Dan Conway. Dan Conway started running in Chetek at age 37. Over the next three decades, he won 17 U.S. age group championships, set nine U.S. and one world record and won two world masters 10K championships.

 

He claimed to have had great training partners. John Vodacek had run a 2:17 marathon, Duane Fjelstad ran a 2:36 marathon at age 45, as well as John Kann, Dale Corbin, Bill Knickerbocker, and Billy Danielson. All lived in the Chetek, Wisconsin area. They had dirt roads that were hilly for long weekend runs; they had a ski hill and a nice all weather track for speed work. They had good clean air and college kids to keep them humble in the summer, including Chad Johnson, the Donnerbauer brothers and many more.

 

Probably his two most notable performances were winning the world masters 10k road race title in 30:26 in Perpignan, France in 1983 at age 44, and, in 1992, setting a world indoor mile record for the 50-54 age group in 4:41.31 at the Sunkist games in Los Angeles. There were a dozen 50-54 year old runners in a special mile, including gold medalist, Kip Keino of Kenya, who had just turned 50.

 

Bob St. Louis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dina St. Louis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ken Van Es.

 

Don Gilbertson. Don Gilbertson's career was mostly as a Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota where he also served as Executive Director of the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History. Don took up running at age 46 in order to develop a more active lifestyle. The beginning of Don's running career coincided with his son Eric's senior year of high school where Eric won the conference 2 mile event. In Eric, Don had an ideal training partner.

 

In 1981, Don ran his first marathon (with Eric). He and Eric each ran 3:22 and that would be Don's only marathon (he thought). Temptation beckoned, however, and a couple months later (in August) Don ran the Paavo Nurmi Marathon in 3:18. Then, in September he ran the Marquette Marathon in 2:57. Finally, in October, Don ran the St. Paul Marathon (the only one) in 2:59. All in all, Don has run 42 marathons, 13 of which were under three hours. Of the latter, five (including one Boston) were sub-three hour efforts that came after reaching the age of 50. Don ran his last marathon at age 65 in 3:53.

 

Don was President of the Indianhead Track Club for two terms. During Don's tenure the Hall of Fame was founded.

 

Ron Buckli.

 

 

Jerry Foote. Jerry Foote was a Biology Professor at UWEC in his earlier life and while he was running.   He started running after playing lots of handball at the YMCA.  Courts became difficult to schedule and he ran a mile or two on the Y track to warm up for handball games. His first race was Carson 10 at 38 yrs. young.  Then, with Dave Weiss cajoling him, he entered several other races and got hooked.  

 

Jerry was the Race Director for several Carson 10 races, one in which the very first T-shirts was given with Race Registration.  The shirts were white with Blue block letters "Carson 10" on the front.  The race had no sponsorships yet, in those days.  Jerry helped out in some way, timing, finish chute, etc. at most ITC races and entered and ran in out of town runs.  

Jerry was President of the club for a couple of turns, when the meetings were held at the Parks and Rec. building and 30 or 40 members at each monthly meeting.  The club selected Race Directors for the year and helpers for races by asking for volunteers at these monthly meetings.  Newsletter mailings happened under the tutelage of John Qualheim in his office at Green Door Graphics.  Address labels were printed on Jerry's Apple2E and a dot matrix printer and a group of 5 or 6 or 8 folks would gather with John to get the mailings ready!.  

 

After running several 10 milers and Sawdust City sixes,  Jerry started ran longer distances on weekends with Roger Hubbard, Ken Van Es, Terry Wiseman and a few others. He attempted his first marathon at Octoberfest in La Crosse. Hubbard, Van Es and Foote ran many marathons together,  seven per year for several years and often 3 weekends in a row. The La Crosse Marathon was the 2nd consecutive weekend marathon that they would run and Twin Cities the following weekend would complete the three.  Jerry claims that he always did best in the Twin Cities marathons. His best time there was a a very respectable 2:57! But at the La Crosse Marathon, they usually found someone with a can of beer about every 5 miles along the course.  Roger Hubbard and Jerry would share the beer and run off again to look for the next one.  He concedes that it was probably not the best training regimen.  His earliest Twin Cities Marathons were about 5 laps or so around Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun.

 

Lloyd Fleig.

 

Bill Meiser. Bill Meiser was one of the original founders who helped create the Indianhead Track Club and attended that first organizational meeting on February 26, 1969. Being an active jogger-runner keenly interested in fitness, he also became a member of Governor Warren Knowles’ Regional Governor’s Council on Sports and Physical Fitness. At the time, Bill was the Elementary Public School Physical Education Coordinator. Soon after, he left the elementary school system and joined the physical education staff of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

 

In 1970, Bill co-founded the second oldest ITC sponsored event: The annual ITC & Kiwanis Boys and Girls Track and Field Games. He provided the meet’s basic format, served as co-chairman, and worked many years at the Games. Later he functioned as the University liaison for the event held annually at the University.

