ERC`S NEXT GENERAL MEETING Tuesday, November 9, 7:30 pm

Essex Running Club Newsletter
November 2010
Vol. 27, No. 11
New New sletter Editor Named;
Paper Keeping Track to Be Discontinued
ERC’S NEXT GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday, November 9, 7:30 pm
— Shannon Calam ito, host of the ERC wine-and-cheese
party the past two years, has volunteered to edit the club’s
newsletter beginning with the January 2011 issue. Please
let’s give her a very warm welcom e!
— Chris Jaworski
A Farewell to the Mishlers,
Plus Members’ Marathon Stories
This month only at Market Restaurant, we’re moving downstairs
to honor and say so long to Bill and Karen Mishler, two of the
seven founding members of the Essex Running Club. After
living in the ERC area for many years, Bill and Karen will soon
be moving back to Ohio. Please come out to give them a warm
send-off! We’ll also be swapping stories about our fall races.
— Essex Running Club is looking to increase m em bership
benefits without increasing dues. Toward that end, ERC’s
Board has decided to m ake Keeping Track available only
in electronic form beginning with the January 2011 issue.
Details to come. To arrange to keep your paper edition com ing, please call m e at 973–389–0329.
— Mark Frankel
Market Restaurant
12 Church Street, Montclair
Park on street or in Crescent Parking Deck behind
Church Street between So. Fullerton & So. Park
A Party and a Proxy:
Special M ailing in November
Please look for an ERC envelope in your m ailbox this Novem ber. Included in the envelope will be:
— Holiday Party Invitation. ERC’s annual holiday party is
set for Sunday, Decem ber 5, at the Brownstone House in
Paterson. (The Brownstone is where the club held its annual
awards dinner this past April.) The holiday party will replace
the general m eeting in Decem ber. Check the invitation for
details, send in your check before Novem ber 27, and save
the date for the festivities!
— Board Proxy. Use this proxy to vote for the ERC members who will serve on the club’s 2011 board. Note: There is
still tim e to subm it your name for consideration; if interested,
contact a board m em ber (p. 2) im m ediately.
Your action requested. Mail holiday party RSVP (with
or without board proxy) by Novem ber 27. Board proxy: Mail
with or after RSVP or bring to party.
W inter W eekend Runs Begin Dec 11
Past winter weekend runs have been a m ix of hosted runs,
holiday events, road trips to NYC races, and trail runs. The
idea is to schedule a hosted run or other group activity (e.g.,
trip to a race; run in a nearby park) for one weekend m orning and then use the other m orning of that weekend for a
W est Essex Trail group run. In most cases, the tim e to meet
is 9:00. The series runs Decem ber through February.
Keeping Track
ERC Holiday Party: Sunday, December 5
Replaces December general meeting
Next Board Meeting: Tuesday, November 16
No board meeting in December
W e hope you’ll consider hosting a run or organizing an
outing. These events are great for getting to know your fellow club m em bers while having som e fun and exercise!
Mem bers hosting from hom e plot out a 3- to 6-m ile outand-back course and provide light food afterward.
You can also host a run from a school track, a restaurant, or a bagel shop or cohost with another m em ber.
To host a run, pick an open Saturday or Sunday (Dec
11/12, 18/19, 26; Jan 2, 8/9,
15/16, 22/23, 29/30; Feb 5/6,
12/13, 19/20, 26/27) and send
Chris (jaworski@ verizon.net)
your event info. He’ll add your
event to the schedule and print
all the details in Keeping Track.
Unavailable: Dec 25, Jan 1.
W elcome to the Club!
Payton MacDonald, West Orange
Alyssa Rogers, Bloomfield
Novem ber 2010
Page 1
2010
ESSEX RUNNING CLUB
Officers
Mark Frankel. . . . . . . . . . . . President
Tom Kelly. . . . . . . . . . Vice-President
H. Carl Sturcke. . . . . . . . . . Treasurer
Desmond Duncker. . . . . . . Secretary
Board Members
Catherine Alessi. . . . . . . . . . Clothing
Anne Chesny. . . . . . . . . . . Speakers
Mick Close. . . . . . . . . . . . . . At Large
Faye Harvey. . . . . . . . . . . . . At Large
John Harvey. . . . . . . . . . . . . At Large
Ed Kelly.. . . . . . . . . . . USATF Teams
Martta Kelly. . . . . . . . . . Web Site, PR
Lynne Mortimer. . . . . . . Entertainment
Aileen O’Rourke. . . . . . . . . . At Large
Beverly Salerno.. . . . . . . Membership
Helene Scarnegi. . . . . . Entertainment
Staff
Chris Jaworski.. . . . Newsletter Editor
Robin Kantor. . . . . . . . Insert Designer
Debbie McNally. . . . . . Mailing Maven
Susan Palermo. . . . . . . . . . . Clothing
Hall of Fame
Vincent Carnevale.. . . . . . . . . . .
Larry Hollander. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
George Studzinski.. . . . . . . . . . .
Lenore Piccoli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Andrew Kotulski. . . . . . . . . . . . .
1995
2002
2002
2004
2008
Postal Address
Essex Running Club
P.O. Box 183, Verona, NJ 07044
Online
Web site: www.essexrunning.com
Yahoo e-mail group:
First join group at
groups.yahoo.com/group/
essexrunningclub
Then you can send e-mail to
essexrunningclub@
yahoogroups.com
General Info: [email protected]
President: Mark Frankel
[email protected]
Membership Director: Beverly Salerno
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor: Chris Jaworski
[email protected]
Insert Designer: Robin Kantor
[email protected]
Ad Coordinator: Lynne Mortimer
[email protected]
Web Site Manager: Martta Kelly
[email protected]
Clothing Directors
Catherine Alessi & Susan Palermo
[email protected]
Page 2
ERC M embers Run 7:28 Pace Over 209 M iles!
For the second year in a row, we include with the Novem ber issue of Keeping Track
a special section on the ERC team ’s experience in New Ham pshire’s Reach the
Beach Relay. This section was written by the 12 team m em bers and edited by Phil
Coffin and Chris Jaworski.
Essex Running Club W ants You Next Year
Becom e a 2011 m em ber. Use form on page 3 or sign up at essexrunning.com .
— New members. Join now, and your m em bership will be good through 2011.
— Current members. Renew now, and you’ll help our volunteers in this transition year.
M ARK YOUR CALENDAR
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Nov 7. New York City Marathon (club race).
Nov 13. Goodwill 5000m Race Against Hunger (club race), Montclair. Page 4.
Nov 14. Giralda Farms Run 10K (USATF–NJ championship race), Madison. Page 4.
Nov 21. Philadelphia Marathon (club race).
Nov 25. Ashenfelter 8K Classic (USATF–NJ championship race), Glen Ridge. Page 4.
Dec 5 (10:00 am). American Red Cross 5K (club race), Millburn. Page 10.
Dec 5 (6:00 pm). Holiday Party, Brownstone House, Paterson. Invitation coming in November.
Dec 11. Winter weekend hosted runs begin! Hosts needed! Page 1.
Dec 12. West Windsor 10-Miler (USATF–NJ championship race). Page 4.
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
Mark Frankel
Last m onth, I did som ething I’d never done before: had a conversation at a race.
Okay, I do talk to people at races. It’s just that, up until now, I’d always reserved
conversations for before or after the running. My attitude is that, if you’re able to talk
during a race, you’re not running hard enough. Generally, while racing, I’m happy
com m unicating with m onosyllabic grunts. Even a recognizable word such as yes or
no has passed through m y lips on occasion. But something as complex as m y name?
That would be awfully difficult to enunciate during 90% exertion.
I adm it I’ve conversed at length during marathons. (I do not consider these to be
races; they’re survival events for all but the m ega-m ileage trainers.) In fact, whenever I’ve led a m arathon pace group, I’ve goaded other runners into discussions.
Two m arathons ago, I spent about six m iles exchanging recipes. Too bad I didn’t
write any down, because I’ve forgotten m ost of them .
The conversation I speak of, though, cam e during a 10K, Brian’s Run (Sep 26).
For shorter races like the 10K (vs. the m arathon), I run in an oxygen-deprived state
pretty m uch all the way. I barely have enough oxygen to power m y m uscles, m uch
less speak recognizably. Yet, there I was, about three and a half m iles into Brian’s
Run, duking it out with another runner, when he began talking to m e.
Given that I was running pretty hard, and had a head cold to boot, I was hardly
physically able to engage him in the conversation he sought. However, it was too
early to begin thinking about stepping up the pace. So, I eased up a bit and joined
him in a good one-on-one discussion.
I don’t rem em ber m uch of what we said, except that he, like m e, was returning
from injury way too early, and was running a lot faster than anticipated. I rem em ber,
too, m y being glad he was a lot younger than m e, so that at least I wouldn’t have to
com pete against him for an age-group award.
W e spoke for about a m ile and then wished each other luck as we approached
the final ascent to the finish. I tried to get ahead of this runner where I’d successfully
shaken off com petitors in years past, but he wasn’t fooled by m y surges. He ran a
sm art race. My older legs were no m atch for his younger ones, and m y cold proved
that m y oxygen debt was, well, a bigger debt than I’d hoped.
At the finish, I congratulated the guy for running such a good race. He wound up
beating m e by about 25 seconds, but I was so happy to be healthy enough to run
that I didn’t care who beat m e.
The conversation we had was nice, too. I can’t say I’ll be getting into another inrace discussion, though. I m ay just want to save m y oxygen.
Novem ber 2010
Keeping Track
YEAR-ROUND GROUP RUNNINGy
Sat & Sun
9:00 am
(•) West Essex Trail Run, Verona
Sun
7:00 am
(q) Fleet Feet Sports, Montclair (FF Long Run)
Sun
7:00 am
([) Grove Pharmacy, Montclair (Grove Street Long Run)
In the November Issue Of
KEEPING TRACK …
(•) West Essex Trail Run, Verona. Sat & Sun 9:00 am. Meet in Verona High School lot at corner
of Fairview Avenue and Sampson Drive (Sampson is one-way, so approach from Grove Ave). Trail’s
round trip from Verona to Little Falls is 6 miles. Unpaved, blazed trail with mile markers on trees.
(q) Fleet Feet Sports, Montclair (FF Long Run). Sun 7:00 am. Meet at Fleet Feet (603 Bloomfield
Ave) for runs on 1 or more of 3 loops (each 6–8 miles) at paces ranging from 7:30 to 9:00 per mile.
([) Grove Pharmacy, Montclair (Grove Street Long Run). Sun 7:00 am. Meet at Grove Pharmacy
(123 Grove St) for runs of 4 to 20+ miles. We will try to find a pace and a distance for you.
20 Years Ago (1990)
“ERC now has a permanent post office
box for general mail” … upcoming holiday bash (buffet, cash bar, dancing) at
Friar Tuck Inn in Cedar Grove … club
plans Vermont ski trip … race of note:
“Super Bowl Marathon & Rockland Lake
31.1M, Valley Cottage, NY” (1/13/91).
Questions: Will anyone else show up for a run? Need to confirm a start time? Looking to buddy up
for a certain distance or pace? Visit our Internet (Yahoo) bulletin board to get answers about
attendance, times, conditions, routes, alternative plans, distances, paces, and other items.
Internet (Yahoo) Bulletin Board: Join at groups.yahoo.com/group/essexrunningclub and then post
messages there or by sending e-mail to [email protected].
15 Years Ago (1995)
Tom Kelly reports that member “Bob
Duggan was the first NJ finisher in the
tough Escarpment Trail Run” … while
running the NYC Marathon, Larry Hollander accepts spectators’ offers of a
bagel, chocolate, candy, an orange, a
banana, and, from Sri Chinmoy’s group,
a Coke (Larry recommends that “ERC
members try running a marathon like
you are going to a Bar Mitzvah and
stuff your face. Your time might be a
little slower, but you will cross the finish line feeling content and happy”) …
upcoming holiday party (hot buffet, beer,
soda) at Volaré in West Orange.
ESSEX RUNNING CLUB 2010–2011
JOIN THE CLUB OR RENEW MEMBERSHIP
Date
Renewing members, is any of your personal data different from what you provided before?
“ No “ Unsure “ Yes (what’s new? ______________________________________ )
INDIVIDUAL
Name
DOB
Street
City, State, Zip
Primary Phone
2nd Phone
Contact E-Mail
FAMILY
Spouse Name
DOB
Primary Phone
Contact E-Mail
KEEPING TRACK (NEWSLETTER) DELIVERY
(For either e-mail option, you must provide an e-mail address below)
“
Mail Paper Copy to Above Address
“
E-Mail PDF to This Address:
“
E-Mail Alerts* to This Address:
*You will be notified that PDF has been posted to ERC Web site
MEMBERSHIP STATUS
“ Join the Club
“ Renew Membership
ANNUAL DUES
“ $25 Individual
“ $40 Family
Mail form & check (payable to Essex Running Club) to ERC, PO Box 183, Verona, NJ 07044–0183
Membership Directory. Your contact information will be printed in a directory distributed to ERC
members. Directory is for personal use and is not to be used for commercial or political purposes.
Keeping Track
Novem ber 2010
10 Years Ago (2000)
Upcoming holiday party (hot buffet, coffee, dessert, byob) at Mulberry Street
Café in Montclair … welcome new club
member Amanda King! … ERC “is now
part of a free, easy-to-use email group
service. This provides an easy way to
send emails to other club members”
… member Jim Ennis hosts the club’s
Web site: jimennis.com/goessex …
Randy Miller begins his decade-long
campaign to get more members interested in trying track meets … Phil Coffin describes the second West Essex
Trail run … Carl Sturcke finishes his fifth
marathon of the year, all to raise funds
for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer
Center “to save lives and find cures for
cancer, particularly pediatric cancer.”
5 Years Ago (2005)
The Goodwill 5K, a new local race, is
directed by member Aubrey Blanda …
Our September meeting speaker sells
Life Energy Enhancer patches, which
“contain water, pressurized oxygen, and
organic material” … upcoming holiday
party (hors d’oeuvres, buffet, cash bar)
at Cleveland’s Tap Room in West Caldwell … ERC president Anne Chesny
asks members what motivates them to
log their weekly miles … ERC’s team
is 4th in USATF–NJ standings.
Page 3
USATF–NJ
Mick Close
Thanksgiving’s Ashenfelter 8K Classic in
Glen Ridge is one of two Novem ber cham pionship races, and the Decem ber 10-m ile
race is the final cham pionship race of the
year. W e hope to have Fleet Feet/Essex
team s at all three races. For inform ation about ERC team s
and USATF–NJ, e-m ail Ed Kelly (ejk823@ m sn.com ).
