September 2020
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DSEolphin outh nd NEWS 55th Year September 2020 BLUES WOMAN: ADA B. THOMAS u From the President’s Desk Joe Kaneiwski u uuu JOE KANIEWSKI A younger friend of mine recently asked me if I’d ever heard of Ted Corbitt, Keeping our running motivation the trail blazing African American Olympic marathoner, former physical these days sure is a challenge. therapist, New York City Road Running Club President, and some might say But it was great running the DSE Father of Long Distance and Ultramarathon Running in the United States. Ted Virtual races at Rockaway Beach was an amazing runner who inspired generations of runners in the New York again and taking in the boats, City area and beyond. marinas and inlets of Sierra-Oyster I told my friend Pat that the DSE Running Club has had several Black Point, and running along the members like her who have achieved Corbitt-like running excellence here musical concourse and past the in San Francisco. I explained how DSE is home to runners like Ada Thomas, Japanese Tea Garden on the east Marian Lyons, and Gregory Brown, each of whom have made their mark in side of the Golden Gate Park for both their age groups and the SF running scene. I mean, who hasn’t been the Art & Sciences 5K. Kevin Lee impressed by Marian Lyons and her 117 marathons and Gregory Brown and told us it would be a great run and his 350+ marathons? I had to tell Pat all about Marion, Greg, and the bench at it delivered. The Embarcadero 4 Stow Lake that is dedicated to Ada B. Thomas. Miler was wide open when I ran it In the long history of our club, only two DSE members have been honored and it made for a fast, flat running with a bench in San Francisco. Most of us know about the Walt Stack bench on experience. But this is 2020, so Marina Green, but there is the bench at Stow Lake to another club inspiration, the lightning and forest fires came, Ada B. Thomas. and smoke took away our running ...continued on p. 2 for several days! At least we have smartphones and websites like airqualitynow.com that allowed us to find moderate pockets of air to run in. Luckily, I got out to the Dipsea trail and ran in Marin the last few weeks in August. In case you didn’t see it, you can run the oldest cross country footrace in the US course this month. The Dipsea Trail race is a free virtual run this year. Yes, that Dipsea race, the single one I n s i d e u u u u u u u u u u u u u u way version is virtual. Just make FEATURES DEPARTMENTS sure you make arrangements Robyn Wolf .....................................................2 Contact Info .....................................................2 to get back from Stinson Beach The Walt Stack Bench ......................................4 Classic Stu-Peds ...............................................2 unless you want to make it a Race Report: Marlette 50K/10M ....................4 Virtual Running Info ........................................8 Membership Info .............................................9 Double Dipsea run. I was able to Officers/Coordinators ......................................9 catch a bus back from Stinson to Weather Forecast ............................................9 Mill Valley. If you go, remember Birthdays .......................................................10 there are no course monitors out there, so make sure you stay clear of mountain lions, follow the CLASSIC STU-PEDS signs, and don’t forget to turn right BLUES WOMAN Stu Ruth after Cardiac Hill (because running ...continued from p. 1 on Highway 1 is not recommended if you get lost!) And when you hit Like Walt Stack, Ada was a the stairs near Old Mill Park, look for larger than life personality who the plaques honoring DSE turtles like inspired others with her effusive Ken Reed, Walt Stack, Tony Stratta, personality, charm, and energy. Russ Kiernan, and the plaque for All She also took up running later in Double Dipsea Volunteers. life, running her first marathon I hope you enjoyed our runner’s at the age of 68. But it was her choice this last week. It was our first daily workouts, like Walt’s, and Air Quality 5K Virtual and it got me her drive to run well into her 80’s out in Marin County again. This time that garnered attention from I went for the flat and fast run along lifestyle magazines like Essence the lagoons and marshes between and American Fitness Magazine, as Mill Valley and Sausalito. If you ever well as various television specials. want a change of pace, I recommend Always with a positive attitude and checking it out for