Youngest participant, Ashley. She also won a drawing prize! Teresa Heckel, Race Organizer, talking to Dick Eitel, CEO of Memorial Hospital

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Youngest participant, Ashley. She also won a drawing prize! Teresa Heckel, Race Organizer, talking to Dick Eitel, CEO of Memorial Hospital"

Susanna Millicent Owen
5 years ago
Views:

1 RUN FOR HOPE Pat Lockhart 14th Annual Run for Hope was held July 16th. We had a record number of participants. Pictures taken by Tom Dewane from this event can be seen on our website and are also available through him Winners for this event: Daniel Castaneda (20) 16:28 from Colorado Springs, and Sarah Raitter (32) from Estes Park. Other participants came from Iowa, Texas, Florida, California, Nebraska, Wyoming and Australia. We also had 3 new volunteers. We appreciate their commitment to come and help us and hope that they will not hesitate the next time an occasion may present itself. The new volunteers are listed below in bold. Anne Akers-Lewis, Cymmie Bailey, Bill Bennett, Tom Dewane, Rick DiMuccio, Angie Earle, Bill Gallegos, Keith Gay, John Gay, Al Grimme, Susan Hoxie, Melody Lundin, Les Lundin, Cruz Martinez, Jennifer McGee, and Dave Sorenson. A special thank to Dave Sorenson and Cymmie Bailey who were Results/Computer Directors to Bill Bennett who was the Course Director; Bill Gallegos and Al Grimme who were Finish Line Directors; and, to Rick DiMuccio our announcer, again. Youngest participant, Ashley. She also won a drawing prize! Teresa Heckel, Race Organizer, talking to Dick Eitel, CEO of Memorial Hospital Rick DiMuccio with Teresa Heckel and Deb Marshall, Race Director 16

50th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak Ascent and

Discomfort Be Your Guide" Steve Kidd After this

his 10 year-old daughter would be doing the

Long Run, I've felt a certain pressure to explain

It is also a chance to whine a little about the

Race 4 Black Forest 2005 I think the blame lies

interactions with club members during the Winter

I ran all four races; Emma ran three, including

kept hearing talk about the upcoming Pikes Peak

anniversary and all, the possibility that parts

I got to meet several still living and breathing

than I, who had run at least one of these races

What a great way to start the downhill side of

I had learned enough to understand that when

Ascent/Marathon registration) I would have a

2 50th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon From the Back of the Pack "Let Discomfort Be Your Guide" Steve Kidd After this new guy to running declared publicly that he and his 10 year-old daughter would be doing the Bolder Boulder in the February edition of the Long Run, I've felt a certain pressure to explain why we no-showed. It is also a chance to whine a little about the hazards of full steam ahead training when you're elderly. Emma and Dad at the finish line in Winter Series Race 4 Black Forest 2005 I think the blame lies with the Pikes Peak Road Runners, especially interactions with club members during the Winter Series. I ran all four races; Emma ran three, including our seemed-like-itwould-never-end 10K through Harry's Valley of the Dogs. Our distances and confidence increased; and I kept hearing talk about the upcoming Pikes Peak Ascent (PPA) and Marathon, it being the 50th anniversary and all, the possibility that parts of it would be televised. I got to meet several still living and breathing club members, some whom were several years older than I, who had run at least one of these races for years. I myself was turning 50 this summer. What a great way to start the downhill side of life, with an enormous uphill challenge. I had learned enough to understand that when midnight March 1st arrived (the opening of the Ascent/Marathon registration) I would have a decision to make, and fast. I had never run even a half marathon. Did I have what it would take to train for and complete the Ascent? Like Rocky, my goal would be to simply "go the distance." I logged on and signed up for the second wave of the PPA on March 2, just missing the registration closing by a few hours. Then I went out and partook of the true American celebratory response: I went shopping. I bought a strap-on water bottle that fits in the small of my back. I also invested in a nylon running hat which says "Hind" on the front. Seemed appropriate. I was aware that I needed to start increasing my miles as soon as possible. With the increased pressure, sweet daughter Emma started to lose enthusiasm for running with me. Or maybe it was that jog when I told her it was OK to cross the street; maybe that had something to do with it. A car, going too fast for our residential neighborhood, had the nerve to honk at her, prompting the bejebbies to come forth from her insides. Anyway, she wasn't as eager to run with me anymore. In fact she stopped. We'd do the Bolder Boulder for sure, (she'd already mastered the 10K) but ambitious, aging Dad had his sights set even higher: the Pikes Peak Ascent. I measured out three miles with the car odometer and started jogging toward that point and back again, farther than ever before, with some challenging hills to ascend and descend. It was my first time doing the full six miles, on the return mile 4, coming down one of those hills, when I became aware of a groin-area pain on my left side that would not let up. It just came and stayed. I was afraid that I knew all too well what it was. It was the fruition of a tenderness that had been lurking quietly for a couple of years, since I had felt something change down there after hauling big rocks in the back yard. It was a hernia. For the uninitiated, a hernia is when an abdominal organ (usually the small intestine) pushes through a weak area in the abdominal wall, creating a little bulge or protrusion. It s the kind of thing that doesn t get better on its own. Suddenly I didn t feel like running at all. I had literally busted a gut training for the Bolder Boulder and the Pikes Peak Ascent, and now I was stopped dead. 17

