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. 3                                                March   2006

 

Ø      We will be at Scenic Eisenhower Park, Sunday, March 19 for the John Corrigan 4x2 Mile Relay Race which starts at 9:00 AM. Come early (8:30) so that we can field a few great teams. Club meeting will follow at the Colony Diner, see newsletter for details.

 

Aphorisms from various running thinkers:

·        ‘Bid me run and I will strive with things impossible’ – Shakespeare, in Julius Caesar

·        ‘The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare’ – Jumo Ikangaa, course record holder in the New York Marathon

·        ‘Our greatest glory is not in falling, but in rising every time we fall’ – Confucius

 

March – Poetry of Running

Carol and I have attended a poetry reading session at the Smithtown library.

Guess what - I can write poetry too!

I am a runner; I run far and go near.

I am a runner; I eat fiber and drink beer.

I am a runner; I pass wind through the rear.

Looking over my work, I guess I will leave poetry to others that know how.

The late George Sheehan is noted for his compelling writing skills. His definition of himself and his vision of the world around him provides me with a deeper understanding of life and running. There is an example of his work on the topic of hill running; ‘At first the gentle swell carries me. But gradually the Hill demands more and more. I have reached the end of my physiology. The end of what is possible. And now it is beyond what I can stand. The temptation is to say, ’Enough.’ This much is enough. But I will not give in. I am fighting God. Fighting the limitations He gave me. I will conquer this hill, and I will conquer it alone’.

I feel the passion of his words; he is an example to me of a real poet. That is enough out of me, if you have any articles, thoughts, or race results you wish to included in the VSRC newsletter, please e-mail them to me.      … Joe Tito

 

Tip of the Month

Run economically. Do not bounce or overstride. You should lengthen your stride by pushing off, not by reaching out. Do not let your foot get ahead of your knee. This means your knee will be slightly bent at footstrike. Run from the hips down with the upper body straight up and used only for balance. Relax.

What’s happening by Stan

JOHN CORRIGAN 4 X 2 MILE RELAY    The relay will be held at Eisenhower on Sunday, March 19 at 9 am.  We will form teams before the race so please come at least one half hour before the race.  I’ll appoint a captain for each team. Please do not pay by yourself as the club is picking up the race fees. However tell me if you are a member of LIRC so we can pay the correct fee for you. The fees are $3 LIRC members, $2 LIRC members 60 or over, $6 non-members, and $2 physically challenged runners.  Your speed doesn’t matter as John wouldn’t have cared.

JOHN CORRIGAN SHIRTS    They will be ready at the race. The design has been sent to the printer and we now have just over two dozen orders. There is time to order until the 13th but please don’t wait until then. The price will be determined later: It will be less if we order three dozen or more. There will be a discount for 2006 paid up members.

The shirt will be white with Kelly green lettering. Here is the front of the shirt in Microsoft green. It will be adjusted by the printer. There is nothing else printed on the shirt. John did not like writing on the back of shirts and we want it to be dignified without ostentation.

 

VALLEY STREAM           JOHN CORRIGAN

RUNNING CLUB              IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER

 

MARCH MEETING     We will meet at the Colony Diner after the relay which is on the north side of Hempstead Tpke just east of the park.  The topics on the agenda are elections of officers, monthly meeting places for the spring and summer, the dinner before the LI Marathon, other coming events, and any other matter you wish to bring up. Gregg will handle the elections. Please bring your 2006 dues to the meeting. If you can’t make the meeting send them to Lois Timpanaro, or give them to any officer of the club.

SUNRISE DAY CAMP FOR CHILDREN IN TREATMENT FOR CANCER  Seven  Jewish Community Centers on Long Island share the Henry Kaufman Campgrounds - a 30 acre wooded site near  Pinelawn Memorial Cemetery. It is used for summer day camps by the JCC’s including one served by the Friedberg JCC in Oceanside. This JCC decided to create a day camp on their campsite for children ages 5 through 16 who are in active or follow up treatment for cancer. These children usually can not play with their friends during the summer. There will be the usual camp activities and there will be a private air conditioned infirmary with an on-site oncology nurse and volunteer pediatric oncology doctors. There will be no charges at all to the children. It will be the first such camp on the east coast. The camp is under construction now for opening this summer. The project is in conjunction with four hospitals that have children oncology units: Sloan-Kettering, LIJ Schneider’s Children’s Hospital, Winthrop Hospital Cancer Center for Kids, and The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx. It is likely that Stony Brook will join in. Information on this project is at www.sunrisedaycamp.org

