Electronic Newsletter - September 2007
Table of Contents
Select an Item to Read the Following Articles
President's Message
Member Spotlight on
Becky Kiesel
Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!
2007 Prefontaine Classic Answer Person A Running Traditon
100 Miles in 24 Hours
Things I Think I Think
BellBodies Corner
Jerry's Journals
Oceania


President's Message

Dear Members,

      Although it has been an extremely hot and dry summer, runners and walkers in Evansville are finding ways to deal with the heat and still participate in many of our area events and club runs.  GERWC is continually looking for new ways to increase our awareness in the community and to support activities that help our local athletes meet their personal goals. 

GERWC Online – Our website is easier than ever to find!  GERWC recently registered the following two domain names so that runners and walkers in the Evansville area can easily check for club updates and race results.  In addition to our original website address www.gerwc.com; you may now find us at www.evansvillerunning.com and www.evansvillewalking.com.  Please share this information with other runners and walkers.

Summer Track Meet – This summer’s program included four meets with 184 participants.  This is the second highest attendance recorded since the beginning of this yearly program (highest was 194 participants over five meets), and a record in terms of the average attendance per meet!  Congratulations to all who took part in this yearly program.  I would like to thank all the volunteers who assisted with timing as well as Becky Keisel for her work in getting everyone registered. In particular, I extend my appreciation to Mike Boatman of ‘Tri-State Runner’ for all his support of this year’s program, which included a cash donation.

Grand Prix – Earlier this year, the GERWC put together a contest spanning ten Evansville running events that allows runners (and walkers, in a separate category) to compete against others in their age group by accumulating points for placing/participating in events.  Points are awarded based upon a person's finishing position in his/her age group. 

After four events the competition is on!  We have 99 club members participating in the event.  For the standings after four events, visit the GERWC website.  Trophies will be awarded at our banquet in February, 2008! 

Monthly Pub Runs – We continue to have monthly pub runs on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm.  We’ve had more than 22 people participating each month.  Come join us for a run and a little socializing afterwards.  Watch for the dates of future runs on our Message Board.  Runners of all levels are welcome!


 

GERWC Board – If you’d like to get more involved in GERWC activities and have some time to spare, we are always looking for new members for the cub’s board.  New ideas are always welcome and we have found that this is a great way to keep our club growing.  If you’re interested in joining the GERWC board, please let me know (459-5930 or msurunner@sbcglobal.net . 

See you at the races!

Gordon Benfield
President


Member Spotlight on Becky Kiesel
By Lou Slaces, Running Reporter
      I had just finished enjoying the blessed spray from a fire truck midway through that summer scorcher they call the Lauffenfest 5k, when a diminutive lady went speeding past me leaving me in the dust. Of course I recognized her as Becky Kiesel. Now, being passed in Haubstadt by a Kiesel is not all that unusual. There are so darn many of those Kiesels there that you can hardly walk a block without one of them going by you. But I have to admit that my feelings were hurt a little by how quickly she sped past me and out of sight. At least my feelings weren't hurt quite so much when I talked with her afterwards about the fact that she started running in high school competing in the 100-220-440 and the 80-yard hurdles, so obviously she has some speed. At least she claimed to have speed but when I asked a number of old Haubstadt High guys whether Becky was a fast women, they all said no. Maybe she has just gotten to be a faster runner as she has matured. Becky said she stopped running after high school for a while when she had children, but that after they were a little older she got back into running and has been at it ever since. Her kids, Chet, (age 26) and Dixxie (age 27) are in the Evansville and Bloomington areas respectively. By the way, Dixxie must have grown up fairly tough since she ended up a lady rugby player at Indiana University, but I am having a hard time attributing those rugby traits to Becky's genes. Her husband rides motorcycles, though apparently not all that well, as he has been in the hospital with a motorcycle induced broken kneecap for the better part of this summer.

     Becky works at Bristol-Myers, but Old Lou has never found out exactly what she does over there. Becky is a workhorse for our club, being on the board, taking care of membership, helping with the summer track meets and always there to set up, to take down, and to do whatever is necessary. If there is a list of people the club can't do without, she is high up on that list.

