Decathlon Tributes – 2016

by Tim O’Keefe

Welcome

Interesting Year for the decathlon – weather was amazing – few blazing hot days – no rain outs

Numbers down a bit – 82 men, 63 women (last year 90 men, 84 women)

  • average – 22 men, 18 women
  • high – 40 men (1500 – 6/29) women – 28 (800 – 7/13)
  • low – 13 men (3000 – 7/27) women – 9 (3000 – 7/27)
  • oldest – Jim Lowrie 75, Jeanette Novak – 71
  • youngest – Colin Basford & Donovan Gaskin -5, Brigid Malone – 4

Streakers – 5 runners ran 10/10 races – 4 women, 1 man

  • John Way has done 69 SD races in a row; 99/100

Thanks to…

  • Lou King and the board for making the races free for Steeps
  • Lou King, Harriet Langlois, Art Gregory, and Ruth Taylor for music, Brusters, and shoe display, and especially to If the Shoe Fits and Saucony for sponsoring the event
  • Lou King for being in charge of the finish line
  • Jenny Hallberg for getting results published in under 24 hours
  • the race directors…Crista Horn, Art Gregory, Ruth Taylor, Cassy Crouse, Tim Dodd,
  • Cassi Dodd, Javier Montenegro, Paul Christiansen, Chad and Cheryl Connors
  • Special thanks to Joe Basford for directing & for hauling the equipment for races 9 & 10

Awards go to top 10 men and women based on cumulative age graded times with at least 5 races

#10

  • Bill Duke (51) 5/10 races
    • Must be good to run only half the races and crack the top ten
    • looks like 41, not 51!
    • 200 m – 29.7 AG 25.3 5th place; 800 m – 2:42 AG 2:18; 1500 m – 5:46 AG 4:58
  • Sophie Geernaert (12) 5/10 races
    • The little ones do grow up
    • part of a fun group of preteens/teens
    • top 10 with only 5 races
    • 200 m – 36.2 AG 33 4th; 400 m – 1:21 AG 1:12.2 4th (.3 ahead of mom!!!); 7:35 mile AG 7:01

#9

  • Joe Basford (37) 6/10 races
    • healthy year – returning to form
    • always in the lead group
    • pushes hard in the races AND the relays
    • 200 m – 27.1 2nd fastest; 2 mile – 11:27 AG 11:04 #2; 800 m – 2:24 AG 2:21
  • Brenda Jacobs (50) 8/10 races
    • Stepped up in times in each race
    • ran race and then off for mega miles in the park with Meaghan Vance
    • fast in both sprints and distances
    • 2 mile – 16:26 AG 14:02; 200 m – 40.4 AG 33.9; 800 m – 3:45 AG 3:19

#8

  • Jeff Jones (68) 8/10 races
    • Great to see him back and in the same race shape
    • despite gaining in years he is still a demon in the sprints
    • 400m – 1:16 AG 58.1 4th; 200 m- 33.4 AG 25.5; 600 m – 2:14 AG 1:141
  • Lib Rood (51) 8/10 races
    • came into summer looking to hone speed…and she succeeded
    • already strong in distances, she now shines in all the races
    • started with a 7:54 mile in June and ended with a 7:49 mile in August AG 6:25
    • 800 m – 2:36 AG 3:08; 200 m – 41 AG 33

#7

  • James Moreland (63) 9/10 races
    • When James didn’t show for the first race…we worried something big was up BUT he made it to the last 9
    • his involvement in other race series often had him racing in the a m before the evening decathlon
    • as ferocious in the relays as in the races
    • 1 mile – 6:34 AG 5:09 5th; 3000 m – 13:15 AG 10:23 3rd; 2 mile – 15:17 AG11:58
  • Pam Geernaert (48) 7/10 races
    • did the catoctin 50 k in the middle of the series
    • always seems to be having fun – always positive attitude
    • one of the runners that pushes the pace every race
    • 1 ml – 7:08 AG 6:09 5th; 3000 m – 13:28 AG 11:47 4th; 2 ml – 14:40 AG 12:50 3rd

