Say Hello to Joe Ogata! Maximum Mileage Joe!

Photo left, Chris Jaggers (left) and Joe Ogata (right). Photo right, Ryan Hall (left) and Joe Ogata (right)

Have you seen Joe Ogata? If you ran in the 2011 Road Running Grand Prix, chances are you were standing at the starting line with Joe Ogata! Joe participated in more Road Running Grand Prix races than any other runner: 8 of the 9 races!

Joe only missed the Redondo Beach 5 km, because he was running the Surf City Marathon, which he finished in 3:41:04. In fact, if you check Joe's results at Athlinks, they post results from Joe in no fewer than 38 road races in 2011!

Joe Ogata racing the 2010 Road Mile Championships

Joe easily qualified for a 2010 USA Track & Field Phidippides Award, and you can see a picture of Joe with his Phidippides award in the photo at the top with USATF member Chris Jaggers, and (right) with USATF member Ryan Hall (notice Joe decked out in his Boston Marathon running gear!). I first met Joe years ago, I think around 2007, when I noticed Joe on the airplane bound for the Boston Marathon, then I ran into Joe at the Culver City 5 km, and then again at the San Diego marathon! 62 year old Joe Ogata brings both quantity, and quality, to his running, consistently qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

What is the USATF Phidippides Award? This is an award offered by USATF to masters runners, awarding points for participation. Points vary according to distance, and all events must be USATF certified and sanctioned events. There is no fee to receive this award, just send a list of your events to the national office, and receive official recognition from USATF and a beautiful plaque or medal from Hasty Awards, the official supplier of awards for USATF.

The deadline for submitting applications for the 2011 awards is January 30, 2012.

2011 USATF Southern California Gold Award Recipients: Jerry Beatty (61), Michael Berger (54), Raymond Billig (54), Guillaume Chanfreau (43), Tom Hosner (61), Frank Lahtinen (50), Dona McBride (60), Michael Mizote (53), Bob Norton (73), Bobby Porter (59), Brandye Smith (51), Ward Wright (70).

Congratulations 2011 SCA Road Running Champions!

More than 530 USATF Southern California runners posted scores in the 2011 Road Running Grand Prix series. Leading the way for the youth division are runners Sydney Tullai (12) with 2595 points and Anthony Palazzo (14) 2544 points. Youth runners were required to run 3 races for end-of-year awards.

In the open and masters divisions, Tania Fischer (45) and Dale Campbell (58) again won 1st place, winning $500 each. Second place awards go to Jon Megeff (48) and Alison Atkinson (44) with a $250 prize. Third place: Rich Gust (52) and Yayoi Liu (54) winning $150. Fourth place: Mark Steyvers (41) and Cambria Wu (33) for $75, and fifth place kudos to William Sumner (63) and Sue Reinhardt (65) taking home $25.

With four runners in the top finishers, Club Ed Running again showed their depth and strength, winning 21592 points, taking top honors for the second year in a row. It was a close contest for second and third, with The Janes Elite Racing scoring 20961, beating Cal Coast Track Club 20833, by a margin of 128 points. Fourth place went to Track Club L.A., 19235, with new USATF club Gritty City Track Club coming on strong with 18715.

In the youth division, The Equalizers remain unchallenged again, with the South Orange County Wildcats competing well in the 2011 series, but the Wildcats failed to field a team in a minimum of three races.

2011 SCA 10K Championships - Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K Results on 11/24

SCA ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
SCA 10K Championships
Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K
Thursday - November 24, 2011

SCA Grand Prix Standings: www.scagrandprix.org

Results

• 2011 SCA 10K Championships Results (PDF)
• 2011 Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K Overall Results

Awards - Overall Open Winners

• Cheryl Smith, Laguna Beach, 33:47 (F-31)
• Charlie Serrano, Simi Valley, 28:24 (M-26)

Awards - Overall Masters Winners

• Alison Atkinson, Manhattan Beach, 37:17 (F-44)
• Nicholas Bowden, Los Angeles, 32:25 (M-40)

Pictures

2011 SCA Half Marathon Championships - Long Beach Half Marathon Results on 10/9

SCA ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
SCA Half Marathon Championships
Long Beach Half Marathon
Sunday - October 9, 2011

SCA Grand Prix Standings: www.scagrandprix.org

Results
2011 SCA Half Marathon Championships Results (PDF)
2011 Long Beach Half Marathon Overall Results

Awards - Overall Open Winners

• Cheryl Smith, Laguna Beach, 1:17:25 (F-31)
• Charlie Serrano, Simi Valley, 1:04:05 (M-26)

Awards - Overall Masters Winners

• Nathalie Higley, Redondo Beach, 1:20:03 (F-41)
• Nicholas Bowden, Los Angeles, 1:14:05 (M-40)

Pictures



Videos

SCA Board of Directors Meeting - Mon, 11/21 at 7:30pm

SCA Board of Directors Meeting
Monday, November 21, 2011
7:30pm - Conference Call

• (712) 432-0075
• Access code: 936647#
• Meeting Agenda

USATF Club Renewal Reminder

SCA CLUB RENEWAL

1. Are your current bylaws on file?  If no, send a copy.

2. Complete individual membership renewal. 

3. Youth coaches must complete background screening online. 

4. Include a check for $75.00 per year plus $15 for each certificate requests and any individual renewals. 

5. Print and complete the forms. 

• Download SCA Club Forms (PDF)
• USATF Club Management Area
• USATF Youth Club Background Check Program
  

$100.00 Late Filing Penalty charged for all renewals after May 1, 2011

AVOID REGISTRATION DELAYS & LATE RENEWAL PENALTIES 

USATF Southern California
13039 E Florence Avenue
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
(562) 941-2621 - phone
(866) 591-2670 - fax
www.scausatf.org

IMPORTANT: SCA Membership - Special Meeting

SCA Membership - Special Meeting
Your Vote is Needed!
Date: Saturday, November 19, 2011
Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Print Flyer (PDF)

**In an effort to maximize convenience and participation of membership, this meeting will be simulcast in four locations**

Ventura Community College---Civic Center
4667 Telegraph Rd
Ventura, CA 93003

Temecula City Center
41000 Main St
Temecula, CA. 92589

Moreno Valley Schools District Board Room
25634 Alessandro Blvd.
Moreno Valley, CA. 92553

Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center
300 Ocean Blvd. Rm. 301
Long Beach, CA. 90802
Street Parking as Available (Parking in Garage will cost $10.00)
Garages with 2 hour free parking are located on Pine Street Between 3rd and 6th Street. (The garages for Walmart, Ross and Nordstrom shopping.)

