Moon Pie Melt

Mr. RC and Ms. Moon Pie

There were 100 more finishers this year at what may have been the hottest ever RC Cola Moon Pie 10-mile run on June 20, 2009.  Last year in this blog, I asked why 800 people gather at the very small town of Bell Buckle, TN, in the heat of summer for this event.  Is it the Moon Pies?  The chicken biscuits?  The craft fair (which starts two hours later)?  One person responded saying that it was the only long race around at this time of year, plus he liked the course and all of the refreshments afterward.

This year 904 finished, but there were a bunch more that started who did not finish.  There were reports of numerous runners stopping and turning around in the first two miles and throughout.  Our own Julie Buffington of Culleoka achieved the badge of being the 904th finisher.  Hey but she finished!

Full Results Ray, Ashley and Pamela ran this last year, but the heat definitely slowed them this year:  Last year’s Moon Pie report

Name	Age	DivPl	O’All	SexPl	Time	Pace
RAY GARRETT	54	16	390	274	1:35:56	9:36
LORI MIZER	37	29	607	200	1:46:07	10:37
ASHLEY MILLER	31	37	633	213	1:48:03	10:49
HOLLI INGRASSIA	43	32	640	218	1:48:38	10:52
CHARLOTTE CORNELIUS	42	36	734	268	1:54:35	11:28
LINDSEY JONES	26	91	882	357	2:20:48	14:05
PAMELA JONES	51	14	881	356	2:20:48	14:05
LAUREN WHITAKER	23	18	885	360	2:23:32	14:22
JULIE BUFFINGTON	38	60	904	375	2:41:34	16:10

Richie Slagle fastest at Defeated Creek, Who?

Richie Slagle

There were 86 racers at the June 14 Defeated Creek Classic MTB race in Carthage TN.  A new name appeared in the results with a Columbia TN home listing.  Richie Slagle is a college senior at MTSU majoring in Health and Lifetime Wellness and working toward teaching in this field.  Riding for Starbrite Carwash/MOAB, he tops our list as the fastest rider among the locals at this event.

Another new name is Jeff’s 9-year old son, Evan Yeager, who raced for the very first time.  He and Dylan rode a shorter course designed for the younger guys.  Full Results.  Photos below are by Joy Dement Photography.

Name	Division	Place	Finish	Lap 1	Lap 2	Lap 3
Richie Slagle	Cat 1 19-29	..2	2:27:16	45:14	49:21	52:41
Jeremy Hall	Cat 1 30-39	..4	2:36:08	47:53	54:40	53:35
Kenny Marshall	Cat 1-2 50+	..2	1:39:26	50:06	49:20
Bill Buckingham	Cat 1-2 50+	..3	1:42:53	50:03	52:50
Jeff Yeager	Cat 3 40-49	..1	50:22	50:22
Dylan Yeager	Cat 3 10-18	..3	20:12	20:12
Evan Yeager	Cat 3 0-9	..5	39:04	39:04

Dylan Yeager

Evan Yeager

Jeff Yeager

Kenny Marshall

Richie Slagle

Zane completes 3rd 100-mile mountain trail run

Water crossing

Zane with others

Zane Smith completed the Massuntten Mountain Trails 100-mile run on May 19, 2009 in Virginia.  His time was 32:22:45 and he placed 61st out of 101 finishers in a race with an aweful lot of climbing, rain and heat.  Zane’s dad did a write-up on the experience.  See:  Zane_Smith_100_mile_ultramarathon.  Full results are HERE.

Waugh, first Masters at Du Run Run, WHAT?

Mike Waugh

Mike Waugh followed up the Saturday Monster Triathlon with a Sunday duathlon on on June 21 (Fathers Day).  The race is the Music City Du Run Run and it consists of a 2-mile grass run, 10-mile road bike and another 2-mile grass run. The race is conducted by the Nashville Triathlon Club (formerly GNAC).  The Club’s motto is, “Go out hard, surge in the middle, pick it up at the end”  and Mike races by this motto.

Mike is 39 but racing as a 40-year-old as he will turn 40 in 2009.  When the results were posted, Mike became concerned because his name was not posted in his age group.  He inquired about it and they told him they fixed it.  Then at the awards ceremony they called his name as the overall Masters winner.  “What?” Mike said.  He went up to the announcer and said, “But I’m only 40.”  She said, “That puts you in the Masters category.  Congratulations!”  When he returned to his place next to Campbell Ridley, he said, “I guess I’m in with the old guys now.”

