The Arizona Road Racers organized this 24-hour race to provide an alternative in the Phoenix area for the popular Across the Years 72-, 48-, and 24-hour races that are on hiatus this year.
Logo on the t-shirts for the entrants and volunteers, and the sweatshirts for the "finishers" (everyone who ran any distance "finished" the fixed-time race).
Diagram of the venue, the Victory Lane Sports Complex on 43rd St. in Glendale, AZ.
Frank Cuda's diagram of the USATF certified approximate 1K loop course.
I took the next four photos a couple weeks before the race. This is the prettiest side of the course, through the trees next to the parking area.
About 40% of the loop is dirt and gravel. This side is "behind" the ball fields.
Jim and Cody approach the covered side of the building where the aid station was located during the race.
A short part of the course goes through this end of the building housing offices, restrooms, and a bar/grill that was closed during the race. I call it the "tunnel."
The six ballfields were busy on December 30 but runners had the place to themselves on December 31-January 1.
Anne Watts and Jim pose for a picture after Jim picked up his number, timing chip, and t-shirt. Anne crewed for her husband, Matt Watts.
Matt and Anne Watts relax before the race.
RD Steven Finkelstein handled the chip timing and hourly results on the internet throughout the race. Thanks, Steven!!
Looking toward the timing mat and Steven's set-up on what turned out to be the chilly side of the building! The aid station was quite warm on the other side.
Continuing along the course toward the parking lot, which had plenty of room for RVs during the race.
All the runners were able to park their vehicles close to the course, making crewing very easy.
Runners could crew from their vehicles, tables/chairs next to the course, and/or the well-stocked aid station.
Runners gather for the pre-race briefing. Eventual overall race winner Amy Palmiero-Winters is in the lower right.
RD Steven Finkelstein (in blue jacket) conducts the pre-race briefing as George Biondic (orange jacket) and Sheri Okamoto (green top) listen.
Some of the 42 runners with their crews and volunteers ar the pre-race briefing. Seated L-R are Matt and Anne Watts, Jim (O'Neil), Debbie and Dave Jacobs-Robinson.
Runners line up for the start at 9AM. Amy Palmiera-Winters is in the red top. Volunteer coordinator Sandra Fontaine is in black, on the right. She ran a few laps. #37 is Josh Keith. #38 is Stewart Doggett.
Four seconds to go! #32 is Rick Cheever.
They're off . . .
L-R in foreground: Christopher O'Loughlin, Michael Chiorazzi (#10), and Jim O'Neil (#6).
Sheri Okamoto is in the green jacket, Rose Papp (#5) on the right. #20 is Billy Gebhart.
The race began in the CCW direction and changed direction every two hours for muscle and brain variety.
Runners approach the aid station near the end of the first loop.
L-R: Louie Telles? (can't see his number), Matt Watts, Paul Grimm (#23), Eric Pence (#21)
L-R in foreground: June Gessner, Stephanie Beuttner, Deborah Goodwin
This little guy wasn't in the race but I think he ran the first loop with one of his parents. The youngest entrant was 12-year-old Ethan Pence, who met his goal of running 50 miles.
Foreground: 73-year-young Eugene deFronzo, followed by Josh Keith (#37)
L-R in foreground: Michael Chiorazzi and Christopher O'Loughlin
Jim approaches the aid station after several laps.
Jim on the "pretty" side of the course near the parking lot. About 60% of the course is paved. Colorful WaterWorld is in the background.
Tons of room for crews to set up in the shade
Here comes Jim again.
Amy Palmiera-Winters heads past some crews.
Deborah Goodwin and Stephanie Beuttner stop at their personal crewing station.
Matt Watts (R) remained strong throughout the race, placing 5th overall with just under 105 miles. Matthew Altenberg (#35) is on the left and Zach Gingerich in the middle.
Runners head CCW past the parking area . . .
. . . toward the dirt and gravel road on the "back side" of the ballfields.
The course was well enough lit during the night that most runners didn't carry lights (a full moon helped).
Looking back toward runners heading my way on the curvy path. There were lots of tangents to be run.
Melissa Williams (#33) ended up with 91+ miles and was 3rd female.
