+ All Categories
Home > Documents > 2015 Winter - 2014 Fall Club Running

2015 Winter - 2014 Fall Club Running

Date post: 07-Apr-2016
Category:
Upload: road-runners-club-of-america
View: 218 times
Download: 4 times
Share this document with a friend
Description:
Club Running is the membership magazine of the Road Runners Club of America.
Popular Tags:
32
Club Running WE RUN THE NATION! Winter 2015 RRCA.org Competitive Image NON PROFIT ORG U.S. Postage PAID Permit #1045 Bolingbrook, IL 2014 Roads Scholars ® &ODVV 3URÀOHV :RPHQ LQ 5XQQLQJ /HDGHUVKLS 7UDLO 6KRHV 5HYLHZHG Esther Erb wins the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and USA Marathon Championship shortly after receiving her 2014 Roads Scholars ® grant
Transcript
  • ClubRunningWE RUN THE NATION! Winter 2015

    RRCA.org

    Com

    petit

    ive

    Imag

    e

    NON PROFIT ORG

    U.S. Postage

    PAID

    Permit #1045

    Bolingbrook, IL

    2014 Roads Scholars &ODVV3UROHV

    :RPHQLQ5XQQLQJ/HDGHUVKLS

    7UDLO6KRHV5HYLHZHG

    Esther Erb wins the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and USA Marathon Championship shortly after receiving her 2014 Roads Scholars grant

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 1 1/21/15 8:29 AM

  • CM

    Y

    CM

    MY

    CY

    CMY

    K

    2015_Series_spread_Jan_PRINT.pdf 1 12/9/14 4:31 PM

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 2 1/21/15 8:29 AM

  • CM

    Y

    CM

    MY

    CY

    CMY

    K

    2015_Series_spread_Jan_PRINT.pdf 1 12/9/14 4:31 PM

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 3 1/21/15 8:29 AM

  • 4 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Bruce M

    orrison

    5

    6

    10

    24

    30

    7

    8

    14

    16

    Executive Directors Letter

    RRCA Members ShareRRCA Facebook Page, RRCA Web Poll

    Program Spotlight

    RRCA National Championship Spotlight:One Mile, 10 Mile, Ultra &2015 National Championships Schedule

    Training TipsManaging the Emotional Side of Injury

    Health & Safety SpotlightIliotibial Band Syndrome

    Member SpotlightWho Runs the Nation? Kids Run the Nation!

    Trail Shoes Reviewed

    FEATURES

    CONTENTS

    20

    ClubRunningWE RUN THE NATION! Winter 2015

    Savvy Women Helm Several Major Marathons

    Class of 2014

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 4 1/21/15 8:29 AM

  • RRCA.org Winter 2015 ClubRunning 5

    On Sept. 25 I had the opportunity to speak at the Lynch-burg Regional Chamber of Commerce Women in Business luncheon. It was a great opportunity to speak on what Ive learned about balancing work and life as a mother and as the leader of the largest distance running organization in the U.S. !e topic of the speechPerfecting the Critical Skills Needed to Succeed in Busi-ness & Lifewas a change of pace for me as it wasnt about running.

    As I prepared my talking points for the luncheon, I kept com-ing back to the same thought: We have to drop the word perfec-

    tion from our professional and personal dialog. If you want to "nd balance and hap-piness in work and life, forget about perfection. Perfection is an abstract notion of something that, in reality, is unattainable. !rough my own experience Ive come to have a solid understanding that you cannot be everything to everybody in your life at all times. We can drive those around us and ourselves crazy in the process of try-ing to achieve some form of perfection. Instead, strive for the attainable, which is sim-ilar to setting small, achievable goals that can then lead to success toward larger goals. I wasnt there to speak about running, but it has been my experience that your career is similar to the process of training for and running a marathon. Youre excited to get started with training in much the same way as starting a new job, a new project, or a new responsibility. Next, you enter the phase where you have to put in the time to learn, grow, and develop within your job. !is is similar to putting in the training time for a marathon. Youll have days when you feel great, days when you dont want to go for a run, days when you have ups and downs, and curves and challenges until you reach a period where you start to feel really good about the process. !erell be times when you have to remind yourself that youre training for a marathon, not a sprint. You have to remind yourself to slow down, to focus, not to be in such a hurry. And to always keep a sense of humor. Following the luncheon, I starting thinking about the great female leaders we have in our sport whove dedicated signi"cant portions of their careers to the running community. Im happy that this issue of Club Running features several of these outstanding women leaders on page 16.

    Jean Knaack #RunSafe

    Bruce M

    orrison

    ClubRunningClubRunning is custom published by FORTIUS Media Group, LLC for publisher Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). All ad materials should be mailed to P.O. Box 6450, San Jose, CA 95120. Insertion orders should be emailed to [email protected] FORTIUS Media Group, LLC assumes no liability for matter printed. Publisher assumes no responsibility or liability for content of paid advertising and reserves the right to reject paid advertising. Publisher expects that all claims by advertisers can be substantiated and that all guarantees will be honored. Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. Copyright 2014 by Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) unless otherwise noted. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be repro duced in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher.

    We recommend, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.

    Let Us Hear From You!ClubRunning welcomes your suggestions, comments, and questions. Direct them to [email protected]

    Address Changes/Missing IssuesVisit www.rrca.org/publications/club-running/ about address changes, duplicate mailings, or missing issues. Please include both old and new addresses.

    ClubRunning is a complimentary publication made possible by our advertisers and created through a partnership between the Road Runners Club of Amer-ica (RRCA) and FORTIUS Media Group, LLC. Youre a member of your local running club, and your local running club is, in turn, a member of the RRCA.

    RRCA Facebook Page, RRCA Web Poll

    Championship Spotlight:

    Health & Safety Spotlight

    Executive Directors NoteClubRunning

    Winter 2015www.RRCA.org

    ROAD RUNNERS CLUB OF AMERICA (RRCA)Executive Director

    Jean Knaack

    RRCA PresidentDavid Cotter

    PhotographersVictor Sailer PhotoRun.net

    BigStockPhoto.comCa!eine PhotographyCompetitive Image

    CT Ryan PhotographyGeneral Dynamics

    Go! Mile, Jean KnaackMarathonfoto.com, Mlive.comBruce Morrison, Dan QuigleyTracey Russell/LA MarathonTriDuo Sports Photography

    WritersBen Cates

    Jamie CoreyChris HumpreysDavid HunterJean Knaack

    Denise NightingaleStephen M. Pribut, DPM

    Andy SmithErin Taylor

    Cregg Weinmann

    Group & Coordinating EditorChristine Johnson/Holding Space LLC

    DesignerAlex Larsen/Alex Graphics

    ProofreaderMarg Sumner/Red Ink Editorial Services

    FORTIUS Media Group, LLCAdvertisingLarry Eder

    Publishing Director608.239.3785

    [email protected]

    Advertising Production ManagerAlex Larsen/Alex Graphics

    CounselPerry F. Goldlust

    www.clubrunning.netwww.runblogrun.com

    Custom Published By

    The RRCA is proud to be a BBB Wise Giving Alliance Accredited Charity and a Gold-Level Guidestar Exchange Partner.

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 5 1/21/15 8:29 AM

  • RRCA Members Share

    6 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    We invite our readers to participatein the RRCA website polls at

    www.RRCA.org

    )LQG8VRQ)DFHERRN7ZLWWHUDQG

  • RRCA.org Winter 2015 ClubRunning 7

    Health & Safety Spotlight

    Iliotibial Band Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

    Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome is one of the top 10 injuries seen in distance runners. Weak hip abductor muscles play a large role in the development of ITB syndrome. !ese weak hip abductors are part of a commonly seen pattern of weak core muscles, which leads to a muscle imbalance. On longer runs, and as you are just starting to increase the length of your runs, your hip abductors can become fatigued and require the added assistance of the muscles which attach into the ITB, requiring them to work harder. It seems that this sequence of events may lead to increased tension in the ITB, causing the injury. Strengthening the hip abductors and stretching the ITB and structures that attach into it are usually the keys to recovering from this problem. Symptoms of the iliotibial band syn-drome include pain or aching on the outer side of the knee. !is usually happens in the middle or at the end of a run. A concomitant problem may occur at the hip called greater trochanteric bursitis. During &exion and ex-tension of the knee, the iliotibial band has his-torically been thought to rub over the femoral condyle, creating irritation. !eres signi"cant doubt about this being a true friction-creat-ed syndrome. In most cases, ITB syndrome does not seem to be a friction syndrome with a popping of the tendon over the femoral epicondyle. Most runners do not report a popping feeling. Instead, theres a compres-sion in this region that most often a#ects the fat tissue overlying the femoral epicondyle. I believe theres signi"cant tension devel-oped during the stance phase of the running gait that results in a tendinopathic tendon. Other authors have found some evidence for this. Fairclough has raised the question, Is the iliotibial band syndrome really a friction syndrome? He contends that the ITB is "rm-ly attached to the femur and is not anatom-ically capable of moving forward and back-ward over the lateral epicondyle of the femur. Recent cadaver studies and MRI studies have failed to document the expected evidence for friction or for a primary anatomical bursa. Instead, an area of compression seems to be present in the fat tissue that lies over the later-al femoral epicondyle. Weak hip abductors, especially the glu-teus medius, are often found. Some other factors that may contribute to this syndrome include genu varum (bow legs), pronation of the foot (subtalar joint pronation), leg length discrepancy, and running on a crowned sur-face. We need to emphasize that over the past few years an association with weak glu-

