Vol. 9, No. 1 Annual letter_Layout 1 - Prairie Striders Running Club

The Pacesetter
A quarterly publication of the Prairie Striders
Vol. 9, No. 1 Brookings, S.D. April 2012
Numbers point to full marathon
By Dave Graves
Newsletter Editor
Chaucer wrote, “Time and tide wait for no man.”
Neither does the opportunity to enter the May 12 Brookings
Marathon and Half Marathon. The event continues to grow in
popularity with the 43rd edition promising even stronger
numbers. In fact, race director Matt Bien predicted that the
relay and half marathon may fill by the first week of April.
The races cap at 300 in the marathon, 400 in the half
marathon, and 50 relay teams. There is no cap in the 5K.
As of March 23, there were 169 registered in the Brookings
Marathon with 325 in the half marathon, 41 relay teams (165
runners) and 24 in the Scotty Roberts 5K, which is May 11.
So the half is already close to filling and way above the 265
finishers in 2011. The marathon entries are close to 188 fin-­‐
ishers in 2011. For all races but the 5K, the entry deadline is
May 5.
At this point, there will be new champions in each race divi-­‐
sion as the defenders are not entered.
However, Kevin Neal, the Scotty Roberts open and master’s
winner, is stepping up to the half marathon.
Finish-line foods
Those entering the races will not find a lot of changes from
past years, which is a good thing. The weekend has repeated-­‐
ly drawn favorable reviews on websites like
MarathonGuide.com and YourRun.com.
Half marathon winner
Thomas Madut (618)
and Michael Dunlap
(52), seventh-place finisher
in the marathon,
lead a charge of 498
runners who started the
2011 Brookings
Marathon. Even more
runners are expected
this year because the
cap in the half has been
raised from 300 to 400.
Registration is ahead of
last year’s pace.
The biggest change that runners will notice will come after
they’re done running.
The post-­‐race runners’ menu expands to include chocolate
milk (carbs and protein) and pickles (salt). Fruit, bagels,
and Hy-­‐Vee cookies round out the fare. Runners and non-­‐run-­‐
ners will again be able to order a free Nick’s Burger as the
downtown Brookings institution will have its trailer set up in
Pioneer Park, where the race starts and finishes.
Memorable medals
Finishers in the marathon and half marathon will receive an
updated and much heavier medal than in past years, and it will
feature a customized ribbon. “We think it’s a great piece, and
runners should be proud to wear it in celebration of their fin-­‐
ish,” Bien said.
Prizes also will be awarded to the top three in each age
group, but winners must be on hand at the 9:30 a.m. (half
marathon) and 11:30 a.m. (marathon) awards assemblies.
The Brookings Marathon committee has been meeting every
two weeks since late January, so most race details have been
accounted for, Bien said.
There remains a need for volunteers (it takes about 300 to
stage the race). Those who want to participate in a communi-­‐
ty event without running should email Bien at run@brook-­‐
ingsmarathon.com.
More information on the race also is available at brookings-­‐
marathon.com.

Like daughter, like father
Bill Berzonsky following in Emily’s footsteps
By Dave Graves
Newsletter Editor
Much has been written about the
influence fathers can have on their chil-­‐
dren’s choices.
In the case of Bill Berzonsky and his
young teenager, the shoe is on the
other foot, and it’s a running shoe.
Emily Berzonsky, a 15-­‐year-­‐old fresh-­‐
man, is developing into the hottest
Brookings High School cross country
prospect since Amy Jo (Reuter) Thorne,
now a senior on the North Dakota State
University team, and Ashley Odegaard,
a sophomore sprinter at South Dakota
State University.
Berzonsky’s cross country success
has pulled her dad off the couch.
Bill Berzonsky, 52, ran his first 5K in
July 2011 at the Beef ‘n’ Eggs, finishing
in 26:21. Five months later he entered
the Hobo Day 5K and cut 3:19 off his
time. Maybe he’s discovering some of
those genes that are allowing Emily to
master her competition.
He’s certainly gained Emily’s love for
running.
