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SR club's runners test their mettle in Boston today
Athletes have overcome grief, cancer, busy schedules to compete in renowned 26-mile race
By ERIC BRANCH
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
April 21, 2008
They are not people who run, they are runners.
They follow training programs. They discuss "fartlek" (hyper aerobic) workouts without giggling.
They are intimately familiar with plantar fasciitis, overpronation and Iliotibial Band Syndrome.
Some of their e-mail addresses -- "rn4zhills" and "runsannadel," among them -- betray their
passion.
Among the 23 members of Santa Rosa's Empire Runners Club who will run in today's 112th Boston
Marathon are track coaches, ex-college stars and a former American record holder. They have
combined to race in 160 marathons, translating to 4,192 competitive miles.
Many have some serious wear on their Reeboks. Of the 23 runners, 10 are over 50. Nineteen are
over 40. Average age: 44.
Given their commitment, experience and ability it would seem that, even in the throes of middle
age and beyond, this matter of qualifying for the Boston Marathon -- the world's oldest and most
prestigious road race -- would be a snap.
But this group has reached the starting line with members who have overcome cancer, grief,
impossibly busy schedules and, of course, the hallmarks of advancing age: creaky knees, balky
backs and temperamental hamstrings.
Brendan Hutchinson, 64, the elder statesman of the group, placed his throbbing right Achilles
on an ice pack during a phone interview last week. Hutchinson qualified for Boston by finishing
last year's Napa Marathon in 3 hours, 37 minutes -- 23 minutes below the qualifying standard for
a 60- to 64-year-old man. In the aftermath, with senior citizenship on the horizon, he
questioned whether he ever wanted to run 26.2 miles again.
"After three or four months I started to forget about the pain," Hutchinson said. "At that point,
everyone else was still planning to go, so I figured why not. I knew I wasn't going to be any
younger next year."
Larry Meredith, 50, the inspiration that got 22 others to Boston, is a neat illustration of how
the body can keep even the most passionate runner from Beantown.
At 21, Meredith, the former track and cross country coach at Montgomery High, qualified for
Boston by running the 1979 St. Louis Marathon in 2:58.42, 78 seconds below his qualifying time.
But Meredith didn't go that year. His training partner had failed to qualify, so he decided to
wait until 1980 when they could run together. The next year, however, his age-group qualifying
standard was lowered by 10 minutes and Meredith missed the mark.
In the ensuing decades, Meredith developed a close relationship with a cranky right hip -- he
jokes that he's known pain in the joint longer than he's known his wife -- and thoughts of
running a marathon, let alone Boston, died.
Until two years ago. It was then, after a group workout with friends also approaching their 50th
birthday, that Meredith proposed they run the 2008 Boston Marathon to celebrate. Six months
later, six club members -- five who are now 50 or 51 -- qualified at the 2006 Portland, Ore.
Marathon, which was held just inside the 18-month window to qualify for Boston in 2008.
Their accomplishment was detailed in the club newsletter. And as the news spread, so did
interest.
Now 18 members of the group are staying at a 10-bedroom converted bed and breakfast in Rockport,
just outside Boston. Of the 23, only four have run Boston before.
"I always wanted to run Boston eventually, but I thought I would do it later, like in another
10 years," said Melanie Lovrin, 30. "But once I saw all my friends going, I figured why not
now?"
Brian Purcell, 51, the group's most accomplished runner, had never checked Boston off his
things-to-do list.
Purcell, one of America's top ultramarathoners for two decades, once held the record at the
Western States 100-mile endurance run. In the late '80s, he completed a 629-mile race in
Australia and set an American two-day record by running 240 miles around a track in Dallas.
But when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year, Purcell's legendary stamina was tested
like never before. He underwent six months of radiation and hormone treatment that zapped his
testosterone, turned his muscles to putty and added 12 pounds to his 6-foot, 145-pound frame.
He never missed a workout. When he kept pulling muscles while running, he compromised. He
focused on biking and weightlifting instead.
He spoke at a rotary club meeting and the Kiwanis Club and raised $12,000 for cancer research.
At a Relay for Life event in Sebastopol in June, he ran 62 miles. He had just completed his
radiation and hormone treatment.
"My doctor was pretty surprised," said Purcell, who qualified for Boston in October. "He said
I should have gone to a bar and taken bets."
If Purcell's story is triumphant, Shelli Main's is marked by grief.
Two weeks before Main qualified for Boston at the 2007 Napa Marathon, her father, Ronald Thomas,
a former fire captain, died of lung cancer at age 67.
Main's father, who founded the California Department of Forestry air attack base in Sonoma
County, had lived with her in the six months before his death. Her training came to a halt as
his health deteriorated in the final month of his life.
Main, 47, who calls herself one of the group's slowest runners, wasn't guaranteed to qualify
for Boston under the best of circumstances.
But fueled by music that reminded her of her father, including "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts and
"Dance With My Father Again," by Luther Vandross, Main finished in 3:58, two minutes under her
age-group qualifying time.
