About Us  -  Contact Us  -  Join TCLA  -  Webmaster
TCLA Facebook USATF Twitter USATF

2000 Race Results

  • 11-20
    Long Beach
    Half
    Full Marathon
  • 10-22

    Chicago
    Marathon
  • 10-15

    Dolphin
    10K
  • 08-27
    Stop
    Cancer
    5K/10K
  • 08-26
    Santa Barbara
    Suburu Canada
    Triathlons
  • 08-25
    Hood to
    Coast
    Relay
  • 08-19
    Leadville
    Trail
    100
  • 07-09
    Keep LA
    Running
    5K/10K
  • 07-09

    Vineman
    Triathlon
  • 07-04
    Will
    Rogers
    5K/10K
  • 06-11

    Locomotion
    5K/10K
  • 06-04
    Rock
    and Roll
    Marathon
  • 06-03
    Palos
    Verdes
    Marathon
  • 05-28
    Brentwood
    5K
    10K
  • 04-09
    Jimmy Stewart
    Relay
    Marathon
  • 03-05
    Los
    Angeles
    Marathon
  • 02-06
    Vegas
    Half
    Marathon

Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon. November 12

By Eric Barron

Sunshine, pleasantly cool temperatures, a mild breeze, and a 20-minute delay greeted runners at the start of the Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon. The first six or so miles of the course follow the shore of the Pacific, making for excellent terrain to set an even pace, and many of the TCLA'ers were able to do just that.


The middle part of the race, though not much hillier than the beginning, presented some hidden challenges. First, the dry air and constant breeze would lead many a runner to dehydrate without realizing it. Drinking often was possible, as many aid stations existed, and most runners would have benefited by drinking more (though not more of the Ultima, which tasted suspiciously like cough medicine). Second, because the course was fairly flat, some runners were tempted to break from their planned pace early and pick it up because they were feeling good. This, as those runners will tell you, is a big mistake in a 26-mile race. After wending and winding their way through El Dorado Park, many runners realized the needle was a lot closer to empty than they wished.


At the 18-mile mark, Clarence Smith and Tyrone Black provided some support to lead TCLA runners Tim Petersen and Brian Panosian in the form of Endurox and running partners, but Tim and Brian were soon hoping for something more along the lines of a shuttle bus to the finish. Nevertheless, the two bravely pushed themselves and each other to sub 3:21:00 finishes. This was good enough to give Brian a p.r. and to send Tim to Boston. Less than 20 minutes later, Brad Lusk crossed the line after a good effort, but has faster races in him. Similarly, Sharon Yamato, who had a tough day, can certainly run faster should she decide to return to this potentially miserable distance.


A half marathon was also run. Congratulations to all who finished.


Runner                  Time
[Marathon]
Brian Panosian          3:20:17
Tim Petersen            3:20:46
Brad Lusk               3:38:07
Sharon Yamato           4:39:02

[Half Marathon]
Joe Wojcik              1:24:14
Rikako Takei            1:33:04
Brian Bartholomew       1:37:30
Nikki Broyles           1:45:36
Catherine Burch         1:52:10
Michael Berger          1:54:50
Cindy Bernstein         1:57:39
Susan Rendell           2:03:45

Chicago Marathon. October 22

By Eric Barron

You want to set a personal best for the marathon. You run the Los Angeles Marathon several times. Your times are okay, but not what you feel they could be. Then you run the Chicago Marathon. Then you wonder what the hell you were thinking trying to run a fast marathon in Los Angeles.


As it so happened, the weather was good for the start of the 2000 Chicago Marathon, with a temperature of 57 degrees and little wind. Over the next few hours, the temperature rose and the wind picked up, but if you ran this year's Los Angeles Marathon, you were not going to complain. Likewise, though the Chicago course includes two or three overpasses, these "hills" are far fewer and less severe than those on the Los Angeles route. Finally, though it is debatable, the crowd support and aid stations in Chicago are slightly superior to those in Los Angeles.


Nevertheless, all of the assets of the Chicago race guarantee squat with regard to a final time. Even assuming your training has gone well, you still need two key ingredients: luck and guts. Luck, the good kind, usually comes in the form of the non-materialization of injuries. Guts, the intangible sort, usually come in the form of deafness to the voice at 23 miles that says, "You know, if you slow down, you will stop wishing for a quick and painless death."


And so it was that many TCLA'ers put their training, guts, and heart on the line at this year's Chicago Marathon. The first TCLA member to finish did so unnoticed by the rest of the team. Perhaps fearful of whether her months of hard training would pay off, particularly having recently been sick, Rikako Takei kept her attempt at the marathon a secret until it was over. No one would ever doubt she had the guts, and thankfully she had the luck, resulting in a personal best. The next three TCLA women to finish often trained together, and it is fitting that each of them also set personal bests. Catherine Hackney looked strong in the early going and never slowed. Wenise Wong's novel approach (for her) of sticking to a training and racing plan paid off with a 12-minute p.r. (in the process passing ex-TCLA'er and Chicago resident, Meshelle Osborne, at the 26-mile mark). And Stephanie Cahn started making her plans for Boston about three seconds after she crossed the finish line. Finally, Jennifer Sample and Ellen Kukuchka ran quite respectable races, but were lost in the crowd of 27,000 runners after the race, so no post-race comments were available from these two.