 

Because of his dedication to youth, running, and the sport of track and field, he initiated and practically single-handedly managed four All-Comers Track Meets each summer at the UW-EC. He did this for 13 years—a prodigious total of 52 meets! Participants included five age groups starting at age 8 and included high school and open divisions.

The UW-EC Track and Field program was almost non-existent until Bill became the head track coach in 1971. By his thoughtful coaching, diligent work ethic, and excellent management skills, Bill transformed the once hapless sport into a prestigious program.

 

Pete Beauvais.

 

Emily Blaskey.

 

Bill Linse. Bill was working in the Twin Cities when the ITC was formed in 1969, but he soon moved back to his native Mondovi and joined the ITC, faithfully commuting from Mondovi to attend all meetings starting in 1971. Bill served as a race director for the Sawdust City 6-miler, helped with registration at many ITC races, and hosted winter training runs for the club from his home in Mondovi. He became the ITC’s second president in 1975. Bill served on the committee that drafted the ITC’s original constitution.

 

Known as the “Mondovi Buffalo,” partly for his hulking style, Bill weighed a fat-free, bone-and-muscle 180 pounds when tuned to prime running shape. But his massive platform (size 13 shoes) occasionally supported an increase of 40 or 50 pounds above his most efficient running mass. He did the 1971 Drake Marathon in 2:51 and was the first ITC member to run the Boston Marathon under three hours, coming in at 2:59 in 1972. He claimed a PR 2:46 at the Whitewater Marathon. Bill also won the first Syttende Mai Race (17 miles) held at Grantsburg. In 1972, Bill posted a time of 57:08 over the AAU certified Carson Park 10 Mile race course, an outstanding feat considering his size.

 

In 1973 Bill and Ken Van Es organized the 24 Hour Relay in which a team of ten runners alternated continuously, each running a mile on a quarter-mile track for 24 hours. That talented team included Bill, Ken, Jim Drews, Jim Vedder, Dave Kayser, and Gary Sasman. The group totaled 269 miles, a little over 11 miles per hour -- a pace of 5:21 per mile for 27 miles -- placing fourth in the world in 1973 as tabulated by Runner’s World magazine.

 

 

John Qualheim. John Qualheim started running in high school - cross-country in his sophomore year - and then promptly retired from running for about 15 years.  

 

In the late 70s his roommate, Byron, who was fresh out of the Army Rangers, decided to train for something called a marathon. John, who by this time was a good 30 pounds overweight, was intrigued by his roommates training, and decided he’d try running again. He began by running to Carson Park one mile away, resting for five minutes, and then running back. This became much easier with time and Byron’s suggestion that John buy some running shoes - some crazy brand John had never heard of called New Balance.

 

  This led to more miles, less weight to carry, and a desire to try a race. Once John determined he could run five miles without stopping (with Betty following in a car), he entered a 5-mile race that was part of the Scandinavian 10-mile that started at Fanny Hill. He finished but couldn’t imagine how anyone could run the 10 miler. Then he ran 10 miles, in five 2-mile increments, during a fun run from the YMCA, organized by a group of Indianhead Track Club members. That started his involvement in the ITC.

 

  John has been a member of the ITC since the early 80s, has been a co-director of the Spring Fever Six (forgot to start the clock one year) and Carson 10 (tried to synchronize the start of the 10 and 2 milers using a cell phone - big mistake), was co-editor of the ITC newsletter for several years, helped organize the banquet for few years, and has proudly avoided holding any office in the club. He is currently the co-director, with Don Marjala, of the Beer and M&M run.

 

John can only remember three of his PRs, and all occurred many years ago.

 

Sawdust City 6 Mile - 32:25    Octoberfest Half Marathon - 1:14:30    Grandma’s Marathon - 2:48:30

 

He also managed to win one race, The 1985 Hodag Half Marathon, in a time of 1:15:04 (pictured). 

 

Joan Angell.

 

2002

Fred A. Hable.  ♪ FAH...A Long, Long Way to Run. Long-time club members will remember this as the title of Fred's newsletter column from the 1990s. Fred revisits, recycles and condenses those columns for this Hall of Fame page.

 

Most of us take up running because it is supposed to be good for our health. Some of us got hooked on races. In any race from 400 meters to the marathon, one can experience discomfort, pain and agony. I have this theory that if you are obsessive-compulsive about running the discomfort, pain and agony can be transformed into exhilaration.

 

Some people have suggested that running is my religion. At the very least, I was married to the marathon for a long, long time and with it came plenty of time to experience the discomfort, pain and agony of running. Enough time that I wanted out. I wanted some of the exhilaration.

Now that 23 years of 69 marathons are behind me, all my runs are exhilarating victory laps. I wish that everyone who takes up running for their health experience it not as exercise but as play in it’s most pure and simple form.