WALKATHON ON JUNE 4    The camp is totally dependent on donations so raising money is a crucial part of supporting this camp. I have been working on a walkathon for this day camp. I have been helping in many capacities.  Donna and Lois came to a meeting with me on Wednesday night, March 1 and you are all invited to future meetings. I will be in charge of volunteers at the event and I am also working on the course. This project would benefit from any help you can offer before the event and certainly I hope that you can contribute your time on Sunday morning, June 4 for the walkathon. Please contact me for ways that you can help.

COMING MEETINGS The second and third Sundays in April are Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday respectively. I therefore propose that we have the April meeting on the first Sunday, April 2. I further propose that starting with the April 2 meeting we should have meetings in the park at an hour to be determined.  We can have group runs, a relay race, speed or fartleck sessions, or other activity.  We will discuss these proposals at the coming meeting.

HAPPY SPRING TIME TO ALL This winter has been so mild that I haven’t been looking forward to spring as much as I usually do. Then I remember that if spring is here, then summer and beach weather can’t be far behind. Then all is good again. 

Best wishes to all and a sincere  hope that  all the injured and ill recover quickly.

Stan

 

Dues – Last Notice

2006 dues are $20 for local and $10 for out-of-towners (price includes all members of the family). Please send your check to Lois Timpanaro, or at the John Corrigan 4x2 Mile Relay Race (Which is our next meeting).

 

Winter Serenity – Joe Tito

Being winter, there is not much club news to report on. What our newsletter requires is a little bit of serenity. 

This month, while jogging in the street of St. James I noticed one of our oak trees still retained its crisp, dry leaves long after the maple became a bare skeleton. Even the strong winter winds and the heavy snows of February 12 and March 2nd did not strip the oak branches of its dead leaves. But springtime will come, warmer winds will blow. The spring buds will start to appear and the old dried brown remnants of the winter will give way. The trees will have their bright green canopy and the birds will come and sing. New life will replace the old. From this observation, I have discovered two important truths.

1)     This spring I will run with new life and joy.

2)     This spring I will have to rake up those stupid leaves.

 

Your Money or Your Life - Harry Feigenbaum

As one on chemo for the rest of my life, I really exult in the days they parole me (you have to go off it periodically, because, in essence, the chemicals kill healthy cells along with the cancer cells). It is then I hearken back to those golden days when first I started to run; how I reversed the aging process, becoming more  physically and mentally capable in my '50's than I had been in my '30's and '40's. It was all twaddle of course, and metastatic bladder cancer in my '70's completely sobered me up.

The point is I've been off the stuff for upwards of 6 weeks and have studiously avoided telling the oncologist I've recently started to urinate blood again. I know what he'll say: "You have a choice; you can either keep improving your running times, or you can go back on chemo and stop the urinary bleeding. It's up to you." Am I the only member of the club old enough to remember the Jack Benny riff on radio where a robber offers him the choice - YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE - and, after a long pause, the world renouned tightwad replies, "I'm thinking; I'm thinking."  Me, too. I'm thinking, I'm thinking... Harry

 

More on the Miami Half Marathon – Donna Hahl

The Miami Half Marathon was on Sunday, 1/29.  It was a great experience. I'm still thinking about hoe much fun the race was and how wonderful it was to experience it with friends and family. The course was magnificent and earthshaking.

