News
Steps to the Cure 5K, May 18, 2008
HRW showed up at the annual Steps to the Cure with 9 racewalkers, one cheerleader (Vijaya Dandi) and one proud volunteer (Alan Poisner). On a beautiful May morning, the racewalkers (and 400 other pedestrians) follwed the streets of south Overland Park and returned to some nice refreshments. In addition several of our members won nice door prizes. And a couple won prizes in both the racewalking and running divisions. The Dandi family came away with the most medals and prizes (see the Results link), with Raj and daughter Lakshmi taking first and second place. Well done!
Broadway Bridge 5K Run-April 20, 2008
Racewalkers out-paced the Runners in the 70+ age divisions of the Broadway Bridge 5K Race this year. On a very hilly course that started at the City Market and went over the Broadway Bridge to the old airport before returning, two of HRW's septugenarians took first place awards. Alan Poisner took 1st in the 70-74; and Floyd Delon, our Columbia, MO member, took 1st in the 75-79 (see Results link). They were both on the victory stand at the same time, sporting our colorful red and white uniforms. The race benefitted the Special Olympics.
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Brew to Brew 42-mile Relay-April 6, 2008
HRW once again had two teams in the 2008 version of the Brew to Brew Relay: Walking Warriors (WW) and the Primary Perpetual Pedestrians (PPP). The first walkers were bussed from the Boulevard Brewery at 6:00 am to the starting line about a mile away in KC. Our teams ended in Lawrence about 9 hours later. The weather cooperated this year for a change (from 50-60 degrees).
We had 6 veterans this year (Alan Poisner, Phil Jacobs, Nancy Perih, Steve Batthauer, Susan Rico and BJ Thornburg) and 4 rookies (Mark Landry Raj Dandi, Kiara Bunton and Bo Kremer). The first few legs had been modified and the overall length was about one mile short this year. Our two teams finished within one-second of each other (see Results). Each walker did two relay legs totaling 8-10 miles. The race was scored with age- and gender-based handicaps. After the handicaps were factored in, PPP was about 26 min ahead of WW. As usual, both of our teams beat a number of running teams.
Congratulations to all of these HRW members who competed in this 8th year of our participation. Special congratulations to our rookies, including Kiara Bunton, perhaps the youngest of the 2,000 participants. Pictures from this event can be found at the PICTURES link on our homepage (click on FLICKR link and then on the individual photos for captions). Results will also be found in the RESULTS link.
WW Team: Mark Landry (Captain), BJ Thornburg, Susan Rico, Bo Kremer and Steve Batthauer. PPP Team: Alan Poisner (Captain), Phil Jacobs, Nancy Perih, Kiara Bunton and Bo Kremer.
We had 6 veterans this year (Alan Poisner, Phil Jacobs, Nancy Perih, Steve Batthauer, Susan Rico and BJ Thornburg) and 4 rookies (Mark Landry Raj Dandi, Kiara Bunton and Bo Kremer). The first few legs had been modified and the overall length was about one mile short this year. Our two teams finished within one-second of each other (see Results). Each walker did two relay legs totaling 8-10 miles. The race was scored with age- and gender-based handicaps. After the handicaps were factored in, PPP was about 26 min ahead of WW. As usual, both of our teams beat a number of running teams.
Congratulations to all of these HRW members who competed in this 8th year of our participation. Special congratulations to our rookies, including Kiara Bunton, perhaps the youngest of the 2,000 participants. Pictures from this event can be found at the PICTURES link on our homepage (click on FLICKR link and then on the individual photos for captions). Results will also be found in the RESULTS link.
WW Team: Mark Landry (Captain), BJ Thornburg, Susan Rico, Bo Kremer and Steve Batthauer. PPP Team: Alan Poisner (Captain), Phil Jacobs, Nancy Perih, Kiara Bunton and Bo Kremer.
Racewalking Clinic by Jonathan Matthews-April 26-27, 2008
Jonathan Matthews, a champion and record holder in Masters racewalking, presented his postponed two-day clinic April 26-27 in Overland Park, KS. Jonathan taught us to be our own coach. He made presentations covering technique (including slow-motion video analysis), training methods, nutrition, stretching and other methods to improve racewalking results. 17 walkers attended this clinic, ranging in age from 14 to 91 and from beginners to elite. Included among the attendees were Tom Stolee and Chris Stegtmeier from Concordia College in Nebraska. Chris represented the U.S. in the World Cup Team event in Russia a week later. All were impressed with the expertise that Jonathan showed and felt that their racewalking techinique and training were greatly improved.
