|
|
28 December, 2003
New York City, NY
In the midst of Winter, the runners from PTC are training
hard - continuing to build their strength and endurance on Sundays, sharpening
their speed on Tuesdays and Fridays. When it comes to track, speed is
the name of the game. So it's never a bad thing to start honing your speed
early in the season. Marc and Bryan traveled up to the 168th Street Armory
in NYC - also the new home of USATF's Hall of Fame. The guys were looking
to open up their season with racing that would mix in BOTH strength and
speed.
First, Bryan toed the line for the mile. This accomplished Bryan's plan
of "shocking his system." And the results were quite good. Bryan
ran tough to finish his first mile in years in 4:22. That kind of time
for the mile places him only a few ticks back from his PR for the distance
when one converts his 4:02 1500m time. And it's only December!
The
only other distance event contested at the MAC Holiday Classic was the
3000m. Since Marc has been working on mileage all Fall, the 3000m at this
meet would help to show evidence of his work. The guys started out with
400's that were just a shade under 70. They worked to make their way through
the field. With one runner way out in front, Bryan battled to the finish
with another runner, finishing 3rd overall in 8:39! A PR by 11 seconds!
Fantastic for his second race of the day! Way to go, Bry! Things are looking
good for the steeple in the Spring! Admittedly, Marc was looking for more.
Marc finished with a time of 8:50. It's frustrating. But first races of
the season often are. If races always came easy, everyone would be a success.
As the season progresses and Marc runs his true events, you'll see much
more out of him.
Have a blast on New Year's! We enjoy bringing the news to you and making
you proud of PTC! We'll see what we can accomplish in 2004. We hope you
stay for the ride. Talk to you soon.
MAC Holiday
Classic
Men's Mile
Bryan Poerner, 7th Place, 4:22
Men's 3000m
Bryan Poerner, 3rd Place, 8:39
Marc Cianfrani, 5th Place, 8:51
7 December, 2003
Greensboro, NC
Members of PTC made their way down to North Carolina to take place in
the
USATF Club Cross Country National Championships. This was the third
appearance for PTC since the club began in the Fall of 2000 (last year
was
the only year PTC did not field a team). The race would prove to be an
uphill battle from the start. Beleaguered by injuries (Mike Walker -
recovering from a broken collar bone, Tim Callinan - finally recovered
from
viral pneumonia, Brian Gallagher - Achilles, etc.) and the absence of
two
other runners due to running two marathons in a 7 week period, PTC could
not
field a fully loaded team. And those runners who WERE prepared for
Greensboro had to battle the snowy roads to get out of the Northeast.
The
course itself helped continue the hilly theme - it was rolling hills the
whole way!
PTC's team consisted of Bill Frawley, Bryan Poerner, Pete Dougherty,
Jay
Benjamin, and Rich Airey. This race would help provide experience to more
PTC members, as both Jay and Rich were running the nationals championships
for the first time.
Still
only less then two years back into running, Poerner led the way finishing
51st overall. Poerner started out conservatively (estimated to be over
100th place), but started to attack after two miles. He caught up with
Bill and then started to charge. Poerner's placing was as high as the
30's at 4.5 miles before relinquishing a few places late in the race.
"I was happy with my performance," Bryan concluded. "I
think we all were. I was real conservative at first, and then I just started
hammering." When his legs and steady diet of mileage catch up with
Poerner, it should be amazing.
Bill ran a solid performance to conclude his Fall, as he begins his focus on bettering his rather impressive 29:23 10k PR this Spring. Bill finished a mere 11 seconds behind Bryan to take 59th place. Of the established PTC runners, Doc was the 3rd man, running 33:38 and finishing 92nd.
Jay and Rich were new to national championships, but posted credible
performances! Jay was PTC's 4th man. He started out at a steady pace,
but
his lack of time back into running conceded a bit of time on each lap
of the
criterion course. Rich Airey closed the scoring for PTC, assuring that
the team was able to run a solid performance - even in the face of adversity
and a dearth of numbers. After the race, Jay Benjamin's initial reaction
to
his first cross country race in seven years was hard to gauge. "I
couldn't
tell if I enjoyed it or hated," Jay said. Then again, he also couldn't
stop
talking about how challenging the course was and what a hardcore field
was
present. All in all, we know what Jay really thought. The guys did their
best. That's all we can ask for.
We CANNOT let the news of this race without paying proper respect to
our
cross-town rival and extremely worthy adversaries. As we have said, Philly
can be a center for American distance running, and in a strange way this
weekend proved it. Bryn
Mawr ran an unbelievable race to finish 5th overall
in the team scoring! Mike McKeeman led the way with a 16th place finish!
Outstanding! Mark Stallings, Steve Walsh, Matt Sandercock, and Ross
Martinson completed Bryn Mawr's team score. Excellent effort by Martinson
-
showing no ill-effects from his Fall marathon. PTC and Bryn Mawr have
raced
5 times this Fall and the two teams get along great. Bryn Mawr has captured
an extremely high finish nationally, and PTC has beaten that team twice
this
Fall. If you're a fan of track, there's no need to travel to see solid
performances. We're working hard to assure that you can see all the talent
and great performances you want - right here in the city of Brotherly
Love.
Check the PTC schedule, as the team irons out the indoor track schedule
and
looks to run hard in 2004!
USATF
Club Cross Country Nationals:
51st Place, Bryan Poerner, 32:26.6
59th Place, Bill Frawley, 32:37.0
92nd Place, Pete Dougherty, 33:38.4
137th Place, Jay Benjamin, 35:07.8
150th Place, Rich Airey, 35:37.9
More Information:
http://www.letsrun.com
http://www.mensracing.com
23
November, 2003; 22 November, 2003
Philadelphia, PA; Manasquan, NJ
When the PTC was formed three years ago it had the simple goal of helping
local runners achieve their dreams. Today, at the Citizen’s Bank
Philadelphia Marathon, two of the team’s members achieved their
ultimate dreams; qualifying for the Olympic Trials.
Ted, Matty, Eric, and Megan took to the streets in almost ideal conditions
with temperatures in the mid-50’s and no wind at the starting line.
Working together from the start, the men were on pace up to mile 11, where
nature called for Ted. However, he quickly regained his rhythm, and he
and Matty went after the Olympic Trials "B" standard of 2:22:00.
Eric’s back would not cooperate and after dropping off the pace,
was forced to drop out after 17 miles.
Matty
and Ted hammered down the final portion of the race on the familiar Kelly
Drive before turning home for the finish in front of the Art Museum. There,
Ted crossed the line in 3rd place in 2:21:22, a new club record, with
Matty close behind in 4th. Despite losing the contents of his stomach
over the last mile, Matty came across twenty seconds later in a new PR
of 2:21:42. Stating that she would be "happy with anything under
3:15," Megan was impressive in her marathon debut. Even, smart pacing
produced a time of 3:05:41, good enough for 28th place in the women’s
race.