**YOU MAY ATTEND THE MEETING AND VOTE AT ANY OF THE LOCATIONS**

AT THIS MEETING, THE MEMBERSHIP WILL VOTE WHETHER TO ADOPT A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO SCA-USATF BYLAW ARTICLE 6-B. THE PROPOSAL IS SET FORTH BELOW:

Proposed amendment to SCA-USATF Bylaw Article 6-b (additional language underlined; deleted language strikethrough.):

(b) An annual meeting of the membership shall be held in January October of each year at a date and time within the month designated by the Board of Directors. Officers, Directors, committee chairpersons, and commit-tee representatives shall be elected and installed as provided in Articles 7(a) and 10(j).

NOTE: The 2012 SCA Annual Meeting shall take place in October 2012.

SCA Youth Committee Meeting - 10/19 at 8pm

SCA Youth Committee Meeting
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 8:00pm
Conference Call: (712) 432-0190
Access Code: 988288
Meeting Agenda

Rise of the Gritty City Track Club!

Members of the mighty Gritty City Track Club of Pasadena

I recall casually talking to Alex Bruno last February at the Brea 8 km. He let me know his running group, the Gritty City Track Club, would be formally joining USATF, and I should expect to see them participating at some of the Grand Prix races. Well, that turned out to be a real understatement! The GCTC (see, the name has a great ring it to even when spelled as an acronym) has turned out to be one of the surprises of 2011, a small running group that is leading in Grand Prix participation along with Club Ed Running, Cal Coast Track Club and The Janes Elite Racing.

Leland Mah, Michael Cruz-Herrera, Antonio Pierola and Lucie Spender Murray (left to right) at the Semana Nautica 15 km, July 4, 2011

I particularly remember seeing the members of GCTC pull into the parking lot at the Semana Nautica 15 km, mentioning that they had the winner of the 15 km race in the car with them. As they say, it’s not bragging if you can back it up, and GCTC stand-out runner Mandy Grantz did win the race that day, finishing the 15 km in 55:37. Unknown to me was the fact that Grantz is also a 2012 Olympic Trials marathon qualifier, based on her winning 2:45:53 time in the Pasadena Marathon. And the very modest and humble Grantz was the fourth place finisher at the 2011 Road Mile Championships, with a time of 4:57, and her 1:17:37 half marathon was fast enough for a fourth place finish overall at the Long Beach Half Marathon, the 2011 USATF Southern California Half Marathon Championships race.

At the Santa Monica 5000: USATF Volunteer Alex Breckenridge (left) talks with Olympic trials qualifier Mandy Grantz (right) about pollen (just ask Mandy, she is the expert!). On the far right, Nicole Luque takes a break from scoring the Road Running Grand Prix

Another outstanding member of the GCTC is Nicole Luque. Luque, like Grantz, seems to be having the year of her life in running! Nicole won her age-group division at the Road Mile with a time of 5:34, and she just set another personal best with her 1:26:45 finish at the Long Beach Half Marathon. I was just as surprised when I spoke to Brian Panosian, the marketing coordinator for Generic Events, and he gave me the name of the elite athlete contact for the Santa Monica 5000: Nicole Luque! Not only is Nicole an outstanding, dedicated athlete, but she somehow finds time in her super busy schedule to lend a hand with various running organizations. In addition to the Santa Monica 5000, Nicole volunteered to take on the task of scoring the USATF Southern California Road Running Grand Prix, which has grown from a total of 389 runners in 2010, to 459 runners in 2011. And we still have one more race to go, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10km, our 10 km Association Championships race!

Warming up at the South Pasadena High School, coach Choy Bacor (center)

So GCTC asked me if I would like to head up to Pasadena to join them for a Tuesday night workout at the beautiful South Pasadena High School, a great art-deco landmark high school with a very modern track. Choy Bacor lured me out of Culver City with an offer I never refuse: a challenging run followed by pizza and beer!

Michael Cruz-Herrera with a Santa Monica 5000 discount code

While I have heard that Pasadena weather can be hot and overwhelming at times, Tuesday night was as perfect a Southern California evening as you can imagine. After meeting up with the club, I opted for the mile repeat workout. At the starting line, I distinctly heard Alex announce he would be running around 1:40 a lap. I can report this was another Alex Bruno understatement, since I came through the first 400 meters in 1:32, with Alex and GCTC Vice-President John Burgos well ahead of me! In total we ran 4 miles, with 400 meter recovery jogs between intervals. In addition to the mile repeats, there was a slower workout for runners preparing for a marathon, and several other runners took off to do a hill workout. Whatever you want to do for a Tuesday evening run in Pasadena, GCTC seem to have people people ready to join in.

John Burgos - Vice President, Choy Bacor - Coach, Alex Bruno - President, Wayne Joness - LDR Chair,
Jason Wang - Marketing, Michael Cruz-Herrera - Secretary/Treasurer

The post-run feast was at a nearby Round Table Pizza, where I learned a little more about the group. GCTC was formed just a few years ago, in 2007, and some of the members have been running together since high school. This is a very friendly and supportive group, ready to carpool their way to races all over the southland. Alex Bruno is President, and John Bugos Vice-President, with Pascal (Choy) Bacor as coach. Other officers include Jason Wang, Marketing, and Michael Cruz-Herrera, Secretary/Treasurer. The group has competed in numerous local races, including the Road Running Grand Prix, as well as traveling to destination marathons. In fact coach Bacor will be running the Boston Marathon for the first time in 2012, after his 3:07:35 qualifying run at the somewhat ill-fated 2010 Camarillo Marathon. Choy: Thanks again for beer and pizza!

Post-run carbo feast at Round Table Pizza!

If you are in Pasadena and looking for a great track workout, you could not do better than to head over to South Pasadena High School around 6:00 pm to meet up with the Gritty City Track Club. And for those people training for a long distance competitions, the group also participates in organized Saturday long runs as well.