    teus medius muscles has been found in many runners with ITB syndrome. !e weakness of the gluteal muscles causes more tension to develop in the iliotibial band as the muscles inserting into it have to assist in keeping the hips level. !e function of the muscles inserting into the ITB (tensor fascia lata) is to abduct the leg. If the hip abductors are weak, then the ITB is being overworked. !e ITB does not have an insertion that o#ers a favorable mechanical advantage. In fact, its at a con-siderable disadvantage for the purpose of hip and leg abduction activity. !erefore, when the hip abductors are weak, the tensor fascia lata must contract harder and over a longer time, thus straining the ITB. Make sure that part of your cure is to strengthen your hip and leg abductors. Circular track running may also contrib-ute to ITB, since it stresses the body in a man-ner similar to that of crowned surfaces and leg length di#erences. In research performed on track athletes in 2000, circular track run-ning was found to cause asymmetrical mus-cle strength development. !e study didnt measure ITB and related muscle strength, but found lower down on the leg that the inner leg had stronger inverter strength and the outer leg had stronger everter strength. While it wasnt studied, the outer ITB would likely be placed under much greater stresses than the inner leg. !e angles of force acting on it would be greater by virtue of the leg and pelvis position required to run around an oval track. All factors can be aggravated by a tight iliotibial band. Changes in training may also

    contribute to development of ITB syndrome. Its always important to examine your train-ing regimen and see what alterations have re-cently occurred. A rapid increase in running distances and times spent running often pre-cedes the development of this injury. Cyclists may develop iliotibial band syn-drome from overuse. Changing the position of the cleats by rotating the heels inward can often help. Be certain to check the bike seat to ensure its not too high. Additional information about anatomy and recommended stretches and core strength work to assist with ITB issues can be found at www.drpribut.com/sports/spitb.html

    Dr. Stephen Pribut is a clinical assistant pro-fessor of surgery at the George Washington Uni-versity Medical Center. A member of the Advi-sory Board of Runners World magazine, he is past-president of the American Academy of Po-diatric Sports Medicine and has served as chair of the AAPSM Athletic Shoe Committee for "ve years. Pribut has served on the Education Com-mittee, the Research Committee, the Public Re-lations Committee and also chaired the Annual Meeting Committee. He is past president of the District of Columbia Podiatric Medical Associ-ation, serving in that post for four years. Pribut has served as a member of the American Podi-atric Medical Associations Clinical Practice Ad-visory Committee and its Internet Committee.

    By Stephen M. Pribut, DPM

    Possible Causes of ITB Syndrome -Hip abductor muscle weakness and imbalance -Weak core muscles -Sudden increase in mileage -Increase in track or interval training -Crowned running surface -Tight iliotibial band -Tight hip capsule, tight latissumus dorsi, and side muscles Self-Treatment for ITB Syndrome -Temporarily decrease or halt your training. -Do side stretches. -Strengthen your hip abductors (gluteal muscles, especially the gluteus medius). This is critical. -Try gentle foam rolling (not too hard a roller and not too painful). -Avoid crowned surfaces or too much running around a track. -Shorten your stride. -While shoes may not be as important a contributing factor as was once believed, you may want to try a change. Motion control shoes are not likely to be the answer. -Carefully examine your training regimen. If youve been keeping a running diary, check it for possible training errors.

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 7 1/21/15 8:29 AM

  • 8 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Member Spotlight

    Who Runs the Nation? Kids Run the Nation!By Denise Nightingale

    A little over two years ago, I rediscovered my love of running, and at the same time was asked to volunteer for a youth running program tar-geted at girls. It was a worthwhile program that taught important les-sons about female empowerment. However, when I was asked to help out the following season, I had one question: What about the boys? As the mother of two boys, I wanted my sons to be exposed to a program that teaches them about being healthy along with the bene-"ts and pleasures of running. !us began the journey of looking for a youth running program that could include my young boys. After do-ing some research, I selected the RRCA Kids Run the Nation program. In my hometown of Saginaw, MI I piloted the program in one

    school. In less than two academic years, we grew to six additional schools. Its gender inclusive, simple to teach, and kickstarts an early love of running. My boys can relate to running and races now. !e Kids Run the NationSaginaw started out charging $30 dol-

    lars per student. For that, participants received a t-shirt, a backpack tag, a Kids Run the Nation booklet, a snack, and 910 weeks of fun and lessons. Also included was a 1-mile fun run at each school for the participants. At the end of that "rst season, we surveyed kids and parents so we could improve our program. !is year, were only charging $10 per student, thanks to grant support from foundations, corporations, and organizations that believe in getting kids active and running at an early age. One of those grants came from Kids Run the Nation, adminis-tered by the RRCA. Since our program began, 424 students have participated, with

    an approximate 50% return rate of kids who cant get enough of run-ning. Locally, weve been able to lean on college students to mentor some of the schools. We use the lesson material in the Kids Run the Nation program guide each week. Weve also written supplemental materials that incorporate games for the participants. Students still run their laps, but we "nish with a fun game that makes them want to come back the following week. Weve also part-nered with local experts in the "elds of nutrition, running, and safety. !ese folks take turns coming to talk to the students during speci"c lessons. Incorporating the community in the program has helped it grow and provides support to sustain it.

    While my boys "nally are able to relate to and learn about the sport of running, this mom also learned a lot in the last couple of years about managing a running program for kids:

    Dont be afraid to ask for help, whether its for donations, volunteer hours, or expert advice. Be &exible. Kids will be kids and will turn your perfect plan into their perfect plan. Finally, persistence does pay o#. Just as in long distance running, the end is worth it. !e smiles on the kids faces and their feelings of accomplishment are priceless.

    For more information on the RRCAs Kids Run the Nation pro-gram and how you can start a youth running program in your com-munity using these resources, visit www.rrca.org/programs/kids-run-the-nation-program/

    :KDWZDVHQFRXUDJLQJDERXWWKLVSURJUDPZDVWKHH[LELOLW\LWDOORZVWKHDFFHVVLELOLW\RIWKHPDWHULDOVDQGWKHVWURQJDQGVXSSRUWLYHSDUHQWRUJDQL]DWLRQLQWKH5RDG5XQQHUV&OXERI$PHULFD

    Mlive

    .com

    Denise Nightingale talks to students during the after school youth running program, Kids Run the NationSaginaw.

    Project8_Layout 1 1/15/15 8:43 AM Page 1

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 8 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Project8_Layout 1 1/15/15 8:43 AM Page 1

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 9 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • 10 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Program Spotlight

    RRCA Hosts Another Successful RunPro Camp By Andy Smith, RRCA Program Coordinator

    Fourteen distance runners and recent gradu-ates from universities throughout the U.S. at-tended the third RunPro Camp in Arlington, VA July 1719. Sponsored and hosted by the RRCA, the camp encourages, supports, and provides information to assist top-ranked, postcollegiate, U.S. distance runners to re-main in the sport and pursue a professional running career. !e interactive camp provided a forum for runners to meet coaches and athletes from professional training centers around the U.S. It was also an opportunity for attendees to learn about sponsor relations, determine what type of representation would be best for them, "nd out more about the Track & Field Athletes Association (TFAA), USA Track & Field (USATF), and the USATF Foundation resources and long distance running initia-tives, including the Professional Road Run-ning Organization (PRRO). Weve seen some great successes from RunPro Camp attendees in the past three years, and we look forward to following our 2014 attendees running careers, noted Jean Knaack, RRCA executive director. !e suc-cess of RunPro Camp attendees, both on the roads and on the track, highlights the impor-tance of our ongoing e#orts to attract and keep talented distance runners in our sport. !e following attendees were funded to attend RunPro Camp, based on the applica-tion and selection process:

    Juli Accurso Ohio UniversitySamantha Bluske Iowa State UniversityNicole DeMercurio University of GeorgiaDaniel Docherty Loyola University ChicagoLindsey Drake Gonzaga UniversityEmily Gordon Univ. of California, Los AngelesKatie Hoaldridge University of TexasBrittni Hutton Oakland UniversityOlivia Mickle University of TexasDaniel Quigley University of MissouriEthan Shaw Dartmouth UniversitySheree Shea Loyola Marymount UniversitySusanna Sullivan University of Notre DameJeffrey Veiga Univ. of Massachusetts, Lowe

    An excellent lineup of speakers addressed the attendees. Ben Rosario, head coach of Northern Arizona Elite professional running team, spoke on building relationships in the sport. Jennifer Dodd, USADA Olympic ed-ucation manager, discussed the important topics of clean sport, drug testing, and com-pliance. Merhawhi Kel&ezghi of Hawi Sports Management, discussed the bene"ts of agent representation vs. self-representation. Jon Elliott, owner of MarathonGuide.com, spoke about sponsor relations and opportunities be-yond traditional shoe contracts. !is was my "rst time at RunPro Camp, and I was blown away, said Rosa-rio. Running may seem like a simple sport, but the business side can be fairly complex. RunPro campers left camp several steps ahead of the competition with their newly gained knowledge, from using social media to how to build their personal brand image. I cant wait to follow these athletes on their journeys as professional runners. MarathonGuide.com sponsored a VIP

    dinner for camp attendees, speakers, and sup-porters on Friday, July 18 featuring a panel of elite athletes including 2012 Olympian Julie Culley (5000m), 2008 Olympian Amy Beg-ley (10,000m), and Tyler McCandless, a top American distance runner and recent RRCA Roads Scholar grant recipient. !e panel spoke about lessons learned as professional runners and the Olympic experience. RunPro Camp has also been a great op-portunity for the RRCA to tie in the Roads Scholar grant period following the Camp. To date, 51 athletes have attended the three RunPro Camps. Of those, the RRCA has pro-vided 12 athletes with Roads Scholar grants totaling $60,000.

    7KH55&$PDLQWDLQVWKHZHEVLWHwww.RUNPRO.comWRHGXFDWHemerging elite runners about the ZRUOGRISURIHVVLRQDOGLVWDQFHUXQQLQJ

    !e Runner Friendly Community program shines a national spotlight on communities that stand out as runner friendly and provides incentives and ideas for communities to work toward becoming runner friendly communi-ties.

