X-Treme Running Camp

Running to work By Guy Gordon Today I ran to work. I had to drop my truck off to be serviced, and ran the 10 miles to my office...206 South to 46 East to 10 East. I love running to work, becouse the looks I get from most of my co-workers, who are munching on their second bagel of the morning, while puffing on a cigg, are priceless. So what if I am dripping wet from sweat when I walk into the office(we don't have shower facilities? So what if I leave my clothes out, hanging on my desk to dry to get ready for my 2nd workout at lunch? I will take the smell of a human being who just came back from feeding his body and mind with a great running experience, over the stench of an unhealthy, overweight individual, who is just simply feeding their face. Running is great. The beauty of it all, is that so many people see you do it, but have no idea what it makes you feel like. It's the runners secret.I ran to work today, and it set the tone for the day. Nothing that could happen in the office today will prove that up-setting. I started my day doing something by myself, and for myself. I'm ready for what-ever lies ahead.

Olympians who battled in 1988 reunite in Sussex County during the Games to inspire youth By Laurie Gordon Two Olympians who battled one another in the 1,500 meter finals in Seoul, Korea, in 1988, met again in Hampton, New Jersey, on Monday, August 19th, to inspire kids at The X-Treme Youth Running Camp. Marcus O’Sullivan, who represented Ireland, and Peter Rono, of Kenya, dueled in Seoul, and they hadn’t seen one another in years. “It was so ironic that we should meet again to speak to kids during an Olympic Games,” Rono said. O’Sullivan was the first guest speaker at the 5th annual X-Treme Youth Running Camp held at Swartswood State Park in Hampton. He’d heard that his once rival and friend would be the second speaker, and when Rono arrived, O’Sullivan paused and said, “There’s my friend now,” as the two exchanged a glance of respect and knowing of the battle they’d once had on a track in a far away land. O’Sullivan, who has a summer home in Layton, told his story to the campers. “When I was six, my father and I would go for really long walks in Ireland,” he said. “I remember the time and the place when I asked him if he thought I could one day make the Olympics. Maybe he was just getting a kid off his back, but he said, ‘Not in ‘76, you’ll be too young and not in ‘80 either but maybe in ‘84.” The dream stuck with O’Sullivan and the next year, at age seven, he had a chance to try running. In Ireland, there’s a club system and his club was having an evening of races. He went and was told he was too small and he’d have to run with the girls. “It was humiliating,” he said, “All the girls beat me.” Strike one. His next go at running came at age 10 or 11. “The Brothers at the Catholic school I attended asked for volunteers for the cross country team. I sat in the back and I raised my hand but they said I was too small and it was going to be a ‘tough sport.’ I never went to practice.” Strike two. O’Sullivan’s third attempt came when he was 13. In an unprecedented happening, the phys ed teacher said, “Unless you have a doctor’s note, everyone is going to try out for cross country tomorrow.” O’Sullivan said, “That was the one and only time that was allowed by the school, but I guess it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.” Over 120 kids were there running every which way and then, in the midst, O’Sullivan got a tap on the shoulder. “Number four...you made the team,” a voice said. That was his start. O’Sullivan said he was good in high school but not good enough to get the chance to get better or an education. “In Ireland, most people didn’t go to college. I wasn’t college material.” To make himself college material and earn a trip to the United States to attend college, O’Sullivan knew he had a lot of work to do. He graduated high school running the mile in times between 4:26 and 4:30. He said to the campers, “You might think that’s good, but it wasn’t good enough for a scholarship to the U.S.” O’Sullivan wanted to go to Villanova. University. “I knew if I could just get in there, it was my stepping stone to the Olympics,” he said. He got a job in Ireland as a sailmaker and began a year of an incredibly intense routine. “I’d get up at seven and run to the bus. Sometimes, the bus would get stuck in traffic, so I’d keep on running and catch it later on so I could run further. I’d go to work making sails then at 5 p.m. we were done and I’d take the bus an hour home. I’d be so tired that I’d eat something and go to sleep until eight. Then I’d go down to my local club where I’d meet my coach and run until 10. I’d come home hungry and would eat toast, tea and big fat pieces of bacon we had between the bread. The next day, I’d do it all again.” Though his friends tried to coax him out on the town to party, O’Sullivan always said no. In that year, he brought his mile time down to 4:05....good enough to catch the eye and funds of Villanova. “I wanted something to happen so badly that it had to happen,” he said. He headed to the U.S. O’Sullivan arrived here in 1980 and ran in the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games. “1984 was my favorite, if I had to pick one, he said because it was like Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Everything was so new and unbelievable. Vital Sasson was there giving hair cuts to the athletes and they’d make the Olympic rings in your hair. Everything was amazing.” He said that 1988 was the most intense year and that’s the year he was in the 1,500 with Peter Rono. Rono won the gold medal, running 3:35:95, and O’Sullivan was eighth, in 3:38:39. O’Sullivan has broken the 4 minute mile over 100 times. His mile personal best is 3:50 which he ran on the old wooden indoor track at Brendan Byrne Arena. After a few minutes to reunite and take pictures with the campers, Rono took over the stage and urged the kids, many of whom attend local middle and high schools, to “have the right attitude toward your running, and then add discipline.” He said that he had won gold, he looked up to O’Sullivan for the longevity that he’s had with the sport, having competed for over 25 years. Both O’Sullivan and Rono stressed to the kids to respect their coaches and their bodies and to make sure to take care of themselves through proper rest and smart training. Said Rono, “It is possible. Don’t ever think it isn’t possible. Anyone here can make it to the Olympics.” Rono had his gold medal on hand and let each and every one of the 75 campers hold it. O’Sullivan ended his speech, “Sussex County is a great place to train. Remember that no matter how nervous you get about a race, it’s also something you should enjoy. I think that’s the one thing in my career I regret...not enjoying the competition enough.”

The final day of X-Treme Running Camp 2004 started with the 5th Annual X-Treme 5K. Andrew Catalano, who will be a senior at Roselle Catholic High School, was the champion running 16:40 and setting a new camp record for the course. In the girl's race, Katie Mahoney, of Madison, was the champion running 21:35. Following the race, top Masters distance runner and author, Mark Will-Weber, gave a great presentation about race strategy. The kids then did a huge Run Around Drill with additional tests thrown in then went into the annual X-Treme Bucket Races. Camp ended with a presentation by "shoe guy" Gary Rosenberg of the Morristown Running Company and the official closing ceremonies at which each camper received an anthology and the top three male and female finishers in the X-Treme 5K received their awards. Special thanks to Al and Annmarie Siuta for all of their help with this year’s camp as well as the Roselle Catholic coaches and chaperones.