December Always Remembers

 Jeffrey Eggleston, like the NASA Parker Solar probe dabbled in flying as close as he could to the sun in some recent races. 

11/17/24, The Wash Park Circuit (2.25mi), 10:52.57, 10th

Tucked in behind a large pack of generation Alpha(flies) and flashed through the first mile in 4:35. Thankfully the race wasn’t much longer than 10 minutes.

11/23/24, NXR Southwest Citizens Race, 5K, 15:07.64, 3rd

First cross-country race in 19 years (and I probably haven’t been on a golf course in as long). It didn’t disappoint. I took some wise advice and hung back in a very eclectic chase pack. Ran the final 1.1mi in 5:13 to move into 3rd. It was a good day. All 9 of my Peak to Peak High School runners ran personal bests, making me look like a credible xc coach. The family had a fun trip visit to Arizona. Within 24 hours of returning to Colorado we all came down with the flu.

  

Jeffrey didn't send a picture of those races so I found this one on the internet. This is pre-AI folks, real deal. 

I am certain there is a serious  Denver runner or two who feverishly check Denver race results on Saturdays hoping that if Adam wins a 5k that he won't crash that runner's planned race on Sunday. Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucker 

City Park 5k 15:40 for 1st.

The Great Candy Run 3.16 1st 16:22

Pumpkin Pie 5k 3.13 1st 15:52

Ruldophs Revenge 15:36 1st

Rock Canyon 5k 16:22 1st not an easy course

Jingle Jog 6k 1st 19:42

Ugly Sweater 5k 3.13 3rd 16:02

Jeff Mohrmann, a seasoned runner, took a vision quest to California and in the end he came back with the most important prize one can receive. He learned a little about himself. Or maybe he didn't. He might disagree with me because that's what he tends to do. 

The first thing you should know; I think I hate running. 

Not in the actual, functional movement sense. I enjoy moving via running. It is the "I'm going to get in ten miles today as part of my build for XYZ race in three months because I might shave a few minutes off of my PR" sense. That part. That is the part I hate. The unyielding feeling of obligation to train...improve...yada yada yada. I don't think it's for me anymore.

(If it is still for you - I support you and see you. But I don't want to join you for a run). 

I somehow manifested this current state of mind into an early December trip to Santa Monica, CA to run a 50K in the mountains above Malibu. Which was really an oversight on my part. I signed up for this race in January. Forgot about it for 9 months, and then was reminded by my friend who convinced me to sign up in the first place. So, having done exactly zero training for a mountainous 50K I booked a hotel and a plane ticket and showed up to the start line with an average of thirty miles per week of running in my legs and no runs longer than 8 miles since September. 

The course was beautiful - single track in the hills above the pacific, dry valleys, great vistas and conditions. The aid stations were exactly as you would expect for an ultra (think grizzled vets telling you how the next section is "going to rip your legs apart if you aren't careful, plus some pickle juice). My fellow racers were the usual mix of people having a great time and overly serious ultra bros (and gals). Overall, the race organization and event itself was low key and low maintenance. I recommend it. 

And look, I finished. My heart rate never got above 140. My knee didn't explode. Neither did my stomach. I ran the opposite of hard. Experience, sea level and a decent level of baseline fitness got me through. I was grateful for the finish and the experience. But did I love it? Did I even like it? No. Because, like I said, I hate running. 

Colorado XC USATF State Champs and USATF Masters XC National Champs

Boulder was once again the site of the combined CO state (open/masters) & National Masters Cross Country Championships. This year the weather showed out and was a perfect crisp fall day prime (get it) for racing.  Junior Strider Nicole Black, led things off with a smoking fast 9:01 1km in the kids race, with a jazzy tie-dyed Square State jersey. I think age graded she may have edged out her mom Ruth Black! Ruth exacted revenge on the previous CO state champs that was not, due a near homeowners insurance claim. This time she almost barfed which is way better than breaking your butt bone.

 

Nicole trained with one single 5min run. Her race report:

“The part that was most tiring was going up that hill. I didn’t really meet any friends at the race. I liked running and crossing the finish line and wearing my medal. Next year I think it will be warm.” She wore her tie-dye shirt for 3 straight days after the race. Nicole ran the whole 9mins straight! Not bad for being almost 6.

I arrived to the starting line without a broken tailbone this year. My goal was to pace myself and not go out too fast. It was a fun course, although a humble reminder that grass slows you down. It was the closest I’ve ever come to throwing up after a race, and the experience was inspiring enough that I found a new running coach a week later. 2025 will be different!

