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2011 Nominations

FEMALE RUNNER OF THE YEAR
johnson Leslie Johnson. Track was the first interscholastic competitive sport at Leslie Johnson’s high school as a result of Title IX legislation. She quickly joined the team. Since then, she’s run more than 18 marathons, including three Boston marathons and the inaugural Twin Cities Marathon in 1982.  In 2010, she finished the Boston Marathon for the 3rd time with her best Boston finish ever. She was a Medtronic Global Hero at The Twin Cities 10 miler (with a front page article on her in the Pioneer Press).  On 2011, she ran the NYC marathon finishing in the top 100 of her division amongst a field of thousand. She is training for her first Ironman in 2012.

Deb Begotka, Tina Killey and Jesse Podolak

MALE RUNNER OF THE YEAR
kann Brent Kann. Brent ran Crazy Legs 8K in Madison, placing 9th overall in 26:15, 1st in age group 20-24, Bellin 10K in Green Bay, also 9th overall in 31:40 and 7th in age group 19-24, Grandview Firehouse 15k, 1st overall in 49:37, 11 seconds off the course record.  He biked the Firehouse 50 bike race the day before the run and placed 21st overall. He won the combination bike/run award. 

Nancy Kann

On the local level, Brent won his age group, 20-29, in the ITC Race Series by winning (finishing 1st overall) the following races: Spring Fever 6, the RCU Charity Classic 10K, the Tortoise and Hare 5K, and the Frigid 8. He placed first in his age group at the Water Street Mile by finishing second in the race, 2 seconds behind Tim Nelson.

Mike Salm
miller Darven Miller. Darven Miller, ran 11 marathons in 2011 and his last marathon was the St. Jude marathon in Memphis, TN where he raised $1,095 dollars for St. Jude Hospital! This is a list of most of the marathons he ran for 2011.

Medford 3:20:22
Yuengling 3:16:54
Eau Claire 3:19:36
Cellcom Greenbay 3:24:14
St. Louis 3:41:40
Birkie Trail 3:32:05
Prairie State 3:15:44
Whistle Stop 3:12:04
St. Jude 3:18

Aside from the marathons, he,also ran a couple half marathons, a 8K, 10K, 5K, and did a 50 mile relay.

Tiffany Mae Miller (daughter)
NELSON Tim Nelson. Tim is a long-time ITC family member through his parents Joanne and Chris Nelson of Augusta. Tim, a junior at UW-Stout, had a record-setting 2011 that included a long list of accomplishments:

*Overall winner of the Water Street Mile in a course-record time of 4 minutes, 16 seconds.

*Named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men’s cross country athlete of the year.

*Named NCAA Division III All-American.

*Won WIAC men’s cross-country title.

*Finished fourth at the NCAA Division III national meet with a time of 24 minutes, 13 seconds over the 8K (4.97 mile) course, a school record.

*Set UW-Stout school record for the indoor 5000 meter (5K) with a time of 14:43.

*Set UW-Stout school record for the 10,000 meter (10K) run with a time of 30:06.

Wade Zwiener

FEMALE MOST IMPROVED RUNNER
Susan rud Susan Rud. Susan Rud has shown her dedication,to running all length of races; from 2 miles to full marathons. She consistently places in the top of her 30-39 age group, as well as usually one of the top finishers of all ages. She has a very competitive spirit, which fits a runner of her caliber very well. She is the Mother of two other runners, Amanda, and Britney, and married to Doug, who also does a run now and then. All three of them, can hold their own, in their respective age groups. I know she logs a lot miles, in all kinds of weather, and is always looking to improve her time, as she runs the country roads, between Mondovi, and E.C. With raising a family, as well as working, she still has time for a life besides running. Always a fun person to banter with, before a race, as she toes the line.

Mark Waite

She has been someonone I have run with from the begining of my running career. It's not been a long time but memorable! I will always remember my 2nd race ever, the Buck Shot;  she was there to congratulate me. That"s when I knew we would be racing competitors!  Every race that I have entered, I have wondered if she is going to be there, because she would be the runner that would give me a challenge. I have watched her race times this year and she has wowed me every time.We haven't gotten to compete much, but wow has she kicked some butt!  She has improved her race times with almost every race ; including running almost every race on the series. Susan topped it off with winning her race series for her age group.

Heidi Debberke

MALE MOST IMPROVED RUNNER
chryst Rich Chryst. Rich Chryst is all about goal-setting and achieving. He has set realistic goals, in the past year, and has made every one. I enjoy his friendship, and am amazed, at his hard work, but at the same time, realize that is the key to success. He is living proof, that life gets better with age.

Mark Waite

Rich Chryst of Altoona ran the five-mile 2009 Buckshot Run in 53:23. Despite playing basketball nearly every day at the Chippewa Valley Family YMCA, Chryst realized he had a lot of room for improvement. While talking with his basketball friends last winter, they all agreed to run the Eau Claire Half-Marathon. Rich knew he would have to pick up his running if he wanted to finish. So, Rich started signing for every race he could. And I do mean EVERY race. Rich completed more than 35 races in 2010. He would visit his children in the Twin Cities and do a race there. He joined me in races from Thorp to New Richmond to Chetek to Menomonie. Rich doesn’t just run to get in shape and watch his speed improve – he does all these races because he loves the camaraderie. He trades banter with the guys his age (he’s 53!), but also loves needling the teens who are competing at his speed.Yes, Rich finished the Eau Claire Half-Marathon, in a time of 2:15:42, averaging 10:22 in his first-ever half-marathon.

From Chris Vetter's nomination in 2010

burr Ryan Burr. In early 2004, a busy Las Vegas CPA awoke from a daily greasy spoon lunch-induced stupor, realizing he was not only out of shape, but unhealthy and unhappy.It showed in the nearly 50 pounds he’d gained since graduating high school just 8 years earlier.

He decided to make a change.In January 2005, he finished the Disney Marathon in 5:19 at record high temperatures. By December 2010, he ran his tenth marathon in Las Vegas in just over 4 hours.

Then came the  idea for “11 in 11”- 11 marathons in 2011, to raise $11,000 for St Jude Children’s Hospital. those marathons were DC’s National Marathon, Salt Lake City, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Minneapolis, Grandma’s, Paavo Nurmi, Milwaukee, Hartford, Middleton Haunted Hustle, and finally St. Jude Memphis. Mission Accomplished!

He ran all 11 marathons in a span of about 8 months, AND raised more than $11,000 for St. Jude. In 4 of those races, he finally broke the 4 hour barrier, with a PR of 3:52 at the National Marathon.

Tara Burr
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