GRTC Hall of Fame

One of our own, Richard Withrow, was nominated and approved for the Greater Rochester Track Club Hall of Fame! Dick was the GRTC president during the 1980's, when club membership was at an all time high. He directed local races, served as volunteer coordinator for the Lilac 10k for many years and coached at the high school level.

Dick was (and still is) a formidable racer, especially as a masters runner in his 40's. He ran a marathon in the 2:40 range and consistently won or placed in the top 3 in his age group at every race he entered. Dick competed equally well among runners half his age for many years.

It is an honor to know him, run with him in the Spencerport area, and now, train for triathlons together.

Race With Grace 10k

When I first ran Race with Grace race I had almost a full head of hair, including a beard and mustache. Think of Forrest Gump ("Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows")running across America, but with a little bit more style to his hair. Though the only wind I blow is after a heavy meal and usually clears out a room.

I have had the honor of completing 17 of the 18 times this race has been run. My race times now are what used to be a tempo run (43:22). But, I'm still at it and managed to somehow get third in my age group out of 61 and earning some valuable RROY points. Even better was beating MW and other members of the Breakfast Club!

Mytriathlete wife was 9/43, with a 50:11 (8:05pace). LouImsofastandskinnyK set a 40 second pr, 6/45 in age group. Our daughter Amanda came up from Kissimmee, wore 7 layers of clothes to stay warm and also finished the race.

Of course the afternoon was filled with food, wine and later, a walk to make room for desserts. Yes, desserts. Why have just one?

Once a Runner

Finally completed my newly acquired copy of John L. Parker's book, "Once a Runner", available in hardcover at your local Fleet Feet store. A great novel about running, one that I will definitely keep to read again.
Here is one quote from the novel, Cassidy, the main character, is talking about his disgust for xc (or is this MW?), "over hill and dale out in the middle of nowhere. Spit freezing on your goddamn chin. Five hundred complete wild men in the mud, running up on your heels with long spikes. Oh, I love cross-country all right. I also like being flayed alive with a rusty straight razor."

Why Swim on a Friday Night?

Top ten reasons to swim tonight.

10. It’s cold outside, the water will feel warm
9. I’m going to get to the locker room first and get a big locker!
8. I need to train to swim far and fast for 15 minutes to beat Jan, Mike and Lou at the Tri at the Y in December.
7. My rubber ducky is anxious to go for a swim in a big pool instead of the tub.
6. Two workouts in one day, yeah!
5. I like wearing a buoy between my legs.
4. The goggles make me look cool.
3. I get to show off my James Bond look-alike body.
2. My swim trunks are the best, who else has pockets with Kleenex?
1. Mr. and Mrs. W (Spencerport buddies) will be there.

Upstate NY Cross-Country

Great results from the Fleet Feet team's first real venture into xc. We had a full men's veteran age group team at each of the five races in the Upstate NY series. We finished in third place overall, narrowly defeating Syracuse. The final race of 5 miles was run at FingerLakes Community College on a windy (up to 30mph), cold(37) day on a wet course.

The highlight was Lou K. completing the race with his reading glasses loosely hanging from his race shirt. Think how fast Lou would have run if he hadn't been so engrossed in his copy of "Once a Runner" by John L. Parker?

Special efforts during the race were made by Mike ivehadacoldallweekW, Frank Greatmyfamilygavemetheflu and Joe SprinttillyoudropK.

Mytriathletewife ran all 5 races and secured a ninth overall spot in the women's masters division, earning a tech top shirt. Dennis M, our lead dog at every race, finished fifth in the vet division, also earning a shirt.

Best of all, the team owners drove to the race to cheer us on and cook breakfast for all of us when we were finished!

Running with Fleet Feet Team

Here is my (submitted by MW) top 10 list as to why I enjoy being on the FF team.

1. Run and then wine tasting.
2. Eco friendly. We can get to a race using the less vehicles than GVH.
3. Mike McWinoneforthegipper is incredibly organized and keeps us in line.
4. I enjoy being the fastest of the non counting times.
5. Post race restaurants at exotic locations.
6. Ethnic diversity. Lou is from Queens!
7. Get to run a race that has a Mt. Everest on the course.
8. Sponsored by FF which is advertised in Runner's World, which is my favorite book.
9. Telling friends I run for the FF team. Heavily recruited. Know the owners personally.
10. The only team where one of my teammates lets me kiss her on the lips. Yeah baby!

Why I love Cross-Country Races

10. Running through the woods like a deer.
9. Shopping for and buying spikes at my favorite running store (Fleet Feet).
8. The courses are so different than running on the roads. Grass, trees, roots, dips, gravel, paths, wood chips, leaves, damn I tripped again.
7. How many times do you get to run (walk?) up a hill during a race that's so steep it's called Mt. Everest?
6. Being part of a team again, our shirts are the coolest.
5. Seldom does a plain bagel taste so good than after 6k in the mud.
4. Mytriathletewife races too and I can beat her!
3. Mikey WhydidmywifemakemedothisIonlylikeroadsPress (seen in photo) is a great sixth man.
2. We travel to neat places like Vernon, Ithaca, Canandaigua, Mendon and Syracuse.
1. Feeling like your lungs are going to burst open, gasping for air while knowing you still have another mile left.

Train Like a Maniac

10. Add in another speed day, say a quiet Sunday morning while everyone else is resting or sleeping late.
9. Run hills, again and again and again.
8. Meet the Spencerport breakfast club at 5:30am for a tempo workout (my willpower is seldom strong enough for this).
7. Workout twice a day, or more (notice I didn't say run twice, which is also okay sometimes).
6. Bike home from work, then run.
5. Take a rest day, you can't beat your body and soul up continuously. Eat an extra cookie, have a scotch.
4. Lose weight.
3. Lift weights-including abdominal work!
2. Concentrate on mental toughness while running, "pain is inevitable, suffering is temporary" (original author unknown). How much are you willing to suffer and for how long? Is it raining, snowing, windy? Who cares?
1. Winning is relative. Did you set a pr for your age, for the year, on that course, in that distance, make it through a race giving 100% of the best effort you could for that given day? Then you are a maniac. Congratulations!

Can't say I do all of this, but I try, especially leading up to races that for ridiculous personal reasons are important to me.

Fleet Feet XC Team Photo

Al, Frank, Dennis, Tri-wife, Lowly, Pete, Jim, Mike & Trophy Wife, Lou, Chet. At Ithaca College xc meet, November 1.

Stickman Cartoon

Elite runners versus the rest of us?


From the website, Run the Planet.