Good news!

I just found out I will be hosting the Run Barbados events this December 3 – 5. The Midnight Mile is on Friday, 10K on Saturday and your choice of a 5K, half marathon or full marathon on Sunday. (An option for everyone including the walkers among your friends and family.) The marathon starts at 4:30 am so plenty of beach time. Join me!

http://www.runbarbados.org/

THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to all walkers and runners who participated in, contributed to, or volunteered at the 2010 running of Fountain Hill’s annual George Yasso Memorial 5K Run and Walk.

Our youngest competitor was 9-year-old Jarrett Hirschbeck...can you tell he had fun?

Thank you to charitable donor Anne Marie Crown as well  as MCS Industries for their prize donations as well as cash donations. A big thank you to John Crampsie for his continued outstanding level of financial support for our race.

CONGRATULATIONS to our  outstanding scholar-athlete award winners! Jim Skelly/George Yasso Fountain Hill Scholarship recipient: Marisa Repasch, $1,000

Hurricane Club Male recipients: Joey Lasko and John Cann, $500 each, and Hurricane Club Female recipient:

Erica Shumock, $1,000. Additionally, a donation of $500 wil be going to the Hurricane Basketball Club.

Thank you to the Borough of Fountain Hill, the Police Department, Public Works Department, the Volunteer Fire Department and St. Luke’s Rescue and Transport Service. as well as the Founta Hill Democratic Club and the  Liberty Girls and Boys basketball teams for volunteering and all others who gave of their time, talent and energy to make our event a continuing success. And thank you to the runners, and walkers who make this event what it is, a fun and healthy rite of summer in the borough of Fountain Hill.

Thanks to those who contributed running shoes for Haiti. Check our Facebook page for additional drop-off locations. Our Facebook GEORGE YASSO Memorial 5K Run & Walk 2010 event page at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128629320503898&ref=search

STATS: We had a total of 155 registered runners with 133 starters. Forty percent of the entrants were female. Like last year, we had  a large number of  walkers (yeah for walkers!) as well as youth; 30 of our runners nd walkers were age 18 or younger.  We are proud of our 5K kids!

Congratulations to our three random pre-registered women who each won a gift certificate from Running Skirts (www.runningskirts.com): Andrea Keenan, Jenny Kuntz, and Taylor Valentin. Rock those skirts!

PHOTOS! You can order race photos from Alice Lipe at: www.photosbyajlipe.com

If you have questions or notice errors in the race results, please contact me.

The 2011 race date will be announced next spring. Stay tuned!

2010 Race Results:

USEGeorgeYassoMemorial5K~2010resultsONLY

Registration for the George Yasso Memorial 5K is now open!

Please see attached pdf of entry form:

http://www.bartyasso.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/10-Yasso-5k-brochure.pdf

Please join our Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128629320503898&ref=ts

RACE DATE & TIME: Saturday, July 17, 2010  8:30 am

Walkers welcome and encouraged!

WHERE: Fountain Hill Community Pool at 1445 Speigel Street in Fountain Hill (near Bethlehem), Pennsylvania

Just 2 miles away from PA’s newest casino, The Sands

ENTRY FEE: $17 ($20 day of race), $10 for H.S. students & younger

AWARDS: Plentiful and 3-deep in each 5-year age division!

RAFFLE: and as always, killer raffle too!

Sponsored by St. Luke’s Hospital and the Borough of Fountain Hill

Join us for one of the Lehigh Valley’s most fun 5Ks – thru the flat & hilly streets of Fountain Hill – right next to Bethlehem. Despite three hills, this course is fast and fun. WALKERS ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED. Accurately measured course, splits every mile, 5-year age divisions, refreshments and prizes at the finish. Changing, toilet and shower facilities available. Take a dip in the pool afterward! First 200 entrants get a race t-shirt. All race proceeds go to the George Yasso and James Skelly Scholarship Funds which award scholarships to two local scholar-athletes each year - - 4 $1,000 scholarships!

