The Weekly Log #2: March 1-7, 2010

As father and son, we share a similar passion for the sport of running and wanted to share some worthy accomplishments and news from the past week in our local world. Enjoy!

-Mark Lorenzoni (on the run since 1973) and Alec Lorenzoni (running since 1999)

In the Starting Blocks…What’s up next…

The MJ8K, one of the area’s most popular races, is set for Saturday March 13. Many folks use this historic tour through downtown Charlottesville’s most scenic neighborhoods and up some of its most challenging hills as a tune-up for The Ten Miler. Close to 600 runners and another 200 walkers traverse the downtown streets as they help to raise dollars (several thousand last year alone) for valuable community health services at Martha Jefferson Hospital. Helpful hint: the first half mile is all downhill, so be careful of taking it our too quickly…pace yourself (this “ease into the first mile by taking it a bit slower than your targeted pace” behavior will also serve you well at The Ten Miler). Entries for the race are still open.

And speaking of The Ten Miler, with less than five weeks to race day, there’s still time to get in a few more long training runs AND your entry form. Go to the CTC's website for an entry to the area’s oldest and most prestigious footrace.

And while we’re on the subject of spring races, we will be hosting a free lecture and Q&A session at the shop next Tuesday (March 9^th) entitled:

“Getting the Best Out of YOUR Spring Races!”

The talk begins at 5:00pm upstairs at Ragged Mountain and will last about an hour. Come ready to learn how you can improve the quality of your racing.

What's A Foot in our World of Community Racing…

Valentines Partners 5K (2/27/10)

Close to 150 folks traversed the long ups and downs of the many hills of Old Trail in sunny, suburban Crozet on Saturday en route to impressive finishes at the rescheduled Valentines 5K. Thanks to the cooperative efforts of Amnesty International (Bruce Carveth) and the CTC (Carol Finch), the partnered-up racers were treated to a well organized event.

(Race winner Chris Post)

Former Western Albemarle star Chris Post , who logged many training miles in Old Trail as a Warrior, was on familiar turf as he quickly sped away from the field at the start. Post, who is currently a third year at UVa and in training with the RMR team, cruised through the first mile in 5:14, was 10:31 at 2 miles and stopped the clock at 16:31 for his blue ribbon winning performance. Speedy high school teacher Brian Kayser was second into the chutes in 17:14 and Gerhard Van de Venter rounded out the top three with an impressive sub-six minute paced 18:29. Carmia Stein, Gerhard’s wife, outlegged an impressive woman’s field, as she crossed the tape first in 19:28, only five seconds off Nicola Ratcliffe’s course record. Beth Cottone took home the masters title and was second overall in 20:01 and speaking of Ratcliffe, the former Ten Miler and Women’s Four miler champ finished third overall in 20:30.

(Overall Female Champion Carmia Stein)

Post and former Covenant cross country star Bethany Coppock took home the male/female partners title with Stein and Van de Venter grabbing the husband/wife trophy, and Nicola and son Gavin easily topping the parent/child division. Cottone and long time training partner Kerry Hendrix were the female/female champs, Jeff Stafford and Mark Dempsey were the male champs and Stacy and Ryan Li won the siblings division.

(Start of the Race)

All total, 138 folks crossed the finish line and, despite the cold temperatures and stiff late winter winds, many of them recorded impressive 5K times. Here’s just a brief list of some of these speedy folks: Pete O’Shea (19:08), Laura Brown (20:32), Jim (22:21) and Maria (27:46) Bell, Adam Slate (26:34), Bruce (21:53) and Barbara (23:40) Benson, Chi-Chin Wu (24:57), Scott (22:20) and Mary Clare (26:41) Smith, Dan Moriarity (25:54), George Gillies (25:38), Paul Hahn (23:50), Lise Willingham (21:54), Missi and Bill Brown (27:05), John Hossack (24:53), Billy Baker (23:10), Mark Dempsey (22:16), Leigh Baumgart (21:29), Sarah Hinckle (20:57), H.G. Bussard (21:21), James Kaiser (19:10), Kim Noe (30:59), Lucy Emery (33:00) and Emma Hendrix (33:08).

AAA State Indoor Track Meet (2/26/10-2/27/10)

2009 was a banner year for Albemarle track and field as a small group of boys established the school as a household name (at least in the world of track and field) with a series of stunning performances that included several national records and the school’s first state track title since the late 1970s. This past weekend, the Patriots headed east to Hampton to defend their 2009 indoor track crown and attempt to repeat as state champions. Led by senior captains Jordan Hill and Anthony Kostelac, Albemarle almost pulled off the almost unheard of feat by finishing a scant eight points out of first with their 4^th place finish. Kostelac had one of the most impressive performances of the meet with his double victory in the 1600 and 1000, using a blistering kick over the final 200 meters to capture both crowns and score 20 of his team’s 34 points in the process. Hill, who has struggled with injuries all season that limited him to just two previous meets, bounced back from a disappointing 9^th place finish (top eight places score) in the triple jump Friday night to finish 2^nd in the long jump and 4^th in the high jump, putting the Patriots in 2^nd place heading into the 4x400 meter relay, the meet’s last event. Running without their fastest leg Kostelac, who had already run the maximum allowed three events (he ran the 4x800 relay on Friday night), the quartet of Jervon Speller, Tori Key, Mark Baucom and Hill finished in a season best time of 3:30.54 to finish 8^th in the event. Unfortunately, the top three teams all finished ahead of Albemarle in this event, dropping the Patriots to 4^th overall and just one point out of 3^rd place and a spot on the podium.