Luck must be a lady indeed, because the TCLA men had little of it. Halfway through the race, Mike Kukuchka started suffering from a foot problem, and though he stopped several times to try to solve it, he was unable to run as fast as he wanted. Similarly, Joe Lohmar had some patellar tendonitis flare up at the 14-mile mark, and he bravely, albeit more slowly than he otherwise would have, hobbled over the rest of the course. Larry Friedman was looking to run around 3:50:00, and though he did not manage that, he did break the 4:00:00 mark. One man whose spirits seemed bright at the end was Dave Dougherty, who while visiting with his family in Chicago, also turned in a nice marathon time.


Jennifer, Ellen, Wenise, Mike, Joe, and Larry had all met the night before the race for a pasta dinner. It was nice for them to be able to get together to feel a little more comfortable in a strange city, and to relieve pre-race jitters. True, it is nice to sleep in your own bed the night before a marathon, but sometimes you have to get on a plane to get what you want.


Runner                  Time

Rikako Takei            3:17:20
Catherine Hackney       3:26:15
Wenise Wong             3:29:53
Meshelle Osborne        3:29:55
Mike Kukuchka           3:30:22
Stephanie Cahn          3:38:16
Dave Dougherty          3:42:49
Joe Lohmar              3:47:17
Jennifer Sample         3:53:05
Larry Friedman          3:58:19
Ellen Kukuchka          4:06:50

Dolphin Run 10K. Oct 15th

Assembled by Wenise Wong

Results and comments from individual TCLAers

           
Runner                  Time            Pace            Placing

John Daly               41:35           6:42            9AG, 1st TCLAer
Jane Lieberman          42:11           6:47            4AG, 15th female

"Fortunately, we did not have to wait around all morning (as we did last year) to get the results. I came in 4th in my division, suffering from extremely tight hamstrings..."

Bill King               42:54           6:54            5AG
Derek Schmidt           43:09           6:57            
Ogie Espinosa           43:30           7:00
Lawrence Spear          44:40           7:11            PR

"Not only were all the hottest Babes not there, they were running the Stop Breast Cancer 10K, but there were no dolphins in sight either. I bet Flipper went to Pasadena to check out the hotties at the Race for a Cure run too. Bastard!"

Masami Fukuhara         45:27           7:19            6AG
Catherine Burch         46:45           7:31            10AG, PR
Michael Berger          47:32           7:39            PR

"I am very happy to report that I set a pr for the 10K distance today at the Dolphin Run. I ran 47:32, eclipsing my old 10K record of 47:54 from the 1996 race. I give the credit to my coach Eric Barron and to all of my Track Club LA friends who helped me to train smart and love it. Catherine Burch ran a p.r. by more than a minute. Her official time was 46:45 but she told me that 2 people passed her in the chute after the finish and that her real time was 46:33. Catherine and I were both interviewed for a local cable channel and I gave a plug to Track Club LA. Catherine and I both ran with the fluorescent shoe laces that Paul Anderson gave us; this was my small tribute to him for all the help and the inspiration that he has given to me at the track, with the LA Leggers, on Palos Verdes runs during the summer, and now at Niketown too."

Fiona Karlin            51:53           8:21            7AG
Sharon Yamato           52:24           8:26            5AG

"there were NO MILE MARKERS!!!! (not even cardboard signs!). Since I was doing it as a training run for Long Beach (at my slo-o-o-w marathon pace), it was tough to keep from going really fast (just kidding!)."

Stop Cancer 5K/10K

By Eric Barron


Who knows if the race director of the 2000 Stop Cancer 10K is still walking on two unbroken legs after the mishap Sunday in Beverly Hills where hundreds of runners were accidentally diverted shortly after the five-mile mark to the finish line, thereby omitting a significant part of the sixth mile. Either that, or Dave Kent set a new world record with a 2:47 mile. Making matters worse, some of the runners ran the proper distance, so the reported time and places in the 10K are meaningless for many, and only their participation will be reported here: Tyrone Black, Dave Kent, Tom Wheeler, Clarence Smith, Brian Bartholomew, Jane Lieberman, Robert Newmark, Rikako Takei, Paul Scott, Masami Fukuhara, Teresa Brobeck, Elizabeth Buckley-Wheeler, Lydia Salinas, and Morena Sanchez. These runners are to be congratulated for their effort (and for their restraint in forgoing any assault uponthe race director).


In the 5K, where the course volunteers apparently had a firmer grasp of the route, runners covered the proper 3.1-mile distance. Andreas Kemkes cruised to a 19:38 (6:20 pace) in the midst of marathon training. Eric Cazenave, just getting into road racing, managed a 21:18. Three seconds later, Angela Brunson crossed the line, taking second in her division. Deanna Sakamoto, making her first postpartum race appearance, ran a respectable 24:32. Her son, Westin, was the clear winner in his division (1 and under, baby stroller aid permitted) with an identical time. Finally, Tania Fischer, who runs for SMTC, but who might be joining us for some workouts this summer, won the women's race with a 17:03.

Santa Barbara Triathlon and Suburu Ironman Canada

By Eric Barron


Field reporting from the 2000 Santa Barbara Triathlon (1-mile swim, 34-mile bike, 10-mile run) was scant, and that is being generous. It is known that Jerico Enriquez, the only TCLA participant in the short course (500-yard swim, 6-mile bike, 2-mile run) finished seventh overall (out of ?) and second in his division, that Frank Siering finished three places in front of Terence Young, that Frank and Terence both congratulated each other on races well done, that Terence secretly cannot wait to beat Frank the next time they race, and that Frank secretly is psyched he beat Terence.

