New England Walkers Newsletter
September 2001


The road from here

Back in 1989, someone with tongue in cheek placed an ad in our One-Hour/Two-Hour National Championship program that said, "World Peace Through Racewalking."

If only the world were that simple.

In the aftermath of September 11, our discussions about producing another racewalking championship may sound dissonant, may feel trivial. But while we are saddened and shaken by the tragedies, perhaps we can also be grateful for all we still have.

Our sense of community and the activities that we pursue together are part of the fabric of our lives. And may this aspect of our lives go on.

Big date is October 7

For the 13th consecutive year, we are playing host to the National One-Hour and Two-Hour Racewalking championships. This major event customarily draws top walkers from around the country as well as local walkers of all abilities. This year's races will begin at 9 a.m. at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute track in Worcester, MA.

New schedule

In a change from previous championships, we are providing a more compact schedule of events this year:

  • Men's Two-Hour, 9 a.m.
  • Men's One-Hour, 10 a.m. (sharing the track with the two-hour walkers)
  • Women's One-Hour, 11:30 a.m.
  • Awards ceremony and post-race buffet, 1:30 p.m.

Help wanted

As always, we urge all club members to attend this high-spirited event, as competitors, volunteers, or both. Assistance will be needed with entry forms, registration, food, judging, lap-counting and many other aspects of the race. Please contact Justin Kuo at 617-731-9889 if you can help.

An entry form is included in this issue. You can also find a form and further information, including directions to the race and lists of hotels, on the Web at

usatfne.org/12hour

You can also call the New England track and field office for information at 617-566-7600.

Mark these days

October 28

The Connecticut Racewalkers will hold their 10-kilometer championship at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at Connecticut College in New London. This, like the one-hour/two-hour races, is a New England Walkers Grand Prix event. We are hoping for a strong NEW turnout to make this a truly regionwide race. Further information will be available at the one-hour/two-hour race in Worcester.

December 2 December 9

The traditional end of our outdoor season, the New England Walkers 10K race, potluck lunch and club meeting, is tentatively scheduled for noon on Sunday, Dec. 2 Dec. 9, at the home of club president Tom Knatt at 83 Riverside Drive in West Concord, MA. Racers and non-racers alike are urged to attend. Please bring a dish, hot or cold, to share. And please bring yourselves; the more club members we hear from at the meeting, the better we can lay out our plans for 2002. For further information, call Tom at 978-369-7912.

Volunteers needed

Club members are needed to work as marshals for the Tufts 10-kilometer road race in Boston on Monday, Oct. 8. Volunteers help earn money for the club and will have their membership extended through 2002. To volunteer or learn more, call Justin Kuo at 617-731-9889.

Race results

Daney Park developmental 5K - July 14, Dedham, - Sept. 9, Cambridge, MA. In the conclusion of Year 3 of the popular monthly series, Rich McElvery posts the season's fastest time in the event.

Men
1. Rich McElvery (44) Hollis NH 27:01
2. John Costello (46) Sherborn MA 30:24
3. Tom Knatt (61) Concord MA 31:06
4. Dick Ruquist (63) Cambridge MA 34:14
Women
1. Holly Wenninger (37) Malden MA 32:51
2. Pat Godfrey (54) Winthrop MA 35:24

Judges, Joanne and Bill Harriman.

East Region Masters 5K - Aug. 12, Springfield, MA. Part of the regional masters' track and field championships at Springfield College. A good turnout on a damp and humid morning. Some nice performances, and a successful reentry for Brian after eight months devoted to running.

----------- Women 35 ------------
1 Marcia Gutsche W39 Cambridge Sports Union 25:27.14
2 Jean Tenan W38 Connecticut Race Walkers 29:13.29
3 Donna Masters W39 Unattached 30:49.97
4 Ginger Armstrong W38 Connecticut Race Walkers 30:56.46
5 Holly Wenninger W36 Cambridge Sports Union 31:18.13
----------- Women 55 ------------
1 Joanne Harriman W58 New England Walkers 32:17.95
----------- Women 65 ------------
1 Jeanne Shepardson W67 New England Walkers 36:30.05
------------ Men 35 -------------
1 William Masters M37 Unattached 33:37.11
------------ Men 40 -------------
1 Stephen McCullough M40 Unattached 29:50.67
------------ Men 45 -------------
1 Jerry Gordon M48 Unattached 33:45.07
------------ Men 50 -------------
1 Bob Keating M54 New England Walkers 24:39.33
2 Brian Savilonis M51 New England Walkers 26:40.45
3 Stanley Sosnowski M51 New England Walkers 27:03.03
4 Bill Harriman M54 New England Walkers 28:44.01
------------ Men 55 -------------
1 David Baldwin M58 Maine Race Walkers 25:49.46
2 Charles Mansbach M56 New England Walkers 31:30.84
------------ Men 60 -------------
1 Gustave Davis M63 Connecticut Race Walkers 34:01.32
2 Spencer Parrish M64 Unattached 35:32.05
3 Thomas Fitzgerald M60 Capital Walkers 39:39.90
------------ Men 70 -------------
1 Bill McCann M71 New England Walkers 34:37.30
2 Chuck Dolecki M70 Unattached 36:08.61

Danehy Park 5K - Aug. 5, Cambridge. Nice turnout, nice performances at the front of the pack. John confessed afterward that he'd done a 10-mile workout before the race. "That might have been a little bit too much of a warmup," Bob suggested.