On the girl’s side, junior Summer Shepherd tied her personal best of 9’6” in the pole vault to just miss All-State honors with her 9^th place finish. Teammate Casey Russell also competed in the vault, and although she was unable to clear opening height, the experience will certainly prove invaluable in future years as she is just a freshman

AA State Indoor Track Meet (2/27/10)

In any normal year, a score of 59 points at a state track meet will not only bring home a championship, but it will usually do so by a wide margin. Unfortunately for the Western Albemarle girls track team, 2010 was NOT a normal year as the deepest distance team in America happens to occupy Group AA along with WAHS. Blacksburg High School scored a stunning 81 points to capture yet another state title, but the Lady Warriors gave them all they could handle by finishing runner-up with the aforementioned 59 points. The event of the day for Western was without a doubt the pole vault, where the Warriors took home half the All-State spots with a 1-2-4-8 finish, led by junior Nicole Harding who captured her first state title with a clearance of 10’6”. The other state title for the well-balanced Warriors came in the 4x800 meter relay, where the team of Jordan Haws, Katie Farina, Peri Bowser, and Claire Johnson combined to blow the field away with an indoor school record 9:33.94 clocking, good enough for a twenty second runaway victory over second place.

In other girl’s action, Orange County finished 7^th overall behind two state titles by senior Ashontae Jackson, who came home with resounding victories in the 55 and 300 meter dashes in times of 7.30 and 41.12, respectively. Louisa County was 11^th overall, but was without the services of the state’s best long and triple jumper Javanique Burruss, who didn’t compete in either event, most likely due to injury or sickness. Rounding out the area teams were Charlottesville in 26^th and Monticello in 29^th.

On the boy’s side, defending champions Louisa County led the charge with their 7^th place finish, followed closely by Charlottesville in 8^th, Fluvanna in 9^th, and Western Albemarle in 11^th. Orange County and Monticello rounded things out with 17^th and 41^st place finishes. Louisa was led by senior hurdler Dante Davis who won his first ever state indoor title (he won his first outdoor one last spring in the 110 meter high hurdles) in the 55 meter hurdles with a personal best clocking of 7.52. Along with teammates Gunnar Carroll, Brandon Payne, and Corrin Harris, Davis would add another state title later in the day in the 4x200 meter relay as the Lions shocked the field by winning the race out of the “slow” section in a time of 1:34.13. Rounding out the area’s state champions were seniors Zach Lawson of Western Albemarle, who completed a Warrior sweep in the pole vault with his personal best clearance of 14’6”, and Steven Allen of Charlottesville, whose toss of 52’08.50” in the shot put won the event by almost 2 feet!

ACC Indoor Track Championships (2/26/10-2/28/10)

The high schoolers of Virginia weren’t the only ones competing in championship meets this past weekend, as second-year head coach Jason Vigilante and his Cavaliers headed south to Blacksburg for the ACC Championships. Both teams have made huge strides over the past couple years, and the men entered Virginia Tech’s Rector Fieldhouse with serious hopes of adding an indoor team title to the outdoor one they won last spring. Things definitely started off on the right foot on Friday night, as UVA swept the Distance Medleys (a four leg relay consisting of 1200, 400, 800, and 1600 meters) and won the event for just the second time in school history for both the men and women. Each race came down to the anchor runners, and Tasia Potasinski (4:56.23) and Robby Andrews (4:06.57) used big kicks to bring home the titles for the Cavaliers. Andrews would come back the next day to win his first ever individual ACC title with a 1:50.73 clocking in the 800 meter run, leading a 1-2 sweep in the event as sophomore Lance Roller finished second in 1:51.21. It has been a great season so far for the highly touted first year out of New Jersey, as he is currently ranked #6 in the nation in the 800 meters to go along with his two ACC titles.

(Freshman Robby Andrews winning his first ever ACC individual title in the 800 meters. Teammate Lance Roller was 2nd. Photo courtesy of virginiasports.com)

The other two Cavaliers to bring home ACC titles were redshirt sophomore Ryan Collins, who captured his second straight 5000 meter title with a 14:23.81 clocking, and sophomore Maureen Laffan, whose personal best toss of 52’4.75” came just 6 inches shy of the school record. In the team standings, the men finished 4^th and the women were 10^th.

Blue Ribbons to…

Chris Post (16:31) and Carmia Stein (19:28), who led their respective gender across the finish line first at The Amnesty International/CTC Valentines Couples 5K on Saturday (see above). And a big Blue Ribbon to Bruce Carveth, who has co-directed this wonderful event for over 25 years and to Carol Finch, who has served as the CTC’s volunteer director for close to a decade. They did a fantastic job organizing the event…doubly difficult when you have to reschedule!

Longtime Western Albemarle pole vault coach Kevin Matheny, whose Warrior vaulters put on a clinic at the AA State Meet with six total All-State honors for the boys and girls combined. Joining state champions Zach Lawson and Nicole Harding were Kelsey Grupp (2^nd-10’6”), Sarah Garner (4^th-10’0”), Christine Wesner (8^th-9’0”) on the girls side and Tim Nguyen (6^th-12’6”) on the boys side

Andrew Jesien, the former UVA star, who finished 8^th in the 1500 meters at the USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships in Albuquerque this past Sunday in a time of 3:53.16. Jesien is a volunteer assistant coach with the UVA track team and is training for the Olympic Trials with the Ragged Mountain Racing team. He recently joined the elite sub-4:00 club with his 3:58.91 clocking in the mile a couple weeks ago.

Freshmen UVA middle distance runner Zach Vrhovac, who finished 4^th in the mile run at the ACC Championships. His time of 4:10.65 was an agonizing two hundredths of a second out of third place (4:10.63), and only three tenths of a second out of first place (4:10.36)! It’s amazing to think how far the former Albemarle multi-sport standout has come in a year, as 365 days ago he was an 800 meter specialist who could barely break 4:25 in the mile, and now his personal best is 4:08 and he is just a couple ticks away from being an ACC champion.

