January 2012

President’s Comments

Rex Stinnett, President, NWFTC

Love To Run

Happy New Year to all. It’s hard to believe it’s already 2012 and I love to run!

The time has come again all my running friends to take all of the months of training that you have put into 2011 and just run. Does this mean that you will be more competitive? Only you can answer that. I can only speak for myself and say that I have put more training time and effort into the 2011 calendar season than I ever have prior. Note that training is not always the result of better performance when it comes time to race but it does prepare you to reach for a higher level.

Know that the level that you are shooting for is based on personal choice. I can say that up until 3 months ago I hated doing speed work on a track. I would find any reason to do it on the street or even on a treadmill if it kept me off of the track. I can now say that I have overcome this obstacle and have seen benefits by going back to run in the place I did not like the most.

Basedonthis,Iaskmyselfandyouaswellisthistheloveofrunning? Doyoutakethehard parts of your run and make them the challenge for you to overcome? I feel like these are the times when I love to run. Knowing that with deep breath and rapid heartbeat I am going to push through all of the reason I run in the first place. I really do not care about competition or personal gains only that I know my body is being pushed to its current limit. In saying that, I have not reached my limit. This goes for all of us. I am only one small example of how strong the human spirit can be. We have members in the NWFTC who have overcome not only injuries but also cancer and other diseases and are still performing at high levels. This may be you and your love to run.

Be proud to talk about your love of running. Encourage others to get up and join us as positive examples for the running future. Be humble and I think all of running love will continue to grow.

Look at the running schedule on our web site. There are many running opportunities for all of us to enjoy. If they are NWFTC events I would encourage you to run and perhaps even volunteer There are many different things that go on before, during, and after a race...many of which will allow you to volunteer and run the race. I hope you will continue to support the Track Club and our races.

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Announcements

•   Timberlake 5K and 1⁄2 Marathon went off without a hitch thanks to the planning and execution of Race Director Bonnie Cardow. Thanks to her and all that helped to make this NWFTC Grand Prix event a huge success.

•   Recycle Run was a another huge success this year. A big thanks go out to Maggie Holmes and all those that volunteered while Tony Bordogna and Brian McMahon were out of town. Runner turnout was at an all-time high and everyone enjoyed this Grand Prix event

•   The Christmas Party was held on Dec 3 at El Matador Condominiums. Bob and Carole Sciretta were able to arrange rental and did an awesome job setting up and cleaning up. They had a ton of help. Meld that with great appetizers prepared by Jeff and Donna Harris and an excellent dinner catered by Carraba’s and it made for a truly special night out.

•   Egg Nog Jog was Dec 17 at Uptown Station. The weather was beautiful and the turnout was great. The post-race and unique awards were the “icing on the cake” (oh, yes there was cake to go with the hot wings and egg nog). If you missed it, you missed a perfect day for racing and a quality event. Thanks to Patti Horton for directing the event and rounding up all the volunteers that helped make it a success.

•   Dennis Samac (samacd@valp.net) organized the first-ever “Around the Bay” Relay. The date was Dec 31, 2011 with a 6:30 to 7:35 am start running counter clockwise; east from McGuire’s. It went something like this: fourteen teams, six runners per team, turn in time for a 10K to set team handicap, teams provided own vehicles, support, and drinks, wrist band were passed from runner to runner, with a staged start depending on qualifying handicaps. The race started and ended at McGuire’s. Everyone had a great time, the weather was great and the cheering along the route was nice. There was a fantastic post-race at McGuire’s. Thanks to Dennis for heading this up. Maybe we can talk him into doing it again next year.

•   There are a lot of races coming up in Jan and Feb, some new and some well established. Be sure to keep an eye on our race calendar for entry information. Once again, the Track Club hopes to charter a bus to go to Azalea Trail 10K on March 24, 2012. That may seem far away, but it’s just around the corner. As always, seats fill fast so pay attention to announcements.

•   If anyone knows the where-a-bouts of the Track Club windfeather, contact a board member. It has been missing since Recycle Run.

•   Like NWFTC on Facebook!

•   Interested in volunteering? We could use some help for the upcoming races, email president@nwftc.com to help out!

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The Following is a list of our Members Celebrating Anniversaries (Hint-Time to Renew!)

