This years Otter’s run  hopefully will be bigger and better than years past  The race will be July 28th and it’s a handicap race which means you get a head start for being an older runner.   Come check it out.  I promise you’ll love this format. 

     With two social runs under our belt it looks like they are here to stay.  Our first social run (pub run) had 19 runners take part with some fun socializing afterwards.  Watch for more information on this run on our web page.  If you have any ideas for social runs please forward them to me.

     The Summer Track Program started off well with over ninety participants this past week.  Looks like they will be a big hit this summer.

     The club is still looking for people to sit on the board and help plan our future. If you have two hours a month to give please think about it. 

     In closing, remember that all club members are welcome to attend our monthly meetings.  We meet the second Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM at the Central Library. 

    As always, if you have any club comments or concerns please contact me at msurunner@sbcglobal.net

Power-On! 
Gordon

Her gig is running. By starting a new fitness group in Indianapolis, she's trying to get others with MS interested in running, walking and general fitness.

"It will be an opportunity for us to get together to walk and run, foster friendships and share our experiences in a positive way," said Lyon, 46, of Bloomington.

The club kicks off the first of its weekly meetings at 6 p.m. June 5 at the Indiana School for the Blind, 7725 N. College Ave. Anyone with MS, and their family members, caretakers and health-care providers are welcome.

Lyon, one of about 100 national ambassadors with the MS LifeLines program, said people at all levels of fitness, including those in wheelchairs, can participate.

The club, called Live Your Life, Not Your MS Fitness Walking and Running Club, is a pilot activity of MS LifeLines, a Web-based educational support service to the MS community.

Initially, the group will walk and run on the Monon Trail. Other meetings could involve guest speakers. Lyon wants to develop the club around the needs of those who attend.

"It's for all of us to embrace everything we can do and not focus on things we can't do," she said.

For Lyon, running and subscribing to a healthy lifestyle have been an integral part of her sustained health. She started running in 1998; in 2002, she was diagnosed with MS, a chronic, progressive disease of the central nervous system. Before and after she was diagnosed, she ran 14 marathons, including Boston, San Diego and Chicago.

"I'm not the runner I used to be," she said. "But I want to be able to run in some capacity as long as I can."

     GERWC is proud to announce the winners of the Club Scholarships for 2007. These two $500.00 awards are given to an outstanding Senior Boy and Girl who have participated in Cross Country and/or track in their senior year, and who will attend college next year. This year there were approximately 20 applicants for these scholarships.

     The award to the outstanding girl is presented to Stephanie Wuerth of Castle High School. It is hard to decide where to start when you talk about Stephanie’s accomplishments. You undoubtedly saw her picture in the Evansville Courier and Press as one of the valedictorians of her class and she was named a National Merit Finalist. People who are smart enough to be National Merit Finalists are usually smart enough to find a sport that doesn’t require the sweat and discomfort of Cross Country, but in Stephanie’s case she ran all four years where she led her team to the Semi-State (all four years), qualified as an individual at that level, and was named to the Academic All State Team for this year. She has been a class representative in the student council all four years, has participated in the “Mathmagicians” math club, and the Science Club—where she has won awards in the Indiana State Math Contest and the Science Quiz Bowl. She was chosen to represent Castle for the Richard Lugar (by the way, also a well known jogger and runner) Symposium for Tomorrow’s Leaders, and was chosen to attend a Stanford University High School Summer college course where she took courses in Biochemistry and U.S.-China Relations during the summer of 2006. Other than that, she hasn’t done much! The GERWC Scholarship is extremely proud (and frankly a little intimidated-- given the fact that the three judges could only get to a 4.0 grade point average ourselves if we added our 3 GPAs together) to present this award to Stephanie and we wish her wonderful luck in whatever she undertakes in the future. We know she will be outstanding at whatever she undertakes. 