‘Caught the bug’
“I caught the bug when I ran the Beef
‘n’ Eggs. The feeling of running with a
group for the first time was exciting. It
was a special feeling to know you’re
part of an event. When you’re running
on your own, police don’t stop traffic
for you,” Berzonsky said.
As a high school wrestler, he did con-­‐
ditioning work, but never tackled dis-­‐
tance running.
Emily can’t point to heritage as a rea-­‐
son for the success she had in elemen-­‐
tary school track meets. But Bill and
Suzanne Berzonsky certainly took
notice when their oldest daughter ran
well enough as a seventh-­‐grader to be
moved to the varsity.
Fitness became a habit
In summer 2010, Berzonsky casually
mentioned to Emily that he would like
to get in a little better shape. She didn’t
waste the opening, inviting her father
to join her on runs.
“I would go out
and run with her
when she didn’t have
someone to run with
on the team. I’m not
really in her league.
So when she wants
an easy run, I can
usually do a 5K with-­‐
out too much trou-­‐
ble. She’s always
been good about rec-­‐
ognizing my limita-­‐
tions.
“She can tell when
I’m breathing hard
after a mile and she’s
barely breathing,”
the SDSU plant scien-­‐
tist said.
The occasional
runs in 2010 became
more frequent in
2011. Now he puts in
a 5K on his own near
his south Brookings
home three times a
week during the
spring and summer
while preferring to
use the family ellipti-­‐
cal machine during
the winter.
Brookings is fortunate to have a num-­‐
ber of running routes, said Berzonsky,
who moved here from Fargo, N.D., four
years ago.
A conduit to connect
He said his life has changed in a num-­‐
ber of ways since taking up running.
The sport has him feeling better men-­‐
tally and physically, having taken 25
pounds off his five-­‐foot, nine-­‐inch
frame. Berzonsky also appreciates the
bonding time he has with Emily when
they run together.
“There’s a shared goal. We’re pushing
each other. We talk about a number of
things. Even when we’re not running
together, we’ll check if we’ve gone on a
run.
Bill Berzonsky poses with Emily before his first race — the
Beef 'n' Eggs 5K in July 2011. He credits his daughter's
running success for motivating him to take up running.
Also, Berzonsky has found himself
reading Emily’s running magazines and
they discuss articles.
The family also has had a focus on
healthy eating, which Emily has sup-­‐
ported. Unlike most teenagers, “Emily
will think twice about going out to
McDonald’s,” Berzonsky said. When she
is relaxing, she likes to get her fifth-­‐
grade sister, Kate, to join her in Wii
dancing.
While Emily has an exciting running
future, Berzonsky is pretty excited
about continuing to run as well.
“I want to keep the weight off I’ve
lost. And the next step for me is to see
if I can improve on time and do a few
more races.”
2

Runners are lined up by the thousands at the start of the
Surf City Half Marathon in Huntington Beach, Calif., Feb. 4.
Somewhere in that crowd are Turtles Rock members Colene
A running vacation
Turtles use running as motive for destination race
By Dave Graves
Newsletter Editor
Running because it’s good for you has
all the appeal of oatmeal.
While it truly is good for you, that
motivation doesn’t provide much of a
lever to pry yourself out of a snuggly bed
on a cold morning. How about a vacation
on the beach? That’s something with
motivation power. It has certainly
worked for a few members of the
Turtles Rock running group.
In February, Colene Reiser, Jan
Froehlich and David Gleim traveled to
Huntington Beach, Calif., to compete in
the Surf City Half Marathon.
All but about three miles of the 13.1-­‐
mile course are run on the Pacific Coast
Highway and along the ocean. “You
could see people surfing,” said
Froehlich, who made the trip with her
husband. They made a vacation out of it,
staying six days.
That wasn’t why she got into running
eight years ago, but it does offer a
healthy reason to travel.
“That’s exactly what I do on my runs,
use them as vacation excuses,” said
Froehlich, who also ran the San Antonio
Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 2010. In
February 2013, she plans to run at
Sedona, Ariz., with Reiser and fellow
3
Turtle Peggy Whalen. Froehlich also
plans to run Savannah, Ga., next year.
She also is intrigued about going far-­‐
ther south, like the South Pole.
