31 JULY, 2008

MATT BYRNE NAMED TO 2008 US MOUNTAIN RUNNING TEAM!

One of PRTC's earliest members, Matt Byrne, has qualified for the US Mountain Running Team. Matt will compete with the team at the World Mountain Running Trophy Championships September 14th in Sierre Crans-Montana, Switzerland. Although an official press release has not yet been issued, Matt was offered the spot earlier this week.

Matt earned his spot with great performances at both the Mt. Washington Road Race and the Berry Picker Trail Run in Vail, CO. A newcomer to the sport of Mountain/Trail running, Byrne has made the transition from the roads look easy. At Mt Washington he finished in 6th place, gaining valuable insight into uphill running. That insight would prove invaluable at the Berry Picker Race, where pacing and mental toughness would place him in 2nd, and secure his spot on the team.

20 JULY 2008
New York, NY; Vail, CO

MATT BYRNE MAKES SERIOUS BID FOR US MOUNTAIN RUNNING TEAM AT BERRY PICKER TRAIL RACE; ABBY DEAN CONTINUES TO IMPRESS ON THE TRI SCENE

2-Time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Matt Byrne has set his sights on making the U.S. Mountain Running Team. The team of 6 will compete at the prestigious World Mountain Running Trophy Championships this September in Switzerland. The team is selected from two races, the MT Washington Road Race and the Berry Picker Trail Race.
At Mt. Washington Matt finished an impressive 6th place in his first ever mountain race, narrowly missing an automatic bid for the US Mountain Team. Making the team would require him to race at his peak potential in the Vail, CO Berry Picker race.

The 4.3 mile Berry Picker would prove to be a different animal from Mt Washington, as Matt would call the course "...the most technically challenging course I've ever seen." The racers went out hard over the first section, a rolling 1.3 miles stretch that would be the easy part of the course. Matt stayed conservative, going into the first steep stretch in 6th place.

The next 3 miles would climb over 2000 feet, giving the race an overall grade of 12%! To make it tougher the course consisted of rugged single track with occasional stretches of double wide gravel trails. It would be over this grueling course that Matt began to advance.

All five competitors ahead of Matt knew they would need a good showing to make the U.S. Team. Only the winners spot was assured, the remaining spot would go to committee based on performances at both Mt. Washington and the Berry Picker. Matt pushed hard as soon as the real climbing began, quickly moving into 3rd place. Coming through 2 miles found Matt moving into 2nd place and looking ahead to Simon Gutierrez. Gutierrez, who has qualified for 7 straight Mountain teams, and is 2 time defending World Masters Mountain Running champion, showed his experience with the mountains and slowly pulled away.

Resisting challenges from fellow east coaster Shiloh Mielke, Matt continued on to place 2nd overall. Anyone who has run with Matt knows he has always been tough on hills, but now he has proved it nationally. Matt's 2nd place finish makes him a strong candidate for a spot on the US Mountain Running team whose roster should be announced soon. We'll keep you posted!

Abby Dean Continues to dominate the headlines with her 13th place finish in the Elite Division of the New York City Triathlon. Thousands fought the heat and humidity in what has become one of the premier triathlon events in the country. Last weeks strong showing by Abby would continue with this weeks NYC Tri. Olympic distance means a longer swim, longer bike, and a 10k run. The 1500 meter swim in the Hudson is one of the fastest, and Abby cruised through in 20:32. The 40k bike continued up the Henry Hudson Highway out of Manhattan and through the Bronx, giving riders a hilly tour of the city.

The run would continue on the northern loop of Central Park, and here is where the heat took it's toll on most of the athletes. Abby would add another strong finish to her resume, with one of the fastest runs of the day (37:42).

15 June, 2008
Philadelphia, PA

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TEAM SHINE AT FATHER'S DAY 5K

On Father's Day, three members of the men's team took part in a charity race that was founded to help "eradicate prostate cancer as a life and quality-of-life threatening disease by helping to advance awareness and research." The race had big sponsors from the Philadelphia area, such as 6ABC. And the race helped raise $93,896 on the day!
 
Held on Martin Luther King Boulevard at the foot of the Schuylkill River, Ryan, Tim, and Ross used the opportunity to also keep their legs sharp. At the gun, Ryan took the first 800m out quickly. Ross and the eventual winner (an unkown Kenyan - name is not listed in the results) caught up with Fenn after the first half mile. The trio came through the mile in 4:41. Then at the 1.5 mile turnaround, the Kenyan made a big surge. Ryan and Ross were not able to stay even with the leader. The two ran together, each surging briefly to try to help each other recapture the lead. The two passed two miles in 9:35. Fenn pulled away from Ross with about 700m to go and ran 14:55. Ryan described it as a "decent effort for a hot and humid morning." On losing his battle with Fenn in the latter stages of the race, Ross (15:04) reflected that he did not have "a good finish, but since I've been feeling like crap, I guess it was okay. Good atmosphere at the race though."
 
Meanwhile, Tim found himself behind that trio, yet ahead of the rest of the field. Tim labored from start to finish on his own, but he was fine with that. "I wanted a faster time," Tim (15:56) said afterwards. "But it was hot and humid, and I ran the whole thing alone. But this sets me up to race again this Friday [at the Media 5 Miler].
 
IN THE WOMEN'S RACE, the overall win was captured by another woman. But the dash for the cash was won by a young and spry Kate Taylor (nee Fonshell). Now 38 years young, Kate showed the talent that made her a U.S. National 10,000m champion in the 1990's. Kate was clocked in 17:34. But Kate was closely followed by no less than three PRTC women! Claire finished a mere six seconds astride of Kate, running 17:40 (a road PR for Claire). Abby showed no ill-effects from her high Spring mileage, running 17:52. New team member Kate Reese rounded out the team results, running 18:39 for fifth place. 

1 June, 2008
Sellersville, PA

JOE DARE GRABS THE WIN IN HIS FIRST RACE FOR PRTC

Meet Joe Dare. Joe is a recent graduate of La Salle University. While a student at La Salle, Joe ran some impressive times, including a 14:14 5k and a 29:25. Joe hopes to parley those track times into the speed and efficiency needed to eventually run close to 29 minutes for 10 and qualify for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. You can read all of Joe's stats on the PRTC Bios page.  
 
On Sunday, Joe ran his first race for PRTC. This race was a low-key Summer 5k on the roads. Joe picked up the win and some cash for his efforts. "It was a nice day and a nice course," Joe remarked with optimism. Joe plans on continuing a string of Summer races. He will take to the roads again the weekend of June 21 - 22.
 

31 May, 2008
Lancaster and Forty Fort, PA; Reston, VA

NESBITT AND BYRNE WIN FIVE MILERS ON THE ROAD; BORGHUIS FINISHES FOURTH IN FOUR MILER

On Saturday morning, Drew Nesbitt, Matt Byrne, and Bart Borghuis all took to the roads in races. Drew was racing the Red Rose Run in Lancaster, Matt was running the Old Fort Five Miler in Forty Fort, and Bart was running the We Got Your Back 4 Miler.
 