     And as marvelous as Stephanie’s record is, our male award winner Jonathan Spradley of Memorial High School and his parents have just as much to be proud of. Jonathan has a 5.543 GPA at Memorial and is a member of the National Honor Society. He has participated in track for 4 years and in Cross Country for the last 2 after he decided to give up soccer for our sport. He is active in the Christ the King Music Group, which performs at masses, and has been active in the Key Club, a service organization. Jonathan’s essay struck a number of chords with the judges when he admitted that from time to time he wondered why he put himself through the aches and pains and soreness that running (especially in a competitive high school program) brings. But he realizes, he says, that he “puts up with all of those things because I love what running has brought into my life. I love being able to go out and run wherever I am and relieve some of the stresses that I may have. I also love all of the relationships that I have made through running. . . In most other sports a person is not able to really talk to their teammates, but in Cross country and track, when we go on longer runs, we can talk to each other and really have some great conversations…. The beauty of being a runner is that whenever I get older and am no longer running for competition purposes I know that I can still call up a few friends and we can go on a run together . . . Sometimes I see a very old man or woman out running and I wonder if I will still be running when I am that old. The answer to that question is yes because I know that running is a lifetime sport . . . Running has been a staple of my life, and I look for it to continue to be one”. The GERWC Judges think we want to give Jonathan a small hand here if we can, because we look forward to seeing him in our running community for many years into the future.  (Even though we are a little worried that the “very old man” Jonathan sees out running is probably one of us!) So our congratulations go to Jonathan and his parents as well and we hope the scholarship—as modest as it is—will help him reach his other goals.

     Drinking enough fluids is essential for top athletic performance.  Unfortunately, many active people pay too little attention to proper hydration and fail to include adequate fluids in their sports diet.  They fatigue early and needlessly hurt their performance.

If you sweat heavily and lose too much fluid, you reduce your ability to provide adequate circulation to both the muscles and body surface.  This not only hurts your performance but also endangers your health because body fluids have important jobs.  Fluid in the blood transports glucose to the muscles and carries away lactic acid.  Urine eliminates waste products.  Sweat dissipates heat via the skin.  By using the following tips, you can help keep your body well hydrated.

Fluids during training

      On a daily basis, make sure you drink enough fluid.  You can easily determine if you have had enough to drink by monitoring the volume and color of your urine.

1. You should urinate every two to four hours throughout the day.  The urine should be a light color, like lemonade, and in significant quantity.  If the urine is dark, concentrated and scanty, you need to consume more water, juice and other fluids.  Note:  If you take vitamin pills, your urine may be dark colored.  Monitor hydration by the quantity of urine and darkness of color.

2. To increase awareness of your sweat losses during exercise, weigh yourself before and after a hard workout.  Each pound lost represents one pound (16 ounces) of sweat.  During training, practice replacing sweat losses accordingly, and try to lose <2% of your weight. 3. You don’t have to drink only water for fluids.  Juice, sports drinks, soft drinks, and watery fluids such as yogurt, oranges, melon and soup have a high water content that contributes to overall fluid balance.

4. Be aware that beer, wine and alcohol can hurt your performance.  If you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, be sure to first quench your thirst with other fluids (and eat carbohydrates to fuel your muscles).  That is, drink two glasses of water, eat some pretzels, then have a beer, if desired.

Fluids before hard endurance exercise

1. The day before, drink extra water, juice and other fluids to be sure your body is well hydrated. 2. The morning of the event, drink at least 16 ounces of fluids up to two hours prior to the start.  Because the kidneys require 45 to 90 minutes to process liquids, two hours allows adequate time for you to empty your bladder before the start of the event. 3. Five or ten minutes before start-time, “tank up” on another 8 to 16 ounces of water or sports drink.

Fluids during hard exercise

1. Drink 8 to 10 ounces of water, sports drink or diluted juice every 20 minutes.  Because you may be sweating three times this amount, you may still have a fluid deficit.  Stop drinking if your stomach is “sloshing.” 2. Prevent dehydration by drinking adequate fluids early in the event.  Drink before you get thirsty!  By the time your brain signals thirst, you will have lost 1% of your body weight (1.5 lbs or 24 ounces of sweat for a 150 lb. person).  By 2% dehydration (3 lbs. sweat loss), you have reduced your work capacity by 10 to 15%.

