Rosemary Selberg, Editor
May/June 2001 CONTENTS (Click Here for text-only version)
by Jim Walling
WELCOME TO OUR NEW LOPERS!
Clinic Directors Judy Remele, Alan Remele, Christel Dreier and Dick Dawson have a great program designed to take you to the Finish Line of the Los Angeles Marathon XVII on March 3rd, 2002. Starting in September, the Clinic Directors will be rotating from month to month so you will get the benefit of all of their combined experience.
As you follow your training program, you are in for an exciting year filled with personal satisfaction. There is no feeling like completing your first marathon. It’s also very rewarding to achieve your own health and fitness goals. You are to be congratulated for taking this important step and making a commitment to improving your level of fitness and health. In spite of the fact that most of us are different in age, size and ability, we can all reach our goals through perseverance and hard work.
Your goal this year may be that you will strive hard to be more fit than you were last year. You will be competing against just one person – yourself.
Yes, the training miles will get longer, the weather colder, the days shorter, and then we will have the Holidays to play havoc with both our diet and training routine. So make your resolve now (being forewarned) to stay the course ”no matter what.” During the times when you become tired or discouraged you will find the support of the Lopers Club invaluable. Our reason for being here is to help you through the rough spots and afford you the same help and opportunity we have enjoyed.
We have many things to tell and show you about running/walking that we have learned over the past 20 years. Much of this will be through our weekly speakers. We also have 6 optional nutrition classes planned for you. It is very important that we teach you safety, courtesy and the rules of the road so it becomes ingrained in your training from the very start. Please remember that we just use the streets, we have no special rights to them. So always move over, run single file, and give cars the courtesy of the road. (We will stress this from week-to-week because it is so easy to become engrossed with friends and forget our own personal safety.) The public usually remembers our hot-pink, club shirts, so we need to be courteous to them and make this a positive memory.
If you haven’t already done so, please take time to read (or re-read) your registration packet. There is quite a bit of information you will find useful as your training progresses.
ALSO WELCOME TO OUR RETURNING LOPERS!
Registration day is always hectic but it was certainly gratifying to see Lopers returning for another year. This year it was especially satisfying to see Lopers whom we haven’t seen for many years. Welcome back! Already you are making it a special year. And for you we have planned some special Sunday morning speakers, talking on subjects of interest to you as well as our new members. Judy Remele has done an outstanding job of booking our Sunday morning programs and you will be pleasantly surprised when you refer to the weekly schedule of speakers. This year will not just be a repeat of prior years, so you will want to plan to stay for the programs each Sunday and work your training in around them.
I would like to express the gratitude of the Lopers Club to all our Clinic Volunteers. Especially, I would like to thank our Pace Leaders in advance for giving of their time each Sunday morning to tutor and school our new members in their walking or running program. Without you, we could not conduct a successful Marathon Clinic Training Program. It is your personal attention to, and caring for, each member of your pace group from week-to-week that ensures the success of the Clinic. It is a hard job to faithfully show up each Sunday morning for 29 weeks and tend to the needs of your pace group. But who can describe the feeling of satisfaction when you see them cross the finish line completing their first Marathon?! Congratulations both for volunteering and sticking with it!
So off we go into another Los Angeles Marathon Training Clinic.
See you Sunday morning.
by Judy Remele
Welcome to another terrific season with the Lopers! And for those of you who are running with the pack for the first time, WELCOME! And … CONGRATULATIONS! You have made a decision to join an organization that will help you make a positive difference in your life, whether you joined to run/walk a marathon, lose weight, or just get in better shape. Whatever your motivation for getting up before the sun on Sunday mornings, it can happen for you with the Lopers. This year there are four clinic directors to help you to meet your personal exercise goals: Dick Dawson, Christel Dreier, Alan Remele, and Judy Remele. When we are on duty as a clinic director, we will be wearing the blue Loper T-shirt. But always feel free to ask us questions. We are all anxious to meet you and get to know you.