Triathlete          Swim    Bike   Run     Total 
Jerico Enriquez    10:33   19:13   12:40   42:25
Frank Siering      37:38 1:41:36 1:11:02 3:30:15 
Terence Young          ?       ? 1:10:05 3:30:34 
Kelly Smith        35:49 1:51:17 1:13:05 3:40:10
Lawrence Spear     52:22 2:03:56 1:26:25 4:22:42 
Stephanie Enriquez 55:15 2:13:35 1:32:09 4:40:58

The Santa Barbara Triathlon did not present enough of a challenge for Elizabeth Farnan, so she headed for the Great White North, specifically to Penticton, British Colombia for the 2000 Suburu Ironman Canada. Up at 4:20 a.m. (that alone is good reason to avoid these things), Elizabeth began to prepare for the largest single wave start in Ironman history. Around 7:00 a.m., off she went, never getting more than five strokes in a row before hitting someone, getting knocked in the head, or being kicked in the ribs. After the swim (1:25:29), the bike (7:04:49) was a difficult ride given the cold, windy weather, but her marathon (4:29:27) went reasonably well, and she finished with a smile and a time of 13:11:11.

Hood-To-Coast Relay

By Eric Barron


The Hood-to-Coast Relay consists of a 195-mile course starting 6,000 feet high on Mt. Hood and finishing at the Pacific Ocean in Seaside, Oregon. The Hood-to-Coast Relay teams consist of 12 runners crammed into two vans, piling out now and then to run a total of three legs each, each leg ranging from four to eight miles. If you do the math, you know that a runner would have about eight hours between his or her individual legs. What you do not know is how the body feels during these hours. As one runner put it, "It sounded like a good idea in February." Track Club LA entered this race for the first time this year under the nom de guerre, "Runners Off Track."


Traveling in style (Lincoln Navigators, courtesy of Budget Rent-a-Car screwing up the reservation), the team quickly separated into the appropriate vehicles. Van 1 was filled with (in running order) John Daly, Mike Kukuchka, Ellen Kukuchka, Jacinda Raiche, Brian "Squad 51" Panosian, and Ogie "O.G." Espinosa. Van 2 seated Natalie Manfredi (a friend of Wenise Wong who generously filled in with two weeks to go when another TCLA'er dropped out), Wenise, Mr. X (who bore a great resemblance to the TCLA coach), Kristin Fabos (another friend of Wenise picking up the slack when another TCLA'er dropped out), Rab Brown (a clutch last minute addition), and Fiona Karlin (from Niketown). After stocking the vans with provisions (mainly Gatorade, water, bread, fruit, and Wet Wipes), the TCLA'ers started in the 8:00 p.m. wave Friday evening. The course drops almost 5,000 feet in the first five legs, leading to fast times and sore quads for those runners in Van 1. At the first van exchange point (i.e., the end of leg 6), the TCLA team spotted Jerry Himmelberg and Tim Petersen (who both ran on a masters team that placed), but missed seeing John Moraytis (running for his work team). Heading off on their first rotation, the runners in Van 2 faced legs in the dead of night through rural Oregon with few runners from other teams around.


After each van completed its first rotation, the van members headed to a hotel in Portland for one hour of sleep. Some were unable to sleep, and those that did pretty much wished they had not. By the time the vans met up at the exchange marking the end of two rotations (i.e., after 24 legs), Van 2 started parking a little farther away from Van 1 than it had at earlier van exchanges. This was done to avoid any of the odors emanating from Van 1 from polluting the sweet-smelling air of Van 2. Communications between the vans were conducted via cellphone and walkie-talkie. At the final van exchange point (i.e., the end of leg 30), the runners in Van 1 were done with their long haul. Of course, this meant that those in Van 2 had absolutely nothing to say to those in Van 1. It was simply impossible for anyone with a leg left to run to relate to anyone already finished. The TCLA'ers would remain in two different universes until Van 2 had completed its journey. This happy event occurred 23 hours, 10 minutes, and 33 seconds after the start, good enough for 92nd out of the 1000 teams (15 teams did not finish), and 10th in the mixed open division (comprised of 243 teams).


Every Runner Off Track deserves an enormous amount of credit as they gave a tremendous effort on every leg. To understand the conditions best, you should keep three things in mind. One, imagine the nervous stomach and intestines you get before and after a race, and then imagine feeling that way for 24 hours. Two, and related to the first point, understand that the precious, little warm-up time each runner gets for his or her leg once the van arrives at the exchange point is often spent in the homey confines of a Honey Bucket (known in these parts as an Andy Gump, a.k.a. Port-A-Potty). Three, the runners are asking themselves to run essentially three 10K's within 24 hours on little or no sleep. It is no surprise that several runners finished with little desire to repeat this experience. And yet, two days removed from the finish, the idea of running Hood-to-Coast again does not seem nearly as repulsive as it did at the time.

