Stephen Morgan and Katie Gorczyca

Win Championship 10K

 

Over 100 runners—90 runners for the 10K and 20 plus for the Fun Run 2Miler—braved the early-morning chill of late January to take part in the first real race of the year, the LVTC Club Championship 10K, held at Mission Hills Park in Henderson.

The men’s race turned into a three-man battle between Devin Mancuso, a twenty-year-old competing against two of his elders: Steve Morgan, competing in the 40-49 age group; and Jeff Gardner, Devin’s personal coach, who recently moved up to the 50-59 age group. Mancuso led early, but the veteran Morgan prevailed in 35:13, winning by six seconds over Gardner (35:19), with Mancuso ten seconds behind him (35:29). No one else was close. The fourth-place finisher was Sergio Ibarra in a time of 38:57.

The battle for the title of 10K Club Champion among the women came down to a duel between a just-out-of college 23-year-old versus a girl who hasn’t even started high school. Amanda Gramly, who was a 10K specialist for UNR until she graduated last year—she ran 38:47 and change at the WAC Championships in May of 2008—led at the turnaround, but Katie Gorczyca, an 8th grader at Alexander Dawson School, finished strong with a winning time of 41:17. Amanda was second in 41:45 with third-place finisher Kim Jefferson a distant third in 43:31.
 

Amanda would be the first to admit that she is not in competitive running shape, but her time for the 10K is still not too shabby. Katie and Amanda finished 10th and 12th overall among all runners, men and women. This makes Katie’s 41:17 for 10K all the more impressive. Her intermediate time for 5K (sub 20) would have bested all but the top echelon of high school runners in Nevada this past cross country season. It’s going to be fun to follow Katie’s running progress once she starts high school—destination still to be determined—this fall.

Actually, as I see it, the real winner in this event was the Las Vegas Track Club itself. This race, which was the first event in 2010 Club Championship Series, brought in 13 new memberships and 21 members. It also resulted in some of the track club’s top runners—in their age group—showing up for a competitive race. In addition to those named above, it brought out Betty Cook, Claudia Perez, Anthony Ponticello, Juan Leonis, Terry Stockdale, Ed Hoffman, and Neal Chappell.

Over the past 40 years the Las Vegas Track Club has undergone a transition from a small group of mostly guys—competing fiercely against each other on Saturday mornings at Sunset Park over distances ranging from 5 Miles to 30K, while preparing for the club-sponsored Notch Run and Las Vegas Marathon—to a diverse group of men and women and youngsters coming out for low-key runs that seem at times more to be social gatherings than races. The recent emphasis in the club seems to be more on raising money for the Scholarship Fund and helping other organizations put on charity runs. All that is well and good. I am, after all, the Scholarship Committee Chair. But I also feel the track club needs that competitive edge to it. The Championship Series should do that. This Championship 10K was a good start. I hope we get an even better turn out for subsequent events, starting next Saturday with the Make a Wish 5K.

All LVTC members will earn championship points for signing up and competing. Five points for finishing; up to 20 points for a top-20 overall finish; or up to 10 points for a top-10 age-group finish. I hope to see many of you there on Saturday morning at Town Square in Las Vegas.

Phil Lawton

LVTC Sweatin' Sweethearts 4M Relay

Paseo Verde Park, Henderson

8:00 am Saturday, February 13, 2010

This popular race is run on a traffic-free paved pathway along Paseo Verde Parkway in Henderson. Out and back course. 8:00 am start. See you there!

You and your partner will compete in divisions determined by your combined ages. Each person will run 2 miles, and your finishing times will be combined. Winners will receive prizes! If your sweetie doesn't run or you need a partner, check the LVTC Message Board or come anyway, and we will match you with a partner on race day.

LVTC events are open to all runners; sign up starts about a half hour before the race. The race fee is $3 for members, $5 for non-members. Students 19 and under receive a $1 discount. In an effort to encourage young runners to join us, the LVTC does not charge for runners 10 years of age or younger.

Map to Paseo Verde Park Henderson

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CLEARANCE SALE!!!



At the Sweatin' Sweethearts race, we will be selling LVTC Logo Wear clothing at super-discounted prices!!! Everything goes! Prices as low as $1! We have to make room for new inventory! Come early for the best selection! Outfit your team for the Sweethearts Race! Cash or check only.

The Las Vegas Track Club is an all-volunteer, non-profit running organization that was incorporated in the state of Nevada in April, 1969. We are walkers, joggers and runners who have embraced walking, jogging and running as a lifetime fitness activity. Our mission is to support youth running in southern Nevada, and we do that by making very generous donations to youth running teams, high school cross country and track teams, and by giving scholarships to worthy graduating high school seniors.

We work very closely with all of the local charities who stage walking, jogging and running events, and we put on our own running events when there is nothing else on the weekend calendar.  We have nearly 1,000 members from 23 states, and we are always delighted to have new friends to walk, jog and run with.

Our website has an extensive race calendar which features all local races and running events. If you want to race a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, ultra distance or track event it will be listed on the LVTC race schedule.  The calendar also has a large list of local training runs.  The local running links page has a links to local running clubs, bike and triathlon clubs, places to run, local government recreation, speciality running stores, race timing, and running companies.  If you are interested in running a  5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, ultra distance, track event or training run please check out running calendar.

LVTC events are open to all runners; sign up starts about a half hour before the race.  The race fee is $3 for members, $5 for non-members.  Students 19 and under receive a $1 discount.   Almost all races are separated into sex and age categories, with ribbons awarded to the top five finishers in each division.  In an effort to encourage young runners to join us, the LVTC does not charge for runners 10 years of age or younger.

Download Membership Application Here In PDF Format