T h e s t r i d e r
In this issue: Whit Blair, apparently recovered from his 6th-place @ Imogene, WON the Marble-area LEAD KING LOOP 25K ! RYAN SULLIVAN 3rd @ Ouray 8-mile trail run ! Austin Anderson runs to Whitewater the fastest! Chuck Mattson is the biggest Turkey! (& THAT’s a “good thing”)
THANKS to Gerhard (Foot-Support Group), Sheryl Douglas, Conrad Cole, Larry Ingram, Karla Nephew, and Tom Ela for contributions ~
NEXT ISSUE à G J Fireman Turkey results (yeah, available now, but, heck, a lot of results to report on, so the lazy editor will wait ‘til next issue) ~
Kelvin Kiptum must have known that Strider Tyler Coleman was in the Chicago Marathon field so he ran a world record time of 2:00:35 to ensure his win last weekend. Tyler was right behind in 3:15:34. Great work!
John Wayne Grit Series Half Marathon and 5K in Ridgway, CO was held on Sept 23rd. This was a fundraiser for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. The movie True Grit was filmed in that area. The start and finish were at the Last Dollar Ranch. We also ran on a trail in the forest at the base of the San Juan Mts at the Heath Ranch. Also ran on the yellow brick road. The Heath family said when their kids were young, they would walk on the trail with the yellow aspen leves, hence the yellow brick road. Had a couple small stream crossings. The following ladies completed the ½ marathon: Kate Avery 3:39:58, Sheryl Douglas 4:21:07 and Jeanie Grooms 4:21:10. Good time and beautiful scenery.
SHIN-BONE’S CONNECTED TO THE THIGH-BONE, ETC.
As most of us who have been running for Decades, some parts of our anatomy talk louder than others by now. That should not discourage us from continuing our running/walking/hiking ambitions. Upon completing this year’s Garfield Grumble in May, I was thankful that after 50+ years of running, my anatomy still is willing to participate without major complaints. Regardless of age/mileage/odometer reading, our shinbone is still connected to our thigh-bone, hip-bone and so on. Thus it would be of benefit to keep all those “bones” and joints in the best possible condition. One might ask: What is that condition? There is no single answer to that question, but a few thoughts to help that condition may be as follows:
- Nutrition – Hydration: Find out what works best for your metabolism / medical Hx / anatomy.
- Fine-motor-control: Coordination exercises for both upper and lower extremities. Single-leg stance, eyes open and closed, in a safe environment (stand in a door-jamb holding on left and right).
- Strengthening large muscle groups: Does not require heavy weights or big machines. Try a pilates-type exercise regimen or Tai-Chi-type protocol. Resistance exercises with a rubber-band provide excellent muscle recruitment. Yoga/modified-yoga classes can provide strength, coordination, and balance.
- Stretching, mobilization: Strong tight muscles are inefficient muscles. Strength does not = mobility. Make sure all muscles large and small function in a coordinated fashion. A muscle that can fully elongate and contract is an efficient muscle – and it is also a “faster” muscle due to the ability to effectively store and release energy at just the right moment. Consult with your fitness / health-care professional to find a stretching regimen best-suited for your individual needs. Stretching comes in many varieties with “FLEXIBLE” options to help you participate at your best regardless of “odometer reading.”
- Cross-training: Our anatomy was originally designed to do many things, NOT including sitting for great durations of time, or executing mono-directional activities repeatedly or adverse loading for reasons never intended. Whether you’re tapping a keyboard, carrying a serving tray, standing in the O R, or running a nail-gun for hours – keep in mind that all the “bones” are connected and can/should move in many different ways (absent a fusion or fixation).
Your most important piece of sports equipment are the 206 (or so) bones and their associated tissues that make up YOUR anatomy, which are all (with the exception of the hyoid bone)* connected. Take a moment to assess the whole anatomy, and think for that moment what may keep it a Healthy Anatomy.
Happy running / walking / hiking ~
Gerhard
*(The Strider thanks Gerhard, who operates The Foot Support Group, a proud sponsor of the MMS for this essay. *The editor had to look up HYOID bone, and, yes, it is not connected to the other bones – it is a bone in the tongue!)