Leadville Trail 100

By Eric Barron


The Leadville Trail 100 boasts a 43% finishing rate. Mike Whitemiller was in the majority. Still, 60 miles in a day is not too shabby. In his post-race daze, Mike was able to string together the following words:

  • I bashed my toe nails
  • I lost ten pounds
  • It was 43 degrees and raining at the 4 AM start and I froze
  • My ribs and lungs ached
  • My knees and quads were in serious pain
  • I went-out too fast
  • I went-out too slow
  • Hope Pass clobbered me (three thousand up and down twice at mile forty and fifty)
  • I couldn't eat at mile 50
  • I got stuck in a rain and sleet storm and wound-up taking refuge in the medical tent at the top of the pass on my way back
  • My flashlight died coming out of the mountains and I had to wait in the dark for help
  • I missed the mile 60 cut-off time by nearly two hours
  • I wimped out and went to bed

Keep L.A. Running 5K/10K

By Eric Barron


Misplaced mile markers and the stench of raw sewage seem somewhat incongruous with a race called, "Keep L.A. Running," but that is what greeted the runners who showed up at Dockweiler Beach last Sunday.


For whatever reason, several TCLA'ers chose to follow up their race on hills at Will Rogers five days earlier with the 5K. Ed Olson ran 19:25, perhaps with sore legs from the Palisades hills. Michael Berger, however, improved his time from that prior race with a 24:07. Happily, the women all brought home hardware. Jane Lieberman might have run even faster on fresh legs, but still turned in a 20:17, making her the second woman overall and first in her division. Having volunteered at the Will Rogers race, Peggy Sauve put it on the line here and came away with a 22:15, good for third in her division. Peggy's daughter, Kim, was about 42 seconds behind mom, but placed first in her division.


In the 10K, perhaps the best performance came from Bob Mercier. When he joined the club, Bob set a goal of breaking 40 minutes for the 10K. His dedication (he was one of three attendees at last Tuesday's special holiday workout) paid off and he crossed the line in 39:14, a huge p.r. Also in the long race was Rikako Takei, another Will Rogers racer, who still managed a 44:15 for fourth in her division. And though you will not see him in the official results, Brian Panosian cruised to a 41:10 after having put in some long mileage Saturday.

Half Vineman

By Eric Barron


For those looking for variety in their racing, the sunny, Northern California town of Santa Rosa hosted the Half Vineman. Triathletes lined up for a 1.2 mile- swim, 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run. The men had it easy, running in only 80-degree weather. The air was baking, however, by the time the women hit the run, though we all know that women are tougher than men.


Terence Young, yes, the same Terence Young that broke his clavicle into three distinct parts a few months ago, astounded all with a total time of 4:47:41.49 (one can only imagine why they felt compelled to record race times in hundredths of a second). His racing tip, "Just because you have to pee does not mean you have to stop." Kelly Smith, who has done little more training lately than Terence, also had a nice race. Lawrence Spear achieved his goal of breaking six hours, and would have finished even faster had he not suffered back spasms, forcing him to walk most of the last three miles. On the women's side, Stephanie Cahn had a great run considering the conditions, and continues to gain triathlon experience. Finally, with the Ironman Canada looming seven weeks in her future, Elizabeth Farnan wisely listened to her body and called it a day before the end of the race.


Triathlete      Swim    Bike        Run         Total
Terence Young   33      2:41        1:33        4:47:41.49
Kelly Smith     34      2:56        1:45        5:16:30.98
Lawrence Spear  38      3:11        2:02        5:52:59.73
Stephanie Cahn  43      3:29        2:00        6:13:40.78

Will Rogers 5K/10K

By Eric Barron


Hundreds of empty lawn chairs lined the streets of Pacific Palisades as runners readied themselves for the 2000 Will Rogers 5K and 10K. The chairs remained empty during the races, but the streets filled with over 1000 runners for each event. The weather was mercifully overcast, and the starter's introduction was mercifully short.


Those in the 5K were treated to a fast downhill first mile, followedby a slow uphill second mile, and an essentially flat final 1.1 miles. The race merits few words, at least compared to the 10K, but some performances should be recognized. Ed Olson and Angela Brunson, she formerly of Team-In-Training, and soon-to-be of TCLA, both placed 3rd in their divisions. Robert Newmark, on little training, took 4th in his division, and Jennifer Sample was 5th in her division. Jerry Himmelberg, coming back from many months of injury, ran so fast that the mats were unable to capture his chip time. Michael Berger, who showed up planning to watch, could not resist the spirit of '76, and ended up racing. Finally, one TCLA'er, who felt a bit wimpy for chosing the 5K over the 10K, eked out one place in front of the first woman to finish seventh overall and first in his division.


The 10K turned an adage on its head and proved that what goes down must come up. The course covers the same ground as the 5K for the first 2.5 miles, at which point the runners head steadily down Sunset until they turn into Will Rogers Park, and run steadily and steeply uphill. This is followed by another severe downhill, and a long uphill. Those still standing then need move only another 800m or so to reach the finish line.


TCLA apparently has no shortage of masochists, as a large majority of them opted for the 10K course. Again, many TCLA'ers finished well in their respective divisions. First to cross the line for the club was Rab Brown, 11th overall and 4th in his division. Tyrone Black was only three overall places back, and Dave Kent, who had a little more gas left than he should have, was similarly placed behind Tyrone. (The weekend training on the course certainly paid off for this trio.) Bill King was 4th in his division, while Brad Lusk and Brian Panosian (with a significant course p.r.) both took 5th in their divisions. Clarence Smith, previously with Team-In-Training, and soon-to-be with TCLA, finished 7th in his division. Completing his first 10K, Joe Lohmar can look forward to a faster time on a flatter course. On the women's side, Jane Lieberman was the fourth woman overall (only 30 seconds behind the second woman) and first in her division. Another gritty runner, Rikako Takei, placed 12th woman overall and 2nd in her division. Staying cheery on the hills paid off for Sharon Yamato, who took 3rd in her division, and Wenise Wong, who stayed mainly mute on the hills, ended up 7th in her division.


