Second Quarter, 2008

We'd like to thank the participants and their supporters from the Lost Dutchman events. As you can tell from the photos, we had a great time in the desert. It was a lot different from the urban marathons.

During the Lost Dutchman event, many members met Frederick Davis III, the 60-year old ultra-marathoner from Cleveland, Ohio. He had completed over 200 ultras and 150 marathons. An ultra-marathon is a race that's longer than a 26.2-mile marathon.

While preparing this newsletter, he sent an email about the Self-Transcendence Ten-Day Race. It was held in Flushing Meadows, NY from April 23 to May 3. He participated in this last year. This year he covered 504 miles in the race!!! Congratulations are definitely in order.

Since our gathering, we've had several informal NBMA gatherings. I'm always amazed and excited about our member's athletic and non-athletic accomplishments. During a marathon tour, a person observed that being around a group of runners was like being at a revival or multi-level sales meeting.

However, the people aren't motivated by a speaker or minister. They're highly self-motivated and motivate people around them. This attitude is contagious. If you said that you wanted to run 500 miles in a ten-day race, compete in an Ironman triathlon, qualify for the Boston Marathon, or run marathons around the world, people will offer you support and/or advice on reaching your goal. Nobody would discourage you. We feature some of our members who have achieved these goals.

Rudy Snith, 65 years old, finished running marathons on every continent! He's one of fewer than 250 people in the world to reach this goal. His final marathon was the Mt Kilimanjaro Marathon. Believe it or not, we met at the Great Wall of China Marathon in 2006. It’s a small world.

Some of our younger members are also making great strides. Quincy Downing is an up and coming high school freshman and middle distance runner. He’s

Last summer, he was second in 800-meter as an eighth grader at the USATF Youth Nationals in Lisle, IL. He was second in 1500-meter at the AAU Junior Olympics at the University of Tennessee.

At the ING Georgia Marathon, about eight of us had a pre-race lunch. Much to my surprise, most of the discussions focused on triathlons. Triathlons are multi-sport events that usually involve swimming, bicycling, and running. Many runners use triathlons to cross train during the hot summers.

Evidently, some of our members are into serious "cross training." They've completed several Ironman events and sprint triathlons. An Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.1-mile open water swim, 112-mile bicycle ride, and a 26.2-mile marathon. Two of our members, who are at various levels of this sport, are featured in this edition.

Maurice Wills is a CPA and triathlon coach in the Chicago area. Toni Fields is an attorney, skier, and a snowboard racer. She's the co-founder of the SOULBOARDERS organization. They also completed the Boston Marathon last month. While at Boston, they ran into another member, Harry Buntin.

(L-R) Maurice Wills, Toni Fields, and Harry

A week after the ING GA Marathon, we returned our focus back to our 2008 Gathering at the Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth. We taped a special segment for a Fox television program, Insights. We wanted to promote our goal having 500 participants at next year's events on Saturday, February 28.

I participated in this year's marathon to check out the new course, observe their operations, and talk with the race director. However, during the marathon, my cell phone kept ringing. It was a television reporter. Around the seventh mile, we conducted the interview.

A few weeks later, we met members in Denver and at the Go! St. Louis Marathon. While in St. Louis, we talked with inner city students from the Wyman Foundation.

In April, we had a great dinner with Team Mocha in Jacksonville, FL. This group was originally founded by members of the Society of Black Engineers. Several of their members organized a 5K race at their national convention.

Team Mocha

And speaking of professional organizations, we were also featured in the Spring, 2008 edition of the National Black MBA magazine.

Member Profile: Maurice Wills

Hometown (City/St): Silver Spring, MD

Current Residence (City/St): Chicago, IL

Marital Status: Single

Running Club Name: Mo Better Runnin'

Profession: Triathlon coach/CPA

Running Background: I started running cross country and track in the seventh grade. I continued through college and competed at the NCAA Division I level at North Carolina A&T State University. College burnout and corporate America cause a five to ten year running vacation. Then my mamma called me fat and the next week I was back.