While the marathoners were out on their task, several other members of
the PTC tackled the Rothman Institute 8k. With a quality field that included
USATF champions and NCAA All-Americans, the men were looking for fast
times and found them. Bill led the charge with a 7th place finish in 24:04.
Bryan P. was next with an eight second PR of 24:22 in 11th place. After
making a strong move after three miles, Marc strongly closed in 22nd place
at 25:16. Pete Doc finished fourth for the team in 25th place in 25:41.
Despite running the New York City Marathon three weeks ago, Jay Benjamin
enjoyed his first outing with members of the PTC, running a strong 26:20
for 34th place. Jay Capelli continues to round in to shape after his long
layoff with a 36th place finish in 26:52.
Rich Airey debuted at the Manasquan Turkey Trot 5 Miler in Central Jersey.
In his first race with the team, he recorded a time of 27:20. Welcome
to the team! Hopefully we will be able to introduce you soon.
The PTC will return to action in two weeks at the USATF Fall Cross Country
Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina. And of course, stayed tuned to
find out how Matty and Ted’s preperation are going for the 2004
Olympic Marathon Trials in Birmingham, Alabama on Febuary 7th! Have a
happy and safe Thanksgiving.
Citizen's
Bank Philadelphia Marathon 2003
3rd place, Edward Callinan, 2:21.22 *CR*
4th place, Matt Byrne, 2:21.42
28th place, Megan Carroll, 3:05.41
Rothman Institute 8k
7th place, Bill Frawley, 24:04
11th place, Bryan Poerner, 24:22 *PR*
22nd place, Marc Cianfrani, 25:16
25th place, Pete Dougherty, 25:41
34th place, Jay Benjamin, 26:20
36th place, Jay Capelli, 26:52
Manasquan
Turket Trot
4th place, Rich Airey, 27:20
8 November, 2003
Haverford, PA
DOWN TO THE WIRE - BATTLE ROYALE LIVES UP TO EXPECTATIONS!
A better script couldn't have been written. The fifth man for each team
was charging to the finish just steps away from each other. There were
only 100 meters left. The team title would be decided in the blink of
an eye. This was it. And the winner was ...
Despite cold winds and muddy turns from a week's worth of rain, the competition
was still red hot. Leading through mile in a tick under 5 minutes, Bryn
Mawr Running Company (BRMC) looked strong with Mike Sandercock leading;
however, Philly TC (PTC) runner Ted Callinan was right on his heels.
The pace quickened, and the places changed several times. Ted Callinan
pulled the field through the 2 mile mark in approximately 9:54, but PTC
teammate Bill Frawley was starting to look towards the lead, and Matty
Byrne and Bryan Poerner were right with him. BMRC runners Steve Walsh
and Mike McKeeman helped keep the pace honest over the third loop.
Going into the fourth and final loop, the individual AND team titles were
still there for the taking. Going up the small hill with approximately
800 meters to go, the lead pack consisted of five runners. This is what
racing is all about. The men turned right at the observatory, and Walsh
and McKeeman forged to the front along with Matty Byrne, looking to sort
out the winner's circle. BMRC's Steve Walsh outsprinted Mike McKeeman
in the last 50 meters to win the individual title in 19:44. McKeeman finished
in the same second!
A
sea of navy blue PTC singlets came streaming through the finish line.
Matty took the bronze, running 19:47 for third place overall. Imitating
Walsh and McKeeman, PTC's Bill Frawley and Ted Callinan finished in the
same second - running 19:52 for 4th and 5th place respectively. Bryan
Poerner hung tough to be PTC's fourth scorer in 6th Place (20:02). But
BMRC took the next two spots in Ross Martinson and Matt Wagoner; giving
each team four finished scorers. The task of securing the team title fell
squarely upon Brian Gallagher's shoulders. Brian employed his speed to
outkick BMRC's Matt Sandercock by two seconds, 20:17 to 20:19! PTC did
it! 27 to 28!
Both organizations would like to give a special thanks to the efforts
of BMRC proprietor Bob Schwelm and PTC's Bryan Poerner for organizing
this event. We would also like to thank all the other people who supported
this race - Coaches Torpey and O'Sullivan for bringing their runners,
Tom Donnelly and Haverford College for allowing us to use their facilities,
and of course ALL the people who came to support the runners and cheer
their heads off. It was unbelieveable. THANKS EVERYONE! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR
AT THE 2ND ANNUAL PHILADELPHIA BATTLE ROYALE!
Philadelphia Battle Royale 2003
Matty Byrne, 3rd Place, 19:47
Bill Frawley, 4th Place, 19:52
Edward Callinan, 5th Place, 19:52
Bryan Poerner, 6th Place, 20:02
Brian Gallagher, 9th Place, 20:17
Marc Cianfrani, 17th Place, 20:44
Pete Dougherty, 18th Place, 20:45
Eric Bonnette, 23rd Place, 21:14
Tim Fisher, 24th Place, 21:22
Jay Capelli, 33rd Place, 24:16
More Information:
http://brynmawrrunningco.com/Team/BattleRoyaleResults03.htm
26
October, 2003
Boston, MA
Nothing like Fall cross country! And nothing like cross country
at Franklin Park. Mayor's Cup 2003 hosted another standout field, featuring
the likes of Irish nationals Keith Kelly and Vinny Mulvey, Kenya's Paul
Mwangi, American miling hopeful Alan Webb ... and of course PTC!
Ironically, this race of national and international runners also had a familiar home-grown subplot for our men. Proud of the athletic talent that can be found right in the city of Brotherly Love, PhillyTC was not only fighting for the overall win, but stepping into the ring for just the latest round of this amiable city battle which finds the two adversaries pushing their runners to excel! Keith Kelly of New Balance made it clear early that he was the man to beat on the uneven terrain, as he was reported to pass the 5k mark in 14:37! Such a hard early pace stretched out the field, leaving Paul Mwangi and Nike's Alan Webb fighting each other to see who would take the runner-up position.
PTC top man Bill Frawley placed himself high up in the race early and continued to advance - taking advantage of his mileage and strength. Brian Gallagher made his way towards the first chase pack to help assure a good showing by our guys. Matty and Bryan had an understandably tough time adjusting to the quick pace of this race - as their training has prepared them for much longer distances to date. The two passed the two mile mark over 10 minutes, but continued to pass runners left and right - displaying PTC grit.