Sun, Nov 14
Giralda Farms 10K (Madison)
USATF–NJ 10K Championship (Masters Men)
Thu, Nov 25
Ashenfelter 8K Classic (Glen Ridge)
USATF–NJ 8K Championship (Masters Men/Women)
Sun, Dec 12
USATF–NJ 10-Miler (West Windsor)
USATF–NJ 10-Mile Championship (All Divisions)
AT THE RACES
Mick Close
This is an exciting m onth for club races:
two big m arathons (NYC, Philadelphia), a
10K cham pionship event (Giralda Farm s),
and two very popular local races (Goodwill
5000m Race, Ashenfelter 8K Classic).
Goodw ill 5000m Race Against Hunger
Sat, Nov 13
This race staged at the Montclair Art Museum features a
beautiful course through Montclair’s historic estate section,
with m uch of it along South Mountain Avenue. It’s a fundraiser for Newark’s Goodwill Rescue Mission, which has
been providing shelter, food, and counseling to the poor and
hom eless since 1896. This 500-point USATF-certified race
starts at 8:30 am . A 1-m ile fun run starts at 8:00. Entrants
are encouraged to bring canned food item s to the registration table to help fill Goodwill’s food bank. Info: 908–245–
3000, practicehard.com .
Giralda Farms Run (10K, 5K)
Sun, Nov 14
This event, now in its 26th year, is organized by Rose City
Runners Club. The two races start together at noon on the
Giralda Farm s corporate park in Madison. The courses are
GOING OFF-ROAD
Chris Jaworski
Of the races listed below, 2 are in Pennsylvania, 3 in New
York, and 9 in New Jersey. For m ore info on these and m any
other trail, cross-country (XC), and ultram arathon races, go
to essexrunning.com /trails. Have a question about an event?
I m ay be able to help. E-m ail: jaworski@ verizon.net.
November
Shore Athletic Club XC 5K, Holmdel Park, Holmdel
Newark Academy 5K Run for FOP (XC), Livingston
Thunder Run Trail Half-Marathon,
Kittatinny Valley State Park, Andover
Back to Schooley’s (13.1 M & 10K, trails),
Schooley’s Mountain Park, Long Valley
Page 4
Nov 6
Nov 7
Nov 7
Nov 13
hilly and challenging, but m any people run well here. The
10K, the USATF–NJ m asters m en’s cham pionship, offers
cash prizes to the top 5 open runners and the top 8 agegraded m asters runners. The 5K is a Grand Prix event too.
There’s also a 3/4-m ile fun run at 11:15 am . Info: 973–
635–5709, giraldafarm srun.com , com puscore.com .
Ashenfelter 8K Classic
Thu, Nov 25
This is one of our m ost popular club races. It’s held in Glen
Ridge on Thanksgiving m orning in honor of local legend
Horace Ashenfelter, who was the gold m edal winner in the
3000-m eter steeplechase at the 1952 Olym pics.
This race is the USATF–NJ m asters m en’s and wom en’s 8K cham pionship. Fleet Feet/Essex will have team s
com peting in this event. If you want to run on one of our
team s but are not a USATF m em ber, you can join online or
at the race. Your USATF m em bership will be valid through
the end of 2010.
The 8K starts at 9:00 am on Ridgewood Avenue at Glen
Ridge High School, two blocks south of Bloom field Avenue.
The m ostly flat course goes through historic Glen Ridge
and has two water stops. There’s also the 1-m ile Ridger
Rom p fun run starting at 8:30 am .
This excellent event draws a large field (e.g., 1828
finishers in 2009), and ERC participation is usually higher
here than at any other race. More than 50 Essex m em bers
run the race, and m any others volunteer and cheer.
The first 1900 preregistered 8K runners will receive
long-sleeved tech shirts; the first 100 m ale 8K finishers and
the first 100 fem ale 8K finishers will receive ceram ic cups;
and all award winners will receive em broidered New
Balance apparel instead of trophies. At the high school
after the race, you can have breakfast, attend the awards
cerem ony, and m eet Horace Ashenfelter.
The longtim e director of this race is Essex Running
Club m em ber Dan Murphy.
Register by m ail, online at active.com , or in person at
Fleet Feet Sports (603 Bloom field Ave, Montclair) Novem ber 20 to 22. Info: dan@ dtm urphy.com , 973–809–9311,
ashenfelterclassic.com , com puscore.com .
Hashathon (6M, trails), Cheesequake State Park, Matawan
After the Leaves Have Fallen (20K, trails), New Paltz, NY
Fred Lebow XC Championships (5K),
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx
Dirty Bird (15K, trails), French Creek State Pk, Birdsboro, PA
December
Poricy Park Trail Run (5M, 5K, kids 2K fun run), Middletown
Winter Race Series (10K & 5K, trails), Morristown
Pete McArdle XC Classic (15K), Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx
January
Watchung Winter Ultras (50K & Marathon),
Watchung Reservation, Mountainside
Winter Race Series (10M & 5M, trails), Morristown
Chilly Cheeks (7.2 M, trails), Reading, PA
Novem ber 2010
Nov 14
Nov 14
Nov 21
Nov 28
Dec 4
Dec 11
Dec 12
Jan 8
Jan 15
Jan 16
Keeping Track
FINISH LINES
Captain McCormick 5K, Lake Como Aug 22
Phil Coffin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24:10
Seven and a half months ago I had knee surgery.
Two months ago I resumed running. Today I resumed racing. I hadn’t run this hard in a year …
and it felt great. Great to be able to run this hard.
Great to officially be part of the running world.
Great to think about running, not rehab. A flat
(and maybe even short) course helped the time,
but merely racing again was a huge reward.
Skylands Sprint Triathlon, Clinton
Sep 12
Meredith Cozzarelli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:50:02
800-meter swim (20:19), 15-mile bike (54:45),
5K run (26:44)
It was not a pretty day—lots of rain and very
wet roads. Rain and wet aren’t bad for swimming
and running, but for cycling they can be dicey.
The rain held off until about 60 minutes before
the start (awesome).
The swim took place in Spruce Run Reservoir. This was my first time using a wetsuit in a
race. With my skin being moist, putting on a dry
wetsuit was interesting! The suit helped keep the
temperature of the water tolerable.
I usually freak out as soon as the swim starts.
In an attempt to stay calm, I swam slow and just
enjoyed being in the water. Definitely not conducive to a good race time. Oh, well! The rain
stopped just about when we reached our bikes,
which was convenient, except for the supersoaked towel at the transition area!
People were very cautious biking on the wet
roads, particularly when going around corners
and down hills. It was a great ride through Jugtown, with a challenging climb that yielded a very
appreciated downhill.
During the run, it was dry, and nice and cool.
Definitely the perfect temp for a race! The course
was an out-and-back through the park. I wasn’t
sure how I’d do considering my lack of running
since July, but I was quite pleased.
Greatest perk of the race: running with my
sister. This was her first race after doing a halfIronman and then immediately getting mono last
year. She’s a trouper, and she helps push me!
Seafood Festival 5K,
Sep 18
Point Pleasant Beach
Laura Messina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29:42
Philadelphia Half-Marathon
Sep 19
Henri Bost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:09:07
High-Heel-a-Thon, Manhattan
Sep 22
I completed this 150-yard race in 40.77 seconds
(winning time, 19.12), good for 138th out of 261.
With all the chaos at the start, it was not easy to
break from the crowd. Several high-heeled runners fell to the ground in front of me, so I had to
hop over them. I was not going down here!
—Helene Scarnegi
Newstead 5K Run, South Orange
Sep 25
Andy Manning (3rd AG).. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20:21
Randy Miller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20:34
Keeping Track
Ramsey Run (10K)
Sep 25
Bill Wilde (2nd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51:16
Big Sur Trail Marathon, Calif
Sep 25
Greg van Inwegen (2nd AG). . . . . . . . 6:10:13
I planned to run this marathon with some of my
northern California high school friends, but, as
the day of reckoning approached, they switched
to the half. Their decision might have had something to do with 5700 feet of vertical ascent (and
descent) and temperatures expected in the 90s.
Given the problems I’ve had running in the heat,
I too should’ve gone with the shorter race, but …
This was the 21st running of this small race.
The marathon wave consisted of about 90
runners. I quickly realized I could power-walk up
the hills faster than most midpackers could run
them, so I stuck with that approach on many of
the hills, and was passing runners.
Although much of the course was exposed,
and the sky cloudless, things went well initially.
At mile 16, with its ocean views from the famous
Bixby Bridge, I was in 15th place or so (clearly I’d
gone out too fast). But by mile 17 my head was
throbbing, I was feeling dizzy and faint, my vision
was blurring a bit, and I was becoming increasingly worried. I was in a Clint Eastwood cowboy
movie—stumbling, alone, through the hot desert.
Finally, I reached the aid station at mile 18.
Fortunately, at this point I was able to take
advantage of a creek alongside the trail. I cooled
my core by dousing myself with cold creek water
for 10, 15 minutes. Then Pete, friend of a friend,
and a 3:30 marathoner, caught up to me and
stopped to assist. Although I was feeling better,
he said he’d stay with me. Otherwise, I would’ve
dropped from the race (too much risk for heat
stroke; no one around and no phone reception).
After taking a few salt tablets, we pushed on.
But the better I felt, the worse Pete did. On
the hills, his quads were cramping bad, and we
had to stretch him often. He fell to the ground a
few times. At mile 23, a fire truck came by, and
we loaded Pete on it. He could go no farther.
I went on, and finally finished, dizzy, in a little
over 6 hours, having gone through an amazing
five fills of my Camelbak (2.5 gallons of water
total), plus Gatorade on the course, and having
made only one potty stop. Sue (my wife) and
three high school friends met me at the finish.
This race was a debacle, and I am surprised
I did not hear of any hospitalizations, or worse.
The attrition rate was very high. Only 33 of 90
runners finished the race. I received a 2nd-inage award simply by finishing. First in age also
finished 1st overall, 2.5 hours ahead of me!
I went through three gels and a package of
Clif Shots, but I should have been supplementing
with salt tablets before mile 18, given all the water
I’d had. It’s interesting that I noticed little sweating. The air was so dry that sweat evaporated instantly. This dryness is more comfortable than
East Coast humidity, but deceiving.
The 9:00 am start for this race was way too
late, the water stations were too few and in spots
too far apart (4 miles), and there was almost no
Novem ber 2010
ice on the course. The water and ice problems
might be understandable on inaccessible singletrack trail, but this was a wide dirt carriage road,
the old inland Pacific Coast Highway, easily accessible by four-wheel drive.
Although the setting is unparalleled—spectacular Pacific views in the high elevation, and
winding along rivers through the tall redwood
forests in the low elevation—I would not recommend this race. I’d opt instead for April’s Big Sur
International Marathon (Jane Whipple and Desmond Duncker have run this race), which is on
Route 1 (the newer, paved Pacific Coast Highway), near the water and much cooler but affording much of the same gorgeous scenery.
Brian’s Run (10K), Wayne
Sep 26
Mark Frankel (2nd master, 1st AG). . . . . 43:26
Frank Russo (1st AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44:16
Frank Pane (2nd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44:29
Joe Cozzi (2nd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55:46
Ed Trieste. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:02:47
Random comments: This race has a 10K and a
5K. … The morning started mild, warmed up. …
Beautiful residential areas, including a long loop
around a lake. … Lots of hills, with final 2 miles
particularly tough.
—Ed Trieste
Great race. I hadn’t anticipated that many hills.
—Frank Pane
Pfalz Point Trail Challenge (10M),
Sep 26
High Falls, NY
John Young (course PR by 1:23). . . . . 1:19:10
Jane Whipple. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:25:34
Chris Jaworski (course PR by 4:32). . . 1:27:42
Ellen Kim.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:31:34
Theresa Fallon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:47:41
What a great morning of trail racing up in Mohonk Preserve, near Lake Minnewaska. Undulating single-track trail, then meadow, then up on
single-track to a long uphill on carriage road (included switchbacks), then a steep descent (more
RACE RESULTS & RECAPS
We hope you’ll submit yours each and
every month! Often, for a popular race,
a club member will compile all members’ finishing times in a Yahoo group
e-mail (later printed in “Finish Lines”
here). If your time is not listed, e-mail
it to newsletter editor Chris Jaworski
([email protected]). Please include
(a) your name; (b) name, location (city,
state), and date of race; and (c) your
time and any item of note (e.g., PR, agegroup award). Optional but encouraged:
(d) Internet link to results for race and
(e) recap. In the spring, results are used
to select our annual award winners.
Only results reported in “Finish Lines”
are eligible for awards. Want to say
something about a race? Send a recap!
Page 5
switchbacks), then a flat section where you might
be able to catch your breath, then meadow, then
uphill on single-track, then 2 miles of downhill on
carriage road to the finish. Exhilarating! And some
legs were wobbly for a while after the race.
This was my third time running Pfalz but the
first when the preserve wasn’t fogged in or the
sky overcast, which meant we could actually see
the magnificent scenery for which the race and
the area are famous.
Tasty postrace food: chili, corn bread, and
salad. And then brews at the Gilded Otter in the
town of New Paltz.
—Chris Jaworski
Newport Liberty Half-Marathon,
Jersey City
Sep 26
Rodrigo Caceres (12th OA, 2nd AG).. .
Jennifer Found (2nd W, 2nd AG).. . . .
Stephen Sundown.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Charlie Slaughter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mike Sneden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Carl Weaver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ed Kelly (PR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Amadou Diop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aileen O’Rourke (PR). . . . . . . . . . . . .
John Kriens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Larry Miller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rich Unis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dave Gurniak. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Susan Mello. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Andy Fried. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Don Manfria (PR by 10 minutes!). . . .
George Swiatek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fatima Villone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Melissa DiMarco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Barbara Zirl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elsa Slater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Justine Krell (PR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Peter Gencarelli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Karen Foley.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Martta Kelly.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Robbin Jordan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Beverly Salerno (PR by 6 minutes!). .
Susan Palermo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1:17:32
1:24:45
1:29:36
1:31:29
1:34:56
1:35:20
1:36:10
1:40:22
1:41:59
1:42:15
1:43:04
1:43:51
1:44:36
1:45:19
1:48:53
1:54:05
1:54:47
1:55:24
1:56:30
1:57:46
1:59:53
2:02:56
2:03:30
2:04:16
2:08:39
2:19:44
2:23:49
2:56:31
ERC Teams
Men Open A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/13
Men Open B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/13
Men 40s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/10
Women Open A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/17
Women Open B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14/17
Women Open C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17/17
Women 40s A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/16
Women 40s B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13/16
Women 50s.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/9
It was cool and more humid than expected, but,
considering this event the past couple of years,
these conditions were ideal.
Let’s get something right out of the way. The
course was incorrect again this year. Most GPS
watches had 13.34, and everyone I talked with
agreed the mile clocks were long. So, everyone
deduct a minute or two from your time!
Now for the good. First, there was a record
crowd of 2377. Second, it seemed many Essex
members exceeded their expectations, which is
great considering the longer course. Third, our
Page 6
teams were led by Jen Found (2nd woman, 52nd
overall) and Rodrigo Caceres (12th overall).