Members of the mighty Gritty City Track Club of Pasadena (plus LDR chair Wayne Joness)

USATF Post Collegiate Scholarship Fund

USATF Post Collegiate Scholarship Fund
Application Deadline: Monday, October 24, 2011
Information and Application

USA Track & Field recognizes that U.S. colleges and universities continue to be major contributors to the success of USATF’s High Performance development pipeline, but this support lasts only 4/5 years. Following the athlete’s collegiate years, USATF recognizes the critical importance of providing special, targeted assistance to high-level athletes in their immediate post collegiate (2 years) – if we expect them to become the next generation of medal winning track and field athletes. The Post Collegiate Scholarship Fund (PCSF) is part of USATF’s effort to fill the “developmental gap” that occurs right after an athlete completes their collegiate track and field eligibility.

In order to apply for this program, an athlete must:

• Be a United States citizen;
• Be eligible to represent the United States at all levels of international competition;
• Be a current member of USATF;
• Have competed in the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships;
• In 2011 have achieved the current IAAF World Outdoor "A" standard (view standards below) in their event(s);
• Have completed and submitted a PCSF application form; and
• Have completed (or forfeited) their remaining collegiate track and field eligibility within the past two years (2010/2011).

2011 SCA Road Running Grand Prix - Santa Monica 5000 / 10000

SCA Grand Prix 
Santa Monica 5000 / 10000 
Sunday - October 2, 2011

• 2011 Santa Monica 5000 / 10000 Results
• SCA Road Running Grand Prix Standings

5K Awards - Overall Open Winners
Bethany Nickless, Santa Barbara, 17:20.0 (F-25)
Christian Hesch, Valley Village, 14:27.7 (M-32)

5K Awards - Overall Masters Winners
Tania Fischer, Santa Monica, 17:51.7 (F-45)
Mark Steyvers, Irvine, 16:06.8 (M–41)

10K Awards - Overall Open Winners
Mandy Grantz, Pasadena, 35:26.9 (F-25)
Forest Braden, Beverly Hills, 30:49.2 (M-28)

10K Awards - Overall Masters Winners
Amanda Marks (Rondash), Los Angeles, 39:02.6 (F-43)
Brian Nelson, Bakersfield, 38:29.1 (M–54)

Pictures


Video

SCA Board of Directors Meeting - Mon, 10/10 at 7:30pm

SCA Board of Directors Meeting
Monday, October 10, 2011
7:30pm - Conference Call

• (712) 432-0075
• Access code: 936647#
• Meeting Agenda

2011 USATF Southern California Cross Country Grand Prix

Runners! Give your legs a break from pounding the pavement and join USATF Southern California in the 2011 Cross Country Grand Prix! There are FIVE races to go in the exciting nine-race series, culminating in the Southern California Association Championships at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area on Saturday, November 5! USATF Southern California members who run in two Grand Prix races, plus run in the Association Championships on November 5, will be competition for a total of$2,500 in prize money, divided between Open runners, Masters (40-49) and Masters (50+). Detailed rules here!

The Association Championships winning open men’s and open women’s open teams will earn a $500 travel stipend for travel to the 2011 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships in Seattle, WA.

• September 24, Bell-Jeff Invitational, Griffith Park
  
  For 38 years top high school students have competed in theBellarmine-Griffith Park Invitation Cross County race! Now, thanks to the help of sponsors A Runner's Circle and Saucony, a special non-high school open race has been added to schedule! Open runners will start off this historic race at 7:00 am! Do not miss this unique opportunity to run a cross country race in beautiful Griffith Park.
  
  Registration is open now for the 5K race. On September 23rd athletes entered in the Open Race can pick up their Race packet and Bib at A Runner's Circle located at 3216 Los Feliz Blvd. Los Angeles, 90039. You can also pay your pre-registration fee of $25, by sending a check to Bellarmine-Jefferson High School, 465 E. Olive Ave. Burbank, CA. 91501 or pay at the time of your Bib pick up. For late entries you may sign up the morning of the race and pay your entry fee of $30 on race morning.Email A Runner's Circle for specific questions about the Open competition, info@arunnerscircle.com.
  
  
• October 16, Free Spirit Invitational, Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC)
  
  With 62 years of history, the Mt. SAC Cross Country Course is one of the oldest and most famed courses in the world, challenging generations of runners against each other. This is a tough course over asphalt and dirt trails with flat and rolling hill combinations, plus switch backs and serious hills. The Open and Masters Cross Country race will start at 8:00 am before the youth competitions. Medals will be given to 1st thru 8th place overall. Runners can register on race day for only $10!
  
  Registration is available via email to Denise Smotherman, or entries can be mailed to Denise Smotherman, 165 South Dommer Ave, Walnut, CA 91789 Telephone (909) 595-0103. Email Denise Smotherman at smotgnd52@earthlink.net for more information.
  
  
• October 22, Elysian Park 5K Eco Run/Walk Elysian Park
  
  Run an awesome 5 km cross country race and have a great time while creating an awareness for the environment! This is a beautiful cross country style 5k race to benefit Tree People. Green Running Events proudly brings you its 2nd annual eco-friendly race. The event will feature eco friendly awards for the top 3 finishers in each division, plus a raffle with great prizes and music. The 2011 Eco 5K also features a new course winding through Elysian Park, adjacent to the Dodgers stadium.
  
  Registration for the Eco Run/Walk is only $25, but increases in four days to $30! Youth runners pay just $15! Want a better deal? Register a team of 4 runners for only$60! Email Heather Heath at heather@greenrunningevents.org for more information.
  
  
  
• October 29, Twilight's Last Gleaming, Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura
  
  This race is the most unique and challenging run in the 2011 Grand Prix series, a cross country race run in the early evening! The course is impossible to run. Only mountain goats and sherpa guides will find this reasonable. The first mile is particularly brutal, going up a city street that automobiles have trouble with. Most competitors are wasted before they can consider racing. You've got to be CRAZY to want to do this thing. So don't miss it!
  