Each Sunday starting at 6:00A.M. program speakers have been invited
to speak to you on a variety of topics ranging from motivational to specific
sports issues. Programs for the next two months include:
| Sep. 9 | Dana Saly (Dietician) – “Fueling for Exercise” |
| Sep 16 * | Pat Connelly (Running Coach of the LA Marathon) “Running Clinic” |
| Sep 23 | Paul Thomas (2-time duathalon all-pro champion) “ Nutrition and Carbs.” |
| Sep 30 | Dr. Nate Coffin ( Chiropractor) “Preventing Injuries” |
| Oct 7 * | Bob Hickey (Walking Coach for the LA Leggers) “Walking Clinic” |
| Oct 14 | Kevin Haney (CHP) “Be Street Wise and Safe” |
| Oct 21 | Dr. Bill Landry (Podiatrist, Loper Member) “Preventing Foot Injuries” |
| Oct 28 | Dr. Brent Kay ( Sports Medicine, Loper Member) “Training” |
| Nov 4 | Dr.Moses Christian (Surgeon,Loper Member) “Where There’s a Will…” |
| Nov 11 | Mission Inn Run – Riverside – Gentry Gym closed |
The remainder of the program schedule will be printed in the next Lopergram.
In addition to the program speakers, Dr. Don Lang will be conducting a 6-week nutrition clinic starting September 9 – October 14 from 6:00 to 6:30 A.M. Plan to meet with him on the upper floor of the Gentry Gym.
With all these programs, as well as the homework and scheduled Sunday runs … Whew! We will definitely be ready for the organized runs that are coming up in a couple of months.
We have our pink T-shirts and our new running shoes. Now, we need to remember to drink lots of water, be safe on the road, and most important, have fun.
Go Lopers!
Judy, Alan, Dick, & Christel
Once again, welcome runners and walkers to another great year with the Loma Linda Lopers. A runner named Don Hall started the club with about 20 members back in 1977. Last year our membership was about 1200 and we expect to exceed that this year. I became a Loper in 1993, not to complete a marathon, but to make friends to walk and talk with. I was one of those people who said I could never walk 26.2 miles. However, somewhere in the training the club offers, I realized I could do it. That was 17 marathons ago. Don’t think that a marathon is beyond you. Your body and mind working together will surprise you.
Ruth Artz and I completed the 4th Rock and Roll marathon last June.
We have power-walked all 4 of them. Our goal is to complete the first ten.
After that, who knows, we may try for another ten. Rock and Roll seems
to be a favorite for a lot of our members and is definitely walker-friendly,
as is the San Diego marathon in January.
You will find that our club has much to offer. We have experienced
runners and walkers to help you achieve your goals. We have Sunday speakers
who share their knowledge. We have a stretching class that you will benefit
from. One Sunday, when you return from your run or walk you will be greeted
with pancakes and fruit. On another Sunday, ice cream will be waiting for
you with all the fixings. When the mileage goes beyond 4 miles, there will
be manned water stops on the route. Of course, you can always carry your
water if you prefer. Some people carry packs with energy bars, candy,
Advil, and other necessities.
You will see Ruth Artz and I out on the route almost every Sunday. We
go back 10 years. The first 2 we did aerobics. The past 8 years we have
been a walking team and best friends. We are truly lucky that we both share
this obsession and immense dedication to the sport of walking. We inspire
and support each other each week as we get in our 30 plus miles. We make
no excuses. We have walked in the rain in winter and the heat in summer.
We have walked with headaches, the flu, and on very little sleep. Walking
is a priority with us. A must. A way of life. WHY you ask? The rewards
are endless. Walking is a social sport. If you like to talk, the miles
whiz on by. Your body shapes up. Your mind is clear. Your mood improves.
Your overall health is better. Oh did I mention that you can eat without
guilt. Last month, on a visit to my doctor, he was so impressed with my
blood work, that he called in the nurses to see the results. It’s no secret,
it’s walking, and it’s fun. See you on Sunday Morning!