Coming
down the stretch, Bill found himself pushing his way into the top ten
- finishing only two places behind his best performance ever at Mayor's
Cup - ninth overall in 24:45. Brian Gallagher not only had one of his
better performances at Mayor's Cup, but arguably his best performance
in the race to date! Brian explained the conditions, saying that "It
was weird. The course was dry, not muddy. It was a little humid and a
little windy, but neither element was overwhelming. Still, when you look
at the times of alot of talented guys in this race, it seems like everyone
was about 20 seconds off of where they should have been. So despite the
time, I think that might be my best performance there to date." Matty
Byrne tried to shake off the Chicago Marathon rust as best he could for
the team, finishing in 25:17 to finish 28th overall. Bryan (also trying
to lighten his legs after a 26 miler a mere two weeks ago) and Marc pushed
hard to finish close to each other in 25:40 and 25:46 (43rd and 46th place
respectively).
This was the the fourth appearance for Philly TC at Mayor's Cup - which was the first race ever run by the team! And in our short existence, PTC has made the winner's circle twice! Great efforts by all the guys secured a 3rd place team finish. But there's work to be done. With a completely healthy team appearing at PTC, the guys believe they could capture the overall title. They will have to wait 'til next year to prove that. In the meantime, their team finish behind Bryn Mawr Running Co. will provide motivation for a great Battle Royal in just over a week's time! Clear your schedule so you can see these two Philly teams go head to head again on Saturday, November 8th. Keeping checking the site for more details. Later.
Mayor's Cup 2003
Bill Frawley, 9th Place, 24:45
Brian Gallagher, 17th Place, 25:00
Matty Byrne, 28th Place, 25:17
Bryan Poerner, 43rd Place, 25:40
Marc Cianfrani, 46th Place, 25:46
More Information:
www.coolrunning.com
www.pixel-run.com
12 October, 2003
Chicago, IL, Chili, NY; Saugerties, NY
The team was in full force this weekend. People laid it on the line. The
results were great - a testament to true effort. But some were just a
little hard to swallow. But this is sport. This is athletics. That's why
we compete. That's why you follow us, cheer us on at the races, and read
this Web site.
In Rochester, the guys battled a hard course and tough competition from
the top cross country teams Canada has to offer. With only five people
on the trip for the guys team, the team had little room for error. Bill
lead the team with a top 5 finish (25:20), and the team seemed to be on
schedule. Eric made some last minute adjustments to get to the race and
performed brilliantly under pressure. Eric finished a mere 5 seconds astride
of Bill to tackle the tough course in 25:25. Brian knew he had to help
carry the weight in Rochester, and caried it he did. Brian ran a great,
intelligent race to finish 13th. However, that small space for error crept
its way in to the team's fortunes. Tim C. felt extremely ill and lagged
through mile 2. After turning his ankle (most likely due to fatigue from
his illness), Tim had to stop. Despite a solid performance by Tim Fisher,
the fate for our guys in Rochester as far as a team score was concerned
was sealed. The team could not score. It was a day for individual accomplishments.
That's why Megan Carroll came up with the big race that she did. As the
Rochester course is short enough for a person to work on speed, but hard
enough to test one's strength, Megan knew it would be good to run the
race to help her preparations for the Philadelphia Marathon. She passed
the test! Our girl finished 12th place overall in 19:22!
Individual success was also experienced by another member of PhillyTC
in another part of New York. Jay Benjamin took advantage of being home
to run a hometown half marathon - which he knew would fit nicely into
his training and tuneup preparations for the New York City Marathon. Jay
made the team proud and helped spread the word about what we're doing
here by winning the race outright by over 5 minutes! Jay completed the
Saugerties Fall Classic Half Marathon in 1:16. Jay kept perspective on
the race and quipped "I basked in local celebrity status all weekend"
Wearing the PhillyTC singlet for only the second time since he joined
the team at the beginning of September, Jay is simply the latest proof
that when people train together, good performances are the only logical
result.
The
foursome at the Chicago Marathon were fortunate to participate in a race
which found the 4th fastest debut marathoner ever in Evans Rutto. The
field was extremely deep - with tons of international stars and the best
the U.S. has to offer. The guys laid it on the line. Out under control,
Bryan, Doc, Matty, and Ted found their pace. Matty and Ted joined up at
mile 2 and ran together until mile 8. Some of the American packs running
very close - if not completely on - Olympic Trials qualifying pace. After
mile 8, Bryan made his way up to Matty and the two helped lead their pack
of approximately 20 runners. Pete was in good position running his race
well through the middle of the race.
Ted had joined a pack of six guys which included two members of the Nike
Farm Team. The small group brought their average splits down to 5:20s
through miles 11 to approximately 20 (on pace to grab the A qualifier).
Unfortunately, Ted's right hamstring contracted greatly at mile 21 and
he was pushing hard to keep on pace for the Trials. Matty forged ahead
of the large pack after the 20 mile mark - looking to catch the time as
well.
But that's where the news is hard to report. We would love to tell you
that the guys grabbed the time. We would love to say that in its short
existence to date, PhillyTC grabbed multiple OT qualifiers in the same
day. Unfortunately, we can't. Climbing the overpass with approximately
600 meters left, Ted was on the brink. He fought to the finish, but along
with runners Ben Rosario and Mike Cox - just missed the time (2:22.03).
Matty pushed through the pain and the illness which had hampered the last
week of his preparations to stop the clock just over 2:23 minutes (2:23.06).
Having an off day, Bryan completed a remarkable three marathons in six
months to finish in just a shade over 2:27. This time is approximately
the average for his three marathons as well. Pretty damn consistent. Doc
ran with two men through the late stages of the race, but suffered mightily
in the last three miles. "My last 1.2 miles was really tough,"
Doc admitted. Yep, the marathon is tough. And the heartbreak the guys
feel is tough to handle.... But they're tougher. and they'll be back.
You ain't heard the last of these guys.
Chicago
Marathon 2003
Edward Callinan, 44th Place, 2:22.03
Matty Byrne, 50th Place, 2:23.06
Bryan Poerner, 77th Place, 2:27.02
Pete Dougherty, 115th Place, 2:30.44
Gennessee Valley Invitational 2003
Megan Carroll, 10th Place, 19:22
Bill Frawley, 5th Place, 25:20
Eric Bonnette, 8th Place, 25:25
Brian Gallagher, 13th Place, 25:53
Timothy Fisher, 30th Place, 27:24
Saugerties Classic 2003
Jay Benjamin, 1st Place, 1:16
20, 21 September,
2003
Northport, NY; Philadelphia, PA
Cow Harbor 10k serves as the 10k national championships for the RRCA (Road
Runners Club of America). Annually, it hosts a top notch field to negotiate
the course that features severe grades. As the last tune-up for Chicago,
Matty traveled to New York to test his speed. The first mile of Cow Harbor
punishes the quads, as the course's elevation drops immensely in a short
distance. After being pulled out in an extremely fast pace, the runners
are in oxygen debt with approximately five miles left in the race. And
to top it all off, the course climbs through miles 2 and 3! The rigor
a runner's body experiences on this course seems like an excellent simulation
of the marathon over a much shorter distance. Solid choice, Matty. And
a solid race! Matty battled through the field of elite Americans and the
grueling course to finish 9th overall in a time of 31:04. With hard workouts
in and some fine tune-up races completed, it's time for Matty to get his
rest and focus solely on Chicago.
