May 2009

Newsletter The London Pacers Club

www.londonpacers.on.ca

Happy Pacers— Before, During and After The Boston

1

Page 2 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

Executive

President Jim Burrows [email protected] 519-474-3497 (H)

Vice President Andrew Jones [email protected] 519-642-3520 (H)

Treasurer Betty Timmons [email protected] 519-673-1657(Home)

Publicity Sherry Watts [email protected] 519-858-9880

Social Position vacant

Membership Gail Schmidt [email protected] 519-657-9936 (H)

Secretary Gerda Zonruiter [email protected] 519-471-3550

Newsletter Sherry Watts [email protected] 519-858-9880 Paula Muxlow [email protected] 519-293-3697

London Pacers Meeting Monday, May 11, 2009 at 7:00 PM Grosvenor Lodge, Western Road

You don’t want to miss this meeting! There will be all the excitement of our Boston runners telling their stories and all the buzz from the Forest City and Mississauga races. May’s is always the liveliest meeting of the year. But besides that, VP Andrew has secured a fantastic speaker this month. Come out and hear one of the top distance coaches in the country. Dave Scott-Thomas Dave is head coach for the University of Guelph Griffons as well as the Speed River Track Club and is the Di- rector of the National Endurance Centre in Guelph. He has coached at World University Games, World X-C Championships and World Champion- ships. Some of the athletes he works with include Hilary Stellingwerff, Rob Watson, Taylor Milne, Eric Gillis and Reid Coolsaet. From the Speed River website: “Dave has developed one of the premiere collegiate pro- grams and one of the top overall endurance groups in the country at the University of Guelph. His teams have set numerous OUA/CIS records, winning fifteen OUA titles and twelve CIS titles in the past eleven years. Dave is a fourteen-time OUA and twelve- time CIS Coach of the Year as well as being a two-time Fox 40 OUA Coach of the Year-all sports receipient (2002-2003, 2007-2008) and Ontario High Performance Coach of The Year (2007). He has worked with numerous All-Canadians, National medalists and champi- ons, and National Team members.”

2

Page 3 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

Warm greetings to individuals on the active membership list for 2009 who are celebrating birthdays in May:

Heather Armstrong*, Lydia Cappelli, Susan Clifford, Patrick Connor*, Steve Connor*, Lisa D'Ariano, Vi Darling, Joerg Dietz, Ken Dungavell, Larry Gooder*, Beverly Gribbons, Kayley Hen- ning*, Michael Izma, Frank Littell, Mary Anne McCoy, Sara Morrison*, Bella Rikley, Raymond Wil- kinson, Kevin Yoshida *entering a new age category Here is some more data about us:

Pacer Membership 2006 to 2009

160

140

120

100 Adults 80 Children 60

Number of members of Number 40

20

0 2006 2007 2008 2009 Year

From your editors: Some items to note: If you want your race results published in the Newsletter YOU are responsible for sending them to Gail Schmidt at [email protected] before the deadline for the monthly newsletter. The deadline for the February newsletter is May 25, 2009, 12 noon. We love the articles that people send in—please keep them coming. They need to be in a Word format and photos need to be in jpeg format. It’s hard to keep articles to 2 pages or less, but that helps the editors! Please send articles and photos to Sherry Watts at [email protected] Your editors, Sherry and Paula

3

Page 4 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

Pacer Discounts Members of the London Pacers are given a discount on purchases at Runners Choice at 207 Dundas St and at the New Balance store on Fanshawe Park Road W. at Hyde Park Rd

Looking to rent a cottage this summer? This from James Milliken’s sister offering a discount to club mem- bers.

COTTAGES FOR RENT IN SOUTHCOTT PINES AND GRAND BEND

Two fully equipped year round cottages in the private subdivision of Southcott Pines. Only minutes walk to the beautiful sandy private beach. Also for rent a cottage closer to the heart of the Grand Bend. Liter- ally 2 min to the beach and only a few minutes walk to the newly renovated main beach with boardwalk and splashpad. For digital photos, rates and availability contact [email protected]. We will be offering a special discount to all members of the London Pacers. Please mention when contacting.

