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Mark Your Calendars, Get Set, Go!

The months of September and October present some of the best running
races of the year in the midwest. The cooler weather feels great for
running, and most of us have done a fair amount of training over the
summer months. Most weekends are packed with so many races that is it
difficult to pick the best ones. I have run many of these races, but
certainly not all of them. Below are a few fall races that I have run
in, and would like to do again.

September 14 - National Heritage Corridor 25 K. This is a good warm up
race for runners considering a fall marathon. The scenic race is along
the gravel towpath which runs between the Illinois River and the
historic I&M canal. This is an out-and-back race which starts at the
grade school in Chanahon (about 30 min. drive from Argonne). Sweatshirts
are given out to all runners, and there is an early start time for
runners who expect to take over 3.5 hours to complete the course. The
entry fee is \$18/\$20 after Sept. 7. Last year there were over 500
runners at this race.

September 21 - Kankakee River 10 K. This race is run on a crushed
limestone trail along the banks of the Kankakee river starting at the
Kankakee River State Park. All runners get long sleeved T-shirts. The
fall foliage is usually beautiful at this time of year. If you want to
make a day of it, run the race in the morning, enjoy the post race
party, then spend a few hours relaxing at the state park before heading
back to Chicago. Entry fee is \$12/15.

September 28 - Wild Wild Wilderness. This is one of my favorite races.
It is a 7.6 mile cross country race at Kickapoo State Park near
Danville. The race is on park trails, which can get muddy if it rains,
but are otherwise beautiful. There are a few hills on this course, and
two streams that have to be jumped. This race certainly has a different
feel than the traditional road races in Chicago. Afterwards, there is a
great picnic and awards ceremony. Last year there were over 600 runners
at this event. Although this race is a 2.5 hour drive from Chicago, it
is worth it if you are looking for something a little different.

September 28 - Fox Cities Marathon. For anyone who has been doing some
long-distance running over the summer, and is looking for a fairly early
fall marathon, this one is a good choice. It is a four hour drive up to
the start in Appleton, WI. Be sure to go up a day early and enjoy the
Octoberfest in Appleton on Sept. 27. The race runs through seven towns
along the Fox River, and crosses the river seven times (seven bridges).
Each town that you run through is lined with cheering fans, and each
bridge is colorfully decorated. If I get enough miles in before Sept.
28, I hope to run this one this year.

I have entry forms for these races. If anyone wants one, please let me
know (John Schlueter, Bldg. 200, Rm. A185, 2-3588) If you have any
favorite October races, please let me know, and I'll include them in
next month's newsletter. As always, if you run a race, send me a short
paragraph telling me what you thought of it so we can help other running
club members plan their calendar for next year.

Quitting Can Be Honorable

Many runners get into situations where they think they have to push on,
no matter how wrong things are going and how lousy they feel. As a
coach, I am against this. There are times when you should evaluate your
situation, and decide it is far wiser to quit than to struggle on t the
finish line no matter the cost.

Take the marathon. I don't hesitate to tell marathoners to quit if it
becomes obvious that their goals are not being achieved.

Why do you run marathons? I can think of six reason:

1)To say you ran one.

2)Because you like running marathons.

3)To run a personal best time.

4)To represent a team.

5)To win in some category.

6)To win an award or money.

If by about mile 17, you are not accomplishing 3,4,5,6, and you have
previously achieved 1, then you are down to 2. And if 2 is your only
reason, and it is not going well and you really don't feel good, it
might be better to drop out. If you try to gut it out, you risk an
injury that can interrupt your training and maybe keep you out for races
you plan for the future. This is especially true if it is already
apparent that you are getting hurt, such as bleeding feet, localized
rather than general pain, symptoms of dehydration, and so on. I believe
it is better to stop rather than risk more serious consequences.

The marathon is a very unforgiving distance, and you can't expect to run
your best every time you lineup behind the starting line. If you drop
out when your objectives are not going to be achieved, you will recover
more quickly, and be able to get ready for the next one. I don't think
there is anything discreditable about that.

Jack Daniels, Ph.D.

Olympic medalist in the pentathalon.

Rurunr 2?

The following was written by Kelly James-Enger of the Prairie State Road
Runners and provided by Jack Picciolo.

You know you are a runner when:

1\) You correct people when they call it jogging.