On Sunday morning, it was time for the rest of the team to race. The Philadelphia Distance Run was fortunate to enjoy much better weather than its 2002 edition. And PTC was fortunate enough to capitalize on the opportunity and set a bunch of new PRs! The team found new PRs from Megan Carroll (1:27.53), Bryan Poerner (1:09.06), Tim Fisher (1:12.30), Tim Callinan (1:10.00), Mike Walker (1:09.47), and Ted Callinan (1:06.41). The team also found a new club record in Bill's fantastic performance (1:06.31)! Slight swirling winds slowed the times just a tad, but the humidity was down and entire field ran fast! Clutch performances by Walkness, Eric, and TimX2 helped prove once again that group training pays off! Training through the weekend, Brian finished second in the 5k in 15:27.
The whole team is excited with the results, but no one is prepared to rest on their laurels. The next date on the racing calendar is 12 October. Most of the team will be competing at the Gennessee Valley Harriers Cross Country Invitational in Rochester, while the marathon training group will take to the streets of the windy city on the same morning for their 26.2 mile trek! But that isn't the only Fall marathon for PTC. Eric and Megan have their sights set on the Philadelphia Marathon, so we'll keep you posted on their progress! Congrats to everyone who ran PDR!
PDR Open Team's Cumulative Time (Top 3 Finishers) = 3:22.20
19th, Bill Frawley, 1:06:31
24th, Edward Callinan, 1:06:41
37th, Bryan Poerner, 1:09:08
42nd, Timothy Callinan, 1:10:00
51st, Peter Dougherty, 1:11:15
PDR Mixed Team's Cumulative Time (Top 3 Finishers) = 3:48:02
39th, Michael Walker, 1:09:47
45th, Eric Bonnette, 1:10:22
59th, Timothy Fisher, 1:12:30
445th, Megan Carroll, 1:27:53
More Information:
http://www.philadistancerun.org
http://www.cowharborrace.com
17
August, 2003
Hanover, PA
More positive signs for the upcoming Fall for PTC. Hanover is a small
town just outside of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The town is home to the
collegiate loan institution Sallie Mae - the major sponsor of the Sallie
Mae Valley Classic Races. On Saturday, the festival of races played host
to a national walking championship. But on this day, there was certainly
no restrictions about keeping one foot on the ground at all times. THESE
GUYS WERE FLYING!
With good weather, challenging course, and prize money to boot - the Sallie
Mae 10k had the potential for an outstanding competition. And it lived
up to its billing. Although the field for the 10 was not as big as you
would think, it was deep. Besides our guys, there was PA ace (now a master)
Randy Haas, former national 10k champion Mike Mykotok, past winner of
the Berwick Run for the Diamonds Matt Wagoner, and others. But our guys
are fit. Trust us.
Matty and Ted were able to take a hard first mile by Mykotok in stride and passed the one mile clock in 4:48. Just past the mile, the men started their first climb. The first hill was not too steep, but there were plenty of other hills ... and they were much steeper. Taking the hills into consideration, the guys continued to maintain a consistent effort - clicking off sub 5 miles. The trio pushed together, each taking turns at the lead.
Passing three miles under 15 minutes, the men were on pace to run approximately 30:40. Unfortunately, the men formed a single line at the 4 mile mark, as they climbed the biggest hill on the course. Matty forged to the front and Mykotok placed himself in front of Ted. But towards the end of that same mile, Ted fought back and surged in front of Mykotok - looking to help PTC secure the top two spots. The places never changed again - with Matty and Ted going 1,2 respectively. Matty's winning time of 30:48 put him seven seconds in front of Ted in 30:55. Mykotok finished up a fine performance - running 31:05 to round out the winner's circle. Appropriately, PTC's final runner for the day at the race sponsored by a collegiate lending institution was a new college grad! Saint Joe alumnus Brian Rossetti did PTC proud - finishing 11th overall. Not bad considering Rossetti has been training very minimally and didn't focus specifically on this race.
The course was tough and kept the guys honest. The air was muggy, but overcast to help the runners. All in all, it was a good day. The team was well supported by family and friends who cheered our guys on. Thanks guys! It was a great race. And as I said before, these good performances bode well for Chicago. Check back in soon, as Tim will be lacing up the flats in Avalon for the Tim Kerr 7 Mile Island Run. Get your run in before it rains!
Sallie Mae 10k Classic 2003
1st Place, Matty Byrne, 30:48
2nd Place, Edward Callinan, 30:55
11th Place, Brian Rossetti
9 August, 2003
Red Bank, NJ
It seems like we just finished covering outdoor track, the marathon debuts
of Bryan, Eric, and Ted at Rome and Pittsburgh, and the team showing at
the U.S. Half Marathon Championships. And that's because we did. But there's
no rest for the weary. The large contingent that PTC is sending to the
incomparable Chicago Marathon is already within two months of the starting
gun! And the marathon group's racing buildup has already begun!
Consistent with the weather all last week, this Saturday morning found the air downright soupy. Along with wind, humidity is one of the biggest obstacles for racers to overcome. But with a great, hilly course named after a genuine advocate of the sport, Bryan and Doc were eager to challenge the elite field. Having raced the unusual five mile road distance many times, Bryan felt comfortable and decided to "see what would happen if I stayed with the front." Bryan stayed with the large pack of Kenyans, passing two miles in 9:15!!!
After passing the two mile mark, the lead pack took to a downhill, and Bryan forged to the front. But his lead was short lived. The pack worked to reel Bryan back in, and he pushed against the distance, hills, aerobic fatigue, and humidity the rest of the way. A less than ideal finish, Bryan placed eighth with a time of 25:16. "It was good to see what it was like to go out that fast though," Bryan explained. "It helps you learn what you need to do once you're in oxygen debt." With excellent training this summer, Doc's overall time was not quite what he was looking for either. Doc completed the challenging course in 26:09.
But the important thing is the guys got a race under their belts and their training is going extremely well! Considering Bryan said he was "soaked" before the gun even went off, it would seem that the guys are getting used to the heat in the kitchen. The marathon training group summer racing rolls on. Next stop - Hanover, Pennsylvania. Matty and Ted will try their hands at a 10k just outside of Wilkes-Barre, PA. Check the site early and often!
George Sheehan Classic 5 Miler 2003
8th Place, Bryan Poerner, 25:16
12th Place, Pete Dougherty, 26:09
2 August, 2003
Sea Isle City, NJ
Despite the usual difficulties that the Sea Isle City 10 Miler provides
for its competitors (wind, soft sand, unwatched children crossing the
race course, and the most bizarre start to a road race), the members of
the Philadelphia Track Club came out of the race with some respectable
results.