___________________________________________

QUESTIONS?

georgeyasso5K@gmail.com

610-868-5482
610-694-0502

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: George Yasso Memorial 5K

SEND ENTRIES TO:

George Yasso Memorial 5K

3002 Oakland Road

Bethlehem, PA  18020

_________________________________

DIRECTIONS: FROM THE SOUTH/Philly -

1. JOHN FRIES HWY/PA-663. 2. Turn LEFT onto N WEST END BLVD/PA-309. Continue on 309 N. 3. Turn RIGHT onto PA-378. 4. Turn LEFT onto SEIDERSVILLE RD. 5. Turn RIGHT onto BROADWAY. 6. Turn LEFT onto DODSON ST. 7. Turn RIGHT onto SPIEGEL ST. FROM THE EAST – 1. I-78 W. 2. Take the PA-412/ HELLERTOWN exit, EXIT 67, toward BETHLEHEM. 3. Turn RIGHT onto PA-412/ HELLERTOWN RD. Continue on 412. 4. Stay STRAIGHT to go onto E 4TH ST. 5. Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto BROADWAY/ PA-412. Continue to follow BROADWAY. 6. Turn RIGHT onto SMILEY AVE. 7. Turn LEFT onto SPIEGEL ST.

FROM THE SOUTHWEST/READING -

1. US-222 N toward ALLENTOWN. 2. Merge onto US-222 N via the exit on the LEFT toward ALLENTOWN. 3. Turn SLIGHT LEFT to stay on US-222 N. 4. Merge onto I-78 E/ PA-309 S. 5. Take EXIT 59 toward PA-145/ SUMMIT LAWN. 6. Turn LEFT onto W ROCK RD. 7. Turn LEFT onto S PIKE AVE/ PA-145. Continue to follow PA-145. 8. Turn RIGHT onto W EMMAUS AVE. 9. Turn LEFT onto SEIDERSVILLE RD. (follow same directions for South, #4 thru #7.)

FROM THE WEST/HARRISBURG -

1. I-78 E via EXIT 89 toward ALLENTOWN. 2. Take EXIT 59 toward PA-145/SUMMIT LAWN. 3. Turn LEFT onto W ROCK RD. 4. Turn LEFT onto S PIKE AVE/PA-145. Continue to follow PA-145. 5. Turn RIGHT onto W EMMAUS AVE. 6. Turn LEFT onto SEIDERSVILLE RD. (follow same directions for South, #4 thru #7.)

FROM THE NORTH/SCRANTON -

1. I-380 S via EXIT 4 toward MT POCONO. 2. Merge onto I-80 E via EXIT 1B on the LEFT toward STROUDSBURG. 3. Merge onto PA-33 S via EXIT 302A toward US-209 S/SNYDERSVILLE. 4. Merge onto US-22 W toward BETHLEHEM/ALLENTOWN. 5. Merge onto PA-378 S toward BETHLEHEM. 6. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto BROADWAY. 7. Turn RIGHT onto SMILEY AVE. 8. Turn LEFT onto SPIEGEL ST.

The Yasso family looks forward to meeting you and running with us!

HERE IS A MAP of the 5K course:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=355805

For 2009 results and write-up, check: http://www.bartyasso.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/georgeyassomemorial5k2009results.pdf

Marine Corps Marathon Expo: Bart Yasso, free samples and a deluxe Porta Potty

Yes, that’s a REAL headline from the  Examiner.com.

There’s always comedy in running, isn’t there?

And the part about deluxe port-a-potties is absolutely true. Any runner wearing Brooks MCM 2009 apparel or Brooks shoes on race day gets to use their VIP port-a-potties along the course, which feature flushing toilets, partitioned stalls, climate control, a fragrance dispenser, hot and cold water complete with oak vanity and mirrors.

http://www.examiner.com/x-8091-DC-Running-Fitness-Examiner~y2009m9d8-Marine-Corps-Marathon-Expo-Bart-Yasso-free-samples-and-a-deluxe-Porta-Potty

Thank you to Kevin Martin for keeping me updated on the Major Megan McClung Memorial Half  I wrote about last month. I met Kevin during the Warrior Tours at the base called Al Asad. I learned that Major McClung was the first female Marine officer killed in the Iraq war, as well as the first female graduate of the United States Naval Academy to be killed in action since the school was founded in 1845. She was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetary on December 19, 2006.

