Downtown Runners/Walkers of Detroit

A night at Bookies

2011-03-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

So there must be a relationship between sunshine and how many people show on at Bookies!!!! We filled up that entire place pretty quick, I’m sure that they appreciated us moving all the tables around. If you notice that I’m missing some of the new faces that are running with the group, drop me a note so I can add them.

The weather has got to get better, so I would imagine that we’ll be having hundreds of people running on Tuesday evenings!

Here is the list of Sunshine Runners:

1. Chris Tupper

2. Jen Waters

3. Libbie Rutherford

4. Reagan Rutherford

5. Stephanie Kern

6. Ashley Floyd

7. Rudy Lauerman

8. Matt Sikora

9. Doug Howell

10. John Scott

11. Richard Shackelford

12. Ken Davenport

13. Sandy Freund

14. Dennis Handley

15. Usain Bolt

16. Jim Fitch Jr.

17. Richard Brown

18. Lynn Diemer

19. Ed Muirhead

20. Stephanie Stieb

21. Mary Wallace

22. Pete Sisca

23. Sean Paraventi

24. Jim Vigeant

25. Jim Erlandson

26. Brittany Galisdorfer

27. Brian Fody

28. Lance Lange

29. Dave Dysert

30. Mark Shehan

31. Mary Berry

32. Jeannie Bocci

33. Jerry Bocci

34. Doug Kurtis

35. Chris Brooks

36. Nancy Marcotte

37. Anna Weisbrodt

38. Mary O’Brien

Lastly, Sandy Freund would like to thank all of you that have donated shoes for her track team.

Wednesday's Why

2009-09-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

Totally off the subject of running but can someone tell me why they package CDs so no adult can open them????

That's right, I'm old school and still buying the entire CD.

I finally got those crappy runs out of the way and now I'm back to my normal 'bad' runs!

Is it just me or does the amount of physical exertion that you expend throughout the day affect your sleeping?

I was only able to run two miles in the morning and because of work I wasn't able to do any exercise for the remainder of the day. I had the hardest time getting to sleep that night and I can only attribute it to not doing as much exercise as I normally do.

Yesterday I had a Three-a-Day, doing boot-camp in the morning, spinning at lunch and running after work. I slept like a baby and could barely get up when the alarm sounded.

Just asking..............

Hot and Spicy

2007-08-09T13:42:00.001-07:00

Talk about doing something stupid, well it was so hot and humid last night that running/walking should have been the last thing on any sane person’s mind! It was so hot that even the rain was warm. But did that stop us from doing our thang?
Running from Vivio’s was a blessing in the fact that Elmwood cemetery was a good water station for everyone. In fact it was so good of a spot that several DTRW were seen lounging under trees enjoying adult beverages while others were sweating to the oldies.
Did you know that Jeannie and Jerry Bocci volunteered to be judges for the 2007 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Knoxville, Tennessee? They spent ten days of their own time to help out this worthy cause, congrats to you both.
I received this next bit of information from Becka Clifton: Not sure how many of you are aware of this great organization helping keep our City streets clean. If you see them out there working, thank them for the hard work to make our City great! www.cleandowntown.org .Clean Downtown is an innovative new partnership created to maintain the downtown Detroit environment to the new standard set by SuperBowl XL. The project puts uniformed cleanup crews on downtown streets seven days a week to sweep and power-wash sidewalks, clear trash and remove graffiti, and assist with other beautification projects. This unique and privately-funded program is staffed by workers from Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit who are bringing pride and enthusiasm to their new jobs of keeping downtown Detroit looking its best.
If you were unable to attend the run/walk from Vivio’s you missed an entertaining slideshow of the Great Lakes Relay. I almost felt like I was there! Thanks to Mark Shehan and his crew for such an entertaining show. If any one else would like to bring pictures form their vacations, Kid’s birthday parties or even old Christmas photos fell free!
Our shoe/T-shirt collection program is still going strong. I know that a few of you have shoes to donate. Just bring the slightly used (washed) shoe/T-shirts to any Tuesday run/walk.
If you haven’t signed up for the summer picnic on August 21st, please do so. We would like to have a good idea of how much stuff to purchase for the picnic. Just drop a note to Karin Abel at abelk@karmanos.org or myself to say you’re attending. Remember the cost for attending is $7.00, which is well worth the price.

Downtown Berkley

2007-07-25T07:43:00.000-07:00

How did everyone enjoy running/walking the streets of Berkley? I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be there, but I needed to finish another chapter of the latest Harry Potter book! Did we find another gem to add to our list of places, or was it a bust?

