Ed Avol & Various Club Members

The Village Runner Fourth of July 5K saw overcast skies, moderate temperatures, fast times, and lots of runners this year…and Club Ed Runners were in the hunt, by the dozens.

The annual event was preceded by presentation of a well-deserved Running Mentor/Coaching Award to El Camino’s Dean Lofgren, whom many of us have run for, trained with, or chased in races over the years. Additionally, the inaugural Pathfinder Award was presented to Kayla Montgomery, a woman who has literally fought with her body (challenged by multiple sclerosis since her early teens) to continue to race at a high and competitive level – after hearing Kayla’s story, it’s hard to justify many of our own trivial excuses for not running.

When the race gun fired, thousands charged the Redondo course. Almost 2100 runners crossed the finish line, with many of our Club Ed racers placing or winning age group divisional designations.

Highlights included:

·         Stewart Harwell showed us that all that sprinting around the track pays off, by finishing 3^rd overall in 15:04;

·         Cheyne Inman served notice that he is on the comeback, running 16:17, good for 11^th overall;

·         Aaron Munger demonstrated that chasing his young sons is helping his turnover, stepping out in 16:44 and finishing 18^th overall;

·         Mark Shalvarjian gave all 5K runners a one-minute head-start by hanging out in the restroom when the race began, but he then proceeded to run most of us down from behind, zig-zagging his way through the pack to finish in 19:07;

·         Coach Ed thought he had “beaten” upcoming racer Evelyn Bahurinsky by passing her late in the race, not knowing that Evelyn was doggedly tracking him to the finish…and based on chip timing, Evelyn actually beat the Coach by 2 seconds;

·         Mitch Middler PR-ed by 50 seconds, moved to an older age group…and finished four places farther back in the new age group (proving once again older does not necessarily mean slower); Sue Reinhardt celebrated moving into her new age group (W70-74) by demolishing her competition and winning by five minutes;

·         Not to be outdone, the amazing Sharon Lotesto demonstrated that the new hip and mended meniscus are working just fine, winning her division by SIX minutes;

·         Speaking of new hips, phenomenal triathlete Bill Macleod paced the run in 20:57 – just FOUR MONTHS after his hip replacement (… judging from the racing of Sharon and Bill, maybe we all should consider hip replacements?);

·         Steve Notaro used a good luck kiss from wife Cindy to motivate himself to beat Marty Friedman in the M65-69 division (maybe we should all consider a kiss to motivate our racing?);

·         Tamar Gamliel finished in 21:05, 40 seconds faster than her St. Patrick’s Day 5K and just seven months post-baby #2;

·         Dave Boland, supported by the wild cheering of his four kids and wife, blazed in at 18:33, then returned the wild cheering as his kids ran in the assorted kiddie races that followed the 5K…

·         Patty Humphrey thought she ran a new PR 5k yet to find that based on chip timing, she was off by 40 seconds…

·         Lots more stories, lots of achievements, lots of praise for you all!

 For the record, the overall race was won by LA-based runner Juan Paredes in 14:50 (yes, 14:50!) on the Men’s side. On the Women’s side, Mexican National Team distance racer Ana Narvaez (17:13) brought home the Gold. (Club Note – Club Ed runners finished 3^rd overall in both Men & Women’s Divisions -- Stewart Harwell [15:04], and Ali Kielty [17:56]). Complete race results can be found at https://my.racewire.com/results/32561/36717 .

I’ve been asked to provide some suggested races for those of you who can’t make it to the track at the beginning of the workout to hear my “carefully prepared” speeches … and/or for those who are just looking for some racing guidance considerations.

My list below is not complete, nor is it exhaustively researched (okay, in the sense that I have run these races, they have been “exhaustively” researched)! The list is just a grab bag of several interesting runs to consider. I invite each of you to send in your recommendations for the coming months, and we can build up a list of races worth running.

Looking forward from July 1, here are six races for posting on the Club Ed racing list:

(1)  Village Runner 5K, July 4 – there are lots of 4^th of July Runs, and there are several good ones to consider. The local favorite, hands down (or knees up!) is the Village Runner 5K. Along the Esplanade in Redondo, you can be sure to chase some of your fiercest competitors, see a lot of friends, curse at a street that you could have sworn was generally flat, and start off the Fourth with a memorable effort. https://www.villagerunner.com/4th-of-july-5k/

(2)  Coach’s Handicap, July 23 – Literally for decades (back to the 80’s), we have been putting on our own club race, for club members. Some call it an excuse to have a potluck breakfast, others call it the most painful course ever… However you describe it, come out a be a part of it! Submit an HONEST guess of your current 10K race time to the Coach in the weeks prior to the race, and we (Mark Silva and I) will handicap your race start and send you on your way (at the appropriate time) over a up-and-down course in Palos Verdes. Club Ed slower runners get head starts, the race usually “begins” over a 45-minute period, and if all goes well, everybody finishes within a few minutes of each other. After, we share a picnic breakfast, award some fun prizes based on the day’s most memorable performances, and work on innovative excuses for next time. Don’t miss this – it’s lots of fun!

