January Thaw

What a nice day it was today. Temps around the freezing mark, sunshine, no wind ... lovely for mid-January. Of course, tomorrow that's all supposed to change. Just in time for the weekend.

The Rochester Half Marathon planning committee met this evening. Pictured below: Paula Patterson, Wally Arnold, Lin Gentling, Larry Pederson, Dave Morrill, K.C. Reed, Jean Murray.


Jean Murray and Kevin Torgerson.

We will still need lots of volunteers. Should you care to help out, please contact any one of us. Here are our areas of responsibility: Registration (me), Course Safety (Kevin), Water Stops (Lin), Course Operations (Dave), Finish Line (Wally/K.C.), Amenities--medals, shirts, numbers, etc. (Paula), Food (Renee/Sonja?), P.R./Communications (?), Volunteers (Jean/Lin), Executive Coordinators (Wally/K.C.).

I need newsletter stories for the March issue of RTC News! At this point, I don't have any stories, though Chris Koch is going to write about the Tecumsah Trail Marathon that they ran in December. If you have anything you'd like to contribute, please do!! I'd like the stories by February 1 if possible. Please let me know if you're going to be submitting something.

The first RTC eNews appeared in my inbox today. It's going to be published the 4th Thursday of each month. It's filled with lots of 'this and that' ... upcoming events, help wanted ads, tips, kudos, etc. Become a member so you too can be 'in the scoop'!!

I've volunteered to try something new for the Saturday, January 31 morning run. We'll run from my house (at the top of a 1/2 mile long hill ... so we get to finish the run with a nice long climb!) and then when we're done, come on inside for coffee, juice, homemade cinnamon rolls and maybe egg bake. Put it on your calendar and please join us!! More info (directions, etc.) will be forthcoming.

I now have a massage sponsor for the Fetzer. Minnesota School of Business massage therapy students. Yes ... they do much more than 'business' classes at the school. The personal trainers at the Y got their training there. Thank you Kirk Thomas for the contact info.

One more carpooler for the Securian Half on Saturday ... Cathy Torgerson. :)

From Mike Schmitt: Boston Marathon filled ... and ... Registration to Open February 1 for the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Registration for the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will open at midnight (CDT) on Sunday, February 1. The 32nd edition of the world-class Chicago Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 11, in Chicago's Grant Park. Registration will be available online at chicagomarathon.com and will remain open until the event reaches its 45,000 participant capacity.

Get In Gear has added a half marathon to their events on April 25. Registration is open and they'll take 1000 runners. But if you're only going to do one distance race, please run locally and support our local club (the RTC ) and run the Fetzer 20K . I'd be much obliged. Thanks.

The following is in the Jan/Feb issue of RunMinnesota: Minnesota Woman has Longest Streak in the Nation JULIE MAXWELL began her running streak July 5, 1978. She currently lives in Byron, Minnesota. She hasn't done many races, which is why she was somewhat unheard of before. DeBoer encouraged her to join the U.S. Running Streak Association and submit her streak after reading an article about her in the Rochester Track Club newsletter. She is the only active woman streaker in the state that DeBoer is aware of, and her streak is the longest in the country for a woman. The previous record holder, Margaret Blackstock, began her streak in 1979.

From John Shonyo: The Lace Up Against Breast Cancer Half-marathon and 5K Fun Run/Walk will be February 15th and we need a couple of types of folks--runners/walkers and volunteers. To register to run/walk please go to: active.com (Please note you can also pledge to LUABC on active.com, scroll to the bottom of the event screen to find out how). If you would like to volunteer (we need both inside and outside folks), please contact Sarah Shonyo (my daughter) or Laura Lenz (who is not my daughter, but could be based on age). There are volunteer spots open for those who want to run and volunteer (you will get two tickets to heaven for doing that). By-the-way, we have some extra nice appreciation gifts for our volunteers this year.

I received an email from a blog reader this week who does P.R., about writing something about strength training for runners, particularly young runners. I'm meeting them at their facility Safe Weightlifting & Athletic Strength Center (SWSC) on Tuesday afternoon. Stay tuned.

I baked a big batch of cookies this afternoon for the bake sale at the pasta feed tomorrow (see previous posts this week for the complete scoop). I think I'll make a batch of my friend Jeanne's cinnamon twists in the morning before delivering the goods. Then I'm going to be spending part of the day prepping for a meal for 100 (goulash) at church on Sunday. It's a fundraiser. I've done it before 2 or 3 times and it's not that much work. The recipe multiplies quite easily. Here's the recipe, from my step-mom:

Goulash

Cook 2 1/2 to 3 c. elbow macaroni.
Brown one pound hamburger with onion and a green or red pepper.
After browning, add 8 oz. cream cheese. Stir until melted.
Stir in 2 cans tomato soup.
Stir in chili powder and pepper to taste.
Mix all together and bake at 350 until warmed through (30-45 minutes).
Top with cheddar cheese when nearly done baking, if desired.

Thought for the day: "Happiness is inward and not outward; and so it does not depend on what we have, but on what we are."

Until another day.