In Lancaster, Drew found hot and humid skies. Drew recalled that "At the start, I noticed most of the usual top-notch competition was missing from the start line. So I took the race out hard - 4:50. 4:53, and 5:15. I was alone with only two miles and some hills to go. I cruised home with some 5:30's and really enjoyed winning one of the biggest races in Lancaster County." Our man was the clear winner by 40 seconds. Drew is taking his fitness to the big stage in a few weeks, competing in the Utica Boilermaker in upstate New York.
 
In Forty Fort, Matt was not able to employ the same "run away early" strategy, as the eventual second place finisher Chris Wadas ran stride for stride with Matt for the first three miles. "I could still hear his footsteps right behind me," Matt said. "I just wanted to keep up an under-5:10 (per mile) pace. But at around mile four, Chris dropped off the pace a bit. And I was able to hold him off for the win. But Chris didn't fall apart. He stayed close the entire way. He ran a very good race."
 
In Reston, Bart took part in a big race with a $1000 total prize purse. Such money attracted some fast runners, including some local Africans and top D.C. area Americans. Bart recounted that the field "went out hard, and I just went with it."
 
The course was run on a hard-top bike trail, but there were some long and shorter up and downs. Bart's recollection of the hard start were accurate, as he split 4:41 and 4:38 for his first two miles! "I think the hard start and some uphills on the way back cost time, but [I] finished in 19:55 for 4th. [I'm] pretty happy. It felt good to average under 5 minute pace. [It was] also, cool to be in an environment where, in these races, the leaders are not too fast that I can't give it a shot, and try to hang with them." Bart's time was good enough to tie him for #8 on the PRTC All-Time list!
 
To read more about the exploits of our guys on this weekend, click on the links below. These links will also be archived on our PRTC in Print  page.
 
Nesbitt Wins a Muggy Run
 
Byrne Has Emotion Packed Win
 
Upcoming:

Since it is a quiet time of year for the team, there are some unusual races coming up for our athletes. Ross is scheduled to pace Bryn Mawr Running Coompany owner Bob Schwelm in a track two mile race to help qualify Bob for the master's two mile race to be held during the Olympic Track Trials in Eugene. Ted is competing in the Philly Tri relay race along with his brothers-in-law. Ted will be covering the 10k running leg of this relay. And in the last weekend in June, Ted and Tim are 'supposed' to run a road 10k in Clare, Ireland while on a trip for a family reunion. But the first night of celebrations is the night before this 10k, so all plans are tentative.

25 May, 2008
Philadelphia, PA

FENN WINS TEAL RIBBON 5k; REESE FINISHES SECOND IN WOMEN'S RACE

For such a small race, the men's field at the Teal Ribbon 5k had two very capable runners on hand. The top two men both ran their collegiate days at La Salle University. PRTC member Ryan Fennelly just graduated from the Jesuit school a few years ago, while Joe Dare just graduated a few weeks ago. Both have stellar 5k PR's, so this was going to be a good one.

The two covered the first mile in 4:44. Then the course had some curves, which apparently confused Fennelly. He soon put himself back on track and made up the difference between he and Dare. Fennelly then pushed ahead and won the race in 15:05. Joe Dare, who was convinced to join PRTC after discussing his running prospects with Fennelly after the race, finished second.

In the women's race, recent addition to the club Kate Reese followed up her stellar Spring marathon with a second place finish here in 18:24.

The club again welcomes not only Kate Reese, but brand new member Joe Dare as well. Look for more information about PRTC's new athletes in the coming weeks.

24 May, 2008
Spring Lake, NJ

NESBITT AND CALLINAN TAKE ON BIGGEST FIVE MILER IN THE U.S.

Drew Nesbitt and Tim Callinan hit the shore on Memorial Day weekend. But these two people didn't have sandcastles on their minds. They had racing. And the Spring Lake Five Miler on the central Jersey shore provides the biggest five mile road race in the U.S. It annually draws uppers of 10,000 participants! And the large size does not negate the quality field that can be found up front.
 
"The race went great for me; I was really happy with the result. I ran with the top two for most of the race (5 flat pace for 3 miles, 4th in 5:10). But in the fifth mile, I think my inexperience in road racing caught up with me, as I started my kick too early, passed the second place runner, and then faded to fifth."
 
"I hope to put together a solid Summer. Sorry I don't have much more to add, but hopefully I will have a great result this weekend running in my hometown."
 
Tim is continuing to find his way back to form after a long layoff. With an extremely modest goal of simply breaking 27 minutes (Tim has only done about three workouts so far), Tim bettered that post by 51 seconds! Tim gave a balanced account of his run, stating that his "splits were 5:10, 5:13, 5:07, 5:20, 5:13. I was just trying to run even the whole way, but my fourth mile was a little slow."
 
ONE MONTH EARLIER, ON APRIL 26th, ROSS MARTINSON won the Teal Ribbon Ovarian Cancer 5k. Mrs. Martinson (Kerry "I PR'd by several minutes at Broad Street") finished second in the women's race in 20:58!
 

1 May, 2008, Weissensee, Germany; 10 May, 2008, Arlington, VA; 18 May, 2008, Washington, D.C.

CATCHING UP WITH BART BORGHUIS

For almost two months now, Bart has been living in northern Virginia. But his running heart belongs to Philadelphia. This is where he discovered just how much he loves this sport, and this is where he developed his skills. So we felt it was time to check up on our teammate and see how he is managing his hectic new schedule working at Janelia Farm.

At the beginning of May, Bart traveled to Europe for a short vacation with his new bride and his parents. While in Germany, Bart kept seeing fliers for an upcoming race. So Bart decided to test his strength across the ocean and lined up for the First of May, Weissensee Lauf 6k. Actually, Bart said that the race was somewhere around 6.3k, but that the race organizers didn't seem concerned with certainty about this point, the course was indisputable: one loop around the lake.

At first, he said there was a small group of guys, and that a few looked quick. Bart recalled that "One looked a little heavy, but he wound up being the biggest challenge." The man in question was a mountain runner - with strength to match. Thus, Bart's advantage would be the fact that he is lighter and quicker. Bart won the race and ran the second fastest time in 33 years!

Bart was invited to a celebration afterwards in the town's Schutzenhalle (hall with armor - think of Beowulf). Between the unusual race distance and the reception hall, this was definitely different from races that one would find in the U.S. The prizes wound up being different too, as Bart received a cup and a watch made by a local manufacturer. Victory certainly is sweet.

The very next weekend, Bart was back at it. This time, Bart ran "The Battle of the Boulevard", a 10k in Arlington, Virginia, one of Washington DC's many suburbs. The course started at the Pacers store (a running store in the D.C. area with a racing team), took the runners down to the Pentagon, and then back uphill to the start.

"I knew two of the guys from the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, where finished just seconds apart," Bart explained. Taking the lead in a six man pack, Bart hit the first downshill mile in 4:53. His second mile was a 4:57. Then the runners hit the flats and the pace stayed steady. Bart slowed down some but kept close to the pack. As the runners made their way back on the loop, Bart found himself running stride for stride with frequent racer and Olympic Trials qualifier Michael Wardian. Bart eventually passed Wardian as well as Pacers' Burt Rodriguez, keeping his eyes on the lead runner, Steve Crane.

