As Runner's World recognized recently, with help from some of GRC's bravest members, running conditions in the nation's capital have been far from prime lately. Today, in the hallowed halls of the Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex, GRC's racers will luxuriate in ice-free footing, pleasant temperatures, calm air, and the ability to see around bends without walls of snow in the way. Some rust will be busted, some cobwebs will be dusted, and probably some other various things will happen that runners tend to colloquially declare when they haven't raced in a pretty long time. Don't fret, however! The GRC is prepared, as always, to both turn some heads and turn in some fast times as they take to the track for the first time in a long time.
Avid racer Frances Loeb was overheard divulging on Wednesday evening, under the deceptively protective shroud of night and the Wisconsin Avenue tunnel, that, although race expectations are low, she planned to don spikes for her 5k. You heard it here first, folks! Meanwhile, youngster Meghan Lockett, who will be debuting for the GRC, made sure to Amazon Prime some flats for delivery prior to her 3k race Saturday afternoon. This will be the first race for Mego in over two years, but she is pumped to tackle the oval and put an end to her race-less streak. Keeping her footwear selection to herself, Kerry Allen is approaching the 5k with even more unfamiliarity, never having raced on an indoor track, and never even having run a 5k on an outdoor track. While we all have the utmost of faith in her fitness and preparation, let us hope that her lap counter is paying attention!
There will be a lot of action and plenty of results for our analysts to pore over in this early season showcase! In addition to Frances and Kerry, the women's 5k lineup also includes Stephanie Reich, with Kyle Wagener and Luk Olenginski holding down the men's 5k race. Meghan and Chelsea Bollerman will race the 3k later in the afternoon.
Tune in throughout the day for times, commentary, and maybe a photo or two, if we're lucky!
RESULTS
Women's 5000
1. Frances Loeb 17:31.31
2. Stephanie Reich 17:46.22
7. Kerry Allen 18:28.79
Men's 5000
6. Kyle Wagener 15:45.95
7. Lukasz Olenginski 15:48.17
Women's 3000
17. Chelsea Bollerman 10:46.83 (won her heat!)
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
GRC Announces Nina Brekelmans Memorial Scholarship 5K
Nina came to competitive running later in life than most of her teammates, but like other areas of her life she pursued running with tireless dedication and obvious passion.
“Nina was not the most talented athlete at GRC, but she was one of the hardest working and committed runners I've ever coached,” said GRC Coach Jerry Alexander. “She was willing to do whatever it took to contribute to the team, and her enthusiasm and drive were an inspiration to her team.”
When injuries or overseas travel kept her from competing with GRC, Nina still took great pride in her teammates’ achievements. In an email from Jordan she wrote “It's been really fun to follow your racing results and see massive PR after PR. Wish I were there to enjoy these moments with you!”
Nina also made an impression in the running community in Jordan while studying there for a year after having received a Boren Fellowship. She won the Dead Sea half marathon, her first attempt at the distance, and has been memorialized by her friends there as their “Dear Champion”. Nina was due to return to Jordan, to work on a Fulbright grant studying women’s athletics as a means of encouraging confidence and self esteem.
The Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS), in partnership with the Brekelmans family, established the Nina Brekelmans Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund to support students of the Masters of Arts in Arab Studies (MAAS) program, particularly those with a demonstrated interest in promoting women's empowerment in the Middle East.
Nina graduated from the MAAS program in May 2015. The endowed scholarship fund will honor Nina's memory and accomplishments by supporting MAAS students who demonstrate an interest in women's empowerment.
For more information on the Nina Brekelmans Memorial Scholarship and the 5k race and to register, please visit www.ninabrekelmansmemorial.org.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
FLASH: Outlaw and Zak Successfully Send 'Em Down South
Outlaw and Zak kicked off 2016 with a bang this morning at both the Houston and Louisiana Marathon, respectively.
Down in Houston, Outlaw ran strong even splits to finish 33rd in 2:27:09. He made sure to represent our new sponsors with pride with a clutch post-race Insta:
Down in Houston, Outlaw ran strong even splits to finish 33rd in 2:27:09. He made sure to represent our new sponsors with pride with a clutch post-race Insta:
Zak made the podium one state over at the much smaller Louisiana marathon, crossing the finish line for 3rd in 2:33:21. For his efforts, Zak will receive a Top Finisher Commemorative Art Print by Thomas "Tuna" Seither. The word on the street is that any genuine "Tuna" artwork can net a pretty pay day on the black market...
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
The GRC wins big at annual awards
After a successful 2015 complete with many various and sundry accomplishments spread amongst the entire GRC, the team came together to recognize and celebrate those who had produced some truly fine years. Below are 2015's award winners.
Frances's accomplishments in 2015 were unlike anything we've ever seen at GRC. Frances was the first GRC athlete to compete on a national team when she represented the United States at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country meet, and she placed 8th overall, and was 3rd American; she was the first GRC athlete to run in a US track championship, when she placed 12th at the USATF Indoor Championship in the 2 mile; and was the first GRC woman to win at Penn Relays, when she claimed the title in the Olympic Development 5000. Frances set club records on the track in the 1500 (4:30.9), mile (4:53.89), 3000 (9:41.4), 2 mile (10:06.2), 5,000 (16:27.8), and 10,000 (33:17), and on the roads in the 8k (26:27) and 10k (34:13). 2016 will be another year of firsts for Frances, when she becomes the first GRC athlete to compete in the Olympic Trials on the track.
In 2015 Kieran continued his remarkable transformation from a talented novice to a true national class athlete when he qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon by running 1:04:38 at the Rock N Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon in October, which was a PR by an amazing 80 seconds, a club record, and arguably the best performance ever by a GRC man. That performance was the culmination of an outstanding year, which also included a huge marathon PR of 2:20:47 at Grandmas in June, which is second on the GRC all time list, and a club record 14:35 road 5k at Clarendon Day in September. Kieran has also become a vocal leader of the team, and his leadership has helped our younger athletes understand the level of commitment necessary to excel at this level. Kieran is ready for another major breakthrough in the marathon, and will be looking for a huge PR at the Trials.
Hannah joined GRC in June after completing her collegiate eligibility as a graduate student at George Washington University, where she became the first GW athlete ever to earn all-conference honors in the Atlantic 10 in track. Hannah immediately made her presence felt by running 17:35 for 5k on the roads in her GRC debut, which places her 4th on the GRC all-time list. Hannah excelled at a variety of road distances, including her stellar 59:21 at Army 10, which is also 4th on the GRC all-time list. Hannah was a key contributor in cross country, and was our third finisher at Clubs despite being far less than 100 percent healthy. Hannah has a great future with GRC, and will be a fixture on the all-time lists on the track and the roads for years to come.
Cabell was a revelation in the spring, when he ran a succession of PRs on the track, and established himself as a legitimate A team athlete. His 3:53.91 1500 is 3rd on the GRC all-time list, and his 14:41 5000 was a huge breakthrough. He also ran 1:56.8 for 800, which is 4th on the GRC all-time list, and capped his spring season with a 4:11.8 road mile, which is a club record. Cabell excelled in the fall in cross country, finishing second overall at the Gettysburg Invitational, and he was third man on the GRC squad that won the USATF East Region championship, and he was our fourth finisher at Clubs in a 10k PR of 32:06. Cabell will continue his assault on the record books this spring on the track at 1500 and 5000.
Susan has been instrumental in the growth of GRC's women's team into one of the top non-professional teams in the country. Susan has superb credentials--she has run 4:17.8 for 1500, and was 7th in the USATF indoor 1500--and she was the first high-profile recruit to join GRC when she signed on in the spring of 2011, when the women's team was in its infancy. While Susan's contributions to GRC are impossible to condense into a few sentences, it's accurate to say that since coming on board she has been a team leader on and off the track. Susan is the club record holder in the 800 (2:16.01) and road mile (4:49), and is third on the all-time list in the 1500 (4:35.8) and 3000 (10:03.1). In additon, she was directly responsible for the recruitment of several GRC stars, and has served as a mentor to many of our young athletes.