Becky at the 2007 Laufenfest in Haubstadt, Indiana

     I asked her what the secret was to her long tenure as a runner and she said the key was to not worrying about time. Starting and finishing is what’s important to her, and if when on a run she feels the need to take a break, she does. And, if her training wears her down a bit, she takes a short break. She continues to run because she likes the good feeling of being fit that running provides. At times, she has run through a couple of bouts of real tough times. Also, Becky wears pink at the Susan Kommen Race each year. The girl has got a whole lot of "hang tough” in her.

     Look for Becky at her favorite race, the Evansville Mini-Marathon this fall. I asked her for a tip as to how to run faster on those occasions when she wants to do well. She said she tells herself "my kids are in trouble and they need help" and that mental thought enables her to run faster. Old Lou tried that tactic in a recent run, but thinking that Becky's kids might be in trouble didn't make me run one bit faster; so, I guess I’m going to have to check with her again on how I might create my very own mantra. Anyhow, the next time you see a giant red Cadillac driven by a small girl pass you by, wave to Becky. She's probably on her way to a club function somewhere, and you should try to tag along, if you can keep up!

Becky taking registrations at the 2006 Otter's Stadium 5K.
See you on the roads soon.
Lou


Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!

Ray Rayl 5K
Where:
Time:
When:		 SWIRCA
9:00am
October 27, 2007

Packet pick-up  and registration will begin at 7:30 am
 at the SWIRCA building located at 16 W. Virginia St. 

The proceeds raised from this event are divided between SWIRCA, which services the elderly and disabled in our community, and the ‘Ray Rayl Scholarship Fund’, through the auspices of the Greater Evansville Runners Walkers Club. 

Kathy Goebel, the recipient of the 2006 Ray Rayl Scholarship, is a graduate of Mater Dei High School and a current USI student has recently been named to the 2007 Academic All American Cross Country team.


2007 Prefontaine Classic
By Mark Jones
     As my own running has progressed in recent years, I have become more of a follower of the best American and international distance runners.  It amazes me to see what elite runners are capable of and what it takes to compete at the highest levels.  While American distance runners have not been consistently competitive on the world scene in the past several years, there appears to be a resurgence, as an increasing number of young American athletes are beginning to make an impact.  

     The sport of Track and Field and distance running at the elite level is not as popular here in the United States, as it is, say in Europe.  However, there are a handful of meets held each spring in the United States that draw high level international fields.  These are opportunities for American runners to mix it up with some of the best runners in the world, including those from Kenya and Ethiopia – two countries which have dominated distance running over the past 15 years.

     A few weeks ago, while on vacation with my family in the Northwest, I had the opportunity to attend the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon (a.k.a. “Tracktown USA”).  The Prefontaine (or “Pre”) Classic is the premiere elite invitational track and field meet in the United States.  It is named in honor of legendary distance runner Steve Prefontaine, who ran for the University of Oregon.  The meet is held at University of Oregon’s Hayward Field – a top notch facility dedicated exclusively to Track and Field.  The Track and Field trials for the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be held at Hayward Field next summer.

     While the events contested at the Pre Classic included several sprint and field events, the main attractions at Pre are typically the distance races.  This year, the distance events were men’s and women’s 800m, women’s 1500m, men’s 3000m steeplechase, men’s 2 mile, and the men’s mile.



     Among the distance races, only the men’s 800m resulted in an American winner.  Nick Symmonds, who resides in Eugene and runs for the Oregon Track Club was able to narrowly chase down Russian and World Champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy for the win in 1:44.54 – the second fastest 800m time run in the world in 2007 -  also a meet record.  This race was certainly a highlight for the local fans. 

     The men’s two mile was very entertaining as well.  The talented field included American’s Alan Webb, Matt Tegenkamp, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Adam Goucher, as well as international stars such as Australian Craig Mottram, Ethiopia’s Tariku Bekele, and Zersenay Tadesse (2007 World Cross-Country Champion) of Eritrea.  Mottram ran very strong for the win in a fast time of 8:03.5, out kicking Bekele, who finished 2nd in 8:04.83.  Mottram’s time was a U.S. all-comers, Pre Classic, Hayward Field, and Australian national record.  Another exciting highlight was the performance of Tegenkamp, who ran a great race, finishing third in 8:07.07, which improved on the American Record by over 4 seconds.