(3)  Dick Fitzgerald 2-Mile Sand Run, Surf Festival Weekend, August 6 – Two miles in the soft sand from the Hermosa Pier out to Longfellow and back – what could be better? Come out and run, or come out and volunteer to staff the event. This is a Saturday morning event and helps to kicks off the Surf Festival weekend. Perhaps most importantly, it helps to raise some much-needed $$ for the Mira Costa High School Distance Running Program. Come on, it’s “only” two miles…https://www.surffestival.org/#!run/c136a

(4)  The Hills Are Alive 5K & 10K, Aug 13 – This is an old-fashioned, dirt trail, cross-country race, along a portion of the Telephone Pole Trail. Starting at Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates, it runs along the horse trails, then cuts down the street and around (and around) the Botanic Garden, then back along the trails to the Park. It’s dusty, hilly, and hard (usually only a small handful of racers break 40 minutes in the 10K, for example) … and you can’t miss this one. https://www.raceplace.com/events/2266/35th-annual-the-hills-are-alive-10k-5k-run-walk-event

(5)  Conquer the Bridge, Labor Day Sept 5 -  If you ever wanted to run over the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, or walk over the Bridge, or look out over the bridge, this is the one time each year foot traffic is allowed on the 1500-foot span over the Harbor. IT’s an odd distance (5.3 miles, and running over the bridge will give you a new appreciation for driving over it, but consider doing this one, too. https://conquerthebridge.com/

(6)  Manhattan Beach Old Hometown Fair 10K, October 1 – This is a historical favorite at which grudges are settled or started, bragging rights confirmed or established, and racing careers magnified or dissipated. A Manhattan Beach hallmark for almost 40 years, run through the streets, wave to your friends, try to hang on for the Rosecrans Hill, chase ‘em all down the Strand, … and then head over to the Fair. https://www.mb10k.com/

 So that will get you to October…surely there must be one or two races in there that have caught your eye? Hope to chase, race, or pace you at one (or more) of them!

(Ed Avol, Cub Reporter)

11Jun2016 – On a surprisingly damp morning in June, the 17^th Annual Northgate Mall Anaheim 5K was held. Damp and overcast enough for thick mist (if not almost-drizzle), about 870 finishers did some slippin’ and slidin’ around a flat, fast, and competitive course in downtown Anaheim. Runners from the various Orange County clubs, especially Cal Coast, Snail’s Pace, Runners’ High, and Southern California Roadrunners, were out in force for this USATF Grand Prix club race…and Club Ed racers joined in the fun.

We all lined up on a misty morning, waved and shouted at the Go-Pro drone drifting over the race crowd, were impressed by the singer’s rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, and were started by some of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Strike Force “cheerleader-like interactive squad” (sort of the Major League Baseball version of Laker Girls).

The race course is basically a big square, with long asphalt straightaways and a protected lane for running. A 1¼ mile straightaway down Anaheim Boulevard starts the run, which then turns right along Ball Road for several hundred yards, goes the mile back up Harbor Boulevard, then finishes with a (hopefully quick) quarter-mile push back along Broadway, followed by a few hundred yards of some quick lefts back to the finish line. 

Roosevelt Cook of Cal Coast Track Club was the overall male winner in 14:56, and Leilani Rios won the women’s race with an impressive 17:11. Both of these talented runners are 36yrs old, so “thirty-somethings” seem to have made a statement on Race Day. Not being thirty-something for almost thirty-something years, I was NOT in that part of the race… but our formerly-thirty-something star Aaron Munger WAS there, finishing 12^th overall in 16:15, to lead the club runners in. Aaron was just getting over a bad cold the week of the race, ran the first two race-miles in just over 10 minutes, then had a bit-of-a-cold-relapse but hung on for a 5:25 last mile. Iron-man Rich Gust showed he is getting back into race shape, clocking in at 18:10. Brad Angle ran a smart, strategic, and quick 20:10, passing the coach (me) about half-way through the race and holding me off at the end – nice to see that Brad remembered we are “strangers to each other” late in the race, but sorry to see I was on the receiving/receding end!

Other Club Ed runners - and there were impressively several of them - finished as follows: Karina Bird (139^th OA, 22:13); Jim Newman (160^th OA, 22:51); Sharon Lotesto (189^th OA, 24:02); Julie McKinney (233^rd OA, 25:20); Patty Humphrey (465^th OA, 33:11).

For some, these finishing times were recent PRs. For others, it was an indication that training is either helping or indicated. Thanks to all who helped us to be a presence at the race and earn us a place on the club road-racing results board…I don’t know what that place is yet, since it takes several days to work out the standings, verify the results, change the names to protect the innocent, and so on…but we will soon find out how we are doing!

Next inter-club race: The Halo Mile, Sunday June 19, at Angels Stadium…stay tuned!

Racing Report:
Marty Friedman, Ace Reporter

While the hardy runners were challenging the heat and distance in the LA Marathon, the speedsters (wimps?) were content to attack a 5K in Redondo Beach. And we were happy to have a cloud cover that reduced the expected heat, although the air was quite dry. The course was flatter than the 4^th of July course (thank goodness) and a few malcontents, but not many, even grumbled that it was short (Editor’s Note: some were glad that it might have been!).

Perhaps the most astounding result of the day was Debbie “Rampaging” Richardson finishing as the 2^nd Overall Female, in a blistering 19:50. The only woman in front of her (Sloan Boettcher) was a former neighbor and friend of Debbie’s sons…and is half Debbie’s age! Karina “Ballistic” Bird continued her excellent speed demonstration with a 5^th Overall in the women’s ranks. Her time was 21:20. On the men’s side, local talent David Cardona easily cruised the course to win in 15:35. Bill “Whirlwind” Weber and Jon “Mach Speed 2” Megeff were 4^th and 5^th overall, in 16:51 and 17:03 respectively. Not far behind was Humberto “Superman” Sanchez, debuting in his first race as a Master, in 17:39.