MMS Directors meeting, September 19: again, 7 directors were present. Conrad mentioned something about “the father, the son, and the holy goalie.” (The Editor was, and continues to be baffled about that ascertation). Fortunately, we got down to business, however. Tom and Karla talked about attending a “Jaguar System Training” session a couple months from now. See note from Karla about this system elsewhere in this issue. Totally related to the group mental-health aspect, our Vice-President was going to attend training regarding “dementia” health-care. He presumed that aforementioned training would concentrate on “exercise, diet, and an active mind.” (The Editor should wake up each day with those aspects front and foremost in his ever-diminishing plans for the day). The MMS has received $57 for shoe-recycling! The MMS currently has 220-some members. Did all of us participate and/or appreciate the partial eclipse on October 14? Yeah, we stick to a bunch of current and foremost and applicable “goings-on.” Any member (well, maybe non-members who bring beer) can attend our meetings … next of which has occurred before this NL has gone out … I don’t know who said this (Andy, I suspect) mentioned that the 2 most important things as to how to avoid Alzheimer’s were: (1) pick your parents well, and (2) die of something else, first.
For submissions for next newsletter: Email articles to [email protected]
Doesn’t have to be a ‘submission’! Let me know of O-missions, etc.
or ‘regular’ mail to MMS, c/o Betunada, 230 Sunset Hills, Grand Jct., CO 81503
MESA MONUMENT STRIDERS website: http://www.mesamonumentstriders.com –
www.facebook.com/pages/Mesa-Monument-Striders/282653486288
The M M S Directors are:
KARLA NEPHEW -- President (& Jaguar-Timing-System).
ANDY WINNEFELD – Vice-President (& frequent medical insight).
TOM ELA – Membership (among many other things). ROSCO BETUNADA – Secretary, NL.
LARRY INGRAM -- Calendar, Race Director Consultant. MARTIN WIESIOLEK -- Web Site &. SHERYL DOUGLAS (former President & still? Keeper of the Keys).
CONRAD COLE – Treasurer & Purchaser of Stuff. MEGAN SAND – “Board Member #9”
Esoteric but pertinent timing-system message from our president: Below is the timing app link that the club purchased a license for to use as timing/back-up timing ($100/year). We used the free version at FAM5k and it worked great. The paid version unlocks many more features and can be used on up to 5 different devices at the same time.
The website has many useful videos to learn how to use their app and see how the features work. https://www.webscorer.com/
It gives us another option for timing/back-up timing that can auto-generate reports and even correct missed or extra times without having to hand enter information after the race.
Karla
ED NOTE: believe you me, Karla is doing a valuable service for the MMS (& the local running community) with this timing stuff. Too bad this wasn’t being used for us for a regional marathon/half-marathon some years back which I won’t mention. (Long story short: if we had this then, we’d still have the contract for that race).
C A L E N D A R
(phone #s, if any, are 970-area unless otherwise noted)
Thursday, November 23, 9:30AM GJ Turkey Trot 5K
Stocker Stadium, Lincoln Park (yes, already happened – hope you were there!)
https://gjfffoundation.redpodium.com/2023-turkey-trot
Saturday, December 2, 10AM MoLo 10K ("Moab Locals" or CoLo for Colorado Locals)
Moab www.runsignup.com/molo10K
Stay to enjoy the Moab light parade, craft fair, etc.
Volunteers needed! If interested, please send name, email and phone number to [email protected]
For those needing overnight accommodations, Apache Motel is offering rooms for $79 per night for all race participants.
Sunday Dec.3, 9 AM Strider annual “Christmas Wreath” Devil’s Cabin hike/run – D3 Trail, Devil’s Canyon Trailhead
Saturday December 9, 10 AM. Santa Cause Run 5K
Las Colonias (on the Riverfront) https://www.gjcity.org/226/Santa-Cause-Run
Striders need some timing crew volunteers for the Santa Cause Race Dec. 9 (see below). Sign up for a shift here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C48AAA629A1FBC52-45571563-race
BEER MILE! Saturday December 9, 3 PM. 495 Blair St, Fruita
Coors Banquet will be provided. You’re welcome to bring your preferred beverage. NA beers permitted. Please no glass bottles. Pot luck to follow. Contact Donnie with questions 719-588-5966.
