This month I am gonna write about something that I know that you do not know because you are not me. I have some special knowledge, really. I already read the rest of the newsletter when I wrote this. (He he).
It was Christine’s article of about buying groceries that made me thing of a different shopping experience. Not so planned.
On the Wednesday of the last week of June I dropped my kids off at school and then realized it was the day of the Third grade Picnic, I forgot to prepare a dish. Oh no. So I went to Key Food and bought 2 cans of Non-fat Vegetarian Refried Beans, 2 jars of my favorite salsa, 2 lbs of Non fat Sour Cream, 2 packages of Non-fat shredded cheese, a jar of sliced olives, a scallion, 2 bags of baked chips and a disposal aluminum pan.
I put the beans on the bottom of the tray, then salsa, and sour cream. Then I cut the green onions (with scissors, fast) and made a cross and put the olives in corners. It looked like a Union Jack. Then I got this back to PS 321 for the class picnic. I did this all between 8:40 and 9:30. Zoom, Done. Delivered. Easy.
Why, you may ask am I putting this in the newsletter? Because this is the same dish I brought to the PPTC Relay Race / Picnic. People who are not me asked me the recipe.
My Recent Athletic Endeavors While I Was On Vacation
Doug Olney
I spent the July 4th holiday as I have done for the past 40 years, in Mattapoisett, Mass., where my family has a summer home.
On the 4th, I ran in Mattapoisett 5-mile Road Race for the 32nd time since 1976. (I missed running in 1977 and 2000; there is one guy who has run all 39 races). My time was 36:07, which is far off my personal best time of 26:25, but that was 28 years ago. In any event it was my 2nd-fastest time in the past 5 years. BTW, my mom, who is 74, decided to walk the race for the first time. She finished in 1:20, and ended up placing second in the 70+ age group and won a trophy!
Then this past Saturday, the 11th, I participated in Swim Buzzards Bay, a 1.2 mile open-water swim from New Bedford to Fairhaven, Mass. This event is a fund raiser for the Coalition for Buzzards Bay, a local advocacy organization dedicated to preserving the Bay and its surrounding environs. I swam the distance in 36:41, which isn't particularly speedy (the winning time was a record 20:40 and I was 79th out of 118 people), but it was my fastest time in 5 attempts by 50 seconds, and is almost 11 minutes faster than the first time I swam (the conditions that day were rather tough; this time the bay was like glass). Along with several others, I got a special award for completing the swim 5 times.
And finally today for a weekend double, I competed in the Mattapoisett Lions Club Triathlon. This a low-key sprint distance event: 1/4 mile swim, 10 mile bike and 3.5 mile run. My overall finishing time was 1:05:59, which my 2nd-fastest time in 4 attempts (the fastest was 1:03:11 in 2001). As usual I was in the back of the pack coming out of the water, but I passed some people on the bike and really gained ground during the run - mentally it helps to know that the final leg is your strongest event. I even placed 4th in my age group - this didn't get me anything however!
So even though I have graduated to a new age group, I can say that I still have something left at age 50 :-). Maybe it isn't all downhill from here....
The PPTC picnic on Saturday June 27th was a wonderful fun-filled success that was possible, in part, by the volunteers who were there early to set up tables and ice the water and soda.So, so a tip of the hat to Anne Perzeszty, Julio Zavala, Pat and Tom Meany, Lila and Michael Rieman and Kathleen Weaver.Doug Olney registered the relay runners, announced the teams and was finish line director, assisted by Julio and Lennie Nemerovsky.
Following the adult relay race, Maggie Deschamps and Michael Ring organized a peewee race for the children. The children ran once around the Oriental Pavilion
and they proudly wore the medals they won.
After the race, everyone enjoyed a sumptuous buffet consisting of three five-foot heroes and delicious foods, salads and desserts provided by the PPTC members.
Then came the talent show!Amy Duquette mesmerized the crowd with her winged tap dancing feet, Gil Torres treated us with his very clever mime and juggling act followed by Charlene Britton-Kohler’s beautiful rendition of a song she had composed about runners. Charlene also brought song books and led a sing-along with children and adults. Not to be outdone by the adults, two young ladies provided additional entertainment, namely Zoe Prawda who juggled and Emma Pesin who played the violin for the enjoyment of all.