A siren sounded, runners started, stopped cause they were told it wasn’t the start, and then were told to just go anyway. So finally the race was off. Racing for the first time this summer Ted looked to three peat as the champion of the annual right of summer, however he found that difficult in the form of Elarbi Khattabi. Ranked in the top ten in the world in the steeplechase just a few years ago (9th in 1999, 8:09PR) Khattabi won the race. Knowing that he could still get in a solid effort, Ted gutted out the 10 miles all by his lonesome for a 53:46 finish for second place. Lacing up his Puma’s for his first race longer than a 10k, Tim finished in fine form just a minute behind his brother to take a respectable 4th place finish.
The team’s performances were solidified by yet another impressive race by Megan. Racing for the second time in as many weeks, she showed that she is in good shape and ready for the fall with a 6th place finish in 1:08:20. Megan exuded the confidence that comes with a good race declaring she was excited by her performance. The team will look to continue building on this confidence as several members will toe the starting line next weekend at the competitive George Sheehan run in New Jersey.
More Information:
www.lmsports.com
26
July, 2003
Philadelphia, PA
Believe it. PTC is slowly, but surely, organizing a women's team. And
women's team organizer Megan Carroll knows that the best way to lead is
by example!
That's why Megan is incorporating some racing into her summer schedule. Our PTC - dare we say Diva? - NO! I hate that word! And the writers for VHI need to expand their vocabularies! - heroine laced up the flats this past weekend and took to the trails. That's right - trails, not streets! Megan had the luxury of racing on essentially one of the most commonly run paths by members of the PTC. The race is called Run for the Hill of It, and it takes place on Forbidden Drive.
But Megan didn't let the beautiful scenery distract her from her mission. She put herself out with the leaders, determined to find satisfactory proof of her fitness in preparation for this weekend's Captain Bill Gallagher Island Run in Sea Isle City. Megan found just that - finshing third overall behind only Wake Forest standout Erin Franklin and Janice Torpey - wife of one of PTC's biggest supporters and coaches. "I went out a little too hard today and paid for it. But I'm happy. I'm looking forward to the chance to race smarter next weekend," Megan concluded. Nice run, Meg. Kick some ass down the shore! Come on, girls! Don't you want to train with a girl like this?
So that's it from here. Hope you're enjoying the summer. And if you're at Sea Isle or the George Sheehan run in the next two weeks, don't forget to cheer on our guys ... oh wait, now ladies too! What's going on around here?! Girl power! Girl power! Burn the bra!
Run for the Hill of It
3rd Place, Megan Carroll, 31:47
More Information:
www.lin-mark.com
4 July, 2003
Haddon Heights, NJ; Washington Crossing, PA
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! Being the Philadelphia Track Club, we have to
extend our congratulations to the city of Philadelphia for completing
the $137 million Constitution Center for the big weekend. Your PTC crack
reporter (me, obviously) walked around the revamped Independence Mall
on July 4th, and it was pretty impressive! The visitor center is nice
too, although the park area which will occupy the other part of that street
is not quite complete.
Not focused on the race results? Yeah, sorry about that. There's no way to prove to you that Doc came up with a win on the 4th anyway. Pete went back home for the Firecracker 5k in Haddon Heights. Unfortunately, the lead car turned the wrong way. Knowing the town and course very well, Pete yelled to the lead car, but they didn't listen to him. Pete lead a group of six runners off course with the lead car. Having the race well in hand, the course came up short, as Doc clocked 13:38 for supposedly 5k.
The race is a nice, small, hometown holiday race. However, Pete didn't even give 100%, and he felt good. We believe his time would have been a little over 15 minutes. And with gas left in the tank, Pete could PR in the 5k right now. It's a good indication of his fitness, and PTC has a group of men this summer with their eye on the Chicago Marathon. The prize money for the top three was also halved and given to the first three finishers not lead off the course. Does this make sense? Of course not, as it was not the fault of the runners, and it would not have changed the order of finishers. But what can we say? Pete's payday was reduced, but he put in a good effort.
In a phase of pure base training, Mike Walker ran the Revolutionary 10k
at Washington Crossing. He did this more to help pace a friend, but figured
it would be a good chance to get in a good workout as well. Mike is capable
of running much faster, so there's not much to report. But it's nice to
know his training is going well. Running easy on a predominantly trails
course, Walker finished 2nd overall in a time of 32:45. Keep up the good
training, Mike!
SO WE HOPE YOU HAD A FUN 4TH! EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY!
(Just don't forget to get up in the morning and do your run).
Revolutionary 10k
2nd Place, Mike Walker, 32:45
More Information:
www.compuscore.com
28
June, 2003
Asbury Park, NJ
After a long hiatus, the historic Asbury Park 10k has been revived! And
what better way to celebrate than by having one of PhillyTC's finest take
to the starting line! Only kidding. But Matty Byrne has been on a good
racing streak recently, and he made this famous race part of his agenda.
Lured by the impressively deep prize money, Asbury Park boasted an impressive field, hosting not only the likes of our man, but the recently impressive Richie Byrne, former USATF 10k national champ Mike Mykotok, as well as a host of Kenyans and Ethiopians! Although the course is relatively flat, it is riddled with sharp turns. But the lead pack navigated the first two miles at a clip somewhere between 4:45 to 4:48 per mile. With winds facing the runners, Matty sat right off the lead pack - passing the first two miles at about a 4:50 clip.
But the pace intensified, as the eventual winner, Araya Haregot placed himself in position to beat the likes of Paul Mwangi, Amos Gitigama, and others. Matty maintained a solid pace in beating Richie Byrne, former NCAA cross country runner-up Stephen Ondiekei, amongst others. Matty had the privilege of being the first guy to wear the team's new Puma uniforms! Remember, PTC LOVES PUMA! You can see the race action photos on our media page! Make sure you take a look at all the new pics!
Asbury Park 10k Classic
7th Place, Matty Byrne, 30:56
19,20,21 June, 2003
Bryn Mawr, PA; Media, PA; Duluth, MN
A lot to write and not alot of space to write it with! These guys are
awesome! They're running so fast, the Web site news can't keep up with
them!
On Thursday, Matty B. toed the line at the Shut Up & Run - sponsored
by the Bryn Mawr Running Co. An avid supporter of running in the Philadelphia
area, store owner Bob Schwelm filled the prize categories with cash to
attract the best the area has to offer. Amongst others, Matty raced the
5k road course against some of the international Kenyans based in West
Chester and some of the best American men in the area. Matty continued
his nice record of races in the late Spring/early Summer in finishing
4th overall in 14:58!
But that race against a super competitive field just began the weekend
for PhillyTC!