#6

  • James Lowrie (43) 7/10 races
    • What could be better than having James run with us? Having all the Lowries there – Jim, Barb, Liz & their kids – a true example of the family atmosphere of the decathlon
    • Oh…and James is crazy fast on the track!
    • 1 mile – 5:36 AG 5:11; 2 mile – 12:06 AG 11:11; 600 m – 1:47 AG 1:38
  • Meaghan Vance (30) 10/10 races
    • actually tied for 5th but lost in head to head tie breaker
    • used to be a solid mid packer but has raced herself to the front pack
    • always makes every race look so easy
    • to young for AG points so all her times are no adjustment
    • June mile 6:32, august mile 6:22; 800 m – 2:50; 400 m- 75 sec

#5

  • John Way (51) 10/10 races
    • not only 10/10 races this year but also for the last 7 years AND he is in several other club series in the summer
    • despite entering the 50 age group last year, he has not lost much speed
    • june mile5:57, august mile5:54 AG 5:08; 3000 m- 12:28 AG 10:49; 800 m- 2:44 AG 2:21
  • MaxAnn Keller (25) 6/10 races
    • has the speed and endurance of youth to offset the lack of AG points
    • part of the lead pack of women that pushed every race
    • successfully worked on juggling marathon training with track speed
    • 1 mile – 6:13; 800 m – 2:48 3rd; 200 m- 30.5 2nd (.3 from 1st!)

#4

  • Tim O’Keefe (63) 9/10 races
    • probably the only runner to have a slower august mile than june mile
    • learned that getting beat by a woman is called “chicked” – he was pretty sure he got “flocked” this summer
    • 2 mile – 14:15 AG 11:10 4th; 1000 m 3:51 AG 2:59 4th
  • Crystal Achuo (36) 8/10 races
    • ran the catoctin 50 k
    • was a strong mid pack runner and now is part of the lead pack
    • has made huge strides on the track as well as on the roads
    • 1 mile – 6:17 AG 6:08 4th; 800 m – 2:49 5th; 400 m – 1:14 AG 1:10 3rd

#3

  • Tim Morgan (65) 8/10 races
    • ran the CAT 50 k
    • even with missing 2 races was only ½ point out of 2nd place
    • led the decathlon through 6 races
    • very fast AND has an awesome kick
    • 1 mile 6:25 AG 4:56 2nd; 1000 m – 3:46 AG 2:52 2nd; 2 mile – 13:50 AG 10:38 #1
  • Harriet Langlois (60) 10/10 races
    • back from a year of injuries and stronger than ever
    • led decathlon through 6 races
    • part of the information group that let runners know what other events were going on that they may be interested in doing
    • mile-7:40 AG 5:38 2nd; 2 mil-17:02 AG 12:41 2nd; 3000 m 15:22 AG 11:26 2nd

#2

  • Mike Geisler (43) 9/10 races
    • ran the CAT 50 k
    • he’s lean, he’s strong, he’s fast and he bleeds black & gold like all Steeler fans do
    • with Chi triaining, his form is tighter and times are dropping from the marathon on down
    • highlight was bringing his daughter Olivia to run the last two races with us
    • june mile 5:46, august mile 5:40 AG 5:15; 800 m-2:26 AG 2:15 5th; 400 m- 61 AG 56 3rd
  • Michelle Mitchell (58) 10/10 races
    • amazing on the track given the fact she trains more for ultras
    • honed her speed and has developed a great finish kick
    • always early and always willing to help set up and always happy!
    • june mile 7:41, august mile 7:37 AG 5:45 3rd; 3000 m – 15:09 AG 11:36 3rd 1000 m – 4:40 AG 3:41

CHAMPION

  • ART GREGORY (72) 9/10 races
    • 205 points ahead of 2nd
    • ran CAT 50 k, came back 4 days later and rand 33.9 for the 200 2nd place (AG 24.7)
    • used to be a sprint specialist but has greatly improved distance speed
    • no matter the race, ALWAYS has an amazing kick
    • 400 m – 78 AG 55 1st; 3000 m – 14:12 AG 10:08 2nd; 1 mile – 7:09 AG 5:06 3rd
  • RUTH TAYLOR (47) 10/10 races
    • 355 points ahead of 2nd place
    • ran the CAT 50 k – 4 days later ran the 200 m – only race she did not win all summer
    • led series from start to finish
    • race time AG Time seconds ahead of next runner
      1600 6:25 5:32 16
      1000 3:42 3:19 15
      2mile 13:39 11:57 44
      600 2:05 1:49 9
      1500 5:50 5:01 5
      400 1:17 64 2
      800 2:49 2:34 9
      3000 12:41 11:06 20
      1mile 6:26 5:33 5

Thanks to all who came out and had fun and made the series a success. See you in 9 months!!!