Author Archives: Scott Orlando

3/19/2023 Chrstine Churpek, Mike Williams, Scott Orlando, Brad Hain, Lisa Keane, Nancy Wardell The Shamrock 15K & 5K Peninsula, Ohio

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3/19/2023

The Shamrock 15K and 5K

Peninsula, Ohio

15K

Christine Churpek

Finish Time:  1:23:21

Overall Place:  52nd Place / 91

Division Place:  2nd Place / 6

Mike Williams

Finish Time:  1:25:51

Overall Place:  58th Place / 91

Division Place:  7th Place / 9

5K

Scott Orlando

Finish Time:  22:25

Overall Place:  14th Place / 131

Division Place:  1st Place / 5

Brad Hain

Finish Time:  25:18

Overall Place:  24th Place

Division Place:  1st Place / 1

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  25:26

Overall Place:  26th Place / 131

Division Place:  1st Place / 7

Nancy Wardell

Finish Time:  31:01

Overall Place:  67th Place / 131

Division Place:  3rd Place / 6

Race Recap By Nancy Wardell:

Great race today at the Shamrock 5K in Peninsula, OH with so many Team-ER teammates!  I finished the race at 31:01 which I’ll take on this very chilly Sunday!  I placed 3rd in my age group and received my beautiful bobble-head trophy!  Another race in the books!

Race Review By Scott Orlando:

It was another chilly and windy winter race in Northeast Ohio.   Temperatures in the low 20’s with strong wind gusts had the wind chill in the teens.  I arrived to the race 2 hours early ready to help with registration.  I wasn’t liking the thought of standing it the cold for 2 hours helping before running the 5K.  I came prepared with layer after layer of clothes on to stay warm.  When I arrived I was ecstatic to discover that all pre and post race activities would be held inside the school gym!  I quickly shed multiple layers of clothes and proceeded to help with registration.  I left the registration desks about 25 minutes before the start of the race to begin my race preps.  After some warm up running it was off to the start line.

The gun sounded and we were off.  The course is mostly flat with no real significant hills just a few areas of slight incline.  The race field quickly spread out over the course.  My first mile was a little slower than I typically like for a 5K but within my pace range.  I soon found myself slowing down a little fighting the gusting winds.  By the second mile the race field was really spreading out.  I picked up my pace a little in the 3rd mile but with no runners in site ahead or behind me I didn’t find much motivation to do more than to settle into my current pace.   I managed a slight kick for the last quarter mile to the finish and crossed the line in 22:25.

My finish time was a little slower than I would have liked but under the cold windy conditions I was content with the time.  Coming into the race I had 2 goals.  I wanted to finish in the top 25 to receive a finisher medal, and place in my age division to earn a world famous bobble head trophy.  I am happy to report that I achieved both goals by finishing 14th overall and 1st in my age division.

It was great to see so many Team ER members at the race with 5 out of 6 of us taking home bobble head age group trophies.

Summit Athletic Runners Club, Ritchie’s Sporting Goods, and North Coast Multisports once again produced a fantastic event.  There where lots of great snacks after the race and it was so nice to have the indoor facilities for the post race celebrations and awards.   All 15K runners received crewneck sweatshirts and all 5K runners received long sleeve t-shirts.  The first 25 finishers in each race received finisher medals.  My preference would be that all runners received finisher medals.   Helping with registration I was told that almost 400 runners were registered, but it appeared that there were quite a few people that no showed.  Maybe the wind and cold temps kept them away.  It was a great race and I look forward to running it again next year.

 

3/19/2023 Kristi Gunyula Yuengling Shamrock Half Marathon Virginia Beach, VA

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3/19/2023

Yuengling Shamrock Half Marathon

Kristi Gunyula

Finish Time:  1:36:18 (New PR)

Overall Place:  312th Place / 5214

Division Place:  9th Place / 453

Race Recap By Kristi Gunyula:

The Shamrock Marathon Weekend did not disappoint! I have always loved traveling with friends to out-of-town races, but this one will forever have a special place in my heart.  I have always wanted to run the NYC Marathon and have entered my name in the lottery multiple times, but have never been selected. Well, my wait may be over, because this weekend I ran fast enough to earn myself a spot at the starting line!  Thankful for all of my training buddies back home, my coach, everyone who sent me inspiring vibes and well wishes this weekend and for all the amazing women who were there to encourage me on race morning! I couldn’t have done it without you!

