2007 Seminar Series
"Proper Stretching for Endurance Athletes"
When: Thursday, June 21
7pm to 9pm
Where: Batavia Public Library
(Come Dressed to Move!)
Presenter: Gina Pongetti, Owner, Occusport Physical Therapy
Our second seminar of 2007 will focus on stretching for the endurance sports athlete, including instruction for a great home exercise and maintenance program. Handouts with pictures will be provided. Gina will be available afterwards for injury Q and A, or any other topics of interest to the group!
This is free for members of the Fox River Trail Runners. If you are not a member, you can join for $15 on the spot and also attend the clinic)
R.S.V.P. to Carolyn Kovash to save your spot! Space is limited. (To print a copy of this article and for a bio of Gina Pongetti, click here.) |
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Fox River Trail Runners Scholarship Awards Announced
Congratulations to Paul Jurgens and Adam Ahlden, who have been awarded each a $1,000.00 Fox River Trail Runners Scholarship. Paul Jurgens, son of Tom and Diane Jurgens, will be attending the University of Iowa this fall majoring in Integrative Physiology. Adam Ahlden, son of Mark and Debbi Ahlden, will be attending Millikin University this fall majoring in Education. Both Paul and Adam are outstanding deserving young men and we wish them the very best. |
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Chicago Marathon Training Program
The Fox River Trail Runners have partnered with Illinois Runs to offer training programs to club members for a special discounted rate. Check out their web page for a list of their programs. For example, Fox River Trail Runners get their registration for the I-Runs Chicago marathon training program for only $50.00 which will include all the benefits of the training program like the clinics, training runs, Marathon and Beyond, Singlet, training booklet of information with the training schedule plus the tent on marathon day with our own secure gear check, port-a-johns, refreshments (Goose Island Beer and hot coffee), plus our own massage therapists. Signup is on-line at SignMeUpSports and the discount code is "FRTR" Also, if you would like to be a group leader, the program is free. If you would like additional information about what is included in the training package, check out the Illinois Runs web page at www.illinoisruns.org.
Kick off meeting is May 31 at the Dick Pond Athletics Store in St. Charles. The topic is training methods and goals. |
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Register Now for Viking Sunset Family Night!
This year is the 10th Anniversary of the Viking Sunset Family Night. The Fox River Trail Runners are offering an even deeper discount for our members. Fox River Trail Runners who pre-register on line can do so for only $15. Date of event: Wednesday, July 25th at 7PM. The 5k race starts at 7PM, followed by the Jamie LaForce Youth Mile for kids 12 and under, the 400 M Junior Jog for kids 9 and under, and the 100 M toddler trot for kids 5 and under. Click here to register now! |
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Weekly Training Runs
Tuesday 6pm Weekly Track Workouts
Geneva Middle School South
Track. Coached by Al Edgecombe. For a map, click here. Important Note: Due to the move to Daylight Savings Time, Wednesday Evening runs are now back at The Great Western Trail in St. Charles at 6pm
Meet in the Parking lot (south side of Dean Street) of the Leroy Oaks Forest Preserve. For a map, click here.
Saturday Mornings 8am
Fox River Bike Trail South of IL 38 at RR Bridge For a map, click here.
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Winston Rasmussen, President
Tom Jurgens, Vice President
Bob Brown, Treasurer
Ann Brady, Secretary
Directors
Dave Helmick, ARD, Viking Sunset
Carolyn Kovash, Foxtales
Editor/Marketing/Sponsorships
Krista Mikulski, Education/Viking Sunset
Dan McMahon, Marketing/Sponsorships
Gene Boehm, Race Director, Viking Sunset
Joe Arnold, WebMaster, Circuit Results, Banquet |
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Dear Winston,
You are receiving this email as a member of the Fox River Trail Runners, or you may have signed up for this newsletter from our web site. If you are receiving this from a forwarded email and would like to join this list, you go to ww.foxrivertrailrunners.org. Also, please keep us informed of any changes to your email address so that we can be sure you are getting all club communications. For any email address changes, email Gene Boehm. | |
Letter from the President
Greetings Runners,
I used to address this lead in message to the Fox River Trail Runners, but our newsletter is gaining a much wider audience. In keeping with our mission to promote running, it did not make sense to limit our distribution to only club members. We hope to keep you informed of local events, and provide information that is useful and of interest.
