Monday, May 21, 2012

Women Dominate 5k Championships; Grote Breaks Superhero Half Record; Goglas, Heibell Win

GSTC Women Dominate USATF-NJ 5k Championships 
Douma, Liberti Debut as Women Take 2-Point Lead in USATF-NJ Open Team Title Race
 
Livingston, NJ: Half-way through the race, Cheyenne Ogletree was in a very unfamiliar place: she wasn't the GSTC front runner.  In fact, thanks to the early, hard-pressing race tactics by newcomers Alyssa Douma and Jamie Liberti, she wasn't even #2.  And no- she wasn't running poorly.
 
In reality, Liberti and Douma both went out in 5:45, setting a blistering pace even Ogletree couldn't match.  By mile two, the savvy front-runner took over her front-running duties, pushing hard the final mile to finish in 18:30.55, a new club record.  Finishing second overall women, averaging 5:57/mile, she brought home a $200 purse for her efforts. 
 
On her heels were Douma (18:37/4th) and Liberti (18:48/5th), both of whom ran brilliant races despite the overly hot conditions and their hard early pace.  They are both similar in time and career: they are currently both educators.  Douma is an elementary school teacher and HS coach; Liberti is an instructor at Rutgers as she finishes her PhD. 
 
Kristin Cupido, coming off a minor foot injury, rolled in at 19:34 to seal the win for the Lady GSTC'ers, who averaged 18:52 for their scoring four runners.  Second place RVRR, who now falls two points behind GSTC in the open women's team race, averaged 19:45.
 
In total, ten women competed in the team's best road race showing in team history.  They included Karen Auteri (20:25), Meghan DeCarlo (20:45), Nicole Corre (20:54), Erin Higgins (21:17), Cathy Stutzman (22:10), and Michelle Tuchol (27:44).
 
Check it all out here (just turn down the audio....apologies from the film crew)
Mile 2 (police almost run over film crew): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Ntmjthoe8&feature=youtu.be
 
Grote's Debut: Win, Course Record
Morristown, NJ: In his first race donning Garden Gold, he won the Superhero Half Marathon in 71:19.  Averaging 5:26 a mile, he broke the former course record by about eight minutes...and won the race by over three.  At the ripe young age of thirty-eight, he outran 1,235 other finishers in just his second race of the year.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ryan Grote. He's pictured with his light-saber-wielding son Fred, and more below on Grote as the Athlete of the Week.   
 
 
Goglas Wins in 15:40
West Morris, NJ: Big Kenny Goglas won his first race wearing gold today, as he rolled to a win in the West Morris Central Memorial 5k.  What a guy: first he comes out to support the ladies at the Run for Rachel 5k, then he drives to his friend's race and wins it with 5:03 miles.  Teammate Chris Schneider was third, and wait til he gets a slap upside the head for forgetting to bring his uniform to the race. 
 
 
Brito, Brussard, 4x400 Shine at Swarthmore
Swarthmore, PA:  Finally, hurdler Mike Brito broke the 54 second barried, running 53.49 and finishing second at the Swarthmore Last Chance Invitational on a drizzling Monday evening.  Hours later, he broke 49 for the first time in his career, splitting 48.81 as the 4x400 team of Tony Harris, Ricky Garcia, and Duval Sewer lowered their own club record by several tenths, hitting the tape at 3:17.48.  This was followed by the B team (3:25.24), C team (3:26.54), D team (3:30.77), E team (3:39.72), and the F team (3:48.85).
 
Numerous athletes finished high, including Alan Broussard's big PR in the 110HH (14.69/2nd) along with a 5ht in the 400IH (55.35), and Marquis Cole placing 6th in 400m with a PR of 49.87.
 
Other notable performances were Arvid "The Flying Hawaiiian" Pansanjan winning two races (11.44/22.68),  winning his 800m hear (1:53.49), and Garcia in the 400IH (7th/ 56.01).  Jaris Rousseau (56.61/7th) and Eric Weber (58.01/14th) ran season-bests in the 400IH.  The half mile was particulary strong for the GSTC, as Sam Jenssen (1:54.74/debut), Michael Saparito (1:56.37/ debut), Tahlief Jackson (1:56.68), Tyler Foss (1:57.12/season best/picture), Duval Sewer (1:59.70), Mark Parisen (2:00.71/PR), Norbert Kuter (2:01.40/SB), Zak Martins (2:01.81).  Check out
 
A, B 4x400 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcaC7ETD7nA.  C, D, E, F relays are in TM Award below.
 
 
Heibell Wins @ TCNJ Last Chance Invite
Lawrenceville, NJ: Chris Heibell is coming back into form, as we won the 150m Thursday night at the TCNJ Last Chance Invite.  Splitting 59, 2:02, and 3:05, this is his second fastest 1500m in his career.  His best, a 3:49 at Kentucky, could be just weeks away from being broken.
 
Team favorite Tim Morgan finished 2nd in the 5k here in 15:10.78....a season's best for Mr. Morgan.
 
 
 
Team Workout, CA Mile Meeting Tuesday
6:15, Rutgers Student Center: be there.  We will do a team workout first, then followed by a College Ave Mile Leadership Meeting at Skinny Vinnie's at 8:15.  One of our race sponsors, the Robert Wood Johnson Fitness Center, will be sending a representative to talk with us for a few minutes.
 