New Year's Day Walk and Eat
The annual New Year's Day walk (sponsored by the KC Track Club) starts at 10:00 at the Athletic Club of Overland Park, 10440 Marty. After the non-competitive walk, there will be hot drinks and food afterwards inside the club. Check with Alan if you plan to attend
USATF Mo Valley Cross Country Championships
Six members of HRW served as volunteers at the Missouri Valley USATF Cross-Country championships on Nov. 17 at the Rim Rock course in Lawrence. Jean Brunnenkant, Pamela Felton, Floyd Delon, Forrest and Ruth Weddle, and Alan Poisner helped on a beautiful shirt-sleeve day on an excellent course. Most of the participants were young runners under the age of 18.
Annual Party and Elections-Dec. 1, 2007
25 members attended our annual holiday party this year at the Fitness Plus facility. Along with refreshments and the annual “State of the Club” report by the president, a number of awards were presented. Newcomers of the Year were the Dandi family, Raj, Vijaya, Santosh and Lakshmi. They received a DVD and accompanying book of Jeff Salvage series on “Racewalk like a Champion”. Awards of special shirts were given to Kathy Dockter and Elaine Wheeler who accumulated the most points for participation in the last 6 months. Congratulations to all. Thanks to Amy Christensen, Peg Armstrong and Sarah Justice for helping with the refreshments. Elections were held and the officers elected were: President: Alan Poisner; Vice-President: Forrest Weddle; Secretary: Sarah Justice; Treasurer: Tom Oakes. All who would like to participate in the open Board meetings are invited to come at 9:00 on the last Saturday of the month (let Alan know ahead of time). New special technical shirts were distributed to all who renewed their membership. Those who have not yet renewed can send in the forms or bring them in when they next come to clinic.
Run to Feed the Hungry 5K-Nov. 22, 2007
Alan Poisner made his annual Thanksgiving trip to Sacramento to spend time with his children and grandchildren and also took advantage of the Turkey day race. There were over 22,000 people who ran or walked the 5K or 10K. Alan walked the 5K (no walking division) and took first place in the 70-74 division. His son David and two granddaughters joined the throng for an untimed walk. See RESULTS link. Another tradition that that he was able to do was walking with Pacific Racewalking Organization (PRO) members Dick Petruzzi and Andree Enos. Dick and Alan have been walking together for almost 20 years.
Gobbler Grind-Nov. 18, 2007
Two of our members did the half-marathon in this Thanksgiving period set of races in Overland Park. Alan Poisner and our new member Roger Haynie did the half-marathon and Floyd Delon did the 5K. Alan took first in the racewalking division and second in the running division (70-74). Floyd was first in the 75-79 division in the 5K. Alan used his six-layer approach to keep warm this year. See RESULTS link.
Cliffhanger 5K-Nov. 4, 2007
This classic race in the beautiful northeast area of Kansas City always features a pancake breakfast afterwards and that attracts many runners and walkers. We also supplied three volunteers: Tom Young, Alan Poisner and Phil Jacobs. The fastest walker was Eileen McManus, followed by Fred Adams, Moe Lago, and Floyd Delon. The KC Track club, with Sue Robinette as race director, did a great job. See RESULTS link.
Blue Springs Half-Marathon Relay-Oct. 28, 2007
HRW fielded 4 teams ranging in age from 13 to 78 this year in the Blue Springs Relay in Independence, MO. Each team had three or four members, walking distances for 2.2 to 8.5 miles. The results were age- and gender-graded. The team led by Nancy Perih took first after the time was handicap-adjusted. The unique events this year included the side trips that Floyd Delon and Elaine Wheeler took during the second leg and the solo half-marathon that Alan ended up doing because of the no-show of one his team members. It was a quite cold day but our members kept warm with their brisk walking pace and our club provided a significant number of participants in this event that also featured 50-mile, 50K, marathon and half-marathon solo races. See RESULTS link.
