Greater Bellingham Running Club
Page 2 - Archived GBRC News
Girls on the Run and Girls on Track announce Summer Camps
"Strengthening Girls from Start to Finish!"
Join the girls for summer day camps where they run, swim, and play in the park.
All girls entering into the 3rd through 8th grades are welcome!
-
Dates:
- June 26th - 30th
- July 24th - 28th
- Aug 7th - 11th
Birch Bay Road Race Online Registration Closes this Week
Reminder that the deadline for the Birch Bay Road Race Online Registration GBRC Discount is Tuesday April 4. Club discount of $5.00 for 15K/$10.00 30K. Club Challenge with Semiahmoo Sunrunners is heating up. Trophy and $150.00 at stake. Day of Race Registration is available. GBRC Athletes who have previously entered will be given an opportunity to establish their entry on behalf of GBRC. More details about the race can be found by clicking on the link from the "Next 30 Days" section above.
New Birch Bay Marathon / 25K Co-RD Needed
Leigh Foley, who has done much to revive the Birch Bay Marathon in her role as co-race director during the last two years, needs to take a hiatus from the position to devote more time to her studies. Continuing race director Tjalling Ypma is therefore in need of a new partner for the next race, on Sunday February 18, 2007. This is an opportunity to play a role in the continuation of a classic and well-established race, well on its way to returning to its former glory days. The event is relatively simple and low-key, and the organization is not particularly time-consuming. As co-RD you will have the support of both the on-going RD and Leigh, who will be available to share advice and experience. If you are interested in taking on this task, please call Tjalling Ypma at (360) 734-2616 or email him at tjalling.ypma@wwu.edu
Chuckanut 50K Great Success Once Again
Saturday marked the 14th running of the Chuckanut 50K race with Uli Steidl winning the men's race
with a time of 3:55:36, and Nikki Kimball winning the woman's race at 4:33:33. The weather was beautiful, and 280 runners
left the finish line to enjoy the course. Runners were rewarded with beautiful views and a great
post-race feast. The race was very organized and great fun; the trail running community owes thanks again to
Krissy Moehl and all the volunteers that helped make this such a great event.
Results are now posted, see the link at the top of this page. Click here to view some pictures from this year's event.
Volunteers Wanted to Help with WWU Cycling Event
Two recent GBRC races, the Birch Bay Marathon and Honeywagon Runs, benefitted greatly by volunteers from the WWU Cycling Club. Now the cycling club is looking for volunteers to help with one of their events, the North Shore Circuit Race on April 8th, 2006. Volunteers will be needed during any of three shifts, 9-12, 12-3, or 3-6pm. Information about the race can be found on their Race Event website. To volunteer or find out more information about volunteering, e-mail Chris Parrish.
Birch Bay International Road Race... a new 15K/30K.
The event is in support of Whatcom “Girls on the Run” program. The race is committed to promoting the “community” of runners in the Northwest
Entry discounts are offered to members of GBRC, Semiahmoo SunRunners and Whatcom "Y" who register online before April 5. The race will offer complete support with aid stations every 3K, long sleeve Brooks Podium Technical shirts, finishers’ medallions, raffles and more
There will be a friendly club competition between the White Rock, BC Semiahmoo Sun Runner club, YMCA and the Greater Bellingham Running Club. At stake will the inaugural Birch Bay International Challenge Trophy and $150 in gift certificates to Stephanie’s By the Bay (for either a great post race beer or to be used in other club events as prizes) Points will be awarded based on age-group finishes in both the 30K/15K – top 5 in the 30K and top 10 in the 15K combined (see website for details.)
The Semiahmoo SunRunners have stated confidently that they expect to win the trophy (the Sunrunners are a 200+ club centered in White Rock BC.)
The race courses will be UST&F certified and will be chip timed.
For more information, interested athletes and volunteers may contact Lynne or Jonathan Hoskins at (360) 325-0715 or go to the website at www.birchbayroadrace.com.
GBRC Offers Workshop for Race Directors and Volunteers
Date: Sunday- March 12, 2006
Time: 2 PM- 4PM
Location: Discovery Park mini storage -1440 King St. Bellingham
Cost: None
GBRC members are invited to attend this informal, but informative workshop. The following items will be covered:
- Race planning
- Equipment care
- Course setting and marking
- Timing
- Finish line set-up and procedures
- Results tabulation
Anyone interested in learning more about volunteering, or being a race director is encouraged to attend.
Note: Pre-registration is required! Please contact Alison Allen at 671-6724 by March 8th if you plan to attend.
Girls on the Run: To prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living...
Girls on the Run (GOTR) is an experiential learning program for 3rd
to 5th grade girls that
combines training for a 5K run with life-changing, self-esteem enhancing, uplifting warm-ups and
workout that encourage emotional, social, mental, and physical development.
The spring session of Girls on the Run will begin March 20 and run through May 31. Financial assistance is available, and space is limited, so contact them soon if you are interested. GOTR also has a sister program: GIRLS ON TRACK for 6th to 8th grade girls.