Two of the many wonderful qualities that we will always remember about Nina were her passion for running, and her dedication to public service. Because Dickson shares those qualities, he is a fitting winner of the inaugural award in Nina's honor. Dickson is an experienced and accomplished marathoner who is not known for his speed, yet in 2015, at age 33, Dickson ran his first full track season since college because he wanted to have some fun with the sport he loves. The results were impressive, capped by his huge PR of 8:52 for 3000. Dickson also has a history of public service as demonstrated by his work, along with his wife Emily, in the Peace Corps in Niger, and his demanding stint as a guide for elite visually impaired runner Aaron Scheidies in the 2012 Wilson Bridge Half Marathon. Dickson has also dedicated himself to GRC, and his contributions to the team include sharing his vast expertise in the marathon with his younger teammates.
Women's MVP - Frances Koons
Frances's accomplishments in 2015 were unlike anything we've ever seen at GRC. Frances was the first GRC athlete to compete on a national team when she represented the United States at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country meet, and she placed 8th overall, and was 3rd American; she was the first GRC athlete to run in a US track championship, when she placed 12th at the USATF Indoor Championship in the 2 mile; and was the first GRC woman to win at Penn Relays, when she claimed the title in the Olympic Development 5000. Frances set club records on the track in the 1500 (4:30.9), mile (4:53.89), 3000 (9:41.4), 2 mile (10:06.2), 5,000 (16:27.8), and 10,000 (33:17), and on the roads in the 8k (26:27) and 10k (34:13). 2016 will be another year of firsts for Frances, when she becomes the first GRC athlete to compete in the Olympic Trials on the track.
Men's MVP - Kieran O'Connor
In 2015 Kieran continued his remarkable transformation from a talented novice to a true national class athlete when he qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon by running 1:04:38 at the Rock N Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon in October, which was a PR by an amazing 80 seconds, a club record, and arguably the best performance ever by a GRC man. That performance was the culmination of an outstanding year, which also included a huge marathon PR of 2:20:47 at Grandmas in June, which is second on the GRC all time list, and a club record 14:35 road 5k at Clarendon Day in September. Kieran has also become a vocal leader of the team, and his leadership has helped our younger athletes understand the level of commitment necessary to excel at this level. Kieran is ready for another major breakthrough in the marathon, and will be looking for a huge PR at the Trials.
Women's Newcomer of the Year - Hannah Rowe
Hannah joined GRC in June after completing her collegiate eligibility as a graduate student at George Washington University, where she became the first GW athlete ever to earn all-conference honors in the Atlantic 10 in track. Hannah immediately made her presence felt by running 17:35 for 5k on the roads in her GRC debut, which places her 4th on the GRC all-time list. Hannah excelled at a variety of road distances, including her stellar 59:21 at Army 10, which is also 4th on the GRC all-time list. Hannah was a key contributor in cross country, and was our third finisher at Clubs despite being far less than 100 percent healthy. Hannah has a great future with GRC, and will be a fixture on the all-time lists on the track and the roads for years to come.
Men's Newcomer of the Year - Cabell Willis
Cabell was a revelation in the spring, when he ran a succession of PRs on the track, and established himself as a legitimate A team athlete. His 3:53.91 1500 is 3rd on the GRC all-time list, and his 14:41 5000 was a huge breakthrough. He also ran 1:56.8 for 800, which is 4th on the GRC all-time list, and capped his spring season with a 4:11.8 road mile, which is a club record. Cabell excelled in the fall in cross country, finishing second overall at the Gettysburg Invitational, and he was third man on the GRC squad that won the USATF East Region championship, and he was our fourth finisher at Clubs in a 10k PR of 32:06. Cabell will continue his assault on the record books this spring on the track at 1500 and 5000.
Lauren Woodall Roady Award - Susan Hendrick
Susan has been instrumental in the growth of GRC's women's team into one of the top non-professional teams in the country. Susan has superb credentials--she has run 4:17.8 for 1500, and was 7th in the USATF indoor 1500--and she was the first high-profile recruit to join GRC when she signed on in the spring of 2011, when the women's team was in its infancy. While Susan's contributions to GRC are impossible to condense into a few sentences, it's accurate to say that since coming on board she has been a team leader on and off the track. Susan is the club record holder in the 800 (2:16.01) and road mile (4:49), and is third on the all-time list in the 1500 (4:35.8) and 3000 (10:03.1). In additon, she was directly responsible for the recruitment of several GRC stars, and has served as a mentor to many of our young athletes.
Nina Brekelmans Award - Dickson Mercer
Two of the many wonderful qualities that we will always remember about Nina were her passion for running, and her dedication to public service. Because Dickson shares those qualities, he is a fitting winner of the inaugural award in Nina's honor. Dickson is an experienced and accomplished marathoner who is not known for his speed, yet in 2015, at age 33, Dickson ran his first full track season since college because he wanted to have some fun with the sport he loves. The results were impressive, capped by his huge PR of 8:52 for 3000. Dickson also has a history of public service as demonstrated by his work, along with his wife Emily, in the Peace Corps in Niger, and his demanding stint as a guide for elite visually impaired runner Aaron Scheidies in the 2012 Wilson Bridge Half Marathon. Dickson has also dedicated himself to GRC, and his contributions to the team include sharing his vast expertise in the marathon with his younger teammates.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
O'Connor Runs 31:18- in a workout
Breuters Wire Services -- Bethesda, MD
Yesterday afternoon during a workout at BCC track, Olympic Marathon Trialist Kieran O'Connor put in a 31:18 10k, making the performance the fifth fastest track 10k in GRC history. What is more remarkable than the record itself is what O'Connor did after covering the ten kilometers: he kept going. For four more miles. You see, O'Connor's effort was not part of a 10k time trial, but was instead en route to a 10-mile tempo run, which he completed in 49:42. That's right -- "Rube" O'Connor busted out a sub-50 minute 10-mile tempo run during a workout at BCC. O'Connor's tempo was so scorching that it ground into dust his three-man pace team. As the run progressed, the pacing coverage bent and eventually broke as the pacers were unable to recover quickly enough to maintain their alternating 2-mile shifts, leaving O'Conner to run portions of the workout unassisted. Left in O'Connor's wake was a pile of discarded and exhausted pacers, whose Herculean efforts assisted Rube's run. This blogger did not even attempt to offer assistance -- even for a couple hundred meters -- and instead cowered on the side of the track, fearful of becoming one of the faceless rabble of pacesetters left in O'Connor's dust.
Yesterday afternoon during a workout at BCC track, Olympic Marathon Trialist Kieran O'Connor put in a 31:18 10k, making the performance the fifth fastest track 10k in GRC history. What is more remarkable than the record itself is what O'Connor did after covering the ten kilometers: he kept going. For four more miles. You see, O'Connor's effort was not part of a 10k time trial, but was instead en route to a 10-mile tempo run, which he completed in 49:42. That's right -- "Rube" O'Connor busted out a sub-50 minute 10-mile tempo run during a workout at BCC. O'Connor's tempo was so scorching that it ground into dust his three-man pace team. As the run progressed, the pacing coverage bent and eventually broke as the pacers were unable to recover quickly enough to maintain their alternating 2-mile shifts, leaving O'Conner to run portions of the workout unassisted. Left in O'Connor's wake was a pile of discarded and exhausted pacers, whose Herculean efforts assisted Rube's run. This blogger did not even attempt to offer assistance -- even for a couple hundred meters -- and instead cowered on the side of the track, fearful of becoming one of the faceless rabble of pacesetters left in O'Connor's dust.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
FLASH: GRC INKS SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH PACERS RUNNING
“At Pacers, we are more than our stores and the races we host. We truly celebrate running in the District, including our top athletes,” Dalby said. “The men and women of our new racing team are national champions and Olympic trials qualifiers in some cases, but they also are working professionals who squeeze in their training around full-time jobs and family life. We are so excited to become the official title sponsor of the club and further the efforts of Coach Jerry Alexander and his hard-working runners to make GRC one of nation’s top running clubs made up of athletes who have full-time careers outside of running."
