Wednesday, December 14, 2011
TATUR Christmas Party, 2011
The season is crashing upon us, and the TATUR Christmas party has blazed by. Last night, we were graciously allowed to use the Westport Apts clubhouse again this year. We must have not trashed it too bad last year, or maybe they just like us?
As always is the case, there was a full spread of food. Cheese and crackers, sliced sausages, dips, finger foods, cookies and pies, a few casseroles (including Dana's tater casserole which is mmmm good) and a couple of hams from the Hamlet.
The turnout was good. There was elbow room, but barely as we all packed in for the awards, and a movie later. I am always amazed by the people who come from out of town. OKC was represented by 5 travelers: Nels and Donna Bentson, John Hargrove, Katy Kramer, and Jason Tipton. I wish we could get together more.
Special recognition was given for folks who have been awesome volunteers during the year.
Mitch is Mr. Everything. He is INVALUABLE, with his help in timing the Snake Run, serving waffles and hot chocolate at the secret aid station at Pumpkin Holler, being the first volunteer to show up and the last to leave at every rave and nearly every training run with TATUR and RunnersWorld. WOW! Thank you my friend!
Lynna gets a special thanks for her help with Turkey and TATURs. She spent hours marking the course the day before, then ran the 25K, and spent a few days afterward removing course markings. Makes my job so much easier.
John Parris and Ramona Tallbear are another couple of valuable volunteers. They were worth their weight in in silver at Pumpkin Holler, working here and there at aid stations, and they brought a pickup load of firewood which kept weary finishers warm during the night.
Susan Westmoreland is one who helps in so many ways. She is a encourager, a selfless helper, and she ran her 1st 50K too at Pumpkin too--and then helped at the start/finish for hours later.
We (Brian and I) dropped the ball by failing to give public kudos to a few others. My sweetie Dana is behind the scenes at every TATUR event organising aid station stuff, and also crewing during races. She runs crew and sag for a lot of us on some of our long night training runs, and she also put another notch on her 50K belt this year at Pumpkin Holler. Bobby and Susan Michaels are also an amazing asset to our volunteer corps. They always man an aid station at Turkey and TATURs, and helped Bill Ford at the Savannah Corner aid station at PH100 this year. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave on most of the RW training runs, always pitching to help without being asked. Besides, they are some of the best friends I have ever had. They deserved a big pat on the back, ands so much more. Our scattered brains overlooked them, but we shouldn't have.
TATUR gave $21,000 to the Burn Camp from proceeds from the TATUR Mud Run. It's an honor to be able to help out kids who are in need.
On to the Silver Spud awards!! These are awarded to our TATUR friends who have had outstanding years, a great race(s), or who just deserve recognition for being an inspiration to the trail running world.
Tim Eraker earned Rookie of the Year. Tim is a regular with the TOTs, and usually leads the fast group. Tim ran 17.9 miles at the 3-hour Snake Run, ran a 2:28 at the Lake McMurtry 25K, a 10:17 at the Midnight Madness 50 mile, a 5:51 at the Full Moon 50K in Arkansas, and then a 25:10 in the Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd Invitational. Not bad for a first year of ultra running.
Russell Bennett received the Overachiever of the Year award. Russell is famous for NOT TRAINING, and then showing up at a 50K, and running it like he had been running 50-60 miles per week. I could never get by with this, but he pulls it off every time. Russell is also one of those who pitches in and helps with race set-up and tear down--even when he HAS to be wiped out. Thanks, buddy!
Aaron Ochoa received the Most Improved TATUR. Aaron has always been fast, but recently, he has turned into a monster. There's not an ounce of body fat on him, he looks like a body builder, and he runs like an antelope. His marathon and 50K times just keep getting quicker and quicker, and while he only made it 67 miles in his first 100 attempt, I know he'll ace his next 100 mile test. Aaron finished 3rd male at Midnight Madness with a time of 8:48, and a 3:24 at the Rock and Roll Savannah Marathon. He races a lot, and more googling could no doubt find scads of ever-increasingly fast times.
Speaking of fast times, Cole Starkey got the award for Best Performance in a Race. To preface, Cole was first male in the Midnight Madness 50 Mile, and also first male in the Pumpkin Holler 50K. The asterisk beside these finishes denotes a lady won these races. (Personally, I love it when a female wins. Trail running is a sport where sometimes the women are the best athletes on a particular day.) Cole rights the ship at Turkey and TATURs 50K, where he led from the start and increased his margin of victory all day long. It's so awesome to have one of our own group who runs like an elite runner.
One of the most fun awards to give out is the Most Inspirational TATUR. Amelia Elbert earned this award this year for being such a cheerleader. First off, she never misses a TOT run. She is prolific on Facebook, and describes her runs and bike rides with a vocabulary unknown to many. Where I might describe a "great" run, to her it is a "FABOO" run. My "awesome" trailz, are "awesome possum" trailz to her. She's a hoot. After an injury sidelined her early in the year, she has steadily increased her speed and endurance, and ran her first 50K at Pumpkin Holler in a respectable 6:16.
