ARTICLES IN THE LOPERGRAM

Index of All Currently Online Issues

January 2001 Text Only Version

January 2001 CONTENTS

• MARKING THE MILES; PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
• LOPERS AT THE RACES
• HAVING FUN
• STRETCHING BY LORE MILLER
• TALKIN' WALKIN'
• RACEWALKING
• PACE GUIDES
• THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO
• THE CLINIC REPORT
• HOLIDAY CLASSIC 15K RESULTS
• LOPERS REPRESENTED AT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
• PORTLAND MARATHON
• HOLIDAY CLASSIC BIGGEST EVER!
• A THANK YOU FROM GORDON BARNARD
• UPCOMING RACES
• ART DELEON
• DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE OLD RUNNING SHOES AND CLOTHES?

We are having a terrific year.  Pancakes, ice cream, oranges and snacks after our runs; an impressive turn-out at the Mission Inn Run; our most successful ever Holiday Classic Run; and best of all, you new members are staying with your training program to finish your first full Marathon on March 4th, 2001 in L.A.!!  Congratulations!  In addition, many of you have made new friends and we have seen those friendships turn into long-term if not lifetime associations.

To all our Volunteers who have made this possible I want to say a big “THANK YOU” on behalf of all our Members!  Without your dedication and concern it could not happen.

And speaking of concern, as I go out on our training runs each Sunday and observe, there are some vital rules of the road I must share with you. Safety on the road is a very important part of our training clinic program.  While most official races are conducted on traffic-free roads, our training runs do not have that luxury.  As you know, on our training runs you share the road with other traffic.  And this makes it imperative that you form the right safety habits as you train.  It could save your life.  So please give me your serious attention for a few lines.The Lopers Club has been training members to do long distance running and complete marathons since 1981.  And we have never experienced any serious injuries to our members.  We certainly want to continue this safety record this year. Your Pace Leaders should help keep you reminded of the need to practice safety at all times but let’s just review a few points here.

As our distance has increased each week we are running on several different types of roads.  Some are narrow with very fast traffic, some are wide with designated running or biking lanes, some have curbs, some do not, most are well maintained but on some we have to watch for pot-holes, etc.  We must always remember that we share the road with cars, bikes, trucks, motorcycles and other runners or walkers. Common sense and courtesy go a long way toward promoting safety whether we are driving, biking, walking or running.

Not only are we experiencing many types of roads but also there are many different kinds of drivers out there.  Of all the drivers we may encounter on the road, is it reasonable to assume at least some are sub-normal for one reason or another?  YES.  Is it also reasonable to think a percentage of these may be antagonistic toward runners?  Yes.  And is it possible some of these may even be hostile toward other people on the road including runners and other drivers?  YES.  So what can we do to protect ourselves?  There are several basic points to remember:

1. Where there are curbs, always stay within 5’ of the curb.  Where there are no curbs, stay within 5’ of the edge of the road. (less on San Timoteo).  This means never go more than 2 abreast.  This is a hard habit to practice when we are talking and having a good time with our friends.
2. Never “assert your rights”.  If there is any doubt, just step off the road until the traffic passes.  It will make little or no difference in your finish time.  But it could make a big difference in your time on this earth.
3. Place yourself in the position of the driver.  If runners take up half a lane on either side of the road, how are cars coming in opposite directions supposed to pass?
4. We must remember that most drivers, believe it or not, have little concept of where their fenders are or how much room their car takes up. And they are always in a hurry.  So they are very intimidated when they see runners on both sides of the road and a car meeting them. Their fear can quickly turn to resentment or hostility. Which sometimes leads to irrational acts - all of which could easily be avoided with a little courtesy on our part.
5. Courtesy anywhere is contagious.  And this is especially true on the road. When we stop to think about it, taking even half of the lane in either direction is really discourteous of us.  That space is reserved for drivers for a reason.  They need it. The Lopers have always been known as a caring and courteous group so we need to continue the tradition and practice courtesy toward drivers at all times.  Sure, step clear off the road whenever it will help drivers to feel more comfortable and leave you a very large margin of safety.
6. The all-time most common mistake we make as runners and walkers is to see a car approaching ahead of us and assume because the far lane is open, the driver can simply use it to pass us (even though our side of the road is taken by runners/walkers almost to the center line.)  OFTEN WE DON’T REALIZE THERE IS ALSO A CAR APPROACHING FROM BEHIND US ALREADY IN THAT FAR LANE.  Many times over the years we have seen this create a serious emergency-especially out on San Timoteo Canyon Road- forcing one of the drivers to brake or skid to avoid a collision.

