JFK 50 Mile Run, Boonsboro, MD 11/19/05

Report by Joe Malinowski... The 43rd running of the oldest ultramarathon in the USA proved to be another record breaking day for race management.  They surpassed the "most runners completing an ultra" with 951 finishers! The days leading to the JFK 50 were absolutely spring-like with the temperatures in the low 70s.  You had that feeling of "any day all hell is going to break loose" with the weather.  It did change, but it could have been worse. The good part of this race would be sharing the trail, path, and road with my Marine buddy & co-founder of TEAM LUNATIC, John Tempone from Tampa, FL.

 

The temperature was 23 degrees at the 5:00 AM gun with hardly no wind and no clouds... COLD!  The first 16 miles are in the mountains along the Appalachian Trail... lots a rocks and leaves! The single-track trail, rain, rocks & leaves and the dark made for a pretty slow time in the mountains.  At times the running field actually came to a complete stop as runners maneuvered around turns.

 

The volunteers and other runners are what make the JFK such an inviting run.  You even have the leaders of the race say to you, "Great job... keep it up!" And, of course... my wife Kathy, Charla Tempone and George & Jean McVeigh were at each accessible aid-station to cheer us on and to provide anything we brought along in our drop-bags.

 

George ran with me the last 12 miles on the paved country road to the finish that proved to be the only way I could focus on finishing and not worry about the medical problems I've experienced the last 6 months.  Thanks, George!!

 

TEAM LUNATIC RESULTS: Tom Corris 9:16:28, Marty Lindemann  9:24:31, Bob Phillips 11:11:53, John Tempone 13:27:58 and Joe Malinowski 13:47:50.

Marine Corps Marathon, Arlington, VA 10/30/05

Great running weather with 30,000+ of our closest running friends.  The mass of humanity that makes up this event is incredible when you consider the job the volunteers have.  Not to mention, the all of the military that are still deployed in Iraq and Afgahnistan. 

 

RidgeRunner results:  Alex Popadopoulos 3:44:54, Jim Slatcher 3:51:56, JC Nieves-Campos 3:53:17, Keith Hosman 3:58:21, Carol Housaman 3:59:14, Jay Housaman 4:15:25, Lori Benson 4:25:22, Rannveig Fredheim 4:34:11, Tim Smith 4:52:19, Ken Morrison 5:02:09, Phil Silas 5:02:42, Burl Hickman 5:26:48, George McVeigh 5:34:03, Joe Malinowski & John Tempone 5:42:10, Dionisio de Leon 5:48:28, Errica Wright 6:04:00, and Bob Hodge 6:31:47.

LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, Chicago, IL 10/09/05

A small group of RidgeRunners went to the "windy city" to strut their stuff and had some great finishing times. 

 

Report from Mollie Galloway... It was a great run! The weather was perfect (a little warm towards the finish, though!). It was a beautiful mostly flat coarse with a couple of well placed small hills (except that long one right at the finish!) The support was phenomenal! I ended up with only a couple of very sore muscles and one big blister! Byron finished really well and we both had a great weekend visiting with my brother and his wife!

 

Results: Mollie Galloway 3:54:56, JC Nieves-Campos 3:59:02, Byron Galloway 4:23:01, and Pat Johnson 5:13:54. 

Quantico Half-Marathon, Quantico Marine Corps Base, VA 09/24/05

Report by Joe Malinowski... We had really hot weather leading to race day, but Saturday morning was a bit cooler and the humidity high!  My wife Kathy was visiting our new grandson in Coeur de'Alene, ID and was "batching" it for the week.  Of course, meals were what ever I grabbed out of the cupboard or the refrigerator. I reached for some vegetable soup the night before. Not to get too descriptive... race day morning I experience intestinal distress from HELL and Port-a-Johns with NO PAPER!