Huntsman World Senior Games-Oct. 15-16, 2007
Fred Adams, Floyd Delon and Alan Poisner went to the annual Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, UT, along with 12,000 other athletes from around the country. Fred took a Gold medal in the 3,000 meter race and Silver medals in the 1500 meter and the 5K events in the 70-74 division. Alan took Gold medals in the 1500 meter and 5K races and was also serenaded with a Happy Birthday chorus on the track after winning the 1500 meter race in the 70-74 age group. The results are shown at the RESULTS link. Our walkers were also able to take side trips to Zion National Park and Las Vegas in their Western junket. It was a well run meet in a beautiful part of the country. Next year we hope to have even more club member show our
Patriots Day Run
On 9/11, HRW fielded two teams (11 on a team) in this year’s Patriots Day Run in Olathe. This unique event challenges runners and walkers to accumulate as many miles as possible in 9 hrs and 11 min (from noon to 9:11 pm) in order to support first responders that helped in New York. The Salvation Army was the beneficiary this year. Under excellent weather conditions our two teams (Avengers-Captain Fred Adams; and Perpetual Pedestrians-Captain Alan Poisner) kept the 0.73 mile loop around Two Trails Park in Olathe constantly under foot. Our walkers completed 1-15 laps, ranging from 10 min to 130 min (0.7-10.9 miles). In addition to running teams, a number of individual runners completed marathons or ultra-distances. Needless to say, we took first and second place in the walking division. There was a simultaneous race in Iraq (4:00 am locally) where one of last year’s race organizers was deployed. Results will are to be shown in our results link. We had the largest complement of competitors and received excellent recognition from BJ the DJ, Tony Drew, the race organizer, and Dick Ross who took many photos of our troops (see our pictures link). Our members deserve kudos for their efforts to support the cause and provide more positive PR for racewalking. Especial thanks to Jean Brunnenkant and Tom Young, the oldest competitors and our own superstars.
National Senior Olympics June 30-July 2, 2007
Heartland Racewalkers set a new record at the National Senior Olympics in Louisvile, KY, bringing home 3 Gold Medals, 4 Silvers Medals, 2 Bronze Medals and 4 Ribbons. There were a number of highlights: Jean Brunnenkant (90-94) won Gold Medals in both the 1500 meters and the 5K racewalks; marking the fourth different age division in which she has won one or more Gold Medals. Tom Young, also in the 90-94 division, brought home two Silver Medals. Martie Lykens won a Silver Medal in the 1500 meters (75-79), improving on her Bronze from 2005, and a 5th place Ribbon in the 5K. Alan Poisner won a Gold Medal in the 1500 meters and a Silver Medal in the 5K (70-74), improving on his two Bronze Medals from 2005 and two Silver from 2003. Eileen McManus, our rookie, took two Bronze medals (50-54). Detailed results are found at the RESULTS link.
Walkers in short and long races
HRW raced for distances from 1500 meters to 26.2 miles in the last few months. Nancy Perih racewalked the Lake Geneva marathon on May and put in a 6:47:39 time. That was faster than her first marathon in Des Moines even though she walked an extra 0.6 miles. She continues to improve and is looking forward to more full and half-marathons. Our younger pedestrians were also putting in some good marks. At the AAU Regionals in Joplin in June, Lakshmi Dandi, age 9, took 3rd place in the Girls 1500 meter race (Sub-bantam) in a time of 11:48; her brother Santosh, took the Gold in the Boys 3000 meters (Sub-Youth) in 27:29. This was the first competitive walk at those distances for them and it qualifies for the nationals to be held later this month in Knoxville. Our more experienced youth walker, Kiara Bunton, took 2nd overall in the Girls 3000 meters (Youth) in an excellent (PR) time of 18:39. We are proud of the accomplishments of all of these walkers. On July 4th, Alan Poisner took 4th place in the Freedom Run in Lenexa in the 70-74 divisions (no walking division) in 33:44. That was just two days after he raced the 5K on the hilly course in Louisville. His next race is the State Games of America in Colorado Springs in August.
HRW helps local track club-June 2007
The The Johnson County Track Club has asked HRW for help in preparing some of their members for competition. The various divisions, depending on age, compete in races from 1500 meters to 5K. The younger members do the 1500 or 3000 meters. Alan met with parents on June 11 and Fred Adams and Alan met with some young potential racewalkers on June 18 at the Johnson County Community College Track. A boy and a girl and their father came to our June 16 club clinic. We hope to continue this relationship and introduce both the parents and their kids to our sport. Several kids will be racewalking in the regionals. The top four finishers in the regionals qualify for the nationals. More news on our youth initiative will be presented in the future.