Since GRC was founded in the mid-2000s, runners have joined the team for a simple purpose: to be surrounded by likeminded runners who want to run as fast as they can. Athletes gather for track workouts after work on Wednesday nights, for Saturday morning practices, and for Sunday long runs. They also travel to races together, encouraging and inspiring each other to fulfill their potential in the sport.
To finance racing kits and warm-ups and to travel to events such as the national club cross country championships, the GRC have hosted an annual race, the Father’s Day 8k, to generate a small budget, and paid out-of-pocket costs to close the gap. With this partnership, GRC’s top athletes will have shoe and gear support – something they have not had in recent years – and, for the first time ever, a stable budget to send athletes to national championships and premier road, track, and cross country events.
“This new partnership will allow our athletes to compete at the highest level outside of the D.C. area without having to make decisions based on finances,” Alexander said.
“That organizations as respected and established as Pacers and New Balance have pledged their support to us is a huge milestone for our team, and we are extremely proud to represent them both locally and nationally.”
Pacers Running has been supplying the District with running apparel and accessories since 1991, recently adding a fifth local store to its offerings in the Navy Yard neighborhood. The company also hosts a number of popular races throughout the year, from Crystal City 5k Fridays to the Crystal City Twilighter and George Washington Parkway Classic. GRC athletes compete in road races from the mile to the marathon, at top track and field competitions, and annually at the national club cross country championships, where – competing alongside professional running clubs – they have finished as high as 9th in the country.
On Feb. 13, in Los Angeles, a record number of GRC athletes – Emily Potter, Teal Burrell, and Kieran O’Connor – will represent the club at the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials. To qualify for the race, Potter, a mother of two young children who often trains while pushing a jogging stroller, clocked a 2:42:56 at the Edmonton Marathon to get under the 2:45 standard. Burrell, who ran her first marathon before joining GRC in 4:07, qualified by running 2:42:13 at the California International Marathon in 2014. O’Connor, who was still relatively new to running when he joined the GRC two years ago, has since lowered his personal best in the marathon to 2:20:47. He qualified for the trials in October by running 1:04:39 at the Philadelphia Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon.
Friday, January 8, 2016
The Pride of Port Republic
Teal Connor's elementary school gives her a shout out in advance of the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials in Los Angeles. Connor notched her ticket with a 2:42-low at the 2014 California International Marathon.
Sunday, December 27, 2015
FLASH: Klim Addresses Rumors of MCM Comeback
Yesterday, GRC standout Jake Klim broke his silence on reports that he intends to stage a running comeback at the 2016 Marine Corps Marathon. Rather than issuing a confirmation or denial, however, Klim elected to play politics with the region's most beloved marathon by commenting only that the reports, first published by social media giant Facebook, were "unfounded."
Notably, by criticizing the source of the rumors rather than issuing an outright denial, Klim (seen above performing hard training for an unidentified event which may or may not be the 2016 MCM) did not foreclose the possibility that the rumors were poorly sourced but nonetheless true. Indeed, reports of his preparation for MCM gained enough traction on social media to garner twelve "likes" and earned enough cache to migrate to the blogosphere, which would not have been possible without an evidentiary foundation. News Reporter and DC-area running insider Charlie Ban described the story as "developing." Stay tuned to this blog for any breaking news on Klim's intentions.
DEVELOPING....
Notably, by criticizing the source of the rumors rather than issuing an outright denial, Klim (seen above performing hard training for an unidentified event which may or may not be the 2016 MCM) did not foreclose the possibility that the rumors were poorly sourced but nonetheless true. Indeed, reports of his preparation for MCM gained enough traction on social media to garner twelve "likes" and earned enough cache to migrate to the blogosphere, which would not have been possible without an evidentiary foundation. News Reporter and DC-area running insider Charlie Ban described the story as "developing." Stay tuned to this blog for any breaking news on Klim's intentions.
DEVELOPING....
Monday, December 14, 2015
Wednesday workout, December 16 (and a hearty Clubs Clubs Clubs recap)
RACES
We had an amazing weekend at Clubs in San Francisco. The men were 16th and the women were 19th, and while those results may seem disappointing given our aspiration to put both teams in the top 10, I can assure you that I am extremely proud of our performance. Every single one of the 24 athletes who competed for GRC ran to the absolute best of his or her ability, and they all gave absolutely everything they had for their team, and that's all I can ever ask for. Clubs gets more and more competitive every year (consider that in 2006, the last time the meet was on this course, Luke ran 31:12 and was 19th, and this year Phil ran 31:04 and was 59th), and we competed toe to toe with the best runners in the country, and came away with our heads held high, secure in the knowledge that we represented GRC with distinction. I'm already looking forward to next year in Tallahassee, when we'll have another chance to compete as a team in a national championship race, and show what we can do on the big stage.
In the men's A race, Phil ran superbly, and his placement of 59th was the third best finish for a man at Clubs in GRC history. Phil beat several national caliber runners in what was clearly his best performance in a GRC jersey, and we're going to see much more from him on the track this spring. Mike also ran an excellent race, placing 70th in 31:14. Mike is not a XC specialist, but he has run the 3 best XC races of his life at Clubs the last 3 years, and Saturday was the best of the bunch. Luke is an outstanding XC runner and was right with Phil and Mike for the first half of the race, but his injury induced lack of race sharpness caught up with him in the latter part of the race, and he finished 98th in 31:40. Luke did everything he could to come through for his team, and he left nothing in the tank, and I was very pleased with his effort, and his leadership. Cabell continued his breakout year with an excellent 32:06, a 10k PR, which is most impressive given that the course was challenging and muddy, not to mention slightly long. Matt Rand overcame an illness this week to run a very solid 32:11. Balmer had yet another strong performance at Clubs, finishing in 32:36, and he unleashed his trademark kick in the last 300, and picked up several important spots for the team. Sam had a tough day, finishing in 32:39, but he fought to the tape, and also picked off some guys in the final stretch, even though his tank was on empty. Tex Paul ran a very solid 32:48, which was by far his best race in at least the last year.
The women were led by Frances L, whose stellar 70th place finish, in the excellent time of 21:35, was the third best finish ever by a GRC woman at Clubs. Frances has an extremely bright future, and she is going to be a force for GRC on the track and in XC for a long time to come. Maura was 87th in 21:55, which was unquestionably her best performance ever in a GRC jersey. Maura prefers longer distances on the roads, but she proved once again that she has the range and toughness to excel in XC. Hannah, who was 129th in 22:30, fought to the tape despite not being herself because of a health issue, and she did everything she could to help her team. Hannah will be ready to roll on the track, where she will be looking to crack the GRC top 5 list in several events. Kara ran an extremely gutty race, finishing in 22:54, and even though 6k is at the top end of her range, she ran hard from the gun and kept fighting to the end. In what may have been the last major race in her outstanding GRC career, Susan ran a very solid 22:59. Susan was our first major woman's recruit, and her leadership has been instrumental in building our women's program into the juggernaut it has become. Chelsea gave an extraordinary effort to finish in 23:03 off of very limited training due to nagging injuries, and when she is able to combine the competitive fire she showed on Saturday with consistent training, she will be a major contributor on the track and in XC. Sara is still in the early stages of her return to racing after her severe injury, and her time of 23:56 was a very encouraging sign on the way back to full fitness. Keely took a big step up in the level of competition, and a big step down in distance, and acquitted herself well, running 24:33. I was particularly proud of the tenacity with which with the women competed because before the gun went off, they knew that they would not be able to meet their goal of a top 10 finish due to the late scratches of Katie and Tina, both of whom would have been major contributors, which left them short-handed in an extremely competitive field, yet each of the women who got on the starting line ran extremely hard for each other, and for their teammates who were not able to compete.
