Mark Horton is Ironman.

A whole different world of pain from a straight up foot race. The Ironman Miami 70.3 Triathlon featuring  Mark Horton took place this morning. The event known as the Half Ironman consist of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile (half marathon) run. It begs the question would someone who has completed a full Ironman tell somone who has only completed the half, "you're only half the Ironman I am"? Mark is certainly more of an Ironman than most of us as he completed the course in 5 hours 39 minutes and 17 seconds and was the 948th finisher. Now someone get that man something to eat!

Rocking the Alumni Singlet!

This One Actually Is a Cup!

Unlike the Coach Harry Groves Memorial Cup (yeah, he's still alive and can still kick your a**!), the Mayor's Cup XC Award is really a Cup.  Owen and Kyle Dawson and their Bryn Mawr Racing Team snagged it from Beantown's BAA hierarchy.  Nice job boys, even without the Alumni Singlets on display!

Kyle Dawson, far left and Owen Dawson, center.

Kyle Dawson drinking Kool-Aid from The Cup.

Addendum:  I wonder how This figured in the whole thing?

Our Application Is In!

UPDATE: It looks like we are in!!!!!

After our Group's teams at the Penn State National XC Meet and USATF Masters XC Championships had to enter as members of the Nittany Valley Track Club instead of Penn State Track/XC Alumni. I decided it was about time to become officially entered as a USATF Club.  (Nothing against the very fine Nittany Valley Track Club for which most of us competed with at one time or another.)

So I actually registered as a USATF athlete (ha!) and coach (ha ha!) in order to put in an application for a Club titled Penn State Track/XC Alumni.  I figured we already have a web site to refer to! I listed myself as temporary President until a real election can be held to dethrone me!  I also funded the venture for 2 years, pending approval.  I'm not sure if using the name Penn State will derail things or if another organization with a similar name has already been registered.   I guess we'll find out. Hope the Golf thing doesn't confuse them too much.

My hope is that all of us, both young and old, can use the Club as a way of representing our Group with even more pride than the Alumni Singlets already bring out.  I am frequently alerted by people who have seen the singlets in action all over the place.  And I hope that it continues to spread like a beneficial virus. 

A new Alumni Singlet and Workout t-shirt will be promoted soon!

A Remarkable Bunch

Mark Hawkins, Nick K., Stephen Shisler, John Ziegler and Gary Black

The recent Penn State Track and Field Alumni team for the 2013 USATF 5K Masters XC Championships.

Another Mish Mash of PSU Track Alumni News (And More)

Well, now that the warm downs are over for the spectacular efforts by our Group's XC runners in Happy Valley and New Jersey, let's turn our gaze on the rest of us scattered across our lands.

Coach Van Houwe and his York Suburban team.

First, I'll toot my daughter's horn.  Her team won the recent PA District III AA team title and are headed to States with bigger goals in mind.  Although Martha wasn't in the top 7, she came into her own at the JV County Championships and took 1 1/2 minutes off her previous 5K time.  This was in a torrential downpour and quite muddy conditions.  I told her to put the longest spikes she could find in her shoes (1/2 inch beauties!) and go have fun.  This was exactly my experience in my first ever race for PSU in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park in 1977.  I was happy to see the similar results both of us had, with our best ever XC race in otherwise difficult conditions.  She hopes to wear the PSU uniform in XC at Penn State Mont Alto next Fall.  Nothing could make me prouder.

Next, Mark Haywood deserves some accolades for bringing the first ever team title to Camp Hill at the same District III meet.  He helped coach the team to the victory in the Class A team competition.  Way to go Mark!

Now here's a photo from yesteryear with two three PSU Track Alumni (Golfers) in it.  Can you name both all three! running on the boards?

Photo from Ted Rupe.

And here's another one pictured with 2 males sharing 1/2 and 1/4 of his genetic make-up.  Who is he?

Keep the submissions coming!

Alumni Cross Country Lives Here...

With the "old" alums 8th place finish USATF Masters 5K XC Championships and the "young" alums vicotry at the Penn State National. I am one proud Penn State Track Alumnus right now. One step closer to world domination. Much belated results from Friday.

PLACE TEAM                POINTS  PLACES OF FINISHERS            AVG. TIME SPREAD

1 P S U Alum               19    1    2    3    5    8   33   35    26:24    1:00
2 Lock Haven               52    4    9   11   12   16   17   18    27:23    1:23
3 Detroit Mercy            64    6    7   13   15   23   24   25    27:26    1:20
4 St. Francis (Pa )       113   14   20   21   28   30   36         28:14    1:06
5 Robert Morris           114   10   22   26   27   29   31   32    28:14    1:09
6 Bloomsburg              167   19   34   37   38   39   40   41    29:32    2:12

1. P S U Alum
    1  Kyle Dawson                25:53    4:59
    2  Owen Dawson                26:03    5:00
    3  Sam Masters                26:26    5:05
    5  Vince McNally              26:43    5:08
    8  Brian Fuller               26:53    5:10
   33  Matt Groves                29:32    5:41
   35  Kevin Fuller               29:45    5:43
Total Time = 2:11:58     Total Places = 19


 

Psychologists Get Hammered by a Physicist With an Assist From an IT Specialist

This is why I am a big fan and wannabe "hard scientist".  I've always had disdain for those "soft scientists" that go beyond ordinary measures to cement their unworthy place among real academics. Finally someone called them out on it.

