SGR January Newsletter Happy New Year! From all of us here at St. George Races, we hope you had a wonderful holiday season filled with joy and happiness. This month’s St. George Races Newsletter features a highlight of the St. George Half-Marathon, 5K, Kids Run and I Am Able event; our runner spotlight, featuring Marianne Hamilton; Crosby Family Confluence Park as the Town’s Treasure; and a list of several upcoming events. For details about our schedule of races and other events, please visit our website: www.sgcity.org/races . If you have questions and can’t find the answers on our site, email us at [email protected]! Upcoming Event highlight Join St. George Races on Saturday, January 13, 2018 for the 36th Annual St. George Half-Marathon, 5K, Kids Run and I Am Able event! If you made a resolution to be more active this year, this is the perfect way to get started. Plus, weather in St. George is glorious in January, especially when you consider the winter storms that have frozen much of the nation. Many southern states have had to declare a state of emergency, the northeast is buried in snow, and traces of the powdery white stuff are still lingering in South Carolina and Florida - all while St. George is enjoying beautiful, mild temps!
JoinSt.GeorgeRacesonSaturday, January13,2018forthe36thAnnualSt.GeorgeHalf-Marathon,5K,KidsRunandIAmAbleevent! If youmadea resolution tobemoreactive thisyear, this is theperfectwaytogetstarted.Plus,weather inSt. George is glorious in January, especially when youconsider the winter storms that have frozen much of thenation.Manysouthernstateshavehadtodeclareastateofemergency,thenortheastisburiedinsnow,andtracesofthepowderywhite stuff are still lingering in SouthCarolina andFlorida - all while St. George is enjoying beautiful,mildtemps!
This issouthernUtah’s longest-runninghalf-marathonandisa can’t-miss race for anyone who wants to run a half-marathon through beautiful, scenic St. George. With anoutstandingcoursetakesrunnersonthepavedcitytrailsthatwind along the Virgin River, this event showcases thespectacularlandscapeofourcityanditsenvirons.
FormoreinformationontheHalf-Marathon,5K,KidsRunandI Am Able Events, visit our website by clicking here. Toregister, please click here. The last day to register isWednesday,Jan.10at5pmMST.AfterFriday,Jan.5,thereisa$10lateregistrationcharge.
RunnerSpotlight-Marianne
Hamilton
Thismonth’sRunnerSpotlightisn’tsomuchonarunnerasitis on a very active participant at SGR Events. MarianneHamiltonhasparticipatedinnearlyeverySGREventofferedover the past few years, yet she hasn’t run a single race.
OriginallyfromSacramento,Hamilton,movedtotheBayAreaforcollegeandwasoneofthefirstwomeneveradmittedtoSt.Mary’sCollegeinMoraga(abouta20-miledrivefromSanFrancisco). She spent 15 years living in Los Gatos, CA, justoutsideofSan Jose,beforesheandherhusbanddiscoveredSt.GeorgeaftercomingherefortheHuntsmanWorldSeniorGames. Coincidentally, it was race-walking that firstregisteredtheGamesonHamilton’sradar-screen.InherfirstyearofparticipationattheGames,shewonsilvermedalsinallofherevents.Soforthenexttwoyears,theHamiltonduotraveled to St. George to compete; each time they came,theyfellmoredeeply in lovewithSt.George. Itwasonthatthirdtripthattheydecideditwastimetomovehere;withinthree months of their decision, their California house wassold,andtheywerefull-timeUtahans.
WhenyouaskHamiltonhowitisthatshebecameinvolvedinracewalking,sheishappytosharethedetails.Inessence,itwasherdesire to continue tobeactiveandhealthyafter adiscinherneck“exploded”fromtoomuchweight-lifting,andhervertebraeneeded tobe fused.Herdoctorshad toldherthat she couldn’t run or lift weights anymore, as bothactivitiescouldnegativelyaffectherspine.Duringherpost-surgical rehab Hamilton startedwalking; as she healed shecontinued to walk farther and faster. It wasn’t until manyyearslater,afterahalf-marathon,thatamanapproachedherand asked if she was part of the local race-walking group.Hamilton had no idea what he was talking about until heexplainedthatthewayshewaswalking–herform–wasthatofa race-walker. In shortorder, she joined the race-walkinggroup,andafter taking lessonswith their coachandhoningher skills, she started winning awards. Over time Hamiltonwould train with two former Olympic race-walkers, andanother athlete who made it to the Olympic trials in thesport.“I’vebeenenormouslyblessedtohavebeenmentoredbysomeoutstandingexperts,”Hamiltonnotes.