—Ed Kelly
Susan Mello was a real trouper. She fell around
the three-quarter-mile mark, jumped right back
up, and kept running. She then finished strong to
help our women’s team.
—Dave Gurniak
I was so embarrassed, I had to jump back up!
To Ed’s point about the course, I was aiming for
a 1:44 finish. According to my GPS, I did 13.1
miles in 1:43:43, and total course length was 13.4
miles. Must have been the extra distance I covered in my fall.
—Susan Mello
My time was 2:23:49, a PR by 6 minutes. And if
I subtract a minute or two from that, I’m really
happy. My GPS indicated the course was long,
but I thought that was from running in zigzags.
This race was especially good for me because it was the first time I was able to run the
whole 13 miles without any walk breaks.
My only complaint: After finishing, I had to
wait 20 minutes for a drink. All the regular finishline water was gone by then. —Beverly Salerno
I am not a fan of this race. I ran it because of a
free entry and because I needed to race a half in
preparation for the NYC Marathon. It turned out
to be a good day for me, despite the extra quarter of a mile we all ran. I felt great through the
entire race and had my best half-marathon time.
—Aileen O’Rourke
I have to say thank you to all the club members
who have given me training advice, confidence,
running groups, and camaraderie! You’re the
best, and I don’t think I could have had such a
great day without you all! I hope I can put back
into the club what I’m getting out of it—no, put
back 10-fold !
—Justine Krell
Doing all these calculations to figure out one’s
Liberty time each year is getting really old.
Congrats to everyone who ran a PR. I didn’t,
far from it, and I chalk it up to humidity and lack
of training since my training and life partner became injured. Never had to deal with this before,
as he simply had never been injured enough to
stop running. At any rate, there’s a light at the
end of the tunnel, as the injury is not as serious
as previously thought.
—Martta Kelly
Soles for Faith 5K, Newark
Oct 2
Fred King (13th OA, 1st AG). . . . . . . . . . 19:50
Amanda King (15th OA, 2nd W, PR). . . . 20:34
This was a nice little race in Branch Brook Park.
It was weird not to have to wait in line for a portapotty, even weirder to have church music playing
before and after the race and to hear the race
director thanking not only the police, the volunteers, and so forth, but also the Lord for providing the park and good weather. I guess I should’ve
known when I wrote my check to the Office of
Evangelization that God would be involved.
Anyway, it was perfect weather, cool and
sunny, and for once I could keep Fred in my
Novem ber 2010
sights the entire race—maybe because there were
only about 150 runners.
Fred finished in 19:50, 1st in age, but I think
the highlight of the day for him was meeting and
warming down with three real live Kenyans after
the race. I was beaten by Mary Traylor, Fred’s
13-year-old training partner (no Kenyan women
running, obviously), but my 20:34 was a PR.
The postrace food was the usual bagels and
bananas, plus cannolis from a local bakery.
I highly recommend this race, especially if
you need 500 USATF points. —Amanda King
Parsippany Run for Life 5K
Oct 2
Randy Miller (3rd OA, 1st AG).. . . . . . . . 19:34
Charlie Slaughter (4th OA, 1st AG). . . . . 19:40
Shark Run 5K, Bay Head
Oct 2
Phil Coffin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25:36*
Laura Messina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28:56
*Or 23:30 chip time if there had been chips. How
embarrassing. After running perhaps 300 races,
I was late to the start here—a result of an unanticipated bathroom stop. I crossed the starting line
2:06 after the gun, so I had the fun of passing a
lot of people.
—Phil Coffin
Grete’s Great Gallop (Half-Marathon), Oct 2
Central Park
Laura Halstead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:02:47
Wineglass Marathon,
Oct 2
Bath to Corning, NY
Doug Williams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:27:42
Sunday morning, I went to the marathon buses
only to find I had to wait about 15 minutes for the
next one to arrive. The bus I boarded made it to
the start with only 20 minutes or so to spare.
We were blessed with perfect running weather:
high 30s and overcast. After I’d run for about 90
minutes, the sun came out. It wasn’t bad, as the
temperature by then was approaching 50.
The course was quite favorable—rolling hills
but nothing brutal. At mile 18, a swirling breeze
started bothering me; it did not subside the rest
of the morning. Also, on a gradual uphill somewhere around 22 miles in, I kept waiting for it to
level off. The final 3 miles were mostly flat.
This is the first marathon in recent memory
I didn’t stop once. No bathroom breaks. I thought
I could finish about 2 minutes faster, but the last
few miles got to me. We all know the routine!
Your heart is in it, but the body won’t cooperate!
I enjoyed Wineglass, but the drive was a bit
far, and the crowd support so-so. Still, I recommend this race to anyone looking for a fast
course. The word on this marathon is spreading
and will continue to grow.
—Doug Williams
Doug finished 258/1485. Times, with places in the
race, were listed at two spots, and they show he
kept moving up in the field.
—Phil Coffin
Mayor’s Run/Walk to Break the
Oct 3
Silence of Ovarian Cancer, a.k.a.
West Orange Downtown Classic (5K)
Ed Kelly (3rd OA, 1st AG). . . . . . . . . . . . 20:19
Mary Bibbee (1st AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25:19
Keeping Track
Martta Kelly (3rd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26:49
Robbin Jordan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29:29
Norman Scrivener (3rd AG).. . . . . . . . . . 30:19
Charlie Lorber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34:52
I knew this was not a typical race when I noticed
the runners’ board at the finish line. Up until then,
I’d seen such a board only twice, the two times
I’d raced out of state, in Pennsylvania.
Finishing times were vastly off. At mile 3, my
Garmin had 19:36, and I knew I was running well
(training was finally paying off). When I crossed
the finish, however, the clock displayed 20:03;
later, 20:19 was the official result. Anyone who
knows me can attest I am not a sub-20 runner,
but I actually was on this day.
Imagine the look on my face over the entire
first mile, when I was leading the race. Scary
moments! I didn’t know which cop to follow, and
must’ve looked as if I were running my first race.
This event was badly organized. No water at
the end, none, zero. I was handed a paper cup
and told to go into town hall and use the water
fountain there. Then they got the idea to fill up a
jug and pour from it into the little cups.
I got passed in the last 50 yards and missed
2nd overall by 2 seconds. It didn’t matter, though.
The organizers gave a really nice trophy only to
1st overall. Everyone else received an age-group
medal. That’s my bad luck!
—Ed Kelly
This has always been a nice run, extra special to
me because I’ve been a West Orange resident
for three years. Also, Tom’s mother, Anne Marie
Kelly, died from ovarian cancer, so the cause hits
close to home. Ovarian cancer is an insidious
cancer in that symptoms are often nonexistent or
vague. That’s why awareness is so important, for
women, their families, and their doctors.
Good to see familiar faces! Mary left early,
not knowing she’d won 1st in age. I picked up her
award for her. And Charlie was out on the roads
again, running this race with his wife. It was really
cool to see Ed at the front of the pack, too!
Perfect day. Great temps, a little windy (after
this summer, I’ll take it).
—Martta Kelly
It was great running in my town. I have been a
West Orange resident for nine years, but this
was my first time running this race. It was convenient to walk to the start, run the race, grab my
finisher’s bagel, and leisurely stroll home. I agree
it was cool seeing Ed at the front of the pack. I
would do this race again.
—Robbin Jordan
It’s odd that Pretzel City Sports (PCS) of Reading, Pennsylvania did the timing for this race.
PCS is best known for directing many crazy and
grueling trail races in the Keystone State: Chilly
Cheeks, Ugly Mudder, Mt. Penn Mudfest, Dark &
Dirty, Double Trouble, Half-Wit Half, Labor Pain
Ultra, Ghouls & Fools, and Dirty Bird.
The format of PCS race results, however,
leaves much to be desired. Runners’ names (in
CAPS) are hard to read, and omitted are such
standard road-race data as runners’ cities and
states, paces, gender places, age-group places
(except top 3 in each group), PLPs, age-graded
places, and special groupings. —Chris Jaworski
Keeping Track
Carlos Negron Memorial Run (5K),
Oct 3
Liberty State Park, Jersey City
Joseph Apuzzio (2nd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . 25:30
Justine Krell (2nd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26:17
On the shores of Liberty State Park, it was sunny,
windy, about 60 degrees. This race began at the
park’s north end, behind the railroad terminal. Runners (243 of them) passed under an American
flag hung from Ladder 8 over the paverstone walkway. A red-white-and-blue water show was provided by the Joseph Lovero, Jersey City’s fireboat.
This race was the last of three in the Firefighter Triple Crown. The first was the Jimmy D
Memorial 5K (New Brunswick, Sep 5), held in
memory of Deputy Chief James D’heron, who
was killed in the line of duty September 3, 2004.
The second, the Fallen Heroes 5K Memorial Run
(Elizabeth, Sep 18), was sponsored by the NJ
Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association.
Runners who complete all three races receive
a blue tech shirt and are entered into a drawing
for three cash prizes. This year, 25 people qualified! I’m just pleased that my 5K time improved
with each race.
—Justine Krell
Mahwah 10K Run
Oct 3
Mike Sneden (18th OA, 3rd AG). . . . . . . 42:07
Frank Pane (20th OA, 2nd AG). . . . . . . . 42:41
Jersey Shore Half-Marathon,
Sandy Hook
George Carlson.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Edward O’Hara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
George Swiatek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elsa Slater (PR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Oct 3
1:36:06
1:47:49
1:51:08
1:56:50
Paine to Pain Trail Half-Marathon,
Oct 3
New Rochelle, NY
Glenn Trimboli.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:43:55
Jane Whipple (7th W, 2nd AG). . . . . . 1:47:02
Ellen Kim.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:00:15
Chris Jaworski (course PR by 4:48). . 2:00:32
Perfect trail conditions and temps for running, and
another fun fall trail race ’twas. All four of us did
well—Glenn in his first trail race ever, Jane after
running 4 miles earlier in the morning, Ellen after
getting past the crowds on the single-track in the
early miles, and me while setting a course PR.
Differences between year 3 (2010) and year
2 (2009) of this race: tech shirts now (vs. cotton
T-shirts), 300 vs. 191 finishers (field was allowed
to expand this year), new finisher’s medal (both
years’ designs are nice), John Harvey’s absence
(he and I ran P2P last year), and Melissa DiMarco’s presence (she volunteered).
A hilly and tough but highly recommended
trail race, just 50 minutes away. The organizers
try to make it as green as possible, and plan to
expand the field even further in 2011, adding a
wave start and timing chips. —Chris Jaworski
Newark Corporate 5K Run
Ed Kelly.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Phil Coffin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
John Piccoli.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Howie Brown (3rd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Joe Cozzi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Robbin Jordan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Novem ber 2010
Oct 6
20:20
22:58
23:12
24:41
25:33
30:12
You’d have thought it was a 1998 meeting of ERC
members. John Piccoli, Joe Cozzi, Howie Brown,
and me getting ready together for the race during
a beautiful midday. Jack Martin and Val Kenny
on the sidelines cheering us in the homestretch.
Okay, that young whippersnapper Ed Kelly was
there to actually lead across the finish line. A lot
of good energy. And if you’re a Grand Prix points
hound, this is a race to run, with hundreds of corporate runners and walkers guaranteed to finish
behind you!
—Phil Coffin
Hartford Marathon, Conn
Oct 9
Barbara Zirl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:24:45
Thanks, everyone, for your support and enthusiasm! And congratulations to everyone who ran,
biked, swam, and cheered this weekend. You
are all an awesome and impressive bunch of
athletes, whether marathoning, half-marathoning,
road racing, or running cross-country or trails.
It’s a pleasure to be among so many ERC running friends who understand the training that
comes before a race without having to explain
that this marathon, too, was 26.2 miles!
What a terrific fall weekend for racing!
Hartford was gorgeous—leaves turning, crisp
air, brilliant sunshine. Just perfect for … spectators.
For runners, perhaps a bit too much sun. Sixty
degrees at the start in front of the capitol building
and what felt more like the 70s during the race.
The start was congested, with all the races
(marathon, team relay, half-marathon, 5K) starting at once, but, after a mile and a half, each took
a separate route. I ran well through the first half,
on pace for the sub-4-hour race I was aiming for.
The course had some rolling hills at the beginning, but most of the slight hills were done with
early, and then the route was mostly flat.
The heat took its toll in the morning, and, feeling dehydrated, I slowed considerably in the second half. My race was memorable only for its lack
of speed, and the scenic run through Hartford’s
iconic arch at the finish line. No qualifying run this
time, and a return trip to Boston will have to wait
… until the next time I race!
On the plus side, the Hartford Marathon is a
very nice early fall marathon. It’s sponsored by
ING, just as New York and Miami are, but on a
much smaller scale: 9000 runners (four events
combined) compared with the 45,000 or 20,000
of the megathons. So, you get the benefits (i.e.,
money, organization) ING puts into the larger
races without the mass-of-humanity craziness.
And, in the country’s insurance capital, where
ING is headquartered, they were out to put on
a big display: an informative and constantly updated Web site, a convenient expo and hotels
near the start/finish, great T-shirts, medals, a race
bag and other giveaways, baggage trucks, and
a huge postrace party/picnic in the park.
In all, a big race in a small package and a
good course for a fast run … on a good day!
Ironman World Championships
Oct 9
(140.6 M), Kona, Hawaii
Rob Nossa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13:40:12
2.4-mile swim (1:34:31), T1 (7:21), 112-mile bike
(7:26:18), T2 (6:33), 26.2-mile run (4:25:29)
Page 7
The Ironman World Championships is the
final event in the Ironman 140.6-mile series. The
day before the race, elite athletes from around
the world were arriving at the transition area at
the pier in the center of town to drop off their
bikes and their run and bike transition bags.
While dropping mine off, I saw, along the shoreline, large orange buoys floating into the distance, the final one a fine dot on the horizon. “A
boat will be anchored out past that buoy. That’s
the turnaround,” a volunteer told me. So, I’ll have
to swim out past that dot and back, 2.4 miles,
hop on my bike and ride up to Hawi and back
along the barren lava fields, 112 miles, and then
run 26.2 miles? It seemed impossible. I decided
I’d break the race down into a thousand little
segments, not think about the totality of it.
As I was heading out of the transition area,
Chrissy Wellington and Craig Alexander were
walking in with their bikes and bags. No entourage
or security guards, just the two best athletes in
the sport, with their bikes and bags, following in
the steps I’d just taken … confirmation that this is
not your average spectator sport. I was there with
the best preparing side by side for the same event.
Not a typical day at the US Open.
Race-day morning: breakfast, check-in, 4:45
am body marking. By 5:45, most athletes were
lining up at the pier. The pros started at 6:30.
My focus here was simple: get in the water
and over to the starting line, then float and wait
for the cannon. I set myself up on the left, halfway back, avoiding the elites and staying with the
bulk of the field.