Aside from the many club members in the race, club members aboundedn earby. Greeting the finishers were race officials Peggy Enriquez, Elizabeth Farnan, and Josh Flynn. Cheering the runners along the course were Terence Young, Lawrence Spear, Stephanie Cahn, Stephanie Enriquez, John Moraytis, Amy Aukstikalnis (who would have been running but for the small fracture in her ankle), and Jim Spear (who smartly staked out a critical spot on an isolated part of one of the 10K hills). Also spotted at the race were several quasi-TCLA'ers, many from the Thursday night runs at Niketown and/or from the LA Leggers, including: Lana Atcheley, Bernice Balson, Steve Benson, Nicki Broyles, Liz Buckley-Wheeler, Catherine Bodner, Merv Cooper, Lani Eickhoff, Tori Engel, Fiona Karlin, Betty Morin, Ron Petelski, Raul Ramirez, Graylin Rogers, Sam Spencer, and Tom Wheeler.


Special mention goes to Bob Mercier, Paul Anderson, and Syrena Bozung, who did not let a little thing like a national holiday get in the way of their Tuesday evening workout. Andreas showed up, too, but only to initiate his young son, Jonah, to the wonderful world of track. Finally, extra special mention and thanks to Peggy and her husband,Paul, for hosting the club to a wonderful post-race party.


How the chips fell:


5K 
Wimpy                   16:46 
Jerry Himmelberg        18:35 
Ed Olson                19:09
Robert Newmark          20:32 
Angela Brunson          21:33 
Ogie Espinosa           22:00* 
Jennifer Sample         23:20
Michael Berger          24:40 
Lydia Salinas           26:40

10K 
Rab Brown               36:40 
Tyrone Black            37:45 
Dave Kent               38:16 
Clarence Smith          39:25 
Brian Panosian          40:28 
Bill King               41:36 
Jane Lieberman          41:49
Joe Lohmar              43:06 
Andreas Kemkes          43:33 
Brad Lusk               43:36 
Mike Kukuchka           43:58
Rikako Takei            45:03 
Jeff Bernstein          45:35 
Bruce Worrilow          47:20
Wenise Wong             48:30 
Olga Korobova           48:52 
Stephanie P.            49:09 
Bram W.                 49:11 
Tim Peterson            49:17** 
Sharon Yamato           52:13 
Ellen Kukuchka          53:10
Cindy Bernstein         56:51

Locomotion 5K/10K Run. June 11th

By Eric Barron

The Locomotion races at Burton Chace Park featured no trains, but several other modes of transportation. People ran, bike, and rollerbladed their way across the flat course in the Marina on a sunny, pleasant Sunday morning. Whether it was the fact that this was one of four races in L.A. over the weekend, or just plain good training, TCLA'ers walked away with much hardware.


In the 5K, Jane Lieberman was the second woman overall, and first in her division, crossing the line in 19:58. With a 23:04, Julie Kriger was second in her division, and more importantly, the owner of a new p.r. Two part-time TCLA'ers, Graylin Rogers and Nicki Broyles also placed second in their divisions with 21:07 and 22:27, respectively. The only other TCLA'er in this race managed third in his division with a respectable 16:58.


The 10K was a rougher matter, but the TCLA runners negotiated well the attacking bicycles along the way. Working off her speedwork and tempo runs at Niketown, Rikako Takei won her division, and was fourth woman overall, with a 45:04. Only three seconds later, and third in her division, Shannon Whaley made an impressive debut finish at the 10K distance; one can only wonder how she would do if she decided to race. Dropping three minutes from her time two weeks ago, Peggy Sauve Enriquez ran 46:45 for first place in her division. Colin Walker was the next TCLA'er to cross the line in 49:51. Sharon Yamato, also reaping the benefits of speedwork and tempo runs, took first in her division with a 50:16. Finally, exactly one year after learning of TCLA and then coming to the track, Cindy Bernstein placed second in her division with a 51:25.


Special mention should go to a few spectators. Wenise Wong cheered the runners, and then out-elbowed several others to be the second woman to finish the 10K roller derby. Tim Peterson et fille were there for encouragement, and Claudia Prada came by on her bike once she found the park.

Rock and Roll Marathon June 4th

By Eric Barron

No overcast skies, here. No, San Diego offered sun, heat, and the inevitable meltdown for those lined up at the Rock And Roll Marathon. Presumably, much can be said about this race, but despite Stephanie Cahn, Wenise Wong, Terence Young, Jerico Enriquez, Stephanie Enriquez, Shannon Whaley, and Cindy Bernstein in attendance to cheer on the gang, field reporting was non-existent. Accordingly, here are the cold (pun intended), hard facts:


John Moraytis    3:21:09
Lawrence Spear   3:40:36
Josh Flynn       3:50:52
Jeff Bernstein   4:00:40
Elizabeth Farnan 4:18:40

Palos Verdes Half Marathon and Marathon June 3rd

By Eric Barron

It was a perfect overcast morning to run the "rolling" course of Palos Verdes. At the half marathon start, Rab Brown was unsure he could keep a slightly-less-than-seven-minute-mile pace, and chose to stay with the pack of Tim Peterson, Jacinda Raiche, Brian Panosian, and long lost TCLAer Jeff Cohn for less than a half a mile before being shot out of a cannon and propelled to an strong 1:22:17 (6:15 pace) for a ninth place overall finish. That means he beat 666 people (an ominous number), but was just one person and 26 seconds back from placing in his age group. Pre-race protestations should no longer be heard from young Rab.


