The Garden State Track Club has over two hundred members, and most of us are mere mortals who simply enjoy working out on a regular basis. However, a small handful ambitiously train and race marathons, and an even smaller group within the GSTC, known as the GSTC Elite, have their sights set on the 2012 Olympic Trials in the marathon. Read below for a bit more about them...
New York City Marathon: 11/6/11
Two GSTC members are racing in NYC in early November: Rutgers student Mel Bandler and UK-born Janine "J-9" Brown.
Mel has now run five half marathons, yet this will be her first. Janine is a veteran, and has run 2:50 - very fast for a woman! Janine is running this in memory of a friend who recently lost her battle from Wegners Vasculitis. If interested in donating, the website is below. This was the first time I ever donated in "pounds" to a UK website, and it can be your first time, too.
Chicago Marathon: MDM Ready for an OTQ this Weekend
While us mortals finish up our week and enjoy our Friday afternoon run, GSTC teammate Mark Del Monaco wil be boarding a plane to Chicago with one goal: to hit the Olympic Trials Qualifier of 2:19.00. Let's put that in context for a quick second: that's 5:19 a mile. 26 times. In a ROW. Over two hour worth of them. Yikes.
In preparation for the race, Mark has run 1,123.9 miles during his buildup, averaging 80 miles a week (yup- a hair over 11 miles a day). With his longest run at 22.5 miles, he hopes to cash in on the $2,000 bonus for dipping under the OTQ time. With gear support from Puma, he trains with Sean Quigley, the 2010 USA 20k national champion, down in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area.
There are several pace groups in Chicago; one is chasing the sub-2:19 mark, and another is the elite women chasing 2:20-2:21. Mark plans to roll with the world's best women from the start, and gradually move his way up to the OTQ qualifying group. Good luck Mark- go get 'em!
Wanna watch it live Sunday morning? You can do it right here:
Philly Marathon on 11/20: 100% Chance of Quiet Storm
Several GSTC'ers will be taking a crack at Philly, including Meghan DeCarlo, Taylor Burmeister, Mike Dixon, Steve Geiger, Ken Goglas, and Adam Nalven. It almost feels insulting to just say, in fleeting, "yeah, they're going to run the Philly marathon", as this certainly does not capture the sacrifice they've made over the months in preparation for such an event. Most have similar training schedules as Mark, running between 8-12 miles a day, fitting in long runs on Sundays (12-22 miles) and hard workouts during the week. Indeed, running becomes a lifestyle, not a hobby, at this level.
GSTC wunderkind Jeff "Quiet Storm" Perrella also has his eye on the Olympic Trials marathon standard, but hopes to do so by hitting the half marathon qualifying standard of 65:00 down in Philly. What's that per mile, you wonder? 4:57. Yes, that's not a typo....4:57 a mile, 13.1 times in a row. Being that this guy averages 4:37 a mile for a 5k....we all have hope!
Attached:
1. MDM warms up rockin' the gold and black,
2. Mel finishes the half marathon two weeks ago in Jersey City,
3. Quiet Storm, far left wearing the Saucony orange, rolls through his debut half two weeks ago in Jersey City in 70:00.
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