I would like to announce that Nick Tenbarge as volunteered to take over the responsibilities of Membership Chairperson. Here’s a little info on Nick
 

Nicholas R Tenbarge Graduate of Central HS USI Junior, Computer Science Major Agent for GeekSquad Single Amateur Cyclist/Runner Amateur Radio Enthusiast (KC9HCB is my call sign)

This is a good time for all of us to offer our thank Angela Reckelhoff for having donated her time in this capacity.

The terrain was somewhat different from the other four ultras I have done, as essentially there were two giant climbs and two giant descents that made up most of the change in elevation.  It was not constant, nor was it rolling hills.  Also, there were several miles of fairly flat dirt roads, but not at the beginning nor at the end.  Most of the trails were very rugged, and strewn with sharp rocks that could not be run but had to be walked (whether up, down or flat).  I tripped many times, but fell only twice.  Both falls were over roots, not rocks; which was a good thing.  Those rocks could have done a lot of damage.  There was hardly a smooth dirt trail anywhere!  Fortunately, about 4-5” of snow had fallen the night before, and so that tended to soften the trail a bit—but not much, but it did severely softened one of my falls.

     The predicted temperature in the area for the day of the run was for a low of 35° and high of 45°.  Fat chance.  I walked out of the motel on Saturday morning, and it was snowing!  The car thermometer said 32°.  The day before was beautiful (as is today, Sunday)—but not Saturday.  Of course, I was dressed in shorts and short-sleeved shirt!  I was half-smart, though, as I had packed a long-sleeved shirt in my bag, which I immediately donned after parking at the race start.  For most of the race, that shirt was sufficient.  It was slightly warm going up the giant climbs, and rarely cold.  Needed different gloves though, as my lightweight ones left my hands cold 30% of the time.  Tights would have been good, as the snow formed ice on my thighs and knees during that part of the race when we were running into the wind and snow.  Also, my glasses were useless most of the time, ice forming on them as well.  Fortunately, almost every aid station (every 3-5 miles) had paper towels with which I cleaned my glasses, the glasses were then good for a few miles before I had to take them off and put them on the top of my head.  I did OK without them most of the time.

The (Seattle Marathon) long-sleeved shirt found me a running companion—Debbie Straub from Delaware, but formerly from Bremerton.  She and her husband both ran, but her husband finished in 7:08 and was long out of sight.  Debbie and I brought up the rear for a long while before we passed a few people at the end.  Her husband came back after finishing, and met us about 2.5 miles out and ran in with us from there.  Near the end, he took my camera, ran ahead, and took pictures of us crossing the finishing line.  Nice couple; both former Navy people.

     The aid stations were excellent as I have grown to expect at ultras: Gatorade, water, chicken noodle soup, pretzels, potato chips (salt was great), M&Ms, peanut butter sandwiches, chocolate, and more.  Every hour I took my Succeed but skipped the Tums.  Never had a bit of nausea on this run.  Fantastic!  I think eating in moderation throughout the race is what works.  Not sure what I am going to do in regular marathons; maybe take a lot with me.  Fortunately, marathons are shorter.  There were also a number of stream crossings, but nothing like I encountered at ‘Dances with Dirt’.  Instead, all the crossings could be navigated by stepping on the right rocks.  That was good, given the starting temperature of 32°, and it got colder as we ascended the hills (no, mountains!).  Cold feet I did not have, and certainly did not want by getting them wet in a creek.  All in all, it was a good run.  The rocks and the huge climbs were probably the most distinguishing features. 

See you all on the trails. 
Win Apel
 

2006 GERWC Illinois River to River Relay Team Mike Wells, Angie Wooton, Danny Wooton, Ruth Ann Sellers, Ray Graham, Mike Wootton, Bill Hussmann, Mike Vancleve

     The 8 member teams are each responsible for running the 80 mile course in 24 segments, with each runner responsible for 3 segments that vary in length from about 2.6 to 3.8 miles each. The relay has a number of different categories for teams. This year the GERWC had 2 teams, The Young and the Restless (Handicap Division) and Team Benfield Running (Mixed Division). The Handicap Division is made up of any combination of men and women, but there is a distinct advantage in seeking out our more elderly but fast members, since time is removed from the final time based on the age and sex of the participants. 

Our Handicap Team is called The Young and the Restless (mostly restless and not particularly young). We found some “older” but swift GERWC members with an average age of 56, and some of the nicest people you would ever want to spend a weekend with on the road. The team included Danny and Angie Wooton, Mike Wootton, Mike Wells, Mike Vancleve, Ray Graham, Ruth Ann Sellers, and Bill Hussmann. We all traveled by van to Marion, IL where we picked up our race packet, renewed friendships, and enjoyed some complimentary beverages. After a very short sleep of about 5 hours, we headed off to the course at 3:45 AM and were on the course by

6:15 AM.  What better way is there to get to know some of our fellow runners than spending a day together getting in and out of the van 25 times, walking together to each exchange of the baton, and cheering and supporting our team with shouts of encouragement as we passed them in the van. Bill Hussmann was awarded the baton this year by his teammates for his superior performance on the toughest leg of the relay, the infamous “leg 6”, well known to R-to-R racers. This was one of the first years without Harold Carey, the 83-year old phenomenon who added his age and huge handicap in years past, his world-class speed for his age, and his statistical prowess, and sometimes annoyance. We all missed you Harold! 

