the Winter 2012 Newsletter

Winter 2012
SOONAR
SOUNDINGS
THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE PAMAKID RUNNERS
Betty Cunneen 1934-2012
Inside this Issue
Letter from the President
2-3
PamaBEAST!
Pamakids on a Page
4-5
Coyote Two Moon 100 Miler by Noe
15
16-18
Castanon
A Tribute to Betty Cunneen by Andy Chan
6-7
Harbor Light Award Dinner by Phyllis
19
Nabhan
Napa Valley Marathon by Tony Rossman
RRCA Convention by George Rehmet
8
Financial Report by Monica Fernandez
20-21
10-12
Notes and Announcements
22
Membership Meeting and Kaiser Half Volunteer
Recaps
13
Pamakid Membership Form
23
Stop Pamakids?! by Melinda Walker
14
Letter from the President
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
By Andy Chan
As most of you have heard, Betty Cunneen, the
first President of the Pamakid Runners, passed
The Pamakid Runners’ Board of
Directors meets every month at 380
away on Sunday, March 25, 2012. I read a tribute
Hayes in San Francisco at 6:30 p.m.
to Betty at the General Meeting on March 26 that
can be read on my blog at: http://tinyurl.com/
General members are welcome to
attend as guests. As the meeting date
BettyCunneenTribute
Betty’s obituary can be found at: http://
may change from month to month,
please RSVP to Andy Chan
tinyurl.com/BettyCunneenObituary
([email protected]) if you wish to
attend.
Many things that were important to Betty back in
the 1970’s still hold true for our club today.
the Soonar Soundings, Betty, know that when I
refer to you as a “beast” it is a huge compliment.
One of the main reasons that Betty and others
founded Pamakid Runners was to have an official
American Amateur Union (AAU) team. Today the
AAU has been replaced as the national governing
body for running/track & field in the United States
by USATF (United States of America Track and
Field). The Pacific Association (PA) is our local
association of USATF and there are PA events in
cross country, road racing, ultra running, track &
field, and race walking. The Pamakids are well
represented at these PA races in the same way that
the Pamakids participated in AAU events in the
1970’s.
Appropriately, the Pamakids had nine runners at
the American River 50 mile on April 7 and another
ten Pamakids toed the starting line in Beantown for
the Boston Marathon on April 16. That’s 710 miles
of racing! The Pamakid Runners are out there
racing just as was intended when Betty founded the
club!
Back in the 1970’s, Betty was known as a fiercely
determined, competitive runner who gave all of
herself when she raced. Nowadays a runner who is
fiercely determined and competitive that gives all of
his or herself in a race is affectionately known as a
“beast.” So when you read the Heavenly edition of
2
This year we encourage you to bring out your inner
beast with the creation of a five race grand prix
called the PamaBEAST series. Please come and
participate in some of these races. If the running/
racing aspect seems too intense, then volunteer or
walk.
In its earliest days, the Pamakids would meet at
Lake Merced for a run around the lake by families –
pa’s, ma’s, and kids. What started as a weekly
family run followed by pizza has evolved into a
yearly tradition that we call the Rites of Spring. This
event was one that Betty took much pride in and
put her heart into organizing. I still remember the
homemade awards that Betty made for Rites of
Spring and as Phyllis Nabhan says, “Rites of
Spring was Betty’s baby.” At the April Board of
Directors meeting, the BOD voted to officially rename the Rites of Spring, “The Betty Cunneen
Rites of Spring.” Please come celebrate both our
club’s tradition as well as Betty Cunneen’s life at
this year’s run and dinner on Friday, April 27 at 6:00
P.M. I believe that many of Betty’s non-Pamakid
friends have been invited and will be attending the
run and dinner.
A committee composed of Phyllis Nabhan,
Letter from the President
By Andy Chan
of Spring particularly special. Pat Cunneen has
purchased a large bell with the inscription "Betty's
Bell, Pamakids since 1971." We will use this bell to
start the race. All participants will receive a special
Betty Cunneen Rites of Spring ribbon. This is also
the first race in the PamaBEAST series, with a
handicap start based on age and gender.
In addition, the club has started the process of
purchasing a bench in Betty’s name from the San
Francisco Recreation and Park Department. We
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Christina Lay, and Tony Rossmann have been hard
at work to make this inaugural Betty Cunneen Rites
hope to have Betty’s bench located at a spot
around Lake Merced.
Thank you, Betty, for helping found this club that we
all love. We will all miss you and we promise to
work tirelessly to keep the Pamakids going strong.
It’s a privilege to follow in your footsteps as the
Pamakid President.
3
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Pamakids on a Page
HOW TO GET INFORMATION
Website: www.pamakids.org Phone: (415) 333-4780
Mail: Pamakid Runners PO Box 27557 San Francisco, CA 94127
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pamakidsrunningclub
YAHOO! GROUPS
The club has two Yahoo! groups: one primarily for the Racing Team, the other
for general club messages.