They are also looking for volunteers and assistant coaches!
For more information please contact Brie Hyslop at the Whatcom Family YMCA. (360) 733-8630 www.whatcomymca.org.
Birch Bay Marathon / 25K Update
We have been assured that the course will be certified and that marathon runners who meet the qualifying times on Sunday February 19 will qualify for the 2006 Boston Marathon. We have not yet been issued the corresponding race number, but have been given to understand that this oversight simply reflects world-class official procrastination. Read complete story.
GBRC TRACK WORKOUTS TO START AT BELLINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL
It's that time of year again, time to hit the track to get your running in a little better shape, or work on getting fit for those spring races, or just have fun running on a track with a great group of local runners. The track workout will be starting on Wednesday, Feb 8, at 5:30pm, at Bellingham High School.
All current GBRC members are welcome, regardless of age, gender or speed! These weekly track workouts are
intended to build upon your current level of fitness, and improve your speed and speed-endurance. The workouts are intended for distance runners, not sprinters. We intentionally start out with fairly low-intensity workouts to minimize the chance for injury. Please dress warmly and bring a headlamp if you wish. Come with a friend if you can! See you at the track!
Due to construction at Civic Field and the WWU track being unavailable we have had to move workouts to Bellingham High School for now. There is enough lighting from the parking lot and street to make the track usable even at night. The location may change over the course of the year as the days get longer.
Additionally, Craig Bartlett has stepped down as the coach for the workouts after several years of doing a exceptional job. Mike Karl has agreed to step in as coach and is eagerly looking forward to continuing a great program. Mike has coached with Bellingham Fit, a local marathon training program, over the last 3 years and has worked in a technical running shoe store in Portland before taking on the role as coach. Mike also works as a physical therapist at St. Joseph Hospital and has a broad background of running experience to draw upon.
We will be establishing an e-mail group to keep you notified about where we will meet, we will also have the schedule posted in this website. Check the
GBRC Calendar or track workout page for up to date details.
Mike Karl
Hey runners beware!
For those of you who park your car somewhere and run out and back be very careful. On a rainy morning (5:30AM) in January there were a group of runners leaving from the Barkley Haggen's parking lot. They parked conspicuously in the middle of the lot, like they have for years. They left on their run for an hour or so and came back to find two of the cars broken into and purses, cell phones and misc items taken. When the police were summonded they told them that this was an all too common occurance in Bellingham and on the rise.
So, the lesson here is to only have in your vehicle what you absolutely need. Don't bring your entire purse/wallet. Have just your drivers license and hide it away or just keep it with you. Do not hide your keys on your vehicle (tire wells, gas caps, etc.) Keep your keys with your or take just the key to your vehicle. If you are running with friends who have a trunk or alarmed car leave your items out of site in their vehicle.
There are some places you should be leary of according to the police: Lake Padden, Aroyo park trail heads, Pine and Cedar parking lot, Fairhaven park, Fairhaven veterinary area parking and the rotary. These are typical places people park and run from so thiefs are savy to this and watching you.
Be smart, run with a buddy and call the police department if you want any further advice or have questions.
After Cancellations Last 2 years, Lake Samish Runs are a GO!
Lake Samish Runs report:
NO SNOW!!!!! We had great running weather and other than a few of our mile markers being washed away by heavy rains Friday evening all went well.
The overall men's winner Ed Harri and overall women's winner was Kate Southcote Want. We had record numbers with 128 6.5 mile participants and 75 half marathon participants.
The overall winner of the half marathon was Kiefer Whan and with first woman was Lori Whitehead. Thanks to
all the great volunteers, we couldn't put on races without you!
Results are now posted, see the link above or in the Results section.
Chuckanut 50K Full for 2006
Every year this race fills sooner. Right now 320 runners are registered for the 2006 Chuckanut 50K, assumming 300 runners will start. This year we are maintaining a waiting list for those runners that did not get in. If you are registered and you know before March that you can't run, please let the race director know. View the lists at the Chuckanut 50K Home Page.
37 years of Running History with the Birch Bay Marathon.
It is said that the Birch Bay Marathon is the longest continuous running Marathon on the west coast, entering it's 38th year this February. We have just posted the full results of all 37 previous events. It's a fascinating slice of NW running. In 1969 the closest runner came from Marysville. While it was a spring marathon the rumber of runners was regularly over 100. In 1984, several years after the race moved from April to December only two runners finished, running in 10 degrees through 6 inches of snow in a blizzard! Browse the results and see how many local runners you can find. Thanks to long time race director and runner Jim Pearson for providing the results. View the results here.
GBRC Events for the Holidays
The holidays are almost upon us, and for many that means opportunities for eating and shopping and attending holiday parties. Those folks looking for some nice running events to balance out their other activities have a great selection of GBRC runs over the next 5 weeks.
- The Turkey Trot is a 5K trail run that takes place the Saturday before Thanksgiving at Barkley Village.
- On the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend, you can try a 5K or 10K with the Fairhaven Frosty.
- Finally, on the first Saturday in January you can put your New Year's resolutions on firm footing by running the 6.5M or half marathon Lake Samish runs.