Go out hard t-shirt

Mike was surprised by this award because he was in moderate condition (and raced the previous day).  He was especially glad that he picked it up at the end to pass the person who would have otherwise been first Masters.  He received a bag full of cool prizes, including a gift certificate for Fleet Feet for $50 which he discovered later at home.

Mike is probably still contemplating this over-40 thing and trying to decide if this is the highest award he has received in his racing career.  It may have kick-started his new Master career.    FULL RESULTS

Name	AgePl	SexPl	Run 1	Bike	Run 2	Time
Mike Waugh	N/A	10	13:54	29:49	14:27	58:09
Campbell Ridley	4	87	20:44	37:04	23:33	1:21:20

Ultra Monster scares ladies

The Ultra Monster Triathlon in Pulaski, TN, is a big attraction to our Maury County triathletes.  It is nearby; it is inexpensive; we like the director (Scott Landis); we like the triathlon.  Last year Stephanie Robinette was second overall, and Tina, Miki and Laurie all placed first or second in their respective age groups.  This year was void of the local women we ususally write about here.  The whole race had 60 men and only 30 women.

The monster ('08 shirt)

The name may sound intimidating to the beginner female.  It certainly sounds like the course is waaay too long and hard.  Director Scott warns people of the “technical” bike course with a “monster” hill.  The name is actually based on sponsors who ironically did not come through for them–Michelob Ultra Light beer and Monster Energy Drinks.  The course does have several hills, but they are the typical hills like we ride on every week around here.

The race is short and beginner friendly.  The lengths of the events were 200 yard swim (which is very short), 16.6-mile bike (hilly), and the flat run was cut short of the advertised 3.1-miles due to construction.  It was a hot morning, so no one was complaining about the reduced run.

Patrick Carter with dad

This was Patrick Carter’s very first triathlon.  Carter is a former collegiate swimmer, so he had some trouble getting around folks in the pool swim.  But he said he had a great time and is looking for another triathlon to do.

NAME	AGE	DivPl	FINISH…	SWIM	BIKE	MPH	RUN
Robert Boehm	49	2	1:13:42	3:12	49:43	19.7	19:20
Jeff Yeager	43	2	1:14:14	3:43	48:17	20.3	20:32
Duane Leach	48	5	1:18:56	3:32	53:23	18.3	20:19
Mike Waugh	40	4	1:19:30	3:05	53:21	18.3	21:09
Patrick Carter	35	6	1:24:37	2:54	59:03	16.6	20:22
Larry Woody	55	3	1:37:45	5:25	59:40	16.4	27:56

Mousetail Challenge 09

Congratulations to Kenny, Jeff and Aaron for their top 3 finishes at Mousetail Challenge MTB race at Mousetail Landing State Park (TN) on June 7, 2009.

Name	Division	Place	Finish	Lap 1	Lap 2	Lap 3
Todd Clifton	Cat 1 40-49	…6	2:09:51	42:48	43:15	43:48
Frances Fessler	Cat 1 40-49	…7	2:16:40	44:15	44:53	47:32
Kenny Marshall	Cat 1-2 50+	…1	1:24:47	41:58	42:49
Bill Buckingham	Cat 1-2 50+	…3	1:29:08	42:59	46:09
Tommy Nettleton	Cat 2 40-49	…6	1:44:32	45:58	58:34
Jeff Yeager	Cat 3 40-49	…1	48:27	48:27
Aaron Bigger	Cat 3 30-39	…2	43:42	43:42

Ladies’ run clique celebrates after Music City

About 15-20 Columbia area ladies are part of a network that encourages running together.  Several are on an email grouping that keeps everyone informed.  There is a fairly consistent core group that runs early morning from the YMCA.  A significant percentage of them trained for the Music City Marathon and Half-Marathon that occurred in April.  On June 6, ten of the ladies and their families gathered for a picnic at Williams Springs Park as a post marathon and half marathon celebration.  The spouses did the cooking and playing with the kids while the ladies had a big time talking.

Several of the ladies seemed to be floundering with their running since the marathon.  They seemed to be without direction as to the next big running event.  Some discussed their injuries.  But hopefully the gathering pulled some inspiration together to keep the running spirit alive.

Yeager restoration at Mach Tenn Tri

Three of four Maury County residents received awards at the Mach Tenn Triathlon near Tullahoma, TN on June 6, 2009.  Tommy Nettleton received two awards for placing 1st in his age group and 4th Masters (or maybe for being 9th overall).  Bob Boehm was 2nd in the 40+ Clydesdales, and Jeff Yeager was 3rd in this category.

