VOLUNTEER ALERTDo you like to write? Do you have experience blogging? Do you have a few hours to spare every week?
We are looking for a volunteer who can put the weekly e-newsletter together every week for the months of June, July and August. Training will be provided.
Interested? Please send an e-mail to mirarev@hotmail.com
We are looking for a volunteer who can put the weekly e-newsletter together every week for the months of June, July and August. Training will be provided.
Interested? Please send an e-mail to mirarev@hotmail.com
THIS SATURDAY AT-A-GLANCE
Mileage: 10
Volunteers:
Bananas - Denise Ellison (May 2, 9, 16 and 30)
Bagels - Mira Reverente (May 16 and 23)
Set-up and Breakdown - Naomi Kress
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
By Tom McKiernan, recent Big Sur Marathon finisher
mckrunt@aol.com
To begin with the ending:
RESULTS
John Mc Kiernan 3:46
Rafael Gonzalez 3:49
Tim Lysaght 4:09
George Arita 5:39
Tom Mc Kiernan 5:49
The event started off with check-in and pick-up of bus passes. When the lady in charge of passes discovered my age she was so amazed she said I would board the special buses with upholstered seats at 4:15 at the Marriott. Nice! The bus ride to the starting point took about an hour. When our bus arrived the assembly area was full of runners. John and I worked our way through the masses to line up for a porta and remove our sweats when I hear the announcer telling the crowd “the oldest man in the race is TMK from Camarillo who is 81.”
As I moved into place on the highway for the start I find George and we stay together for the start. It is cold enough that we are both shivering, but not near as bad as Sacramento. Cliff Bar had formed pacing groups and I decided to go with the last one; 5:30. Since I had started with George, but not for long, I watched for the group to catch up to me. The first couple of miles tends downhill and was easy going. At mile 5 we left the trees of the forest and were greeted by a fresh breeze and the arrival of my pacing group. They passed me in short order with their leader calling out instructions.
By mile 10 the wind had picked up and we approached the famous Hurricane Point. This hill begins at sea level and rises to over 500 feet. The winds had now strengthened considerably. One the way up I met Yolanda, whom John and I had met at Napa. She was easy to spot with her jacket that read “MARATHON MANIACS”. John and I had used her as our rabbit at Napa, trying to catch her at the finish line. Soon we came to the pasture where each year they display the prize winning bull on our left. On our right a herd of cows were mooing away. I wondered if they were longing for a visit from the bull, or were just contented cows producing the milk for the California cheese. George later translated for me because of his farming background that they were shouting, GO MARATHONERS - EAT CHICKEN!
As we left Hurricane Point I was praying that the wind would let up. Not this year! It grew to equaling the point’s name and would pull the cap off my head so I needed to carry it in my hand. Soon after Bixby Bridge the most photographed spot in the run, and the half way point, I came upon Alliya. (A story from Tom must have a young girl in it.) She was having trouble and thinking of dropping out. She had trained in the SF Bay area by herself and had not run a previous race, of any length. I told her she would finish and within the required time. I offered some tips and in short order we arrived at the station where the runners are offered hugs. I got mine and felt better immediately. At mile 17 my phone went off and it was John telling me he had finished, just as I had predicted.
Soon we came upon Carmel Highlands where the road is heavily cambered (slanted), providing a new challenge to newbies. Here the road is designed to keep cars on the pavement doing 30 miles an hour around sharp curves. Not good for runners doing 5 or 6 mph. All along the way we had good support from volunteers at aid stations offering water or Gatorade, but next came the cocktail stop. Oranges, pineapple, and apples, and bananas - fruit cocktail.
At mile 23 I was delighted to have John join me and help bring Alliya and me through the final miles. As we approached the finish I made myself visible and they announced the same message they had at the start, “Here comes Tom McKiernan, the oldest man in the race. We three finished in 5:49 well within the limit of 6:00. Just after the finish I saw Yolanda come in at 5:54. I was feeling great that I had beat her, until in our visit I discovered she had run a marathon in the San Diego area the day before and had flown up to Monterey the night before to do Big Sur. She also told me she had run 62 marathons last year. I dispatched John to get me a Michelob just in time to have them call my name for the award for 80+. This year there were no runners in the 75-79 bracket.