Men's 2 Mile Start

     The meet concluded with the running of the Bowerman Mile, which featured a host of talented Kenyans along with Kenyan born American citizen Bernard Lagat.  Lagat and Webb are two of America’s best milers, and the hope is that they will challenge for World Championship and Olympic medals this year and next in the 1500m. 

     The mile finished at an amazingly fast pace, as Lagat and Kenyan Daniel K. Komen battled ahead of the main pack.  Komen opened a gap on Lagat over the last 300m and Lagat was unable to close it.  Komen won in a blistering 3:48.28, to the delight of the fans.  This was the fastest mile ever run on American soil.  Lagat, also impressed with a 3:50.56 for second. 

     No sooner did the mile finish, than a downpour ensued, sending the fans quickly out of the stadium to their cars.  As the fans rushed to the exit, a large backhoe moved into the infield to ceremonially begin renovations to Hayward Field to prepare it for next years’ Olympic Trials. 

     A personal highlight for me was a post – meet encounter with Webb, who was running a solitary cool-down in a nearby cemetery.  Webb had a disappointing race earlier in the 2 mile, but he was gracious enough to stop his run long enough for an autograph and a photo.  A nice finish to a great day at the Pre Classic in Tracktown USA,  and a great start to our vacation.


Answer Person
 What advice can you give me about exercising in hot and humid weather?

                                  Stifling in Spencer

Don't.

                                   ANSWERPERSON


A Running Tradition
By Jane Hemmer

“Mom, when I come home for Thanksgiving, I want to run the Thanksgiving Day 5K.  Could you walk it?”


2006 Thanksgiving Day 5K Start

     My daughter had just started running during the summer, joining her friends who are regular runners. I decided to surprise her and actually run the 5K with her.  No matter that I had never run before and it was already the beginning of October, I could do it.  How hard could it be to run?  So the next trip to the gym, instead of my regular fast walking workout, I ran...for about 2 minutes!  It was evident that I needed help…a lot of help.  Accepting the advice of the gym director, I trained by walking a couple of minutes, running a couple, walking, running and slowly built up my stamina.  The next month, I did surprise my daughter when I started running alongside her during one of her morning runs. 

     I had to walk part of the Thanksgiving Day 5K but my daughter gave me constant encouragement.  We ran (I ran/walked) the Jingle Bell 5K and we raced the New Year’s 4K relay. (Note to self: when the wind is blowing at you, unzip your jacket completely or you will turn into a human sail.)  We had a great time at each event, meeting other runners and sharing in the camaraderie..

     When my daughter left for the western states and wonderful weather, I kept up my training throughout the suddenly chilly winter, running mostly on the treadmill.  I called my daughter and excitedly reported when I ran a mile without walking, then 2 and then a 5K. She let me know about her milestones: 7 miles, 8 miles, 9 miles.  I got training advice from her and other runners.  Friends and family cheered on my running progress.  Each race presented new challenges--the Mater Dei 5K killed my legs on the first hill, not to mention the other hills—had to walk part of that one.  But I did run the Spring Scurry 5K and then the Henderson Habitat 5K.  Faces were becoming familiar and I found that racers/walkers are so very friendly and encouraging.  I finally got up to 10K on the treadmill.  My husband started calling me an athlete! 


2007 Toyota 8K

     I signed up my 5-year-old grandson for his first race at the Toyota 8K.  I ran outside his ¼ mile course, talking him through it, cheering him on.  He finished tired but ecstatic.  Then I did the 8K.  (Another note to self:  if your bib number is missing from the front of your bib belt, check your back before frantically looking for the bib number on the ground--you’ll have more energy left for the race.)  It was my longest race so far and very exhausting and I had to walk part of it.  I was determined to run the last part…I could see my family waiting near the finish.  And then my grandson ran out to me and ran me in, cheering me on like I had with him earlier!  I was almost in tears I was so touched.  When we were talking later, he wanted to know when the next race was. He had made some new friends and wanted to run with them again.  He is already learning the joys of running. 

“Mom, I’m flying in to run the half marathon in October,
will you run it with me?”
And so it continues!  What a great sport this is! 