HRW on the Radio-June 9, 2007
On Saturday at 7:30, our president, Alan Poisner, was interviewed on KCMX-97.3 FM on the Weekend Warrior Radio Show. The host, Steve Frisch, asked Alan to explain racewalking and our club’s activities. The host had done his homework by viewing our homepage and looking up information, so the questions were pertinent and covered lots of racewalking history and details about our club during the 25 min interview. We have a tape of the show and it will be played at our July 7 monthly meeting.
Brew to Brew 43-mile Relay-April 1, 2007
HRW had two teams in the 2007 version of the Brew to Brew Relay that started at the Boulevard Brewery in KC and ended in Lawrence a few blocks from the Freestate Brewery: Walkers without Wheels (WWW) and Still to be Determined (StbD). The good (weather) news was that it was on April 1st instead of the middle of March as in past years when it was frequently really cold. The not so good news is that we walked into wind gusts that sometimes blew up to 30 miles an hour. Nevertheless, our stalwart group of walkers managed to get to the starting line before the 6:00 am beginning (in time for pictures) and reached Lawrence about 9.5 hours later. This was within one minute of Alan’s pre-race prediction.
We had 3 veterans this year (Alan Poisner, Phil Jacobs and BJ Thornburg) and 7 rookies (Forrest & Ruth Weddle, Nancy Perih, Marja-Lisa Paulson, Kathy Dockter, Elaine Wheeler and Steve Batthauer). Nancy Perih gets credit for the most mileage for the day since she drove in from Topeka for the start and returned to KC after the race to pick up her car for the return trip. Each walker did two relay legs totaling 8-10 miles. The race was scored with age- and gender-based handicaps. WWW finished in 9 hrs 37 min and StbD in 9 hrs 30 min. After the handicaps were factored in, the Net Times were WWW: 8:05 and StbD: 8:10. Both of these net times were faster than those of a number of running teams: 2 All-woman teams, 2 handicap teams, 13 solo men and 6 solo women.
Congratulations to all of these HRW members who competed in this 7th year of our participation. Pictures from this event can be found at the PICTURES link on our homepage (click on FLICKR link and then on the individual photos for captions). Results will also be found in the RESULTS link.
WWW (Red Team): Forrest & Ruth Weddle (Captains and drivers), Nancy Perih, BJ Thornburg, Steve Batthaur.
StbD (Blue Team): Alan Poisner (Captain and part-time driver), Phil Jacobs (Driver), Kathy Dockter, Elaine Wheeler, Marja-Lisa Paulson.
We had 3 veterans this year (Alan Poisner, Phil Jacobs and BJ Thornburg) and 7 rookies (Forrest & Ruth Weddle, Nancy Perih, Marja-Lisa Paulson, Kathy Dockter, Elaine Wheeler and Steve Batthauer). Nancy Perih gets credit for the most mileage for the day since she drove in from Topeka for the start and returned to KC after the race to pick up her car for the return trip. Each walker did two relay legs totaling 8-10 miles. The race was scored with age- and gender-based handicaps. WWW finished in 9 hrs 37 min and StbD in 9 hrs 30 min. After the handicaps were factored in, the Net Times were WWW: 8:05 and StbD: 8:10. Both of these net times were faster than those of a number of running teams: 2 All-woman teams, 2 handicap teams, 13 solo men and 6 solo women.
Congratulations to all of these HRW members who competed in this 7th year of our participation. Pictures from this event can be found at the PICTURES link on our homepage (click on FLICKR link and then on the individual photos for captions). Results will also be found in the RESULTS link.
WWW (Red Team): Forrest & Ruth Weddle (Captains and drivers), Nancy Perih, BJ Thornburg, Steve Batthaur.
StbD (Blue Team): Alan Poisner (Captain and part-time driver), Phil Jacobs (Driver), Kathy Dockter, Elaine Wheeler, Marja-Lisa Paulson.