I understand that everyone was running from memory and I apologize for not having maps on hand. That will never happen again, at least this week. If you’re interested in hoe far the route was, Chris Walters sent me this link:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1169350

I’m also sorry if any of you brought old shoes for our collection last night. Please bring them again and I will take them off your hands. The people at St. Al’s really appreciated the donation, their supply was getting really low.

I’m not sure how many stories were told about the Great Lakes Relay but congratulation to the club members that participated in this grueling event. According to Mark Shehan, their team finished 12th out of 42 teams and the team with the Jim and Jim Fitch Sr. finished 8th! Boy I miss doing the relay, NOT!!!!

For all of you that have an opening on your social calendar for Saturday evening, here’s a note from the Northville crew:

The Northville Road Runners will be hosting the annual "Roadrunner Classic" 8k race at Maybury State Park this Saturday (July 28) at 5:30 pm. The course includes dirt and paved trails. There is also a 1 mile run/walk at 5:00 pm. Besides the running there will be a live band (Benny and the Jet), pizza, beer, kids activities and awards. See flyer at:

http://www.northvilleroadrunners.org/nrr/images/NRR%20Classic%2007.pdf

Lastly, Sandy Freund and I would like to thank everyone that helped us raise over $3100 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the WAM 300-mile bike ride. As we’re enjoying scenic Michigan via a bike seat, we’ll be thinking of the generous individuals that helped us along the way.

Atwater Once Again

2007-07-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

Well for an impromptu venue, the Atwater did leave something to be desired! As some of you long-time DTRWers know, we’ve tried to give the restaurants in that area out business for quite some time. However, this time we knew what to expect in terms of service! Although there was a minimum of staff in the entire place to serve our huge group, the minimal price on drinks made up for the lengthy wait in some cases!
The route that Tom Gromak laid out was a hit to everyone. There was a stretch on Atwater that still needs improvements but once you get to the new Riverwalk you forget about it. Some of the over-achievers in the group even continued on the Riverwalk towards Belle Isle for a little more mileage.
I want to send out a DTRW ‘We’re sorry’ to Ellie. Ellie was making her first appearance with the group and things didn’t go very well for her. Ellie twisted her ankle on Atwater, even before we got to the river and wasn’t able to run as well as normal. Then upon returning to the Atwater she was part of a small fender bender.
A big welcome back to the group for some of the members that have been away for quite some time, you know who you are. Did you notice those Great Lakes Relay people off the side and wanting to be alone? We’ll hear some stories from them in a few weeks.
Okay, time for roll call:

1. Janet Howard-Hunnius
2. John Hunnius
3. Karen Duncanson
4. Georgia Brooks
5. Chris Brooks
6. Bart Cavasin
7. Eileen Farrell
8. Mary Urban
9. Sue Smith
10. Lyn Diemer
11. Kathy Brennan
12. Susanna Brennan
13. Amelia Letvin
14. Tom Artushin
15. Nate Goebel
16. Libbie Rutherford
17. Chris Rutherford
18. Jim ‘Papa’ Vigeant
19. Jim Fitch Sr.
20. Jim Fitch Jr.
21. Erin Graham
22. Ron Thielman
23. Nate Van Noord
24. Jonathan
25. Tom Gromak
26. Serena Williams
27. Tina Erlandson
28. Jim Erlandson
29. Sean Paraventi
30. Richard Shackelford
31. Cathy Dean
32. Rick Robinson
33. Nick Sousanis
34. Brian Jackson
35. Jean Andruski
36. Karin Abel
37. Renee Greisbeck
38. Dale Monteith
39. Shirley Monteith
40. Ken Davenport
41. Sandy Freund
42. Katie Singer
43. Mark Shehan
44. Lance Lange
45. Marlene Dysert
46. Dave Dysert
47. Mary Berry
48. Ralph Judd
49. Matt Sikora
50. Ellie
51. Karen from Canada

I’m sure that I missed a few people that I didn’t get their names.