The cannon echoed, and off we went. There
was moderate congestion as we swam past the
rescue surfboards, and then things opened up.
I quickly found someone (black tape on left calf)
swimming slightly faster than I was, and made
him my focus. I’d try to stay on his toes and draft
him as long as possible. We quickly swam past
several buoys. I saw, in the clear water under the
churn, dozens of bodies synchronized in a flow
with one destination. We looked like a school of
migrating sea mammals.
There was some bumping, but the swim was
mostly smooth and even. I never separated from
my drafter, and in what felt like only a few minutes we were at the turnaround barge, and then
in no time the pier was coming back into view.
Soon we were out of the water, running up
the cramped steps through the showers and into
the bike transition tent. The amazing volunteers
slathered us with sunscreen and assisted with
our helmets, shoes, and bikes. Then we did the
short sprint out of the transition area and into a
mass of cowbells and cheering fans.
The bike race was on! We did several loops
through the already hot streets of Kona before
hitting the Queen K (Queen Ka’ahumanu Highway) for the long trip up to Hawi. Although I was
far behind the mass of elites, all was good—I was
competing only with myself.
I biked past the Natural Energy Laboratory of
Hawaii and Kona International Airport and then
up to Waikola without incident—40 miles down.
Riding through the thermal waves with the constant sensation of standing too close to an open
Page 8
oven was a constant reminder to maintain adequate hydration and nutrition—at least 20 ounces
of fluid per hour, a Clif Shot Blok every 15 minutes, a gel every 45 minutes, electrolyte tablets
every hour, and a Clif Bar every 2 hours.
Eventually, the uphill challenge arrived, along
with the oscillating crosswinds and headwinds.
Temperatures were brewing in the high 80s, but
the asphalt was reflecting an ovenlike 126 degrees. Out of aero position, holding tightly on to
my bike and leaning into the powerful, 30-mph
crosswinds, I passed a medical van attending a
bloodied racer who’d been blown off her bike.
Her race had ended prematurely. Over the next 50
yards, I saw six more bikes scattered in the lava
fields—all victims of the Havi crosswinds. After
battling the heat and wind on this slow, painful,
endless climb, I reached Hawi and bike mile 58.
Then I began the journey back to Kona, fighting the same crosswinds that earlier tried to blow
me off the course, except this time I was racing
downhill at 35 mph. (This day turned out to be the
third windiest in the history of Ironman Hawaii.)
I got through unscathed and then had rolling hills
for a while. Miles 80 to 90 were amazing. Going
downhill at 27 mph was effortless and very much
needed. I rode more rollers up to the Energy Lab,
where the marathon was under way. Hundreds
of athletes were hammering deep into their marathons, completing them in the low three hours,
after scorching the bike course at 24 mph. These
true elite athletes were giving it their all!
I pulled into town and the transition area,
where volunteers were helping us get out for the
run. Off I went with a fuel belt of Clif Shots, gels,
and fluid and the same nutrition plan I’d used on
the bike, except no hard food. I ran in my trusted
Newtons and focused on long, steady miles, small
goals, getting to the next mile. Soon I reached
mile 11 and was heading out of town. With the
sun setting on the desolate Queen K, I realized
we hadn’t had any cloud cover the entire day.
The race now evolved into a bizarre nocturnal pilgrimage along the highway back out to the
Energy Lab. No lights. Each athlete was given a
glow stick to wrap around the neck. Soon it was
pitch-black, and all I could see was the surreal
floating, glowing green orbs ahead and behind.
I couldn’t see my feet, much less the road. There
were countless stars, a calm breeze, and so many
athletes who had succumbed to the race and
were death-marching over the deserted highway.
I felt strong. I was running a smooth, even
pace of 10 minutes per mile while passing hundreds of staggering athletes. I was determined to
keep a conservative pace because I didn’t know
whether my body would shut down up the road.
Seeing the glow of Kona in the distance was
a relief. At the 22-mile mark, I knew I’d complete
the challenge. Only 4.2 miles to go.
Once back in town, I ran down steep Palani
Drive surrounded by cheering fans. They’d been
out on the course for 13 hours, since the start of
the race. And then, finally, on Ali’i Drive, where
the day had begun, I was taking in the cheering
fans, the blare of the announcer’s voice over the
loudspeakers, and the halogen glare at the finish
line. I felt strong, had a few miles left in the tank,
Novem ber 2010
when I charged over the line officially an Ironman,
and really excited to be able to stop running.
Back in the transition area, medical personnel
administered to the injured, the dehydrated, and
the exhausted. I gathered my finisher’s medal,
gathered my bike and belongings, and posed for
the postrace photos with the family, who’d suffered waiting for me for 13 hours 40 minutes.
Then we went to our hotel, quickly showered,
and headed out again. At the Fish Hopper on Ali’i
Drive, we ate pan-seared ahi tuna while watching
the steady stream of runners getting it done.
It had been a long, challenging day. I bow to
the elite athletes who were showered and done
with dinner before I’d even started my marathon.
Everyone who shared doing this triathlon in
Hawaii, or any of many similar endurance events
throughout the world, knows there are no limits
to what we can achieve. Each day we’re offered
challenges—physical, emotional, academic, and
so forth. My recommendation is to take them on
and be rewarded.
USATF–NJ XC 8K Championship,
Oct 10
Deer Path Park, Readington
Charlie Slaughter (3rd AG). . . . . . . . . . . 33:15
Randy Miller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34:59
Frank Russo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35:25
Desmond Duncker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35:59
Hot Chili Challenge 8-Mile Trail Race, O
ct 10
Kittatinny Valley State Park, Andover
Wayne Carlson (2nd AG). . . . . . . . . . . 1:04:34
Chris Jaworski (3rd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . 1:05:25
I’ve listed my official time and age-group place,
but they are misleading. Quite a few of us (not
Wayne) likely missed running a section of the
course. We’re not sure where that happened, but
we are sure that a turn was poorly marked, as
we followed arrows all the way. My GPS read 7.1
miles at the end. Two people I know passed me
early, and without seeing them again I finished
ahead of them! My placing probably would have
been 6th (out of 10), given my GPS pace.
Hot Chili 2004 was my first ever trail race,
and this was my fifth time participating. Love the
Kittatinny trails, the people who organize this and
two other Kittatinny trail races (Summer Solstice
5-miler in June, Thunder Run half in November),
and the cause (free mammograms to women in
need), but this race has always had issues with
distance, course markings, and missing or inaccurate results. And yet I still love running it!
—Chris Jaworski
Staten Island Half-Marathon
Oct 10
Stephen Sundown.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:29:17
(PR, New York City Marathon qualifier!)
Long Beach Island 18-Mile Run
Oct 10
John Kriens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:22:42
Ed Kelly.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:23:29
Rich Unis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:25:08
Melissa DiMarco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:42:43
Mike Kantor.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:42:31
Helene Scarnegi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:43:34
John Thornton.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:44:18
Tracy Keller.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:49:27
Keeping Track
Gina Imperato. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:53:33
Rose Hall. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:57:32
Martta Kelly.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:01:10
Robbin Jordan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:30:03
More good news than bad. The good news is I
felt fantastic the entire race and feel great now.
Probably a few factors. I used the Galloway method until mile 12 and then felt strong enough to
run the final 6 miles. For Galloway, I ran a mile,
walked a minute. This combo works best for me
because, with longer rests, my heart rate drops
too low, and it’s tough to get started again.
LBI does not have Gatorade until mile 10, so
I carried Tom’s special concoction of Gatorade
and other ingredients that help ward off cramping and dehydration, and I ran without cramping
and stiffness—a first for me at LBI.
The weather was great. I would have appreciated some cloud cover, but there was almost
no humidity, which was wonderful. I didn’t need
a weather report to tell me this—my breathing
told me. It was nice and even and not labored,
as it had been during the Newport Liberty half.
As for the bad news, the night before I ended up eating too much pizza, and the result was
an emergency pit stop between miles 11 and 12.
A nice guy working in a bike shop let me use his
bathroom. Thank you, whoever you are! However, stopping cost me about 5 minutes, which
clearly would have put me under 3 hours!
But I’m pleased with my time, given I’ve not
been training as I should. Let’s just say my mileage has not been the stuff of champions.
It was fun hanging out before and after the
race with Ed, Rich, Melissa, Helene and her boyfriend, Rose and her sister, and Anne Chesny. It
was nice seeing Jamie Tripp Utitus and her big
girl, Zoe, on the course, cheering for Tony. And
it was nice having my own personal cheerleader
along the course! Thanks, Tom!
This race wins the prize for most Labrador
retrievers along the course!
—Martta Kelly
Tom was a great support. Thanks, Tom! The last
400 yards were killer.
—Helene Scarnegi
Mohawk Hudson River Marathon,
Oct 10
Schenectady to Albany, NY
Karen Merz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:21:17
Amanda King (1st AG, 12-minute. . . . 3:22:38
PR, Boston Marathon qualifier!)
Aubrey Blanda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:06:18
In May, I targeted Mohawk as my fall goal race,
once again forgetting how brutal summer running is. After training hard for the New York City
Marathon last November, being so excited getting my first Boston qualifier there and my first
PR in years, jumping straight into Boston training, running Boston and a spur-of-the-moment
12-hour race (52.38 miles) four weeks later, and
topping it all off with a fun-run Buffalo Marathon,
I was feeling a bit burned out. And then it was
late June, time to start training for Mohawk.
So, my weekly mileage these past few months
wasn’t what my NYCM mileage had been, and I
did almost no speed work. I ran a lot of slow
miles and then tapered for closer to four weeks
than three. I think all of this showed at Mohawk.
Keeping Track
I drove to Albany on Saturday, got up at 5:00
am Sunday, dug out my trusty toaster (which I
always take to marathons), had half of a glutenfree roll and a coffee, stretched a bit, and then
headed for the well-organized buses to the start.
I saw Karen and Amanda in the hotel lobby and
wished them a good race. They both ran great
times! My goal was to break 4 hours, or at least
qualify for Boston 2012.
After about 5 miles in a nice residential area,
the course moved to a bike path for 12.5 miles.
This was the most beautiful part of the course,
especially with the autumn colors peaking. My
memory from running here last year is that this
section was quite hilly, mostly downhill, but now
I didn’t notice the hills much. I was on sub-3:55
pace, and really had a nice flow going.
While leaving the bike path for a residential/
business/heavily trafficked area, I saw a train approaching the course. Dang! By the time I got to
the crossing, the gates were down, and a bunch
of us just had to wait it out. Apparently, passing
trains are common at Mohawk, and race officials
are prepared. An official was there writing down
bib numbers and timing the train delay so that
our times could be adjusted. The kicker is that I
had also been delayed by a train at the Buffalo
Marathon last May, except no one there cared,
and times were not adjusted. I appreciated the
effort at Mohawk and didn’t sweat it.
The interruption, however, knocked me out of
my rhythm, and I never regained it. I don’t blame
the wheels coming undone over the next miles
completely on the train, though. By the time I’d
returned to the bike path for the final 4 miles or
so, my legs were toast. Mentally I was okay, still
staying positive, but I could not go faster than a
plod. I suspect I was dehydrated, but the main
thing was that my training hadn’t been as consistent for this race as for my best ones.
I kept focused on the finish line, and crossed
it when the clock read 4:11:06. My train-adjusted
time was 4:06:18. It was a long train!
All things considered, this wasn’t a bad race
for me. But I’m still puzzled why I run better at the
huge megathons, like New York City (my PR and
BQ), than at these nice, smaller events, which
are much more appealing to me. I had a great
weekend at Mohawk, and I’d run this race again.
—Aubrey Blanda
15 Things I Loved About Running the
Mohawk Hudson River Marathon
1. Perfect weather.
2. Small size (800 runners) and no big screaming crowds.
3. Beautiful course (apart from a few miles on
the shoulder of a nasty road open to traffic).
4. Getting a T-shirt that actually fits.
5. Not getting any new black toenails.
6. Not getting injured.
7. Realizing I can run 26.2 miles without having
to eat Gu or any other revolting gel (water
and Gatorade were enough).
8. Eating a large bag of chocolate almonds on
the way home.
9. Not having to stop at the railroad crossing (a
train came through about 10 minutes later).
Novem ber 2010
10. Proving Coach Joel Pasternack right: “Twentymilers are overrated” (I ran only one, and my
highest weekly mileage was about 42 miles).
11. Winning my age group.
12. Winning a pair of Adidas running shoes.
13. Beating Glenn Trimboli’s marathon PR. (During a recent training run, Glenn made the mistake of referring to older women runners as
sandbaggers. This inspired me to lower my
goal time from 3:30 to 3:24:59 just to beat
his PR. Thanks, Glenn, it worked. Hope you
like your new T-shirt!
14. Getting a 12-minute PR.
15. Not having to drive home (thanks, Karen).
Thanks also to Stephen Sands and Paul Giuliano
for recommending this marathon; all the Sundaymorning Grove Pharmacy runners, whose fast
pace got me into shape; my son Fred for lending
me his watch (I usually don’t wear one, but this
race had clocks only at miles 1, 13.1, and 26.2);
and Joel for his expert training. —Amanda King
Chicago Marathon
Oct 10
Harold Porcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:59:49
Beverly Salerno.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:57:07
Susan Palermo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:19:38
St. George Melbourne Marathon,
Oct 10
Australia
Andy Kotulski (2nd AG, 626th thon). . . 4:31:24
Dottie’s House End-of-Season Tri,
Oct 10
Island Beach State Park, Seaside Park
Anne Chesny. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:19:21
0.25-mile swim (12:30), 10-mile bike (32:42), 5K
run (28:09). I was cheering Anne and can attest
that she looked good!
—Laura Messina
Hunterdon Sprint Triathlon, Lebanon O
ct 10
Meredith Cozzarelli (3rd AG). . . . . . . . . 2:05:17
0.5-mile swim (24:51), 17.4-mile bike (1:03:32),
5K run (30:18)
Spartan Stride 5K Run, Wayne
Oct 11
Charlie Slaughter (3rd AG). . . . . . . . . . . 20:37
Laura Barry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37:49
Mountain Madness 50K,
Oct 16
Ringwood State Park, Ringwood
Jennifer Odell (3rd W). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:04:39
Glenn Trimboli.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:06:28
Ellen Kim.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:06:30
Race recap next issue.
Terri Roemer Paramus Run (10K, 5K) O
ct
10K
Charlie Slaughter (2nd AG). . . . . . . . . . .
Mark Frankel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mike Sneden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ed Kelly (PR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Carl Weaver (2nd AG).. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
George Carlson.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aileen O’Rourke (3rd AG). . . . . . . . . . . .
Rose Hall (3rd AG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Helene Scarnegi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
41:04
41:55
42:04
42:10
43:48
44:07
45:32
47:25
54:43
5K (Lou Lanzalotto 5K Run)
Ed Kelly.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21:27
Page 9
RACES: NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2010
Compiled by Mick Close. Club/Team races in bold print. Some dates and times tentative—call to confirm. NBGP = New Balance Grand Prix.
