It’s Superbowl Sunday and I have a party to go to so don’t expect much here. We are getting into the ho hum of the training. We are entering week 6 of a 17-week program. Our mileage is getting high. The Novice midweek run is up to 6 and Advanced is up to 8. From here on out the mileage for the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon on April 28 will coincide with the 18-week program we are used to. Our friends going to Boston will still be doing their own distances. Some of the excitement of starting training is wearing off and the end is not yet in sight. This is where success will be earned or lost. I hope you noticed I said EARNED, because nobody will give you anything. THERE ARE NO FREE LUNCHES in marathon training.  The Yankee Runners will encourage you. They will support you. They will give you what advice they can. In the end it will be up to you. Do YOU want it? If you do then you can achieve it. Trust me when I tell you if I can do it anybody who wants to can do it.

The Chicago Area Runners Association, under the watchful eye of Eileen Rowan, will start a ½ marathon-training program geared toward Mel’s ½ or the ½ in Champaign. The official program starts on Monday, February 13. Eileen will have a pre-run on Saturday, February 11 at St. Alexander Church, 7025 W. 126th Street, beginning at 7:00am. The pre-run is free and open to all. To sign up for the CARA’s program go to their web site www.cararuns.org. We refer to the area around St Al’s as the flats. If you would feel better in the flats check it out. You will always be welcome back with us in the hills.

The distance for next Saturday will be 12-16.

On the night of Saturday, March 3 we will have a fund raising Texas-Hold-Em tournament.  Check back for more details, just keep the date open and get $25.00 ready.

With Janis and Jim’s efforts things are starting to come together for the weekend activities surrounding the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. In my next update I will fill you in on what we know will take place and on what we hope will take place.

If you stayed all the way to the raffle at our Hot Chocolate event last week you heard me say a few things. One thing I said is the conditions we face will be harsh. The temperature will fall, the snow will fly and the winds will howl. Though I still expect these things to take place so far the temperature and snowfall have not been bad. We did get some of the howling winds I spoke of on Saturday. As I turned onto 119th street I felt the wind. The trees that line the street created a wind tunnel and what was a strong wind became a ferocious wind for the longest straightaway. 1.25 mile right in our face it blew.

I must admit I looked up and SMILED. I smiled because I know the Enemy we are preparing for and he was seeing the same thing I was. It caused him to frown. What we saw were dozens of Yankee Runners (my brother and niece included) getting stronger with each step they took uphill into the wind. There was no stop or quit, what there was, was determination and dedication. Surrounded by fellow Yankee Runners we took what the Enemy dished out and next week we will see him again. I don’t know what the conditions will be like next week but I know what the results will be. We will take whatever the Enemy dishes out and be back the following week to face him again. Getting stronger each week.

I encourage all of you to check out the Photos page on the web site. Jen posted some pictures from our Hot Chocolate Event. You should be able to see Sig making pancakes and Steve selling raffle tickets. Check out our race teams and their trophies. I have not seen what Jen will post yet but I would not be surprised if some of the next generation of Yankee Runners gets included somewhere there. Remember, when looking at the pictures, that Mel is the soul of Running for Kicks, but the employees are the heart. Together they make a great team. Not pictured, but very much part of the heart, are Mike and Colleen.

Pictures of our new friends will be posted soon. If you want your picture posted but missed having your picture taken please e-mail me one. I encourage all runners who had their picture taken to send me a little something about yourself and we will post it next to your picture.

As you look at the teams and their trophies, maybe you want to be part of our race teams. You have two chances: one is for the Shamrock Shuffle and the second chance is the Chicago Marathon. Let’s concentrate on the Shuffle for now.  If you plan on racing it let me know (gokarts@juno.com). I will build as many teams as we get team members.

Since we started a week late our mileage is not exactly with the 18-week schedule we are used to. To get on that schedule we need to do one of two things. We can cut back next week and do 8-10 followed by 12-16. Or we can do 11-15 followed by 12-16 and 13-17 before we cut back. The beauty of loops is everybody can do their own thing.

I fully expect to have the porta-john in place somewhere near the building by next week.