    We encourage RRCA members to work with their community leaders and to apply for the designation. Runner friendly com-munities increase the quality of life, improve physical activity for residents, and positively impact the regions economy.

    !e RRCA reviews three primary crite-ria for applicants:community infrastructure, community support, and local government support. Learn more and apply today at www. rrca.org/programs/runner-friendly-community/

    Runner Friendly Community Designations

    National Awards Nominations Open

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 10 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • RRCA.org Winter 2015 ClubRunning 11

    Program Spotlight

    !e RRCA is pleased to an-nounce the 2014 Kids Run the Nation grant recipients. Twen-ty-"ve programs throughout the U.S. serving over 8,000 children will receive a total of $20,000 in grants from the RRCA. In addition, the RRCA will do-nate more 18,000 copies of the booklet Kids Run the Nation: A Running Guide for Kids to program participants in over 100 programs, an in-kind do-nation valued at more than $20,000. Since 2007, the RRCA has provid-ed over $115,000 in small grants, along with tens of thousands of copies of Kids Run the Nation program guide and kids booklets, to deserving youth running pro-grams around the country through the Kids Run the Nation Fund. !is years grantees serve diverse student popula-tions in school settings, afterschool care programs, homeless shelters, and more. Many of the children served by these running programs live at or below the poverty level, with over 60% of their stu-dent bodies eligible for free and reduced school lunches. Detailed outlines of each program can be found at www rrca.org/programs/kids-run-the-nation-fund/2014/

    Congratulations to our Kids Run the Nation grantees:Nuniwarmiut School Running Club Mekoryuk, AKRun After School Goodyear, AZBoys & Girls Club GREAT Strides Imperial Beach, CA

    Montebello Police Athletic & Activities League (PAAL) Montebello, CAJackson Running Fitness Club Sacramento, CASabal Elementary Morning Mile Melbourne, FLNWBRRC Youth Running Program Parkland, FLKids Run the Nation Acworth, GAOpen Door Youth Services New Albany, INYMCAs Run This Town Lexington, KYAmericana Youth Program Louisville, KYPatterson Park Public Charter School (PPPCS) Running Club Baltimore, MDKolb Elementary School Running Program Bay City, MIHastings YMCA Youth Run Club Hastings, MNKC Track Club Gets Kids Running Kansas City, MORAPP Runners Kingston, NYPS 124 Yung Wing Running Club New York, NYBridgeton Elementary Running Club New Bern, NCVan Wert Elementary Roadrunners Van Wert, OHCatalayah Running Club Claremore, OKLower School Running Club Philadelphia, PATeam Kids Caf Lubbock, TXWild Cat Run Logan, UTRutland County Vermont Running & Walking Programs Rutland, VTTyler Soles Washington, DC

    Since 1971, the RRCA has honored ded-icated individuals for their service to the running community through the RRCA Hall of Fame and the National Running Awards. Detailed information about the award categories along with selection criteria and the online nomination form can be found at www.rrca.org/services/national-running-awards/ To nominate a deserving individual, simply follow the instructions on the online nomination form, print a copy for your records, and click the submit button. !e nomination deadline is 5pm Eastern Standard Time Jan. 15, 2015.

    !e period of performance for the nominees is Jan. 1Dec. 31, 2014 for all awards except the Hall of Fame and Browning Ross awards, which are lifetime achievement awards. All winners are provided a travel stipend to attend the National Running Awards Reception and Banquet to accept their award in person. !e awards ban-quet is held in conjunction with the 57th annual RRCA National Convention to be held in Des Moines, IA in April.

    25 Kids Run the Nation Grants

    National Awards Nominations Open

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 11 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • 12 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Program Spotlight

    9th Annual RUN@WORK, 3rd Annual RUN@School Day a Success

    On Sept. 19, RRCA supporters hosted RUN@WORK and RUN@School Day events around the country. We thank our members and supporters for promoting our RUN@WORK and RUN@School Day goal of encouraging adults and children to get 30 minutes of exercise each day, either in the morning, during lunch, or immediately following work or school, in ac-cordance with the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. !roughout RUN@Work and RUN@School Day, partici-pants shared their pictures, observations, and videos on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #runatwork, which was used over 600 times by a variety of people, groups, and companies including Brooks Running, General Dynamics In-formation Technology (with 1,500 employees running), Dicks Pittsburgh Marathon, Atlanta Track Club, Allianz Life, Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center in Arkansas, Big Peach Running, Coca Cola Corp., and many other schools and organizations na-tionwide. View highlights from the RRCAs Storify recap of the events social media conversation at http://goo.gl/7Gd7ea

    SAVE THE DATE!On Sept. 18, 2015 the RRCA will promote the 10th Annual RUN@WORK Day and the 4th Annual RUN@School Day. Learn more at www.RRCA.org/programs/run-at-work-day/

    General Dynamics

    HO

    KA

    ON

    EON

    E.C

    OM

    ROGUE RUNNINGROGUERUNNING.COM

    LUKES LOCKERLUKESLOCKER.COM

    TEXAS RUNNING COMPANYRUN.COM

    CAPITAL CITY RUNNING COMPANYCAPITALCITYRUNNING.COM

    AUSTIN TRI CYCLISTAUSTINTRICYCLIST.COM

    EXPERIENCE THE BONDI 4 AND OTHER HOKA ONE ONE INVITATIONS TO GO AT THESE RETAILERS.

    HOKAONEONE.COM

    LIGHT. STABLE. REMARKABLE CUSHION.

    THE BONDI 4. LETS GO.

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 12 1/26/15 4:26 PM

  • HO

    KA

    ON

    EON

    E.C

    OM

    M

    IKE

    WA

    RD

    IAN

    ELIT

    E EN

    DU

    RA

    NC

    E R

    UN

    NER

    BONDI4

    THIS IS NOT A SHOE. THIS IS AN INVITATION. TO GO LONG. TO GO FOR THE MILE REPEATS. TO GO FOR THE RECOVERY DAYS. TO GO STRIDE IT

    OUT. TO GO IT ALONE. TO GO WITH THE FRIENDS WHO DEMAND AS MUCH OUT OF EACH

    MILE AS YOU DO. TO GO BECAUSE THERE ISNT ANYBODY WHO CAN TAKE IT AWAY FROM

    YOU WHEN YOURE DONE. TO GO BECAUSE YOU CAN. DESIGNED LIGHT, STABLE AND

    WITH SUPERIOR CUSHIONING, THE BONDI 4 INVITES YOU TO GO FURTHER THAN YOU

    DID YESTERDAY. TO GET FASTER FOR TOMORROW. LETS GO.

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 13 1/26/15 4:26 PM

  • BEST SHOE

    TRAILWINTER 201415

    SHOE REVIEWby Cregg Weinmann

    Trail Shoes Winter 201415With the change of season, we take a look at the latest trail shoes: four new shoes and three updates from the Responsive Trail and Performance Trail subcategories. None veer from the variety of conditions found on the trails, though you should consider your needs when evaluating these choices. Where you live and how you like to run and train may make one set of features more or less important for you. A running specialty store can assist you with your footwear needs, and help defi ne the differences between your fi t in different brands and models.

    Brooks Pure Grit 3 $1200! e Pure Grit has " lled an interesting niche for Brooks as a lightweight/minimal trail shoe suitable for train-ing, racing, and exploring trails. Round 3 raises the bar a bit and results in a shoe to be taken more seriously. ! e upper has a more traditional " t and replacing the wrapped, asymmetrical design in favor of a typical lace throat/tongue arrangement. Closed mesh over all and a " ne, gauzy mesh in the midfoot o# er good breath-ability while keeping trail debris out. ! e midsole continues with the same geometry, cushioning, and ride, which were all strengths of the previous two rounds.! e outersole represents the biggest change: the addition of cleat-like lugs with a textured surface that bite into the trail, but still do a decent job on the road. Round 1s skittery grip in wet conditions is no longer an issue. ! e Pure Grit 3 is pure trail in " t, traction, and feel.

    Brooks did more than just tweak this shoe in this past year; the fi t and traction are very different. I still like the fi t of the shoe, and the new outsole pattern gives great traction. It has been responsive and stable with a good ground feel.

    Performance Trail Updates the Pure Grit 2 Sizes Men 614,15,16,17; Women 513 Weight 11.0 oz. (mens 11); 9.2 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

    Hoka One One Mafate Speed $170Hoka has resonated with trail runners, in part because of its birth and testing on mountain slopes. ! e Mafate Speed is a combination of design and technology that manages trail performance in a unique way. ! e closed mesh upper and welded overlays are supportive, smooth, and seamless. ! e Race Lace system locks the foot into the shoe while reducing the likelihood of the trail grabbing any loose ends. ! e midsole is Hokas over-sized pro" le with low-drop geometry and lots of cushioning to protect the foot from sharp points and debris on uneven trail surfaces. ! e large slab of soft foam that is the outersole is a large slab of toughened RMAT foam, with a perimeter of lugged rubber in the high-wear areas, supplements with some lugs of RMAT. ! e resulting traction does a good job and holds up quite well. ! e Mafate Speed cushions protectively and performs well on the trail even though that large slab of foam seems as if it would be unstable. Its not.

    Interesting shoes. The shoes feel light and run lighter they are lighter than expected, based on sheer volume. I like these shoes for cruiser runs on- or off-road, as long as off-road doesnt get too gnarly. They have a very cushy feel.

    Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 7.514; Women 611 Weight 11.3 oz. (mens 11); 9.3 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

    Mizuno Hayate $110Mizuno hasnt matched its road successes on the trail, but thats about to change. Two new shoes have " nally matched the design and technology in a way that maximizes Trail performance. ! e Hayate is the sleek Trail performer, thats rugged enough for serious trails. ! e upper is closed mesh with welded overlays, and a wild, sublimated print adorning the shoe. ! e " t is snug, supportive, and has a smooth and seamless interior. ! e midsole is low-pro" le but responsively cushioned, with the U4ic foam doing on the trail what it does on the road: cushioning and protecting the foot. ! e outersole is a subtle but e# ectively lugged carbon rubber that grips and shields the foot from roots, rocks, and rubble. ! e Hayates e# ective grip, protective sole, and trail performance earned it our award as Best Trail Shoe, Winter 201415.

    TheHayate fi ts well and offers plenty of protection, stability, and traction for most any trail running surface. The shoe quickly adapts to the surface giving a good ground feel while still protecting from the rocks.

    Performance Trail NEW Sizes Men 713; Women 611 Weight 9.7 oz. (mens 11); 8.0 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

    New Balance Fresh Foam 980 Trail $110! e Fresh Foam series has been a catalyst for New Balance thanks to its outstanding foam formulation. ! e Fresh Foam 980 Trail marks ITS cross-over to the trail, bringing along the e# ective design and material. ! e upper is tightly woven mesh with no-sew overlays lending support. ! e interior is smooth and seamless thanks to this construction, which has been a boon to comfort. ! e midsole is a healthy chunk of Fresh Foam with low-drop geometry, and is well-cushioned and responsive. ! ough the outersole looks similar to the road version, its hexagonal elements are angled to expose a chisel-shaped surface that provides e# ective grip and a protective layer of tough rubber. ! e Fresh Foam Trail has all the essential elements of trail performance: cushioning, protection, and traction.

    The fi t is fi ne; no issues. The traction is great for the foothills, and they feel quite stable. They are very cushy protecting the feet well from everything underfoot. No rock plate, but with so much cushion it isnt an oversight.

    Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 713,14,15; Women 511,12 Weight 11.6 oz. (mens 11); 9.5 oz. (womens 8)

    Pearl Izumi Trail N2 $120! e e# ectiveness of trail shoes is de" ned by the materials and surface shaping employed by the designers. While this is true for road shoes as well, the nature of trails make it more di% cult to design shoes to e# ectively manage the range of surfaces encountered. Like the Trail N1 before it, the N2 utilizes the same type of upper, midsole, and outersole in keeping with Pearl Izumis EMotion philosophy, though not as minimal. ! e upper has a seamless interior, thanks to no-sew overlays supporting the closed mesh. ! e midsole is a simple foam, shaped for e% ciency in a single density and it provides a responsive ride. ! e outersole is carbon rubber with multi-directional lugs for an e# ective grip on both soft-surface trails, as well as the harder trails or roads youll encounter. ! e full-contact bottom improves the stability of the shoe and also increases the surface traction. ! e net e# ect is that the N2 is a stable shoe with a secure " t and e# ective traction. If Pearl Izumi has worked well for you on the road, it will probably be a Go-To trail choice as well.

    Fit snug, but comfortable. Plenty of traction and lots of protection. Ground feel is decent; foot is nicely secure. Theres a lot to like with this one.

    Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 713,14; Women 511,12 Weight 11.3 oz. (mens 11); 9.1 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

    Saucony Xodus 5.0 $125For " ve generations, the Xodus has " lled the role of Trail Cruiser in Sauconys RAW (Run AnyWhere) lineup, with no end in sight. ! e upper is similar to Round 4, but some of the overlays in the midfoot have been pared back, the heel strapping has been lengthened and repositioned in the forefoot to snug things up. ! e midsole is slightly modi" ed; Its still PowerGrid with a 4mm drop. ! e tooling feels much the same under-foot, which is to say, protecting from the uneven trail surfaces, which smooth on the " rm stu# . ! e outersole has been reimagined. ! e lugs are similar but more purposefully arranged around the perimeter providing better-articulated traction and improved grip as it interacts with the trail. Version 5.0 carries on the Xodus tradition, retaining its fans and o# ering new trail hounds a great option for serious trail training.

    Comfortablefi t. Motors over the trail with plenty of protection and traction for miles. Even handles roads pretty well and its durability is impressive.

    Responsive Trail Updates the Xodus 4.0 Sizes Men 713,14,15; Women 512 Weight 12.6 oz. (mens 11); 10.2 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

    Under Armour Speedform XC $100! e Speedform XC is the latest iteration of Under Armours molded running shoe line. Designed for o# -road uses, the XC throws a couple of surprises into the mix. ! e upper is a close-" tting stretch fabric, which breathes well while sealing out trail debris. A small TPU heel clip gives the heel some structure without adding too much weight. ! e midsole is Under Armours Micro G foam that is " rm and responsive, with good & exibility. ! e outersole is a matrix of rubber chicklets that are surprisingly grippy o# -road and yet have decent durability and traction on the road. ! ese combined elements and built-in technology, tempered with a dose of minimalism and innovation, make the Under Armour Speedform XC a Performance Trail shoe worthy of serious consideration.

    Good close fi t, but with a bit of stretch and support. The sole is grippier than it seems, and it did a surprisingly good job of straddling trail and road use.

    Performance Trail NEW Sizes Men 813,14,15; Women 610,11 Weight 9.5 oz. (mens 11); 7.9 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted (partial) Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

    Cregg Weinmann is footwear and running products reviewer for Running Network LLC. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. Copyright 20 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of Running Network LLC. Reprinted here with permission.

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 14 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • BEST SHOE

    TRAILWINTER 201415

    SHOE REVIEWby Cregg Weinmann

    Trail Shoes Winter 201415With the change of season, we take a look at the latest trail shoes: four new shoes and three updates from the Responsive Trail and Performance Trail subcategories. None veer from the variety of conditions found on the trails, though you should consider your needs when evaluating these choices. Where you live and how you like to run and train may make one set of features more or less important for you. A running specialty store can assist you with your footwear needs, and help defi ne the differences between your fi t in different brands and models.

    Brooks Pure Grit 3 $1200! e Pure Grit has " lled an interesting niche for Brooks as a lightweight/minimal trail shoe suitable for train-ing, racing, and exploring trails. Round 3 raises the bar a bit and results in a shoe to be taken more seriously. ! e upper has a more traditional " t and replacing the wrapped, asymmetrical design in favor of a typical lace throat/tongue arrangement. Closed mesh over all and a " ne, gauzy mesh in the midfoot o# er good breath-ability while keeping trail debris out. ! e midsole continues with the same geometry, cushioning, and ride, which were all strengths of the previous two rounds.! e outersole represents the biggest change: the addition of cleat-like lugs with a textured surface that bite into the trail, but still do a decent job on the road. Round 1s skittery grip in wet conditions is no longer an issue. ! e Pure Grit 3 is pure trail in " t, traction, and feel.

    Brooks did more than just tweak this shoe in this past year; the fi t and traction are very different. I still like the fi t of the shoe, and the new outsole pattern gives great traction. It has been responsive and stable with a good ground feel.

    Performance Trail Updates the Pure Grit 2 Sizes Men 614,15,16,17; Women 513 Weight 11.0 oz. (mens 11); 9.2 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

    Hoka One One Mafate Speed $170Hoka has resonated with trail runners, in part because of its birth and testing on mountain slopes. ! e Mafate Speed is a combination of design and technology that manages trail performance in a unique way. ! e closed mesh upper and welded overlays are supportive, smooth, and seamless. ! e Race Lace system locks the foot into the shoe while reducing the likelihood of the trail grabbing any loose ends. ! e midsole is Hokas over-sized pro" le with low-drop geometry and lots of cushioning to protect the foot from sharp points and debris on uneven trail surfaces. ! e large slab of soft foam that is the outersole is a large slab of toughened RMAT foam, with a perimeter of lugged rubber in the high-wear areas, supplements with some lugs of RMAT. ! e resulting traction does a good job and holds up quite well. ! e Mafate Speed cushions protectively and performs well on the trail even though that large slab of foam seems as if it would be unstable. Its not.

    Interesting shoes. The shoes feel light and run lighter they are lighter than expected, based on sheer volume. I like these shoes for cruiser runs on- or off-road, as long as off-road doesnt get too gnarly. They have a very cushy feel.

    Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 7.514; Women 611 Weight 11.3 oz. (mens 11); 9.3 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

    Mizuno Hayate $110Mizuno hasnt matched its road successes on the trail, but thats about to change. Two new shoes have " nally matched the design and technology in a way that maximizes Trail performance. ! e Hayate is the sleek Trail performer, thats rugged enough for serious trails. ! e upper is closed mesh with welded overlays, and a wild, sublimated print adorning the shoe. ! e " t is snug, supportive, and has a smooth and seamless interior. ! e midsole is low-pro" le but responsively cushioned, with the U4ic foam doing on the trail what it does on the road: cushioning and protecting the foot. ! e outersole is a subtle but e# ectively lugged carbon rubber that grips and shields the foot from roots, rocks, and rubble. ! e Hayates e# ective grip, protective sole, and trail performance earned it our award as Best Trail Shoe, Winter 201415.

    TheHayate fi ts well and offers plenty of protection, stability, and traction for most any trail running surface. The shoe quickly adapts to the surface giving a good ground feel while still protecting from the rocks.

