The following club members were recognized for their achievements over the past year.
Female Runner of the Year Lynn Knothe
Male Runner of the Year Josh Loren
Outstanding Achievement Award Theresa Kauffman
Outstanding Achievement Award Chris James
Outstanding Achievement Award Dave McCorquodale
Outstanding Achievement Award Dan Simmons
Outstanding Achievement Award Mark Vilardo
Rookie of the Year Tom Steenkamer
Special Achievement Delaware Dave Farren
2010 Female Runner of the Year
Lynn Knothe
Lynn races to win. In 2010, she won 29 races including 27 5k’s, one 15K and one 10K. The 10K was “Blue Moon Wicked 10K” which had 7000 total finishers. She was also fifth women in the York White Rose 5 Miler in 31:42 and 2nd overall in the Dover (PA) 10 Miler in 1:08:50. So besides her wins, she took 2nd or 3rd place in at least six other races.
Her best times at each distance were:
18:16 for 5k
31:02 for 5 miles
38:43 for 10K
1:05:00 for 10 miles
Lynn is proud of the fact that she got around to races in 7 different states: DE, MD, PA, NJ, VA, CA, and FL. She notes that she also “continued to show ability to find the only rock or root on smooth paths and trip.” Her comment demonstrates that to be a champion, it’s not only important to have ability and train hard, but it comes in handy to have a sense of humor so you can pick yourself up from a tough day and look forward to future challenges.
We’re proud to have Lynn as a club member and wish her well on continuing her fine performances!
2010 Male Runner of the Year
Josh Loren
Josh Loren has been running since early grade school when he won his first one-mile race in 3rd grade on the playground at school, leaping like a gazelle to the finish. This was the first of many wins for Josh and who would’ve known back then that he would make a career of training and running. Josh became a dedicated runner since the end of 6th grade when he was asked to drop sitting on the sidelines at the soccer field and join the Cross Country Team, where he found his niche, immediately excelled and was running with the “big boys”. He further advanced throughout his high school years, winning many titles and holding various school records and earning nine State medals in Cross Country and Track in the State of Pennsylvania. He became one of those opponents “to contend with”.
While attending Penn State University, Josh also participated on the Cross Country, Indoor and Outdoor Track teams and he learned what it was like to really pack on some weekly miles and even had a few stress fractures to prove it!
After college, Josh’s job brought him to Delaware where he has “run the gamut” in local races (i.e. being “one of the guys to beat” in many of the trail races and road races and winning the USATF trail series) as well as many at a distance, including the Half Ironman in NC, a Half Iron in Providence, Rhode Island; and, after three attempts, winning the 2010 Catalina Marathon, known as the nation’s toughest off-road marathon with his real reward being the praise and admiration from all of his brother’s California friends for making it look so easy.
Now, Josh is gearing up for his first Ironman race in July 2011 in Lake Placid. One has to wonder: What is his ultimate goal? For Josh, it’s the love of the sport and, in his heart of hearts, the challenge to see just how far he can go….. We know one thing for sure, this small-town boy is planning on seeing the world on his feet.
Highlights:
Winner of Men’s Open Division of the Off-Road USATF series
Winner of Wissahickon Trail 10K and Double Trouble 15K, second in Triple Crown 10K
First AG in XTerra Off-Road Triathlon, second AG in White Lake Half Iron Triathlon
Winner of Catalina Marathon in 3:02:04.
2010 Outstanding Achievement Award
Theresa Kauffman
Theresa had another terrific year in 2010. Running her entire adult life, Theresa continues to impress when it comes to running/racing. Coming off a couple years when she has been PCVRC’s runner of the year, she had another “Runner of the Year” type performance. When asked what are main goals were before the year started she mentions staying healthy, running in her 10th Boston Marathon and to break 21:00 in the 5k, a goal that has eluded her since a unfortunate bike accident in 2009. (Has since read the training manual on how to cross train tracks on a bike)
Theresa ran in an amazing 33 races, including two marathons in 2010. Asked why she runs and races so much, Theresa says “It has served a purpose and guided me throughout my adult life”. She has added cross training the past few years which has helped her remain healthy.
Theresa enjoyed the many different races she ran this past year. She ran the Beach to Beacon 10k in Maine, with a spectacular Ocean backdrop at the finish and an elite field, which helped her run a 43:20, good for 3rd in her 45-49 age group, her best 10k time in years. She competed in her 1st 20 mile race ever, ran Boston in 3:35:50 and came back in the fall marathon season running Marine Corps in 3:32:32, her best marathon in seven years. She was the overall winner of four races and did reach her other goal of breaking the 21:00 barrier when she ran 20:45 at the Doggie Classic 5k. (SPCA)
Her goals in 2011 are to compete in her 11th Boston marathon, do more cross training and to keep competing for the PCVRC team at the USATF series races which she enjoys and helps her keep motivated daily.