There were ten running teams and one speed walking team. The walking team consisted of Tom Meany, Lila Rieman and Al Goldstein, all of whom did really well but they are not quite ready to take on Paul Soskind as being the premier PPTC racewalker.
The winning relay team was comprised of Al Prawda, Frank DeLeo and Gary Wang with an outstanding time of 36 minutes 13 seconds. Coach Tony Watson had the fastest time for a male runner, 10 minutes 29 seconds. Helen Dole set a new course record for females in a time of 10 minutes 58 seconds, breaking the existing record of Regina Cahill (who was there to watch and run the relay). This course record lasted about 20 minutes as Sarah Scott finished in a time of 10 minutes 50 seconds. A fitting end to a most enjoyable picnic.
2.Comparison Shopping: Know the prices of items that you buy on a regular basis at several stores. For instance, if you buy several containers of broth;some markets offer discount prices on a regular basis while others may provide even deeper discounts on limited time sale items.
3.Only buy grocery food items at the grocery store. The big warehouse stores such as Costco, BJ's and Sam's Club offer much better prices on your household items.
4.Be cautious with coupons. Most coupons are for processed food. When shopping for food, most of your groceries should be vegetables, fruits, whole grains, meat, fish, etc, which goes on sale but you rarely would find a manufacturer coupon for. Fill your shopping cart with these whole foods first.
5. Forget about buying food that is already cut up. It's cheaper to buy a food that needs some prep work on your part.
6.Take a look at store brands to see if money can be saved compared to a well known brand. Again, be careful because this applies usually to foods that are processed and your goal is to stay away from processed foods.
7.In season fruits and vegetables are usually cheaper. Shop at your local Farmer's Market for seasonal vegetables and fruits which are locally grown.
8.Never shop without a shopping list! On the weekend you should look over the store circulars to see what fruits, vegetables and meats/fish are on sale. From there, plan your weekly meal menu around the sales. Then create a shopping list for ingredients you need and stick to the list!
9. Buy staples such as rice, beans and pasta in bulk. They can be stored in airtight containers.
10.Don’t linger in the supermarket. Studies have shown that the longer shoppers are in the store, the more they spend! So grab your stuff and run!
11. If at all possible, leave your children at home. Kids always get us to buy foods that we don't want to buy.
12. Buy high quality meat (grass fed) and reduce your meat consumption. Plant foods are less expensive and loading up on them will improve your family’s health.
13.Read labels. If you can't pronounce the ingredients don't purchase the food. (If anyone wants to learn more about reading labels, just email me for information on my "Label Reading 101" class.)
14.Leave the high calorie, low nutrient extras such as soda, chips and cookies in the store.
I have been running and racing consistently for the past five years. I’ve also had knee pain that ranged from dull and achy to throbbing, keeping me up through the night for the past five years. I’ve been to physical therapy to treat my condromalasia (the irregular movement of the kneecap as it wears away at the cartilage), ice the knees often, take ice baths after long races and wear knee braces for any distance over a 10K. “Running is killing my knees” has been my thought process, but it is too bad because I certainly love running and have no plans to stop.
For this reason, while looking over the Kripalu (yoga and health center in Lenox, MA) calendar of retreats to pick one for my summer vacation, the caption for ChiRunning grabbed my attention: “An approach to effortless, injury and pain-free running.” I was debating enrolling in Pleasure Boot Camp but I’m glad I picked ChiRunning. While driving up to The Berkshires I told myself that although I was certainly skeptical, just be open and take whatever works for me and leave all the rest. At least the YogaDance at noon and overall retreat vibe (hot tub, wholesome food, messages) would be worth it.
Four days later I completed the workshop. I feel that my running has had a rebirth. I can’t believe how different ChiRunning is from power running, what I and most of us do when we just go out there and run. In power running, we fight against the two forces that are coming at us; gravity and the road. Now I use them both in my favor, extending less energy and not feeling the pounding of the pavement in my tender knees with every step. It’s not running that hurts the body; it’s the WAY we run. It’s also a myth that overtraining causes injury, it’s the WAY we run that does. If power running is about “no pain, no gain”, then ChiRunning is “no pain, no pain.”
