NEW ORLEANS TRACK CLUB Farewell and Godspeed President Mayo K. Emory Newsletter Editor Since I last served on the New Orloana Truck Club Board Vice President (1978), I have noticed that, while our mombornhip has more Patty Andrews than tripled, the commitment of many of our memhern has shown a serious decline. Not everyone has time to nerve on the Treasurer Board or to volunteer at numerous races, but each member of Brendan Minihan the club should: Secretary 1. renew his/her membership and Billie Jean Mapes 2. participate either directly In gonarnl mwnbership Board of Directors meetings or by making suggestions mid/or recom­ Don Brinkman mendations to the Board. Larry Fuselier Martha George General membership meetings attract only a handful of the Gwen Lund members. This results in a lack of communication between Rick Lusky you, the member, and the Board, your rtipruMsntntlves. Each Carleton Smith Board member gives fieely of his or her I line to produce a Melanie Williams quality race schedule. Without your Input or suggestions, however, the Board cannot adequately perform Its basic Competitive Teams Coordinator function. Phil Seeber Therefore, I am recommending that a Suggestion Box be used at Executive Director all future races, so that you muy ho Ip the Board provide the Chuck George best running events for you. Administrative Assistant As this old horse goes out to pasture for the second time, I Cecile Hotard would like to thank all of the members of I he New Orleans Track Club for a most rewarding two years. Printing Marathon Press Good luck and good running. Footprints is published quarterly by the New Orleans Track Club, P.0. Box 52003, New Or- Mayo K. Emory leans, Louisiana 70152. Telephone 504/362- President 0090. Newsletters are free to members of N0TC. Annual dues for the New Orleans Track Club: regular $20 youth (17 & under) 10 senior citizen (60 & older) 10 THANKS! additional family members 3 The New Orleans Track Club members have donated goods as Material in Footprints may not be reproduced well as their time to the club. Thanks go to: without written permission. o Julia Flotron, Chris Gonzalez, and Van Merceron for Manuscripts, photographs, and other materials donations of trophies. are enthusiastically solicited. Unused con­ tributions will be returned. o Suzanne diGeorge, Gwen Lund, Eugene Dedeaux, A. J. Sagona, the Society of Louisiana CPAs, Donie Fournier, Advertising. N0TC distributes over 1000 copies the Southeast Louisiana Girl Scout Council, Mrs. Carl of each issue of Footprints. Rates for adver­ Moore, and Randy Martin for photographs. tisements are: o Rick Lusky for programming race results in o form full page $125 easily usable by readers and the editor. half-page 90 quarter page 60 o Race volunteers. business card 15 2 Footprints Kathy Hardy Wins Race Director’s Report Grand Prix Crown A Successful Spring for NOTC by Patty Andrews As the hot summer months grow near (can it get any hotter!?), we reflect on the past numerous successes of At the famous Pepsi Vulcan Run in Birmingham last Novem­ the winter/spring race season. ber, an unknown (regionally speaking) Kathy Hardy entered her first race as a masters runner. And won. Even The highlight of the season had to be the BUD LIGHT Mardi though almost half of the Racing South Grand Prix races Gras Mardthon. Through the combined efforts of the spon­ had already been run, she went on to win the masters sors, eager race volunteers, and committee members we division of that prestigious contest. were able to offer a good course within the confines of the City of New Orleans. The package included a half­ No stranger to the winners' circle in local races, Kathy marathon and a 5K race. has been growing steadily stronger since she has passed forty. She considered herself lucky to run a 38:50 for February included more surprises. The Elmwood Classic 5K the Vulcan 10K. At Jackson Day, also on the Grand Prix and 10K were expected to draw 600 runners, but 1100 circuit, she set a course record of 34:07, and in the entered. About 75 of those managed to break the 39- Azalea Trail 10K she was "really thrilled" to finish in minute barrier to qualify for the Crescent City Classic 38:22. Just a week later she blitzed the Crescent City "A" group. Classic in 37:22, netting two trophies. She modestly doubts that she'll beat that time soon. (Another contes­ Our involvement with the Crescent City Classic this year tant in the CCC was Kent McDonald, the only other New should allow our club to have an even larger part in the Orleanian ever to win a Grand Prix trophy.) management and administration of New Orleans' greatest race. Through