Dr. Robert Wilder (aka “Dr. Bob”), who was bestowed the CTC’s highest honor at the club’s annual awards banquet at Chef Ted’s Shack on Saturday. The prestigious Lifetime Service Award is given each year to a selfless volunteer who has given to our running community at the highest level for ten or more years. Wilder, who heads the Runner’s Clinic at UVa, has been selfless with his time, talent and expertise by providing free medical help annually at 25 high school, collegiate and community road races since 1999.

Jerri Emm and Charlie Menefee, who were awarded the CTC Most Improved trophies for their excellent races in 2009. Emm, broke the four hour barrier for the first time in her illustrious marathon career at the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, New York in October. Menefee took an hour off his previous marathon PR., as he came oh, so close to breaking four hours at Richmond in November. Longtime community steward Steve Murray and his wonderful family at Panorama Farms were bestowed the CTC Community Service Award. For a complete list of all the award recipients please go to the CTC's website.

Ellen Daniels, who works at UVa’s Curry school and is a first timer in the Ten Miler Training Program, has somehow managed to not miss a single day of her training all winter long! Not many folks can claim this amazing feat after the brutal winter we’ve just been through. The proud, determined and very motivated Daniels said “I love how the running makes me feel!” Keep it going, Ellen!

Former UVA lacrosse star and local ultra-marathon champ Sophie Speidel is featured in this month’s UVA Alumni magazine. A great photo of a very fit looking Speidel accompanies a nice article about her many amazing long distance running accomplishments. Check it out (page 46)!

All of the area’s all-state athletes (top 8) at both the AAA & AA State Meets:

Boys: Tyrone Ellis (55 meters), Derek Armstrong (1600 meters), Nathaniel Hermsmeier (3200 meters), Orange County & Fluvanna County (4x200 relay), Louisa County & Orange County (4x400 relay), Western Albemarle (4x800 relay), Kadarius Bruce (high jump, long jump, triple jump), Chance Parmly (pole vault), Lamar Gordon (long jump), Reginald Sterling (long jump), David Johnson (triple jump), and Raheim Turner (shot put).

Girls: Sherrie Timberlake (300 meters), Jasmyne Johnson (300 meters), Jordan Haws (500 meters), Claire Johnson (1000 meters), Katie Farina (1000 meters), Kelsey McClary (55 meter hurdles), Charlottesville & Louisa County (4x200 relay), Western Albemarle & Louisa County (4x400 relay), Louisa County (4x800 relay), and Raven Robinson (shot put).

All of the Virginia Cavaliers who were All-Conference (top 3) at the ACC Championships:

Women: Rosemary Barber (DMR), Lyndsay Harper (DMR), Tasia Potasinski (DMR), Chidi Uche (DMR)

Men: Adams Abdulrazaaq (60 meter hurdles), Kevin Anding (DMR), Alex Bowman (DMR), Marcus Robinson (triple jump), Sintayehu Taye (DMR).

What’s Keeping Those Feet Happy?!…

The Brooks Dyad and the Asics Fortitude have found a way to nicely fill a previously unchartered niche by comfortably protecting flat and straight lasted feet that don’t pronate. Despite the fact that a small percentage of the population has this unique foot and gait type, these very specialized and technical shoes have been just what the doctor ordered in affording these folks a comfortable and injury free ride by providing supportive cushioning in the mid and forefoot section of the foot.

Running Science News…

Longtime Ragged Mountain friend Bev Wispelwey last week brought us a copy of a recent article (New York Times Magazine 1/31/10) touting yet another benefit from running as we age. Two recent studies demonstrate that with regular weight bearing exercise, specifically running, one can keep their cells young. The author said that the effect of “regular weight bearing exercise on cellular aging could turn out to be profound!”.

And here’s one for all you beer lovers: The Week Magazine (2/26/10) reported that according to a University of California study that “in moderation, beer can build strong bones. Researchers found that beer is rich in silicon, which increases bone mineral density and helps osteoporosis.” Pale ales came out on top for the beers with the best silicon bang.

Street News…

The University of Virginia students will be on Spring Break from Friday March 5 through Sunday March 14. We love our student neighbors but even the most diehard Wahoo will admit that the streets of C’ville are so much quieter when they’re away.

Someone recently told us that about half the UVA student body brings a vehicle to school, which means that when the students are on break we have about 8,500-9,500 less vehicles in town. Wow! So, take advantage of the quieter streets while they last but, like me, just about the time I’m starting to miss the “kids” they’re back in town again!

The Toughest Area Road Race Courses

We thought it might be fun to list what we feel are some of the toughest road race courses in the area. Agree/disgaree with us? Let us know…

1. Montalto Challenge 5K…an unending 3.1 climb to some of the most spectacular finish line views of any race in the country. The last mile switchbacks up one of the steepest ascents imaginable but oh, my gosh, is the “breathtaking” view at the top ever worth it! At the finish, the racers are actually looking down on the dome room of Jefferson’s Monticello and have 300 degree panoramic views of Charlottesville!
2. The Batesville 10K…the area’s second oldest footrace is also one of the most challenging as it immediately greets the runners with a three mile uphill climb. Miles two and three are show stoppers, as they feature a switch back climb to the orchard at the top of the mountain. In addition to beautiful views at the top, the racers are also treated to a steady two mile reprieve as the road descends back to the village and to the finish.
3. The Charlottesville Marathon…widely considered to be one of the state’s most scenic distance courses, it has also earned the reputation as one of the toughest because of the steep hill on Garth, the tough ascent up over Ridge Road and the endless two mile hill climb up Free Union Road back to Garth. A new course is planned for this spring’s running of the event, so we’ll have to wait to see if it can retain its #3 ranking.
4. The MJ8K…Of all the “urban” courses in our area, this scenic 5 mile journey over the streets of downtown just might be the toughest. As one racer so aptly put it, “no race gives you more hills/miles for your money!”. The Belmont hill, that frustrates the racers at mile four, has become an urban legend but conquer it and you’re more than ready to score a good one at the Ten Miler a few weeks later! And speaking of…
5. The Charlottesville Ten Miler…The area’s oldest and most prestigious footrace is widely considered to be one of the most scenic urban courses on the east coast but don’t let looks fool you! A half mile, all uphill start and a roller coaster of hills through the first two miles help to set up the racers for a tough journey but many consider the hills from miles 5.5 through 7.5 to and the infamous “Corner Hill” at mile 8.3 to be some of the worst. But we would argue that if you behave at the start (take it out slowly and conservatively for those nasty first two miles) you will have enough in the tank to conquer those late-in-the-game monster hills!