  Registration on race day in encouraged, $10 to sign up. In fact, there is a $5 penalty to register early! Didn't we say this is a crazy race? So head to Ventura, run this race, then hang out with race organizer (disorganizer) and USATF Masters Cross Country chair, Andrew Hecker! Email Andrew Hecker at info@trackinfo.org for more information.
  
  
  
• November 5, USATF Southern California Association Cross Country Championships, Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
  
  Welcome back to Kenneth Hahn State Park, site of previous Association Championships, but this year with a NEW course, and a NEW time. The Championships race is just part of several competitions held on November 5, including a 6 km Community Showcase, a Monster Hill Challenge race, and a Bowl-Run Relay. USATF members can vie for Championship titles and medals, then continue the fun with the Monster Hill Challenge and Bowl-Run Relay. And Kenneth Hahn is the perfect place for a post run picnic and potluck!
  
  Registration is open now, just $30 to race with some of the finest cross country athletes in Southern California. The women's Championships race is at 8:50 am, and the men's race is at 9:40 am. Email K-Trax Athletics atktraxathletics@gmail.com for more information!
  
  
• USATF $500 Cross Country Travel Grant to USATF National Cross Country Club Championships, Seattle, WA
  
  As part of USATF’s effort to support Association-based programs, as well as the development of the Open Club system, a generous travel grant of $500 is available to the winners of the Southern California Association Cross Country Championships. That is a grant of $500 to the Open men's team, and $500 to the Open women's team, a total of $1,000, to assist with traveling to Seattle, Washington to compete on December 10 for the USATF National Cross Country Club Championships title. More information available here.
  
  
  
  USATF Southern California Cross Country Grand Prix information: Andrew Hecker (Masters Cross Country, email: info@trackinfo.org, 805-642-3879.

2011 USATF Road Mile Championships Results

2011 SCA One Mile Championships
2011 USATF Road Mile Championships
Sunday - August 28, 2011

• 2011 USATF Road Mile Championships Results
• SCA Road Running Grand Prix Standings

Awards - Overall Open Winners

• Brenda Martinez, Big Bear City - 4:38.43 (F-23)
• Christian Hesch, Valley Village - 4:01.02 (M-32)

Awards - Overall Masters Winners

• Grace Padilla, Los Angeles - 4:59.60 (F-40)
• Christian Cushing-Murray, Santa Ana - 4:17.31 (M-43) 

SCA Board of Directors Meeting on Sun, 9/18

SCA Board of Directors Meeting
Sunday, Sept 18, 2011 at 3:00pm

• USATF Southern California Office
• 13039 E. Florence Avenue, Santa Fe Springs
• Meeting Agenda (PDF)

Running Your Best Mile - Race Day Strategy

By Wayne Joness with help from Coach Skip Stolley

Arrive early and warm-up well!  A rigorous warm-up is more important for a one mile race than any other road race distance you run.  Most runners use the first mile of a 5K or 10K to "settle in", to get a feeling for their race pace. Then they wait until the last half of the race to dig-in and really challenge themselves to finish strong.  There is no time to do this in a mile race.  In your warm-up for a mile race, you need to cross-over into doing some fast anaerobic running.  Then, 10-minutes before race time, you need to do several strides of 60-100 meters at a faster pace than you will run during the race in order for the early pace to feel comfortable.  Be fully warmed up when you step up to the starting line!

Be prepared for a fast first quarter mile:  Whether you run 4:20 or 7:20 for the mile, the pace for your first quarter mile is going to be fast. If you have never run a road mile before, take your best 5K mile pace and subtract :30 seconds to approximate your mile goal time.  For example, if you run a 5K in 21:45, your pace is around 7:00 per mile.  Therefore, for a road mile, you should aim for a time of 6:30 or faster.  In this example, the first timing clock at the ¼ mile mark should display around 1:38.

Halfway there - the half mile mark:  The most critical portion of the mile is between the half-mile and the three-quarter mile mark.  If you simply maintain your effort, you will find that you are actually slowing down in this third segment of the race. As you approach the half mile timing clock, you will be feeling tired, but should be inspired by the fact that you are halfway to the finish of your best mile run ever.  If you are near your goal time (for a 6:30 mile, an even pace would be 3:15), stay in the moment and hang in there.  Concentrate on keeping your leg turnover consistent. The end is too far off to start worrying about your finish.

Three-quarter mile mark:  The end is in sight!  Even if you are running on fumes, you have less than 100-seconds of running left before you cross the finish line.  You should be able to see the finish line at this point.  Remember that kick you had when running your best 10K?  Zero-in on the runners in front of you and try to pass as many of them as possible in the last 1/4 mile.  Focus in on the finish line clock and listen to the crowds cheering.  Consider Roger Bannister's battle to break the 4:00 mile...something that was believed to be unattainable in 1954!  It was his sheer will of spirit and determination that carried him across the finish line in 3:59.4.  That same fire resides somewhere inside you too!  And today is the day for you to run your best mile ever!

Post-run cool down:  After the satisfaction of this all-out running, you need to give your heart rate, respiration, and body temperature a chance to gradually return to normal!   As soon as possible, begin to do some easy jogging.  Let your heart rate slowly return to normal. Afterwards, do some light stretching.  (You'll be happy you did tomorrow.)  The crazy thing about running a road mile is this: when you cross the finish line you will believe that you couldn't have run one stride further or one second faster.   But a half an hour later, you will probably want to run it again to see if you could faster! Regardless, it will be better for you to rehydrate and enjoy watching the other runners tackle the unique challenge of running a road mile.

SCA Board of Directors & Youth Committee Meetings

SCA Board of Directors Meeting
Saturday, Aug 13, 2011 at 1:00pm
Meeting canceled (8/12/11).

SCA Youth Committee Meeting
Wednesday, Aug 17, 2011 at 8:00pm
Downey Senior Center
7810 Quill Drive, Downey 90242
Meeting Agenda

Run OC: A Snail's Pace Laguna Hills and South Coast Road Runners

As a part of promoting the 2011 USATF Southern California Road Mile Championships, I had a chance to meet up with some of the running groups in the greater Irvine/Orange County area. Last week was a double header, with the Laguna Hills chapter of A Snail's Pace Running Club meeting on Wednesday, August 3, and the South Coast Road Runners meeting on Thursday, August 4.