The inaugural men's B race was an unqualified success as the guys delivered an excellent second place finish, beating several teams whose A squads beat us. More importantly, their strong performance prevented me from looking like a clown after I argued vociferously at the coach's meeting the night before that our B team belongs in the A race. Kyle led the way with an excellent 18th place finish in 33:07. Kyle's tactics were superb as he moved up steadily throughout the second half of the race. Sean went out hard and hung tough in the last mile to finish 26th in 33:32. Luk ran a very solid race, finishing 35th in 33:55, and showed that he has the strength to make a successful transition from the 800 to longer distances on the track. In his first XC race since his freshman year of high school, Chris ran an excellent 34:15, which is a PR. Chris also moved up steadily throughout the race, and looked like a guy who's done this a lot more recently than 15 years ago. Dickson ran a very solid 34:24 in his first hand effort since MCM. Tom had a tough day, finishing in 34:24, but he's had a great season, and is in great shape, and will be ready to make some noise on the track. Greg ran a strong 34:45, and he is also fit and ready for a big track season.
In his masters debut, Wertz and I both learned a valuable (and in his case, painful) lesson about how competitive the masters race is on this level. We knew it was going to be tough, but not nearly that tough, and because we did not appreciate the quality and depth of the field, based on my ill-advised instructions, Dave was a little too aggressive early, and he paid the price for it late. Despite being out of gas by 4 miles, Dave hung on as best he could, and finished a very respectable 35th place in 34:09. Now that we've got a full understanding of what he's up against, Dave will be ready for redemption next year.
WORKOUT
There is practice at BCC on Wednesday at 7:15, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. If you're interested in coming out, let me know, and we'll get a plan for you.
Jerry
We had an amazing weekend at Clubs in San Francisco. The men were 16th and the women were 19th, and while those results may seem disappointing given our aspiration to put both teams in the top 10, I can assure you that I am extremely proud of our performance. Every single one of the 24 athletes who competed for GRC ran to the absolute best of his or her ability, and they all gave absolutely everything they had for their team, and that's all I can ever ask for. Clubs gets more and more competitive every year (consider that in 2006, the last time the meet was on this course, Luke ran 31:12 and was 19th, and this year Phil ran 31:04 and was 59th), and we competed toe to toe with the best runners in the country, and came away with our heads held high, secure in the knowledge that we represented GRC with distinction. I'm already looking forward to next year in Tallahassee, when we'll have another chance to compete as a team in a national championship race, and show what we can do on the big stage.
In the men's A race, Phil ran superbly, and his placement of 59th was the third best finish for a man at Clubs in GRC history. Phil beat several national caliber runners in what was clearly his best performance in a GRC jersey, and we're going to see much more from him on the track this spring. Mike also ran an excellent race, placing 70th in 31:14. Mike is not a XC specialist, but he has run the 3 best XC races of his life at Clubs the last 3 years, and Saturday was the best of the bunch. Luke is an outstanding XC runner and was right with Phil and Mike for the first half of the race, but his injury induced lack of race sharpness caught up with him in the latter part of the race, and he finished 98th in 31:40. Luke did everything he could to come through for his team, and he left nothing in the tank, and I was very pleased with his effort, and his leadership. Cabell continued his breakout year with an excellent 32:06, a 10k PR, which is most impressive given that the course was challenging and muddy, not to mention slightly long. Matt Rand overcame an illness this week to run a very solid 32:11. Balmer had yet another strong performance at Clubs, finishing in 32:36, and he unleashed his trademark kick in the last 300, and picked up several important spots for the team. Sam had a tough day, finishing in 32:39, but he fought to the tape, and also picked off some guys in the final stretch, even though his tank was on empty. Tex Paul ran a very solid 32:48, which was by far his best race in at least the last year.
The women were led by Frances L, whose stellar 70th place finish, in the excellent time of 21:35, was the third best finish ever by a GRC woman at Clubs. Frances has an extremely bright future, and she is going to be a force for GRC on the track and in XC for a long time to come. Maura was 87th in 21:55, which was unquestionably her best performance ever in a GRC jersey. Maura prefers longer distances on the roads, but she proved once again that she has the range and toughness to excel in XC. Hannah, who was 129th in 22:30, fought to the tape despite not being herself because of a health issue, and she did everything she could to help her team. Hannah will be ready to roll on the track, where she will be looking to crack the GRC top 5 list in several events. Kara ran an extremely gutty race, finishing in 22:54, and even though 6k is at the top end of her range, she ran hard from the gun and kept fighting to the end. In what may have been the last major race in her outstanding GRC career, Susan ran a very solid 22:59. Susan was our first major woman's recruit, and her leadership has been instrumental in building our women's program into the juggernaut it has become. Chelsea gave an extraordinary effort to finish in 23:03 off of very limited training due to nagging injuries, and when she is able to combine the competitive fire she showed on Saturday with consistent training, she will be a major contributor on the track and in XC. Sara is still in the early stages of her return to racing after her severe injury, and her time of 23:56 was a very encouraging sign on the way back to full fitness. Keely took a big step up in the level of competition, and a big step down in distance, and acquitted herself well, running 24:33. I was particularly proud of the tenacity with which with the women competed because before the gun went off, they knew that they would not be able to meet their goal of a top 10 finish due to the late scratches of Katie and Tina, both of whom would have been major contributors, which left them short-handed in an extremely competitive field, yet each of the women who got on the starting line ran extremely hard for each other, and for their teammates who were not able to compete.
The inaugural men's B race was an unqualified success as the guys delivered an excellent second place finish, beating several teams whose A squads beat us. More importantly, their strong performance prevented me from looking like a clown after I argued vociferously at the coach's meeting the night before that our B team belongs in the A race. Kyle led the way with an excellent 18th place finish in 33:07. Kyle's tactics were superb as he moved up steadily throughout the second half of the race. Sean went out hard and hung tough in the last mile to finish 26th in 33:32. Luk ran a very solid race, finishing 35th in 33:55, and showed that he has the strength to make a successful transition from the 800 to longer distances on the track. In his first XC race since his freshman year of high school, Chris ran an excellent 34:15, which is a PR. Chris also moved up steadily throughout the race, and looked like a guy who's done this a lot more recently than 15 years ago. Dickson ran a very solid 34:24 in his first hand effort since MCM. Tom had a tough day, finishing in 34:24, but he's had a great season, and is in great shape, and will be ready to make some noise on the track. Greg ran a strong 34:45, and he is also fit and ready for a big track season.
In his masters debut, Wertz and I both learned a valuable (and in his case, painful) lesson about how competitive the masters race is on this level. We knew it was going to be tough, but not nearly that tough, and because we did not appreciate the quality and depth of the field, based on my ill-advised instructions, Dave was a little too aggressive early, and he paid the price for it late. Despite being out of gas by 4 miles, Dave hung on as best he could, and finished a very respectable 35th place in 34:09. Now that we've got a full understanding of what he's up against, Dave will be ready for redemption next year.
WORKOUT
There is practice at BCC on Wednesday at 7:15, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. If you're interested in coming out, let me know, and we'll get a plan for you.
Jerry
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Results, Results, Results!
The GRC Mens' A-team finished 16th overall in what appears to have been a very competitive field at the USATF Club Cross Country Nationals in San Francisco.
1 51 Philip Royer 24 31:04 1090
2 58 Michael Franklin 24 31:14 1080
3 82 Lucas Meyer 32 31:40 1085
4 109 Cabell Willis 23 32:06 1093
5 117 Matt Rand 24 32:11 1089
6 (149) Paul Balmer 25 32:36 1079
7 (153) Samuel Luff 29 32:39 1083
8 (165) Paul Guevara 29 32:48 1081
The women's A-team finished 19th overall.
1 56 Frances Loeb 22 21:35 441
2 71 Maura Carroll 26 21:55 437
3 106 Hannah Rowe 24 22:30 445
4 136 Kara McCartney 26 22:54 442
5 141 Susan Hendrick 30 22:59 439
6 (150) Chelsea Bollerman 28 23:03 436
GRC showed some depth with a second place finish in the B Competition with many runners putting in A-race caliber performances.
1 7 Kyle Wagener 23 33:07 1092
2 12 Sean O'Leary 24 33:32 1086
3 18 Lukasz Olenginski 22 33:55 1088
4 23 Christopher Van Es 29 34:15 1091
5 30 Thomas Kelly 26 34:24 1082
6 ( 31) Dickson Mercer 34 34:24 1084
7 ( 40) Gregory Olenginski 22 34:45 1087
Dangerous Dave Wertz came in 35th in the masters' race with a time of 34:09.