 

RidgeRunner results: Keith Hosman 1:43:14, Carol Housaman 1:44:14, Burl Hickman 2:28:08, Enith Hickman 2:30:08, Joe Malinowski 2:31:49, George McVeigh 2:32:13 and Bob Hodge 2:49:05.

Rock n' Roll Half-Marathon, VA Beach 09/03/05

RidgeRunner, Kelly (Bergenstock) Byrd emailed in results to this annual half-marathon at the beach.  Results: Rannveig Fredheim 1:42:03, Keith Hosman 1:48:49, Kelly Bergenstock 2:37:56, and Pete Mendel 2:47:21.

Annapolis 10 Mile Run, Annapolis, MD 08/28/05

Report by Joe Malinowski... It started out to be a promising morning with fairly cool temps and even a nice rain.  But, true to Annapolis 10 Mile tradition, the temps and HUMIDITY began to rise. The rain left over on the pavement began to steam up and proved to create the makings for a tough race.  We had a great RidgeRunner turnout and performances to match.  Our traditional "tail-gate" party was also the envy of most as they watched us have a barbeque with all the trimmings... courtesy of Head Cook, JC Nieves-Campos.  Thanks for everything, JC!

 

RidgeRunner results were: Keith Hosman 1:20:10, Mollie Galloway 1:20:15, Tom Corris 1:20:38, Pete Mendel 1:24:38, JC 1:26:49, Bob Phillips 1:29:59, Byron Galloway 1:31:47, Bob Goldschmidt 1:32:51, Vicki Crosby 1:38:15, Hal Copeland 1:43:39, Erin Hunter 1:43:43, Burl Hickman 1:47:31, Enith Hickman 1:47:43, James & Lisa Moore 2:02:21, Joe Malinowski & George McVeigh 2:02:59, Kim Prica 2:12:37.

Pike's Peak Marathon, Manitou Springs, CO 08/20-21/05

Report by Phil Silas... Registration was only open 5 days in February till the 800 slots in the 2nd oldest U.S. marathon (to Boston) were filled.  My younger brother, Mark, also entered the Ascent on Saturday, August 20 so my younger son, Daniel (14), and I accompanied him to the start of the 13.34 mile race from Manitou Springs at 6,300' to the Peak at 14,100.  Mark started fine and Daniel and I drove the Pike's Highway to 3 miles from the summit where shuttle vans were stationed to handle the unusually heavy traffic to the summit.  It was a beautiful morning with views of Colorado Springs, the Continental Divide and other Front Range 14ers including Long's Peak about 100 miles North! 

We watched the winner finish in 2:21 then went in the summit restaurant/gift shop for a pizza.  The weather turned cloudy, with lightning and graupel (soft pellets of snow), then snow.  Mark finished in 4:10 and we quickly caught a shuttle down. When we reached the shuttle lot, the Highway had just been closed due to a 3 car accident (no injuries) further down.  We waited in the van for 90 minutes for the plows to clear the road, then we still needed a push to get out of the parking area for the 1st gear descent.  Such conditions are challenging anywhere and especially treacherous on a mostly dirt road on a mountain without guardrails!

I altered my Marathon race plan accordingly and wore hiking shorts so I could pocket my knit hat, gloves, and wore my windbreaker around my waist. Also carried a 20oz. bottle for Gatorade and carried plenty of Succeed! and Advil.  At the start the temperature at the top was 33 degrees.  We enjoyed the duet of the Pike's inspired "America the Beautiful", and were awed by the news Matt Carpenter (Pikes Ascent and Marathon record-holder) had just shaved over 90 minutes off the course record at the Leadville 100 miler! 

We started in good weather right at 0700 at a comfortable trot, then a jog, then a powerwalk before reaching the end of the asphalt in Manitou Springs and start of the "Ws" as the few miles of switchbacks at the start of the 90 year-old Barr Trail are known.  I started having heel issues that may have been from the small pieces of decomposed granite being kicked into my ASICS Gel Eagle IIs, but felt the damage wasn't going to get any better unless I stopped, so I just treated it with Advil.  Proceeded thru Barr Camp and only 4 downrunners passed before the A frame. 