Robin Shaw
Andy Colee
Wendy Ballasch
Nicole Zlata
Dave Deruiter
Angel Harris
Lance Jorgensen
Julia Kearns/Scott Nance Nick & Claudia McCaw Jerry & Jean Williams

Jim & Susie Frazier The Piazza Family Steve Cookman Inge Ackerman Tricia Hagen Bobbie Barnes

The Love Family Cal Partlow

Cara Gam
The Place Family
Ken Lawrence
Brett Cato
Cheri Hammer
Jackie Blue
Joan Forman/Nancy Mann Kevin Royce

Tracy Gregg
Chris Kinne
Ron Allaire
The Glattke Family Mike O’Brien Katie Davis

Sara Le

(Note – We’re converting our database. If you’ve renewed and we show you due, don’t get upset. Email Brian at treasurer@nwftc.com and he’ll correct it) The Following is a list of New Members or Those That Have Renewed

(Thanks for Paying Attention!)

Kem Smalewich The Clark Family The Riley Family Jim Coulter Ebanks/Neal Family Diane Keller

We didn’t get the application from Dr Payne’s office this year, so this is last year’s. Not sure if the cost has changed or not so you may want to verify with them before sending in your check.

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The View From Behind

by Trey

Take inspiration from all different sources, including the change in weather. Everyone occasionally gets a little down on themselves about their race times, or the progression of their training, or the heat, orthelittleachesandpainsthatgoalongwithdoingwhatwedo. I know I have. But I love running. I love being around like-minded people and the activity in general. That's why, when I find myself getting short sighted about my own current status, I try to take inspiration wherever I can.

Inspirational wake-up call #1. Pensacola Seafood Festival 5k. It
had been years since I last ran this race. My daughter Natalie has
been living in Pensacola, and since I am always looking for ways to
get my kids running, I offered to pay for her race if she would enter. She agreed and promised to meet me at the start. I got a ride to Pensacola with Brian and Nikki McMahon, and waited patiently for her to show up. She said she had been doing a little running, and I was just hoping to get her out on a Saturday morning for a little fun and exercise. Little did I know that I would get inspiration from not only Natalie, but a friend of hers as well. The race started, and I thought that I would run with my daughter and that it would be a jog in the park for me, since I'm such an avid runner. Wrong! Natalie took off, never faltered, and ended up running her best 5k ever. It was all I could do to keep her in my sight. As a parent, you alwayswantyourkidstosucceed,butyouneverwantthemtobeatyou! Ifeltproudandinspired. Inspired to train harder! Her friend was doing his first 5k. I met him before the race. Elliot James Smith is 29 years old, and lost a leg during military service in Iraq. He was running on a prosthetic running blade,acurvedflexibledevicethatweallhaveseenonTVandinmagazines. ItwasthefirsttimeIhad ever seen one in person. After finishing the race and feeling a little down because of my time, I caught up with Natalie and we walked back up the course to watch her friend come in. There we met his mother and sister who were waiting to cheer him in, with signs and everything, as though he were finishing a marathon. And the truth of the matter was, for him, he was. When Elliot came around the final turn and dashedfortheline,weallwentnuts,andIamnotashamedthatIgottearsinmyeyes. AndIfeltalittle ashamed that I was worried about my time. Wow! I was energized and motivated. Thanks, Natalie and Elliot!

Inspirational point #2. Sunday morning long runs on Timberlake road. It is never easy getting up to runonSundaymorningintheheatofthesummer. ButtheFWBcross-countryteamhasbeenrunningon Sunday mornings a well. I don't know if you have been following their season, but both the boys and girls have done very well this year, especially the boys, who have to be considered one of the favorites at state this year. Seeing them every Sunday morning is inspirational, running as a pack as they do 10 to 12 miles. Talkingtothematthewaterstops,Iamalwaysimpressedwithhowpolitetheyallare,withtheir "Yessir,nosir"answerstoeveryquestion. Andtheyarealwaysquickwitha"nicework"ora"wayto go", if they are running in the other direction when we cross. They make me feel hopeful for the future of oursport. ThanksFWBcrosscountryteam,andgoodluckatState.

