Back and running strong
I started running with the CRC a few years ago and every once in a while on a run you’d hear a story about this guy named Jimmy Green. Then about a year ago he showed up. Out of shape and slow (in Jimmy Green measures) he started running, and walking when he had to. His comeback has been steady and deliberate. Recently on tempo runs he’s been pushing harder and harder. Still deliberate. This weekend at the 15k he clocked an 8 minute pace, won his age group and came in second in the Male Senior division. I think it is safe to say that Jimmy Green is back.
White Rock 50k results
For some people, running a marathon is a life long accomplishment. For others it is an unimagineable distance to run. But for ultra runners, the marathon is simply a training run, something they might do once or twice on a weekend as they prepare for an upcoming event. Marathoners usually look for flat and fast courses. Ultra runners seek out muddy, hilly courses with lots of obstacles like darkness and creeks with running water. The White Rock 50k was an opportunity for some Conway non-ultra runners to get a taste of this experience.
Dustin Speer ran his second 50k at White Rock this weekend and reported this on Facebook: “50K done in 5:16. Ouch… Those hills hurt.” Curt Amenta did 25k (first half) and said it was the toughest run he had ever done. Stan Ferguson “smoked” the course and won the race. If you are interested in knowing more about ultra running, check out the Arkansas Ultra Running website.
Below are the 50k results for Conway runners, CLICK HERE for complete results. 25k results will be posted when they are available.
River Trail 15k results
The 2010 River Trail 15k is history and Conway had a great showing. Karl Lenser runs another awesome performance with a sub 6 minute mile and 3 other runners ran a sub 6:30 min mile. And how about Jimmy Green – he is definitely back. And Frank, you keep getting faster. The conditions were definitely better than last year’s cold rain. This is Grand Prix race number 2 and the Grand Prix team and category results will be posted on the RRCA site soon. Please share your experiences from the race by posting a comment to this post. Way to go Conway.
The following are the results from people from Faulkner County and a few others from outside Faulkner County who are members of the CRC. CLICK HERE for complete race results.
2nd Annual k-life 5k dusk run
The Conway chapter of a national youth organization (K-Life) announced its second annual 5k road race called the 1985k, which will be held on Saturday, February 20th at 6:00 p.m. “This race is an opportunity to don your 1980s era clothing, come out and run, walk, or rollerblade a fun 5k race and support a great charity in the process,” said Anderson Wilkins, area director of Conway K-Life. He continued, “Last year we had almost 100 runners and this year we hope to hit 150.”
Conway K-Life is a community-wide, interdenominational Christian ministry that works alongside churches and families to teach and encourage kids to be strong in their faith, in spite of the multitude of negative pressures they face as teenagers. K-Life networks kids from different churches, and those without a church, to build positive relationships that can stand the negative peer pressure so prevalent in today’s youth culture. “We have seen such a positive impact in the Conway youth community as a result of K-Life,” explained Jim Campbell, Chairman of the K-Life Board of Directors. “Whether you are a serious runner, a parent of a K-Life kid, or just a supporter of K-Life, we hope you will come out and participate in the race in some way.”
The 1985k is a “dusk run,” starting at 6:00 p.m. from the Conway High School West Campus and will follow a certified USA Track and Field race route well known to many area runners. A detailed map of the racecourse is found online at Conway K-Life’s website. This year the 1985k will feature a chip timing race system to ensure the most accurate results are recorded and submitted to USA Track & Field for national recognition. Registration is open now and will continue until race time. Race-day check in will begin at 5:00 pm.
CLICK HERE for more information and to sign up. Oh, yes, and tell your running friends!!!!
February Board Meeting
The Conway Running Club held the February board meeting tonight at the Fitness Center. Tonight was the last meeting led Judy Massingill as president. Effective March 1, Stacy Ohlde will take over as president for the 2010 year. As much as it is important to have rotation in the officer positions in the running club, we will all miss Judy’s dedication and commitment to running and the people who enjoy it. So much has been done under her leadership and she hands it over to Stacy at a very exciting time for running and the Conway Running Club. Fortunately she is committed to continue on, helping the club serve it’s members and increase the membership. Join me in expressing your appreciation for Judy when you see her (run with her) next.
It’s fitting that Christian is in this picture as many consider him the “go to guy” when it comes to doing so many of the things that the club does and is a part of. Thanks to both of you for a great 2009 and 2010 to come.