Runners meeting at A Snail's Pace running shop in Laguna Hills.

I wayyyy underestimated the traffic on the 405 as I headed south on Wednesday. After one hour in my car, I had only traveled 6 miles. This is the point when every runner thinks, even on my worst day, I could be running faster than my car is moving right now! I missed the start of the Snail's Pace run, but followed the directions to head out behind the store, and before I knew it I was on the Aliso Creek Bikeway. This beautiful bikepath takes us by Clarington Park to Aliso Park. I started to see runners returning from their run, and soon ran into Bob Morris, manager of A Snail's Pace Running Shop in Laguna Hills. Bob and I headed back to the store, where I got a chance to talk to New Balance rep Monica. Much to my surprise, I also had the opportunity to visit with Rebecca Trahan. Rebecca has been kind enough to volunteer at many of the Road Running Championships races this year. I asked if she knew Bob Morris, and it turns out that Bob is one of her students in her Monday night yoga class! Thanks again for the help Rebecca!

Rebecca Trahan (left) and Bob Morris (right)

After enjoying some mix1 recovery shakes (chocolate) we headed over to the monthly meeting of the Laguna Hills chapter, at Antonucci's Restaurant. We arrived to find plenty of pizza waiting for us, and I had a chance to listen in on ASPRC plans for upcoming races and social events. This club has been around since 1979, and it is easy to see why. They keep an interesting and exciting schedule of events for their members, and they are great folks to run with.

Pizza and Birthday cake at Antonucci's Restaurant, Mission Viejo.

Thursday I allowed extra time for my drive, and got the chance to see mix1 field marketing specialist Natalie Gatrell at the Peters Canyon run before meeting with the South Coast Road Runners at Heritage Park in Irvine. Natalie provided some extra mix1 for the SRCC Thursday run. I again joined Bob Morris for the run, and this time we headed away from Heritage Park, jumping onto the Walnut Trail. Like Wednesday night's run, I was impressed with the ready availability of paths and trails for running in Orange County. When we hit our 2.5 mile turnaround, I noticed we were just across the street from the El Toro Airfield, site of the Road Mile Championships!

South Coast Road Runners August meeting, Grand Prix genius Mike Friedl (front row, far right)

I added the mix1 recovery drink to the well-stocked supplies for post-run refueling. In addition to Gatorade and water we had fresh, warm, home-made cookies! Wow! Then we headed to a large meeting room in the Heritage Park facility. A SCRR meeting is full of current running events: the meeting starts with a run-down of the current leaders in the SCRR running Grand Prix, plus notes on the social calendar, announcement of the runner/member of the month, and more. HINT: hosting a great BBQ can lead to being a runner-of-the-month! After I spoke about the Road Mile, there was a vote for the October SCRR road race, and the winner was the Long Beach Marathon/Half-Marathon/5K. Great choice! The Long Beach 1/2 Marathon is the 2011 USATF Southern California 1/2 Marathon Championships race! SCRR members can participate in any of these Long Beach races, and have their age-graded scores added to the Grand Prix. If this sounds familiar, the USATF Southern California Grand Prix is based on the SCRR Grand Prix, with much help provided by Mike Friedl. As a thanks for their help, Bob Morris, Mike Friedl and Quang Pham received USATF National Team hats, though Quang Pham was not on hand Thursday night.

The ubiquitous Bob Morris wearing a USATF National Team Hat, courtesy USATF

The post-meeting feast was at Lampost Pizza, with plenty of salad, pizza and beer for everyone! Dave Parsel  modeled his fashionable USATF Cross Country Championships t-shirt from February of this year, and John Gardiner and Brad Wobig were wearing their USATF Road Mile Championship T-shirts as well.

Dave Parsel styling the 2011 USA Cross Country Championships T-shirt

I really had a great time this week, and look forward to meeting with the Fountain Valley Chapter of A Snail's Pace Running Club on August 10! Thanks to everyone for the great hospitality!

John Gardiner replenishes essential carbohydrates at Lampost Pizza, Irvine CA.

LA84 Cross Country Clinic on 8/20 at Mt SAC

Cross country season is just around the corner, and there can be no better way to prepare for this season while getting excited for the year than by attending the free LA84Foundation cross country clinic on August 20 featuring the absolute best high school cross country coaches in the country.

Featured presenters include Jim O’Brien of Arcadia HS—2010 California State DI Champions and NXN National Champions; Lalo Diaz of Loyola HS—2010 California State D II Champions; Chuck Woolridge of Campolindo HS—2010 California State D III champions; and Ken Reeves and Bill Tokar, whose teams have won 14 state championships.

The entire clinic, which is absolutely free to all coaches and interested adults who would like to attend, will be held on Saturday, August 20, at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, and it will feature a full slate of Advanced sessions, a full slate of Beginning sessions, and a full slate of injury prevention and training sessions.

Click here for the full clinic agenda, so you can make plans as to which sessions you would like to attend.

ADVANCED CLINIC SESSIONS: These sessions will feature three great presenters who have all lead their schools to California State Cross Country Championships.

Jim O’Brien: Arcadia High School - 2010 Cal DI State Champions & NXN National Champions—Arcadia High School produced quite possibly the greatest season in all of California High School sports history last year. Not only were they undefeated but they also set new team course records at both Mt. SAC and at the California State Meet.

Lalo Diaz: Loyola High School - Cal DII State Champions—There has been no high school in the country that can match the level of success that Loyola has achieved over the past couple of decades, and last year the team once again peaked at just the right time to win the California State D II championship. Coach Diaz is not only one of the great coaches in the sport but he is also one of the absolute best presenters.

Chuck Woolridge: Campolindo High School - Cal State DIII Champions – Chuck became the first coach in California state cross country meet history to lead two different schools to state championships as his Campolindo squad won the DIII title last season. A true “student of the sport” Chuck has proven he not only knows how to build great programs but also how to guide elite athletes to national success as the same time..

BEGINNING CLINIC SESSIONS: Bill Tokar, Ken Reeves and Tim O’Rourke have all coached multiple state championship teams that have won at the highest levels of the sport.