ChiRunning’s technique is taken from T’ai Chi, which opens and balances the body allowing energy to run through it and teaches that less is more. In ChiRunning, if you provide the optimal conditions in the body then running will just happen. Now, providing these conditions in your body takes constant concentration and a lot of practice. There is a specific way to carry your entire body, from your toes all the way up to the head. Everything is relaxed, especially your ankles, but in control. Your posture is balanced and you tilt the whole body forward. You land right in the middle of the foot, not on the toes which tenses up all the muscles. There is no knee lift, but you let your feet peel off the road lifting your ankles high behind you. This felt the most different to me. And so much better! I won’t go into the specifics of the posture because they are so detailed, but it is actually the most natural way to run.
I realized that the ChiRunning technique was all worth the concentration when I went on a trail run with the instructors after our third day. The run was 20 minutes uphill and about 10/15 to get back down. Hill work on this steep of an incline used to KILL my knees but after this run, focusing on my Chi form, I had no knee pain. Zero. I almost did not believe it myself.
I love running again, in a new way. I had been loosing motivation with my running, feeling very sluggish and unhappy with my runs. Now I can’t wait to get out there, off the treadmill, and feel the relaxation that comes to me through running with this new form. Not all will respond to it, but if you are interested you can get more information at www.chirunning.com.
Congratulations on this 4th of July for your performance at the Pepper Martin race this morning.
PPTC Masters Women took 1st place team awards. Emily, Maggie & Danielle made up the winning Masters team, and 3rd Masters team men with Tony, Tom & Frank.
Also bringing home more hardware were:
Emily Sanderson - 2nd woman overall and 1st place age group
Danielle Hansen-2nd age group
Coralie (CoCo) Dartigues - 2nd age group
Maggie Deshamps- 1st age group
Tony Watson- 3rd age group
Also running like the dickens were Krishna, Corre, Ami, Brad, Tom, Alex, Michael, Charlene & in the very important cheering section, (that made all the difference, Really!!, Cristin and our littlest Pepper, Kieran!!
A good day was definitely had by all. Next year we'll get the Open (we missed two runners for taking that category)
THE INSIDE LOOP JULY 2009 II Tom Byrnes and Friends
Bobby Fisher will be the first to admit that a Century that starts in the wet isn’t by any means the most inviting way to initiate a 100 mile bike ride but to his credit, Bobby decided to baptize his new Trek on the North Fork Century on June 16 in the rain and drizzle anyway. And besides, he had gotten up in the middle of the nite to subway into Manhattan, load up his bike and board the bus to the start in Greenport on Long Island’s North Fork. before it had started to pour. Bobby seems to have the schedule for these epic bike events down to a science so if you’re game and looking for a long ride, Bobby is the man.
Thanks to Kevin Miller the coordinator of the UFT Team in this year’s Corporate Challenge,June 10-11 in Central Park for passing along the news that PPTC’s Helen Dole was on the UFT’s first place women’s team with her time of 22:59. Kevin knows full well that it’s Prospect Park that puts the juice in Helen’s legs and not the chalk dust underneath her fingernails, way to rock and roll Helen Dole!
Jason Horowitz mentions that a few PPTCers have started going out roughly once a month after the Wednesday evening runs . These are open to anyone from PPTC who wants to join and, in particular, he wanted to make sure that those who are running Summer Speed 5K’s know about this. The venue is Bar Sepia ,Underhill Ave.off Eastern Parkway from 8:15pm until .......A point to note: the barkeep will not pawn your Summer Speed race medal for beers!
With the ‘’old pool"at the 9th street Y reopened on June 22nd , time will tell if all those who had migrated to the pool at the Dodge Y in downtown Brooklyn and elsewhere will return to cross train and swim in the 9th street Y’s waters. Construction on this Y’s ‘’new pool" facility is slated to start this Fall but lets hope for the best. "Old Pool, New Pool," hey, the water’s much warmer indoors in these parts much of the year than it is out in the bays and oceans unless you’re using a wetsuit.
Many thanks to Ron Rice for passing along the front cover and inside page two story of the Brooklyn Spectator’s June 20-26th edition featuring the May 31st First Annual Keep Bravo Running 5k along the Shore Road promenade which PPTC’s Diana Ortiz and friends chairpersoned. .Nice to see Diana’s smiling face on the front page and James McFarland off to a great start on page two.Over the last 35 years the Bravo volunteer Ambulance Corps has helped thousands of people in need and this was a fine way to give back PPTC has called on Bravo to help at events and they responded graciously. " 35 more!" for Bravo and friends.