Logan Wealing, founding Square State Strider, came back to this event after a team podium placing in 2022. Logan laced up spikes for possibly the first time since his days as a Purdue Boilermaker athlete. Logan battled with the mostly altitude based teams to a 12th place finish in 17:59, beating every single sea level runner in attendance (not very welcoming Logan). 

Neil McDonagh also joined Logan and sadly missed teammate Adam Rich shooing away flocks of Canadian Geese from the last champs race. Neil kept a healthy personal space buffer from eventual winner, Joe Gray, placing 2nd in 15:49. 

Club Cross Country National Championships-Tacoma WA

Neil McDonagh - 10k 33:45 2nd

Tempted with the idea of chasing fellow Springs resident Joe Gray in another race, this time in the hometown of Arthur Batanides (guest star of several episodes of Bonanza!). This time the weather was the opposite, despite a well laid out 10k course with a packed masters field, the runners were pelted with bone chilling rain, sleet , hail and 40 mph winds during the entire race. Stuff only mailmen allegedly go out in. In the words of Boulder race director, Lee Troop, the course 'looked like the dog's breakfast', with many deep long mud patches with no alternative option but to think about trench-foot related worm risks. At the risk of bringing shame upon my family back home in Colorado and even my local AirBnb hosts, I was able to surge over the back half of the course and replicate the previous months result finishing 2nd to Mr Gray. This time albeit, distinctly muddier and near hypothermic. 

Gerald and Kari Romero completed all of the Disney Races (are there like 9 you have to do now?). But hopefully it was a work conference trip (wink) and it could all be expensed, because it sure looked fun! They also hopped in the Colorado Springs Turkey Trot with Gerald on the mend from his foot injury with a 22 min clocking for the 5k event. 

The Mountain Never Loses

Striders raced each other, strangers, a few costumed folk, possibly up to two guys in Five Fingers shoes, but if we're being honest no one beat the weather (not the government controlled kind). Lets hear some of the creative excuses these brave folks came up with.

BJ Karlik, a guy who does 90% of his training circling a playground in Rockrimmon, like an unwanted neighborhood watch captain, had this to say.

BJ here….reporting that I was informed that this year was the first time in its history that the PP marathon wasn’t completed in full. Disappointing? Without a doubt. Still a fun day?  Absolutely. Turns out people weren’t lying when they said downhill was tough. No idea how some of these young (and not so young) kids fly down the rocky areas with no regard for their ankles. I passed several people on the way up and was passed by even more on the way down. 

No idea if 2:41 is a good time for Barr camp and back but I felt decent finishing 153 overall. Maybe someone wants to help me with the downhill portion next year?

Adam Rich who only has 7 alleys left in the Patty Jewett neighborhood, before he takes every single STRAVA segment in 80907, kept up his dominance in Denver.

Warrior 5K 1^st 16:00 not sure on distance as I was still having watch issues.

Race for Research 1^st (3.20 miles) 16:31 long course, started 1 hour later then it was advertised!!!

Pancake Stampede 2^nd 15:53

Golden Gallup 2^nd 15:58

Flyin Lyon 5K 1^st 16:27 (3.16 miles)

Colorado Springs Marathon 5k 1^st 15:21 (A bit short)

Abby Winery 5k (Canon City) 1^st 16:02 (course was not fantastic, almost messed up ankles running on the uncut farm fields)

Denver Rocks Run 5k 1^st 16:01 (3.14 miles)

Harvest Festival 5k (3.24 miles) 1^st 16:44 

Strides for Sierra 5k 1^st 16:05 (3.13 miles)

Andy Sherwood, who is still ironing out the kinks to legalize signing local high school runners to NIL deals with the City of Colorado Springs landscaping and chipping pile down off Las Vegas St; laced his racers up after a summer hiatus.

I ran the first annual Manitou 5k. Top Master in a Course record time of 19:53. Racing 5k at Nike Regional Citizen race on November 23 in Phoenix.

Jon Teisher, ran the Manitou Coffin Races and also the Detroit Marathon. I only have a photo from Coffin Races where I think half his team tore their Achilles in the first 20 ft. 

Sam Wood, who could single handedly easily put 2 Men and A Truck out of business if she ever decided to stop being a PT, ran a sampler of cool events. 