Recent race results:

Burbank Frosty 5k
Ricster-age award

Mid-Winter Cruise:
Kelly Wilson-age award
Judy Fishbaugh-age award
Hillary Tydd-age award
Jean Reppa-age award
Darlene Kijeiwski-age award

See you all next week if not before then.

Thank you to everybody who helped make our Hot Chocolate Run a wonderful event. As he always does, even though Mel is away, he arranged for us to use the Rec Center. The run was better then we could have hoped for. The plow drivers did a great job. We have run in much worse conditions than we faced at this event. 

The breakfast part got off to a rough start because I forgot the strawberries and had to run home to get them. I was frantic to get things organized before I left and I started to ask people to do this and that only to look up and see it was already done. A group of wonderful ladies  led by Gail took charge and started unloading boxes and setting up tables. Thanks to all of you.

I knew all I had to do was get Sig (Special K’s husband) his supplies and get out of his way and before long pancakes would be flying off the griddle. With Camille and Claire’s help that is what happened. Thanks to the entire Ancevicius family everybody was fed all the pancakes they wanted. 

I have learned many things over the years. If you heard me speak I told you a few things I have learned. Another thing I have learned is more runners like coffee than hot chocolate. So with Tommy Wiora and James Bruce stepping up bringing coffee pots and supplies to go along with them, more coffee was consumed that hot chocolate. Tommy and Sue have always stepped up and helped with whatever was needed. James Bruce hasn’t been with us as long but since he joined our group he is another guy who is quick to offer whatever help he can provide. Thanks to you guys.

As has happened in the past a sweet table was set up and snacks of all kinds magically appeared. I’ll do a couple extra miles this week to make up for it. Thanks to all of you who provided them. 

As always I thank Jen for taking pictures and for taking care of our web site. The pictures will be posted over the next couple weeks. 

Our first ever split the pot raffle was very successful from our point. With Steve holding the money envelope we raised $250.00 towards our training. I’m sure Judy Shaklin Fishbaugh thinks the raffle worked pretty good too. I am still working on getting permission for a port-a-john at the start. It is taking longer then I expected to get an answer. When we do get the okay we have some money to get started. Thanks to all of you who donated.

Janet came up with a sizable donation from Southwest Airlines, one of our great sponsors. I hope to be traveling with a large group of Yankee Runners next April as we fly on Southwest Airlines to take part in the Boston Marathon.

We accomplished some of what I hoped to. I have an idea about logos and we got a few pictures taken. One thing I did not do was get a better idea of who is going to take part in the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon weekends events. I would greatly appreciate if you would e-mail me gokarts@juno.com if you plan on taking part.

I appreciate all the help that was provided but a special place is in my heart for those of you who helped with the thankless task of cleaning up. Some of you are the same people who helped in other ways. Thank you.

Our training will take a turn to the more serious nature as the miles increase. Next week 10-14 miles are called for. I know where I will turn for the strength, inspiration and courage to get through it. Where will you turn? We’re here for you if you join us.

Pictures from our event will be posted soon and next week I will write about them.

Before I concentrate on next week’s Hot Chocolate Run I want to provide a little information about our weekly Saturday runs. Without getting too loud it is hard to give out to much information so I will take this opportunity. I’m not sure why but attendance was down this week. If you stayed home due to the weather you did yourself a disservice. The weather was not nearly as cold as predicted and the streets were mostly dry. It’s winter training; I hope you do not expect what we had last week to be the norm. Assuming attendance goes back up we need to utilize the church parking lot. The Recreation people would like us to keep their lot open for their basketball league that started this week. This means using the lot off the street and the church lot. 

If you show up and realize you’re underdressed ask, I might have some extra stuff. We always will have hand warmers at the start and by the water stop on 119th street. If you use one this week replace it next week.  When I picked up the water stops today I found several cups littered in the areas. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. It is also unnecessary. There are garbage cans within feet of both stops. Since I’m talking about water stops, and I will admit I found no evidence of this today, do not pour over the coolers. Step away first. NEVER put garbage in the coolers. In past years I have found empty gel packets in the coolers. I mix Gatorade from powder or concentrate so do not throw out any jugs or lids to jugs.