On Sunday June 28th Booby Fisher arose before dawn to catch the ride to start the Long Island Harbor Ride In Brentwood Long Island. Bobby’s 78 mile trek left him less than chipper since Bobby and fellow riders ‘explored’ hills that many bikers did not know existed out east.
Judging from the flow of comments on the pptc-open-forum@googlegroups.com about the Philly Half, seems to me that race could be another ye another PPTC road trip this fall.. With Ted Baumgartner, Mark Crowther, Tyrone Sklaren, Ami Hassler and Mike Ring chiming in with their perspectives on this event, PPTC could be good to go.
Thanks to Doug Olney for passing along some perspectives on June 28th’s PPTC Picnic/Relay.
This was PPTC’s biggest turnout in several years - 11 teams in total and 1 race walking team. As often is the case, we had a warm day, but it wasn't super hot out. The random draw resulted in relatively evenly-matched teams, so there was no clear favorite before we started. We had several good performances, especially from the women. Helen Dole broke Regina Cahill's course record, but then her record was broken by Sarah Scott. Helen ran the first leg, and Sarah was doing the anchor leg for different teams. For Maggie's Deschamps the relay was just a warmup for her next day’s Cosme race. Ted Baumgartner was consulting with anyone interested in his running the Tokyo Marathon. " After you pass the third sushi shop after mile 24, if you have anything left, make your move." Sabrina Ring was our youngest finisher, and Al Goldstein was our oldest.The picnic went fine too. We chowed down through 3 6-foot heroes, and there was plenty of other homemade goodies available. Amy Duquette performed a tap dance, Gil Torres and Zoe Prawda both did juggling acts. Charlene Kohler-Britton brought her guitar and sang an original song about running and the team, and she had a sing-along for kids as well. There was another young girl who I don't know her name performed a violin solo. ( next year, those ‘’hello my name is...." tags ) It was an eclectic selection of entertainment.. As a reminder, the Relay is a qualifying race for the PPTC Run Brooklyn 6-race incentive. Make sure that you enter your time in the Members Race History on the PPTC website.
PPTC has teams entered in the Reach the Beach Relay to be held on Sept. 18-19 in New Hampshire. The course starts at Cannon Mountain in the White Mountains in the northern part of the state and travels 200 miles through N.H. to the finish at Hampton Beach on the coast. The teams are asking the PPTC treasury to support the cost of van rentals (2 per team), that they will be using to travel to and from the race and as they move through the race itself from relay point to relay point. The Reach the Beach website is www.rtbrelay.com Check it out, inspiring pics!
Thanks to Maggie Deschamps for passing along the Congrats to all PPTCers who raced the Cosme 5k on June 28th! PPTC had a great turnout with many awards won! We placed 1st overall Women's team composed of Helen Dole( 2nd overall, 1st place age) in 20:31, Maggie Deschamps(6th overall, 2nd place age) in 21:06, and Corre Kombol(7th overall, 2nd place age) in 21:20. In addition we had Rebecca Rosenberg-Beran and Danielle Hansen also placing in their age group. Several other PPTC runners raced well in impressive times within a strongly competitive field.Hey, an out and back on the boardwalk at Coney Island and for a change we had a beautiful warm sunny day!
Let’s congratulate Emily Sanderson for a very showing at the 2009 Fairfield Half. Although the day was hot and humid, and the course was a hilly one, she finished second in her age group! SPF 30 on the Rocks for Emily!
Tyrone Sklaren ran the NYRR Hope and Possibility 5 miler Sunday June 25th and found himself lingering at the finish line as many of the Achilles runners were finishing. He stayed for about an hour, cheering and encouraging these runners - "...blind runners with guides, singles amputees, double amputees, and one quadruple amputee struggling to push himself to the finish on his wheelchair with what was left of his arms; there were kids- one beautiful little girl-maybe seven years old-finishing by herself on a running prosthetic; there was a little boy who looked about 5 years old also with a prosthetic, running with a very tall older man also with a prosthetic; many people who looked ‘ok’ I later learned had serious illnesses. Quite a few of the amputees were Iraqi war veterans-big strong young guys missing a leg or two-there was one guy on crutches with one single prosthetic for his lower half." And there was Tricia Miley, the "Cental Park jogger", running them in, encouraging them, and joking with them. "I felt there was no place else I'd rather be."