#sendem #clubsclubsclubs #youcanfindusintheCLUBS
1 51 Philip Royer 24 31:04 1090
2 58 Michael Franklin 24 31:14 1080
3 82 Lucas Meyer 32 31:40 1085
4 109 Cabell Willis 23 32:06 1093
5 117 Matt Rand 24 32:11 1089
6 (149) Paul Balmer 25 32:36 1079
7 (153) Samuel Luff 29 32:39 1083
8 (165) Paul Guevara 29 32:48 1081
The women's A-team finished 19th overall.
1 56 Frances Loeb 22 21:35 441
2 71 Maura Carroll 26 21:55 437
3 106 Hannah Rowe 24 22:30 445
4 136 Kara McCartney 26 22:54 442
5 141 Susan Hendrick 30 22:59 439
6 (150) Chelsea Bollerman 28 23:03 436
GRC showed some depth with a second place finish in the B Competition with many runners putting in A-race caliber performances.
1 7 Kyle Wagener 23 33:07 1092
2 12 Sean O'Leary 24 33:32 1086
3 18 Lukasz Olenginski 22 33:55 1088
4 23 Christopher Van Es 29 34:15 1091
5 30 Thomas Kelly 26 34:24 1082
6 ( 31) Dickson Mercer 34 34:24 1084
7 ( 40) Gregory Olenginski 22 34:45 1087
Dangerous Dave Wertz came in 35th in the masters' race with a time of 34:09.
#sendem #clubsclubsclubs #youcanfindusintheCLUBS
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Its time for Clubs Clubs Clubs!
 |
| PAUSATF Champs at Golden Gate Park |
I'll turn it over to Jerry for the blow-by-blow...
 |
| The crew at the (re)-inaugural USATF East Region Champs. Photo Cred: GSTC |
"Our goal for the men is to grad a top-10 spot. After a 9th place finish two years ago in Bend, the Men are hungry to get back to that level on their return trip to the West Coast. We've got a very experienced top 5, as Mike, Luke, and Sam have all run numerous Clubs for us and are all in great shape. Matt Rand scored for us last year, and he's in better shape this year. Phil and Cabell will be making their first appearances for GRC at Clubs. Phil is the USATF Eastern Region champion and could be our top man, and Cabell is ready for a big breakthrough. Balmer and Tex round out the A squad, both bringing solid Clubs experience with them."
 |
| Phil gets the win at East Regionals while doing the Carlton. Photo Cred: GSTC |
"The women's A team has had a lot of new faces this year, but we've reloaded with Hannah, and Frances Loeb and will be gunning for a strong team finish. Maura and Susan will be running their first Clubs since 2012, and with Hannah and Frances, they should be a solid front group. Kara, Tina, and Chelsea are also running on the A team and will give us solid depth in a race this size."
 |
| GRC Women off the Line. Photo Cred: GSTC |
As always, we'll have live updates coming from the course for as long as my phone battery stays alive. So follow us on twitter for up to the hour stats and projections.
SEND EM!
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Re: TUESDAY workout, December 8
RACES
The highly coveted but rarely awarded GRC Athlete of the Week goes to Kerry for her outstanding performance at the California International Marathon, where she ran 2:51:55, a 5 minute PR, which ties her for 5th on the all time GRC list with Julie, who ran the exact same time at CIM last year. Kerry had a serious injury that kept her out of action for an extended period of time, and shortened her training cycle for CIM, and for her to run such a significant PR in her first serious race after the injury is truly impressive. Outstanding job! Also at CIM, Beth ran 3:04:33, which is a solid performance given that she has had an absolutely brutal year at work. With Beth's insane work schedule, it's borderline miraculous that she was able to finish a marathon, let alone to run competitively. Finally at CIM, GRC superstar to be Sarah Bishop ran a giant PR of 2:47:37. Imagine what Sarah will do after a few months of being exposed to the GRC magic!
Closer to home, Kevin got the win at Jingle All the Way 5k in 15:31, followed by Ryan in second in 15:41, and Chris in fifth in a very nice PR of 15:52. On the women's side, Teal was third in 18:17, which was a big PR, so much so that Teal is thinking about bailing on this whole marathon thing and becoming a miler. Future GRC superstar and fellow Olympic Trials qualifier Emily Potter got the win in 17:37. Keep an eye on those two young ladies, who will be representing GRC in a race a little more significant than a holiday 5k in about 10 weeks.
WORKOUT
We're set for TUESDAY at BCC at 7:15, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.
I'll send the women's workout separately.
See you tomorrow at BCC.
Jerry
The highly coveted but rarely awarded GRC Athlete of the Week goes to Kerry for her outstanding performance at the California International Marathon, where she ran 2:51:55, a 5 minute PR, which ties her for 5th on the all time GRC list with Julie, who ran the exact same time at CIM last year. Kerry had a serious injury that kept her out of action for an extended period of time, and shortened her training cycle for CIM, and for her to run such a significant PR in her first serious race after the injury is truly impressive. Outstanding job! Also at CIM, Beth ran 3:04:33, which is a solid performance given that she has had an absolutely brutal year at work. With Beth's insane work schedule, it's borderline miraculous that she was able to finish a marathon, let alone to run competitively. Finally at CIM, GRC superstar to be Sarah Bishop ran a giant PR of 2:47:37. Imagine what Sarah will do after a few months of being exposed to the GRC magic!
Closer to home, Kevin got the win at Jingle All the Way 5k in 15:31, followed by Ryan in second in 15:41, and Chris in fifth in a very nice PR of 15:52. On the women's side, Teal was third in 18:17, which was a big PR, so much so that Teal is thinking about bailing on this whole marathon thing and becoming a miler. Future GRC superstar and fellow Olympic Trials qualifier Emily Potter got the win in 17:37. Keep an eye on those two young ladies, who will be representing GRC in a race a little more significant than a holiday 5k in about 10 weeks.
WORKOUT
We're set for TUESDAY at BCC at 7:15, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.
I'll send the women's workout separately.
See you tomorrow at BCC.
Jerry
Sunday, December 6, 2015
FLASH: ALLEN -- 2:51!
On the heels of a bout of plantar fasciitis, Kerry Allen notched a 2:51 today at California International Marathon, good for a five-minute PR. Her splits appear to have been where they needed to be, having gone through in 1:24:37. "Kerry ran a huge PR, which would be worthy of celebration under any circumstances, and it was a particularly special performance given that she came back from a serious injury that had her on the shelf for months, and limited her preparation for CIM," said Coach Jerry Alexander. "With good health over the next couple of years, Kerry will be a real threat to make the Trials in 2020."
Beth Young was not in a position to get a PR today (which would have been south of 2:50) but she was able to secure a solid BQ and a fine excuse to spend some time in wine country.
This writer acknowledges the support that CIM has lent to the club over the past three years. The race organizers have been extremely hospitable and our runners have enjoyed a great deal of success at the event, which, by my count, has yielded five big PRs in only two races: Teal's OTC; Outlaw's successful debut at the distance; and Julie's, Kerry's, and Breezy's multi-minute PRs.
Beth Young was not in a position to get a PR today (which would have been south of 2:50) but she was able to secure a solid BQ and a fine excuse to spend some time in wine country.
This writer acknowledges the support that CIM has lent to the club over the past three years. The race organizers have been extremely hospitable and our runners have enjoyed a great deal of success at the event, which, by my count, has yielded five big PRs in only two races: Teal's OTC; Outlaw's successful debut at the distance; and Julie's, Kerry's, and Breezy's multi-minute PRs.
Saturday, December 5, 2015
ALLEN, YOUNG TO TAKE ON CIM
Tomorrow morning Kerry "the Banana" Allen and Beth Young will be hitting the streets of Sacramento to take on the California International Marathon. Numerous GRC runners have claimed PRs at this race and with any luck these two will do the same. The forecast calls for the right temps, but with a high chance of rain. Best of luck to both runners. Stay tuned for results. Send em!
Thursday, November 26, 2015
The GRC participates in Thanksgiving fitness activities!
