Times Remembered
Mary Jean Yon,
You can’t run. Whatever the reason…you’ve got a bum body part; you had an encounter with some sort of doctor; or maybe you had a freak bicycle wreck…the result is the same. You can’t run and you’re not happy! You find yourself calling out to any higher entity that will listen to you. “Just let me run. All I want is to run a little with my buds…it doesn’t have to be fast!” Time goes by and your wish appears to be granted. But somehow you feel like you’re never going to get back to the groove you once knew. What can you do?
Have I got news for you! This month we welcome back the Gulf Winds Track Club Lecture Series which will be spearheaded by Fred & Margarete Deckert. The first event will be held March 16 at Premier Health & Fitness at 7:00 p.m. and will feature the one and only Breeda Dennehy-Willis conducting a session titled, “Breeda’s Secret Training Tips-How to Reclaim & Retain Fitness.”
Who better to help you with your pursuit of excellence than our local favorite Olympian? Breeda competed as a representative of her home country Ireland in the 5000 and 10,000 meter events at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She also holds an impressive list of titles and records as the NCAA Cross Country All American in 1991 and last fall was inducted into the Western Kentucky University Hall of Fame for her accomplishments in 1989-93 when she ran cross country and track for the Hilltoppers.
If you can make it to this lecture, you’re bound to pick up some nifty tips for training smart and building strength. But wait, there’s more! You’re also likely to learn new terms as you listen to the Irish Wonder do her thing. Here’s a sneak preview:
- If you’re a male that runs with Breeda and you happen to have one of those days when you’re struggling to keep up…then you’re a “sally.”
- If you don’t make your living as a runner, then you’re a “recreational runner.” Don’t get your feathers ruffled if you hear this term on March 16th.
And on it goes. Come join us for an evening of fun and enlightenment on March 16th at Premier. With any luck, you’ll learn a thing or two that will help you at any of the upcoming spring races that are on the calendar. Maybe you’ll find something that will kick in the next morning at the Shamrock Scurry or perhaps you’ll learn a strengthening tip that will pull you through the hills of Springtime on March 31st.
Whatever the gain, there will be plenty of races to test yourself. As the weather begins to warm and the flowers begin to bloom (again) we find the race calendar absolutely full of opportunities. And if the massive crowds at the Tallahassee Marathon and the Run For The Cookies are any indicator, it appears racing on weekends is in vogue again. Here’s hoping this trend is more than just some New Year’s resolutions hanging on because it really is exciting to see so many people turning out for these events!
And speaking of running fast…have you heard that Tallahassee is hoping to host four really fast U.S. distance runners from the Boulder Performance Training Group the first few weeks of March? Seems word about our little running mecca has made it all the way out to Boulder, Colorado and the following four talented athletes are looking at our fair city as a good place to get in some sea level training for the upcoming World Cross Country Championships in Mombassa, Kenya: Dathan Ritzenhein, Jorge Torres, Jason Hartmann and Ed Torres. If these names sound familiar it’s probably because all four of these guys ran extremely well in the National Cross Country Championship that was held February 10th in Boulder. Dathan finished a strong third and Jorge was fourth. For more detailed information, check out the group’s web site at www.bouldertraining.com. And keep an ear out for a Gulf Winds social as we’re really hoping to throw together an event to allow us “recreational runners” a chance to mix and mingle with the big guys! Stay tuned!
M.J.