Now,astowhatracewalkingis:Forstarters,it’sanOlympiceventtakenquiteseriouslybypeopleallovertheworld,andhas specific requirements for participation. As Hamiltonexplains,“Therearetworules:1.)Youmustmaintaincontactwiththegroundatalltimes,eitherwithyourheeloryourtoe.And2.)whenyoumakecontactwithyourheel(vs.running,
whereyoulandontheballofyourfoot),yourkneemustbestraight, and remain straight until that leg passes beneathyourbody,andyoustrikethegroundwiththeotherheel.”Inrace-walking competitions, judges are stationed around thetrack to watch for bent knees; for repeated offenses in arace, the result can be disqualification. This happened toHamiltonatthe2017WorldMastersGamesinNewZealand.Although her first-ever DQ was devastating, she did walkaway with bronze medals in her other two events. “Thathelpedeasethepainalittlebit,”shelaughs.
Whereas many of our Runner Spotlights have a disciplinedtrainingschedule,Hamiltonreadilyadmitsthatshedoesnot.Becauseofherbusyschedule,shetriestogetouttotrainatleast 4 times a week, and pushes herself more prior to anevent. She also teaches (and takes) a number of wateraerobicsclasseseachweek,soshegets incontinuous core,cardio and strength cross-training. When you ask Hamiltonwhysheenjoysrace-walkingsomuch,theanswerisfamiliar– it’s all about the freedom of hitting the trails, and thefeelingthatcomeswiththesport.“Ilovethewholesensationofbeing in thegroove,”Hamilton says. “After I getwarmedup, I just feel stronger and stronger with each mile. Race-walkingfeedsmysoul;mybodyreallylovesthemovement.”
Hamilton has participated in organized race walkingcompetitions throughout California (where she was a stateseniors champion), Nevada, Ohio, Minnesota and Utah, aswell as New Zealand. These days she and her husband,Doug,whoworksontheSt.GeorgeRacescrew,serveastheracedirectorsfortheRace-WalkingandPower-Walkingeventsat the Huntsman World Senior Games in October of eachyear.Theyhavealsostartedanonprofitorganization(theUSPower Walking Association) with the goal of encouragingstate Senior Games directors to include power walking intheirlistofevents.YoucanoftenfindMariannerace-walkingthe St. George Races events, where she often teaches thetechnique and explains race-walking to athletes at the pre-race expos. Additionally, Hamilton is very active in St.George,where she is a contributingauthor forSGHealth&Wellness magazine, a member of the St. George ArtsCommission,servesontheboardofdirectorsforArtAroundthe corner, volunteers for the Docutah International FilmFestival, and teaches fitness classes at the Sand HollowAquatic Center. Previously, she was a member of theGeorgefestboardofdirectors. Inher “free” timeHamilton –
alongwithher spouse – servesas the co-directorof theSt.GeorgeWine Club, a nonprofit that supports local arts andeducation programs. In the last year the organization hasgivenover$12,000backtothecommunity.
LookforHamiltonattheSt.GeorgeHalf-Marathon,whereshewill be race-walking the event for the first time. Hamiltonnotes that many former runners, especially those benchedduetoinjuries,oftenstartrace-walkingbecauseittakeslessof a toll on the body, and allows them to still get out andparticipate in a race they otherwise wouldn’t do. We wishHamilton the best of luck, and hope her story encouragesotherswhoaren’tdevotedrunnerstogiveafutureSCGeventatry!
This month’s pick may be one of the better-known Town’sTreasuresbecauseofhowfrequentlyeventsarestagedatthevenue, including next week’s St. George Half-Marathon, 5k,Kids Run and I AmAble event. This snug park, located justsouth of the Dixie Convention Center, is connected to thevast trails – including the Mayor’s Loop, Virgin River Trail,Webb Hill Trail and Santa Clara River Trail – that sweepthroughSt.George
Theparkitselffeaturesaspaciousparkinglot,adjacenttoalargegazebo,restrooms,drinkingfountains,picnictablesandagrassfieldforplaying.Thereareplentyoftreesforshade,andplants and flowers for thebirdsandpeople visiting theparktoenjoyaswell.Throughoutthepark,thereareplacardsscatteredteachingvisitorsonthehistoryofthearea.
Thetruegemofthisparkisthetrailsystemthat’sconnectedto it. On the north side of the Virgin River, the trails aremostly flat; south of theVirginRiver you’ll find a fewmorehills as the trail hugs themountainside following along theriver.Asyousetoutit’sabitconfusing,asit’snotapparentwherethemergingSantaClaraRiverandVirginRiverwatersarecomingfrom(theyappeartoflowsouthandnorthatthesame time). Still, you’ll enjoy the views of the Virgin Riverfromthetrailbridgenearthe1-15overpass.Withthepavedshared-use trails converging at Crosby Family ConfluencePark, it’s easy to get to Bloomington Park, Tonaquint Park(where the Nature Center, a previous Town’s Treasure, islocated), St. James Lane Park, and evenWashingtonCity innotime. Ifyouhaven’tdonesoalready,wehopeyou’llvisitCrosby Family Confluence Park and experience one of themostwonderfultrailsystemsthatSt.Georgehastooffer.
For more information on Crosby Family Confluence Park,pleaseclickhere.