The full slate of beginning level sessions will take the new coach or volunteer and give them not only the physiological foundations of training the high school distance runner but also lessons on how to recruit new runners, what are the rules coaches need to know, and at the end of the day each attendee will leave with their own team’s training plan for this season.

Bring any new assistants you have or parents who will be helping you this year. They can attend the Beginning Sessions and you can attend the Advanced sessions, and then you can all talk about your upcoming season at lunch time or later in the week.

HEALTH AND TRAINING CLINIC SESSIONS: Bill Ito, a USATF trainer, will present four separate sessions that will build upon each other. The first session will be on basic preparation to handle health and injury problems that may occur at a cross country practice or meet. Then, the next three sessions will go in depth into what specific drills and exercises your runners need to be doing to not only prevent injuries but also improve performance.

You can save yourself a great deal of time in the morning of the clinic if you pre-register at our web site: LA84Foundation.com. The cost is absolutely free to everyone thanks to the great sponsorship of the LA84Foundation.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Devin Elizondo at the LA84Foundation office (323-730-4618 or delizondo@la84foundation.org or Tim O’Rourke torourke@emuhsd.k12.ca.us.

Hope you will join us on August 20 at Mt. SAC.

Tim O’Rourke

A Runner's Circle - A Community of Running

"A Runner's Circle" - the very name of this Los Feliz/Glendale running store suggests a different philosophy towards running. "A runner's circle," calls to mind a gathering a friends, a meeting of folks who just share a common passion for running. Owner Joe Matias has built his successful business around the idea of simply helping people to share the joy of running. I made a trip last week to visit ARC on the occasion of their annual election of ARC club officers.

ARC officer elections, July 21, 2011

I was looking forward to stopping by for several reasons: it is hard to find a shoe store more supportive of USATF. The first ARC running singlet I saw was worn by Tove Berg, an elite runner sponsored by ARC. Berg battled through torrential downpours at the 2008 Dana Point Turkey Trot to win the USATF Southern California 10K Championships title in 35:49. But she was just part of the USATF affiliated ARC running team. ARC requires all the pace leaders of their very popular Thursday fun runs to be members of USATF, and regularly stresses the importance of being a USATF member.

ARC President Tricia Dunn

The Thursday fun runs offer several options to runners. My knee had developed a slight twinge since I added in a second track workout a few weeks ago, so I was looking forward to the 5 mile trail run on paths that cross through Griffith Park, adjacent to the ARC store. There is also a 3 mile run, and I just learned that there is a super challenging 8 mile run that charges up some of the steepest hills in the park.

ARC Coach Gerard Deegan

My knee enjoyed the relief from the streets of Culver City, and I had a chance to talk with ARC pace leader Heather Heath. In addition to leading the 8 - 9 mile pace group, Heather is also the founder of Green Running Events, an organization that puts on eco-friendly races. Last year Heather organized the Elysian Park Eco Trail Run which was part of the 2010 USATF Southern California Cross Country Grand Prix. The Eco Trail Run received generous support from ARC. Following the success of last years race, the Eco Trail Run will be held on October 22, with a new and improved course. Other ARC sponsored events include the upcoming 38th Annual Bellarmine-Griffith Park Invitational cross country race to held on September 24, 2011.

ARC Owner Joe Matias and me (Wayne Joness)

Following our run we enjoyed plenty of refreshments, fresh fruit and snacks, then ARC held their elections. Perhaps it was the sound of Coach Deegan’s Irish brogue, but it was hard not to be moved when he addressed the crowd and reminded everyone to “Take pride in your club.” Coach Deegan stressed that every runner was important, and that every runner, regardless of their finishing time, contributed to the success of the club. I always enjoy talking to coach Deegan, a world-class duathlete, who stresses the value of club competition. And club competition is a big part of the Road Running Grand Prix. I noticed in attendance were members of USATF club Gritty City Track Club, John Burgos and Choy Bacor. The Gritty City Track Club is working their way up the club scoring by consistently participating in races.

USATF Club Certificate hangs proudly on the store wall!

All too soon it was time to head back to Culver City, but I again have to thank Joe Matias and his great crew at A Runner’s Circle for supporting USATF, and the sport we all love so much: running!

SCA Board of Directors Meeting - Mon, 7/11 at 7:30pm

SCA Board of Directors Meeting
Monday, July 11, 2011
7:30pm - Conference Call

• (712) 432-0075
• Access code: 936647#
• Meeting Agenda

2011 SCA Road Running Grand Prix - Semana Nautica 15K Results

2011 SCA Road Running Grand Prix

2011 Santa Barbara Semana Nautica 15K

Monday - July 4, 2011

• SCA Grand Prix 15K Results (PDF)
• Santa Barbara Semana Nautica Results
• SCA Road Running Grand Prix Standings

Awards - Overall Open Winners

• Open 1st (M): Forest Braden, M-28, 0:48:33
• Open 1st (W): Addi Zerrenner, F-15, 1:03:09
• Open 2nd (M): Jason Brosseau, M-25, 0:52:40
• Open 2nd (W): Nicole Luque, F-33, 1:04:10
• Open 3rd (M): Craig Pansing, M-29, 0:53:44
• Open 3rd (W): Lucie Murray, F-39, 1:06:24

Awards - Overall Masters Winners

• Masters 1st (M): Dale Campbell, M-57, 0:57:47
• Masters 1st (W): Lisa Nelms, F-52, 1:08:30
• Masters 2nd (M): Kent Harris, M-45, 0:58:10
• Masters 2nd (W): Janet Uribe, F-41, 1:29:06
• Masters 3rd (M): Adam Radly, M-42, 1:03:40
• Masters 3rd (W): Colleen Hamman, F-53, 1:30:25

Long Beach International City Bank Half and Full Marathon Training Program

Training for the 2011 Long Beach International City Bank Marathon & Half Marathon kicked into high gear on Saturday, June 18, 2011. Runners from around the south land arrived in beautiful Whaley Park (5620 Atherton Street) in Long Beach to participate in a unique training program conducted by Run Racing to train runners for the half and full Long Beach Marathon.

Run Racing coach Jacob (left) and runner Brian (right)

I had the chance to meet up with group for a amiable run around the scenic tree lined streets of Long Beach. Since the program is just starting, the run consisted of a 3.5 or 4.5 mile loop around the California State University Long Beach campus.

