SGRJanuaryNewsletter
HappyNewYear!FromallofushereatSt.GeorgeRaces,we
hopeyouhadawonderfulholidayseasonfilledwithjoyandhappiness.
Thismonth’sSt.GeorgeRacesNewsletterfeaturesahighlightoftheSt.GeorgeHalf-Marathon,5K,KidsRunandIAmAbleevent;ourrunnerspotlight,featuringMarianneHamilton;CrosbyFamilyConfluenceParkastheTown’s
Treasure;andalistofseveralupcomingevents.
Fordetailsaboutourscheduleofracesandotherevents,pleasevisitourwebsite:www.sgcity.org/races.Ifyouhavequestionsandcan’tfindtheanswersonoursite,emailusat
UpcomingEventhighlight
JoinSt.GeorgeRacesonSaturday, January13,2018forthe36thAnnualSt.GeorgeHalf-Marathon,5K,KidsRunandIAmAbleevent! If youmadea resolution tobemoreactive thisyear, this is theperfectwaytogetstarted.Plus,weather inSt. George is glorious in January, especially when youconsider the winter storms that have frozen much of thenation.Manysouthernstateshavehadtodeclareastateofemergency,thenortheastisburiedinsnow,andtracesofthepowderywhite stuff are still lingering in SouthCarolina andFlorida - all while St. George is enjoying beautiful,mildtemps!
This issouthernUtah’s longest-runninghalf-marathonandisa can’t-miss race for anyone who wants to run a half-marathon through beautiful, scenic St. George. With anoutstandingcoursetakesrunnersonthepavedcitytrailsthatwind along the Virgin River, this event showcases thespectacularlandscapeofourcityanditsenvirons.
FormoreinformationontheHalf-Marathon,5K,KidsRunandI Am Able Events, visit our website by clicking here. Toregister, please click here. The last day to register isWednesday,Jan.10at5pmMST.AfterFriday,Jan.5,thereisa$10lateregistrationcharge.
RunnerSpotlight-Marianne
Hamilton
Thismonth’sRunnerSpotlightisn’tsomuchonarunnerasitis on a very active participant at SGR Events. MarianneHamiltonhasparticipatedinnearlyeverySGREventofferedover the past few years, yet she hasn’t run a single race.
That’sbecausesheisarace-walker.We’llgetintowhatthatisinaminute.
OriginallyfromSacramento,Hamilton,movedtotheBayAreaforcollegeandwasoneofthefirstwomeneveradmittedtoSt.Mary’sCollegeinMoraga(abouta20-miledrivefromSanFrancisco). She spent 15 years living in Los Gatos, CA, justoutsideofSan Jose,beforesheandherhusbanddiscoveredSt.GeorgeaftercomingherefortheHuntsmanWorldSeniorGames. Coincidentally, it was race-walking that firstregisteredtheGamesonHamilton’sradar-screen.InherfirstyearofparticipationattheGames,shewonsilvermedalsinallofherevents.Soforthenexttwoyears,theHamiltonduotraveled to St. George to compete; each time they came,theyfellmoredeeply in lovewithSt.George. Itwasonthatthirdtripthattheydecideditwastimetomovehere;withinthree months of their decision, their California house wassold,andtheywerefull-timeUtahans.
WhenyouaskHamiltonhowitisthatshebecameinvolvedinracewalking,sheishappytosharethedetails.Inessence,itwasherdesire to continue tobeactiveandhealthyafter adiscinherneck“exploded”fromtoomuchweight-lifting,andhervertebraeneeded tobe fused.Herdoctorshad toldherthat she couldn’t run or lift weights anymore, as bothactivitiescouldnegativelyaffectherspine.Duringherpost-surgical rehab Hamilton startedwalking; as she healed shecontinued to walk farther and faster. It wasn’t until manyyearslater,afterahalf-marathon,thatamanapproachedherand asked if she was part of the local race-walking group.Hamilton had no idea what he was talking about until heexplainedthatthewayshewaswalking–herform–wasthatofa race-walker. In shortorder, she joined the race-walkinggroup,andafter taking lessonswith their coachandhoningher skills, she started winning awards. Over time Hamiltonwould train with two former Olympic race-walkers, andanother athlete who made it to the Olympic trials in thesport.“I’vebeenenormouslyblessedtohavebeenmentoredbysomeoutstandingexperts,”Hamiltonnotes.