    Performance Trail NEW Sizes Men 713; Women 611 Weight 9.7 oz. (mens 11); 8.0 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

    New Balance Fresh Foam 980 Trail $110! e Fresh Foam series has been a catalyst for New Balance thanks to its outstanding foam formulation. ! e Fresh Foam 980 Trail marks ITS cross-over to the trail, bringing along the e# ective design and material. ! e upper is tightly woven mesh with no-sew overlays lending support. ! e interior is smooth and seamless thanks to this construction, which has been a boon to comfort. ! e midsole is a healthy chunk of Fresh Foam with low-drop geometry, and is well-cushioned and responsive. ! ough the outersole looks similar to the road version, its hexagonal elements are angled to expose a chisel-shaped surface that provides e# ective grip and a protective layer of tough rubber. ! e Fresh Foam Trail has all the essential elements of trail performance: cushioning, protection, and traction.

    The fi t is fi ne; no issues. The traction is great for the foothills, and they feel quite stable. They are very cushy protecting the feet well from everything underfoot. No rock plate, but with so much cushion it isnt an oversight.

    Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 713,14,15; Women 511,12 Weight 11.6 oz. (mens 11); 9.5 oz. (womens 8)

    Pearl Izumi Trail N2 $120! e e# ectiveness of trail shoes is de" ned by the materials and surface shaping employed by the designers. While this is true for road shoes as well, the nature of trails make it more di% cult to design shoes to e# ectively manage the range of surfaces encountered. Like the Trail N1 before it, the N2 utilizes the same type of upper, midsole, and outersole in keeping with Pearl Izumis EMotion philosophy, though not as minimal. ! e upper has a seamless interior, thanks to no-sew overlays supporting the closed mesh. ! e midsole is a simple foam, shaped for e% ciency in a single density and it provides a responsive ride. ! e outersole is carbon rubber with multi-directional lugs for an e# ective grip on both soft-surface trails, as well as the harder trails or roads youll encounter. ! e full-contact bottom improves the stability of the shoe and also increases the surface traction. ! e net e# ect is that the N2 is a stable shoe with a secure " t and e# ective traction. If Pearl Izumi has worked well for you on the road, it will probably be a Go-To trail choice as well.

    Fit snug, but comfortable. Plenty of traction and lots of protection. Ground feel is decent; foot is nicely secure. Theres a lot to like with this one.

    Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 713,14; Women 511,12 Weight 11.3 oz. (mens 11); 9.1 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

    Saucony Xodus 5.0 $125For " ve generations, the Xodus has " lled the role of Trail Cruiser in Sauconys RAW (Run AnyWhere) lineup, with no end in sight. ! e upper is similar to Round 4, but some of the overlays in the midfoot have been pared back, the heel strapping has been lengthened and repositioned in the forefoot to snug things up. ! e midsole is slightly modi" ed; Its still PowerGrid with a 4mm drop. ! e tooling feels much the same under-foot, which is to say, protecting from the uneven trail surfaces, which smooth on the " rm stu# . ! e outersole has been reimagined. ! e lugs are similar but more purposefully arranged around the perimeter providing better-articulated traction and improved grip as it interacts with the trail. Version 5.0 carries on the Xodus tradition, retaining its fans and o# ering new trail hounds a great option for serious trail training.

    Comfortablefi t. Motors over the trail with plenty of protection and traction for miles. Even handles roads pretty well and its durability is impressive.

    Responsive Trail Updates the Xodus 4.0 Sizes Men 713,14,15; Women 512 Weight 12.6 oz. (mens 11); 10.2 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

    Under Armour Speedform XC $100! e Speedform XC is the latest iteration of Under Armours molded running shoe line. Designed for o# -road uses, the XC throws a couple of surprises into the mix. ! e upper is a close-" tting stretch fabric, which breathes well while sealing out trail debris. A small TPU heel clip gives the heel some structure without adding too much weight. ! e midsole is Under Armours Micro G foam that is " rm and responsive, with good & exibility. ! e outersole is a matrix of rubber chicklets that are surprisingly grippy o# -road and yet have decent durability and traction on the road. ! ese combined elements and built-in technology, tempered with a dose of minimalism and innovation, make the Under Armour Speedform XC a Performance Trail shoe worthy of serious consideration.

    Good close fi t, but with a bit of stretch and support. The sole is grippier than it seems, and it did a surprisingly good job of straddling trail and road use.

    Performance Trail NEW Sizes Men 813,14,15; Women 610,11 Weight 9.5 oz. (mens 11); 7.9 oz. (womens 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted (partial) Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

    Cregg Weinmann is footwear and running products reviewer for Running Network LLC. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. Copyright 20 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of Running Network LLC. Reprinted here with permission.

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 15 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Promoting a Rising Tide:Virginia Brophy AchmanExecutive Director, Twin Cities In Motion!eres a time-tested adage: If you want to get something done, ask a busy per-son. Following those words of wisdom, you might want to ask Virginia Brophy Achman, executive director of Twin Cities In Motion (TCM), the organization that annually presents the Twin Cities Marathon and 21 other races during eight days of road racing events in Minnesota. I tend to gravitate to leadership positions, but Im a doer. So I try to lead by doing, Achman explains. So for me, its been about learning and really understanding this sport as a business as well as what the sport does for the human spirit. As a young soccer player, Achman was drawn to running by her father and ultimately fell in love with the sport. She has now emerged as one of its most passionate advocates. I really feel strongly that the sport has so much to o#er to so many di#erent people, she says. We all know that the pros and the citi-zen runner can compete in the same event and share that experience. And there just isnt another sport like that, says Achman. And to tack on the exclamation point, she adds, !ere just isnt! Achmans focus is not merely in lifting the TCM race agenda. She wants to ensure the entire sport comes along for the ride. I know how life changing our running is, she states. But I am also a believer in the rising tide. When I got involved at the national level through Running USA and then as presi-dent, and then as chair of USATFs Womens LDR [Long Distance Running] Committee, I knew it was important to bring everyone together and help us continue to bring the sport to another level. Achman knows a rising tide raises all boats. And the executive director wants all watercraft in the sea of road racing to be elevated. As such, TCMs leader sees the continued in&ux of new races as a double-edged sword. What has been a challenge is the sheer volume of new races, the saturation of our marketplace. On the one hand, its good thing because it shows our sport to be viable, Achman notes. But I do "nd it a little frustrating when there are people in the business just to make money and not put the sport "rst. !at, at times, is the challenge for us, she admits. I want to make the tide rise. When some of these one-o# incidents that are less than professional give the sport a black eye, it keeps the tide from rising. I am all for having a lot of races to choose from, but Im hoping that everyone does it with integrity and puts the sport and the participant "rst. When Achman looks back on her 10 years of leadership, she has no hes-itation in identifying her most rewarding moment. It was securing our one and only title sponsor, Medtronic, she says. I knew the synergy was there. It took the public a little bit to "gure it out, but not very long, because the public wants a well and healthy community just like we do, she notes in

    PINNING By Dave Hunter

    on the LEADERSHIP BIB:

    Virginia B

    rophy Achm

    anCT

    Ryan P

    hotog

    raph

    y

    16 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Savvy Women Helm Several Major Marathons

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 16 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • explaining how the medical device manufac-turers support (which was recently renewed through 2020) has placed lifestyle, health, and wellness as the cornerstones of the Twin Cities Marathon, a weekend that has blossomed into a two-day, multi-event celebration for 30,000 runners. It costs a lot of money to put on these events and for us to continue to provide quality events and build our kids program. And Im very proud of what we are doing with our kids program, which is aided greatly by our partnership with Medtronic. Achman, who has presided over the growth and evolution of Twin Cities In Motion for a decade and seen its annual budget expand from $1.0 million to $4.2 million during her tenure, is upbeat about the future of American

    road racing. I think its going to continue to be import-ant to reach out and build our future customer. Helping children who dont have that opportunity helps them to build those healthy habits. And it also allows us, hopefully, to gain a future customer. So as we reach out and be diverse, it helps ex-pose all people to the sport. So, for us, we have endless opportunities because running has so much positive in-&uence on our lives. As long as we can continue to deliv-er a product that is good and interesting and we continue to listen to our customers, I dont see it going away.

    Ready for the Spotlight:Tracey RussellCEO, LA MarathonBack in the 90s, the centerpiece of the Los Angeles sports scene featured the Los Angeles Lakers, composed of talented, thoroughbred basketball players whose daz-zling on-court performance became known as Show-time.Tracey Russell, the relatively new CEO of the LA Marathon, and her talented team are planning a type of Showtime of their own when Americas marathon thor-oughbreds gather in the City of Angels for the 2015 LA Marathonwhich will also serve as the USATF national marathon championshipsand ultimately for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Russell never really aspired to take on the head job at the LA Marathon. In her early 40s and contented with her position as executive director of the Atlanta Track Club, Russellthinking that Los Angeles would not be the right "t for a midwestern nativewas cool to the idea of a Los Angeles opportunity. I "rst learned about the LA opportunity from a friend who encouraged me

    Tracey Ru

    ssell

    Mary WittenbergPhotoRun.NET

    Tracey Russell (LA Marathon)

    RRCA.org Winter 2015 ClubRunning 17

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 17 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • 18 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    to consider it. I told my friend, No, thank you.A couple of months later, I got a call from the search "rm, Russell explains. I decided to go through the process, and as I started to go through it, I saw the opportunity. I met some people out here in Los Angeles and I realized that this is where I am supposed to be next. And with a smile she adds, It de"nitely was a challengingbut a very excitingdecision. Once Russell was on board in the fall of 2013, every time she looked around, she saw ways to make the race better, to elevate the event. I dont look at things as challenges; I try to look at them as opportunities, she says candidly. In terms of what we have here in Los Angeles, there is a huge opportunity. !ats why I took the risk of leaving a place Id been for six and a half years and absolutely loved. I saw a lot of the opportunities LA has with its marathon. Russell hardly had time to unpack her bags before she began pursuing large, trans-formative objectives. I literally hit the ground running and put in a bid for the Olympic Tri-als, which well be hosting in 2016, she states with a hint of pride. Landing that jewel gave LAs new CEO early insight into a recipe for further event successes. For us, its really taking an asset here in Los Angeles and taking it to the next level, Russell states matter-of-factly. I see the Trials as a huge opportunity. Putting together a team of subject matter experts is go-ing to allow this incredible event to become a global marathon. Its well on its way. And by hosting the Trials, LA is getting more visibility. !at early success is an outcome Russell suspected could be achieved in a vibrant, can-do metropolis like Los Angeles. Having been in the running industry for a while, I always kind of scratched my head and thought, LA could be more, she says. Its the second larg-est city in the U.S. and doesnt necessarily have a marathon that re&ects what a cool city it iseither as a destination marathon or as a very competitive marathon. I see huge opportunity everywhere I turn. One of those opportunities is the chance to build on Los Angeles Olympic heritage. It has been really exciting to come to such a large metropolitan area where the Olympics is so much a part of the DNA here in Los Angeles. LA having hosted two prior Olympic Games and with a very strong interest in putting in a bid for the 2024 Games, its fun to come here where theres a lot of excitement and enthusi-asm to help us really leverage other community assets that are going to help us reach our objec-tives on the global stage. Russell knows that close collaboration with USATF is one of the critical keys to the Trials success. We are working in lockstep with USATF as we prepare for the Trials in 2016. So far, it has been going very well. Were excited about the roadmap were building to-gether to put on a tremendous event in 2016.