In September I ran an abbreviated Pikes Peak Double and the 1st Cougar Ridge Classic race in Vail. I don’t have much to say about the PPA/PPM other than I had fun and it’s a great hometown tradition (despite this only being my second year to run it). The Cougar Ridge Classic however I have to report that the swag you get at packet pickup (long-sleeve sun shirt, hydropack soft flask, small 1st aid kit, sunscreen, dynafit socks, chapstick) plus the free beer, post race $15 meal voucher, and free bags of coffee far outweigh the race fee! The race is approx 15-miles of single track, point to point, starting in Vail and running up the ski slopes to a ridge traversing over and down into Minturn. The fall colors were stunning this year! Consider putting it on your list for next year!

Phil Stafford, completing his bucket list of kinda odd marathons, capped it off with the climate change finish. 

2024 PPM (Partially Peak Marathon) 

Lugged a bunch of extra Maurten, shot blocks, and clothes up for good weight training / classic over packing. Took a little to get the engine running, then things turned into a full blown sprint downhill on that #herodirt, featuring an unexpected uphill hiker on the W’s that got a free “Phil Hug” at 12 miles an hour. 

Ruth Leibfritz, who I can only assume was trying to win a creativity award for submitting court ordered community service loitered all over Palmer Lake.

On 9/28, I attempted my first 24 hour race - a .82 mile loop around Palmer Lake over and over (and over).  I ran with my sister, and had friends come hang and run throughout the day. 

We switched directions every 4 hours to really mix it up, and I got to meet and chat with a lot of runners throughout the day. Night time was tough, but the aid station crew was great, and a cheese quesadilla may have saved my life.

I hadn't really trained specifically for this race, so by 4 AM (hour 20), I was over it and decided it was time to nap in my hammock at our aid station. I ended up placing 4th female overall, 74.62 miles (81 laps). My longest run yet! I love type 2 fun, so I'm already planning to sign up again next year and try to make it the full 24 hours. 

Put Summer to Bed It's Only in the Low 80's Now

 The Square State Striders completed every manner of traversing distance this summer: running, ultra-running (possibly different) , biking  and swimming (?).  Lets hear some first hand accounts from the team about their totally unverified and un-fact checked (thank you very much) reports. 

The below mentioned multi-generational Square State family has an important update:

"The 2024 racing season didn't yield the desired outcomes for either Brandon or Melissa. As they have begun to question the time spent training, they have now pivoted to dedicate this time to ensuring people know the correct spelling of their name.  Between recent blog posts, and a Long Run Article that featured 3 different spellings of "Stapanowich" within one paragraph, they have finally landed on a strategy to encourage the correct spelling.  Adopting a similar strategy to that of the BroAdmoor, Brandon and Melissa will now capitalize the "A" in the name that is often misplaced with an "E".  Hopefully this approach will yield less occurrences of a misspelling and maybe even offer the same fortuitous financial future that the BroAdmoor encountered.  With love, the StApanowiches."

Felix:

"I'm back - the littlest square.  This past month I ran Hard Block at Hard Rock.  While there are many controversies that surround this race, the one thing that they do right is the kids race.  An opportunity to run around the block, kiss the rock, and get a hard earned sugar cookie was a perfect way for me to start my third year around the sun."

Sam Wood, defeated all comers (maybe not 2) up in Leadville this summer, by that I mean to even include thorns and pebbles in Sam's oft near bare sandaled feet. 

Finished my 3rd Leadwoman Series and 7th Leadville 100 run. It’s not a joke that I beat the #RealLanceArmstrong in the Leadville 100 mountain bike race this year by 6-minutes riding flat pedals. Maybe next time I’ll clip in and beat him by 30.

Brian Fleischmann, 'The Soggy Strider', sent this update of him winning a national age group championship with a screen grab of his results. What's great is that I have only a hunch that its 1500 meters or yards, or maybe a mile. I don't know that's all he sent. And before all you frizzy chlorinated folks start applying to the Square State Striders, Brian does run, but these are just the results he sends in. 

"I won US Masters Swimming Nats 45-49 age group on light training" 

What's 'light training' ? Not sure, but Brian went to FSU, so he could be referencing a tanning lamp for all I know. Congrats Brian, well done at however far you swam. 

Kari Romero knocked out some great high country elevation racing. Gerald is slowly back on the mend again, and then sent a whole bunch of personal medical info that would surely be violated almost every aspect of HIPAA. Just know he's happy to be on the road to recovery. 