Jacinda and Tim ran together for about six miles before Jacinda, who was out for a casual run, caught sight of the first woman near the turnaround and took off in pursuit. She did not quite catch her, but finished as the second woman with a 1:28:08. Afterwards, the distaff victor flitted around with her medals and bitchy attitude, and we look forward to Jacinda bringing her "A" game to the next showdown. Tim should have held onto Jacinda for a bit longer to have made his goal of breaking 1:30, but finished well in 1:30:58 (his watch), taking two minutes off last year's time. Jeff, and we are still waiting for his excuse as to why we have not seen him at a practice lately, hung on for a 1:32:32, and fourth in his age group. Brian put up a courageous fight, but should have been in bed after catching his daughter's flu virus and having stomach pains from the start. It was quite an achievement for him to even be able to finish the race, let alone stay standing. In the end, Brian won the "I should have stayed in bed because I have a reason, not just an excuse" division with a 1:50:57.


Jim Spear had a great day, crushing all competition in his division with a 1:34:08. God knows how fast he will be once he gets the track workouts under his belt with some regularity. Ed Olson snared a fifth place division finish in 1:42:03, trouncing fellow big guy and erstwhile actor, Julian Sands, by four minutes. Dan Manns, who also could use some more regular work on the track, ran a 1:49:28. Shortly later, Amy Aukstikalnis grabbed a fourth place division finish with a 1:50:44. Finally, Morena Sanchez ate up the hills and spat them out with a 2:01:37, good for 11th in her division.


In the marathon, Paul Anderson never ceases to amaze with his endurance and consistency in the multiple marathons that he attacks each year. He finished in 3:34:25 on a difficult marathon course. Unfortunately, few witnessed this event as the event announcer's shrill voice and lame sense of humor drove most everyone first to distraction and then to their cars. Kudos to Jim and Jacinda for cheering Paul in, though the bulk of the credit goes to Paul for finishing this hard course.

Brentwood 5K/10. May 28th

By Eric Barron

Things got a bit backward on the weather arrangements for Memorial Day weekend this past Sunday; low clouds hung over the beach while the sun beamed down on runners at the Brentwood 5K and 10K. The heat, however, did not discourage a multitude of Track Club LA runners from attacking the one- and two-loop courses on San Vicente. Indeed, it was great to see so many red singlets either running or lining the course cheering.


The 5K, with a field of almost 900, got off first at 8:00 a.m. TCLA managed to put a cluster of runners relatively close to the front, starting with Jeff Sakamoto in 29h place, Rab Brown, two seconds later, and Dave Kent, three seconds after Rab. Trailing them, but improving on her time last year by over 30 seconds, and taking second in her division, was Jacinda Raiche. Brian Panosian, tuning up for this week's Palos Verdes Half Marathon, was another 30 seconds back. These five would have made a great grouping had this been scored like a cross country race, and they should work together to push each other the next time they race. Next across the line for TCLA was Mike Kukuchka, followed by Ogie Espinosa, Ellen Kukuchka, and Julie Kriger. Finally, Jennifer Sample was kind enough to sacrifice her own performance, and she paced a friend who was running her first 5K race.


The 10K, with a field just over 600, started at 8:45 a.m., and what a treat it was for the 10K runners to see the 5K runners already recovered by the time the 10K started. For the first 3.1 miles, most of the 10K runners had one thought, "I have to run this ground again." For the second 3.1 miles, most of the 10K runners had another thought, "I would not have to run this ground again if I stopped right now." Yes, the 10K is as much a mental challenge as a physical challenge. So, it was nice to see that just as many TCLA'ers picked the long course as those who did the shorter race.


The first TCLA'er to finish the 10K was lucky enough to have spotted Raul Ramirez (from Niketown) before the race. Raul said, "I registered, but cannot run, so you can have my number." The TCLA'er's luck ran out, however, when he learned that though he was 9th overall, he was 7th in his division (apparently, he will not be winning any division prizes for another five years). Next to cross the line was Marlon Feiger, followed shortly by Ed Olson, who will miss this week's workout because he has Lakers tickets (Ed, get your priorities straight). Wenise Wong was the first TCLA woman to finish, and also third in her division. A couple of minutes later, Todd Carey, whose work schedule may actually let him train again, crossed the line. Peggy Sauve Enriquez was next, and second in her division. Peggy was followed by Amy Aukstikalnis, Cindy Bernstein (who was the 50th woman), Sharon Yamato (third in her division and looking strong at the end), and Morena Sanchez.


It should be pointed out that as far as this club goes, the women are the real breadwinners. Literally. As placers in their respective divisions, Jacinda, Wenise, Peggy, and Sharon all won several months worth of free bread from the Brentwood Bread Company. (One last race note: In action on the other side of the Atlantic, TCLA member emeritus Dave Afshartous managed a 34:42 at a 10K in bonnie England, good for fifth place overall.)