 Jane Hemmer
      (runner)



100 miles in 24 hours
By Kevin Setnes
Paul Olson recently asked for advice on reaching 100 miles in 24 hours.
The 1/8-mile track does not sound very inviting to most of us,
 but depending on the size of the field, you are more than 
capable of reaching 100 miles in 24 hours. Some tips:
1. Pacing is critical, especially in the first few hours. Go out very conservatively. Create a plan where you forget about laps (but not about using your counter). Try a run/walk strategy such as 20 minutes of running followed by 10 minutes of walking. Continue this pattern for each half hour for as long as you possibly can.

2. Obviously, eat and drink while walking. Have your food and drink prepared in bottles and baggies. Label them by the hour. This saves valuable time, as you do not want to waste time searching for things. When you come by your drop bag, just swoop down with your hand and pick up the item you desire while on the move. If you have a handler - great, but give that person a detailed set of instructions.


3. Aim for 50 percent of your calories from liquid and 50% from solids.  Maintain a fairly routine breakdown of 70% carbohydrates, 20% protein and 10% fat.  BCCA (Aminos) supplements work well, especially at night. (Muscularity, Amino Fuel by Twin Labs).

4. Easy on the turns. Will they reverse direction every few hours?  Hopefully they will, otherwise you may encounter some joint and/or foot problems.

5. Speaking of feet, stay as blister free as possible. Quality socks(Ultimax), properly fitted shoes and dry feet will go a long way in protecting your feet. Vasoline works for some; duct tape on the ball of the foot or nylon socks are other suggestions. It is recommended you experiment first with each of these items.

6. Don't stop (unless it is to use the bathroom or change socks/shoes).  Create a set of goals and keep repeating them to yourself. Justify this madness that you are putting yourself through. If you have a friend or a crew, brief them on what you'll need to hear to keep yourself motivated.
7. Bring everything you can think of. You are only a very short distance from your drop bag, so take advantage of this and organize the hell out of your bags and food/drink box.

8. Partner-up with your fellow competitors. Bond with them and help each other through the rough periods.

 


These are just a few suggestions (in brief).  
Kevin Setnes
lks014@email.mot.com


Things I Think I Think

Any activity that strengthens your running
muscles makes you more injury resistant.
Don’t just think quadriceps, either. “It’s 
important to work antagonist muscles such as
the hamstrings, hip flexors, and hip extensors”.
                                                     Jack Daniels




BellBodies Corner
 High Intensity Training Has Advantages Over Toning
Reprinted with the permission of Lisa Bell

     Do you pay off your credit card bill each month? What happens if you charge things you don’t have the money to pay for? Leaving a balance on your credit card from month to month is a common financial mistake that can rapidly lead to insurmountable debt. Yet the majority of Americans have thousands of dollars on their credit cards at any given moment.

    The same “have it now-worry about it later” mentality contributes to our nationwide obesity epidemic. We consume the things we want today without knowing whether we are creating overages for tomorrow. During the holiday season this translates to an average 5-pound weight gain. Without a clear understanding of our calorie “credit limit,” overspending is virtually automatic.
     Our bodies are designed to gain energy from the food and drink in our diets and expend energy through activity and metabolism. We measure the impact food has on the body in calories, a basic unit of heat energy. In order for weight to remain stable, energy from food (calories in) must roughly equal energy used for work (calories out).  The problem is that most Americans do not fully understand the metabolic impact of calories. Since consuming calories is effortless in a food-abundant society, we underestimate our calorie “spending.” Then, we wrongly assume they are just as easy to take off—a far cry from the truth. It takes less than 10 seconds to consume 100 calories. But it takes about 15 minutes, or a brisk one-mile walk (2,000 steps) to burn them off.

     Not knowing how many calories you eat in a day is like not knowing how much money you are spending. It will become clear when you cannot pay off the bills, or when you cannot buckle your belt.

     Maintaining a food diary can give you an idea of your caloric intake (see www.bellbodies.com for sample food diary and calorie info links). People have been shown to underestimate the amount of food they eat by 40% when relying on memory. Recording portion sizes and corresponding calorie values from our everyday diet can clue us in to the reason behind an expanding waistline.