Join this one to get messages about upcoming races:
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/pamakidsracing/
Join this one for more general club announcements and information:
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/pamakid_runners/
BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEETINGS
The Pamakid Runners BOD meets monthly. Members are always welcome. For information on the next
BOD meeting, email [email protected]
CHARITY COMMITTEE
As stated in our mission statement, supporting charitable causes is very important to our club. We have a
Charity Committee that meets four times a year (January, April, July and October). Please read the
following pdf file for more specific details about the Charity Committee:
http://www.pamakids.org/PamakidsCharityCommitteeGuidelines_updatedApril2012.pdf
To recommend a charity or to find out when the next Charity Committee meeting is, email
[email protected]
SOCIAL EVENTS
For information on upcoming social events, email [email protected]
4
Pamakids on a Page
The racing team attends Bay Area races every month. Joining the Racing Team Yahoo! group is the best
way to keep informed about racing opportunities. The racing team schedule is available on the website
(pamakids.org). If you have specific questions, you can email a racing team captain at
[email protected].
The Pamakid Runners attend many races that are sanctioned by the Pacific Association (PA) of USATF.
In order to participate in club sponsored PA races you must join the PA and declare Pamakid Runners
(club #134) as your team affiliation. We also encourage club members who do not participate in PA races
to join the PA-USATF. To become a member go to www.pausatf.org and click Join Now.
To sign up for a race, enter your information on the race form: http://bit.ly/hk8tgp
** Be sure to write “Captain” after your name if you want to captain that race!
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
RACING TEAM
AGE-GRADED SCORING
The Pamakids keep age-graded scores on every race than any club member runs while representing the
club.
Awards for top performances are passed out at the Holiday Gala each year.
Email your results to: [email protected]
UNIFORMS AND OTHER CLOTHING
We ask that club members race in the Pamakid team singlet as much as possible. We also have other
Pamakid clothing items. For information on purchasing Pamakid clothing, email [email protected]
TUESDAY NIGHT TRACK WORKOUTS
Coach Andy Chan coaches track workouts at Kezar Stadium on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. Fees are
$3.00 for Pamakid members (the club subsidizes $1.50 per member per workout) and $5.00 for nonmembers. Email [email protected] for more information.
5
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Betty Cunneen
By Andy Chan
Betty Cunneen (1934-2012)
I delivered this speech at the Pamakid Runners
Club General Meeting on March 26, 2012.
I’m a little sweaty and in sweats instead of being
formally dressed but I think Betty would forgive
me. I’m wearing the same shirt I was wearing in
2010 when I took this photo, my favorite photo of
those I’ve ever had the privilege of taking with
Betty.
Betty Cunneen was our club’s first President.
Some of you may have seen her at the club picnic
last July. Alzheimer’s had taken its toll on her but it
was nice to see her at a Pamakid event.
called Soonar as the club mascot. That name and
that mascot, won by a landslide.
With their name intact and Betty Cunneen on
board as the club’s first president, the Pacific
Association of the AAU officially sanctioned
Pamakid Runners Club in January 1971. The
Wednesday night runs continued for more than 15
years. The club’s first organized race was an 8-mile
jaunt from Daly City to Lake Merced. A few years
later, they organized a relay race at Lake Merced.
This race later evolved into the annual Rites of
Spring Run and Dinner, which we still celebrate to
this day.
She went into hospice care early last week. The
Cunneen kids (Connie, Kelly, Pat Jr., and Garrett)
were all there with Pat Sr. in her final days. Pat
assured us that they were at peace and ready to let
go. On Sunday, Betty passed on.
Our club, the Pamakid Runners began in 1970. The
Cunneen and Boitano families met every
Wednesday evening for a run around Lake Merced
and then pizza at Shakey’s. At the time there were
members of the San Francisco Dolphin South End
Runners (DSE), the San Francisco Rowing Club,
Dolphin Club, and South End Rowing Club who
6
That’s just a small part of our club’s history but in a
wanted to compete as a club at local races. The
few paragraphs it gives you an idea of how we got
started. We are not a jump on the bandwagon kind
AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) would not recognize
them because they were a combination of multiple
of club – we were founded before the running
boom of the 1970’s began. Before Frank Shorter’s
groups, not one single club.
1972 Olympic marathon gold medal made running
Armed with a desire to run as part of an official
running club, Betty Cunneen called a meeting to
popular. Before women were freely allowed to
participate in races (Pat Cunneen has told stories
form a new AAU club. They set a date for
September 2, 1970 to discuss club details,
about Betty and the girls having to register with
fake names to get into Bay to Breakers because
including the name. The group tossed out several
good ideas, including gems such as the Lake
women were not allowed to participate).
Merced Striders, Pacific Pacers, and my personal
Pat has shared some great pictures and stories
from the Pamakid years in the 1970’s. What stood
favorite, the Runaway Pancakes. Grant Newland
invented the name Pamakid Runners and a bird
out was that Pat and Betty were out doing what
they loved – running. It seems like the Cunneen
Betty Cunneen
By Andy Chan
Malinda shared this photo with some club
members last month. It’s of Betty running with the
caption, “Watch out Cheryl Bridges.” Well it turns
out the reference is to Cheryl Bridges, known now
as the mother of Olympian and American record
holder Shalane Flanagan. But in 1971 she was
simply Cheryl Bridges, 2:49 marathoner, which
happened to be the women’s world record at the
time. Cheryl must have been one of Betty’s running
rivals in the 1970’s. Malinda and I are casual
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
kids had no choice…they could either run with
their mom and dad or wait in the car.
acquaintances with Cheryl and when we contacted
her, she commented that she distinctly remembers
the runners with the bird on their singlet.
