More Christmas Goodness From Penn State Track Alumni

Artie Gilkes and Rebecca Donaghue are happy to be a long-standing part of the First Night State College running scene.

First Night State College is a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration that has taken place in downtown State College since 1994 and has become an annual tradition for many. For area runners, part of that tradition means lacing up their sneakers and taking part in the First Night 5K Resolution Run, a race started in 1997 as an addition to the daylong festivities.

For couple Rebecca Donaghue and Artie Gilkes, who are both runners and State College Area High School track and field and cross-country coaches, the First Night 5K Resolution Run has been a tradition since they moved to the area 16 years ago.
“We moved to this area because running led us here,” says Gilkes, a former Penn State track and field athlete, who explains that the couple relocated to central Pennsylvania as Donaghue’s professional running career was taking off.

Thanks to Greg Fredericks for sending me the link!

If The Election Doesn't Destroy Us, Maybe CERN Will: (With State College XC Accolades)

The election is thankfully over today.  And while I believe this is the dawn of a new era in the USA, those doomsday forecasters prophesying the coming of SMOD (Smoking Meteor of Death) were wrong, so maybe the Large Hadron Collider in the Swiss/French alps may have to come to their rescue.

An act of Physicists?

A bizarre conspiracy theory has it that the latest plasma blasting experiment at the CERN facility is causing the spike in significant earthquakes in Italy.  The original experiments before the power was turned up failed to manufacture the proposed black holes, so earthquakes will have to do for those determined to see the world end.

And hats off for the State College High girls team led by Rebecca Donaghue and Artie Gilkes who placed 4th in the AAA XC Championships.

Special accolades to Jayson Jackson's and Matt Groves' St. Joseph Academy girls team, PIAA A XC Champions!

A Tribute And A Dedication

There has been so much happening lately in our Universe.  The beginning of Cross Country Season, the Olympics and a passing of note are just some of them.

First up, we lost an honorary member of our group Friday with the passing of Paavo Wildthorn Donaghue-Gilkes.  The Vizsla was the long-time family member of Artie Gilkes and Rebecca Donaghue. Paavo has run more miles than many in our group and was better looking than almost all of us.  RIP Paavo.

Next, and I'm not making this up.  In his first interview after finishing, much credit was given to Happy Gilmore for the Bronze Medal accomplishment by Galen Rupp.  Perhaps , despite 3 (?) kids, he hasn't really grown up yet.  We can only hope!



And future  Official Physicist Ron Moore traveled back to western Pennsylvania for his high school (Hempfield) cross country Alumni Run.  His ninth place finish despite a sore hamstring probably schooled a few of the youngsters in the crowd.

And speaking of high school Alumni Runs, here is the Big Dog Run for Daughter the Younger's York Suburban XC team.  Quite a field turned out!


 

Finally!

Artie, Rebecca and Paavo.

That rumbling and earth shifting you felt yesterday was the union of Rebecca Donaghue and our group's Director of Youth Development Artie Gilkes. These are the only two people I know who took longer than I to finally tie the knot after meeting their significant other.

All of us at Blog Central congratulate them but remind Artie of the wisdom instilled upon me by my father-in-law 28 years ago...  "No married man wants to live to be 100." RIP Leonard C.  Black.  hee hee hee

A Hat-Tip To Coach Groves: Penn State Track And Field Alumni Golfers Make Great Coaches: Part 2

It was a bang up day again across the fruited plain for Coach Harry Groves' coached athletes.  Honestly, I think this has a little to do with Coach Groves himself.  He instilled a love of the sport(s) in each and every one of us.  He taught us values, organization, goal-setting, and hard work, even when we disagreed and b*tched about it among ourselves.  All of us came out of it much better off than when we entered his domain.  (Even prodigal sons are welcomed with open arms to our Group!) Here are a few of the recent coaches achieving great things on cross country courses with a little help from Coach's past tutelage:

• Coach Mark Haywood's Class A Camp Hill boys won the PIAA State title for the first time in school history. Here's his wife's thoughts on this.  I was at their wedding and did I mention it was a great affair?

