New England Walkers Newsletter
May 1999


20K set for May 23

Our outdoor season kicks into high gear this month with the New England 20-kilometer racewalk championship, to be held at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 23, at Rhode Island College in Providence. A non-championship 5-kilometer race will begin an hour later in conjunction with the 20K.

To get to Rhode Island College:

From Massachusetts and Points North, Take I-95 south to Providence; exit at Atwells Avenue. Turn right (west) onto Atwells Avenue and follow for 1.5 miles, then turn right (at hilltop) onto Mt. Pleasant Avenue. Entrance to the college is 1.2 miles ahead on the left.

From the West Via I-95:

Take I-95 North to Providence, take the Broadway exit to second traffic light, turn onto Atwells Avenue., and follow di- rections in "From Points North" above.

For further information, contact Joe Light at 401-596- 3173.

In sympathy

Condolences to Bob and Julie Falciola on the death of their son, Nathan, on March 12 at their home in Sandown, N.H. Nathan, a familiar presence at racewalking events over the years, was 19.

NEW race series continues

After a sneak snowstorm foiled our March debut, the New England Walkers began their series of monthly five-kilometer races at Danahy Park in Cambridge, MA., on April 11. A sec- ond race was held May 9.

The races are low-key events with no entry fee. Judges are on hand, but no one is disqualified. Coaching is avilable, and newcomers to racewalking are most welcome.

The next event will be held June 13. Contact Bill Harriman at 978-640-9676 (before 9:30 p.m.) for details.

The results from Race No. 1:
   1. Bob Ullman              Merrimack, NH     28:42
   2. R. Yannopoulis-Ruquist  Lexington, MA     31:27
   3. Roger Martell           Beverly, MA       37:20
   4. Joanne Harriman         Tewskbury, MA     40:05
Judges: Bill Harriman, Ken Mattsson, and Justin Kuo.

And the results from Race No. 2:
Men
   1. Bob Ullman              Merrimack, NH     28:20
   2. Bill Harriman           Tewksbury, MA     29:17
   3. Thomas Knatt            West Concord, MA  29:33
   4. John Jurewicz           Boston            32:03
   5. Justin Kuo              Brookline, MA     34:00
   6. Yuri Kuo                Brookline, MA     35:50
   7. Lee Brown               Wakefield, MA     36:12
Women
   1. Carol Kuo               Brookline, MA     38:17
   2. Mari Ryan,              Cambridge, MA     38:19
   3. Joanne Harriman         Tewksbury, MA     40:15
   4. Anna Kuo                Brookline, MA     48:09
   5. Wendy Glick             Chelmsford, MA    48:15
Judges: James Fields, Ken Mattsson, and Tolya Kuo.

Volunteers needed

This year's Chase Corporate Challange has been moved up a month. We are looking for 25-30 New England Walker volunteers on Tuesday, June 29, for the 7 p.m. race. Volunteers help earn money for the club and will have their membership extended through 2000. To volunteer, or to receive additional information, call Justin Kuo at 617-731-9889 or e-mail at volunteers@kuo.freeservers.com

Training sessions

Ken Mattsson reports that racewalking workouts are being held on Tuesday evenings at the Harvard University track on North Harvard Street (across the Charles River from Har- vard Square) in Boston. Workout time is 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. The sessions are sponsored by the Cambridge Sports Union and take the place of the workouts that used to be held at MIT on Wednesdays. For further information, call Ken at 617-576-9331.

Full NEW fashion

Meg Savilonis has a fresh supply of the popular New England Walkers singlets and jackets, complete with club name and logo. Singlets cost $20, jackets $55. Matching pants, without the special labeling, can also be ordered.

Meg is also "yard-saling" some items in an older style. Still on hand are an XL jacket (the equivalent of an L in the new style) for $30, and women's singlets in L and XL for $10.

The clothing will be available at club events. Members can also phone Meg at 508-867-6748 or e-mail her at bandtbks@meganet.net.

Other race results

Clamdigger 8k — April 25, Misquamicut Beach, Westerly, RI. The bluest skies we've seen at this race in years, and the biggest turnout of walkers since the racewalking division was added in 1992. There also were enough judges and volunteers on hand for Joe Light to drop his administrative chores for 43-odd minutes and take part in the race.

