Dear Santa-

Tired of hiding the extra weight under a heavy beard and loose, furry clothing?  If 2008 is your year to slim down, yet frequent running is not on the 'to do' list, Tom Hoffman - who has been very good this year, by the way - submitted this website that compares the calories burned between cycling and running.

http://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/running-vs-cycling-burning-calories.html

Maybe this time next year, we'll see you flying down the road pulling the presents behind a shiny red Cervelo, Quintana Roo or Orbea!

 

THEY'VE BEEN GOOD, TOO!

The finish line of the  Reindeer Run 5K in Cape Canaveral on Dec. 8 marked the halfway point of the 10-race Space Coast Runner's Runner of the Year series. With the 15K, Half Marathon and Marathon behind them now, athletes have built the base necessary to work on sharpening the speed needed for the last five races including two 5Ks, an 8K and two 10Ks. (Jackie Schmoll submitted the photo at left of the Up & Running racing team at the finish of this year's Reindeer Run 5K. Back row left to right: Ricky McDonald, Michelle Lyle, Ron Abel, ?, Blanche Morrison, Ed Springer. Front row left to right: Jackie Schmoll, Theresa Miller, Kim Badgett, Sue Strout, Kara Niedermeier. Complete Reindeer Run results at http://mahoney4.home.netcom.com/scr/races/07reindeer.txt )

In addition to standard series-end awards for overall, master's and age group, Space Coast Runners also provides trophies for the top three male and female based on age grading.

Here are the current Runner of the Year series leaders as we close out 2007 and roll into 2008.

MALE:
Overall:
Mike Wasson
Art Anderson
Ed Springer

MALE:

Age Graded:

Mike Wasson, 41

Art Anderson, 48

Tom Ward, 70
Top left to right: Mike Wasson, Art Anderson
Bottom left to right: Ed Springer, Tom Ward

FEMALE:
Overall:
Jessica Crate                 

Nancy Buonanni           

Robin Hernandez         

  

FEMALE:

Age Graded:

Anne Dockery, 59

Jessica Crate, 22

Nancy Buonanni, 46

Complete series standings and Runner of the Year race calendar available at: http://www.spacecoastrunners.org/roy.html
Top left to right: Jessica Crate, Nancy Buonanni
Bottom left to right: Robin Hernandez, Ann Dockery

Get your mind out of the gutter. 

This 'big O' is the huge lake that graces the middle of the bottom third of our state and local triathlete, Lori Kruger, sent us the following: (note - it took some strength to peddle the turkeys they were riding on Thanksgiving weekend. Lori's usual sleekly aerodynamic steed was no where to be seen in these photos.) Lori is the one with the knee brace(s) in the photos below.

"Last Month on Thanksgiving weekend my 77 year old Dad, Bob Kruger, my sister, Sandra Kruger, and  myself rode our mountain bikes around Lake Okeechobee on a three-day tour.  My sister wrote this story to document our adventure. I  thought others might get a kick out of it."

On Thanksgiving weekend 2007 three of us biked and camped the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail.  Since I had a hard time planning the trip, I am documenting our experience so that it may help or inspire others.

BIKING AROUND THE BIG O

We set out to have a scenic tour of the Lake’s perimeter and were not trying to make good time, so we decided to break up the trail’s 110 (more or less) miles into 3 days, and camped along the way for 2 nights.  It could be done in one (LONG) day by a serious rider, or in two days without much problem.

Information is sketchy, but the Army Corps of Engineers has a printable brochure on their website that was the basis for our planning.  It shows the trail, mileages, and campsites provided by them along the way, but I would warn against counting on it for drinking water availability, as some things seem to have changed since their map was made.  And while it may seem pretty obvious that the trail is atop the Herbert Hoover Dike, there are a couple of spots where you have to keep your eyes open in order to stay on track.

