My journey with JSR

First of all what is JSR? Jenny Spangler Racing, the newest racing team on the block. Jenny, her work ethic, and philosphy are premise for what the team looks for in it's members. Remember her setting the Junior American record as a 19 year old, in 2:33:51 (still standing), then breaking the US Master's record in 2:32:38. Who does that? Who runs times that similar that far apart? The same person that goes into the 1996 trials ranked 61st and wins, quite easily. She ran a 2:29:54 on that day. Her work ethic is intimidating, her modesty is disarming, her approachablitiy is a godsend.

When you approach Jenny about her successes she smiles sheepishly and laughs. Then she says something like, "yeah". No elaborate retellings here. It just is what it is (to her); a past race. In 1996 I was a senior in high school. I had a Gwen Coogan poster on my wall, above my bed. After the trials I tore it down. I had a new hero. As I watched this girl, no one knew, beat all the women I had put on pedistals I thought, "that could be me. I could do that someday". Yet I had no clue how she did it. I had some serious misconseptions. I couldn't imagine Jenny Spangler doing laundry, or working a job. She was so fast, and fast people didn't do those things.

When I moved to Gurnee 11 years later I stumbled upon the Jenny Spangler Running Programs. I couldn't believe it! It was THE Jenny Spangler and she was coaching anyone who wanted to be coached! Two days after I moved to Gurnee I went to her track workout. I had been running 35 miles a week, and hadn't done speed work since I left Indiana State University in 2001. Through the program I met the Current members of JSR; Kevin Claffey, Steve Clark, Shelley Cook, Patrick Etherington, Amy Haney, Brad Moats, Rodger Tucker, Rob Wiley, and Dave Zeisler. After meeting them I felt like an ungrateul slacker.

Each person had a full time job, a family, and ran at least 50-60 miles a week. Oh and Jenny does do laundry, and all other June Cleaver tasks on top of her training and coaching. Over the next 4 months this group of people came to be my close friends, and mentors (though I'd never give them the satifaction of knowing it until now). I had spent the years since college working full time (as a teacher), having and raising my sons, and running max 45 miles a week. I just couldn't handle more without getting sick or injured. I felt I was destined to running pergatory for life. That place for those who love to run, but haven't dedicated themselves to finding their potential. After meeting up with this group I decided I couldn't teach full time. It was incredibly taxing physically (I'm not a typical teacher). So I got a job as an Office Manager. Since then I have progressed gradually.

The entire group as a whole is it's own entity. A group of blue collar racers, whose first priority is family. Each person brings a quality that is much needed. Rob is the get it done man. Amy is a fountain of encouragment. Dave is the brainiac. Brad reminds all of us what "workhorse" means. Steve keeps us honest. Kevin is Mr. Sunshine. Shelley keeps us all in line (thank goodness). Patrick's determiniation is contagious. Roger is the storyteller, and tough guy. I'd say I'm the comic relief. Jenny and Miki are obviously the core. One thing each of us has is a positive attitude, humility, one hell of a work ethic. None of us has ever won an NCAA title, or run an American Record, or even broken 15 minutes in the 5k (Rob will this year). Each of us is on a quest to discover our potential, while balancing something greater than our own quest: Life. Our families are amazingly supportive of us, and eachother as well. Our kids play together. We are a tribe.

We recently debuted at the Chicago Shamrock Shuffle. Everyone, except me, ran a PR. At the finish each teammate waited on the rest screaming out words of encouragement. Each teammate's finish was as exciting as if they were the champion, or breaking a record. Jenny has done American Road Racing a huge favor. She has made success accessible to those who want it, not those that have it. Everyone has a different amount of potential, but very few endeavour to discover what it is. Those that do often surprise themselves. We may be a band of unknowns now, but as each of us closes in on our ultimate goal we, as a group, will surprise not only ourselves.