Kari Georgetown to Idaho springs half marathon and Pikes Peak ultra 20k Gerald -- no racing. The big news for injury report -- This week I was cleared too start training again. 

Neil McDonagh teamed up with newest Square State team member, Jeffrey Eggleston at several races on the Front Range this summer. Kicking off at the Cookie Chase 5k, where they placed respectably in 15:12 (Jeffrey) and 15:22 (Neil). Dodging goose poop, soon to be brunchers, future heat stroke victims and no less than 4 men shirtless doing pushups at various points of the circumference of Sloans Lake in Denver. 

Jeffrey chased his professed White Whale of a lifetime first sub 2:00 in the 800m this summer at various track meets in Colorado (does he know CO is at altitude like everywhere?). He narrowly missed it with a 2:01 clocking in Boulder and several other near misses. Neil mostly chased behind Jeffrey. They both competed in a hybrid road/track mile held in Denver that was multi-factorial humbling for both. But they decided as men in their 40's often do, to try something only children or men recently children should do, by running on a 4x400m relay team because two guys asked them as Neil and Jeffrey were planning to leave the stadium. Both Striders fueled to redeem the respect of USA relay prowess after the botched Olympic 4x100m handoff, did their best and emerged uninjured (the highest masters honor). To celebrate the closing of their summer track seasons, Jeffrey flew to upstate NY to eat some food called 'a Garbage Plate' which believe it or not is grosser in picture than words and Neil stopped eating only vegetables because it likely made him feel generally unwell. 

 

Middle and Right photos Credit- Dave Albo Lane1

                       

Middle and Right photos Credit- Dave Albo Lane1

                                           

What the hell Jeffrey. Its Obamacare not European healthcare!

Don't Call It A Heat Wave!

 

Striders did races on dirt, road and rubber in the last month and a half. Racing season has heated up locally in the Springs and in the high country. Lets hear what the team has been up to lately. 

This first report comes from Felix Stepanowich. He's 2. I am not saying AI wrote this race report but I'm gonna go ahead and just flag it as suspicious ahead of time.

Felix here again, the littlest square.  My most recent race was the "Little Horn" .5 mile at the Garden of the Gods races on June 9th.  While walking up to the course, I kept telling my Mom and Dad that it would be hard and I didn't want it to be hard. I lined up with the other kids and was planning on running with my Mom.  Right before they said "GO", I turned around and told my parents to "Stay! I'll do it myself."  When the race started, I ran so hard - the course was one loop that was 1/2 mile long.  I turned around and my parents were trying to quietly run behind me, so I had to remind them to "Stay!"  and I said it louder this time. I ran the entire course myself with only a brief pause to say hello to the sheep next to the course. I didn't run fast enough to get one of the limited popsicles at the finish, but maybe next year. After the race, I kept telling people "The race was a little bit hard, but I just took deep breaths." Oh yeah, I guess my Mom finished the 10 mile that day too. 

Photos courtesy of Peter Maksimow

Tony Clement, one of the few locals brave enough to offer his quads to Gods of the Garden. And then some how had the worlds first physically demanding round of golf ever (come at me golfers, or at least your Dad's retainer law firm).

Garden 10 mile on June 9th
Beautiful Morning in the park.
Snuck in 3rd place in my age group (44-49) with a time of 1:17:12. I pushed hard because I had an 8:00am shotgun start in a golf tournament that same morning. Unfortunately missed the first 3 holes, and my body fell apart the last 3 holes, but a fun morning for sure.  Next up BTMR!

Ruth Black seems to be getting a clearer picture of what mountain trail races are in Colorado, yup up and down.

Great Divide 25k - Mueller State Park June 1

Coming off a sprained ankle, it was a lovely day to run for 3 hours on fire roads. Very little flow to this course, we were either going straight up or descending steeply down. But the views of Pikes Peak were awesome and it was fun to high-five the 50k and 100 milers on the horse-shoe route.

I'm not supposed to tell ladies to 'relax' anymore, but maybe just this once?

Andy Sherwood pretending like he's a super patriotic guy and totally not scoping out 24/25' high school summer xc scouting report up in Monument.   

Palmer Lake 4th of July race. 

Slightly slower than last year. Ran back to Palmer lake and beat the first bus. Palmer lake has legal weed. Who knew?

Andy rocking shades at night @ Milefest, cuz I don't know he wants us to not like him I guess. 