Paul Grimm (#23) was 2nd overall with 116+ miles.
Brian McKinley (#34), Josh Grisa (#36), and Eugene deFronzo
Kevin Rodgers (#16) and Zach Gingerich (#30). Zach led much of the race but ended up 3rd with 114+ miles after stopping several hours before the end of the race.
Sheri Okamoto ran 79+ miles.
Jeffrey Bott
June Gessner (blue top) ran 83+ miles.
Amy Palmiero-Winters remained strong the entire race. Yes, that's a leg prosthesis. She was an inspiration to everyone who watched her run.
Peter Chan
George Biondic placed 4th overall with 114+ miles (tied distance with Zach Gingerich, but Zach reached it earlier).
Jim comes in to the aid station in the afternoon while I was working there. That's Nathan Coury in the red shirt and Ron in the background. Ron worked very hard all day.
Matt Watts (L) and Jeffery Bott run past the aid station.
Volunteer on left talks with four members of the Coury family: Pati, Jamil, Nick, and Nathan (on phone).
L-R: Nick, Nathan, Jamil, and Pati Coury (don't know name of woman in orange). The Coury family worked MANY hours during the race -- thank you! Jamil is RD for the popular Javelina Jundred.
L-R: me (Sue Norwood), Nathan, Jamil, and Pati Coury work in the well-stocked aid station. Photo by Nick Coury.
Sunset over the ballfields on New Year's Eve
Sunset over the volleyball courts on New Year's Eve
Runners bundled up when the sun went down. Temperatures ranged from the mid-40s to the mid-60s during the race -- just about as good as it gets!
Frank Cuda put little battery-operated luminaries around the entire loop, making the course very pretty at night.
The blue moon rises above the horizon on New Year's Eve.
Frank Cuda played "Blazing Saddles" and another movie on the side of a tent during the night to entertain the runners!
Sunrise colors the western sky on New Year's morning as the full moon sets.
Matt Watts (L) and Debbie Jacobs-Robinson (R) are still going strong the second morning, as Anne Watts (middle) walks with them. Debbie, the oldest woman in the race, placed 9th overall with almost 87 miles.
Jesse Doggett placed 6th overall with 102+ miles.
Amy Palmiera-Winters was still running strong the second morning when most runners were reduced to walking.
Here comes my sweetie!
And he still has a smile on his face!
Nick Coury took this photo of Jim and me as Jim crossed the timing mat next to the last time. With so few runners on the course, crews could pace their runners during the race.
Runners approach the finish with less than four minutes to go.
Paul Grimm finishes in 2nd place with 116+ miles.
Jim's finishing kick gave him just under 69 miles (with a 5-hour nap during the night!).
RD Steven Finkelstein removes Jim's timing chip after he finished.
Nathan and Nick Coury watch the last finishers try to beat the clock (partial laps are not counted at the end).
Michael Chiorazzi (L) and RD Steven Finkelstein watch the last runners slide in under 24 hours.
Gary Cross finishes his last lap with about 45 seconds to spare.
Runners relax before the awards ceremony; Jim is on the right.
Jamil Coury takes photos while Jim watches. Nathan and Nick Coury are in the background next to the tripod.
Jim hangs out with Anne and Matt Watts after the race.
Runners gather in the "tunnel" after the race.
Sandra Fontaine (L) helps Jim get a sub sandwich after the race.
Jim receives his finishers' medal and sweatshirt from RD Steven Finkelstein. Jim ran and walked almost 69 miles. See the 2009 journal at www.runtrails.net for our race report (when I get around to writing it!).
Paul Grimm, 2nd overall, with RD Steven Finkelstein at the awards ceremony.
Race winner Amy Palmiero-Winters with her crewperson. Amy met her goal of running 130+ miles, a remarkable performance.
Runners at the awards ceremony. You can find results here: http://www.arizonaroadracers.com/Results/24HR_RTTF.htm
Thank you to Steven Finkelstein, Sandra Fontaine, Frank Cuda, the Courys, and everyone else who made the ARR 24-Hour Run to the Future possible on short notice! You did a great job!