“On the plane on the way out there, a
man was sitting beside me. He had done
Antarctica twice. That’s on my list. I
don’t know if I can talk anyone into
doing it,” said Froehlich, who didn’t
complete her first 5K until seven years
ago at age 50.
Seeing from a different perspective
She joined Turtles Rock when the
group was founded in May 2009 by Kelly
Bakken, a 12-­‐plus-­‐minute miler.
Froehlich ran the Surf City Half
Marathon at an 11:32 pace, which cer-­‐
tainly didn’t win her age group, but it
did place her in front of 5,210 other
competitors and 131 st out of 421 finish-­‐
ers in the female 55-­‐59 age group. She
said that added to the experience.
There were a couple out-­‐and-­‐back
loops into residential areas within the
course.
“So you came back and you could see
everyone behind you. I was at the mid-­‐
dle of the pack, which was unusual. Even
though I’m not fast, there were still a lot
of people behind me. I’ve done the Jack
15 and you bring up the rear. So it was
fun to see people coming behind me,”
Froehlich said.
Reiser, David Gleim and Jan Froehlich. Much of the run was
on the Pacific Coast Highway, and the host hotel, where this
photo was taken from, was right on the beach.
Surf, Shamu and scores of people
After the race, the Froehlichs went to
the beach with Reiser’s family, who trav-­‐
eled with her husband, a daughter, and a
granddaughter.
Reiser was the one that got the local
runners thinking about Surf City. She
saw an ad in a running magazine,
checked out the race, signed up, and
started talking about it, “so we signed
up,” Froehlich. Whalen was planning to
join them but had to cancel.
Reiser ran the half marathon at
Duluth, Minn., with Whalen and Gleim in
2011 and it motivated her to look at
other destination runs.
In California, the Reisers visited
Disneyland, the San Diego Zoo and Sea
World as well as taking surfing lessons.
“I got up to my knees. It was just a lot fun
just to try.” Reiser said the only draw-­‐
back to Surf City was elbow-­‐to-­‐elbow
people from start to finish.
With more than 14,000 runners cross-­‐
ing the finish line, the Turtle crew start-­‐
ed 45 minutes after the gun sounded.
That’s certainly not the way the Jack
15 operates, but as Froehlich noted,
“after the last two winters, we thought
February would be a good time to get
out of South Dakota.”

Treasurerʼs
Report 2011
As you may know, Bob Bartling has —
after 41 years — stepped down as the
Prairie Striders treasurer. Thanks for
the many years of service, Bob, both as a
Prairie Strider, and as a (frequently)
Nike-­‐shod runner!
Bob’s still working for us, as librarian
and recruiter. I can account for at least
25 new members signed up in the past
year. And he’s still active managing the
Prairie Striders Racing team.
New this year, we are printing mem-­‐
bership cards/race calendars.
If you’re a life member or have already
paid your 2012 dues, you should receive
this in the current mailing; other cards
will be mailed as necessary.
Use the back to keep track of the races
you complete this year, and we’ll refund
part of your entry fees at the next
Frostbite Frolic Potluck in February
2013.
Again this year, member contributions
have been significant. We thank these
members for their generosity.
We will, as an ongoing project over the
next year, be updating the indexing of
the contents of the library and updating
From left, former Prairie Striders racer Vicki (Coyle) Nelson, current team member
Andriette Wickstrom and the newest Prairie Striders racer, Emily Berzonsky,
pose with race team organizer Bob Bartling at the Nike Cross Country Heartland
Regionals in Sioux Falls in November 2011. Berzonsky finished tenth in the girls
open with a 20:06 in the 5K. Wickstrom ran in the community division.
inventory with new appraisals for some
of our Prairie Strider memorabilia and
assets.
For example, the Prairie Striders own
two Junghans three-­‐dial analog stop
watches, purchased for $79 each, but
listing on some online sites for $195
each.