1. Bob Ullman (52), Nashua NH 28:36
2. John Costello (46), Sherborn MA 29:02
3. Richard Ruquist (63), Cambridge MA 31:01
4. Holly Wenninger (36), Malden MA 32:55
5. Justin Kuo (47), Brookline MA 34:17
6. Itzi Garcia (38), Jamaica Plain MA 41:04
7. Florence Dagata (74), Pawtucket RI 41:04
8. Masha Kuo (9), Brookline MA 48:19
9. Anna Kuo (12), Brookline MA 48:19
10. Carol Kuo (53), Brookline MA 48:19

Judges: Joanne and Bill Harriman, Ken Mattsson , Charlie Mansbach

Blessing of the Fleet 10-miler - July 27, Narragansett, RI. Not judged, and not really a racewalk. But what a hoot. Some 430 walkers take off at 5 p.m., with 2,100 runners following an hour later. We walk along the ocean road, through neighborhoods, onto Route 108 with the inside lane reserved for us with a long line of orange cones. And spectators are scattered along the whole course, applauding and calling out encouragement. At one point, four guys in chairs serenade us on drums; at another juncture, a woman plays the banjo for us. Applause gets downright thunderous at one turn on Mile 8 and again at the finish. And when we do finish, we find ourselves in the middle of a big downtown carnival (with proceeds from everything going to the Lions Club charities). On the fun meter, this event ranks quite high. Extremely partial results:

1. Joe Light 1:33:38
2. Stan Sosnowski 1:39:33
3. Charlie Mansbach 1:46:05
15. (eighth woman) Sheila Sosnowski 2:00:03

Eastern Regional 5K - New London, CT., July 8. Part of the Eastern Regional Track & Field Championships at Connecticut College.

Men
1 Joe Light 26:41:73
2 Stan Sosnowski 27:20.76
3 Vladimir Telnov 27:55.43
4 Andy Cable 28:30.20
5 Stephen McCullough 29:46.92
6 Gus Davis 34:23.98
7 Louis Free 34:36.3
Women
1 Anne Favolise 27:28.35
2 Jean Tenan 28:41.04
3 Ann Percival 29:36.05
4 Judy Ormsby 35:58.71

US Senior Games report By Tom Knatt

The National Senior Games in Baton Rouge LA were great for meeting new and old friends, including John Knifton from Texas. In the 1500M, 60-64 age group, Mark Adams was first in 7:45, Seth Kaminsky was second in 7:52 and I was a distant third in 8:14. We played musical chairs in the 5K, with Seth winning in 29:23, Tom second in 29:32, and Mark third in 29:59. Dave Baldwin won both events for the 55-59 age group. The next National Senior Games will be held in Richmond VA in summer 2003, and the Massachusetts Senior Games in June 2002 will be the qualifier.

Unfortunately, both the racewalk events suffered from a lack of organization, although the table tennis and track and field were much better. Number pickup for the 1500M consisted of a fellow calling out your name over a barely audible megaphone! Because they ran out of computer chips for the 5K racewalk, although the road race had them, times were not recorded for the males in the race. That is why I do not have a list of results. Ray Funkhouser will be in charge of the racewalks in Richmond VA, so it should be much better there. The biggest snafu was for the many dormitory people who chose no linen service, finding out that that meant no linen was provided. People went to Walmart or bought it from the 'conveniently provided' Senior Games booth where you picked up your packet. I stayed in a motel. The biggest scandal was that apparently an official in the Senior Games head office, disgruntled over something, allegedly absconded with a large, almost 6 figure, sum of money. The National Organization is now apparently in financial distress.

Nevertheless, I recommend that the people who might be interested in competing in Richmond VA, compete in their state's games in 2002. Massachusetts does a good job, as does New Hampshire, both of which I have competed in. By then, many of these difficulties should be ironed out.

I'll see you all at the fall races.

Grand Prix standings

Six people here have completed four of the Grand Prix races; everyone else on the list has done two or one. Two Grand Prix events remain: the one-hour/two-hour on Oct. 7 and the Connecticut 10K on Oct. 28.

Men   Women
Bob Keating 339.03   Marcia Gutsche 331.39
Stan Sosnowski 298.93   Joanne Harriman 305.56
Bill Harriman 297.39   Jeanne Shepardson 76.12
Charlie Mansbach 276.37   Chris Anderson 73.58
Dave Baldwin 165.30   Florence Dagata 70.86
Lou Free 147.21   Pamela Hoss 69.15
Bill McCann 145.98   Holly Wenninger 67.15
Bob Ullman 144.19   Rachel Beaudet 67.37
Chuck Dolecki 137.60   Sheila Sosnowski 65.74
Tom Knatt 79.39   Joyce Vandergalien 65.40
Brian Savilonis 79.01   Maureen Danahy 61.29
Dick Ruquist 75.32
Bill O'Leary 71.49
Dennis Slattery 68.41
Justin Kuo 62.22
John Costello 61.96

Weekly workouts

Springfield racewalkers train at Forest Park at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and on Blake Track at Springfield College at 7:30 a.m. on Saturdays. For information, contact Bob Beaudet at 413-525-3542.

Ken Mattsson is scheduling racewalking sessions at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Harvard University track in Cambridge, MA in conjunction with the Cambridge Sports Union. For information, call Ken at 617-576-9331.

The New England Walkers

Send material to:

Charlie Mansbach
25 Larkspur Road
Newton, MA 02468
E-mail address: mansba@nws.globe.com or cmnsbch@cs.com

For membership information, contact Justin Kuo at 617-731-9889


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


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This page was last updated September 23, 2001.
Corrections? Contact Justin Kuo (617-731-9889)