News

This is our annual month-by-month “State of the Club Report” for the past year. This was the start of the second quarter-century of the Heartland Racewalkers. That will be mentioned later.

On New Year’s Day, we joined the KC Track Club for the annual start of the year run/walk which was followed by the traditional brunch for some of us at La Peep. We had 10-12 (incl. spouses & friends

At our January meeting, we had a speaker on nutrition sponsored by Steve Fraley. We had 18 members who braved weather with wind-chill down to -12 degrees to attend this first meeting of the year.

Our February meeting featured JonathanStepp, sponsored by John Anderson. He spoke about his successful fight against bone cancer and his inspirational message as an athlete and role model

Our March speaker, Betty Sherrer, sponsored by Carol Smith, led us in a program of drumming-for rhythm and aerobics. Later in March, John and I went to Winston-Salem, NC for the USATF National Masters Indoor Championships. John served as a cheerleader for Alan (having missed out on the registration) and it worked since I set a new American Record for the 3000 meter walk. Unfortunately, it will not to be certified as a record since the number of judges was reduced at the last moment from 5 to 4 and 5 are needed for full certification.

In April, our speaker was Bob Akers, sponsored by BJ Thornburg. He spoke about electronic recycling. Then later in the month we fielded three teams in the Annual Brew to Brew relay from KC to Lawrence. The Heartland Hipsters, under Captain BJ Thornburg, came in ahead of the Perpetual Pedestrians and the Wooly Walkers, Alan and Mark were captains of those teams and were veterans of many Brew to Brew races. Afterwards, we had our traditional post-race feast at the Mad Greek’s restaurant in Lawrence. Nancy Perih again put on the most miles in attending by driving in from Topeka to participate and then backracking to Kansas City before returning to Topeka.

At our May meeting, we had a review of the Brew to Brew race so all of our members could see some of the scenes. On May 20, HRW hosted the Wednesday Night Run once again at Leawood City Park. Thanks to Tom Oakes (our order chef) and the o11 ther members who helped host this event.

At our June meeting, Don Culp, who had been part of the KC Walkers and an early members prior the establishment of the Heartland Racewalkers, gave us some historical recollections about the early days. Also in June, our club collected a lot of medals at the Missouri State Senior Games. This year’s meet was noteworthy not for the records set by Dave Couts and Alan but mostly for the disastrous fall that BJ suffered on falling on a slippery spot in the 5K and breaking bones in her ankle. Fred and John were there to help her until she finally was taken care of in the hospital. Fortunately, BJ’s courage and persistence has led her back to recovery and she is back to racing again. She is an inspiration.

In July we did not have our meeting on the first Saturday because it was the 4th of July (a number of us got into races). On the second week, we had our annual picnic in Roe Park with 22 in attendance, including Jean Brunnenkant our Walking Queen who was just a month before her 99th birthday. Top point winners in the first 6 months of the year were John, Pamela and Lynn. In July we also had four medal winners in the Sunflower State Games: John, Sunday, Nancy Perih and Alan. At the Show Me Games in Columbia, Fred and Dave Couts each won two Gold Medals.

July was also the when the National Senior Olympics held the racewalks in St. Paul. We had 6 competitors and one cheer-leader, Maggie McCoy. Our club came away with 2 Gold medals, 3 Bronze medals and 6 ribbons for 4-8th. Included in that were one all-time record in the 80-84 division in the 1500 meter walk and a second best of all time in the 5K and one 9th best all time in the 5K. Later in the month, on July 26, your Prez took another Gold medal by winning the 10,000 meter walk in the USATF National Masters Outdoor Championships in Jacksonville, Fl. It was very hot and humid and took place on a track-25 laps with rigorous judges watching.

In August, Carol Goslin, our multi-time marathoner spoke to us about her experiences and acknowledged that she was a top veteran of the marathon maniacs. We salute her for her many years of dedication to her passion for locomotion. On Aug. 1, our youth member, Maggie Boley, took 3rd out of 19 in the 9-10 year-old age division in Norfolk, VA in the AAU National Championships Jr Olympics in the 1500 meters in a time of 9:27.

Another national event that occurs every two years is the State Games of America. This year it took place in Lincoln, NE on Aug. 1. HRW took 3 Golds and a Silver. This is the national event that requires qualification in one’s own state, like the Sunflower Games and the ShowMe Games. John, Fred Alan and Nancy were our representatives.

September found us in a variety of activities. At our monthly meeting, Nan & Sid Kantor spoke about their activities promoting the Special Olympics. Then on Sept. 11, the Patriots Day Run on 9/11 found us with two teams who kept the paths at the Mid America Nazarene Campus in Olathe busy with racewalking for 9 hours and 11 minutes. The Heartland Patriots (John Anderson, captain) finished the long day with 39 laps, beating out the Heartland Hipsters (Pat Durkin, captain) who had 36 laps (miles). The Kansas Senior Games were held on Sept.

In October, our schedule Be-A-Walker had to be postponed due to the reconstruction going on at Roe Park. Instead we had a substitute speaker, the Prez, who spoke on “Nobel Prize Winner that I Have Known”. This is a favorite topic of mine and I presented to my medical alumni class at our 55th reunion the week before.

In November, our monthly speaker was Matt Kirsh, sponsored by Pat Durkin. He is a personal trainer at the YMCA and he spoke about fitness.

Thanks,