Prairie Striders
We’ve also been digitizing slides and
photos from past events; some from the
Jack 15 that pre-­‐date the founding of the
Prairie Striders.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Claussen, Treasurer
Mar 15 2012
2012 road race schedule
April
• Arbor Day 5K 6:30 a.m. Friday, April 27, McCrory Education & Visitors Center, (Steve Britzman, 697-6584)
• “Iʼm Ready for Summer” Triathlon 10 a.m. Saturday, April 28, Wellness Center, SDSU (Shari Landmark, 688-5386)
May
• Scotty Roberts 5K 6 p.m. Friday, May 11, S.D. Children’s Museum, (Justin Bonnema, run@brookingsmarathon.com)
• Brookings Marathon/Half Marathon 7 a.m. May 12, Pioneer Park Matt Bien, (run@brookingsmarathon.com)
June
• Longest Day 10K 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 22, Fishback Soccer Complex, (Rod DeHaven, 688-5994)
July
• Beef n Eggs 5K 8 a.m. Saturday, July 14, County Courthouse lawn (Kevin Bjerke, kjbjerke@hotmail.com)
August
• Predictor Mile 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, Brookings High School track (Matt Bien, run@prairiestriders.net)
September
• Jack 15 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 29 (Paul Ekern, t.c.s@mchsi.com; Dave Graves, vicki_k_graves@yahoo.com)
October
• Bob Bartling Hobo Day 5K 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 (Kurt Osborne/Steve Britzman, 697-6584)
November
• Turkey Day 5K 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 (Amy Dunkle, 692-5057, padunk6@gmail.com)
February
• Frostbite Frolic and Potluck 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 2 (Shari Landmark, 688-5386, run@prairirestriders.net)
4

LONG TIME LOYAL PRAIRIE STRIDER MEMBERS
DEFINITION: Have remembered to pay their annual dues 80% of the time in the last 10 years
Brenda Algood ...... Brookings, SD
Ron Amundson ...... Orinda, CA
Arne Anderson ...... Canton, SD
Jill Anderson ...... Duluth, MN
Bob Bartling ...... Brookings, SD
Herb Bartling ...... San Antonio, TX
Jerry Bergum ...... Brookings, SD
Brenda Berseth ...... Brookings, SD
Steve Berseth ...... Brookings, SD
Tom Bezdichek ...... Brookings, SD
Matt Bien ...... Brookings, SD
Harry Birath ...... Brookings, SD
Lori Bocklund ...... Beaverton, OR
Dan Bohl ...... Madison, SD
Dave Braley ...... Sioux Falls, SD
Steve Britzman ...... Brookings, SD
Mike Burns ...... Milan, MN
Dave Bushard ...... Lake Shetek, MN
Andrew Carlson White Bear Lake, MN
Dan Carlson ...... White Bear Lake, M
Laura Carlson White Bear Lake, MN
Robert S Carney ...... Lakeville, MN
Craig Cassen .......... Piedmont, SD
Lyle Claussen .......... Brookings, SD
Paul Coffin .......... Sioux City, IA
Paul Danger .......... Valparaiso, I
Sara Danger .......... Valparaiso, IN
Jay Dirksen .......... Lincoln, NE
Jim Egeberg .......... Valley City, ND
Pat Egeberg .......... Valley City, ND
Monte Farnsworth .......... Pierre, SD
Brian Fendrich ..........Apple Valley, MN
George Fendrich .......... Sioux Falls
Van Fishback .......... Brookings, SD
Becka Foerster .......... Brookings, SD
Brian Freking .......... Keota, OK
Chuck Furlong... Manchester Bay, MA
Jerry George .......... Okemos, MI
Jim Glazer .......... St. Paul, MN
Dave Griffith .......... Wecota, SD
Reed Hart .................... Egan, SD
Steve Hauff .......... Sioux Falls, SD
Prairie Striders Scholarship in Athletics
From South Dakota State University Foundation
Calendar Year 2010, prepared on May 5, 2011
Beginning Market Value (1/1/2010) $3671
2010 Gifts Received for Endowment $2100
Net Investment Activity $592
Administrative Fees ($78)
Appropriated Funds for 2011/12 $0
Ending Market Value $6284