Inspirational point #3. For the past few months, two little girls have been joining the Road Hogs for ourweeklyThursdaynightruns. EmmaandLucyRudman'smomhasbeenbringthemdowntothe islandtorunwiththegroup,becauseneitherisoldenoughtodrive. TheyrunfortheLiza JacksonCrossCountryteam. Isaylittlegirls,becauseIdon'tthinktogethertheyweighmorethan150. But they run up front with the faster guys on Thursday nights, like Brian, Cookman, and Rex, and by all accounts,holdtheirown. SoIfeltitwasmydutytocheerthemonintheirMiddleSchoolchampionship meet. The race was held at the Fred Hendricks rec center, on what Maggie Holmes termed, "a real cross

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country course", complete with roots, loose dirt, and stickers. 11 schools were represented. The girl's race was first, which ment the course wouldn't be trampled down and easier to run like it would be for the boy's race. Right at the gun, Emma, the older of the two, immediately took to the front. Lucy and anotherLizaJacksonteamatesettledin2ndand3rd. Idashedaroundthecoursetocatchthematdifferent points,butforthemostpart,theracewasoverrightaway. Emmadestroyedthefield,running unchallenged and winning by over a minute. Younger sister Lucy cruised to second place, and together, they led Liza Jackson to the county title. Emma ran 12:05 for the two mile course, which would have put her in 3rd place in the Boy's race! They both looked so good that barring burnout or boredom, I expect themtosucceedoneverylevelthattheychoosetoparticipateon. Iwassoinspired,thatafterthemeet was over, I biked home, changed clothes, and ran down to Hendricks to run the same course in the dark! Thank you Emma and Lucy!

Inspirational random racing thought. Patti and I drove to Tallahassee last Sunday to deliver a bike to son Charlie, who was driving up from Gainesville. The FSU Dance Marathon club was holding a 5k on campustoraisemoneyfortheChildren'sMiracleNetwork. Wealldecidedthatitmightbefuntodoit. When we finally found the start/finish area and registered, I began to realize that this race was really goingtoraiseasmuchmoneyfortheircharityastheycould. AndbythatImean,noracenumbers,noT- shirts, no awards, no post race food, no expenses at all. Think about how that would go over here. Why do you run races? There were about 100 entrants, at $15 to $20 per depending on early or late, which means they raised between $1500 and $2000! The course provided a hilly, diverse tour of the campus, including a trip around the football stadium. About 1 mile in, I started to think about what I was doing thisracefor. Itwasaboutparticipatinginanexperiencewithmywifeandsonwhiledonatingtoa worthwhile cause. It wasn't about a shirt or awards. It wasn't about free food and beer after the race. It wasaboutbeingaroundlike-mindedpeopledoingsomethingthatwealllovedoing. Itwasabout catching that person just ahead of me, or not, but at least trying. It wasn't about bitching that the course wasn'tmeasuredaccurately. Itwasaboutcheeringontherunnerscominginaftermeandcongratulating the ones who beat me. Thanks Dash Down 5k for reminding me of that.

Inspirational marathon wake up call! So, yes, I will be running the Outer Banks Marathon on Nov. 13th. I say "running", knowing full well that their will be plenty of walking involved, and maybe even somecrawling. Ithasn'tbeeneasyfindingthetimetotrainforamarathonwhileworkingastheGMfor two restaurants during the Summer, but I have always felt that if I could get to the starting line uninjured withacoupleof16milersundermybelt,thatIcouldfindmywaytothefinishline. Thisyearhasbeena littletougherwiththetwojobs. Ihavebeenmuchmoretiredthaninyearspast,andeven12milershave not been easy. Running a 5k or even a 10k without training is one thing, but I know what kind of pain a marathon has in store, even for the properly prepared runner. I will go into this marathon, my 21st, with the least amount of training that I have ever had. My goal is to make it to the finish line, with dignity (Thanks Maggie). And just when I think that goal might be in question, along comes the report from Toronto that Fauja Singh, AGE 100!, has set the record for the oldest marathon finisher. That's right! 100 years old! Are you kidding me?!! Dude was born in 1911 and finished a marathon. I guess he won his age group? When you think about all that is possible once a 100yr old goes 26.2, you have to be inspired. I have talked to so many runners who say that they could never do a marathon; that the distance is just too long. I call BS! Say you don't want to, but don't say you can't. A century years old! I am inspired just writing this! Where are my running shoes? Thanks, Fauja!