My thanks first of all to the many members of the Fox River Trail Runners, and the Lisle Windrunners who volunteered their time on Sunday morning to help host another "GREAT" Great Western Half Marathon. In addition to our Fox River club and the Windrunners, the Batavia Accelerators, West Aurora, Geneva and Glenbard North HS groups staffed the course and water stops. We also had a group of Special Olympians help us at the finish line, handing out water and finisher medals. It was terrific for our participants to have so many enthusiastic volunteers and spectators to cheer us on. The Kane County Mounted Rangers added a little western or at least country flair and handled all the parking. The Forest Preserve police staffed the road crossings and managed traffic for us. Thank you one and all so very much.
Read On... |
The Race Place 
by Winston Rasmussen
Here is a list of some upcoming races in our area. The Elgin Valley Fox Trot is a favorite club circuit race, and this year the Roselle Run for the Roses was designated as a club circuit race. The Roselle event features a slightly downhill fast course that has produced a lot of 5K PRs. We are really fortunate to have so many quality races right here in our own backyard.
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 Run for Your Lives!by Jeff Ward
(Jeff Ward's column is reprinted with permission of The Sun newspapers in Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles.)
The quickest way to elicit derisive laughter from my wife isn't taking off my clothes - it's declaring my elementary school sons will never beat me at basketball. With the oldest pushing 5 feet, I drag this 48 year old carcass out for six workouts a week in an effort to stave off that inevitable defeat.
First, I swim, but that's not an accurate description of what I do. Thrashing from one end to the pool to the other to avoid drowning would be more precise. It certainly isn't my favorite exercise, but a mile and a half a week keeps me injury free.
Then I ride 50 miles a week on the road bike. I believed myself to be passable in this endeavor until joining group rides lead by Bill and Karen Schwartz of the Naperville and Elmhurst Bike Clubs. Bill, 62, and Karen, 61, ride over 4,000 miles a year and typically disappear in the distance while I try to keep up.
Running is more my speed, and that speed is usually slow. But there is something magical about putting on a decent pair of shoes, walking out your front door and having the world at your feet. Six miles a day, six days a week was no problem in my 20s. Now, if I manage 9 miles a week I'm a happy guy.
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 River to River 2007: The Road Kill Century Club
By Cara Drexler
Since coming back from River to River, I have learned that it's hard to explain to a non-runner what's so unbelievably fun about the relay. To me, it's almost too obvious to state. It's a whole day of running up and down hills. You get to run three races in one day and watch 21 races. It's being on a team rather than just running for your own time. It's a weekend with fun and interesting people, with runners. The scenery is lovely. A lot of Gatorade (and, if you're not pregnant, beer) is consumed. What else could you want from a day?
Of course, the weekend is fun well before the race starts. If you ever need a relay team organized or a van decorated, Mary Seffrood is the woman. Of course, if you ever need someone to bring and, more importantly, follow a GPS system, you might look somewhere other than Joe Vierthaler. After an unplanned detour that took us oddly close to the Indiana border, our trip down was uneventful and consisted mostly of the kinds of fun and interesting conversations people have when they are already sort of know each other but are confined to a small space for the better part of a day. I have for years been of the opinion that runners are generally people worth knowing, and my River to River weekend did nothing to change my mind. We are a cool group of people.
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 Steve's Ultra Corner Back to Boston 2007
By Steven Richey
This was my eighth consecutive year going to Boston for the marathon. It's the only such racing "streak" that I've ever had. Why do I go?