The tale of the tape:

5K
Jeff Sakamoto    17:55
Rab Brown        17:57
Dave Kent        18:00
Jacinda Raiche   18:27
Brian Panosian   19:04
Mike Kukuchka    20:49
Ogie Espinosa    21:26
Ellen Kukuchka   23:59
Julie Kriger     24:33
Jennifer Sample  29:48

10K
Raul Ramirez     36:36
Marlon Feiger    42:23
Ed Olson         43:40
Wenise Wong      46:47
Todd Carey       48:54
Peggy Sauve E.   49:22
Amy Aukstikalnis 49:54
Cindy Bernstein  51:38
Sharon Yamato    52:13
Morena Sanchez   57:22

Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon April 9

By Eric Barron


Given that at any one time, four out of five runners in the2000 Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon are watching the race, it might have been just as well that the warm, sunny weather was nicer for spectating than for running. It was also just as well, then, that the race got off relatively promptly aided by the honorary starter duo of Robert Wagner and Tom Selleck (no word on whether the starting pistol was a Magnum).


TCLA fielded five teams this year, and Jacinda Raiche of TCLA I was the first of the lead leg TCLA runners to make it back to the relay zone. She did so in a faster time than last year, particularly impressive given that the weather made this year's conditions more difficult. Jacinda handed off to Elizabeth Farnan, who seemed toenjoy the sun much more after the race than during it. Arriving much better late than never, John Moraytis showed he is ready for Boston by running the best middle leg of any TCLA'er. Tom Geha might disputethe last part of that last sentence, but the official watch is official, and Tom can revisit the issue next year. Finishing up for TCLA I in his first racing effort in several months, Rachid Akif crossed the line at 2:41:30 (6:10 pace). This was good for second place in the Running Club, Mixed division (18th overall).


TCLA II was only two places behind TCLA I in this same division (46th overall). Paul Scott led off and was so determined coming into the relay chute that he ran right past his relay partner, Jane Lieberman. Once she got the baton, Jane proved that her workout earlier in the week was an aberration, and she ran quite a strong leg. Stephanie Cahn took over next, and though she was not happy with her time, she should try it again after having more consistenttraining behind her. The final two runners, Brian Panosian and Tim Petersen, both improved their performances over last year and helped the team to finish in 3:00:32 (6:53 pace).


In addition to bringing the tent, for which the club was grateful, Wenise Wong led off for TCLA III. She passed the baton to Ogie Espinosa, who was running his first leg of two for the day (the second being for another club; we are not sadists). Ogie handed off to Lawrence Spear, who was running his first leg of three for the day (the next two being lengthy cool-down laps for marathon training). Jennifer Sample and Josh Flynn finished up, each sanely running one leg of one for the day. Their times added up to 3:17:27 (7:32 pace), earning twelfth place in the Running Club, Mixed division (108th overall).


Another strong lead leg was turned in by Jeff Bernstein of TCLA IV. While he motored around the course, Sharon Danley, running next, warmed up by running around looking for her handoff teammate, honorary TCLA member, Clay Halvorsen. Fortunately, Clay appeared in time, and Sharon took the baton with the comfort of knowing that she would not have to run two legs. Clay did his part for his new team and passing the baton to Cindy.Cindy, in turn, handed off to Susan Rendell, who looked thoroughly spent after crossing the line in 3:31:24 (8:06 pace). However, given that she had already raced a leg for another team, and the sun was high, she performed admirably. Although this team was not the speediest of the TCLA entries (26th in its division; 183rd overall), they seemed to enjoy the event the most, probably due to Susan's infectious good spirits.


TCLA V, TCLA's only same-sex team, fared fairly well.Official club photographer (for this race, anyway) Dave Kent ran a good lead leg and passed off to Joe Lohmar, who kept the team almost even with TCLA I. Andreas Kemkes gave it his best for the middle of the relay, and Marlon Feiger and Steve Lopez turned in similar performances for a total 2:55:32 (6:42 pace). The team ended up fifteenth in the Running Club, Male division (38th overall).


Also seen at the race, whether as cheering fans or competing racers, were Paul Anderson, Jim Spear, Shannon Whaley, Bao Coleman, Stephanie Elkins, Mike Kukuchka, Ellen Kukuchka, Masami Fukuhara, and Rikako Takei. Special mention and thanks go to those who made (Paul A., Sharon, Josh) and brought (Brian, Wenise, Lawrence) various foodstuffs to keep the post-running hunger blues at bay.


The times below represent the time the runner held the baton (approximately 5.1 miles for the first leg, and 5.3 miles for the remaining legs).

Team I Team II Team III Team IV Team V
Jacinda 32:08 Paul 35:33 Wenise 37:02 Jeff 36:12 Dave 32:30
Elizabeth 35:46 Jane 35:37 Ogie 40:56 Sharon 43:52 Marlon 35:00
John 32:16 Stephanie 40:10 Lawrence 39:19 Clay 42:41 Joe 36:11
Tom 32:31 Brian 34:53 Jennifer 42:34 Cindy 44:26 Andreas 37:01
Rachid 28:49 Tim 34:14 Josh 37:46 Susan 45:13 Steve 34:50
Total 2:41:30 Total 3:00:32 Total 3:17:27 Total 3:31:24 Total 2:55:32

Los Angeles Marathon

By Eric Barron


One of three things would have served well those who lined up for the 2000 Los Angeles Marathon: Swimming lessons, a trash bag, or a raft. If you missed the race, and want to simulate it, try running to Catalina. Surprisingly, despite the windy, cool, wet conditions, many TCLA'ers braved the course. They should be proud of themselves, and can look forward to running their next race under better conditions.