Summer Distance and Speed Training Program Are you interested in improving your 5K speed? Want to run a good marathon? Or anything in between? I am offering a distance group program again this summer and adding in a speed component. We will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 PM in various locations. You will get lots of information, handouts, an individual training plan based on your goals, video analysis of your running form and much more. The program runs from June 2 to the middle of October. Cost is $100.

Contact me at [email protected] or 519-858-9880 for more information. Sherry Watts NCCP Level 4, RRCA Level 1, FaCT level 1, USTCA distance

Pacer General Meeting—Monday April 13, 2009 7:00 pm

Attendance: 21 Executive in attendance: Jim Burrows, Andrew Jones, Gail Schmidt, Betty Timmons, Sherry Watts

Forest City Road Races – Jim invited those in attendance to take posters. Sherry Watts announced that she is looking for help with the Pacer table at the expo (coverage from 10 am until 5 pm as well as set up and tear down). Jim announced that the organizers are still looking for a few marshalls and someone to help hand out age group awards at a table between 8 am and 1 pm

Harry is still selling golf balls. $5 per dozen with proceeds going to the Thames Valley Children’s Centre

Some informal race results from the Downtown 5K on Good Friday: Brian Peaker had a personal best; Rod Henning did the race 0.5 seconds faster than last year; Chuck Edwards came second in his age group. 4

Page 5 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

Continued from page 4

Sherry told the group about her participation in a half marathon walk in Virginia Beach. Twenty-two percent of 270 walkers were disqualified.

Bill Wheeler brought the award that he won from the 5K race he did at the end of a week with a local triath- lon training group that travelled to Las Vegas

Brief discussion of Around the Bay – some really good results, including Troy Cox’s (8th overall)

Presentation by Craig Hall, School of Kinesiology at UWO – Imagery Use in Injury Prevention and Rehabili- tation

Imagery is a conscious form of thinking, purposively done, that mimics real experience. Athletes use imagery extensively, with higher level athletes using it more. It is often used to help with correct form/proper tech- nique. Its use in injury prevention is less understood.

Sordoni, Hall and Forwell (2000) examined 2 functions of imagery that athletes use when injured: cognitive imagery (e.g., imagining doing a rehabilitation exercise properly prior to performing it), and motivational im- agery (e.g., imagining achieving treatment goals).

Research has shown that the use of imagery is not limited to these two functions. Other uses include man- aging pain (preparing for expected pain, distraction (time out from pain), imagining pain dissolving, blocking pain), healing imagery (imagining the body repairing itself), maintenance of sport skills (when you can’t prac- tice), maintaining strategies and plays, controlling stress and facilitating relaxation.

Cupal and Brewer (2001) studied 30 recreational and competitive athletes following successful ACL recon- structive surgery. They found significant differences in the physiological and psychological outcomes (reinjury anxiety, perceived pain, knee strength) of a treatment group that did guided healing imagery along with their other rehabilitation, compared to a group that had standard physiotherapy only (control group), and a group that received additional attention and support but were instructed to visualize a peaceful scene rather than healing images (placebo group).

Imagery interventions need to be tailored to the injury severity and the type of injury. The athlete needs to be educated about his/her injury so that he/she can imagine how the healing process is going to work. Im- agery use should be adjusted with the stage of the injury. Imagery practice needs to be structured and regular. Know what you are going to image before you start. The correct image is whatever works for the athlete. The mechanism by which it works is not well understood.

Outcomes from imagery use include faster recovery, greater functioning, greater strength gains, decreased anxiety, increased feelings of control/self-efficacy, decreased pain.