     The Young and the Restless finished 10th overall out of about 65 teams in the Handicap Division. We weren’t in the trophies this year, but spent another memorable weekend on the roads among friends.  Thank you team!!

Tom Anderson

Exercise as Medication

The pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars each year educating medical professionals and the general public about the benefits of their medications. Drugs are marketed and sold that do wonderful things like lower cholesterol, strengthen the heart, and fight cancer. Because they are expensive and necessary for health, most people attempt to take them in their prescribed manner and dosage. Whether it is two or three times a day by mouth or through the skin, we are compliant with our medication schedule because we want the promised benefit.

     There is a very powerful drug that is universally available and free of charge that has been clinically proven over many years. This drug claims the longest list of clinical benefits of any drug ever produced and has virtually no adverse effects. It’s package insert (product information supplied by the manufacturer) reads: "This product has been shown to increase one’s lifespan by a full two years. It strengthens the heart muscle, improves its blood supply, and promotes circulation to every organ and system in the body; It helps control blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and resting heart rate and increases the body’s ability to use oxygen in the environment; This product burns calories, helps control weight, and increases lean body mass; It lowers one’s general risk of many types of cancer, increases intestinal motility, and decreases the risk for gallstones and diverticulitis; It cuts the risk of adult-onset diabetes by improving carbohydrate metabolism; It increases bone density, reverses bone loss, adds muscle and increases the body’s ability to burn calories at rest; It strengthens connective tissue, improves balance, speed, and coordination, and prevents falls; It is a powerful sleep aid, can enhance memory, and has a significant mood-altering benefit that reduces depression." Have you figured it out yet? Keep on reading.
 

The only cost of taking this product is your time. The product is automatically dispensed by actively moving your body in as little as 5-minute doses for a total of a half hour each day. Additional benefits are derived from longer and more active movements up to approximately 60 minutes per day.  Caution: this product is habit-forming, and can be highly addictive.

     If exercise were in pill form, it would be the biggest selling drug on the market. However, without an expensive sales force or promotional budget, many have never considered that its impact on overall health can be as great as a prescription medication. Your health is worth the investment of 30 minutes a day. Take your medications in their proper dosages; ALL of them.

     I’m up at 5:00 am to eat, hydrate, and pack the van for a short, 10-mile drive to Wesleyan College, which will serve as the start/finish for the 5K, half-marathon and marathon. After picking up my bib and chip I opt for another peanut butter sandwich and bottle of water. Hey, there’s still time for 20 minute nap in the back of the van.
     We line up at 7:00 am in perfect 40 deg temp’s. The first 4 miles carry us over rolling hills that meander through a number of beautiful neighborhoods where all the shrubs and trees are in full bloom, especially the cherry blossoms. I am employing my run/walk strategy and have established a friendly rapport with all the folks that leap-frog me while I take my walking breaks. Of course, some of these runners are using a similar tactic as mine but are on slightly differing schedules. After one hour the sun shows itself, and immediately I feel its’ effects. Fortunately, Old Man Sol is soon consumed by the clouds (thank you, thank you) and I lay to rest my concerns of high heat, humidity, sunburn etc. At the 6-mile aid station I visit a port-a-john. It’s not because I had to go, it’s because there was no line: if you can believe that. 
 

Here at 7-1/2, and unbeknownst to me, I am completely surrounded by ½-marathoners; and, when they veer left, I veer left. About ¾’s of a mile down the road I realize that no one I know is leap-frogging me! Immediately, I stop to take stock of the situation. Realizing the error of my way (get it), I begin retracing my steps back to the infamous fork in the road where I then head off in the correct direction.

I guess being this stupid would be disheartening to some, but I balance this with the knowledge that I am about produce a ‘serious’ negative split.  I devise a plan B. This is one that calls for me for me to walk less during the walking phase, and run more during the running phase, for the next 17.2 miles; but first I need to catch up to the sweep vehicle. I’ve just past the 10-mile mark and the course has taken on a hillier character (10 to 16 were HILLS). This suits me just fine because most runners at the back-of-the-pack don’t deal too well with serious hills in these longer races; consequently, I begin the reeling-in process. (Of the 104 marathoners I was able to pass 20 of them, counting the 3 DNF’s, and one police car)
 

I have now come to the gentle portion of the course and I’m still managing an up-tempo pace. As I pass by some of the runners, a few of them try to latch on to me (as would I) but it proves futile; I am a man on a mission. It seems that the tighter and sorer I get, the better I feel about my effort, and I push onward. Again I lengthen the running portion of my routine.

     At both 23 and at 24, I perform a body scan and conclude that I am feeling strong. To be honest, some fears have surfaced that I may be blowing myself out but I suppress these negative thoughts and hammer away.
     Well, this blowhard has arrived at 25 and the worm has turned. After much self-debate, I have convinced myself to at least run for 3 minutes and to walk for 1; however, that ‘up-tempo’ stuff seems to have ‘up-and-went’! All alone now, I cruise through the college campus. There is no one in front for me to catch, and there is no one behind who can catch me. Life is good.
Bananas, oranges, cookies, goo and medallions await us at the finish, as well as 60 deg temp’s. What a perfect day for a marathon.
 