  

  Mark Haywood, right.

• Coach Jayson Jackson's St. Joseph's Academy won the PIAA Class A girls title.  Jayson is another Nittany Lion I have had the pleasure to meet because of my efforts at herding cats to our Reunion and golf outing.  You should think of attending too so you can realize just how great members of our Group are! Absolutely everyone is invited to join.

  

  Jayson Jackson's St. Joseph Academy victors.

• Matt Lincoln's Chandler Wolves won the Arizona Division 1 title.  A Canadian in Arizona via Happy Valley!

  

  Matt Lincoln, right.

• The State College boys were 9th in the PIAA Class AAA race.  Coaches Steve Shisler, Dave Felice and Nick K. keep the Little Lions near the top of the game!

  

  Dave Felice, Steve Shisler and Nick K., right.

• The State College girls were 5th in the PIAA Class AAA race with Artie Gilkes and Rebecca Donaghue guiding them.

  

  Artie Gilkes, Rebecca Donaghue, left.

• Dominic Hockenberry repeated as Class A Champion and will be headed to Syracuse in the Fall.  Dominic was is coached by Bill Kvashay until his retirement this year.

  

  Bill Kvashay, left.

• Gettysburg's lone runner placed 10th in the PIAA Class AA race.  He is coached by Group Friend and William and Mary liaison Brian Mount.

  

  Brian Mount, center.

• I'm sure I missed some.  Let me know!
• John Mahoney, Assistant Coach of Central Bucks West, helped his team to 3rd in the PIAA AAA race.  (Thanks to Beth Shisler for the update!) 
• Here's an update from Tom Rapp on his season: 
  

  Hey!

   

  I wanted to bring you up to speed on our recently-concluded season. After winning the state meet last year, we stepped into this year knowing we were a bit depleted by graduation. Add in a couple of injuries and illness and basically we lost numbers 1,2 5, 6 and 7 from last year. Still we had a very successful season winning our league, district and regional (SW Ohio - one fourth of the state) meets. We scored the second lowest total ever at regionals - 35 points.

   

  We finished runner up at state to Cleveland St. Ignatius, a perennial power currently ranked #10 in the country. We actually scored 25 points less than our championship team last year but couldn't quite match St. Ignatius. In Ohio, only two teams make the podium and receive medals and trophies. We were thrilled to be one of the two. We have been on the podium three out of the last four years. I feel like this might have been my best team ever, but part of winning a championship is picking the right year to be good. Guess we didn't quite do that. We lacked a solid number one and had four different guys at that spot this year. However, our 1-5 split was usually between 15 and 25 seconds. Lots of pack running which made it fun, but sometimes hard to coach during a race because they would all zoom by at the same time - tough to give individual instructions like that.

   

  Anyway, thanks for reading.

   

  Run Happy!

   

  Tom

Cross Country Is a Great Sport

Actually, as pure a sport as there is.  A lone, individual effort, transformed into a very nice team sport with a scoring system easy enough to understand and yet complicated enough to be interesting.

I have been to many levels of the sport so far this year:

• Junior High/Middle School practice
• High School Junior Varsity races
• High School Dual Meets
• High School Invitationals
• Division III Invitationals
• Division II Invitationals
• University Club Meets and Invitationals
• Open Invitationals

And I'll soon be visiting Happy Valley for a Division I Invitational the same day as the Penn State University Athletic Conference Championships.

Yesterday I saw several races at the Carlisle High School Invitational in Carlisle, PA.  There were more than 100 teams there from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey and  New York.  And that's the States I'm sure about.  There may be more!  All of them converged on a high school in the middle of Carlisle, PA!  There were 7 separate races run, one of which had more than 500 runners. (217, 356, 189, 527, 157, 397, 435 for a total of 2,278 runners!)  Go ahead, I know someone will check my math...  My daughter's team placed 2nd 4th in the whole meet! (The Boys team did get 2nd overall!)

