Bangs stays on course at Lindsay's RaceKnow where you are going. Here is this week’s Safari Map
Having yahoo group problems? Here is this week’s Safari Email
For those who are brand new to jungle territories, the Paw Prints, Hoof Tracks and Tales editor welcomes any stories (in good taste of course), whether fact, fiction, serious or just pure jungle gibberish! The only taboo tabloid topics are relationships, restroom issues (unless you are picking on Team Charmin) and politics. Anything else remotely related to running is fair game. Email your breaking news to Bonnie Sexton at besrun2003@yahoo.com!
Turns out we are training the trainers. Kristi Buckham and Alicia Curry are coaches for the Kalamazoo Central track team and are training for the Chicago Half Marathon. Mysterious disappearances were reported to local authorities at last Tuesday’s track sessions. What happened to all the way too serious runners wondered Team Leader Lisa Hanson, who along with Holly Bayes, Chip Hanson, Pam Boner & Marty Feilen confessed they were present exclusively for the social aspects of the workout. Were the rest abducted by aliens? It is a possibility some of them were enjoying a dream summer vacation on another planet, but we have hard evidence to prove there was a jungle conspiracy to invade local Forth of July RACES! Headline news is that Jen Shaffer did NOT win any of this week’s local races as we think she was out of town planning her wedding.
Many from the ranks of the Safari roamed east where they were caught flying around the traditional 5k course and breaking in the new 10k course at Lindsay’s Race in Richland. Rumor has it Francine Bangs didn’t get lost this time around. After totally blowing existing “training effect” theories out of the water, David Thierjung is giving Jeff Dattillo some early competition in the race for the prestigious “Most Improved” award after knocking 4 minutes off his Kalamazoo Klassic 10k time. Some low profile Safari renegades may have made an appearance. Breaking news has it the renegade brigade isn’t unique to the likes of Borgess Run Camp. We must be doing something right….more than half our Safari participants brought home hardware….check out all our Safari Lindsay’s Race stars:
Elizabeth (E) Wright tries out new course at Lindsay’s Race 10k
Lindsays Race 10k
David Ausema
Joy Bailey 3rd Age Group
Francine Bangs 1st Age Group
Cristi DeDoes 1st Age Group
Giti Henrie
Vicky Mergen
Tom Taylor 2nd Age Group
David Thierjung New PR!
Jon Willard 1st Age Group
Elizabeth Wright
Lindsay’s Race 5k
Megan Bradshaw
Sheila Clothier 3rd Age Group
Tammy Parat
Stephanie Sabin 1st Age Group
Jody Stanley
Carole Stevens 1st Age Group
Mike Willy
Dale Wyatt 2nd Age Group
Others migrated south to Schoolcraft for the Firecracker 5 Miler directed by our very own Brenda Stoddard. The event once again shattered prior participation records with 177 participants in the 5 mile run, and 232 after adding those in the one mile fun run. The entire Kling family (minus the cat and the parrot) participated in the event with Tim and Kayla running the 5 Mile, and Kris the one mile fun run. Oh, beware the dangers of shopping at the same specialty running store. Team Leader Julie Steeby and Michelle Fabi found them selves looking at a mirror image after they both showed up decked out in the exact same running attire. No doubt they will be on the phone the evening before future safari runs and races. The Safari’s Scott Taylor was found calling mile splits and cheering the runners at mile 4!
Natalie Dale and Frank Hui made appearances at the Firecracker as the Safari’s Team Tiara representatives. Bonnie Sexton made her Master’s debut by outrunning the youngsters to capture the women’s overall title. The exchange of the coveted Run to Climax shirt was successfully executed, and Rose Kovalscik is now the proud new owner of the controversial item along with Patti Montilla and jungle stray Glen Kellum. It is reported the trio all wore their shirts to the pancake breakfast.
Twenty-three of our Safari Stars made an appearance at the Schoolcraft Firecracker (not including Stray Jungle Beast Glen Kellam who took 1st in his age group) It was also reported that Mark Chicoinne was seen there, but we can’t locate him in the results…hmmmm!
Schoolcraft 5 Miler
Cathy Baldwin
Cynthia Chapin
Natalie Dale
Brian Dobbie 1st Age Group
Michele Fabi 3rd Age Group
Peter Fernando
Gordon Hare 2nd Age Group
Frank Hui
Patrick Johnson 1st Age Group
Meredith Keller
Kayla Kling 3rd Age Group
Tim Kling
Rose Kovalscik
Kelly Korf
Erica McCulley
Patricia Montilla 3rd Age Group
Rebecca Penar
Ronald Reid
Bonnie Sexton Female Overall Winner
Mark Sigfrids 1st Age Group
Julie Steeby 2nd Age Group
Nancy Vendeville
Josh Yoder 3rd Age Group
Huge disclaimer here…..If you are a registered Safari participant and find yourself missing from local race results let us know about it so we can correct our erroneous ways, but never, ever take it personal. We hold grudges against no one. Safari authorities admit it takes a dash of black magic and an abundance of technical wizardry to pull results from hundreds, sometimes thousands of runners. Who is the master magician behind the race results? It is none other than evening track coach Joe Hulsebus, who is nothing short of an information management genius. Still despite this high level of technical competence, misspelled names, reversals and other magic potion mishaps sometimes cause names to fall off the list. Also, our magician for the most part only pulls from KAR Club Series events, so if you have another racing adventure you want to share please report it to us! We want to know, and we really do CARE about what you are doing out there so please do go ahead and SHARE! As a bonus, you may just motivate someone else!
Special thanks to last Saturday’s aid station volunteers Dave Walch and Julie Wojtascek! If you know of anyone willing to assist in keeping the herds well hydrated Saturday mornings please have them contact Sherry Selby at sselby@tds.net.