This got me thinking that it’s a good thing Betty
helped pick Soonar and Pamakids as our mascot
and club name. I don’t know if I would be so
excited to have a big pancake on my singlet and to
be yelling “Go Flapjacks!” before races.
Let’s take a moment to remember and reflect on
Betty and what she’s meant to the club. We all owe
Betty as well as Pat and the Cunneen family a lot.
If you didn’t get to meet Betty take a moment to
realize that when you race for the Pamakids, when
you attend a Pamakid social event, when you’re
part of a “Go Green!” cheer or feel pride in the
success of your running club or in the fact that
your club donates so much money to charities,
remember that it all started 41 years ago in large
part to Betty Cunneen.
For those that knew her, think of a favorite memory
of Betty.
With that in mind, let’s pause for a moment of
silence.
Thank you.
7
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Napa Marathon
by Tony Rossman
It was warm, and that coupled with having my
penultimate 26.2 11 months ago at Boston
produced a slower than expected time [8:26]. But
as Tropical John Medinger always pointed out in
our similar finishes over the years, we got our
money's worth.
Especial thanks to veteran Pamakid Ken Lee for
suggesting this idea of running Napa together and
volunteering his presence , to Dave and Nancy
Hill (tell me ANY other race where the RD would
come out and crew you six hours into the race!),
Hollis Lenderking (who could easily have gone
from his home down the hill to the Cardinal-Bears
BB game but instead took a 200 mile detour), and
Ed Lopez for ending up being along for the whole
ride. That exceeded Ed's expectations vastly,
made possible by Kathy and the girls faithfully
patrolling the Silverado Trail, and made me feel
that in one respect I was able to give to someone
else in this effort. John and Lisa figured it was too
good a day to waste indoors and relived the
Napa Valley Meditation
Let us be thankful for the beauty and
serenity that surround us this morning.
May the peace we know here prevail
throughout our nation, and recognizing that
freedom from want and fear belong to all
humanity, extend to every land.
Let us be thankful for the citizens of this
beautiful valley whose talents and generosity
for 34 years have given us this beautiful
race.
Let us be thankful for our companions and
competitors standing next to us, knowing
that their presence and efforts enrich our
own, jus as we enrich theirs.
pacing days of many Western States and
Vermont. And Kathy and the girls provided the
indispensable and cheerful crew coordination -note the alpha and omega, Molly in my first
(1981) Napa shirt, and Alice in the last (2011)
Boston shirt.
The weekend was made more memorable by
having the opportunity Saturday night at the race
banquet to thank all who have shared this road for
And now, may these efforts of our legs and
lungs, hearts and minds, prove worthy in
our own eyes, in the eyes of those with whom
we share this road, and in the eyes of all to
whom we address these our aspirations.
Amen
30 good years.
Two of my heroes, Justice Oliver Wendell
Holmes, and diplomat George Kennan, both
observed at their 90th birthdays, "Oh, to be 70
again!" If I make it that far today will prove an
indelible memory of that aspiration.
8
4 March 2012; presented annually since
2003
Rites of Spring
By Phyllis Nabhan
RITES OF SPRING RUN & DINNER 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Run - Walk
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
PAMAKID RUNNERS
6:00 PM Sharp!
4.6 Miles around Scenic Lake Merced
Starting at the Sunset Blvd.
Parking Lot, North end of Lake Merced
Race Day registration starts at 5:00 PM; pick up bibs on race day
age and gender-handicapped start!
Fill out the Entry form (next page), read and sign waiver.
Mail Promptly!
Dinner
Janet Pomeroy Center
207 Skyline Blvd. (Herbst Road)
Time: 7:00 PM
Cost: $10.00 per Pamakid member, $5.00 member 16 & under, $20.00 non
Pamakid member. Menu: appetizers, dinner, dessert, wine, beer, soda.
Must RSVP by April 20th
Information: Phyllis Nabhan (415)752-9930 [email protected]
9
No California Blues in Memphis:
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
California Scores Big at the RRCA Convention
By George Rehmet
Blues! BBQ ribs! Running! This would be how the
2012 RRCA National Convention in Memphis could
be described. The convention was hosted by the
Memphis Runners Track Club (MRTC) which is the
5th largest club in the nation with 3,500 members.
Despite the high airfares, there were over 250
attendees that nearly equaled the attendance at
the 2009 San Francisco RRCA National
Convention. Throughout the convention, the
friendliness of southern hospitality was prevalent.
(If you want a dose, ask fellow member Heather
Johnson.) At the end, attendees left with smiles on
their faces and full stomachs.
The Fun
The Thursday evening reception started out with a
blues band playing. The highlight was Elvis and
Lisa Marie making an appearance. Both of these
celebrities were members of MRTC. “Elvis” belted
out some of his greatest hits and displayed some
of his trademark dance moves.