Now to next week. Our Hot Chocolate Run is our best chance to meet and greet old friends and new. I hope you have a chance to stop by. Mel has booked the Rec Center from 8:00 to 11:00am. You are welcome any time after the doors open at 8:00. I expect the first pancakes to be ready to eat around 8:20am. We will have coffee and hot chocolate ready around the same time. I’m never sure how but other snacks seem to always appear. We will be taking pictures of any runners new to our group. If you’re a little camera shy take a picture with a friend or two. We will also take pictures of any families who attend. All these pictures will be posted on the website. We hope to have a video presentation sometime before we face the Enemy in the spring. Some of these pictures may be used in that presentation.

We will show the Yankee Runner Team trophies from the Chicago Marathon and take pictures of our teams. This will take place around 10:00am followed by a few words. We will conclude with a split the pot raffle to help offset this training and tailgating expenses for the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon.

Remember to bring dry cloths to change into so you will be comfortable as we share breakfast.

I hope everybody got off to a good start this morning (Saturday). I am thankful for a great weather day to kick things off. I expect some growing pains but am confident together we will work through them and be better for it.

If you have never run with us before on behalf of the Yankee Runners, WELCOME. If you have,, welcome back. I was asked once if I could train for a marathon alone, my response was “yes, why would I want to”? Did you see the enthusiasm, feel the spirit out there this morning? I know I did. I fully expect at least another 15 runners to join us in the coming few weeks. This means we need to utilize the church parking lot. I will be approaching the rec center about permission to drop a port-a-john for the start area. 

I have received some feedback from runners, some good some not so good. It is all appreciated and I will build on the good and try to correct the bad. If you have comments please contact me at gokarts@juno.com.

If you click on the training schedule the mileage is based on the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. If you are doing a ½ or other marathon you will need to adjust the mileage to meet your needs.

On Saturdays we need to be respectful of the neighbors and keep the noise down. This makes it hard for me to get everybody’s attention. In a few weeks the pace groups will be formed and there won’t be much need to for me to speak to the group at large.

The distance next week for Christie Clinic Marathon is 8-12 miles.

Unless something unexpected comes up, next week’s update will focus on January 21 when, after our run, we will get a chance to spend some time inside the rec center.

The dawn came like they always do. This was not the dawning of a new day but of a new year. No longer did the shackles of our past failings and disappointments have hold over us. Those chains were broken by the hopes and promise of the future. The shortest of the days are past, the days grow longer and the light shines brighter. Just as our failures have no power, neither do our successes. We must choose the path we will follow in the new year. Will we hold to our faith or give in to temptation? Will we do what is right our what is easy? Will we train for success or will we succumb to the Enemy? 

I woke and went to church, the rain was falling and the wind was howling. I thought it was going to be a cold and wet run after mass. I got home from church and I changed into running apparel. Out into the weather I went, armed with my new Nike+ GPS (thanks to my daughters). The wind was ferocious as I ran the first mile straight into it. I was reminded of the wind I encountered for the last 3 miles in Champaign Urbana last May.

As I ran I reminisced about the past year. I thought about my low points and high. I thought about successes and failures. I thought about what at the time seemed like low points but in the passing of time I came to realize were not so low. Like the time we were less than one-mile from Hurricane pass. 500 feet vertical was all that remained but the snow prevented from getting there. At the time I thought this was a low point but with plans for this year’s trip well under way I have come to realize it wasn’t that bad. It was only a temporary set back. Once again this summer I will have the opportunity to train with and hike with many of my family. The shirts this year will read “Unfinished business”.

I thought about races ran. The highs and lows that come when you accept the challenge and put it on the line. I thought about the Enemy I faced last year in Champaign Urbana and again in Chicago. More about them when I say a few words at our Hot Chocolate run on January 21.

During my run the clouds broke and the Sun shined brightly. I thought about the people who have made it possible for me to line up and face the Enemy. I want to thank all of you for all you have brought to me and to the Yankee Runners. It is because of you my spirit is soaring as I look forward to Saturday, January 7 when we come together and begin the next journey.