In addition to “Rampaging”, we had 3 more women AG winners. Cheryl  “Rolling” Rose took the 55’s, Sheila “Driven” Daniels aced the 60’s and naturally Sue “Rebounding” Reinhardt conquered the 65’s. Marian “Dynamo” Drahnak was 4^th in her AG and Corrine “Stealthy Sandbag” Schratz was 2^nd in her AG; I refuse to identify that division.

Our other notable women finishers included Amy “Bounding” Boland, Risa “Karma” Kahn and LaToya “Sublime” Stallworth. Paige Sullivan, Kevin’s talented daughter, zipped through the course, pacing Coach Ed for a bit midway before turning up her headset to listen to some tunes. Marina Garcia “Sneaky” Sanchez showed her post-baby strength with a 37:29, pushing the stroller with racing wannabe Miles Sanchez, as he checked out what this racing stuff is all about. And Gretchen “Nerveless” Newman ran while “Mischievous” Martin enjoyed the course from his stroller, though through much of the race he was busy playing electronic games – kids!

In addition to “Superman” and “Mach Speed 2”, there were 3 more men’s AG winners. Ed “Air Mail” Avol continues his comeback in the 60’s. Marty “Flying” Friedman took the 65’s (but felt his time benefited from a short course). And Pat “Wingman” Wickens ran strong in the 70’s.

We had a bunch of AG 2^nds. Jason ”Shooting” Shamaly ran a strong PR time of 19:21 in the 40’s. He didn’t want to hear anything about a short course, but would have PR’d regardless. James “Ramjet” Reinhardt blazed to a 19:14 in the 45’s. Jim “Nuclear” Newman was 2^nd in the 55’s. Leo “Butane” Burzynski was 3^rd in the same division. Pat “Stealth” Saraceno continued his strong running finishing behind “Air Mail” in the 60’s and Jack “Mad Jack” McDowell finished behind “Flying” in the 65’s. And if Kevin “Swift” Sullivan expects recognition for his 19:29, 3^rd in the tough 50’s, he will have to print neater race entry forms; The results displayed Keu NSullivan, but please don’t blame Race Wire for that.

You can check out the times of you and your competitors at Racewire.com, or go to Village Runner for a link (under Southern California) to the results.

By Marty Friedman, Ace Reporter

About 40 Club Ed runners descended on Redondo Beach to race and faced the wrong way. The famous Super Bowl races usually start out going North, but the construction which has tormented the Monday Night Madness crowd caused the Race Director to reverse the entire course.

In the 5K, our fastest runner, and owning the shortest name, Ted “Tsunami” Tso blazed in at 17:03 and 5^th overall. Ultra runner Will “Windstorm” Weston ran this sprint event and combined with son Chance for our fastest (and only) father/son team. Chance jogged this as a training run. Poor Corrine Sandbag” Schratz, who got tagged after winning the Coach’s Handicap 10K, showed us all up by running both the 5K and 10K. She was 2^nd and 4^th respectively in her age group. Jim “Nuclear” Newman, who claimed his wife dropped a brick on his toe which slowed him down (4^th AG), was seen wandering around the beer garden without any limp. Mark “Keeping Up”Kerper showed he could lead, with a 2^nd AG finish. And Marian “Dynamo” Drahnak was 4^th in her AG. Michael Moore, not our marathon master, was 3^rd AG in 21:26.

Club Ed had 3 entries in the Baby Buggy 10K and snared 2^nd, 3^rd and 6^th. Yes, there were more than 6 entries; 163 finishers to be exact. Mike “Comet” Cortez (and daughter Natalie) was 2^nd, Mike “Javelin” Jones (Tamar’s husband and daughter Marisa) were 3^rd and Sean “Rehabilitator” Ryan (and son Blake) nailed the 6^th overall place.

Most members ran the 10K. Aaron “Meteor” Munger flew through the course in 35:02 and was 3^rd overall. Bill “Whirlwind” Weber was close behind, running 35:09, for 5^th overall and winning 1^st in his age group. Our fastest woman was Tamar “Gliding” Gamliel, 1^st AG, in 41:28. I don’t think she caught up to Matt, who had a 10 minute head start. Our strongest AG showing was in the Women’s 50-54, where we took 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd. Great running from Debbie “Rampaging” Richardson, Renee “Scurrying” Williams- Smith and Diane “Sleek” Silva.

Nicola “Leaping” Lowrey claimed that BFF Michelle got lost en route, delivered her bib late, causing her to start in the back of the horde of runners. Michelle “Wanderlust” Wun won the award for marriage enlightenment, by running the race with her husband Dakin and breaking over the 1 hour mark by 13 seconds. Karina “Ballistic” Bird had the misfortune of being in the same age group as Tania Fisher and Kirsten Leach, and ended up with 4^th. Other female finishers included Julia “Frenzy” Fretschl (1^st AG), Dana “Intrepid” Icaza, and the day’s endurance master “Sandbag” Schratz.

Our fastest husband and wife team was Katie “Magnificent” McKellar (4^th, 41:39) and Rick “Masterful” McKellar (3^rd, 37:07). The oldest finisher was Matt “Tripping” Tarnay, who at 72 just missed breaking 1 hour.

Humberto “Superman” Sanchez topped the 35-39 AG in 37:31. And we grabbed 2^nd. 3^rd, 5^th and 10^th in Men’s 50-54. Respectively, Jon “Mach Speed 2” Megeff (37:12), Jake “Cyclone” Courtney (37:25), Kevin “Swift” Sullivan and Mark “Streaking” Silva. Brad “Airborne” Angle was in that speedy age group too.  We should note that Megeff “decided” to run the day before, even though he is supposed to be coming back on a careful recovery…!