Oh, and if you want more parties to help recover after these holiday runs, the GBRC Holiday party and board elections will take place Sunday evening, the day after the Fairhaven Frosty, on December 4. Information about these and other GBRC runs and events can be found at the GBRC Calendar.
Chuckanut 50K, Birch Bay Marathon Registrations Open- Chuckanut already filling fast!
Two days before Thanksgiving the registration opened for the 2006 Chuckanut 50K scheduled for March 18, and 69 people are already on the entrants list. It's likely that even with 300 plus registration slots this race will fill earlier this year than ever before - possibly before Christmas. If you're thinking about running it- get that form in soon. Information can be found here.
The second Birchbay marathon under the GBRC, scheduled for 2/19, has also opened registration. The first February running of this event went very, and the expectation is for quite a few runners this year compared with 2005. The marathon course has been certified and a 25K distance has been added. The race will be chip timed and we have added electronic preregistration. Follow this link for more information.
Birch Bay Marathon adds 25K option and aid.
A 25km alternative to the full Birch Bay Marathon will be offered on Sunday 19 February 2006. Run on the same day and course as the full marathon but starting half an hour later, 25K runners will complete only one loop of Birch Point before returning to the start / finish in Birch Bay State Park, whereas those doing the full marathon complete two loops. Additional aid stations with more supplies and porta-potties will be provided; 25K runners will encounter 4 aid stations while marathon runners will now find 7 aid stations on the course. For more details, see the Birch Bay Marathon website.
Bellingham Trail runners win Baker Lake 50K
In spite of the downpour at the begining of the Baker Lake 50K on Saturday Oct 1, Erin Delude was
all smiles and ready for this race. Later that day she won the first ultra trail run
she entered with a time of 4:48:40.
Steve George of Bellingham won the men's division with a time of
4:17:20. Running through squalls, showers, and occasional sunbreaks, 101 runners finished the race that follows
the beautiful east side of Baker Lake. Beautiful scenery, a nice group of runners and great food
rewarded the runners on Saturday. View the race report and
results here.
Trail Runs for 2005 Start up Sept 7.
Summer is in full swing, fall is around the corner, and that means thinking about the great trails
we have in the area. Get ready for the Padden Mudfest in November, or just take the opportunity to
explore some of the many trails in the area by joining the GBRC for Fall trail runs.
Every Wednesday evening at 5:30pm from Sept 7 until Oct 26 runners of all skill levels gather to run for an hour
or so on a variety of local trails, lead by Craig Bartlett. The terrain ranges from very flat (The Nooksack dike run) to quite hilly
(raptor ridge) but don't worry, walking the hills is just fine, and the good company makes it well worth
it.
View the run details and schedule here.
New Discussion Forum on Website
The GBRC Website has just launched a new feature, a discussion board or
bulletin board. So how does it work? Our discussion board is divided up into
forums. Right now there are just two, one for our club Track Workouts, and a General
one for everything else. People can post a new topic, which is just a comment or question,
or they can read the existing topics (also referred to as threads) and respond if they want. A topic
might have quite a few responses that span some length of time or just be a simple announcement.
A perfect example of the discussion board is recent topic posted asking about rides to the upcoming Rhody run
in Port Townsend. To check it out,
click on this link, or go to the
menu item on the side called Discussion.
Keefer Whan, Becca Friday win Haggen to Haggen
Keefer Whan shaved almost a minute off his time from 2004 to win the 14th Haggen to Haggen
5k race this year in 14:49, beating second place Clay Wing by 16 seconds. The top
woman finisher was 14 year old Becca Friday who finished in 19:03. Almost 600 runners
and over 400 walkers participated in this very popular event this year. Conditions were
very good for the race with cool and cloudy weather.
The Haggen to Haggen is a large event that requires lots of work from many volunteers. We'd like
to thank all of the volunteers: community members, running club members, friends and
family of the race directors, and of course the Haggen Corporation for making this race possible.
Full results are available from the link above or our results menu.
Burnaby Running Club to host Speakers
The Burnaby Running Club in B.C. is sponsoring a talk featuring 4 speakers that promise to be quite interesting to runners. There will be a physician from UBC who is a specialist on sports injuries, a person specializing in gait analysis, another who is trained in footwear selection, and a distance runner from Kenya who will be talking about his experience with training and running.
The event takes place on May 29th from 12:30 - 4:00pm and will be held in the Collingwood Neighbourhood House in Burnaby, (5288 Joyce St, Vancouver, BC V5R 6C9) and cost $10 CDN. More information about the event may be had by talking to Godfrey Mende at Mende@hotmail.com or by calling 604 435-0323.
Godfrey is the head of the running club in Burnaby; the GBRC and their club have been trying to encourage participation in each other's events.
Note on 5/8/05: This event is filling up quickly; if you are planning on attending you should call Godfrey at the number above to reserve a place.
GBRC Offers Local Runners College Scholarships
Once again the GBRC is offering two $500 scholarships to Whatcom County seniors. We will be awarding one to a male runner and one to a female runner based on merit. Please see the attached application form if you are interested. Applications must be recieved by June 30, 2005.
