December 2013 Newsletter

SPA PACER NEWS
SPA PACERS PO BOX 1199 HSNP, AR 71902
Winter 2013
Mission Statement -To promote health fitness and FUN through
group activities focusing on running, jogging, and walking to make
a positive contribution to the Greater Hot Springs National Park
Getting More Out Of Your Membership…
Winter Series 2014 IS For Everyone
Penny Barnett, President
At last count, the Pacers have 223 members. Yet, it seems to
be the same group of about 40-50 that we see at organized group runs
and functions on a regular basis. There's no doubt that we, as an organization, have seen tremendous growth in our membership numbers as well
as our outreach and service projects over the last few years. But, there
has always been that point of discussion during this growth on how to
engage more of our growing membership on an active basis.
Ideas have been bounced around...some tried without success and
others not getting past the discussion phase. We're hoping to have hit
on something though, with the upcoming Winter Series 2014 (see info
Inside this issue:
Member Spotlight - Debbie Hill
2
later in this issue). By creating a change of scenery for some of these
runs and putting the focus on fun and participation rather than racing
Race report : Joey Godoy
3-4
and competition, we're hoping to draw some of you out of hibernation
Race Report: Dave Hochstedler
5-7
during the small window of cold here in the usually muggy Arkansas cli-
2014 Spa Pacers Winter Series
8-9
Race report: Stephen Harrison
10 - 12
2014 Grand Prix Series
13
Running Opportunities
14
Waterworks Trails
15
RRCA Volunteer of the Year
16
Our Members
17
Jingle Bell Run
18
Annual Meeting & Party
19
mate. There really is no better time to run than a brisk, cold morning
and I guarantee you won't feel the cold nearly as much running alongside
your fellow Pacers.
I encourage all of you to participate as much and as often as you
can. There are 6 scheduled events. Even if you can't make them all,
don't let that stop you from coming when you can. $15 is cheaper than
just about any race you'll find, and if you choose, you'll get 6 runs out of
that and a chance to win a Garmin 220. There will be smaller, weekly
door prizes too if you need more incentive to get signed up.
I've always believed that the biggest benefit you can get from
your membership is the camaraderie and fellowship of sharing this sport
with your fellow members. You can't fully understand the team concept
of running until a fellow member talks, encourages, cajoles, and harasses
you through that last tough leg of a particularly challenging run. This
Pictures
20 - 22
Membership Discounts
23 - 24
Pacer’s Board
25
Winter Series will give you the opportunity to meet more like minded
people with goals similar to yours and may even find yourself pushing past
limits you didn't think possible. What better incentive than that?
SPA PACER NEWS
Page 2
Member Corner She has to run...
That's what Eddy Hill says about his wife Debbie Hill. And since she has to, it's nice that she
does it so well. She jumped into the Grand Prix big time in 2011, entering 17 races and placing
first in her age group in every one. She followed up with the same results in 12 races in 2012,
and 16 in 2013. A perfect record in 45 races over three years. As runners we appreciate how
difficult it is to stay healthy and motivated over an extended period. In 2011, she joined a
North Little Rock group known as the Trail Hogs on a trip to Bryce and Zion National Parks.
The first day’s run covered the Bryce Canyon Under the Rim Trail. It started at 9100 feet
elevation with the temperature in the 20's and four inches of snow on the ground. After descending to the 6000 feet range, it rose to 8300 at the finish. The next day’s run in Zion was
"just" 14 miles. The following year she traveled with the group to Yosemite with similarly challenging routes.
Other noteworthy achievements over 37 years of running include completing 20 marathons and
enough other races to outfit a village with T-shirts. And get this, she currently holds state
age group records at 5K, 8K, 10K, 15K, 20K and for the half marathon run on an in-state course.
Debbie has won her age group in 43 consecutive Grand Prix races over the last three
years. She has set age group records for a number of distances in these race
A native Arkansan, raised in Fayetteville, Debbie earned a BS at the University of Tennessee,
and a masters degree at Henderson State University. She taught math for 36 years. Her professional career accomplishments mirror those achieved in running: Advanced Placement Special Recognition Award for Instructional Excellence (1996); Presidential Award for Excellence
in Teaching Mathematics and Science Finalist (2000); Outstanding Mathematics, Science, and
Nursing Faculty Award Nominee (2008). Since retiring in 2009,
she has taken a serious interest in photography; that, along with
hiking, travel and reading now fill the hours formerly devoted to
teaching.
SPA PACER NEWS
Page 3
A race report by Spa Pacer member Joey Godoy
Well here's the break down of how Chicago owned me….
Saturday I decided to skip my shake out in fear of it affecting me the next morning. We caught a late pasta
dinner at the hotel restaurant just downstairs, didn't want to go far since we needed as much sleep as possible. But honestly who sleeps before a Marathon, yet alone Chicago (world major)? Right after dinner I went
straight to the room, lined up all my gear.. Put my bib on my shirt, decided to go with the long sleeve blue
compression shirt since it was going to be a cool first 20k and felt great in it. Laid everything out so I wouldn't bother anyone in the morning and went straight to bed at about 9:30. I had the alarm set for 4:30 but
didn't even need it as I woke up on my own at 4:15, jumped in the shower. Started getting ready as Mayra
came to talk... She woke up to send me off, Ozzy texted me first which was a sign that he was very antsy
also. I proceeded to pack my bag & say my good byes to my amazing wife that had been very supportive
through the whole training. As I was walking out Sal & Destiny wished me luck, I walked by Ozzy's door and
gave it a knock. Oz came out and headed down ( with the typical fist pump) and here came the first mistake!
