Coastin’

Club Meeting:   The February meeting will Monday, February 5, 2001, 6:30pm, at  Alfred & Charlie’s Barbecue, 815 S New Hope Rd, Gastonia.  For the new members, this is a mostly social gathering of usually about 20-30 folk and a great chance to meet some friendly people.

 

Newsletter Updates: Contact John Price at 704 867 2669 or at coastineditor@yahoo.com.

Note:  Each month, I hope to have something of special interest to read at the end of the newsletter.  This month, Paula Weant has contributed an excellent personal story.  Please feel free to contribute anything related to running and/or cycling.  It doesn’t have to be as good as what Paula has done to be of interest to others!

 

Dues Are Due Now!

Dues for the 2001 club year are now due.  Memberships are $10 for individual, $15 for family and $7 for students. Checks can be made payable to GCC.  You can either mail them to the club (P.O. Box 122, Lowell, NC 28098) or bring them to our next club meeting (see above).  Please complete the form on the outside of the newsletter and include with your payment. Please let John Price know if any corrections are necessary (704 867 2669 or coastineditor@yahoo.com).

 

Welcome New Members!

Barry Lee, Karen & Terry Arnold, the Peche family, Kirk Adams, Mike Burgess, David Rodden, Mike Knapp.

 

Special Donation

A special thanks goes to Terry Herrington.  A long time supporter of the bike club, Terry included an extra donation along with his membership renewal.

 

Christmas Bikes for Kids

Each year, the bike club collects used bikes before Christmas, refurbishes them, and distributes them to the less fortunate. Ron Hutchins again led this effort as he got together about 15 bikes and distributed them through the West Gastonia Boys & Girls Club.

 

First Charter Criterium:  April 27, 2001 Shelby

This is a professional bike race held on a Friday evening each year in Shelby.  They always offer a big cash purse which means big name riders show up to compete.  Each year, our bike club helps sponsor the event by providing race day support.  Around 2:00 pm, we arrive at downtown Shelby at which time the police shut down the race route and we begin setting up barricade netting.  We marshall the race (wearing really cool free t-shirts and whistles), after which we assist in taking down the course.  Afterwards we gather for a free pizza party.

It’s really important we gets lots of bodies there to help out.  More information will be provided in upcoming newsletters.  Contact Jim Weant at 704 865 6193 when you know you can help out.

 

Ride Schedule 

Wednesday:  the unusually cold winter has unfortunately forced a cancellation of the nighttime mtn bikes on the road.  But on the brighter side, the days are getting longer and our evening weekday ride schedule will start up in just over 2 months.

Saturday – start 10:00 am – Mountain Bike Ride @ Catawba Mtn. Bike Park

Sunday – start 10:00 am & 1:30pm – Road Bike Ride, start @ Forestview High School, Union Road.  The 1:30pm ride usually follows marked loops, either the 30 mile “W” route or the 50 mile “A” route, and usually has a good turnout. 

 

Run Schedule 

Tuesday / Thursday – start 6:00 pm – Food Lion on S. New Hope Road near Ashbrook High School.  Distance and pace depends on those running, usually 6 miles at a 9-minute pace.  The course can be shortened if you prefer.

 

 

 

 

Polar Bear Ride Results 2001 - Sunday, January 14th

We had a total of 65 riders to do the ½ century (50 mile) course which began and ended at Forestview High School.  With temperatures reasonable (in the low 50’s) the ride was a great success. We did not get rained on and nobody got lost!   Of those that rode, 25 were club members and 40 were non-members from as far away as Greensboro and Hickory. Thanks goes out to Charlene Angel for organizing the event, and also to Hal Angel and Mike Harrison for assisting.    And thanks to all who came out to ride.

 

Race Results

 

Marquis de Sade

On Saturday, Jan 13, the Spartanburg Freewheelers sponsored a semi-organized ride dubbed the Marquis de Sade.  The ride started and ended at the Tryon Middle School, familiar to many of us as the start site for the annual Fabulous 4th ride held each July.  The course was described as follows:  At 50 miles long with four 1000 ft. climbs, this ride is intended to test the physical and mental toughness of the riders. Any one of these climbs in a ride would be tough. Combining four of these climbs in a single ride provides a real test.

GCC members Blair Craig and Scott Moss both rode, and then came out flying the very next day at our Polar Bear ride.  Nice going, guys!