Questions or Comments? Feel free to email us at alec@raggedmountainrunning.com...

The Weekly Log #1: February 22-28, 2010

The Weekly Log #1

February 22-28, 2010

As father and son we share a common love and passion for the sport of running, so we thought it might be fun to bring you the latest news from our local running world…a weekly running log of sorts. Enjoy!

Mark (on the run since 1973) and Alec Lorenzoni (running since 1999).

In the Starting Blocks…

This weekend will feature some great high school track action with both the Group AA & AAA State Meets on tap. Group AA will feature many of our local area high schools, including a Western Albemarle squad which swept the boys and girls Jefferson District and Region II titles this year in impressive fashion. Look for both teams to have a shot at finishing on the podium (top 3) this weekend, with the girls squad probably having the best shot at a team title, although they must upset heavily favored and defending champion Blacksburg to do so. Both teams will rely heavily on their middle distance/distance runners and their pole vaulters to get the job done. The Louisa girls team will also be in the hunt for the podium, led by the state’s best triple jumper Javanique Burruss (only a freshman) and senior distance runner Hannah Best. The meet will take place on Saturday at Liberty University in Lynchburg. More info here.

In Group AAA action, Albemarle will travel to Hampton to compete with the state’s best as the boy’s team tries to defend their 2009 State Indoor Track title. Despite heavy graduation losses, including three members of the national record setting 4x800 relay team, the Patriots still have a shot at another title thanks to seniors Anthony Kostelac and Jordan Hill. Kostelac will take care of the middle distance duties with his 1600/1000/4x800 relay triple and Hill will one-up his teammate by competing in five events (long jump, triple jump, high jump, 300 meters, 4x400 relay). Last year, Kostelac was the state champion in both the 1000 and the 4x800 relay and Hill was runner-up in all three jumping events. The two day meet starts Friday at Hampton’s Boo Williams facility. More info here.

What’s a foot in the world of not-for-profit community footraces…

The Amnesty International Couples Valentines 5K looks like a go for this coming Saturday (2/27). Thanks to the recent heavy snows, volunteer co-race directors Carol Finch and Bruce Carveth had to not only postpone the race (from its original date of February 13th to February 27) but they also plan to adjust their normal race course. Because the Old Trails course takes the runners off road onto a mile long dirt path (which is still under several inches of snow), Finch and Carveth have come up with an alternate plan that will re-route the runners, so they never leave the security of the dry and smooth blacktop road that meanders through this mammoth Western Albemarle neighborhood (if somehow the trails miraculously clear and dry up, then the race may be held along its normal course). As usual, thanks to the volunteer nature of this popular Charlottesville Track Club footrace, all of the proceeds will be passed along to help benefit the noble efforts of our area chapter of Amnesty International. The starting time for the race will be 8:00am and race day registration WILL be accepted.

Some race tidbits: The race field size is normally in the 250-275 range.

Course records: Open: Tristan Colangelo- 15:37 & Nicola Ratcliffe- 19:24

40-49: Hernan Garbini- 18:11 & Nicola Ratcliffe- 19:24

50-59: Clark Jackson- 19:52 & Mary Clare Smith- 25:39

60-69: Chuck Lascano- 24:34 & Connie Friend- 29:26

70+: Don Simroth- 29:36

Click Here for a comprehensive list of Upcoming Area Races

Blue Ribbons To…

It had been 28 years since the last time an area runner clocked a sub-four minute mile (former UVA great Vince Draddy was the first to break the four minute mile with a 3:58.1 in 1982), so when Ragged Mountain Racing Team member Andrew Jesien broke track’s most revered barrier in Seattle last Saturday, many of us in the Charlottesville running community let out a collective “WOW!” Jesien, who recently graduated from UVa and is now competing for our area’s first ever Olympic Development team (RMR), had been hoping to get into a competitive heat, one that would help him to a goal he’s had for close to a decade. Well, Jesien got exactly what he wished for, as ten (you heard right…10) guys broke track’s ultimate barrier in his heat. Jesien’s 3:58.91 represented an incredible four second improvement over his previous best. The modest but ultra fast speedster will be back on the starting line again this coming weekend at the USATF National Indoor Track Championships in New Mexico (ESPN will be covering the meet on Sunday afternoon).

And speaking of speedsters, former Western Albemarle standout Tyler Stutzman competed in another heat in the same event as Jesien at the Husky Classic and he too came away with an impressive PR as the Stanford freshman clocked an awesome 4:05. And, at the same meet, UVa distance sensation Ryan Collins broke Kris Herdt’s 1989 school record in the Indoor 5,000 by over 15 seconds as the fabulous 3.1 distance specialist clocked an amazing 13:46! And while we’re talking UVa, how about former Albemarle great Zach Vrhovac’s 4:08 indoor mile last week? Not bad for the freshman Cavalier runner who spent most of his high school athletic career playing both sides of the football on Friday nights for the Patriots!