The clouds and graupel of the Ascent reappeared in the last mile up and Mark passed on his way down to a successful double.  I pulled on my hat, gloves and windbreaker as the 16 Golden Stairs appeared, and finished ascent in about 5:12. 

Refilled with Gatorade, had a banana, and started down.  Slid a few feet on the compacting snow and ice and got my feet a little wet from the small rivulets that were now streaming down the trail.  At least there wasn't that big an issue with lightning as there had been on Saturday.  Reached the Cirque and its view of a 1,500' drop as the EMTs that had been rushing down while I was going up were meeting a helicopter far below.  Learned the sad news later that a 59 year old Oklahoman had died, presumably of a heart attack. The ice and slush had passed by the time the A Frame (treeline) was reached, and by the time I got to Barr Camp I was out of the hat, gloves and windbreaker and back in sunglasses! 

The heel pain was under control so I proceeded with the long, controlled bound down the mountain passing several runners who'd slowed to hiking pace.  I hit a few rocks hard but never fell.  Found myself reaching the Chariots of Fire boom-box with just over a mile to go and kept running on the asphalt.  The public address announcer and cheers from the finish were great motivators, especially with 4 relatives at the finish.  Broke the finish line at 8:12 which was still faster than 34 men in my age bracket, and collected a big medal and fleece finisher's jacket. 

My heels will heal, but I'll always have memories of an August weekend that will live among my most cherished memories.  Besides my family and the RidgeRunners, thanks to John Dodds, Jeff Reed, and Mike Campbell for the training tips and inspiration that helped make this event a success! Happy Trails!!!!  

Badwater 135 Mile Ultramarathon, Death Valley, CA 07/11-13/05

Report by Joe Malinowski... As stated on the Badwater website... "The start line is at Badwater, Death Valley, which marks the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere at 280’ below sea level. The race finishes at the Mt. Whitney Portals at 8360'. The Badwater course covers three mountain ranges for a total of 13,000’ of cumulative vertical ascent and 4,700’ of cumulative descent. The Portals are the trailhead to the Mt. Whitney summit, the highest point in the contiguous United States."  Also, each runner must provide his/her own crew in order to "keep the runner alive" as they run in temperatures close to 135 degrees.  The pavement can also radiate over 200 degrees.

 

Yes, it was quite an adventure as James Moore, Carolyn Gernand, and myself provided crew support for John Dodds, Virginia Happy Trails Running Club member.  John finished in an amazing 35:25:37 that placed him 9th overall in a field of 81 international runners!

 

I put together a slideshow with music on our Photo page.  It's about 20 minutes long, but what a story.  I hope you enjoy it!

 

 

Badwater Slideshow

RidgeRunner results: Rannveigh Fredheim (1st Ultra & 5th Overall Female) 5:47:35, Marty Lindemann (6th Overall Female) 5:50:45, Tom Corris 5:54:40, JC Nieves-Campos 6:45:36, Bob Phillips 6:59:00, Keith Hosman (1st Ultra) 7:06:00, Dionisio de Leon 7:29:30, Kelly Bergenstock & Amy Riggio 7:51:00, Burl Hickman (1st Ultra) 8:25:03. George McVeigh dropped after 14 miles due to muscle cramping & Joe Malinowski dropped after 11 miles due to a strained achilles tendon.

Report by Rannveigh Fredheim... When I told my mother this morning that I ran a 50K hilly trail run yesterday, she asked why I do that to myself?   Good question... I did it to prove to myself that I could, but also to realize that within myself I have the ability to take myself passed that limit we often raise up.  To know that I have a power source within me to draw from, that builds self confidence, power, and a belief that I can manage what life throws in my way. And if I can run 50K (+some side tracking) in VERY hilly terrain and temperature in the mid 80's, there's not much I can't do.