the CCC, many persons who dream of After Kathy's first Grand Prix victories, race directors becoming runners or racewalkers realize their goal and offered free registration and travel arrangements. Her thus participate in NOTC races throughout the year. My brother Mike, also a talented runner, talked her into own first experience with running, other than high competing in the Red Lobster Race in Florida. Although school, was through the Crescent City Classic. others at the starting line were nationally ranked run­ ners, Kathy earned more Grand Prix points. By then, she My goal for the 1987-88 race seasons is improved commu­ knew she had to make a serious effort to win the Racing nication among club members by way of weekly fun runs and South title. The Fiesta of Five Flags 10K and the very monthly social meetings. The continued high quality of hilly Gum Tree Race in Tupelo, Mississippi, followed; in our schedule will be broadened out even more to facili­ both she was first overall masters finisher, and at the tate training for the Crescent City Classic and the Bud latter she set a course record. The final race was the Light Mardi Gras Marathon. As always, I appreciate sug­ Cotton Row in Huntsville, where she placed only fourth gestions. Please call me at 468-1488 if you have any. among the masters. No matter: by then she had accumu­ lated 640 points and the Grand Prix honor. (The maximum she could have garnered after turning forty was 700.) Chuck George Kathy attributes her success to aerobics, a lot of speed- work training (her total weekly distance hovers around 35 miles), and the increased mental toughness that the Grand Prix competition required. She learned to set and main­ tain a pace for herself, and she counts on a strong kick to clench the victory. Although, her training sounds geared to shorter distances, Kathy was overall third (first masters) in the Ole Man River Half-Marathon, with a pace of 6:44. She's fascinated by the idea of trying a marathon, even though she would have to accept a slower pace. A cook at the Hilton, Kathy has a son, Ryan, who just completed first grade. The New Orleans native is grate­ ful for the encouragement of her brother and her sister, who often cares for Ryan while Kathy takes to the road for races. What are the benefits of participating in the Grand Prix? Kathy enjoyed running new courses, particularly those with hills, and she praises the professional quality of race organization she encountered. Another bonus was getting acquainted with various top-ranked runners. Her prizes include, in addition to the t-shirt in the photo, a giant-size beer mug and a week at the Southern Runner camp. "All in all it was a great experience for me," Masters champion Kathy Hardy. says the.Grand Prix winner. Footprints 3 HERE COMES THE "E" TEAM by Patty Andrews It is Sunday afternoon, and the shade of the numerous Coach Sis demands commit­ trees mercifully blots out thoughts of the brutal heat ment from her team, and out on the Gretna streets. The athletes preparing for she sets the workouts, their long run — two girls and two men — talk calmly which combine interval while stretching. But the banter includes requests for work on the track with the tape and a wrench ("I'll just take it with me"), and aerobic road work. To the stretching is limited to arms and shoulders. prepare for races on hilly terrain the team includes These are members of the E Team, a group of dedicated a few runs over the Al­ disabled road and track stars organized by Sis Theuerkauf giers Bridge. (Phil in­ and Phil Carpenter. And they are in the world vanguard vited me to bike with the of athletics for the disabled. team during this aerobic session, but I was not built for challenges like that.) Sis admits that her team grumbles about the speedwork, but their appearances in the win­ ners' circle attest to its effectiveness. Cross­ training is also part of the regimen, and all team members recently qualified in four swimming events. Other members of the E Team compete frequently in NOTC races. Scott McNeice takes home numerous Sis Theuerkauf awards, and James Briggs will soon join the team. Scott was one of the ori­ ginal members of the E Team. Recently he took a year off, and after his absence he had to master a radically different stroke that had been developed in that short interval. Rosie Poche, a quadriplegic, is training for a meet in England later this year and has set five national records. She is the only woman in the United States to use a new technique in which she propels the chair with the back of her hands rather than the palms, taking the strain off her triceps and shoulders.