The Running Psychologist
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VOLUME 2007, ISSUE 2 THE RUNNING PSYCHOLOGIST A PUBLICATION OF DIVISION 47, THE DIVISION OF EXERCISE AND SPORT PSYCHOLOGY, OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION WINTER 2007 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON-BY KEITH MCCONNELL INSIDE THIS ISSUE: NEW YORK CITY 1 It seemed like a long time ago when I decided to throw my MARATHON hat in the ring to see if my name would be drawn in the lot- WHERE WERE YOU 2 tery for the 2006 ING New York City Marathon. With over JIM SUNBURY 90,000 applicants for 30,000 spaces, I figured it was worth THE NEWBIES 3 a try. During the period of uncertainty, timelines required that I book a place to stay in NYC and that I make flight ar- SOLE SISTERS- 5 STORIES OF WOMEN rangements – but what if I didn’t get in!? As fate would have AND RUNNING it, the June 7th email brought good news – “Congratulations, THE AGING RUNNER 6 you’re in for the experience of a lifetime…” it began. Al- #2 though it seemed strange to be congratulated just for getting STILL RUNNING AF- 7 in a marathon, I was relieved that I could now pursue my TER ALL THESE second major running goal of 2006 (the first having been YEARS the Boston marathon in April). WHEN A RUNNER 8 CAN’T RUN With a lot going on in my life as I relocated to Eugene, Ore- gon, I had not followed my training program very well. I was NEWS TO USE 9 counting on what I call “historical fitness” to get me through the marathon as well as the EDITORS CORNER 10 body friendly ChiRuning form which I had adopted in recent years. I have to confess, I 2006 RAY’S RACE 11 had to address some nervous doubts that arose during the flight to NYC but all in all I felt REPORT-RUN FOR I was as ready as I could be. RESILIENCE 2006 RAY’S RACE 12 As with all major marathons, activities got started with the Expo, this one for 3 days held FINISHERS AND at the Jacob Javits Conference Center on the west side of central Manhattan. True to PHOTOS form, I was greatly invigorated by the experience of picking up my bib, meandering DO YOU HAVE among hundreds of other runners, buying unnecessary items and scanning the bro- RUNNING NEWS? chures for the countless other big races scheduled for 2007. Race day began for me about 5:45 am as I left the apartment where I was staying and • We are always looking for: took a subway to the NYC Library where buses were waiting to transport us to the Staten Island starting area. Thousands of runners were lined up for the buses as we wound our - Articles way around the block. Given the chill in the air, it was in the 30’s at that time; I didn’t mind walking around and actually enjoyed the 45-minute ride to Fort Wadsworth in - Tips Staten Island. That left only about an hour in the “holding” area before we were guided to - Photos the start. With minutes to go, the old sweat clothes and garbage bags were discarded and the final countdown began. Swoosh, an Air Force jet buzzed by us, Frank Sinatra - Personal insights could be heard singing the praises of New York – and at precisely 10:10 am, the cannon bellowed its call to begin – we were off! Never had I seen such a mass of humanity, over Please send information 38,000 human beings all headed in the same direction, at the same time, with the same to: Michael Sachs at [email protected] or goal - well, maybe the goals differed a little! (worth noting is that all but 400 finished the Ray Fowler at full marathon, quite a feat given that most runners got in the marathon by lottery rather [email protected] than by prior speedy marathons). Continued on p.4 VOLUME 2007, ISSUE 2 Page 2 WHERE WERE YOU JIM SUNBURY:A POORLY EDITED VIEW OF THE RACE FOR RESILIENCE AT THE ANNUAL APA CONVENTION IN NEW ORLEANS BY ART AARONSON For the few readers who do not know me, I am an old timer at the RAY race and a former President of Running Psychologists (but there are a lot of former Presidents, now). Senior moments now prevent me from giving exact dates of runs; but I still re- member race venues. I got active as a runner because of Ray Fowler and Bill O'Brien and being cheap. My story has been told many times and if you have heard it or heard rumors about the story, skip this paragraph and maybe the next paragraph. The story always starts like someone giving a lead at a twelve-step program. I WAS A THREE PACK A DAY SMOKER. I was on the road to a life of degradation. Then I got my degree. Ray was the visiting faculty on the committee. As we were late getting to my defense, Ray noticed my labored breathing and said, I will get you past your defense, if you quit smok- ing. I think they took my pack before they called me "Doctor Aaronson"; but I have not had a cigarette since then. For most of you who have never smoked, after you have quit, everyone tells you how much better you are doing. In reality, you probably do not feel any better, but you do start to pack on the pounds (if this were an academic paper, I would insert some citation about here). The pounds did not bother me then (now is another story), but the fact was that my pants were no longer fitting and I had to start getting a new wardrobe. I hate spending money on clothing. My immediate supervisor, a former varsity college pitcher, Bill O'Brien, and Ray Fowler both suggested running as a way to lose weight. Thus, I was off. My first APA race was in Toronto, at a park in the harbor, Ward's Island. It was a great race (they are all great races). I forgot where I finished but I had fun. As I recall they did give out nice awards. By this time, I had been running for two years, and the only award that I had gotten, was "borrowed" from a trophy case where my wife taught. They were taking out the old trophies to make room for new ones, and the track coach relabeled a large loving cup and gave it to me. It proudly sits in my office at work. The local running club in Ohio of which I am a member has a policy of giving awards to the top five runners in each age group. This policy has been responsible for actually allowing me to win a few awards but only when the races were sparsely attended. However, an award at the APA race eluded me. They would give out awards to three places, and I would come in fourth. They would give out awards to five places, and I would come in sixth. I once came in third, and they only gave out awards to the top two runners in the age group. Call it sexism, but there is a drive, that most runners have or get sometime in their lifetime. That drive is to beat someone else. For some, that drive surpasses the drive to procreate. In my case, I just wanted to beat my running mentor, Ray Fowler. Ray is a few years older than me, and a few pounds lighter. I can't begin to tell you the number of races that Dr. Fowler has smiled at me when he passed me. I think my need to beat him running might be, somehow, a variation of the Oedipal Complex. It took an injury on Ray's part, but I finally beat him at a race in Washington, D.C., also referred to as the "race with the absence of management." I remember the feeling passing him. It was like my bar mitzvah again. Frank Webbe, who you will read about in two paragraphs, helped me deal with my elation. He said: "So you beat a man half again your age!" As I recall that same guy beat Frank that year. I am not sure if Ray has ever beaten me again; however, this year, he got even (boy, did he get even). He entered his nine-year old grandson, Cade. Not only did Cade beat me, but also he beat a lot of more established runners. Usually, nine-year olds run in an age class that only includes children. Cade ran against young adults under 25 and managed a second place. So once again the Fowlers have found a way to put me in my place. I usually run with a psychologist more my age-Frank Webbe. Frank was a former President of Running Psychologists, as well as treasurer. He was also a President of Division 47. Frank and I usually take turns beating each other. I have not kept score, but I think that he has beaten me a few more times than I have beaten him. This year, if you are interested, Frank was right behind me. Had I slowed to smell the roses, he would have taken third place in the age group. There is one other runner whom I need to mention, since his name appears in the title. Jim Sunbury is a runner who lives in northeast Ohio, a considerable distance from Dayton.