My great friend Bill Ford was awarded Male TATUR of the Year. Bill is another one of those guys who is so nice. He is a cut-up, but also a great encourager. Bill started the year with his debut 100 miler, running a sub-24 at Rocky Raccoon. Then, Bil tackled the Rouge/Orleans 126.2, a run from Baton Rouge to New Orleans atop the Mississippi River Levee. He and Kathy Hoover ran together, and were the first two to cross the finish line. Later, because the race was started in waves, he was bested by another male runner, but still aced this trying test of running not long, but incredibly long. He is so deserving of this honor of TATUR of the Year.
Polly Choate was awarded Female TATUR of the Year. Polly has steadily improved over the past year--due in part (I think) to that crazy boyfriend of hers: King Eric Steele. I don't know what he has done, but he has coached her into a serious ultra runner. Here's Polly's year: 25.1 miles in the 6-Hour Snake Run, 3:21 in the 25K at Lake McMurtry, 7:10 and a win at the Do Wacka Do 50K, 6:41 at Pumpkin Holler 50K, and 7:52 at Turkey and TATURs. This, coupled with doing a superb job with the monthly TATUR Newsletter, makes her so deserving of this honor.
Finally, the Most Beat-Up Feet award went to Lyle Robertson. Lyle has only been running seriously for about two years, but in the past year, he has ran marathons almost every week, often doing doubles in his quest for Marathon Maniac mortality. Lyle has 64 marathons or beyond to his credit, 39 states, and most impressively, he is at TEN STARS in the Marathon Maniacs Insane Asylum, something only 2% of the listed Maniacs have achieved. Weird thing is, Lyle never seems tired.. Before coming to the party last night, he ran 6 miles up and down Golf Ball Hill. He's an amazing guy.
After the awards shindig, ~50 of us migrated over to the next room to watch a private screening of Unbreakable, an account of four runners in the 2010 Western States 100.
There was lots of beautiful footage, eye candy for the ladies (Anton Krupicka) and ultra-running wisdom imparted by the founder of ultra-running Gordy Ansleigh.
My favorite quote from Gordy way that mile 85 during his first running, he "just didn't want to get passed by any horses."
Words for life, I'd say.
I'm re-posting the trailer for the movie--catch it if you can.
It's amazing!
As always is the case, there was a full spread of food. Cheese and crackers, sliced sausages, dips, finger foods, cookies and pies, a few casseroles (including Dana's tater casserole which is mmmm good) and a couple of hams from the Hamlet.
The turnout was good. There was elbow room, but barely as we all packed in for the awards, and a movie later. I am always amazed by the people who come from out of town. OKC was represented by 5 travelers: Nels and Donna Bentson, John Hargrove, Katy Kramer, and Jason Tipton. I wish we could get together more.Special recognition was given for folks who have been awesome volunteers during the year.
Mitch is Mr. Everything. He is INVALUABLE, with his help in timing the Snake Run, serving waffles and hot chocolate at the secret aid station at Pumpkin Holler, being the first volunteer to show up and the last to leave at every rave and nearly every training run with TATUR and RunnersWorld. WOW! Thank you my friend!
Lynna gets a special thanks for her help with Turkey and TATURs. She spent hours marking the course the day before, then ran the 25K, and spent a few days afterward removing course markings. Makes my job so much easier.
John Parris and Ramona Tallbear are another couple of valuable volunteers. They were worth their weight in in silver at Pumpkin Holler, working here and there at aid stations, and they brought a pickup load of firewood which kept weary finishers warm during the night.
Susan Westmoreland is one who helps in so many ways. She is a encourager, a selfless helper, and she ran her 1st 50K too at Pumpkin too--and then helped at the start/finish for hours later.We (Brian and I) dropped the ball by failing to give public kudos to a few others. My sweetie Dana is behind the scenes at every TATUR event organising aid station stuff, and also crewing during races. She runs crew and sag for a lot of us on some of our long night training runs, and she also put another notch on her 50K belt this year at Pumpkin Holler. Bobby and Susan Michaels are also an amazing asset to our volunteer corps. They always man an aid station at Turkey and TATURs, and helped Bill Ford at the Savannah Corner aid station at PH100 this year. They are the first to arrive and the last to leave on most of the RW training runs, always pitching to help without being asked. Besides, they are some of the best friends I have ever had. They deserved a big pat on the back, ands so much more. Our scattered brains overlooked them, but we shouldn't have.
