"Come Run the Fox with Us" June  2007
In This Issue
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Special Olympics
 
Special Olympics
June 2007
 
Members of the Fox River Trail Runners presented a check to the Special Olympics Illinois for $3,444.00. The money is the result of a separate donation that the participants of the 2007 Great Western Half Marathon made, over and above their entry fee.  One hundred seventy five runners donated a total of $1,722.00 and the Fox River Trail Runners matched their donation totaling $3,444.00.  Sandy Hutchins, Director of the NE Chapter of Special Olympics Illinois accepted the donation.
 
 
                                
 
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.  It's not too late to join!

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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.
 
Wednesday Evening runs are 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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Club Officers

Winston Rasmussen, President
Tom Jurgens, Vice President
Bob Brown, Treasurer
Ann Brady, Secretary
 
Directors
 
Dave Helmick
ARD/Viking Sunset
 
Carolyn Kovash Marketing/Sponsorships
 
Jennifer Zuri
Foxtales Editor

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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Quick Links
 
Dear Tom,

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 would like to welcome Jennifer Zuri to the Fox River Trail Runners Board as our new Foxtales Editor, taking over for Carolyn Kovash. Jennifer has graciously and unselfishly volunteered to take on the responsibility of editing and publishing our monthly newsletter. Communications to and among our members is the key to an active and thriving club, so her contribution is far more important then mine.  Unfortunately for Jennifer she gets the same salary as the rest of the Board Members which is zero. The real reward is just being part of and contributing to a successful organization like the Fox River Trail Runners. 
 
We owe Carolyn a big thank you for her contribution in developing an electronic newsletter and implementing an effective, cost saving distribution channel. In addition to enhancing Foxtales, Carolyn has done a great job securing sponsors for the Great Western Half Marathon and the Viking Sunset. She is going to take what we hope is a brief respite from her role as Editor but remain on the Board as a Director at large.
 
Success does not happen by accident, but only because we have some talented and unselfish members like Carolyn and Jennifer, who are willing to give a portion of their talent and time to club activities. We could still use some help maintaining our web page and calculating and posting the race results of our race circuit.   If you are interested in helping with either one of these tasks, please send an email to me or call me at home at (630) 393-4952. Both of these roles can be accomplished with a minimal amount of Web or Spreadsheet  type skills. Have a great summer, and we will see you on the trail or at the Viking Sunset in July.
 
Sincerely,
Winston
LogoGrandma's Marathon
by Winston Rasmussen
 
If you have never made a trip to the North Shore of Lake Superior, you owe it to yourself to add that to your life list. Don't get me wrong, we are pretty lucky living close to Lake Michigan but I admit to being a little prejudice when it comes to extolling the scenic beauty of  Lake Superior's North Shore.  I grew up there and drove back and forth to school on the same scenic highway that is now the marathon course. This is where I was born, took my first steps, said my first words, kissed my first girl and ran my first marathon. 

Unlike many of you, I don't have a number of previous marathons to compare this one to, but I have run a lot of other races and I would have to rate Grandmas up there with the best.  Garry Bjorklund, 1976 Olympian and Minnesota native who won the first event in 1977, and still holds the second fastest time on the course said it best: "What else would you want in a marathon? Grandma's Marathon starts in the middle of the woods, runs along the beautiful shores of Lake Superior, and finishes at a pub." 

I know a number of FRTR members have already run Grandma's and some more then once. If you haven't and are looking for a June marathon or half marathon, you might want to give this one a try. Registration is going online in January of 2008 and both the full and half will fill in a day or two, or perhaps in a few hours.  Take a couple of extra days vacation to drive up the North Shore and check it out. The shore line is quite rugged in places and the water cascades down some spectacular water falls to the lake.  There are some really nice hiking trails following the rivers upstream.  I think you will like it. BTW, I finished 49 seconds under my goal of 3:59:59.
June OccuSport Seminar Wrap-Up
By Krista Mikulski
 
Thanks to everyone who participated in the June Seminar on 21st at the Batavia Library. Special thanks to Gina Pongetti, owner of OccuSport Physical Therapy in Darien and Chicago, and Jeff Anderson of OccuSport in St. Charles for a very informative seminar.
 
Gina's personal experiences in endurance sports added to her vast knowledge of bio-mechanics. She provided us with easy-to-understand ways to avoid injuries, recognize them when they do happen, and valuable advice on how to properly care for injuries to help us get back on the trail. We were also taught proper stretching techniques, and most of us were amazed at slight changes we made to old standard stretches that greatly maximized the benefits.
 
Attendees also enjoyed pizza from Papa John's in Batavia and cookies, compliments of Keebler.
Here are some comments from attendees:
"Gina was a great speaker and it was good to hear the subject covered by a runner."
"Handouts were the best."
"Gina did a great job, refreshments and the facility worked great. Too bad more members did not take advantage of the seminar."
 
