Renegade Ramblings
by Pat Hagan

 Peachtree Road Race - July 4, Atlanta.  Van Townsend led all local runners in the 32nd running of the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta.    Van finished 135th overall (out of FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND RUNNERS) with a great time of 35:32.  Chris Frank was 198th in 38:08, and Daryl Moros also broke the 40-minute barrier with a great time of 39:13.  Other local runners included:  Casey Braddock (1126) 44:55; Pat Hagan (1165) 45:14; Tony Arnold (1287) 45:55; Bruce Conrad (1460) 46:55; Ted Whitfield (1469) 46:46; John Newland (1475) 46:48; Chris Kleehammer (1563) 47:15; Bob Braddock (1686) 47:47; John Hunt (1719) 47:55.  Nike started giving mugs to the top 1,000 back in 1993 and Chris Frank has received one every year.  Pat Hagan missed this year’s mug for the 1st time.   Please note that the times listed are the chip times and not the real running times in most cases.  Peachtree does NOT have a Champion Chip mat at the starting line so the time is started when the Kenyan’s start.   

 Louise Mandrell Boy Scout 5K - July 28, Pigeon Forge.  Judging by the times this race was world class.  Silah Misoi won the race in 14:05 (4:32 pace per mile).  Local master celebrity Van Townsend was 2nd in the 40-44 age group with a great time of 16:59.  Geary Fults was 3rd in the same age group at 19:08.  Jan Gautier was 12th overall woman and 3rd in the 35-39 age group at 18:35. 

 Pigeon Forge Midnight Run 8K, August 4.  Rodney Stoker, who just recently won the Missionary Ridge Road Race, was also the overall winner in this annual event.  Rodney ran a great time of 24:54 to capture the gold. 

 Congratulations to Chad Varga on his recent purchase of the Front Runner in Hixson.  Rad Chad is a great guy and will take good care of his running friends! 

The 22nd annual Strolling Jim ultra-marathon, 41.2 miles or 42.1 miles (no one is sure) of running bliss, was held last Saturday, May 5, 2001.  Two of the Chattanooga Track Club's mentally challenged runners took on this very demanding course this year and both finished and finished well.  Billy Watson ventured into unknown territory after he crossed the 27 mile mark, but the former Baylor school athlete finished standing up and in the top 20 (68 starters) overall  with a fine time of 7 hours, 29 minutes.  Paula Guffey, well known for taking on any challenge, finished her 2nd Strolling Jim and finished in the top half with a excellent time of 8 hours, 10 minutes!  Paula is now ready for the Florida Ironman this November!   Way to go runners!  Now it's time for the Grandfather Mountain Marathon, July 14th, in Boone, N. C.
Results from the Country Music Marathon - Nashville, Tennessee - April 28, 2001: On a bright sunny day in the music city nearly 6,000 runners survived the intense sun & heat.  The temperature at race time was 68 degrees and it must have been 85 degrees by noon, when most of the runners were staggering in. The course is tough enough with all the hills but the shade less course made this day one of survival.  Tom Sell finished 47th overall and 7th in his age group (30-34) and broke 3 hours!  Pat Hagan was 199th overall and 7th in the GRANDMASTER age group of 50-59.  Sarah Bowen was 4th in her age group (45-49).  18 year-old Scott McDowell was 8th in the 15-19 age group. Congratulations to all who survived from Chattanooga and surrounding areas:   

 

Tom Sell        2:59:55   

Pat Hagan 3:29:36   

Richard Rogers 3:37:38   

Lee Davis 3:39:56   

James Williams 3:41:47   

Paul Stephenson 3:43:34   

Jodi Davis 3:47:23   

Sarah Bowen 3:51:03   

Christy Charman 3:58:38   

Scott McDowell 4:06:33  

Frank Chastain 4:08:23   

Bo Towns 4:13:10   

James Knox 4:14:36   

Lisa Sims 4:17:45

Vee Spears 4:20:16   

Travis Nowell 4:21:34   

Linda Andreae 4:29:11   

Diane Rogers-Weikel 7:02:46   

Brenton Floyd 7:57:10 (estimated)   

Betty Burrell 9:43:22 (estimated) 

 

Official website of the Country Music Marathon

Results from the Raccoon Mountain Fat Ass 50K held on January 6, 2001: 

Glen Hicks, Flat Rock, Alabama      4:40 

Matt Cook, Nashville, Tennessee   4:50 

Malcolm Gillis, Toney, Alabama       4:57 

Mike Montgomery, Franklin, Tn      5:22 

Jennifer Funk, Signal Mtn, Tn        5:48  (1st female)

 Charley Raper, Knoxville, Tn           5:48 (Jennifer's Dad) 

James Brisky, Palmetto, Ga            6:38 

The 50K consisted of 7 laps of the Raccoon Mountain Lake. Several local runners ran several laps of the course for training.  Local runners spotted were Cindy & Bill Meadows, Brenda & David Ross, Ray McIntyre, Dick Dillard, Paula Guffey, Barbara Ensign, Steve Rogers, Sarah Bowen, Richard Rogers, Lisa Kay and Pat Hagan. It was a beautiful January day on Raccoon Mountain.  Blue skies and perfect running conditions.  Look for the Fat Ass 50K next year, January 5, 2002.