For more information or a copy of the presentation email Craig: [email protected]

The formal part of the meeting concluded at 8:10

5

Page 6 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

A Marathon memory by Tom Massel

A police officer friend Rod George and I were invited to run the 2002 New York City (NYC) marathon with the NYPD Running Club. The year before following the terrorist attack of the World Trade Centre on 9/11 three local Law Enforcement Critical Incident Stress Management(CISM) teams were asked to report to New York to assist NYPD to help deal with the emotional/psychological impact affecting New York Police Offi- cers. Over 70 NYPD and Port Authority Officers lost their lives. Two St Thomas Police Officers, a retired OPP Officer and myself a Mental Health worker made up one of those teams. We were in NYC for 1 week ... the last week in January 2002. We assisted at Ground Zero, various precincts around the city and Staten Island where the temporary morgue was located. During that week we met members of the NYPD Running club who encouraged us to run the NYC Marathon with them in November. My buddy Rod having never run a marathon before let alone a 10 K enthusiastically accepted the invite. I think we were in one of NYC’s famous little sports bar when the decision was made. We were told to apply by lottery which was standard to run the marathon. As expected we both didn’t get in through the lottery... but no problem we informed our NYPD contacts and they pulled some strings and . . .we were in. We were told to report to the Running Club’s headquarters the morning of the race. The Club had reserved a suite at one of the hotels next to Central Park near the finish line. The Club had reserved a number of school buses which transported us to Staten Is where the race started. A few of my favourite memories of the Marathon: Prior to the start we all met in one of the huge and HEATED tents on Staten Is. reserved for Club mem- bers where a Police chaplain and runner lead a mass and all police officers who died on 9/11 were remembered. Even at the marathon we had a job to do. We were positioned in the front arm in arm holding the 35000 runners back while the 50-100 elite runners had a chance to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the pack. The running Club members including Rod and I were given NYPD singlets that we wore and it was amazing . . .at that time at least ...the love affair that existed between New Yorkers and their Police Officers. Of course seeing our spouses at the finish line and running with Rod through to the finish line supporting him in his first marathon. My official finish time was 5:35:43...... my net finish time was 5:35:39 a difference of 4 seconds so we were right up at the front right behind the elite runners at least for the first 4 seconds.

6

Page 7 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

Executive Position – Social

We are still missing the Social person on the executive. (Not that the executive aren’t a social bunch – otherwise their meetings would not last so long.) This per- son is in charge (with help) of various social aspects of the club. He or she organ- izes the Sunday pack run coffee – doesn’t have to do it, just organize others who will, the June pizza run/meeting and the Charity Bear Run. The annual dinner also normally falls under this portfolio but this year we have a committee working on it as we speak. So, step right up. The club needs you. Contact any executive member.

London Pacers Drop-in Training Nights

We are reviving the training nights of yore. Each Wednesday we will have a train- ing session involving some combination of dynamic stretches, drills, plyometrics, specific running strength training (hill bounding, grass running etc.), agility, speed work, circuits and more, led by Sherry Watts or other executive members. Improve your running no matter what level you are at and whatever pace you do. We have agility ladders, plyo boxes (thanks to Bill van Leeuwen), cones and hurdles and other toys. Everyone is welcome. Come weekly or whenever you have a free eve- ning. Each session will be about an hour. Rain or shine.

What: training session When: Wednesdays 6:30 PM starting May 20 – going as long as there is sufficient interest Where: for now Guy Lombardo Museum parking lot. Who: everyone Cost: FREE for London Pacers members. Sign up your friends and training partners.

