Valley Stream Running Club News

Box #212 Valley Stream, New York 11581

Stanley Friedlander, President

Donna Hahl, Vice President

Lois Timpanaro, Treasurer

Joe Tito, Secretary

www.VSRunningClub.org

Vol. 26 No. 6 June 2006

Ø The June meeting will be held on June 11 in Valley Stream Park with a 7:30 AM start.

Ø Schedule your calendar for the annual barbecue – July 30 at Stan’s, see details in newsletter.

Aphorisms from various running thinkers:

Ø ‘Sports do not build character; they reveal it’ – Heywood Broun

Ø ‘I joined a health club last year to improve my running, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there.’ - Anonymous

Ø ‘I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing.’ – Anonymous

June - The Hero

One friend has said! Joe is a legend in his own mind. Of course I am. You should be too. Each one of us must be a hero.  Our highest need is to be a hero. From our childhood on we want to be number one. As adults we seek some assurance of immortality. We want those we leave behind to remember we were here.

I became a hero for the moment when I did my first NYC Marathon in 1983. I was with Mike Gullen, Gene O Conner and Jerry Turner (Jerry has passed away). The morning of the marathon, I recall the selection of my running gear – It was like putting on my uniform which became my armor for the great battle to come. We traveled by train to Manhattan, placed on a bus which became our Troop Carrier, arrived at the Fort at 8:00 AM and ordered into a tent. Mayor Koch visited his troops who were dry and waiting out the bad weather. He gave out his battle cry of “How am I doing”, which caused a resounding sound of cheering and a few boos. A call to arms moved us to the rain-spent blue starting line. The cannon fired and we charged up the Verrazano, there were flags waving on the ships in the harbor and the helicopters flew overhead for support. The first mile we headed right into that driving rain and wind, yet amid the huge mass of runners, it felt as if the enemy could not stop us from winning our prize. Our soldiers moved into Brooklyn which was no match for our might, but Queens began to take out a few of the weaker combatants. After a while, on dry land, we finally spilled onto First Avenue. If there ever was heaven in a race, this was it, the crowds went wild – long live the heroes. The Bronx lay ahead, I had to keep going, I could not stop or walk in my home town, and I must continue the struggle. The attack on The Bronx was quick and successful and then back south to Manhattan. By this time, I was in pain with legs of lead, calling to my higher power for help when I turned into the park and everyone began to pick up the pace. "How far to go?" gasped a young man beside me. "Three miles," I said. He took off like a colt that had seen its mother and disappear in the crowd. I continued to the end. The digital clock read 3:35:42, my best time so far. Afterward, I stood at the chute for a short time congratulating other finishers. I wandered down to the line and received my New York Road Runners Club metal which I wore as a Purple Heart. Exiting the area I noted the medical tent filled with the wounded and fallen heroes helped by volunteers in white and army green. The next day on the front page of the New York Daily News was a photo of Rod Dixon the winner holding up his arms in victory while Geoff Smith the defended second place male lay face up in a state of collapse. The hero, if nothing else, is his own man who is unique to himself.

P.S. This is what I remember of the Great War.

If you have a war story, thoughts, or race results you wish to included in the VSRC newsletter, please e-mail them to me at: … Joe Tito

Tip of the Month

Find your shoes and stick to them. High-arch feet do better with narrow heels. Morton's Foot (short big toe, long second toe) may need an arch support in the shoe. If a shoe works, train in it, and wear it to work.

What’s happening by Stan

The June Meeting: We will meet at the Administration building on the 11th at 7:30 and after everyone has warmed up we will have a one loop race around the park (1.5 miles minus a few yards) with no awards and you keep your own time. You may brag if you don’t mind having others tell you to shut up. We will then have the food and meeting: Some topics up for discussion are the barbecue (see the next item) and plans for the summer.

The 2006 Barbecue: At the meeting in May at the Alpine Gardens we talked about setting a date for the annual barbecue and after some later email action we settled on July 30. Joe and Carol have graciously offered to handle the arrangements.

I have two conflicting thoughts about who should be invited. First it is an event for club members so why invite others and second it is a time to see all our friends even those who aren’t still in the club. After all I often have invited a few of my friends who are not runners and other people have brought guests. So who should we invite? I would like your opinions in emails to me which I will forward without comment to the whole club. We will discuss it further and maybe decide the issue at the next meeting.