On Friday night, Tim took to the streets of his new hometown, Media, for the Media 5 Miler - a large race in its own rite. Tim upped the ante for the team by capturing the overall win in a torrential downpour - despite facing another solid pack of some of the areas best runners! Tim manuevered through the hilly course and found himself turning the final corner alone to the delight of the crowd. Bare chested with the letters PTC marked on his chest, Tim stopped the clock at 26:17.
Saturday action for PhillyTC shifted to Minnesota - as Poerner was taking his second shot at the marathon in just six weeks! But the gamble paid big dividends for Poerner - as he improved his time from his debut marathon by over five minutes! Keeping pace with some big names, Poerner missed the Olympic Trials by just over two minutes - running 2:24.40! That makes the second time the team marathon has been broken in the last two months!
It's just like our news update from the beginning of the year when Eric, Brian G., and Poerner all came up with huge races in a matter of days. Just when you think things are going to quiet down and you have us figured out, BAM! Another good stint of races. Hope your training and racing is going well too. Don't forget to keep us informed of what you're up to. Write into the message board!
Shut Up & Run
4th Place, Matthew Byrne, 14:58
Media 5 Miler
1st Place, Timothy Callinan, 26:17
Grandma's Marathon
27th Place, Bryan Poerner, 2:24.49
7 June, 2003
Kansas City, MO
In keeping with the principal aim of Philadelphia Track Club, teammates
Ted and Matty Byrne traveled to Kansas City to run the U.S. Half Marathon
Championships (to date, members of the team have competed at the Fall
and Winter USATF Cross Country Championships, and Ted was scheduled to
run the USATF Marathon Championships, amongst other high level races).
Unfortunately, the opportunity to scalp some big names slipped through our boys fingers. "When I warmed up, I knew I was flat. It was just one of those days that I wasn't supposed to be racing," Ted explained after the race. And on a hilly, unforgiving course like the one these guys ran, there's no chance in faking your way through it. As a championship race, however, you have to go for it. The pack went out in 5:00, with the first hill coming before the mile marker. But the leaders dropped @ a 4:40 third mile to break up the group. Ted struggled to hang in the race.
As the race progressed, Matty gained momentum and started to really attack. Right in the thick of the chase pack, Matty found himself even taking the pacing duties at times in miles 6 through 10. But fate wasn't too kind to Matty either. He developed an extremely bad side stitch and his pace lagged. Matty recounted that he was "running a 1:07 today until that side stitch hit. It's frustrating!" Hanging in there to make a showing for the team, Ted caught up to Matty in mile 12, and the two ran hard together to the finish.
It wasn't a complete waste. We sent two more guys to run in a national championship race, and we spread the PhillyTC name out to the MidWest. With a final mile estimated to be right back around 5:00, Matty and Ted finished in 1:09.02 and 1:09.04 respectively. But we know you are knowledgeable track fans, and finishing places of 18th and 19th out of the approximately 30 guys brought in for the national championship is not what our guys were looking for. There's always the next race. Way to hang tough guys!
U.S.
Men's Half Marathon Championships
18th Place, Matthew Byrne, 1:09.02
19th Place, Edward Callinan, 1:09.04
More Information:
http://www.mararunning.org/hh03halfm.html
http://www.mararunning.org/hho3.html
http://www.letsrun.com/2003/shayhalf.php
24
May, 2003
Spring Lake, NJ
It was understandably difficult for Bryan, as hot as he has been ever
since his breakout race in Hong Kong, to close on Rich Byrne - who has
been extremely hot lately himself.
And though the winds were strong and the temperature did not even reach 60 on this first day of the Memorial Day Weekend, the conditions could not stop these two guys from burning up the asphalt. "After Pittsburgh, it was nice to run on a flat course. No hills to be found down the shore," Bryan chuckled. But what the course lacked in hills, it more than made up for in wind. The first mile of the race found our leaders with the wind directly in their face. Byrne tucked in behind our man - passing the mile mark at 4:57. After the course changed directions and found calmer streets, Byrne surged ahead of Poerner, building up a 15 second lead and increasing the pace for both runners.
Bryan continued to track Byrne and passed 4 miles in a valiant 19:34.
But the last mile found the swirling winds take course directly back in
the face of the runners. Unfortunately, the third place finisher at this
year's Blue Cross Broad Street Run relegated Bryan to 2nd place overall
today. With such conditions, a final time of 24:57 is pretty good. And
Bryan's continued hard efforts should reap great benefits come June at
Grandma's Marathon!
Plenty of racing left to go for the late Spring and early summer. Keepin
consistent with the longer character of this Spring's team schedule, Matty
and Ted will be toeing the line at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships
on June 7th in Kansas City, MO.
More Information:
http://www.springlake5.org
18 May, 2003
Far Hills, NJ
A pretty good race ... and a pretty good sign! Matty Byrne and Mike Walker
laced up today in Central Jersey for the historic Volvo Midland Run 15k.
Midland offers rolling hills scattered over a course which provides beautiful
scenery. Add a good field annually to boot, and you're ready to go! And
Matty was. Matty said that there were two significant hills on the course
- one in mile 4 and a half mile hill in mile 7. He ran steady and had
to hold off one competitor during the latter half of the race, but Matty
prevailed. "After I worked that hill in mile 7, he seemed to drop
back. It feels good to just get a solid workout in on the roads,"
Matty stated after the race. Our boy came out the victor, posting a time
of 48:25.
To provide added representation for the team, Mike Walker also ran a great race in front of a large crowd. With approximately 4,000 competitors in the 15k, Walker ran 50:23 to finish 6th overall! Great race by both guys! It's good that the guys keep heading Michael McDonald's advice in "taking it to the streets!" This race is to be featured in "Running & Racing" on your tele in June!
Volvo Midland Run 15k
1st place, Matt Byrne, 48:25
6th place, Mike Walker, 50:23
9 May, 2003
Haverford, PA
Dark clouds and a slight drizzle. But it was pretty warm and there was
no wind to speak of! Unfortunately, the McElligott Invitational did not
enjoy the usual participation numbers of its recent past. Whatever the
reason, be it lack of desire for collegiate coaches to find "last
chance" races because of the new NCAA regional format or whatever,
the quiet atmosphere undermined some hard efforts by Tim and Brian G.
After a full indoor schedule and running shorter races to work on speed,
Tim looked to the McElligott Invite as a chance to sharpen his racing
preparedness for his last 5k of the season. He sharpened his speed and
found a new 1500 PR by the end of the evening! The official results were
never published, but Tim was clocked at 4:05. With a strong close in the
last 100 meters, Tim can be proud of not only how he closed out the race,
but how he closed out his first year of post-collegiate competition. No
Freshman blues here!
