Pre- and During Race @ Chester Woods

Post Race @ Chester Woods

Happy Friday!

What a windy, wacky weather week. Tuesday evening at All Comers' it was chilly enough that I wore jeans, a long-sleeved T and a jacket. Today, it's supposed to be 80. Tomorrow 84. Only in Minnesota ...

I'm making cookies to bring tomorrow to the Chester Woods events. I'm working registration as well. I'm looking forward to it! I probably will not be wearing white socks, however. Could be a touch of mud in those woods. But that's to be expected for trail running. As of Wed., there were 91 registered. Lots of out of town folks. RTC members added to the registrants: Greg Sellnow and Kit Hawkins. Just in: K.C. Reed is running as well. ;-)

Off Season Striders will be running from Panera South tomorrow at 7:30, running on paved trails. 8 to 12 miles, or however many miles you like, actually. Coffee and carbs afterwards.

RTC members running in the MSHSL track & field meets today and tomorrow at Hamline University: Brian Wille (1600m), Travis Beniak (1600m, 3200m). Best of luck, runners! Track and Field on TV: Nike Prefontaine meet (Eugene, OR) Sunday at 3:00 pm on NBC.

Kathy Cook reports, "Thanks very much to the Rochester Track Club and Larry Pederson for loaning us the megaphone to use for the Track and Field Day at Folwell Elementary School this past week. We had about 150 kids from grades 3, 4, 5 outside most of the day running races from 50 yards to 440s and participating in field events like high jump, long jump and softball & frisbee throw. The megaphone made it much easier to get everyone in the right place at the right time to keep the day flowing. Here's a photo of some of our 3rd graders at the start of a relay race. "

Kevin Torgerson will be spending the weekend on top of the Plymouth Rainbow Foods (I think I reported the wrong store in an earlier post this week). You can make a pledge online to get him (and wife Lori!) off the roof and support Special Olympics at the same time. Select the Plymouth store ( NOT the Plymouth Station or the one on Rockford Road). The address for the store is 10200 6th Ave NE, Plymouth, Olson Memorial Hwy.

I recommended that the library purchase Bart Yasso's "My Life on the Run" and they approved the recommendation. So look for that book on the shelves in the near future. I'm very much enjoying it. I read about 1/2 of it yesterday evening. It's a very quick read.

Nice Letter to the Editor from RTC board member Tom O'Leary in the Thursday paper. Very well said.

Half-Marathon Coach needed. Alex Tsatsoulis is the Team Challenge Manager at the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter. They have their Team Challenge event coming up soon which helps train walkers and runners to participate in the Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Half Marathon in November of this year. They are working to start recruiting participants from the Rochester area, and are looking to recruit a running coach to help them train and prepare for the half marathon. You can find more information about their Team Challenge program on their website, and can contact Alex at atsatsoulis@ccfa.org.

A couple new events have been added to the RTC calendar, so make sure you're checking it frequently: Fountain Trail Runners 5K on June 14 and the Brownsdale 4-H 5K on June 21. I'm pretty sure I'm going to run the Zumbrota 10K on 6/21. I've not done that race before and I'm all for supporting the trail systems in SE MN. They're a wonderful resource during all 4 seasons, actually.

Sign up for the Running Room 20-minute challenge on July 16 at 6 pm. It's free. All you have to do is walk or run for 20 minutes. Last year I walked. You get a free hat, and they're quite nice. I've got a couple of them from the previous years' events and wear them often. Bring your friends and family. All ages welcome.

From Tom O'Shaughnessy: Go Vertical Chicago registration opens at 9 AM on June 10th. The event is November 10, 2008. Tom reports that it usually closes quickly. Entry field is limited to 2250. It's the world's largest indoor stair climb (Sears Tower--110 stories). Tom reports that there is usually a contingent of firemen who do the event with 40-lb. packs on their backs.

Couple of posts on Run Minnesota blog about red-winged blackbirds. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only runner that has to deal with these territorial creatures. And all along I thought it was the females that were dive-bombing my head. Not.

News from the Saxman household: Ted is finally recovering from his pneumonia after returning to the doctor on Monday for some meds to help with the symptoms (wracking cough). I purchased Eric's plane to ticket to Spain the other day, so he's officially going now. He leaves in September, returning in December. If you're into canning, or making preserves/jelly, pie, etc., Rochester Area Youth for Christ are taking orders for their peaches. I bought some from the back of a truck at a S.A. one year and got on their mailing list. They're Coloroado peaches, and quite good. An 18-lb. lug (36-40 pieces) is $29, half lug $15. Colorado pears are $24 for a 20-lb. box and $14 for a half box. Orders can be place by email or 507-288-4567. Delivery expected mid-August.

Well, that's it for now. Here's a quote from Bart Yasso's My Life on the Run: "Live simply so that others can simply live."

Happy trails!

Will summer ever come?

What's happened to the sun? This dreary weather is getting a bit wearisome, not? Supposed to be stormy again tomorrow.

I think it's safe to say that fun was had by one and all yesterday evening at the first All Comers' meet for 2008. It's such a fun evening. The kids are so into getting a magic marker smiley face on their hands. Some requested multiple smileys. Thank you to Fred Woolman and Larry Pederson for organizing the meet and to Jerry Goodrich for driving all the way over from LaCrosse, WI to be the official starter for the 27th year and to Lucy Goodrich for baking all the treats. We can always use volunteers so if you're available, please stop by the Soldier's Field track at 5:45. BTW ... the track is in the best condition that I can remember. Those new cinders really did wonders. There was one little guy running last night who had a partial arm. It was great to see that there is a sport in which he can participate and even excel.