No real breakfast! As we thought that the hotel would be offering more than just bananas and water. I
skipped their water as I had a coconut water with me and a Gatorade. We did stop by 7-11 but didn't find
anything appetizing.
As we walked toward Grant Park in the dark we started to see runners coming out of other streets. "We're
here", we said to each other as things were finally sinking in. When we arrived to the entry gates to the
park they weren't even opened yet. The excitement had obviously got to us... It was 5:28 and they opened
two minutes later. We went in and even though it was early... We soaked it all in and started walking
around, as time went by the crowds started getting bigger.. Lines at the port-a-potties getting longer. By this
time it was 6:30 so we decided to check our bags, not too happy with it because we each lost a layer and
our beanies and it was cold with the wind ( 44 degrees). We then decided to head toward the side walk and
do some warming up no stretching just a few joint and limbs warm-up. By 7:00 I decided it was time to part
with Ozzy as I had to be at my corral by 7:15 and still needed to take a potty break.... Which I skipped because the lines were too long. I walked toward my corral, got checked in and positioned my self next to
the 3:50 Nike pace team as this was my goal I set 2 months a go. I kept warming up with a few 10 yards
jogs within my corral and some stretching, I got to meet Ricardo and his wife Patty from Mexico City doing
their second marathon, but first in Chicago and as antsy and exited as I was to get it started. As I stood
there thinking of what was to come, I went through my game plan in my head.... Stay with the pace team
and feel it out. If I felt it was too much I would back out.
The National Anthem was sung, we had 30 sec of silence for the Boston victims and a fly by then...... It
was on! Mayor Rham Emanuel wished us luck and the horn went off!!!! I made my traditional sign of the
cross and I was off. The excitement was uncontainable especially coming back around to State St. where
the crowds got bigger. Our cheer group saw me go by but I didn't hear them as it was overwhelming to see
the reception we were getting as we ran the streets of downtown. I skipped the first water station then came
to the second one at 5K and took just 2 oz. of Gatorade. My time for my first 5K was 27:54 right on track
and I felt great. My 10k time was 54:43 still on track and still feeling good, I was taking about 2oz of Gatorade at every station from here on. As I enjoyed the race I high fived everyone, thanked the volunteers and
all the supporters for being there, ran in to some Instagram friends and even saw Ricardo.... Who told me
that his wife had to slow down because of her ankle was acting up. Also had the privilege of running with
Doctor Dribble for a mile, we shared stories and then he dropped back a bit. I was feeling strong and the
first half had gone by so quick. I got to see our cheer group at this point, I didn't get to stop with them because by the time I heard them I was past them and the density of the runners was still heavy, but I did look
back and wave to all of them. This gave me a big boost of confidence and push that I needed as I'd been
looking for them all day and hadn't seen them.
Continued on next page...
SPA PACER NEWS
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As I saw the next drink station approaching I downed a Gu so I could wash it down with water as this is what
I had done on my 22 mile run. My half time was 1:55:31 still strong and feeling good and still keeping
the 3:50 pacers in close range. When mile 16 came along I started to feel my right thigh tightening up which
was not normal. As this was something I never experienced during training, I decided I would slow my pace
a bit just till I figured out if everything was ok.
I passed mile 17 and was starting to feel better when all of a sudden when I turned on to Taylor, Baaam; the
biggest knot on my thigh and upper calf. Something so uncommon for me even in my years as a soccer
player. I had to wobble on to the side walk and try to work it out, it was hard to even stretch my leg, I thought
I had worked it out and the frustration of falling behind started getting to me so I started running again and it
only took 1/2 mile for them to come back, then my left leg followed... even my right bicep started cramping
up. I became so angry and disappointed that the tears started rolling. But I wasn't hanging my head just yet I
would stop and stretch often. By mile 20 it was obvious that they weren't going away and if I wanted to finish
I would have to fight through them. I finally had accepted that my goal time was way out of reach and started
to think about my health and living to run another marathon. I calmed down running and stretching at times. I
even received some great assistance from some spectators that were equipped with Biofreez and a rolling
stick. They gave me some electrolytes and a sucker for sugar..... I even ate half a banana. I thanked them
multiple times for their help and went on my way. I saw many people going through the same thing as me;
people stretching on both sides of the road and people hobbling along just like me. The turn on to Michigan
Ave finally came... At this point I knew I had to push harder, but the more I tried to pick up my pace, the
stronger the cramps would get. Finally the turn on to Roosevelt came, I saw myself on the JumboTron and
caught some energy from the big crowds there. I came up the last bridge and ran into a lady that had
stopped because of cramps and tried to give her some words of motivation. I told her it was only 400m left
and that we had done this stretch many times during training, she looked at me and slowly started to jog next
to me. I took my last turn, saw the finish line, and heard the announcer calling out people's names; that's
when the emotions hit. I started to cry like a baby. I had done it, I had gone from just running to becoming a
Marathoner. I tried to sprint the last 50 yards with no luck, just a fast jog and when I crossed the finish line
needed all the help I could get to keep moving, official finish time was 4:40:18. I had great assistance from
the people at the finish line walking me to get my medal and from there I was ok. I called Mayra since she
had called worried earlier in the race because she was tracking me trough her phone and noticed my pace
drop drastically. I told her I had just crossed the finish line and decided to meet at Buckingham Fountain after
I picked up my bag from baggage check.