 

Upcoming Running / Cycling Events

Jan 27 - Run for Peace Charlotte Marathon and 5 mile run  Davidson to  Queens College 704 367 9696 http://www.runforpeace.org

Jan 27 - Hunger Run 5 mile, Rock Hill, SC  803 327 5640

Feb. 4 - Winter Flight 8K - Salisbury, NC 704 857 3114

Feb 10 - Carolina marathon relay & 10K - Columbia, SC - 803 929 1996

Feb 11 - Sweetheart Ride, Phyllis Martin (Rock Hill Bike Club) 336 Bowater Road (intersects Mt. Gallant Road about 1/4 mile east of Highway 274; intersection is several miles south of Catawba Nuclear Plant entrance -- Highway 49 over Buster Boyd bridge, left turn onto 274 at Winn-Dixie/Food Line intersection outside of Lake Wylie); 15 miles, slow, cake and carbos afterwards; 329-2988

 

Feb 17 - 10AM (Rock Hill Bike Club) Allison Creek Church (on 274 between Mt. Gallant and Catawba Nuclear Power entrance); 20-25 miles, mod., Mack Bailey 329-2321

 

Feb 17 - Myrtle Beach marathon - Myrtle Beach, SC - 843 293 RACE

Feb 18 - 2PM (Rock Hill Bike Club) Tirzah Church (a couple of miles west of Rock Hill toward York on Highway 161; go west on 161 through Newport stoplight and watch closely for small sign on right of road pointing toward left turn); 25-30 miles, mod., Kirk Adams, 629-5109

 

Feb 24 - 10AM (Rock Hill Bike Club) College Cycles (Oakland Ave, on right a few blocks east of Winthop University main entrance), could be 30-40 miles, mod to fast pace for most, easy for Mark, Mark Tyma 981-3151

 

Feb 24 - Penguin Run 8K and 1 Mile Family Run / Walk  The Third Annual Penguin Run has been scheduled for February 24th at Freedom Park. Last year’s event drew 700 participants. This year, proceeds will benefit American Cancer’s Relay For Life and is Sponsored by Boise Cascade Office Products and Hewlett Packard.

Mar 24 - Elizabeth Mercy Hospital 8K - Charlotte, NC  - 704 358 0713

Mar 24 - Gold Rush half-marathon & 8K - Concord, NC - 704 786 3312

Mar 24 - Girls Home Spring Tune-Up 5K - Rock Hill, SC - 803 329 4920

Apr 21 - Charlotte Observer half-marathon & 5K - Charlotte, NC - www.charlotte.com/racefest

Multiple Sclerosis Walk - The annual M.S. Walk will be held on Saturday, April 21 @ Lineberger Park in Gastonia.  If interested in being part of the Gaston County Cyclist team, please contact Paula Weant - 865-6193.  We were the largest team last year.  Let's see if we can be even larger this year.  Come walk!!

 

Submitted by Paula Weant January 12, 2001

 

Jim & I were married January 1, 1983 and during our first few years of married life he worked the 3rd shift at a local textile plant. Since I worked the day shift and Jim worked the night shift most of my "home" time was spent by myself. After a few months, I asked Jim for a dog to help keep me company during the nights. Jim, a very goal oriented person, said that I could have a dog after I ran six miles. Jim was a runner but I on the other hand had never run a mile. There was a local 10K race in the fall and that was to be my goal. I was not thrilled with the idea of starting to run but I really wanted a dog and running would give Jim & I another common interest.

I was a relatively fit person so running came fairly easily. I was slow but did manage to steadily increase my mileage until I was at the six mile point I ran my first 10K race in December, a blistering 70 minutes, but that is all I needed for my dog. Shortly after my race, Jim & I went to the local animal shelter and adopted Fuzz. Fuzz quickly won our hearts and became an important part of our family.

While training for my race, I discovered that I enjoyed running and spending that extra time with Jim. Fuzz was a small dog so she was not able to run with us but she loved to walk. When runs were finished, Fuzz would be waiting with anticipation by our front door for our cool down walk. I believe there were days when our cool down walk was longer than our actual run. Fuzz's doctor used to tell us that she was in such great shape because of our exercise regime.