Bart recounted that with two miles to go, he knew "first place was out of reach. But I kept pushing to the line to stay in front of the other Pacers athletes. It felt great to beat them on their own turf." Bart scored a 10k road PR of 32:16 for second place.

The third and final race of Bart's little circuit, the Capitol Hill Classic 10k was supposed to be on a fast course. But Bart said it was neither flat nor fast "at all." The day was overcast and humid. But the course record holder (Berhanu Zeleeke) was present, so fast times seemed possible.

There were four runners in the lead pack at the beginning, including Bart, as well as Robert Wade and Zeleeke. The latter two runners pushed hard away from the four-man pack. Bart knew that they were running a pace which, on this day, was too quick for him. "I tried to run my own race and PR." Bart didn't wind up setting a new PR from the one he set the previous week, but he said it was "fun to race in downtown Washington D.C., around Capitol Hill and all the buildings. I am trying to use these race to get sharper. I like this distance."

11 April, 2008
Atlantic City, NJ; Philadelphia, PA

PRTC RUNNERS PACE 5k ROAD RACES IN THE CITY AND THE DOWN THE SHORE

As a precursor to the Summer, members of the team traveled to the South Jersey shore on this mother's day weekend. Four of our runners put their feet on the boardwalk for a 5k in Atlantic City. Looking to make her second return to racing in 2008 (Renee Gunning first attempted racing at the Adrenaline 5k, but re-injured herself in the process), Renee showed that the rest and recovery was worthwhile. Renee outlasted friend and former collegiate roommate Sheila Klick for the overall win. Gina Lucrezi was back in town to race for the first time since taking her post at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She finished just outside the top three.

In the men's race, Ryan could not match Renee's performance, having to contend with Kiwi Adrian Blincoe (contending for his second straight Olympic Games appearance in the 1500). Ryan did hit 15 minutes on the nose, though, and picked up second place. Like Renee, her fiancee Bryan Skelly has also been working himself back in to race shape. Just getting on the line is going to help these two move in the right direction. But Bryan knows the work he still has ahead of him, as he missed the winner's circle as well, finishing fourth.

MEANWHILE, CLAIRE KEPT HER RACING CLOSER TO HOME, capturing the overall title at the Philadelphia edition of the Race for the Cure. Claire crossed the line with 17:47 on the clock.

4 May, 2008
Philadelphia, PA

PRTC HAS STRONG SHOWING AT PARADE DOWN BROAD STREET

For the first time in three years, the men's team did not win the team title at the Broad Street 10 Miler. Still, there were good performances turned in by the men and women alike. Add to that a marathon win by a new member of PRTC, and the club seemed to keep its winning ways going.

The weather conditions for Broad Street were certainly favorable, if not optimal. The sky was overcast and it was slightly cool. However, during the race, some runners reported that it was slightly humid, and that the two miles surrounding city hall were somewhat windy.

The race was out fast. Ross said he came through the mile much faster than he planned to (4:45), but he felt comfortable doing it. Tom was als out fast, covering the first mile in 4:53. Both runners wanted to run more even splits, so both of them slowed up their pace. Ross slowed his mile pace back to a 5:04 for the second mile, while Tom ran mile #2 in around 5:00. "I never felt particularly comfortable, though," Tom explained. "I ran with some people in the first half, but it was pretty spread out, mostly due to Ross's strong running in 5th place and those of us behind him not being able to keep up." Ross also noted the difficulty of running alone. ""I thought I was regrouping well late in the race, and I thought I might get the guy in front of me (eventual fourth place finisher Matt Pelletier). But I never caught him," Ross conceded.

Ross covered mile #3 in 4:51 and continued to push towards a sub 50 minute race. Tom was making a valiant effort to achieve his pre-race goal of a 50 minute race, passing the halfway point at 25:01. "But then I started to slow down. I went with Grant Scott and another guy who caught me for a mile or two toward the end. But I started feeling really tired in the ninth mile, lost them, and only ran 5:12 for that mile. I felt a bit better in the last mile." Ross captured fifth place in 49:33, while Tom finished just outside the top ten with a 50:38.

Pat Ward also felt the pressure of going solo after five miles. "After I lost the pack I was with around the 5 mile mark, I started to struggle as I ran by myself into a bit of a headwind. Still, I still ran a P.R. by 42 seconds." Pat smashed his time from last year, which was on a much faster day overall. And if there had been clocks at 8K and 10K, I would have set road P.R.'s for those distances as well!" But Pat wasn't the only member of the men's team to score a PR, as Spencer showed great form, running a personal best 53:24.

IN THE WOMEN'S RACE, ABBY DEAN and SHANNON KLICK ran outstanding races. For Abby, it was a show of resiliency, bouncing back from her phenomenal run at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. "I did not know what to expect since I had literally only done four very short, easy runs since the [Olympic] Trials. I was in 3rd place from the very beginning. I very quickly realized that I was definitely not recovered from the marathon or from being sick. Every mile got slower 'til I was able to hold a 6 min pace for the last 5 miles. I kept thinking a female was bound to pass me, but i never heard the crowd cheer for another woman. At no point did i ever feel good... it was by far the hardest race I have ever done! The race winnings [3rd overall, and 1st Philadelphian] made it all worth it," Abby exclaimed. For Shannon, it was yet more proof that her bast races may come in the longer distances, as she set a ten mile PR. The girls ran 58:38 and 1:01.37 respectively.

30 December, 2007
Londonderry, NH

PAT WARD SPICES UP WINTER BREAK WITH A 4TH AT MILLENIUM MILE

On his way to Manchester Airport for his flight back to Philadelphia on Sunday, Pat stopped in nearby North Londonderry, NH to run the Millenium Mile. Pat was glad he decided to do so - scoring a huge PR and finishing 4th in this annual favorite of serious runners! "The last time I ran a race this short was nearly four years ago, so I was pretty surprised with how well this went, especially since I didn't cut back my mileage at all for the race, and I haven't done any workouts approaching mile pace," Pat surmised after the race.

Pat started rather conservatively, going through the 1/4 mile mark in approximately 9th place. After that, he used his strength to just gradually pick people off. With a 1/4 mile to go, Pat found himself in 4th place and still feeling good, so he made his push to pass the 3rd place runner (the last money spot). It wasn't to be, as the runner in third position held Pat off and stopped the clock at 4:07. Pat hit the tape seconds later at 4:10. Yes, this is a road course, and a net downhill at that. But Pat's time was far faster than any 1500 or mile race he has ever run before that it is safe to say this is still a legitimate improvement at the distance for the young PRTC'er. As Pat noted, "Despite the course being significantly aided, I'll take a 15 second P.R. in the mile any day!"

8 December, 2007
West Chester, OH

PRTC FOURSOME TAKES ON CLUB CROSS NATIONALS - GIRLS FINISH IN HIGH IN THE RACE

Claire posted the third fastest 6k of all time for the women's team, and Gina cracked the top 50 in the race to post a solid finish as well! That's some damn fine running by our girls! The weather at Voice of America Park in West Chester, Ohio was formidable for all the athletes. There were frigid temperatues and hardened grass, which can certainly do a number on a runner's calves. Not only that, but the fields for nationals this year were exceptionally large, boasting 32 teams and 235 runners. Yet Claire ran another great race, finishing 37th overall in the national championships and ran 21:48 (this performance only trails the races at last year's edition of the same race run by Gina and Claire herself!)! Gina's performance will be placed just behind Claire's run from this day in the top ten!