The Western Albemarle boys and girls indoor track teams, who captured both the Jefferson District AND the Region II crowns this past week. Due to the winter weather, the district meet was postponed repeatedly and almost cancelled, but eventually the meet was held a scant two days before the regional meet, making this double sweep even more impressive. The Warriors were led by regional individual champions Kristin Del Rosso (high jump), Nicole Harding (pole vault), Kelsey McClary (55 hurdles), and Claire Johnson (1600 meters & 1000 meters). Their 4x400 (Jordan Haws, Katie Farina, Peri Bowser, Kelsey McClary) and 4x800 (Jordan Haws, Katie Farina, Peri Bowser, Claire Johnson) relay teams were also victorious. On the boys side, Alex Nolet (high jump), Zach Lawson (pole vault), Derek Armstrong (1600 meters), and the 4x800 team of Henry Giles, Jimmy Taylor, Derek Armstrong and Andrew Jennings took home regional titles.

The Albemarle boys indoor track team, who captured a third regional crown for the area with their narrow victory over district rival Stafford. The Patriots were also affected by the winter weather as their district meet was cancelled outright, leaving the team with no competitions since the middle of January. Nevertheless, the 2009 Northwest Region champions added another regional title on the backs of seniors Anthony Kostelac and Jordan Hill, who combined to score 60 of the Patriots 81 points. Kostelac won both the 1600 and 1000 meter races with relative ease and highlighted his day with a 1:53 anchor carry on the 4x800 relay, bringing his team from 6^th to 2^nd on the final leg to finish in a season best time of 8:09. Hill swept all three jumping events on a less than 100% ankle, and then added a few more points with his 4^th place finish in the 300 and an 8^th place in the 55 dash. His 37 point total would have placed him 7^th in the team standings and is even more impressive considering he hasn’t competed since December due to an ankle injury! Rounding out a great day for the Patriots was the 4x400 team of Tori Key, Evan Karweik, Rowen Perry, and Jervon Speller who brought home a relay gold in a time of 3:36. Also advancing to the state meet will be Mark Baucom in the 500, Vincent Ly in the pole vault, and both Summer Shepherd (regional champion) and Casey Russell in the girls pole vault.

CTC member and longtime Ragged Mountain friend Rick Kwiatkowski recently competed in his first 100 miler and he came away with some impressive results as he finished 20^th overall (out of 350) in 18 hours and 45 minutes at The Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler in Huntsville, Texas. Kwiatkowski was pleased with his performance but said the last several miles dragged as his pace slowed. “I simply ran out of gas over the last 20 miles and I definitely learned a lot about improper fueling…I will do a better job of eating the next time”. A “next time”?...good for you, Rick!

And a big blue ribbon to Cindy Payne, Barbara Rickards and Wendy Passerell, who completed their first 8 mile run last Saturday! The sisters, who are participating in the Ten Miler Training Program in preparation for the granddaddy of them all, said they “felt great” after completing the longest run of their lives. 80% of the way there…way to go, you three! Look for Cindy, Barbara and Wendy at the finish line of our area’s oldest footrace on April 3^rd, and then come support them (and their two other sisters) at The Jennifer Wells Moonlight Mother’s Day Run for Meningitis on May 8^th. This very special community event is run in memory of Cindy’s daughter, a Monticello High grad and UVa student, who at 21 was suddenly and tragically struck down by meningitis.

The Largest Area Footraces of 2009

1. The Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler- 3,300 participants (the race also raised a record $325,000 for our friends at UVa’s Breast Care Center)

2. The Charlottesville Ten Miler- 2,700 participants

3. The Albemarle Invitational (Cross Country races) ~2,000

4. The Charlottesville Marathon and Half Marathon ~1,500

5. The Boars Head Turkey Trot 5K- 1,350

6. The Dogwood Track Classic- 1,000

7. The FUMA and Woodberry Forest Cross Country Invitational events- ~800

8. The MJ8K- 775

9. The Zeta Run for Life 5K- 600

10. The Discovery Dash for Kids- 515

11. The Run for Autism 5K- 490

12. The Pepsi 10K- 485

13. The Ragged Mountain Cup - 425

14. The CTC’s New Years Day 5K- 375

15. The Carl Tribastone 5K – 350

16. The 4^th of July 5K- 325

Local news of interest…

The University of Virginia last week did something it has been threatening to do for many years, and that’s close the track at Lannigan Field to the public. Now, before you get yourselves all worked up, here are a few facts: First off, the track will actually NOT be closed to the public ALL the time. In fact, what UVa did in closing their facility for normal varsity practice hours from 1:30-6:00pm (Monday-Friday) and 8:00-Noon (Saturday) is totally understandable because their coaches and team members (both runners and field event folks, like discus, javelin and shot put) need to practice in an environment free of distractions!

The amazing thing is that a small but vocal group of folks had been criticizing the University over the past few years for not allowing them to use the inside lanes of the track during practice times. Inside lanes? They were lucky they were able to even be inside the facility let alone running on the track during practice time! Can any of us imagine heading up to the baseball field at Davenport any time of day, let alone during varsity practice time for a game of catch with one of our kids? Or how about asking Coach Bennett or Coach Ryan to have their players move to the other end of the court so we can play a game of pick-up basketball on the John Paul Jones hardwood floor?? How about a game of touch football at Scott Stadium? Of course not…so the same reverence and support should be paid to the hardworking UVA track and field athletes and their coaches!

Our running community is so fortunate to have had almost unlimited access to this fine facility and we are lucky to have utilized it for the past several decades as a place for our community speed workouts, for CTC track meets, for training programs and for kid’s running events. Let’s all do our best to respect the University for this appropriate move and at the same time be grateful that they didn’t decide to simply close the facility 24/7!

And by the way, Lannigan Field was dedicated in 1954 (the same year Roger Bannister broke the four minute mile) in memory of the legendary Henry “Pop” Lannigan, who served the University as a coach and trainer from 1905-1929.