We owned the 55’s as well. Rich “Gusting” Gust was 1^st (37:51) and Chuck “Kamikazi Kaminski was 2^nd. “Gusting” won the media prize also. His Facebook picture holding 2 beer cans in one hand went viral.

Ed “Air Mail” Avol said he ran a good 5K. Unfortunately the race he was running is was the 10K. He was pushed off his righteous 1^st place throne by Dale Campbell of USTAF Masters’ fame, who ran hard the entire distance and finished about 5 minutes ahead of our Coach. Pat “Stealth” Saraceno took 3^rd AG in that tough division. Marty “Flying” Friedman said the reverse course would not suit him. And he was right. One engine failed in Mile 5 and another in Mile 6. He was 2^nd AG, behind another Grand Prix Master’s speedster from OC. Steve “Notorious” Notaro was 3^rd AG and said to watch out this year as he was concentrating on running, not triathlons. Jack McDowell was 5^th  behind “Flying” and “Notorious”. Other finishers included Nick Trutanich (40:32), Derk Saltzmann, and Warren Galloway.

Spectators, seemingly from the Beer Garden, included Sharon Lotesto and Wade, Jeff Atkinson, Gretchen and Martin Newman, and “Gusting” Gust’s prettier half, Vicky. Have you all played “Where’s Waldo”? There was a picture of the Start in the Beach Reporter. I saw Avol, Friedman, Gust, Weber, Kaminsky, D. Silva. Who can you find?

And if you got to vote, would you prefer the old course, or this year’s direction?

PS – in a LATEBREAKING NEWS piece, that Club Ed Running is in 1^st place after the first race of the 2015 USATF Grand Prix Road Racing Series (the Redondo Superbowl10K) , holding off Cal Coast and The Janes…

Club Ed Racers (Successfully) Return to Anaheim, By Ed Avol 

On Saturday, June 14, under an overcast but humid morning, our South Bay group made a brief visit to the 15th Annual Northgate Anaheim 5K, to test themselves on the streets near the Magic Kingdom. Last year, several in the group had raced in Anaheim and pronounced this as “a fast course” and “one not to miss.”…so we came, we saw, we conquered (sort of).

The course is a flat and fast run around downtown Anaheim, with long straightaways (the first one is over a mile long), lots of competition, and a nice post-race booth area for snacks and drink. Several clubs (Cal Coast, Snail’s Pace, Southern California Road Racing, Jamul’s Toads) as well as schools were represented…and so was Club Ed Running.

The race was won by Sydney Gidabuday in 14:43, so there was definitely some speed present on race day. Our team was led by Aaron Munger who captured first Club Ed honors for the day and a new PR (16:03), just holding off a quickly closing Humberto Sanchez (16:06). Fast-improving Bill Weber (16:54) showed more of his impressive potential, winning his age group and setting a new PR. Down the final straightaway, Kate Myers (17:12) and Jon Megeff (17:13) fought it out, with Kate getting the lean at the tape. Billy Crader (17:32) finished just seconds ahead of a quickly improving Rich Gust (17:35). Nathalie Higley (17:51) won her age group, even though she felt like she is still a recovery-in-progress. Carrying the club gear and closing the gap, Coach Ed showed he, too, is slowly improving, finishing in 19:26, which was good enough to cover the geezer category. 

We all thought the race was well-done and would return to run again…hope to see more of you in Anaheim next June!

Registration Now Open For The Village Runner 4th of July 5k Presented by UCLA Health Systems

Entries are open for the 21st edition of the Village Runner 4th of July 5K presented by UCLA Health Systems. The event highlights the 5K Run/Walk. The race begins on Independence Day at 8 a.m. in Riviera Village, Redondo Beach, California. Prior to the start of the race there will be the Red, White, and Blue Costume Contest with cash prizes awarded for the best, and most unique, running costumes. Following the 5K, there will be the Firecracker Dash races for kids 12 and under. These races begin at 9:30 a.m.

To register for the race, visit VillageRunner.com and click on the event and registration links. Registration can also be done at the Village Runner store in South Bay. Registration fees are $30 for children and $35 for adults. Runners can either register online, in-store, or come in person to register on-location right before the race starts.

Land Rover South Bay, the exclusive vehicle sponsor of the race, will provide the pace car for the race. Rock & Brews, the renowned restaurant chain co-founded by KISS rock and roll stars Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, will host the post-race party at its location within walking distance of the finish line. The Sound 100.3fm is the presenting media sponsor. Clif Bar will be the official energy bar for the race. TheRemedyPharm is a continuing race supporter.

Media Contact: Don Franken (office) (310) 342-0260/(cell) (310) 962-3297

Small Club Showing, But Big Results at Magic Shoe 5K 

(Ed Avol - Running Reporter)

Days of heat, fire, and smoke failed to deter our racers from travelling down to Corona Del Mar for the Magic Shoe 5K. This is a great road race well-organized by the Cal Coast Running Club, with collected used running shoes going to those less fortunate. Through this race, Cal Coast has provided over 60,000 pairs of running shoes to assorted running programs, homeless shelters, churches, and those needing a little help…so it’s a worthwhile cause AND a great 5K!

Still, Club Ed members were a little hesitant to go race, given that 15 of our racers were still recovering from the Boston Marathon, and the prior week had been filled with unseasonable heat from a weather event and unexpected smoke from nearby San Diego fires. Fortunately, the weather cooled a little, the winds relented, and the race ended up being just a bit warm but not too smoky. 