The men's race had an even large contingent - with 50 teams and an astounding 422 runners! In addition, the senior men's race is always the last one of the day, which means the ground has been thoroughly chewed up by the four races that were held before this one. Pat Ward continued his big leaps in racing on this day, clocking 35:09 over the uneven ground. Meanwhile, Drew Nesbitt laced up his PRTC spikes for the first time! Admittedly, the race did not go well for Drew on this day, but Drew seems to embody the PRTC spirit, which means he will be back to fight another day.

2 December, 2007
West Chester, PA

MARTINSON TAKES ON THE ROLLING HILLS OF WEST CHESTER

Brian's Run in West Chester, PA has been around for many years. And the race brings out the best of everything. The race is for a good cause (Brian's Run began in 1978 as a one-time fund raising event to benefit Brian Bratcher, a West Chester Henderson High School football player who sustained a life-challenging spinal cord injury at the age of 15 during a scrimmage.). The race course is challenging (Check out the elevation of the course - with its many rolling hills.). And the race field is top notch (It is filled with many foreigners and elite Americans hoping to dip their hands in to the ten places deep money pot!).

On this day, Ross placed himself high on the pecking order, finishing 7th place and earning $125 in the process! Ross was surrounded by foreign runners, making himself only the second American to cross the finish line.

18 November, 2007
Philadelphia, PA

DEAN QUALIFIES FOR OLYMPIC TRIALS; NESBITT AND LAMBERT PERFORM GREAT IN FIRST EFFORT FOR PRTC

Abby did it. She stuck with it. Her previous two efforts to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials in April were thwarted by unfavorable weather conditions. And Sunday at the Philadelphia Marathon wasn't exactly perfect weather either. But just as Abby had fought back to line up for her third marathon in the last six months, Abby fought hard when the gun took off to help make her dream come true.

AT THE START OF THE PHILADELPHIA MARATHON, the runners were trying to keep warm from low temperatures, a slight wind, and a bit of drizzle. For Abby, this was her third marathon since June; for Claire, this was her first marathon ever! And with American women looking to punch their tickets to the Olympic Marathon Trials to be held this Spring, the women's field was guaranteed to be deep and fast.

Prior to the race, Abby fleshed out her plans. "My plan was to go out at 6:20 pace or slightly under and just try to hold it. That morning, I talked with one of my coaches, and since it was windy, my strategy was a little different. I would try to not completely rely on mile splits, but rather pay attention to effort. So when the wind was behind me, my splits were much faster. I also knew from previous marathons how much the hills slowed me down. My goal was to try to hit the hills at a harder effort, knowing that after each one, there was a downhill [on which] I could recover.

Abby was with a pack of women for the first few miles, but she felt like their pace was a little too fast for her, so she pulled back. Her move wound up being a "good thing, because I ended up passing one of them around mile 9 or 10 and one them around mile 15. By mile 14, my hamstrings started to cramp up from the cold. I just hoped they would cooperate for the rest of the run.
Trying to run intelligently, Claire passed the Art Museum area protected by a small pack of male runners. Claire hit the half-way mark almost exactly on pace. The clock read 1:23:31 as Claire passed, which was a bit quicker than she had planned. Claire was staying tucked in, hoping to use the line of runners as a buffer against any wind that the runners might face on Kelly Drive. MEANWHILE, IN THE MEN'S RACE, Tom and Bart were looking to exact some revenge from unfavorable weather conditions in their previous marathon outings as well. Tom had enjoyed a speedy recover from the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and had put in plenty of hard work in the subsequent six weeks. Bart decided to use the second half of the Fall as an experiment to see if under-training might help him find a second peak for the season come race day. As the men's race unfolded, the splits did not suggest a record day. Running the race that was in front of him, however, Tom placed himself high on the pecking order in the early miles. Tom was running in small lead pack, accompanied only by the eventual winner and runner-up of the race. At eight miles, Tom lost contact with the duo and ran most of the next 17 miles alone in third.
AS OUR PRTC GUYS AND GIRLD PROCEEDED ON TO KELLY DRIVE, THE WAIT WAS OFFICIALLY ON.

AS THE FINISHERS STARTED TO CLIMB THEIR WAY FROM LLOYD HALL BACK UP TO THE ART MUSEUM, the PRTC faithful were looking for their teammates. As Tom approached the base of the Art Museum with approximately 750 meters to go, he was joined by Jean-Nicolas Duval and Chris Nirschel. The two had worked together to reel Tom in. But Tom was not about to fall from third place down to fifth. He explained that "I couldn’t match (former steeplechaser) Jean-Nicolas’s furious kick, but I was able to pull away from Chris for the bragging rights of first Philadelphian." Bart also hung tough to help bolster a body of marathon work that will help pay dividends 'down the road.' After our men crossed the line, our women weren't too far behind.

One woman passed Abby on heading East on Kelly Drive, but Abby ended up passing two women not too long after that, so she didn't lose her place for long. Abby recalled that when she reached mile 20, she knew she felt pretty good and was certain that she could make her goal of 2:47. "But you never can be sure at mile 20, so I kept trying to maintain my efforts... When I got back on the Drive, my calves had also started to cramp up. I knew if I could just get through it, I would make my time. At that point, I started doing the calculations in my head to see what pace I could slow down to and still make it. One of my coaches who was out on the Drive started yelling to me that I could catch some of the girls ahead and that there were three women chasing me. That changed my focus, and so for the last four miles or so, I concentrated on trying to get the women I could see ahead of me. It paid off. I ended up passing another woman in the last mile!"

Realizing a goal that she has worked very hard towards, ABBY HIT THE TAPE IN 2:45.21! THE TIME GAVE ABBY A NEW PR AND A QUALIFIER FOR THE 2008 U.S. OLYMPIC MARATHON TRIALS TO BE HELD IN BOSTON THIS COMING APRIL! Claire provided a marathon PR sweep for the women's team, finishing the race in 3:06.41! Analyzing her race, Claire stated that she made it to 17 still fairly close to pace and then swiftly unraveled. "But I'm glad I finished, [and I'm] happy with the effort and excited for the next phase of my marathon training."

IN THE DAY'S TWO OTHER RACES, PRTC ENJOYED GREAT PERFORMANCES FROM TWO NEWCOMERS! In the half marathon, former Princeton Tiger Meredith Lambert showed off her long-distance prowess by finishing second overall in the women's race. Another relative newcomer to the club, Wylie Belasik finished seventeenth in the men's race. Citing law school and a buy schedule, Meredith feels she has been short on training this Fall, making her performance all the more impressive.

DREW NESBITT STUNNED THE TEAM, finishing fourth overall in the annually competitive Rothman Institute 8k. The Rothman Institute 8k has been a long partner to the full marathon and enjoyed deep fields. Drew had never raced 8k on the roads and took a decisive chop off his 8k PR (25:33) on the day! Drew ran a very impressive 24:40, suggesting that he can translate his 1500m skills in to mid-distance success. The start of the 8k found the men's field running extremely conservatively, passing the mile in 5:00. But Drew, along with Pat Ward, made sure they kept with the leaders to separate themselves from the masses on Kelly Drive. Pat continued his full racing Fall by running a PR 25:24!