Chris Jaworski has compiled a comprehensive list of trail races and ultramarathons—go to essexrunning.com/trails.
11/5
11/5
11/6
11/6
11/7
11/7
11/7
Sun
Fri
Sat
Sat
Sun
Sun
Sun
8:00a
9:00a
9:00a
10:00a
9:40a
10:00a
10:00a
11/13
11/13
11/14
11/14
11/14
11/14
11/20
11/20
11/20
11/21
11/21
11/21
11/21
11/21
11/21
11/25
11/25
11/25
11/25
11/26
11/27
11/28
Sat
Sat
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sat
Sat
Sat
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
Thu
Thu
Thu
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
8:30a
9:00a
8:45a
11:00a
11:00a
Noon
8:00a
9:00a
9:30a
7:00a
8:30a
9:00a
9:30a
9:30a
11:30a
8:30a
9:00a
9:00a
9:30a
11:00a
11:00a
10:00a
12/4
12/4
12/5
12/5
12/11
12/11
12/11
12/11
12/12
12/12
12/12
12/19
12/26
12/31
Sat
Sat
Sun
Sun
Sat
Sat
Sat
Sat
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
Fri
9:00a
9:30a
8:00a
10:00a
9:00a
9:00a
9:00a
10:00a
10:00a
10:00a
11:30a
8:00a
1:00p
Midnite
NYRR 5 (Central Park)
5M
212-860-4455
NJEA Boardwalk Run (Atlantic City)
5K
856-234-2485
Beaverton 5K Fall Classic (Lincoln Park)
5K
973-270-2040
Run for Runaways (Duke Island Park, Bridgewater)
5K
908-526-6605
NBGP: 500 pts
New York City Marathon
26.2M
212-860-4455
Newark Academy 5K Run for FOP (XC, Livingston)
5K
908-800-1808
Thunder Run* (trail, Kittatinny Valley St Park, Andover) 13.1M
973-919-1373
*Also called Alexa’s Challenge in memory of Alexandra Ragno, a 34-year-old Hampton Twp runner who passed away in June.
Goodwill 5000m Race Against Hunger (Montclair) 5K
908-245-3000
NBGP: 500 pts
Fall Trail Series: Back to Schooley’s (Long Valley)
13.1M, 10K
973-627-2575
Garden State Plaza 5K (Paramus)
5K
908-245-3000
NBGP: 500 pts
Hashathon Trail Race (Cheesequake Pk, Matawan)
6M
732-528-0132 (evenings)
After the Leaves Have Fallen (trail, New Paltz, NY)
20K
845-339-5474 (evenings) or [email protected]
Giralda Farms Run (Madison)
10K, 5K
973-635-5709
NBGP: 10K (700 pts) & 5K (500 pts)
NYRR Knickerbocker 60K (Central Park)
60K
212-860-4455
Tough Mudder (obstacle course; Englishtown)
12M
toughmudder.com/events/tri-state
Passaic Valley Rotary River Run (Little Falls)
5K
973-256-5001
NBGP: 500 pts
Philadelphia Marathon
26.2, 13.1M
215-685-0054
Race to Deliver (Central Park)
4M
212-860-4455
Tough Mudder (obstacle course; Englishtown)
12M
toughmudder.com/events/tri-state
Jingle Bell Run/Walk (Livingston Mall)
5K
917-597-4086
NBGP: 500 pts
Saddle River Run 15K (Ridgewood)
15K
973-584-6709
NBGP: 500 pts
Fred Lebow XC Championships (Van C Park, Bronx) 5K
212-860-4455
Morris Twp Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot (Morristown) 5K, 1M
908-245-3000
NBGP: 500 pts
Dick Meighan 5K (Upper Saddle River)
5K
201-818-0248
Ashenfelter 8K Classic (Glen Ridge)
8K
973-809-9311
NBGP: 700 pts
CEA/JF Turkey Trot (Flemington)
5K
908-782-2911
NBGP: 500 pts
Born to Run 5-Miler (Freehold)
5M
732-431-2627
Westfield Turkey Trot
5M
908-245-3000
Navesink Challenge (Bodman Park, Middletown)
15K, 5K
732-542-6090
Jingle Bell Run (Maplewood)
AMBS Reindeer Run (Franklin Lakes)
Joe Kleinerman 10K (Central Park)
American Red Cross 5K Run for Life (Millburn)
Rutgers Big Chill 5K Run (New Brunswick)
NYRR Holiday 5K (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
Winter Trail Series (Lewis Morris Park, Morristown)
Jingle Bell Run/Walk (Wayne)
Toys for Tots 5K (Freehold)
USATF–NJ Grand Finale 10-Miler (West Windsor)
Pete McArdle XC Classic (Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx)
Ted Corbitt 15K (Central Park)
Polar Bear Race (Asbury Park)
Emerald Nuts Midnight Run (Central Park)
5K
5K
10K
5K
5K
5K
10K, 5K
5K
5K
10M
15K
15K
5M
4M
908-902-8587
212-860-4455
973-376-6094
732-445-0462
212-860-4455
973-627-2575
917-597-4086
732-431-2627
973-334-8900
212-860-4455
212-860-4455
732-222-9080
212-860-4455
NBGP: 500 pts
NBGP: 500 pts
Bring a toy!
NBGP: 500 pts
Bring a toy!
NBGP: 500 or 700 pts (wild card)
Info, applications, registration: Active (active.com/running), Best Racing Systems (bestrace.com), Compuscore (compuscore.com),
Metro Race Forum (raceforum.com), New York Road Runners (nyrr.org), On Your Mark Productions (oymp.net)
To move swiftly on foot so that both feet leave the ground during each stride. To move at a fast gallop. To retreat rapidly; flee. To move without hindrance
or restraint. To go or move about from place to place; roam. To migrate, especially to move in a shoal in order to spawn. To move or go quickly; hurry. To
go when in trouble or distress. To make a short, quick trip or visit. To take part in a race or contest. To compete in a race for elected office. To finish a race
or contest in a specified position. To move freely, on or as if on wheels. To be in operation. To go back and forth especially on a regular basis; ply. To sail
or steer before the wind or on an indicated course. To flow, especially in a steady stream. To emit pus, mucus, or serous fluid. To be wet or covered with
a liquid. To melt and flow. To spread or dissolve, as dyes in fabric. To extend, stretch, or reach in a certain direction or to a particular point. To extend,
spread, or climb as a result of growing. To spread rapidly. To be valid in a given area. To be present as a valid accompaniment. To unravel along a line.
To continue in effect or operation. To pass. To tend to persist or recur. To accumulate or accrue. To become payable. To take a particular form, order, or
expression. To tend or incline. To occupy or exist in a certain range. To be presented or performed for a continuous period of time. To pass into a specified
condition. To leave; depart. To travel over on foot at a pace faster than a walk. To cause (an animal) to move quickly or rapidly. To allow to move without
restraint. To do or accomplish by or as if by running. To hunt or pursue; chase. To bring to a given condition by or as if by running. To cause to move quickly.
To cause to compete in or as if in a race. To present or nominate for elective office. To cause to move or progress freely. To cause to function; operate.
To convey or transport. To attempt to advance (the ball) by carrying it. To submit for consideration or review. To cause to move on a course. To smuggle.
To evade and pass through. To pass over or through. To cause to flow. To stream with. To melt, fuse, or smelt (metal). To mold or cast (molten metal). To
cause to extend or pass. To mark or trace on a surface. To sew with a continuous line of stitches. To cause to unravel along a line. To cause to crash or
collide. To cause to penetrate. To continue to present or perform. To publish in a periodical. To subject oneself or be subjected to. To have as an ongoing
financial obligation. To score (balls or points) consecutively in billiards. To clear (the table) in pool by consecutive scores. To conduct or perform. To process
or execute (a program or instruction). To control, manage, or direct. From www.wordnik.com.
Page 10
Novem ber 2010
Keeping Track
The 12th Annual Reach the Beach Relay
Cannon Mountain to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, September 17–18, 2010
Imagine joining 11 running buddies to cover more than 200 miles of New Hampshire in a little over 24 hours, running through the
night, through rain, through blinding sunshine, down a ski slope, up mountains, across valleys, alongside lakes, and to the ocean.
Then imagine doing it again.
That’s what Tom Eaton’s ERC – Beach or Bust team did, returning in September to run the Reach the Beach Relay for the second
year in a row. Tom and six other RTB veterans—John Fabbro, Brian Foster, Chris Jaworski, Susan Mello, Doug W illiams, and Phil
Coffin—were joined by rookies Bob Goodsell, Ed Kelly, Ellen Kim, Sharon Morrissey, and Glenn Trimboli to race 209 miles.
The numbers say that the two years were remarkably similar. In 2009, we were 39th in a field of 401 finishers; in 2010, we were
39th in a field of 429 finishers. In 2009, we averaged 7:26 per mile, finishing in 25 hours 42 minutes 21 seconds; in 2010, we
averaged 7:28 per mile, finishing in 26 hours 4 minutes 9 seconds (the course was 2 miles longer this year).
In truth, this year’s race was a unique experience—similar to last year’s but distinct. The people, personalities, efforts, and
triumphs created a story all their own. Here it is, in their own words.
—Phil Coffin
GETTING THERE
Phil. Many of us who ran Reach the Beach last
year had apprehensions about running it again.
RTB 2009 was such a wonderful experience that
there was a temptation not to run it this year for
fear of tarnishing those memories.
Doug said that he and John had talked about
this very issue and that John had replied, “It won’t
be the same as last year. But we’ll create a new
set of good memories.”
John was right. We did create a new set of
good memories. Perhaps it’s the sleep deprivation (for the second year in a row, I had three hours
of sleep spread out over 42 hours), or the adrenaline bath that must have washed over all of us,
but there is a warm-and-fuzzy feeling about RTB
2010—a sort of mental angora sweater.
Tom. I was skeptical about fielding a team this
time. However, there was much excitement from
some of last year’s members, and I thought about
how much fun New Jersey’s River to Sea Relay
is year after year. Yes, I was convinced to give
Reach the Beach another shot.
Injuries and scheduling conflicts made it difficult to assemble a team of 12. I was becoming
frustrated and nervous but kept drawing on last
year’s memories to prop up my confidence that
we’d have a great time. Finally, after asking 40
people, it was mid-August and I’d roped in 11 besides me, including a few I didn’t know very well.
Well, I can’t be happier with the team we fielded.
Aunt Glady’s Gang. One of my favorite parts
of this adventure isn’t even part of the race. It’s
the time we spend at my Aunt Glady’s house near
Newfound Lake in New Hampshire. [Editor’s note:
Tom’s aunt makes available to us her lovely, spacious, comfortable house about an hour’s drive
from the race start.] No matter how excited we
are on the trip north, when we pull up to the house
we are still 12 individuals; when we leave, we’re a
team. The time spent bonding over Mama Mello’s
(Susan’s mother’s) pasta sauce, breakfast and
sandwich making, van decorating, and final race
preparations is in my mind the glue that brings
and holds us together, focused on a common goal.
Arriving at the start at Cannon Mountain was
exciting and daunting. The sunny blue skies back
Essex Running Club
at the lake were replaced with clouds and rain.
Eventually we saw sunshine through the clouds
farther down the road and became confident the
weather was going to clear. Then, with all our final
race registration details behind us, Glenn was on
the starting line, pumped and ready to go!
Ellen. Our stay at Glady’s house was one of my
favorite parts of our three days together. We were
all under one roof, and I was getting to know
everyone, crash-course style. There wasn’t much
lost between us, changing in front of one another,
using the bathroom one nervous runner after
another, walking around in one’s pajamas, and
so forth. We melded as a team quickly and easily.
We were solid.
Glenn. So there I was at a logistics meeting a
few weeks before the race, and half the people
I didn’t know too well or at all. Having been in relays before (River to Sea), I knew it was a big
gamble trying to get compatible teammates. It’s
hard enough finding 7 people (R2C), let alone 12
(RTB)! There being even one person who doesn’t
gel with others on the team can make for a very
long race. At the meeting, everyone seemed nice.
First impressions, however, can drastically change
after a long trip, sleep deprivation, et cetera.
But I believe an aura around Glady’s house
had a special effect on the people within. After dinner, we sat around, talking and laughing, and at
that moment I knew somehow Tom had pulled
together a team of destiny, especially since no
one really wanted to do this in the first place!
Susan. (Still) a Chick’s Perspective. As in 2009,
I sent my entry fee to Tom in March and then
proceeded to ignore him. All summer. Until. He.
Couldn’t. Take it. Anymore. I left him no choice
but to sign me up himself at the end of August.
Once again my mother was happy to make
pasta sauce for our prerace dinner. Luckily, no
one noticed I overcooked a batch of pasta, which
I cleverly mixed with the al dente batch. Sharon
and I also tackled breakfast. Lots of folks chipped
in on both meals. If everything else went wrong, at
least we could take comfort in knowing we’d fed
our team well. That satisfaction must have come
from a hidden store of estrogen I didn’t know I had.
Reach the Beach Relay 2010
Sharon. RTB 2010 was at the top of my list of
“last things on Earth I should do in September.”
It was an indulgence of sorts, but one that I can
honestly say was an experience of a lifetime and
one that I am proud to say I was a part of. It was
the New Hampshire running road trip that I like
to dub, Live Free or Die … Running.
John. While packing my bag of gear, I had conflicting emotions. RTB 2009 had been such a
great experience, I was concerned this year’s race
might fall short. I’d also just dropped my daughter
off at college and was a bit drained, physically and
emotionally. Later, once the gang was on the road
and entering the foothills of New Hampshire, I felt
excited, and lucky to be on the 2010 RTB team.
Bob. When I first started running with groups, I
heard stories about crazy people forming teams
to run godawfully long races, usually from an
outdoorsy place to a large body of water. River
to Sea comes to mind. I filed these stories away
under the category of “Those guys are nuts.” As
that first year of group running moved into fall
and winter, and we began starting and eventually
ending our early-morning runs in the dark, a few
runners began strapping tiny lamps to their foreheads and wearing lighted running vests. Then
out came the blinking red lights. All that got filed
under “I’m running with a bunch of miners!” Next,
we started going more east and west than north
and south on our runs—which in Montclair means
hills. These runs have names like Ten-Hill Challenge. Okay, so now I was running with mountain
goats. It wasn’t until Tom asked me to join his
team that I figured out where all this was leading:
I was being asked to join the Nutty Miner Mountain
Goats for the running adventure of a lifetime!
Brian. Another September, and another relay
with the gang. I was really looking forward to this
year’s installment. My grandmother passed away
less than two weeks before the race, so I wanted
to get away and try to enjoy myself without thinking of anything much. Susan’s mother and Glady
should be made honorary team members for
their contributions! Our time at the house is the
best part of the trip. It really allows the team to
come together. Now the running.