For Rich Weaver this was also a very moving race that brought tears of happiness to his eyes. A very life affirming race if ever there was one. Rich had lost his scoring chip during the race and as he was walking back against the tide of a runners, one of them approached him chip in hand .
With these thoughts in mind, let us remember to count our blessings, all our blessings, today as you read this and every day.
Excellent times were run by all. Congratulations to Helen Dole and Sarah Scott, who both broke the previous woman's course record held by Regina Cahill. Unfortunately for Helen, she also set a record for shortest-lived record!
BTW, the Relay is a qualifying race for the PPTC Run Brooklyn 6-race incentive. Make sure that you enter your time in the Members Race History.
OVERALL RESULTS
Team Name Gender Cumulative Time Lap Time Pace
V Al Prawda M 12:56.0 12:56.0 07:26.0 Frank DeLeo M 25:33.0 12:37.0 07:15.1 Gary Wang M 36:13.0 10:40.0 06:07.8 36:13.0
S Brad Skillman M 11:14.0 11:14.0 06:27.4 Maggie Deschamps F 23:00.0 11:46.0 06:45.7 Bruce Duquette M 37:25.0 14:25.0 08:17.1 37:25.0
R Tony Watson M 10:29.0 10:29.0 06:01.5 Fastest Male Time Traci Lester F 26:46.0 16:17.0 09:21.5 Sarah Scott F 37:36.0 10:50.0 06:13.6 Fastest Female Time 37:36.0 New Course Record!
U Doug Olney M 12:09.0 12:09.0 06:59.0 Regina Cahill F 24:21.0 12:12.0 07:00.7 Lennie Nemerovsky M 38:14.0 13:53.0 07:58.7 38:14.0
X Helen Dole F 10:58.0 10:58.0 06:18.2 Course record for 20 min.! Claire Dougherty F 26:26.0 15:28.0 08:53.3 Rebecca Rosenberg-Baran F 38:19.0 11:53.0 06:49.8 38:19.0
Y Dan Dougherty M 11:41.0 11:41.0 06:42.9 Patricia Perlo F 28:04.0 16:23.0 09:24.9 Ryan Wood M 39:02.0 10:58.0 06:18.2 39:02.0
Q Amy Duquette F 13:27.0 13:27.0 07:43.8 Charlene Kohler-Britton F 29:45.0 16:18.0 09:22.1 Ted Baumgartner M 41:48.0 12:03.0 06:55.5 41:48.0
Z Corre Kombol F 11:34.0 11:34.0 06:38.9 Michael Rieman M 25:42.0 14:08.0 08:07.4 Zoe Prawda F 42:18.0 16:36.0 09:32.4 42:18.0
T Marianne Prawda F 18:44.0 18:44.0 10:46.0 Josh Pesin M 30:47.0 12:03.0 06:55.5 Coco D'Artigues F 42:19.0 11:32.0 06:37.7 42:19.0
W Michael Ring M 16:22.0 16:22.0 09:24.4 Brandon Cammack M 27:47.0 11:25.0 06:33.7 Sabrina Ring F 44:48.0 17:01.0 09:46.8 44:48.0
P Sandra Ferrari F 15:38.0 15:38.0 08:59.1 Jason Horowitz M 29:38.0 14:00.0 08:02.8 Veronica Antoine F 45:43.0 16:05.0 09:14.6 45:43.0
Speed Walking Division A Tom Meany M 21:02.0 21:02.0 12:05.3 Lila Rieman F 26:30.0 26:30.0 15:13.8 Al Goldstein M 32:59.0 32:59.0 18:57.4
ORDER OF FINISH BY LAP
Lap 1 Lap 2 Lap 3
1 R 10:29.0 S 23:00.0 V 36:13.0 2 X 10:58.0 U 24:21.0 S 37:25.0 3 S 11:14.0 V 25:33.0 R 37:36.0 4 Z 11:34.0 Z 25:42.0 U 38:14.0 5 Y 11:41.0 X 26:26.0 X 38:19.0 6 U 12:09.0 R 26:46.0 Y 39:02.0 7 V 12:56.0 W 27:47.0 Q 41:48.0 8 Q 13:27.0 Y 28:04.0 Z 42:18.0 9 P 15:38.0 P 29:38.0 T 42:19.0 10 W 16:22.0 Q 29:45.0 W 44:48.0 11 T 18:44.0 T 30:47.0 P 45:43.0
FINISHERS IN TIME ORDER
Male Name Lap Time Pace 1 Tony Watson 10:29.0 06:01.5 2 Gary Wang 10:40.0 06:07.8 3 Ryan Wood 10:58.0 06:18.2 4 Brad Skillman 11:14.0 06:27.4 5 Brandon Cammack 11:25.0 06:33.7 6 Dan Dougherty 11:41.0 06:42.9 7 Ted Baumgartner 12:03.0 06:55.5 7 Josh Pesin 12:03.0 06:55.5 9 Doug Olney 12:09.0 06:59.0 10 Frank DeLeo 12:37.0 07:15.1 11 Al Prawda 12:56.0 07:26.0 12 Lennie Nemerovsky 13:53.0 07:58.7 13 Jason Horowitz 14:00.0 08:02.8 14 Michael Rieman 14:08.0 08:07.4 15 Bruce Duquette 14:25.0 08:17.1 16 Michael Ring 16:22.0 09:24.4