TATUR gave $21,000 to the Burn Camp from proceeds from the TATUR Mud Run. It's an honor to be able to help out kids who are in need.On to the Silver Spud awards!! These are awarded to our TATUR friends who have had outstanding years, a great race(s), or who just deserve recognition for being an inspiration to the trail running world.
Tim Eraker earned Rookie of the Year. Tim is a regular with the TOTs, and usually leads the fast group. Tim ran 17.9 miles at the 3-hour Snake Run, ran a 2:28 at the Lake McMurtry 25K, a 10:17 at the Midnight Madness 50 mile, a 5:51 at the Full Moon 50K in Arkansas, and then a 25:10 in the Pumpkin Holler Hunnerd Invitational. Not bad for a first year of ultra running.
Russell Bennett received the Overachiever of the Year award. Russell is famous for NOT TRAINING, and then showing up at a 50K, and running it like he had been running 50-60 miles per week. I could never get by with this, but he pulls it off every time. Russell is also one of those who pitches in and helps with race set-up and tear down--even when he HAS to be wiped out. Thanks, buddy!
Aaron Ochoa received the Most Improved TATUR. Aaron has always been fast, but recently, he has turned into a monster. There's not an ounce of body fat on him, he looks like a body builder, and he runs like an antelope. His marathon and 50K times just keep getting quicker and quicker, and while he only made it 67 miles in his first 100 attempt, I know he'll ace his next 100 mile test. Aaron finished 3rd male at Midnight Madness with a time of 8:48, and a 3:24 at the Rock and Roll Savannah Marathon. He races a lot, and more googling could no doubt find scads of ever-increasingly fast times.
Speaking of fast times, Cole Starkey got the award for Best Performance in a Race. To preface, Cole was first male in the Midnight Madness 50 Mile, and also first male in the Pumpkin Holler 50K. The asterisk beside these finishes denotes a lady won these races. (Personally, I love it when a female wins. Trail running is a sport where sometimes the women are the best athletes on a particular day.) Cole rights the ship at Turkey and TATURs 50K, where he led from the start and increased his margin of victory all day long. It's so awesome to have one of our own group who runs like an elite runner.
One of the most fun awards to give out is the Most Inspirational TATUR. Amelia Elbert earned this award this year for being such a cheerleader. First off, she never misses a TOT run. She is prolific on Facebook, and describes her runs and bike rides with a vocabulary unknown to many. Where I might describe a "great" run, to her it is a "FABOO" run. My "awesome" trailz, are "awesome possum" trailz to her. She's a hoot. After an injury sidelined her early in the year, she has steadily increased her speed and endurance, and ran her first 50K at Pumpkin Holler in a respectable 6:16.My great friend Bill Ford was awarded Male TATUR of the Year. Bill is another one of those guys who is so nice. He is a cut-up, but also a great encourager. Bill started the year with his debut 100 miler, running a sub-24 at Rocky Raccoon. Then, Bil tackled the Rouge/Orleans 126.2, a run from Baton Rouge to New Orleans atop the Mississippi River Levee. He and Kathy Hoover ran together, and were the first two to cross the finish line. Later, because the race was started in waves, he was bested by another male runner, but still aced this trying test of running not long, but incredibly long. He is so deserving of this honor of TATUR of the Year.
Polly Choate was awarded Female TATUR of the Year. Polly has steadily improved over the past year--due in part (I think) to that crazy boyfriend of hers: King Eric Steele. I don't know what he has done, but he has coached her into a serious ultra runner. Here's Polly's year: 25.1 miles in the 6-Hour Snake Run, 3:21 in the 25K at Lake McMurtry, 7:10 and a win at the Do Wacka Do 50K, 6:41 at Pumpkin Holler 50K, and 7:52 at Turkey and TATURs. This, coupled with doing a superb job with the monthly TATUR Newsletter, makes her so deserving of this honor.
Finally, the Most Beat-Up Feet award went to Lyle Robertson. Lyle has only been running seriously for about two years, but in the past year, he has ran marathons almost every week, often doing doubles in his quest for Marathon Maniac mortality. Lyle has 64 marathons or beyond to his credit, 39 states, and most impressively, he is at TEN STARS in the Marathon Maniacs Insane Asylum, something only 2% of the listed Maniacs have achieved. Weird thing is, Lyle never seems tired.. Before coming to the party last night, he ran 6 miles up and down Golf Ball Hill. He's an amazing guy.
After the awards shindig, ~50 of us migrated over to the next room to watch a private screening of Unbreakable, an account of four runners in the 2010 Western States 100.
There was lots of beautiful footage, eye candy for the ladies (Anton Krupicka) and ultra-running wisdom imparted by the founder of ultra-running Gordy Ansleigh.
My favorite quote from Gordy way that mile 85 during his first running, he "just didn't want to get passed by any horses."
Words for life, I'd say.
I'm re-posting the trailer for the movie--catch it if you can.
It's amazing!
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