Annual Year-End Party Dec. 9, 2006
Our annual holiday party was held at the home of Forrest and Ruth Weddle in Olathe. 21 members enjoyed great food and viewed some excellent video and still photography that are part of Forrest’s many talents. We observed a moment of silence in honor of our late friend Al Armstrong. Awards were given to those who accumulated the most points in the past 6 months. The top two were Floyd Delon and Martie Lykens. Door prizes included pedometers, racewalking books and videos. Alan presented the State of the Club address and thanked the officers and board members who had served in the past year. Deana Garza, the youngest member present, was given a special award. Election results: President: Alan Poisner; Vice-President: Amy Christensen; Secretary: Sarah Justice; Treasurer, Tom Oakes. We look forward to 2007, Heartland Racewalker’s 18th year.
Gobbler Grind Half-Marathon Nov. 19, 2006
The Gobbler Grind half-marathon was the same distance this year but started at a different location: Corporate Woods. A constant was the cold weather-but at least it was dry. BJ Thornburg and Alan Poisner carried the colors for HRW.. They not only won medals as racewalkers but also received medals in the running division. Alan did not break his record of last year when he wore 7 layers, but he did have two pairs of pants and pairs of gloves in this race which is managed by our friend Rusty Collins. His time was the best that he had done in the past 4 years. BJ was racing just a few days after a bad cold and successfully finished her second 13.1-mile race (see RESULTS link). We are especially proud of our large number of volunteers that included: Tom Young, Ruth & Forrest Weddle, Sarah Justice, Nancy Perih (from Topeka) and Juli Williams. Many thanks to them and all of the other volunteers.
Clifhanger 5K-Nov. 5, 2006
A small but mighty contingent of HRW walkers entered the Cliffhanger 5K this year on a cool and dry day. Ruth Weddle was the sole entrant in the female division and she finished in a tie for first with Moe Lago. Rounding out the field were Wayne Kerns and Floyd Delon. The festivities included a pancake breakfast afterwards.
Our club photographer, Forrest Weddle, took a lot of great shots as did Dick Ross (www.seekcrun.com). You can see photos there and on our PICTURES (Flickr) link. Detailed results can be found at the RESULTS link.
Our club photographer, Forrest Weddle, took a lot of great shots as did Dick Ross (www.seekcrun.com). You can see photos there and on our PICTURES (Flickr) link. Detailed results can be found at the RESULTS link.
Blue Springs Half-Marathon Relay-October 29, 2006
This year HRW entered 4 teams in a new event: a half-marathon relay. The four teams and their members were: Yet To Be Determined (Alan Poisner; Moe Lago; Kathy Dockter); Ancient Chinese Secret (BJ Thornburg; Amy Christensen; Steve Batthauer); Wily Walkers (Eileen McManus; Juli Williams; Phil Jacobs) and Ricos Rockin Walkers (Susan Rico; Floyd Delon; Ruth Weddle). The weather was favorable and the walkers were fast. The first three teams finished within 2 minutes of each other. When the handicap points were applied, Yet To Be Determined and Ancient Chinese Secret took the usual top prizes (bottles of champagne). Detailed results can be found at the RESULTS link.
Long distance walkers excel
Fall 2006 found three HRW members logging some long miles in special events. Susan Rico succeeded in the 60-mile three-day Komen Foundation walk for breast cancer-Sept. 15-17. Susan also raised $2,200 for the cause. BJ Thornburg walked her very first half-marathon in the Waddell & Reed race on Oct 7, 2006. She finished in a very impressive 2:53:59. On Oct. 1, Eileen McManus entered her first marathon, the judged Portland Marathon racewalk. Not only did she take first place in the masters division, she took second place overall of all 23 walkers who entered the race. Her time was an excellent 5:04. Congratulations to all.
Kansas Senior Olympics-Sept. 24, 2006
Heartland Racewalkers walked away with a slew of medals in their age divisions in the 1500 meter and 5K racewalks at the 2006 Senior Games at Hummer Park in Topeka. Detailed results can be found at the RESULTS link. Members and their medals included: MEN: Bob Gaston (from Lincoln, NE): 2 Golds; Alan Poisner: 2 Golds; Fred Adams: 2 Silvers; Floyd Delon: 2 Golds: Tom Young: 2 Golds. WOMEN: Eileen McManus: 1 Gold; Nancy Perih: 1 Silver; BJ Thorburg: 1 Silver; Ruth Weddle: 1 Silver; Julie Haller: 2 Golds; Martie Lykens: 2 Golds; Jean Brunnenkant: 1 Gold. This is the fourth different age division in which Jean Brunnenkant has won Gold medals and her time in the 1500 meter race corresponds to an 85% in the age-graded system. This was the first time that some of our members had competed in a rigorously judge race and we now have 12 who have qualified for the national Senior Games in Louisville in June 2007.