That. I was received with a big hug from her made it all much better and gratifying. I came to Chicago to own
it and I had, maybe not the way I wanted to but I did it. I will concede this one to Chicago as my own mistakes might have cost me. But I'll tell you now that I will be back and I will prepare better and I will achieve
my sub 4 goal. Chicago gave me a rude awaking of what the 26.2 distance is really like but I never backed
down and the memories I made and stories I shared with tons of runners will never be forgotten. To think that
just a couple of years ago my wife made me run my first ever 5k and today I had conquered more than 8
times that distance is amazing to me and the greatest thing I take from the Chicago Marathon is determination. Determination to finish and come back stronger and keep moving forward in everything I do in life because eventually we get there. Thank you Stephen so much for all the tips and training schedules and words
of encouragement and the guidance through out this life changing experience I couldn't have done it without
your help. Thanks to my family for all the support and for putting up with me during these 8 months of mood
swings and frustration at times. Thanks to all my friends for all the support through social media, always kept
me motivated to keep going. This isn't the end but the beginning of a new journey in my life. Chicago has
made me hungry, Hungry for more marathons and hungry to go back next year and get that sub 4 I was
looking for.
SPA PACER NEWS
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Spa 10K - November 23
Race Report by Dave Hochstedler
Flying Monkey Marathon Sunday 11/24/13
Let’s blame Josh Drake. My running buddy has run, oh I don’t know, dozens of marathons over the last couple years and told me that his favorite, by far, was the Flying Monkey.
It did look like fun, intentionally designed to be different from the mega-produced, thousands of runners,
(lets also have a half marathon and a 5K) events most marathons are now. Trent Rosenbloom puts this race
on in Nashville’s Percy Warner Park in the Harpeth Hills. Funds raised go to Friends of the Warner Parks, to
preserve and protect, as Trent says, Monkeyville. The vibe, set by Trent on the race website and in the many
emails sent to participants in the weeks leading up to race day, is irreverently funny. We are told we are
fools, that the flying monkeys are plotting attacks, you cannot train for Monkey, running is stupid, make funeral arrangements, etc. In spite (or because) of all this, the race is so popular that Trent limit’s the number
of entries by a weighted lottery system so as not to overwhelm resources. A little over 300 idiots are let in.
At packet pick up on Saturday afternoon, we got our race bibs and the first wave of cool swag: cotton short
sleeve T-shirt printed with cartoon monkey, long sleeve high quality New Balance tech T-shirt customized
with “Monkey name” we put in the online application form (wanting to increase my weight in the lottery, I
chose Monkey name Harlan Arse), a superhero cape with Monkey logo, and a little soft plastic monkey. The
race bib was also personalized with Monkey name and there was also a disposable timing chip.
Race morning dawned clear, windy and 20 F. Oh boy, nothing like the first real winter weather run of the season being your 26.2. As always at my marathons, Beth was along as amazing support. Appropriately bundled
up against the cold, she helped me find the Percy Warner Park cross country field where the start line was,
arriving about 6:45, just like I wanted for the 8:00 start. The start/finish area felt right at home in the cross
country field. There were a couple canopies set up, a line of tables filling up with food for the post-race potluck, a fire surrounded by chilly people, and a finish chute with timing mats and digital clock. And there was
Josh Drake, looking ready for action in his Monkey cape and wearing a couple stuffed (I think) monkeys. At
7:00, there was an early start available, which Josh took. About frozen after seeing him off, Beth and I got
back in the car to warm up so I could comfortably strip down to cold weather running gear of tights, peterheater undies, Duofold turtleneck, nylon vest and Colorado State U beanie. I had picked up some chemical
hand warmers on Friday after we had seen the forecast. Having a touch of Raynaud’s Phenomenon, my fingers tend to get painfully cold fairly easily, and I’ve had lots of runs turn miserable because of that. I’d never
used hand warmers before but, with the temp 22 at the start, this seemed like a good time to try them out. I
wore running gloves under fleece mittens, with the hand warmers in between the backs of my finders and
the mittens. I didn’t have much dexterity, but my fingers stayed happily warm.
After a few remarks at the starting line reminding us of how stupid we were to be doing this, Trent set us off.
About the 1st 1/3 mile is a gradual climb on the grass field. By the time we were 200 yard in, my feet were
numb from the cold and I felt sluggish. Knowing I still had >26 miles to go, I was optimistic I’d warm up and
find a groove. We crossed a little bridge and turned onto the single lane asphalt that makes up the roads of
Percy Warner Park. And we kept climbing. By the time we passed 1 mile, my feet were thawing and, while I
wasn’t warm and loose yet, I had settled into a nice comfortable cadence that felt like I could carry on for 4
1/2 hours.
Continued on page 6...
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The park really is beautiful. Hills covered with woods now mostly bare of leaves, with roads, hiking
and bridal trails winding around and through. Occasional roadside clearings with stone benches. Aid stations
were plentiful, every 1½-2 miles. The volunteers staffing these were great, standing out there in the cold
wind, cheering like crazy for runners, offering whatever they could to help us. I gratefully took a cup at the
first station, it was about 2/3 ice. I cannot say enough how much help we got from the spirit and dedication
of these folks, standing out there freezing for hours. Can’t begin to even complain about the friendly volunteer at one station who handed me an empty cup, thinking it held water.