Out to the Burbs

2007-06-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

Was it just me or did any of you hear the parking meters yelling ‘feed me’? I felt like I was playing a slot machine, feeding one quarter after another! Did anyone else get a parking ticket other than Nate Goebel?
It was a glorious evening for running through Royal Oak, Huntington Woods and even Oak Park if you made a wrong turn. I apologize to anyone that wasn’t able to start with the group but I was in a hurry to get back to my beer! Thanks to Julie Hamilton for the route and supplying the maps. Those multi-colored maps really help confuse me!
Once again we were inundated with new runners that seem to bring the average age of the group substantially lower. Where are all of the ‘old farts’?
The votes are still coming in for a substitute for Vivio’s on July 3rd and the front-runner as of today is Atwater Brewery. I think the attraction of the newly opened Riverwalk is steering individuals that way. Remember voting is a privilege and not a right, also only you can prevent forest fires. So if you haven’t voted, please send in your recommendation.

Here’s a note that I received from Richard Brown:

Dear Runners/Walkers,

First of all, a million thanks for the beautiful live & beautiful flowers that you sent while I was in the hospital for jaw surgery. Those flowers are still alive more than two weeks later. Special thanks to Julie Hamilton who took special effort to note what hospital I was going to.

Second, I expect to be at Z's Villa on Jun 26th to walk with the walkers.

Also, thanks for the several cards that were sent. They help me to heal faster!!

Richard

Okay if you weren’t in attendance last night, here are all of the folks that made fun of you. (some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent):

Nate Goebel
Libbie Rutherford
Amelia Letvin
Kathy Brennan
Susanna Brennan
Chris Tupper
Sam Alexis Woods
Ken Davenport
Mark Shehan
Dave Dysert
Marlene Dysert
Mark Kenney
Eric Lacy
Bob Loew
Beth Adams
Tim Emmett
Matt Sikora
Lance Lange
Stephanie Steib
Katie Singer
Karin Abel
Ralph Judd
Jean Andruski
Mary Berry
Dale Monteith
Shirley Monteith
Jim Erlandson
Tina Erlandson
Martha Hach
Julie Hamilton
Colette Mezza
Doug Howell
Colette’s Niece & Baby
Brian Jackson
Tom Gromak
Jonathon (Tom’s friend)
Sean Paraventi
Nicole Adamson
Erin Graham

Post Picnic Participants

2007-06-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

What a great spring picnic! The weather cooperated and there was a slight breeze coming off the lake keeping the bug away. It appears that everyone enjoyed the run and the conversations were flowing back and forth. The volleyball games weren’t Olympic caliber but they were competitive. The food was excellent, thanks to Chef Doug! Thanks goes out to the Boccis for doing all of the preliminary legwork and subsequent clean-up and everything else that they did. I think that the picnic was such a great success that everyone that worked on it should remain on the committee indefinitely! I’m also going to suggest that the day of the picnic become a local holiday so everyone can have the day off and spend more time at the park. Does anyone have Kwami’s home address?
I was having so much fun that I neglected to take one single picture from the picnic. So if anyone has any photos feel free to send me a few for posting on the website.
Martha Hach informed me that Richard Brown’s jaw surgery was successful and that he really appreciated the flowers from the group. I can honestly say that I am truly grateful for knowing such a good group of people.
If any of the following individuals did not have a good time at the picnic, please forward me a note and we’ll make whatever corrections are necessary:

1. Doug Howell
2. Colette Mezza
3. Martha Hach
4. Jeannie Bocci
5. Jerry Bocci
6. Becka Clifton
7. Dave Clifton
8. Libbie Rutherford
9. Justin Verlander
10. Sandy Freund
11. Ken Davenport
12. Ralph Judd
13. Jill Van Buskirk
14. Dale Monteith
15. Shirley Monteith
16. Mark Shehan
17. Katie Singer
18. Lance Lange
19. Dave Dysert
20. Marlene Dysert
21. Doug Kurtis
22. Sarah Madej
23. Matt Sikora
24. Erin Graham
25. John Scott
26. Karin Abel
27. Jean Andruski
28. Renee Greisbeck
29. Mary Berry
30. Brad Behrman
31. Jim Fitch Jr.
32. Mary Ericson
33. Jim Erlandson
34. Tina Erlandson
35. Lynn Diemer
36. Sue Smith
37. John Gialanella
38. Julie Hamilton
39. Rick Robinson
40. Cathy Dean
41. Brian Jackson
42. Gary Godula
43. Sean Paraventi
44. Jane Westley
45. Debbie Snyder
46. Betty Neil
47. Richard Shackleford
48. Larry Wojcik
49. Kathy Pare
50. Liz Rohan
51. Kathy Moss
52. Sara Figueroa
53. Tom Flanagan
54. Jeff Clarke
55. Mary Schwarz
56. Nate Van Noord
57. Nicole Adamson
58. Lodewijk van Holsbeeck
59. Beth Adams
60. Bob Loew