KC Senior Games 5K Sept. 17, 2006
The 3rd annual Kansas City Senior Games (sponsored by the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department) was held at Heritage Park in Olathe The racewalk event this year was a 5K and featured 12 walkers in 7 different age divisions. We also had two members who entered the 5K run that started at the same time. The weather almost prevented the race since there was a great deal of lightning a few hours before the start. Heartland Racewalkers in our colorful red shirts were the most visible part of this race.
Awards were given to 1st and 2nd place finishers in 5-year age-divisions. All of our members took Gold and Silver medals-good planning! The fastest male and female walkers were Fred Adams and BJ Thornburg. The top age-graded finisher was Jean Brunnenkant, who is now racing in the 90-94 division! Results will be posted at the RESULTS link at our website. Pictures have also been posted (click on PICTURES and then FLICKR PAGE).
Volunteers were Sarah Justice, Tom Young and Alan Poisner, racewalk director. We thank Julie Sano and Nancy Befort from the Jo Co Parks & Rec. for their support.
Awards were given to 1st and 2nd place finishers in 5-year age-divisions. All of our members took Gold and Silver medals-good planning! The fastest male and female walkers were Fred Adams and BJ Thornburg. The top age-graded finisher was Jean Brunnenkant, who is now racing in the 90-94 division! Results will be posted at the RESULTS link at our website. Pictures have also been posted (click on PICTURES and then FLICKR PAGE).
Volunteers were Sarah Justice, Tom Young and Alan Poisner, racewalk director. We thank Julie Sano and Nancy Befort from the Jo Co Parks & Rec. for their support.
Annual Be-A-Walker 5K Sept. 9, 2006
The 17th Annual McNaughton Be-A-Walker predicted-time 5K sponsored by the Heartland Racewalkers was held in Roe Park on Sept. 9. This year the rain preceded the race and left puddles and mud on the course. So our walkers got to walk on asphalt, water, mud and grass. Thanks to Amy Christensen for coordinating the refreshments and to our volunteers: Don Swegel, Tom Young, Fred Adams, Forrest Weddle (photographer) and race director Alan Poisner. Some pictures from the event can be found now at the PICTURES link at this site (click on flickr link). The full results for all walkers will be found at the RESULTS link. Medals were awarded to the winners in the predicted-time race (Julie Haller, Wayne Kerns and Tom Oakes). The top age-graded walkers were Jean Brunnenkant, Ruth Wedddle and Martie Lykens. Jessica Brockmeier was the fastest walker in her very first 5K-congratulations.
The weatherman always makes this race interesting-and it is always fun.
The weatherman always makes this race interesting-and it is always fun.
HRW at the USATF and AAU Junior Olympics
The HRW youth corps had outstanding results at national Junior Olympics in July. Dean Garza took 5th place in her heat and 15th overall at the USATF Junior Olympics in the Youth division in Baltimore on July 25 in 20:44.45. Kiara Bunton took 5th place in the AAU Junior Olympics in Norfolk, Va in the Sub-youth division with a PR time of 18:37.69. We are very proud of Deana and Kiara and look forward to their continued accomplishments.
Farewell party for Josh Ginsburg
HRW had a farewell party on July 1st for Josh Ginsbur who is moving to Indianapolis. We will miss Josh who made great contributions to our club during his short stay in KC.
Kiara Bunton takes another medal
Kiana Bunto set a personal record (PR) in the 3K to take the Silver Medal at the Region 8 AAU Championship in Joplin on June 30. Congratulations Kiara. Next up is the National championship in Norfolk
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Rochelle Mueller garners awards at National Transplant Games in Louisville
Rochelle Mueller made a successful return to the National Transplant Games. It was held in Louisville this year and Rochelle took the Silver medal in the 1500 meter racewalk in a time of 11:17. That was 12 seconds faster than she did in 2004 in Minneapolis. This was in a weekend where she also competed in a number of other sports, receiving a silver medal in 3 on 3 coed basketball and a bronze medal in table tennis. She also competed in volleyball and softball throw. What a great showing! We are really proud of Rochelle.