If I have had the privilege of running with you in the past I look forward to seeing you again. If our paths have yet to cross I will meet you with great enthusiasm. It does not matter what event you are training for or at what venue you will face the Enemy, you are welcome to join us as we prepare. Our Saturday runs will start at 7:00am and with the weather as we expect we won’t be waiting to get started. Likewise we won’t be able to hang around to socialize afterward. That is what will make January 21 so important. With the support of Mel from Running for Kicks, after our run we will go inside the rec center. With the help of volunteers we will feed you all pancakes, coffee and hot chocolate.  At this event I will speak of our plans for the weekend events at the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. We will show off the team trophies from our victories in Chicago. If you are new to our group we will take your picture. The pictures will be posted on our web site along with profiles you send me. Send me something about yourself. How many marathons have you ran? Who did you train with? What are you training for? Send anything you want to gokarts@juno.com and don’t forget to send your name. 

To help with the expenses of training and tailgating we will have a split the pot raffle. Bring dry cloths to be comfortable and a couple dollars for tickets. 

Next Saturday is the first time we will train together but it is the end of the first training week not the beginning. Get some miles in this week. I’ll see you all on Saturday. 

Before I send my Christmas wishes let me take care of some business. The date has been set for our annual Hot Chocolate Run and breakfast. Once again Mel has booked the Palos Rec Center for us. The date is January 21, the time will be from 8:00am to 11:00am. The concept is to finish your run around 8:30 then join us for breakfast and socializing. If you can’t run that day, just show up for breakfast. I will provide pancakes with all the toppings, coffee, and hot chocolate. I will also have candy canes for all the kids and those of you still young at heart. The food will be prepared on site by volunteers. In the past, and I’m never sure how, but desserts and snacks seem to magically appear.  I would expect the same again this year. 

As in past years the team trophies and individual mementoes from the Chicago Marathon have arrived and will be presented to the Yankee Runners marathon racing teams around 10:00. Pictures will also be taken then.

There will be a new wrinkle to our festivities this year. We have added a split the pot raffle to help offset the cost of training and tailgating for our spring events. I don’t want to discourage anybody from attending so we will have a table set up and nobody will be going around selling tickets. If you choose to purchase them fine if not, nobody will even know. This drawing will take place after a few words I may have to say around 10:30. 

All Yankee Runner Logos should be finished and submitted in advance of the Hot Chocolate Run and Breakfast. We will take input from any runners who wish to voice an opinion.

March Madness is a ½ marathon run in Cary, IL. This will be the 34th year for the race. No race lasts 34 years unless it is well done and this race is no exception. It is very well organized with inside facilities before and after the race. March 18 is the date and at that time of the year the conditions can be anything. From hot and rain to cold and snow. One thing that never changes is the extremely hilly roads we will run on. I believe we had over 20 runners last year accept the challenge and make the journey. This is a great tune-up for Boston, River to River and any other spring event. The registration opens at 6:00am on New Years Eve and will fill in minutes. The link below should get you to the proper site. Test it in advance to make sure.
http://web.me.com/dellinger55/Hillstrider_website_2010/Half_Marathon_Race.html

The Lemont Frigid 5K results:

Janis Mcguffin, first overall Female
Wendy Jay, age award and PR-23:43
Kelly Wilson, age award and PR-23:03
Judy Shanklin Fishbaugh, age award
Where are the men???? 

A couple years ago during the Christmas season I went for a run. This is a recount. I left for work like most of you today in the dark. By the time I got home it was once again dark. It can be hard running this time of year you have to be careful. I was feeling a little down and what better way to shake the blues then to go for a run. Out into the dark I ran. I had hardly run ½ mile when I realized what a perfect night it was for a run. The winds were light, the temperature was mild, the sky, the sky was so clear the stars sparkled like diamonds. I did not notice the miles gliding by instead I noticed the lights and decorations of the season. They brought me back to my youth a more innocent time when with great anticipation I waited for Christmas. I thought about how the world has changed for the better and the worse. Then I thought about the one thing that will never change. That thing is at the darkest time of the year a great light has been given to the world. That light is the reason we celebrate, that light is the reason we have hope that things can be better. That light is Jesus. I hope your running is going well, I hope you get everything you wish for, and mostly I hope and pray somehow peace can come into our world. 

May you have a joyful Christmas and a blessed New Year.

Let me close with the words of my favorite Christmas carol:  The thrill of hope a weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Remember each dawn is a gift.  Use it wisely.