     Factors such as age, weight, and gender influence our calorie output, or the amount of calories we metabolize on a daily basis. Think of this number as your calorie credit limit. Men burn more calories than women due to their larger size and greater muscle mass. So men can eat more food than women without gaining weight. Aging decreases caloric need by 5% per decade, and menopause makes women conserve an additional 100 calories per day. Thus, older people need less food than they did when they were younger.  In the same way people have different abilities to pay off their credit card debt, they also may find it harder or easier to lose weight. Physical activity may part of the reason. Inactive people (take less than 5,000 steps per day) add only about 30% to their baseline calorie output through activity. Logging an ultra-active 10,000 daily steps ramps that up to 70%.

     You can estimate your calorie credit limit by multiplying your current weight in pounds by 13. For example, a 120-pound person would need about 1,560 calories per day to maintain their body weight. Each 2,000 steps you take adds another 100 calories to your credit limit. Then compare the total estimate to your food diary.

    
     A pound of body fat accumulates when intake exceeds output by 3500 calories. This happens whether or not you’re aware of it. So live within your means this holiday season. Know your calorie credit limit and your spending habits, and you’ll have less to pay back in 2005. Author’s note: The nutritional information in this article has been reviewed and approved by Breann Ellis, RD. Breann can be reached at breannellis@hotmail.com.



Jerry's Journals
Oceania

My mother and father are slow, as are my 5 brothers and sisters, 3 children and
 4 grandchildren. I trust you can then understand why none of my running goals
 revolve around a clock. On this trip I hope to fulfill my primary running goal of
 completing a marathon on all 7 continents. To date I’ve run the following:

N. America (I’ve run in Ontario Canada, Wash DC,
and a marathon or ultra in 31other states.)
05/2004 Asia Huangyaguan China (The Great Wall Marathon)
02/2005 Antarctica (The Last Marathon)
03/2005  S. America Ushuaia Argentina              (The Fin del Mondo)
06/2006 Europe St. Petersburg Russia    (The White Nights Marathon)
03/2007 Africa Moshi Tanzani   (The Kilimanjaro Marathon)
07/2007 Oceania Surfers Paradise Australia (?The Gold Coast Marathon?)

Now you better understand the overriding importance of this particular event.


Oceania is the smallest of the 7 continents. The marathon is held in Australia, the largest island in the world. While some contend it is a ‘continental land mass’: thus, it should not be considered an island: the Aussies’ beg to differ.


60 million year old Australia is now home to 21 million outgoing, friendly people with 80%

of them living within 100km of a coast. One percent of these folks are Aboriginal:

 

We are all visitors

To this time, this place.

We are all just passing through.

Our purpose here is to observe,

To learn, to grow, to love…...

And then we return home.

                             Aboriginal Proverb



Australia consist of 6 states and 2 territories and the capitol city of
Canberra (CAN-burr-a) lies midway between Melbourne and Sydney on the east coast.

Day 1:    (23/06/2007)

John Luecke drops me at the airport where I proceed directly to the counter and I’m greeted with “Your flight to Dallas will be departing 40 minutes late”: and so it begins.

Day 2:    (24/06/2007)

This day never dawned (for us) as we crossed the International Date Line. The flight from L.A. to Sydney was tough: we were glued to the tarmac at L.A. resulting in a late departure. Much later, we were forced to make an unscheduled stop at Brisbane because we were ‘low on gas’!!! Get this, the people whose final destination was Brisbane were not permitted to deplane. Instead, they were forced to fly to Sydney and then catch a return flight to Brisbane???? Anyhow, we were onboard for 17 straight hours.

Day 3:    (25/06/2007)

We are met at the Sydney Airport and transferred to the ‘Old Sydney Holiday Inn’ located in the historic area called the “Rocks”. This proves to be a great location as it is most convenient to our planned activities.

Sydney is the capitol city of New South Wales, which lies in southern Australia. 
It’s the oldest, and the largest city in the country, boasting a population of 5 million.

After a lunch of “Australian’ pizza we’re taken on an afternoon bus tour of the city. Over the years I’ve come to appreciate these tours more and more. Today’s obvious highlights (for me) are the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, which was designed by John Utzon and was completed in 1974, and the coastline.