Race-wise, the first three 5K finishers crossed the Finish Line within 2 seconds of each other. Juan Paredes officially got the win in 14:34, with Roosevelt Cook (14:35) and Brandon Bethke (14:36) chasing him through the finish.  On the women’s side, newcomer Dann Mineo from Redondo Beach, just about to begin her medical residency at Harbor General, surprised the field to win in 17:08 (but rich and Ed had noticed her in the race warmup and predicted she would be fast). Club Ed newcomer Kate Myers showed just one of the many reasons we’re excited to have her in the group, nabbing second overall in 17:35.  Rachel Baker of Redondo Beach (and the Janes Racing Team) finished third in 17:42.

In the club racing category, several local racing groups were present, including literally hundreds of Cal Coast runners (the race hosts and organizers), seemingly hundreds of Equalizers (Coach Jerry’s incredibly talented kids from Placentia), and assorted Southern Cal Road Runners, Janes, Club Ed, Snail’s Pace, Jamul Toads, etc.

Aaron Munger and Humberto Sanchez led the way for Club Ed, pulling each other along until Aaron got the win in 16:14 (with Humberto close behind in 16:23). Both were recent PRs for these two rapidly-improving athletes. Bill Weber showed the strength of youth, running 17:28 just weeks after his 3:01 at Boston. Kate Myers was next, cruising along in the race with headphones, until she realized the race was about over, running 17:35 and serving notice that she will be rapidly moving to the front. Rich Gust finished in an impressive 17:45, demonstrating he is most definitely on the comeback trail while notching a friendly win over perennial co-competitor Tania Fischer of the Janes. Nathalie Higley made a gutsy showing for the club, despite being unable to breathe due to respiratory allergies (so who needs to breathe to run?). Though disappointed in her 18:10 showing, her presence helped the team and made a statement about her commitment to the group…and though not up to “Nathalie” standards, she was still fast enough to win her age group.

James Reinhardt made an unexpected showing, running 18:51 while in town to visit high school friends. Former club member Paul King (19:01) also ran the race, and asked Coach Ed-- halfway through the race-- how Cal Coast had managed to convinced us all to come down and run. Coach Ed was unable to answer, due to an increasingly pressing need for oxygen from about the one-mile mark to the finish line. Nevertheless, Coach Ed did show he is also on the comeback, finishing in 19:44 and winning his division (first-left-handed-old-bald-guy-with-a-bum-knee-and-a-long-list-of-excuses).

Sharon Lotesto was there to race, fighting through the back injury she suffered earlier in the week. In typical Sharon-esque fashion, she ran tough and finished in 23:20, good for 2^nd in her age group. Rounding out our travelling team, Irene Mapua ran a respectable 25:19, just a prelude to future faster times as she gets back into racing form.

We had fun, generally ran fast, and re-confirmed that age, size, gender, and excuses don’t well-predict finish times… we look forward to the next starting line, and hope to see you there!

It was a dark and stormy night. Ooops. It was a cool overcast morning, unlike the prediction for a hot day, and perhaps perfect running weather. But it played havoc with the clothes selection. Club Ed had runners bare chested, in tank tops, t-shirts and even a sexy pair of white arm-warmers. Jet to Jetty took on their normal 5K/10K as well as two Grand Prix miles, and we had participants in all events (well, excluding the kiddie race and race walk).

In the 5K, Rick “Rocket” Weis finished 2nd overall in a blazing time of 16:24. He was standing tall with that result. Mike “Comet” Cortez was 5th overall, in 17:55. Matt “Kinetic” Knight was 1st in his age group with a 19:40. Jim “Nuclear” Newman was disappointed with his 21:14 (“slowest time at that race”), but probably more disappointed by the strong age group field. Corrine “Sandbag” Schratz could have improved her 35:33, but kept stopping and asking for her Club Ed Handicap. “It worked once”, she stated. And finally, Martin “Mischievous” Newman pulled his mom Gretchen to the finish, chewing on his new remote the whole way.

In the 10K, Rick Weis decided he needed the extra miles, so he ran that race too, and finished 2nd in 35:30. Will “Leopard” Longyear and Mark “Streaking” Silva started out together, but “Leopard” pulled away with a 39:09 to “Streaking’s” 39:48. Silva blamed the difference on age. But he got the last laugh with a 1st place finish in the 50’s versus Longyear’s 2nd in the 45’s (two more months to 50!). Dave “Galloping” Grethen bolted away from Marty “Flying” Friedman in the first mile, was nearly reeled in during the 5th mile, but eased away for a six-second “victory” with 43:36 versus 43:42. But “Flying” maintained his mastery of the Medicare Division with a 1st place standing. Jeff “Comeback” Fulton finished with a 46:31. And Marina “Sneaky” Sanchez finished in 1:04:44, two minutes faster than her first 10K, but her result was missing from the official finish (maybe she was just a blur at the finish line?).

In the Masters Mile, Mike “Comet” Cortez (recovered from the 5K) and Rich “Gusting” Gust were given the same time of 5:17, but I guess “Comet’s” toenails crossed the line first. They both held off the 1st female finisher, Tania Fischer. Chivalry guys???????? Kevin “Stealth” Farrington showed he is back, tearing through the pack to finish in about 5:34, just steps ahead of Chuck “Kamikazi” Kaminski, who continued his age graded stellar performances with an impressive 5:38. Ed “Air Mail” Avol claimed he has only been jogging at 8-minute mile pace (and only 4 or 5 miles a day), but somehow reeled off a 6:07. And Sharon “Smoking” Lotesto (of sexy white arm warmer fame) had a fast 6:46.

