Weekly News Update

Clarksburg 30k and 5k and Half-Marathon and 20 Miler

Wow, what a set of alternatives! While I am the biggest “fan” of the 20 mile distance at Clarksburg, since it is the original “long road race” in all of Northern California, I would encourage Chips to run the 30k as it is the PA-USATF championship event. ONLY the 30K distance scores runners for team and individual awards in the Grand Prix series as Linda Hall also notes in her report….

The Clarksburg series of races had one of the largest turnouts that I remember probably because they offered so many options this year:

5k, half marathon, 30 k (the PAUSATF race), 30 k relay, and 20 miler. The day started sunny and cool and never really warmed up making it perfect long distance running weather. This year's shirt was a technical fabric T shirt and those who signed up in advance, were able to get their preferred sizes while the procrastinators were swimming in the larger sizes.....a real reason to register early.

Chips participated in most or all of the races. It’s just too bad that those who ran the 20 miler, didn't just run the 30 k and then add on 1.4 miles at the end so that we could count them for team scoring...Oh wel,l maybe next year.

While the race went very well for some of us, there was a group of us who turned the wrong way just after the 20k mark due to a negligent course monitor. We went 1 mile or more in the wrong direction before a firetruck came by to tell us we were going the wrong way and to offer us a ride. Guessing that taking a ride would be against USATF rules, we all turned around and went back past the monitor who allowed us to go the wrong way. We had some choice words on the way back for the monitor who claimed he "did not see" us.....

When we complained to the race director at the end, he said: "How could you go wrong, it is an out and back course!" I don't know about the others, but I was just keeping my eyes on the folks ahead of me, trying to stay with them or catch up. Besides, I remember running by open fields and ditches filled with green water and those were also found on the "wrong way" course. Anyway, the good news is that we all still finished and were able to add 2 unexpected miles to our log books at the end of the day!

The Chips I saw were:

30 k Women
Jenny Hitchings (1) 2:05:28
Liz Ware (13) 2:39
June Montuori (2) 2:46:17
Chris Wellins (ageless.....come on Chris, you have to tell them your age so we can score you!)

And a super senior women's team of
Barbara Elia (1) 2:49:17
Cynci Calvin (2) 2:58:24
Linda (wrong way) Hall (5) 4:00:26

30 k Men:
Mark Murray (11) 2:03:00
Dennis Early (9) 2:12:16
John Nichols (16) 2:09:22
Ernie Takahashi (5) 2:19:04
Tony Alvarez 3:07:59

5k
Nova Poff (age group 1st) 26:29
George Billingsley (age group 1st)
Half marathon
Lindsay Pears Dickson (8) 2:07:39 (a significant PR for her!)
Mike Schwartz (14) 2:07:40 (looks like Lindsay out-sprinted him at the end!)

20 miler:
Sharon Lindeque 3:04:24
Frank Slachman 3:22:20
Mike Villierme 3:52:02
Art (wrong way) Smith 4:25:31
Ron Adams also ran, but I don't know which race. I know there were others that I missed. Sorry.

23 November, Sacramento—Run To Feed The Hungry ! Get your entries in NOW !

3 December, Sacramento--- California International Marathon and Relay !