Austin not only represented the Anniston Runners Club, but he won first place in his age group as well! He was able to set a PR for the 1600 meter (One Mile) 6:02 min.
Latest Club News!
Last Update: 04/12/2008
Congratulations to Austin Marsh for his performance at the Oxford Spring Kid Run!
Austin not only represented the Anniston Runners Club, but he won first place in his age group as well! He was able to set a PR for the 1600 meter (One Mile) 6:02 min.
Another benefit of being an Anniston Runner is the fringe benefits....luck! Check out the pictures below of club member John Reynolds car. He managed to get out of this alive! He lives to run another day! Who needs wheels anyway....
Road Runners Club of America Road Race of the Year!
Most of our members know that our signature
race, the Woodstock 5k, was nominated for the most prestigious award we
could be tapped to win – the Road Runners Club of America Road Race of the
year. After sending in about a 30-page presentation about our race, we
have waited for months for the results of the RRCA votes.
I am pleased to announce I
received notification today we were chosen as the winner of this coveted
award. Woodstock competed against the best races in our nation and was
judged on the following criteria: safety, well-designed race, enjoyable
event, non-profit run, follows RRCA practices, volunteer involvement,
community involvement, growth, etc…. Our race was judged to be the best of
the best. This is a testament to our members’ hard work and commitment to
the sport of running. Plus, it speaks well for our area that we receive
such great community support. Thank you for helping make this award ours.
To top off that
announcement, I was shocked to learn that we had won, not one national
award, but two. In fact for the second award, I was not even aware the
nomination had been made. I am humbled and honored to announce I received
the Road Runners Club of America Scott Hamilton Outstanding Club President
Award presented in honor of Scott D. Hamilton who died in 2005. Hamilton
was a former RRCA National President, and was an advocate of the healthy
benefits of running. Thank you to those of you who wrote letters to the
RRCA for this nomination – you are a sneaky bunch!
The first weekend in May, I
will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio for the RRCA National Convention to
represent our club and to claim these awards in honor of each member
because without each of you, there would be no motivation to host a road
race of the caliber of Woodstock or to strive to be an effective, much
less an outstanding, president. Thank you for your inspiration! This award
is more yours than mine.
For a club of our size to win two of the biggest national awards speaks volumes about our club. Our future is very bright! But we owe it to the past leaders of our club who laid the groundwork for our success. These are not the first national awards we have earned. Ken Brewer won the RRCA Masters Runner of the Year a few years ago, thanks to Tom Downing’s nomination, and John Moore won an honorable mention for the Rod Steele Outstanding Volunteer of the Year in 2007.
Congratulations to former club member Matthew Brick on being awarded a track scholarship to run at the University of Alabama – Huntsville in the fall. Many of you will remember Matthew; he was that blur that ran past everyone in all the local events. Matthew is the epitome of a goal setter and goal achiever. He had his heart set on earning a track scholarship, and he went after it with intense focus and hard work. Matthew shows what training and heart can do! Congratulations to Matthew and to his family. You make us proud!
Mercedes Weekend 2008!
Wow! What a weekend. From the start on Saturday of the BEK 5K to the finish of the Mercedes Marathon on Sunday to the post-race party – Anniston Runners ruled the day! At least 41 ARC runners toed the race start lines Saturday and Sunday, and they all made us proud. ARC singlets and Grand Prix shirts brought cheers from spectators –“Go Anniston Runner!” We were all over the courses. Thank you to the families and friends of our runners who got up early, cheered all of us, waited at the finish lines, and took loads of pictures. Support from family and friends truly matters! Thank you!
The weather was much kinder this year than in the past two where the average temperature was about 22; this year it was in the 30’s at the race start. Perfect for the half, but the weather got a little warm for the marathoners. We had at least 38 to do either the whole or half marathon, and at least three who did the BEK 5K. (See results listed below. For full results, splits, etc… go to www.mercedesmarathon.com)
Mercedes is a great, BIG, local event on a very challenging course (Look at the elevation profile on the website! Ouch.). While the marathon or half marathon distances are not for everyone, both are goals many of our members set and train for – that’s the key – TRAINING! Whether you want to do your first 5K or an ultra or a triathlon - our club is committed to helping all of our members set, meet, and exceed goals. Let us know what you are training for, and we’ll support you!