Women
   Lee Chase               44:40
   Mary Flanagan           49:32
   Jean Tenan              49:35
   Jeanne Shepardson       53:45
   Rachel Beaudet          58:18
   Eileen Rivera           59:34
   Catherine Marsh         60:04
   Theresa Hurley          60:48
   Diane Wortis            60:59
   Kathy Gravelle          63:40
   Joanne Harriman         65:45
   Florence Dagata         66:03
   Pat Mandell             74:55

Men
   Brian Savilonis         42:15
   Joe Light               43:11
   Nick Manuzzi            43:49
   Stanley Sosnowski       47:08
   Fred Anderson           49:41
   Charles Mansbach        50:26
   James Brochin           51:57
   Bob Beaudet             52:55
   Bill McCann             53:08
   Louis Free              54:02
   Gustave Davis           54:46
   Chuck Dolecki           57:36
   Geoffrey Bye            58:20
   Richard Shepardson      60:07

2 DQs
Judges: Diana Gladden (chief), Bill Banks, Richard Huie, Justin Kuo.

Boston Marathon, April 19 — There is no walking division in this 103-year-old race, but the Boston Athletic Association offers a small number of official numbers to the New England Walkers, and club members and friends make good use of them.

   Andrea Schiavon  24  Padova, Italy   4:08:45
   Bob Keating      52  Nashua NH       4:50:10
   Jack Starr       70  Newark DE       4:59:12
   Anne Marie Kunz  57  New York        5:15:53
   Bill Harriman    52  Tewksbury MA    5:18:45
   Patrick Bivona   58  Nutley NJ       5:18:46
   Dennis Buckley   51  Marlborough MA  5:40:31

Justin Kuo reports: "The first walker is unknown to me, but he was clearly observed to be racewalking. I hope someone may identify this gentleman."

National Masters Indoor 3-kilometer championships — March 27, Reggie Lewis Track, Boston. An afternoon of terrific performances, with Maryanne Torrellas, Lyn Brubaker, Janet Comi, Tish Roberts, Jim Carmines, Dave Romansky and Jack Starr all surpassing the existing national age-division records. Non-record-setter Bob Keating, going "faster than I thought I could go," turned in the best time of the day.

Women 35-39
   1. Marcia Gutsche        37  Newton, MA           15:05.72
   2. Abigail Oliver        38  Fortville, IN        16:12.89
   3. Jean Tenan            35  Bristol, CT          17:42.20
   4. Marie VerMeer         38  Portland, OR         20:11.11
1 DQ
Women 40-44
   1. Maryanne Torrellas    40  Clinton, CT          13:46.73
   2. Lyn Brubaker          42  Landisville, PA      13:48.49
   3. Donna Chamberlain     42  Dallas, PA           15:08.06
   4. Sandy DeNoon          43  Carbondale, IL       15:58.45
   5. Ann Percival          40  Cromwell, CT         17:29.75
Women 45-49
   1. Janet Comi            45  Erie, PA             15:22.71
   2. Tish Roberts          49  Fishers, IN          15:27.06
   3. Debbie Topham         46  Mayville, MI         16:14.15
   4. Sherry Brosnahan      47  Bridgewater, NJ      16:18.57
   5. Lee Chase             45  Glastonbury, CT      16:19.24
Women 50-54
   1. Jackie Reitz          50  Indianapolis, IN     16:47.70
   2. Yoko Eichel           51  Woodland, CA         18:08.00
   3. Ann Montgomery        51  Concord, MA          19:25.70
   4. Pat Walker            51  Greenwood, IN        20:31.26
1 DQ
Women 55-59
   1. Ann Marie Rosenitsch  58  Toronto              17:30.58
   2. Janet Higbie          57  Indianapolis, IN     17:38.19
   3. Hansi Rigney          57  Carmel, CA           18:06.50
   4. Jeanne Bocci          55  Grosse Pointe, MI    19:35.71
Women 60-64
   1. Sami Bailey           62  Indianapolis, IN     18:09.20
   2. Rachel Beaudet        63  Longmeadow, MA       21:47.37
Women 65-69
   1. Jean Shepardson       65  Sherborn, MA         20:35.87
   2. Mary Stookey          66  Dickerson, MD        22:53.28
   3. Lorelei Ruben         69  Rockport, MA         23:08.21
Women 70-74
   1. Kate Marrs            70  Milwaukee, WI        20:38.39
   2. Joan Rowland          72  New York City        21:51.05
   3. Florence Dagata       72  Pawtucket, RI        23:20.73
Women 75-79
   1. Margaret Walker       77  Cambridge, PA        23:06.49
Men 35-39
   1. Nick Manuzzi          39  Monroe, CT           15:07.75
Men 40-45
   1. Stan Sosnowski        48  West Kingston, RI    14:38.83
   2. Brian Savilonis       48  Brookfield, MA       15:12.16
   3. Larry Titus           49  Glastonbury, CT      15:14.45
   4. Roswell Barranco      49  Howell, MI           16:57.57
   5. Douglas VerMeer       45  Portland, OR         16:59.32
   6. Fred Anderson         46  Plymouth, NH         18:16.15
Men 50-54
   1. Robert Keating        52  Nashua, NH           13:36.62
   2. Gene Opheim           52  Tallahasse, FL       14:38.28
   3. Max Walker            52  Greenwood, IN        15:05.37
   4. Bill Penner           52  Stockton, CA         15:15.12
   5. James Miner           50  Drydon, NY           15:54.49
Men 55-59
   1. Jim Carmines          55  Cumberland, PA       13:51.46
   2. John Elwarner         59  Sterling, MI         15:27.37
   3. Thomas Knatt          58  Concord, MA          16:22.43
   4. Bernie Finch          59  Pepin, WI            18:06.08
1 DQ
Men 60-64
   1. Dave Romansky         60  Pennsville, NJ       14:34.28
   2. Paul Johnson          61  Fort Smith, AR       16:17.25
   *  Spencer Parrish       62  Waterbury, CT        19:33.62
   3. Gustave Davis         61  Orange, CT           19:34.11
   4. Richard Huie          63  Branford, CT         20:55.71
* noncitizen
Men 65-69
   1. Bob Barrett           65  Smallwood, NY        16:17.64
   2. Alfred DuBois         67  W. Allis, WI         16:42.77
   3. Bob Beaudet           66  Longmeadow, MA       18:29.99
   4. Louis Free            68  Uncasville, CT       19:36.27
   5. Bill McCann           69  Longmeadow, MA       19:57.20
   6. Frank Sullivan        65  Hopatcong, NJ        19:58.72
   7. Charles Dolecki       68  Wilbraham, MA        20:47.34
1 DQ
Men 70-74
   1. Jack Starr            70  Newark, DE           17:03.33
   2. William Flick         73  Corry, PA            17:55.03
   3. John Nervetti         74  Oak Ridge, NJ        19:06.67
   4. Louis Candido         70  Springfield, MA      19:48.03
   5. Dick Donley           72  Tulsa, OK            21:56.27
   6. Stuart Corning        74  Wenham, MA           23:42.92
1 DQ
Men 75-79
   1. Tim Dyas              78  Ridgewood, NJ        22:08.05
   2. Paul Geyer            79  Rochester, MN        22:11.70
   3. Richard Bennett       75  Evertt, MA           23:21.85
Men 80-84
   1. Bill Tallmadge        82  Berea, KY            24:20.75