In the Open Mile, Humberto “Superman” Sanchez had a blistering 4:52, and was followed by Aaron “Meteor” Munger in the same time. “Meteor”claimed he could have beaten “Superman”, if he could get a decent night’s sleep (new baby in the house).

Congrats to all Club members who braved the multi-event, multi-parking, three-ring circus to race. Although we missed several of our usual performers, we had a great showing!

Marty Friedman

MAYDAY! MAYDAY! Club Ed Racers at Magic Shoe 5K…

The May USATF Club Road-Racing Series moved to Orange County for a fast 5K around Corona Del Mar HS, on Saturday May18…and Club Ed racers were there!

We came with almost 20 runners, ready to test the fast and well-organized race, which was overseen by Coach Bill Sumner of Cal Coast Running Club (thanks, Bill, for a great job!).

When the smoke cleared, the crying stopped, the butter got hard, the jello stopped jiggling (or was that my stomach?), we had another impressive showing…though we were somewhat overwhelmed by the numbers of Cal Coast runners (100?200?) and the speed in the race.

The overall race was won by 24yr old Jordan Chipangama (Flagstaff AZ) in 14:24, while on the women’s side, Belainshe Gebre (26yrs old) tore through the course in 15:55. Our racers’ times are shown below. We had some impressive racing debuts with the team (nice to have Jeff, Kevin, Chuck, Mike, Tami, Diane, and Mark out), some welcome returns (Nathalie & Alison are back leading the way), a few PRs (Aaron and Sabina, nice work!), some encouraging returns to racing (Jake, Sharon, Karina), our go-to guys (Humberto, Jon, Rich, Mark)and some wake-up calls for steady improvement (well, all of us could improve, can’t we?).

Congratulations on a race well-run!

As 2012 draws to a close, Club Ed runners got together to celebrate another year of running, a season of holidays, and friendships developed on the track, in the hills, and on the roads. Steve and Cindy Notaro graciously opened their home to the club, and although it was occasionally drizzling/raining outside, the atmosphere inside was warm, welcoming, and festive. In addition to plenty of tacos and drinks, desserts were plentiful. Cakes, pies, cookies, and brownies of all recipes and calories were happily consumed.

Coach Ed also delivered several awards to commemorate the 2012 training year. The following runners, from among the many accomplished athletes in the group, were acknowledged:

Paul Cooney, for his dramatic improvement and multiple PRs in most every distance raced this year;

Chris DeWitt, for leading the charge to develop a track-oriented racing contingent and for leading the way at the El Toro USATF One Mile Run for the club;

Marian Drahnak, for PRs in 10Ks and half-marathons, and for showing us that racers come in different sizes, ages, and times of our lives;

Dave Grethen, for reminding us of the virtues of developing a training plan and sticking to it, and for returning to the Hometown10K and finishing on his own terms;

Nathalie Higley, for her return to racing and her domination in the MB10K; older can also mean faster!

Will Longyear, for showing us that even if you pick rainy marathons, you can still PR with determination;

Nicola Lowrey, for a year of ups and downs, triumphs and injuries, and for sticking to it…to better times ahead!

Bill Macleoud, for continuing to impress us all as a Masters athlete, as a tremendous competitor, and as an amazing tri-athlete;

Andy MacKay, for defining gritty determination in a continuing comeback from a terrible accident;

Jon Megeff, for continuing to remind us, by example, that Master athletes can be competitive, fast, and successful in their chosen sport for years and years;

Ian Mickelson, for living the competitive dream as a professional triathlete, that few will get a chance (or have the talent) to do;

Aaron Munger, for a year of racing accomplishments on the track and roads, including a lifetime one-mile PR at age 36!

Sue Reinhardt, for being a true running legend, and staying “Goofy” (racing in both the half and full marathons on consecutive days in the same weekend at the Disney Marathon);

Trish Riley, for transitioning from a treadmill runner to teammate, training partner, and road racer;

Tami Shalvarjian, for a year of ever-improving running, training, and racing, capped off with a marathon PR, despite the rain and wind!

Kevin Sullivan, for an inspirational comeback, from heart surgery in summer to the Ironman in Kona!

Marty Friedman, who continues to be, in many respects, a “conscience” for the club, challenging me to think about the entirety of the membership, the engagement and improvement of all levels of training and running.

To all of you amazing runners, congratulations on an impressive 2012 (albeit not without some injuries and might-have-beens)…on to 2013!

Club Ed Runners Race and Kick Off the Fourth

On a cool, humid, and overcast morning, dozens of Club Ed runners, and 1000s of So Cal runners, joggers, and walkers, turned out to participate in the 19th Annual Village Runner Fourth of July 5K in Redondo Beach. It was another successful and well-organized run, with over 2400 finishers of all ages, speeds, and sizes in the 5K, and hundreds more in the kids’ races.

Favorable racing conditions brought fast times in the front of the race (although they must have been all used up by the time they got back to me…). Aaron Sharp, 32yrs old, of Port Hueneme set a torrid pace and won in 14:45, with Jacques Sallberg, 37yrs, of Pasadena tracking him in 15:01, and local sensation David Cardona of Torrance, 20 yrs, garnering third in 15:18.

The women’s section was also a competitive one, with willowy Tanya Zeferjahn, 28yrs, of San Clemente winning in 16:49, followed by a spritely Juliane Masciana, 27yrs, of Austin TX in 17:15, and our own amazing Nathalie Higley, 42yrs, third in 17:33.