    %URDGHQLQJ,QXHQFHMary WittenbergPresident & CEO, New York Road RunnersFor the last nine years, Mary Wittenberg has been the president and chief executive o%cer of the New York Road Runners, one of todays most in&uential organizations in running and road racing. Our mission is to help inspire people to embrace running. Our vision is a world that bene"ts from running, explains Wittenberg, who has been with NYRR since 1998. But the 52-year-old lawyer and the orga-nization she leads have a broader, deeper vision. Its not just getting people to run, [although] thats huge in and of itself, [its] a way to help a lot of people, states Wittenberg as she cites the overwhelming patronage of NYRR events: 50,000 in the NYC Marathon; 20,000 in the Brooklyn Half [largest half in the country], and routinely sold-out weekly borough events. But Wittenberg sees more. We want to be a bene"cial in&uence in the communities through which we run. I think of us as one of the worlds premier com-munity-based running organizations, says Wittenberg, a former Olympic Marathon Trials quali"er who runs regularly. We are all about the totality of our sportfrom kids to seniors; from the fastest in the world to "rst-timers; from running to walking. Our philosophy is helping people run for life, to move for life. My plan had always been to work in sports, says Wittenberg, who was a visionary thinker early on. I saw the power of sports from a young age and certainly experienced personally the bene"ts of playing sports, says Wittenberg. I also had this other mission side. My vision wasnt as clear there. But coming to NYRR gave me the chance to work in running and to marry my passion for sport and my pas-sion for helping people and to work for a non-pro"t. !at is what I was destined for. !rough her leadership, NYRR is e#ec-tively expanding its sphere of in&uence, geo-graphically and socioeconomically. Our com-petencies have been around events and youth programs. In addition, we are doing more in the education space. We are working to move beyond where we are now and into what the fu-ture holds for us. !e enthusiastic leader poses this rhetorical question that guides and inspires the organization she leads: How do we better weave ourselves into the daily lives of people such that we can help them move on a regular basis? NYRRs energetic CEO takes no time in identifying the most gratifying aspects of her job. !e most rewarding, for sure, is every day we just work on ways to get people to get out and get moving. We know what the ben-e"t can be in their life, whether theyre a kid, an athlete trying to be the best in the world,

    or an 80-year-old trying to keep moving, she explains. But Wittenberg also recognizes the re-wards she derives from being captain of a squad of skillful, fully engaged individuals pursuing a common goal. I love working with a great team and Im inspired by the talent and the commitment, notes Wittenberg, who presides over a $70+ million budget and guides the ef-forts of NYRRs 60 full-time employees, which swells through the addition of 700 regular part-time employees and over 10,000 volunteers as its famed Marathon Sunday approaches. Peo-ple really care about what they do here at New York Road Runners, says Wittenberg with a note of appreciation. Mary Wittenbergrunner, corporate leader, visionary thinkerhas de"nite views on the evolution of running over the next 10 years. I think what well see over the next de-cade is that running will truly be the sport of all people, she predicts. I think we get a little bit ahead of the curve here in New York City because of the natural diversity that exists here. But more and more, we are getting to more and more people. We had 400,000 people running with us this year, and thats great. But there are 8 million here and another 3 million who com-mute here every day. Over the next 10 years, I think you will see running and walking woven into the fabric of society in a greater way. When we see people getting out of a subway 10 blocks early or parking their car at a parking lot that they are going to run or walk to, then we will be in peoples consciousness in a way where we have become a part of their lives well beyond the races.

    Refreshingly, none of these three CEOs cited any instances of gender-related interfer-ence or pushback during their respective career journeys to their present leadership positions. Im 49, so Im a product of Title IX. I person-ally have never had issues, Achman says. It isnt even on my radar, to be honest, because Ive never experienced [gender-based bias]. Ive always just gone about my business: Do a good job, surround yourself with people who do a good job. Notes Wittenberg: We are the generation that followed behind the generation that blazed the trail. Its perhaps a tribute to the growing inclusiveness of the sport of road racing that the type of pioneering leadership exhibited by Achman, Russell, and Wittenberg is not hindered; its welcomed. And maybe, just maybe, its because our sport and those around it are now wise enough to bring a gender-blind embrace to demonstrated competence.

    Dave Hunter, who ran his marathon PR of 2:31:40 on the Boston course back in the Paleozo-ic era, is a journalist who writes frequently about running and track & "eld. He can be reached at [email protected]

    Project1_Layout 1 12/12/14 7:32 AM Page 1

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 18 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Project1_Layout 1 12/12/14 7:32 AM Page 1

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 19 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Since 1996, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) has awarded grants totaling over $480,000 through its Roads Scholars program. #e programs goal is to assist promising American postcollegiate runners to develop into national and world-class road running athletes. #e grants go directly to the athletes to support their goals and training needs. Traditionally, the RRCA distributes six grants. However, the strong credentials and impressive potential of this years pool of applicants, coupled with the ability to lay the groundwork for quali"cation in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, motivated the RRCA to expand this class to eight recipients. #e "nal selections were made on Sept. 30, prior to the USA Marathon Championships in October.

    #e RRCA is pleased to introduce and congratulate the 201415 Class of Roads Scholars.

    Esther ErbIn high school Erb ran just one season of track, focusing her energies more on singing and playing the cello. However, once in college at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, she ramped up her athletic interests while maintaining a commitment to academics. She quali"ed for nine national meets, earned six All-American "nishes, and won the national championship in the 10,000m run. Erb ran a 2:46:15 in her debut at the 2008 Berlin Marathon, and in 2010, she dropped her time to 2:39:02 at the Seville Marathon. !e re-duction in time is particularly impressive, as her training coincided with a Fulbright Scholarship in Austria, where she was studying and teaching. At the conclusion of her scholarship, Erb joined ZAP Fitness in Blowing Rock, NC, training under coach Peter Rea. Back in the U.S., her growth as a runner continued. In 2012, she "nished 27th at the Olym-pic Marathon Trials with a time of 2:37:21, after singing the national

    anthem to open the event. !e next year, she placed 3rd at the USA Marathon Champion-ships at the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneso-

    ta, running 2:34:30. Erbs improvements continued in 2014. In April she set a PR at the Boston Mara-

    thon with a time of 2:33:15. On Oct. 5, she returned to the USA Marathon

    Championships at the Medtron-ic Twin Cities Marathon,

    showing impressive stamina to pull away over the last mile and a half to win the race in a time of 2:34:01. Currently an assis-tant cross country coach at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ, Erb is now focused on her next two big goals: the 2015 World Marathon Cham-

    pionships, followed by the 2016 Olympic Trials.

    Emily GordonIn high school, Gordon was a sprinter and hurdler, favoring the 300m hur-dles. She was recruited to UC Santa Barbara to run the 400m hurdles. In her "rst season in the Big West in 2011, she placed 6th in the championship conference meet with a time of 62.83. In January 2012, she transferred to UCLA, where she trained and competed with the track team her sophomore season before resigning in order to focus on her bio-medical research and her biochemistry major. In fall 2012 Gordon joined the UCLA Triath-lon Club to stay "t and active in her free time. She increased her running and cycling distances and placed 13th in the USAT Collegiate Champi-onships in spring 2013. In October 2013, on a whim, Gor-don raced in the Nike Womens Marathon San Francisco along with a handful of triathlon teammates. Apart from her tri-athlon training and a handful of long runs, she hadnt done any mara-thon-speci"c training. Surprising-ly, she pulled into the lead at the 12th mile and won in 2:51.44. Not too long after that, she was approached by an old friend, who o#ered to coach her to another marathon to make the 2016 Olympic Trials B-standard time. !e target race was the Surf City Mar-athon in February 2014. Along the way, she won the San Diego Holiday Half Mara-thon in 1:14.13. On Feb. 2, she raced to a 2:39.58 marathon "nish in Huntington Beach, CA, breaking the course record by a whopping 17 minutes. In the spring, she dabbled on the track with her "rst 3K (9:49.18) and her "rst 10K (34:50.26), but has decided to focus her energies solely on the roads through 2016. After attending the RRCAs RunPro Camp in July, she joined Team USA Min-nesota based in the Twin Cities. Shell be completing her degree at UCLA in the fall and join her teammates in spring of 2015.

