Complete info. MEMBERS’ ANNUAL PARTY on Jan. 22nd on Page 10 IN THIS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: 8 1,200 MILE CLUB: 15 GET INVOLVED: 18 RESOLUTION RUN: 20 ISSUE COACH’S CORNER: 11 RACE CALENDAR: 16 DOUBLE TROUBLE: 19 ITEM OF MONTH: 22 www.birminghamtrackclub.com Birmingham’s Area Running Club BIRMINGHAM TRACK CLUB www.myspace.com/birminghamtrackclub www.RRCA.org VOL. 33 DEC. 2009 / JAN. 2010 ISSUE 9 ~ THE VIEW FROM THe ‘BACK OF THE PACK’ ~ Manhattan Street to the Streets of Manhattan: A New York City Tale – By Michele Parr hat’s your experience been with things you look forward to for a Wreally long time? I don’t mean looking forward for a few weeks or a few months. I’m talking about years. For me those sorts of experiences almost always end in disappointment. They can never live up to what I’ve built them up to be in my imagi- nation. The New York City Mara- thon shattered that pattern, far exceeding my expectations. Why New York? I was a dedicated half-marathoner until I learned about the route of the NYC Marathon. Having been to the city only once before on a quick weekend trip, I knew little about it, but I was fascinated by the chance to tour all five bor- oughs on foot. What better way to see it! I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to meet New York and New Yorkers at ground lev- el. That’s what hooked me and kept me applying year after year. My mantra of “The half, always the half” changed to “Only New York and only once.” NYC <continued on Page 2> Heading up the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge at the start of the NYC Marathon. www.BirminghamTrackClub.com • DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010 www.BirminghamTrackClub.com • DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010 NYC <continued fom Page 2> I first tossed my name into the NYC lottery in 2006, made the field in 2008, and canceled with the plan to run this year. That means I knew in June 2008 I would be running in the 2009 race. Four years of antici- pation had a target date but miles to go before race day. I ran through the summer of 2008. I ran through the summer of 2009. I questioned my sanity as I ran on those early Saturday mornings and as I limped through all those Saturday after- noons. I counted down the long runs remaining, smiling a bit when I could count them on one hand. Then it was down to four, three, two, one and done. It was time to do what I’d been preparing for. I stayed with relatives in the Bayside area of Queens on this trip, another great opportunity to see more than just the tourist side of New York. To get to the expo at the Javits Center in Manhattan, we walked to the station to take the Long Island Railroad to Penn Station TOP: xyxyxyx xyxyxyx xyxy xyxyxyxyx xyxy RIGHT: Xyxyxyx xyxyxyx xyxyx and then walked down 34th Street xyxyyxyxxyxyxy xyxy BOTTOM: xyxyxyx xyyxyxxyyxx xyxyxyxyxyxyxyxy until we saw the huge building with all the marathon signs outside. It NYC <continued on Page 2> was easy to know we were headed in the right direction by all the people passing us carrying race packets. I confess I got a little misty when I got in the packet pick-up line. After all that time, after all the anticipation, the race had finally arrived. Packet pick-up was incredibly efficient. Spotters directed runners to the next available person at the first station where identification was verified. After checking my driver’s license and stamping my registration verification, the volun- teer wished me luck and directed me on to the packet station. I found the section for the green 58000s and handed over my form. “Have you been eating?” she asked. I spotted the grease stains on the form that prompted the question and con- fessed to the peanut butter cookie from the neighborhood bakery in Bayside that was in my backpack. She found my packet, ensured I un- derstood how the D-chip worked, and sent me on to the next station, shirts. Unlike so many other races, I didn’t have to commit to a shirt size in advance. The volunteer helped me pick what we thought would be the TOP: Michele outside the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, transportation to the start. right size, but I did try it on before ABOVE: Race advertisement at a subway entrance. NYC <continued on Page 4> 2 www.BirminghamTrackClub.com • DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010 www.BirminghamTrackClub.com • DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010 BTC 2009 Officers President NEWEST Johnaca Kelley [email protected] MEMBERS (205) 540-1372 Those who’ve joined since Nov. 2009 Vice President Treasurer Pamela