1) The original reason is obvious -- the goal shared with so many runners: To earn entry by meeting the qualifying standard. Doing so on at my first marathon (Kiawah Island in SC, in December of 1999 at age 44) was, at the time, the over whelming objective to my running. Since then, I've been in better shape, ran smarter in other races, and had faster times. But, I've NEVER ran as hard as I did that December morning in South Carolina in 1999. It was my own personal Olympic day. Since then, it's been a goal to see how many consecutive years I can remain qualified.
2) As I've moved around the country over the years, Boston has become sort of a reunion spot for seeing old running friends -- folks who have moved away, old training partners from Georgia, a college buddy now living in Ohio, team mates from the English running club, friend of a friend from California, jogging in the Boston Commons the day before the race with old friends, etc. It's always great to some of them again -- and, of course, to race.
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 Feedback on Great Western Half Marathon 05.06.07
"I just wanted to let you know that yesterday was the first time I had run the Great Western Half Marathon, and I had to pass along some feedback. Everyone in charge did a wonderful job with the set up from beginning to end of this race. Everything from the entry application, race reminders, to race day preparation/events was not only well organized, but it truly was an enjoyable race experience for me and my running buddies who participated in this event. I had concerns about the race location, especially with the amount of runners taking part of this event, but you all handled it extremely well. The location of the event was beautiful, tranquil, and there was plenty of room for all runners on the trail.
Thank you for your time, effort and everything you did to make this event a wonderful experience for runners to take part in. I look forward to next year's race." Sue Heffernan
"I wanted to share with you and others how absolutely wonderful - once again, this race was. I was talking to Ann, a club member of yours, on the run and let her know I have been doing this race for a few years, I believe since 2002. I first ran it when it was a 30K. I love the trail, the volunteers, the atmosphere, the medal...that everyting is so professional, organized, happy and fun! Truly, I wouldn't get up at 4:30am and leave at 5am to get there, spend the gas if it weren't just terrific! I love this race and the people who not only organize it but who truly put their heart and soul into making this something special for runners - thank you. Really - thank you. I also love the fundraising piece for the Special Olympics.....Keep up the really great work! Peace.." Eileen Johnson |
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Welcome to the following members who have signed up for a family membership: Jeff Goodale.
Welcome to the following members who have signed up for an individual membership: Laura Szuberla, John Burke, Nicki Davis, Jeff McKinley, Robert Fogel, Tracey Bilut, Marc Monroe, and Jeffrey Ward.
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 May Birthdays Gene Boehm, Mary Crawford, Ethan DeJohng, R.C. Fagan, Molly Gilmore, Dave Ginsberg, Sue Harker, Lawrence Huey, Royal Johnson, Donna Lochner, Susan McArthur, Jeffrey Mikulski, John Quinton, Elena Shemyakin, Lori Smith, Gregory Stock, Rebecca Strader, Matthew Sullivan, Phillip Vermaas, Daniel Warren, Steve Wiitanen. |
FRTR has a New Web Site!
In case you haven't visited our club web site recently, we re-launched it with a new look, a new club logo, and lots of helpful information. Check out our calendar for upcoming races, clinics, meetings, or use the message board to find a running partner or join or start an online discussion. Also, visit our web site for updated circuit race results and standings. Our web site address is www.foxrivertrailrunners.org. |
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Allstate Presents Grant to Fox River Trail Runners
At the May Board Meeting, Gene Boehm presented a check for $500 from the Allstate Foundation. The Allstate Foundation is an independent charitable organization funded by contributions from Allstate. Gene works at Allstate and applied for and was awarded a Helping Hands grant for the Fox River Trail Runners. The Allstate Foundation makes these grants available to charitable organizations where Allstate employees and agencies volunteer. The Helping Hands grants are intended to support the operations of charitable organizations and the Board is exploring different options to invest this money in our club. One option being considered is putting this money toward the purchase of a new race clock. Thanks to the Allstate Foundation for dedicating this grant money to the Fox River Trail Runners.
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Welcome New Members!