'Twas daybreak on Thanksgiving, and the pies had been prepped, the turkeys had been thawed, the wine had been stockpiled, and a hush had fallen upon kitchens across America. Chefs would soon take to their roasting pans and basters, TVs would soon be tuned to the day's football entertainment, and dinner rolls would soon undoubtedly be forgotten in the oven, but the early morning hours belong to the turkey trotters, whose pre-race peanut butter-banana toast is at odds with the typical gluttony of the day. Fortunately, the GRC likes to break the mold, and its members were scheming to dominate races from coast to coast before the food comas set in.
The GRC was out in full force at the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 miler. Tom Kelly made the impossible possible with a PR, and ex-pat Matias was first in the stroller category with TWO passengers along for the ride. No man (or child) left behind on Thanksgiving!
5. Kevin McNab 25:38
8. Tom Kelly 26:05 (PR!)
10. Chris Van Es 26:16
11. Paul Guevara 26:31
21. Matias Palavecino 28:43 (plus Leo and Chloe)
Congratulations as well to Matias' wife Katie, who finished in 36:26, and Chris' mom, who placed first in her age group!
The GRC was also represented well in Nazareth, PA at the Pumpkin Pie 5k. Sam Luff repeated as winner of the race and also of a pie, and Dickson Mercer finished in third but also won a pie! Exact pie details were not given, but pumpkin seems like a likely candidate. We're also unsure as to whether the pies were eaten at the Thanksgiving table or whether they might have been better suited to a post-race recovery snack.
Julie Tarallo, meanwhile, not only secured the coveted bib number 1 at the Tiger Turkey Chase 5 Miler in Easton, MA, but managed to snag an approximately Julie-sized frozen turkey with a winning time of 30:27. Julie shows off her turkey hoisting ability below. Note: this was not consumed as a post-race snack.
The GRC was out in full force at the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 miler. Tom Kelly made the impossible possible with a PR, and ex-pat Matias was first in the stroller category with TWO passengers along for the ride. No man (or child) left behind on Thanksgiving!
5. Kevin McNab 25:38
8. Tom Kelly 26:05 (PR!)
10. Chris Van Es 26:16
11. Paul Guevara 26:31
21. Matias Palavecino 28:43 (plus Leo and Chloe)
Congratulations as well to Matias' wife Katie, who finished in 36:26, and Chris' mom, who placed first in her age group!
Julie Tarallo, meanwhile, not only secured the coveted bib number 1 at the Tiger Turkey Chase 5 Miler in Easton, MA, but managed to snag an approximately Julie-sized frozen turkey with a winning time of 30:27. Julie shows off her turkey hoisting ability below. Note: this was not consumed as a post-race snack.
The Youngs had a successful showing in Toledo, taking home two Dutch apple pies at Dave's Turkey Chase 5k. Beth locked down third place with a run of 19:20, while Breezy ran 17:47 for 12th. Breezy also doesn't seem to be thrilled with the quality of this year's haul. Mama Young better step her baking game up for this pie snob!
Also in the humble state of Ohio, Blake Taneff won the Chase Columbus Turkey Trot 5 miler in an excellent 24:42.
Kieran O'Connor got the win in 31:30 at the Troy Turkey Trot 10k in upstate NY. Pay special attention to his new signature "OC" victory pose. The jury is still out on whether it will catch on.
Mike Franklin repeated as the winner of the Morris Township Thanksgiving Day 5k Turkey Trot in Morristown, NJ, with a time of 15:58.5, while middle distance star Cecilia Barowski, whose weekly mileage used to be mainly made up of the Wednesday workouts' warm up, ran an excellent 18:36.0 for 5th place in a competitive field.
Katie Kieran won the Y Turkey Trot Charity 5k in Towson, MD in 17:42.
Up north, native Minnesoootan Kyle Wagener battled snow and mid-thirties temps to finish 5th in a competitive field in the Minneapolis Turkey Day 5k with a time of 15:55. He was rewarded with a pumpkin pie for a top ten finish and braving what is probably a typical fall day in Minneapolis.
Closer to the familiar oval of BCC, three of GRC's favorite men ran the Bethesda Turkey Chase 10k. Luke Meyer got the win in 31:26, Paul Balmer was 5th in 32:14, and Sean O'Leary finished 7th in 33:33.
Cabell Willis and Teal Burrell secured matching second place finishes in the Richmond Turkey Trot 10k, running 32:21 and 38:14, respectively, despite their generally very different race length preferences. Teal's husband Rusty also competed well, running 46:38. He didn't quite make the cut for the post-race photo, however.
Ryan Witters also finished in second place at the Goodwill Turkey Day 5k in Evansville, IN, running 15:00 in a competitive field.
Phil Royer took the roads of Newport, RI and social media by storm with a win in 24:43 at the hilly, competitive 30th Annual Pie Run and with the below family photo, which garnered the most Facebook likes he's ever received. Well done on both fronts, Phil!
Speaking of photogenic families, Laura, Dave, and Greta O'Hara ran, ran, and stroller-rode (respectively) the Fairfax Turkey Trot 5k. LTO ran an impressive 19:33 for the win, finishing with an incredible kick, and Dave O and Greta crossed the line in 21:41.
The Reiches also showed some family unity in finishing only seconds apart at the Way Station's Turkey Trot 5k in Frederick after spending a few days in Costa Rica. In her first race as a Reich, Stephanie got her new name off to a good start with a win in 17:49 and Stewart appears to have outkicked her with a finishing time of 17:45. You'll get him next time, Steph!
In the creatively named town of Forty-Fort, PA, the Olenginski brothers went 1-2 in Tim's Turkey Trot. Luk ran 25:18 for 5 miles and Greg followed in 25:58. Greg and Luk (or is it Luk and Greg?) will look to take over the podium again in a few weeks at clubs clubs clubs!
Frances Loeb was truly in the giving spirit on Saturday, as she spent the first mile of her turkey trot helping to pace a friend to run a sub-20 minute 5k for the first time. Due to her supreme negative splitting ability, which we've seen many times before, Frances still ended up finishing as the first woman and fourth overall finisher on a hilly course with a time of 18:47.
In the wilds of Laurel, MD, Susan Hendrick welcomed herself home from a week in the tropics with a first place showing at Tom's Reindeer Run 5k in 19:18, which was also good for third place overall. Santa was apparently on hand for this race as well. We've entered the Christmas season, folks!
Developing...
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Tuesday practice, November 24
RACES
It was another big weekend for GRC in Philadelphia, as we had several athletes in action at various distances. Frances K got the weekend started with a bang, placing 3rd in the Rothman 8k in the excellent time of 26:26, which is yet another new club record. That Frances was able to run so well after only a handful of workouts since her return from injury is a great sign of things to come for her in 2016. In the half on Sunday, Teal made a promising return to competition, running 1:21:49 as a hard tempo. Teal has also just begun workouts after a serious injury, and she is well on her way to being ready to make some noise at the Trials. Also in the half, Keely ran a nice PR of 1:25:45, and former (and possibly future) GRC superstar Catherine Campbell ran a PR of 1:22:30. I was quite pleased with Keely's performance, and I'm looking forward to her continued development in the future. In the full marathon, Charlie ran 2:39:52, and Fridge ran 2:41:31. They both struggled with extremely windy conditions, and while neither of them was particularly pleased with the result, they were both in excellent shape, and will run much faster the next time out. In non-Philly results, Balmer tempoed a controlled 1:14:43 for second place at the Annapolis half on a hilly course.
WORKOUT
There is no practice on Wednesday, but I will be at BCC on Tuesday night for those of you who are looking to get in a workout this week. We're getting an early start, so meet for the warmup at 5:45, and we'll roll at about 6:15. If you want to come out and need to start later, that works too, so let me know.
The practice schedule leading up to Clubs is that we will be at BCC on Wednesday 12-2 for our final hard workout, and that's one you won't want to miss. We'll get on the grass for a moderate workout on Saturday 12-5, and we'll do a final light workout on Tuesday 12-8 at BCC.
Good luck with the turkey trotting, and enjoy your holiday.