McClung was a triathlete (having competed in six Ironman competitions) and a marathoner. In October 2006, she organized and ran in the Marine Corps Marathon’s satellite competition. Kevin sent this photo from the run held on August 15th and wrote to say that they had over 400 runners and 100 volunteers take part. That is awesome.

Last week I flew up to Alaska for the Anchorage Running Club’s Humpy’s Big Wild Life Runs, events that included a marathon, marathon relay, marathon walk, the Snow City Cafe 5K, the Alaska Museum of Natural History’s Run For Your Life Kid’s Dinosaur Fun Run, and Skinny Raven Half Marathon. The 25th Infantry Brigade’s half-marathon race at FOB Sharana Afghanistan was held in conjunction with the Half Marathon. The ARC  provided t-shirts, medals, and other support to the Fort Richardson soldiers participating in the event. Unlike the run in Anchorage, the brigade’s race was held at an elevation of 7,400 feet above sea level.

I was in Anchorage for four days and did experience the famous summer nights of light. Darkness lasted only four to six hours in the south. We’d be out at 10 pm and it wasn’t all that dark out. Earlier in the season, the northernmost region runs on a never-ending light bulb  with daylight illuminating the land in 24-hours cycles.

Race day, Sunday, August 16th was perfect. Conditions were ideal for racing: 53 degrees at the start with overcast skies and no wind. Temps didn’t go up much throughout the day. Most of the marathon course is on the beautiful Coastal Trail that runs along the Cook Inlet.I was the race announcer and I saw many runners, locals and those from the lower 48, I had just met the two days before. Some I have known from other races including many 50-Staters. My buddy Brian Jackson from NOLA finished his 49th state. Larry Macon from San Antonio did Humpy’s as his 566th marathon. And I am not making this up: Larry has run marathons in all 50 states 8 times. That is being beyond a 50-Stater or a Marathon Maniac. I don’t know if there is a word invented for it yet. If you can think of one, let me know!

While in Iraq, Christian Schauf of the band CatchPenny (they did concerts at each base as part of our Warrior Tours) mentioned he would like to run a marathon some day. Rob Powers and I told him that when we got back to The States we were both headed out to  San Francisco to do race announcing at the marathon.

Christian, age 29, asked us: “Do you think I run it?”

I was like, “Dude, the race is in 2 weeks and you haven’t trained.” I suggested he take the time and do four months of solid training so he could pull off a marathon.

As we were boarding our plane in Kuwait City for the return fligth back to DC, Christian, who lives in Minneapolis, told me, “I think I can run SF.” I listened to his determination and told him, yes he could if he took it easy.

Flash forward, one week later in The City By The Bay. It was a Warrior Tours reunion of sorts with Rob and me there along with Anne Bonney from Under Armour. Instead of all day and night sand storms we just had morning fog that burned off by noon. It was good to recall our crazy time with the troops in Iraq. The highlight was seeing Christian at the finish line, paced by Anne, completing his first marathon ever on nothing more than a 13-mile long run. The dude ran a 4:47 and is no worse for the wear. Congrats Christian!

I help put on a lot of races but this is my favorite for many reasons. The race which started in 1980 runs through my hometown of Fountain Hill, and it is in honor of my late brother George. ALL of the Yassos help out along with former mayor Steve Repasch and his family including 17-year-old Marisa Repasch who has done this race a record 17 times. We had 14 Yassos volunteering and 8 of them doing the race including my niece 8-year old Maizy Tucker Yasso who wore her talking High School Musical t-shirt on the run. We knew it was going to be a fun day and great race even before the gun went off. How can you miss when the Star Spangled Banner segues into Funkytown?

A big THANK YOU to St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network for generously supporting our event. Thank you to our very charitable donors, especially John Crampsie,  Richard Master and the Fountain Hill Democratic Club as well as those who contributed to our raffle & goody bags. 

CONGRATULATIONS to our five 2009 scholarship winners. Jim Skelly/George Yasso Fountain Hill Scholarship recipients: Alyssa Conahan and Zach Glagola. George Yasso Liberty Hurricane Club Basketball Scholarship recipients: Brianna Knipe, Aaron Thieme and Christian Rodriguez. We are proud of our scholar-athletes.   