Now,astowhatracewalkingis:Forstarters,it’sanOlympiceventtakenquiteseriouslybypeopleallovertheworld,andhas specific requirements for participation. As Hamiltonexplains,“Therearetworules:1.)Youmustmaintaincontactwiththegroundatalltimes,eitherwithyourheeloryourtoe.And2.)whenyoumakecontactwithyourheel(vs.running,
whereyoulandontheballofyourfoot),yourkneemustbestraight, and remain straight until that leg passes beneathyourbody,andyoustrikethegroundwiththeotherheel.”Inrace-walking competitions, judges are stationed around thetrack to watch for bent knees; for repeated offenses in arace, the result can be disqualification. This happened toHamiltonatthe2017WorldMastersGamesinNewZealand.Although her first-ever DQ was devastating, she did walkaway with bronze medals in her other two events. “Thathelpedeasethepainalittlebit,”shelaughs.
Whereas many of our Runner Spotlights have a disciplinedtrainingschedule,Hamiltonreadilyadmitsthatshedoesnot.Becauseofherbusyschedule,shetriestogetouttotrainatleast 4 times a week, and pushes herself more prior to anevent. She also teaches (and takes) a number of wateraerobicsclasseseachweek,soshegets incontinuous core,cardio and strength cross-training. When you ask Hamiltonwhysheenjoysrace-walkingsomuch,theanswerisfamiliar– it’s all about the freedom of hitting the trails, and thefeelingthatcomeswiththesport.“Ilovethewholesensationofbeing in thegroove,”Hamilton says. “After I getwarmedup, I just feel stronger and stronger with each mile. Race-walkingfeedsmysoul;mybodyreallylovesthemovement.”
Hamilton has participated in organized race walkingcompetitions throughout California (where she was a stateseniors champion), Nevada, Ohio, Minnesota and Utah, aswell as New Zealand. These days she and her husband,Doug,whoworksontheSt.GeorgeRacescrew,serveastheracedirectorsfortheRace-WalkingandPower-Walkingeventsat the Huntsman World Senior Games in October of eachyear.Theyhavealsostartedanonprofitorganization(theUSPower Walking Association) with the goal of encouragingstate Senior Games directors to include power walking intheirlistofevents.YoucanoftenfindMariannerace-walkingthe St. George Races events, where she often teaches thetechnique and explains race-walking to athletes at the pre-race expos. Additionally, Hamilton is very active in St.George,where she is a contributingauthor forSGHealth&Wellness magazine, a member of the St. George ArtsCommission,servesontheboardofdirectorsforArtAroundthe corner, volunteers for the Docutah International FilmFestival, and teaches fitness classes at the Sand HollowAquatic Center. Previously, she was a member of theGeorgefestboardofdirectors. Inher “free” timeHamilton –
alongwithher spouse – servesas the co-directorof theSt.GeorgeWine Club, a nonprofit that supports local arts andeducation programs. In the last year the organization hasgivenover$12,000backtothecommunity.
LookforHamiltonattheSt.GeorgeHalf-Marathon,whereshewill be race-walking the event for the first time. Hamiltonnotes that many former runners, especially those benchedduetoinjuries,oftenstartrace-walkingbecauseittakeslessof a toll on the body, and allows them to still get out andparticipate in a race they otherwise wouldn’t do. We wishHamilton the best of luck, and hope her story encouragesotherswhoaren’tdevotedrunnerstogiveafutureSCGeventatry!
PicturedAbove:MarianneHamiltondisplayinghermedalsfromthe
2017HuntsmanWorldSeniorGames.