Mike Heyl ................ Lincoln, NE
Wade Hoffman ..........Minnetarista, MN
Joanne Holm .......... Brookings, SD
Rick Holm .......... Brookings, SD
Dennis Hopfinger ..........Brookings, SD
Owen Hotvet .......... Sioux Falls, SD
Jason Hove .......... Brookings, SD
Hunter Jamison .......... Wentworth, SD
Scott Jamison .......... Wentworth, SD
Taylor Jamison .......... Wentworth, SD
Gloria Jansen .....White Bear Lake, MN
Kelly Jefferis .......Vadnais Heights, MN
Marcus Johansen ...Coon Rapids, MN
Randy Kanktack.......... Aberdeen, SD
Angela Kauch .......... Plymouth, MN
Wally Klawiter .......... Sioux Falls, SD
Carol Klitzke .......... Maple Grove, MN
Steve Kurtenbach ........ Sioux Falls, SD
Shari Landmark .......... White, SD
Jay Larsen .................... Brookings, SD
Steve LeFevre .......... Fallbrook, CA
Mark Lidman .......... Kansas City, MO
Pat Lockwood .......... Brookings, SD
Harry Mansheim Brookings, SD
Reyna Martin .......... Brookings, SD
Connie Massmann........Little Falls, MN
Jason Massmann.......... Buffalo, MN
Jeff Massmann .......... Little Falls, MN
Barry McKeown .......... Arlington, TX
Bob McKnight .......... Brookings, SD
Charles McMullen..........Brookings, SD
Christy Mettler .......... Sparks, NV
Miles Mettler .................... Sparks, NV
Dave Meyer .......... Brookings, SD
Jerry Miller ..................Sioux Falls, SD
Dan Minnaert .................... Boise, ID
John Mirth .......... Platteville, WI
Wendy Mirth .......... Platteville, WI
Pete Monfore .......... Aliso Viejo, CA
Paul Morgan .......... Winona, MN
John Nelson .......... Madison, SD
Trudy Nepstad .......Roeland Park, KS
Dan O’Shea .................. Eugene, OR
Omar Olson .......... Brookings, SD
Kurt Osborne .......... Brookings, SD
Brad Oyos .......... ......... Fargo, ND
Jim Pedley .......... Martinez, CA
Grant Peterson .......... Brookings, SD
Rob Peterson .......... Brookings, SD
Gary Pierson .......... Sioux Falls, SD
Judy Pinckney ..........Rosemount, MN
Dan Propst ...................Pierre, SD
Eric Rasmussen .......... Sioux Falls, SD
Rich Reid .......... Brookings, SD
Lynn Riedesel .......... Brookings, SD
Audrey Riggs .......... Portland, OR
Bob Ritter .......... Brookings, SD
Gail Robertson .......... Brookings, SD
Dwayne Rollag .......... Brookings, SD
Bob Salmi .......... ..........Aberdeen, SD
Paul Schroeder ...................Nevis, MN
Joe Schuch ................... Belton, MO
Susan Scott .......... Lincoln, NE
Boyd Shank .......... Brookings, SD
Dick Smith .......... Brookings, SD
Tom Stambaugh .......... Nervis, MN
Cara Sterbis .......... Brookings, SD
John Sterbis .......... Brookings, SD
Richard Strande .......... Brookings, SD
Russ Strande .......... Sioux Falls, SD
Sharon Stubler .........Minnetonka, MN
Ron Tesch .................... Brookings, SD
Jim Thvedt ....................Brookings, SD
Chuck Tiltrum .................... Aurora, SD
Dale Tribby ....................Miles City, MT
Diane Underwood Brookings, SD
Scott Underwood Brookings, SD
Peggy Whalen .......... Brookings, SD
Andriette Wickstrom .....Storm Lake, IA
Tim Wilson .................McMinnville, OR
Becky Youngberg Eden Prairie, MN
Jack Youngberg Eden Prairie, MN
Tim Zbikowski Maple Grove, MN
Kim Zilverberg Belle Plaine, MN
Gifts for endowments come primarily from Prairie
Striders road races. For 2011, donations totaling $650
were added from the Brookings Marathon, Jack 15 and
Hobo Day 5K.
We thank the road race directors Matt Bien (Brookings
Marathon), Steve Britzmen (Hobo Day 5K) and Amber
Wichmann (Jack 15) for the contributions, and the partic-­‐
ipation of all area runners.