More Media Coverage

2007-06-11T13:55:00.001-07:00

Okay the wait is over. No, I’m not talking about the Sopranos, although it was anti-climatic to me. I wanted everyone to get whacked.
The newspaper article about our illustrious group has hit the newsstands. To correspond with the intent of the article they have a picture of the faster runners. I still think a photo of an old Black runner with a knee brace would have been better. So, if there are still copies of the newspaper available purchase yours. If you would prefer the electronic version here’s the link:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706110366

Now we’ll have most of Metropolitan Detroit coming out to run/walk with the group. Let me know what you think of the article and Colette’s picture.

Picnic Fever

2007-06-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Can you feel the excitement of the upcoming picnic? Are you having problems getting to sleep thinking about all of the fun you’re going to have? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you really have problems! Did you get your name on the VIP list?
Here’s the latest Richard Brown update:
His surgery was this past Monday and they were going to treat it as an outpatient surgery. I’m sure that Richard would appreciate all of our thoughts and prayers. If you want to drop him a note, his home address is:

Richard B. Brown 20055 Forestwood Southfield, MI 48076
They're putting a piece of bone from his pelvis into his jaw and unfortunately the pelvis part of the surgery is going to keep him away from tennis and running all summer.
Word has finally gotten out about how competitive the Tuesday evening runs are becoming. We had the pleasure of a reporter and photographer from the Detroit News this past Tuesday. The article was initially intended to showcase my running prowess but I wanted to deflect the attention to the club! So be on the look out for that.
Here’s the list of individuals trying to make the 2008 Olympics:
Eric Lacy
John Scott
Nick Sousanis
Matt Siroka
Erin Graham
Libbie Rutherford
Nate (Libbie’s friend)
Chris Rutherford
Nate Van Noord
Nicole
Nicole’s Boyfriend
Jim Erlandson
Dale Monteith
Shirley Monteith
Betty Neil
Debbie Snyder
Julie Hamilton
Martha Hach
Flip Saunders
Ken Davenport
Mark Shehan
Lance Lange
Ralph Judd
Dave Dysert
Marlene Dysert
Karin Abel
Jane Westley
Mary Berry
Jim Fitch Sr.
Jim Fitch Jr.
Colette Mezza
Jeannie Bocci
Jerry Bocci
Stephanie Steib
Brian Jackson
Gary Godula
Lynn Diemer
Gary Faria
Patty Mallon
Rudy Lauerman
Tom Gromak
Larry Wojcik

Speedy Gonzales

2007-05-30T08:49:00.001-07:00

Okay, can someone tell me when we became a running club? When did Tuesday’s become ‘speed workouts’? Why was the first mile split 7:54 for the last group of runners? When did the average age of our group start going down? Lastly, why am I considered one of the old guys?
These are just a few of the alarming questions that have come to my mind. I can remember the good old days when we would frolic through the streets of Detroit and talk. Now we’re busting butt to try and run negative splits. I’m sure that all of these are good things, so let’s keep up the good work.
Here’s another reminder that our spring picnic will take place on June 12th at Windmill Point Park.

John Scott announces his retirement from the NBA. That’s right, John Scott will become a man of leisure in the next few weeks. Now he’ll be able to run two hundred miles a week!

Where are they now? Has anyone seen or heard from David and Rebecca Clifton?

Here are the people that embraced the heat on Tuesday from Honest Johns:

Nathan Van Noord
Libbie Rutherford
Chris Rutherford
Sarah Madej
Mike Sher
Nicole
Nicole’s Boyfriend
John Scott
Dave Dysert
Mark Shehan
Burke Jenkins
Ken Davenport
Joe Urbiel
Colette Mezza
Richard Shackleford
Gary Faria
Dale Monteith
Karin Abel
Renee Greisbeck
Nick Sousanis
Mary Berry
Jane Westley
Jim Fitch Jr.
Jim Erlandson
Matt Sikora
Jean Andruski
Rick Robinson
Doug Kurtis
Curtis Granderson
Chris Brooks
Katie Singer
Brian Jackson
Lance Lange
Stephanie Steib
Rick Soltesz

