Transcript Document

HALF FANATIC NEWSLETTER
February 2012
Half Fanatics at the Gasparilla Half
Half Fanatics Reporting In!
Tikka Wright
HF#1375
th
I headed to Hampton, NH, Saturday February 18 , mid-day, with my dear runnin' bud, Kristen, for my first Half of
the season. The weather was absolutely phenomenal...really...for February, we could not have asked for better!
We picked up our bibs on Saturday and met up with another runnin' bud of mine, Michelle, who lives about 20
minutes from the race location...she drove us around the race course, and we chatted for a bit before she headed
back home and we checking in to the hotel and settling in for the eve. Had dinner at the hotel restaurant a couple
doors down from our hotel, and it was fair at best...one of the pros and cons about races out of area. Kristen
ended up feeling pretty yucky all night...might have thought she had food poisoning but we both had the same
dish for dinner. I slept pretty well.
Race morning, up around 7....race start at 10...plenty of time to get nervous, hehe. We prefueled, packed up,
checked out, and stashed our stuff in the car, then headed to the race start. The weather was awesome...mid-30s,
light wind, sunny...just beautiful.... We met up with a handful of Half Fanatics, and Kristen took a group pic of
us...was neat to meet folks in person that I have chatted with online before. Running is so great, it brings people of
all shapes and sizes and abilities together... We ran into two gals from Kristen's running group in Maine and
chatted briefly, then headed further back in the start pack and found Michelle...chatted some more with her, then
it was off and running. The course was pretty flat, water stops were well-spaced and manned, the course was very
well marked, which was good since it wound its way in and around the neighborhood surrounding Hampton Beach.
I ran without my iPod, since the race rules said they weren't allowed, however, I did see folks running plugged in. It
was fine, tho, different to run without tunes but it didn't seem to hamper my progress.
As I headed in to the finish, Michelle was there to snap a pic of me and let out a big cheer....the race announcer
didn't butcher my first name (YAY), the medal is sharp, the after-food was good 'nuf...then Michelle and I headed
back to the finish line to wait for Kristen to come in...she looked great and, after finishing, she said she felt great.
So glad the crabby belly didn't stick with her for the whole race. Nerves will do funny things to you.
Michelle got a personal best, came in at 1:55, I came in at 2:16, and Kristen wasn't far behind me at 2:25 (which
she was really happy with). Great run for all three of us. Wonderful to spend time with friends who love to run as
much as I do. Already excited about the next Half, a month away, the New Bedford Half...looking forward to
meeting some online runner folks in person, maybe more Half Fanatics, and running what I hear is a great course!
Half Fanatic #1125 Michelle Black has run 26 half
marathons since her very first one in July 2010. Her
best streak is 9 halfs in 365 days. Of course, that is just
so far.
The Tri-Cities Half Marathon on
Sunday, February 26 was cold and
windy! There were nine of us from a
group that we call "Fit Fifty" that are
all trying to meet criteria to become
Half Fanatics like me! We enjoy
meeting up at these half marathons
and sharing our successes. Being a
Half Fanatic has kept me motivated to
continue to train and sign up for
races.
# 1651 Irene Gonzales
Reporting on Lace it up Against Breast Cancer Half Marathon in Rochester, MN held
on February 12, 2012. This was my 5th half marathon and the smallest I've ever done
and I loved it! The finishers medal was the dog tag style shown in the picture with the
bib and gloves. Finishers that placed in the top three of their age group got really nice
medals. Instead of a finishers shirt they gave away some nice gloves. This race was
held on my birthday. I also ran a 5 mile race the day before so this was my first back to
back racing as well. It was probably the coldest weekend so far this winter as well but
I was happy to find a race on my birthday so Happy Birthday to me! I was the only
fanatic that I know that ran the race. I did meet a group of really nice runners from a
local running club called Team R.E.D. I think I made some new running friends. It was
a great course almost completely on bike paths along rivers and around a lake in
Rochester, MN. I didn't know they had such an extensive trail system, it was really
nice! The parking was great and the race started and ended at Mayo High School
which was really nice. Lots of room, and indoor bathrooms. My favorite part was the
delicious HOT SOUP at the finish inside the high school. It was also great cause. I
would definitely run this race again and I'd highly recommend it to other fellow
Fanatics!
Ruth Walsh
HF #607
Half Fanatics #1058 Dan Delino,
#1043 Karen Flynn, #645 Joey
Nagel and #600 Sef Cuesico
with Marathon Maniacs at the
Carlsbad half.
Above: #1059 Alma Feldspausch
and #485 Kim Reed
Above: #867 Debi Lantzer with Kamika Smith
Right: #86 Deb Evdemon
#792 Sherry Coffield
#159 Steph Bradsher and #1520 Andleeb Dombrowski
#302 Penny Sprague
#1718 Caitlyn Connolly
#1107 Christian Pratt
#579 Lisa Rossello and #299 Tracy Goggin
#374 Dave Mari and #579 Lisa Rossello
#1759 Ken LeBoutillier, #960 Gina Felise, #272
Jenna O’Horan
Decisions, decisions…#933 Abbi Florence
#1043 Karen Flynn and #1058 Dan Delino
Fanatics at Surf City
Above: #1007 Cathy
Pittnger and #832 Rita
McKenzie
Above: #1541 Stephanie Loomis
And Lori Furr
Right: #1605 Darlene Baltimore
#1574 Ceridan Lewin
#51 Byron Kaelin and #52 Lou Kaelin
arrive on Earth!
HALF FANATIC PROMOTIONS
Uranus
#968 Clara Shannon
#1718 Caitlyn Connolly
Jupiter
#1573 Angie May
#799 Kelly Brown
#1490 Richard Abbott
#792 Sherry Coffield
#1707 Kelley Hollinger
#1107 Christian Pratt
#976 Debbie May
Mars
#1007 Cathy Pittenger
Earth
#51 Byron Kaelin
#52 Lou Kaelin
Sun
#586 Andrea Herrmann
Congratulations to all our Half Fanatics that have travelled near and far!
Welcome New Fanatics!
#1921 Kerri Considine
#1942 Julie Chapman
#1872 Catie Procuniar
#1897 Gale Riffle
#1936 Sabrina Hill
#1989 Serene Simmons
#1934 Fred Wagner
#1812 Monica and #1912 Aaron Kennedy
Middle Row
Left: #2002 Jaron
Davenport
Middle: #1982 Beth Hardy
Right: #1707 Kelley Hollinger
Right: #1810 Tracey Boyd
(Bid# 13100)
#1948 Kristen Schuldt
The month of February saw the Half Fanatics add 95 more
members. Welcome to all our new Half Fanatics!
Sorry this edition took so long to get out. Personal reasons,
both good ones and bad ones, kept me from finishing the
newsletter in a timely manner. Thank you for your patience!
The next issue will combine March and April . As always, send
your pictures, promotions and race reports to
[email protected].
Thanks again,
Suzanne Potts #12