If you were unable to see the THIS IS ATLANTA interview, it is now available online:
Archive for April, 2015
INTERVIEW WITH AN ULTRA RUNNER ONLINE
Posted: April 23, 2015 by smrtnsasy in UncategorizedTags: #Atlantarunner, #Atlantaultra, #distancerunning, #PBS30, #THIS IS ATLANTA with Alicia Steele, #ultrarunner, 314 miles, 500k, Trevor Keller
2
Interview with an Ultra Runner
Posted: April 21, 2015 by smrtnsasy in UncategorizedTags: #PBS30, #running streak, #shoe roll call, #THIS IS ATLANTA with Alicia Steele, #ultra runner, Brooks, Nike, running shoes, Trevor Keller
Catch the interview with Richard Westbrook, a man and his streak:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155424744030082
The last premiere day is today, Tuesday, April 21 at 8pm and again the following morning at 3:30am on channel PBS30.
“Join host Alicia Steele for This is Atlanta, PBA’s Emmy and Telly-award winning magazine program. This is Atlanta visits one-of-a-kind locations in the metro area, dives into unusual hobbies, and brings you performances by some of the city’s most compelling artists. Each segment of the show is a mini-documentary that offers a fascinating look at the people who make Atlanta an exciting place to live.” – http://archive.pba.org/programming/programs/thisisatlanta/
REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER
Posted: April 20, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & ReflectionsAPRIL 20, 2015 (MONDAY)
Today’s run, 14+ miles, into Fayetteville was out of ordinary of late…because I didn’t have to run in the rain. A DRY RUN! About time!
Thought of Boston marathoners today. Wondered how Rusty Burns would be doing running the road into Boston. Hope he was patient in the beginning miles.
Also, thoughts of fellow Vol-State runner, John Price, running across the USA. He is in New Mexico and sent some good pictures. One was a long, straight road stretching as far as the eye could see. I know he is enjoying the adventure.
MAY 20, 2015 (WEDNESDAY): Peach State 300-Mile Race, Dahlonega, Georgia to Tybee Island, Georgia
PEACH STATE 300 MILE RACE
RACE REPORTS
Posted: April 16, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Race ReportsTags: #Cross Florida Route 40 Romp, #Inverness, #Last Annual Vol-State Road Race, #Scott Maxwell, #Terri Hayes, #Yogi Pugh, Hoka Cliftons
WHISPERING PINES 12-HOUR RUN
APRIL 11, 2015
INVERNESS, FL
OK…The roadster took to the trails. What was I thinking? Don’t get me wrong, I like running on trails. But, that is running on trails, not “racing” on trails. I’m just not too good on trails. I FALL DOWN ON TRAILS…A LOT!
Trail running is fun and will make the runner stronger. That’s just from the characteristics of the trail. I guess I will be a little stronger from running the Whispering Pines 12-Hour Run. Time will tell. I do know that I am a little more banged up from the race. That’s from falling down three times on this “not very technical” trail.
I drove to Inverness, Florida on Friday and rested and was prepared for the run on Saturday morning. Saturday was a good looking day for the 8:00 a.m. start. It was one of the most relaxed starts I have experienced. Terri Hayes, the race director, just said to go over and get ready for the start. I turned around, and the race had started. So, off I went.
Terri had given good instructions at the pre-race meeting. She pointed out all the spots on the course that could be confusing. If one listened to her instructions and followed same, there would be no confusion on the course. The problem was that some of the runners did not listen. The course was marked effectively and was well done.
Having said that, I took a wrong turn on my last 4.8 mile loop. But, it was my fault and not the fault of the race management. I actually finished the 12-hour time frame while on the last loop, but we would get credit for the loop if we had started it before the 12-hour time.
I finished my ninth loop and was wondering if I should go out on the tenth loop. I decided to go out and was asked by Scott Maxwell, fellow runner and race director of the Cross Florida Route 40 Romp, if I wanted to use his light. In my brilliance, I told him I would not need it because I should be finished before it got really dark. Then, off I went. Scott was probably watching me go and thinking, “What a dumb-ass.” And, he would be right.