The longest standing UVA outdoor track records are held by Margaret Groos, who ran 9:07 for 3,000 meters in 1979 and 15:51 for 5,000 meters in 1980, Mike Cotton, who ran 28:55 for 10,000 meters in 1981 and Karl Williams, who ran 50.34 for the 400 meter hurdles in 1981. Groos, by the way, made history way back in 1977 when she became the first female to accept an athletic scholarship (for any sport) to UVA. She set many school and national records before going on to win the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 1988!

Quick footed Tip of the Week

Shorten your stride length! The goal is to hit one foot (I count my right foot) 30 times for every 20 seconds (or 90 hits/foot/minute). The best way to accomplish this more efficient form of running is to come off your heels and to hit more in the middle of your foot. Your shoes will last longer as will your knees and, over the long haul, you’ll actually run faster and be less tired. Wow…doesn’t that ever sound good?! Try taking the 20 second quiz the next time you’re out for a run. It just might be one of the best things you can do to improve your overall running efficiency…it sure has helped me! The first time I took the quiz (four years ago) I was hitting 23 times/30 seconds, which meant that my stride was way too long! Now, after years of practicing, I’m totally comfortable at 29 hits/20 seconds and my knees feel better at 54 than they did at 30 years old!

Weekly Speed Workouts for the public

And speaking of the track, if you’re interested in improving your times for any distance from 5K to a marathon, come join us any Wednesday morning at 5:30am at the UVA track. A pile of folks hit the oval (or the hills around the JPJ/University Hall/Klockner complex) each Wednesday for some quality speed and strengthening sessions with a coach (yours truly) on hand. All abilities are welcome to join us!

“So, what am I capable of” chart

If you’re interested in what your ten mile or marathon race potential might be go ahead and head out to the track for a quick two mile time trial. After eight laps you should be able to tell (with some proper training, good race day weather and a solid race day game plan) what you can expect to hit for these longer race distances. Simply use this handy dandy chart. Questions? Give us (Alec or Mark) a call (434-293-3367) or e-mail us at mailto:alec@raggedmountainrunning.com

One Last Shot

(I want to apologize to Garrett & Zach, as well as their legions of fans, in advance for my inability to find any decent pictures of you from the 4x800. My condolences...)

My heart rate is probably north of 150 as I pace nervously back and forth alongside the track, teeth chattering as I shiver despite the warm temperatures inside the building. I am used to the pre-race jitters, but this is the worst I've ever had it, even more so than when I toed the line at the 2006 ACC cross country championships. At least then I was in control of my own destiny, racing over the muddy hills of Panorama Farms as I did my best to represent my school. Now I am stuck on the sidelines, forced to watch and yell from a distance as four young men from Albemarle prepare to do battle with the best 4x800 meter relay teams in the nation, most notably the Morris Hills (NJ) squad who has the second fastest time in the country, and an unblemished record this season save for an eight second drubbing back in late January at the hands of the Patriots. Now is their chance for revenge. Checking my watch, I glance up and see the relay teams stepping onto the track, the red and blue uniforms of Albemarle standing out even more than normal due to the spiked mohawks that the guys now sport. A shot of adrenaline surges through my body as I realize that the race is finally here, and with it, one last opportunity to go down in history as the fastest high school foursome of all time. 7:42.22, the national record from 2005 that we've been chasing all season. It's go time...

Exactly fifteen days earlier, I stand in the middle of an indoor track in Hampton, VA, overcome with emotion as I watch ten guys hoist a state championship trophy, Albemarle's first in indoor track since 1975. The two day meet has been a rollercoaster of emotions and a battle royale with Western Branch, one of the state's powerhouses and the two-time defending champions. It had come down to the wire, our individual firepower overcoming their well-rounded depth by a slim five point margin, 66 to 61. At the center of it all had been the four members of the 4x800 relay squad, who along with Mr. Field Event Extraordinaire Jordan Hill, had each competed in the maximum three events to score as many points as possible. It had all started Friday night with a dominating victory in the 4x800 relay, the tandem of Garrett Bradley, Zach Vrhovac, Luke Noble, and Anthony Kostelac scorching the rest of the state with a time of 7:44.70, good enough for a 17 second victory, a new state meet record, and the fastest time in the nation. It was a scant two and a half seconds off the national record, and it was done almost entirely on their own, the last three legs running solo against the clock as the rest of the pack duked it out one hundred meters back for second place. All four members would come back the next day to run individual events, Zach taking second in the 500 and Anthony running huge personal bests in both the 1600 (4:10 for 2nd) and 1000 (2:30 for 1st). At the end of it all, the whole team celebrated with their state title, capping a remarkable season with a seemingly perfect ending. And yet, one piece of the puzzle remained. The foursome wanted more, a national title as well as the national record of 7:42.22 to be exact, and they would have one more shot at it, fifteen days later in Boston...

The starter raises his gun and I'm afraid my heart is going to leap through my chest, the loud bang reveberating over the track as the runners explode off the starting line. Garrett is out well like usual, his background as a former 400 meter runner serving him well as he quickly positions himself on the leader's shoulder, relaxing as best he can as the runners fly through the first 200 meters. We have changed up the order for this race, switching Zach and Garrett on the first and second legs in hopes of both winning the race and maximizing everyone's splits. 57, 58, Garrett comes through the first 400 right on pace and a couple strides behind the leaders, content to bide his time for now as he keeps an eye on Morris Hills. Things start to heat up on the fourth lap of the 200 meter track and Garrett makes his move, finishing strongly up the last straight to hand off tied for second with Morris Hills, his split of 1:57.3 the best of his season...

Buoyed by their state meet victory, the Patriot quartet heads to the Nike Indoor Championships in Boston to compete in the same two events that they had the previous year. First up will be the distance medley relay (DMR) on Saturday evening, an event that is much more popular at the collegiate level and usually run in high school only at the largest and most prestigious invitationals. It consists of 1200, 400, 800, and 1600 meter legs, a perfect blend of distances that brings the sprinters and 800/miler types together for one exciting race. Last year, the same foursome had finished 6th in 10:42, 17 seconds behind the winning team and a very distant 43 seconds away from the national record of 9:59. A solid performance for the 2008 Patriots, but one that would be totally unacceptable for the 2009 squad. They have come to Boston to win two national championships, and even though the 4x800 one is first and foremost in all their minds, the DMR will be run first and they will hold nothing back...