Here's another photo (thank you Tom O'Leary) from the HyVee Kids Tri:


It's Mark Carey and Chris Koch with Olympic triathlete Jerod Shoemaker. Looks like Chris got his autographed Wheaties box.

Here's a link to download the latest Running Room eMagazine. My recipe of the month? Strawberry pie with a creamy filling. Thank you to my friend Mary for sharing it with me several years ago. I've gotten many miles out of that recipe! There's a 20% off coupon on page 16, which is good all month. Also on page 16 is a condensation of my Boston marathon tale. I wrote it, sort of. ;-)

Want to run the TC10 for sure?? Join the Running Room 10-mile clinic. They have a limited number of guaranteed entries. Same is true for Twin Cities Marathon. TC10 is really a great race, one of my all-time favorites actually. Makes for a very fun day. You start earlier than the marathon, run down Summit Avenue still feeling relatively fresh, finish just after the marathon starts leaving you time to get cleaned up and back on the marathon course to cheer on your friends. Great fun, indeed. Let's pray for sub-65 temps and sub-90% humidity, shall we??

RTC members (that we know of) celebrating birthdays in June: Jim Backlund, Dawn Boynton, Tim Burriss, Mark Carey, Lionel Cheng, Mary Chestolowski, Ed Creagan, Jim Hannon (milestone), Susan Hanson, Dave Hillman, Loren Johnson, Sreenivas Koka, Laura Meiners (milestone), William Mettler, Barb Ness, Scott Okuno, Andrew Paterno, Jim Postier, Debbie Shreve, Patrick Sitzer (milestone), Diane Witzig. 'Milestone' indicates they will advance into the next 10-year age group at the next race after their birthday. ;-)

As of last weekend, these are the RTC members who have registered for Chester Woods: Jodi Bates, Stephen Corner, Lin Gentling, Angie Haugen, Laura Lenz, Chris O'Brien, Renee Saxman, Mark Winter. Judy Weller is running as well. Several of us will be running in our running skorts and we're going to get a group photo of the 'skirt sisters'! Look for photos after the race, of course. If you can help out, please contact Jim Mason . Sounds like it's going to be a nice day on Saturday, so the turnout should be good!

Went for a very nice 10.00 mile run today. Ran the first 3-4 with Bruce, Lisa and Mark. Then decided to go through Quarry Hill after dropping off Bruce at home. The dwarf Korean lilacs are in bloom and their heady fragance was noted at several spots along the route. When I got to the nature center for a drink, decided to take a spin through the woods on the grass trails. Lovely. Didn't bring my camera. Contributed about 2.7 miles to the route. Those are the only trail miles I've gotten in yet this year.

Well, I belive that's all I've got today.

"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give." --Sir Winston Churchill

Peace.

First All Comers' Meet -- 2008

Oh what the heck, I'll post them tonight

Rainy Days and Mondays ...

... always get me down? Not so much. It's a fresh start on a new week, and my garden and lawn need the rain. ;-)

RTC members spotted running this morning on my way to work: Peggy Menzel heading down Fox Valley Dr SW and Julie VanderSchaaf heading south on County 22. ;-) If you were out at 11 pm last night, you might have seen my son Eric running 6 miles. And if you were out late this afternoon you might have seen Eric running my 'bread and butter' 7.5 mile route ... in a Spring Classic bright yellow shirt. Wonder what he's training for ... I'll be the last to know, I'm sure! Possibly the Mayo Spartan 5K Run/Walk. He ran CC and track for Mayo.

If you were in Minneapolis on Saturday, you might have spotted Chris O'Brien and Chris Kujath (left and right) running the Downtown 5K. Or possibly Judy Weller (center) running the half marathon. Nice photo, gals!

If you were at Willow Creek school, Mayo High School, or the Bear Creek trail you might have spotted ...

Shane O'Leary ...

or Megan O'Leary participating in the HyVee Kids Triathlon. I've heard that it was an excellent, well-run event. Dad, Tom O'Leary is now decidedly behind in the triathlon participation count-- 1 / zip. Kudos to race director, and RTC member, and Rochesterfest Triathlon race director, Bill Nevala. He's one busy guy.

And if you were at the Y today, you might have seen RTC member, and Y volunteer, and artist extraordinaire ...

Julie Murray at the front desk. And if you stepped outside, you'd have seen ...

RTC members Jim Benike, Jim Postier (showing off his Otto's bakery shirt), Don Gabrielson and K.C. Reed. Also present, but declining the photo op were Dan Edwards and Priscilla Smith. Nice basket, K.C. It was cookie day.

Tune in to KROC AM (1340) Tuesday morning. RTC board member, All Comers' Director, Chester Woods co-director (and membership chair!) Larry Pederson will be on the radio taking track with Tracy McCray. Tune in!

The Chester Woods folk could use some help for the event on Saturday. They have 75 registered (including just 8 RTC members!) which is fantastic. If you can help out, please contact Jim Mason or Larry Pederson . Thank you!

RTC board member and Stewartville Summerfest race director Kevin Torgerson will be spending Fri-Sun on the roof of Rainbow Foods in Lakeville raising money for Special Olympics--a program called 'Cop on Top'. More info, including a pledge link, at Cop on Top .

Although the Twin Cities Marathon is full, TCM supports official marathon training classes and has made available marathon entries to enrollees in the RTC marathon training classes. Please contact Lin Gentling at Lin Gentling for more information.

I've got more photos from the weekend, and June birthdays to report, but that can wait 'til the morrow. It's time for me to hit the hay. I've got an early start tomorrow. Don't forget All Comers' Tuesdays at 6 pm at Soldier's Field. My little niece Kaleigh is scheduled to be there. I hope!

Cheers!