Fluids after exercise

1. Drink to quench your thirst, and then drink even more.  Because the thirst mechanism inadequately indicates whether or not you’ve taken enough fluids, you’ll have to tell by monitoring your urine.  If several hours pass without your having to urinate, you are still dehydrated.  Keep drinking!

2. Juices (such as orange, apple, cranberry) replace not only fluid but also offer more carbohydrates than do most sports drinks.  Drinking 16-24 ounces within the hour after exercise helps muscles refuel and recover.

Water vs. sports drinks

For the casual exerciser, water is always appropriate.  Water is convenient, familiar and satisfies your body’s needs.  For highly competitive athletes who exercise intensely for an hour, and for endurance athletes who expend large amounts of energy for more than an hour, a sports drink during exercise will optimize fluid absorption and retention, and enhance stamina and endurance.  The beverage should offer 50 to 80 calories per 8 ounces plus a little sodium.  Be sure to experiment during training to learn which flavors of sports drinks settle best in your stomach.

Sodium replacement

 Sweat contains not only water but also small amounts of sodium (and other electrolytes) that keep your body in fluid balance.  You lose small amounts of sodium when you sweat, but you do not deplete your body’s stores – except possibly under extreme circumstances such as exercising for more than 4 to 6 hours in the heat.  Most athletes can easily replace sodium losses by eating pretzels, soup, pizza, and other standard food after exercise.  Commercial fluid replacement drinks are generally weak sources of sodium compared to what you can get in your recovery meal.  The sodium in sports drinks is added to enhance fluid absorption and retention, not to replace sweat losses.

Bell’s Bodies Senior Olympics (05/30/2005)

For women attending high school in the pre-Title IX era of the 1950’s and 60’s, participation in varsity sports was not an option. Those who enjoyed the thrill of basketball competition were limited to intramural-type activities or “alleyball” and could never hope for the satisfaction of belonging to an organized team or earning an athletic scholarship. So what is a girl to do if she missed the thrill of competitive basketball in her teens and decades later still desires above all else to prove herself on the court? Just ask Sharon Barbarette, the founder of Indiana’s first women’s basketball team in the National Senior Olympics. She would tell you to bide your time until you turn 50, then create a team and pursue your dream. That is exactly what the Lady Hoosiers are doing. At an age where most women are experiencing menopausal bone loss, moving less and weighing more, Sharon and nine hand-picked women have laced up their sneakers and started pumping iron. They’ve traded bridge and bingo for a rigorous four-night a week basketball practice schedule. Their goal? It’s to win the Women’s Three on Three Over-50 Basketball Title in the National Senior Olympics June 5, 2005 in Pittsburgh.

From the youngest team member, a mere age 50, to the most senior member at age 66, the women’s ages are as diverse as their occupations—school principal, retired PE teacher, wellness coordinator, hospice nurse, district manager, drug court director. But they speak with passion about the bond between them that has grown and made them one—the camaraderie of teamwork and love for the game of basketball. Sheila Huff, the tough-talking, no-nonsense, 50-something year old principal of Glenwood Middle School is the most competitive team member. Although a lifelong athlete, Sheila

     These courageous women have shown that the desire for competition defies age limits. The human body has the ability to adapt to a training stimulus at any age with proper preparation, determination, and desire. This entire experience has made the women more aware of their health and increased their commitment to stay at the top of their game through practice and exercise. After all, the 2008 National Senior Olympics will be held in Louisville. And these ladies hope to repeat! 

     For 2 days I have been driving in and out of rainstorms as I make my way west through Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska. (Do you think that’s where the term ‘driving rainstorm’ originated?) The local radio stations are predicting heavy rains, hail, and possible tornadoes for Saturday evening in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Ouch. And, there’s a 60% chance of rain with 20 – 30 mph winds for those of us taking on the Lincoln Marathon. www.LincolnRun.org

     I pay a visit to the expo, which takes place at the Embassy Suites Hotel and then I mosey on over to the free pasta dinner held on the University of Nebraska campus in a building for the sole use of the alumni; very nice. Midway through dinner a nasty lightning storm accompanied with high winds pays us an unwelcomed visit.
 