(2nd exchange, Zach to Luke)

Half a second separates the top three teams in the US as the second legs get the stick, and it's already clear that if the national record falls today, it will be at the hands (and feet) of one of these three schools. Morris Hills gets out the best, their second runner going straight to the front and hammering in hopes of opening up a gap on the other two. Zach sits in third, looking extremely relaxed as he runs from behind for the first time this year. I can tell he is itching to move into the lead, but he restrains himself for three laps, content to let the other two do the work while he saves up for one big move. It comes with 150 meters to go, and it was worth the wait, his huge acceleration dropping the other two instantly and putting a good two or three seconds on them in the blink of an eye. He flies off the turn and up the last straight, the gap widening with each step as he brings the baton home in 1:53.1, his fastest relay split ever, indoors or out. The race is now halfway done and the clock stands at 3:50.4, almost a second ahead of record pace, and by far the fastest Albemarle has ever come through after two legs. Morris Hills sits in second, but the gap is now over two seconds and as it continues to grow, their hopes of exacting revenge on the Patriots are quickly shrinking...

(Luke Noble in full stride on leg #3)

Scheduled to go off at 5:40, the DMR does not actually start until an hour later, the various teams forced to sit in a gym for over two hours while the meet falls farther and farther behind schedule. Despite the delay, the race still promises to be quite the showdown as the two fastest 4x800 meter teams in the nation are featured, not to mention the 2008 national champions in this event (Western Albemarle) as well as the newly crowned national record holders in the 4x1 mile relay from a couple hours earlier (Knights Track Club from NJ). To give you an idea of the firepower in this event, the Warriors from Crozet return three of the four legs from their 2008 squad and yet are NOT considered favorites in the race, despite having a 9:12 two miler AND a 4:10 miler on their squad. Finally the gun goes off, and when the smoke clears, the fans in attendance are rewarded for their patience as an astonishing eight teams run faster than the 2008 winning time, the four Patriots bringing home the title in a blazing time of 10:02.13, good enough for a meet record and the second fastest time ever run. Their splits are 3:07, 51, 1:54, and 4:09 for Zach, Garrett, Luke and Anthony, respectively. The last two legs in particular are quite impressive as Luke's split is a three second personal best and Anthony's ease of victory suggests that he could have run faster if needed. All in all, it is yet another eye-opening performance by the Albemarle squad, and certainly a very promising sign for tomorrow's record-chasing showdown...

(Anthony winning the DMR on Saturday night)

Fresh off his big personal best from the night before, Luke takes the baton and is off, running alone for what probably seems like the umpteenth time this year. Like most runners, he is able to run faster when pushed by competition, a scenario that has yet to happen this year in the 4x800 since no team in the country has been able to stay with the Patriots through three legs. Today is no different and Luke is forced to run solo, his lead growing rapidly as Morris Hills and Chalfont-Warrington fall completely out of the picture. The much-hyped matchup up front has failed to materialize and Luke races against the clock, almost catching a soon to be lapped team in the last 100 meters. He powers to the finish, crossing the line in 1:54.9, another huge split that equals the big PR he set last night in the DMR. I check our cumulative time of 5:45.3 as Anthony takes off, quickly calculating that he only needs a 1:57 to tie the record and a 1:56 to break it. And with the way he's been running lately, the question now becomes not whether he WILL break it, but by how much...

(final exchange, Luke to Anthony)

My grandma is going to kill me when she sees this, I think to myself as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. It's around midnight and I have spent the last 45 minutes sitting in a chair as first Anthony, and then Zach attacked my head with what has to be the world's cheapest and most ineffective pair of hair clippers. 85% of my once long, curly hair now lies on the floor as the other 15% stands straight up along the middle of my head. I've always wanted a mohawk, and now thanks to a bet I made with four very fast high schoolers (and more importantly, four newly crowned national champions) I will sport one for the 4x800 final tomorrow afternoon. The good news is that all four guys have mohawks of their own, albeit much shorter and less goofy looking than mine. Plus, it's one thing to be, say, a 4:09 miler and a national champion with a mohawk, and a whole other one to be that weirdo with a mohawk in the stands about to have a coronary as he screams at his athletes. Hopefully, I'll just be mistaken as an alternate or something. Zach finally finishes up and I nod my approval, thanking him for a job well done as I tell the guys that I am off to bed. It is definitely getting a little late, and even though one side of me is a little worried about them being up so long and maybe not getting enough rest for tomorrow, I am once again struck about how calm and relaxed they all seem. There is less than 24 hours until the biggest track race of their young lives, and yet not a hint of any doubt or unease crosses their minds, just a question of who will have the best looking mohawk. I chuckle to myself as I walk back to bed, one hundred percent sure of something that I realized after watching the foursome first run together back in December. They will win tomorrow and set a national record in the process, that much is for sure. The only question is, how fast will they go?