RRCA Executive Director, Jean Knaack.
Attendees had time to look around Beale Street
which is the second most visited street in the
nation after New Orleans’ Bourbon Street.
I had a chance to visit the Civil Rights Museum
which is housed in the former Lorriane Hotel in
which Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated.
Other attendees visited Graceland. These places
should be on one’s itinerary when traveling to
Memphis.
For Friday’s lunch, attendees heard David Wottle
speak. David won the gold medal in the 800
meters at the 1972 Olympics. David related his
struggles to get to the starting line of that race and
what he was thinking and feeling in that race.
David thought he would end up with bronze when
he started his kick. After the luncheon, David
displayed his gold medal.
For Saturday’s lunch, Christopher McDougall,
author of Born to Run, related his experiences in
Mexico’s Copper Valley. He noted how the Indians’
physical lifestyle of running and working hard
contributes to their peaceful ways.
Running in Memphis
A tradition of the RRCA convention is the morning
runs. The two morning runs were a loop through a
wealthy residential area. On one of the runs,
Christopher McDougall ran in his bare feet.
I bumped into former Pamakid Runner Ed Lowry.
He gave his regards to the club and related his
experiences running with Tony Rossmann at this
year’s Napa Valley Marathon. Ed is the race
director for the Soldier Marathon in Columbia, GA.
On Friday night, the attendees were bussed to the
Rendevous Restaurant – a landmark BBQ
restaurant in Memphis. Elvis made another
appearance at the restaurant. This time “Elvis” was
10
And the convention is not complete without the
race which was the Germantown ½ Marathon and
Mayor’s Cup 5K. A lot of Californian attendees
placed high (including yours truly). What was funny
was that the locals thought that the course was
hilly when I felt that the race was flatter than the
DSE Conservatory 5K.
The Sessions
No California Blues in Memphis:
California Scores Big at the RRCA Convention
The first seminar was about insurance and liability
which I won’t bore you with. At the RRCA general
membership meeting, it was reported that the
RRCA finances are well in the black and that RRCA
continues to see growth. It was announced that
the RRCA will have a race director’s certification
on-line course and will develop a race director’s
code of ethics. One unfortunate trend is that some
race websites will take people’s money and not
have a race.
would later be awarded RRCA Female Master
Runner of the Year. Briefly, Linda has set the
American record in the 45-49 age group with a
1:15:17 half marathon time and is the only person,
male or female, to qualify for 7 Olympic trials with
the “A” standard.
The Presidio 10 was honored as the 2011 RRCA
Road Race of the Year (note: the KP San Francisco
Half Marathon was honored with the same award
for 2009). Since the race director could not attend,
RRCA Western Regional Director Bailey Penzotti
and I accepted the award on his behalf.
The night ended with the Avenue of the Giants
Marathon’s t-shirt voted as RRCA National T-shirt
of the Year. I was especially elated as I had asked
the race director to send the shirt in for judging
since I felt it had a great chance of winning.
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
By George Rehmet
It was then announced that the Presidio 10 Mile
and the Napa Valley Marathon would be RRCA
National Championship races for 2013.
Due to the large size of the host club, almost all the
other seminars were led by club members which
reveal the debts of its talented membership. In the
session “New Revenue Sources for Clubs,” MRTC
members discuss their merchandise and photo
sales. Another seminar was on conflict resolution
in which it was related that conflict is necessary in
our lives and that conflict stems from someone’s
basic need not being met. The next session was
the use of social media for running clubs. The
lessons that I took away were that content is king
so be mindful of what is posted The final session
was on aging and performance in which nutrition
and weight training were described in combating
muscle decline as people age.
Californians Showcased
At the awards banquet, I had the privilege to
introduce San Luis Obispo Aggie runner Linda
Somers-Smith to the RRCA Hall of Fame. She
As state representative, I was pleased that
representatives from the 6 Rivers Running Club,
San Francisco Road Runners, Lake Merritt Joggers
& Striders and the Mid-Peninsula Running Cub
came. I was honored to represent the good old
Pamakid Runners. For more information about the
winners and my report (see page 33), go to: http://
www.rrca.org/services/news-entry/2011-rrcaannual-report/.
Future Conventions – Red or Green?
The 2013 RRCA National Convention will be in
early May in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The
convention was held in this was wonderful locale in
2001. The theme “Red or Green” refers to what
color chilies one wants in the food. (If you want
both, you say “Christmas.”) I have a feeling that if
you come to New Mexico, you’re going to say
“green” quite a bit. For more information about this
convention go to: http://
11
No California Blues in Memphis:
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
California Scores Big at the RRCA Convention
By George Rehmet
www.abqroadrunners.com/2013-rrcaconvention.html.
It was also announced that Spokane, Washington
will host the 2014 RRCA National Convention. The
Bloomsday 12K race will be the convention’s race.
This race is well known and is one of the biggest
with over 50,000 participants.
Hopefully, I will see more local runners come to
both convention since it’s only a little over 2 hour
direct flight to either place. This will be the best
opportunity to meet runners from around the
country and have a good time.