We decided to ride from Okeechobee counter-clockwise, hoping to avoid headwinds that we’d heard could be fierce, and we lucked out in that respect.  We’d been advised not to leave our vehicles at the access point parking lots as there was no security and vandalism was possible, so we paid a small fee at one of the RV parks east along the lakeside just southeast of Okeechobee to leave them within their gates.  From there the ride started out happily on the paved trail for about 10 miles.  Then, where the Kissimmee River comes in, the trail turns to double-track gravel, which in places is a little rough, and the lake itself is not visible so it looks like grassy prairie on both sides.   It’s like that for about 35 miles, so those with road bikes would need to ride along highway 78, but aside from slow going, it was no problem for our hybrid/mountain bikes.  It’s along this stretch near Lakeport where the trail looks as though it crosses the highway and it’s a bit confusing, but this is where it’s necessary to ride on the highway for 3 miles before rejoining the trail.  We stopped that first night in Moore Haven after riding 45 miles and camped at the Marina RV resort, which is right along the trail and a nice spot.  The Corps of Engineers does provide primitive camping spots, with shelter, table, and fire ring, but no water or toilets (We did it the easy way and had a friend meet us at the resort with our camping gear). 

The next morning we had to bike into Moore Haven and go across the big US 27 bridge to rejoin the trail continuing southeast.  There are quite a few places like this where it’s necessary to leave the dike and ride across the nearest bridge and then back, since new Homeland Security measures prohibit direct crossing of many locks.  We thought these little detours made the trip more interesting, providing glimpses of the adjacent towns.

All 43 miles of our day’s ride was paved, and the scenery was LOTS of sugar cane and little else, although it’s a nice trip for birdwatchers, and alligators are abundant in all the canals. Again, our friend met us with our gear that night at the Everglades Adventure RV Park in Pahokee, which with its marina and fishing pier, is a busy place.

The final day started out on unpaved road but it was smooth and hard-packed for its 12 or so miles…actually this part is currently marked with signs from the Corps of Engineers saying that it’s closed for reconstruction, but we were able to ride it.  After Port Mayaca, again crossing the big highway bridge, the trail is paved for the rest of the trip back, so that day’s ride was an easy 32 miles with the wind from the southeast giving us a push.

It was a great trip and a good way to see the Lake up close, even though the water level is still quite low.  I wouldn’t recommend doing it during the summer, as there is NO shade except for the rest stops provided every 10 miles or so and the occasional palmetto tree off to the side.  We didn’t have a single flat tire among the three of us but of course be prepared because facilities are few & far between.  And even though roads are visible from most of the trail, unless you’re near an access point they’re on the other side of the gator-filled canal!

Last Sunday, Palm Bay's Tracy Smith, left, woke up before 3 a.m. and spent the entire day supporting the runners and walkers who participated in the Space Coast Marathon and Half. Today she was paid back for her efforts as she crossed the finish line of the OUC Half Marathon in Orlando in 1:31:27, taking first in the 30-34 age group and fifth out of 933 women! Other locals who joined the fray of 2,049 total participants included Scott Anderson, 2:55:52; Bruce Barnett, 2:02:08; Cyndi Bergs, 2:10:34; Tammy Bever, 2:02:08; Michael Brookhart, 2:18:46; Grover Brower, 2:12:07; Ashlyn Butts, 2:17:45; Cedric Ching, 1:49:06; Brittani Cole, 1:53:02; Cameron Cole, 2:10:21; Meisje Connor, 2:03:44; Linda Cowart, 1:48:11; Robert Devries, 2:09:43; Angela Feldbush, 2:07:31; Katie Ferrington, 2:01:31; Nic Ferrington, 2:01:31; Michelle Flores, 2:41:13; Frank Fortino, 2:25:52; Daryl Gilbert, 2:23:19; Larry Henderson, 2:09:42; Dave Herst, 1:40:57; Michael Lacourse, 1:57:23; Stephen Maldony, 2:01:29; Joan Meadows, 2:15:11; Mike Melton, 2:04:39; Mark Nappi, 1:57:55; Donna Neill, 2:39:10; Kristen Neilson, 1:53:46; Susie O'Connell, 2:35:54; Beatriz Rivera, 2:18:14; Jorge Rivera, 2:18:07; Nancy Rowan, 2:06:22; Anthony Smith, 2:16:35; Tracy Smith, 1st AG, 5th OA Female, 1:31:27; Michael Tuttle, 2:12:24; Marty Winkel, 2:49:46; Thomas Winkelspecht, 1:44:34; Gina-Marie Zingarelli, 2:18:55.