Run Racing coaches leading runners in streches before running.

As one would expect, the CSULB campus boulevards are wide and very runner friendly. But there is another reason for familiarizing runners with the Long Beach campus: mile 17 through mile 20 of the full Long Beach Marathon run this same training course. Just when runners typically feel the wind slipping from their sails, they will hit the welcoming campus streets, site of their Saturday workouts. This builds positive associations in the runner's mind, and helps to pull them through to mile 20, where the rest of the marathon is only a 10K run away! And on race day, there is the added motivation of cheering Cal State students!

Run Racing coaches Jake (left) and Jacob (right)

On Saturday I met Run Racing coaches Jacob and Jake. Jake was politely dismissive of his own running talent, modestly acknowledging a recent 2:53 marathon finish and 1:15 half marathon run. Obviously experienced in the marathon, the coaches (which included Run Racing race director Jason Bruton) lead the runners through an extensive series of warm-ups before hitting the streets.

Running on the California State University Long Beach campus.

I opted for the 4.5 mile loop, and found myself running with Brian. My Saturday run with Brian perfectly illustrates why training with a group brings the kind of results it is almost impossible to achieve with solo running. Between breathing hard, I had to remark to Brian that his pace was, honestly, a little harder than what I usually run. Still, with my USATF t-shirt on, I felt I had to make an effort to hang with Brian for at least a mile. In the end, Brian and I traded the lead a few times. When we checked our pace, I discovered the last two miles were right around a 7:00 minute pace. Not bad! Left to my own, I'm sure I would have been happy with a 8:00 pace, but that's the great thing about training with a group. You can find a partner to challenge yourself and the motivation to push harder than your solo running comfort level.

Run Racing pace leader wins a USATF Road Mile Championships t-shirt!

It is not too late to jump into the Long Beach Marathon Training Program. Contact Jason Bruton for registration questions: jbruton@runracing.com. The program costs $175, and includes entry into the Long Beach Full or Half Marathon, plus you get other cool training gear: workout bag, T-shirt, etc. And remember, the Long Beach International City Bank Half Marathon is the USATF Southern California 2011 Half Marathon Championships race. USATF will have additional medals in 13 age-group categories, three-deep for our USATF members, plus additional prizes. I am already registered, and hope to see you at the starting line on Sunday, October 9!

Enjoying some post-run refreshments in Whaley Park, Long Beach, CA.

Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wayne Joness
Open Athletics, Long Distance Running Chair

2011 SCA Road Running Grand Prix - Brentwood 5K Results

2011 SCA Road Running Grand Prix
2011 Brentwood 5K
Sunday - May 29, 2011

• RESULTS
• AWARDS
• PICTURES

AWARDS
Open 1st: Mark Steyvers, M-41, 16:05, Karla Alburez, F-25, 17:11
Open 2nd: Michael Cortez, M-31, 17:00, Adrienne Schumm, F-25, 17:49
Open 3rd: Mark Gieseker, M-20, 17:10, Cambria Wu, F-32, 18:09

Masters 1st: Mark Steyvers, M-41, 16:05, Tania Fischer, F-45, 17:26
Masters 2nd: Jon Megeff, M-47, 16:31, Nathalie Higley, F-41, 17:46
Masters 3rd: Rich Gust, M-52, 17:13 Alison Atkinson, F-44, 17:50

SCA Jim Bush Track & Field Championships Results

2011 SCA Jim Bush Track & Field Championships
2011 USATF West Region Track & Field Championships
Saturday - June 4, 2011
Mt San Antonio College
http://www.scausatf.org/events/opentrack.htm

• RESULTS
• VIDEOS
• PICTURES

SCA Board of Directors Meeting - Mon, 6/13 at 7:30pm

SCA Board of Directors Meeting
Monday, June 13, 2011
7:30pm - Conference Call

• (712) 432-0075
• Access code: 936647#
• Meeting Agenda

2011 SCA Road Running Grand Prix - Brentwood 5K - Results

Brentwood 5K Results:

May 29, 2010
Top Finishers:

Open - Karla Alburez (F-25) 17:11 - Mark Steyvers (M-41) 16:05
Masters - Tania Fischer (F-45) 17:26 - Mark Steyvers (M-41) 16:05

Congratulations to the top USATF finishers at the Brentwood 5K! We are working on the Grand Prix scoring, and hope to have the first pass on the results available soon! Thanks so much to everyone who made the trip to Brentwood to run a great 5K race in perfect Southern California weather! Photos of the race expo are now on Facebook with more photos to come!

LA84 Cross Country Coaching Clinics Announced

Cross country season begins next month! Well, to be precise, the first cross country clinic of the season begins next month! Start planning and preparing your cross country season by attending one of the three FREE great LA84 Foundation Cross Country Coaching Clinics offered this summer.

There will be three full Advanced Level and Beginning Level cross country coaches clinics offered this summer at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut--all three will be absolutely free for all coaches and interested adults who would like to attend thanks to the great sponsorship of the LA84 Foundation.

• Saturday, June 18
• Saturday, July 16
• Saturday, August 20

You can register for one, two or all three of the clinics, and you can see the full clinic agenda for each clinic by going to the LA84Foundation.org

Not only will each clinic date feature the absolute finest and most successful coaches in the sport but each Advanced Level clinic will also be completely different with completely different coaches presenting on completely different topics.

Furthermore, each clinic date will also offer a full slate of Beginning Level sessions, so if you are new to coaching the sport or you have assistants who are just starting out, there will be an entire day specifically targeting the new coach.

And there will also be several sessions offered at each clinic on both the preparation and treatment of specific injuries and preparing for the physical conditions associated with the sport of cross country.

So, you can see you won’t want to miss these clinics, and you will want to bring any assistants or other adults who may want to be part of your program next year. You and your entire staff or all of your parent volunteers can come together and attend the different sessions of the clinic that fit each person’s needs.

As mentioned earlier, each Advanced Clinic will feature different presenters speaking on different topics.

At the June 18th clinic, the Advanced Sessions will feature the following great coaches.

· Tim McIntosh, coach of St. John Bosco--the 2010 California State Division 3 Champions. There is no one better at developing runners over their four-year high school careers.