Number of Years: Almost 30

Number of Races: I stopped counting

Number of Marathons: 14 (including 4 Ironman)

Number of Non-USA Races: 4 triathlons

Triathlon Background: I did my first triathlon (sprint distance) in 2000. My friend/ex-boss thought I was training for an Ironman. After explaining the difference between an Ironman and my race (i.e. 140.6 miles vs. 15.6 miles) she determined that I was doing a "Tissue Paper-thon", so I had to work up to an Ironman.

Number of Years in Triathlons: 8

Number of Triathlons: 20+

Number of Ironman Triathlon: 4

Number of Non-USA Triathlon: 4 (Brazil, South Africa, Trinidad, St Croix)

Other Highlights: Outside of triathlons, I'm an avid snowboarder, mountain biker and skier. I'm an outdoorsman and enjoys hiking, camping and white water rafting. In addition, I coach youth athletics for triathlons in Chicago (www.tri-masters.org) and around the country.

Favorite Race Site: Man, that is a hard call... my first Ironman (Ironman Wisconsin) or the race I host in Chicago, the South Shore Tri (the perfect distance for a first timer and you get grilled corn on the cob at the finish line, not to mention it is probable the most colorful tri in the US).

Favorite Local Spot to Run: Chicago Lake Front, south of Museum Campus

Personal Reason for Running/Triathloning: My mamma called me fat.

List of Completed Running/Fitness Goals: Qualify and run Boston, complete an Ironman.

List of Current Running/Fitness Goals: 1) Train and race a marathon, i.e. race a 2:50 to 2:45 (anyone game? I have to beat Lance Armstrong's PR); 2) Qualify for and race Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

Why Do You Run? To assure I never hear my mamma call me fat again, and its fun too.

Why Triathlons? Because triathlons are more fun, the change in sports keeps it new, and it give me a reason to travel.

Describe Your Most Memorable Running or Racing Experiences: Toni's facial expression at mile 18 of her first marathon, running Disney with a friend Rita and my third leg in my last couple of relay races are all up there. However, I think the most memorable experience of recent was a 22 mile run I did several years ago in Chicago on the Lake Front on a Chicago winter morning. I had a morning meeting so I had to start my run at 4:30 am.

Just as I began to run it started to snow with big fluffy flakes. It was pitch black, probably in the 20's, and the street lamps lit the path as I ran north to the end of the path at Hollywood Ave. Eleven miles in Chicago on the most crowed path I know and I saw not a single person. It was cool breezing through the snowflakes, lit by the streetlights and watching them cover the path with a thin white blanket.

I had the path to myself. Imagine that in a city of millions. As I turned and made my way back, the only sign of life was a set of footprints heading north, my footprints. About halfway back I finally saw another set of footprints, but 2 hours and still no people sightings. The surrealism and a little tailwind of the morning allowed go into the zone, picking up the pace on the way back. It didn't even fell like I was running, man I love the zone. About 19 miles in the snow stop and the sky cleared just in time to see the sun rising on Lake Michigan. Prefect...

If You Could Travel to Anywhere in the World to Run a Race, Where Would It Be and Why: Man, there are too many to name. I'm thinking Ironman Lazrote (Canary Island), It would complete my quest to trace the middle passage with Ironman Races. (St Croix Half Ironman, Brazil Ironman, and South Africa Ironman are done). Lazrote also has a reputation as the hardest Ironman out there. 

Member Profile: Anthanette (Toni) Fields

Hometown: Stockton, California

Current Residence: Los Angeles , California

Marital Status: Single

Profession: Entertainment/Corporate Lawyer (www.amf-management.com)

Running Background: I ran NCAA Division I Track and Cross-Country at Fordham University in New York City (Atlantic 10 league). After college I also an on an semi-pro race circuit in Miami, Florida.

Number of Years: I've been racing in organized competitions since I was 5 years old.

