound, who thought he was the alpha dog and Amos let him believe that. We also fostered a few greyhounds who were waiting to be adopted. Schultz would always posture around the new foster dog to send the message, "I'm the boss." Amos would eventually get around to the new dog, they'd sniff and everyone would be fine. That's not to say that Amos ignored the other dogs. They were all good buds and he learned a few tricks from some of the foster dogs that he never forgot, like be sure to stick your nose through the kibble to the bottom of the bowl to make sure there isn't something better down there. Every now and again Schultz would over step his bounds and Amos would let him know who was who. They never really played together, but they enjoyed each others company. On the last night that Schultz was alive, Amos stayed by his side to let him know he wasn't alone. Amos was also very kind and caring to my other greyhounds in times of need, Ford as he declined from kidney failure and Bailey as she recovered from her injuries this past summer.

Ultimately it was old age that ended Amos' life. When the quality of life wasn't there anymore it was a difficult decision, but we both knew. I hope I was able to give back to him as much as he gave to me. In the marathon of life he taught me these lessons:

1. Celebrate the things that make you happy.
2. There is always something you can learn from someone else.
3. If someone needs a helping hand and you can help, then do it.
4. You don't always have to lead the charge to be the leader.

Thanks, Amos. I'll see you when I cross the finish line.

Clearing the Record

The total headcount in the January 24th Run Report erroneously reported that 24 people showed up. The correct headcount was 25 people. TooHot Tom was there also and ran Shawmont-Wises Mill. Oops! Sorry, Tom.

SRC Run Report, January 24, 2009

Well, well, well, what a difference a week makes! This morning it was 33 degrees warmer than it was last Saturday morning! The trail conditions were questionable and we questioned several people coming off of the trail before we started. Those 2 inches of "light flurries" we had on Monday didn't all melt away in the balmy 50 degrees we had on Friday and the reports were mixed about the amount of ice on the trail. A couple of us opted to run on the roads and did the 2009 version of the School Route. All said, we had another nice showing of 24 dedicated(?) runners this morning:

1. Alan G: Canoe Club
2. BB Betsy: School Route 2009
3. Biker Bill: To the Inn and back for 5
4. Doylestown Pete: Shawmont unspecified for 14
5. Eric S: School Route 2009
6. Gazella: School Route 2009
7. Gene: Shawmont unspecified
8. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
9. Iron Arthur: 10 on-the-trail plus 1
10. Joey H: Shawmont-Wises Mill plus 2
11. John H: Shawmont unspecified for 14
12. Lima Bean: 10 on-the-trail
13. Lisa B: 11 on-the-trail (with trail report)
14. Joleen: Shawmont-Manor
15. Kenny Baby: Shawmont-Manor plus 2
16. Matt: 10 on-the-trail plus 1
17. Mister Rogers: 7 on-the-trail
18. Prof Sandy: School Route 2009
19. Quietman Tom: Shawmont-Manor plus for 21
20. Steve J: Shawmont unspecified for 17
21. Terminator Tony: Tony Manor
22. Tri-Marnie: Shawmont unspecified
23. Ultra Jim: Shawmont unspecified (first in 4 years!)
24. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Manor

Also seen: About a dozen or so black angus on Eugene "Fitz" Dixon's farm

SRC Run Report, January 17, 2009

They say there is safety in numbers, well let me tell you it is safe to say that there were a lot more crazy people who were willing to run in bone-chilling temperatures than I thought. What's even more incredible is that most of these folks aren't planning on going to Boston or have a spring marathon on their agenda! I can't believe I ran in this weather! It was so cold that I didn't even attempt to write down who was there or how far they planned on running. The thought of taking off a glove was more than I could bear. Joe H. brought a camera and Dwight was kind enough to take a photo of some of the folks who were ready to go or suffer hypothermia. It was about 5 degrees (F) when 17 of the usual suspects took to the trails. Any errors regarding who or what I am blaming on brain freeze.

1. BB Betsy: Shawmont-Wises Mill
2. Gazella: 10 on-the-trail
3. Gene: A variety of Shawmont, plus for 20 miles
4. Iron Arthur: 10 on-the-trail
   
5. Joe H: Shawmont-Manor to Bruno's & back for 17
   
6. Lakshmi: Shawmont-Manor to Bruno's and back for 17
7. Larry W: To the Inn, up Wises Mill a piece, and Andorra for 8-ish?
   
8. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Wises Mill
   
9. Megan: Shawmont-Manor (how much further?) to Bruno's & back for 17
10. Michele: Shawmont-Manor to Bruno's & back for 17
    
11. Milesman Hal: Shawmont-Wises Mill plus for 22
12. Prof Sandy: 10 on-the-trail
13. Quietman Tom: Shawmont-Wises Mill
14. Tall David: Shawmont-Manor from home and back
15. Terminator Tony: Canoe Club 13
16. Too Hot Tom: Shawmont-Wises Mill
17. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Wises Mill

Also seen: Dwight, Seito, J. "Runnin' with the King", and Martha

Also heard from: I received this note from Tommy O. who ran with us while training for the NYC marathon (3:39) this past fall:

Sorry I haven't been to the trail in TOO long but I hope to soon. Took some down time after NYC and lately there always seems to be something going on, like a high school debate tournament this morning.