Ken Davenport

50 Mile Ultra

2007-05-14T14:31:00.001-07:00

Now I know that mowing the lawn on a Saturday morning isn't exciting but I'm able to walk afterwards. Dave Dysert ran and won the inaugral 50 Mile Ultra at the DWD in Indiana on Saturday.Dave finished in 9 hours and 16 or 17 minutes (like it really matters after nine hours)! Check out the elevation changes in the second link below if you, for some reason, think that this is slow.
Second place was 30+ minutes behind him. Third and fourth were around 11 hour’s total times.
http://www.danceswithdirt.com/indiana/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
Pix, video, details, stories to follow...
Marlene, Lance and Mark supported Dave on the course. Lance ended up running ~ 12 miles with Dave (leg U10, half of leg U11, all of leg U12). Mark ended up running 20 miles with Dave (legs U3, U4, U8, U9 and half of U11). Beautiful/tough run. A lot more elevation changes (http://gnawbone.dwd2007.com/?q=node/82) than DWD Hell. Ask Dave about his toes when you see him.

Back in the Saddle

2007-05-09T06:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's been quite a while but things have really been hectic. I'll make it a point to post something, even if it's just the weather.

The Freaks Come out at Night

2006-11-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

I was floored by the turnout last night at ‘Harry’s on Clifford’. Was it the warmer weather? Was it the $2 Miller High Lifes? Was everyone trying to get their Holiday Party tickets? Whatever it was, let’s just keep it up.

Speaking of the Holiday Party, do you have your tickets yet? If not, there is still time to attend the gala of the year. ‘Entertainment Tonight’ raves at the number of A-list celebrities that usually attend the Downtown Runners/Walkers Holiday Party. I think we’ll have the red carpet out, so dress to impress. Remember anyone can attend this event, if you have a friend or relative that enjoys eating, drinking and dancing get them a ticket.

Hopefully I'll be able to post more stuff in the future.

The Other Side of the World

2006-08-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry for being so late with the weekly report of what happened on Tuesday.

It was a nice break to be running on Hine Drive and see others taking advantage of the surrounding and the gorgeous weather.

Now the crappy part! Where the hell did all of that damn traffic come from? OMD! We spent close to 30 minutes on Six Mile Road parked between traffic lights.

Fortunately a lot more people were caught in the same crap, so we didn’t get left behind for the run.

We had the pleasure of running with the Northville Roadrunners, since we were in their neighborhood. Brad Behrman set that up, way to go Brad.

I had forgotten that there were hills on Hines Drive and it showed in my performance. Why don’t I train more on hills?

There were also a few brave should that ran on the cross-country path. I think it was more like a challenge that the males of the club had to take. So not to be outdone, I embarked on the path, only to roll my ankle twenty yards into it. This is further proof that I’m a true urban-dweller.

Back at the Deadwood it was food and beer. Kudos to the wait-staff, they did a great job in keeping up with the orders and ensuring that I always had a beer.

It was a longgggg ride home but well worth it…

Don’t forget, we’re picnicking in Grosse Pointe next Tuesday…..

Speed Kills

2006-08-15T05:35:00.000-07:00

Where is all of this speed coming from and where can I purchase some? We had a few of our member take on the hills of Hell this pass weekend. I personally would have loved to be there but I needed to run more than 10 miles (lucky me).
I understand that the number of participates is up and the course is still as challenging as ever. The one thing that was in the runners favor was the temperature. I have run this race in 90º sunny days and it is not fun. Okay, I’m not sure what the strategy was for each runner but I know that you can’t run even splits on this course, so I’ll wait on the stories but here are the results:

Matt Sikora – 59:58 (1st in age group)
Katie Singer – 1:10:56 (1st in age group)
Lance Lange – 1:12:07
Mark Shehan – 1:07:50
Kathy Moss – 1:22:14
Sara Figueroa – 1:31:11
Dave Scarlin – 1:24:35
I’ll have to really look into getting those racing singlets now!!

Volleyball Tuesday

2006-08-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

I was really impressed with the athletic abilities of the DTRW group. Since we were outside enjoying the weather, a few of the DTRW decided to challenge a group of college students in a game of volleyball. It wasn’t long before sand and sweat were everywhere. I’m just glad that everyone came away from the game without any injuries. Let’s just say that the Olympic volleyball team doesn’t have to worry about us, although we did win a game.
It was nice to see our Canadian contingency once again out there running/walking in the streets of Detroit. We may have to put more Canadian places on the schedule if this keeps up.
A big welcome goes out to Charisse Stewart on coming out and joining in on the fun. Thanks to Sandy Freund for run/walking with Charisse when she got just a little tired.If you plan on attending the summer picnic you can give your $7 to Karin Abel whenever you see her. This will make for less confusion at the picnic.