Page 1
THE RACE
Leg 1, 1:20 pm, 7.97 M, moderate, 54:46, 6:52 pace
Glenn. The rain stopped, and the weather at the
start was perfect, overcast and cool. But my first
100 yards were almost my last, as I turned to run
down a wet, slippery slope of loose rocks. That’s
when I thought, I have 20 more miles to go … easy.
Soon, though, my ski hill run turned into a road
race, and the adrenaline kicked in. I started to do
what I like to do best, pass people. I also wanted
to get us off to a good start. At the finish, Tom said
I’d banked over 5 minutes. The race was on!
Leg 2, 2:14 pm, 8.96 M, hard, 58:36, 6:32 pace
Brian. This leg, on Route 302, had some amazing
scenery. Running between the mountains and
eventually up into them was awesome—there was
more than enough to keep my mind occupied.
My goal was to do my three legs at a pace faster
than last year’s 6:58. I was passed by a runner
around the 1-mile mark, and all hope of staying
with him lasted about 200 yards. Later, two more
runners passed me, but I kept within 10 seconds
of them. And I passed three runners, so it was a
net zero. In trying to keep those last two runners
in sight, I might’ve squeezed too much paste out
of the tube … and I don’t know of any way to get
that back in. I was happy with my sub-6:40 pace
but concerned about my remaining relay legs.
Leg 3, 3:12 pm, 3.88 M, easy, 26:08, 6:44 pace
Tom. Brian ran this leg last year and couldn’t
understand why it was designated easy in the
course description. I couldn’t either. The steady
uphill over the final 2 miles wore me down, and,
even though this was my shortest, supposedly
easiest leg, my average pace here was the slowest. However, the magnificent view of the Mount
Washington Hotel nestled in the mountains and
below a layer of clouds made it worthwhile.
Leg 4, 3:39 pm, 2.9 M, moderate, 18:51, 6:30 pace
John. I was most wary of this leg because it was
a new running experience for my aging body. On
heading out, I heard my college friend Jeff’s voice.
Jeff had been captain of the cross-country team
and is responsible for my love of running. He’d always told me to relax and go with the downhills.
I started taking his advice, but my concentration
was soon broken by the sight of several stopped
vans and people taking photos of a moose foraging 10 feet from the road. The hills continued to
carry me downward at PR-setting pace. I finished
and was amazed by my time and how easily the
miles had zipped by. As I cooled down, I realized
there was one little problem: walking.
Leg 5, 3:57 pm, 5.5 M, easy, 37:55, 6:54 pace
Doug. A relatively easy leg, but I’d spent so much
time anticipating it that it was a bit difficult. The
first time the crew gave me water, I said how fun
the leg was. It was less fun a few miles later.
Leg 6, 4:35 pm, 8.62 M, hard, 1:06:29, 7:43 pace
Susan. Unlike last year, my first leg would be in
daylight (estimated start time, 4:45). I was in the
portajohn line when I realized other runners were
Page 2
wearing their night gear (it was required starting
at 5:30). I couldn’t believe Captain Tom had let
me out of the van without a flashlight and a reflective vest! For the most part, this leg, though
long, was primarily downhill. I briefly thought to
back off so I wouldn’t hear my quads screaming
later, during my other relay legs, but who listens
to reason on such a beautiful race day? When I
saw Glenn (I think?) poised to take a photo of
me along the course, I couldn’t help but grin from
ear to ear and wave signaling my pleasure.
Leg 7, 5:42 pm, 7.23 M, moderate, 51:12, 7:05 pace
Ed. The hardest part about being the first Van 2
person to run was the wait. We had to sit around
for Van 1 to finish its six legs—in this case, for
four, four and a half hours. When the call finally
came that Susan was a mile out, I hurried to the
start. It was now about 5:30, the sun was setting,
and I was told I had to run with my night gear.
Damn, I thought, there was already enough pressure to perform for Captain Tom—I didn’t want
all this night gear to get in the way, too!
As Van 2 pulled up and waited for Susan to
arrive, Tom turned to me and said, “See those
guys in the bright orange shirts who just passed?
I don’t like them, and they keep passing us, so
make sure you get them.” I looked at Tom and
said, “Forget it. They have a 4-minute head start.”
Susan came in, and I took off, slowly, as I
knew there were going to be some hills and two
more legs to run. Quickly, though, I found a rhythm, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. I was
soon passing runners, and then up ahead I saw
a bright orange shirt. I sped up and then was
passing the guy wearing that shirt, team name
Cradle Robbers. On my face was a smirk that no
one could see. When I handed off the baton to
Bob, I learned that the best part of my run was
when my van mates called Tom and told him the
Cradle Robbers had been left in the dust. Meanwhile, I’d made Van 2’s first deposit into the bank.
Leg 8, 6:33 pm, 6.61 M, moderate, 49:34, 7:30 pace
Bob. This great leg had a few minor climbs in the
first mile and then a relatively flat 2-mile stretch
and a nice downhill before finishing with 3 miles
of gently undulating rises and falls. Because of
the fast times of the team members before me,
what had been projected to be a night run became
a run into the setting sun, which made the skies
over the many open fields simply gorgeous. This
clearly was the most beautiful of my three legs.
Leg 9, 7:22 pm, 6.36 M, moderate, 48:40, 7:39 pace
Ellen. When Tom said I would be running in the
dark, he was not kidding. The only thing I could
see ahead of me was the blinking lights of other
runners and whatever my headlamp hit on. I had
dropped my flashlight in the portapotty minutes
before I began this leg and was relying solely on
the little beam of light from my head.
The air was wet and cold, but my legs felt
good. I knew that, if I could bank strong splits
over the first 2.5 miles, I would have some leeway on the climb that followed. I maintained a
steady 7:04, and then the climb came. I think I
love hills, and I had hoped to capitalize on this
Reach the Beach Relay 2010
during my relay legs. Now I was passing one blinking light after another. One runner I was trying to
pass remarked, “You know we still have a ways
to go, right?” I replied that I knew I sounded as if
I were dying but that I was okay. As soon as I
saw the bright lights and Phil’s smiling face at
the exchange, I felt relieved that I had been able
to push through at 7:39 pace. I also nervously
wondered why this leg was rated only moderate
and what my next leg, rated hard, would be like.
Leg 10, 8:11 pm, 5.1 M, moderate, 44:34, 8:44 pace
Phil. I was nervous. I had resumed running in
June, five months after major knee surgery, with
5 minutes on a treadmill. I had run as much as
6.5 miles, with three runs a week. But now I was
going to run three times in 18 hours. This first
leg was my longest, with lots of hills. It was quite
dark, and my knee was wobbly as I ran off.
Maybe not being able to see the hills, only the
blinking lights of other runners, helped. My Garmin was indicating I was handling the hills okay.
I was not handling the humidity, though. Moisture kept condensing on my glasses in the final
couple of miles so bad that I had to pull off my
glasses to wipe them clean. Not the easiest task
with a headlamp strapped on. It didn’t take long
for the process to repeat itself, and once again I
couldn’t see. Finally came the road to the Brass
Heart Inn, and I felt panicky. This was a rutted dirt
road, my glasses were covered with moisture,
and the lights at the exchange area were full
blast in my face as I came up the final rise. I was
so fearful of stepping in a hole and wrenching
my ankle or knee that I slowed almost to a walk.
My teammates may have thought my knee had
given out. Nope, only my bravery.
Leg 11, 8:56 pm, 4.8 M, easy, 37:56, 7:54 pace
Sharon. This leg started at the Brass Heart Inn,
one of the prettiest spots in New Hampshire, except it was pitch-dark and except they said this
leg was easy and except they said I would have
to “after a short climb turn right and head down
the dirt road” (translation: I had to run up the dirt
road first and then down the short climb). I’d like
to meet the person who rated these course legs.
Leg 12, 9:34 pm, 3.87 M, easy, 27:39, 7:09 pace
Chris. At this outpost on the dark side of the
moon (a.k.a. the White Lake State Park transition area), the floodlights were up, and members
of scores of lunar landing parties were milling
about or walking to or fro, sweeping their flashlights and headlamps back and forth, or aiming
them downward. These people were on a vital
mission: to run and have fun through the night.
My assignment was to race out of the inkyblack wilderness. Sharon came in and handed
me the wrist-wrap “baton,” we gave each other a
hug, and off I ran to the sound of her calling out,
“I love you!” That got me chuckling and put a
spring in my step. Can I just tell you how good it
was to have my good friend Sharon kicking me
off on this and each of my other relay legs?
For some reason, my having read that Phil
ran in “total darkness” during this leg last year
did not prepare me for just how pitch-black it was
Essex Running Club
on the path out of the park. My headlamp was
useless in the fog, and the only things I saw were
those that fell within the small circle of light thrown
by my flashlight. So, I had to keep running inside
that circle. Then, just as I was nearing a rough
area of pavement, my flashlight quit! Well, the
strangest thing happened next. My body started
tingling, and all of a sudden I was suffused with
Sharon’s lunar love and began glowing brightly
from within. Miraculously, the glow illuminated
the path at this critical moment and allowed me
to escape a pothole with just a minor twist of my
left foot. (Okay, that’s all true, except the flashlight failing and the lunar love glow!)
After exiting the park, I had 3+ road miles to
run. Should I conserve my energy for Legs 24
and 36? Nah, that would be then, this was now.
Besides, I’d started out fast, so I’d just go with it,
and did, passing five runners. Then I looked to
hand off to Tom—er, no, in the dark I finally saw
it was Glenn. (Tom had done Leg 13 last year.)
Darn, I didn’t tell Glenn I love him! Later, I learned
I’d run these 3.87 miles at PR pace, a few seconds faster than my best 4-mile race pace.
Leg 13, 10:01 pm, 3.91 M, easy, 26:50, 6:52 pace
Glenn. Spending our downtime on a dock on a
lake was one of the coolest parts of the race. In
our sleeping bags, we felt as though we were in
the middle of the lake. We put on the tunes and
watched the sky turn dark and the stars come
out, billions of them—only to be interrupted by
car alarms, the sounds of people swimming, and
the cheers of the crowd. Then came a voice out
of the darkness: “Glenn, we got the call. They’ll
be here in 20 minutes!” (That was Tom, of course.)
Chris came flying in, and I was off. This leg
was a gradual uphill all the way. I got into a good
groove right off the bat, and so did a runner from
another team. We ran stride for stride until the
last half-mile or so. The traffic was getting a bit
tight, so I said, “I’ll just jump in front of you.” And
that was the last I saw of him. I found the Trimboli kick and beat him by almost 30 seconds!
Leg 14, 10:28 pm, 7.79 M, mod-hard, 53:14, 6:50 pace
Brian. Last year, my second leg was by far my
favorite, and this year was no different. I passed
a few people right away. I was running too fast
again but luckily caught someone who was doing
a similar pace, and we stayed together the next
couple of miles, passing a few people and chatting about the race. This was his fifth RTB and,
he said, probably his last. I told him that I hadn’t
tired of RTB and that it is probably my favorite
race. His team was leapfrogging him quite often,
and they kept telling him to slow down. When we
hit the final climb with a couple miles to go, I took
off and started pushing again. I passed about 14
runners. There were a bunch of hills, but in the
darkness you never knew how long they were,
so they didn’t seem to hit as hard.
Leg 15, 11:21 pm, 8.24 M, hard, 53:56, 6:32 pace
Tom. We didn’t know how well Brian was running, or when he’d arrive, because a narrow road
had prevented us from crewing for him over the
final 5 miles of his leg. Luckily, I was ready to go
Essex Running Club
when he came flying in, and off into the darkness
I ran. It was a beautiful night. The temperature
was crisp but perfect for running. With a steady
stream of runners ahead of me, I kept focusing
on reeling in the next in line. Running hills in the
dark is interesting. I couldn’t tell when they were
coming or how high they went. Only the blinking
lights gave me an idea of the elevation changes
to come. Glenn told me that one of the people I’d
passed had called me a freight train. I hope that
didn’t mean I was big and loud.
Leg 16, 12:15 am, 6.6 M, hard, 53:20, 8:05 pace
John. This pitch-dark leg with two steep uphills
was most challenging. The weather was perfect
for a night run, and I was concentrating on and
enjoying the peacefulness even while these demanding country roads were testing me. The only
sounds were coming from crickets and runners’
footsteps. But the childbirth-type breathing of a
male runner coming up from behind abruptly interrupted that. Over the next 2 miles, the moaning got louder. I pushed to get away from it, to no
avail. Labor Boy passed me in the last quartermile. Nearing the transition area, I contemplated
rubbing his face in some New Hampshire mud,
but I figured that might blow my nice-guy image.
I wasn’t upset that I’d been passed (well, maybe
a little) but more that I’d had the tranquillity of my
night run taken away.
Leg 17, 1:09 am, 7.39 M, mod-hard, 55:34, 7:31 pace
Doug. It was really early in the morning and very
dark. This leg was somewhat challenging, but I
was really happy with the lighting system John
had suggested. My shadow spooked me several
times during this run!
Leg 18, 2:04 am, 4.89 M, easy-mod, 40:20, 8:15 pace
Susan. After our first set of legs, we slept, or we
tried to sleep, by a lake. Tom and I had to go
rescue Glenn, Brian, and Doug, who were sleeping on the dock but had neglected to take flashlights. We led them out of darkness, but I drew
the line at lighting the portajohn for them.
This year, I was more prepared for the night.
I had blinking lights galore, two headlamps (one
for my wrist), and a flashlight. There would be no
missing me—until one headlamp malfunctioned.
On this year’s night leg, I also saw many more
people and ran through a town with streetlights.
Still, I felt a bit disoriented in the darkness and
was relieved when I saw the transition area.
It felt good seeing Ed ready to run and the
rest of the team waiting to greet me. Everyone
was quite pumped, even at 2:30 am!
Leg 19, 2:44 am, 4.33 M, moderate, 31:26, 7:16 pace
Ed. After getting slightly lost, we arrived at New
Hampshire Technical College and tried to catch
some sleep. Phil and Bob took refuge inside the
building, while Chris, Sharon, Ellen, and I sacked
out in the van. The only problem with the van was
that the transition area was brightly lighted and
noisy. Vans were pulling in and out the entire time,
and driving over a nearby manhole cover. Combine that with the sound of Ellen’s stomach grumbling from hunger, and … no sleep for me.
Reach the Beach Relay 2010
Running on no sleep and in the dark made
this the toughest of my three legs. It started out
uphill. I felt okay but kept to a slower than usual
pace, as I did not want to tire on the hills. I could
not see ahead, so I could not tell how big each
hill was, but I must have been going faster than
I’d thought, because I started passing runners.
One, two, three … by the time I finished the leg,
I’d pass 21 of them. I would’ve passed more or
run a bit faster, but with a half-mile left I offered
to run the rest of the way with someone whose
headlamp was dimming. Sorry, Tom, but I added
many other deposits to the bank!