At about 2 ½ miles in, I had continued to warm up and settle in, but was still not fully in my flow. I have no
idea what day dream I was engaged in, running through the woods, when the monkeys attacked. I tripped
over a bump in the road and took a quick, hard fall. Fortunately, I was able to tuck and roll the landing, popping back up. A guy running nearby was concerned, asking a couple times if I was okay, but I kept going,
brushing off the leaf bits and other debris that clung to my clothing. After several strides, however, I noticed
soreness in my left ribcage. Rubbing the area, it was a little tender. Adrenaline pumping, I was sure there was
no injury that would jeopardize my marathon. It hurt to take a deep breath, but I had no intention of running
so hard that I‘d have a problem with that.
Sure enough, that little pain faded from my consciousness (although that evening through the next week it
would rear its ugly head). As has happened before for me, the fall sharpened my mental focus on the run,
and I resumed that good cadence and found a comfortably quick effort level. I hesitate to call it a pace, because with all the ups and downs of the hills, my speed was far from consistent. The miles started rolling by.
At a few places along the side of the road Nature had provided us with clusters of beautiful frost flowers. At
around mile 6, I got to run for a bit with Troy and Cathie Johnson. Troy is a Facebook friend I had never met
in person. He and Cathie are retired, and they travel all over, running marathons. Lots of marathons, like
about 170 or so. They are online heroes of mine, so it was great to meet them mid-run.
The sun almost felt like it was trying to warm things up a bit, at least when the woods and hills had us sheltered from the wind. Most all the people I was running near were relaxed and having fun. There were some
great signs posted at the roadside or in trees: “Running is stupid”, “Trent sucks”, “Underwear is for slow people”, “Not a hill”, “Oprah just finished”, “The beer is gone”. And have I mentioned the park is beautiful? I had
a great time. At about 11 miles, I saw Beth for the first time. As always, she had made her way to a spot on
the course and waited patiently for the few seconds of watching me run by. I’ve come to relish her initial yell
“Go Dave Hoch”, followed by her lying to me repeatedly about how well I’m doing. This time she had a friend
with her, a woman she’d paired up to watch with, who yelled for me too, forming the letters of my name
with arms and legs while shouting D AV E (Think YMCA). Wow. If I’d had cash, I would have paid them.
By the half way point, I recognized I’d have a hard time keeping my 10 minute average pace to finish under
my “loose” goal of 4:30. With no 180 degree turn around, the course still manages to loop back so we got to
run “the 11.2” both directions. So I got to see the fast people coming back toward me for a few miles. The
leader was flying, finishing this punishing course in 2:37. The hills were relentless. As the miles got up into the
upper teens and into the low 20s, hip and leg soreness got more intense. My “pace” was slowing down. It
was sure helpful to see Beth out there on the course a couple more times, and those aid station folks kept us
going. I got a nice pick-up from a young guy, about 19 years old, who chatted with me for about 1½ miles
when I was sagging around 18-19 miles.
Around mile 22, the course heads up hill with a fork in the road. Trent (who sucks) had a sign placed at the
fork saying <--?-->. Turns out it was a loop around the top of the hill which brings you back down the same
road, but one gal running near me was not amused, voicing severe complaints. I kept my laughing to myself. I
guess it’s dangerous to joke some marathoners that late in the run.
SPA PACER NEWS
A little later I caught up with a struggling Josh Drake. Still looking stunning in his cape and monkeys,
his feet were hurting pretty badly. He kept positive, though, offering encouragement to me and pushing himself on to finish faster by about 20 minutes than he had here last year.
Mercifully, the last 3 miles are mostly downhill, feeding us back across that little bridge, onto the cross country field and into the finish. My chip timed me in 4:29:21. I was real happy with that, given the beastly course
and that I had the silly idea of trying to save speed for St Jude Memphis Marathon 13 days later.
As I staggered through the chute, I was given a nice, engraved wooden Monkey medal and a beautiful blue
Silipint cup adorned with logos of the Monkey and of Yazoo, the local brewery who was also serving a couple
of delicious craft beers. As good as the pot luck buffet looked, after my beer I was wanting to get out of the
cold and off of my feet (should have brought lawn chairs). So we headed back toward Nashville’s West End,
where we found a Ted’s Montana Grill and my traditional big, juicy, delicious cheeseburger.
By then, my ribcage was reminding me of my early tumble. It was really sore in the following days, but is
nearly faded away as I write this 6 days later. Except when I sneeze. The hotel shower was fabulous. There, I
found abrasions on my left shoulder and forearm. A few days later, while bathing, I found there was also a
little road rash on my left knee. I guess I fell a little harder than I realized, or I don’t bounce as well at 57 as I
did at 17.
The only part of our experience we would do differently is that we would skip the pre-race pasta dinner. The
spaghetti sauce choices there were only meat sauce or sauce with meatballs. Wanting a vegetarian dinner,
that left me with out appealing options. I did okay, eating roasted veggies and some pasta with broccoli and
olive oil, but next time would opt for a restaurant that serves a nice pasta with marinara sauce.
Flying Monkey may be the most fun marathon I’ve ever run. The vibe and humor are awesome. The course (I
may have mentioned) is beautiful. Volunteers absolutely rock. The hills are brutal and the monkeys are evil.
It’s great!
I am so grateful to Beth for her patience as I train for and obsess over these marathons, and for her awesome
support as I run them.
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Announcing the 2014 Spa Pacers Winter Series
Find your running pants and wool cap – the Pacers are giving members a reason to run in January.
The Spa Pacers will be hosting Winter Series 2014 which is a series of 6
events that will take us to different locations in the Hot Springs area. More information is provided on the attached flyer.