Overall, PRTC placed many runners in each race and provided great performances and PRs to boot! It was a great way to represent the team and running in our hometown.

4 November, 2007
Camden, NJ

DEAN PREPARES FOR PHILADELPHIA MARATHON WITH BEN FRANKLIN BRIDGE CHALLENGE 10K

On November 18th, Abby Dean will look to right the wrongs that occured at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in October. On that day in Chicago, Abby did everything right, but the weather for the athletes was completely wrong. At start time, the weather was hot and humid. And the temperature climbed through the race to boot! Despite all that, Abby finished with a fine 2:56. Unfortunately, 2:56 doesn't get you in to the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials to be held in Boston this coming April. Abby has proven many times before that she is capable, and her effort in Chicago tells her she can do it again.

So Abby set her sights on the Philadelphia Marathon to be run on November 18th. As such, Abby scheduled one last tune-up race. The Ben Franklin Bridge Run 10k would suit her needs perfectly. The race always has a highly competitive field and is run on a very challenging course. The race starts at the foot of the Ben Franklin Bridge in Camden. The runners climb over the bridge to the Philadelphia side, immediately turn and climb back over the bridge, before running the last several miles through Camden and finishing at Campell's Field - home of the Camden Riversharks!

On this day, Abby found herself finishing 8th overall, but was pleased with the effort, as all the runners in front of her were international runners with mid-distance savvy. She was able to get her tune-up in. The key now is simply to focus on the streets of Philadelphia. For Abby, the streets of Philadelphia on November 18th could help pave the way to the streets of Boston in April.

3 November, 2007
New York City, NY

BYRNE AND CALLINAN COMPETE AT OLYMPIC TRIALS; WARD RACES BAD BOY XC

On Saturday morning, two members of PRTC were able to take place in the fastest and deepest Olympic Marathon Trials ever. Stong winds were gusting down the streets of Manhattan on this Fall morning, as Hurricane Noel had taken an unexpected turn back toward the U.S. coastline. The temperature was nice and cool as the buses made their way to the starting line at Rockefeller Plaza.

This race was not your typical, quiet road race. Evidence of that could be seen a full hour before the start. As Ted went out on the streets to warm up, he saw a group of men running around with their shirts off - each one covered with a letter spray-painted on to his chest. The letters spelled out "Brian Sell" - the eventual third place finisher and member of the 2008 Olympic Marathon Team. Viewed nationally on the Today show, the opening miles were conservative, as the runners made their way through the city - running right through Times Square. This start was somewhat surprising, although understandable, as each and every runner knew that the rolling hills in Central Park awaited
The field filtered in to the park with fans awaiting. People were cheering and holding signs everywhere. There were very few spots of the five mile loop (the first of the five loops was four miles) that did not have people lining it. With each lap the runners covered of the criterium course, the crowds at the grandstands grew bigger.

Both of our guys did not have the day they envisioned however. Matty fought cramps from the third mile to the finish. The cramps were not constant, Matt explained, as "they would get better, then worse, then better, then worse. I could never stand up and run pain free for more than two to three minutes." Matt is not sure why this problem arose, but thinks perhaps it is due to overhydration. This is understandable on a day when every runner wants to run well so badly that his or her preparations can border on overkill.

Preparations is exactly what hindered Ted on this day as well. Ted started the race further back than Matty, but was looking to run conservatively and perhaps move up as the race went on. "With the Summer and Fall I had, I knew I was short on health and fitness. I hoped that with a conservative start, my strength would show itself and I could pull through as the race went on. Ironically, I have been improving in health steadily the last three weeks; I simply ran out of time to prepare."

UPTOWN, PAT WARD LINED UP FOR A RACE THAT ALSO FEATURED MANY HILLS, but these hills would be found on the grass. Pat said that was caught up in some traffic off the starting line, but that he threw in some surges upon entering the woods and up Freshman Hill. This put Pat in good position entering the back hills. "In retrospect, I was probably a bit too aggressive," Pat noted afterwards. "I somehow went through two miles faster than I had at Franklin Park six days before, which led me to start feeling pretty ragged over the latter part of the back hills loop." Pat lost places in the back hills loop, but was able to recover and take back some of those places leading up to the bridge. From there, Pat fought hard and maintained his position until the finish.

"I think this was a better performance than my race at Mayor's Cup. And since it came after several not restful hours on my feet that morning in Central Park, I can't complain. I'm glad I decided to race, but I'm looking forward to pacing myself a bit more evenly at Rothman, and then gearing up for a strong race at Club Nationals!"

28 October, 2007
Boston, MA

WARD KEEPS GETTING FASTER - COMPETES AT B.A.A. MAYOR'S CUP

Using frequent racing as a way to prepare for USATF Fall Cross Country Championships, Pat Ward raced yet again this weekend. This time, Pat was back on 'home turf' in a way, racing in New England. And as can often be found in New England, there was energy and excitement surrounding the annual B.A.A. Mayor's Cup. Pat provided us with a full acount of the race. And since he was there, we'll let him tell the story:

The course was a bit soft from some rain in the preceding days, and there were some strong wind gusts, but the tempeature was perfect and it was a sunny day. I have seen some faster days at the Franklin Park, but I've also seen days that were much slower. I would say it was an average, fair day for judging times.

I found the opening pace pretty quick for me, but I got out decently well (4:54, putting me around 80th). I then focused on moving up through the pack over the 2nd mile. After 5K, I pretty much defended my position through to the finish.

I'm happy with the race at this point. I went through 5K almost as fast as I raced the Parkway Run 5K a month ago. I seem to be improving with every race, and if can keep this up, I'll be hitting my collegiate P.R.'s soon enough. I'm excited about th rest of the season, especially Club Nationals!

--> be sure to check out this interview with Abby D. and Tom H. on the press page! <--

Saturday's Olympic Trials Marathon is perhaps the most important race in American Distance running history. After spending years trying to get itself out of the doldrums of world distance running, USATF, USOC, and the NYRR are about to stage one of the most hyped races in memory. With an incredible grassroots push from websites such as Flotrack.com, Chasingglory.com, and phillytc.com the OT marathon has become the point mark where US distance running no longer talks about how we are coming back as a distance power, but shows that we are a distance power! The Philadelphia Runner Track Club is excited to be a part of the statement with two of its runners toeing the line in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral on Saturday morning.
Both Matt Byrne and Ted Callinan will be lining up for their second OT. This second go around was just as tough as the first. Ted, Matty, and several other PRTC runners lined up at the 2005 Twin Cities Marathon looking to get a qualifier from day one of the qualifying window. They, along with pretty much everyone else, were befallen by an untypical humid day for Minnesota. It was okay though, there were to still be other chances.
In January of 2006 though Matt broke his tail bone. He struggled and fought his way back to form setting his sights on the 2006 Steamtown Marathon to take a second shot at qualifying. A former winner of the race, and a hometown native, Matt had intimate knowledge of the course. He used it to his advantage and not only qualified for the Trials but also won the race! His 2:21:50 was almost a challenge to the rest of the team to join him in NY for the trials.
Three week's after Matty's romp through coal country Ted lined up at a very chilly Chicago Marathon (remember I said 2006, not 2007). Wanting to exact revenge for missing the trials by 2 seconds at the 2003 Chicago Marathon, Ted worked hard every step of the race to ensure he would qualify. He would need to as he only had 4 seconds left on the clock when he crossed the finish line. Watching the finish line on the internet, fellow qualifier Mike McKeeman said he "you are allowed to qualify for the Trials without giving yourself and the rest of us a heart attack the final 200m as the clock ticks toward 2:22."
Mike joins several other local runners lining up for the trials this weekend. Jacob Frey, a frequent member of PRTC workouts will be lining up for his first trials. Bobby Cannon, a recent Haverford College grad, will join a long line of Tom Donnelly coached athletes that have lined up for an Olympic Trials race. New citizen Macharia Yuot will be returning to NY for the third time this year to race.
PRTC and Puma are excited and proud to have Ted and Matt representing at such an amazing event. We wish them, and all the local qualifiers, the best of luck on Saturday!!