Thanks to all the runners, walkers and volunteers who make this event what it is, a rite of summer in the borough of Fountain Hill. The starting temperature at 9 am was 72° with 82% humidity that quickly went down to 64% by 10 am when we had the awards ceremony preceded by an awesome raffle – 40 prizes! – and post-race spread of real food. Awards went three deep in 10 5-year age divisions. Showers were available to all and the pool was open until well past noon for anyone who wanted to do a true cool down. The 10 women’s age division winners were just sent a certificate for a free running skirt – a $50 value.

Stats are always interesting:  We tied last year’s record turnout of 220 registered entrants. We also hadmore walkers then we’ve had before – many friends and family walking together. Awesome! The field was almost evenly divided between males and females. 

This might be some sort of a record for a Lehigh Valley area 5K: We had a record number of youth this year; 35 who were age 19 & under. Starting next year, we will change the two 19 & under age divisions to two 15 -19 age divisions and award FIVE (!) deep in each male & female categories AND award medals to ALL youth finishers under 15 years of age. We are proud of our 5K kids! If you have questions or notice errors in the race results, please let me know.

Race photos are now posted on our Facebook events page at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=90234013324&ref=ts. Additionally, photographer Alice Lipe was at the race and took some terrific photos you can purchase. She has posted them on her online gallery at: http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/thumbpage.aspx?e=5005135

2009 George Yasso Memorial 5K Race Results:

http://www.bartyasso.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/georgeyassomemorial5k2009results.pdf 

      

georgeyassomemorial5k2009results

The 2010 race date will be announced next spring. Stay tuned!   

Photo caption: Winners of the Women’s 20-24 age division, from left to right: 3rd place Haleigh Duggen, 2nd place Heather Lappi, and 1st place, my niece Elizabeth Yasso.

http://www.bartyasso.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/georgeyassomemorial5k2009results.pdf

I arrived home from Iraq last Thursday but just four days later I was back on a plane and headed west. During my my three and a half days at home I managed to go into work and catch up as well as get in a few bike rides, two rounds of golf – one a charity event for my hometown of Fountain Hill. (I love to golf but I suck at it. Laura doesn’t understand golf so when she asks how bad I am, I tell her that I am the equivalent of a 6-hour marathoner at golf.) Also got a lot of “mulching” done in our once acre yard, visited with freinds at our running club’s clubhouse and entertained company from St. Catherine’s Canada. On Saturday night after golf, mulching and biking and some quality time with Mojave the cat, I went into Philly to watch my wife run some night time laps at Back on My Feet’s Philadelphia 20 in 24, the second running of this set-time event staged at Boathouse Row behind the Philly Art Museum. What a perfect day and night to run in the City of Brotherly Love. My wife loves this 24-hour race and has convinced quite a few of her friends to enter as a relay. And many of last year’s relay runners entered the solo runner, “Lone Ranger” division this year. It’s a natural progression. There were 207 Lone Rangers. I stepped in and did some race announcing for a few hours at night before and during the Midnight Glow in the Dark loop but my mic was taken away from me by none other than that pink tutu-clad ultrarunner and crazy Brit, Keith Straw, fresh off of his finish at the Badwater 135 a few days erlier. It was great seeing folks from many of the local running clubs Laura and I belong to including the Pagoda Pacers of Reading. Ron and Helen Horn of the Pacers did the timing for the event.

Tuesday morning I was on a plane to Salt lake City for the big Outdoor Retailer’s Show. This was pretty fun as we – Runner’s World – were in charge of the Endurance Zone and Endurance Lounge. We had treadmills set up and some amazing duels were going down – Nicole de Boom vs Scott Jurek – in a skirt no less, and two-time Western States winner Hal Koerner up against Leadville champ Anton Krupicka. Anton, Scott and Hal have to be the three smoothest runners I have ever seen – hands down – and a testament to the caliber of runner in the ultra community. There is some ridiculously serious talent out there.

Now I’m in San Francisco staying on the embarcadero with a great view of the bay.  I’m on my way to the race expo where I’ll sell books. If you’re in town, stop by and say hello. It’s a typical San Francisco morning – foggy and overcast. Like Mark Twain said: “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

Below is what was sent out to many Runner’s World subscribers. Join us in Richmond this fall!