3 50th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon continued from page 17 I had already sent in the payment for the kids and me to run on Memorial Day. They called from Boulder, though, because my application arrived a day later than their procrastination fees allowed. I owed them more money. I have a hernia, I said. I didn t know you could get a hernia from running, said the Bolder Boulder lady. She agreed to tear up my check. I took the soonest appointment I could get with my primary care physician, who confirmed my self diagnosis and referred me to a new young general surgeon in town, Dr. Todd Woltman. Dr. Woltman recommended laproscopic surgery, the kind where they make little slits in your tummy and do all the repair work with micro instruments, lessening the recovery time. He would even be installing some mesh to strengthen that abdominal wall so that the possibility of a recurrence would be minimal. "I want to get this done as soon as possible," I stated. "I still hope I can run the Ascent. I'll be Mesh-man." The surgery went well on Friday, June 10th. Dr. Woltman expressed doubts, though, about whether I would be ready for August 20. "No lifting until you see me in two weeks," he said. "Other than that, let discomfort be your guide." I started jogging again June 24th. My brother Ron brought over some Tahitian Noni juice, which had done miracles for his chronic knee pain. Persuaded by his dramatic improvement, my wife and I started imbibing a small amount every morning. I don't know if it is the reason for what I feel is my dramatic comeback or not, but it does looks as if I will exceed the good doctor's expectations. As I write this, I am now up to jogging 9-11 miles at a time, two to three days a week. I'm not fast at all, but I'm determined. Friends have told me to practice on the peak, so I've had a couple of runs above timberline, and am planning a couple more. I might just make it. Right now, Emma's just watching it all, and runs screaming when I ask her to hug me when I come back all sweaty. We've started talking about walking on water, though, in the Fall Series. What fun all this stuff is. Look out for Meshman at the back of the pack on Ascent day. Steve Kidd welcomes your comments and free training advice. He can be reached at kiddassoc@yahoo.com and the Race is On... Remember, BOTH the Ascent and Marathon were a one day race from 1956 to Race management changed the Ascent to Saturday and the Marathon to Sunday two day races in 1981 with over 1,000 participants. The two-day format improved race management and logistics. In 1982 the Triple Crown of Running was formed. All photos from this point forward were provided by PPRR member and Triple Crown of Running historian, Joyce McKelvy. Matt Carpenter assisted Joyce in her efforts to find and archive photos. THANKS Joyce and Matt! Remember the history lesson from the July issue? 18 Note: The race started by the COG depot so it was 1.1 miles shorter than the current Pikes Peak Ascent which starts at the Manitou Springs courthouse. This change took place in The adjustment time is for comparisons only and was made by adding 6.3% to the Ascent time. To view results information from 1936 to 2004, go to Click Search the Results Archive to search by last name and list all race results for that particular runner Pike Sesquicentennial Marathon Matt Carpenter 8 a.m. Friday, August 10th, years (hence sesquicentennial) since Zebulon Pike discovered the peak 14(?) runners started the race. Dr. Arne Suominen became the founder of the modern day Pikes Peak races when he wrote a letter to the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and challenged cigarette smokers to race him up and down Pikes Peak. Rudy Fahl, a real estate salesman, took the job of organizing the race. 11 non-smokers and 3 smokers started the race. Only four non-smokers finished however one smoker, Lou Willie who won the 1936 race as a non-smoker, did make it to the top. The winner, Monte Wolford, had placed 5th in the 1952 Junior Mr America competition and 10th in the 1954 Mr America competition. He won the Mr Los Angeles and Mr Venice Beach competitions in * * * Ok, so now are you ready for some stats and photos? Steve Gachupin, Champion from race results: Pos Div Mpos Mdiv Age Asc Dec Time Grp Year 1 1 1/ :25:10 1:31:54 3:57: / :19:10 1:30:55 3:50: / :14:56 1:24:51 3:39: / :16:50 1:28:00 3:44: / :18:25 1:27:27 3:45: /77 1 1/ :17:23 1:29:03 3:46: /54 9 9/ :58:16 1:53:35 4:51: / :17: / / :04:30 1:42:43 4:47: / / :19:32 1:53:06 5:12: / / :10:00 1:40:00 4:50: / :25: / / :21:09 1:45:41 5:06: / / :07:21 1:43:23 4:50: / :28:44 1:56:00 5:24: / :29:36 1:43:08 5:12: / :33:29 1:53:49 5:27: / :07:32 2:07:51 6:15: / :42: / :51: / :53:

4 50th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon Lou Wille won in 1936 and then beat Walt Stack (age 65) at the age of 61 in the 1973 race! 19

5 50th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon Carl McDaniel was the race director for 19 years from 1980 until 1999! Thank you Carl! 20

Steve McDermett smiling his way through Barr Camp. Leroy in yellow baseball hat and Robin Satterwhite coming through Barr Camp on Ascent day!

50th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon Steve McDermett smiling his way through Barr Camp. Leroy in yellow baseball hat and Robin Satterwhite coming through Barr Camp on Ascent day! 16 Being