Inspirational weather change. There is no need repeating that it is hot down here...and humid. And that running in the summer in Florida takes a special kind of short bus crazy. But we all do it. We slog and squish our way through June, July, August, and September, waiting for that first hint of Fall. Well, it is here. Cooler weather moved in two nights ago, and it couldn't have come at a better time. The windows are open, A/C's turned off, and the running just got a little easier. For me, as long as I remember to use my inhaler, I'm good. We bigguns sweat a lot less when it's cool outside. And our race times get faster. So thank you Mother Nature for cooling things off! Remember, if you are out on the roads, try to be an inspiration to someone.

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NWFTC HISTORY...unearthed

The Life Of A Wife Of A Runner

By Karen Catlin
(April 1993 Track n Sand Newsletter)

I am a non-runner living with a competitive runner. Life with a runner is sometimes difficult, especially when you have two children under the age of five.

The time is here again when we have races every weekend. I remember waking up the morning of the very first race that Mike ran. I was not accustomed to getting two children up at the crack of dawn and dressing them, and getting out the door in such a short time. With a few road races now under Mikes belt, I have had many of my own training mornings to get the children ready. Now you can call us a true dedicated family to running.

Mike has been running for a few years now, and last year he felt he was ready to achieve a goal he has had since he began running – to run a marathon. He began training six months before the Huntsville Marathon, scheduled in December of 1991. A few months before the marathon, the track club had scheduled the first Crestview run. Mike and Caroline Basinger (now Levesque) rode their bikes to mark the course. It was to be the first time the track club was running the course. They were t the last part of the course heading up P.J. Adams hill (Mike, not accustomed to riding a bike, will never forget that hill!) when he somehow managed to flip himself over the handlebars of the bike, breaking his collarbone. He explained to me that the front wheel frame was bent and the pedal hit the front tire, stopping the bike when he wanted to be moving forward. Mike was laid up for a week on the couch. His dream of a marathon would have to wait one more year.

There was the time Mike had run the day after sitting in an airplane for 21 hours coming back from Desert Storm. At one o’clock the next morning he awoke in so much pain. I had to take him to the hospital. He had a badly pulled shin muscle and once again Mike and the couch were friends for a few days.

In November of 1992, Mike heard Caroline Basinger (Levesque) say she would like to try to run the Blue Angel Marathon. Mike, thinking the time was right, approached Caroline to train together for the marathon. Due to a recurring injury, Caroline decided she better back off from training as hard as she was and dropped her marathon venture. Mike was motivated enough to move forward with his determination to run the marathon, thus he continued to train on his own. The day of the marathon is another is another article I hope to finish soon.

Sometimes I feel I am alone when Mike is busy with work, school and running; but when we go to the races as a family it brings us together again. I can see the drive Mike and all the runners competing in the runs share. That drive is focused on one objective, to run over the finish line. Runners have a drive that I cannot explain myself, but when I saw Mike finish a dream of a marathon, I saw in his eyes a light saying, “What is there to accomplish next?” What is the drive of a runner?

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Wasatch 100 – One Hundred Miles of Heaven and Hell

The Wasatch Front 100 is one of the oldest 100 mile
ultra-marathons in America, first run on Labor Day weekend in
1980, and has been held on the first Friday following Labor Day
since. Total elevation profile for the race equals 26,880 feet of
climbing and 26,200 feet of descending, along the Wasatch
MountainseastofSaltLakeCity,Utah. Goingintothisrace
made me slightly nervous due to the elevation profile, which totalsgreaterthananyotherraceIhadeveryattempted. In
contrast, I have run the Leadville Trail 100 course twice, which
has an elevation profile of slightly over 16,000 feet. Wasatch
would be like adding another 10,000 ft mountain to that course..... Great! Sixteen thousand feet was painful enough, so this was going be my greatest challenge yet. Did I mention that my only training for this race was the flat terrain of south Afghanistan? I’ve always been known as a rule breaker, and training for a super hilly course by running on flat terrain would probably be one of the golden rules of any training program to NOT to break.