Peter Claussen, Treasurer

Brenda Algood
Brookings, SD
Jill Anderson
Duluth, MN
Arne Anderson
Canton, SD
Herb Bartling
San Antonio, TX
Jerry Bergum
Brookings, SD
Kevin Bjerke
Aberdeen, SD
John Blatchford
Brookings, SD
Lori Bocklund
Beaverton, OR
Steve Britzman
Brookings, SD
Craig Cassen
Piedmont, SD
Mark Chapman
LaBolt, SD
Lyle Claussen
Brookings, SD
Arne Anderson
Canton, SD
Herb Bartling
San Antonio, TX
Jerry Bergum
Brookings, SD
Tom Bezdichek
Brookings, SD
Matt Bien
Brookings, SD
Dave Braley
Sioux Falls, SD
Dave Bushard
Lake Shetek, MN
Andrew Carlson
White Bear Lake, MN
Dan Carlson
White Bear Lake, MN
Ann Day
Willmar, MN
George Fendrich
Sioux Falls, SD
Ursula Fendrich
Sioux Falls, SD
Dawn Frickbohm
Rock Valley, IA
Jerry George
Okemos, MI
Dave Graves
Volga, SD
Dave Griffith
Wecota, SD
Reed Hart
Egan, SD
Steve Hauff
Sioux Falls, SD
Mike Heyl
Lincoln, NE
Mike Hieb
Brandon, SD
Dennis Hopfinger
Brookings, SD
MEMBERS WHO DONATED MONIES TO THE CLUB
OVER AND ABOVE THE YEARLY DUES in 2010
Gloria Jansen
White Bear Lake, MN
Angela Kauch
Plymouth, MN
Deb Leiferman
Brookings, SD
Mark Lidman
Kansas City, MO
Pat Lockwood
Brookings, SD
Harry Mansheim
Brookings, SD
Reyna Martin
Brookings, SD
Jeff Massmann
Little Falls, MN
Connie Massmann
Little Falls, MN
Jason Massmann
Buffalo, MN
Chuck McCullough
Brookings, SD
Charles McMullen
Brookings, SD
Christy Mettler
Sparks, NV
Miles Mettler
Sparks, NV
Dave Meyer
Brookings, SD
Pete Monfore
Aliso Viejo, CA
Paul Morgan
Winona, MN
Vicki Nelson
Sioux Falls, SD
Dan O’Shea
Eugene, OR
Omar Olson
Brookings, SD
Tim Olson
Sioux Falls, SD
Kurt Osborne
Brookings, SD
Gary Pierson
Sioux Falls, SD
Judy Pinckney
Rosemount, MN
Rich Reid
Brookings, SD
Colene Reiser
Brookings, SD
Lynn Riedesel
Brookings, SD
Audrey Riggs
Portland, OR
Bob Ritter
Brookings, SD
Dave Sample
Marshall, MN
Marie Sample
Marshall, MN
Steve Schilling
Sonford, ME
Susan Scott
Lincoln, NE
Dick Smith
Brookings, SD
Kevin Smith
Brookings, SD
Russ Strande
Sioux Falls, SD
LIFE MEMBERS Requires a one-time gift of $100.
Laura Carlson
White Bear Lake, MN
Robert S Carney
Lakeville, MN
Paul Danger
Valparaiso, IN
Sara Danger
Valparaiso, IN
Jay Dirksen
Lincoln, NE
Jim Egeberg
Valley City, ND
Pat Egeberg
Valley City, ND
Brian Freking
Keota, OK
Dave Griffith
Wecota, SD
Reed Hart
Egan, SD
Steve Hauff
Sioux Falls, SD
Wade Hoffman
Minnetarista, MN
Joanne Holm
Brookings, SD
Rick Holm
Brookings, SD
Owen Hotvet
Sioux Falls, SD
Angela Kauch
Plymouth, MN
Carol Klitzke
Maple Grove, MN
Steve Kurtenbach
Sioux Falls, SD
Richard Strande
Brookings, SD
Jim Thvedt
Brookings, SD
Dale Tribby
Miles City, MT
Gregg Uecker
Freeman, SD
Julie Virkus
St. Louis Park, MN
Andriette Wickstrom
Storm Lake, IA
Tim Wilson
McMinnville, OR
Joan Wolles
Colton, SD
Jason Ziimmerman
Brookings, SD
Kyrsten Zimmerman
Brookings, SD
2012 dues notice
Please fill out this section and mail it with your $5 dues in the enclosed addressed envelope.