It was a great run, in spite of blisters, dehydration and stomach cramps.  The trails were rough, not many flat stretches, I felt I had to dig my nose out of some of those hills.  I was thinking once that if I was chased by a bear in that hill, he would just have to eat me, there was no way I could have moved my feet any faster.  But the scenery was so beautiful.  And so peaceful.

I had company with various runners for most of the run. At one time I was running through some woods with 3 other runners...fast pace and tricky...it was so great, I felt totally energized afterwards. The last 8 miles or so was in solitude...just my mini ipod and I.

It was hard to stay hydrated enough.  I drank constantly, but could still feel myself becoming dehydrated. The "shower" from the water hose afterwards felt great, and so did the chicken. After the race, I said "never again", but today I'm not so sure.  And, I'm still walking on my toes because of huge blisters under my heals.  I really do deserve that TEAM LUNATIC jacket!!!!

Report by Kelly Bergenstock, "The Recipe for Capon Valley Steamed Meat"... and so we started on our quest to conquer the Capon Valley 50K as we always do; no plan except to finish. You figure that when you run a race several years in a row you know what to expect. WRONG! So how do you make the Capon Valley 50K? Here are the ingredients: One part Ultra Runner, 100 Parts steamed heat, 75 parts hills, ½ part marked trail, 2 parts mud and add dances with dirt to taste. Cover, run at 85 degrees for 8 hours and then serve! For added flavor, wring post race shorts to finished product. If that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you know how we felt on Saturday!

We’ve been blessed (in previous years) with cool weather, heavy running streams and “rolling hills.” I can’t really say that the hills were ever truly “rolling” but they certainly didn’t compare to what we experienced this year. The race director decided to re-arrange the rolling hills and replace them with mountain climbs. To say the least it was an unbelievable experience! I hadn’t run more than 13 miles in 2 years. I’ve been carrying out my pre-retirement running plan in the Outer Banks—no hills and no distance! So what was I thinking taking on a 31 mile trail race? Can’t be sure!  I was happy to see my fellow “Lunatics” and that was all I needed to fuel me on.

The trails were beautiful, the streams were refreshing and the aide was great as always. Amy and I took a couple of good spills and are very proud of our not so girly wounds! When asked by a race worker if we needed first aide we replied, “Heck no!  We are proud of these scrapes!” You gain a certain level of respect when you show up at the finish all bruised up. It makes up for the fact that we started out wearing lipstick!  Joe was kind enough to snap a picture of Amy dancing with dirt. What are friends for! Amy and I were constantly reminded as we climbed and ran, climbed  and ran; this type of racing is 100% mental. I don’t mean crazy mental….I mean emotional mental! No matter how hard the challenge, you find a way to keep going.

We basically ran from aide station to aide station to keep our mind off of the time, heat and hills. The stint that was 6.7 from aide to aide was brutal. Amy was very good at finding something positive about everything. I was behind her falling and running from Mighty Mark! We didn’t know Mighty Mark, but we felt a certain “something” for him when we realized that he in fact made the shirt he was wearing (entitled “Mighty Mark”) all by himself. A big thanks to the “family in the woods” who gave us water. I pray they aren’t doing anything crazy with the picture they took of us. I think we may have been the first girls they’d seen in a while. This was WVA and we were deep in the woods. Much to Mighty Mark’s dismay, they weren’t offering up Diet Coke! Hello…when the people in the woods offer you a drink of water you say thank you not do you have Diet Coke! I thought the Daddy was about to pull out the shot gun. In true WVA form he kindly offered up a beer in place of Diet Coke and Mighty Mark was on his way!