 

Results…….

 September 3, 2000 - Tupelo, Mississippi.  In beautiful Tupelo, Mississippi, birthplace of the King, Elvis Presley. The race starts at 5:00am to beat some of the Mississippi heat. It works for a little while, but the humidity is still tough.  Temperature at the start was 78 and by 8:30 it was 85 and rising.  Robert Preston ran the marathon and was 1st in age group 30-34 with a great time of 3:17:29. Robert is from Athens, Tennessee. Pat Hagan was 1st in age group 50-59 with a time of 3:29:20. Other locals were Betty Burrell with a 10:00:55 in the marathon and Brenton Floyd who picked up the pace and beat Betty by 27 seconds, walking in 10 hours, 28 seconds.

Tupelo also has a 14.2 mile race at the same time, and Lisa Kay was first in the 40 and over age group!  Just say YES to Tupelo.  It’s a great race with free beer and pizza at the finish line. 

 September 17, 2000 - Townsend, Tennessee.  The 24th Annual Wears Valley 15K.   Race time temperature of 38 degrees really helped the race times and made everyone feel really good!  Chattanooga’s own Mitch Keebler (not New Page 1an elf for sure), ran a blistering 5:55 pace and finished 4th overall and 1st master with a fine time of 55:06.  Tim Holmes from Signal Mountain finished in 1:00:54, Pat Hagan was 3rd in the 50-54 age group with a 1:06:45, and Lisa Kay was 2nd in the 40-44 age group with a 1:22:54.

September 23, 2000 - Logan, Utah.  The Top of Utah Marathon was held in Logan, Utah. Chris Levan finished in 4 hours and 30-something minutes.  Stephanie Baumgarner finished in 3:47 and her friend Jodie, also from Chattanooga, finished in 3:47 too.  Snow and sleet greeted the runners as they started the marathon.  Chris Levan almost froze to death during the run!  This marathon is advertised as a PR course because it is mostly downhill, but the weather had other plans for the runners this year.

October 14, 2000 - Snellville, Georgia.   In beautiful downtown Snellville, which is only 15 miles from Atlanta (A 3 hour drive in Atlanta traffic), the Gwinnett Road Runners put on the annual Run the Reagan Road Races.  They have races from 1 mile to the marathon, and prize money to boot.  The half-marathon has the most participants and the full marathon had only 50-60 runners!     Only two local runners made it to the start and collected trophies as well as the cherished Run the Reagan sweatshirt.  Lisa Kay ran the 10K in 52:01 (2nd in 40-44) and Pat Hagan ran the marathon in 3:33 (3rd in 50-54). 

  October 22, 2000 - Chicago, Illinois.  The LeSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.  Over 27,000 runners crossed the finish line, including 24 from Chattanooga.  The hard work and extra miles paid off big for Lisa Kay as she set a PR of 3:56:26 and knocked off over 13 minutes from her previous best.  Lisa has run 8 marathons and 1 50K in the past 24 months, but really turned the corner by breaking the 4 hour barrier!  She thought she would never do it!  Congratulations Lisa!!

Congratulations also to Pat Kleehammer for finishing her 1st marathon in 4:54.  Chad Varga  finished 2nd in Tennessee out of 368 runners with a great time of 2:54.  Other local runners include:  Edie Altice 4:45; Linda Andreae 4:18; Anne Baugh 4:30; Terry Baugh 4:44; Kenneth Fager 5:43; David Grant 3:14; David Hughes 3:58; Kathaleen Hughes 4:52; Chris Kleehammer 5:05; Rachael Masner 4:29; Priscalla Mclaughlin 4:13; Michael Wall 3:48; Dan Bailey 5:01; Dennis Lundy 3:47; Rick Rogers 3:40; Larry Leigh 4:39; Edwin Simmons 3:34; Matt Mclelland 3:18;  Tim Holmes 3:47; Travis Nowell 4:41. 