NAME BIRTH DATE E-MAIL
Shari Landmark
White, SD
Jay Larsen
Brookings, SD
Steve LeFevre
Fallbrook, CA
Pat Lockwood
Brookings, SD
Barry McKeown
Arlington, TX
Dave Meyer
Brookings, SD
Jerry Miller
Sioux Falls, SD
Paul Morgan
Winona, MN
Paul Schroeder
Nevis, MN
ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE
Joe Schuch
Belton, MO
Tom Stambaugh
Nervis, MN
Sharon Stubler
Minnetonka, MN
Chuck Tiltrum
Aurora, SD
Tim Wilson
McMinnville, OR
Becky Youngberg
Eden Prairie, MN
Jack Youngberg Eden
Prairie, MN
Tim Zbikowski
Maple Grove, MN
Please make your check to Prairie Striders. (Prairie Striders, Box 504, Brookings, SD 57006)
Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you for retaining your membership and for your generous donation.
6

Running scene stirs the soul
Editor’s note: The following column originally appeared in
the Feb. 10, 2012, issue of the Argus Leader. It is reprinted
here with permission.
By Jacqueline Palfy
On a recent morning, my friend Kristen Johnston and I
made our way through the dark streets of the McKennan
Park district at the end of an easy run.
Up ahead, we saw a group of folks coming toward us on the
boulevard, headlamps blazing.
“That must be the early boys,” I said to her.
We tried to whistle, to say good morning, but they turned
down a side street, and just from watching them, we realized,
those aren’t the folks we know.
It’s funny how you can recognize a friend running from a
quarter mile away, just by the way they swing their arms or
kick their legs or glow with a construction-­‐worker-­‐style vest
on.
“Who was that?” Kristen wondered. It’s strange to not
know the other people out at an ungodly hour in winter.
When you run in Sioux Falls, you see the same people over
and over again.
Rob Sevold. Chris Anderson. Bobbi Karberg. Owen Hotvet.
Erica Bukovich and her double jogger. Sam Trebilcock.
Christine Ellis. Rob Oswald. High school cross-­‐country run-­‐
ners. College runners. Women in Boston Marathon wind-­‐
breakers. Men in basketball shorts and headphones.
It’s a different city at 5:30 a.m.
It’s you, the snowplow or city bus, the quiet streets, the
dog-­‐walkers. The bike commuters. The man and his wife who
walk the downtown bike path almost every morning in
spring and summer.
The gentleman who walks near the Avera fitness center,
who we’ve watched lose at least 100 pounds over the years
(or so it appears).
This is our city that early. And we greet each other with a
nod of the head, a small wave, a quiet “good morning” when
we pass by, or get passed.
Matt Bien, an enthusiastic support of
running in Brookings, was honored Feb.
4 by Prairie Striders running club as its
2011 Friend of Running.
For Bien, a Brookings medical doctor,
the saying, “If you want something done,
ask a busy person to do it,” certainly
applies.
The 1988 Veblen High School gradu-­‐
ate served as president of Prairie
Striders from 2003 to 2009, and has
been director of the Brookings
Marathon since 2007.
Participant numbers in Prairie
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Striders races grew tremendously dur-­‐
ing his years as president, from 814 in
2004 to 1,840 in 2009, and have contin-­‐
ued to grow.
Two races were added to the Prairie
Striders lineup during his tenure, but
the biggest reason for the increase has
come through staging races that ensure
participants have a quality experience,
according to current club President
Shari Landmark.
As president, he helped other race
directors meet that objective, she noted.
On several occasions, Bien has volun-­‐
When we’re out there, it’s not about competition. It’s about
camaraderie. Sure, we all want to get faster, get fitter, go far-­‐
ther.