Following 2 hours of downtime we meet at the Waterfront Restaurant for a ‘Welcome to Australia’ seafood dinner. 

Day 4:    (26/06/2007)

            I enjoy a calming breakfast at the hotel before heading off for the ‘Sydney Bridge Climb’. It’s a short walk in a light drizzle and the 25 of us are raring to go.

            There’s a pre-climb ritual that includes a movie, a safety talk, and a Breathalyzer test. After passing through a metal detector, we don special clothing from head-to-toe including rain gear. There are also gloves, a hat, and a headset (to hear our guide) that all attach to our clothing by one method or another. Finally we put on a harness complete with a lanyard that will attach to a cable that runs the entirety of our route. Whew!

This bridge is the largest, widest, single-span bridge in the world. It is held together with 6 million 
rivets, twice the number used in the Eiffel Tower. The arch alone weighs more than 30,000 tons!

            As we proceed up one side of the bridge it becomes obvious that Mary Beth, who is directly behind me, is petrified of heights. In spite of her great fear, she follows along. Another example of why I go on these group trips; to see people rise up to meet the challenge. It inspires me to try harder than I might otherwise dare. Once we are at mid-span, and after posing for a group photo, we cross over at the apex of the span to the other side of the bridge for our return trip. Far below us there are 8 lanes of car traffic and 2 sets of railroad tracks; there goes a train now!

            Everyone is euphoric after our mini-adventure and I personally am sky-high. I’ve found heaven and who would have believed it was ‘down-under’. There are 2 hours of calm before our harbour cruise; ergo, I rush back to the hotel so that I may fully enjoy an adrenaline-jammed 3-miler along the coastline; albeit in a light drizzle. No matter what happens the next 12 days, this vacation is already an unqualified success because this ‘climb’ has been on my wish-list for many years.

            Well it’s time for us to head down to Quay #2 for our 1-1/2 hour cruise up and down the harbour. In spite of the not-so-ideal weather, this proves to be an enjoyable way to spend the evening. Later I get in some much needed shopping. Tomorrow is booked solid so if one hopes to do anything extra, it must be done today. See you tomorrow.                                   (A number of our group took in the opera.)

Day 5:    (27/06/2007)

            After another scrumptious breakfast we board the bus at 7:45 for our hiking trip in the Blue Mountains. “Why Blue Mountains” you might ask? Well allow me to explain as best I can. The eucalyptus tree is the predominate tree in this neck of the woods (tree – woods, get it) with over 300 varieties (of which only 26 are favored by the Koala Bear). The leaves give off a gas that when struck by sunlight acts as a prism and renders a blue hue to the tree-covered mountain.

            Alas, high water has flooded the causeway blocking our progress so our driver is forced to resort to “Plan B’, but only after we pull into a nearby park for tea and cakes. We next stop at a huge rock that serves as an overlook that offers up spectacular views. However, it is most difficult to take photos because the very high winds make it impossible to stand steady long enough to get a decent shot.

            Blown back onboard the tour bus, we make our way over to the trailhead where, in high winds and a light drizzle, we begin a shortened version of what was to be a 3-hour self-guided hike. Everyone is upbeat and making the best of a less than ideal situation. Hey, there’s the Three Sisters (a rock formation).


Three Sisters

Our bus driver has formulated a ‘Plan C’ so, after a picnic lunch he drives us to the Featherdale Wildlife Park; and, he negotiates a 50% discount rate for the 15 of us. (Oh yeah, the other half of Kathys’ group has opted for the vineyard tour.) Featherdale is home to over 70 types of birds, reptiles, and land animals and after 1 hour of viewing and feeding the captives, and having our photos taking with the Koala Bears we head back for Sydney. Hmmm, what would have been a disastrous day for most folks was a ‘lark’ for this group.


Koala Bear
Day 6:    (28/06/2007)

            After breakfast we meet in the lobby at 8:15am for a shuttle bus ride to the airport. We’re leaving New South Wales and heading north, towards the equator, to Queensland. We land in the city of Coolangatta and from there drive 30 miles further north to the ‘Surfers Paradise Hilton Hotel’ which is situated along the Gold Coast, 100 meters from the Pacific Ocean.