 

Fred’s service to the club and the running community:

 

ITC president 1997-1999

See Dick Run race director 1987 to present

Bloomin' Idiot fun run director 1996 to present

Tortoise and Hare race director 1999 to present

Bloomer cross-country coach for 3 years

 

Personal records:

 

400 meters                       1:07            800 meters                       2:26

1600 meters                     5:09            2 mile                             11:03

5K                                  17:08           5 mile                             28:20

10K                                 36:03          10 mile                            58:25

Half marathon                1:19:57           Marathon                     2:47:45

 

Unofficially, Fred ran 24 of his 69 marathons under 3 hours.

 

2003

Rosemary Harnly. Rosemary Harnly was an occasional columnist during the early days of the ITC newsletter but an avid reader of anything written by Al Denio. She calls her early days of running (80s and 90s) just putting in the base work. In 1989, she received the “Most Races” plaque for a total of 31 races.

 

 In 2009, she completed 51 races---her average each year since 2005. Her 2009 races include two 1 milers, eighteen 5K’s, four 4 milers, ten 8K’s/5 milers, four 10K’s, one 7 miler, one Frigid 8,  four 10 Milers,  one 20K, three half-marathons, and one 502 step stair-climb in 4:48.

   

In her 60-64 age group, she added ten top 10 times across 13 distances: the 1mile, 8K, 10K, 10 mile, 20K, and half marathon categories.  Her 7:25 Grandma’s Mile is an age 63 state record for certified 1 mile courses.

 

She volunteers at the Rochester Marathon each May and the Rochester Section 1A Cross Country meet in October.

 

 

Al Denio. Al Denio wrote under the nom de plume of the Alchemist for the ITC newsletter for many, many years and recounts those years for us here with his usual wit and grace.

 

"I left my job as Research Chemist at duPont in Wilmington, Delaware in 1964 and joined the CHEM faculty at UWEC.  The job was fun but demanding.  Val and I had two kids and in 1968 #3 arrived.  Trying to be a good Prof and family man was quite a challenge.  I was really stressed.  Luckily my colleague Bob St. Louis came to my rescue and got me into running and the ITC.

 

Running was a great stress buster.  Soon I was running (and losing) races.  Then I ran the City of Lakes Marathon in 1979, followed by two dozen more.  My PR was 3:18 so I lost them all.  I met some of the world’s best people in the ITC (plus a few nut cases).  To name them all would fill this site but they know who I mean.

 

Winter running was a special challenge.  Returning home with icicles attached to my clothing used to bother Val.  I was called crazy by neighbors and had some painful falls.  My first Gore-Tex suit made life bearable.

 

I retired in 1996 and we moved to Delaware two years later in search of milder winters.  My running continued here but without the great friends of the ITC.  My speed decreased and I gave up the 26.2 mile sprint, but I continued to enjoy long runs.  It was just assumed that I’d run until my funeral.

 

Then came a bone spur on my C-6 vertebrae which caused great pain during and after runs.  A local neurosurgeon proposed going in through the front of my throat to remove the spur.  The second option was oxycontin by the pound.  I chose option #3, the swimming pool – nice exercise but boring as hell.  Yes, I’ll always miss the ITC races, especially the Beer and M&M’s!"

 

2004

Tim Dusick.

 

2005

Joe Mirr.

Judy Mirr.

 

2007

Paul Billmeyer.

 

2008

Tina Killey. They say Tina Killey got her first taste of fame wearing the crown of the Queen of Pure Water (Non-fluoridated) Days (PWND) in Chippewa Falls. Next came the title of Arcadia Broiler Days Queen after a bitterly fought chicken dance-until-you-drop contest. Let's not forget that she was the hands-on winner of the Augusta Beaverette Beauty Contest, after which her taste for notoriety could not be satisfied, at least in Western Wisconsin. Her friends urged her to go west and find fortune and fame in Hollowood.

 

One night, she had a dream. She saw her name in print. She saw a star on a sidewalk somewhere. She saw the words, Hall of Fame, blazing across the top of a page. There and then, Tina decided that her friends were right. She wanted bad to make it BIG. She struck out for Hollowood. On foot.

 

Maybe if she had driven a car. Or taken a bus. Or been able to run faster. Or had a better sense of direction. South Dakota can take forever when you don't know where you're going. It can take forever when you do know where you are going.

 

Ten years, and countless pairs of shoes later, she gave up. She was tired and sore and hungry and had to visit the ladies' room. It was time to go home.

 

Back in Eau Claire, Tina found that the ten years she spent building her base running West could be put to good use running races. She ran farther and faster than she ever dreamed. She qualified for Boston. She won her age group again and again and again. She told everybody that she won her age group again and again and again. She became the newsletter editor for the Indianhead Track Club for 12 years running. She won the hearts and minds and respect of everyone around her.