Female Name Lap Time Pace 1 Sarah Scott 10:50.0 06:13.6 2 Helen Dole 10:58.0 06:18.2 3 Coco D'Artigues 11:32.0 06:37.7 4 Corre Kombol 11:34.0 06:38.9 5 Maggie Deschamps 11:46.0 06:45.7 6 Rebecca Rosenberg-Baran 11:53.0 06:49.8 7 Regina Cahill 12:12.0 07:00.7 8 Amy Duquette 13:27.0 07:43.8 9 Claire Dougherty 15:28.0 08:53.3 10 Sandra Ferrari 15:38.0 08:59.1 11 Veronica Antoine 16:05.0 09:14.6 12 Traci Lester 16:17.0 09:21.5 13 Charlene Kohler-Britton 16:18.0 09:22.1 14 Patricia Perlo 16:23.0 09:24.9 15 Zoe Prawda 16:36.0 09:32.4 16 Sabrina Ring 17:01.0 09:46.8 17 Marianne Prawda 18:44.0 10:46.0
From The Archives Long Day’s Journey Into Night – Birth Of The Metro 100K Paul Soskind
In the late 1970’s, the ultramarathon scene was limited to the Met 50 miler: 10 loops of the upper five miles in Central Park, the Knickerbocker 60K: six plus full Central Park loops: the Fresh Pond 50M: 20 2.5M loops around a Boston reservoir; the Lake Waramaug 50M and 100KM events on a hilly 7.66M loop in northern Connecticut and the Mechanicsville 100K in Pennsylvania’s western hill country.
To create a venue for local ultra runners and national caliber athletes, Rich Inamorato, Lenny Nemerovsky and I explored several sites in the five boroughs. We settled on the lake loop (same as the first loop of the Turkey Trot) because it was relatively short (1.7467 miles), thus enabling us to monitor the progress of the runners and its accessibility to lockers and shower facilities at the Parade Grounds. By including the small traffic island near the Seeley Street playground, we had an ideal 1.75 mile loop.
The drawbacks, which we felt were outweighed by the advantages were: (1) the necessity of crossing the main road twice per loop, partially mitigated by running in a clockwise direction; (2) having the runners negotiate 35 plus loops around said circuit; (3) which precluded the necessity of ample volunteers for scoring and aid stations.
We decided on the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day for the event because of a post holiday drop in activity in the park, relatively mild weather with no expected temperature variation extremes and 10-plus hours of daylight. We used a rental van to carry the supplies to the start, set up two tables – one for scoring, the other for aid. Scoring was done on an elaborately crafted chart with help from PPTC founder Harry Murphy consisting of the names of the competitors arranged vertically and 35 diagonally slashed boxes arranged horizontally to record each runner’s time per lap and cumulative time. Backup charts, small enough to fit on clipboards were kept by other scorer recorders inside the van. While I had wanted to compete, that first year I worked the race.
At 7:00 a.m. sharp on a sunny but chilly 34 degree day, 31 runners set off on their long journey. They included Park Borner, then America’s “premier ultrarunner,” Don Jewel, Bill Lowder, Bob Van der Kieft, George Gardner and our own indominatable Johnny Kenul. By 11:00 a.m., the field was really strung out with the leaders between a 7:00 and 7:35 minute pace or 50K or more, while others had not reached the marathon mark. By then, the temperature had risen to the high 40’s and the sky was overcast. While some runners appeared strong and confident, others were in real trouble. We were charting lap times, looking for patterns of drastic slowdowns because we had informed the competitors that anyone in danger of not maintaining a pace to finish with the 10 hour time limit would either have to step it up or be waved off at this time, whether they completed the distance or not.