Town'sTreasure-CrosbyFamilyConfluenceParkand
theSt.GeorgeTrailSystem
This month’s pick may be one of the better-known Town’sTreasuresbecauseofhowfrequentlyeventsarestagedatthevenue, including next week’s St. George Half-Marathon, 5k,Kids Run and I AmAble event. This snug park, located justsouth of the Dixie Convention Center, is connected to thevast trails – including the Mayor’s Loop, Virgin River Trail,Webb Hill Trail and Santa Clara River Trail – that sweepthroughSt.George
Theparkitselffeaturesaspaciousparkinglot,adjacenttoalargegazebo,restrooms,drinkingfountains,picnictablesandagrassfieldforplaying.Thereareplentyoftreesforshade,andplants and flowers for thebirdsandpeople visiting theparktoenjoyaswell.Throughoutthepark,thereareplacardsscatteredteachingvisitorsonthehistoryofthearea.
Thetruegemofthisparkisthetrailsystemthat’sconnectedto it. On the north side of the Virgin River, the trails aremostly flat; south of theVirginRiver you’ll find a fewmorehills as the trail hugs themountainside following along theriver.Asyousetoutit’sabitconfusing,asit’snotapparentwherethemergingSantaClaraRiverandVirginRiverwatersarecomingfrom(theyappeartoflowsouthandnorthatthesame time). Still, you’ll enjoy the views of the Virgin Riverfromthetrailbridgenearthe1-15overpass.Withthepavedshared-use trails converging at Crosby Family ConfluencePark, it’s easy to get to Bloomington Park, Tonaquint Park(where the Nature Center, a previous Town’s Treasure, islocated), St. James Lane Park, and evenWashingtonCity innotime. Ifyouhaven’tdonesoalready,wehopeyou’llvisitCrosby Family Confluence Park and experience one of themostwonderfultrailsystemsthatSt.Georgehastooffer.
For more information on Crosby Family Confluence Park,pleaseclickhere.
Formore informationontheSt.GeorgeTrailSystem,pleaseclickhere.
PicturedAbove:VariousphotosfromCrosbyFamilyConfluencePark
andtheSt.GeorgeTrailSystem.
UpcomingEvents
St.GeorgeHalfMarathon,5k,KidsRun-
January13,2018Thelongest-runninghalfmarathoninSouthernUtahtakesrunnersalongthebeautifullandscapesofSt.George.Makesureyousignupforthisawesomeevent.
Formoreinformation,pleaseclickhere.Toregister,pleaseclickhere.
Bikestock2018-February3,2018
Bikestockisafamily-friendlybikeridingeventonthecitytrails.BikestockinvolvestheFamilyFunBikeRideandtheMoveIt!KidsCriterium.TheFamilyBikeRideisfreeandCriteriumcostsonly$10.
Formoreinformation,pleaseclickhere.Toregister,pleaseclickhere.
RoadRageDuathlon-February24,2018
RoadRageputsparticipants'runningandbikingskillstothetest.RunandBikethroughSantaClara,Ivins,andKayenta.BothSprintandOlympicdistancesavailable.
Formoreinformation,pleaseclickhere.Toregister,pleaseclickhere.
LaketoLake-March3,2018
Grabacoupleofyourfriends(ordoityourself,ifyou'refeelingextraadventurous)andrun52miles.LaketoLakeRelaytakesparticipantsfromGunlockReservoirtoSandHollowReservoir.Runalongbeautifulroads,trails,andsitesasyoucompeteinteamsof2,5orindividually.Formoreinformation,pleaseclickhere.
Toregister,pleaseclickhere.
ShamROCKYourSocksOff10k-March17,
2018KickoffyourSt.Patrick'sDayCelebrationwiththeShamROCK10K.Thisawesome10ktakesrunners
throughSnowCanyonStateParkbeforefinishingatIvinsCityPark.
Formoreinformation,pleaseclickhere.Toregister,pleaseclickhere.
SHACTriathlon-April7,2018
Everwanttodoatriathlon?Wellifso,thisistheoneforyou.Putyourrunning,bikingandswimmingskillstothetestwiththisfunevent.
Formoreinformation,pleaseclickhere.Toregister,pleaseclickhere.