Please give this some serious thought and understand it is meant for you—veteran runners and rookies alike---not just for “the other Members”.

Thanks for your caution and courtesy.

We are now five months into our L.A. Marathon training program with only two months to go before the Big Day. Time flies when you’re having fun. Actually we do try to make it fun. On October 29, many of you showed up in Halloween costumes for which several won prizes. After the l2 mile run/walk you were treated to pancakes and fruit whipped up in part by yours truly. I love that job because you can eat while you work. We have surprised you twice with ice cream on your return back to the gym. Chuck Hargot is responsible for that delightful event.  Most Sundays, Dave has sliced oranges (sot) for us to enjoy after our training. He is the first Clinic Director that I know of who has ever done that, and I have heard from many of you that you really appreciate it.  We also give away prizes on some Sundays. Several of the volunteers who operate our water stations have also outdone themselves. Last summer, Leo had strawberries at his station. A few weeks ago Helen had cut up melons, raisons, and other goodies at hers...It was hard to get away from that one.  It reminds me once again of the generous people we have in the Lopers. They give of their time and themselves. They are the reason we are a fun club.

Keeping the right balance in your exercise (marathon training) program and health is not always easy. Research has shown us that exercise begins to have negative affects on the immune system when it reaches levels at which exhaustion results. Anyone felt like that lately?

What happens when the body is exercised to the point of exhaustion? Two hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, which are designed to help the body deal with stress, flood the system. In doing so, these two hormones lower the production of the body’s natural killer cells, thus weakening the immune system.

Signs of exhaustion include: excessive fatigue, muscle soreness or pain that doesn’t go away, constant sweating, dizziness, and inability to talk during a cardiovascular workout.

So how to do we master the balancing act while training for the LA marathon?
Recent research shows what moderate exercise can do to boost the immune system. By moderate we are talking about a 45 min. workout at moderate to high intensity. The studies show that this can cause as much as 300% increase in natural killer cells in the body. One Japanese study found that, while those increases last only a few hours, regular exercisers typically have as much as 50% more of these protective cells than their non-exercising counterparts. Another study done
with women found that such permanent increase may be observed after only six weeks of following an exercise program, and at 9 weeks there was another bonus: 20% more antibodies, the immune system’s main line of defense against viruses.

And exercise appears to play a role in reducing the likelihood of developing cancer. The Harvard alumni study is just on of many that has shown that individual who are moderately to very fit are 65% to 83% less likely to develop cancer. Of course, nutrition and genetics also play important roles, but it is encouraging to note that exercise can do much to reduce one’s chances of developing this deadly disease.

So as our training runs/walks reach their longest and the word moderation doesn’t seem to be an option, balance might be a more appropriate term: in the way of plenty of rest, lots of liquids, a minimum of sugar and empty calories, staying happy and reducing stress when possible. Achieving this can go along way toward avoiding illness both big and small. I trust that the benefits of being physically active have already been felt by all of you and help to confirm that exercise has less to do with simply looking good and more to do with feeling good and living longer, healthier lives.
 
 

Today (Dec 27) was a very special day for me as a walker.  This morning Ruth, Dave and I walked 5 miles.  It was a normal and casual walk; we talked and joked around like we always do.  However; when the walk was over, my fitness goal for the year 2000 had just been achieved.  That goal was to walk 1,800 miles, or an average of almost 5 miles every day.  As we finished the walk, Ruth started to yell, Dave joined in and then I got very verbal.  I am still somewhat stunned about it.  Last year I walked 1550 miles and I thought that was a big deal.  Ruth and/or my husband Ron were by my side for most of those miles.  When I would feel lazy, one of them would encourage me to lace up my shoes and get out there to pound the pavement.  Without them, I’m sure I wouldn’t have completed so many miles.  They both received a huge thank you for their loyalty and support. Then the real fun began, we celebrated all of our many miles together with a piece of Claim Jumper’s six layer chocolate cake. It was worth every calorie.

On January 21st , many of you will be doing the half-marathon at East Highlands Ranch as part of your marathon training.  Ruth, Tracy, Ron and I will be doing the San Diego half-marathon in Carlsbad.  Unfortunately, this year the two races are scheduled for the same day.  So we won’t be in Highland to do the race or help support other Lopers.  However, we will be there at L.A. to cheer you on at the start, then take the Metro to get ahead of the pack and cheer you on again.  If you don’t see us, you will probably hear us. Two years ago we were yelling and screaming and clapping so much we all went home horse and with sore hands.