its unique scenery. REMEMBERING encouragement that was infectious, In this month’s newsletter I Ada inspired people as an active contribute an article about Ada B. ROBYN WOLF member of the club from the Thomas, a long time DSE Runner Longtime DSE and Pamakid 1980’s to 2010. and club member. I never met Ada runner Robyn Wolf (Paulson) Ada grew up in Fresno, where but I realized that we ran by her passed away on August 25. A she played baseball and volleyball plaque and bench at Stow Lake in true trailblazer in Bay Area sports, before graduating from Edison Golden Gate Park this month. I hope Robyn was known for crashing High School. She was drawn to those members that remember her Dolphin Club swims in the early the San Francisco Bay Area by the appreciate the pictures and article as 1970’s (when only men were great mobilization of World War II, much as I appreciated learning more allowed to participate) and was and contributed to the war effort about her. one of the first women to make by working at Alameda Naval Yes, 2020 has been full of the famed “Escape from Alcatraz” Station, Oakland Army Base, and challenges but we keep moving swim from the island to Aquatic our very own Fort Mason when the forward. Go DSE, Go! Park. She was a dear friend and Bay Area served as Headquarters inspiration to so many DSErs, and of the Pacific Fleet and the U.S. will be deeply missed. Army’s Western Headquarters. Robyn’s obituary can be read San Francisco until recently was here. All of us at DSE send our the jumping off point for soldiers sincerest condolences to her family heading toward the wars and and loved ones. military actions in the Pacific. Ada was right in the middle of it, How to contact the DSE News How to contact the DSE The DSE Newsletter is published monthly for the DSE Running Club. Mail Contact: DSE Runners Amber Wipfler, Editor Please note that submissions may be edited for P.O. Box 210482 Email: [email protected] length and clarity. San Francisco, CA 94121-0482 Website/Membership Application: Contributions: Submission Deadline: www.dserunners.com We encourage our members to submit Please submit your material to the editor by articles and photos for inclusion in the DSE the 25th of each month if you would like it to Webmaster: Rob Snaveley Newsletter. Please send your contributions be published in the following month’s news- [email protected] to the editor at the above e-mail address. letter. Members without e-mail accounts can send their contributions to the DSE general mail- box (see address at right). 2 DSE News 9/20 retiring in 1977 after decades of administrative parks and race courses in better shape than service for the Department of Defense. they were before we showed up. Taking care of As I mentioned, Ada began running after retirement. our parks by picking up cans and recycling are One of her first races was the Bay to Breakers, where now all just part of being good stewards. Ada was she met Marian Lyons. The two would become ahead of her time. lifelong friends, and were a dynamic duo in DSE. They Ada’s bench is adjacent to the boat house ran hard, supported each other and others with at Stow Lake, a prime spot. Phyllis Nabhan cheers, and supported by the club by being co-race remembers it as Ada’s favorite running course and directors and Gala organizers over the years. a meeting point for the regular runs she organized Like Walt, Ada was known for colorful language and for other women and beginning runners. If you sayings. Her family collected a list of these sayings for have ever run the path around the Stow Lake her memorial in 2010. I saw the list and noted that island and up Strawberry Hill, you know what a it was over two pages long. A few of the Ada(isms) great spot it is to run in the city with its lush tall really make you smile. Here are some examples. trees, soft trails, geese, squirrels, pagoda, and - When asked about her middle initial, Ada would waterfall. There is so much to see and experience, say, “the B is for Black, Beautiful, and BAAAD.” so it is a great place to have a plaque and bench. - “You are a lifesaver and I don’t mean the kind with Finally, I wanted to mention that I had been a hole in it.” hearing stories about Ada for years. I would - “I’m no fool -- I know big timber from brush!” like to thank Marian Lyons for filling in some of Reading the Ada(isms) I was struck by her sayings for the details about Ada and everyone else who overcoming “hard times,” especially since we could all shared stories about her. As a club, we give a lot stand to hear a few of these nowadays.