Organization:   Great.

Traffic Control:   Great. There were police officers at every intersection and many volunteers.

Aid Stations:   Great. They were at 2-mile intervals w/water, power-ade and goo.

Course:   Outstanding. We trampled through many beautiful (upscale) neighborhoods, and the cherry blossoms were most impressive. I’m also quite bored with flat courses, so I really enjoyed running here. 

PS  After averaging 11:40’s for the 1st half of the race, I managed 10:40’s for the 2nd half.

     I slept in the van last night, 60 miles west of the D.C. beltway, and it rained the entire time. It has continued to rain for 4 more hours as I make my way eastward to O.C. (Ocean City, Maryland). After checking into the Alamo Court Motel (dump) I click on the weather channel only to discover that the prediction is for an 80% chance of rain (1”) for the race tomorrow morning. Yikes! Because I’ll be leaving the van near the finish line, I’m guessing that the time spent in the muster area at the start line will not be much fun.

5:00 am --- No Rain! I can’t believe my good fortune at ‘dodging raindrops’ these last few events. I guess I’m living right. The race starts right on time and for a short time we run on the boardwalk as the sun climbs its’ way up out of the Atlantic Ocean. We next make our way west across the ‘Highway 50 Bridge’ that connects the island to the mainland (O.C. West).

As most of you know, I employ a run/walk strategy in these longer events and I pretty much start out at the back of the pack. Consequently, once I reach the 2-mile mark no one passes me during the ‘run’ phase. Conversely, during the ‘walk’ phase it seems that the whole world is passing me by (Yuck!).
    I’m not enamored with the early stages of the marathon because it seems a person devotes a lot of energy trying to contain his ‘adrenaline’. For me, I usually don’t need to ‘listen to my body’ until mile 10, and today I detect no race-threatening problems, so it’s all system go. 

      At the 12-mile mark we come upon the Verrazono Bridge (HILL) that arches us over to Assateague Island. Still no rain but the winds on the bridges are -------- noticeable. (I’ve heard some real, weather-related horror stories about last years run.) After just 2 pit stops and a time of 2:22:47, I’ve reached the halfway point.

Man, now that the ½-marathoners have left the course, it’s really lonely out here. No one passes me as I walk, and I can only reel in 1 or 2 runners per mile. Now, I just passed the 20-mile mark: you know, that place where everyone is tired and everyone is sore. I swear, at this juncture it seems that one must pick-it-up just to maintain.

Here at 24 my modus operandi is to serious-up for the remainder of the race and focus all my energies on pushing just a little bit harder. (Ha) Aha, there’s the finish line and I cruise in under the clock for a final time of  4:47:10 (10:59/mile). The 2nd half has taken me 1:46 longer than the first half, and it required only one pit stop.

    The post race party is great fun, and it is situated right at the finish line. There were 177 marathoners and 24 relay runners. Also, there were 362 folks in the ½-marathon.

COURSE:   With the exception of the bridges, this is essentially a flat course.

AID STATIONS:   Well stocked and spaced out about every 2-1/2 miles.

COURSE CONTROL:   More than a sufficient number of volunteers and there were many, many
                                       police officers manning the intersections.

LOGISTICS:   This is a point-to-point race but not to worry, the buses and the shuttles were more than adequate.

PS  This proved to be a most enjoyable, week long vacation. Not only did I get to knock off another state, and visit my family in Pittsburgh (Super Bowl Champs) but I also got to take in 3 more ‘highpoints’.

W. Va. - Spruce Knob    4,860 ft
Penn. - Mount Davis    3,213 ft
Maryland - Backbone Mt   3,360 ft

     It has been said that walking is the best type of physical exercise. Some may agree and some may not. Walking can be described in many different ways, health walking, power walking, fitness walking, and my personal favorite, ‘Race Walking’. Many of you might already know that Race Walking is a very competitive sport.  Race Walking takes walking to the next level, and can be very rewarding. Several of the Greater Evansville Runners Walkers Club members are Race Walkers. In years past, there were as many as 30+ Race Walkers in our community. This number has been on a steady decline over the past few years, and I have seen several area races where only one or two competitive walkers are entered. I would like to see the number of walkers climb again and invite all interested parties to join our walking group at Wesselemans Park. We walkers meet every Tuesday evening for a group-walk, and there’s a good chance that you will find someone that will walk at your pace. 

     People can be intimidated by the term “Race Walker”. You may think that you need to be an experienced walker to participate, but this is not the case. Most Race Walkers start out as health walkers and even runners, and then convert as they learn more about the sport. I have seen runners take to walking as they are on the mend from injuries and then gradually work back up to running, Some had become very good walkers. Whatever level you might be, runner or walker, we encourage you to come to the park and walk with us. Who knows, there might be that hidden talent that you don’t know about and you might become one of the elite Race Walkers. See you at “The Park”.