Adam Rich submitted these races. Just like a sobriety checkpoint you can count on doubling the actual amount of races he ran, but these are the ones he's putting on his taxes.

I didn't run anything notable. A 5k back in May in 15:39, two 5k's at Sloan's Lake 15:37 and 15:50 something, a very long 5k in 17:00 and the 4 mile on the 4th in 20:38

Brandon Stepanowich, an outsider ballot for Cheyenne Mountain HS coaching legend status, laced up a pair of xc flats on a wet cold night at the high school. 

 On a regrettable whim I decided to jump into Milefest at Cheyenne Mountain High School. It’s a last chance race for high schoolers not competing in the state meet to allow them to set a mile PR. Also open to the public, for me, it was a place for misplaced dreams to die. The race started after 9:30 pm and my near 40 year old hamstrings reminded me of this at precisely 900 meters in. I felt a sharp bite in the back of my right leg and abruptly moved from lane 1 to lane 0, hobbling across the field to wallow in shame underneath the brilliant stadium lights. My son got to stay up late though so he was happy. I guess ultra distance races aren’t the only places you can DNF.

Last known sighting of the intact hamstring.

Kari Romero, new official team member, finally gets to shine while Gerald shoots therapeutic (I hope) lasers into his feet. Kari ripped it up over the following events: 

Ragnar Relay

Slacker Half Marathon

Vail Hill Climb

Jon Teisher completed the San Juan Solstice 50 in 12:33:50. His stated goal was to finish before the bar closes. Feel like he met his A Goal. Jon submitted no race report but he did state that goal on a postcard in early June.

Here's a pic of JT before super shoes where a thing.

Ruth Leibfritz, we got 2 Ruth's now , keep up. This Ruth read Hal Higdon's book, was inspired but the next City Park 5k was sold out, so she signed up for this scavenger hunt of an event.

Banana Slug Backyard Ultra - Champoeg State Park in Oregon on April 19^th 2024

 

This was my first time doing a backyard ultra, with my longest race previously being a 50k. I managed to pull off my goal of 100k at 10 PM, which came out to 15 laps of 4.167 miles (62.5ish miles total). The course was a nice mix of trail and pavement, with time in the woods and along a river. I really loved this style of race; our small group of racers quickly felt like a little community with time to chat and share snacks between laps. And snacks were the name of the game – an unnamed spectator showed up with donuts at the end of lap 6, and I’m pretty sure the cup of instant mashed potatoes I ate after lap 10 saved my life. My friends and I stayed in a cabin at the state park, so the next morning we woke up and cheered on the 20 or so runners that were still going, which was a lot of fun! My goal next year is to make it a full 24 hours (100 miles). 

After wondering if he was being type-cast as only racing 1 mile races now, Neil McDonagh added 2 800's (one of them timed, the other just had timing equipment in the vicinity). 

Milefest (site of Brandon's youth floating away): decided to run an 800 amongst  a group of teens with limitless testosterone. The most stressful part of races is where you try to race a certain time, so for this one they helped us out and said the timing actually didn't start after we finished. I was   T    H    I    S  far back from the kid who won.

Masters Road Mile USA Champs- Danville CA: 4:30 1st. A trip back to my hometown and racing old high school pals and chumming with racers from all around the country. All of us bragging about who's more injured and who has the most invasive upcoming medical procedure. A cool two loop course around a swanky downtown, took the win and basked in the glow of my parents appreciation  long stolen by my two local siblings (shout out Owen and Emmet).

Springs Downhill Mile: 4:37/ 1st OA. Beyond the argument that its a stretch to consider this 'downhill' only dropping 30 ft, but the event is a blast and hope it is here to stay. Props to all of us who stomped on the Santa Fe Trail immediately after the last snow and left ankle rolling hoof prints until next December.

Denver Twilight Track Meet: 1600: 4:33 4th 800: 2:05 4th: For a meet with the name Twilight, it sure felt like the surface of the sun at 6pm. Great event, super fast competition, sorry Springs but Denver Athletics is pretty good at putting on track meets.

We've added a feature so as not to forget our fallen (or strained) compatriots.

The Injury Report Dumpster: 

Gerald Romero: has been getting so much imaging on his foot post stress fracture that he may end up like Edison's assistant 

Brian Fleischmann: reports that he is on sports hospice. Has run maybe once and the elastic is even cracking on his speedos from lack of use. #prayers4Brian

Tom Caughlan: has severely injured [choose lower extremity region L/R or both] and but still plans to run 2 marathons by end of year, but promised his wife he'd click the trip insurance box on Expedia. 