I was going to meet up with you all last Saturday, but I decided with the snow not to drive. So I headed out my door on a run at exactly 8am (with you in spirit!) and it was just beautiful. Cold but calm, flakes falling, hardly a car in sight, the only thing on the roads was about a quarter inch of powdery cushioning. I can imagine the Wissahickon was just as nice.

Best wishes to John to bounce back soon.

Tommy O.

Thanks for the note, Tom. Hope you can join us again soon.


The same sentiment applies to anyone else who may not have run with us in a while. Once a Shawmonter, always a Shawmonter and we'd be happy to have you run with us again on Saturday morning!

Saturday, it could be worse, we could be here!

The weather forecast for Saturday at the South Pole is overcast with a high temperature of -22 degrees (F) and a low of -49 degrees (F), and that's before the wind chill factor! It makes our local weather forecast for 10 degrees (F) at 8am Saturday morning sound almost balmy!

Admittedly, I am a wimp when it comes to bitter cold weather. If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I want to come back as a bear, NOT a polar bear obviously. Bears eat like there is no tomorrow in the fall, hibernate over the winter, and wake up thin in the spring when the weather is nice once again. Not a bad idea if you ask me. I understand they can be pretty fast runners too. Anyway, I will do my best to at least come down to the trail to take attendance Saturday morning for those brave, daring, and Boston-bound folks. Brrrrrrr!

Also, congratulations to Joe and Dolly for completing the Walt Disney World Goofy Challenge once again this past weekend!

• Joe: Half-Marathon - 1:58:53 Marathon - 4:03:07
• Dolly: Half-Marathon - 1:58:54 Marathon - 4:06:10

Well done!

SRC Run Report, January 10, 2009

Well, we dodged the bullet for another significant snow storm yesterday! It was about 27 degrees outside with no noticeable wind, and a light crusting of snow on the trail as the Shawmont Runners met for the regular shift at 8am. There was an earlier shift that started at 7am that phoned in their report. Three folks decided to get an early start and 18 folks showed up at 8am.

Early shift:

1. Kenny Baby: Shawmont-Manor plus extra miles for 19
2. Joey H: Shawmont-Wises Mill
3. Michele: Shawmont-Wises Mill

Regular shift:

1. BB Betsy: Shawmont-Wises Mill
2. Gazella: Shawmont-Wises Mill
3. Gene: 10 on-the-trail
4. Gene's daughter, Hillary: 10 on-the-trail
5. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
6. John H: 10 on-the-trail
7. Joleen: Shawmont-Wises Mill
8. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Wises Mill
9. Milesman Hal: Shawmont-Manor plus for at least 20
10. Mr. Rogers: 8 on-the-trail
11. Quietman Tom: Shawmont-Manor
12. Rahm: Shawmont-Manor
13. Tall Dave: Shawmont-Manor starting and ending from home
14. Teddio: 10 on-the-trail
15. Terminator Tony: Tony-Manor
16. Too Hot Tom: Shawmont-Wises Mill
17. Tri-Marnie: 10 on-the-trail
18. Waterbottle: Shawmont Manor

Also seen: Tony D, Lakshmi, Lisa B, lots of Back on My Feet runners (lots of good energy), and Seito

Also heard from: Zen Yanni with encouraging news that things may be moving in a positive direction now! Come back soon! We miss you!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful.......

Looks like we're going to be greeted with some of the white stuff tomorrow morning, but no telling how much or for how long at this point. It may be time to break out the Yak Traks! Regardless, I'm imposing Zen Yanni's 5-minute rule tomorrow, although if it's REALLY bad out tomorrow morning feel free to e-mail your distances to me and I'll incorporate them into a creative writing run report about some place warm!

SRC Run Report, January 3, 2009

Wow! What a crowd we had today! The first Shawmont Run of the New Year and people were out in force, not to mention distance! We had 32 people show up and roughly two thirds of them did some sort of assault on Shawmont! The list sounds like a broken record (remember those?):

1. Dan Tee: 11 on-the-trail
2. Coach Carl: To the Inn and back for 5
3. Doylestown Pete: Shawmont-Manor
4. Dr. Ned: Shawmont unspecified
5. Eric S: 6 on-the-trail
6. Gazella: Shawmont-Eva
7. Gene: 10 on-the-trail
8. HeeHaw Jim: 18 on-the-trail; on the side trails and main trail
9. Hoby Dick: an easy paced 5
   
10. Joey H: Shawmont-Wises Mill
    
11. John H: 6 on-the-trail
12. Joleen: Shawmont via Mt. Airy
13. Kenny Baby: Shawmont-Manor
14. Lakshmi: Shawmont-Eva
15. Lima Bean: Shawmont-Eva
16. Matt: 10 on-the-trail
    
17. Maverick: Shawmont-Manor
18. Meghan: Shawmont-Wises Mill
19. Michele: Shawmont-Manor
20. Milesman Hal: Shawmont-Manor plus for 20
21. Navy Scott: Shawmont-Manor
22. Piano John: Reader's Digest Shawmont
23. Prof Sandy: Shawmont-Wises Mill to the Inn
24. Quietman Tom: Shawmont-Wises Mill
25. Rahm: Shawmont-Wises Mill
26. Robert: 10 on-the-trail
27. Tall David: Shawmont-Manor starting from home
28. Teddio: 10 on-the-trail
29. Thierry: 7 on-the-trail
30. TooHot Tom: Shawmont-Wises Mill
31. Tri-Marnie: Shawmont-Wises Mill
32. Waterbottle: Shawmont-Manor

Also seen: Tony D