More exercise better in the long run, study finds
There may be some holes in the “science” of this study, but it’s worth pondering his findings and considering them for yourself. With that in mind, read on.
Paul Williams has only run one marathon in his life, but by his own research, he could probably benefit from running a few more.
A scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Williams has put together the world’s largest study on runners, and the evidence found over 20 years of research points to an important conclusion: When it comes to exercise, more is almost always better.
“When I started my study, everybody sort of knew exercise was beneficial. The government was saying you get benefits by walking three or four times a week. My data has shown the more you do, the greater the benefits,” Williams said. “I’ve had people doing 100 miles a week of running, and you could see benefits up to that level.”
To be sure, Williams is not suggesting that everyone try to run 100 miles a week, or even half of that. But for years, he’s been a critic of national guidelines that recommend people get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, or about 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
That’s a fine goal for the couch potatoes, Williams says, but <read more>
Hillwork / Speedwork – great entry point
It’s a heat wave. Runners back out in shorts. No wind. But watch your step or you may have a butt meets the ice experience.
We had a good group out running this morning and did a new hill route over on the running trail, up the hill and down to Reedy Road and back up and down, back up and down, back up and down. You get the point. Some runners went up and down one side, others went up one side down the other and back. As we passed on the hill, everyone running (some walking) our own pace I realized that hill work and speed work may be the BEST time to join the group for a run. The first impression is that these would be the most intimidating and difficult days but in fact, they are they best. When we head out for a 5, 7, 10, … mile run, you may struggle to keep up and if you can’t you may end up running by yourself, although the group is pretty good about keeping this from happening. However, hill work and speed work days you can adjust the number of intervals to your fitness and enjoy the group. Remember, we alternate speed work and hill work on Tuesday mornings at 5am. Check out our weekly schedule and we’ll see you in the parking lot at the fitness center at 5am.
One Hour Track Run
I knew my finishing time would be one 1:00:00. The question was, how far would I go? How many laps around the track. In the wind. This was the question for 16 CRC runners age 7 to 67 who ran the first Grand Prix race of the year. It is a unique event and a great race to work on your focus and pace. We had first time runners like John Ellis and Don Morgan, Lauren running with her Mom, our Conway husband and wife team in Judy and Frank and the youngest runner on the track – great job Katelyn. Way to go Conway.
Check out some of the photos and some more posted on Facebook (you may be required to be logged in to Facebook). Here are some more posted on the RRCA site.
First you must have a goal
Life’s accomplishments start with a goal (or a dream), are joined by others who share your goal (or dream) and end up as memories that we look back upon and cherish. And when those goals (or dreams) also contribute to keeping us healthy, we get the bonus of living longer with more friends who share our goals (or dreams). Over and over this is the reality of the Conway Running Club.
I wonder, what is the big deal about qualifying for Boston? Is it the journey or the destination? Is it the friends you gather along the way or the feeling you get when you qualify for or finish the Boston Marathon? Or maybe it is what you learn when you try and try and never qualify. Whatever it is, it seems to be the buzz of running communities everywhere and whether you qualify or not, there is a lot of life to be had by hanging with the people who are chasing this goal (or dream).
Most of the group in the picture above are training for the New Orleans half or full marathon. All of them just finished a 23 mile training run. Claudia is laying it on the line to get to Boston, Cindy is putting in the miles to finish her first marathon (no time goal allowed on the first – finishing is the goal!), Don is the voice of experience, Jami is along for the training runs and each other person has a goal (or a dream) they brought with them as they ran together around Conway today.
What’s your goal (or dream)? If it involves running, these and the others in the Conway Running Group are a great group to chase it with.
2010 Phoenix Marathon Results
Running is one of the only sports where us “average” athletes can compete in the same race with elite athletes. While our local runners were running their race, Deanna Kastor set a new half marathon course record in Phoenix running a 1:09:43, running the first mile in a 4:54!. Read about her race and the other course records set in Phoenix this past weekend.
The Conway Running Club will post race results for all races where we know we have someone from our area running. If it is an Arkansas event we will post Conway area results and for out of state races we will post Arkansas results with Conway area results highlighted. If you or anyone you know is running a race, please let us know by emailing results@conwayrunning.org before the race and we will look up the results and post them. We also invite you to post information and pictures about your event on our Facebook page or if you are not on Facebook you can also email them to results webmaster@conwayrunning.org.