I have found a parking lot where I’ll shut it down for the night. After a short break in the weather it begins raining at midnight and continues non-stop until 5:00 am when it lessens it’s intensity to an acceptable drizzle. After eating and hydrating in the van, I make my way over to the race start line; it’s raining.     Finally, 2 hours into the race, the rain comes to a halt. I’m purposely holding myself back in hopes of saving my legs for my next 2 events in Washington and Oregon, but it’s really hard to not put forth my best effort. I’m experiencing a good race with the normal aches and pain that one comes to expect in a marathon (and in old age). Miles 15 thru 19 prove to be a real ‘bear’ as I struggle directly into a serious headwind. I finally make my way onto the chip mat located at the 20-mile mark (3:52:23) and there’s a readout that predicts ones finishing time (5:10:28). What the computer fails to ‘compute’ is the slowing effects of a headwind and the helpful push that a tailwind provides. I cross

the finish in 5:08:26 (5:03:26 chip time). I beat my projected time by 2 minutes. Believe me, this newfound speed of mine can only be attributed to the helpful tailwind that nudged me along from 21 to 25. 

RUNNERS:  The ½ marathoners started with us full marathoners and we ran together for approximately 13 miles. This is the reason that it took me 5 minutes to get to the start line but I have no problem with that in a chip-timed race. There were 1074 marathoners. I was 21st out of 29 in my age group.

COURSE:  This is a flat (Boston qualifier) course but I’ll never recommend any race that is held on a course that is 95% concrete. Yuck!

VOLUNTEERS:  Plentiful and cheerful, in spite of the rain.

AID STATIONS: Sufficient, mainly fluids.
 

I’ve gone to van and grabbed my ‘shower bag’ and made my way back to the phys ed building where free 20 minute massages are available. I’m limping noticeably! All during the run my right ankle was hurting; but like most marathoners I believed if I ignored the pain it would cease to exist. Not so grasshopper. Someone has to explain to me how a person can run 26.2 miles on a bad ankle but cannot walk on it!      I’ve decided to ‘get out of Dodge (Lincoln)’ before tomorrows’ morning rush hour traffic bottles me up in town so I’m making my west on Hwy 80 in hopes of finding an upscale restaurant where I might reward myself with some ‘fine dinning’. Big mistake, I’ve been driving for 100 miles in, yet another driving rainstorm, and I’m forced to settle for a so-so eatery. After dinner I decide to head back onto the highway until I come upon the next rest-stop

but before I can locate such a place I espy a sign for a Perkins Restaurant, so I exit the roadway and find an acceptably ‘dark’ spot in the parking lot. Now I won’t have to drive before breakfasting tomorrow morning.
     Throughout the night, as I lie in the van, my ankle continues to worsen. In the morning, as I make my way into the restaurant, I cannot put any weight on this stupid, @#$%^&* ankle. I’ve discussed this issue with myself for an hour and have made the heart-wrenching decision to turn back; curtailing my ‘2007 Triple”. I really don’t care to drive another 1600 miles to Tacoma and not be able to run, and then turn around and drive another 2300 miles to Indiana. Besides, on June 23rd I’m heading out to run my 7th continent and I will not risk jeopardizing that trip.

Ps It rained every day of this trip, I messed up my ankle while running my ‘slowest’ marathon; and, while driving the 750 miles home, I had to deal with the aftermath of yesterdays’ tornadoes. As I was driving on highway 2, the eastbound (me) lane was fine but the westbound lane was UNDERWATER. Also, interstate 29, which is the north/south connector out of Kansas City, was shut down and I was rerouted over the back-roads of Iowa just to get back to 70E. I later read that Kansas suffered the most devastation brought on by this latest series of violent storms. Oh yeah, my a/c went out and I had to suffer through stop-and-go traffic in and around St. Louis in 94 deg weather. And yet, I can’t think of a single thing I’d rather be doing with my life!