7

Page 8 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

A Boston Marathon Follow-up With Jerry Gonser, On the Rebound

When you read this article you will have completed the Boston Marathon and some of the items I mention will have been a part of your experience. Three important items I failed to mention in my preparation article: first was toilet paper, second was Vaseline and third was “brine your feet”. Always carry a good supply of toilet paper in your running kit. With the crowds in Hopkinton you never know when you might have to use a bush as your toilet. I’m sure the trees and shrubs behind Hopkinton High are reaching the sky by now, thanks to all the runners who supplied fertilizer in past years. I mention the Vaseline which is used to “grease the toes” before you put on your socks. It gives some lubrication between the toes to cut down on blisters. The third item I failed to mention was, “brine your feet”. By this I mean, soak your feet a couple times a week in warm wa- ter with either table salt or Epsom salts. This will “toughen” your skin and help stave off blisters. “Brining your feet” was a ritual for us “old time” runners who had poorly constructed running flats and track shoes with per- manent spikes imbedded in the soles. As you know looking after your feet should be the first priority of all runners be- cause they are your lifeline to running, as you know. The Boston course has so much downhill that you are now recovering or have recovered from the stress put on your quad- riceps muscles. After my 23 at Boston, it took me about a week to get the soreness out of my quads. My first day back on campus I walked down the stairs backwards from my 3rd floor office in Thames Hall because my quads were hurting so much. With the downhill course in Boston, you are probably ready to “donate” a couple of toenails that would have been lifted during your run. While running, your feet slide toward the toe of your racing flats and can put pressure on your toenails, especially the great toe (big toe). Whether your nails have been cut properly or not, they can and will get lifted and with that lift and pressure you might have blood forming under the nail. It helps to relieve the pressure from the trapped blood. Now you have a choice of how to do that. Use a sterile needle to go under the nail from the front and spear the blood for- mation or you can heat up an “opened” paperclip, poke it on the nail and make a hole. The blood will spurt out and relieve the pressure with either method. Regardless of what you do, if you have blood under the nail, you will be donating that nail to the next marathon. Caution, don’t pull the nail off, it will eventually come loose and you will have another nail beneath the old one. If you don’t want to use the above methods, go to your doctor to take care of your nails. Other items I should have mentioned in your preparation, wear a painters’ cap, bring along an old light long sleeve T shirt, a small Canadian flag on your singlet and of course sun screen. The painters’ cap gives you shade to cut down on squinting during your run that will cause your face to tighten, and you can use the hat to put ice cubes under to keep you cool on a hot day. The old long sleeve T shirt is used if the weather is cold. You can cut out the square for your number and if the weather warms up, you can discard it along the way. Give it to a kid if at all possible. The small Canadian flag will help the spectators in identifying you and they will call to you, “Go Canada” and it can give you a lift when you need it. The best part of running the Boston Marathon does not exist today. This was the part I always looked forward to and en- joyed. When you came across the finish line at the Big Pru there would be two college students, usually from Harvard, Boston College, Boston U., Tufts or Northeastern to greet you. They would cover you up with an old wool army blanket and escort you, one on each side up the escalator at the Prudential Center, along the hallway to the elevator that took you down to the showers. One would get your bag that held your street clothes, the other would stay with you in case you needed help. When you said you were fine and were ready to shower, they would leave to get another runner. I usually gave each of them a small Canadian Flag pin that I brought with me as a reward for their help. A couple of times the stu- dent helpers reacted as if they had been given the “Order of Canada. Now that I have given you some “after the fact” information and you have cursed me for not including it in my first article you can continue your full recovery from the marathon. Just remember, it takes one day for each mile of the marathon to completely recover. So, give yourself 26 days before you try the next optimal level of competition on your agenda. I know you had a good race and are looking forward to another year at Boston. You now know that Boston is the ultimate marathon and you have gained enough knowledge about the race to be even better prepared in the future. Till next time, congratulations and we’ll catch you on the rebound.

8

Page 9 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

Downtown 5k—Good Friday

ead hiteh my W Tam

D av e Ho us e

Roberta Reardon

ws rro Bu Jim

Chuck Edwards

9

Page 10 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

Pacers Giving Back

The London Pacers Running Club gives back to the community in many ways. Besides volunteering we help financially. The London Distance Banquet held April 4 to raise funds for young area runners chosen to rep- resent Canada in international competitions. Also in April Jim and Andrew attended the Fanshawe College sports banquet to present the Pacer bursaries to members of their cross country team.

Paul Roberts presents the Runners Choice scholarship to Jessica Parry, win- ner of the Chris Brewster Award.

Sherry Watts presents the London Pacers donation.

10

Page 11 London Pacers May 2009 Newsletter

What an excuse for being late with your membership dues! Gail Schmidt, membership coordinator, finally received Tory Cox’s membership information via Nottingham, UK!

London Pacers Singlets

Have you seen all those Pacers in their natty red singlets in these pages? Why not join the fashionably appareled? Singlets available in men’s and women’s cuts in sizes small, medium and large. Technical fabric. A mere $25. Contact Sherry at [email protected] or see them at the monthly meetings. We also have a very limited selection of long-sleeved shirts for $35.

11