CLUB NEWS
By Tom McKiernan, recent Big Sur Marathon finisher
mckrunt@aol.com
WORD FROM BIG SUR 2009
To begin with the ending:
RESULTS
John Mc Kiernan 3:46
Rafael Gonzalez 3:49
Tim Lysaght 4:09
George Arita 5:39
Tom Mc Kiernan 5:49
The event started off with check-in and pick-up of bus passes. When the lady in charge of passes discovered my age she was so amazed she said I would board the special buses with upholstered seats at 4:15 at the Marriott. Nice! The bus ride to the starting point took about an hour. When our bus arrived the assembly area was full of runners. John and I worked our way through the masses to line up for a porta and remove our sweats when I hear the announcer telling the crowd “the oldest man in the race is TMK from Camarillo who is 81.”
As I moved into place on the highway for the start I find George and we stay together for the start. It is cold enough that we are both shivering, but not near as bad as Sacramento. Cliff Bar had formed pacing groups and I decided to go with the last one; 5:30. Since I had started with George, but not for long, I watched for the group to catch up to me. The first couple of miles tends downhill and was easy going. At mile 5 we left the trees of the forest and were greeted by a fresh breeze and the arrival of my pacing group. They passed me in short order with their leader calling out instructions.
By mile 10 the wind had picked up and we approached the famous Hurricane Point. This hill begins at sea level and rises to over 500 feet. The winds had now strengthened considerably. One the way up I met Yolanda, whom John and I had met at Napa. She was easy to spot with her jacket that read “MARATHON MANIACS”. John and I had used her as our rabbit at Napa, trying to catch her at the finish line. Soon we came to the pasture where each year they display the prize winning bull on our left. On our right a herd of cows were mooing away. I wondered if they were longing for a visit from the bull, or were just contented cows producing the milk for the California cheese. George later translated for me because of his farming background that they were shouting, GO MARATHONERS - EAT CHICKEN!
As we left Hurricane Point I was praying that the wind would let up. Not this year! It grew to equaling the point’s name and would pull the cap off my head so I needed to carry it in my hand. Soon after Bixby Bridge the most photographed spot in the run, and the half way point, I came upon Alliya. (A story from Tom must have a young girl in it.) She was having trouble and thinking of dropping out. She had trained in the SF Bay area by herself and had not run a previous race, of any length. I told her she would finish and within the required time. I offered some tips and in short order we arrived at the station where the runners are offered hugs. I got mine and felt better immediately. At mile 17 my phone went off and it was John telling me he had finished, just as I had predicted.
Soon we came upon Carmel Highlands where the road is heavily cambered (slanted), providing a new challenge to newbies. Here the road is designed to keep cars on the pavement doing 30 miles an hour around sharp curves. Not good for runners doing 5 or 6 mph. All along the way we had good support from volunteers at aid stations offering water or Gatorade, but next came the cocktail stop. Oranges, pineapple, and apples, and bananas - fruit cocktail.
At mile 23 I was delighted to have John join me and help bring Alliya and me through the final miles. As we approached the finish I made myself visible and they announced the same message they had at the start, “Here comes Tom McKiernan, the oldest man in the race. We three finished in 5:49 well within the limit of 6:00. Just after the finish I saw Yolanda come in at 5:54. I was feeling great that I had beat her, until in our visit I discovered she had run a marathon in the San Diego area the day before and had flown up to Monterey the night before to do Big Sur. She also told me she had run 62 marathons last year. I dispatched John to get me a Michelob just in time to have them call my name for the award for 80+. This year there were no runners in the 75-79 bracket.
CLUB NEWS
*Birthday greetings
May 12- Jeff Lowell
May 14 - Ed Burnett
May 27 - Erin Howard
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