More Gold Medals for Mike Wiggins
Mike Wiggins, our Iowa member, had an outstanding set of races at the National Championships in Hawaii in 2005. He took first in the M55 5K in 23:41 and another Gold medal in the 10K in 54:17. He also got to visit Waikiki Beach. He claims that he just does interval training one day a week and alternates long and short walk on the other days. His success is due in part to his careful planning and pre-race strategy. Of course it helps that he is an outstanding athlete. Congratulations to Mike.
And we are looking forward to more great races in 2006.
And we are looking forward to more great races in 2006.
Hospital Hill
June 3: Eileen McManus and Alan Poisner took to the hills at the 19th Annual Hospital Hill 12K. On a near perfect day, they strode the 7.5 mile course together and finished in 86 minutes. Alan calculated that this was a decrease in speed of 14 seconds per year since he first did this race in 1991. The relatively fast times were due to (1) the recent clinic by Jeff Salvage and (2) the pace that Eileen was easily able to sustain. See our pictures link for photos
Brew to Brew March 19. 2006
SEE RESULTS LINK LATER FOR OFFICIAL TIMES
On a cold and windy day, Heartland Racewalkers broke several records and made noteworthy accomplishments in this year’s version of the Brew to Brew 43.2 mile relay from downtown Kansas City to Lawrence.
1. HRW fielded two teams of five walkers-a first!!
2. The two teams finished just one minute apart after almost 9 hours of walking
3. We had 3 volunteers: John Anderson, Lauriann Lund (also walkers) and Tom Oakes. Special thanks to Tom Oakes who had to stand outside in some tough conditions.
4. Susan Rico-Ahrens did three legs (she is training for a half-marathon). Great going!
5. John Anderson reached the exchange point about 30 second before his leg was to start, providing some excitement for the WWW team. He did have the pleasure of doing the leg that included an aquatic experience.
6. At the half-way point, both teams made the exchange exactly according to Alan’s pre-race prediction (10:29 and 10:40).
7. The second half of the race was faster than predicted, probably because the wind was at our back AND we wanted to finish faster so we could go eat.
8. BJ Thornburg, our rookie, performed brilliantly and even had her hubby as a cheering section for part of the race.
9. Alan set a personal record by wearing 8 layers of clothing for the last leg, that still did not bring him up to the average weight of his team.
10. Because of more handicap points, the PPP team actually did prevail, but we all shared in a fun and exciting experience. We’ve been told that a trophy awaits the team.
PERPETUAL PEDESTRIANS PREVAIL: Final Non-Adjusted = 529:03
Phil Jacobs, Amy Christensen, Eileen McManus, BJ Thornburg, Alan Poisner
WICKED WANDERING WALKERS: Final Non-Adjusted = 530:23
Tom Zinchuk, Patty Zinchuk, Lauriann Lund, Susan Rico-Ahrens, John Anderson
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On a cold and windy day, Heartland Racewalkers broke several records and made noteworthy accomplishments in this year’s version of the Brew to Brew 43.2 mile relay from downtown Kansas City to Lawrence.
1. HRW fielded two teams of five walkers-a first!!
2. The two teams finished just one minute apart after almost 9 hours of walking
3. We had 3 volunteers: John Anderson, Lauriann Lund (also walkers) and Tom Oakes. Special thanks to Tom Oakes who had to stand outside in some tough conditions.
4. Susan Rico-Ahrens did three legs (she is training for a half-marathon). Great going!
5. John Anderson reached the exchange point about 30 second before his leg was to start, providing some excitement for the WWW team. He did have the pleasure of doing the leg that included an aquatic experience.
6. At the half-way point, both teams made the exchange exactly according to Alan’s pre-race prediction (10:29 and 10:40).
7. The second half of the race was faster than predicted, probably because the wind was at our back AND we wanted to finish faster so we could go eat.
8. BJ Thornburg, our rookie, performed brilliantly and even had her hubby as a cheering section for part of the race.
9. Alan set a personal record by wearing 8 layers of clothing for the last leg, that still did not bring him up to the average weight of his team.
10. Because of more handicap points, the PPP team actually did prevail, but we all shared in a fun and exciting experience. We’ve been told that a trophy awaits the team.