NYRR.org
ChasingGlory.com
USATF OlympicTrials-Marathon-Men 2007

27 October, 2007
Philadelphia, PA

FENNELLY AND BORGHUIS GO 2 - 3 At BOBTOBERFEST FIVE MILER

Ryan continued his mid-distance racing, and Bart made a return to action after Steamtown at the Bobtoberfest Five Miler. The race started at Blue Bell Park above Forbidden Drive. The first half mile went downhill through Rittenhouse Town. The morning of the race, there was significant rain, to the point that it called the race in to question. But eventually the sun came out, and the rain drained away from the main trails. Bart opened up with a 5:12 first mile. He said that he felt good early in the race - especially considering it was his first race since the Steamtown Marathon.

Villanova alumnus Tom Parlapiano and Fennelly were locking horns at the front of the race. Two miles in to Forbidden Drive, the course took a 180. At this point, Bart passed two runners and moved in to 3rd place. Bart was able to maintain his position, but was not able to make up more ground on the two leaders. In the late stages of the race, the course climbed back uphill. This, coupled with the fact that this was Bart's first post-marathon effort, made his legs start to feel heavy. The order stayed the same until the finish line. Parlapiano 1st. But our guys put up solid performances, finishing 2nd and 3rd.

After the race, all the participants celebrated Halloween and the month of October with Bobtoberfest! Yes, you guessed it. The race was named after none other than Bob Shwelm! The winners received carved pumpkins, and in Octoberfest fashion, there were plenty of hot dogs and sauerkraut after the race!

13 October, 2007
Gloucester, NJ

Ward Recovers from Inuries - Returns to Racing

Showing the return to form that provided him with a PR at the Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run, Pat Ward lined up for a 5k that boasts deep prize money and a talented field. Ted joined him, looking to sharpen his turnover after injuries had delayed his focus on speedwork throughout the Fall.
This impressive 5k, called the Heroes to Hero 5k. It honors the lives of the firemen from Mt. Ephraim and Gloucester City, who died in responding to a fire alarm on the 4th of July several years ago. The course follows the route the firemen took the day of the fire and passes the homes of the men involved in the tragedy. In trying to maneuver their way from Mt. Ephraim to Gloucester quickly and avoid main roads, the firemen took smaller, side roads. Thus, the course the runners take in this race is extremely twisty, with plenty of 90 degree turns.
Though windy, the weather was still favorable - sunny and a bit cool. At the gun, the runners charged ahead. It seemed to be one of those races where people went hard in to the wind at the beginning and then were penned in to their position, thanks to the constant turns and pushing winds.
"I am happy with this race," Pat said afterwards. "I am looking to get my turnover going, and hopefully this will set me up to run well at Mayor's Cup." Pat will be racing the B.A.A. Mayor's Cup at venerable Franklin Park on Sunday, 28 October.

7 October
Chicago, IL; Scranton, PA

PRTC MARATHONERS SURVIVE SAUNA-LIKE CONDITIONS

Many people know about the conditions by now. The heat and humidity took its toll on the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. The conditions were so bad that race organizers actually canceled the race after four hours! The following is an official press release from race officials:

Due to the rising heat index and higher than expected temperatures, LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski and Medical Director Dr. George Chiampas, in cooperation with city officials, have implemented a contingency plan, as a precautionary measure, to effectively close the Marathon course at the halfway point. Runners who have not reached the halfway point by approximately 12:00 p.m. will be diverted back to Grant Park via Halsted and Jackson... Participants are asked to take advantage of medical personnel, cooling buses, runner drop out buses, water, Gatorade and other means of support en route back to Grant Park.

Amazingly, our runners posted great performances considering the conditions. Abby was 15th overall and the 7th American in the field! Tom finished 30th! Ross finished 45th! These finishes are in a field of 45,000! And our athletes posted these performances on a day when many people couldn't even keep their feet going! It was brutal. Tom recounted that he "forgot to Vaseline my nipples and decided I needed to get that jersey off my skin around 18 miles in. Around the same time, I ran by a bank sign that read 86 degrees! Actually, Tom and Ross stuck together through the half-way point, as they were a few ticks over 1:11. This pace puts them outside of qualifying, but not with a strong second half. Of course, that would be a strong second half on a day where conditions were much more favorable. "At least I know that there was nothing I could have done to run 2:21 here today," Tom considered. "We had a nice group there going for it."

Abby looked to defy the odds as well. She kept on pace for a qualifier for a long time. Eventually though, the heat was just too much. Before the race, Abby said she truly felt she was "in 2:45 shape. Of course, that did not leave me much room to adjust my pace for the heat. I read that the temperature was 88 degrees by 10 AM. Anyway, I really struggled to get into a rhythm from the start, and I never felt good at any point. By mile 13, I was slowing down and was not sure if I could get the pace back. By mile 18, I knew there was no way I was going to make the time."

MEANWHILE, BART HAD COOLER CONDITIONS, but not by much. Months before, Bart decided to take his shot at a Fall marathon closer to home, opting for the promising Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, PA. Despite its small size and lack of a deep field, Steamtown has been beneficial to many a runner (not excluding past champion and PRTC member Matt Byrne). Steamtown annually offers cool conditions, as the race takes place north of the Poconos. It also provides a quick course ... as long as the runners remember to not let themselves go too much in the first ten miles (which is literally a net downhill).

Bart has made great leaps in his training and fitness, capped off with a stint in Mammoth Lakes, California. This day could definitely have seen Bart post a PR worth a couple of minutes. But Bart was going to feel the sapping effects of humidity as well. Bart said he felt decent at the start, but his splits were not coming to him as he would like. He started the race in the mid to high 5:30s, but quickly began a concerted effort to bring his splits down. Bart found himself passing and then being passed by other members of the lead pack.

Before reaching mile 20, Bart knew that a goal time of approximately 2:25 was not in the cards. The weather conditions just wouldn't allow. Still, Bart gamely fought on, looking to crack 2:30. "But my legs felt drained," Bart explained. Add the weather conditions to the distance, and that feeling is certainly understandable. Still, by the end of the race, Bart managed to finish in the top ten and post a career PR!