· Renee Smith, coach of Mira Costa—the 2010 Mt. SAC Inv Girls Grand Sweepstakes Champions. Renee has built a tremendous team at Mira Costa, and she will be presenting on developing a culture of teamwork and competitiveness in high school girls and also on developing female high school runners to maximize their long term success.

· Marco Ochoa, a world-class runner, disciple of the great Joe Vigil, and the very successful coach of state college champions Orange Coast College. Marco has the unique perspective of having taken the lessons learned while training under Coach Vigil and successfully applied them to working with high school and community college athletes.

In addition to these three great coaches, Bill Ito, head athletic trainer for our 2011 USA World Youth Track and Field Team, will be presenting sessions on indentifying and preventing cross country related injuries, and Bill Tokar, Ken Reeves, and Tim O’Rourke will be presenting a full slate of Beginning level sessions on a variety of topics including building a program, recruiting, basic physiology of training the high school distance runner, and creating a season-long training plan.

The July 16th clinic will feature in the Advanced Sessions the following outstanding coaches.

· Doug Soles, coach of Great Oak—the 2010 California State Girls DI Champions. Doug has built Great Oak into a national class program whose depth rivals any program in the country.

· Liam Clemons, coach of Trabuco Hills, the 2006 California State Boys DI Champions. For a decade now, Trabuco Hills has been a national powerhouse.

· Marty Dugard, coach of J Serra-- the 2010 California State Girls DIV Champions. Marty has built the program at JSerra from the ground up into a state championship team.

All the athletic training and injury prevention and treatment sessions, as well as all the Beginning Level sessions, will be offered at the July 16th clinic.

Our third clinic, August 20th, will feature in the Advanced Sessions the following state championship coaches.

· Jim O’Brien, coach of Arcadia High School—the 2010 California State Boys DI Champions who set new course records at both the state meet and at Mt. SAC this year. Jim has built the Arcadia boys team into one of the greatest programs in the history of the sport.

· Lalo Diaz, coach of Loyola, the 2010 California State Boys DII Champions. Loyola not only runs well every year but it does so at the right time—no one knows how to bring a team to a peak better than Coach Diaz.

· Chuck Woolridge, coach of Campolindo High School-- the 2010 California State Girls DIII Champions. Chuck is the only coach in state meet history to guide two different schools to state championships.

All the athletic training and injury prevention and treatment sessions as well as all the Beginning Level sessions will be offered at the August 20 clinic.

Once again, all three clinics are completely free for any coach or interested adult who would like to attend. You can register for one, two or all three of the clinics, and you can see the full clinic agenda for each clinic by going to the LA84Foundation.org

If you have any questions, you can contact our cross country clinic coordinator , Tim O’Rourke, at torourke@emuhsd.k12.ca.us or our LA84 coaching education coordinator, Devin Elizondo, at delizondo@la84foundation.org.

Upcoming Masters Track & Field Championships

USATF Masters West Region Track & Field Championships
June 11, 2011
Long Beach City College
Throwing Events: Citrus College
2011 USATF Masters West Region Track & Field Championships

NATIONAL & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships
• 2011 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships
• 2011 USATF National Club Track & Field Championships

IMPORTANT NOTICE: For the 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships, please send age verification to Sherry Quack at the USATF national office, NOT the local SCA office: USATF FAX 800-833-1466

USA Track & Field
Attn: Sherry Quack
132 E Washington, Suite 800
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Special Brentwood 5K offer for Masters Track & Field Championships Participants!

Participate in the USATF Southern California Masters Track & Field Championships on Sunday, May 15, register for the Brentwood 5K at the Championships, and save $5 off Brentwood 5K registration, PLUS get an additional 2010 Brentwood 5K T-shirt PLUS get a $10 Dick's Gift Card from Dick's Sporting Goods at the Brentwood 5K!

Printed registration forms will be available on Sunday morning at the 2011 Championships, and runners can pay by check or cash. Save $5 off the regular Brentwood race fee of $30. Brentwood T-shirts are available while supplies last. In addition, you will receive a $10 Dick's Gift Card at the Brentwood 5K! The Brentwood 5K is on Sunday, May 29. Brentwood entry fee increases to $35 after May 26, so register early!


Masters Championships 10K race starts at 7:00 am, 5K race starts at 7:50 am, Sunday May 15, Long Beach City College.

EARLY ENTRY DEADLINE: Thursday, May 5, 2011: Early mail-in entry forms must be postmarked by Thursday, May 5, 2011. Registration fees increase $20 after May 5.

Download pdf registration form.

Online registration for the 2011 Championships is availble at USATF. Registration fees increase $20 after May 5. Online registration deadline is 6 pm, May 10.

Questions about the 2011 Masters Track & Field Championships? Email Mark Cleary or call (949) 589-0242/tel ∙ (949) 606-6888/cell

Need to look up your 2011 Membership number? Look it up here! Need to join USATF or renew? Get your 2011 membership at USATF today!

SCA Board of Directors Meeting - Mon, 5/9 at 7:30pm

SCA Board of Directors Meeting
Monday, May 9, 2011
7:30pm - Conference Call

• (712) 432-0075
• Access code: 936647#
• Meeting Agenda

NEW USATF CLUB: Introducing the Marina Del Rey Running Club!

LDR Chair Wayne Joness had a chance to meet up with one of the newer USATF clubs, the Marina del Rey Running Club, on Wednesday, April 27, for an evening run. Coached by USATF certified running coach Marissa Tiamfook, this club meets for runs on Wednesday nights at 6:30 pm, and Saturday mornings at 9:00 am, in front of speciality running store The Starting Line.

Even if you have run in the Marina are before, you may be surprised by the beautiful paths the 5K and 10K loops take you along. Runners also get to swing out by the boats in the basin before returning to The Starting Line.

This is a cheerful, positive group, coached by Tiamfook, with help from Harry Mitterbauer of HM Sports Performance and Kris. If you are looking for a great oceanside run, meet up with this group and hang around afterwards for post-run refreshments.

USATF certified coach Marissa Timafook revs up the runners!

A lucky runner wins a Brentwood 5K/10K shirt!

Running club members on the beautiful paths in the Marina.