3/4/2023 Mike Williams and Lisa Keane Road Apple Roubaix Garrettsville, OH

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3/4/2023

Road Apple Roubaix

Garrettsville, OH

47 Mile Bike Ride

Mike Williams

Finish Time:  3:28:24

Overall Place:  11th Place / 227

25 Mile Bike Ride

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  3:07:30

Overall Place:  141st Place / 202

Ride Review By Lisa Keane:

The 2023 Road Apple Roubaix super organized with a well marked course and well placed aid stations! This is NOT a race but lots of competition and a challenging course for anyone looking to get in some Spring training. Great after party and THE SWAG was fire!!!

3/4/2023 Brittany Kiehl Garage Sale 5K Cleveland, OH

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3/4/2023

Garage Sale 5K

Cleveland, OH

Brittany Kiehl

Finish Time:  47:08

Overall Place:  81st Place / 90

Gender Place:  37th Place / 44

Race Recap By Brittany Kiehl:

Nice course at Upper Edgewater Park, but the wind off of Lake Erie was so cold!   All participants were able to select their favorite shirt from a previous Hermes race.  Additional shirts were for sale (4 for $5).  Would do this race again!

 

2/25/23 Kristi Gunyula and Scott Orlando Chili Bowl Classic 5K Cleveland, Ohio

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2/25/23

Chili Bowl Classic 5K

Cleveland, Ohio

Kristi Gunyula

Finish Time 22:08

Overall Place:  35th Place / 519

Gender Place:  3rd Overall Female

Division Place:  1st Place / 47

Scott Orlando

Finish Time:  24:38

Overall Place:  83rd Place / 519

Division Place:  7th Place / 20

Race Recap By Scott Orlando:

This was my first time competing in the 36th annual Chili Bowl Classic 5K in Cleveland, Ohio.  The race was put on by Hermes Road Racing and hosted at the Hofbrauhaus in Cleveland.  The morning started with a white knuckle drive into Cleveland.  Ice covered roads would quickly become the theme of the race.  There was plenty of easy to find paid parking near the Hofbrauhaus.  Registration and pre race gathering took place inside the Hofbrauhaus.  Once inside registration was fast and efficient.  Pre race festivities included breakfast specials and the polka band was already playing to get runner pumped up.  It was a nice pre race staging area with plenty of bathrooms and a large open space to accommodate the gathering of runners trying to stay warm as they prepared for the race.

The race start and finish line was just outside the doors of the Hofbrauhaus.   As I began to warm up running up and down the street near the start I quickly realized that the roads of the course were covered in a sheet of ice.   Typically I tend to overthink races and fill my car with clothing and shoe options.  I never considered the potential for ice covered roads in my race planning and left my trail running shoes and Yak Tracks at home.  The only running shoes I brought with me were my standard road running shoes.  The more I warmed up the more I slipped on the ice.  My shoes had no traction at all.  As the race began I tried to get a quick start to find some running room in the crowded race field of over 500 participants.  The faster I tried to run the more I slipped on the ice which covered most of the road.  About a half mile into the race I decided out of an abundance of caution to stop racing and just run meaning I slowed down out of a race pace and just cruised the rest of the race.   There were stretches of road where the ice had melted in the sun which made a wet slushy mix to run in.  I saw many runners use the strategy of trying to speed up on the slushy parts where footing was better and slow down on the ice covered parts.   I think this strategy worked well for many runners including Team ER member Kristi Gunyula who was the 3rd overall female finisher and winner of her age division.  I finished with a time of 24:38 and placed 7th in my age division.  Not the outcome I had hoped for but as much as I was slipping I felt it best to slow down to reduce the risk of injury and live to run another day.  In the end it was the right decision.  The course itself was basically a large rectangle with just a few turns and was mostly flat.  I would like to try this course again under better running conditions.

After the race runners were treated to a chili cook off provided by local police and fire stations.  There were several styles of chili from mild to wild.  The Hofbrauhaus quickly filled with runners eating chili, drinking beer, and listening to the polka band play.  We tried for over 90 minutes to get a beer but eventually gave up.  They would not serve food or beer from the bar only from seated tables.  We eventually got a place at a table and asked the server 4 times to take our order but for some reason she would not serve us.  Seems almost sacrilegious to go to a Hofbrauhaus and not have a beer.  We tried but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.

Runners left with long sleeve t-shirts, race logoed mugs, chili shaped stress balls, and age group winners earned logoed wooden spoons.  All and all it was a really nice well organized event.  I wish the running conditions had been better or I had planned better and brought better shoe options.  This is a race I would certainly register for again.