GBRC Needs Volunteers!
Calling all GBRC members!! How many of you haven't volunteered for a GBRC race or other event in a while? It's easy to do. But did you know that the reason our membership fees are so low, is because we rely on all of you to help put on the 13 races and multiple special events we have every year? Volunteer needs range from a handful of folks for a potluck and social run to 50-60 people or more for a large race like the Haggen to Haggen or Chuckanut Foot Race.
So what does it mean to volunteer? There are lots of jobs available. For a race you can work a registration table early in the morning, stand at an intersection on the race course to help keep runners safe from traffic, help pull tags or pack up equiptment at the finish line, or many other tasks. Usually it's a chance to work with other volunteers making the events possible. It might take from a couple of hours to 4-5 hours or longer, depending on the race. Our volunteers overwhelmingly tell us that they have a great time.
The upcoming Haggen to Haggen 5K volunteer needs break down like this: 10 people are needed at the start & registration; 10 people at the finish line, and about 40 on the course. So 60 people are working at this race so that about 600 runners and 600 walkers can participate.
Right now we still need to find about 20 more volunteers in the next couple of weeks to make
the Haggen to Haggen happen. If you haven't volunteered in a while or at all, please give us a call
or e-mail and we can talk about how you can help support the GBRC races.
Rick Hill and
Jean La Valley, race directors. (676-9971.)
GBRC Unveils New Fashion Line
Have you been looking for that something special to wear this spring that says, "I'm distinctive,
sophisticated, fast, and good looking.."? Look no further than GBRC's new sweatshirt,
pictured here. This is a nice 50/50 cotton blend Russell sweatshirt with the GBRC logo on the front.
It's not available in any store, and it's cozy!!.
The sweatshirts cost $25, including tax. Fairhaven Runners
or Footworx in Barkley Village are kindly selling them on the club's behalf. (Checks to GBRC or cash only.)
You can also e-mail
Mary Steinberg or give her a call. (Her phone number is listed on the contacts page.) The
club will also be selling them near the registration
area and at the finish at the Haggen to Haggen race on May 7.
Chuckanut 50K Race
The threat of rain all weekend didn't deter the 210 runners who finished the 13th running of the Chuckanut Mountain 50K on Saturday, March 19. And the runners were rewarded with cool weather, dry trails, and rain holding off for most of the event.
Results are now posted. We will have race reports and additional pictures soon, so check back. You can view some great race pictures already courtesy of Dean Taylor.
Sports Nutritionist to Speak to Running Club
The GBRC is pleased to announce that Heather Nakamura will give a talk on Eating for Endurance on
Sunday April 3rd at 4:00pm at the Fairhaven Park Pavillion. Refreshments will be served.
Due to the anticipated popularity of this and limited seating, we will be only able to
accommodate current GBRC members.
Also, no children please!
View the Workshop Details.
If you have any questions, please contact Mary Steinberg 671-0385 or Christy Fazio 647-7182.
37th Annual Birch Bay Marathon- First for GBRC
Annie Thiessen and Joel Pearson with their Birch Bay Marathon Trophies. (click for larger image)
For last dozen years or so the Birch Bay Marathon has been a low key event, sometimes drawing a handful of dedicated runners who have kept the december marathon going for all these years. This year the GBRC has assummed sponsorship of this race and moved the date to February. 32 runners came out for the race and were rewarded with beautiful weather to match to gorgeous course.
Joel Pearson, running his first marathon, won the event in 2:49:41. Annie Thiessen of Tacoma was the top
woman at 3:14:43. We hope this is the first of many successful Birch Bay Marathons under the GBRC.
Read the complete Race Director's report of the race, and check out some
of the photos of the race.
Three for the road?
Saturday saw a record turnout for the Two for the Road Race at Whatcom Falls Park, including
several sets of twins. Complete results for the popular threesome, twosome, and individual race
can be found here.
Billy Mills to Speak in Everett March 7th
Billy Mills presentation and autograph signing, Monday, March 7th, 2005, at 7:00 p.m., in the Everett Civic Auditorium (across the street from Everett High School), This event is free to everyone (Donations will be accepted at the door.) Mills was the 1964 gold medalist in the 10,000 meter race in Tokyo, Japan. His heroic accomplishments were dramatized in the movie "Running Brave". This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet an American distance running legend!"
GBRC TRACK WORKOUTS BEGIN WEDNESDAY FEB 2, 5:30PM AT CIVIC FIELD
All current GBRC members are welcome, regardless of age, gender or speed! These
weekly track workouts are intended to build upon your current level of fitness,
and improve your speed and speed-endurance. The workouts are intended for
distance runners, not sprinters. We intentionally start out with fairly
low-intensity workouts to minimize the chance for injury. Please dress warmly
and come with a friend if you can! See you at the track! Craig Bartlett 733-7159
Because we are unable to use the WWU track this year, we will have to change days occasionally as the season progresses to avoid conflicts with other events taking place at civic field. We will be establishing an e-mail group to keep you notified about where we will meet, we will also have the schedule posted in this website. Check the track workout page for up to date details.