The race began at 6:00 AM, in the dark, at Port of Miami, where the cruise ships dock. The ships are all aglow in white lights. It really looked surreal to me. As the sun is rising I was running over causeways that overlooked private islands, mansions and estates. There seemed to be water and gorgeous homes everywhere. Just when I thought it couldn't get any more beautiful, I ran through South Beach. South Beach is very art deco and beautiful. I kept looking for the "Birdcage". The only part of the course I didn't like was the last mile. It was tedious because it was like running in a city-----no aqua water, no mansions, no cruise ships.......just pavement and regular looking buildings. How boring. There were many highlights for me. Doing the race with friends and family was just the best. Joe Cataldo drove from Melbourne, FL (about 3 hours) to see us. He stayed overnight with Gene & Theresa. I still can't believe he drove all that way. Rochelle, Dorothy, Lois & I stayed with my brother, Frank. He did the half marathon and stayed with me the whole time. He's completed a few marathons, but he decided he would do this race with me. My sister, Linda, never did a race before. She and a few of her friends trained very hard for this race. They walked the whole thing and was so excited and proud of herself. I think she slept with her medal that night. On Saturday we went to the Expo. Joe & Gene drove to my brother's home and we went in 2 cars. It was quite an experience. Saturday night Gene & Theresa made a delicious pasta dinner/party for us at their home. It was such a fun night. They are definitely the host and hostess with the mostess. I can't thank them enough. Joe, Gene & Theresa were on the sidelines cheering for us. They were the loudest people on the whole course.  It was great to see them.

I'm already looking forward to doing this race again next year. The rumor is that Theresa and Joe are thinking about doing it next year. I never met Helen Weiss, but Theresa spotted her at the race. They were very happy to see each other. There were about 11,000 participants. I can't believe that Theresa saw Helen and ran after her to say hi.  Believe it or not, I can't find the words to adequately express how wonderful it was to see Joe, Gene & Theresa. They went way out of their way to make sure that we felt welcome and had a fun time.

 

I just completed – Joe Cataldo

I just completed (3/4/06) the "EYE OF THE DRAGON 10K" a real tough race over the Eau Galliee Causeway.  Last year I came in third in my age group but this year I have not trained much (maybe 6 or 7 miles a week), so I was not expecting to do well.  But, what do you know, I came in second!  Maybe teaching 3 or 4 fitness classes a day to the old folks helps.  Anyway, keep that guy Jose up there, or even Tito for that matter!  Funny thing, I have more trophy's down here in three years than I had in NY in 25 years of running!  If you have to know my time it was a blazing speed of 1:02.  Joe C.

 

I’d mooned the Class – Petra Hurney

One of the classes I teach at NYSC is the SilverSneakers program.  Total number in the classes 30 - 35.  It's a program started by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Health Care Dimensions for older adults 65 and over.  The instructors are trained and evaluated yearly by them. The equipments used are resist bands, weights (dumbbells) and medium sized rubber balls, of course chairs.

Anyhow to cut a long story short........ A few days ago a little old man, 90+, present height about 5 ft. shuffled in led by his wife.  Seeing a newcomer I went over to say hello and to set him up for the class.  When I handed him the ball he shook his head and politely said "No thank you I already have two."    

Afterwards I found out that he was a professional violinist who played on Broadway, was part of and traveled with Sinatra/The Rat Pack.  He was in the group who played in the background when Marilyn Monroe sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President" - With a wink he went on to say that there was definitely something going on between those two.  No surprise there.

Recently I accidentally mooned that very class.  During the winter I always wear baggy waterproof pants over my NYSC pants which I pull off just before class.  Was running late so in my rush to begun I pulled both pants down to my ankle.  I immediately felt a draft, quickly looked over my shoulder hoping no one saw.  They looked stunned and then evaporated into giggles.   My immediate reaction was blushes, which one probably couldn't tell, then disbelief that I'd exposed my black a...........         

 

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

Central Park 4M 2/5

            Carol Beckler 40:10,            Donna Hahl 43:52

Rochelle Holden 40:35 – Long Beach Snowflake 4M 2/4

Bethpage State Park 3x2 Relay with Donna Hahl, Rochelle Holden and Joe Tito

            Time: 1:07:06, 3rd place in age group

Joe Cataldo – Eye of Dragon 10k – 1:02 2nd

 

Upcoming Races 

Sat. Mar 11      Kings Park 15K                                   Kings Park                              9:15

Sat. Mar 18      St Patrick’s Day 5K                             Smithtown                               9:15

Sun, Mar 19     John Corrigan (5x2 Mile Relay)           Eisenhower Park                      9:00

Sun, Mar 26     Suffolk County ½ Marathon/5K           Selden                                     9:00

Sat, April          St James 5M                                       St. James                                9:30

Sat. April 1       ASPIRE 10k                                        Plainview                                 9:00

Sun, May 7      LI Marathon                                         Eisenhower Park        8:00 F, 9:00 H

Sun, May 28    Long Beach 10M/5k                            Long Beach                             8:00

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