(Anthony putting the hammer down on the anchor leg)

Anthony flies into the first 200 meters, quickly passing a lapped runner as his short strides seem to devour the track. The crowd noise has been steadily building throughout the race, and with the spectators now realizing that they may be witnessing history, it reaches a feverish pitch as suddenly, every person in the arena becomes Anthony Kostelac's #1 fan. He rolls through the 400 in 55, running in a world of his own as the crowd's exhortations fuel his stride. The clanging of the bell signals one lap to go, and like the flip of a lightswitch, Anthony quickens his turnover and ratchets up the pace, throwing everything he has into the last 200 meters as he rips up the backstretch and into the final turn. The finish line approaches and he bursts for the tape, leaning like a sprinter as the clock freezes at 7:36.99, a new national record and one of the most impressive high school performances of all time. The old record is gone, obliterated by over five seconds as Anthony's anchor split of 1:51.4 is the fastest of the meet and a new PR as well. The time is also a world junior record (the requisites being that all four runners are under 19 years old and from the same country) and the #13 high school performance of all time (including outdoor marks). After the race, the boys pose for a seemingly endless procession of pictures and interviews, their smiles never leaving their faces as the magnitude of their performance sinks in. During it all, I stand in the middle of the track, the meet long since finished, soaking it all up and wishing the moment never had to end. It is without a doubt one of the happiest moments of my life, and I think again how amazing it is that the stars aligned over Albemarle County to produce such a special group of young men, and just how lucky I am to be a part of it all. As we finally leave the track, I am almost sad that the race is over, the magic of the moment slowly fading away to be lost in the memories of those who were so privileged to witness it. I wish it is a feeling that I could relive again and again, the emotional highs of that seven minute and thirty seven second span a feeling that is so hard to find, and one I will never forget. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so I leave the track, already looking forward to the outdoor season and a few more moments like the one I just experienced. 7:32.89, you may be next...

(7:36.99, a new high school record and a world junior record)

Check out a video of the race (courtesy of dyestat). All pictures courtesy of photorun.net.

On The Run (March 2009)

(This "On The Run" column first appeared March 2009 in The Daily Progress)

With only days until The Charlottesville Ten Miler, I thought it might help to share some tips to help smooth out the pavement for those of you participating in the area’s oldest and most prestigious footrace.

First off, know what you’re getting yourself into. The Ten Miler course, while widely considered to be the most beautiful urban footrace course in Virginia, is very challenging. Newcomers to the race quite often ask about the terrain. The answer is simple: Hilly! Sure, this famous course is packed full of hills but stay positive because for every “up” there’s a “down” waiting to reward you on the other side. When you hit the base of an ascent shorten your stride, work your arms, stay focused on the shoulders of the racers directly ahead of you and break the hill into thirds, using each third as a way to draw you to the top. Once on a downhill, open up your stride length and really lean forward. Running the descents properly will actually allow you to pickup valuable time without taxing your engine.

Having a race day game plan is essential and everyone’s strategy should be focused squarely on the first two miles of the event. Easing into the race by taking it out slower than your targeted goal pace is the key to any racer’s success. How you approach these two early and critical miles will ultimately dictate how you feel over the last half of the race. The golden rule for any long distance footrace is to run the first few miles slower than the rest and the best way to prepare for this negative split (each mile faster than the previous) approach is to actually practice it in the shorter runs leading up to race day. For example, if your goal is to run ninety minutes for the race (9 minute pace) your first mile needs to be in the 9:15-9:30 range.

If temperatures are above 55 degrees at the start on race morning, you will need to take it out even more conservatively. Failing to recognize how a hot early spring morning, especially after an exceptionally long and cold winter like what we’ve just been through, can severely handicap you and will always negatively impact your race performance. So, on an unseasonably warm morning, that same sub 90 minute goal racer should think about adjusting their overall goal to 9:30 pace, therefore taking it out in the 10 minute range.

Never, ever try anything new on race day. That goes for clothing, shoes or any pre-race ritual like eating or drinking. This also applies to what you do the day before the race, like what, when and how much you eat and drink. I advise the athletes I coach to repeat the exact same regimen on race day that they have followed and practiced all winter with their weekly long runs. The goal is to fool your body into feeling like race morning is just business as usual, as in no surprise attacks!

TEN MILER TIDBITS: Co-Race Directors Alice and Dan Wiggins report that entries are close to last year’s record 2,500 and there are still spots available for this popular race…2008 champ Charlie Hurt will be on the line to defend his title and one of his challenges will be RMR teammate Bob Thiele, who is the husband of last year’s female champ, Dana Thiele, who will be cheering from the sidelines…Monticello’s Master Gardner Peter Hatch will be running in his 22^nd straight Ten Miler…As is tradition with this not-for profit event, The Charlottesville Track Club will once again donate the race proceeds to a worthy area cause and this year’s recipient is PACEM…The highest point on the course greets the racers as they come off Rugby Road and crest the top of Grady at the 3.3 mile mark…Last year’s median time was close to 95 minutes (9:30/mile pace)…For the first time in race history the participants will not race on the Downtown mall. Because of the brick renovation the racers will instead head up Market Street…WINA/1070 AM will broadcast the race live on the morning of April 4^th from 7:45 until the overall male and female champs come across the finish line…

OUT OF TOWN FEATS: Several area runners fared well at long distance events from afar in the past few weeks…

Bill Potts, Theresa Coppola, Larry Saunders, Joe Rice, Beth Cottone, Gerhard Van de Venter, Jim Neale and Alex and Philip Mahone were among our neighbors who had excellent outings at the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach last week. They were joined by Clark Jackson, Tara Friedman, Lewis Martin, Deb Gilbert, Ky Lindsay, Mike Clark, Pam Acker and Vada Fallica, who were just a few of the area folks who ran well in the half marathon at the same venue. Kara Williams, Tara Friedman, Daniel Allen, Dan Bayliss, Sarah Cramer, Matt Shields, Leah Connor, Eileen Wittwer and Holly, George and Karen Rich all had excellent times at the National Half Marathon in D.C. last weekend and they were joined by Erin Trodden and Jim Cunningham, who took the long route, as they successfully completed the 26.2 mile course at the same event. Twins Becky and Kristen Keller had p.r. efforts at The Disney Princess Half Marathon in Orlando, Kim Morris scored a big personal record at the Snickers Half Marathon in Georgia and Ken Nail ran a personal best at the Myrtle Beach Marathon.