More than 30 teammates raced in uniform (and others may have been out there incognito, so apologies if I missed them), and two-thirds of them finished in the top four in their age groups!

Eight Club Ed runners were age group winners -- Humberto Sanchez, Kaci Bathurst, Jon Megeff, Tami Shalvarjian, Rich Gust, Renee Williams-Smith, Ed Avol, and Monyean Acuna - - (nice work!), showing our strength in the Masters’ divisions. An impressive club racing debut was turned in by Tami Shalvarjian, who is quickly becoming one of the go-to team; she finished in 21:04, and won her age group (45-49yrs). The race was also witness to an inspiring show of resolve, as Andy McKay, who a relatively few months ago was seriously injured in a bike accident, showed he is determined to get back on the racing circuit, finishing in 25:54.

The 5K course, along the Redondo Esplanade from the Riviera Village to Torrance Boulevard and back, is a bit hillier and a little slower than first anticipated, but it was great to see all of you out and to see you racing. I think you can all still do better, so come on out to one (or more) of the next club runs, and let’s work on that turnover, strength, and speed.

Congratulations on all who ran, thanks to all our teammates who cheered us on from the sidelines (and reminded us to stay connected and pump our arms!),…and on to the next race!

Note: complete race results available at: 5K Results

The Village Runner is looking for some volunteers and help leading up to the 19th Annual 4th of July 5K.  Many Club Ed members will be running in the event, but was hoping that some of the families of your members or some of those not participating may want to assist.  If at all possible, below are the dates, times, and volunteer tasks that we need help with:

Location: 
Village Runner, Redondo Beach
1811 S. Catalina Ave.
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Saturday, June 30th: Goodie Bag Stuffing10am-3pm
Approximately 8-10 volunteers needed

Tuesday, July 3rd: Packet Pickup & Late Registration
Shift 1: 10am-3pm
Shift 2:  2pm-7pm
Approximately 12 volunteers needed per shift

Wednesday, July 4th:  Race Day
5:45am-10am
Approximately 30 volunteers needed

Volunteer activities include:

• Passing out race bibs and goodie bags
• Helping with late registration
• Passing out water / refreshments on race day
• Mile timers
• Finish Line helpers
• Passing out kids dash goodies & awards
• Trash Pickup after event

If you are interested in helping out or would like more information, please contact us at villagerunnerevents@gmail.comwith your name(s), email(s), organization name (if applicable), and preferred dates & time slots.  Thank you for your consideration and we'll see you soon!

Danielle Boyer
Village Runner
villagerunnerevents@gmail.com
https://villagerunnerracing.blogspot.com/

Manhattan Beach 5K
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Race starts at 7:00AMKids Races start at 8:00AM
Register Here

Time Schedule
5K Run/Walk starts at 7:00am (all ages)
* Backwards Run starts at 7:45 (all ages)
Kids Dash 1K 8:00am (age 7-12)
Little Kids 400m 8:10am (age 3-6)
Crawlers 50m 8:20am (age 2 and under)

Entry Fee:  $30 for Adults, 
$25 for Kid's Race, 
$10 for Backwards Run. 
Add $5 to fees for late registration after June 6th, 2012

Course Map

* The first ever Manhattan Beach Backward Running Half Mile Sand Run takes place at 7:45. Try this fun cross training technique and hilariously addictive challenge. Only $10 entry fee with T-shirt!

Register Online Here

Online Registration Closing Date:

Sunday, July 1, 2012 @ 11:59 PM PST

Race Start: Wednesday, July 4, 2012 @ 8:00 AM

Fees Adults:

$30 until 6/27/12

$35 after 6/27/12;

Kids: $20 until 6/27/12

$25 after 6/27/12

Village Runner 

1811-A S. Catalina Ave Redondo Beach, CA

Times Fly at Magic Shoe 5K…& Club Ed is There

On a perfect morning for racing, Club Ed racers went to the starting line outside Corona Del Mar HS (CDM HS) in Newport for the Magic Shoes 5K, the next stop on the USATF Road Racing Grand Prix Series. Although several of our best racers could not attend due to injuries, recovery, work schedule, and time conflicts, a tough team of dark-blue-clad racers went to the starting line.

This was a very fast and easy-to-follow course: a one-mile loop on the streets around CDM HS, a half-mile up and down the street, a repeat of the first mile, and a straight-away finish. Several of the top road racing teams in the region were there – Cal Coast, South Coast Road Runners, Snails’ Pace, the Janes, the Equalizers,…and Club Ed.

When the finish line was crossed, the course record, some age-group and personal records were broken, and several former racers were back on the roads again.

Courtney Williams and Steven Shay dueled to the finish, in 14:21 and 14:22, respectively, destroying the old course record by 30 seconds. Pete Magill (50yrs FAST, 7th OA)) from South Pasadena shattered his own Age Group 5K record, finishing in 15:05. Sydney Gidabuday, the 15yr old son of the one of the famously fast names in Southern California racing, showed the next generation is here, running 15:33 (9th OA). Ken Ernst (15th OA), the 50yr old Orange County phenom, had to settle for 2nd behind Magill, in 15:52. Erika Aklufi of the Janes won the Women’s Division in an impressive 16:43 (35th OA), with our own Nathalie Higley nabbing third in 17:02 ( 41st OA).