Snow Cancels Lake Samish Run Again
Lake Samish Run - It looks like 2004 all over again! With at least 6 inches of snow and ice on the ground and snow forecast for the next 24 hours, we have decided to cancel the Lake Samish run set for tomorrow, Saturday, January 8th. We hope to reschedule the race later in the year, perhaps in the fall.
Chuckanut Mt 50K is full!
We are overfull for the 2005 Chuckanut 50K. This year the race filled much faster than ever before. You can check the Chuckanut 50K page to see the final list of runners or check for any new information as we get closer to the race.
GBRC sponsors first ever Turkey Trot
Paul Ricci and Carol Frazey battle it out at the finish of the first annual GBRC Turkey Trot. (More photos
in the photo gallery.)
It's been a while since the GBRC has added a new club run to it's calendar, but this
thanksgiving runners and walkers will have a chance to enjoy GBRC's first annual Turkey Trot. What
better way to start the holiday season of food and festivities than a good 5K at the beginning
of Thanksgiving weekend?
The run will be held in Barkley Village, starting in the Moss Adams parking lot. This event will benefit
the Bellingham Food Bank. Details about the race, including how you can register with food donations,
can be found here. The first 200 registered runners will get a great long sleeve t-shirt.
GBRC Members at the Big Hurt Relay
John Clark (mountain bike), Rick Lingbloom (kayak), Paul Ricci (run), and
Mike McQuaide(road bike) smile after taking second in their division at the Big Hurt
Relay in Port Angeles on September 11.
Complete results can be found at www.racecenter.com.
Trail Runs for 2004 Start up Sept 1.
The days are growing shorter again, and the weather is cooling down. That
means it's time once again for the GBRC fall trail running series. Every wednesday
evening Craig Bartlett will lead GBRC members to a different trail in the Whatcom
County area. These runs range from flat to extremely hilly.
View the run details and schedule here.
37th Annual Chuckanut Foot Race
Even two powerful BNSF trains, leaving at the scheduled race start time, could not keep almost 600 runners from the 7 mile trek down the Interurban Trail. The 37th Annual Chuckanut Foot Race was run in low 70 degree temperatures and partly cloudy skies.
John "The Penguin" Bingham of Runners' World was emcee for the awards and after-the-run events activities. Sam Alexander was first man across the finish line in 38 minutes flat. Sarah Hastings was the first woman finisher in a time of 45:45. Thanks to sponsers and especially the volunteers. View the complete results here.
GBRC Offers College Scholarships
Once again the GBRC is offering two $500 scholarships to Whatcom County seniors. We will be awarding one to a male runner and one to a female runner based on merit. Please see the attached application form if you are interested. Applications must be recieved by May 31, 2004.
Record Turnout for the Haggen to Haggen
624 runners crossed the finish line of the 13th Haggen to Haggen 5K race on Saturday, May 8. The
conditions were great for runners, cool and cloudy for the start with sun breaking out
after the finish. Well over 1000 walkers and runners did the 5k route from the Sehome Village
Haggens to the Meridian Haggens.
Kathleen Harri won the women's race with a time of 17:31, beating her last year's winning performance by 1 second. Sam Alexander won the men's race with a time of 14:47.
Our thanks
go out to the many volunteers who make this race possible and enjoyable for all of the runners
and walkers. We had an unfortunate malfunction of the clock at the finish line so participants
couldn't see their time at the end, but this didn't affect the official times.
View the complete results here.
Read the Bellingham Herald
Story.
Honeywagon Runs in Glorious Sun
Runners take off at the start of the 2004 Honeywagon runs. (Paul Ricci photo)
12th Chuckanut 50K a Great Event
Some of the many gbrc members at the Chuckanut 50K enjoy sun and rest at the finish.
Photo courtesy of Jen McQuaide. (click for larger image)
Distance Markers on the Interurban Trail - Volunteers Needed for Installation
On Saturday April 10 distance markers will be installed along the Interurban Trail. The markers will be placed at half mile intervals, from Fairhaven to the Clayton Beach parking lot. We need volunteers to install these markers. The heavy ironwood posts need to be planted about three feet into the ground, so shovels, posthole diggers and the like are needed. There are a total of 15 posts; we hope to distribute the work across enough volunteers to make the installation relatively quick and painless. So all you regular Interurban Trail runners: please show up to lend a hand, and bring digging tools. Thanks to Superfeet, and in particular Kirsten Carpenter, for arranging the funding and official approval of this project and the manufacture of the markers. Thanks also to the City, County and State Parks for their support. We will benefit from this for many years.
Assembly point: Rotary Trail Parking Lot, Fairhaven Parkway.
When: 10 am, Saturday April 10.