Leg 20, 3:16 am, 9.23 M, hard, 1:18:44, 8:32 pace
Bob. Ah, Leg 20. The big advantage of starting
this at 3:16 am is that it was so dark I never got
a full view of the unending hill I was climbing!
The leg started with a gentle, teasing dip that
was followed by 5 uphill miles, a 650-foot elevation change with cruel plateaus and dips followed
by even steeper sections. The constant climbing
was a real challenge, but it paid off at mile 6, as
the remaining 3+ miles were pretty much downhill. I encountered few other runners on this leg,
just the shirtless, 30-something speedsters who
streaked by, and the runners I myself passed.
At some point, going uphill, I slipped into a
dreamlike daze, chasing the light of my headlamp,
not worrying about the grade of the road beyond
its illumination. The peak of the hill magically
appeared while my legs still had some strength.
It was with great pleasure and some relief that I
completed the final 3 miles at the fastest downhill pace I could manage.
Whereas my early-morning Montclair runs
sometimes start at 5:30, this one ended almost
an hour earlier!
Leg 21, 4:35 am, 8.5 M, hard, 1:06:06, 7:47 pace
Ellen. Well, it turned out there was a difference
between moderate (Leg 9) and hard (this leg).
From mile 2 to mile 5.5 … 430 feet of pure climb.
I am used to running early in the morning,
but now, without sleep, I felt I was on a midnight
run. It was still extremely dark, so I’d put a headlamp around my waist for extra lighting. However,
I realized the encompassing darkness actually
was my ally, as it hid the magnitude of this climb.
This was my most challenging but favorite
leg. When I wasn’t “chicking” men (16) or passing women (2), I was completely alone—well, except for the strange growling that came out of
the forest and spurred me to run faster. In addition, this leg may have been designated a Quiet
Zone, but I began taking full advantage of my
many moments of solitude to inhale and exhale
as loudly as possible. That felt fantastic!
When I was finally cresting the hill, my van
mates were outside cheering me on, and I was
shouting, “That was one mother of a hill!” Then,
I entered the exchange area … but could not find
Phil. “Runner 133, hello? Phil?” And there he was,
all smiles, ready for the handoff.
Leg 22, 5:41 am, 3.55 M, easy, 27:54, 7:51 pace
Phil. I was scared. This was my shortest but
toughest leg. Mile 1 included a 160-foot elevation
Page 3
drop, and, of all the tests for my knee, running
downhill has been the most difficult. Now I had to
run a downhill almost equal to Bradford Avenue
at home, but spread out over a longer distance.
To compensate, I ran with short and choppy and,
I was hoping, faster strides. I wasn’t sure about
the fast part, but I was keeping pain at bay.
And it was beautiful out. The moon was halffull and, when I dared look up from the road, marvelous in the clear night sky. Stars were everywhere. Rural New Hampshire doesn’t have much
ambient light, and the light of the night was an
accelerant for me.
Another runner came up and began chatting.
He loved downhills. I said they were my nemesis. Have a good race, I told him. No, he said, I’ll
run with you a while, it’s good to run with someone. He could’ve raced on by, but for a quartermile he talked about the race and the night’s
beauty and the unique feeling of dashing through
the darkness. He could’ve picked up that many
more seconds for his team, but he kept me company. Then, when we approached a slower runner,
he wished me well and cruised ahead, leaving
me behind but also leaving me thinking how nice
it had been to share the moment.
Leg 23, 6:09 am, 6.24 M, easy, 50:56, 8:10 pace
Sharon. This was my favorite leg mostly because
I ran it at the time I usually run: dawn. Running
over hills into a sunrise of cotton-candy pink and
blue clouds is a vision I won’t soon forget. I was
greeting runner after runner with a cheery Good
morning and feeling the love, so, when I finally
saw Chris waiting for me, I was able to muster
an “I love you, Chrissy.” (This fact is of course
true, but it’s also a little trick I use to keep him
My Chrissy and not Ellen’s Chrissy.)
Leg 24, 7:00 am, 6.87 M, moderate, 52:31, 7:38 pace
Chris. Last year, Sharon’s Chrissy got the “sunrise leg.” This year, Sharon did. A benefit of her
pulling in when she did and not sooner is that I
did not have to wear my night gear—it was required only between 5:30 pm and 7:00 am. So,
I could go with just the basics on this beautiful
morning and wonderful route.
After slipping through a rotary, I had 5.7 miles
of a quiet highway to run—a two-lane rolling road
with wide shoulders and long curves and extended
sight lines and no turns. I did not check my Garmin for time or distance. I just went! And very
quickly I entered a state in which I was nothing
more than my running. Thoughts came few and
far between. I was so free and wild and running
fast and wanting to chase someone!
The first runner I spotted was wearing a bright
yellow shirt and matching knee-high socks. This
homing beacon was about a hundred feet ahead.
I was chasing down and passing other runners
but could not close the gap on the color yellow.
My van mates stopped maybe halfway through
with some Gatorade. Finally, 5 miles into the leg,
I drew near and passed the yellow. Yes.
Around the 5.4-mile mark, Phil told me I had
only a third of a mile left on the road, then 1.2
miles in Bear Brook State Park. That was all I
needed to know to finish strong. I passed two run-
Page 4
ners on the three-quarter-mile uphill in the park,
then sped up on the long-awaited downhill to the
exchange, catching my final quarry (number 16)
as we were nearing the end.
Here I was running as fast as I could, simply
because it felt so good. The sensible thing to do
would have been to slow down, particularly when
taking the sharp left into the exchange, but safety
never occurred to my endorphin-engorged brain.
Good thing I was able to keep my balance at that
turn, where I hit a bump and my leg buckled, or
I might have wiped out, hurting myself and the
team’s prospects. I was glad to come out of my
second “pavement malfunction” of the relay intact.
I ran Leg 24 at PR pace, a few seconds faster than my best pace in a race of a similar distance, the 2007 Newport “10,000” (6.56 miles).
Leg 25, 7:52 am, 8.59 M, hard, 1:02:04, 7:13 pace
Glenn. Spending downtime in the van was one
of the worst parts of the race. I tried to sleep, but,
each time I shut my eyes, I heard a watch alarm
beep. It was 5:15 am! I shall mention no names,
Ellen. And the snoring. Again, no names, Doug.
I even kept myself up cursing. So, no sleep. As
I watched the sun rise, I asked myself how on
Earth I’d be able to loosen my legs up enough to
run. After walking around a lot, using a roller, and
brushing my teeth, I felt the adrenaline return.
This, my last leg, would be my hardest. Tom
kept saying, “Just get to the 5-mile point. The rest
is downhill. You should pass 20 people this leg.”
In came Chris, flailing down his last hill like
a man possessed! I think seeing him run like that
pumped me up even more. Well, now I had my
5 uphill miles to do! I started a bit slower than
usual and didn’t use my watch. I made it my goal
to pick off as many people as possible.
By the time I’d reached the mile 5 summit,
I’d picked off 13 runners, and been passed by 2,
for a net of 11. But now I was cruising downhill,
on rocky roads. I passed 3 more, 2 more passed
me, net 12. I then caught a runner who’d passed
me earlier—there’s no feeling better than that! It
was off to the races now … 13, 14, 17, 19, and
finally 20 was in my sights, with 2 miles to go.
And then 20, 21, 22. One hundred yards from
the finish, I saw 23 and, barely breathing, caught
him a few steps from the handoff.
But I looked around and didn’t see anyone
from the team. Number 133? Brian? I was being
passed: 23, 22, 21, nooo. This transition area was
a disaster. Brian had to be let out of the van early.
When he ran up, I was in disbelief! Most teams
had the same problem here, though. No worries,
Brian could pass those runners back, and he did.
Leg 26, 8:57 am, 5.12 M, moderate, 36:00, 7:02 pace
Brian. We had some issues here. We hit traffic
about a third of a mile from the dropoff. I got out
of the van so I could warm up, get to the transition, and use the bathroom. I was stuck on line!
Eventually, I heard Doug and Susan yelling that
Glenn had come in. Luckily, I’d just left the bathroom, and only a minute was lost. I felt terrible.
The team was great, though—no one flipped out.
Right away, I passed three or four runners
who had slipped past Glenn at the transition area,
Reach the Beach Relay 2010
and I left them behind for good. After half a mile,
a guy flew past. If he had that much left, I knew
I wasn’t going to catch him. However, I decided
to try to keep him in sight. As the hills came, I
started passing a lot of people and noticed that
the fast guy had not pulled farther away. Rather,
every time we hit an incline, I gained ground.
I knew the last hill was going to be tough.
There was a pretty long downhill and a flat area
before my final push. I eventually passed the fast
guy on a long straightaway before the hill. I then
made it a point to pick up the pace in an attempt
to leave him behind for good. When I hit the hill,
though, my quads were pretty burnt, so I tried to
focus on the less than a mile remaining.
Coming up the hill, I saw another runner walking, then running on the flats. I was spent and
had made up my mind not to kick or try to pass
him, as he was several yards ahead. That lasted
just a few seconds. Once you heard the roar of
the transition crowds, you had to take off. So I
did, passing that last runner in the final yards.
I was done, happy, tired. I’d lost count after
passing 20 runners, including the guy who’d passed
me. I estimated 24 total. My time was slower on
this leg, but I was okay with that.
Leg 27, 9:33 am, 8.54 M, hard, 56:25, 6:36 pace
Tom. After getting an hour of sleep while reclining in our van’s front passenger seat, I was off.
We were all a bit nervous about how our legs
would hold up, but the adrenaline was pumping
again. I was unsure how to run here, as I thought
I should save something for the big hill at the
end, but the first couple of miles had some good
downhills I wanted to take advantage of. Well,
once I got going, I started feeling good and threw
caution to the wind. This was my favorite leg:
beautiful country roads, rolling hills, sun, shade,
lots of other runners to aim for. My legs were tired,
but I felt strong enough to keep pushing. I reeled
in 35 runners and got passed by 1. Going up that
last hill, I began reciting my mantra: Don’t give it
all back. Then, once I crested the hill and saw
the transition, I hit my top speed of the day.
Leg 28, 10:29 am, 5.5 M, moderate, 43:19, 7:52 pace
John. This leg with its rolling hills loomed over
my tired body like the final 6 miles of a marathon.
I knew those hills were coming but wasn’t sure
how my body would react. I focused on keeping
a steady pace and tried not to lose sight of the
natural beauty surrounding me. As I approached
my final transition area, I began appreciating that
I’d be able to stop running finally, and I came to
that wonderful realization of the many gifts the
simple act of running has given me.
Leg 29, 11:12 am, 4.08 M, moderate, 30:05, 7:22 pace
Doug. Acorns? A bunch of acorns on the road
made things a bit interesting. It was really nice
out, but I could not get my legs to work. Why
couldn’t I run faster?
Leg 30, 11:42 am, 3.15 M, easy, 24:11, 7:40 pace
Susan. Throughout this relay, I was having a
fabulous time searching with Glenn for the letters
that spell out New Balance (for a contest), navi-
Essex Running Club
gating with Tom, debating John about the next
phases of our lives, teasing Doug, and yelling at
Brian (how long was that bathroom stop again?)
while marveling at his dogged determination on
the hills. During my last leg, I felt so girly (in a
good way!) when 100 yards down Brian handed
me water with a bow, a smile, and the comment,
“Your water, m’lady.” My legs were really feeling
it, but the knowledge that this leg was so short
allowed me to keep up my determination.
Leg 31, 12:07 pm, 2.43 M, easy, 16:57, 6:47 pace
Ed. The final vehicle transition area was at a high
school. Runners could get showers for $5 apiece
there. I couldn’t pass one up.
My van mates decided to rest, and someone
got the bright idea that the best way to rest and
relax and restore energy was to take a sleeping
bag into the middle of a field and catch a few
zees under the sun. We looked like baked sardines out there. Eventually, Chris found some
shade, Bob started pouring water over his head,
and I began thinking there had to be a better way.
Our final legs were relatively short. Getting
Bob to the next transition required leaving me
behind here. I waited on my own for about 40 minutes. Soon Susan came sprinting in, and then off
I went with the baton. I was feeling just a bit stiff.
I didn’t see many people ahead of me, as we’d
thinned them out with our impeccable passing
capabilities. I quickened my pace, spotted a runner, and kept him in my sights. After catching and
passing him, I sprinted on fumes to Bob.
My average pace on this leg was 6:47. How
did that happen after I’d already run two legs and
hadn’t slept over the past 48 hours? Clearly, this
was a memorable run for me. Oh, yeah, more
deposits to the bank, too!
Leg 32, 12:24 pm, 6.69 M, moderate, 54:49, 8:11 pace
Bob. This was another great leg. My starting time
meant almost ideal running conditions: sunny,
gentle breeze, not too warm. The course had a
100-foot climb from mile 2.5 to mile 3, then a
good three-quarter-mile downhill stretch, and
finally about 3 miles of rolling hills. Our van was
able to squeeze in two support stops for me over
the first half of this leg, and they proved to be a
tremendous help. As my first two relay legs had
taken a bit of a toll, I could not generate the kind
of downhill pace I would have liked here.
With the day heating up and with my van
mates already having made their way to the next
transition area, I had to flag down another team’s
support van for a much needed bottle of water.
Then, nearing the end of this leg, I used some of
my remaining energy to push past a couple of
runners before handing the baton off to Ellen.
My pace meant a small withdrawal from the
bank, but not much of one—thanks to our team
members and the many deposits already made.
Leg 33, 1:18 pm, 4.15 M, easy, 31:44, 7:38 pace
Ellen. And it turned out there was no difference
between easy and hard.
The sun was shining brightly, and the air was
very comfortable. In short, the weather was ideal
for running. However, my concerns about night
Essex Running Club
versus day running came back to haunt me, in a
way I hadn’t expected.
Glenn and Brian had joined Van 2 as part of
the shuffling we had to do to get to the beach in
time to join Chris for his run across the finish line.
Glenn got me all fired up, and I shot out my first
2 miles in 13:53. I was feeling so happy and so
confident and so good and was enjoying running
in the light of day when I spotted a small group
of old ladies holding up posters and cheering for
RTB runners! I raised my hand to wave and began to thank them for their support when …
In broad daylight my right foot magically found
the one pothole in the road! I immediately went
down, with my right hip contorting on top of the
right ankle. The pain was searing.
The ladies screamed, “Call an ambulance!”
And the once friendly Ellen turned into Ms. Hyde:
“Please don’t touch me or call the EMTs. You will
get my team disqualified!”
I tried to get up, but the ankle pain caused
me to keel over. I wrapped my ankle with both
hands and pleaded with it, Just work with me for
two more miles. Please!
The boys and I had agreed they would not
crew for me on this leg, as it was too short. So,
they were not immediately around to help.