Welcome to all new walkers. 2000-01 was very successful for the Lopers, both runners and walkers, and we anticipate another wonderful year in 2001-02. I will be coordinating the Thursday Night Walking Group at the Drayson Center track. Thursday Night will be a training/socializing session. We hope to encourage new and returning walkers to meet, get to know each other, and try a little speed work. This is a good opportunity to make new Loper friends (it is not easy to hold conversations when we are out walking/running single file on Sundays). I personally feel that the Thursday Night group has been a lifesaver for me. While walking on the track may seem boring to some people, we get some great conversations going. So, meet me at the track! I will be there from 6 PM. Please bring your Loper ID – they will not let you in without it!
Any questions? Call me at (909) 864 0258 or E-mail voyager@empirenet.com
See you on Thursday!
On June 30, Lopers Bill Wall and Al Ray left for Brisbane, Australia to participate in the 2001 World Association of Veteran Athletes (WAVA) competition. As usual, Murphy's Law was in full force. Al, who has participated in a number of world-class track meets, had a minor heart surgery a few days prior to departing. Bill came down with a flu-like infection prior to departing and was experiencing serious muscle aches, headaches, and chills on the 16-hour flight. But, like true Lopers, Bill and Al would not be deterred by small problems like flu and heart surgery.
In all Bill participated in seven events: The 5K fun run, 8K cross-country run (time 48.42), 800 meter track run (3:14), 5K track run (23:06), 10K track race (47:31.86), the 1500 meter track run (6:15.20), and the marathon. The highlight was a bronze medal in the marathon as a part of a three-member American 65-69 age group team. Within each age category the officials add together the three fastest runners for each country. Bill was the second place finisher on the U.S. team with a time of 4:40.26.
Another highlight of the trip was watching 101 year old Leslie Amey of Australia set an age group world record in the men's 1500-meter event with a time of 19:59. He also won the 95 and up age group 100-meter event with a time of 70 seconds.
In addition to the WAVA events, Bill and Al took a narrated Brisbane River cruise to the Wildlife Park where they photographed koalas and kangaroos. Other R & R included the Taste of Australia party and a visit to the Queensland Museum in Brisbane.
Following the Australian excursion Bill returned to win his age division
in three local events. On July 21 he placed first in the Cypress 10K with
a time of 47:52. On August 4 he placed first in his division in two events
at the Masters Track Meet at Long Beach City College with times of 3:09
in the 800 meter, and 6:08 in the 1500 meter. He will be participating
in the Huntington Beach 10-mile event on August 18 and the Malibu Dolphin
Run on October 14.
Early this summer I joined 6 other fellow Lopers for our first hike of the season. Being a yearly tradition, the group takes a break from their long Saturday training runs and replaces them with daylong hikes in our nearby mountains.
It was a beautiful morning. We had started off at a very early hour while it was still cool. With hiking permits in hand and parking permits stuck on our parked cars in the parking lot we headed out in good spirits. The trail started out steeply, with switchbacks taking us up fast. At one point it leveled out a bit, but for the most part we were climbing fast for the full 4-mile ascent.
This being the first hike of the season for all of us, out leader/organizer, Lillian Miller, had chosen what she considered an easy hike. She reasoned that it was only eight miles round trip (had a beautiful view at the top) and therefore a good first run.
Certain of us in the group were in better shape than others. Two people had never hiked before but had been running all year with the Lopers. Four of the group were seasoned hikers and had done at least three marathons the previous year. One hiker had done very little cardio exercise in the last six months but worked out with weights in the gym.
We all made it to the top, some sooner then others, and enjoyed a well-deserved food break along with a breath-taking view of the surrounding mountains and valley. It was truly "suburb and worth all the effort", we agreed in unison.
The trip down went faster but put a huge demand on the knees and quads (front of the upper legs) due to the steepness of the trail. It was a good feeling to be passing the hordes of hikers going up and knowing that all that work was behind us. (The advantage of starting out at 6 AM in the morning). We arrived in the parking lot about 1 PM with trembling legs, sore/hot feet, and totally exhausted. I remember sleeping the rest of the afternoon and having no energy the following day as my body tried to recover. Then the muscle soreness began to set in...I mean the "hard to move that knee to the chin ....or bend the knees to sit down" kind of soreness. It was awful for three days. Even the well-trained ones in the group admitted sheepishly to being a little sore.
