Page 4 — <strong>September</strong> 2009 <strong>Vetrunner</strong>Continued from Page 1Now he is glad to be a member because it helps in hismotivation to keep fit, which he needs more than ever as afirefighter.Sixth across the line to claim the bronze medal wasJacqueline Millard. This was Jacqueline’s third bronzemedal since joining Vets in 2004 and all three have been atBlewitts Forest, and she says it is great to win medals,especially taking them home and showing them off. Aprimary school teacher in NSW Jacqueline normally doesher training at 6am three days a week but felt refreshed atBlewitts because she had two weeks off work and was ableto train in the daylight, and get a bit of skiing in whichwas excellent cross training. Other cross training, whichobviously assists Jacqueline, is her swimming and cyclingevery week. A tri athlete in the making? Other interestsinclude traveling, and she has been to places like Vietnamfor four weeks and Spain, were she undertook the 320 kmCamino walk. Now her aim is this years City 2 Surf her14 th time, the Vets half marathon, and retiring so she canjoin a training group. A sideline is to one day win a silvermedal – and then perhaps a gold!!Last month’s gold medallist Wilf Deck, finished in 83 rdposition. He would like to clarify, that despite what wassaid in last month’s <strong>Vetrunner</strong> the truck that he hit didnot come off unscathed. In fact he broke its windscreen!Wilf says that while he did not run (on a treadmill) fornearly 12 months after the accident (1 st April 2006) inwhich he had at least seven broken bones, he has beenable to “become a beginning runner”. The method involvedintensive care, hospital bed, home bed, wheelchair,crutches, walking stick, normal walking, treadmill, andfinally normal jogging. He has proved the doctors wrongbecause they said to him that because of the pins in hisleft knee he would never run again. Wilf says the bigadvantage for him being a ‘beginning runner’ is that histimes will only improve, and as such is looking forward tofaster and faster times for the next seven years. RadLeovic and Lachlan Lewis look out!!Mike Worsley won the wooden spoon for the first timein his career but was still pleased to be in the top 100! Likemany ‘wooden spooners’ Mike wants to know when will hereceive it? Mike says his success was due to a change intactics. Many an elite athlete works out the tactics before arace and this time Mike decided that instead of going offten groups early he went off his allocated group! He ishoping that when he overcomes an Achilles tendonproblem, some recurring back pain, extra weight, andinsufficient training he will be able to run to his allocatedhandicap ability. Mike has been running with the Vetssince 1993 and all of his 89 handicaps have been in theThomas series with five silver medals and one bronze. Hehas distinguished himself in ultra marathons includingthe Six Foot Track several times. He is also a keen bushwalker and a regular at the Tuesday morning group.FRYLINK SERIESFirst across the line was Peter Clarke, for the secondconsecutive month, although last month it was in theWaddell series, and he now “moved on to a canter”. Hesays he was first over the line because he was obviously onan easy handicap but he did enjoy watching glowing faceson the return and to even cheer off some Thomas runnerswith whom he would normally be running. Peter is a verykeen entrant in all runs around Canberra and particularlylikes the Customs Joggers. Two days before Blewitts hehad his first run with Customs for eight weeks and so heapplied his new found strength to run in the Frylink atVets. Peter is pleased with how he is recovering from arecent foot injury and is particularly grateful to all theVets who offer advice and support, which he says isreflective of the generous nature of people in the Vetsmaking it such a welcoming environment to be able toshare the fun of running or walking.Third over the line, to win the gold medal was ToddHepworth, who was having an anniversary run, as it was12 months ago that Todd had his first run with the Vets onthis same course. However there was an incentive for Toddto ‘kick it’ because he won the wooden spoon last year – agood start to his athletic career with Vets. He did like thecourse and didn’t mind the hills at all. He really tried tokeep in front of Robin Miller but just couldn’t stay withhim so thought he had won the silver medal, so was verysurprised and pleased to win the gold – his first everrunning medal, which he promptly boasted about to all hisfriends, especially Chris Lawrence, who came in 19 th .Except for running with the Hash House Harriers whenworking in Tonga. Todd does not have a runningbackground, but was an <strong>ACT</strong> representative in swimmingin his school days and now enjoys indoor cricket, likeswatching soccer. Todd came to Vets when he saw somepublicity about the Vets half marathon in 2008 andrealized he was “now old enough” to be one. Looking on theweb site he found out he actually worked with PresidentChris Lang and so from whom better to obtaininformation? Not sure if it took place during workinghours at the Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade. We willmiss Todd for three years as he is about to take a postingin Serbia where he hopes there will an opportunity forsome running.The silver medal, for being fifth over the line, went toMarion Buckley, who says Todd Hepworth was wellaware of her coming up behind but she just couldn’tmanage to catch him. But Marion was happy with secondplace because she has been doing ‘a fair amount oftraining’, topped up with gym work, and so was hoping todo well. She also liked the course, even though it was socold she doesn’t think she warmed up, especially thedownhill components, but thought there were few parts abit rough under foot. Another factor that bought outMarion’s competitive spirit somewhat – which is a bit of asurprise because she does not have a sporting background– is the fact that she was racing a race within a race. Shewas racing her sister, Ursula Hewitt, who was competingin Vets for the first time. Marion could not catch her andUrsula came in fourth over the line seven seconds in front.Bronze medallist, and seventh over the line wasChristine Lee. Christine was surprised to win becauseshe was just running her own race and not worrying aboutothers, and it was so cold she stayed in the car until theabsolute last minute. Christine feels maybe she did betterthan she thought because she has cut back on gym workand doing more running, especially hill running, sayingthat the best way to train for running is ‘to run’. Howeverthere is still some cross training for her with Pilates andyoga. Christine’s aim is to run 10km under 60minutes andthinks the Canberra Times fun run could be the test. InFebruary 2010 Christine is planning to run/walk up theworld’s steepest street, (approx 40 degrees) – in the“Baldwin Street Gutbuster”, 2.2 kilometers up Baldwin St,Continued on Page 6
<strong>September</strong> 2009 <strong>Vetrunner</strong> — Page 5CLUB Sponsors:SPONSORSHIPMembers are entitled to discounts on prices for goodspurchased from The Runners Shop and for servicesfrom Kingston Physiotherapy and Sports InjuryCentre. Please inform The Runners Shop that you area club member when you make a purchase, andinform the Kingston Physiotherapy and Sports InjuryCentre that you are a club member when you book asession.As part of their sponsorship arrangements with the<strong>Club</strong>, The Runners Shop and Kingston Physiotherapyand Sports Injury Centre each remit to the <strong>Club</strong> apayment equivalent to a percentage of their sales tomembers. Brian Wenn, of The Runners Shop, andCraig Wisdom, of the Kingston Physiotherapy andSports Injury Centre, are club members. See yourmembership card for further details.SUBMISSIONS FOROctober 2009VETRUNNERDUE BY: SATURDAY,12 <strong>September</strong> 2009COPY AND QUERIES TO:vetrunner@actvac.com<strong>Club</strong> Supporters:The <strong>Club</strong> is grateful for the generous support ofthe following local businesses:Go Troppo Fyshwick Markets for a discount onfruit for our regular athletic events;Southside Physiotherapy and Sports InjuryClinic for donating a prize at our monthlythrowing handicaps and for providing a $5.00discount per consultation to our members.(late submissions may only beaccepted if space allows)<strong>ACT</strong> <strong>Veterans</strong> Athletic <strong>Club</strong> - 2009 - Our 30th year
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