1/4 of the start of the Girls JV race. Freshman Daughter the Younger somewhere to the left... the same slot that the PSU Alumni team will have at the Penn State National!

Just the first of 7 races.

 Penn State Track and Field Alumni Golfers were there in force, but I only had the opportunity to see a few because there were so many people.  (Yogi Berra would say "You can't see anyone, there are too many people!")  But I did run into Artie Gilkes and Rebecca Donaghue, coaching the State College High School Little Lions.  Artie has been hired as my personal security force for the next golf outing also.  He's bringing the foil.

Artie "Knuckles" Gilke

Rebecca Donaghue

Literally, a 1/10th of the buses involved.

Artie had come from spending time with Coach Groves at his hospital room on Friday.  He assures me Coach is feisty and they won't be able to keep him long.  All of us at the blog with it all are wishing him a speedy recovery.

New Year Starts off Well... And Kung Pao Chicken!*

My family, minus me of course, took part in the Red Lion Double Deuce prior to the cigar drop for the New Year for the 11th straight year.  Daughter the Younger won $20, which is the lowest amount our family has won in recent memory.  But still an OK way to start the year. (My kids are encouraged to always save 50% of their gains by their evil dad.)

Tyler McCandless traveled from the Mountain time zone to participate in the NYC Midnight Run where he placed sixth or so!

Tyler McCandless toeing the line.

But the best PSU Track Alumni Golfers results come from State College itself.  Both Artie Gilkes (16:14!) and Rebecca Donaghue (17:48!) won their divisions at the State College New Year's Run described as "Loony".

Rebecca Donaghue and Artie Gilkes.

 


*You must watch the video for the unsolicited Kung Pao reference. Thanks to our W&M link for the State College results.

Hershey Crawling With Penn State Track Alumni Golfers

It has been a few year's since I attended the PIAA State Cross Country Championships.  It certainly has become a much bigger affair over the years.

Some highlights:

• My daughter's York Suburban team ended in 5th place in the AA Girls event (and 9th in the AA Boys event.)
• Rebecca Donaghue's and Artie Gilkes State College High AAA Girls team finished in 13th place.  Dave Felice's Boys team placed 4th.
• Mark Haywood's (Asst. Coach) Camp Hill team finished in 15th place in A Boys.
• Bill Kvashay's Lake Lehman runner Dom Hockenberry (Bill coaches him in track) finished 2nd in the AA Boys race.
• Coach Gondak reports that the Girl's AA winner (Elizabeth Chikotas, Saucon Valley) and AAA winner (Tessa Barrett, Abington Heights) will both become future PSU Track/XC Alumni Golfers! (And he wasn't done working yet!)

Rebecca Donaghue (center) and Artie Gilkes (right)

Jeff Sanden almost never misses the PIAA Championships.

Assistant Coach Mark Haywood (left) and Chris Herr.

Dave Felice.

National Championships Arrive With Plenty of Nittany Lions

Photo by Mark "Beef" Heckel, Premier Field Official in America.

With places on the World Championship team at stake, the USATF Championships have finally arrived.  There are several Lions with great chances of making the team who won't be named by me in order to avoid any jinxes.

Fresh off the NCAA's, the Mens Middle Distance contingent of Brannon Kidder, Robbie Creese and Casimir Loxsom (now representing the Brooks Racing Team) find themselves in the thick of some loaded events.

Joe Kovacs and honorary member Ryan Whiting will put the shot.  Or shot the put?  I'm always so confused! (just kidding.)

Kara (Millhouse) Foster faces 25 laps of fun for the Women Distance corps along with honorary member Rebecca Donaghue in the same 10 K and Bridget Franek in the 3000 M Steeplechase.

Evonne Britton will hurdle 100 M for a shot at the team.

Lauren Kenney and Laura Loht will toss the Javelin for glory.

 And don't forget Matt Lincoln and Fawn Dorr in the Canadian Championships.

I'll bet I missed a few, so berate me in the comments to add them!