    20 ClubRunning Winter 2015

    Photo

    Run.N

    ET

    Photo

    Run.N

    ET

    By Andy Smith, RRCA Program Coordinator

    maratho

    nfoto.

    com

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 20 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Matt LlanoLlano initially started running in high school as a way to stay in shape for soccer, but quickly realized his passion for the sport. He transitioned to full-time runner in his junior year. He &ourished at the collegiate level, where he ran for the University of Richmond (UR) and earned three de-grees: BAs in Psychology, Latin American & Iberian Studies, and !eatre. While at UR, Llano was a Division I All-American and led the Spiders to the NCAA championship in 2010, a "rst for the team.On the track, he ran 14:00 for 5000 meters and 28:43 for 10,000 meters. Always hungry for more, Llano decided to pursue running as a ca-reer upon graduation in 2011. Although he was struck by an SUV during a training run in the summer of 2011, he showed his resilience and de-buted at the half marathon distance in Houston less than "ve months later, running 63:26, a promising start to a professional career. Short-ly thereafter, he attended the "rst RunPro Camp hosted by Team USA

    Minnesota. After camp, he relocated to Flagsta#, AZ where he was one of the founding athletes of the Northern Ari-zona Elite, a professional training group coached by Ben Rosario. Following a number of top-10 "nishes at national championship events in 2012 and 2013, he started 2014 with a breakthrough performance

    at the U.S. Half Marathon Champi-onship, placing 5th overall in

    a time of 1:01:47. During that race, he quali"ed to

    represent Team USA at the 2014 World Half Marathon Championship in Denmark. !ere he placed 35th, with a time of 1:02:25. Hes spent several

    months preparing for his marathon debut

    at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, where he aimed to run under 2 hours and 10 min-utes. He "nished 24th overall

    (and 1st in his age division) with a time of 2:17:43good enough to qualify for Boston.

    Jonathan PetersonPeterson found his passion for running in the fourth grade. As he pro-gressed through grade school and into high school, he quickly became one of the top runners in California. He placed as high as 6th at the Cal-ifornia state meet and 10th at the Western Regional Cross Country meet, narrowly missing a bid to the Foot Locker National meet. After graduating from high school, he pursued a degree in Human Development at the University of California, Davis. While there, Peter-son broke several school records on the track, including the 5000m and 10,000m distances. In 2010, he earned his "rst Big West Championship title in cross country, leading the Aggies to their "rst conference cham-pionship. !at same season, he went on to place 14th at the NCAA D-I national cross country meet in Terre Haute, IN, earning All-Amer-ican honors. Other career highlights include winning his second and third Big West Championship races at the 1500m and 5000m events at the 2012 meet. Shortly after graduating from Davis, Peter-son moved to the Twin Cities to join Team USA Minnesota, where he was coached by Dennis Barker. In his "rst USA Championship ap-pearance on the roads, he placed 12th at the Twin Cities 10 Mile, held in con-junction with the Medtronic Twin Cit-ies Marathon. Also in his "rst year, he quali"ed for the Great Edinburgh Challenge, held in Edinburgh, Scot-land, along with qualifying for USA Outdoors at the 10,000 meters. Peterson attended the RRCA Run-Pro Camp in 2013 and has more recently begun to "nd his niche on the roads, rac-ing distances from 110 miles. Returning from a successful European track tour, he concluded his summer racing with a 5th-place "nish at this years Bix 7, the USA 7-Mile championship. In September, he placed 2nd at the Minnesota Mile (4:04.0), followed by a 2nd place at the Great Cow Harbor 10K and 12th place at the USA 5K Championships. Most recently, he defended his 2013 title at the Twin Cities 10 Mile, winning with a time of 48:12. Im honored to receive this grant and having [an] organization such as the RRCA support my aspirations, noted Peterson. It further validates the continued pursuit of my goals as a professional athlete.

    Class of 2014

    RRCA.org Winter 2015 ClubRunning 21

    Photo

    Run.N

    ET

    Comp

    etitive I

    mage

    maratho

    nfoto.

    com

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 21 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Daniel QuigleyA St. Louis native, Quigley grew up playing every sport under the sun and even dabbled in a few middle school track meets. A 2007 gradu-ate of Christian Brothers College High School where his father was a math teacher and track coach, it was only natural that he sign up for the cross country team. Running times of 9:08 and 4:16 in the 3200m and 1600m, respectively, and placing 2nd at the Missouri State Cross Coun-try Championships earned him a partial scholarship at the University of Missouri. As a Mizzou Tiger, Quigley had a few false starts before "nding success. A bout with mononucleosis and a two-year hiatus due to hip surgeries held him back temporarily. By the end of his college career, he was a two-time NCAA "nalist in the 5000m, "nishing with a second team All-American honor and multiple All-Conference honors. He also broke both the indoor and outdoor school records in the 5000m. He ran under the previous records a total of seven times and eventually dropped his own outdoor record by 22 seconds to 13:43. After graduating with a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineer-ing, he ventured west to Track Town USA (Eugene, OR). Quigley has seen great improvements running with the Oregon Track Club Elite and working with coach Ian Dobson. He attended the RRCAs RunPro Camp in July 2014. In his "rst mile race as a pro, he broke the 4-minute barrier, which was a 13-second PR from his college best of 4:12. !is summer, he ran his "rst road mile at the GNC LiveWell Liberty Mile, placing 6th and earning his "rst prize purse as a pro on the roads.

    Natasha RogersRogers discovered her passion for running in high school. At the time, her training grounds were the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Littleton, CO. She went on to run for Texas A&M Universitys cross country and track teams where the experience bred a dream to compete against the top female distance runners of the world. At the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship meet, Rogers won her "rst national championship, even though the previous year she had not quali"ed for nationals. !e leap she made is a true tes-tament to her work ethic and drive. !at same year, she placed 2nd at the Olympic Trials in the 10,000m with a time of 31:59, ahead of two runners who quali"ed for the London Olympic Games. She did this by managing to regroup after taking a fall and being trampled early in the race. After that season, a more severe injury occurred to Rogers knee. Unable to run, she took a hiatus from the sport to pursue other interests. However, that break only reinforced her love of running, and it wasnt long before she returned to the sport. After graduating, Rogers decided to make the move to Boston to train under Mark Coogan. She is now in an environment where her dreams can become a reality.

    22 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Photo

    Run.N

    ET

    Bigstoc

    kpho

    to.com

    Photo

    Run.N

    ET

    Courtes

    y of D

    an Quig

    ley.

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 22 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Ethan ShawShaw ran for most of his life while growing up in Falmouth, ME. By the end of high school, he had collected "ve state titles in cross country and track. He earned three AllNew England performances in cross country. But on a national scale, Shaw was far from a standout with modest times of 4:21 in the 1600m and 9:39 in the 3200m. Shaw decided to attend Dartmouth College after being recruited by coach Barry Harwick. Shaw quickly found success after jumping up to the 8K distance in cross country. He worked to steadily drop his times on the track. As a junior, his 3rd-place "nish at the Heptagonal Cross Country Championships launched him into the top tier of runners in his conference. As a senior, he was able to grab the surprise victory at his conference championship on a snowy day at Princeton. He would "nish the season with a 54th place "nish at the NCAA D-I National Champi-onships. Since graduating, Shaw has been working to consistently improve his times. In his debut marathonthe 2013 U.S. Marathon Champi-onshiphe snagged a qualifying time for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon with a 2:17:26, a time that placed him 14th in the race and ranked him 32nd at that distance for 2013. He was also able to drop his 5K and 10K personal bests to 13:55 and 28:41, respectively. Shaw attended the 2014 RunPro Camp as an invited athlete. He has recently moved to Boston to compete for the Boston Athletic Association under

    coach Terrence Mahon, where he hopes to make strong improve-

    ments on the track and on the roads.

    Amy Van AlstineVan Alstine started running cross country and track for Midland Park High School in New Jersey. Her siblings all ran and excelled, so her father encouraged her to follow in their footsteps. During her time at Midland Park, she became the Group 1 State Champion (2004) in cross country and indoor track (3200m) and outdoor track (3200m). She also received First Team All-State honors in cross country and was named the 2005 YMCA student-athlete of the year (2005). Van Alstine ran for the University of Richmond Spiders in Rich-mond, VA, where she was an All-American in the 5K outdoors (2011). She was also the school record holder in the outdoor 1500m, 3K, and 5K and broke the Atlantic 10 Conference 1500m record. At the end of her college career, she was named Atlantic 10 Athlete of the Year. After college, she attended the 2011 RunPro Camp hosted by Team USA Minnesota and joined adidasMcMillan Elite in Flagsta#, AZ in 2012. !ere she had great success, achieving personal bests in every event from 1500m on the track to 10K on the roads. With the completion of McMillan Elite at the end of 2013, she decided to stay in Flagsta# and joined the new team of Northern Arizona Elite where, under Coach Ben Rosario, she won her "rst national title at the 2014 USA Cross Country Championships. She competed at the 2014 USA Road 15K Championships and placed 3rd with a time of 49:49.