12
By Phyllis Nabhan
Annual Pamakid General Membership
Meeting
Pamakid Volunteers :: 2012 Kaiser
Permanente Half Marathon & 5K Fun Run
On March 26, 2012 about 60 Pamakids gathered for
the Annual Pamakid General Membership Meeting
and Elections. Three members from the previous
Board of Directors stepped down: Danielle Bisho –
Member at Large, John Spriggs – Racing Team, and
Eduardo Vazquez – Racing Team. Thank you for
your years of service. Welcome Anne Mason –
Member at Large, Denis Glenn – Racing Teams, and
Jerry Flanagan – Racing Team.
Thank you to the Pamakid Volunteers that made this
one of the best Half Marathons yet. Volunteers
helped all week long and especially race day. We
could not do this event without the faithful, wonderful,
talented Pamakids who helped and gave so much.
37 Pamakids volunteered on Saturday.
64 Pamakids volunteered race day at various
positions.
8 Pamakids volunteered at the Sports Basement
doing registration and information.
4 Pamakids volunteered race week bagging t-shirts
and snack bags.
134 individuals volunteered.
969 volunteers from 38 Groups
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Membership Meeting and Volunteer
Recap
Total of 1103 volunteers!
13
Stop Pamakids?!
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
by Malinda Walker
At the 2011 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships in Seattle, Washington a new limited
edition t-shirt was unveiled. The front reads, “Stop Pamakids” and the back reads, “Go Green.” Those
seeped in the history of running will instantly understand this reference to Steve Prefontaine, with a twist.
Pamakid runners in Beast Mode at XC Club Nationals Details of the shirt
Steve Prefontaine is an often quoted elite American runner from the early 1970s. He was a celebrity in
Oregon - the distance running mecca - where fans chanted Pre! Pre! Pre! The 1972 US Olympic trials
were held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. For the 5000 meter final, Pre’s race, Stop Pre shirts in the
shape of a stop sign were donned by a bunch of spectators including many in the press box and his
competitor Gerry Lindgren. Interviews from the time make it clear that the shirts were donned in fun, and
had less to do with hostility toward Steve Prefontaine than with an irritation about the partisan nature of
the local crowd. (It is still like this in Oregon – it is irritating.) Tension was building during the race, but
after the race Pre accepted and wore one of the shirts, diffusing all tension and ensuring the t-shirt
would live on forever in running circles. (More images and full story: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/
thehappyrower/6106325511/)
Steve Prefontaine recognized that no one would be wearing Stop Pre shirts if he were not a great athlete
worth being concerned about during the race. If you are looking for running inspiration try googling,
“Steve Prefontaine quotes” you’ll find all sorts of inspiration. At cross country nationals, we took
inspiration from “Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.” In Seattle the
Pamakids raced tough and bled green. A limited number of these shirts remain available for purchase
($15). If you would like to purchase one email [email protected] (The sweats pictured in the group
photo are also available to club members. A minimum number is necessary before an order can be
placed. Send an email to be added to the list.)
14
The PamaBEAST!
pama
BEAST!
it’s time to release our inner pamaBEAST…
Series
Pamakids are all over the races, from track to cross-country to ultras, but
what about a series that tests your speed, hill-climbing, donut-eating, and
Pamakid-camaraderie skills all in one?
To win the awesome Pama-prize and make your mark in this inaugural
Series, you must be a Pamakid and run or volunteer at 3 of the 5 events.
The Three Peak Challenge will count as two events if you run the 8 mile
event. Series standings will be posted on our new website
(www.pamakids.org) so you can track your progress.
Whoa, buddy. Easy there!
To sign up for the series, please email [email protected]. Please let us know if you’re interested in
volunteering at any race.
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Pamakids' Inaugural
The series is free for Pamakids (except usual fee for track workouts). For non-Pamakids, race day registration is $5; kids under 18 run for
free. All runs are fun runs.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Stage
Rites of Spring
Lake Merced
1 point
New format for this wonderful Pamakid tradition: run 4.6 miles around Lake Merced in this age- and genderhandicapped race, followed by dinner. Who will be the first to cross the finish line? It might not be one of the
usual suspects!
1
Stage
2
1 point
Stage
3
1 point
1-2
points
1 point
Saturday, June 9, 2012
9:00 am
3-person teams will be randomly formed on race day. Loops around the Polo field will be run,
with teams strategizing to determine who runs which legs. Donut eating is encouraged but
optional. Prizes will be given to teams with the highest Donut Index (DI), a score based on
total time divided by total team age.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
6:30 pm
A classic from Coach Andy --- see how you stack up against yourself of years past, or set a new baseline.
4
5
Run for the Donuts
Polo field, Golden Gate Park
One Mile Time Trial
Kezar track
Stage
Stage
6:00 pm
Three Peak BEAST Challenge
Kezar track
Saturday, July 28, 2012
9:00 am
Scale Twin Peaks, Mt. Davidson, and Mt. Sutro --- the more peaks you climb, the more points you
earn. There will be options of ~3, 5, and 8 miles. A great conditioning workout with pretty
views.