Number of Races: Too many to count

Number of Marathons: 3 (San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon, ING Georgia Marathon, and Boston Marathon)

Triathlon Background: I have competed in sprint triathlons, but I am building to a half Ironman

Number of Years: 3 years

Number of Triathlons: 3

Number of Ironman Triathlon: None...yet. I am considering competing in the Ironman 70.3 in Brazil in September 2008

Other Highlights: I am also a snowboard racer. I recently received a silver medal at the NASTAR National Championships in Steamboat, Colorado. I am a member of the National Brotherhood of Skiers (www.nbs.org), the Vice President of the Peoria Pathfinders Ski Club in Illinois (www.peoriapathfinders.org), and I am the co-founder of the SOULBOARDERS, a national Black snowboarding network (www.soulboarding.com). Feel free to check out my Myspace page at: www.myspace.com/tonifields

Favorite Race Site: Anywhere in Southern California

Favorite Local Spot to Run: Venice Beach, California

Personal Reason(s) for Running/ Triathloning: It is where I find my internal peace...by balance. Running in the only time I can clearly hear my spirit speak to me without all the distractions of the world.

List of Completed Running/Fitness Goals: Racing the Boston Marathon

List of Current Running/Fitness Goals: Competing in an IRONMAN by the end of 2009

Why Do You Run? Running is a family tradition for me. My dad and grandfather were both professional runners. They were inducted in my hometown's Black Hall of Fame. I started competing in organized track races at the age of 5 years old. Growing up, track and cross country meets were family reunions for me and my siblings. We would see all our cousins and family members at the races as I had a very athletic family. Racing in college and professionally was a natural evolution of my childhood love affair with running.

Why Triathlons? I was board. I've been racing for a very long time and my times were getting stagnant. I needed to inject a new challenge in my training and racing experiences. Triathlons were a natural transition before/after marathon season. As I started meeting other Black triathletes on the circuit that solidified my interest in the sport. I am a member of TRI UNIFY (www.triunify.com), a national Black triathlon organization out of DC.

Describe Your Most Memorable Running or Racing Experiences: I have an amazing marathon and triathlon coach named Maurice Wills from Chicago. We first met on the slopes as Maurice is also an excellent snowboarder. He was snowboarding while wearing an IRONMAN shirt, so we started talking about his marathon and triathlon experience. He encouraged me to run a marathon, but I laughed off the suggestion. I was a track runner...not a marathoner.

A few weeks later my snowboarder friends invited me to run a marathon with them, so I caved to the peer pressure. I quickly called Maurice and told him I only had 7 weeks to train for the race! Maurice thought I was insane, so he put me on an equally insane running schedule. He even flew half way across the country to race with me in my first marathon. My goal was to just to finish the race....his goal was to qualify me for Boston. Sure enough I finished the race and I qualified for Boston! Now that was quite a feat and I owe it all to my amazing coach!

If You Could Travel to Anywhere in the World to Run a Race, Where Would It Be and Why: El Salvador. My maternal grandparents were immigrants to the US from El Salvador and Mexico. As a second generation American, I oftentimes take for granted the sacrifices my immigrant grandparents made so I could be a citizen of this great nation. Personally, it would it would mean a lot to run in El Salvador where my grandmother grew up. She left her country for a better life in the States. I would love to reconnect with her love for her country through my own passion for running.

Did you enjoy the informal meeting in Atlanta? Yes! I really enjoyed meeting other runners who understood the Black marathon experience as there are not many of us. I have a number of Black friends who run road races, but would never dream of running a marathon. My ability to draw support and encouragement from these friends is limited based on their perception of the marathon experience. Connecting with other Black runners who's lives revolved around mileage and misconceptions was refreshing and inspirational. I was comforted to know I was not alone in my passion for marathon running amongst other Black runners.

Member Profile: Rudy Snith

Hometown: Gretna, Louisiana

Current Residence: Gretna, Louisiana

Age: 65

Occupation: Postmaster - Westwego, LA.

Years running: 28

Year you ran your first marathon: 1988

Number of marathons completed: 43

What were your international marathons?

How did you select the marathons? Combined a tour of the major attractions with the event.

Why did you decide to run on all seven continents? The idea came about while talking to a running buddy (George Anderson). I found the seven continents more exciting than fifty States.

What was your favorite marathon? The Great Wall

What was your most challenging marathon? The Great Wall

What was your most unusual experience during your travels? Safari and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania

If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently? While there are several other international marathons I intent on running, I probably would not change anything.

What advice would you offer to anyone attempting this goal? Combine a package tour with the marathon.