Meeting of the Minds

2006-08-07T11:52:00.000-07:00

In what had to be the hottest day of the year, a few brave souls decided to run from Vivio’s. I could not for the life of me understand why they were doing it, but I could hold eight people at once and not spill my beer.
Fortunately someone was smart enough to put water on the course, but it was still too hot to be running fast.
Once inside the cool confides of Vivio’s we held our seasonal planning meeting. This meeting has been known to get out of hand and lack in structure. The one issue that we’ve been having is trying to get new places on our list. No one is taking it upon himself or herself to go out and find really good places for us to meet at on Tuesdays. So we are continually going back to the same place, which is becoming a problem also.
The one places that really got my attention for us to run/walk from was Sala Thai. Now this will be a lot different than the normal bar/restaurants that we go from, but it’s worth a try.

Rouge Surprise

2006-07-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

Well, was it just me or was anyone else pleasantly surprised at the Rouge Park Lounge?

I like that they changed the name from ‘bar’ to ‘lounge’, it gives it a little more class. The beer selection and prices are still enough to get the locals to come in and smoke a pack of cigarettes. We actually took up most of the chairs, so it was our lounge for the night.

Ralph did a great job on the course and that would be enough to make a return visit to the Rouge.

I didn’t want to push my luck, so I declined anything from the kitchen. We’re still waiting to hear if anyone that ate contracted anything. Just kidding.

It was a good time and most of the west-siders showed up.

Ann Arbor Art Fair and Pool Party Hash

2006-07-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Subject: aaaf and pp hash

Event: Ann Arbor art fair and pool party hash

Hares: FN Liar and KY King

Date: Saturday, July 22, 2006
Time: 11:00 start, noon beer check, 2:00 pool party.

Location: 124 W Summit street, Ann Arbor, Mi. 48103
chris@micomputersupply.com 734-945-3186 or for details

Details: It's a wanker's hash. Slow motion 1/2 mile to the Art Fair, leaving at 11:00 AM. Go earlier to check out the art or travel with the hash at 11 or so. Beer check from noon to one at The Arena on Washington St in the center of the action. Pool party to follow, sometime around 2:00. Go there directly if an art crowd annoys you or you choose to be a legitimate art shopper or god forbid, you want to go for a real run. Dress: remember---we are the art.

Bring: A dish to pass or a bag of chips if your cooking is a danger or unhealthy for others bring a folding chair and binky if you like.

2006-07-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

Oh Canada, we really enjoy your beer! It was great going across the river and running along the river path in Windsor. I can actually say that the traffic both ways was almost non-existent. It was interesting that we made our trip to Rock Bottom at the same time last year, right after the Great Lakes Relay. Our team of runners finished fifteenth, out of thirty-seven teams in the mixed division. The stories are always interesting to hear, even if they are embellished a little! We were also graced with the presence of a few Canadian runners/walkers. I think they’re neighbors of Lynn. Rumor has it, that some individuals will push to have Rock Bottom on the schedule twice a year. We’ll have to see how that flies at the planning meeting. Speaking of which, don’t forget August 1st at Vivio’s in the Eastern Market after our run/walk. Not to say it was really super hot last night but Dave Dysert was manning a water station, so thanks for that Dave. Also a big thanks to our waitperson at Rock Bottom, she did an awesome job ensuring that our needs were met.

Underwear Gnomes

2006-07-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

Okay it’s been a while since we sent out an email about Downtown Runner/Walkers activities, that’s because we didn’t have any!
Let’s wish the ‘Underwear Gnomes’ success as they represent the DTRW at the great Lakes Relay this upcoming weekend. It should be really hot this weekend, so let’s hope that they take a lot of liquid refreshments with them.
I just received this note from Brad Behrman: Had a bad bicycle accident on Hines Drive on Sunday. The guy I was drafting behind on my Wolverine ride suddenly went down and I had nowhere to go, so I flipped the bike and broke 7 ribs and a collarbone, and also partially collapsed a lung and wrecked the bike. Let’s hope Brad gets well soon.
If you haven’t been out to a Tuesday run/walk in quite a while, well the runs are becoming mini-races. Where are the days of having a nice group run and a few adult beverages afterwards?
It’s that time of year when we need all of you to come out and participate in the Fall/Winter Scheduling Meeting. That’s right, if you have a local place that your really like and would like to see us run/walk from, come on down. If there’s a place (Mitch’s) you want removed from the schedule, come on down! I’ll send out more information, as it gets closer.
On July 25th, we’ll be at the Rouge Park Bar, located at the corner of W. Warren Ave. and Outer Drive in Dearborn Heights. We’ll have two routes for running/walking. If you enjoy a rustic neighborhood bar, this is the place for you. I understand they‘ll have a designated smoke-free chair available for us. Reply back to let me know if you received this email.