Muchiri Tim O’Brien Debbie Cleghorn Melinda Baker [email protected] [email protected] Steven Davis (205) 612-8780 Angela & Jim Pewitt Misty Ralyea Rick Lewis Secretary Past President Jane Geiger Brad Clay Mark Baggett [email protected] [email protected] Stacy Kadle (205) 422-7055 Barry Hamric Brett Camp Jane Kelly Chesley Gamotis BTC Committees Build A Better Club Susan McCullum [email protected] (205) 368-5058 Mike Goff Historian Arthur Black [email protected] (205) 822-1993 Mike Mccutchin Marathon Coach Al DiMicco [email protected] (205) 822-0499 Carla Waddell Marketing Micki Haralson [email protected] (205) 972-1258 Masters Events Frank Newland [email protected] (205) 271-7553 Vivian (Tess) Street Medical Jack Hasson (205) 870-1864 Matt Veal Media Relations Tim O’Brien [email protected] (205) 612-8780 Membership Judy Loo [email protected] (205) 612-4335 Julie Pearce Merchandise Johnaca Kelley [email protected] (205) 540-1372 Mini Track Meets Brent Cotton [email protected] (205) 447-9223 New Runner’s Society Danny Haralson [email protected] (205) 380-1779 Total Active Members Parliamentarian Phil Min [email protected] (205) 849-6840 Club Photographer Duvergne Duffee [email protected] 755 Road Race Chair Rick Melanson [email protected] (205) 979-1731 Social Chair Micki Haralson [email protected] (205) 972-1258 Vulcan Run Director Danny Haralson [email protected] (205) 380-1779 V. Run Assis. Director Johnaca Kelley [email protected] (205) 540-1372 ‘The Vulcan Runner’ Editor Mark Baggett [email protected] (205) 422-7055 Advertise in Walking/Race Walking Jim Richey [email protected] (205) 870-3977 Webmaster Chuck Self [email protected] BTC Mission Statement The primary purpose of the Birmingham Track Club (BTC) shall be the education and training of indi- viduals in and around the community of Birmingham, AL, as to the benefits of jogging, running, and walking for fitness, health and recreation. Contact BTC at: Birmingham Track Club P.O. Box 530363, Birmingham, AL 35253 1/5 page – $15 [email protected] 1/2 page – $50 Race Results Find the latest and most complete local race results at the following: 1/4 page – $25 birminghamtrackclub.com trakshak.com run42k.com Full page – $100 *Advertisers who pay for an entire ATTENTION BTC MEMBERS! year in advance will get 12 months for the price of 10 months (ex. a ‘Vulcan Runner’ is available MONTHLY in color!! Full page for 12 months would cost PRINTED newsletters are mailed out QUARTERLY only. Please send your CURRENT EMAIL $1,000, instead of $1,200). ADDRESS, along with your name/contact info. to Judy Loo, Membership Chair, at Deadlines are the 1st of each [email protected] so that you can receive (via email) the monthly month for the following month. password in order to download the newsletter (.pdf format) from the below webpage link To place an ad or for more info: (including past issues which require NO password): [email protected] www.birminghamtrackclub.com/vulcan-runner-newsletter 3 www.BirminghamTrackClub.com • DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010 www.BirminghamTrackClub.com • DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010 UPPER LEFT: Yes, he ran with this. TOP CENTER/RIGHT: New York icons Michele saw while sightseeing (but were not on the race route) - the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. ABOVE: A Bronx drum line. NYC <continued from Page 2> did find a pair of the insoles I run in for $9 less When we got back to Bayside, we stopped moving on. I wasn’t leaving there with a shirt than retail. What I didn’t find was any of the at a deli/butcher shop and picked up some I couldn’t wear! The entire packet pick-up took kitschy stuff I love to browse through at expos. great sandwiches for lunch on our five minute about ten minutes because I had taken advice There were no funny shirts, no Christmas orna- walk back from the train station. Later that af- from someone who had run the race before to ments, and not a single 26.2 sticker anywhere. ternoon I walked to a park with the niece and go early. When I left the expo, the line waiting With nothing really grabbing my attention, all her husband for my last pre-race jog. Again I for packets was incredibly long. I wanted to do was find Ann and her niece and was delighted by the neighborhood with lots As expected, the expo was huge. Even so, get out of the crowd and off my feet, a wish of Halloween decorations around. In the park I was disappointed by it. Easily a third of the that was easier said than done. Even with cell there were adults playing flag football and space was devoted to Asics race gear, all of it phones, I couldn’t find them.