We were happy to have a few moments of wind and rain as we tromped up the last hill. What a cruel joke—let’s end the race with a 1 mile climb! We ended up crossing the finish in about 7:51. That’s about 45 minutes slower than normal. It seems everyone took issue with the hills and added about an hour to their normal time. There weren’t many smiling faces at the finish. It looked more like a triage unit than the finish! It was great to have my husband at the finish. He went fishing all day while I was running around the woods like an idiot! He’s definitely the brains in the family. All in all it was a hard run but worth the while! It was great to see everyone and once again accomplish something that few dare attempt. You guys are the greatest!  As soon as I can walk, let’s do it again!

Report by Joe Malinowski (Race Director)... The weekend leading up to race day morning was pretty miserable!  It had rained most of Saturday and the rain woke me up Sunday morning around 3:30 AM much to the dismay of a "race director".  The temps were in the high 40s with a breeze making it even seem cooler.  But, by race time (8:00 AM) we had the makings of a pretty nice day.  We even had the sun come out during the awards ceremony.

 

The race itself proved to be nothing short of a sprint for the frontrunners.  Peter Brandt, from Dumfries, VA, beat his nearest competition Rob Johnson of Lake Ridge by just a mere 5 seconds with 3rd place John Draper, also of Lake Ridge, at a close 17 seconds.  The top 3 positions times were 17:30, 17:35 & 17:47 respectively.

 

Of the females, RidgeRunner, Rannveigh Fredheim of Gainesville beat Elizabeth Bartelmes by just 51 seconds. Karla Pavich closed in with a 3rd place. The top 3 female positions were 21:41, 22:32 and 23:05 respectively.

 

Congratulations to all those participating in our event!  Full results are at May Day 5K Results.

Mollie Galloway, who qualified for the Big Show at the Richmond Marathon last year, posted a great 4:19:07 for her first Boston experience.  Congratulations Mollie!

 

 

Mary Flaherty went back to her roots in New Jersey and completed the New Jersey Marathon for the second time with an outstanding 4:21:51.  Congratulations Mary!

While our club staffed the Fountainhead aid-station at the 25.7 and 37.5 mile markers, RidgeRunners Marty Lindemann and James Moore ran the more that 100 hills that constitute the Occoquan/Bull Run Trail.  Marty finished with a fine 10:05:22 and placed 5th in her age group.  James, who had just run the Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run the week before, called it day around 40 miles. Not too shabby!  Congratulations!

Report by George McVeigh… Umstead or how I came to like doing laps - Joe and I finished 50 miles again, Jim Moore did 100.  It was a wild day with two major rainstorms, thunder and lightening, and 20 degree temperature drop — ideal tail running conditions.  This year Umstead changed their route, from a 10-mile loop to a 12.5-mile loop, or from 10 laps to 8 laps for the 100 miles.  The new loop is really an improvement.  Runners no longer have to share a road stretch of 1.5 miles with cars.  The trail surface is largely crushed granite — really nice on the feet.

 

We spent about half the day inside black trash bags, to keep the worst of the rain off us and to retain body heat with the temperature drop.  Joe and I ran with Paul Dwyer of Virginia Happy Trails Running Club, and a Walt Coleman from Cincinnati.  Joe and Paul had a master plan to finish the 100 until Joe’s medical issue arose.  I believe Paul got to 62.5 miles and the Walt finished the 100 miles in 29 hours 15 minutes.

 

I still take my hat off to all who can finish the 100 miles.  I was exhausted at 50, multiple blisters, etc.  After I got up on Sunday morning, I thought of Jim Moore, Paul Dwyer and Walt Coleman still out on the course, as I had finished 7 hours of sleep.  I was refreshed, with sore feet.  I can only imagine how Walt and Jim felt.  The sense of accomplishment must really be cool, before you collapse into a bed.  Again I just stand in wonder!  Congratulations to our club members, Jim Moore, Tom Corris, Marti Lindeman, and Bob Philips who have all done the 100 this past year somewhere. 