2\) You're as dedicated as the postal carriers (with the exception of
Newman from Seinfeld) - you run in the rain, wind, and snow.

3\) You donate race T-shirts to Good Will because you've accumulated too
many of them.

4\) You buy your work shoes at Payless or Shoe Carnival but think
nothing of dropping \$90 for a pair of New Balance. (Or your work shoes
are a pair of New Balance with 500 miles on them.)

5\) You know who Alberto, Lynn, and Mary are.

6\) You actually wanted to see "Pre" even though the critics panned it.

7\) Your bathroom is always draped with sweaty, crusty running gear.

8\) You dream of running Boston every year.

9\) You annoy your non-running loved ones by describing your most recent
race in excruciating, point-to-point detail (i.e. "then at about 3.5
miles into the race, I surged for six seconds.)

10\) You find watching the Chicago Marathon footage on TV as interesting
as watching the Bulls in the playoffs.

Mystery Mosey Run

August 20th turned out to be a great day for the Running Club's Mystery
Mosey Run. Although the day was rather humid, the temperature was quite
pleasant for a noon-time run in August. Laurie Culbert and Karl Grimm
did a great job in organizing the event for the 13 runners and 2 walkers
that participated. They had a creative twist to the race in which
runners were paired with a partner based on predicted finish times.
Runners didn't know who their partner was until they finished the race.
We should have the results of this race for the October newsletter. Long
sleeved Running Club T-shirts were awarded to the winning team. After
the race, there was plenty of refreshments: watermelon, cookies, apple
juice, water, etc.

Chase Ends

After 32 years of chasing women, I've finally caught the one I want to
keep! I'll be getting married on August 23rd after which Debbie and I
will be going to New Hampshire and Maine for a two week honeymoon. Yes,
I'll pack my running shoes, but they won't see as many miles as usual
those weeks. Debbie loves biking, and we are planning to ride a metric
century together later this fall.

I'm sure my life will change in many ways, but I doubt I'll ever loose
my love for running. I still plan to edit the Running Club Newsletter,
but it is possible that it may be a little late or shortened in some
upcoming months. Please keep your stories and race reports coming - it
makes my job a lot easier and more enjoyable. (John Schlueter, Bldg.
200, Rm. A185, 2-3588)

Chicago Marathon

Just a reminder that again this year, the Argonne Running Club will be
volunteering at the Chicago Marathon. We do not know yet where we will
be stationed, but in past years, we have worked at the finish line. This
year's Chicago Marathon is expected to be the largest ever, with over
13,000 runners. I encourage everyone to come and take part in the
festivities on October 19th. Volunteering is a great way to give a
little back to the running community - think of all the volunteers who
have made races enjoyable for you. If you are interested in helping out,
please get in touch with Corrie Patterson (Bldg. 214, 2-9246)

McKee's Run

Mark your calendars for the next Running Club on-site race which will be
held September 18th (rain date is Sept. 19th). This race is the ET Open,
formerly the MCT Open, which was instituted by John McKee (thus the name
McKee\'s Run) in the 1980's. The ET division continues to host this race
mostly out of tradition. McKee's Run has a long and complicated
tradition at Argonne, which will be explained in a future issue of this
newsletter. This year's race will be a special one because John McKee
passed away earlier this year, so this years race will be in his memory.

The format is also unusual, with the 5k run having cross-country scoring
and a huge (1 meter) team trophy going to the first division team of
three or more. Ribbons will also be awarded to runners and walkers. A
grand raffle prize will be donated by the division director.

We hope that you will join us for this historic run, and bring some of
your coworkers. The more runners your division has, the better your
chances of winning.

Chicago Distance Classic

The Argonne Running Club had a team at this year's Chicago Distance
Classic. Due to an injury, I was not able to run this year. I have heard
that our team had a great time and got to enjoy the luxury of the
"Corporate Tent". I hope that one of our CDC runners will send me a
report so I can include it in next month's newsletter. Let us know how
you did! (John Schlueter, Bldg. 200, Rm. A185, 2-3588)

Inspiration

We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy
it and cannot help ourselves\... The more restricted our society and
work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this
craving for freedom. No one can say, "You must not run faster than this,
or jump higher than that." The human spirit is indomitable.

Sir Roger Bannister

Cool Down