If it weren't for this group of amazing runners I wouldn't have run a 10k pr in November (35:58) or won Gasparilla or the Shamrock Shuffle, and this is just my first year. I would be sitting on my couch thinking, "I COULD be good if..." They have shown me what it takes, and given me the swift kick in the ass I needed. I am definitely reminded of my infancy in comparison to the rest of the team. I think I'm hot stuff because I win a race and Shelley PR's by 3 minutes. Suddenly I'm acutely aware that my time sucked, and I have a lot of work to do. Not to mention when we train together there are times when running becomes difficult due to our laughter. I know that if you asked the other's their feeling would be the same, the group gives them strength and steals their excuses. So if you see a bunch of runners wearing tops with a "JS" on the front and a "61" on the back, you'll know what it's all about. You can explain, "that jersey is a tough one to earn. Those runners are people, a tribe, not just runners, not just a racing team".

Shamrock Shuffle and JSR

Well, again a Major American Road Race, this time only local runners showed. I knew going into this one that I could win as long as no one "amazing" showed up. Since the World Cross Country Championships were on the same day that wasn't a problem. I had been having a pretty challenging time staying healthy for the two weeks prior. I was hoping to run a sub 28:00, or around 5:30 pace, and my runs two weeks out reinforced that my goal was quite reasonable. Then came the plagues... I was smart and backed off. This helped me to get over the worst of the symptoms before the race. Really, the only thing that haunted me during the race was fatigue. I was lucky, it could have been a repeat of Detroit. So here's the low down. Careful I'm going to be point blank, not for the sensitive.

I went to the bathroom just prior to the start, and realized I was bleeding through. I have quite a history of running like shit when it's "that" time. That's all I needed one more thing to try to fight off, mentally, and physically, during the race. At the start line I just felt like, well there's not a lot I can do other than let my body do what it's willing today. Basically, the race was just a battle between my mind and my body... isn't every race? My first two miles were 5:35 pace and felt fine. Everything felt smooth, and comfortable. The third mile was where my body just said, "no way". It was like I fell off a cliff.

The third mile my body just wouldn't go. It refused, no matter how I tried to trick it. When I saw the third mile was a 6:11 I was a little more than pissed. Ten days earlier during and easy 9 miler I had 3 miles at that pace, and they all felt EASY. What the hell is going on that I'm running my easy pace in a race and feeling so tired? There was no lactic acid burn, no feeling as though my lungs would explode. It was just like that dream where you are running in tar. I just hung on to Karen and kept CLaudia in sight. At this point I knew I wasn't going to run a PR, I wasn't going to be close to my goal time. My body was rebelling and it was going to be a battle just to get it to the finish.

I was happy to see that mile 4 was sub six, though still not as fast as I had hoped. At least my efforts to wrangle my body, and force it to do what I wanted were successful. Okay lets be honest... to do more of what I wanted. My body made it quite clear that the 5:35-5:40 pace it was trained to run simply wasn't happening. I was making it quite clear that the 6:10 pace it wanted to run was unacceptable. So the last two miles were 5:50 pace. A compromise I guess.

At mile 4 I gave my body a big "Fuck you" and went for the win. Claudia was right there, Karen was getting tired. I figured, "hey, if I'm not going to run what I wanted, I'm going to win it." The cool part is that Steve was right there to witness my rebellion. I put in a surge up the hill on the way to the finish, and as I crossed the line I thought I was going to puke (for me, a normal side effect of my period). I was so worried I was going to puke on My JSR teammates. The final mile, a 5:49.

While the win was sweet, it is a big enormous race, I was extremely disappointed that I never felt the burn that comes with race effort. As I reflected on the race I decided, while it bugs me as a runner that I was unable to get an accurate read on where I am, it's pretty cool to me that i ran 29:00 and felt like shit. That's some progress. Honestly, it's the JSR team, and Jenny that I have to thank for that progress. I believe, if left to my own devises I'd be sitting on my coach saying, "I think I'm better than those girls. I could've... I should, I would...only if".

The whole premise of the team is that we all have excuses, viable ones, that should keep us from being successful, from reaching our potential. None of us accept those excuses. Everyone has a family, a job, a life outside the sport. Everyone works their ass off. See the Who is JSR entry to find out more....