The cost to enter the series is $15 (plus web registration fee to Mac’s Racing
Service who set up the on-line service). You can find the registration link at the
Pacers’ club website - www.arspapacers.com.
15 bucks?! What’s in it for me?
A very cool, long sleeve Winter Series 2014 tech tee. (same style as the 10K
shirts)
Food and drinks will be provided at each event.
Door prize drawings will be held at each event.
A Garmin 220. Well ... the chance to win a Garmin 220. Each event in which
you participate gets you an entry into the drawing for a brand spanking new
Garmin 220.
The thrill of winter running – cold air in your lungs, brisk wind on your face and
the opportunity to run without the worry of heat exhaustion.
And of course the chance to mingle with the best folks in town.
Don’t delay! Register today!
Questions? Contact Marc Stewart at [email protected].
Page 9
SPA PACER NEWS
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A race report - by Stephen Harrison
This was my first NYC marathon, and fifth open marathon to date. All I’d ever heard from the marathon veterans around me was, “You have to do New York. You have to do New York!” So I applied
for the lottery-and got in! My wife had never been there, and this would be only my second trip. Fortunately, my cousins live in lower Manhattan, eliminating the majority of expense associated with
any trip into NYC, the hotel. So, we made a short vacation of it. Arrived Friday morning, would leave
Tuesday midday. Here’s how the race went:
Pre-race:
I planned to get up at 4:40 am so I could comfortably make my way down to the Staten Island Ferry
for my 5:30 am departure. Well, I didn’t need my alarm. I was up at 3:40 am anyway. I laid there for
a few minutes, got up, got dressed, said goodbye to my wife, and headed out of the building.
The subway was just a couple blocks away, but as I exited the building just before 5 am, a taxi was
easing up the block. Perfect! The cabbie dropped me off at the Ferry. Walking into the building for
the Ferry, we encountered the first of the heightened security. Everyone
was personally searched and bags were checked. They also had bomb
sniffing dogs checking everyone coming in. It was thorough, but didn’t slow
anyone down. After waiting about fifteen minutes, the ferry arrived. We were
herded on and then had the 20 min ride across New York Harbor to Staten
Island. This ride was very cool. I ran into my cousin, Erin, by accident which
made the ride a little more interesting. (It would be her first marathon finish.
Congrats, Erin!) You get to see the Statue of Liberty and the skyline at
dawn. We also were escorted by police boats on either side of the ferry.
Getting off the boat, we weren’t searched again, but passed through bomb
sniffing dogs again getting onto the buses. We then had another 20 minute
ride to the starting villages. Once off the buses, we had about a ten minute
walk to one of three assigned villages, during which we passed through
more bomb sniffing dogs. I arrived at the village, set to go, police helicopters overhead, by 6:30 am.
My wave start time was 9:40 am. Fortunately, it wasn’t terribly cold, and it wasn’t raining. So it was
tolerable. The Dunkin’ Donuts coffee was magical. It’s good anyway, but I had abstained from caffeine all week, so it would be doubly effective today. It tasted like the nectar of the Gods. There were
also cold bagels and powerbars available. I found that rather disappointing. Oh, well. I made a new
friend from Scotland and talked w/ him for an hour. I had to have my bag turned in by just after 8 am.
I got that done, and then had to be in my corral by about 8:30 am. I took the short walk and got in
before they locked me out. At this point, we’re literally herded in there like cattle. There were bathrooms, and we were surrounded by 6 ft tall fences. About 9:15, the wave was herded to the start line
at the beginning of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Then, we stood there another 20 minutes or so.
They made at least ten announcements while I was in my start village that anyone who urinated
while on the Verrazano Bridge would be disqualified. They have done everything they could to keep
those on the bottom of the bridge from being “showered” by those on the top. I was on the bottom. It
worked.
I heard water on the concrete. I naturally glanced over, where a bold woman had not jumped the
guardrail, and let it fly just a few feet away. Fearless.
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There are no spectators allowed at the start line, so people (me included) were simply peeing
along the side of the road while we waited. There was a guardrail and most were hopping over into
the brush to take care of business. The women weren’t bashful, either. At one point, just before the
race, I heard water on the concrete. I naturally glanced over, where a bold woman had not jumped
the guardrail, and let it fly just a few feet away. Fearless.
All that aside and we were just minutes from starting the race! I had already been up six hours, and
I had been in NYC for two days. I was exhausted. I had planned to attempt a personal record here of
3:30. (I had run 3:35 last year at Chicago.) Before the gun went off, I already knew that was a long
shot. But I was gonna try anyway.
The Race (3:47; 9,984 of 50,000 OA finishers):
My nutritional strategy was to down a gel 15 min before the race, then take a small gulp of Gatorade
and two small gulps of water at each aid station. I also packed salt tabs and PreRace caffeine tablets. I took a dose of the PreRace tabs at the halfway point, and another w/ about 6 miles to go. I
supplemented w/ salt tabs as needed.
The Verrazano Bridge is 2 miles long. The first mile is up, the second mile down. By the time I got off
the bridge, I was sure that today would not be that day for a 3:30. Time to settle in and enjoy the
race.
Brooklyn was fantastic. It’s twelve miles straight north through the neighborhoods. I made my way to
the side and gave as many kids high fives and I could find. The people through there were awesome. These people have a lot of pride in their city and neighborhood, and it showed. Then things
got quiet…I was in the area of the Hasidic Jews. It’s maybe a mile or so. There were fewer people,
but still spectators along the way. No really cheering, more just watching. The kids smiling faces
were still present, though, and they were great.