Zach Miller: got his appendix out while living in his van outside Silverton. You're killing your mother Zach. Don't worry Zach, you're in famous company, that president who pulled on his dogs' ears also had his out. 

Things We Did Instead of Taxes

The Square State Striders challenged themselves this spring in a multitude of ways. Not just figuring out the tax exempt value on the Arc donation form for a pair of Altra's with 500mi on them, but new and exciting running frontiers: tracks, roads, mud, ice, different roads requiring expensive plane tickets, so many. 

We'll jump in with some marathon reports:

Newest Strider: Phil Stafford, knocked out a seemingly casual 2:57 at the quad crushing Colorado Marathon in the Fort Collins area.

Colorado Marathon, the downhill doozy??? First official marathon, 2:57. -Phil

(Phil paid 43.95 for this digital image so we aren't stealing)

A trio of S^3 teammates wandered the streets of Eugene Oregon over the marathon and half marathon distances. 

Carson Rickey equaled Phil's marathon time of 2:57 but it was at sea level, but Phil was basically controlled falling down Poudre Canyon, so it might be a wash. Carson, a man who obsesses over every detail, had this to say. 

I may have been wearing a lifestyle shoe and I regret that choice. - Carson

And here's Carson strutting his TJMaxx finds down the U of O home stretch!

Cynthia Chau (proud graduate of the prestigious Lowell HS in SF, just don't google them currently) took a hardship leave from work to accompany her spouse Carson and Tom. As the trip was probably already a wash, she ran the marathon as well. Finishing in a dandy 3:42.

 

(Although Cynthia was did not send in a race report, her spouse kindly stepped in for her, as one might during a medical emergency and relayed this to our readers)

She would hate doing a race report I'm pretty sure. - Carson for Cynthia

Thanks Cynthia

Tom Caughlan, long time Strider, perpetually injured, and former Boulder country club lifeguard, braved the elements for half the distance of Carson and Cynthia. It took Tom a respectable 1:35 to get over the line from last years Track World Champs.

I definitely had a fat Matt Carpenter vibe with a windbreaker tied around my waist.- Tom

Tom, I emailed the race director asking for your most flattering pic and they sent this. 

Gerald Romero, whom I can only guess has mono currently because he only sent me 3 race updates had this report from the front lines.

March 3--- the spring run off 10 mile - Pueblo, Colorado Dutch Clark stadium along the river trail. 5th overall 1st place 50-64 

March 16-- the shamrock stampede 10k -- 3rd overall -- Castle rock. All rolling hill side walk paths

These are clearly pics of Gerald but I can not confirm nor deny the timestamps

Amy McDonagh, a true Strider from the get-go, rigged the NYC Half lottery and felt she needed a little treat to train through winter as a reward. Amy dodged a packed St Paddy's weekend of people to a 1:58. (being a previous NYC marathoner they made her use her maiden name as NYRR do not acknowledge our less than 10 year marriage)

On March 17, 2024, in a solid attempt to return to running, I completed the NYC 1/2 marathon. I'm not sure what I'm more proud of, the fact that I ran very even splits for the entire 13.29 mile race with no help from Walrus Man, or that I made it to NYC on Friday after traveling from California for a meeting on Tuesday, back to CO to watch Neil dig us out of the blizzard apocalypse, and then surviving the drive to DIA ?! Regardless, it was awesome. 

Amy clearly auditioning for the 2025 brochure

Melissa Stepanowich decided to off her oldest PR in the books. Not saying she put all you bums to shame by running a 36 min PR, but she just may have. Here's her take:

I started running in 2010 and ran my first marathon in 2011 at the Shiprock Marathon. I had never participated in athletics growing up, so I didn't really know how to fuel or what I was getting into.  Having trained in my hiking boots for the majority of my miles, my well intentioned stepmom suggested I should switch to the same running shoes she wore.  I took the next logical step and purchased a new pair of Nike Frees. My race nutrition plan was just to eat and drink from aid stations when I felt like it. My stepmom was also racing and told me that 5 hour energys always helped her.  So I took my second logical step, and drank one the morning of the race on an empty stomach.  Shiprock takes place in the NM desert with zero coverage and a port-o-john placed every 1-2 miles that you can see like a beacon of green light. The experience was bad enough that I waited 13 years for another road marathon.  I went back this year with the intention of creating a new, and fond, memory.  While I didn't meet my goal time, I was able to PR by 36 minutes and place 2nd in my age group. I am comfortable waiting another 13 years for a road marathon but do consider this an all around win - especially since toddler hype gives you a bigger boost than a 5 Hour Energy ever will. - Melissa

I'm sure your step-mom meant well. 