Officials: Ross Barranco, Tom Eastler, Diane Gladden,
Tom Knatt, Ken Mattsson, James Fields, Priscilla Frappier,
Val Foss, Maryanne Torrellas, Steve Vaitones and Justin Kuo.

Excellent adventure — a report from the National Invitational


By Joe Light

Have you ever gone one-on-one with Michael Jordan? Played a match against Tiger Woods? Shagged home run balls with Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa? Gone head-to-head with an Olympic gold medal winner? I have — the last one, that is, and head-to-head means his head whizzed by mine 3 or 4 times, but no matter. Racewalking is an incredible sport in that anyone can literally rub shoulders with world champions and party with them afterwards.

The National Invitational in Manassas, Virginia, on March 21 was a thrill. All the best American men and women and the best Canadian women were there (we picked two of them up; details later). The men's winner was the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, Ecuadorean Jefferson Perez. New England's own Joanne Dow lead the women's race from start to finish and beat her own American record by over a minute, and I was fortunate to witness all of it.

Weather conditions were ideal — bright sunshine, a bit cool with some breeze. The course is a smoothly paved flat roadway within a huge regional park near the Civil War battlefield where the two armies engaged for the first time in a war that the Union thought would be over in a few days. The Potomac Valley Track Club, which organized the event (the racewalks, not the battle), did a superb job in every respect. As a World Cup qualifier, the event had the best in the US vying for spots in the 5-person men's and women's teams. Among the many superb performances were those by Jonathan Matthews and Maine native Kevin Eastler, both of whom made the team.

The 1:25:27 time by Matthews shattered the American masters record. I was pleased with my own race, walking a fairly steady pace throughout and getting just one warning. I was in very good company near the end of the pack, finishing behind Jim Carmines and Dave Romansky.