Two Mile Time Trial
Kezar track
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
6:30 pm
A pre-season 3200 meter time trial to get you motivated and in shape for cross!
15
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Coyote Two Moon 100 Miler
16
By Noe Castanon
It took me some days to digest what happened the
weekend of March 18-20 at the Coyote Two Moon
100 Miler in Ojai, CA. It was pure carnage along
the course between miles 7 and 72 when I
stopped, in freezing temperatures. Not ideal
weather for the event, to be sure, especially since I
was expecting to be on the road somewhere
around 37 to 40 hours.
C2M 100M gets its name because most runners
are on the trails for two consecutive nights, two full
moons. Unfortunately that day no racer was able to
get to to finish line; some were disappointed, others
happy to end that insane adventure and I’ll tell you
why.
Racers began in waves, depending on how fast
they were, from 6pm Friday to 5am Saturday. I was
on the list to start at 9pm, the second wave, so I
had 37 hours to complete the whole course. The
fast runners had only 29 hours. The start is
staggered this way with the idea that everybody
would be done before 10am Sunday.
The weather at the start was cold, and it was dark
already. I was so nervous! Melissa Ownby, a great
friend, warned me months before of the race: "Noe,
the weather at C2M is very unpredictable. You
need to carry warm clothes in a zip bag with you at
all the times, otherwise you will regret it!" I followed
her advice and at the start I looked more like a
hiker than a runner. "That's OK, I can handle this," I
thought. Then, at 9pm the second wave started.
The first 4 miles were uphill, 3000 ft in 4 miles, not
a good beginning! Then we went down 6.8 miles.
The rain started an hour into the race and the
visibility was almost zero so I had to run next to
some folks who were like myself ("newbies"), afraid
to get lost.
Sisar Canyon was the first aid station, located at
mile 10.9, which took me exactly 3 hours to reach!
Why so long? We were zigzagging on the fireroads, fighting with the wind, the mud and the low
temperatures.
C2M is a very unique race, which included an
unusual requirement at the first aid station if we
wanted to get bonus miles. In memory of Vicky De
Vita, a local and respected runner, from the 10.9
mile point at 1700 ft we needed to carry a rock with
us while we ascended Topatopa Hill and drop it at
the summit. Everyone (except one) had to carry a
rock for 7.5 miles at 6300 ft. At that stage in the
race, in those weather conditions... crazy!!! Once I
reached the top I left my rock next to a candle and
a picture of Vicky, paying my respects to her. I
quickly searched for the playing card I was to carry
back down to prove I had summited, then I left the
place as soon as I could, as it was covered with ice
and was very windy and slippery. I don't remember
what time it was, maybe 3am, completely dark and
cold!!
Then I ran downhill one mile to reach the Lyon
Canyon aid station at mile 19.7. What a relief!!
When I got there my body was frozen, (I remember
that part because one volunteer was making fun of
my eyebrows as they were covered with a little
snow) I was shaking and needed help to remove
my gloves as I couldn't even move my fingers!
Fortunately I had extra warm clothes with me, as
Melissa had instructed me, so I changed my socks,
gloves, shirt, arm and leg warmers. I ate some salty
soup and a half burrito. I think I spent
approximately half an hour there until I felt much
better and until the rain stopped. While I was
eating, I saw others runners who were on cots with
Coyote Two Moon 100 Miler
By Noe Castanon
It started to be cold again at Rose Valley aid station
(Mile 46), where I grabbed a thick rain jacket and a
pants, which made me look like I was on the North
Pole. I felt that I looked weird but those runners
who were only in shorts and singlets were suffering
later during the storm. At that time no one knew the
magnitude of the catastrophe that was coming.
My legs were tired when I reached Howard Creek
aid station (Mile 53). I spent like 30 minutes on a
chair, I was feeling nauseous and at the same time
I was hungry, it was cloudy and cold already but I
had to leave because as usual I was behind my
time. My body was not tired but my pace was slow
due that we were hiking steep hills one after
another.
When I got to the Gridley Top aid station at the
Northoff summit one volunteer told me that some
runners were taking different paths as a storm was
coming and many were not prepared to face the
cold. Three miles after I left that aid station the
storm started to make our lives miserable. The rain
made the trail very, very slippery and muddy;
almost impossible to run. Snow on the ridge and on
and off rain between aid station was the beginning
of the end.
Finally, after I climbed 3600ft in 7 miles (the same
distance of Mount Diablo) at mile 72 the volunteer
coordinator did not allow me to go on. The
race was called, stopped, cancelled, zero, NO
MAS! What!!! Yeah my adventure was over. "Now
what am I going to do?" At that moment I thought
about my friends and the club, "What are they
going to think, a DNF? What about me and those
hours of training, in the dark, in the rain and on the
hills? What went wrong?" For moments I was silent,
then a reporter who was covering the event
approached me with questions: "How do you feel,
Disappointed? Bummed? What do you think about
the race?” I answered "I don't know, I just don't
know.” I had the same feeling that I had on my
previous DNF's.