Kathy Mills Helps All 7 Little Lady Lions to 5K PRs

PSU Track Alumni honorary golfer Rebecca Donaghue coaches the Little Lady Lions of State College High.  (Dave Felice and Steve Shisler coach the Boys.) They won the District 6 Title recently with all 7 runners running their 5K PR.  Rebecca says a big part of her motivation was the photo of PSU American Record Holder Kathy Mills she posted on the wall of the locker room to inspire grit and determination, which Kathy had an ample supply of.  (Torturing the English language is a big part of my blogging schtick, but you get the point.)

The Little Lady Lions will be in action tomorrow at the State Championships in Hershey.

Gehret Moves On!

Brady Gehret was third in his heat of the opening round of the Olympic Trials 400 M, securing a place in the semi-finals.  His overall place was 11th with a 45.80 in the cold,cold Oregon rain.

Here's an article in the CDT on Brady sent by our intrepid and ever-vigilant Datum Procurement Specialist.  The photo was secured from Rebekka Simko, who placed 27th in the 800 M with a 2:07.33. Casimir Loxsom placed 26th in the 800 M with a 1:49.25.

Rebecca Donaghue ran a game 10000 M through the puddles,  placing 13th in 32:37.39.

Today, 3 with Nittany Lion ties put themselves in the circle in the Mens Shot Put.

James Carney Ninth at Olympic Trials in 2:12

James Carney seems happy with his effort at the Trials with a hard-fought steady 2:12:23 effort in Houston.  Tyler McCandless ran 2:19 and Luke Watson 2:21. Still looking for Rebecca Donaghue's time!  Update: Rebecca 17th place with 2:35!


Watch more videos on Flotrack

Marathon Time! and Time to Help!

Three Penn State Track and Field Alumni (Golfers) will toe the line at the Olympic Trials this weekend in Houston, Texas.  Tyler McCandless and Luke Watson will run on the men's side and Rebecca Donaghue will represent the women.  I wish them all the best of luck.  All 3 are quality role-models for any of the younger set out there.

Aaron Nodolsky was the athlete of the week after winning two events last weekend at the season's opening meet.  Which is remarkable considering what occured last week.  A fire destroyed his family's home and all their belongings.  I hope everyone among us that is able will lend a hand to a family in need.  I have sent in a personal check on behalf of our entire group for a humble amount and truly have his family in my thoughts and prayers.

Please donate directly to:

1^st Summit Bank Walmart Plaza

2600 Plank Road

Altoona, PA 16602

Care of the Nadolsky Family

PSU Track Alums in the News

1.  Shana Cox scored 10 pts. in her debut for Great Britain in the European Team Championships.

2.  Bridget Franek achieved the "A" standard in the recent NYC Diamond League meet with her 9:38.92 steeplechase.  She will be in action this week at the USATF Championships.

3.   Sam Borchers bettered his PR in the 800 at the NJ International Meet this weekend with a sterling 1:46.85, and also will be in action at the USATF Champs.

4.  Ryan Foster was also in action at the NJ Meet and won the Eamonn Coghlan 1500 with a season best 3:42.71.

5.  Rebecca Donahue had a nice little article in the CDT about her running and coaching.  Her State College Girls Team won the PIAA title.

6.  Tyler McCandless set his Marathon PR at Grandma's Marathon with his 2:17:09 for 11th place.  Sorry about missing this at first.  Blog fact-checkers have been heavily fined!

Penn Staters in Europe

The Griswolds aren't the only people headed to Europe this Summer.  Nike's newest steeplechaser Bridget Franek placed 5th in her first meet in Barcelona.  Her two-year season continues on!  Others have headed East across the Pond as well.  I'll try to get some results for Rebecca Donaghue (honorary PSU Alumni Golfer) and Fawn Dorr, Brook's newest 400 M Hurdler.  She apparently won her first race, anyone know where?  I know there are others, someone let me know!

Addendum:  Fawn won a 400 M Hurdle race in Bottrop Germany on 7/10/10.  Thanks to 2 alert readers.  check the link to results in the comments.