Before we shift into holiday mode I would like to remind all of you that starting on January 7 we will begin the next chapter in our book.  With the support of Running for Kicks we will offer free group training.  Our main mission will be the weekend events surrounding the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon on April 28.  Though the larger group will be taking part in events in Champaign Urbana we will have other runners training for other venues including the Boston Marathon.   The site we will train at is the site that has prepared the Yankee Runners for their assault on Boston for many years. 

The hills that will prepare some for the Boston Marathon and the famed hills of Newton county will make the rest of us strong for the flat course that lays ahead of us in Champaign Urbana.  We invite runners of all levels who are training for any race of any distance to join us as we begin a new year.

With the new year approaching I am sure resolutions will be made, the health clubs and gyms will be full, good intentions will abound. A wise man once told me “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”.  Good intentions are a start but alone they will do little.  Get serious sign up for a race.  Go to Running for Kicks and purchase the gear you need to run in the cold.  Join us for a Monday evening or Saturday morning run.  Exercise in whatever form you choose is not something to be done if you have time.  You must make time.  Turn the TV off and MOVE.

The only results I know of this week was Shannon Javaras winning the Red Bull Trail Daze race.

I hope to have a date for our annual Hot Chocolate Run sooner then later.  Check the web site as time goes by.

Remember if you plan on joining many Yankee Runners doing March Madness ½ marathon on March 18th signup begins at 6 AM on December 31.  The race will fill in a matter of minutes.  More information about this event next week.

If you plan on joining us in Champaign / Urbana on April 28 you should think about getting a room.  All rooms in walking distance are already booked.  A couple places I checked that still have rooms are about 4 miles from start. 

Red Roof Inn
212 W. Anthony Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
PH: 217-352-0101

Super 8 Motel
202 W. Market View
Champaign, IL 61820
PH: 217-359-2388

A couple years back I was spending a wonderful April weekend in Boston with over 25 Yankee Runners and nearly that many support crewmembers. As I battled up Heartbreak Hill all I could think about was the Yankee Runner support station just over the top. Each year, with the girls of Wellesley behind me, the ONLY thing that got me through the hills of Newton was the Yankee Runners support crew. In one of our many discussions it was noted that for a variety of reasons many Yankee Runners will never experience cresting Heartbreak to the cheers of friends and loved ones. We decided to try and duplicate the experience a little closer to home. The Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon fits perfectly. So this does not get too long, today I will focus on the training aspect. Later I will talk about the weekend’s events.

As I mentioned last week after looking at the winners of Mel’s Turkey Trot, many of them train with us year round. I never claimed to have this running stuff figured out but there most be some benefit to training year round with the Yankee Runners.

In an attempt to give all Yankee Runners a better deal for their training dollar we will offer this program free of charge. This will make it easier for me to ask all runners training with us in the summer to officially join the CARA program. We are an official CARA site for this winter training and will gladly welcome any new runners they send to our site.

Training will start on Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 7:00am in the hills of Palos 8901 W. 123rd street (behind the fire house). We will train by doing 3-4-5-6 or 7 mile loops.   Whatever it takes to get the required mileage for that week for the race you choose.

Winter training has it’s own group of challenges. Training in the hills does the same. They both also present great opportunities. Yes it will be cold; but remember when we complained about the heat? You, like the rest of us, will learn to dress and the cold will not be as much an issue as the heat. At times the footing will be poor; not a problem we just slow down. Running up hills can be hard; but then we get to run down and they will make us strong. The days are short and often we must run in darkness. We have reflective clothing and headlights. Problem solved.

It is my hope that all Yankee Runners, their friends, and families take advantage of this first free offer. I know most of you and know your desire to improve. Whether you are training for the 10k, relay, ½ or full marathon there is no better way to improve than by training with the Yankee Runners.

If you have never trained with us we welcome you to join us. Find out for yourself what a great group the Yankee Runners are. If you have never trained with a group you owe it to yourself to see what training with a group can do for your running. Each year we add new runners to our group and this year we hope YOU are among them.

