Running in Shanghai

Finish Strong athlete, Jerry Palmer, describes the difficulty of training in Shanghai.

He reports, "All I really do is run and try not to get hit by something. See pics so you get a feel for what my long runs are like. This is literally what the entire long run is like every week. Very tough to time anything because of all the obstacles."

FSC Team - Winner of 2014 USAT SMW Regional Award!

Congratulations to Finish Strong Coaching Team for ranking number 1 in our division for USAT SMW Region in 2014!  Since the team's inception, we have received recognition by placing either 1st, 2nd or 3rd in our division.  Let's go for back-to-back-to-back win for 2015!  

Still time to sign up for Frost Yer Fanny - USAT SMW Regional Championship Race for 2015!

Team – it is not too late to sign up for  this year’s regional duathlon championship, FROST YER FANNY, to be held in Shreveport, La. on February 1, 2015.  Also our annual SMW Regional awards banquet for the 2014 rankings year will be held on Saturday night, January 31, 2015, before the event at the Shreveport Convention Center. (Details are at the below websites).

Event info: http://www.frostyerfanny.org

Race info: https://frostyerfanny2015.eventbrite.com

Houston Marathon/Half Marathon

Wow!  Sixty-eight Finish Strong Coaching athletes participated at the Houston Marathon/Half Marathon held on Sunday, January 18th.  30 runners competed in the half marathon and 38 in the full marathon.  Six of our marathon runners qualified for Boston Marathon - Kevin Baker, Gabriel Belforti, Casey Clark, Amanda Cruise, Bill Glaser, and Kristen Gohlke.  There were many personal bests and first time accomplishments, too.  Among men racing from The Woodlands, FSC claimed 3 of the top 5 spots and 4 of the top 10 spots. Well done!

Full marathon
Adnan Afzal   4:25:44
Alberto Agostini  3:46:50 - PR by over 8 minutes!
Ricardo Alvarado  5:17:13
Kevin Baker       3:09:11- BQ
Gabriel Belforti  3:13:57 - PR by 2 minutes and BQ!
Karla Brooks      5:23:36 -- 1st marathon!
Rex Campbell     4;41:51
Jesus Carias        3:35:29 - PR by 3 minutes!
Ileana Carroll      4:48:06
Sheng Chou         4:17:59
Casey Clark         3:07:30 - BQ
Kenny Copeland  3:47:44 - PR by over 8 minutes!
Troy Cromier       3:49:58
Amanda Cruise    3:29:58 - 1st marathon and BQ!
Christina Farooq  3:48:53 - PR!
Aisha Fitzgerald   5:27:50
Eduardo Garzon    3:44:37
Bill Glaser            3:10:34 - BQ
Kristen Gohlke     3:30:50 - BQ
Andreas Grossman 3:48;27- PR!
Jeanette Hagelskaer 4:16:11
Jim Harrington      3;31:33
Mark Hawley         4:53:37
Michelle Howard   4:00:15 (just 15 seconds short of BQ)
Rusty Jones           3:57:13
Jessica Knupp       4:02:47 - 1st marathon!
Mike Loudis          3:45:30
Debbie Martin       4:48:57
Roger Mercier       5:12:36
Sharon Morin        5:23:36
Chris Normyle       4:25:11
Ken Page               4:00:10
Pamela Paling        5:05:11
Cesar Patino           4:32:45           - PR!
Katerina Savelieva  4:17:46 - 1st marathon!
Gloria Shrewsbury   4:20:00 - PR by 6 minutes!
Sara Vanderford       5:28:26
James Vultaggio       4:12:58 - PR!

Half Marathon
Mo Abdalla             1:46:33 - PR!
Rebecca Aiken        1:44:00  - PR by 4 minutes!
Juan Arrieta             2:16:28 - PR
Bob Bailey              2:28:53
Amber Brock          2:30:01
Xochitl Carias         2:46:31
Judith Clark            1:54:57
Nancy Decker         1:44:54
Gaby Coates           1:54:02 - PR over 11 minutes!
Kathleen Crea         2:28:53
Phillip DePrang       1:54:57
Raz Dumitru            1:37:58 - PR!
Pia Grossman          2:45:34 - PR!
Frank Halter            2:00:10 - PR by over 4 minutes!
Gordon Irving          1:52:59
Mary Kerschbaum   2:14:23
Victor Martinez       1:41:20 - PR!
Ron McCauley         1:36:40
Zach Miller              1:21:15
Skip Moschell          1;32:17
Ryan Myers              2:00:00 - PR by 16 minutes!
Liah Olson                2:07:56
Ted Orberg               1:52:47 - PR!
Rip Reynolds           1:28:57
Taylor Riall              1:44:07
Rebecca Schanny     2:03:23
Amber Swan             1:52:59
Derya Tolukan         1:55:12
Heather Weiss         2:25:54
Geoff Zubay            1:30:55

For more on results, go to:
http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Races/Results.cfm

Bandera 50K

Congratulations to Finish Strong athletes - Julio Morales and Minnie Huynh- who competed in teh 50K.  Julio reports, "Minnie hiked, power hiked and pushed through 28 degree weather, sleet, freezing rain, ice covered rocks, and thick mud to finish the Bandera 50K in 10 hours 15 minutes.  All with a smile on her face."  Julio also did the 50K.  He said, "Race conditions were harsh. I went prepared for the cold but not for all the mud abd ice covered rocks. The hi-light was with all the sleet and rain I had 3 icicles form on the brim of my hat."

Minnie finishes the crazy, difficult Bandera 50K with a smile on her face!

CB&I Tri - 85% Full. Sign up soon!

CB&I sprint tri held on May 2nd at 7am in The Woodlands is already 85% full.  Sign up today to secure your spot to our hometown's premier sprint triathlon!

Here's the link to sign up:  http://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/index.aspx?NID=439

Coach Jack Alexander - USAT SMW Hall of Famer

Finish Strong Coach Jack Alexander was recently selected to become a member of the USAT SMW Hall of Fame.  He will be honored at the Annual Frost Yer Fanny Festival Annual Awards Dinner on January 31 in Shreveport, LA.  Congrats, Jack!  Jack was also ranked 4th in the world in his AG.