Looking to race well into the summertime, Brian G. looked to McElligott for confirmation of his steady progression as he builds to some fast 5s and 15s in June and early July! Brian found himself alone after 600 meters, but that didn't deter him. Brian ran with his usual calm cadence and brought himself home in a winning time of 3:52! PhillyTC likes what it sees! Man, you got to find out more about how these guys train!
McElligot Invitational
1st place, Brian Gallagher, 3:52
? place, Timothy Callinan, 4:05
May, 2003
Philadelphia & Pittsburgh, PA
It's safe to say that Doc has asserted his return to good form, with a
solid performance at the Broad Street run. Doc trained right through this
one, as he has his eye on Chicago in October. Yet he still ran 52:25 for
the ten miler to finish 26th place overall! The other "Doc"
- Doctor Johnny Marino - also came up big on Broad. The doctor finished
in 48th place with a time of 55:34! It would be nice if we could all run
that kind of time at 42. Way to run strong on a hometown course guys!
At the Western end of the state, Bill, Bryan, and Ted laced up for a slightly longer and much more hilly course known as the UPMC Pittsburgh Marathon. Learning first hand what the "second half" of the marathon is all about, our two guys running their first marathons had some trouble in the late stages. But Bryan and Ted ran well for their first try. Ted had trouble from 21 on, but finished 9th overall in 2:26.16 - missing the money by two places, but establishing a new team record. After his 2:30.51 first effort, Bryan noted that late in the race, he thought about how he "hated marathons. But driving back to Philly, all I could think was, 'I can't wait to run another one!'" As everyone does, Bill had an off day, but stayed in the race and completed the course in Bill 2:35.20. Now the people in the other big city in PA know there are some serious runners East of Harrisburg.
The Spring season isn't over yet though, folks. Tim and Walker are planning on running Friday evening at the McElligott Invitational. And Brian G. and Ted should be hitting the track as well. If you can, make it to the beautiful campus on the Main Line to kick off your weekend. It should be good!
UPMC Pittsburgh Marathon 2003
9th Place, Edward Callinan, 2:26.16
15th Place, Bryan Poerner, 2:30.51
17th Place, Bill Frawley, 2:35.20Blue Cross Broad Street Run 2003
26th Place, Pete Dougherty, 52:25
48th Place, Johnny Marino, 55:34
More Information:
http://www.doitsports.com
http://www.broadstreetrun.com
18
April, 2003
Chester, PA
Old PR = 15:10. Tonight = 14:49. Enough said. There is no better proof
or validation of what we work every day to accomplish than guys running
PRs, working hard, and improving.
The weather was cool, no humidity, no wind. Tim took full advantage of the weather conditions and the pacesetting chores assumed by teammate Brian Gallagher at the Widener Invite to score a huge PR! A 21 second PR! Absolutely awesome. Save a slow second quarter, Tim (and most of the lead pack) ran every lap between 70 and 71 seconds. After Brian stepped off at two miles, the racing was left to a group of 4 guys. With 1000m to go, Tim stepped to the front of the pack to keep the pace honest and work to take the sting out of the kickers. By the time he crossed the line, Tim was rewarded for the great base he built during the winter and early spring. Nice running there, chief!
The PhillyTC 5k train will keep charging straight ahead, as Brian will lace up the spikes in a hot field at the Penn Relays - which includes American 5k record holder Bob Kennedy. Hard work equals good results. Make sure you find your way to Franklin Field this Thursday night to cheer Brian on. Better still, buy your PhillyTC TShirt and wear it at the race!
Mens 5000M
Callinan, Timothy
14:48.96
More Information:
http://www.widener.edu
4 April, 2003
Princeton, NJ
Old man winter is reaching his arm back to give us one last blast of cold
air, but Bill Frawley warmed things up a bit at Princeton en route to
a win in the 10k! A turn of good luck found the weather conditions much
more favorable for a good 10k than speculated earlier in the week. There
was a mild wind, but that didn't bother Bill's metronomic pace, hitting
each kilometer between 3:00 and 3:01. His finishing time set a new team
record for the track 10k at 30:05.99!
On top of an individual win, PhillyTC was proud to place FIVE guys on the starting line for the 10. That is a nice sense of presence! Poerner PR'd at 8k en route to a full 10k (official time = 30:27.58). That kid continues to amaze. Ted helped PhillyTC fill the winner's circle by finishing third in 30:34.08. Tim fought off an early side stitch and held on to run 31:57.21. And Walker completed the PhillyTC finishes in the 10k by running 32:11.14. Carmine continues to pay his dues, knowing that good things await in his future. He ran his first steeplechase in three years - gutsy enough in itself. And Carmine ran a decent time, finishing in 10:13.67. Hang in there, Big Ragu. Better things are in store. You're just putting the hay in the barn. Remember to mark this site in your "favorites." You know you can't live without your daily dose of the message board. Or better yet, make it your home page! We'll continue to give you all the latest results from trackside. As the guy from "This Week in Baseball" used to say - "See ya, folks!"
Sam Howell Memorial 10,000m
1st Place, Bill Frawley, 30:05.99
2nd Place, Bryan Poerner, 30:27.58
3rd Place, Edward Callinan, 30:34.08
15th Place, Timothy Callinan, 31.57.21
18th Place, Mike Walker, 32:11.14
Steeplechase
14th Place, Carmine Gentile, 10:13.67
23
March, 2003
Rome, Italy
Since we last posted news here on the site, the U.S. has gone to war.
Our thoughts go out to all people involved; however, we reserve this site
as an informational, running site only and will not express, encourage,
espouse, or negate political views.
Ironically, the war's hand still extends into our running world, as Eric
Bonnette was scheduled to make his marathon debut today in our nation's
capital. In light of recent events, the staff for the D.C. Marathon called
off their race merely 72 hours before citing security and safety concerns.
But that didn't stop Eric. He felt ready to race and he wasn't about to
put his training to waste.
Eric hopped a plane to Roma! Eric passed the halfway point in 70:18, dead
on the money for a Trials qualifier. But Eric's last minute puddle jumping
was just the tip of the iceberg. The water served at regular water tables
was seltzer water! Eric made due by squeezing regular water out of sponges.
Add 8k worth of cobblestone streets in the latter stages of the race,
and the cards were stacked against our man.
But Eric held on, finishing his first marathon ever in 2:29.15 for 26th place overall! In those circumstances, Eric did a fantastic job! As they say in marathoning, Eric, with one under your belt - you're a veteran!
The Spring is warming up, so keep this site in your favorites list. Plenty of racing to come! Bryan Poerner will be running the 10k at the Raleigh Relays this Friday night! Let's see if Bryan can pick up where he left off in Vegas. And the following week, PhillyTC will have a group at the first Princeton meet. So keep running and keep reading. Ciao!