Thursday Dec. 14. 6 p.m. -- the evening group run will meet at Summit Canyon Mountaineering (5th and Main) for a downtown Christmas light run. Summit will host a special Striders shopping session after with discounts and beverages! Ho, ho, ho!
Dec.16, Saturday, 10 a.m. “Community Run Club”, Botanical Gardens, Girls-on-the-Run of Western Colo.
The Moab Triple Crown, Mad Moose's stellar trail run series, started last Saturday with the Dead Horse Ultras. This features excellent winter running in the desert with many distances to choose from! Run one or run them all.
https://www.madmooseevents.com/triple-crown-of-moab.
Nov. 18, Dead Horse Ultras Jan. 27, Arches Ultra
Feb. 24, Red Hot Ultra Mar. 23, Behind the Rocks Ultra
Group training run every Monday, 6 PM
Monday continues to have a "no drop" group that will ensure you don't have to run alone. We now meet at Basecamp Provisions Fruita 6PM as always, 155 N Mulberry St. We run in all conditions. Like the Thursday night group, this is casual and all abilities are welcome with various distances to choose from. Tom 970-773-3124
- 6 p.m. Thursday group run -- beginning 11/9 and ongoing -- meet at Handlebar 6PM as always, corner of Monument Rd and Broadway. However, see Dec 14 in Calendar Section for a “change of pace.”
MORE running websites:
sjmr.club ( SJMR ) San Juan Mountain Runners, 631 S. 2nd Street, Montrose, CO 81401
West Colorado GIRLS ON THE RUN: gotrwesterncolorado.org
Steamboat Springs: www.runningseries.com – this site should show all you need to know about most (or all!) the Steamboat-area races. Get on their e-mailing list!
rrca.org (road runners clubs of america) and colorado runner: www.coloradorunnermag.com
Support the underwriters / sponsors of the MESA-MONUMENT STRIDERS:
The following: Summit Canyon Mountaineering, ALPINE AUTO-HAUS, the FOOT SUPPORT GROUP, ZEALIOS, WEBCREATE.COM, and Dr. Andy Mohler, family practice, have assisted in keeping membership costs lower than they could be. And: they support running in the Grand Valley (& elsewhere). Support them if you can!
ALPINE AUTO-HAUS, 539 BOGART LANE – (970) 248-8004
Consider this auto-repair/servicing shop – especially for your Audi or BMW or VW or MINI ~
FOOT SUPPORT GROUP Foot/gait/orthotics/bracing/modification specialists
“European Craftsmanship – Biomechanical Design” 3212 F Road, Clifton, CO 81520
888-242-3881 or, in the 970 area code: 434-2727
Summit Canyon Mountaineering 461 Main Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501
Ask about a possible MMS discount ~ (970) 243-2847 The new owners are rumored to be avid runners.
Dr. Andy Mohler, family practitioner – with the Primary Care Partners PC, 3150 N. 12th (G.J., 81506), 245-1220
WEBCREATE.COM – just as it appears: need help with your website? [email protected]
Run to Whitewater Results 10/15/2023
1 Austin Anderson 2:10:02 2 Brian Glassey 2:11:44
3 Grant Roper 2:19:38 4 Max Robinson 2:19:39
5 Ian Rogers 2:41:59 6 Patrick Hummel 2:44:37
7 Chris Sovacool 2:51:55 8 Bradley Walters 2:56:19
9 Donnie Tietsema 2:59:01 10 Evan Rich 3:02:12
11 Laura Venner 3:05:47 12 Courtney Barella 3:07:02
13 Jake Gottschalk 3:22:21 14 Ty Bowen 3:27:52
15 Richard Leclercq 3:31:05 16 Bill Reede 3:50:07
17 Ashley Ahlholm 3:51:04 18 Karla Nephew 3:53:06
19 Scott Holmaier 4:37:31 20 Sheryl Douglas 5:26:56
Twenty runners enjoyed perfect weather this year. No one got lost, so we were all happy.