 

One of my highlights was coming in after finding Mary Flaherty, Tom Corris and Chris Andres waiting to meet us.  Their bright smiles and enthusiasm were a delight to a tired, worn runner.  They came down to help Joe through the night.  Thank you for being there to help.  I know it meant a lot to Joe to have you there ready to go with him.  There is always next year.  One last thanks goes to the George and Joe fan club and support team of Jean and Kathy.  We could not do what we do with out your encouragement and love.  Your simple kiss before each lap means a lot.  Thanks.

         

One last thank you, goes to Tom and Chris for helping Jean I get out our car out of the parking lot that turned into a mud bog.  That really tells you how much rain fell during the day.  Front wheel drive was at a total loss in the mud. To all, the Umstead laps are not a problem.  We found new things to look at on each lap.  I swear some of those hills changed from one lap to the next.  The weather conditions ensured it. 

 

Report by Joe Malinowski... The days leading up to Umstead were nice and warm as we started to finally experience some Spring weather.  For some reason, I usually begin Spring with an illness that I managed to avoid during the Winter months.  This year was no exception.  Five days before Umstead I experienced flu-like symptoms of body/joint aches, intestinal distress and headaches.  I drank & drank liquids during the week hoping I stayed hydrated.  Much to my dismay I apparently drank to only to replace what I lost during my "bug".

The Saturday morning 6:00 AM start was misting and then continued to increase through much of the day and into the evening.  We had two thunder/lightening storms come through the area and with it a decrease of temperatures into the mid-30s.  Overall a pretty miserable day!  Around 41 miles I then started to experience my dehydration problem of urinating blood.  That's when no matter how much you drink, your body starts to retain water and doesn't route it into your bladder.  Since the bladder is empty the inside lining then begins to rub against itself causing abrasions and then blood into the urinary tract... a pretty scary sight when it initially happens.  I managed to finish 50 miles and then called it a day.

It's amazing how when you stop running but still continue to drink, your body then begins to  process the fluids.  I peed numerous times back at the hotel until about 5:00 AM the next morning when it finally cleared up.  We are absolutely incredible machines!  And again, I go away with learning just a little bit more about myself.

George McVeigh & I completed 50 miles and our own Energizer Bunny, James Moore, completed 100 miles.  What a weekend!

Report by Joe Malinowski... The weather had pretty unpredictable up to the time we left for our ride down to VA Beach.  It was sunny & warm on Friday, but Saturday morning we woke up to a cool 38 degrees with a slight breeze.  During the course of the races the sun would go in and out, but still a beautiful day at the ocean. I was wearing a visor and got sunburned on my forehead and head.

 

This year we experienced our first course change for the 8K & marathon.  Due to construction near the VA Beach Pavilion, we actually started the race on Atlantic Blvd and finished on the boardwalk.  We also ran for the first time into Seashore State Park before we began our trek into Fort Story.  A nice change in Fort Story was where we normally turned around near the lighthouse, we actually ran past it now and back onto Atlantic Blvd.

 

But, the change also included running back the length of Atlantic Blvd to 4th Street where we ran onto boardwalk and then back up to the finish.  The last 3 miles felt like they were actually longer because of such long flat straight-aways.

 

A great RidgeRunner family weekend at the ocean!  8K Results: Jean McVeigh 1:18:57, Kathy Malinowski 1:18:59, and Ray McQuade 1:19:03.  Marathon Relay Results: Vick Crosby & Hal Copeland 4:11:19 and Kathleen Brackett & June Mclain 4:06:08.  Marathon Results: Rannveig Fredheim (Qualified for Boston!) 3:38:57, James Slatcher 3:39:41, Carol Housaman 3:52:03, JC Nieves-Campos 3:54:10, Frank Falgiano 4:00:07, Keith Hosman 4:12:38, Ernie Fore 4:32:56, Joe Malinowski 5:04:30, Burl Hickman 5:18:56, George McVeigh 5:24:55, Kim Prica (1st Marathon!) 6:40:27 and Sharon Konieczko (1st Marathon!) 7:17:09.