Sam Wood placed 2nd in the female elite category of DEKAFIT Knoxville, TN

(feel free to google what DEKAFIT is but don't blame me if Jason Bourne shows up at your house).

3 Complete goobers  Strider teammates braved possibly that most bonkers track race conditions at the Springs All-Comers Meet at Colorado College. 

First up is Jeff Olsen who can often be found riding Zwift on nice days and running in the Canon when the Sheriff's Dept is calling for in-climate weather evacuations. Ripping a 19:37 in truly horrid conditions! 

PR for 5k at altitude with excellent pacing from Neil McDonagh - conditions definitely deteriorated from being cold at the start, to wet with abdominal numbness from cold mid race, to snow at the finish, to an inch of snow cover 30 minutes later. All in all a good time in Colorado Spring weather!

(I might add that I did not curse at Jeff even once. Which shows immense growth on my part as a person and a pacer)

Brandon Stepanowich, who somehow is like a truffle pig for oddly unstandardized track races, laced up his 'lingerie shoes' for a metric mile in the 1500m at the All-Comers in somehow nastier weather than Jeff's race. Notching a 4:49 . 

The Springs All-Comers meet offered another shot to live out my mid-life crisis. Except instead of cruising in a Lambo, I got to run 1500 meters around the CC track. Knowing that other Squares would be there helped me disregard the rain turned snow, at least initially. But by the time the race started, I was already for it to be over. In my previous mile attempt at the Air Force Academy, I remember at some point mid-race where my arms went numb and tingly. This time, all that numbness and tingliness was there from the start. Despite that, I feel like I started well and ran fairly consistently. Somewhere during the second lap, Jock Jamz 2023 came blasting over the stadium speakers and whether it was truly there or an auditory hallucination, I could feel the fight or flight adrenaline surging through my body. On the last lap however, my legs, like blocks of ice, had no kick and I was transported to that scene in Rocky IV, stomping through snow with what felt like a log on my back. I ended up finishing in 4:49, but most impressively, pulled off the 3-5 Stapanowich/Stepanov sweep with fellow Squares Robert and Vitaly.

Unsure if Brandon just watched Rocky IV to prepare or reenacted it.

Neil McDonagh, fresh off pacing Jeff in the 5k, fresh off trying to put on a second set of dry clothes in a porta john while its sleeting and dumping snow , fresh off some lady opening the door while he's changing HEY I'M IN HERE! , was stoked to run his first heavy snow 1500m of his life, until figuring out that's not a separate PR category. Neil shoveled a 4:36 1500m.

I think my body was venturing into 'unwell' territory. Especially after the race when I didn't even have my jacket on but I was getting warm. I am proud to have been less than a minute off my lifetime PR over 1500m. I also almost lost count of laps. - Neil

expect a beefed up liability waiver at next year's All-Comers meet

Vacations and Stay-cations

The Square State Striders competed locally and globally (Florida isn't really a state, more of a state of mind, sorry Gerald). Some folks are out racing through in-climate weather and facility while others log another Zwift ride on their Nintendo Switch. Let's hear what the squad was up to.  

Gerald Romero, upon hearing that Spirit Airlines was going under, promptly booked an entry to a series of races all over Florida. No word on if he toured The Villages after on recommendation from his financial advisor. 

Here's Gerald's haul over the last month. 

January 1, 2024 Rescue run- 10k --12 th overall 1st 50-54 42:48 

The Walt Disney world dopey challenge -- January 4, 5, 6, and 7th 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon 10k -40:55 46th overall 3rd place 50-54 Half marathon-- shortened it to an 8 mile 48:57 2nd place 50-54 5k and marathon was run easy non competitive Kari is a perfect dopey 11 years straight 

January14, 2024-- Key west half marathon 21st overall 1:31:35 1st place 50-54 

January 28, 2024-- The yeti chase 10k Morrison , Colorado 15th overall 42:42 1st place 50-54 

February 11,2024 The super half marathon Santa Fe trail Colorado Springs 34 th overall 1:40:56 2nd -50-54 Icy and snow packed path 

                                    *Gerald sent me so many photos I'm concerned that I'm acting as an alibi

Next up Lars Heckman, who has been regularly travelling for training camps to a track in Eastpoint Atlanta, GA. Lars is hoping for a rapid increase in climate change here in CO though, since he is in PR shape but that dang snow is all over Denver still. 