Recent race results

LaGrange YMCA Reindeer Run 5K

Kristi Finn, age award
Judy Fishbaugh, age award

Jingle Bell 5k Lockport Park District

James Bruce, age award
Lisa Gordon, age award
Maureen, age award

I can’t think of anyplace I’d rather be on Thanksgiving morning then running Mel’s Turkey Trot surrounded by Yankee Runners. Such was the case again this year. Besides the support and camaraderie giving to all runners by the Yankee Runners it was nice to see many of you get trophies. The Turkey Trot course is a very demanding course. That is why we will train for the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon there. When our training is over we will be strong and the Enemy will be worried. I’ll have much more to say about that next week please check it out. I will list some of the award winners below.

We are going to design Yankee Runner apparel. We are soliciting logos. Please submit any ideas you might have to me at  gokarts@juno.com

Besides Mel’s Turkey Trot a few other notable performances in races were turned in.

Maura Vizza ran a PR in the Orland Hills 5k Turkey Trot with 25:07. I expect more PR’s from her in the near future.

There was a complete malfunction of the timing system at the Feet for Food 5k. They thought they had it figured out, but when Kathy Ceja was 2nd overall female and didn’t even get an age award they have some more figuring to do. Several other Yankee Runners were present and should have gotten age awards but sometimes in life things happen. One less thing to collect dust. Go get ‘em next week.

Then there was Andy Thomson, who finished 1st overall in a 24-hour race. He logged 90.1 miles in just under 24 hours. I only have two questions:  How?   WHY??

Mel’s Turkey Trot:

Meg Sullivan, 1st overall female. Before Meg was the Cara training director she was a Yankee Runner. Once a Yankee Runner always a Yankee Runner.
Janis McGuffin, age award
Special “K”  AKA Karen Ancevicius, age award
Jeanne Dolan, age award
Maureen Mikulski, age award
Katy Thomson, age award
Andy Thomson, age award (after running 90.1 miles last week).  I am sure he is more proud that he is part of a Father-Daughter combo of age award winners.
Ricster, age award
Dan Dresden, age award
Rob Held, age award
Tommy Wiora, age award. Yes he got an age award, but his picture was not on page three of the paper like Sue Wiora’s was.
Mark Campbell, age award

As I look over this impressive list of winners something jumped out at me. Most, if not all, of these runners run with us YEAR ROUND.  Think about that and then on January 7, 2012 join us as we start training for the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. Watch the web site next week. I will go into some detail about a new adventure for the Yankee Runners.

S aturday, December 3 is the Jingle Bell 5k with the Lockport Park District. It is a fun event, check it out on the events page. 

One quick correction from last week concerning the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. The cost to sign up is only $75.00. Jen corrected my mistake by Tuesday but anybody who saw it on Monday may not have noticed. The cost goes up $5.00 per month until it is filled. We are looking for a big group. You have many options; you can do 5k, 10k, ½ marathon, relay or the full marathon and still take part in the fun.

I want to post results from any of your races. All you need to do is send them to me. With many races coming up let me clear the books. Few people sent me results, so here is what I have from the races I was at or could find on the web.

Hot Chocolate 5k run
Kelly Wilson, set a PR of 23:44

Palos Park Turkey Trot
Ricster, first male
Shannon Javaras, first female
Marie Jennison, age award
Jen Curtner, age award
Gracie Javaras, age award

Hickory Hills Lions 5k
Kelly Wilson age award
Dan Lavin age award
Fran Quirk age award

Tinley Park Turkey Trot
Wendy Jay, age award
Christine Kickels, age award
Jeff Noell, age award
Mark Reilly, age award
Shane Mosel, age award
Robert Gilbert, age award (Laura’s Dad)

Orland Hills Turkey Trot
Jeff Noell, age award
Mark Reilly age award.

I expect to be horse Thanksgiving morning after all the cheering I’m going to do for all the Yankee Runners award winners. 

The focus of the web site will shift for the next few months. We will focus on recruiting new runners and our training program for the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. I will be putting a new welcome on the web site and want a picture of ALL Yankee Runners who are present at Mel’s Turkey Trot to go along with it. We will take the picture after the awards ceremony. I encourage all the award winners to be holding their trophies. In case you are unable to attend the race Thanksgiving morning let me wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you are surrounded by good friends, loving families and delicious food.    