My trail runs: I have been trying hard to begin running on the streets for over a year but because of TMJ pain and left over problems from my long medical lay off I have found it necessary to start by hiking on trails. I have kept increasing the distance and the difficulty as best I could and my times on some difficult routes have slowly but steadily came down. At first I could only walk and then I progressed to where I could jog some of the flat sections and then I worked in jogging some hilly sections until I can now jog for most of three plus hours but the pace is real slow. I hiked throughout the winter It was sometimes a bit hazardous. For example, I once found myself on an ice covered hilly trail where the downhills were smooth as glass with rocks, roots, and debris sticking up out of the ice. I fell five times and was lucky to escape with only a little blood lost. I finally decided to race so last month I went with Lois, Donna, Rochelle, and Debbie to a 15k trail run in Pennsylvania where there were 4 stream crossings, lots of logs to climb over, steep hills, and a trail full of rocks and mud. I finished almost last but I enjoyed it no end. I will try another at the end of June. I am constantly bothered by minor injuries (thank God) such as calf pulls and ankle pains but I will keep trying until hopefully I am able to run on the roads again. My days of running at 6:40 pace are long gone but I will settle for 12’s. At my age that is respectable enough.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to all injured and ill and a happy summer to all

Stan

‘You-all’ come to the annual club BBQ on Sunday July 30 at 2 p.m. at Stan’s home at 77 Birch Lane. All members, family, friends and pets are welcome. We will work the party as we have done in the past. Each person will bring some food item, lawn chairs and snack tables. Carol Tito has volunteered to coordinate the items people will bring. Please notify her, or leave a message on her machine, or e-mail her assistant Joe Tito.

From Petra to Stan

On the spur of the moment I decided to attend GLIRC's '05 Christmas party.  The morning of the party I asked myself what am I doing, why am I exposing myself to such punishment?  I will be trampled on, shoved, pushed around like sardines, lose my hearing and suffer severe exhaustion before the evening was over, no space to swing my hips to Shakira - which I tell you is no lie, elbow my way around the dance floor the rest of the night.  I will have no one to blame from a battered hangover next day, but myself.  

Turns out it wasn't crowded.  Must have been under 300.  After the last dance, on my way to collect my coat, I followed the sounds of some very hot music to another party.  No sooner had I started grinding to that music I was told in no uncertain terms by an anorecic female with bad makeup  that I wasn't invited to leave.  To bad they missed out on a great dancer.  

I volunteered at this years LI Marathon hoping to stimulate my 15 year old.  He wasn't stimulated, but I cheered Ellen, Rose & Tom off to a great start.  I also fed them at the finish.  They didn't even look exhausted.  Like they'd just completed a brisk walk around Hendrickson park.  I think having Tom as a guide worked wonders for Ellen & Rose.  

I was really disappointed to have missed the dinner.  Stuff interfered and by the time stuff was over, was too late.  

This may sound silly, but there's a tree in the state park with virginas all over it.  I call it my girefriend tree. You head left as you enter, the tree is on the right.  I'm sure someone else has seen it.  I can't be that observant.   Right.............?   Petra.

Subject: Athlete's foot-putting out the fire - Jack Horowitz

Alcohol may be good in removing moisture, but once you use it, it evaporates. What about moisture that is produced later on? Isn't foot powder a better idea because it removes moisture for a longer period of time? How about using foot powder in your socks? It is not as clean as alcohol and can get a bit messy. I use antifungal cream and foot powder after my shower to keep my athletes foot under control. I cannot get rid of it.

Regards, Jack

Fun Runs, Speed Work, HILL WORK and Long Runs

· Wednesday evenings. Group Runs / Walk at the Valley Stream pool at 6:00 PM. Check with Donna, If new to club.

· For Hill Work in Alley Pond Park on Sunday mornings we meet at 8:00 AM. At Alley Pond we have a standard 8-mile loop and a lake loop which adds about 3 miles. For those who go directly to Alley Pond Park, parking is on Winchester Boulevard just off of Union Turnpike.

· For Long Runs we will meet on Saturday mornings, time of 7:30 AM at the bridge in the park. Be on time though, because after one loop in the park we sometimes go off to places hither and yon. Bring water as we often leave the safe confines of the park.

Race Results

· Lara Russoniello - Robbie Run (Merrick) 5K, 23:43 2^nd place

· Ellen M. & Rose M. did the LI Half with Tom Moore as our coach! We finished our walk/run in 3:03!!! We were hurting! A piece of cake for Tom.

· Artie Foti - LI Half 3:49

· Joe Cataldo – Run for Gecko 5K 31:07.
· 5K Runday 5/27
Joe Cataldo 31:09, Joe Tito 34:17, Donna Hahl 37:02

Upcoming Races

Tue, July 4 Bellmore 4M Bellmore 8:30

Sat. July 8 Vytra Woman’s 5k Farmingdale HS 9:00

Sun, Sept. 10 Ocean-To-Sound Start Jones Beach 8:00

Sat, Sept 16 Cow Harbor Northport 8:30

Sat, Nov 4 Rockville Ctr 10k Rockville Ctr 10:00

Sun, Nov 19 Mineola Mustang 5k Mineola 10:00

Sun. Nov 26 Rob’s Run Syosset 9:15

Sat. Dec Snowball 5M Wantagh 8:00

Sat. Dec 16 Ho Ho Ho Run 5k Bethpage HS 9:00