Jerry
It was another big weekend for GRC in Philadelphia, as we had several athletes in action at various distances. Frances K got the weekend started with a bang, placing 3rd in the Rothman 8k in the excellent time of 26:26, which is yet another new club record. That Frances was able to run so well after only a handful of workouts since her return from injury is a great sign of things to come for her in 2016. In the half on Sunday, Teal made a promising return to competition, running 1:21:49 as a hard tempo. Teal has also just begun workouts after a serious injury, and she is well on her way to being ready to make some noise at the Trials. Also in the half, Keely ran a nice PR of 1:25:45, and former (and possibly future) GRC superstar Catherine Campbell ran a PR of 1:22:30. I was quite pleased with Keely's performance, and I'm looking forward to her continued development in the future. In the full marathon, Charlie ran 2:39:52, and Fridge ran 2:41:31. They both struggled with extremely windy conditions, and while neither of them was particularly pleased with the result, they were both in excellent shape, and will run much faster the next time out. In non-Philly results, Balmer tempoed a controlled 1:14:43 for second place at the Annapolis half on a hilly course.
WORKOUT
There is no practice on Wednesday, but I will be at BCC on Tuesday night for those of you who are looking to get in a workout this week. We're getting an early start, so meet for the warmup at 5:45, and we'll roll at about 6:15. If you want to come out and need to start later, that works too, so let me know.
The practice schedule leading up to Clubs is that we will be at BCC on Wednesday 12-2 for our final hard workout, and that's one you won't want to miss. We'll get on the grass for a moderate workout on Saturday 12-5, and we'll do a final light workout on Tuesday 12-8 at BCC.
Good luck with the turkey trotting, and enjoy your holiday.
Jerry
Monday, November 23, 2015
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Wednesday workout, November 18
RACES
We had some excellent performances at the USATF East Region XC Championship in Philadelphia on Sunday. The men scored 26 points to easily top the field, and Phil got the win in 26:26 on the very challenging Belmont Plateau course. Matt Rand ran a very solid 26:48, followed closely by Cabell in 27:00, Mike in 27:04, and Balmer in 27:06. The 40 second spread for our top 5 bodes very well for Clubs, and when we add in a couple of our top guys who were not in Philly, we will have an excellent shot to get back into the top 10. The women, who placed second, were led by Katie in a very strong 18:42, followed by Hannah in 19:12, Maura in 19:14, Frances L in 19:15, Susan in 20:14, and Chelsea in 20:44. The women are determined to improve on last year's 10th place finish, and I am confident that they will be ready to do so when the gun goes off in San Francisco.
The road highlight of the weekend was Kevin's triumphant return to action at the St Rita's 5k, where he ran a very comfortable 15:35. Kevin has been out of action since May due to injury, and while he has a ways to go to get back to his dominant form of last spring, he is well on his way to full fitness. Also at St Rita's, Wertz made his masters debut, running 15:53, followed by Chris in 16:02 and Dickson in 16:05. On the women's side, Kara got the win in 18:52. LTO ran 21:32, but despite her best efforts, she was the second woman in her own household, as she was edged out by a stroller length by young Greta.
GRC did not compete in the USATF 12k champs, but we were there in spirit. Alexi Pappas, a teammate of Nina's at Dartmouth, wore a Nina patch and finished 9th in the elite field. Nina would have been proud to be a part of such a great performance.
WORKOUT
We're at BCC for our normal 7:15 start on Wednesday, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.
I'll send the women's workout separately.
See you Wednesday at BCC.
Jerry
We had some excellent performances at the USATF East Region XC Championship in Philadelphia on Sunday. The men scored 26 points to easily top the field, and Phil got the win in 26:26 on the very challenging Belmont Plateau course. Matt Rand ran a very solid 26:48, followed closely by Cabell in 27:00, Mike in 27:04, and Balmer in 27:06. The 40 second spread for our top 5 bodes very well for Clubs, and when we add in a couple of our top guys who were not in Philly, we will have an excellent shot to get back into the top 10. The women, who placed second, were led by Katie in a very strong 18:42, followed by Hannah in 19:12, Maura in 19:14, Frances L in 19:15, Susan in 20:14, and Chelsea in 20:44. The women are determined to improve on last year's 10th place finish, and I am confident that they will be ready to do so when the gun goes off in San Francisco.
The road highlight of the weekend was Kevin's triumphant return to action at the St Rita's 5k, where he ran a very comfortable 15:35. Kevin has been out of action since May due to injury, and while he has a ways to go to get back to his dominant form of last spring, he is well on his way to full fitness. Also at St Rita's, Wertz made his masters debut, running 15:53, followed by Chris in 16:02 and Dickson in 16:05. On the women's side, Kara got the win in 18:52. LTO ran 21:32, but despite her best efforts, she was the second woman in her own household, as she was edged out by a stroller length by young Greta.
GRC did not compete in the USATF 12k champs, but we were there in spirit. Alexi Pappas, a teammate of Nina's at Dartmouth, wore a Nina patch and finished 9th in the elite field. Nina would have been proud to be a part of such a great performance.
WORKOUT
We're at BCC for our normal 7:15 start on Wednesday, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.
I'll send the women's workout separately.
See you Wednesday at BCC.
Jerry
Monday, November 9, 2015
Wednesday workout, November 11
RACES
It was another big weekend for GRC, with numerous excellent performances. The Veterans Day 10k was a triumphant return to competition for Frances Koons, whose track season was cut short by a serious injury. With only a few weeks of running under her belt, and not much in the way of quality work, Frances ran the outstanding time of 34:12, which is a new GRC Club record. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Frances just might have a knack for this whole running thing. Not to be lost in the hoopla over Frances's return is the excellent GRC debut of Stephanie Bryan, who placed second in 35:04, which was a huge PR, and puts her 4th on the GRC all-time list. Steph is going to be a major contributor to our track group, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what she can in 2016. Also at Vets Day, Hannah was fifth in 37:06, Frances L was sixth in 37:16, and Maura was seventh in 37:22. Nice work, ladies!
The men were in action at Vets Day as well, and Mike lead from the gun and got the win in a very strong 31:08. Mike is rounding into shape at the right time, so keep an eye on that young fella. Phil was third in a solid 31:32, followed by Balmer in fifth in 32:07, Sam in seventh in 32:15, Tom in ninth in 32:41, Zak in tenth in 32:42, and Wertz in eleventh in 32:43. I was extremely pleased with Zak's performance, which was not only a huge PR, but most likely the best race of his life. In non-Vets Day results, Matt Rand ran 31:15 for the win at the Rockville Centre 10k in New York, which is a 29 second road PR. To say Matt ran alone from the gun is an understatement--second place was over 3:30 behind him--making his run that much more impressive. Jerry Outlaw followed up his big PR in Philly last week with a controlled 1:11:53 at the Battlefield Half in Winchester, where he placed fifth in a competitive field.
We also had a wonderful example of community outreach this weekend, when Big City guided visually impaired athlete Matthew Rodjom to the win at the Race to End Women's Cancer 5k in 17:30. GRC has made a commitment to guide elite visually impaired athletes, and it's a service I'm very proud to see us continue to provide. Thanks to Chuck for upholding this wonderful tradition.
Finally, Brian Young scored a huge victory last week in a different venue, winning a conviction in an extremely complicated, high-profile, and important trial involving manipulation of the Libor interest rate. Many of us felt that Breezy was making a mistake when he put his lucrative and secure career as a professional runner on hold to follow his dream of being a DOJ lawyer, but it's now clear that his risky decision has paid off. Breezy is giving a new meaning to the term send 'em, as he is sending seemingly untouchable white collar crooks to the joint. Mazel tov on a job well done! http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/06/business/dealbook/two-former-traders-found-guilty-in-libor-manipulation-case.html?_r=1
WORKOUT
We'll be at BCC for our normal 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. Fall sports are concluded, so we will have smooth sailing on Wednesday nights at BCC for the rest of the year.
I'll send the women's workout separately.
See you Wednesday at BCC.