View from Surfers Paradise Hotel Room

            After a light lunch Robert, my roomie, and I begin a search for a grocery store, a gift shop, and a liquor store (?). He and I are both dragging so we decide to rest our legs a bit, catch up on some reading, writing et al. After some early evening sight seeing and a late dinner, we shut it down for the night.

Day 7:    (29/06/2007)

            This is another easy day on our schedule so after breakfast we avail ourselves of the public transportation system and find our way to the race expo. Well that was quick, as the expo had very little to offer.

            I just finished a comfortable 3-miler along a pathway that parallels the Pacific. What a glorious way to spend a half hour. On that note, it’s winter here and windy as one might expect. The entire marathon is routed up and down the coastline (Gold Coast Marathon) and I harbor growing concerns about how cold (wind chill factor) it’s going to be on race morning. As per my habit, I’ve only brought along ‘short sleeve this’ and ‘coolmax that’; the usual stuff, but I sure wish I would have crammed a pair of throwaway gloves into my backpack. There were none available at the expo. Oh well, que sera, sera.

            Hey, while we’re on the subject of the race, this might be a good time to introduce a few members of the troupe. 

*Paul and Mary Beth are here on their honeymoon. They met at the Great Wall Marathon on another of Kathy Lopers trips. This will be Pauls’ 100th marathon and his 6th continent.

 
*Dorothy, a 77-year old spinning instructor, has her sights on the 10K age group course record. These days     Dorothy is carrying a little extra weight, what with all the metal parts in her knees and pins in her arthritic fingers. 

*Most noteworthy are the 4 mother/daughter pairs running in the race.
 (Laura/Allison, Mary Jo/Stacey, Tina/Jamie and Nancy/Jennifer)

 *Laura (mom) is running her 99th marathon. I met Laura in Antarctica in 2005. She was on the icebreaker Ioffe while I was on board the Vavilov.

 *Tina (mom) is also here. I met her this March on the Kilimanjaro trip. Yeah, she summitted!

 *Max and Judith are here. I met them on the Paris/St. Petersburg/ Moscow trip in 2006. Judith is working on her 5th continent and Max is a biker and a recently certified scuba diver.

 *Robert, my roomie, has only run 15 marathons, 5 of which were in Boston. Running is not his primary focus. He’s a mountaineer and a trekker. Later this year he is off to England where he will hike coast-to-coast, solo and unsupported.

 *Oh yeah, 4 of us are going for our 7th continent.  Beside myself, they are Laura Garreth, Mary Jo Johnson, and Fritz Pieper. Fritz is going for his 7th continents in just 7 months. And, he’ll be running a 42K (marathon) on or about his 42nd birthday.

 Day 8:    (30/06/2007)

            We’ve really backed off today in preparation for the Big Race: our primary focus being the carbo-loading lunch. Things are somewhat different when the carbo-loading meal is held in an upscale hotel (our hotel is serving as the host hotel for the race) as opposed to the types of places to which I’ve grown accustomed. I’ll take it! But, the true highlight of the dinning experience was the guest speakers. Now they were all very charming, affable, and informative, and then there was Rob de Castell.  If you’re from my generation and you’ve followed marathoning on the world scene, then you know all about ‘Deek’.  After some friendly give and take with the moderator Deek offered up some valuable counsel and then he took questions from the audience; and in a very brief period of time I felt I had acquired a new friend.

            As nightfall closes in, I take time to attend to some shopping, some more eating, and my ever-present journal. Lights out. 

Oh, did I mention that I got to walk in the ocean for a short time today?

Day 9:    (01/07/2007)                             (The Gold Coast Marathon)

            They opened the restaurant early this morning due to the early start of the race. I guess it pays to stay at the ‘host hotel’. After a cautious pre-race meal of coffee, fruit, coffee, a peanut/butter and banana sandwich, and just a tad more coffee I hop onto the shuttle bus for an uneventful ride to the race site.

            For this one time only, I’m bringing with me to the race an entirely different attitude than I normally would bring to a marathon. I’m going to carry a camera throughout the day to record this historic event, (my 7th continent) for prosperity.