For more information about Gina Pongetti, Jeff Anderson, and all the services offered by OccuSport, please go to http://www.OccuSport.com.
 
Stay tuned to FoxTales to find out about our next seminar!
 
Steve's Ultra Corner
3/4 of the Way There..
 
By Steven Richey

After this year's Boston Marathon (that fun time this past April in the Nor'easter), I signed up a series of races in May and June.  For various rational and irrational reasons, this worked out to being a marathon or ultramarathon every other week from May 20th to June 30th.  As of this writing, I'm 3/4's of way through that sequence.
The first race was the Green Bay Marathon on May 20th.  The original purpose for adding this one end was to go with a couple of friends from the office, who would be trying to qualify for Boston.  David (age 52) had never ran a marathon and Mungai (55 year old Kenyan scientist) had ran one marathon, but that was a decade ago.  This was only five weeks after Boston, so I was hoping to only have to run something around 3:30 so as to help these two get their (3:35/3:45) qualifiers.  However, they trained all Spring with great enthusiasm.  It became obvious that, short of a major blow-up, both would be well under 3:30.  So much for the "easy" marathon run that I had planned.  Weather conditions (around 40 F and windy) were conducive to racing.  Overall, this is a fast PR-type course.  Except for a brief initial chase of a 3:10 pacer who was too fast for me (he took off at a 3:03 pace ....), this one went well.  I came in at 3:20, with Mungai (3:22) and David (3:23) chasing me.  A great day all around, as everyone got that coveted Boston qualifier.
 
26.2 Miles and Counting
By Renee Daily
 
My story started 25 years ago when I graduated high school and told myself, "One day I want to run The Chicago Marathon!"  Well, as the years passed, and they do go fast, I hadn't done much to achieve my goal.  In fact 10 years ago I weighed over 300 pounds and couldn't even walk a mile if I had to.
 
I started on Weight Watchers and decided that I wanted to become fit, and live my dream of one day running a marathon.  It took me about 5 years to lose the weight, and in the meantime, I was barraged with increasing medical problems.  Here I was trying to become healthy, but instead I was getting sick.  I had multiple surgeries, including removal of my gallbladder. I didn't let that set me back and I got on that treadmill and haven't looked back.
 
At first I could finish a mile in 22 minutes. Over time was gradually able to go faster and longer until one day I trained myself for a half marathon.  In April 2005, I completed my first half marathon and felt great about that.  But I was still feeling sick, tired and achey and the doctor discovered that I had Systemic Lupus.  I wasn't going to let that take me down! 
 
I kept up my training. having lost almost 160 pounds in the process.  I recently ran my first full marathon in April 2007.  I couldn't believe it!  I finished, I came across that finish line under my own bodily strength. My time to complete the run is unimportant, I loved what I did!   I achieved my dream of running a marathon. Now to do it at home in Chicago will complete the dream fully!   After 25 years it's finally coming true, and I am ready for more!
 
I signed on with The American Cancer Society Charity Athlete Program the day I came home from Nashville, so that I could run The Chicago Marathon for my favorite charity.  I started training a few weeks ago with CARA and the ACS.  I am so blessed to be able to run, and I want to give something back for this blessing.
 
I still have days where the lupus fatigues me and I have joint pain most of the time, but that doesn't stop me from running.  In fact it makes me want to do this even more.  The Chicago Marathon!  Wow!  This is going to be the best year of my life!
 
 
Welcome to the following members who have signed up for a family membership:  James Steimel, Jonathan Burmeister, and Gregory Stock.

Welcome to the following members who have signed up for an individual membership:  Nathalie Vignaux.
The Race Place June Calendar
by Winston Rasmussen

Here are some upcoming races in the next six weeks. Two of them are Fox River circuit races.  The 4 on the 4th in Elmhurst is a CARA and Fox River circuit race. Of course our own Viking Sunset 5k is also a Fox River circuit race. The Downers Grove 5 mile and Waterfall Glen Extreme 10 miler are also on the CARA circuit.  But, don't neglect the Great Western Freedom 4 on the 4th of July, at Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve.  If you want to travel a little further, check out cararuns.org for more information and a complete list of races in the Chicago area.
 
7/25/2007 Viking Sunset 5k
 
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.
 
June Birthdays
Ann Brady, Kelly De Simone, Steve Dittmann, Matt Drendel, Nick Fagan, Bryan Faivre, Alyssa Greyer, Mark Hartz, Rachel Hegele, Dave Helmick, Chris Hoban, Nadine Johnson, Tom Kirts, Renate Klbecka, John McEnroe.