Then you hop a bridge into Queens. About here, you finish the first half. I came across in 1:47,
slower than expected. It would get worse.
You’re in Queens for a couple miles before you cross the Queensboro/59th St bridge into Manhattan. This is at about mile 15. The bridge is about two miles long at almost a 3% grade going up and
then back down. This is the backbreaker. After coming through a rolling Brooklyn for a half marathon, then up and down into Queens, this was killer. Coming off the bridge, you’re brutalized. But
Manhattan makes it worth it!
Dropping onto First Ave was incredible. You can hear the roar of the crowd before you can see
them. There’s nothing like it. The energy was awesome bringing you north through upper Manhattan
into the Bronx.
You cross a short bridge literally “up” into the Bronx. People were strong there, too. You wind around
for a couple miles before leaving. You cross mile 20 at this point, and know you only have a 10K to
go! You then drop down another short bridge back into Manhattan onto Fifth Ave.
We are greeted again by the overwhelming Manhattan crowd, and a welcome downhill section.
You’re on Fifth Ave for about three miles before you get to Central Park. After the downhill section,
you go back up for a little over a mile and then level out on your way into Central Park. Lastly, you
roll through the Park for approximately the last 3 miles. Central Park is beautiful. The support during
these last six miles through Manhattan was awesome. But my favorite supporters were waiting for
me at mile 25 in front of the Plaza Hotel.
Continued on next page...
SPA PACER NEWS
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Continued from page 9:
Ever since I got back into Manhattan, I was searching for motivation. They say the marathon doesn’t
start till mile 20. That’s always held true for me. I knew my family would be waiting for me at mile 25. Each mile, I
told myself I would see them in just 4 miles, just 3 miles….
Finally, there they were. My wife, Meritt, was, as always, easy to spot. Whenever I see her at one of these
events, it’s like she’s a group of six Roman candles that just keeps going off. Screaming, yelling, crying, jumping,
making all kinds of unintelligible noises….and I love it!
The last mile was a cakewalk. People warned me about the last few hundred yards being uphill, but I didn’t even
feel it. The finishing chute is great. The scenery is wonderful. It’s a great way to complete a marathon. I had finished in 3:47 on the day, suggesting I went out way too fast. And I had. The second half marathon was just under
two hours. Yup, an epic 13 minute positive split. Race strategy failure.
Post race:
Once you finish, they walk you back north from about 61st St all the way up to 81st St, which is about a mile. It
felt twice that far. They give you a recovery bag with some food, etc., pretty quickly. Then you start the death
march. About half way up, if you chose the “no baggage” option before the race, you get a nice warm, fleece lined
poncho and can leave the park. This is a nice option and worth considering. The only thing keeping me from doing it is that I don’t want to run with a cell phone. And it’s nice having the phone before the race while waiting for
hours. Plus, it makes it easier afterwards to find your people, but it still might be worth doing. Anyway, you finally
get to your baggage, can get dressed and comfortable again. My family is all back at the Plaza hotel near the finish line. So, I began the walk back. It felt like forever. With all the added security this year, lots of streets were
blocked off, so you had to go a block or two out of your way to get where you needed to go at times. It was a difficult circumstance, but manageable.
Thoughts on the race:
Let’s get the difficult parts out of the way. This was a tough race, for several reasons.
First, it’s just a HARD course. Flat courses, like Chicago and Berlin, are won in times of 2:03, 2:04. NYC is won in
2:08, 2:10. The best in the world take at least five minutes longer to complete this race. And they’re running in
nearly half my time. So, expecting a five minute PR here, a year after Chicago, is just silly. Based off the winner’s
times alone, I should expect to be about 7-8 minutes slower with the same effort. That would have put me around
3:42. It’s hilly. Going up and down bridges and winding through the different boroughs makes it tight and convoluted in spots. And you’re with 50,000 of your closest friends. It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to run your race,
your way here.
Second, this day was tough. The first 20 miles of the race essentially run north from Staten Island into the Bronx.
Then you run south to the finish in Central Park. It felt like the first 20 miles were uphill. I checked the elevation
map after the race (that’s right, not before…after) to find out that wasn’t the case. Then found out we had a northerly wind all day long. Ah, that makes sense. The first twenty miles actually were harder. The uphills on Fifth Ave
didn’t seem nearly as difficult as those earlier. That actually makes sense.
Third, you’re in New York City! We had a day of travel Thursday and another travel day Friday to get into the city.
Now that we’d arrived, we weren’t going to sit in an apartment in the greatest city in the world! So we walked the
city Friday afternoon, and saw a show Friday night. In the four nights preceding the race, I had about 20 hours of
sleep. But I don’t regret a minute of it. Could I have run a few minutes faster raceday…maybe. But who cares?!
I’ll trade that every time for unforgettable experiences w/ friends and family. That was the easiest decision of the
weekend.
This race is for those that want to have an amazing, challenging experience racing. The energy and beauty of
NYC is unmatched in any other city. The people are unique and eclectic, and are proud to bring their best to support this race.
The security of this race was clearly amped up after what happened in Boston this year. From the police boat escorts, to all the searches on the way into the start corral, to the helicopters seemingly just above the treetops for
the entirety of the race, security was everywhere. Even with all that, it was never overbearing, or cumbersome.
And everyone I talked to felt safe. The day went off without a hitch. Well done, New York, well done.