Two of our group declined any further invitations to do the following hikes. I did one more hike but only went half way, because I didn’t want to reproduce the previous experience. The other four have continued, and had a wonderful summer of Saturday hiking, and are in fantastic shape as we speak.
What made the difference in the diverse outcome of our original group? The physical condition we were in when we began the hiking? The time we each had to commit to the activity? The individual willpower/drive to stick with a challenging workout? "Yes" to each of the above. They were all valid factors that influenced those of us who abandoned our summer commitment to get/stay in shape by using our near-by mountain recreational facilities.
The biggest problem for me was that exhaustion and soreness after that first hike. It discouraged me too much. Had we done a shorter, less steep first round I am sure I would have been more ready to keep up with the pack for the whole season.
The moral of the story is: When exercising with a group, always allow
your needs and ability to dictate. Listen carefully to what your right
brain is telling you. Harder is not always better and that left side of
the brain will always want you to logically stay up with the pack. The
outcome in the long run will be failure, dropout, and abandoned dreams.
However if the right brain is heeded, you will innately adjust the intensity
of your exercise to fit what works for you, be it running, hiking, bicycling,
or even stretching. You will enjoy your exercise much more, you will be
much more likely to stay with it for the long haul, and you will reach
the goals that you have set for yourself. The right brain says Less is
More and the left brain says More is Never Enough. Take heed and listen
to both but remember to always keep that right side tuned in.
by Rosemary Selberg
On Sunday, May 20th, we had our annual memorial run and potluck at Spring Mountain Lake in East Highland Ranch. The Memorial Run is dedicated to those Lopers who have passed away over the years. Since it began, the run has always been held at Perris Lake with the route being around the lake. This year we decided to change the scenery and hold the run on the streets and trails around East Highlands Ranch. We had 4 mile and 9 mile routes planned and, we thought, marked. It turned out that our markings for the trail portion of the run were not complete, so several Lopers ended up taking the wrong trail but eventually found their way back to the street portion of the route. Search and Rescue was not necessary. That problem aside, we had a beautiful, clean picnic area beside the lake, free parking, lots of good food, and the camaraderie that comes with being a Loper. I promise next year the run will be well marked and everyone will enjoy a great run or walk. Thanks to my husband Ron and my friend Ruth for helping me put this run together. Rosemary.
by Casey Oesterlein
On April 29, 2001, I participated in the inaugural Oklahoma City Marathon.
The marathon was held in memory of the many people killed in the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal building bombing. This was the first time I participated in an inaugural marathon. The marathon committee did an outstanding job. They had a nice turn out of over 2000 participants. There were several different events -- a full marathon, a 2 man split marathon (each doing 13.1 miles), a 4 man split marathon consisting of 3.1 miles, 10.8 miles and 2 legs of 6+ miles. In addition they had a Kids marathon, where the kids ran 25 miles in one or two-mile segments a week for several weeks, then finished 1.2 miles on marathon day. The Expo was small in comparison to the other marathons I’ve attended, but there were several familiar faces including well-known runners Bill Rodgers, Joe Henderson, and Tawni Gomes of the Connectors. Although I was unable to attend, I understand that the pasta party was a success as well.
I participated in the second half of the 2-man split marathon. My partner ran her half in 2:11, so this was the first time I racewalked with the 10 min/mile group. The crowd support, aid stations and community involvement were all incredible. The course was scenic, around the city and a local lake. The terrain had some hills, but they weren’t too draining. Ironically, at mile 20, the course ran past a cemetery. The full marathoners appreciated the irony. All participants received a T-shirt and large finishers medals (my relay medal was larger than my LA marathon finisher’s medal). The post race party was large and generous, featuring sodas and Quizno’s sandwiches. The awards were large Lucite blocks that were quite impressive. They did not have a racewalk division, but I did see a couple other racewalkers, including Michael Hairston who is well known in the Midwest racewalking circles (or so I am told by my Oklahoma running friends).