    Class of 2014RRCA.org Winter 2015 ClubRunning 23

    Bigstoc

    kpho

    to.com

    Photo

    Run.N

    ET

    Photo

    Run.N

    ET

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 23 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Novices, Arkansas GP Racers, National Champs in Go! MileRRCA National 1-Mile National Championship Road Race

    North Little Rock, AR June 14, 2014 By Erin Taylor

    24 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Championship Spotlight

    !e Go! Mile celebrated its fourth year as one fast little race by adding the excitement and honor of hosting the 2014 RRCA Na-tional Championship 1-Mile Road Race in support of Bring Back the Mile.Go! Mile, presented by Go! Running and part of the pop-ular Arkansas Grand Prix series, a series of 22 races of all distances, challenges everyone from novice to elite to a 1-mile running event. !e gun sounded the start of the "rst racethe First Mileat 7:30am Sat., June 14, in Burns Park in North Little Rock. !e First Mile is for beginners to walk or jog the mile to celebrate the begin-nings of their "tness journey. !is was followed by four age-group heats, including the 40+ masters race for both the men and women. Little Rocks Courtney Allison won the Female 40+ division with a time of 6:19. !ere were 112 "nishers in this event, the largest "eld for the race, including RRCA board member Kelly Richards, who was 4th overall in this heat. In the Male 40+ division, Karl Lenser of Conway, AR "nished "rst among the 74 "nishers with a time of 05:19. Capping o# the event was the Elite heat for invited runners (men with sub-5:30 mile time; women sub-6:00). !e Windstream RRCA National Elite race promised to be fast and it delivered with several postcolle-giate track runners in the fray competing for $7,000 in prize money. !ere were 52 Elite "nishers, with the top 4 overall "nishers right on each others heels to the "nish line. Michael Hammond (24, Furman Elite), of Greenville, SC took 1st in 4:07.54. Rob Finnerty (24, Furman Elite), also of Green-ville, "nished a close 2nd in 4:07.83. For the female Elite race, Keri McClary (23, Springdale, AR), won with a time of 4:52.41. Cheryl Nolan, 24, "nished with a time of 5:05.10 to take 2nd, and Little Rocks two-time Olympic Marathon Trials quali"er Leah !orvilson (35) was 3rd in 5:05.22. !e Elite race is exciting and unique to watch. Rarely do you get to see national-level elite athletes run close to a 4-minute mile, said Gary Taylor, Go! Mile race director and Go! Running owner. But the Go! Mile Run-ning Festival is so much more. Its been de-signed to have something for everyone. With seven di#erent heats, its a race for the whole family, whether youre an experienced runner or just new to the sport. From 201012, the event served as the RRCA State Cham-pionship 1-Mile race. In 2013 it was the RRCA Southern Region 1-Mile Championship and in 2014 it served as the RRCA National 1-Mile Championship race. In 2015, the Go! Mile will again host the 2015 RRCA National 1-Mile Championship.

    OPEN Michael Hammond (24, Greenville, SC, 4:07)

    Keri McClary (23, Springdale, AR, 4:52)

    MASTERSKarl Lenser (55, Conway, AR, 5:19)

    Cortney Allison (48, Little Rock, AR, 6:19)

    GRANDMASTERSKenny Wilsey (50, Little Rock, AR, 5:35)

    Lynn ONeal (50, Bryant, VA, 6:31)

    SENIOR GRANDMASTERS Ben Wiley (60, Nashville, AR, 5:48)

    Angie Orellano-Fisher (64, Sherwood, AR, 7:52)

    7KH55&$FRQJUDWXODWHVWKHIROORZLQJ55&$1DWLRQDO0LOH&KDPSLRQV

    Go Mile!

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 24 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Go Mile!

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 25 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • 26 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Championship Spotlight

    Kogo Wins 4th Virginia 10-Mile to Claim Title RRCA National 10-Mile Championship Road Race

    !e 41st staging of the Genworth Virginia 10-Miler served as the RRCA National 10-Mile Championship and drew thousands of run-ners and spectators along with guest announcers Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson. What began in 1973 as a single racing event has morphed over the decades into a series of events: the Genworth Virginia 10-Miler, the Bank of the James 4-Miler, the Centra 4-Mile Walk, the Amazement Square Amazing Mile Childrens Run, and as-sociated family activities across Lynchburg. Julius Kogo leaned back and let his legs do all the work. He ar-rived at the "nish line of the 41st annual Genworth Virginia 10-Miler neck-and-neck with his training partner, Cleophas Ngetich. Kogos long stride made the di#erence, as he claimed a narrow victoryhis fourth overall and third straight in Lynchburgto earn the title of RRCA National 10-Mile Champion. !e duo from Chapel Hill, NC separated themselves from two other runners, Girma Gebre and Simion Chirchir, near the 5-mile mark at Riverside Park. Kogo and Ngetich ran alone the rest of the race, each trying unsuccessfully to break away from the other. When they arrived at the "nish line, Kogo crossed at 48:20 and Ngetich at 48:21. We were pushing together, Kogo said. We were trying to go for the course record, but we didnt manage it today. Rod Dixons 46.50, set in 1981, remained the record on a day when both Kenyan runners said the mark was unreachable due to hu-mid conditions. !eyre in another league, said longtime local runner Je# Har-rington, who won the Masters division. You might as well tell me to &y to Mars or something. theyre so e%cient. Im sure they were breathing hard and straining, but I think I was straining a lot harder than they were. Harrington won the Masters for the third time in four years,

    turning in 58:58, a mark identical to his time in last years run when his friend Gregg Cavaliere took the top prize. Harrington was able to hold him o# this year. While the drama in the mens race came at the "nish line, the drama for the womens race occurred before the race began. Jane Mu-rage, the 2013 winner, withdrew at the last minute; her replacement, Lilian Mariita, surged to an early lead and never looked back. Mariita "nished in a time of 54:45, 18 seconds ahead of 2nd-place "nisher Sophy Jepchirchir and nearly a full minute ahead of last years pace. Jepchirchir "nished 4th in 2013 and her time of 55:03 was 2:37 ahead of last years pace. Mariita has won several races this year including the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon 10K in May, the Minne-apolis Get in Gear 10K, the Gum Tree Run 10K in Tupelo, MS, and the Louisville Papa Johns 10 Miler. Mariita, originally from Kenya, currently trains in Hebron, KY. I felt good, Mariita said. I like the hills. I liked this course. Kara Foster, the top American "nisher, posted a 56:43. Foster hails from Pennsylvania, ran track at Penn State, graduated in 2012, and was the Big 10 Champion in the 10,000m her junior and se-nior seasons. She is currently sponsored by Oiselle Running Apparel for Women. Robin Steckley of Forest won the Grandmasters division (50+) in 1:16:31. She relocated to the area from Canada in 2011. And then there was Bill Draper, the iconic symbol of endurance and determination at the 10-Miler, who participated for the 41st time and walked to the "nish line with aid from a fellow runner. !e 86-year-old New Jersey native "nished at 11:35am, 3 hours and 35 minutes after the race began. !at didnt matter to a crowd of about 200 people who waited at the "nish line for Draper to cross. !is is the "nest run Ive ever been in, he said of the 10-Miler. Everything here is superb.

    Lynchburg, VA Sept. 27, 2014By Ben Cates & Chris Humpreys

    OPEN Julius Kogo (29, Chapel Hill, NC, 48:19) Lillian Maritta (25, Hebron, KY, 54:44)

    MASTERS1L/HYYPUN[VU3`UJOI\YN=(! Amy Cernava (46, Asheboro, NC, 1:11:01)

    GRANDMASTERSBilly Pearlman (55, Roanoke, VA,1:06:57)

    Pam Rickard (52, Rocky Mount, VA,1:20:29)

    SENIOR GRANDMASTERSWill Morrell (63, Southern Pines, NC, 1:14:21) Kathleen Doswell (65, Columbia, VA, 1:34:48)

    7KH55&$FRQJUDWXODWHVWKHIROORZLQJ55&$1DWLRQDO0LOH&KDPSLRQV

    Compiled with permission from articles in the News & Advance of Lynchburg, VA. TriDuo Sports Photography

    CR-Winter-2015.indd 26 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • CR-Winter-2015.indd 27 1/21/15 8:30 AM

  • Chattanooga, TN Oct. 4, 2014 By Jean Knaack

    Championship Spotlight

    28 ClubRunning Winter 2015 RRCA.org

    Rock/Creeks StumpJump 50K National Ultra Championship

    Rock/Creeks StumpJump is by far the largest and most popular race in the eight-event Salomon Rock/Creek Trail Series. !e events are hosted by the or-ganization Wild Trails, whose mission is to encourage and promote a healthy and active lifestyle through trail running and other forms of outdoor recre-ation and to advocate, protect, and preserve the land (natural spaces) used for such activities. Both the 11-mile course and the coveted 50K course for the StumpJump

    provided runners a beautiful experience of running through some sensational double- and single-track trails in Chattanooga. !e StumpJump 50K served as the 2014 RRCA National Ultra Championship. !e race, now in its 13th year, had almost 500 run-ners participate in the two distances. !e race takes place on the beautiful single-track trails of Signal Mountain and Walden Ridge, outside of Chatta-nooga and featuring a liberal dose of Tennessee mountain stone and over 4,400 feet of elevation gain. StumpJump also serves as the "rst sporting event of Chattanoogas River Rocks festival. Now in its 5th year, River Rocks is the 30-day event that brings world-class and amateur athletes together to enjoy all that Chattanooga has to o#er for the out-door lifestyle.

    OPEN Daniel Hamilton (26, 4:25:28) Beth Meadows (28, 5:22:46)

    MASTERS William Warner (61, 5:24:48) Sally Brooking (57, 5:45:55)

    GRANDMASTERSWilliam Warner (61, 5:24:48) Sally Brooking (57, 5:45:55)

    SENIOR GRANDMASTERSDan Kuhlman (60, 5:30:55)

    No female participant

    7KH55&$FRQJUDWXODWHVWKH IROORZLQJ55&$

    1DWLRQDO8OWUD&KDPSLRQV

    Caffeine Photography

    RRCA Championship Series SponsorsGatorade Endurance Sports AuthorityAshworth Awards FORTIUS Media Group, LLCScan the code to view the full RRCA Championship Event Series Calendar

    Road Runners Club of America 2015 RRCA National Championship Event SeriesThe RRCA Championship Event Series boasts over 185 races that attract over 330,000 runners nationwide at the state, regional, and national level. We invite you to run in the 2015 RRCA National Championship Event Series, which provides awards for winners at the open, master, grandmaster, and se


Recommended