It was worth it for us, we love being a part of your support group.  It makes us happy to see you completing a marathon, and we hope that maybe we have helped you cross that finish line by knowing that someone who cared was out there rooting for you. See you on Sunday!

As the LA Marathon approaches, it’s exciting to see how many new Lopers are staying with the program. It appears that more walkers than ever have made the commitment to complete the marathon in 2001. I was thrilled to see how many Loper walkers signed up for and competed in the Holiday Classic. We had over 100 walkers participate in this race. These shorter races are an important part of your LA Marathon training.

More and more races are including walking divisions, which is great for you walkers who enjoy competition. Walkers who race need to be aware that if you enter a walking division, you absolutely must walk ever single step of the race. This point seems to be confusing for many walkers, but it is an important rule. It’s perfectly alright for you to enter a race and do a combination of walking, running, or jogging; but please enter as a runner. Walkers also need to be careful when entering walking events that are called “racewalking” divisions. These may or may not be judged. If you are ever confused by an application, call the race director to get clarification. You must be very careful about entering racewalking events if you are not able to maintain proper racewalking form. In most of these events, you will be required to follow official racewalking rules. Remember, one of the benefits you have as a Loma Linda Loper is that you can learn to racewalk. Come out to Drayson Center Track on any Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m.

I know that the concept of walking race etiquette and rules can be very puzzling. Please remember, any jogging or running – even one single step in a walking division, is considered cheating. I know that we all want to maintain a high level of integrity. When you race, you represent the Loma Linda Lopers, so please, always race honestly. If you enter as a walker, WALK. If anybody has any questions about walking races, please talk to Susan Harris or me.

Pace guides, example shown below, are tables showing elapsed time at each mile so you can gauge your pace and your target finishing time.  We make them on sticky-back paper so you can stick them on a wrist sweatband.  If you are interested, Rosemary will have a “sign-up” sheet at the gym.  Just list your name and target pace or time and she will bring them to the gym a week or two prior to the L.A. marathon.
 

There are some people you just can't do without.  Every organization needs key volunteers who go about doing what needs to be done with a minimum of fanfare; but without whose efforts the club as a whole would suffer.  I would like to mention two Lopers in particular that mean so much to us, Lore Craig-Miller and Bill Carter.

Lore is our stretching lady who keeps our bodies limber and our minds relaxed and refreshed.  She is such a pleasure to be around and an integral part of the success of this year's clinic.   When Lore was gone those few weeks to Europe we nearly had to close the meetings because we missed her so much.  So many Lopers were walking around the gym disoriented and unsure of themselves without Lore’s presence.  Thank goodness Jeanne stepped in to help.  Also Vic, Lore’s  significant other, helps close the gym on Sundays.

Bill Carter is the guy who is always there early and leaves late.  Without Bill we might not have water stops.  Usually at the gym by 5:30 am, he is either setting up the equipment or asking what needs to be done.  Whether it's the Holiday Classic or every Sunday, Bill can always be counted upon to lend a hand.  A long time Loper and a member of the Board of Directors, Bill is an important asset to the club.  Bill also was the winner of the 5K Walk at our Holiday Classic this year.

By the way, Bill can always use additional volunteers for waterstops. So let us know if we can count on you.

By the time you read this we will be just a few short weeks away from the LA Marathon.  Thank you all for making this clinic so rewarding and a whole lotta fun.  People, some great things are happening this year.  We set a record for the number of Lopers that participated in the Mission Inn Race. We set another record with over a thousand runners and walkers registered for our own race The Holiday Classic.  And at the Highland Half-Marathon in January, our last organized competition in preparation for the LA Marathon, we intend to set another record for Loper participation. There will be so many pink shirts there people will be saying "my gosh, there's so many of them; here a Loper, there a Loper, everywhere a Loper Loper." The way we’re going, we just can't help setting a record for the number of finishers for LA and what a great finale to a great year that will be. This group we are part of this year is unbelievably awesome.