Contact information:
Tjalling Ypma: 650-3785 (W) 734-2616 (H); tjalling.ypma@wwu.edu
Kirsten Carpenter: 384-1820 x 6623 (W); Kirsten@superfeet.com
Chuckanut 50k Race T-Shirts Available
Steve at Fairhaven Runners has created great t-shirts for the Chuckanut 50k this year. You can reserve your shirt now by calling Fairhaven Runners at 360 676-4955. Details, including a look at the design are on the Chuckanut 50k page.
Two For the Road Race
The two for the Road race took place on Saturday, Feb 7 at Whatcom Falls Park. The results from that race will be posted soon, but there were a few things left at the park. If anyone is missing a pair of black fleece gloves, a triathlete t-shirt, or a piece from a Kelty kid's backpack, please give Sharon Ensslen a call at 671-1670 to claim them.
GBRC Race Volunteers Needed
Wanted: Race Co-Director for Chuckanut Footrace
Craig Bartlett and James Hayes, the joint directors of the Chuckanut Footrace, would like to have the assistance of one additional race co-director for this event. This is an opportunity to facilitate this classic and popular race and to learn from two experienced race directors what it takes to put on a major event. Please consider serving in this role, and call Craig at 733-7159 or email him at craig@fairhavenrunners.com to volunteer your services.
Also Wanted: Volunteer coordinator for the Haggen to Haggen Run-May 8th, 2004
Each year GBRC partners with Haggens to put on the Haggen to Haggen Run. Rick Hill and Jean La Valley are the new GBRC directors for this race and they could use some help. Specifically, they would like someone to serve as the volunteer coordinator. This person would help find volunteers (we need 60 volunteers and we think we have almost 1/2) plus serve as the volunteer organizer during the race. If you have even the faintest idea that you might be interested, please call Jean to discuss-676-9971, or email her at jeanlavalley@comcast.net
GBRC Renewal Time!
The GBRC changed their policy about membership renewals and newletters this year. Members will NOT recieve the January newsletter until they have renewed their 2004 membership . It's easy to overlook sending in that renewal with the busy pace of the holidays, but please take a moment to do so now if you haven't already. Get and print the renewal form here. If you have any questions about whether or not you've renewed, email Alta, our membership coordinator.
Chuckanut 50K race now full for 2004
The race for 2004 has filled up! Now all there is to do is train! Check out the details here.
GBRC TRACK WORKOUTS ON WEDNESDAYS AT WWU
It's 2004, can you believe it ?! Well, you may have started the year by setting some fantastic running goals, and what better way to help achieve them than to attend the Wednesday evening track workouts? Or just join us because you enjoy feeling fast and rhythmic on that smooth rubber surface. Or join us because you like the other people who show up (Sharon Stone will be there). Whatever your motivation (Sharon Stone!), we'd like to see you there!
This is our sixth edition of track workouts for GBRC members, and here's the scoop:
- WHERE: WWU track. Parking is free in the gravel lots after 5:00 p.m.
- WHEN: Wednesdays 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. - First workout on Feb. 4th; last workout on July 28th.
- WHAT: Warm-up jogging begins at 5:30 and ends at 5:38 (arrive early if you need more jogging time). Next, we'll continue warming-up with "grass drills"and move on to a brief stretching session, followed by the running workout. We'll finish the workout with a cool-down jog and some core-strength exercises.
- WHO: Co-workout leaders are Craig Bartlett (Miles' daddy) and Erin Delude (Erin is new to Bellingham by way of South Dakota and Moorehead State University, where she earned her B.A. in Exercise Science, and her M.S. in Health, Physical Education & Coaching. As you will soon learn, Erin is passionate and knowledgeable about physical fitness, and is probably the friendliest person you will ever meet, anywhere.)
- WHY: There are a zillion reasons "why"...It's good for you..you'll meet a lot of people from the wondrous Bellingham running community...you'll meet your next running partner...Craig and Erin will cheer for you...you always feel better at the end of the workout than you did at the beginning...you'll probably learn something important from Erin...you'll laugh (you'll cry)...you'll sleep really well on Wednesday nights...it's FUN ! (and on and on and on...)
Get the schedule of workouts by following the Track Workouts link on the website menu.
Lake Samish Race Cancelled
Due to the recent snowfall and high winds the Lake Samish Race has been cancelled.
Temperatures in the teens combined with the wind brought the wind chill down to around zero this weekend in
Whatcom county. (Click to see larger image).
Picture of the Month - 1/4/04
Snow and cold weather of early January did not deter runners from enjoying the back trails around Lake Padden.
Click the picture to see a larger image.
If you have a picture involving running or local runners you would like to share, we'd like to post it!
We can accept digital pictures, slides, negatives, or prints. Please e-mail for
more information.
GBRC Junior Olympians Compete at Nationals
Five GBRC runners ran in the Junior Olympic National Cross Country Championships on December 13th. This year's USA Track and Field cross country course was in Albuquerque, New Mexico at 5000 feet altitude. Runners from 49 of the 50 states competed.
Grant Manthey, 17, of Ferndale placed 66th in the 17/18-year-old division out of 139 runners. He covered the 5 kilometer course in 18:47. Manthey is a junior at Ferndale High School.