Jerry
It was another big weekend for GRC, with numerous excellent performances. The Veterans Day 10k was a triumphant return to competition for Frances Koons, whose track season was cut short by a serious injury. With only a few weeks of running under her belt, and not much in the way of quality work, Frances ran the outstanding time of 34:12, which is a new GRC Club record. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Frances just might have a knack for this whole running thing. Not to be lost in the hoopla over Frances's return is the excellent GRC debut of Stephanie Bryan, who placed second in 35:04, which was a huge PR, and puts her 4th on the GRC all-time list. Steph is going to be a major contributor to our track group, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what she can in 2016. Also at Vets Day, Hannah was fifth in 37:06, Frances L was sixth in 37:16, and Maura was seventh in 37:22. Nice work, ladies!
The men were in action at Vets Day as well, and Mike lead from the gun and got the win in a very strong 31:08. Mike is rounding into shape at the right time, so keep an eye on that young fella. Phil was third in a solid 31:32, followed by Balmer in fifth in 32:07, Sam in seventh in 32:15, Tom in ninth in 32:41, Zak in tenth in 32:42, and Wertz in eleventh in 32:43. I was extremely pleased with Zak's performance, which was not only a huge PR, but most likely the best race of his life. In non-Vets Day results, Matt Rand ran 31:15 for the win at the Rockville Centre 10k in New York, which is a 29 second road PR. To say Matt ran alone from the gun is an understatement--second place was over 3:30 behind him--making his run that much more impressive. Jerry Outlaw followed up his big PR in Philly last week with a controlled 1:11:53 at the Battlefield Half in Winchester, where he placed fifth in a competitive field.
We also had a wonderful example of community outreach this weekend, when Big City guided visually impaired athlete Matthew Rodjom to the win at the Race to End Women's Cancer 5k in 17:30. GRC has made a commitment to guide elite visually impaired athletes, and it's a service I'm very proud to see us continue to provide. Thanks to Chuck for upholding this wonderful tradition.
Finally, Brian Young scored a huge victory last week in a different venue, winning a conviction in an extremely complicated, high-profile, and important trial involving manipulation of the Libor interest rate. Many of us felt that Breezy was making a mistake when he put his lucrative and secure career as a professional runner on hold to follow his dream of being a DOJ lawyer, but it's now clear that his risky decision has paid off. Breezy is giving a new meaning to the term send 'em, as he is sending seemingly untouchable white collar crooks to the joint. Mazel tov on a job well done! http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/06/business/dealbook/two-former-traders-found-guilty-in-libor-manipulation-case.html?_r=1
WORKOUT
We'll be at BCC for our normal 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. Fall sports are concluded, so we will have smooth sailing on Wednesday nights at BCC for the rest of the year.
I'll send the women's workout separately.
See you Wednesday at BCC.
Jerry
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Wednesday workout, November 4
RACES
I'm still trying to get my head around Kieran's amazing performance at the Philly RNR half marathon on Saturday, where he ran the truly outstanding time of 1:04:39, and qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon with room to spare. To say Kieran had the race of his life would be an understatement, and I could not be more proud of his spectacular run. The research arm of GRC has swung into action to answer the compelling questions the media throng have been asking me since the moment he crossed the line. GRC historians are hard at work trying to determine if Kieran's race was the greatest performance ever by a GRC man. GRC statisticians are trying to calculate the odds that a guy who stated in his introductory email to GRC in May 2013 that he did "the bare minimum to get by" when he ran high school cross country, who did not run competitively until after he graduated college in 2009, and did not train in an organized setting until he joined GRC in the summer of 2013, could meet the very, very difficult Trials qualification standard out of the half marathon barely 2 years later. And GRC's aeronautical engineers are utilizing the latest wind tunnel technology to calculate how much faster Kieran would have run if he had shaved his beard. Whatever the answers to those questions prove to be, we can all take great pride in Kieran's magnificent accomplishment. Well done!
There were other notable performances in Philly. Blake Taneff made an excellent GRC debut by running 1:06:54, a PR of over 2 minutes, which puts him 4th on the GRC all-time list. Blake, a standout at Ohio State who has ran 29:12 for 10,000 on the track, hopes to join Kieran in LA for the Trials, and I like his chances to hit the standard when he takes his next shot in January. Jerry Outlaw ran a very nice PR of 1:09:35, which sets him up well for another marathon PR in Houston in January. Tex Paul ran a solid 1:10:32, which is a big step forward as he continues to return to full fitness. Last but not least, Chris ran a huge PR of 1:12:20, which I was particularly pleased with. When Chris joined GRC in May, I regarded him as a developmental runner who was going to need at least a year to progress to the level of accomplishment that we expect from our members, but Chris accelerated that timetable considerably with his major breakthrough on Saturday.
In non-Philly results, our men's class of 2015 ran the Parks 10k, and since each of them made their debut at the distance, it was PRs all around. Kyle W led the way, finishing 3rd in 33:06, followed by Lukasz in 4th in 33:09, and Greg in 6th in 34:02. Future GRC superstar Emily Potter was second in 36:39, and they combined to win the team title. Katie continued her winning ways at the Baltimore Trick or Trot "5k" where she ran 17:46 on a course that was at least 100 meters long. Finally, Teal made her return to racing in a low key "5k" in New Jersey, and her time over the indeterminate distance was 18:48. However far she actually ran, the important point is that Teal is healthy again and back in training, as she's got a race in February that is of slightly more consequence to get ready for!
WORKOUT
We'll be at BCC on Wednesday for our normal 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.
I'll send the women's workout separately.
See you Wednesday at BCC.
Jerry
I'm still trying to get my head around Kieran's amazing performance at the Philly RNR half marathon on Saturday, where he ran the truly outstanding time of 1:04:39, and qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon with room to spare. To say Kieran had the race of his life would be an understatement, and I could not be more proud of his spectacular run. The research arm of GRC has swung into action to answer the compelling questions the media throng have been asking me since the moment he crossed the line. GRC historians are hard at work trying to determine if Kieran's race was the greatest performance ever by a GRC man. GRC statisticians are trying to calculate the odds that a guy who stated in his introductory email to GRC in May 2013 that he did "the bare minimum to get by" when he ran high school cross country, who did not run competitively until after he graduated college in 2009, and did not train in an organized setting until he joined GRC in the summer of 2013, could meet the very, very difficult Trials qualification standard out of the half marathon barely 2 years later. And GRC's aeronautical engineers are utilizing the latest wind tunnel technology to calculate how much faster Kieran would have run if he had shaved his beard. Whatever the answers to those questions prove to be, we can all take great pride in Kieran's magnificent accomplishment. Well done!
There were other notable performances in Philly. Blake Taneff made an excellent GRC debut by running 1:06:54, a PR of over 2 minutes, which puts him 4th on the GRC all-time list. Blake, a standout at Ohio State who has ran 29:12 for 10,000 on the track, hopes to join Kieran in LA for the Trials, and I like his chances to hit the standard when he takes his next shot in January. Jerry Outlaw ran a very nice PR of 1:09:35, which sets him up well for another marathon PR in Houston in January. Tex Paul ran a solid 1:10:32, which is a big step forward as he continues to return to full fitness. Last but not least, Chris ran a huge PR of 1:12:20, which I was particularly pleased with. When Chris joined GRC in May, I regarded him as a developmental runner who was going to need at least a year to progress to the level of accomplishment that we expect from our members, but Chris accelerated that timetable considerably with his major breakthrough on Saturday.
In non-Philly results, our men's class of 2015 ran the Parks 10k, and since each of them made their debut at the distance, it was PRs all around. Kyle W led the way, finishing 3rd in 33:06, followed by Lukasz in 4th in 33:09, and Greg in 6th in 34:02. Future GRC superstar Emily Potter was second in 36:39, and they combined to win the team title. Katie continued her winning ways at the Baltimore Trick or Trot "5k" where she ran 17:46 on a course that was at least 100 meters long. Finally, Teal made her return to racing in a low key "5k" in New Jersey, and her time over the indeterminate distance was 18:48. However far she actually ran, the important point is that Teal is healthy again and back in training, as she's got a race in February that is of slightly more consequence to get ready for!
WORKOUT
We'll be at BCC on Wednesday for our normal 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.
I'll send the women's workout separately.
See you Wednesday at BCC.
Jerry
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)