Soon my term as your Marathon Clinic Director will come to a close. I would like to thank you all for giving me the opportunity and the great honor of helping you achieve your goals.  It has been so exhilarating for me to see hundreds and hundreds of my friends sitting on the gym floor on Sunday mornings (at a time when most sane people are still in bed asleep).  How cool it has been to watch you come in after a workout all hot and sweaty with that look of accomplishment and that attitude of a soul possessed.  What a pleasure it is to be at the SOT (sliced orange table) and to hear you say "I can't believe I actually did X miles; that's the most I've ever done!"  Thank you all for the great memories.  I only hope that next years leaders are as lucky as I have been to have the good fortune to be associated with a group of highly motivated winners like you year 2000 Lopers.  By golly, we've made the streets of Loma Linda slick with the butter we've burned off.

Volunteers run our club; as such, we need your help in keeping the club successful.  We are currently in the process of looking for members who would like to assume responsible positions in the club.  We need to identify a new Clinic Director soon so he or she can began a transition; if you are interested please contact me.  I will explain all the duties and the qualifications (obviously, having a full head of hair is not a requirement). We will also need Running Division and Walking Division coordinators, one each.  We will need Pacers (the front line of our club) to do the “feet on the pavement” guidance of the new members.

There are literally scores and scores of ways to help out, if you are not sure what you'd like to do just see me.

I'm proud of every single one of you.  WHEN, not if, you finish the marathon, don't stop your fitness program.  You've worked too hard to turn back the clock and get yourself healthier.  If you don't keep working out you will, in a relatively short period of time, start losing all that you have worked so hard to accomplish.  The gym will still be open every Sunday.  Our club elects new officers each year after the L.A. Marathon, so shortly after that you will have a new group of leaders on Sundays.  Please support them and pitch in and join the many volunteers that drive this highly charged organization we call the Lopers.

PS-One final word on the Los Angeles Marathon: Every Body Finishes

When Rosemary Selberg first mentioned that we were invited by Judy Remele and her sister Brenda to help build a house and represent The Lopers at Habitat for Humanity, I thought, no way-- I've never even used a hammer before, let alone done any construction work.  But the more I thought about it, the more I started thinking what a great cause it was and how much fun it would be to act "macho" and help someone in need!  So, on October 14th, Rosemary, Jeanne Fortier, Judy Remele, her sister Brenda, and I joined a woman named "Pinky" on her crew, thus named "Pinky's Crew," and we wore our pink Lopers shirts and worked our tails off building a house.  Our particular shift was in charge of putting the "wrap" around the house and also starting to put the tar paper on the roof.  It was fun learning how to do the different jobs like using an industrial stapler to keep the wrap in place, and cutting away the excess with an exacto knife. Boy, we felt like we were pros by the end of our shift!!  Habitat provided a snack, coffee, and lunch!  It was a very neat experience and a great cause and we'll do it again anytime they need us.  You never know what opportunities will come up as a Loper--that's why it's always an adventure to be a Loper!!  Thanks Judy and Brenda for giving us this opportunity.   It was a blast!!

On September 30th, Joanne Meier and I met up with fellow Lopers, Jim and Norma Mc Intosh, Susan Pentecost and Yesenia Mejia-Hudson to attend the Portland Marathon Pasta Party at the Civic Center.  Dinner was a very nice all-you-can-eat buffet, and the guest speaker was none other than John “the Penguin” Bingham who writes very humorous and tongue-in-cheek articles for Runner’s World.  He was absolutely hysterical as he talked about his running experiences.  I would like to quote what he has written on his business card:

“The miracle isn’t that I finished.  The miracle is that I had the courage to start.”

 FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

The next morning we all met to walk to the start/finish line at Portland’s charming Chapman/Lownsdale/Schrunks Parks.  It was overcast as we waited in the port-a-potty line, and all of a sudden (without warning) the heavens opened up with a downpour. I felt sorry for Jim as this was his first marathon and I really wanted it to be a “perfect” day.  I looked at him and said, “Well, Jim, since you didn’t do LA, we didn’t want you to miss out on the whole rain thing!!”  About an hour into the race the rain stopped and things began to look a little brighter. It was really great to see other Lopers along the course. We ran with Art and Dena Lopez and  Susan Chavez for a while, and Flo Dabney looked really strong at 18.  The route took us through downtown Portland, Old Town and then out to the east bluff of the Willamette River.  The view of the River was spectacular and crossing the St. John’s Bridge was awesome (Portland boasts it as the most beautiful suspension bridge in the world). We then headed down Marathon Avenue to the finish line.  It was the most rewarding experience to run with Jim and watch him complete his first marathon. Way to go, Jim! We all received finishers medals and the women got a rose.  We picked up our “Finisher” t-shirts and we were given seedlings to take home and  plant.  The post race food court was great with lots left for us “back of the packers.”  Portland is a beautiful city and the people were extremely friendly and helpful when it came to navigating their rail system.  I would highly recommend this marathon to everyone, runners and walkers alike.  It is one of the best organized races I have attended.