 

Congratulations to all!

Report by Joe Malinowski... We really didn't know what to expect this Sunday afternoon since we just had the snowstorm up in Woodbridge and another one on the way.  But, we were pleasantly surprised with a nice cool temp with virtually no wind.  The most incredible scene during the race was when we were passed around the 1.5 mile mark by a Kenyan who was late for the race!  I don't know which one he was, but he came in either 2nd or 3rd overall! Talk about letting the field have a head start!

 

RidgeRunner results:  Andy Couch with an outstanding 1:22:47, Rannveig Fredheim 1:43:48, JC Nieves-Campos 1:5:56, Pete Mendel 1:55:43, Joe Malinowski 2:15:24, George McVeigh 2:30:37, Sharon Konieczko (1st Half-Marathon) 3:05:00, and Kimberly Prica (2nd Half-Marathon) 3:14:00.  CONGRATULATIONS!

Report by Keith Hosman... If you need thousands of people cheering you on, bands playing and being elbow to elbow with thousands of other runners this is not a race for you. If you like low key low cost running events, this may be a good marathon to run. For 25 bucks you get a nice long sleeved shirt, all finishers get a medal and a hot bowl of chili is waiting for you at the end. My wife worked one of the water tables so I had her cheering for me each loop around. There are 3 loops! I ran a 4:15:51 a full 9 min. slower than MCM. This course has a lot of rolling hills and a killer hill at mile 25. I plan to run this one again next year.  

Report by Joe Malinowski... Another beautiful respite down to the Gulf Shores of Tampa, FL.  Our hosts, John & Charla Tempone, completely pampered and chauffeured us during the whole weekend as we enjoyed another challenge of the races provided by the Gasparilla Distance Classic.  John & Charla started their weekend by running the 5K on Saturday morning with both of them clocking in with a fine 34:30.  Then John drove to the airport to pick us (Joe & Kathy Malinowski and George & Jean McVeigh) up to relax before the next day's marathon.  John & Charla drove us around to see the beautiful sites of the Tampa area that included the stretch of Bayshore Blvd that was also part of the marathon course.  The houses and scenery of the bay are incredible.  Then we went to Dog Beach on Davis Islands to watch the cruise ships leave for the Caribbean.  SWEET!

 

The weather was nice & breezy at the 6:00 AM start on Sunday morning and slowly became a beautiful sunny day.  The breeze kept the temperature from becoming a factor as it got into the upper 60s... not bad for a February marathon!  They also had 22 aid-stations!  And they never ran out of sports drink nor water!

 

A surprise during the first 2 miles of the marathon was a voice yelling "Prez"!  It was RidgeRunner, Bob Goldschmidt, who was also in Tampa to run the half-marathon.  The half and full marathon started together.  John Tempone was still taking it easy with a foot injury also ran the half-marathon.  RidgeRunner results for the half-marathon: Bob Goldschmidt 1:56:57, John Tempone 2:11:10.  Marathon: Joe Malinowski 4:37:42 and George McVeigh 5:56:38.  Thanks again John & Charla... we love ya BIG!

Report by Keith Hosman... Phil Silas, Bob Phillips, Tom Corris and I ran the Eagle run in the snow on Sunday. Phil did the short run. I tried the medium run but soon found that running in 3 to 4 inches of snow was pretty rough. I ended up running around 14 miles. The party after the run was awesome. Pizzas kept coming and the beer was great. No crap diet beer here. I mean the good micro brewed stuff. At one point the pizza guy got stuck and we pushed him out. Gary Knipling (RD) had a bonfire going so the routine went like this; eat a piece of pizza ,snack out, drink a beer then go warm your toes by the fire.

Report by Mike Johnson... The weather was cool to start and climbed to about the upper 60's by the finish. I didn't do the half-marathon because of lack of training.  I went out and picked Pat up at 24 miles and ran here in from there.  Pat's time was 5:50:46.