In the end, my options were to stay on the ridge
waiting for someone to pick me up, or keep going
to the next aid station at mile 78 for transportation
to the start-finish area. I decided to go even though
it was freaking cold and I was completely soaked.
The rain and the wind were so strong on the ridge
and on some areas the trail was covered with
snow. I was so afraid to get lost as the course was
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
clear signs of hypothermia, already out of the
competition! "How close I came to ending up like
them,” I told myself, as I continued on my journey.
The next aid station was 6.3 miles away - great!
Running downhill felt so good! Wait, wait...not that
good, because the same trail had to be run in
reverse; next time would be uphill!! :((
Coyote Two Moon 100M is a very hard race with
29,000 feet cumulative elevation gain. One hill after
another and very few flat areas; not good for
novices, (I don't know what I was doing there!)
During the day the weather was more acceptable in the 50's I think. But between 2 and 4 pm a wave
of cold winds and flakes of snow on the ridge was a
clear sign of the dark night that was coming. Elias,
my brother, was helping me in this adventure; he
was ready at every aid station with my drop bags
(except those on the ridge). For some reason I
forgot to drop my bags on the race truck at the
start; later I realized that it was a good idea to had
left them with Elias.
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SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Coyote Two Moon 100 Miler
By Noe Castanon
marked in some areas with chalk and the rain was
washing it away...it was a chaos! We were in our
second night and our lives were in jeopardy.
When I was running downhill I kept telling other
runners about the situation on the top of the hill,
some of them did not listened to me, some of them
were only in short and shirts, no jackets! "Stupidity,"
I said to myself. This is crazy; there's no way that
anyone could finish the race under these
conditions. Elias was already waiting for me at the
aid station and I stopped my GPS at 27 hours and
58 minutes; then he took me to the starting point to
change my clothes, get warm and catch some
sleep. I was so lucky to have my brother with me,
he carried all my stuff in his car and I never had
to wait for anything at the aid station, so we could
leave at any time.
The rest of the night was non-stop rain and I was
thinking about those runners who were stuck on the
ridge, for sure the worst place to be in this kind of
weather. Later on Facebook a friend told me that
when they were waiting on the ridge for help, the
wind and rain blew the tent and some runners had
hypothermia. "That was a nightmare," he told me. I
believe it, I believe it!
Without a doubt Coyote Two Moon 100M was a
learning experience. Although I was running
against the clock, most of the time I was positive
that was no my time to get the 100M belt buckle. I
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didn't care, the race director made a wise decision
by stopping that craziness. There are more 100's
on the calendar less dangerous than that. Now I'm
thinking about the next one.
Running 100M is not easy. It takes a lot of physical
and mental training. At some point in the race,
when I was muling my backpack in the middle of
the nowhere at three in the morning I was talking to
myself: "Mom is right, this is insane, instead of
running in this crazy environment I should be at
home sleeping in my cozy and warm bed." Well
that was my choice!!
This race was dedicated to and inspired by Karen
Bonnett and Eldrith Grosney.
Harbor Light Center Award
By Phyllis Nabhan
On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, the Pamakid Runners Club was honored at the Harbor Light dinner for
donations from the San Francisco Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon. Eighteen Pamakid past and present
Board members attended this special event. It was such an honor to receive this award.
President Andy Chan accepted the award for the club and gave an exceptional slide presentation and
speech. Andy talked about the Pamakids and Steve Prefontaine’s influence. He shared a quote for Pre “To
give anything less than your best is to sacrifice a gift.”
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Pamakid Runners Club receives the Community Service Award at the Salvation Army San Francisco
Harbor Light Center 71st Anniversary Benefit Dinner
It was so impressive to see how many people in so many ways that we help by our donations to the
Harbor Light Center. The Pamakids truly reach out to help the community and live by our Mission
Statement. Our donations help with:
•
Homeless Outreach Program, feeding about 1,000 people a week, providing hygiene kits, sleeping
bags, clothing, and blankets.
•
Detox Program, providing a residential program for individuals seeking help with chemical
dependency problems.
•
Harbor House and Child Care Center; a state licensed chemical dependency transitional housing
program and treatment facility for single parents and their children. Each family has their own unit.
The day care program provides help for children ages three months to five years old, mostly of
from low-income families of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
•
The Department of Veteran Affairs program ensures that those returning heroes who have fallen in
their fight with addiction are given the opportunity to regain their lives and pride.
Quote from Pat Cunneen: “I bet Betty was looking down, really pleased. She always had so much
concern and empathy for the down and out. And to see the little club she helped found doing so much to
assist them must have made her very happy.”
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SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Pamakids Financial Report
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by Monica Fernandez
Pamakids Financial Report
by Monica Fernandez
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
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SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
Notes and Announcements
More than Just a Running Club
Did you know that the Pamakids donated more than $75,000 to charity last year?
If you know of a not-for-profit organization that “promotes a healthy lifestyle” and could use club
support, visit http://pamakids.org/charitable_giving.html to get all the details on how they can apply for a
grant.
One of the Charity Committee’s goals for 2012 (and beyond) is to develop more of a personal connection
with the charities that we sponsor. Rather than just handing these charities a check, we would also like to
be able to offer volunteer support as needed. Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities. If you have other
ideas for outreach let us know!
