TITUS' TALES FROM THE TRACK



Date: Thursday, May 28, 2009, 7:00 pm
Location: Nampa Christian School track
Temperature: The high for May 28 was 91 degrees; although it had probably cooled a bit from that by 7:00 pm, it was still a hot one.
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the results.
Photos from the run

I would have to call this competition an indisputable success. The first Nampa running of the Titus Van Rijn One-Hour Distance Classic is in the books. What an epic night! It was one of the hottest days of the spring, and even at 7:00 pm, sweat was flowing. Luckily, it had cooled a few degrees from the 91 F it had been a few hours before the run.

The theme of this year’s TVR running was inspiration. Seven out of the nine runners have started running within the last year. Each person has fantastic running goals, and I am thrilled to witness the progress all of these people are making toward their fitness aspirations. I was blessed that they all came out to join me in a run, and I am planning more free events to get us all together and keep us inspired.

Notably, Juan just started running within the last week and ran at TVR the farthest he’s run since high school! He’s running to lose weight, but is looking to make running part of his plan to keep the weight off permanently, and his wife has started joining him too. Juan showed up to the track in old running shoes without socks; I didn’t hear if he got blisters or not, but at least he didn’t wear the tall striped tube socks he had been considering. Juan’s goals for this TRV Distance Classic: to not pass out, to not have a heart attack, and to get some running tips. Good plan, Juan. His longest run before the TVR was one mile, but after Thursday’s 3.5 miles, he said he felt great. Mark my words: at next year’s run, he’ll be charging full-speed around that track, thinking an hour’s too short!

Pastor Monty Sears and Ron Smith, although they insist they weren’t sandbagging, should have won TVR bragging rights by outsprinting me at the end, but it does seem that competitiveness was in remission for the evening. Their strategy to get through the hour was to do some light interval training in preparation for the 10k race they are gearing up for on June 20: 1.5 mile warm up at 10 min/mile pace, alternating 1 lap at 7 min/mile pace and 1 lap at 10 min/mile pace, and 1.5 mile cool down at 10 min/mile pace. Ron, just getting back into running since taking over a month off after a tough half-marathon in April, hopes to average a sub-8 min/mile pace for the Cherry Festival 10k, presumably hoping to beat Pastor Monty. Pastor Monty, although battling several injuries over the past few months, was looking strong and should give Ron a run for his money in the 10k.

In any event, the evening’s real contest seemed to lie in the minds of the runners. Each person waged a personal competition, whether it was to complete a certain number of laps like Pastor Konrad, or to move in relentless forward motion like Juan, or to endure the heat like Kelli.

Kelli Sears, who had been a racewalker but joined the running ranks this last January, remarked after the run that it had been harder than she anticipated, partially due to the heat, partially to her forgetting her iPod, and I suspect partially due to running in ovals for an hour; but she overcame and had an amazing run. My husband observed that he never once saw Kelli walking, a notable accomplishment due to the heat and length of the run. Kelli is also running her first 10k on June 20, competing in a hard-core throw down with her daughter over bragging rights and dinner bought by the loser.

Brandy Ashley, who started seriously running in January after sporadically running for 9 years, commenced on a killer strategy of mostly running with a little walking, amassing an impressive 5.7 miles. Her goal was 6 miles, but she was a little slowed by some walking, which was necessary to keep down the dinner eaten shortly before the race. But that girl can really walk! Brandy’s running goal is to complete a half-marathon the middle of July, and I know she is going to exceed her own expectations.

Brandy’s husband, Kevin Ashley, who does not claim to be a runner, but who has lost 25-30 pounds in the last 5 months using exercise bands, jogging, and walking, had a great time, helping his buddy Juan collect 16 and 14 laps, respectively. He’s already wondering when the next group event is going to be…

Davina Jackson called it an easy night, having run a tough 9-miler the day before, ending her run early at an even 4 miles. She started running a year ago April, finished her first half-marathon last October, ran a really tough half-marathon this April, and will finish her first marathon this coming October. She has also challenged a bunch of people to compete along with her in the Cherry Festival 10k on June 20. She’s nothing if not motivated.

Pastor Konrad Ziesing, having been on-call for a wedding, arrived approximately 15 minutes into the race, and thinking we got started on time, set his goal for 10 laps. However, when he was informed that we got started late, he pressed forward and blasted through an impressive 15 laps in about 45 minutes on the track. This is especially notable considering he has not officially succumbed to being a runner, and still claims to not enjoy running. Don’t worry – his appearance at the TVR is a not-so-subtle indication that he is coming around.

As for myself, I gave the run my best effort, even though my time was slowed somewhat by excessive stops for water at the “aid station” we had set up at the outside edge of the track. I eventually developed a strategy of running with a plastic cup in my hand for a lap, drinking little sips instead of gulping an entire cupful while wasting time at the table. Next year, I will definitely come into the race with a goal.

Most of us celebrated at the end with Henry Weinhard’s Black Cherry Cream Soda (and some Orange Cream for variety). Everyone is looking forward to future gatherings, and I especially look forward to when my dad can join the running circuit again. He crashed his bike two days after April’s half-marathon, an unfortunate event which postponed his plans to race in Boise’s Ironman 70.3 on June 13 and the Big Horn Trail Run 50 Mile on June 20. C’mon, Dad! You can do it!

For next year, I will have people document their pre-race goals and provide special incentive for those who achieve them. To all my newer runners: congratulations in participating in what was, for some of you, your first organized event, and keep up the awesome work. I can’t wait to see you progress in the coming year!

Special mention: Thanks to my husband John for bringing all the water and gear down to the track, for keeping an eye on the kids, and for serving as the official race photographer. Thanks also to Tanja, Ron Smith’s wife, for taking the pre-race portraits and serving as moral support, cheering everyone on and even running three laps with Kelli despite being in recovery from a respiratory ailment.

Here’s the breakdown (miles rounded up to the nearest tenth):

1. Emily Berriochoa, 10575 meters ~6.6 miles
2. Monty Sears, 10400 meters ~6.5 miles
3. Ron Smith, 10400 meters ~6.5 miles
4. Brandy Ashley, 9200 meters ~5.7 miles
5. Kelli Sears, 8400 meters ~5.2 miles
6. Kevin Ashley, 6400 meters ~4 miles
7. Davina Jackson, 6400 meters ~4 miles
8. Konrad Ziesing, 6000 meters ~3.7 miles
9. Juan Deloera, 5600 meters ~3.5 miles