I’ll never forget November 13, when I sent an e-mail to Christel Dreier, Registration coordinator for the Holiday Classic, inquiring how race registration was going.

She replied back to me, “I have about 50 people.”

Well ... with that news I was worried, particularly since the race was less than three weeks away.

I knew we had worked hard to advertise the race. With the help of Judy Remley and her students, thousands of applications were mailed ... and earlier than usual. We blanketed windshields at area races. We had applications EVERYWHERE! We announced the race at the Loper’s weekly L.A. Marathon Training Clinics. Ads with race applications were being published in both The Press-Enterprise and The Sun. Spots were running on KOLA Radio.

Well ... my fretting about not having enough runners and walkers entered in the Holiday Classic was fleeting when, on November 29, I received another e-mail from Christel.

“We have 594 pre registered,” she reported, “We’ll have at least 300 register on race day.”

That would mean 900 ... maybe 1,000 pending weather that was expected to be perfect! Then, the perpetual worrier in me started fretting about whether or not we could handle such a large field of participants.

Sunday, December 3 — race day — arrived. We had 1,033 entries!  It was the largest field of registered participants in the 11-year history of the Holiday Classic. I learned later from Jim Perry that it was the largest field of registered race participants of any Loma Linda Loper race held during the club’s entire 25-year history.

People were hurrying and scurrying on race day. By 4:45 a.m., Mel Hill was meeting with Loma Linda Department of Safety staff to prepare road blockades and signs.  By 5:00 a.m., Water/Aid Station Coordinator Bill Carter, with the help of Dick Dawson, was delivering tables, cups and other supplies to water stops. While Registration Coordinator Christel Dreier and Staging Area coordinators Ruth Artz and Rosemary Selberg were setting up their respective areas, race participants trickled in. By 6:30 a.m., Gentry Gym was teaming with participants, patiently waiting in line to get their bibs and T-shirts, which fortunately were guaranteed to pre registered participants only.

At 7:00 a.m., announcer Ruth Artz, alerted 15K Walkers to start gathering at the Start Line for their race.  After welcoming words from Loma Linda Lopers President Jim Walling and Susan Harris of the United States Track and Field Association the 15K Walk started on schedule at 7:15 a.m. Cindy Eggert and Susan Harris provided monitors for the 5K and 15K walk events. Monitors were on the course to disqualify any walkers seen running. This year, the walk participants were distinguished by bright yellow bibs to make monitoring easier since the race attracted more than 100 walkers for the 15K Walk

At 7:30, the Elves run began with Hal Orshall leading the group to guide them through the Gentry Gym parking lot course.

As Ruth Artz was calling runners and walkers to the Start Line for the 5K Run/Walk, participants were still in line registering. In fact, the line was out the door! We decided to postpone the next two races by 15 minutes each. This was a difficult call to make, but we wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to participate. As soon as we received the okay from Registration, the 5K Run/Walk and 15K Run participants were off.

Jeanne Fortier worked with her volunteers and Race Central to get the chutes ready for returning racers. Susan Chavez and her volunteers readied trays of bananas, oranges and water donated by Loma Linda Market and Palomar Mountain Spring Water. Awards Coordinator Dave Carreon prepared the awards table with his volunteers.

The rest of the race went very smoothly thanks to the hard work of the 10-member Holiday Classic Race Committee and nearly 130 volunteers. This year’s race committee included: Jim Perry, Traffic Control/Safety; Bill Carter, Water/Aid Stations; Christel Dreier, Registration; Jeanne Fortier, Start/Finish Line; Rosemary Selberg and Ruth Artz, Staging; Dave Carreon, Awards; Susan Chavez, Hospitality, and Susan Pentecost, Volunteer Recruitment. I served as race director for the second consecutive year.

Most of the volunteers that helped with the race this year were recruited by Susan Pentecost. The pool of volunteers were made up primarily of veteran Lopers, but there were other groups that came from outside the club to help, including about 25 Delta Sigma Chi sorority sisters from UC, Riverside under the leadership of Christine Kang.  Volunteers worked on every aspect of the race. And if they were not assigned to work in a specific area, they were out on the race course encouraging and cheering participants on.  Susan did such an outstanding job, the position of Volunteer Recruitment has been permanently added to the Holiday Classic Race Committee.