ON A DAY WHEN HEAT AND HUMIDITY BLANKETED MOST OF THE COUNTRY and severely affected two of the biggest races in the country (there was one death each reported at both the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and Army 10 Miler), PRTC and Puma want to express how proud they are of their athletes. These athletes' times and their finishes are both testaments to their character.

The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 2007
Men's Team
Tom Haxton, 30th Place, 2:34.38
Ross Martinson, 45th Place, 2:38.43

Women's Team
Abby Dean, 15th Place (7th American), 2:56.24

Steamtown Marathon 2007
Bart Borghuis, 10th Place, 2:32.04 *PR*

6 October, 2007
Lititz, PA

LUCREZI RIPS ROAD 5k

Gina has definitely returned to form, posting a smoking fast time at a small, low-key race called Hartz Fall Blast 5k. Gina took first place in the race with a time of 16:21. But as a true PRTC runner and person of character, Gina confessed that the course felt short to her. She "felt like it was a little short. We (Gina and her friend Drew) mapped it out with gps, and got 3.03-4 miles. So for a true 5k, I was probably closer to 16:40 or so." Still, this is a big PR for Gina, as even the converted time would eclipse some 17 seconds from her previous best!

Gina recounted her victory, recalling that she "ran it solo after the first mile. I just kept thinking 'Run hard, run harder.'. But I didn't really feel like I was going that quickly. Despite how big of a performance Gina posted, she said that she still has "some bigger plans."

Hartz Fall Blast 5k 2007
Gina Lucrezi, 1st Place, 16:21 *PR*

29 September, 2007
Philadelphia, PA

PRTC RUNNERS TREK DOWN BEN FRANKLIN PARKWAY

Abby and Tom were using the Parkway Run as a last tune-up before their Fall marathons. Meanwhile, Ryan and Pat Ward were looking to sharpen their mid-distance skills. On a beautiful early Fall morning, PRTC put four athletes in the Parkway Run.

Showing good fitness for Chicago, Abby placed 2nd female overall. She trailed only Olympian Carmen Duma-Hussar. More impressive than her actual race, perhaps, is what Abby did in addition to it. "Although the 5k was disappointing, I did have to do three more miles at marathon pace immediately afterwards and they felt very easy, so hopefully that is a good sign for the marathon."

The men were met with a quality field. Still suffering nagging tightness in one hamstring, Ryan was able to place 4th in 15:23. Meanwhile, Tom and Pat ran close to each other placing two more PRTC runners in the top ten.

The Parkway Run 2007

Men's Team
Ryan Fennelly, 4th Place, 15:23
Pat Ward, 7th Place, 16:04
Tom Haxton, 10th Place, 16:09

Women's Team
Abby Dean, 2nd Place, 17:52

16 September, 2007
Philadelphia, PA; Providence, RI

PR'S A PLENTY AT PDR; GINA RACES US 5k CHAMPS

The starting gun on this Sunday morning sent the runners off into a cool, crisp, and clear September day in Philadelphia. The temperature intimated that fast times were definitely possible on this day. Strangely, the lead runners maintained a pedestrian pace through the first two miles. "It was weird," Brian Skelly said. "For the first two miles, I was right there with the international guys." Before long, though, the racing began in earnest.

A slight wind accompanied the runners through center city and the first portion of Martin Luther King Drive. On the women's team, Claire and Abby placed themselves high in the pecking order during the race. Moreover, all three members of the women's team were on PR pace on this day. On the men's team, Brian and Tom placed themselves high in the pecking order as well.

As Brian made his way towards the Art Museum, it seemed certain that he would better his half marathon PR. He did just that. Though Tom certainly ran much faster than his recorded time at the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon last year, today was officially a PR as well. Finally, there was Pat Ward, who was determined to live up to his prediction last Thursday of a PR. When Tony Reavis of Elite Racing asked Pat what his half marathon PR was, he said "1:13 - UNTIL SUNDAY!" He was right.

So if you're keeping count, that's a sweep, ON BOTH SIDES! Each member of the women's team AND each member of the men's team PR'D at the 30th anniversary of the Jefferson Hospital Distance Run. If running is supposed to be about always pushing yourselves to improve, then the example demonstrated by our teams on this day is certainly noteworthy.

THE STARTING GUN WAS ALSO FIRED IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, where Gina took on the top mid-distance women in the U.S. at the road 5k champs. Still under-raced, Gina posted a solid performance, running 17:26.

Philadelpha, PA
8 September, 2007

SKELLY AND PRTC WIN EDITION 4 OF BATTLE ROYALE

The sunny, hot, and dry weekends continue in the Philadelphia area. And though it's not fun to race in the heat, a small but talented field of men laced up their racing spikes at venerable Blemont Plateau to 'heat up' Battle Royale. The race included the usual suspects, including PRTC, BMRC, Breakneck TC, Philadelphia Athletic, Philadelphia Masters, and several open runners.

Though most people in this field are probably pointing towards longer distances this Fall, a shorter, harder effort can provide great benefit for the racers, as it helps them to focus on form and efficiency - not to mention good ol' fashioned fast racing!

From the gun, Brian Skelly seemed determined to keep his winning streak going. He did just that. Brian Skelly led from start to finish. But Brian's race was still exciting, as his control was impressive. More importantly, places 2 through 10 changed places several times.

The field completed the 'Flagpole Hill loop,' completing a little over a mile before heading toward Parachute Hill. At this stage, PRTC had several runners in Skelly's jetstream, including Fennelly, Haxton, and Ross. But BMRC was looking to keep it close, as veteran Tom Parlapiano was keeping close contact with this group. Tom would soon be joined by teammates Zack Vaslow, Shawn Cavanaugh, Bernie Mueller, and Ryan Walsh.

After coming back out to the park area, the runners would make one more complete circuit. After running Parachute Hill a second time, the runners would emerge from the woods, kicking towards a finish chute approximately 200 meters straight ahead. On the second loop, several runners negotiated their way up the pecking order, including Breakneck's John Garton, as well as master's runners Chuck Shields and Bob Rimkis.

As the runners started to file in, it became clear that our guys worked hard, as the order of runners 2 through 4 shuffled order. Fennelly showed his mid-distance prowess, holding off a charging Tom Haxton, who was only two seconds in arrears.

Bryn Mawr showed tremendous depth by filling places five through seven and nine through ten. Fortunately, it wasn't enough, as Pat Ward came through and made the day for PRTC! Making his way through some nagging injuries, Pat put his fitness on the line and gutted out a great performance, finishing 11th overall in 22:53!

And so there it was, PRTC went up won the day. It was a great race, completing with Bob holding the trophy to show the runners as they made their way up Flagpole Hill the second time. With music and Bob Kennedy signing autographs for the youth races, the race had a festive atmosphere.

PRTC wants to thank all the people who made this race possible for the fourth time. WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT! The people include:

BMRC Proprietor Bob Shwelm (How can you not love that guy?) Puma Running Rep. Bryan Poerner (He keeps PRTC in their shoes) PRTC runner Tim Callinan for coordinating with Bob and Bryan Jason Yaffe for recording the Battle Royale IV results

But even more than these people, we simply want to truly thank ALL the people who came out to race and watch, as well as the other employees of BMRC who helped out. With input from different parties, this race is really not a race that belongs to PRTC or BMRC. It belongs to the people who come out for the race each and every year. Make sure you all have a great Fall cheer each other on!