The post-race festivities were held at a Bertucci's restaurant right next to the host hotel. Amidst a seemingly endless parade of fresh, delicious pizzas, we got to meet and talk to many of the top competitors. I also was able to contact an old friend who now lives in the area and he spent an hour with me at the restaurant. Coincidentally, he had been a racewalker about ten years ago. Being in the room with all those walkers has inspired him to take up the sport again. Also at our table were two women from Calgary, Alberta. Ken Mattsson and I were talking about driving up to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, after the awards ceremony. After briefly describing the town's historical significance, the Canadians expressed interest in joining us, so the four of us made the 60-mile trip through scenic Virginia countryside. Our company turned out to be Janice McCaffrey, who had just broken the Canadian women's record, and her friend Sue Hornung, who had just walked a personal best 1:45. Janice is also a two-time Olympian and a shoo-in for the 2000 Olympic team. We had a wonderful time in Harper's Ferry enjoying the spectacular view of the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers from the high bridge and reading the historic markers of John Brown's raid and a later battle that was fought in the town. It was my second visit but it still had an emotional impact.

The entire weekend was surprisingly inexpensive. The Hampton Inn offered a special rate for walkers and sharing a room with Ken cut that in half. The car rental was ridiculously cheap — less than $30 for each of us, and the round-trip flight actually cost less than a train. All told, a most excellent time that I would highly recommend to all for next year.

1999 race calendar

As always, our listing of racewalking events is not en- graved in stone. Some races are added during the season, others are changed or cancelled. It's always best to verify the time, date and location with the race director before setting out.

May

23 — New England 20K. Rhode Island College, 9 a.m. Grand Prix event. Details on front page. 23 — Great Bear 5K, Pollard School, Needham, MA. 3:20 p.m. A separate unjudged walk as part of a day-long series of races. 781-444-3383.

June

6? — New England 5K, date and site to be determined. Grand Prix event. 13 — New England Walkers 5K. Details on front page.

July

24 — Bay State Games 3K, Worcester State College. Part of the track and field portion of the statewide athletics festi- val. 781-932-6555.

August

1 — 10K National Championships, Wilkes Barre, PA. 1 — XIII World Association of Veteran Athletes Champion- ships, Gateshead, England. (Have I really bought airline tick- ets for this?) Men's 20K, women's 10K. 5K on the track, Aug. 6-7. Sandy Pashkin, 301 Cathedral Parkway, No. 6U, NY NY 10026

September

19 — 40K National Championships, Ft. Monmouth, NJ. Year 61 of the tradition, and a longtime favorite for the hardi- est among us.

October

3 — National One- and Two-Hour Championships, Worces- ter Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. Grand Prix. Our 11th consecutive year as host of this major event. late in month — Possibly a 50K race, the only one to be held in the east this year. Stay tuned.

Walking: long-term or short-term investment?


By Josef DellaGrotte

While conducting a walking course and hiking in the Swiss Alps, I noticed how many people in this country surrounded by mountains use walking as their major exercise and health system. What is even more interesting is how they pace themselves, especially the older ones. Even though I would be moving at a faster pace, I soon realized that these slower hikers would not only get there anyway (the next hut, the next village), but be able to do it continuously, most for the rest of their lives. How many times did I hear: "He/she walked till the day he/she died." And that is perhaps the healthier vision and practice of full exercise walking. It is not only about how fast, or how many races one has done, and at what pace. It is about a total fitness activity that can, if done well, keep you mobile, posturally upright, strong and sound in cardiovascular terms, relaxed and confident in psychophysical terms.

Efficient walking also has to be learned. Some time ago I experienced a new level of efficient walking with Ken Mattsson. It made a difference. But in order for that to happen, it is not enough to have just good instruction from the outside. (Ever tried to learn golf by watching videos? Golfers are always in search of new techniques, and most of them don't work.) The instruction has to match the responses that are from the inside. The lesson succeeds best when the learner gets it, feels it, enjoys it, can use it, and do it on his own. Once you learn to get the true feel of a good movement, you can reproduce it, improve on it. Best of all, you can cultivate it until it replaces the old movements, which also might have had pains or restrictions attached to them.

Walking this way becomes a lifelong investment, a self-mastery process, one that will enable you also to walk till the day you die. It's not the dying, of course. It is the knowing that you can take care of yourself and enjoy walking, not struggle or suffer with it.

Josef DellaGrotte, therapist and trainer, will be conducting Thursday evening practice clinics on June 3, 10, 17, and 24 from 6:20 to 7:45 p.m.

For more information on the program and audiocassette lessons, contact the office of Somatic Training Associates, 1-800-893-2398, or the Watertown office at 617-926-9770.


New England Walkers
NEWalkers@kuo.freeservers.com
39 Oakland Road
Brookline, MA 02245-6700
United States


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This page was last updated July 15, 1999.
Corrections? Contact
Justin Kuo (617-731-9889)