The first TCLA'er to get out of the rain was Marlon Feiger. He looked strong throughout and should be happy with his time. Just behind him, and looking equally nonplussed, Rab Brown ran well. Dave Kent was just trotting through a long weekend run. Next to finish was the first female TCLA'er, Wenise Wong. Wenise ran a gutsy race, and will surely qualify for Boston when she decides to train more than 20 miles a week. Already on the road to Boston, and shortly behind Wenise at the finish, was Rikako Takai.


A pack of TCLA'ers, including Catherine Shields, Andreas Kemkes, Masami Fukuhara, Susan Rendall, Stephanie Cahn, and Jennifer Sample dipped under the four-hour mark. The big question is whether Susan managed to smile through all 26 waterlogged miles.


Paul Anderson did a wonderful job presiding over the L.A. Leggers this year, and put his legs where his club was by toughing out the race. Sharon Yamato should also be glad to have survived the course, and can shoot for a sub-four marathon in drier weather. Veteran marathoner Ogie Espinosa has had, and will have, better races, but perhaps now he knows what an ultra feels like.


Special mention should go to a few non-TCLA'ers spotted on the streets. Tom Geha, who has been training with the club, surely would have broken three hours on a nicer day. Graylin Rogers, another training-but-yet-to-join member, dipped under 3:40. Rob Dennis, the ex-Niketown Run leader, came up from San Diego to help cheer on the runners. And Habib Torfi, who disappeared from the club a year ago, deserves credit as the only person in the race sporting a TCLA singlet.


Extra special recognition must go to the many TCLA'ers (Lani Eickhoff, Stephanie Elkins, Peggy Enriquez, Julie Kriger, and Lawrence Spear) who sacrificed a nice warm sofa and television to support the runners. Several of the runners exclaimed that these spectators' cheering and pacing were desperately welcome.


And now for the numbers:
Tom Geha 3:03:18
Marlon Feiger 3:22:37
Rab Brown 3:23:47
Dave Kent 3:28:38
Graylin Rogers 3:38:49
Wenise Wong 3:43:37
Rikako Takai 3:46:14
Catherine Shields 3:51:26
Andreas Kemkes 3:52:57
Masami Fukuhara 3:53:42
Susan Rendall 3:55:15
Stephanie Cahn 3:56:26
Jennifer Sample 3:57:14
Paul Anderson 4:18:58
Sharon Yamato 4:23:41
Mike Kukuchka 4:24:55
Ogie Espinosa 5:32:03

Las Vegas Marathon and Half Marathon, February 6th

By Tim Peterson and Eric Barron


Ah, the allure of Vegas. Why else would runners be willing to get up in the middle of the night to catch a bus out to the starting line of the Las Vegas Marathon, and then wait 90 minutes for the race to begin? For those not too tired to keep their eyes open, sunrise revealed the fabled, glimmering Las Vegas Strip, which must have seemed like a mirage given that it looked so close, but no closer after miles of running along a straight highway. Not put off by this somewhat surreal course, a handful of TCLA runners braved the initial morning chill to participate in either the full or half marathon.


In the marathon, Frank Siering set a p.r. with a 3:16:32. Of course, he was "bitterly disappointed" with this "mediocre" time. His judgment was apparently based on his 6:20 mile pace well through the halfway point. Given this fast start and the clear view of Vegas in the distance, he must have thought he was hallucinating when he hit the wall. The pain, however, was quite real, and it required much physical suffering, mental strength, and the company and encouragement of Terence Young and Jacinda Raiche over the last six miles to enable Frank to finish. Never one to not take advantage of the situation, he soon headed straight for the casinos, saying, "I think I'll go throw some more money away." It is unknown whether his gambling went any better than his race, but he was seen leaving Las Vegas in bare feet and tattered running shorts.


Elsewhere in the field, Marlon Feiger turned in a solid 3:26:08, though it was not up to his Boston-qualifying expectations. The purportedly fast course was deceptive in that it really pounds the quads, and he can look for better time on a level course. Sore quads also plagued Mike Kukuchka, who crossed the line in 3:55:26. Also on the road, Todd Carey, who runs marathons as effortlessly as gold-chained, pinky ring-wearing Brooklynites lay down $100 on the Knicks, showed up for a 4:12:02 "workout."


In the half marathon, Tim Peterson did not let his field reporting duties distract him, and he ran a 1:28:18, about 30 seconds faster than his last effort at the distance in Long Beach three months ago. Two great efforts by the two Stephanies, Cahn and Elkins, led to two reported p.r's of 1:40:39 and 1:49:15, respectively. Ellen Kukuchka also reached her goal of breaking two hours with a 1:53:04. Finally, those who simply scan results might think that Jerico Enriquez ran with his wife, but he had actually given his number to someone else and sat out due to a slight knee problem.


All in all, it is a well organized race, but after two days in the slick, fantasy world which is Las Vegas, the TCLA'ers were ready to return to the slick, fantasy world which is Los Angeles.