Our racing team ran well, led by tracksters Chris DeWitt (32yrs, 16:13, 27th OA) and Aaron Munger (36yrs,16:52,38th OA). Welcomed back to road racing after several months away were Mike Spencer and Ed Avol, finishing in 18:35 (93rd OA) and 19:15 (121st OA), respectively. Mark Shalvarjian, Rich Gust, and Will Longyear, a month back from the Boston Marathon Boiler, chased each other to the finish, with the three of them finishing within four seconds (and four finishing places) of each other. The club was well-represented by 12 racers (thanks to all for the great effort!). It will take a few weeks to hear about the Grand Prix club competition results, but here’s how we individually did (nice job out there!):

Racer	Name	Time	Age	Age Grp	Overall
1	Chris Dewitt	16:13	32	2nd	27th
2	Aaron Munger	16:52	36	3rd	38th
3	Nathalie Higley	17:02	42	1st (3rdOA woman)	41st
4	Mark Shalvajian	17:39	49	4th	58th
5	Rich Gust	17:41	53	5th	59th
6	Will Longyear	17:42	48	5th	61st
7	James Reinhardt	18:11	45	8th	78th
8	Mike Spencer	18:35	49	12th	93rd
9	Ed Avol	19:15	60	1st	121st
10	Dave Grethen	20:43	53	15th	199th
11	Karina Bird	21:24	46	8th	239th
12	Sharon Lotesto	23:56	60	2nd	343rd

Absent from last year’s race, Nathalie Higley returned to the streets of Hermosa Beach to win the women’s division in the 6th Hermosa Beach 5000, outpacing her nearest competitor by four minutes while breaking her own course record. 16 minutes, 56 seconds shattered the record of 17:20 she set in 2010. In 2009, she posted a time of 17:23 to capture the women’s title.

The fastest time of the day went to Humberto Sanchez, who finished the race in 16:14, just 22 seconds off the event record of 15:52 set by David Williams in 2009. Sanchez held off Chris DeWitt (16:20) and Aaron Munger, (16:55) to secure the victory.

Male runners placing first in their age group were Wiley Cubic (1-10, 22:18), Kevin Mauge (11-14, Hermosa Beach, 19:14), Patrick Kinley (15-18, West Des Moines, Iowa, 17:10), Coca Puff (19-29, Rancho Palos Verdes, 17:56), Dewitt (30-34), Sanchez (35-39), Michael Fincham (40-44, Torrance, 18:01), Bob Krauth, 45-49, Redondo Beach, 18:41), Jim Newman (50-54, 20:42), James O’Brien (55-59, Rancho Palos Verdes, 20:12), Ken Taylor (60-64, Manhattan Beach, 26:17), John Clarke (65-69, Manhattan Beach, 23:02) and Bob Trujillo (80-98, Rolling Hills, 29:32).

Females finishing first in their age divisions were Piper Newton (1-10, Hermosa Beach, 23:34), P.J. Sundeen (11-14, Hermosa Beach, 24:44), Somer Dice (15-18, Manhattan Beach, 29:32), Megan McConnell (19-29, Redondo Beach 27:02), Laura Staves (30-34, Redondo Beach, 25:19), Nicole Butte (35-39, Redondo Beach, 24:49), Higley (40-44), Silva (45-49), Susan Meistrell (50-54, Redondo Beach, 23:17), Leslie Cohen (55-59, Santa Monica, 22:06), Janice Yates (60-64, Hermosa Beach, 46:24) and Sue Reinhardt (65-59, Rancho Palos Verdes, 26:40).

Age division winners in the Kids Races were Quinn Satow (12, Hermosa Beach), Cole Gamble (11, Manhattan Beach), Grayson Doody (10, Hermosa Beach), Frankie Reid-Gagnon (9, Palos Verdes), Alex Mainvielle (8, Torrance), Mia Minestrella (7, Redondo Beach), Slater Smith (6, Hermosa Beach), Samantha Brecker (5, Redondo Beach), Patrick Behan (4, Hermosa Beach) and Wyatt Mason (3, North Hollywood).

Read full article from Easy Reader news. 

Hermosa Beach 5000 and City Walk 

Saturday, April 21st at 7:30AM
Time Schedule

Skateboard 5K, 7:30am (12 and under)
Baby Jogger 5K, 7:31am (all ages)
5K Run Men, 8:10am (all ages)
5K Run Women, 8:45am (all ages)
City Walk, 8:45am (all ages)
Kids Races:

09:50 - Age 12 - 1 Mile
10:00 - Age 11 - 1 Mile
10:10 - Age 10 - 1 MIle
10:20 - Age 9 - 1 Mile
10:30 - Age 8 - 1 Mile
10:40 - Age 7 - 1/2 Mile
10:50 - Age 6 - 1/2 Mile
11:00 - Age 5 - 1/2 Mile
11:10 - Age 4 - 1/4 Mile
11:20 - Age 3 - 100 Yards
11:30 - Age 2 - 25 Yards
Entry Fee

$35 for 5K Run, BabyJog, or City Walk
$25 for Skateboard 5K, and Kid's Races
Add $5 after 4/11

Spring Pier 2 Pier Run/Walk

“From HB Pier 2 MB Pier And Back In The Sand”

Saturday, March 3rd 2012 @ 7 am

Are you ready?

Click Here To Register: 

Registration Fees: $35 per runner 

Team/Family Sign Ups Available Now (5% saving) kids included.

All Discount Expired Saturday, February 11^th 2012

2012 Race Results

2.5 Mile Age Group

2.5 Mile Overall

5 Mile Age Group

5 Mile Overall

Easy Reader Articles

Atkinson, Seawright-Newton, win Hermosa Sand and Strand 2.5 mile race [PHOTOS]

Seawright-Newton, Cohn win Hermosa Sand and Strand 5 Mile Run [PHOTOS]