At this time, Queen’s song, “Another One Bites the Dust” seemed appropriate for those who succumbed to the time and distance on their feet. To their credit, that initial year we had about a 30% dropout rate and more than 20 runners completed the distance with four slightly over the limit.
We celebrated their achievement with an awards buffet at the now-defunct Scarela’s Italian Restaurant on Church Avenue where the winner, Park Barner, and the others received the accolades due them. Our great initial success enabled us to restage this event the following year and for 10 more years to come. The second year we had a momentous event with a stellar field. For those of you considering a go at this distance, here are the finishing times and pace per mile of the top 10 in year two: Alan Kirek – 6:37:54 (6:16/mile) George Gardiner – 7:37:20 (7:21/mile) Hal Stern – 7:54:42 (7:36/mile) Bob Van der Kleft – 7:57 (7:39/mile) Gunther Erich (50+ years old) – 8:11:46 (7:55/mile) Park Barner (defending champ) – 8:14:37 (7:57/mile) Paul Soskind – 8:22:59 (8:08/mile) John McQueen – 8:25:56 (8:08/mile) Ray Krolewicz – 8:42:41 (8:21/mile) Dave Obelkevich – 8:43)05 (8:22/mile)
In this event, Alan Kirek set an American and North American record for the distance while, for the first time in ultrarunning history, 13 participants broke the nin hour barrier for the 62.14 mile distance. This still remains a high water mark in ultrarunning annals while 23 of the 33 starters completed the event within the time limit.
“I heart New York!” PPTC member Chi Iregbulem says while smiling and making the shape of a heart with her hands. Chi has been a New Yorker for 32 years. She was born and spent her first three years in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, but the rest of her life has been in Queens, Long Island and Brooklyn. However, she began to experience and embrace it in a new way three years ago after becoming a New York City runner. While running through Prospect Park she connects with it and sees parts that she has never seen. Running through the streets of Brooklyn allows her to see the city “…in a way that you can only do while running. All the nuances…the little shops…over the bridges, you can’t see the city like that from a car.” She also feels the connection to the runners of this city, a very specific community that she is glad to be a part of.
Specifically, she values her membership in the Prospect Park Track club. “Everybody is welcoming and supportive. It’s what kept me going.” Chi stresses, “I am not a fast runner, but (in PPTC) I’ve never felt bad for that, or less than anyone else.” Quite contrary, she’s felt appreciated.
Chi’s parents came from Nigeria and had Chi and her two younger brothers in the US. She attended the United Nations International School (UNIS) and then catholic high school on Long Island. It was in high school when she first began running, joining the cross country and track teams. Chi stated that she “enjoyed running,” but despite the three mile races she participated in at Van Cortlandt and Sunken Meadows parks, she was “…always a better sprinter.”
While attending Syracuse University for her undergraduate degree in TV, Film and radio production and then Baruch College for her MBA, she stopped running. She remained “balanced”, as she puts it, with dance and yoga classes. Receiving some harsh comments about her size from family members while at a wedding in May 2006; she was rightfully hurt, but then used it as motivation. Shortly after, a googled search for “track clubs” led her to PPTC. She started her engagement in the club and running with the Tuesday night Speed Series trainings. “I remember the first night I came. I was dressed totally wrong for running. And although I thought it would come right back to me, no way!” Chi found the trail run that Coach Tony had the group do almost impossible; after all it was 15 years since she had run.
She did not give up on that day, or any day since. “No matter if I’m limping across the finish, I’m going to finish every race I start.” Chi raced the PPTC Turkey Trot that year, her first since high school. She noticed her progress in the short amount of time since she came back to running and welcomed that familiar ‘runner’s high’. She has run the Turkey Trot, among other races, every year since.
Every member of our club has individual goals and reasons why they started and why they continue it. Chi says, “I’m not a hardcore runner, but I get what they and every runner experiences. Racing gives me that adrenaline rush…I get that sense of accomplishment every race I do.” What Chi lacks in speed she makes up for in heart. She is a huge cheerleader of PPTC and runners in general. She volunteers in the club and her dedication can be counted on. And she is the spectator who will yell out the name of each individual runner who puts his/her name in their bib as she watches the entire NYC marathon run by.
