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2009 Penn Relays - Photo Story

I have to say that the weekend has been a series of ups and downs. First, thanks to everyone who made this year so much more pleasurable than last year’s frantic submissions. As a whole people got the apps in early and kept me aware of their situation. We made the standards harder, thus keeping the field more manageable and it looked like we would have an ideal 20ish woman field. Unfortunately, many women scratched (thanks thou, just about everyone let me know in the advance). With the field dwindled, one would think we would do our job properly. Sadly, the official lap counter didn’t listen to our skilled race walking volunteers and three junior boys were told to finish a lap too soon. While it’s our fault, athlete should learn to know their count and if they think the officials are wrong, do not stop.

Worst case is that the athlete walks an extra lap. To make matters worse, this race is ideally a qualifier for the junior nationals and when you do not finish it doesn’t count. I feel horrible about the situation and am posting is so that others may learn that sometimes this happens. I think in the 18 years I have been in charge, we messed only one other walker’s lap count. Of course, one is too many. So Dan Serianni, Josh Haertel, and John Randall, except my sincere apologies. You all walked a courageous race and deserved to have a finishing time.

That said, on to the festivities. As always we hosted quite a group of athletes the night before the race. Here's a peak into what it's like the day before.

It's rare that there isn't a project in process at Camp Salvage during the relays. This years project was splitting the massive amount of wood we've piled up since putting our solar array on the house. Tom, Bob, and company wouldn't here of just relaxing. Instead they split the hardest logs the old fashioned way, while South Texas Race Walking Coach/Promoter extroadinaire manned the electric wood splitter.

What comes from Maine other than great race walkers? Why tasty bright red lobsters that were generously lugged down from Maine. There really is no substitue for a Maine Lobster. The long drive didn't seem to do them any harm as they were quite lively upon reaching Medford, NJ. We boiled them up, thus having proper pre-race nutrition. That is at least if you aren't racing. Thanks Lauren!

The gang feasting on Tom's wonderful pasta dinner.

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