This race represents a restoration for 43-year-old Jeff Yeager.  Jeff was a collegiate runner in the 80’s who later added competitive bicycling to his hobbies.  In the 90’s Jeff switched to weight lifting and karate and went from 135 pounds to over 200.  Now he is returning to running and bicycling and adding swimming with the help of a Nashville YMCA swim team.  He had a physical setback last year that obscured his return, but this race appears to indicate a glimpse of the collegiate athlete that resides within.  Jeff’s bike time was better than Bob Boehm’s and he completely surpassed Duane on the swim and bike.

The event had 365 finishers for this 1000 meter swim/16-mile bike/4-mile run.  Full Results.

Name	Place/Ttl	O’All	Time . .	.Swim  .	Bike/	Run/
	Division				Avg spd	Pace
Tommy Nettleton	1/25	9	1:24:56	14:13	43:43	25:13
	Age 45-49				22.0 mph	6:18/mi
Robert Boehm	2/21	57	1:33:57	16:04	45:44	30:07
	Clydes 40+				21.0 mph	7:31/mi
Jeff Yeager	3/21	77	1:36:00	16:26	44:38	31:48
	Clydes 40+				21.5 mph	8:00/mi
Duane Leach	14/25	126	1:41:20	18:59	48:09	31:14
	Age 45-49				19.9 mph	7:48/mi

Jealous of the others, Duane displays frizbee

Duane Leach

Tommy Nettleton

Bob Boehm

Jeff Yeager

Post race recovering

Monkey Grinder Fun 2009

Middle TN Velo hosted a great race for 112 racers on May 16, 2009, at Montgomery Bell State Park. The $20 entry fee covered some nice extras such as a Gu, a monkey t-shirt, hot dogs and drinks.  Despite the price being $15 less than last year, there were 21 less participants.

Two turtles on trail

The 8-mile course is challenging and fun.  It includes what I would describe as three half-pipes, one being especially big and fun.  Kenny Marshall and Duane Leach pre-rode the course the day before and came across these turtles in the middle of the trail, one on top of the other.

Pua Sawicki

There was an MTB female star named Pua Sawicki who raced.  There were no other female pros to race against, so Pua started with the Cat 1 and Pro men.   Dustin Greer wore a helmet camera, so you can watch Pua, Gib Morehead and Allen Mittlesdorf through most of the first lap on Dustin’s three video posts here.  Pua pulls away from Dustin on the big-hard hill but then frays a cable and has to continue  in a hard gear.  In the third video Dustin is directly behind her videoing her as she does the half-pipe section.  By the way, none of these four cleared the Tommy’s Revenge climb without dismounting.

Full results HERE:  Angela Brown and Duane Leach took pictures HERE.  Congratulations to Kenny Marshall and Aaron Bigger for their first place accomplishment, and to Jeff and Dylan Yeager for their placements.

Name	Cat	Place	Finish	Lap 1	Lap 2	Lap 3
Todd Clifton	Cat 1 40-49	5	2:23:19	44:30	47:45	47:36
Francis Fessler	Cat 1 40-49	6	2:33:21	45:45	51:32	56:04
Kenny Marshall	Cat 1&2 50+	1	1:37:23	48:10	49:13
Duane Leach	Cat 2 40-49	4	1:45:07	51:40	53:27
Aaron Bigger	Cat 3 30-39	1	49:33	49:33
Jeff Yeager	Cat 3 40-49	3	53:33	53:33
Dylan Yeager	Cat 3 0-14	2	1:02:41	1:02:41
Jeremy Hall	Cat 1 30-39	DNF		46:31	51:50
Rick Harmon	Cat 1 40-49	DNF		50:46	56:02
Bill Buckingham	Cat 1&2 50+	DNF		54:24

Two turtles on trail

Pua Sawicki

Dylan Yeager

Duane Leach 2nd into woods

Kenny Marshall start

Jeremy Hall dropped out with muscle difficulties

Aaron Bigger 1st into woods

Jeff Yeager in yellow

Oakley, Abbott chase Flying Pig

Michelle Abbott and Heather Oakley ran side-by-side for 26.2-miles of the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati on May 3, 2009.  The two avoided the heat that Music City Marathoners dealt with, and enjoyed ideal conditions.  Their time was 4:43:38 which is an average pace of 10:57 per mile.  They held a steady 10:34 per mile through mile 20 then slowed for the final 6.2 miles.

This was a first marathon for both Heather and Michelle’s.  The pictures below are from the Mule Day Kick 5K.

Michelle Abbott (#600)

Heather Oakley (#134)