2010 Outstanding Achievement Award
Chris James
Chris has run competitively since Junior High and ran cross country for Brandywine High School and Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. He joined PCVRC in 2001 after returning from residency training in Dallas. Kept hearing that you’re not a real runner unless you’ve run a marathon, so after a few false starts and a stress fracture, I ran first marathon in Disney in 2004. Ended up running 4 marathons in 2004 and it just went downhill from there. “Never would have thought that I would have completed 25 marathon at this point. Like I always say, peer pressure…”
In 2010, Chris ran 5 marathons for the second year in a row and is purposefully waiting to run his first in 2011 at Big Sur on May 1st. “That will be my 26th marathon and it’s the 26th year for the race, plus I heard the marathon is 26 miles or whatever. I seem to be stuck on the numerology of running ever since 2004, when I ran 4 marathons that year. I loved the symmetry of Chicago being on 10-10-10 and convinced others of the coolness of that as well. Unfortunately, the running conditions in Chicago were far from cool again.
2010 was all about Boston for me. While it didn’t go quite as well as I wanted, I enjoyed the experience and hope to requalify again if possible. The other theme for the year was second chances as I reran Delaware, Chicago and Marine Corps.”
Chris notes that he’s signed up for his first ultra, the Dirty German 50K in May and also signed up for a Half Ironman in the fall, Ironman 70.3 Pocono Mountains. He also looks forward to running more of Rock N Roll Marathon series, going for the Rock Legend award next time!
Chris enjoys helping our club team in USATF series races. He was 1st in age group six times in 5Ks (his best time was 18:57 at Judy Johnson 5K) and one 5 Miler. His long distance times for the year are below. We’re happy that he succumbs to “peer pressure” to run races with other club members since his sense of humor helps relax us to all have more enjoyable and successful runs. Congratulations on another fine year!
Ocean Drive Marathon 3:47:44*
Boston Marathon 3:35:41
Delaware Marathon 3:29:36
Chicago Marathon 3:58:30
Marine Corps Marathon 3:49:43
Caesar Rodney Half Marathon 1:34:24
Rock N Roll Virginia Beach 1:30:59
Rock N Roll Philadelphia 1:44:27*
Caffe Gelato 10 Miler 1:06:42
2010 Outstanding Achievement Award
Dave McCorquodale
Dave (USPS retired) and his wife Carolyn (school teacher) reside in Wilmington and have three adult children. Dave began running at the age of 48, originally as a fitness jogger. As he approached fifty he noticed race results in the paper and thought he might win an award in that age group. In the fall of 1994 he entered and ran his first race, The Harvest Harrier Five Miler at Delcastle where he had always run. That experience lead to him actually buying a pair of running shoes and using them in place of his cross trainers.
Those running shoes paid off. He has been a runner/racer for more than 15 years and has completed more than 55 marathons and numerous races at other distances.
Even though he has received other awards from PCVRC, Member of the Year, and is a Hall of Fame inductee, he never received an award for his running efforts. 2010 changes all of that. It is about time that PCVRC recognizes Dave for his outstanding racing efforts. In 2010 Dave had a year well deserving of an Outstanding Achievement Award. Dave was 1st in his age group in five 5K’s, one 5 miler, one 10 miler, and one 20 miler. He also ran eight marathons with a best Boston Qualifying time of 4:09:11 In those eight marathons he placed, in his age group, second five times, third three times. Not too shabby. Eight races, eight podium finishes, that in itself is worthy of the award. We all should run that well.
This bio would be incomplete without mentioning all the friends that he says he has met along the way. He says he has met, run and talked to literally hundreds of people, united by the bonds of running and racing. Some have been competitive racers, some beer drinking Hash House Harriers, some are ultra long distance loving Traildawgs, some are socializing Rebel Runners and others are from similar groups in other states.
Dave, it is long overdue. Congratulations on your Outstanding Achievement Award, you deserve it.
2010 Outstanding Achievement Award
Dan Simmons
Some club members may not know that for many years Dan Simmons was a fixture at the local races, mostly 5Ks, but was participating as a competitive walker. In fact Dan was an invited guest at a general club meeting many years ago talking about race walking. Then within the past few years, Dan decided to run instead. He rapidly became one of the best participants in his age group and currently seems to dominate the 60 year age-groups, which is one reason this writer avoids races with ten year age groups.
Dan Simmons is very deserving of an outstanding achievement award for his accomplishments in 2010. He was a high level participant in the MA-USATF series in which he won the men’s 60-64 age group and placed eighth in the overall men’s standings. His age grades are usually at or close to 80, meaning his score is one of the top ones for our club scoring. In all of 2010 he won his age group in 12 5Ks, two 10Ks, one half marathons and a one mile race.
Dan prefers running in the cold. His best races were the Icicle run (18F) and in the fall at the PNC 10K, at the Reindeer run and at a four miler in Medford, NJ (all just above freezing). He believes his friendly competition with Ivan Avendano helps them both. “The only thing we disagree on is that I think that wine the night before a race helps a lot while his theory is that beer is the big kicker.”