In the 13/14-year-old division, Liisa Cushing placed 176th out of 269 runners. She ran the 4 kilometer course in 19:19. Cushing runs with the South Hill Striders team and resides in Skagit County.
In the 11/12-year-old division and the largest races of the day, Alanna Steele of Bellingham placed 78th out of 278 runners. She ran the 3 kilometer course in 13:19. Her team, the Cascade Striders placed 4th nationally.
Thomas Guilleaume, 12, of Bellingham placed 77th in the boys' race out of 265 competitors. He ran the 3 kilometer course in 12:38. His team, the Rain City Flyers, placed 10th. Guilleaume and Steele are 7th graders at Fairhaven Middle School.
In the 9/10-year-old division, Becca Kennedy, 10, of Lynden placed 26th out of 233 runners. Her time for the 3 kilometer course was 13:43. Kennedy runs with the Rain City Flyers and is a fifth grader at Bernice Vossbeck Elementary in Lynden.
Fairhaven Frosty 5/10K Race
You can often count on the Fairhaven Frosty 5/10K race to be rainy and windy, in
addition to the hilly conditions that are guaranteed. This year though, runners were
treated to the sun shining and only light winds.
Brian Woods and Becca Kennedy won the 5K event, and Ed Harri and
Jennifer Sheel won the 10K event. Thanks to race director Gayle Pfeuller and all the
volunteers for another great race. Now if you could just do something about those hills.
Complete Fairhaven Frosty Results.
GBRC helps groom Junior Olympic Contenders
Four young members of GBRC are working towards a spot at the USA Track and Field nationals in Albuquerque, New Mexico in December. Becca Kennedy (10), Alanna (12) and Leah (9) Steele and Tom Guilleaume (12) are all Junior Olympic hopefuls based on their continued performance running with the Rain City Flyers, a Woodland Park based USATF club. Their training regiment includes many GBRC sponsored runs.
These youths compete in 3Km cross-country events, and have been pulling competitive times in their respective age groups. November 15th was the date for the Association meet ( Western WA ) on the Lower Woodland Park course, and regionals were also run at Woodland Park on November 22nd. The regional meet encompasses all of Washington, Oregon, Alaska and parts of Idaho.
The top 20 individuals and 3 teams from regionals qualify to advance to nationals on December 13th. Watch their progress on the USATF Junior Olympic Results page on the USATF site. Congratulations Becca, Alanna, Leah, and Tom on all you have achieved this year!
First Annual Padden Mudfest- everything perfect but the mud!
The race was a great success in every way
except the absence of mud. (This possibly bothered
the race directors more than the runners.) The 12K trail race on the Lake Padden
back trails was well attended- 98 runners showing up for a new race.
The race results were scored using WAVA age-adjustments to the times. The overall winners were Dave Rienhart, Polly Favinger's brother visiting from Mass, (doesn't this just sound like a small town newspaper?) and Carolyn Nordvedt. A race report will be coming soon along with a page of photos of the race, so check back for that. A huge thanks to directors Ed and Kathleen Harri and all the sponsors and volunteers for giving us such a great new race.
Trail Runs Finish up for the Fall
The final trail run of the fall season occured on wednesday night, Oct 29th.
With daylight savings behind us flashlights and headlamps were in order, but that
didn't deter the 15 runners. A nice 40 minute run through the trails from Barkley
Village over the new Alabama bridge, through Whatcom Falls park, along Electric
ave and back, was the reward for showing up in spite of the cooler and windier conditions.
Many thanks to Craig and James for leading us along some of the
nicest area trails the last two months.
View the run details and schedule here. And remember
that February is just around the corner, when the track workouts will start again.
Running delegation to Japan
The Bellingham Sister Cities Association is looking for participants in a cultural visit our Japanese sister city, Tateyama, to take part in the Tateyama Marathon and 10K runs (January 25). The approximate dates of the trip are Jan. 22 - Jan. 30, 2004. Participants would pay their own way, but have the opportunity to stay with host families and participate in a wonderful cultural program organized by Tateyama for us. Participants do not have to take part in the runs. This will be a trip to remember! Many groups from Bellingham have travelled to Tateyama, and are always overwhelmed by the warmth and hospitality of their Tateyama hosts. Tateyama has a tradition of sending teams to participate in the Ski-to-Sea race. For more information about the trip, please contact Ellen Lind at ewlind@hinet.org. For more information about Tateyama and the sister city program, please visit the Bellingham Sister Cities Association Website: http://www.bsca.org.
Lake Padden Relay
The 'summer that never rains' continued it's run of warm days and sunny skies
for the Labor Day Weekend Lake Padden Relay. Twice as many solo entrants as
last year and many more teams
showed up, and everyone had a great time. The top relay team, Matrjoshka from WWU,
broke the ribbon with a time of 52:40. Among the solo runners Beau Whitehead finished the 10.36 mile
course in 1:04:41 while Christine Ashby was the top woman finisher at 1:09:15.
View the results here.
GBRC Potluck quite an Adventure
Visitors to Lake Padden Aug 20th were treated to the sight of GBRC members running around
the roads, paths and trails, searching for something while trying to make sense of the
maps they were carrying.