This is a somewhat long read and involves at least some interest in mathematics and physics to get through, but it's a wonderful example of always keeping a skeptical mind toward junk science. At this time, we are inundated by a myriad of examples of junk science enriching charlatans and politicians and degrading the lifestyles of us ordinary types immensely.

Nick Brown Smelled Bull

The Results Are Finally In!

The Penn State Track Alumni* team entered the USATF Masters 5K XC Championships with 5 runners over the age of 50.  They all ran quite well and placed 8th in the over 50 team competition.  Blog Muse Rob Whiteside was the team manager for the competition. There really are some incredible over 50 runners in this nation!

     24.John Ziegler      18:12   

     30.Mark Hawkins      18:47   

     32.Stephen Shisler   18:52   

     35.Nicholas K.       19:04   

   75.Gary Black        23:56  

 *Entered as Nittany Valley Running Club because you had to have a team registered already in USATF.  We'll have to remedy that in the near future.  Seems time has come to unleash the Penn State Alumni team!

Many photos will be available soon.

 

A Juvenile Diversion as We Patiently Wait For the "Old Men" to Finish the USATF XC Championships

The 5K USATF Masters XC Championships are being held today in Flemington NJ.  The PSU Track Alumni Golfers will be there fielding a team in the 50 and over division. (For Larry, "I think they all are over 50!")  It seems that Steve Shisler actually qualified just TODAY for that dubious honor!  Welcome to the back side of the hill Stephen! At least it's "downhill" from here.

Birthday Boy and his beautiful wife.

Others in the event may include Mark Hawkins, Nick K., and Gary Black.  I'm not entirely sure about any of this, but why start caring about accuracy in media now?  Good luck, don't break a hip, and in the case of Gary, don't break another!  Addendum:  The 5th member of the team is John Ziegler and they are in the 50 and over division.

So to pass the time before the results are in, here's the original "Mahna, Mahna"  skit from the Muppets from Sesame Street in 1969. It'll come back to you after the first utterance and stay with you far longer than any of you wish!

Penn State Track Alumni Golfers Rule the World

Well, the Penn State National Invitational, at least.  Slowly but surely, the world will be ours! (And don't call me Shirley...)

I'll let Matt fill us in with more details later, but I had to mention the victory by "the young alums". The "old alums" are next in New Jersey!...

Kevin Fuller, Sam Masters, Brian Fuller, Matt Groves, Owen Dawson, Kyle Dawson and Vince McNally.

Penn State National Preview

Here are your Penn State Alumni runners who will be towing the line tomorrow on the Blue/White Golf Course at the Penn State National.

Sam Masters - Says he if he "holds 5 minute pace it will be a really really good day." On October 5 he won the Nittany Lion Invitational hosted by the Club XC team in 25:29.79. Which is 5:08 pace.

Kyle Dawson - Recently mixing it up in the Downingtown road running scene with a 2nd place finish at Teri's Run 5K (14:26) on September 6 and a victory the following day at the Quad X Invitational open 5K (15:40).

Owen Dawson - Back to back 3rd place finishes at Teri's Run in 14:28 and 15:57 at Quad X in early September. 

Vince McNally - Finally back in shape after a long layoff with a 3rd place showing at the City of Pittsburgh Great Race 10K in 30:29 on September 29. Also came in 5th behind Kyle and Owen at Teri's Run with a time of 14:34. Despite that defeat McNally is confident the longer distance and terrain will be in his favor. "I'll beat Owen on Friday," said Vince "I should be slightly fitter than I was (on September 6) and 5.2 (miles) should wear down the sub-four minute miler."

Brain Fuller - The older of the Fuller brothers claimed first place on the runways at Washington-Dulles International Airport with a 15:16 at the Dulles Day 5K on September 14. Two weeks later he posted a 30:52 at Penns Woods Trail 10K.

Kevin Fuller - Better known for his middle-distance prowess and rabbiting world class times. The younger Fuller took 7th at the Dulles Day 5K in 16:59.

Matt Groves - Ran 1:16:25 at the ultra fast Rock n Roll Philadelphia Half-Marathon on September 25.

Unfortunately Chris Cipro will not be able to race. Despite being recovered from his marathon last weekend he cannot get out of teaching duties for the day.

In other news it is great to see current varsity team member Matt Fischer keeping the "Rusty Boots" tradition alive. We wish Fsicher and his teammates well as they will be competing at the Pre-National Invitational in Terre-Haute, IN this weekend.

Penn State Track Alumni Take to the XC Course!

It's a big weekend for the PSU Track Alumni XC Universe.  There are two fronts in the war against getting old and slow.

First up is the Penn State National on Friday, which will field a team of alums bedecked in their Alumni Singlets.  They will be the ones in the very last starting position somewhere near the Paterno homestead.  I think they will field a very good team this year and all the action will be brought to you by our very own co-blooger Matt Groves.  He'll provide some valuable insights, photos and a play-by-play unparalleled on our blog!

The other front will be in Flemington NJ, the sight of the Masters XC USATF Championships where a field of alums will compete in the Masters team competition.  Steve Shisler has arranged a very good team with Mark "The Orange Hawk" Hawkins and others which could compete admirably for our Group. I'm not sure about the Alumni Singlets in this one, but I think they'll all have them.  Photos and updates will be disseminated when available. Good luck.  And don't break a hip...