Full Battle Royale IV Results
Belmont Plateau, Philadelphia, PA

Open Race (4 miles)
1.Bryan Skelly PRTC 21:13
2.Ryan Fennelly PRTC 21:36
3.Tom Haxton PRTC 21:38
4.Ross Martinson PRTC 21:43
5.Zack Vaslow BMRC 21:51
6.Tom Parllapiano BMRC 21:54
7.Shawn Cavanaugh BMRC 22:09
8.John Garton BTC 22:23
9.Bernie Muller BMRC 22:31
10.Ryan Walsh BMRC 22:35
11.Pat Ward PRTC 22:53
12.Matt Vavala PAC 23:29
13.Chuck Shields PAC 23:33
14.Joe Canney BTC 23:37
15.Jason Bull BMRC 23:49
16.Steve Metraux PAC 24:19
17.Bill Rimkis PAC 24:24
18.Jeff Hayes PAC 24:45
19.Kevin Forde PAC 24:56
20.Larry Rechtin 26:40
21.Neill Clark PAC 26:47
22.Kevin Saint Clair 30:48
23.Steve Clark 31:08
24.James Howe 31:30
25.Jim O’Neil 32:05

Avalon, NJ; New Haven, CT
2 & 3 September, 2007

SHANNON WINS TIM KERR 7 MILER; TIM RUNS IN U.S. 20K CHAMPS

Though September 3rd was "Labor Day," in which people are not supposed to work, Tim was working hard. He was working hard through the streets of New Haven, Connecticut that is. New Haven is annual host to the U.S. 20k road championships. This year, it was also host to plenty of sunshine and high temperatures. That's good if you're on the beach, not quite so goos if you're practically racing a half marathon on the roads.

Tim came through in fine fashion however. Tim improved on his finish here from 2005 by a whopping 2:30! Posting 1:07.38 in 2005, Tim returned this year to finish in 1:05.03! "I felt like I ran smart," Tim noted. This assesment plays out when one observes the 10k splits in the race results. While Tim ran steady, there were runners who went out well ahead of him, only accede ground to Tim in the late stages of the race.

The beginning of the race has a slight upward grade and makes several turns in the early miles - before looping the course down toward the waterfront. Just when a runner can lose focus in the middle miles of a race (in this case miles six and seven), the field finds itself out in the open with no shade. Taking into consideration the weather conditions mentioned previously, that was going to put the pressure on the elite field to keep their 'cool.' And that's just what Tim did. "Actually, I felt good down by the waterfront. I am happy. That time converts to a nice PR for me at half marathon." Setting a nice PR at the longer distances bodes well for Tim as he prepares to lace up his shoes at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Closer to home, Shannon paced the women's field at the Tim Kerr 7 Miler the day before Tim's race. Shannon has been training for the half marathon since late June. Before then, she only ran ten miles a few times. She decided that she wanted to set a goal and have something to work towards. Because she tends to compete better in longer races, Shannon's coach and brother Brian, suggested racing PDR.

Tim Kerr was Shannon's first attempt at a race over 10k. "I think I ran pretty conservatively and have more to give. I am feeling good for PDR. The race went out, and I went through the first mile in the 6:20's, just trying to stay relaxed, which probably helped."

Race conditions included sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s. The race starts out one block in from te beach in Avalon. The runners make their way on to Dune Drive and race toward Stone Harbor, before turning around and heading back to the race staging area. Shannon explained that it was "actually hard to focus because a lot of us had trouble finding mile markers. I didn’t even see it after 2 until 5 again. My pace was 6:31 (45:37). I’m hoping I can get that faster next time. It would be nice to stay relatively close to that come PDR. I have been getting my miles up a tad, hoping it helps."

Tim Kerr 7 Mile Island Run 2007 Shannon Klick, 1st Place, 45:37 Stratton Faxon New Haven 20k 2007 Tim Callinan, 24th Place, 65:03

Stone Harbor, NJ
26 August, 2007

RACING COUPLE COMPLETES SUMMER WITH ANOTHER DOUBLE VICTORY

Yet again, Brian Skelly and Renee Gunning romped through a Summer road race en route to victory. This time, the couple raced down at the Jersey shore in the Stone Harbor Lion's Club 10k. Brian ran with teammate Ted Callinan for approximately two miles before pushing ahead on his own. Brian and Ted were chasing one runner that was running the 5k (run concurrently with the 10 over the same loop). Despite the sun, heat, and humidity, Brian maintained the lead he built up between miles 2 and 4 to score an individual victory. Ted gave the men's outing a 1-2 finish.

When the two men hit the turnaround to run the 5k loop in reverse, they could see Renee, who was literally only a place behind in the race overall! Renee captured the 5k title easily, using the race as speedwork for her upcoming race at the Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run. Conversely, Gina Lucrezi used the 10k to work on her strength to prepare for her upcoming race at the CVS Downtown 5k in Providence, Rhode Island. This race serves as the USATF 5k road race championships. Gina scored a convincing victory as well.

As for the rest of the team, the short-term goal is the fourth edition of the Battle Royale, which will be held on Saturday, 8 September at Belmont Plateau. This race will mark the true beginning of the Fall racing.

28 July, 2007
Philadelphia, PA

PRTC SWEEPS TOP THREE SPOTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN AT SUMMER RUN IN THE GREEN

It won't be long before our guys and girls are hitting the big Fall racing season. But for now, they are enjoying some low-key, yet competitive races to keep their spikes sharp.

Just as challenging as the field for the Run for the Hill of It race may be the terrain. The race takes place in Valley Green, which is a common training locale for our runners. The 'Green' is a wide dirt trail that undulates from Lincoln Drive out to the horse stables in Chestnut Hill. There are no major hills on this trail, but the rolling hills make it hard to run fast and maintain a solid rhythm.

But today some PRTC athletes showed just how well they know this trail. The team swept the podium positions for both the guys and girls! In the men's race, Matt, Tom, and Ryan were accompanied for the first by a high school phenom who clocked 8:50 for two miles last Spring. As the race wore on, though, our guys showed their endurance. In the last stages of the race, Matt was able to provide a bit of daylight between he and Tom. Matt was pleased with the win and nearly broke fellow teammate Brian Skelly's course record of 25:12! Tom continued to show excellent fitness this Summer in finishing second. Fenn was able to shake off his disappointment from Club Nationals to take third overall in a solid 25:34. And though Pat has kept his mileage high this Summer, he showed enough speed to stop the clock at 26:48.

The women's race brought some other encouraging highlights, as Megan continued her return to fitness, finishing second overall! Megan trailed only race winner and fellow teammate Claire, who posted a finishing time on this tough course that is good enough for #6 on the club's all-time list! Shannon Klick rounded out the women's sweep by running 32:12. Great work by all our runners!

12 & 14 May, 2007
Grand Rapids, MI; Swarthmore, PA

LILIENTHAL 3RD IN NATIONAL 25k CHAMPIONSHIPS

Once again, the range o