I missed the turn because it was too dark to see the arrow pointing out the trail. I had only made that turn nine previous times. But, NOT this time. I found myself on a trail on which I was not supposed to be running. I made my way back and found my missed turn and completed my final loop.
Outside of the missed turn and the three falls, I had no other problems except for a slight discomfort in my right foot. I changed out of the Nike Kyotees after three loops and into the Hoka Cliftons. The problem disappeared instantly. Way to go, Hoka!
There was also a 6-hour run that started later than our run. That added more people on the trails but presented no problems. There were some runners who were confused with the turns. Maybe, they didn’t listen to the race director’s pre-race instructions.
There were several times when I met runners coming toward me on the trail…and I was going the right way. Some did not know where they were going, and some, like Yogi Pugh just ran anywhere she wished. But, she did keep running. I met her a few times running the opposite way and saw her crossing the trails running bassackwards. The thing is…Yogi knew where she was going. It just didn’t fit in with everyone else. I had met Yogi in last summer’s Last Annual Vol-State Road Race while we were together trekking toward I-40 in West Tennessee.
Unless, you were in the front, it was very hard to know your place during the race. Fortunately, I was not very concerned with my place in his event. I just wanted to run the trails for their benefits, see if I could run continuously, and run with efficient technique.
The trail benefits will show up later and, hopefully, will help me in the Peach State 300 in May. I did run fairly continuously relative to the trails and the aid stations. The darkness had me walking a bit to prevent me from tripping on unseen roots. My technique was relatively good except when destroyed by the three falls. But, I recovered from those in order to regain my efficiency.
I had a 12-hour distance of 46.12 miles but was credited with 48 miles for finishing the 10th loop since I had started it before the cut-off time. I placed 6th overall. When finished, I was tired, and I was hungry. Most importantly, I had survived the trails.
Not too bad for an old roadster.
(Richard Westbrook)
REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER
Posted: April 16, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & ReflectionsAPRIL 16, 2015 (THURSDAY)
A rainy day in Georgia, and I was in the house babysitting the 1-year old granddaughter, Rainbow. My daily run was put off until the afternoon. The rain had the girl and I in the house, and we played some kitchen soccer after I got some food down her.
The only problem was that in between the laughing and baby giggles, Rainbow would pickup the ball and run into another room. She would fall down carrying the ball from laughing so hard. She doesn’t quite understand the game yet. Or, she has her own game.
Her mom came home, and I went out and ran 11.08 miles. The timing was really great by putting me out there in the rain. The day was already cooler so that led me to a cold, wet run…not one of my favorite things to do.
But, as usual, the run turned out to be better than it should have been. It was originally planned to be a 10-mile run, but I felt so good I added an extra mile.
But, I was still cold and soaking wet.
REFLECTIONS FROM A ’47 ROADSTER
Posted: April 4, 2015 by coachwestbrook in Daily Runs & ReflectionsTags: Georgia, Hampton, Lovejoy, Sidney Lanier, Sunny Side, Trion
April 4, 2015 (Friday)
On a beautiful spring day in the U.S.A., I had a good 20.30 mile run from home to the northern outskirts of Griffin, GA which would be, I guess, just south of Sunny Side, GA. The day was bright with a skimmer of clouds. The temperature was comfortable without the summer’s humidity.
I ran through Lovejoy, Hampton, Sunny Side, and Pomona. An interesting note was the historical marker in Sunny Side with information on John McIntosh Kell. He lived and died at his home there and is buried in Griffin. It noted that his friend, Sidney Lanier, visited there and wrote his poem, Corn.
I thought about that in the last few miles of the run. I tried to imagine how the area was during that post Civil War era. My mind brought up Lanier’s poem, The Song Of The Chattahoochee. I chanted the line from the poem – “Out of the hills of Habersham, Down the valleys of Hall.” I’ve always thought that was pure Georgia in great poetry since I first heard and read it in school back in the ’50’s in Trion.
Well, that filled my head as I finished my run. It made the last few miles the best of the run as I ran them at a faster pace. All-in-all, it was a good day.
Some scenes from the roadster…
New park in Lovejoy, GA
A roadster in Hampton
Mural in downtown Hampton
Historical marker in Sunny Side
Farmland in Sunny Side
Westbrook Running 