Twelve massage therapists from Loma Linda University Physical Therapy provided post-race massage for weary runners and walkers. Dr. Sharon Anderson was instrumental in getting therapists to donate their time during finals week which was no easy feat.

 “Don Coyote” (Jim Macintosh) served as the “celebrity” starter for all the races. The California Highway Patrol and Saturn of Loma Linda provided pace vehicles. San Bernardino Rotary Crossroads prepared their annual pancake breakfast and served over 300 participants and spectators.

The Unforgettables Foundation was one of the beneficiaries of this year’s race. The Unforgettables Foundation provides assistance with burial expenses for children of needy Inland Empire families. The foundation also provides instruction on child safety to help prevent premature death.

Overall winners of this year’s Holiday Classic were: 5K Men’s Run — Sean Nixon, 17:10; 5K Women’s Run — Sandy Sydner, 19:59; 15K Men’s Run — Gray Mahera, 52:40; 15K Women’s Run — Laurel Shearer, 59:33; 5K Men’s Walk — William Carter, 39:01; 5K Women’s Walk — Marilyn King, 42:52; 15K Men’s Walk — Ernest Medina, 1:52:19, and 15K Women’s Walk — Lisa  Schamansky, 1:52.

Sandy Sydner, overall winner of the 5K Women’s Run, broke the course record set by Heather Jenkins in 1997.

This year’s sponsors were: The City of Loma Linda; The Press-Enterprise; KOLA Radio; Loma Linda University; Loma Linda University Medical Center; J.Z.’s Party Charm; Saturn of Loma Linda; Loma Linda Market; Geri’s Screenprinting; Palomar Mountain Spring Water; La Loma Federal Credit Union; Rightway; Running Center, and Active Life Chiropractic.
 Artwork for this year’s T-shirt, race application, newspaper advertisements and the race course map was designed and created by my Press-Enterprise co-worker and friend, Peggy Statti.

Congratulations to all the winners!  And many thanks to all that helped to make this year’s race the best ever!

To Mr.Yosef M. Negose and all others for the Award so graciously given to me on DEC 10 2000; my heartfelt thanks. There are so many "behind-the-scene" helpers in this Lopers Club that I feel that this is an appreciation to All of you and all that you are doing to encourage people to TRY to do the very best that they are able to.

People, if you know that you are trying your very best, them there is no need to apologize to anybody. Next time you will probably do even better, but only you know if you have done your utmost. Don't put off your best effort until next week.

From personal experience, I know that it can be gone in an instant. (A serious motor-bike accident in my case). There is a difference, though, between 100% effort in a race & effort in training & practice. That should be about 80%to allow the body to keep improving without draining it dry.

For all you people still with the marathon training program: hang in there; you’re all doing terrific.

For those of you that are finding it a bit too tough this time, also hang in there & build a solid base to work from next year. People are loco to do a marathon anyway & some even go back for more!!! Some go back for many more.

Any exercise that people can find time to do will be beneficial to them IF DONE SENSIBLY.

As most of you know, Art De Leon is one of our star Lopers in terms of age group awards.  Art has competed in the “Over 70” age group for more years than most of us have been doing marathons.  He has many first place awards for his age group including major marathons.  This year Art has fallen ill.

His wife Bette writes:

“Early in 2000, Art had his sights on that L.A. Marathon 2000 medal which he proudly earned last March.  The Loma Linda Lopers awarded him a trophy engraved ‘Most Astonishing Loper’.  That was his 13th and probably last marathon.  Shortly before his 85th birthday in October, Art was diagnosed with a rare blood condition that causes severe anemia.  He is receiving blood transfusions now and they help.

Consigned to memory and photo albums are vacations and camping trips taken on our matching Goldwing motorcycles.  In thousands of miles and many years of motorcycling we have experienced much of the western U.S., Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and the Canadian parks through nearly extra-sensory motorcycle eyes.
Ours is an awesome collection of rememberings-exhilarating, inspiring, occasionally nearly spiritual, sometimes frightening, often humorous, but NEVER dull!”

Art has embodied the spirit of determination and perseverance and we all wish him renewed strength in this difficult time.

 Bag them up and bring them to the gym on any Sunday morning. JoAnn is collecting them for her father who takes them to Africa.  It will make you feel wonderful that someone less fortunate will get lots of use out of something you no longer need.