Other runners and members of other vans
were unbelievably supportive. They offered to
carry me, give me water, drive me to my van. I
kept saying I was fine. Then, once the stars began to disappear, I started to simulate running by
doing a two-step hop, with the music of my cries
as accompaniment. I was crying because I was
so angry for letting my guard down, letting my
team down. I’d even scarred those sweet old
ladies. One screamed, “She’s running and crying
at the same time. Who does that?”
I finally started to get my rhythm back when
I saw the boys driving past. I heard their cheers
and then, “Something’s wrong. Pull over.” Glenn
came out to see what had happened. Between
gasps of tears, I told him I’d sprained my ankle
but was going to keep running.
But if it hadn’t been for Glenn, Ed, Brian, and
Bob passing by in the van, I would not have finished this leg. Glenn offered to have the van retrieve Phil so Phil could complete my leg (he’d
then have to run his leg as well), but I pleaded to
be allowed to finish. To show Glenn I meant it, I
passed three runners and squeaked out, “See.
I’m good.” I kept running. Glenn came out every
so often to run a few steps with me. He comforted me and encouraged me all the way to the
next transition area. At one point, he said, “Ellen,
I know you want to push faster, but don’t. Just
get through your leg. It’s all good.”
I did finish, too. Glenn, now my forever big
brother, is just one example of how amazing all
our RTB teammates were. There is something
about running for a team, for something bigger,
that pushes you to places you are unwilling to go
just for your own sake.
Leg 34, 1:50 pm, 4.01 M, easy, 33:30, 8:21 pace
Phil. I was excited. My legs were a little stiff, but
some soreness in my knee had dissipated through
a mostly sleepless night. My teammates told me
Reach the Beach Relay 2010
Ellen would arrive between 1:55 and 2:01 pm.
Okay, I’d be ready for 1:55. After stretches and
some uncomfortable warmup jogging, I was walking around when a cry went up: “Runner!” It was
Ellen, and it was only 1:50. Yikes! She was sprinting, two of our teammates were yelling at her not
to, and I couldn’t figure out why—she looked
really strong. How was I to know she’d sprained
an ankle a mile and a half back? Then, just as
she was handing off, her face scrunched up in
pain, she made a sound you can’t reproduce, and
the baton was in my hand.
I figured, given the fatigue and stiffness, I
was running maybe a little under 9-minute pace.
Eventually I came to an intersection at a fourlane highway, where a state trooper stopped me
for a red light. Fifty seconds ticked away as I
waited for the green. I asked the trooper if he
knew how far it was to the end of this leg. He
said a half-mile. I looked at the elapsed time on
my watch and thought, if he’s right, I’m running
a lot faster than 9-minute pace. Then I thought,
a half-mile to a trooper might not be the same as
a half-mile to a runner. Here’s the green, now go!
However far it would be, I was going to push.
Before long, I saw the exchange area with
people milling around, making noise. I saw Sharon
in a roped-off chute, and I was flush with adrenaline. I was so excited that, maybe 150 yards out,
I raised my arms in a Nixon victory salute. Sprint.
Handoff. Done. Glorious.
Leg 35, 2:24 pm, 3.41 M, easy, 27:54, 8:11 pace
Sharon. I was extremely excited to see Phil running toward me while I was waiting in the chute
and Van 1 members in Van 2 were cheering me
(I know, confusing). This is also where I learned
Glenn’s nickname, Maryann (I know, confusing).
Leg 36, 2:52 pm, 4.09 M, 31:40, easy, 7:45 pace
Chris. I was a little sick to my stomach. I was on
my own at the exchange area, waiting for Sharon
and feeling as though our team’s entire relay now
rested on my spent legs. No pressure whatsoever! But then a few teammates showed up, and
instantly I was put at ease. After Sharon gave
me the wrist-wrap and another energizing hug, I
was off, thinking I’d try to catch the few runners
who’d headed out during my wait and wondering
if I’d follow Brian’s wise advice to not go out too
fast on the slightly uphill first mile.
Rounding the first turn, I tripped! My third RTB
pavement malfunction! I caught myself, and kept
running. Mile 1 went by in 7:06. Not surprisingly,
over the next 3 miles, I moved my legs only by
force of will: 7:45, 8:03, 8:02. Finally, I plunged
into the sand for my scamper to the finish line.
But where was it? And where were my teammates? I had to pass one last runner! And I did.
Teammates were calling for me to slow down.
Members of the crowd were telling me to go this
way, no, not that way—this way! Lots of laughter
all around. Wait for us, Chris! I have to stay ahead
of the runner I passed! Oh, boy, talk about running
around like a chicken without its head!
Even though I still don’t know where the finish line was, it appears that our team did indeed
Reach the Beach!
Page 5
AFTER THE FACT
Ed. I am grateful to Tom and the rest of the team
(Aunt Glady, too), and I am glad I embarked on
this journey. It’s one I will remember. Although I
didn’t have the chance to share joys and laughs
with Van 1 members, my Van 2 teammates made
for an enjoyable time. Oh, and one last note, do
not cross Ellen’s path in a supermarket. She has
a knack for trying to backhand other customers
and trip big, burly Harley-Davidson dudes!
Glenn. A few highlights …
— While crewing for Tom, he flew past, dusting
two other runners. As those runners were passing me, I heard one say to the other, “That was
a damn freight train that just went by!” And thus
a new nickname was born.
— Passing the moose that came out for John’s
Leg 4 … seeing a group of people naïvely photographing the animal from much too close a distance … and later asking John, “How about that
moose?” (John replied, “What moose?” Obviously,
he was focused on the task at hand.)
— Ellen’s legendary 2-mile hop/skip/jump/hobble to the end of her final relay leg. I hadn’t known
Ellen too well before RTB, but now I have a pretty
good picture of who she is, and of how the runners she passed while in her agonized state are
probably now scarred for life.
RTB was quite an experience, and I am glad
I was part of this great team.
Ellen. I never imagined that in my adult life I would
be part of the camaraderie and group characterbuilding of something like the Reach the Beach
Relay. I thought these would be sweet memories
of my college and high school sports days.
Sharon. So tricky it was to spend time with this
crew of folks and not come away feeling the love
for them. Hopefully, my husband, Tom, won’t kill
me. I am in gratitude to all my teammates for
what they brought to this race and for sharing in
this incredible accomplishment.
Bob. One highlight of Reach the Beach was how
11 of us gathered on the sand at Hampton State
Beach to eagerly wait for Chris to arrive and finish his and our final leg of this most remarkable
journey. When he hit the sand with 100 yards to
go, our ragtag group fell in behind and around
him to cross the finish line together.
Over those final few yards, we may not have
looked like the crackerjack group of runners who
we had proved ourselves to be over 209 miles
and 26 hours, but it was clear that we were a
team that had given its all and that had been rewarded with an experience that would tie us together for years to come.
And after we all crossed that finish line, I recalled my early reaction to the stories of the
bands of Nutty Miner Mountain Goats who had
participated in 24-plus-hour runs on deserted
mountain roads: “Those guys are nuts.” Having
now completed my first such adventure, I can
attest that, indeed, those guys are nuts! And I’m
proud to be one of them!
Page 6
Doug. Overall, Reach the Beach was an amazing experience. It’s amazing what we all accomplished on only three hours of sleep. At times,
this race seemed like a dream. We had a great
team, and we all worked together. I give Tom a
lot of credit for this year’s results. There was very
little stress during our journey!
Brian. I am happy with my times. I ran about 12
seconds per mile faster this year than last and
covered more miles. Our team was sensational.
There is something about this race that raises
everyone’s running level. We hadn’t thought we
could finish anywhere near the time we ran last
year, but our team’s average pace was only 2
seconds off. Amazing! We shared a lot of laughs
in Van 1, and I was happy to hang out with and
assist Van 2’s members on their final four legs.
Tom struggled to get enough people to form
a team this year, but his efforts really paid off. I
hope he will be up for captaining a team in 2011,
and I hope I’ll be asked to be a part of it, ERC –
Beach or Bust, a.k.a. Aunt Glady’s Gang.
Susan. This one-time veteran thinks we worked
a lot smoother this year, because we knew what
to expect. My Van 1 teammates were awesome
(despite the snoring), and Van 2 showed such
great enthusiasm at every transition point that I
always welcomed seeing them. Starting and finishing a few hours earlier helped, too. We were
much less tired on that fast drive home this year!
Phil. On the drive to Cannon Mountain, Van 2
became pretty quiet when the cold rain started
and we missed a turn for the staging area. You
sensed an uneasiness that a long string of miserable weather and mishaps had begun. Two
hours later, with the rain gone and Glenn off and
running, the apprehension was gone, too. Excitement had settled in to stay.
Twenty-six hours later, we were walking into
the ocean at Hampton Beach again, marveling at
how far we’d come. And not just the 209 miles.
Tom. RTB 2010 was a special, incredible adventure that will stand side by side with RTB 2009.
Although it was more difficult to field a team this
year, that difficulty may have been destiny bringing this group together. Strangers and acquaintances two months earlier are now trusted friends
who will weather an adventure with a smile and
a sense of fun. Now for some final thoughts.
Glenn. Van 1’s weatherman and deejay, and
a trusted friend who was always taking care of
anyone who needed a helping hand. Plus, he had
the craziest shirt I have ever seen.
Brian. Solid in every sense. I’d known I could
count on Brian to run well, to help out wherever
and whenever needed, and to keep me laughing.
Just never ask him if you are at the top of a hill.
John. An incredibly generous soul. Quiet but
quick with an understated comment sure to make
you smile. Also, he’s our very own David Hasselhoff! John also most closely predicted our finishing time (he was off by only 9 seconds).
Susan. The glue that held Van 1 together.
Organized, calm, and helpful, and she provided
Reach the Beach Relay 2010
our van with a welcome dose of estrogen. I’ve
already signed her up for our 2011 team. Only
three pounds of pasta next year!
Doug. One hundred percent chance of fun!
Always smiling, ready for whatever came his way.
I’m glad John convinced him to join us again.
Ed. Sleepless and super-busy. He used Facebook to keep all of New Jersey updated on our
progress. Plus, he dusted the Cradle Robbers!
Bob. Unflappable. Although saddled with the
most miles and arguably the hardest leg of the
relay, he never complained, and he kept smiling.
Plus, he didn’t punch me for giving him Leg 20.
Ellen. Fierce! I knew of Ellen’s propensity to
fall from her morning running partners, so I was
concerned about giving her two legs in the dark.
She told me all would be well, and it was. So why
did she have to fall when the sun was out?
Phil. A medical marvel. They will be writing
papers about him and his knee for years. My cocaptain and rock in Van 2. I am so glad he was
able to join us again this year!
Sharon. Our den mother, maybe a little shellshocked by the entire event, but always quick with
a smile, a hug, a laugh. I know her family missed
her, and she missed them, but I’m sure glad she
was able to join us.
Chris. I think Chris surprised even himself with
how well he ran. He also almost gave me a heart
attack with his near fall finishing up Leg 24, but
I should have known that his reflexes, honed
from miles and miles of trail running, would keep
him on his feet.
FACTS & FIGURES
Time: 26:04:09.
Average pace: 7:28 per mile.
Overall place: 39/429 (top 9%).
Men’s masters division place: 11/38.
Place among teams starting at 1:20 pm: 4/24.
ERC runners’ mile totals and average paces:
Van 1
Glenn
Brian
Tom
John
Doug
Susan
Miles
20.47
21.87
20.66
14.95
16.97
16.66
Pace
7:04
6:46
6:36
7:43
7:17
7:52
Van 2
Ed
Bob
Ellen
Phil
Sharon
Chris
Miles
13.99
22.53
19.02
12.67
14.45
14.83
Pace
7:07
8:08
7:42
8:22
8:02
7:32
TEAM SONG
Racing in the Street
Bruce Springsteen
Some guys they just give up living
And start dying little by little, piece by piece
Some guys come home from work and wash up
And go racin’ in the street
Tonight tonight the highway’s bright
Out of our way mister you best keep
’Cause summer’s here and the time is right
For goin’ racin’ in the street
My teammates, thanks for making racing through
the streets of New Hampshire so much fun.
—John
Essex Running Club
SnapshotGallery
Reach the Beach Relay, New Hampshire, September 17 and 18. After
running 209 miles starting at Cannon Mountain, the 12-person ERC team
wriggles its toes in the sand at Hampton Beach. Top 5: John Fabbro, Sharon
Morrissey, Glenn Trimboli, Ed Kelly, Bob Goodsell. Middle 3: Susan Mello,
Brian Foster, Doug Williams. Bottom 4: Phil Coffin (co-captain), Tom Eaton
(co-captain), Chris Jaworski, Ellen Kim.
Glenn Trimboli, Ellen Kim, Jane Whipple, and
Chris Jaworski before the start of the Paine to
Pain Trail Half-Marathon in New Rochelle, NY,
October 3.
Before the race “photo op” at the Hounds and Harriers Run John Young, Ellen Kim, Chris Jaworski, and
on Saturday, October 9 at Loantaka Park in Morris Township, above. Jane Whipple hanging out at Mohonk Preserve
Left to right, Catherine Alessi, Oscar, Jack and Mick Close. in High Falls, NY, on September 26, a glorious day
for the Pfalz Point Trail Challenge, a 10-mile race
over trails and carriage roads.
We love your photographs! To submit photos: ERC
members, please e-mail high-resolution photographs (either
jpg or tiff files) including captions identifying names, date,
and location to Robin at [email protected].
Please call her at 973-568-0807 to send prints for scanning.
Photos will be returned if requested.
LYNNE MORTIMER, GRI, CRS
Broker Sales Associate
NJAR Circle of Excellence,1990-2009
West Essex REALTOR of the Year 2001
(973) 233-2300 Office
(973) 233-2067 Direct, (862) 345-2567 Fax
(973) 207-7005 Cell
603 Bloomfield Avenue
Montclair, New Jersey 07042
phone: 973-509-9707 • fax: 973-509-9709
email: john@fleetfeetmontclair.com
RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE
736 Valley Road, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043
[email protected]
V erona Veins
P Label:Layout 1
2/12/09
2:47 PM
Page 1
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
at Access Care Physicians
Craig Van Doren
Travel Counsellor
Tel:
Email:
Web:
973-857-3410
[email protected]
www.travelcounsellors.com/craig.vandoren
The Best Solution
for leg pain and
varicose veins
�������������
����������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������������������
R obin Kano
G R A P H I C
D E S I G N
973.568.0807
33 Cleveland Terrace, West Orange, New Jersey 07052
[email protected]  www.robinkantor.com
The Right Printer. The Right PeopleTM
New address! Same everything else:
Webster Commons Complex, 271 Grove Avenue, Suite A-4
Verona, New Jersey 07044
–––
Phone 973-857-3336 • Fax 973-857-4687
[email protected] • www.pip.com/veronanj
Please support the Essex Running Club sponsors!
ADVERTISERS: please send inquiries, checks, and high-resolution ads to Lynne at [email protected]