SPA PACER NEWS
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2014 Arkansas XXXIII Grand Prix Series
What are your running goals for 2014? Would you like to become more involved with the Spa Pacers? Would you like to race more? Do you want to
run faster? Do you want to maintain your motivation to run? How about
road trips with your running buddies? Maybe you want to know how you
measure up against runners from across the state. Maybe you just want to
have fun. A great way to fulfill any or all of those goals is to enter the
2014 Arkansas Grand Prix.
What is the Grand Prix? It is a series of twenty races across the state
with distances ranging from one mile to the marathon. These races are affiliated with Arkansas running clubs and include track runs and cross country as well as road races. There are two levels of Grand Prix competition:
team and individual. In the team competition, the RRCA clubs compete
against each other in men’s and women’s divisions. In the individual competition, runners compete in overall and age group divisions. Points are totaled
at the end of the season for bragging rights. Participants must run in a
minimum of five races for individual awards, but you can help the Spa Pacer
teams with just one race. You don’t have to commit to all twenty races.
You don’t need to be a fast runner, a marathoner, or an extreme athlete to
participate in the Grand Prix. You just need to enjoy running and having fun
with other runners.
Interested in joining the Spa Pacer Grand Prix team in 2014? Talk with
Josh Drake or Debbie Hill.
You can get all of the details and register at the Arkansas RRCA website at
http://www.arkrrca.com/ .
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Running Around Town!
Weekly Group Runs
MONDAY – 5:45 p.m. meet Fountain St. near HS Mountain Dr. – Penny @282-2512
MONDAY- (trail run) 4:30 p.m. meet @ Fountain St. near HS Mountain Dr. - Ken @ 6236108
MONDAY- (speed work) 5:45 p.m. meet @ Lakeside School track - Jeff @ 802-4252
TUESDAY - 5:45 p.m. Larry and Jamie Merriman ,430 Prospect - Larry @ 627-3041.
TUESDAY - 5:45 p.m. Walking Group,430 Prospect - Sharon @ 520-1170
WEDNESDAY (trail run) - 4:30 p.m. 1st lookout on left West Mountain Summit Dr - Ken @
623-6108
WEDNESDAY - 5:45 p.m. Easy 6-7 miles, Transportation Depot - Brent @ 501-681-7864
THURSDAY - 6:30 a.m. Jessieville Track - Debbie - 501-922-9619
THURSDAY - 5:45 p.m. Pub Run @ Spencer's Corner - Larry @ 627-3041
THURSDAY - 5:45 p.m. Walking Group Pub Run @ Spencer's Corner - Sharon @ 520-1170
SATURDAY - 7:00 a.m. meet at Transportation Depot – Cindy @ 276-8870
SATURDAY - (trail run) 8:00 a.m. meet at the top of Fountain Street for 4 mile run - Jeff
@ 802-4252
For more information about weekly runs:
http://arspapacers.com/Weekly_Group_Runs.html
SPA PACER NEWS
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Waterworks Location Trails
The City of Hot Springs Parks & Recreation Department proposed budget for 2014 includes
$25,000 for trail construction and rehabilitation at the Waterworks location just north of
downtown off of Cedar Glades Road. This was included in the proposed budget in response to
input from outdoor enthusiasts, many of whom are members of Spa Pacers, Hot Springs Bicycle Association and Ouachita Mountain Hikers. For those who live in the city, I am asking you
to contact Mayor Ruth Carney and/or your City Director to request that this funding be preserved. For telephone and e-mail contact information, go to www.cityhs.net and click on Board
of Directors.
This location is “close-in” with three lakes surrounded by forest. It could be a real jewel of a
place for recreation – hiking, running, mountain biking and, some day, use of the lakes for
swimming, canoeing and paddle boarding. Access to this area has been restricted since 9/11,
primarily because of security concerns for the water treatment facility there and the three
lakes that supply a portion of our water supply. Prior to that, this area was widely used. I was
one of those who did. I am told that this area was a recreational destination for Hot Springs
residents for years in the early 20th century. It is now believed, as I understand it, that a water treatment facility and a recreational area can co-exist, as it did for many years.
Given understandable concerns about a tight budget, local volunteers will provide on-going
maintenance of the trails under the supervision of Parks & Recreation Department personnel.
One might also suggest that the property should be sold, if the time ever comes that the water treatment facility is no longer needed. I believe that this is a short-sighted position,
given the potential to greatly enhance “quality of place” for all of our residents and many visitors. This could also make our city more attractive for economic development. Jim Fram,
President and CEO of Hot Springs Metro Partnership, has told me that amenities such as this
can be important to “decision makers” when considering locations.
If you have further questions, contact Ken Freeman, Trails Coordinator at the Parks & Recreation Department. His telephone number is 321-4802.
Todd F. Shiver
[email protected]
321-2682
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Cindy Baswell is honored as the RRCA Volunteer of the Year at the RRCA awards
ceremony Nov. 23rd at the Arlington Hotel.
Cindy was nominated by Spa Pacer Debbie Hill who also presented the
award.
Hope Drake - RRCA Female
Youth Runner of the Year
Gideon Drake - RRCA Male
Youth Runner of the Year
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Meet Clydine Tory Preston - Spa 10K Race Starter
I started out @ 392 pounds 2 years ago, wearing 4X shirts, and size
52 pants. I walked by a mirror and saw myself one day. And didn't like
what I saw. I hurt and felt awful all of the time!
I started forcing myself to go to the gym. I figured that in one hour’s
time, I could have workout and get back home. The Stairmaster was my
bread and butter then. I made it to 350 pounds.