"When he was living with me I'd hear him on the phone bragging to his friends, 'Oh, my
daughter's nuts,' he'd say, 'She ran 16 miles today,' " Main said. "I kept hearing his voice as
I was running and I was thinking 'Oh, Dad, you'd be so proud of me.' "
For English Olney, 39, who ran at Davidson College, her ability to qualify for Boston wasn't a
question. But how could she ever find the time to train?
Olney, a single mother of children ages 4, 5 and 7, works in marketing. A training schedule?
Please. Olney runs whenever she can.
She even worked out an arrangement with other mothers. She'd watch their children while they
went grocery shopping. In return, they'd watch her kids while she ran.
It worked. Olney qualified in 3:22, with 23 minutes to spare, at the 2006 Nike Women's Marathon
in San Francisco.
"It's kind of the opposite of instant gratification," Olney said. "You get out there and run
when it's cold and dark, and one day you reach the impossible. I feel proud to set that example
for my kids."
Olney isn't the only one setting an example for a younger generation.
Nuvit Foster, 47, a veteran of more than 50 marathons, qualified at the Berlin Marathon. She
arrived the day before the race, but her luggage didn't. No matter. The 5-foot Foster ran 26.2
miles in tennis shoes, running the final six miles with bloodied and blistered feet.
Then there is Mike Behler, 43, who hasn't exactly backed off his training in preparation for
Boston. On April 13, eight days before the Boston Marathon, Behler finished Ironman Arizona,
swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 and running 26.2.
Such stories have resonated with Megan Johnson, 22, the group's youngest member who began
running four years ago to stay in shape after high school.
After joining Empire Runners, a club of more than 400, Johnson got hooked. And quite fast. Two
years after jogging her first miles, she qualified for Boston in 3:25, 15 minutes below her
age-group qualifying time. In February, she finished third in her age group at the San Francisco
Half Marathon.
She'll be joined today by 22 others -- 16 who are at least twice her age -- who, by their
example, have given her this wisdom: Keep running.
"They are such an inspiration," Johnson said. "I go up these hills and I see them going up and I
think 'I hope to God that's me when I'm older.' They look so happy and so healthy."
You can reach staff writer Eric Branch at 521-5268 or eric.branch@pressdemocrat.com.
KEEPING TABS
ON RUNNERS
The race begins at 6:30 a.m. PDT and will be broadcast on the VERSUS channel.
To track the progress of individual runners during the race and their finish times, go to
bostonmarathon.org.
For biographies of local runners, go to pressdemocrat.com
Capsules for Web
Boston Marathon
Time: 6:30 a.m.
TV: VERSUS
Track progress and finish times at www.bostonmarthon.org.
The 23 members of the Empire Runners Club who will run in the Boston
Marathon:
Mike Behler, 43, Santa Rosa
Paul Berg, 52, Sebastopol
Steve Cleal, 50, Cotati
Deb DeCarli, 56, Penngrove
Eric Downing, 37, Santa Rosa
Bob Finlay, 51, Santa Rosa
Nuvit Foster, 47, Santa Rosa
Brendan Hutchinson, 64, Santa Rosa
Megan Johnson, 22, Santa Rosa
Melanie Lovrin, 30, Santa Rosa
Michelle Lydon, 47, Santa Rosa
Shelli Main, 47, Santa Rosa
Larry Meredith, 50, Santa Rosa
Tori Meredith, 50, Santa Rosa
Tanya Narath, 44, Santa Rosa
English Olney, 39, Healdsburg
Dale Peterson, 50, Santa Rosa
Brian Purcell, 51, Sebastopol
Bob Rogers, 51, Santa Rosa
Val Sell, 43, Santa Rosa
Don Stewart, 47, Sebastopol
Mady Stewart, 42, Santa Rosa
Ty Strange, 47, Santa Rosa
Other Sonoma County residents who have qualified and registered for the Boston Marathon:
Karl Bohn, 48, Windsor
Jennifer Brazinsky, 40, Petaluma
Tracy Byrnes, 38, Santa Rosa
Janet Cain, 57, Sonoma
John Delaney, 47, Petaluma
Olga Fernandez, 41, Windsor
Bob Frazer, 64, Santa Rosa
Ashley Hansen, 24, Sonoma
Lisa Hilbert, 46, Petaluma
Julie Kelley, 41, Lakeport
Patti Kozlovsky, 46, Sonoma
Jennifer Ortlinghaus, 38, Santa Rosa
Pauline Rogers, 53, Healdsburg
Phillip Schaefer, 39, Petaluma
Robert Smith, 57, Sonoma
Brian Vogel, 40, Santa Rosa
Richard Willets, 73, Forestville
Christopher Wolff, 36, Petaluma
How to Qualify for Boston
Athletes must the meet the following time standards at a certified qualifying marathon during
an 18-month period prior to the race:
Age group Men Women
18-34 3 hrs, 10 min 3 hrs, 40 min
35-39 3 hrs, 15 min 3 hrs, 45 min
40-44 3 hrs, 20 min 3 hrs, 50 min
45-49 3 hrs, 30 min 4 hrs, 00 min
50-54 3 hrs, 35 min 4 hrs, 05 min
55-59 3 hrs, 45 min 4 hrs, 15 min
60-64 4 hrs, 00 min 4 hrs, 30 min
65-69 4 hrs, 15 min 4 hrs, 45 min
70-74 4 hrs, 30 min 5 hrs, 00 min
75-79 4 hrs, 45 min 5 hrs, 15 min
80+ 5 hrs, 00 min 5 hrs, 30 min
CAPSULES FOR WEB
Mike Behler
Age: 43
Occupation: Owner of Behler Construction
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 5
Qualifying time: 3:11
Best time: 3:11 (California International, Sacramento, 2007)
Notable: Has plans to compete in four ironman triathlons, two half marathons, one ultramarathon
and the Boston and New York marathons this year.