This was incredible for a first time event, and is definitely an event
to do again. Because of their choice of dates (same weekend as Big Sur
and Country Music marathons; as well as 2 weeks after Boston marathon),
I doubt it will ever be too crowded.
We are looking for someone to help clean the gym floors prior to our
Sunday meetings. Are you available for this early Sunday morning task or
do you know of someone who may be available? Call Judy
at 797-8718 or Susan at 683-5585.
Last year’s Holiday Classic was one of the most successful we have ever had with a record number of entries. Donna Dawson has been the race director for the past two years but cannot do it this year, so we are looking for someone to take on this important responsibility. Donna has a well-organized and documented plan for the race and will help the new director and his or her staff. The race is held in early December, so planning and preparation need to start now. Volunteers? Call Susan at 683-5585 or Jim Walling at 769-8300.
Jim Perry has been recording race results since the Lopers started 23
years ago. He is not available to do it this year, so we are looking for
someone for this task. The job is to receive finishing times for Lopers
from sign-in sheets, race-timing contractors like Race Central, or from
individual Lopers. Jim recorded the times, put them into a spreadsheet
format, and provided them for the Lopergram and for display at the gym.
Volunteers? Call Jim Walling at
769-8300
| Sep 30 | Desert Edge Challenge, 5K Walk and 15K Run |
| Sep 30 | Portland Marathon |
| Oct 6 | St. George Marathon |
| Oct 7 | Chicago Marathon |
| Oct 14 | Lake Tahoe Marathon |
| Nov 11 | Mission Inn Run |
| Dec 2 | Loma Linda Lopers Holiday Classic (IF WE CAN FIND A RACE DIRECTOR!) |
| Dec 9 | Honolulu Marathon |
| Dec 9 | Tucson Marathon |
| Jan 6, 2002 | Walt Disney World Marathon |
by Rosemary Selberg
(26.2 Miles! You’ve got to be kidding us! You better at least get us a pair of good shoes that fit!)
As you returning Lopers know, running or walking a marathon or any long distance can turn those little aches and pains we feel at the 4 mile point into major problems by mile 15 or 20. If this is your first marathon, you will learn the importance of wearing good shoes; shoes that are compatible with your foot shape and your running or walking mechanics, that provide support and cushioning, and that fit. Listed below are some guidelines from Road Runner Sports:
How to Choose the Running Shoes That Will Fit You Best
Siize Does Matter and Bigger is Better! Running shoes that do not fit properly will not perform properly. That’s why it’s so important to buy the right size shoes every time. If you seem to be “between sizes” and can’t decide which one to buy, go for the larger size and adjust the fit a bit with socks, insoles or a different lacing pattern. Follow these simple guidelines and your next pair of shoes will be the best fitting shoes you’ve ever worn!
Your heel should fit snugly with no slipping. The midfoot of the shoe under your arch and over the top of your foot should be snug but not tight. Your toes should have plenty of room. Imagine trying to play the piano with your toes. If you can’t wiggle them that much, your shoes are too small! Your feet always swell during the day, so try on shoes later in the day when your feet are largest. There’s Nothing Worse Than Shoes That Are Too Small! Did you know that you are TWO TIMES more likely to buy a shoe that is too small rather than too big? We’ve learned that sad fact from over 15 years of shoe-fitting experience. But the truth is, it’s easy to tell if your shoes are too small because: Your toenails turn black from rubbing and bumping the end of your shoe. Your feet cramp while running or just after running. Your feet fall asleep while you’re running. You get blisters and calluses between your toes Facts About Your Feet and the Shoes You Put Them In 80% of all running shoes fit a half-size shorter than the size marked on the tongue. Running shoes are made to fit directly out of the box. The synthetic leathers and meshes that they are made of will not stretch. Your feet change with age – they usually get bigger! Have your feet measured every year to be sure of your size. Most women’s feet become a half-size (or more) larger after pregnancy. Your right and left feet may differ in size by as much as a full size. Always measure both feet and buy shoes to fit your larger foot.
Last updated by Bill Carter Sepetmber 29, 2001