Yes, it was another adventure run, hosted by the running club with the course set up
again by Craig Bartlett. After 45 minutes to an hour most of the runners came
wandering back for barbecued chicken, hot dogs, veggie burgers, and plenty of side
dishes. Mark Kerr ended up the winner of the advanced course, finding all 8 cones
in the quickest time. Michael Fazio, show in the picture trying to help competitor
Rick Hill read the map, won the intermediate category. A good time was had by all. Thanks
to Mary, Christy and Rene for organizing this event.
March Picture of the Month
(Click to see a larger image)
Ultramarathoners Vicki Griffiths and Barb Macklow run the Tanks Alot 50K race in November, 2003.
Please e-mail us if you have any prints, slides, or digital
pics you would like to share.
This months photo submitted by Mike McQuaide.
Lake Whatcom Fun Run
8/6/2003
Beautiful weather prevailed for the 10Km+ Lake Whatcom Fun Run.
Kevin Olson won the mens division with a time of 37:53, while Sharon Stone
took the ladies division in a time of 42:39. Congratulations to all !
View the Complete Results Here.
GBRC Track Workouts Finished for the year.
8/1/2003
July 30th marked GBRC track workout for 2003. 25-40 runners
turned up every Wednesday afternoon for the last 6 months to smile, scowl, sweat,
laugh and
sometimes swear with coaches Craig Bartlett and James Hayes as they ran us through our
paces. Easy warmups, hard intervals, skipping and running with our eyes closed, and
of course the dreaded mile time trials to see if we were really improving. Those 6
months went by pretty fast.
Stay tuned for announcements for the Fall Trail Runs that take place in September and
October. And don't forget that February will be coming around sooner than you think,
when the track season starts again.
Again a big thank you to Craig and James from everyone who attended this year's workouts.
Look at our pictures from one of the workouts.
The Race Beneath the Sun was HOT
6/10/2003
The Race Beneath the Sun was a scorcher this year. The heat made the uphill
segment more difficult but strong performances were recorded with a new
female course record set by Darcie Montgomery in 30:49. Age group
records were set by Finnian Haskins, John Collins, Gale Pfueller, Elana
Gibson, Bernadette Duffy, and Barb Rappaport. Greatly appreciated
volunteers were: Bonnae, Bryce and Shirley Alden; Enzo Frederico,
Francine Hong, Suzanne Harris, Erin Dommes, Jim Clausen, Brian Herring,
Gay Nelson, Mary Kay Becker, Richard Hill, Kristin Moore, Rene and
Hans Wendt, Mary Steinberg, Christy Fazio, Trina Hall, Tanis Otter,
Terry Thalhofer, and Julie, Alana and Leah Steele. Thanks to Great
Harvest Bread and Fairhaven Runners for their kind donations. Race
co-directors Alison Allen and Carolyn Nordtvedt thank everyone
for helping and participating in this race.
See the
race results.
Zach and Kathleen win the Haggen to Haggen
5/15/2003
Beautiful weather rewarded more than 500 runners of this year's Haggen
to Haggen 5K run saturday, May 10. Zach Boteilho won the mens division once
again at 14:35, while Kathleen Hari was top woman finisher at 17:32.
View the Complete Results Here.
GBRC Members Win Mt Si Relay
5/1/2003
April 27th saw the 20th anniversary running of the Mt Si Relay and Ultra race. The
Relay required 5 person teams to cover 57 miles, Ultras could choose between a 50K
or 50 mile course. The courses
consisted mainly of converted rails to trails running along the Snoqualmie river
between Carnation and North Bend.
The overall Relay was won by "LET'S COMMUNICATE- Fairhaven Runners", with team members
Craig Bartlett, David Peterson, James Hayes, Jeff Christner, and Mike Morse finishing
in 5:55:03. (picture above)
Carolyn Nordvedt also helped win a first in their division and a very respectable 7th overall
with team "I Remember When". Last but not least; "Quick Minds, Slow Feet", with members
Todd Donovan, Mark Irvine, Barb Rappaport, Rick Hill, and Alison Allen finished 22nd overall
with a second in their division. (And yes, there was more than two teams in that division).
As a member of the latter group, I found it gratifying to be able to hold off the
challenge from the Fairhaven Runners Speedsters until
the seventh leg, when James went whizzing by me during a long uphill grind. Of course,
they had started an hour later but you have to take your victories where you can find them.
It was a beautiful day with perfect conditions, quite a change from rain and flooding in 02
and an earthquake in 01, both requiring day of race course changes.
The Chuckanut 50K Race
3/20/2003
165 runners finished the Chuckanut Mt 50 K run on March 15 under cool and dry conditions.
Ed and Kathleen Harri took top honors in men and women's divisions with times
of 4:08:37 and 4:39:32. Kathleen's time was good for a new women's course record.
Read the
race report and check out the
results here.
Click
here
to see who was trying to catch Chuck, and see other pictures.
And of course be sure to read Tjalling's
report of his race this year.
Top