Speaking of the marathon, Chi is flirting with the idea of giving it a go in 2010. “It’s one of my bucket list things to do. You have to do it if you run in New York City.” She’s completed six of the nine required qualifying races to date. “There is rarely a time when I don’t finish what I started.”
Balance is a theme that keeps returning to Chi. She takes care of herself emotionally and coming back to running has allowed her to take care of herself physically. This balance may be the reason for the positive energy that she emits and can be felt by those around her.
Did you wake up one morning recently with an urge to clean your home and throw out the candy wrappers from under the bed? Perhaps you've been craving water or fruit, or even felt like going to the gym for the first time in months. If you did, you're not alone. Each spring we instinctually feel the need to clean both our home and body. And if you spent the last few months with a bottle of wine watching reruns of Sex and the City, a cleanse may bring you out of hibernation.
We take in harmful substances daily, ranging from pollution and food additives to excess alcohol and junk food, not to mention toxic people. In excess, this contributes to poor health, stress, and a weak immune system. A spring cleanse is an opportunity for your body to rebuild. Some people choose cleansing kits or plans, like the Master Cleanse or similar programs. I actually recommend a less drastic approach, since our body is sensitive and may not react well to sudden changes. Try out the following tips, for the next 5 - 7 days and see how much better you feel.
Drink More Water Filtered, distilled or spring water helps hydrate and clean the body. Adding fresh lemon juice is a plus. Have a minimum of 6 cups per day, starting with one in the morning on an empty stomach.
Eat Greens Green leafy vegetables like field greens, arugula, kale, broccoli raab, and collards are rich in vitamins and cleanse the blood. They also contain fiber which binds toxins so they're more easily excreted. Eat them several times a day, if possible. You could even go to the juice bar for a green drink, 1 -2 times per day.
Reduce Unhealthy Foods Sugar, white bread, cookies, candy, chips, soda, caffeine, packaged food, alcohol - they all decrease your energy, and keep your body full of extra junk. Try to cut back on these as much as you can, and give your digestive system a break. You'll be amazed how much more clearly you think when your body has the right fuel. You'd not put diesel fuel into an unleaded car, so why put the wrong fuel in your body?
Try Skin Cleansing Buy a loofa or body scrub. This helps the skin eliminate waste and encourages blood flow. You could also visit a Turkish spa and have your favorite cabana boy scrub your body for you. Try this once per day
Christine Boutross is Personal Trainer and a Holistic Health Counselor. She is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
Brown rice, with its sweet nutty flavor, provides four times the amount of insoluble fiber found in white rice, because it is a whole grain that has not been stripped of its natural bran covering. It contains an impressive number of vitamins and minerals such as concentrated B vitamins (which help nervous systems and mental depression), niacin, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and even some vitamin E. This whole grain also contains a small amount of high-quality protein in the form of the amino acid lysine, which helps boost the body’s ability to fight viruses, especially those that cause cold sores.
In each grain of brown rice exists a matrix of whole, unrefined energy and nutrition. It is a complex carbohydrate and therefore burns slowly in the body, providing a steady stream of long lasting energy while increasing the brain’s levels of serotonin, the chemical responsible for the feeling of well-being. Those who consistently eat brown rice report steady energy and an overall feeling of calm and balance in their daily lives.
For brown rice and whole grains in general, the majority of digestion occurs in the mouth through chewing and exposure to saliva. For optimal nutrition and assimilation, it is vital to chew your rice well and with awareness. A great meditation is to find a calm place, without distractions, to sit down for your meal. Make it a habit to chew each bite 20 times or more. See how this simple practice can help your digestion and overall focus for the rest of your day.
Recipe of the Month: Brown Basmati Pilaf
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup of walnut pieces
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley
pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Rinse rice in fine mesh strainer until water runs clear.
2. Boil the water and add rice and salt, cover and reduce heat.
3. After 15 minutes add cranberries and walnuts to top, do not stir.
4. Cook 15-25 minutes more, until all the liquid is absorbed.
5. Remove from heat, add parsley and fluff with fork, cover and let set for 3-5 minutes and serve.
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