I wanted to change it up, so I started power walking at HS High School
Track or Hollywood Greenway. On good days, I did Jillian Michaels 30
Day Shred, Level One only, Lol! and/or Biggest Loser Cardio Max. I still
had minimum weight loss. While doing this, my co-worker Lori Thomasson, told me about Pam Younger Hayes' Boot Camp (Muscle Confusion,
Plyometrics, Pilates, and more) @ 5am. For 6 months, I gave every excuse not to be able to do it. In September 2012, Pam offered a 5:30pm
class, so I went. Lori went twice a day just to support me! After one
week, I started going to the 5 am Class. I gave up drinking 6+ Cokes per
night, sugar, and Body by vi shakes. In 4 months, I lost 70 pounds, wearing 2X shirts, and size 40 pants.
I continue to do Boot Camp to this day. In December 2012, I ran my
first 5k in 32 minutes. In March 2013, I ran my first 10k in 1 hour, 2
minutes without any walking during each one nor run training.
I started training in late March 2013 for the Warrior Dash. Over the summer I’ve learned
great tips from the veterans, and I’ve become addicted to running and wanting to improve exceedingly. Recently, I ran my first half marathon in 2:05:21. My goal is to run my first full
marathon in March 2014.
Karen Vineyard sends a big, “Thank You!” to great group leaders Tory, Debbie, & Sherry in
the SPA 10K training clinic.
Spa Pacer member Ben Wiley, age 60, beat the Boston Marathon (male
60-64) qualifying standard of 3:55 by running 3:54:17 at the Quad Cities
Marathon on 9/22/13 in Moline, IL. This was a week too late for 2014
qualification and still may not be good enough to receive an invitation in
2015 given the heightened demand and limited availability of slots. Regardless, he was thrilled to see the coveted "BQ" beside his name along
with a 3rd place age division award.
Amy Johnson competed on the 2013 USA National Sprint Triathlon team
in London, placing 20th in the World and was the 5th American in the 4044 year Age Group!
SPA PACER NEWS
Page 18
Spa Pacer’s Members and Friends!!!
Be a part of the Garvan Woodland
Gardens Fun Run/Walk Jingle Bell
Run on Saturday, December 14, 2013!
Wear your tutus, jingle bells, elf hats, etc.! This event is as special as we make it! Warm up those bones and muscles and join the
Spa Jinglers!
Our team name is Spa Pacers Jinglers.
Team captain: Clydine Tory; [email protected]
Register for the HS Jingle Bell Run @
http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1069693
2012 Jingle Bell Run
SPA PACER NEWS
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SPA PACERS
CHRISTMAS PARTY Friday,
December 13
6:00 p.m.
The Annual Membership
Location: Quapaw Community Ctr., 500 Quapaw Ave.
ALL SPA PACERS AND
FAMILY MEMBERS COME JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF
FELLOWSHIP AND A FEAST OF FOOD!!!
THE CLUB WILL PROVIDE THE TURKEY MEMBERS BRING
YOUR FAVORITE
HOLIDAY DISH (VEGETABLE, SALAD, CASSEROLE, OR
DESSERT AND BEVERAGE OF CHOICE)
To help us with a headcount
Please RSVP by Dec. 10 by emailing Debbie Scrivner
at [email protected]
SPA PACER NEWS
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SPA PACER NEWS
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SPA PACER NEWS
The family that runs 24 hours
together stays together!!
Page 23
SPA PACER NEWS
Page 24
20% off a 50 min. Swedish Massage; $52 ($65 regularly)
281 Lake Hamilton Drive
To schedule an appointment call Maisie Wilkins, L.M.T. at 903601-0794 or [email protected].
Thermal Water Pool $10—Save $8
runningwarehouse.com
15 % off
10% off food
We have plenty of healthy
non-fried foods too!.
10% off
2228 Albert Pike,
10% off apparel and
promotional items.
Two day—shipping.
This discount cannot be used with any other discounts and is only valid for online purchases. The
discount code is SPAPACRCD and may be entered on the checkout page in the "Redeem Coupon Code" box. Pacer members - this will be the
honor system, this is the privilege of being a member so please do not share discount to non-Spa
Pacer members. If at any time during the shopping
period “cancel order” is clicked, it is necessary to
re-enter the discount code.
Excludes some new items.
Bennett’s Plumbing, LLC., 844-7217
$10 off of their hourly service call
charge (parts not included)
Adrianne Kahn Fine Jewelry & Design
4330 Central, 525-4484,
$25 off any non-branded, non-clearance item of
$25 or more. Limit one per person.
$25 off any repair. Limit one per family.
20% off any custom design. Limit one per family.
Offers Expires 12/31/13.
SPA PACER NEWS
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Membership Has Its Privileges
As a Spa Pacer member, you have privileges to discounts to area businesses. Just present your
Arkansas Spa Pacer membership card! If you have not received your card, please let any of our
board members know.
Arbonne, Swiss Skin Care Line
Contact Marsha Oliver at
[email protected]
or 282-6370
15% off
10% off
15% off
$5 off registration
10% off
$5.00 for any fitness class
To find a schedule click here.
15% off
Repair labor
(does not include
parts)
10% off food
Page 26
SPA PACER NEWS
2013 Spa Pacer’s Board Members
President: Penny Koller
Vice President: Cindy Baswell
Secretary: Debbie Hill
Treasurer: Jamie Merriman
Members at Large: Josh Drake, Ken Freeman, Debbie Scrivner, Marc Stewart, Matthew
Jackson, and Carla Shelton.