Upon arriving in Parks City, Utah, the weather was perfect, with temperatures in the mid-80’s and the lows of mid-60s and clear skies. The day before the race, all runners are required to check in and receive a briefing which includes rules, updates to trail changes, and additional information for crews/pacers. The fortunate part about this race is that runners are allowed pacers beyond mile 30 to the finish line, but unfortunately I was on my own with no pacer but I did have the support of a good crew. My crew has always been there for my 100 miler’s, consisting of my wife Melody, and mother, Cheryl. They would be a crucial part for my success at making it to the finish line. Crews are there to provide supplement replenishment, clothing changes, spare batteries, morale support and anything else a runner may need along the way. Bottom line; if your ever going to do an ultra always seek a good crew to help you out, it makes a lot of the logistical considerations off your mind so you can focus on the hardest part.... Running for up to 36 hours non-stop.

The morning of the race, all runners met at the start line for a 5:00 am start. The first leg of the race was a introduction on how the rest of the run was going to be, an immediate 6,000 feet ascent to the top of the first mountain. The race director warned us that the first 25 miles of the course had been virtually unused for the entire season due to road construction and trail maintenance, and was only opened to allow this race to be held. As you may expect, the trail was certainly overgrown, and it was not uncommon to run in grass up to your elbows. Thankfully, this part of the course was in the daytime, or else I don’t think I would have been able to find the trail. The trials were marked with yellow/pink ribbon, and attached to each piece of ribbon was a small piece of reflective tape, dangling from a tree branch or bush. This would be crucial to the night time portion of the race. For me, the first 30 miles felt great, the weather was beautiful, temperature was in the low 70’s and continued to decrease as the climb continued, until the daytime where temps quickly increased. Due to the trail maintenance, I would not be seeing my crew until mile 40 into the race, so I had to have enough supplements to last me until then. Thankfully, the Wasatch organizers and volunteers did a splendid job at establishing 17 aid stations throughout the course giving runners a wide choice of food, snacks, drinks, fruit, and added motivation.

When I finally saw my crew at Big Mountain Aid Station, mile 40, my legs were beginning to get sore and the true realization of the difficulty of this race began to eat away at my motivation. This is why crews/pacers can be very valuable, because they help you get back on your feet when all you want to do is sit and rest. After a short 10 minute break, I was back on my feet re-hydrated and re-fed ready to attack the next 13 miles where I would see my crew next at Lambs Canyon Aid Station, mile 53. Thankfully,

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there was one additional aid station in between, that saved my butt, due to running out of water earlier than expected. In any ultra run, you have you high’s and low’s. This was certainly my first low point, when I realized I had no water with four miles to go until the water station. The temps were the highest of the day at this point, and my drinking had increased as I began getting some side cramps. Lesson learned; carry a spare bottle of water in my camelback as a reserve. At Lambs Canyon aid station, which is the half way point, I knew this would be the last time I would see my crew until the next morning, so I had to prepare myself for a cold night of running at high elevation, as they would be at the hotel getting some rest. With the help of veteran runners, I was able to get some good recommendations on what to wear during the night to stay warm and then off I went into the end of day one.