Before I tell a short story from the Marine Corps and the Monumental Marathons I want to ask you all to watch the web site. We expect big news about Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon training and race. If you’re not up to a full marathon join us and do the ½. The cost of the full is $75.00 until the end of November. Sign up soon.

Jen is working on improvements to the web site. We hope to start utilizing the photo page a bit more. Send your pictures to jenondrejka@gmail.com or to me gokarts@juno.com. I also encourage you to send me the results from races you, your family or friends run. Next week I will start to list results. Don’t count on me being able to find them, send them to me.

I would like to congratulate the few, the proud, the Yankee Runners who, under the watchful eye of Spero, went to Washington DC, and finished the Marine Corps Marathon. Unlike most MCM runners Jean Reppa did so after finishing Chicago three weeks earlier. As you know Jean runs many marathons.  In a past marathon Jean met and chatted with a pacer. As she was running in the MCM she ran into the same pacer. They ran together and chatted for a while. The pacer got sick around ½ way and could not hold pace. Jean, you know the one who can’t pace, takes his sign, balloons and, in true Marine fashion, leads the group to the finish line at the Iwo Jima Memorial. When somebody asked her how they did in true JEAN fashion she said, “I don’t know I don’t wear a watch.” I know how you did Jean, you brought them in right on time. Another pacer has arrived.

Jean Reppa

Most of our runners who went to Indianapolis to run in the Monumental Marathon did so after horrible conditions in Chicago prevented them from running as they had planned. ALL of them showed great spirit in not settling but reaching for their goal. Jean Dolan was one of the runners who decided to face the Enemy on foreign soil. When a friend offered to pace her she said no, she had to do this on her own. Jeanne showed a great deal of courage in her decision. Just after I got word that it was official, Jeanne would indeed run in Indy, I sent her the following e-mail.

" This sums up a lot about Jeanne: For a few years you have spent most of your time and energy worrying about your group. It was your dedication to your runners that made you the first two-time group leader of the year. All the time the fire raged inside and the voice pushed you further and faster. It was your sharing that spirit with your runners that led Kelly Wilson to Grand Rapids one week after disappointing results in Chicago. Now you have decided to reach for the stars and run your race. The weather that is predicted looks almost perfect. Your training has been great. You have never been more ready. If you run YOUR race, the race will come to you."

I am not sure if Jeanne ever felt the race come to her but it did. Jeanne set a PR with a blazing time of 4:11:07. I have not spoke with her but Mark (her husband) says she is thrilled with the result. GOOD JOB JEANNE YOU MADE US PROUD!! Side note: if Boston was not filled Jeanne would be running Boston in 2012. She easily met Boston’s standards for 2012. She’ll have to cut 1:07  to meet the new standards. Hello Champaign Urbana.

When all is said and done no runner will not be defined by the results of any race, but by the fact they lined up and laid it all on the line.

Jeanne Dolan

The spirit of the Yankee Runners does not fade with the conclusion of the B.O.A. Chicago Marathon. The spirit just moves us in different directions. Since Chicago we have sent runners to Grand Rapids Michigan, Washington D.C., Indianapolis, Indiana, and that is just talking about marathons. I can’t begin to tell you about the local races of all distances we have participated in. Many awards have been won and PR’s set and the fall racing season has just begun. In the future if you send me your results I will try and include them in my updates. It was particularly nice to see Shannon and Ricster hold their crowns at the Palos Park Turkey trot on Saturday. I’m not sure what Ric raced in (maybe barefoot) since I still have the shoes he left behind in the Congress hotel after Chicago. Whatever he wore they worked for him. There are many local races in the coming weeks. I hope to see many of you at some of them. 

We had a couple of runners, when faced with the heat in Chicago, decide to join some of our friends and do Grand Rapids the following weekend. Then there was Kelly Wilson.  She bravely lined up in Chicago but as it sometimes does the race did not go as she hoped. Not wanting to waste the conditioning she worked so hard for she did jumped at the chance to do Grand Rapids. This time the results were a little more favorable.  GOOD JOB KELLY!!!

Our Marine Corps runners planned on doing the MCM instead of Chicago and I understand it was a very moving experience. I keep saying one of these years I will join them. More about one runner later.