You would think that a retired banker and a retired CPA would be able to keep track of how many were still out there?? We had water, beer, tequila, and bourbon at the aid station.
Starting with 20 rocks and throwing one away each time a runner past wasn’t that easy. Get to talking and cheering can make one forget the rocks. Or, maybe it was the refreshment?
Conrad (Ed note: bourbon? & you didn’t invite me for the aid station?)
Craig Parks won a turkey last year. Everyone has a chance to win one this year! (see who won this year, later, this NL). Sigh … your humble editor was, twice, “THE BIG TURKEY” at this event, and it was definitely what one would want to be, under the circumstances.
Congratulations Max Robinson, winner of the Rim Rock Marathon! James Roche won the Half.
Ernie Langelier is the USATF National Trail Half 70-74 Champ! Also finishing the very sporty trail Half course were Rachel Lawrence, Brent Moore, Joceri Soto, Stephanie and Charles Evangelisti, Erica Fournier, Jada Mulford, Peyton Schuster, Summer Hood, Sheila and Mike Munch, Maureen Hanle. Epic accomplishments!
Saturday, September 23, Search and Rescue 5K Snooks Bottom, Fruita Sponsored by Mesa County Search and Rescue.
Lady over-all winner! JENNIS GILLESPIE ran the course in 20:50 to finish 6 seconds ahead of ANDREW LIMBACH. 3rd was ELLA UNREIN, 21:08. 2nd male and 4th over-all was A. Pena (22:17); 5th was Seth Knighton (22:36). 3rd lady was Taylor Valentine (7th), 22:36. There were 66 finishers in this inaugural event – hope for more entrants next year!
https://runsignup.com/Race/CO/Fruita/MesaCountySearchRescue5K
Saturday, September 23 Ouray Mountain Trail Run 8-Miles Ouray (we think)
Look at the times – this must-a been TUFF. The winning time was slightly less than 2 hours! RYAN SULLIVAN was less than a minute back of the winner (the editor forgets who that was), in 3rd place with a 1:51:38 effort. Our valley (well, G.J. and suburbz) sent several fast women to participate in this, with JACKIE TURNER (27) 4th woman, 17th over-all, who had 2:53:23 of … fun. STACIE SCHREINER was 5th female, 21st, 3:01:02. And … Laura Turner (12th woman and 31st over-all) was ahead of the midway in the field of 64 finishers. 66-years-young Chris Colman completed this race, as did Jodi Neimburg and Andreya Krieves. Kyle Stone was 36th finisher!
Nov. 18, Saturday, Annual MMS “Tom Turkey” 6-mile prediction run.
Marshall and Susie Steel were smart guessers and each won a turkey at the Tom Turkey Prediction Run. You can also possibly detect a turkey in the Robinson baby stroller behind that Kat earned. Full results can be found here: (or read the results, just a couple lines down …)
https://www.mesamonumentstriders.com/raceresults/tom-turkey-6-mile-pred…
Runners are listed in order of their predictions – e.g., though Mr. Mattson didn’t run the fastest, he ran the “bestest” (closest prediction) and therefore was FIRST place in this event.
1. Chuck Mattson 54.58 - :58 seconds off prediction 2. Andy Winnefeld 64:26 -1:34
3. Marshall Steel 56:31 -1:44 4. Kat Robinson 46:26 -1:55
5. Suzie Steel 51:41 -1:59 6. Kristin Martin 61:24 -2:06
7. Scott Vig 44:00 -2:36 8. Caly Esordrek ? 43:56 -3:04
9. Sheryl Douglas 83:09 +3:09 10. Lexi Van Rockel 43:56 -3:12
11. Richard Lecercq ? 58:43 -3:17 12. Scott Holmaier 60:42 -3:18
13. Craig Parks 48:39 -3:45 14. Sergio Nevarez 47:11 -4:04
15. Kristi Siman 48:11 -4:33 16. Conrad Cole 86:30 -5:30
17. D Plunkett 75:54 -6:06 18. Cory Maas 56:42 -6:18
19. Tom Ela 69:46 - 7:51 20. Sera Friedman 56:56 -18:04
Nice turnout on a gray, 50-degree day with a cool east breeze. The group was mostly turkey predictors -- some from Tom Ela’s evening run group, a couple new club members and Craig Parks who drives from Rifle almost every year. As one of the reasons I keep doing this Strider event is that it always turns into a nice social event for runners and welcomes to the club and valley newbies.