Dan said, “Even a seasoned racer like me can make mistakes. I missed the start of the Scott Mackler race because I thought it was 30 minutes later than it really was. But I laughed it off.” The wonderful food served up at the Mackler race probably helped.
Dan says that his wife Sue likes to travel (and frequently participates in the race herself) so it makes it more fun to make a mini vacation out of a race.
Dan says he hurt a knee at the Bridge Run 10K, but kept running through the rest of the year. He has taken off from running for a month, hoping for improvement in the knee, but it still is bothering him. He believes he’ll be back in time for the start of the USATF Grand Prix Series.
2010 Outstanding Achievement Award
Mark Vilardo
Mark has run many races over the past year. The key to Mark’s success is he will never run a race unless he is in top shape. He enters the races then with the mindset that he must do the best that he can. He is up to running 70 miles a week now. but he says he is still out of shape.
Mark took 10 years off from running. Then he came back strong winning every race. He was A all American at West Virginia University in the 5000 meters. He missed qualifying for the Olympic team by 1/4 of a second.
He ran nine 5Ks under 16:00, usually winning the race outright; set an age-group state record for 5K; won his age group at Philly R & R Half-Marathon in 1:12:00; won High Cloud Snapple Half-Marathon; and won Bottle & Cork 10 Miler in 55:21.
Also Mark really enjoyed running the seven sisters racing series in Dewey beach. He enjoyed seeing the same runners and nice spectators. The runners are very supportive of one another in Delaware. You don’t see such nice people in other areas. He loved going to run the races and knowing the course already. He enjoyed driving to the beach in the morning running the race socializing afterwards then he would take his boat out with his family later.
The key to Mark’s success is hard work, determination and passion for the sport.
2010 Rookie of the Year
Tom Steenkamer
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. One of the origins of the word refers to rookies in the sense of raw recruits to the British Army. At least during the beginning of the 20th century, in the British Army, the term “rookie” was typically used in place of “recruit”.
Rich Szymanski – Pike Creek recruiter extraordinaire recruited Tom Steenkamer to do the USATF Off Road Series for Pike Creek which proved to be a great motivation for Tom to work hard and become a better runner. Little did he know how much better he would become!
Tom was a good runner while attending high school at St. Marks where his children are now carrying on the Steenkamer legacy. His energy during his college years was used for more recreational pursuits. He started to get back into running several years ago after a hiatus raising small children and everything that goes with the responsibilities of a growing family.
Rich’s eye for raw talent resulted in Tom earning 3rd Grand Masters Male for the 2010 USATF Off Road series. Additionally, Tom’s racing performance played an integral part in the club ending the season 2nd Overall in the Off Road series out of seven teams.
History shows that in the sport of running, you get slower as you get older. For Tom, he’s going against conventional wisdom, and if he continues on this pace, will soon be faster now then he was 30 years ago!!
Some Notable achievements for 2010:
* Newark Turkey Trot 5k – 17:37 (Age Group Record)
* DE State XC Championship – 19:30 (high Age graded scorer)
* Double Trouble 15K – took a face plant and required 4 stitches to his chin, he also suffered scrapes on his knees and elbows but still wound up as 25th place overall out of 280 finishers.
* Special Olympics Reindeer Run 5k – 17:33 PR
Congratulations Tom for an outstanding racing year and being our Rookie of the Year for 2010!
2010 Special Achievement
Delaware Dave Farren
DDC 15K Race Director for 11 years
David James Farren is the long time Race Director of the Delaware Distance Classic 15K, the club’s signature race. A long time club member, Dave joined the PCVRC shortly after the founding of the club in 1984.
In the years since, Dave has been on the PCVRC Board in various positions, most recently as DDC Race Director, where he has served tirelessly for the past 11 years.
The Club has awarded Dave many awards over the years, including Runner of the Year (1988), Running Achievement of the Year (1995 & 1996), Volunteer of the Year (1999), and Member of the Year (2001). Dave was also inducted into the PCVRC Hall of Fame in 1999.
Dave has enjoyed many running accomplishments during his 25+ years of running. Dave has completed 48 marathons, including 19 straight Boston marathons from 1987 thru 2005. Dave has also completed 26 straight Caesar Rodney Half Marathons and has won many age group awards. Most recently, Dave has been competing in the Seashore Striders Summer Series where he has placed in the top 4 in his age group each of the last 8 years.
Married to Kathy in 2000, the Farrens have one son, D.J., who is 7 years old and is participating in local 5K’s already! The Farrens reside in Wilmington with a second home in Lewes Delaware.
In honoring Dave’s many accomplishments and service to the Club, we would be remiss if we didn’t also mention the long-standing volunteering efforts of Dave’s wife Kathy and his brother Dan, as well as Ron Bock and Jerry Herman in helping to make the DDC what it is today.
Dave: Please enjoy the evening. And we sincerely hope you can relax, run with DJ, and come back in 2011 to run the DDC as a participant!