If you want to get involved or simply have questions about the Charity Committee, contact
[email protected]. 2012 Club Sponsored Running Events
ROAD SERIES
February 26 :: Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders Couples Relay 2x5k
March 18 :: Emerald Across the Bay 12k
April 22 :: New Balance Excelsior Zippy 5k
June 17 :: Dick Houston Memorial Woodminster Race
July 4 :: Rocket Run
July 15 :: San Rafael Downtown Mile
September 8 :: Jug and Rose
December 2 :: California International Marathon Relay
December 16 :: Christmas Relays 4 x Lake Merced
CROSS COUNTRY SERIES
(schedule below is tentative and may change closer to the start of the season)
Pacific Association USATF Cross Country Grand Prix
August 8 :: 12th Annual UC Santa Cruz XC Challenge
August 25 :: 20th Annual Phil Widener Empire Open
September 1 :: 2nd Annual Rebels XC Challenge
September 8 or 9, :: 25th Annual Golden Gate Park Open
September 15 :: NorCal XC Challenge
September 22 :: 8th Annual Garin Park XC Challenge
September 29 :: 14th Annual Presidio Challenge
October 6 :: 4th Annual Willow Hills XC Open
October 13 :: 15th Annual Shoreline Open
October 27 :: 17th Annual John Lawson Tamalpa Challenge
November 3 :: 3rd Annual Ancil Hoffman Challenge
November 18 :: 28th Annual PA Championships
ULTRA RUNNING SERIES
March 10 :: Way Too Cool (50K)
April 7 :: American River (50M)
April 21 :: Ruth Anderson (50K, 50M, and 100K)
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Pamakid Runners Club Mission Statement
Our purpose is to promote a healthy lifestyle, support the running community and charitable causes by organizing,
volunteering, and participating in running-related and social events in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Please visit our website for more information
www.pamakids.org
Annual membership dues cover January 1 to December 31
$12 Individual
Make check payable to:
Pamakid Runners
$24 Household (2 or more persons at the same address)
Send to:
Pamakid Membership Chair
( ) NEW
PO Box 27557
( ) RENEWAL
San Francisco, CA 94127
Please give complete information and list all members in your household. You may use a separate page if necessary.
SOONAR SOUNDINGS ⋅ WINTER 2012
PAMAKID RUNNERS
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________________
Apt. _____________________
City ____________________________________________
State _____________
Zip ______________________
Primary Phone ___________________________________
Secondary Phone _________________________________
Date of Birth ___________________________________
Male
Female
Email Address ______________________________________________________________________________________
t-shirt size: [ ] Check this box if you are interested in joining the racing team [ ]
Join the Pamakid Runners’ Yahoo! email group
Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/ then in the Find a Yahoo! Group search box,
type “pamakid_runners” click Join this Group and type in your information.
Club Membership Waiver
RRCA Clubs are required, for insurance purposes, to include this waiver on club Membership applications. Please read and
sign.
I know that running and volunteering to work in club races are potentially hazardous activities. I should not enter and run in
club activities unless I am medically able and properly trained. I agree to abide by any decision of a race official relative to my
ability to safely complete the run. I assume all risks associated with running and volunteering to work in club races including,
but not limited to, falls, contact with other participants, the effect of the weather, including high heat and/or humidity, the
conditions of the road and traffic on the course, all risks being known and appreciated by me. Having read this waiver and
knowing these facts, and in consideration of your acceptance of my application for membership, I for myself and anyone
entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the Road Runners Club of America, the Pamakid Runners Club and all
sponsors, their representatives and successors from all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in these
club activities even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on the part of persons named in this
waiver.
Signature __________________________________________________________
Date ___________________________
Parents’ Signature if under 18 years of age ________________________________ Date ___________________________
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The 2012 Pamakid Board of Directors
President
Andy Chan
Vice President - Finance
Monica Fernandez
Vice President - Club Activities
Christina Lay
Membership
Brian Hutto
Secretary
John Gieng
Social Chair
Phyllis Nabhan
Members at Large
Yvonne Ou
Racing Teams
Denis Glenn
Anne Mason
Jerry Flanagan
Immediate
Past President
Bill Dake
How to Contact the Newsletter
Soonar Soundings is a quarterly newsletter published for the Pamakid Runners Club.
The next issue of Soonar Soundings is scheduled for July. If you have any submissions please
send them to the editor no later than June 20. Please submit your item at your earliest
convenience.
Letters to the editor are encouraged. All letters and submissions become the property of the
Pamakid Runners newsletter and may be edited for length, clarity and grammar.
The Pamakid Runners newsletter editor’s mailing address is:
Newsletter at PO Box 27557 San Francisco, CA 94127. Email: [email protected]
Issue #48, Winter 2012 of Soonar Soundings - The Pamakid Runners’ Newsletter
SOONARSOUNDINGS
PO BOX 27557
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127
Pamakid Runners is a
proud member of the
Road Runners Club of
America www.rrca.org
Pamakid Runners is a
proud member of the
United States of
America Track & Field
Association.
www.usatf.org