Thank You Note from Doug

2006-06-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

DTR&W's:

Just wanted to say we had a great time last night. What a great group we have.
We especially wanted to thank Shack, Tim Pare and Laurie very much for their great help and to all the folks that helped us clean up.
Hope to have even more people for the August fete!

Doug Howell
Colette Mezza
Dennis Handley

Thank You Note from Jeanne

2006-05-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

Thank You Note from Jeanne
I want to thank you for helping out and volunteering for the 5th Annual Celiac Run/ Walk (“ Making tracks for Celiacs") at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House on Sunday. I personally could not offer to help with this event without your generous offer to give up a Sunday am to volunteer. Julie from Celiac is very pleased with the Downtown Runners/ Walking Group and our " Race Management" abilities... She has asked us to come back next year.........
Thank you so very much for your help
Jeanne Bocci

Marathon Man

2006-05-22T10:26:00.000-07:00

I’m really not sure how to report this result, is he crazy or just showing off. Dave Dysert competed in his third marathon in the last two months. He finished 20th overall in the Rite-Aid Cleveland Marathon with a time of 2:49:04. Our club hasn’t seen someone embark on consecutive marathons like this since Larry Wojcik did it a few years back. Not to be outdone by her husband, Marlene completed the half-marathon is 1:50:14. This just goes to show you what good coaching can do to improve your race times. Send all coaching question to me at downtownrunners@hotmail.com.
Remember, we’ll be socializing with artsy type folks tomorrow, so everyone wear shoes at all times.

Coach's Corner and Great Weather

2006-05-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

Well it was a perfect day for an evening run through downtown Detroit. We actually had an opportunity to partake in food and beverage on the outside patio of Coach’s Corner. Even with the interruption of individuals inquiring about spare change, it was a good evening for the group. I am still amazed by Dave Dysert and his current streak of marathon performances, which I’ll post results for later.
We also had a visitor from New Jersey that was impressed with our little group. She was able to walk the mean streets of Detroit with Mary Berry as her bodyguard, way to go Mary!
For the very first time (and maybe the last time), we’ll be having our Tuesday evening run/walk from someone’s home. That’s right, Rick Robinson will open his door and fridge to the Downtown Runners/Walkers on May 23rd. This will be a mixture of interesting people from musicians, cyclist and of course, runners. Rick says to bring a dish or drink, ONLY if you feel like it. More details to come.
Since we’re on a similar level as the Hanson’s elite running team, we sent teams to a couple of out state events. Now this is why we need to have summer T-shirts, so everyone knows who we are as we collect our trophies! Anyway, here are results from the Indy Mini-Marathon and the Flying Pig Marathon & Half-Marathon:

Indy Mini-Marathon

Jim Erlandson – 2:20:31
Doug Kurtis – 1:21:06
Ann Kurtis – 1:48:11
Janet Hunnius – 2:03:31
John Hunnius – 1:41:28
Jim Vigeant – 1:54:28

Flying Pig Marathon
Dave Dysert - 2:54:28 (34th Overall)

Flying Pig Half-Marathon
Marlene Dysert - 1:51:53
Lance Lange - 1:39:14 (2nd in Clydesdales Division)

Finally, here the individuals that enjoyed a great evening at Coach’s Corner:

Mariya Shchesyuk (Rode her bike)
Carole Adams
Kathi Kucharski
Sherri Van Engelen
Sandy Freund
Ken Davenport
Jeannie Bocci
Jerry Bocci
Gary Faria
Ralph Judd
Doug Kurtis
Dale Monteith
Sue Smith
Jim Erlandson
Bill Snyder
Stephanie Steib
Matt Sikora
Nick Sousanis
Dave Dysert
Marlene Dysert
Mark Shehan
Katie Singer
Lance Lange
Colette Mezza
Doug Howell
Rick Robinson
Julie Hamilton
Mary Berry
Wendy from New Jersey
Dennis Handley