At this point in the race, my times were about 3 hours ahead of what I was expecting to run, so I knew that I would have the opportunity to do more walking if I needed it, and still be safe from the cut-off time. My expected departure time from Lambs Canyon that I estimated before the race was going to be about 8pm, but I ended up leaving at about 5 pm. That night was one of the loneliest runs I had ever experienced, where I often would go 2-3 hours at a time without seeing anyone else. Not seeing other runners always concerns my reassurance that I was on course, as I had previously experienced going off course in a previous 50 miler a year earlier and didn’t want to make that mistake here. I continued through the night constantly scanning for the next piece of reflective tape to reassure myself I was still on course. These are not trails you want to get lost on! The next morning I arrived at Brighton Lodge, mile 75, out of gas and running on legs that were very sore from the constant climbing and descending. This is where my crew met me for the final leg of the course. I had the thought in my head that this next section wouldn’t be too bad.... I quickly found out that I was very wrong. The next climb took you to the highest point of the course, near 10,500 feet, and the terrain would change from rock climbing to beach sand followed by a very sharp descent on the back side. I often had fellow runners passing me saying, “Where’s your pacer? You’re doing this by yourself!?!?! You’re crazy!” It’s not that I didn’t want a pacer, I just didn’t know anyone crazy enough to run with me, but this short encounter’s allowed opportunities to get my mind off the pain. Shortly after descending Point Supreme, my shin is really beginning to hurt, and I was having trouble picking up my toes on my left leg. This caused me to kick a lot of rocks, but after running 75 miles (and almost 20 hours) there was no giving up. As Dean Karnasas says, “When you can’t run, walk, and when you can’t walk, crawl, but never give up”. This was one saying that I had to keep reminding myself. Two aid stations later, and two more climbs completed, I finally arrived at mile 93, Pot Bottom Aid station. Someone had told me along the course that the last seven miles was rolling terrain. FINALLY, no more climbing! So to reassure myself, I asked one of the aid station volunteers what the next seven miles looked liked. I was not happy with what I heard, “Two mile climb, and a five mile descent to the finish”. Again, I hit another low point, but I knew I would finish! My goal going into this race was to finish ahead of the 36-hour cutoff, and by this point I was approaching 27 hours.

It an amazing feeling you get when you see the finish light in the distance, unfortunately I still had a ways to go, so I set out for that last seven miles, dragging my left foot from the shin pain. After finally making it through the trail that seemed to never end, I got to the road where my mother was waiting to run me into the final mile and a half to the finish. My final time across the finish line was 31 hours, 21 minutes, and 30 seconds. I had done it! And I finished way ahead of my expected time of 34 hours! The people who surround the ultra-running community are on a league of its own, the camaraderie and willingness to help each other out to the finish is like none other I’ve ever seen in endurance sports. This is what keeps me coming back. It’s well worth the pain to experience the feeling of accomplishment in doing something that few people would ever think of attempting. Thanks again to all those volunteers, crews, and pacers who dedicate their free time to get crazy runners like myself to the finish line, it truly would not be possible without their help!

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Jan 7 Jan 8

Jan 14 Jan 21

Jan 28

Feb 4

Feb 11

Feb 18

Feb 19

Feb 25 Mar 4

Mar 10

RACE CALENDAR

Races In Bold are NWFTC Grand Prix Events

Grand Staff 5K Niceville High School Niceville, FL 830 am Mobile, AL. BankTrust First Light Marathon/1/2 Marathon.

7:30am. Info: Marty O'Malley 251-476-8732 or www.firstlightmarathon.com. NFB New Years Resolution Run 5K,10K @ The Landing 9am

Pensacola Beach 5K, 10K, 1⁄2 marathon Pensacola Beach 730 am

Chiropractic Run for Health 5K Clemet Taylor Park Destin, FL 9am

Frosty 5K St. Mary’s Catholic Church Ft. Walton, Beach, FL 9am

Destin Bayou Bay and Back 5K/10K/ 1⁄2 Mar Clemet Taylor Park 730 am

Pensacola Double Bridge Run Pensacola, FL 7am
Davidson Dash Bob Sikes Elementary School Crestview, FL 830 am

Valentine’s Kiss ‘Em to the Finish 8K, The Track Destin, FL 9 am

Son of a Beach 5K The Back Porch Destin, FL 8am AMI Run for the Kids , The Landing FWB, 8:00 am

FWB Cheerleaders 5K Uptown Station Ft. Walton, Beach, FL 3 pm Destin Ultra 50 Back Porch Destin, FL 5am

Band on the Run Niceville High School Niceville, FL 9am
Seaside 1/2 Marathon/5K. Seaside, FL. 7:30am-1/2; 7:45 am-5K. 850-231-

6190 or www.seasidehalfmarathon.com. BOTH RACES ARE SOLD OUT

McGuire's Prediction 5K. 9am. Info: Perry Hunter 850-433-6789. 34th Annual Winston Howell 10K. 9 am. $20. National Guard Armory Hartford, AL. . Cary Hatcher 334-588-2343 or hatch@alaweb.com

Please forward additional race information or corrections about races to our calendar to

membership@nwftc.com
Direct Grand Prix questions to Dennis Samac at Membership

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