August 17, 2008 Darnd’st Du was a darned success The Darnd’st Du race went off successfully last Sunday; and while the total number of entrants was down this year, the athletes all enjoyed the competition. There were a total of 186 entrants, with 132 males and 54 females. Talking with Raul Najera, RunFAR Race Director, he mentioned there was a significant drop in entrants from cities that were far away, such as Dallas and Houston. Gas prices are having an effect even in this venue. The key to making the race a success, and a reason why the 2009 Texas State Duathlon championships will be hosted in San Marcos with this race, comes from the volunteers who put the race on. Praise begins with Michelle Carswell, the manager of Tanger Outlet Center, and her staff, as they really go overboard in offering their services and facilities for the race. Tanger Outlet Center is to be commended for their support of community events and help with worthy causes. The benefits of this race go to CASA of Central Texas, and they really earned their money with the number of volunteers they provided. Tricia Schneider is the lead person who, along with Eloise Hudson, organizes things from their end. Volunteers came from Best Buy, Walmart, and JB Supply; and I saw a good number of volunteers wearing A.C.T. T-shirts. Gary Job Corps was present; and S.W.E.A.T. (Southwest Emergency Action Team) was there to make sure any injuries or ailments were handled properly. The Hays County Sheriff's Department provided traffic control the bikers really appreciated. They did a tremendous job making sure the event was safe on the road. All in all, the entrants had very positive comments on the race, and they praised the volunteers for helping. A number of San Marcos athletes entered, either as an individuals or as part of a relay team. Individuals from San Marcos included Adrian Long, who took second in the male 20-24 age group with a time of 1:44:50; Andrew Bettis took third in 1:45:45; Bryan Buzbee took fourth in 1:50:58 and Joe Nelson finished in 2:49:28. Jen Carson took second in the female division in 2:56:27. In the male 35-39 age category, Robert Baskin crossed the finish line in 1:53:29. Eric Rindahl took first in the 40-44 Clydesdale group in 1:47:43. Tom Lawlor from Kyle entered the open division and finished in 1:50:44. David Alexander was in the Clydesdale over-40 category and finished in 2:47:24. Laura Mason was in the female 45-49 age group and took third with a time of 2:41:52. Steve Zinkgraf gathered in a first place in the male 60-64 age group, finishing in 2:07:12. Relay teams included Randall Wood and Vic Alvarez taking first place in 1:30:49. Daniel Chidester and Doug Framke took second in 1:33:45 in the Male Relay category. Phillip Adams and Mark Brendalen finished in 1:54:17 for fifth place. Liesela Austin and Kat Futrell took second place in the Female Relay, as they finished in 2:08:54. Teresa Medina and Charlene Martinez took third place in 2:42:04. The next big event is the Nike+ Human Race 10K in Austin. This event is held on four continents and 25 cities globally, and only four cities in the United States will have this event. The race is on August 31; and so far, thousands of runners from Texas are already signing up to run this race. Quite a few famous names are mentioned for the race. Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas and an avid runner himself, will be present, along with Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. Willie Nelson has made comments on the benefits that the race will bring, but I am not sure if he will be running. If you have watched the Olympics, you will recognize Brendan Hanson in the crowd. The race has several charities to which you can pledge your entry of $35, including the Lance Armstrong Foundation, World Wildlife Fund and Ninemillion.org. There will be music after the race, and I will include more information next week. Contact Erin Griffin at 512-542-2826 for entry information or to volunteer. Dr. Maurice Johnson - better known around San Marcos as “Moe” - is a professor in the Department of Health, P.E., Recreation and Dance at Texas State University - San Marcos. Moe has been a fixture in the San Marcos running community - both as a runner and race organizer - since way back when Moby Dick was a minnow. His column on running and fitness appears each Sunday in the Sports section of the San Marcos Daily Record. • Recent “Running With Moe” Columns • Home • About the Club • Current News • Club Runs • Places To Run • TX Running Clubs • Running Links • Useful Stuff Upcoming Races • Race Results • Country Roads 10K & Kids Run • ARA-Moe’s Better Half Marathon • “Running With Moe” Contact Us!