  October 22, 2000 - Washington, D.C.  Marine Corps Marathon.  I’m sure there is a story that should be written here by someone who was there!  John Walker from Hixson led all local finishers with a fine time of 3:11.  Other local finishers include:  James and Ashley Williams in 3:39 and 4:37 respectively; Robert Batson 3:55; Laura Fritz 4:03; Caroline McInerney 4:10; Morgan Adams 4:27; Ed Kirzner 4:40; Bill Brock 4:50; Laura Powell 5:20; David Debter 4:52; Stephanie Sorrick 4:53; Mary Catherine and Perry Konsavage 5:08 and 5:27; Caren Schepisi 5:54; Sheila Newsome 4:44; William Thornton 5:19. 

  November 5, 2000 - Panama City, Florida.  Chattanooga now has a few more IRONMEN after IRONMAN Florida.  1,515 finishers and almost 150 DNF’s!   Chris Frank finished the 2 ½ mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 run in 10:50 (1:06, 5:22, 4:13); Stuart Gladish finished in 11:51 (1:12, 5:55, 4:32); Ken Kelley, 13:16 (1:28, 6:13, 5:19); Scott Wade, 13:28 (1:23, 6:27, 5:21); Tracy Gartman, 13:39 (1:17, 6:22, 5:49); and last but certainly not least is Calder Willingham, at a very young 60 years, finished in a great time of 14 hours, 17 minutes (1:28, 6:33, 5:54).  Well done Calder - we’re very proud of you! 

   November 23, 2000:  Atlanta Marathon/Half-Marathon.  The oldest marathon in the south (36th year) is held every year on Thanksgiving Day.  A half-marathon was added several years ago and has grown to be one of the largest half-marathons in the country with over 10,000 runners this year.  Most of the local runners wisely pick the half-marathon instead of the brutal 26.2 miler.  The last 6 miles of the marathon are pretty tough.  Seen in Atlanta this year were local celebrities such as Rick & Mary Loggins, Ray & Jen McIntyre, Phil & Debbie Gates, Theresa Reed, George Horvanic, Chris Levan, Adner Oldham, John Hunt, Regina Wilson, Cheryl Parker, and Lisa Kay.  Only Abner Oldham and I (Pat Hagan) opted for the full marathon.  Abner finished in 4:16 and I came in with a 3:32.  What a great way to get ready for all the turkey and dressing! 

 December 9, 2000:  Huntsville Rocket City Marathon.  John Walker of Hixson ran his 3rd marathon since October 22 and had yet another PR when he finished in 2:57 and 3rd in his age group (45-49) in Huntsville!  Third place in this race is really something.  Huntsville has long been known for having some fast times, especially in the 40 and over men.  Way to go John Walker!!  Marc Harwell and Mike Berry also ran well and both finished in 3:08.  Other local runners included Tim Holmes 3:28; Caleb King 3:39; Kristen Brimer 3:39;  Bud Wisseman 3:41; Damon Riggs 4:10; Mary & Gary Carlson 4:25; and Kelly McBryde ran 4:47.  Way to go marathoners! 

 December 9, 2000:  Carpet City 10-miler, Dalton.  A great day to run a easy 10 miles in Dalton.  Woody Cornwell and the great volunteers in Dalton put on a FIRST CLASS race every year.  Every mile was correctly marked, split timers at each mile, and the course is certified.  What can be better?   This race should attract hundreds more than the 200 that showed up this year.  Some people around here should take lessons from Woody on how to conduct a road race.  Local runners were in abundance and all left very impressed.  Dick Dillard, Brenda Ross, Van Townsend, Lauren Zadnik, Pat Hagan, and Sarah Bowen all brought home trophies.  I could not find the results of all the other local runners.  This is a great race.  I hope it continues to be held in the future. 

 Want to qualify for Boston?  Here is what you need to run to qualify.  Remember, you do NOT have to be UNDER the time.  For instance, if your qualifying time is 3:50, you can qualify as long as you run at least 3:50:59. 

  AGE                        MEN                           WOMEN

18-34             3 hours 10 minutes            3 hours 40 minutes

35-39             3 hours 15 minutes            3 hours 45 minutes

40-44             3 hours 20 minutes            3 hours 50 minutes

45-49             3 hours 25 minutes            3 hours 55 minutes

50-54             3 hours 30 minutes            4 hours 00 minutes

55-59             3 hours 35 minutes            4 hours 05 minutes

60-64             3 hours 40 minutes            4 hours 10 minutes

 65-69            3 hours 45 minutes            4 hours 15 minutes

70 & over        3 hours 50 minutes           4 hours 20 minutes

If you know anyone listed above please tell them that you saw their name in JOGGING AROUND and invite them to join the Chattanooga Track Club.  Hell, it’s a lot of fun!