Evonne Britton: National Junior Champion 400 M Hurdles

Evonne Britton one-upped her second place finish in the 100 M Hurdles at the USATF Junior Championships with a winning effort in the 400 M Hurdles.  She has qualified for the USA for the World Junior Championships upcoming in glorious Canada!  (You know, Canada, the country that's sort of like our attic.  You forget its up there, but when you finally remember, you find all kinds of great stuff up there.)

Karlee McQuillen also finished eighth in the Javelin. Megan Duncan finished 20th in the 400 M Hurdles, while Fawn Dorr, now representing Brooks, qualified for the finals of the 400 M Hurdles with the second fastest time.  Also qualifying was Shana Cox, former Lady Lion, giving Dear Old State two lanes in the finals.  Honorary PSU Track alumni Golfer Rebecca Donaghue placed 7th in the 5000M.  Brooklynne Ridder placed third in the  Jr.5000 M, just missing a place on the US Squad for Canada.

Penn State* in the Year-End Distance Rankings

It was a good year for current and former PSU distance runners as evidenced by the year-end rankings on LetsRun.com*.

In the men's 10,000M, James Carney placed 5th with a 28:13.4 effort. (He has a 27:43 PR!)

In the women's 10,000M Rebecca Donoghue* snagged the number 6 spot with a 32:29 time.

Rebecca* also placed 10th in the women's 5,000M event with a PR 15:30.

And no post is complete without current Nittany Lion Bridget Franek who garnered 5th place in the 3,000M steeplechase with her World Championship qualifying time of 9:36.7.

*Rebecca is an honorary Nittany Lion and member in good standing of the PSU Track Alumni Golfers despite not wearing her wrist band in any of her pictures from big races!

More Alums in the News:

James Carney helped the good ole USA place 4th in the Half Marathon World Championships in Birmingham England over the weekend. James placed 38th with a time of 1:04:00, not his best by far, but good for third place among the Americans.

And Honorary PSU Track Alumni Golfer Rebecca Donoghue placed third at the US 10-K Championships in Boston over the weekend, second place among Americans. Her PR (PB for the newbies!) 32:29 is the lastest in a series of bests this year for our adopted champion. I'm currently waiting for her photos showing her wearing her pink wrist band during the run! She earns a free glow-in-the-dark version for her stellar effort.

And we are up to 83 members on Facebook! Make sure to alert your friends that we exist. Remember, everyone is an Officer in our group. As Grand Poobah (Pubbah), I get to do anything I want. I can even make people eat Kung Pao Chicken!

Falmouth Conquered! Socialism Kills!

Those who have been reading this blog know it isn't a surprise, but LetsRun.com says it was a big surprise. Honorary Penn State Track and Field Alumni Golfer Rebecca Donaghue placed second at the prestigious Falmouth Road Race. It was a great homecoming for her, as many friends and family witnessed the great performance. Her progression in performance has been steady and remarkable to even this "seasoned" observer. I would hope that the atmosphere and facilities in State College have contributed to this progression (as well as good luck from the wrist band I gave her!).

AND, as America leaps headlong into Socialism (A fellow alumni golfer says we've been there for years and are now becoming less socialistic), the founder of Soviet Socialism has killed another victim long after being preserved and put on display in Red Square. An apt analogy to our times.

Traveling With Euros

Several PSU Track Alums(and honorary ones!) are gallivanting around Europe on the Track Circuit and are doing quite well for themselves.

Matt Lincoln has posted a couple of strong finishes in the 1500 in Belgium Meets:

• 7th Huesden 3:41.19
• 3rd Ghent 3:39.80

Rebecca Donaghue (honorary alum and alumni golfer) has PR'ed in several distances, also in Belgium:

• 3rd 5000 M Liege 15:34
• 7th 1500 M Ghent 4:12.07

Matt is shown on the left with the rest of his Canadian allies. Rebecca is shown autographing this Belgium tot's program.

As the inventor of the French Fry, I salute Belgium and envy our compatriot's success.