"First face of 2024... A real JV meet in suburban Denver called the Heart Throb 5k (incidentally, and awkwardly, found out its not named after me during check-in).   A fresh 6" of snow covered the out and back course and about a mile in I'd found my groove, leading everyone save for the 3 teenagers and a 20 something.  Of course around that time I started losing sensation in my right foot (pro tip: bring an extra pair of socks) along with both hands.  At this point I figured I'd better just finish and hope they had an ambulance nearby for what was surely going to be a triple amputation due to frostbite. Limped across the line in 5th (age group champ!) and turns out I didn't have frostbite.  Of any kind."

                   * You're first place in our hearts Lars (age group)

Adam Rich braved district school closures and all manner of communicable disease that middle schoolers exude. He still managed to bang out some Colorado 5k hardware. 

Polar Bear 5k was 1st 16:20 on a long course so 15:50 something.

The other one was the Yeti Chase. Tough course at Bear Creek Lake Park. 1st in 16:12 I believe. I lost two races while sick.

You hear that Snowden? There's a bounty if you can figure out what those mystery two races were. 

Brandon Stepanowich realized his Garmin Spot Sat Tracker device wasn't charged up enough to summit Pikes during a violent snow storm. So he did the next best thing. He signed up for the first track meet of his life. Brandon now has run the first xc and track meet of his life in the last six months. This behavior is indicative of moderate cognitive impairment or possibly an unreported closed head injury. Freeze your credit Brandon!!!!

"Turning 40 this year, my racing slogan is Low 5/High 5. I’d like to run a low 5:00 mile (ideally sub 5 but it’s not as catchy) and compete in the High Five 100 in the fall. Progress was made towards the low 5 endeavor as I ran in the first track meet of my life at the Mid America Region Masters Indoor Championships. This would also be the most expensive race of my life with a 5:13 mile working out to a cost of about 18 dollars/minute. For comparison, the hundred mile race will take 30-40 hours, and is free. Still, lots of positives to take away from this one including not vomiting or ripping an Achilles and being able to chase Neil’s voluminous mullet, at least for a couple of laps. Negatives included having the track hack for a week after and being confronted with unfortunate footage of me coming to a strained saunter meters before the finish line. It turns out that I was unaware of where this race actually ended and it ultimately cost a second or two but at least I didn’t crawl. I’m looking forward to the next yet to be determined outdoor track meet and maybe the Springs Downhill Mile to give it another go."

Brandon realizing that running in a tight pack really cramps his textbook form

     This is Brandon attempting to execute possibly the latest DNF anyone has ever committed in a mile race ever. Brandon this is track, half the field doesn't quit every race.

Neil McDonagh, fresh off a fiscal quarter's worth of race hibernation, decided to lay down a real statement to his competition around the country  at the USATF Mid-America Masters Champs. Then he read that it was being held at the soon to be demolished Air Force Academy indoor track, which resides approximately 50 feet less elevation than Pikes Peak, and reshuffled his race plans. 

"Knowing that I had the 800 meters before the mile, pacing and strategy were paramount. One wrong move and I would risk being disabled for weeks with a pseudo-miners lung respiratory rattle. I read you can go about 30-40 seconds without oxygen to your brain and be alright. So I just waited until the last lap of both races and kicked. After a success of 2:12 for 1st in the 800, I performed a strict recovery protocol before the mile an hour or two later. Which consisted of not feeling too hot and just sitting there until they said the 'mile goes in 5 minutes!'. And then I did the same thing in that race and again deprived my brain of oxygen kicking to a 4:49. Proceeding to wander around the fieldhouse in a miasma of dust and maybe sweat, until it was time to go home."

Here's Neil counting the amount of races he'll ever run on that USAFA track

Jon Tiesher ran scouting recon at the first two USATF CO All-Comer meets at USAFA. Ripping consistent miles of: 5:48 / 5:42. Jon didn't send in a formal race report but he wanted me to relay that his time is faster than what Tom can run and what Tom would have run if he had shown up.