A Rainy Tuesday at Vivio's

2006-05-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

In what turned out to be a slightly cold and damp evening the turnout wasn’t as large as previous weeks. The group ran to Elmwood cemetery, with individual loops around and returned to the warmth of Vivio’s. It was also a night game for the Tigers, so the customer base downstairs was a majority of smokers.
I understand we have a presence at the 5K race on Belle Isle this past Saturday. Rumor has it, that Stephanie Steib placed second overall and first place woman. Way to go Stephanie….
Just as an FYI, several of our group will be traveling to different venues this weekend for races. The two destinations that I’m aware of are Cincinnati’s Flying Pig and the Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis. Good luck guys at those events.
Okay here’s roll call from the night:

Ken Davenport
Sandy Freund
John Scott
Bill Snyder
Jim Erlandson
Chris Brooks
Ron Thielman
Karin Abel
Renee Greisbeck
Jane Westley
Mark Shehan
Lance Lange
Katie Singer
Marlene Dysert
Dave Dysert
Nick Sousanis
Matt Sikora
Rudy
Dale Monteith
Shirley Monteith
Martha Hach
Julie Hamilton
Ralph Judd
Debbie Snyder
Jeanne Bocci
Rick Fecowicz
Mariya Shchesyuk

Cinco no de Mayo

2006-04-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

Due to prior commitments and not being fond of Mexican food, I decided to just visit the troops before they embarked on their evening run. I was pleasantly surprised to see everyone decked out in his or her summer running attire. Since no one brought maps for the route, we made it a simple out and back course to ensure that everyone returned without getting lost. I haven’t heard anything bad a bout the evening, so I’m going to assume everything was wonderful. :-0

Boston Marathon Results

2006-04-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here are the unofficial, (like it really matter) results from the 110th Boston Marathon for DTRW participants:

Dave Dysert – 3:01:47
Katie Singer – 3:11:39
Mark Shehan – 3:18:50
Kathy Moss – 4:32:48
Sara Figueroa –4:32:49
Bob Melkvik – 3:54:20

Congratulations to all of them for a job well done.
Ken Davenport

Boston Bound Runners

2006-04-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

Good luck to the following Downtown Runners/Walkers that will be partaking in the Boston Marathon:

Dave Dysert - 2889
Dr. Jim Puklin – 20708
Katie Singer – 6702
Mark Shehan – 3499
Bob Melkvik – 8381
Kathy Moss – 14508
Sara Figueroa – 17114

We’ll be watching your progress throughout the race.

Tuesday at the Detroti Beer Co.

2006-04-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

We had an opportunity to celebrate the birthday of Richard Brown, who turned 78 years young and is still showing up every Tuesday. It is truly an honor to know you Mr. Brown. Once again it was mentioned that our group is getting faster and even a little younger! I’m not sure how to take that young comment, but oh well. We had over 45 people partake in the after-glow of a great run. It was nice to sweat in a short-sleeved shirt and to replenish depleted fluids with the golden nectars. Dennis Handley and Jeanne Bocci are asking for volunteers to assist with the Celiac Group of Michigan’s annual Run/Walk event. The event is Sunday, May 21, 2006 at the Eleanor & Edsel Ford Estate in Grosse Pointe Shores. Volunteers would need to arrive at 8:00 AM.

Downtown R&W Hashing

2006-04-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

The Downtown R&W were well represented at last weekend's 3rd annual Running with Sex Toys Hash.

Hares Speed Semen and Willing Filling were impressed that the club could run so well with blow up paraphernalia and assorted items. DRW knows how to have fun and not take themselves so seriously.

Selling well-loved 2003 Jeep Liberty

2006-04-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

My company has made me an offer I can't refuse through the Company Car Program, and I am selling my awesome 2003 Jeep Liberty.

it has 61,000 miles,
has had regular check ups,
in excellent health,
has 4WD (excellent in snow),
has electronic movement driver's seat,
electric windows, sunroof, rear-window wiper, CD player,
is "relay" reliable,
and can even dance as good as it looks....... (okay - it lost a battle with Doug's fender, but the tiny scar gives it character).

Edmund's places it around $12-13,000 for private sale. I am willing to sell it for $11,000. It's such a great car, that I'm getting another one through my Company Program (you don't want to know - it's too good to be true). I probably will not be able to part with my Jeep for about 4-6 weeks. If interested, please email me or call me.

--colettemezza@comcast.net 586 776-8793

Tuesday In Plymouth

2006-01-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

We traveled to the west side for our annual pilgrimage to the Ice festival in Plymouth, Michigan. This is truly a way of getting away from the eastsiders. As fate would have it, the ice festival succombs to Mother nature and it rains all day.