Fastest Club Members: Jase Bell (5K 23:17), Kent Garrett (Marathon 4:08:31), and Greg Glasscock (Half Marathon 1:27:40) were our fastest club members competing this weekend! Good job guys!
Congrats to the following members for bringing home some hardware!
BEK 5K: Vickie Varnes placed first in her age group and Dick Orendorff placed 2nd in his! (Jase Bell, who is 9 but ran in the 14 and under group, should have gotten a medal. He ran the 5k in 23:17! A speedster!)
Mercedes Half Marathon: Ted Hegenbarth placed 2nd in his age group, JoAnn Fort place 3rd in hers, and Brooke Nelson placed 2nd in hers. YEA!!!
Thanks to Patty, Matt, and Christy for stepping up and being the Race Directors for the Half Naked Marathon! The weather ended up being perfect for running, there was plenty of water on the course, and the run was well marked! AND the breakfast at Cane Creek's 19th Hole was as good as usual. We appreciate your hard work putting on this race! And special thanks to Frank Bowie for helping mark the course, putting out cones, and setting up the clock. Good job!
Mountain Mist 50K in Huntsville - Todd Henderson, Linda Hearn, and Johnny Jonakin made us proud this weekend. All three completed the tough ultra-race event. Former members Emily Hulse and Wayne Heckler did very well, too. For a full results list, go to: www.huntsvilletrackclub.org Wayne Heckler suggested changing Todd's name to "Trail-animal-Todd!"
Todd Henderson (me), Brooke Nelson, Vince Adams, Wayne Phillips and Bobby Wynn all met at Adams Gap Saturday morning for what would be one of the most memorable trail runs ever!!! We had planned on parking at Adams Gap and everybody loading up in 1-2 cars and heading down to Porters Gap to run a point to point trail run (The first half of the Mount Cheaha 50K). And that is just what we did.
I thought I was going to be all alone, the only person
crazy enough to show up at the Adams Gap meeting location. I pulled up to
the small parking lot to find Wayne, Vince and Bobby already there! Just a
couple of minutes later Brooke arrived eager to run the snow laden trails.
Although snow was in the forecast, five of the most dedicated (insane)
trail runners stayed with the plan.
It actually didn't start snowing until we were making our
drive down to Porters Gap. By the time we got there snow was accumulating
and everyone was very excited to get started. As we ran, the trails became
whiter as well as the forest. We started at about 900' elevation and
climbed to around 2000' elevation at Clairmont Gap (about 8 miles into the
run). The views were breathtaking. You would have thought you were in the
Smoky Mtns.
It took a little longer than expected just due to the fact
that we had to keep stopping just to take in the scenery. I never cease to
be amazed at God’s creation.
It was hard... Numb hands from the cold ice that accumulated on our gloves. water and gatorade in our hydration bottles turned to slush and tried to freeze up and blowing snow in our eyes reduced visibility as we ran. You can see from the pictures the ice on my face (coooool).
Todd
Henderson has our TRAIL JUNKIES hopping!
Saturday, January 12th, proved to be a banner day. Todd proudly stated we
had the most number of trail runners training, and the group included 3
IRONMEN: Todd Henderson, our leader, and visitors from Carrolton, GA,
Vince Adams and Bobby Wynn. The weather was a bit nippy (26 degrees at
7:00 a.m.), but the sun rose as the group greeted the day. (Pictured
before the 16.5 mile jaunt through the Cheaha Mountain woods: Bobby Wynn,
Vince Adams, Brooke Nelson, Wayne Phillips, Todd Henderson, Johnny
Jonakin, and Will Williams.)