Quotes of the Week
"It was slow, but at least I'm well dressed now." -Ryan Grote, in an email, after his half marathon victory today wearing the GSTC singlet
 
"It feels good to be a part of a team again.  I went out with some of the girls after and I felt like I've known them forver.  We are already planning a skydiving trip this summer."  -Alyssa Douma, in a text, about the GSTC team 
 
"That was so cool to see him (Grote) win from our team.  Does he go to Rutgers?"  -Meghan McGlynn, phone conversation, talking about 38 year old Ryan Grote and his fast, college-looking frame
 
"Maybe I'll get crazy and even try doing a workout every once in a blue moon...or maybe I'll just stick to drinking Blue Moons."  -Karen Auteri, text message, regarding her fun after the 10k USATF-NJ Championships two weeks ago  
 
"I'm honored to be running with the ladies. After not sprinting since 99 I'm glad a found such a talented group of runners in the Garden State Track Club to motivate me to keep at it. I also have a great coach in Chuck Schneekloth. If I have to run with the ladies this year to race with the men next year so be it." -32 year old Curtis Scafe, FB post, responding to friends' jokes about training with the GSTC women's sprint team
 
"And I better not see you creeping on my street at night in your GSTC van." -Lindsay Capone, in an email to Chuck, after discussing where she lived to promote the College Ave Mile at local road races
 
"I'm at graduation...just recruited a woman thrower....here's her email address."  -Ashwin Anantharaman, in a text, seen here with GSTC sprinter Ricardo Garcia at Kean graduation Thursday.  He is by far the most prolific GSTC recruiter...as evidenced by this Thursday anecdote.
 
 
Athletes of the Week: Douma and Grote
While today's 5k was a big race for her, a PR in fact, Alyssa Douma has run many big races thus far in her career.  A former Lock Haven standout, her PRs are an impressive list: 2:14 for 800, 5:07 for mile, and 4:41 for 1500m.  She continues the same pre-race routine of 2.5 miles with actvie stretching and stride outs.
 
When not running like crazy, her favorite food is a cheeseburger!  Her most enjoyable destination has been Rome, Italy, and...interesting enough, she's a true running purist: she never listens to music when running.  She coaches for West Milford HS this year, where she will serve as the head coach for both theor cross country and track and field programs next year.
 
Ryan Grote gets the vote this week for his win in the Superhero Half, but there just isn't enough time or room to give him justice.  The founder of the nationally followed Grote Poll (http://www.grotepoll.com/), he started his career at Bernards HS- where he was coached by now-famous University of Colorado coach Mark Wetmore.  He bounced from Washington (where they won PAC-10 xc title) and University of Portland (All-AMerican there), and later ran a 65:50 half marathon and dabbled in professional triathlons for a few years.
 
Now, he's run 25 weeks of 100+ miles a week. Roughly, that's across the country in less than half a year of training.  You get the feeling the guy's just done it all, yet the possibility of the GSTC running- and winning- Hood to Coast excites him.  Mexican food and Clif Bars are favorites...along with spending time with his wife, Cathy, and son, Fred.
 
Amy Award
Here's a big surprise: it comes from the women's team, again.  Erin Higgins spent three hours designing gold and black wristbands for the women's team this week, as you can see them proudly displayed in the attached picture.  That is a long time to make a team-honoring trinket, and for her philanthropy, she receives the nod for the Amy Award this week!
 
Okay, we should probably recognize Tim Morgan for promoting the CA Mile at the Highland Park 5k today, along with Edsel Flores, Nick Waclowski, and Adam Kamel for volunteering at the half marathon by handing out water at a water station.
 
 
Tim Morgan Award
Chuck forgetting one his fast sprinters, Ricky Garcia, behind and having to circle back for him Monday at Swarthmore could win, but won't, primarily because Chuck is writing this email.  If you don't like it, sure, you can write this damned email every Sunday!  Instead, it goes to Shay Warren, who forgot to take off her t-shirt in the 400 hurdles at the Swarthmore Last Chance Invitational on Monday.  Who doesn't realize she's still in her warm-ups at a major collegiate invitational?
 
But you know what, this should get in here, too.  In February, we deemed the Millrose Games Harris to Heibell Handoff as the GSTC's worst ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ics2o4rH6KA&feature=youtu.be.  However, Heibell has outdone himself--take a look at lane 4 at 55 second mark.  Facing wrong way, spins, uses two hands.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glu-7Ga9-KE.  Oh my. 
 
This Week in Training
Distance
Congrats to our women for tearing it up at the Run for Rachel yesterday!  It's time for the ladies to look toward the mile on June 10th.  Just three weeks to go!
 
Monday - comfortable run + 8x80m strides/8x8-10s hill sprint
Tuesday - Rutgers Student Center @ 6:15pm  4x(600/200) - run the 600s at mile pace and the 200s at 800 pace.  Take a 100m walk/jog between 600 and 200, and jog 2:30 between sets. 
Wednesday - 40-60 minutes progression run.  Set out very easy, and get down to 5k pace for the last half mile.
Thursday - super easy 40-60 minutes
Friday - 2x(8-10x200) at 800m pace.  walk across the infield for recovery, and jog 400m between sets. 
Saturday - comfortable run + 8x80m strides/8x8-10s hill sprint
Sunday - long run 
 
Sprints
Monday    800:  2 x (3x300) @800, 600, 600 @ 100m walk; full    400: 7 x (200/50)  @ 800m/100m
Tuesday    recovery: 800m- 40-45min run ; 400: 12x100 stride LIFT
Wednesday    800: 4x250 @ 400m @ full   400: 3 x (2x100) @ 200m 1:00/5:00
Thursday    recovery: 800- 30 min run; 400: 10x50 stride LIFT
Friday      OFF
Saturday  800: 1x500 @800m, 5x200 @ 800, 3x150 quick   400: 
Sunday    800:  800: 60-70 min run ; 400: 10x150 stride
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