This year’s run had a couple of interesting results. First, in the 50 or so years of the event for the first time I remember there was only a single turkey predictor-winner under one minute. Chuck Mattson with a 52 second result took home the big Butterball. Extra weird because most years 52 seconds wouldn’t get any of the 5 to 7 turkeys. Second, 19 of 20 predictors were faster than their predictions, not a bad thing, especially with good running conditions. Only five of these were under two minutes.
I sort of feel these predictions could somewhat be due to few 5K, 8K and 10K races in the valley and lots of local races in the past for a better idea of pace and provide a challenge. Today you can’t afford to run very many races that are overly expensive. This is why club events are a cheap alternatives and fun, especially for families. Also good for high school runners for experience and their coaches should take advantage of these.
One other first for this event. A family at about two miles set up an aid station, rang cow bells and encouraged the runners. Heard there were some “spicy” drinks. Pretty neat, they are/were club members.
Also special thanks to my number one helper, Bob Thome whose foot kept him from running.
(Thanks to Larry Ingram for putting this race on all these years!)
Dead Horse Ultras, Moab, Nov. 16
Mr. Ela provided “local” results from the 4-separate distance DH Ultras earlier this month. Of particular note is (are) Mr. Anderson’s over-all SECOND PLACE in the long event, and Michelle’s 4th-over-all (2nd woman) in the almost 300-runner 30k!
50-Miler (211 runners)
|
2 |
Austin |
Anderson |
Grand Junction |
CO |
28 |
M |
2 |
6:53:16 |
|
65 |
Kristen |
Seidel |
Grand Junction |
CO |
30 |
F |
18 |
9:47:41 |
50K (422 runners)
|
62 |
Doug |
McCaw |
Grand Junction |
CO |
46 |
M |
51 |
4:42:46 |
|
112 |
Vanessa |
Lichtenberg |
Grand Junction |
CO |
36 |
F |
25 |
5:20:53 |
|
150 |
Jennifer |
Gruber |
Grand Junction |
CO |
30 |
F |
42 |
5:37:40 |
|
343 |
Bill |
Reade |
Grand Junction |
CO |
64 |
M |
211 |
7:19:32 |
30K (290 runners)
|
4 |
Michelle |
Oberndorf |
Grand Junction |
CO |
31 |
F |
1 |
2:17:26 |
|
16 |
Daniel |
Garcia |
Grand Junction |
CO |
44 |
M |
10 |
2:35:45 |
|
146 |
Kyle |
Czajkowski |
Grand Junction |
CO |
30 |
M |
82 |
3:26:40 |
|
147 |
Alexsis |
Glesener |
Grand Junction |
CO |
33 |
F |
65 |
3:26:43 |
|
157 |
Sarah |
French |
Grand Junction |
CO |
30 |
F |
70 |
3:30:14 |
|
187 |
Kylie |
Czajkowski |
Grand Junction |
CO |
29 |
F |
93 |
3:39:40 |
|
245 |
Kassi |
Shakespear |
Clifton |
CO |
27 |
F |
120 |
4:11:28 |
15K (168 runners)
|
27 |
Frank |
Shahbahrami |
Grand Junction |
CO |
18 |
M |
17 |
1:29:17 |
|
84 |
Carrie |
Shahbahrami |
Grand Junction |
CO |
43 |
F |
50 |
1:55:01 |
|
97 |
Jason |
Whitesides |
Grand Junction |
CO |
48 |
M |
36 |
1:58:40 |
|
97 |
Zoie |
Whitesides |
Grand Junction |
CO |
16 |
F |
62 |
1:58:40 |
|
108 |
Meghan |
Dehaan |
Grand Junction |
CO |
31 |
F |
69 |
2:01:45 |