Rome Marathon
26th Place, Eric Bonnette, 2:29.15
8 March, 2003
Gloucester City, NJ
Well, it isn't the biggest annual road race in the Philadelphia area,
but you wouldn't know it from looking at the starting line. The St. Patty's
Day run has been around for a few years now, and has even changed locations,
but it has been growing the whole time. Our guys toed the line with other
top runners in the metropolitan area including two representatives from
Bryan Mawr, Olympic Trials qualifier Terrence Mahon, and a one-time USATF
10k champ in Mike Myktok.
But the guys showed their mettle, winning the team score and placing runners in most of the odd positions among the top- 3,5,7, and 9! All our guys ran solidly today, but the focus would have to go to the back of our team score. Mike Walker made a decent return to racing - showing potential for better times in the near future. Tim ran a good race - proving that his focus on the shorter races during the winter will help in the long term. And although he will need more time, Carmine Gentile has proven his re-dedication to his training.
In the near term, PhillyTC finds Eric Bonnette toeing the line in his long-awaited marathon debut! And the team is sending a rather sizeable contingent down to N.C. State for the Raleigh Relays. With plans constantly changing and people re-evaluating where their fitness levels are, etc. - the schedule can always change. Thus we might also have a man or two racing the Bancroft 5k in Haddonfield or opting out of Raleigh for the early Princeton meet. Any way around, the winter seems to be melting away, thank God. So head on outdoors and catch our guys in action when they run near you!
St. Patty's Day Running of the Green
3rd Place, Bryan Poerner, 15:03
5th Place, Eric Bonnette, 15:29
7th Place, Timothy Callinan, 15:44
9th Place, Mike Walker, 15:50
16th Place, Carmine Gentile, 17:10
February,
2003
Williamsburg, Virginia
This past weekend, PhillyTC found one of its delegates back at his alma
mater for the Colonial Half Marathon. And Eric showed his old school that
he has been making the transition to post-collegiate running. Eric placed
5th overall in 1:10.56 - a great finish with a solid field up front! Conditions
on the day found 30 mph headwinds during the last 6 miles of this
race. Eric shared the lead with Elly Rono(2:12 Marathon and 1:04 Half
in the past 2 months) for the first 10k. At the finish, Eric found himself
not too far behind the talented Kenyan - who won the race in 1:08.06.
The other three finishers in front of Eric comprised of two Kenyans and
one American. Nice running, Eric. Things look like they're falling into
place for the D.C. Marathon! As we ride out this unbelieveable weather,
PhillyTC will be looking forward to warmer temperatures and hotter times.
'Til next time, folks!
Colonial Half Marathon
Bonnette, Eric, 1:10.56
16 February, 2003
Haverford, PA; Boston, MA
When will the snow and cold end? It is driving some of us quite mad. Take
a look at Bill to the right, just finishing 20+ miles in winter wonderland.
Does not look like he can take much more. Is this Philadelphia or Siberia?
Please someone, turn the heat on. Now for the more sane members who choose
to race inside, out of the cold...
Tim starts an early weekend of racing for two members of the team at the Haverford Quad Meet on Thursday night. Working on his speed for the 5 and 10 come outdoor, Tim doubles in the 1500 and 800. Tim runs 4:11 in the 1500m and follows it up with a 2:07 800m 20 minutes later. More positive work for Tim. The results of this meet have not yet been posted.
Although not his orginal intention, Brian finds himself running the mile as well this weekend at the newly-named FasTrack Invitational. Unfortunately, a scheduling mix-up found Brian missing the Championship heats, so Brian made the best of it by running the Developmental Mile - which he won in 4:12.34. Nice running, Brian, despite the mix-up.
For local residents pick up the new winter issue of the Philadelphia Independent. There is a great article on our own Bryan Poerner and his recent rise out of post-college running mediocrity to become one of the area's premiere distance athletes. Also check back to this site next week - as Eric is running the Colonial Half Marathon!
Haverford Quad Meet
Timothy Callinan, 1500m, 4:11, 800m, 2:07
FasTrack Invitational
Brian Gallagher, Mile, 4:12.34
9 February, 2003
Since our inception in 2000, Philadelphia Track Club (nee Surekill TC)
has strived to train and race at the highest possible level. We have no
formal sponsorship, no funding of any kind. All we have is each other
and you guys - the friends and family who make it that much better. We
can't do it without you. And every year, we have raised the bar. For those
who think we might not be around, who think we're a flash in the pan -
we're setting the bar even higher for 2003. In just over one month's time,
this is what has been accomplished so far:
2 February, 2003
Las Vegas Half Marathon
Proving PhillyTC's range and depth, three of the guys head out to the
gambling mecca to roll the dice on the roads. Snake eyes! Bill and Bryan
go 1-2 in the Half Marathon, running 1:08.53 and 1:09.49 respectively
on a day which saw winds reach reported speeds of 40-50mph! Awesome guys!
Pete Dougherty returns to racing after a very long time off and runs a
splenid 1:14.03 in a first effort. NOW WE'RE ROLLING!
More Information:
http://www.lvmarathon.com
26
January, 2003
Haverford Invitational
The very next day, more guys take to the track locally. In the first section
of the 1500m at Haverford, Will Brownbeck finishes second in a promising
4:00.0. Tim follows suit by finishing second in the 2nd section of the
1500m! Tim runs 4:08.3, bettering most of the times run in the first section!
Mike Walker returns to action after a hiatus and posts an early result
with a 15:40.4 5000m.
More Information:
http://www.haverford.edu
25 January, 2003
Terrier Invitational
Staying hot on the track, Brian Gallagher and Eric Bonnette head up to
the new track at BU. Training for the D.C. Marathon, Eric has a tough
night. But Brian grabs himself a new 3000m PR and a new club record! He
finished sixth overall in this stacked field with an 8:13.03!
More Information:
http://www.bu.edu
18 January, 2003
Delaware Invitational #2
Now off the market Brian Gallagher kicks off his winter for Philly, doubling
at a low-key meet at the Univeristy of Delaware. All indications are that
Brian is ready to go! In his very first effort, he produces a great 2:33.81
(1000m), 4:16.36 (Mile) double! Now we're talking!
More Information:
http://www.udel.edu/sportsinfo/mens_indoor_track/
12 January, 2003
Mizuno Hong Kong Half Marathon Championships
Bryan Poerner gets the year off to a running start - with an unbelieveable
performance half-way around the world! Visiting PhillyTC fan (and Bryan's
girlfriend Thi), Poerner finds himself toeing the line at the Hong Kong
Half Marathon Championships. But Bryan must not have heard that the race
is sponsored by Mizuno - who obviously wants their top athlete - Gezehegna
Abera (2000 Olympic Marathon Champion) - to have an easy day running.
Bryan leads Abera and another Ehtiopian through the 15k mark before being
relegated to third overall! Absolutely awesome performance against truly
world class runners! Bryan completes the hilly course in 1:10.28
More Information:
http://hkaaa.com
2003 Races
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
|
|