Paul Berg
Age: 52
Occupation: Photographer
Residence: Sebastopol
Marathons: 1
Qualifying time: 3:32 (Avenue of the Giants, 2007)
Steve Cleal
Age: 50
Occupation: Construction
Residence: Cotati
Marathons: 1
Qualifying time: 3:31 (Portland, 2006)
Deb DeCarli
Age: 56
Residence: Penngrove
Marathons: 4
Qualifying time: 3:52
Best time: 3:52 (Cal International, Sacramento, 2006)
Eric Downing
Age: 37
Occupation: Employed at Pace Supply
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 1
Qualifying time: 3:12 (Portland, 2007)
Bob Finlay
Age: 51
Occupation: Building contractor
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 1
Qualifying time: 3:27 (Silicon Valley, San Jose, 2007)
Nuvit Foster
Age: 47
Occupation: Agilent technician
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 50+
Qualifying time: 3:45
Best time: 3:20 (Napa, 2003)
Brendan Hutchinson
Age: 64
Occupation: Health gardener
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 4
Qualifying time: 3:37
Best time: 2:44 (Napa Valley, 1984)
Notable: Was a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, lacrosse) at Union College in
Schenectady, N.Y.
Megan Johnson
Age: 22
Occupation: SRJC student and waitress
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 1
Qualifying time: 3:25 (Portland, 2006)
Melanie Lovrin
Age: 30
Occupation: Employed at Fleet Feet Sports
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 2
Qualifying time: 2:59
Best time: 2:59 (California International, Sacramento, 2007)
Michelle Lydon
Age: 47
Occupation: Paralegal
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 3
Qualifying time: 3:35
Best time: 3:35 (Napa Valley, 2007)
Shelli Main
Age: 47
Occupation: Running coach
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 4
Qualifying time: 3:58
Best time: 3:35 (Napa Valley, 2007)
Larry Meredith
Age: 50
Occupation: Research engineer
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 5
Qualifying time: 3:12
Best time: 2:52 (Fort Wayne, Ind., 1979)
Notable: Was the Montgomery High cross country and track coach from 1982-2001.
Tori Meredith
Age: 50
Occupation: Elementary/P.E teacher
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 2
Qualifying time: 3:55
Best time: 3:55 (Portland, 2006)
Tanya Narath
Age: 44
Occupation: Executive Director, Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 13
Qualifying time: 3:47
Best time: 3:46 (Victoria, B.C., 1998)
English Olney
Age: 39
Occupation: Marketing
Residence: Healdsburg
Marathons: 4
Qualifying time: 3:22
Best time: 3:22 (San Francisco, 2006)
Dale Peterson
Age: 50
Occupation: Computer analyst
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 9
Qualifying time: 3:33
Best time: 3:33 (Portland, 2006)
Brian Purcell
Age: 51
Occupation: Financial adviser
Residence: Sebastopol
Marathons: 20+
Qualifying time: 3:13
Best time: 2:37 (Cal International, Sacramento, 1997)
Notable: Former record holder at the Western States 100 Ultramarathon. In 1989, set a
since-broken American two-day record by running 240 miles around a track in Dallas.
Bob Rogers
Age: 51
Occupation: Technical support
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 2
Qualifying time: 3:12
Best time: 2:59 (Cal International, Sacramento, 1997)
Val Sell
Age: 43
Occupation: Montgomery High track coach; designer/project manager
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 5
Qualifying time: 3:42
Best time: 3:15 (Boston, 1996)
Don Stewart
Age: 47
Occupation: Cabinet maker
Residence: Sebastopol
Marathons: 4
Qualifying time: 3:05
Best time: 2:45 (San Francisco, 1985)
Mady Stewart
Age: 42
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 14
Qualifying time: 3:31
Best time: 3:15 (New York, 2002)
Notable: Won last year’s Vineman Triathlon in 11:23.51, more than 23 minutes faster than her
nearest competitor.
Ty Strange
Age: 47
Occupation: Systems analyst
Residence: Santa Rosa
Marathons: 6
Qualifying time: 2:49
Best time: 2:36 (Disneyland, Anaheim, 1995)
Notable: Won the masters division (40+) at the 2001 San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 2:38.25.
Was a conference champion at the University of Portland.
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