Then came the Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis Indiana. A few friends planned on running this but most of those who ran Indy did so because Chicago did not treat them well. I can’t tell you how proud I am to be associated with such a group. When conditions turned against them in Chicago they did not whine or complain. Instead they stepped up to face the Enemy again, this time on foreign soil. Looking at the results they should be proud. PR’s were set, confidence was gained and a springboard to greater things was established. GOOD JOB TO ALL!!!

Next week I will write briefly about two runners, one from the Marine Corps Marathon and one from Indy.

Watch the web site in coming weeks for news about the Illinois Marathon on April 28 in Champaign Urbana. The Yankee Runners have begun planning. I’m getting excited!!!

On Saturday, November 12, Running For Kicks located at 7158 W. 127th street in Palos Heights along with Saucony will sponsor 6-mile trail run at Swallow Cliff. We will meet in 40 acres woods parking lot located just east of LaGrange on 119th street. Saucony will be there and allow you to try their new “Xodus 2.0’s”trail shoes. This is a great chance for many of you who may not have had the chance to run in the trails before. Mel will paint arrows so none of us will get lost. We will meet at 7:45am. When we are finished running we will go to Running for Kicks where Mel will have coffee, bagels and will raffle off three pair of Saucony trail shoes from 9:00am to 10:00am. All Saucony products will be 20% off. I miss you guys it; would be nice if we could get a big turnout. I’ll bring M&M peanuts and will dropped water along the trail. 

With the post Marathon awards banquet over, another chapter in the book that is our life comes to an end. I used to be a little sad to see chapters end. That is no longer the case. Now I realize all that really means is another chapter is about to begin. Before I close the pages in this chapter I need to thank ALL YANKEE RUNNERS. Once again your generosity is greatly appreciated. More important was the support, inspiration and motivation I received all year. I want to apologize for my ramblings after Steve presented me with the card. Often when I speak I never really know what I say. In playing it over in my mind there are many others I should thank. There is not enough room to thank them all but I need to mention a couple more.

I need to thank all my friends who trained with me, starting last winter. With the passing of time and the injury suffered last year, I slowed and could no longer hold pace. Some of my friends slowed their pace so I wouldn’t have to train alone. Unlike Steve, some did it without complaining. You know who you are, THANKS. Just kidding Steve. Do you know that Steve came straight from the airport to be with you at the banquet on Friday? To keep this short let me mention just one more runner, my friend Smo. Just before I left the hotel for the starting line I asked Smo if he had the beads. I knew he did, he always does. Without having to ask he gave them to me for a moment. When I next saw Smo we are approaching mile 10. I asked are you working the beads? “Since I started” came his reply. Work them some for me I requested. “Already am,” he said. Again thanks to all of you.

Here is a list of our award winners:

Group Leader of the Year: Jeanne Dolan
Fastest First Time Female: Kim Dwyer 4:07:34
Fastest First Time Male: Bill Insley 4:39:46
Fastest Female: Janis McGuffin: 3:42:08
Fastest Male: Rob Held: 2:56:59
Most Improved: Mark Reilly
Runner of the Year: Rick Bruno
Special Spirit Award: Sally Mcgrath.

The list of runners going to Indianapolis on November 5 to run in the Monumental Marathons grows by the day. Too many runners trained too hard to let the weather we faced in Chicago stop them from their goal. I wish them all the best and will be monitoring their progress. 

We have many runners running many races. Just this weekend we had runners in the Hickory Hills Lions Club 5k, the Frank Lloyd Wright 10k and the Pant for the Pantry 5k in New Lenox. If you or a friend are in a race let me know the results and I will try to post them on our web page. If it is not already on the web site we will post local races very soon. Some are more important then others. Our three most important runs from now until spring are Mel’s Thanksgiving morning 4 miler, the Jingle Bell 5k in Crest Hill on December 3rd, and our Hot Chocolate Run sometime in January. This not a race but a fun run with breakfast afterwards. Watch the website and the Yankee Runners Facebook page for the latest information.

The next few weeks things are a bit unsettled. Many of us are doing races so it takes a few weeks for thing to settle down. Again watch the web site and Yankee Runners Facebook page for where we are running. I hope you can join us at some races and some runs.