Wed, Nov 25 2009
|
With a Flick of his... legs Feel like running 100 miles? Harbor grad does just that... and enjoys it! TOM HARRISStar Beacon Once the family moved to Salt Lake City, Flick discovered that training had its pragmatic side.
“I go hiking in the mountains with our three kids,” Flick said. “Sometimes when we’re hiking I have to get back quickly, and the only way to do that is to run.” Conditions in the mountains aren’t ideal for running in the winter and early spring. Flick still has to get to work, however, and by commuting on the run he is able to avoid the traffic and get in the bulk of his weekly quota of 50 miles. “My weekly mileage varies,” he said. “It drops off in the winter, because you can’t do as much trail running. But I generally run to work, and that’s about it.” Flick isn’t a fanatical about training. There are times when taking that first step is difficult. “I find I have trouble getting out the door,” he said. “But once I’m out and have run a short distance, I want to keep running. I don’t run every day; it’s hard to get out at times, and the weather doesn’t help. But I ski and bike and do some other things, so I do get a lot of exercise.” Flick got serious about long-distance running a few years ago. At the time, he plotted a schedule of the things he’d like to accomplish and when. Right now, he’s ahead of where he thought he’d be. “When I started doing this, I thought it would be neat to do my first 50-miler when I was 50,” said the 49-year-old Flick. “But I did a 50-mile race last year. I kept hoping it wouldn’t be a near-death experience. Those races start at five in the morning. So, you’re running when the sun comes up, and that’s really nice. “Of course, the 100-mile races are more difficult. You start running as the sun comes up, and you have to keep running right through the night.” The runners wear headlamps to help them find their way after the sun goes down. Flick said it can be intimidating to be running in the mountains during the wee hours of the morning. But even the shorter races, such as the Antelope Island Buffalo Run 50K, which was held on March 22, can test the runners and call for large doses of perseverance. “The Buffalo Run race was two laps around a 25K course,” Flick said. “Between miles 13 and 16, I felt awful. I really thought I was going have to drop out at the end of the first lap. It was cold and windy, and I think I was getting a little hypothermic. Then, I started to feel a little better, and I felt great at the end. I guess there are going to be a few glitches in any race.” Flick finished the race in 5:45:41.86, placing 28th overall and 13th in his age group. It wasn’t a bad way to spend six hours. “Being in the mountains is always fun,” he said. “And there is some camaraderie when you’re racing. Sometimes the camaraderie is more important than the racing.” Flick makes it back to Ashtabula once or twice a year to visit his mother and brother, Tom, both of whom live here. And he keeps in touch with a small group of his Harbor classmates, including Tim Picard, who is an editor of a small paper in the Columbus area. But when he trying to get away from it all, Flick usually starts by lacing up his running shoes. “Running is my peace-and-quiet time,” he said. “It is definitely an escape and an excuse to get up in the mountains. If you’re in Salt Lake City and enjoy the mountains, this is the way to do it.” 
More from the Home Page section
A Don McCormack column: Answering the call... |
Print this story
Post to del.icio.us
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
© 2009, Ashtabula Star Beacon
P.O. Box 2100, Ashtabula OH 44005-2100 (440) 998-2323, Send news tips and feedback 
|
Popular Business directory links - Ashtabula Apartments | Ashtabula Attorneys | Ashtabula Auto Dealers | Ashtabula Auto Parts | Ashtabula Auto Repair | Ashtabula Beauty Salons | Ashtabula Car Rental | Ashtabula Dentists | Ashtabula Doctors | Ashtabula Flowers | Ashtabula Hotels | Ashtabula Insurance | Ashtabula Loans | Ashtabula Mortgages | Ashtabula Movers | Ashtabula Pizza | Ashtabula Realtors | Ashtabula Restaurants | Ashtabula Storage | Ashtabula Tax Preparation | Ashtabula Travel | Ashtabula Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service |