I continued running 5K and 10K runs and over the years increased my mileage so I could run 10 mile races and half marathons. hi 1996,1 ran my first marathon and was hooked. I enjoyed the distance and the sense of accomplishment that I felt when I had completed the race. When Jim ran the 100th Boston Marathon later that year, that excitement level was so high, that I decided that I would set Boston as a long range goal for me.

Years and many marathons went by and as Fuzz became older she still enjoyed walking but the distance she could travel was much less than in her younger years. In 2000,1 was in the best running shape of my life. I had run marathons that year in Charlotte, Abingdon, and Boone and though I did not qualify for Boston, felt good about my times and set my sights on Kiawah in December.

In October 2000, we discovered that Fuzz had cancer. Fortunately, it did not immediately effect her health but by Thanksgiving she lost ability to move her back legs so she could no longer walk. She stayed in good spirits and with our help she was able to move around. Physically, I was ready for Kiawah in December and knew what pace I had to run to qualify for Boston. Mentally, I was very concerned about my Fuzz. Her health was in a rapid decline so we took her with us to Kiawah.

I could not have asked for a better race at Kiawah. It was perfect running weather. I drank and ate my goo at the appropriate times and everything just came together. At mile 20 I knew my time would be close so I gave it my all. The feeling of seeing the finish line and my finish time was indescribable. I never could have dreamed I could have run a 3:42 (3 minutes faster than I needed). I was on cloud nine, for sure the second best moment of my running career.

That night. Fuzz's health continued to deteriorate and by the next morning she no longer could use her front legs or lift her head. Our drive from Kiawah back to Gastonia seemed like it took hours longer than normal. Jim and I knew in our hearts that we were losing our little dog.

Fuzz died the following morning, almost 17 years to the day that we brought her home. I will always find it ironic that my greatest running accomplishment was finishing that first race so I could get my Fuzz and my second greatest running accomplishment was qualifying for Boston just before I lost my Fuzz.

I am still running because I have the 2001 Boston Marathon in April. Jim & I both think of Fuzz often especially when we come home from our runs and there is not a little dog to great us and walk with us during our cool down.

 

       

   Charlotte Sports CyclingWinter

                       Training Ride

                 February 10, 2001

                       Ride Start Time: 10:00 AM

                                                                     University Meadows Elementary on

                                                               Pavilion Boulevard

Visit our web site:http://charlottesportscycling.micronet.net/

 

Come join Charlotte Sports Cycling as we kick the season off with an exciting ride through the challenging terrain of the Charlotte Metro area.  This fully supported training ride is intended to draw cyclist of all abilities.

Where:
Ride starts and ends at University Meadows Elementary

When:

Saturday, February 10, 2001

Registration:  9:00 – 10:00

Start:  10:00

What:

100k (62 miles) or 50K (31miles) fully supported training ride.

 

University Meadows Elementary  is located                                                                                                on Pavilion Blvd. directly behind the Winn-                                                                                                Dixie Supermarket.

 

RIDER WAIVER

Read and Sign

 

WAIVER OF REFUND:  I acknowledge that my registration fee will not be refunded if I choose not to participate in the event or if the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond control of the ride.

 

 

LIABILTIY WAIVER:  I fully appreciate and assume the risks of participating on a course with vehicular traffic as well as the risks of other injury, adverse weather conditions, and all other risks.  I am physically fit for the event I enter.  I authorize the ride staff to provide medical attention for me, at its discretion and without obligation, at my expense, should I appear to need it.  I hereby waive and release and agree to defend and hold harmless Habitat Cabarrus, other sponsors, ride stop owners, local governments, volunteers, ride staff and officials, and anyone else connected with this ride, from any claims of injuries, including death, arising out of or relating to participation in this event.

 

PUBLICITY WAIVER:  I agree that photographs of me may be used without my consent.

 

RULES AGREEMENT:  I agree to abide by the rules of the road and any other rules established by the ride officials.  I have read and understand all this.  I make this agreement and pay my entry fee in exchange for the privilege of participating under the organizer’s conditions.

 

_________________________________

Signature of Entrant or Parent/Guardian (if entrant is under 18)

 

_________________________________________________

Date

Check one:   100k (62 miles)         50k(31 miles)

Registration Fee: $10.00

Please make checks payable to:  Charlotte Sports Cycling

                                  2022 Dembrigh Lane  Charlotte, NC 28262

                                                (704) 503-0138