 START AREA:  The ‘left luggage’ area (drop bags) was handled efficiently, and there were sufficient toilets for the 2850 marathoners along with the 5325 half marathoners. (Rather than porto-johns, these people brought in huge trucks with numerous stalls in the trailer section.) There ‘s an information center, music, fluids, and a huge TV screen trained on the start line so no one need miss any of the action as they attend to their needs, etc, etc.

Weather:  Foremost in my mind is how co-operative the weather is being on this beautiful day.  There easily could have been high winds (as I expected) due to our proximity to the ocean. And, it very easily could have been much colder what with it being winter and all.

Course: Basically, we start at Southport and run south on the Gold Coast Highway for 6-1/2 miles (past our hotel) to Miami and do a u-turn and go back to the start line. Then we go north (the ½ marathon course) for 6-1/2 miles to Brisbane and do a u-turn, returning to the start/finish line.

            There are 2,850 runners in the marathon (16,000 in all the events) and so I position myself strategically in the pack to maximize my chances for a fast race. As I take stock, I see there are only 2 runners lined up behind me! Gee, do you think I’m too far up in the front????

Editors note: The Gold Coast Marathon lays claim to being the largest 42K in the country. 

            The race is underway and we saunter past a number of harbours and bays filled with yachts and ships.

 I’m trying to maintain my run/walk schedule but it’s proving to be darn difficult because I’m continually blasting ahead until I come to a complete stop, turn around, and take photos of other members of Kathy Lopers’ group. Hey, here’s the 8K mark. I’m thinking of having my likeness captured every 5 miles just to see for myself how well I hold up (or not) throughout the day.


This ain't so tuff.

I’m still feeling well; of course there’s always those ‘nagging this’ and ‘aching that’ for us marathoners to contend with; especially we veteran (older) runners, but one just deals with it.  As one might expect from an experienced runner, I’m looking for an edge. 


What do you mean it's cheating?

You know, I think I have marathons all figured out. When one goes for an all-day run, he needs to take in calories.


What's for lunch?

“Your too late mate”, is not what drop-in company wants to hear at mealtime. Anyways, things are progressing nicely as I close in on the 16K (10 mile) mark.


I'm still doing okay.

 I’ve been having a lot of fun today what with taking photos of the scenery, other runners and workers who are dressed in costumes, musicians playing out on the course: and in particular Robert, Paul, Rudy and Laura: all members of our group I’ve been encountering any number of times due to the layout of the course.


Marathons aren't so difficult.

 Would you believe that at one of the many sidewalk cafes scattered up and down the coast, one group of Aussies’ offered me a flute of champagne! Dang, I missed going over the mat (chip timing) so I retrace my steps in order to stay official: never a good race strategy.     

One can’t help but notice all the support being offered up by the passers-by, the local gendarmes, the bands positioned at strategic locations (playing New Orleans type jazz and Sergio Mendes) and all the folks at the aid stations (every kilometer) with many of them clad in costumes.


Maybe taking all these photos is taking a toll on me.

      Hip-Hip. I just went through the ½ in 2:26:XX. I guess that’s not tooooo bad. I think I need to come up with a new strategy for running these things.


Waiting for the bus.

            Did any of you notice that between 24K (15miles) and 32K (20 miles) I seem to be taking considerably less photos? I just need to get to 32K (20 miles) because I am confident that I can always ‘hunker-down’ from there to the finish. (At least that’s the propaganda I force feed myself.)


This wasn't the plan. 

            If you ask me, it’s getting warmer, and sunnier as the day drags on. (Is this still July 1?) My legs are killing me and my ‘dogs’ are aching but so far I’m able to maintain my walk/run scheme and that’s the web-thin thread I’m hanging on to. (I really ought to train for these darn things.)


What wall?


          In spite of how poorly I feel, I continue reeling in other runners as they wear down. Being as slow as I’ve been all my life, I don’t think I’ll ever get accustomed to passing other runners in a race.


I thought this was the finish.

Just hanging on!

           Finally, at long last, would you believe, I’ve arrived at the finish line (4:52:XX); but before cart-wheeling (ha, ha) onto the mat, I hand off my camera to a spectator so as to capture this moment in infamy.


Was there ever any doubt?

            We’re given a beautiful medal, a finishers dri-lite t-shirt and a free massage as a reward for our fin