PERPETUAL PEDESTRIANS PREVAIL: Final Non-Adjusted = 529:03
Phil Jacobs, Amy Christensen, Eileen McManus, BJ Thornburg, Alan Poisner
WICKED WANDERING WALKERS: Final Non-Adjusted = 530:23
Tom Zinchuk, Patty Zinchuk, Lauriann Lund, Susan Rico-Ahrens, John Anderson
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Jeff Salvage Clinic in Kansas
May 6-7: Jeff Salvage, a nationally recognized racewalking coach, conducted a two-day clinic in Overland Park with the help of Josh Ginsburg. He utilized stop-action and video recording of walkers for feedback and individual instruction. Walkers from Missouri, Iowa and Kansas attended. The age range was 12-89. See www.racewalk.com for photos
Award for Jean Brunnenkant
The Kansas City Sports Commission has selected Jean Brunnenkant as Senior Sportswoman of the year 2005. The WIN and UMB Bank combined to honor Jean at a luncheon celebration at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Feb. 1.
Her many Gold Medals at National Senior Olympics are just part of the record of her accomplishments. We are proud of Jean who has been an outstanding role model for racewalkers for many years and an inpsiration to women of all ages..
Her many Gold Medals at National Senior Olympics are just part of the record of her accomplishments. We are proud of Jean who has been an outstanding role model for racewalkers for many years and an inpsiration to women of all ages..
November and December Meetings
The November meeting featured our club favorite, Jean Brunnenkant, telling us all about our feet: from structure to function and how to use them for efficient racewalking. She had us all practicing in our stocking feet. We appreciated that she knew what she was talking about-you do not win Gold medals in three different age divisions at the National Senior Olympics without excellent technique.
Later, Martie Lykens told us about her recent trip to Scandinavia and also showed us some beautiful pictures. She is the second club member who has told us about visiting Norway (Trudy Nepstad previously described her marathon experience there).
Our December 3rd meeting was our annual holiday party held at Alan's house. We had 23 members who all received awards and/or prizes. Elections: President: Alan Poisner, Vice-President: Amy Christensen, Secretary: Sarah Justice, Treasurer: Fred Adams. The state of the Club was presented and a good time was had by all.
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Later, Martie Lykens told us about her recent trip to Scandinavia and also showed us some beautiful pictures. She is the second club member who has told us about visiting Norway (Trudy Nepstad previously described her marathon experience there).
Our December 3rd meeting was our annual holiday party held at Alan's house. We had 23 members who all received awards and/or prizes. Elections: President: Alan Poisner, Vice-President: Amy Christensen, Secretary: Sarah Justice, Treasurer: Fred Adams. The state of the Club was presented and a good time was had by all.
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Blue Springs Marathon Relay Oct. 23, 2005
HRW fielded two teams at the annual Marathon Relay hosted by the Blue Springs Runners: the Walking Wonders (Captain-Kathy Cairnes) and Pedestrian Power (Capt- Alan Poinser). Our teams started in the dark and finished 5 hrs and 40 min later in much warmer conditions, just 3 seconds apart. However, with the handicaps (age- and gender), Pedestrian Power came out ahead (see RESULTS link).
The traditiona award (2 bottles) willl be shared at the holiday party on Dec. 3.
The traditiona award (2 bottles) willl be shared at the holiday party on Dec. 3.
Portland to Coast Race
HRW members Carol Goslin and Alan Poisner were on the winning team at the 128-mile Portland to Coast Relay Aug. 26-27. Their team, Portland to Chaos, consisted of 6 men and 6 women in the 40+ age division and finished the journey from Portland through the coast mountains to the coast in less than 23 hours.
There were 315 teams of walkers (most with 12 members) and the race was the same weekend as the Hood to Coast race with 1,000 running teams. Each walker did two legs of about 4-8 miles each with about 11 hours in between.
Carol and Alan were tired but excited to be on the team that not only won their divison but also arrive at the coast before all of the other team. Actual results will be shown on the Results link.
There were 315 teams of walkers (most with 12 members) and the race was the same weekend as the Hood to Coast race with 1,000 running teams. Each walker did two legs of about 4-8 miles each with about 11 hours in between.
Carol and Alan were tired but excited to be on the team that not only won their divison but also arrive at the coast before all of the other team. Actual results will be shown on the Results link.
National Senior Olympics June 13-15, 2005
HRW won 5 medals and 3 ribbons at the Senior Olympics in Pittsburgh. Results of the 5K and 1500 meter races will be posted to the results link. Special congratulations to Martie Lykens who won a medal in her very first national event.