But we also want to carve out some time to ourselves, and
with work and kids and spouses and life, sometimes that
moment comes at the crack of dawn.
We step into a porch light, pull on winter gloves, click on a
headlamp. Watch cars pull up, hear doors slam.
Try to recognize one another through facemasks, winter
hats, a dozen people dressed in black technical gear, all the
same.
And we set out, quietly and quickly falling into step with
one another. Up a hill, around a corner, dropping onto the
bike path. This group of strangers who will welcome anyone
who shows up, who will be there most mornings, ready to go.
When I recently ran my eighth marathon in Phoenix, my
aunt and uncle were there and asked me how I got into run-­‐
ning.
I was honest. About 11 years ago, I looked at myself and
realized, I’m not the person I want to be. I’m not living the
life I want to live, and I’ve strayed so far from my true self,
that I don’t recognize my life. I bought a book on running –
what I remembered from high school seemed far away.
And I stepped outside.
And I ran a half mile. And walked home.
It was a slow start for me. I’m not ashamed of that. I’m
proud. And I feel that when I see anyone out there –running,
walking, biking, anything. Because I know what it’s like to
start with nothing.
And now, when I run into three different friends on a
downtown street, or when I see familiar faces at starting
lines, or the faces of my kids at the finish, I know the truth.
Yes, I started with nothing when it comes to running.
And now? Now I have everything.
Jacqueline Palfy is an avid runner who is also senior
news editor at Argus Leader Media. Reach her at jpalfy@argusleader.com
Prairie Striders honors former president as Friend of Running
teered to go through the time-­‐intensive
process of certifying race distances.
Although no longer president, he con-­‐
tinues to participate in meetings and
helps guide the club. He also writes a
column for the quarterly newsletter,
often sharing insights from his profes-­‐
sion as a doctor of internal medicine.
In addition, if he is in town, he is usu-­‐
ally participating in a Striders race or
helping with the timing.
Throughout his time as marathon
director, the race has continually
received rave reviews from participants,

2012 Annual Meeting
Noon, Tuesday, April 10, 2010
Innovation Campus, first-floor conference room,
North 22nd Avenue, Brookings, SD
OLD BUSINESS
• Mile marker race flags b. Arbor Day 5K – April 27
• Jack 15 update
(Steve Britzman)
• Prairie Striders SDSU
scholarship status
NEW BUSINESS
• Nomination and election
of 2012 officers
President —
Vice president —
Secretary —
Treasurer —
Balance Sheet, 2011
Assets
Library 8300
Checking 3338.77
Equipment & Supplies 1135.71
Savings 342.86
T-­‐shirts 300
Jack 15 History Books 245
Sundries 75
SDSU Activity Acct 21.48
Totals 13,758.82
• Special plans for Hobo
Day 5K in honor of 100th
Hobo Day
• Coming Striders events:
a. PS 2 “Running
Technology,” 7 p.m. April
12, Wellness Center conference
room.
c. Triathlon – April 28
(Shari Landmark)
d. Marathon weekend —
May 11-12 (Matt Bien)
• Other items
• Motion to adjourn
Disbursements
Library 330
Mailings 277.6
Misc Expenses 70
Donations 41
Web Site 72.95
Equipment & Supplies 0
Dues 155
Newsletter 80.47
Race Expenses 10.60
Memorabilia 230.28
Can you guess
these two fairly
well-­‐known area
runners, finishing
the 1969 Jack 15?
Check the Prairie
Striders Facebook
page for more
photos, and help
us identify run-­‐
ners.
Prairie Striders
officers — 2011
President — Shari Landmark
Vice president — Dave
Graves
Secretary — Kevin Smith
Treasurer — Peter Claussen
Newsletter editor — Dave
Graves
Webmaster — Kevin Smith
The newsletter is published
four times a year
with the other issues sent
by e-mail. To receive a print
version, call Dave Graves
at (605) 627-5718, Box
474, Volga, SD 57071.
Subscriptions 179.95
Totals 1,447.85
Receipts
Member Dues 575
Member Donations 1268
Rentals 275
Library Donation
Totals 2,118
Peter Claussen, Treasurer
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